latelenovela Chapter 15 Your Green Headplate Has Been Taken Down
Chapter 15 Your Green Headplate Has Been Taken Down
"That is truly thanks to Your Majesty's divine favor! If it weren't for your incomparably noble divine fortune, how could my elder brother have been so lucky to be sent to the capital for treatment?" These words were impeccable and extremely flattering.
However, everyone knows that fortune and misfortune are intertwined in this world. Good things depend entirely on so-called good luck, but when things don't go well, one has to rack one's brains to find an excuse to get by.
At this moment, Su Nuannuan looked at the Emperor with a smile and asked softly, "Your Majesty, this seafood porridge is delicious. Would you like another bowl?" Her gaze was as gentle as water, as if it could melt one's heart.
Upon hearing this, the Emperor was slightly taken aback, then laughed heartily and said, "Haha, since my beloved concubine is so hospitable, I will have another bowl. However, everything in excess is bad, as the saying goes, 'things should not be done more than three times,' so today I will only have one more bowl."
"However, my beloved concubine's little kitchen is truly wonderful; the food she makes is absolutely delicious!" As he spoke, the Emperor took the full bowl of porridge that Su Nuannuan handed him and praised it generously.
Hearing the Emperor's praise, Su Nuannuan's smile grew even brighter, and she quickly replied, "Thank you for your kind words, Your Majesty. The maid in charge of cooking in this small kitchen is the one I brought with me from my maiden home. She has been learning cooking from the head chef in her family since she was a child, and she is quite skilled in the kitchen."
Upon hearing this, the Emperor's fleeting thought of taking the cook to the Imperial Kitchen vanished instantly. After all, she was Consort Zhuang's dowry maid; how could he simply demand her away?
"If Your Majesty is pleased, you may dine here with me anytime."
As soon as Su Nuannuan spoke, she regretted it immensely, inwardly lamenting: Oh dear, I've been avoiding the Emperor all along, so why did I inexplicably extend such an invitation? How utterly foolish! However, it was too late for regrets at this moment, and she could only grit her teeth and continue to deal with it.
Su Nuannuan maintained her gentle and kind smile, as if her slip of the tongue had never happened.
At this moment, the Emperor asked with concern, "How is my beloved concubine's health? What did the imperial physician say? I noticed that your green plaque has been removed for some time now and has not yet been put back in its place."
Upon hearing the Emperor mention this matter, Su Nuannuan hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty, Imperial Physician Liu said that I am suffering from postpartum weakness and need careful recuperation. Since I am unable to serve Your Majesty during this period, I have sent someone to the Imperial Household Department to report and have my green plaque temporarily removed."
As she spoke, Su Nuannuan remained extremely calm and composed, showing no sign of guilt whatsoever. After all, she knew exactly what was going on. Firstly, this Imperial Physician Liu was one of her trusted confidants; secondly, she was indeed recuperating. Her answer was watertight, and she wasn't afraid that the Emperor would question Imperial Physician Liu about the situation.
"When can Physician Liu say he can recover?" the Emperor asked, slowly putting down the exquisite ivory chopsticks in his hand and looking at the person in front of him with concern.
Seeing this, Su Nuannuan, who was sitting to the side, quickly stood up and waved gently to Yaoqin beside her.
Yaoqin understood immediately and stepped forward, carefully picking up a basin of water to serve the Emperor so he could wash his hands.
Su Nuannuan nodded slightly and replied softly, "Your Majesty, Physician Liu said that the treatment of my health depends on my own condition."
He just came to have his pulse checked yesterday; has it already shown some effect?
Hearing this, the Emperor nodded slightly in satisfaction, and then said, "That's good. There are still a pile of memorials waiting for me to review in my Hall of Diligent Governance. I'll come back to see you and our Cheng'er later. I'll head back now." With that, he stood up and straightened his dragon robe.
"Your Majesty, please take care. Your concubine respectfully sees you off." Su Nuannuan quickly stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and watched the Emperor depart. Only after the Emperor's tall and majestic figure disappeared from sight did she slowly straighten up.
After the Emperor left, Su Nuannuan turned around and sat back down in her seat. She composed herself slightly, then turned to Yaoqin and instructed, "Quickly go and call the gatekeeper, Xiao Xizi, to me."
Before long, Xiao Xizi ran into the house and came to Su Nuannuan. He bowed with a puzzled look on his face and asked, "Your Majesty, did you summon me here because you have something important to tell me?" His face was full of confusion, and he obviously did not know why he had been summoned here.
Su Nuannuan frowned slightly, her face darkening, and she questioned sternly, "Didn't I specifically instruct you to keep the palace gates tightly closed? How did the Emperor get in today? Do you dare to disobey my orders?!"
"Your Majesty, it was the Grand Eunuch who personally knocked on the door, so this servant had no choice but to open the palace gates," Xiao Xizi replied, kneeling on the ground and kowtowing.
At this point, Su Nuannuan was acting a bit unreasonable.
"Your Majesty, please don't blame Xiao Xizi! The Emperor is here. Even if he had the greatest courage in the world, he would never dare not open the palace gates for the Emperor!" Yaoqin quickly explained on Xiao Xizi's behalf.
Upon hearing Yaoqin's words, Xiaoxizi felt a surge of warmth in her heart. She looked at Yaoqin with tears of gratitude, and said excitedly, "Sister Yaoqin, you are truly my sister! You have said all the things I had been thinking but dared not say aloud."
At the same time, he also looked at Yaoqin with great admiration.
At this moment, Su Nuannuan, who was sitting on the brocade stool, gently waved her hand and said with a smile, "I have no intention of blaming him. I just want to understand the situation at that time."
Seeing this, Yaoqin knowingly gave Xiaoxi a wink. Xiaoxi instantly understood, kowtowed deeply to Su Nuannuan, then carefully stood up and slowly left the room.
After Xiao Xizi left, Yaoqin turned back to Su Nuannuan's side and continued, "Your Majesty, you even invited the Emperor to dine at our Cuiwei Palace more often. In my opinion, with your words, the Emperor will probably come even more frequently!" As she spoke, Yaoqin deftly picked up her chopsticks, took some delicious dishes, and gently placed them in the bowls and plates in front of the Empress.
"Your Highness, I noticed you haven't eaten much. Please have some more!"
Su Nuannuan shook her head helplessly and sighed softly, "I have no choice but to do this! If I don't say this, am I supposed to just watch the Emperor ask me for the manpower in our small kitchen?"
"Hmph, there are so many highly skilled chefs in the Imperial Kitchen at his beck and call, yet he still has his eyes on the people in my Little Kitchen." Su Nuannuan said angrily.