Chapter 52 Eldest Sister
After eating Zhuang Dongqing's fried dumplings, Cen Yan, whether out of embarrassment or unwilling to continue making do, went to get a bowl of porridge.
I really couldn't eat much; I wasn't in the mood.
But as soon as he finished cooking, a pair of chopsticks came over, picked up a side dish and a fried dumpling, and put them in his bowl.
"Hmm, have some."
After Zhuang Dongqing finished speaking, she quickly put away her chopsticks and buried her head back in her bowl.
Cen Yan glanced at the shredded vegetables and golden-brown fried dumplings in the bowl, and slowly revealed a faint smile.
He picked up a pair of chopsticks, aligned them, and said leisurely, "Okay."
My mood improved a lot.
The breakfast was eaten at a leisurely pace, and after making sure everyone had eaten their fill, Liu Qi went to pay the bill.
Granny Ge, who was on the Empress Dowager's carriage, and several other maids did not follow her in. Zhuang Dongqing muttered, "Have they had breakfast too?"
The voice was very soft, and it was just a soliloquy, but Cen Yan still heard it, heard it all, and answered him.
"Of course. There are strict rules in Mother's quarters; she knows exactly what to do when she gets up."
"……oh."
Zhuang Dongqing shut up.
She didn't want Cen Yan to think she was a traitor.
Changing the subject, he asked, "Shall we go to the princess's residence now?"
"Yes, go ahead. It's been a long time since I've seen my elder sister. This is perfect."
Thinking of something, Cen Yan even smiled.
Unlike the smiles Zhuang Dongqing usually saw, this one was cold and mocking, making Zhuang Dongqing uneasy.
Cen Yan took the initiative to say, "Didn't Mother Consort and Consort Tao each have their own carriages to come to the capital before?"
Zhuang Dongqing knew this and was afraid that they wouldn't be used to living there, so he sent some daily necessities, clothes and utensils from both sides first. The things were sent first and delivered to the Prince's Mansion so that Liu Qi could set them up first. After a while, when everything was ready, they set off together.
Unexpectedly, even so, the two imperial concubines still managed to leave at different times.
That's...wonderful.
"The carriage that came along with the main carriage contained some things that my mother had given me, which I had someone give to my elder sister."
"I wonder if Mother has seen her yet."
Zhuang Dongqing couldn't figure out what it was, but judging from Cen Yan's tone, it didn't seem like anything good.
Cen Yan didn't say much. After Liu Qi finished paying the bill and had a cup of tea to aid digestion, he let everyone set off again.
Upon exiting the restaurant, Granny Ge was already waiting, having dismounted from the carriage. Seeing them emerge, she bowed to Cen Yan and respectfully said, "This old woman hasn't returned to the capital for many years. I reckon it will be noon by the time we reach the Princess's residence from here. Perhaps the group should hurry up?"
Cen Yan: "What's the rush?"
"Mother has not seen her elder sister for many years, so she must have a lot to say to her."
Changing the subject, he said, "There are many restaurants in the capital. If we are late, we can have lunch in the outer room before going to my sister's residence. That would not be impolite."
Granny Ge: "..."
It was clear from Cen Yan's words that he was upset that the Dowager Consort had acted without authorization.
Helplessly, she bowed again, and Granny Ge could only smile and offer some more kind words.
Cen Yan listened to everything but remained unmoved. He ordered the team to set off and then turned around and boarded the carriage himself.
Granny Ge couldn't help but feel worried.
*
At the same moment, the imperial carriage of the Dowager Consort from the fiefdom also slowly drove into the residence of the Princess and her husband.
When the servant came to report, Princess Cen Min was still puzzled, "Didn't my second brother say that Mother Consort would only arrive today? Did I remember wrong?"
The carriage appeared at the main gate, announced by the steward. It happened to be the day of the Prince Consort's day off, so he returned shortly after receiving the news and prepared to change his clothes to welcome the Dowager Consort.
The Prince Consort was a carefree and easygoing person who didn't care about anything. Even though Cen Min had doubts, she couldn't say anything in front of him. She simply asked her personal maid to go and greet the Dowager Consort first. She helped the Prince Consort choose a suitable formal outfit and changed into something appropriate for herself.
The maidservant helped Cen Min redo her makeup. Cen Min had been suffering from severe morning sickness lately and wanted to apply some powder to improve her complexion.
The maidservant dissuaded her, saying that the Empress Dowager wouldn't care, and that using powder was bad for her health, so why bother?
“If the Princess does this, the Dowager will surely reprimand you.”
Thinking of her mother's love and protection since childhood, Cen Min finally gave up and tied her hair up. She looked at herself in the mirror with satisfaction and smiled, "It's been many years since I've seen my mother. I really miss her."
The mother who had been accompanying Cen Min returned and whispered in her ear that everything was arranged properly.
Cen Min, accompanied by her husband, went to the reception room to receive them.
It's been about four years.
After Cen Min married into the capital, she never saw the Empress Dowager again.
When the mother and daughter met, both of them had tears in their eyes.
