Cheng Simian sat upright and gracefully.
The Crown Prince, as always, sat majestically, calm and profound.
Little Anzi couldn't stop smiling.
They were truly a perfect match. How could they be so well - suited!
When the Crown Prince sat with Miss Wanchu, he never had this feeling.
The carriage all the way arrived at the Rong family's old residence.
Since they didn't inform in advance, the Rong family didn't know that the Crown Prince was personally sending their daughter home, so they didn't come out to greet them.
The two young servants guarding the main gate were shocked to see the Crown Prince's sedan chair. They hurriedly ran down the steps to pay their respects.
"Don't make a fuss. I'll be leaving now," the Crown Prince said.
The two young servants glanced at Cheng Simian, unsure whether they should open the main gate to welcome them.
Cheng Simian tilted her head slightly, observing the Crown Prince's expression.
His eyebrows were knitted together, and there was a faint "川" character on his forehead.
Obviously, he was still angry.
Cheng Simian thought that perhaps her "reasonable" advice had touched the Crown Prince's sore spot and made him feel that she had overstepped her bounds.
She wasn't really the Crown Princess, and those words persuading him to take more concubines shouldn't have come from her.
But the man in front of her was still angry, and she had to placate him.
If this anger remained, it wouldn't go away. What if one day, it was triggered by something else and exploded? It might lead to another unpleasant situation.
Cheng Simian didn't want to leave such a hidden danger. It would only bring trouble to herself.
People thought she was aloof and proud, but they didn't know that she could also be flexible.
After all, the Crown Prince had once been her weapon.
"Your Highness, it's about time for dinner. I can cook a few home - style dishes. I wonder if Your Highness would be interested in trying them?"
The Crown Prince's frowning eyebrows suddenly relaxed, and a faint smile flickered in his eyes.
There was a hint of surprise in his tone. "You can cook?"
In the Crown Prince's impression, Mianmian was like a fairy who didn't touch the mortal world. She could hold a pen, play the piano, and read books, but he just couldn't imagine her holding a spatula and a ladle.
Cheng Simian smiled gently. "I've just learned a little. I'm not very proficient. I thought Your Highness might want to try some fresh and home - style flavors after having so many delicacies."
The Crown Prince watched her red lips open and close. It seemed to have an irresistible charm.
This was the first time Mianmian had invited him to dinner.
He almost immediately agreed without hesitation.
"I really want to try them."
Cheng Simian ordered the young servant to open the main gate.
The Crown Prince held her wrist and shook his head with a smile. "It's getting late. Don't bother. This isn't an official visit. Let's just go through the side gate."
"You're the Crown Prince. How can you go through the side gate?"
Cheng Simian thought it was too impolite and insisted on opening the main gate.
The Crown Prince leaned over to her ear and said in a low, charming voice, "I'm not only the Crown Prince but also the son - in - law of your family. We're all family. Why should we pay so much attention to these formalities?"
Going through the main gate could show the majesty of the royal family, but it was too formal.
If Mianmian received him formally and everything was in order, what else could the world gossip about?
Going through the side gate would show that their relationship was closer and more informal.
Little Anzi's eyes lit up, and he quickly chimed in, "Miss Cheng, there's no need to worry. The Crown Prince is very approachable in private. If he still followed so many rules with you, it would seem too distant!"
This statement was reasonable on the surface.
The Crown Prince wanted to quickly cause a stir in public opinion and push forward the progress of the imperial edict of bestowing marriage.
The two entered the Rong family's old residence through the side gate.
When they reached the inner courtyard of the second gate, Mrs. Rong finally got the news and led a group of servants to greet them.
When she saw the Crown Prince, her eyelids twitched.
Mianmian's hand was actually held in the Crown Prince's palm.
Wasn't this a bit too intimate?
The Crown Prince didn't put on any airs and excused Mrs. Rong from paying respects.
"There are no outsiders here, Mrs. Rong. You don't need to be so polite."
Dinner was cooked by Cheng Simian herself.
There was beef stewed with radishes, scrambled eggs with black fungus, a cold dish of five - colored shreds, mushroom and meat porridge, and a cabbage and shrimp skin soup.
