While waiting for the ingredients, Xiao Qing left to water the vegetable garden. Lian Hua sat on the edge of the pavilion with her legs crossed, cracking sunflower seeds, and with a grand gesture, declared that she would no longer grow vegetables in the future, opting instead for a more elegant pursuit of cultivating flowers.
Xiao Qing worriedly mentioned the patch of pumpkins that were about to be harvested. Lian Hua, in her quandary, thought about how delicious pumpkins were. They could be made into sweet pumpkin porridge or fragrant, soft pumpkin cakes. Such good food should not go to waste. Alas, she decided to keep the vegetable garden for now.
Lian Hua prepared to show off her culinary skills and cook a feast for His Majesty as a token of gratitude. After all, one should not forget the well-digger when drinking water, and without His Majesty, where would all this good food come from?
By evening, the Emperor sat at the dinner table, his eyebrows twitching. He saw seven or eight dishes laid out, including one of fish, one of lamb, one duck dish, a meatball soup, and a few other items. Such an array was rare in Canglan Court.
During these days, the most sumptuous meal in Canglan Court had been the previous night's dinner, which only featured five dishes—two purely meaty and three vegetarian with a touch of meat, enjoyed together. At other times, the meals at Canglan Court were embarrassingly simple.
Today was so extravagant; Little Concubine apparently could not handle being favored. After receiving a small advantage, she commenced splurging and wasting resources. This would not do; she must be punished!
The Emperor remained silent, letting her make the arrangements, only to see her first serve a bowl of sour soup to His Majesty.
The Emperor's meals were all pre-tested for poison by the eunuchs before being served, and once at the table, no one else was allowed near the food unless it was to be cleared away, so Lian Hua did not need to taste the food herself.
"Your Majesty, start with a bowl of sour soup to whet your appetite," Lian Hua said earnestly. "The meatballs in this soup are made from finely chopped pork with three parts lean to seven parts fat, added with egg whites and spices. Once added to the sour broth, it brings a fresh sour taste that is truly refreshing. Please try it."
The Emperor took a sip and without any change in expression, said, "It's passable."
Lian Hua heard this and her face lit up with a smile, knowing that it meant the dish was quite good.
She then offered the Emperor a piece of lamb, saying, "This dish is stone pot lamb, which is very tender. We selected the best leg of lamb meat, sliced it, and marinated it. After frying it with green onions until seventy percent cooked, we pour boiling water into a heated stone pot. When the lamb is seventy percent done, we pour out the water from the stone pot, put in the fried lamb, cover it, and let it stew until fully cooked. This produces lamb that is succulent and delicious, and the residual heat from the stone pot keeps it warm for a long time. Please try it."
The Emperor followed her suggestion and had a taste. Indeed, it was good: "Also passable."
He then lightly added, "However, even with the Imperial Kitchen supplying the ingredients, one should still be frugal and avoid waste." He hoped to make her aware of this.
Lian Hua cheerfully said, "For His Majesty's meals, no amount of dishes is too much; how can it be seen as wasteful? Moreover, Your Majesty deals with state affairs daily, and it's so strenuous. You deserve to nourish yourself."
This certainly wasn't what she used to say. Back then, she advocated for lighter dinners to preserve health!
The Emperor raised an eyebrow but made no comment.
Discerning the Emperor's thoughts, Lian Hua added, "Rest assured, Your Majesty. The portions of each dish are small, and if you cannot finish, we are here to ensure nothing goes to waste."
The Emperor's eyelids twitched. What did she mean by 'they were there'?
Was she usually eating leftovers?
If there were no leftovers, what did she eat?
Was the reason she didn't have dinner last night because of this?
Thinking this, he asked, "Do you usually eat the leftovers from my meals?"
Lian Hua replied, "Not really. Usually, we eat as soon as the food is prepared. It's only when Your Majesty visits that we do this. Although sometimes, I quickly eat a few bites before serving Your Majesty."
As she spoke, she placed another piece of food into the Emperor's bowl.
Hearing her response, the Emperor fell silent for a moment, feeling a slight ache in his heart. He then said, "From now on, when I come, you should also sit down and eat with me."
Lian Hua frowned, hesitantly saying, "Your Majesty, that's against the palace rules."
Although she wanted to, she dared not, for she knew how strict the palace rules were. One misstep could lead to severe criticism.
Seeing her hesitation, the Emperor said, "I grant my permission. Besides, there is no one else here, so there is no need for so many rules. Sit."
Lian Hua was already tempted, but pretended to be reserved, "Oh, how could I possibly—"
The Emperor, amused by her transparent desire, teased her, "If you insist, then..."
Before he could finish, Lian Hua quickly sat down. Eagerly, she interjected, "Since Your Majesty commands, I dare not disobey. Besides, food tastes better when shared. If I can provoke a greater appetite in Your Majesty, then that makes me worthwhile. Xiao Jizi, bring another set of bowl and chopsticks."
The Emperor couldn't help but chuckle silently. Little Concubine was endearing in her sincerity.
Watching Lian Hua eat was indeed a delight. She continued to heap food into her mouth, her cheeks puffing out like a little squirrel, her expression one of utter satisfaction as she savored bite after bite.
"The pineapple duck is delicious. The pineapple's sweet-and-sour flavor combined with the rich duck meat creates a perfect balance. Your Majesty, you should try a piece."
"Mmm... the texture of this fish is not delicate enough. It's nowhere near as good as the fish from Huaqing Pool. It's just that the fish there have become cunning recently and are hard to catch. Otherwise, we wouldn't need to use the fish provided by the Imperial Kitchen," Lian Hua lamented, shaking her head in disappointment.
The Emperor felt a vein twitch on his forehead. The fish in Huaqing Pool were rare species presented as tributes from various regions. After being transported over long distances to the palace, very few survived, making them extraordinarily precious.
And she dared to fish them for her meals? She was pushing her luck to the limit!
No wonder he hadn't seen many fish at Huaqing Pool lately. Even when the eunuchs scattered feed, the fish would only approach after the people left.
So that was it. The Emperor finally discovered the truth...