Chapter 57 Lord Lu's thoughtfulness
Chapter 54
In spring, peach blossoms bloom in profusion, fluttering and swirling in the air.
Shen Panyan, Lin Xiao, and Gu Jinyan sat at the same table. Shen Panyan had her head down, her knuckles unconsciously twisting her handkerchief, looking restless. Lin Xiao's expression was calm, seemingly devoid of any emotion, but his gaze was fixed on her. Gu Jinyan, being a carefree person, had no idea that Lin Xiao would come looking for Shen Panyan, especially since the two had never crossed paths before.
"Lord Lu, what brings you to see Her Highness today? I remember you two didn't seem to recognize each other before..."
"Young Master Gu may not have a good memory. Last time you rode your crazy horse into the street, it was I who saved His Highness." Lin Xiao finally shifted his gaze from Shen Panyan to Gu Jinyan, his voice indifferent.
Gu Jinyan then remembered that he had indeed saved Shen Panyan's horse from being startled last time, and afterwards, the Rongguo Duke's Mansion had given him a gift of thanks.
He still didn't understand, "But afterwards, our Rongguo Duke's Mansion also sent a gift of thanks. This matter has nothing to do with Her Highness the Princess, so why are you looking for her..."
"You can find it, but I can't?" Lin Xiao lifted his eyelids to look at him.
Gu Jinyan snorted, "Your Highness saved my life, so it is only right that I care for and cherish her."
For some reason, he felt that the visitor had ill intentions, and his speech was naturally not as gentle as before.
Lin Xiao: "Your Highness also saved my life."
Gu Jinyan: "I have never heard of Her Highness saving you. Lord Lu is a high-ranking official, and he is probably too busy to rest every day. If he just wanted to come and check on Her Highness, he has already done so. Her Highness is doing well, and you should leave now. Otherwise, you will be overwhelmed with official duties and will not be able to finish them today."
Lin Xiao scoffed, "My affairs are none of your business. If Your Highness tells me to leave, I will leave on my own."
Gu Jinyan frowned.
He felt that the Lord Lu in front of him was nothing like the rumors circulating in the capital.
The same thing happened with the frightened horse last time. Everyone in the capital said that Lord Lu was in poor health, but he was clearly very skilled. Gu Jinyan keenly sensed something was wrong and shifted the topic to Shen Panyan.
"Your Highness, Lord Lu is very busy with official duties and probably doesn't have time to linger here any longer. Perhaps we should let him go back..."
Lin Xiao's voice followed closely, his gaze falling on Shen Panyan, "Does Your Highness also want me to leave?"
Shen Panyan sat to the side, watching the two engage in a heated exchange. She felt extremely uncomfortable and wanted to escape, but as the hostess, she could not leave. She could only sit there and watch them talk.
Why hasn't Zhuzhi brought the food yet? Why is the kitchen taking so long to serve the dishes today?
The two of them have now shifted the topic to her. Shen Panyan looks guilty and doesn't dare to look Lin Xiao in the eye.
She said she would go find him last time, but Gu Jinyan kept her from doing so. Now, Lin Xiao is coming to her door despite his disguised identity, so he must be angry.
"I...I..." Shen Panyan opened her lips, but was stared at by two pairs of dark eyes. She was so anxious that she was covered in sweat and had no idea what to say. Fortunately, at the critical moment, Zhuzhi appeared.
"Princess, shall we serve the food?"
—Go, go, go! Go faster!!!
Chen Panyan breathed a sigh of relief, "Lord Lu and Young Master Gu must be starving after sitting for so long. Zhuzhi, quickly bring the food over!"
She forced a smile and warmly greeted the two, "I just had the kitchen prepare several of their signature dishes. I'm afraid Lord Lu hasn't tried them yet. Please be sure to sample as many as you like later..."
Gu Jinyan complained, "Your Highness, why are you only greeting Lord Lu and not Jinyan?"
Lin Xiao said coldly, "You've been pestering His Highness every day, do you think you're missing out on a meal?"
