Trip to the Capital (Part 7)
Tonight's dinner was much more meaty than usual, with the table full of fish and meat.
Mu Yunji took his seat and, after the princess took her first bite, began to gulp it down.
Wang Pan'er looked at Mu Chuan with a questioning expression: "Is it so hard to get enough to eat when you're an emperor?"
Mu Chuan covered his mouth, leaned close to Wang Pan'er's ear, and explained in a low voice.
When Mu Yunji was a child, he followed his mother to Kaiyuan Temple for a period of ascetic practice. Even as an adult, he could only eat meat when he went down the mountain. He was a vegetarian for many years, so he not only couldn't enjoy meat, but he also didn't grow very tall.
Wang Pan'er recalled that he was indeed half a head shorter than Mu Chuan, which, when converted, meant he couldn't be more than 1.75 meters tall.
We couldn't get enough to eat at Kaiyuan Temple, and the food was still bad once we got to the palace.
The standards of the imperial kitchen were "moderation and harmony, exquisite craftsmanship," emphasizing ancestral traditions and inheritance. The dishes served on the imperial table were mostly beautifully presented and lightly flavored. Moreover, after being recorded, served, and tasted, the dishes were usually half-cold.
Even when there were dishes that suited his taste, Mu Yunji dared not eat too much of them, under the instructions of the Empress Dowager, lest someone with ill intentions plot against him.
Despite being the supreme ruler of the world, he was trapped by security, etiquette, and ancestral rules. The dining table served more as a stage for displaying power than a place to eat.
After Mu Chuan finished explaining, Wang Pan'er looked at Mu Yunji with pity.
No wonder they were so desperate and hungry.
Wang Pan'er was naturally very curious about the young emperors of ancient times. Since Mu Yunji didn't put on airs, she boldly peeked at him.
Mu Yunji wolfed down his food, and only slowed down after his stomach was almost full. Ignoring the rule of not talking while eating or sleeping, he began to pour out his grievances to his aunt.
For example, he said he couldn't eat or sleep well, or that someone was trying to manipulate him, or that someone was deceiving him. His voice was mournful and plaintive.
It was indeed bitter, but to describe it as "bitter beyond measure" was a gross exaggeration. The more Wang Pan'er tasted it, the more she felt a strong smell of white lotus permeating her nose.
That's true. In this environment, what pure white flower could possibly survive unscathed? If you cut a hundred of them open, all one hundred and one would be black. However, as long as their allies and interests align, unless they're utterly ruthless, there's nothing to worry about.
The eldest princess was amused by Mu Yunji's dejected appearance, patted his head, and said to Lüyi, "Tell the kitchen to make a few more servings of milk shaved ice."
"Milk shaved ice?" Mu Yunji became interested when she heard it was an iced drink. "It's so nice here at Aunt's place. There are so many new and interesting things, and I can eat as much as I want without worry."
The eldest princess covered her mouth and laughed, "If we're talking about novelties, what I brought is nothing special. Pan'er's things are truly endless. The shaved ice was also her idea."
The shaved ice was made quickly; in less than half an incense stick's time, Lüyi brought back the bowls and plates.
Even though you've had a full meal, you still have room for dessert. In the sweltering summer, no one can resist a bowl of refreshing and delightful ice cream.
One bowl wasn't enough for Mu Yunji, so he ate two bowls before he felt full. He said to Wang Pan'er with great emotion, "Auntie was absolutely right. I've really had my fill of food today."
He changed the subject and asked, "Does Miss Wang find my cousin acceptable?"
Before Wang Pan'er could react, Mu Chuan hurriedly tried to stop Mu Yunji: "Don't interfere!"
Looking at Mu Chuan's easily teased expression and the way his ears were practically blushing, Wang Pan'er grinned and replied, "Mu Chuan is very good. Is His Majesty going to bestow a marriage upon us?"
