Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
"You are not wrong; it's my fault." Upon hearing this, Xiao Yao was instantly taken aback. "Come on, brother, we are trying to live our lives here. What’s with the blame game?"
Seeing that this matter was about to drag on, and they might as well skip dinner, Xiao Yao quickly interrupted He Yu's next words. "Alright, there’s no need to fuss over such trivial matters between husband and wife. So, what do you want to eat? Should I help you with the seasoning?"
Sure enough, when He Yu heard Xiao Yao offer to help with the seasoning, his spirits lifted. "Are you sure?"
"Of course." Xiao Yao lifted her chin confidently. "It's just mixing some noodles; this little task is nothing for me!"
"Alright then," He Yu said with a smile in his eyes, "go ahead and follow your instincts. Make me a bowl first!"
"Huh? I can do whatever I want?" Xiao Yao was a bit stunned.
"Do whatever you like." He Yu sat on the couch with an expression that seemed to say, "I completely trust you." It was as if he was indicating that he would finish any noodles mixed by his daughter-in-law, even at the risk of food poisoning. This suddenly increased Xiao Yao's pressure; she had been relaxed but now felt tense.
She took the blue-and-white porcelain bowl from Li Da's hands; the noodles were already served. Xiao Yao could only rely on her memories of cooking at home in her past life to season them: salt, soy sauce, vinegar, chili, a pinch of sugar, some shredded cucumber, a bit of dried shrimp, a few peanuts, and two or three slices of beef shank—all mixed together and topped with some chopped green onions. It actually looked quite presentable.
He Yu looked at the colorful dish and praised it repeatedly. "Not bad at all; it looks appetizing."
"That’s just how it looks," Xiao Yao rolled her eyes. "Whether it tastes good or not can only be determined by tasting it. Come on, open your mouth."
As she spoke, Xiao Yao naturally picked up a chopstick full of noodles and offered it to He Yu. The servants immediately lowered their heads, observing with their noses and hearts; they couldn't casually watch their master's romantic moments. He Yu didn't point this out but instead seemed to enjoy the moment as he directly ate the noodles from Xiao Yao's hand.
"How is it?" Xiao Yao watched He Yu nervously, fearing he would utter the words "not tasty," which would be truly embarrassing.
He Yu chewed thoughtfully and savored it before swallowing slowly under Xiao Yao's anxious gaze. Finally, he spoke slowly, "The taste is quite good."
"Really?" Xiao Yao's eyes widened a bit more. "You better not be lying to me!"
"Is it true? When has He Yu ever lied to you?" He Yu looked at Xiao Yao, his expression quite earnest.
Xiao Yao was skeptical but took a bite herself. Huh? It actually tasted pretty good. Xiao Yao felt relieved; it seemed that after two years, the young lady had not forgotten her skills, which was nice. She could consider being self-sufficient from now on.
"I want more!" He Yu said, leaning in closer.
Xiao Yao initially thought to let He Yu eat by himself, but seeing his eager expression, she inexplicably picked up another piece and handed it over. Just like that, the two of them shared the same pair of chopsticks and bowl, finishing the entire meal together. As for the bowl of noodles that Li Pei had prepared for Xiao Yao, everyone present had long forgotten about it.
However, this incident raised the awareness of the entire Xuanping Prince's Mansion regarding how much their prince dotes on his princess to a new level.
Of course, this was something everyone was happy to see; after all, having a reputation for favoring a concubine over a wife was never a good thing, and no one wanted to be associated with such a prince.
As summer drew to a close, the capital gradually began to feel cooler; autumn was approaching.
Xiao Yao had also gradually figured out most of the affairs in the residence. The management of the inner courtyard was mostly handled by the steward, and Zhao Hezhong, as the chief steward of the entire residence, only intervened in major decisions. Since that was the case, there were even fewer matters that required Xiao Yao's input. Most of what she decided were external matters, such as how much to give as gifts when someone had a baby or whether to attend an invitation for a banquet.
Most of these matters were things Xiao Yao would wait to discuss with He Yu upon his return. After all, some of these issues had subtle implications, and she didn't dare make decisions rashly without fully understanding them. If she made a mistake and caused trouble for He Yu, it would be a serious offense.
However, over these two months, Xiao Yao gradually grasped some insights. For example, the Loyal and Brave Marquis was influential; the Scholar valued traditional etiquette greatly; thus, visiting Minister of Rites and the Xiao Family could be beneficial since if women's private education is done well, men could indeed have meaningful discussions. Additionally, if she encountered Grand Scholar Lin Taifu or Zhang the Scholar at banquets, they could also be good conversation partners.
On the other hand, with families like the Sun Family, it was best to keep a distance since they were firmly part of the Fourth Prince Faction.
Over time, Xiao Yao formed a preliminary relationship map in her mind. Whenever she had free time, she would write down these names on paper to establish a network of relationships.
