almond cake

The day Lin Yanan and Wen Chuyan left Beijing, they encountered the first snow in the capital.

Da Hu was holding an umbrella, and a few flakes of snow fell on his shoulders, making him feel a little cold.

Fu Huaiying stood beside her, watching the team leaving Beijing, listening to the reluctant sobs, and calmly brushed the snow off Lin Yan'an's shoulders.

"Return safely."

"I will."

Lin Yan'an stood there for a long while, but didn't hear her second sentence. Then he smiled and teased her, "Besides this, is there anything else?"

Fu Huaiying still didn't say anything, but the corners of her eyes seemed to be stained with cinnabar, slowly extending to her eyes.

Seeing her like this, Lin Yanan didn't dare to tease her and could only raise three fingers, "I promise, I will come back alive."

Fu Huaiying smiled, but her voice was slightly hoarse. "It's okay. If you leave, I'll take care of the aftermath. We'll live alone in a room, watching the leaves fall year after year. It depends on whether you're willing to leave."

Lin Yan'an was naturally reluctant to do so. He had experienced it before and it was too painful. He didn't want Huaiying to experience the dull pain day after day and the anxiety that made it impossible to fall asleep.

"I will live."

Seeing the two of them inseparable, Ji Yuan snorted lightly while holding the knife, and laughed ostentatiously, "Young Marquis, don't worry too much. If you leave, I will help you take care of her and never let her be alone."

Lin Yanan glanced at him and said, "It's really unnecessary."

He jumped on his horse and said, "Let's go."

Wen Chuyan couldn't help but look back, but met Fu Huaiying's slightly moist eyes. He pulled up the corners of his mouth and smiled at her.

Fu Huaiying watched their backs as they left, raised her hand to catch the falling snow, lowered her eyes, and let the snow melt. "I hope this snowfall will have a good ending."

Da Hu put on a fur coat for her and said, "Yes, girl, we will all come back safely."

Ji Yuan lowered his eyes to look at her, handed her a handkerchief, and said, "Wipe your hands."

Fu Huaiying took it, wiped it carefully, and handed it to Dahu, but found that Ji Yuan's hand was still lying there, feeling a little strange. "What are you doing?"

"Give me back my handkerchief."

Fu Huaiying was speechless, "So stingy? I'll give it back to you."

Ji Yuan took it with a smile, "I'm not as generous as Young Marquis Lin, but are you worried about him?"

Fu Huaiying didn't respond. "Lady Di Rou, do you understand?"

"It seems I guessed right. It's normal for you to worry about that lady. She's just like you, ruthless and decisive."

Fu Huaiying raised her eyes and glanced at him. "Women are very careful. She has such means and strength. She has the advantages of both men and women. Naturally, I am worried."

"I heard from General Wen that you consoled him by saying that the queen's most fatal weakness was her soldiers' disobedience. You don't know how to boast about just a little bit of comfort."

Fu Huaiying nodded. "That's true, but I exaggerated a bit. I just wanted to comfort him. She couldn't have been in that position without close confidants around her. Moreover, on the battlefield, they all have to listen to the commander for important decisions. Do you think I'm a fool?"

Ji Yuan was amused. "I didn't. How dare you treat Fu Zhibi as a fool? I just thought you didn't understand the battlefield."

"I don't understand battlefields, but I at least know that fighting your way out of them can't be that easy."

Da Hu glanced at him sideways and said, "If we girls praise you once, you will be so happy that you can fly to the sky, right?"

Ji Yuan turned his head away with disdain, "I'm not your young marquis."

"The snow is getting heavier," Fu Huaiying looked up and patted Dahu's shoulder, "Fuguang, let's go back."

"good."

Fu Huaiying took Dahu's raised arm and got on the carriage.

She lowered the car curtain and took out the note that Lin Yan'an had secretly slipped to her from her arms.

When he unfolded it, he saw that everything written on it was his private property. All the land deeds, silver and money, including rare books and paintings, were all in his house in the eastern suburbs.

Fu Huaiying's heart trembled. She raised her hand and covered her chest, praying and praying, hoping that he would return safely.

A'niang died on that snowy winter day. In her previous life, she had brought back her brother's body in the same weather as today. She didn't want to experience such pain again.

at night

Da Hu entered the room. There was no light inside, and it was pitch black. She approached cautiously, "Miss? It's so dark, why don't you turn on the light?"

Not getting an answer, she moved closer and found that Fu Huaiying was sitting on the edge of the bed in a daze, with a pile of calligraphy, paintings, and land deeds on her legs and on the bed.

"girl?"

"Ah? Hmm?"

"Why don't you light the lamp?"

Fu Huaiying rubbed his eyes. "It's so late? I forgot."

"Girl, if you keep something in your heart for too long, you will eventually get heartache."

Fu Huaiying looked up at her, the gloom in his brows still lingering, "I'm panicking, Fu Guang, I'm scared, what if he..."

Dahu sat down and hugged her. "No, the young marquis has been on the battlefield since he was young. His military achievements are due to the marquis. He is not a young man who has never been on the battlefield. He will be fine, don't worry."

As he said this, he lowered his eyes to look at these things and sighed in his heart. How come it was as if he was making arrangements for his funeral? All his private property was handed over to me. It would be strange if the girl wasn't worried. The young marquis has been like this since he was a child. He has no brains at critical moments.

Fu Huaiying rubbed his brows and said, "Maybe I'm overthinking it. There have been too many things going on lately. I'm a little tired. Let's take a rest. I have to go to the palace tomorrow."

Da Hu nodded and helped her put away her things. "Go to sleep, young lady. The letter will arrive in a few days. Judging from the young marquis's temperament, he may have started writing the letter tomorrow, no, tonight."

