Fu Zhun glanced at the people inside the room, a cold smile creeping onto his thin lips.
He had long ago received news that the emperor had left the capital incognito for a private visit, a news that had caused such a sensation throughout the court and the country.
Therefore, he did not find it strange.
Fu Zhun spoke in a cool voice: "Your Majesty neglects state affairs and has the mind to hide away in this rural area for leisure. This is truly an eye-opener for me."
A silent pressure spread, causing people to instinctively hold their breath and feel fear.
Chu Yi's expression froze, and his fists clenched tightly under his sleeves as resentment surged uncontrollably within him.
Fu Zhun was awarded the title of Prince of Zhenbei for his outstanding military achievements. Although he was crippled in both legs and became a cripple after the war, he was appointed as regent by the late emperor to assist the young emperor.
Regardless of his status, the emperor was always overshadowed by Fu Zhun.
He is clearly the king, the ruler of the country!
Chu Yi chuckled, suppressing the anger churning within him. He stepped forward with a forced smile, adopting a polite manner.
"Why must you speak so harshly, Imperial Uncle? Even you, the Prince who is in charge of the country and the Regent, have been staying here for a long time. What's wrong with me coming to visit you?"
"Absurd." Fu Zhun frowned sharply, his stern gaze falling on him: "A country cannot be without a ruler for a day. Your Majesty holds a high position and should be diligent in governing and concerned for the people. How can you act recklessly?"
"Moreover, this is a time of great turmoil. If His Majesty were to leave the palace rashly and encounter danger, what should we do?"
Chu Yi gritted his teeth and bowed his head to listen to the reprimand: "Your Royal Uncle is right. I was too reckless because I care about you."
"Thud—"
A sudden sound rang out from outside the door: the sound of something falling to the ground.
"Who goes there!" Fu Hai shouted in alarm, rushing forward to fling the door open.
Suddenly, he found himself face to face with Su An, who was completely dumbfounded.
Su An: "..."
Worried that Fu Zhun might be in danger, she quickly grabbed a broom and came over, only to overhear a conversation between His Majesty and his uncle.
Is this something she can hear?
And why is that emperor, who lives so far away, suddenly at her little shop?!
She was so frightened that she dropped the broom and was caught red-handed!
Swish, swish, swish—Su An suddenly felt all eyes in the room sweep over him, making his scalp tingle.
The emperor, in particular, looked at him as if he had discovered something interesting, and immediately became enthusiastic: "Fuhai, do not be rude!"
Su An wished she could disappear into a crack in the ground. She blinked slightly and forced an awkward smile.
"Hey, I was just passing by. I'll clean up, you guys continue!"
After saying that, she turned and tried to slip away.
Seeing this, Chu Yi quickly laughed and said, "Boss, there's no need to be nervous. Since you are the Emperor's man, then we are family. It's fate that we've met. Why don't you come in and have a chat?"
Su An's legs suddenly felt like they were filled with lead, and she stopped abruptly, unable to move.
What the hell is this fate!
This was the emperor, a figure in feudal ancient society whose word could be enough to send someone to their death!
Su An glanced at Fu Zhun sitting over there.
Seeing that his expression was unchanged and that he calmly nodded at her with his dark eyes, she slowly took a few steps forward.
"This humble woman, Su An, greets the Emperor. Your Majesty is too kind. I am but a commoner and would never presume to presume upon such a position."
"Oh, no need for such formalities." Chu Yi gestured for her to rise, his eyes seemingly full of amusement. "Perhaps I'll have to call you Imperial Aunt in the future, wouldn't that be too much for me?"
Upon hearing this, Su An's eyes widened, and he choked on his breath: "Cough cough cough! No, no, this can't be! There must be some misunderstanding!"
Her gaze lingered on the Emperor and Fu Zhun, and sensing the strange atmosphere, she quickly changed the subject.
