Chapter 366 Drinking Soup

In front of Qingyun Academy, the noise gradually faded away.

Wen Tingwan tried her best to suppress the ecstasy in her heart and maintained just the right amount of joy on her face.

He congratulated or comforted the women he knew, putting in enough superficial effort.

After finally waiting until the crowd began to disperse, she could hardly wait to follow the flow of people out.

As soon as I squeezed out of the crowd, I saw my father who was waiting for me.

"Tingwan!" Wen Mingke couldn't hide his excitement. He walked quickly towards her, his voice trembling slightly. His daughter had indeed done it.

"Father!" Wen Tingwan could no longer hold back and stepped forward quickly.

She clutched her father's arm tightly, and said in a low voice, filled with indescribable excitement, "It works. It really works."

Wen Mingke understood instantly that Pei Xueqi's prediction was actually correct.

"Good! Good! Good!" He said three good words in a row, with a gleam in his eyes.

"Let's go home immediately. We must tell your grandmother about this great event."

The good news is true, but more importantly, the action is now imminent.

With Qin Zhaoyue's extremely greedy nature, if he wants to guess the topic again, he will definitely ask for a sky-high reward.

How could the meager wealth of their second branch be enough to cover the cost? The Wen family had to use their official account to pay for it!

"Go, go, go, go home!"

Wen Mingke grabbed his daughter's wrist, turned around hurriedly and rushed into the crowd.

…

Pei Xueyan returned to the Prime Minister's residence first.

My brother also needs to cooperate in completing the tedious finishing work such as sealing and archiving the test papers.

But he was different. He only served as an invigilator. After completing his duties, he asked for leave from the chief examiner of the Imperial College and could go home.

As the provincial examination is approaching, the workload at the Imperial College is heavy.

He needs to develop targeted review strategies based on the different situations of many candidates, and has not set foot at home for more than a month.

He was even unable to welcome his brother back from disaster relief work, a major event.

The old butler was already waiting at the door with a kind smile.

"How are you these days, sir?" Pei Xueyan asked gently, with the concern of a junior in his tone.

"Thank you for your consideration, Second Young Master. This old servant is still very strong.

The lady is thinking about you and talks about you every other day.

Hearing that you were going home today, the lady went to the kitchen to make soup in the afternoon.

I've been busy all afternoon, and it's still simmering gently over the clay stove."

Pei Xueyan: ...

His steps paused slightly, and a complicated look flashed across his face.

"If I say I've used it outside..."

The old housekeeper's smile grew even brighter, and the wrinkles around his eyes smoothed out. "Then just drinking the soup would be excellent too."

Pei Xueyan sighed almost inaudibly when he heard this.

Forget it, I have to drink it anyway, so it’s safer to swallow it with rice and dishes.

My mother has many good qualities, but she is born with a conflict with cooking.

No matter how good the ingredients are, they can always be transformed into something magical and delicious in her hands.

Alas, every inch has its own strengths and weaknesses.

On second thought, it was a great ability for my mother to subdue my father who was so powerful in the court.

This little flaw of poor cooking skills doesn't seem to be a big deal.

He rolled his eyes at the old housekeeper in anger and said, "Why don't you stop me? You're just making mother work so hard."

The old butler grinned, "If I had stopped you, I'm afraid the answer to your question wouldn't have been very good!"

Pei Xueyan laughed and shook his head.

When he entered the bright dining room, his mother immediately came to meet him, took his hand and looked him up and down, her eyes full of heartache:

"Let mom take a look! Oh, you've lost weight, and your cheeks seem sunken."

"Mother, what you said is not true," Pei Xueyan said with a soothing smile, "I haven't been home for more than a month, there's no need to exaggerate."

"Don't be so careless. Who in Fengjing City doesn't know the reputation of the Imperial College's food?"

"Mother, I'm a teacher, not a student. I don't have to eat in the cafeteria every meal."

"Come on! I'm your mother, who are you trying to fool?" Mrs. Pei pointed out without any hesitation.

"Once you start studying and teaching students, how can you care about the time? When you are extremely hungry, you can eat steamed buns in your study. How can I not know you?"

As he spoke, he pulled him inside without saying anything.

Pei Xueyan restrained his expression, took a few steps forward, and respectfully saluted Pei Xuanyun, who was sitting at the head of the table: "Father."

The Prime Minister had a stern face and squeezed out a dull sound from his nose: "Hmm."

He had been waiting hungry for a long time after getting off work, but his wife insisted on waiting for the whole family to arrive before having dinner together. It was strange that he could be in a good mood.

"By the way," the mother looked behind her, "where's Xue Qiao?"

Pei Xueyan explained the aftermath that his brother still needed to take care of.

After hearing this, the mother waved her hand and said, "Okay, then we won't wait for him."

She immediately ordered the maid to serve the dish, but she specifically instructed the kitchen to set aside a separate portion and keep it warm on the stove.

Pei Xuanyun:!!!

So the whole family doesn't need to come, right? Just one son needs to come back, right?

