Chapter Fifteen: Hotpot for Dinner Today

Under Hua Rong’s handiwork, the Xuanji Palace had truly become even more desolate than the Cold Palace itself. Few souls could be seen, and the place was so plain and unadorned that it could easily be mistaken for a humble country inn outside the capital.

“Did you say she sent everyone away and left only a handful of minor maids behind?” Jun Yeli frowned, finding the whole affair rather incomprehensible. He fixed his gaze on the informant, who nodded earnestly, a shadow of puzzlement again flickering across his face.

“How interesting. Most people in the palace can’t wait to surround themselves with as many maids and eunuchs as possible to show off their status. She, on the other hand, does the exact opposite. Could it be she’s deliberately trying to catch my attention?”

Had Hua Rong overheard this string of wild conjectures, she would surely have scolded him for letting his imagination run away, accusing him of reading too much into things.

Eunuch Li fell silent for a moment. “Your Majesty, a woman’s heart is as fathomless as the sea—impossible to guess. The consorts of the harem are always coming up with new tricks to win your favor, but Consort Rong seems to have invented an entirely new tactic.”

At these words, Jun Yeli nodded again in agreement. “Indeed, that woman is full of little schemes and always manages to do the unexpected.”

As he spoke, a smile crept onto Jun Yeli’s lips. “But… I rather like it.”

While others fought tooth and nail for his favor, she advanced by retreating, her cleverness tinged with an endearing charm. There seemed to be an invisible allure about her, quietly drawing Jun Yeli in.

Fortunately, Hua Rong was not present; otherwise, the conversation would have been enough to make her furious. All her efforts to avoid favor were now, through the emperor’s eyes, transformed into the machinations of a cunning consort vying for his attention!

“By the way! Has that assassin we captured said anything yet?”

At these words, Eunuch Li shook his head. “He refuses to speak, even under threat of death. However, it’s worth noting that recently, someone from Consort Wan’s quarters visited him—only once.”

Jun Yeli’s brows furrowed at this unexpected news. “They’re strangers to each other. Why would Consort Wan visit the prison? Investigate this thoroughly, and start with Consort Wan.”

As he spoke, Jun Yeli suddenly rose to his feet, surprising Eunuch Li beside him. “Your Majesty, where are you going?”

“Isn’t it obvious? The people of Xuanji Palace have gone to such lengths to attract my attention. If I don’t at least go and see, wouldn’t I be letting Consort Rong’s efforts go to waste?”

His reasoning was sound. Eunuch Li wanted to accompany him, but was waved away.

The emperor strode off with purpose, but as luck would have it, he ran into Noble Consort Wen, who was admiring the flowers in the garden.

Seeing the emperor approach with hurried step, she quickly straightened her attire and moved swiftly to greet him. “Your Majesty, have you come to enjoy the flowers too?”

But Jun Yeli had no intention of humoring those of no consequence. He merely grunted in reply and made no move to slow his stride.

Noble Consort Wen followed closely, forcing a smile. “Perhaps I could accompany Your Majesty?”

“That won’t be necessary.” His terse, decisive reply came without a moment’s thought, causing Noble Consort Wen’s face to freeze in instant embarrassment.

She stood there dazed for a moment and then watched as Jun Yeli strode out of the imperial garden. He clearly hadn’t come to admire the flowers at all—he was simply passing through! How perfunctory.

Feeling awkward, her maid quickly offered some consolation. “Your Grace, don’t worry. His Majesty likely has urgent matters to attend to and no time for leisure.”

Noble Consort Wen nodded, crestfallen. “Perhaps. The emperor is so busy these days—I shouldn’t add to his burdens.”

Looking at the radiant blossoms before her, she fell into a pensive silence.

Today, the weather was perfect. Hua Rong, taking advantage of some rare free time, gathered a few people together and produced a pot she’d secretly commissioned from a blacksmith during her days outside the palace. She set a fire in the courtyard.

The small group formed a close circle, creating a cozy and lively scene despite their modest number.

The maids looked curiously at the strange pot perched on the stone hearth—a round vessel with a curving S-shaped partition in the middle. Its simple construction seemed oddly out of place in this era.

They puzzled over its mysterious function, unable to decipher its purpose.

Hua Rong burst out laughing. “You have no idea, do you? This is called a mandarin duck pot—I had it specially made. Today, we’re having hot pot!”

The courtyard was home to chickens, ducks, and geese, and the vegetables had grown lush and ready for harvest. With the sun shining bright and spirits high, Hua Rong could no longer suppress her eager anticipation.

“Hot pot? What’s that?”

Seeing their collective bafflement, Hua Rong didn’t bother to explain further. “You may not get it now, but once you’ve eaten, you’ll never forget!”

Just then, Su Xin appeared in the distance, pushing a tall cart laden with small dishes, laboring her way over.

“Could someone help me? I’m about to drop dead from exhaustion…”

The others rushed to help her with the cart, which was stacked with an array of raw ingredients—freshly sliced duck, duck liver, chicken liver, goose liver, chicken gizzards, potatoes, lettuce…

It was as if half the market’s offerings were assembled here. The spread looked abundant, but since everything was raw, the sight dampened their appetites.

“Thank you, Su Xin. Come, sit beside me—I saved you a spot for our grand undertaking!”

Hua Rong patted the empty seat next to her, beaming with enthusiasm.

Su Xin, pouting, plopped down with a sigh of relief. “Honestly, none of you even know how to slaughter a chicken—I nearly worked myself to death in the kitchen!”

If only they’d been a bit more capable, she wouldn’t have had to run herself ragged alone.

“All right, everyone. Our grand hot pot feast today will be personally supervised by me—I’ll mix the dipping sauces. The rest of you, watch and learn!”

Hua Rong picked up bowls, chopsticks, peanut sauce, sesame oil…

Her flurry of movements left the others mystified. The method was novel—mixing everything into a bowl made it look more like she was preparing a condiment than a dish.

But once combined, a fragrant aroma wafted through the air. Even Su Xin, after her exhausting afternoon, couldn’t help but swallow hungrily. “Maybe I’m just so tired I’ve gone daft—I feel like I could eat anything right now!”

For a moment, she was tempted to eat the sauce straight from the bowl.