Chapter 486: Time To Slip Away
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Xiao Jin lowered his eyes and looked at Su Ying with a faint trace of anticipation in his eyes.
Su Ying froze. She had forgotten about getting one for him.
When he met her stunned gaze, the light in Xiao Jin’s dark eyes gradually dimmed.
“Forgotten?”
Su Ying licked her lips guiltily. “Why didn’t you tell me when we went to buy gifts?”
“How can what you want to buy for me be the same as what I tell you to buy for me?”
What was the difference?
As she looked at Xiao Jin’s gradually dejected appearance, Su Ying chose to avert her eyes!
It was time to slip away.
After the Empress returned and the Emperor woke up, the restless demons and monsters in the capital city seemed to be suppressed in an instant and did not dare to make any more moves for the time being.
Lunch was served in Xiao Jin’s sleeping chamber. Previously, Su Ying had insisted the staff adhered to the principle of diligence and thrift. The number of dishes was not important as long as the quantity was sufficient. However, today, not only was the number of dishes served plentiful, but the portions were also incredibly big.
Su Ying looked at the roasted whole lamb in the middle of the table and was almost mesmerized by the aroma.
“Old Hea got up early in the morning to marinate this roasted lamb for Your Imperial Highness. After the marinating sauce had been absorbed, he placed it on the rack to smoke and roast. He only finished roasting this lamb when it was time to serve the dishes. It tastes the best now.” Aunt Zhao took a knife and cut a large piece of lamb leg meat for Su Ying. The outer skin of the lamb was still sizzling with steam, and the oil could still be seen bubbling on it.
Su Ying blew on it twice and couldn’t resist taking a bite. It was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. It was simply delicious!
“This is mutton offal soup. He knew that Your Imperial Highness liked this, so he boiled a big pot for you.” As Aunt Zhao talked non-stop, her hands kept putting food into Su Ying’s bowl as if she was worried that Su Ying would eat too little.
Su Ying ripped off some mutton and placed them into the bowls of Xiao Jin and the two little ones. Her greasy hands then held Aunt Zhao back.
“Aunt Zhao, you don’t have to wait on me here. Go and eat.”
“This table is too big. I’m worried that Your Imperial Highness will not be able to reach the food.” She just wanted to stay and do more things for Su Ying. Even if she only stood there and looked at Su Ying, she would feel better inwardly.
“If you want to stay, then sit down and eat with us.”
Aunt Zhao’s actions froze. That was an absolute no-no.
Aunt Zhao sighed and could only say, “Your Imperial Highness, please take your time to eat. If you want to eat anything at night, just tell me. I will go and tell Old Hea.”
“Mm-hmm. Go and eat now. Eat more. I’ll give all of you a month to fatten yourselves up.”
“Sure, sure, sure. Your servant will go now.”
Only the family of four was left in the inner hall.
Before there was news of Su Ying, the two little ones would come over every day to eat their meals with Xiao Jin except for breakfast.
However, during every meal time, it was extremely silent at the dining table. Whether it was Xiao Jin or the two children, they only ate a few mouthfuls before putting down their chopsticks.
However, today was different. They had never realized that chattering noisily while eating was such a joyous thing.
“All of you don’t have to go to class today. In a while, Mother will bring you to the lotus pond to fish. Uncle Hea said that the grass carp that eats lotus flowers tastes particularly sweet, but they have a lot of bones.”
“I want to go fishing with Mother.”
“I want to go too.”
“Eat more. Look at your little faces. There’s no flesh on them. Eat this. This beef meatbail is also delicious.”
Su Ying was really a little busy during this meal. She was busy taking care of the two children and an adult. It was as if they didn’t know how to pick up food. They were all looking at her eagerly and waiting for her to get food for them. These people were really too much. Forget it, forget it. They were her children and her man, so she would just pamper them.
The four of them ate until their stomachs were bulging. After they were full, they collapsed on their chairs and did not want to move anymore.
