Early the next morning, Xiao Bing hurried to the palace where Chu Ning was staying.
Bang, bang, bang!
“Young Master Chu, weren’t you going to cook for Her Majesty? Her Majesty will wake up in one hour. If you start now, there is still time…”
The stove in Heavenly Tranquility Palace had already been set up. After getting out of bed, Xiao Bing had already made a full round through the inner palace.
She had thought that since Chu Ning said he would be responsible for cooking, she could feel at ease. There would be no need to summon the royal meal. She could simply have the food sent to the royal clan’s side instead. However, there had been no movement at all from the kitchen.
Chu Ning still had not gotten up!
Yesterday, this man had said he would take responsibility for Her Majesty’s food and daily needs, yet today, he still had not risen.
That was something Her Majesty had personally instructed. It meant she valued Chu Ning. If he failed on the very first day…
“Young Master Chu, are you still not awake? If…”
Suddenly, Xiao Bing smelled a wave of fragrance drifting over.
She turned around and saw it not far away.
A figure stood there, holding a wok spatula and a pot, cooking over roaring flames and sizzling oil.
His movements were so practiced, his technique so skillful, that Xiao Bing froze for a moment.
Beside the table, more than a dozen dishes had already been prepared, all placed in clay basins.
Huh?
Where had Chu Ning gotten these cooking tools from?
And this fire…
Xiao Bing’s face changed drastically. She hurriedly said, “Young Master Chu, you cannot light a fire here. If smoke rises, someone will discover it, and then…”
She froze again.
There was no smoke?
Then how had the fire started?
Chu Ning was not even a cultivator.
Once he finished stir-frying, the final dish was done.
Xiao Bing walked over in a daze. Feeling a little embarrassed, she scratched her head and gave a sheepish laugh.
“M-Mr. Chu, you woke up so early?”
Woke up?
What did she mean, woke up?
His wife had not eaten breakfast yet. Of course he had to prepare the ingredients.
Dragon Marrow Jade Treasure Soup, Condensed Jade Cakes, and more than ten other dishes. He had spent several hours searching for all the ingredients.
After returning, he saw that dawn was almost breaking, so he hurriedly started cooking.
Chu Ning picked up a serving tray with one hand, supporting more than a dozen dishes, then looked at Xiao Bing with complete seriousness.
“Xiao Bing, you must understand. Qinglian may be the Empress of the Great Qian Empire, but she is also my wife. She is carrying my flesh and blood in her belly.”
“You do not need to remind me. I will naturally take this seriously!”
After saying that, he carried the food toward Heavenly Tranquility Palace.
Xiao Bing was shaken by that moment.
What Young Master Chu said made so much sense. So he had already begun preparing long ago?
Was that why Her Majesty felt so at ease handing this matter directly to him?
As Chu Ning left, the fire in the stove disappeared as well.
Inside it, there was nothing at all.
So how had the fire been lit?
Before Xiao Bing could figure out the reason, Chu Ning had already left.
Xiao Bing instantly grew anxious again and hurried after him.
“Young Master Chu, Her Majesty has not gotten up yet. You cannot enter Her Majesty’s bedchamber. Although you are Her Majesty’s future royal consort, right now…”
“And the food has to be tested for poison. Her Majesty’s meals cannot be casually presented to her…”
“Pah! Would I poison my wife and child? You just want to sneak a bite. Next time, say it directly. I do not mind serving some for you to whet your appetite!”
Xiao Bing was almost in tears.
Although she was a third-realm cultivator and Chu Ning was only a mortal, she still did not dare lay a hand on him.
“It really is the rule, Young Master Chu…”
Chu Ning tugged at the corner of his mouth.
“What are you panicking for? I am not going in. I will just wait until Qinglian wakes up before entering, won’t I?”
In front of Heavenly Tranquility Palace, Chu Ning stood tall, holding a tray of more than a dozen dishes in one hand.
Xiao Bing stood beside him and finally breathed a sigh of relief.
“Xiao Bing was only explaining Her Majesty’s rules. Even you, Young Master Chu, cannot enter casually right now. Once you and Her Majesty hold the wedding in the future, it will not really matter anymore…”
“And the food must be tested for poison…”
Chu Ning sighed.
“Considering how diligently you are thinking for my wife’s sake, I do not mind letting you have one bite. Go get a bowl and chopsticks.”
“I… I do not want to eat. I am only testing for poison…”
Xiao Bing felt wronged and explained seriously, “Everything that enters the palace must be strictly inspected. After the royal meal is prepared, someone will specifically test it for poison, and then I will specially taste it as well…”
Chu Ning thought about it for a moment. That did seem to make sense.
