"Is my beloved concubine really afraid?" Yan Xiu felt a tinge of anger.
A few days ago, she was mistaken for an assassin by the guards when climbing the palace wall and hurt her ankle. Today, she’s causing a commotion in the kitchen. He doesn’t care about the kitchen, but seeing Yu’er in such disarray makes him quite upset.
Can’t she consider her own safety more?
"Your Majesty, of course I’m afraid. I’m very afraid of something happening and not being able to see you anymore."
Li Yuyu could sense Yan Xiu’s displeasure, so she raised her face pitifully and said.
"Really? I thought my beloved concubine didn’t want to see me."
"Heavens and earth, I swear!" Li Yuyu quickly stood up straight and raised her hand in an oath: "I miss Your Majesty so much. I came to the kitchen to make chicken soup for you because I wanted to see you. I just didn’t expect—boohoo—Your Majesty, do you blame me for ruining your Imperial Kitchen?"
After speaking, she first bowed her head, then slowly raised it, cautiously glancing at Yan Xiu.
Yan Xiu: ...
He helplessly raised his hand to rub his brow, pursing his lips slightly, but in the end, he didn’t say what was on his mind: How could the Imperial Kitchen be more important than you?
"If Your Majesty doesn’t speak, then you’re blaming me, so I’ll go with them to receive my punishment—sniffle—I’m the instigator, the main culprit, and surely deserve more punishment than the kitchen steward. Just... just give me twenty-five strikes!"
Li Yuyu spoke with reddened eyes, turning and taking small steps toward the kitchen staff.
Everyone: ???
Yan Xiu squinted, quickly realizing that Yu’er didn’t want him to punish the kitchen staff.
"Your Majesty!" Li Yuyu walked very slowly, thinking Yan Xiu would call her back. But when she was almost there and hadn’t heard Yan Xiu’s voice, she could only turn her head in frustration.
Ha!
Yan Xiu suddenly raised his voice: "What are you all still kneeling for? Didn’t you hear Lady Li is making soup for me?"
The kitchen staff looked up in confusion.
Zhao Shan was the first to react: "Yes, thank you for your great grace, Your Majesty! The chicken soup made by Lady Li is almost ready. I’ll go bring it at once."
"Come here." Yan Xiu stood still.
Li Yuyu blinked, then happily ran toward Yan Xiu.
"Your Majesty, you’re not angry anymore?" She tilted her head, her beautiful eyes curved in a smiling expression.
Yan Xiu didn’t answer, just took Li Yuyu’s hand and led her outside: "Bring the chicken soup."
Hua Yin was quick this time, responding with "Yes" as she got up from the ground, took the cooked chicken soup from Zhao Shan, and followed Yan Xiu and Li Yuyu with the food box.
"Your Majesty, where are we going?"
"To change your clothes."
"Eh?" Li Yuyu asked curiously, "Isn’t changing clothes done at Luaxin Pavilion? But we’re not heading in that direction."
"To Yangxin Hall."
Li Yuyu: ???
Changing clothes at Yangxin Hall? Does she have clothes there?
At Yangxin Hall, Yan Xiu directly led Li Yuyu to the back courtyard’s Hot Spring Pavilion.
"My beloved concubine, take a bath first. I’ve already had clothes sent here." Yan Xiu let go of Li Yuyu’s hand, allowing her to look around at his imperial bath.
"Your Majesty wants me to bathe here?" Li Yuyu stood before the large Imperial Pool, her lively willow leaf eyes wide with disbelief.
Yan Xiu raised an eyebrow: "Does my beloved concubine find my imperial bath too small? If you think it’s small, I can accompany you to the Hot Spring Pavilion."
Li Yuyu waved her hands repeatedly: "Not small, not small, Your Majesty, it’s very large here."
"What of mine is very large?" As he spoke, Yan Xiu took a few steps closer to Li Yuyu.
"Just... just Your Majesty’s... huh?" Li Yuyu’s words suddenly stopped.
Wait, something doesn’t seem quite right?