The Princess and Her Rough-Rider Khan
Chapter 111 The Princess is Very Appetizing (Second Update)

Chapter 111: 111 The Princess is Very Appetizing (Second Update)

The climate in Khitan is dry, with large temperature differences between day and night.

Just as the air began to cool, Yelu Yan gently draped a cloak over Li Xianyun’s shoulders and bent down to tie the straps for her.

The two were very close, their breaths mingling, it was unclear whose heartbeat was thrown into disarray.

Li Xianyun smiled and said, "Thank you."

Yelu Yan looked down at her delicate face, corners of his mouth rising, and said, "You and I are husband and wife, why the need for courtesy?"

Li Xianyun pursed her lips in a smile, the words were not wrong, a couple in name was still a couple.

The next morning, Li Xianyun, having matters to attend to, rose exceptionally early.

As soon as she stepped out of the main building, she saw Yelu Yan practicing his swordsmanship on the open ground in front of the door.

Yelu Yan was very disciplined and restrained, making it a daily routine to practice swordsmanship for an hour every early morning.

Seeing this, Li Xianyun couldn’t help but feel embarrassed about herself.

She needed to sleep her fill before getting up each day, which simply couldn’t compare to Yelu Yan’s diligence.

No wonder Yelu Yan’s martial skills were so advanced and unmatched.

This skill was accumulated bit by bit over time.

When Yelu Yan saw Li Xianyun come out, he stopped his swordplay, stood tall and, looking at her, asked, "Are you leaving already?"

She was dressed in a practical men’s outfit, her black hair pinned up, with clear eyebrows and handsome features resembling an orchid tree amidst jade, this getup must have captivated the hearts of countless married women.

Li Xianyun responded with a "hm."

Yelu Yan said, "Why not have breakfast before leaving? Not eating is bad for your health."

Li Xianyun glanced at Zhuo Ma and Youlan, then smiled, "I plan to take them to East Market to eat something."

Although the kitchen maids of Khan Palace had greatly improved their cooking, one should always try new flavors, shouldn’t they?

Yelu Yan said, "Alright then, take care."

It looked like he had no company for breakfast today.

"Understood."

As she spoke, Li Xianyun walked to the large chests at the bottom of the steps and began scrupulously checking the contents.

Having just woken up that morning, she had said to Zhuo Ma and Youlan, "Go check if the pastries are packed in the chests."

Zhuo Ma laughed, "Mistress, rest assured, the Chief already had someone pack the pastries early in the morning."

"Is the carriage ready?"

Youlan smiled, "The carriage is already waiting at the door."

Upon hearing this, Li Xianyun chuckled as she got up to dress and pack up.

Together, the date and mung bean cakes filled two large chests.

The date cakes needed to be slightly heated to make them softer and sweeter, while the mung bean cakes had to be placed on top of ice.

The kitchen Chief had done everything as Li Xianyun had instructed.

After checking everything, Li Xianyun looked at Yelu Yan, who was wiping his sword, and smiled, "Khan, I am leaving now."

Jinwu looked at his own Khan and couldn’t help but grumble inwardly:

His eyes hardly left the princess, the way he’s pretending to wipe his sword couldn’t be more obvious.

Yelu Yan sheathed his sword into its scabbard, those deep and profound tiger-like eyes gazing steadily at her, and said, "Come back early."

Bater looked at his own Khan and couldn’t help but think that the Khan seemed about to turn into a rock yearning for his wife, his tone carrying a tinge of pitifulness.

"Understood."

As Li Xianyun said this, she led her entourage through the successive arches without looking back.

A spacious carriage was already waiting in front of the tall gates of Khan Palace.

It was prepared by Bater according to Li Xianyun’s instructions.

Li Xianyun had the Palace Servants lift the two chests onto the luggage rack behind the carriage compartment and secure them tightly with ropes.

Then she, along with Zhuo Ma and Youlan, climbed into the carriage, with Bater as the coachman.

Just the four of them set out, which was sufficient; more would only bring trouble.