Upon hearing this, Mu Lan dropped the braised pork on her chopsticks onto the table with a "thud." The princess was initially shocked, but then glanced at the two of them with satisfaction, giving Mu Yunji a look.
Mu Chuan's pupils dilated, and he turned his head to stare at Wang Pan'er with wide eyes, wanting to ask a question, but he couldn't utter a complete sentence.
Mu Yunji received the princess's signal and glanced teasingly at her cousin, whose neck and neck were flushed pink with embarrassment, saying, "I'm full, Aunt and Cousin, let's go for a walk to digest our food."
Only Wang Pan'er and Mu Chuan remained in the large dining room.
Wang Pan'er probed, "What, you're not willing?"
Mu Chuan quickly shook his head: "You said yourself that you weren't planning to open a shop in the capital."
"It is precisely because the time is not yet ripe that we need to assert our dominance and let the noble ladies of the capital know that you are already taken and should not make any further moves."
Wang Pan'er dragged a chair closer to Mu Chuan, putting the two chairs together, then wrapped her arm around Mu Chuan's and said, "Or do you have other concerns? Are you not ready to get married?"
Mu Chuan lowered his eyes, a hint of worry and shame showing between his brows: "The situation in the court is unstable right now, and His Majesty needs help. I am unable to attend to everything. Even if we get married, we will have to live apart."
Being separated is fine, after all, there's no fairness in relationships and life, and happiness is never something easily obtained. Wang Pan'er is greedy; she wants everything, whether it's Muchuan or opening medicinal cuisine restaurants all over the country.
In that case, we should act quickly and decisively to seize the opportunity, and there is no room for pretense of modesty.
She raised her hand and cupped Mu Chuan's cheeks, making him look into her eyes.
Mu Chuan did not flinch, and met Wang Pan'er's gaze with some surprise.
He heard Wang Pan'er ask, word by word, "Nod if it's yes, shake your head if it's no. Do you love me?"
Mu Chuan nodded.
"You only love me, and there are no other girls?"
Mu Chuan shook his head.
Are you sure you have no grievances or reluctance?
The last question is the most important.
Wang Pan'er asked earnestly, then looked at Mu Chuan and nodded without hesitation, breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Mu Chuan, you are exceptionally good. After getting to know you, it's impossible for me to fall in love with anyone else. So, asking the Emperor to grant us a marriage is not a joke. Living apart isn't a big problem either. With Xiao Yao's talent and ambition, he won't stop at Jinzhou Prefecture. We will soon expand our business to the capital. You can trust me."
"I am not..."
It wasn't that he didn't believe her, but he simply didn't want to live a life of separation as a married couple. Mu Chuan's words were on the tip of his tongue, but then he realized how impulsive his words were and found himself unable to speak.
Fearing that Mu Chuan might have ulterior motives, Wang Pan'er pressed on, asking, "Not what?"
Seeing that Mu Chuan didn't reply for a long time, Wang Pan'er gently shook the hand that was holding her head.
Mu Chuan pursed his lips, made up his mind, and said, "Fine, marriage is what I want too. I should resolve my own concerns."
Wang Pan'er got the answer she wanted and couldn't help but pinch Mu Chuan's cheek.
Mu Chuan naturally tried to struggle, but Wang Pan'er grabbed his face and pinched his flesh, refusing to let go.
He winced in pain, then feigned anger and grabbed Wang Pan'er's hands that were doing wrong: "Stop making trouble. Have you really thought this through? His Majesty never hesitates to act. Once an imperial edict is issued, it is as good as gold and cannot be repudiated."
"What's there to regret? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. No matter how you look at it, I'm the one who's getting the better deal." Wang Pan'er had anticipated that Mu Chuan was a gentleman, so even when she was being held hostage, she didn't blush or skip a beat and continued to talk nonsense. She even provocatively reached out and hooked Mu Chuan's chin. "A handsome young man from the royal family, I can't wait for tomorrow to be our wedding night."