Gu Jinyan asked suspiciously, "How did you know I was clinging to His Highness? Were you spying on me?"
Lin Xiao: "Who in the capital doesn't know that Young Master Gu visits the Princess's residence every day? It's common knowledge. Do I still need to monitor him?"
Shen Panyan gave an awkward smile, "Young Master Gu, you'd better not come again..."
Gu Jinyan felt wronged. "Why? It's just a few rumors. Are you going to distance yourself from Jinyan?"
Lin Xiao: "Your Highness is not familiar with you, so how can you talk about being distant or not?"
Shen Panyan nodded vigorously, completely agreeing with Lin Xiao's words.
"Yes, neither of us is married yet. It's not good for you to come knocking every day. If your future wife finds out, she might resent you. Young Master Gu, you'd better not come looking for me again..."
Gu Jinyan: "I don't want to!"
He said, feeling wronged, "Your Highness, are you going to dismiss Jinyan just because of a few words from others? Jinyan hasn't even thought about marriage yet, and even if she did..."
Lin Xiao: "If you don't get married, don't tarnish His Highness's reputation. His Highness is not yet married."
Gu Jinyan disagreed, "If Your Highness is willing, then I can also marry the princess."
"My parents both agree!"
After these words were spoken, the entire room fell silent.
Shen Panyan was so startled that she couldn't even hold onto the embroidered handkerchief in her hand.
After a long while, Lin Xiao spoke in a low, hoarse voice, as if his voice was being squeezed out of his throat, his gaze fixed on Shen Panyan, "Your Highness, what do you think?"
His gaze seemed to carry expectation, sadness, hesitation, nervousness... so many emotions that Shen Panyan's heart tightened. She hurriedly explained, "No, I don't want to get married right now. Don't misunderstand."
Lin Xiao lowered his eyelashes and said in a low voice, "I understand."
Gu Jinyan was somewhat disappointed after being rejected, but he quickly cheered up and said, "Your Highness, I know that you don't like me right now, but that's okay. I can wait for you. One day, you will like me."
Hearing this, Lin Xiao couldn't help but sneer and mock, "Give up on that idea, His Highness will never like you."
Gu Jinyan retorted, "If His Highness doesn't like me, does he like you? Lord Lu, don't forget your place. You are His Majesty's favorite minister. His Majesty will not allow you to marry a princess. Don't even think about it."
Don't forget who you are.
Lin Xiao clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white, as he suppressed his emotions.
"I know my own place perfectly well. If His Highness doesn't like you, then stop bothering him all the time..."
"I'm doing it my way, it's none of your business! Lord Lu, are you just being a sour grapes...?"
Seeing the two arguing more and more fiercely, and fearing that they might steer the conversation back to her, she really didn't know how to respond. Shen Panyan couldn't help but say, "Alright, alright, everyone stop talking. The food is served, and it'll get cold if we don't eat soon."
Only then did the two stop, glance at each other, and begin to eat.
At the dinner table, Gu Jinyan was very enthusiastic, "Your Highness, if you like this, please eat more."
But a pair of chopsticks was faster than him. "Her Highness doesn't like this. Don't put it on her plate."
Gu Jinyan turned his head and looked at him, unconvinced, "How come you don't know that His Highness doesn't like to eat this? I've eaten with His Highness so many times, do you think I don't know His Highness's preferences?"
Lin Xiao: "I know."
Gu Jinyan picked up a vegetarian meatball, and the two fought over it to a standstill. Shen Panyan chewed rice, but couldn't taste it at all, and fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.
She actually loved this food, but after looking at Lin Xiao and then at Gu Jinyan, she decided to reluctantly side with one of them.
"Um, please stop arguing. I don't like this. Thank you for your kindness, Young Master Gu."
Gu Jinyan was completely baffled. He clearly remembered that the princess liked to eat this, so why didn't she eat it this time?
But since the princess had already spoken, Gu Jinyan had no choice but to take back the vegetarian dumplings and eat them himself.
"Alright, Princess, please try this..."
However, someone was faster than him, and a piece of sweet and sour pork rib gently landed in Chenpan's tobacco bowl.
