At this moment, Xiao Huayong, supported by palace servants, sat down slowly in Mingzheng Hall with a deathly pale face.
“Seven Prince, if you have matters to discuss, you should simply send someone to summon Father. Your health is fragile – you mustn’t be so careless with it in the future.” The Youning Emperor’s tone of reproach couldn’t mask his concern.
“Father *cough* *cough* *cough*…” Xiao Huayong began, breathing heavily, “When I heard about the Anxi matter… and remembered meeting Princess Zhaoning *cough* *cough*… discussing the Zhengzheng Festival, I was moved and promised her *cough* *cough*… to request an imperial edict permitting her elder brother to come to the capital… to accompany her during the festival *cough* *cough* *cough* *cough*…”
After a severe bout of coughing that left his face flushed red, Xiao Huayong struggled to say: “Please grant this request, Father.”
The Youning Emperor looked at his sickly appearance with considerable helplessness: “It’s just one imperial edict – why did you need to come personally? Look at what state you’ve gotten yourself into!”
Xiao Huayong, still coughing lightly, gazed at the Youning Emperor with filial devotion.
“Father will issue the edict tomorrow,” the Youning Emperor said gently, then teased, “Seven Prince, how would you feel if Father arranged your marriage to Zhaoning?”
Xiao Huayong’s eyes notably brightened, but that spark vanished in an instant. “Cough* *cough* *cough* *cough*… Father, I don’t have many years left…”
“Nonsense. The Imperial Physicians have said that if we can find premium snow lotus, your health will surely improve gradually with proper care.” The Youning Emperor’s warm palm patted his shoulder gently. “Yong’er, your grandmother and I both hope for your well-being, looking forward to seeing you marry and have children.”
“Father… I will *cough* *cough*… take good care…” Xiao Huayong struggled increasingly to speak.
The Youning Emperor heaved a deep sigh: “Rest here awhile and share the evening meal with Father.”
“Mm.”
Early the next morning, Shen Xihe received the Youning Emperor’s edict. The palace servant who delivered it specifically pointed out to Shen Xihe that the Crown Prince had personally gone to His Majesty’s chambers yesterday to request it.
The Crown Prince requesting an imperial edict for Princess Zhaoning, permitting the Western Northern Prince’s heir Shen Yun’an to enter the capital and accompany Princess Zhaoning during the festival, aroused much envy. The capital had no shortage of military officials’ family members who were stationed long-term at the borders.
Some naturally made sour comments, while others were purely envious.
Shen Xihe ignored all this. Upon receiving the edict, she was exceptionally happy – she could finally see her elder brother.
After her initial joy, she contemplated how to express her gratitude to Xiao Huayong. Both the Anxi matter and her brother’s permission to enter the capital were thanks to him.
“He… seems to enjoy studying food preparation.” Shen Xihe recalled how every time she visited the Eastern Palace, Xiao Huayong would prepare exquisite dishes and often send food boxes to her. “I’ll make him a bowl of wontons.”
As they were an unmarried man and woman, many gifts would be inappropriate, but food seemed the best way to express gratitude while avoiding controversy.
Shen Xihe knew how to cook – when she was in the Northwest, she would often experiment with dishes for Shen Yueshan and Shen Yun’an.
A bowl of wontons wasn’t difficult, though in the Northwest she had mostly just prepared the filling, leaving the servants to handle the dough-kneading, wrapping, and cooking.
Her strength didn’t allow her to knead dough to achieve the right texture, but she would personally handle the wrapping and cooking of the wontons.
She prepared two types of filling: one seafood filling combining pork with deboned fish and shrimp, seasoned with pepper, Sichuan pepper, green onion, and a special sauce.
The meat filling used deboned pheasant meat mixed with walnuts and pine nuts, with the same seasonings.
She cooked a bowl for Xiao Huayong while having Ziyu cook another bowl for Tian Yuan, sending both to the Eastern Palace simultaneously.
