Your Majesty, the Emperor Is Sneaking Vegetables Again

In a glittering but turbulent palace, Shen Qingyuan, once an obscure figure, puts her love of growing vegetables to use by cultivating a plot in one corner of the harem.

By chance, Emperor Xiao Che sneaks into the vegetable patch late one night to investigate this unusual woman, only to end up “stealing vegetables.” That is how the two meet.

Shen Qingyuan’s resilient pumpkin vines thrive even in the mire of harem intrigue.

Consort Liu and the other concubines are as ruthless as poppies or cling to power like dodder vines. Jealous of Shen Qingyuan’s favor, they repeatedly plot against her, from accusing her of letting the seedlings wither and angering the gods, to bribing servants to ruin her garden and poisoning her food. Their schemes are endless.

Shen Qingyuan responds with patience and wisdom, using the cycle of “growth and decay” as a metaphor for the rise and fall of the maternal relatives, quietly laying plans for her counterattack. Xiao Che also uses his “vegetable-stealing” visits to hint at the art of imperial rule through farming proverbs, clearing obstacles from Shen Qingyuan’s path.

After weathering countless overt attacks and hidden schemes, Shen Qingyuan is finally made a Noble Consort. In the end, they not only protect their love but also preserve the stability of the empire.