Chapter 13 Seize the Day
Chapter Thirteen: Seize the Day
Morning light streamed gently through the newly changed soft gauze curtains, illuminating Su Su's face. She awoke amidst the soft bedding, where everything she touched was smooth, silken fabric, even the bed curtains were embroidered with delicate butterflies among flowers. This was the first time since her rebirth that she had woken up in such a comfortable environment.
After getting up and washing up, she went into the outer room and saw that breakfast was already laid out on the round sandalwood table. A bowl of rock sugar bird's nest porridge was steaming hot, and next to it were four dishes of delicacy. The crab roe soup dumplings had skins as thin as paper, the jadeite shumai were adorable with their bright green color, the rose shortbread was flaky and layered, and there was also a dish of golden thread rolls. In addition, there was a bowl of ham and bamboo shoot soup, two dishes of pickles, and a pot of freshly brewed Longjing tea.
Su Su sat down as she looked at the delicious food. The newly arrived palace maid, Chun Tao, stood next to Su Su and served the dishes: "Your Highness, please have your meal."
Su Su waved her hand and said, "You may all leave. Chunlan and Qiuju can stay here to serve you."
"Yes," the palace servants exchanged glances, bowed respectfully, and withdrew.
She immediately smiled at the two maids and said, "Sit down quickly, let's have a good meal today."
Qiuju's eyes were already shining, and she was swallowing hard as she stared at the basket of crab roe soup dumplings. Chunlan was still following the rules, but she couldn't help but smile.
Qiuju ate a crab roe bun and said with satisfaction, "Your Majesty, this crab roe bun is so delicious!" Golden crab oil filled her mouth.
Su Su took a sip of bird's nest porridge. It was sweet and soft, just the taste she used to love. Since her rebirth, she had been eating nothing but plain porridge and cold rice. Now she could finally enjoy a proper meal.
"These jadeite shumai are filled with shrimp and bamboo shoots, they're so fresh." Chunlan gave Susu one, and then put one on Qiuju's plate.
After the three finished their breakfast and cleared away the dishes, Su Su whispered to Chunlan, "Go and find out about the backgrounds of the four new palace maids and twelve eunuchs."
Chunlan nodded in understanding and quietly withdrew.
After finishing her meal, Su Su leaned against the rocking chair by the window and picked up a copy of "The Customs of the Nine Provinces". The pages depicted the gentle beauty of the water towns in Jiangnan, the vastness of the northwestern desert, and the unique beauty of the southwestern mountains. Her fingertips gently traced the pictures in the book, and a hint of longing appeared in her eyes.
It was almost noon when Chunlan returned. She saw Su Su comfortably nestled in a rocking chair reading a book, so she quietly approached.
"Have you found out everything?" Su Su asked, looking at her with clear eyes as she put down her book upon her return.
Chunlan replied in a low voice, "I've found out. Of the four palace maids, Chuntao and Xiahe were originally from the laundry department, Qiuyun used to work in the embroidery workshop, and Dongxue was just transferred from another palace. Of the twelve eunuchs, six were newly selected by the Imperial Household Department, four previously worked in various palaces, and two others..."
She paused, then said, "It was allocated from Consort Zhuang's palace."
Su Su's eyes narrowed slightly, but a knowing smile appeared on her lips.
"Just as I thought." She said softly, "From now on, these people will serve in the outer hall. Keep a close eye on them, and you and Qiuju will serve them personally."
Chunlan solemnly replied, "This servant understands."
As they were talking, lunch was served, and it was far more lavish than breakfast.
First came four appetizers: the bright red goose breast, the fragrant steamed duck with fermented rice wine, the clear ham and bamboo shoot soup, and a dish of pickled quail.
Next came the eight main dishes: shredded chicken with bird's nest, stir-fried chicken with winter bamboo shoots, shredded crab meat with bamboo shoots, mutton with scallions and peppers, braised seafood, braised eel, steamed egg custard, and roasted venison.
