https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-239-Preparing-for-a-Confrontation-at-the-Morning-Court/12607085/
Chapter 238: I Lack Virtue
Chapter 238: I Lack Virtue
Prince Qi recalled what his wife, Princess Qi, had mentioned before about how the Tang Manor had their eyes set on their eldest son while also looking down on Sui Sui. Moreover, the young master of that manor had bullied Sui Sui.
The Princess acted with decorum and, although displeased at the time, she couldn't very well send a mutton leg over in response.
Prince Qi declared: "I lack virtue? Well, I'll send it! I'll send it!
How dare they bully my daughter?"
There were many unscrupulous things he had done, and this would be one more.
Let's see if the Tang family dares to come knocking at our door!
Si Sui heard the prince's instructions and hesitated, wanting to speak up but stopping himself. Finally, he sighed softly and thought: "Never mind.
The prince is doing this for the young miss."
That young miss is so pitiable.
So, it's all the Tang Manor's fault. Sending a mutton leg is perfectly reasonable!"
Si Sui quickly made the necessary arrangements.
Sui Sui was unaware of the grievances between adults, and she couldn't even remember that there had been a naughty older brother who had once made scary faces at her and frightened her.
At this moment, Sui Sui was watching the sheep being slaughtered.
The steward called over a few strong servants, and they efficiently caught the few sheep that the prince had selected.
Sui Sui wanted to watch, but Prince Qi didn't want the children to witness such a bloody scene.
So, he distracted and hugged her, bypassing the initial gory part. Eventually, when he couldn't dissuade her, he could only accompany Sui Sui to watch the butcher at work.
The butcher's knife skills were impressive, as one would expect from a professional.
Thus, the entire process was quite aesthetically pleasing.
At first, Shen Huatong dared not watch and turned her eyes away.
Liu Hemeng, on the other hand, was a bit younger and had fewer qualms about it.
Hence, she was more curious than afraid.
The two young girls followed Sui Sui closely, and as they watched, they became engrossed.
"Is that the lamb rack?"
"I think so. They're all lined up like that; they must be ribs..."
"They'll be delicious when grilled. Is that the lamb leg? Look at how tender the meat is; it's indeed a young lamb."
"I still think the lamb tripe is the best part, but which one is the tripe?"
......
Shen Huatong went from initially averting her eyes to being lured by Liu Hemeng's words and turning her head to watch.
She was first drawn in by the butcher's knife skills and then started observing the meat on the lamb.
Back in the manor, she often drank lamb tripe soup, as the doctor said it was nourishing. So, she had gotten used to having some.
Now, seeing the freshly slaughtered lamb, Shen Huatong was curious: "Where's the tripe?"
The butcher cheerfully replied to the young girls' questions while he worked: "Haven't gotten to that yet. There's still stuff inside, all messy and gross. You young ladies just wait for it to be cooked; no need to stare at it."
Staring too much might ruin their appetite.
Although Shen Huatong didn't understand, she was obedient and closed her mouth without asking further.
However, Liu Hemeng was full of questions: "Which is more tender, the front leg or the back leg? I think all the meat looks good."
Sui Sui didn't know the answer to this, but being small and having a sensitive sense of smell, she kept covering her nose: "It doesn't smell very nice!"
The lamb meat was indeed delicious, but the smell... was rather unpleasant!
Seeing Sui Sui furrowing her tiny brows and covering her mouth, Prince Qi couldn't help but react.
He had originally intended to let the three children play while he watched from the side.
But how could anyone resist hugging this adorable child?
So, without realizing it, Prince Qi reached out and pulled the child into his embrace once more.
He even fanned her with his hand, saying, "Father will fan it for you, and the smell will go away."
Sui Sui couldn't differentiate between gamy and foul, but either way, it wasn't a pleasant scent.
Prince Qi was just pondering how to coax the child when...
Would she like a scented bag?
He had truly developed a psychological shadow towards scented bags recently.
"Everyone was a little on edge, with the slightest word setting them off.
So, Prince Qi really didn't want to use a scented bag.
However, if Sui Sui truly disliked the smell, he could bring himself to use it for his precious darling.
All of this for his beloved Sui!
But before Prince Qi could force himself to use it, Sui Sui's interest had already shifted from the sheep slaughter to the newly hatched chicks.
The soft yellow chicks were adorable!
Wherever Sui Sui went, Shen Huatong and Liu Hemeng followed.
Compared to the bloody sheep slaughter, the chicks were a peaceful scene.
Among the newly hatched chicks, most were soft yellow, with some multicolored and grayish-brown ones as well.
Even the darker-colored chicks looked soft and adorable, as they were still covered in downy feathers.
Sui Sui couldn't resist the urge to touch them!
Liu Hemeng whispered from the side, 'These are not good to touch. They've just hatched, and too much handling might kill them. If we lose one chick, we might also lose many, many eggs. And if that one happens to be a mother hen, we could lose many, many chicks as well.'
Sui Sui listened intently, realizing the logic in her friend's words, and quickly nodded, 'Then I won't touch them.'
Prince Qi, however, waved his hand, not too concerned about a few chicks, and said, 'It's fine. If we accidentally kill one, the mother hen can always lay more eggs.'
Everyone: ...
He truly didn't view chickens as chickens!
In the end, Sui Sui refrained from touching the chicks.
But to appease the children, Prince Qi promised to bring a few back to the manor to keep as pets.
The three children had quite the morning, first watching the sheep slaughter and then admiring the chicks.
They also spent some time watching a donkey pull a millstone before it was finally time for lunch.
The lunch prepared was a full lamb feast.
From grilled lamb chops to roasted lamb legs and mutton soup, it was a delicious spread.
There were also some green vegetables served on the side to balance out the rich flavors.
Sui Sui devoured the meal with satisfaction, her little head bobbing in approval.
After lunch, the three children played for a while before eventually growing tired.
Seeing this as his opportunity, Prince Qi took it upon himself to soothe the children to sleep!
And so, he began, a bit awkwardly, to lull Sui Sui to sleep.
Fortunately, Sui Sui was obedient and truly tired.
Before long, she dozed off.
The other two children followed suit, falling asleep peacefully by her side.
Prince Qi gazed upon Sui Sui's adorable sleeping face, feeling like he could never get enough of this sight.
This child was meant to be his!
How unfair of the heavens, he thought. Clearly, she was his child, yet she had been born into another family.
And now, he had to go through all this trouble to bring her back where she belonged.
The heavens had not been kind to him!
Prince Qi couldn't help but feel delighted as he quietly admired his sleeping child.
He eventually withdrew, not wanting to disturb Sui Sui and her friends.
He left Aunt Xiang and the others to keep watch, just in case anything unexpected happened.
With spring in full bloom, the manor, being close to the fields, was prone to snakes and rodents.
One could never be too careful—a single bite could be dangerous.
Even if it wasn't venomous, the thought of Sui Sui getting hurt, no matter how small the injury, pained Prince Qi.
He not only left Aunt Xiang and the others to watch over the children but also instructed the steward to have the servants scatter some medicinal herbs nearby and remove any unnecessary weeds.
'What's that pile over there? If it's of no use, have it cleared out,' he instructed.
'Make sure the storage room is kept tidy. No slacking off! We don't want any surprises lurking in there that we're unaware of,' he added.
...
As Sui Sui slept soundly, Prince Qi became more spirited.
He directed his servants to give the manor a thorough cleaning.
The second update will be at 7 pm.
(End of Chapter)"
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