Chapter 51: Tooth for Tooth
Hearing this, Song Zhao slowed down his pace and said a little awkwardly:
"Since the emperor has the Empress Chen to serve him, I will go back first."
She turned to leave, but Jiang Deshun stopped her.
"Master Song, you misunderstood. The emperor invited you to have lunch today. Even though the Empress Chen was here, the emperor still deliberately reminded me that he would take you to the palace when you arrived. If Master Song left like this, the emperor would blame me for not doing my job well..."
Song Zhao was silent for a moment, then nodded and said, "I understand. The emperor is thinking about me and doesn't want me to feel left out. If I leave again, it would be somewhat ungrateful."
Jiang Deshun laughed and said, "Master Song, what are you talking about? Please come in."
When he arrived outside the main hall, Jiang Deshun knocked on the door three times, and immediately Xiao Jingheng's deep and ear-piercing voice came from inside the hall.
"Come in."
Jiang Deshun bowed, pushed open the palace door, and gestured to Song Zhao to come in.
She tightened the food box in her hand and walked slowly inside. She saw Xiao Jingheng and Chen Fei sitting at the dining table and had already started eating.
She stood at a distance, knelt down and greeted the two men.
"Your Majesty, I have seen you. Your Majesty, may you be well. Long live the emperor."
At that time, Xiao Jingheng's eyes fell on Song Zhao, and he saw that his lips were about to say the word "stand up".
The concubine suddenly picked up a piece of roasted beef with chopsticks and handed it to Xiao Jingheng's mouth, saying coquettishly:
"Your Majesty, this roasted beef must be served hot. If it gets cold, it will not taste good."
Xiao Jingheng held the beef in his mouth and said to Concubine Chen, "My beloved concubine is thoughtful."
Then he said to Song Zhao: "Don't be so polite, just sit down."
The Concubine Chen then smiled embarrassedly and said, "Oh, look at how confused I am. I was so focused on making sure His Majesty had a good meal that I forgot that my sister was still observing etiquette."
He stood up and moved the chair next to him back, raised his eyebrows at Song Zhao and said:
"Sister, please get up and sit down. The emperor was just talking to me about you~"
In Song Zhao's eyes, Chen Fei's smile at this moment looked more like a sharp knife.
And Xiao Jingheng's attitude just now was also very clear.
The roasted beef that Concubine Chen handed to him represented her position in Jamel Xiao's heart.
When Song Zhao was allowed to sit down represents the status of Song Zhao in Xiao Jingheng's heart.
The Empress won completely.
But this is also expected.
Song Zhao sat obediently opposite the Concubine Chen and Xiao Jingheng.
Watching Concubine Chen and Xiao Jingheng talking and laughing, she felt like an outsider.
In fact, during the conversation, Xiao Jingheng also cared about Song Zhao's feelings and deliberately threw a few topics to her, but they were all cleverly intercepted by Concubine Chen, leaving Song Zhao no chance to interrupt.
Later, Xiao Jingheng saw the food box that Song Zhao had placed next to him, and asked:
"What did you bring?"
"These are the gardenia and brown sugar cakes that I made myself. Recently, His Majesty has been worried about the floods in the south, and I can't help much, so I can only make some blood-boosting food and send it to His Majesty. I hope His Majesty will not dislike it."
As Song Zhao spoke, he opened the food box and took out the pastries.
She was so focused on this that she didn't notice the subtle changes in the expression on Concubine Chen's face.
Xiao Jingheng glanced at the slightly frowned brows of Concubine Chen, then looked at Song Zhao who was concentrating on preparing the meal, and felt that this woman really was clueless.
She made nourishing cakes to replenish qi and blood and reduce turbid fire, but the concubine fed him roasted beef which was easy to cause internal heat.
Doesn't this clearly show that Concubine Chen doesn't know how to take care of him?
Looking around the harem, I'm afraid only Song Zhao would dare to say such stupid words.
Song Zhao served the cakes to Xiao Jingheng and Chen Fei respectively, and said respectfully:
"Your Majesty, please try it and see if it suits your taste."
After the eunuch who tasted the food came to check and indicated that there was nothing wrong with the food, Xiao Jingheng took it and tasted it.
