flstandardbreds Chapter 164 Personally Prepared Medicinal Cuisine
Chapter 164 Personally Prepared Medicinal Cuisine
After returning to her courtyard, Mu Xin Nuan thought of the lark. She watched it hopping back and forth in its cage and asked someone to find it a book. Since it was a gift from Chu Rong, she should take good care of it and make sure it didn't die.
Mu Xin Nuan has been going to Ping An Hall every year for the past few years. Although she hasn't seen the silver-masked boy since three years ago, she occasionally thinks of him.
Looking at the 50,000 taels silver note in her little box, Mu Xin Nuan unconsciously thought of the silver-masked boy again. It had been three years, and he had never appeared once in those three years. Even if she stayed up late at night, she never noticed his presence.
However, a thought flashed in Mu Xin Nuan's eyes. In the past three years, Chu Rong had been coming much more frequently. She wondered if that silver-masked youth might actually be Chu Rong.
Mu Xin Nuan had thought about this question more than once, but each time, she couldn't find the answer herself.
Chu Rong has become increasingly successful in recent years. Last year, he participated in the martial arts examination in the capital and won second place. Although he was not the top scholar, he was the youngest participant in the martial arts examination. The emperor praised him highly for this and even appointed him as a captain, serving in the Xishan military camp outside the capital.
"Miss, your cousin has sent an invitation to your residence to enjoy the flowers."
"I understand," Mu Xin Nuan replied calmly.
Three years can change many things. Because of the Empress Dowager's passing, no happy events are allowed in the capital for three years. All the people of Dayong must observe three years of mourning for the Empress Dowager and are not allowed to have any weddings or celebrations.
This is why not only was the marriage of the eldest grandson of the emperor, Duanmu Chen, delayed for three years, but Li Wanyue's marriage has also been delayed until now.
However, Li Wanyue was fortunate that she didn't have to enter the palace. Her grandfather had arranged a marriage for her with Xu Kaixuan, the heir of the Marquis of Anyang.
Once the matter was settled, the two families quickly exchanged marriage invitations. Although they could not get married, it would not affect the marriage prospects of their subjects. Otherwise, if they waited until the three-year period was over, wouldn't the world be in chaos?
Mu Xin Nuan had some impression of the Marquis of Anyang's residence. They didn't seem to be part of the Crown Prince's faction, nor were they part of the Prince of Ming's faction. However, she didn't know which master they were loyal to. All she knew was that the Marquis of Anyang's residence never fell.
Thus, Mu Xin Nuan was relieved that Li Wan Yue had secured this marriage. However, in her memory, the woman who became the wife of the Marquis of Anyang's heir in her previous life should have been from the Luo family. But now that the Luo family's reputation was damaged, she feared that no one would be willing to marry a girl from the Luo family.
Although Luo Yingying entered the Ming Prince's mansion and successfully gave birth to a son for the Ming Prince, becoming a fourth-rank Zhaoyi, people still could not forget the shameful things she did in Princess Zhaoyang's mansion.
That is why, even though Luo Yingying had a son to rely on and the Prince of Ming treated her fairly well, she still dared not leave the manor easily, for fear of facing the gossip outside! Moreover, she was indeed sharing a husband with her aunt!
Consort Luo was always quite good to her. Although she didn't show her any special care, she at least protected her from a lot of trouble. Otherwise, how could she have given birth to a son safely?
Consort Luo had suffered two miscarriages in the past due to the competition for the emperor's favor. One of the miscarriages was caused by her framing of Princess Ming in order to secure the emperor's favor. Because of this incident, her status in the mansion was obviously higher than that of ordinary consorts. Even Princess Ming had to reduce the formalities when she met her.
As a result, Prince Ming favored Consort Luo, perhaps to make up for it, or perhaps because he truly loved her. In any case, Consort Luo held a high position in Prince Ming's mansion. Her only regret was that she had no children.
Mu Xin Nuan shook her head. No matter what, she had managed to keep her older cousin away from the royal family, which meant she was away from the struggle for power. At least, in the future, even if she was powerless to change the outcome of the Ming Prince's ascension to the throne, at least her older cousin and the Zhenguo General's Mansion would have the Anyang Marquis's Mansion as their support, so they wouldn't end up with their families destroyed.
After comforting herself, Mu Xin Nuan tidied up and went to the kitchen herself.
"Does the young lady intend to cook herself?" Granny Yu asked.
“Grandfather’s health is not good, and there are some restrictions. Not all tonics are suitable for him. I don’t trust other people’s medicinal meals either, so it’s safer to make them myself.”
“Miss, this is too much work for you. Why don’t you write down the recipe for this medicinal diet, specifying what ingredients to put in how much, and then hand it over to your subordinates to make? Wouldn’t that be better?” Granny Yu advised.
“I know that Granny is worried about me, but Grandfather is getting old, and Mother has to take care of my younger brother. As for my second sister, how could she have such thoughts right now? If I don’t care about Grandfather, wouldn’t that make him feel cold?”
As they talked, they arrived at the kitchen.
"Rongyue, have you prepared all the medicinal herbs I asked you to?"
"Miss, everything is prepared and cleaned as you instructed."
Mu Xin Nuan nodded, rolled up her sleeves, and busied herself in the kitchen.
When Mu Chang'an returned from the yamen, he went straight to Rongyuan Hospital. The doctor advised that it was best not to move the old master, so he rested there.
As soon as Mu Chang'an entered the room, he saw the old lady and Mu Xinyao waiting in the outer room. When they saw him return, they gestured for him to be quiet so as not to disturb the old master's rest.
"Tingting is keeping an eye on things inside, so don't worry. But Ah Nuan hasn't come here at all since she left. I wonder what she's been up to?"
Mu Chang'an frowned slightly. At this hour, the madam should be busy with dinner preparations, so it's normal that she's not here. But why aren't the other children here either?
Seeing her father frown, Mu Xinyao quickly said, "Grandmother, don't worry. Isn't Grandfather resting right now? Too many people might not be a good thing. Besides, Sister has a lot of schoolwork to do. Perhaps we're here to teach her at Yuexuan first."
"Hmph! Even if Ah Nuan has schoolwork to do, why doesn't Ah Xuan come to check on her? Ah Xuan and Ah Yuan should be off school by now, right?"
Mu Xinyao thought that her younger brother hadn't come either, and said with a smile, "A Yuan is always very attached to his older sister. Every time he finishes his studies, he has to go to Yuexuan. I suppose he's gone to Yuexuan now."
"Who said I was at Yuexuan?"
As soon as Mu Xinyao finished speaking, Mu Qingyuan lifted the curtain and came in. His face was still covered with a layer of frost, which made Mu Xinyao feel a little guilty.
After greeting the group, Mu Qingyuan said, "Father, my eldest sister is in the kitchen preparing medicinal food for grandfather. My brother is helping to look after him. My eldest sister was worried that grandfather's appetite was not good, so she simmered two kinds of soup and specially sent me over to ask whether grandfather would like to drink pork rib, bitter melon and soybean soup or mung bean and old duck soup?"