Lu Shuo took a few sips and finally recovered. He gave the Duchess an embarrassed smile. "Thank you, Duchess. The rabbit was actually very tasty, but I've never seen it prepared this way. I hope I didn't embarrass myself."
The Duchess said warmly, "That's good. Just help yourself to whatever you like."
Lu Shuo gave a low "Mm."
Everyone else withdrew their gazes and continued eating.
The Second and Third Young Masters kept asking Duke Xuan about the battlefield. Annoyed, Duke Xuan turned the tables and asked about their lessons. They brushed it off, so he turned to the Eldest Young Master, who replied calmly. The Duchess occasionally interjected with a laugh, making Duke Xuan nod repeatedly.
Finally, no one was paying attention to him.
Lu Shuo's chopsticks hovered over only three or four nearby plates; he didn't reach for dishes further away. In this manner, he finished his bowl of rice.
He was indeed very full. The food at the Duke Mansion was delicious in color, aroma, and flavor—the best Lu Shuo had ever eaten.
Everyone else was nearly done too, setting down their chopsticks one after another.
Zhang Yizhu whispered something in Helan Zong's ear. Helan Zong narrowed his eyes slightly and waved his children away. "Go on, go play after eating. I still have some wine to finish slowly with your mother."
The twin brothers Helan Chang and Helan Rong were the first to leave the table, chasing each other out, with servants following, calling out reminders: "Young masters! Watch the steps!"
As the Eldest Young Master Helan Zhen rose to leave, his sleeve was tugged by Helan Pei from beside him.
Helan Zhen looked down at his sister and smiled. "What is it?"
Helan Pei looked at Zisu, who produced a book from her sleeve and said to Helan Zhen, "The young lady read a bit after her nap this afternoon and has some questions. She'd like your help."
"Great! It's been over a month since Pei'er last came to ask me questions." Helan Zhen said cheerfully. "Come, brother will take you to the study and see what new thoughts you've come up with."
The siblings also disappeared briskly beyond the door.
Seeing everyone had left, Lu Shuo bowed to Duke Xuan and the Duchess across the table and silently withdrew.
He walked toward his courtyard. Passing by the courtyard of Helan Chang and Helan Rong, he could still hear their boisterous shouts from within the walls.
He returned to his own courtyard and closed the gate. Tianqing, who had followed him, could no longer hold back and asked, "Young master, I have a question. It might be presumptuous, but if I don't speak up and outsiders find out, they might speak ill of you."
Lu Shuo was startled. "What is it?"
Tianqing pursed his lips. "I don't know if it's a matter of different customs, but in your hometown... is it not required to observe a vegetarian diet during the mourning period?"
Lu Shuo froze, his eyes widening. When the meaning sank in, his face flushed red in plain sight.
"I... I..." he stammered. "I didn't know about that..."
In his memory, his father and uncle had long divided the family property. The earliest funeral he could recall was when his grandmother died when he was three or four. But he was too young then to remember any details, only a vague impression.
People died in the village every year; funerals were held every year. Of course, Lu Shuo knew the basics: wearing hemp mourning clothes and the funeral procedures.
But no one had ever told him about a vegetarian diet. He had never heard of any family in the village observing a special vegetarian diet for the deceased.
Because everyone was poor, they rarely ate meat anyway. Whether someone died or not, they ate the same things—who would specifically emphasize it?
His family's savings were meager. The only meat they usually had was the occasional egg they found. Only during festivals would his mother be willing to buy a piece of meat from the market.
When news of his father's death arrived, there was still a small piece of leftover cured meat from the New Year. Later, when his mother fell ill, Lu Shuo wanted to cut her some meat, but she said she couldn't eat. Since she couldn't, how could he?
Then his mother passed away. His uncle and aunt had burial mounds built, took Lu Shuo and the household goods to their home, including that leftover piece of cured meat.
But his aunt and uncle hadn't had the heart to eat it right away. His cousins would often stare at the meat longingly, but dared not defy their parents, only sniffing the aroma to satisfy their craving.
Now, recalling the meals he had on the journey from his hometown to the capital under Duke Xuan's care, Lu Shuo suddenly realized: the military had been serving him plain cakes and vegetables all along, and he had never sensed anything wrong.
Occasionally, he had noticed even the soldiers drinking meat broth, but he had assumed it was a privilege of the army and that as an extra person, he shouldn't take advantage of public resources.
"I didn't mean to..." Lu Shuo's lips trembled with fear. "I really didn't know. No one told me about this, and we didn't often eat meat at home... But why didn't anyone mention it just now..."
Before he could finish, he suddenly remembered that someone had indeed warned him.
When the Third Young Master saw him take the rabbit meat, he had started to say something but was cut short by the Eldest Young Master, who smoothed things over.
At the time, Lu Shuo hadn't understood. He thought it was about his taste preferences. He never expected that he had broken a rule.
Lu Shuo's face turned from red to white. Standing in front of the house, he looked at Tianqing in dismay.
He saw Tianqing frown, a mix of pity and contempt in his eyes.
"Maybe the master and madam didn't stop you to avoid embarrassing you," Tianqing said, blinking. The complex emotions faded, replaced by a gentle comfort. "Young master, don't worry too much. This is only a moral flaw; it might affect your reputation if it gets out, but it won't have serious consequences. Many people secretly violate the rules during mourning, but just keep it well hidden."
Lu Shuo: "Then... since I ate meat during the mourning period, and so many people saw, will it affect the Duke Mansion's reputation?"
If he ruined his own reputation, so be it. But if he brought trouble to the Duke Mansion, he wouldn't know how to atone.
Tianqing thought for a moment. "The master and madam tacitly allowed you to eat the meat. I expect they will handle this matter."
Lu Shuo couldn't help but clench his hands tightly.
The wind lantern swayed under the eaves, casting his shadow in flickering motion.
At that moment, in the dining hall, the leftover food had been cleared away. Helan Zong and Zhang Yizhu dismissed the servants and sat together, speaking softly.
Zhang Yizhu said, "Do you think that child truly didn't know he should observe a vegetarian diet, or did he pretend not to know because he couldn't resist?"
Helan Zong replied, "Whether he knew or not, do you think it's right to make a boy of his age fast from meat for so long? Earlier, in the military, with many eyes watching, I couldn't very well tell him to eat meat. Now that he's home, can't I make the decision?"
Zhang Yizhu sighed. "That's what I think too. If an official violated such a taboo, it would be a stain; even during a mourning period, he could be impeached. But Lu Shuo is still young, already thin. If he doesn't eat some meat, he'll become a beanpole."
Helan Zong said, "In short, let him eat whatever we eat. He doesn't seem gluttonous. Why make things hard for him?" After a pause, he added, "But you should still warn the household not to gossip. If word gets out, it won't sound good."