Chapter Seventy-two Soup

  Born in the belly of the second prince, thumbs up

  You're really great

  This is the Emperor, you are the second prince as a "son-minister", both son and minister, occupying two of the three bonds, even if you're half dead from illness, you still have to crawl over for your father.

  This guy is good, "have a few more drinks" and "a slight chill", he's already started playing tricks.

  Others want to respect you as a prince, but you are the "emperor" son. Now that the emperor has arrived, can't this son come quickly?

  Last time the emperor came, he didn't go to call the second prince, and afterwards he still inquired about the news.

  A strange picture emerged in Chao Sheng's mind: the second prince, with a sheep horn braid, sucking his thumb, and peeking out through the door gap of Songtao Pavilion - Has Father come? Does Father remember me?

  Creepy... I got goosebumps all over myself

  It's too cold.

  But the second prince's current behavior is really... quite that tone, Chao Sheng seemed to see the second prince standing right in front of him, with a proud and arrogant expression "I won't come, I won't come, I just won't come".

  The emperor did not get angry this time, but said: "Ill? Has the imperial physician examined you? What did he say? Have you taken any medicine?"

  The person kneeling down could only answer with the first two sentences: "It's said that no great physician was invited..."

  The emperor slapped the armrest of his chair: "Nonsense, how can you dawdle when you're ill? Go and summon Sun Honggong to take the pulse of the second prince."

  The man below responded with a "yes" and went to spread the word.

  Lai Gonggong stood beside him, and Chao Sheng's line of sight was always downward, not daring to pay attention to the emperor or Lai Gonggong. Either of these two people was someone she couldn't afford to offend.

  But it is said that Master Gōng had once spoken well of her?

  Otherwise she would have been beaten to death by that board.

  Is it true?

  Then... why did Grandfather come forward and speak for her?

  If it's true, should I thank him?

  Perhaps coming to see her was just a casual remark, and after things had passed, he had already forgotten about her.

  The Emperor asked the Fourth Prince: "Do you know your second brother is ill?"

  The fourth prince is really wronged.

  The emperor's words were really harsh.

  The fourth prince knew that his brother was ill and did not go to visit him, nor did he mention it to his father. Instead, he stayed here playing lantern riddles with a group of servants.

  He would say he didn't know, but it's inevitable that there will be a suspicion of not caring about his brother. Look, your brother is ill and you don't even know.

  Moreover, since they are so close, if he says he doesn't know, the Emperor might think that the Fourth Prince is hinting at something - such as the Second Prince faking his illness?

  The fourth prince only said, "I didn't see my second brother yesterday, but the day before I advised him to drink a little less. The weather is cold, and after drinking wine, people's hearts are warm, but if they wear loose clothes and get blown by the wind, they might really fall ill."

  Oh oh——

  This is truly an art of answering.

  Chao Sheng didn't doubt it at all, these emperors, princes, imperial consorts, and princesses, if brought to modern times, would each be socialites, no matter what they encountered, they could always handle the situation with ease.

  The emperor nodded: "Let's go and see him. To say that he moved to the East Palace, I haven't been to his courtyard yet."

  The fourth prince naturally followed him, and his father-in-law also went with them.

  They left, and Chao Sheng finally let out a long sigh of relief.

  Coral and another little palace maid were also patting their chests: "That's the Emperor... I saw the Emperor, heavens! My heart is going to stop beating."

  It's as if he had seen a divine being descending from heaven.

  But Cai Sheng understands this feeling.

  Although she was a crosser and did not regard imperial power as sacred as people in this era, when she saw the emperor for the first time, she was also at a loss.

  The kitchen is busy again, I don't know if the emperor will dine here, but you have to prepare according to what's left. Otherwise, when the emperor wants to eat and there's no food, that would be...

  Aunt Li showed off her skills, personally stirring the spoons for both main dishes.

  For so many days, Aunt Li has been mostly directing and assigning others to do things, without doing much herself.

  Today, it's indeed extraordinary to show off one's skills. The jade-green dumplings are submerged in a milky white broth, looking like white jade inlaid with jadeite, not quite like something edible, but more like an exquisite work of art.

  There is also a dish called "Flowers Bloom and Prosperity", with five colors intertwined, just like blooming flowers layered in the plate, a feast for the eyes, and smelling it is also fragrant and enticing.

  The color and fragrance are all there, I suppose this flavor would satisfy even an emperor.

  Finally, there was a bowl of soup. The person in the kitchen said that they had prepared some soup beforehand, and Aunt Li said: "During Chinese New Year, it's inevitable to eat too much greasy food and drink, which makes our body feel hot and dry, so let's make another bowl of mild and nourishing soup to help with digestion."

  Chao Sheng helped with the cooking, and Auntie Li indeed made a sweet dessert. Chao Sheng sat in front of the stove watching the fire, while Auntie Li lifted the lid off the pot, and white steam rose up all at once, like a thick fog had risen. Auntie Li concentrated on the soup, tasting the flavor and heat.

  At this time her expression was particularly serious.

  Just then a message was passed on that the Emperor, Second Prince and Fourth Prince were having dinner together. Cao Sheng secretly sighed that Li Auntie really had foresight, this cooking skill hadn't been wasted after all.

  The Empress Dowager smiled and said, "Since the Emperor has come at this time, he must be staying overnight - otherwise, it would be too late to return to the palace. Besides, the Emperor and the Second Prince... are probably going to have a lot of things to discuss. On such a cold day, since you've already arrived, how can you just take a look and leave?"

