Li Ruiyuan's birthday.
Su Yinyin kept thinking about what dishes to prepare for the birthday feast.
After some thought, she pulled out the box she had stored earlier and finally spotted the stamp in the corner.
As expected, it was the same as the one in Li Ruiyuan's hand.
After the wedding of Li Xing and Li Yuqing concluded, she finally made a list.
It was filled with dishes that she and Li Ruiyuan loved.
Su Yinyin also took out the stamp and gently pressed it onto the list.
No wonder people liked using stamps; it was really convenient.
Su Yinyin couldn't help but think the stamp was so cute as she held it, carefully playing with it in her hands.
The more she looked at it, the more details she noticed.
This stamp not only had butterfly patterns on the sides, but even the edges at the bottom had butterfly wings.
Li Ruiyuan liked butterflies that much?
He liked giving her butterfly-shaped things, but she never thought he liked them this much.
After the wedding of Li Xing and Li Yuqing, the focus quickly shifted to the wedding arrangements for Miss Du and Sun Dongjun.
They were going to manage the wedding as Miss Du's family.
However, since they were still young, Su Yinyin took the initiative to help out.
One happy event after another, and it seemed like Su Xian and An Guilan's wedding would be soon.
Some people questioned why it had to be An Guilan, given the troubles with her family.
But the Su family responded, "She’s just a young girl who managed to make a life for herself. Our family isn’t anything remarkable, but as long as the child is happy, that’s enough."
Su Xian was not much of a talker, but he had a good eye for people, and once he had made up his mind, he was never wrong.
The news spread, and while most people didn’t think much of it, Miss Meng, who was about to be married, couldn’t believe it.
The Meng family was going through tough times; their shops were closing one after another, and many of their friends and relatives were distancing themselves.
The accusation of wrongdoing had already damaged their reputation, and it only got worse after the truth came out.
The head of the West City government office had been pestering them daily, and their reputation was ruined.
All of these troubles had already tied them up, and they hoped that by losing some money, they could avoid further misfortune. But, as it turned out, they lost their money, and the misfortune didn’t end.
This year’s imperial exams were coming up, and it was highly likely that both officials from the Meng family would only be able to get low-ranking positions.
They even tried to plead with a fellow townsman working in the Eastern Palace for a chance to go check out the silver mines, but those working in the Eastern Palace kept their distance, fearing any association with the Meng family.
Even Meng Miss’s fiancé’s family had started to murmur, though they didn’t break off the engagement, and the marriage proceeded.
This was the biggest good news for their family.
Being assigned a low-ranking position.
Their shops were closing one after another.
The legal troubles at the government office were still weighing them down.
Many people were saying, "Your family must be having a streak of bad luck this year."
But the Meng family knew the real reason.
When the two Meng brothers saw His Royal Highness the Crown Prince at the Su family’s place, they knew they had offended the wrong people.
Lord Meng even scolded the eldest son of the Meng family, saying that if they had facilitated the marriage between Miss Meng and Su Xian, their family would have been safe and sound.
It was such a simple matter—why create enmity over it?
Even if the marriage didn’t happen, it would have been better if Meng San had developed a good relationship with Su Xian and tried to please Su Yinyin.
Unfortunately, due to their arrogant attitude, they were slowly walking toward the worst possible outcome.
This wasn’t a coincidence. Behaving in such a way, with their habitual insults, they were bound to hit a wall eventually.
But this time, unfortunately, they ran into the one person they shouldn’t have.
The Meng family knew the Su family was bound for great success, and now they heard that Su Xian, the eldest son of the family, was going to marry a woman who made pastries.
The woman came from a farming family, and the whole family was poor. Although a few officials had come from her clan, there was no connection to the woman's parents.
And yet, Su Xian had taken a liking to her?
It seemed like the marriage was getting closer.
Miss Meng was clearly the most devastated.
The man she liked not only had great knowledge, good character, but his family was also connected to influential people.
If her family hadn’t interfered, perhaps it could have worked out.
This already made her feel regretful in her heart.
Now, hearing that the person Su Xian was going to marry was far inferior to her, her feelings were even harder to express.
Moreover, she could no longer deceive herself into thinking the marriage hadn’t worked out because her family hadn’t allowed it.
Looking at Su Xian’s attitude, it was clear that as long as he liked someone, it could happen.
But she was the one who was not liked.
She then inquired about the woman’s background.
She was sent to be an apprentice at fifteen, studied for years without becoming a master, and after the Wei family’s downfall, she found work and came to the Su family.
