Page 479
Xiao Qing also remembered, "Oh, you mean that—"
Lian Hua quickly interrupted, covering her ears, "Ah, don’t say it, don’t mention that name, it makes me sick just hearing it."
Whenever that name was mentioned, she thought of that clear, sticky substance, and the thought alone made her nauseous.
Interestingly, she normally felt fine during her pregnancy, except at the beginning when the strong fishy smell made her queasy, but otherwise, she seldom experienced morning sickness.
Even now, the fishy smell couldn’t make her vomit, but things like winter melon soup, for some reason, made her want to throw up just by looking at them, reminding her of children’s snot, which was extremely disgusting.
Xiao Qing quickly covered her mouth and shook her head, daring not to speak anymore.
Since that time, Canglan Court had never seen winter melon soup again, nor dared to speak its name, fearing the master might feel nauseous.
The Bird’s Nest Soup indeed looked very similar; at first glance, they were identical. No wonder His Majesty felt nauseous. She had thought it was the taste of the winter melon soup that made her uneasy, but it turned out it was the look of the stuff.
Finally, Lian Hua completely suppressed the nausea, propped up her head, and asked Xiao Qing to sit down as well. The two stared wide-eyed at the bowl of Bird’s Nest Soup.
Xiao Qing suggested, "Your Majesty, why don’t you close your eyes and eat? I can feed you."
Lian Hua shook her head, "That won’t do, I’ve seen it already, and the thought of eating this makes me nauseous."
Moreover, she remembered that Bird’s Nest Soup was supposedly made from the saliva of swallows, which made it even less appetizing for her.
Xiao Qing said worriedly, "What should we do? Nanny Qi especially prepared it to nourish you and moisten dryness."
"Yes, what should we do?" Lian Hua switched the hand supporting her head, her brows furrowed in worry.
Nanny Qi had specifically made it for her, and if she didn’t drink it, Nanny might get angry. She had even reminded her before leaving.
Looking at the chubby handles of the soup bowl, she felt it was not cute at all, but rather headache-inducing.
The more she looked, the worse she felt, so she finally said, "If it really won’t work, I’ll just down it like medicine!"
A fully grown person won’t be choked to death by Bird’s Nest, after all.
She stood up and lightly tapped the table, suddenly filled with courage.
Xiao Qing hesitated, "Your Majesty, what if... you throw up?"
The courage she had mustered up instantly deflated, and Lian Hua couldn’t help but sit down and start pulling at her hair.
What to do, how to both drink the Bird’s Nest and not vomit?
If she threw up, it would be such a waste, and more importantly, Nanny Qi and His Majesty would definitely be worried.
She looked at Xiao Qing, who was frowning and worried just like her, when suddenly an idea struck her, "That’s it, Xiao Qing, you drink it!"
Exactly, that was the solution!
"Ah? Your Majesty, but..." Xiao Qing was horrified; this was Bird’s Nest Soup meant for His Majesty, so precious, how could she dare?
"No buts, it’s best if you drink it. It won’t be wasted, I won’t feel nauseous, Nanny Qi won’t worry, and His Majesty won’t worry. It’s killing four birds with one stone, perfect, don’t you think?" Lian Hua spoke more and more confidently, her eyes bright, having found the perfect solution.
Xiao Qing listened and nodded repeatedly; what her master said was indeed very reasonable, but, "Your Majesty, Nanny Qi..." meant for your nourishment...
But before she could finish speaking, Lian Hua also remembered, clapping her hands, "Right, you wait here."
It was still Xiao Qing who was attentive. One must be the lookout when committing a stealthy act, mustn’t let anyone find out, otherwise, if Nanny were told, she would be unhappy about training her and would worry about her.
Saying this, she stood up and walked to the door, sneakily peering out. There was no one outside; it was the perfect time for some mischief.
She watched outside, calling out to Xiao Qing, "Quick, I’m on the lookout. Drink it now."
"Ah?" That wasn’t what she meant, Xiao Qing was puzzled and hesitated.
Lian Hua turned her head to look back, becoming somewhat anxious, and urged, "Hurry, drink it quickly, no one will find out. If you drink it, it’s as if I have drunk it. Go out and say I drank it, and that settles it."
Driven by the urgency, Xiao Qing hastily responded, "Yes, my lady."
Lifting the lid, she held the soup bowl by its two thick ears and, without even using a spoon, gulped it down noisily.
Lian Hua hurriedly looked away; even a brief glance had caused a big reaction, she dared not watch anymore.
