Chapter 315

Chapter 315 "Today's reward money was specially given by our lady. She said that when the Emperor had breakfast at Zhaohua Palace this morning, he praised your cooking." The eunuch steward's smile stretched so wide it nearly reached his ears, carrying a hint of flattery: "I know, I know. The Emperor also sent rewards this morning, and I was quite surprised—how did something I made ever have the chance to reach the Emperor's lips?" That statement was somewhat exaggerated, but the key point was that everyone knew the Emperor had breakfast at Cining Palace that morning—no one expected him to suddenly go to Zhaohua Palace afterward. The eunuch steward had grumbled that morning, thinking that Zhaohua Palace had ordered all elaborate dishes that required considerable effort to prepare, silently complaining to himself. But once he learned the Emperor had dined at Zhaohua Palace, all those complaints turned into secret delight. And after receiving the Emperor's rewards, he felt nothing but gratitude toward the Bright and Pure Consort. Now he was spouting endless flattery without cost: "I must say, it's the Bright and Pure Consort who enjoys the Emperor's favor. Even after going to Cining Palace, he still made a special trip to Zhaohua Palace to see her, and that benefits us servants too." Chunjuan quickly interjected: "Don't talk nonsense!" "What favor or no favor? That all depends on the Emperor's pleasure—whether he goes to one palace or another is just a word from him!" "As for you all, don't go flapping your mouths and dragging our lady's name around everywhere, or there definitely won't be any more rewards in the future!" The eunuch steward quickly said: "Yes, yes, yes! This servant is clumsy-tongued and doesn't know how to speak properly." As he spoke, a young eunuch under the steward's command stepped forward carrying a box. The steward smiled warmly as he approached Chunjuan: "This is a new honey-blossom custard developed by the imperial kitchen. It smells sweet as honey, but tastes light and refreshing—perfect for this kind of weather." "Our lady loves light and delicate things, and this honey-blossom custard suits her palate perfectly. Consider it a token of respect from us servants." Chunjuan gave it a glance. "You're a clever one, I'll give you that." He carried the honey-blossom custard back to Zhaohua Palace. It was common for subordinates to offer tributes to their superiors, and Chunjuan had become quite adept at handling such matters. Such tributes couldn't be entirely refused, nor could they all be accepted. He accepted this one and would simply mention it to the lady—whether she drank it or not was her own business. After delivering their tribute, the kitchen staff could rest easy accepting their reward money. When he arrived at Zhaohua Palace, Chunjuan mentioned the matter of the honey-blossom custard. Xie Run had just returned from seeing Hua Yu and was feeling a bit warm from the walk, so she said: "Then let's give it a try." A young eunuch immediately stepped forward to test it for poison. This poison-testing eunuch was one of the people the Emperor had bestowed after the venomous spider gu incident two days prior. The Emperor had not only gifted personnel but also issued an order that henceforth, anyone who reached the Fei rank would be entitled to an additional eunuch dedicated to poison-testing. Consort Jing had benefited from this as well. Xie Run tried the honey-blossom custard, and it tasted quite good—indeed, as the imperial kitchen had said, it smelled sweet and drank light and elegant. This was originally a trivial matter, and Xie Run didn't give it much thought. But who would have expected that just as dusk fell, Talented Lady Wu suddenly arrived requesting an audience. Xie Run was puzzled: "What does she want with me?" After being stabbed in the back by Talented Lady Wu last time, Xie Run had no intention of having any further dealings with her. Talented Lady Wu herself knew she was unwelcome and wouldn't presume to approach Xie Run. Moreover, with a child in her belly, she was focused on nurturing her pregnancy and generally stayed hidden in her own courtyard. Dantao reminded her: "My lady, Talented Lady Wu is still under House Arrest. For her to come looking for you so abruptly, something must be wrong." Xie Run: "...What could she possibly need to see me about?" The Empress currently managed the harem, and whether matters were big or small, everyone