"I am in good health. Quickly remove all these dishes from the table and have the imperial kitchen remake them for me."
Hongli was very angry, especially after seeing the bland and lightly seasoned dishes in front of him, he couldn't help but want to lash out.
What does the Imperial Kitchen mean by this? Is his health so poor? How is his body supposed to get enough nutrition if he eats this every day? Are they trying to kill him by sending him to meet the ancestors of the Qing Dynasty?!
The more Hongli thought about it, the angrier he became. Completely ignoring Gao Yu's explanation, he flipped the table in front of him and yelled at Gao Yu to get out.
Gao Yu: ...It's really hard to earn money and even harder to get by.
He sighed inwardly, reminding himself not to get angry with the emperor. What was there to pay attention to in a confused old man? All he wanted was to enjoy a feast? Fine, he would certainly grant his wish.
Go to the door and call the waiting eunuchs to make sure they clean up the mess on the ground.
Gao Yu bowed as he left, beckoning to two eunuchs he favored to deliver his message: one to Cining Palace and the other to the Imperial Kitchen.
The young eunuch in charge of relaying the message was terrified. "Sir, what if the Empress Dowager doesn't agree?" They wouldn't dare send the Emperor the new dishes, since the Emperor was eating health-preserving dishes because the Empress Dowager had ordered it.
Gao Yu gave the little eunuch a helpless look. "If the Empress Dowager disagrees with anything, remember, the words are spoken by the Emperor, and it is the Emperor's order."
Your trip to Cining Palace to deliver the message was merely to inform the Empress Dowager.
As for what the Empress Dowager really thinks, what business is it of these servants?
Their master is the Emperor who lives in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, not the Empress Dowager who lives in the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility!
"Yes, I understand."
Upon hearing this, the young eunuch naturally nodded in agreement. At the same time, he didn't stay idle and turned to run towards the Cining Palace.
He was afraid that if he ran too slowly, Eunuch Gao would change his mind, putting him, a lowly eunuch, in a dilemma.
In reality, the eunuch was overthinking things; Gao Yucai wouldn't change his mind so easily.
Emperor Hongli had spoken on the matter of changing the dishes, and even if he himself had problems with the food, it was none of their business.
Even if something really goes wrong, they will most likely still be held accountable, but if the emperor is unhappy, will they not be held accountable?
Different causes, same cause and effect.
As for the Emperor fainting several times in the Hall of Mental Cultivation a few days ago and having to give up his heavy-flavored diet and adopt a lighter one, it seems that this plan can be declared a failure.
It's because the emperor's desire for food and drink is just as irresistible as his desire for power and beauty.
He turned his head and glanced at the main hall behind him, where the door was wide open and a young eunuch was busy cleaning.
Gao Yu's lips curled up slightly. He thought to himself that the Emperor's temper had become increasingly irritable in the past two years. Could it really be a consequence of his excessive indulgence in pleasure and lust?
It seems that there will be concubines attending to the emperor tonight, and two at a time.
hiss
Your Majesty, please don't do anything dishonorable that would give people the opportunity to record it in the history books.
...
"Your Majesty, how about we wear this set of jewelry today?"
Xingkui showed off the ruby headdress in her hand, which sparkled beautifully in the sunlight.
"Okay, let's use this one."
Chen Yuwei nodded and sat upright in front of the bronze mirror to admire her own appearance.
Although the undeniable signs of aging worried her somewhat, compared to Hongli, who looked even older, Chen Yuwei felt that she had been relatively modest in her appearance.
Look, this is strong evidence that wine and women are harmful to health. Hongli looks like a decrepit old man now, and Chen Yuwei feels unlucky just looking at him.
Xingkui carefully took out the ruby headdress and inserted it little by little into the top of her master's hair.
Secure the ornaments in place to prevent them from falling apart as you move around, and then step back to leave enough space for your master to look at himself in the mirror.
"Xingkui, your skills have improved a lot and you've become increasingly outstanding."
At least she couldn't find a single fault with it; everything about it looked very pleasing to the eye.
"Your Majesty is exceptionally beautiful; I was merely doing my job."
Xingkui exchanged a few polite words, then turned and helped Chen Yuwei to a nearby tatami mat to rest.
"Your Highness, breakfast is ready. Would you like me to have a palace maid bring it in?"
Chen Yuwei nodded and said, "Send it over, and also a bowl of soup."
"You went to bed too early last night. Do you know what major event happened in the palace?"
As if asking casually, Chen Yuwei rested her chin on one hand and looked out the window.
Xingkui waved to the palace servants at the door and whispered, "A small incident happened in the Hall of Mental Cultivation last night."
The Emperor's dinner did not suit his taste, so the Hall of Mental Cultivation ordered the Imperial Kitchen to prepare a new one, and Eunuch Gao also sent someone to the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility.
Chen Yuwei smiled and said, "The Empress Dowager in Cining Palace treats the Emperor like a child, even interfering with his meals. It's fine for a while, but the Emperor will surely not be able to stand it in the long run."
What happened last night was the Emperor's counterattack after he had held out for a while.
Although the imperial physicians in the Imperial Hospital would say that the emperor's health would be better if he ate less oil and salt, the emperor had enjoyed his life for decades. If he suddenly had to restrict his diet for health reasons, we would have to see if the emperor was the kind of person who would do that.
Xingkui agreed with her master's words. The emperor's health had not yet reached a point where it could be improved in any way. The imperial physicians' suggestions were more of a suggestion than a conclusion.
Unless the emperor's daily diet is related to his physical functions, and a bad diet would cause him to faint or suffer, the emperor would not be completely averse to certain foods.
"Your Majesty, it seems that the Yangxin Hall has now resumed normal eating habits."
If, after some time, something unexpected happens to the Emperor, then the Empress Dowager will have another reason to inquire about his affairs as usual.
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