Chapter 191: Siblings' Confession
Chapter 191: Siblings' Confession
In the main kitchen, skilled chefs were bustling with intense fervor.
Suddenly, the manager rushed in, his expression urgent, announcing a change in the menu.
The head chef looked bewildered, "Why change it now? What does the Princess want to eat?"
The manager closed his eyes and began reciting the dishes, "Roasted suckling pig, roasted whole lamb, roasted rabbit, roasted fish, braised eggplant, braised chicken, braised... whatever you can think of."
The head chef, hands on hips, stared at him, "Are you joking with me? Our Princess is a refined person, would she eat roasted suckling pig, roasted rabbit, and whole lamb?"
The Princess's banquet emphasized elegance, with dish names inspired by poetry and literature. What was this nonsense about roasted suckling pig?
The manager thought for a moment, "Then... Flame Golden Pig, Buddha Fire Ram, Swift Moon Hare, Dragon Leap Volcano. Wait, what about braised eggplant and braised chicken? Ah, I've got it, 'Lovers' Embrace' and 'Phoenix in the Sky'!"
The head chef was speechless.
In the small garden, Meng Qianqian sat between Zhou Nanyan and Lin Xiaoru, while Bao Shu lay in Lin Furen's arms, fast asleep.
Zhou Furen couldn't help but feel envious, "Have you had enough? It's my turn now."
Lin Furen shifted slightly, "Not yet."
Zhou Furen sulked.
Damn, she never managed to beat her in this!
To Meng Qianqian's left was Lin Xiaoru, and to her right, Zhou Nanyan.
Zhou Nanyan gazed at Liu Qingyun and Wanping Princess, who were seated at the upper left, and asked suspiciously, "Meng sister, I feel something is off."
Meng Qianqian ate a pickled peanut and asked, "What's off?"
Zhou Nanyan said, "Wanping Princess, don't you think she's been overly kind to your mother-in-law?"
Meng Qianqian nodded, "I think so too."
"Then why..." Zhou Nanyan glanced at Wanping Princess, who was personally attending to Liu Qingyun, "Are you not afraid she has ulterior motives when you make way for her?"
Lin Xiaoru, hearing this, also looked at the two of them.
Meng Qianqian spread her hands, "She's a princess, I can't stop her."
Zhou Nanyan muttered, "I think you don't want to stop her."
Meng Qianqian smiled.
Indeed, Wanping Princess going to attend to Liu Qingyun was exactly what she wanted. Otherwise, how could she have the opportunity to move around freely?
Zhou Nanyan sighed, "Meng sister, be more vigilant. That woman is already flirting with your man right at your doorstep. If we had known her intentions, we wouldn't have come today. But speaking of which, Meng sister, is there any movement in your belly?"
Meng Qianqian's smile froze.
Er... how did the topic turn to this?
She smiled slightly, "Well, I've been drinking a lot of tea. I'll go to the restroom."
Zhou Nanyan said, "I'll go with you, Lin sister."
Lin Xiaoru had no objections.
Meng Qianqian quickly waved her hands, "No need, no need."
Zhou Nanyan and Lin Xiaoru looked at her, puzzled.
Meng Qianqian, unperturbed, said, "You two... help me keep an eye on Wanping Princess. I'm afraid she'll use other tricks to curry favor with my mother-in-law."
Zhou Nanyan agreed; helping Meng sister guard against a rival was more important.
Meng Qianqian also bid farewell to Lin Furen and Zhou Furen.
Lin Furen, holding Bao Shu, smiled, "Go ahead, we'll watch the child, and your mother-in-law is here too."
"Okay," Meng Qianqian left.
She first asked a Princess's Mansion maid, who offered to guide her.
Meng Qianqian said, "Just tell me."
The maid said, "Go east after leaving the garden, and you'll get there after passing a corridor."
Meng Qianqian wasn't going to relieve herself; she was looking for Chenlong.
But the Princess's Mansion was so vast; where could Chenlong be?
She had thought that Wanping Princess would show off by bringing out Chenlong, one of the Twelve Guards, but she never expected the Princess to treat Chenlong as a secret guard.
Meng Qianqian searched around but couldn't find what she was looking for. She stood on a white marble arch bridge, deep in thought, "Where else haven't I looked?"
"What are you doing here?" a familiar voice called out from one end of the bridge.
Meng Qianqian's eyes lit up, and she turned towards the voice, "Brother!"
Chenlong was still dressed in his dark brocade robe, wearing a conical hat, and carrying a heavy sword on his back.
Hearing Meng Qianqian's call, he replied coldly, "I never agreed to be your brother."
"Brother, I've been looking for you for ages!"
Whether you agree or not, you're still my brother.
Meng Qianqian walked down the bridge with light steps and said with a smile, "It's been over a month since we last met, Brother, have you missed Xiao Jiu?"
Chenlong's eyes flickered.
The fact that Brother reacted to "Xiao Jiu" at least showed that he hadn't lost his memory.
Heaven knows how afraid she was that her brother had his memories erased, which was why he would recognize a thief as his father.
It seemed there was another reason.
Meng Qianqian said calmly, "Brother, I heard from Master Yinhu... I mean, he mentioned you, saying you were the most formidable among the Shier Wei. Why did you become Xun Prime Minister's adopted son?"
Chenlong coldly asked, "What's it to you?"
Meng Qianqian replied, "I'm also part of the Shier Wei, so of course, it concerns me."
Chenlong gazed into the distant horizon, "The Shier Wei no longer exists in this world."
Meng Qianqian thought for a moment and said, "Are you using Xun Prime Minister's influence to investigate the Chu family's case? Prince Chu is the Retired Emperor's kin, and the Chu family was harmed by the Crown Prince. Now that I've told you the truth, you don't need to stay by Xun Prime Minister's side anymore."
Without a word, Chenlong brushed past her.
Meng Qianqian turned and caught up with him, "Why must you insist on staying by Xun Prime Minister's side?"
"I've said it's none of your business," Chenlong replied.
Meng Qianqian blocked his path, looking at him calmly, "Fine, let's change the question. Who are you, really? I'm not referring to your Shier Wei identity, but your family before you became a Shier Wei."
Chenlong met Meng Qianqian's gaze, and for a fleeting moment, something flashed in his eyes.
However, he quickly averted his gaze and walked past Meng Qianqian.
Meng Qianqian watched his retreating figure, and as he walked further away, she suddenly took out a bone flute from her sleeve and began to play a gentle tune.
The melodious flute music was like a heavenly sound, whispering at dusk, the first ray of dawn in the morning, the bone-deep kinship of day and night, and the swordplay of a mountain-splitting earthquake.
Chenlong's expression froze.
He clenched his fist and suddenly used his light body technique, moving so fast that only a faint shadow remained.
In the blink of an eye, he had snatched the bone flute from Meng Qianqian's hand.
"Where did you get this?"
"I won't tell you."
"I'm asking about the tune."
"I won't tell you that either."
Meng Qianqian turned away, looking up at the sky.
Chenlong looked at her suspiciously, "Why are you asking about my identity?"
Meng Qianqian cleared her throat and said frankly, "Since we're both Shier Wei, I can answer this question for you. The reason the Crown Prince could destroy the Chu family is that he had an inside man. I suspect there's a traitor among the Shier Wei, so to find out who it is, I must investigate everyone's background and the reasons why they fought to become Shier Wei."
Chenlong: "For my sister."
Meng Qianqian: "Your sister is—"
(End of Chapter)
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