"Your Highness, please try this. You used to like it very much."
Shen Panyan: "...Thank you, Lord Lu."
Gu Jinyan: "......"
Why is this Lord Lu so annoying?
He used to think he was a good person.
Not to be outdone, he also picked up some food and put it in her bowl, saying, "Your Highness, please eat this; this is delicious too."
Shen Panyan: "...Thank you very much, Young Master Gu."
During the meal, Shen Panyan ate with a tense expression, fidgeting and unable to sit still. She had no appetite, and the two men kept piling food onto her plate. As the food in her bowl grew, Shen Panyan felt extremely uncomfortable and just wanted to escape.
Stop putting more food in her bowl!!
Shen Panyan turned to look at Lin Xiao. Although Lin Xiao's expression was calm, she knew him best and could see the expectation and unease beneath his calm. When he looked at Gu Jinyan, his eyes were bright. His emotions were always written on his face and were very easy to understand.
Shen Panyan had no choice but to look away and silently swallow her refusal.
Looking at the mountain of food piled up in the bowl, Chen Panyan's throat felt dry.
She really can't eat that much!!
With difficulty, Shen Panyan picked up a piece of chicken and put it in her mouth, deciding that after finishing this meal, she would firmly refuse to let them serve her any more food.
Otherwise she would choke to death.
Seeing that Lin Xiao didn't move and stopped serving food to the princess, Gu Jinyan thought he had given up and raised his eyebrows slightly.
She can't even take care of the princess, yet she wants to compete with him. Don't think he can't see through her intentions.
Gu Jinyan reached out, wanting to pick up another piece of pork rib for the princess, but unexpectedly, he saw Lord Lu suddenly take all the food from the princess's bowl and put it into his own.
He said with displeasure, "Lord Lu, there are so many dishes on the table, why are you taking food from His Highness's bowl?"
Lin Xiao lifted his eyelids. "Didn't you realize that His Highness doesn't have a big appetite and can't eat this much?"
Fearing that Gu Jinyan would put more food on her plate and the two would start bickering again, Shen Panyan nodded repeatedly, "Yes, I'm already full!"
After saying that, she put down her chopsticks and wiped her mouth with a handkerchief.
"Um, I suddenly remembered that I have something to attend to. Please enjoy your meal. Excuse me."
She really didn't know how to deal with this situation; if she sat any longer, she was afraid her heart condition would relapse.
Even though neither of them did anything, she felt like she was being pricked by needles, as if her whole body was enveloped in a tidal wave, and she couldn't even breathe properly.
Shen Panyan instructed Zhuzhi to treat the two well, and then hurriedly fled.
Qingdai followed behind her, chuckling to herself, "Is the princess scared?"
"This servant thinks that Lord Lu seems to have feelings for you too. Moreover, Lord Lu is more considerate than Young Master Gu. Young Master Gu is still too young and impetuous. He is not as considerate as Lord Lu."
"If I were a princess, I would definitely choose Lord Lu."
Shen Panyan's cheeks burned. "Qingdai, don't talk nonsense. I have no feelings for either of them."
"If it's meaningless, then why does the princess always side with Lord Lu? Those vegetarian dumplings, Princess, you clearly like them..."
Shen Panyan quickly turned around and covered her lips, both surprised and embarrassed, "Qingdai, don't talk nonsense."
Qingdai blinked, but the smile in her eyes deepened.
Shen Panyan released her hand and whispered, "Don't talk nonsense, Qingdai. I don't like either of them."
"Lord Lu is a favorite minister of the Emperor, and he will be getting married in the future. Don't speak recklessly and ruin his reputation."
Qingdai blinked. "But..."
Shen Panyan: "But what is it?"
Qingdai was also somewhat surprised: "But Lord Lu is behind you..."
Lord Lu appears like a ghost, appearing without a sound.
Shen Panyan: "..."
Her scalp tingled, and her body stiffened as she slowly turned around.
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Author's Note: [Crying][Crying] Why is nobody here?!
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