322. The Old Story of Apricot CakeTranslator: 299Summer
Jin Xiaoyu was indignant, so she pretended to be innocent and leaked out the news that Ye Xiaoxian was cooking for Mrs. State Preceptor, which was how the word got to the State Preceptor.
Ye Xiaoxian thanked Jin Xiaoyu and said, “We don’t have to cook now. What is left to do are just some martial art practice and embroidery work.”
“Isn’t that wonderful? Look at you. At first, the Mandarin Duck you embroidered is nothing like a mandarin duck, but a crow. But now it is much better, at least you can tell it’s a mandarin duck, although it still looks like an ordinary duck a little bit.”
Ye Xiaoxian smiled. “It’s fine as long as I am making progress. After I finish this, I will ask for some needles and threads from the servant. I have to embroider this mandarin duck successfully.”
Jin Xiaoyu asked, “Is it embroidered for Baoshan?”
“Well, I have to leave something to him for memory!” Ye Xiaoxian said.
Great news kept coming from the north, which showed that the war was going to end soon and Xiao Baoshan had to make a choice.
Ye Xiaoxian knew so him well that she knew he would definitely follow his conscience, and she would be the one who sacrificed.
She also thought, “Only If I could have a baby for him back then.”
On second thought, thankfully, she didn’t give birth to a baby for Baoshan. Otherwise, the baby would be suffering, living without a mother.
She would rather leave without any concerns. As for him, wouldn’t it be the best outcome for him to marry another woman and have their own children?
……
After the situation in the north stabilized, Li Chengru and Li Chengyi did not have to stay in the capital anymore.
Furthermore, both of them had been in the capital for so long and they never crossed the line. They did not form cliques, nor did they walk around, showing that they were no threat to Li Chengkun.
Therefore,
When Li Chengyi proposed to go back to Baoning City, Li Chengkun agreed without hesitation.
Now, as long as Li Chengkun had a general like Xiao Baoshan, he could stabilize the northern side. Li Chengyi and Li Chengru would be a burden if they stayed in the capital.
After Li Chengyi and Li Chengru got the approval of returning to the capital, they packed up and prepared to leave the city.
Li Chengyi had no one to worry about. His wife and children were all in Baoning City.
Li Chengru’s mother was still in the palace, so he had to enter the palace to bid farewell.
Imperial concubines in the harem had to pick a day to meet their son. If a prince who had set up a home outside the palace wanted to entered the palace, he could only make it on a fixed date.
The day Li Chengru entered the palace was the day before the mid-autumn.
When Li Chengru’s mother, the concubine heard that Li Chengru was going to leave, she felt grieved, “It is so hard for us to be united. Why are you leaving again?”
Li Chengru said, “I am sorry, mother, but I have something to do. Please forgive me for the unfilial behavior.”
Li Chengru’s mother sighed, “Mother knows that you have always been a very independent-minded person and hate to be restrained. If you are kept in the capital city, I’m afraid you won’t be happy. Since you have your own business to do, go ahead and do it. It’s just that mother feels unreconciled on thinking that you, as the prince, with royal status, yet are living like a traveller who wanders in every corner of the world. When will you be able to get married, have a son and enjoy the family happiness?
Li Chengru said, “As a descendant of the imperial family, no matter how many wives and children we have, we wil not be safe.”
The concubine sighed again. “That’s true. Since you already made a choice in mind, then you do whatever you want. Just follow your heart.”
……
As the mother and son were griefly saying goodbye to each other, a voice came from outside suddenly, “Here comes the Empress!”
Hearing that the Empress was on the way, Li Chengru’s mother quickly got up and pulled Li Chengru up. “Chengru, let’s welcome the Empress together.”
Li Chengru was confused, “Why would she come to mother’s palace?”
“She often comes. She said it was for the old times’ sake.”
After she finished her words, the Empress came in.
The Empress saw Li Chengru and pretended to be surprised. “You are here? What a coincidence”
Li Chengru’s mother, the concubine said, “Yes, he will go back to Baoning City with the Sixth King tomorrow. He is here to bid me farewell.”
The Empress asked the maid behind her to bring a food box in front of the concubine and said, “What a coincidence. I personally made some apricot cakes and some green bean cakes personally. You two have a taste. I remember that Chengru liked apricot cakes when he was small.”
“Thanks, Your Highness.” The concubine was touched and said to Li Chengru, “The Empress has been taking good care of me all these years.”
Li Chengru said in a neutral tone, “I appreciate all the help offered by the Empress and I am sorry for the trouble caused.”
The Empress smiled and said, “Never mind. When I was young, I liked to go into the palace to fool around. Your mother also took good care of me back then. Since you aren’t in the capital city, I should take care of her.”
The Empress then asked Li Chengru, “Why don’t you stay in the capital for some more time? Tomorrow is the Mid-autumn Festival. Why don’t you wait until you have some mooncakes? There’s a banquet in the palace tomorrow, which is for descendants of the imperial family only, therefore others won’t be there.”
Li Chengru said, “There is no need to wait. For years, I never attend the Mid-autumn banquet. Besides, I’ve been away from the capital for a long time, so it’s awkward for me to go there. I don’t want to cause any trouble for His Majesty and Your Highness.”
The Empress felt embarrassed.
