Chapter 200: The Empress’s Peculiarities

Su Wan handed the maid a pouch filled with reward money, hoping to gather more information about Xiliang’s customs and, in particular, the Empress.

When the maid began talking about the Empress, she couldn’t help but elaborate: “The late emperor originally had two princes and one princess. However, our current Empress was once lost among the common people—a hidden gem of the sea. She is both scholarly and skilled in warfare, truly a wise and brilliant ruler.

“Under her leadership, Xiliang has grown stronger and more prosperous. The Empress and her consort share a deep bond, and they have been blessed with a pair of twins—a dragon and phoenix pair, which is considered an auspicious sign for Xiliang.”

Su Wan smiled. “Take me to the kitchen.”

“Of course, please follow me,” the maid responded, leading Su Wan to the kitchen.

The kitchen was well-stocked, with all kinds of fresh ingredients readily available.

Throughout the journey to Xiliang, their meals had been quite plain. The Regent, with his delicate palate and deteriorating health, hadn’t been eating well.

Only when they happened to pass through a small town, county, or provincial city around mealtimes would Su Wan pay for ingredients and cook for him herself, ensuring he had something he could enjoy.

Since the Regent hadn’t eaten since last night, Su Wan decided to prepare a pot of millet porridge along with fish soup and steamed egg custard.

The Regent didn’t like eating fish, as he found the bones troublesome. Su Wan removed her cloak, shivering slightly in the cold, empty kitchen, and signaled the maid to close the door to keep out the chill.

She rinsed the millet thoroughly and set it to simmer. Then, she selected a half-pound Qingyu fish, cleaned and gutted it, and carefully removed the bones. Once the fish was ready, she boiled it in hot water until fully cooked, then poured a prepared sauce over it, finishing with a sprinkle of minced ginger.

The maid stood to the side, stunned. Was it really that easy to prepare?

She glanced at the fish on the plate. Its golden color, paired with a light, oil-free sauce, made it look incredibly appetizing.

“Help me find a food box,” Su Wan said, carefully placing the steamed egg custard on a dish. She drizzled it with sauce and sprinkled chopped scallions on top for garnish.

“Please wait a moment,” the maid replied, hurrying off to fetch the food box.

Su Wan filled the bottom tier of the box with a thick, creamy serving of millet porridge. She placed the fish soup and egg custard in the top tier. Once everything was set, she put on her cloak, picked up the food box, and headed toward the Regent’s quarters.

By the time she arrived, Luo Cheng was already there, and the Regent had risen, deep in discussion with him.

When Su Wan arrived, the two men had just finished their conversation.

Luo Cheng, dusty from travel, smiled and said, “Young Lady, I’ll go wash up first.”

“Alright, I’ll ask the maids to have the kitchen prepare a meal for you,” Su Wan replied, setting the food box down. She escorted Luo Cheng out and instructed the maid waiting by the door, “Go tell the chef to prepare a hearty meal.”

The maid bowed obediently. “Yes,” she replied and left promptly.

Su Wan returned to the room to find the Regent, his hands freshly washed, seated at the table.

“Are you feeling better?” Su Wan asked as she closed the door and quickly walked to the table. She opened the food box and took out the fish soup and steamed egg custard, placing the bowl of millet porridge in front of him. “Eat while it’s hot.”

The room was warm with a fire burning in the stove. Su Wan sat down by the fire, rubbing her hands to warm her fingers, which had grown stiff from the cold.

“Why didn’t you bring a hand warmer with you? It’s cold in winter. There’s no need for you to cook personally—I’m used to the cook who traveled here with Luo Cheng. Leave the meals to him from now on.”

The Regent frowned as he noticed Su Wan’s reddened fingers. “Have you eaten yet?” he asked.

“I’ve already eaten,” Su Wan replied, urging him, “Hurry and eat. This porridge is good for your stomach.”

The Regent said no more and took a few bites of the porridge, followed by a couple of spoonfuls of the soft, silky egg custard, and finally tasted the fish soup.

The fish was tender and smooth, with a flavor reminiscent of crab soup, and not a single bone was left. It was clear how much care Su Wan had put into preparing his meals.

“Do you want to go out for a walk today?” the Regent asked, feeling slightly better after eating some food. “I’ll accompany you.”

“No need, I just want to sleep,” Su Wan said, worried that if they went out, they might overhear the locals talking about the Empress.

