After Bai Su coaxed Duan Changchuan to eat, she sat with him in the study to review memorials.

The March wind was still soft, and there was a small charcoal stove in the room, warming them up.

Bai Su casually found a book and flipped through it while sitting on the couch.

As an S-level Alpha, her mental power was very strong, and she could remember everything she saw. Therefore, even though she had only learned to read for less than a month, she could already understand ordinary books.

As she read, she heard a soft breath in the room.

She looked up and found that the young man who was seriously reviewing memorials at the table had fallen asleep at some point.

Even if he was asleep, he was still holding his weasel hair brush.

Bai Su quietly went over, thought for a moment, and directly took off her clothes and put them on him.

The Omega smelled his Alpha’s pheromone, sniffed slightly, and consciously shrank into the clothes.

She couldn’t help but laugh, When awake, he’s awkward and doubled-face, but he’s very honest when he’s asleep.

She carefully took the brush from the young man’s hand and looked down to see the child’s handwriting on the memorials, written:

“This official, county magistrate Jiangyan, greets Your Majesty.

In the cold spring of February, Your Majesty, remember to add more clothes.”

Duan Changchuan’s comments:

“It’s already March in Shengjing. I am good, thank you for your concern.”

She thought that this conversation was purely coincidental, or perhaps Duan Changchuan was just familiar with this person.

She turned her head and glanced at the memorials that the young man was reviewing. Unexpectedly, he could pick out five or six out of ten memorials.

“Your Majesty, nothing has happened in Jiangxi recently. Is Your Majesty well?”

“I am very well.”

“Your Majesty, in Jiangnan in February, clusters of peach blossoms have bloomed. This flower is presented to Your Majesty. May Your Majesty and the world be at peace.”

“My beloved minister is considerate. I and the world will be at peace.”

The people who greeted him were very respectful, and the children who were new to politics also answered them seriously.

Bai Su tidied up the answered memorials and looked down at her Omega, who was hiding in her clothes and only revealed half of his face …

She couldn’t help but secretly kiss the child’s ear.

After kissing, she couldn’t help but laugh, she’s already married twice and has done everything she should do, yet she still wants to play such a pure game of stealing a kiss.

–

When Duan Changchuan woke up, he was lying in bed.

Her body was covered with a thick blanket, and it was warm. His entire body was filled with the fragrance of Bai Su’s peony.

When he lifted the blanket, he realized that he was still covered by Bai Su’s clothes.

In hindsight, he realized that his nose had been buried in someone else’s clothes while sleeping, and he was smelling someone else’s scent.

He recalled what Bai Su had told him. Sniffing pheromones was something that only intimate people would do …

He quickly took the clothes away with a red face.

As dusk approached, the room was already somewhat dim, but the palace servants had yet to light the lamps.

The surroundings were quiet and no one could be seen.

“Chang Le?” He shouted outside.

The person guarding the door immediately answered and came in. “Your Majesty, this servant is here. You’re awake.”

Duan Changchuan blinked his eyes and stretched a little, responded with “En”, and asked, “How did I get on the bed?”

He clearly remembered that he had unknowingly fallen asleep while he was reviewing the memorials.

How did he wake up in bed? Could it be that Changle carried him here?

Then he was sleeping too soundly …

Unexpectedly, Changle directly said, “This servant doesn’t know. This servant has been outside the door the whole time. There was only the Empress in the room … Didn’t you sleep on the bed by yourself?”

Duan Changchuan: …?

Chang Le too: ?

The master and servant looked at each other in confusion for a long time.

Finally, Duan Changchuan gave up and waved his hand, “Forget it. Maybe I was sleepy and got on the bed by myself …”

Otherwise, there was no other explanation.

It couldn’t be that Bai Su carried him to the bed.

Speaking of Bai Su, he couldn’t help but ask, “Where did the Empress go?”

“The Empress went to the Imperial Kitchen. She said that she wanted to discuss cooking with the imperial chef. She left in the afternoon. She has been gone for more than two hours and hasn’t come back.”

“She knows how to cook …?”

After asking, Duan Changchuan suddenly realized that Bai Su grew up in the side room. No one cared about her even when she was sick. How could anyone care about her food? She must have learned to cook slowly by herself.

It was because the usual Bai Su gave him the feeling that she was too powerful that he always forgot about her past.

Thinking of this, the youth put on his clothes and got out of bed, saying, “I’ll go and take a look.”

Chang Le habitually replied, “Ei …”

After responding, he realized that his master was going to the kitchen. He widened his eyes in shock. “Your Majesty, you are precious. How can you go to such a place?”

Unfortunately, the person in bright yellow had already left.

