A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace-Chapter 996: You’re So Kind

"Did I eat a lot?"

Xia Ruqing was a bit aggrieved. Clearly, it wasn’t much at all!

Zhao Junyao was amused.

"Alright, alright! Not a lot! Hurry and eat!"

"Hmph! Exactly!"

Xia Ruqing continued to bury her head in her meal.

Zhao Junyao shook his head helplessly and started eating too, remaining silent.

After lunch, the two took another nap.

When they got up in the afternoon, it was indeed snowing outside.

"Wow!"

"What heavy snow!"

"Oh, the plum blossoms in the Imperial Garden should be blooming!" Xia Ruqing said with a look of surprise.

White snow and red plums are never boring to see; she really wanted to go out and see them!

"No! You can’t go!"

Zhao Junyao mercilessly said.

"Why?" she protested a bit.

"Your body hasn’t completely healed yet. You can’t run around on such a cold day!"

He waved his hand, and Zi Yue came in with a soup bowl.

"Your Grace, you must continue drinking the bird’s nest soup with milk!"

"It also has donkey-hide gelatin, which is very nourishing. You must drink it while it’s hot!"

"Ah?"

"Donkey-hide gelatin?"

She looked incredulous.

Zhao Junyao said,

"I heard from the Imperial Physician that donkey-hide gelatin replenishes qi and blood, so drink more of it!"

"You’ll have to drink it every day from now on!"

This felt like another assignment.

Although Xia Ruqing was somewhat unwilling, she knew that donkey-hide gelatin and bird’s nest were good things.

So she didn’t protest much and quickly drank the bowl of soup.

"But, not being allowed to go out is really not good!"

That was what upset her the most.

"Wait until the weather gets better!"

Zhao Junyao firmly refused her.

Xia Ruqing’s heart felt chilled.

"Alright then!"

Taking care of her health was also a good idea; after all, she could still see the plum blossoms after the New Year!

Seeing her obediently comply, Zhao Junyao was quite pleased.

"In a few days, I’ll have plum trees planted in the empty area outside your window!"

"That way, you can see them even without leaving the room. Isn’t that the best of both worlds?"

"Really?"

Her eyes lit up!

Zhao Junyao smiled and raised an eyebrow.

"When have I ever lied to you?"

"I don’t think you have!"

Xia Ruqing chuckled.

"You’re so good to me, Your Majesty!"

Zhao Junyao didn’t reply, just ruffled her hair.

Xia Ruqing protested, taking his hand away.

"Your Majesty, I’m already the mother of four children, and you’re still ruffling my hair!"

"What’s wrong with being the mother of four?" 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

"In my eyes, you’ll always be that naive little girl!"

"Little girl?"

Xia Ruqing was surprised!

Zhao Junyao smiled without saying a word!

After a while, he said,

"Aren’t you practicing calligraphy today? How about I paint with you instead!"

"Let’s capture this snowy scene!"

"Sure!"

Xia Ruqing agreed happily.

She loved painting the most.

Primarily because Zhao Junyao was good at it.

Being born into the Royal Family and receiving an excellent education, he was truly full of talent.

His paintings.

Were even more beautiful than those in modern museums.

So she really liked them.

Zi Yue swiftly tidied up the small table.

Zi Su arranged the brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone, even the colors were fully prepared.

Xia Ruqing diligently stepped forward to grind the colors.

"Your Majesty, let’s start!"

"I’ll assist you!"

Zhao Junyao thoroughly enjoyed the feeling of being admired.

He smiled and picked up the brush, dipped it in ink, and began sketching.

The room fell into a lake-like silence.

Time flowed quietly like water through fingers.

He held his breath, focused intently, as strong and gentle lines successively came to life on the rice paper.

While grinding the ink, she watched his painting.

Occasionally glancing up, looking at him with admiring and affectionate eyes, her heart pounded.

’So handsome!’

’A serious man is indeed handsome!’

’And so talented!’

’My god, this perfect ruler is actually her husband!’

Xia Ruqing was nearly mesmerized, how does the saying go:

When you like someone, even if you keep your mouth shut, it will show through your eyes.

This must be how she feels!

So, she probably likes Zhao Junyao too!

Lost in thought, Xia Ruqing suddenly felt silly.

’Haha, I’ve already had four kids, isn’t it a bit late to consider this now!’

Stop thinking about it, stop thinking about it!

A sweet and heartwarming afternoon thus passed.

Xia Ruqing got a painting drawn by her emperor husband, the "Bamboo in Snow Painting."

She was as delighted as a child, looking at it repeatedly.

"Your Majesty, you’re so talented!"

She had only seen such works in modern museums.

Now it appeared in front of her just like that.

And the person who painted it stood right in front of her, alive.

The feeling was truly magical.

"Your Majesty, can I have this painting?" she looked expectantly.

Zhao Junyao chuckled.

"It’s yours to begin with!"

"Shall I add some words and a seal to it too?"

"Yes, yes!"

With added words and a seal, it would be a proper handwritten work from the Emperor himself.

Selling it could be worth a fortune since such a thing is priceless!

Of course, selling it was impossible, she wanted to cherish it!

After all, it was a gift from her emperor husband, wasn’t it? How rare!

"Hehe, thank you, Your Majesty!"

She was overjoyed.

Zhao Junyao, seeing her happiness, couldn’t help but smile widely, feeling sentimental.

’So many years have passed, and she’s still so easy to please!’

’She never schemes with him, never asks for favor or power!’

’For a woman in the harem to live like this! If he hadn’t seen it himself, he wouldn’t believe it!’

Thinking this, he laughed.

"Alright then!"

"Look at you being so satisfied!"

"If you like, I can paint for you every day!"

"No need, no need!"

"Later, when the plum trees are moved here, just paint another snow plum painting!"

"Hang one inside and one outside, so I can see them every day!"

It’s not flattery; it’s truly beautiful!

Zhao Junyao couldn’t help but laugh.

"Alright!"

"As long as you like it!"

He agreed without hesitation, simply and decisively.

Outside, Li Shengan was somewhat incredulous.

Others might not know, but having served by the Emperor’s side since childhood, he knew clearly!

The Emperor’s calligraphy was never casually gifted.

Whether to the favored ministers of the former dynasty or the Favored Consort in the harem.

Even the once highly favored Noble Concubine Shih never received his calligraphy.

Now, with this New Empress,

these things were as if they were free.

He could directly paint every day.

If he hadn’t heard it himself, he wouldn’t have believed it even if beaten to death!

This New Empress has indeed grasped the Emperor’s heart completely and perfectly!

He sighed again.

’Back then, just a little Lady! Who could have foreseen this scenario!’

’And Noble Concubine Shih, who was once so favored, now has such an ending!’

’Tsk, tsk!’

’Isn’t there a saying that the winds of the harem keep changing, and fortunes shift over thirty years from east to west!’

...

Days passed by.

By mid-December, it snowed twice more.

Yue Er’s first birthday banquet also arrived.

Xia Ruqing thought the birthday banquet should be simple.

Zhao Junyao disagreed and immediately ordered that it must be grand!