In the palace, Consort Xiao Xian had gifts prepared and personally helped the fourth prince sort out his clothes, “It’s not easy to go out, there’s no need to rush back.”
“Mm.”
The fourth prince’s little face revealed the first smile in days.
Not only were those ladies terrified on the day of the palace banquet, but the Fourth Prince was also terrified.
When he returned to his own bedchamber, he did not dare to sleep, and when Consort Xiao learned of this, she went to stay with him for the night.
Fortunately, the Emperor was in a bad mood and did not have time to care about this, otherwise the Fourth Prince would have been reprimanded, he was too old to let his mother sleep with him.
Consort Xiao Xian stroked his head, “Tell your grandfather that we are all well, so that he doesn’t worry.”
The fourth prince nodded heavily.
The Steward Aunt sighed in her heart as she watched, Her Majesty had raised the Fourth Prince to be too uninitiated in the world, which was not a good thing.
“Go on.”
The fourth prince led the way out of the palace.
Before he had even arrived at the Ding Guo Gong Mansion, those officials who were waiting to go forward to pay their respects got the news and each ordered their men to prepare gifts and go up to the Ding Guo Gong Mansion in two quarters of an hour to pay their respects.
At the entrance of the Ding Guo Mansion.
The Xiao family were all present.
Xiao Qian is draped in a thick cloak and coughs a few times from time to time.
The Duchess of Ding was also looking ill and was standing by the side of the Duchess of Ding, supported by two maids.
The Fourth Prince lifted the curtain of the carriage and saw this sight. He hurriedly got down from the carriage and took a few quick steps to support the Lady of the State Duchess, “Grand grandmother should not come out if she is not feeling well, Feng’er is not an outsider.”
“Manners must not be invalidated.”
With those words, Duke Ding Guo led the salute.
He was the Prince of State and did not need to perform the kneeling salute.
The Fourth Prince helped him first, and then stopped Xiao Zheng and his wife and Xiao Qian, who were about to kneel down, “All of them are excused, it’s too cold, let’s hurry up and enter the palace.”
Duke Ding gave way to his body and waited for the Fourth Prince to enter the palace before commanding, “Close the palace door.”
The heavy gate was slowly closed.
The crowd of officials who had heard the news and wanted to come to pay their respects were dumbfounded.
The crowd went to the flower hall and took their seats.
The Fourth Prince instructed the palace staff to bring up the things.
“This was prepared by Mother Consort, who also said that you should not worry about her.”
“Is your mother consort really alright?”
The Duke of Ding’s wife covered her heart, she was really uncomfortable. Not scared, but angry with Consort Rong, what wrongdoing did her daughter have with her, and she pitched a hand before she died.
“Grandmother don’t worry, mother consort is really fine, I’m fine too.”
The last sentence was said by the fourth prince with a weak heart, and his voice was obviously weaker, how could the Duke of Ding not hear it, and did not expose him.
He stroked his beard, “Miss Song and the others came long ago and went to the kitchen, saying they were cooking a few delicious dishes.”
The fourth prince’s eyes instantly lit up.
It had been a long time since he had eaten any of Song Wangyue’s dishes.
The butler walked in with a smile, “Master, Aunt Sun said it’s all ready for you to go to the dining hall.”
The fourth prince was surprised, “What time is it that we are eating?”
“What are you thinking about!”
Xiao Qian laughed out loud, “Brother-in-law is asking us to go over and wrap dumplings.”
“Wrap dumplings?”
“Yes, brother-in-law said, whoever wraps them will eat them, those who won’t will go hungry at lunch today.”
The fourth prince gulped, he really didn’t know how to do it, in the palace he was served with food, clothing and shelter, not to mention wrapping dumplings, he had never even worn his own clothes.
The Fourth Prince also had never made dumplings before, so he was very surprised and rose first, followed by the others, and went to the kitchen.
Song Yin and Song Si were rolling and wrapping the dumplings, while Xiao Yao was learning how to roll out the dough with a rolling pin.
Xiao Yao was learning to roll out the dough with a rolling pin. When she saw the crowd coming in, she blushed a little.
She had been injured on the day she married Song Si and had been nursing for several months, then she got pregnant again and was busy with the baby after it was born.
“Grandparents, father-in-law and mother-in-law.”
Song Si greeted frankly with his apron, and Song Yin nodded towards the crowd.
The Fourth Prince’s gaze fell on his face, only glancing at it for a moment before quickly moving away again, his face full of excitement as he began to roll up his sleeves.
“Wash your hands first, and we’ll both show you how to wrap them.”
The crowd washed their hands and gathered around the table.
Not to mention Prince Ding and Xiao Zheng, even Lady Ding and Lady Xiao Zheng did not know how to wrap dumplings, and there were cooks at home, so there was no need for them to do it.
Song Si gave each of the men a rolling pin and asked them to follow Song Yin Xu in rolling out the dough.
It seemed like a simple task, but it was harder for them than it was for them to do. Several of them were sweating profusely as they learned, but none of them could be used.
“I give up.”
Xiao Qian put down his rolling pin.
It was too difficult, more difficult than fighting a battle.
With him at the beginning, Xiao Zheng didn’t want to learn either.
Song Yin spoke unhurriedly, “Yue’er has said that anyone who can’t learn, not to mention the dumplings, is not allowed to eat the dishes she makes at lunch.”
Xiao Zheng quickly picked up the rolling pin that he was just about to put on the counter. He didn’t believe that he couldn’t learn how to roll dough.
Xiao Qian was tempted to have the backbone to say he wouldn’t eat it if he didn’t, but when he thought of those fragrant dishes, he couldn’t help but swallow a little and mutter, “Miss Song is too cruel.”
“What did you say?”
“Nah, didn’t say anything.”
Song Yin gave him a look.
Xiao Qian’s heart tightened and he hurriedly picked up the rolling pin.
The fourth prince watched this with immense peace of mind.
He thought that no matter what he faced in the future, he would remember this scene today and his family who had given him peace of mind.
“I’m rolling out!”
Duke Ding proudly held up the dough he had rolled out, waved it around in front of the crowd and put it into his old wife’s hands.
The Duchess of Tingguo followed Song Si’s example and wrapped her first dumpling, which was not pretty, but it was enough to make her happy.
“I’ve rolled it out too!”
“Me too!”
“Look, guys, do I look good with these dumplings?”
……
Listening to the sounds coming from the dining room, the corners of the butler’s mouth never dropped as he stood guard in the courtyard.
There hadn’t been such happy scenes in the government for years.
How wonderful!
……
An hour later, the dumplings were wrapped and Song Wangyue’s dishes were ready.
The crowd was so enthusiastic that there was nothing left to eat.
For the first time in his life, the Fourth Prince was so full of food that he slumped in his chair.
Xiao Qian and he were similar.
Song Yin squinted at the two.
These two guys, whether they were grabbing vegetables or dumplings just now, one was faster than the other, they deserved to eat up.
Noticing his look, Xiao Qian turned his head away and ignored it, he didn’t care about his cousins, the dumplings and vegetables were the most affordable.
The Fourth Prince also felt it and subconsciously sat up straighter, smiling curtly at Song Yin, he really didn’t mean to grab it, he just couldn’t control it.
All this was seen by the Duke of Ding, he coughed and relieved the Fourth Prince, “When are you going back?”
The Fourth Prince immediately returned, “Mother Consort said, I’m in no hurry to go back since I’ve come back for a trip so easily.”
Duke Ding nodded, “In that case, let’s go to the study and play a few games of chess.”