A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace Chapter 1437 - 1435: Tea Ceremony 1

On the second day after a big wedding, if it were an ordinary family’s daughter-in-law, she would have to go serve tea to her mother-in-law.

But Yue Er was a Princess.

Whether she went or not all depended on her mood.

If she went, it would show her filial piety; if she didn’t, no one would dare say anything either.

However, Xia Ruqing had already warned her in advance.

"Don’t be willful at your husband’s home, don’t use your status to pressure people, and don’t keep putting on the Princess airs at every turn."

"Otherwise, as time goes on, even if everyone doesn’t dare say anything on the surface, they’ll definitely bear grudges in their hearts."

Yue Er had read books for so many years after all; she did understand some of these big principles.

So...

On the second day of her marriage, after she woke up she didn’t dawdle much and got straight out of bed.

"Princess! You’re up really early today!"

Ying Luo was helping her comb her hair while smiling mysteriously with a mischievous look.

Yue Er didn’t quite get what she meant. Sitting before the dressing table, she looked at herself in the mirror and said lightly,

"Isn’t it about the same as before?"

"Oh, right!"

She glanced toward the inner room and suddenly asked,

"That... him? Where did he go?"

When she woke up, he was nowhere to be seen; even the bedding by her side had been folded up neatly.

For a moment she actually suspected she hadn’t gotten married at all.

"Oh no!" Ying Luo slapped her forehead in vexation.

"Look at my memory, how could I forget about this!"

"The Prince Consort went to the back courtyard early this morning to practice sword. He specifically instructed this servant not to disturb the Princess’s rest, and said that once you woke up I was to inform him at once!"

"This servant deserves to die, deserves to die—how could I forget!"

In fact, she herself was a bit unaccustomed to it.

Mainly because the Princess’s Mansion was really too similar to Fengyu Pavilion. Getting up early and still groggy, she herself just didn’t react in time.

"Princess, please wait a moment, this servant will be right back!"

As she spoke she was about to run out.

Yue Er calmly stopped her.

"No need, you finish combing my hair first."

"There are so many people in the Princess’s Mansion, just find anyone to go and report to him, isn’t that enough?"

Ying Luo finally woke up fully.

’Oh right, this is the Princess’s Mansion!’

She patted her own head and nodded hard.

"Yes, Princess, this servant will remember!"

With that, she turned and told another Palace Maid by the Princess’s side to deliver the message, while she herself continued to comb the Princess’s hair.

...

As a newly married daughter-in-law,

Yue Er still wore red today, just not as grand as yesterday.

She had on a rouge-colored Silk Cloud Pattern Wide-sleeve Brocade Robe. The cuffs were wider than those of the clothes she normally wore, and inside, a bit of a Shui Hong–colored undergarment peeked out, silver and gold threads on it embroidered with auspicious Ruyi patterns.

She calmly lifted her arms and stretched them out, letting the maids dress her in the luxurious garments and fasten around her waist a belt inlaid with all kinds of precious stones.

On the high coiffure of her hair she wore the beaded Gold Phoenix Crown befitting her status as a Legitimate Princess. In the mouth of that exquisite and sumptuous phoenix was a thumb-sized, teardrop-shaped Southern Red Gemstone; the gem rested snugly against her forehead, adding a few more degrees of natural nobility to her already dignified and striking features.

Her features were refined—thick brows and almond eyes, a straight, delicate nose—and between her brows there was a naturally heroic air. She had practically inherited all of the best features from her Imperial Father and Empress Mother.

At this moment, with the tall Phoenix Crown on her head and her arms slightly outstretched, her gaze calmly resting outside the window, the light flowing in those almond eyes made her look all the more radiant and spirited.

Once her clothes and hair ornaments were all properly adjusted, the maids withdrew one after another according to protocol.

Only then did Ying Luo let out a long breath and smile slowly.

"Princess, it’s rare to see you dress so ceremoniously. Luckily I still remember how to put everything on, otherwise we’d have made a spectacle of ourselves today!"

Yue Er narrowed her almond eyes slightly, slanting a glance at her as she suddenly said,

"It’s a big day today. If you dare make me lose face, just wait and see how I deal with you when we get back!"

Honestly speaking,

This was actually her first formal meeting with Shih Shaoling’s mother.

Although they had seen each other at various occasions before, they had never sat together, and had always been far apart, not even exchanging a few words—so it couldn’t count as knowing each other at all.

But today...

She was going to meet this mother-in-law officially as a daughter-in-law.

So Yue Er felt this was absolutely a big day.

Ying Luo felt a bit scared and hastily stuck out her tongue.

"Princess, don’t worry, this servant will never let you lose face!"

After speaking, she carefully reached out again to check that the South Sea Pearl Inlaid Gold Filigree Earrings on the Princess’s ears were secure and wouldn’t fall off, then finally felt completely at ease.

Yue Er nodded in satisfaction.

"That’s more like it!"

Ying Luo hadn’t even had time to feel pleased when the sounds of people saluting came from outside.

Shih Shaoling had arrived, and after Ying Luo saluted, she hurriedly withdrew to the side.

...

Shih Shaoling was startled by Yue Er’s appearance before him.

"Why are you dressed like this?"

Logically speaking, shouldn’t she still be sleeping in bed right now?

Yesterday had been exhausting the whole day, and she hadn’t rested well last night either. Why dress like this instead of resting!

Yue Er’s mouth twitched.

"Sleeping in on the very first day after the wedding doesn’t sound very good, does it? I still have to serve tea."

Shih Shaoling was even more surprised.

"Serve tea? This is the Princess’s Mansion. It’s just the two of us here—who are you going to serve tea to?"

"Your mother, of course."

"Hm???"

Shih Shaoling was baffled again.

"My mother told me long ago that our family has no such rules."

"Yue Er, you don’t need to do this."

Yue Er lifted her eyes and looked at him in amazement.

"No such rules? How is that possible? My Empress Mother specifically instructed me!"

For a moment Shih Shaoling didn’t know how to explain it to her, so he simply said,

"My mother has long said that although the Princess has married into the Shi Family, you are still a Princess, and the distinction between sovereign and subject cannot be changed."

"So you don’t have to bother with any of the clan rules."

"Here in the Princess’s Mansion, you may do as you please..."

Yue Er nodded thoughtfully; for some reason, her heart actually felt a little warm.

"But..."

She still refused outright.

"Since my Empress Mother has instructed me, I should go and serve tea."

"Otherwise if she found out, she might be unhappy. Also... I don’t want others saying I’m spoiled and arrogant! That’s that, you go change clothes too, and we’ll go to the mansion to serve tea!"

Shih Shaoling couldn’t persuade her further and had no choice but to comply.

...

Half a Shi Chen later, once the two of them were properly dressed, they boarded a lavish carriage.

They passed through three streets and four or five alleys and finally arrived at the Shi Mansion, located on the southeastern side of the Imperial City.

The Shi Family had been loyal and valiant for generations. By Shih Shaoling’s generation, they had already made their mark for a good century or so; they were a truly legitimate Prestigious Family.

It was just that... as a Military General’s household, because they were always campaigning on distant fronts, their descendants had never been particularly numerous.

As a result, the Shi Mansion didn’t look very large, and even the main gate was fairly ordinary. There weren’t even stone lions guarding the entrance, nothing at all like the ostentatious grandeur of other Prestigious Families.

So when Yue Er saw the Shi Mansion from the carriage, she was a bit shocked.

"This is really your home?"

"Yes."

Shih Shaoling was a bit puzzled.

"Does it not look like it? Or is it different from what you imagined?!"