The rumor began with a whisper.
A single sentence, spoken carelessly by a eunuch outside the imperial study—
"The food Her Majesty ate… smelled incredible."
Within half an hour, the entire inner palace knew.
Changchun Palace
Consort De sat upright on the couch, the porcelain teacup in her hand long since gone cold.
"You're saying…" Her voice dropped to a thin whisper as she stared at the kneeling maid."Her Majesty did not summon the Imperial Kitchen?"
"No," the maid swallowed nervously. "It was… delivered from outside the palace."
"…Outside?"
Consort De's fingers tightened around the teacup.
"What kind of person," she asked slowly, each word weighed with suspicion,"can deliver food into the imperial palace?"
"This servant doesn't know," the maid said quickly. "Only that… the fragrance was overwhelming."
Consort De's expression darkened.
In the harem, nothing was more dangerous than something new.
New favor.New privilege.New exception.
Those things had a way of reshaping power overnight.
Shufei's Palace
"Say that again."
Consort Shu sat up abruptly, silk sleeves sliding down her wrists.
"It's true, Your Ladyship," her personal maid whispered. "The entire imperial study smelled of it. Like frying… like roasting. Nothing we've ever known."
Consort Shu's eyes flickered.
"And His Majesty?"
"…He ate it."
Consort Shu rose instantly.
"Prepare gifts."
"…Your Ladyship?"
"To the Empress."
If His Majesty had tasted it—
Then this was no longer gossip.
It was policy.
Fengyi Palace
Su Wan was scrolling through her phone.
[Today's Popular Choice: Hot Pot for Two]
She had just tapped the screen when the announcement rang out.
"Consort De arrives—""Consort Shu arrives—"
She paused.
They're here.
She glanced sideways.
Xiao Xuanyin sat beside her, calmly sipping tea, his expression unreadable.
"You're not leaving?" Su Wan asked quietly.
"Why would I?" he replied indifferently.
"They're obviously here because of me."
"Then I should stay."
The next moment, the two consorts entered one after the other.
The scent lingered in the hall—fried chicken, milk tea, rich and unfamiliar.
Consort De halted the instant she crossed the threshold.
She inhaled unconsciously.
"This scent…"
Consort Shu was sharper.
Her gaze had already locked onto the table—onto the paper packaging that had yet to be cleared away.
Paper.
Covered in strange markings.
Clean. Untainted.
Almost… sacred.
"Greetings to His Majesty. Greetings to Her Majesty the Empress."
They bowed.
But their eyes betrayed them.
Xiao Xuanyin observed silently.
He understood better than anyone—
In the harem, affection was never the true currency.
Resources were.
"Rise," he said.
Consort De forced a smile. "May we ask… was Her Majesty enjoying a new dish from the Imperial Kitchen?"
"No," Su Wan replied gently.
"Then…?"
"Takeout."
"…."
"It's food," Su Wan explained calmly, "brought in from outside the palace."
Consort Shu's expression tightened.
"Outside food entering the palace—what if—"
"I approved it."
Xiao Xuanyin's single sentence cut through the air like a blade.
Consort Shu fell silent instantly.
Consort De recovered quickly, her smile deepening."Her Majesty truly has ingenious ideas. Even His Majesty favors it greatly."
Su Wan looked at their barely concealed hunger—not just for food, but for access.
Blocking them would only create resentment.
Guidance was far more effective.
"Actually," Su Wan said slowly, "it's not impossible for everyone to try."
Consort De's eyes widened.
Consort Shu's breathing stilled.
"But," Su Wan continued calmly, "there are rules."
"What rules?" Consort De asked quickly.
"First—no word of this leaves the palace."
"Second—no one may secretly contact the couriers."
"And third—"
She smiled, gentle and harmless.
"From now on, the harem will not compete for favor over food."
"…?"
Compete… for food?
Xiao Xuanyin's lips curved faintly.
"The Empress's will," he said evenly,"is my will."
The two consorts exchanged a glance.
Then—
They knelt.
"We obey."
In that moment, the hierarchy shifted.
Not by decree.
But by control.
Half an Hour Later
The side hall of Fengyi Palace.
A table of takeout was laid out.
The hot pot bubbled violently, crimson oil rolling like molten lava.
As thin slices of meat slid into the broth, the fragrance exploded upward, thick and intoxicating.
Consort De lifted her chopsticks.
The moment the meat touched her tongue—
She froze.
Her pupils shrank.
Warmth spread through her body, sinking deep into her limbs.
Consort Shu took a cautious sip of milk tea.
Her eyes widened.
"This… this surpasses even the Imperial Kitchen—"
She stopped herself.
Then took another sip.
And another.
Su Wan watched with an amused smile.
"Slow down," she said lightly. "There will be more."
At the same time—
Xiao Xuanyin closed his eyes.
Within his body, blood circulation subtly accelerated. Heat flowed through his muscles and bones. The qi within his meridians moved with unprecedented smoothness.
There was no spiritual energy.
And yet—
His physical foundation felt reinforced.
Interesting.
For early-stage cultivators, strengthening the mortal body was often the greatest obstacle.
Spirit herbs were violent.Low-grade elixirs damaged foundations when misused.
But this food—
No spiritual backlash.No impurities.Only precise stimulation.
If consumed in moderation…
A realization formed.
This may surpass low-grade body-refining pills.
Xiao Xuanyin opened his eyes.
His gaze settled on Su Wan.
She had not brought mere indulgence into the palace.
She had brought a new cultivation path.
That night—
Two new names were quietly added to Su Wan's hot pot table.
And without fanfare, without bloodshed—
The rules of the harem changed.
Favor was fleeting.
But access—
Access was power.
And the one who controlled accessnow sat calmly at the center of the palace.