Pregnant Before the Royal Marriage

One day in June, Jiang Ning rolled up the sleeves of her snow-colored, double- breasted top and sweated profusely in the kitchen.

No need to mention, the cooks all knew that the Princess Consort was creating a new dish to pay tribute to the Empress in the Splendid Palace.

The two little ones had tired themselves out playing, so the wet nurse and maids took them for a nap.

Huang Ying brought a cloth to wipe away Jiang Ning’s sweat, sympathetically saying, “On such a hot day, even us servants don’t want to be in the kitchen. You don’t need to cook for the Empress, she won’t mind if you miss one meal.”

“I’m not just making this for her. The kids haven’t had much appetite the past few days because of the heat. Especially Xiaoqian, I could see his tiny face getting thinner by the day. I thought I’d make something tasty for them to regain their strength.”

Huang Ying chuckled, “Ever since the emperor’s eldest grandson has been living with us, he has been eating, drinking, and sleeping well, gaining quite some weight. Even if he loses a bit, it doesn’t really matter.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Li Tingqian smelled the food and came running in, “Aunt, I’m hungry.”

He wore a soft silk tunic in goose yellow, his hair tied in a small braid that hung down the back of his head, adorned with a large glistening pearl.

Before reaching adulthood, boys can’t tie up their hair completely, leaving it partially unbound.

However, the weather was too hot, and when Li Tingqian didn’t have to see outsiders in the East Palace, Jiang Ning would have his unbound hair braided too to prevent him from getting prickly heat around the neck.

As the emperor’s eldest grandson, Li Tingqian had to study with his tutor every day, and those rigid Confucian scholars would absolutely not allow him to break the rules and style his hair however he wanted.

At this moment, he had come in with his hair all loose, his head full of sweat and face flushed.

Jiang Ning quickly handed the spoon to a nearby palace maid and led Li Tingqian by hand out of the kitchen. She gave him a bowl of mung bean soup to help him cool down, and wiped his sweat with a cloth.

“It’s so hot at noon, you should have stayed in the Elegance Palace for your meals and nap. What would happen if you got heatstroke?” Jiang Ning nagged.

“The food at Elegance Palace doesn’t taste good, and it’s hot there too,” said Li Tingqian as he gulped down the cold mung bean soup. “I just want to eat the food Aunt makes.”

“Growing up and still being so picky.”

Although Jiang Ning said this, she immediately ordered the servants to serve the freshly cooked food in the side hall.

There were ice basins everywhere in the side hall, with two enormous fans hanging from the ceiling connected to ropes. When the palace maids pulled the ropes, the fan’s leaves would send a gentle and cool breeze.

It was extremely cool and comfortable.

All the kids liked to play there.

So Jiang Ning simply moved their dining area to this room.

As the two little ones were still sleeping, Jiang Ning sat with Li Tingqian and ate first.

“Will you go back to Elegance Palace for your studies this afternoon?” Jiang Ning asked Li Tingqian while serving him food.

“My tutor said I could rest in the afternoon,” said Li Tingqian, with his cheeks puffed from eating. He raised his head and said, “Aunt, I’m sleepy. My tutor scolded me this morning for dozing off while studying.”

Jiang Ning felt sorry for him and patted his head, “Finish eating and go to sleep. We’ll wake you when it’s time.”

The palace was too strict with the children. They had to begin studying at the Elegance Palace when they turned five, strictly following the schedules given by their tutors. The young children had to be dressed and carried by their wet nurses in the early morning, hardly able to keep their eyes open.

Although Jiang Ning couldn’t bear to watch this, Li Tingqian was the Emperor’s eldest grandson. If she neglected him, not only would the Emperor and Empress blame her, but the ministers from the previous dynasty would likely take the opportunity to criticize her and the Crown Prince.

It wouldn’t matter much, as she naturally wouldn’t care about these things. She was just worried that if that happened, the Emperor and Empress wouldn’t allow Xiaoqian to continue living in the East Palace.