This meal, except for a distracted Shao Yunan, was enjoyed by everyone else. With both wine and meat, what made it even more satisfying was that the dishes were even more delicious than those made by Yunlong Restaurant in the capital. Emperor Yongming, without showing any emotion, patted his stomach and thought whether he should have another bowl of rice. The Empress restrained him, saying “The food is delicious, but Your Majesty should take it easy.”
Emperor Yongming felt a bit embarrassed but maintained his regal demeanor, saying “Yunan, your culinary skills are indeed well-praised. There also seem to be several dishes not found in Yunlong Restaurant. Are they prepared for a later release?” It was obvious that he had been frequenting Yunlong Restaurant for free meals.
Wang Shijing explained. “These tomatoes and cucumbers were just found in the mountains. We tried cultivating some at home. If the Emperor and Empress enjoy them, why not cultivate them in the palace? Both Yunan and I think that our Great State of Yan can actually grow more of these two vegetables. Their taste is indeed very good.” Emperor Yongming nodded. “That’s very good. Do you have seeds?”
“The seeds are inside the tomatoes and cucumbers.” Emperor Yongming asked the Empress, “What if we start cultivating them in the palace and if they grow well, hand it over to the Ministry of Household to manage?” The Empress replied, “Your Majesty decides.” Emperor Yongming’s heart skipped a beat, was the Empress displeased? However, he secretly rejoiced afterward.
Shao Yunan couldn’t help but speak up. “If they grow well in the palace, why not designate a specific location as an experimental base? If the response to the sales of these two vegetables is good, we can then promote them further.”
Emperor Yongming asked, “Experimental base?” Shao Yunan explained. “To promote new things, we need experiments first. We need to see how these things perform under different conditions to achieve the expected results and avoid possible adverse consequences of blind promotion.”
The Old General agreed. “Good! Good! Yunan, this idea of yours is excellent.” Shao Yunan felt a bit uneasy. “We experimented several times before successfully cultivating these tomatoes and cucumbers. If the Ministry of Household promotes them and some people can’t grow them well, wouldn’t that be a loss?”
Emperor Yongming nodded again. “I will do as you say. Who cultivated the tomatoes and cucumbers in your house?” Shao Yunan answered casually. “It was Shijing.” Then he regretted it. Emperor Yongming said, “Then let Shijing be in charge of this matter. The location and personnel for the experiment will be decided by you.” Wang Shijing stood up and knelt down. “This humble one will surely not fail the royal decree.”
“Rise.” Wang Shijing stood up and sat down. The Emperor licked his lips and said, “The taste of this meat is excellent. Is it only available in your Village?” Shao Yunan did not dare to speak, so Wang Shijing answered. “This humble one has not seen it in other places. It was caught by Brother Tiger. If the Emperor likes it, if in the future, Brother Tiger catches more, this humble one will have it delivered. With ice, it won’t spoil even on the way.”
“Good, good.” Shao Yunan glanced at the Empress, who seemed unusually quiet tonight and secretly tugged at Wang Shijing. Wang Shijing stood up and said, “Your Majesty, the Empress is feeling unwell. Yunan and I will take our leave.” Emperor Yongming nodded, not stopping them. “Very well. I’m a bit tired too. I’ll rest at the residence of the Grand General tonight.”
“I’ll have someone come to attend to you.”
“Alright.” In place of the Old General, Wang Shijing, and Shao Yunan left the table. Once out of Ansi courtyard, Wang Shijing invited, “Old General, would you like to come to the junior’s residence for a while?” The Old General immediately brightened. “That’s great. Yunan, make some tea.”
Shao Yunan kindly reminded, “It’s late. I’m afraid if you drink too much tea, you won’t sleep well at night.” The Old General glared. “I’ve been drinking tea all my life and never had trouble sleeping!”
“Then I’ll make tea for you. Should I prepare a couple of side dishes too?”
“Yes, good idea.” Shao Yunan felt goosebumps rising. How long has it been since someone addressed him this way? Shao Yunan was at a loss, but seeing the Old General looking at him with complicated eyes, he felt a bit strange in his heart. Once everyone had left, Emperor Yongming gestured, and Guo Xun and Zuo Jin immediately withdrew quietly. As soon as the door closed, Emperor Yongming embraced the Empress and asked, “Are you angry?”
