113 Chapter 113: Easy Solution

For a split second, Xie Yu failed to hide her inner desires. She unconsciously touched her stomach. The food that was in her mouth just a moment ago didn't last a couple of chews before it went down.Even before she could savor the taste, the feelings have long gone and could only be missed now!The meat was fresh and juicy! And she just chocked it down in one gulp! How regretful!As a noble lady born in a scholarly family, Xie Yu lived a life where every action must be done in respect to her family principles.From their manor, up to the imperial palace, her table was always filled with delectable dishes. It could only be the freshest meat, the newest harvested vegetables, and the juiciest fruit. But she could only nibble them slowly. After picking a piece or two, she must put down her plate. Even if she is not, she must say she had her fill. At most, she could only taste them.A scholarly lady must act with grace and not like an uneducated person who is deprived of living necessities such as food.Xie Yu life was hard. She lived a life of shame in where she acted like a thief in her own home at moonless nights in order to fill up her bottomless pit of a stomach while also hiding such fact at the same time.The pleasant aroma of the dimsums near her entered her nose and she just wanted to salivate right there and then.This is no good. She must uphold her family teachings! She cannot act like a beggar that wasn't fed for days!Xie Yu blink away the greed in her eyes. And ever so discreetly, peeked at the Empress. In her heart, she prayed that she didn't lose her face in front of her majesty."Many thanks, Consort Xie. Now that we proved that there's no danger within these snacks, shall we proceed to eat?" The Empress asked. Her tone has its usual softness. They have noticed it before, that the empress worded her sentences in a way that encourage them to voice their feelings. Consort Xie pursed her lips and heaved a sigh of relief.Her voice... It has this mild sounding at the end that makes it easy for others to reach out their hands and won't be afraid for it to be slapped away.For Xie Yu, having such empress to manage the harem was both a relief and frightening.When the two didn't reply, Wei Yi Yi picked up her own chopstick and distribute the remaining food.Su Mei Fan snaps awake from her dazed. "Ah! Empress this won't do! Let Fan'er serve you instead!""We, sisters, rarely go out for a picnic so why don't we relax ourselves a bit? No need to stand in ceremony," Wei Yi Yi said as she continues to put food in their plate. "Sister Xie, try this gourd-shaped one. It have prawns inside."In a blink, Xie Yu's plate have a mountain of dimsums. Aahhhh, she wanted to shout in ecstasy."Ehem," Xie Yu cough to save her face. "Since her majesty insists, this consort could only comply."Right after, Xie Yu flashed her righteous-scholarly-refine face again and Wei Yi Yi almost died from repressed laughter.Alright, just put it as if I'm forcing you.Who knew this girl could be this cute? At morning greetings, Xie Yu is always sprouting poetic lines at her face from who knows which book.It was beyond the empress ability to read between the lines. Even her reading comprehension couldn't pick up this consort's unique way of reprimanding.Next time Xie Yu recite a poet line to her, Wei Yi Yi will stuff her mouth with food.This time, Consort Xie slowly chew her food. Once the mouthwatering flavor exploded in her mouth, she no longer wanted to swallow.Right now, she's in a serious battle between preserving the taste in her mouth or immediately wolfing down her plate.Since the start, Su Mei Fan was eyeing Xie Yu. Not because of her appetite but for the mere fact that the empress put more food in her plate.'Since when did this woman squeeze herself between her and the empress?! How could she come between us?!'Xie Yu was happily drowning her third dimsum in the sauce when she finally detected Su Mei Fan's unwavering stare.She gulped, sweated, then turned insecure in place. Are they counting how much she has eaten?Wei Yi Yi saw her movement lag. Did her brain disconnected? The empress received internal injuries from stopping her laughter from bursting out."Lady Shen and Lady Feng are always the subject of some less than flattering rumors," Taking advantage of what they were just talking before, Wei Yi Yi started a common topic to distract the two. "Fan'er, you live in the same palace with Feng Shi. Say, their relationship isn't as bad as people put it, right?" Since the day that Feng Lei got grounded on her own courtyard, only Shen Nian Zhen visited her continuously as the consort was ordered to share with the punishment.The two were known as direct enemies and truthfully, Wei Yi Yi readied her heart to one day hear shouts of 'bloody murder' inside the imperial harem.But none of her worst nightmares happened and the harem was still as peaceful as the kindergarden near their apartment that is full of endless crying.The Empress address Su Mei Fan. That means she was talking to her directly and Xie Yu is not included. This thought brought back Su Mei Fan's good mood. "Umm... Imperial Consort Shen frequently visit Qui Yi Palace to see sister Feng... and they were... were..." In her usual stuttering manner, it made the whole situation seemed a lot worse than it supposed to be.Wei Yi Yi heart somersaulted. Why is it so hard to talk about?! Did they start waving a kitchen knife in front of each other?!"... Fan'er could hear Imperial Concubine Feng shouting all the way to my own courtyard... and Consort Shen would be seen retreating with reddened eyes..." Su Mei Fan, with much effort, finished her tale."It was that bad?"Wei Yi Yi would ask about the happenings in the harem from time to time. When it comes towards the two, Tang Mei would say 'the usual' without batting an eye.So that is the usual?! Emotional abusing Shen Nian Zhen?! Holy fudge she sent a fragile woman on a tiger den! Was the food Feng Lei's exchange for the offering?!