Chapter 560: Shifting Responsibility (1)
Prince Jin stiffened, but he quickly regained his usual calm and patted Consort Liang’s back to console her. “Mother, it was I who wanted to go, so this isn’t your fault. Besides, I’ve returned safely, haven’t I?”
Ever since Consort Liang had adopted him, Prince Jin had addressed her as Mother, just like Second Prince did.
Hearing Prince Jin’s words of consolation, Consort Liang made great efforts to hold back her tears. “You’re right, Ah Yi, I was overthinking things. Come, both of you, take a seat! I’ll have the food served up now. I cooked dinner myself today, so the two of you had better eat more!”
The servants quickly laid out the dishes, and the ‘happy family’ sat around the table. It was part of palace etiquette to stay silent while eating, so it was a quiet meal.
Consort Liang didn’t eat much herself, but she repeatedly filled the bowls of the princes with food.
After dinner, Consort Liang had her attendant bring out a brand new robe.
She pulled Prince Jin over and said with a wide smile, “Here, try this on, see if it fits you. I made this for you last year, but since you didn’t return for the new year, it’s been in storage until now.”
Prince Jin accepted Consort Liang’s kindness as per usual.
Off to the side, Crown Prince added enviously, “Fourth Brother, I bet you didn’t know that Mother only made a robe for you. I didn’t get one!”
Consort Liang immediately smacked the crown prince’s shoulder. “What are you saying! You’ve already formed a family, so if you want a robe, get your wife to make one for you. Ah Yi is still all alone. As his mother, I obviously have to shower him with more love.”
When it was close to midnight, Prince Jin finally returned to his estate.
His aide who followed closely behind him held the new robe up with both hands and asked, “Your Highness, shall I pass this robe to momo for keeping?”
Prince Jin’s voice suddenly turned cold and sinister. “Burn it!”
His aide was stunned by the unexpected reaction, but he immediately complied. The aide quickly had someone bring forth a brazier and he tossed the robe that they brought back from Consort Liang’s place straight into the fire.
Prince Jin stood beside his own bed. As there was nothing lit in the room, only the silver-white moonlight that shone through the windows gave light to Prince Jin’s figure.
In his mind, the reminder that Consort Liang had given him before he left resounded over and over.
“Ah Yi, your Second Brother isn’t as capable as you are, so please help him as much as possible in the future.”
Hmph! Help him?
……
Chu Lian was in the middle of drinking honey water in her courtyard when Xiyan rushed in with a smile on her face.
Chu Lian glanced at her and asked, “What’s going on? Is it good news?”
Xiyan nodded like a chick picking rice grains off the ground. “Third Young Madam, I heard that Guilin Restaurant is closing down soon.”
Chu Lian nearly spit out all the honey water in her mouth.
What? That was way faster than she expected!
“What happened?”
Even without her at the helm of Guilin Restaurant, it shouldn’t have shut down so quickly. Before she had taken it over, Guilin Restaurant had been constantly in the red, but it had never been at the risk of closing down.
Xiyan came closer to her and whispered, “I heard that there were nobles in the capital who wrote letters of complaint.”
Pfft…
It suddenly dawned upon Chu Lian. No wonder Lady Yang had sent her a letter two days ago. She had questions about Guilin Restaurant, so Chu Lian had tactfully replied that Guilin Restaurant was now back in the hands of the matriarch, and that she was no longer managing it.
That made sense though. Back when Guilin Restaurant had first reopened, the main market of consumers she targeted had been the capital’s upper class. Now that the management of Guilin Restaurant had been swapped out, the ones who bore the brunt of it were the nobles. Matriarch He may have some authority in the capital, but it was nothing when going against the higher ranking nobility. Guilin Restaurant’s permanent closure was something that would have happened sooner or later.