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Hearing the words "Huaqing Pool" and "fish," Lian Hua lifted her eyes to glance at His Majesty. Was he finally permitting her to fish?

Ever since she had inadvertently blurted out her desires, she had been strictly forbidden by His Majesty from fishing in Huaqing Pool again. It had been a long time since she had tasted the fish from there.

Thinking back, she couldn’t help but miss it. The fish there was delicate, extremely plump and fresh. Just a slight steaming, topped with some green onion strips and a drizzle of sauce, and poking your chopsticks into the belly of the fish would make oil ooze out.

As she thought of this, Lian Hua couldn’t help but swallow her saliva, feeling even hungrier. So she asked His Majesty for confirmation, "Your Majesty, you said it yourself. ’An emperor’s word is law,’ you cannot go back on it, can you?"

Seeing that she finally reacted, the Emperor suppressed his heartache for the rare fish of Huaqing Pool and nodded with a smile.

He thought to himself that if those precious species of fish were all fished out by the Little Concubine, he might as well have some koi put in their place. After all, they could be admired just the same.

He cautioned her, "However, you need to be very careful. Let the servants do the potentially dangerous work first; do not put yourself in harm’s way. There must not be a repeat of today’s incident. If I learn of any inappropriate actions, be careful, I might punish you."

Lian Hua beamed with joy and nodded vigorously in agreement.

She was bursting with impatience to start fishing the next day. Before, she had to sneak around to fish, but now she could finally do it openly, haha.

Just then, Xiao Jizi entered the doorway and bowed, asking, "Young Master, is the beggar chicken ready to be taken out now?"

Lian Hua perked up, her eyes sparkling as she said, "Hurry, hurry, hurry, go and get it out." All the other dishes had almost been served; they were only waiting for the beggar chicken to finish off the feast!

"Alright, the servant will go now," Xiao Jizi said and quickly stepped out of the doorway, heading briskly towards the kitchen.

Today they not only set up a swing but also dug a special pit for cooking beggar chicken, not far from the kitchen. The Young Master had prepared three beggar chickens, putting a lot of effort into it, one of which was specifically for her and Xiao Qing to share.

All afternoon, he had been unable to wait to taste the legendary beggar chicken he had only heard of, never having tasted it himself. Today, seeing the Young Master prepare it, he was finally in for a treat, his mouth watering uncontrollably.

Lian Hua’s almond-shaped eyes glistened as she looked at His Majesty and couldn’t resist boasting, "Your Majesty, this is the beggar chicken I spent half the afternoon preparing. It was quite laborious to make. You have to marinate the chicken with spices first, then wrap it in lotus leaves, cover it with mud, and place it in a fire pit. When the pit’s mud turns red-hot, you put the wrapped chicken in, collapse the pit, and when the mud is nearly cool, the beggar chicken is ready. "

"Is it the famous beggar chicken from amongst the folk?" the Emperor asked. Such a dish was never made in the Imperial Kitchen and could only be found at Canglan Court, where many folk delicacies were available.

He hadn’t expected the Little Concubine to be so energetic, having not limited herself to setting up a swing that day but also devising a dish he had never tasted before. Her daily zest for life was truly boundless, always willing to put in a lot of effort for many activities.

"Exactly, Your Majesty, the freshly baked beggar chicken smells so good—crispy on the outside, tender meat on the inside, so tender there are no remnants, and even the bones are crispy.

In a little while, after they are brought in, you can try it for yourself.

" After speaking, Lian Hua swallowed another mouthful of drool, making herself even more eager, and couldn’t help but crane her neck towards the doorway to see when Xiao Jizi would arrive.

Finally, Xiao Jizi came holding a large tray, upon which lay a beggar chicken still encased in mud, with a small hammer beside it. The Young Master had instructed that she would open the clay herself.

Lian Hua’s eyes lit up, and she couldn’t help standing up to give directions: "Be careful, place it here, right here, yes, set it down."

