Chapter 226

Li Qingluo wrote a letter after receiving her grandmother's orders that day and had the mute servants send it to Prince Su's mansion.

So, after receiving definite news that Prince Su would come, Li Qingluo personally went to the kitchen early that morning.

She had Cui Er and the granny who usually bought groceries for her grandmother personally go buy the vegetables.

Naturally, she also prepared to personally cook and show off her skills, for she had long noticed that Prince Su seemed to like her cooking.

Although she didn't think her cooking could compare to that of the palace and prince's mansion chefs, perhaps Prince Su had grown tired of rare delicacies and occasionally liked some plain tea and simple food for a change.

Li Qingluo specifically asked the granny in her grandmother's small kitchen for the recipe of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, and began simmering the soup early in the morning.

Besides her own specialty dishes, she also asked the mute servants in the mansion for some dishes of the Great Chu.

By evening, a table full of various delicious dishes was set out.

Although it was early spring, Jinling City was still cold, so charcoal fires burned indoors, keeping the whole room warm and preventing the dishes from cooling too quickly.

But as time grew late, and it seemed the table of dishes would have to be taken away and reheated, Prince Su finally hurried over.

"Prince Su has arrived——"

Pei Lao Furen immediately rose to her feet with Li Qingluo's support.

"Subject Pei——"

"Subject Li Qingluo——"

"I pay my respects to Prince Su, may Your Highness live ten thousand years, ten thousand years, myriad myriad years——"

Pei Lao Furen was about to kneel together with Li Qingluo, but Duan Rongshi strode forward and lifted her arm in one motion: "Old General Pei, please rise quickly."

"You, old one, guarded the borders of DaLiang, defended home and country, fought on the battlefield, sacrificed greatly; you are a pillar of talent for our state, and indeed the sole female general of DaLiang since its founding."

"I have long admired and respected you; how could I accept such a great salute? From now on, when you see me, you must never perform such a great salute again."

Li Qingluo and Pei Lao Furen simultaneously: "……"

Pei Lao Furen: "Hehe, back when we were at the Qingguan Temple, I bowed to you and you weren't so polite; why are you now speaking of admiration and respect?"

Pei Lao Furen couldn't help but glance at her well-behaved granddaughter beside her.

Li Qingluo: "Prince Su is acting a bit odd today."

Duan Rongshi seemed utterly unaware of the pair's speechlessness before him, shamelessly walking toward the seat of honor.

After he sat down, Li Qingluo then helped Pei Lao Furen sit.

Facing the table of delicious dishes, Duan Rongshi asked: "I heard that all today's dishes were personally cooked by Miss Li?"

Pei Lao Furen wore a faint smile: "Yes, Your Highness... this old subject's granddaughter has no particular talent; she only has this one skill in cooking, which she puts some effort into."

Only then did Duan Rongshi lift his eyes and properly look at Li Qingluo.

He gave a slight nod: "I once had the fortune to eat the sweet potato feast personally prepared by Miss Li, which truly opened my eyes."

"This time, too, Miss Li has gone to trouble. Since that's the case, I shall have a taste."

Pei Lao Furen extended her hand: "Your Highness, please don't stand on ceremony."

Li Qingluo: "Prince Su is definitely not right today!!"

"He clearly started personally ordering dishes for her, yet he pretends this is only the second time he's eating!?"

However, before Prince Su began eating, the mute servants who had been preparing to test the food for poison stepped forward, but he stretched out his hand to block them.

"No need, you may all withdraw."

He even refused all service in laying out the dishes today, clearly showing complete trust in Li Qingluo and her grandmother, which also surprised Pei Lao Furen.

This Prince Su is, according to rumor, the most aloof and hardest-to-get-along-with of the imperial princes!

After all, he acts ruthlessly and mercilessly, never leaving room for sentiment, so he has offended countless people; those seeking revenge against him, and even those in all of DaLiang who wish to kill him, are probably as numerous as cow hairs.

