Previously on A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace...
King Adris of Portland proposes an alliance through marriage, offering his seven daughters in exchange for military support. Emperor Zhao Junyao, though unimpressed by the princesses' appearance and demeanor, publicly declares his Empress unmatched. Angered by the comparison, Zhao Junyao abruptly ends the banquet and retreats with his Empress, leaving the Portland delegation and his ministers in a tense standoff.
"What is this clay you speak of? May I have a look?"
Xia Ruqing’s curiosity was piqued.
She wondered who could possibly have vexed Zhao Junyao to such an extreme degree.
After all these years, she had never once witnessed him in such a state of distress.
Whether it was due to natural disasters or man-made calamities, famine or blizzards,
droughts or floods, or even when armies were poised at the borders,
he had never appeared so caught off guard.
For the first time, the formidable King, the ruler of a nation, found himself in such a helpless predicament...
Suddenly, Xia Ruqing felt a sharp ache in her heart.
"Emperor, you are only human, not an omniscient deity!"
"There are things you haven’t seen, paths you haven’t trod, matters you haven’t grasped, and knowledge you haven’t acquired!"
"You shouldn’t blame yourself or feel disheartened!"
He had always pushed himself relentlessly.
Striving to surpass everyone, to be invincible, to bear the entire empire upon his shoulders alone.
However, he had long forgotten that he, too, was merely an ordinary person!
Possessing the full spectrum of human emotions, experiencing both joy and sorrow, being made of flesh and blood, with inherent strengths and weaknesses.
No matter how intelligent, wise, strong, or flawless one might be, difficulties would inevitably arise.
Just like everyone else, there are challenges he could overcome and others he could not.
Even the most sagacious individuals can falter, and perfection is an unattainable ideal.
Zhao Junyao silently stroked her hair.
He then stood, retrieved a brocade box, and placed it before her.
"It is this!"
While he hadn’t anticipated Qingqing resolving the issue,
if she genuinely wished to see it, he would allow her to appease her curiosity.
Without sparing a glance at Zhao Junyao’s demeanor, Xia Ruqing swiftly took the brocade box.
She moved towards a brighter area illuminated by candlelight and eagerly unfastened it.
However, the instant she opened it,
she froze, as if struck by lightning, unable to regain her senses for a considerable time.
"What is it?" Zhao Junyao inquired.
Xia Ruqing was too astonished to utter a word.
She first pinched some of it between her fingers to examine it, then brought it to her nose to inhale its scent.
Her expression slowly shifted from surprise to sheer delight.
"This..."
"Isn’t this..."
"What is it?"
Zhao Junyao asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"Could it be that Qingqing actually recognizes it?"
Xia Ruqing nodded emphatically.
"Yes, yes! This is cement!"
It’s just cement, mere cement! She had imagined it to be something far more sophisticated?
Something of immense value.
Yet, it was precisely this substance that had led those shameless, big-bearded men to pressure her husband into taking another wife!
Xia Ruqing felt a surge of indignation at this realization.
Meanwhile, Zhao Junyao remained utterly bewildered.
"What is cement?!"
Xia Ruqing felt a wave of confidence wash over her.
*See, the people of ancient times are ultimately ignorant compared to those of the modern era.*
*And after all, I hail from the modern world!*
*This distinction finally matters, and I’ve discovered my purpose, haven’t I?*
"Cement is a fundamental construction material, created by selecting specific raw ingredients, pulverizing them into a fine powder, firing them in a kiln, and then grinding the resulting clinker once more to produce this cement!"
"Because when combined with water, it hardens considerably, hence its name, cement!"
The reason she possessed this knowledge
was due to a cement factory located in her hometown during her childhood. She had secretly worked there for two summer vacations as an unofficial child laborer.
By that time, she was already in junior high and had attended chemistry classes.
She had acquired a foundational understanding of chemical principles, though not an expert level.
If only she had foreseen a situation like this earlier...
She would have committed the factory’s entire production process to memory.
But alas, it was too late to dwell on regrets.
Nevertheless...
