Is Chapter Five deliberately keeping readers in suspense?
When Jiang Huan returned to her west side hall, she felt as if the sky was about to fall. It seemed that her fake visit to the emperor was not a good thing at all.
It was bad enough that Consort Yu didn't know how to restrain herself from her, but now Consort Jia also holds a grudge against her and won't even let her leave Jinhua Palace, so there's no way she can send food to the Emperor.
I estimate that her demotion punishment will arrive early tomorrow morning.
Xiao Zhao hurriedly applied medicine to Jiang Huan's face, only to see that her face was ashen and lifeless. She knew that she was too stupid to even understand palace dramas, and getting involved in the harem would not end well!
"Don't be afraid, my lady. Just focus on preparing the food. Later, I'll go out and deliver it to the Emperor. I'll definitely bring him here for you and deal with Consort Yu for abusing her power!"
Xiao Zhao confidently patted her chest and promised Jiang Huan, who then slowly took her hand.
"Xiao Zhao, you don't need to do these things. Just promise me that you won't talk to them anymore. Let me say what you need to say."
If it weren't for this silly girl's threats, she might have avoided a slap. But looking at Xiao Zhao's reddened eyes, Jiang Huan couldn't bring herself to say a word of blame.
It's still her fault for being useless. If she had a higher rank and more power, no one could control Xiao Zhao even if she cursed heaven and earth outside.
...
Hall of Mental Cultivation.
With mountains of memorials piling up, Huo Lin, who was initially full of energy, now had a vacant look in his eyes.
He had already finished the few apricot blossom cakes that Jiang Huan had given him in the morning. His breakfast was a cold meal, his lunch was a bowl of white porridge and vegetables, and his dinner was no exception to these healthy meals.
The thought of his stomach suffering again today made Huo Lin's face grow even uglier.
"Has Consort Zhuang not come?"
Huo Lin glanced at the sky outside; it was almost time for dinner. Jiang Huan really had no sense of propriety; she didn't even bring him anything to eat so late.
Wang Degui, standing to the side, laughed and said, "If Your Majesty wishes to see Consort Zhuang, this servant will go and summon her for you."
"No need," Huo Lin replied coldly, his voice even more chilling than before.
Wang Degui's smile froze, and he didn't dare to say another word. Having served the emperor for so long, he still had no idea about his temper.
One minute they're thinking of someone, the next they're gone.
Huo Lin touched his stomach through the dragon robe, feeling that he didn't even have the strength to get angry. Right now, what he saw in front of him wasn't memorials, but one after another plump, white glutinous rice balls.
The fermented rice wine is rich and thick, and the glutinous rice balls are sweet and fresh. A bowl of this has a mellow and satisfying taste.
Damn it, Jiang Huan's rank will be demoted tonight!
"Your Majesty, Consort Yu has arrived."
Huo Lin looked unwell, and Wang Degui was somewhat apprehensive when he reported this to the emperor.
"Tell her to get out."
Wang Degui swallowed hard, then timidly spoke again, "Consort Yu said that Consort Zhuang is unwell, and she came today to deliver things on her behalf."
Huo Lin's ears perked up, and he immediately put down his vermilion brush, but his expression remained as cold and unchanging as ever. "Let her in."
Wang Degui immediately smiled and said, "Alright!"
As he turned around, Wang Degui silently noted in his heart that Consort Zhuang was now the first person to receive such favor, and mentioning her name would be especially useful!
"Your Highness Consort Yu, the Emperor has summoned you to come in."
Consort Yu's face lit up with joy, and she immediately beckoned Cuiying to carry the food box into the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
It's just delivering food, right? Who said only Jiang Huan can do it? She can do it just as well!
Before going in, she repeatedly straightened her clothes, afraid of displeasing Huo Lin.
After all, just a year ago, she was still Consort Yu.
It was a hot summer day, and she carefully made bitter melon porridge, thinking it would cool her down and relieve the heat, and sent it to the emperor. She sent it for several days in a row, but instead of receiving his favor, she received news that she had been demoted to Consort Yu.
This time, there can be no more mistakes!
"Your Majesty, I have cooked some sweet dumplings today, and knowing you are busy with state affairs, I sent them over immediately."
Consort Yu's voice was soft and charming, making one's bones feel weak. Huo Lin's gaze only wavered for a moment before he tried his best to avoid the food box.
sweet dumpling!
sweet dumpling!
"Your Majesty, please have some."
The small bowl was handed to Huo Lin, who felt a pang of disappointment. The bowl was mostly soup, with only four glutinous rice balls, each smaller than an eyeball.
Is Jiang Huan being stingy with the ingredients?
Yesterday's glutinous rice balls were still about half the size of a fist.
As Huo Lin put a glutinous rice ball in his mouth, his tightly furrowed brows did not relax at all. The taste was wrong; it was completely different from the one Jiang Huan had sent yesterday.
Even though it wasn't very delicious, Huo Lin, who was starving, patiently finished eating it, pretending to be leisurely.
"That's fine. I still have official business to attend to. Consort Yu, you may return now."
Consort Yu, her hands trembling with excitement, stared at Huo Lin with burning passion.
"Your Majesty, I wonder if Consort Zhuang pleased you yesterday? She hasn't been in the palace for long, and she has learned far less than a fraction of my skills. I have prepared some surprises in the palace, I wonder if Your Majesty..."
As Huo Lin listened, his fingertips kept twirling on the memorial. So, Jiang Huan's skills were learned from Consort Yu?
So, is this bowl of glutinous rice balls just a deliberate attempt to whet people's appetites?
"Okay, go back and wait."
Although Huo Lin's tone was not gentle, it still made Consort Yu overjoyed.
Judging from the Emperor's words, he's going to visit her palace tonight?
If it weren't for the need to observe proper etiquette in the palace, Consort Yu would have loved to skip and hop all the way back to the palace, somehow managing to trick Jiang Huan into believing that the Emperor loved glutinous rice balls!
If she had known that sending a simple glutinous rice ball would be enough to win the emperor's favor, she wouldn't have bothered making bitter melon porridge last year, which resulted in her being demoted!
"Your Highness, the Emperor has gone to see Consort Yu."
Xiao Zhao was applying ointment to Jiang Huan's cheeks, her little mouth pouting so hard she was almost pointing to the sky.
"Let him be, what does it have to do with us?"
Jiang Huan spoke weakly. Consort Yu had delivered food to the Emperor on her behalf, and she was invited to serve him in bed that night. Who knows how many delicacies she would be served? This new favorite of hers is probably just a flash in the pan, and she'll be gone by tomorrow.
Instead of being jealous of Consort Yu, you should think about how to live your life in the future.
"Xiao Zhao, did you bring back the iron pot I asked you to buy before? I'm hungry."
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