went to Fengyi Palace—not to Xie Run's Zhaohua Palace. Xie Run thought for a moment: "Don't see her. Tell her to go to Fengyi Palace." She sent a young palace maid to deliver the message, but before long, the maid came running back. "My lady, Talented Lady Wu refuses to leave. She says you drank her honey-blossom custard, and she wants to come in and demand an explanation." Before Xie Run could speak, Xiaoshu beside her was already half-laughing with irritation. "Never mind that the honey-blossom custard was a tribute from the servants below—even if it were just a bowl of soup, if our lady wanted it, she'd have it. How does it become hers?" "By rank and status, the imperial kitchen's delicacies should go to our lady first, with the leftovers for everyone else. How did it become hers?" "She makes it sound like our lady was desperate to snatch a bowl of soup from her." Xiaoshu also knew the bowl of custard was likely just an excuse, but the excuse itself was utterly disgusting. Xie Run gave the same answer: "Don't see her." "If she thinks I took her custard and bullied her, she's welcome to file a complaint with the Empress and let Her Majesty seek justice on her behalf." Xie Run's words had a somewhat bullying tone, but there was no way she would see Talented Lady Wu. Coming at nightfall with an excuse to force a meeting—either there was something suspicious going on, or there was something suspicious going on! The young palace maid said softly: "Just now, by the lantern light, I took a look—Beauty Wu's complexion didn't seem too good." Xie Run remembered that she was still pregnant. "Tell her—if she can't protect the Emperor's child, in the end, she'll be the one to suffer!" Xie Run suspected that something might have happened to Talented Lady Wu's body. She thought, not without malice, that perhaps Talented Lady Wu had lost the child and wanted to use this opportunity to frame her. Such incidents had already occurred several times in the prince's residence before, and Xie Run had to be on guard. This time, it was Dantao who went to deliver the message on Xie Run's behalf. Talented Lady Wu had not expected the Bright and Pure Consort to be so resolute in her stance, refusing to see her no matter how she pleaded or showed weakness. She cast aside all dignity and face, kneeling publicly at the gates of Zhaohua Palace: "Please tell Her Ladyship the Consort, I beg her to save my life." Dantao's expression remained calm, but her heart skipped a beat. She only asked, "Talented Lady Wu, you haven't been drinking and speaking nonsense, have you?" "The child in your belly is the Emperor's own blood. If something truly were to happen, you should be begging the Empress for help. How is it that you come begging my mistress instead?" Two large lanterns hung at the gates of Zhaohua Palace, their candlelight illuminating Talented Lady Wu's face. Even the orange glow of the flames could not hide the pallor of her complexion. "Is Her Ladyship truly so heartless, refusing to lend me a hand?" Dantao smiled. "It's not that my mistress is heartless, but rather that what Talented Lady Wu asks for is simply too unreasonable." "Back in the prince's residence, my mistress helped the Empress manage the inner quarters. Had Talented Lady Wu come to her then, my mistress would naturally have done everything in her power to protect you." "But now that we are in the palace, where rules are strict and severe, even my mistress must tread carefully and follow every regulation, not daring to err. How could she overstep her bounds to meddle in Talented Lady Wu's affairs?" "Talented Lady Wu carries the Imperial Heir in her womb. When problems arise, you don't go to the Emperor or the Empress, but instead come to my mistress. What kind of reasoning is that?" Dantao asked softly, "Anyone who didn't know better would think Talented Lady Wu saw my mistress living well and came deliberately to cause her harm." Dantao was usually the gentlest and most amiable of people, but even she could not abide how Talented Lady Wu had stabbed Xie Run in the back before. Bringing up that old matter now was deliberately meant to nettle Talented Lady Wu, and to remind her not to harm others. Talented Lady Wu listened, her face full of dejection. "Very well then. If the Bright and Pure Consort is so cold-hearted as to watch me die without lifting a finger, then I have no choice but to go beg the Empress." Dantao returned to Zhaohua Palace and relayed the