Xu Yuehuai puts chili segments into a cold pan with hot oil. Once the chilies swell up, she pours the oil directly over them, and soon the aroma fills the air. She then adds oil to the pan, stir-fries minced scallions, ginger, and garlic until fragrant, pours in the mung bean jelly, adds vinegar, stirs it a few times, and it's ready to serve.
"Someone, go and deliver this to His Majesty," Xu Yuehuai instructed, ordering people to deliver the meal to the Emperor.
"Go and get some more ice and some fruit," Xu Yuehuai instructed, then sent someone to prepare some milk.
After a quick filtration, ice cubes were added, and fresh, chilled fruit was diced and placed in a bowl. A touch of honey and sugar were added for flavor, and then iced milk was poured over it. The fruit salad was ready.
"Someone, bring the Emperor some ice cream!" Xu Yuehuai shouted to his servants, finally able to rest for a bit.
The Emperor had a poor appetite and hadn't eaten much for several days. He was in a bad mood, and when the mealtime arrived and the eunuchs who were supposed to bring the food were nowhere to be seen, he was about to fly into a rage when he smelled a delicious aroma. This made the Emperor stand up from his chair and think to himself, "What is this smell? It smells so good."
Soon, the eunuch who was delivering the meal brought in the boiled pork slices and stir-fried mung bean jelly that Xu Yuehuai had just prepared. Although the emperor's eyes lit up, he still had to maintain his composure and demeanor.
"What is this?" he asked, pointing to the delicious food he had never seen before. The eunuchs immediately replied, "Your Majesty, this is a lunch specially prepared for you by Xu Yuehuai—boiled sliced pork and hot and sour mung bean jelly."
"Xu Yuehuai?" The Emperor asked, puzzled. "How did she end up in the palace?"
Everyone knew that Xu Yuehuai had been in close contact with Qi Guze, but no one expected that in this situation, this person would still dare to come to the palace to see them.
"It was His Highness the Crown Prince who noticed your poor appetite, so he invited Manager Xu over to come and find a solution," the eunuch quickly replied.
He feigned a frown: "You may all leave."
The eunuchs, not knowing what was going on, assumed the emperor was about to lose his temper again, so they all left.
Once the gate was closed, only the Emperor remained, and the aroma of the food immediately wafted into his nose.
Suddenly, I felt neither full nor had any appetite.
He couldn't wait to pick up his chopsticks and try it. He took a bite of the stir-fried mung bean jelly, which was very refreshing and appetizing. It was tender and smooth. He then took a bite of the boiled pork slices, which were incredibly spicy and flavorful. He couldn't stop eating it after just one bite.
"Delicious, so delicious! I haven't eaten so heartily in a long time." The Emperor ate with great relish, finishing every last drop. He enjoyed the meal, but his mouth was inevitably a little dry and spicy afterward.
But he couldn't bear to stop.
"Your Majesty, Xu Yuehuai has presented another cold dish. May it be served now?" the young eunuch asked respectfully.
The emperor, whose mouth was burning, felt much better when he heard that it was cold. He hurriedly ordered someone to bring it over, took a spoonful, and tasted the sweet fragrance of milk and fruit, cool and refreshing.
"Summon Xu Yuehuai, I wish to reward her handsomely." The Emperor was overjoyed with the delicious food.
"Xu Yuehuai pays respects to His Majesty." She bowed and paid her respects after entering the hall.
"Please rise quickly. I really enjoyed the lunch you prepared. Whatever reward you desire, I will grant it to you." The Emperor asked her happily, "It has been a long time since I have enjoyed such a delicious meal."
Xu Yuehuai's eyes darted around, and she subconsciously looked at A Qi beside her. After hesitating for a moment, she still spoke up: "Your Majesty, I do wish to ask for a reward, but I hope Your Majesty can dismiss everyone so that I may speak with you alone."
The emperor hesitated for a moment, then agreed, because the lunch was really delicious and he wanted to eat more.
"Alright, you may all leave." The eunuchs exchanged glances and then withdrew.
Ah Qi didn't want to leave: "Father, I'd better stay and keep you and Ah... Manager Xu company. She hasn't had a proper audience with the Emperor. If she says something that displeases you, I can explain for her."
He said this genuinely for Xu Yuehuai's own good.
The Emperor hesitated for a moment, glancing at Xu Yuehuai. He didn't think there was anything he could hide from Ah Qi.
“Your Highness, this matter is a private matter and cannot be told to you.” Xu Yuehuai refused without any hesitation.
Upon seeing this, the Emperor quickly issued an order to leave: "Ah Qi, you may also leave."
"Yes, Father." Ah Qi reluctantly withdrew, but he quickly dismissed the palace servants and hid at the door to eavesdrop.
"Ahem, Xu Yuehuai, there's no one else here, so speak." The Emperor sat on the dragon throne, stroking his mustache.
"Your Majesty, I would like to say that Qi Guze has not colluded with the enemy or betrayed the country." Xu Yuehuai's voice was firm, thinking that Qi Guze was, after all, the Emperor's younger brother, and perhaps the Emperor would believe in brotherly affection rather than those outsiders.
Unexpectedly, the Emperor showed no reaction whatsoever, and even seemed indifferent to the matter.
Xu Yuehuai, dressed simply, could only continue to defend Qi Guze: "Your Majesty, I left the capital earlier to find the whereabouts of the Regent. After many twists and turns, I learned that the Prince had fallen off a cliff because of Maimaiti's framing. He has now safely arrived in Mingyue Kingdom and started the 'barter' policy. It is precisely because of this that Mingyue has temporarily withdrawn its troops. Your Majesty, you cannot let the Prince and Lord Pei feel disheartened."
Seeing her unwavering resolve, the Emperor shook his head and said, "Xu Yuehuai, I believe you, but will the court officials and the common people believe you? He is now in the Underworld, and his crime of treason has been confirmed. It's not something that can be changed by your words alone. The matter is settled now, and unless he can turn the tide, otherwise..."
Xu Yuehuai suddenly realized that the Emperor didn't care whether Qi Guze was really plotting a rebellion; he only cared whether Qi Guze could bring him benefits and contributions. In other words, even though the Emperor held a high position, he couldn't change the minds of everyone else.
Her doubts were dispelled, and she realized that she was powerless to turn the tide. She simply bowed and took her leave, saying, "I thank Your Majesty for informing me. If there is nothing else, I will take my leave now."
Xu Yuehuai was still worried about Qi Guze's situation, and finally left with a heavy heart.
Ah Qi immediately had an idea and pretended to know nothing about it as she returned to the East Palace.
It rained heavily from dawn until nightfall, and showed no signs of stopping throughout the day. The rain continued to fall until evening. Then, a knock came from outside the door.
Qi Guze was not a prisoner after all, so he naturally stayed in the capital of the Mingyue Kingdom and temporarily relied on Pei Xuan for survival.
Hearing the noise, Pei Xuan went to check and opened the door to find Zhang Ting standing there: "What are you doing here?"
His face showed great shock, and he was still resentful that Zhang Ting had concealed Qi Guze's whereabouts.
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