Baozi Xishi's Struggle

Chapter 525 Are you willing to stay in the palace and serve the Queen Mother?

"Why don't you get up and walk around? It's cold outside, but your palace is warm as spring. Why don't you walk around the palace a few times and exercise for an incense stick of time before you rest."

The Queen Mother was very convinced of Shen Yu at this time, and nodded with a smile: "I didn't expect that you, a girl, also know some pharmacology. I will do as you say. I will change into dry clothes and walk around in this palace."

As the two were talking, they heard the eunuch outside announce, "The Emperor has arrived."

The Queen Mother smiled and said, "Who was this clever person who reported this? How did the Emperor know about it so quickly?"

Although she said this, she was not actually angry. She just sat back on the kang and waited for the emperor to come in.

Shen Yu hurriedly retreated to Madam Lu's side, lowered his eyebrows and closed his eyes. From the corner of his eye, he saw a figure in bronze clothes striding in, saying as he walked: "I heard that the Queen Mother can eat now, but it's true."

Madam Lu and Shen Yu knelt down to pay their respects, but the emperor only had eyes for the empress dowager, who looked much better sitting on the kang. He waved his hand casually and said, "Madam Lu, there's no need to be polite. Get up and talk quickly."

The Queen Mother smiled and said, "You rushed in so hastily, and someone who didn't know would think something had happened to me."

The emperor has been on the throne for several years. In front of his ministers, he is the majestic emperor and looks like a serious monarch.

At this moment, in front of his own mother, he acted like a spoiled child: "Son, aren't you happy?"

"I heard that the Queen Mother enjoyed the porridge very much and ate a lot."

The Queen Mother pointed to the casserole porridge bowl that had not been removed yet and said, "Look, it's the bowl on the small table over there. I ate a bowl and a half of porridge. If Madam Lu hadn't stopped me, I would have eaten more."

The emperor looked at the empress dowager, who looked thin but in such good health that he had not seen for many days. He felt relieved and said with a smile, "Madam Lu is right to stop us. The queen mother has not had a good meal for many days. She can't eat too much at one meal."

The emperor turned around and looked around at everyone, then asked the empress dowager with a smile, "My son heard from Eunuch Qin that the cook who cooked the porridge was a young cook brought by Madam Lu. Where is she now? She has done a great service in serving the empress dowager, and I will reward her handsomely."

Mr. Lu secretly pushed Shen Yu who was standing beside him. Shen Yu had no choice but to take a step forward, kneel down and salute: "My daughter Shen Yuzhi pays respect to the emperor. May the emperor be well."

The emperor looked at the young woman kneeling on the ground with great interest, raised his hand and said, "Miss Shen, please don't be polite. Are you the cook that Madam Lu brought with her?"

"Where did Madam Lu find you? Are you willing to stay in the palace and work in the small kitchen of Kangning Palace, serving the Queen Mother?"

Shen Yu was startled. She fell to her knees again with a thump after just standing up. She lowered her head and grimaced in pain.

She didn't want to stay in the palace. No matter how good the palace was, it would be too painful to have to kneel down every time she saw a master.

But the emperor had spoken, and she didn't dare to refuse. What should she do?

Thinking of this, she didn't dare not reply, so she had to raise her head slightly and look at Madam Lu for help.

Old Madam Lu was also unwilling to do so. If she kept Miss Shen in the palace, she would not be able to leave for at least ten or eight years. What would happen to her beloved grandson who was looking forward to getting married?

Her mind turned quickly, and she hurried forward to bow and said respectfully: "Your Majesty, this Miss Shen is my granddaughter-in-law who has not yet married into the family. She is not a cook in a restaurant."

"It's because the Queen Mother has a poor appetite and she knows how to cook some special home-cooked dishes, so she was specially called over from Anping County."

"On the 18th day of the twelfth lunar month, she will marry my grandson Lu Lang."

"Lu Lang? Getting married?"

"Oh, so you are the girl that Lu Bangyan wants to marry."

The emperor seemed to have thought of something and asked with a smile.

Shen Yu was still kneeling on the ground, and quickly replied: "In reply to the emperor, it is my daughter."

Seeing this, the Queen Mother interrupted and said, "Miss Shen, please get up quickly, and Madam Lu, please sit back down quickly."

As she said this, she turned around and smiled at the emperor who was sitting next to her: "Your Majesty, please don't force me. Miss Shen is getting married next month. How can she stay in the palace to accompany an old woman like me?"

The emperor laughed and said, "It's my son's fault. If we really leave Miss Shen behind, I'm sure Lu Bangyan will be furious when he comes back."

The Queen Mother thought about the situation and couldn't help laughing.

Shen Yu and Old Madam Lu both breathed a sigh of relief.

Unexpectedly, before she could even settle down, she heard the Queen Mother say to Old Madam Lu, "Luo Yao, didn't you say that Lu Lang's wedding date is the eighteenth day of the twelfth lunar month? There's still some time left."

"Can we keep Miss Shen in the palace before then, and let her teach these cooks how to cook? This is the most comfortable meal we've had in these days."

Without waiting for Madam Lu to reply, she turned to Shen Yu and said, "Miss Shen, are you willing to stay in the palace before you get married? Then I will give you a dowry and let you marry in style."

The Queen Mother had said so much, how could the two of them say no? They could only pretend to be happy and kneel down to express their gratitude: "Thank you, Queen Mother, thank you, Your Majesty."

Shen Yu thought, "It's just cooking, so I can stay. It's only for a little over a month, it's better than staying in the palace forever."

The Queen Mother waved her hand and said, "Get up quickly. The Emperor is busy with government affairs, so go back. I have Miss Shen with me here, so what are you worried about?"

The Emperor saw that the Queen Mother was indeed in good spirits today. He knew that with him here, everyone had to abide by the rules and was restrained, which made his mother unhappy. So he stood up, gave the Queen Mother a few words, and left.

After the emperor left, the queen mother said, "Luo Yao should go back too. You are getting old now. You have been with me for most of the day. I think you must be a little tired. Don't worry, Miss Shen will stay here. I won't let her suffer."

Although Madam Lu was extremely worried, she could only agree verbally, and after paying her respects, she left.

The Queen Mother smiled and said to Zhenniang, "Please arrange accommodation for Miss Shen, and let her cook for me for the next few days."

"Let the cooks in the small kitchen learn from this. They can only make those greasy dishes and serve them to me."

After arranging Shen Yu, the Queen Mother said, "Okay, I'm going to change into dry clothes. Listen to Miss Shen and stroll around the palace for a while. Then I'll rest. You all can leave now."

Zhenniang answered yes with a smile, and called the palace maid in to serve, and she personally led Shen Yu out of the warm room.

The residence that Zhenniang arranged for Shen Yu was very close to the Empress Dowager, in the Yanyu Pavilion in the rear hall.

The Yanyu Pavilion is not very big, but it has all the necessary supplies. It is very close to the Chunhui Palace and the small kitchen where the Empress Dowager lives. I guess this is for convenience when the Empress Dowager summons her.