The Princess and Her Rough-Rider Khan
Chapter 107 She’s too different between day and night (Second Shift)

Chapter 107: 107 She’s too different between day and night (Second Shift)

Li Xianyun couldn’t help but think of what Youlan and Zhuo Ma had said.

When Yelu Yan carried her back from the edge of Qingyan Pool last time, she clung to Yelu Yan and refused to let go, insisting he couldn’t leave.

It was utterly embarrassing.

So Li Xianyun was unwilling to go out with Yelu Yan in the evening.

She feared that she would once again be unable to restrain herself from taking advantage of him, imposing on him.

Li Xianyun said, "I’d rather not lie down after all."

"That’s fine, lie down after the meal," Yelu Yan said, gazing at her.

Li Xianyun uttered a sound of agreement, glanced at him, then averted her gaze.

It seemed there was nothing left for them to say.

Yelu Yan still remembered how she acted like a little demoness the night before, hugging him and asking for kisses, bold and seductive, while now she was so tranquil and distant.

The difference between her daytime and nighttime selves was too vast, rising and falling, wearing on him, tantalizing him.

Worried that Li Xianyun might be uncomfortable, Yelu Yan glanced at her, stood up, and said, "Khan will step out first."

"All right."

No sooner had Yelu Yan left the inner room than Youlan came in.

Seeing Li Xianyun’s uneasy expression, Youlan asked, "My lady, how are you feeling now?"

"Much better."

As Li Xianyun spoke, she got out of bed to put on her shoes and went to the dressing table to tidy up her hair.

Her complexion was a little pale, so she applied some rouge and powder, which made her look much fresher and more spirited.

Leaving the inner chamber, a maid at the door bowed and said, "The Khan awaits the princess in the main hall for the meal."

Li Xianyun responded and, accompanied by Youlan, headed for the main hall.

Just as she approached the main hall, Li Xianyun smelled the delicious scent of food.

Yelu Yan sat in the place of honor, deep in thought about something.

His expression was solemn, an icy aura surrounding him.

The attending maids stood by, not daring to even breathe too loudly.

Upon hearing the noise, Yelu Yan composed his expression, turned his head to look at Li Xianyun, and curved his lips, saying, "Sit down and eat."

As he spoke, he moved the chair next to him aside.

The Khan was incredibly tender to the princess, so tender that the maids could hardly believe their eyes.

Just now, the Khan had been so cold, yet now he was so gentle and considerate.

Indeed, the Khan’s affection for the princess was extraordinary.

Li Xianyun uttered an agreement and obediently sat down beside him.

She remembered the first time she ate with Yelu Yan; she had actually wanted to sit across from him, but Yelu Yan moved the chair beside him, urging her to sit there.

From then on, whenever she ate with Yelu Yan, she always sat beside him.

The two of them were very close.

In front of Li Xianyun was a bowl of white rice porridge.

The Chief of the kitchen knew she liked to drink porridge, so he prepared some for every meal, whether white rice porridge, millet porridge, or mixed grain porridge.

Li Xianyun picked up the bright, shiny spoon from the bowl and scooped a spoonful of porridge, taking a small sip. She then looked at Yelu Yan and said, "Khan, the Ice Porridge Shop opens tomorrow, and I wish to go have a look, and at the same time deliver some pastries over."

Yelu Yan gazed at her small face with his deep, tiger-like eyes, and his thin lips parted slightly to say, "Aren’t you suffering from a sore back? Don’t go out, rest well in the palace."

"I’m all right now," Li Xianyun assured him.

Her eyes, like autumn waters, were full of anticipation.

Yelu Yan ultimately couldn’t bear to refuse her, saying, "All right."

He paused for a moment, then asked, "When are you planning to leave?"

"The Ice Porridge Shop opens early tomorrow, so I thought to leave early in the morning."

"Be safe."

Yelu Yan said, and picked up his chopsticks to place a piece of meat onto her plate, saying, "You can’t just eat vegetables, you need to eat some meat as well, it’s good for your health."

"Uh-huh."

Li Xianyun said as she picked up the meat from her plate and chewed it in her mouth.

The Chief of the imperial kitchen followed Li Xianyun’s instructions, first braising the beef in the pot until it was browned, then pouring in water and simmering it on low heat until the meat was tender, flavorful, and not at all greasy.

After the meal, Yelu Yan instructed Li Xianyun to rest more and then took Jinwu with him to the Hall of Diligent Governance to deal with official matters.

Li Xianyun promised to do so, but as soon as Yelu Yan left, she went to the kitchen with Youlan.

Youlan said with some worry, "My lady, if you act contrary to the Khan’s orders like this, he might blame you."

Li Xianyun smiled at her and said, "If the Khan finds out, it will be because you told him, and then..."

She threatened her again with withholding food.

Youlan had no choice but to say, "This servant won’t speak of it. But there are so many people in the Khan Palace, so many eyes, the Khan would know as soon as he asks."

Li Xianyun pulled at a smile and said, "We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it."

As she spoke, she went straight to the wooden tub where the mung beans had already been soaking until they were plump, round, and tightly packed together.

Li Xianyun instructed the kitchen maid to add enough water to the pot, put in a bamboo steamer, laid a white steaming cloth, and covered it with a lid to boil the water.

She herself helped the kitchen maid scoop out the mung beans, draining them handful by handful, and placing them into a wooden basin.

Once the water boiled, Li Xianyun steamed the drained mung beans for a stick of incense, then smashed them into a paste, stir-fried them in a double boiler with powdered sugar and mint powder, and evenly mixed them before taking it off the stove.

After cooling, she put them into molds, and finally placed the molded mung bean cakes onto ice to chill them.

The cool mung bean cakes were now ready.

About an hour and a half later, seeing that the kitchen maids could make mung bean cakes on their own, Li Xianyun went to work on the control mechanism of the Zhuge Wuhou carriages.

She had Youlan and Zhuo Ma bring some mung bean cakes and follow her to the open space in front of the main building.

The Palace Servants had already assembled the simpler parts and were cleaning up sawdust and discarded wood.

Seeing Li Xianyun coming, everyone hurriedly bent their arms in salute.

Li Xianyun smiled and said, "Have something to eat and take a break."

The Palace Servants had already noticed the trays that Youlan and Zhuo Ma were carrying, filled with good-looking green pastries.

Hearing Li Xianyun saying this, they were delighted and thanked her for her grace.

Youlan and Zhuo Ma distributed a pastry to each of them.

The Palace Servants had never tasted such delicious confections before, and they were all praise.

Li Xianyun sat smiling on a small stool working on the control mechanism, and said with a laugh, "If you like them, I’ll make more for you in the future."

The Palace Servants said with a smile, "Thank you, Princess Consort."

They say it’s difficult until it’s not, and it’s not hard once it’s known.

Li Xianyun spent only half an hour to finish the control mechanism.

She assembled the wheelchair, and it was both attractive and practical, earning everyone’s admiration.

Li Xianyun tested the Zhuge Wuhou carriages several times, found no issues, and then had Bater take them with Palace Servants to Xiao Dilu.

Li Xianyun looked up to see the sky growing dark, realizing that there would be no time to draw the Acupoint Map that day, so she decided to wait until she had free time to do it.

There was much she wanted to do; although slightly tired, she felt particularly settled and content, and especially fulfilled.

This was the simple life she had longed for in her dreams.

Inside the Hall of Diligent Governance, Yelu Yan sat in front of the expansive desk, leaning against the broad back of his chair, motionless, staring blankly ahead.

His eyebrows furrowed coldly, clearly troubled by what was on his mind.