Chapter 108 Too Much Meat
Chapter 108 Too Much Meat
After Princess Ji and Chu Mingcui went away, Yuan Qingling felt relieved and expressed her gratitude
to Nurse Xi. “Thank you. You saved me.”
Nurse Xi told her coldly, “Princess Ji is shrewd and deep. Better stay away from her, Your Highness.”
Yuan Qingling laughed. “I don’t think so. She appears to be vivacious and naive.”
Nurse Xi sneered. “It’s her disguise.”
Yuan Qingling was surprised. “What? Why does she pretend to be like that?”
“Each person has his own protection.” Nurse Xi poured a cup of tea for Yuan Qingling, then sat down
and said, “Princess Qi is rather a bumptious type and always thinks she can handle everything with
those ridiculous petty tricks. But the truth is, she is nothing.”
She continued saying, “Princess Ji is different. She’s knowledgeable and talented, and she’s also
Prince Wenjun’s advisor. Your Highness, do you know what her most redoubtable power is?”
“What?” Yuan Qingling asked.
“It’s that even if she is very competent, she is still pretending to be frivolous and undignified.
Sometimes she even quarrels with others openly, disgracing her noble status so as to mislead the
enemies. So they will believe she is what she appears, just like you.”
Yuan Qingling was shocked. She asked with a bitter smile, “So none of the princesses is honest?”
“But one. Princess Sun is a nice person. She is proud but it’s not a big deal when you know her.”
As a foodie, Prince Sun wouldn’t marry a scheming girl because “birds of a feather flock together”.
While Prince Wenqing was an exception, who was really naive but married Chu Mingcui.Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org
‘He is such an idiot that can be fooled by Chu Mingcui. And there's gonna be plenty of time for him to
become a martyr.’ Yuan Qingling thought.
But next she sneered because she recalled another idiot, Yu Wenhao.
Prince Sun had arrived already.
He was about to leave for Prince Yu’s residence in the morning but got stuck. After reaching here, he
thought he could taste the dishes he had ordered the day before but unexpectedly saw his brothers.
Thus, he had to come in for greetings.
“My brother, long time no see. Are you getting fatter these days?” Prince Wenqing teased him.
Prince Sun gave him a contemptuous look and said with quivering voice, “Are you blind?”
“Come on! Just kidding.” Prince Wenqing laughed.
Yu Wenhao looked at Prince Sun and asked, “You came yesterday, didn’t you?” He was busy
yesterday but he got the folk’s report when returning home.
“So what? Am I not welcomed today?”
“The royal cooks Father sent are here so there’s no way Yu Wendu won’t come.” Prince Wenjun said
with a forced smile.
He had thin lips and triangular eyes which made him look harsh and mean when squinting.
Prince Sun didn’t like this eldest brother so he ignored him directly. He asked Yu Wenhao instead, “Is it
time for a meal? I haven’t eaten breakfast.”
Prince Sun was not afraid of offending Prince Wenjun because his only pursuit was enjoying delicacies.
Besides, he was not interested in sibling rivalry.
At this time, Chu Mingcui entered the chamber. She curtsied to the princes and sat by her husband
Prince Wenqing, but her eyes were centered on Yu Wenhao.
Yu Wenhao was talking with Prince Sun about dishes. When seeing Chu Mingcui, he dodged her view
and turned to ask Prince Sun, “What would you like to eat? I will let the kitchen prepare.”
“Not too much. Mainly vegetables, and a few meat dishes will be enough.” Prince Sun said honestly.
Thereupon, Yu Wenhao stood up and went out.
Chu Mingcui was disappointed as he didn’t have any eye contact with her.
‘Has he changed?’ she thought.
Prince Wenqing held her hands, enquiring gently, “How’s Yuan Qingling?”
Chu Mingcui answered unconcernedly, “She looks fine.”
“Did you apologize to her?” Prince Wenqing asked.