Su Ying felt a little sleepy after eating her fill, but Xiao Jin pulled her up to stop her from sleeping. It was easy for her to have indigestion if she slept.
“Don’t sleep. Drink some tea, and go to the courtyard for a walk later.”
Su Ying didn’t really have any problems with poor digestion. Her blood vitality was vigorous, and her body’s metabolism was much faster than the average person’s, so the food she ate was also digested very quickly.
“Mother, I am also sleepy.” Ling rubbed her eyes and yawned daintily as she sprawled across Su Ying’s lap and stared at her mother in a daze.
Ji didn’t want to be outdone. He climbed onto the chair and hugged Su Ying’s waist, resting his tiny head on Su Ying’s shoulder. “Mother, give me a hug.”
Xiao Jin silently put down the teacup in his hand as he looked at the two children who wished they could grow on Su Ying’s body. He kept repeating to himself that they were his biological children and that they would not be able to compete with him at night…
Su Ying wasn’t afraid of indigestion, but she was worried about her children getting indigestion. Thus, she told Aunt Zhao to make some soup for them to help with their digestion. After that, she brought them to play in the courtyard for a while before letting them take an afternoon nap.
Aunt Zhao said that the two little fellows knew that Su Ying would be back today, so they didn’t sleep almost the entire night. They had been waiting for the sun to rise with open eyes. Now that they had finally gotten her back, they weren’t willing to leave her side at all. So, in the afternoon, Su Ying had to carry them to bed.
Xiao Jin wanted to follow them into the inner hall too but was stopped by Zhang Shuming. “Your Majesty, Duke Jingguo has entered the palace. He said that he was worried about Your Majesty’s dragon body and wanted to enter the palace to pay you a visit.”
Xiao Jin paused in his tracks. Duke Jingguo had indeed shouldered a lot during his two trips out of the palace. When he thought of that old man’s hoary white hair, he eventually went to the Imperial study.
When he saw that Xiao Jin was safe and sound, Duke Jingguo really wanted to cry. Was it easy for an old man like him who already had one foot in the grave? Back then, when the late emperor did not trust him, he should have just dusted off his hands and returned to his hometown to enjoy his retirement life. What kind of sin had he committed to suffer like this now?
“It is our Chu State’s fortune that Your Majesty’s dragon body is safe and sound.”
“Thank you for your hard work during this period of time.”
Duke Jingguo silently wiped away his tears of hardship. “It’s my duty to serve the kingdom. However, I’ve been feeling unwell recently and would like to rest for a few days. I hope Your Majesty will grant my wish.”
Xiao Jin saw that the wrinkles on Duke Jingguo’s face were deeper than before, so he did not make things difficult for him. “My beloved minister, the Empress cured your previous injuries. Now that the Empress has returned, let her take a look at you later.”
Indeed, Duke Jingguo also wanted to meet Su Ying. He had lived for several decades, yet he had never met a woman as legendary as Su Ying.
“Thank you very much, Your Majesty.”
Before going back to rest, Duke Jingguo explained in detail to Xiao Jin what had happened during Xiao Jin’s absence.
Back in the sleeping chamber, Su Ying wasn’t really sleepy, so she got up after the two children had fallen asleep.
When she walked out of the door, she saw Aunt Zhao leaning against the door frame and almost falling asleep. When Aunt Zhao heard some noises, she woke up immediately.
Su Ying looked at the wrinkles at the corners of Aunt Zhao’s eyes and sighed inwardly. She pulled the old woman by the hand to go into the hall.
“How long has it been since you slept well, Aunt Zhao? You don’t look very well. Sit down first and I’ll take your pulse.”
Aunt Zhao gestured with her hand and said, “Your Imperial Highness, why are you going through all this? I’m fine. I just didn’t sleep well last night.”
However, Su Ying didn’t give her a chance to object and insisted on giving her a check. Aunt Zhao had no choice but to sit down.
To her surprise, the moment Su Ying checked, her brows knitted together at
once..
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