The Empress, not hiding anything, asked, “Is he handsome?” Emperor Yongming nodded earnestly. “Very handsome. It’s a pity he is paired with King.” The Empress asked expressionlessly, “If the Emperor thinks it’s a pity, who would be a more suitable match for him?”
Emperor Yongming raised an eyebrow. “Is my Empress jealous?” The Empress removed Emperor Yongming’s hand, stood up, and Emperor Yongming hugged him from behind, asking in his ear, “Qiyou, are you jealous? The Emperor went to see a beauty at King’s place. A beauty that can overturn nations.” The Empress didn’t turn around, only asking, “Is the Emperor thinking of bringing him into the palace?”
“Qiyou, are you jealous?” The Empress took a deep breath, pulled Emperor Yongming’s hands from around his waist, and turned around. “Yes! I’m not happy!” Emperor Yongming laughed, a triumphant laugh. Embracing the Empress again, he sighed. “Ah, I wanted to see you jealous for once, but it’s really difficult.” Emperor Yongming pressed the Empress’s head against his shoulder. “I didn’t see his face. Whether he’s stunning or not has nothing to do with me. King has lived a seemingly comfortable life, but it’s also bitter. I heard he seems to care a lot about that person. I’m afraid that person might not truly care for King while I hope King uncle, like me, can find true happiness.” The Empress raised his hand and embraced Emperor Yongming’s waist.
“But now I’m troubled.”
“What’s troubling you?” Apparently, the Empress was in a good mood. “I told King that we should celebrate this event grandly, but I don’t have the funds.” The Empress pursed his lips, unsure if he should laugh. Emperor Yongming lowered his head, and seeing his expression, he kissed him directly. Before things got heated, Emperor Yongming lifted his head, hugged the Empress tightly, and took a deep breath. “Emperor…”
“No! It has to wait for at least three months!” The Empress looked up and cupped Emperor Yongming’s face. “Emperor, I just…” Emperor Yongming covered his mouth. “What I want is for you to be jealous. If you’re not jealous, I’ll be angry. You never used to be jealous of me.”
The Empress took the initiative to kiss Emperor Yongming. Before, when he wasn’t jealous, it was because he hadn’t fallen in love yet. Later, when he fell in love, he prioritized the bigger picture and couldn’t afford to be jealous. Now, he could be jealous at will because this man belonged to him.
The Empress and Emperor Yongming left affectionately. Wang Shijing and the Old General chatted over tea, discussing common topics—border regions and military affairs. After yawning, Shao Yunan was chased by the Old General to rest. Not being polite, Shao Yunan went back to his room to sleep. Wang Shijing respectfully made tea for the Old General, well aware that the Old General surely had something to say privately.
Sure enough, after the Old General drank two cups of tea, he began. “Has Yunan already taken the Fruits of Pregnancy?”
“No. Yunan doesn’t want children.” The Old General frowned. “Because of Qing and Nizi?”
“Yunan is afraid of pain. He also doesn’t like the idea of a man with a big belly. He says he can’t accept it.”
“Childbirth is never without a big belly or pain.” The Old General was conflicted. “Qing and Nizi didn’t mind?”
“No. Yunan simply fears the pain. On the day of our marriage, he said he didn’t want children.” There was no need to explain why on that day.
The Old General hadn’t expected that Yunan would be so afraid of pain. He then asked. “Does he have any desire to have a child?”
“I do. But I don’t want Yunan to suffer. If he changes his mind one day and can still conceive, I’ll apply for the Fruits of Pregnancy immediately.”
The Old General sighed deeply, and after contemplating for a while, Wang Shijing directly asked, “Old General, is Yunan the lost child of the Dai family?” The Old General looked at Wang Shijing in shock, then sighed again. “You figured it out?” Wang Shijing nodded. “The Army is not unaware of this matter. When you kept asking about Yunan’s background and birth date, I guessed.”
