Chapter 87.1 – Competition Start (1)

“Second sister hasn’t even reached marriageable age yet has already gone senile? As soon as you woke up, you started wantonly cursing at me, yet you still want to let me get rid of the stinky smell on your body? You really are optimistic!”.

After Du Xiao Li’s reminder, Du Ke Xin finally recalled how she treated Du Xiao Li after waking up. Seeing the sneer on her face, she let out a ‘hmph’ and turned to leave the pavilion.

“While I’m at it, let me remind you, just soaking once isn’t enough, need to soak again after twelve hours. Hopefully, tomorrow, second sister can appear before everyone smelling pleasantly.”

Du Ke Xin paused her steps, following which she immediately headed towards Du Yun Han, and after informing Du Yun Han, turned and left the imperial gardens. Seeing that hasty appearance, presumably in a hurry to go back and soak in the bath.

Shortly after, Eunuch Shan’s sharp voice yelled out ‘his Majesty has arrived’. Du Xiao Li got up and left the pavilion, coming to Du Yun Han’s side. Very soon, Han Ming Ze’s figure appeared before everyone.

“Greetings to the Emperor.” Everyone uniformly bowed.

“You’re all excused.” Han Ming Ze glanced at the people in the imperial gardens. These were the students participating in the competition this time, each and every one all appearing quite outstanding. “Today, this emperor invited everyone here in order to give you all a welcoming reception to wash away the dust, and at the same time, also to wish you all the best in the competition this time, and all be able to win a quick victory!”

Du Xiao Li nearly laughed out loud. If everyone all were to win a quick victory, then who would be in first, and who would be in last?

Han Ming Ze began admiring the flowers with everyone, saying that at noon, he will hold a welcoming feast for everyone. Du Xiao Li was bored, thus asked Han Ming Ze to excuse her, saying that she wanted to go examine the Grand Empress Dowager’s body. Hearing this, Han Ming Ze thus agreed, letting someone take her to the forbidden palace.

Du Xiao Li arrived outside the forbidden palace gates. As soon as the eunuch that brought her over left, Hong Xiu immediately appeared at the entrance.

“Miss Du, please come with me.”

“Thank you Hong Xiu-gugu.” Du Xiao Li said with a smile and followed Hong Xiu in.

Hong Xiu brought Du Xiao Li to the Grand Empress Dowager’s resting chamber. The Grand Empress Dowager was currently resting on the recliner with her eyes closed. Meng Gu was next to her slowly fanning with a fan. Hearing the sound of the door opening, she opened her eyes.

“This one greets the Grand Empress Dowager, wishing the Grand Empress Dowager good health!” Du Xiao Li greeted with a curtsy.

“Quickly get up, come sit before this grieving one.” Chun Ming moved a stool over and placed it before the recliner. The Grand Empress Dowager sat up and said, “Just now, when Meng Gu said you’d come, this grieving one was even somewhat surprised. With you being that busy, how would you be able to come see these old bones. Coming to the palace this time, is it for something?”

“Replying to the Grand Empress Dowager, his Majesty invited the students participating in the competition this time into the palace to admire the flowers, so this subject also came together with them, and thinking that ever since Grand Empress Dowager returned, this subject had yet to come visit you, thus asked his Majesty for instructions, coming over to examine your body. Grand Empress Dowager, please extend your hand.”

The Grand Empress Dowager extended her hand, while Hong Xiu brought a cloth cushion over. Du Xiao Li let the Grand Empress Dowager place her hand on top as she took her pulse.

“Grand Empress Dowager’s body is recovering nicely. Right now, can already stop taking the medicine, and can just nurse one’s health using medicinal meals. The medicinal meals should still be the same as before, and put an end to dishes with generous amounts of meat and fish.” Du Xiao Li said as she retracted her hand.

“The chefs you trained, as expected, have great skill. The things they make are much more delicious than the meals the imperial chefs previously made.” The Grand Empress Dowager happily said.

