Chapter 31: This kind of situation where both men and women are attracted to each other, of course, Xiaozhuang would...
In this situation, Empress Xiaozhuang naturally pretended not to have seen it. She finally understood now that it wasn't the little princess from the Guoluo family acting in a "charming" way; it was her grandson who was taking the initiative. If her grandson didn't have the surname Aisin-Gioro, she, as a grandmother, would have felt quite embarrassed.
Even Su Moer, who stood beside Xuanye all day and spoke for him, felt a little "unbearable to watch" at this moment and could only keep adding tea to Xiaozhuang.
Empress Xiaozhuang glared at Su Moer and said, "If you add any more, the teacup will be full! The tea will overflow!"
"Ouch!" Su Moer came to her senses and quickly put down the teapot in her hand. "Damn it, my servant! I'm really old and my eyesight is not good. I didn't even notice that the teacup was almost full."
Xiaozhuang was amused by Su Moer.
To avoid embarrassment, Xiu Yu had to speed up. She placed the slices of meat on a tray of vegetables and personally brought them to the table in front of Empress Xiaozhuang. She said, "Grandma, I've blanched these vegetables in boiling water. You can dip them in this red sauce, and the meat in this dish of peanuts and sesame seeds. Also, I've only washed the lettuce. You can try wrapping the lamb leg in it. But eating too much raw or cold food is not good, so just give it a try."
As Xiu Yu explained this, Empress Xiaozhuang kept watching her, and couldn't help but sigh inwardly: This little princess from the Guo Luoluo family is truly beautiful and generous. How could someone like a Sanguanbao, who is no more than a Zuoling, raise such a wonderful child? No wonder her grandson loves her so much; even as a grandmother, it's hard not to like her!
After Xiu Yu finished explaining, she saw that Xiaozhuang didn't say anything for a long time and was hesitating whether to sit back next to the emperor.
It was Su Moer who came to her rescue: "Gege's instructions are too detailed, truly more meticulous than those of the imperial chef."
Xiaozhuang finally came to her senses and said with a smile, "It looks good, but I'll have to try it to know how it tastes."
Xuanye had arrived beside Xiaozhuang without knowing when. Following Xiuyu's instructions, he first rolled a few slices of mutton leg for Xiaozhuang and passed them to her, saying, "Grandson will serve the old ancestor. Please try Yu'er's cooking first."
Xiaozhuang took it and took a bite under Xuanye's expectant gaze. The meat was delicious, the dipping sauce was fresh, and mixed with the aroma of lettuce, it was really a unique taste.
"Not bad." This was already a very high evaluation that Xiaozhuang could give.
Xiu Yu certainly didn't expect to hear Xiaozhuang say something like, "She's the most beautiful thing in the world!" Only Xuanye would say that. She bowed and said, "As long as the ancestor likes it, that's good."
"You, please come and sit with the emperor. I have Su Moer to serve him here." Xiaozhuang knew that Xuanye didn't show anything on the surface, but she was anxious in her heart. She was eager to taste Xiu Yu's cooking skills, and even more anxious to sit with Xiu Yu.
Su Moer also said, "Princess, you have explained everything clearly enough. I have taken note of it."
Xuanye immediately perked up, grabbed Xiuyu's wrist, and said, "Then I'll go try Xiuyu's cooking. Honestly, I've seen how good she is at cooking and making dim sum, but I've never experienced what her grilled meat tastes like."
"Go and sit down!" Xiaozhuang rolled her eyes in her heart, thinking that her grandson seemed like a different person after arriving at the southern suburbs camp. He was too unreserved and lacked the dignity that a supreme ruler should have.
Xiu Yu was also helpless in her heart, but she had no choice but to let Xuanye pull her and sit down next to Xuanye, below Xiaozhuang.
Emperor Xuanye was accustomed to being served after all. Now Liang Jiugong had been "driven" out of the tent to set the rules, and the only one who could serve him food was Xiu Yu.
Fortunately, Xiu Yu had already prepared herself for this. In front of Empress Xiaozhuang, she acted as well as she could. She knew very well that Empress Xiaozhuang was enjoying her meal, but she was also observing her. Even the smallest movement could not be missed.
After accompanying Xiaozhuang to eat the roast lamb leg, Xuanye took Xiuyu to pay his respects to Xiaozhuang and took his leave, saying "I won't disturb the Queen Mother's rest."
Looking at the backs of Xuanye and Xiuyu, Xiaozhuang drank tea and said to Su Moer, "Tell me, how did Sanguanbao, a military commander, raise a princess like this?"
Su Moer smiled: "Gege, you have also fallen in love with Yu Gege from the bottom of your heart, right?"
"I 'like' her?" Empress Xiaozhuang looked at Su Moer, pondered inwardly, and finally nodded. "You're right. I do like her quite a bit. Did you see her features just now? She's pretty, charming, and generous! She has the personality of a Manchu, but also has some of the air of a Jiangnan girl. It's impossible not to like her."
