After obtaining the ingredients from the Imperial Kitchen, Xiao Zhao didn't dare linger outside for long.
She feared complications might arise, causing her to lose this sole source of food.
She had to win this battle to defend their meals!
Consort Yu stood behind a tree with Cui Ying, watching Xiao Zhao's furtive movements with a cold sneer.
It had only been a few days since she last kept an eye on Jiang Huan, and now the people from the West Side Hall were up to some mischief again!
"Cui Ying, go see what she's sneaking around for."
Cui Ying immediately followed the order and trailed after Xiao Zhao. Before long, she returned.
"Your Ladyship, this servant saw that girl Xiao Zhao somehow obtained some scallions and flour."
"What?"
Consort Yu's small mouth fell slightly open, unable to conceal her surprise.
"Are you certain? She was being so cautious just for these meager things?"
Cui Ying nodded, her tone serious: "I followed Xiao Zhao all the way and saw with my own eyes how she hid the ingredients. After she left, I went to check and confirmed it was just ordinary scallions and flour—not even a speck of meat."
Cui Ying glanced obsequiously at Consort Yu's expression.
"Your Ladyship, should I take some people to the West Side Hall and teach her a lesson?"
Her Ladyship had been in a foul mood these past few days—this would be a perfect opportunity to vent her anger.
Consort Yu scoffed disdainfully.
She had previously given specific orders to cut off Jiang Huan's allowance, and now it appeared the effects were significant.
The thought of Jiang Huan disheveled and chewing on cold buns pleased Consort Yu immensely, making her uncharacteristically "magnanimous."
She waved her hand with a curled lip. "No need. If they want to eat what even stray cats and dogs would eat, let them."
"Your Ladyship is truly kind-hearted," Cui Ying flattered with a smile.
Consort Yu snorted lightly and turned to leave.
Jiang Huan remained completely unaware of this. When evening mealtime arrived, she began preparing dinner with Xiao Zhao.
Fortunately, though the variety of ingredients De Shan provided was limited, the quantity was sufficient to barely sustain her and Xiao Zhao for a few days.
She stir-fried the scallions, boiled the noodles, drizzled hot oil over them, and soon a fragrant bowl of scallion noodles was ready.
Jiang Huan sat at the table holding her bowl, slurping up the noodles.
With her culinary skills, getting more ingredients from that young eunuch wouldn't be too difficult.
Once they became familiar, this would be her supply channel!
The struggles in the rear palace were all fleeting clouds. Before transmigrating into this book, she had been nothing but a desperate workhorse.
What was the point of competing? Wouldn't it be better to be a lazy idler waiting for death?
She wondered when Consort Yu would realize this and stop tormenting her.
The next day, Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Before dawn had fully broken, Huo Lin had to rise for court.
After washing up, palace attendants came to dress him. Once the jade belt was fastened, his stomach felt even emptier and more uncomfortable.
He had to attend court on an empty stomach again!
Were the ancestral rules training him to be a camel? Not even a bite of food before court!
After donning his court robes, Huo Lin turned and caught his reflection in the bronze mirror.
In his daze, he seemed to see several large characters floating above his head: Da Liang's Number One Starving Ghost.
"Your Majesty, it is time to depart."
Wang Degui appeared at just the right moment, his voice pulling Huo Lin back to reality.
Huo Lin half-lowered his eyes, his expression stern, and strode off with long steps to attend court.
In the court session, Huo Lin sat on the dragon throne listening to his ministers bicker over trivial matters, growing increasingly impatient, until…
"Your Majesty!" Censor-in-chief Liu Bingzhong suddenly stepped forward from the ranks.
"This official impeaches Jiangzhou Prefect Chen Deshou for embezzling three hundred thousand taels of flood control funds!"
The hall instantly fell into dead silence.
Three hundred thousand taels? That's enough to buy how many steamed buns! Stacked up, they could probably bury Chen Deshou in a bun-grave!
Huo Lin lifted his eyelids, staring at Liu Bingzhong.