“No matter how precious I am, I’m still a mortal who eats grains. Why can’t I go to a place where the food was cooked?”

“Your Majesty, but everyone says that a gentleman should stay away from the kitchen …”

The young man’s lips curled up slightly, “Who says that what everyone says is right? I still think that the ruler of a country should go around and see all the dirty things in the world.”

“Besides, isn’t it just cooking? Food is the most important thing to the people. How can a place that is more important than the sky be filthy? Also, why are men so precious and not allowed to enter a place where weaker women can enter? I want to go and take a look.”

–

The imperial kitchen was very big. Usually, the meals for the masters of the various palaces came from here. The food was simmered in real time. If any master was suddenly hungry, they could send someone to get it.

The stove in the room was blazing. As soon as they entered, the heat hit their faces. The air was filled with the fragrance of food.

The young man couldn’t help but swallow his saliva … It was quite fragrant. More fragrant than anything he had eaten recently.

“Your Majesty? These servants greet Your Majesty.”

The head chef and helpers in the room, as well as the palace maids and servants who came to get the food, hurriedly knelt when they saw the emperor coming.

Thus, Duan Changchuan easily saw Bai Su in the innermost part of the room. She was dressed in gray and her long hair was tied up.

Coincidentally, that person heard the sound and turned her head. Her dark eyes were calm and the corners of her lips curled up slightly as she quietly looked at him.

The youth walked over in a reserved manner. His dark eyes secretly peeked into the casserole behind her. He said, “I heard from Chang Le that you were discussing cooking with the imperial chef, so I came to take a look.”

The two of them were in full view of everyone. Bai Su withdrew her usual vigor and respectfully bent her knees. She pointed at the casserole behind her for him to see, “I asked the imperial chef for some rice wine and malt sugar. I want to try stewing it with a piece of duck.”

As she spoke, she lifted the lid of the casserole for him to see.

Immediately, the aroma of the meat filled the air, mixed with the smell of spices and other spices. Just a whiff of it was enough to whet one’s appetite.

Duan Changchuan followed her and looked into the pot. He saw small bubbles bubbling in the pot.

The soup was thick, and there was a light brown layer on the duck meat.

The more he looked at it, the more delicious it was. It was especially fragrant.

Bai Su curled her lips and said, “I just finished adding the salt. Would Your Majesty like to have a taste?”

Then, she took a pair of clean chopsticks and picked up a piece of duck meat from the pot. She held it with one hand and brought it to his lips.

Duan Changchuan’s food was always placed on a plate and placed on the table. He had never seen someone eat something directly from the pot.

His eyes widened in astonishment. “Can I … eat it directly?”

Chang Le hurriedly leaped over to stop her, “Your Highness, you mustn’t! His Majesty’s dishes have to be tasted by me before they can be eaten … ”

As a result, the woman blew on the duck meat and stuffed it into Duan Changchuan’s mouth before Chang Le could react, “Hurry up and eat.”

The young man was caught off guard and stuffed it into his mouth, causing his cheeks to bulge.

His eyes were even wider than before.

“How is it?” Bai Su asked.

Duan Changchuan chewed noisily. Because it was hot, he couldn’t help but cover his mouth with his sleeve and exhale in small breaths.

He finally swallowed it and nodded, “It’s delicious.”

“Is it bland? I didn’t put much salt. This salt is different from the one I used before. I don’t know how much to put in.”

“It’s a little bland … but it’s okay.”

Bai Su took a spoon, poured about a quarter of the salt, and stirred it into the sauce.

“There’s no beer in Datong. If you ask around in the Western Region, you can always find barley wine. When there’s barley wine, I’ll make beer duck for you. For now, you can make do with this.”

The woman said as she stirred the pot.

Duan Changchuan looked at her and his eyes suddenly became a little sore.

In his impression, he had never seen such a scene … but he always felt that it was inexplicably familiar.

At this moment, he even felt that his life should be like this …

It had always been like this.

Unexpectedly, he stepped forward and gently wrapped his arms around the woman’s waist.

He sniffed softly and said, “Thank you. It’s already very delicious. I like it very much …”

His hand was gently held.

He realized that his action was a little too intimate and wanted to shrink back. But he was forcefully pulled forward. Both of his hands were grasped in the palm of that person’s hand.

“Be good.” She said.

–

Duan Changchuan ate the duck that he had been longing for. He was very satisfied for several days.

In the blink of an eye, it was the fifth of March.

The Spring Imperial Examinations that were held every few years would be held tomorrow.

On this day, the Regent and the Empress Dowager held a banquet in the palace. They invited the two people in charge of the Spring Imperial Examinations, the officials of the Ministry of Rites, and several examiners.

