Chapter 70 - 69 Bitterness

She then gave another instruction."Bring me the scriptures. I’ll transcribe another volume!" Yu Lan quickly brought over the scrolls and prepared the ink and brush. The Empress thought, Perhaps writing will ease the discomfort in my heart. After pondering for a moment, she picked up the brush and slowly began transcribing the scriptures. However, after writing a few characters, she always felt dissatisfied. She changed the paper and wrote a few more characters, but it still wasn’t good enough. After ruining several more pages, the Empress simply put down her brush. Tears started falling from her eyes again, as if the bitterness in her heart was about to overflow. She wondered: Is it that the Emperor visits too infrequently? No, that isn’t it. I am the Empress; in the entire Harem, who else has he seen more regularly? Whether it’s the first or the fifteenth of the month, the Emperor never misses a visit. Although intimacy occurred on only one out of three such nights, that still isn’t infrequent! I’ve seen the records from the Respectful Affairs Office; it was the same for Noble Concubine Shih—intimacy occurred only once in several visits. Why can’t it be me? Why can’t it be me! Sister Ji didn’t wait until the end of the month. On the third day after receiving the news, she packed her belongings and entered the palace. With bitterness welling in her heart, the Empress struggled to eat or sleep for two or three days, until dark circles formed under her eyes. Upon seeing her Wetnurse Sister arrive, she immediately dismissed the servants and burst into tears, throwing herself at her. "Sister, help me..." Sister Ji’s heart shattered. "Empress, I nursed you myself. If I don’t help you, who will I help? Please get up..." When the Empress saw her Wetnurse Sister, she finally felt some reassurance in her heart. However, these are all later events, not to be mentioned for now. ... 「That evening.」 The news of Noble Concubine Shih’s pregnancy quickly spread throughout the Harem. The Empress Dowager, unable to contain her joy, had Sister Qing send many precious nourishing tonics and medicinal ingredients over. The Emperor also instructed Li Shengan to select various items from the storeroom to send over. Nourishing tonics, medicines, bolts of silk, fine fabrics, antiques, and jewelry of all kinds—everything was provided. Despite the bitterness in her heart, the Empress had to muster her spirits and instructed her people to carefully select some items to send as well. For a time, gifts flowed into Xifu Palace like water, with countless fine things entering Noble Concubine Shih’s coffers within a single day. Besides the rewards from the Emperor, the Empress Dowager, and the Empress herself, the others below them also had to send gifts. These were not considered rewards but rather congratulatory presents. 「Inside Zhaohua Pavilion.」 Xia Ruqing was troubled by two things. The first was what gift to send to Noble Concubine Shih as congratulations. The second was what to have for dinner. Though she was but an inconspicuous Honored Lady, she couldn’t avoid or escape such matters. "Zi Yue, what do you think we should send?" "Sending food certainly won’t do, and sending trinkets seems insufficiently solemn..." Xia Ruqing nodded. "That’s exactly the issue." Noble Concubine Shih’s child would also be of high status; sending a mere trinket would be like dismissing a beggar, wouldn’t it? After thinking it over, Xia Ruqing gave her instruction. "Take a few Silver Tokens and have the artisans from the Ministry of Internal Affairs craft a pair of small silver bracelets. Engrave them with a ’Hundred Children’ motif. That should suffice, don’t you think?" Besides, they wouldn’t appreciate something too extravagant anyway, she mused. "Ah... that’s a good idea!" Zi Yue happily agreed. Silver bracelets were exquisite, unlikely to cause offense, and showed thoughtfulness. Xia Ruqing was also satisfied. Though Noble Concubine Shih definitely won’t let her child wear something I sent, Xia Ruqing thought. She wasn’t trying to ingratiate herself. Once the congratulatory gift was sent, her task would be considered complete. Setting that matter aside, Xia Ruqing began to ponder what to have for dinner. "Spring is lasting so long! Why isn’t it summer yet?" sighed Xia Ruqing. It wasn’t that she was particularly troubled, but rather that nothing truly appealed to her appetite. Ancient times were unlike the modern era; there were no greenhouses for cultivation, nor any off-season vegetables. Once winter came, fresh vegetables were extremely hard to come by. If one desired them, they had to be transported over ice for thousands of miles from the south. Zhao Junyao found this too extravagant and had cut this expense when he first ascended the throne. Now, even the Emperor was eating dried vegetables; who else dared to say anything? The so-called "dried vegetables" included items like dried beans, gourd strips, and dried radish from the previous year. In short, any vegetable that could be dried was available, so the variety was quite complete. When it was time to eat, they could be soaked in water and then stir-fried or boiled. Although not as tasty as fresh ones, dried vegetables had their own unique flavor and weren’t unpalatable. However, after having them a few times, Xia Ruqing no longer wanted to eat them. From my perspective, it would be better to eat wild greens! The winters and springs of ancient times were indeed hard to endure. Zi Yue laughed. "Mistress, you must be jesting. Wild greens are what the poor eat. Let alone in the palace, even prominent households outside wouldn’t consume them!" Xia Ruqing was somewhat speechless. She finally understood what it meant to "suffer for the sake of face." Are wild greens not considered vegetables? This feudal society! It’s bad enough that people are divided into ranks and classes, but even vegetables are categorized? Impressive, truly impressive... After thinking it over, Xia Ruqing decided, "I want to eat wild greens. From now on, don’t request these dried vegetables for me. If you all enjoy them, you can request them for yourselves!" Zi Yue, unable to persuade her otherwise, could only agree. The next day, Xia Ruqing indeed took a small bag of Silver Tokens and had them sent to the Imperial Kitchen. "I want a selection of various wild greens. Remember, they must be fresh. If there are none fresh, then it’s better not to get any at all!" "Alright..." Zi Yue complied and went off. The Imperial Kitchen had special purchasers. If any consorts or ladies from the palaces craved something, they could pay Silver to have them purchase it; this was standard practice. The Ministry of Internal Affairs also had purchasers. If the consorts or ladies took a liking to jewelry from a particular shop in the Capital City, or specific rouges and powders, or other novelties, they could purchase these items on their behalf, all in accordance with regulations. Besides, the Emperor himself had instructed the Imperial Kitchen to take good care of Lady Xia. Even without payment, if an Honored Lady specifically requested something to eat, they would have to procure it, wouldn’t they? What’s more, she had provided Silver. That settled the matter entirely. The day after receiving the Silver, all the wild greens Xia Ruqing wanted were bought. At noon, Xiao Weizi even made a special trip to deliver them. Since the Honored Lady hadn’t specified which types she wanted, Xiao Weizi had gathered all sorts of common and uncommon ones. "Honored Lady, we have all sorts of wild greens: there’s wild artemisia, ’noodle vegetable,’ and shepherd’s purse. These are commonly eaten by the common folk. There are also two less common types. We servants saw they were fresh and inexpensive, so we bought them." "What are the uncommon ones?" asked Xia Ruqing. In fact, she still didn’t know what kinds of wild vegetables existed in this dynasty. "There’s bitter cress and toon sprouts..." Xiao Weizi hadn’t finished speaking when Xia Ruqing interrupted him. "What did you say? There are toon sprouts?" Her eyes lit up, and she practically jumped to her feet. She had just been wondering what wild vegetables this era had to improve her meals. Unexpectedly... unexpectedly, there are toon sprouts! Xiao Weizi was taken aback by her reaction. Zi Yue, standing beside her, helplessly pressed her forehead. She looked up at the sky, then down at the ground. Hmph, this isn’t my mistress. Whoever wants her can take her away... "Mistress, do you... not like them?" Xiao Weizi asked, looking bewildered.