Chapter 42: Chicken Soup

Chapter 42: Chicken Soup

Xie Xuan Yuan had hardly anything in his stomach, and now after vomiting, his complexion turned even paler, unable to speak for a moment.

When he finally came to, the Emperor of Nan Chu, whose face he could never see clearly, had already hurriedly risen from his seat, embracing him without regard for the mess.

Consort Lu, while sending for the imperial physician, said with concern:

“You’ve always done as you please, not eating what you dislike. Why be so stubborn this time? I wouldn’t really harm you. Why go to such lengths?”

Xie Xuan Yuan remained silent for a while, then weakly said, “There's no need for your feigned pity.”

He had just caught his breath from the nausea and retching but didn’t want the Emperor of Nan Chu to know about his past, where he had to eat all sorts of terrible things despite feeling sick.

Eventually, he turned his head away, coldly pushing Lu Changping aside, “I’ve already eaten what you wanted me to eat, and you can’t renege on finding someone.”

Knowing he was at fault, Lu Mei Ren readily agreed. Only after the imperial physician examined and confirmed that the tyrant and the dragon fetus in his belly were safe did he finally relax a bit.

However, he remained cautious and did not leave immediately but stopped the physician at the door of the sleeping quarters after the consultation, seeking a thorough explanation.

"These carrots are perfectly fine, and everyone else who ate them had no adverse reactions. Why did only... Master Xie have such a severe reaction? Could it be due to his constitution?"

His question seemed casual, but the physician dared not answer lightly. After all this time, even those less adept at reading situations knew Master Xie held a special place in His Majesty's heart.

In his decade of service in the palace, Dr. Wang had never seen a "male favorite" who was so proud and indifferent to the Emperor.

After pondering his words, he explained, "Your Majesty might not be aware, but Master Xie's symptoms appeared and vanished quickly, which does not seem to be due to the food but rather resembles a long-standing aversion to eating. This condition is difficult to treat, especially if one is forced to eat against their will..."

Lu Changping thought Xie Xuan Yuan was merely uncomfortable and upset with him, which led to his distressed state. Little did he know, he had inadvertently triggered the other's old ailment.

Given Xie Xuan Yuan's pride, he would never voluntarily disclose the cause of his illness. Even without asking, Lu could guess the truth based on what Ji Yue had told him about the secrets of the Bei Wei palace.

Even with his well-maintained composure, Lu Changping couldn't help but curse those who had tormented the young tyrant to death as worse than beasts.

But knowing Xie Xuan Yuan's vindictive nature, those who had bullied him were probably already dealt with. What he needed now was someone to help him unravel his emotional knots...

With these thoughts, Lu Mei Ren's gaze softened involuntarily.

Since being forced to eat makes Xie Xuan Yuan vomit profusely, why not make the food delicious enough to entice him to eat voluntarily?

With this idea in mind, Lu Changping began visiting the imperial kitchen frequently, aside from his official duties, initially under the guise of inspecting palace affairs but eventually collaborating with the chefs on developing new dishes.

The kitchen staff soon noticed that the Emperor, who usually led a simple life, had become unexpectedly demanding. He asked them to cook with carrots but insisted that the dishes should not taste of carrots at all.

Though nearly impossible, the Emperor's hands-on approach in the kitchen made a profound impact. With the Emperor himself taking such an interest, it was clearly a matter of great importance. The imperial chefs and palace staff, motivated by his dedication, finally developed several exquisite dishes using the foreign carrots until only a few were left.

The day these recipes were officially recorded in the Southern Chu palace cuisine, Lu Mei Ren eagerly brought a five-tiered food box to Xie Xuan Yuan again.

In just a few days, the tyrant had lost some weight, with only his belly, now carrying the dragon seed, becoming more pronounced. Fearing that Xie Xuan Yuan might starve himself in Southern Chu, Lu Mei Ren set aside his usual admonitions and began laying out the food from the box one item at a time.

Unlike others who greeted the imperial carriage with fear or joy, Xie Xuan Yuan seemed weary of the Emperor of Southern Chu, his petting of the cat turning somewhat irritated: "Why are you here again?"

