CH 35.1

Chapter 35 Part 1- Something Happened

After Emperor Jing Li finished his sentence, he turned around and entered the bedroom without any hesitation.

???

Liao Qing Qing was flabbergasted.

She looked at He Xiang and asked, “Did you anger His Majesty?”

He Xiang quickly shook her head and said, “This maidservant[1] hasn’t.”

“Then what happened to His Majesty?”

“This maidservant doesn’t know.” He Xiang shook her head and then boldly said, “Could it be that the Mistress has provoked His Majesty?”

“??? No way!”

He Xiang hurriedly lowered her head and remained silent.

Liao Qing Qing didn’t intend to lose her temper. She didn’t even say a few words to Emperor Jing Li today. How could she have provoked him? She said, “I’d better go take a look.”

He Xiang nodded. “Mm.”

Liao Qing Qing walked into the bedroom.

Emperor Jing Li was sitting on the soft couch reading a book.

“Your Majesty,” Liao Qing Qing softly called out to him.

Emperor Jing Li answered without raising his head, “Mm.”

“Do you want to drink tea? This imperial concubine[2] will pour tea for you.”

“Mm.” Emperor Jing Li’s face was taut.

Liao Qing Qing poured tea for Emperor Jing LI. She held the teacup with both hands and handed it to Emperor Jing Li. Emperor Jing Li extended his hand forward and received it. Only then did Liao Qing Qing open her mouth and ask, “Your Majesty, what’s wrong with you?”

Emperor Jing Li still did not look at Liao Qing Qing and asked in response, “What’s wrong with me?”[3]

Liao Qing Qing asked cautiously, “Weren’t you angry just now?”

“What am I angry about?”

“??? You weren’t angry?”

“Angry about what?”

“You just said, ‘Are potatoes better looking than me?’. Doesn’t that show that you are angry?”

Emperor Jing Li raised his eyes. His dark and deep eyes stared at Liao Qing Qing. With his eyebrows slightly raised, he asked, “Oh. So this is being angry?”

Liao Qing Qing began to doubt herself and asked, “Isn’t that so?”

“Is that so?”

“….” Liao Qing Qing wasn’t sure.

Emperor Jing Li had a half-smile and asked, “Then tell me, Beloved Concubine, why am I angry?”

“It’s…” Liao Qing Qing pondered for a moment. Emperor Jing Li was a person who was temperamental and unpredictable. She really couldn’t guess what Emperor Jing Li was thinking. However, she knew that Emperor Jing Li, who had ascended the throne at the age of thirteen, would habitually put himself as the centre of the world. Hence, she boldly guessed and said, “Is it because this imperial concubine did not serve you well?”

Upon hearing that, Emperor Jing Li did not say anything and continued reading his book.

???

Is my guess correct?

Did I guess it wrong?

Liao Qing Qing also did not know what exactly Emperor Jing Li meant.

When she saw that Emperor Jing Li remained silent, she sat opposite Emperor Jing Li and picked up the peanuts on the plate.

With a <ka> sound, she gently peeled open the peanuts and placed them on the jade plate in front of Emperor Jing Li without saying a word.

A small, slender hand appeared in Emperor Jing Li’s peripheral vision.

From time to time, that petite hand would extend towards him.

In a short while, the small plate in front of him was full of peanuts.

He felt amused inwardly. With a straight face, he asked, “What are you doing now?”

Liao Qing Qing replied, “To give Your Majesty to eat.”

“I don’t want to eat peanuts.”

“This imperial concubine will peel walnuts for you.”

“Walnuts are hard to peel.”

“The thin-skinned ones are not difficult to peel.”

Liao Qing Qing reached her hands forward and took a walnut.

Emperor Jing Li was angry at first. He was mad that all Liao Qing Qing could see were potatoes these days and did not have time to look at him. He didn’t want to care about Liao Qing Qing and could not restrain himself from saying, ‘Are potatoes better looking than me?’.

""

After saying that, he felt relieved.

He calmed down and felt too childish.

But he just wanted to do it.

When he saw Liao Qing Qing walk in, his eyes glimmered. She asked him what was wrong with him with great concern. In that instant, he was no longer angry.

How could he bear to let her peel walnuts?

Emperor Jing Li said, “I… do not eat walnuts.”

Liao Qing Qing looked at Emperor Jing Li in surprise.

Emperor Jing Li added, “It’s time to eat dinner.”

“Oh, right. Let’s eat dinner.” Liao Qing Qing said.

As soon as they were at the dining table, Liao Qing Qing kept placing food on Emperor Jing Li’s bowl with her chopsticks.

Emperor Jing Li’s body and mind were soothed. How would he still be angry?

During their stroll, Emperor Jing Li even took the initiative to ask Liao Qing Qing about the potato planting. Liao Qing Qing answered, “It’s going very well.”

“Oh? How smoothly?” Emperor Jing Li asked.

Liao Qing Qing responded, “This imperial concubine thought it was the best time to plant potatoes. However, I didn’t expect that the best time for potatoes to grow is now.”

“How so?” Emperor Jing LI began to be interested.

