Those days when I exiled the paralyzed, deposed crown prince to farm

"So, you're making pastries?"

The aroma of lemon was enough to cut through the greasiness. Zhao Ye had never smelled this scent before. A-Man explained that they were all wild fruits found in the mountains. She had tasted them and confirmed they were not poisonous before using them.

"Hmm, let's call this... lemon cake!"

The rice batter was poured into a bamboo steamer and steamed. Once the steamer was filled with steam, the rice batter reached a state of almost solidification. When the cakes were taken out of the steamer, a touch of rouge color appeared on the snow-white rice cakes.

Unlike traditional pastries, Aman's pastries are characterized by their soft, chewy texture and refreshing sweetness. They are not dry or too sweet, and even have a hint of lemon tartness.

Once the pastries have cooled, drizzle them with a glistening honey lemon syrup.

The old woman took the food box and inspected it, testing each item with a silver needle before deeming it acceptable.

"Come with me."

Aman followed cautiously behind the old woman. Zhao Ye watched Aman leave and lightly tapped the armrest of his wheelchair.

"Come out."

Soon, a figure appeared from the shadows.

The person who came had been hiding here for some time, secretly observing Aman and Zhao Ye.

"Your Highness!"

The tall man, unable to hide the excitement in his eyes, knelt before Zhao Ye. He had come all the way with the caravan, and without the caravan as cover, he would not have been able to reach Ningzhou safely.

This man was the guard who had just been talking to the broker outside. In fact, he had noticed Aman from the very beginning.

How could he not recognize the maidservant who served the Crown Prince?

He just didn't expect it to be such a coincidence that she was the cook who came to prepare the dishes today, so he guessed that the Crown Prince must also be there.

"There is no Crown Prince here, only a commoner named Zhao Ye." Even seeing the old acquaintance Zhao Ye did not elicit much of an emotional response.

As if he had expected it, upon hearing that a merchant caravan from Yong'an had arrived in the capital, he roughly guessed that his mother would definitely send someone to visit them.

"Your Highness, Her Majesty... is very worried about you."

"Tell Mother not to worry, with Aman here, I'm doing well in Ningzhou."

That guard was originally a secret bodyguard of the Empress.

The guard took out a money pouch: "Your Highness, Her Majesty knows you are suffering in Ningzhou, and she is currently imprisoned in the palace. This money... is a small token of Her Majesty's appreciation. You..."

It contained a 100-tael silver note.

His Highness has been framed, and even the Empress has been imprisoned in the palace by His Majesty, forbidden from leaving without orders.

The guard said, "Now that the Consort is in power, there are growing calls in the court for Prince Jin to be the heir apparent. Prince Han has also joined Prince Jin's camp. The Consort's maternal family has been severely suppressed, and things are not easy for them."

In other words, this hundred taels of silver was the Empress's hard-earned private money, which she entrusted to someone to send to Zhao Ye from afar.

His face remained expressionless, but his heart was already riddled with holes.

"The affairs of the court are no longer my concern."

He was no longer the crown prince, so what did the affairs of the court have to do with him?

The guard gritted his teeth, his eyes reddening.

Once a bright and promising young master, he is now so dejected and pathetic.

It was all the fault of Consort Gui and her group. They were clearly forming cliques and engaging in corrupt practices, yet they pinned all the blame on the Crown Prince. The Emperor was also wary of the Empress's maternal family.

This is simply going with the flow.

How could Your Majesty not know that the Crown Prince is innocent? However, Your Majesty has disliked this Crown Prince since childhood, yet you cannot avoid the ancestral rule of establishing the eldest son as heir in every dynasty.

In addition, His Highness the Crown Prince has been ambitious since childhood. No matter how cold or hot the weather, he studies hard, striving to make a living for the people and seek the well-being of all.

However, all of this was no match for the thieves' framing and the villains' betrayal.

"But Your Highness... are you truly willing to accept this?"

"Are you really willing to stay in Ningzhou for the rest of your life, letting that girl serve you for the rest of your life?" Even if His Highness is willing, he and the Empress are not.

Zhao Ye sneered: "So what if you're unwilling? Rebel?"

Upon hearing the word "rebellion," the guard hurriedly knelt on the ground, saying, "Your subordinate dares not!"

Zhao Ye looked down at his legs: "Can you see my legs?"

"It cannot move freely yet. Without Aman, I wouldn't even be able to lift these hands or grasp anything."

He couldn't grasp power or status.

The only thing I can do now is to behave myself and not worry Ah Man.

"Her Majesty said she would find a way..."

"Your mother is barely able to take care of herself, so tell her not to worry about me anymore."

Do not send anyone to Ningzhou again. If someone finds out, the Empress's position may be in jeopardy. The Empress secretly sends people to Ningzhou, and countless eyes are watching her from behind.

"To avoid implicating my mother's family, I would truly become a wicked person whose sins I could never wash away for the rest of my life."

He chuckled to himself, but did not refuse the hundred-tael silver note.

In the past, Zhao Ye would not have cared about a mere hundred taels of silver, but now he knew that even if Aman worked from dawn till dusk, she might not be able to earn even one tael of silver a day.

The total income of ordinary people in a year is only about ten taels of silver. Only by experiencing the joys and sorrows of the lower class can one understand the hardships of all living beings.

If Ah Man gets these hundred taels of silver, he will definitely feel much more relaxed.

He knew he was a burden to Aman. Aman worked so hard to earn money so that he could live and eat comfortably, and also to get medical treatment for him.

"You should leave now and never come to Ningzhou again."

"Please also tell Mother not to send anyone to Ningzhou anymore."

The guard's tall frame trembled, his lips quivered, but he ultimately remained silent and disappeared into the shadows.

Ah Man was actually a little worried.

The lady from the capital couldn't figure out her preferences; she could only discern them slightly from the leftover food in the food box.

The old woman led them there, and they stayed in the best room in the inn, the top-class room. The lady was behind the screen.

A hint of a plump figure could be vaguely seen.

"Madam, please have a taste."

"Hibiscus Chicken Slices?" The lady's voice was even more elegant as she picked up a slice of hibiscus chicken with her silver chopsticks. It was different from the hibiscus chicken slices she usually ate.

It is spicy yet has the unique aroma of lemon. However, this hibiscus chicken is a royal dish. How could a country girl cook royal dishes?

"Who taught you to make this 'Hibiscus Chicken'?"

One bite of the hibiscus chicken slices revealed a sweet and sour flavor with a hint of spiciness, which was several times better than the hibiscus chicken she had eaten in the capital.

Ah Man clasped her hands in front of her, bowed her head and did not look at the screen, showing a humble attitude.

This is something she learned while working at the Crown Prince's residence: when you encounter someone of higher status than yourself, you must be humble, because this is not a society where everyone is equal.

Rather, people are born into different classes.

"I once went to the capital with my father and learned the recipe in a restaurant there. I also created some of my own methods and improved the flavor."

"It's good."

Ah Man never saw the lady's face, but she did finish all the dishes and pastries.

"This is your pay for today."

The old woman threw her a bag of money, her posture haughty.