“Fine then. I will consider it following local customs. Go get a bowl and chopsticks.”
Following local customs…
This was the palace, the palace of one of the five great Empires of the Heavenly Mystic Continent, the palace of the Great Qian Empire!
What part of it was ordinary?
A moment later, Xiao Bing still brought over a silver bowl and chopsticks.
Chu Ning found it rather fascinating.
“They say emperors use gold bowls and chopsticks. So it is actually true. What an eye-opener…”
“No. This set is specially used to test for poison. It is not ordinary gold or silver either. Almost any poison can make this bowl change color.”
She said seriously, “So I really am not sneaking food! I am testing for poison, all right? It is not what Mr. Chu is thinking!”
Seeing the young girl look so serious, Chu Ning nodded.
With one hand, he held the dishes steady as a mountain. With the other, he opened the clay basins one by one.
Xiao Bing was instantly stunned. Her mouth was watering.
No wonder Her Majesty had refused when she left the palace yesterday, but agreed later that night.
It truly smelled incredible.
Chu Ning narrowed his eyes and gave a chuckle.
“And you still dare say you are not sneaking food? Your drool is the greatest evidence. Later, I will report you to Her Majesty…”
“Tch. This is the palace rule. Besides, I only taste a tiny bit each time. This is risking my life to test for poison and ensure Her Majesty’s greatest safety. A little benefit is only natural, right?”
The young girl truly only served herself a tiny bit each time. She did not dare fill even a single spoonful, placing it in the bowl first to observe it before finally tasting it.
So delicious… How did he make this?
Those useless cooks in the royal kitchen could be kicked out of the palace. Chu Ning should be put in charge of the royal kitchen instead.
Of course, Chu Ning had only been joking. He still understood the rules somewhat, though not much. Food brought from outside definitely could not be casually served before the saintly presence without inspection.
There were all kinds of dishes, more than ten in total. Xiao Bing was stunned, and every dish she tasted shocked her as if it were divine. The more she ate, the more excited she became.
“It is so delicious. Her Majesty is truly blessed. Mr. Chu really can cook!”
“Of course. Come earlier at noon, and I will make some for you to taste. This morning’s food will not do. There is no share for you.”
Xiao Bing gave a soft snort. “I said I am only testing for poison. I do not want to sneak food. As Her Majesty’s personal maid, I understand these rules very well!”
“Mr. Chu, why don’t you hand it to me? Holding it like that must be tiring.”
“You will not be tired?”
“I am a cultivator. Of course I will not be tired.”
“Then forget it. You are only in the third realm right now. Looking at me is like a frog at the bottom of a well raising its head to see the moon. When you one day step into the Heavenly Manifestation Realm, seeing me will be like a mayfly gazing upon the vast heavens.”
“Tch…”
Xiao Bing said unhappily, “Young Master Chu, I am afraid you do not understand what the Heavenly Manifestation Realm means. Ordinary mortals divide martial arts into nine ranks, from 9th rank to 1st rank. Above 1st rank is Grandmaster.”
“And Grandmaster is only the threshold of the Spirit Insight Realm, the first immortal realm. Above that are the Spirit Awakening Realm and Heavenly Divination Realm. These are the lower three immortal realms.”
“After that come the middle three realms and upper three realms. The Heavenly Manifestation Realm is the highest level of the upper three realms. Across the Tianxuan Continent, those who have reached the Heavenly Manifestation Realm can be counted on one hand, and they all belong to top Holy Lands!”
Xiao Bing placed her hands on her hips and gave a soft snort. “Basically, the gap between the Heavenly Manifestation Realm and you, Young Master Chu, is several hundred floors high!”
Chu Ning nodded, showing his agreement.
“Several thousand floors would be more accurate.”
He had just killed many Heavenly Manifestation Realm great demons today. The difference really did feel like several thousand floors. He had glared them to death with a single look. They were not very durable.
Xiao Bing nodded as if it were only natural. “Exactly. So, Young Master Chu, you are only a mortal. Leave it to me. Otherwise, you will get very tired.”
“No matter. I am only waiting for my wife to wake up. It is nothing!”
Chu Ning’s eyes suddenly lit up. Through the door, he saw the scenery inside.
On the bed, Ye Qinglian sat up lazily.
Unlike her usual tightly wrapped appearance, she was wearing only a halter-style dudou for sleep. It was actually golden, embroidered with dragon patterns. That figure…
Xiao Bing suddenly saw Chu Ning looking completely dazed and was puzzled.
“Huh? Young Master Chu, what is wrong?”
Chu Ning coughed lightly.
“Nothing. Her Majesty seems to be awake. Why don’t you go in and check?”
