"Let's go back and have some more food together, the food outside is always..."
This group of people, completely baffled, remained there without any sense of propriety, refusing to budge an inch and unwilling to leave.
Those present were all prominent figures in the capital. Although Jiang Yanhui, the host of the private room, did not say whether to serve the others as well, the manager of the villa, after hearing the report from the servants in the private room, took it upon himself to decide to serve the others in the private room the same meal.
The manager himself came to the door, smiling and rubbing his hands to curry favor, saying, "Gentlemen, please do me the honor of inviting you to sample the dishes newly devised by the manor's chef. I would be very grateful if you would do me the honor."
After finishing speaking, the person in charge looked at Jiang Yan Hui and saw that she ignored him completely. Instead of being angry, he breathed a sigh of relief.
The dishes were served very quickly. With meals for more than a dozen people, the spatulas in the kitchen must have been swishing around until they were smoking.
The room was filled with a delicious aroma that whetted everyone's appetite, yet no one dared to pick up their chopsticks first.
Ah Chou wasn't stupid; he understood to some extent why the atmosphere was strange. He guessed that this group of people were part of the invitation delivery team, hoping to curry favor with Jiang Yan Hui.
After riding a horse and soaking in a comforting hot soup, Ah Chou was feeling hungry. He tried his best to look away from the fragrant dishes, because no matter how hungry he was, he couldn't lose face for Jiang Yan Hui.
"Eat."
Jiang Yanhui spoke up, and A Chou was slightly happy; he was genuinely hungry.
Regardless of whether the others present were hungry or not, since the King of Jiangbei said to eat, even those who weren't hungry had to pick up their chopsticks and try a couple of bites.
The chef at the resort was undoubtedly skilled; the food was so delicious and visually appealing that it made you want to swallow your tongue. Ah Chou, for one, ate with great relish.
Jiang Yanhui was used to being begged and watched, and asked with a sidelong glance as if no one else was around, "Dou Yu said she would take you to eat roast whole lamb, didn't she?"
At this point, Ah Chou glanced at everyone present with a slightly resentful look, and the ribs he put in his bowl suddenly tasted half as bad.
They were going to eat roast whole lamb, and after finding a table, they waited for people to arrive. Ah Chou was thinking about Jiang Yan and came back to find her so they could go together, but instead they ran into all those people in the house.
Seeing the situation, Dou Yu and the others refused to come in no matter what they said. They pulled Ah Chou aside and told him not to worry about the women's affairs in the officialdom, and that they would go eat their own food.
But Ah Chou wouldn't leave Jiang Yan Hui behind, so he bid farewell to Dou Yu and his group and went in to find Jiang Yan Hui on his own.
A Chou's thoughts were written all over his face: he wanted to stay by Jiang Yan's side, but he also wanted to play with his new friends.
Jiang Yanhui had little appetite and was not willing to eat outside food. She even drank only two cups of tea.
She said, "Roasted whole lamb is greasy, let's fill our stomachs before we go find them."
Just as Ah Chou was about to shake his head in confusion, Jiang Yan touched Ah Chou's lower back with her palm, which made him shudder and sit up straight, his eyes wide open and very cute.
Jiang Yan smiled and asked, "Why did you change your clothes?"
With her ears turning red, Ah Chou pulled Jiang Yan's hand away from her lower back and wrote on her palm, stroke by stroke, "It's dirty."
His eyebrows and eyes drooped.
While riding a horse, Ah Chou got a stain on the hem of his robe. Before he could apologize to Dou Yu, Dou Yu excitedly took out another garment from his bag and made him change, saying that he actually looked exceptionally good in red.
Seeing that Ah Chou had almost finished eating, Jiang Yanhui instructed the servants in the private room to take people to find Dou Yu. After keeping them waiting for so long, it was time to hear what they had to say.
Even though he wanted to stay by Jiang Yanhui's side, A Chou knew he couldn't disturb her official duties, so he obediently got up and left.
