The Daily Life of a Concubine

Chapter 28

De Fu noticed the Emperor's unusual behavior; the memorial had been in front of him for quite some time. In the past, the Emperor would have already annotated it, but today, not only was there no annotation, but the memorial hadn't even been fully opened.

"Shall I send someone to hurry them along?" De Fu couldn't bear to see his master distressed.

Emperor Rui felt embarrassed; it was rare for him to be so fixated on one thing. "Never mind." He closed the memorial. "Change my clothes." Then he stood up, "I've finished most of the official business. I'll go to Lan Yue Pavilion and see how He Liangdi is doing."

He wasn't going to admit that he was craving the food.

Meanwhile, Bai Jingxian was displeased with Wang Momo's absence. Without a place to vent her frustration, she decided to prepare a hot pot. Despite the hot weather, a hearty hot pot meal would be satisfying and a good way to sweat it out before taking a bath. Afterward, she planned to take a nap and regain her energy for an afternoon stroll.

As she was getting everything ready, an announcement was heard from outside, "The Emperor has arrived."

Bai Jingxian pouted and put down her chopsticks before heading out to greet the Emperor.

"Greetings to Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor."

"The sun is quite strong. Why did you come out personally?" Emperor Rui increased his pace and reached her side in a few steps, helping her up.

As he approached, he caught a whiff of the unfamiliar but alluring scent from her, making his stomach growl in response.

He was extremely hungry.

"Proper etiquette cannot be disregarded." She wasn't interested in small talk; she still needed to have lunch.

Although the Da Yue dynasty was not very wealthy, it had the custom of three meals a day, which she greatly appreciated. Only a full stomach made for good work.

If she didn't eat enough, why would she be willing to work?

"It's quite sunny. Your Majesty, please come in and cool down." She guided him toward the West Hall, holding his hand.

As they walked, she asked, "Has Your Majesty had lunch?" Remembering Li Changzai's visit in the morning, she felt disgusted by the man in front of her.

But she kept her feelings hidden.

She suspected he might have already eaten, given the time. She had delayed the meal because she was busy preparing the pot.

"Don't worry about that. Chun Feng and Chun Yu have gone to teach the Emperor's people how to barbecue. Your Majesty must have already had lunch, right?" She casually released his hand.

Emperor Rui had not eaten yet. He was starving.

He came over because he had been thinking about it, and after inquiring, he came to the pavilion, "Not yet. The people there haven't learned yet. Have you had lunch, my beloved?" The aroma was getting stronger.

Bai Jingxian was surprised to hear he hadn't eaten yet. "Oh, Your Majesty hasn't had lunch at this hour? Then come in quickly. I've just prepared some lunch. Please join me."

Naturally, her share could not be compared with that of the emperor. She took so much meat yesterday out of willfulness, which she would not dare to do at other times.

After all, no one valued their life more than she did.

"Alright then. I'll have lunch with my beloved."

When Emperor Rui saw the pot in the room, he was surprised again. "My beloved, is this a pot?" If he remembered correctly, she had used it to roast meat last night.

"Yes, this copper pot is very useful. Not only can it be used for roasting meat, but with water and some spices, it can also be used for hotpot."

She didn't understand why, as a person from Da Yue, he didn't know about this pot.

Bai Jingxian had discovered its uses on her own.

Usually, copper pots were used for warming soup and rarely for cooking, let alone for hotpot as she did.

She could say she had pioneered the use of the copper pot.

Yesterday, Zhang Gonggong from the imperial kitchen had taken notes on the process.

He reported this to the kitchen manager, but unfortunately, they didn't think much of it.

They considered it nonsense and feared it might upset the stomach.

After Zhang Gonggong's kind intentions were dismissed, he didn't bring it up again. But after his shift, he tried it himself with his staff. The taste was surprisingly good, though it was missing something compared to what the consort had made.

The bubbling copper pot emitted an enticing aroma. Without waiting for Bai Jingxian to invite him, Emperor Rui sat down directly.

"My beloved, how should this be used?" After last night's experience, he had become quite accustomed to the raw ingredients on the table.

Bai Jingxian had no choice but to explain the intricacies of using the pot.

De Fu, listening attentively, planned to ask the Emperor about it later so he could replicate it himself.

The meal was enjoyable for both the Emperor and his consort.

Somehow, word of this spread.

Not only did others become curious, but the Empress also issued a decree for the imperial kitchen to prepare a similar meal for her, based on He Liangdi's meal.

When the Empress made such a request, Lan Guifei also ordered her servants to procure similar items.

Unfortunately, the imperial kitchen was unfamiliar with this cooking method.

Later, the kitchen manager sought Zhang Gonggong's help, hoping he could provide the recipe.

Zhang Gonggong was initially unwilling but was swayed after receiving a gift from the manager. "Your Excellency, you know that when others seek our help, we always show appreciation. Now that we're seeking help from He Liangdi, we should show some respect."

Bai Jingxian was unaware that someone was negotiating on her behalf.

The manager understood Zhang Gonggong's concerns and agreed to provide a gift for the consort. "Of course, we won't let you go empty-handed. Wait here."

At Lan Yue Pavilion, Bai Jingxian was surprised to see Zhang Gonggong. Her astonishment grew when she learned the purpose of his visit.

"Haha, it's all good. I won't give this to just anyone, but since it's Zhang Gonggong, I'll definitely provide it." She knew that anyone could help her in the deep palace, so she was clear about this.

"Your Highness, you flatter me. It's an honor to receive your approval." Zhang Gonggong dared not be presumptuous and avoided making any bold statements, having observed the Emperor's behavior closely.

He saw that she was a capable person with a promising future in the harem.

For him, establishing a connection with the favored consort was an honor, and perhaps it would bring him good fortune.

"Ha ha, you're too kind. Alright, I won't keep you. The method and ingredients are written here. If you have any questions, ask Chun Feng and Chun Yu. They usually help me with these matters."

Naturally, the affairs should not be handled by He Liangdi herself.

"Alright, thank you for your kindness, my lady."