Therefore, it is said that everything he puts in his mouth must first be tested for poison—or tasted—by his close attendants before it can be served to him.

How is it that what we see with our own eyes today is so completely contrary to the rumors?

Not only that, but he seems rather affably abnormal……

Does he truly trust Luoluo that much?

Pei Lao Furen couldn't help but glance again at her well-behaved granddaughter.

Li Qingluo also stared at Prince Su with a strange gaze, watching him eat several bites before setting down his chopsticks, and then said: "Indeed, it was made with care; I have received your intention, Your Highness."

Pei Lao Furen: "Hehe, as long as it suits Your Highness's taste, that's good."

Seeing this, Li Qingluo quickly lifted her wine cup and said: "People... I, the subject, have made a fool of myself today."

"Here, I, the subject, first offer Your Highness a cup. Thank you for that day when you extended a hand to save my grandmother's life and took in us grandmother and granddaughter to this day; I cannot repay your kindness, but I will surely repay such great favor in the future!"

Having said that, Li Qingluo was about to drain the cup in one go, but Pei Lao Furen grabbed her urgently.

"Heh, you don't even know your own alcohol tolerance these days?"

Pei Lao Furen turned her head and whispered, "No drinking!"

Li Qingluo blinked her eyes: "Grandma, one cup shouldn't be a problem……"

"At worst I'll just sleep it off; anyway we're in the Osmanthus Garden, so it won't matter."

But Pei Lao Furen furrowed her brows tightly: "I said no, and it's no! Grandmother, come."

Having said that, Pei Lao Furen also raised her wine cup.

Li Qingluo hurried to stop her: "Grandmother, the residual poison in your body hasn't been completely cleared yet……"

Pei Lao Furen: "Grandmother consulted Doctor Luo Shen; he said drinking alcohol and that little bit of poison in my body won't clash!"

However, Li Qingluo still refused to relax.

As the grandmother and granddaughter were pushing back and forth, Duan Rongshi opposite them suddenly clenched his fist and gave a light cough: "You two need not stand on ceremony. Actually, I'm not feeling too well today either; how about we all abstain from alcohol and drink tea instead?"

"So approachable?"

"So understanding and reasonable?"

"So kind and amiable?"

So kind, understanding, considerate!!?

Is this still the rumored Yánluó Shāshén, the cold-hearted and ruthless Prince Su!!?

Li Qingluo felt more and more that she might still be dreaming and not yet awake.

Pei Lao Furen narrowed her eyes and gave a very satisfied 'hehe' laugh.

"Then since Your Highness has spoken thus, this old subject would rather obey than merely show respect?"

After three rounds of tea, the three of them began eating their meal with ease.

Pei Lao Furen then said: "I have heard that, since returning to Jinling, my Luò'er has repeatedly caused trouble for Your Highness, and has also been repeatedly rescued by Your Highness; I am deeply grateful for Your Highness's great kindness, and I also feel honored that Luò'er has gained a measure of Your Highness's favor."

"But Luò'er says that she and Your Highness are friends of gentlemen."

"This old subject feels ashamed; Luò'er is merely a young lady who has never seen the world, always secluded in the inner chambers—how could she be considered a friend of gentlemen with Your Highness?"

"Your Highness is a person who does great deeds. Luò'er only brings trouble to Your Highness, just like this time—if it weren't for this old subject's inadequacy, Luò'er would not have brought this old subject to disturb Your Highness's residence."

"These past few days, this old subject has also been recuperating here at Your Highness's place and has improved greatly; moreover, Doctor Luo, who has been attending to this old subject's health, has also returned. Therefore, starting tomorrow, this old subject and grandchild will no longer disturb Your Highness's tranquility for two days, and plan to return to our own home."

"Therefore, today is not only to thank Your Highness for your kindness, but we two also wish to take our leave of Your Highness."

Saying this, Pei Lao Furen rose again, lifted her teacup, and prepared to toast Prince Su.