Once the person who could ease the tension left, the atmosphere in the private room suddenly returned to oppressive. Everyone put down their chopsticks and waited quietly.
Jiang Yan leaned back, her posture relaxed and her expression languid. Her fingertips tapped lightly on the armrest, and although the corners of her mouth were upturned, there was no smile in her eyes, only displeasure at being disturbed by this group of people.
"Tell me, what brings you all here to see me?"
The villa is built against the mountain, and the pavilion is specially chosen near the mountain spring, where you can listen to the babbling water and watch the fish swimming in the stream.
Outside the pavilion, an iron grill was set up, with a chef serving the guests. The grill was brushed with a secret sauce, and the aroma filled the air.
"Ah Chou! Over here!" Dou Yu was eating half a fruit when he looked up and saw Ah Chou standing up and waving his arms. "You've come at the perfect time. They're almost done roasting. You're in for a treat!"
He gestured for Ah Chou to sit down, then plopped down next to her, nudging the listless Ah Chou with his elbow. "Hey, what's going on with my cousin? Why are they all here?"
Ah Chou shook his head. He didn't know either, but he could vaguely sense that Jiang Yan Hui was unhappy.
"Never mind, never mind." Dou Yu waved his hand, picked up a clean fruit and stuffed it into A Chou's arms, comforting him, "The officialdom is all about interpersonal relationships and intricate details. My cousin is the King of Jiangbei. She finally returned to the capital, but these people caught her."
Ah Chou frowned, her delicate brows furrowing. Without asking further, one could tell she was blaming herself.
"This has nothing to do with you. Your cousin can't stay locked up forever, and besides, she can find any way to find someone she wants to. It's not like she can just stay away from home."
Dou Yu couldn't help but sigh that Ah Chou was too naive and kind. Whenever something happened, he always thought of blaming himself first. It was fortunate that he met Jiang Yan Hui, otherwise, given his personality, he would have been bullied to death.
The chef skillfully and gracefully sliced the whole roasted lamb with a small knife, attracting everyone's attention. Dou Yu even dragged the not-so-enthusiastic A Chou along to watch, and at least caught a glimpse of the faint smile on his lips.
Whether he was genuinely happy or just trying to comfort Dou Yu, we can only say for sure.
——
The sun, its light dimming, hung on the western mountaintop, seemingly about to set, painting the earth a golden orange. Ah Chou sat listlessly in the front of the carriage, staring at the driver for quite a while.
No one knew what was being discussed inside the private room. When Ah Chou tried to go back to find Jiang Yan Hui, the servant guarding the door told him that no one was allowed to enter.
It's getting late. These young masters are strictly controlled by their families and must go home before sunset, otherwise they'll be unable to leave the manor for ten days or half a month.
Dou Yu wanted to stay and wait with A Chou, but A Chou knew that Dou Yu had only been released from the mansion by his uncles a few days ago, and he would probably feel suffocated if he stayed inside again.
So he urged Dou Yu to go down with them, so that at least they could look after each other on the way, and it wouldn't be a problem for him to stay in the car and wait for Jiang Yan to return.
After all, the manor had a royal background, and no one dared to cause trouble or hurt anyone on this territory. Dou Yu repeatedly instructed the manor's thugs to help take care of Ah Chou before getting into the carriage, looking back every few steps.
Even as the carriage was moving, he still peeked out to look at Ah Chou, saying that he would go to the Jiangbei Prince's Mansion to visit him again tomorrow.
After spending an afternoon apart, Ah Chou became even more certain of Jiang Yan Hui's place in his heart and simply could not bear the thought of not being able to see her.
The roasted whole lamb was very fragrant and delicious, but without Jiang Yanhui by my side, even the most fragrant food lost its flavor.
Ah Chou rubbed her face, feeling both shy and annoyed that she had become so dependent on Jiang Yan, and that she felt terrible when she couldn't see her.
Sensing the driver getting up, Ah Chou looked up and met Jiang Yan Hui's gaze.
As the light dimmed, a single ray of afterglow seemed to favor her, casting its glow on Jiang Yanhui's delicate profile, making even the weariness in her eyes seem to tell a story.
