Placing the tightly-frowning Empress gently onto the stone slab, Zhang Shihao seemed to hesitate for a moment as he looked at her.
“What are you still standing there for?”
Seeing Zhang Shihao unmoving, Empress He Lian, who was in great pain, urged him on.
“This… Your Majesty, Xiao Haozi would not dare to be presumptuous. If I were to use the superior acupressure technique for ankle sprains from the Bian Que Medical Classic, Your Majesty would need to remove all Her shoes and socks, but, like this…”
Zhang Shihao did not finish his sentence.
The Empress immediately understood what Zhang Shihao meant.
However, at a time like this, she had caused irreversible damage to her foot.
“Cough… It’s fine, Xiao… Xiao Haozi, go ahead and do it!”
The Empress feigned composure, as if to maintain her dignity.
“Then Xiao Haozi shall be presumptuous!”
… … …
That day, it was about an hour later.
It was only in the evening that Zhang Shihao carried the somewhat weak Empress back to her sleeping quarters.
… … … …
Several days passed, and Zhang Shihao continued his routine of clocking in and signing out at the palace.
It was truly leisurely and carefree.
What pleased Zhang Shihao was that the Empress’s favorability towards him had increased by another three points.
It reached an unprecedented 83 points of favorability.
This favorability rating was too high.
Zhang Shihao couldn't understand it!
Why did the favorability keep rising?
It seemed he hadn't done much for the Empress, had he?
The Empress’s continuously climbing favorability filled Zhang Shihao with unexpected joy.
However, with happy things came annoying and troubling things.
The sign-in rewards these past few days were mostly useless.
A box of firewood.
A bottle of eye drops.
A pack of Huazi cigarettes.
A high-carbon steel military dagger.
Twenty catties of barbecue seasoning.
Ten boxes of antibiotic ointment.
Only the high-carbon steel military dagger, in this technologically backward Han dynasty, counted as a sharp weapon and was somewhat useful.
But the other items seemed to have little use.
This gave Zhang Shihao an understanding of the system’s sign-in function.
If he wanted to get good things, he still needed a critical hit on important days.
However, under these circumstances, one thing particularly troubled Zhang Shihao.
That was, Liu Hong seemed to have gotten used to the sleep-aid incense.
As the days passed and the sleep-aid incense sticks were consumed one by one, Zhang Shihao felt an urge to curse.
Because the sleep-aid incense he had wouldn't last much longer.
He had also asked the system.
However, the system’s explanation was that there were two ways to continue obtaining sleep-aid incense: missions or sign-ins.
Wasn't that as good as saying nothing at all?
The hot summer made people irritable.
In the evening, in the square in front of the Changle Palace hall.
The sun was setting, and the red sun cast various shapes in the sky.
A evening breeze blew, and waves of coolness seemed to blow away the day's heat.
At this time, having a big barbecue while enjoying the sunset glow in the sky would be quite delightful.
In front of a barbecue grill, it was filled with various ingredients like beef skewers, lamb skewers, chicken wings, chicken feet, and shrimp.
Brushing them with oil, and as time passed, flipping them back and forth to grill.
The skewers looked like oil bubbles were rolling, and their color changed from white to golden yellow.
When cooked, the sound of sizzling oil could be heard.
Wafts of enticing aroma spread all around.
Zhang Shihao, who was in charge of grilling, brushed the barbecue with the seasoning he had obtained from signing in.
Liu Hong, Empress He Lian, and five-year-old Liu Bian eagerly picked them up and devoured them.
At one point, Zhang Shihao’s grilling speed was not enough for the three of them to eat.
“So fragrant, hmm, Xiao Haozi, you truly are something. This food can be eaten like this, it’s delicious, delicious.”
Liu Hong held a lamb skewer, fully coated with barbecue seasoning, and put it into his mouth.
Immediately, a huge aroma filled his mouth, the taste was very fresh, stimulating his taste buds, almost making Liu Hong bite off his tongue.
His face was full of enjoyment and satisfaction, and he couldn't help but praise Zhang Shihao repeatedly.
“Mother Empress, Father Emperor, this grilled chicken wing is delicious, you two eat some too.”
Five-year-old Liu Bian, holding two grilled chicken wings, said in a full childish voice to Liu Hong and Empress He Lian.
“Haha, good, Bian’er knows to show filial respect to Father Emperor and Mother Empress now.” Looking at the grilled chicken wings that Liu Bian thoughtfully handed over, Liu Hong, who was already delighted by the unheard-of delicious food, burst into laughter, filled with relief.
“Mm-hmm, Mother Empress, you eat, Bian’er, you eat too.”
Seeing Liu Bian showing filial respect to Liu Hong as she had previously indicated, and Liu Hong looking delighted, Empress He Lian also smiled.
She took the grilled chicken wing Liu Bian handed her and put it into her mouth.
The sensation of extreme fragrance, freshness, and deliciousness instantly swept through her mouth.
While Empress He Lian was happy internally, she looked at Zhang Shihao, who was busy grilling, her eyes filled with intense favorability and complex emotions.
For several days in a row, Liu Hong had stayed overnight at Changle Palace, and she had actually dreamed of Zhang Shihao every night.