"How can Li Xiurong sit directly next to the Emperor!"
Zhou Wanying exclaimed aloud.
She realized that after saying this, Yan Xiu’s expression darkened a bit.
Inwardly, Zhou Wanying was overjoyed, thinking that the Emperor was also annoyed by Li Xiurong’s breach of protocol.
"Emperor, although I haven’t served you during meals, I was also instructed by a noblewoman in the etiquette when I entered the palace. It seems Li Xiurong might not know the rules well, so let me demonstrate."
Li Yuyu: ???
Seriously, where do you get such audacity?
Yan Xiu’s face grew even darker.
Shen Quan stood by, deliberately giving Zhou Wanying the space to perform.
He did not want to be implicated by Zhou Wanying’s foolishness.
Zhou Wanying took dainty steps, not seeing any eunuch to test the food, and immediately instructed the palace maid beside her to fetch a silver needle.
Tsk.
Li Yuyu, seeing Zhou Wanying’s actions, smiled faintly: "Does Beauty Zhou think someone would poison the food in Yao Hua Palace?"
"That wasn’t my intention, Lady Xiu, you misunderstood me." Zhou Wanying spoke, her eyes turning red, her voice growing softer and more pitiable: "I’m just following the procedure. Naturally, a eunuch should taste the Emperor’s food before he eats."
"Without a food-testing eunuch present, I naturally have to use a silver needle."
"If Lady Xiu and the Emperor are worried, I can taste the food myself."
After Zhou Wanying said this, her beautiful eyes filled with tears, she stopped the palace maid from fetching the silver needle, and instead picked up chopsticks and a clean small plate, placing a piece of each dish from the table onto the plate.
Seeing the various desserts laid out on the table, Zhou Wanying couldn’t help but swallow.
These desserts, as she recently learned from Beauty Qing, were specially made by the Imperial Kitchen’s dessert master for Li Yuyu. Not only had she never tasted them, but today was also the first time she saw them.
Zhou Wanying switched to another plate and placed the desserts on it one by one.
She did all this with a very serious expression, her actions cautious, afraid of making mistakes, and after finishing, she looked at Yan Xiu with eyes full of affection.
"Emperor, I will now taste the food for you."
Li Yuyu narrowed her eyes and suddenly got up from her seat, walking towards Zhou Wanying.
"Lady Xiu, you are... Ah!"
Zhou Wanying’s words weren’t finished before she let out a scream, then covered her arm, tearfully looking at Yan Xiu.
Li Yuyu said curiously: "I just took the plate from your hand, why are you screaming? Those who don’t know might think I’ve hurt your arm."
Zhou Wanying, who was about to claim her arm hurt: ...
"Since you’re here to serve the Emperor and me during the meal, serve well. These dishes were specially prepared by the Imperial Kitchen for the Emperor and me, and you, being a Beauty, do not have the privilege to eat them. To prevent you from breaking protocol and getting punished, I will eat them for you."
Li Yuyu said this, then picked up the chopsticks and ate everything from the plate cleanly.
Then, holding the small plate with desserts, she sat back down next to the Emperor: "These desserts were ordered by the Empress Dowager for the Imperial Kitchen to make for me, and don’t need Beauty Zhou to taste them. After all, if there’s poison, it would harm only me, not the Emperor."
Yan Xiu said in a deep voice: "Li Xiurong, don’t speak nonsense."
What do you mean, only poisoning yourself? Don’t take yourself so lightly!
"Emperor..." Zhou Wanying called out to Yan Xiu, aggrieved.
A "bang" was heard.
Yan Xiu slammed his chopsticks on the table: "What kind of a spectacle are you making with this crying! You’re ruining my mood for dining. Get back to your Purple Cloud Pavilion, and don’t appear before me to frustrate me again!"