Chapter 43: Imperial Feast (2/2)

She herself was well-versed in poetry and literature, and her calligraphy was excellent.

Although her beauty was considered average among the imperial consorts, her literary talents had earned her steady promotions over the years, eventually reaching the rank of Consort.

She was known for her calm and unassuming nature, and her daily attendance to the Empress Dowager had won her the latter’s affection.

Emperor Jingxi had also held her in high regard.

Now that the Emperor had taken in a new favorite, even though she was only a Noble Lady, everyone could see the Emperor’s partiality.

After all, a newcomer who risked tarnishing his reputation to bring into the palace must surely hold a special place in his heart.

For Consort Hui to be entrusted with the task of looking after the new favorite was indeed a significant honor, a clear sign of the Emperor’s trust.

The other consorts, witnessing this, had mixed feelings some were envious, some jealous, and others sighed in admiration.

Consort Hui, who had always been fond of writing sentimental poetry, had now truly stepped into the limelight!

Only Consort Kang felt a twinge of resentment, though she dared not voice it in front of so many people.

She had entered the palace as a lowly ninth-rank attendant and had only risen to the position of Consort Kang after giving birth to Princess Dening.

She was merely a Consort Kang.

Emperor Jingxi had only two children: the Crown Prince and Princess Dening.

The Virtuous Consort, who had borne the Crown Prince, had long since passed away, making Consort Kang the only woman in the harem to have borne the Emperor a child.

Consort Kang believed that, aside from the Empress, she held a unique position in the harem.

But now, this young Noble Lady had arrived, so young and directly granted the title of Noble Lady, causing everyone to treat her with newfound respect.

The key issue was… her name, Ning, which seemed to clash with the “Ning” in Princess Dening’s name.

This made Consort Kang feel uneasy, but she dared not act out in front of the Empress Dowager and Emperor Jingxi, so she could only suppress her discomfort.

A-Wu, unaware that she had inadvertently offended Consort Kang, stood cautiously beside Consort Hui after paying her respects.

Consort Hui was dressed in a water-red round-collared robe with peony patterns, the collar adorned with a white protective lining, and a horse-face skirt with auspicious cloud motifs, making her appear tall and elegant.

As A-Wu wondered about Consort Hui’s temperament, the latter turned her head slightly and gave her a gentle smile.

Her demeanor was soft and warm, and her smile was both dignified and kind.

A-Wu’s heart stirred, reminding her of many warm memories from the past, and she quickly returned the smile.

At that moment, Emperor Jingxi happened to glance over and saw her smiling sweetly at Consort Hui.

Her smile was even sweeter than when she smiled at him.

He stared at her expressionlessly for a few moments before reluctantly averting his gaze.

A-Wu, feeling as anxious as a bird, keenly sensed the Emperor’s gaze and detected a faint displeasure in it.

She was bewildered what had she done wrong?

Why was he looking at her like that?

But from then on, the Emperor did not look at her again.

By then, it was time for the meal.

The scene unfolded as palace attendants first brought out yellow silk curtains, which they unfurled and arranged around the area.

The curtains were embroidered with an array of plants and flowers, creating an immersive illusion that one was surrounded by nature.

Even the air seemed to carry a faint, refreshing fragrance, which naturally whetted one’s appetite.

This reminded Awu of the time when she had mistaken Emperor Jingxi’s tent for a pavilion.

Perhaps it was the same principle at play here?

Next, the attendants laid out a set of imperial pearwood tables, one for each distinguished guest.

They then began to arrange the tableware, which was all stored in wooden boxes.

After the tableware was set, Awu thought it was finally time for the meal to be served.

But no-instead, palace maids brought forth purple- gold basins for handwashing and rinsing the mouth.

Following this, the maids presented pink gauze bags with soft strings on either side, which could be tied around the ears.

Awu had never seen anything like this before and couldn’t help but take a closer look.

Lady Hui, sitting nearby, whispered with a smile, “This is to prevent one’s breath from tainting the food.”

Awu suddenly understood.

At this moment, a female official sought permission from the Empress Dowager, who slightly raised her hand.

The official quickly signaled to the outside, and Awu first heard the sound of golden bells.

Then, two rows of palace maids entered in an orderly procession, all wearing snow-white paper collars and the pink gauze bags over their mouths, looking pristine and meticulous.

The trays they carried were covered with golden mesh, while eunuchs stood beside them, holding small curved-handled yellow umbrellas to shield the food.

Awu didn’t need to ask to understand this was likely to prevent any birds from soiling the food during transit, hence the umbrellas and the golden mesh.

Finally, the dishes began to arrive in succession.

There was a full array of wine, rice, tea, soup, fruits, and snacks, divided into two types: one set placed before each guest, and another on the large central pearwood table.

Two attendants, also wearing paper collars and gauze bags, were responsible for serving the dishes from the central table using jade plates, allowing guests to choose what they wished to eat.

The central table was a dazzling display of various delicacies.

For rice dishes alone, there were steamed fragrant rice, glutinous rice, millet porridge, and Xiliang rice porridge.

The variety of pastries included rose, wood-pressed, fruit-filled, oil-refined, and steamed vegetable buns.

