The Cold King Demands Love and Pleasure

Because what Min Yoo-an just drank wasn't some high-quality Pu'er tea at all; it was clearly a culinary disaster made by mixing soy sauce with salt!

That feeling was like soaring into the sky!

Xia Tongsheng and his father were both waiting for Min Youan to make a fool of himself, but he was really strong. This "heavy-tasting, hall-of-favor, dark-style ultimate dish" did not make Min Youan lose his composure. His face just darkened a little!

His self-control is truly remarkable!

Only Cang Jue was truly worried about his prince; he always had the feeling that his prince had entered a wolf's den!

Xia Xiuyong wanted to persuade him to take another sip, but his daughter kept giving him meaningful glances, telling him not to. It seemed that this girl had really fallen for the prince. Although he still wanted to play a trick on the prince, he respected his daughter's wishes and did not continue to prank Min Youan!

However, it's not that his daughter has fallen for the prince; it's because she understands Prince An well enough. If it happens again, Prince An will likely get angry! The consequences will be severe!

After lunch, Min Youan and Xia Xiuyong discussed some matters of the court. Xia Tongsheng wasn't very interested and was also a little tired, so she decided to leave first.

"Dad, you two chat, I'm going back to my yard to sleep for a while. I got up too early today and I'm a little tired!"

"Alright, go ahead!" Xia Xiuyong waved his hand at her!

Xia Tongsheng ran back to the courtyard with great joy, lay down on the rocking chair under the sycamore tree, and hummed contentedly!

"Yingling, call me when you leave. If you're not leaving, don't bother me. I want to be alone for a while!"

"Yes, Miss!"

Even after Xia Tongsheng woke up, no one came to tell her to leave!

She lay in the rocking chair, closing her eyes to rest, her mind filled with memories of her childhood with her mother!

A pang of sadness welled up in my heart! Sadness for my mother's passing, and sadness for my impending departure from this courtyard!

After finishing his business with General Xia, Min You'an had a servant lead him to the courtyard where Xia Tongsheng was. The courtyard was filled with sycamore trees and green lawns. The ground was very spacious, yet it felt very full. It was a kind of contradictory beauty!

A woman, as beautiful as an immortal, was sitting with her eyes closed. Her eyelashes were so long that a gust of wind would not only mess up her hair but also her eyelashes. She was reclining on a deck chair, swaying slightly. Her expression was dazed yet full of enjoyment!

A familiar scent seemed to brush past his nose, and Min Youan remembered—it was the delicate fragrance of paulownia blossoms, which was particularly pleasant.

And that's the scent on Xia Tongsheng's body!

For the first time in my life, I found that even the sycamore tree, which I had always considered ugly, had some redeeming qualities!

Hearing footsteps, Xia Tongsheng opened her eyes and got up from the rocking chair. "Why has Your Highness come?"

"I've come to see you!" He sat down on the stone bench with a cold face. "Come and sit down!"

Xia Tongsheng smiled and sat down to his left!

Min Youan noticed that, compared to the lively Xia Tongsheng in the Prince's Mansion, she seemed more serene in this small courtyard.

What does the sycamore tree mean to you?

"Meaning?" Xia Tongsheng remained silent for a while.

"As the saying goes, one leaf falling tells us that autumn is here! It seems that Master Guigu's disciple needs to use a paulownia leaf to see the situation clearly?" Perhaps the environment here is too comfortable, Min Youan couldn't help but talk a little too much.

"Your Highness is overthinking it. I am but a woman, how could I have such lofty ambitions! My affection for the phoenix tree is simply because of love!"

"Oh?" Min Youan asked, somewhat curious.

“The parasol tree symbolizes faithful love!” Xia Tongsheng explained, “Legend has it that the parasol tree is male and the sycamore tree is female. The parasol trees grow old together, live and die together! And all I wanted was such a love, but now that I think about it, it was ultimately a luxury!”

"It's good to know!"

Xia Tongsheng lowered her head slightly. The real reason she liked Wutong was not because of love, although that was part of the reason!

"I do have some self-awareness!"

Min Youan turned to look into her eyes, hoping to discern some emotion, but her eyes remained calm and undisturbed.

It's like a lake in winter, covered by a thick layer of ice. Although it looks calm, life is thriving underneath!

However, he always felt that this courtyard held a special meaning for Xia Tongsheng! These sycamore trees held even deeper meaning for her, but since she didn't want to talk about it, he didn't ask any further!

Upon returning to the Prince's residence, Xia Tongsheng went straight to her courtyard without lingering. Min You'an stared at the sycamore-lined path, slightly lost in thought.

The steward, following behind, noticed Min You'an's expression and immediately probed, "Your Highness, if you don't like it, this servant will have someone chop it up!"

"No need!" he said, then stepped into the study.

Cang Jue listened from the side, somewhat taken aback. When did his prince start liking phoenix trees?

When will his prince tolerate things he doesn't like appearing in his sight?

However, it seems that his prince has indeed become somewhat different since the princess arrived!

After about three or four days, Xia Tongsheng was having a very pleasant time. Min Youan didn't bother her, and the women in the mansion were all behaving themselves because of the incident where she had established her authority last time.

Xia Tongsheng rubbed her rumbling stomach.

She probably ate too little for dinner and was a bit hungry. Plus, the aroma of braised pork was so irresistible that she couldn't resist. "Yingling, let's have some midnight snacks. I'll make them, and you can help me!"

"Miss, this isn't right!"

"Don't try to act innocent after getting a good deal from me. Look at you, you're drooling!"

Yingling quickly reached out to wipe it, but found nothing. "Miss, you lied to me again!"

"Okay, hurry up!"

The two of them went to the kitchen and started rummaging around. Before long, a steaming bowl of braised pork was ready. Xia Tongsheng carried the bowl to Bu Yao's room and exclaimed, "Bu Yao, look what delicious food I made!"

Because of the injury on her buttocks, Buyao could only lie face down. "Your Highness, how can you cook for me personally?"

"Oh dear, you got so badly injured because of me, it's nothing for me to cook for you! Besides, I want to eat too!" Xia Tongsheng smiled shyly.

"I'll eat first!" Yingling couldn't wait any longer and had already started eating!

Buyao looked at Yingling. Although she knew that the princess was good to Yingling, she did not expect it to be this good. She felt that she was now the princess's confidante, and that she had not suffered in vain this beating!

Xia Tongsheng and the other two happily fought over the meat. Xia Tongsheng never ate fatty meat, but braised pork was an exception.

Just as she was enjoying her meal, she heard a maid announce that Min You'an had arrived and was waiting for her in the room. Xia Tongsheng looked at the braised pork in front of her, and although she was reluctant, she could only take Yingling with her to go over!

She couldn't help but complain, "It's really like a persistent ghost!"