Chapter 67: Consort Xian Never Considered You

Translator: Henyee Translations  Editor: Henyee Translations

Qiao Jinniang entered the imperial kitchen.

The Queen drove out all the royal chefs and imperial servants in the imperial kitchen.

She just let her maids stay to help.

Only then did Tuan’er threw himself into Qiao Jinniang’s arms. “Mother!”

Qiao Jinniang picked up Tuan’er and kissed him on the head.

“Tuan’er, you look so cute in red. Let me make some red clothes for you.”

Lu Chen said to Qiao Jinniang, “My father doesn’t like to eat fish. He hates the fishy smell and fish bones. Why not make fish balls for him? Tuan’er likes to eat them too.”

But Qiao Jinniang remembered that he was the one who liked to eat fish balls the most.

How dare he have the nerve to use Tuan’er as an excuse?

However, making fish balls was indeed the best choice.

Yesterday, when Qiao Jinniang was studying court etiquette, she heard from the Duchess that fish was not generally eaten in the imperial palace.

The royal chefs would never take the initiative to cook the fish.

His Majesty’s dislike of eating fish might also be because none of the royal chefs in the palace knew how to cook fish well.

After all, the royal chefs didn’t dare to make fish for the Emperor. If the fish bones were not cleaned up and it by some chance hurt the nobles, they might be beheaded.

Seeing that Qiao Jinniang started to make fish balls, Lu Chen smiled slightly.

She didn’t hate him that much. At least she was willing to make fish balls for him.

Qiao Jinniang was busy all morning, and eventually she made six dishes and one soup, plus cool and exquisite desserts and pastries.

The meal was taking place in the Queen’s palace. After Qiao Jinniang served the dishes one after another…

She divided the fish ball soup into small portions and brought a portion to the Emperor, the Queen, and Tuan’er.

Lu Chen looked up at Qiao Jinniang, and Qiao Jinniang scoop out a bowl of winter melon soup for Lu Chen.

“It is easy to get inflamed in summer, so it is most suitable for Your Royal Highness to drink winter melon soup.”

Lu Chen clenched his fist. She knew that what he hated most was winter melon.

The Queen chuckled and said, “Jinniang, sit down and eat. You must be tired after working all morning.”

Qiao Jinniang declined. “I dare not.”

“It’s okay. This is not a palace banquet, but just an ordinary meal.”

The Queen held Qiao Jinniang’s hand and let her sit beside Tuan’er.

Qiao Jinniang watched Tuan’er cutely eating fish balls with a small spoon.

Emperor Huilin looked at the dishes on the table and asked, “Where are the fish balls?”

Qiao Jinniang pointed at the white balls in the soup bowl and said, “Your Majesty, this is the famous fish ball soup in the South.

“The fish balls will melt as soon as they enter your mouth, and they taste very delicious. One fish can only make ten fish balls.”

Emperor Huilin tasted it and his eyes lit up. “Is this dish available in the Tasty Pavilion?”

Qiao Jinniang shook her head and said, “People in Chang’an don’t like eating fish very much, so this dish is not served.

“However, if Your Majesty likes it, it will definitely become a popular delicacy in Chang’an soon.

“I’ll add it to the menu of Tasty Pavilion when I go back.”

Emperor Huilin turned his eyes to the winter melon soup in front of Lu Chen. “This winter melon soup relieves heat? Let me try it!”

Qiao Jinniang didn’t have time to stop him.

But Emperor Huilin had already picked up the soup bowl and begun to drink, ignoring royal dining etiquette.

The next minute, Emperor Huilin put down the soup cup and spat out all the soup in his mouth.

Qiao Jinniang hurriedly knelt down and said, “Your Majesty, please forgive me. I may have added too much salt…”

Seeing Qiao Jinniang kneeling down, Tuan’er also got on his knees and hugged Qiao Jinniang.

Emperor Huilin took the water handed to him by Eunuch Quan. “Is it because of the prevalence of illicit salt that you almost put a jar of salt into the soup?

“Chen’er, go and check the status of salt tax all over the country, and then check whether there is any illicit salt circulating in Chang’an.”

The Queen said, “Don’t make such a fuss. Jinniang, get up quickly.

“Chen’er has always loved salty food, so Jinniang specially made this for him.

“Chen’er, don’t let her down.”

Lu Chen: “…”

Maybe he wasn’t born by the Queen?