Liao Qing Qing explained, “Your Majesty, when this imperial concubine planted the umbrella flower, it took a lot of effort to sprout and bloom. But when this imperial concubine planted with the Bureau Chief of the Department of Agricultural Products, it only took a month before potatoes had already sprouted green seedlings at the Department of Agricultural Products.”

“Really?” Emperor Jing Li asked in surprise.

“Mm.” Liao Qing Qing nodded and said, “At the moment, it looks like the capital is very suitable for potatoes to grow. I’m just unsure of how the potato yields will be.”

“When will the harvest be?” Emperor Jing Li asked.

Liao Qing Qing responded, “Around the Dragon Boat Festival.”

“Good.”

“Mm. This imperial concubine recently recorded the growth time of potatoes, the preferred soil and frequency of watering with the Bureau Chief of the Department of Agricultural Products. It is possible that it can be planted in two seasons. The Bureau Chief of the Department of Agricultural Products estimated that the yield per mu of potatoes is more than five times higher than wheat and rice, based on the potatoes planted by this imperial concubine. If it is planted for two seasons, the people may never have to go hungry again.” Liao Qing Qing’s shimmering eyes were filled with anticipation for the future.

Emperor Jing Li gazed at her quietly.

Suddenly, he felt he should not have said, ‘Are potatoes better looking than me?’.

""

It was he who had belittled Liao Qing Qing.

Feeling ashamed, he stretched his arms out and placed his arms around Liao Qing Qing’s shoulders.

Liao Qing Qing looked at Emperor Jing Li in confusion.

Emperor Jing Li said, “Qing Qing, just boldly do it. I will support you.”

Emperor Jing Li was good-looking, especially his eyes. They overflowed with tenderness, drowning people in a matter of minutes. At this moment, Liao Qing Qing’s heart was just tingling and numb. Emperor Jing Li is too charming.

“What’s wrong?” Seeing that Liao Qing Qing was in a daze, Emperor Jing Li extended his hand and pinched her nose. He asked, “What are you thinking about?”

“Your Majesty, you pinched this imperial concubine again.” Liao Qing Qing covered her nose with her hand.

Emperor Jing Li wrapped his arm around Liao Qing Qing and went back to the bedroom, appearing to be in a good mood.

Liao Qing Qing boldly asked, “Then this imperial concubine will boldly do it. Your Majesty, don’t be angry.”

“Why would I be angry?”

“What if this imperial concubine can’t serve you well?”

“….” Emperor Jing Li touched his nose and said, “With so many palace maids and eunuchs, how would it be unable to serve well?”

“Then Your Majesty won’t be angry?”

“Naturally.” Emperor Jing Li said with a smile.

“Your Majesty is so nice.” Liao Qing Qing hugged Emperor Jing Li’s arm.

The corners of Emperor Jing Li’s mouth raised.

Liao Qing Qing once again focused on potatoes in her heart.

With Emperor Jing Li’s support, in the next few days, other than to pay respects to Noble Consort Liang and occasionally visiting the Empress Dowager, she spent most of her time devoted to potatoes.

The Minister of Revenue and Bureau Chief of the Department of Agricultural Products had great expectations for the potatoes.

At this time, Liao Qing Qing thought again about sprouted potatoes containing poison.

In the past, she did not quite understand.

After that, she specially asked the doctor.

The doctor said that the potato itself contains a substance called lobeline.

Normal potatoes contain very little and will not harm the human body.

But—

Sprouted potatoes would produce a large amount of toxic substance, lobeline, to protect themselves and resist the attack of pests. Once a person accidentally eats it, it will irritate the gastrointestinal mucosa, accompanied by hemolysis and paralysis of the respiratory system.

The minor symptoms are nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and so on.

The serious symptom is death.

She could not tell this theory to the Minister of Revenue and the Bureau Chief of the Department of Agricultural Products.

They might not believe it yet.

But she could speak with facts.

That is, the rabbit was not feeling well.

The Minister of Revenue and the Bureau Chief of the Department of Agricultural Products instantly heightened their alerts.

They conducted experiments and research on potatoes with Liao Qing Qing after that event.

Liao Qing Qing took the opportunity to put forward the theory that “potato sprouting is poisonous”.

After repeated experiments, Liao Qing Qing’s “speculation” was confirmed.

The Minister of Revenue and the Bureau Chief of the Department of Agricultural Products admired Liao Qing Qing even more.

When they saw Liao Qing Qing, they treated her with more respect than Emperor Jing Li.

The matter of Liao Qing Qing’s potatoes spread in the imperial court and palace. However, Emperor Jing Li remained silent, and the Minister of Revenue didn’t dare say anything.

Everyone was very curious about this “Lady Xi of Bright Countenance”.

They also wanted to know what “potatoes” were.

[1] 奴婢[núbì]- I; your humble servant (term of self-address used by servants, maid-servants and eunuchs when addressing the emperor, minister, concubines, etc.)

[2] 嫔妾(pín qiè)- This imperial concubine. It is a self-appellation that can only be used by Lady of Talents (才人), Noble Lady (贵人), etc to the Emperor and Empress Dowager.

[3] 朕(zhèn)- I (imperial) or we (imperial use).