He carefully recalled what he had just said, and it didn't seem wrong at all. So why did it make the prince frown?
It was clearly the prince who patted his head, causing him to stunt his growth. He should be the one who's angry, so why is the prince putting on a stern face?
Su Fuliu thought about it for a while, but couldn't come up with a solution.
Then, Feng Muting said, "You're already this old, you won't grow any older."
Su Fuliu choked: "I'm still young! I'm only in my early twenties, still young, and I'll definitely have a chance to grow taller, but now that Your Highness has patted me like that, I'm afraid I won't grow anymore!"
After saying that, he gave a weak hum.
Feng Muting looked at him and slowly said, "When I was twenty, I was already this tall. If I had grown any taller, you would probably have to look up to see my face now."
"..." Su Fuliu felt as if her heart had been stabbed several times.
He just wants to grow a tiny bit taller, why are you discouraging him like this?
Seeing Su Fuliu's aggrieved expression, Feng Muting remembered that he had sent him out to comfort him.
After all, his father had just spoken to him with a warning tone. Although it wasn't harsh, the boy was a pushover and must have felt wronged.
As a result, before the comforting act could even begin, he made him feel wronged again.
Feng Muting couldn't help but feel a little annoyed.
He thought for a moment, then reached out and grabbed Su Fuliu's hand, pulling him away.
Su Fuliu looked at Feng Muting with some confusion: "Where is Your Highness taking me again?"
He glanced furtively at the hand that Feng Muting was holding, and couldn't help but swallow.
For some reason, he felt his heartbeat was a little abnormal.
Feng Muting didn't say anything, but instead led him directly to a place with stone steps.
Once they arrived, Feng Muting said, "Stand on it."
"Huh?" Su Fuliu had no idea what Feng Muting was trying to do.
"What 'ah'? I told you to stand up, so just stand up." Feng Muting's voice was a little loud.
Su Fuliu pouted, looking fierce!
Then, he stepped onto one of the stone steps and said, "Your subordinate is ready."
Feng Muting nodded slightly and then stood next to him. From this angle, Su Fuliu appeared to be a bit taller than Feng Muting.
"Too high," Feng Muting said.
"What?" Su Fuliu was still confused.
"..." Feng Muting felt his head buzzing a little. "You've 'grown taller' now, you're even 'taller' than me."
Su Fuliu was stunned for a moment before realizing that Feng Muting had dragged him here to "force growth"...
He twitched the corner of his mouth and muttered, "But this... isn't really that high."
"I don't mind that you're short."
“…I’m not short, I just want to grow a little bit taller.” Su Fuliu argued. He was indeed not short, but when he stood next to Feng Muting, he looked a tiny bit smaller.
"Since you're not short, why do you need to be so tall? All you think about is finding a wife?" Feng Muting asked.
Su Fuliu shook his head: "I don't think about finding a wife every day. Alright, alright, I don't need to grow any taller. I'm fine as I am."
He didn't want to say any more, lest he make things more complicated.
"Hmm." Feng Muting nodded when he saw that he was no longer troubled by it.
"Well then, let's go back. I need to go back and check on the fish soup." Su Fuliu said, preparing to take a step, but he forgot he was standing on stone steps and missed a step...
--
A note from the author:
Congratulations, Your Highness, on earning the title of "Master of Finishing Moves"! (Applause)
Chapter 105 Strange Feeling
Su Fuliu exclaimed in surprise!
Fortunately, Feng Muting was right next to him and caught him with a single hand.
His nose bumped into Feng Muting's sturdy chest, and the pain brought tears to his eyes.
Su Fuliu touched her sore nose and said with teary eyes, "Thank you, Your Highness..."
"Clumsy," Feng Muting said, looking down at the boy in his arms.
"..." Su Fuliu knew he was a bit clumsy, so when Feng Muting scolded him, he had no words to refute.
He stepped out of Feng Muting's embrace, lowered his head slightly, and remained silent.
The moment Su Fuliu left, Feng Muting felt a momentary emptiness in his heart.
He glanced at the hand that had just been around Su Fuliu's slender waist, and his Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.
Lately, he's been having a lot of strange feelings and thoughts...
"Your Highness, shall we go?" Su Fuliu sniffed and said.
Feng Muting snapped out of his daze, glanced at him, nodded briefly, and then turned and left first.
Su Fuliu rubbed her nose and quickly followed.
