Liang Jiugong felt extremely wronged.
He stood frozen in place, unsure whether to go forward to serve him or not. His half-bent back and pitiful appearance made Wan Anran chuckle to herself.
The Emperor is clearly being pretentious and putting on airs!
Wan Anran smiled and rolled up another piece of meat, offering it forward again: "Oh, right! It's all my fault, I forgot something. Today the Imperial Kitchen specially sent more than ten kinds of barbecue sauces for me to taste and choose from. This is the first time Eunuch Liang has seen them, and I'm afraid he doesn't know which barbecue sauces are suitable for which meats. I'll serve them to His Majesty instead!"
Liang Jiugong breathed a long sigh of relief.
He gave Consort Wan a grateful smile, and then Liang Jiugong quickly took a few steps back, deciding that he would be invisible until he left Xianfu Palace.
Kangxi withdrew his stern gaze.
He devoured the slice of meat that Consort Wan had handed him. The subtle citrus flavor surprised Kangxi. The perfectly balanced sweet and sour taste relieved the greasiness of the pork belly while adding an unusual aroma.
Wan Anran was full of confidence.
She explained in detail: "This is a new barbecue sauce made by the Imperial Kitchen. It's made with citrus and honey, and has a very unique taste. What does Your Majesty think?"
Emperor Kangxi nodded in satisfaction: "Not bad, reward him."
The corresponding eunuch was so happy he almost burst out laughing. With the emperor's praise, the cook was doing well, and he was sure he would get something in return. The envious looks from the other eunuchs around him made him hold his head high, extremely proud.
Wan Anran then presented a plate of grilled shrimp with a smile: "This is also a sauce that I just selected. Would Your Majesty like to try it?" This sauce is somewhat similar to XO sauce from later generations, and Wan Anran was quite surprised when she tasted it.
The shrimp was fresh and fragrant at first, then spicy, with a crispy crust and chewy meat. Emperor Kangxi had eaten grilled shrimp countless times, but even so, the deliciousness of this shrimp surprised him greatly. Kangxi's eyebrows relaxed: "Reward it."
The corresponding eunuch was so happy he almost fainted.
The remaining eunuchs' eyes shone even brighter, each craning their necks, eager to be next.
Next up is the beef.
The beef used in the Qing court was different from that of later generations; it was firmer and tougher. Wan Anran proudly picked up a slice and brought it to Kangxi's lips: "I had the palace servants slice it into thin slices, and with the special plum sauce, the taste is absolutely first-class!"
Emperor Kangxi tasted it.
Compared to the previous citrus-flavored one, this plum jam was more sour and not particularly to Kangxi's liking. Of course, seeing Wan Guiren's confident appearance, Kangxi said without blinking, "Indeed, it's very good, delicious. Liang Jiugong, reward him."
The little eunuch covered his mouth to stop himself from laughing out loud.
Wan Anran was full of energy, and dish after dish was served. After eating a round, seeing that Consort Wan was still not satisfied, clearly intending to feed herself into a piglet, Kangxi was both amused and exasperated. He reached for a lettuce leaf, carefully placed plum sauce, cucumber, and pork belly on it, and smilingly stuffed it into Consort Wan's mouth: "You must be tired after feeding me for so long, right? Eat more!"
Wan Anran's almond-shaped eyes widened.
Kangxi's actions caused a blush to rise on her cheeks, and even her heart skipped a beat. Of course, Wan Anran quickly regained her composure—why was her heart beating so fast? The Emperor was simply giving her face; now he intended to taste it himself.
It wasn't Wan Anran who said that.
She could tell that Kangxi didn't react much to some of the sweet and sour sauces, preferring the spicy ones.
Wan Anran stuck out her tongue.
Be careful, eating so much spicy food will hurt tomorrow...!
After the feast, a vegetarian trend suddenly swept through the Qianqing Palace in the following days. Both the Emperor and the Crown Prince ate very lightly, leaving the concubines in the harem completely bewildered. They reluctantly adopted a vegetarian diet for several days until the Emperor returned to his normal diet and they finally breathed a sigh of relief.
In the end, no one could figure out where the gust of wind came from.
Only the three people in Xianfu Palace had strange expressions.
Wan Anran was overjoyed, but before she could celebrate for several days, she received a piece of bad news—the Empress Dowager had decreed that, starting from the 15th of this month, the morning and evening greetings would be reinstated, and concubines of the rank of Noble Lady and above would have to pay their respects to the Empress before proceeding to Cining Palace to pay their respects.
Wan Anran: …………
What does this mean? It means he's completely lost his chance to sleep in late in the morning!
Wan Anran almost burst into tears.
It was a terrible piece of news for her, but for all the noble ladies in the palace, it was a cause for celebration. Being able to visit the Cining Palace and Kunning Palace for morning and evening greetings meant that they would have more opportunities to meet the Emperor. Not only was there much discussion in the palace, but the seven concubines, except for Consort Xuan, were also on high alert.
Who knows if another person will suddenly appear?
