"I still have memos to approve. If you don’t want to go back, you can wait in the side hall."
After fishing two fish with Yun Jiao, Xie Zhixing calculated the approximate hour in his mind; he couldn’t afford to be lazy anymore.
He thought she would choose to go back.
After all, usually without any special event, she didn’t like staying by his side.
"The Emperor still has memos to finish? Then I must go, but I don’t want to stay in the side hall, I just want to be by the Emperor’s side."
Yun Jiao put down the fishing rod and came over to hold his arm.
She called him a dog Emperor in her heart every day, yet in the Emperor’s eyes, she was quite dog-like too.
Dog-like in that she clearly wrecks the house all day without doing good deeds, yearns for good food, and still manages to be so adorable when acting coy.
"So you actually want to be by my side for a day?"
He couldn’t resist a sarcastic tone.
"According to the Emperor, I want to cling to the Emperor every day."
Yun Jiao tugged his hand and looked up at him with a smile.
"Whatever you want."
Xie Zhixing turned his face away.
He was still surprised, actually concubines wanting to stay by his side when he’s busy, playing the role of the red-sleeved beauty, was not uncommon. What was rare was that this person was Yun Jiao.
Upon arriving at Qiankun Palace, Xie Zhixing instructed her, "If there’s anything you need, just call Ying Lu."
Two palace maids followed her into Qiankun Palace, their calf muscles trembling.
Those assigned to serve at the imperial court are all top-notch clever people.
This place, they normally wouldn’t be granted access to.
A string of palace lanterns hanging under the corridor was brighter than any found in other palaces; the Emperor indulged her, and she wasn’t afraid, storing a memory while wandering around, touching the half-dry inkstone he left on the desk. Her hands were beautiful, exuding a slender and lively beauty, a circle of white blurred by the lamp light, against the black inkstone, her skin appeared as fair and beautiful as new snow.
Xie Zhixing felt slightly stirred.
If only she spoke fewer words, she was indeed a beauty capable of captivating the nation.
As he just sat at the desk, Yun Jiao turned her head to ask, "Chief Su, do you have a recliner?"
"This..."
Ying Lu looked to the Emperor.
"Why look at me? If Concubine Xi wants it, then bring it to her."
"Yes, I will do it right away."
Yun Jiao added, "The recliner is too hard, put some soft cushions on it for me."
Upon hearing this, Ying Lu felt uneasy but could only obey the command.
Two eunuchs brought in the recliner, topped with a thick layer of warm cushions and covered with a lamb pelt for added comfort, "I feared Lady might feel cold in the room, so I fetched a thin blanket."
Everything was arranged, under the Emperor’s death stare, Yun Jiao gradually lay back down.
She placed her hands on her chest, very peaceful.
Xie Zhixing: "Is this how you accompany the Emperor? You do know how to enjoy yourself."
Not even bothering to help grind ink, she lay right before him.
For a while, Yun Jiao didn’t feel sleepy; she shifted her position, lying face down instead, her eyes pleadingly looking at him: "Emperor, I’m hungry."
He almost laughed with exasperation: "What do you want to eat?"
"I want to eat soy-braised duck and shredded chicken spring rolls."
She said softly.
The small kitchen in Xianfu Palace allows her to cook herself, but the ingredients aren’t abundant enough to make large dishes late at night; frying shredded chicken spring rolls is still feasible, but soy-braised duck is definitely not available. In contrast, at Qiankun Palace here, she can always call the Kitchen to get the Imperial Chef to work, all within Yun Jiao’s calculations.
Besides, sleeping in her own palace lacked something.
Sleeping in front of a working person doubled the flavor.
Ying Lu glanced at the master’s face, darker than a pot bottom, calling Concubine Xi gutsy in his heart.
"No,"
Indeed, the Emperor had his limits!
No matter how much he indulged Concubine Xi, there was no reason for her to casually order food at Qiankun Palace in the middle of the night.
Xie Zhixing’s slender eyelids lifted slightly: "Soy-braised duck and shredded chicken spring rolls are too greasy; you can only pick one, or choose a lighter dish; if you’re hungry, have a bowl of small noodles or congee to warm your stomach."
Ying Lu: ?
Our house really overestimated the Emperor.
Xie Zhixing still felt he was quite principled, not spoiling her blindly.
Yun Jiao thought it over, furrowed her brow with trouble; both options were quite good! After a battle between heaven and man, she chose the soy-braised duck, filled with scallions in the duck’s belly, covered and braised, the Kitchen’s Imperial Chef had excellent skills in handling the duck, making it tender and flavorful, better than the small kitchen in her palace.
"Chief Su, I also want a bowl of lamb soup, sprinkled with scallions, and some pancakes to go with it."
"Yes, I understand."
Ying Lu wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
Her Lady seems completely unaware that with every dish she names, the Emperor’s face darkens a shade.
"Hurry up, I’m getting a bit hungry myself."
Yun Jiao noticed, she just didn’t care.