The husband I snatched halfway through his life is strange.

Chapter 299 When you go out, your identity is given by yourself

When the Empress Dowager arrived, everyone rose to pay their respects and, not daring to laugh and talk as freely as before, returned to their seats.

Yu Tingwan also pushed Wei Zhao to the Duke of Shunguo's mansion.

Although today's banquet was for Wei Zhao, the Empress Dowager only glanced at him casually, without even offering a greeting.

She admired Wei Zhao for his talent as a general, but he was truly ungrateful!

What is it about A-Wu that makes her unworthy of him?

He chose a country girl instead; wasn't that humiliating A-Wu?
There was more or less a sense of displaced anger.

The old lady was not in high spirits, and she led Gu Wu to sit down in the seats, showing that she did not hide her affection for her in the slightest.

"No need for formalities. This palace is deserted. I'm just here to join in the fun."

The crowd respectfully replied, "Yes."

Although that's what they said, they all sat up straight, befitting a member of a prominent family.

As soon as Yu Tingwan sat down, Wei Zhao slipped a pastry into her hand.

She looked around and saw that no one was eating.

Yu Tingwan: "Isn't that inappropriate?"

She wanted to be reserved!
Wei Zhao simply said, "The materials are expensive; one piece is estimated to cost ten taels."

Yu Tingwan: ?
How many?

How much of something that's gone in one bite?

but……

She didn't understand much else, but the pastries were extremely exquisite.

Yu Tingwan lowered her head and examined it carefully.

The jade lotus cake is emerald green all over, with the fragrance of lotus flowers, but with the sweetness of candied fruit.

She took a bite; the texture was smooth and creamy, bursting with layers of flavor on her tongue.

It's delicious and not greasy at all. But there are only three pieces in a plate, and they're gone in three bites.

That's incredibly stingy!
Ning Suchan sat upright, listening silently to the young couple's conversation.

Yu Tingwan: "If the pastries are like this, then shouldn't the dishes be even better?"

Wei Zhao: "It looks good."

"But it's useless."

Yu Tingwan: ...

Are you like you back in Zexian?

Wei Zhao: "The imperial kitchen is far from here, and there are many guests. The food sent over has to be prioritized for the Emperor and the empresses in the palace. Some of it has already gone cold. Palace banquets emphasize refinement, so they don't pay as much attention to the taste."

Wei Zhao didn't mention that everyone would be too busy to eat later.

He gently urged, "Eat more, so you don't go hungry later when you can't swallow anything."

The palace maids then served the refreshments. Because the table had limited capacity, each serving was served and then removed immediately.

Aside from the plate in front of Yu Tingwan being moved, the other ladies' plates were served the same way and then removed untouched.

The seats opposite the Duke of Shun's residence are those of the Grand Tutor's residence.

Jiashan would occasionally glance at the girl across from him who was taking small bites of her snack.

She asked worriedly, "Did the Wei family starve her? Did they not feed her enough?"

Gu Fuju regained his composure and lowered his eyes: "Madam is overthinking it."

"Wei Zhao is just a bad person, but he's good to Yao Yao."

Otherwise, this whole thing wouldn't have happened.

Jiashan: "Her smile is so beautiful."

Unfortunately, the smile was directed at Wei Zhao.

"Which one is from the Yu family?"

The Empress Dowager suddenly spoke.

She said indifferently, "Step forward and let me see you."

Upon hearing this, I feared the visitor had ill intentions.

Everyone's thoughts were in turmoil.

Jia Shan frowned, unable to sit still, and was about to get up when Gu Fu Ju pressed him down.

"You should know what kind of person Her Majesty is."

Gu Fujiu poured her some tea: "Please be patient."

At this moment, Yu Tingwan stood up from her seat, walked briskly to her place in the hall, lowered her eyes and curtsied.

The Queen Mother sneered.

Yu Tingwan was prepared to be subjected to her sarcastic remarks.

