Yan Qing hesitated sowhat, the Chief Eunuch of Changchun Palace had watched him grow up. Although his words were spoken with a smile, the implications hung in the air.
"Does Prince Qing still not trust the Empress?" he said, not forgetting to give Xiao Yu a sidelong glance, the aning of which couldn’t have been clearer—it was as if she were the one sowing discord.
Xiao Yu bowed her head, tugging at Yan Qing’s sleeve. When he looked at her, she narrowed her eyes, signaling him not to worry. What else could she do at such a point? She had no choice but to plow ahead, right?
However, what Shen Xiaoyu hadn’t anticipated was that she’d face not only the Empress in Changchun Palace. How could the concubines who had risen early to pay their respects miss such an opportunity? They had already sent people to find out all about Shen Xiaoyu, who to their amusent ca from the countryside and even more laughably ran a restaurant—a job considered extrely lowly. As for her age, though she was a few years younger than Yan Qing, she was considered quite an old maid by unmarried won’s standards.
Upon her arrival, people sized her up from head to toe. Even though she and Yan Qing felt there was nothing simpler nor more elegant than her attire, in the eyes of the won of the harem, it lacked sophistication and presentability since they were experts in attracting the Emperor’s favor. What else would they rely on?
In fact, the Empress had been uncomfortable with the idea of Shen Xiaoyu entering the palace before Yan Qing had even inford her. Now, seeing Shen Xiaoyu’s appearance was so far from the ideal daughter-in-law she had imagined. Even if Shen Xiaoyu didn’t need to possess the dignified grace of the Crown Princess Consort, shouldn’t she at least have so eye-catching qualities?
She was unable to boast an impressive lineage, she couldn’t compare in beauty, and since she had entered and greeted everyone, she stood there as stiff as a block of wood, doing nothing to enliven the atmosphere. She bore all comnts against her without a single retort, utterly failing to defend herself. How could such a docile character have caught the eye of the highly discerning Yan Qing?
The Empress couldn’t understand, and neither could Wen Zhao Yi, the sister-in-law of Prince Zhao. She had heard about Shen Xiaoyu from her older sister, albeit at that ti, "he" was a man. How had she suddenly beco a woman? What would her sister and brother-in-law think, and what would their reactions be?
Xiao Yu was certainly not a coward, but any modern person would need ti to adapt to an ancient palace, especially the harem, with its overpowering scent of costics, insincere smiles, and words that required careful thought to understand and interpret. It was more complicated than navigating the corporate world, which at least maintained a facade of fairness. Even when nepotism occurred, it needed to be concealed. But here, everything depended on one’s family background. As Yu Niang from a humble origin, how could she dare to be reckless or speak out of turn?
Fortunately, the Empress knew that this girl had saved her son. So with everyone watching, the Empress could not only avoid mistreating her but had to support her to save her own face.
And there was Wen Zhao Yi, aiming to find fault: "I’ve heard that you cook very tasty dishes? Does Prince Qing visit to eat every day?"
Xiao Yu had a good mory, recalling that she had been introduced as Wen Zhao Yi, the younger sister-in-law of Prince Zhao, during the greetings.
Thus, assuming an air of respect, she turned and gave a curtsy to her: "In response to Lady Zhao, the dishes are but ordinary ho cooking. Fortunately, His Majesty, the Crown Prince, and Prince Qing have been kind not to disdain them. I will certainly strive to improve and create more new dishes in the future."
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