After finishing, Xiao Qing put down the soup bowl, wiped her mouth, and told Lian Hua that she had finished.
Lian Hua breathed a sigh of relief, walked back, and lamented that drinking Bird’s Nest Soup was as tense as fighting a battle, sweating from her forehead nervously.
She sighed, thinking that in this lifetime she wouldn’t be able to afford expensive delicacies, only able to enjoy tender lamb, roasted chicken, and grilled pork belly.
Alas, it was a pity she couldn’t eat grilled pork belly anymore, with the "melon" in her belly not due to be "unloaded" until next year.
Looking at the empty soup bowl, she asked curiously, "Xiao Qing, what did it taste like?"
Xiao Qing recalled, "Sweet, smooth, and also a bit...I can’t quite describe it; I ate it too hurriedly to taste it properly."
That was hastily eaten without tasting, just as the saying goes.
Lian Hua had a sweet tooth, but the smoothness made it feel a bit too much like that...
She shook her head, dismissing the thought, and comforted Xiao Qing, "Don’t worry, there will be more tomorrow. We’ll think of a way for you to taste it slowly."
What is learned with pleasure is never forgotten; the first time being a thief was too nerve-wracking, tomorrow her courage would be fattened up a bit.
"Ah, my lady, you’re still going to let me drink it?" Xiao Qing was startled.
"Of course, you are our court’s number one brave soldier, you must share my worries."
"Yes!" Xiao Qing cheered up; she was Canglan Court’s bravest soldier, if not her, then who?
Lian Hua was very pleased, watching her appreciatively, "Once you go outside, say it was I who drank it, and don’t tell anyone else about this, not even Xiao Jizi and the others, just you and me know."
"Yes, my lady!"
Their whispering conversations gradually ceased.
Lian Hua’s eyelids began to droop; she took off her shoes and socks, climbed onto the soft bedding Nanny Qi had recently changed, and fell deeply asleep.
Xiao Qing also rested on the table, her body covered with a blanket.
An hour later, Xiao Qing woke up from a light sleep, feeling a severe cramp in her abdomen, covering her stomach with unbearable pain and breaking out in cold sweat.
She tightly pressed her lips together, making no sound, afraid to disturb her mistress inside.
The discomfort in her abdomen grew worse, as if a hot stream was flowing downward, making her stomach feel heavy.
Her first thought was that something was wrong; it felt like diarrhea, but also felt like needing to urinate, causing anxiety to rise in her heart, yet the pain was so severe she couldn’t stand up.
After this hot flow was released, her stomach felt somewhat better. She hurriedly got up quietly and looked inside.
Seeing she hadn’t disturbed anyone, she felt a bit relieved.
She walked gently to the door, looked outside, and saw Xiao Jizi and Xiao Linzi squatting not far away, talking.
She waved to them; the two men, mid-conversation, saw her and walked over.
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 118
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 121
- Page 122
- Page 123
- Page 124
- Page 125
- Page 126
- Page 127
- Page 128
- Page 129
- Page 130
- Page 131
- Page 132
- Page 133
- Page 134
- Page 135
- Page 136
- Page 137
- Page 138
- Page 139
- Page 140
- Page 141
- Page 142
- Page 143
- Page 144
- Page 145
- Page 146
- Page 147
- Page 148
- Page 149
- Page 150
- Page 151
- Page 152
- Page 153
- Page 154
- Page 155
- Page 156
- Page 157
- Page 158
- Page 159
- Page 160
- Page 161
- Page 162
- Page 163
- Page 164
- Page 165
- Page 166
- Page 167
- Page 168
- Page 169
- Page 170
- Page 171
- Page 172
- Page 173
- Page 174
- Page 175
- Page 176
- Page 177
- Page 178
- Page 179
- Page 180
- Page 181
- Page 182
- Page 183
- Page 184
- Page 185
- Page 186