Of course, there were happy people, and there were also those who, like Wan Anran, were sad and depressed. Wuya, who had been demoted to the rank of Changzai, was so angry that she almost spat out blood. Why didn't she have such advantages when she was a Guiren (a high-ranking concubine)? She had to flatter and fawn over Consort Tong for a long time just to see the Emperor, but now... The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, clutching her chest and tossing and turning in bed.
The palace maid looked worried: "My lady... please don't worry, this mouth ulcer hasn't gone away for a long time..."
Wuya often felt very wronged.
Her mouth was full of sores, and her gums were terribly swollen. She was pregnant and didn't want anyone to know, nor did she dare call the imperial physician; she could only endure it.
Even if Wan Anran was unwilling.
On the morning of March 15th, she was to accompany Consort Xuan to Kunning Palace to pay her respects to the Empress, who had just recovered from her illness. Wan Anran was happy to do so. Although there were rumors in the palace that the Empress had recovered, no concubine had seen her yet, and Wan Anran could not feel at ease until she saw her.
The time for paying respects was at the beginning of Chen (7-9 AM).
Of course, to show respect to the Empress, the concubines needed to arrive at Kunning Palace an hour beforehand. Including the time for dressing and getting ready, and the time to get to Kunning Palace, Hai Tao and the other two woke Wan Anran up at dawn and hurriedly began preparations.
Fortunately, people in the Qing Palace went to bed early at night.
In modern times, anyone who makes you get up at six is your enemy! Wan Anran chose an ivory-white palace dress with embroidered floral patterns on the edges, and two gilded, kingfisher-feather, beaded tassels were tucked diagonally into her hair. She also applied a rare touch of palace powder to her face. After all, today was the Empress's first appearance since her illness, and being too simple would seem disrespectful—this was something Consort Xuan had instructed her to do the day before.
Consort Xuan strongly suspected that if she hadn't given instructions, Consort Wan might have gone to Kunning Palace with no makeup on. When Wan Anran arrived in a hurry with Hai Tao, Consort Xuan made a special check to make sure everything was in order before the three of them set off for Kunning Palace.
Springtime brings warm weather.
Consort Xuan did not ride in a palanquin as she would in winter, but instead strolled leisurely along the corridor with Wan Anran and Noble Lady Nara. As she walked, Consort Xuan kept muttering, "There are few opportunities for exercise in the palace, so we should walk as much as we can, lest we all become so delicate and weak that we get out of breath after just a few steps, which makes us prone to illness and discomfort."
No sooner had they finished speaking than a group of people appeared in front of them.
Consort Yi, sitting in the palanquin, looked at Consort Xuan with a forced smile, clearly having heard everything Consort Xuan had just said.
Consort Xuan remained calm and composed.
A slight smile curved her lips, and she even nodded to Consort Yi: "Would you like to come down and take a walk with me, Sister Yi?"
Both Wan Anran and Consort Nara were witnessing such a scene for the first time. Wan Anran covered her mouth, suppressing her gasp, while Consort Nara stood with her head bowed and hands raised, behaving with exceptional reserve and docility—except for her furtive, wandering glances. The two were like fledgling chicks, or perhaps like hedgehogs lining up to eat melons, holding their breath and filled with curiosity.
Consort Xuan smiled and laughed.
Consort Yi sighed, cupping her cheeks: "My sister doesn't have two good sisters to talk to like my older sister does. Walking alone all alone must be very difficult, or..."
She changed the subject, her gaze sweeping over Wan Anran and Consort Nara: "Sister, are you willing to give up one of your younger sisters to come to Yikun Palace? So that you can keep me company."
It made Yikun Palace seem deserted.
Before Consort Yi ascended to the rank of Consort, Consort Zhang and Consort Qing were both well-known figures in the palace. After Consort Yi became a Consort, the two were imprisoned in Yikun Palace and could not be heard from anyone. Now they have completely disappeared from the public eye.
Consort Xuan chuckled.
She cupped her face and exclaimed in surprise, then looked on with realization: "So that's how it is. Perhaps your family wanted to send your older sister in to take care of you because they were afraid you would be lonely in the palace?"
Consort Yi's expression changed abruptly.
She forced a smile: "Perhaps Sister Xuan misunderstood. How could there be a reason for me to enter the palace and then let you enter the palace as well?"
"Perhaps," Consort Xuan said casually.
"...Sister, you go first." Consort Yi replied through gritted teeth. Before Consort Xuan could answer, she slammed the curtain shut and called for her servants to hurry forward. The servants, quick as lightning, sped up and disappeared from the three's sight in just a few breaths.
Once they were out of sight, Wan Anran was the first to excitedly approach them: "Your Highness, is what you said true? Consort Yi's sister is going to enter the palace!?"
Noble Lady Nara's expression showed a mixture of curiosity and doubt.
She frowned slightly: "Isn't Consort Yi's older sister married yet? Then why hasn't she entered the palace for the imperial concubine selection?"
Consort Xuan snorted: "I heard she's a widow!"
