Chapter 37: Even Dying Should Be Done With Meaning
"Niang niang…" Liu Xing seemed to have sensed Yao Mowan's anger and immediately retrieved his intense emotions as he waited respectfully for her to speak.
"Ben gong wishes to tell you that this is simply reality. Whoever obtains the favor of His Majesty can ignore laws and ignore the Heavens. Liu Xing, ben gong knows you feel indignant at the lack of justice. However, inside the palace, this is a grave mistake. An Bingshan is someone His Majesty greatly favors. Not only the palace maids and eunuchs, but even the imperial concubines and ministers must nod and bow their waists respectfully when they see him. No matter how discontent you are, you must endure it in front of him! Understand?" Yao Mowan's expression was severe as she warned.
"Liu Xing understands."
"En. You two, accompany ben gong out for a stroll." Yao Mowan retrieved her earlier seriousness and got up languidly before strolling out of Guan Osprey Palace.
"Niang niang, where are we going?" Ting Yue asked cautiously.
"Even dying should be done with meaning…" As Yao Moran muttered softly, her feet had already led her out of Guan Osprey Palace. Ting Yue shared a gaze with Liu Xing. Although they didn’t understand Master's words, they didn’t dare to ask and simply followed her out.
The Imperial Kitchen occupied the entire northwest corner of the Imperial Palace. Looking over, there were a couple dozen rooms and it gave off a very imposing atmosphere. The Ingredients Hall(by hall I actually mean a very large and tall building) in front of them was the biggest building of the bunch. Every day in the morning, afternoon, and night, all the palace maids would come here to order dishes. Then the corresponding eunuchs would send the necessary ingredients for each menu to a different small kitchen. In the Imperial Palace, the imperial gui fei, the gui fei and the pins all have their own small kitchens. The noble ladies, talented ladies and beautiful ladies who hold titles below that of pin don't have the qualifications to order their own meals. The large kitchen is in charge of organizing uniform meals for all of them.
皇贵妃，贵妃，嫔，贵人，才人, 美人
Overarching titles: imperial gui fei(Imperial Noble Consort), gui fei(Noble Consort), pin(Concubine), noble lady, talented lady, beautiful lady
So I've managed to match these ones to the wiki page and was debating whether or not to switch to English versions. However, there's chen fei which is definitely also a rank rather than a bestowed title since I remember the chapter saying that 'the chen fei was of lower rank since she didn't even get a bestowed title like Yao fei(Yao Mowan) did'. So I think I'll stick w/ those pinyin except for the 'lady' title series.
At this time, Yao Mowan was currently walking on the only road that led from Pure Flowers Palace to the Imperial Kitchen.
"Niang niang, Cai Ying is coming." Liu Xing hurriedly back to report when he saw Cai Ying's figure.
"Ting Yue, where did Eldest Sister hide that? It's such an important thing. Do you think she hid it in her residence!? Why don't we go look for it?" Yao Mowan saw Cai Ying's figure out of the corners of her eyes and immediately increased the volume of her voice.
"It's the Empress niang niang's possession so it's definitely a treasure! If this servant didn't recall wrongly, Changle Palace should be over here. Niang niang, please go ahead!" Ting Yue chimed in cooperatively and soon led Yao Mowan in the direction of Changle Palace.
Only after they walked quite a long way did Yao Mowan stop.
"Liu Xing, are you sure Cai Ying returned to Pure Flowers Palace?" Yao Mowan's clear pupils glimmered as she lightly lifted the tips of her brows.
"Replying niang niang, this servant saw it clearly. There's no doubt!" Liu Xing vigorously nodded.
"En. Then, Liu Xing, you know what to say to lure An Bingshan to the shed, right?" Yao Mowan's cherry lips lightly lifted as a bright light shot out from the depths of her eyes.
"Don't worry, niang niang, this servant know what to do!" Liu Xing accepted the order confidently and left. After Liu Xing left their sights, Ting Yue moved closer to Yao Mowan's side while hugging Fluffy.
"As expected, niang niang is wise and brilliant!" Ting Yue said with an extremely worshipful tone.
"How am I wise and brilliant?" Yao Mowan took Fluffy from Ting Yue's arms and looked towards Ting Yue with mirth in her eyes.
"If An Bingshan saw that the imperial gui fei was in the shed, he'll definitely think that it was the imperial gui fei that saved that palace maid. According to usual speculation, there are two reasons that the imperial gui fei would save someone An Bingshan wanted to kill: to threaten him or to expose him in front of HIs Majesty. No matter what conclusion An Bingshan comes to, he will definitely establish a grudge with this imperial gui fei! This servant finally understands what niang niang's sentence earlier meant – 'even dying should be done with meaning.' Since that palace maid couldn't be saved, niang niang is allowing her to die with purpose." Ting Yue took the pieces apart and analyzed them closely.
"You really are getting more and more clever! Then do you know why ben gong is needling the imperial gui fei?" Yao Mowan lifted her brows as she asked.
