Chapter 917: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 917: The Imperial Marriage (2)
The three quickly stepped forward to pay their respects:
"Your humble son greets His Majesty, the Emperor!"
"Your humble servant salutes Your Majesty!"
"There's no need for such formalities, Heng'er." Emperor Hui'an looked at Chu Heng with a loving expression, his gaze shifting between Xiao Ruiyuan and Yan Junyu, before gently saying, "You may rise."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Xiao Ruiyuan and Yan Junyu stood up and stepped back to stand behind Chu Heng.
When the Emperor learned the three were about to eat, he smiled at Chu Heng, saying, "Add a pair of chopsticks for me as well."
"Yes, Father Emperor!" Chu Heng quickly replied and gestured for the servants to prepare.
What had been a harmonious atmosphere became slightly awkward after the Emperor’s arrival. Xiao Ruiyuan and Yan Junyu felt somewhat uncomfortable. After Emperor Hui'an picked up his chopsticks, they each took a bowl of fish soup and slowly began to drink.
Emperor Hui'an, not wanting to trouble Liang Gonggong with serving, had Chu Heng personally dish out the food. When he finally had time to get some soup, the pot was almost empty, with only a small amount left at the bottom.
Seeing his two cousins deeply engrossed in their soup and not touching the other dishes, Chu Heng couldn’t help but feel that the fish soup had an extraordinary taste. Learning that there were still two fresh fish in the kitchen, he decisively had the cook make more soup.
Soon, two large pots of fish soup were brought to the table. The fragrance of the fish filled the entire dining hall, and even the nearly finished Emperor Hui'an noticed the difference. He asked in confusion, "Is this seafood?"
Seafood, or "hai zhen," was rare in the capital. Although the kingdom was close to the coast, the city was far enough away that fish from the sea often arrived dead, making fresh seafood a rare treat. Only in winter could the palace occasionally enjoy fresh seafood; in summer, they had to rely on dried goods, which couldn’t compare in taste.
Chu Heng only knew that the fish had been sent by his two cousins but didn’t know what kind it was, so he looked toward Xiao Ruiyuan and Yan Junyu.
Xiao Ruiyuan rose and cupped his hands toward the Emperor, saying, "Your Majesty, this fish was raised by the Mo family. It’s just an ordinary freshwater fish."
"Oh, the Mo family raises fish? It must have been County Princess’s idea, right?" Emperor Hui'an smiled faintly, adding with an ambiguous tone, "This girl really is different from most. Why stay in a good household like the Zhuangyuan mansion when she could live in a village, growing crops? Could she possibly intend to marry a farmer in the future?"
Hearing this, Xiao Ruiyuan’s heart skipped a beat. The Emperor knew he and Mo Yan were in love, yet on the day of the banquet, he had planned to bestow a noble lady upon him as his wife. Now, these words seemed to indicate that the Emperor had other plans and did not wish for him to marry Mo Yan.
Recalling his cousin’s repeated instructions not to let the Emperor know about his engagement with Mo Yan, and urging him to marry her quickly, Xiao Ruiyuan suppressed his impulse to confess his engagement and remained silent.
Yan Junyu also sensed something was wrong. Seeing his cousin's slightly altered expression, he knew there was something going on that he wasn’t aware of. His heart tightened in worry for his good friend.
Though he felt a pang of jealousy and heartache over his friend’s romantic success, Yan Junyu was an honorable man who would never steal someone else's love. He sincerely hoped that these two important people in his life would grow old together. If anyone tried to break them apart, he would be the first to oppose it.
The atmosphere grew tense, and Chu Heng’s hands, which were resting under the table, clenched and relaxed repeatedly as he forced a smile. "Father Emperor is already aware of County Princess and Hanzhang’s mutual affection, isn’t he? Not long ago, County Princess reached her coming-of-age, and I had intended to ask for a favor from you to grant them a marriage. But I got too busy and forgot! There’s no better day than today; why not bestow their marriage now?"
Xiao Ruiyuan’s eyes lit up, and before Chu Heng could give him a signal, he kneeled on one knee. "Your humble servant sincerely asks the Emperor to fulfill this wish!"
[End of Chapter]
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