Chapter 16 An Encounter in the Imperial Garden
Chapter Sixteen: An Encounter in the Imperial Garden
The days passed peacefully and comfortably. Today, an exceptionally enticing aroma wafted from the small kitchen of Changxin Palace. The fragrance was both domineering and warm, even overpowering the newly replaced sandalwood incense in the hall. It made the young eunuchs on duty in the corridor unable to resist secretly sniffing and peeking inside, looking as if they were about to drool.
Inside the hall, on the rosewood table inlaid with mother-of-pearl in front of Su Su, there was a specially made silver wire charcoal stove in the center. The red charcoal inside was burning brightly, and the plump lamb leg on the stove was sizzling and glistening with oil.
The head eunuch of the imperial kitchen personally served the dishes, introducing them with a beaming smile: "Your Majesty, these are lambs that were just delivered this morning from the imperial estates on the outskirts of the capital. They are extremely fresh and tender. They were first marinated overnight with spices and fruit wine from the Western Regions, and then slowly smoked over a fruitwood fire for two hours. Look at the skin, it's crispy but not burnt, and the juices inside are locked in."
The lamb leg was roasted to a golden brown and crispy skin, with a captivating amber sheen. It was evenly sprinkled with cumin, chili powder, and a touch of sesame. As the fat heated up, it dripped onto the charcoal fire, making a delightful sizzling sound and releasing bursts of rich smoke that blended the aromas of meat, fruit, and spices. Just the smell was enough to make one's mouth water.
As Su Su listened to him, she looked at the lamb leg in front of her and realized she was hungry.
Chunlan held a small silver knife and skillfully sliced off the outer layer of the roasted meat, which was charred and fragrant, revealing the tender and juicy mutton inside. She placed the first plate of evenly sliced meat with perfectly charred edges in front of Su Su.
"Your Majesty, please try this. They say it tastes even better with this specially made Western Region sauce." Qiuju, standing to the side, pushed a small glass cup closer. Inside was a thick sauce that exuded an exotic sweet and sour aroma.
Su Su picked up her silver chopsticks and eagerly picked up a slice. She first tasted the original flavor on its own. When the mutton entered her mouth, she first felt the slight crispness of the outer skin and the strong impact of the spices, followed by the extreme tenderness and rich juices of the mutton inside. Sure enough, there was no gamey smell, only a mouthful of freshness and fragrance. She then dipped it in some sauce as instructed. The sweet and sour taste immediately awakened her taste buds, making the deliciousness of the meat even better.
She then tried the sesame flatbread that was served alongside it. The flatbread was piping hot, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, with a fragrant aroma. She personally sliced the flatbread horizontally in half, added a few slices of roasted mutton, along with a small pinch of pickled cucumber strips to cut through the richness and a few strands of fresh perilla leaves, and then put it in her mouth. The aroma of wheat, meat, caramel, the sour and crisp sensation, and the freshness of perilla exploded in her mouth, intertwining to create an incredibly pleasant complex flavor.
Besides the main dish of roasted lamb leg, there were several refreshing side dishes on the table: a plate of tomatoes with sugar, the bright red tomato slices as thin as cicada wings, sprinkled with crystal-clear white sugar, like red jade adorning snow, sweet and sour and appetizing; a plate of cold mixed shredded vegetables, carrots, bamboo shoots, and dried tofu cut as thin as hair, drizzled with fragrant sesame oil, refreshing and delicious; and a small bowl of milky white crucian carp and tofu soup, with a few bright green scallions floating on the surface, fresh and fragrant, just right to moisten the slightly thirsty throat after eating roasted meat.
Qiuju watched from the side, swallowing hard. Su Su smiled, her eyes crinkling, and dismissed the other palace servants. She gestured for Chunlan to give them each some meat to eat with the sesame cakes. The three of them sat around, eating in silence, but the hall was filled with a warm and harmonious atmosphere of peace and contentment.
Su Su had a good appetite. She ate half a plate of mutton with the sesame flatbread and drank a bowl of fish soup. She felt warm and languid all over. The drowsiness brought on by her fullness also came over her. She asked Chunlan to distribute the remaining lamb leg to the other palace servants.
After clearing the dining table, she strolled into the courtyard. The afternoon sun was just right, shining warmly on her and dispelling the last trace of chill in early spring. Under the old locust tree in the courtyard, her usual reclining chair with thick cushions and a small table had already been set up. On the table were the creased copy of "The Customs of Kyushu" and a pot of freshly brewed, warm jasmine tea.
She lay down comfortably, sunlight filtering through the sparse branches and casting dappled shadows on her face.
She picked up the book and turned to the chapter describing the northwestern frontier: "A lone plume of smoke rises straight from the desert, the setting sun hangs round over the long river, the wind whips up the yellow sand, and the camel bells ring out melodiously..." The words were magnificent, but ultimately, they were separated by a layer of paper.
She tried to imagine the boundless sea, where the wind rippled the sand dunes like waves; she seemed to hear the intermittent, broken sounds of camel bells echoing between heaven and earth. As she thought, the words on the book began to blur, her eyelids grew heavy, and the book, "The Records of the Nine Provinces," finally slipped from her hands and gently fell onto the carpeted floor. Under the combined influence of the warm sun and a full meal, she drifted off to sleep.
