Gu Xingzhi and Qiao Niang quickly stepped in and bowed in return.
Gu Xingzhi turned around and called to Yaoniang, "Yaoniang, come quickly and pay your respects to the Crown Prince!"
Yao Niang then realized that the tall and strong young man in front of her was actually the eldest prince Zhao Yang, and she quickly curtsied to the eldest prince.
The three people opposite him were surprised when they heard Gu Xingzhi call her "Yao Niang". Zhao Yang looked Yao Niang up and down, and after she finished bowing, he said that there was no need for such formalities.
He introduced the young men and women around him to Yao Niang and her entourage. One was his sister, Princess Ruining Zhao Mingzhu, his most beloved daughter; the other was his cousin Lu Zhao'an from his maternal family, the Lu clan.
The group exchanged greetings. Previously, the Emperor had allowed women to attend school and enter the court, leading many to speculate that it was due to Princess Ruining. Yao Niang, in turn, felt a strange closeness and curiosity towards Princess Ruining. She observed that Princess Ruining was gentle and polite, yet possessed a remarkable air of strength and grace, perfectly matching her own image of a princess.
Looking at Lu Zhao'an beside him, his face was fair and delicate, and he should have been a handsome young man. However, his features were deep-set, with sharp, angular lines, and his tall stature reduced the frailty that came with fair skin, making him appear dashing and handsome.
Zhao Yang's eyes swept over Yao Niang a few times. Seeing that they had all greeted him and then remained silent, he asked Yao Niang again, "Madam Gu, was it you who came up with the phrase 'Golden Wind and Jade Dew' just now?"
Yao Niang had just arrived in Shuojing from Qingyun County, and on her very first day, she encountered the prince and the phoenix, so she couldn't help but feel a little nervous. She lowered her head and cautiously replied, "Your Highness, it was I who conceived the name."
Seeing that she spoke carefully, and that she was already petite, with her head down, only her face was visible, with only her ears exposed outside her black hair, showing a shy blush, Zhao Yang couldn't help but feel a stirring in his heart.
The noble ladies of the capital were either flamboyant and unrestrained, graceful and charming, or aloof and proud. But few were as delicate and charming as the girl before them, as timid as a white rabbit.
Zhao Mingzhu, who was standing to the side, knew Zhao Yang well and understood his thoughts upon seeing this situation. As a woman, she had always disliked Zhao Yang's philandering habit of falling in love with every woman he met. Seeing this, she spoke up before Zhao Yang could, "Golden breeze and jade dew, Madam Gu is quite elegant. Have you been to school before?"
Gu Yaoniang was unaware of the thoughts of the two siblings. She already felt close to Princess Ruining, so she boldly replied, "I have only read a few miscellaneous books in the past and have always enjoyed cooking. I usually like to think about these things. I don't know how I came up with this idea just now."
Zhao Mingzhu had assumed she was just an ordinary merchant's wife, someone who probably only knew a few lines of poetry and prose by repeating what others said. She had only intended to interrupt Zhao Yang, but unexpectedly, Zhao Yang had actually read and written: "You can read?"
"He knows how to read, but he doesn't read much, mostly miscellaneous books, so it doesn't count."
Seeing that she wasn't as reserved and timid as she had been with Zhao Yang when she spoke to her, but rather poised and graceful, Zhao Mingzhu was pleased. Remembering that she had mentioned enjoying preparing food, she asked:
"You say you enjoy preparing food, are you an expert in it?"
Gu Yaoniang couldn't help but feel ashamed. Princess Ruining was of noble birth and must usually indulge in the finest delicacies. In her presence, she dared not presume to claim expertise in this area!
She quickly replied, "I'm not an expert, I just enjoy it. I find some recipes and take the opportunity to cook them myself. Seeing my relatives and friends enjoy the food makes me happy too."
Zhao Mingzhu felt a sense of goodwill towards this woman she was meeting for the first time because of her humility, politeness, and lack of arrogance.
Most noble ladies in the capital were proud of their status and ashamed to admit their culinary indulgences, usually only taking small bites at banquets and gatherings. Zhao Mingzhu herself was a gourmand, and she was delighted to see a woman so openly admitting her love of food.