After a long separation, they naturally had a lot to talk about, and the prince consort was also there to keep them company, creating a warm and harmonious atmosphere in the living room.
The Empress Dowager's expression changed drastically after tasting a piece of pastry. "This is..."
Cen Min looked at the pastries and said with a smile, "Oh, these are pastries from my hometown. They were made by the people you sent over, Mother!"
After speaking, he looked up and noticed that the Empress Dowager's expression was strange, and her smile faltered.
The Dowager Consort glanced quickly at Cen Min, then subconsciously looked at the Prince Consort, gritting her teeth as she said, "That wasn't a gift from me... Oh, it was him...!"
With the prince consort present, it was difficult to retaliate immediately.
Cen Min, however, had a sudden inspiration and smiled again, tentatively asking, "Wasn't it the cook from your fiefdom that you sent, Mother, to make me some hometown pastries to satisfy my cravings?"
The Empress Dowager: "..."
The Dowager: "...Ah, yes, that's right."
The Dowager forced a smile again, though it wasn't very pleasant. She said, "But I tasted them today and thought they were just so-so. It just so happens that Mama Ge has also come to the capital. She's a good cook, so I'll leave her here with you to cook some good food for you. As for the other two, I'll take them back with me."
Cen Min's smile remained unchanged, but she understood something in her heart. She refused, saying, "No, how can I take back something I've given away? It's been years since I last saw you, Mother Consort, and you've become so stingy?!"
His words were witty, and there was no hint of anything amiss.
Before the Empress Dowager could say anything more, Cen Min turned her head and the Prince Consort started a new conversation.
The son-in-law didn't catch the subtle tension in their conversation at all. When his wife brought it up, he started chatting with her, and the Dowager had no choice but to go along with it.
*
After the prince consort left, leaving the mother and daughter alone to talk, the Dowager Consort finally erupted in anger.
"What does he mean? If he doesn't want them, he doesn't want them. But stuffing them here is clearly an attempt to upset me. He knows you're pregnant, yet he still sent those two over. What if the Prince Consort sees them..."
Cen Min's face showed no anger, but rather a hint of coldness as she said, "When my second brother brought it over, he only told me to keep it in the kitchen. I was quite surprised at the time... I never expected that it was someone you, Mother, had given to him."
"Even if you were to be put in the kitchen, he shouldn't have..."
Cen Min: "Shouldn't you have given me the concubine that you, Mother, sent him to choose?"
The Empress Dowager was speechless.
Cen Min already understood.
Cen Yan couldn't lash out or make a scene, but he wanted to use her as a pretext to talk about his mother.
If Mother Consort were to pretend to be confused, everyone would be fine, but unfortunately... when it comes to my own affairs, Mother Consort is not that kind of person.
Cen Min had already dealt with the two maids in her mind, but she didn't mention it. Instead, she asked, "My second brother said that Mother Consort should have come to the capital today. Why did you come to my residence instead? Did you come earlier than expected, or what?"
After saying that, she noticed something else: "Where is my second brother? Shouldn't he have accompanied you?"
As soon as she finished speaking, a hint of unease appeared on the Dowager's face.
*
Sure enough, Cen Yan and Zhuang Dongqing arrived at the Princess's residence at noon.
Perhaps sensing something, the Dowager Consort was not present at noon. The Princess only said that her mother was tired and arranged for her to rest in her guest room. She and the Prince Consort hosted lunch for Cen Yan and his party.
This was the first time Zhuang Dongqing had met Cen Min.
I think she has a very cool and stylish vibe.
Unlike the pampered young ladies of the capital, whose attire and every gesture exude competence.
She is beautiful, but... she does not really resemble Cen Yan.
Zhuang Dongqing glanced at Cen Min for a while, then turned to look at Cen Yan, trying to discern the old prince's traits from their faces. However, both of them seemed to resemble their mother more. Besides the similarity in their eyebrows and eyes, Zhuang Dongqing felt that their personalities were also similar; both were very capable.
"Looking around, what are you looking at?"
Zhuang Dongqing was caught red-handed by Cen Yan while peeking again.
"..."
Zhuang Dongqing leaned closer to Cen Yan and whispered, "Look at you and your brother."
"Hmm, what did you notice?"
Zhuang Dongqing: "The princess is very beautiful."
That's it?
Seeing that Cen Yan wouldn't let go, Zhuang Dongqing forced a smile and said, "You're still prettier."
Cen Yan laughed upon hearing this.
She followed suit, moved closer to him, and whispered with a low laugh, "I thought the young master was going to say that we don't look alike, but I didn't expect that he would say any kind of praise in order to get away with it. Tsk."
"..."
Cen Yan is right, Zhuang Dongqing is looking at this.
Damn it, he clearly knows everything, yet he deliberately tries to see if he can find excuses or cover things up.
Zhuang Dongqing glared at Cen Yan.
Cen Yan pinched her cheek; hmm, her cheeks were puffed up when she was angry, and they were soft.
Zhuang Dongqing: "?"
Zhuang Dongqing: What?
Unable to resist looking at the main gate, the princess, seeing that lunch had not been served yet, also said she would go down and take a look.
