kvmb Chapter 81 The Princess's Invitation
Chapter 81 The Princess's Invitation
At dawn the next day, the morning light streamed into the room through the thin curtains. Gu Mochen slowly opened his eyes, his gaze unconsciously falling on Ye Qingchen, who was still sound asleep beside him. She lay quietly on her side, her long, flowing hair cascading over the pillow, the slightly curled ends gently brushing against her snow-white skin. Her long eyelashes, like two small fans, curved slightly, casting soft shadows; her rosy cheeks were like ripe peaches, delicate and tempting, making one want to reach out and touch them; and her rosy lips were like cherries, alluring and enticing, as if whispering endless sweet words even in her sleep.
Gazing silently at the picturesque beauty before him, Gu Mochen felt an indescribable surge of tenderness and affection welling up within him. Just as he was lost in this moment of bliss, he suddenly felt a strange reaction in his body. He shook his head with a wry smile, thinking to himself, "There's still almost a month until Qingchen's coming-of-age ceremony. When that time comes, I will definitely prepare an incredibly grand and unforgettable wedding for her, making her the happiest woman in the world." Thinking of this, Gu Mochen's lips curved into a slight smile, his eyes gleaming with a resolute yet gentle light. But for now, he had to endure almost a month of this, which was somewhat unbearable.
The beauty in his arms seemed to feel a burning gaze fixed on her, a gaze that seemed to penetrate her body and reach the depths of her soul. So, she slowly woke up, and in her sleepy eyes, what came into view was that gentle and handsome face—Gu Mochen.
At this moment, his cascading black hair was casually scattered on the pillow, a few strands playfully falling beside his cheeks, adding to his untamed and alluring charm. His white undershirt was slightly open, hanging loosely on his shoulders, inadvertently revealing his strong, well-defined chest, exuding an irresistible attraction, like a bewitching demon.
Ye Qingchen tilted her head slightly, her clear, autumn-water-like eyes gazing at Gu Mochen before her. Her pink lips parted slightly, and like a delicate butterfly, she lightly touched Gu Mochen's lips. This sudden kiss, like a lightning bolt streaking across the night sky, left Gu Mochen completely stunned.
In an instant, a blush, like the glow of sunset, quickly crept onto Gu Mochen's handsome face. His eyes widened, staring in disbelief at the shy and charming Ye Qingchen before him. However, it only lasted a moment before he snapped back to reality, an irresistible impulse welling up within him. Without hesitation, he reached out and pulled Ye Qingchen tightly into his embrace, passionately responding to her kiss.
Just as their feelings for each other were rapidly intensifying like a burning flame, Bai Zhi's soft yet anxious voice suddenly came from outside the door: "Your Highness, Your Highness, the Princess's people are here. Please come to the front hall immediately!" This voice was like a bucket of cold water poured over their heads, abruptly waking the two who were immersed in their deep affection.
The two quickly dressed, washed up, and combed their hair before hurrying to the front hall. Inside, an old nanny was drinking tea, served by Fuling. Seeing Gu Mochen and Ye Qingchen arrive so quickly, the old nanny smiled slightly. The princess had deliberately sent her to knock on the young couple's door early, and now they had come so promptly. The old nanny immediately rose and knelt before Gu Mochen and Ye Qingchen, saying, "This old servant, Han, greets Your Highness Prince Chen and Princess Chen." Gu Mochen and Ye Qingchen quickly returned the greeting. Gu Mochen said, "Han, please rise quickly. Qingchen, go and help Han." Ye Qingchen also hurried over to help Han up, saying, "Han, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting." Han was pleased; the two were very humble and polite. Then Ye Qingchen helped Han Mama sit down, and the two sat in the main seats of the hall. Gu Mochen said to Han Mama, "Yesterday, Father Emperor said that the Princess is the most fond of us juniors. We didn't have time to go and pay our respects, so Aunt invited you here. We were truly impolite. Please apologize to the Princess on our behalf." Ye Qingchen also said to Han Mama, "I wonder what Aunt invited you here to tell us?" Han Mama said, "The Princess has always loved flowers and plants. This year, the plum blossoms are blooming exceptionally well. Therefore, she is holding a plum blossom appreciation banquet on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month this year and has specially invited Prince Chen and Princess Chen to attend. This is the invitation."
Upon hearing this, Ye Qingchen immediately curtsied to express her gratitude to the Princess, then asked Han Mama, "Where else is Han Mama going today?" Han Mama replied, "This old servant is getting old, and the Princess has many capable servants, so they sent it over, and I came here instead." She thought Ye Qingchen would say something, but to her surprise, Ye Qingchen said, "In that case, stay and try Qingchen's cooking. My husband and I live in the mountains, and we always like to cook for ourselves in the mornings. I know you've already had breakfast, so please try something new." Then she went out to cook. Generally speaking, Han Mama wouldn't dare to ask her mistress to cook easily, but the Princess had said she needed to carefully observe the couple's character, so today she simply continued to wait. Meanwhile, Prince Chen was chatting with Han Mama about everyday matters. He hadn't been in the capital for many years, so he mostly listened to what Han Mama was saying.
About half an hour later, Ye Qingchen arrived at the front hall with six people: Fuling, Baizhi, Baoqin, Siqi, Shishu, and Ruhua. Each of them carried one or two dishes. Ye Qingchen smiled and said, "Granny, these are our southern breakfasts. The first dish is shrimp soup dumplings, the second is pork shumai, the third is Yuncheng xiaolongbao, the fourth is osmanthus cake, the fifth is rouyan (meat swallow), the sixth is plain noodles, the seventh is egg custard, and the eighth is milk pastry. Please try some." As she spoke, she sat down next to Granny Han and served her two rouyan in her small bowl.
Then she served Gu Mochen some plain noodles and herself a few meat dumplings. Looking at the delicious food before her, Han Mama was indeed much more impressed with Ye Qingchen. She was far more capable than the average young lady from the capital. She said, "Then this old servant will presume to presume." She then began to eat. Each dish had serving chopsticks and spoons, showing great attention to detail. It seemed Ye Qingchen's mother had a refined upbringing; even in the mountains, she hadn't forgotten to teach her daughter manners. Tasting the meat dumplings, she noticed the delicate skin and fragrant filling, making them incredibly delicious. She then used the serving chopsticks to pick up a shrimp soup dumpling, gently breaking the skin to release the rich aroma of broth. The broth, flowing onto the spoon, tasted exquisitely delicious. Han Mama thought to herself, "Prince Chen is truly blessed!"