The woman was resilient, it was said she was grateful and repaid kindness, even protecting Su Yinyin’s younger sister from an attacker, and could help mediate.
That attacker had even been sent by her own family.
They had said that her family had managed to do something good.
But no matter how painful it was for her, it no longer had anything to do with her.
This news would inevitably make its way to her future in-laws, and it would surely cause trouble again.
As this gossip spread, people began to wonder: Is the Su family really as powerful as it seems?
The Meng family’s downfall was connected to her family—was that an exaggeration?
Even among the families of officials, this matter was being discussed.
There are no secrets in this world.
More and more people were learning about the true power behind the Su family.
Jin Yanlei, who was still helping plant beets at the hot spring resort, had not yet heard about it.
But he vaguely understood that Su Yinyin’s relationship with the Crown Prince was not ordinary.
Even so, when he saw Su Yinyin at the resort, he was still taken aback.
“You, you, you, what are you doing here?!” Jin Yanlei shouted.
“Why can’t I come?” Su Yinyin replied playfully.
Su Xian also got down from the carriage, his face dark the entire time.
Just thinking about how the Crown Prince had lured his sister to the palace again made him unhappy.
Finally, Jin Yanlei was able to ask the burning question: “What exactly is your relationship with the Crown Prince? Are you related by blood? Are we related too?”
The Crown Prince had arrived at the palace in mid-October. Upon hearing that Su Yinyin and the others had arrived, he put down his official duties and came to pick them up, just in time to overhear Jin Yanlei's question.
Li Ruiyuan directly responded, “Childhood sweethearts.”
Who?
Who’s with whom?!
Jin Yanlei’s expression turned fierce.
What was going on here that he didn’t know about?
At this point, this matter was no longer a secret.
The people who had been at the palace for a long time even remembered Su Yinyin. After she arrived, the Crown Prince seemed like a different person.
Before this, the Crown Prince had spent about half a year every year in the hot spring palace. Though the Emperor and Empress often came by, seeing the young prince there all alone always made people feel pity.
Everyone had thought that, given the Crown Prince’s situation, he might always be like this in the future.
Some even speculated that if the Crown Prince remained this way for life, they might have to appoint another heir.
Neither his health nor his emotional state made him the best choice for the heir.
If not for the Emperor and Empress holding strong, someone would have raised this issue long ago.
But it was during that one year, when Su Yinyin appeared in the palace and took the Crown Prince out, that things started to change.
Since then, the Crown Prince rarely came by, and when he did, it was evident that his health had greatly improved.
Outsiders thought the Crown Prince was slowly recovering.
But the Emperor, Empress, and those in the palace knew the real reason.
So when Jin Yanlei noticed how well the palace attendants treated Su Yinyin, he realized that she was clearly on the same level as the Crown Prince.
Why?
Who could explain this to him?
Jin Yanlei looked around, sighed deeply, and said, “The secrets in this capital really are endless!”
But then he came to a realization. When he had previously mentioned that the Crown Prince went out of the palace every few days, he now understood that he was going to see Su Yinyin.
Su Yinyin simply explained that they had formed a bond over pastries and became acquainted after that.
“Every few days you meet, share pastries, and even celebrate birthdays together for more than ten years?!” Jin Yanlei suddenly understood the palace attendants’ expressions and was even more shocked. “You’ve even been here before?”
Li Ruiyuan didn’t speak and just waited for Su Yinyin to explain.
Hearing the rough timeline, Jin Yanlei immediately said, “Cousin, Crown Prince, you mean to say that since then, you haven’t been afraid of the cold?!”
No, that’s not it. It’s not that he isn’t afraid of the cold.
It’s that he endures the cold because he has a reason to come out.
His childhood sweetheart came to meet her, so he had to come out.
Su Yinyin slightly parted her lips.
She knew about Li Ruiyuan’s past, understood the reasons he was afraid of the cold, and also knew that he had rarely come out since then.
But so much had happened recently that she didn’t even have time to think properly about it.
After hearing what Jin Yanlei said, she was a bit stunned.
That night, Li Ruiyuan had said that she was a source of stability for him.
So that was the meaning behind his words?
Su Xian’s face darkened further. If it weren’t for his devotion to serving his country, he would really want to grab his sister and leave right now.
Of course, it was also because he could clearly see Li Ruiyuan’s feelings for his sister.
If it weren’t for that, their family wouldn’t have accepted it so quickly.
Especially his father.
