At this moment, Xiao Huayong, supported by a eunuch with a deathly pale face, slowly took his seat in the Hall of Bright Governance.
"Qilang, if you have matters to discuss, you could have sent someone to summon your father. With your frail health, you must not neglect yourself like this in the future." The Youning Emperor's tone of reprimand couldn't conceal his concern.
"Father... cough cough cough..." Xiao Huayong spoke between labored breaths, "Your son heard about the Anxi matter... and recalled previously meeting Zhaoning County Princess... cough cough... She mentioned the Mid-Autumn Festival, and I was moved to promise her... cough cough... to request an Imperial Edict, specially permitting her brother to come to the capital... to accompany her for the festival... cough cough cough..."
After a violent coughing fit that left his face flushed, Xiao Huayong barely managed to say: "I beg Father to grant this."
The Youning Emperor looked rather helplessly at his sickly appearance: "It's just an Imperial Edict. Why did you need to come personally? Look what you've done to yourself."
Xiao Huayong coughed lightly while gazing at the Youning Emperor with filial devotion.
"Your father will issue the edict tomorrow." After speaking gently, the Youning Emperor teased, "Qilang, what if your father betroths Zhaoning to you?"
Xiao Huayong's eyes clearly brightened momentarily, but the light quickly faded: "Cough cough cough... Father, your son doesn't have many years left..."
"Nonsense. Didn't the Imperial Hospital say that as long as we find the perfect Snow Lotus, your health can gradually be restored?" The Youning Emperor patted his shoulder gently with his warm hand. "Yong'er, your grandmother and I both wish for your well-being and look forward to you marrying and having children."
"Father... your son will... cough... take good care of himself..." Xiao Huayong's words became increasingly strained.
The Youning Emperor heaved a deep sigh: "Rest here for a while and join your father for the evening meal."
"Yes."
Early the next morning, Shen Xihe received the Imperial Edict from the Youning Emperor. The eunuch delivering the message specifically pointed out to Shen Xihe that this was something the Crown Prince had personally gone to the Emperor's chambers to request yesterday.
The news that the Crown Prince had requested the Emperor's edict permitting Northwest Prince Heir Shen Yungan to come to the capital to accompany Zhaoning County Princess for the festival aroused much envy. In the capital, there were no shortage of family members of generals who were often stationed at the borders.
Some naturally made sour comments, while others were purely envious.
Shen Xihe paid no attention to these reactions. Having received the edict, she felt particularly happy inside - she could finally see her brother again.
After her joy subsided, she began considering how to express her gratitude to Xiao Huayong. Both the Anxi matter and her brother being able to come to the capital required thanking him.
"He... seems to quite enjoy studying food." Shen Xihe thought about how every time she visited the Eastern Palace, Xiao Huayong would prepare exquisite dishes, and often sent her food boxes as well. "I'll make him a bowl of wontons."
After all, they were unmarried man and woman, so many gifts would be inappropriate. Food seemed to best convey sincerity while attracting the least gossip.
Shen Xihe knew how to cook. Back in the northwest, she would often study delicious foods to make for Shen Yueshan and Shen Yungan.
A bowl of wontons wasn't difficult, though in the northwest she had at most prepared the fillings, while the kneading, wrapping, and boiling were done by servants.
Her strength didn't allow her to knead dough to the right texture, but she personally handled the wrapping and boiling of the wontons.
She prepared two types of fillings: one was a seafood filling with pork combined with deboned fish and shrimp, seasoned with pepper, Sichuan pepper, scallions, and special sauce.
The meat filling used deboned pheasant meat with added walnut kernels and pine nuts, seasoned with the same condiments.She personally cooked a bowl for Xiao Huayong, while having Ziyu prepare another for Tianyuan. Both bowls were delivered simultaneously to the Eastern Palace.
Considering Xiao Huayong’s frail health and inability to overeat, Shen Xihe had only made three of each type, worried that he might force himself to finish the food and harm his spleen and stomach.
