Seeing this, Li Ji took a sip himself before scooping another spoonful of soup and bringing it to Hua Manman’s lips.

"You should have some, too. The food will get cold."

It was already autumn, and the nights were getting chilly, so the food cooled down quickly.

Hua Manman had already refused Prince Zhao’s kind gesture once; she couldn’t very well refuse a second time.

She could only open her mouth and drink the cabbage and tofu soup Prince Zhao fed her.

Li Ji asked her how it tasted.

’Didn’t you just have some? Don’t you know perfectly well what it tastes like?’ Hua Manman thought.

A bashful look appeared on her face. "The soup Your Highness personally fed me is, of course, exceptionally delicious."

Li Ji scooped up another spoonful of soup and lowered his head to take a sip.

He drank slowly, deliberately letting his lips linger on the spoon, giving it a slow lick.

After swallowing the mouthful of soup, he put the spoon down and smiled meaningfully.

"It is indeed delicious."

Hua Manman was speechless.

’Why is this scoundrel so damn seductive even when he’s just drinking soup?!’

After feeding her the soup, Li Ji insisted on feeding her the other dishes as well.

He seemed to have discovered the joy of feeding his wife, happily offering her one bite after another, never tiring of it.

Hua Manman remarked with genuine feeling, "You’ll definitely be an excellent father someday."

’He’s a total super-dad in the making.’

Li Ji chuckled. "As long as you’re willing to bear my children, I’ll certainly do my best to be a good father."

Hua Manman immediately snapped her mouth shut, pretending she hadn’t said a thing.

’She was only fifteen! Having a baby at this age was practically a death sentence.’

Li Ji heard her thoughts.

He knew childbirth was dangerous for women, but he didn’t realize age was also a factor.

’Looks like I’ll have to consult an Imperial Physician later. What is the best age to get pregnant and have a child?’

After dinner, Li Ji returned to his coffin.

Before he went, he grabbed a handful of melon seeds. It was too boring in the coffin; he could crack some seeds to pass the time.

Hua Manman called in the palace maids to clear the table.

Once the palace maids had left, Hua Manman was alone in the mourning hall again.

She had been busy all day and was exhausted. She wanted to lean against the coffin and get some sleep.

But as soon as she leaned back, she heard Prince Zhao’s voice from inside the coffin.

"You’re not asleep yet, are you?"

Hua Manman yawned and answered lazily.

"Mmm, I’m about to."

"Don’t sleep yet," Li Ji said, cracking melon seeds. "Talk with me for a bit."

He had been resting in the coffin all day, so by nightfall, he was wide awake and full of energy, not the least bit sleepy.

Hua Manman, however, was extremely sleepy. She mumbled, "Did you know that staying up late helps slow down aging?"

Li Ji had never heard this before and was naturally curious.

"Why is that?"

Hua Manman said, "Because people who often stay up late usually don’t live to be old."

Li Ji was silent.

’I suspect she’s threatening me.’

Seeing that the scoundrel had fallen silent, Hua Manman could finally get some sleep in peace.

「At dawn the next day, Feihua Zhenren arrived.」

He began the rituals again, the proceedings nearly identical to the day before.

Hua Manman spent another day kneeling on a cushion, until her legs had nearly gone numb.

When the evening’s rituals finally concluded, she tried to stand up. But her legs were too weak, and she stumbled forward, smacking her head on the coffin. The pain made her see stars, and tears welled up in her eyes.

Seeing this, Princess Ningyang quickly had someone help her up.

Looking at her miserable state, Princess Ningyang sighed.

"These past two days have been hard on you."

Originally, Princess Ningyang hadn’t been very satisfied with Hua Manman.

In her opinion, Hua Manman’s birth only qualified her to be a nanny; Prince Zhao’s main wife should have been a woman of much better status and family.

But Prince Zhao had been fond of Hua Manman and refused to marry anyone else.

To fulfill his last wish, Princess Ningyang could only hold her nose and approve the marriage.

During the rituals these past two days, she had seen Hua Manman constantly keeping vigil in the mourning hall, handling every matter personally. Though she was so tired she had dark circles under her eyes, she hadn’t uttered a single word of complaint.

Such devotion was truly rare.

Princess Ningyang couldn’t help but soften her opinion of Hua Manman, and her attitude toward her eased considerably.

"Are you hurt? Should I have an Imperial Physician take a look at you?" 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Hua Manman held her forehead. "I’m fine. It just hurts a little. The skin isn’t broken. It’ll be fine in a bit.

It’s getting late. You should go back and rest. Tomorrow will be another busy day."

After seeing Princess Ningyang off, Hua Manman dismissed everyone else as well.

Before she could even go to open the coffin, the lid opened on its own.

Li Ji vaulted out of the coffin.

He saw Hua Manman clutching her forehead and immediately pulled her in front of him. When he moved her hand away, he found a bruise on her forehead.

It must have been from when she hit the coffin.

He had heard the thud from inside the coffin and knew Hua Manman had fallen.

At that moment, he had desperately wanted to jump out of the coffin to see if she was hurt.

Luckily, he had managed to maintain his composure and avoided the horror of a public "resurrection."

Li Ji looked down at her. "How could you be so careless?"

Hua Manman replied meekly, "I’ll be careful next time."

She tried to step back, but Li Ji held her fast with one arm.

His fingertips lightly touched the bruise on her forehead.

Hua Manman immediately hissed in a breath of pain.

Li Ji frowned. "This needs some medicinal wine."

There was indeed a pot of wine on the incense table, but it was a prop for the ritual.

It was just ordinary white wine with no medicinal properties.

Li Ji grew a little agitated.

’If I had known Manman would get hurt, I never would have scheduled the rituals for three days. One would have been enough.’

Noticing his foul mood, Hua Manman quickly tried to soothe him.

"I’m alright. It just hurts a little. It’ll be fine in a bit."

Li Ji couldn’t help but laugh. "You’re the one who’s hurt. Why are you comforting me?"

Hua Manman grinned cheekily. "Because while the wound is on my body, the pain is in your heart."

She was only joking, but Li Ji replied in all seriousness.

"Since you know that, you must take good care of yourself from now on. Don’t get hurt again."

Hua Manman froze for a moment.

’The scoundrel actually took her seriously.’

Li Ji reminded her, "Remember to have someone bring a bottle of medicinal wine later."

Hua Manman nodded obediently. "Okay."

When a palace maid brought dinner over, Hua Manman requested some medicinal wine.

The palace maid promptly returned with a bottle of medicinal wine for improving circulation and reducing bruising.

The palace maid added considerately.

"You can’t see the wound yourself. Allow me to apply the wine for you."

Li Ji, hiding in the coffin, was furious when he heard this.

’What is with this palace maid? How dare she try to steal my job?!’

’Does she want me to jump out right now and scare her half to death?!’

Hua Manman politely declined the palace maid’s kind offer and sent her away.

The moment she was gone, Li Ji leaped impatiently from the coffin.

He snatched the medicinal wine and said sternly to Hua Manman.

"From now on, things like applying medicine—only I am allowed to do them for you. No one else."

Hua Manman: ???

’Didn’t you just tell me not to get hurt again?’

’This scoundrel is so fickle.’

...

Another Chapter will be up later!