A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace

Chapter 398: Chapter 398: Living So Comfortably

”My lady, just wait until you gain favor!”

”Once favored, if the Emperor visits a few more times, who knows, you might conceive!”

Ding Xiang still had full confidence in her mistress.

Honored Lady Du gave a self-deprecating smile. Without someone’s support, it’s hard to stand out in this harem!

Having said that, she continued looking at the Child-Granting Guanyin.

Ding Xiang’s eyes darted around. ”My lady, I heard... Honored Lady Jiang is doing well. When I went to collect our evening meal, I saw the Imperial Kitchen had given them much better dishes than ours—they even had soup!”

”If we want soup here, we have to beg and plead for ages!” Ding Xiang sighed.

Honored Lady Du immediately perked up. ”Are you telling the truth?”

Ding Xiang nodded. ”Of course, I am!”

Honored Lady Du shook her head. It’s not possible. Since no one is favored, why should she be living so well! I haven’t... had soup in such a long time.

Every time the Imperial Kitchen delivered soup, it was just casually thrown together from other ladies’ leftovers. There was no way they’d make a soup specially for us! Whatever the others had left over, they’d just ladle a bowl for us, and that was considered quite good. Sometimes there was good soup, but without a thermal jar to keep it warm, it would be cold by the time it arrived. But after heating it up, it was still drinkable! So, to have someone make soup specially for you truly meant the Imperial Kitchen was showing you great consideration.

Without favor and without support, I simply cannot believe she could be living so well!

Ding Xiang then said doubtfully, ”But... I haven’t seen Honored Lady Jiang currying favor with anyone! She didn’t even send a gift for the Crown Prince’s Third Day Bath ceremony!”

Hearing this, Honored Lady Du’s recently settled thoughts became muddled again. Feeling a mess inside, she simply shook her head. ”Forget it, forget it, I don’t want to think about it anymore! Let’s sleep, let’s sleep!”

Ding Xiang acknowledged and hurried to help her mistress wash up.

「...」

In the harem, according to ancient tradition, there should be four Consorts and nine Imperial Concubines. Currently, neither the four Consort positions nor the nine Imperial Concubine positions were fully occupied. The ranks of the nine Imperial Concubines, in descending order, were Zhaoyi, Zhaorong, Zhaoyuan, Xiuyi, Xiurong, Xiuyuan, Chongyi, Chongrong, and Chongyuan.

Originally, there were three Pin-ranked concubines in the harem: Consort Hui Pin, Consort Yun Pin, and Consort Zheng Pin. Consort Hui Pin held the rank of Zhaoyuan, Consort Yun Pin was a Xiuyuan, and Consort Zheng Pin was a Xiurong.

Now, Xia Jieyu had been promoted to Consort Xian Pin. The Emperor had granted her the rank of Zhaoyi. This meant Consort Xian Pin had leaped forward to become the head of the nine Imperial Concubines.

Lady Zhaoyi, as head of the nine Imperial Concubines, was inherently very prestigious. And now that she had given birth to the Crown Prince, her status was almost equivalent to that of a full Consort.

Consort Zheng Pin had always been critical of Xia Ruqing, and Consort Yun Pin didn’t seem to think much of her either. When the two of them got together, they couldn’t find a good word to say.

Consort Zheng Pin forced a bitter smile. ”Back then, she was just a Lady. When we met, she had to kneel and pay her respects. At that time, she even referred to herself as ’this servant’!”

”But now...”

Consort Yun Pin also sneered. ”Now she’s high above us, and we have to be polite when we see her!”

One Pin was not the same as another. Though they might appear to be on equal footing, were they really? In the palace, everyone knew clearly who to flatter and who to snub. Ladies like Consort Zheng Pin and Consort Yun Pin had long since fallen out of favor. As long as they could maintain a semblance of dignity in public and not appear too wretched, that was sufficient. They themselves were not favored and dared not find fault.

Without favor, what good was their Pin rank? Their lives might not even have been as good as a favored Honored Lady’s. That was how it was in the palace: if you were favored, you had everything. That’s why... everyone desperately vied for favor!

