Zhang Yu led Song Shuhao to the dining hall, where Madam Xu had also been brought there. Seeing her mother dressed up with her hair flowing like clouds and her face as beautiful as a flower, aside from the marks of time, her gorgeous clothes made her resemble the child she had known as her father, who had always been beaming with joy. Tears welled in her eyes.
Xu's epilepsy seemed to have improved somewhat. Upon seeing Ahao, she beamed and patted the table repeatedly, saying anxiously, "Sit, sit." Feeling the person beside her squeeze her palm, Ahao forced back her tears, smiled, and nodded heavily, reassuring Xu, "Okay, okay, Mother, don't worry, I'll sit down now."
After inviting Zhang Yu to take a seat, Ahao followed suit. Servants then began bringing food to the dining room, one dish at a time. The table was laden with a variety of dishes, clearly prepared in advance, with the soft and delicious glutinous rice balls served last. Zhang Yu didn't say anything, but Ahao understood without him needing to.
Eating while trying to hold back tears, Ah Hao's meal was anything but easy. She couldn't quite distinguish the flavors of the food, but her heart was filled with a bittersweet mix of emotions, and a smile remained on her lips throughout. Xu Shi seemed very happy, whether from Ah Hao's company or from being infected by the festive atmosphere of the Lantern Festival, it was unclear.
The family reunion dinner lasted a long time, and before they knew it, it was late at night. Xu, who was used to going to bed early, became so sleepy that she kept yawning. After the meal, Ahao and the young girl who had been taking care of Xu escorted her back to her room, helped her wash up, and then helped her lie down on the bed. Ahao sat by the bedside, and Xu held her hand, smiling all the while, but soon closed her eyes and fell asleep, softly snoring.
Ah Hao withdrew her hand, tucked Xu Shi's arm under the covers to keep her warm, and then pulled the covers up and tucked the corners in before quietly getting up and leaving. Zhang Yu wasn't in the dining hall; he was waiting for her on the veranda outside the room. The scene felt strangely familiar; it seemed like the last time Zhang Yu brought her back to the manor, it was just like this. Ah Hao thought for a moment, then walked over.
Zhang Yu turned slightly and saw Song Shuhao looking into the distance. He turned his face away and did not speak immediately. Ah Hao finally spoke first, saying, "Thank you, Your Majesty. This servant has not spent the New Year with my mother for so long. This servant is grateful, moved, and thankful..." Her words were pale and unable to express her gratitude clearly. She was also somewhat incoherent and did not know what to say. Saying thank you a thousand times would not have been enough.
Song Shuhao wasn't looking at Zhang Yu at the moment, so she naturally missed the smile that flashed across his lips. He ended the palace banquet early and had these preparations made in advance because he knew she hadn't been able to have even one meal with Madam Xu during so many holidays. He needed to let her know that he would treat her very well, even better than she imagined.
"If you don't know what to say, then there's no need to say anything. I have received your thanks." Zhang Yu said calmly, suppressing his emotions, his tone revealing composure.
He paused for a moment, then added, "Sometimes, actions speak louder than words." It was as if he was saying that he wasn't used to making empty promises, or as if he was implying that Song Shuhao could express her gratitude in other ways than by simply saying thank you.
There was no one else around, near or far; it seemed as if all the servants in the mansion had suddenly disappeared. Song Shuhao turned to look at Zhang Yu. In the dim candlelight, his resolute, handsome, and impeccable profile seemed to have lost its coldness. Shuhao thought, she knew what His Majesty the Emperor wanted her to do.
Fireworks lit up the distant night sky, piercing the darkness and illuminating the heavens. Even from a considerable distance, the sounds of the fireworks exploding drifted over. With each explosion, Ah Hao closed her eyes, stood on tiptoe, and gently planted a kiss on Zhang Yu's cheek.
Without any warning, the sudden soft touch on his cheek stirred up a storm in Zhang Yu's heart. The candlelight illuminated his smiling eyes, but he simply pulled Song Shuhao to his chest, lowered his head to look at the person in his arms, and said, "It's getting late, we should go back."
Song Shuhao paused for a moment, then nodded gently. She opened her eyes, and two tears silently streamed down her face, quickly disappearing without a trace...
Chapter 61 Joy
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When Ahao returned to the palace with Zhang Yu, it was almost midnight. She had originally planned to go back and rest after His Majesty the Emperor returned to Xuanzhi Hall, but Zhang Yu insisted that she stay in Xuanzhi Hall that night.
