Chapter 019 Chapter 19

If these were the dishes she liked to eat now, Xu Duanyi would have no need to be confused.

But these dishes...

She hasn't eaten for a long time.

My aunt doesn't like spicy food.

She usually eats with her and has gotten used to it.

Aunt Deng has been serving people for many years and is naturally good at observing people's words and expressions.

Seeing her staring at the dishes, she said, "When the prince brought you back to the palace, I saw that you liked to eat these. It just so happens that there is a chef from Shu in the palace who cooks quite well. I will serve you bravely today."

"If you don't like it, I'll ask someone to make a few more dishes of Beijing cuisine."

"Need not."

Xu Duanyi smiled and declined: "I haven't eaten it for a while, so I'll give it a try today."

Her father is from Shu and likes spicy food.

Before she was six years old, she always followed her father's taste, but after living with her aunt in the palace for a long time, her taste became less and less.

In the past, she would only eat spicy food when she followed Xie Qingya out of the palace.

After Xie Qingya went to Jizhou, she rarely came to the palace anymore.

She didn't expect that the people in the palace still remembered it, which made her feel much better.

Aunt Deng was relieved to see that she liked it.

In fact, this morning, she was a little confused, thinking about what kind of food to prepare for the princess at night, but then the prince passed by and casually said, "Didn't she like spicy food in the past? Just cook some Sichuan dishes."

She originally thought that the prince still remembered the princess, and she could talk to the couple at night to help them get along.

Who would have thought that the prince would get into trouble tonight!

Now she had so much to say that she couldn't say anything.

I can only try my best to serve the princess at meals.

This is to prevent the princess and those around her from feeling that they are treating her coldly in the palace.

"Aunt, don't work hard. You are an old family member of the palace and are close to my mother-in-law. You don't need to do these things." Xu Duanyi didn't let her serve.

Bixi also came over with a smile.

"Aunt Deng, I'll take care of these things. You can just chat with the princess."

Usually, when the hostess enters the palace, she always asks about the situation in the palace first, and Aunt Deng has already made preparations.

She smiled and said, "That's fine. I have something to say to you."

Finished.

She then took out two pairs of cards and a bunch of keys.

"After the eldest princess passed away, there was no one to look after the mansion, so the prince handed the internal affairs to me, and I will take care of it temporarily."

"Now that the princess has entered the palace, these matters will be handed over to you."

"It's late today. Tomorrow I will take you around the mansion and meet the people there. You can get to know their faces. This will make it easier for you to give them instructions in the future."

She thought Xu Duanyi wanted to take over the power of reward, and was happy to give it up.

But Xu Duanyi didn't mean that.

She knew that Xie Qingya was unhappy with this marriage, and she also knew that he was wary of her, so naturally she would not, and did not want to, get involved in these matters.

"Auntie misunderstood."

"Um?"

Aunt Deng blinked, not understanding what she had misunderstood.

Xu Duanyi said to her in a gentle voice: "I have just arrived and I don't know the situation of the palace yet. My aunt will continue to take care of these."

"This……"

Aunt Deng was a little hesitant.

She hadn't expected this.

She thought that once the princess entered the palace, she would be fed.

When she told the prince about this this morning, the prince didn't say anything, just said it was okay.

I didn’t expect the princess to refuse…

Xu Duanyi suggested: "If Auntie doesn't mind, I will go with Auntie tomorrow to meet the people in the palace and get to know them first. As for the pair of cards and keys, Auntie should take them first. When I am familiar with them in the future, I can ask Auntie for them."

Aunt Deng heard her say this and hesitated for a moment before saying, "Then I will keep it for you first."

"Whenever you need it in the future, just ask me for it."

Xu Duanyi agreed and asked her, "I didn't see Ping An and Chang Ning earlier, what's the matter?"

As soon as Xu Duanyi finished speaking, she saw Aunt Deng's smile froze.

I was originally worried that something might happen to them, but now it seems that they are unwilling to come.

"…It's nothing serious. It's just that Sanlang and Nuoling caught a cold a few days ago. Today is a big day with many distinguished guests. It would be bad if they bumped into anyone." Aunt Deng said with her head down.

Xu Duanyi already understood, so he didn't ask any more questions.

"In that case, please go and see them for me, Auntie. It's inconvenient for me to go today, so I'll go see them tomorrow."

Aunt Deng nodded in agreement.

After that, Xu Duanyi didn't keep anyone else.

