Perhaps the trip back to her maiden home had worn her out, and Tao Ti overslept the next day.
When she saw the bright sunlight outside the window, she asked Linglong nervously with a head of messy hair, “What time is it? Where’s the crown prince? When did he leave? I got up so late, did I miss the timing to pay my respects to the empress?”
Ahhhhhhhh what should I do, being a sleepyhead is nothing but trouble!
Linglong was stunned by this barrage of questions and froze for a moment before saying, “Crown Princess, it’s almost noon. His Highness got up at six in the morning; seeing that you were still asleep, he told us servants not to disturb you. His Highness also said that Crown Princess only needs to pay respects to the empress on the first and fifteenth day of the month, this is what His Majesty instructed.”
“!!!”
Tao Ti’s eyes lit up—there was actually such a good thing?
On second thought, it did make sense. After all, Empress Zhou was not the crown prince’s mother, so she might not like to see Tao Ti in front of her all the time. Moreover, the main purpose of her marrying into the Eastern Palace was to take care of the crown prince, not to serve her mother-in-law.
Tsk tsk, this emperor really doted on his son like crazy, but she had gained some benefits because of that.
Tao Ti’s was put in a good mood when she thought about how she could sleep in happily in the future.
When she was done freshening up, the Food Services Bureau had also delivered lunch.
Linglong explained while serving the dishes, “His Highness usually has lunch with Grand Mentor and the others.”
“Mm, I understand,” replied Tao Ti. As she stared at the dishes on the table, and a question slowly formed within her.
Perhaps because the Food Services Bureau saw that she liked the sauce-braised duck wings very much, so the dishes for lunch today were changed this way?
Tao Ti, “……”
She just… didn’t know what to say.
Seeing that she hadn’t picked up her chopsticks, the eunuch from the Food Services Bureau asked cautiously, “Crown Princess, are the dishes not to your taste?”
Tao Ti returned to her senses and looked at the eunuch, “Is there any chilli in the Eastern Palace’s kitchen? Or any spicy seasonings?”
“Spicy seasonings?” The eunuch was startled, thought for a moment and replied, “Cornelian cherries, pepper, sea pepper, Sichuan pepper, millet pepper, ram’s horn pepper, these are all available...”
They had all of these?!
Tao Ti’s eyes lit up; ahhhhhhhhhh her hot pot, spicy hotpot, hot and sour noodles, chopped chilli fish head, spicy poached pork slices, fiery fried rice noodles, Sichuan mala chicken, spicy duck necks...... there’s hope for all of them now!
She stood up immediately and said with great enthusiasm, “Linglong, accompany me to the kitchen.”
Seeing that her mistress was going to the kitchen and calling for Linglong to accompany her, Zishuang, who was also waiting on her at the side, became a little anxious. What on earth had happened to her mistress? After one wedding night, she had inexplicably distanced herself from her by a lot. It can’t go on like this!
Zishuang’s eyes rolled in thought, then said hurriedly, “Mistress, the kitchen is full of soot and grime, what is a precious and noble self like you going there for? If you have any orders, you can just call for Supervisor Yuan from the Food Services Bureau.”
Tao Ti cast her a glance, “I have no orders, I just want to go to the kitchen for a look.”
Zishuang choked; she still wanted to speak, but Tao Ti had already left, taking Linglong with her.
Zishuang bit her lip bitterly; she didn’t know how this little tramp Linglong had sucked up to her mistress, to have actually made her mistress value her so much! How infuriating!
*****
The Eastern Palace could be said to be big, but could also be said to be small; before long, news of the crown princess going to the kitchen had spread.
“Have you heard? Crown Princess complained that the dishes served by the Kitchens tasted bad and threw a huge fit on the spot. Putting aside how she flung her chopsticks down, she even ran to the kitchen to denounce them… those on duty in the kitchen are going to be in trouble now.”
“No way! Even dishes prepared by imperial chefs can’t satisfy her?”
“Who knows… Anyway, I’ve long heard that this crown princess is not a good sort. Before getting married, she cried and threw tantrums all the time, adamantly refusing to marry into our Eastern Palace. She’s only been married here for a few days, and it’s already no longer peaceful!”
Rumours spread like wildfire, and there were even several versions, such as the crown princess flipped the table, the crown princess slapped the eunuch who delivered the meal, the crown princess announced that she was going to replace all the chefs in the Kitchens… everything was painted in vivid detail.
By the time the words reached Pei Yan’s ears, it had already evolved into the furious crown princess was about to trash the kitchen.
Pei Yan, “......”
The chatterbox Zhan Ping was still blabbering ceaselessly, “Your Highness, you really have to control the crown princess! Who has ever not praised the food from the Eastern Palace’s Kitchens after tasting them? Yet, she’s being so picky! Today, she’s trashing the kitchen, then tomorrow, is the Eastern Palace’s roof going to be ripped off?!”
Pei Yan looked calmly at him, “Where did you hear all these from?”
“When coming over here, all the palace attendants I met along the way were talking about this.”
Pei Yan pursed his lips slightly, then called the eunuch Fu Xirui in. “Where is the crown princess now?”
Fu Xirui hesitated for a moment before replying with downcast eyes, “It seems that… Crown Princess is in the kitchen.”
Zhan Ping shrugged and gave Pei Yan a “See, I didn’t lie, right?” look.
Pei Yan coughed lightly a couple of times.
Zhan Ping was startled, “Eh, Your Highness, you mustn’t harm your body getting angry over such a woman.”
Pei Yan did not say a word; in the next instant, he stood up and went out of the study.
“Your Highness, where are you going?” After speaking, Zhan Ping couldn’t help but smack his head—sigh, where else would he be going? He must be going to look for the crown princess to get even!
At the thought of this, he followed hurriedly, shouting, “Hey, Your Highness, wait for this subordinate, I’ll come with you.”