The claim of a wedding night tomorrow is an exaggeration, but Mu Yunji's decisiveness is true; the imperial decree bestowing the marriage actually came down the very next day.
Wang Pan'er accepted the imperial edict and grinned foolishly at Mu Chuan.
The eldest princess patted her head: "Pan'er, what kind of wedding do you want?"
She had never attended a wedding banquet of ancient nobles, so she didn't know what the rituals were like, nor could she imagine what a wedding would look like.
Presumably Mu Chuan had some ideas, she replied to the Princess, "It depends on Mu Chuan's preferences."
As soon as Wang Pan'er finished speaking, Mu Chuan quickly replied, "The guests' mothers can watch, but all the proper etiquette and procedures must be followed to ensure a very auspicious start."
The eldest princess naturally agreed.
However, etiquette is essential, and naturally, it involves the formalities of formal betrothal and engagement.
Having miraculously survived and crawled out of the bridal sedan chair of her deceased husband, Wang Pan'er naturally refused to acknowledge that family of despicable relatives.
The process was easy; the eldest princess, acting as both husband's and wife's family, received three letters of approval in a single day.
When it came time for the sixth betrothal, the eldest princess encountered a problem with the dowry she was preparing for Wang Pan'er.
She wanted to give the Lanruoting Restaurant to Wang Pan'er as part of her dowry. Wang Pan'er had a pitiful background and an inextricable connection with the Princess's mansion, so naturally she couldn't be wronged.
However, she had previously promised her two children that all the family property in the princess's mansion would be divided equally in two. Lanruoting was one of the largest restaurants in the capital, so it was naturally very valuable.
Fortunately, Mu Lan had no objections and readily agreed, which showed that she genuinely liked this younger sister-in-law.
Mu Lan wasn't stupid. She thought to herself that her sister-in-law was very capable. With her previous planning, several of her girlfriends had already started to take over shops. It was only half a restaurant, so she wasn't worried that Wang Pan'er wouldn't be able to help her earn it back.
Wang Pan'er was apprehensive about getting a large restaurant for free, fearing that she might mismanage it and be caught by Mu Chuan laughing at her: "Someone as audacious as you has something to be afraid of. With such a large restaurant, there are plenty of managers to run it. You can just sit back and collect the money."
Wang Pan'er glared at him irritably: "I was just afraid of disappointing Your Highness's good intentions."
"Alright." The princess unfolded the betrothal gift list in front of the two of them. "Take a look, is there anything else we need to add?"
Wang Pan'er didn't understand, but even a grand restaurant was being arranged as part of her dowry, so the list the princess had made must be even longer.
Wang Pan'er shook her head, and Mu Chuan had no objection either.
The guest list needs to be finalized before the wedding.
Wang Pan'er's relatives and friends were all in Jinzhou Prefecture. A large group of more than a dozen people would take more than half a month to make a round trip, which would be tiring and would also cause delays.
Mu Chuan thought that the journey was too arduous and there was no need to go through all that trouble, so he said, "Why don't we hold a ceremony in the capital, and then find a good day to hold another one in Jinzhou Prefecture?"
The eldest princess chuckled upon hearing this: "You certainly have a clever idea, to arrange a marriage twice. But it's one way, what do you think, Pan'er?"
In modern society, many couples from different places hold their own weddings in their respective hometowns, so she was used to it.
However, the eldest princess was worried that the wedding in Jinzhou Prefecture might cause trouble without the presence of an elder, so she even drafted the wedding arrangements for the two in a booklet.
The princess's wedding was a major event, and before they knew it, autumn had arrived.
After Wang Pan'er sent a letter to Wang Xiaoyao to let him know she was safe and sound and shared the good news of her upcoming marriage, she also received an invitation from the palace.
On the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Emperor prepared to hold a banquet and invite his court officials to celebrate together, as a sign of imperial favor.
Wang Pan'er, the future princess consort, would naturally accompany him to the capital to meet the emperor.
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