There are also four kinds of snacks: steamed chestnut flour cake with osmanthus sugar, pine nut and goose fat roll, lotus root starch and osmanthus sugar cake, and cream-filled pine nut roll pastry. There are also two kinds of porridge: duck porridge and red date and rice porridge.
Looking at these dishes made her mouth water. Su Su invited them to sit down and eat together. "This braised venison is cooked to perfection." Su Su took a bite and found the meat to be tender and juicy.
Qiuju stared intently at the dish of rouge-colored goose breast, her eyes wide: "Back when we were in the manor, Madam loved this dish the most."
Chunlan served Su Su the dishes and said softly, "These winter bamboo shoots were just delivered this morning, they are very fresh and tender."
Su Su slowly savored each dish. For the first time since her rebirth, she felt a long-lost sense of fullness and warmth. But she knew in her heart that all this glory was nothing but a mirage.
After happily finishing her meal, she nestled back into her rocking chair, picked up the book "The Customs of Kyushu," and the pages rustled between her fingers, but her gaze gradually drifted away.
"Chunlan, do you think the apricot blossoms and spring rain in Jiangnan are really as beautiful as described in the books?"
Chunlan was tidying up the tea set when she heard this and looked up. She saw her mistress gazing out the window with a look of longing in her eyes that Chunlan had never seen before.
"I've heard that in springtime, flowers bloom everywhere in Jiangnan, so it must be incredibly beautiful."
Su Su's fingertips gently traced the words "Jiangnan" on the page, her tone carrying a hint of wistfulness: "My mother... is from Jiangnan. I've heard her talk about the awning boats, the bluestone roads, and how the air there is damp and sweet. It's a pity that I was born and raised in the capital and have never seen it with my own eyes."
She paused slightly, as if remembering something, and her voice became even softer, almost like a murmur: "That Mu Hanyan, I've heard, is also from Jiangnan."
Chunlan keenly sensed the faint hint of complex emotions in her mistress's words. She put down the tea set and gently replied, "Your Majesty is right. Since Madam married far away to the capital, she has never been able to return. Sometimes when I hear Madam mention the past, her expression is somewhat similar to Your Majesty's just now."
Upon hearing this, Su Su remained silent for a long time.
Yes, for Father's sake, Mother turned her hometown into a memory she could never return to, and now she herself is trapped within these four palace walls, and even Mother's longing for her "unreturnable" hometown has become a luxury for her.
A strong desire arose and spread in her heart.
“One day…” She didn’t finish her sentence, but instead turned her gaze back to the pages of the book. The small bridge and flowing water in the painting had never seemed so vivid and alluring to her.
Su Su's heart pounded as she thought that if, if that day ever came, Li Qianche would banish her to the cold palace, that seemingly desolate and bleak situation in the eyes of the world would be a kind of liberation for her. At that time, a fire, a thin coffin, and a news of "death from illness" would be enough to exchange for her freedom. She could then take a small boat and drift downstream to see the misty and rainy Jiangnan region with her own eyes.
Su Su gently closed the book, a faint smile appearing on her lips.
Yes, one day she will see for herself all the mountains and rivers described in the book, and travel all over the world to see its beautiful scenery.
Instead of being trapped within these four palace walls forever, becoming a carefully raised canary, fearing that one day it will freeze and starve, and that its family will be destroyed.
Looking outside the palace, the newly arrived palace maids and eunuchs stood with their hands at their sides, each with their heads bowed and eyes lowered. But who knew how many of these people were someone else's spies?
Su Su gently rocked the rocking chair, her gaze deepening.
Since we can't leave this deep palace for the time being, we should live well, live comfortably, and live freely.
However, one must not be negligent in taking necessary precautions.
Enjoy what you can now. Thinking of this, Chunlan said, "For dinner, I'd like to have sweet and sour lotus root. Now, go and get a plate of creamy pine nut rolls. I want to eat them."
Now that she has the stipends of a concubine, she can eat whatever she wants. After all, no one knows how long this kind of life can last.
Instead, we should enjoy life while we can.
As the sun set, it cast a long, slender shadow of her. The rocking chair swayed gently, and the pages of the book turned softly in the evening breeze.
This moment of peace feels especially precious.
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