The door opened and Ge Mengshu stepped in, Yanyu behind her carrying two round wrapped with cloth containers. With how the containers were wrapped Si Ning didn't need to ask to know it was lunch containers and the small smile playing on his lips fell as he wore an impassive look as a means to hide his disappointment.

Ge Mengshu gasped the moment she saw Si Ning and she raised her hands to cover her mouth, as a means to show how amazed she was. "Is this my son that is looking so dazzling." She said trying to sound like it was unbelievable that his son could look so handsome. "You look so beautiful!" She declared and smiled before moving forward to draw Si Ning into a hug.

Si Ning was glad she didn't seem to notice his bad mood and to try to look delighted made him decide to also hug her back but the instant he wrapped his hands around his mother, he couldn't help but smile sincerely, feeling his worry melting away and finding her little joke funny that he even chuckled, It had been long since he hugged his mother and it was surprisingly calmly.

Apart from Xiao Pei, Si Ning had been expecting Si Nan to come in at any moment with his snacks and he didn't expect his mother to come at all. He directed his gaze to the door expecting Si Nan to come in but when his mother pulled away made him guessed that Si Nan wasn't coming.

Ge Mengshu pulled Si Ning to sit at the table then she gestured for Yanyu to place the containers on the table. She reached forward to unwrap the cloth that was used to wrap the containers and when the cloth came loose, she opened the lid of one of the containers.

The round wooden container contained steamed buns and dumplings which made Si Ning's eyes widen with delight and the steam coming out from it had shown that it was just made.

Si Ning smiled brightly as he draws the container towards him to stare at how delicious-looking the buns were. "You made this." It wasn't a question because the last time Si Nan made him buns it wasn't shaped well and she even confessed she just learned how to make it when Si Ning realizes the pork in it tasted raw.

When Ge Mengshu didn't reply to at least confirm his statement, Si Ning couldn't help but noticed the sudden change in the atmosphere which made him raise his head to see what was wrong only to see his mother's strained smile which looked so fake that his smile instantly fell.

"I did and Si Nan made the soup, since it was time for her embroidery class, I had to tell her to go only on the basis that she will visit you tomorrow in the palace." Ge Mengshu told him as she unwrapped the second container, the container contained hot spicy soup which was made by Si Nan.

Si Ning nodded and took the lid to cover the food containers as an indication he would not be eating at the moment. "I will make sure to eat it when I get to the palace." He mumbled before covering the second food container.

It was hard for Si Ning to resist not taking a piece from the dumplings but he doesn't want to risk eating it because he didn't think he would be able to stop at one and he might end up eating till he was so full he won't be comfortable walking or eating at the palace, eating a spicy soup in the afternoon would also make him sweat and also he was disturbed about his mother's sudden sad expression that she was struggling to make her smile natural.

"My preparations are complete, I have selected gifts for the Emperor and the Queen Dowager because those are the two people you don't want to offend." Ge Mengshu told him in an awkward sharp tune. "I know that the Emperor's favors... you and... you trust... him... but the palace... is a flexible... place which means you... have to..."

"Mother?" Si Ning realized something was wrong when Ge Mengshu's words kept breaking till she stopped in the middle of her statement then he could only watch as his mother closed her eyes then opened them, unshed tears forming a thin layer on her lower eyelid.

"You have to stand... on your own... you don't have... to rely on people... hmm just don't offend... them, I am not against... you and the Emperor... but I would have loved if he didn't make you his Consort..." Ge Mengshu stopped as tears started to flow down her eyes as she reached for Si Ning'a hand, unable to stop her hands from shaking, holding his hands firmly as she cried.

Seeing his mother cry obviously because he was moving to the palace placed Si Ning in an awkward position because he didn't know what to say, he wasn't shocked by her bursting into tears because his mother had always been strong but fragile when it comes to her children, he didn't expect her to cry but he was surprised.

Most parent would jump to the opportunity of them becoming a relative to the Imperial family but Ge Mengshu had shown she wasn't pleased and Si Ning couldn't blame her because his mother wasn't an ambitious person unlike him, she had always been contented with what she had as long as she could go by each day comfortably without many worries and seeing her children live comfortably.

Si Ning rubbed her hands gently. "Mother I am great General Si Ning and I don't think I need to rely on someone in the palace or avoid offending someone." He started in a low voice, as the Queen Dowager face came to his mind, she was one person he doesn't want to offend but at the same time, he had to remind himself he was also an important figure in Xiu. "Staying in the palace doesn't take away my duty to our family and with the way it is they should also try not to offend me in the palace."

"Stupid!" Ge Mengshu knocked on Si Ning's head as she collected the handkerchief Yanyu handed to her and started to wipe her tears.

"Ouch..." Si Ning's eyes widen as he placed a hand on his head, he just tried to brag to his mother about how great and important he was and also puts her mind at rest but what that earned him was a knock on the head.

"The palace is a dangerous place, especially for you since you chose Xiu over Xilie which means you are not hungry for power but they don't know that so always have someone to taste your food also use a silver spoon to check for poisoning and I am sure I thought you enough to know you mustn't first eat at a dine unless your food is tasted." Ge Mengshu said, her voice and eyes clear like she wasn't the one crying a minute ago.

"Aye Aye." Si Ning nodded, trying to elevate some of her worries a little surprised that one minute she was crying her eyes out and the next she looked so composed and it was only her red eyes that could serve as proof of it.

Si Ning was glad that she saw him in a good light that he wasn't hungry for power and also chose Xiu over Xilie when he had spent a lot of time trying to find a way to have both or stick with the nation he could predict as the one with the upper hand.

"Madam, Ah Dai will make sure anything Young Master wants to ingest is safe." Ah Dai fell on his knees.