The noodles had a bit of salt added and several eggs cracked into them, kneaded with great effort until just right. The thin strands were chewy and flavorful, fragrant and very appealing. The soup was skimmed clean of oil, with tender baby greens floating on top. Even in the poor light of night, one could see that the charcoal pot noodles were very enticing. Combined with the strong scent of the noodles, the fresh aroma of the soup freely wafted through the air. Xia Ruqing felt her mouth watering uncontrollably. "My lord... May I have... just a small bowl, please?" Zhao Junyao couldn’t help but smile wryly. "You little girl, as if I’d ever shortchange you of something to eat." Xia Ruqing thought groggily, That’s true, my lord. You are the Emperor! The Emperor... must be the richest! Zi Yue and Li Shengan were so scared they nearly fell to their knees. Lady Xia... could not rest without startling others with her words! In this whole world, aside from the Empress Dowager, who dares to utter the term ’Emperor’ so casually? Zi Yue thought, The mistress must be drunk! She shouldn’t have let her drink so much! What are we to do now! Just praying the mistress sobered up and stopped talking nonsense! Zhao Junyao didn’t find anything amiss. Or perhaps... It might not be proper coming from other women, but from Lady Xia... He didn’t find anything wrong at all! When the noodles were served in a small bowl, they were cooled just right. The palm-sized bowl contained noodles and broth. Xia Ruqing’s stomach growled with hunger. With a small bowl in hand, after one taste of the noodles, she felt something was missing. She ladled a spoonful of her own simmered mushroom sauce over them. The rich, distinctive aroma of the mushrooms immediately merged with the fragrance of the noodles. Xia Ruqing ate joyfully, and in less than a moment, the small bowl of noodles was gone. As for Zhao Junyao... He had eaten six whole bowls! The charcoal pot was now devoid of noodles. The thick soup that had been bubbling was left with just the dregs. Li Shengan was astonished. During this time of the Indian summer, the heat was so intense that one would sweat profusely just sitting still. The Emperor’s appetite had always been poor, and he consumed little food. This time... he ate six bowls of noodles... Had he not seen it with his own eyes, he would never have believed it! Zhao Junyao ate to his heart’s content. By the time he was done, his clothes were drenched in sweat. But the warm, satiated feeling in his stomach made him feel thoroughly indulged. "These noodles are excellent, reward them!" Then he added, "It’s getting late, clear everything away! Prepare the bathwater!" After speaking, he carried Xia Ruqing into the house. Li Shengan hurriedly complied, giving Little Zhuzi a sign from afar and then followed to serve. The bathing chamber of Qingya Residence was much larger than the original Zhaohua Pavilion. As Lady Xia had gained favor and attended the Emperor more often, the Ministry of Internal Affairs had renovated it exquisitely. The water was just the right temperature. Shedding her clothes and soaking in, Xia Ruqing sighed contentedly. Zhao Junyao looked at the little person in his arms who had softened into a puddle. Inwardly, he wished he could devour her whole. This text is hosted at novel~fire~net After a comfortable bath, Zi Yue had already tidied up the inner chamber. When the Emperor carried Lady Xia out, Zi Yue glimpsed them and blushed, quickly excusing herself. A young girl who’d never been with a man couldn’t possibly handle such a scene. That night, Xia Ruqing was thoroughly devoured. Accompanied by one heavy breath after another. The light crimson canopy hung down like a waterfall, churning and cascading nonstop. The golden yellow gauze lamp before the window stayed bright until the wee hours. The palace maids who served at His Majesty’s bidding delivered water several times. Finally, after changing the sheets, mattress, and thin silk quilt, the light inside was extinguished. Zhao Junyao, holding the already comatose Xia Ruqing in his arms, squinted his eyes, feeling completely content. In all the time he hadn’t been here, he truly was... so pent up! Flipping the nameplate doesn’t mean a romp in the bed. With some women, you must pay a visit, but as for doing that deed, it still depends on the mood. Women like Consort Yun, who are bold enough to nearly wear him out in bed, are after all in the minority. The majority of others, some are tensed up, some are scared, some completely clueless and unaware of what to do. He used to think it was no big deal. But now... After tasting the sweetness of melons, who’d still want to eat bitter gourds! After sleeping with one who fits his heart’s desires, who’d want a lifeless body to share his bed? In the presence of the Emperor, being too active is definitely not okay. Dare to dominate the Emperor? You must not want to stay in these circles anymore. A lifeless body is surely not okay either. The Emperor, after all, is a man and requires ambiance and amusement. People who can satisfy him in bed are indeed rare. Now, he only has eyes for Lady Xia! The next day was a day off, so Zhao Junyao woke up a bit later than usual. Although he went to sleep late, he was still energetic upon rising. Xia Ruqing, on the other hand, was not okay; her body had turned into a pile of mush. Barely managing to get up, she went to pay her respects to the Empress and had breakfast, then wilted again. Zhao Junyao asked her with a smile, "Did you have a nightmare last night?" Xia Ruqing was bewildered. "Your Majesty, did I... talk in my sleep?" "Did I... say anything?" Xia Ruqing asked, wary. Zhao Junyao just smiled. "You said... you were abandoned and lived solely with your grandmother! You also mentioned... you know lots of characters and could drive some sort of car!" A wave of panic washed over Xia Ruqing. This is bad! How could she blabber such nonsense when drunk! Twenty-first-century matters, how was she to explain them? However, luckily Zhao Junyao didn’t ask her to explain and just mocked her instead, "Qingqing, were you still dreaming after getting drunk?" Xia Ruqing’s eyes brightened! "Dreaming?! Yes! Yes! Just a dream! Your Majesty, this servant had many strange dreams last night! If you hadn’t mentioned it, I wouldn’t have remembered!" Zhao Junyao smiled. "Since you didn’t sleep well, go back to sleep for a while. I’ll come to see you again tonight!" After speaking, he dressed himself and left with his escort. "Yes! This servant respectfully sees the Emperor off!" Xia Ruqing respectfully saw off the Emperor. As she got up, her heart was still lamenting. Your Majesty... why must you come again tonight? This time, I absolutely mustn’t drink any alcohol. 「At the end of July.」 The palace was calm and tranquil. The Empress busied herself with acting the part of the virtuous and generous, preoccupied with preparing for the Mid-Autumn Festival, having no time to concern herself with many matters. Noble Concubine Shih, approaching her eighth month of pregnancy, had been confined. She couldn’t leave her quarters, and others dared not involve themselves with her, resulting in fewer issues. Next in line were Consort Yun and Consort Ning, who for now, were both quiet. Consort Hui Pin and Consort Zheng Pin also stayed out of trouble. With the high-ranking ladies of the palace all peaceful, those below were much more compliant. The only disturbance within the palace was the serious illness of Honored Lady Hu. 「In the Cold Palace.」 Even though it was the end of July and the weather remained oppressively hot, Honored Lady Hu, suffering from a high fever, was still wrapped in tattered quilts, shivering from the cold. "Come... someone! Save me... Save..." She called out weakly. When Honored Lady Hu was demoted to the Cold Palace, only a little eunuch accompanied her. His name was Xiao Chengzi. He was the little eunuch who spilled the Fuzi Powder on his package.