Children of Loulan

When Xilin heard that Concubine Xian wanted her to pass on a message for her, she couldn't help feeling very reluctant.

However, she knew that she had to keep a good appearance in this deep palace. So, she tried to hide her true thoughts, and said with a look of both joy and embarrassment on her face:

"But... I have not yet served you in bed, and my status is so low. If I go there rashly, I am afraid it would be inappropriate..."

The conversation stopped abruptly here.

In fact, she didn't need to say more, everyone present could understand the deep meaning. A new woman who had not yet been favored by the king took the initiative to look for the king at this time. Her intention was self-evident - at that time, everyone would think that she just wanted to take this opportunity to get close to the king and fight for the opportunity to sleep with him.

It could even be that she was declaring to everyone her desire for favor and her desire to compete with other concubines. Such behavior was tantamount to openly expressing her desire to offer herself to the emperor and compete for his favor. In this palace full of power calculations and intrigues, such a move would inevitably attract countless criticisms and ridicules.

And even if she went, the king might not summon such a competitive person!

After hearing her words, Concubine Xian frowned slightly and remained silent for a while, as if she realized that there was something wrong with this. So, she slowly turned her head and cast her eyes on Madam Zhao who was standing beside her.

"In that case...then you can take her there!" Concubine Xian said in a firm tone.

Madam Zhao raised her lips slightly, revealing a barely perceptible smile, and replied softly, "Yes!"

The virtuous concubine nodded in agreement and added:

"Well, then you guys go quickly!"

Hearing this, Xilin and Madam Zhao looked at each other, secretly surprised. They never expected that this virtuous concubine would be so anxious that she told them to go find the king and ordered them to go immediately.

At this time, Madam Zhao said:

"My queen, you forgot that the king takes a nap every afternoon, and it is almost noon now, so the king will probably have lunch soon. If we rashly go to look for the king at this moment, we will probably disturb his nap!"

Although Madam Zhao's words were calm, Xilin keenly detected a hint of reluctance in them. However, what was ridiculous was that this virtuous concubine who thought she was extremely smart seemed to be unaware of this.

Concubine Xian asked in confusion: "Is it almost noon?"

Madam Zhao chuckled and said:

"Yes, madam, it's almost noon!"

The virtuous concubine slowly sat up from the recliner.

"Oh, look at my memory. It's so messy all day that I can't even remember the time!"

She said coquettishly while rubbing her forehead.

Then, she turned her gaze to Xilin and Madam Zhao, with a hint of a smile on her face:

"It's already noon, why don't you two have lunch together here."

As soon as she finished speaking, she turned her head to look at Yumei, her personal maid beside her, and whispered:

"Yumei, go tell the Shanfang to prepare a few more dishes. Madam Zhao and Lady Xi are having dinner here today, so we can't neglect them."

Upon hearing this, Yumei hurriedly bowed and responded with a smile on her face:

"As you command, Madam. I will go to the Shanfang now and will instruct them to carefully prepare several popular delicacies to satisfy Madam Zhao and Lady Xi."

After saying this, she quickly stood up and left.

Concubine Xian looked at Yumei's back as she left, her lips slightly raised, revealing a meaningful smile on her face. She had been in this palace for ten years, and she didn't understand who was who before, but now, even if she couldn't see everything, she could guess about 50% of it.

After Dalan returned to her bedroom, she lay on the bed and did not come out until after dark. She lazily got up and shouted to the outside:

"Miffy!"

Mi Feiti, who had been waiting outside the door for a long time, pushed the door open immediately after hearing the shout. She asked with some concern:

"Cai Ren, you are awake. How are you? Are you hungry? Do you want me to bring you food right away?"

Daran held her head, maybe because she had been lying down for too long, or maybe because she was too hungry, she just felt a little dizzy at the moment. In fact, she woke up early and was hungry a long time ago, but for tonight's matter, she gritted her teeth and held on until now.

She said: "Please serve the food. I am indeed hungry!"

Seeing her holding her head, Mifiti knew that her master must be hungry. While helping Dalan get up, she shouted to the door:

"Someone, serve the food quickly, I'm hungry!"

Mi Feiti helped the dizzy Dalan to get up and walk to the dressing table, and re-dressed her. After she finished dressing, the meal arrived. Dalan did not drive away the two palace maids. She just wolfed down the food without any manners at all.

Mi Fiti stood by and watched worriedly. She understood that Cai Ren was doing this for outsiders to see. After half a day, Cai Ren must have thought of a solution. Her actions at this moment were probably paving the way for what was to come.

Mifeti guessed correctly. After Darlan cleared the food on the table, she lay down in the bedroom for a while. After lying down, she seemed to become a little restless and kept walking back and forth in the room.

A maid saw her pacing back and forth, so she stepped forward and asked:

"What's wrong with you, Cairen? Are you feeling unwell?"

Dalan seemed very helpless and said: "Oh, it's all my fault. I woke up from a half-day sleep with hunger, so I just ate without thinking, and ate so much in a short time. Now I feel a little uncomfortable because I am full!"

Palace maid: "Then should I ask the imperial physician to prescribe some medicine to help digestion?"

Dalan immediately stopped him and said, "That won't do. I just slept with the emperor last night. If I ask for the imperial physician today because I ate too much, wouldn't the whole harem laugh at me and criticize me?"

The maid was a little confused. She obviously didn't understand what Dalan meant. Dalan was too lazy to explain to her and said impatiently:

"Alright, alright, go down now!"

Just then, Mifiti came in with a bowl of soup. She looked at Dalan, then at the palace maid with her head down, and hurried over.

"Cai Ren, how are you? Are you okay?"

Seeing that it was Mifeti, Dalan was about to say something when she came over with a bowl of soup in her hand. She said seriously with an unhappy face:

"Why are you bringing me soup? Don't you know I ate too much just now? What? Do you think I'm not dead from eating too much?"

Mi Feiti was so scared that she quickly bowed and said, "I dare not. I saw that Cairen ate more than usual at night, so I knew that she was hungry because she slept for half a day, so she couldn't control herself. Because of this, I also knew that Cairen would feel uncomfortable because of eating too much, so I went to the kitchen and made this digestive soup for her!"

Dalan was obviously a little unconvinced and asked, "Digestive soup?"

Mifeti: "Yes, Cairen!"

Dalan walked slowly to Mifeti, raised her eyebrows and said, "You have followed me for so long, how come I don't know when you will make a digestive soup?"

Dalan's tone was full of distrust and suspicion, but Mifeti replied respectfully as always:

"I learned it from the cook in Mo City!"

Daran: "Really?"

Mi Feiti immediately expressed his loyalty and said, "It's absolutely true, Cairen, you forgot that the cook was very good at making soups and dishes, and you once praised her, so it was at that time that I began to learn some simple soups and dishes from the cook, intentionally or unintentionally!"

Dalan pondered for a moment: "Then...it seems that I misunderstood you!"

Hearing what Dalan said, Mifeti smiled and stood up and said:

"As long as the picker is happy, it doesn't matter to me."

Then she brought the soup to Dalan.

"Cai Ren, this soup is best drunk while it's hot."

Dalan nodded: "Well, put it on the table, I'll drink it slowly!"

Mifeti: "Okay, pick someone!"