Chapter 8 A family of romantics doesn't need romantics.
In the sweltering heat of midsummer, Li Yunru, having repeatedly violated taboos by going out, decided to stay at home and focus on making locust flower cakes.
From as far back as she can remember, her mother, Empress Zhenyuan, would choose an auspicious day each summer to make cakes with her and her siblings, telling them stories as they did so.
Even within the royal family, one can experience the deep bond of blood ties that connect ordinary families.
This is a kind of sentiment, so this time Li Yunru didn't rely on others, dismissed the cooks, and did it herself.
Yan Ning had nothing to do today and no friends invited him, so he stayed home to keep her company. It was a rare moment of leisure for both of them, so Li Yunru simply pulled him into the kitchen to help her with the cooking.
The refined gentleman, who had never cooked before, put down his books and zither for the first time and went to the kitchen to try his hand at cooking. Since it was his first time, he was very clumsy. Even washing flowers was a mistake. He got wet and his handsome face was a mess. His combed hair became disheveled because he kept raising his hand to wipe the water droplets.
Most importantly, after washing for a long time, the flowers... were completely undamaged, and there were hardly any usable blooms.
Yes, the person worked very hard, but their efforts were so frantic that they didn't achieve any results.
The comical scene was so funny that it made people want to laugh.
Li Yunru smiled helplessly, shook her head, walked over, and grabbed his hand. "That's not how it is."
She pulled him to the back, helped him straighten his collar, walked to the basin, and started washing the flowers while instructing him: "Washing flowers doesn't have to be so complicated. You just need to soak them in the water for a while, then stir them, and when the dirt on the surface floats up, you can remove it. You don't have to go through all that trouble, breaking each flower apart to wash them."
As Li Yunru spoke, she placed a handful of locust flowers on a sieve. The water dripped down the sieve and into another basin, and soon the water was drained.
Yan Ningjing stood silently to the side, his eyes fixed on the locust flowers that had been taken out. Li Yunru thought he was concerned that they weren't clean enough, since this refined gentleman was known for his cleanliness. So she said, "If you're worried, we can just wash them a few more times."
After saying this, she poured out the water beside her and ordered someone, "Go and fetch a ladle of water so we can wash again."
"good."
Yan Ning did as he was told. After he fetched the water, Li Yunru gave up her seat and continued with her work. This time, Yan Ning made no mistakes and finished in no time. He took the drained locust flowers to her and asked for a reward, saying, "Look, how well have I learned?"
Li Yunru glanced at it and said in agreement, "Hmm, not bad, you have talent. If you and I really fall on hard times in the future, with your talent, we won't have to worry about starving to death."
As she spoke, she poured all the locust flowers into the egg mixture she had prepared, added an appropriate amount of flour, and stirred it back and forth.
Yan Ning frowned upon hearing the last sentence.
"What's wrong?" Li Yunru asked with concern when she saw his mood suddenly drop.
Yan Ning pursed her lips and remained silent.
Li Yunru guessed that she had said something wrong, so she recalled the scene in her mind and gradually realized the problem. She then explained to him, "I just said it casually, my lord, you don't need to worry about it. The Yan family is a century-old family with a deep foundation. That day will never come."
Yan Ning still didn't react, seemingly lost in thought. Seeing that her explanations were useless, Li Yunru changed the subject and started chatting with him about everyday things.
Do you know why I made these locust flower cakes?
She was just saying it without expecting him to answer. After asking, she continued, "My mother taught me. From when I was five or six years old and had any memories, around this time every year, my mother would call over my brothers and sisters and teach us to do this. At first, I was young, just like you, and the work I did was wash flowers. Later, as I grew older, my brother the Crown Prince became busier and busier, and my two older sisters got married one after the other, so I gradually took their place and did everything."
When Li Yunru talked about the days she spent with her family, she inexplicably became somewhat sentimental.
"I wonder how my father, mother, and brothers and sisters are doing."
Her two older sisters, Princess Huayang and Princess Hua'an, married a young man from a Han ethnic minority whom she had grown up with. The two were in love and lived in harmony after marriage. They had a lovely child within a year and now have both a son and a daughter.
Before marrying Yan Ning, she often had nothing to do, so she would go to Hua Yang's house to play and tease the two adorable children.
Her sister even teased her, saying that since she liked children so much, she should find a suitable husband as soon as possible and have one of her own.
The other one is Princess Hua'an. She is not her half-sister, but was born to a beautiful woman. However, the woman passed away after giving birth to the child, so she was raised by Empress Zhenyuan from a young age. She was no different from the others and had a very close relationship with them.
A man took a fancy to a top scholar from a poor family and made him his son-in-law. Now he lives in the capital, protected by his father and mother, and still lives the same carefree and unrestrained life he had before marriage.
