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"Then my dear wife, what delicious food do you plan to make for me?" Hearing Xiao Yao express concern for him, He Yu felt quite happy and was in the mood to tease.
Xiao Yao was both flattered and shy at He Yu's words, her face immediately turning red at a visible speed. Seeing his shy wife, He Yu felt a surge of joy and affection, wishing he could present her with the best of everything in the world.
Feeling a bit better after eating, He Yu asked Xiao Yao if she had any plans for the afternoon.
The two had nothing else to do, so they each took a side of the couch and read their books. However, it was only after marrying into the family that Xiao Yao realized that He Yu was not as unlearned as the outside world claimed. Since they lived together, even the study in the East Courtyard was shared by both of them. Most guests visited the front courtyard, and those who were not very close to them naturally could not enter the Central Courtyard.
Moreover, there was actually a larger study in the East Courtyard, which could be more accurately described as a library.
It was a three-story building; the first floor was a study equipped with bookshelves and desks, suitable for receiving guests. This study was exclusively for He Yu and Xiao Yao, containing books that He Yu frequently read and even some that he would not let outsiders see. Most of the books that Xiao Yao browsed in the library were classic literature.
In this study, most of the books were about Military Strategy. Furthermore, these Military Strategy books were filled with notes and annotations, indicating what He Yu spent his time doing at home.
Of course, Xiao Yao could not understand these Military Strategy texts. She had been given a dedicated bookshelf in the study filled with novels and other leisure reading materials. After glancing at them without much interest, she decided to move closer to He Yu, curling up beside him. He Yu did not refuse; he naturally wrapped an arm around her. Although his eyes were on the book, he asked, "What's wrong? Don't want to read anymore?"
"Um," Xiao Yao nodded, "I can't really get into it; I'm just daydreaming."
He Yu chuckled softly and kissed the top of Xiao Yao's head before returning to his Military Strategy. As she stared at the book on Military Strategy, she pointed to an area with somewhat outdated handwriting and said, "This annotation isn't yours, is it?"
"Um, it's my father's handwriting." At this moment, He Yu seemed to calm down completely.
After a brief silence, Xiao Yao couldn't quite gauge He Yu's feelings but sensed a somewhat melancholic atmosphere in the room. Not wanting to dwell in this mood, she mustered her courage and asked, "You... read Military Strategy to prepare for leading troops in battle in the future?"
"Perhaps," He Yu replied with a smile but did not elaborate much. "Given the current situation, it will definitely be impossible to lead troops into battle in the next few years. The emperor has always been wary of my father and grandfather's influence in the military; keeping me close is merely to keep an eye on me."
He Yu appeared relaxed, but Xiao Yao felt a surge of anxiety.
"So..." Xiao Yao swallowed hard, "Everything you're doing out there is just for the Emperor's sake?"
At that moment, Xiao Yao's heart raced. She was unsure how He Yu would react to her question. He Yu paused for a moment before breaking into a smile. "To some extent, that's indeed the reason."
"Then why are you marrying me..."
"No," He Yu shook his head, cradling Xiao Yao's face in his hands. "I admit that marrying you has something to do with that, but it's not the main reason. Trust me, okay?"
Xiao Yao and He Yu locked eyes for a long time before Xiao Yao finally nodded. "Alright, I won't ask about this anymore. I believe you'll tell me when the time is right."
"Mm." He Yu kissed Xiao Yao's forehead and turned back to his book, while Xiao Yao continued to nestle beside him, lost in thought.
After about an hour, Yun Zhu quietly entered and softly asked, "Master, is there anything you would like for lunch? Or should I let the Kitchen decide?"
Xiao Yao looked outside; the hottest part of the day had mostly passed, and autumn was approaching. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Since I had a late breakfast and I'm not too hungry, let's keep it simple. I'm feeling a bit sleepy right now, so nothing too complicated. What about you, sir?"
"I don't mind either way; I'll follow your lead," He Yu replied, leaning against the pillow with an expression that suggested he was completely at her mercy.
Xiao Yao rubbed her forehead and thought for a moment. "Summer is almost over; how about we make some cold noodles? Once it gets cooler, we won't be able to eat them anymore. What do you think?"
Although He Yu gave her plenty of autonomy, Xiao Yao still found herself seeking his opinion. Upon hearing her suggestion, He Yu nodded. "Sounds good; let's go with that. You're feeling a bit sleepy anyway? Since it's simple enough, let's stick with this."
With the order given, Yun Zhu left the room, leaving He Yu and Xiao Yao alone inside.
