Chapter 105 (1/2)

Chapter 105

After resolving the incident with the old lady and Wu Jun, Xia Yuqing happily followed Feng Tingye back to the capital .

Originally, she had never felt anything special about living in the palace . However, after being stranded outside for more than a month, Xia Yuqing discovered she was really blessed and didn’t even appreciate it .

She missed the place with red walls and green tiles . She missed the empress dowager who treasured her like her own daughter . She missed her spontaneous master . She missed the Gorgeous Tutor who would bicker with her all the time, but would always end up in a miserable state . She missed the senior minister who didn’t usually speak but could still act as an air conditioner during the summer . She missed the young war minister who was always so straightforward and bullied her, but would reveal a tolerating smile to her every time . She missed her cute Xiao Bai . After leaving the palace so long, maybe his fur has grown back?

Finally, of course, she missed her two closest intimate golden flowers in her palace . She missed Lu Rui’s G.o.dlike cooking and missed Li Yuan’s soft, cute squeezable little face . Knowing that she went missing, they must have been extremely anxious . Fortunately, after crawling out of Feng Tingye’s arms that day, Xia Yuqing had asked Feng Tingye if he had done something to her maids .

At that time, Feng Tingye had a helpless expression . He repeatedly promised Xia Yuqing that the Ya Tou’s in the palace were fine and he had not touched a single hair of theirs . They were just waiting for their master to return home . Xia Yuqing was relieved . She happily hugged Feng Tingye and told him she wanted to return to the palace .

Every time he thought of this, Feng Tingye couldn’t help but feel lucky . Fortunately, Yan Ran had persuaded him against it when he wanted to deal with the two girls . Otherwise, if Xia Yuqing saw that the two girls were lacking arms and legs, she really would fight him at all costs .

Although Xia Yuqing was excited to return to the palace, worried that she was pregnant and would be travel-worn, the team was unable to travel too quickly . When they did finally return to the capital, Xia Yuqing was exhausted . Feng Tingye even had to personally carry her into the palace and all the way to Xie Fang palace hall .

Maybe because she had returned to a familiar place or perhaps accompanied by a familiar person, surrounded in the familiar smell, Xia Yuqing slept soundly . When she woke up, the sun was already high up in the sky . Without her realizing, she had slept nearly twelve hours!

“Niang Niang is awake, Niang Niang is awake . ” Once Xia Yuqing moved, the Ya Tou’s outside excitedly exclaimed and all rushed in .

“Niang Niang, Niang Niang, you finally awoke . Niang Niang has already left the palace for more than a month, Nu Bi was worried to death . Fortunately little prince and Niang Niang are all right, otherwise Nu Bi’s death won’t even be capable of carrying this blame!”

“……” As soon as Xia Yuqing woke up, she saw a group of people surrounding her . After a while, Xia Yuqing’s two eyes almost went black and she fell back . Fortunately, Li Yuan on the side helped her quickly .

Everyone was silent when they saw it . Lu Rui stared nervously at Xia Yuqing with tears in her face: “Niang Niang, what’s wrong with you? Niang Niang, don’t scare Nu Bi! Imperial doctor … call the imperial doctor!”

Lu Rui scrambled to get up to find a doctor, but she couldn’t move because her clothes were being pulled by someone . Lu Rui turned back in surprise, facing someone’s weak and innocent face .

“Lu Rui…”

“Nu Bi is here, Nu Bi is here . What does Niang Niang need?”

Someone seeming delicate: “Lu Rui …”

“Nu Bi is here! Rest a.s.sured, Nu Bi will call the imperial doctor and come back immediately . Niang Niang, please relax, you will be fine . You will be fine . ” Lu Rui held Xia Yuqing’s hand with teary eyes .

Someone who wanted to speak but paused: “Lu Rui, you…”

“Niang Niang, do you have orders?”

Xia Yuqing finally couldn’t hold back . She took a deep breath and shouted in one full breath: “Lu Rui, shut your mouth and listen to me, okay? ”

” … Okay . ”

Xia Yuqing exhaled lightly . Li Yuan by her side was paralyzed . Then finally Xia Yuqing said:” Lu Rui, you got skinnier . ”

“Niang Niang! ” Lu Rui was moved to tears . She couldn’t help but leap onto Xia Yuqing .

