Blissful Days After Widowhood - Chapter 446

When Lu Zhao was in the palace, except for him going to Wenhua Hall to take classes, Empress Zhou was inseparable from her youngest son. Therefore, when she left the palace, it was expected that she would be looking after him.

Seeing Gu Yin’s somewhat surprised reaction, Empress Zhou explained with a smile, “Lu Zhao played with his brother for a while before lunch, and after he got tired, he took a nap following his meal. His nurses are all keeping watch over him, so I had some free time.”

Gu Yin nodded and said with a smile, “Your timing is perfect. My mother just let me go. I’m used to being busy, so I didn’t know what to do with myself when I had some free time.”

Empress Zhou had an emotionally charged past. She was once an ordinary woman who was unaware of Emperor Zhengyuan’s rebellion since he had not informed his family. While he was away, she continued to live a modest life, looking after her in-laws, raising her child, and helping out with household chores.

Later, she became the rightful Empress of a country, but she always put her own interests aside for the sake of others. Even when her relationship with Emperor Zhengyuan improved significantly, he didn’t initially want to bring Lu Zhao along on this outing, wanting her to take some time to relax. But with the spring hunt lasting three days and many members of the royal court participating, it was impractical for Lu Zhao to remain in the palace by himself.

Ultimately, they reached a compromise. Empress Zhou could bring Lu Zhao with her, but she also needed to set aside some time for her own enjoyment rather than focusing solely on the child. Otherwise, the situation would be no different from when they were in the palace.

“His Majesty also insisted that I have some fun, but I really don’t know what to do when I’m free,” Empress Zhou admitted. She looked a bit embarrassed and continued, “Plus, I don’t really know anyone else in Beijing, so I ended up coming to find you.”

Gu Yin pondered for a moment and suggested, “How about going for a horse ride? I’ve been learning to ride recently, so I brought my pony which is gentle and easy to ride. It’s perfect for beginners.”

Empress Zhou, who was not experienced in horseback riding either, accepted the idea, especially when she heard that Gu Yin was still in the learning phase. She saw no reason to decline the opportunity.

The two of them returned, removed their hairpins, changed into riding clothes, and met again in a nearby open space.

It’s worth mentioning that the two shared similar interests. Gu Yin was wearing the same riding outfit she had worn at a previous polo event, which was already quite simple. Empress Zhou’s riding uniform was even simpler. Although the material was of good quality, it lacked the opulence of the palace satin, and it had no embellishments, making it truly minimalistic.

Their riding attire was custom-made according to their personal preferences. When they met, they looked at each other and couldn’t help but smile.

Even Empress Zhou joined in the laughter, saying, “I never realized how similar our preferences were until now. It’s quite a coincidence.”

Gu Yin, with something on her mind, continued, “I’ve been pondering over something for years. I couldn’t understand why, during the difficult time when His Royal Highness Prince Lie was at the pier, he received assistance from many kind-hearted vendors. Although he wasn’t particularly close to them, he treated me differently from everyone else, and all because of the delicious food I cooked. People often say it’s because of my cooking skills, but I’ve always wondered…” The two of them had now reached the side of the pony as they chatted.

As Gu Yin spoke about Gu Ye’s experiences over the past few years, Empress Zhou listened intently. Gu Yin extended her hand towards her, and Empress Zhou subconsciously took it, then mounted the horse with Gu Yin’s assistance.

Gu Yin recollected what Wu Qingyi had taught her previously and helped Empress Zhou get seated.

“But I learned later that Manager Zhou, who was working in another restaurant at that time, also left meals for him… Manager Zhou’s craftsmanship is definitely not inferior to mine, especially when it comes to red cuisine. I learned a lot from him. His Highness didn’t treat him any differently at that time, which clearly shows that the previous assumption was incorrect.”

Gu Yin smiled and continued, “Now I have a new theory. It’s possible that His Highness still had some childhood memories at that time, perhaps he saw a glimpse of the Empress in me. If that’s the case, it’s not that I have a special relationship with His Royal Highness, but it’s actually a connection with the Empress.”

Empress Zhou’s heart was deeply touched. By that time she realized that Gu Yin had already been leading the horse for a while.

She suddenly halted and said, “Why are you leading the horse for me? Please stop.”

Gu Yin didn’t mind. She just unconsciously remembered the scene of Wu Qingyi riding with her last time. Without realizing it, she smiled and said, “Why not? You came to enjoy your time with me. We don’t need to worry about our statuses; we’re just having fun together.”

“That’s true,” Empress Zhou beckoned to the palace maid beside her, and with her assistance, she dismounted from the horse and said, “Now it’s your turn to ride, and I’ll lead the horse for you.”

Gu Yin hesitated, “No, no, you hold a special status, and you are a few years older than me. I… What will people say about me?”

Empress Zhou smiled and firmly said, “If we don’t bring it up, no one will ever know. It doesn’t matter what your identity is.”

She helped Gu Yin onto the horse, but Gu Yin couldn’t bear it any longer and hastily apologized, “I was wrong; I shouldn’t have led the horse for you.”

Empress Zhou couldn’t help but laugh. She was just chatting while walking with the horse. Only this time, she took the reins and led the horse.

Regardless, they continued walking side by side without mentioning Gu Yin riding the horse again.

“I have something I want to apologize to your family for,” Empress Zhou began.

Gu Yin tilted her head and looked at Empress Zhou, who appeared somewhat ashamed. She continued, “When the general didn’t find Ah Lie, I actually blamed him. I treated him coldly because of it. When I reflect on it now, I don’t know how I became that kind of person… Regardless of the fact that Ah Lie was adopted by your family through fate, or even if he were… Whatever the case, he shouldn’t have been blamed. It’s not easy for me and the general to meet, so I can only ask you to help convey this message.”

Gu Yin nodded and said, “You were going through a difficult time at that point. Now you seem happier than before, and I’m truly happy for you.”

Empress Zhou gazed at her for a moment and then chuckled to herself. “As you’ve mentioned, we seem to be destined, so let’s speak freely, like sisters.”

Gu Yin readily agreed.

The two of them continued their leisurely stroll and conversation, heading towards a nearby grove. Coincidently, they encountered another group of people along the way.