northernbook Chapter 306 Shaking Mushrooms on the Wall (Part 3)
Chapter 306 Shaking Mushrooms on the Wall (Part 3)
The Imperial Concubine was staying in the Empress's palace and was talking to her about Ruyi.
"Your Majesty, I'm dying of laughter! I heard that His Majesty tied up that vile Consort Xian and made her shake mushrooms on the city wall."
"Let her keep reciting those two lousy lines of poetry day after day, relying on her affection for His Majesty. Now she's really angered him, hahaha..."
Fucha Langhua smiled at her, shook her head, and adopted a virtuous and gentle demeanor, "Xiyue, you are a Noble Consort, you must not be complacent and mind your manners."
Despite being criticized, Gao Xiyue remained unperturbed, her joy undiminished.
"Your Majesty, I know, I'm just happy."
"In the past, His Majesty only had Ruyi in his heart. Look at Ruyi's pretentious manner. She acted like she was the most aloof person in the entire harem. Now look how smug she can be in the future."
Empress Fucha was also happy, but as the Empress, she naturally couldn't show it.
"I heard that Hai Changzai went to His Majesty to plead for him?"
Hearing this, Gao Xiyue's face lit up with even more joy. "Haha, Empress, there's no need to worry."
"I heard that the Emperor hasn't even seen Consort Hai. Consort Hai is still kneeling outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation."
"I think she brought this on herself. She's just a lowly concubine, yet she thinks she's someone important and even dares to plead for Ruyi."
Fucha Langhua nodded, but she was not completely relieved. Only when Ruyi completely lost the Emperor's favor could her position be secure.
The wind blew all night, as strong as a mushroom shaking on a wall for four hours, until my skin was numb.
Just then, Li Yu rushed over to deliver the imperial decree: "By imperial decree, Consort Xian is granted permission to return to the palace to rest for her meritorious service in shaking the mushrooms. The remaining mushroom stems shall be taken back to Yanxi Palace to be used in the meal."
Da Ruru was so overwhelmed with gratitude that he was almost dizzy and couldn't utter a single word. He was helped down from his horse by Xin and A Ruo.
The three women's hands felt like they weren't their own, and their legs were numb from standing. Li Yu felt a pang of heartache seeing this and wished he could personally escort them back, but he still had to report back to His Majesty.
"Boom."
Jue Er kicked Li Yu in one go.
"You dog of a servant, what are you looking at? How dare you, a eunuch, look at Consort Xian? Get back here now!"
Li Yu dared not utter a sound, after all, this was the chief eunuch appointed by His Majesty, who not only succeeded his master but also showed that His Majesty trusted him even more.
With several people supporting her, she finally made it back to Yanxi Palace, where she collapsed onto the couch.
Despite being exhausted themselves, Xin and A'Ruo rushed to serve her, one bringing hot water and the other a blanket.
"Your Majesty, you've suffered so much," Xin said with heartache.
Da Ru weakly waved her hand, "It's alright, His Majesty has his reasons for doing this."
After spending a few days at Yanxi Palace, Da Ru recovered considerably.
She looked at the mushroom stems, a smile playing on her lips, and said to Xin and A'Ruo, "Let's use these mushroom stems to make something delicious."
"Let the people in the harem see that the Emperor still cares about me. Otherwise, why would he bestow mushrooms upon me? This is all thanks to the affection between us."
After saying that, he began to direct the two people to prepare the ingredients.
"Your Majesty, Consort Xian has sent over some stir-fried mushrooms."
Clear foam: ...
Hmm? A blue mark? There are always treacherous subjects trying to harm me.
"It's fallen over."
Just then, Li Yu whispered from the side, "Your Majesty, Consort Xian put a lot of effort into making this. Would you like to try some?"
Before Qingmo could speak, Jue Er kicked Li Yu, saying, "You bastard, who gave you the right to speak?"
Qingmo waved her hand, signaling Jue Er to stop. "Li Yu, since you think it's good, then you can have a taste."
Li Yu hurriedly knelt on the ground: "This servant dares not."
Second: "Just eat what I tell you to eat, stop talking nonsense."
Li Yu dared not refute, and carefully picked up the plate, took a small bite and brought it to her mouth.
Consort Gao and the Empress also learned about Consort Xian's gift of stir-fried mushrooms.
Consort Gao snorted coldly, "Hmph, it's laughable that someone would try to curry favor with a mere mushroom."
The Empress frowned and said, "Xi Yue, we must not underestimate Consort Xian. Her actions may have a deeper meaning."
Meanwhile, in Yanxi Palace, Da Ru was eagerly awaiting the Emperor's reaction.
"Xin Xin, do you think the Emperor will like the mushrooms I made?"
Su Xin smiled and replied, "Your Majesty has put so much effort into this; His Majesty will surely like it."
Just then, Jue Er came to deliver an imperial edict: "His Majesty decrees that Consort Xian's stir-fried mushrooms are of excellent quality. She is hereby granted permission to shake mushrooms again while on the wall."
Ok? ? ?
Shaking again?
"Come on, take him away, take him away."
"Your Highness, please finish shaking quickly so that I can go back and report."
Da Ru was taken aback. "Eunuch Jue, is there some mistake? There are still many mushrooms. If His Majesty likes them, I will send them over."
Jue Er gave a forced smile: "His Majesty said he wants to eat the freshest hand-cranked shiitake mushrooms; overnight ones won't do."
"Since it wasn't shaken by Consort Xian herself, His Majesty won't eat it. We're troubling Your Highness, so please do."
At this moment, Hailan appeared and said, "Eunuch Jue, I'll shake it for Consort Xian. Her hand isn't healed yet."
Jue Er rolled her eyes at Hai Lan, "Oh, Consort Hai, His Majesty didn't say you were to shake it. This is the 'affection' between Consort Xian and His Majesty, how can anyone else take its place?"
Hailan was so anxious that tears were about to come out. She tightly grabbed Daru's sleeve and said, "Sister, I really can't bear to see you suffer anymore."
Da Ru was moved and gently patted Hai Lan's hand. "Hai Lan, I appreciate your kindness, but this is His Majesty's decree, and I cannot escape it."
Su Xin was also anxious and said, "Master, why don't we take off the armor? We shook it off last time. If we just take it off, you'll suffer less and we can shake it faster."
Da Ru tightened her armor, her face calm and composed: "No, you don't understand. This is my dignity. Even if I ruin my hand by shaking it, I cannot lose my dignity."
A'Ruo rolled her eyes from the side. What's all this talk about being respectable or not?
When she gets tired of shaking, won't it be up to her and Xinxin to grab her chicken feet and shake her?
What a disgrace! Her chicken feet somehow make her look respectable.
"Sister, I'll go with you, don't be afraid." Hailan insisted on going with her, and Daru couldn't persuade her otherwise, so she had to agree.
Da Ru, riding a horse, mechanically began shaking the mushroom again, a mix of emotions swirling within him, wondering how long he would have to keep doing it this time…
Hand-cranked shiitake mushrooms—you deserve to try them.
(* ￣︶￣)