"Is there evidence?"
"Yes."
Liu Bingzhong slowly straightened up and presented the evidence previously uncovered.
Huo Lin took it and examined each piece, his face growing darker with every page. All civil and military officials in the court bowed their heads, not daring to even breathe heavily.
These were his Da Liang's fine ministers!
While he diligently handled court affairs every day, and as Emperor couldn't even get a hot meal regularly, the officials below knew how to enjoy themselves!
Might as well execute them all and send them to the Imperial Kitchen as ingredients – they'd surely be more fragrant than pork!
Huo Lin snorted coldly, a chilling glint flashing behind the jade beads of his imperial crown.
"I hereby order the Chief of the Grand Court of Revision to lead the investigation, with the Minister of Justice assisting in the interrogation. Thoroughly investigate the corruption case in Jiangnan. If evidence is conclusive, punish according to the law."
Upon hearing this, both the Chief of the Grand Court of Revision and the Minister of Justice stepped forward.
"We obey your decree."
After court adjourned, Wang Degui followed routine to serve the meal.
Huo Lin sat at the table and picked up a spoon to taste the lily and lotus seed congee.
The congee entered his mouth ice-cold, as if just taken from an ice cellar.
Huo Lin maintained a stern expression, but internally he was boiling over.
Lily and lotus seed congee! Again with the lily and lotus seed congee!
Did the Imperial Kitchen think he had that much internal heat! Making this heat-reducing stuff every day!
And this row of green side dishes!
Was the Imperial Kitchen treating him like a rabbit! He'd been eating so many vegetables his eyes were turning green!
Nevertheless, with hunger gnawing at him, Huo Lin still finished the congee spoon by spoon.
Due to the Jiangnan corruption case, Huo Lin was swamped with work and had no time at all.
Several more days passed without him summoning anyone to his bedchamber, and new rumors began circulating in the rear palace.
Several concubines with close relationships sat chatting in the pavilion of the imperial garden.
Chen De Yi sighed while fanning herself with a round fan.
"Ah, after the Emperor summoned Changzai Zhuang, then Consort Yu, I thought His Majesty had finally come around and was willing to stay in the rear palace."
Hearing Chen De Yi mention this, An Pin felt irritated.
It was a good start that the Emperor was willing to favor the rear palace, but who knew it would only be a brief beginning.
"It's all Consort Yu's fault for disgusting His Majesty during her last service! Now look, she's tarnished the entire rear palace's reputation!"
Li Cai Ren, overhearing this, couldn't help interjecting.
"Consort Yu may have served poorly, but wasn't Changzai Zhuang promoted? His Majesty couldn't possibly blame all of us because of Consort Yu alone, could he?"
Chen De Yi dismissed this, "We haven't seen His Majesty summon Changzai Zhuang for so many days. Clearly, Changzai Zhuang has fallen out of favor."
An Pin sneered, "Changzai Zhuang is from Consort Yu's palace. If you ask me, she must have been implicated by that jinx Consort Yu."
…
The women in the pavilion chatted idly, their conversation entirely focused on the scandalous things Consort Yu had done during her night of service.
They chatted happily, with occasional bursts of laughter, completely unaware that Consort Yu nearby had overheard every word.
Consort Yu trembled with rage. Under normal circumstances, she would have confronted them immediately.
But with these women gathered together, approaching them now would be asking to be insulted.
Usually, Consort Yu had Imperial Concubine Jia's support, and below her, there was that soft bun Jiang Huan to vent her frustrations on. When had she ever suffered such humiliation?
In her anger, Consort Yu went directly to Imperial Concubine Jia's Changle Palace.
After being announced, Consort Yu walked straight in. Seeing Imperial Concubine Jia reclining on the concubine's couch, her lips parted immediately in complaint.
"Imperial Concubine, Your Highness must grant this humble consort justice!"
Imperial Concubine Jia lifted her gaze, casting a careless glance at Consort Yu.
"What troubles you, sister?"