A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace

Chapter 519: Doting

He picked up the teacup, smoothly took two sips, and then placed it on the desk. He pulled out a silk handkerchief from his sleeve to wipe his hands.The series of actions was as fluid as flowing clouds and moving water, as if he had performed them a thousand times before.

Xia Ruqing also coordinated with him with exceptional tacit understanding.

The two didn’t need to exchange a single word; just a glance was enough to understand what the other was thinking.

Xia Ruqing said with a smile, "Emperor, do you always time it just right? You’re always so punctual! I still have two soups that haven’t been served yet!"

Zhao Junyao looked at her fondly, then glanced over the table full of dishes. He was very pleased.

"It seems I indeed arrived just in time!"

No sooner had he spoken than Little Bun came in from outside, whimpering and cooing. Having just woken up, he was still a bit drowsy in the Wetnurse Nanny’s arms.

The moment he saw his Imperial Father and mother, he immediately perked up, giggling and stretching out his arms, lunging into Zhao Junyao’s embrace.

He leaned out so far that the Wetnurse Nanny almost couldn’t hold onto him.

"UHM... AH... MM!..."

Little Bun was both anxious and agitated.

Zhao Junyao had no choice but to hold him.

Xia Ruqing laughed, a hint of playful jealousy in her tone. "Emperor, I hold him every day, yet I’ve never seen him get so worked up! The moment you arrive, he forgets all about me!"

Zhao Junyao felt even happier when he heard this and affectionately patted Little Bun’s bottom. "My son, naturally, loves me the most!" he said, then began to instruct him, "When you grow up, I will personally teach you horseback archery, alright?"

Little Bun nibbled on his Imperial Father’s sleeve and indistinctly mumbled an "alright."

He had already grown teeth and was already trying to imitate adults and speak. However, he was still too young and could not articulate well, babbling instead. But his tender voice was still pleasant to hear.

...

Actually, the Emperor did not particularly like holding children. He had hardly ever held any of the princesses. Now, with Little Bun, it was truly an exception. It was also fortunate that he had become more thick-skinned about it.

When Little Bun saw the food on the table, he immediately grew excited. He was most eager for the bowl of fish soup. Somehow, from a young age, he had developed a particular fondness for it and could drink it every day without tiring of it.

Initially, Xia Ruqing worried he couldn’t digest it well, so she made a simple fish soup with a little salt, treating it as if it were just water to appease him.

As he grew, plain fish soup could no longer fool him. Xia Ruqing then started to add more ingredients. Sometimes it was a few vegetable leaves; other times, a couple of pieces of tender tofu. Little Bun accepted whatever was offered. Even plain steamed buns soaked in fish soup, he would eat with great delight.

Seeing her son quickly abandon her and shift his focus to the table laden with delicacies, Zhao Junyao gave Xia Ruqing a cool glance, as if to say, Look, he gets that from you; I am not like this!

Xia Ruqing didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She patted her son’s bottom and teased him, "Zhao Qichen, you’re a Prince! How can you be such a glutton!"

Little Bun paid no mind. His pair of soft, tender little feet kicked vigorously against his Imperial Father’s robes. His little hands desperately reached for the dining table.

Zhao Junyao completely gave up, handed his son over to the Wetnurse Nanny, and instructed, "Pick a few of his favorite dishes and take him away to be fed!"

The Wetnurse Nanny quickly complied.

With food in hand, Little Bun stopped crying and obediently left.

The Palace Attendants also withdrew.

Only the Emperor and the Empress Consort remained in the room.

Xia Ruqing was already hungry, and so was Zhao Junyao. The two of them didn’t say much more, just picked up their bowls of rice and started eating.

After eating until she was about half-full, she put down her chopsticks, washed her hands, and picked up an enormous crab.

"I didn’t get to eat any last year, so this year I must eat my fill!"

Zhao Junyao watched her but frowned. "Eat less of such cooling foods. Is your stomach not aching anymore?"

Xia Ruqing felt a bit crestfallen upon hearing this. Why is he being so insensitive? Why bring that up at such a nice moment?

Yet... Xia Ruqing’s hands, which were peeling the crab, hesitated.

"Emperor, I’ll just eat two. We can preserve the rest on ice and eat them tomorrow!"

Only then did Zhao Junyao nod.

She excitedly started to peel the crab, wielding the small tongs and hammer, cracking it here and there until the large crab was completely dismantled. Steamed crab is quite delicious too!

"Emperor, would you like to try?"

Zhao Junyao tried a piece with his chopsticks. "Not bad!"

Xia Ruqing was delighted and carefully picked out all the crab roe. "Emperor, would you like to taste this?"

Zhao Junyao glanced at it and said, "You eat it yourself!"

The little lass worked so hard to get that shell full of crab meat; how could I bring myself to eat it!

Seeing that he wouldn’t eat, Xia Ruqing no longer stood on ceremony. She ate the crab roe bite by bite.

It’s delicious! Crab meat is absolutely irreplaceable!

As she ate, her eyes sparkled with enjoyment, as if she were eating the stars themselves.

Soon, the crab shell was emptied.

For the second crab, she chose an even bigger one and continued to peel.

Perhaps the first one had gone too smoothly, so with this second one...

"Ouch!"

She had been careless, and a crab pincer had pierced her palm.

After a piercing pain, a bead of blood the size of a pea quickly welled up in the palm of her right hand. First, it was the size of a mung bean, then it grew to the size of a soybean. It continued to ooze, eventually forming a small pool of blood.

"HISS..." So painful!

Xia Ruqing stared at the small pool of blood in her palm, completely stunned.

Zhao Junyao glared at her, his tone reproachful. "So careless!" With that, he pulled out a handkerchief from his sleeve, quickly wrapped it around her hand, and then ordered Li Shengan, "Call the Imperial Physician!"

Li Shengan hurried off.

The Imperial Physician arrived very swiftly, in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn down. After carefully inspecting the small wound, he sighed in relief. "The cut is not deep, and no tendons or bones are injured. The Emperor and Consort Xian Pin need not worry!"

Having said that, he left behind a small bottle of ointment and took his leave.

Zi Yue cleaned the wound for her, applied the medication, and wrapped it with cotton gauze.

All in all, this took about half an hour, and by then, the sky outside was pitch-black.

She felt a bit annoyed. "Emperor, I have been clumsy and spoiled your mood!"

Zhao Junyao took her hand, examined it carefully, and said calmly, "Qingqing, let’s eat!"

Xia Ruqing looked miserably at the crab, then miserably at her chopsticks. My hand is bound with bandages; I can’t hold chopsticks!

Zhao Junyao very naturally picked up the tools, peeled the crab for her, and fed her the crab meat, the crab roe, and her rice.

Xia Ruqing’s facial expression transitioned from frustration and dejection to blossoming joy. Her Emperor husband is truly so, so sweet to her!

The soup arrived. The sweet glutinous rice dumplings in fermented rice wine were sugary and chewy, with a variety of fillings. Xia Ruqing ate a full small bowl of them.

Finally, a stewed black-bone chicken and winter melon soup was served. She drank another small bowl and also ate two pieces of the chicken.

In the end, Xia Ruqing just smiled goofily at Zhao Junyao. "Emperor, you are so kind!"

Zhao Junyao, composed and unhurried, leisurely scooped a spoonful of soup and brought it to her lips, a hint of jealousy and quiet reproach playing on his own.

His inner world was, in fact, quite complex.