80 Is it sweet?
◎They are a couple traveling together, showing deep affection.◎
Pei Yue's expression remained unchanged. He took a bite of the crispy pancake from Chu Yufu's hand, chewed it slowly and swallowed it, then raised his eyes and asked, "Did my father-in-law ask you to come and test the waters?"
Chu Yufu nodded: "Yeah."
"So what do you think?" Pei Yue's gaze fell on her face, asking.
Chu Yufu raised her head, her gaze passing over the bustling food stalls to the ordinary people hustling shoulder to shoulder in the night market, struggling to make a living. A leaf fell from the sky, drifting slowly onto the stone pavement, painting a chilly autumn scene in her eyes.
"My father," she said in a low voice, each word clear, "is heartless and selfish. He's only concerned with prestige and his official career. These things are more important than anything else."
"Although I don't quite understand the specific responsibilities of the Minister of Works, I do understand that the higher the official rank, the greater the responsibility. I would like to ask you to tell Uncle Pei not to worry about me, and not to show any bias because of me. The right thing to do is to recommend someone who is truly talented and worthy of the position."
From a selfish point of view, because of the old incident with Aunt Wan, she didn't want to see Mr. Chu get any closer.
If losing the power of housekeeper and her glamorous and vain life would make Wu feel like she would rather die than live, then for Master Chu, what could be more heartbreaking than destroying his long-cherished path to promotion?
People should always pay the price for their actions.
From a public perspective, how can we expect a man who can be so cold and calculating towards his wife, his partner, and even his own flesh and blood to be a good official who truly cares about the people?
The warm yellow lights on both sides of the street danced in her clear eyes. Pei Yue stared into those unusually dark and bright eyes, the corners of his lips curved up in an almost imperceptible arc, and he chuckled softly: "Madam, at this moment, I suddenly remembered something."
Chu Yufu blinked in confusion: "What?"
He only uttered five words clearly: "Good bamboo shoots grow from bad bamboo."
Chu Yufu was stunned, then burst into laughter. It was the first time she knew that this cold, hard stone could actually joke! She put down the spoon in her hand and made a gesture to reach out and hit him.
Pei Yue, however, took advantage of the situation and grasped her waving hand. His dry, warm fingers soothed the back of her delicate hand. His tone returned to its usual calmness: "Alright. I have an idea about this matter. I will discuss it with my uncle later."
Chu Yufu nodded, relieved. He was always calm and reliable in his words and deeds. If he said he would handle it, she didn't need to worry about it anymore.
The bowl of mutton soup was quickly finished. Chu Yufu only ate half of the fried pancake, while Pei Yue devoured the rest in just a few bites. The two paid their copper coins, left the steaming corner, and joined the throng of people at the night market.
What stall that manages to survive at Zhouqiao Night Market doesn't have its own specialties? Every dish exudes an alluring aroma, tantalizing the taste buds.
The crystal red cherries are soaked in amber osmanthus honey, the color is attractive, so you naturally have to buy some.
The thumb-sized yellow croaker was wrapped in a thin layer of batter and put on bamboo skewers and fried until golden and crispy. The aroma was so fragrant that Chu Yufu also wanted to try it.
Shiny chestnuts fried with sugar, cool mung bean and lotus seed soup served in emerald green bamboo tubes... buy them all to try.
At first she took them herself with great interest, but after a while, all the snacks were handed over to Pei Yue.
Because they wanted to experience the joy of being an ordinary couple, they sent the servants away from the mutton soup stall. Now, they had to trouble General Pei to take it himself.
When Chu Yufu's eyes were drawn to the fluffy, snow-white cheese dotted with shimmering pear chunks on the stall next to her, Pei Yue couldn't help but ask helplessly, "If you buy more, can you still finish it?"
He knew the young lady's appetite very well, and he was afraid that she would feel full if she took a few bites of the snacks in her hand.
Before he finished speaking, he saw the girl turn around with a smile, her long eyelashes fluttering like a small fan: "Aren't you still here?"
