Seeing her unwillingness to say more, Zhao Junyao did not ask further.
Xia Ruqing ordered a midnight snack for Zhao Junyao as usual.
The weather had cooled down these past two days, and it was still a bit cold.
So, she ordered a bowl of beef noodles and a plate of crispy deep-fried peanuts.
The beef noodles were braised.
The soup was slow-cooked from beef bones by the head chef of the Imperial Kitchen, fragrant even from afar.
The beef was marinated until tender and juicy, its flavor lingering with every bite.
As for the noodles, the Imperial Kitchen had known all along that the Emperor loved chewy noodles. So, the head chef added salt and eggs to the flour, kneaded the dough vigorously, then rolled it out into sheets before finally pulling it into evenly thin noodles.
After cooking in the beef bone soup until done, the noodles were scooped out and topped with a fresher serving of beef bone soup, along with large chunks of the marinated beef.
Then a drizzle of vinegar and sesame oil.
This bowl of noodles was so fragrant that it could snatch one’s soul!
The peanuts were deep-fried to a crisp, with nothing on them but a tiny pinch of salt.
But the peanuts were delicious on their own, especially paired with the steaming hot noodles.
Zhao Junyao ate and drank heartily, finishing the bowl of noodles in no time.
There weren’t many peanuts on the plate, around a hundred or so.
And yet, he paired them with the noodles and finished them all.
The two dishes that were served were completely emptied.
When the empty plates were carried out, they left Li Shengan utterly dumbfounded.
How long had it been since he had seen the Emperor enjoy a meal with such gusto?
How long since he’d last seen empty dishes and bowls removed from the Emperor’s dining table?
The last time must have been when he dined at Consort Xian Pin’s place, right?
Inwardly, Li Shengan admired her even more.
After all that turmoil, she still managed to be cradled in the palm of the Emperor’s hand.
Consort Xian Pin really was... impressive!
Having the Crown Prince by her side as well, she probably... wouldn’t encounter any trouble in the future.
Who was it that guessed Consort Xian Pin would fall out of favor?
He really wanted to slap himself for almost believing it!
「 」
After the midnight snack and freshening up, the Emperor and the Empress Consort lay down to rest.
Once the bed curtains fell, Zhao Junyao did nothing else but instinctively hold her in his arms.
Xia Ruqing was very well-behaved.
She snuggled up in his arms quietly, saying not a word.
Why wasn’t she lodging a complaint?
Because in Zhao Junyao’s eyes, she saw sympathy and guilt.
Why sympathy? Why guilt?
Could it be that seeing her appearing as though she’d been crying, he suspected she’d been bullied?
He’d likely order an investigation tomorrow when he got back.
Thinking this, she decided not to speak.
Letting him find out through investigation was a hundred times more effective than her saying it herself.
She could also gain a reputation for being mature and well-behaved, killing two birds with one stone. How perfect?
Hehe!
Although acting this way was a bit underhanded, Consort Ning was underhanded too!
This was a case of giving her a taste of her own medicine, brilliant!
Thinking so, Xia Ruqing put on the act of an aggrieved young wife, nestling into Zhao Junyao’s embrace and even snuggling closer, feigning fear.
As for Zhao Junyao, he instinctively hugged her while imagining scenarios in his mind where she was being bullied.
Qingqing bullied? That was a serious matter!
Looking at the girl’s demeanor, she seemed hesitant to speak?
Then it must be someone of higher rank than her.
He guessed it must be either the Empress or Consort Ning.
He’d have someone investigate it tomorrow.
Thinking this, he held her even tighter.
This girl, indeed, was different from the others.
She didn’t stir trouble. She was well-behaved and clever. She didn’t play games; she was straightforward, calling a spade a spade.
She also didn’t act spoiled because of his favor.
Nor did she take advantage of his affection to break the rules.
Nor would she, upon suffering even a slight grievance, make a huge fuss to complain, wailing for him to take her side and champion her cause.
When she felt aggrieved, she would cry secretly and then snuggle into his arms with a sorrowful face.
Seeing her like this, he truly couldn’t bear to question her.
His arms around her tightened, so tight he wanted to meld her into his very being, never to let anyone bully her again.
Actually, the more she behaved like this, the more he wanted to stand up for her, pamper her, indulge her, and make her happy!
"COUGH, COUGH..."
"Your... Your Majesty! This concubine..."
"This concubine..."
"Can’t breathe!"
Xia Ruqing was flailing with her tiny hands and feet, protesting.
Zhao Junyao then came back to his senses and suddenly let go.
Xia Ruqing rolled to one side, hugging the quilt and gasping for air.
"Your Majesty... You hurt me!"
Zhao Junyao looked even more distressed.
"Qingqing..."
He opened his mouth but didn’t know what to say, as he was never good at expressing himself!
He was even less skilled at cheering up women.
In his life, there was no such thing as cheering up women; it was all about women flattering and serving him.