Ah Chou quickly stepped forward to help Jiang Yan Hui, but Jiang Yan Hui grabbed his outstretched hand, their palms touching and their fingers intertwined.
Jiang Yan leaned to one side, and half of her weight fell on Ah Chou, finally allowing her to catch her breath and catch her breath.
"It's exhausting to talk to idiots."
Ah Chou understood who Jiang Yan Hui was referring to, and figured that the people who came looking for Jiang Yan Hui must be causing trouble.
Ah Chou frowned and silently cursed the group of people.
Water was warming on a small stove inside the carriage. Jiang Yan drank two cups in a row to relieve her dry mouth. She disliked the water and teapot outside.
He pulled Ah Chou, who was packing his things, to sit next to him, naturally leaning on his shoulder. Regardless of Ah Chou's wishes, he said, "I'm sleepy and hungry. Remember to wake me up when we get home."
Ah Chou's stiff body slowly relaxed, and she gently grasped Jiang Yan Hui's hand and squeezed it to show that she understood.
A moment later, hearing the breathing beside her become even, Ah Chou turned her tense neck, turned her head and lowered her eyes to observe Jiang Yan Hui with curiosity.
Ah Chou pursed her lips, finding it quite novel to see Jiang Yan Hui from this angle for the first time.
Jiang Yanhui's eyelashes are very long and thick, making people want to touch them to see if they are soft.
Her high, straight nose had a small hump, and her pale lips had darkened considerably after being moistened with tea.
Ah Chou rubbed his fingertips together, wanting to touch it.
Just when Ah Chou thought Jiang Yan Hui had fallen asleep, the person beside her stirred and slowly opened her eyes, a hint of weariness in them.
"Are you full?"
As she spoke, Jiang Yanhui's hand touched Ah Chou's lower abdomen. Her flat stomach had no excess fat, and her narrow waistline was astonishing.
Ah Chou nodded and then shook his head.
Dou Yu fed him quite a bit, but he ate without any enjoyment, as if he hadn't eaten anything at all.
"Are you full or not?"
Ah Chou pursed his lips and didn't answer.
"Come back and have some more food with me. The food outside always tastes weird."
Jiang Yan Hui doesn't like eating outside food. Ah Chou only found out today. No wonder Wang Bo specially asked someone to bring two boxes of food when he went out.
Ah Chou picked up the food box placed in the corner, opened it, and neatly arranged the small dishes on the small table. He also poured a cup of tea, as there was still a distance to go before returning home, so he let Jiang Yan have something to eat first.
Jiang Yanhui picked up a piece of pastry and placed it in Ah Chou's palm, but didn't eat any herself. She leaned back and asked, "Want to know why?"
Ah Chou nodded immediately.
She wanted to ask, but didn't know how or if she should ask. Now that Jiang Yan had taken the initiative to speak, A Chou would certainly not miss the opportunity.
"Three years before my mother passed away, the struggle for the throne was at its most intense. At that time, I was still far from the vortex and did not know the situation. I only knew that I was following my elder sister... who is now His Majesty. Once, at a banquet, I accidentally ate a poison that the other party had prepared for me."
Jiang Yanhui's distant gaze dimmed, carrying a hint of coldness. "She was still young and weak, and had a fever for three whole days before she was able to survive. Since then, she has been extremely careful about what she eats."
Ah Chou's eyes reddened with anger at just a few words. He wished he could go back in time and beat up the person who drugged him. How dare they use such a despicable trick?
Having a fever for three days is a very serious condition; it could be fatal if you're not careful.
Ah Chou felt a sharp pain in her heart and, forgetting all about the sweet pastries in her hands, took Jiang Yan Hui's hand.
"Don't be angry." Jiang Yan couldn't help but pinch Ah Chou's puffed-up cheek. The soft and delicate touch was very nice, and she comforted him. "After the Empress took her place, those people were exiled. They probably died on the way."