Chu Mingcui looked to him, silently cursing his stupidity in her heart. She sighed, “An apology can’t fix
the problem.”
“It is just etiquette. Strictly speaking, it’s none of your business, so don’t worry.” Prince Wenqing tried to
comfort her. He misunderstood that she was guilty and angry about the things Lord Huiding had done.
Chu Mingcui responded absently. As seeing Yu Wenhao come back in, she stood up at once and
curtsied to him.
“Your Highness Prince Wenhao, I’m really guilty. I’d like to apologize for my uncle. I never thought he
would do such things. I feel sorry for Princess Chu and it is quite a fortune that she is fine.” She
seemed astonished and raging, and said in a broken voice.
Yu Wenhao looked at her and said, “She was not fine. She got injured badly. Anyway, you don’t have to
be sorry. It has nothing to do with you.”
Hearing his words, Chu Mingcui had a complicated feeling.
Yu Wenhao did comfort her but he was concerning about Yuan Qingling as well.
Chu Mingcui smiled bitterly and sat down in low spirits. Her beautiful eyes were filled with sorrow. She
didn’t care what others were talking about. She was lost in sadness and anger.
“Yu Wendu, I hear that you have recommended Yu Wenhao as Capital Mayor.” Prince Wenjun asked
suddenly.
Prince Sun raised his head and explained tardily, “Yes. Father asked me whether to accept the job and
I said no. So I offered Yu Wenhao as my replacement. ”
“What a fool!” Prince Wenjun hummed a voice.
“A wise man knows what he can do and what he can’t.” Prince Sun argued bluntly.
Prince Wenqing was curious. “Why did you refuse?”
“I am not capable enough.”
“A very modest answer. But everyone knows you are accomplished with the pen and the sword...”
Prince Wenqing began to laugh for what he himself said about Prince Sun because it sounded too
sarcastic.
Prince Sun glanced at him. “Actually, I am better at gaining an insight into people. For example, you
and I are alike.”
Prince Wenqing was amused. “I am not obsessed with delicacies as you.”
“But you are muddleheaded.”
Chu Mingcui became much anxious when hearing Prince Sun’s words. She knew he was right. In some
degree, Prince Wenqing couldn’t even compare with Prince Sun.
How could she be so silly before?
She used to thought that as one of the legitimated sons of Emperor Mingyuan, Prince Wenqing was the
only one that could compete with Prince Wenjun. However, she ignored his lack of discipline and
sagacity as well as the capabilities of Yu Wenhao.
Yuan Qingling was so lucky to marry Yu Wenhao.
‘But it’s a good thing that he doesn’t love her.’ Chu Mingcui thought.
Prince Wenjun looked at Prince Sun and Prince Wenqing, considering them not able to take on high
positions. And he believed that his father would realize his legitimated son’s mediocrity someday.
As for Yu Wenhao...
Prince Wenjun took a glimpse at him and then found that Chu Mingcui was gazing at Yu Wenhao with a
piteous expression. Then he remembered their original engagement which was ruined by Yuan
Qingling.
From their eye contact, Prince Wenjun suspected that their love remained. He put up a vicious face
and thought, ‘If so, Yu Wenhao, you’re just embarrassing yourself.’
Tang Yang came to report that the meal was ready, and showed the guests to the dining room.
Prince Sun stood up first, holding up his head and went out with his fat hands clasped behind the back.
“Time to eat. We shall not chat with an empty stomach.”
As it was a family meal, three princesses dined with princes together, sitting around the same round
table.
There were ten dishes and one soup. Three of them were vegetables and the others were meat dishes.
Poached boneless goose, braised shark's fin in rice wine sauce, braised pork with lettuce in soy sauce,
the Wanfu meat...
They all looked delicious and made Prince Sun run at the mouth. He stared harder at the delicacies
excellent in color, aroma and taste, and shook his head. “Too much meat, too much. And it’s not good
for health. I should order more vegetables.”