Sunset and moonrise, moonset and sunrise.

In the early morning, Shen Wan woke up from a deep sleep and sat on the bed, stretching.

Yinshuang and Haitang brought a copper basin into the room to help Shenwan get up. Yinshuang helped Shenwan put on a corset and looked at Shenwan's protruding belly, saying in amazement, "It hasn't been many days since the Emperor's birthday banquet, and the Princess Consort's belly has already grown quite a bit."

Shen Wan touched her belly and felt that the baby in her belly had grown a lot in the past few days, especially the fetal movements, which were much more obvious than before.

After Shen Wan finished washing up, Xie Jingyan returned from his morning exercise and was about to sit down for breakfast when his maid Dong'er came in and stood outside the beaded curtain, saying, "Your Highness, Steward Zhou just sent someone to say that there are some matters in the military camp that require your attention."

After Dong'er finished her report, she withdrew.

Xie Jingyan served food to Shen Wan and said, "I don't know when I'll be back from the military camp, so don't wait for me for lunch."

Shen Wan knew that the military camp couldn't handle the situation, which was why they bothered Xie Jingyan. She asked, "Are things in the military camp really that troublesome?"

Xie Jingyan said, "It's not necessarily troublesome, but we might have to go to the palace."

Shen Wan didn't ask any more questions.

After breakfast, Xie Jingyan went to the military camp. Today it wasn't so hot, so Shen Wan took Yinshuang and Dong'er for a walk in the garden and brought back two baskets of flowers.

Upon entering the room, Yinshuang saw two large red and gold-embroidered invitation cards on the table and asked, "Whose wedding invitations are these?"

Haitang was wiping the antique shelf when she heard this and said, "Of course it's the Yun family and the Marquis of Xuanping's residence."

Haitang put down the vase and came over to say, "Young Master Yun and the heir of the Marquis of Xuanping came to the manor in person to deliver the wedding invitations. I heard from Steward Zhou that the Prince went to the military camp, so they didn't come into the manor."

Shen Wan sat down, and Yin Shuang poured her tea. Xia'er came in and said, "Your Highness, Imperial Chef Li has arrived."

Yinshuang asked curiously, "Why is Chef Li here at Moyuxuan?"

Haitang said, "The Yun family and the Xuanping Marquis's residence want to invite Imperial Chef Li to their residence to cook. I wonder if Imperial Chef Li has come for this reason..."

Yinshuang disagreed, because when she had previously asked Chef Li to cook, he had never come to see the princess.

Is it because you don't want to help?

Silver Frost thought this guess was even less likely.

Taking charge of cooking for the Yun family and the Marquis of Xuanping's residence would not only bring in money but also prestige, so Chef Li would not refuse.

Shen Wan said, "Please ask Chef Li to wait for me in the main hall."

Shen Wan was thirsty and drank half a cup of tea before getting up.

Inside the main hall, Chef Li was sitting there drinking tea. When he saw Shen Wan enter, he quickly put down his teacup, stood up, and bowed to her.

Shen Wan asked, "Did Chef Li come to me because the Yun family and the Marquis of Xuanping's residence asked you to take charge of cooking?"

Chef Li shook his head. "No."

no?

Shen Wan sat down and said, "Then Chef Li is looking for me...?"

Chef Li seemed a little embarrassed to speak.

Shen Wan said, "Chef Li, please speak frankly."

Since Chef Li had already come to see the Princess, he felt no shame. He said, "To be honest, Your Highness, like Doctor Tao, I also have a wife and children. Seeing Doctor Tao's family reunited in the capital fills me with envy. I hope Your Highness and Your Highness can grant me permission to bring my wife and children to the capital as well..."

Shen Wan thought that Chef Li wanted to see her for something, but it turned out that he just missed his wife and children.

Shen Wan said, "It was our oversight, Your Highness and I. We should have brought Chef Li's family to the capital long ago."

"Like Doctor Tao, I also set up a small courtyard for Chef Li's family behind the Prince's Mansion."

Chef Li hurriedly replied, "I wouldn't dare. How could I compare to Doctor Tao?"

He was just cooking for the prince and princess; Doctor Tao cured the prince's leg ailment.

Shen Wan smiled and said, "Doctor Tao has done a great favor for me and the prince, and Imperial Chef Li has also helped me and the prince a lot."

Chef Li wanted to bring his wife and children to the capital, and Shen Wan was overjoyed; how could she refuse?

Although Chef Li was bestowed upon her by the Emperor, he was not a servant of the Prince's Mansion. If he truly wanted to leave the Prince's Mansion, no one could stop him.

Chef Li has been a chef in the palace for so many years, but he never brought his family to the capital. He was thinking of returning to his hometown one day. Now that he has brought his family to the capital, it means that he truly approves of the Ling Prince's Mansion and wants to stay there for the rest of his life.

Shen Wan asked Haitang and Chef Li to go to the front yard to find Steward Zhou to handle this matter.

After returning to the house, Shen Wan put the flowers she picked from the garden into a vase. By the time she finished her work, it was time for lunch.

Xie Jingyan did not return for lunch as expected; in fact, he returned to the mansion just before dinner.

Seeing him return to the room, Shen Wan went up to him and said, "Were you busy in the military camp all day?"

Xie Jingyan said, "I didn't stay in the military camp for long. I went to the Ministry of Revenue, then to the Ministry of War, and then to the Ordnance Bureau, and then went to the palace..."

Shen Wan, “…???”

Why are you going to so many places?

Xie Jingyan said, "My father-in-law's soldiers are three months behind on their pay. Before leaving the capital, my father-in-law asked for two months' worth. After he left, the Ministry of Revenue diverted the pay to General Wu's troops. I've been busy with this all day."

Xie Jingyan sat down and poured himself some tea, but as he picked it up to drink, he looked at Shen Wan and asked, "You dreamed that there were iron mines in Wangzhou, the fiefdom of the Prince of Cheng, but did you also dream that Wangzhou was flooded?"

Without thinking, Shen Wan blurted out, "Wangzhou didn't experience any flooding."

His tone was firm.

Xie Jingyan looked at Shen Wan and asked, "Are you sure there wasn't a flood in Wangzhou?"

Shen Wan nodded emphatically, confirming that there had been no flooding in Wangzhou.

"Is it possible that it happened, but you didn't dream about it?" Xie Jingyan asked.

Shen Wan shook her head, puzzled, and asked, "Why do you ask that?"

Xie Jingyan said, "Just now when I entered the palace, I encountered an urgent message from Wangzhou. Wangzhou has been hit by a severe flood and the court needs to allocate funds and grain for disaster relief."

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