Blissful Days After Widowhood - Chapter 439

Empress Zhou accompanied the rebel army to the city when the new dynasty was established more than a year ago. At that time, her heart was still closed, and her whole mind was tied to Lu Zhao alone. Not to mention the capital, she seldom went to other parts of the palace.

Since her eldest son had been retrieved, and her younger son had also begun attending classes at Wenhua Hall, Empress Zhou suddenly remembered that she hadn’t been out to explore the city for a long time.

Emperor Zhengyuan arranged a bodyguard for her and specially transferred Qian Sansi to Empress Zhou for a day.

After leaving the palace, Empress Zhou rode an ordinary soft sedan chair. Qian Sansi inquired about the direction of Food of Heaven, and the group made their way to Taibai Street.

At the interface where the carriages and sedan chairs were parked, Empress Zhou alighted and asked Qian Sansi, “Shouldn’t we be going to Duke Ying’s mansion? Why have we come here?”

Qian Sansi replied, “This servant’s apprentice is now following Prince Lie. Your Royal Highness, I heard from His Highness that the general’s wife is not in the mansion but in the restaurant. If the Empress goes to the mansion, the general’s wife will have to rush back immediately.”

Empress Zhou agreed with Qian Sansi’s reasoning. She had come out to find Gu Yin to inquire about Gu Ye’s preferences and also to take the initiative to establish a friendship with Gu Yin. With her status as an empress, she could have gone directly to Duke Ying’s mansion, enjoyed tea and snacks, and waited for Gu Yin to return home. However, this would have been rather impolite.

Seeing this, Qian Sansi took Empress Zhou to the vicinity of ‘Food of Heaven’.

Empress Zhou nodded. The two were discreetly escorted, with only two palace maids accompanying them, both dressed as ordinary female guests to maintain a low profile.

The former dynasty had been known for its open-mindedness, and the new dynasty continued in the same spirit. The streets were bustling with women, making up a significant portion of the population, only slightly fewer than men.

As they approached Food of Heaven, the number of females increased significantly. Many people appeared to be acquaintances, chatting and walking hand in hand near the entrance.

Empress Zhou followed closely behind her companions and watched as they ascended the restaurant’s stairs. She followed suit, heading up the staircase.

At the juncture of the second and third floors, a maid politely blocked Qian Sansi’s path. She informed them, “Dear guest, the third floor’s dining area is exclusively for female guests. Please wait here.”

Empress Zhou observed the situation and commented, “The third floor is reserved for female guests? That’s quite a novel concept.”

Qian Sansi nodded in understanding and said, “In that case, I will not accompany the madam. If you require my assistance, you can call me at any time.”

Empress Zhou acknowledged his decision with a nod.

Empress Zhou nodded and made her way to the third floor, where the court attendant held open the curtain for her.

As she passed the large screen and entered the elegant dining area, the decor and furnishings before her delighted her senses. The light-colored fabric sofa, small tables, and the careful placement of vases and plates were all a breath of fresh air.

Empress Zhou selected a small table for one and took a seat. Realizing that she was likely a first-time visitor, Ge Zhu personally brought over the menu.

Like many first-time female guests at Elegant Hall, Empress Zhou found herself unfamiliar with the menu, filled with various desserts she had never encountered before. This made her feel somewhat out of place.

Ge Zhu spoke softly to assist her, “Allow me to guide you. Most of the desserts on this menu are crafted by our proprietor and cannot be found elsewhere. Many guests are unsure when they first visit. Take, for example, our creme brulee—it’s made from sugar and eggs, offering a tender and sweet taste…”

Ge Zhu’s gentle and welcoming demeanor quickly put Empress Zhou at ease, dispelling her initial discomfort. She responded with a smile, “In that case, I’ll take one of everything you mentioned.”

Ge Zhu acknowledged the order and called a waiter to send it to the kitchen. She then explained, “The other desserts are fairly straightforward; both I and the chef in the kitchen can prepare them. However, the creme brulee is something special, recently developed by our proprietor. It’s quite delicate and requires strict adherence to her method. At the moment, only the proprietor herself can create it in the restaurant. Please be patient.”

Empress Zhou understood and continued, “I see, it’s apparent that these desserts are crafted by your proprietor, who then instructed you on how to make them.”

Ge Zhu smiled and nodded, confirming her assumption.

It didn’t take long for Ge Zhu and a waitress to return with the ordered desserts. Ge Zhu introduced each one. Despite the variety, the portion sizes were kept reasonable, enough to satisfy an adult woman’s appetite. There was no attempt to oversell because they were new customers, further enhancing Empress Zhou’s opinion of Elegant Hall.

Empress Zhou proceeded to try each dessert, finding them all exceptionally delicious.  

But the sudden burst of laughter made Empress Zhou curious.