Yun Duoduo watched as everyone on the stage clinked glasses, exchanged toasts, exchanged flirtatious glances, and whispered amongst themselves, openly forming cliques, claiming kinship, and discussing politics right under the nose of the Shu emperor.
Meanwhile, the supreme emperor of Shu, seated in the main seat, was stroking the chin of a beautiful woman, happily cuddling with his favorite concubines.
Wow, the people of Shu are really civilized!
The emperor of Shu really doesn't treat us like outsiders; city folks certainly know how to have fun!
[While my sons, nephews, and other officials are frantically working on their careers offstage, I'm indulging in romance and leisure onstage—how amusing!]
Yun Duoduo ate with great relish, chatting with her sisters as she ate, watching everyone at the table, listening to their thoughts, and indulging in gossip like crazy.
During this Western-style noodle meal, she overheard many people's little secrets. However, with so many whispers and secrets reaching her ears at the same time, she couldn't quite distinguish who the owner of these secrets was.
Oh well, they're all unimportant and irrelevant people anyway.
[She was merely a visitor to Shu; eating well, drinking well, having fun, and sleeping well were the most important things for her!]
Time flew by, and amidst the clinking of glasses and the exchange of toasts, everyone realized it was almost time and that the social connections had been established, so they consciously returned to their seats.
After Wang Fengru delivered the summary instructions from the highest leader of the Shu Kingdom, everyone, satisfied and with their bellies bulging, exchanged pleasantries and parted ways.
After the banquet, a discerning and capable eunuch would escort the beautiful blue-eyed, wavy-haired Persian dancer to the emperor's bedchamber.
I imagine that the room will be filled with the sounds of birdsong and dancing at that time.
[Oh dear, it seems Consort Yue of Zhongcui Palace will be spending her night alone today.]
The Pear Blossom Palace should be much quieter today.
...
Yun Duoduo lived a carefree and happy life in the Shu Kingdom, and Empress Dowager Nangong Rui also spent his days eating, drinking, having fun, and shopping with Wang Fengru.
That afternoon, Wang Fengru and Nangong Rui returned from outside the palace. They had just finished shopping at Ruyi Fang, a famous jewelry shop in the capital, and returned to the palace adorned with gold and silver.
Wang Fengru took off the bracelets and rings that covered her hands and asked Nangong Rui if he wanted to eat some Shu Kingdom specialty snacks made by the imperial kitchen.
"Hey sister, what would you like to eat? It's on me."
Wang Fengru raised an eyebrow at Nangong Rui.
Afternoon tea?
Nangong Rui countered by saying that he had heard the word from Yun Duoduo and had just blurted it out.
"Hey, what's this new word? I like it!"
Wang Fengru wiped her face with a damp cloth, feeling that she should wipe the dirt off her face after returning from outside the palace.
"afternoon tea……"
Nangong Rui hesitated for a moment, then waved his hand: "I won't eat, I won't eat, I'm on a diet."
Nangong Rui touched her belly. Since arriving in Shu, she had been lazy and idle, and hadn't used the whip much. She hadn't properly followed Yun Duoduo's rule of walking 10,000 steps a day.
She spent her days going to brothels with her good sister Wang Fengru, listening to storytelling, and watching operas. She pinched her arms and shoulders and sighed worriedly.
[Alas, when I return to the palace, I fear I won't be able to fit into any of my old clothes.]
"Silly girl, if you lose weight, you'll lose your happiness."
"Besides, how can you have the energy to lose weight if you don't eat your fill?"
Wang Fengru took the cup handed to her by the palace maid and rinsed her mouth.
"Want some brown sugar glutinous rice cakes?"
"I won't eat it, I'm on a diet." Nangong Rui firmly rejected Wang Fengru's suggestion.
"What is Ciba? It's made from soybean flour and glutinous rice. It's a proper food, very filling, and won't make you fat. One piece is enough for three meals, so how could it make you fat?"
Nangong Rui shook his head again.
"Want some crispy chicken?"
Wang Fengru asked again.
"I won't eat. If I eat, I'll get high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol." Nangong Rui shook her head repeatedly, resisting her own inner turmoil. She could already feel her stomach was empty.
"Where did you get so many bold and courageous words from? What are all these fancy terms?!"
Wang Fengru couldn't understand what Nangong Rui was saying, and shook her head impatiently.
"My granddaughter told me that eating too much meat can cause high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high blood sugar, which is bad for your health."
"How can that be? Chicken, chicken won't make you fat."
Wang Fengru spoke with certainty, not understanding why Nangong Rui was different from before; she used to always be the one to fight for food.
“Look, the people of Wusun all eat chicken, and they’re all skin and bones. How can they get fat from eating chicken?” Wang Fengru continued to persuade them.
Nangong Rui pondered Wang Fengru's words and felt that they seemed to make sense.
"Want some sweet juice? How can you eat crispy chicken without drinking sweet juice?"
"Okay, okay, add more ice for me."
Nangong Rui eventually gave in to Wang Fengru's sweet talk; he couldn't possibly turn down delicious food.
[Duoduo seems to have said that adding more ice will evaporate the calories and prevent weight gain.]
"My little sister has finally figured it out! Hurry up, quickly tell the imperial kitchen to prepare!"
Wang Fengru waved her hand at the palace maid who was still standing there dumbfounded beside her: "Brown sugar glutinous rice cakes with bean flour, crispy chicken, sugar water with ice, boiled rabbit, spicy beef tripe, bring them up quickly when they're all ready!"
Nangong Rui swallowed hard.
This afternoon tea is truly sumptuous.
[I'll only eat this one meal; I definitely won't eat here again!]
...
That evening, Yun Duoduo went to the music hall to see the pretty ladies, listened to a few songs, and watched a few dances. Afterward, she skipped and hopped all the way back to her bedroom, swaying her skirt as she circled around.
As soon as she entered, a palace maid who was serving in the bedchamber came up to Yun Duoduo and asked, "Princess, the Empress Dowager said that she is going to play polo in the suburbs tomorrow. She asked if you would like to go with her?"
Playing polo?!
"Yes, of course I'll go!"
Playing polo in Shu would definitely be more fun than in Nanyang.
The land in Nanyang is mostly flat, making it easy for horses to run smoothly. However, the land in Shu is mostly slopes and hills, making polo a much more interesting game.
Since arriving in Shu, Yun Duoduo has never stopped enjoying all sorts of entertainment activities.
Indeed, coming to Shu was the right decision!
"Aunt Xiang, let's go together tomorrow!"
Yun Duoduo watched Ah Xiang with great interest.
“A while ago, Erhu was bragging to me that he practiced riding horses every day at the training ground and his equestrian skills had improved a lot.”
"Tomorrow I'll see if his horsemanship, which he only practices sporadically, has improved!"
Yun Duoduo raised her head, looking incredulous.
"Alright, I'll go prepare right away."
When Ah Xiang heard that they were going to play polo the next day, she became excited, knowing that Yun Duoduo loved going to such places.
When going out to play polo, you inevitably need to prepare shoes, clothes, a first-aid kit, and other such items.
"Zhuangzhuang, are you going tomorrow?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
