Chapter 71
Due to the intense activities from yesterday, Princess Changle wasn’t awakened even when the celestial envoy arrived to deliver the decree. Su Li had come and gone, yet Changle continued to sleep soundly, her small mouth slightly agape, a glistening strand of saliva flowing down her neck.
They slept for a while longer, and Su Li felt rejuvenated. Princess Changle also woke up and got ready alongside Su Li, helping each other freshen up.
When they stepped out, a female officer smiled, saying, “Princess, Consort, the meals are ready and hot. Would you like to have your meal?”
Su Li nodded in agreement.
Yesterday, while enjoying the barbecue, he had given some of the seasonings to the chefs in the princess’s mansion and explained the specific purposes of the seasonings.
Cooking was better left to the professionals. Su Li’s culinary skills largely depended on the seasoning’s advantages, while the chefs in the princess’s mansion were experts in their field. With modern technology’s assistance and expertise, their prepared meals would surely be more delicious than Su Li could produce.
“Sure…”
Changle blushed a bit as the female officer smiled at her. She felt a bit embarrassed. Although they had gone through quite an ordeal yesterday, Changle’s attributes had been greatly enhanced, and her body was far from ordinary. With the potential lingering effects of the Bodhi Fruit’s medicinal power, she woke up feeling at ease and without any major issues.
As Su Li and Changle knelt at the low table, a series of dishes were brought out one after another.
“Why is it so lavish?” Su Li expressed her surprise.
Changle had never been fond of extravagance, so usually, they only had four dishes and one soup for a meal. So, having over a dozen dishes at once was unexpected, and Su Li and Changle couldn’t finish them all.
“The Consort provided the seasoning to the kitchen, and the chefs were eager to try it. As a result, they prepared a bit more.” The female officer explained.
“I see…” Su Li understood the situation. It made sense, as these professional chefs were presented with something that could elevate their dishes, so it was natural for them to experiment and produce more than usual.
“I’d like to visit the Imperial Gardens…”
As the couple ate and chatted, Su Li didn’t have any immediate tasks, nor did Princess Changle. They discussed how to spend their day together.
Princess Changle suggested visiting the Imperial Gardens. After all, she had been in a coma for four months and had not been active for a long time, let alone left the Princess’s Mansion. Now that she had suddenly woken up, she naturally wanted to explore and stroll.
“There are rare birds and exotic animals donated by various countries in the Imperial Gardens, and my husband has never seen them…” Princess Changle’s face was filled with excitement.
The Imperial Gardens were vast, encompassing not only expansive equestrian fields, forests, and summer palaces but also housing a collection of rare birds and exotic animals presented by various countries. These creatures were meticulously cared for within the gardens by dedicated caretakers.
Princess Changle’s excitement was palpable, as many rare birds and exotic animals were creatures that had never been seen in Datang. They were animals that most people would never have the chance to encounter.
But for Su Li…
What rare birds and exotic animals could he possibly have not seen before? It was essentially a royal exclusive zoo, after all.
Although he could confidently claim to have seen various animals, this outing was more about Su Li and Princess Changle’s first official date. Observing the animals was secondary.
Although Su Li and Princess Changle were well-matched, they hadn’t experienced the typical things that young couples would have. Even though they were legally husband and wife, their situation was unique. This outing made up for experiences they hadn’t shared before, and Su Li readily agreed.
Whether or not he had seen these animals before didn’t matter. What mattered was that he hadn’t seen them with Princess Changle.
Moreover, the Imperial Gardens offered more than just rare birds and exotic animals. Beautiful landscapes and serene hot spring palaces also served as the Emperor’s private retreat for relaxation.
Su Li had led a simple life as an ordinary peasant and had never visited the Royal Imperial Gardens, so he had no idea how they looked.
As they chatted and ate, a cheerful voice interrupted their meal—a milky voice.
“Princess Changle, I’m here to see you!” Outside the room, a sweet and innocent child’s voice chimed in. Su Li turned his head to find a little girl with outstretched arms and energetic legs, a childish braid bobbing atop her head. A few flustered maids struggled to keep up with her.
Princess Changle’s face lit up at the sound. She quickly rose from her desk and rushed outside, embracing the little girl and ruffling her hair.
“Didn’t I tell you before not to run around like this? What if you get hurt?” Changle scolded gently, eyeing the young girl before her.
The young girl was Princess Jinyang Li Mingda, the younger sister of Princess Changle, born to the same parents. She was also the youngest daughter of Li Er. Li Er especially cherished her, even more than her older sister, Changle.
She was the only child in history who the emperor personally raised. Princess Changle held a deep affection for her youngest sibling as the eldest sister despite the ten-year age gap.
“I missed you sister so much!” The little Princess hugged Princess Changle tightly.
“You finally woke up, sister!” Little Princess looked up after a prolonged hug, her eyes brimming with tears.
This wasn’t the first time Su Li had seen Princess Jinyang. The young princess had visited the palace several times with the Empress.
Initially, they didn’t tell Little Princess about Princess Changle’s coma. However, Little Princess eventually sensed something was amiss and, missing her beloved sister, demanded to see her. The Empress, unable to refuse, brought her to the palace.
The first time Little Princess cried inconsolably, Su Li comforted her, explaining that Princess Changle could hear her voice and would be sad if she cried so much.
Surprisingly, Little Princess stopped crying and even began sharing amusing stories with Princess Changle to cheer her up. Little Princess demonstrated remarkable maturity despite her age, especially in her protective nature towards those close to her.
Although Su Li disliked misbehaving children, he found Little Princess’s innocence, kindness, and charm endearing.
“Why did you come by yourself?” Princess Changle asked, squatting down to her level.
“I fell asleep yesterday, and Mother didn’t bring me…” Little Princess explained.
“And I didn’t come alone. I have people behind me,” she added, pointing to the attendants following her.
“It’s okay. You’re not going far. But you shouldn’t run around like this in the future,” Changle advised, wrinkling her brow.
“Little Princess has a slight respiratory ailment. It’s not severe, but running like this might affect her breathing,” Changle explained.
Princess Jinyang, like Princess Changle, inherited Empress Zhangsun’s asthma. However, Princess Jinyang’s asthma was milder than her sister’s, barely showing any symptoms. It was discovered during a medical examination.
“Got it…” Little Princess nodded earnestly, then turned her gaze to Su Li with a smile in her eyes.
“Jinyang, meet my husband!”Changle said and introduced Su Li to her.
Little Princess mimicked a courteous bow to Su Li.
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