RPAGF Chapter 285 The Duke's Thoughts
Chapter 285 The Duke's Thoughts
Chapter 285, The Duke's Thoughts
Lu Tao waved her hand instinctively, "I'm not going..."
Tian Tian didn't press her, and went next door with Ling Yao.
Gu Yu was sitting on a soft couch with a hot sea salt compress on his shoulder. The air conditioning was on in the room.
He felt warm all over, and his back no longer felt like it was being chilled by a cold draft.
In the past few mornings, he has not felt as uncomfortable when he gets up as before.
But this did not make him happy.
He always had one thing on his mind.
He couldn't understand...
Why did Madam Lu stop bringing breakfast herself and instead have her maid bring it every day?
Is it... fear of gossip?
Or do you not want to have anything to do with him anymore?
He even wondered if he had been too abrupt in his interactions with her.
He wanted to ask for clarification, but he didn't know why he absolutely had to.
until...
He looked down at the portrait on the low couch.
It wasn't until the emperor gave him these portraits that he was able to find a suitable wife for the Duke.
When the emperor was painting his portrait, the thought that popped into his mind was... could Lady Lu be in it?
After opening it and looking closely, I couldn't help but feel disappointed; she wasn't there.
Later, I wondered if she had heard the news and knew that the emperor was going to find him a wife, which was why she kept her distance from me.
One evening, he got up to get a drink of water, and in a daze, he glanced at the portrait on the table and mistook the person in the portrait for Madam Lu...
He finally understood.
He had developed feelings for Madam Lu.
That's why he was thinking about Madam Lu all the time.
Thinking back to today, the Emperor asked him again if he had made his choice...
He really wanted to ask the Emperor for permission, but secretly he didn't want to force Madam Lu.
"Sigh..." Gu Yu sighed.
The butler knocked on the door. "Master, His Highness the Crown Prince and the Princess have arrived."
Gu Yu quickly snapped out of his thoughts, "I'll be right there."
*
Gu Yu arrived at the front hall and said, "This old minister greets Your Highness the Crown Prince and the Princess."
Before he could bend down, Ling Yao had already supported him. "No need for such formalities, Duke."
The group sat down...
Ling Yao was in the main seat, with Gu Yu to his right and Tian Tian to his left.
Ling Yao glanced at Tian Tian, "Lord Duke, I came here to ask you... have you looked at those portraits?"
Gu Yu looked up, glanced at Tian Tian, and then answered, "I saw it..."
Ling Yao smiled and asked, "Is there a woman you've taken a fancy to?"
Gu Yu remained silent in embarrassment.
Tian Tian knew that he was embarrassed to mention his personal matters in front of the two young people.
Normally, this wouldn't be a problem.
But now... her mother is interested in him, so she has to find out the truth.
"Lord Duke, please tell us about it."
Gu Yu was even more embarrassed, "Your Majesty..."
"I haven't looked at it carefully yet..."
Tian Tian put on a stern face, "Lord Duke, the Emperor asked you to choose a wife by looking at portraits, and you didn't even look at them carefully?"
"We can't just randomly pick someone in the future, can we?"
Gu Yu smiled and said, "Of course, this kind of thing can't be done casually."
"So, does the Duke mean to choose a woman he likes from those portraits?"
Ling Yao turned his head in confusion, "Sweetie?"
Tian Tian shook her head at Ling Yao, telling him to be quiet.
Although Ling Yao didn't understand, he obeyed.
Gu Yu felt embarrassed when he thought that the woman he admired was the mother of Princess Fufeng.
But he was unwilling to marry other women.
Gu Yu gritted her teeth and suddenly stood up. "Princess Fufeng."
"To be honest, a few days ago, your mother brought me breakfast..."
"I...I think she's great..."
"I..."
Tian Tian's eyes widened in surprise. She had only meant to be sarcastic, but she hadn't expected...
So, her mother wasn't just having a one-sided crush, or imagining things for herself?
Ling Yao belatedly spoke up, "Your Excellency, what you mean is..."
He looked at Tian Tian in disbelief, then turned to Gu Yu, "You've taken a fancy to Madam Lu?"
Although he voiced this conjecture, Ling Yao still couldn't believe it in his heart.
When did Madam Lu begin to have dealings with the Duke?
Could it be that Madam Lu was sent over earlier to teach the Duke how to use the air conditioner?
Tian Tian nodded to Ling Yao, confirming his idea.
Ling Yao murmured, "But...I wonder if Madam Lu meant the same thing..."
Tian Tian thought to herself, "Yes."
Gu Yu found it difficult to speak in front of Tian Tian, but he had already said it.
He gritted his teeth, steeled his resolve, and abandoned all pretense of dignity. "Princess, I have feelings for your mother, and I know about her situation. I am sincere."