After Aunt Deng left, Xu Duanyi started to eat.

The chef in the palace is a great cook.

Perhaps it was said in advance that although the dishes were Sichuan cuisine, the spiciness was reduced a lot. Even though Xu Duanyi hadn't eaten Sichuan cuisine for a long time, he didn't find it difficult to eat now.

On the contrary, I like it very much.

She sat down to eat.

Bixi was picking up some food for her.

Shigure also came over to serve her soup.

Neither of them dared to speak.

Xu Duanyi didn't say anything at this time.

After dinner, Bixi asked someone to take the food away and poured her another cup of tea to relieve her greasy feeling.

Then she nudged Shi Yu's arm lightly with her elbow.

Motioned for her to bring it over.

Xu Duanyi pretended not to see it.

"Master, have some tea."

Shi Yu was attentive and flattering, and placed the teacup on the table next to her.

Xu Duanyi didn't drink, and first told Bixi: "Go in and tidy up the wedding bed first."

"……yes."

Before Bixi left, she opened her mouth to speak for Shiyu.

But seeing that Xu Duanyi had a grim expression on his face, he didn't dare to say much, so he could only lift the curtain and go in.

Xu Duanyi waited for Bixi to enter before speaking to Shi Yu: "Who told you to talk to Aunt Deng like that just now?"

"She used to serve the Grand Princess. Even when Donggu saw her, she had to politely call her aunt!"

Shi Yu knew he was wrong and lowered his head a little.

But I still feel a little unhappy.

"...Who made that Prince Nan'an treat you like that? I'm just not happy. You married him, and it was the Prince Nan'an's palace that offered him great favors. How dare he give you such a cold shoulder?"

"I hate that I wasn't here just now, otherwise..."

"Or what?"

Xu Duanyi interrupted her.

Even if Shi Yu was a straightforward person, he could feel that Xu Duanyi's tone was wrong at this moment.

She raised her head and took a quick look, and saw her master, who was always gentle and easy to talk to, looking at her with an indifferent expression.

My heart skipped a beat.

Shi Yu didn't dare to say anything more.

She walked over quickly and squatted in front of Xu Duanyi, holding Xu Duanyi's skirt like a pitiful and obedient puppy, and raised her head and asked carefully: "Master, are you angry with me?"

After all, he has been with me since childhood.

Seeing her like this, Xu Duanyi finally couldn't bear to say anything harsh, but she still kept a stern face.

"Did I tell you in the palace before that you should be careful with your words and actions when you come to the palace?"

Shi Yu pursed her lips.

She didn't dare to say no, so she nodded and whispered, "...I did."

"That means you did it knowingly." Xu Duanyi looked at her and said.

"master……"

Shi Yu wanted to defend himself, but Xu Duanyi raised his hand.

Shi Yu saw her gesture and immediately fell silent.

Xu Duanyi continued, "I don't ask you why you did this. I also know why you did this, but Shi Yu, this is the last time."

"If you do this again in the future--"

"You have followed me since you were a child, so I am reluctant to punish you. But don't follow me anymore. Go home, and I will not care what you do anymore."

This would strangle Shi Yu's lifeline.

She would not mind being beaten, but Xu Duanyi said he wanted to drive her away. Shi Yu's face turned pale and her voice became sharp due to anxiety: "No!"

Her eyes also turned red.

He grabbed the hem of Xu Duanyi's skirt tightly, shook his head desperately, and kept saying, "No, no!"

"Master, please don't chase me away!"

"I don't dare to do it anymore. I won't dare to do it again."

Bixi heard the noise and hurried out. Seeing this scene, she was also a little nervous.

"master……"

She came over and wanted to speak for Shi Yu.

Xu Duanyi glanced at her.

After Bixi turned pale and fell silent, Xu Duanyi continued to look down at Shiyu. When Shiyu had almost finished crying, she raised her hand to wipe away his tears: "If you don't do it, I won't chase you away."

“It all depends on how you do it.”

Shi Yu choked up and promised: "I will keep my mouth shut and treat the prince and the people in the palace well in the future."

Xu Duanyi said no more and pulled the man up.

Seeing her tears streaming down her face, Xu Duanyi sighed, "You're crying like a child. Go in and wash your face."

"Come out after you wash up. I have something else to tell you."

Shi Yu dared not delay any longer and hurried in.

Bixi accompanied Xu Duanyi.

