Harem Daily Life

Chapter 1104 expands the recipe range significantly.

He Yucheng noticed her movements, a slight smile playing on his lips. He coughed lightly and said, "The flowers in the Imperial Garden are in full bloom right now. Let me accompany you to digest your food."

Duan Chaopei's face lit up with joy, his eyes shining: "Alright, Your Highness."

The two turned one after the other onto a small path to the east, and soon arrived at the Imperial Garden. The autumn air was crisp and clear, the wind was light, and the sun was shining brightly. They would occasionally encounter one or two concubines. They had met them that morning, so there was no need for much small talk. After exchanging a brief greeting, the two went off to admire the flowers on their own.

Duan Chaopei walked among the flowers, her happiness visibly evident.

"By the way, what did Mother say to you? I saw the three of you laughing together." He Yucheng broke the silence after the journey.

Duan Chaopei smiled and said, "Mother said that starting tomorrow, I will learn to manage the royal property from my sister Yunuo. I can't get up late tomorrow, so that my sister won't have to wait for me."

He Yucheng frowned. He remembered that Su Xing used to help Yu Nuo manage the royal property.

Suddenly remembering Su Xing, He Yucheng lost his desire to continue shopping: "Let's go. We slept too late last night, so let's go back and take a nap."

Duan Chaopei didn't know what she had said wrong that displeased the Crown Prince. She gave a soft "hmm" and followed He Yucheng back to the East Palace.

The two slept in each other's arms last night. During lunch break today, He Yucheng went to the study and didn't stay in the room. Duan Chaopei sighed, lay down alone, and perhaps because she had eaten too much and the carbohydrates had numbed her senses, she fell into a sweet sleep in no time.

He Yucheng, who had gone to the study, had no intention of resting. He picked up a book and silently flipped through it. Before long, Aunt Cui came in with a booklet and said respectfully, "Your Highness, it was my carelessness yesterday that caused me to forget a procedure. I hope Your Highness will forgive me."

Aunt Cui presented the booklet: "Your Highness, please take your time reading. This servant will take her leave now."

Aunt Cui went out with a blush on her face, thinking that this time it would finally work out that night, right? She was really worried sick about the Crown Prince.

He Yucheng was puzzled by Aunt Cui's sudden gift of books. He glanced at the blank booklet on the table, casually flipped it open, and was immediately stunned.

His face flushed as he finished reading, his mind was filled with those lingering, explicit images.

"Don't look at what is improper, don't look at what is improper..." He Yucheng hurriedly opened a book called "On National Policy," but he couldn't concentrate on reading it no matter how hard he looked...

He rubbed his forehead, feeling both amused and exasperated.

Regarding the fact that the Crown Prince and Crown Princess had not consummated their marriage, Aunt Cui chose to keep it a secret for the time being. As the child she had raised since childhood, Aunt Cui still felt that the Crown Prince should be given some time to adjust. After all, why hadn't the Empress refused to follow the procedure for young noblemen and send the Crown Prince two maids to teach him about bedroom matters first? Now look what happened, the two of them slept together in bed on their first night of marriage, without doing anything.

While delivering the booklet to the Crown Prince, Aunt Cui also made sure to send one to the Crown Princess.

Aunt Cui sometimes wondered if Madam Duan had given her any prior warning.

After Duan Chaopei got up from her afternoon nap, Aunt Cui personally came to help her comb her hair. She chatted with her about all sorts of things, and before long, the conversation turned to the topic of consummating their marriage.

“It’s not uncommon for daughters of noble families to not learn this before marriage, or perhaps their mothers teach them in a more subtle way. If the Crown Princess feels embarrassed, then you can read the book and learn a bit. Please put the book away, and I will take my leave now.”

Aunt Cui put down the booklet and left, leaving Duan Chaopei alone in the room.

She sighed, opened the sketchbook, and soon closed it with a blush, hurriedly placing it in a box under the bed. Inside lay another sketchbook her mother had given her the day before her wedding. It wasn't that she hadn't studied it carefully, but it was useless; the Crown Prince wouldn't put it into practice!

