Chapter 215
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"Mm. See you next Earth Day." The Emperor finalized their meeting date and dismissed them. They both gave a full formal bow to him again before they retreated from the study. They passed the Head Eunuch on their way out, whom Shen Tianyu smiled at again. They then boarded their inconspicuous carriage that had been waiting for them and left the Imperial Palace.
"I'm glad that went smoothly." Rong Jian sighed in relief after they had settled in.
"You call that smooth? We were having a staring contest for a whole incense stick's worth of time. If that's smooth, I pity the Ministers that have to deal with your father on a normal day. I'm sure policies he doesn't like would cause the Ministers to visibly shake in their boots." Shen Tianyu replied as she lifted the edge of the window curtain to peer outside as she sat with her back beside the window.
"Well, that's pretty much his default face even at morning courts. He passed a bunch of his policies using that silent pressure, you know?" Rong Jian let out a light chuckle in amusement. "It was amusing to see the ministers break down the more they tried to argue in opposition as he just stared back at them without saying a word."
"Oh? Was it that funny? I want to see that for myself sometime, then." Shen Tianyu let the curtain fall and turned back to him. "By the way, shouldn't I go stay at Lavender Palace until the official meeting?" The carriage driver had been instructed to head back to the Zhu Wangfu.
"It's fine, he doesn't care about what you do outside of the official meeting time unless he suspects you're going to bribe someone or do something corrupt. Besides, they agreed to our engagement so both Emperor Father and Empress Mother won't have a problem with you staying at my place." Rong Jian assured.
"But he should suspect I'll do some kind of bribing right? Doesn't your mother pillow talk his policy?" Shen Tianyu asked.
"Oh? Is Tian'er suggesting that kind of bribing?" Rong Jian raised an eyebrow behid his gold mask. "I personally don't mind but you're the one that said it'd ruin your reputaton..."
"I'm not suggesting nor am I offering. I'm just bringing up an example." Shen Tianyu turned away from him and decided to look at the road again. "I merely happen to be decent in cooking."
"Oh, cooking! I want to try some of Tian'er's homemade food! You should compensate me for having me sit through your profit report and the stress that staring contest caused me!" Rong Jian jumped on the opportunity like a bandit on a well-decorated carriage.
"Isn't that considered bribing?" Shen Tianyu tried to shut him down.
"Nope. Besides, I'm already on your side, even though I'm positioned to act as mediator. So there's no worry about bribing or anything like that from you. I'm sure Emperor Father was well aware." Rong Jian inched closer to Shen Tianyu.
"Is that so..." Shen Tianyu mumbled distractedly as she watched a sugar figure seller cut up his sticks of sugar into realistic animal silhouettes.
"So, about the homemade meal..." Rong Jian mumbled beside her ear. He was close enough to touch her if either of them moved but he wasn't actually touching her, including her clothing. Contrary to his expectations, his fiancee didn't jump in surprise like most other people would if someone snuck up beside them and talked into their ear at a normal volume, instead she just carried on the conversation as if they were still sitting across from each other.
"Hm... I'll think about it." She responded as she watched the other food vendors on the street perform as they made their products. Chestnut sellers were perfomring tricks and sugar figurine sellers made a show of cutting the wax-like sugar while other vendors hollered for customers or walked around with their ware. Occassionally there was a group of street performers who were surrounded by a crowd that cheered at each of their tricks and threw some coins in their direction that a less talented member, who was delegated to the job, would pick up.
When they entered the quieter street that housed the Zhu Wangye's residence, the vendors and performers quickly dwindled to nothing. With nothing to watch, Shen Tianyu let down the curtain again. Rong Jian had moved back to his orgiinal position with a pout, no longer speaking to her. She sighed but had a slight tug on her lips. "Fine. I'll make one dish for tonight. Tell the kitchen servants to vacate the kitchen. I'll still need one or two to explain to me how the kitchen works though. It might be different from the ones I'm used to." They were on a different continent, the technology might still be the same but she had never cooked at a Wangye's residence so she wasn't sure how fancy it would be. Her previous "home" in Nang Zhou was just a small minister's home so their kitchen wasn't quite lavish. Most of the money was spent to upgrade their status in other people's eyes. As in most of the money was spent on places that people would often see, such as the front gates and the living room. At Yaodu, they were famous mercenaries and inventors but because of the cost of research and rare items needed, the kitchen was as simple as it could get to reduce costs on anything else that wasn't research related. Even the rooms for high-ranking members had bunk beds. Despite being high-ranking, many of the members dind't have their own room, except for the crazy researchers who were given a small laboratory or a corner of one. The only reason that can be considered as them having a room was because, they were all invention and research-obsessed maniacs who lived at the laboratory. Initially, they had their own bed space but since they never used it, the managing elders just gave their bed space to other people in order to accomodate more members and to allow for more space.
