Chapter Sixty-Eight: The Empress Dowager Falls Ill

Less than an hour after Huo left, the Cining Palace urgently summoned the imperial physician.

Jiang Huan was cooking lily and lotus seed porridge in the small kitchen, and the rising steam made her cheeks slightly flushed.

"My lady!" Xiao Zhao rushed in. "News has come from Cining Palace that the Empress Dowager has suddenly fainted. The imperial physician diagnosed her with a heart attack caused by anger. Now all the ladies in the palace are rushing to attend to her."

The jade spoon in Jiang Huan's hand hit the edge of the casserole. It was too much of a coincidence that the Empress Dowager fell ill right after Huo Lin left.

She suddenly remembered Huo Lin's words from yesterday, "We will not let the Empress Dowager succeed," and her heart felt as if it had been gently tickled by a feather.

Did the emperor really go to force the emperor to abdicate?

Seeing Jiang Huan's unhurried demeanor, Xiao Zhao couldn't help but ask, "Isn't Your Highness going to take a look?"

Jiang Huan stirred the porridge slowly and deliberately: "What's the rush? The Empress Dowager has no shortage of servants."

Besides, this Empress Dowager disliked her the most.

She eagerly went to see her, but when the servants saw her, she vomited three jars of blood and kicked herself into the coffin.

She wouldn't seek out someone who would feel that way.

But Xiao Zhao didn't leave; instead, she suddenly lowered her voice.

"Another strange thing happened. Consort Chang went to Qianqing Palace to serve the emperor last night, but ended up kneeling outside the palace gate all night. She was carried back to the palace this morning."

Jiang Huan paused in her movements, her eyes widening involuntarily.

"Kneeled all night?"

“Absolutely true!” Xiao Zhao leaned closer, her eyes sparkling. “I heard from the eunuchs on duty at the Qianqing Palace that the Emperor didn’t even let Consort Chang in; he just made her kneel outside.”

"What's even more incredible is that all the ladies of the palace 'happened' to have seen it, and Consort Chang has completely lost face this time."

It turns out that the Emperor did not allow Consort Chang to serve him in bed last night.

Jiang Huan lowered her head, and the corners of her mouth involuntarily turned up.

Strange, what am I so happy about?

The moment the thought crossed her mind, Jiang Huan shook her head violently.

Lately, her emotions seem to be like those of someone going through menopause.

"Your Majesty?" Xiao Zhao looked at her in confusion.

"It's nothing." Jiang Huan coughed lightly, feigning composure. "Go and fetch some honey."

Xiao Zhao chuckled to herself, "Is Your Highness going to make desserts for the Emperor again?"

"Who said it was for him!" Jiang Huan's ears turned bright red. "Can't I eat it myself?"

She lowered her head, her heart pounding wildly.

No, is it that obvious?

The bittersweet feeling that had lingered in my heart since last night had somehow transformed into honey, so sweet it made me feel dizzy.

Seeing that Jiang Huan was being hypocritical, Xiao Zhao smiled and brought her some honey.

Jiang Huan took it and first scooped a large spoonful of golden honey into the porridge.

Xiao Zhao's eyes widened: "Isn't this too sweet?"

“This is a new way of doing things,” Jiang Huan said, her voice growing softer as she stiffened her neck, “and I… I also love sweets…”

She hurriedly ladled the porridge into a celadon bowl and then made several desserts that Huo Lin liked with honey.

When the food containers were packed, I realized that I had unknowingly made enough for two people.

"I didn't make it specifically for him..."

Jiang Huan muttered to herself, but still carried the food box to the Qianqing Palace.

Inside the Qianqing Palace, Huo Linzheng was reviewing memorials, his brows furrowed.

[These old foxes, when you ask them to come up with a solution, they just shirk responsibility. Their reports are like a game of football, full of excuses and nonsense. If they enjoy playing so much, tomorrow I'll twist their heads off and use them as footballs!]

[Hundreds of people combined are no match for my Jiang Huan. Her idea of ​​a karez well solved the drought. I really want those old fogies to see what true erudition looks like.]

When Jiang Huan brought in the freshly made pastries, she overheard this string of thoughts.