Nowadays, no one dares to use underhanded tricks on Jiang Yan Hui. Otherwise, even if the King of Jiangbei doesn't mind, the Emperor will have to cut off his head first.
Even so, it couldn't hide Ah Chou's distress.
Others may not know, but Ah Chou, who serves her closely, knows best how cautious Jiang Yan Hui is in life. It's not that she's born cold and unapproachable, but rather that the dangers she encounters along the way have forced her to learn how to protect herself.
——
A regular visitor arrived at the Jiangbei Prince's Mansion. As Dou Yu had promised on his way back to the capital, he took Ah Chou and his friends to explore the interesting places in the capital.
Today I'm going to eat roast duck at Dongyanglou Restaurant, tomorrow I'm going boating on the lake, and the day after tomorrow I'm attending someone's banquet. I'm never free.
Ah Chou enjoys novel things, and even more so, she enjoys sitting on a soft couch with Jiang Yan Hui in the evening, recounting the joys and sorrows of the day.
Each sheet of Xuan paper filled with delicate calligraphy is proof of their companionship through the night, and a lasting memento of their time together.
Ah Chou's clothes are mostly for comfort, and the materials are certainly not as good as those of the young masters in the capital, but Ah Chou doesn't really care about that.
Dou Yu's friends, like Dou Yu herself, are not people who discriminate based on appearance; otherwise, they wouldn't have dragged Ah Chou along to play together.
Dou Yu and others are not like that, but that doesn't mean that other young masters in the capital are the same. The phenomenon of fawning on the powerful and belittling the weak exists everywhere.
When Wang Bo learned that Ah Chou was getting along well with Young Master Dou, he specially commissioned a tailor to make several new outfits for Ah Chou. Wang Bo, who came from the palace, had a keen eye and chose colors and styles that perfectly suited Ah Chou.
After returning to the capital, she was no longer exposed to the wind and sun, and the food was good. Ah Chou's transformation was so obvious that no one could tell that the beautifully sculpted girl was just a servant.
"This one will do."
Jiang Yanhui sat cross-legged on the soft couch, propping her head up with her hand. She looked at A Chou, who had just changed into a new outfit, and felt a sense of being treated perfunctorily.
Ah Chou glanced at the two sets of clothes that hadn't been put on yet, her delicate eyebrows drooping slightly.
"If you're going to try, then try."
Ah Chou immediately smiled and went behind the screen with her new clothes.
Huanxi had decided what to wear when Dou Yu's carriage arrived at the gate of the mansion.
Today, Ah Chou is going to Sheng Yu's birthday banquet. He brought two gifts with him. One was prepared by Jiang Yan Hui, which looks very valuable. The other was bought by Ah Chou with his own savings.
Ah Chou, who was studying quickly in the capital, vaguely understood that some things had to be done in front of outsiders.
For example, even if Ah Chou goes to celebrate Sheng Yu's birthday empty-handed, Sheng Yu will still be happy. However, Ah Chou cannot actually go empty-handed, nor can he openly list the gifts he bought. The open list must show the things prepared by Jiang Yan Hui, which is for outsiders who do not know the situation and Sheng Yu's family to see. In private, he can give Sheng Yu the gifts he bought himself.
It was a bit complicated for Ah Chou, but Ah Chou knew that listening to Jiang Yan Hui was always the right thing to do.
Not wanting Dou Yu to wait any longer, A Chou ran out with her things, but then remembered something and came back. Meeting Jiang Yan Hui's questioning gaze, A Chou boldly took Jiang Yan Hui's hand and shook it.
The victorious man grinned, showing off his bright white teeth, and happily took his things away.
"I think that was Ah Chou who ran out like a gust of wind just now?" Hong Chun couldn't help but say as she entered. "She's much more lively than when I first saw her. She must have had a great time in the capital."
She was genuinely happy. She could tell that Ah Chou was a simple and honest person, someone who was completely devoted to the King and deserved to stay by his side.
Jiang Yanhui looked away from her hands, rubbed her still-warm fingertips, and absentmindedly responded.
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