Chapter 254: Part 2

Chapter 254: Chapter 206: Part 2

It turned out the Pure Consort really had made the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall herself.

Of course, the task of watching the fire was delegated to a eunuch. After all, standing by a stove for four hours just to watch the flames wasn’t being competitive; it was a waste of time. But she handled all the ingredient preparation, stewing, and seasoning herself, allowing no one else to interfere.

And so, Xie Che couldn’t help but worry.

First, he worried about how the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall would taste. Would it be inedible?

Second, he worried that Xian’er had staged this whole Dragon Gate Formation just to make a request he couldn’t possibly fulfill.

A moment later, the Pure Consort’s palanquin arrived at Qiankun Palace.

—————–

Jiang Xian entered unimpeded. When Xie Che saw her, he personally helped her up before she could even curtsy, holding her delicate hands. He chided her affectionately, “To have such a beautiful pair of hands wash ingredients and make soup is a true waste, like boiling a crane or burning a zither for fuel… Why the sudden urge to cook?”

Jiang Xian thought for a moment.

In just that two-second pause, Xie Che could see she was inventing a story. “Don’t try to spin a tale to humor me,” he said. “I want the truth.”

Even the most brilliant actor would struggle to maintain a perfect disguise for the person they sleep beside every night, year after year.

And as his seniority as Emperor grew, Xie Che’s judgment of character had become more accurate than ever. As his perception sharpened, it became easier to see through her act. He could effortlessly spot the tell-tale signs that Jiang Xian was preparing a pitch for her “boss.”

“The truth is, I feel I’ve been too idle lately.”

Xie Che was baffled.

This time, the Emperor was truly speechless.

Xie Che said, “Anyone else in the entire harem could use that word to describe themselves, but not you.”

Hearing this, Jiang Xian let out a soft sigh.

In her previous life as a corporate employee, her company used a “last-place elimination system.” Even if an employee’s performance was satisfactory, if they were in the bottom 5% of all staff, they would be transferred, demoted, have their salary cut, or be fired. Everyone was fiercely competitive, constantly comparing themselves to others.

‘But what a slow-paced life this is in the harem!’

It was a system where you just coasted along, waiting for promotions based on seniority, seeking not to achieve merits but simply to avoid making mistakes. In such an atmosphere, Jiang Xian could only compete with herself.

Previously, the concubines took the Noble Consort as their role model, but they eventually discovered that the Pure Consort was the real winner.

After many trials and tribulations, the prevailing sentiment in the harem gradually shifted to envying Princess Consort Zhang and Chen Guiren. Though they lacked great favor and riches, their lives were stable and peaceful.

“What’s the point of comparing myself to others? I have to compete with myself. Whatever the other concubines can do, I must also do. And whatever they can’t do, I must do all the more.”

Jiang Xian tilted her head up, her gaze firm. “Emperor, what more can I do to earn your favor? What can I do to please you?”

‘What other tasks are there, Boss!’

‘Just tell me!’

Personally making Buddha Jumps Over the Wall was a prime example of finding work for oneself. It didn’t matter if the boss liked it or not; it was troublesome to make, a single serving was especially large, and it was the kind of task that showed great effort and produced impressive results. A shrewd worker never undertakes a pointless task.

“…”

What Jiang Xian didn’t realize was that being the sole focus of her upturned, adoring gaze—knowing her every thought was bent on how to please him… was a little intoxicating.

After being stared at for a moment, Xie Che finally couldn’t help but look away. “You already have my complete favor. I… am very happy right now.”

Now Jiang Xian was even more baffled.

‘But I haven’t done anything yet.’

Xie Che helped her sit down, letting her lean against his chest.

“Since Zhao’er’s birth, I have watched the seasons change with you. Have you found something you truly enjoy doing?”

Jiang Xian’s head throbbed whenever she heard questions like this.

‘The Emperor was wonderful in every other way, except for this constant push for her to find the meaning of life.’

For a corporate drone, that was an extravagant luxury. Now she had both money and time, yet she couldn’t find it anywhere. She wanted her children to be safe and happy, but that wasn’t *her* dream. They had their own paths to forge, their own futures to fight for. She would do her best to clear the way for them, but that was her duty as a mother, not a personal ambition.

Seeing the troubled look on her face, Xie Che knew he hadn’t gotten through to her yet. “Don’t worry, we have plenty of time. Let’s start by ruling things out… Xian’er, you don’t really enjoy cooking, do you?”

“I don’t dislike it.”

“That means you don’t like it,” Xie Che sighed. “To think you’re so bored you’ve resorted to making a fuss over soup. It seems there’s nothing in the harem you truly want to do. That’s fine. We’ll look elsewhere and see if something catches your interest.”

After that day, the Emperor issued a decree to search the entire realm for women, young or old, who possessed a unique talent.

As long as one possessed a special skill, they could enter the palace to meet with the Pure Consort.

Of course, to protect the women’s reputations, those under thirty were not allowed to stay overnight in the palace. They would live in specially arranged houses with blue-glazed tiles. The rules there were more relaxed than in the harem, and the area was not considered part of the inner court.