The stall owner was quick and nimble, quickly handing over a bowl of snow pear pastry in a bamboo bowl. Chu Yufu took it, gently picked up a piece of snow pear soaked in milk with a slender bamboo skewer, and raised it to Pei Yue's lips: "Here, try it, ah——"
Pei Yue paused for a moment, then opened his lips expressionlessly and put the small piece of pear into his mouth.
"Is it sweet?" Chu Yufu tilted her little face up and looked at him with a smile, her eyes moving and her spirits shining.
Pei Yue's Adam's apple rolled slightly, his eyes fixed on her bright smile, and he replied in a low voice, "Sweet."
At the head of Longjin Bridge, there is an elegant room in Chenglou.
The bustling sounds of the night market below drifted faintly into the room through the wide-open carved wooden windows. The eldest prince, Jiang Jingyan, gently clinked his glasses with Shen Lanjun, the clear liquor swaying gently.
Jiang Jingyan raised his head and drank the wine in the glass, then picked up a crispy fried peanut and put it into his mouth, chewing it with a crackling sound, with a hint of solemnity between his brows.
"This morning, I felt that there was something abnormal about the second brother's behavior, and I felt a little uneasy inexplicably." He put down his chopsticks and tapped his knuckles unconsciously on the table.
At the court this morning, my father proposed to send troops to the northern border before winter comes to completely drive the Turks out of the Almer Mountains and incorporate the Huaping area into the territory of Dayan.
The second brother stepped forward and strongly recommended that Pei Yue lead the troops.
Who in the court didn't know that Pei Yue was Jiang Jingyan's trusted aide? Furthermore, Pei Yue possessed exceptional abilities and considerable knowledge of the Turks. Another victory in this battle would have elevated him far beyond the rank of fourth-rank general. And since the Second Brother coveted the crown prince's position and had long been vying with him, how could he possibly be so kind as to proactively pave the way for his men and foster their influence?
Chen Lanjun picked up his wine glass and pondered, "...But judging from the candidates, Pei Yue is indeed the most suitable one. This time, it will be either Pei Yue or General Jin who will lead the troops. General Jin is already old, and in my opinion, His Majesty probably prefers Pei Yue."
Jiang Jingyan raised his hand to fill his glass with wine again, his eyes sharp: "That being said. But think about it, those remnants of the previous dynasty in the south have somehow revived so quickly. At the latest next month, Chunheng will have to go south again to quell the rebellion. If Pei Yue leads his troops to the northern frontier again in the end of autumn..."
He paused, his tone solemn, "Then you are the only one I can rely on..."
"Your Highness, are you saying that the Second Prince is deliberately trying to get everyone around you out of the capital?" Shen Lanjun frowned.
Jiang Jingyan nodded gravely, his gaze turning towards the bright moon outside the window. He lowered his voice, "From what I've heard from my mother, it seems my father intends to decide on a crown prince before the Spring Festival. I'm afraid the second son is desperate and wants to take advantage of me being alone..."
His eyes unconsciously followed the full moon, sliding down to the bustling crowd below. Suddenly, a tall and straight figure, a familiar figure that stood out from the crowd, caught his eye.
"...Pei Yue?" Jiang Jingyan murmured.
Upon hearing this, Shen Lanjun turned his head and looked down along his line of sight.
I saw a man and a woman standing sideways in front of the stall with the sign "Snow Pear Cheese" diagonally opposite Chenglou.
The woman was slender and graceful, her long black hair cascading down her cheeks. She lowered her head slightly, making her face unclear. The man beside her, standing tall and straight like a pine tree, wore a dark blue robe, his long hair meticulously tied up high, revealing a sharp, angular profile. Who else could it be but Pei Yue?
But Pei Yue at this moment was completely different from the cold-faced general in the court.
His hands were stuffed to the brim: his left hand held a string of golden fried dried fish and a box of vibrant red cherry pancakes, while his right hand held an oil-paper bag and a emerald green bamboo tube.
Although his face still had that usual expressionless look, Shen Lanjun felt that his profile clearly revealed a hint of helplessness.
He was stunned at first, then he couldn't help but point downstairs and burst into a hearty laugh. "Hahaha! I can't believe it! I really can't believe it! Our General Pei actually has such a down-to-earth side! I was wondering why he wouldn't show up for a drink today no matter how hard I tried. Turns out he's here to accompany his wife to the night market! Tsk, steel turned into something soft and pliable, it's truly eye-opening!"
