The name-change uproar

Under the expectant gazes of Empress Mother and his little sister, Jiang Chengze quietly sat down, though his movements were a little stiff.

Jiang Nuan noticed nothing and even thoughtfully piled plenty of food onto his plate.

As Xiao Xiao served Jiang Nuan, she added quite a few morsels to Jiang Chengze's bowl as well.

Watching the food visibly begin to mound above the rim of his bowl, he finally could not take it anymore.

“Empress Mother, little sister, my appetite hasn't been very good lately. This is more than enough.”

Ah, what a pity. My Crown Prince brother won't get to enjoy this feast. The dishes look so beautiful—they must taste delicious.

Jiang Nuan felt sorry for him, then picked up a leafy green and put it in her mouth.

The instant it entered her mouth, her taste buds reeled from the impact.

This dish looks so lovely, all glossy and glistening, and it smells enough to whet anyone's appetite. But the taste...

At that point, Jiang Nuan's inner voice paused.

Xiao Xiao looked at her eagerly. She had occasionally cooked for Jiang Chengze in the past, but had never had a chance to taste the food herself. Jiang Chengze always finished every last bite, so surely her cooking could not be bad.

So this is what food cooked by Mother herself tastes like? It feels very "heavy"!

Jiang Nuan pondered for a moment, unable to find a suitable adjective.

"Heh." Jiang Chengze had not expected his little sister to come up with a word like that and could not help chuckling.

But he soon realized something was wrong. Hadn't his little sister been eating just now? Where had that voice come from?

Could it have been his little sister's thoughts?

Though somewhat startled, Jiang Chengze quickly accepted it.

One look at Empress Mother's expression told him that she knew as well. But in the brief time it took him to digest this revelation, Xiao Xiao had already picked up a mouthful of food and eaten it. He had no time to stop her.

The moment Xiao Xiao bit down, she spat it out. Had this dish, salty enough to kill someone, really been made by her own hands?

Refusing to believe it, she reached her chopsticks toward the other dishes. Her expression grew darker with every bite, and after taking a sip of soup, she spat it straight out without a thought for her dignity.

Jiang Chengze pressed a hand to his forehead. The secret he had kept for so long had actually been exposed by his little sister's thoughts. Still, there was an upside: at least his taste buds would no longer have to suffer.

After tasting the food, Xiao Xiao snatched away Jiang Nuan's bowl as she hesitated over whether to keep eating, along with Jiang Chengze's bowl, which he had already eaten nearly half of.

"Stop eating. Is this even fit for human consumption?"

Though Xiao Xiao had made the food herself, she criticized it without mercy.

"Hurry and clear all this away!"

She hurriedly instructed the palace maids standing nearby.

Now she had answers to some of the things that had puzzled her before. No wonder Chengze always drank several cups of tea whenever he ate her cooking. She had only thought he happened to be thirsty, but now...

At that thought, Xiao Xiao patted Jiang Chengze's shoulder and said, "Chengze, thank you for putting up with this all these years."

Just then, Jiang Nuan popped up between them and asked, “Empress Mother, Crown Prince brother, what are you two speaking in riddles about?”

Amused, Xiao Xiao stroked her head and said, "Nothing."

Seeing that her beautiful mother had no intention of explaining, Jiang Nuan did not press her.

"By the way, Nuannuan, when it's just us, could you call me Mama, like children in ordinary families do?"

Every time she heard Jiang Nuan call her "beautiful mother" in her thoughts, sweetness filled her heart. She wanted to hear her say it aloud.

"All right, Mama!" Jiang Nuan called sweetly.

"Don't forget about me. How about just calling me Brother from now on, little sister?"

Not to be outdone, Jiang Chengze chimed in from the side.

"All right, Brother!"

Hearing her call him Brother, Jiang Chengze was thoroughly satisfied.

Beside them, however, Xiao Xiao could not stop her eyes from reddening.

While pregnant with Jiang Nuan, she had dreamed of scenes like this countless times.

But all those dreams had shattered when the Imperial Physician told her she had delivered a stillborn child.

Who could have imagined that the mountain path would turn, and beyond the dark willows, bright blossoms would appear? Heaven had sent her Nuannuan back to her.

As she thought of this, the thought of that dead infant having occupied Nuannuan's place for so many years made her feel sick.

She turned to Jiang Nuan and said, “Nuannuan, before long, Imperial Father will announce to the world that you are our daughter, the most honored princess under heaven. Would you like to change back to your original name?”

Back then, Jiang Yunsheng and Xiao Xiao had already chosen her name: Jiang Xianzhi. It meant that she would be their pearl in the palm, the envy of every woman under heaven.

The name Jiang Nuan, on the other hand, had merely been chosen on a whim because she happened to be born in winter, on a warm day with clear skies stretching for miles.

Before Jiang Nuan could offer an opinion, Xiao Xiao rejected her own suggestion.

"No, that won't do. Someone else has already used that name. My Nuannuan won't use a name someone else has used. How about letting Mama choose an even better one for you?"

Having said that, she looked expectantly at Jiang Nuan.

After hearing Xiao Xiao's words, Jiang Nuan found herself torn.

Should I change my name? I've used Jiang Nuan for three lifetimes, and I'm already used to it. Maybe I should just keep it? But Mama only means well.

Seeing her so troubled, Xiao Xiao thought for a moment and said, “If Nuannuan doesn't want to change her name, then we won't. How about I ask Imperial Father to grant you a lovely title instead?”

Xiao Xiao's thoughtfulness moved Jiang Nuan, who had never experienced a mother's love.

Struggling to hold back her tears, she threw herself into Xiao Xiao's arms, her voice choked with sobs:

"Mama, you're so good to me!"

“Since Empress Mother has done so much, I certainly can't fall behind as your brother. I have a hot spring estate in the Capital City. How about I give it to Nuannuan?”

Watching the mother and daughter cling affectionately to each other, Jiang Chengze felt a little left out and spoke up.

Jiang Nuan smiled at his words, then tugged on his sleeve to beckon him closer, and the three of them embraced.

"It seems I've come at the wrong time!"

Jiang Yunsheng, who had just walked in, teased them at the sight.

When the three were about to bow, he stopped them.

"It's all right. No need for formalities."

As Crown Prince, Jiang Chengze had been held to strict standards since childhood. His relationship with Jiang Yunsheng was more that of sovereign and subject than father and son.

After Jiang Yunsheng arrived, he became noticeably more tense.

Jiang Yunsheng glanced at him.

What a spineless boy. The moment he sees me, he turns into a quail. He can't even compare to Nuannuan. Not only is she perfectly relaxed around me, she even dares to call me her scumbag dad in her thoughts!

Seeing the lack of warmth between them, Jiang Nuan sighed inwardly.

Ah, scumbag dad and Brother don't act like father and son at all. No wonder Brother ended up dying at scumbag dad's hands!