Chapter 384 Burns
As soon as Madam Jiang entered the room, her eyes were fixed on her daughter. When she saw her daughter's pointed chin, her eyes immediately reddened. She didn't care about etiquette and quickly walked a few steps to the bedside.
"Why have you lost so much weight? Your complexion is also poor. Are you feeling unwell? What did the imperial physician say?"
As she spoke, she stroked Jiang Huan's cheek, her eyes filled with heartache.
Jiang Huan felt a warm glow in her heart. She grasped her mother's hand in return and smiled, "Mother, I'm fine. I was just a little frightened a few days ago, so my appetite isn't very good. I'll be fine after some rest."
Xu Xiuyuan stood behind his aunt and uncle, looking at his cousin's thinner appearance, a trace of worry flashed in his eyes, but he was reserved by nature, and only said in a deep voice: "Please, Your Majesty, take good care of your health."
The words were brief, but the concern was genuine.
Afterwards, Madam Jiang inquired in detail about Jiang Huan's diet and condition over the past few days. Upon hearing that she was suffering from shock and distress, which caused her to lose her appetite, she turned to Huo Lin earnestly and said, "Your Majesty, I dare to ask for your grace to allow me to go to the small kitchen and personally cook a few dishes for her."
Huo Lin was at his wit's end when he heard this, his eyes lit up and he immediately nodded: "Of course, whatever ingredients you need, I will have someone prepare them."
[Excellent! How come I didn't think of that? I was too busy arguing with those idiots in the Imperial Kitchen!]
Maybe she just loves her mother-in-law's cooking.
Madam Jiang thanked her gratefully, gave Jiang Huan a few more detailed instructions, and then left.
Lord Jiang and Xu Xiuyuan stayed in the hall to keep him company. Lord Jiang talked about some interesting anecdotes from the capital, while Xu Xiuyuan, though not very talkative, occasionally chimed in with a few words about the sights and sounds outside the court.
Huo Lin sat to the side, mostly silent, but the atmosphere in the hall became relaxed and warm due to the arrival of the Jiang family.
Listening to her father and cousin's gentle words and feeling the care of her family, Jiang Huan smiled slightly.
Seeing her relaxed brows and gentle smile, Huo Lin finally felt a little relieved after being tense for many days.
Time slipped by quietly amidst casual conversation. About half an hour later, an enticing aroma wafted from the direction of the small kitchen.
Soon, Madam Jiang herself carried in a tray, followed by palace maids carrying several small dishes.
On the tray were a few simple dishes: a bowl of millet porridge, a plate of tender, smooth steamed eggs with shrimp, and a small dish of pickled cucumbers.
"Come on, Huan'er, try these. They are all your favorite foods when you were sick as a child."
Madam Jiang placed the tray in front of Jiang Huan, her eyes full of anticipation.
The aroma of the food filled her nostrils, and Jiang Huan found her long-lost appetite was awakened.
She picked up a spoon, scooped up a spoonful of millet porridge, and put it in her mouth. The aroma of the millet was rich, the porridge oil was smooth, and the temperature was just right, warming her from her throat all the way to her stomach. It was so comforting.
I picked up another piece of pickled cucumber with my chopsticks. Its sweet, sour, and crisp taste instantly revitalized my dull taste buds.
"Mmm, delicious!" Jiang Huan's eyes lit up, and she couldn't help but scoop up another spoonful of the smooth, pudding-like steamed egg. The freshness of the shrimp was perfectly incorporated into it, and the texture and taste were just right.
She suddenly had a great appetite and ate half a bowl of porridge in one go, along with a lot of vegetables, looking very satisfied.
Huo Lin watched from the side, feeling very happy and curious.
[You actually ate it? And quite a lot!]
[My mother-in-law's cooking is quite good; it seems I should find an opportunity to secretly learn a few tricks from her.]
Otherwise, if she loses her appetite again, won't I just be left worrying?
Seeing her daughter eating with relish, Madam Jiang's eyes welled up with tears again, but this time it was out of joy.
She said repeatedly, "Eat slowly, if you like it, that's good. If you like it, Mom will make it for you again in the future."
Jiang Huan felt a warm glow in her heart; this must be the charm of home-cooked meals.
In the following days, with Madam Jiang's careful care and the company of her family, her spirits and appetite improved day by day.
That afternoon, sunlight streamed in through the window lattice, warm and cozy, creating a peaceful and serene atmosphere within the Weiyang Palace.
Jiang Huan was leaning against the soft couch by the window, leisurely flipping through picture books and taking small bites of hawthorn cake.
Well, I'm finally feeling better. A few days ago, nothing tasted good.
The things in this picture book are quite interesting. I'll have the Imperial Household Department make a few of them sometime so the little one can play with them.
Just then, He Ling's excited, low voice, tinged with a hint of pride, came from outside the hall: "Your Majesty! I've come to see you! Come and see what wonderful things I've brought!"
The beaded curtain rustled, and He Ling walked in with light steps, carrying a square cardboard box in her arms like a precious treasure. The familiar modern packaging made Jiang Huan's eyes light up instantly; she hadn't seen this kind of thing in a long time.
"Oh!" Jiang Huan sat up straight, a surprised smile spreading across her face. "A self-heating hot pot?"
He Ling greeted him with a smile, then approached the couch and placed the box on the small table like a treasure. She lowered her voice and said with a hint of pride, "Impressive, isn't it? I just redeemed this from the system. It's a super spicy beef tallow hot pot. I was thinking you hadn't had much of an appetite lately and must have been craving this, so I quickly brought it to you!"
[The system's price is really outrageous this time, but it's worth it for the Empress!]
Upon hearing this, Jiang Huan's mouth almost watered.
Having not tasted this since transmigrating, she immediately rubbed her hands together in anticipation.
"Great job, He Ling! Hurry up and get it done, I can't wait!"
"Alright, I guarantee you'll be satisfied!" He Ling got excited and quickly started unpacking, taking out the vegetable packet, vermicelli, meat slices, and finally the crucial heating pack.
"Your Majesty, look, it's the same old recipe. Just add hot water, and it will start bubbling away in no time."
Jiang Huan looked at the familiar process and laughed, "I know, I know, lime gets hot when it comes into contact with water, you're an old actress. Quick, Xiao Zhao, go get some water."
Xiao Zhao responded and left, and the water was brought back quickly.
He Ling took the water bowl and carefully poured the water into the water inlet on the side of the bottom box.
The moment the water came into contact with the heating pack, white steam began to rapidly emerge from the vents in the lid, and the entire box made a gurgling sound.
However, things changed at that very moment.
Just as the steam billowed out, the two guards who had been waiting in the shadows pounced out like lightning.
They didn't recognize this modern high-tech gadget; they only instinctively judged that the box that was suddenly smoking and making strange noises was extremely dangerous and had to be stopped immediately.
"Protect the Empress!" someone shouted, swiftly grabbing He Ling's wrist as she was working. The force was so great that she cried out in pain, and the bowl of water in her hand was knocked to the ground with a clatter.
The other guard didn't hesitate at all. With a sharp look in his eyes, he slapped the self-heating hot pot box, which was reacting violently, with a powerful palm strike, trying to knock it away.
"ah!"
He Ling felt a sharp pain in her wrist. Most of the hot water that had been spilled and the scalding soup that had splashed out of the box had landed on the back of her hand, which she couldn't retract in time, causing a burning pain.
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