Chapter 50: Meal Served to the Emperor
When he woke up the next morning, the sunlight was obscured by thick clouds. The cool autumn breeze blew up the first yellow fallen leaf in the courtyard, which floated into the hall through the diamond-shaped window and fell into Song Zhao's hands.
She raised her eyes to glance at the dark sky.
An autumn rain fell without any warning.
When we went to pay our respects to the Queen today, many concubines arrived late because of the rain.
The Concubine Chen, who usually never arrived on time, asked Yingxiang to tell the Queen that she would not be coming today.
Fortunately, the Queen was always generous and never argued with Concubine Chen.
After everyone arrived, the Queen shared with everyone the schedule of Xiao Jingheng's birthday banquet that she had planned.
In the past, when paying respects to the emperor, the person who ate cakes and tea non-stop was always Concubine Hui.
But today Song Zhao ate more than her.
Concubine Ying glanced at her and jokingly asked, "What's wrong with Concubine Song being here? It seems that she has a better appetite than Concubine Hui today?"
Huipin's cheeks were puffed up, and she looked at Song Zhao like a little squirrel, smiling coquettishly:
"Sister Song must feel the same way as I do, that the snacks in the Queen's palace are especially delicious, right?"
Song Zhao said somewhat embarrassedly, "What Concubine Hui said is absolutely right. Seeing that it was raining today, I was afraid that I would miss the time to pay my respects to the Empress, so I hurried here without even having breakfast. Now I am being rude in front of all the sisters, and it is me who is making a fool of myself."
"That's fine. The tea and snacks you've been using to greet each other lately are all specialties from Concubine Yun's hometown." The Queen smiled and pointed at the honey water in the jade cup in front of Song Zhao, saying:
"Just like the Qionghua honey in front of you, it was prepared by Zhilan, who was beside Concubine Yun, who came to my palace every day to make it for you in advance. Concubine Yun was very thoughtful and said that she was afraid that others would not be able to control the temperature of the boiling water well, and then scald this high-quality honey, which would be a waste of nature's gift."
When Song Zhao heard this, he knew what was going on.
She was wondering before, how could Concubine Yun accurately pass the dirty stuff to her?
After all, everyone is eating these foods when they come to pay respects to the Queen.
She couldn't possibly put drugs in everyone's snacks, causing everyone in the harem to have delayed periods and fake pregnancies, right?
But if this Qionghua honey was brewed by Zhilan, who was beside Concubine Yun, the effect would be different.
Once it passed through her hands, she could naturally drug anyone she wanted, and no one would notice anything.
Song Zhao was thinking silently in his heart. After drinking a cup of Qionghua honey, he said to Yun Fei a little embarrassedly:
"This magnolia honey is really delicious. I am sorry to ask for another cup."
Concubine Yun smiled and said, "Since you like it, I will ask Zhilan to get some for you to bring back to the palace. I will also ask her to tell the maidservants around you how to make it. You can drink it whenever you want in the future."
Song Zhao was flattered and said, "How can this be possible? I heard that the honey of the goldenrod is very precious. How can I..."
"We are sisters, why are you being so polite to me?" Concubine Yun was very enthusiastic and hurriedly asked Yunshan to follow Zhilan to get nectar.
Her action made Song Zhao feel suspicious, thinking:
Concubine Yun doesn't seem to be stupid. How could she dare to send out nectar mixed with dirty things in public?
After Song Zhao returned to the palace and asked Xiao Fuzi to test the honey of the magnolia, he realized that the reason why Concubine Yun dared to do this was not because she was stupid, but because she was too smart.
Xiao Fuzi said, "Just like the morning fragrance dew that Concubine Yun gave to the young lady last time, which contained the incense, this jade flower honey is mixed with a taste of 'toad licorice'. If taken alone, it is fine, but this substance is most incompatible with brown sugar. If taken with brown sugar, it will cause a woman's menstrual period to be delayed."
Yunshan said angrily: "Last time when the young lady was poisoned by arsenic, the imperial physician told her to replenish her blood and qi. She should drink a bowl of brown sugar water every morning. Everyone in the palace knows this!"
This is another method of combining medicine and food to counteract each other, which is enough to show that Concubine Yun is well versed in pharmacology and is a very cautious person.
No wonder she dared to give the Qionghua honey to Song Zhao.
Because she knew that even if the truth came out, she would be able to get away with it.
Song Zhao's delicate eyebrows curled up with a hint of amusement, and he sneered and said:
"She really thinks highly of me."
Yunshan said, "My lady, don't drink this stuff anymore. I'll see if she can find the time to harm you! I'll throw this dirty stuff away right now!"
As she spoke, she picked up the honey pot and was about to walk out.
Song Zhao called her, "This thing is very valuable. It would be a pity if you took it away. Please keep it. I have other uses for it."
*
Because of Song Zhao's "new period" these two days, Xiao Jingheng did not summon her to sleep with him.
But Xiao Jingheng treated her differently from other concubines.
Even though he didn't sleep with her, he didn't completely ignore Song Zhaolai.
Just tonight, someone from the imperial court came to tell Song Zhao that Xiao Jingheng wanted her to have lunch at Chaoyang Palace tomorrow.
Early the next morning, Song Zhao told Xiao Fuzi:
"Go to the Flower and Bird Department and get me two pots of gardenias they are growing."
Then he took Yunshan to the Imperial Garden.
After the rain yesterday, a lot of autumn dew condensed in the Imperial Garden.
People in the palace said that using autumn dew to wash your face is the best way to moisturize your skin, so the Imperial Garden is very lively today, and almost all the concubines in the palace have sent people to collect it.
When Song Zhao and Yunshan were collecting autumn dew, they saw Yingxiang beside Concubine Chen from afar.
The master and servant walked around to a place two meters behind Yingxiang. Yunshan said as he collected the autumn dew:
"If I were to say, the Emperor still cares about you. You can't sleep with me these past two days, but the Emperor still thinks of you. Didn't he send someone to our palace yesterday to tell us that he wants to have lunch with you today?"
Song Zhao blushed with shame and patted Yunshan on the shoulder, "Good for you, even my jokes are getting easier to make."
They walked away talking and laughing, but Yingxiang heard those two 'unintentional' words clearly.
After Song Zhao returned to the palace, he started busying himself in the small kitchen.
Xiao Fuzi brought the gardenias back from the Flower and Bird Bureau. Song Zhao was making a dessert with fresh gardenia petals.
Yunshan asked curiously, "Are you going to take this to the Emperor? But the Emperor doesn't like sweets..."
Song Zhao kneaded the dough skillfully and said with a smile:
"Your Majesty has been very concerned about the floods in the south these days. This gardenia and brown sugar cake is the best thing to replenish your blood. Whether Your Majesty eats it or not, it is my thoughtful thought."
"My lady is thoughtful and considerate, no wonder the emperor likes you~"
After making the pastries and seeing that it was almost time, Song Zhao rushed to Chaoyang Palace with the food box.
As soon as she entered the palace, Jiang Deshun personally greeted her and went to the imperial court.
But unlike the smiling face he had in the past, Jiang Deshun looked troubled today.
After walking past the porch towards Song Zhaocai, he whispered,
"Master Song, the Empress Chen is also serving beside the emperor now."
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