Relying on Food Chapter 2: Good Thing

The Grand Empress Dowager believed in Buddhism.

The Empress Dowager was also a Buddhist, and so was Xuan Pin, who was from the Borjigin clan. In the main hall of Xianfu Palace, there was a small Buddhist hall, and in the niche was a three-legged incense burner with blue and white seawater patterns. Smoke was curling from the burner, and the whole hall was filled with the scent of sandalwood.

An elderly mama pushed the door open and walked in.

Mama: An older and more senior female servant, who sometimes has served as her master’s nanny or wet nurse since her master’s birth.

Xuan Pin knelt on a cushion in front of the Buddhist temple, her eyes slightly closed, twisting a string of golden prayer beads, and muttering something.

The mama stood aside with her hands raised and her head bowed.

After a long while, when Xuan Pin finished reciting Buddhist scriptures and stood up to take an incense and put it into the incense burner, the mama stepped forward and told her that Wan Daying had come to end her leave and pay her respects.

The corners of Xuan Pin's mouth curled up slightly.

She said Amitabha in a good mood, and the senior palace maid Tana beside her smiled and flattered: "It is because of the great kindness of my lady that Wan Daying was able to keep her life. If I were to say, Wan Daying will definitely follow my lady’s lead in the future."

Xuan Pin glanced at Tana.

She shook her head: "This palace is doing this for my own conscience, not for anything else."

This palace: How an empress or concubines from the imperial harem addresses herself.

Tana hesitated to speak.

Seeing that Xuan Pin's face was slightly gloomy, she quickly admitted her mistake: "It was all my unfounded thinking."

Xuan Pin's face then turned from gloomy to cloudy.

She nodded with satisfaction and asked someone to reward Wan Daying some nourishing herbs and food, and told her to take good care of herself and that it would be okay for her to pay her respects a few days later.

Even though she said so, Wan Anran couldn't do that.

(Please read this at purplepun.blogspot.com)

The next morning, she changed into bright clothes and rushed to the main hall. The eunuch Zhao Duoxi, who was waiting at the door, walked quickly and said: "Lady Wan, please come in."

Wan Anran walked all the way into the side room of the main hall.

A beautiful concubine wearing a palace dress with a twisted branch pattern was already sitting inside. Haitao came forward and reminded her, "My lady, she is Xu Changzai."

Changzai: First Class Attendant. One rank above Daying.

Wan Anran stepped forward and did a deep curtsy for Xu Changzai.

As for this Xu Changzai, she didn't even raise her eyelids. She casually waved her hand to signal Wan Anran to get up, and then she never paid any attention to her again.

Giving her a cold shoulder?

Wan Anran was not interested either. She thought it was just a favor from her colleague, so it wasn’t a big deal.

She lowered her eyes and took a sip of the tea.

Xuan Pin didn't serve green tea, but Mongolian salty milk tea. The light salty and milky taste blended together just right. Wan Anran took a sip and liked it very much, so she took another sip.

Sigh…

Although salty milk tea is good, she suddenly missed sweet milk tea. Thinking that she doesn't have the status of having sugar to enjoy, Wan Anran shed tears silently.

At this moment, the door creaked open again.

This time, a beautiful lady with an elegant appearance and graceful manner came in. Xu Changzai immediately lost her previous indifference. She stood up and greeted her with a smile on her face: "This concubine pays respects to Big Sister Nala."

Haitao reminded: "She is Nala Guiren."

Guiren: Noble Lady. One rank above Changzai.

Wan Anran nodded, glanced at Xu Changzai with a strange expression, and then curtsied.

Wan Anran was a little confused. Could this person who came in be someone who particularly likes flattery? In a company, superiors who liked flattery was the most annoying.

Wan Anran felt uneasy.

She looked up and happened to meet the eyes of Nala Guiren.

Understood!

She is exactly like me!

This thought popped up in both of their minds at the same time.