The banquet began in the evening. The officials and their wives, as well as the nobles, added together, there were dozens of people. They filled half the hall.

The Regent and Duan Changchuan said a few words such as “Everyone has worked hard” and “This Spring Imperial Examination relies on the officials”. The banquet began.

Duan Changchuan followed the physician’s advice these days. He ate light and healthy food. He stopped eating oily and spicy food. He didn’t touch a single drop of wine. He even began to reduce the amount of tea.

He was also very obedient in today’s banquet. Imperial Physician Fang was secretive about his illness and didn’t let anyone know. Therefore, the dishes in front of him were the same as the other officials. However, he picked what he could eat and didn’t cross the line.

After three rounds of wine, everyone ate and drank to their heart’s content, and began to chat.

The Empress Dowager praised the Regent with a smile, “The Prince Cheng has worked hard to organize the banquet and the imperial examination this time. Chuan’er hasn’t been feeling well these few days, and I don’t know much about state affairs. It’s all thanks to His Highness Prince Cheng handling that these things can be done so well.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Duan Changchuan put down his chopsticks with a “pa”.

What do you mean by His Highness Prince Cheng is in charge?

What do you mean by ‘single-handedly’?

For the sake of the imperial examination in the spring, her son had to go through the regulations again and again. Every day, he had to deal with the memorials until the end of the day.

In the end, it became that he was in “poor health” and could do nothing but rely on the Regent?

“The Empress Dowager is in the harem every day, and the furthest place she goes is the back garden. It’s normal that she doesn’t know about it. This concubine has been to Ming Sheng Hall a few times. His Majesty is diligent in his work every day. Even if he is unwell, he has never neglected his work.”

Then, she scooped a bowl of soup and pushed it over.

Her words made the Empress Dowager’s expression change.

The Emperor’s health was not good, but as the Empress Dowager, she was in the harem every day and had never visited him.

She clearly didn’t know anything, but she wanted to talk about state affairs, and what she said was wrong. She didn’t know anything, but she closed her eyes and flattered the Regent.

Bai Su’s words didn’t leave her face at all.

The woman in a high position had an awkward smile on her face. She stammered, “Is … is that so? It turns out that Your Majesty has worked so hard. Then … since my son and his uncle have worked hard, why don’t we all have a drink together?”

After speaking, she directly raised the cup in her hand, and said, “I don’t usually drink, but I’ll make an exception today. My son and Prince Cheng have worked hard. I’ll toast you uncle and nephew … Without the peace and prosperity that you both have governed, I wouldn’t be able to enjoy life in the harem every day.”

Then, without waiting for Duan Changchuan to agree or not, she directly clinked a cup with the Regent from afar and raised her head to drink.

After drinking, she turned the cup upside down and looked at Duan Changchuan quietly.

The meaning was very obvious, I’ve finished drinking. When will Your Majesty drink?

This way of handling things made both Bai Su and Duan Changchuan speechless, “…”

“I don’t usually drink, but I’ll make an exception today.”

She said it as if she was making a great sacrifice, completely ignoring Duan Changchuan who was taking medicine every day and couldn’t drink at all.

Seeing that the young man was so angry that his hands hidden in his sleeves were trembling, and his face began to turn pale …

Bai Su directly took the wine cup in front of him and raised her head to drink. Her actions were clean and neat.

“His Majesty is taking medicine. Imperial Physician Fang has warned that he can’t drink. I’ll drink this cup on behalf of His Majesty. When His Majesty’s body recovers in the future, he will make up for this cup of wine. How about it?”

Before the Regent spoke, the Empress Dowager was unhappy.

“Medicine is taken in the morning and evening. It happens that he hasn’t taken it this evening. It’s no problem to drink a cup of wine. In my opinion, my son doesn’t have any illness. Didn’t he compete with people on the cuju field two days ago? I heard that Imperial Physician Fang also warned him not to move too much. My son too, didn’t follow the doctor’s advice.”

“Oh, the Empress Dowager is really amazing. She can tell whether someone has an illness or not with just a glance. In the future, everyone won’t need to look for a doctor to see a doctor. Just let the Empress Dowager take a look.”

“You! Impudent, how dare you speak to me like this!”

The two of them quarreled with each other.

No one saw that the young man sitting in the middle had his hands clenched into fists. His lips were tightly pursed, and his lower lip turned blue from biting.

“Enough. It’s just a cup of wine. I’ll drink it.” He said.

He directly grabbed the wine pot in Changle’s hand and poured it into his mouth.

Then, he threw the completely empty wine pot to the ground with a bang.

“Is it enough this time?”