Chapter 241: Ah Yan Is Still Guarding Against Her
Empress Dowager Gu, not knowing what Ling liked to eat, had all sorts of dishes prepared.
Without exception, every dish was a feast for the senses.
Ling’s eyes went wide at the dazzling spread. She shyly patted her little tummy. "Grandmother, I’m not a little piggy. I can’t eat this much."
Even though she had a big appetite, she was still a small child and couldn’t possibly eat everything.
Daddy and Mommy can’t eat it all either.
Empress Dowager Gu was quite taken with Ling. She had the girl sit right beside her, hugging her little granddaughter, unwilling to let go for a moment.
"Just try a little of everything. Tell Grandmother what you like, and once I know your tastes, I’ll only prepare your favorites next time. Then we won’t need to make such a big spread."
’It was just food,’ she thought. ’As long as her little granddaughter was happy, she would have dozens, even hundreds of dishes made.’
Ling wasn’t one for extravagance or waste. Mei Wanying had taught her well.
’Mei Wanying has taught her well,’ Empress Dowager Gu mused.
Ling smiled and replied, "I’m not a picky eater. Mommy says a child who eats everything is easy to raise."
"She also says that it’s Mommy’s good fortune, and Ling’s good fortune, too."
She held up her little arm for her grandmother to pinch, a proud look on her face. "I’ve gotten so chubby. I’m really strong."
Humoring her, Empress Dowager Gu gave her arm a gentle squeeze.
But her arms and legs were so slender that after just one light squeeze, the Empress Dowager felt a pang of fear.
She was terrified she might not know her own strength and accidentally break the child’s bones!
Seeing the nervous look on Empress Dowager Gu’s face, Mei Wanying spoke up. "Ling was a premature baby, but she isn’t delicate. Ever since she learned to walk, she’s been quite a handful. A fall doesn’t faze her; she just gets right back up and starts running and jumping again."
Mei Wanying’s intention was to reassure her that Ling wasn’t so fragile and didn’t need to be handled with kid gloves.
But that’s not what Empress Dowager Gu heard.
"What are her attendants doing, letting Ling fall down?"
’Such a tiny thing, with her delicate skin and bones that haven’t even fully formed. How could a fall be anything but serious?’
If it were her own people serving Ling, she would have them severely punished for such incompetence.
Unfortunately, the attendants serving Ling were Mei Wanying’s staff.
If she were to punish them over Mei Wanying’s head, Mei Wanying would certainly be displeased.
And if Mei Wanying was displeased, Ah Yan would be upset.
Empress Dowager Gu wasn’t so foolish as to do something so thankless.
She snorted coldly. "If anything happens to Ling, their lives wouldn’t be enough to pay for it. Don’t let it happen again!"
Mei Wanying: "..."
’Somehow, I just knew this would happen,’ she thought.
Ling scratched her head and gave a sheepish smile. "I’m too mischievous, they can’t keep up with me..."
Every time she ran and jumped around, her caretakers would get so worried.
They were always reminding her to slow down.
But she didn’t want to slow down. She wanted to run and jump, climb trees, catch little birds, and chase butterflies...
Ling said with a serious expression, "It’s not their fault."
"Oh, you..." Empress Dowager Gu gently tapped Ling’s nose. "So young, yet you already take responsibility for your actions. What a good child."
Seeing how well Ling had been raised, Empress Dowager Gu’s dissatisfaction with Mei Wanying vanished completely.
’She and Ah Yan could do as they pleased,’ the Empress Dowager thought, ’as long as they didn’t neglect their duty to produce more heirs and continue the Royal Family’s line.’
Ling was already two. It was time for her to have a little brother or sister.
She then encouraged Mei Wanying to eat as well. "Some years ago, I heard Ah Yan mention that you like fresh fish. Why don’t you try this and see if it tastes the same as the kind you make at home?"
Mei Wanying shot Pei Yan a quizzical look. ’Why on earth would he tell Empress Dowager Gu such things?’
’And when did he even say it?’
Noticing her confusion, Empress Dowager Gu’s lips curved into a smile, a look of reminiscence in her eyes.
"It was back when you were still in the Capital City. The palace had received a shipment of fresh fish from Jiangnan, and he asked for some. I believe it was sent to the General Mansion."
