Chapter 365 Sitting Down Together for a Meal
Feng Yuan, who had been quietly standing to the side, sipped her milk tea slowly, secretly glancing at the three people present.
They were mainly targeting Lu Yuan and Xie Qi.
She was extremely impressed.
Lord Lu, as the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, was cold and aloof, yet he was kind and gentle to his cousin Jiang Zhi and never dared to speak harshly to her.
General Xie, who had distinguished himself in battle and came from a noble family, was completely obedient to his cousin Jiang Zhi.
Not to mention her former cousin-in-law, who valued Jiang Zhi more than his own life.
Although the reason for their divorce is unknown, their friendship remains unchanged.
However, Cousin Jiang Zhi truly deserves the affection of so many people.
At this moment, Feng Shaoyuan spoke up, "Yuan'er and I don't need dinner. I've already booked a boat, and Yuan'er and I will be leaving the capital later to head south back to Xuzhou."
"So fast?" Jiang Zhi was immediately surprised.
Things have indeed been mostly settled over the past few days, but my cousin Shaoyuan said we could stay a few more days, so why is he suddenly going back?
"Well, there are still some things to take care of at home," Feng Shaoyuan said, not wanting to explain too much with outsiders present. He simply added, "Cousin Zhi'er, don't worry about it. If you have time, you can come to Xuzhou for a visit. I believe we'll meet again soon."
He needed to return to Xuzhou as soon as possible to report his gains over the past few days to his father, in order to prepare for the next move.
With the Imperial Guards following him in Kyoto, he faced obstacles in everything he did, even finding it difficult to speak.
"Alright, once you've safely arrived in Xuzhou, remember to send me a message."
When Jiang Zhi heard Feng Shaoyuan say this, she knew she couldn't keep them.
So he prepared many gifts to take back to Xuzhou for his maternal grandmother and uncle and aunt, and personally saw them off on the boat on the Bian River.
Lu Yuan and Xie Qi both stayed for dinner.
Just as the servants were serving the dishes, footsteps came from the doorway.
Lu Yuan and Xie Qi looked up at the same time.
When they saw who it was, their faces froze for a moment.
Xiao Xuanyou, dressed in a dark brocade robe, entered through the doorway, radiating a chill.
The hood of the cloak was pulled low, covering most of his face, revealing only a section of his sharply defined jawline.
He stepped inside, raised his hand to untie the sash of his cloak, and his majestic phoenix eyes fell on Jiang Zhi.
"Since I haven't had dinner yet, would you mind if I had an extra pair of chopsticks and bowls?" he said with a smile.
"Greetings, Your Highness." The people inside the room immediately bowed.
Jiang Zhi turned and gestured for Qingxing to go down and instruct the small kitchen to bring up a few more dishes.
Since their master had agreed, Lu Yuan and Xie Qi had no room for objection and could only sit down resignedly.
But soon, another figure appeared from behind the screen.
“Princess Qinghe, this place is quite lively tonight,” Shen Ci’an said, still dressed in a blue robe, his handsome face expressionless, holding an oil paper package in his slender hand. “It seems I’ve arrived at the wrong time.”
"Master, what brings you here? Please sit down." Jiang Zhi stood up in surprise.
Shen Ci'an's health has improved significantly in the past few days, and he is now able to attend court, but he should not overexert himself.
After bowing to the Crown Prince, he was helped to sit down by Jiang Zhi.
Jiang Zhi's gaze fell on his hand. "What is this?"
"On the way back home, I saw some freshly baked ghee cakes by the roadside, so I thought I'd bring some back for you. Try them."
Jiang Zhi opened the oil paper package he handed her, and a rich aroma of oil immediately filled the air; it looked soft and tempting.
She couldn't resist picking one up and taking a bite. It was crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, with a milky aroma mixed with the sweetness of glutinous rice—just the taste she liked.
Jiang Zhi couldn't help but squint her eyes. "Delicious, thank you, teacher."
