kvmb Chapter 244 Returning Home for a Joyful Reunion
Chapter 244 Returning Home for a Joyful Reunion
The Emperor snapped out of his reverie, a smile quickly spreading across his face. He said to Gu Mochen, "I was a little distracted just now, haha. Speaking of which, Qingchen is probably more than four months pregnant now, isn't she? You two should have returned immediately when you learned of her pregnancy. Why did you have to go on such a long detour to the far north? It made your aunt and I worry every day, fearing that something might happen to you on the way. Fortunately, everything is fine this time, but if something had really happened, how could I face you... um... how could I face your mother, Consort Lan! And how could I explain it to your aunt!"
Upon hearing this, Gu Mochen felt a pang of guilt. Qingchen had indeed suffered greatly on this trip, all due to his own lack of foresight. Thinking of this, he secretly resolved never again to take his beloved wife on such arduous journeys. After all, as a man, he should shoulder more responsibility; how could he rely on his wife's support at every turn? Therefore, he quickly bowed and said, "Your subject knows he has erred, and begs Your Majesty's punishment. Fortunately, with Qingchen's assistance, your subject successfully completed his mission. Moreover, your subject has been carefully tending to the health of Qingchen and the unborn child, daring not to slacken in the slightest. Your subject's years of medical training have finally paid off."
The Emperor narrowed his eyes slightly, his lips curled downwards, and he deliberately let out a cold snort before slowly speaking, "Hmph! I've finally seen that you still have a tiny bit of use. Now that you've returned safely, don't rush out again. Wait patiently for Qingchen to give birth to the imperial heir. Once the child is a little older, then you can go out and gain experience. I believe I'm still young and strong enough to support you younger generation until you've all achieved something." "You should leave now! If you linger here, that little girl Qingchen will be worried sick and unable to rest properly. I truly feel sorry for her! Oh, by the way, remember to bring this item to her on your return journey. I've heard it's the fat of snow frog, an excellent tonic for pregnant women. This was a tribute from the people of the Northern Frontier last time; I didn't give it to anyone else." With that, the Emperor gave a wicked smile and left happily. Gu Mochen, left alone and bewildered before the dragon throne, felt that his father had indeed become younger—not only physically, but also mentally.
As he stepped out of the palace gates, he saw the pure white snow falling like goose feathers, transforming the entire capital into a silver-clad world. Nearby, beside the carriage, Sanqi, Nantian, and Yuzhu had been waiting quietly for some time. They were covered in snowflakes, seemingly blending into the snowy landscape.
Afterwards, the group boarded the carriage and slowly traveled along the snow-covered roads of the capital. Although night had fallen and snow was falling heavily, the bustling atmosphere of the capital remained undiminished. Shops of all kinds lined both sides of the streets were still brightly lit, offering a full range of food, drink, and entertainment. Adults strolled through the streets and alleys in small groups, enthusiastically visiting one shop after another; others sat leisurely in teahouses and restaurants, enjoying delicious food and chatting loudly, thoroughly enjoying themselves.
Meanwhile, the children were overjoyed. They frolicked in the snow, some busy building snowmen of various shapes, others holding firecrackers, excitedly lighting the fuses with incense sticks and watching the sparks bloom into colorful lights in the air, and still others squatting on the ground, drawing whimsical pictures on the white snow with their fingers. Laughter and cheerful voices rose and fell, echoing in the cold night air.
Looking at the bustling and lively scene before him, Gu Mochen couldn't help but sigh, "This capital city is truly a place where day and night are indistinguishable, and where revelry lasts every night!" Here, people seem to forget the passage of time, immersed in endless joy and noise.
The distance between the Prince's Mansion and the Imperial Palace was not far, and before long, Gu Mochen returned to the Prince's Mansion smoothly. At this moment, Aunt Dong, Dong Nanxi, and Liu Yufeng had been waiting respectfully for a long time, eagerly anticipating Gu Mochen's return so that everyone could have dinner together.
This palace was originally built specifically for these foodies with an unwavering passion for fine dining, featuring a grand hall. Despite the numerous thick pillars standing within, this did not hinder the arrangement of tables and chairs or the hosting of lavish banquets. To ensure everyone could easily reach the abundant delicacies on the table, the thoughtful Ye Qingchen deliberately abandoned the traditional eight-immortal table in his home, opting instead for large round tables, cleverly designing and crafting an exquisite rotating tray above them. While this tray couldn't rotate automatically like modern technology, it allowed for convenient access to all kinds of dishes through manual operation.
In fact, besides this unique hall, Ye Qingchen also instructed his family to build several spacious and large stoves in the adjacent rooms. This way, everyone could sit around the warm stoves and enjoy fragrant local specialties such as stewed fish. Both the lively atmosphere and the ingenious interior design were truly eye-catching and incredibly clever.
On a snowy day like today, nothing beats hot pot with mutton. When designing the place, Ye Qingchen had worried about the inconvenience of going around in the snow, so he connected all the rooms with heated galleries. Before the snowfall, the servants had already put up bamboo curtains, so the roads weren't slippery. Ye Qingchen arrived early. Because it was a charcoal fire, he had to open some windows while eating to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. However, thanks to the many stoves, the room wasn't cold at all; on the contrary, it was warm and cozy!
Today's dishes were exceptionally lavish, firstly to celebrate Gu Mochen and Ye Qingchen's long journey home, secondly to celebrate the arrival of their child, and thirdly to celebrate Dong Nanxi's achievement of becoming the top scholar in the imperial examination. Everyone thought Dong Nanxi had been remarkably low-key since achieving this honor, only inviting his mentors to the Dong residence for a gathering. Only he knew that he was waiting for Gu Mochen and Ye Qingchen to return, wanting to save this joy for their return. Today, Gu Mochen and Ye Qingchen, along with Grandpa Lu, Grand Tutor Wu, all the returning soldiers, his mentors, and Dong Nanxi's family, were all gathered here for a joyous occasion. Therefore, all the dishes were prepared by Dong Nanxi's aunt and Aunt Gu. Besides beef and mutton rolls and hand-cut beef and mutton, there were also fish slices, chicken slices, handmade fish balls, shrimp balls, pork balls, beef balls, mutton balls, dried sausages, and many other dishes. The leafy greens were all grown in the greenhouses of the Prince's residence, and many had been picked today for this banquet!