After hearing about Li Ruiyuan’s identity from his mother, he hadn’t slept for several nights.
He was worried about the Crown Prince, who held such a high position, possibly doing something improper.
After calming down, they realized that such a thing would never happen.
They didn’t understand the Crown Prince, but did they not understand Yuan Rui either?
Back then, they thought this child was small and frail, but he was an extremely good kid.
After his sister calmed down, she clearly thought the same.
As for the future, their family didn’t know what would happen.
But still, as long as they were happy, that was enough.
Having seen so many young couples break up and get back together, their family didn’t think much about it.
Su Yinyin and Li Ruiyuan looked at each other, and Jin Yanlei was the first to crack, sourly saying, “Little matchmaker, I’ve noticed that everyone around me is getting married. What about me?”
He watched others share sweet moments, but he couldn’t accept it.
Especially with Li Yuqing and Li Xing, those two were getting together.
Even Li Yuqing was someone he had introduced.
Su Yinyin shrugged her hands. “It’s hard to say, fate will find its way!”
By the end of October, the weather was already very cold outside, but the palace was still warm.
Su Yinyin and Li Ruiyuan unintentionally found themselves walking together. They hadn’t seen each other in more than ten days, and Su Yinyin asked, “Have the beets been harvested yet?”
“Almost, another five or six days,” Li Ruiyuan smiled. “Was it cold on the way here?”
“Not too bad. Snow has already fallen in the capital. We’ll have to wear thicker clothes when we go back. But take me to see the beets now. How are they doing?” Su Yinyin was really curious.
Since it could be promoted for planting, it must have improved a lot since the beginning.
Li Ruiyuan suggested they take a rest first before going over to check.
Beets can be used to make sugar, and their growing cycle is only four months. In the Yellow River Basin, they can be grown twice a year, even in cold regions.
The more they cultivated this crop, the better it seemed.
Especially with Mr. Tian, who would be the examiners for this year’s official tests.
He had been wanting to meet Su Yinyin for a long time.
One reason was that he had heard of Su Yinyin’s name because of the beets, and the other was that he understood the Crown Prince’s thoughts.
From either perspective, he had long admired her.
When they finally met, Mr. Tian immediately took a liking to this lively young girl.
Although she was only the daughter of a seventh-rank officer, she was exceptionally bright, beautiful, and carried herself with an easygoing grace.
When she entered the room and saw the beets, she exclaimed, “They really have been well cultivated.”
Su Yinyin felt that although the beets in front of her weren’t as good as the varieties in the future, they were clearly much better than the earliest ones they had found.
She believed that once it was promoted, the yield would increase in just a few years.
Though she wasn’t an expert on the subject, she knew that the Kingdom of Wanlong placed great importance on agriculture and would definitely continue the cultivation efforts.
“Your Highness, you’ve arrived,” Mr. Tian said, waiting for the formal greeting, and nodded slightly to Su Yinyin.
Su Yinyin quickly returned the greeting. The elderly man in front of her wasn’t wearing official robes, but his demeanor and appearance were impressive, clearly not an ordinary person.
Upon learning his identity, the Su siblings both looked at him.
So this was Mr. Tian!
They both liked reading his travelogues.
Whether it was about local customs or his insights on current events, they found his writing both interesting and thought-provoking.
Knowing they had read his books, Mr. Tian stroked his beard, delighted.
He had been full of frustration back then and could only channel his feelings into the countryside, not expecting so many people would enjoy it.
In their pleasant conversation, Mr. Tian was amazed by Su Yinyin’s knowledge.
Many things seemed to her like second nature.
Especially the importance of agriculture—it was as natural to her as breathing.
Su Yinyin might not have realized anything, but in her past life, everyone knew the importance of having enough food and the importance of farming.
She had even long had a well-developed and refined plan.
These things, brought back hundreds or even a thousand years ago, would have been invaluable experience.
Mr. Tian nodded repeatedly, full of admiration: “Yes, the people’s livelihood lies in the fields. Cultivating good seeds and developing farming tools are both excellent.”
Mr. Tian personally led everyone to see the sugar-making area, where the white, crystalline sugar was piled up, and just looking at it brought joy.
Li Ruiyuan looked at Su Yinyin seriously and said, “All of this is because of you.”
If it weren’t for her, no one would have thought to look for beets, nor would they have specifically cultivated them.
It was like the lemons now—no one used to eat them, but now they had become a local specialty of Li Xing’s region.
Su Yinyin didn’t dare to take credit; she had just spoken up.