Duan Rongshi this time did not immediately respond amicably; instead, he silently sipped the remaining tea in his cup first.

Li Qingluo saw her grandmother still standing with her hand raised, and felt a pang in her heart.

She also immediately picked up her teacup and rose: "Your Highness Prince Su, this subject's daughter and grandmother will not forget this favor of yours. Should Your Highness have any use for us grandmother and granddaughter in the future, please feel free to command us."

Li Qingluo had thus also lifted herself up.

Pei Lao Furen couldn't help but glare at her angrily.

Those words Pei Lao Furen just spoke were meant to distance Li Qingluo, so that Prince Su would come less often to involve himself with her; yet she instead insists on throwing herself back in, doesn't she?

Pei Lao Furen couldn't help but feel somewhat annoyed.

But unexpectedly, Prince Su suddenly asked in a nonchalant tone: "You all, do you still intend to return to the Jiangjun Fu?"

Pei Lao Furen: "Of course not."

"This old subject intends to take Luò'er to my own residence; from now on, we grandmother and granddaughter will never return to the Jiangjun Fu on Dongyin Lane!"

Surely Prince Su also knows many of the Jiangjun Fu's secrets, especially this time when I was poisoned and, in the middle of the night, Luò'er brought me sneaking out of the Jiangjun Fu—would he take us in without knowing the details?

Even if he trusted Luò'er, he would probably still investigate to be clear.

Even so, Pei Lao Furen had nothing to hide.

Although it was embarrassing, fortunately she is old and her skin has always been thick, so she doesn't really care how Prince Su views the Jiangjun Fu.

That home… is utterly ruined.

Upon hearing this, Prince Su suddenly rose slowly, as if the icy aura he had just displayed were merely an illusion of Li Qingluo and her grandmother.

Li Qingluo blinked, looking at the slight upturn of Prince Su's mouth: "Then Your Highness, I wish General Pei and Miss Li all peace and smoothness henceforth."

After Pei Lao Furen and Li Qingluo personally saw Prince Su off, she turned around and tapped Li Qingluo on the head.

"Do you want to anger grandmother to death?"

Li Qingluo: "Grandmother?"

She didn't know what she had done wrong.

Pei Lao Furen looked at her clueless expression and rolled her eyes in anger.

Tonight she finally realized: perhaps her Luò'er is open and aboveboard, but Prince Su's attitude toward her Luò'er is not necessarily so!!

When had Prince Su ever been so courteous to me before?

That is, today, his attitude is completely different from before, like two different people!

Before, occasionally meeting at the QingSong Guan, Prince Su did seem to respect this former old general of mine, but after all he is a prince, imperial authority above, so it is only proper for Pei Lao Furen to bow and scrape before him.

But tonight I actually became an honored guest of Prince Su, being treated with such respect and courtesy that even Pei Lao Furen felt somewhat overwhelmed by the favor.

He truly is a Prince Su who can take up and let go.

Pei Lao Furen couldn't help but let out a cold snort in her heart.

Her Luò'er, though she has endured much hardship since childhood, and when she first returned to Jinling was even a little dark and shriveled bitter melon, but now she has been nurtured by me to be watery and supple, fair and tender, and has grown up so graceful and elegant, beautiful like a fairy, steady and dignified……

Pei Lao Furen felt a wave of heartache.

Yes, this Prince Su is indeed of nobler birth than Zhuang Sanlang of the Zhongyi Hou Fu, and compared to that shorty from the Qu family, he is heavenly while the other is earthly; in this world, I could never possibly find a better match for Luò'er in terms of background and appearance……

But that is Prince Su!

A prince with an extremely complicated background.

A prince whose thoughts are strange and multifaceted, whose methods are cruel and vicious, whose conduct makes everyone tremble at the mere mention—certainly not a good person.

Pei Lao Furen does not want Luò'er to enter such a complicated vortex in the future……

"Grandmother, grandmother? What's wrong with you?"