"Alright! I'll send you an invitation in the future, and you can come to my princess's residence for a visit."
Gu Yaoniang was flattered and quickly curtsied in gratitude. Lu Zhaoan, who was standing to the side, noticed this and a hint of surprise crossed his usually indifferent face.
Gu Xingzhi and Qiao Niang were also quite surprised, not expecting that Gu Yaoniang would gain Princess Ruining's favor so soon after arriving in Shuojing.
After the meal, Gu Xingzhi ordered the driver to bring Ta Yu over, and then took Yao Niang into the carriage to go home.
Across from Jin Yu Lou, in front of a calligraphy and painting shop, a young man frowned as he watched Gu Yaoniang get into the carriage. He seemed incredulous at the luxurious and spacious carriage, and only turned to leave after it had disappeared from sight.
On her way home, Yao Niang still couldn't believe that she had received an invitation from Princess Ruining.
Gu Xingzhi stepped onto the warm jade cushion, his feet unconsciously rubbing against the surface. Princess Ruining was greatly favored by the Emperor, a princess specially permitted by him to participate in politics, wielding immense power and renowned for her virtue. It was a good thing that Yaoniang was able to befriend her.
Gu Yaoniang had only heard of Princess Ruining before, and knew nothing about Zhao Yang and Lu Zhaoan. Qiaoniang and Gu Xingzhi then explained it to her:
Princess Ruining was the eldest legitimate princess born to the Emperor Yuan, and she was deeply loved by the Emperor from birth. After giving birth to Princess Ruining, the Empress Yuan suffered from postpartum anemia and passed away not long after. The Emperor then poured all his affection for his beloved wife into Princess Ruining.
To maintain balance in the harem and to care for the young Princess Ruining, the Emperor chose a new Empress, who was still a daughter of the Lu family, the mother of the original Empress, and Princess Ruining's maternal aunt. Zhao Yang was the eldest son born to the new Empress.
The emperor and empress had a very good relationship, and over the years, the harem was not filled with concubines. They only had one son, Zhao Yang.
Princess Ruining and Zhao Yang were only two years apart in age. Princess Ruining was raised by the Empress Dowager, and the two grew up together and had a very close relationship. Since the Emperor only had one son, Zhao Yang, he was the universally recognized heir to the throne.
Lu Zhao'an is the eldest son of the Lu family's main branch, but his exact birth year is unknown. It is said that although Lu Zhao'an comes from the Lu family, the most prestigious of all families, he has no interest in the imperial examinations or official career, preferring instead to engage in business, which displeases his elders. Currently, most of the profitable businesses in Shuojing City are under Lu Zhao'an's name.
Upon hearing this, Gu Yaoniang looked up at her second uncle. Lu Zhaoan and Gu Xingzhi did indeed bear some resemblance.
Knowing what she was thinking, Gu Xingzhi raised his hand and gently tapped her head with his fan.
"This Lu Zhaoan is no ordinary person. Despite not being favored by his family, he has managed to gain a foothold in Shuojing and earn a fortune every day. He is a rare talent."
There was a hint of mutual appreciation in Gu Xingzhi's tone.
Yao Niang could only sigh: "Then he must have had a very difficult life all these years to have the wealth he has today."
Gu Xingzhi nodded. Then he raised his hand and tapped Gu Yaoniang: "You know how to care for him, but why don't you care for your second uncle?"
"How does Second Uncle know I don't care about you?" Gu Yaoniang hid behind Qiaoniang and peeked out at Gu Xingzhi.
Qiaoniang smiled and said, "If I could be like Second Master, guarding mountains of gold and silver, I wouldn't need anyone to worry about me. I would be happier than anyone else!"
Gu Yaoniang recalled the young man she had just met. Although he was dressed in fine clothes and had an air of nobility, he was taciturn and seemed to have not spoken at all. He just silently watched everyone, like a lonely onlooker.
Was that boy happy?
Gu Yaoniang felt that he probably hadn't laughed heartily in a long time. If one is estranged from family, even if one is as rich as a country, one is probably not happy.
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