Rong Jian immediately perked up. "Okay! I'll tell them to vacate the kitchen immediately when we get back!"
"Not immediately, we still have some time before dinner." Shen Tianyu smirked. "Let them make dinner first and I'll just make my dish after them. I don't want to hold them up just because of one dish." She then put her index finger on her lips. "Besides, it'll be more exciting if it's a surprise, right?"
"Okay, I'll tell them to make dinner a little earlier then." Rong Jian almost beamed but managed to tone it down to a bright smile.
"I'm warning you beforehand, it's not going to be anything too fancy okay? It might be more crude than what a Wangye like you is used to." Shen Tianyu crossed her arms and warned him ahead of time. In her last life, she let the proffessionals do the gourmet cooking since she didn't see the point of learning such advanced cooking skills when she wasn't operating a restaurant. Her cooking level was pretty average, though it was considered highly-skilled among the elites that never learned nor had motivation to learn to cook since they could pay for gourmet food and takeout everyday of the year until their death. And when she trasmigrated to here, she didn't need to upgrade her cooking skills either. Firstly, she was decently fed in the minister's estate despite her meals being leagues away from her siblings in extravagance, but at least she never went to sleep on a completely empty stomach. She was also able to fulfill her hunger by sneaking in stuff from the gardens. Extravagant cooking in a situation like that was just asking for a beating. Secondly, when she was taken into Yaodu, no one ate nore desired extravagant meals, everyone pretty much just ate to survive and update their friends on their lives. Though she was put on cooking duty more often than most, no one complained about her food and actually praised the taste being a wodnerful upgrade from the usual repetitive menu that was in place before because no oine knew how to cook more than three types of food. The old researchers were never put on cooking duty, though, sincce they never ate unless someone forced them to and even fainted in research so there was no way they even knew how to light the stove, much less cook. Compared to the lavish meals at the Wangfu and some of the restaurants here, especially in the capital, her cooking skills were really subpar.
"That's of no consequence! I'm sure everything you make will be delicious because you're my wife!" Rong Jian proudly declared.
"...Love really makes one blind..." Shen Tianyu mumbled to herself as she looked at Rong Jian's proud figure. "Well, I'm glad you think that way, looks like I won't be as pressured to make a beautiful dish." She told him aloud.
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"Mm. See you next Earth Day." The Emperor finalized their meeting date and dismissed them. They both gave a full formal bow to him again before they retreated from the study. They passed the Head Eunuch on their way out, whom Shen Tianyu smiled at again. They then boarded their inconspicuous carriage that had been waiting for them and left the Imperial Palace.
"I'm glad that went smoothly." Rong Jian sighed in relief after they had settled in.
"You call that smooth? We were having a staring contest for a whole incense stick's worth of time. If that's smooth, I pity the Ministers that have to deal with your father on a normal day. I'm sure policies he doesn't like would cause the Ministers to visibly shake in their boots." Shen Tianyu replied as she lifted the edge of the window curtain to peer outside as she sat with her back beside the window.
"Well, that's pretty much his default face even at morning courts. He passed a bunch of his policies using that silent pressure, you know?" Rong Jian let out a light chuckle in amusement. "It was amusing to see the ministers break down the more they tried to argue in opposition as he just stared back at them without saying a word."
"Oh? Was it that funny? I want to see that for myself sometime, then." Shen Tianyu let the curtain fall and turned back to him. "By the way, shouldn't I go stay at Lavender Palace until the official meeting?" The carriage driver had been instructed to head back to the Zhu Wangfu.
