Chapter 40: Was The Crown Prince Schemed Against?
Although Steamed Egg Custard and Tofu Pudding are delicious, they are too smooth and tender. They slide into your belly like drinking water, and you get hungry again quickly.
For someone like Xie Chong, who enjoys eating large portions of meat, it’s a bit difficult to get used to.
He still prefers to eat steamed buns, which are more filling.
He can finish a palm-sized steamed bun in two or three bites.
For breakfast, Xie Chong ate three large meat buns and five steamed buns, and finally drank a bowl of soy milk and tofu pudding.
That’s right, he drinks his tofu pudding directly.
Qin Wanwan, who was eating in small bites next to him, widened her mouth in imitation and successfully choked.
Xie Chong freed one hand to pat her back: “Eat slower.”
Qin Wanwan’s eyes teared up from choking, her watery eyes resembling fried eggs.
“Daddy, he eats super fast.”
Xie Chong: “I’m used to it; speed is important in the military.”
Qin Wanwan: “I want to learn from Daddy.”
Xie Chong was gratified, but this was unnecessary.
“You don’t have to.”
After eating, Xie Chong stared at Yin Yuanli: “Your Highness, should you not explain why you are here?”
Facing Xie Chong’s fierce face and aura, Yin Yuanli, unlike other children, was not afraid and calmly wiped his mouth with a napkin.
“General sent an urgent letter to Imperial Father half a month ago to Shangjing, and with the meritorious service of discovering the silver mine in An Sui Prefecture and presenting evidence of the Prefect colluding with bandits to secretly mine it, some ministers in court used my position as Crown Prince, and asked me to accompany the current Son of Heaven to the border city to comfort and reward General Xie, thus bringing this Crown Prince and his men here.”
Xie Chong: “…His Majesty agreed?”
This is a bit preposterous; His Highness the Crown Prince is only five years old, and he has to travel such a long distance.
Yin Yuanli nodded calmly: “If he didn’t agree, I wouldn’t be here.”
He said quite frankly: “My Imperial Father isn’t very smart; he only thinks about having more children every day. If he’s deceived, he’s even less intelligent. Once the imperial decree is issued, it’s impossible to take it back.”
Xie Chong: ………
Although this was the truth, as a minister, it was not appropriate for him to criticize and belittle His Majesty together with the Crown Prince.
“Your Highness the Crown Prince has been schemed against?”
Yin Yuanli: “Isn’t it obvious?”
Xie Chong changed the topic: “Then what about my reward?”
“I don’t know.”
Yin Yuanli said: “After I was captured, I was brought here by express horse. Those people are probably still looking for me.”
Xie Chong stood up: “I’ll write a letter and send it back to Shangjing by express horse.”
Yin Yuanli nodded, holding the cup of soy milk and taking a small sip. It was quite delicious.
While Daddy was writing the letter, Qin Wanwan took Yin Yuanli out to play.
“Brother Yuanli, look, this is what I planted!”
By now, the grass in the front yard had grown to Wanwan’s waist.
It was neat, dense, and very lush.
The green grass leaves were plump and the color was very verdant.
In the entire front yard, only the small path paved with pebbles was kept clean and free of grass.
Oh, and there was also a small circular area by the wall near the doorway, outlined with pebbles, where no grass grew.
The air in the front yard was filled with a special scent of grass.
Qin Wanwan, wearing her embroidered shoes, walked on the pebble path. Seeing the tender shoots, only the size of a finger, emerging from the outlined area, she was overjoyed.
“The peaches have sprouted!”
This was where she had planted the peaches, and they had already sprouted.
“Let’s go to the backyard to see.”
Grabbing Yin Yuanli’s hand, they ran to the backyard. The wheat and soybeans in the backyard had grown considerably taller, looking full of life.
“Sister Lu He, Wanwan wants to water them!”
With the little tuanzi’s cry, the three servants in the house got busy.
“Aunt Zhang, we need to cut the pasture grass.”
“Mash it and put it in water.”
The pasture grass bought from the mall had spiritual energy and acted as fertilizer for the fields.
The grass leaves did too.
Qin Wanwan wasn’t worried about the front yard, but the wheat and soybeans in the backyard currently lacked fertilizer for nourishment.
However, mashing the pasture grass leaves and mixing them with water could also have a fertilizing effect.
But it was ultimately inferior to fertilizer.
With everyone’s hard work, a barrel of green water was produced.
Qin Wanwan busily moved back and forth with her small ladle.
But her beautiful little face was filled with a happy and carefree smile.
“Miss, please slow down. Let us do it.”
Qin Wanwan: “Not tired, not tired, it’s fun!”
Her short legs worked very quickly.
Yin Yuanli watched for a while and found that although she was small, she wasn’t causing any trouble. She held the small water ladle and sprinkled water in the wheat fields, not pouring it all in one spot.
However, being so small, she couldn’t quite control her balance and ended up falling into the ground, her water ladle flying out of her hands.
Lang Ya immediately dropped the water ladle and picked her up.
Although she fell, Qin Wanwan didn’t cry. She patted her clothes and hands and giggled foolishly.
“It doesn’t hurt, hehehe…”
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, also finding it somewhat laughable.
“Miss, you’re dirty all over.”
The water was green, and it had colored her face and hands slightly. Her skin was fair, and now her little face was smeared with mud and the green water, making her face a colorful mess.
The color stains on her skirt were even more obvious.
Yet, she was smiling so happily and sweetly.
“Oh dear, we have to wash clothes again.”
Qin Wanwan also looked down and saw her little skirt had changed color.
She felt a little embarrassed and held Lu He’s hand.
“Sister Lu He, I’ll wash my clothes myself.”
Lu He: “Miss, don’t feel it’s troublesome; this is all my duty.”
Wearing these clothes, they all watered the wheat and soybeans before changing.
Qin Wanwan also took a bath and washed her face clean.
Afterward, she insisted on washing her dirty clothes herself.
“Sister Lu He, I’ll do it myself.”
Lang Ya fetched the water. The little one threw her clothes into the basin, took off her small shoes, and lifted her skirt, stepping in with bare feet.
Alright, she wasn’t here to wash clothes; she was here to play.
Lu He helped her arrange her skirt so she wouldn’t get wet all over again.
The weather was hot during the day, so stepping in the water wouldn’t cause her to catch a cold.
But the thoughtful Lu He still asked Aunt Zhang to boil ginger soup and prepare it.
Xie Chong had gone to the military camp; he still needed to investigate the matters concerning the kidnappers and the Tartars.
For the next few days, Xie Chong was busy. When Qin Wanwan missed him, she would take Yin Yuanli to the military camp.
After finding Daddy, Qin Wanwan would turn into a little tail and follow him.
Sometimes, when military matters were being discussed and Wanwan happened to arrive, Xie Chong would also hold the little one and take her along.
They would arrange a small stool for her next to him, and Qin Wanwan could sit there obediently without making noise and play by herself.
However, the things she played with were a bit…