Is there still justice? Is there still law? Is this still his prime minister's residence?

It's simply the opposite of Tiangang!

A feeling of depression was choking his chest, and the Prime Minister shot a dangerous look at Hao Er'er who had just sat down.

Pei Xueyan sat upright, pretending not to see anything.

Soon, the table was filled with delicious dishes.

Mrs. Pei served the soup herself.

What is being simmered is a stomach-warming soup of yam and mutton, which is the most warming and nourishing soup in early autumn.

"I simmered this soup over low heat for an entire afternoon. The lamb was tender and the yam was melted. It was absolutely delicious.

My son has worked hard in the Imperial College and has been very busy. He needs some rest and recovery."

Mrs. Pei said as she handed the first bowl of soup to Pei Xueyan.

Pei Xueyan took it with both hands and felt warm to the touch.

He did not drink it himself, but turned around and naturally offered the bowl of soup to his father at the table, saying sincerely:

"Mother personally made this soup with so much effort, so father should taste it first."

Pei Xuanyun's expression remained unchanged, as steady as a rock. He reached out and gently pushed the edge of the bowl, his force not strong but incredibly firm.

"When does your father not have something to drink at home? My son should drink more and nourish his body."

He couldn't drink it in the past, and he couldn't bear to let his wife cook for him all the time, so he decided to leave this "honor" to his son.

Pei Xueyan's smile remained unchanged as he continued to push the issue forward:

"I see mother has cooked a lot, more than enough to share. Father works hard day and night for state affairs, so he deserves some nourishment."

"No need, the good things should naturally go to you brothers."

The father and son had smiles on their faces and spoke politely, but secretly a silent contest was going on over the bowl of soup.

Finally, Mrs. Pei's face darkened, her brows furrowed slightly, and the air in the dining room seemed to have suddenly dropped to freezing point.

"You two...what do you mean?"

The voice was not loud, but it carried a chilling feeling of impending storm, and the movement of pushing and rejecting froze instantly.

"Drink," Madam Pei said succinctly, with unquestionable majesty, "You two have it, drink it!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Yes, mother!"

The father and son spoke in unison, answering very quickly and cleverly.

Pei Xueyan picked up the bowl, took a deep breath, and drank slowly.

His expression froze for a moment, almost imperceptibly, and then he regained his composure with great self-control.

His Adam's apple rolled violently before he swallowed the soup with difficulty.

That soup...it has an indescribable complex taste when you take a sip of it.

The mutton seemed to be overcooked, with a slight burnt taste.

The yam melted completely, making the soup too thick;

The seasoning is even more peculiar, salty with a hint of bitterness, and a faint smell of an unknown spice.

What a waste of good mutton and yam...

He quietly raised his eyes to glance at his father sitting above him, only to see that the Prime Minister remained calm, holding his bowl and drinking with a slurping sound.

After all, he is my father... Pei Xueyan feels ashamed of himself.

An idea suddenly flashed through Pei Xueyan's mind, and he said to his mother with concern:

"Mother, don't just focus on us. You've been busy all afternoon, so you should have a bowl too."

Mrs. Pei immediately waved her hand, "No need, no need. The good things will naturally go to you three. I won't drink."

Pei Xueyan: ...

He seriously suspected that his mother might have known about his cooking skills for a long time.

Otherwise, how to explain why she never tasted the soup she cooked?

Hmm... Did I make my mother angry by being away from home for too long this time?

Or did my father and brother do something wrong recently, causing me to suffer this unprovoked disaster?

Except for the bowl of soup with a unique flavor, all other dishes were made by the chef of the prime minister's mansion and were familiar delicacies.

Pei Xueyan ate heartily to make up for the empty stomach he had eaten in the Imperial College these days.

After dinner, Pei Xuanyun said calmly, "Follow me to the study."

The father and son entered the study one after another. The familiar fragrance of agarwood filled the air, making people feel calm and peaceful.

This is a regular routine every time Pei Xueyan returns home, and Mrs. Pei never comes to disturb him.

However, this time, it was not Pei Xuanyun who spoke first to ask about the court situation, but Pei Xueyan who broke the silence first.

"Father, my eldest brother has been transferred to the Ceremonial Department and is directly involved in such important matters as the provincial examinations. What are your thoughts on this?"

Pei Xuanyun remained silent, his expression solemn.

Pei Xueyan's heart skipped a beat. Something unexpected and major must have happened to make his father look so embarrassed.

After a long while, Pei Xuanyun sighed deeply, rubbed his brows, and slowly spoke out the truth:

"Oh... don't mention it. Your good-for-nothing brother has fallen for the Sixth Princess."

"puff!"

Pei Xueyan had just taken a sip of fragrant tea and had not yet had time to swallow it, but it all came out in a very ungraceful way!

His eyes suddenly widened and he started coughing violently, which took a lot of effort to stop.

What? What on earth did he hear?!

He felt as if he was struck by thunder and stood there in shock. Even if he guessed a thousand times, he would never have guessed that it was because of this.

Brother and the Sixth Prince?

this……