“That’s because Grand Empress Dowager, your body previously wasn’t good, so anything you eat all feels unappetizing, and those medicinal meals can only be made by those that have training, that’s why this one let specialists come cook for you. Now that your body has recovered, when eating the dishes prepared by the imperial chefs from before, you’ll also feel it’s delicious.” Du Xiao Li smilingly replied.

“Haha, you’re still this good with words.” The Grand Empress Dowager held Du Xiao Li’s hand and said with a smile.

Du Xiao Li accompanied the Grand Empress Dowager for a while, then went to the forbidden palace’s little kitchen to teach the new chefs how to make another medicinal dish.

This chef originally was Feng Xue Lou’s specialist in medicinal dishes. When Du Xiao Li went to go treat Lu Jun Qi’s poison, she had them called over to the estate to prepare medicinal meals for the Grand Empress Dowager. Because his skills were all taught by Du Xiao Li, that’s why his cooking was quite good. Afterwards, the Grand Empress Dowager returned to the palace, and Du Xiao Li had him enter the palace as well, taking care of the Grand Empress Dowager’s daily three meals in the forbidden palace.

Agreeing to the Grand Empress Dowager’s request, Du Xiao Li prepared the medicinal meal as she demonstrated to the imperial chefs. Once the imperial chefs figured it out, she’d also finished making the meal. While she was at it, she also cooked two light stir-fried dishes and carried them to the dining hall, eating the afternoon together with the Grand Empress Dowager and chatting with her. And only after the Grand Empress Dowager left to go take her afternoon nap did Du Xiao Li finally leave.

When she returned, the banquet feast on the other side had already scattered, and the students were currently preparing to return to Sui Yuan. Du Yun Han had already left at an unknown time.

“Imperial Physician Du.” A Eunuch came to Du Xiao Li side.

Du Xiao Li recognized that this was Eunuch Sha who frequently appeared behind Eunuch Shan. “Does Eunuch Sha need something?”

“The Emperor has summoned you, please come with me.” Eunuch Sha waved the horsetail whisk in hand, and then turned to lead Du Xiao Li to the imperial study. Arriving at the imperial study, he first went in to report before finally letting Du Xiao Li enter.

Du Xiao Li came into the imperial study. This wasn’t her first time coming here, but this time the feeling was obviously different. Carefully thinking it over, she discovered that the imperial guards and palace maids were all gone, with only Eunuch Shan alone serving Han Ming Ze.

“Greetings your Majesty.” Du Xiao Li bowed in greeting.

“You may rise.” Han Ming Ze put down the brush in hand. Ever since a few days ago, after Du Yun Han had the inner cabinet dispersed, the memorandums he needed to read through everyday suddenly increased by a lot, and the time he spent on these also increased. Even now, his desk was filled with two piles of memorandums.

“Thanking your Majesty.” Du Xiao Li got up, and once again inwardly ridiculed this feudal society’s kowtow system inside.

“How is imperial grandmother’s body?” Han Ming Ze asked.

“Replying to your Majesty, the Grand Empress Dowager’s body has recovered very nicely. The harm brought about by the gu has already healed by a lot. After recuperating for a few more days, she more or less will be able to return to normal.” Du Xiao Li replied.

“You’ve worked hard on imperial grandmother’s matter!”

“The Grand Empress Dowager is a very good person, and is also very good to this humble subject, whether it’s one’s public duty, or one’s personal wish, this humble subject will all do one’s best.”

“En, it’s very good that you have this thought.” Han Ming Ze nodded in praise. After contemplating for a while, he asked, “Have you figured out what gu imperial grandmother was afflicted with? How was it able to enter the body?”

“Replying to your Majesty, this gu although is relatively low level, it’s relatively difficult to raise in the early stages, needing a special environment. And after it enters its cocoon stage, need to place it into a specialized container. When it leaves the container, it must be transferred into the body within an hour, else the gu will die. In the cocoon stage, the gu is smaller than a rice grain and can be placed in food, letting the person eat it when they’re not paying attention. As long as it enters the body, the gu will be able to makes its home and settle down.” Du Xiao Li explained.