Chapter 25: Meeting an acquaintance at Yunhe Tower and bringing food to the prince
Leaving Xu's bank, Ren Dong, holding a large bag of gold and silver, said nervously, "Second Miss, I have never seen so much money before. I feel like it's enough to buy a hundred Tongfu."
“These aren’t just for buying Tongfu.”
Xie Yao's eyes flickered as she asked, "Are you hungry?"
Although Honeysuckle looked embarrassed, she still nodded: "Some..."
"When we were in Yunzhou, I promised you and Aunt Yan that if I had the chance to take you back to Beijing in the future, I would provide you with plenty of food and wine."
Aunt Yan, like Rendong, was a woman that Xie Yao had rescued. Now she opened a tavern near the Jianfu Camp.
She touched her bulging little purse and looked around: "Let's go to the most famous restaurant in Beijing."
The most famous restaurant in Beijing is naturally Yunhe Tower.
In the early years, when the current emperor was still a prince, he was hated by the late emperor because Empress Shen and the Shen family were convicted. Even his princely title and salary were withheld. However, he saved up money for half a month and came to Yunhe Tower to eat buns, where he was recognized.
From then on, Yunhe Tower became famous.
In fact, Xie Yao had already forgotten the taste of Yunhelou, but this was the only restaurant her mother had taken her to when she was a child.
That day, she was having dinner with her mother when she saw a little beggar picking up leftover buns at the door of a restaurant.
She felt sorry for the little beggar and asked her mother to share her food with him.
The mother asked the little beggar's name and said, he is also a poor child.
Later, Lu Shenyan passed the imperial examination and became the top scorer. The then Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue was his former classmate. He booked a banquet at Yunhe Tower to celebrate for him, sent an invitation to the Lu family, and specially invited himself, the top scorer's wife.
Xie Yao was happy for Lu Shenyan, so she went to keep the appointment.
Unexpectedly, as soon as she finished her meal, Lu Shenyan came over with a gloomy face, overturned the table on the spot, and said that he had found something dirty in his food at Yunhe Tower before, and this place violated his taboo.
Everyone parted unhappily, and not long after, Xie Yao was sent to Zhuangzi and never went to Yunhe Tower again.
Thinking about it now, Xie Yao understood.
Lu Shenyan was injured when he blocked an arrow for Marquis Anping at the gate of Yunhe Tower.
A place where one's descendants are cut off is indeed a taboo for him.
But that has nothing to do with her.
Even after she figured this out, she felt that Yunhe Tower was destined to be with her.
Xie Yao came to the restaurant, ordered a few of her favorite dishes, and asked Rendong what she liked.
Her life was too hard in the past, but now that she has the chance, she must live her life again without disappointment.
Bai Zhu was collecting debts at Yunhe Tower as usual.
He was standing at the railing on the second floor, and accidentally glanced over and saw the future princess and her maid feasting downstairs.
That day, when he accompanied the prince to the Earl's Mansion to announce the imperial decree, he briefly met the maid and felt that she looked familiar.
The princess-to-be called her Honeysuckle.
When they met again now, Bai Zhu felt more and more that Rendong was like someone he knew when he was young.
He calmed down and went straight to Xie Yao's table, bowing formally: "Greetings, Second Miss Xie. Why is Second Miss Xie here?"
Xie Yao was eating and didn't expect to meet Xiao Yizi.
"You are the guard of King Jingbei, right? Bai Shi, who came to the Bo Mansion to give rewards a few days ago, is your relative? You two look a bit alike."
"My name is Baizhu, and Baizhu is my younger brother." Baizhu replied.
"Since I accepted the prince's gift, I naturally have to go to the palace to express my gratitude. When I pass by Yunhe Tower, I will stop by for a quick meal." Xie Yao explained.
After she finished speaking, she found that Bai Zhu had no intention of leaving, so she stood straight at the table without saying a word.
After hesitating for a long time, he finally opened his mouth and uttered four words coldly: "Miss Honeysuckle!"