He knew that if he continued to praise Song Zhao, it would only make Concubine Chen more jealous, so he just said lightly:
“It’s OK.”
After using it, Concubine Chen smiled and said, "Your Majesty doesn't like sweets, so my sister's kindness is wasted. But I think this brown sugar gardenia cake is very good."
Xiao Jingheng said: "I remember that you like to use gardenia flowers in your meals the most, no wonder it suits your taste."
"Your Majesty treats me very well. He even remembers my preferences. But if we only talk about this dish, the cooking skills of the imperial chefs in the palace are far inferior to those of Concubine Song."
Concubine Chen smiled gently, turned her eyes to Song Zhao, and said, "I wonder if my sister could also make some and send them to my palace?"
Song Zhao hurriedly said, "It is my blessing that the Concubine Chen can appreciate my craftsmanship. How can it be inconvenient for me?"
Concubine Chen said, "Then I'll have to trouble you, sister."
The two of them exchanged a few words, all of which were seen by Xiao Jingheng.
Although Chen Fei's position was higher than Song Zhao's, they were both concubines. To put it bluntly, making pastries like this was just serving others.
The only one in the harem who could order other concubines to serve her was the Queen. It was obviously against the rules for Concubine Chen to ask Song Zhao to do this.
But Song Zhao did not show any embarrassment about this matter.
Because of this, Xiao Jingheng felt that she was even more well-behaved.
So that afternoon, after Xiao Jingheng finished his government affairs, he went to Yaohua Palace to visit Song Zhao.
He took Song Zhao into his arms, caressing the soft skin of her cheeks, and asked lovingly:
"The Concubine was being naughty with you today, but you didn't care at all. Do you feel wronged?"
Song Zhao smiled and shook her head, "How could that be? The concubines in the palace are all serving the emperor, and they are all sisters. The Empress Chen likes to eat the food I cook. It is not troublesome for me to cook, and my cooking skills are recognized by the Empress. Why do you feel wronged?"
Hearing this, Jamel Xiao hugged her tighter and kissed her forehead as if she had found a treasure.
"It is my fortune to have you by my side."
Xiao Jingheng had seen a lot of jealousy in the palace, and there were not many people like Song Zhao who were non-competitive and considerate.
For an emperor's woman, family background, appearance, and figure are not the most important.
Only by knowing the current situation and how to advance and retreat can you achieve long-term success.
But if you really like someone, how could you not care or be jealous?
Xiao Jingheng originally wanted to stay and accompany Song Zhao for a while, but Song Zhao said:
"The Emperor still needs to review memorials, so you'd better go back to the palace early. I still need to make cakes for the Empress Chen, so I'd better send them to her early~"
Yes, the pastries need to be delivered earlier, after all, strike while the iron is hot.
After Xiao Jingheng left, Song Zhao locked himself in the small kitchen.
The night is as dark as ink, the candlelight flickers,
Her beautiful face flickered in the flickering candlelight.
Judging from her expression, she seemed to be in a good mood.
While humming a little tune, she poured the jade flower honey that Concubine Yun gave her as a reward into the flour and used it together with the dough.
Xiao Jingheng doesn't like sweets, but Song Zhao knew early on that Concubine Chen likes to use gardenias in her meals.
Today in the Imperial Garden, she deliberately wanted Yingxiang to hear that she was going to Chaoyang Palace for lunch.
Concubine Chen hated having her favor taken away from her the most. How could she bear it after hearing this news?
The purpose of the Concubine Chen's going there was to give Song Zhao a warning.
So when she saw Song Zhao trying to curry favor with Xiao Jingheng by sending him some pastries, wasn't the best way to show her power was to ask Song Zhao to make one for her as well?
But Concubine Chen didn't know that this kind of show of power was exactly what Song Zhao wanted most at the moment.
If the cakes were delivered and Concubine Chen ate them, she would probably become pregnant like Song Zhao.
Song Zhao thought:
The concubine was so eager to have a child of her own.
This time she got what she wanted. She should wake up laughing in her dreams, right?
Thinking of this, Song Zhao couldn't help but feel happy for Concubine Chen.
So the smile on his face never faded.
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