Of course, such notes couldn't be kept around. After writing them down, Xiao Yao would directly take them to Yun Zhu and have them burned in front of her to ensure they were disposed of properly. He Yu agreed with her caution; he often said, "Some things are better handled personally."
During this period, she also entered the palace several times mainly to accompany He Yu's aunt, Consort Chen.
Consort Chen has never had children in her life, and it seems the Emperor does not want her to bear any. It is likely that he does not wish to leave behind any offspring with the He Family bloodline, which shows how deeply he fears the He Family. Consort Chen naturally understands this, but what Xiao Yao thinks is unclear. However, she appears quite calm and indifferent on the surface.
Of course, to show imperial favor, even though Consort Chen has no children, she continues to receive constant grace.
When Empress Yuanhui passed away, the Emperor had Consort Chen take over the care of the then less than four-year-old Crown Prince, who was established as Crown Prince at the time of Yang Yunqing's birth and has never changed since. Consort Chen treats the Crown Prince as her own child, personally attending to everything. The relationship between the Crown Prince and Consort Chen is also quite deep, which is one of the reasons why He Yu is fighting so hard to protect the Crown Prince's position.
After all, for He Yu, the only remaining family member from the He Family is Consort Chen. He does not want to see his only relative harmed.
Xiao Yao also likes Consort Chen. This woman seems to have seen a lot; she always presents a calm and peaceful demeanor. Although her features are gentle, she possesses an absolute strength at her core. Facing such a woman, Xiao Yao truly admires her.
She often sends messages to the palace to accompany Consort Chen for conversation.
Now that the Crown Prince has come of age and taken charge of the Eastern Palace, along with the busy state affairs, there is limited time for him to visit Consort Chen. As they grow older, it is no longer possible for him to dote on her as he did before. Although their relationship remains close, their interactions have decreased significantly.
Fortunately, Xiao Yao's arrival fills this gap, which naturally brings great joy to Consort Chen.
In the early morning light, Xiao Yao rubbed her eyes and got out of bed.
She happened to see He Yu changing clothes. When He Yu noticed movement on the bed, he approached and lifted the curtain with a smile, saying, "Why don't you sleep a little longer?"
"I'm not sleeping anymore. Today I promised the Consort that I would accompany her to Ganyesi Temple to pay respects; I need to get up early to get ready." Xiao Yao stretched lazily while slowly moving to the edge of the bed.
Upon hearing this, He Yu naturally did not say anything further. Since Ganyesi Temple is in the Beijing Suburbs, it takes at least half an hour to get there; waking up early is necessary.
Moreover, no matter how much Consort Chen loves her, she is still a Consort and an elder. It is appropriate for Xiao Yao to wake up early and wait for Consort Chen. Thinking of this made He Yu feel a bit heartbroken. He stepped forward and hugged Xiao Yao, kissing her gently. "I'm sorry for making you work hard."
"It's nothing," Xiao Yao smiled and naturally returned a kiss to He Yu. "The prince gets up at this time every day for court; compared to him, I'm much less burdened. This little effort of mine is nothing; I'm happy to help you!"
"Mm." He Yu held Xiao Yao, gently patting her back, closing his eyes to feel the tranquility and happiness of this moment.
After tidying up, Zhao Hezhong followed He Yu to court, carrying a clever food box. Xiao Yao knew it contained some easy-to-eat snacks; she couldn't really let her lord go hungry for several hours. If he got too hungry, the emperor wouldn't care, but she would be worried.
So she instructed the kitchen to prepare some easy-to-eat food that wouldn't dirty his hands for He Yu to take with him. This way, he could have a little something before court and then eat more afterward, which would help him get through the morning without any issues.
Today, she prepared Egg Wrap Rice for the lord. It was inspired by Egg Fried Rice, but since she couldn't find seaweed at the moment, Xiao Yao cleverly thought of using egg wraps instead. She placed steamed glutinous rice and regular rice inside, along with some shredded vegetables and meat. This way, he would have a nutritious breakfast, and He Yu expressed great satisfaction with it. This mini version of egg-wrapped rice had become his favorite and was the one he took most often.
After all, the fillings could always be varied, and the flavors could change; he would never get tired of it.
Coincidentally, Xiao Yao also had this egg wrap rice for breakfast and drank a bowl of freshly made soy milk, which completed her meal.
At this time, it was bright enough to set off.
The carriage swayed as it arrived at the side gate of the palace. A palace maid had been waiting at the entrance. When she saw Xiao Yao's carriage approaching, she immediately came forward to greet her. "Your Highness, to save time, please let the princess wait at the palace gate for a moment; Her Highness will come out shortly."
"Alright, thank you for relaying that," Xiao Yao nodded politely.
Comment 0 Comment Count