Chu Nian and Chu Susu naturally shared most of the grilled fish, chatting as they ate. The two of them ate for more than an hour, and before they had finished their lunch, a eunuch outside reported that the Regent was requesting an audience.
Chu Susu then said to the eunuch, "Although the Regent is His Majesty's right-hand man, he is ultimately an outsider. As the Empress and the mistress of the harem, how can I meet with an outsider without the Emperor's permission? Let him go back!"
Back when they were in Kunning Palace, the Regent had requested an audience with the Empress more than once, and she had always granted it openly. Everyone knew that the Empress had been sent to the palace by the Regent, and that he had forced the Emperor to make her Empress. They were in cahoots, and few people inside or outside the palace were unaware of this, so no one found it strange.
However, this time the Empress refused to see him. The eunuch was surprised and suspicious, but dared not delay, and quickly went outside to report to the Regent.
Li Xiao felt a pang of resentment after hearing this: he had come secretly last night, but Chu Susu hadn't seen him; he had only openly requested an audience during the day, but Chu Susu still refused to see him. She was truly angry!
However, the conflict between myself and the emperor has a long history, and Chu Susu should have known long ago that I was determined to overthrow the old emperor and establish myself as the new emperor. Chu Susu did not express any opposition. What's going on now?
Is it because of that Consort Lian?
While Li Xiao was filled with doubt and sadness, Chu Nian advised Chu Susu in the palace: "Sister, isn't it a bit inappropriate for you to avoid seeing the Regent like this?"
Chu Susu asked, "You want me to see him?"
Chu Nian said frankly, "Sister, many of the ingredients in the recipes that I just had Suhe copy down have to be collected and found by outsiders..."
Chu Susu chuckled upon hearing this and said, "So, you sent Suhe to copy it so that I would tell the Regent to send someone to find these seasonings?!"
Chu Nian nodded, then leaned closer to her and whispered, "After all, the emperor doesn't hold all the real power, and his connections aren't as extensive as the regent's. So finding him is definitely not as easy as it is for the regent."
Chu Susu chuckled and said, "I never realized you were such a foodie."
Chu Nian said helplessly, "I was stupid before, my mind was only on the emperor..."
Chu Susu felt a strange pang in her heart as she listened, and blurted out, "And now?"
"Now?" Chu Nian chuckled. "Right now, I just want to enjoy life to the fullest."
Chu Susu: "Do you still love the emperor?"
Chu Nian: "Once you understand matters of the heart, you'll be free from them."
“Once you understand, it will all be over,” Chu Susu murmured, thinking of herself and Li Xiao.
What the world doesn't know is that inside her woman's body is the soul of a man.
From a young age, she admired Regent Li Xiao immensely, believing that he had single-handedly revitalized the impoverished and weakened Great Yu Kingdom, and that he had made invaluable contributions to the royal Ying clan.
She had always thought that her admiration for Li Xiao was love, like Consort Lian's love for the Emperor; but now, she realized something was wrong. She only admired Li Xiao, but unlike Consort Lian's love for the Emperor, she didn't want to possess him body and soul.
now……
“Sister,” Chu Nian said, seeing that she remained silent, she had no choice but to continue, “Do you really want the Regent to keep waiting outside? Let him come in and let him try our grilled fish…” She then smiled.
Chu Susu smiled helplessly and said, "After he tasted the grilled fish and thought it was delicious, he'll go and collect the seasonings for you as you said, right?"
Chu Nian nodded and nodded her head like a chick pecking at rice.
Chu Susu then instructed Suhe, "Go and invite the Regent Prince in!"
So, Li Xiao was feeling upset after hearing the eunuch's report when Suhe hurriedly came out and said, "Your Highness, Her Majesty the Empress requests your presence!"
Upon hearing this, Li Xiao was overjoyed: Su Su still had feelings for him after all.
Seeing Li Xiao enter the palace in high spirits, Suhe, following behind, didn't know whether she should sympathize with this powerful figure.
As Chu Susu's confidante, she knew all too well Li Xiao's feelings for her; she had always believed that Chu Susu had feelings for Li Xiao. But for some reason, Chu Susu had been intentionally or unintentionally distant from Li Xiao these past two days.
Perhaps, being sent to the palace was still an insurmountable obstacle in Chu Susu's heart.
That regent, why did he insist on sending Chu Susu into the palace to be empress in the first place?! Did he think that because he had personally groomed her, she would be absolutely loyal to him?!
Thinking about this, Suhe sighed inwardly: These men, one by one, are blinded by power! No wonder Consort Lian had so many strange thoughts after she drowned herself in the lake!
Li Xiao had already smelled the unique aroma of fish outside, and the aroma became even stronger after entering Xukun Palace. Just as his appetite was whetted, a plate with a piece of roasted meat was handed to him.
The Regent initially thought it was Empress Chu Susu who handed it to him, but when he looked up, he saw Consort Lian smiling brightly at him, holding the plate that had been handed to him.
His first reaction was: This meat is poisonous!
Therefore, he did not accept it, but instead took a step back, knelt down respectfully, and said in a deep voice, "Your subject Li Xiao pays respects to Your Majesty the Empress! Your Highness the Imperial Concubine!"
Chu Susu chuckled and said, "The prince refused the roasted meat offered by Consort Lian, probably because he was afraid it was poisoned!"
Li Xiao sensed the coldness in her voice and wondered why she was so unhappy.
Chu Nianze said, "Sister, why do you have to say it?"
Chu Susu then said to Li Xiao, "I actually watched the meat being grilled, and I personally cut it and put it on the plate. Niannian just passed it around."
Chu Nian said, "Sister, given the confrontation between my Lian family and the Prince in the court, it's normal for him to be suspicious."
Li Xiao was very frustrated: he never expected that one day these two women would be singing in unison in front of him like this.
"Your Highness, please rise!" Chu Susu finally said.
Li Xiao said "Thank you, Your Majesty" and then stood up. Seeing Chu Nian hand him the plate again, he reached out and took it. A palace servant quickly handed him a pair of chopsticks.
Chu Susu said, "Please, Your Highness, try this grilled fish and see how it tastes?"
Chu Nian, who was standing to the side, nodded repeatedly, her eyes showing eagerness.
Seeing the way the two of them were acting, it seemed as if they had just invented a new dish and wanted him to try it. His frustration lessened a bit, and he felt closer to Chu Susu again. He even felt closer to Chu Nian than before.
He elegantly tasted a bite of the roast meat and exclaimed in surprise, "The flavor is very unique and delicious. Is this a new dish invented by Her Majesty the Empress?"
Chu Susu: "It's Niannian." As she spoke, she winked at Suhe, who then handed the previously copied recipe to Li Xiao with both hands.
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