Chapter 13: Come and Dine

Yin Mingyu hadn’t spoken a word the entire time, and Consort Liang outside didn’t dare say much either—she only felt increasingly unsettled.

When had His Majesty ever been this indifferent? She had been kneeling out here all this time, yet there wasn’t a single response from within. Her knees ached terribly, but she didn’t dare speak again and could only endure it.

She ended up kneeling until the hour when lunch was usually taken.

Yin Mingyu looked down at Ning Zhaorou, who still had her head buried and hadn’t moved. Her sleepy eyes revealed she had dozed off while waiting.

He suddenly smiled and ruffled her hair, but the words he spoke were directed at Consort Liang outside:
“Leave. There’s no need to bring this matter up again.”

Consort Liang’s heart sank even further. She answered softly and struggled to rise before withdrawing.

Yin Mingyu lifted Ning Zhaorou up and sat her properly in his lap. As he gently brushed away the fine strands of hair on her face, he said, “You have quite the ability to stay calm at the wrong time.” She had been terrified earlier when Consort Liang arrived, nearly trying to burrow into the ground, and yet she could still sleep so peacefully in his arms.

Ning Zhaorou lowered her head, touched her ear, and murmured, “Your Majesty, I’ve been discourteous. Please forgive me.”

She hadn’t been sleeping well these past few days. The constant fear and unease had worn her down, making her lose weight. She had been on edge when visiting Consort Liang earlier, and she had indeed been afraid when facing the emperor too—but for some strange reason, being near him brought a faint sense of safety. Sleep had crept up on her before she realized it.

It wasn’t until she heard voices outside that she jolted awake and hurried to lower her head and fix her clothes.

Even though Consort Liang had already left, Ning Zhaorou was still in his arms and felt extremely uneasy. Her gaze shifted away, and she waited for Yin Mingyu to let go so she could quickly move away.

Unfortunately, Yin Mingyu showed no sign of doing so. It was as if he had forgotten entirely. Being older and far more adept at playing with people’s hearts, he could easily lead Ning Zhaorou along without her needing to say a word.

She kept fidgeting with her clothes, which were already perfectly in order, glancing to the side from time to time. Finally, she couldn’t help but speak up, “Your Majesty, may this subject’s daughter sit over there…”

Yin Mingyu lifted his gaze and caught her eyes before she could look away. She immediately fell silent again, and he gave a quiet sigh of regret before finally letting her go.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Ning Zhaorou immediately slipped away and obediently sat on the cushion beside him.

Not long after, a palace maid entered and asked if the emperor would like the meal served.

Yin Mingyu glanced at Ning Zhaorou and gave a slight nod. “Set it up in the outer room.”

Ning Zhaorou sat there feeling out of place. Seeing that he was about to stand, she rose too, taking a few nervous steps back.

“Come,” Yin Mingyu said simply. “Dine with me.”

Then he walked off ahead, lifting the curtain and heading into the outer tent. Only when he was already outside did Ning Zhaorou hurry to follow behind in small, quick steps.

Once inside, she didn’t know where to stand. She glanced around, and before she knew it, her eyes had drifted toward the exquisite dishes laid out on the table.

Yin Mingyu ordered another set of tableware to be brought, along with a chair placed next to his. Only then did he turn to Ning Zhaorou and say,
“Come and dine with me.”

The tent flap had been left open, likely for ventilation, so the inside was clearly visible from outside.

But no one who valued their life would dare sneak a glance at the emperor’s tent.

Still, even knowing this, Ning Zhaorou didn’t dare agree too readily.

She blinked, glanced at Yin Mingyu’s expression, then at the palace maids preparing the table, and finally said,
“Your Majesty, may I serve you your meal instead? I used to serve my father and brothers at home.”

As soon as she said that, Yin Mingyu turned his gaze to her.

Serve her father and brothers?

Was she deliberately casting him in the role of an elder just to put some distance between them? Clever little thing.

The palace maids stood still, silently waiting for the emperor’s word.

Yin Mingyu raised his chin slightly, signaling for Ning Zhaorou to go ahead and serve.

She picked up some dishes for him, but he barely touched a bite. Before long, she was already starting to sweat from the pressure.

Yin Mingyu no longer motioned for her to serve and instead said,
“Didn’t you say you knew how to serve? Then why are you so clueless?”

Ning Zhaorou’s face flushed, then paled. She thought bitterly: Who else would be this hard to please but Your Majesty?

“…It was foolish of me,” she murmured, bowing her head to stare at the floor.

Yin Mingyu called her over again: “Come, eat.”

This was the third time he’d said that. Anyone else would have been trembling with fear by now, but not her—she was a stubborn one and had to be asked multiple times before she’d finally obey.

He watched her eat, not looking away until her head was nearly buried in her bowl.

Ning Zhaorou ate with her thoughts elsewhere. As the meal was winding down, she suddenly heard the emperor order,
“Bring a bowl of lychee custard.”

Her ears twitched at the sound, but she calmly set down her chopsticks without showing any emotion.

Soon, the dessert was brought in by a palace maid.

Yin Mingyu didn’t say a word—he simply lifted his chin, signaling the maid to place the bowl in front of Ning Zhaorou.

In the heat of summer, icy custard was a delicacy. But Ning Zhaorou had rarely eaten such things. Outside the royal household, even acquiring ice was difficult. The Anping Marquis household was always cautious not to attract attention, especially under Madam Wu’s strict rules. They never lived extravagantly, so to eat something like this even once or twice a year was already enough to make her overjoyed.

She hadn’t expected that now, well into autumn and in the middle of a hunting trip, she’d still be able to enjoy lychees and chilled custard.

“Why aren’t you eating? Do you dislike lychees or do you not like dairy?” Yin Mingyu asked, puzzled. These were usually things young girls liked, and by all logic, she should be happy.

Ning Zhaorou quickly shook her head and explained that she did like them, then picked up the spoon to scoop from the bowl.

The porcelain spoon, clasped in her pale, delicate hand, dipped into the custard, which was tinged with pink from the rose petals added to it. The creamy white and soft floral scent were both delightful.

Yin Mingyu watched as she took one spoonful after another, then suddenly said,
“I’ve heard that the Anping Marquis household has been arranging matches for its two young ladies. Has a decision been made yet?”

Ning Zhaorou nearly choked. She forced herself to swallow the custard, her throat tickling as her watery eyes turned toward him. Her voice was soft:
“Your Majesty, nothing has been finalized yet.”

Both she and Ning Wanqing were already seventeen—or just about. By all norms, they should have been engaged by now. But Madam Wu had always been overly ambitious, hoping to marry her daughter into some high-ranking noble family. That kind of wishful thinking had only delayed things.

And since the eldest daughter hadn’t married yet, it was naturally improper for her, the younger one, to marry first. But even Madam Wu was starting to get anxious. With Ning Wanqing approaching her seventeenth birthday, she had finally let go of her lofty ideals and started arranging prospects for her. Whatever Ning Wanqing rejected would then be offered to Ning Zhaorou.

Thinking of this, Ning Zhaorou’s heart grew a little dazed. She recalled overhearing those conversations near the private room the other day.

Madam Wu had said she was considering a family from faraway Shanzhou. Though they were a scholarly family, the man in question was known for visiting brothels and keeping multiple mistresses. His temper was poor, but because he was the only son, he was extremely doted on at home.

Such a family might look respectable on the surface, but if she were to marry into it, her life would be completely ruined.