Chapter 720 Dumplings in Memory
"Mother, guess who I'm talking about."
Lu Qiniang actually had some vague guesses in her mind.
"Empress?" She uttered these four words with difficulty.
"It seems that mother has already felt it."
Lu Qiniang did have feelings.
Sometimes when the queen talked to her, even when she was praising her, she could feel a hint of "sourness".
Before, Lu Qiniang just thought she was narrow-minded.
Now that Xiaoman has reminded her, it shows that others have also noticed it.
"It's because of the Empress's support that I've been able to get to where I am today," Lu Qiniang murmured. "Perhaps I'm too flamboyant in what I do, without giving it much thought. As a result, many people now place too much credit on me, which is really not good."
This was indeed a matter of inconsideration on her part.
"What are you going to do in the future, mother?"
Lu Qi Niang smiled and said, "If it's not done properly, I will change it."
What's there to be afraid of if you're wrong?
No irreversible consequences were caused.
She then slowly backed away, pushing the queen forward at the same time.
This is her first time doing something, so it's impossible for her to be perfect in everything; she can just make some changes later.
Lu Qiniang was very tolerant of herself.
Xiaoman hesitated, "I'm afraid the Queen is already dissatisfied with you."
"I'll be more careful next time. If she insists on holding a grudge, then I can't do anything about it." Lu Qiniang said, "To be honest, I followed her to do things, but not for her."
"Mother, she is the queen after all."
"Yeah." Lu Qiniang finished wrapping the last dumpling and clapped her hands. "So I hold her. But even if you are the emperor, you can't do whatever you want. You have to be reasonable."
Seeing Xiaoman hesitate to speak, Lu Qiniang said, "Don't worry, I understand everything about imperial power. But isn't there something else going on? In this world, the surname is Liu, not Wang."
The one who can decide whether to keep their heads is the emperor.
Xiao Yan is closer to the emperor than to the emperor and empress.
Didn’t Xiao Yan accompany the emperor to Chengde these days?
Although Lu Qiniang didn't understand at all why others went to Chengde to escape the summer heat, the emperor insisted on going there in the middle of winter.
But Xiao Yan will go along with him.
At least in this way, the emperor can love her and her family as well, and he can also save her head.
As long as your head isn't lost, you can continue working and it's no big deal.
Seeing that she couldn't convince Lu Qin's mother, Xiaoman could only think about going back to talk to her biological father about this matter.
——This is a matter of great importance and we cannot afford to make any mistakes.
Xiaoman finally got to eat the dumplings he had been longing for, and not only was he full, he also asked to take the leftovers away.
"Mom, these dumplings are delicious. Please bring the rest back to me."
Lu Qi's mother disagreed, "Silly child, it will be cold if you take it back. It won't taste good if you reheat it. If you haven't had enough, come back another day and I'll make you more."
"It's okay, Mom. It's delicious. I can eat it."
Lu Qiniang couldn't persuade him, so after thinking for a while, she said, "Then, I'll pack some for you and you can take them back and put them outside. In this weather, water freezes, so they can keep well. When you want to eat them, ask the cook in your house to cook them for you."
"Okay, thank you, mother." Xiaoman said sweetly.
"Silly child, why are you thanking me? I'll make it right away."
Si Ya smiled but said nothing.
She knew that the dumplings her brother took back would probably not end up in his stomach.
But this matter can be kept tacitly understood.
Xiaoman took the dumplings back and told the servants at the door to cook the dumplings and send them to the outer study, while she went straight there.
The outer study was brightly lit.
The charcoal fire in the room was burning brightly, but it still couldn't dispel the deep chill of the winter night.
Zhang Heyao buried his head in a mountain of official documents, with a lingering look of fatigue between his brows.
The candlelight cast flickering shadows on his face, making him look even thinner.
When he heard the noise at the door, he didn't look up immediately, thinking it was the servant bringing tea and water, until a crisp "Dad" was heard.
Zhang Heyao paused, his brush tip smearing a small blob of ink on the rice paper. He looked up and saw Xiaoman walk in, shrouded in a chill. A smile crossed his face. "Are you back?"
He knew that Xiaoman went to the Marquis' Mansion today.
Since he saw Lu Qiniang expressing her love to Xiao Yan in public three years ago, he has not taken the initiative to look for Lu Qiniang again.
The two occasionally met in the court, but they just nodded in passing.
He knew everything about Lu Qinniang during these three years from Xiaoman's mouth.
"Yes, I'm back. My mother made some dumplings stuffed with cabbage and meat. I thought they were delicious, so I brought some back and had them cooked."
As Xiaoman spoke, she couldn't help but explore his expression, trying to find something from it.
Zhang Heyao's expression remained calm. He only nodded slightly and said frankly, "I haven't eaten in a long time."
He was too calm and Xiaoman couldn't notice anything.
As he was speaking, there was a gentle knock on the study door. An old servant from the mansion came in with a tray. On top of it was a large blue and white bowl filled with steaming dumplings and a small dish of vinegar and garlic on the side.
"Prime Minister, the dumplings that the young master ordered the kitchen to cook have been delivered." The old servant said respectfully.
Zhang Heyao was slightly startled, his eyes falling on the bowl of dumplings with white steam rising from them.
The familiar fragrance, having traveled through years of time and insurmountable gaps, suddenly filled his cold and busy study room with the warmth of home.
It also brought back old memories.
Zhang Heyao picked up the chopsticks and picked up a dumpling.
The dumpling skin is thin and the filling is rich, just like her craftsmanship back then.
He slowly put the dumplings into his mouth. The moment the familiar taste spread across his tongue, countless memories of the past came flooding back like a tide - that simple yet warm little home, the figure serving him food under the lamp, those years of mutual support but ultimately drifting apart...
The taste remains, but the past is hard to continue.
This realization is as cold and real as the howling wind outside the window.
The dumplings in my mouth became a little bitter, but they also brought a hint of comfort from being handed over by my son.
He ate slowly without looking up, afraid that the boy would see the emotions in his eyes.
Xiaoman still keenly captured the loneliness and sadness in him.
"Dad..." He couldn't help but blurt out in a distressed mood, "I have grown up, but in such a big family, now there are only you and me..."
Zhang Heyao looked up at him with understanding eyes.
"Xiao Man, do you think Dad has been alone all these years because he was worried that you would be abused, or because he was obsessed with your mother?"
Xiaoman bit her lip and said nothing.
He really thought so.
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