Another group of people hurriedly passed by, leaving only the young man and his entourage of horses and carriages in the mountains, making the scene even more desolate.”Your Highness, shall we set off as well?” a servant quietly asked, noticing that the young man seemed to be lost in thought.
The young man responded with a faint “Oh,” reached up to lift his hood, and looked in the direction they had come from. The sound of hoofbeats echoed faintly in the mountains, gradually fading away until there was nothing but silence.
“Your Highness, what did the lady say to you? Why does Your Highness look so absent-minded?” A man, who seemed to be in charge, stepped forward and asked with a smile. Unlike the others who were respectful, he spoke with a certain casualness.
Not long ago, the young man had been standing close to Cheng Jiao-niang, whispering to her. Aside from the two of them, no one else had heard the final words.
The young man turned around, looked at the man, and also smiled.
The Duke was known for his love of laughter and good nature, likely due to his carefree upbringing in the palace.
“She asked me which family I’m from and whether I am married,” he said with a smile.
The group burst into laughter.
“Your Highness is handsome and elegant; what girl wouldn’t be enchanted upon meeting you?” The man in charge laughed even louder.
“Unfortunately, Father didn’t live to see me get married,” the young man said, his expression growing somber.
The laughter abruptly ceased, and everyone around him adopted a sorrowful expression.
“Your Highness, please accept our condolences,” the man in charge said, squeezing out a couple of tears. “Your filial piety is known to the late Prince, and he watches over us from the heavens. Let us continue on our journey.”
The young man nodded, his face tinged with sadness, as he took the horse handed to him by his servant.
“The carriage is broken, and since the Duke’s journey cannot be delayed, how about we switch to a water route ahead?” The man in charge said, as if struck by an idea.
“But switching to the water route would mean a detour,” someone else said.
“To rush is to not arrive at all. The Duke’s health is most important. He’s never traveled such a long distance before, and if he suffers another shock, what will happen? The Emperor and the Empress Dowager will both be worried,” the man in charge said anxiously.
“Then let it be as Steward Liao suggests,” the young man replied casually, “It’s more important to travel safely.”
The man in charge responded happily and went to arrange things. Watching his retreating figure, the young man couldn’t help but smirk coldly.
“I’ll have to see who it is, daring enough to risk their own life. The fisherman has become the fish, and even the fisherman doesn’t know it. That feeling is quite satisfying,” he thought.
The young man stopped smiling and glanced once more in the direction they had come from.
One family is surnamed Chen, the other is surnamed Zhou. So, is this lady from the Zhou family or the Chen family?
He reached up to put on his hood, nudged the horse with his heels, and rode off at full speed.
Day and night, they traveled relentlessly along both main and small roads, drawing closer to the capital with each passing day.
“Steward Cao, the items have been bought.”
Several servants, carrying large and small bundles, entered the inn.
In the dining hall, Steward Cao and others were having a meal.
“Take them over quickly, hurry up and eat so we can get back on the road,” Steward Cao said.
The servants responded and went inside.
“What would Miss like to eat?” someone asked curiously, looking at the array of dishes on the table. “Are none of these to your liking?”
The journey was long and tiring, traveling day and night with only the bare essentials for food and drink. Seeing that the capital was only three or five days away, everyone’s mood lightened significantly. Though they all wished they could rush straight into the city, Fourth Master Chen patiently allowed everyone to rest here for a while and enjoy a hearty meal.
This was already a familiar area for them, so they chose a well-regarded restaurant and ordered their signature dishes.
However, the lady only tasted one bite before setting her food aside.
“It’s not good,” she said.
Then she listed a series of strange and unfamiliar ingredients, instructing them to go out and buy them, as she intended to cook for herself.
How is it not good? Such good food…
This lady is really too picky.
Fourth Master Chen politely expressed that they had to make do with the journey and should be content with what they had.
“But it was you who said we should rest,” Cheng Jiao-niang said to him.
Her words were simple, but her maid would explain them.
“Throughout the journey, hasn’t my mistress made do?” the maid said, somewhat upset. “When everyone was working hard on the road, my mistress didn’t utter a single complaint.”
“That’s true.”
