"I’ll call Zi Yue to have it delivered right away!"
With that, she quickened her pace, her slender legs carrying her small, pregnant form swiftly out the door.
Zhao Junyao rubbed his forehead.
Qingqing, can’t you slow down a bit? She really isn’t afraid of any danger!
After the items were delivered, the Small Imperial Kitchen was quick to act. They managed to prepare eggplants in three different flavors, no less delicious than the dishes from the Grand Imperial Kitchen. Each dish was served on a small plate.
Li Shengan then said with a smile, "The chefs mentioned that it’s been a long time since Xia Jieyu came to Zhaochen Palace for a meal, so they made two extra flavors. It’s not much, just for you to try!"
Xia Ruqing looked at the eggplant dishes on the plates and was very pleased. There was steamed eggplant with minced garlic, fish-flavored eggplant, and braised eggplant. She tasted each one, and her eyes shimmered with delight.
"Emperor, they’re all delicious. Would you like to try?"
Zhao Junyao was resigned. "It’s just eggplant, and you’re this content?"
Xia Ruqing glanced at the Emperor but ignored him.
What’s wrong with eggplant? Although it’s not expensive or precious, it is still a delicacy that can be transformed into endless variations, all delicious.
Zhao Junyao did not say more, as one should not speak while eating.
That night, Zhao Junyao stayed at Qingya Residence. Xia Ruqing didn’t say much. After bathing and washing up, she went straight to bed and slept.
She slept soundly through the night.
The next day, Zhao Junyao got up for the early court session, moving very lightly so as not to disturb her. Once fully dressed, Zhao Junyao left Qingya Residence with Li Shengan.
On the way, Zhao Junyao’s gaze became sharp. "Check into the recent affairs at Qingya Residence!"
Why does Qingqing have such an aversion when the Imperial Kitchen is mentioned? And those dishes, they were clearly cooked by her. She’s almost eight months pregnant; what could she possibly want that she doesn’t have, to go as far as cooking for herself? Could it be that someone had the audacity to mistreat her?
Thinking this, Zhao Junyao’s expression instantly darkened, and his eyes held a glacial depth.
"Yes!"
Having given his instructions, Zhao Junyao quickened his pace. Li Shengan followed at a run.
「Let’s skip the morning court proceedings.」
After the session, the Emperor continued to discuss state affairs with the ministers in the Imperial Study Room. Li Shengan stood guard outside. Listening to Little Zhuzi’s report, his expression grew increasingly grim.
Little Zhuzi knelt on the ground with a somber face. "Master, I have also been busy these days and happened to overlook the affairs at Qingya Residence. Please forgive me, Master!"
He then kowtowed vigorously.
Li Shengan, frustrated to no end, ground his teeth and said, "No wonder Xia Jieyu refused to be served by the Imperial Kitchen. It turns out those damned rascals did such terrible things! Even if Xia Jieyu isn’t the apple of the Emperor’s eye right now, she still carries the honorable Little Master in her belly—the imperial heir! They’ve really got some nerve!"
Li Shengan felt an urgent fire burning in his heart. "What should we do now? We need to come up with a solution immediately!"
Little Zhuzi rubbed his reddened eyes, asking tentatively, "I heard...the Ministry of Internal Affairs is also involved, and...there’s a guy from the Imperial Kitchen named Xiao Zhangzi, who’s extremely arrogant! When Mistress Xia went to get some pastries, he refused to give them to her, and even the meals! In the end, he even said, ’You’re not the only pregnant woman in the palace. Others can bear it, why can’t you?’"
As Li Shengan listened, he felt as if thunder and lightning were crashing within him.
"Indeed! This can’t be blamed on Mistress Xia! Who could bear such treatment? I was wondering why Mistress Xia, who has never been one to quibble with servants, suddenly changed her attitude! It turns out these short-sighted rascals are the ones who stirred up trouble!"
The more Li Shengan thought about it, the more he ground his teeth.
Others might not know how much Xia Jieyu was favored, but he did! Therefore, he naturally understood the severity of the situation!
Little Zhuzi asked again, "Master, what should we do about this?"
Li Shengan sneered coldly. "What to do? Naturally, it’s up to Mistress Xia to decide! If those rascals are courting death, we might as well grant them their wish!"
Having said that, Li Shengan swept his horsetail whisk and left.
Just then, several Ministers emerged from inside. Li Shengan glanced at the sky, noting that it was getting late. He guessed that lunch would be served in a little while, so he took advantage of this break to go in.
He recounted the events objectively, without embellishing or fabricating anything—essentially, the unvarnished truth.
As Zhao Junyao listened, the brush in his hand snapped. He threw it aside, rose to his feet, and began pacing back and forth in the room.
Li Shengan knew in his heart that the Emperor was truly furious.
He couldn’t help but pity those rascals for a brief moment. They were all likely doomed.
Indeed, after a while, the Emperor ordered, "Go! Find some pretext and have that Little Eunuch named Xiao Zhangzi beaten to death! Furthermore, any Little Eunuchs from the Ministry of Internal Affairs involved in this matter are to be sent to the Laundry Bureau!"