Shen Ci'an couldn't help but smile as well, "I'm glad you like it, Miss."
"Has the teacher had dinner yet? Would you like to sit down and eat with us?"
Shen Ci'an glanced at the other three and nodded without making a sound.
Xiao Xuanyou frowned, puzzled. "How did Lord Shen get in?"
When he entered the manor, he had his guards stand watch at the main gate, preventing anyone from entering or leaving at will. How could Shen Ci'an possibly have slipped past the guards to get here so quietly?
Before Shen Ci'an could speak, Jiang Zhi put down the butter cake in her hand and said, "Well, there is a side gate connecting this mansion to the Shen mansion, so the teacher can come directly from the Shen mansion without going through the main gate."
Xiao Xuanyou:......
Lu Yuan: ...
Xie Qi: ...
I was careless. I thought that after the divorce, the two of us would have no connection. I didn't expect Shen Ci'an to have such a trick up his sleeve.
She is truly cunning and scheming.
"Alright, everyone, sit down and have your meal." Seeing that the dishes were almost all served, Jiang Zhi asked Qingxing to pour wine for the four of them.
He poured himself a glass as well.
Lu Yuan suddenly remembered something and said coldly, "Your injuries have only recently healed, so it's not advisable for you to drink alcohol. You should have some tea instead."
She has a low alcohol tolerance, and who knows what she might do when she's drunk.
Does he still remember Jiang Zhi getting drunk in Xuzhou and her relationship with Shen Ci'an...?
With everyone present, he lacked confidence that he could win her back from so many people.
Jiang Zhi paused in her act of pouring the wine.
She recalled what happened after she got drunk at the Lu residence, and felt a lingering fear.
So she put down her wine cup and, heeding the advice, had Qingxing replace it with tea.
"Does Your Highness have important business to attend to today?" Jiang Zhi asked, looking at Xiao Xuanyou at the head of the table.
Xiao Xuanyou nodded. "News just came from the Dali Temple: Xiao Yunheng committed suicide by poisoning himself."
Everyone present was shocked.
"Dead?"
“Dead.” Xiao Xuanyou’s tone was calm, devoid of any emotion, as if he were discussing an insignificant person.
"The execution was originally scheduled for tomorrow, but Xiao Yunheng probably wanted to retain his last bit of dignity and self-inflicted poison in prison. I have already sent people to verify his identity and it is confirmed."
Although Emperor Xuanzhao personally ordered the death sentence, he was stunned for a long time when he heard that Xiao Yunheng had committed suicide. Finally, he sighed heavily, his back bent, as if he had aged ten years in an instant.
He had been indulging this "son" out of guilt, but he never expected it to end like this. He didn't know whose fault it was.
However, he still issued an imperial decree to give Xiao Yunheng a grand funeral and sent many gifts to the Prince of Xiang's residence.
Xiao Xuanyou couldn't tell whether he felt relieved or regretful.
The cause of Xiao Yunheng's tragedy is now known only to a handful of people, including himself.
The reason for this lies not with Emperor Xuanzhao and Princess Xiang, but with the deceased Empress Dowager.
Fearing that his youngest son, Prince Xiang, would be ridiculed for not having an heir, the Empress Dowager forced him to borrow a seed from Emperor Xuanzhao to have a son.
Emperor Xuanzhao naturally did not approve of such actions that violated ethical principles and moral norms.
When the Princess Consort of Xiang came to the palace to pay her respects, the Empress Dowager pretended to be unwell and invited Emperor Xuanzhao over. She then drugged their tea and they consummated their relationship.
After regaining consciousness, Emperor Xuanzhao was furious, and Princess Xiang was so ashamed and indignant that she wanted to die.
But the die was cast, and the Princess Consort of Xiang was soon diagnosed with pregnancy.
After King Xiang died in battle, the child in his womb became his only "bloodline".
After giving birth to Xiao Yunheng, Princess Xiang entered a Buddhist monastery and practiced Buddhism in a small Buddhist hall set up in the Prince Xiang's residence.
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