While I understood his meaning, hearing him compare his brother’s couple to his parents felt strange.
Perhaps it struck a chord because I could relate. I was also once a young prodigy who understood adult situations, desperately seeking approval from those who were ‘like parents’ to me.
But that was a memory from more than half a century ago. I didn’t have the luxury to dwell on those times now.
So instead of empathizing with the Grand Duke, I focused on the information I gathered.
The Grand Duke indeed was the de facto heir apparent, not officially titled the Crown Prince but staying in the palace. He held the title of Grand Duke instead, and the Empress, not the current Empress, was in charge of the inner palace affairs.
Wow, what a complicated household. Not a single aspect of it seemed normal.
“How about it. Did I answer your questions?”
While it wasn’t exactly pleasant, I did obtain the information I needed. I nodded sincerely in gratitude.
“Yes, thank you.”
“Really?”
But when I expressed my thanks, the Grand Duke suddenly questioned it.
I had offered several insincere thanks before, but his sudden doubt puzzled me.
“Yes, really.”
With no room to backtrack now, I simply nodded in agreement.
“Then, in return, could you host a small-scale tea party to make your debut?”
“Me, personally?”
I was surprised by two things. One was that the Grand Duke instructed me to host the tea party ‘personally,’ and the other was the manner in which he broached the subject.
If the Grand Duke had wanted me to host a tea party, he could have simply commanded it. If he had wanted to make it seem like a transaction, he could have bargained with Jasper Palace or the gardeners.
As I had thought earlier, I had thanked the Grand Duke so many times that I couldn’t even remember the count. He could have easily picked a more plausible demand to impose on me.
Yet, he willingly answered a question he didn’t need to and proposed the tea party as a condition of exchange.
How to put it… It’s a behavior that’s neither like a 5-year-old nor befitting of a ruler. Considering he doesn’t seem to like me much, it’s quite a surprising attitude.
“Killing two birds with one stone. If it were just about introducing you, my sister-in-law could have prepared it, but Jasper Palace will be showcased too. It’s also a declaration that you’ll be staying there from now on.”
Wow. They’re going out of their way to show off where I, a non-imperial, will be living with a party.
I’m not sure who planned this, but the intention is dripping with personal interest. It wouldn’t be like the Grand Duke to do something so filled with personal motive. Could it be the Empress or the Empress Dowager, who oversees palace affairs?
“Yes, I understand.”
Though I was fully aware of the blatant intent, I readily nodded. Refusing seemed unlikely to change much, and it appeared to be a good opportunity to teach Tulla how to manage a banquet.
From my past life’s experience, hosting a party wasn’t new to me. After all, the core principles of hospitality remain the same.
“Right. The selection of guests will be handled by us, and they will all be my age peers who haven’t yet entered the social circle, so don’t worry too much.”
Children as guests… To me, emotional children are more troublesome to deal with than adults with whom I can have a conversation.
But since this was more about a midterm check for Tulla than making friends, I simply nodded in agreement.
“Yes.”
The Grand Duke then got up, indicating that his visit was not just a belated show of concern but also about planning the tea party.
“Well, we’ll discuss the details after moving to the palace. Just consider this a heads-up.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
This consideration was something Tulla would be grateful for. Starting today, she was going to rigorously learn how to manage a party.
Male lead is reincarnated to save his wife
I’ve also read this one twice already. The female lead is kinda soft and gets embarrassed easily—not really my type, but the plot is definitely worth reading. Hurry up and read it, y’all!
Intro
When Shen Yuan encountered Su Jin again in his previous life, she had already become the Prime Minister of the current dynasty. As for him, the former top young master of the capital, he had long since fallen into the abyss, becoming a singer on a pleasure boat.
After a song ended, he was redeemed and sent to the Su Residence.
Su Jin respected and cherished him, gave him a roof over his head, and bestowed him with warmth. Shen Yuan fell deeper and deeper, but before he could express his feelings, Su Jin passed away.
Shen Yuan died to follow her in death, but instead, he returned to when he was fifteen years old.
At that time, he was not yet engaged, and Su Jin was just a poor scholar.
Shen Yuan gritted his teeth, casting aside all his pride, and thought of ways to coax and entice her every day.
The colder and more indifferent Su Jin was towards him, the more proactive Shen Yuan became.
He was not afraid of being mocked by the world, only wanting to marry his Wife-master early, to hold her hand and never let go for a lifetime.
[Note: This story will not specifically point out the male lead’s reincarnation time point; it’s all in the details. Whenever you feel that the male lead is acting strangely, he has most likely been reincarnated.]
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
