The prince longs for me every night after mastering thought-reading-Chapter 24 - Can You Eat Properly
Chapter 24: Chapter 24 Can You Eat Properly?
Chapter 24 -24 Can You Eat Properly?
Shen Chuwei’s sleepiness had completely vanished.
She looked at the beaming Eunuch Liu and asked, “Is Your Highness coming for dinner?”
“Yes, Miss Shen, please prepare in advance.
I will go back and report now,” he replied.
Eunuch Liu smiled and left with his entourage.
Tao Chenghui secretly rejoiced.
The trip had not been in vain; luckily, she hadn’t left with Xu Chenghui.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have known in advance that His Highness would come to Xiyun Pavilion for dinner, and most importantly, that she could see His Highness.
Shen Chuwei couldn’t help but complain.
With so many women around, why did he have to dine at her place?
Last time, Xiao Jinyan had finished his meal just as she was enjoying hers, forcing her to put down her chopsticks as well.
And he was coming again?
Could she even eat a meal in peace anymore?
Tao Chenghui, oblivious to Shen Chuwei’s frustration, remarked, “Sister Shen, His Highness is really good to you.
He’s so busy yet still making time to dine with you.”
Shen Chuwei glanced at Tao Chenghui.
Xiao Jinyan, good to her?
He wouldn’t even let her eat her fill, and he scolded her too!
The smile on Tao Chenghui’s face stiffened.
Why did she feel that Shen Chuwei wasn’t happy about this?
It must be her own illusion; surely, she would be overjoyed that His Highness was coming.
Chun Xi, on the other hand, was very happy, thinking that if His Highness came for dinner, he might stay the night.
As long as her mistress tried hard, a child could be in the cards, right?
Being in such favor, getting pregnant was just a matter of time, and then certainly there would be schemes and traps set by others.
Tonight, they must review more plots of palace intrigue!
Excited, Chun Xi approached, “Mistress, what dishes will you prepare tonight?
What ingredients do you need?
I will go to the Imperial Kitchen to get them.”
His Highness was coming for dinner, and not only could she not refuse, but she also had to serve him well.
Shen Chuwei sighed and then thought of getting ingredients from the Imperial Kitchen; her eyes instantly lit up.
“Chun Xi, get a pen,” she said.
“Right away, I’ll get it.” Chun Xi cheerfully fetched paper and a pen.
Shen Chuwei wrote down a long list of ingredients and handed it to Chun Xi after putting down the pen.
Chun Xi clutched the menu and ran straight to the Imperial Kitchen.
When Chun Xi left, Shen Chuwei sprawled back onto the rocking chair, hands behind her head, legs crossed, and as she thought about making delicious food with the ingredients, her mood instantly brightened.
Tao Chenghui sat there awkwardly.
Chuwei glanced at Tao Chenghui, who showed no signs of leaving, and curiously asked, “Sister Tao, aren’t you busy?”
Tao Chenghui hastily shook her head.
“Not busy at all—I feel a special kinship with you and want to spend more time with you.”
Uh!
She really didn’t need it!
Shen Chuwei withdrew her gaze and thought about how to create delicious dishes, her mouth watering just at the thought.
Chun Xi ran to the Imperial Kitchen, and as soon as she stepped through the doorway, she saw Eunuch Qian standing on the steps, greeting her with a smile as soon as he saw her.
“Chun Xi, I’ve been waiting for you for quite a while,” he said.
Chun Xi couldn’t help but roll her eyes; his demeanor was like night and day compared to last time.
“Eunuch Qian, how could I trouble you to wait for me?” she said.
Upon hearing this, Eunuch Qian knew Chun Xi still remembered the past, and he laughed awkwardly.
“Miss Chun Xi, you jest.
Let me take you inside.”
“You flatter me, Eunuch Qian.
How could a mere servant like me dare to jest?” Chun Xi huffed.
Eunuch Qian chuckled awkwardly.
Chun Xi handed the menu to Eunuch Qian.
“Everything my mistress wants is written here.”
Eunuch Qian, holding the menu, glanced at it and exclaimed in surprise, puzzlement in his voice, “Miss Chun Xi, could there be a mistake?
Twenty catties of pork, ten catties of beef?”
Startled by his words, Chun Xi leaned in to glance at the menu.
