Chapter 100: Old Ten's Lazy Plan...
Even after moving from Yongshou Palace to the Prince's Residence, Yin'e did not suffer from food shortages.
When he moved, the Imperial Concubine dismissed two or three of the palace servants who served him in the kitchen. During the few days that Yin'e stayed in the Prince's Residence, he had a small kitchen that prepared special meals for him, and he did not have to take his meals from the Imperial Kitchen.
"...That probably won't work." The Fifth Prince hesitated for a moment before answering, "After we entered the Imperial Study, our monthly allowances were allocated to the Imperial Kitchen. If we don't get our meals from the Imperial Kitchen, our allowances won't be allocated to the princes' quarters."
The meals sent from the imperial kitchen weren't actually that bad, after all, they were all prepared by the imperial chefs, whose culinary skills were quite excellent—it was just that the breakfast was particularly unpalatable.
To prevent any unforeseen circumstances, the imperial kitchen has always maintained a system and tradition of preparing meals in advance. Compared to lunch, breakfast is served the night before, has the longest waiting time, and is most likely to spoil, naturally resulting in the worst taste.
The Fifth Prince used to live with the Empress Dowager in the Cining Palace and was used to the food from the small kitchen. Later, when he moved to the Princes' Residence, he started taking his meals from the Imperial Kitchen. He also found the food from the Imperial Kitchen, which was brought from afar, unpalatable and was not used to his daily diet.
But after more than a year, the Fifth Prince got used to it.
To be honest, although Yin'e didn't think the Fifth Prince had lost weight, he had actually lost a little weight under the ravages of the imperial kitchen's food... though it wasn't very noticeable.
But if he continues to maintain this weight and keep losing weight, perhaps the Fifth Prince will be able to return to a normal figure when he comes of age, instead of being as overweight as he is now.
Upon hearing this, Yin'e frowned slightly, his clear and handsome features revealing a hint of disapproval. He did not immediately abandon the idea of "ordering takeout" because of the Fifth Prince's negative answer.
Despite retaining all his memories from his previous life, the biggest difference between Yin'e and other native-born princes like the Fifth Prince is that he does not crave power and status, and similarly lacks the proper reverence and obedience to imperial power and rules.
To this day, Yin'e has not yet clearly realized the existence of imperial power, nor has he witnessed its cruelty and indifference firsthand—fortunately or unfortunately, Yin'e's identity in this life is precisely that of someone protected by imperial power.
Yin'e never felt there was anything wrong with breaking the rules—breaking the rules wasn't illegal. In his previous life, many schools stipulated that students could only eat in the cafeteria, but it wasn't uncommon for students to break the rules and order takeout.
In this situation, in my opinion, the school should examine just how bad the food in the cafeteria is that forces people to order takeout, instead of forbidding students from ordering takeout and forcing them to eat in the cafeteria.
The most important things in life are nothing more than eating and sleeping. Now that Yin'e has been forced to adopt a 377 schedule, his right to enjoy sufficient sleep has been taken away. So no one can take away his right to enjoy delicious food, and make him not only sleep poorly but also not eat well.
"Who said we can't prepare our own meals?" Yin'e turned his gaze to the Fifth Prince, his eyes gleaming as he pressed, "Who said we can't? Was it Father?"
If it were an explicit order from Emperor Kangxi, Yin'e might have backed down. But if it was merely a customary rule within the palace, then he was afraid he couldn't abide by it.
— Conventional rules, in other words, there are no explicit rules or regulations.
What else could he be worried about? Even if he broke the rules, so what? If you really wanted to get to the bottom of it, he wouldn't be wrong. As for whether he would offend anyone... as long as he didn't offend Kangxi to the death, the protective Kangxi was his biggest shield!
Under Yin'e's persistent questioning, the Fifth Prince's pale, round face showed a hint of confusion and bewilderment. He scratched his head and said softly, "No one said it was impossible, but..."
But this is a common practice, and everyone has been doing it this way for decades. Nobody wants to break the rules.
Seeing the Fifth Prince's expression, Yin'e knew that things were indeed as he suspected; there was no clear consensus on the matter of bringing one's own meals. Previously, no imperial prince had ever brought his own food, but no one had said it was forbidden!
