Murong Jie returned to the palace under the cover of darkness.
Zi'an had his people heat up the dishes and prepare the wine early in the morning, waiting for him to come back.
I started waiting from the hour of You and waited until the hour of Zi, when I heard someone running quickly outside.
Xiaosun rushed in, her little face full of smiles, "Princess, guess who's back?"
Zi'an poked her forehead, "Who else could it be?"
Having said that, he ran out.
Xiaosun smiled and said, "The princess is too impatient."
Before Zi'an ran out of the gate of Hexu Pavilion, he felt that the light was shrouded by a shadow.
Before I could raise my head and take a closer look, I was surrounded by a pair of iron arms in a spacious embrace.
The man hugged her so tightly that she could hardly breathe.
Zi'an's eyes suddenly became misty. He held him in his arms, the smell of dirt and dust entering his nose, and he choked up and said, "You're finally back."
"Yes, I'm back, but I have to go to the city gate tomorrow and pretend that I just arrived tomorrow." Murong Jie's voice came from above his head. He had originally come back on horseback, but because he didn't want anyone to know that he returned tonight, he took a carriage back first.
Because the emperor had already sent people to the post station along the way to convey his order, saying that no matter when he returned, all officials would be at the city gate to welcome him early tomorrow morning.
He let go of Zi'an, held her face, looked greedily at the face that made him miss her so much, and said unhappily, "You've lost weight!"
"I can't eat, I miss you!" Zi'an was still choking, looking at the beard growing on his face, he became more and more heroic.
I think he shaved his beard when he returned to Beijing, but it has grown back in the past few days.
"You actually know how to say a few nice words." Murong Jie's eyes tightened, he picked her up and walked into the house.
Xiaosun followed behind and quickly covered her eyes, "I am outside, if you have any instructions, just shout."
After Murong Jie entered the room, he put Zi'an down and frowned: "What is that little girl thinking? Doesn't she think that I will kill the beast as soon as I come back?"
Zi'an smiled and shouted to the outside, "Xiaosun, prepare some hot water. The prince wants to take a bath."
"Okay!" Xiaosun went happily.
After sending Xiaosun away, Nanny Yang arrived right after. She bowed as soon as she entered the room and said happily, "The prince is finally back. The princess has been waiting for him for so long."
Murong Jie sat on the chair and glanced at Zi An, "Is there?"
"Why not? I have to recite it at least thirty times a day. I know the prince might come back today, so I have been cooking hot dishes in the pot."
"There's more wine!" Wang Jun appeared behind him, holding a jar of wine in his hand. Behind him, there were several servants serving food.
Although Murong Jie was hungry, he wanted to talk to Zi'an before eating, but when he saw people pouring into the yard, he couldn't help but say, "Go back first and eat later."
Nanny Yang said, "Let's leave first, and let the prince take a break before eating."
Wang Jun raised his hand, "Okay, let's withdraw first."
But he didn't leave. He just looked at Nanny Yang with a smile.
Nanny Yang said, "Go first, go first. The princess has been waiting for a whole night anyway, it's okay to be hungry for a while."
Murong Jie heard this and said, "Wait, wait!"
He looked at Zi'an, "You didn't eat either?"
Zi'an smiled and said, "I'll wait for you to eat with me."
Murong Jie waved his hand quickly, "What are you still standing there for? Serve the food, serve the food!"
Nanny Yang was smiling from ear to ear, knowing that the prince must be worried about the princess.
Two people, five dishes, and two pots of stew.
Nanny Yang smiled mysteriously and said, "The big one is for the prince, and the small one is for the princess."
Murong Jie swapped the two bowls of stewed soup and said to Zi An, "You drink the big one, drink more, you're so skinny."
Nanny Yang said quickly, "You can't use it. The effects are different. The prince's... is for strengthening the body. It is specially for men to drink. Women can't stand it. The princess's is for nourishing yin and kidney. It is specially for women with weak body and blood deficiency."
Murong Jie frowned, "Is there such a thing as this?"
"Of course, of course, the princess needs to take care of herself. The Queen Mother has been saying these days that the princess is infertile and has already stuffed two people into the palace, saying that they are for you, Your Majesty, to carry on the family line."
Nanny Yang was never a talkative person, but she had to say this because she couldn't just stand by and watch the princess being bullied.
Murong Jie was indeed furious. "What lineage do you want to pass on? What succession do you want to have? Do I need her help to pass on my lineage? Send her back immediately. This is ridiculous."
Zi'an said, "Don't worry, we don't need this bowl of rice in our house, just take care of it first."
There are so many things to do nowadays, so there is no need to worry about these little things.
"She stuffed people into the mansion, and you accepted them all?" Murong Jie glared at her.
Zi'an poured him a glass of wine himself, his face smiling like a flower, "Have a drink first to calm down, I'll talk to you slowly."
She stood up and said to Madam Yang, "You guys go down first. There's no need to serve here."
Madam Yang bowed, "Yes, we will take our leave now. Princess... remember to drink your soup."
Nanny Yang winked at her, signaling her not to put herself in a difficult position.
Zi'an knew she was worried, so he comforted her, "It's okay, I know my limits."
Nanny Yang then withdrew with everyone else.
Murong Jie pulled her to sit down beside him and asked, "Did she make you angry?"
Zi'an stared at him, darker, but still incredibly handsome, "No, she wanted to give it to me, but I wouldn't accept it."
"Send those two away tomorrow." Murong Jie frowned and said, "This king doesn't like strangers in his house."
"Okay!" Zi'an naturally didn't want to keep these two people, but there were more important things at the moment.
"Drink the soup first." Seeing her face suddenly become heavy, Murong Jie knew that she must have something to say, but he had to let her eat first.
He personally poured the soup into the bowl and stirred it slowly with a spoon. Steam rose up, and he blew on it a few times before handing the soup to Zi'an's lips, "Drink."
"I'll do it myself!" Zi'an reached out to take the spoon.
"Drink!" Murong Jie handed the spoon closer and said majestically.
Zi'an drank it with a charming smile, mouthful by mouthful. Murong Jie fed him slowly, but Zi'an drank it quickly, as if he was completing a task.
These soups are her own medicinal food recipes. She has been drinking them for several days and they really don't taste that good.
However, no one knew what the dish that Murong Jie was cooking was made by Nanny Yang herself.
After drinking a bowl of soup, Zi'an was almost full. She opened Murong Jie's bowl without looking at it. She just smelled it carefully and knew what medicinal ingredients were added.
Cuscuta, Cistanche, Morinda officinalis, Eucommia ulmoides…
She burst into laughter, "Is this Madam Yang looking down on our prince?"
Seeing her suddenly burst into laughter, Murong Jie asked suspiciously, "What soup?"
"It's good for your health." Zi'an stopped smiling and said seriously, but he couldn't hide the smile on his brows.
Murong Jie stared at her and suddenly stood up, "I won't eat for now."
He hugged her and walked into the inner room.
(End of this chapter)