Chapter 4

“Miss Anhe may eat a lot, but she never wastes food or puts on airs. She has such a pleasant way of eating—lively, yet with proper measure. She’s truly adorable.”

The governess had watched this young lady grow up.

It was Heng’er who had thrown away a precious jade, and he did not even know it.

The news of the spring outing had already made the Empress furious.

Dongfang Heng had even come to ask her to make Jiang Xian the Crown Princess and Anhe a secondary consort.

She had immediately thrown her teacup at his head.

“Anhe grew up with you. She worked so hard to treat your illness that her hands were covered in calluses from making those little food balls.

“What does Jiang Xian have that is better than her?”

“Mother, Jiang Xian is like a fairy from the clouds. Her bearing and temperament are so different from everyone else’s. She even said herself that she would never be a concubine to anyone.”

“From the first time I met her, I felt she was special. The principal wife should be someone like her.”

“So Anhe deserves to be your concubine?”

Dongfang Heng suddenly chuckled, as if he had remembered something.

“She won’t mind. Anhe has me in her heart. She’s easy to coax. I’ll make a few dishes myself, and she won’t be angry anymore.”

“I’ll go do it now. After you announce the betrothal at the Hundred Flowers Banquet, I’ll bring the food to her.”

“Eight-Treasure Soup, then. That’s her favorite.”

The Empress watched him leave and gave a cold laugh.

“Fine. Have it your way. Just don’t regret it later.”

7

Dongfang Heng carried a food box and first presented a rare orchid, the Hidden-Valley Orchid, to Jiang Xian.

Then he searched the crowd for Anhe. He had no idea where she had hidden herself to eat snacks this time.

Just then, the Empress’s decree was announced.

Jiang Xian, granddaughter of Grand Tutor Jiang, was to be betrothed to the Crown Prince.

The crowd buzzed. Hadn’t everyone said the Xu family’s Little Glutton was the chosen one?

Dongfang Heng’s heart raced. Surely his mother would announce a second decree soon.

Where was Anhe? Why hadn’t she arrived?

The Empress did indeed have another decree—but it was to honor Xu Anhe for her service as a study companion by adopting her as her goddaughter.

The Emperor also bestowed on her the title of Changning Commandery Princess.

The food box in Dongfang Heng’s hand crashed to the ground.

He stared at his mother in disbelief.

She had taken Anhe’s mother’s hand and passed her the imperial edict.

“Once you’re back in the capital, make sure she comes to the palace at once and calls me ‘Mother’ to my face!”

“I’ve been wanting a precious daughter like her.”

The Empress glanced at him with a teasing smile. “Look at the Crown Prince. He’s so happy to have gained a younger sister that he’s gone speechless!”

It felt as if a hole had been punched through his chest. It was spring, and yet cold wind blew through him.

Anhe had not come to the Hundred Flowers Banquet at all.

She had left for Lizhou. He had not heard a word about it.

After being frightened during the spring outing, Jiang Xian fell ill.

Dongfang Heng visited her every day and searched for all sorts of interesting things to cheer her up.

Only now did he remember that Anhe had looked deathly pale that day, too.

She wasn’t afraid of riding horses. She could even hit a muntjac while hunting. Normally, she dared to do anything.

But she was terrified of snakes. Even worms that looked like snakes could make her jump.

And he had left her alone to face a whole nest of them.

She must have been so hurt that she left without even saying goodbye.

After receiving the decree, Jiang Xian moved closer to him. Her usually cool face was faintly flushed.

He felt a stir of affection and heard her call softly,

“A-Heng?”

Dongfang Heng came back to himself. He thought that once Anhe returned, he could soothe her with a few words and they could go back to how things had been.

He would learn to make peach-and-poria cakes. She had always liked them. She would surely be touched.

8

“Don’t touch that!”

“Try taking one from me, Auntie!”

“Auntie, please, you’ve been eating them for days! I just got here—please don’t steal mine. If you reach for it, I’ll cry!”

“When we get back to the capital, I’ll complain to Grandmother and to your elder sister!”

After waiting in line forever, I had finally bought honey-glazed sausages. I was gobbling one down.

They only sold two per person. Auntie finished hers in a few bites and started eyeing mine.

“I haven’t tasted one in so long! I missed it terribly. I’m your elder, after all—you should show me some filial respect!”

Qingluo wrapped her arms around Auntie’s waist and winked at me.

“Miss Anhe, hurry up and eat!”

The honey glaze and firm, juicy meat came together in a single bite, filling my mouth with a fragrance beyond description.

The tiny golden seeds inside were crisp and sweet.

I wanted to swallow my tongue along with it.

I had been in Lizhou for five days. Every time I queued, I went in person, just so I could take the first hot bite fresh from the grill.

The fried chicken really was as good as Auntie had claimed. Her description had not come close to doing it justice.