After today.

The Eastern Palace has a new noble servant master.

Not only did Jiang He obtain such a high position as the fourth rank on his first night with the emperor, Ling Shumo also specially bestowed the word "Mei" on him as a title.

The palace where Jiang He lived was named Anxiang Palace. “Anxiang”, as the name suggests, is an elegant name for plum blossoms.

Everyone in the Eastern Palace could see clearly that Jiang He was completely regarded by Ling Shumo as a substitute for the former Crown Princess Pei Jiusheng.

But Jiang He, the person involved, knew nothing about this.

He was very afraid of Ling Shumo at first, and was hesitant in what he said and did.

But as time went on, Jiang He discovered that the Crown Princess was not scary at all, but rather a very gentle person. He gradually grew bolder, and even dared to discuss some jokes with Ling Shumo.

Young masters of aristocratic families all value being gentle and virtuous. Pei Jiusheng cannot talk much due to long-term medication, so after taking a large amount of painkillers, he almost became a chatterbox.

When Jiang He was silent and reserved, he only looked like Pei Jiusheng, but now he has become more lively and cheerful, and even his personality is a bit like Pei Jiusheng.

The night deepens.

Jiang He wanted to help Ling Shumo go to bed as usual.

Ling Shumo took out a love story book from the bedside drawer and threw it into Jiang He's arms. "I won't bother you tonight. Read me a bedtime story."

Jiang He looked intently at the introduction on the picture book. This story was about a man and a woman who were not accepted by the world. After a series of love and hate entanglements, they both jumped into the river to commit suicide.

Jiang He glanced at Ling Shumo uncertainly. "I used to love reading all these random books. Every time Mother saw them, she would tear them up. She said that men from respectable families should remember the 'Man's Virtues' and 'Man's Training' and shouldn't read these messy books. So I could only read them secretly. I didn't expect that Your Highness would also... like to read stories like this?"

Ling Shumo's gaze fell on the drawer, which she hadn't even closed yet. Inside was a pile of various storybooks, all treasures that Pei Jiusheng had collected over the years. She had heard most of the stories in them before. But at that time, she had no interest in them at all. They went in one ear and out the other, and after listening to them, she couldn't even remember the names of the hero and heroine.

At that time, she always felt annoyed with Pei Jiusheng and was impatient to listen to his meaningless stories. Now the person who told her the stories is gone, and she can't see Pei Jiusheng, so she has to go and see the pile of storybooks he left behind to remind her of him.

You don’t know how to cherish what you have.

Now that Pei Jiusheng is gone, she has to desperately look for Pei Jiusheng's shadow on Jiang He.

Jiang He didn't get an answer from Ling Shumo for a long time, so he couldn't help asking again, "Your Highness, do you also like to read these love-hate stories?"

Ling Shumo hummed softly.

She had no interest in these books of life-and-death love, but if the person who collected these books was Pei Jiusheng, she would be happy to memorize every story.

That night, Ling Shumo gradually fell asleep to the sound of Jiang He reading. In her dream, she saw the man she had been thinking about day and night.

In the back mountain of Changle Palace, Pei Jiusheng stood quietly under a plum tree. She happily walked forward to hold Pei Jiusheng.

Then she woke up from the dream.

Today, the sky outside is still dark.

There was still more than half an hour before it was time to get up. Jiang He was sleeping peacefully beside her.

Ling Shumo reached out and pushed Jiang He awake. Jiang He's eyes were already open, but his mind was still a little confused. He heard the princess ask him, "Jiang He, how is your cooking?"

Jiang He shook his head vigorously, finally regaining some clarity. "Your Highness, I only know the simplest dishes, and my cooking skills are not very good."

Ling Shumo said, "Then go to the kitchen and make breakfast for me now."

Jiang He almost thought he had misheard. He repeated his words in a low voice, "The minister is saying that the minister's cooking skills are not very good. The food he makes is just barely edible and has nothing to do with delicious food."

Ling Shumo said, "You didn't know how to do it before, so you have to learn it well from now on. Go to the Food Bureau today and help the chef make a few breakfast dishes. I will have someone open a small kitchen in the Anxiang Palace as soon as possible. From now on, when I come to your place, you will be responsible for my three meals a day."

Jiang He glanced at the still warm quilt. Although he was extremely sleepy, he did not dare to disobey Ling Shumo's words. After a quick wash, he set off for the catering bureau.

The attendant from the Food Department knew that this was Mei, the highly favored Imperial Concubine of the Eastern Palace, and he politely welcomed her in. With only half an hour left until breakfast, there was no time to prepare a complex meal, and Jiang He didn't know how to cook. He simply prepared a few simple and quick dishes under the chef's guidance.

Soon, the meals were served on the table.

Under Jiang He's expectant gaze, Ling Shumo picked up a piece of chopped green onion potato pancake, took a bite, and then spat it all into the spittoon. "Half-cooked food is served on the table. Do the people in the catering department think they've lived too long?"

The waiters who brought the dishes to the table all knelt on the ground, and Jiang He also stood up from his seat.

Ling Shumo was apparently scolding the people in the catering bureau, but everyone knew that he was the one who made the potato pancake.

Jiang He was about to plead guilty.

Ling Shumo slammed her chopsticks on the table first and walked out the door, "I'd better go back to Guangming Palace for dinner this morning."

Jiang He wanted to catch up, but was blocked by Shi Qi.

Shi Qi said, "Your Excellency's cooking skills still need to be improved."

Jiang He's face turned pale.

It has been nearly a month since he was canonized as a noble attendant, and this is the first time that Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess has shown him a cold look.

…