Yin'e nodded knowingly, shrugged, and stated matter-of-factly, "If no one says it's not allowed, then it's allowed!"
“Very good. Starting tomorrow, I will have the three schools deliver my breakfast and lunch.”
Even if Emperor Kangxi had explicitly ordered them not to cause too much trouble, Yin'e would still have put up a fight and wouldn't give in so easily. Moreover, since Kangxi hadn't even issued a formal decree, he was even less willing to compromise with established rules and passively accept his fate.
If you don't let him eat properly, then you're his class enemy!
After happily deciding to stop eating in the canteen and order takeout every day, the Ninth Prince looked at the mushy, mushy breakfast in front of him and finally understood:
If the food sent by the Imperial Kitchen is unpalatable, then they won't eat it. They won't ask the Imperial Kitchen for food anymore. Are they going to starve to death? I don't believe that if they grit their teeth and refuse to eat the pig feed sent by the Imperial Kitchen, what can the Imperial Household Department and the Imperial Kitchen do to them!
They are the emperor's sons, why should they have to suffer in their own home?
Once this idea came to mind, the Ninth Prince was suddenly filled with inspiration. He leaned over and whispered to Yin'e, "Tenth Brother, isn't the Western Six Palaces closer to the Imperial Study than the Western Three Palaces?"
The Eastern and Western Six Palaces are located on either side of the Qianqing Palace, while the Western Three Palaces and the Northern Five Palaces are outside the inner palace area. The Western Three Palaces are on the outer western road, and the Northern Five Palaces, also known as the Qianqing East Five Palaces, are on the outer eastern road. Both of these princely palaces are quite a distance from the Qianqing Palace, unlike the Eastern and Western Six Palaces which are closer.
Yin'e paused for a moment before realizing what the Ninth Prince meant. He nodded thoughtfully and asked, "Ninth Brother, do you want Consort Yi to send you breakfast and lunch?"
The Ninth Prince grew up in Yikun Palace. As Consort Yi enjoyed great favor from the Emperor, Yikun Palace was also equipped with a small kitchen. The Ninth Prince was also used to the food from the small kitchen. Except for grand palace banquets, he rarely ate meals that were brought from afar by the Imperial Kitchen.
If the Ninth Prince's two daily meals were delivered from Yikun Palace, it would be more convenient for him to eat there, as Yikun Palace is closer and would be more convenient than having meals delivered from the West Third Palace. Also, being closer would prevent the meals from getting cold by the time they arrived.
“Yes, that’s what I think too.” Ninth Prince nodded vigorously, while glancing sideways at Fifth Prince. A glint of light flashed in his phoenix eyes with thick eyelashes and upturned corners. “Fifth Brother is also in the Imperial Study. Mother can also prepare meals for Fifth Brother.”
But at that time, it will be unknown whether the Fifth Prince or the Ninth Prince will be the one to prepare meals for Consort Yi's two sons.
The Fifth Prince was raised by the Empress Dowager, and Consort Yi generally couldn't interfere. However, the Empress Dowager was still living in the Cining Palace and hadn't moved to the Ningshou Palace on the outer east side. Compared to the Yikun Palace, the Cining Palace was farther from the Qianqing Palace, making it even more inconvenient to prepare meals for the Fifth Prince.
After a moment's thought, Yin'e nodded slightly, tentatively confirming the Ninth Prince's idea: "The Western Six Palaces are indeed closer. And..."
Yin'e pondered for a moment, and then a look of realization appeared on his handsome face: "We have only moved to the Prince's Residence for a few days. It is still October and not yet November. Our allowances should still be in the Western Six Palaces. We have not moved to the Imperial Kitchen immediately."
Yin'e and the Ninth Prince moved to the Princes' Residence after the Golden Offering Festival, which was already more than halfway through October. Their allowances were definitely in Yongshou Palace and Yikun Palace. After they moved to the Princes' Residence, it was unlikely that their allowances would be transferred there so quickly.
A few days ago, Yin'e and the Ninth Prince stayed at the Princes' Residence, but they had not yet gone to the Imperial Study to study. During those days, their meals were provided by the simple kitchens set up in their respective Princes' Residences.