The Empress and her consort shared a deep bond and had been blessed with twins—a dragon and phoenix pair. If the Regent were to hear this, it would undoubtedly feel like a stab through his heart.

Su Wan couldn’t bear to let that happen. 

Even though he would have to face the truth eventually, she wanted him to have a moment of peace today.

“Alright, go rest. I’ll read for a while,” the Regent said as he put down his chopsticks. He rinsed his mouth with water, took a few sips of hot tea, and dabbed his lips with a handkerchief before reclining against the soft couch.

A layer of fox fur covered the soft couch, providing warmth and comfort.

Su Wan left the room and returned to her own quarters to write a letter to Gu Huaizhi.

Meanwhile, Jiang Cheng entered the Regent’s room and reported the information he had gathered: “Master, the Empress of Xiliang is the daughter of the old General Qi. She married the son of the mighty General Wei Yuan, who was named Empress Consort. The two share a deep bond and have a pair of dragon-phoenix twins. Although there are several male concubines in the harem, the Empress favors the Empress Consort exclusively.”

The Regent’s expression remained calm, unreadable, as though untouched by emotion. He covered his mouth and let out a few muffled coughs. “You may leave. I understand the situation.”

Had it been under normal circumstances, he would have been consumed with bitterness, his heart burning with jealousy.

But now, with his health deteriorating day by day, the Regent found himself thinking that perhaps this was for the best. He knew he didn’t have much time left to live. She was still young, with more than half her life ahead of her, and having someone by her side wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Even though he tried to resign himself to the situation, a sense of regret still lingered.

Qi Min’s children, born to another man, had the love and care of both parents from a young age—a blessing he could never provide.

His own child had suffered since birth, growing up without a mother by their side. Just after finally acknowledging their father, they were now about to lose him too.

The pain in his heart was unbearable.

The Regent recalled the cautious look in Su Wan’s eyes earlier, worried that he might feel troubled by Qi Min’s new marriage and love. It was as if a hand clenched his heart tightly, making it ache even more.

He wondered what the purpose of this journey truly was—was it worth it, if it only ended up hurting Su Wan?

That night, gifts from the palace were bestowed upon them, filling both the Regent’s and Su Wan’s rooms.

Su Wan had no way of knowing what the Regent felt in his heart, but as she stared at the piles of gifts filling the room, sleep eluded her through the night.

This special treatment made one thing clear: the Empress recognized them.

The following evening, Su Wan accompanied the Regent into the palace.

The Empress of Xiliang hosted a grand banquet in the Junhua Hall to welcome the envoys from the three nations.

Su Wan and the Regent were the last to arrive; the envoys from the other three nations had already taken their seats.

The two of them took their seats under the guidance of the palace maids.

The envoys from the other nations gave them slight nods in acknowledgment, a polite greeting.

Su Wan’s gaze drifted toward the high seat at the front, noticing that the Empress of Xiliang had yet to arrive. A strange sense of nervousness crept into her heart, and she clasped her hands together tightly, her eyes settling on the exquisite pastries laid out before her.

“Don’t worry, your father won’t lose his composure,” the Regent said softly, patting the back of her hand to reassure her.

Su Wan gave him a gentle smile.

The Regent picked up his chopsticks and offered her a piece of pastry, holding it to her lips. “This is a specialty of Xiliang. Give it a try; it tastes quite good.”

Su Wan took a bite of the dark-colored pastry. At first, it tasted slightly sour, causing her to frown, but as she chewed, a delicate sweetness blossomed in her mouth, instantly awakening her appetite.

“Her Majesty, the Empress, and the Empress Consort have arrived!” the attendant at the hall entrance announced loudly.

Su Wan looked toward the hall entrance and met a pair of calm eyes. The Empress’s inquisitive gaze shifted back and forth between her and the Regent, finally lingering on the half-eaten pastry still held between the Regent’s chopsticks. A fleeting trace of something unusual flashed through the Empress’s eyes.

What Su Wan saw in the Empress’s gaze wasn’t the complicated emotions of someone reuniting with an old flame. Instead, it was curiosity and suspicion, as if the Empress harbored doubts—wondering whether there was an inappropriate relationship between Su Wan and the Regent.

A buzzing filled Su Wan’s mind as a realization struck her like a bolt of lightning: The Empress is not Qi Min!