“Also, I’m hungry . ”

“…” Lu Rui’s hands that were stretched forward, stopped . Then she covered her face and ran out . Pang Pang Pang, Niang Niang you are so bad . Niang Niang, in fact, that last sentence was the key point!

In the palace hall of Xie Fang, all kinds of delicacies were placed on the long court table . There were various bright dishes with pleasant aroma . Of course, this was just an hour ago . One hour later…

“Oh, I’m finally alive . Oooo… actually I still want to eat . ” Xia Yuqing stared at the wreck of a table, full of tears of happiness .

The maid servants who waited on the side were stunned for half a day before they recovered . They silently closed their opened mouths . They stared at the empty dishes capable of feeding several people . It had all gone straight into the stomach of a certain someone .

Niang Niang ate so much, but she was still hungry! All the maids looked at someone’s belly that could not be stopped . Inside that belly was not a child, but a bottomless hole! If she goes on like this, Niang Niang will really eat the entire palace poor!

Cui Er looked at the messy dining table in front of her and couldn’t help but feel her mouth twitch . This scene felt … a bit familiar .

This was Li Yuan’s first time seeing Xia Yuqing take her meal . She was so startled her eyes almost popped out .

Lu Rui was the most calm . In the past, Xia Yuqing’s food was always prepared by her . She naturally knew how big of an appet.i.te Xia Yuqing had, especially now that she was pregnant with a child . Yet with so many things entering Niang Niang’s belly, how could Niang Niang still be so small and thin? With this, Lu Rui resolved herself to make Xia Yuqing chubby . Where could have all that food gone?!

Although she was very happy that Xia Yuqing liked eating her meals, Lu Rui still coughed and reminded: “Niang Niang, you have eaten a lot just now and you haven’t eaten since you came back yesterday . Now that you have eaten enough to suffice your hunger a bit, you should take a berak . Later, Nu Bi can cook more good food for yout . ”

“…” So much food and that was just satisfying her hunger a bit? Li Yuan stiffly turned her head and patted Cui Er on the shoulder, sympathizing: “It’s really hard for Xia country to raise Qing Jiejie to be so big . ”

Cui Er raised her eyebrows: “It’s very hard, but before, Niang Niang did not have such a good appet.i.te . It was only after coming to Ye Country that her mood had gotten better and she can eat a lot more . ”

” … Ye Country’s palace raising Qing Jiejie up to now must be very hard . ”

Cui Er smiled but wasn’t really smiling: “That’s not the case . There is only one imperial concubine in the entire harem . So adding everything up, it is unlikely for the harem to become poor . ”

“…” So this is the truth behind why the harem has never been able to have newcomers? Qing Jiejie, did you know that you accidentally ate up all the rations for all the concubines in the harem? Li Yuan couldn’t help but cover her eyes . She felt that her lower limit was inadvertently refreshed by someone again .

Xia Yuqing was rea.s.sured by Lu Rui repeatedly before she reluctantly collected her gaze from the wreckage on the table .

“Alas, when Niang Niang went out, she had lost a lot of weight . ” Lu Rui looked up and down at Xia Yuqing and spoke with a distressed face . She was secretly planning what delicious dishes to cook to help replenish Xia Yuqing .

“Yes, yes . Lu Rui, you should know how hateful that Jiang Feizao is . After she caught me, she actually didn’t give me meals…” Hearing Lu Rui’s words, she acted as if she had found someone on the same side as her and began to unload her grievances that she had from this past month .

Although they knew that Xia Yuqing must have had a hard time outside these days, they didn’t expect Jiang Zhaorou to not even give Xia Yuqing food . Cui Er and Li Yuan, who wanted to be onlookers originally, had a change on their faces . One by one, they joined the condemnation squad .

Master and servants were busy criticizing Jiang Zhaorou when suddenly they heard a shrill cry from outside: “The empress dowager has arrived . ”

“Royal mother is here?” Xia Yuqing’s eyes lit up . She hurriedly got up to greet her . She did not even walk a few steps when she saw Zhang Suns.h.i.+’s anxious and excited face walking over .

