Chapter 117 The Overthinking Emperor
These words were like a bolt from the blue.
The Empress Dowager and Consort Jia were chopped until they were charred and raw, and dared not utter another word.
He could only leave Weiyang Palace with resentment and dejection.
At this moment, Jiang Huan closed her eyes and secretly gave Huo Lin a thumbs up in her heart.
She had actually woken up long ago, but the thought of having to deal with those two devils after waking up made her pretend to be asleep.
After a whole night of tossing and turning, my back ached and I was exhausted. Of course, it would be a lie to say I wasn't tired.
Taking advantage of Huo Lin chasing the people away, Jiang Huan decided to take a nap. She turned over and fell into a deep sleep a moment later.
Hearing her long, even breathing, Huo Lin tucked the blankets in and carefully got up.
He walked to the outer hall, where Wang Degui was already standing respectfully with his hands at his sides.
"This old servant congratulates Your Majesty on the fulfillment of your wish."
Huo Lin nodded slightly, his face expressionless, but the gentleness deep in his eyes lingered.
"Um."
He responded and then instructed, "Consort Zhuang, Lady Jiang, has greatly pleased me. I will reward you with a bushel of pearls from the South China Sea, ten bolts of brocade, a Suzhou embroidered screen, and some nourishing items, such as bird's nest and donkey-hide gelatin. Send the best of these to the small kitchen."
He rattled off a long list of astonishing rewards, which Wang Degui quickly memorized, repeatedly agreeing.
"This old servant will go and prepare immediately."
Wang Degui withdrew, but Huo Lin's heart remained unsettled for a long time.
Although mentioning the imperial heir was merely to silence Consort Jia and the Empress Dowager, the intensity of what happened in the bath last night...
It's not impossible that she could actually get pregnant.
Once the idea popped into my head, it grew wildly like weeds, and I could no longer stop it.
Huo Lin walked to the bedside, gazing at the sleeping Jiang Huan, but his thoughts had already drifted far away.
If so, is it a prince or a princess?
Your Highness, I will personally teach him horsemanship and archery, so that he may become the most outstanding crown prince.
However, it's tough on him; he'll have to eat the imperial kitchen's swill from now on.
Princess……
Thinking of the soft, chubby little dumpling whose eyebrows and eyes resembled Jiang Huan's, Huo Lin's lips curled up uncontrollably.
I can afford any beautiful palace or gorgeous dress; I will make her a carefree and precious jewel in my palm.
The name is also of utmost importance and must be carefully considered.
No, no, it's too early to think about a name now.
We need to have the imperial physician take her pulse first to check her health and see if she needs any special care.
But if I take his pulse now, won't it seem like I'm being too hasty?
Will she be disappointed if she doesn't have children?
If he kept thinking about it, he would have already thought about all the marriages for his children.
Where is even a trace of the decisive and ruthless emperor he once was in the court?
He's a complete naive young man, just beginning to experience love and suddenly overwhelmed by the enormous possibility of becoming a father.
Time passed quietly, and Jiang Huan was awakened by an enticing aroma of food.
She opened her eyes; her body was clean and dry, clearly indicating that Huo Lin had thoroughly cleaned her while she was asleep.
Only the unbearable soreness reminded her of her previous madness, making Jiang Huan's cheeks involuntarily flush again.
"woke up?"
Huo Lin's voice sounded from beside the bed, gentle and soft.
"Does His Majesty still want me to wake up...?"
Jiang Huan rubbed her aching side, deliberately muttering as she struggled to sit up.
"Don't move."
Huo Lin bent down to support her back and placed a soft pillow behind her.
"It was my fault. Are you still aching? Are you hungry? Your meal is ready."
His actions were incredibly considerate, and the concern in his eyes was almost overflowing.
Jiang Huan felt a warmth in her heart: "I am a little hungry."
After washing up, Huo Lin personally pushed her wheelchair to the outer hall.
The round table was already laden with exquisite imperial dishes.