The Emperor looked on with a hint of amusement in his eyes at the Little Concubine before him, finding her incredibly adorable, increasingly endearing, and more lovable with every passing moment.

Once the beggar chicken was placed properly, Lian Hua waved Xiao Jizi off, "Alright, alright, you may go Xiao Jizi. I can take it from here."

Then, taking the small hammer, she turned and looked at His Majesty with a beaming smile, "Your Majesty, would you like to be the one to crack open the clay shell of the beggar chicken?"

Seeing her expectant gaze, the Emperor did not refuse, getting up to take it and walking to the rack where the tray was placed. While looking at her, he asked, "Is it correct to knock like this?"

Lian Hua nodded, her eyes unblinking as she stared at the hammer, waiting for the decisive moment when it struck down.

Seeing her eagerness, the Emperor chuckled softly twice and, without saying more, gently tapped down with the hammer.

"Crack!" The crust of the beggar’s chicken broke on cue, and immediately a rich scent of meat mixed with the fresh aroma of lotus leaves filled the air, spreading throughout the room.

Once the steam had cleared, the chicken could be seen still wrapped in lotus leaves, with specks of earthy crust scattered on top. The Emperor used his hand to brush aside the pieces of crust. Lian Hua, fearing His Majesty might dirty his hands, quickly tried to take over.

Perceiving her intention, the Emperor stopped her, saying, "It’s fine."

After brushing the debris to the side, he personally proceeded to unwrap the lotus leaves.

Lian Hua didn’t interfere anymore, craning her neck to watch by his side, and said, "Your Majesty, be careful of the heat. Go slowly, start from the edge."

When the top layer of lotus leaves was peeled back, revealing its true appearance, the chicken inside was a bright, jujube red and emitted an inviting fragrance. Both aroma and color were alluring.

This was the Emperor’s first attempt at preparing food, albeit only the final step. Yet, it gave him a childlike sense of novelty. At the moment when the veil of mystery covering the beggar’s chicken was lifted, a sense of achievement filled his heart.

Perhaps this was also why Lian Hua was so enthusiastic about cooking.

It wasn’t just about satisfying the appetite, but also about the sense of accomplishment gained from it, the indescribable feeling of satisfaction watching the ingredients go from raw to cooked through one’s own skilled preparations.

From the side, the sound of a rumbling stomach was heard.

Lian Hua smiled sheepishly, having embarrassed herself again in front of His Majesty. Ah, she was really getting too used to this~

The Emperor couldn’t help laughing as he took out a handkerchief from his bosom to wipe his hands, but halfway through, he remembered something, put it back, and turned to Lian Hua, "I will go wash my hands."

Lian Hua’s mind was focused on the beggar’s chicken. Hearing his words, she just nodded, not looking at the Emperor any longer, starting to busy herself with peeling the crust off the chicken.

The Emperor shook his head helplessly. He really was getting used to her ignoring him. If it were any other concubine who heard that he wanted to wash his hands, they probably would have brought water and a handkerchief, attending to him personally—none would be like her. Sigh.

By the time the Emperor returned with clean hands, Lian Hua was standing beside the dining table, her bright eyes fixed on him, the beggar’s chicken already placed on the table, wrapped in lotus leaves and on a dish.

To anyone who didn’t know better, it might seem that it was his handsome looks she was drooling over.

The Emperor slowly made his way to the table and sat down, only to see her leaning in like a begging dog, waiting for his next move.

The Emperor smiled inwardly, finding her eagerness as endearing as that of a hungry little pup.

With a nonchalant expression, the Emperor didn’t look at her, leisurely picking up the chopsticks. He glanced at his hands and then set the chopsticks back down, saying, "I just washed my hands, and they are not dry yet. I will go dry them." He then pretended to stand up.

He still remembered just now when she ignored him, leaving him to wash his hands alone. He thought he’d tease her a bit more. Besides, her expression was so adorable, he really wanted to hold her in his arms and kiss her dearly. But now was not the time...