Chapter 90: Family Reunion

“Mm, I don’t have much of an appetite,” Zhan Yan sighed.

“Yan’er, that won’t do. You just emptied your stomach, you need to eat something to settle it,” Zhongli Yu coaxed her patiently.

“But I really can’t eat anything,” Zhan Yan replied helplessly.

“Yan’er, the baby must be hungry. If you don’t eat, the baby will go hungry too,” Zhongli Yu, seeing her reluctance, had no choice but to evoke their unborn child.

She looked down at her still-flat belly, thinking of the tiny life now growing within her. Instantly, her heart softened and her sadness faded. She smiled gently and said, “I was being foolish, I forgot there’s a baby in my belly now.”

Zhongli Yu breathed a quiet sigh of relief. “As long as you remember. Eat a little more now.”

“Husband, things seem a bit complicated these days, don’t they?”

“There’s no need for you to worry, Yan’er. Everything is under control. In due time, those people will get what they deserve,” Zhongli Yu’s eyes flashed with a cold determination.

“I trust you.”

“Then focus on your pregnancy and don’t trouble yourself with anything else, understand?”

“All right.”

The scent of osmanthus drifted into the room from the courtyard. Breathing in the soothing fragrance, Zhan Yan felt her spirits lift, her heart growing lighter.

The days passed in a deceptive calm. Then, the annual Ghost Festival arrived. By now, Zhan Yan’s morning sickness had faded; she could eat and sleep well. She had been in this world for fifteen years and never truly celebrated the Ghost Festival. In the Southern Prince’s manor, she had never felt the warmth of family, and so, every year, she would feign illness to avoid joining them. She often sat atop the roof, watching the lively lantern festivals in the capital, longing for her parents from her past life.

But now, things were different. She had married Zhongli Yu, and felt she finally had a home. She had even found her real father—a father who truly cherished her. She wondered if he would come today; she had already sent word to him about her pregnancy. He had been overjoyed and written back, promising to visit her during the festival. And then there were the grandfathers who treated her as their own granddaughter; though not related by blood, their affection ran deeper than kinship. She felt she had gained so much.

In this era, mooncakes were not customary during the Ghost Festival. But Zhan Yan decided to make some herself for everyone to try. She ordered the ingredients early in the day. In her past life, she had been an only child from a privileged family, rarely needing to do housework. But after going abroad for her studies and missing Chinese food, she began cooking for herself. In time, cooking became a pleasure, and her skill improved. Later, out of interest, she even apprenticed at a bakery. So making mooncakes was a simple matter for her. Although she lacked a modern oven, she was confident she could create something similar enough.

Zhongli Yu, seeing his wife enter the kitchen, assumed the cook’s food didn’t suit her and hurried after her. “Yan’er, what’s wrong? Are the dishes not to your liking? You don’t need to cook for yourself. If you want, I’ll fetch the imperial chef to cook for you.” For her sake, he would even ask the emperor for a chef without hesitation.

Seeing his earnest face and the cook sweating nervously, Zhan Yan couldn’t help but laugh. “You’ve misunderstood, husband. The cook is quite skilled; there’s no need for an imperial chef.”

“Then why are you in the kitchen?” Zhongli Yu was puzzled. They’d been married for over half a year, and he’d never seen her cook. Did she even know how?

“Isn’t today the Ghost Festival? I’m going to make something none of you have ever tasted,” she said mysteriously.

“What are you making?”

“You’ll know when it’s done.”

“Oh? So secretive? I must see for myself. How about I help you?”

“That’s fine,” Zhan Yan agreed, glancing at the anxious cook. With Zhongli Yu in the kitchen, the others would be on edge. She told the cook, “Madam Guan, you and the others can rest. Just leave the ingredients I requested.”

“Yes, Princess,” Madam Guan replied, relief washing over her.

Once the others had left, Zhan Yan turned to Zhongli Yu. “Why are you always so stern with people? It’s frightening. Didn’t you see Madam Guan sweating from nerves?”

Zhongli Yu looked aggrieved. Was it his fault the servants were timid? “I always look like this, don’t I? When have I been cold-faced?”

“If not, why did they look so terrified?”

“That’s their own timidity. What’s that got to do with me?”

“All right, if you say so,” Zhan Yan replied, not wanting to argue.

“Yan’er, are you being perfunctory with me?”

“No, of course not.”

“Still denying it? You must be punished,” Zhongli Yu declared, and stole a fierce kiss as retribution.

“Husband, we’re in the kitchen,” Zhan Yan protested helplessly. Did this man never consider the time or place?

“I know perfectly well. And?”

