Blissful Days After Widowhood - Chapter 398

Lu Xu’s short, pampered legs gave out, and he couldn’t walk any further by the time he reached the palace gates.

Thankfully, Gu Ye’s carriage was conveniently parked there. Lu Xu eased himself into it and reclined.

As they made their way to the entrance of Food of Heaven, Lu Xu, refusing assistance from the guards, stepped down from the carriage, following Gu Ye and Feng Yu.

Gu Ye signaled to the guards to maintain their usual discreet presence outside and then ushered Feng Yu and Lu Xu into the restaurant.

Despite it being the afternoon market, the restaurant was still bustling, although its business wasn’t as thriving as before.

Manager Zhou welcomed the guests, and upon spotting Gu Ye and his companions, he instructed a maid to fetch Gu Yin from Elegant Hall on the third floor.

“Did you come home for lunch, or are you just being greedy again?” Gu Yin asked, descending the stairs with a smile. Her smile widened when she noticed Feng Yu, and she added, “Ah Yu is here, my mistake.”

Pretending to be offended, Gu Ye grumbled, “So, when I return, you think I’m just stuffing my face, but the moment you see Ah Yu, Mother, you’re all smiles. What’s going on? I’ve noticed you’re warm to newcomers, but where are the tears for the old guard?”

Gu Yin raised her hand playfully, threatening to give him a light swat. “Where did you pick up this nonsense?”

Gu Ye exaggeratedly shielded his head, avoiding her playful gesture.

As she was about to summon Ge Zhu, Gu Ye hurriedly interjected, “Mother, you’re not too busy yet. It’s not just the two of us; there’s a little tagalong.”

He glanced behind him, and Gu Yin, with a puzzled expression, followed his gaze, switching between him and behind him.

Gu Ye turned around, only to find no one behind him. He dashed out of the restaurant in search of Lu Xu, their young companion.

Lu Xu, it appeared, had no interest in eating with them at all. Instead, he had been captivated by a small stall near the entrance, where all sorts of food and trinkets were on display.

Given the proximity to Food of Heaven and the watchful eyes of the guards who often accompanied Gu Ye to the establishment, the people in the vicinity had been meticulously vetted. There was little concern about potential harm from the vendors, so there was no need for intervention to halt Lu Xu.

Lu Xu, intrigued by the sugar sculpture stall, requested the vendor to craft a large carp for him. The stall owner was renowned in the neighborhood for his remarkable craftsmanship. The round carp he produced was delightful, with intricately detailed scales.

Lu Xu was about to leave with the newly acquired sugar carp. However, the vendor promptly halted him, saying cautiously, “Young Master, you haven’t paid for it yet!”

Perplexed, Lu Xu tilted his head and noticed other customers exchanging copper coins for their purchases. This was an unfamiliar concept to him, so he casually unfastened the jade pendant hanging from his waist and asked the stall owner, “Can I use this instead?”

Lu Xu still wore the palace attire, and the palace satin and gold thread on his clothes exuded an air of nobility. The stall owner, experienced in serving dignitaries from the capital, recognized the signs of his noble status. Thus, when Lu Xu, with the sugar sculpture in hand, seemed about to leave without paying, the vendor had to be cautious as he intercepted him.

The jade pendant Lu Xu unveiled was nothing short of extraordinary; it had been carved from a single piece of precious jade. With such a pendant, one could purchase an entire row of small stalls, let alone a sugar sculpture.

The stall owner fervently waved his hands, stating that he couldn’t accept such a valuable jade pendant. He insisted, “You don’t need to pay; I couldn’t possibly take such a precious jade pendant from you. Let’s say it’s on the house.”

Puzzled, Lu Xu licked the sugar sculpture, unable to fathom why the vendor refused his jade pendant. In his eyes, his jade pendant was far more exquisite than the common copper coins!

However, the other party said he invited him to eat. Lu Xu didn’t ask any more questions, and ran to Gu Ye’s side. 

However, the vendor insisted, saying that it was on the house. Without further questions, Lu Xu hurried back to Gu Ye’s side.

“Look at my big carp!” Lu Xu beamed as he showed off the sugar sculpture to Gu Ye.

After a few enthusiastic bites, Lu Xu’s excitement waned. He found the candy sculpture somewhat bitter and not as delectable as the palace treats. Typically, things he didn’t want were handed off to the wet nurse or the palace maids. With no one around, Lu Xu grimaced and tossed it on the ground.

Gu Ye promptly stopped him with a hint of annoyance on his face. “Didn’t you pay attention to what we learned this morning? You weren’t asleep, were you?”

As a prince, understanding the importance of the common people, who were the bedrock of society, was fundamental. Growing up outside the palace, Gu Ye had an innate appreciation for this.

However, for Lu Xu, born during the reign of Emperor Zhengyuan, a benevolent ruler, these lessons were imparted by Eldest Master Wen and others who prepared him.

“I didn’t sleep; I listened!” Lu Xu protested and recited both the morning’s lessons.

To his surprise, the young boy had indeed paid attention in class. Gu Ye’s anger ebbed slightly, and he said, “Then you should remember: ‘Food on the plate is people’s hard work.’ Even if this candy sculpture doesn’t suit your taste, you can’t just discard it like that.”

Lu Xu remained puzzled. “It’s not ‘food on a plate’, it’s not a grain.”