This lady really was quite quiet throughout the journey, so quiet that Fourth Master Chen and the others almost forgot she was a woman. For example, that night when they encountered a pack of wolves, if it had been any other lady, she would have been screaming and crying in fear, but she remained calm and quiet—sitting when needed, singing when needed…
She could endure hardship, but she was also spoiled and picky—truly a contradictory character.
The servant who had gone to deliver the items returned and reported the expenses to Steward Cao.
“Money sure is spent quickly,” he said.
“How much can two ladies possibly eat?” Fourth Master Chen laughed, waving for his own servants. “I’ll pay, I’ll pay.”
That won’t do, Steward Cao quickly intervened.
“It’s not much, it’s not much,” he said with a smile.
“Miss didn’t use much, most of it went to the brothers from Maoyuan Mountain,” the servant explained.
“That’s fine, Miss has a kind heart,” Steward Cao added.
He was really worried that this lady wouldn’t spend their money, but he didn’t expect her to spend it so freely. The fact that she chose to spend their money meant she considered them as her own people. That’s good, that’s good.
When they left, the master and young master had both said, “Give them whatever they want.” It’s just money, after all—so long as the people are here, what’s money to them?
The maid handed over a handful of chopped vegetables, watching as Cheng Jiao-niang added them to the pot.
In the small pot, the ingredients bubbled and simmered.
“Miss, you truly are kind-hearted, giving so much money to those people from Maoyuan Mountain,” the maid said.
Cheng Jiao-niang moved to the side, using a spoon to mix sesame oil, soy sauce, and other seasonings into a small bowl, sprinkling finely chopped scallions on top before handing it to the maid.
The maid took it somewhat absentmindedly, unsure of how to eat it.
“When the pot boils, dip the rabbit meat in, and eat it with the sauce,” Cheng Jiao-niang said.
The maid suddenly understood, looking at the small stove and copper pot in front of her, with plates of thinly sliced meat, fresh vegetables, and the fragrant aroma of spicy broth filling the air. Her appetite was immediately stirred.
“It’s not my money; it’s for doing good deeds. Why should I feel reluctant?” Cheng Jiao-niang said, preparing her own bowl before sitting down beside the maid.
The maid laughed mischievously, watching as Cheng Jiao-niang picked up a piece of rabbit meat and placed it in the pot. She quickly followed suit and began doing the same.
In the room, the steam and aroma filled the air, and from time to time, the maid’s quiet slurping and Cheng Jiao-niang’s voice could be heard.
“Hot, dip it in the sauce to cool it down.”
“Mmm, mmm, delicious, delicious.”
“It’s not really that delicious, it needs some good wine.”
“Miss, what kind of dish is this?”
“Boxiagong,” Cheng Jiao-niang slowly uttered three words while watching the vegetables and meat bubbling in the pot.
A bowl of wine was slowly finished, and Fourth Master Chen still felt a bit unsatisfied, but he knew the journey was important. Once his father recovered, he and his brothers could truly enjoy a good drink.
The servants had already begun to prepare the horses and carts.
“With all these vegetables, meat, and wine prepared, I wonder when they’ll be able to finish it all,” a servant whispered to Fourth Master Chen.
It wasn’t cooked all at once in one pot; they were separately stir-fried, which was quite a bit of work.
Fourth Master Chen shook his head, about to speak, when he heard the sound of the door opening. Cheng Jiao-niang and her maid stepped out.
“Miss, did you eat well?” Fourth Master Chen asked, somewhat surprised.
“Do you want me to eat well, or not eat well?” Cheng Jiao-niang asked indifferently, putting on her hood while giving him a blank look.
What kind of question is that! This lady… her words are so sharp…
Fourth Master Chen gave an awkward smile, while Steward Cao couldn’t help but chuckle.
What he really cared about wasn’t whether she ate well or not, but whether they could continue their journey. Still, he had to ask such a question—he was just making things awkward for himself.
Young Master Qin was right; with this lady, he must let her do as she pleases and not say too much.
Watching the lady and her maid board the carriage, Fourth Master Chen shook his head and gave a self-deprecating smile.