Thinking of her young master’s culinary skills, she was certain that there must be a use for such large quantities.
She nodded, “No mistake, just prepare according to what’s on the menu.”
Eunuch Qian had already received the message from the East Palace instructing him to wait; he would provide whatever was needed for Xiyun Pavilion.
“Then, Miss Chun Xi, please wait here; I’ll go get everything ready right away.”
Although Eunuch Qian was opportunistic, his efficiency in handling affairs was still very high, probably because of the Crown Prince.
The items were taken out one by one, piling up into a small mountain.
Seeing all this, Chun Xi glanced at Eunuch Qian and said with some worry, “With so much stuff, I can’t carry it all back by myself, can I?”
Eunuch Qian, with a flattering smile, said, “Don’t worry, Miss Chun Xi.
I’ll have someone deliver it to you right away.”
After saying that, he turned to the young eunuchs behind him and ordered, “You two, come here and help deliver these back.”
The two young eunuchs efficiently ran over and picked up the baskets of vegetables from the ground.
Seeing this, Chun Xi turned and walked ahead, satisfied.
If they didn’t show some authority, would they really think her young master was easy to bully?
Eunuch Qian, leading the two young eunuchs, immediately followed behind her.
Upon arriving at Xiyun Pavilion, Eunuch Qian ordered the two young eunuchs to carry the baskets into the small kitchen, then he took the initiative to come before Shen Fengyi to greet her.
“This servant greets Shen Fengyi.”
Although Shen Chuwei had never visited the Imperial Kitchen, she knew well that because she was not favored, they did not take her seriously, so even if she wanted some meat, she didn’t send Chun Xi to the Imperial Kitchen to fetch it.
“You may rise.”
“Thank you, Shen Fengyi.” Eunuch Qian, with a flattering smile, said, “Shen Fengyi, your ingredients are all fresh.
This servant will go back and report.”
Chun Xi, watching Eunuch Qian’s flattering demeanor, gave him a glare.
Tao Chenghui had been sitting there waiting for an hour, and ended up falling asleep.
Shen Chuwei didn’t intend to pay attention to Tao Chenghui but instead entered the kitchen with Chun Xi.
Puffing her cheeks, Chun Xi said, “Young master, that Tao Chenghui, upon hearing Your Highness was coming for dinner, deliberately lingered and wouldn’t leave.”
Shen Chuwei was not foolish, of course.
She knew Tao Chenghui’s intentions, but after all, she couldn’t just chase her away with a stick, could she?
All she wanted was to eat and drink without bothering with anything else.
Out of curiosity, Chun Xi asked, “Young master, what do you need so much pork and beef for?”
“Of course, it’s to make something delicious.” Shen Chuwei, inspecting the ingredients, said to Chun Xi, “There are eggplants in the yard, we’ll make minced meat eggplant tonight.
With the leftover meat from cooking, we’ll make salted preserves.
And we’ll turn the beef into beef jerky to snack on.”
Chun Xi was skilled in cooking, but many modern dishes were foreign to her, so some recipes required Shen Chuwei to take charge, with Chun Xi learning by watching.
At the time of lighting the lamps,
Eunuch Liu, standing at the doorway, called out, “The Crown Prince has arrived.”
Tao Chenghui, just waking up and curious where Shen Fengyi had gone, was startled and promptly stood up to kneel on the ground, “This concubine greets Your Highness.”
Xiao Jinyan strode into Xiyun Pavilion.
He was dressed in a moon-white brocade robe, his waist bound with a jade-stitched belt, the jade pendant swinging side to side as he moved.
Seeing Tao Chenghui, he asked coldly, “What are you doing here?”
Tao Chenghui carefully replied, “This concubine came to accompany Sister Shen in chatting to relieve her boredom.”
How did she fall asleep?
Now here she was, presenting such a disheveled sight to His Highness.
Eunuch Liu’s loud voice had Shen Chuwei running out of the small kitchen in a hurry.
Seeing Xiao Jinyan, she bowed respectfully, “Your Highness, I wish you everlasting peace and happiness.”
Xiao Jinyan’s dark eyes looked toward Shen Chuwei; her sleeves were rolled up high, an apron tied around her, with long strands of hair twisted into two braids hanging in front of her.
One look and anyone could tell she had been busy in the kitchen.