"It's fine, he doesn't care about what you do outside of the official meeting time unless he suspects you're going to bribe someone or do something corrupt. Besides, they agreed to our engagement so both Emperor Father and Empress Mother won't have a problem with you staying at my place." Rong Jian assured.
"But he should suspect I'll do some kind of bribing right? Doesn't your mother pillow talk his policy?" Shen Tianyu asked.
"Oh? Is Tian'er suggesting that kind of bribing?" Rong Jian raised an eyebrow behid his gold mask. "I personally don't mind but you're the one that said it'd ruin your reputaton..."
"I'm not suggesting nor am I offering. I'm just bringing up an example." Shen Tianyu turned away from him and decided to look at the road again. "I merely happen to be decent in cooking."
"Oh, cooking! I want to try some of Tian'er's homemade food! You should compensate me for having me sit through your profit report and the stress that staring contest caused me!" Rong Jian jumped on the opportunity like a bandit on a well-decorated carriage.
"Isn't that considered bribing?" Shen Tianyu tried to shut him down.
"Nope. Besides, I'm already on your side, even though I'm positioned to act as mediator. So there's no worry about bribing or anything like that from you. I'm sure Emperor Father was well aware." Rong Jian inched closer to Shen Tianyu.
"Is that so..." Shen Tianyu mumbled distractedly as she watched a sugar figure seller cut up his sticks of sugar into realistic animal silhouettes.
"So, about the homemade meal..." Rong Jian mumbled beside her ear. He was close enough to touch her if either of them moved but he wasn't actually touching her, including her clothing. Contrary to his expectations, his fiancee didn't jump in surprise like most other people would if someone snuck up beside them and talked into their ear at a normal volume, instead she just carried on the conversation as if they were still sitting across from each other.
"Hm... I'll think about it." She responded as she watched the other food vendors on the street perform as they made their products. Chestnut sellers were perfomring tricks and sugar figurine sellers made a show of cutting the wax-like sugar while other vendors hollered for customers or walked around with their ware. Occassionally there was a group of street performers who were surrounded by a crowd that cheered at each of their tricks and threw some coins in their direction that a less talented member, who was delegated to the job, would pick up.
When they entered the quieter street that housed the Zhu Wangye's residence, the vendors and performers quickly dwindled to nothing. With nothing to watch, Shen Tianyu let down the curtain again. Rong Jian had moved back to his orgiinal position with a pout, no longer speaking to her. She sighed but had a slight tug on her lips. "Fine. I'll make one dish for tonight. Tell the kitchen servants to vacate the kitchen. I'll still need one or two to explain to me how the kitchen works though. It might be different from the ones I'm used to." They were on a different continent, the technology might still be the same but she had never cooked at a Wangye's residence so she wasn't sure how fancy it would be. Her previous "home" in Nang Zhou was just a small minister's home so their kitchen wasn't quite lavish. Most of the money was spent to upgrade their status in other people's eyes. As in most of the money was spent on places that people would often see, such as the front gates and the living room. At Yaodu, they were famous mercenaries and inventors but because of the cost of research and rare items needed, the kitchen was as simple as it could get to reduce costs on anything else that wasn't research related. Even the rooms for high-ranking members had bunk beds. Despite being high-ranking, many of the members dind't have their own room, except for the crazy researchers who were given a small laboratory or a corner of one. The only reason that can be considered as them having a room was because, they were all invention and research-obsessed maniacs who lived at the laboratory. Initially, they had their own bed space but since they never used it, the managing elders just gave their bed space to other people in order to accomodate more members and to allow for more space.
Rong Jian immediately perked up. "Okay! I'll tell them to vacate the kitchen immediately when we get back!"
"Not immediately, we still have some time before dinner." Shen Tianyu smirked. "Let them make dinner first and I'll just make my dish after them. I don't want to hold them up just because of one dish." She then put her index finger on her lips. "Besides, it'll be more exciting if it's a surprise, right?"
"Okay, I'll tell them to make dinner a little earlier then." Rong Jian almost beamed but managed to tone it down to a bright smile.