After the two returned to the kitchen, Su Fuliu quickly went to keep an eye on the fish soup.
Feng Muting then walked to the Emperor's side and said, "Father, is there anything else I can help you with?"
The Emperor glanced at him and said, "I thought you were planning to wait until the food was ready before you went back."
Feng Muting gave a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth, looked at the Emperor, and said nothing.
"Weren't we supposed to be picking mushrooms? Where are the mushrooms?" the emperor asked again when he didn't answer.
“Your subject forgot that there are no mushrooms yet at this time,” Feng Muting replied.
The Emperor raised an eyebrow slightly: "If there were no mushrooms, why were you gone for so long?"
After coughing, Feng Muting replied, "Since everyone has gone out, I sat under that big tree for a while. When I was little, my mother often took me to play under that tree."
After hearing this, the Emperor did not ask any further questions, but simply turned to look at Su Fuliu.
Su Fuliu was sitting obediently on a small stool, tending to the stove.
Seeing this, Feng Muting said, "Father, shall I get you a plate?"
The Emperor withdrew his gaze and said, "Hmm."
Feng Muting immediately went to get the plates, and the Emperor shook his head slightly as he watched his retreating figure.
And so, the three of them worked in the kitchen all morning, and by noon, the fish soup and lotus root balls were ready.
Feng Muting served a bowl of lotus root balls, a bowl of fish soup, and a bowl of rice, and together with the Emperor, delivered them to the room where Consort Yu's memorial tablet was placed.
Su Fuliu followed behind and entered the room.
He stood aside, watching Feng Muting and the Emperor pay their respects to Consort Yu, and couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion.
The pain and helplessness of being separated by life and death are truly heartbreaking.
If Consort Yu were still alive, their prince would definitely be very happy.
But there are no "what ifs" in this world.
"Alright, let's go," the Emperor said.
Feng Muting nodded, and then followed the Emperor outside.
When he walked up to Su Fuliu, he glanced at Su Fuliu and gestured for him to follow.
Su Fuliu met Feng Muting's gaze and noticed that his eyes were a little red, which made her feel a little sorry for him.
The prince must be missing his mother terribly right now, because he's holding back his sadness, which is why his eyes are red.
Otherwise, the prince would probably have cried long ago, right?
Back in the kitchen, Su Fuliu quickly helped carry the remaining food and followed them to the dining room.
After he put all the food on the table, he stood aside.
He definitely wasn't qualified to eat with them; he could only stand on the sidelines and watch.
After Feng Muting sat down, he served the Emperor a bowl of fish soup: "Father, please have a taste."
The Emperor took it and tasted it, then nodded repeatedly: "Indeed excellent, no wonder Ting'er has been praising it so highly."
Su Fuliu quickly cupped his hands and said, "Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty."
The Emperor smiled slightly, glanced at Su Fuliu, then turned to Feng Muting and said…
Chapter 106 No Need to Get Excited
"Such excellent culinary skills should not be wasted. Let him enter the palace and work in the imperial kitchen," the Emperor said, looking at Feng Muting.
Feng Muting was taken aback. Before he could think, he directly refused, saying, "He is my servant, and it is probably inconvenient for him to serve in the palace. Moreover, he is clumsy and incapable of doing anything. If he goes to the Imperial Kitchen, he will probably turn the place upside down. So, it is better to let him stay by my side and keep an eye on him at all times."
Upon hearing this, Su Fuliu couldn't help but purse his lips. Was it really appropriate for the prince to speak ill of him to others right in front of him?!
Feng Muting seemed to hear his voice and glanced at him, which startled him so much that he immediately lowered his head.
"I was just asking on a whim, there's no need for you to get so worked up," the Emperor replied.
“…Your Majesty, I am not agitated. I am just worried that he will not serve you properly. So, let him stay in the Prince Ting’s residence. After all, he is just a servant, not a cook,” Feng Muting said.
"Alright, I won't fight you for him anymore. Since you're so satisfied with him, let him continue to serve you." The Emperor said, glancing at Su Fuliu again.
Su Fuliu kept her head down, fidgeting with her fingers, completely unaware of the Emperor's gaze.
All he knew was that he was just a servant, and he had to stand obediently to the side, even if his master spoke ill of him, he had to listen.
However, he was quite afraid that the emperor would actually summon him to the palace.
The Prince's mansion is enough to keep him busy.