"How about we move to a private room on the third floor, Your Majesty? I have prepared some of my specialty dishes, and I hope Your Majesty will taste and offer your comments."
Upon hearing this, Chu Yi immediately became interested and smiled with an air of elegance and nobility, saying, "Then I'll have to trouble you. Your Royal Uncle is so fond of the chef's cooking. I never thought that thanks to Your Royal Uncle, I would be able to try it myself."
He was clearly elegant and polite, but Su An always sensed something strange about his tone.
Shaking his head, he stopped thinking about it and hurried back to the kitchen to get busy.
Since it was an invitation to the emperor, Su An dared not be careless and prepared all of his signature dishes.
Braised pork belly, firewood-cooked chicken, fish stew in an iron pot, spicy hot pot, etc.—it has all the flavors of life: sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy.
As dish after dish was served, even Chu Yi lost his composure due to the aroma, eating and drinking with astonishment and curiosity.
Before long, he was sweating profusely from eating. Just as he was about to take a sip of water, he caught sight of the milk tea that had been served. He quickly took a sip and was instantly captivated by its rich and creamy flavor.
Chu Yi downed his drink in one gulp, his eyes gleaming as he stared intently at Su Yi. "Boss, your skills are unparalleled, a thousand times better than the imperial chefs in my palace! I am truly indulging in a feast!"
Su Yi smiled modestly and quickly said politely, "These are just some simple home-cooked dishes that I made. They are not worthy of being served at a formal banquet, but Your Majesty appreciates them."
Unexpectedly, Chu Yi suddenly interrupted her excitedly, saying, "How can such a skilled chef be wasted here? Why not enter the palace and become my imperial chef? I will bestow upon you the rank of Fifth-Rank Imperial Chef!"
What? A fifth-rank official!
Su An was stunned for a moment, then her chest pounded wildly, and her heart fluttered wildly.
If I could become an official, wouldn't it be much easier to open a shop and soar to great heights?
"No." Fu Zhun, who had been silent until now, suddenly frowned and shouted.
His cold, dark eyes looked at Chu Yi, and he said indifferently, "Your Majesty, Su An is my personal cook, and I'm afraid I will have to disappoint Your Majesty's kindness."
Upon hearing this, Su An glanced at Fu Zhun with undisguised surprise, but after thinking for a moment, she did not refute him.
Fu Zhun wouldn't harm himself; there must be a reason why he said that.
She should just stay a quail and behave herself.
"Oh?" Chu Yi's eyes flickered slightly, his gaze sweeping over Fu Zhun and Su An, gradually becoming ambiguous. "I see. I almost forgot that you two are in love. It is indeed not good to take away the love of the Imperial Uncle."
"Very well, it's better to arrive at the right time than to arrive early. I might as well take this opportunity to bestow a marriage upon the two of you."
A marriage bestowed by imperial decree? What kind of marriage bestowed by imperial decree?
Su An froze instantly, and couldn't help but pick at her ears, wondering if she had misheard.
Chu Yi continued, "Boss, you come from a commoner background, so you are indeed not a good match for the Imperial Uncle. I will bestow upon you the title of Imperial Uncle's concubine, which will also fulfill the bond between the two of you. What do you think?"
According to the law, even if a commoner woman enters a royal palace, she can at most become a concubine.
Chu Yi believed he had already done a great service by helping the two lovers.
However, after waiting for a while without receiving a response from Su An, he couldn't help but frown: "Why isn't the boss answering? Could it be that he has a problem with my arrangements?"
Su An's pupils dilated in shock before she finally managed to find her shattered voice: "Cough, I..."
What could she say? She was stunned by this huge offer, her mind reeling!
Su An unconsciously clenched her fists, her eyes filled with complex and chaotic emotions, a feeling she couldn't quite describe.
Meanwhile, Fu Zhun's cold, low voice suddenly rang out: "To refuse His Majesty's kindness would probably disappoint His Majesty as well."
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