Steamed sea bass, crab meat lion's head meatballs, several refreshing and appetizing side dishes, and a bowl of bird's nest porridge.
"Eat."
Huo Lin sat down next to her, but did not pick up his chopsticks immediately. Instead, he served Jiang Huan porridge first.
Jiang Huan was taken aback, then a little thrill popped into her heart.
She used to be the one bowing and scraping as she served food to the emperor, but now the serfs have been liberated and are singing songs of praise—it's all reversed!
She could barely suppress a laugh as she lowered her head and sipped the bird's nest porridge. It was soft, sticky, and sweet, and it really suited her taste.
Huo Lin sat to the side, his chin resting on his hand, a gentle light reflected in his dark eyes.
The food prepared for me by the Imperial Kitchen is so bad it could make you vomit, but these nourishing and gentle porridges are somewhat acceptable.
She must be exhausted; I need to give her plenty of nourishment.
Huo Lin's gaze fell again on Jiang Huan's hand holding the spoon, those slender fingers that had previously gripped his arm tightly.
Her hands are so small; if she had a child, the child's hands would probably be just as small.
[A boy's hands will resemble mine, with distinct knuckles; a girl's hands will surely resemble hers, soft and boneless.]
Wait a minute, shouldn't the Imperial Wardrobe also prepare the children's clothes?
Jiang Huan had just scooped up a spoonful of porridge and brought it to her lips when she almost dropped her jaw in astonishment.
In just one night, where did all these boys and girls come from? Where did their brains go?
Huo Lin, oblivious to the situation, picked up a piece of crab meat lion's head that Jiang Huan loved and was about to put it on her plate when he stopped.
[Crabs are considered to have a cooling nature. The imperial physician advised that pregnant women should avoid cold foods during early pregnancy.]
Although it's not certain yet, just in case, I'll share the burden with her.
With a flick of his wrist, the lion's head turned a corner and finally fell into his mouth.
【Yeah, they're really making a big fuss about it!】
Then, he picked up a piece of stir-fried tender bok choy and placed it in Jiang Huan's dish.
"Eat more green vegetables."
Jiang Huan looked at the bright green bok choy in the dish, then at the lion's head meatball in Huo Lin's bowl.
...
Your Majesty, this is repaying kindness with enmity, this is crossing the river and burning the bridge!
Who acted as your wingman? Who helped you deal with Wang Degui?
She wants to eat delicious, tender, big crabs too!!!
How can I convince Huo Lin that I'm not pregnant?
Is it too late to do three back handsprings now?
Jiang Huan was deeply engrossed in her thoughts, but Huo Lin remained completely oblivious.
He scooped up another spoonful of soup, and just as he brought it to his lips, his gaze involuntarily drifted to Jiang Huan's flat stomach.
How long does it take to diagnose? Ten days? Half a month?
No, we still need to summon the imperial physician to come and see him tomorrow.
He kept thinking about things that were going on and on. The spoon in his hand stopped at his lips, his eyes were vacant, and he didn't put the spoonful of soup into his mouth for a long time.
Jiang Huan endured it all, but finally could not bear it any longer.
She slammed the silver chopsticks on the table, the crisp sound finally pulling Huo Lin back from his reverie.
Huo Lin snapped back to his senses and looked at her with a slightly bewildered expression.
"What's wrong? Don't you like the food?"
"I'll have to ask His Majesty that." Jiang Huan's eyes narrowed dangerously as she took a deep breath, trying to make her expression appear normal.
She pointed to the spoonful of soup in Huo Lin's hand, which was almost completely cold, and her voice was crystal clear.
"The soup's getting cold, can't we just have a proper meal?"
Forget about children, let's wait until things are more or less settled before thinking about it!
Huo Lin looked down at the spoon in his hand, then at Jiang Huan's pretty face, which was full of forbearance, and belatedly realized that he had been a little distracted just now.
Oops, I lost my composure.
Huo Lin quickly regained his usual composure, as if the person who had just been daydreaming and obsessed with his child was not him at all.
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