- Page 187
- Page 188
- Page 189
- Page 190
- Page 191
- Page 192
- Page 193
- Page 194
- Page 195
- Page 196
- Page 197
- Page 198
- Page 199
- Page 200
- Page 201
- Page 202
- Page 203
- Page 204
- Page 205
- Page 206
- Page 207
- Page 208
- Page 209
- Page 210
- Page 211
- Page 212
- Page 213
- Page 214
- Page 215
- Page 216
- Page 217
- Page 218
- Page 219
- Page 220
- Page 221
- Page 222
- Page 223
- Page 224
- Page 225
- Page 226
- Page 227
- Page 228
- Page 229
- Page 230
- Page 231
- Page 232
- Page 233
- Page 234
- Page 235
- Page 236
- Page 237
- Page 238
- Page 239
- Page 240
- Page 241
- Page 242
- Page 243
- Page 244
- Page 245
- Page 246
- Page 247
- Page 248
- Page 249
- Page 250
- Page 251
- Page 252
- Page 253
- Page 254
- Page 255
- Page 256
- Page 257
- Page 258
- Page 259
- Page 260
- Page 261
- Page 262
- Page 263
- Page 264
- Page 265
- Page 266
- Page 267
- Page 268
- Page 269
- Page 270
- Page 271
- Page 272
- Page 273
- Page 274
- Page 275
- Page 276
- Page 277
- Page 278
- Page 279
- Page 280
- Page 281
- Page 282
- Page 283
- Page 284
- Page 285
- Page 286
- Page 287
- Page 288
- Page 289
- Page 290
- Page 291
- Page 292
- Page 293
- Page 294
- Page 295
- Page 296
- Page 297
- Page 298
- Page 299
- Page 300
- Page 301
- Page 302
- Page 303
- Page 304
- Page 305
- Page 306
- Page 307
- Page 308
- Page 309
- Page 310
- Page 311
- Page 312
- Page 313
- Page 314
- Page 315
- Page 316
- Page 317
- Page 318
- Page 319
- Page 320
- Page 321
- Page 322
- Page 323
- Page 324
- Page 325
- Page 326
- Page 327
- Page 328
- Page 329
- Page 330
- Page 331
- Page 332
- Page 333
- Page 334
- Page 335
- Page 336
- Page 337
- Page 338
- Page 339
- Page 340
- Page 341
- Page 342
- Page 343
- Page 344
- Page 345
- Page 346
- Page 347
- Page 348
- Page 349
- Page 350
- Page 351
- Page 352
- Page 353
- Page 354
- Page 355
- Page 356
- Page 357
- Page 358
- Page 359
- Page 360
- Page 361
- Page 362
- Page 363
- Page 364
- Page 365
- Page 366
- Page 367
- Page 368
- Page 369
- Page 370
- Page 371
- Page 372
- Page 373
- Page 374
- Page 375
- Page 376
- Page 377
- Page 378
- Page 379
- Page 380
- Page 381
- Page 382
- Page 383
- Page 384
- Page 385
- Page 386
- Page 387
- Page 388
- Page 389
- Page 390
- Page 391
- Page 392
- Page 393
- Page 394
- Page 395
- Page 396
- Page 397
- Page 398
- Page 399
- Page 400
- Page 401
- Page 402
- Page 403
- Page 404
- Page 405
- Page 406
- Page 407
- Page 408
- Page 409
- Page 410
- Page 411
- Page 412
- Page 413
- Page 414
- Page 415
- Page 416
- Page 417
- Page 418
- Page 419
- Page 420
- Page 421
- Page 422
- Page 423
- Page 424
- Page 425
- Page 426
- Page 427
- Page 428
- Page 429
- Page 430
- Page 431
- Page 432
- Page 433
- Page 434
- Page 435
- Page 436
- Page 437
- Page 438
- Page 439
- Page 440
- Page 441
- Page 442
- Page 443
- Page 444
- Page 445
- Page 446
- Page 447
- Page 448
- Page 449
- Page 450
- Page 451
- Page 452
- Page 453
- Page 454
- Page 455
- Page 456
- Page 457
- Page 458
- Page 459
- Page 460
- Page 461
- Page 462
- Page 463
- Page 464
- Page 465
- Page 466
- Page 467
- Page 468
- Page 469
- Page 470
- Page 471
- Page 472
- Page 473
- Page 474
- Page 475
- Page 476
- Page 477
- Page 478
- Page 479 (Reading here)
- Page 480
- Page 481
- Page 482
- Page 483
- Page 484
- Page 485
- Page 486
- Page 487
- Page 488
- Page 489
- Page 490
- Page 491
- Page 492
- Page 493
- Page 494
- Page 495
- Page 496
- Page 497
- Page 498
- Page 499
- Page 500
- Page 501
- Page 502
- Page 503
- Page 504
- Page 505
- Page 506
- Page 507
- Page 508
- Page 509
- Page 510
- Page 511
- Page 512
- Page 513
- Page 514
- Page 515
- Page 516
- Page 517
- Page 518
- Page 519
- Page 520
- Page 521
- Page 522
- Page 523
- Page 524
- Page 525
- Page 526
- Page 527
- Page 528