…

After lunch, Qiao Jinniang went to the East Palace to play with Tuan’er.

She then accompanied him to take a nap.

When Lu Chen entered, he saw that Qiao Jinniang was taking a nap…

Cupping her chin with her hand, she was lying on the couch and her beautiful figure was outlined…

His heart throbbed, and his Adam’s apple bobbed slightly.

He knew how fair the skin under this beautiful dress was, and he could hold that slim waist with a single hand…

And after giving birth to Tuan’er, her chest grew bigger…

Lu Chen clenched his fists, forcing himself to stop thinking about it.

At this moment, if he touched Jinniang, he was asking for trouble.

No matter what, he had to get her not to be so angry with him first.

…

After Qiao Jinniang woke up, she left the East Palace before Tuan’er woke up.

After she returned to the Duke Mansion, the Duchess hurriedly came to asked her,

“Why did you stay in the palace all day? The maids couldn’t get in, and I could get no news about you from the imperial palace. I was so worried about you.”

“His Majesty asked me to cook for him. Don’t worry, Mother.”

The Duchess said, “Jinniang, there is one thing that I should have asked you yesterday, but I was afraid that you would be nervous when you entered the imperial palace today, so I didn’t…

“Do you want to marry the Crown Prince?”

Qiao Jinniang shook her head.

The Duchess breathed a sigh of relief. “Fortunately, you don’t want to. Otherwise, as a woman who has once married and given birth to a child… I’m afraid that you can only become a concubine.”

“However, if His Royal Highness really likes you, I’m afraid that we can’t refuse him!”

Qiao Jinniang frowned and said, “Mother, don’t worry. His Majesty has agreed to not force me to marry the Crown Prince.”

The Duchess was relieved to hear that. “That’s good, but you’d better find a husband as soon as possible.

“Your father is so powerful that the princes might want to win over his support.

“I never wanted to marry you off so quickly…

“But now I think that it will be better for you to get married as soon as possible to avoid being used by the Crown Prince and Prince Mediocre.”

Qiao Jinniang said, “Okay.”

Madam Hou sighed and said, “Li Yun is a good boy. Yesterday he tried to defend you, saying that it was his fault, not yours.

“Qiao Ruofeng was thrown into jail, but the Li family didn’t stay away from your second aunt.

“If he can pass the Imperial Examination, you won’t be wronged if you marry him.

“It’s a pity that your engagement has been annulled. You have to find someone else.”

Qiao Jinniang was given the title of county mistress, which was a great plus. With such a title, the Duchess was not so worried about Jinniang’s marriage.

…

The weather was getting hotter.

The long-awaited selection day, June 21, also arrived unknowingly.

On this day, the Duke Mansion was very busy.

It turned out that Qiao Ruoshui’s future husband had come to propose from the Southwest.

Qiao Ruoshui’s future husband was the nephew of the wife of the governor of the Southwest who grew up in the Governor’s Mansion.

The Duke and the Duchess were very satisfied with the man.

Yuyan got the news and came to Jin Garden, saying,

“Miss, Mr. Xu is very strong and imposing. Although he is not that handsome, he is tall and looks very majestic in his armor.”

Hongling laughed and said, “You should tell Fourth Miss about this. Why did you tell our Miss?”

“You don’t have to tell me this either.”

Qiao Ruoshui walked into Qiao Jinniang’s room without being allowed.

“Qiao Jinniang, do you really think that I will marry that man?”

Qiao Jinniang asked, “What do you mean?”

Qiao Ruoshui laughed arrogantly and said,

“The consort selection banquet is over now, and the Empress Dowager’s decree is already on the way to the Duke Mansion…

“What you can’t get is at my fingertips.”

At this moment, Qiao Jinniang was embroidering a small red robe for Tuan’er. Hearing Qiao Ruoshui’s words, she accidentally poked her finger with the needle, causing blood to slowly ooze out.

She didn’t care about Qiao Ruoshui. She was just thinking how many more “mothers” would Tuan’er suddenly have…

Would Lu Chen’s wife and concubines hurt her Tuan’er? Alas!

Seeing Qiao Jinniang’s reaction, Qiao Ruoshui felt even more complacent.

She had been enduring for so many days, and now she was finally able to avenge herself.

Qiao Ruoshui snorted coldly. “You tried your best to seduce Prince Mediocre, but you didn’t expect that Consort Xian and the Empress Dowager would never consider you, right?”