Seeing her pressing her temples, he knew she had a headache, so he walked behind her and started pressing for her.

Xu Duanyi withdrew his hand and let her hold it.

"You told her this today, and she won't dare to do it again in the future." Bixi comforted her.

Xu Duanyi nodded softly. She didn't really want to leave with Shi Yu.

Wait for Shi Yu to come out after washing her face.

Having been scolded like this by her before, she no longer dared to get so close to Xu Duanyi as she did before.

It was Xu Duanyi who reached out to her.

She immediately came over and held Xu Duanyi's hand.

Xu Duanyi looked at her and said, "You and Bixi are the people closest to me. I feel bad for scolding you today."

Shi Yu hurriedly said, "It's my fault."

When she washed her face with cold water just now, she became more sober.

She was still impulsive.

Bi Xi, like her, feels sorry for her master.

Bixi doesn't cause trouble, not because she is afraid of it, but because she doesn't want to make things difficult for her master.

On the other hand, she kept saying that she felt sorry for her master, but in reality she was causing trouble for her master everywhere.

Originally, the master is the one who is most tired and has the hardest job.

Not only did she fail to help her master solve her problems, but she made her even more tired.

Thinking like this.

Shi Yu couldn't help but bury his head even lower.

"...I won't be like this again in the future." She promised Xu Duanyi.

Seeing her like this, Xu Duanyi knew that she had really thought it through this time, so he just held her hand and patted it gently a few times.

Then she turned around to look at Bixi and winked outside.

Bi Xi understood and went out to guard it immediately.

"Look back at the people my aunt gave me this time and see what they did. Don't let them notice."

"If there is anything wrong, report it to me immediately."

Xu Duanyi hoped that he was just being overly concerned, but he still had to be prepared.

Although Shi Yu was puzzled by this, he did not ask any more questions.

She always listened to Xu Duanyi, so she nodded without hesitation.

…

And now outside.

Mei Xuezheng found an opportunity and went out to talk with Xie Qingya.

Changfeng and Lingji were guarding outside, so no one would notice that they met here.

Seeing Xie Qingya pressing his temples, Mei Xuezheng couldn't help but frown: "Still feeling uncomfortable?"

Xie Qingya was drunk tonight.

Although I had taken hangover medicine beforehand, I still felt uncomfortable after being forced to drink so much alcohol one after another.

"……It's not bad."

Even his voice became a little hoarse.

"Who was that person next to you who kept pouring me wine? He looked unfamiliar."

Mei Xuezheng rolled his eyes and complained: "Who else could it be? Li Wengao, a loyal follower of your princess."

Xie Qingya must have drunk too much, and his brain's reactions have slowed down a lot.

When he heard Mei Xuezheng say "your princess", he had no other reaction but just frowned slightly.

Mei Xuezheng, on the other hand, had something to say.

"You too, didn't we agree on this? Acting, acting, it's not like you haven't acted before. You dared to embarrass that person in front of so many people."

"It's a good idea that Xiao Jia Dalang has some sense of propriety, otherwise tonight, Li Wengao would have gotten you drunk with more than just you!"

He was really curious and confused.

"Xie Qingya, what on earth are you thinking?"

"I didn't think much about it. I was just... a little annoyed." Xie Qingya also knew that what he did tonight was inappropriate.

He just suddenly felt a little annoyed at that time and didn't want to continue acting like this.

Tonight it would be anyone.

As long as it wasn't Xu Duanyi, he could have played this role well.

But she is Xu Duanyi...

But now I regret it.

In any case, he shouldn't have smeared her face at that time.

But he couldn't say these words to anyone, not even Mei Xuezheng.

He pursed his lips and said nothing more.

Mei Xuezheng naturally had no idea what he was thinking. Seeing him like this, he just assumed that he was really bothered by this marriage, which was why he couldn't hold himself back.

Sighed.

Mei Xuezheng patted his shoulder.

I don't know what to say to comfort you.

"Now that everyone has entered the palace, you should be more careful in your daily life. During this period of time, if there is nothing else, I will not come over again."

"If you have anything to say, send Changfeng and the others to tell me."

"Um."

Don't stay out for too long.

Fearing suspicion, Mei Xuezheng planned to leave first.

After he left, Xie Qingya still stood in the garden.

Looking in the direction of Linfeng Pavilion, he heard Changfeng calling him from behind. He was silent for a moment before asking, "What is she doing now?"