I started as a concubine, and I made the crown prince cry with my delicious food.

The rain in southern Xinjiang is incessant, as if it wants to soak the entire world in damp, cold moisture.

Inside Xiao Jingshi's temporary tent, next to a military report delivered by express courier, lay a package of the same specifications, but clearly more "personal." When the guard presented the package, his expression was extremely strange, a mixture of curiosity and a hint of awe.

"Your Highness, this is... sent from the capital by the Crown Princess."

"An An's stuff again?" Xiao Jingshi put down the military map in his hand, a hint of warmth appearing in his eyes. He waved for his guards to leave, and then, with a touch of anticipation, carefully opened the package.

There were no exquisite pastries or personal items like sachets inside. Instead, there was a pile of strangely packaged things he had never seen before.

A lightweight double-layered lunchbox, several packets of solid, dry goods wrapped tightly in oil paper, a heavy packet of powder, and an instruction manual covered in neat, small characters.

"Self-heating hot pot?"

Xiao Jingshi looked at the novel name, his handsome eyebrows slightly raised. Following the instructions, he first put a packet of bright red, domineeringly fragrant butter base into the inner lunchbox, and then added side dishes such as dried beef slices, sweet potato noodles, and dried bamboo shoots.

Next, he opened the packet of powder called "heating pack," poured it into the outer lunchbox, and then added a cup of cold water.

A miraculous thing happened!

With a "sizzle," a large amount of white steam instantly billowed from the bottom of the lunchbox, and the cold water began to boil violently at a visible speed without any flame! The "glug-glug" sound was particularly clear in the quiet tent.

In just over ten breaths, a rich, spicy aroma, mixed with the mellow fragrance of butter, irresistibly filled the entire space.

Xiao Jingshi was completely stunned. He stared at the small pot that was boiling in front of him, smelling the domineering aroma that could dispel all the cold and dampness, and his heart was in turmoil.

He could almost see that slender, pregnant figure in the capital city, thousands of miles away, racking her brains and experimenting repeatedly in the small kitchen to get him a hot meal.

He picked up his chopsticks, took a slice of beef that had been perfectly cooked in the spicy broth, and put it in his mouth. The four flavors of numbing, spicy, fresh, and fragrant exploded on his tongue! The scalding heat slid down his esophagus into his stomach, as if instantly dispelling all the fatigue and chill that had accumulated in his bones over the past few days.

too delicious!

It was so delicious that his eyes welled up with tears.

This isn't just hotpot; it's clearly a heartfelt and warm gift of love that she sent from afar.

"Someone come here!" Xiao Jingshi's voice was slightly hoarse. "Summon Deputy General Zhang and General Li to come for a meeting!"

Soon, several core generals entered the tent, their clothes still damp. They were immediately stunned by the incredibly strong aroma emanating from it.

"Your Highness, what delicious stew are you making?" A bearded general couldn't help but sniffle, his mouth practically watering.

"The Crown Princess sent some new food," Xiao Jingshi smiled slightly, pointing to the small pot still steaming on the table, "Everyone, please have a taste."

When the generals witnessed firsthand the amazing sight of a hot pot boiling with just a cup of cold water, their expressions went beyond mere shock.

"A miracle! This is absolutely a miracle!"

"The Crown Princess is truly a divine being!"

After a steaming hot pot meal, all the generals felt full of energy, and the fatigue from days of fighting was swept away. The atmosphere in the tent became incredibly lively.

"Your Highness! The barbarian soldiers have been severely weakened by our 'Crown Princess's greetings,' and with their supplies running low and disease rampant, their morale has already plummeted! This humble general humbly requests that we immediately set out of the city to pursue them; we are sure to win this battle!" Deputy General Zhang was the first to step forward.

"I second that! This is an opportunity not to be missed!"

Looking at the excited generals, Xiao Jingshi slowly stood up. He remembered An'an's earnest expectations in her letter, and the child she was carrying who had yet to be born.

He wanted a swift victory and an early triumph. He wanted to set a good example for his children.

"Very well!" His gaze was sharp as a hawk's, his voice steady and powerful. "Order the army to eat and rest well! Tomorrow morning, follow me out of the city and crush the barbarian royal court!"

……

The capital city, the Eastern Palace.

Ye An'an also received a "reply" from Xiao Jingshi. This letter was much shorter than the previous one, but it was filled with barely suppressed excitement and joy.

He devoted considerable space to describing his shock upon seeing the "self-heating hot pot" and the emotion he felt upon tasting the spicy beef. Finally, he said the barbarian army was routed, and he would soon lead his troops in pursuit, his return imminent.

"My return is approaching..."

Ye An'an murmured those four words, unable to hide the smile on her lips. The huge weight that had been pressing on her heart for days had finally been lifted, and she felt that even the air had become exceptionally sweet.

When she's in a good mood, her creative inspiration flows like a spring. These past few days, the small kitchen at Tinglan Waterside Pavilion has been bustling with activity again.

