Chapter 345 Loving Her to the Bone
Seeing that the two cherry trees in the Imperial Garden were ripe, Pei Siyan took some time to secretly leave the palace with Dou Wenyi for a visit.
In the early summer mountains, streams murmur, the sky has turned ochre, and the sunset glows on the ancient courtyard, making the glazed tiles shimmer.
The air is filled with the fresh scent of flowers and the alluring aroma of cherries, creating a serene and beautiful atmosphere.
This is Pei Siyan's newly purchased villa, which has a large cherry orchard and a spacious horse racing track behind it.
Dou Wenyi lay leisurely on the chair for a nap, and faintly heard the sound of horses' hooves.
She slowly opened her sleepy eyes and saw Pei Siyan not far away, dressed in a purple robe. With a graceful and nimble movement, he dismounted, casually tossed the reins to the guards behind him, and strode towards her with a smile in his eyes.
He was born a prodigy, with a face resembling Empress Dowager Wen and possessing the handsome features of Emperor Muzong. He appeared relaxed and at ease, perhaps because he was free from the constraints of being an emperor and had become more unrestrained and carefree. His smile made him even more dashing and elegant, making the world pale in comparison.
It's truly something to like from the bottom of my heart.
Pei Siyan saw her affection for him, and felt even more joyful and happy.
He picked up the blanket that had fallen at her feet and teased with a smile, "What? Stunned? Don't you recognize your husband?"
Dou Wenyi exclaimed in perfect unison, "I thought I was seeing things, that I was seeing a celestial being who had mistakenly descended to the mortal world. Is there really such a magnificent and dashing man in the world?"
"Did I save the Great Zhou? My lord, heavens, you've actually given me such a man to be my husband!"
Pei Siyan was thoroughly pleased by her praise and chuckled softly, his voice clear and melodious.
His lips twitched. "Yi'er, you saved the Great Zhou Dynasty. You are my lucky star."
She was also the lucky star of the Great Zhou Dynasty. She saved him, changed the course of events, enabled him to ascend the throne as emperor sooner, avoided internal strife, prevented the Northern Di army from besieging the city, and prevented the country from being shattered...
Pei Siyan picked up a bright red cherry from the porcelain plate on the table, put it in his mouth, and savored it carefully.
"Yes, the cherries picked from this tree are indeed fresh and delicious."
Are you hungry? What would you like to eat?
"casual."
Dou Wenyi frowned slightly. Her morning sickness had improved a lot, and everything tasted especially delicious. However, no matter how good the food was, she couldn't stand it after a few times, as she was extremely picky about food.
Therefore, Pei Siyan had no choice but to rack his brains and try different ways to feed him.
"How about grilled fish? I'll grill it. While you were sleeping, I went horse racing and caught a few fish."
Dou Wenyi's almond-shaped eyes widened, full of anticipation, "You can grill fish?"
"How could I not? Let's get some more wild vegetables and watercress, and you'll be in for a treat."
Pei Siyan raised his chin slightly, his tone smug, and affectionately pinched her nose.
When Empress Wen was banished to the Cold Palace, he enjoyed a period of childhood like an "ordinary child." Because there was a dog hole in the Cold Palace, he would sometimes crawl out and sneak off to the stream behind the mountain to catch fish. In fact, when he was learning martial arts from Zong Rui, he learned many life skills.
"Then let's wait and see."
Dou Wenyi yawned; she had become increasingly sleepy since becoming pregnant.
I really don't know what kind of person the little one in my belly will be. If it's a naughty, lazy little thing, that won't do!
His father really does have a throne to inherit!
Pei Siyan tugged at his robe, feeling the stench of sweat was overwhelming. "I'll go wash up first."
He was really bored these days, especially in the mornings.
He habitually practiced martial arts and boxing before going to court, working up a sweat to release excess energy...
But she must not know these things, lest she misunderstand that I only care about lust.
The night was deep and dark, the firelight flickered in the wind, and the servants had already set up the special grill for roasting fish. The air was filled with the tempting aroma of fish roasting over firewood.
Pei Siyan's fingers were long and slender; the same hands that could manipulate events in the court were now gripping the iron skewer handle, turning the grilled fish at will.
Anxi's father-in-law, who was standing far away, also saw this scene and felt a little sad. If it were an ordinary man, he would naturally try to please his wife, especially during her pregnancy.
But he was, after all, the emperor of the Great Zhou, the ruler of the Great Zhou, noble and arrogant, and always had a large group of people serving him attentively.
His Majesty truly loves the Empress to the core!
Dou Wenyi also found it unbelievable. Could his deep affection and tenderness be just a fleeting moment?
She gently shook her head, silently warning herself not to become addicted.
Pei Siyan raised an eyebrow slightly upon seeing this and smiled, "What's wrong? It'll be ready soon."
"I never expected you could grill fish. I'll have to eat a lot later." Dou Wenyi looked at him with admiration. She had a natural fondness for men who were good cooks. Xie Guidu used to say that "a gentleman keeps away from the kitchen" and never got involved in anything in the kitchen.
They don't even have the skill to cook a bowl of noodles.
Pei Siyan noticed her intently watching, his gaze deep and unfathomable.
Naturally, Shen Yanzhou came to mind. His cooking skills were far superior to hers. If she hadn't used her imperial power to pressure him when she first met him and competed with him head-on, she might not have had a chance of winning.
"Yi'er, I asked the imperial physician a while ago, and he said that it's okay to practice Baduanjin during pregnancy. After you're three months pregnant, I'll practice with you every day. If I don't have time, I'll find a female guard with good martial arts skills to teach you."
Dou Wenyi nodded. "Good, Sanlang is very thoughtful."
Although her appetite might be better during pregnancy and she wouldn't gain too much weight, if she were in better physical condition, childbirth wouldn't be so difficult.
As a doctor, she naturally knew how dangerous childbirth was for women, so it was best to avoid it.
As she spoke, the fish had already been roasted to a golden brown and crispy perfection, with various spices sprinkled on its skin, which greatly whetted her appetite.
Pei Siyan skillfully took the grilled fish, cut it into several large pieces, placed them on a plate, and handed it to her, saying, "Here, have a taste."
Dou Wenyi picked up her chopsticks, took a few bites, and found the fish skin crispy while the fish meat was tender and fresh; the taste was indeed quite good.
"tasty!"
Pei Siyan saw his eyes light up and felt a warm current well up in his heart. At this moment, he realized that it was no wonder that many men were willing to cook. If it could make a beauty smile, why not?
The attendants then brought out fresh wild vegetables and artemisia to the table.
Enjoying the refreshing mountain breeze, Pei Siyan ordered a pot of fruit wine to be served, and the two of them ate grilled fish, feeling extremely happy and content.
"There's a hot spring halfway up the mountain. Let's try it next time."
Just then, a guard rushed over and said, "Your Majesty, there is a group of people outside who want to stay the night. They say someone is injured."
Pei Siyan raised a slight eyebrow. Few people knew that he was traveling incognito, so who would dare to disturb his enjoyment?
Who is injured?
The guard respectfully reported, "General Yunhui, Zhang Chengxian, seems to have injured his shoulder, and his family members are with him."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