Older people tend to have a stronger temper.

then……

The Empress Dowager swallowed her sarcastic remarks and couldn't say anything more.

She raised Jiashan herself, treating her like her own daughter. That's why she doted on Awu so much.

The Empress Dowager's hostility lessened considerably upon seeing such a strikingly similar face, and she ultimately couldn't bring herself to say anything harsh. Not only her, but even Gu Wu looked at Yu Tingwan with a curious, scrutinizing gaze.

Empress Dowager: "Have you studied?" Yu Tingwan: "Yes, I have."

Not the kind that's good at it.

Empress Dowager: "What kinds of books do you all read?"

Yu Tingwan: ...

She doesn't remember at all.

The books that introduced her to education were all torn up and folded by her when she was little because she was so lazy and didn't know how to study.

But when you're out in the world, you give yourself your own identity!

She's quite good at embellishing her own image.

Yu Tingwan thought for a moment.

Thinking about the books Wei Zhao usually read.

Yu Tingwan told him the title of the book.

She was still quite sharp. While looking at Wei Zhao, he insisted on holding her close, guiding her hand as she memorized her insights.

Wei Zhao chuckled.

Not surprisingly.

After all, he never had the habit of writing down his opinions.

It was prepared for Yu Tingwan.

It was as if he had guessed that Yu Tingwan had a good memory and would be able to apply what she had learned.

Jiashan sat up straight.

"This child is truly learned!"

Gu Fuju could immediately tell Wei Zhao's writing style from his voice.

A strange look flashed in his eyes.

As far as he knew, Yu Tingwan did not like reading.

How much must one like it to memorize Wei Zhao's writing?
As the Empress Dowager listened, she sat up straighter. She exclaimed in amazement, "These books... it's rare to see a young lady like you reading them. It's even rarer to see a girl in such a remote place being allowed to read and write."

She asked, "Do you have any siblings?"

Yu Tingwan: "I'm all alone."

The Empress Dowager and Yu Tingwan spoke in softer voices.

"Now that you've come to the capital and married far away, you won't be able to stay with your parents. Why don't you ask Wei Zhao to buy them a house in the capital?"

Yu Tingwan whispered, "They've passed away."

The Empress Dowager is getting old and her hearing is not very good.

"what?"

"They have passed away."

"Speak louder, don't be so petty."

Yu Tingwan clenched her fists and said loudly this time, "My parents have been laid to rest."

Queen Mother:…

She deserves to die!
Her momentum had waned.

The Empress Dowager couldn't stand hearing this. Her parents had passed away early, and she had also been an orphan and had experienced similar things!

"I was unaware of this beforehand and did not intend to cause you distress."

Yu Tingwan: "It's been many years, the hardest days are long gone."

But she knew.

The Empress Dowager did indeed hurt someone.

It's not her anyway.

Jiashan turned his head: "Measures?"

Gu Fuju: ...

After this ordeal, the Empress Dowager didn't make things difficult for her. She simply sent Yu Tingwan back home.

Yu Tingwan had just sat down when she heard a shrill voice from afar.

"His Majesty and His Majesty have arrived."

Emperor Qian arrived with his empress.

Just as everyone was about to get up, they saw Gu Fuju get there first.

Gu Fuju seemed to have been waiting for Emperor Yingqian for a long time. He strode over with his shoulders straight and his eyes cold and stern.

Having been immersed in officialdom for many years, he was not usually required to perform the grand ceremony of kneeling and bowing, but he lifted his robe and knelt down in response to Emperor Qianlong.

This happened so fast that no one had time to react.

Emperor Yingqian was stunned.

"My dear minister, what is this?"

Gu Fuju closed his eyes briefly: "Back then, Brother Jingyuan was seriously injured, and the border was engulfed in war, with the people suffering greatly. I pledged to His Majesty to go to the front lines to negotiate with the enemy."

"He fulfilled his mission, but he also narrowly escaped death and was seriously injured."

"Your Majesty once granted me a favor; I wonder if it still stands?"