Even without recalling the complete procedure, fragments of the process were still within her grasp.
If she followed the steps she remembered, she felt a degree of confidence.
(Never underestimate the retentive power of a child’s memory)
Zhao Junyao gazed at her, his eyes wide with astonishment.
"Qingqing... how did you come to know all of this?"
Xia Ruqing’s heart lurched.
Oh no! She had completely forgotten to concoct a plausible excuse. What story could she possibly tell now?
Such a substance certainly did not exist in the Great Chu, nor could it possibly be known among the common folk.
"Well..."
"I happened upon it in an ancient text!"
"It described a tribe residing near a volcano, whose inhabitants utilized this type of clay for constructing their dwellings..."
She wove a fantastical tale, riddled with inconsistencies that even she found hard to believe.
To her surprise, Zhao Junyao seemed to accept her explanation.
"Where is that book?" he asked, his voice laced with urgency.
Xia Ruqing: "..."
Truly, desperate situations demand desperate measures.
Indeed, even the wisest among us can err!
"Emperor... when I was younger, my elder brother snatched some books from a foreign merchant. However, those books are likely lost by now."
Zhao Junyao’s heart sank with disappointment.
Yet, he detected a subtle inconsistency in her narrative.
"Weren’t you barely literate when you were young?"
Panic flared within Xia Ruqing, and she quickly improvised:
"I could recognize a few characters, at least!"
"Besides, Jingfeng explained everything to me! Even though he was young then, he might have forgotten by now."
As Xia Ruqing earnestly tried to smooth things over.
Zhao Junyao grudgingly started to believe her.
However, a new problem surfaced.
Without a specific book and relying only on hazy recollections, could they truly manage to recreate this item?
"Let me give it a shot!" Xia Ruqing implored, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.
There were certain things she struggled to express in words, but could undoubtedly accomplish through action!
"Absolutely not!"
Zhao Junyao’s refusal was unwavering.
"You do not need to concern yourself with these matters!"
"Qingqing, your primary objective right now is to remember the title of that book!"
If he had the title, he was confident he could procure it, regardless of whether it was a foreign text.
He was determined to exhaust every possible avenue to achieve this.
He *would* succeed, without a doubt!!
"Your Majesty, please allow me to try!"
Xia Ruqing pleaded once more.
"You always want to bear all the burdens yourself, leaving me to live a peaceful life!"
"You prefer to keep me sheltered within the protective walls you've so carefully constructed, but I wish to face the storms alongside you!"
Zhao Junyao’s gaze met hers, his eyes alight with emotion, deeply touched.
"Qingqing, my intention is to protect you!"
He worried about her experiencing fatigue, hunger, cold, or any form of harm.
He did not want her to face any hardships or turmoil.
He wished for her to remain at home, tending to the children.
"Entrust all these dangers and challenges to me instead!"
Zhao Junyao gently pulled her into his embrace.
His broad shoulders and the steady, powerful beat of his heart enveloped her in warmth, security, and a profound sense of affection.
Tears welled in Xia Ruqing’s eyes, and she delivered a gentle punch to his chest.
"Why!"
"Why must you be this way?"
"You insist on handling every single difficulty and peril on your own!"
"And yet, all I yearn for is to assist you!"
Her vision blurred with tears, a deep sense of injustice and reluctance washing over her.
A wave of pain crossed Zhao Junyao’s face.
"Very well, very well!"
"Then help me, assist me!"
"Please, perhaps you could refrain from crying now, hmm?!"
A smile bloomed on Xia Ruqing’s tear-streaked face.
"Understood!"
"I will definitely manage to develop it, and I truly don’t like those overweight women either!"
"Hahaha..."
Zhao Junyao erupted in hearty laughter, playfully ruffling her hair.
"I truly don’t know what to do with you!!"
Xia Ruqing slyly glanced at his hand, noting its impressive size and comforting warmth.
"Hehe!"
"When it comes to jealousy, I am simply the best in the entire world!"
"Since you are on the verge of marrying someone else, naturally, I must redouble my efforts!"
