Chapter 47 Sweet Burden
Crown Prince Liu Xiao gradually adapted to life in the Eastern Palace. If there was anything that gave him the most headache, it was probably his father's meticulous and increasingly "intensified" care.
The emperor's "loving son" behavior has gradually become so outrageous that it has become known to everyone in the court and the public, and has become a strange topic of discussion:
Hearing that the prince was studying hard, His Majesty ordered the palace next to the imperial study to be converted into the "Prince's Leisure Pavilion"
It is filled with strange gadgets and rare pets collected from all over the country, including but not limited to a colorful parrot that can mimic speech, a Western fragrant pig that walks in the same direction, and a white fox that is said to bring good luck but sleeps all day. It is euphemistically called "a combination of work and rest."
The prince casually praised the unique flavor of the cakes presented as tribute by a minor official from the south.
The next day, the young official, his entire family, and the three best pastry chefs from his hometown were "invited" to the capital to serve exclusively for the Eastern Palace.
The prince accidentally scratched his skin while practicing martial arts, and the chief judge of the Imperial Hospital was almost resigned on the spot after being yelled at by the emperor.
The commander of the guards who was in charge of teaching martial arts was fined for half a year, and thick Persian carpets were laid on all the floors of the East Palace overnight.
Liu Xiao often held his forehead and sighed: "Father, I am really fine..."
The emperor said confidently, "My prince must be equipped with the best! Even the slightest mistake is unacceptable!"
The psychological activity behind this: Humph! Can the Weiyuan Marquisate give you this? No! So, my father is still the best!
The court officials went from initial shock to later numbness, and even joked privately: "This is a major court matter now. We have to see how His Majesty is feeling today before His Majesty can make a decision."
Although it is an exaggeration, it shows how deeply the emperor's image of "loving his son as his life" is deeply rooted in people's hearts.
Although Liu Xiao felt that his father's exaggerations sometimes made him laugh and cry, the father's love that had been missing in his heart for fifteen years was indeed filled up by this clumsy and warm care.
He just... missed very, very much the more everyday, relaxed warmth of the Weiyuan Marquis Mansion.
Especially the silently caring eyes of his mother Xiao Zhou and the silent but firm back of his father Cui Yan.
That day, after reviewing some simple memorials, he looked at the drizzling spring rain outside the window and suddenly missed the bowl of hot and sweet rice dumplings made by Nanny Zhang in the small kitchen of the Marquis' Mansion.
After much hesitation, he finally moved closer to the emperor and whispered, "Father..."
The emperor was reviewing memorials without looking up: "Hmm? What's wrong with Xiao'er? Are you tired? Fu'an! Go and get the new batch..."
"No, Father," Liu Xiao interrupted quickly, "Your Majesty, your son...your son just suddenly remembered that the wine-fermented dumplings made by Madam Zhang in the Marquis's Mansion are perfect for warming your stomach in this weather..."
The emperor paused, and the red pen dropped a small red dot on the memorial.
Here it comes! Here it comes again! My son is thinking about that Marquis Mansion again! He is thinking about that little Zhou… and the nanny beside her!
A feeling of sourness mixed with indignation of "I actually lost to a bowl of dumplings" surged in my heart.
He took a deep breath and told himself to be magnanimous and to be an open-minded and non-jealous father!
He forced a smile. "Oh? Rice-wine dumplings... Can't the imperial kitchen make them? I'll have them make them immediately! Make ten bowls! No, make a hundred bowls! In all kinds of flavors!"
Liu Xiao looked at his father's childish look of "I will defeat you with numbers"
He couldn't help but laugh: "Father, the food cooked by the imperial kitchen is naturally exquisite, but... it doesn't seem to be the taste in my memory." There was a trace of real nostalgia in his eyes.
When the emperor looked at his son, the jealousy in his heart immediately turned into heartache and... a stronger desire to win!
Isn’t it just rice dumplings with fermented glutinous rice? I don’t believe it!
"The old slave is here!"
"Did you hear that? Go! Go to Weiyuan Marquis' Mansion right now! Bring that Nanny Zhang to me... 'Invite' her to the palace!"
Have her make dumplings exclusively for the prince! She should be nice! And give her generous rewards! Just tell her that the prince misses her cooking and invites her to stay for a few days!
In my heart: When I succeed in learning the skills from you, I will send Madam back respectfully!
Liu Xiao: “…” There’s no need to mobilize so many troops.
Fu'an once again visited the Weiyuan Marquis' Mansion with the emperor's "generous reward" and "invitation".
When the news came, the Marquis' Mansion was in an uproar again!
After hearing Fu'an's smiling report, Weiyuan Hou Cui Yan felt an indescribable complexity in his mood.
The prince missed the maid's cooking skills? This was a good thing, as it showed that his son was nostalgic.
But your majesty's reaction... is too exaggerated! Straight into the palace to make dumplings? Is this... is this in accordance with the rules?
But what can he say?
He could only bow and accept the order: "Your Majesty... obeys your order. It is a blessing for Madam Zhang to have the favor of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."
Then he immediately sent someone to call Nanny Zhang, silently praying in his heart that the old nanny would not be so nervous that she would make any mistakes in front of the emperor.
In the backyard, when Xiao Zhou heard the news, she was stunned for a moment, and then her eyes turned red.
Her Xiao'er still remembers Nanny Zhang's dumplings... Did that child suffer any injustice in the palace?
Or was she just homesick? She felt both sad and sweet, and hurried to the small kitchen to find Aunt Zhang and carefully reminded her of the rules to be observed when entering the palace.