That said, everyone involved in the sugar-making process held her in great esteem.
With these developments, the price of sugar in the kingdom would drop significantly, and such beneficial things for both the country and the people were exactly what they had been hoping for.
And, considering the Crown Prince’s attitude, could anyone still not see it?
Even just for the Crown Prince’s feelings toward Miss Su, they would be motivated to give their best.
Su Yinyin and Li Ruiyuan settled into the palace.
***
On Li Ruiyuan’s birthday, a lavish feast was prepared.
There were chicken, duck, fish, and lamb—each prepared in different ways, but with one common feature: none of them had any fishy or gamey taste, and absolutely no traces of blood.
This was clearly the Crown Prince's taste.
Having known each other for many years, and with Su Yinyin aware of past events, she had figured out the reason behind Li Ruiyuan’s aversion to certain foods.
This recipe would serve as his future dietary guide.
As long as it was prepared according to this, his appetite would definitely improve.
Li Ruiyuan looked at the explanations on the list, his eyes filled with shock.
Had she been preparing this gift since the time he told her about his experience at the age of three?
At that time, she had clearly wanted nothing to do with him.
How could he not like someone like her?
Even though Su Yinyin knew she was a burden to him, she still treated him well.
After all, she was Su Yinyin, who had been kind to him for as long as she could remember.
She had pulled him out of the abyss.
At the back of the list, there was also her seal.
Li Ruiyuan’s eyes brightened even more.
Su Yinyin pointed to the table: “If you follow this from now on, it should work. Do you want to try it?”
Not just Li Ruiyuan, but Jin Yanlei, who was accompanying them, was already itching to grab the chopsticks, but he dared not.
For many years, every meal had been a struggle for Li Ruiyuan.
Eating a little was only for the sake of the Emperor and Empress.
But it was never enough, so he remained thin and frail.
Until he met Su Yinyin.
Her big, bright eyes, her pure innocence—looking at her while she ate made him forget all the lingering bad feelings.
The Emperor and Empress were thrilled, seeing his health improve a little.
Then, it was her who took him out of the palace.
From then on, he began to feel like a normal person.
For others, becoming normal was an easy thing.
But for him, it had taken many years.
Now, this recipe was tailor-made for him.
Su Yinyin said earnestly: “I just want you to be safe and healthy.”
Then she glanced at her brother and changed the subject: “It would be best if everyone could be safe, healthy, and live well.”
Li Ruiyuan nodded and boldly took Su Yinyin’s hand, not even daring to look at Su Xian: “Yes, that’s my wish too.”
"Your Majesty, Her Majesty, presents!"
This year, the Crown Prince said he wanted to celebrate his birthday at the hot spring palace. After inquiring about the reasons, the Emperor and Empress decided not to disturb him but sent gifts as usual.
Not only were there gifts from the Crown Prince, but also from Su Yinyin.
Just like when she had been at the hot spring palace in the past, she had received the same gifts as Li Ruiyuan.
The head eunuch beside the Empress approached with a smile and said, “Miss Yinyin, it’s good to see you again.”
They had met many times before.
Every time the palace prepared pastries, it was this head eunuch who personally brought them.
It was Jin Yanlei who had reminded her, and only then did she realize that this eunuch was a trusted person around the Empress.
Thinking about it now, their interactions seemed to have started last year.
No, it had actually started when they were children.
That warm jade from back then was still in her house.
So, when did Li Ruiyuan actually start having feelings for her?
Wasn’t it a bit early for him to have feelings?
The Emperor and Empress had prepared gifts for the two of them, and the greatest surprise was still for Jin Yanlei.
What did this mean?
It meant that the Emperor and Empress had already recognized Su Yinyin.
But since the timing wasn't right, they hadn’t formally acknowledged her before.
Now that their identities had been revealed, they immediately sent gifts, showing everyone that not only did they acknowledge her, but they also liked her very much.
The Emperor and Empress hadn’t interfered with their normal life in the past.
But now, since they couldn’t hide it anymore, they decided to be the Su family’s backing.
It was said that the Jin family was now highly favored in the court, but compared to the Su family, what was that?
Leaving aside other things, the two most important gifts were two sets of warm clothes.
They were made of materials similar to the ones from back then, but clearly tailored for their current sizes. Except for the different colors, the patterns and cuts were almost the same.
The meaning behind this was obvious.
The head eunuch was holding the recipe, moved to tears, urging someone to copy it and take it back to the palace for the royal chefs to study.