However, the ingredients used in the prince's small kitchen were most likely not allocated by the imperial kitchen, but sent from Yongshou Palace and Yikun Palace, and were secretly subsidized by the Consort and Consort Yi.
“Since our allowance is still in the Western Six Palaces, let’s not move it. Let it continue to be displayed there,” Yin’e suggested to the Ninth Prince. “That way, it will be convenient for us to transfer our allowance directly to the Princes’ quarters after we graduate from the Imperial Study.”
Yin'e and the Ninth Prince had just moved to the Princes' Residence, and the small kitchen had only just been established. There weren't many palace servants serving in the kitchen; they were all transferred from the Six Western Palaces, just one or two in total, which was barely enough to provide special meals for Yin'e and the Ninth Prince in the Princes' Residence.
But Yin'e had already made up his mind to build a small kitchen in the prince's quarters. He would rather go through the trouble and put more effort into training the cooks than get food from the imperial kitchen and give them the opportunity to act as middlemen and make a profit—not only would they make a profit, but the food they delivered was also so unpalatable.
Yin'e did not think it would be difficult to keep the allowance in the Western Six Palaces until after their wedding, when they graduated from the Imperial Study and it was officially moved to the Prince's Residence.
After Empress Xiaoyi passed away, whether Consort Gui was willing or not, the power of the palace fell into her hands. Palace affairs were temporarily managed by Consort Gui, with the four consorts assisting. Consort Chuxiu and Consort Xianfu remained unknown in the palace and did not receive any power.
This situation may not change until the Crown Princess enters the palace, but the death of Empress Xiaoyi is a national mourning period, and the Crown Prince must observe three years of mourning. When will the grand wedding take place? It is a real problem. The eldest prince's legitimate daughter is almost a year old, but the Crown Prince has not yet gotten married.
Yin'e and the Ninth Prince agreed to go to the Western Six Palace together after school today to discuss the daily meal delivery with the Imperial Concubine and Consort Yi.
But no matter what happens in the future, they have to get their two meals from the imperial kitchen today. Since they didn't prepare in advance, this is the only option.
Disappointed, the Ninth Prince fiddled with the steamed buns in his food box, making the already unappetizing breakfast even more unsightly. He listlessly said, "I don't want to eat..."
He'd rather go hungry than eat something so awful.
Yin'e had no appetite, so he put down his chopsticks, took off the purse from his waist, and smiled at the Ninth Prince, saying, "Luckily, I was prepared."
Open the pouch, and it's stuffed full of beef jerky.
Yin'e has always had the habit of carrying snacks with him, because beef jerky can be left out for a while without getting damaged like pastries. He carries beef jerky with him eight out of ten times.
He gestured to the Fifth Prince and the Ninth Prince, who were sitting nearby, and said with a sigh, "Let's make do with this beef jerky."
As Yin'e spoke, he glanced in the direction of the Seventh Prince, only to see the Seventh Prince shake his head slightly and not extend an invitation.
Yin'e poured the beef jerky into a clean food box, muttering to himself, "Those guys in the Imperial Kitchen have gone too far. Are they deliberately trying to intimidate us? We have to teach them a lesson!"
He had seen it; the meals he and the Ninth Prince ate were even worse than those of the Fifth Prince. It was hard to say that it wasn't intentional.
The Ninth Prince's eyes lit up instantly: "How should I teach him a lesson?"
Mentioning this made the Ninth Prince wide awake.
-----------------------
Author's Note: Sorry everyone, I haven't updated for several days. Updates will resume today. I currently owe 12 chapters. Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants between 2023-04-03 23:56:24 and 2023-04-09 11:56:26!
Thank you to the little angel who threw the landmine: Clover (1 landmine);
Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: justpoor 65 bottles; Lemon, Chiyu Moli Shang, and Chaoan 20 bottles; 25964724 10 bottles; Ayin 7 bottles; Tudui 6 bottles; ·w· and Tianwai Feixian 2 bottles; Garfield is staying up late, Xinxinran, Chasu., TT, and Garfield Cat 1 bottle;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