“Not yet, right? It is still early. After all…”
“Xiao Bing, come help Us dress.”
Xiao Bing was instantly dumbfounded.
“Mr. Chu, how were you so accurate? Then I will go in first. Ah, you cannot enter. Her Majesty has not married you yet…”
“Only after I finish helping Her Majesty dress may you enter. I will come call you then.”
“No, even after she dresses, you still cannot enter. This is Her Majesty’s palace…”
Chu Ning slapped the young girl lightly on the head. “Hurry up. Do not delay my wife’s breakfast!”
Xiao Bing rubbed her head. Although it did not hurt, it felt strange.
At any rate, she was still an immortal. How had she gotten smacked on the head? Find the original chapter at g.com.
Chu Ning continued observing.
That figure. Tsk, tsk, tsk…
He only hated that his consciousness had been completely gone at the time, so he had not been able to see her up close.
But back then, Chu Ning had taken three months to recover.
It had felt like his waist had been completely drained.
This woman was that fierce?
Was it related to his wife’s constitution?
Forget it. Keep watching.
Tsk, tsk, tsk…
Inside the bedchamber of Heavenly Tranquility Palace, Xiao Bing quickly helped Ye Qinglian dress.
“Your Majesty woke much earlier than usual today.”
Ye Qinglian also found it strange. “I slept very well yesterday. When I woke today, I also felt very refreshed. I keep feeling as if something inside my body is helping me push against my cultivation…”
“I do not know the reason.”
Xiao Bing smiled and said, “Mr. Chu made breakfast very early today. This servant thought he had not woken up yet, but when I went there, he had already finished cooking…”
Ye Qinglian glanced outside the window. The sky was still dark.
“That must have been hard on him, waking so early. Where is he?”
“He is waiting outside the palace. This servant said I could bring it in myself, but Mr. Chu insisted on delivering it personally…”
Another ripple stirred through Ye Qinglian’s heart.
This man truly was attentive.
His cooking skills were indeed quite good as well.
A moment later, she finished dressing. The imposing aura of the Empress of the Great Qian Empire returned, and her spirit seemed even better than before.
She was in a good mood.
“Forget it. Let him bring it in and eat with Us. Later, go to Our private treasury and take some gold and silver to reward him. Do not let him feel that We have treated him poorly.”
Xiao Bing nodded again and again.
When she stepped out, Chu Ning looked disappointed.
Xiao Bing was too capable. In such a short while, there was already nothing left to see.
“Mr. Chu, Her Majesty asked you to bring the food in and eat with her.”
Chu Ning was overjoyed.
See? This was the benefit of taking initiative.
He had already been allowed to enter the Empress’s bedchamber.
Chu Ning immediately carried the food inside and began setting the dishes.
Thirteen dishes in a row, not inferior to the royal kitchen’s breakfast for Ye Qinglian.
The key was that whether it was the dishes themselves or their aroma, Ye Qinglian was left stunned.
She… aside from that soup last night, had never seen any of them before.
Why did she feel like she, an emperor, had never seen the world?
“Qinglian, eat while it is hot. I made this especially for you. It is the most suitable for calming your mind and nourishing the pregnancy. After you attend court later, you must pay attention to your health. When handling state affairs, you must not tire yourself out either. From now on, you must think for both yourself and the child…”
Looking at Chu Ning, who had already served her a bowl of soup, Ye Qinglian felt touched again.
This man…
He really did seem quite good.
Having no cultivation would not affect her great ambitions. He did not interfere in politics, and he was very good-looking. Especially after putting on these clothes, he did indeed look somewhat like a royal consort.
And this food really smelled delicious.
Beside them, Xiao Bing did not dare look at all.
If she looked again, she would start drooling. She could not take it.
How could Young Master Chu’s food smell this good?
Seeing this, Ye Qinglian spoke calmly.
“Bring two more sets of bowls and chopsticks. You and Xiao Bing may sit down and eat together.”
Xiao Bing instantly grew a little excited. To be honest, she really was craving it.
And Her Majesty was usually very good to her. Sometimes, eating together really was not a big deal.
But Chu Ning spoke with solemn righteousness.
“I have already eaten. Nurturing the pregnancy is the most important thing for you right now. These were all made especially for you. I will not eat.”
Xiao Bing’s head immediately drooped.
“Um… This servant thinks it would be better for Her Majesty to eat it. After all, it is Mr. Chu’s sincerity…”
Ye Qinglian rolled her eyes.
“What do you take Us for? Can We finish this much? Quickly bring the bowls and chopsticks. Eat together. Otherwise, with the two of you staring at Us, how are We supposed to eat?”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”