"Oh, right," He Yu seemed to just remember now, straightening up and saying, "Today I heard from Duke Wei that his family’s legitimate daughter might be hosting a Chrysanthemum Appreciation Banquet in a few days, and they will invite you to attend."
"Duke Wei?" Xiao Yao was somewhat unclear about this title.
"Yes, Duke Wei of the Meng Family," He Yu smiled and said, "Their title is hereditary, and they are loyal to the crown. It wouldn't hurt to go."
Understanding now, Xiao Yao realized this was an opportunity to foster good diplomatic relations. A light bulb went off in her head as she immediately looked up and asked, "So who else is in their family?"
He Yu chuckled, knowing Xiao Yao had grasped the situation, and replied, "Duke Wei of the Meng Family, the Primary Wife of the Hu Family is also a prominent family in the capital. The Hu Family has one son and one daughter; the son is undoubtedly the confirmed heir, while the Legitimate Daughter is sixteen this year and has not yet been married."
Oh? Based on this…
"Isn't this a matchmaking event?" Xiao Yao voiced her confusion.
Hearing Xiao Yao's straightforward question, He Yu burst into laughter, "Yes, it can also be considered a matchmaking event."
"Then why are we being invited?" Xiao Yao found it strange.
If it’s a matchmaking event, then it should just involve a group of unmarried men and women looking at each other. What were they married women supposed to do there? Be wallflowers? Xiao Yao felt utterly perplexed.
He Yu chuckled again, clearly amused by her confusion. "These people who enjoy elegance don’t like to do things too obviously; otherwise, how could it be called a Chrysanthemum Appreciation Banquet? Right?"
"...True." Xiao Yao suddenly felt quite speechless.
The two chatted for a while longer before lunch was served.
A large bowl was filled with oiled noodles, surrounded by a variety of side dishes, including shredded cucumber, shredded radish, beef, shrimp, and various seasonings. As they were arranging the dishes, Li Pei and Li Da entered from behind.
The master and apprentice quickly bowed to the two, saying, “We greet the Prince and Princess!”
“Get up. Am I not supposed to have cold noodles? What are all these things for?” Xiao Yao asked curiously.
Li Pei smiled and thought to himself, “The servant thought that the Prince and Princess might have different tastes. If it’s mixed beforehand, it might not suit the master’s palate, so we prepared these.”
“Oh, so we can choose for ourselves?” Xiao Yao said with interest; this was quite fun.
“Yes,” Li Pei replied while bringing over a small bowl about the size of a palm. “This bowl isn’t big, so the master can try several flavors.”
“That sounds great,” Xiao Yao said with a smile. “This method is quite good.”
Seeing Xiao Yao so excited made He Yu feel good as well. “You’ve really thought this through; not bad.”
“Thank you, Master!” Li Pei immediately grinned widely, rubbing his hands together with excitement as his face turned red.
Xiao Yao found this way of eating refreshing and chose a few items first. Then she noticed that Li Pei stood there with a somewhat stiff expression, seemingly unwilling to take action. “What’s wrong? Don’t these go together?”
“Oh, that’s not it; it’s just…” Li Pei looked awkwardly at He Yu.
That look made Xiao Yao instantly understand; she had ordered dishes in front of He Yu! In the royal residence, naturally, the Prince had the final say, and she had broken the rules. For a moment, Xiao Yao felt a bit flustered. “Your Highness… I…”
“Does that matter?” He Yu waved his hand and pulled Xiao Yao closer, his expression somewhat displeased. “What? Are you not going to listen to the Princess’s orders?”
“Servant……” Li Pei was almost in tears, “Servant, Servant… according to the rules, Your Highness…”
“What about me?” He Yu's dark eyes were heavy as he slammed his palm on the table. “In the Xuanping Prince's Mansion, all rules in the inner residence are based on the respect for the Princess. Her words are equivalent to my orders. Are you all trying to defy me?!”
As soon as these words were spoken, all the Servant in the room knelt on the ground.
No one expected that their prince would elevate the status of the princess to such a high level, even placing her on equal footing with himself. If this were to happen in another household, regardless of any Noble Family, the woman would first have to serve her man before she could eat.
Therefore, everyone naturally thought this was a matter of course, but He Yu's words made their cold sweat break out instantly.
The Xuanping Wang actually favored the princess to such an extent.
Seeing that He Yu was angry, Xiao Yao immediately said, “Alright, alright, this is my fault. Don’t be angry.”
Xiao Yao hurriedly tried to appease He Yu, while He Yu shook his head. “You are not at fault; it is my mistake.”
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