“It’s the kitchen, and you still…” Seeing his expression—one more word and I’ll kiss you again—she quickly fell silent.

Zhongli Yu noticed her wise silence, a hint of a smile flickering in his eyes.

Ignoring him, Zhan Yan began kneading dough and preparing various fillings: barbecued pork, mixed nuts, red bean paste. Watching her skilled hands, Zhongli Yu marveled—was there anything this little woman couldn’t do?

Catching his dazed stare, Zhan Yan laughed, “Weren’t you going to help? Why are you just standing there?”

“What does my wife need me to do?” Zhongli Yu rolled up his wide sleeves, ready to assist.

“What can you do? Can you light the fire? If so, you can tend to that.”

“That’s no trouble. I’ll get right on it.”

Indeed, some people are just like that—no matter how unfamiliar the task, once they try, they make it seem as if they’ve done it a thousand times.

And so, this noble couple spent the Ghost Festival together in the kitchen, making mooncakes no one had ever tasted before. After two hours, the sweet fragrance of mooncakes filled the air, drawing the maids and servants outside the door to crane their necks, eager to see what delicious treat the princess had made.

Zhan Yan smiled in satisfaction at her handiwork.

Zhongli Yu had watched every step closely. With his intelligence, he was quick to learn, and nearly half the mooncakes were made by his own hands.

They made nearly a hundred mooncakes. Zhan Yan picked up one filled with barbecued pork and handed it to Zhongli Yu. “Thank you for your hard work, husband. You get to taste the first one.”

He broke the mooncake in half, offering one piece to her while taking the other for himself. She took a bite from his hand—delicious. Zhongli Yu tasted it and nodded approvingly.

Li Hun entered the kitchen, inhaling deeply. “Young master, madam, the Southern Prince has arrived.” He thought to himself, what perfect timing! Otherwise, he’d have had no excuse to sample the treat whose fragrance had drifted so far.

Zhongli Yu tossed something at Li Hun’s forehead. Li Hun dodged, caught it, and found it was a cake—the source of that tempting aroma.

“Thank you, young master. You know me so well, you knew I was greedy,” Li Hun grinned, biting into the mooncake, savoring its delicious flavor.

Zhongli Yu said irritably, “You think you can fool me with those tricks? Since when is it your job to announce the Southern Prince? Hasn’t Steward Yang always waited outside for that? Clearly, you had other motives.”

Li Hun chuckled. “Young master, you’re brilliant and discerning, a peerless genius—there’s nothing you can’t see through. Lan said if I didn’t bring them some of this delicacy, they’d shun me in the future. So, for the sake of my social life, could you spare me a few more?”

Zhongli Yu gave him a cold look. “In that case, I won’t give you any. Let them shun you—it might not be a bad thing.”

Seeing that Zhongli Yu really intended to refuse, Li Hun changed tactics, pitifully appealing to Zhan Yan, “Madam, young master is cold and unsympathetic, but you’re different—gentle, kind, and generous. Please, have pity on me—don’t let me return empty-handed.”

Zhan Yan couldn’t help laughing. This Li Hun was truly a character; to be so eloquent just for a few cakes! “All right, it’s only a few mooncakes. I made plenty—take some to share with everyone.”

Li Hun’s eyes sparkled as he filled a packet with mooncakes. “Madam, you have a heart of gold. I’ll always remember your great kindness.”

“Enough—take them and go,” Zhongli Yu said, exasperated by his sycophantic subordinate. Was his training really so poor that a few cakes could reduce his men to this? Rubbing his temples, he could only sigh.

Once his packet was full, Li Hun grinned, “Young master, knowing how stingy you are, I won’t take too many. I’ll take my leave now.” With that, he darted out, calling back, “Thank you, madam!”

Zhan Yan watched Li Hun leave with a bundle of mooncakes—at least ten!—and laughed at his claim that Zhongli Yu was stingy. Truly, he had gotten his fill and still played the aggrieved.

Zhongli Yu, unfazed, continued to eat his mooncake. Soon, Steward Yang arrived to announce that the Southern Prince had been welcomed to the front hall. So Li Hun had come solely for the mooncakes, after all.

Zhan Yan ordered that the mooncakes be distributed so that everyone in the household could have some. She kept half for herself, intending to enjoy them with the moon at night, then took Zhongli Yu with her to greet Zhan Tianyi.

Zhan Tianyi waited quietly in the front hall for his daughter. Seeing her arrive, glowing with happiness, he was satisfied—she must truly be well.

Both Zhongli Yu and Zhan Yan saluted him and greeted him affectionately.

Zhan Tianyi responded with joy. After more than a decade of imprisonment, just seeing his daughter and son-in-law now filled him with contentment.