“Royal Mother…” Xia Yuqing had not yet the time to kneel and was lifted up by Zhang Suns.h.i.+: “You are pregnant, you don’t have to do this . Let Ai Jia take a look . After leaving the palace for more than a month, you have become even thinner . Look at your thin arms and legs . You’ll be blown away with just a small gust of wind . How will you be able to give birth to the baby? No, you need more nourishment!”

“Poo…… ” Lu Rui laughed when she heard the words of Zhang Suns.h.i.+, “Welcome empress dowager . What the empress dowager has said is sensible . These days that Niang Niang has been running around, her body has become a little bit deficient . Right now, Niang Niang is almost five months pregnant . This is the perfect time for nourishment and supplements . However, Niang Niang doesn’t like to drink medicine, so Nu Bi is thinking of simmering more soup for Niang Niang to prepare to make her nice and plump . This way, Niang Niang will be able to give birth to a healthy little prince .

Zhang Suns.h.i.+ nodded with satisfaction: “With Lu Rui Ya Tou’s words, Ai Jia can feel rest a.s.sured . Before this Ya Tou waited upon Ting Er, she had once helped the chefs in the royal dining room . But no one thought she would be so gifted in the culinary arts . Just from watching the chefs cooking, the dishes made by her hands are even superior to the master . A famous chef in the imperial kitchen had fancied this girl’s talent for cooking and made her his apprentice . He had given his all to instruct her . Afterwards, the chef was very old and left the palace . Thus, it is known that this Ya Tou makes the best dishes in the royal palace now . She will definitely use all kinds of techniques and will not let you get tired . ”

Xia Yuqing’s were bright . She had always known that Lu Rui’s cooking skills were superb, but she didn’t expect such a reason behind it .

Thinking of the delicious food she had made before and the variety of delicious foods that might appear in the future, Xia Yuqing couldn’t help but swallow her saliva . As a foodie, the happiest thing is to be around a G.o.d level chef .

Thinking of this, Xia Yuqing’s gaze to Lu Rui appeared like a wolf’s glare .

As soon as Lu Rui turned her head, she saw that her master looked as if she wanted to swallow herself into her stomach . She couldn’t help but tremble and cough a little: “Empress dowager is exaggerating . The dishes made by Master could be all said to be delicious and colourful . It was my fortune to be able to serve and help such a master chef . ”

“You don’t have to be humble . Ai Jia will be handing over Qing Er and Ai Jia’s future little golden grandson to you . You have to help Ai Jia take care of them . ”

“Nu Bi understands . ”

Zhang Suns.h.i.+ smiled, satisfied . She helped Xia Yuqing take a seat and then stretched out her hand towards Meixi on the side: “However, the delicious food of Lu Rui’s, Qing Er can eat later . Ai Jia had just gone to the Imperial kitchen and got them to stew a soup . Qing Er first try some and see if it is to your taste . ”

Xia Yuqing’s eyes lit up when she heard that she can eat . She stared at the golden box in Zhang Suns.h.i.+’s hands . Her eyes could have burned a hole into the golden box .

Zhang Suns.h.i.+ smiled and took the lid off the box . In the next second, everyone was stunned, as well as Zhang Suns.h.i.+ .

Xia Yuqing’s originally expectant eyes, after seeing the true appearance of the creature in the soup, widened . A sentence suddenly appeared in her heart: Ah, that was a big… w.a.n.g Ba* .

* b.a.s.t.a.r.d but also means turtle

En? w.a.n.g Ba? w.a.n.g Ba! Pu… it really is a w.a.n.g Ba soup! Royal mother, people say you eat what you need to replenish and now you bring me a pot of w.a.n.g Ba soup? Aren’t you afraid that once I drink it, I might give birth to a bunch of little w.a.n.g Ba*? !