Thus, when Xiao Huayong saw the exquisitely small bowl of wontons—barely enough to fill the gaps between his teeth—his expression was somewhat torn between laughter and exasperation.
"Your Highness, the wontons were made by the Junzhu herself as a token of gratitude for your assistance," Biyu said with her head bowed.
"Please convey my thanks... cough... to the Junzhu," Xiao Huayong replied, then noticed another food container in Biyu’s hand. "This is..."
"The Junzhu specifically instructed Ziyu to prepare a bowl for Guard Cao as well," Biyu promptly answered.
Tianyuan’s eyes lit up instantly, but he quickly sensed something amiss. Sneaking a glance at his master, he met a pair of cool, piercing eyes and immediately shrank back, tucking in his neck.
"Might I ask... what fillings... are inside?" Xiao Huayong inquired nonchalantly. "I have... some dietary restrictions."
Biyu: "The fillings were all prepared by the Junzhu herself..."
Honest Biyu listed all the fillings, as Shen Xihe had instructed—to clarify so that if Xiao Huayong couldn’t eat them, he wouldn’t have to.
Xiao Huayong only gathered that although not both bowls of wontons were cooked by Shen Xihe, the fillings were entirely her doing!
"Leave them here... cough... Tianyuan, escort Biyu out of the palace," Xiao Huayong gently instructed.
Tianyuan could only lower his head and obediently see Biyu off. Biyu assumed "out of the palace" meant leaving the Eastern Palace, but Tianyuan escorted her all the way out of the palace gates.
When Tianyuan returned, as expected, not a single drop of broth from either bowl of wontons remained for him.
What’s more, a faint, tantalizing aroma still lingered in the air. Tianyuan licked his lips: "Your Highness, were the wontons sent by the Junzhu delicious?"
Xiao Huayong’s bowl had only six wontons, but Tianyuan’s contained a full twenty. Having eaten to his heart’s content and feeling slightly full, Xiao Huayong lounged lazily on the daybed, legs stretched out naturally and heels crossed, utterly at ease.
"Tender, smooth, and delightfully fragrant—the taste lingers on the palate," Xiao Huayong said in high spirits.
Tianyuan swallowed hard: "Your Highness, let’s have wontons for the evening meal."
He wanted to eat them, desperately so!
Xiao Huayong shot Tianyuan a glance: "From now on, wontons are forbidden in the Eastern Palace."
Tianyuan: !!!
"Why?"
"I can no longer stomach wontons made by anyone else," Xiao Huayong said softly.
Tianyuan: ...
If the Junzhu were to marry into the Eastern Palace in the future and cook everything for you, would you only be able to eat food made by her hands? Would you starve without her?
While Tianyuan was inwardly grumbling, Xiao Huayong suddenly set down his book and swung his long legs off the daybed: "It seems she truly enjoys food."
With that, Xiao Huayong stood and headed toward the Eastern Palace’s kitchen. Tianyuan hurried after him: "Your Highness, where are you going?"
"The kitchen."
"What are you going to do there?"
"From today onward, I shall learn to cook."
Tianyuan: !!!
"Your Highness, whatever you want can be made by the chefs. Why trouble yourself to learn such things?" Watching Xiao Huayong clumsily handle a knife to chop vegetables, the kitchen staff trembled with fear, their faces pale, terrified he might accidentally cut his finger.
"If my chefs can make something she likes, she will surely send her maid to learn it," Xiao Huayong continued without pause. "But if only I can make what she enjoys, then I must be the one to teach her."
After all, it would be unthinkable for a maid to learn cooking from the Crown Prince.Tianyuan listened to the thump-thump-thump of chopping—no, more like hacking—vegetables. Watching his master's face soften with a smile so tender it could drip sweetness, the despair in his heart deepened.
His Highness was bewitched, utterly bewitched!
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