Su Nuan replied genuinely, "I'll watch over you while you sleep. You might turn in your sleep. I'll readjust you so you don't pressure your wound."
Feng Junyi's heart softened again because of this little girl. He didn't say anything but closed his eyes and pretended to sleep.
Su Nuan looked at Feng Junyi's beautiful eyes, and her heart thumped.
I've gone through so much trouble to gain his favor. He probably won't want to kill me again, right?
She continued to watch over him until she felt a little tired. In the end, she leaned against the bed and grabbed Feng Junyi's arm with her hand, and fell asleep.
…
Ci'an Palace.
A palace maid served tea. Regent Liu Boyun held a cup and savored the tea carefully. His long and narrow eyes narrowed slightly. After a moment, he said, "The Yun Nation heard about the Emperor's concubine selection and is preparing to send two more beautiful women. It seems the Second Prince provided them with a lot of information when he returned this time."
The Empress Dowager smiled. "What's there to be afraid of? The Empress is just a young girl. She can eat and drink all she wants. I'll take in all the beautiful women."
Liu Boyun seemed to agree with her.
The Empress Dowager continued, "Yun Nation has always sought peace after their loss in the war, but a starving camel is still bigger than a horse. We still can't let our guard down. However, His Majesty…
"His Majesty has become more and more ruthless in recent years. He has assumed the reins of government for half a year, and his infamy has spread to several other nations. I don't know what he is thinking. Now, he wants to build some Ah Nuan Palace and city walls. Isn't this… destroying the Great Shang Nation?"
The Empress Dowager felt her head begin to throb at the thought of what her son had done.
Liu Boyun also frowned deeply. He said bluntly, "The Emperor can build a temporary imperial palace if he wants to. Just let him do as he wishes. Otherwise, who knows how many more people will be beheaded. He has only assumed the reins of government for less than a year, but the court has become unstable. It's best if he doesn't cause any more trouble."
At this point, Liu Boyun paused for a moment before continuing, "Ever since the Emperor found out about those things, his temperament has changed drastically. It's becoming harder and harder to understand him. If there's really no other way, I think the Third Prince…"
After Liu Boyun finished speaking, the Empress Dowager's eyes turned a little cold. She frowned. "Boyun, what are you trying to say? No matter what happens, Yi'er is still my biological son. The others cannot compare. I've heard you've been visiting Consort Xiao's place recently. What did she say to you?"
There was a hint of panic in Liu Boyun's tense face. "Wan'er, don't think about it too much. You know you're the only one in my heart."
The Empress Dowager finally softened her expression a little. She said, "Continue to have your people keep an eye on Consort Xiao. That woman is vicious and merciless. I have a feeling that she has been planning something secretly for the past few years."
"Yes."
…
Su Nuan woke up groggily and saw that she was drooling all over Feng Junyi's arm.
She glanced at Feng Junyi and saw that he was still asleep. She quickly wiped away the saliva on his arm.
She was about to pretend to be asleep when she saw Feng Junyi staring at her.
She immediately put on a cute expression and said, "Big Brother Emperor, you're awake?"
Feng Junyi harrumphed coldly in response. "Eunuch Wang," he called out.
Eunuch Wang hurriedly came in and knelt. "Yes, Your Majesty."
Feng Junyi lifted the blanket and asked, "What time is it?"
Eunuch Wang hurriedly said, "It is already eight o'clock. I will serve you dinner."
Feng Junyi didn't expect to sleep for six hours.
He would usually wake up in less than 15 minutes, but he slept soundly with this little girl by his side.
He was in a better mood inexplicably, so he waved his hand and said, "Go ahead."
Dinner was served in Fengqi Palace because the Emperor was here.
Dozens of eunuchs carried dozens of red-lacquered boxes painted with golden dragons.
When they arrived at the entrance, the eunuchs at the door brought the dishes in and placed them in the warm room.
Dozens of dishes were laid out on the big table in Fengqi Palace: mushroom chicken, braised duck, shredded chicken, braised pork belly, stewed cabbage with sliced meat, braised mutton, stewed mutton with spinach and tofu, cherry meat, stewed donkey meat with cabbage, duck meat with sea cucumber, glutinous rice with diced duck meat, roasted mushroom, fried spring rolls, smoked pig knuckle, braised tofu, smoked bean curd strips with vegetables, stir-fried cabbage, and so on.
On top of that, there were various desserts, rice, porridge, and fruits.
When Su Nuan saw this, she could not help but smack her lips.
She was dazzled by all the delicious dishes.
Compared to the twenty or thirty dishes she ate every time, she was envious.
However, when she looked at Feng Junyi again, his expression was calm.
She moved closer to Feng Junyi and asked, "Your Majesty, are you having dinner with me tonight?"
Su Nuan was very well-behaved because she wanted to eat his food.
Feng Junyi had long seen through Su Nuan's intentions. Her eyes were sparkling, and she had been staring at the dishes without blinking when the eunuchs were delivering the dishes earlier.
"Sure. The Empress will serve me my meal today." He replied indifferently.
Su Nuan sat down next to Feng Junyi. After Eunuch Wang had prepared the utensils, she picked up a piece of duck meat with her chopsticks and stuffed it into her mouth.
???
Su Nuan noticed his perplexed reaction and said, "Don't be anxious, Your Majesty. I'm testing if this dish is poisoned. Wait for me to try it to make sure it's safe to eat."
Haven't the dishes been tested by professional eunuchs already?
However, he watched as Su Nuan picked up another piece of braised pork and stuffed it into her mouth.
Su Nuan admitted that the Imperial chefs were really good at cooking.
Just like that, Su Nuan tried all the dishes that she liked. Feng Junyi watched with interest as the little girl ate with her cheeks puffed up. He pointed at the stir-fried cabbage and asked, "Why don't you try this?"
Su Nuan did not like vegetable dishes. "Oh, I can already tell that this dish is not poisonous," she replied without looking at it.
Feng Junyi asked again, "If you're only testing for poison, why are you still eating?"
Su Nuan looked at the duck meat dish that she had eaten so much of. "Well, I was afraid that some of the poison would act slowly, so I ate a little more. Why don't you try this first, Your Majesty?"
Su Nuan was finally willing to serve a piece of duck meat to Feng Junyi with the chopsticks.
She was full from "testing for poison."
She was now focused on serving Feng Junyi. For every dish that Su Nuan thought tasted good, she would serve the dish to him using the chopsticks three times according to the rules. After eating, she served him a bowl of porridge. Dinner finally ended after a rinse of his mouth.
The eunuchs quickly cleared the table. Feng Junyi stood up and grabbed her hand. "Come with me to the Imperial study."