Chapter 11

Chapter 11

◎Cooking◎

After dinner, Huiyin stood up and joined Li Cheng in the inner chamber. She glanced at him and asked, "What do you usually do for fun when you're not busy? You can't just sit around all day, right?"

She seemed like a refreshingly straightforward person.

Li Cheng smiled and replied, "When I have free time, I play the qin or read. Lately, I've been diving into the *Lunheng*."

"You mean *Lunheng* by Wang Chong?" Huiyin asked.

Li Cheng nodded. "Yes, have you read it as well?"

Huiyin shook her head. "I prefer reading folk tales, but I'm terrified of ghosts, so it's a bit of a contradiction. Deep philosophical books just give me a headache."

"Folk tales? Like the *zhiguai* ghost stories?" Li Cheng asked casually.

Huiyin was pleasantly surprised that he knew about them and nodded eagerly. "Exactly! And sometimes I enjoy reading short stories. Mostly, though, I spend my time doing embroidery at home."

Huiyin was only a few years younger than him, making them almost the same age. She spoke in a way that made people feel at ease, and her actions were always thoughtful. "I have a gift for you too, but it's not convenient to bring it out right now," she added.

"Oh, I have a gift for you too. I wonder what it could be?" Li Cheng wondered if it might be something like jewelry.

Huiyin blushed slightly. "Actually, I'm just passing along a gift. My father knew I was marrying far from home, so he gave me a Dawan horse. But I'm not much of a rider or archer. You, on the other hand, are a true warrior—brave, skilled, and well-versed in both literature and martial arts. As they say, a fine horse deserves a hero. Would you be interested?"

"A Dawan horse? I have to see it!" Li Cheng jumped up, eager to check it out.

Huiyin chuckled. "You're such an impatient one. It's too dark outside now, and you won't be able to see anything."

Actually, the horse was part of her dowry, intended for Li Cheng. If she had given it to him directly, it would have felt like a formal offering. By giving it to him in her own name, she hoped he would value it even more.

Li Cheng sat back down, smiling with bright, twinkling eyes.

Meanwhile, Huiyin returned to her book and soon pulled out her needlework. She was crafting a lotus-pink sachet, her hands moving deftly as she sewed with practiced skill.

As night fell, she got up to prepare for her bath and rest. Li Cheng appreciated how she struck the perfect balance—not too lively or noisy, yet not too quiet or boring either.

However, he added, "In a few days, I'll have to head to the main camp for training, which means I'll be leaving you here alone. If you'd like, I can send you back to Jianye. That way, you can keep my grandmother company, and Jianye is much more lively. This place can get pretty quiet and boring."

Soldiers on campaign can't bring their families along. Even though this is my residence, I'm usually busy with training. If not for the marriage, I'd probably still be focused on organizing the army.

Huiyin realized that consummating the marriage had been the right decision. With him often away, having children would be like trying to cook without ingredients. Besides, Li Cheng, like Li Heng, didn't live long in his previous life.

But returning to Jianye wasn't an option. Not only was Jianye unfamiliar, but as Li Cheng's wife, she was in charge of the household when he was away. If she went back, she'd have to deal with his great-grandmother, which would complicate things.

So, Huiyin shook her head. "No, I do want to serve grandmother, but..."

"Why not?" Li Cheng asked, puzzled.

Huiyin looked a bit hesitant. "I only know you. We're husband and wife, so it feels right. But I'm scared of meeting other people. Since I arrived, you're the only one I've spoken to in formal language."

Li Cheng hadn't considered that. He was a bit troubled. "But if you stay here, I'm hardly ever home."

"Even if you're not home often, you're still here sometimes. Otherwise, when you go back to Jianye, I'll go with you. I wouldn't dare to stay alone." Huiyin tugged at his sleeve, still a little nervous.

Li Cheng realized that she was only seventeen, having traveled from Jizhou to marry him. She must feel lonely here, with only him to speak to in formal language and probably no one else to talk to. He felt a pang of sympathy.

"Alright." He gently placed his hands on her shoulders, nodding in agreement.

Huiyin smiled and said, "Then let's get some rest early."

That night, the two of them went straight to bed without asking for water. Hearing the quiet, Granny Chao clasped her hands and murmured, "Amituofo, Amituofo."

Yun Hui adjusted the wick, brightening the room. "Mom, now that you're feeling better, why don't you get some rest? Don't worry so much," she said gently.

Noticing her daughter was still diligently working on a shoe sole even in her nightgown, Granny Chao asked, "Why are you still making shoes this late? Is it for the Little Prince?"

"The Little Prince’s feet tend to sweat, and he prefers not to wear shoes from outside. The seamstresses can’t keep up, so I have to make them myself. As a widow, I’m grateful for the Little Prince’s kindness in taking me in and giving me this position. It’s the least I can do to repay him," Yun Hui smiled.

Granny Chao felt heartache for her daughter. "If only Miss Xun weren’t so difficult and showed a little more generosity, you would have been the Little Prince’s woman long ago, instead of being forced to marry someone else."

Yun Hui paused her needlework. "Mom, why bring that up? Now that the Princess is here, if anyone hears about this, how could I possibly face people?"

"Alright, I won’t say anything more," Granny Chao quickly closed her mouth.

The next morning, Huiyin, dressed in slightly worn but presentable clothes, headed to the kitchen. The kitchen staff were taken aback, worried that she really intended to cook.

Huiyin smiled and said, "Don’t worry. The Little Prince asked me to cook for him personally, and I want to show him how much I care."

She was preparing hand-pulled noodles, the kind that gets thinner as you stretch it. First, she kneaded the dough and let it rest. Since she wasn’t making braised ribs, she had someone chop the ribs and stir-fried them in a wok with a bit of miso, along with ginger, garlic, and green onions. Then, she mixed honey, chili sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and white sesame seeds with half a bowl of water to create the sauce.

As the ribs simmered, she skillfully began pulling the rested dough, turning it into long, thin noodles as if by magic. The kitchen staff watched in amazement, as they had never seen anyone pull noodles before.

Once the ribs were nearly done, she added rice cakes and fetched the beef bone broth that had been simmering in the kitchen. She cooked the noodles in the broth, then added a soft-boiled egg, some vegetables, and silver fish balls.

The dish came together quickly and looked absolutely delicious.

But Nanny Nan was concerned. "My lady, I’m not sure if the Little Prince will like it."

"Don’t worry, with this seasoning, even shoe soles would taste good, let alone with all these delicious ingredients. The Little Prince and I are both young; if he doesn’t like it, I’ll eat it all myself," Huiyin said, wrinkling her nose playfully.

Nanny Nan laughed. "That’s just how Second Miss is—she wouldn’t take it personally if you didn’t like something she made; she’d just think you didn’t appreciate good food. If it were Elder Miss, she’d probably be anxious and worried all the time."