Mei Wanying remembered that time.
’She had been determined to draw a clear line between herself and Pei Yan back then. How could she possibly have eaten the fish he sent?’
That day had been chaotic, and other things had happened as well.
Seeing her gaze drop again, Pei Yan grew tense. His hand, hidden beneath the table, gently took hold of Mei Wanying’s soft wrist.
The pad of his thumb caressed her skin, a placating gesture.
He couldn’t erase the past, but he hoped she wouldn’t bottle up her frustrations.
If she was upset, she could let it out.
Mei Wanying didn’t push him away. Instead, she squeezed his hand back.
She smiled. "In that case, I must try it properly. I’m sure anything made by the Imperial Chef will be delicious."
She wasn’t angry, nor was she downcast. Her mood was unchanged.
Pei Yan felt both happy and pained by this.
He quickly served Mei Wanying a piece of the steamed fish belly, carefully picking out the bones for her.
He watched her intently, waiting for her to take a bite.
Seeing her own son go to such lengths, Empress Dowager Gu was inwardly shocked.
She knew Ah Yan cared for Mei Wanying, but she never imagined he cared this much.
He was actually willing to humble himself to serve Mei Wanying!
’This posture is so demeaning, it’s as if he’s groveling in the dust. How can the master of the realm act like this?’
A bitter taste filled Empress Dowager Gu’s heart, and for a moment, she was at a loss for words.
Ling piped up, "Daddy, Ling and Grandmother want some too!"
The little one made her case logically. "Mommy says, you have to... have to be nice to old people and little kids!"
Mei Wanying often told her to "respect the elderly and cherish the young," but Ling couldn’t remember the exact phrase.
Fortunately, she got the meaning across.
With Empress Dowager Gu watching her, Mei Wanying was caught in a dilemma, not knowing whether to eat or not.
Ling’s words had broken the awkward silence.
Without needing a signal from Mei Wanying, Pei Yan picked up his chopsticks and served a piece of fish to his mother and his daughter.
The fish belly had no small bones, so he only needed to remove the large ones.
It was the first time her son had ever served her food. Empress Dowager Gu’s eyes welled up with tears again.
And in that moment, she understood that not making things difficult for Mei Wanying was the best path forward.
Otherwise, Ah Yan would become completely estranged from her.
If it ever came to that, there would be no turning back.
With Ling present, this was the perfect opportunity to repair their relationship.
She couldn’t let it pass.
Empress Dowager Gu discreetly took a breath, composing herself.
She instructed Ling on how to eat the fish. "Take small bites and chew carefully. If you feel any little bones, you must spit them out. It’s very dangerous if one gets stuck in your throat."
Ling nodded repeatedly, like a little chick pecking at grain.
She was an expert at eating fish.
She could even spit out the bones all by herself. Her grandmother at home always praised her for being so clever.
The little one was only two years old, but she could already use chopsticks.
She picked up the piece of fish and took a tiny bite.
She chewed intently a few times, and once she was sure there were no bones, she swallowed with confidence.
Then she took another tiny bite of the fish.
Ling had delicate table manners. She ate with concentration, never making a fuss, making her an utterly lovable sight.
Noticing her grandmother was still watching her, Ling pointed a small finger. "Grandmother, you eat too."
"Alright, Grandmother will do as Ling says."
With Empress Dowager Gu’s attention completely captured by Ling, Mei Wanying was finally able to relax.
As soon as she finished the fish, Pei Yan immediately placed something else on her plate.
He only served her favorite dishes.
The Palace Maid assigned to serve the food was rendered useless. After standing there for a while, she was dismissed by Pei Yan.
By the time the meal was over, the awkwardness between Ling and Empress Dowager Gu had vanished.
They played for another hour before Pei Yan suggested it was time to leave.
He said to Empress Dowager Gu, "Please take good care of yourself. There will be many more opportunities to see Lingling in the future. I have some matters to attend to, so I’ll escort them out of the palace now."
Empress Dowager Gu was loath to part with her granddaughter, but keeping her there was out of the question.
Never mind whether Mei Wanying would agree—Ah Yan would never allow it.
Empress Dowager Gu thought bitterly, ’Ah Yan doesn’t trust me, his own mother.’
’Ah Yan is still on guard against me.’