Even though she hadn't moved her things out yet, Ah Hao still felt uneasy. However, Zhang Yu insisted, saying her room was overflowing with stuff and uninhabitable, and refused to agree, leaving Ah Hao with no choice but to compromise.
So he accompanied her back to get some things she might need temporarily, and then Zhang Yu took Ahao back to Xuanzhi Hall. Zhang Yu had a room prepared for Song Shuhao that was fully equipped with everything she needed and was kept very clean, so she could indeed move in at any time.
After confirming that she wouldn't cause any more trouble, Zhang Yu left without letting her serve him. She felt exhausted on the way back to the palace, and after the ordeal upon her return, Ah Hao washed and dressed, ready to lie down and rest. Unfortunately, Zhang Yu, whom she assumed had gone to rest as well, turned back.
Having clearly seen what he was holding, Ah Hao could only remain silent. When she was little, every year on the Lantern Festival, her father would personally make a rabbit lantern for her to cheer her up. The frame was woven from bamboo strips, a section of red candle was placed in the middle, and colored paper was pasted on the outside to make it look like a rabbit, symbolizing good fortune and luck in the new year.
The rabbit lantern in Zhang Yu's hand was a little different. Although it looked like a plump rabbit, it was made of glass and its hollow belly contained not a candle, but a luminous pearl.
Compared to those she had seen before, the rabbit lantern before her was luxurious and opulent. After the candlelight was extinguished, the luminous pearl shone even brighter, reflecting the glass with dazzling, multicolored light. In the darkness, only the rabbit lantern emitted a faint glow; in fact, this light made both of their faces appear somewhat eerie.
"Time was a bit tight, so this is all we could make. I was supposed to take you to join the lantern market, but you can keep it." After looking at the rabbit lantern with Song Shuhao for a while, Zhang Yu finally said this, almost suggesting that she just make do with it.
Zhang Yu prepared one surprise after another for her, each one showing his thoughtfulness. Ahao wasn't some detached, worldly-wise person, so it was impossible for her to remain unmoved. His intentions were clear... In any case, until he lost interest in her, she would treat him as well as possible, going along with his wishes. He said he would give her what she wanted, and so would she.
On her way back to the palace, Ah Hao, who had been thinking about these things, finally made up her mind. She reached out and poked the glass rabbit lamp, and said with a smile, "Your Majesty has gone to great lengths. This servant likes it very much." She relit the candle, and the room was bright again.
Zhang Yu finally agreed to go back to rest, but he didn't let Ahao serve him. After seeing Zhang Yu out of the room and watching him leave, Ahao returned to her room, put away the rabbit lantern for the time being, and then rested as well.
·
Upon waking, Song Shuhao was no longer serving the Empress Dowager, but had become a lady-in-waiting serving the Emperor. Although her status had changed, her duties remained largely the same. Serving Zhang Yu wasn't new, but the experience was different now. Shuhao rose early, tidied herself, and went to wait for Zhang Yu to wake up.
Zhang Yu had to attend the morning court almost every day, so his schedule was naturally different from Empress Dowager Feng's. Ahao knew she would have to change many of her habits, so she could only memorize them little by little and adjust accordingly. She wasn't unfamiliar with Lü Yuan and Lü Chuan, which helped her adapt more quickly.
Thinking she was early enough, Ah Hao arrived to find Lü Yuan and Lü Chuan already waiting, seemingly having waited a while. Upon seeing Ah Hao, they greeted her, but didn't exchange many pleasantries. Ah Hao had only waited about fifteen minutes when she heard movement inside the house; Zhang Yu had woken up.
Just as Zhang Yu was half-sitting on the bed, Song Shuhao's voice suddenly rang out from outside, asking if he should get up. Upon opening his eyes and seeing her voice and herself, Zhang Yu felt a surge of joy, a slight smile playing on his lips, and he immediately responded. The next instant, the door opened, and Zhang Yu watched as Song Shuhao led the palace maids in, then allowed her to help him wash and groom himself.
Carefully tying Zhang Yu's hair up, making sure not to hurt him, and putting on the golden crown, Song Shuhao stepped aside to ask for his opinion after confirming that everything was alright. Zhang Yu didn't look at his reflection in the bronze mirror, completely trusting Song Shuhao, and got up directly. Ahao followed him and helped him put on his outer robe.
She served Zhang Yu as if he were Empress Dowager Feng, kneeling down to straighten the wrinkles in his clothes and smooth out any unwanted marks. When she stood up, Zhang Yu reached out to help her, but A-Hao just smiled at him and thanked him.