She slept soundly and peacefully until the setting sun became somewhat dazzling, casting an orange-red glow through her eyelids, at which point she slowly woke up. Rubbing her sleepy eyes, she felt the fullness in her stomach had not yet dissipated, and even felt that the belt around her waist seemed a little tighter than usual, making her feel somewhat uncomfortable.
She stood up, gently patted her cheeks, and looked down at her increasingly slender yet slightly rounded waistline, marred by overeating. She sighed helplessly, "Eating and sleeping like this, waking up to read leisurely books and bask in the sun—if I stay in Changxin Palace any longer, I'm afraid I'll really become a lazy parasite." Her tone carried a hint of self-deprecation, but not much anxiety; rather, it was a kind of resigned acceptance. After all, being a carefree "parasite" was infinitely more peaceful than those days of constant anxiety, obsession, and resentment.
"I need to move around a bit to digest my food. If I lie down any longer, my bones will feel like they're going to melt," she muttered to herself. Then she called out, "Chunlan, Qiuju, come with me to the Imperial Garden for a walk and see the spring scenery."
"Yes, Your Majesty." The two responded and stepped forward, their faces beaming with joy. It was a good thing that their lady was willing to go out for a walk. The three of them then went to the Imperial Garden.
In early spring, the Imperial Garden was already showing signs of life. Forsythia was the first to bloom with tender yellow flowers, like stars scattered among the dark green branches, announcing the arrival of spring. Several early cherry trees also formed small, hard buds, pink and tender, like the blushing cheeks of a young girl, which were quite lovely.
The grass on the ground looked light green from afar, but it was still sparse when you got closer. It was the season when "the grass looks green from afar but is not green up close". Walking on the winding path paved with colorful pebbles, breathing in the slightly chilly fresh air, mixed with the fragrance of the thawed soil, Su Su felt all the turbid air in her chest dissipate and her mood became lighter.
She had no specific destination, but simply chose to walk along the quiet, secluded path. The three of them, mistress and servant, chatted and laughed, occasionally stopping to look at the newly sprouted flower buds or listen to the clear chirping of birds in the branches. Qiuju even pointed out a swallow busy carrying mud to build its nest to Susu. They were quite content and carefree, temporarily forgetting the turmoil within the palace walls.
Passing a dense clump of lush, newly sprouting bamboo, the view suddenly opens up to a rockery made of oddly shaped stones. The rocks are rugged and picturesque. At the foot of the rockery, flowing water is channeled into a shallow pond with clear water where several koi carp can be seen swimming leisurely. Beside the pond stands a hexagonal pavilion with upturned eaves and the words "Qin Fang" inscribed on its plaque.
Suddenly, Su Su's light steps came to an abrupt halt, and the faint smile on her face froze instantly.
There were people in the pavilion! Upon closer inspection, they were the two people she least wanted to see at that moment.
The figure in bright yellow robes stood tall and straight like a pine tree. Even from a distance, the aloof and majestic aura of an emperor was clearly discernible—it was Li Qianche. Beside him sat a woman in a moon-white brocade palace dress, her figure slender and graceful, her temperament refined and elegant, like a solitary orchid in a secluded valley—it was Consort Wan, Mu Hanyan. The two seemed to be conversing. Li Qianche listened attentively, his expression one of rare focus and serenity in Su Su's memory. Mu Hanyan, on the other hand, remained calm, occasionally moving her lips slightly to utter a word or two, her demeanor composed and unhurried.
Sunlight streamed through the carved lattice windows of the pavilion, bathing the two figures in soft gold, creating an indescribable harmony and a dazzling tranquility. The scene was as beautiful as a masterpiece by a court painter, yet it was also like a tiny needle gently piercing Su Su's heart. It didn't hurt much, but it carried a bittersweet coolness that quickly spread.
Almost instinctively, she turned around immediately, intending to quietly retreat along the way she had come. She didn't want to disturb them, much less face them in this situation, adding to the awkwardness and disturbing her hard-won peace of mind. At this moment, all she wanted was to return as quickly as possible to her peaceful Changxin Palace, where she could be a "parasite." The outside world's affairs and the emperor's tenderness were no longer relevant to her.
Chunlan and Qiuju also witnessed the scene and knew that the Empress probably didn't want to see them, so they followed Su Su's footsteps and prepared to leave.
However, just as Su Su turned and took a step, trying to hide herself behind the green bamboo, a slightly high-pitched but respectful and perfectly sized voice rang out from not far behind her:
"Oh, isn't this Consort Su? This servant greets Consort Su!"
It was Shen Gaoyi. He had walked over from the pavilion at some point and was standing a few steps away with his head bowed. His face was covered with a perfectly appropriate and impeccable smile. His voice was neither too loud nor too soft, but it was enough to clearly break the silence and enter the pavilion not far away.
Su Su's body froze completely, her second step, which she was about to take, stopped in mid-air, and then she slowly fell down.
She knew that now, she wouldn't be able to leave even if she wanted to.
The two pairs of eyes in the pavilion must have followed Shen Gaoyi's greeting and landed precisely on her retreating figure as she tried to escape. One gaze was cold and deep, the other calm and undisturbed, yet they made her feel as if she were being pricked by thorns.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com