"Please, Your Highness...ask your mother what she thinks."
"If your mother is also willing, please, Your Highness, grant her request."
Tian Tian smiled helplessly. Wasn't this going against the natural order?
If her mother was willing, how could she not grant her wish?
"Lord Duke," Tian Tian still had questions to clarify, "Your interest in my mother isn't just because she sent you breakfast a few days ago...."
"It makes you think my mother is very attentive to people..."
"If you marry her, she can take care of your daily life..."
Actually, Tian Tian's question was meaningless.
In this era... there are servants, let alone Gu Yu, who is a Duke.
If he needs someone to take care of him, he can simply hire more servants.
“No!” Gu Yu immediately retorted.
He is no longer confused and is very certain of his feelings.
“Princess, I have spent a few days with your mother and I have come to love her because she is kind and wonderful.”
"I can promise that I will treat her well."
"I know my health will be a burden to her..."
Gu Yu rubbed his hands together. "It's because of my health that I've hesitated these past few days..."
Otherwise, when the emperor painted his portrait, he would have asked the emperor for permission.
Ling Yao had always admired Gu Yu, and seeing him in such an embarrassing state, he couldn't bear it.
"Sweetie, why don't you... ask Mrs. Lu?"
At the same time, he was also marveling at how wonderful the connections between people could be.
If the Duke and Madam Lu really get together, wouldn't the Duke become her father-in-law?
That's amazing.
Tian Tian felt that Gu Yu should talk to Lu Tao about this himself.
“Lord Duke, I think it would be more sincere for you to ask my mother about this matter yourself.”
Upon hearing this, Ling Yao immediately agreed, "Yes, Duke, what Tian Tian said makes sense."
"Tian Tian is Madam Lu's daughter, so it's not appropriate for her to ask. It would be better if you, Duke, asked her yourself."
"Why don't you go now, Your Excellency?"
“Um…” Ling Yao came up with an excuse, “I’ll just say that I want to stay at the Princess’s residence for dinner and that I’ve invited the Duke as well.”
"Once you're at the Princess's residence, the Duke can find an opportunity to express his feelings to Madam Lu, what do you think?"
Gu Yu thought for a moment, then nodded emphatically, "Okay!"
I'm going all in!! For this belated happiness!
*
After Ling Yao and Tian Tian went to the Duke's mansion next door, Lu Tao paced back and forth at the door.
The gatekeeper saw her and asked her several times if she wanted to go out and if she needed a horse prepared for her.
Lu Tao said no, and then continued pacing.
Liu San Niang came to see her several times, but she never went up to persuade her.
And so it went until Ling Yao and Tian Tian returned with Gu Yu. Lu Tao thought only Ling Yao and Tian Tian had returned, so she went straight to greet them.
"Sweetie, Your Highness..."
When they turned around, they saw Gu Yu behind them and were completely stunned.
Gu Yu looked up and saw her too.
The two of them remained silent, looking at each other.
Looking at Gu Yu, Lu Tao felt that he seemed haggard these days, and she wondered if he hadn't been eating well or if he was seriously ill.
When Gu Yu saw Lu Tao, he noticed that she looked haggard, and he felt uneasy, wondering if he had really been too impulsive before.
“Mother,” Tian Tian broke the silence first, “Since His Highness is staying for dinner today, I invited the Duke to come along as well.”
"Mother, please lead the Duke to the front hall to sit down. Ah Yao and I will go to the Tea Fragrance Pavilion to serve a few dishes."
Lu Tao was stunned. Was she going to take Gu Yu there by herself?
She took a few steps to stand in front of Tian Tian. "Tian Tian, um... just have the servants go to Cha Xiang Zhai to serve the dishes, you... you don't need to go."
"Your Highness, you shouldn't go either."
Tian Tian glanced at Ling Yao.
Ling Yao understood. "Madam Lu, I still need to go and serve a few dishes to my mother. She is picky and has many requirements, so I have to go in person."
In that case... Lu Tao couldn't very well stop her anymore.
"Then... Sweetie, you go with His Highness, I..."
"I will lead the Duke inside."
Ling Yao and Tian Tian coughed lightly and glanced at Gu Yu at the same time.
Gu Yu nodded...
Ling Yao then left with Tian Tian.
The two of them did indeed go to the Tea Fragrance Pavilion, ordered several dishes for Empress Li in the palace, and had them delivered to the palace gate, where Ling Yao's palace servants were waiting.
Then they ordered a few more dishes and asked them to prepare them later.
*
After Ling Yao and Tian Tian left, Lu Tao was left alone to face Gu Yu.
She smiled shyly and cupped her hands in greeting, inviting Gu Yu to come inside. "Lord Duke, please come in."
Gu Yu thought to himself, since he was already here, there was no rush, so he said calmly, "Madam, please."
