CHAPTER 16: CHAPTER 16: WOMEN ARE HARD TO UNDERSTAND

Xie Zhixing remained motionless, observing what she intended to do.

Yun Jiao slowly adjusted her position in his arms, her small hand resting on his shoulder.

"What are you doing?" Xie Zhixing asked her.

Yun Jiao softly said, "Concubine wishes to hug the Emperor."

Xie Zhixing truly found her more enigmatic; if she wanted to hug him, why did she keep reversing time to avoid him?

Until then, Xie Zhixing had never pondered the thoughts of the harem women.

His mind was exhausted from the affairs of the state, with a clear approach to Concubines: favor those he liked a bit more, ignore the ones he didn’t—wanting something while keeping it at arm’s length, this thought pattern that was rampant in romance novels completely eluded the Emperor’s understanding as an unnecessary drain on time and energy.

However...

"I thought it was something significant," Xie Zhixing responded with a soft gaze, reversing his hold to encircle her waist, "Then let me hug you too."

The next moment, the time was reversed again.

Xie Zhixing: ...

Women are hard to understand.

He looked down at Yun Jiao’s rosy cheeks, sensing her wildly beating heart through the fabric. It was only then that he realized she was shy because he had actively embraced her, thus reversing time. Among the harem Concubines, there were those passionately seductive and those strictly reserved, but he had never seen one like this—at times audaciously bold, at other times covertly timid.

Yun Jiao made enough mental preparations and once again clung on.

Having been reversed twice, Xie Zhixing no longer had romantic thoughts, merely sitting and watching her perform.

After sticking close for a while, Yun Jiao’s heartbeat returned to normal speed; she felt she had adjusted to interacting with a real-world man again. She was good to go! As the tension faded and confidence reclaimed its ground, she chuckled, picking up a small silver fork carrying diced fruit, ready to feed the Emperor as Daji fed King Zhou in the dramas: "Emperor, please enjoy."

However, as per protocol, she could not gaze directly upon his countenance, and she lacked experience.

This stab, the juicy peach landed squarely on the Emperor’s nose.

Yun Jiao: "Uh..."

The West Wing suddenly turned very quiet.

Yun Jiao: "Emperor, Concubine did not do it on purpose."

"I know."

Xie Zhixing watched her wipe his face with a handkerchief, originally thinking she’d reverse time for more practice to understand the Emperor’s preferences and habits. Unexpectedly, after wiping his face, she leaned directly against him, staying calm without mischief: "Emperor, Concubine is hungry, why not order the meal first?"

After being stunned for two seconds, Xie Zhixing realized she had given up!

It was just one failure, and she gave up!

In this life, I’ve never seen anyone so adept at half-hearted abandon; calling her a little kitten would be an overstatement, she’s merely a turtle that reveals its belly upon toppling, enjoying the sunshine: "What would you like to eat?"

The little turtle gleefully replied, "Concubine really gets to order dishes?"

The Emperor’s official meal certainly must taste good.

Xie Zhixing turned his head and instructed Ying Lu to bring the list.

The Imperial Kitchen’s ingredients are provided by the Imperial Manor, with an extensive selection on the list. Yun Jiao was dazzled, not knowing which to choose, eventually just ordering a pile of meat dishes as she pleased, leaving Ying Lu awestruck. This Attendant Lady Xi is unreserved in ordering dishes, not fearing the scent lingering during the night.

"Did not expect Attendant Lady Xi to have such an appetite."

"Imperial ingredients must be the finest under heaven; Concubine is greedy and wants to taste them all."

Xie Zhixing chuckled, "Who told you that imperial ingredients are the best?"

Yun Jiao was momentarily stunned.

With all the power of the people serving one person, could they not use outstanding items?

"Farmers live by the weather, the flavor of fruits and grains changes each season; the best may not appear annually. If I taste the best, and there’s none next year, wouldn’t punishment ensue? It’s better to send the second-best from the start, what enters the palace shouldn’t be lacking, stability and safety are paramount; this is proficient management, and the Imperial Manor’s specialties are more so."

"The best batch should only be available to locals; the fruits and vegetables in a farmer’s hands are fresher than what’s imperially consumed."

The ingredients presented before the Emperor must be the most visually appealing.

Whether they’re tasty is another matter.

Xie Zhixing isn’t greedy for lavish meals, mostly contemplating the stability-seeking logic of officials behind the scenes, genuinely not lacking in the culinary aspect. Yet seeing the young lady in his embrace pondering deeply, he asked her what she was thinking, she said: "When fruits are sweet, they attract bugs, the sweetest should be tasted by bugs first, even before farmers... No worries, Emperor hasn’t tasted the best, Concubine’s family is impoverished, never tasted either."

The Yun Family isn’t lacking in cleverness; her thoughts are imaginative, one idea follows another spontaneously.

How could the heavens entrust such vast powers to her?

Xie Zhixing couldn’t help feeling the heavens lack vision.

When the imperial meal was served, he was once again amazed.

Yun Jiao hadn’t ordered many dishes, yet the imperial meal couldn’t just present a few, a fully loaded table appeared. Yun Jiao thought it’s now or never with such a feast! A state banquet! Ignoring Gong Mei’s covert signals, she adopted the mindset of getting her money’s worth at a buffet and devoured the meal... Of course, her eating was still elegant, without compromising manners, but to the Emperor, it brought a small shock.

Yet ultimately, the stomach has limits; even her efforts couldn’t conquer dozens of dishes, so when she couldn’t consume anymore, she chose to rewind for a replay.

During this period, Yun Jiao didn’t forget to tell the Emperor, "Emperor, please have more."

"...Mm."

Watching her eat fills him up.

After two attempts, Yun Jiao finally tasted all twenty-four dishes. Just as Xie Zhixing thought she was done, time rewound once more.

This time, Yun Jiao only sampled the three dishes before her, then pleasantly stated:

"Concubine has a small appetite, I’m satisfied now~"

If not for witnessing her voracious feast, the Emperor would’ve almost believed it.

Xie Zhixing looked at her, "You’re eating just this little?"

"To reply to the Emperor, Concubine fears gaining weight, dared not eat more, sampling each is quite satisfying," Yun Jiao nodded, smiling charmingly shy and beautiful: "Is Concubine’s bird-like appetite shocking the Emperor?"

"Mm, a bit."

I’m slightly startled by her alternative demeanor.

After the meal, Xie Zhixing didn’t leave immediately, he inquired if Yun Jiao required anything else, ensuring her comfort and confirming no further reason to rewind time, he then moved on. His thorough care was so considerate that if not for witnessing, the palace attendants wouldn’t believe it.

And within just half a day, the news of the Emperor visiting Xianfu Palace to have the meal with Attendant Lady Xi had spread through most of the harem.

A post-coital promotion could be considered an impulsive act.

Today’s actions prove the Emperor hasn’t entirely forgotten her, not purely indulging in the pleasures of the moment.

Thus, many couldn’t sit still.