A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace-Chapter 578 Tribal Harassment

Xia Ruqing saw his expression and felt somewhat disappointed.

"Emperor, is the painting I did really that ugly?"

Zhao Junyao was, in fact, feeling disdainful. Upon hearing her question, he quickly adjusted his expression.

"Ahem!"

"I think, Qingqing, your painting is not bad; there’s a lot of room for improvement!"

He couldn’t bear to crush her spirit. After speaking, he called for someone to bring brush, ink, paper, inkstone, and various pigments.

Picking up the brush, he added a few deft strokes to her painting. The plum tree that had looked painfully twisted instantly seemed to unfurl gracefully. He then used red cinnabar to dot petals and buds on the branches of the plum tree. A vibrant plum blossom thus bloomed amidst the cold wind.

"Wow!"

Xia Ruqing was utterly stunned. Little Bun, standing by her side, also had a face full of surprise, clapping his tiny hands with glee.

"Uh huang... hoo wang..." his mouth mumbled incoherently. His big eyes gazed at his Father Emperor with adoration, drool trickling down his chin.

Zhao Junyao found it both amusing and exasperating. "Just a painting, and look at you two, acting like you’ve never seen the world!"

Though his words were dismissive, a sweet warmth spread through his heart. He felt enveloped by something warm and comforting, filling him completely.

No man dislikes adoration and admiration from women, especially from the woman he loves.

Zhao Junyao felt extremely satisfied.

Xia Ruqing lowered her head and muttered softly, "Hmph, so what if I haven’t seen the world!"

Little Bun didn’t quite understand what ’haven’t seen the world’ meant. He looked at his Father Emperor, then at his Mother Consort. He mimicked Xia Ruqing, lowering his head and babbling, though no one knew what he was saying.

Seeing this, Zhao Junyao couldn’t hold back his laughter.

Xia Ruqing, too, found it both amusing and exasperating. "Son, do you even understand what that means? And you’re still copying!"

Little Bun remained silent.

Zhao Junyao sat for a while but left before long. His visit was quite brief.

Xiao Xizi and Zi Yue, who had been standing outside without entering, were somewhat worried. It was so late; for the Emperor to come and then leave again—it was quite unusual! Could it be that Master and the Emperor had argued again?

Suppressing their unease, they saw the Emperor off. Once he was gone, they fixed their gazes on their master’s expression, trying to discern her mood.

"What is it? Why are you all..."

Zi Yue glanced at Xiao Xizi, then asked hesitantly, "Master... you and the Emperor..."

Xia Ruqing was even more puzzled. "What about him?"

Zi Yue steeled herself and said directly, "Master, why did the Emperor leave? Why didn’t he..."

Xia Ruqing finally understood why the two of them were acting so mysteriously. Oh, I was wondering what all the fuss was about.

"The Emperor went to Jiaofang Hall! Everything’s fine!"

"Xiao Xizi, call for the meal!"

"Yes!" Xiao Xizi scurried off.

Zi Yue also felt relieved. "It’s a relief that nothing is wrong!"

「Later that night.」

Zhao Junyao had his dinner at Jiaofang Hall and visited the Third Princess. He stayed until the Hai Hour before leaving.

The Empress, cradling the Princess, wore a disappointed expression. She had originally thought that with the Princess, the Emperor would visit more often. Unexpectedly... things remained the same. He came, yes, but he never stayed the night. Sigh... There’s a particular kind of ache, like a man who comes to your bedside only to leave again. It’s an experience quite similar to a cooked duck suddenly taking flight.

"Enough, enough! Tidy up, let’s go to sleep," the Empress commanded.

Sister Ji and the others assented.

The brightly lit Jiaofang Hall finally grew dark before the Zi Hour.

「Starting on the twenty-fourth day of the twelfth lunar month.」

The palace gradually grew more festive. With the New Year approaching, the Ministry of Internal Affairs prepared different allotments for each palace and courtyard. They kept a clear tally of who was favored and who was not.