The Old General sadly said, “Yunan looks exactly like his mother when he was young. The child we lost in the family, in appearance, resembled the young master the most.” So that was the case.
After drinking a cup of tea, the Old General looked at the tea in the cup and said, “Back then, when the barde abducted Zhanan at the border, intending to force Ming Rong to surrender, the pursuers caught up, only to find lifeless bodies. Zhanan’s whereabouts were unknown. At that time, the situation in the court was complicated and the Dai family couldn’t openly search for him. As a result, they lost the opportunity and never received any news about that child. This matter is a thorn in the hearts of the Dai family.”
Wang Shijing felt uncomfortable hearing the details. After finishing the tea in his cup, the Old General looked up. “Yunan doesn’t want to know about his origins?” Wang Shijing replied truthfully. “He signed a contract with the Shao family. He will not seek his biological family and the Shao family won’t bother him anymore. He has forgotten his past and the Shao family won’t reveal the truth to him.”
The Old General felt much relieved, even though he had heard previously that Shao Yunan chose not to search for his family. There was still some concern that Shao Yunan might have made that decision due to the Emperor’s status.
“If he is indeed the child lost by the Dai family…” Wang Shijing asked directly. “Old General, what are you worried about?” Worried about what? Guilt was evident on the Old General’s weathered face. Was he worried that the child might blame them for not protecting him? Worried that the child might question why they hadn’t found him for so many years? Worried about why they let him suffer alone, being treated like a servant, and even being sold?
The Old General, who had shed blood, but never tears in his entire life, couldn’t control the reddening of his eyes at the thought of the child being forced into such a desperate situation and ending up throwing himself into the river. Wang Shijing filled the teacup for the Old General and set down the teapot.
“The Dai family has a history of loyalty and righteousness. When Shao Yunan didn’t know about his origins, he generously donated a significant sum of money to General Dai. If he truly is the lost child of the Dai family, he would only feel proud.” The Old General wiped his eyes and smiled. “Good, good, he’s a good lad.”
While others might not believe what was said, the Old General believed it, coming from Wang Shijing.
This meal, except for a distracted Shao Yunan, was enjoyed by everyone else. With both wine and meat, what made it even more satisfying was that the dishes were even more delicious than those made by Yunlong Restaurant in the capital. Emperor Yongming, without showing any emotion, patted his stomach and thought whether he should have another bowl of rice. The Empress restrained him, saying “The food is delicious, but Your Majesty should take it easy.”
Emperor Yongming felt a bit embarrassed but maintained his regal demeanor, saying “Yunan, your culinary skills are indeed well-praised. There also seem to be several dishes not found in Yunlong Restaurant. Are they prepared for a later release?” It was obvious that he had been frequenting Yunlong Restaurant for free meals.
Wang Shijing explained. “These tomatoes and cucumbers were just found in the mountains. We tried cultivating some at home. If the Emperor and Empress enjoy them, why not cultivate them in the palace? Both Yunan and I think that our Great State of Yan can actually grow more of these two vegetables. Their taste is indeed very good.” Emperor Yongming nodded. “That’s very good. Do you have seeds?”
“The seeds are inside the tomatoes and cucumbers.” Emperor Yongming asked the Empress, “What if we start cultivating them in the palace and if they grow well, hand it over to the Ministry of Household to manage?” The Empress replied, “Your Majesty decides.” Emperor Yongming’s heart skipped a beat, was the Empress displeased? However, he secretly rejoiced afterward.
Shao Yunan couldn’t help but speak up. “If they grow well in the palace, why not designate a specific location as an experimental base? If the response to the sales of these two vegetables is good, we can then promote them further.”
Emperor Yongming asked, “Experimental base?” Shao Yunan explained. “To promote new things, we need experiments first. We need to see how these things perform under different conditions to achieve the expected results and avoid possible adverse consequences of blind promotion.”
The Old General agreed. “Good! Good! Yunan, this idea of yours is excellent.” Shao Yunan felt a bit uneasy. “We experimented several times before successfully cultivating these tomatoes and cucumbers. If the Ministry of Household promotes them and some people can’t grow them well, wouldn’t that be a loss?”
