Chapter 817: Good News

"Mm..."

It truly pierces the heart, Xia Ruqing thought.

"Emperor, are you competing with me in misery?"

Zhao Junyao twitched his lips and patted her back.

"Don’t talk nonsense!"

"Oh..." Someone remained sulky.

Zhao Junyao dragged her up and said mysteriously.

"I have some good news for you!"

"What?!"

She perked up a bit.

"Give me a kiss, and I’ll tell you!"

Someone had a mischievous smile, even forgetting to use his proper titles.

Xia Ruqing was a bit reluctant.

A kiss was fine, but she didn’t like being teased!

So she turned her head away.

"No kiss!"

"Then I won’t tell you!"

Xia Ruqing felt somewhat unwilling.

"What’s... the good news about?!"

She wanted to see if it was worth the heavy price of being teased.

"Naturally, it’s about food!"

"About food?!" Xia Ruqing was puzzled again.

Thinking hard and still figuring nothing out, she had to grit her teeth and give the Emperor husband a peck on the side of his cheek!

"Now, can you tell me!"

Zhao Junyao was very pleased and happily told her.

"I’ve found the Kitchen Maid you wanted!"

Xia Ruqing shivered suddenly, her eyes lighting up.

"From the Chuan Region?!"

"Naturally!"

"Really!"

Someone became elated.

"Emperor, you’re so good. I thought you had forgotten!"

With that, she hugged his neck and kissed him twice more.

Zhao Junyao felt warmth in his heart, almost overflowing.

"Enough!"

Prying her off him, Zhao Junyao smiled and said.

"Think about what you want to eat tonight. I still have matters to attend to; I’ll see you another day!"

With a Kitchen Maid from the Chuan Region here, tonight the inner chambers might be smoky; he’d better slip away!

Xia Ruqing knew he didn’t eat spicy, so she laughed and said.

"Then I respectfully send the Emperor off!"

Zhao Junyao got up and left.

Xia Ruqing jumped up joyously again.

Zi Yue, beside her, looked quite helpless:

She’s becoming increasingly reckless. Who can tell her how to save their master?

Her excitement faded.

Xia Ruqing decided to meet this Kitchen Maid first, so she called her in.

It was Xiao Xizi who led her inside, as the small kitchen was under his charge.

The Kitchen Maid was about thirty years old.

Her complexion was fair, her appearance upright, medium build, slightly on the plump side, with squinty eyes that looked quite cheerful.

She wore a sapphire blue cloth dress, her gestures appearing sincere.

Upon entering, she kneeled.

"Greetings to Noble Consort!"

Xia Ruqing didn’t rush to call her up, just asked.

"Are you from the Chuan Region? Why did you come to the Capital City?"

The Kitchen Maid replied respectfully.

"Reporting to Noble Consort, I originally wasn’t in the Capital City. I served in a wealthy family in the Chuan Region!"

"Later, my son fell seriously ill, and everyone said the doctors in the Capital City were good, so my husband and I came to the Capital City!"

"Now, my husband works as an accountant in a pawn shop, and I’m looking for work everywhere, but... ultimately haven’t found any!"

"Oh? Why, is your culinary skill lacking or..."

The woman hurriedly explained.

"Reporting to Noble Consort, I’ve loved cooking since childhood. After so many years of learning, I dare not say it’s very good, but it’s definitely not bad!"

"Can’t find work because I have no money to give to the Placement Agencies..."

Placement Agencies are like modern intermediaries.

The better ones specialize in recruiting staff for wealthy families, collecting fees from both sides.

If you don’t pay, no matter how suitable you are, it won’t work; you won’t even get a chance.

The more money you pay, the better the job introduced to you. She learned this from reading books!

"So that’s how it is!"

Xia Ruqing nodded.

"What dishes can you make?"

The woman thought for a moment and answered.

"I’m most skilled in Chuan Region dishes, both big dishes and snacks!"

"Previously, for a living, when I couldn’t find work, I set up a stall by the roadside..."

"Luckily, one day a man came and bought a few pancakes from me, praised them, and inquired about my family’s background."

"Later, the man asked me if I was willing to enter the palace to serve..."

Xia Ruqing nodded as she listened.

She understood the situation completely, and with the Emperor’s verification.

She had nothing to worry about.

She waved her hand and called her to rise.

"From now on, you’ll serve in the Duanning Palace!"

"Someone will teach you the rules, tell you how to conduct yourself!"

"As long as you do well, I naturally won’t treat you unfairly!" Xia Ruqing said sternly.

"Yes!" The Kitchen Maid was very excited.

"I will definitely be obedient and serve the Noble Consort well!"

Xia Ruqing nodded.

Her expression softened, and she had Xiao Xizi take her away.

"What do you both think?" she asked Zi Yue and Zi Su.

"She seems alright, looks honest, but still needs careful observation!" Zi Yue said with a smile.

Zi Su vigorously nodded in agreement.

Xia Ruqing also smiled.

"You all don’t trust someone the Emperor found!"

"By the way, was I too stern just now?!"

Speaking with a stern face, she was somewhat unused to it.

Zi Yue was startled for a moment.

Zi Su, off to the side, directly denied.

"No!"

"You’re the Noble Consort; naturally, you must have the dignity of a Noble Consort!"

"Besides, she’s new here, naturally needs to be properly taught a lesson, so she knows the Noble Consort isn’t easy to fool!"

Xia Ruqing was quite helpless.

"You’re just a little hot pepper!"

"I hear the couple of second-class ones under you are often scolded to tears, is there any truth to it?"

Zi Su pouted.

"Master, I’m not one to frequently scold people, nor do I lack reason!"

"Some things are repeated three or four times and still not remembered, do you think they should be scolded?"

Next to her, Zi Yue nodded and tapped her forehead, teased.

"Alright, stop explaining. Aren’t you yourself a piece of explosive coal, igniting with a spark?!"

Zi Su, hit on a shortcoming, blushed and started playfully acting spoiled.

"Sister Zi Yue, I’m... trying to change..."

Zi Yue, entangled by her, was quite helpless.

Xia Ruqing had a bit of a headache.

"Alright, stop clinging together!"

"If you have time, watch out and don’t let anyone deduct her portion!"

Newcomers are always easy targets of bullying!

"Yes!"

Zi Su went away, while Zi Yue remained serving at the side.

Xia Ruqing began pondering another matter.

"What to eat tonight?"

"Zi Yue, get me a local gazetteer!"

She wanted to see what delicious food ancient Chuan Region had.

Zi Yue responded and went off.

...

That night, she ordered a spicy fish, roasted rabbit meat, and grilled trotters.

All dishes she hadn’t tried before.

Turns out the Kitchen Maid’s skill was indeed exceptional.

The spicy fish was full of heat, not just dry spicy, but fragrant amidst the spiciness.

Eating several bites really made it hard to stop.

The rabbit meat and trotters were also tasty; by the end, her mouth almost lost sensation.

Just as she didn’t know how to soothe it, she saw Little Zhuzi and another Little Eunuch carrying a basket over.

Inside were fresh fruits of the year.

Xia Ruqing felt deeply grateful; the Emperor husband truly understood her!