After Tu Boshan returned from Yun Village, he found that Lady Tu and Feng Shi Er Niang’s relationship had obviously beco much closer...
Especially Feng Shi Er Niang.
Just now, when she had gone to the village entrance to welco them, she was polite and respectful but also maintained a distance. Now, she was still chatting and laughing, but the light in her eyes had changed. When she saw him, there was an indescribable sense of intimacy.
Tu Boshan exclaid, "What happened?"
Lady Tu scolded him, "What’s it to you? Mind your own business when it cos to won’s affairs."
Tu Boshan’s eyebrows lifted slightly, revealing a smile, and he truly did not ask any further questions.
The affection between the couple was genuine. Tu Boshan was a simple yet pragmatic man. Perhaps he did not possess the gift of sweet or artful words, but he was reliable enough for one to lean on.
Lady Tu was fortunate.
In tis of crisis, she had found her salvation for life.
Feng Yun was very eager to see the notes and letters her mother had left behind, but traveling from Huaxi Village to Tu Family Fort, even on a fast horse there and back, would take until nightfall to return.
At this ti, the village feast had already begun its prelude.
The banquet was set out like flowing water, truly akin to a river, as villagers brought pots and pans from their own hos and volunteered to help with the cooking. It was like a festival reunion, and the whole village bustled with activity. Tables and chairs spread out from courtyards, lining the village path as far as the eye could see.
Lady Tu had never seen such a spectacle in Wubao and was thoroughly impressed.
"How interesting, truly very interesting," she remarked.
Feng Yun invited the couple to take the seats of honor, treating them with the respect due to elders. Soon, even those around her noticed that the master and Lady Tu’s attitude had changed after they ca out of the house.
Therefore, everyone paid extra attention to the couple from the Tu Family.
Lady Tu was as happy as could be and secretly whispered to Tu Boshan, "I suddenly feel as if I’ve gained a daughter. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Ayun were my daughter..."
Tu Boshan glared at her quietly.
"Do not speak nonsense."
Lady Tu had wished for a daughter after giving birth to her eldest son.
Unfortunately, two subsequent sons were born, and her dream of having a daughter was shattered.
She had even cried when she saw her third son’s little ding-ding.
Tu Boshan certainly knew that she liked Feng Yun very much, but Feng Yun was not the sa as before—how could they recklessly claim kinship?
He understood his wife’s warning.
Squeezing his brows, he nonetheless chose to ignore it, making a gesture with his lips:
"From now on, I will treat her as my daughter."
With everyone talking at once, she hadn’t had the chance to tell Tu Boshan that the original Ping Feng was Lu Sanniang, Feng Yun’s birth mother; she alone was secretly pleased with the knowledge.
Tu Boshan was exasperated, but he patted the back of her hand.
"When we get ho, I’ll try harder."
Lady Tu frowned, "You dare, who would want to bear your child?"
Tu Boshan raised his eyebrows, huffing lightly.
While the couple was whispering to each other, Feng Yun got up to speak with the villagers who had arrived at the banquet. When she returned and saw that people were still missing from the seats, she suddenly rembered sothing and turned to ask Alou.
"Where’s the Princely Heir? Didn’t you invite him?"
Alou was montarily taken aback and shook his head.
It was known to the whole village that there would be a Changn banquet.
As the master had not given instructions and he was bustling about, he had forgotten.
Who would have thought that Crown Prince Chunyu, who seed to wish to build a dining hall next to Changn, would miss the banquet?
He said, "Should I, this humble person, go to invite him?"
Feng Yun nodded and motioned for him to do so, then sat down to exchange pleasantries with Tu Boshan and his wife.
Speaking of Chunyu Yan, Lady Tu expressed regret.
As there were no outsiders present, she laughed unrestrainedly:
"When I first knew of the Princely Heir’s intentions and was unaware of the kind of person the Prince of Yonghuai was, I had thought about matching the two of you up..."
Tu Boshan coughed.
Once wasn’t enough, so he coughed again.
"The dishes are served, let’s eat, let’s eat."
Lady Tu glanced at him, then leaned closer to Feng Yun, lowering her voice.
"After so long, I thought the Princely Heir had given up on the idea. But who would have imagined, he ended up building a house next to yours, what a lovesick fellow..."
Tu Boshan: "Cough, cough, cough, Lady, let’s eat."
