Chang Le pouted, "Sister Jiang, don't be fooled by this exquisite box. These are Mid-Autumn Festival pastries bestowed upon you by the Emperor. They were made by the Imperial Kitchen. They look nice but are not very good. They certainly won't taste as good as Sister Jiang's mooncakes."
"puff……"
Seeing Chang Le's mocking manner towards Xiao Jingzhao, Jiang Shuyue couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Chang Le said in a serious tone, "Sister Jiang, don't disbelieve me. I'm not lying at all. The pastries in the Imperial Kitchen are really not as good as the ones here. Even the Imperial Cuisine is not as delicious as the ones in Sister Jiang's residence."
"How could I not believe Chang Le's words? But the imperial chefs' cooking is not bad either. It's just that even the most exquisite delicacies can become tiresome."
Chang Le tilted her head, "Sister Jiang, if you believe me, why are you still smiling?"
"I laugh at the Emperor for having a younger sister who is made with black sesame seeds."
What is black sesame filling?
Chang Le's innocent and adorable appearance made Jiang Shuyue pinch her little cheeks and laugh, "There are black sesame fillings for Yuanxiao. Yuanxiao are white, just like Chang Le's little cheeks."
Chang Le liked being close to Jiang Shuyue, and nodded seriously, "Yes, I also like Yuanxiao (sweet rice balls). They're soft, sticky, and delicious."
In the Shumoxuan, Sui Sui sat on the desk, her short legs dangling over the edge of the desk, swinging back and forth.
"Uncle, do you know? The pillars in the palace are huge, and the beams are so high. If Sheng Sheng were still here, I would ask him to take me to sit on the beams of the main hall and play."
On this day of reunion, he missed Shuisheng even more. He had dreamed of Shuisheng last night. In the dream, Shuisheng held him and flew very high. When he woke up, he found himself sleeping in his father’s arms.
Su Nan sat up and looked up at Sui Sui with eyes full of affection, "Sheng Sheng's current skills are not enough to fly onto the roof beams, but Young Master Nangong's lightness skills are quite good, he will definitely be able to do it."
"Hehe, Emperor Daddy would be fine too, but he's too busy. These past few days in the palace, Daddy only has time to play with me in the evenings," Sui Sui said, pouting her little lips.
He wasn't angry. His aunt said that his father was the ruler of a country and had to deal with court affairs every day. Only in that way could Wanling Kingdom prosper and enjoy peace and prosperity.
"Are you used to the food in the palace?" Su Nan remembered that Chang Le always complained that the food in the palace was not as good as the food here, and he was worried that Sui Sui was hungry.
Sui Sui smiled and nodded, saying, "Grandmother had the imperial chefs make lots of beautiful pastries and delicious meats. Today, my aunt even brought some pastries back with her."
Su Nan looked wary. "She...she's here again?"
"My aunt said there's a lantern festival on the street tonight, and she's going to take me to see it."
Su Nan shook his head. "There will be too many people on the streets tonight, so let's not go. There are also many lanterns in the mansion, so we can release them by the pond."
He had experienced firsthand how lively Chang Le was.
"Is Uncle worried about the beggars? Don't worry, there are more guards patrolling the city tonight than usual, it's very safe." Sui Sui saw through Su Nan's thoughts at a glance.
Soon after, footsteps could be heard in the courtyard.
Sui Sui's eyes lit up, "It's my uncle who's back."
Before Su Nan could even lift Sui Sui off the desk, Nangong Zeyue strode in.
"Year after year, south and south."
"Uncle Nangong!"
Sui Sui opened her arms and Nangong Zeyue skillfully hugged her.
"Uncle Nangong, Sui Sui hasn't seen you for so long! I'm back today, so please don't leave again, okay?"
"Sui Sui, once this busy period is over, Uncle will come back to play with you often. I've had someone send back some of the restaurant's signature dishes. I have to go back to the restaurant after lunch."
Nangong Zeyue managed to steal a moment from her busy schedule to return today, expecting that there wouldn't be many people staying at the inn during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
To everyone's surprise, less than half a day has passed, and only a small portion of the guest rooms remain.