Consort Zheng Pin was out of favor, and Noble Concubine Shih had long since cast Consort Yun Pin aside, as if she’d been exiled to Java. When Consort Yun Pin went to Xifu Palace, she could rarely see the Noble Consort. So, gradually, she stopped going.

Thus, these two lonely figures in the palace often found themselves confiding in each other.

Consort Zheng Pin said with a bitter smile, ”We just watched, helpless, as Consort Xian Pin rose from a mere Lady to become the head of the nine imperial concubines, Lady Zhaoyi!”

Consort Yun Pin also gave a bitter smile but said nothing.

The blow was significant for both of them. But there was nothing they could do!

「...」

November arrived. The weather grew even colder. The sky had been gloomy since morning, and now gusts of cold wind blew, heralding snow.

Inside Qingya Residence, it was as warm as spring. With the Little Prince present, no one dared to be negligent. The ground dragon heating system was burning fiercely. Xia Ruqing wore only a single layer of clothing yet still felt a little warm.

In truth, not many in the palace could afford ground dragon heating; most simply lit a charcoal brazier to keep warm. After all, that saved a considerable amount of charcoal. But now, in her residence, there was absolutely no need to economize. The Ministry of Internal Affairs eagerly sent her supplies. The Imperial Kitchen also served her meticulously. Even though they couldn’t add salt to her food, every meal was still diligently prepared, with a constantly changing variety of dishes to serve her. They were terrified that this mistress would become displeased and forbid them from serving her again. If such an incident were to happen again, it was more than likely... they wouldn’t survive it.

Xia Ruqing’s days were incredibly comfortable; she was truly thriving.

After breakfast, she had nothing to do but lie there and watch Little Bun sleep. Sister Liang handled changing diapers and breastfeeding. Sister Huang and Sister Jiang took turns coaxing and caring for the baby. Both were highly experienced, understood medicine, and knew exactly how to care for an infant.

The Little Prince was well-nourished and rarely cried. He would eat when hungry and sleep when full! His only movement consisted of kicking his little feet in his dreams.

Zi Yue and the others took care of all other miscellaneous tasks. Xiao Xizi was solely responsible for running errands everywhere, fetching meals, and similar duties. Xiao Zhu Zi was still responsible for the front and back courtyards, as well as the two cats, Da Bai and Xiao Bai.

Xia Ruqing was lying there, watching her son sleep. Suddenly, she felt the pillow dip slightly. It was a familiar sensation; without even looking, she knew it was either Da Bai or Xiao Bai!

Xia Ruqing turned her head to look. Mhm, it was Xiao Bai; she saw two snow-white front paws. Her fur was all fluffy; she had just been bathed and exuded a unique, fresh scent.

”Xiao Bai...” Xia Ruqing pinched her little paw.

Xiao Bai MEOWED once, then turned her gaze to the swaddled infant. Then... she slowly padded around the pillow and came to Little Bun’s side.

”MEOW!”

She was very curious. Huh, why is there suddenly a little baby next to Master? How come he’s lying next to Master? Could he be... a little master?

”MEOW...” Xiao Bai looked at Xia Ruqing.

Xia Ruqing just smiled and stroked Xiao Bai. ”He’s the one I bore. You can’t touch him, only look!”

Xiao Bai seemed a little dejected. Mhm, he’s the little master, alright. It’s just... I can’t play with him. But that’s alright!

Xiao Bai tilted her head, thinking. ”MEOW...”

Then I’ll just touch his blanket!

Thinking this, Xiao Bai stretched out her little paw and tapped Little Bun’s blanket, tap, tap, tap! She tapped it once, looked up at Xia Ruqing, then tapped it again, and then once more!

Xia Ruqing found this quite amusing. ”Do you want to keep him company?”

Xiao Bai MEOWED in affirmation.

Xia Ruqing thought for a moment. The cats had already been examined by an Imperial Physician and confirmed to be healthy; that was why she dared to keep them. Moreover, ever since she had given birth, Da Bai and Xiao Bai were taken by Zi Yue and the others to be bathed every two days.