I started as a concubine, and I made the crown prince cry with my delicious food.

Inside the Qianqing Palace, the incense burner held the calming scent of ambergris, yet the atmosphere was somewhat somber.

Emperor Xiao Yuanzheng looked at his son, whose expression was cold and stern, and slowly said, "The Empress handled that girl from the Zhang family very well."

He was referring to the matter of turning Zhang Qinghe into a female official in charge of rites, which was both a punishment and a form of confinement.

"But I cannot simply punish without rewarding." Xiao Yuanzheng's tone shifted, his voice low. "Twenty million taels of silver is no small sum. The winter clothing and provisions for the soldiers on the border all depend on it. I cannot let the people of the world, especially those merchants who hold large sums of money, feel that the imperial family has taken the money but has not done anything."

Xiao Jingshi lowered his eyes, his dark gaze revealing no emotion: "What does Father mean?"

"What the Zhang family seeks is nothing more than to climb into the Eastern Palace and secure lasting wealth and security." The Emperor picked up his teacup, the lid lightly scraping against the rim, making a crisp sound. "Since that's the case, I will give them even greater security."

He paused, his sharp gaze falling on Xiao Jingshi: "I intend to bestow upon the Zhang family the title of 'The Foremost Imperial Merchant in the World,' granting them the right to tax exemption and exemption from corvée labor for ten years after your ascension to the throne. Their descendants may also be admitted to the Imperial Academy and participate in the selection process."

Xiao Jingshi's eyes flickered slightly. This reward was a hundred times more valuable than the position of a concubine. Tax exemption and exemption from corvée labor were real money, and the quota for the Imperial Academy was priceless, enough to guarantee the Zhang family's prosperity for three generations.

"However," the emperor put down his teacup, "this favor requires your personal consent. After all, it is a promise you make as the future monarch."

The Emperor wants him to personally step in and use immense wealth to completely sever the Zhang family's hopes of currying favor with the Crown Prince, thus solving the problem once and for all.

"Your subject understands." Xiao Jingshi rose and bowed deeply. "As long as the Zhang family behaves themselves, your subject is willing to give them this promise."

Even after leaving the Qianqing Palace, Xiao Jingshi's furrowed brows did not completely relax. While state affairs were temporarily settled, family matters weighed heavily on his mind. The thought of An'an's increasingly gaunt face due to morning sickness made his heart clench, and his earlier ruthless resolve instantly softened.

She could barely eat a few bites of the delicacies sent by the imperial kitchen, which made him very anxious.

He turned and instead of returning to the East Palace, he strode straight toward the Imperial Kitchen.

When His Highness the Crown Prince appeared in the Imperial Kitchen with a stern face, everyone was startled.

"The Crown Princess has been suffering from morning sickness and has a poor appetite lately. What kind of food have you all prepared?" Xiao Jingshi's voice was icy. "You can't even make a dish that will whet her appetite?! What use are you all to me!"

The imperial chefs knelt on the ground, trembling with fear.

Xiao Jingshi grew increasingly angry as he spoke, finally waving his hand in frustration: "Get out of my way! I'll do it myself!"

Upon hearing this, the entire imperial kitchen fell silent. The head chef almost thought he had misheard.

To everyone's astonishment, the esteemed Crown Prince actually removed his outer robe, tied on a clean apron, and strode into the smoky, oily area. He was going to cook for his beloved wife.

He remembered that An An had said she craved sweet and sour foods during her pregnancy, so he decided to make the simplest tomato and egg stir-fry.

He mimicked An An's posture from his memory, picked up a kitchen knife, and faced a round tomato with an expression as serious as if he were reviewing matters of state. But his hands, capable of writing exquisite calligraphy and drawing a powerful bow, were now incredibly clumsy. With one stroke, the tomato didn't cut open; instead, it bounced off the cutting board and rolled onto the floor.

He reached for the egg again, intending to crack it open on the rim of the bowl, but his aim was off, and with a "crack," the egg shattered in his palm. Sticky egg liquid mixed with eggshell fragments flowed down between his fingers, staining the hem of his expensive robe.

The head chef, standing nearby, was terrified and almost knelt down to beg for forgiveness on the spot. The others lowered their heads tightly, their shoulders shaking uncontrollably, trying so hard to suppress their laughter that they were almost internally injured.

Xiao Jingshi's handsome face turned ashen, and for the first time, an expression of "defeat" appeared on his face.

Undeterred, he took a deep breath and tried again. After much effort, he finally managed to get half a bowl of egg mixture and a pile of tomato chunks of varying sizes and shapes.

He heated the oil in a wok. Remembering to heat the wok, he turned the fire up high and then poured in the egg mixture. "Sizzle!" A loud bang, and boiling oil splattered, startling Xiao Jingshi, who instinctively took a step back. When he looked again, the pot of golden scrambled eggs had turned into charcoal, emitting a bitter, burnt smell.

"Your Highness..." the head chef warned in a trembling voice, "The fire... the fire is too high..."

Xiao Jingshi: "..."

He tried again with a different pot! This time, he learned from his mistake and put the tomatoes in first, then poured in the egg mixture, thinking that this time it wouldn't burn.

As a result, the tomatoes released water when heated, and when the egg liquid was poured in, it instantly blended with the sour tomato juice, bubbling and simmering in the pot, turning into a pot of red and yellow paste with a questionable texture, emitting an indescribable sour and burnt smell.

Looking at the "masterpiece" in front of him, Xiao Jingshi gave up completely.

He threw down the spatula and irritably ripped off his apron. Cooking was a hundred times harder than handling state affairs!

He finally understood that An'an's relaxed and carefree demeanor in the kitchen was the result of countless hours of practice and accumulated patience and experience. Thinking of her busy figure for him, and the sparkling eyes in her eyes when she served the food, his heart felt like it was being gripped tightly by a large hand, a mixture of bittersweetness and tenderness.

He walked out of the imperial kitchen in a daze and returned to Tinglan Water Pavilion, only to find Ye An'an sitting at the stone table in the courtyard, looking at him with a smile.

In front of her sat a steaming bowl of scrambled eggs with tomatoes. The golden, tender scrambled eggs, coated in a sweet and sour sauce, smelled wonderful, a stark contrast to his earlier "masterpiece".

"Your Highness is back?" She beckoned to him. "Come and try this. I had the kitchen make something fresh. It smells amazing."

Without saying a word, Xiao Jingshi walked over, stretched out his arms, and hugged her and the chair tightly.

"An'an," his voice rang in her ear, hoarse and deep, filled with unprecedented heartache and guilt, "I'm sorry. From now on... don't go into the kitchen anymore. If you want to eat something, tell me, and I'll learn how. I don't want you to work so hard anymore."