"I'm warning you beforehand, it's not going to be anything too fancy okay? It might be more crude than what a Wangye like you is used to." Shen Tianyu crossed her arms and warned him ahead of time. In her last life, she let the proffessionals do the gourmet cooking since she didn't see the point of learning such advanced cooking skills when she wasn't operating a restaurant. Her cooking level was pretty average, though it was considered highly-skilled among the elites that never learned nor had motivation to learn to cook since they could pay for gourmet food and takeout everyday of the year until their death. And when she trasmigrated to here, she didn't need to upgrade her cooking skills either. Firstly, she was decently fed in the minister's estate despite her meals being leagues away from her siblings in extravagance, but at least she never went to sleep on a completely empty stomach. She was also able to fulfill her hunger by sneaking in stuff from the gardens. Extravagant cooking in a situation like that was just asking for a beating. Secondly, when she was taken into Yaodu, no one ate nore desired extravagant meals, everyone pretty much just ate to survive and update their friends on their lives. Though she was put on cooking duty more often than most, no one complained about her food and actually praised the taste being a wodnerful upgrade from the usual repetitive menu that was in place before because no oine knew how to cook more than three types of food. The old researchers were never put on cooking duty, though, sincce they never ate unless someone forced them to and even fainted in research so there was no way they even knew how to light the stove, much less cook. Compared to the lavish meals at the Wangfu and some of the restaurants here, especially in the capital, her cooking skills were really subpar.
"That's of no consequence! I'm sure everything you make will be delicious because you're my wife!" Rong Jian proudly declared.
"...Love really makes one blind..." Shen Tianyu mumbled to herself as she looked at Rong Jian's proud figure. "Well, I'm glad you think that way, looks like I won't be as pressured to make a beautiful dish." She told him aloud.
"Mm. See you next Earth Day." The Emperor finalized their meeting date and dismissed them. They both gave a full formal bow to him again before they retreated from the study. They passed the Head Eunuch on their way out, whom Shen Tianyu smiled at again. They then boarded their inconspicuous carriage that had been waiting for them and left the Imperial Palace."I'm glad that went smoothly." Rong Jian sighed in relief after they had settled in."You call that smooth? We were having a staring contest for a whole incense stick's worth of time. If that's smooth, I pity the Ministers that have to deal with your father on a normal day. I'm sure policies he doesn't like would cause the Ministers to visibly shake in their boots." Shen Tianyu replied as she lifted the edge of the window curtain to peer outside as she sat with her back beside the window."Well, that's pretty much his default face even at morning courts. He passed a bunch of his policies using that silent pressure, you know?" Rong Jian let out a light chuckle in amusement. "It was amusing to see the ministers break down the more they tried to argue in opposition as he just stared back at them without saying a word.""Oh? Was it that funny? I want to see that for myself sometime, then." Shen Tianyu let the curtain fall and turned back to him. "By the way, shouldn't I go stay at Lavender Palace until the official meeting?" The carriage driver had been instructed to head back to the Zhu Wangfu."It's fine, he doesn't care about what you do outside of the official meeting time unless he suspects you're going to bribe someone or do something corrupt. Besides, they agreed to our engagement so both Emperor Father and Empress Mother won't have a problem with you staying at my place." Rong Jian assured."But he should suspect I'll do some kind of bribing right? Doesn't your mother pillow talk his policy?" Shen Tianyu asked."Oh? Is Tian'er suggesting that kind of bribing?" Rong Jian raised an eyebrow behid his gold mask. "I personally don't mind but you're the one that said it'd ruin your reputaton...""I'm not suggesting nor am I offering. I'm just bringing up an example." Shen Tianyu turned away from him and decided to look at the road again. "I merely happen to be decent in cooking.""Oh, cooking! I want to try some of Tian'er's homemade food! You should compensate me for having me sit through your profit report and the stress that staring contest caused me!" Rong Jian jumped on the opportunity like a bandit on a well-decorated carriage."Isn't that considered bribing?" Shen Tianyu tried to shut him down."Nope. Besides, I'm already on your side, even though I'm positioned to act as mediator. So there's no worry about bribing or anything like that from you. I'm sure Emperor Father was well aware." Rong Jian inched closer to Shen Tianyu."Is that so..." Shen Tianyu mumbled distractedly as she watched a sugar figure seller cut up his sticks of sugar into realistic animal silhouettes."So, about the homemade meal..." Rong Jian mumbled beside her ear. He was close enough to touch her if either of them moved but he wasn't actually touching her, including her clothing. Contrary