Palace Fighting Naive Concubines’ Ascent to Power
Chapter 155: Sudden Confession

Chapter 155: Chapter 155: Sudden Confession

During those days they were apart, he suffered terribly, eating poorly and sleeping poorly, feeling uncomfortable everywhere, with no appetite every day. The meals from the Imperial Kitchen were flamboyant, designed merely to look good on the table, but they never considered whether such combinations were cloying or appetizing.

At that time, he instructed them to prepare meals according to how they were done at Canglan Court, yet he found that the same dishes turned out utterly different. They randomly chose what to cook and what combinations to make, just piling everything up haphazardly, resulting in a complete lack of appetite.

Only then did he realize how attentive Little Concubine was, considering his tastes in every meal and even taking the weather into account.

Lian Hua couldn’t help feeling embarrassed, as His Majesty made it seem as though she had done many significant deeds. Oh dear, she was feeling shy.

She couldn’t help but smile, burying her head in the Emperor’s chest, her ears turning red.

The Emperor pinched her earlobes, chuckling softly and caressing her hair, his heart filled with contentment.

Lian Hua lifted her head, her face flushed, and said, "Your Majesty, how about I fish for you again tomorrow to make it up to you? This time I promise it will be just for you, surely you’ll be able to enjoy it." Having said that, she looked at His Majesty expectantly.

The corners of the Emperor’s eyes twitched, terrified of what he had just mentioned; he should never have brought up fish, which distressed his Little Concubine, and now it distressed him too!

He thought about his words while still maintaining a warm, spring-like smile on his face, gently asking, "What made you think of fishing for me today?"

Although he already knew, he still had to bring it up again; it was part of a strategic, roundabout tactic.

At this, Lian Hua became excited; she animatedly said, "Master, you had Chief Steward Zhang exchange a Gold Hairpin for some Ingots for me, got so many Ingots, hahaha, Five Hundred Taels of gold..."

She hadn’t finished speaking when she burst out laughing, unable to control her urge to throw her hands on her hips and laugh out loud whenever she thought of Gold Ingots.

The Emperor felt helpless but indulgently pinched her cheek, letting her laugh.

This little miser, always precisely counting her Silver, could calculate so accurately that she would forget herself. This time too, just granting her some Ingots made her this happy; she was easy to satisfy.

Lian Hua laughed for a while, then realizing she was straying off topic, cleared her throat and said seriously, "So, I wanted to repay you. Clay figurines wouldn’t be to your liking, and I don’t know many things, so after thinking it over, since you love eating fish, I thought I’d cook some for you. The fish in the Imperial Kitchen isn’t as delicious as those from Huaqing Pool, so that’s why."

The Emperor was somewhat speechless. This little miser only grasped a tiny bit of his preferences; if clay figurines were made like her, he would immensely like them. As for fish, he had enjoyed a few more bites when she made them tasty, which she remembered and concluded he loved eating fish, well, that was barely acceptable.

The Emperor thought for a moment, somewhat insincerely admitting, "About the fish, I don’t really love it much, so no need to fish for it. Besides, with Nanny Qi here, who is very particular about etiquette and rules, if you went fishing, I’m afraid your servants would be punished even before leaving the house."

"Is that so~" Lian Hua scratched her head. She had always thought His Majesty loved eating fish. In that case, she wouldn’t fish, but then the question arose, "What should I give to you, then?"

The Emperor patted her head, indulgently saying, "Anything you give is fine as long as it doesn’t tire out my Nannan."

The smile in Lian Hua’s eyes sparkled like stars, her heart sweetened. Suppressing her shyness, she supported herself on the Emperor’s arm, slowly inching closer to his face and gently kissed his cheek.

The Emperor watched her face slowly approach, his heartbeat quickening, holding his breath, as if afraid to startle his Fairy Lian Hua, dared not move, watching her draw near until he could clearly see her adorable eyelashes, as her lips gently pressed against his cheek.

As she was about to leave, the Emperor could no longer restrain himself and cupped her face, kissing her sweet cherry lips.

The couple kissed for a long while, and when they parted, Lian Hua’s face was flushed with color. She dared not look into the Emperor’s eyes, only eating in silence. Occasionally, when she tasted something delicious, she couldn’t help but quietly urge him to try it too.

The Emperor chuckled softly. His Little Concubine was blushing again, her cheeks as red as if they were painted with rouge, which he found very attractive.

He had always known she was extremely shy about matters between men and women, but the fact that she could overcome her shyness to kiss him a second time made him feel very happy. His heart felt warm and sweet, being someone who never hesitated to express her feelings. If it weren’t for... he really would have loved to devour her completely.

Speaking of which, the Emperor felt both pain and pleasure. Holding his Little Concubine in bed every night felt like igniting a fire, but since she was carrying his child and was still in the early months of pregnancy, there wasn’t much they could do. Holding her while sleeping always required self-control, which was very uncomfortable.

But his heart was full, holding his Little Concubine felt like having everything, no longer facing sleepless lonely nights.

After dinner, the couple took their baths, as usual, Lian Hua first and the Emperor afterwards.

When the Emperor returned, he saw his Little Concubine at the vanity table working on something. He approached and saw it was a piece of green fabric she was cutting.

"What are you doing?"

Lian Hua looked up to see it was His Majesty. She thought about covering the fabric to hide it but then decided against it, as the work wasn’t finished yet—it was not even clear what it might turn into.

She said somewhat sheepishly, "I was thinking of making a sachet for you, my Lord. Once it’s finished, I’ll ask Charcoal Head to prepare some medicinal herbs that refresh the mind, so you can use it during court sessions or when reviewing documents to relieve fatigue and refresh your spirit."

The Emperor was somewhat surprised. His Little Concubine was sewing again, this time a sachet. A woman gifting a sachet to a man symbolized offering one’s affection, he mused. He hadn’t expected that his Little Concubine had come to understand such nuances, which was quite remarkable.

He felt a stir of excitement in his heart and couldn’t help but ask, "What made you think of making a sachet?"

Lian Hua bit her lip, speaking softly, "You don’t like fish, do you? I couldn’t think of anything else to make up to you. I don’t know how to make much else, and sachets are simpler, so I thought of making one for you with energy-boosting herbs to make it practical."

So that was it. The Emperor felt a bit disappointed but appreciated the thought nonetheless.

Lian Hua continued, "I once read in storybooks that women often gift purses to the men they love. I wanted to make one initially, but a purse is too complicated for me to craft..."

After saying this, she hung her head, extremely embarrassed. Partly because of her shyness and partly because she felt awkward about her sewing skills in front of His Majesty.

The Emperor felt as if spring had blossomed in his heart, his emotions flaming.

He hadn’t misheard her, had he? His Little Concubine was expressing her affection, telling him that he was the man she loved.

With his heart pounding, he hugged her from behind and whispered in her ear, "Nannan, having you in my life is enough for me."

Lian Hua smiled shyly, leaning back lightly against the Emperor, entrusting her heart completely to her Majesty, leaving it in his care.