The guards, Li Yang and others, were thoroughly entertained by their prince being lectured by the princess.
However, before they could wipe away their suppressed smiles, Feng Xi Wu caught them red-handed.
"You're all so happy, why don't you go to the dark hall to celebrate?"
Their smiles vanished instantly.
"My Lord, no!"
Li Yang wanted to cry. He had barely managed to redeem himself and emerge from the dark hall a few days ago. He didn't want to go back!
Feng Xi Wu remained silent, but the threat was evident.
The guards were disheartened. Ying Yi secretly cast a pleading look towards Lu Qing Wan, but she ignored them and started chatting with Feng Xi Wu.
"Her Royal Highness, the Grand Consort, sent someone today. It seems she's unhappy because we didn't go to pay our respects. This is your fault, you can't blame me for this!"
Just yesterday, she had been rejoicing that she wouldn't have to experience internal conflicts and had even foolishly hoped for some drama to spice things up.
Today, she was proven wrong. Lu Qing Wan felt her face sting and decided Feng Xi Wu should share her headache.
Unexpectedly, Feng Xi Wu seemed unbothered, stating with great nonchalance, "Don't mind her. After the return visit, I'll take you to Prajna Temple to burn incense."
This dismissive and somewhat perfunctory attitude convinced Lu Qing Wan that Feng Xi Wu and this Grand Consort Wen had a purely superficial mother-son relationship.
The royal family held many secrets, but she didn't pry, agreeing obediently, "Oh."
Her little nose wrinkled, and she exclaimed in surprise, "My iron pot stewed goose! Don't add more firewood, it's almost burnt!"
The small iron door of the stove was closed, and the lid of the pot was lifted, filling the courtyard with aroma.
"So fragrant!"
The little bun excitedly hopped towards Yu Qing, practically wanting to jump into the pot from desire.
Smiling, she picked him up, "Don't rush, we can eat soon. Yue'er, you can serve it now."
She wished they could all gather around a large pot to eat, but the stove was something she had rigged up temporarily, and conditions were not ideal.
Turning, she handed the little bun to Feng Xi Wu, patting his head, "Sit obediently, Mother Consort will make other dishes."
She then entered the small kitchen.
This was the first time the little bun had sat on his father's lap since he could remember, and he was completely at a loss.
His eyes, like grapes, blinked uncertainly, and he weakly called out, "Father King~"
He always felt that his father seemed to dislike him. Was it his imagination?
Feng Xi Wu said sourly, "She dotes on you."
"Right?"
The little bun smiled foolishly, "Yuan'er also thinks Mother Consort loves Yuan'er the most!"
Li Jin, standing nearby, burst into laughter. The little prince was truly heartless. Couldn't he see the King's face was darkening?
"You all started feasting behind my back just a few days after I left?"
The usually cold and proper young gentleman stood there in white, exuding an aura of a celestial being.
Unfortunately, the moment he spoke, his celestial persona crumbled.
"Master, quickly, Mother Consort made this for us, it's delicious!"
The little bun slid off Feng Xi Wu's lap and, like a little cannonball, rushed towards the young man, precisely hugging his leg.
The young man steadily caught him and looked at Feng Xi Wu in surprise. If he wasn't mistaken, this little fellow had just bounced off that demon Feng Xi Wu's lap, hadn't he?
He reached out to touch the little bun's head, but the latter dodged him seriously, "Master, you yourself said, a man's head, a woman's waist, can only be looked at, not touched."
The young man raised his hand, "Alright, Master's mistake, I won't touch."
Li Yang chimed in from the side, "Little Prince, the Princess touched your head just now, and you didn't say that. This subordinate saw that you seemed to be enjoying it!"
The young man looked down at the little fellow with a half-smile. The latter, slippery as an eel, tried to run away. Did he have to be grabbed by the collar and pulled back?
He looked down with a half-smile, "A man's head, a woman's waist, can be looked at but not touched?"
The little bun wasn't afraid of him, smiling and twisting like a caterpillar, "Then Mother Consort also makes delicious food for Yuan'er. If Master can do that, then touching my head isn't impossible."
"Mother Consort?"
The young man's gaze was filled with surprise as he looked at everyone, asking what was happening.
Others might not know, but she knew this brat very well. Despite his small size, he was full of schemes.
Feng Xi Wu had been itching to put Lu Qing Wan in her place before their marriage, but now he was being called Mother Consort?
The young man felt quite shocked.
Li Yang was about to offer an explanation when he heard Feng Xi Wu say dismissively, "Don't recognize relatives randomly. I don't have a son as old as you."
Everyone burst into laughter. The little bun happily threw himself into Feng Xi Wu's arms, "Yuan'er doesn't have such a big elder brother either, haha..."
Lu Qing Wan added the pre-prepared ingredients to the pot and came out to the sound of laughter filling the courtyard.
Seeing her, the little bun gleefully rushed over and sweetly called out, "Mother Consort!"
He was as cheerful as a little mouse that had fallen into a rice bin.
Lu Qing Wan picked up the child and saw the unfamiliar young man. Before she could ask, he cupped his fists and said, "I am Lian Yu, greetings to the Princess."
Lu Qing Wan wasn't sure of his surname based on the name, so she politely nodded, "Young Master, you may dispense with the formalities."
Immediately after, Feng Xi Wu introduced her, "You don't need to be too polite with him. He's Yuan'er's teacher and also my strategist. An old fox, he's good at deceiving people with that gentlemanly facade."
"So, you are the strategist of the Black Armored Army. It's a great honor."
Lu Qing Wan discerned from Feng Xi Wu's teasing that his relationship with Lian Yu should be good. She took the opportunity to invite, "I didn't know the strategist would be coming, so I've only prepared some simple fare. If the strategist doesn't mind, please join us for dinner?"
"Certainly!"
Lian Yu readily agreed, "Then I shall gratefully accept your invitation!"
They sat around the table, and another table was set for Li Yang and the others. The meal continued late into the night, and everyone enjoyed themselves.
The little bun had fallen asleep on Lu Qing Wan's lap, a smile on his lips.
While the little bun was pacified, Lu Qing Wan was exhausted. The moment her head touched the pillow, she fell asleep. Thus, when Feng Xi Wu woke her, she was completely dazed.
"What are you doing? I want to sleep!"
Lu Qing Wan was pulled up and stumbled, her eyes barely open.
"Marquis Lu has entered the capital."
With those words, she instantly sobered up.
"When did he return? Where is he?"
As she spoke, she began to dress.
Feng Xi Wu draped the clothes he had prepared earlier onto her, "He entered the city just fifteen minutes ago. The soldiers from the Shen Ce Camp will take him directly to Bai Xing Lin."
Although Lu Qing Wan enjoyed sleeping and was often lazy, she had endured rigorous training in the military academy.
Upon hearing that he was already close to Bai Xing Lin, she moved with incredible speed.
After putting on her clothes and sitting at the dressing table, she discovered that Feng Xi Wu had prepared men's attire for her, which was incredibly convenient.
She simply tied her hair into a ponytail and said while putting on her shoes, "Prepare a fast horse for me. I'll ride there, and you can follow behind."
"No."
Feng Xi Wu refused without hesitation.
"Bai Xing Lin has a curfew. Without my token, you'll be arrested by the Five City Patrol Department the moment you reach the west of the city."