Blissful Days After Widowhood - Chapter 390

Not long after Gu Ye left that day, Mrs. Wang and Gu Yin began to prepare for the banquet.

The last time they entered the palace, it was shortly after their arrival in the capital when the Empress Dowager held a banquet. This time, as it was in Gu Ye’s honor, the two of them couldn’t afford to miss it.

The banquet followed a similar pattern, and Wu Zhong was present this time.

Back in September last year, Wu Zhong was only able to speak a sentence and required two servants to assist him. However, since Mrs.Wang’s arrival, he preferred not to be followed around by attendants unless necessary. Consequently, Wu Zhong started doing many things independently.

In the presence of numerous relatives, he no longer felt ashamed about his unique walking style and manner of speaking. With a positive attitude and consistent effort, the elderly man had grown rosy and full of vitality, a stark contrast to his condition just six months prior.

This particular banquet was held in the palace due to Gu Ye’s presence. As such, Wu Zhong took the initiative to participate, not waiting for Mrs. Wang to extend an invitation.

With Wu’an, who had never been to the palace before, the family departed in an orderly fashion.

Gu Yin instructed Song Shiliu to oversee the house in her absence, so she was slightly behind the others.

When she emerged, she saw Mrs. Wang raising her hand to swat Wu Qingyi.

Wu Qingyi was attired in a dignified navy blue outfit, complete with a golden crown perched on his head. His mere presence exuded regal authority. However, as soon as Mrs. Wang raised her hand, Wu Qingyi instinctively turned his head to evade, instantly dissipating his imposing demeanor.

Gu Yin couldn’t help but chuckle and promptly stepped forward. “Why are you hitting someone just before going out, Mother?”

Mrs. Wang defended herself, “No, I saw a bug on his face.”

She had intentionally given Wu Qingyi and Gu Yin a moment alone to chat.

After the outing, Gu Yin, who had dozed off in the carriage, had disheveled hair and a generally disheveled appearance. Mrs. Wang couldn’t have been happier.

However, not long after Gu Ye returned and began discussing what had transpired in the palace, Mrs. Wang couldn’t help but ask about the progress between the young couple.

When she had set out that morning, Mrs. Wang had naturally been keen to hear about how far her son and daughter-in-law had advanced in their relationship.

As Wu Qingyi recounted what had occurred the previous day, a gentle smile played on his lips. Mrs. Wang joined in the smile and prodded him further, “Don’t just smile, tell me more!”

Wu Qingyi obliged, describing how he had assisted Gu Yin in fixing her hair, adjusting her pearl earrings, and holding her hand.

Mrs. Wang beamed with enthusiasm and asked, “And then? What else?”

Wu Qingyi continued, “She mentioned that she was tired, so I allowed her to lean on my shoulder.”

“Lean… lean on your body,” Mrs. Wang’s excitement was palpable, and her lips began to tremble.

Wu Qingyi nodded and continued, “The carriage was bumpy, so I fetched a pillow to let her sleep more comfortably.”

Mrs. Wang’s excitement quickly turned to dismay. “Why bother with a pillow? It’s just a few bumps on the road!”

As soon as she said this, Wu Qingyi suddenly realized his blunder.

Indeed, why go through the trouble of using a pillow? He could simply have acted as a human pillow. His response left him chagrined.

Mrs. Wang, who had been hoping for more progress in their relationship, couldn’t help but raise her hand in frustration. How could they be so naive? How long did she have to wait before holding their child? With a somber expression, Mrs. Wang climbed into the carriage.

 ………… 

The family arrived at the palace in two carriages. Wu Zhong and Wu Qingyi headed to the former court, while Gu Yin and Mrs. Wang, accompanied by Wu’an, entered the harem.

This time, the banquet was once again held in Cining Palace. However, unlike the previous occasion, the Empress Dowager did not keep them waiting. She was already seated alongside Empress Zhou and Concubine Feng. Many other noble women were gathered, engaged in lively conversations.

Gu Yin and Mrs. Wang approached and offered their salutations. The Empress Dowager waved away their formal greeting and exchanged a knowing look with Mrs. Wang. She then smiled warmly at Wu’an, saying, “Is this your second child? He looks quite intelligent. Come closer, let me get a good look.”

Given that it was common knowledge that Gu Ye had been raised in Duke Ying’s mansion, it was perfectly reasonable for the Empress Dowager to feel a close connection to the family.

The other noblewomen joined in praising Wu’an, making the young boy feel somewhat shy yet brighter in personality after his time in the capital.

Wu’an was pushed to the front by Mrs.Wang and paid his respects to the EmpressDowager once more. The Empress Dowager inquired about his age, hobbies, and the books he had read.

Wu’an answered fluently, even mentioning that he had already read children’s enlightenment books but had not yet begun studying the Four Books and Five Classics. This elicited an attempt from the Empress Dowager to make a face for him, but her limited knowledge of characters left her turning to Mrs. Hou of Yunyang Hou’s mansion, who hailed from an aristocratic family.

Mrs. Yunyang Hou then quoted two passages from “The Extended Virtuous Words” and “Disciple Guidance”, and Wu’an recited them flawlessly and proceeded to explain their meanings.

To witness a child his age achieve such an impressive level of study, well beyond that of children from aristocratic families, led to a chorus of praise as people marveled at his prodigious talents.

Concubine Feng, though scornful within, refrained from showing it, keeping in mind the context of the occasion and the elevated status of Duke Ying’s family.

Just then, loud cries from Lu Xu could be heard coming from elsewhere.