Chapter 56: Sweet and Soft Roasted Sweet Potatoes

The first snowfall in the capital came on the second day after Emperor Mingde arrived at the Hot Springs Palace. Li Ning’an had no interest in soaking in the hot springs; she was only thinking about how to have the old Taoist physician treat her father, the emperor, without anyone noticing.

She lived in a palace hall on the east side of the Emperor’s quarters, the closest place to Emperor Mingde. After her lived Li Ningzhao, showing how much importance the emperor placed on the empress and her children.

Li Ningzhao, after finishing her studies from the previous day, remembered her sister’s suggestion to relax and play, so she came to find her. Seeing her elder sister frowning and sitting on the soft couch, Li Ningzhao approached, bowed, and asked, “Sister, what’s troubling you?”

When Li Ning’an saw her brother, she instructed Hong Xiu to bring his favorite snacks. The two siblings sat closely together on the soft couch.

“Last month, Father coughed up blood, overwhelmed with anger. I’m very worried and want to find a renowned doctor to treat him,” Li Ning’an said, while taking the opportunity to pinch her brother’s chubby cheeks. He frowned slightly, wanting to resist, but pretended to be generous, which lightened her mood considerably.

Li Ningzhao had heard a little about this matter. Consort Tong and the Head Imperial Physician tried to prevent their sister from taking action, but it was their mother who bore the responsibility, allowing the person brought by Xing’e to diagnose the emperor. In the end, they only learned that the Imperial Medical Institute had prescribed nourishing treatments, and their father was already fine.

Li Ning’an used tongs to stir the charcoal fire, making it burn hotter and warming the room a little more. The window was half-open for ventilation, and the two siblings, sitting closely together on the soft couch, created a peaceful and beautiful scene.

“Children worrying about their parents is natural. Sister, you should just take action without minding those people,” Li Ningzhao said, stretching out his hand to comfort his sister. But he had just eaten a snack, and his fingers were still dusted with crumbs. Hong Xiu noticed and quickly brought a cloth to clean his hands before he reached out to smooth his sister’s furrowed brow.

Li Ning’an nodded, realizing that she had been overthinking things. She just needed to tell their father that his children were worried about him and wanted to call someone to check on his health out of concern. He would naturally have a way to avoid attracting attention, which was far better than her own anxious speculation.

With her frown now relaxed, Li Ning’an handed her brother another snack and, in the process, tested his knowledge. She found that he could recite everything without missing a word and understood the meaning behind it. He was even more intelligent than their two older brothers had been at his age.

“But I heard that your homework the day before yesterday got smeared with ink and wasn’t submitted to the Director of the Imperial Academy,” she teased.

Li Ningzhao nodded. “Fourth Brother is foolish. I’m too clever, so I fear he’ll become jealous and plot against me.”

Li Ning’an hugged her brother close. The Li Ningzhao from her past life, who had been controlled by Fu Minglang, likely hadn’t done so willingly. It wasn’t that Fu Minglang was particularly smart, but that Li Ningzhao cared deeply for his sister and feared something would happen to her, so he had no choice but to comply.

“You’re still young. Come play with me for a while, and let’s see who can make the roundest snowball,” Li Ning’an said, taking her brother to the courtyard. She packed the snow tightly with her hands, and Li Ningzhao imitated her movements. Li Ning’an then invited the palace maids and eunuchs to join them in a snowball fight.

Hong Xiu, worried that the two masters would catch a cold, had someone prepare ginger tea. By the time the siblings had played to their heart’s content, their clothes were covered in marks from snowballs. Li Ning’an’s golden hairpin had even fallen into the snow, and Hong Xiu picked it up and returned it to its box.

After tidying up her hair, Li Ningzhao also had a little eunuch help him change into fresh clothes. The siblings sat back in front of the fire on the soft couch.

Li Ning’an thought of something and whispered a few words to Hong Xiu, who then went to the corridor and called for Fan Lü, instructing him.

Fan Lü nodded and said, “I’ll go prepare it right away.”

Li Ningzhao ate two more snacks and drank a cup of tea, noticing that it was almost time for lunch. “What are we eating today?” he asked, still lingering at his sister’s side.

“You’ll find out soon,” Li Ning’an said mysteriously.

Not long after, Fan Lü returned with a basket in hand. “Your Highness, the kitchen has sent over the washed sweet potatoes,” he said. After speaking, he clapped his hands, and several eunuchs brought in a rack, which they placed over the charcoal fire. Li Ning’an dismissed them afterward.

“We’re going to roast sweet potatoes!” she announced.