Feng Yun slightly curved her lips, and said indifferently, "Lady Tu is mistaken. The Princely Heir’s heart is not with , but with another..."
"Another?"
Others might believe, but Lady Tu certainly didn’t.
"Impossible."
"Truly," Feng Yun smiled and said, "His beloved is in my village. Sadly, though Prince of Yonghuai is willing, the Goddess is not dreaming. Princely Heir, you still need to try harder."
"Ahem!" Another cough was heard.
It wasn’t from Tu Boshan, but rather from the belated Crown Prince Chunyu.
With one hand behind his back, his tall and upright figure stood out a half-head above Alou, giving him a distinguished presence wherever he stood.
The people around promptly paid their respects to the Princely Heir.
Tu Boshan and his wife also stood up, clasped their hands in greeting, and exchanged pleasantries.
Feng Yun kept her smile, greeting with clasped hands.
"Princely Heir, please join us at the table."
Chunyu Yan said, "I’ve co uninvited, my apologies to the Tu Fort Master for the laughter."
Feng Yun glanced at Alou.
Alou, looking innocent, gestured without a word.
He had intended to invite the guest, but just as he stepped out the door, he saw Chunyu Yan approaching. What need was there to invite him then?
Feng Yun said with a laugh, "We are all neighbors and countryn. A simple word is enough; formal invitations only lead to estrangent."
Chunyu Yan glanced at her, snorted with a laugh, but said nothing.
He had co in anger, but Feng Twelve spoke so pleasantly to the ear that with just a few words she had soothed his ruffled feathers...
He looked around and asked, "Is Brother Pei not at ho?"
Feng Yun replied, "The king will not be back until later. Do you need to see him for sothing, Princely Heir?"
Chunyu Yan said, "No matter, it’s better if he doesn’t co back."
Feng Yun: "..."
While the two talked, Lady Tu and Tu Boshan had exchanged several aningful glances. Seeing their sudden silence, she quickly picked up her chopsticks to break the awkwardness.
"Co, let’s eat. I want to try this stead duck slice..."
The mont the dish hit her palate, her eyes lit up.
Once again, she couldn’t stop praising it.
Tu Boshan looked as if he’d expected it all along, knowing his wife would surely praise the dish, so it was no surprise.
But when he too tasted a slice of duck, he realized Lady Tu’s expression was not mindless flattery, nor was it exaggerated.
"A feast fit for a glutton, a flavor lingering on the lips. Truly delicious."
Feng Yun was pleased with the praise.
"If the Fort Master and Lady like it, I will have the recipes copied and sent to you later. That way, it will be convenient to have them whenever you wish."
Lady Tu blinked, "Perhaps it takes the water and soil of Huaxi to create such delightful dishes?"
Rembering she had ntioned wanting to acquire land in Huaxi, Feng Yun replied with a smile:
"Then Lady will have to co and stay in Huaxi more often."
Lady Tu’s eyes sparkled, "Definitely, I will definitely co."
The group chatted while the sounds of shouting and laughter occasionally drifted in from outside.
The banquet was growing livelier...
Just then, Ge Guang ca hurrying to report.
"Madam, a ssenger has arrived, saying he has brought sothing for you."
Feng Yun paused, putting down her chopsticks, "I’ll go take a look."
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the ssenger entered along the lengthy banquet with a long case in tow, but what he brought was not an order, but clothes for Feng Yun from Pei Jue.
These were not the garnts for a lady, but the official uniform of the Chief Historian.
Her appointnt had been so sudden that the Imperial Court didn’t have won’s attire ready, and it took so ti to tailor-make them, only now arriving.
Along with the clothes ca a seal, accessories, a complete set, attracting the curiosity of everyone present.
"We’ve only ever seen male officials, never a female one... I wonder what Madam Feng would look like dressed as the Chief Historian."
"Indeed, indeed, when has there ever been a female official? Who has seen what one looks like?"
"If Madam wears it, she would surely look imposing."
"If only we could see Madam wear it just once, that would be great."
Expectation shone in everyone’s eyes.
Thinking of herself as the Chief Historian of the Royal Mansion without a royal residence, who probably would not need an official uniform on a regular basis, Feng Yun felt a montary joy and decided to satisfy everyone’s curiosity.
"Wait for to change into it, and I’ll give you all a look."
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