The prince liked his taste, so he secretly gave her a packet of homemade yeast and whispered, "Mammy, let's use this. It tastes right..."
Nanny Zhang was both surprised and happy, and her calves were trembling.
How could she, a kitchen maid in a marquis's mansion, have the chance to go to the palace and cook for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?
This is a great fortune that smoke is coming out of the ancestral grave!
She quickly changed into her newest and cleanest clothes, washed her hands again and again, and only after Xiao Zhou's repeated comfort did she follow Fu'an tremblingly.
When the second young lady, Cui Baiyu, learned about this, her eyes turned red with jealousy! Why?!
A servant girl could enter the palace just because of the prince's words! And she, a proper young lady from a marquis's mansion, couldn't even touch the door of the Eastern Palace!
She was so angry that she smashed a set of tea sets and lost her temper at the maid. Then she became more determined to "accidentally meet" the prince, and even began to wonder whether she should learn to make pastries?
The news that Nanny Zhang from the Weiyuan Marquis's Mansion was "invited" to the palace to make dumplings specifically for the prince spread throughout the capital like wings, and once again became a hot topic of conversation among the aristocratic circles.
"Have you heard? The Crown Prince just wanted to eat some dumplings made by the maid from the Marquis' Mansion, so His Majesty directly brought him into the palace!"
"Tsk tsk, this... is really outrageous!"
"The luck of the Weiyuan Marquisate is unstoppable! Even a maid can benefit from it!"
"Hey, do you think it's too late for me to take my son to Weiyuan Marquis Mansion to find a godparent?"
"Come on! They have a real dragon, what's that in yours?"
"But then again, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's reminiscent sentiments are truly a sign of a benevolent monarch."
"Yes, it's better than some people who forget their roots when they gain power. It seems that although Your Majesty... ahem, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is indeed a very good person."
This operation has invisibly given Prince Liu Xiao a wave of "benevolence, filial piety and nostalgia" favorability.
It also deepened people's envy, jealousy and hatred towards the Weiyuan Marquis Mansion - what kind of luck does this family have!
However, in this seemingly harmonious and even somewhat ridiculous atmosphere, the real crisis is quietly approaching.
The quietness of the deposed commoner Liu Jue was indeed an illusion.
He actually made contact with the outside world through the extremely secret line laid by the Defei family.
The person who contacted him has a mysterious identity and seems to have a deeper hatred for the emperor.
They came up with a vicious plan: since the emperor cherished the prince so much, they would strike where he least expected it - taking advantage of the prince's old affection for the marquis's mansion.
"Dim sum from the Marquis' Mansion? Oh, what a godsend."
Liu Xuan looked at the small packet of colorless and odorless strange powder that the other party sent through a special channel, and a crazy and resentful smile appeared on his face.
"Liu Xiao, don't you miss the taste of the Marquis' Mansion? I'll let you... taste it one last time!"
Their plan was sinister and thorough: they were not going to give the poisonous substance directly to the prince, but to find an opportunity to give it to an unimportant person who frequently visited the Marquis's mansion or had dealings with the Marquis's mansion.
Creates a minor poisoning incident, but not fatal.
Then they spread rumors, implying that people in the Marquis' Mansion were resentful of the emperor and had bad intentions, and even involved the prince's favorite food.
They don't need to actually poison anyone, they just need to plant a thorn of suspicion in the emperor's heart!
The emperor's desire to protect the prince has reached a perverted level. Any signs that may threaten the prince will be strangled by him in the most cruel way.
Once the emperor becomes suspicious of the Weiyuan Marquis Mansion, the once intimate "nurturing love" will turn into the most deadly poison!
Even if the emperor does not deal with the Marquis' Mansion immediately, he will definitely strictly restrict the contact between the prince and the Marquis' Mansion, or even cut it off completely!
This was undoubtedly a huge blow to the nostalgic prince.
And they can take advantage of the chaos to find greater opportunities.
In the East Palace, Aunt Zhang made the first bowl of rice dumplings with trepidation.
Fuan personally watched every step, and the secret guards' eyes scanned all the ingredients and utensils like hawks.
Yuanzi was finally safely delivered to Liu Xiao.
The familiar taste hit Liu Xiao, and he ate it with extra relish, even eating half a bowl more than usual.
The emperor looked at his son's satisfied expression, feeling both happy and sad. He secretly vowed to have the imperial kitchen master the art of making "wine-fermented dumplings" as soon as possible!
"Is it delicious?" the emperor asked eagerly.
"Mmm! Delicious! Tastes exactly like I remember!"
Liu Xiao smiled and nodded, but he didn't notice the flash of "competitiveness" in his father's eyes.
Fu'an reported in a low voice: "Your Majesty, we've checked and everything is fine. Aunt Zhang is a kind person, but she was a little scared."
The emperor nodded, but his eyes darkened. He wasn't completely lost in his father's love and had lost his vigilance.
He also received the secret report about the imperial farm sent by Liu Cong.
Is there a risk hidden behind this seemingly ordinary bowl of dumplings that he hasn't noticed yet?
Anyone who tries to take advantage of his son's feelings should die!
He calmly ordered: "Reward Nanny Zhang and let her stay in the palace for a few more days. If the prince likes it, make more.
Also... tell Liu Cong to have his people report to me all the people who have recently entered and left the Weiyuan Marquis' Mansion.
Especially those related to the kitchen, screen them carefully! If there is anything suspicious, report it to me immediately! "
The warm aroma of dumplings still permeated the East Palace, but the invisible net had already been quietly cast.
Beneath the emperor's doting lies his reverse scale that cannot be touched.
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