Wan Anran and Nala Guiren smiled at each other. Nala Guiren interrupted Xu Changzai and asked, "How is Sister Wan's health?"

Wan Anran smiled and replied, "Thank you, sister Nala, for your concern. My illness has been cured."

The problem was that Nala Guiren and Wan Anran were meeting for the first time, and after just a few words they didn't know what to say.

The two of them looked at each other.

Seeing that Xu Changzai was about to interrupt, the two of them spoke at the same time: "Sister Nara/Sister Wan, have you had breakfast?"

After they finished speaking, the two were stunned for a moment, and after hesitating for three breaths, they said at the same time: "This sister has already used it."

After the words were spoken, the two of them couldn't help but fall silent again.

They looked at each other and one of them couldn't help laughing out loud.

The little farce of the parrot conversation brought the two closer.

Nala Guiren hurriedly called out to Wan Anran to sit down. She first put the heater in her hand into her palm, and then asked the palace servant to bring her hot salty milk tea. Her enthusiastic appearance made Wan Anran a little at a loss, and also made Xu Changzai's eyes flash with anger.

Wan Anran had no time to deal with Xu Changzai.

Just as she was about to stand up and hold down Nala Guiren’s arm, a sigh sounded in her ears.

Wan Anran turned around in surprise, only to see that the one sighing was actually a baby. The baby was chubby, with big watery eyes like black grapes. He noticed Wan Anran's gaze and said with a cute face: "Wan Daying, mother concubine is a person who likes to worry and nag. I hope you can tolerate and understand her."

He sounded very sweet.

He was just a little toddler, but he spoke in a very formal manner.

Wan Anran had been single all her life, so where had she seen such a cute baby? She immediately took a breath of air and directly hugged this cute baby into her arms, giving him kisses, touches and pinches.

The baby was dumbfounded.

He was so anxious that his face turned red, and he stammered, "How can you be so unrestrained, Wan Daying? Don't you know the difference between men and women?"

Wan Anran doesn't care about that.

She kissed his little red cheek and said shamelessly: "The difference between men and women are only applicable after the age of seven. You have to wait a few more years!"

The baby's eyes were wide open.

He had never seen such a shameless person in the palace! The baby's eyes turned red, and he stretched out his hands to the Nala Guiren with grievance: "Mother concubine! Wan Daying is bullying me!"

Wan Anran: ...Ah this?

Did she flirt with the kid in front of his mother? Wan Anran quickly put the little prince on the ground, pretended that nothing happened and took a sip of tea.

Wan Anran pretended to be calm, lowered her eyes and praised the tea: "Hmm... This salty milk tea is really unique. The taste is salty and soft, full of milk flavor, and paired with the crispy and delicious fried rice, it is simply a match made in heaven."

Nara Guiren was at a loss whether to laugh or cry.

As for the little prince, he was so angry that he jumped up and down, complaining that Wan Anran didn't behave like an adult at all.

So what if I don’t act like an adult?

Wan Anran even made a face at him secretly!

The little prince's eyes widened.

While he was angry, he also became quite curious about Wan Anran. The child's anger came and went quickly. Not long after, Nara Guiren was surprised to find that Wan Daying and his son Wan Fu were huddled together, whispering to each other.

Xu Changzai was filled with complicated feelings.

There was a saying that people who often held children will be lucky. Xu Changzai had been eyeing the Ninth Prince for a long time, but it is a pity that not only was Nala Guiren cold to her, but the Ninth Prince also ignored her.

But now?

Xu Changzai stared at Wan Daying, with fire in her eyes!

When Xuan Pin came over later, she saw this surprising scene. She raised her eyebrows, a little surprised: "What's going on?"

Nala Guiren couldn't explain it either.

Wan Daying had been ill since she came to Xianfu Palace. Nala Guiren, who was raising the little prince, had never visited her. She had only heard from others that she was a proud person. But now, where did she look like a proud person at all? She looked like a little girl who had not left the boudoir yet!

