The Crazy Emperor's Pampered Cousin

Xie Yanzhao helped Shen Tinghe to the dining table, his hand supporting her lower back the whole time, and his other hand carefully protecting her pregnant belly.

Now that she's further along in her pregnancy, her body feels increasingly heavy, and she needs him to support her waist and belly whenever she walks so that she can walk more comfortably.

Lunch was already laid out on the table, a dazzling array of dishes, all prepared with great care and variety by the imperial kitchen.

Shen Tinghe's gaze fell on a plate of clear, brightly colored vinegar chicken: "Brother, I want to eat that."

Xie Yanzhao picked up the tenderest piece and brought it to her lips.

Shen Tinghe ate from his hand, chewing slowly, her eyes crinkling, a long-unseen radiance shining in them.

"It's delicious."

Xie Yanzhao was taken aback, then the corners of his lips turned up.

He couldn't remember the last time he'd heard her say "delicious." These days, she always seemed listless during her meals, which worried him greatly.

Overwhelmed with emotion, he kissed her cheek several times, saying, "Eat as much as you like."

He picked up another piece, carefully removed the small bones, and then fed it to her. At the same time, he turned his head and gave instructions to Qinglan, who was standing beside him.

"Winning the Empress's favor is a great achievement. The chef who prepared the dishes will be rewarded with ten taels of gold. Go and ask if he knows any other novel and delicious dishes. If so, transfer him to the Empress's small kitchen to serve her."

Qinglan smiled and replied, "Yes, Your Majesty."

Xie Yanzhao: "Would you like to try anything else?"

Shen Tinghe, unusually having a good appetite, nodded: "I'll have some."

He patiently fed her each dish one by one, and seeing that she ate more than usual, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Shen Tinghe swallowed a mouthful of fresh bamboo shoots, looked up at his relaxed expression, and couldn't help but smile.

"You're so happy just because you ate a few more bites?"

Xie Yanzhao: "Now that you can eat well, that is the most important thing to me in the world."

After the meal, as usual, he helped her take a slow walk around the Imperial Garden to aid digestion.

After returning, the two snuggled together on the wide, soft couch by the window.

This spot, by the window, is bright and offers a view of the scenery outside, making it their favorite place to spend time together.

Xie Yanzhao was reviewing memorials, while Shen Tinghe sat down next to him, holding needle, thread and fabric, and was carefully sewing a small garment.

Recently, she suddenly developed an interest in needlework and insisted on making some clothes for her unborn child by hand.

Although Xie Yanzhao was looking at the memorial, his mind was mostly on the person next to him.

His Yuan Yuan has been pampered since childhood; she has never touched these things before.

He couldn't refuse her, so he had to have these things prepared.

"hiss--"

Xie Yanzhao immediately grabbed her hand: "What's wrong?"

Shen Tinghe: "...I got pricked."

Xie Yanzhao frowned, picked up a clean, soft handkerchief from the side, and pressed it against that spot.

"Jiaojiao, let's not play this anymore, okay?"

Shen Tinghe retorted, "I'm not joking, I'm serious."

Xie Yanzhao lowered his head and gently kissed her injured fingertip, coaxing her softly, "I know Yuan Yuan is serious. But needlework skills can't be mastered in a day. How about we try another way? I had someone make a set of exquisite woodworking toys. Yuan Yuan can assemble them; it will be a gift for the child too, okay?"

Shen Tinghe withdrew her hand and turned her face away: "No. Brother is underestimating me. Since it takes more than a day to learn, I'll practice for a few more days. I'll learn it eventually."

She didn't believe that piecing together those wooden blocks would be interesting.

Xie Yanzhao protected her belly and pulled her into his arms.

"I'm afraid I'll be heartbroken before you even master it."

At this moment, Qinglan Jingtongchuan was bringing in a plate of pastries.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, this was made by the same Miss Yuhuan who makes the vinegar chicken. She says it's a local specialty from her hometown called Qingguo Gao. Pregnant women there often find it helps to stimulate their appetite and quench their thirst. Would Your Majesty like to try some?"

Shen Tinghe, inhaling the faint fruity aroma emanating from the pastries, said with great interest, "Bring them over, I want to try them."

She reached out, picked up a piece, and took a bite.

The outer skin is slightly chewy, while the inside is filled with a sweet fruit filling, seemingly with a touch of plum, and a perfectly balanced tartness.

Xie Yanzhao watched her from the side, and seeing her relaxed expression, the corners of his lips unconsciously turned up as well.

Shen Tinghe: "Who is this Yu Huan? I've never eaten these before."

She had been having a poor appetite for several months, and the imperial kitchen had tried everything they could think of. If they had had such delicious dishes earlier, why would they have waited until today to serve them?

Qinglan: "Your Majesty, Yuhuan is not from the Imperial Kitchen, but a pipa player from the Directorate of Ceremonial. Today, a cook in the Imperial Kitchen who is acquainted with her felt unwell, so she went to help out, only doing odd jobs in the kitchen. Hearing that Your Majesty's appetite has been poor recently, she remembered a recipe from her hometown and volunteered to try making this vinegar-braised chicken. The eunuchs in charge of the meals tasted it and found the flavor refreshing and unique, so they dared to present it. This fruit cake was also made by her just now and brought over, saying it was for Your Majesty to moisturize after the meal."

Shen Tinghe was quite surprised: "She's a musician? It's rare to find someone with such ingenuity and skill."

It was rare for Shen Tinghe to encounter something she liked to eat, so Xie Yanzhao was naturally happy to see it happen.

Whether it's food or people, anything that can distract her from paying attention to these female workers is fine.

Standing outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Yu Huan still felt a little unreal.

The Hall of Mental Cultivation, the residence of the emperor, where she, a musician from the Directorate of Ceremonies, would one day set foot.

When she woke up in the morning, the Empress still couldn't muster any appetite for breakfast, and for some reason, she thought of the musician she had mentioned the day before.

And so, she appeared here.

Following Qinglan into the hall, Yu Huan dared not raise her head and knelt down upon reaching the center.

"This servant, Yu Huan, greets Your Majesty and Her Majesty the Empress."

A somewhat languid yet gentle female voice came from above.

"I've heard you play the pipa quite well. Rise and play a piece for me."

"Yes." Yu Huan got up and sat on the stool that the palace servants had brought over.

Only then did she dare to slightly raise her eyes and quickly glance at the two most distinguished people in the rumors.

His Majesty was holding a white porcelain bowl and blowing on a spoonful of porridge.

The Empress, leaning against him, had her hair slightly loose, and a faint look of weariness and annoyance lingered between her brows and eyes.

Yu Huan was secretly astonished. Who would have thought that His Majesty, who was so majestic and awe-inspiring in the court, would be serving the pregnant Empress in such a way in private?

Xie Yanzhao: "Yuan Yuan, can you have another sip?"

The tone was too gentle, completely different from the cold and majestic voice of the emperor that Yu Huan remembered hearing from afar at the palace banquet.

She panicked and her fingertips slid heavily across the string, accidentally playing the wrong note!

"Zheng—!"

Yu Huan prostrated herself on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly: "This servant deserves to die! Please forgive me, Your Majesty, Your Highness."

Xie Yanzhao then shifted his gaze from Shen Tinghe and glanced indifferently at the trembling figure on the ground.

Shen Tinghe was already in a bad mood due to intermittent abdominal pain after waking up in the morning. She had hoped that listening to music might help her feel better, but the jarring noise only made her more agitated.