As for meats, there were beef, lamb, donkey, pork, venison, pheasant, rabbit, and an assortment of seafood and mountain vegetables- truly a feast for the eyes.

However, as a minor noble, Awu couldn’t freely partake in the feast.

Before her were six dishes, three bowls of soup, and three plates of fruit.

So, while she gazed longingly at the many delicacies, she couldn’t taste them.

At this moment, she recalled her time in Nanqiongzi, where she had dined with the emperor.

Back then, the emperor hadn’t been so particular about etiquette.

Now, having entered the palace, she suddenly understood what he had meant by “a large family, a large estate, and large rules.”

Indeed, his family’s rules were vast very vast!

Just then, Emperor Jingxi suddenly spoke, “Mother Empress, today is merely a casual family banquet. The feast is overly lavish. Why not bestow some of the dishes upon the ladies?”

At these words, everyone turned to look.

The Empress Dowager was momentarily surprised and glanced at the emperor.

Emperor Jingxi met her gaze with a warm smile.

The Empress Dowager said, “The emperor is thoughtful today. As the ruler of the nation and the head of the family, it is commendable that he shows such care for the ladies of the inner court. This brings me great comfort.”

With that, she ordered the palace maids to distribute the sweets from the central table to the concubines.

These dishes were even more exquisite than usual, featuring delicacies like silk-nest tiger-eye sugar, jade sugar, and Buddha’s delight, while the main dishes were exceptionally fresh and unique.

The concubines were naturally overjoyed.

Emperor Jingxi had never been one to show concern for the women of the inner palace, especially in recent years.

He rarely visited, maintaining a stern and indifferent demeanor.

His presence in the harem was as formal as attending court, making the concubines avoid him at all costs, wishing he would never remember them.

But now, he was being so considerate!

It was truly touching.

Everyone rose to kowtow in gratitude, and Awu followed suit, bowing three times.

After the kowtow, they returned to their seats, only to hear Emperor Jingxi say, “These dishes, give them to the newly arrived Noble Consort Ning.”

At these words, all eyes turned to Awu, filled with a mix of envy, jealousy, scrutiny, and appraisal.

Awu was also taken aback.

Emperor Jingxi continued, “Noble Consort Ning has worked hard today serving tea. Let her replenish her strength.”

The Empress, standing beside him, forced a smile, though her eyes were filled with complex emotions.

The Empress Dowager raised an eyebrow slightly.

What did this mean?

Was he implying that she had neglected his new favorite, and now he was showing his concern?

The Emperor looked at his mother with a respectful and gentle smile.

The Empress Dowager, both amused and annoyed, averted her gaze, thinking that he was playing the good guy again!

This son of hers knew all too well that she had a soft heart.

Look at that smile one might think he was the most filial son, but in reality, he had ulterior motives!

But then again… the Emperor being so assertive for a woman was something she never thought she’d see in her lifetime.

At this moment, the palace maids had already taken the three dishes from Emperor Jingxi’s table and brought them to Awu.

Awu quickly stood up and, under the varied gazes of the concubines, lifted her skirt to kowtow again, bowing three more times.

Fortunately, the thick carpet made the kowtowing less tiring.

Meanwhile, the other concubines exchanged glances, their emotions barely contained.

It was said that the Emperor never bothered with such trivial matters.

A man with the world on his mind, why would he think of bestowing sweets on his concubines?

So today, he was going to pamper his new favorite, first showering her with favors, and then focusing his attention on her?

Everyone secretly glanced at the Empress.

She had always been virtuous and magnanimous, even encouraging Emperor Jingxi to bring new women into the harem.

She had taken good care of all the concubines over the years, never showing jealousy or contention.

But… in the past, Emperor Jingxi had never shown any favoritism, treating all the women of the harem equally.

Now, this was clearly different, and everyone instinctively wanted to see the Empress’s reaction.

They saw that the Empress showed no reaction.

She pursed her lips expressionlessly, looking straight ahead, dignified and solemn, revealing no trace of joy or anger.

The concubines averted their gazes, thinking to themselves that showing no emotion was a sign of extreme displeasure.

Otherwise, even if she had to pretend, she would have forced a smile.

Today, the Emperor had forced the Empress to accept this newcomer, and she had clearly complied reluctantly, though she must be seething inside.

After A Wu finished kowtowing, she finally returned to her seat and noticed several dishes laid out on the dining table.

One of them appeared to be crab, with the crab’s chest bones arranged on a jade plate, resembling a butterfly, and the white crab meat dotted throughout.

It was accompanied by a perilla soup, making it truly a feast for the eyes!

There was also a small bowl of turtle soup with osmanthus, served in a reddish jar, mixed with bamboo shoots and ham.

A Wu took a small taste and found the meat tender and the bones soft.

The aroma of the soup was extraordinary-clear, moist, and delicious.

She had never tasted anything like this before!

She enjoyed the meal immensely and felt grateful.

Subtly, she glanced in the direction of Emperor Jingxi.

However, palace maids and eunuchs were attending to the emperor, blocking her view, so she had to give up.

A Wu thought to herself, “Earlier, my wrist was stiff, and he didn’t even glance at me, seeming cold and unfeeling. But in reality, he must have noticed…”

With this thought, she felt a sweet warmth in her heart.