words to Xie Run. Xie Run had not wanted to get involved, but on second thought, if something happened to Talented Lady Wu, she would likely still be blamed for standing by and doing nothing. Xie Run smiled. "Since she is in difficulty, I cannot truly ignore it. After all, she carries the Imperial Heir in her womb." Dantao and Xiaoshu both tensed, fearing that Xie Run's soft heart would lead her to take on the great trouble that was Talented Lady Wu. But then Xie Run changed her tone and asked, "Send someone to inform the Emperor of this matter. Say that I am truly at a loss and do not know how to handle it." Both their eyes lit up. "Her Ladyship is quick-witted indeed. If we hand the matter to the Emperor to handle, no matter what happens, the blame cannot fall on our mistress in the end." Xie Run picked up the fan from the table and waved it. "Go on, then." Chunjuan came forward to confess her fault. "When Talented Lady Wu spoke of the honeyed osmanthus soup, this servant knew nothing of it. Now that Her Ladyship has been dragged into trouble because of me, this servant is at fault and begs Her Ladyship to punish me." Xie Run waved her fan. "I am not fond of punishing people, and your fault is not a grave one." Xiaoshu's words earlier had carried a sharp edge, but they were all proper palace rules nonetheless. When consorts requested dishes from the imperial kitchen, they were distributed according to rank. Those of higher rank received theirs first, and those of lower rank collected their meals afterward. Not to mention Xie Run had merely eaten a bowl of soup—even if she had taken all of Talented Lady Wu's meals, the latter could not have said a word against her. Xie Run said, "This matter likely stems from the people in the imperial kitchen. In their eagerness to curry favor with me, they may have engaged in some sycophantic behavior, stepping on others to please those above." "Such things are common enough, but now that Talented Lady Wu has deliberately made an issue of it, it has ultimately wounded the dignity of Zhaohua Palace." "Go first and ask the people in the imperial kitchen what exactly happened. If they are at fault, I will naturally request the Empress to mete out punishment. If it is your fault, then there will be time enough to punish you then." The imperial kitchen managed all dining for the Six Palaces, and the many servants who worked there each harbored their own private schemes. Though meals were distributed from higher rank to lower, if one of lower rank was favored while one of higher rank was not, people would naturally consider swapping the order in which dishes were given out. A high-ranking concubine without favor would not dare make a fuss over such a small matter, while a low-ranking one with favor would enjoy these small privileges that came with being beloved. Xie Run had always enjoyed privileges, but she never used them. Having encountered such a situation by chance this time, and with someone making a scene at her doorstep, she could not pretend nothing had happened. When the imperial kitchen heard that Talented Lady Wu had gone to make a scene at Zhaohua Palace, they were greatly alarmed. The chief steward hurriedly brought his people to Zhaohua Palace to offer their apologies. "To report to Your Ladyship, the recipe for the honeyed osmanthus soup originally came from Talented Lady Wu herself. She only asked the imperial kitchen to try making it and see if the flavor could be reproduced." "As it happened, this worthless servant received Your Ladyship's favor, and having just finished making the honeyed osmanthus soup, took the liberty of presenting it to Your Ladyship as an offering—thus creating this misunderstanding." The chief steward smiled ingratiatingly. "The honeyed osmanthus soup stewed for Talented Lady Wu has already been sent over. It should be just right for her to enjoy at this moment." Xie Run smiled. "Chief Steward Jiang, you may not yet know—Talented Lady Wu has run into trouble and has already gone to Fengyi Palace. I'm afraid she won't be able to enjoy your honeyed osmanthus soup after all." Steward Jiang's face turned pale. "Talented Lady Wu has gone to Fengyi Palace? That is most unfortunate indeed." His heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might leap out of his throat, terrified that Talented Lady Wu would go to the Empress to complain about the bowl of soup. In the past, as the chief steward of the Imperial Kitchen, he