Chapter 51
The night breeze blew through the corridors of the palace, carrying away the last vestiges of daytime warmth. Inside Qingxin Cottage, however, a warm spring scene, completely different from the outside world, was shrouded in warmth.
Ever since Chen Yanzhi left that night, Wen Yue's "illness" has improved at a speed visible to the naked eye.
The food that once terrified her now became her greatest comfort. After the stifling inspection process in the main courtyard was removed, the head chef of the main kitchen tried his best to please the new favorite concubine.
In the morning, we had milk and bird's nest porridge; for lunch, we had seven or eight exquisite side dishes with freshly steamed fragrant rice; and for dinner, we had even more variety, with delicacies from land and sea being brought in like a stream.
Shen Yanzhi came to visit almost every day, sometimes just to sit for a while in the afternoon, sometimes to leave after dinner in the evening. He brought not only care but also endless rewards.
The luminous pearls tributed from the East China Sea, the fine grape wine from the Western Regions, and the newly produced brocade from the Jiangnan Weaving Bureau were all carried into Qingxin Cottage in boxes, almost filling up the small courtyard.
Wen Yue's spirits had completely returned. She was no longer the haggard, tearful woman, but had once again become the charming Concubine Wen.
When Shen Yanzhi came, she would wear a soft shirt made of the new fabric he had given her, and personally make tea for him, with her fingertips raised like orchids, and every movement was full of carefully calculated tenderness.
"Your Highness, please try this. This is the almond cheese that I asked the kitchen to make. It is the best for moistening the lungs and calming the mind." She scooped up a spoonful with a silver spoon and brought it to Shen Yanzhi's mouth. Her breath was soft and her eyes were full of dependence and admiration.
Shen Yanzhi opened his mouth and ate. The sweet aroma slid into his throat, relaxing his nerves that had been tense for many days. Looking at her rosy cheeks and slightly bulging belly, the guilt in his heart became stronger, and his indulgence towards her also increased a bit.
"Mm, it tastes good." He praised and took her hand. "As long as you like it, if you want to eat something, just tell the kitchen to make it."
"It's all thanks to the prince."
Wen Yue snuggled into his arms, her voice trembling with fear, "If it weren't for the prince protecting me, I and the child... I really don't know what I would do.
My Lord, you have treated me so well, I have no way to repay you, I can only take good care of yourself and give birth to your child safely."
These words were spoken with such sincerity that Shen Yanzhi found them very helpful. He patted her on the back and said gently, "It's good that you know. Just stay in your proper place and take good care of your baby. That will be the best reward for me."
However, once human desires are unleashed, it is difficult to retract them.
In the first few days, Wen Yue was only particular about food, but gradually, her demands became more and more.
Today she complains that the flowers and plants in the yard are too plain in color, and tomorrow she says that the incense in the house smells bad and disturbs the fetus.
The maids and old women who served her also followed suit and raised their chins higher when they walked in the mansion. When they saw the servants in the main courtyard, they dared to say a few sarcastic words.
That afternoon, Wen Yue was lying on a soft couch covered with white fox fur, with her maid Chunhe peeling crystal grapes for her while she lazily flipped through a book.
"Chun He," she suddenly said, "I've been feeling quite lackluster lately. I'm craving something fresh and tender. Go to the main kitchen and tell them I want to eat 'Snow Top Green'."
Chun He paused, looking troubled. "Master, this 'Snow Top Contains Green' is made with the tender bamboo shoots from the top of the snowy mountain outside the Great Wall in winter. It is also stewed with the brains of live pigeons. The process is complicated, and just for the snow bamboo shoots, in this season, I'm afraid the mansion is..."
"If they don't have any in the palace, let them find a way outside!" Wen Yue interrupted her impatiently, "The prince said that if I want to eat something, I can just ask. Can't the palace even get a few bamboo shoots? Do you think the prince's words are falling on deaf ears, or do you think the child in my belly is not precious?"
