Jun Wuyuan sipped his tea contentedly, one mouthful after another, looking extremely elegant.
"Load the goods!"
Ling Shan retreated to the side of the imperial desk and stood there silently with her head bowed.
Those who managed to survive in the palace were doing jobs that were truly beyond the endurance of ordinary people.
Calculating the time, Ling Shan had been standing for almost two hours.
This was nothing for her. The other palace servants attending to the inner chambers were not even allowed to move a muscle.
Ling Shan felt that a thin layer of calluses had formed on the soles of her feet over the past few days. Every night when she returned, she had to soak her feet in hot water and massage them before she could fall asleep soundly.
At this moment, her feet still ached. She wondered if Jun Wuyuan would suddenly come up with some new whim later.
If she weren't around, would Jun Wuyuan just mutter to himself in his mind?
After muttering, if he found that there was no one in this world who could fully understand his train of thought, wouldn't that be so pitiful!
Tsk. If she weren't around, who else would coax this tyrant?
In Ling Shan's opinion, Jun Wuyuan had better be sensible and treat her better.
Otherwise, who knows who will have the final say in the future.
"Ling Shan."
"Your Majesty!"
The sudden call made Ling Shan, who was standing with her back to the emperor, respond instinctively.
It was extremely abrupt and strange. At least Jun Wuyuan, who had called her, looked utterly bewildered.
[What a powerful voice this stupid goose has!]
Ling Shan: "..."
She really couldn't stand it!
"I'm asking you a question. What were you daydreaming about?"
[Daring to be in a daze in front of me. How impudent!]
Ling Shan: "..." I've already been impudent many times even though I'm not supposed to be. One more time won't make a difference.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me. I was just thinking about what you would like for dinner. I was a bit distracted. Please don't blame me. May I ask what your Majesty was asking?"
[Well, considering how loyal and considerate this stupid goose is, I'll allow her this one act of impudence.]
Ling Shan: "..." Trying hard not to laugh.
"So what have you come up with?"
[Braised pork knuckle in soy sauce, roasted lamb leg, stewed pig's trotter, cherry pork... ]
Ling Shan: "?"
Is it really okay to eat such heavy - flavored food?
Isn't Jun Wuyuan afraid that he'll make a fool of himself in the Golden Hall tomorrow morning and become a laughingstock among the court officials?
"I just heard that the imperial kitchen received a young lamb today. How about having a roasted lamb leg for dinner, with cherry pork as the main dish, dragon - bird soup, mushroom - stuffed chicken, and adding fresh mushroom and vegetable hearts, lotus seed soup... How does that sound?"
Jun Wuyuan glanced at Ling Shan in surprise, and a hint of approval flashed in his eyes.
[I didn't expect this stupid goose to be... so considerate.]
Far away, Liang Jiusi, who was miserably scrubbing the chamber pots, suddenly felt a chill down his back, as if something was quietly slipping away.
What made Liang Jiusi most sad was that after scrubbing the chamber pots for several days, he still couldn't figure it out.
Why did the emperor punish him in a fit of anger just because of the surprise Miss Ling Shan had prepared?
It was obvious that the emperor treated Miss Ling Shan with a bit of special regard.
Even an old eunuch like him could see it. Could it be that the emperor was trying to deceive the enemy?
Otherwise, why would he treat such a loyal servant like this?
It must be so!
Maybe the emperor had sent him to scrub the chamber pots for some top - secret and earth - shattering mission.
He had to scrub the chamber pots well and not let the emperor down.
Alas, who asked Liang Jiusi to be the most favored inner eunuch supervisor in front of the emperor?
---
During dinner, the table was indeed filled with the imperial dishes that Jun Wuyuan liked. They were extremely delicious.
Ling Shan's current ability to serve dishes was so perfect that Jun Wuyuan couldn't find any fault with it.
Almost as soon as Jun Wuyuan wanted to eat something, Ling Shan would thoughtfully place it in front of him.
If Jun Wuyuan believed in gods and Buddhas, he might have thought that the overly "considerate" Ling Shan was a fox spirit.
Completely unaware that she had been labeled a fox spirit, Ling Shan looked at the table full of delicious food and swallowed her saliva silently.
The emperor's imperial dishes not only used the finest ingredients but also had the best chefs.
The combination of the two made the food incredibly delicious.
Thanks to Liang Jiusi, she had been attending to Jun Wuyuan closely in the past few days and had the chance to taste many delicious dishes.
The emperor had many rules when it came to eating and was also very picky. Among the 108 dishes, there were always some he didn't like.
Ling Shan, however, was not picky about food. As long as it was delicious, she could eat it.
What sustained Ling Shan when serving dishes was the unique imperial cuisine. Otherwise, with Jun Wuyuan's fussy nature...
Hehe...
Cherry pork, roasted lamb leg, crispy duck boxes, white jade cakes, bite - sized pastries... Here she came.
As usual, after Jun Wuyuan finished his meal, he should have gone to the study.
Ling Shan watched Jun Wuyuan leave with a smile on her face, and her heart was already itching with anticipation.
However, unexpectedly, Jun Wuyuan, who should have left long ago, suddenly stopped.
Damn it. This tyrant wouldn't deprive her of her meal, would he?
Ling Shan quietly clenched her fists and thought to herself: If he dared to say something so inhumane and heart - wrenching.
She really would not be able to hold back from hitting him!
"Remember to come and grind ink after you've finished your meal."
The good news was that she could have her meal!
The bad news was that Jun Wuyuan was indeed treating her like a workhorse!
Ling Shan took a big bite of the lamb leg. The delicious taste made her eyes sparkle, but she still couldn't help cursing in her heart.
Having the whole table of delicious food to herself made Ling Shan's mood much better.
A worker's spirit. This imperial meal had effortlessly won over the spineless Ling Shan.
Why couldn't she have been reborn as an empress?
It was really infuriating to compare oneself with others!
What on earth did Jun Wuyuan do to deserve to eat such delicious food every day?
If it wasn't possible, Ling Shan thought she could share it with him.
Achoo -
In the study, Jun Wuyuan, who was concentrating on listening to the report from the black - clothed hidden guard, suddenly sneezed.
The hidden guard: "..."
Was the emperor sick?
Should he continue his report?
Or should he be so bold as to offer his greetings?
The atmosphere was momentarily stagnant. Jun Wuyuan rubbed his itchy nose.
The first thought that popped into his mind was a strange one.
Could it be that the stupid goose was secretly scolding him?
But it was just a fleeting thought.
Although the stupid goose was a bit slow - witted, she understood his thoughts very well. Even Liang Jiusi couldn't be so meticulous and considerate.
How could she scold him?
Jun Wuyuan nodded, and the hidden guard continued his dutiful report.
After a cup of tea had passed, upon receiving the emperor's order, the hidden guard quietly disappeared without leaving a trace.
In the study, only the lamp on the imperial desk remained lit. A handsome face as fair as jade flickered between light and darkness, adding a touch of both elegance and sinister beauty.
His fair and slender fingertips tapped rhythmically on the table. His beautiful peach - blossom eyes glinted with a cold light.
"Your Majesty."
There was a knock on the door. After receiving permission, Ban Chun entered and knelt respectfully:
"Nanny Yang sent a message. The spy in the Cining Palace has been exposed. Should we take action tonight?"
"Be quick and decisive. Go."