Lu Tao walked in front, and Gu Yu walked behind.
Lu Tao kept turning back every three steps, while Gu Yu kept a close eye on her.
Upon receiving the message, Liu San Niang walked to the front yard and saw Lu Tao and Gu Yu behind her from afar. She immediately stopped and pulled Qin Youyou, who had just left the yard, away with her.
Halfway there, they encountered Tian Xiang again, and just like before, they pulled her away.
"mother?"
"Aunt Liu?"
The two girls were puzzled.
Didn't they say that the Duke from next door was coming over for dinner?
As the younger generation, they should pay their respects.
Aunt Liu pulled the two back to the backyard before letting go of their hands, saying, "Oh dear, you don't know."
"Here's what happened today..."
Only then did she tell them about Lu Tao and Gu Yu.
"Aunt Liu, are you saying that my mother has feelings for the Duke?"
Qin Youyou's mouth dropped open in surprise...
Liu San Niang only knew that Lu Tao had feelings for Gu Yu, but she didn't know that Gu Yu also had feelings for Lu Tao.
She nodded. "Mm."
Tian Xiang pondered, "My mother would feel so embarrassed facing the Duke alone. Aunt Liu, I think I should go and keep my mother company."
She knows all too well what it feels like to face someone you love alone.
Qin Youyou empathized, "Yes, let's go keep Aunt Lu company."
When she was alone with Cui Mingyi, she wished someone could be there to make the atmosphere less awkward.
I believe Aunt Lu feels the same way right now.
Liu San Niang stopped them, "Oh dear, you don't understand."
"Some things need to be said face to face between two people."
“Like you!!” He pointed at Tian Xiang.
“And you!” He pointed at Qin Youyou.
"When trouble comes, they hide away, neither seeing Young Master Cui nor Young Master Qin."
She spread her hands, "Then how can we clear up the misunderstanding? How can we talk things out?"
Tian Xiang glanced at Qin Youyou, and both sisters gave a wry smile.
“Aunt Liu, you don’t understand…” Tian Xiang thought to herself, Qin Qingyun is still young, if he marries her… he will have to face gossip and rumors, and what if he regrets it later.
She loved him and naturally didn't want him to be judged by others, nor did she want him to regret it in the future, but she couldn't leave because of her status.
Qin Youyou stamped her foot and said, "Mom, you don't understand."
Cui Mingyi's current declaration of wanting to marry her might just be a passing fancy.
He himself is exceptionally talented, and he must also be attracted to women who are equally talented.
Later, he realized that his feelings for her were just a passing fancy, and then he would despise her for lacking talent and for being a simple, ignorant peasant woman.
She admired him and didn't want his interest to be just a passing fancy, something she would regret later.
Liu San Niang sighed, "Yes, yes, I don't understand."
She didn't want to understand, especially seeing the three children in her family like this...
She really didn't want to understand at all.
"Anyway, none of you should go over there."
"I believe there must be a reason why Tian Tian invited the Duke over."
After thinking for a moment, Liu San Niang simply pulled the two of them to the kitchen.
"Tian Tian went to Cha Xiang Zhai to serve dishes. Let's prepare a few more simple home-style dishes."
"Xiang'er, you wash the vegetables."
"Youyou, you wash the rice and cook it."
Liu San Niang started a fire, stuffing firewood into the stove as she muttered, "If Sister Lu could finally clear her mind with the Duke and they really got together..."
"Maybe I can get married before you two."
"How will you two have the nerve to attend her wedding then?"
"Really!!"
Tian Xiang looked up and exchanged a glance with Qin Youyou, who was washing rice.
The two exchanged another wry smile.
Over there, Lu Tao finally led Gu Yu to the front hall.
She breathed a sigh of relief for some reason. "Lord Duke, please have a seat. I'll go prepare some tea right away."
She wanted to go outside for some fresh air...
To everyone's surprise, when I looked up, Cui'er was carrying tea in.
"Lord Duke, Madam, please have some tea."
Not only was there tea, but also pastries, effectively shutting down Lu Tao's next excuse.
"Hehe." Lu Tao chuckled awkwardly, "Lord Duke, please try these pastries."
After sitting down, Gu Yu drank a cup of tea. "The tea is good."
I tried another pastry, and said, "The pastry was also quite good."
"hehe..."
"hehe..."
The two looked at each other and gave a dry laugh.
After a moment of silence, Lu Tao broke the silence, "Um... how has the Duke been feeling lately?"
"I mean, is it still so difficult for the Duke to get up every day...?"
Gu Yu subconsciously moved his shoulders, engaging the muscles in his back.
He used to experience a pulling pain when he did this movement, but this time it was significantly less.
But seeing Lu Tao's worried look, a glint of cunning flashed in his eyes...