Her dignified and virtuous manners prevented her from taking the initiative; she couldn't very well turn the tables and take advantage of the Crown Prince, could she? Although, she really wanted to do just that.

As night fell, perhaps because he had read the booklet during the day, He Yucheng looked somewhat uneasy when he came over.

"Have you had dinner? I woke up quite late, so I didn't come over. I read for a while longer," He Yucheng explained, explaining why he hadn't eaten with Duan Chaopei. Duan Chaopei smiled and said, "I have. Don't worry, Your Highness, I'm quite comfortable living in the Eastern Palace."

The Empress Dowager said that she was the mistress of the Eastern Palace. After waking up from her afternoon nap, she walked around the entire Eastern Palace to familiarize herself with the layout and to dispel the shyness she felt from reading the booklet.

Seeing that it was getting late, He Yucheng went into the inner room to wash up. When he came out, Duan Chaopei had already washed up in another bedroom, changed into her undergarments, and was lying on the couch.

Last night, he used the method of calculating his assets to get through the night. He didn't know how to get through tonight. Duan Chaopei lay on the couch and pondered for a long time.

Feeling someone lie down beside her, Duan Chaopei tensed up almost imperceptibly, blushing as she asked, "Your Highness, would you like to tell me about your childhood?"

Eighteen years of a person's life could probably be talked about for days and nights, right?

He Yucheng was taken aback. Was he going to have something to do tonight?

He coughed lightly: "My childhood? It seems that apart from studying in the elementary school and the imperial study, there was nothing interesting."

Duan Chaopei: "..."

"What books has Your Highness read?"

He Yucheng thought for a moment and realized that he had read almost all the articles in the world, and there were countless masterpieces by ancient sages. He spoke intermittently, and then heard even breathing sounds. He Yucheng lowered his voice and turned his head slightly to look.

The woman, who was bright and cheerful during the day, was now much gentler. Her long, curled feathers, like a small fan, covered her closed eyes. All around was quiet, with only the even breathing of the person beside her.

He Yucheng lay down on his side, watched silently for a while, and then drifted off to sleep.

Aunt Cui and the others waited outside the door, and it was another night without water.

"Alright, everyone disperse and go back to sleep." Aunt Cui was furious, itching with rage, wishing she could go in and wake the two of them up so she could consummate their marriage!

Duan Chaopei started keeping He Yinuo company, gradually leading a life of leaving early and returning late. Because she saw He Yinuo most often every day, the relationship between the sister-in-law and sister-in-law gradually became closer, and under He Yinuo's influence, Duan Chaopei's culinary repertoire expanded significantly.

"How about it? These skewers are delicious, aren't they? Let me tell you, they're only truly satisfying when they're spicy and numbing. We'll go get a glass of juice later; it'll taste even better with milk in it, but milk is a rare treat, we don't get to drink it often." He Yinuo ate the skewers, chattering on and on.

Duan Chaopei stuck out his tongue from the spiciness and couldn't help but drink water: "It's delicious, but it's too spicy." After saying that, he picked up another skewer and started eating without hesitation.

"Save your room, I'll take you to eat chestnut cakes later. Aunt Qi's chestnut cakes are the sweetest, they're the signature dish of Xiangmanyuan."

Duan Chaopei nodded. Following her sister-in-law, she never stopped talking.

When the two arrived at the entrance of Xiangmanyuan Garden, they saw a very long queue, so they obediently waited in the carriage. After a while, Xiao Tao, who had gone to buy chestnut cakes, returned, followed by another person.

Su Xing went out to buy things and saw the Fifth Princess's carriage parked nearby. She also saw Xiao Tao and went up to greet her warmly.

He Yinuo looked somewhat embarrassed when he saw Su Xing, and Su Xing also felt embarrassed when she saw the Crown Princess next to He Yinuo.

Su Xing had met Duan Chaopei once before, but Duan Chaopei had never met Su Xing. Now that they met again, they stared at each other for a long time.

He Yinuo's lips twitched, thinking that he should call his fourth brother today and let him personally resolve this chaotic situation.