Li Ning’an could already taste the sweet, soft flavor of the roasted sweet potatoes in her mind, making her mouth water in anticipation.

Li Ningzhao’s roasted sweet potatoes were always washed, cut, seasoned with various toppings, and meticulously plated before being served at the table. He had never prepared them himself.

Li Ning’an, mindful of his young age, didn’t let him get too close to the fire. Li Ningzhao stretched out his hand and threw a sweet potato onto the rack. As time passed, the skin of the sweet potatoes softened, and the aroma began to spread. The siblings exchanged a glance.

Li Ning’an instructed Hong Xiu to prepare plates and chopsticks. She poked a sweet potato with one hand, lifted it, and placed it on a plate.

Li Ning’an handed it to Li Ningzhao first. He carefully took it, but immediately pulled his hand back when he felt how hot it was. Li Ning’an burst out laughing at his reaction and placed another sweet potato on a plate.

“You have to eat it while it’s hot—it’s delicious,” she said.

Sitting cross-legged on the soft couch with the plate resting on her knees, Li Ning’an used one hand to hold the plate steady while the other gently peeled away the sweet potato’s skin. Steam rose as she peeled, and she pinched her earlobes to cool her hands. The soft, red flesh of the sweet potato was revealed.

Hong Xiu handed her a spoon, taking the chopsticks away.

They had roasted quite a few, and Li Ning’an told Hong Xiu to distribute them. Even Fan Lü, who was standing outside, received one.

On a cold winter day like this, eating a roasted sweet potato was a true delight. The siblings ate contentedly, and after lunch, Li Ningzhao rested with her for a while before heading back to his studies in the afternoon.

Li Ning’an roasted a few more and, while they were still warm, took them to her father.

Emperor Mingde was reviewing memorials. Recently, he had been experiencing some blurry vision. After consulting with the imperial physicians, they attributed it to lingering symptoms from the day he coughed up blood. They prescribed a new set of medicine, which he took in the mornings and evenings.

“Father, have you had lunch today?” Li Ning’an asked as she entered.

Hearing her voice, Emperor Mingde set down his vermillion brush and looked up to see Ning’an lifting the curtain and stepping inside.

“The snowstorm is heavy today—what brings you here?” His tone carried a hint of reproach but was filled with concern. He instructed Yan Su to give her a hand warmer.

Li Ning’an shook her head and approached the imperial desk. She raised the brocade box she was holding, and Yan Su quickly made space for it.

“Princess Ning’an has arrived at the perfect time. His Majesty has not yet had lunch. I’ve reminded him twice, but His Majesty said state affairs were more important,” Yan Su said. Having served the emperor for many years, he could see how weary and overworked Emperor Mingde was. He had wanted to persuade him to eat on time, but the emperor never listened.

Luckily, Princess Ning’an had come today.

“I can see how hard you’ve worked, Father,” Li Ning’an said as she opened the brocade box. A burst of steam escaped, followed by the sight of roasted sweet potatoes. “My younger brothers are still too young to share the burden with you.”

Emperor Mingde watched her place the sweet potatoes on his desk. “It’s only today that I forgot to eat. Yan Su, you’re always complaining to Ning’an. Tomorrow I’ll have you transferred somewhere else.”

“Oh dear, in that case, I’ll have to go serve Princess Ning’an instead,” Yan Su joked, knowing the emperor was speaking in jest. He played along, lightening the mood.

Even though Emperor Mingde had strict rules about what he ate, and all his food had to be tasted for poison first, he trusted that anything Li Ning’an brought wouldn’t harm him.

“Did you make these yourself?” Emperor Mingde asked, seeing her set the roasted sweet potatoes on his desk.

In her previous life, Li Ning’an had experimented with many dishes to please Fu Minglang, even learning about common folk foods. She hadn’t expected her father to recognize this dish and know it was roasted sweet potato.

“Father, you’re so knowledgeable. Even Ningzhao didn’t know what it was, but after tasting one, he couldn’t stop wanting more,” she said with a smile.

Emperor Mingde had once been a prince, mischievous in his youth, and had tried all sorts of things, including roasted sweet potatoes. But after becoming emperor, his meals had become increasingly refined, and it had been a long time since he had eaten something so simple.

“Let me try your cooking,” he said, taking a spoon and scooping a piece into his mouth.

“Hmm, not bad at all. Ning’an, your cooking skills have improved quite a bit,” he praised her.

She thought back to how Fu Minglang, after receiving her handmade snacks in the past, didn’t appreciate them and would send them off to his colleagues instead. He truly hadn’t deserved her efforts.