Chapter 280: People’s Hearts Change
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
How could Hea Shouyi not understand the meaning behind Wei Xi’s words? He clearly had no intention of giving up control of the kitchen.
“How about this? Let’s go ask His Highness and see who he wants to keep.”
The smile on Wei Xi’s face immediately sank. “Why? Do you want to use His Highness to intimidate me? Who do you think you are? Alright. It’s not impossible for you to be the main chef. Then tonight, you will prepare a meal comprising the eight major Imperial dishes. If His Highness and Her Highness are satisfied with your dishes, I’ll let you stay.”
Hea Shouyi nodded fearlessly. “Alright.”
Meanwhile, Su Ying returned to the courtyard she had stayed in before with Aunt Zhao.
Previously, Xiao Jin stayed in the main courtyard while Su Ying lived in another courtyard not far from him.
“Green Mist Pavilion.” Su Ying raised her head and looked at the plaque on the courtyard door. It felt both familiar and unfamiliar.
It was familiar because of her memories. It was unfamiliar because it was her first time here in person.
“Your Highness, you really find everything strange and new as if you have never been here before.” Aunt Zhao couldn’t help smiling when she saw Su Ying’s reaction.
Su Ying raised an eyebrow. She had never seen this place before in reality. “I’ve been away for too long, so I feel everything is unfamiliar.”
Aunt Zhao couldn’t help but sigh when she heard her words. That was right. When Princess Consort Qi just left, she was still a young girl with a mind full of Xiao Jue. Now… thankfully, she had changed.
Wei Xi had already gotten someone to clean up the courtyard. However, because no one had lived in it for too long, no matter how new the decorations were, the place did not feel very lively.
The courtyard was very big and was divided into a front courtyard and a back courtyard. Su Ying used to live alone. She could have taken care of the two children, but because she didn’t like them, she made them live alone elsewhere.
Now that she was back, Su Ying didn’t plan to let the two children sleep alone. There were so many people sent by Emperor Kangze in this residence. She would only be at ease if the children were under her watch.
The two little fellows followed Su Ying every step of the way after entering Prince Qi’s Manor, as if they were afraid that Su Ying would run away in the blink of an eye.
Su Ying carried them into the house. Su Ying wasn’t picky about where she stayed, but the conditions here were indeed quite good.
“This Old Hea has been gone for so long. Why hasn’t he even finished cooking a bowl of noodles? Your Highness, all of you sit down first. Your servant will go to the kitchen to take a look.”
Su Ying nodded. She was also a little hungry.
Lin Zhuyu took out two bags of snacks that she had bought on the way and told them to eat to fill their stomachs first.
After less than an hour, Aunt Zhao finally returned with a few bowls of noodles.
Su Ying noticed that her expression wasn’t too happy. She suspected things weren’t going well in the kitchen. “What’s wrong?”
Aunt Zhao held it in for a while but eventually still said, “Now that Your Highnesses have just returned, the servants in this residence have not gotten used to their masters. But Your Highness, don’t worry. Let them adapt for two days. If they are still like this, they should be changed.”
Su Ying sniffed the steaming hot noodles and was already famished.
“Don’t worry, Aunt Zhao. There will come a time when they kowtow. You don’t have to wait on us here. Go get something to eat.”
Aunt Zhao understood Su Ying’s habits and excused herself with the rest.
“Mother, Ling wants to sleep with you tonight.”
“Me too.” This time, the older toddler Ji did not hesitate and expressed his attitude very clearly.
Su Ying pinched their tiny faces. “No problem. Eat your noodles first and then rest for a while. Mother will accompany you.”
After receiving Su Ying’s promise, the two little fellows began eating with ease.
As soon as he returned to his courtyard, Xiao Jin went straight to the study.
Previously, when the Prince Qi’s Manor was searched, everything that could be moved was taken away.
He looked at the study. The books on the bookshelf were no longer the ones he had placed before. Even the position of the bookshelf had been moved. It seemed that after the manor was searched, his study had been “visited” by many people.
He knew what they were looking for, but those people would never figure out where his thing was being kept.
“Your Highness, we’ve contacted all the people we left in the capital.” Jiang Yang walked into the study and reported in a low voice.
Xiao Jin nodded slightly. “Don’t rush. Let’s keep things as they are for now. I’ve been gone for so long. People’s hearts will change.” This was particularly so in a bustling, prosperous place like the capital. How many people could stand their ground firmly?
“Your Highness is right. I have only contacted them for now but did not say anything else.”
“I have just returned, and everyone is watching. No need to rush. The show hasn’t started yet. Take control of the outer courtyards in the manor first. Then tomorrow, you will personally fetch Zhang Shuming back.”
Zhang Shuming was a eunuch who served Xiao Jin back then. Later, after Xiao Jin was conferred the title of Prince Qi and left the palace to set up his own manor, Zhang Shuming also followed him. However, a year after he went out to fight in battles, he allowed Zhang Shuming to leave the residence to retire.
At that time, Xiao Jin was still fighting in battles, so no one would take notice of a caretaker of Prince Qi’s Manor. When Prince Qi’s Manor was searched, nobody thought of going after the missing caretaker.
“Yes, Your Highness. I will send someone to investigate first and go tomorrow.”
“Mm-hmm.”
After Jiang Yang left, Xiao Jin walked around the study as if he was verifying something. Then, he left the study and headed toward Su Ying’s courtyard.
Su Ying had just coaxed the two children to sleep, and she was preparing to stroll around Prince Qi’s Manor.
She had the habit of getting to know the terrain of an unfamiliar place as soon as she arrived, just to be prepared in case the need arose.
Just as she was about to step outside, she saw Xiao Jin walking in.
He had already changed into a dark purple official robe. When worn on his body, the dark color brought with it a sharp and fierce aura, making his entire body emit a kind of unapproachable aura.
Xiao Jin stopped in his tracks when he saw Su Ying walking out. “Where are you going?”
“I’m taking a look around Prince Qi’s Manor.”
“I’ll go with you.”
Su Ying didn’t turn him away. She told Bai Shuang and the rest to watch over the two little ones before leaving the courtyard with Xiao Jin.
“Where do you want to go?” Xiao Jin instinctively reached out and held her hand.
Su Ying was observing her surroundings, so she didn’t notice anything strange about his action.
“Starting from the main gate, take me to every place in the Prince Qi’s Manor.”
“You have lived here for so long. How come you have forgotten everything?” Xiao Jin said with a smile.
Su Ying replied without batting an eyelid, “I’ve been through too many things, so I’ve forgotten some things. If you’re not willing, 1’11 go myself.”
Xiao Jin tightened his grip on her hand. “I’ll bring you around. Otherwise you’ll get lost.”
Su Ying felt that the possibility of her getting lost was zero, but since Xiao Jin wanted to be her guide, she had no reason to refuse.
The two of them strolled around every corner of the manor hand in hand as if they were taking a walk. The people serving the manor also saw their intimate actions.
Wei Xi watched the two of them on such intimate terms from behind and was extremely surprised inwardly. Prince Qi and Princess Consort Qi had only been exiled for a short period of time, yet why did they look like completely different people when they returned?
Wei Xi secretly noted down their every move and planned to send a message to Emperor Kangze the next day.
Xiao Jin brought Su Ying to a pavilion to rest, and his gaze quickly swept over the corner where Wei Xi was hiding.
Su Ying knew that someone was secretly following them.. “When do you plan to kick this fellow out?”
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