Among the Honored Ladies, the allotments for Honored Lady Jiang and Honored Lady Du were the worst. However, unlike Honored Lady Du, who constantly schemed and sought favor everywhere, the aloof Honored Lady Jiang would never deign to go out and solicit help. Nor was she willing to spend her silver. Consequently, her days were even more difficult than Honored Lady Du’s.

But all this... was just the sordid undercurrent flowing beneath the palace’s surface. It didn’t disturb the outward appearance of prosperity, harmony, and cheerful accord.

「Meanwhile.」

While the Harem flourished, the imperial court was somewhat unsettled.

A snow disaster had occurred in the north, but the Great Chu Dynasty itself was unaffected. Yet, further north, beyond the passes, lived several nomadic Grassland Tribes. They were robust and skilled horsemen, each household raising hundreds, even thousands, of livestock. Throughout the seasons, they moved in pursuit of grass.

Now, faced with such a rare, heavy snowstorm, the vegetation had frozen to death, and with nothing to graze on, the livestock had starved as well. These tribes, driven to madness and desperation with no way out, began to raid the borders of the Great Chu Dynasty. Several frontier towns in the southwest and northwest suffered. Like bandits, they burned, killed, and plundered, committing every imaginable evil!

Urgent memorials, carried by 800-li express riders, were dispatched overnight from both north and south to the Capital City. Early on the morning of the third day, they lay upon Zhao Junyao’s imperial desk.

After reading the reports, Zhao Junyao was consumed by fury, slamming the memorials down on his imperial desk. "Preposterous!"

Li Shengan was so terrified his hair practically stood on end.

Zhao Junyao gave a cold sneer. "Issue the order: the Commanders of the Three Great Camps and the Minister of War are to come to the palace at once! And, alert no one else!" It was nearly the New Year, and panic was to be avoided at all costs.

"Yes!"

Li Shengan, holding his dust whisk, quickly ran out. Without even pausing to wipe away his sweat, he quickly gathered his apprentices.

"Quick! Go summon General Xiao and Lord Yang to the palace. Remember, this must be done discreetly. These are critical military and state affairs; if a single word leaks, heads will roll!"

Little Zhuzi and the others instinctively flinched. "Understood, Master!"

With that, they scurried away. The two Little Eunuchs hurried off in separate directions.

In less than half a Shi Chen, Yang He and General Xiao had received the summons and were hastening to the palace.

「Imperial Study Room.」

Zhao Junyao showed them the urgent memorials. Then he asked, "My dear ministers, what are your thoughts?"

Yang He frowned. "Your Majesty, this subject believes we should dispatch troops to crush them, thereby asserting the formidable might of our Great Chu Dynasty!"

General Xiao frowned, clearly holding a different opinion.

Zhao Junyao then turned to him. "And you, my dear General Xiao?"

General Xiao pondered for a moment before speaking cautiously, "Your Majesty, this subject believes we should prioritize a peaceful resolution!"

Zhao Junyao’s interest was suddenly piqued. "Oh?" he prompted. "Explain further."

General Xiao continued, "Your Majesty surveys all under Heaven and must surely understand the principle: ’if the lips perish, the teeth will feel the cold’! These nomadic tribes are indeed detestable, but they are not entirely without their uses! Please look here, Your Majesty."

As he spoke, General Xiao pointed to several spots on the map. "Further beyond our Southwest lie the Southern Barbarians, and beyond our Northwest is Western Xia! Annihilating these tribes means little in itself, but if we do, our Great Chu will then have to take control and govern these grasslands... However, the people of our Great Chu Dynasty are fundamentally unsuited to life on the grasslands! We would inevitably be unable to defend it! And when that time comes... it would also be a great source of trouble! Therefore, these tribes act as a natural buffer for us."

Zhao Junyao naturally had considered this as well. He looked at General Xiao with approval. "Truly worthy of one who has served as Commander of the Northwest. Your considerations are indeed thorough!"