Wan Anran and Consort Nara both gasped in surprise. Unlike Consort Nara's astonishment and disgust, Wan Anran clicked her tongue in amazement: "Your Majesty... has quite the taste... cough cough, you are truly blessed!"
The flavor is quite unique.
Widows, twin sisters, tsk tsk tsk.
Wan Anran shook her head.
The feelings that had stirred within me just two days ago were instantly frozen solid in an ice cave.
That's it? I can't possibly be worthy of that! QAQ
Aside from this brief interlude, the group strolled leisurely to Kunning Palace. Upon arrival, the familiar palace maid Lian Nan greeted them with a smile: "Consort Xuan, Noble Lady Wan, Noble Lady Nara, please come with me."
We walked into the hall.
Empress Niohuru was always kind and generous, and the noble ladies who came to pay their respects to the emperor for the first time were also given their seats. After instructing Consort Nara to keep a close eye on Consort Wan, Consort Xuan walked up the stairs with a smile, while Consort Nara led Wan Anran into the group of noble ladies.
There were not many noble ladies in the palace.
Most of them were old acquaintances. They smiled at Noble Lady Nara and then at Noble Lady Wan.
Everyone was curious about Consort Wan, the new favorite. But seeing that Consort Nara was chatting and laughing with her, it seemed that she had a good temperament. Some of Consort Nara's friends also came over, talking about the latest happenings in the palace, and their relationship gradually improved.
The only one who disliked Consort Wan was Consort Dai.
When Wan Guiren tried to flirt with her, she snorted coldly and deliberately changed her seat to a place further away.
Isn't that going too far?
Consort Zhang, who was in the same palace, carefully explained, "Sister Dai Jia has a straightforward personality, but she's just a little... well..."
"Oh dear! Before Consort Wan, Consort Dai was the most favored."
Another important person laughed loudly, "Now you just think it's about saving face, Mr. Wan, don't take it to heart."
Wan Anran: ...
Originally, I really didn't care. But you were talking so loudly, and Consort Dai was practically glaring at me with fire in her eyes. How could I not care? Looking at this consort who was clearly doing it on purpose, Wan Anran almost laughed in anger.
She wanted to talk to Consort Dai Jia.
Good grief! The moment he opened his mouth, the other person snorted and turned their head away.
Wan Anran: …………
She had only been sitting in the hall for a quarter of an hour, but it felt like an eternity, like a year of high school in her previous life.
Tired, I want to go back to Xianfu Palace.
Just as Wan Anran was having a headache, a palace maid lifted the curtain and entered: "Her Majesty the Empress has arrived."
The Empress is indeed my angel!
Wan Anran rose and bowed with the group. She secretly glanced at the Empress, and her heart, which had been hanging in mid-air, finally settled down.
Empress Niohuru looked well.
She was wearing a red cloak embroidered with pomegranate flowers, her cheeks were flushed, and her bright eyes made her look energetic. She even looked a little plumper than before.
The Empress keenly sensed the gaze upon her. Upon raising her eyes and recognizing Consort Wan, her expression softened from cold and stern to gentle. She smiled at Wan Anran, then proceeded to the head seat and offered a gesture of support, saying, "My sisters, please rise."
"Thank you, Your Majesty the Empress," the concubines responded in unison.
Noticing the Empress's expression, Consort Tong, despite being prepared, couldn't hide the disappointment in her eyes. She forced down her turbulent thoughts and, with a forced smile, asked softly, "How is Your Majesty's health?"
The Empress smiled and nodded: "I have fully recovered. I heard from the Imperial Physician that the Consort's tinea has flared up again? She should take better care of herself and rest properly in Chengqian Palace."
To others, the Empress's words were full of concern, but to Consort Tong, they were like sharp swords piercing her heart. Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she nodded stiffly, "Your Majesty, I thank you for your kindness."
The Empress nodded with a smile.
The palace fell silent for a moment, then Consort Rong smiled and began to talk about the arrangements for the Emperor's birthday celebration. The atmosphere in the palace gradually eased as the topic was changed.
Wan Anran yawned.
The concubines' conversation was really making her lose her spirits, so Wan Anran turned her gaze to the pastries displayed on the table. In the plum blossom-shaped dish, each compartment held five exquisitely crafted pastries: pea flour cake, honey shortbread, jujube and yam cake, brown sugar glutinous rice lotus root, and milk bean cake, all freshly baked and with an enticing aroma.
Wan Anran picked up a piece of jujube and yam cake and put it in her mouth.
The soft, sweet aroma filled her heart, and she squinted her eyes slightly, with a few heart-shaped bubbles appearing behind her.
The Empress's gaze swept over Consort Wan.
She couldn't hide the smile in her eyes, a hint of pride in her heart: the snacks she had the palace servants prepare had indeed come in handy. After chatting for almost the time it takes to drink two cups of tea, and seeing that it was almost time to go to Cining Palace to pay respects, the Empress put down her teacup: "It's getting late, let's go pay our respects to the Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager."
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