tallest building

Chapter 377, Article 376: Gorgon Fruit Soup

These past few days, Ying Shan has been ill, and since Gong Chang'an has been with her all the time, she has also been experiencing some headaches and body aches.

"Let's ask the teacher for leave." Wen Mingqian touched his forehead and felt that it was a little hot. "You said that you are not busy with your studies these two days, and Ying Shan is also sick."

“It’s fine to take a break. I’ve already read those books myself. If Ying Shan doesn’t come along, I can just ask the teacher about the parts I don’t understand.” Gong Chang’an felt a little sleepy. “I didn’t sleep very well last night, so I want to catch up on some sleep now.”

"Then you should go to sleep! I'll go check on the princess." Wen Mingqian said, tucking the blanket around him. "I'll ask Physician Su to come over and prescribe some medicine for you later."

He then instructed Xiaoyue, "You stay here with him and don't go anywhere."

Yu Lu walked into the imperial kitchen with a smile, just as Zhang Ma was making pastries.

"Aunt Zhang, are you busy?" Yu Lu stepped forward to take a look. "It smells so good."

“Our young master is sick, so I’ll make him some water chestnut soup,” Zhang Ma said, stirring the porridge with her hands.

"Isn't this a coincidence? Her Majesty the Empress also said she wanted to drink water chestnut porridge." Yu Lu rubbed his hands together. "I see you've cooked quite a lot, that should be enough."

"That should be enough. I specially cooked extra, just in case others wanted some. Young Master Chang'an only needs a small bowl; the extra is for Her Majesty the Empress," said Zhang Ma.

“Even Her Majesty the Empress can’t eat much; she’ll just have a small bowl,” Yu Lu said.

"Alright, I'll serve it to Her Majesty the Empress first." Zhang Ma said, ordering someone to bring a bowl, scoop out a bowlful, and put it into the food box. "Then I'll trouble you, Steward Yu. Why didn't you bring anyone with you?"

"Hey, those kids all have work to do, so I told them to go back first." Yu Lu took the food box. "It's not heavy, I can carry it back by myself."

After Lu left, Zhang Ma took another bowl, filled it with porridge, and put it in the food box for Gong Chang'an.

"Mama Zhang, I'll take this to Young Master Gong," said a young eunuch who usually ran errands to deliver food.

Aunt Zhang shook her head: "No need to trouble you, someone will come to pick it up soon."

The food that Gong Chang'an ate was never handled by anyone else.

Sure enough, Zhao Changming arrived in person shortly afterward.

"Aunt Zhang, is the porridge ready yet?" Zhao Changming asked with a smile.

"We've been waiting for you, here you go." Aunt Zhang handed him the food box.

Zhao Changming took the food box and left. Halfway there, he saw Yu Lu squatting on the ground, doing something.

"Manager Yu," Zhao Changming called out, "what's wrong with you?"

"Ouch! I twisted my ankle while walking just now," Yu Lu said with a bitter face. "What incredibly bad luck!"

"It's nothing, let me help you up." Zhao Changming stepped forward to help him up.

“Steward Zhao, my foot is really too weak to walk. Could you please carry me for a while? I’ll take both food boxes.” Yu Lu said, “If you carry me to a place where there are people, I can have them take me back. It would be really bad if I were late in delivering the food to Her Majesty the Empress.”

Zhao Changming understood perfectly well that the most important thing for servants like them was not to delay their masters' affairs. This bowl of water chestnut soup was nothing special, but it couldn't be served to their masters cold, as that would be considered a failure to perform their duties.

So he didn't think much of it, bent down and carried Yu Lu on his back. Yu Lu lay on his back, carrying a food box in each hand.

After passing through the passageway and a moon gate, they happened to meet Yu Lu's two apprentices who came to greet them.

“It’s done,” Yu Lu smiled. “Eunuch Zhao, thank you. Please put me down.”

The two apprentices quickly stepped forward to help him up, asking with concern, "Master, what happened to your foot?" "You two little rascals, all you do is dawdle, making Steward Zhao carry me this far," Yu Lu scolded. "Hurry up and thank him."

"No need, no need, it's nothing," Zhao Changming said with a smile, waving his hand. "Since you two are here, then Steward Yu will be in your care."

After saying that, he took the food box, nodded to Yu Lu, and turned to leave.

Without mentioning how Yu Lu was carried back to the Empress's palace by his two apprentices, Zhao Changming went straight back to Mingjing Palace.

Gong Chang'an was asleep in bed, with Xiao Yue watching over him.

"This is the water chestnut soup that Zhang Ma made. I brought it back." Zhao Changming lowered his voice, afraid of disturbing Gong Chang'an.

"He's sleeping soundly right now, don't wake him," Xiaoyue said. "Just put him in the food box! We'll deal with it when he wakes up."

Zhao Changming put down the food box and went out.

Xiaoyue accompanied Gong Chang'an, first sitting on the couch by the bed embroidering, but later, feeling sleepy, she couldn't help but stop embroidering and fell asleep by the bed.

Ying Shan was sick for a few days, but is feeling a little better today. Children don't hide their illnesses; once they're energetic, they can't hide it.

"Where's Brother Chang'an? I want to play with him." Ying Shan sat up and looked for Gong Chang'an.

“My little darling, the Fourth Young Master Gong is also sick,” his wet nurse, Mama Wang, coaxed him. “We’ll go see him again in a few days, okay?”

Ying Shan's little eyes darted around and she said, "Alright then! Aunt Wang, I'll sleep a little longer."

"Are you hungry?" Wang's mother looked at him with concern. "You've lost weight these past few days while you were sick."

"I want to eat lotus flower pastries, and cream fruit," Ying Shan said, a little hungry, "and walnut sesame candy."

“You can’t eat so much at once,” Mrs. Wang quickly said. “Right now you can only eat soups and porridges; you can’t digest anything else!”

“Then I want to eat your wonton noodles,” Ying Shan said, “with a little bit of dried shrimp.”

"I know, my little darling," Wang's mother said, affectionately stroking his face. "Since you were little, you've always wanted to eat my cooking as soon as you recovered from an illness. You wait here, I'll go make it right away."

After saying that, he called in two palace maids and asked them to accompany Ying Shan while he went outside to prepare food.

Ying Shan lay there, ordering the two palace maids around. Once he had them both out of sight, he stuffed his pillow into the quilt, quickly dressed, put on his clothes and shoes, opened the window, and slipped out.

He still wanted to hang out with Gong Chang'an.

Kids are just playful. He thought he'd play with Gong Chang'an for a while, and then sneak back after Wang Mama had prepared the food. He figured he wouldn't be discovered.

The sky outside was overcast, and Ying Shan felt a chill all over her body as she arrived at Gong Chang'an's place.

He tiptoed in, and several palace maids were chatting amongst themselves outside, unaware of his tiny figure.

Ying Shan entered the inner room and saw Gong Chang'an sleeping on the bed, with Xiao Yue also dozing off beside the bed.

His eyes immediately fell on the food box on the table, and his stomach was growling.

He and Gong Chang'an were not strangers on ordinary days. Gong Chang'an could eat his food as he pleased, and he could take Gong Chang'an's food without asking.

Moreover, he was both cold and hungry at that moment, so he simply opened the food box and found a bowl of fragrant water chestnut soup inside.