Chapter 804: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 804: The New Year's Feast (2)
“It’s good to hear that Lord Yan liked it. I’ll send over a batch of fresh ones in a few days,” Mo Yan smiled and agreed readily.
This time, the Mo family’s New Year gifts to various families included not only fruits and vegetables that couldn’t be found in winter, but also various kinds of fruit wines. These were abundant in her space, and sending them out would be quite presentable.
Although she was speaking to Yan Junyu, Mo Yan’s attention was focused on the approaching Xiao Ruiyuan. Catching sight of his still cold expression, she unexpectedly recalled the sudden kiss from the night before, and her face involuntarily flushed slightly.
Fortunately, the sky had darkened, and the palace lanterns along the path were dim, so no one noticed her reaction.
Xiao Ruiyuan’s dark eyes were fixed intently on Mo Yan, leaving no room for anything else. Seeing her gaze briefly falter, the corner of his lips curled into a faint, almost imperceptible smile. His deep voice, smooth and relaxed, spoke of someone in a good mood, “Lady Hejia, may I accompany you?”
The moment these words left his mouth, everyone who wasn’t in the know was taken aback, eyes wide in surprise.
Xiao Ruiyuan was young but clever, with impressive military achievements. Not only was he favored by Emperor Hui’an, but he was also the right-hand man to the crown prince, making him arguably the most promising young man in all of Da Chu.
Moreover, his flawless appearance had charmed countless young women, and many noble families hoped to marry their daughters to him.
While there had been attempts to win his favor, every woman who dared approach him was swiftly dismissed by his secret guards before even getting close.
Those who tried to test the waters were either politely received at his house only to leave in frustration after being served endless tea or were outright refused entry. Over time, it became clear that Xiao Ruiyuan wasn’t interested in women. Though they were reluctant to accept it, most people understood this fact. After all, it was not uncommon for men to delay marriage for several years, but for women, that wasn’t an option.
But now, what were they seeing? The normally indifferent General Xiao, who had never shown interest in women, was actively inviting Lady Hejia to walk with him. No one could believe it wasn’t significant.
Mo Yan hadn’t expected such an invitation from Xiao Ruiyuan. Sensing the meaningful glances directed her way, she felt a little uncomfortable but didn’t decline. Instead, she responded politely, “It would be an honor to accompany Lord Xiao and Lord Yan.”
Her distant tone caused Xiao Ruiyuan to frown, but considering her reputation, he nodded slightly without saying more and stepped forward to stand between Mo Yan and Yan Junyu, maintaining a respectful distance of about an arm's length.
Yan Junyu raised an eyebrow, casting a meaningful glance at Xiao Ruiyuan. But when their eyes met, he received two warning looks and, unwillingly, pouted and withdrew his gaze.
Thus, the striking and distinguished trio—Xiao Ruiyuan, Mo Yan, and Yan Junyu—captured the attention of many as they calmly entered the Qinghe Hall where the New Year’s feast was held.
Qinghe Hall was specially designed for large imperial banquets, and it was where the New Year’s feast was held every year. In addition to dining with the emperor, there were always performances to entertain the guests. The hall was quite spacious, only slightly smaller than the grandest Taihe Hall.
Many people were already gathered inside, mostly lower-ranked ministers and their wives. Once a young eunuch made them aware of Mo Yan’s identity, the ministers and their wives immediately approached to offer their greetings as soon as the trio entered.
None of the three were fond of such formalities, but since they were part of the occasion, they had no choice but to endure and respond politely.
Fortunately, not long after, the sound of the young eunuch’s loud announcements echoed from outside. Everyone turned in unison to see Emperor Hui’an and Crown Prince Chu Heng supporting the Empress Dowager into the hall. Behind them, a large procession of imperial consorts, princesses, and princes followed.
Everyone immediately knelt to welcome the three most esteemed individuals in Da Chu. After Emperor Hui’an ascended the dragon throne and gave the decree to "rise," everyone stood and took their seats.
The seating arrangement inside the hall was divided into two sections. The royal family and high-ranking ministers sat to the left, while princesses, county princesses, and noble ladies with imperial titles sat to the right. The higher the rank, the closer to the front the seats were. Each seat had a long table about three feet long and two feet wide, already set with exquisite tea snacks.
Mo Yan, Xiao Ruiyuan, and Yan Junyu were of equal rank and sat directly opposite each other, separated by a distance of about four paces. A simple glance upward allowed them to clearly see what the others were doing.
The New Year’s feast hadn’t officially started, and no one was allowed to speak freely. Mo Yan, feeling a little bored, began to study the delicate pastries on the table. She guessed the ingredients based on their shapes, speculated about the techniques used, and pondered the appropriate level of heat. It turned out to be quite a rewarding exercise.
After Xiao Ruiyuan seated himself, his gaze never left Mo Yan. Seeing her intently studying the pastries, he frowned, thinking she must be hungry. He turned to Yan Junyu and asked in a low voice, “How long until we start?”
Yan Junyu, however, thought that Xiao Ruiyuan was the one who was hungry. Just as he was about to speak, he noticed his gaze was fixed on Mo Yan. Realizing the situation, he smirked and said, “If you’re concerned, why not have your little eunuch pass along a word? Those pastries are meant for eating, after all.”
Yan Junyu’s voice wasn’t particularly low, and at least the nearby tables heard it. The person speaking wasn’t just anyone—it was the sixteenth prince.
The sixteenth prince, not expecting his father to hear, was a little embarrassed. He explained, “General Xiao must be hungry but isn’t eating the savory pastries. I thought he might not like the salty ones, so I took it upon myself to send him this plate of sweet pastries.”
At these words, everyone’s gaze shifted to the plate of sweet pastries that had been sent to Xiao Ruiyuan, and many people’s faces revealed expressions of understanding, as if they had just uncovered some important news.
So it turned out that this iron-blooded general had such peculiar tastes!
[End of Chapter]
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