Blissful Days After Widowhood - Chapter 396

Upon entering Wenhua Hall, Xiao Lu Xu made his way to his table, offering a contemptuous snort in the direction of Gu Ye and Feng Yu. He then proceeded to rearrange his small table and chair to his liking.

Xiao Luzi and the other servants, who had been diligently serving Gu Ye and Feng Yu moments ago, discreetly returned to their designated positions, pretending not to notice the commotion.

The tables and chairs in Wenhua Hall had been custom-made to suit a child’s size, and though smaller than regular furniture, they were constructed from solid wood, rendering them immovable even by the energetic antics of the three-and-a-half-year-old Lu Xu.

Gu Ye set down his food, rose from his seat, and offered to help. Feng Yu followed suit.

Gu Ye inquired, “Where do you want to move it to?”

Lu Xu pouted, saying, “I want to move it far away from you!”

Gu Ye and Feng Yu exchanged glances and chuckled before assisting Lu Xu in relocating the table and chair a few feet away.

Once they were resettled, the trio took their seats. Gu Ye and Feng Yu resumed eating, while Lu Xu laid his head on the table and appeared to be napping.

However, after a short period of rest, Lu Xu’s stomach audibly growled twice. Having gotten up late, he had missed breakfast. Though Concubine Feng had attempted to offer him some milk buns later on, he refused, considering it too much trouble. After all, he was in the palace, so he assumed that someone would provide him with food whenever he was hungry.

Despite his stomach’s protests, no one in the hall seemed to acknowledge it. The aroma of the delicious meat dishes wafted around, intensifying Lu Xu’s hunger. He took in several deep breaths of the mouthwatering scent and swallowed hard.

Gu Ye was about to speak, having untouched food in front of him, but Feng Yu intervened. With a smile, Feng Yu commented, “Your Highness, the buns and biscuits you brought are exceptionally delectable. The buns are soft, the biscuits are crispy, and the braised pork is just perfect – not too greasy, yet full of flavorful gravy. I couldn’t resist; I devoured everything.”

Feng Yu, hailing from a polite and refined background, ate quietly, but to emphasize his point, he smacked his lips demonstratively after his statement.

Gu Ye endured a smile and said, “It’s delicious, especially this Roujiamo, it seems that I’m the only one who has it. Even those who have money cannot have it as it is not sold in other places! I gave it to my father and grandmother before, and they all praised it. Alas, I just brought too much, and there are still two left. It’s this time again, and I think father and the others have already eaten breakfast. It’s a pity for such delicious food…” 

Lu Xu drooled a lot, but he still said, “Hmph, you are lying, the best food in the world is of course from the palace, how can it be food from outside? I don’t believe it! Unless, unless…” 

Gu Ye and Feng Yu looked at each other again, holding back a smile and asked him what.

“I won’t believe it unless you let me taste it!” 

The remaining two untouched roujiamo and biscuits finally reached Lu Xu’s hands. 

Because they were very small, Lu Xu didn’t ask anyone to feed him, so he took it and ate it himself. 

Although Feng Yu’s words were deliberately for him, they were not excessive. 

The delicious food exploded on the tip of his tongue, and Lu Xu’s whole face was filled with a happy smile. He quickly ate it clean. 

“It’s not so good!” Lu Xu said, and couldn’t help but let out a loud burp. 

The so-called dead duck had a hard mouth, and that was it. (stubborn person to a fault)

Gu Ye and Feng Yu couldn’t help laughing, and Lu Xu blushed. 

“Who made this? Why do you say you can’t buy it with money?” Lu Xu couldn’t help asking after recalling that statement. 

Gu Ye said, “It was made by my foster mother. Although our own restaurant sells it, other people’s cooking is not as delicious as her cooking, so even money can’t buy it.” 

“She cooks food for you?” Lu Xu was startled.

Concubine Feng talked about Gu Yin and Mrs. Wang privately more than once or twice. Of course, there were no good things to say about them. They were all scolding them. 

Concubine Feng had privately criticized Gu Yin and Mrs. Wang on multiple occasions, and her remarks were far from complimentary – all of them were unflattering. Lu Xu, while not comprehending many of the words used, recognized that they were negative descriptions. In his childlike understanding, he believed that villains should always be plotting and scheming to harm others, so he couldn’t comprehend why they would spend time cooking.

Unaware of the child’s thought process, Gu Ye nodded and said, “Yes, my foster mother’s cooking skills are extraordinary. Her restaurant’s success owes entirely to her. Customers flock to her restaurant, and everyone who tastes her dishes falls in love with them.”

Feng Yu Then he said, “That’s true, I haven’t been to my aunt’s restaurant for a while, and I miss her dishes very much.” 

Gu Ye discerned that Feng Yu’s statement was partly true. While he did want to dine at his restaurant, his true desire was to visit Ge Zhu, something they had already discussed. Although having a pass would allow them to move about freely, they still preferred to maintain a valid pretext, which was more suitable in the eyes of Emperor Zhengyuan.

Gu Ye suggested, “Alright, there’s an hour-long lunch break at noon. We can quickly head there and return after having our meal.”

Having said that, Eldest Master Wen and another teacher came to class, and they stopped chatting.

With the morning’s first class concluded, Gu Ye and Feng Yu began to tidy up after bidding farewell to their teachers.

Xiao Luzi stepped forward and offered, “Your Highness, please allow the servants to take care of these trivial tasks.” As he spoke, he presented their cloaks and indicated a sedan chair stationed at the hall’s entrance.

Observing the sedan chair, Gu Ye inquired with a hint of surprise, “Can I ride in that?”

He was afraid of breaking the rules. 

Xiao Luzi clarified, “Your Highness, in the past, when you had not reclaimed your status, we needed to be cautious during your entrances and exits. But now that you’re recognized as Prince Lie, there’s no reason why you can’t use the sedan chair. Rest assured, there are official procedures in place. The Ministry of Internal Affairs had it prepared for you. If Your Highness looks at the sedan chair, you’ll find that there’s even a plaque with ‘Lie’ on it.”

Upon hearing this explanation, Gu Ye ventured outside to inspect the sedan chair. Sure enough, he spotted a jade plaque bearing the word “Lie”. The presence of his name reassured him that it was suitable for his use.

Gu Ye nodded in acknowledgment and expressed his gratitude to Xiao Luzi before inviting Feng Yu to join him in the sedan chair.

Meanwhile, Lu Xu dozed off during the lesson. Despite the instructors prompting him to stay awake, he’d return to slumber each time after a brief awakening. While they attempted to maintain the prince’s dignity, the teachers refrained from excessive discipline, understanding that their attempts were futile.

Upon hearing the commotion outside the hall, Lu Xu wiped his drowsy eyes and stood up. He followed them, his short legs carrying him towards the exit. “I’m coming too!” He announced energetically.