The Emperor's First Visit To The Empress [II]
The news of the Emperor visiting the Empress had travelled all round. The kitchen was almost in chaos as the cookers went helter skelter. The Dowager had come to the kitchen herself to make sure the finest ingredients is used in preparing whatever the Emperor and the Empress would eat. Princess Nuying had come along too. The spoilt Princess Nuying went on, correcting them on the ingredients.
They would share a look anytime she spoke up. Who knew she was familiar with the ingredients? It was surprising. Maid Yue helped in the cooking. She would taste and give to the Dowager for verification.
In just minutes more than fifteen dishes had been prepared!
The serving maids got ready to take it to the Eastern palace.
After verifying that everything was set, the Dowager gave approval and the maids matched in numbers to the Empress's palace.
Nuying clapped her hands while giggling, "Whoa! This is great!"
"Sure it is!" The Dowager said and held Nuying's shoulder.
*
Maid Yue took the lead.
Consort Meiwei happened to be passing by when she saw the group of maids. She was taken aback as her mouth fell open. "Is anything being celebrated today?" She asked her maid.
"I have no idea. I'm as shocked as you my lady." The maid answered truthfully.
"Let's find out." Meiwei said and took large steps toward the maids.
She blocked them off by spreading her hands, she raised an eyebrow. "What is going on?"
"Excuse me, my lady." Maid Yue said.
"Sure I will," Meiwei said and went behind Maid Yue to block off the serving maids. "What is going on? How come I don't know about it?"
"What are you doing? The food is getting cold!" Maid Yue scolded.
"Hunh?" Meiwei chuckled. "How dare you raise your voice at me, you old wench?"
"Make way now!" Maid Yue commanded.
"Watch your tongue!" Meiwei's maid said. "You are talking to a royal, you lowly being!"
"We are all lowly beings here! Why are you forgetting that?" Maid Yue fumed.
"How dare you?" Meiwei's voice shook with anger. "What did I hear you say? I will make sure the Emperor hangs you before daybreak!"
"Do as you wish but for now let us through! You must have forgotten that I serve the Empress and not one of your fellow Consorts."
Meiwei raised her hand but Maid Yue didn't make any move of stepping away.
"What is going on here?" A voice reverberated around them. A sour face came out from one of the walls.
The voice... Meiwei turned to see the sour face of the Dowager.
"I ask again, what is going on here?"
"Consort Meiwei 'the sixth' refused to let us through." One of the servers answered.
'The sixth...'
Meiwei's blood froze. Her maid immediately went on her knees and bowed with her head touching the ground.
The Dowager's maid went forward and got Meiwei out of the road. They were older but their bones was still very strong.
With her side eye, the Dowager gave off a dangerous aura.
Nuying didn't smile as her face was swollen with anger. "What are you? Some bad luck?"
"It's my fault! Please spare my lady! Please! Please!! Please!!!" Meiwei's maid apologized non-stop.
Meiwei still hadn't recovered from the dangerous look the Dowager had directed at her. She broke out of cold sweat and her stomach rumbled like there was a war going on there. She grabbed onto her stomach and threw up.
When the Dowager saw the maids had gone into the Eastern palace she turned to leave. "Bring her along." She commanded in a low tone.
Horror. She had seen the older consorts punished by the Empress Dowager.
The maids helped escort her.
Why? Meiwei wondered. Which spirit had pushed her to question Maid Yue. Even the older Consorts respected her... Where is the spirit that had encouraged her? Now she's in danger, the spirit had abandoned her.
*
When the dishes arrived, Xiuying was taken by surprise. She had sent message to the kitchen but didn't know it would come this fast! She only requested eight dishes but what was served now is... fifteen whole dishes.
They had this freshly cooked scent.
She immediately took a bowl of rice and served the Emperor, added goose meat to it, turkey and pork. He sat unmoving looking at the dish.
She watched him, she enjoyed doing it. His long lashes hid his eyes properly. She kept the serving sticks aside and took upon hers. Picked some rice and goose meat and brought it to his mouth.
In her first life, she had been too quiet! Too scared! In this life, she can't sit still and get what she wants, she has to work towards it. Even if he is to get mad! She will be there to soothe him.
He turned to her, she smiled and batted her eyes. It was her assuring him to give it a try.
He stared at the chopsticks, he got close bit by bit and opened his mouth to give it a try. The first time he's been fed by a woman after since he turned three. He was fed until he was three when his father made him eat by himself.
The rice melted easily in his mouth, soft and sweet. He swallowed, but one rice stuck to his lip, she couldn't stop staring at him.
He picked up his chopsticks to eat himself.
She moved closer, to wipe his mouth. He was surprised but he didn't show.
He started eating himself but Xiuying held onto the water bowl and would always pass it to him if he hesitated a bit on eating.
It was late by the time Ju-long left the Empress's chamber.
On his way to the Palace, a guard rushed towards them. Junting blocked him from getting close to the Emperor. "What do you want?"
"I'm a Palace guard assigned to the last Consorts." The guard said after calming down. "Consort Meiwei went out since daybreak, but hasn't returned. We've gone to search for her but we haven't found her."
There was no much expression visible on the Emperor's face.
"Report it to the police." Junting said and they left.
"But... But..." 'I thought with the Emperor's help we can easily find his love...'