*little b*stards

Xia Yuqing was embarra.s.sed by her own thoughts . Before she could make out anything, she heard Lu Rui exclaim: “Empress Dowager, please excuse Nu Bi speaking bluntly, this turtle is for increasing blood circulation . Niang Niang right now is pregnant…”

Zhang Suns.h.i.+ was also stunned . After a moment, she came back and hurriedly closed the lid of the golden box . She embarra.s.sedly said: “Meixi, you handed over the wrong one!”

Then Mei Xi reacted, and lowered her head to lift the lid of another golden box in her hand . She hurriedly fell to her knees and apologized: “This Nu Bi has poor vision and got the box wrong . I hope Consort Qing can forgive this low one . Niang Niang, please pardon this lowly one’s sins . ”

The soup box was exactly the same from the outside, no wonder Meixi got confused .

“The two boxes are similar, it’s normal to confuse them . It’s no wonder Gugu* mistook them . Gugu, please get up quickly . ”

* calling her aunt basically – being friendly

Mei Xi lowered her head and stood up before she handed the box in her hand over again .

What Zhang Suns.h.i.+ brought Xia Yuqing was stewed pork rib soup . It was boiled with large bones for several hours, so all the essence in the bones penetrated into the soup . The fragrance was enticing and made people hungry upon smelling .

Seeing this bowl of soup, Xia Yuqing should have been so excited that she wouldn’t even want to lift her head to look away from it . It’s a pity that her attention was focused on another brocade box in Meixi’s hands, a little worried .

Since the bowl of soup was not prepared for herself, it must be prepared for another . She was curious . Who could it be for? If that w.a.n.g Ba was eaten, would that person evolve from a mammal to an amphibian Xia Yuqing thought deeply .

“Yes, Ai Jia heard from Zitong you guys have brought back quite a few people this time and one of them is Xu Lao’s son?”

Zhang Suns.h.i.+’s words successfully attracted Xia Yuqing’s attention . She looked up and replied, “Yes . Senior brother is Master and Master’s wife’s child . Master has only learned it recently . This time, only thanks to his help was Chen Qie and His Majesty able to return without harm . ”

“Well, a distinguished father would have such a distinguished son . When can Ai Jia take a look at this senior brother of yours? Since you have been back for the entire day already, Ai Jia thought it was weird how your master has not entered the palace to take a look . He must be busy greeting his son and forgot about the time . ”

“Well, speaking of this, royal mother, Chen Qie has something to ask of royal mother . ”

Zhang Suns.h.i.+ was stunned . Although Xia Yuqing was favored, she rarely asked her or Feng Tingye for anything . This was what made Zhang Suns.h.i.+ very satisfied with her . This child was not greedy . Although she loved creating chaos, she knew what she could want and what she shouldn’t . Whether this was in the palace or outside the palace, it was an extremely valuable characteristic .

“Whatever is the case, you can say it straightforwardly”

“It’s like this, royal mother . When Chen Qie was abducted, a lady had taken care of Chen Qie the entire time . This time, she was among those who returned with Chen Qie . Chen Qie seeing that she was alone, helpless, and drifting around, Chen Qie was hoping to take her into the palace . This way she could stay by Chen Qie’s side with Xiao Yuan and the rest and we could look after one another . I wonder if royal mother can… “

Since escaping from Jiang Zhaorou, Xia Yuqing and Yun Xi were inseparable . After returning to the capital, Yun Xi naturally followed Xia Yuqing . However, right now she could only be placed outside of the palace . Listening to Zhang Suns.h.i.+ talk, Xia Yuqing started to think about taking Yun Xi into the palace, but this matter had to be approved by Zhang Suns.h.i.+ first .

Staring at Xia Yuqing’s small face, Zhang Suns.h.i.+ smiled slightly: “Ai Jia thought it was some big matter . Since you like that girl, allowing her to enter your palace is no problem . Ai Jia promises that no one in the palace will say anything against it . In the future, Qing Er can make her own decisions . Ting Er has already said that as long as you give birth to a child, whether it was a boy or a girl, he will immediately hold a ceremony so you will become the master of this harem . It is only right for Qing Er to get used to dealing with these things ahead of time . ”

Xia Yuqing nodded obediently . After receiving the confirmation, she was in a happy mood . Her eyes began to drift around again and floated towards the brocade box in Meixi’s hands .

