On the day of the winter hunt, Emperor Chengde led the hundred officials in a grand procession to the outskirts of the capital.
An Sheng, as a close minister to the emperor, rode alongside the imperial carriage, while A Mei was arranged to travel in the carriage designated for the families of officials.
This carriage was indeed smaller than their own. Clutching a hand-warmer, A Mei lounged lazily on the thick cotton cushions her husband had specially prepared for her. Feeling utterly bored, she lifted the carriage curtain to glance at the procession stretching for miles outside. A gust of cold wind blew in, and A Mei’s hands immediately grew icy cold. She quickly lowered the curtain, grumbling inwardly.
Such freezing weather—really, this was asking for trouble for no reason.
The distance wasn’t too great, and the procession arrived at the royal hunting grounds by noon.
As soon as she stepped down from the carriage, an official in charge of reception led A Mei and her maidservant to a fully arranged tent.
Though the tent was not large, it was equipped with all necessities—a bed, a table and chairs, a brazier, and other everyday items. Clearly, the officials responsible had been meticulous and dutiful.
With the brazier burning red charcoal, it was far more comfortable and warmer than the carriage, even if it couldn’t compare to their home.
Just as the maidservant had unfastened A Mei’s cloak, Xiao Zhengzi’s voice came from outside the tent.
“Madam, I, Xiao Zhengzi, am here on behalf of the master to relay a message.”
A Mei nodded to the maidservant beside her. “Let him in.”
“Yes, Madam.”
Soon, Xiao Zhengzi entered the tent.
“Madam, the master is currently by the emperor’s side and cannot leave for the moment. He specifically instructed me to first check if Madam is comfortable here. If there is anything lacking, just send someone to inform me, and I will arrange everything.”
“Outside the tent are several soldiers, personally selected by the master. If the master is not present, they are responsible for Madam’s safety and lodging.”
“The master also said that the third tent behind ours belongs to Minister Cui of the Ministry of Justice and his wife. If Madam finds it dull, you may go visit Madam Cui for some casual chat.”
“Additionally, the emperor personally shot two wild boars as soon as he entered the forest. As is customary, they will soon be roasted and distributed. The barbecue area is in the open space in front of the tent area, quite lively. Madam may go and take a look.”
As Xiao Zhengzi spoke at length, the corners of A Mei’s mouth kept rising uncontrollably.
Her husband was always so considerate and attentive to her, and A Mei couldn’t help but feel a secret joy and sweetness. However, she didn’t want to show it too obviously in front of the servants. She coughed lightly, pursed her lips, and responded, “Hmm, go back and tell my husband that I am quite satisfied with the tent here. The weather outside is cold, so I won’t go out for now and will rest in the tent. Tell him not to worry.”
“Yes, Madam!”
Xiao Zhengzi immediately turned and left to deliver the message.
A Mei took the cup of hot tea handed to her by the maidservant and took a sip. She was indeed a bit bored, but she didn’t want to go out in the cold to join the excitement. She pointed to the trunk they had brought. “Fetch me the novel from the trunk.”
When An Sheng lifted the tent curtain, he saw A Mei sitting on a chair, hiccupping as her hand covered her mouth, her body trembling.
An Sheng: ...
Hearing the noise, A Mei turned around and immediately looked at An Sheng with tearful eyes, pitifully saying, “...hic... husband... hic... mm... you’re here... hic...”
An Sheng was caught between laughter and concern. “What’s wrong?”
“Hic... A Mei ate too much... hic...”
An Sheng felt both distressed and amused. He unfastened his fur cloak, casually draped it over the screen, then stretched his hands over the brazier to warm them. Once his hands were warm, he walked over to A Mei, gently patting her back.
Seeing that it wasn’t very effective, he poured a cup of water. With one hand patting her back and the other holding the cup to her lips, he said, “Drink some water to wash it down.”
A Mei widened her eyes and shook her head, her face scrunching up. “Hic... no more drinking, no more drinking. I can’t hic... drink anymore, it doesn’t help.”
An Sheng frowned, staring at A Mei’s distressed little face. “How much did you eat?”
A Mei blushed and tried to explain, “Wasn’t it just that the roasted wild boar was so delicious? Hic... it was my first time trying it, and they gave us hic... so much. It would be a waste not to finish it.”
An Sheng first chuckled, then sighed helplessly. He directly scooped A Mei up, sat down in the chair, held her in his arms, and slipped a warm hand under her clothes to gently rub her stomach.
“Though the roasted meat is tasty, it’s hard to digest. I’ll have someone boil some Four-Ingredient Digestive Tea and send it over. It’s bitter, but it’s very effective for relieving indigestion.”
Hearing that she would have to drink bitter herbal medicine, A Mei immediately pouted and shook her head like a rattle-drum. “No drinking. I’m too full. I really can’t drink anything right now.”
“Just let husband rub it a bit.”
An Sheng raised an eyebrow and gently massaged A Mei’s smooth belly.
Suddenly, he laughed out loud and teased, “Alright, this ‘Four-Ingredient Digestive Tea’ is truly a miracle cure—just hearing its name, and you’re better already.”
A Mei let out a surprised “Eh,” her eyes widening with delight. She wriggled happily in An Sheng’s arms. “It’s true! The hiccups have stopped!”
An Sheng lightly tapped her nose, sighing with a mix of resignation and adoration. “You really...”
A Mei chuckled and wrapped her arms around An Sheng’s neck, coaxing, “Husband, are you done with your work? If so, come take a nap with A Mei. I feel a bit sleepy.”
Ever since moving into the current An residence, A Mei had developed the habit of an afternoon nap, and the drowsiness would hit her right on schedule.
An Sheng carried her to the bed, gently lay her down, and said in a soft voice, “Does this bed feel too hard? If it’s uncomfortable, have the maidservant add another layer of cotton padding.”
A Mei shook her head. “Though it’s not as good as home, it’s still fine. A Mei thinks it’s already quite decent.”
An Sheng hummed in acknowledgment, leaned down, pulled the quilt over her, and tucked her in carefully. “I’ll need to head to the emperor’s tent soon for some official business. I’m not sure when I’ll be back. You go ahead and sleep; don’t wait for me. There will be a bonfire tonight, and I’ll take you to watch the fun.”
A Mei nodded and urged him, “Mm, go ahead and get busy, husband. Don’t worry about A Mei.”
An Sheng stood up, still apparently uneasy. He scanned the tent, checked whether the charcoal in the brazier was sufficient, and gave repeated instructions, “I’ve arranged for people to wait outside. Call them if anything comes up. If you need to relieve yourself, don’t go out—there’s a chamber pot behind the screen. Just handle it inside the tent.”
A Mei blushed deeply at being fussed over like a little child. Though she felt touched and delighted, she was still a bit embarrassed. She let out an “Aiya” and playfully glared at An Sheng. “Husband, A Mei isn’t a child anymore. I know all this. Don’t worry, just go quickly! Don’t keep the emperor waiting.”
Only then did An Sheng leave, reassured.