Emperor Yongming nodded again. “I will do as you say. Who cultivated the tomatoes and cucumbers in your house?” Shao Yunan answered casually. “It was Shijing.” Then he regretted it. Emperor Yongming said, “Then let Shijing be in charge of this matter. The location and personnel for the experiment will be decided by you.” Wang Shijing stood up and knelt down. “This humble one will surely not fail the royal decree.”
“Rise.” Wang Shijing stood up and sat down. The Emperor licked his lips and said, “The taste of this meat is excellent. Is it only available in your Village?” Shao Yunan did not dare to speak, so Wang Shijing answered. “This humble one has not seen it in other places. It was caught by Brother Tiger. If the Emperor likes it, if in the future, Brother Tiger catches more, this humble one will have it delivered. With ice, it won’t spoil even on the way.”
“Good, good.” Shao Yunan glanced at the Empress, who seemed unusually quiet tonight and secretly tugged at Wang Shijing. Wang Shijing stood up and said, “Your Majesty, the Empress is feeling unwell. Yunan and I will take our leave.” Emperor Yongming nodded, not stopping them. “Very well. I’m a bit tired too. I’ll rest at the residence of the Grand General tonight.”
“I’ll have someone come to attend to you.”
“Alright.” In place of the Old General, Wang Shijing, and Shao Yunan left the table. Once out of Ansi courtyard, Wang Shijing invited, “Old General, would you like to come to the junior’s residence for a while?” The Old General immediately brightened. “That’s great. Yunan, make some tea.”
Shao Yunan kindly reminded, “It’s late. I’m afraid if you drink too much tea, you won’t sleep well at night.” The Old General glared. “I’ve been drinking tea all my life and never had trouble sleeping!”
“Then I’ll make tea for you. Should I prepare a couple of side dishes too?”
“Yes, good idea.” Shao Yunan felt goosebumps rising. How long has it been since someone addressed him this way? Shao Yunan was at a loss, but seeing the Old General looking at him with complicated eyes, he felt a bit strange in his heart. Once everyone had left, Emperor Yongming gestured, and Guo Xun and Zuo Jin immediately withdrew quietly. As soon as the door closed, Emperor Yongming embraced the Empress and asked, “Are you angry?”
The Empress, not hiding anything, asked, “Is he handsome?” Emperor Yongming nodded earnestly. “Very handsome. It’s a pity he is paired with King.” The Empress asked expressionlessly, “If the Emperor thinks it’s a pity, who would be a more suitable match for him?”
Emperor Yongming raised an eyebrow. “Is my Empress jealous?” The Empress removed Emperor Yongming’s hand, stood up, and Emperor Yongming hugged him from behind, asking in his ear, “Qiyou, are you jealous? The Emperor went to see a beauty at King’s place. A beauty that can overturn nations.” The Empress didn’t turn around, only asking, “Is the Emperor thinking of bringing him into the palace?”
“Qiyou, are you jealous?” The Empress took a deep breath, pulled Emperor Yongming’s hands from around his waist, and turned around. “Yes! I’m not happy!” Emperor Yongming laughed, a triumphant laugh. Embracing the Empress again, he sighed. “Ah, I wanted to see you jealous for once, but it’s really difficult.” Emperor Yongming pressed the Empress’s head against his shoulder. “I didn’t see his face. Whether he’s stunning or not has nothing to do with me. King has lived a seemingly comfortable life, but it’s also bitter. I heard he seems to care a lot about that person. I’m afraid that person might not truly care for King while I hope King uncle, like me, can find true happiness.” The Empress raised his hand and embraced Emperor Yongming’s waist.
“But now I’m troubled.”
“What’s troubling you?” Apparently, the Empress was in a good mood. “I told King that we should celebrate this event grandly, but I don’t have the funds.” The Empress pursed his lips, unsure if he should laugh. Emperor Yongming lowered his head, and seeing his expression, he kissed him directly. Before things got heated, Emperor Yongming lifted his head, hugged the Empress tightly, and took a deep breath. “Emperor…”
“No! It has to wait for at least three months!” The Empress looked up and cupped Emperor Yongming’s face. “Emperor, I just…” Emperor Yongming covered his mouth. “What I want is for you to be jealous. If you’re not jealous, I’ll be angry. You never used to be jealous of me.”