After a sweaty sword practice, Yelu Yan took a bath, then sat in the hall for his meal.

The meal was as sumptuous as ever, with a well-balanced mix of meat and vegetables, full of color and aroma, yet Yelu Yan ate with a palpable lack of interest.

He didn’t eat much and soon left for the morning court session, not forgetting to have the palace servants bring some pastries made by Li Xianyun to the Hall of Diligent Governance.

Every time Yelu Yan and Li Xianyun dined, in addition to the four maids, there was also the Chief of the Imperial Kitchen and a kitchen maid.

Watching Yelu Yan’s tall and handsome figure depart, the kitchen maid lamented with a gloomy face, "Did we prepare a bad meal today? The Khan hardly ate anything."

The Chief of the Imperial Kitchen glanced at her with a smile and said, "What do you know? It’s not that our cooking was bad; it’s because the empress was not accompanying him, which made the Khan uninterested, so he ate less."

The kitchen maid responded with understanding, "The empress not only cooks delicious food but also makes it more enjoyable to eat."

The Chief of the Imperial Kitchen, looking at the kitchen maid with disdain, said, "You really are hopelessly foolish."

As she spoke, she began to gather up the bowls and chopsticks with the other maids.

The kitchen maid was still in a state of confusion.

Li Xianyun and her entourage went straight to the Ice Porridge Shop in East Market.

As per Li Xianyun’s instructions, Nata and his wife had indeed made the Ice Porridge Shop look very grand for the opening.

At the entrance of the shop, flowers blossomed in abundance, and it was adorned with colorful lanterns and decorations, creating a festive and elegant atmosphere inside.

Nata, his wife, Ali, and four other women were bustling about inside the shop.

Li Xianyun stepped down from the carriage and walked straight into the shop.

Bater, Youlan, and Zhuo Ma together unloaded two chests from the carriage.

Nata was busily arranging the flowers on the tables.

Hearing the sound of someone approaching, without looking up, he said, "Dear guests, the shop has not yet opened for business; please wait a moment."

In reality, he had already rearranged the flowers on the table several times.

With the grand opening of the Ice Porridge Shop today, the couple had been so nervous the night before that they could hardly sleep.

They were afraid they would not do well and disappoint Li Xianyun.

As the day was just beginning to dawn, the couple, along with their helpers, had come to prepare the shop.

The grand display at the entrance attracted quite a number of inquisitive people.

Nata had turned them all away with the same response.

The bystanders, upon hearing this, left as well.

But the person who had come this time clearly did not take the hint.

Seeing no reaction from the visitor, Nata lifted his head to look.

Then he saw Li Xianyun standing at the entrance, smiling at him.

Nata quickly stood up and said with a smile, "Young Master, you’ve arrived!"

His voice was loud enough to attract the attention of everyone busy inside the shop.

They all came over, smiling and gathering around.

Li Xianyun looked at Nata and his wife and said with a smile, "Bater told you about everything yesterday, right?"

Nata’s wife, smiling, replied, "Yes, yes, he said that you would bring some pastries to sell early in the morning and also told us the prices."

Li Xianyun instructed them to bring the chests inside, placed them in the inner room, and arranged a few plates of the pastries on display so that they were immediately visible to the customers.

Everyone began to bustle about methodically according to Li Xianyun’s instructions.

Li Xianyun called over Ali and asked with a smile, "Are you adapting well to working here at the Ice Porridge Shop?"

Ali responded with a smile, "Yes, I’m adapting well, everyone here has been very kind to me."

At the tavern, the shopkeeper never treated them as human, resorting to beating and scolding them at worst, and shouting at them at the least.

Nata and his wife were both from humble origins like him and were very easy-going.

They got along harmoniously.

Li Xianyun encouraged, "Work hard."

"Thank you, Young Master."

After inspecting the place and seeing that there were no issues, Li Xianyun rolled up her sleeves and started to help, and naturally, Bater, Youlan, and Zhuo Ma couldn’t stand idly by either.

With the help of these four, the work was completed quickly.