"I brought some food this time; see if it suits your taste?" Lu Mei Ren said as he opened a brocade box filled with orange pills, offering one with a prompt, "Open your mouth."

At these words, Xie Xuan Yuan's brows furrowed, his tone less than pleased: "What nauseating thing are you trying to feed me now..."

Before he could finish his complaint, the shameless Emperor of Southern Chu quickly took advantage of the moment he opened his mouth to speak and deftly popped a pill in.

The pill melted immediately upon entry, not the anticipated bitterness but a sweet and sour aroma of hawthorn and citrus. Xie Xuan Yuan covered his mouth, unable to resist asking again, "What exactly did you give me?"

Seeing the tyrant's apparent enjoyment of the pill's flavor while pretending reluctance, Lu Mei Ren playfully retorted: "Poison."

"You dare!" Xie Xuan Yuan threw the little black cat on the table aside, ready to fight to the death with the Emperor of Southern Chu. The victimized coal ball cat started meowing discontentedly at both the tyrant and Lu Mei Ren.

Seeing his half-blind pregnant husband stumble in movement and his own cat joining the chaos, Lu Changping felt overwhelmed and quickly recanted, "Just kidding. It's merely a hawthorn pill for digestion."

Xie Xuan Yuan, somewhat skeptical after the explanation, queried: "Hawthorn pills... with a hint of kumquat?"

Aren't they specially made to your taste?

Emperor Lu mercilessly mocked internally, yet dared not show it too openly, feigning ignorance instead: "Yes, do you like these Southern Chu special hawthorn pills, Your Majesty?"

Xie Xuan Yuan's response was noncommittal, his lips curving into a slight, cold smirk: "I'm curious as to which act the Emperor of Southern Chu is putting on today."

Lu Mei Ren merely smiled without a word. What ill intentions could the beloved Imperial Consort Lu harbor? He had simply prepared a table full of carrot dishes for Xie Xuan Yuan.

Soon, Lu Mei Ren emptied the five-layered food box. Glancing over the table full of delicious dishes, he decided to start with a refreshing appetizer for the tyrant, choosing the sweet and sour carrot and glass noodle salad.

The carrots in this dish were finely chopped, mingling with the crystal-clear glass noodles like dots of red plum in frosty snow. But it wasn't just the appearance that was impeccable; the flavor was also meticulously crafted. The carrots were boiled to remove their taste, with the dressing mixed with kumquat juice.

The tyrant, already fond of sweet and sour flavors, now had cravings intensified by pregnancy. Unaware that every dish on the table contained his most disliked carrots, he was genuinely enticed by the flavors and developed an appetite.

After tasting the carrot and glass noodle salad, sweet and sour carrot balls, sweet and sour pork with carrots, and even being served a glass of carrot and kumquat juice, Xie Xuan Yuan finally sensed something amiss and couldn't help but ask:

"Did all the chefs of Southern Chu grow up marinating in vinegar? Or do Southern Chu people just love vinegar? Why is every dish sweet and sour?"

Lu Mei Ren, delighted to serve picky dishes for his picky tyrant, thought Xie Xuan Yuan was in a good mood and wanted to learn about Southern Chu customs, so he casually responded, "Not really. Southern Chu is vast with a diverse population; if anything, many prefer spicy foods..."

Mid-sentence, Lu Changping realized he had walked into a trap set by the tyrant.

As expected, after hearing his response, a shadow fell over the beautiful face of the tyrant. From his professional experience as the favorite consort, Lu Changping could tell this was a prelude to a confrontation.

"Since Southern Chu does not favor sweet and sour tastes, why then are all today's dishes sweet and sour? Has someone revealed my preferences to Emperor Lu? Am I right? Where is this person? Why not have them meet me in person?"

Seeing the conversation dangerously veer towards the taboo topic of "Imperial Consort Lu," Lu Changping cleverly improvised, "It turns out Your Majesty just happens to like sweet and sour flavors. Coincidentally, Dr. Wang mentioned to me a few days ago that sour and sweet stimulate the appetite, hence their use in cooking."

A perfect excuse, yet Xie Xuan Yuan, having secretly met with Imperial Consort Lu just a few nights ago, couldn't help but overthink. He looked towards Lu Changping, questioning, "Is that really all there is to it?"

