The palace maids kneeling on the ground were somewhat guilty. They didn't feel it just now, but now that they thought about it, it seemed like they were being a little too ruthless. The plum blossoms in the Plum Garden had just bloomed, but they had already harvested so many of them in one go.
However, because Lin Zhaojun had just saved her life, Ming Yuexuan was not willing to argue with her. Thus, he said: We have always thought that the plum trees in the Plum Garden are too concentrated, once the flowers bloom, the fragrance would become so strong that it would almost suffocate us.
Lin Zhaojun only smiled and did not reply.
"Since you rarely visit the palace, why don't you stay for a meal before leaving?" Ming Yuexuan wanted to thank Lin Zhaojun for helping him out, thinking that although Lin Zhaojun had dared to fight against the fierce tiger earlier, she was still a girl after all.
This suggestion was exactly what Lin Zhaojun wanted, but Ming Yuexuan couldn't find any way to get close to him, so he tried his best to suppress the joy in his heart. He kept his expression as calm as possible as he said, "This doesn't seem to follow the rules!"
"What's there to not conform to the rules? This place is not a Dark Night Dynasty place, so there's no need to be so formal and formal!" Ming Yuexuan did not care about all these!
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Lin Zhaojun did not dare to reject, in case Ming Yuexuan suddenly changed her mind, she would be worried about how she could openly enter the palace to get close to Ming Yuexuan.
Ming Yuexuan turned around and said to the eunuchs behind him: "Eunuch Hong, go ask the royal kitchen to prepare some delicious meals!"
"Your Majesty, do you wish to have a meal in the Guiying Palace?" Eunuch Hong asked.
Only now did Ming Yuexuan remember that Lin Zhaojun was still living in the Mo Yang Mansion and had not even officially become his concubine.
Usually, when he ate, he would stay in his own chambers or in his concubines' chambers, or it would be the place where he would do his work at that time, such as the Imperial Study or the Guying Palace. He rarely invited anyone other than ministers for a meal together. This time, inviting Lin Zhaojun to eat with him was completely out of whim, thus Eunuch Hong's question really troubled him.
Since it was definitely impossible to eat in his or her concubines' chambers, then he could only hold the banquet at his own place of business. Since he couldn't bring her with him to the Imperial Study, he might as well stay at the Guying Palace!
After thinking for a while, Ming Yuexuan instructed, "I'll stay at the Guying Palace!"
Just as Eunuch Hong was about to instruct the other young eunuch s, he heard Ming Yuexuan say, "Wait!"
"Last time at the Mo Yang Mansion, we didn't eat to our heart's content. Why don't we continue today?" Ming Yuexuan said to Lin Zhaojun.
Lin Zhaojun's heart involuntarily jumped. Ming Yuexuan still remembered this matter!
"Great!" It's freezing right now, so eating hotpot is the best thing to do! " Lin Zhaojun replied.
Eunuch Hong was in a difficult position, there was no such thing as a hotpot in Bright Moon Kingdom, what could he do?
Looking at Eunuch Hong's expression, Lin Zhaojun understood his difficulties, and immediately said: "The few palace maid s that serve me know how to make a hotpot, why don't I ask them to help!"
"That would be for the best!" Eunuch Hong said with a beaming smile.
Therefore, Lin Zhaojun instructed the palace maid s present in Mo Yang Mansion: "All of you, go and help!"
"Yes sir!" A few palace maid s answered in unison.
Eunuch Hong originally wanted to instruct the young eunuch s below to head to the imperial kitchens to pass the message, but now he could only personally lead the four Black Yang Palace palace maid s to the imperial kitchens, in order to prevent them from being looked down upon. At that time, Ming Yuexuan would definitely yearn for the hotpot.
The royal kitchen, because of the personal instructions from the Eunuch Hong who was serving beside Ming Yuexuan, along with the addition of the four Mo Yang Mansion s, had quickly prepared the hotpot Ming Yuexuan wanted to eat.
Lin Zhaojun and Ming Yuexuan were chatting casually in the side hall of the Guiying Hall. After a while, a group of eunuchs came in.
Two young eunuch s had put together two large tables, laid out a red table list, and a few other young eunuch s came in one by one with scarlet lacquer boxes in their hands. They placed the stove, charcoal, pot, boiling water, dishes, seasonings, and wine on the table one by one, and then stood by the side, waiting for orders.
At this time, Lv Wu walked up. She first added some charcoal into the furnace that already had some coal, and then used a bamboo tube to blow the furnace even brighter. Then, Lv Wu retreated to the side and used the warm water held by a young eunuch to wash her hands.
Following that, Lv Ping walked up to the table and placed the pot of soup on the stove. She then poured the originally brewed soup into the pot and added some ingredients that were difficult to cook, covering the pot well afterwards.
He then arranged the dishes and other things on the table that were originally in disarray.
Just at this time, Greenwood led two or three more young eunuch in and each of them carried a scarlet colored box of food and stood in front of the table.
Lv Zhu walked forward and opened all the food boxes one by one. She then took out all the things inside the boxes and placed them on the table.
Although Ming Yuexuan had clearly stated that he wanted to eat the hotpot, the imperial kitchen couldn't possibly have only prepared the hotpot, and had also arranged for some people to cook a few dishes that Ming Yuexuan liked to eat.
Another rather well-endowed eunuch stepped forward and used his chopsticks to pick up the dishes on the table to taste them. After pausing for a moment, he felt that there were no abnormalities and picked up another dish to taste. In the end, he scooped up a spoonful of broth from the hotpot, blew the soup to cool it before drinking it. In the end, he found that the vegetables and meat prepared for the hotpot were not tasty, so he stood there awkwardly.
Ming Yuexuan laughed, then said to the eunuch: "Forget it, you can go now!"
The eunuch was stunned at first, but then he looked nervously at Ming Yuexuan. He was responsible for the safety of Ming Yuexuan's food, but now, because of his own hesitation, he still had a few dishes that he had yet to taste whether or not they were poisonous. At this point, if one of them was to be poisoned, the consequences would not be something he could bear!
Just looking at it made Lin Zhaojun tired. She thought to herself: Being an emperor sure is bitter, a good meal, there's so much work ahead, I can't even have an appetite anymore!
Seeing that everything was arranged, the Eunuch Hong waved to indicate that the young eunuch s who were standing by the side could leave. Then, he shouted at Ming Yuexuan: "Your Majesty, we can eat now!"
The young eunuch did not really go down, but to wait outside for Ming Yuexuan and his meal so that they could clear the table.
The Mo Yang Mansion's four palace maid s also left, but because they had been told by Eunuch Hong to prepare a small hotpot for them, including Qingfeng.
Ming Yuexuan and Lin Zhaojun sat in front of the table and began to eat. Ming Yuexuan first personally poured a small cup of wine for Lin Zhaojun, then filled his own cup as well, and said to Lin Zhaojun while lifting up her own glass: "Come, let me toast you first, to express my admiration and congratulations for conquering the fierce tiger!"
"Thank you, your majesty!" Lin Zhaojun did not hesitate, she raised his wine cup and drank it all in one gulp.
As Ming Yuexuan looked at Lin Zhaojun's straightforward actions, her face immediately broke out into a smile. In her heart, besides feeling grateful towards Lin Zhaojun, she also felt a bit more fond of him.