They're so close... what if they get caught on camera!
Cen Yan said slowly and deliberately, "I've noticed that you seem to be unafraid of me anymore."
"?"
"When you first came here, you kept everything to yourself, but now you can glare at people, Qingqing."
"..."
Zhuang Dongqing tried to pry Cen Yan's fingers off, anxiously saying, "Let go, we're in your sister's house, in a little while..."
"Later?"
It's infuriating. Actually, I didn't use much force. I just broke one off and moved it to a different spot, but I always put it on his face.
Zhuang Dongqing gave up resisting and pleaded softly, "Wait until your sister and brother-in-law come in."
As soon as he finished speaking, footsteps were heard.
Just as Zhuang Dongqing was about to panic, the hand on her face was removed, and Zhuang Dongqing quickly sat up straight.
Hearing Cen Yan laughing beside her, Zhuang Dongqing pretended not to know anything.
Cen Min came in and saw Cen Yan smiling. She asked curiously, "Is there something wrong with me?"
Cen Yan: "No, my sister is always very proper. I'm just happy to see her after so long."
Zhuang Dongqing: "..."
Pah!
*
After having lunch, Zhuang Dongqing intended to sit at the same table as Liu Qi and Hao San, but Cen Yan stopped him.
Once they were seated at the table, Cen Min asked about it, and he only said they were friends.
The prince consort didn't care.
Cen Min noticed that Cen Yan had been putting food on Zhuang Dongqing's plate several times while talking to her, but the food on his chopsticks ended up in Zhuang Dongqing's bowl.
Cen Min blinked, seemingly lost in thought.
After lunch, the prince consort went for a nap.
The living room was left for the two siblings to catch up.
Zhuang Dongqing wanted to go with the prince consort, but Cen Yan had already given him the tea that Liu Qi had brewed for him.
Just as she picked up the plate, the prince consort took his leave. Before Zhuang Dongqing could follow, another plate of pastries was pushed in front of her.
Zhuang Dongqing then calmly pretended that she was just a decoration, and lowered her head to drink tea and eat pastries.
The presentation was exquisite, shaped like a flower.
Awoo.
It was pink and soft, and not very big, which unexpectedly suited Zhuang Dongqing's taste.
The siblings naturally had a lot to say.
Cen Min hadn't seen Cen Yan for a long time. Usually, if anything happened, the servants would run back and forth to deliver the message.
Since Cen Min got married, if I count on my fingers, I can hardly see her two or three times a year, except for the end of the year.
Of course, Cen Yan had his reasons for this, and Cen Min understood them.
Therefore, I don't bother them much on ordinary days, I just hope that they are both safe and well in the capital.
Cen Min had also heard about the snake venom incident. Although she had received a message from the Prince's Mansion, as the eldest sister, she naturally wanted to ask Cen Yan about it properly.
It is said that the personal maid has gone to guard the door, leaving only Cen Min, Cen Yan, Liu Qi, and Zhuang Dongqing, who is eating without a care in the world, in the living room.
After checking on Cen Yan's health and confirming that he was alright, Cen Min breathed a sigh of relief. At the same time, she saw Cen Yan hand a plate of pastries to the young master beside him.
Look at this young master of the Zhuang family...
Cen Min glanced at Zhuang Dongqing a few times and concluded: He's quite... honest and lucky.
Well, as the saying goes, being able to eat is a blessing.
Cen Yan noticed Cen Min's gaze but did not stop her.
The siblings exchanged glances, and Cen Min asked cautiously, "It's rare to see you bring a friend over, Ayan, so how did you two meet?"
Cen Yan: "We met at Guangyuetai."
Zhuang Dongqing choked and quickly went to get some tea and water to drink.
Cen Min was also stunned for a moment when she heard this.
Subconsciously, she offered a way out, asking, "Did you get to know each other because you were both invited to a banquet hosted by some important person?"
Cen Yan: "I guess so."
It was essentially two separate banquets.
Zhuang Dongqing swallowed a mouthful of water, feeling the topic was getting increasingly dangerous, and took another sip, trying to hide the embarrassment on her face with the cup.
"So, since you're friends, you get along very well?" Cen Min was clearly finding it difficult to gauge the appropriateness of this question.
Cen Yan thought for a moment, then laughed again, "It's alright, we can chat."
No more beating around the bush, "but not the kind of friends who share common interests."
"If I had to put it in perspective, it would be—"
"Friends who eat, live, and sleep together."
Zhuang Dongqing: "Pfft—"
"Cough cough cough cough, cough cough!"
I had just taken a sip of tea and hadn't even swallowed it when I vomited it all up.
I choked.
Liu Qi reacted quickly, taking the teacup and patting his back to help him catch his breath. Cen Yan, disregarding the princess, looked at him and said, "What's wrong? Take a break."
Once she caught her breath, Zhuang Dongqing's face was red from coughing.
Once my body recovered, I looked up and found that everyone in the room was staring at me, and my mind couldn't process it.
Was he forced to come out of the closet?!
Huh?!
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