It was still early, and he had to rush to court, so he couldn't have a proper meal. The imperial kitchen sent over some food, but Zhang Yu could only eat a little to fill his stomach. Song Shuhao served him while noting down his preferences, what he ate more of, what he ate less of, and what he wouldn't touch.
Before leaving, Zhang Yu said to Ahao, "There's still a long time before the court session ends. If you're sleepy, go take a nap. If you're hungry, have breakfast." Ahao agreed, and Zhang Yu gently patted her head before saying, "I'm leaving."
Ah Hao followed him to the outside of the palace, watching Zhang Yu board the imperial carriage until he was out of sight, before going about her own business. The things hadn't been moved over yet, and after they were, they still needed to be organized—it would take a lot of time and effort. As for Zhang Yu's talk of taking a nap, she hadn't had that opportunity before when serving Empress Dowager Feng, so she didn't have that habit, and she wasn't in a hurry to eat breakfast either.
Lu Yuan and Lu Chuan both accompanied Zhang Yu to court, leaving A Hao with the most say in the Xuanzhi Hall. While her rank as a lady-in-waiting before the Empress Dowager was similar, her status as a lady-in-waiting before the Emperor carried more weight, making her less likely to be looked down upon.
Zhang Yu's attitude towards Song Shuhao was obvious to everyone. The palace servants who could stay in Xuanzhi Palace were more astute than those elsewhere, and naturally, they all treated Song Shuhao with utmost respect. Ahao knew that this respect was due to Zhang Yu, so she was even more polite to the others.
After the palace servants moved her things to Xuanzhi Hall and tidied them up, Ah Hao rested for a while, and Zhang Yu returned from court. He leisurely strolled around Song Shuhao's room, completely unaware of anything amiss, and said, "If there are any places you don't like in the decorations, just have someone return them. There's no need to be so formal."
Ah Hao didn't have high demands, nor did she like to bother anyone unnecessarily. She simply said that everything was fine, she liked everything, and there was nothing she was dissatisfied with. She didn't know what she said that pleased Zhang Yu, but it brought a smile to his face.
The imperial kitchen had already delivered breakfast to Xuanzhi Hall. Lü Yuan reported outside Song Shuhao's room, and Zhang Yu remembered this and asked Song Shuhao, "Have you eaten yet?" Ahao was about to reply that she had, but Zhang Yu said first, "The room has been cleaned up, so you probably haven't eaten yet." Ahao then didn't say anything more.
Chapter 62 The Kite
The imperial kitchen prepared a lavish breakfast for Zhang Yu as always. After the food was laid out on the table, Zhang Yu dismissed the other palace servants, leaving only Song Shuhao. Ahao set out the bowls and plates, handed him silver chopsticks, and since there was no one else around, she personally tasted the food and carefully served Zhang Yu his meal.
Zhang Yu took the silver chopsticks but didn't touch them. He glanced at her and then put down his utensils. He tapped the seat next to him and said to Ahao in a commanding tone, "Sit down." He added, "After breakfast, I will go to Changning Palace to pay my respects to the Empress Dowager. You should also go and kowtow to the Empress Dowager. From now on, you can stay by my side without worry."
Thinking of what happened yesterday, Ahao was a little slow in her movements, but she did not disobey Zhang Yu's words and followed his instructions to sit down. Zhang Yu casually took a clean bowl and plate and placed it in front of Ahao, picked up his chopsticks and put a small soup dumpling on her plate, saying, "The people in your household said you like to eat this."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Ahao smiled and nodded in thanks. Zhang Yu finally stopped fussing and began to eat his breakfast, satisfied. Seeing that Zhang Yu was indeed eating, Ahao relaxed and began to eat as well.
After finishing his breakfast, rinsing his mouth and washing his hands, and drinking a cup of hot tea brewed by Song Shuhao, Zhang Yu, feeling content, went to Changning Palace to pay his respects to Empress Dowager Feng, just as he had promised, without forgetting to bring her along.
Today, Empress Shen led a group of concubines to Changning Palace to keep Empress Dowager Feng company. However, by the time Zhang Yu and Ahao appeared together, they had already dispersed for a while. Empress Dowager Feng showed no surprise when she saw Ahao with Zhang Yu.
Ah Hao bowed and kowtowed to her, and Empress Dowager Feng took the opportunity to ask how everything was going. Ah Hao answered her questions while kneeling, and Empress Dowager Feng gave her a few words of admonishment, but did not make things difficult for her, and told her to get up. Ah Hao thanked her for her grace, kowtowed twice more, and then bowed her head and retreated to the side.