Li Chengru checked the time again, then he said to his mother and the Empress, “Your Highness, mother, it’s getting late. Chengru should get out of the palace. You two can take your time to chat. I will come back to visit you whenever I have the opportunity.”
The Empress was a little disappointed. “So soon? How about you bring these snacks and eat on your journey?”
The concubine also asked Li Chengru to bring some sancks along, worring that he would suffer on the journey.
Li Chengru refused, “Mom, your son is no longer a child who would cry for desserts. These desserts should be left to you. After all, it shows the Empress’s kindness.”
Seeing him say this, the mother and Empress no longer tried to persuade him. They could only watch him say goodbye and leave the palace.
The Empress watched Li Chengru leave in a daze.
The concubine didn’t know why. She thought the Empress was disappointed so she explained for Li Chengru, “This child has grown up. He now has his own personality and is strong-minded. I can’t control him. If he was impolite towards you just now, I hope Your Highness could forgive him.”
The Empress smiled slightly. “I didn’t blame him, and I will not blame him. However, in my eyes, he is still the child back then.”
……
Before returning to Baoning City, Li Chengru still wanted to see Ye Xiaoxian and bid her farewell.
Therefore, he went to the State Preceptor residence and explain the reason why he came.
Li Chengru was the brother of the Emperor after all, so State Preceptor did not make things difficult for him. He let him in, but State Preceptor sent Wan Shijie to keep an eye on him.
After Ye Xiaoxian came out, she saw Li Chengru and saw so many people guarding her. She knew she couldn’t say too much. She only smiled slightly and asked Li Chengru, “Are you going back to Baoning City?”
Li Chengru nodded, “Yes, so I come over to say goodbye.”
“Well, then you can go back. I have a good life here. After you go back, tell my family that I am safe, and that Baoshan and I have a good time in the capital. If there is a chance, I will pick them up to the capital.”
Li Chengru smiled, “That’s for sure.”
Then, they had nothing more to say. After all, it was inconvenient since they were young man and woman. If they were too close, others would gossip on that.
Ye Xiaoxian saw that the atmosphere was awkward, so he asked, “Is there anything else you need?”
Li Chengru was obviously reluctant to leave, so he continued, “Do you have anything want me to bring to them?”
“It’s some gold and silver jewelry bestowed by State Preceptor, and some clothes. I wonder will it cause too much trouble to ask you to bring those things to them?” I want to give them to my mother, Baozhu and the others.”
Li Chengru nodded, “Of course. There’s no trouble.”
“Thanks, your Royal Highness!” Ye Xiaoxian smiled again, looking very calm.
“Then… I’ll leave,” Li Chengru said.
“Ok, be careful on the way!” Ye Xiaoxian urged.
Li Chengru nodded, “You take good care of yourself.”
“I will.”
“…”
The two chatted for a while. Then Li Chengru left State Preceptor’s residence and Ye Xiaoxian returned to the backyard.
However, Ye Xiaoxian was a little sad on the way back.
Li Chengru was one of her few friends. Could this be the last time they met?
She sighed and felt that she couldn’t bring the sorrow back, so she picked some flowers in the garden.
An old maid came over to remind her, “Madam Xiao, you cannot pick the flowers in this courtyard!”
Ye Xiaoxian suddenly looked at her angrily. “Really? Why didn’t you say it earlier? I’m from the countryside, I don’t know the rules.”
The old maid paused.
She even thought that she had met someone else just now other than Madam Xiao. Ever since the first time Madam Xiao had entered the residence, she had always been friendly and had a smile on her face, but just now, she appeared extremely fierce.
She had never been so fierce before!
The old maid then let Ye Xiaoxian back to the yard with a large bundle of chrysanthemums.
……
Li Chengru came out of State Preceptor’s residence and left the capital with Li Chengyi that day.
The two of them brought some guards when they arrived, and now they left with the same group of people.
After they left the capital city, they went to the official road.
However, not long after they hit on the official road, they changed their way to the small road.
There were not many of them and they had just come out of the Imperial City. They had to be careful at this moment. They especially worried about being assassinated.
They wouldn’t pose any threaten to Li Chengkun as long as they returned to Baoning City, but what if Li Chengkun was too petty and kept on guarding them?
In history, it was not rare for the brothers of the emperor to be assassinated.
……
In the palace.
The Empress listened to her subordinate reporting Li Chengru’s departure.
“Has he left the city?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Who did he see before leaving the city?”
“He only went to the State Preceptor’s residence to meet Madam Xiao. He went in with empty hands but came out with some gold and silver, which might be brought back to Baoning City.”
“How long has he stayed in the State Preceptor’s residence?” The Empress asked again.
“Not long, just a quarter.”
“Alright, I know!” The Empress said.
After her surbodinates left, the Empress sat quietly in the room.
This time, Li Chengru only said goodbye to his mother and Ye Xiaoxian, so Ye Xiaoxian must means a lot to him.
Otherwise, when he was about to leave, he could just send someone to State Preceptor’s residence to deliver a message. Why would he bother to go there personally?
What kind of person is this Ye Xiaoxian?
……
Next was the Mid-Autumn Festival.
During Mid-autumn Festival, the capital was bustling with lanterns, firecrackers, and mooncakes everywhere.
In the palace, all the ministers received mooncakes, and the descendants of the imperial family gathered together to enjoy the flowers and moon, and wrote poems and couplets, which was quite pleasant.