Da Hu grew up with Lin Yan'an since childhood, so he naturally knows him very well.

She was not wrong. The team was stationed outside the city. After finishing the trivial matters, Lin Yan'an had already picked up his pen and started writing a letter.

Fu Huaiying entered the palace the next day, but met King Huan at the palace gate. He looked unchanged.

She knew in her heart that the emperor had already gotten over the pain of losing his son, and he now urgently needed a qualified heir.

"Your Highness."

"Fu Zhibi is doing well. It's been a while since I last saw him. He looks better now."

Fu Huaiying smiled with a fake smile. She tossed and turned last night, unable to fall asleep, and today she met him. "Thanks to His Highness."

"I haven't seen Xiao Si for a while. I'll go see him later. Do you want to write with me?"

He smiled and raised the cake box in his hand.

Fu Huaiying took a quick glance, not knowing what was inside. "Sure, I think His Majesty the Fourth Prince will be very happy."

Huan Wang curled his lips and raised his hand, "Please, Fu Zhibi."

Fu Huaiying was not polite and walked in front of him.

Huanyu stepped forward and stood shoulder to shoulder with her. "I heard that Zhibi has quite a misunderstanding about me, but I wonder if Zhibi is willing to give me a chance to explain?"

Fu Huaiying smiled and said, "Your Highness, you are joking. Where did this rumor come from? Do you believe it?"

"Yesterday, I went to a teahouse and heard someone say that the fire at Fu Zhibi's house that night was caused by me. I came here today to explain because I'm worried that Zhibi might misunderstand me."

Fu Huaiying smiled and shook her head. "How could that be? They're just rumors. Your Highness, don't take them to heart. By the way, when was the ban lifted?"

King Huan's face froze. He had forgotten that he had just lifted the ban today and had not checked for the time being.

Seeing that he didn't say anything, Fu Huaiying raised the corners of her lips in a good mood, "Your Highness, what pastries did you bring for the Fourth Prince? I'm a little curious. I don't know what the Fourth Prince likes to eat. I'll learn from it so I can bring some for him in the future."

Huan Wang stared into her eyes and raised his hand, "Almond cake."

Fu Huaiying lowered her eyes and nodded thoughtfully, "I understand. If His Highness the Fourth Prince likes it, I'll bring him some in the future."

Seeing that she showed no strange expression, Prince Huan couldn't help but look at her twice more. "Fu Zhibi, do you know what Fourth Brother likes?"

Fu Huaiying shook her head. "To be honest, the Fourth Prince isn't picky about food and eats a little of everything, so I still don't know what he likes."

When the two men reached the front of the hall, they saw Chen Huanli coming out. He was stunned to see them coming together.

"Teacher, Second Brother, why are you here together?"

King Huan put on a smile and asked, "Where are you going, fourth brother?"

"Oh, I just finished my meal and I'm going to take a walk to help digest it."

Fu Huaiying glanced at Prince Huan and said, "That's a shame. The Second Prince brought you almond cakes, but now you won't be able to enjoy them."

Chen Huanli also revealed a hint of regret at the right time, "I'm so sorry, I've wasted my brother's kindness."

King Huan stared at him for a moment, his suspicion growing even stronger, but his expression remained the same. "It's okay. It's winter, and the cakes won't go bad. You can keep them and use them when you're hungry at night."

Chen Huanli took it and said, "Thank you, my royal brother."

Prince Huan left after delivering the almond cake. He was certainly not stupid enough to force Chen Huanli to eat it.

Fu Huaiying exchanged a look with him, and both of them sensed the solemnity.

For so long, no one has doubted Chen Huanli's identity. He is the descendant of the former crown prince and naturally resembles the former crown prince. The former crown prince is also very similar to the current emperor. Therefore, when Chen Huanli's face appeared, no one doubted it. But King Huan suddenly thought of using almond cake to test him. What did he discover?

Fu Huaiying leaned close to his ear and whispered something.

Chen Huanli looked down at the almond cake and nodded.

At night, Chen Huanli followed Fu Huaiying's instructions and poured out the entire box of almond cakes.

He looked around but didn't notice that after he left, two figures walked out of the darkness. They were the Emperor of the Universe and the King of the Universe.

"Father, I told you long ago that his identity is questionable."

Emperor Huanyu waved his hand, "It can't be his descendant."

Prince Huan was puzzled. "Father, the late Crown Prince's family cannot eat almonds. This is obvious."

"But, my brother has no grandson."

Prince Huan was somewhat incredulous. "Father, I previously sent people to the south to investigate. Fourth brother died a long time ago. This must be a fake."

Emperor Huanyu was certain, however, that he could not possibly be the descendant of the late crown prince.

"You don't believe me? Then come with me."

King Huan was a little confused, but he could only follow.

Emperor Huanyu waved his hand and said, "Go, send someone to make some almond cakes and send them to the Fourth Prince's palace."

"yes."

King Huan was even more puzzled.

Emperor Huanyu had no intention of explaining to him, but simply stepped into Chen Huanli's palace.

When Chen Huanli saw the person coming, he immediately stood up and asked, "Father, brother?"

Emperor Huanyu smiled and said, "I saw that you didn't eat much for dinner, so I asked someone to make you some cakes."

Chen Huanli glanced at the almond cake handed to him by the palace maid, took it with a normal expression, and put it in his mouth.

King Huan stared at him closely, but unfortunately, after he ate three pieces, there was no change.

"Why are you looking at me like that, brother?"

"I'm just curious. Why did you throw away the almond cake I gave you today? Did you find it unpalatable?"

Chen Huanli pursed his lips and said nothing, his expression changed slightly. He wanted to say something but didn't dare to.