After arriving at the Imperial Kitchen, the three men found the eunuchs and imperial chefs on duty there.

"Wake up, everyone wake up!"

San Shu walked up to the imperial chef who was taking a break, patted him on the shoulder, and the chef opened his eyes groggily.

"Ah—! A ghost!"

The scream really startled San Shu, who immediately covered the imperial chef's mouth.

"Hey, what are you yelling about? Look who I am!"

The imperial chef, whose mouth was covered, couldn't scream anymore. Hearing voices, he opened his eyes and, in the dim candlelight, saw the enlarged figure before him.

"Third Eunuch, what brings you here?"

The imperial chef, who had been napping on the ground, stood up when he saw that the person who came was number three.

"Of course I've come to the Imperial Kitchen because I have business to discuss."

"Eunuch Sanshu, what brings you here? Is His Majesty hungry?"

As he spoke, the imperial chef walked to the stove (the edge of the cooking pot) to light the fire and begin chopping vegetables.

"No, I came to get ice."

The imperial chef put down his cleaver and said with a simple, honest smile, "There's nothing I can do to help with that."

"Hey, what did you say? Ice is under the management of your imperial kitchen, so why can't you help?"

"All you need to do is open the ice storage room and take out a few blocks of ice."

"Third Eunuch, you may not know this, but the key to the storeroom where the ice is kept is with the Imperial Chef. Only the Imperial Chef is authorized to take the ice."

San Shu knew that the imperial chef couldn't take ice, so she prepared to leave.

Before leaving, he looked at the imperial chef and asked, "What's your name?"

"Grandpa Sanshu, my name is Zhang Xin."

After receiving the imperial chef's name, Mitsuki turned and left.

In the darkness, the three of them, carrying lanterns, quickened their pace and soon arrived at the residence of the Imperial Chef.

While asleep, Shi Tian felt someone pushing him and saying something in his ear.

This annoyed the sleeping Shitian, who pulled the blanket over his head and rolled over.

Standing by the bed, San Shu watched as Shi Tian rolled over and continued to snore loudly, and he was furious.

San Shu pulled the blanket over Shi Tian's head and found Shi Ling still asleep. He immediately slapped Shi Tian across the face.

Mute and lost in a sweet dream, he was jolted awake by this slap, and his dream vanished with it.

"Which brat hit me?"

"Your Excellency, get up and get some ice!"

Did you hit me?

Standing by the bed, San Shu seemed a little guilty. "Shang Shi Ling, there was a mosquito just now. I was just swatting it away for you. Come with me to get some ice."

"You say you're swatting mosquitoes? Let's see if I believe you! Want some ice? No way!"

"Chief Chef, it's not that I need ice, it's that the little princess needs ice, and His Majesty sent me to fetch it."

"What did you say? The little princess needs ice?"

Shi Tian, ​​who was just sitting on the bed, was lifted off the bed.

"Sanshu, what kind of job are you? The little princess needed ice, why didn't you say so sooner?"

Shi Tian jumped out of bed without even putting on a coat, grabbed the key to the freezer, and left the room with his shoes on (meaning he was walking with his shoes half-on, the other half under his feet).

The three who remained in place were still in a daze, but seeing Shi Tian walk out, they quickly followed.

"This is bad, this is bad (no, no!)"

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Qin Jue trembled all over when he heard Xiao Xi'er say "no," his hands clenched tightly, and beads of sweat began to drip from his forehead.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Qin Jue's eyes filled with heartache as he looked at Xiao Xi'er.

Qin Jue picked up another dry towel from the tray beside the bed and wiped the sweat from Xiao Xi'er's head.

After wiping the sweat from Xiao Xi'er's forehead, Qin Jue held Xiao Xi'er's small hand in one large hand and gently patted her chest, which was covered by the blanket, with the other hand.

She murmured softly, "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, Father is here."

Whether it was because of Qin Jue's words or not, Xiao Xi'er really stopped talking in her sleep and sweating.

"The ice is here! The ice is here!"

Standing in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Sanhezi heard Sanshu say from afar, "Bing is here."

When Sanshu entered, Sanhezi saw that Sanshu was carrying a whole basin of ice.

Sanhezi took the ice basin, and without saying a word, carried it into the inner hall. After changing the water in the basin, she added some ice cubes.

Qin Jue removed the towel from Xiao Xi'er's forehead, soaked it in a basin of ice for a while, then wrung it out until it was about 80% dry and placed it on Xiao Xi'er's forehead.

Having finished all the tasks, Sanwako, seeing that she was no longer needed, withdrew from the inner palace.

Upon exiting the inner palace, Sanhezi noticed that Miyuki was still there, so he walked up to her.

How did you get so much ice?

"That's right, Godfather."

————

On the way to the icehouse, Shi Tian asked San Shu, "Why does the little princess want ice?"

"The little princess has a fever; we need to apply an ice towel to her forehead to bring her temperature down."

"What? The little princess has a fever? When did this happen?"

Upon hearing that Xiao Xi'er had a fever, Shi Tian jumped up and turned to question San Shu, startling her.

"The little princess had a fever last night."

How serious is it?

"Isn't this a bit serious?"

"Why didn't you say so sooner? Hurry up and let's go!!"

Shi Tian dragged San Shu straight to the entrance of the icehouse. After entering, Shi Tian somehow got a wooden basin and started filling it with ice.

"Isn't this too little? This pot is way too small."

After the wooden basin was filled with ice, Shi Tian started complaining to himself.

The food criticizing the small bowl for being too small has been forgotten; the size of the bowl was determined by him.

Shi Tian produced another basin from somewhere. This basin was as big as the previous two.

After the food had filled the bowl to the brim, it was handed over to the three children.

"Third Uncle, let me tell you, take the ice and deliver it to the Hall of Mental Cultivation as soon as possible."

"If you don't have enough ice, come and find me."

"Chancellor of the Imperial Kitchen, you are truly generous!"

The phrase "three counts" is a double entendre. Shi Tian treasures these ice blocks very much; ordinary people can't get them. Even Shi Tian only gives His Majesty two-thirds of this basin of ice each time.

Moreover, when I mentioned wanting ice, Shi Tian didn't even flinch. But as soon as I said the little princess needed ice, she came straight to the icehouse without even putting on her coat.

Shi Tian pretended not to hear and went back to his bedchamber to sleep.

————

This food is truly hypocritical.

"Isn't that right, Godfather?"

Standing in front of Sanhezi, Sanshu noticed the dark circles under his godfather's eyes and spoke.

"Godfather, why don't you go and rest for a while? I can keep an eye on the Hall of Mental Cultivation."

Sanhezi thought for a moment, and since there wasn't anything serious, he instructed Sanshu to change the ice and water, and then told him to call him if anything important happened, before leaving.

Qin Jue wiped away Xiao Xi'er's cold sweat countless times that night, and changed the towel on Xiao Xi'er's forehead several times to apply ice.

The Emperor himself took care of Xiao Xi'er all night without uttering a single complaint; in fact, Qin Jue could see deep heartache on his face.

The night passed, and dawn broke.