It was a sudden summons.
Facing the Emperor was the second time today already.
Without caring about the gazes around him, he asked, “What’s the name of this dish?”
Dios pointed to the flower pancake I had made.
As I had asked Emma beforehand, the pancake was neatly placed in a white plate.
His gaze stopped at the flowers on the pancake.
“This is called Moonpierce Cake.”
There was no such thing; it was just a name I made up to make it sound a bit more appealing.
“It’s a dish made by grinding rice and buckwheat into flour, kneading it, frying it in oil, and sweetening it with honey.”
With the added explanation, it looked even more convincing.
When the Emperor extended his hand, the attendant handed him a new fork.
The moment his fork pierced the pancake, the expressions of the saint and the Empress distorted beautifully.
The Emperor took a bite of the pancake without anything on it.
The entire hall fell silent in an instant.
What kind of reaction would he show?
At the moment everyone was watching, Dios’s fork again moved towards the Moonpierce Cake.
“……!”
Except for the Empress, the Emperor had never eaten the same dish twice at the Table of Blessings.
This time, he dipped it in honey.
Although the sound of chewing couldn’t be heard, it was clear that it had passed down his throat.
“……Honey is good, but eating it plain is also good.”
It seemed like the Emperor’s taste was leaning towards mild flavors.
“Buckwheat is an ingredient that aids digestion. It’s rough but has a deep and savory taste.”
In the teapot was the buckwheat tea I had prepared.
I poured the tea into a cup and placed it in front of him.
“If you like a simple taste, rinse your mouth with buckwheat tea and try it again.”
The light green tea emitted a clear and pure fragrance.
As soon as the Emperor brought the tea to his mouth, everyone was astonished.
He, who was an extremely picky and sensitive ruler when it came to food, had tasted it willingly!
After rinsing his mouth with tea, the Emperor, who had already eaten the Moonpierce Cake three times, spoke.
“I made a mistake in my words.”
The nobles made faces like, ‘Well, that’s true.’
They thought it wasn’t because it was delicious, but because he had tasted it three times to catch some fault.
However, it was the opposite.
“The savory taste reminds me of the full moon, and the sweet taste reminds me of the fresh crescent moon.”
The Emperor laughed.
It was a poetic metaphor, but in short, both tasted good.
“The Emperor is too generous… No, it’s an exaggeration. Your Majesty.”
Thanks to him, I almost misunderstood the genre.
Still, I corrected it in time, so I didn’t have to endure strange glances.
But looking around, it didn’t seem like that was the case.
‘It’s not because I did well… Did everyone just not hear it because they were all surprised?’
The nobles were not in a state to listen to my nonsense.
Empress, Crown Prince, and the saint as well.
The Emperor didn’t care and ascended to the Table of Blessings.
“I will announce the owner of the table.”
On the second day of the founding festival, the Table of Blessings was always a special event.
However, this year, as the day had turned into a celebration party for the saint, the owner had already been decided for today.
‘They said they would bring a special award?’
The award changed every year, but the more valuable it was, the higher the owner’s status rose.
Moreover, receiving the award increased the chances of becoming a Lunatic of the Founding Festival.
‘Just like the Emperor casting a vote.’
The surroundings were still quiet.
Everyone was in confusion due to the unexpected situation.
Perhaps, it was the anxiety or anticipation of the possibility of a change in the owner of the table. Just like now.
“Eilin Halen.”
The moment my name was called, I ascended the stairs covered with red velvet.
It was a place where everyone could look down.
The Emperor spoke so that everyone could hear from there.
“Also known as the benevolent saint.”
I didn’t know my nickname would be mentioned when I came up here.
In times like this, it was best to pretend to be humble, to act embarrassed.
I lowered my eyes slightly and said, “……I did not come up with that.”
“You must be called that because you did such a commendable act.”
The Emperor’s tone had a hint of laughter.
‘Come to think of it, he resembles Kashar.’
His tone and voice were alike.
Then, did he resemble his mother in appearance?
Muttering in my head, at that moment, the Emperor declared.
“I hereby announce that Eilin Halen is the owner of the Table of Blessings this year.”
As if waiting, the music of the court band echoed in the hall.
All the nobles couldn’t hide their astonishment.
Those who were pleased with the Emperor’s declaration became excited and started talking.
“Of course, it should return to someone with qualifications!”
“Look at the dishes she made herself. Doesn’t it smell too professional?”
“Rather than a made saint, someone who became a saint herself is much more valuable!”
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