  That makes sense.

  The food in front should be good, because someone came over to pass a message, asking the person who cooked today to go over.

  The emperor ate it last time and said it was good, and there was a reward.

  But this time it's a summons.

  The women in the kitchen were in a flurry, but Li Aunt was calm and unhurried. She took off the cloth from her head, smoothed out her clothes and said: "Let's go."

  Chao Sheng was a little afraid to go forward, but still followed Li Auntie and passed by. Anyway, when she arrived in front of the Emperor, she kowtowed and just stood with her head down.

  Auntie Li is usually bold and forthright in the kitchen, but in a situation like this, she is perfectly proper, her movements as smooth as flowing clouds when she kneels and pays respects, both respectful and elegant.

  "Your humble servant Li Yutan pays her respects to Your Majesty."

  The emperor remained silent for about a few seconds before saying, "Get up."

  I'm ashamed, it wasn't until now that I knew Aunt Li's name.

  Jade lotus, sounds really nice. Not like some flower or osmanthus fragrance.

  Auntie Li stood up, her head bowed, and her fingertips slightly curled, making everyone feel comfortable and at ease.

  This is power!

  Although palace maids must learn etiquette and manners when entering the palace, how well they actually learn is entirely up to their individual efforts after being led in by their masters.

  Chao Sheng thought that even if he had learned well, at least his movements were very standard and he had never made a mistake. But compared to Li Gu Gu, it turned out that just meeting the standards was not enough, going up another level was about being aesthetically pleasing.

  No, it's an art.

  It turns out that Aunt Li has such great skills and accomplishments.

  The palace indeed has tigers and dragons hidden everywhere.

  "Is today's meal all made by you?"

  "I report back to Your Majesty, I personally made only two dishes: Jadeite Dumplings and Blooming Wealth and Honor. The other is a soup."

  "All right, soup..." The emperor seemed to think of something and asked in a daze, "Soup... I used to drink it often before, but later... You're called Yutang? Li Yutang?"

  "Yes, it was His Majesty and Empress Yiren who gave me this name when they were talking. It's been over ten years now."

  Wow...

  Chao Sheng had a feeling just now. When the front desk said that someone was going to be summoned to cook, Li Gugu's calmness was...

  She had expected it all along.

  No, maybe this is exactly what she wants right now.

  It started when Aunt Li was making that soup just now.

  Empress Yan?

  Yan Fei is probably the master served by Auntie Li in the past, right?

  However, there is no such person in the palace now. Although Chao Sheng's stay in Huanyi Alley was not in vain, the masters with a head and face in the palace basically had an idea - Yan Fei probably died early, and Li Gugu moved to Yiqiu Palace to work in the kitchen.

  "Alright... I remember."

  The emperor's voice was somewhat sentimental.

  He probably remembered Empress Yiren as well.

  The tide was born in his heart without any feeling.

  The emperor had too many women, and it was not easy for this Empress Yiren to leave a mark in his heart.

  Hoping for the emperor's enduring and exclusive love...

  That's not worth thinking about.

  But why did Auntie Li want to see the Emperor?

  Is it just to bring up Empress Yan?

  If it weren't for Aunt Li's appearance being so... that is to say, Cai Sheng might have suspected that Aunt Li had some unclear and inexplicable relationship with the Emperor back in the day.

  But looking at Aunt Li now, she wasn't that beautiful back then either, probably can't even be associated with the word "beauty".

  So she and the emperor definitely didn't have any romantic affair.

  Auntie Li said, "The method of making this soup was taught to me and Jiu'er by the empress herself back then. I remember the emperor also said that this soup is to his taste, so today I took the liberty of making it."

  "I remember."

  The emperor's voice sounds normal again.

  It's already not easy for someone to make an emperor feel a moment of sadness.

  The emperor asked casually: "Where is Jiu'er now, do you know?"

  Aunt Li paused for a moment before saying: "Jiuer died with her mother and young master back then."

  A faintly spoken sentence, yet it makes people feel infinitely desolate.

  It seems that the emperor also has a deep impression of this Jiu'er, however...

  The emperor is not short of women, not short of children, and even less likely to be short of slaves.

  Those old people and things have long since faded away like fleeting clouds, forgotten already?

  The emperor didn't ask anything else, and after rewarding them, Li Aunt took Chao Sheng out.

  Lai Gonggong stood upright by the gate, and Li Gugu gave him a glance before walking past with her head held high, showing no respect whatsoever to this powerful eunuch who was second only to the emperor, but instead displaying some intentional sluggishness.

  These two must have been old acquaintances before.

  It's getting more and more complicated...

  Cháo shēng doesn't know anything, can only lower his head and try to make others ignore his existence.

  When gods fight, devils suffer.

  Last time Anfei had a miscarriage, those who paid a huge price were these servants.

  The Second and Fourth Princes were also in the house, but none of them dared to raise their heads.

  The second prince is ill, how can he come over for a meal?

  This is none of her business as a little palace maid.

  It's possible... maybe... perhaps when the Second Prince sees the Emperor, he'll be so excited that his illness will be cured instantly.

  Yes, that's right.

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  Some people say the plot is a bit slow... Hmm, it will get faster later on...

  I just uploaded it, but it wouldn't go through no matter what. I clicked a few more times and as a result, six posts were sent out in the background... I don't know how to delete them myself, so I'll have to ask an editor to help me delete them tomorrow.