Delicacies Destiny Episode 8 Recap
> Delicacies Destiny Recap
The Queen is serving the Emperor as he reviews memorials, and she questions him about why he chose Ling Xiaoxiao as the winner of the cooking competition, recalling that the imperial chef mentioned it. The Emperor remembers that Ling Xiaoxiao acknowledged the exceptional skill of Chef Lu, but questioned whether culinary skill alone should determine selection within the Imperial Kitchen, a place where the world's best chefs gather.
Though the Emperor agreed, he only says he chose her because her sesame oil greens were delicious. The Queen, sensing there's more to it, thoughtfully repeats Ling Xiaoxiao's name. Outside the Imperial Kitchen, everyone awaits Ling Xiaoxiao's return, eager to learn from her. Since Chef Guan lost to Chef Lu, and Chef Lu lost to Ling Xiaoxiao, they all believe she is now the number one imperial chef in the palace.
Furthermore, being a woman, she has brought honor to all the women in the palace, and the male cooks no longer dare to look down on them. Ling Xiaoxiao is now a highly sought-after figure. As she enters, the Crown Prince applauds and congratulates her on becoming the world's number one imperial chef. Ling Xiaoxiao asks why he suddenly came to the Imperial Kitchen, but the Prince couldn't answer.
He asks his eunuch Zheng Li to cover for him, claiming he sent the prince to inspect the palace staff. Ling Xiaoxiao smiles, and the Prince, embarrassed, quickly leaves. Ming Mei and others explain to those who came to learn from Ling Xiaoxiao that they should come back another day.
The maids secretly watch them from the window, feeling that Zheng Li is enduring too much, and that the Prince is saying one thing but thinking another, afraid to express his feelings to Ling Xiaoxiao. Ling Xiaoxiao's slowness makes the palace maids feel suffocated for the Prince, and they can't help but sigh that Ling Xiaoxiao is a blockhead.
The Queen personally brings ginseng soup to the Emperor, who has been diligently managing state affairs and hasn't visited the inner palace for half a month. On the way, she hears Consort Li's laughter, noting that she likes her cheerfulness and simplemindedness. Suddenly, she hears the Emperor's voice as he playfully teases Li Consort, clearly enjoying himself.
The Queen feels a chill, especially when she learns that those in the Hall of Diligent Governance intentionally misled her, saying the Emperor was busy with state affairs and had no time for the inner palace, when in reality he was frolicking. The Queen returns to her palace and orders the soup to be withdrawn. She knows the Emperor orchestrated this intentionally, but what truly chills her is that he no longer even informs her of his whereabouts.
The Queen's nanny advises her that maintaining order in the inner palace is her duty, and if the concubines don't understand the rules, the Queen must personally teach them, otherwise, constantly indulging them will only cause the royal family to lose face. The Queen agrees, feeling that at the very least, those in the inner palace must appear dignified and graceful.
The next day, she sends people to supervise Consort Li, urging her to take regular walks and control her diet. Consort Li is made to run around the courtyard and given only a bowl of porridge for meals. Unable to bear it any longer, Consort Li goes to the Emperor to cry and beg for meat. Afterwards, the nanny whispers something in the Queen's ear, and the Queen smiles, feeling it's for her own good.
When she first entered the palace, she was so thin she was pitiful, almost unrecognizable. The imperial physician said that as long as she persisted for half a year, she could recover as before. The Emperor hasn't visited Consort Li recently. However, the Queen knows he won't come to her palace either. Suddenly feeling idle, she decides to visit the Crown Prince.
At the Prince's residence, Ling Xiaoxiao has just delivered a meal, but he looks miserable because he wants to eat meat, while Ling Xiaoxiao has made a table full of vegetarian dishes. Ling Xiaoxiao says that he had a full meat feast yesterday, which the Queen overhears. Ling Xiaoxiao explains that she made vegetarian food on purpose to balance his palate. The Prince thinks Ling Xiaoxiao is just making vegetarian food because it's easier than cooking meat dishes.
The Prince asks Ling Xiaoxiao to remake a meat dish, and Ling Xiaoxiao sees the eggs on the table and explains that eggs are meat, and also tells him that only a balanced diet can maintain a happy mood. She hopes His Highness can be happy every day, which is why she made vegetarian dishes. The Prince is speechless. The Queen hears this, and rather than coming inside, she turns around and returns to her palace.
The Queen knows that the Prince loves meat, and originally did not want to eat vegetables. Even when he reluctantly ate a bite, it was because he was forced. But now he listens so obediently, eating whatever Ling Xiaoxiao makes. She begins to worry that the Prince has developed feelings for Ling Xiaoxiao, and she summons Ling Xiaoxiao to her palace for questioning. The Prince learns that Ling Xiaoxiao has gone to the Queen's palace, and rushes over.
The Queen asks him, with hidden meaning, if he is like the Emperor and doesn't wish to trouble her. Ling Xiaoxiao cooks for the Queen alone for the first time. The Queen clearly eats it with great satisfaction, but she lies and criticizes Ling Xiaoxiao, saying her cooking is not very good. Ling Xiaoxiao explains how she made the dish, refuting the Queen, which only makes the Queen even more displeased. The Prince repeatedly defends Ling Xiaoxiao.
The Queen's personal nanny sees the key to the situation and reminds the Queen to give Ling Xiaoxiao another chance to cook. Just then, the imperial physician the Queen summoned arrives. Ling Xiaoxiao had noticed the Queen's recent health issues and kept it in mind. Five days later, Ling Xiaoxiao specially cooks a meat dish that is beneficial to the Queen's health. The Queen immediately covers her mouth, feeling nauseous.
Without letting Ling Xiaoxiao explain, she has her punished and sent to the Court of Sinner. Ming Mei and the others are very worried and rush back to report to the Prince. The Prince is particularly worried and begs the Queen for mercy, but the Queen is determined, and uses the excuse that Ling Xiaoxiao angered her and made her ill, forcing the Prince to not dare to plead any further.
For five days in a row, the Prince is listless and barely eats, often hallucinating that Ling Xiaoxiao is right in front of him. He has a nightmare in which Ling Xiaoxiao suffers a tragic fate in the Court of Sinner, and he can no longer wait. Regardless of the fact that it is not yet dawn, he hastily dresses and rushes to wait outside the Queen's palace.
After the Queen finishes washing and dressing, she hears from Nanny Gu that the Prince has been waiting outside the palace since dawn, and quickly summons him. The Prince begs the Queen to let Ling Xiaoxiao go, but the Queen refuses. Helpless, the Prince coldly turns and takes his leave, leaving the Queen heartbroken. She does not understand why the Prince, whom she has raised for more than ten years, cares more about a mere imperial chef.
The Prince has always acted according to the Queen's wishes, always trying to please the Queen and the Emperor, but only making himself unhappy. He tells the Queen that many things she thinks are for his own good, he doesn't want at all.
