Chapter 204: It was my clumsy hands and feet that disturbed His Highness
Xiyan got up and washed up. In the outer hall, Helian Feng was already waiting at the rosewood dining table.
Seeing Xiyan come out, he motioned her to sit next to him.
The maids opened the celadon food boxes one by one:
The crystal-clear emerald shrimp dumplings, the fragrant rose cakes, and a few refreshing side dishes...
“Try this.”
Helian Feng used an ivory spoon to serve her a bowl of osmanthus and lotus seed porridge and handed it to her.
"I specifically asked the kitchen to add longan from Lingnan."
Xiyan looked at the swaying reflection in the bowl, but a slight sour feeling rose in her throat.
Helian Feng picked up another piece of emerald shrimp dumpling, and the delicious smell of shrimp entered his nose.
Xiyan's stomach suddenly churned and her brows furrowed.
"What's wrong?"
Helian Feng looked at her suddenly pale face and asked, "Does the wound hurt?"
Xiyan shook her head: "It's okay, maybe it's just the heat."
Helian Feng ordered the maid to remove the emerald shrimp dumplings and instead pushed the candied plums in front of her:
"Something sour to whet your appetite."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Xiyan picked up a plum, and the moment she bit into the flesh, the sweet and sour taste exploded on her tongue. Her slightly frowned brows relaxed slightly, and the discomfort in her stomach also eased a little.
However, looking at the lotus seed porridge with osmanthus flowers floating in the bowl, she raised the porcelain spoon and put it down again. Seeing that Helian Feng was staring at her, she finally suppressed the sour feeling in her stomach and took a few sips before putting it aside.
Helian Feng put down his ivory chopsticks and glanced at her pale lips:
"You don't look well. Do you want to call the court doctor to take a look?"
Xiyan waved her hands hurriedly:
"Your Highness, don't worry. My injuries have healed completely and I'll be back to normal in a few days. It's just that the heat has left me with a poor appetite. It would seem I'm being too squeamish if you keep bothering the court physician."
Just then, Mingying stepped into the hall, and Xiyan's fingertips pinching Mei Zi suddenly stopped.
Helian Feng looked up at his trusted secret guard, then at Xi Yan's pale face, and reached out his hand to brush away the loose hair on her temples:
"Eat two more plums to whet your appetite, and I'll be back soon."
Xi Yan nodded: "Your Highness, official business is more important."
When Helian Feng's figure disappeared at the palace gate, she suddenly looked up and glanced at the two maids standing not far away, but saw that they all lowered their heads and looked humble.
Xiyan stared at the celadon bowl in front of Helian Feng's seat in a trance. The osmanthus and lotus seed porridge was still steaming. She suddenly heard her heart beating rapidly.
Opportunity cannot be missed, now is the best chance.
She hesitated for a while, but finally made up her mind. She pressed the glass pendant on her ear with her fingertips, and the cold Dust-Breaking Pearl rolled into the palm of her hand.
This poison pill, smaller than a grain of rice, melts when exposed to heat and blocks the throat once it enters the mouth.
Xiyan thought of how gentle Helian Feng was towards her, and a bitter taste rose in her throat.
However, thinking of Xiao Nanyue's coercion and her yearning for freedom, she hardened her heart, flicked two fingers, and the Dust-Breaking Pearl fell steadily into Helian Feng's bowl of porridge, instantly dissolving into the thick rice slurry.
Seeing the bowl of noodles ripple slightly until the last trace of abnormality disappeared, Xiyan slowly lowered her eyes.
She looked at her reflection in the bowl and suddenly felt that this face, which she had seen for fifteen years, was terribly unfamiliar.
Suddenly, footsteps were heard outside the palace. "I'm back."
Helian Feng's voice broke the silence.
It turned out that just as he stepped out of the hall, he realized that it was Su Cheng, the chief steward of the Prime Minister's Mansion, who wanted to see him.
Steward Su had a face full of sorrow and knelt for a long time, saying that his young lady, Su Wan, had become even more violent after waking up today. Not only did she go on a hunger strike, she also cried and insisted on seeing His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. The lady had no choice but to order him to come and beg the Crown Prince to come to the house no matter what.