to his expectations, his fiancee didn't jump in surprise like most other people would if someone snuck up beside them and talked into their ear at a normal volume, instead she just carried on the conversation as if they were still sitting across from each other."Hm... I'll think about it." She responded as she watched the other food vendors on the street perform as they made their products. Chestnut sellers were perfomring tricks and sugar figurine sellers made a show of cutting the wax-like sugar while other vendors hollered for customers or walked around with their ware. Occassionally there was a group of street performers who were surrounded by a crowd that cheered at each of their tricks and threw some coins in their direction that a less talented member, who was delegated to the job, would pick up.When they entered the quieter street that housed the Zhu Wangye's residence, the vendors and performers quickly dwindled to nothing. With nothing to watch, Shen Tianyu let down the curtain again. Rong Jian had moved back to his orgiinal position with a pout, no longer speaking to her. She sighed but had a slight tug on her lips. "Fine. I'll make one dish for tonight. Tell the kitchen servants to vacate the kitchen. I'll still need one or two to explain to me how the kitchen works though. It might be different from the ones I'm used to." They were on a different continent, the technology might still be the same but she had never cooked at a Wangye's residence so she wasn't sure how fancy it would be. Her previous "home" in Nang Zhou was just a small minister's home so their kitchen wasn't quite lavish. Most of the money was spent to upgrade their status in other people's eyes. As in most of the money was spent on places that people would often see, such as the front gates and the living room. At Yaodu, they were famous mercenaries and inventors but because of the cost of research and rare items needed, the kitchen was as simple as it could get to reduce costs on anything else that wasn't research related. Even the rooms for high-ranking members had bunk beds. Despite being high-ranking, many of the members dind't have their own room, except for the crazy researchers who were given a small laboratory or a corner of one. The only reason that can be considered as them having a room was because, they were all invention and research-obsessed maniacs who lived at the laboratory. Initially, they had their own bed space but since they never used it, the managing elders just gave their bed space to other people in order to accomodate more members and to allow for more space.Rong Jian immediately perked up. "Okay! I'll tell them to vacate the kitchen immediately when we get back!""Not immediately, we still have some time before dinner." Shen Tianyu smirked. "Let them make dinner first and I'll just make my dish after them. I don't want to hold them up just because of one dish." She then put her index finger on her lips. "Besides, it'll be more exciting if it's a surprise, right?""Okay, I'll tell them to make dinner a little earlier then." Rong Jian almost beamed but managed to tone it down to a bright smile."I'm warning you beforehand, it's not going to be anything too fancy okay? It might be more crude than what a Wangye like you is used to." Shen Tianyu crossed her arms and warned him ahead of time. In her last life, she let the proffessionals do the gourmet cooking since she didn't see the point of learning such advanced cooking skills when she wasn't operating a restaurant. Her cooking level was pretty average, though it was considered highly-skilled among the elites that never learned nor had motivation to learn to cook since they could pay for gourmet food and takeout everyday of the year until their death. And when she trasmigrated to here, she didn't need to upgrade her cooking skills either. Firstly, she was decently fed in the minister's estate despite her meals being leagues away from her siblings in extravagance, but at least she never went to sleep on a completely empty stomach. She was also able to fulfill her hunger by sneaking in stuff from the gardens. Extravagant cooking in a situation like that was just asking for a beating. Secondly, when she was taken into Yaodu, no one ate nore desired extravagant meals, everyone pretty much just ate to survive and update their friends on their lives. Though she was put on cooking duty more often than most, no one complained about her food and actually praised the taste being a wodnerful upgrade from the usual repetitive menu that was in place before because no oine knew how to cook more than three types of food. The old researchers were never put on cooking duty, though, sincce they never ate unless someone forced them to and even fainted in research so there was no way they even knew how to light the stove, much less cook. Compared to the lavish meals at the Wangfu and some of the restaurants here, especially in the capital, her cooking skills were really subpar."That's of no consequence! I'm sure everything you make will be delicious because you're my wife!" Rong Jian proudly declared."...Love really makes one blind..." Shen Tianyu mumbled to herself as she looked at Rong Jian's proud figure. "Well, I'm glad you think that way, looks like I won't be as pressured to make a beautiful dish." She told him aloud.
