For nearly a month, the little princess, ever craving new tastes, caused quite a stir at every mealtime. Her doting father, Emperor Yuwen Lan, carried her around almost every evening during dinner while Yanshu and the young crown prince ate first. Yuwen Lan would stroll around with his milky-scented daughter, trying to keep her entertained.

Finally, after much anticipation, the day came when the little girl reached four months old and could start eating solid foods.

On the first evening of her journey into the world of complementary foods, the entire family gathered at the dining table to witness the …