Blissful Days After Widowhood - Chapter 436

Upon seeing Gu Ye’s return, Mrs. Wang and the others greeted him warmly, addressing him as “Xiao Ye,” and engaged in affectionate conversations.

Wu’an had also returned, and the two little fellows, who hadn’t seen each other for a while, chatted enthusiastically.

Observing the happy atmosphere, Gu Yin decided to personally step into the kitchen.

The evening meal in the kitchen was nearly prepared. Gu Yin noticed that they had purchased fresh pork ribs, so she planned to prepare sweet and sour pork ribs along with some side dishes.

She had just blanched the ribs and placed them in the oil pan when Gu Ye entered the kitchen.

He strolled in with his hands clasped behind his back, carrying himself with the air of a prince, as Wu Qingyi had previously described. His demeanor was exactly what one would expect from a prince, with no discernible flaws.

Upon entering the kitchen, he waved his hand, dismissing everyone else. Once they had left, he promptly approached Gu Yin.

“It smells wonderful,” Gu Ye remarked as he inhaled the fragrance. He whispered in a low voice, “Everything is fine in the palace, but I still crave the dishes you prepare.”

“I hardly cook these days.”

She rarely cooked these days, mostly making desserts for the female guests on the third floor or, like during the previous spicy food festival, collaborating with Manager Zhou and others to develop new dishes, engaging in a shared cooking experience.

The chef they had brought over from the former palace was highly skilled, and Gu Yin typically enjoyed a break from cooking when she returned home.

The last time she had cooked for Gu Ye was during the food festival when he had brought Lu Xu and Feng Yu out of the palace.

“Even if it wasn’t cooked by you, having you here with me makes this meal taste delicious!”

Gu Yin was amused by his comment, and it brought a continuous smile to her face. She inquired about his experiences in the palace over the past few days and whether he had adapted to the palace life.

Gu Ye replied, “Everything is going well. Eunuch Qian has assigned Xiao Luzi as my palace servant. Although Xiao Luzi is young, he’s quite clever in managing various tasks. He handles all the day-to-day affairs, and not only that, he’s formed good relationships with the others, so I receive all the latest information through him… For instance, the last time, when I persuaded the Empress to let Lu Zhao join our class, I had him sent back to fetch Lu Xu. The eunuch reminded me and had me eavesdrop on what Lu Xu’s wet nurse was saying to stir up trouble…”

Gu Ye went into great detail about his recent experiences in the palace, and Gu Yin, in the midst of listening, continued to cook the ribs.

The dark red sweet and sour pork ribs exuded a tantalizing sweet and sour fragrance, enough to make anyone’s mouth water.

Finally, Gu Yin sprinkled a layer of white sesame seeds on the ribs, and they were ready to be served.

Gu Ye hurried to help with the dishes and asked, “Are these pork ribs from the Jiangnan region?”

Gu Yin explained, “Madam Lu was nostalgic for the flavors of her hometown, so when I invited chefs from different regions to the fourth floor, one of them happened to be from Jiangnan. The chef has been making various sweet and sour dishes lately, and I’ve picked up a few tips.”

“You’re still eager to learn from others?”

“There’s no end to learning. Although I used to make sweet and sour pork ribs, the way it’s done varies slightly from the most authentic versions in that region.”

“Do you know how to make Huaiyang dishes? ” 

Gu Yin grasped the implications when she heard Gu Ye’s request. Qian Sansi was currently in the company of several princes, and she deduced that Gu Ye wanted to reciprocate by offering his hometown’s cuisine as a gift.

While this approach might seem simple, considering Qian Sansi’s status as an imperial eunuch, he had no shortage of gold and silver treasures as gifts. However, thoughtful gestures like these could elicit a sense of warmth, thereby strengthening their relationship.

Gu Ye had a natural ability to discern such details.

“It’s not difficult. Now that you’ve mentioned it, I’ll make sure to pay attention.”

Gu Ye nodded and added, “There’s one more thing I discussed with Wu’an earlier. When you asked me before, I said it wasn’t a problem, but I didn’t share the details. Now that I can, I’m going to request permission for Wu’an to enter the palace to be Lu Zhao’s companion.”

Gu Yin paused and asked, “Have you spoken to His Majesty about this?”

Gu Ye shook his head. “Not yet. I’ve only discussed it with Wu’an so far. He mentioned that he would consider it, but when I discreetly asked today, he confirmed his willingness. Since he’s onboard, I plan to discuss it with my father. The way I see it, Father Emperor mentioned that finding a companion could be an opportunity for cultivating one’s own influence. However, given Lu Zhao’s tender age, it’s not the right time to focus on such matters. What he truly needs is a companion who can patiently support and care for him. At the age of three, he struggled with walking and talking, and he is fragile. Generally, most people wouldn’t readily send their children into such a situation…”