"Oh my! That's incredible!" Su Moer said deliberately in an exaggerated tone, "There are several beautiful concubines in our emperor's harem, but none of them has ever received such praise as you! It seems that it's not me who has been 'bribed' by a few slices of lamb shanks, but you, the princess!"
Empress Xiaozhuang smiled and glared at Su Moer, saying, "You, you've clearly been 'bribed' a long time ago! It's just that you can't admit it in front of me."
Su Moer argued, "I wasn't bribed. I truly believe that Princess Yu is a wonderful woman. With such a beautiful woman by your side, Your Majesty, you should be reassured."
Xiaozhuang took another sip of tea, a trace of regret in her eyes and brows: "What a pity, her father is a military commander, a captain. Otherwise..."
"In my opinion, there's nothing wrong with this." Su Moer stood behind Xiaozhuang and massaged her shoulders. "Perhaps it is precisely because of this that our emperor is more relaxed in front of Yu Gege, and more so himself."
"Yes." Empress Xiaozhuang knew this truth. "But judging from her character, she probably doesn't care about those empty names."
Su Moer nodded secretly. Now that the emperor liked something, her princess also liked it. This couldn't be better.
The sun was setting, and Xuanye took Xiuyu for a short walk on the grassland. He said, "In a quarter of an hour, let's go ride somewhere and take a look." He pointed to a small hill in the distance and said, "I've traveled all over the southern suburbs, and that's the best place to watch the sunset."
"Your Majesty is truly well versed in the art of health preservation." Xiu Yu raised her head slightly and looked at Xuanye.
Xuanye asked with a smile, "Why do you say that?"
"You are in a hurry to drag Yu'er to ride a horse before you finish your meal." Xiu Yu tilted his head slightly and put on a general's uniform. In Xuanye's eyes, he was both cute and heroic.
He couldn't help but sigh: "How could there be such a playful princess like you in this world?"
"I'm playful?" Xiu Yu didn't comment on Xuanye's comment: "Honestly, you're the first person to say I'm playful."
"It's not just me. I guess the old ancestor thinks the same thing." Xuanye said with certainty: "You don't know, the old ancestor has become more and more fond of tending to her flowers and plants in recent years, and has become more peaceful in treating people and things. I don't know how difficult it is to get her to praise me. However, there are still traces of everything..."
Xuanye originally thought that Xiu Yu would be curious and ask him if there was any "traces" to be found.
But Xiu Yu just smiled and said, "Your Majesty is the grandson of our ancestor. Although our ancestor has seen more than you have, he can't compare to you. You've been with her for so long. You can probably tell what she's thinking from her expression."
He had wanted to tell Xiu Yu, but Xiu Yu had actually said it beforehand… Xuan Ye didn't seem angry at all. He just gently pinched Xiu Yu's cheek and said, "Then guess again. What did I see in the old ancestor's expression?"
Xiu Yu glanced at Xuanye and said with a smile, "Didn't you just say that the old ancestor also thinks I am a playful princess?"
"It's more than just playful." Xuanye held Xiuyu's little hand and walked towards the two horses grazing. "The old ancestor loves you very much. I have had queens and several concubines in my harem, but no one has ever been loved as much as the old ancestor."
"Are you kidding me?" Xiu Yu was of course happy in her heart, but she refused to explain: "I just used you to deliver snacks to the old ancestor once, and just now I roasted meat for the old ancestor. So, I can get the old ancestor's unprecedented favor by doing this? This is also..."
"Isn't this too easy?" Xuanye finished for Xiu Yu. "Don't underestimate our ancestor. She came from the Khorchin grasslands and married into the Forbidden City, then entered the Forbidden City as the Empress Dowager. To say she's experienced blood and rain wouldn't be an exaggeration. With an ancestor like this, do you think she'd be able to see through you at a glance..."
"Well..." Xiu Yu raised the corner of her mouth slightly, and even her two willow-shaped eyebrows raised. Xiaozhuang could certainly see through her clear mind, but as a soul that came from more than three hundred years later, the Empress Dowager might not be able to see it even if she experienced another bloody storm.
Xuanye thought Xiuyu was just embarrassed. He personally led the purple-haired horse and handed the reins to Xiuyu. "Let's not talk about this anymore. After all, the ancestor likes you, and I'm very happy. Let's go and watch the sunset."
"You really do like watching the sunset." Xiu Yu took the reins and jumped onto the horse, boasting, "Your Majesty, in your opinion, Yu'er's horsemanship is very good?"
"Not bad, not bad." Xuanye suddenly thought and patted his horse's rump, telling it to continue grazing. He then jumped onto the purple stallion's back and took Xiu Yu's hands, which were holding the reins. He said, "'Save as much as possible,' let my horse rest for a while."
Xiu Yu secretly rolled his eyes and said, "Your horse needs to rest, so mine can't?"
"This is a fine horse that can run a thousand miles a day." Xuanye shrugged. "It can rival King Mu of Zhou's eight steeds and travel eight hundred miles a day! Besides, I've been feeding it myself for so long, and you're not heavy, so it's no problem for you to occasionally carry the two of us."
As Xuanye said this, he urged his horse to gallop up the small hill.
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