0p0 Chapter 769 I've figured it out!
Chapter 769 I've figured it out!
Looking at the happy family of three, the Emperor couldn't help but think of what Duanmu Chuze had mentioned about the Ming Prince's Mansion.
The Emperor's eyes darkened, and as he thought back to the sordid things that had happened in the Crown Prince's palace, he couldn't help but feel uneasy.
"Fourth Prince, take Zonghua out to play first. I need to have a word with your mother."
"Yes, Father."
Mu Xin Nuan bowed and said with some concern, "Father, you still need to rest more. Shall I go and prepare some medicinal food for you?"
"Okay, that's kind of you. Go ahead."
"Yes, Father."
The Emperor took the Empress's hand. "Actually, when I saw our son so devoted to a woman, I wasn't angry at first. He reminded me of the past. When I wasn't on this throne, I only wanted to grow old with you. But later, fate played a trick on me. I became the supreme ruler, and you became the Empress. We can never go back to what we were before."
The Empress was also stirred up by the Emperor's words, feeling somewhat saddened.
"Your Majesty, so many years have passed, please don't overthink it."
"I have been emperor for so long that I have almost forgotten how ordinary couples get along. Today, I saw this family of three, and I realized that such a simple life is truly enviable."
"Your Majesty, you have worked so hard these past few years." The Empress couldn't help but tear up.
"I'm not tired. I just feel a little sorry for you. You are the Empress. I have given you nobility and your family glory, but I cannot give you the simplest happiness. I know that although I have always been unwilling to have a son born out of wedlock, you are still unhappy in your heart."
"Your Majesty, I am already very happy that you treat me this way. Please don't overthink it."
The Emperor shook his head and gave a bitter smile. "When Imperial Physician Zhao came to take my pulse last time, he already told me the truth: I'm afraid my body won't last much longer."
"No, Your Majesty, please don't say that."
Seeing the Empress crying so hard, the Emperor felt a mix of emotions.
Think back to those days, how happy and joyful they were when they were together?
One was a handsome young man, the other a beautiful woman, but now, they are both nearing the end of their lives.
No matter how unwilling they are to admit it, they must understand that they are all old now.
"I've thought it through. At worst, I'll pass the throne to the Crown Prince early, and then I'll accompany you to see different places. We're not in a hurry. Let's go to Yan first. Haven't you always been interested in that girls' school? Perfect, let's go take a look together."
"Your Majesty?" The Empress looked at the Emperor in disbelief. For many years, the Emperor had always been busy with state affairs and rarely went to the inner palace.
Of course, he spent most of his evenings resting in the inner palace, but he rarely visited the palaces of other concubines.
"Your Majesty, do you truly intend to do so?"
"Well, since my days are numbered anyway, I might as well go out more and spend some time with you."
"Wherever Your Majesty goes, I will go. If Your Majesty really goes one day, I will follow behind you so that Your Majesty will not be lonely."
"How stupid!"
The emperor laughed, a rare occurrence for him. They were no longer young, and they didn't have much time left to squander.
They've spent most of their lives together. If he can't give her the old age she wants, then he's really failed as a husband.
Even though he has always doted on the Empress all these years, how could outsiders possibly understand what the Empress has sacrificed for him?
"Your Majesty, please rest well first. We're not in a hurry to go out. As Anuan said, she's always been an expert in health preservation. Think about the old master of the Mu family! Wasn't he a little unwell before? But now, I hear he's in good health."
"Your Majesty, do you think that A-Nuan's medical skills are even better than those of Imperial Physician Zhao?"
“Your Majesty, this is not a matter of medical skill. Didn’t Imperial Physician Zhao say before that we could try using medicinal cuisine to regulate your body? Taking medicine all the time is not necessarily a good thing for your health.”
The Emperor paused for a moment, then nodded, looking at the Empress's expectant eyes.
On this day, Mu Xin Nuan personally prepared a medicinal meal for the Emperor. Although it had a medicinal taste, the aroma of the ingredients was more prominent.
After much persuasion from the Empress and Duanmu Chuze, the Emperor finally accepted Mu Xin Nuan's arrangement.
Mu Xin Nuan wanted to take care of the Emperor nearby, so living in the palace would be the most convenient option.
Duanmu Chuze glanced at the Emperor cautiously. His real intention was that if the Emperor refused to grant his request not to take concubines, he would not move into the East Palace.
But now that Father Emperor has health problems, we must prioritize Father Emperor's health.
The Emperor saw through Duanmu Chuze's little scheme and smiled faintly, "Alright, you can move into the East Palace tomorrow. Everything has been prepared for you there. Also, after Anuan enters the palace, she can have more opportunities to exchange skills with Imperial Physician Zhao."
"Yes, Father."
After studying the recipes together for two days, Mu Xin Nuan and Zhao Yuan Shi created a menu for the Emperor.
All food and drink in the kitchen must be prepared strictly according to this menu.
Considering that the Emperor is getting old and his physical strength is declining, and his exercise is decreasing, Mu Xin Nuan removed some of the overly greasy and sweet foods that the Emperor used to frequently eat.
At first, the emperor was naturally somewhat displeased.
But whenever he felt like getting angry, he would see the Empress looking at him with a sorrowful expression. After thinking about it, he decided to just live a few more days and spend more time with his wife.
Of course, Mu Xin Nuan also took this into consideration, so every few days she would make some of the dishes that the Emperor used to like to eat, only that the dishes were no longer as greasy as before.
Since that day, the Emperor and Empress have tacitly agreed that neither of them has ever mentioned taking a concubine again.
Since they didn't mention it, Duanmu Chuze and Mu Xinnuan were naturally happy to be left alone.
Because he entered the palace, Xiao Zonghua often stayed by the Empress's side.
Duanmu Chuze also began to formally assist the Emperor in managing the government. As a result, the Emperor was more relaxed and had more time to rest. In addition, with Xiao Zonghua by his side, the Emperor's smiles gradually increased.
Mu Xin Nuan's nutritional diet quickly took effect. About twenty days later, when the emperor got up, he suddenly felt that his body was not as heavy as before.
In fact, this situation had gradually developed, but on this particular day, the Emperor's feelings were especially pronounced.