Sometimes, Li Yunru would doubt whether she was truly her father and mother's most beloved daughter. She couldn't understand why her two older sisters could choose their own marriages and still live in the capital after marriage, in their own princess residences, and could enter the palace at any time to be with their families. But she insisted on getting involved with the Yan family, even at the cost of using military power as her dowry, and was forced to leave the capital and return to Jiankang with Yan Ning, far away from her homeland and family.
When Yan Ning heard her mention her family, she snapped out of her thoughts and comforted her, "They'll be fine."
Li Yunru was taken aback. What did this have to do with something? Why was this brought up all of a sudden?
But Yan Ning had returned to her aloof and unapproachable demeanor, showing no sign of anything amiss, as if it were just a casual remark of comfort, leaving Yan Ning with no way to ask her any questions.
Yan Ning walked over, went around behind her, wrapped his arms around her from behind, placed his large hand on her small hand, and imitated her movements by turning and stirring it back and forth.
"Is that so?" Yan Ning spoke, his warm breath brushing against her earlobe, a tingling, itchy sensation spreading throughout her body. "How could you..."
"What's wrong?" he asked, blinking innocently.
"fine."
Li Yunru ignored the actions of the person behind her and continued to focus on the work in her hands.
By the time they finished making the pancakes, it was past noon. In the sweltering heat, both of them were covered in sweat when they came out of the kitchen. However, it was a rare opportunity to spend time together without having to think about anything or anyone's status, so neither of them paid any attention to it.
Li Yunru handed him a piece of cake, "Try it and see how yours turned out?"
Actually, she had already tasted it in the inner room, but that was just a taste test. Since it was the first time she had made it, she should be the first to try it, that would be meaningful. So she had to hand it to him.
Yan Ning took the food, took a small bite, and savored it carefully without saying a word. Li Yunru watched him eat so delicately, lost in thought.
It must be said that Yan Ning, with his face, is the best symbol of a top-tier noble family. Even though he is sweating profusely and looking rather disheveled, his every move still exudes an air of elegance and nobility, with impeccable bearing. He is truly a stunningly talented and charming young nobleman from Jiankang.
Compared to him, she, the princess, seemed like a peasant.
However, this is largely true; she really is, and their family's history originated from this.
"Before my father ascended the throne, he lived a hard life. When he was starving, he survived only because my mother gave him a piece of cake. So this locust flower cake is not just a food to fill our stomachs, but also a symbol of our Li family's past and the friendship between my father and mother who went through hardships together."
She didn't know why she told him these things. How could scions of noble families like them, who were pampered from birth, possibly understand the experiences of commoners who had to climb up step by step? But when she saw him take his second bite, she inexplicably blurted it out.
Yan Ning said, "Emperor Xuan is a monarch worthy of respect."
Do you really think that way?
The two rarely talked about these things, partly because their feelings for each other were not deep. She would not set aside her princess pride to flatter him or the Yan family. She liked his appearance and regarded him as her possession, and she also wanted him to submit to her. In any relationship, she had to be in a superior position.
Secondly, because of their status, he was from a prominent family and represented the position of several major families, while she represented the position of her father, the emperor, and the commoner family.
Since ascending the throne, many of her father's decrees have intentionally or unintentionally supported the entry of commoners into officialdom. Her two brothers-in-law are prime examples of this, which undoubtedly infringes on the interests of aristocratic families. Therefore, they are also very dissatisfied with him. Her father does not allow her to participate in politics and only wants her to be a little princess in peace. But after so many years in this position, how could she not have any awareness?
In the face of conflicting interests, not only couples who are forcibly brought together, but even parents and siblings will turn against each other. Therefore, the two of them have always avoided this topic and rarely mention it.
"Yes." Yan Ning answered her affirmatively without the slightest hesitation.
"What if...what if..."
Li Yunru wanted to ask if, in the future, if her father's interests were completely at odds with those of the aristocratic families and irreconcilable, he could stand up for her. However, after hesitating for a long time, she still couldn't bring herself to say those words.
After all, it's absurd to ask for things that she herself can't even do.
Besides, what are they now? This relationship is like a kite hanging in the air; it will fall apart as soon as the person holding the string lets go.
The thread, though seemingly in her hands, is not actually in hers.
"Never mind, let's eat the pancake."
She handed a new cake to someone, and Yan Ning didn't press her for details. She simply mumbled an "Mm," took the cake, and gave her another one.
"You eat too."
...
Compared to the peaceful and idyllic life at the Princess's residence, the Yan family's life was shrouded in gloom under the blazing sun.
After lunch, Cui Wan knelt at Cui Shi's knees and cried incessantly.
Her eyes were red and her voice was hoarse as she said, "I think my cousin isn't entirely indifferent to Princess Liyang. He... is in love with someone else, I'm afraid..."
Cui said, "So what?"
She said, "Wan'er, noble families don't need romantic philanderers. Your third cousin is not, and cannot be!"
Cui Wan fell silent.
After a long while, the person finally regained some composure and asked weakly, "Then what should I do?"
Cui nodded in satisfaction and said, "Since that Li is so ungrateful, why not let her go with her relatives who are going to the capital?"
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