If the Emperor and Empress knew about this, they would surely say that none of the gifts could compare to this one in value.
And in reality, that was true.
Su Yinyin and the others stayed at the hot spring villa for seven or eight days until the new batch of beets was harvested.
Everyone confirmed that beets could be promoted for cultivation.
This happened around the turn of the year.
Meanwhile, the prominent families in the capital learned the exact news that the Emperor and Empress already had a candidate for the Crown Princess.
As for who it was?
That was still unknown.
It was said that the family’s status wasn’t very high.
For a moment, everyone was saying: "Our family isn’t considered to have a high status, right?"
"Do you have any daughters of marriageable age? Then you can talk about status."
Many aristocratic families wished they could lower their own status.
In the past, they had enjoyed being praised for how prestigious their families were, but now, anyone who praised their family’s status was almost the same as insulting them.
After all, this was about the Crown Princess.
With the Crown Prince’s ability and foresight, if the woman became the Crown Princess, who cared about whether their family’s status was high or low?
But who the person was remained unanswered.
It was said that the matter hadn’t been fully confirmed yet, and they would wait until everything was settled before making an announcement.
Could this really be true?
Was it a joke?
The few people in the capital who knew the correct answer, like the Prince of Ning, were now respectfully speaking to their subordinates.
Although the Prince of Ning hadn’t made anything clear, his polite attitude towards the Deputy Commander Su made it obvious to both of them.
Deputy Commander Su, whose family background was not high, was feeling numb.
He had a sense that something wasn’t quite right recently.
First, his family had an issue. The Meng family, a fourth-rank official, had thought that the Su family was trying to climb higher and had schemed to frame them.
Apparently, their son had been crying and insisting on marrying his daughter, Yinyin.
This had passed, and the matter was resolved.
Then his wife told him to stay calm and explained Yuan Rui's background.
They had known that child since he was little. He was a good child.
But no one had ever said that he was the Crown Prince!
This matter was still within the scope of what he could accept.
Now, news was circulating in the palace that the Emperor and Empress had chosen a Crown Princess, and her family background wasn’t very high.
At this point, the Deputy Commander Su could still comfort himself.
But seeing the look in the Prince of Ning’s eyes, there was no need to say more.
Moreover, his daughter and son were currently at the hot spring palace helping the Crown Prince celebrate his birthday.
However, the Deputy Commander Su had one question he wanted to ask.
“Prince Ning, I have a doubt I’d like to resolve.”
The Prince Ning, knowing exactly what he was going to say, waved his hand and said, "You were promoted to Deputy Commander purely because of your own merit."
This was not flattery.
Whether it was the Deputy Commander Su's military achievements on the battlefield or his abilities after joining the Military Command, these were the key factors in his promotion.
The Prince Ning smiled and added, “If you really did benefit from me, then this position would already be yours.”
The position of the General Commander of the Five Cities Military was usually reserved for royal family members.
The Prince Ning's words were not wrong.
If he really benefited from this, the position would indeed be his in the future.
The Deputy Commander Su couldn’t smile at all.
He was already content with his life.
His family was doing well, his old friends were living better and better, and there was nothing more he could ask for.
The Prince Ning, however, tried to comfort him: "Your daughter is fortunate, and she's also very smart. Don't worry."
When they returned home, the Deputy Commander Su shared the matter with his wife.
Madam Su had already been mentally prepared but couldn't help but worry. When large orders from the palace came to their shop again, they would fully understand the palace's intentions.
However, the next matter would make the Su couple even more anxious.
A decree from the palace was issued.
The palace was looking for fortunate people from the capital to participate in the winter sacrificial ceremony, and five individuals would be selected. All the local government offices in the capital were to recommend candidates seriously.
The most important sacrificial ceremony of the year was to select people from the common folk?!
The Su couple, however, had an answer in their hearts.
The fortunate ones.
Their daughter.
Sure enough, the head of the West City office, Zhang, came directly to their door, extremely polite. He said, “In West City, the most fortunate person is undoubtedly Su Yinyin, the daughter of the Su family.”
“Many of the good marriages in West City were facilitated by Miss Su, and even the Empress has praised her.”
“For this winter sacrificial ceremony, Miss Su must certainly attend.”
Since this conversation took place in front of the Hui Nu Pastry Shop, the customers present, envious, nodded in agreement.
Indeed, everyone knew that Su Yinyin was a fortunate person.
Every marriage she helped arrange turned out well.
Given her good fortune, it was only right for her to be chosen for the winter sacrificial ceremony!