Considering Xiao Huayong’s weak constitution and limited appetite, Shen Xihe only cooked three wontons, worried that if she made more, he might force himself to finish them and harm his digestion.
Thus, seeing the exquisite but tiny portion of wontons that wouldn’t even fill a tooth gap, Xiao Huayong’s expression was somewhat caught between laughter and tears.
“Your Highness, the wontons were personally made by the Princess, to express her gratitude for your assistance,” Biyu said with a lowered head.
“Please convey my *cough* *cough* *cough*… thanks to the Princess.” As Xiao Huayong spoke, he noticed another food box in Biyu’s hands. “What’s that…”
“The Princess specifically had Ziyu cook a bowl for Guard Cao as well,” Biyu quickly responded.
Tian Yuan’s eyes immediately brightened, then suddenly feeling something amiss, he secretly glanced at his master, met those cool eyes, and hastily shrank his neck.
“What… kind of fillings… are they?” Xiao Huayong asked casually. “I have some… dietary restrictions.”
Biyu: “All the fillings were prepared by the Princess…”
The honest Biyu explained all the fillings, as Shen Xihe had instructed, saying everything clearly in case Xiao Huayong couldn’t eat them.
Xiao Huayong only registered that although not all the wontons were cooked by Shen Xihe, she had prepared all the fillings!
“Leave them here *cough* *cough* *cough*… Tian Yuan, escort Biyu out of the palace,” Xiao Huayong instructed gently.
Tian Yuan could only lower his head and obediently escort Biyu out. Biyu thought “out of the palace” meant out of the Eastern Palace, but Tian Yuan escorted her to the palace gates.
When Tian Yuan returned, unsurprisingly, not even a drop of soup remained from either bowl of wontons.
A faint, tantalizing aroma still lingered in the air. Tian Yuan licked his lips: “Your Highness, how were the Princess’s wontons?”
Xiao Huayong’s portion had only six wontons, while Tian Yuan’s had twenty. Xiao Huayong ate with great satisfaction, feeling slightly full, and lounged lazily on the imperial couch with his legs naturally extended and heels crossed, the picture of contentment.
“Tender, smooth, with a lingering fragrance,” Xiao Huayong said in an excellent mood.
Tian Yuan swallowed: “Your Highness, shall we have wontons for the evening meal?”
He wanted to eat them, desperately wanted to eat them!
Xiao Huayong cast Tian Yuan a glance: “The Eastern Palace will no longer serve wontons.”
Tian Yuan: !!
“Why?”
“I can no longer eat wontons made by others,” Xiao Huayong said softly.
Tian Yuan: …
If the Princess were to marry into the Eastern Palace in the future and make everything for you, wouldn’t you only be able to eat food made by her? Without the Princess, wouldn’t you starve to death?
While Tian Yuan was still grumbling internally, Xiao Huayong suddenly put down his book and moved his long legs off the couch: “It seems she truly loves food.”
With that, Xiao Huayong headed toward the Eastern Palace’s kitchen. Tian Yuan hurried after him: “Your Highness, where are you going?”
“To the kitchen.”
“What for?”
“From today onwards, I want to learn how to cook.”
Tian Yuan: !!
“Your Highness, whatever you want, just have the cooks make it. Why trouble yourself learning these things?” Watching Xiao Huayong awkwardly wielding a knife to cut vegetables, while the kitchen staff stood trembling nearby, faces pale with fear of him accidentally cutting his fingers.
“If my cooks knew what she likes, she would surely send her maids to learn,” Xiao Huayong continued his movements without pause. “But if only I know what she likes, then only I can teach her personally.”
Naturally, it wouldn’t be appropriate for maids to learn cooking from the Crown Prince.
Tian Yuan listened to the bang-bang-bang of vegetable chopping – no, vegetable mincing – and watched his master’s expression, soft enough to drip water, feeling even deeper despair.
His Highness was bewitched, completely bewitched!