Volume Two, Chapter Thirty-Nine

"Zhen came to deliver lunch to all my dear subjects!"

The main doors were suddenly thrown open, shattering the awkward silence in the room. Zhao Huangpu stood outside with more than a dozen eunuchs carrying food boxes. Before he even entered, he saw the wreckage inside—the overturned inkstone, ink splattered across the floor, Li Chenjing covered in ink, and Zhu Bafu standing there with her head lowered.

"What... happened here?" Zhao Huangpu looked at Long Ang, who appeared completely uninvolved, then turned to Nian Youyu, who was still focused on his abacus. Suddenly, a gust of wind swept past him. His Minister of Works saluted him, then dashed out through the door beside him and slipped away.

"Did you bully her?" Zhao Huangpu blinked.

Long Ang smiled. "With our Chief Counselor throwing himself in to protect him, who would dare bully him?"

Zhao Huangpu's gaze shifted to Li Chenjing, who was covered in ink blossoms. He curved his lips into a smile and instructed the eunuchs behind him, "Someone, attend to Young Master Chenjing and help him change."

Two eunuchs lowered their heads and walked toward Li Chenjing, but he indifferently pushed them away.

"Your Majesty, I'm fine."

"You may be fine, but you're quite an eyesore to me." He smiled at Little Jing with exceptional warmth. "Don't you always like to be clean and fresh? What? You can't bear to change?"

"..."

"Help Young Master change, then serve the meal."

"Yes."

A pebble fell into the pond, sending ripples across the water.

A food box filled with dishes of exquisite color, aroma, and flavor descended from the heavens and landed on Zhu Bafu's lap. She lifted her head to find Your Majesty looking down at her. In a panic, she picked up the food box and was about to