A big hat was put down on her head, and Chun He was so scared that she immediately knelt down: "I dare not! I will go right away!"
Upon hearing this request, the kitchen steward's face wrinkled like a bitter melon. This wasn't just a matter of a few bamboo shoots; it was a matter of the highest order. Where in the world could one find such a thing as snow bamboo shoots? But Qingxin Cottage was currently enjoying the Emperor's favor, and he couldn't afford to offend. He had no choice but to bite the bullet and report the matter to Cui Jingyue, the head of the courtyard.
After hearing the report, Lu Zhu was so angry that her face turned blue: "How can this be! Does she really think she is the Queen? Does she want to eat the stars in the sky? Your Majesty, this is clearly a deliberate harassment. We can't indulge her!"
Cui Jingyue was checking the accounts in the warehouse. When she heard this, she didn't even raise her eyelids. She just circled a discrepancy in the account book with a red pen.
"If she wants to eat, let her eat." Cui Jingyue's voice was calm, as if she was talking about something very ordinary.
"But, my lady, those snow bamboo shoots..."
"The purchasing agents of the palace are not kept for free."
Cui Jingyue put down her pen and picked up her teacup. "Pass on my message. Have the buyers go to Sihaitong, the largest groceries store in the capital, and ask. If they have it, buy it, no matter how much it costs. If not, have them use their connections to look for it outside the Great Wall. Tell them this is the prince's order, and they must see to it."
Lu Zhu was stunned: "My Lady, how much silver will this cost? Is it worth it just to satisfy her momentary appetite?"
Cui Jingyue glanced at her, her eyes deep and calm: "Whether it is worth it or not is not up to us to decide, it is up to His Majesty.
Since the prince has promised her 'everything is enough', we servants must do our utmost to fulfill his promise. Otherwise, it would seem that I, the princess, lack even this little tolerance and deliberately mistreat a pregnant hero."
She paused and added, "Remember, every penny spent on buying flowers must be recorded in the account, listed separately, and marked as used to buy ingredients for Qingxin Cottage. Remember to remember it clearly, not a single penny can be wrong."
Lu Zhu was incredibly clever and instantly understood Cui Jingyue's intentions. This wasn't a compromise; it was flattery. The prince, blinded by guilt and tenderness, couldn't see Wen Yue's arrogance.
Then let her do it, the bigger the better, the better, the better if everyone knows about it. When the day comes when those accounts in black and white are placed before the prince, and he sees with his own eyes what kind of person he has spoiled, that will be exciting.
"Yes, I understand!" Luzhu took the order and left, her steps becoming lighter.
In Hibiscus Garden, Song Qingyuan was listening to Caiwei's story with great interest.
"Master, do you think Madam Wen is crazy? How dare she make such a request! The princess is really something, she actually agreed to it like that. I heard that the purchasing manager's face turned green, and he went out of the city to look for bamboo shoots overnight." Caiwei was fanning her master and was shocked.
Song Qingyuan smiled. She reached out and picked up a black piece from the chess box, and dropped it on the chessboard with a "pop", eating up a large area of the opponent's white pieces.
"What's so strange about that?" she said slowly. "When a person has been hungry for a long time, the first sight of a Manchu Han banquet makes them want to try all the delicious food that's out of their reach, fearing that they'll miss it all. She's not crazy, she's greedy, and she's also afraid."
"Afraid?" Caiwei was puzzled.
"I'm afraid this favor is just a mirage, shattered at the slightest touch. So I have to take advantage of this momentum, desperately trying to reap the benefits and show how special I am."
Song Qingyuan looked at the chessboard with a far-reaching gaze. "The princess is an even more skilled player. Do you think she's backing down? No, she's handing Wen Yue a knife. If Wen Yue takes it, it will only stab her sooner or later."
"The prince is now a beauty in the eyes of his lover, but no man in the world likes a greedy and extravagant woman. Especially when this woman's extravagance is based on emptying his wallet."
As she spoke, she picked up another white piece and thought about her next move.
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