naturally wouldn't have feared a mere Cairen. But now that Talented Lady Wu was carrying the Imperial Heir, the Emperor and Empress had repeatedly ordered that she be well cared for. How could Chief Steward Jiang, a eunuch in charge, dare to let this matter reach the Empress? Xie Run smiled and said, "Look how frightened Chief Steward Jiang is. Don't misunderstand—Talented Lady Wu probably isn't going to report you." "Ben Gong believes she seemed unwell and went to Fengyi Palace for that reason." Chief Steward Jiang quietly let out a sigh of relief. "This servant made a foolish mistake this time. Thank you, Your Highness, for the reminder." Xie Run still wore a faint smile on her face. "What happened with Talented Lady Wu isn't a big deal, but Ben Gong's side of things can't simply be let go." "Because of the tribute you sent over, Talented Lady Wu came to my door specifically to demand it, which makes it seem as though I bullied her and snatched the food from her mouth." "She came to my door deliberately, even using it as leverage to force me to see her." "Chief Steward Jiang, when Talented Lady Wu felt unwell, she didn't go to seek the Empress—she insisted on coming to see Ben Gong instead. What do you think she's plotting?" "Talented Lady Wu used this bowl of Honey Blossom Soup as an excuse to try to knock on Zhaohua Palace's door... and ironically, that excuse was handed to her by your Imperial Kitchen." Xie Run's smile gradually faded. "Is this how the Imperial Kitchen handles its affairs?" Chief Steward Jiang's face turned pale, sweat beading on his forehead as he hastily knelt before Xie Run. "I beg Your Highness to hear this servant's defense!" The eunuchs who had come with him also knelt on the ground, lowering their heads in supplication. Xie Run continued in a calm tone, "Last time, when the venomous spider gu appeared in the food, the Emperor did not hold anyone accountable. Now another incident like this has occurred." "If something happens to Talented Lady Wu and the blame falls on Ben Gong, do you think the Imperial Kitchen can escape responsibility?" Hearing these words, Chief Steward Jiang, kneeling on the ground, felt cold sweat streaming down his back. He pleaded repeatedly, "Your Highness, spare this servant's life! Your Highness, spare this servant's life!" "Such things are common in the Imperial Kitchen. This servant saw something fine and only thought to offer it to Your Highness. This servant truly didn't know Talented Lady Wu would dare come to Your Highness's door to demand it!" Xiaoshu snapped, "What shameless words!" "Are you implying that our lady coveted a bowl of soup from Talented Lady Wu?!" "Of course not!" Chief Steward Jiang begged for mercy. "This servant is clumsy with words, this servant doesn't know how to speak properly!" "This servant and the others only wanted to curry favor with Your Highness, so we slighted Talented Lady Wu because of her low rank and intercepted the soup to offer it to Your Highness. This servant kowtows to the mighty and tramples the lowly—this servant deserves punishment!" "I only beg Your Highness to mete out a light punishment and not report this to the Emperor and Empress. This servant will be forever grateful for Your Highness's great kindness!" Dantao said softly, "Saying these things now is probably a little too late." Chief Steward Jiang knelt and knocked his head against the ground, the thuds echoing loudly as he wordlessly begged Xie Run for mercy. Xie Run said indifferently, "There's no need to kowtow to me. Now that Talented Lady Wu has gone to the Empress's palace, there will naturally be sharp-eyed and keen-eared people to report what happened in the Imperial Kitchen to the Empress." "Even if I spare you, the Empress will likely not let you off lightly." Chief Steward Jiang was stunned, then cried out miserably, "I beg Your Highness to consider that this servant has always been diligent in his duties, and put in a good word for this servant. Perhaps then the Empress will not hold this servant accountable..." Just then, the Fifth Prince began to cry from the side chamber. Xiaoshu snapped, "Quiet this instant!" "With all your wailing and howling, you've frightened the Fifth Prince. At this point, even ten heads wouldn't be enough to pay for it!" Chief Steward Jiang and the eunuchs with him dared not make another sound. Xie Run simply said, "Escort Chief Steward Jiang back." Her tone was cold, with no hint of leniency.