Chapter 405: Chapter 403: Does Your Majesty Not Hate the Commandery Princess?
Is it pitiable?
After returning from Jiangnan, Lu Ying became well aware of Shen Yinning’s family background.
A mere one thousand taels of patterned silver was hardly of any worth to her.
She was not the sort of woman to leave the gambling table early just because of losing a little money.
Lu Ying stood by the flower-patterned window with her hands behind her back, and in an instant, she guessed what this woman was up to—
She was deliberately tempting Shen Yunxi.
Huo Mingyan, unaware, only asked with concern, "She’s here as a guest. Now that she’s lost so much money, wouldn’t it seem as though the women in the palace mistreated her? Should Your Majesty discreetly make up for it?"
Lu Ying refused, "No need."
Huo Mingyan, observing his back, slightly loosened the handkerchief she had been tightly gripping.
The smile on her face became more genuine as she said, "Many cuts of beef and lamb, along with honeydew melons, were sent from outside the border. These are from livestock raised on the Gobi Desert and saline lands, with meat far more tender than what you’d find here in the Capital. This consort plans to distribute them as Mid-Autumn Festival gifts to the sisters in each palace and the Imperial Decree madames of the city. Would this be appropriate?"
Lu Ying said, "As the mistress of the Central Palace, it is commendable to advocate frugality."
"Then this consort will arrange for it to be done."
With Lu Ying’s approval, Huo Mingyan’s countenance lit up, her demeanor as Empress even more poised.
A palace maid happened to carry a bird’s nest soup into the room, saying, "Your Highness, it’s time for today’s bird’s nest."
The supplies provided to the Empress Dowager and the Empress were all from the finest golden bird’s nests.
However, Huo Mingyan was indifferent to such supplements.
Having grown up outside the border, the girls out there ate meat and drank wine freely, making them far more robust than the young ladies in the Capital, who were raised on bird’s nest.
Truthfully, beef and lamb were the best supplements in the world.
She said to Lu Ying, "It is said that golden bird’s nests are exceedingly precious, but this consort is in excellent health and has no need for such supplements. This consort has looked over the ledgers; these restorative items constitute a considerable expenditure in the palace. As Your Majesty has just ascended to the throne, it would be better to cut down on the harem’s expenses and allocate the funds more effectively. Perhaps starting with this consort’s palace—henceforth, let’s abolish these supplements entirely."
Lu Ying glanced at the bowl of golden bird’s nest soup.
However, what came to his mind was Shen Yinning.
She was capricious and pampered, always disdaining ordinary bird’s nest and insisting on the golden kind.
But now that she had left him for Cui Ji, how could Cui Ji possibly afford golden bird’s nest?
An inexplicable emotion surfaced within him. He said to Huo Mingyan in a muted tone, "Since it is yours, just consume it. Even in times of thrift, there is no need to cut costs from my women."
"Your Majesty!"
Huo Mingyan suddenly knelt to the ground, followed by a cascade of kneeling palace maids behind her.
She stated righteously, "As Empress, this consort should set an example in the harem. These restoratives used on this consort are utterly wasteful. This consort has observed that the other concubines are healthy as well and have no need for such supplements. The ones who truly require nourishment are the soldiers at the border! This consort is willing to sell all the expensive bird’s nests from the harem and donate the proceeds to provide food and supplies, as a token of comfort for the soldiers!"
Lu Ying fell silent for a moment.
Supplies for the border had always been abundant; when had he ever let down the soldiers who served the nation?
Moreover, the production and procurement of bird’s nests were linked to the livelihoods of the commoners. If the palace ceased its purchases, those people would lose their jobs as well.
He furrowed his brows, "I know you are frugal, but—"
"Please grant permission, Your Majesty, to remove bird’s nest expenditures from the harem!"
Huo Mingyan clasped her hands together, raising them above her head.
The palace maids behind her echoed, "Please grant permission, Your Majesty, to remove bird’s nest expenditures from the harem!"
Lu Ying gave her a long look but said nothing, leaving Kunning Palace expressionlessly.
