Du Man, Gu Cheng, and Gu Ming didnât waste time and truly went back to rest. To make it back before the end of the year, the three of them had endured meals in the wild and sleeping under the stars. Fortunately, their mounts were wild horses carefully picked by Xiaobai; otherwise, ordinary horses would never have survived such high-intensity journeys.
Now that they were home, they could finally relax, but the exhaustion had inevitably set in.
To welcome them back, dinner was made especially sumptuous. The menu was personally curated by Yang Ruxin herself. For dishes the kitchen staff didnât know how to make, she stepped in to give instructions. All in all, she made sure that the dishes most loved by Du Man and the others were included.
"Big Sister, how did you know they liked these dishes?" Sanni asked.
"Observation," Yang Ruxin replied with a smile. "Even though theyâve sold themselves to us, we canât treat them like servants. After all, everyone needs respect. By understanding the preferences and traits of the people around us, we can reward them thoughtfully. Donât you think that would make them more genuinely devoted to me and work even harder and more loyally?"
Sanni nodded thoughtfully, and then a mischievous gleam sparked in her wide eyes. "Big Sister, everyoneâs preferences? Is that true for everyone?"
"Yes," Yang Ruxin smiled and nodded, "If you donât believe me, test me!"
"Then what about Xu Shifei, the tutor at the academy? Do you know his favorite food?" Sanni asked with a playful grin.
"Haha." Yang Ruxin laughed, "Of course I know! His favorite food is fish, but he absolutely dislikes radishes..."
Sanniâs eyes widened instantly. "What about Tutor Luo then?"
"Luo Wanli loves tofu, but he despises scallions..."
"Big Sister! How do you know all this?"
"Theyâve been eating meals here every day. Just paying a little attention is more than enough to notice," Yang Ruxin said as she gently patted Sanniâs head. "It all comes down to care and thoughtfulness. As long as you put your heart into something, thereâs nothing you canât do..."
"Iâve got it now!" Sanni nodded quickly in earnest.
Dinner was lively, with everyone eating heartily and happily. Du Chengxiuâs family, in particular, felt especially at ease, as they had been secretly worried about their daughter. Now that she was back, they could finally feel reassured.
After everyone had eaten and drank their fill, the children went off to rest. Only then did Du Man begin his report on the investigation they had carried out during the trip.
First, concerning the Meng Family: itâs true that a girl from the family entered the palace. The girl in question is Meng Huaizhongâs eldest daughter, though she wasnât born of his legal wife, but rather of one of his chambermaids. Her name is Meng Keqing, and she has an exceedingly pure and delicate beautyâjust the type of woman who evokes a manâs instinct to protect. Six years ago, she caught the attention of the Han King by chance. He brought her into the palace, and upon returning to the capital, the Yun King took a liking to her. The Han King then gave her away to the Yun King as a gift.
Apparently, the Yun King is very fond of this concubine. Although she hasnât borne him any children, she continues to receive his unwavering affection.
"The Yun King?" Yang Ruxin frowned. "So, youâre saying the Meng Family is aligned with the Yun King?"
"On the surface, that does seem to be the case," Du Man nodded in agreement.
Yang Ruxinâs expression turned thoughtful. "But didnât Fatty Hao mention that the Meng Family has ties to the Crown Prince? Whatâs the nature of that connection?"
"Now that part gets interesting," Du Man chuckled. "In the Crown Princeâs residence, there are officially only two women with titles: the Crown Princess Consort, whom the Emperor arranged for him to marry, and another titled woman named Feng Rong, who holds the rank of liangdi. Feng Rong has a cousin named An Yun, who married into the Meng Family. Specifically, she is now the wife of Meng Huaizhongâs eldest son, Meng Kelong. Within the Meng Family, sheâs considered the mistress of the household..."