After realizing a week of light meals was inevitable, Yun Jiao considered the breakfast three hours later as her last meal before bed—after all, staying the night in Weiyang Palace meant she could enjoy the Emperor’s palace fare, and surely the Emperor wouldn’t have her eat vegetarian!
This prospect motivated Yun Jiao to rise enthusiastically for once.
As she helped the Emperor change into his Dragon Robe, she listened to the eunuch report the morning menu.
Upon hearing about the deer tendon and bamboo shoot chicken hotpot, shredded fatty chicken, and duck with sauce, she couldn’t help but secretly grin with excitement.
Exclusive Imperial Kitchen gourmet dishes!
Xie Zhixing glanced down to see her adjusting his clothes while making slurping sounds.
Although he preferred to think she was attracted to his beauty as usual, based on his understanding of her character, she was mostly salivating over the breakfast.
Xie Zhixing smirked slightly.
The Emperor’s living quarters were separate from the dining area; as the Emperor led her through the hallway, the enticing fragrance wafting from behind the doors tickled her senses like invisible hands, prompting her to swallow instinctively.
However, once she stepped inside, Yun Jiao found two tables placed side by side, with a smaller table set a bit further away.
The Emperor’s meals were usually so numerous that they needed another table; Xie Zhixing disliked a room full of meat dishes, so he reduced the number of imperial dishes. Since discovering eating too much affected his alertness and slowed his thinking during morning court, he ate even less at breakfast now, stopping when seventy percent full.
In front, two tables of delicacies and one small table with porridge and side dishes.
Yun Jiao was utterly incredulous!
"Emperor, am I..."
"Yes, you sit at that table."
The dog Emperor actually sat her at the kids’ table!
Even kids don’t eat this bland, she wanted a Crazy Thursday feast!
Xie Zhixing, however, ignored her mental complaints. After he sat down, he glanced at her: "If you skip breakfast and end up with a stomachache, summon the Imperial Physician."
"Of course, I’ll eat. How could I not? After all, it’s the Emperor’s heartfelt gesture."
Yun Jiao sat down in a huff, realizing she was a head shorter than the Emperor.
The dog Emperor was so petty!
Looking again, she noticed both chairs were the same height.
Oh, it was a misunderstanding; she was just short herself.
The Emperor wasn’t trying to torture her, it was still imperial fare. Even if made light and healthy, the taste was excellent, especially the porridge, soft and just right, fully unleashing the rice aroma, albeit with a slightly strange taste.
She remarked on this and asked about it.
With the Emperor’s signal, Ying Lu respectfully answered: "Little Master, this is ginseng and goji berry nutrient porridge."
Ginseng is bitter yet slightly sweet, contributing a lingering taste when added to porridge.
For the Emperor, such ingredients were ordinary and had long become familiar.
But for Yun Jiao...
She drank porridge in hopes of having century egg lean pork, boat congee, pig blood, fish slice porridge. There were many kinds of porridge; she particularly did not want ginseng porridge.
Never mind, she disliked this dish, so she tried another.
Yet the entire light breakfast reeked of medicinal flavors,
"Emperor, can I please have some of the dishes, I’m craving the Emperor’s food too much."
Yun Jiao gazed at him longingly.
Xie Zhixing glanced at her, then instructed the palace maid to clip a piece of fatty chicken. Under her intense gaze, he removed the skin and oil, dipped it in plain water, and placed it into her small bowl: "Go ahead, I grant you this."
"..."
Even back home leftover food for dogs wasn’t this shabby.
"Don’t like it?"
"How could I not like what the Emperor grants?"
Yun Jiao angrily bit into the chicken.
Yet due to some secret culinary method used by the Imperial Kitchen chefs, the chicken was exceptionally tender, normally easy to tear apart with a gentle bite; she bit too hard, her teeth pierced through the tender meat, poking her tongue painfully and bringing tears to her eyes.
Observing this, Xie Zhixing frowned and summoned her: "What happened to your mouth?"
"Emperor, I’m fine."
"No deception in front of the Emperor, open your mouth for me to see."
Although Yun Jiao didn’t break the skin, her mouth’s internal structure was unchanged as he checked, and Xie Zhixing frowned: "If your tongue is bitten, it’s only porridge for you."
"Emperor, I’m really alright!"
Yun Jiao became anxious at his words.
Seeing her willing to eat despite the pain and then tearfully blaming him for not warning her better, Xie Zhixing couldn’t help but lower his head, capturing her lips and lightly biting where she said it hurt, causing her to whimper painfully until he released her: "Still claiming not to hurt? You cry even from a gentle bite."
Let’s see how she would continue her bold facade.
Yun Jiao covered her mouth, trying to stand her ground: "The Emperor was joking, I was moved to tears by the Emperor’s care."
Xie Zhixing: "..."
Xie Zhixing: "If your tongue was as tough as your mouth, it wouldn’t hurt."
Although he said so, seeing her enduring the pain, he didn’t insist on porridge-only suggestions, instead instructing Xue Ya: "Keep an eye on her during meals, caution her against both rushing and dawdling."
Xue Ya bowed her head: "The servant understands."
"The Emperor advised you to be attentive."
Yun Jiao comprehended the vast subtleties of Chinese writing.
Regrettably, in the next moment, the Emperor gripped the back of her neck decisively, guiding her back to the small table.
...
Leaving Weiyang Palace, Yun Jiao embarked forward while talking to Xue Ya: "Riding in the sedan chair last night was truly comfortable."
"Master, walking helps digestion, don’t get into another food coma like last night."
"Do I need exercise for what little I ate this morning? I feel I’m being digested by stomach acid."
Even with light fare, there hadn’t been a lack of food.
It was merely her frustration at missing out on the Emperor’s lavish dining spread.
Curious, Gong Mei asked: "What is stomach acid? Does Master suddenly want sour food?" She appeared delighted: "Master usually dislikes sour things, is it possible she’s expecting?"
She spoke right at the corner where Consort Xu appeared.
Consort Xu heard Gong Mei’s words, and her face changed slightly.
Could it be that Consort Xi is showing signs of pregnancy!?
Her heart was roiling fiercely, but her face remained composed as she politely greeted Yun Jiao—a greeting during which her jaw was nearly clenched in envy. Yun Jiao had joined the palace as a mere servant consort with unremarkable family background, yet she knew countless ways to engage the Emperor, earning his affection, and now she stood on equal footing with Consort Xu, albeit her ’Xi’ title seemingly making her subtly superior.
Should Consort Xi truly bear the emperor’s child, wouldn’t she have to show even more respect?
Yun Jiao returned the greeting, oblivious to the other’s mental state, continuing on with Gong Mei: "I said my stomach was sour, not craving sour food."
"Forgive my ignorance, Master, for making you laugh."
Yun Jiao: "It’s fine, I was only speculating anyway."