Zhao Cong always saw Zhu An's memorials when he was handling government affairs.
He described the emperor's physical condition in detail, clearly stating which medicines were added or removed, and even noting how many times the emperor sneezed in the middle of the night. On the most he wrote, he wrote a full three pages in one day.
That's not all. In the afternoon, he would always send another memorial instructing the Crown Prince to take care of himself. Zhao Cong was so angry that he laughed. "It seems he's really bored out of his mind every day."
Cang Ying also smiled, "Imperial Physician Zhu doesn't usually interact with other imperial physicians. He has no one to keep him company in Nuanxin Pavilion, which is why he writes memorials to you every day."
Zhao Cong: "He can't blame me for his poor interpersonal relationships?"
Cang Ying didn't dare to reply.
Zhao Cong rubbed his temples, feeling a little tired. "Has Feng'er finished school yet?"
He had specifically instructed the kitchen to prepare braised pork, which Feng'er liked, in the morning, planning to have lunch with him and ask about his situation at the Imperial College these past few days.
Cang Ying hesitated, "The young prince has been eating at the Imperial Academy these past few days."
Zhao Cong raised his eyelids. "Didn't you complain before that the food at the Imperial Academy wasn't good?"
Cang Ying was shrewd enough to say, "The young prince has grown up and knows how to share the Crown Prince's burdens so that you won't have to worry about him."
Zhao Cong clicked his tongue, his eyes turning cold and sharp. "That wasn't what that kid originally said, was it?"
Cang Ying's fake smile vanished instantly. "This servant dares not say."
"You are innocent." Zhao Cong leaned back in his chair, slowly stretching his long legs, a hint of joke and expectation on his face.
Although I knew it wouldn't be anything nice, I couldn't help but want to laugh.
With such a little brat to keep him entertained during his dull and boring days, it would be strange if Zhao Cong didn't dote on him.
Cang Ying swallowed hard, then uttered each word carefully, “The young prince said he would rather live and eat at the Imperial Academy, even though the teacher is strict, he will not harm him.”
“The situation in the Eastern Palace is different… If you marry a woman from the Tang family, the young prince probably won’t live much longer.”
After Cang Ying finished speaking, trembling, she knelt down with a thud.
Zhao Cong's barely formed smile vanished like smoke.
The atmosphere suddenly turned cold, and Cang Ying dared not utter a sound.
Shen Xu was also a bit of a simpleton. He didn't notice anything amiss when he came in. He reported from the outer room, "Your Highness, the guards in the courtyard have sent word that there have been several unfamiliar faces around the courtyard in the past two days."
Zhao Cong's cold and stern face was once again covered with a layer of gloom.
Small courtyard.
"Miss, the Crown Prince has arrived." Mu Xue was even happier than Lin Qingwan, her eyes almost curving into crescent moons.
Lin Qingwan was picking vegetables when she heard this. She stopped what she was doing, quickly tidied her hair and makeup, and went out to greet them.
"Greetings to the Crown Prince." She curtsied. "What brings you here today?"
Does this mean you're unhappy that he came? Or that you're unhappy that he didn't come?
Zhao Cong noticed that her complexion was much better than before, her dark eyes were bright like grapes, and her cheeks had plumped up a bit, no longer looking as thin and bony as before.
Zhao Cong suddenly didn't want to tell her about the unfamiliar faces around the courtyard.
Outside is outside, but with his people watching over her, she is safe.
The courtyard was lush and green, and the small flowerbed under the window was full of wild vegetables. As soon as he entered, he felt a sense of... indescribable warmth.
As he untied his cloak, he quipped, "You're certainly living a vibrant and exciting life."
Lin Qingwan stared blankly at his eyes and brows, unsure whether he was happy or unhappy.
There's nothing she can do; she's now living off her benefactor. She can never repay the debt of gratitude for the blood transfusion, nor can she ever repay the debt of gratitude for rushing to her rescue from the fire.
However, judging from the upward tilt of his eyes, he doesn't seem unhappy.
"Qingwan is fortunate to be under the Crown Prince's protection, and she is indeed living the most comfortable life she has ever had."
Zhao Cong's lips curled into a slight smile. "Are you feeling better?"