A smile unconsciously crept onto her lips as she gently placed the snacks on a corner of the table.

Hmph, at least they have a conscience.

I'll forgive you for a minute.

"Your Majesty," she curtsied, "I have cooked some porridge and brought some pastries with me."

Huo Lin looked up and saw that it was Jiang Huan. The coldness in his eyes melted instantly.

"sit."

As he was saying this, he reached out to grab the spoon, but Jiang Huan slapped his hand away with lightning speed.

"Wash your hands first."

She took out a handkerchief she carried with her and wet it with water. "I just touched the memorials; they're so dirty."

Huo Lin raised an eyebrow, but obediently opened his palm.

Jiang Huan bent down to wipe him, her warm fingertips brushing across his palm, sending a tingling sensation through him.

This is the first time she has personally wiped my hands; I will remember every first between us.

[Her hands are so small, it feels like I could hold them in one go.]

Jiang Huan smiled slightly and pushed the lily and lotus seed porridge over: "Try it, I added an extra spoonful of honey today."

"So considerate."

Huo Lin took the spoon, his gaze lingering on her face with a hint of amusement. "Is there a trap?"

Jiang Huan blinked: "If there's a trap, will the Emperor not eat?"

Her reply was playful and sweet, even carrying a coquettish charm that she herself was unaware of.

Huo Lin's hand suddenly stopped.

Was she being affectionate?

Is this just her being affectionate?

She can actually act cute?!

Huo Lin's Adam's apple bobbed up and down, and his voice became a few decibels lower and hoarseer than before.

"Who taught you to talk like that?"

Jiang Huan then realized what had happened and quickly asked herself, "Did I act coquettishly?"

It must be Huo Lin's romantic infatuation that influenced his ears, making him have a biased view of her.

Before she could speak, Huo Lin suddenly let go of her hand, lowered his head and took a sip of porridge, his ear tips turning slightly red.

"From now on, you are only allowed to treat me like this."

It's so sweet, sweeter than usual.

[Just like her voice just now.]

Jiang Huan's cheeks flushed, and she quickly lowered her head to arrange the other snacks in the food box.

What's she being shy about?

After the meal, Jiang Huan didn't leave; she stayed to grind ink while Huo Lin continued processing memorials.

The silence in the imperial study made Huo Lin's thoughts all the more apparent.

[In this vast country, with so many courtiers, they all live off me.]

The reports on the floods are written in a grand and dignified manner, but where did the actual funds allocated go? Aren't they afraid of bloating themselves?

Beset by internal and external troubles, and tomorrow I have to receive envoys from neighboring countries—it's like splitting me into two!

Jiang Huan secretly raised her eyes and noticed that the veins on Huo Lin's temples were throbbing faintly.

She suddenly felt a pang of heartache and sent over the jujube and yam cake that she had saved for dessert.

"Eating something sweet will cheer you up."

Huo Lin was taken aback for a moment, then chuckled: "Do you think I'm a child?"

Even so, he still accepted the pastries.

As Jiang Huan watched his furrowed brows gradually relax, a sense of accomplishment welled up inside her.

The following day, a delegation from a neighboring country arrived in Beijing.

Jiang Huan stood under the corridor, watching a group of people dressed in foreign attire slowly enter the palace.

The lead envoy was dressed in a brocade robe, followed by a magnificent sedan chair. The gauze curtains fluttered in the wind, and a slender figure could be vaguely seen sitting inside.

“That’s a princess,” Xiao Zhao explained softly. “I heard she’s here for a political marriage.”

Jiang Huan paused for a moment, then continued waving the fan in her hand as if nothing had happened.

"Oh, she must be a stunning beauty."

Even so, when Huo Lin came to dine that evening, she deliberately added two extra spoonfuls of chili.

Seeing the emperor gulping down tea because of the spiciness, she finally felt a little better.

"Your cooking today..." Huo Lin choked, tears welling up in his eyes, "is... quite special..."

Jiang Huan blinked innocently: "Maybe they used the wrong seasoning."

As soon as she finished speaking, she picked up another piece of meat covered in chili powder and put it into Huo Lin's bowl.

"Your Majesty, please eat more."