Helian Feng thought for a while, and asked Su Cheng to go back home and tell his aunt that he would come over later. Then the old housekeeper took his leave.
After entering the hall and sitting down again, he looked at Xi Yan who was bowing her head beside him and suddenly chuckled:
"Look at you, you always act like a bullied young wife. This is the Crown Prince's residence, not the former Regent's residence. There's no need for you to stand in the palace, and there's no need for you to be restrained. I only hope that you can open your heart and accept me, and be happy!"
As he spoke, he picked up the bowl of porridge in front of Xi Yan, scooped up a spoonful, and handed it to her lips:
"Look at you. You haven't eaten or drunk anything these past few days. You look so haggard that it makes me sad."
His fingertips brushed her flushed cheeks, and his voice was filled with honey-like tenderness:
"I must raise you until you are plump and fair, so that you can be my bride in glory and splendor."
Xiyan looked at the porridge shaking on the tip of the spoon, and her eyes suddenly became tearful.
The words hidden in my heart surged like a tide, but when they touched the soft light in his eyes, they turned into sobs in my throat:
"Your Highness, why... is you so kind to this servant?"
Helian Feng chuckled:
"Silly girl, do you need a reason to like someone?"
He suddenly held her hand and pressed it against his heart:
"Listen, it's jumping so fast. Do you still need to ask me why?"
"This servant is not worthy..."
Xiyan bit her lower lip and turned her face away.
"Don't say that again."
Helian Feng gently lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him.
The light in his eyes was so blazing that it seemed to burn through her soul:
"In my eyes, you are more precious than any treasure in this world. Remember, if you dare to belittle yourself again, I will punish you——"
"What is your punishment?" she asked softly, her eyelashes fluttering.
He smiled and stroked her lower lip with his thumb:
"I will punish you by making you eat with me every day and hear me say 'you're worth it' every day until it's ingrained in your bones."
Xiyan didn't know how to answer, so she let him feed her the porridge.
The bitterness of lotus seeds mixed with the fragrance of osmanthus melts on the tip of the tongue, but when swallowed, it is mixed with the saltiness of tears.
Helian Feng carefully wiped the porridge stains from the corners of her lips:
"When you marry into the Eastern Palace, I will have your bedroom filled with crystal chandeliers, so that you will shine brightly like the stars."
"Your Highness, please eat quickly, the porridge is getting cold."
Xiyan gently pushed the bowl of porridge mixed with Duanchenzhu towards him.
"……Um!"
Helian Feng stroked the rim of the celadon bowl with his fingertips, his eyes flickering, and the spoon in his hand gently stirred the porridge.
After a moment, he scooped a spoonful and was about to bring it to his lips.
Xiyan felt like his heart was about to jump into his throat. If he took a bite of this porridge, the poison from the Duanchen Pearl would reach his internal organs and even a god would be unable to save him.
She looked at Helian Feng's calm expression, thinking of his love and care for her these days, and suddenly reached out to press the edge of the bowl:
"Your Highness, your bowl of porridge is getting a little cold. Xiyan will serve you another bowl."
The moment the celadon bowl was snatched away, a cold light flashed in Helian Feng's eyes, but when he saw her drooping eyelashes, it turned into a soft sigh.
"Xiyan still cares about me."
He loosened his hand, letting her take the bowl of porridge away, and filled a new bowl and placed it in front of him.
However, when Xiyan reached back, Guangxiu accidentally knocked over the bowl of porridge mixed with poison. The bowl fell to the ground with a thud, and porcelain shards flew everywhere. She seemed to be startled and looked apologetic:
"It was my clumsy hands and feet that disturbed His Highness..."
Before he could finish his words, a pair of warm hands grasped his wrists.
"I'm glad I didn't burn you! But I'm very happy. You were thinking of me."
Just then, Mingying hurried in again, with a look of joy on his face.
"Your Highness, there's news from the Imperial Master!"
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