The seaweed is brushed with a secret sauce and baked with almonds and sesame seeds, turning it into crispy and savory "seaweed crisps".

Boneless chicken feet are soaked in a prepared hot and sour sauce to absorb the flavors, becoming an appetizing and satisfying "hot and sour boneless chicken feet".

She even went so far as to use maltose and a special mineral powder to recreate "popping candy" that could pop and dance on the tongue.

That afternoon, a small head peeked out from the entrance of Tinglan Water Pavilion. It was the Seventh Prince, Xiao Ziyuan, dressed in a royal blue brocade robe, with a somewhat timid expression on his face, wanting to go in but not daring to.

"Ziyuan, why aren't you coming in?" Ye An'an smiled and waved to him.

Xiao Ziyuan then trotted in with his short legs and whispered, "My mother said that my sister-in-law is pregnant and we shouldn't be here to disturb you."

"It's alright, I'm so happy you could come." Ye An'an pulled him to sit down on the soft couch. "Look, I made so many delicious things today."

Soon, several young princes and princesses, having heard the news, arrived and filled Tinglan Water Pavilion to the brim. While curiously tasting all sorts of snacks they had never heard of before, they chattered incessantly, pestering Ye An'an.

"Sister-in-law! This candy is so strange, it's fighting on my tongue!" The Sixth Princess stared wide-eyed in surprise as she put a popping candy in her mouth.

"Sister-in-law, how are these boneless chicken feet made? They're so delicious!" The Ninth Prince said, his mouth full of oil as he ate them.

Ye An'an smiled and satisfied all the children's curiosity. Seeing that they had almost finished eating, she clapped her hands and said, "Alright, snack time is over. Now it's story time. I'll tell you two new stories today."

The children immediately quieted down, sitting up straight and looking at her expectantly.

Ye An'an cleared her throat, deliberately lowering her voice with a hint of mystery.

"The first story is called 'The Knight and the Princess'."

The children were instantly captivated, and they all perked up their ears.

"Far, far away, there stands a tall, dark ancient tower, and inside it imprisoned a beautiful princess." Ye An'an paused, noticing the children's anxious faces, before continuing, "She was captured by a fire-breathing evil dragon!"

"Ah!" The little princesses couldn't help but let out a small gasp.

"Just when everyone was in despair, a brave knight appeared! He donned the gleamingest armor, took the sharpest sword, and went alone to challenge the dragon!"

Her tone rose and fell with the story, and the children's hearts were gripped, as if they were witnessing that thrilling battle firsthand.

"The knight and the dragon fought for three days and three nights! Finally, with a clang, the sword pierced the dragon's heart! The princess was saved!"

After the story was told, the tent fell silent for a moment.

Immediately afterwards, the fourth prince, Xiao Ziyu, stood up abruptly from the soft couch, his face flushed red, his little fists clenched tightly.

"Royal sister-in-law! I want to be a knight too!" His voice trembled with excitement. "I want to fight the fire-breathing dragon and protect the princess!"

"But I've heard that my brother is the most powerful knight!" a little princess retorted. "He's currently fighting those wicked barbarian soldiers in the southern borderlands!"

Ye An'an smiled and ruffled her hair, then said, "Okay, now let's tell the second story. This one is a bit long, it's called 'Spirited Away'."

"In a magical world, there lives a little girl named Chihiro. To save her parents, who have been turned into pigs because of their gluttony, she must work in a place called 'The Bathhouse'..."

She narrated that bizarre and fantastical world of spirits in the most accessible language. She told the story of Haku's protection, No-Face's loneliness, Yubaba's strictness, and Chihiro's transformation from a timid and cowardly girl into a brave and strong young woman.

The children listened with rapt attention. When they heard that Chihiro's parents had turned into pigs, they gasped in fear; when they heard that Haku was injured, the little princesses were on the verge of tears; and when they heard that Chihiro had finally rescued her parents, they cheered together.

"Sister-in-law, why did Qianxun's parents turn into pigs?" Xiao Ziyuan asked, puzzled.

"Because they were too greedy, they ate things that didn't belong to them," Ye An'an explained patiently. "So, we shouldn't be greedy, right?"

The children nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.

As the sun set, the children reluctantly said goodbye and left.

In Consort Li's palace, as soon as the Seventh Prince Xiao Ziyuan returned, he excitedly rushed into his mother's arms and recounted the two stories he had heard that day in a jumbled mess.

Consort Li had been listening casually, but when she heard the story about the knight and the princess, her eyes flickered slightly.

"...That knight, he defeated such a huge fire dragon all by himself with just a sword! Mother, isn't he even more powerful than Father's imperial guards?"

Listening to her son's innocent words, Consort Li's thoughts drifted far away. She remembered herself before entering the palace, when she was also the daughter of a general's household who loved to practice swordsmanship. She too once had her own precious sword, capable of cutting through iron like mud.

Between her swordsmanship and that of the knight in the story, who is more skilled?

A faint smile, tinged with nostalgia and longing, involuntarily appeared on Consort Li's lips.