A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace Chapter 565: She’s Just Vulgar!

Feeling content with her thoughts, Xia Ruqing looked up and found Zhao Junyao staring at her with surprise.

"What’s wrong?"

Zhao Junyao pondered for a moment, then instructed someone to lay out paper. He wrote down the poem she had just recited. Then, with a clearly self-satisfied expression, he scrutinized it for a long while.

"Hmm! Not bad!"

Saying this, he had someone add some pigment and sketched a few strokes on it.

Xia Ruqing stood up to take a look.

On the pristine xuan paper, with merely a few strokes, he had sketched a winter scene. A small pavilion with hanging straw curtains was surrounded by plum blossoms, a small stove visible inside. Soup bubbled in the pot on the stove. Nearby were two sets of bowls and chopsticks, and a pot of fine wine...

The scene immediately evoked an image of two friends enjoying the snow, drinking wine, and admiring the plum blossoms. Leisurely, elegant, and charming.

With just a few strokes, the entire artistic conception was fully expressed, especially the pot that still seemed to emit steam. The entire scene came to life! Truly impressive!

"Emperor, your painting is truly beautiful. Could you gift it to this concubine?" Xia Ruqing was a bit excited, her eyes shining.

Zhao Junyao looked utterly exasperated but still feigned nonchalance. "Qingqing, I have never given my calligraphy or paintings to anyone!"

The light in Xia Ruqing’s eyes instantly dimmed. "Oh..." she said, her voice trailing off. "This concubine has been presumptuous!"

Zhao Junyao was speechless.

Xia Ruqing also felt helpless. Xia Ruqing pouted, feeling a bit aggrieved.

Zhao Junyao immediately felt he had made a mistake. He touched his nose, coughed lightly, and quickly stepped forward to coax her. "Qingqing, I was wrong..."

He said it without thinking much of it, but Xia Ruqing was the one who froze.

Xia Ruqing rubbed her head.

Zhao Junyao belatedly realized his slip and coughed again to cover his embarrassment. He patted her on the shoulder. "Qingqing, don’t be angry. I’ll give it to you, alright?"

"Or... shall I paint you another, even better one?!"

So... she readily agreed. "Okay!"

Zhao Junyao breathed a sigh of relief.

In the afternoon, after their nap, the two went to the Imperial Garden to paint. They went to the plum grove near Qingya Residence. The plum blossoms had not yet bloomed, but the snowscape was still beautiful.

Xia Ruqing was draped in a begonia-red cloak edged with fine fox fur. Underneath, she wore a charming palace dress of cherry-blossom pink, a color that complemented the snowscape beautifully, making her look especially vibrant.

Zhao Junyao wore a black and gold tiger-skin overcoat embroidered with a Five-Clawed Golden Dragon, over his beige everyday wear. A White Jade Crown sat upon his head. His demeanor was graceful, his bearing gallant, and every gesture exuded imperial majesty.

They both wore matching deerskin boots. Standing on the snowy ground by the Plum Pavilion, they boiled tea and spread out paper for painting.

Li Shengan and Xiao Xizi, along with their attendants, served them from a distance. Through the overlapping plum branches, they watched the two figures in the pavilion.

Li Shengan couldn’t help but exclaim, "A perfect match!"

Xiao Xizi also couldn’t hide his amazement. "’They look like figures stepping out of a painting!’"

While those two were enjoying their painting, news had already reached the Harem.

The Empress was taking care of the Third Princess. It had started snowing, and the Third Princess had caught a slight cold. The Imperial Physician had visited, prescribed some medicine, and assured her it was nothing serious. Only then did the Empress feel relieved.

She received the news just as the Third Princess had fallen asleep. Lying exhausted on the soft couch with her eyes closed, the Empress listened as Yu Lan recounted what the Emperor and Consort Xian Pin were doing in the Imperial Garden.

The Empress gave a sarcastic smile. "’What of it?’ she said dismissively. ’No need to say more!’" Then she paid it no more mind.

With her eyes half-closed, the Empress sneered inwardly.

Thus, the Empress acted as if she had heard nothing.

However, Noble Concubine Shih and Consort Ning were nearly bursting with anger.

Consort Ning, a staunch ally of the Empress, knew full well how much the Empress loathed Consort Xian Pin. She loathed her too, but regrettably, there was nothing she could do but fume helplessly.

Noble Concubine Shih was also deeply upset. However, this Noble Consort was no longer the favored lady of bygone days. And Lady Xia was no longer the same Lady Xia from before. She could no longer storm over and command her to kneel or stand at a whim. Everything was different now.

In the end, though the Harem buzzed with irritation, the concubines only dared to curse in private. Openly, no one dared to cause trouble.

Therefore, the concubines kept their silence. Noble Concubine Shih, Consort Ning, the concubines of Pin rank, and even Shih Jieyu made no move. Everyone remained quiet.

However, the lower-ranked Honored Ladies could not remain calm. Consort Xian Pin’s favor was beyond their control. They were agitated by something else: Honored Lady Cheng was pregnant.

People always envy those closest to them. Thus, Honored Lady Cheng’s pregnancy had a significant impact on the other Honored Ladies.