Honeysuckle raised her head and looked at him calmly: "What's the important matter, Guard Bai?"
Bai Zhu froze for a moment, then muttered, "Nothing. It just so happens that the prince has a carriage parked at Yunhe Tower. If you want to go to the palace, you can just use that carriage."
"Thanks."
Baizhu seemed to want to say something but stopped himself.
"Is there anything else, Guard Bai?" asked Rendong again.
Bai Zhu froze for a moment, shook his head, and left.
Xie Yao looked at Ren Dong: "Do you know him?"
Honeysuckle suddenly became silent for a while, then lowered his head and took a big bite of a chicken drumstick: "I don't know him."
Xie Yao didn't ask any more questions.
Six years ago, when she was patrolling the city, she saw Honeysuckle selling herself to bury her parents.
Rendong's mother was the imperial physician Lin in the palace. Because she did something wrong, her parents were exiled to Changfeng Pass in the northern border by the previous emperor. Imperial physician Lin died of illness as soon as she arrived at Changfeng Pass, and her father followed her.
Xie Yao bought her and kept her in the army as a military doctor.
If Rendong didn't tell her about what happened in the capital in the past, she wouldn't ask.
Xie Yao had an amazing appetite. She finished the entire table of food and even ordered two servings of the restaurant’s signature dim sum.
One portion was taken back for his mother to taste, and the other was for him to use.
The waiter followed Bai Zhu's instructions before leaving and led Xie Yao to the stable in the backyard, where there were several carriages and two horses parked.
"This carriage with the blue-gray curtains is the Jingbei King's carriage. I can drive it and take the princess to the palace."
This was a very ordinary carriage. Xie Yao looked behind the carriage deliberately, but did not see any wooden board to accommodate Xiao Yizi's wheelchair.
She suddenly turned around and went back to the store: "Everything we had before, except the braised pork trotters and the braised pork, please give me another portion of everything else, and also a plate of this."
Honeysuckle exclaimed, "Ah!" "Second Miss, do you want a snack tonight? Go ahead, I can't eat any more."
Xie Yao said: "This is what I brought for King Jingbei."
Honeysuckle suddenly realized: "That's right. We left the palace under the name of King Jingbei, so we must please him. However, we are rich now, and these meals are not that rare. Shouldn't we buy some other gifts?"
Prince Jingbei is a prince and has been in the capital for many years. He has eaten all kinds of delicacies from land and sea. Would he like these ordinary meals?
Xie Yao said, "Prince Jingbei's carriage is always parked at Yunhe Tower. He must have liked the food there before."
There were no wooden boards on the carriage, which meant that Xiao Yizi had not been here since he became disabled.
If you put yourself in her shoes, if she suddenly couldn't walk, she would definitely not want to go out.
However, it doesn't matter if she doesn't go out, she can bring some delicious food to his house.
The dishes Xie Yao ordered took quite some time to prepare, so she paid in advance and agreed with Yunhelou to pick them up in an hour.
Prince Jingbei's Palace.
Bai Zhu told Xiao Yizi about his encounter with the future princess at Yunhe Tower.
"Second Miss Xie said she came to the palace specifically to express her gratitude."
Xiao Yizi sat on a rattan chair under the sumac tree in the yard, with no expression on his face. He just silently looked at the leaves that were blown down by the wind from time to time.
He followed the doctor's instructions and wore a dark blue cloak with ink-black fox fur trimming the collar and cuffs, even though it was not yet the coldest time of winter. From a distance, he looked old and out of date, which was not in line with his age.
The sunlight filtered through the orange-red branches and leaves, adding a touch of warmth to his cold, pale face.
"She didn't come to see me at all. She just used the excuse of coming to the palace to express her gratitude and leave." Xiao Yizi's voice was indifferent.
Bai Zhu frowned: "Then isn't Miss Xie taking advantage of the prince? She -"
He realized he had spoken out of turn, but the next moment, the prince, who had been leaning motionless on the rattan chair, suddenly sat up and said, "Wheelchair."
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