无翼乌工口里番无色无摭挡

Li Hongyuan saw everything as soon as he came out.

“Chashan, what’s going on?”

“In response to your Highness, I acted according to your wish and have acquired all the food stalls along the road, forbidding them from selling anything to that pedantic scholar He Tang,” replied Chashan, “Including this candied hawthorn.”

Li Hongyuan was so amused that he burst into laughter. “Is this what you understood from my instructions?”

“Yes it is. Aren’t you feeling jealous over the Princess Consort?”

“Me, jealous?” Li Hongyuan scoffed. “I just can’t stand Jiang Ning’s lack of decency. She is a married woman, pregnant no less, yet she roams around all day, openly eating, drinking, and laughing with different men. It’s utterly… disgraceful!”

Chashan: “That’s why your servant did as I did. In the end, that pedantic scholar slunk away, and the Princess Consort had to pay for her own osmanthus cake. However…”

“However, what?”

“The candied hawthorn, it doesn’t seem like it was paid for. It appeared that the Princess Consort had Xiaoman snatch it… strange, the Princess Consort doesn’t seem like the kind of person who cares about small change…”

“Idiot.” Li Hongyuan said coldly. “She must’ve already guessed that I was the one pulling the strings behind the scenes, that’s why she acted the way she did.”

“It wasn’t your Highness, it was all my decision…”

“If you do it, isn’t that the same as me doing it?”

“…Your servant has made another mistake.” Chashan bowed his head in shame.

“Leave.”

Li Hongyuan went over and kicked down the wooden stake.

The Grand Court Assembly was scheduled for the next day, where all the scholars and ministers would gather at the palace for the morning court.

As it was before the crack of dawn, Li Hongyuan got up, washed, changed, and as per his habit did not eat breakfast before heading to the palace in his palanquin.

After the morning court ended, the ministers, all of whom were starving, scattered to find a place to eat.

Normally, Li Hongyuan would dine at the Splendid Palace, but today he was not in the mood and decided to leave the palace directly.

Just as he reached the main gate of his manor, Jiang Ning, along with Huang Ying and Xiaoman, casually strolled out.

They were going out again.

With a cold expression on his face, Li Hongyuan walked straight in.

Jiang Ning disregarded him as if she hadn’t seen him, and they passed each other by.

Although he really wanted to hold her wheelchair and throw her back into the Crystal Clear Manor, thinking of all the tricks she could play, Li Hongyuan quickly discarded the idea.

“Where are you going this time?” He suddenly asked as they crossed paths.

“Just for a stroll.”

“You love going out so much.”

“After all, there are people in the manor who don’t appreciate me.” Jiang Ning, leaning back lazily in her wheelchair, squinting with an indolent air, looked up at him.

Seeing her in this lax attitude, Li Hongyuan was inexplicably irritated.

“By the way, don’t forget to return the candied hawthorn stick. After all, it’s someone’s livelihood.” Jiang Ning said, “The eatery I want to visit today might be expensive, you better prepare more money.”

“You got your advantage and now act so smug!”

Li Hongyuan did not bother to explain that the matter had nothing to do with him and that it was Chashan acting on his own. He simply walked straight in.

Jiang Ning was indeed just going for a casual stroll.

She is not some spoiled daughter of a rich family who wouldn’t step outside of their second gate. Cooped up in the house every day could lead to depression.

Now in her second trimester, which was the most comfortable period of pregnancy, she had to seize the opportunity to go out and have fun. Once it was late pregnancy, or after the birth of the child, she wouldn’t be able to go out anymore.

They hadn’t walked very far when they saw Xiaoqian darting about like a little emperor surrounded by attendants.

She grabbed hold of the young emperor’s collar. “Hey, little rascal, what are you doing?”

Li Tingqian was delighted to see her. “Aunt! I missed you!”

“If you missed me, why didn’t you come visit?”

“Grandpa Emperor doesn’t allow me to go. He says I’m too naughty and would give you a headache because there’s a baby in your belly.” Li Tingqian innocently replied..