Blissful Days After Widowhood - Chapter 464

After three days of rest, everyone became busy.

Wu Qingyi found himself occupied for a while, and Gu Yin, too, had her hands full. She hadn’t visited Food of Heaven in three days to check the accounts, so she had to shoulder the responsibilities of being the owner.

Thankfully, Manager Zhou and Ge Zhu were both astute individuals. Even in Gu Yin’s absence, they could efficiently manage the restaurant’s operations.

Thus, Gu Yin had a busy day, and the next day resumed her usual routine, spending only half a day at the restaurant.

During this time, Mrs. Wang was also preoccupied. Despite their initial reluctance before, she had insisted on the marriage between the two children. Now that they were to become a genuine husband and wife, Mrs. Wang naturally took on the role of assisting them.

There was also Gu Ye’s seventh birthday in late March.

This marked Gu Ye’s first birthday since recognizing his family. Naturally, Emperor Zhengyuan wished to celebrate the occasion.

The doors of Prince Lie’s Mansion had been open for some time, but it had yet to serve any practical purpose. Emperor Zhengyuan decided to utilize it by organizing a lively birthday banquet for Gu Ye.

As there were only palace servants and no other masters in Prince Lie’s Mansion, his foster family had to step in and take the lead.

Gu Ye, in a solemn manner, informed his mother that he now understood the distinction between men and women after reaching the age of seven. He didn’t just talk about it; he demonstrated it as well.

Previously, he had a small quilt on Gu Yin’s bed because he would visit her from time to time at night. Conversations would extend, and naturally, he would fall asleep on her bed.

Upon returning from the outskirts of the city, Gu Ye, without anyone mentioning it, consciously removed the small quilt.

On the day Gu Yin returned from Food of Heaven, she came upon Mrs. Wang and Wu Zhong talking with a solemn expression on their faces.

Seeing that, Gu Yin inquired whether there were any issues with Gu Ye’s birthday banquet preparations.

But Mrs. Wang shook her head, stating, “It’s not about Xiao Ye; it concerns the two imperial physicians that His Majesty assigned to our family. Today, they visited your father and I, informing us that your father is now in good health, requiring only daily maintenance. They said that their work is complete, so it’s time for them to go back to the palace.” 

Gu Yin nodded in understanding, “You are taking good care of Father, and with the old doctor in the mansion, there’s really no need for the two imperial doctors to stay outside the palace.” 

The imperial physicians were accustomed to the perks of royal service, and although treating individuals in the palace carried more risk, they were diligently working to get promoted. While staying in Duke Ying’s Mansion, despite the courtesy shown by Wu Zhong, they couldn’t assist them in their career advancement. And now that Wu Zhong’s health was restored, there was no reason for them to prolong their stay; it was time to let them go.

Mrs. Wang was not a narrow-minded person, so logically, she would not focus with such trivial matters. 

Gu Yin was surprised, and Mrs. Wang continued, “I didn’t feel anything before, thinking that people serve His Majesty and have been in our house for so long; let them go back if they want to. Then they went to pack my luggage and left. Afterward, I asked someone to clean up the yard where they lived before, and I learned something from the young servant who served them.”

The two imperial physicians did not bring anyone from the palace. The servants who served them were from Duke Ying’s Mansion. Naturally, the two imperial physicians went outside the temple two days ago to look after Shen Hanchun and took them along. The servant reported that after taking the pulse, they lit a lamp and boiled oil when they came back. They wrote a letter to contact their former colleagues and, turning around, proposed to return to the palace.

Mrs. Wang sighed and expressed, “That girl has some connection to our family; she was sent out from our house to recuperate. She is in a bad state. Not to mention whether it would affect our family’s reputation—she’s so young. So, I find it unbearable.” Mrs. Wang’s heart softened towards the younger generation.

Shen Hanchun saved Wu Zhong’s life. Knowing that she was dying, it was reasonable for her to feel uncomfortable.

“It’s human nature to live, get old, get sick, and die. We can’t control it,” Gu Yin comforted her.

After all, she was not someone who had any feelings for her. Mrs. Wang also put away her sadness and sorrow. “Yes, I was thinking of giving her a dowry, and now that she is like that, I won’t mention the dowry again. I’ll allocate the funds for her living expenses; it’s a token of gratitude for saving your father,” Mrs. Wang added.

Gu Yin nodded in agreement, “But she is frail, and there are only a few maids who accompanied her from our family. Giving a substantial amount of money might pose a risk for her.”

“You’re still thoughtful, so don’t give cash. I’ll allocate some property to her. That store generates income year-round, providing her with living expenses. If that doesn’t suffice, let’s refrain from reclaiming those stores and instead, donate them in her name as a blessing.”

With that matter settled, the family remained busy preparing for Gu Ye’s birthday.

First and foremost, there was the matter of food to entertain the guests at the birthday banquet. Emperor Zhengyuan enlisted a few imperial chefs to assist, along with chefs from Duke Ying’s Mansion. If necessary, he could also ask Manager Zhou to lend a hand, offering a viable solution.

Gu Yin initially consulted the royal chef to devise the menu. She then tasked the person responsible for purchasing, along with the servants from Prince Lie’s Mansion, to ensure the procurement, preventing any discrepancies or fraudulent practices.

Following that, the attention turned to the guests list.