"Indeed, it is."

Being stared down by Xie Xuan Yuan's clear, watery eyes made one feel guilty, but without being able to see the guilt on his face, the tyrant had no solid evidence, leaving his suspicions as just that.

To divert the tyrant's attention, Lu Mei Ren served a bowl of soup, saying, "Actually, not all dishes prepared today are sweet and sour. This ginseng chicken soup is made with Southern Chu's prized silkie chickens, slowly simmered for hours. It's not only delicious but also nutritious for those expecting."

Of course, he omitted the fact that carrots were also stewed in the soup.

Aside from hiding the carrot detail, Lu Changping was thorough and considerate, ensuring the soup was neither too hot nor too cold. Concerned about the half-blind tyrant getting scalded, he even spoon-fed him.

But Xie Xuan Yuan, preoccupied with thoughts of Imperial Consort Lu, had no interest in tasting the soup, scoffing dismissively without lowering his head, "A chicken is just a chicken, destined for the pot eventually. Why pretend to dignify it as an 'Imperial Consort'?"

While his previous non-cooperation might have been understandable, this was outright sabotage. Fortunately, Lu Mei Ren, well-read and knowledgeable, managed to respond gently, "It wasn't I who titled it 'Imperial Consort.' It was named by the people of Southern Chu, who saw its splendid crest resembling the headdresses of imperial consorts in the palace."

His explanation unintentionally evoked memories of Imperial Consort Lu's wedding day in Xie Xuan Yuan's dim world.

The headdress worn by Imperial Consort Lu then belonged to his mother, Consort Jing. Despite its luxurious jewels, it couldn't outshine the true beauty of the era's most stunning figure.

However, the tyrant found it impossible to associate the stunning consort with the fragrant ginseng chicken soup before him, ultimately commenting disdainfully, "The people of Southern Chu truly excel at feigning elegance..."

But feigning elegance wasn't entirely bad, as it sparked a curious desire in Xie Xuan Yuan to taste the "Imperial Consort Chicken."

After all, just a small taste wouldn't be humiliating.

Comforting himself with this thought, Xie Xuan Yuan slightly lowered his head and took a sip from the spoon offered by the Emperor of Southern Chu. Surprisingly, the soup was rich but not greasy, fresh but not fishy, with a sweet undertone from an unknown vegetable, far surpassing anything from the Bei Wei palace.

No matter how picky he was, he couldn't find any faults...

Knowing well that the tyrant's lack of criticism meant great fondness, Lu MeiRen couldn't help but feel a bit inflated with pride, a smile tugging at his lips as he pretended to ask innocently, "How is it? Is the chicken soup I personally made to your liking?"

At this, Xie XuanYuan was truly at a loss for words, his mind drifting to the rumors swirling around the palace of Nan Chu in recent days. The palace servants all said that His Majesty went to great lengths, even personally taking up the kitchen duties to win over the heart of his new favorite. It seemed that soon enough, there would be joyous news spreading throughout the palace...

Initially, Xie XuanYuan never connected these rumors to himself, thinking the Emperor of Nan Chu had a secret lover hidden away in the palace. Yet, who would have thought that the chicken soup personally made by the Emperor of Nan Chu would end up on his table, and that the so-called secret lover was actually him?!

Coupled with Lu ChangPing's excessive care and abnormal intimacy towards him in recent days, as well as the fact that he hadn't taken a wife or concubines at the age of twenty-three, Xie XuanYuan couldn't help but harbor a terrifying suspicion: could it be that the Emperor of Nan Chu harbored homosexual tendencies and had inappropriate thoughts about him...

Xie XuanYuan had never been completely thrown off his game, even when he was half-blinded, but the thought of the seemingly gentle and refined Emperor of Nan Chu coveting him in secret truly frightened him into a cold sweat.

He took a deep breath, barely calming his mind, and decided to stop beating around the bush:

"Emperor Lu should know that I am carrying another's child. Yet, you've repeatedly come to offer your attentions. Doesn't this go against the customs of Nan Chu? Or perhaps, have you resolved to be the stepfather of my child?"