Volume 6, Chapter 13: En’en’s tale (1/2)

A consort became an empress. Officially, Empress Gyokuyou was already the legal wife, but apparently, it was important to overtly show that to everyone.

In war, the damages wouldn’t be little the greater there is an overwhelming difference in power. If a consort of the same ranking were to give birth to a son at the same time, it would rain blood. The reason Gyokuyou became the legal wife, the empress, was because she had given birth before Consort Rifa.

Consort Rifa’s lineage was suitable for her to be empress. However, there was a reason where she couldn’t become the legal wife on the occasion she were to give birth to a son.

(That there’s no way of knowing if her child will live long, and, in a certain meaning, the issue with her lineage.)

The emperor had deigned to avoid consanguineous marriages. In the era of the previous emperor, there was the consideration that the bloodline, weakened from repeated consanguineous marriages, had quickly died off from contagious diseases.

Consort Rifa being unable to become the mother of the nation while possessing the qualifications was unrelated to her character.

And if there was one other thing.

There was a need to get into the good graces of the Empress Gyokuyou’s clan for their relation with foreign countries hereafter.

In any case, currently, Empress Gyokuyou was a person above the clouds who was close to the summit. The people who will be meeting her for the first time would probably wither, and in fact, they had withered.

“Fufufufu. Have you been taken in by the dim sum?”

The owner of the graceful voice Maomao was hearing for the first time a long while had prepared pastries that were mild in sweetness. The one acting as a waitress was a skilled maid, or so she appeared, the gossip-lover with eyes that glittered, Infa. The obliging and cheerful maid that she hadn’t met in a little over half a year was receiving them as usual. Unfortunately, the head maid Honnyan, who was close by, also had shining eyes, but she couldn’t call out to her, as the head maid had soon went away even when tasked as the minder.

(Can I take one?)

Unlike Maomao who had that such composure, Yao, who sitting beside her, was frozen stiff. En’en was pokerfaced, so it was difficult to know, but since she was glancing over to Yao, she was probably more or less concerned.

When they got used to giving doctor’s visits to the consorts in the inner palace, Maomao and the others were finally able to come along for Empress Gyokuyou’s visit.

Empress Gyokuyou must have been waiting for this moment. To the extent of specifically recommending Maomao to take the exam to become a court physician assisting court lady. And no doubt considering that if Maomao were to come, there would be time for the amusement that she had so little of, and currently, they were holding something that resembled a tea party.

“Ah, umm, where is Court Physician Kan?” Yao asked Infa.

Court Physician Kan meant her dad.

“Yes, he is currently giving the crown prince a check-up. While he’s at it, he will also be checking up on Rinrii-sama and the maids. You have nothing to do, so Gyokuyou-sama said to enjoy some tea.”

Honnyan probably went out to observe the situation.

Imperial Princess Rinrii had gotten quite big. The toddling child had raced out to observe the guests the moment they arrived at the palace. Her tomboyish part apparently resembled Empress Gyokuyou. Unfortunately, it didn’t seem like she remembered Maomao, but it looked like she saw every guest as her playmate so she had been trailing after them the whole time. Along the way, Honnyan sent her back and she left regrettably.

(It must be face.)

The Empress Gyokuyou, who was sitting right in front of them, had glittering eyes. It was as if she couldn’t help it that she wanted to hear something interesting.

(I don’t have anything of the sort.)

Infa also sat down cheekily. “Hey, I want to hear some interesting stories once in a while, do you have some?”

(You’re asking for too much!)

If she was telling an interesting story on the spot, Maomao probably couldn’t be called a tongue-tied person. However, unfortunately, she didn’t have that much of a glib tongue.

However, an unexpected person raised their hand. Speaking of who, it was En’en.

“I don’t know if you would like it, though,” she said.

“Oh my, really?”

“It’s something about an incident from a long time ago, would that be okay?”

“Oh my, I’m looking forward to it.” Empress Gyokuyou was immensely curious.

En’en suddenly shifted from her usual quietness and began her tale.

〇●〇

A long time ago, in a certain place, there was a cooking showdown. The chefs had, along with their pride, wagered for the position of head chef for a certain estate.

One was a chef who lived in the area since a long time ago, and the other was a chef who had come in from a faraway place.

The dishes was the master’s favourite egg dish and tangyuan(湯圓, glutinous rice balls in a sweet soup). Both chefs had confidence in their own skills. And so, even with the plain theme, they devoted themselves squarely into the dishes.

Both dishes should have been something that could be deemed as evenly matched. However, one chef, the chef from far away, was unable to do it properly. There was no way he could bring out something this terrible for the egg dish; it really wasn’t something that one should be serving to the owner of the estate at all.

At least, he only served the tangyuan, but the owner, having eaten that, was enraged and said to put the chef to death.

The chef didn’t understand the meaning of this at all. With the ingredients too, he had only made use what had already been prepared, and the ingredients he used were also the same as the other chef.

Why was there a difference to the dishes?

〇●〇

(Rather than an interesting story…)