“She must be angry because she didn’t eat well,” he muttered, walking over to the room and opening the door. “Let’s see how much food is left. We can pack it and take it with us on the road…”
His voice trailed off as he opened the door.
In the room, the low table in the center was filled with a variety of dishes. In the middle stood a copper pot with charcoal, and on each side, there were four or five plates. On the side of the room, food trays were stacked with jars and bottles. At this moment, the charcoal fire was still burning, and the steam from the pot was still rising, but all the bowls and plates were empty.
A lingering fragrance filled the air.
Fourth Master Chen couldn’t help but take a deep breath.
How fragrant, how fragrant.
Had they finished all of it?
His expression changed in surprise. How had they finished it?
Hadn’t they bought meat and vegetables? They had actually cooked and eaten everything, keeping up with them?
“What did you do for her?” Fourth Master Chen asked, looking at the servant who was coming over to tidy up the plates and bowls.
“We didn’t do anything. The lady just asked us to wash and clean the rabbit meat, then brought oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, knives, and scissors, and set up the pot and dishes,” the servant said, bowing slightly, also looking inside with curiosity.
Could it be that this lady eats her food raw?
Fourth Master Chen was about to ask more when a servant outside came over respectfully, signaling that everything was ready and they were just waiting for his order to depart.
He had said he would wait for them, but now it seemed everyone was waiting for him.
Fourth Master Chen shook his head, no longer inquiring. He put on his cloak and strode out.
The convoy of horses and carriages rumbled forward.
Not long after, a shout echoed from the private room, startling the servants who were tidying up the plates and bowls outside.
“Delicious! This way of eating is absolutely exquisite!”
The servant who had been sneaking the leftover food from the guests was now eating with such enthusiasm—if he kept this up, he might be fired.
The servants watched as the innkeeper dashed from behind the counter into the room in a few steps.
“You little rascal… Huh? You mean, everything was cooked in the pot? How could it possibly taste good if all the flavors are mixed together like that?”
“Boss, you should try it! You should try it…”
“…So delicious… Wonderful… Wonderful… Get the kitchen staff over here, we need to see exactly how it was made, how it was eaten…”
By the time they reached the city gates, it was already near evening, and the streets were still bustling with people.
“We’ve arrived, finally arrived.”
At the city gates, the Chen family members who had received the news in advance were waiting to greet them.
“Fourth brother!”
“Brother, you’ve come too?”
Fourth Master Chen jumped off his horse and looked at his older cousin who was there to meet him. If it weren’t for the fast horse and servant who had ridden back with news of his father’s condition, he wouldn’t have dared to meet his brother.
“My father, he…” But Fourth Master Chen still grasped his brother’s hand, his voice trembling as he asked.
“Hurry, hurry,” Second Master Chen replied, his voice also shaking. “This is not the time for idle chatter.”
Fourth Master Chen held back his emotions, quickly mounted his horse, and the attendants called out to clear the way.
At the same time, a group of people on the roadside turned their gaze toward them.
A young man in a black robe stood with his arms crossed, exuding a heroic aura. Beside him, a youth in a green robe sat on a portable couch, standing out amidst the chaotic crowd.
“Young Master!”
Steward Cao pulled on the reins and called out, about to dismount.
Zhou Liu-lang gestured for him to stop with a solemn motion.
Steward Cao immediately steadied himself in the saddle, not dismounting.
“Hurry, Father and Mother are already at the Chen residence,” Zhou Liu-lang said.
Steward Cao responded promptly. Ahead, the Chen family members were riding swiftly, and he dared not delay, urging his horse to keep pace with the carriage carrying Cheng Jiao-niang, ensuring to stay close.
From start to finish, the carriage revealed no openings, and no one lifted the curtain to take a look.
“Quite a pose,” Zhou Liu-lang muttered with a hum.
“She’s poised,” Young Master Qin said, a faint smile at the corner of his mouth. “I, on the other hand, feel a bit uneasy.”
His gaze followed the carriage. Although his expression remained as indifferent as always, a closer look revealed a hint of curiosity in his eyes.
What kind of lady could she be?
The carriage soon entered the city gates and disappeared into the crowd, vanishing from sight.