The two of them leaned against the window, watching the scenery downstairs with interest.
The woman took a bowl of yogurt from the stall owner, picked up a piece of pear with a bamboo stick, then raised her head slightly and fed the pear to Pei Yue's lips.
As she raised her head, her soft black hair slid to the sides, revealing a beautiful face with a gentle smile.
Upstairs, the smiles on Jiang Jingyan and Shen Lanjun's faces froze instantly, and they looked at each other.
Shen Lanjun couldn't help but grit his teeth: "...This guy is really lucky. How come such a gentle beauty with unparalleled medical skills didn't happen to me?"
Jiang Jingyan picked up the folding fan beside him and opened it with a "swish". He ordered the attendant standing beside him: "Go, invite General Pei and his wife up!"
Chu Yufu was strolling leisurely when she was suddenly invited by the eldest prince. She was stunned for a moment, but soon calmed down. After all, she had met the queen, and he was just the queen's son, so it was not a big deal.
The two followed the attendant who led the way and ascended to the second floor of Chenglou. The door of the private room opened, and the faint aroma of wine wafted out. Inside, by the window, sat two men of extraordinary bearing.
One was younger, dressed in a dark red brocade robe, leaning against the window, his brows raised, twirling his folding fan with interest. The other, older, dressed in a dark blue suit, a sword dangling from his waist, a smile playing on his lips.
Pei Yue took a step forward and nodded slightly: "Your Highness, Commander Shen."
"What a coincidence," Jiang Jingyan laughed out loud, casually pointing out the window with his folding fan, "I didn't expect to meet Mingzhang here."
He looked past Pei Yue and landed on the quiet woman behind him, with a somewhat inquiring smile, "I suppose this is your wife?"
Chu Yufu stepped forward and bowed, "My name is Chu, and I'm honored to meet Your Highness. Your Highness gave me such a generous gift last time, but I was unable to thank you in person. I'm deeply grateful."
Jiang Jingyan shook his head slightly, tapping his palm with the handle of his fan. "Madam Chu, you're welcome. It's my Madam who should express my gratitude. If it weren't for your miraculous medicine, I'm afraid I would have to suffer even more."
Shen Lanjun standing by also bowed with a smile, his eyes gentle: "I have long heard of your great name, Madam. My name is Shen Lanjun, thank you, Madam, for saving my nephew's life." His voice was clear, with the sharpness that was unique to military commanders.
nephew?
Chu Yufu's eyes narrowed slightly as she scanned Shen Lanjun's face. She had just discovered that the outline of his eyebrows and eyes bore a resemblance to Madam Shen's.
She understood and smiled softly, "Lord Shen, you are too kind. Master Yan is blessed by heaven. I am only doing my best. I really don't deserve your concern."
Jiang Jingyan signaled his followers to bring two more chairs and invited the two to sit down.
Pei Yue's gaze passed through the window lattice and cast towards the night market street below, where the lights were as bright as day. His voice was calm and unperturbed: "Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness. However, today, I came here specifically to accompany my wife to enjoy the night market, so I'm afraid it won't be convenient for me to stay long. How about we talk another day?"
Jiang and Chen were stunned. They looked at each other and were speechless for a moment: "Alright, alright."
Then Pei Yue slightly turned sideways, protecting his wife, and left the private room and went downstairs the same way he came.
The footsteps disappeared at the stairs, and the only sound in the private room was the faint noise coming from outside the window.
Jiang Jingyan looked at the empty doorway with a complicated expression. After a while, he suddenly said to Shen Lanjun, "...Old Shen, how about we go downstairs and take a walk?"
Shen Lanjun was helpless and rubbed his forehead: "Your Highness, they are a couple traveling together, and they are deeply in love. What's the matter with two grown men like us getting together?"
Jiang Jingyan was silent: "That's right."
【Author’s words】
Fufu: Eat fried fish [erect-eared rabbit head]
Lao Pei: Leftover fried fish [empty bowl]
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