Xuan Pin was not in a hurry.

She watched with great interest for a while, and found the actions of the two people, one big and one small, very amusing. Xuan Pin watched with great interest, but the chief of palace maid Tana's frown was getting tighter and tighter, and in the end she clenched her fist in front of her mouth and coughed softly.

Wan Anran and Wan Fu raised their heads at the same time.

The two of them moved in unison and had the same expression, as if they were cast from the same mold. Wan Anran and Wan Fu were stunned for a long time, and then they suddenly realized what was going on. Wan Anran quickly straightened her expression and knelt on the ground: "May Xuan Pin be blessed with prosperity and peace."

Wan Fu knelt on one knee and flicked his sleeves swiftly.

Although he looked small, he was very confident: "This son pays respects to Mother Concubine Xuan."

Xuan Pin responded with a smile.

She motioned Wan Anran to sit down, and waved for Wan Fu to come over. As the only little prince in Xianfu Palace, Wan Fu was the treasure that everyone held in their hearts. Concubine Xuan looked around for a moment and smiled with satisfaction: "It seems that he is getting bigger and bigger. Our Wan Fu is growing up really healthy. He will definitely become a brave warrior in the future!"

Wan Fu held his head high and chest out, as proud as a little rooster. He patted his chest vigorously and said, "When this son grow up, I will follow Khan Ama to hunt deers and tigers, and then make a cushion for Mother Concubine Xuan and a scarf and gloves for my mother concubine!"

Wan Anran waited for a long time but she heard nothing else.

She pretended to be sad, covered her chest and sighed sadly.

Wan Fu glanced at her, covered his mouth and laughed secretly: "As for Wan Daying, well... I'll just shoot a stupid roe deer for you!"

You mean I'm stupid?

Wan Anran was so angry that she fell backwards, looking at Xuan Pin and Nala Guiren with grievance.

But they both stood on Wan Fu’s side.

Xuan Pin was particularly angry: "How old are you and you still have the nerve to ask a three-year-old for a gift? And you despise the roe deer hunted by our Wanfu? In the spring, I will take you to Nanyuan to hunt, and you will not be allowed to eat unless you hunt a roe deer!"

Wan Anran: …………

No, you wanted me to hunt roe deer? In my previous life, I had never even ridden a horse. As for the Wan Daying in this life, she had ridden a horse before, but since the draft was approaching, she hadn't ridden a horse for four or five years.

If she were to go hunting, she would probably be knocked over by a roe deer first.

Wan Anran quickly changed the subject: "How dare I dislike it? I just think that one roe deer is probably not enough to eat! Braising, steaming, adding radish and tofu to make soup, or making roe deer sausage, or mincing and adding honey and sugar to make jerky, or sprinkled with pepper, cumin and chili to make grilled skewers... One is not enough, at least three are needed."

After hearing her description, Xuan Pin was really moved.

It’s a pity that the taste of roe deer meat is average. Unless you happen to come across it while hunting, you can’t eat it on normal days.

Wan Fu was also very excited.

His eyes sparkled, he put his hands on his hips and swore loudly: "Don't worry, Mother Concubine Xuan, I will definitely kill two more."

The three people in the hall burst into laughter.

Xu Changzai, the only one who was excluded, exerted force with her fingertips. She tightly grasped the bottom corner of her skirt and lowered her head to hide the resentment in her eyes.

Translator’s Note:
In Qing dynasty Imperial Chinese harem system, there were eight ranks:
Empress (皇后; huánghòu)
Imperial Noble Consort (皇貴妃; huángguìfēi)
Noble Consort (貴妃; guìfēi)
Consort (妃; fēi)
Concubine (嬪; pín)
Noble Lady (貴人; guìrén)
First Class Attendant (常在; chángzài)
Second Class Attendant (答應; dāyìng)
I’m not sure if the author will use this system, but I’m putting this information here just in case.

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