Nangong Zeyue was talking to Su Nan and Sui Sui in Shumoxuan when a maid came to invite them to the flower hall of Xingyue Courtyard to taste mooncakes.
Upon entering the flower hall, an enticing sweet aroma filled the air.
Jiang Shuyue smiled and waved, "Come and try these freshly baked mooncakes."
Nangong Zeyue saw a girl who looked to be about eleven or twelve years old picking up a golden-yellow cake and eating it with relish.
The resemblance between her and Sui Sui was so striking that it was obvious she was a member of the Xiao family without any introduction.
Seeing that Nangong Zeyue had stopped, Su Nan raised his voice and called out, "Greetings, Princess."
"So it's Your Highness, Princess. This humble subject greets Your Highness." Nangong Zeyue bowed respectfully.
Chang Le swallowed the mooncake in her mouth and smiled slightly at Nangong Zeyue, "There's only Aunt Sui Sui here, no princess. Everyone, don't be shy, come and try it. Sister Jiang's mooncakes are so sweet."
Then she glared at Su Nan and said, "Don't be so jumpy in the future. I'm not deaf."
"Hehe, wasn't this humble subject afraid that Your Highness didn't hear me?" Su Nan gave a perfunctory bow and pulled Sui Sui to sit in the seat furthest away from Chang Le.
"Sui Sui, come to your aunt." Chang Le picked up a mooncake and was about to feed Sui Sui.
Su Nan looked at Jiang Shuyue and asked, "Sister, can Sui Sui eat mooncakes?"
"You can eat it. Just rinse your mouth in a bit and you'll be fine."
Today is a holiday, so everything can be done on a special occasion.
Su Nan put one arm around Sui Sui's shoulder and took the mooncake from Chang Le's hand with the other, determined not to let Chang Le take Sui Sui away.
“Su Nan, you…”
Seeing the two children's posture, Nangong Zeyue and Jiang Shuyue smiled at each other and walked towards the corridor outside the flower hall without prior arrangement.
"The inn is more crowded than the day before, and the restaurant is packed every day. You can just focus on managing Jishetang."
“Very good. I am at ease with you and Hu Qing at the restaurant. In a few days, I will go to the estate to check and try to supply fresh vegetables to the restaurant before the New Year.”
Before Cangyun went to the manor, he mentioned that there was not much glaze left and the greenhouse would be completed soon.
To be on the safe side, she had to go and check it herself.
Nangong Zeyue walked to the edge of the corridor and turned around, her clear and gentle gaze sweeping across Jiang Shuyue's face.
Bright sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting a shadow on her exquisite profile. Her butterfly-like eyelashes curled slightly upwards, and her eyes were lively and expressive, making her breathtakingly beautiful.
Nangong Zeyue quickly looked away into the distance, cleared his throat, and said, "The Emperor won't be coming today, will he?"
What's he doing here?
Jiang Shuyue had no idea how Nangong Zeyue felt these past few days after hearing the rumors that she was engaged.
These days, he's physically in Cao's camp but mentally in Han's; every time he hears that someone has gone to the Jiang family to propose marriage, his heart leaps into his throat.
Hearing that everyone had returned empty-handed, he secretly wondered who that person was.
Nangong Zeyue was stunned. "Not him?"
Jiang Shuyue was completely confused. She waved her hand and said, "What do you mean, is it him? Don't make wild guesses. Come with me to the front hall to make arrangements. Uncle Lin should be leaving the palace today."
Jiang Shuyue instructed Qiuju to give the maids and servants in the mansion more silver ingots as a reward, and the mansion was filled with joy.
...
The Empress Dowager arranged a banquet at the Star Gazing Tower, where people could enjoy their meal while admiring the moon.
Just as Xiao Jingzhao was about to order the meal, a eunuch outside the palace announced, "Lord Lu, the Prefect of Jingzhao, requests an audience!"
Eunuch Ma looked at Xiao Jingzhao: "Your Majesty, shall we continue with the summons?"
"pass!"
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