As he walked through the palace alleys, Gui Quan smiled and remarked, "Her Majesty, the Empress, hasn’t been in the Capital for long. Though well-intentioned, she might inadvertently do the wrong thing. Your Majesty, please don’t take it to heart. Once the Empress becomes familiar with the customs of the Capital, she won’t be as impulsive as she was today. On another note, since the golden bird’s nests are so valuable, why not distribute them to the other concubines since Her Majesty refuses them?"
Lu Ying pressed his forehead with his hand and closed his eyes to rest.
What resurfaced in his mind again was Shen Yinning.
After a long pause, he said, "Give them to her."
Gui Quan was stunned, "To whom?"
"I’ve heard that eating bird’s nest during pregnancy benefits women greatly. Add it to her favorite pastries, but don’t let her find out."
Gui Quan was utterly dumbfounded.
His Majesty was going to give all those golden bird’s nests to Princess Zhaoning?!
But wasn’t he...
Wasn’t he...
He tentatively asked, "Your Majesty, do you not hate the Princess?"
"Hate?" Lu Ying’s side profile was icy, "Hate and love are equally intense emotions. I certainly don’t hate her."
He would not allow Shen Yinning to manipulate his emotions. He would not let this woman do as she pleased in his heart.
What he felt toward her should be indifference.
Precisely because it was indifference, his concern was merely for his little nephew.
Though the child was Cui Ji’s, it was, after all, the first child born in their generation.
The golden bird’s nest was merely meant for that child.
Gui Quan gave Lu Ying a profound look, suddenly unable to fathom the ruler’s thoughts.
The shadows of dusk descended.
The imperial carriage slowly passed through the palace alleys, brick-red walls and golden tiles flashing by.
For some reason, in that moment, Gui Quan sensed a trace of loneliness emanating from his lord.
That night.
Wei Yu came in and happily reported Huo Mingyan’s gifts to Shen Yinning, saying, "Your servant has never tasted lamb from the saline lands. Nanny Chen always said the lamb from that region doesn’t have the usual gamey taste and is exceptionally tender!"
"All you think about is eating." Haitang fondly tapped her forehead and then turned to Shen Yinning, "Mid-Autumn is just a few days away. This is the first Mid-Autumn Festival since the new emperor’s ascension. Logically, it should be grandly celebrated, but Empress Huo merely distributed some beef and lamb. Isn’t that rather stingy? I fear the others won’t be satisfied."
Shen Yinning, holding a silk-embroidered fan adorned with osmanthus flowers, sat on the swing outside Furong Palace.
She was in good spirits, "Although I have never met Huo Mingyan, I’ve often heard palace attendants praising her these past few days, saying she’s a remarkably virtuous Empress. Don’t look down on her modest gifts; Lu Ying will undoubtedly commend her for her frugality. In some respect, the two of them are quite a match—not surprising, since they are cousins. However..."
Wei Yu leaned in curiously, "However what?"
The swing arched into the air.
The young woman’s robes fluttered with the breeze, and in the moonlight, her smile was as radiant as a blossom, "However, someone is bound to seize this chance to stir trouble."
As she had anticipated, Chunxi Palace was abuzz with activity.
Shen Yunxi looked at the pile of beef and lamb in the hall and couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
Pointing at the meat, her tone turned sharp and mocking, "Lianxin, Lian Ye, look at this—this is the handiwork of our honorable Empress! If I were the Empress, I wouldn’t be this stingy! What is this? Treating us like beggars?!"
Lian Ye chimed in indignantly, "It is rather stingy! Back when Noble Consort Zhang was around, she distributed lavish gifts every New Year and festival, far more valuable than these. And she was only a Noble Consort!"
"Well, I happened to win one thousand taels of patterned silver from Shen Yinning." Shen Yunxi’s smile was filled with malice, "I’ll add some silver to it and prepare Mid-Autumn Festival gifts for the concubines in each palace. Let’s see who they think is more generous—me or the Empress!"