Chapter 147: Sure Enough, Something’s Going On
Hu Yan gave a slight nod. "Alright."
The Emperor exchanged a few words with Hu Yan. Once he confirmed that his son was truly alright, he finally noticed the other person standing nearby. He smiled and called out, "Zelda, you came to the palace as well. Why don’t you stay and join us for a simple meal?"
Zelda could only bite the bullet and agree.
Just then, Hu Yan’s mother, Empress Leia of the Empire, walked in.
Even though they had met earlier, the sight of Hu Yan still made her eyes well up. She strode over to him, first looking him over carefully, then struck his chest a few times, her voice choked with emotion. "All these years, and you never came back! You didn’t send a single word! Do you have any idea how devastated I was when I heard what happened to you?!"
Their last meeting had been rushed. They had only managed to exchange a few words, with no time to ask about what he had been through all these years.
Empress Leia said, "You’d better have a good explanation for me. Why didn’t you come back when you were alive all these years? You made me, your father, and your grandfather worry so much."
She was, in fact, giving Hu Yan an opening. He needed a reason for not returning for so long; otherwise, it would be difficult to justify his lengthy absence.
Hu Yan’s throat bobbed, and he spoke in a somewhat hoarse voice, "I was indeed severely injured back then. If someone hadn’t saved me, I might never have made it back."
Hearing this, the Empress’s expression changed instantly. She reached out to check Hu Yan for injuries, her face a mask of unconcealed worry. "Where were you hurt?" she asked urgently. "My dear boy, why didn’t you say anything?"
Hu Yan caught her hand. He still bore the traces left by Bai Zhi; there was no way he could let them see that now. Even if he were to tell them, this wasn’t the time.
At the very least, Hu Ao couldn’t find out about this yet.
Hu Yan gently reassured her, "It’s nothing now. It healed a long time ago."
The Emperor’s expression had also changed when he heard that Hu Yan had been severely injured. But seeing him now, it was clear the wounds had long since healed. He placed his hands on Empress Leia’s shoulders. "Since Yan’er says he’s fine, then he must be. Besides, so many years have passed. Even the most serious injury would have healed by now. Stop worrying yourself over nothing."
Hu Yan nodded. "Father is right. You don’t need to worry, Mother. Everything has healed."
The Emperor patted Empress Leia’s shoulder. "Alright now. He must be hungry after his long journey home. Let’s eat first. We can talk more later."
Empress Leia looked like she wanted to say more, but with the Emperor’s restraining hand on her, she held her tongue.
The meal was ready. The imperial kitchens had begun preparing and setting the table the moment they learned Hu Yan had entered the palace.
In the dining hall, robots were still serving the dishes.
Hu Yan found a moment to connect with Bai Zhi in her spirit sea, telling her he would be staying at the palace for the night and that she shouldn’t worry.
Caught off guard by the news that Hu Yan wasn’t coming home, Bai Zhi felt a little worried. She remembered what Zelda had told her and asked, "Are you sure you’re okay? Should I send someone over?"
Hu Yan explained, "It’s just an ordinary family dinner. My father is still alive, so even if the Eldest Prince wants to try something, he wouldn’t dare do it out in the open. They just want to know about my past few years and what happened back then. I’m only staying for one night and I’ll be back tomorrow. Don’t worry."
Hearing that, Bai Zhi breathed a small sigh of relief. "Alright. If you need me to do anything, just let me know."
Hearing the relief in her voice, Hu Yan let out a low chuckle. "Worried about me?"
Hearing his teasing, Bai Zhi retorted with some sharp-tongued humor of her own. "Uh-huh. After all, struggles for the throne have always been bloody affairs. Fathers against sons, brother against brother... there’s an endless history of backstabbing. I was just afraid you’d end up dead in the palace."
Hu Yan replied, "Then why did you offer to help? Aren’t you scared?"
Bai Zhi sidestepped the question, instead saying thoughtfully, "Good point. I should get them all to SS-level as soon as possible. It’ll make our getaway easier."
Hu Yan: "..."
Seeing Hu Yan’s two-second silence, Bai Zhi couldn’t hold back and broke into laughter first. "HAHAHA, did you actually believe me? Don’t worry, if I make a run for it, I’ll definitely bring you along. It’s just that you might not have such a high-ranking position or so many fans anymore."
Hu Yan played along with the joke. "So be it. I don’t eat much. You can definitely afford to support me."
Just then, Empress Leia noticed her son seemed distracted. She frowned and asked, "What are you thinking about?"
Hu Yan said to Bai Zhi, "Talk to you later. My mother is calling me."
Bai Zhi replied, "Okay, go on."
Hu Yan shook his head. "It’s nothing. Let’s sit down and eat first. I’ll tell you later."
Empress Leia hummed in response. She knew that if Hu Yan didn’t want to talk, she wouldn’t get anything out of him no matter how much she asked. He would talk when he was ready.
’Still, that expression on Hu Yan’s face just now...’
’He looked just like a young man head-over-heels in love for the first time.’
’But she quickly dismissed the idea as impossible. She had once been so worried that Hu Yan would never find a partner that she had arranged for him to meet the most eligible females in the Empire, yet he had refused to even see them.’
’But now, after being injured, disappearing, and finally returning, he was making an expression like that? It was highly suspicious.’
’Empress Leia made a mental note. When he was finally willing to talk, she would have to properly question him and find out exactly what was going on.’
’Status and background were secondary; as long as the person was decent, that’s all that mattered.’
’She had once been resigned to the idea that Hu Yan would grow old alone. If he had a female to accompany him, it would be a great weight off her mind.’
At this thought, a fond, gentle smile graced Empress Leia’s face.
Hu Yan, unaware of Empress Leia’s thoughts, pulled out a chair for his mother. Only after she was seated did he pull out his own chair and sit down.
The table was laden with exquisite dishes. The ingredients had been cleansed by an Advanced Purification Master, and the chef’s skill was evident—everything looked and smelled divine. Yet, for some reason, Hu Yan had no appetite.
’Bai Zhi’s cooking, while not as exquisitely plated, tasted incredible. And watching her eat with such gusto always made him eat more than he’d intended.’
At the thought, his gaze softened.
Empress Leia used the serving chopsticks to place some of Hu Yan’s favorite dishes onto his plate. When she saw he was lost in thought, a soft, lingering look still in his eyes, her own eyebrows arched slightly. ’Aha! So there *is* something going on!’
A smile spread across Empress Leia’s face at the thought. ’I’m so looking forward to this,’ she thought. ’I wonder what kind of female managed to capture my son’s attention.’
Meanwhile, the very person on Hu Yan’s mind was at home with her several Beast Husbands, preparing a whole roasted sheep.
She had gotten home and, on a whim, had the housekeeper buy a sheep. The sheep here were different from those in the modern world; as they were a type of spirit beast, their meat was firmer and contained energy that could restore one’s spiritual power.
Bai Zhi mixed a secret-recipe marinade, brushing it over the meat. The roaster was an old thing they had to dig out of storage; it took two Beastmen just to lift it into place for the roasting.
After roasting for a while, a delicious aroma began to fill the air, and Bai Zhi’s mouth immediately started to water.