"It was her and Big Madam that caused Second Madam to die! Niang niang wants to get revenge for Second Madam!" Ting Yue replied with certainty. Yao Mowan didn't speak and only nodded, satisfied, with a smiling expression in her eyes. Other than for Mother, she had to get revenge for herself, for Zhong er, and for her younger sister. She will let Yao Suluan taste all the pain that exists in the mortal world before sending her down to hell!
"Niang niang, then what do we do now?" Ting Yue looked excitedly towards Yao Mowan.
"Right now? You should go to the Imperial Kitchen to pass on the lunch order. The Esteemed Prince hasn't eaten since the morning." Recalling that face which was as handsome as a celestial, Yao Mowan gave a knowing smile. Having received the order, Ting Yue cheerfully headed towards the Imperial Kitchen.
Pure Flowers Palace.
Yao Suluan's jade fingers clutched an embroidered handkerchief as her almond eyes slightly narrowed. A sinister chill emitted from them as she listened.
"Did that fool really say that?" Yao Suluan looked dubiously towards Cai Ying.
"This servant heard it clearly. She said it was some very valuable thing that the Empress niang niang left for her. When this servant was returning, Yao Mowan was already heading towards Changle Palace." Cai Ying reported everything she heard to Yao Suluan honestly.
"What could it be? Could it be… Cai Ying, accompany ben gong over to Changle Palace!" Yao Suluan's beautiful pupils widened. Then, she immediately got up and left Pure Flowers Palace. She secretly guessed that the treasure Yao Mowan had talked about was very likely linked to her. Yao Moxin had held a lot of information over her when she was alive. If those evidences fell into His Majesty's hand, the likelihood of being able to keep the title of imperial gui fei was slim. Whether she would be able to keep her life was unknown as well.
"Niang niang, Changle Palace is a forbidden ground. Without His Majesty's decree, we…" Cai Ying carefully reminded.
"What's there to be afraid of? At that time we can just say it was to look for that fool. Even if someone's guilty, it would be that fool that deserves the guilt! Stop dawdling!" Yao Suluan urged as she hastily rushed towards Changle Palace.
Yao Mowan had just stepped through the doors of Guan Osprey Palace when she saw Ye Junqing sitting upright inside.
"Mowan thought wang ye had already ascended to being a celestialT/N, ah." Yao Mowan slightly froze for a moment before walking in with gentle swaying steps while carrying Fluffy.
"Ben wang has a craving for cat meat!" Ye Junqing gave a cold humph as his eyes shot towards the Fluffy in Yao Mowan's arms. Fluffy seemed to have gained some intelligence as it jumped down from Yao Mowan's embrace and hid far away.
"Don't be so anxious, wang ye. Ting Yue has already gone to pass on the lunch menu. Moreover, what need is there for wang ye to hold something against a cat? It's truly detrimental on one's grace." Yao Mowan also didn't mind and decided on her own to sit down opposite Ye Junqing.
"Ben wang is feeling so much hatred for the house that it's reached the crow*!" Ye Junqing refused to look at Yao Mowan, still brooding due to the matter of Ben Lei's betrayal.
“hatred of house reaching the crow” dislike a house so much you don’t even like the crow on top of the house. If you don’t like a certain person, you wouldn’t like things associated with that person either.
Because she knew that Ye Junqing, in the first half of his life, stood in front of Ye Hongyi during the entire time great Chu faced war on all sides. Whether it was the battlefield campaigns, the five dragons struggle, or the chaos of Yi Xi, he fought bravely through the blood-soaked battles and chopped off all the thistles and thorns on the road to the imperial throne. As for Ye Hongyi, he was like a petty thief that snatched the fruit of someone else's labors as he grandiosely sat down upon that dragon seat.
Yao Mowan knew that everything Ye Junqing did was for her sake! That's why she felt that it was time Ye Junqing had a proper rest. As for the rest, she would arrange everything nicely for Ye Junqing!
"Don't be so pleased with yourself. Ben wang will be able to expose your true face very soon!" Self-confidence burst forth in Ye Junqing's eyes.
"Alright ah. Mowan is also looking forward to it a lot." Just wonder what reaction you would have at that time? Yao Mowan gave a sweet, shallow smile as she silently added that last sentence in her heart.
It was rare for Yao Mowan to see Ye Junqing eat at such a lightning speed and not care about appearance at all. That pair of chopsticks was like a wind-driven cloud as it instantly lifted up all the food on the table and delivered it inside Ye Junqing's stomach. Afterwards, he dropped the chopsticks and left with large strides. After the lunch meal was brought over, the meal had ended before Yao Mowan even got the chance to start.
"Niang niang, from what this servant sees, it looks like wang ye was truly quite starved. This servant will prepare some more for you right away?" Ting Yue had stared at the mess on the table blankly for a moment before moving to Yao Mowan's side with soft steps to quietly ask for instructions.
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Credits: Translated by Chiyomira, Proofread by Yours Truly
[Chiyomira’s Corner]T/N – Cause celestials don't need to eat. When you cultivate high enough, you typically don't need to eat in most c-novels.Heehee, Ting Yue's learning~ She'll turn out very very well. :3
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