An Shuyi gave an awkward smile, "It must be so boring for you to sit here all by yourself. I'll keep you company." Seeing the glare Hua Hua gave her, she had no choice but to change her words, "The plays at the teahouse are the same for the next two days. The new play won't start until the day after tomorrow."
When she went to see it yesterday, she found that the play was still the same. She asked the staff and found out that the new play would be released in two days.
Xia Hua knew it would be like this. This woman, once she encounters something interesting, won't stop until she's tired of seeing or eating it. And to say that she's bored is just hypocrisy.
"Teach them a few more, and let them practice on their own tomorrow. Tonight, go to the palace and get some good food." Also, ask Xiao Zili if An Ye has sent any letters.
It has been two and a half months since they left the village, and the village has already harvested its crops. It should be time for An Ye to write a letter to report.
Hearing that she could go to the palace to get food, An Shuyi smiled happily and nodded, "Okay, I'll listen to you. I'll go teach them now and make sure I train them into killing machines."
When it was lunchtime in the afternoon, they released the children and let them cook. The two of them then set off for the palace, dodging the palace guards and secret agents, and arrived at the imperial kitchen.
Looking at the busy eunuchs inside the house, An Shuyi said, "Huahua, you wait here, I'll go down and get it."
Many days have passed since their last visit to the palace. Although there are still guards outside the Imperial Kitchen, there are not many. It seems that they have not been seen in the palace these past few days, and since nothing has been stolen, the palace guards have begun to relax their vigilance.
This is even better, as she can take more this time. Although there are still many vegetables in the warehouse, which were taken earlier and the two of them haven't eaten much, there's never too much delicious food.
Xia Hua nodded, "Then be careful, I'll wait for you here."
With permission granted, An Shuyi went downstairs, dressed as a eunuch. They had already changed their clothes before entering the palace—eunuch clothes, clothes from the storeroom, and clothes from the palace maids—all spoils from their previous trip.
Wearing the clothes of a palace maid or eunuch, it was incredibly easy to move around the palace. After entering the imperial kitchen, she saw the eunuchs still busy and began to take out the dishes.
Before long, he had received a lot of food. Looking at what was left, he didn't take any more. He carried something in his hand as a cover and left the house.
When they returned to the roof, knowing that the eunuchs would soon discover the missing food, the two did not linger but left. Soon after they left, they heard a commotion in the distance.
"Shushu, you're so quick today, taking so many dishes at once. It seems there are many concubines in the palace tonight, so the princes' food should be reduced."
An Shuyi looked up triumphantly, "What's so special about that? I can be even faster. Those concubines and princes don't eat much. They only eat a little each time, and the rest are either thrown away or given to the palace maids."
"It would be fine to give it to the palace maids so as not to waste food, but since it has already been eaten, who would want to eat someone else's leftovers? Besides, if we don't give it to the palace maids and just throw it away, that would be such a waste. It would be better to give it to me."
"I got a lot of food today. Did you see Buddha Jumps Over the Wall? It was still on the fire. I took the whole pot with me. There was also steamed bear paw. I had it in the village once before. The taste was absolutely amazing."
"I saw some on the table just now, and that was the first dish I took. Unfortunately, it was sliced into small pieces. I went to check the pot again and put the whole thing in the storage room. We'll eat one later, and save the rest for next time."
Seeing her talking non-stop, Xia Hua said, "I saw it, but why didn't they eat a plate of steamed bear paws, but a whole bear paw?"
An Shuyi glanced at her with a look that said, "You don't understand." "Of course it's because if you're going to eat, you should eat your fill. Such delicious food, how can I just look at it and leave it there? That would be pushing my limits."
"I'm afraid I won't be able to sleep at night if I keep thinking about it, so I only eat one. I have to eat my fill. We'll come back in a few days, and if there are any left, we'll get more." There's only one today, so there are definitely more.
Xia Hua smiled and nodded. The two of them didn't say anything more and continued towards Xiao Zili's Guangyang Palace. Before they arrived, they saw Xiao Zili waiting at the door.
"Aunties, why do you always make such a commotion every time you come?" Xiao Zili said helplessly.
He had just returned from the Hanlin Academy when he heard commotion in the palace. Upon inquiring, he learned that the thief who had disappeared had gone to the imperial kitchen to steal vegetables again, and this time he had taken quite a lot. Without asking, he knew who had done it.
He could only hurry back. When he arrived at the palace, he found no one inside, so he knew that his two aunts had not yet arrived. He waited outside.
An Shuyi laughed and said, "Was it a big commotion? It was alright. It's just that the palace guards were too stingy. It was just some dishes, why make such a big fuss?"
"Let's go, don't stay outside. Otherwise, if someone sees you, you won't be able to explain yourself. Let's go eat." The dishes have already been taken out and put in the food container. Those things don't keep warm, and they won't taste good when they're cold.
Xiao Zili nodded helplessly, "Please, aunts. I was planning to visit you in the next couple of days, but before I could, you came to the palace."
Xia Hua took the food out of the food box, saying, "We'll talk about it later." She quickly put the food away and then took out the wine as well.
“Shushu, eat,” he said, turning his head. “Now you can talk.”
Xiao Zili looked at Aunt An eating, then at Aunt Xia waiting for him to speak, and said, "A few days ago, An Ye sent a letter saying that the crops in your village have been harvested."
"Moreover, the crops are just as the aunties said: 900 catties of rice per mu, 1,100 catties of corn per mu, and 3,000 catties of potatoes per mu. Yesterday, I told my father about this, and now all the ministers in the court know."
"I was also sent by my father to handle this matter and bring back the crops. When I return, my aunts will be granted titles."
Xia Hua nodded. "I understand. We'll have another wheat harvest in the first half of next year, and the yield will be high. You'll have another chance then."
"Inquire around these next few days to see where locusts have appeared. If you find any, let us know." The prescription for eliminating locusts from the Book Trading System hasn't been used yet.
This is the harvest season. Perhaps locusts have already appeared, but they haven't been reported yet. The crops in Taoyuan Village are a few days later than those in other villages, but the seeds are better, and the village has water, so they can be harvested even earlier than other villages.
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