Being no match for her own curiosity, she asked, “Royal Mother, who are you delivering this soup to?”

Zhang Suns.h.i.+ followed Xia Yuqing’s gaze and had a playful smile hanging on her face: “This? Why, it’s for Ting Er . These days travelling around searching for you, Ting Er must be very weary . Ai Jia has heard that turtles are good for replenis.h.i.+ng one’s vital energy . So, Ai Jia specifically ordered people from the kitchen to stew some for him . ”

“……” This w.a.n.g Ba is for the Ultra Seme Lord?! The inner person inside Xia Yuqing’s heart was startled by the words of Zhang Suns.h.i.+, then afterwards it began rolling on the ground . The big w.a.n.g Ba* eating the small w.a.n.g Ba*, isn’t this too tyrannical? Ultra Seme Lord, release your same kin!

* h.o.m.onyms; first one is b*stard and second is turtle

Wait, something doesn’t seem right! Xia Yuqing seemed to have thought of something and turned towards the turtle soup . Turtles are for invigorating blood circulation*, so after the Ultra Seme Lord eats it… . .

* eating turtle increase a man’s libido

“Okay, well it’s getting late now . Ai Jia will go deliver the soup to Ting Er . Then Ai Jia will go back to the temple and pray . Qing Er, make sure you finish drinking the soup . ”

“!” Xia Yuqing’s face changed abruptly . She hurriedly pulled on Zhang Suns.h.i.+’s sleeves and yelled, “Wait!”

Everyone was taken aback by Xia Yuqing’s action . Zhang Suns.h.i.+ turned back and asked suspiciously: “What’s wrong?”

“Ah… ” Xia Yuqing also realized she had forgotten her manners and hurriedly released Zhang Suns.h.i.+’s sleeves . She kneaded the handkerchief in her hand and made a shy expression, “Nothing, it’s nothing . Just since Chen Qie will also go to the emperor’s later and royal mother is rus.h.i.+ng to the Buddha temple, this soup… how about Chen Qie delivers it . ”

“This . . ” Zhang Suns.h.i.+ looked back at the brocade box in Meixi’s hand and hesitated, “Qing Er, if you walk around so much just after coming back, wouldn’t you be too tired?”

“No, no . Chen Qie had a full night’s rest yesterday . Now Chen Qie feels very awake . ” Xia Yuqing puffed out her chest . She looked radiantly at Zhang Suns.h.i.+, pleading eyes flas.h.i.+ng with light .

“Empress Dowager, please let Consort Qing take it . His Majesty and Niang Niang, the young married couple, after being away from each other for so long, how could they feel tired?” Mei Xi reminded with a smile .

Zhang Suns.h.i.+ seemed to realize something and then she had a smile on her face . “Look at Ai Jia, how could Ai Jia not remember this? You really do forget things when you get older . I almost took an innocent person as someone evil . ”

“Royal mother!” Xia Yuqing turned red from Zhang Suns.h.i.+’s words and wanted to refute .

“Okay, okay . Ai Jia won’t bother you two young married couple . The soup can be delivered by you . Ai Jia will return to the temple . Ai Jia, will come visit you tomorrow . ”

“See royal mother out . ”

Watching Zhang Suns.h.i.+ depart, Xia Yuqing couldn’t wait to open the box received from Meixi .

“Niang Niang, this turtle soup is for improving blood circulation, you must not drink it if you are pregnant . Tell Nu Bi what you want to eat and Nu Bi will make it for you later . ” Misunderstanding that Xia Yuqing wanted to take the turtle soup to drink for herself, Lu Rui anxiously persuaded her .

“Don’t worry, Lu Rui, I don’t want to drink this w.a.n.g ba soup . ”

“… then?”

Xia Yuqing glanced down at the w.a.n.g ba in the brocade box . After a moment of contemplation, a deep and unpredictable smile appeared . She placed the box on the table: “Speak, who betrayed me?”

Several people looked at each other, confused . Only one small hand stretched out guilty .

“Xiao Yuan, it turned out to be you?!” Xia Yuqing’s eyes widened, staring at Li Yuan with unbelievable sadness .