"I'm fine now." Lin Qingwan was grateful for his blood transfusion, and her eyes softened even more.
Zhao Cong glanced sideways. "I heard you weren't feeling well the other day because of the rain, and you even had moxibustion done."
Lin Qingwan was startled and glanced at Qiu Hong. Qiu Hong gently shook her head, saying it wasn't her.
"Thank you for remembering my old ailment, Your Highness." She personally served Zhao Cong hot tea, showing more intimacy than usual, yet without crossing any lines.
Zhao Cong took a sip of tea and realized it was his favorite Longjing tea, a bit strong, with the water temperature just right. He couldn't help but glance at her again.
I remembered Feng'er saying that she didn't covet his power or status, nor did she covet him as a person...
Tsk, the phrase "not greedy" doesn't sound quite right.
Although he was not fond of beautiful women, he was praised wherever he went, and no one said he was not good-looking.
“They’ve been fumigating with moxa, which shows the old ailment is serious. I’ll have Zhu An come over to take a look in a couple of days,” he said.
Lin Qingwan did not refuse, "Thank you, Your Highness."
There was no conversation for a moment, and Zhao Cong finished his tea.
Lin Qingwan didn't know what to say, so she got up and refilled her teacup.
Zhao Cong picked it up and drank it.
Lin Qingwan adds another...
Finally, "Muxue, brew another pot of tea."
Zhao Cong raised his hand, "I won't drink anymore."
I'm full.
Qiu Hong came in and said, "Does Your Highness wish to dine here? The vegetables Miss picked are very fresh."
Zhao Cong looked at Lin Qingwan, seemingly waiting for her to speak.
Lin Qingwan smiled and said, "If you don't have anything urgent to do, why don't you stay and try it out?"
Zhao Cong rubbed his fingers together. "Make some more, and have Shen Xu send them to the Imperial Academy so Feng'er can have a taste too."
Lin Qingwan's eyes lit up when she heard Feng'er's name. "If the little prince doesn't like vegetables, why not fry them into meatballs?"
Zhao Cong's heart stirred; she was indeed very attentive and devoted to Feng'er.
"It's up to you."
Lin Qingwan called Muxue over, and the two of them mixed the vegetables and minced meat together, then rolled them into small meatballs.
When Lin Qingwan was busy with her sleeves rolled up, she exuded an indescribable sense of peace and beauty, as if time itself slowed down, and her every smile and frown was warm and fragrant.
Zhao Cong's fatigue from the past few days vanished instantly. He gazed at her quietly, knowing that Feng'er would be very happy if she saw him.
That boy had always longed for a mother since he was little. He would say that after school, he would throw down his books and run into the kitchen to see what delicious food his mother had made.
Feng'er said that a home is only a home if you have a mother.
Without a mother, even the most luxurious Eastern Palace is just a place to eat and sleep, cold at night all year round, devoid of human warmth and life.
Zhao Cong grew up in the palace and was used to palace life, so he didn't know what the home Feng'er was talking about was like. But looking at Lin Qingwan's busy figure, a picture suddenly appeared in his mind.
Lunch consisted of two cold wild vegetable salads, a plate of spicy stir-fried beef, a plate of fried vegetarian meatballs, and a serving of minced meat and tofu.
Zhao Cong, unusually, had a hearty appetite and was about to pick up his chopsticks when Cang Ying, as per custom, took out a silver needle for testing for poison.
"No need," Zhao Cong said, feeling disappointed. "I have my own courtyard and cook."
Except for Lin Qingwan, who is not his.
A full granary presents a dilemma.
Lin Qingwan said, "The food is hot right now, so why don't we let Eunuch Cang give it a try?"
Zhao Cong remained silent.
Cang Ying breathed a sigh of relief, and had to admit that Lin Qingwan was becoming more and more pleasing to the eye.
In this situation, all that's missing is a little prince; otherwise, it would truly be a family of three.
No, what is he thinking!
It's all because of the young prince saying those same things every day.
The next second, Cang Ying's smile vanished.
The hand holding the silver needle froze in mid-air. Staring at the blackened needle tip, his pupils dilated in shock. "This..."
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