The Empress took the initiative to kiss Emperor Yongming. Before, when he wasn’t jealous, it was because he hadn’t fallen in love yet. Later, when he fell in love, he prioritized the bigger picture and couldn’t afford to be jealous. Now, he could be jealous at will because this man belonged to him.
The Empress and Emperor Yongming left affectionately. Wang Shijing and the Old General chatted over tea, discussing common topics—border regions and military affairs. After yawning, Shao Yunan was chased by the Old General to rest. Not being polite, Shao Yunan went back to his room to sleep. Wang Shijing respectfully made tea for the Old General, well aware that the Old General surely had something to say privately.
Sure enough, after the Old General drank two cups of tea, he began. “Has Yunan already taken the Fruits of Pregnancy?”
“No. Yunan doesn’t want children.” The Old General frowned. “Because of Qing and Nizi?”
“Yunan is afraid of pain. He also doesn’t like the idea of a man with a big belly. He says he can’t accept it.”
“Childbirth is never without a big belly or pain.” The Old General was conflicted. “Qing and Nizi didn’t mind?”
“No. Yunan simply fears the pain. On the day of our marriage, he said he didn’t want children.” There was no need to explain why on that day.
The Old General hadn’t expected that Yunan would be so afraid of pain. He then asked. “Does he have any desire to have a child?”
“I do. But I don’t want Yunan to suffer. If he changes his mind one day and can still conceive, I’ll apply for the Fruits of Pregnancy immediately.”
The Old General sighed deeply, and after contemplating for a while, Wang Shijing directly asked, “Old General, is Yunan the lost child of the Dai family?” The Old General looked at Wang Shijing in shock, then sighed again. “You figured it out?” Wang Shijing nodded. “The Army is not unaware of this matter. When you kept asking about Yunan’s background and birth date, I guessed.”
The Old General sadly said, “Yunan looks exactly like his mother when he was young. The child we lost in the family, in appearance, resembled the young master the most.” So that was the case.
After drinking a cup of tea, the Old General looked at the tea in the cup and said, “Back then, when the barde abducted Zhanan at the border, intending to force Ming Rong to surrender, the pursuers caught up, only to find lifeless bodies. Zhanan’s whereabouts were unknown. At that time, the situation in the court was complicated and the Dai family couldn’t openly search for him. As a result, they lost the opportunity and never received any news about that child. This matter is a thorn in the hearts of the Dai family.”
Wang Shijing felt uncomfortable hearing the details. After finishing the tea in his cup, the Old General looked up. “Yunan doesn’t want to know about his origins?” Wang Shijing replied truthfully. “He signed a contract with the Shao family. He will not seek his biological family and the Shao family won’t bother him anymore. He has forgotten his past and the Shao family won’t reveal the truth to him.”
The Old General felt much relieved, even though he had heard previously that Shao Yunan chose not to search for his family. There was still some concern that Shao Yunan might have made that decision due to the Emperor’s status.
“If he is indeed the child lost by the Dai family…” Wang Shijing asked directly. “Old General, what are you worried about?” Worried about what? Guilt was evident on the Old General’s weathered face. Was he worried that the child might blame them for not protecting him? Worried that the child might question why they hadn’t found him for so many years? Worried about why they let him suffer alone, being treated like a servant, and even being sold?
The Old General, who had shed blood, but never tears in his entire life, couldn’t control the reddening of his eyes at the thought of the child being forced into such a desperate situation and ending up throwing himself into the river. Wang Shijing filled the teacup for the Old General and set down the teapot.
“The Dai family has a history of loyalty and righteousness. When Shao Yunan didn’t know about his origins, he generously donated a significant sum of money to General Dai. If he truly is the lost child of the Dai family, he would only feel proud.” The Old General wiped his eyes and smiled. “Good, good, he’s a good lad.”
While others might not believe what was said, the Old General believed it, coming from Wang Shijing.
