Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne

Chapter 1104: Chapter 134: Returning to the Capital Soon

Just as Zhao Yao returned to Prince Han’s mansion, the housekeeper informed him that a letter had arrived from the capital, along with some gifts.

Zhao Yao looked surprised, "Pastries? When were they sent?" How could his mother send pastries to him without worrying they’d go bad on the way to Swamp Prefecture?

The housekeeper replied, "They arrived just yesterday."

"Are they still edible?" It takes at least five to six days from the capital to Swamp Prefecture, and a day has passed since their arrival, making it seven or eight days. Aren’t the pastries already spoiled?

"Your Highness, the pastries were kept chilled when they arrived, and yesterday I stored them in an icebox, so they should be fine," the housekeeper asked, "Do you want to eat them now? I can have the pastries heated."

Zhao Yao reminisced a little about the pastries made by Lady Liang, "Alright, go ahead and warm them up."

"Yes, Your Highness," the housekeeper added, "Your bath is also prepared."

"Have preparations been made for Second Uncle as well?"

"Yes, they have."

"Okay, I’ll bathe first."

After Zhao Yao finished bathing, the pastries had been warmed.

Looking at the pastries brought by the housekeeper, Zhao Yao slightly raised an eyebrow, "These don’t look like something Mother would make."

Tong Xi carefully examined the trays of pastries but couldn’t identify any differences.

"Your Highness, these pastries have been sitting for quite a few days now. For safety’s sake, let me try a piece first. Once I’ve eaten and nothing happens, you should eat." Tong Xi was worried Zhao Yao might get an upset stomach from the pastries.

"Weren’t they kept from spoiling? Besides, I’m not that delicate," Zhao Yao said as he picked up a piece of osmanthus cake. It was aromatic and sweet, yet not overly sweet. "This isn’t made by my mother." Although the taste was similar to her creations, there was a distinguishable difference in the level of heat used.

As the most renowned gourmet in the capital, Zhao Yao had an exceptionally sensitive palate, capable of discerning ingredients and techniques.

"Ah, if not made by Her Majesty, then who?"

Zhao Yao had Tong Xi take a piece and try it. After eating, Tong Xi felt it was no different from Lady Liang’s pastries.

"Your Highness, this is indeed made by Her Majesty."

"No, bring me the letter," Zhao Yao ordered.

The housekeeper retrieved the letter from the capital and handed it to Zhao Yao before exiting.

Upon opening the letter, Zhao Yao’s face revealed a look of astonishment.

Seeing Zhao Yao’s abnormal expression, Tong Xi quickly asked with concern, "Your Highness, what happened?"

"This letter wasn’t written by Father or Mother." The handwriting on the envelope was the Emperor’s, yet the letter wasn’t penned by him. Zhao Yao was full of doubt—who was the woman Father had write this letter? "Father actually let another woman send a letter to me; what’s going on?" Is Mother out of favor?

"Ah, wasn’t it written by Lady Liang?" Could it have been Noble Princess Consort Ying who wrote to His Highness?

Suppressing his suspicions, Zhao Yao continued reading. Even though the handwriting was unfamiliar, the tone was definitively his father’s.

After finishing the letter, Zhao Yao learned both who wrote the letter and who made the pastries.

Observing Zhao Yao’s complex expression, Tong Xi assumed the letter contained significant news, anxiously asking, "Your Highness, is there bad news?"

"Father wants me to return to the capital before the new year."

"Back to the capital?" Tong Xi’s face suddenly turned fearful, "Has something happened in the capital, Your Highness?"

"Not at all. Father’s decided it’s time to arrange my betrothal next year, so he wants me to return early and start preparing for marriage," Zhao Yao said, shaking the letter in his hand. "This letter was written by my future Princess, and the pastries were made by her." It seems Father is quite pleased with his future bride; otherwise, he wouldn’t have her write a letter and make pastries.

"Princess?" Tong Xi exclaimed in delight, "Your Highness, the Emperor has found you a Princess, from which family?"

"The letter doesn’t say."

"Your Highness, the Emperor is finally arranging your marriage!" Tong Xi was overjoyed at the thought of Zhao Yao getting married next year. "Perhaps the Emperor wants to surprise you by not revealing the identity of your future Princess yet."

With a hint of sarcasm, Zhao Yao thought to himself, indeed a surprise, and quite a big one.

"Your Highness, aren’t you curious about your future Princess?" Tong Xi teased, glancing suggestively at Zhao Yao. "Don’t you want to know if she’s beautiful?"

Zhao Yao shot Tong Xi a look, "I’m not curious, and I don’t want to know."

"Your Highness, you can’t possibly not be curious; you’ve mentioned before that your future Princess must be beautiful."

"Even if she isn’t beautiful, I can’t refuse the marriage." Zhao Yao knew something about his future Princess. Honestly, he was a bit worried she might be raised too rigidly, centering entirely around him with no sense of self. She shouldn’t live solely for him, but she’d been taught from a young age to do so.