No rare ingredients were used, and there was no complicated cooking method, but the dishes smelled delicious.
The Crown Prince liked every dish.
He liked even more the earthly flavor that Cheng Simian exuded unconsciously.
At this moment, he forgot that he was the Crown Prince, second only to the emperor. He forgot that he was going to take over the whole world. He seemed to be an ordinary man who came home in the evening, and his beloved wife had cooked a meal for him.
The family sat around, laughing and talking. The atmosphere was warm.
The Crown Prince was afraid that Mrs. Rong and Mianmian would be too restrained to eat enough, so he deliberately ate slowly.
Because as soon as he put down his chopsticks, Mianmian and Mrs. Rong would follow suit.
He ate slowly and asked Mrs. Rong some daily trivia.
All the plates on the table were emptied.
Little Anzi was stunned. When did the Crown Prince's appetite become so good?
The Crown Prince put down his chopsticks, feeling relaxed and content.
Under the candlelight, Mianmian's outline was soft. The flickering orange light reduced her coldness and made her seem more approachable.
He stared at Cheng Simian, and Cheng Simian also looked at him intently.
Mrs. Rong said nothing and glanced at their faces several times.
Wasn't the marriage between the Crown Prince and Mianmian just a show?
But she always felt that the Crown Prince's feelings for Mianmian went beyond a transaction.
The Crown Prince ordered Little Anzi, "Have you taken out the things?"
Little Anzi quickly called the accompanying female official, who placed two brocade boxes on the table.
The Crown Prince opened the top one and presented it to Mrs. Rong.
"I'm here for the first time. The preparation was hasty. This is just a small gift. Please don't decline, madam."
In the brocade box was a ganoderma lucidum the size of a jade ruyi. Unlike the common reddish - brown ones, it was deep purple, with cloud - like patterns swirling and a faint fragrance.
Ganoderma lucidum was already rare, and purple ganoderma was a precious variety among them.
Purple ganoderma could replenish qi and blood, calm the nerves, and help with sleep. Eating it for a long time could keep one young.
It was the most suitable gift for an elder.
Cheng Simian stole a glance at the Crown Prince.
A small gift?
The purple ganoderma that was hard to buy with a thousand pieces of gold was just a small gift in the Crown Prince's mouth?
Mrs. Rong was born into a wealthy family. Even though she had seen many rare treasures, she was still shocked.
"This... Your Highness, this gift is too precious. I really can't accept it."
Such a rare purple ganoderma should be presented to the Empress Dowager.
But Cheng Simian was very brave. "Mother, just accept Your Highness's kindness."
In fact, she was helping the Crown Prince.
Sure enough, the Crown Prince's eyebrows relaxed, showing a hint of pleasure at their understanding.
He opened the second brocade box, and a delicate fragrance filled the room.
"Mianmian, this one is for you."
In the brocade box were two fist - sized pieces of peach gum, shiny and sweet - smelling.
"Your Highness, this..."
Cheng Simian couldn't remain calm either.
Peach gum wasn't particularly rare.
The preciousness of this gift was that it was only February. The peach trees hadn't even budded yet. The peach gum around the capital could only be collected in July or August.
In warm areas like Yunzhou in the south of the Yangtze River, peach gum could only be collected as early as May.
In this cold spring, the Crown Prince had obtained fresh peach gum. So these peach gums must have come from Yazhou, which was even further south than the south of the Yangtze River.
Such rare and out - of - season things must be tributes to the palace.
These peach gums should have been sent to the queen and favored concubines.
But the Crown Prince, in the tone of a "small gift," presented them to her, a daughter from a declining noble family.
What hasty preparation? He clearly came prepared.
The Crown Prince might not have expected her to invite him to dinner, but he had long planned to send her home and give her the gifts.
Whether the gift - giving was sincere or not, this effort was really touching.
Before today's banquet, the Crown Prince already knew that she was born in March, the same month as the queen.
The jade bracelet with the emerald peach blossom intertwined pattern might have come into her hands by accident.
But the words he said because of the bracelet weren't just about recalling the love between the emperor and the queen.
The love as gorgeous as peach blossoms was the Crown Prince's love words to her!