Hu Yichen: ...I deeply feel how difficult it is to communicate when you're not on the same level.
After seeing Wei Tingsi off, Zhao Shu's soup and meatballs were ready. She scooped them out, put them in a pot to keep them warm, washed her hands, and left the small kitchen.
Chu Chun and the others breathed a sigh of relief when they saw their princess finally emerge. They came forward to drape a brown cloak with cloud patterns and white feather trim over her shoulders. "Princess, are you going back to Jinlan Palace to change your clothes?"
"Okay, I'll go change." She smelled strongly of cooking oil on her, but she didn't mind it herself, as she was used to it. However, she knew others would find it offensive.
After leaving the kitchen, she went straight back to Jinlan Palace, where Shengxia and the others had already prepared a hot bath.
She still preferred hot springs, but there were definitely no hot springs in Guanzhou, and she hadn't heard of any near the capital, so she could only dream about it.
After bathing and changing, Green Ivy said, "Princess, the food that Miss Huo sent yesterday has not been touched yet. I saw that Miss Huo has made soup for you."
Lately, she's been too busy and hasn't remembered to send anything to Huo Danlan before the New Year. When Green Ivy brought it up, she immediately felt guilty. "It's cold, so it shouldn't have spoiled. Have Xing'er warm it up and bring it to me."
Green Ivy wanted to persuade Zhao Shu, but when she saw Chu Chun giving her a meaningful look, she reluctantly went downstairs. When had their princess ever used something that had been sitting overnight?
Zhao Shu lay on the chaise lounge, letting Chu Chun braid her hair. She wanted to find a book to read, but her eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and she soon fell asleep. She had gone to bed too late last night, and although she got up late this morning, she was extremely tired.
There were many others who slept very late, just like her. Sun Yun had Ban Shu take away the robe that Liang Yun Si had brought, and then sat down in a chair to look through the letters in her hand.
The letter wasn't sent by her mother, Madam Ma, but by her grandmother. She read the contents of the letter and knew from the beginning that her grandmother disliked her because she was the legitimate daughter, but not a son.
But she never expected that her own grandmother would make this New Year's Eve unbearable for her. The letter contained not a single word of concern or affection; every sentence was piercing, every word accusatory.
"As you wish, my granddaughter also dislikes the surname Sun." She muttered to herself, her words filled with sorrow and anger. After speaking, she clenched her fingers, crumpled the letter into a pattern, and threw it into the brazier.
This Lunar New Year's Eve, it seems no one can have a good time. When everyone is together, they are all smiling and trying to hide their sorrow with smiles. But when they are alone, they no longer have the strength to maintain that forced smile.
Hao Shumei remained in bed, and since the Empress Dowager did not see her, she had no need to pay her respects to anyone, so she did not get up. Moreover, her body had not yet recovered and she was still extremely weak.
"Have you found out the truth?" she asked in a cold voice.
The man in black kneeling before the bed lowered his head. "The Huo family rushed over recklessly, and all the clues have been cut off. I'm afraid they've already found out Song Tianhe's hiding place."
Hao Shumei looked through the curtains at the men in black standing before the bed, her eyes filled with intense malice. "A bunch of useless trash!"
"Your Majesty, please forgive me." The man in black immediately kowtowed repeatedly. "Please give the order, Your Majesty, to allow this servant to stop the Huo family. I also beg Your Majesty to write a letter back to the capital."
Hao Shumei's chest heaved with anger, making her pale face look even more terrifying. After a long while, she finally said, "Go, stop the Huo family at all costs. We must not let them find Song Tianhe. As for the rest, we don't need to worry about them."
"Your Majesty..." The man in black wanted to speak further, but Hao Shumei turned her head away and stopped talking. Hua Mei, who was standing to the side, said coldly, "What? Are you going to disobey orders?"
"This servant takes his leave." The man in black retreated reluctantly.
Hua Mei closed the window that the man in black had opened, returned to Hao Shumei's bedside, and said softly, "Your Majesty, are you feeling better? I've asked the kitchen to make you some soup."
The kitchen she was referring to was not the large kitchen Jin Xi used, but the cook they brought with them when they arrived.
After waiting for a long time, Hao Shumei finally spoke, listlessly and without much energy, "I have no appetite. I heard Liang Yunsi is here. Go and call him to come see me."
"Your Majesty, you should still use some," Hua Mei gently advised.
Hao Shumei didn't respond, but instead said, "Why is the Huo family helping Prince Yong? What use was Prince Yong in the past? Now he's become the most sought-after prince. I'm really indignant. Why? A dissolute prince with a bad reputation has suddenly become a wise prince. Even Prince Jing's momentum isn't as strong as his."
Hua Mei, naturally, didn't know as much as Hao Shumei, and since she couldn't keep up with the conversation, she picked up the latest news and said, "This servant heard that His Highness Prince Yong and His Highness the Crown Prince are making dumplings themselves today."
"Hmph, trying to lull people into a false sense of security, I won't believe it." Hao Shumei sneered. She knew the Crown Prince better than anyone. He was ambitious and would never go to the kitchen, a place only women frequent. Moreover, making dumplings by hand was definitely a deliberate attempt to deceive others and make them mistakenly believe that he had an excellent attitude of being indifferent to fame and fortune.
And then there's Prince Yong. His cunning is so deep that it chills her to the bone. How could someone who has been faking his identity for decades be simple?
Hua Mei was at a loss for words again. She racked her brains and came up with something that might help her keep up with the Empress's train of thought. She said, "Your Majesty, are you going to write a letter back to the capital? This servant will go and fetch the pigeons and writing materials."
"Foolish!" Hao Shumei rebuked sharply, "The Huo family can intercept our carrier pigeons, but we are powerless to intercept theirs. This is absolutely unacceptable."
She seemed to be convincing herself, not explaining to Hua Mei. The words that came out of her mouth lacked confidence. What if the Huo family really knew where Song Tianhe was hiding? If she didn't send a message to the capital by carrier pigeon, and lost Song Tianhe, she would have no weapon to threaten Prince Yong. What should she do then?
The more she thought about it, the more she hated the prince who had suddenly become famous.
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