“Father, you really came! I thought you’d be at the palace banquet and wouldn’t make it,” Zhan Yan said. Every year at Mid-Autumn, the palace hosted a feast for officials above the third rank.

Zhan Tianyi looked at her lovingly. “When I heard you were expecting, I had to come see you. I told His Majesty I wasn’t well enough for the banquet, and he agreed.”

“That’s wonderful, Father. This year, we can finally spend a real Ghost Festival together as a family.”

At the word “family,” Zhan Tianyi grew a little wistful, remembering his late wife and feeling a dull ache in his heart. But seeing his daughter’s joy, he quickly set aside his sorrow and smiled. “You’re right, Yan’er. This year we celebrate together, and next year, your child will join us. It will be even livelier then.”

“Yes, Father. Let’s not dwell on the past, but cherish the present, all right?” She had noticed the sadness in his eyes and gently comforted him.

“You’re right, Yan’er. Life is about finding contentment,” Zhan Tianyi nodded.

“Father, I made mooncakes for you—you must try one.”

“Oh? What are mooncakes?”

“A kind of cake for the Ghost Festival,” Zhan Yan explained, sending for the mooncakes. Soon, a maid brought in a plate of golden cakes, their fragrance filling the hall.

Zhan Tianyi saw the glossy, golden rounds on a white plate, their sweet aroma making his mouth water.

“Father, have a taste and judge your daughter’s skills,” Zhan Yan said, handing him a five-nut mooncake.

He took a bite. The delicious flavor filled his mouth, and he couldn’t help taking another. “Delicious!”

“Yan girl, you’re so unfair—making treats for your father and not for your grandpa!” came Gu Yan’s disgruntled voice from outside. He strode into the hall and, spotting the mooncakes, grabbed one and began eating.

Zhan Yan shot him a look. “Grandfather, I’d only just finished them when Father arrived. I was about to bring some to you. How am I being unfair?”

“Mm, so good,” Gu Yan mumbled, not even glancing at her as he finished one and reached for another.

“Grandpa, can’t you slow down? You’ll choke,” Zhan Yan said, helpless—why did her grandfather behave more like a child as he aged?

“Girl, I’m not a kid. I won’t choke on a cake,” he retorted, only to start coughing at once, having indeed choked.

Zhan Yan quickly handed him water, and after a few sips, he recovered.

“See? I told you not to eat so fast. Are you all right?” she asked, patting his back.

“Haha, I’m fine. Yan girl, why didn’t you make these before? If I’d known you could bake like this, I’d have pestered you every year for the Ghost Festival,” Gu Yan said, scolding her playfully.

Zhan Yan could only smile wryly. He’d pester her for mooncakes every year, just because they tasted good—how pragmatic could he be?

Gu Yan ignored her expression, turning to Zhan Tianyi. “So you’re the Southern Prince?”

Zhan Tianyi cupped his hands in greeting. “I am, Senior.”

Gu Yan nodded. “Not bad—not like that impostor before. Much more pleasing to the eye.”

Zhan Tianyi broke into a cold sweat—this elder was remarkably blunt.

Gu Yan continued, “I always wondered—my granddaughter is so smart and lovable, how could her father not care for her? Was he mad? Turns out the father was a fake all along.”

Zhan Tianyi quickly said, “Senior, thank you for looking after Yan’er all these years. I am deeply grateful.”

“That girl hardly needed my care—she’s quite capable herself. If anything, I owe her for the fine wine she’s given me,” Gu Yan waved it off.

Zhan Yan rolled her eyes. The old man was only too happy for the world to know of his fondness for drink.

“Senior, you jest,” Zhan Tianyi laughed. As a famed general, he was forthright by nature. Far from being offended by Gu Yan’s manner, he found it endearing.

Gu Yan and Zhan Tianyi soon fell into animated conversation—mostly Gu Yan recounting stories of Zhan Yan’s childhood, which Zhan Tianyi listened to with delight and gratitude. He knew the old man was sharing tales of his daughter’s growth—a sign of his deep affection. Even Zhan Yan, listening nearby, was moved by how much her grandfather had cared for her through the years.

Soon, the Old Prince and Doctor Meng arrived, having heard of Zhan Tianyi’s visit—and, truth be told, drawn by the rumor of delicious mooncakes. Unlike Gu Yan, they exchanged polite greetings before sitting down to sample the mooncakes, which they ate with relish, praising Zhan Yan’s skill.

And so, even before the evening feast, the Gu family residence was filled with laughter and warmth, all thanks to the mooncakes Zhan Yan had made for the Ghost Festival.