74 Chapter 15: Imperial Dr. Yen, Spring Garden Party Part Four (2/2)

It was quite a spectacle to view the banquet once again from the seats of honor.

Military officials lined the west side, and civil officials lined the east. Sitting at about one-fifth from the middle of the long table, was Yijun on a seat on the military official side. Though she realized that he was more of a big-shot that she had thought, she was surprised the eunuch was able to line up there without feeling out of place. The large man from before was also sitting there. He was closer to the lower seats than Yijun, but he might be more successful considering his age. In contrast, Ren was nowhere to be seen. Seeing as he sparkled to that degree, he should be someone she would find easily though.

Yen sat comfortably as the stares on her had ceased when she put her veil on.

The wine came first thing before the meal. They were slowly poured from glass containers into silver cups. She shook the cup slowly, checking to see if there were cloudiness in the places she touched.

It would blacken if there were arsenic poison. She sniffed the cup while she slowly turned it and held the contents in her mouth. Though she knew there was no poison, if a food taster didn't swallow, the food tasting wouldn't be recognized. She moistened her throat with a gulp, then rinsed her mouth with fresh water.

It turns out that people were observing her. The other food tasters had yet to drink from their cups.

After they confirmed that nothing happened to Yen, they timidly raised their cups to their lips.Everyone is afraid of death. If there was anyone who tried first, it was safest to watch to make sure before they do it themselves.

The appetizer she received was a dish that occasionally came out as supper, being the emperor's favorite food. It looks like the meal was cooked from the inner palace side. The usual thing. As the other food tasters were staring at Yen, she hurriedly picked it up with her chopsticks. It was a fish and vegetable namasu. Though he was a lusty old man, the food taster had to say that his eating habits were unexpectantly aimed towards health.

Yen's gaze sharpened for a moment. It wasn't the usual ingredients.

It couldn't be that they made a mistake with the recipe of the emperor's favorite food. Her taste buds were sharp. If that was the case, this here had to be something made for a different consort.

The inner palace's Meal Duty was capable at their job. Even if they used the same menu, they cooked the emperor's and the consort's meals separately. When Consort Gina was nursing, they prepared a menu for continuous milk production. The food tasting ended. Seeing everyone in the middle of eating the appetizer, she decided it was just a mistake in the setting.

Yen looked to the Consort beside Consort Gina, the young consort barley even thirteen-years-old, Consort Hui. Her face was deathly pale as she looked at the dish before her.With the emperor's favorite food before her, there was no way the consort could leave it. So, she endured and was eating it.

Yen wanted to do something for her right away but seeing as how it wasn't the time nor place and Consort Hui hadn't fallen unconscious, she held off. Yen decided she help the girl after the banquet. When Yen looked behind the consort, her food taster maid had closed her eyes, lips trembling. Yen saw and understood the faint arc those lips drew. A look of pure wrath passed through Yen's eyes at that moment before quickly disappearing.