The extent of Beimin’s power could be seen in how even the small inns at the country’s frontier had magnificent decorations. The wings were divided into three ranks[*], Heavenly Word, Human Word, and Earth Word.
“Miss, what do you want to eat and drink?” A waiter walked to Su Xi-er. When he saw such a beautiful woman, a blush involuntarily crept onto his embarrassed face.
Su Xi-er shook her head. “I’m not hungry. Many thanks.”
The waiter was taken aback for a moment before he tried to persuade her, “That won’t do; a patrician has just informed us to prepare a meal to match your tastes.”
“Patrician? Which patrician?” Bewilderment appeared on Su Xi-er’s face before she realised that it could have only been Pei Qianhao.
“This patrician was slender…., had eyebrows that slanted upwards like a sword, and large bright eyes that were like stars. Miss, I haven’t studied much, and lack the words to describe him. To put it briefly, he and an extraordinary aura that matched with yours.” The more the waiter explained, the more embarrassed he was. I can’t even speak properly with how little I have studied.
“I know who it is already. Your description was pretty good.” Su Xi-er smiled, easing the awkward atmosphere.
The waiter immediately raised his head. “Miss, the patrician rewarded this lowly one an ingot of silver to specially serve your meal. This shop of ours is near to Nanzhao and Beimin, so we have the dishes of both countries!”
Nanzhao’s dishes… Su Xi-er eyes lit up for a moment before they returned to normal. “Do you have a menu? Let me take a look.”
“I do! Miss, please sit over here.” The waiter immediately entertained Su Xi-er while the other waiters who were busy with their work chuckled to themselves. This fellow is too elated just for seeing a beauty.
Su Xi-er flipped the menu open and swept her gaze across Beimin’s column before flipping to Nanzhao. There were various familiar dishes, and even though she hadn’t eaten them, she could practically smell their aroma already.
Her finger landed on the Lotus Root Salad as she thought to herself, This place also has this dish?
The waiter noticed her actions and hastily remarked, “Miss, you really have a good eye. The lotus seeds have just been sent over this morning. Accompanied with some cold juice…”
Su Xi-er interrupted him. “The name sounds really nice. I’ll have one of those. And I guess some steamed cornbread then.”
“Ah? Steamed bread?” The waiter found it a bit unfathomable. Steamed bread is for impoverished people, while Lotus Root Salad is for wealthy people. To have these two dishes on the same table…
“Mhm, get some salted vegetables[**] too. Go on.” Su Xi-er smiled as she passed the menu to the waiter.
The waiter took the menu away. “Please hold on a moment Miss; here is a pot of clear tea. Although the leaves are from last autumn, the taste is not bad.”
He explained while pouring a cup of tea for her.
Su Xi-er picked up the teacup and gave it a sniff. This is…
“Miss, this is Nanzhao’s fragrant tea. It is cheap but fragrant. It’s the best for entertaining customers in teahouses and restaurants. Please enjoy it slowly. This lowly one will go and order your dishes.” The waiter left with a smiling expression. I have entertained a beauty, and even received an ingot of silver. That patrician and this miss are really well-suited for each other just based on their appearances!
Su Xi-er leaned close to the teacup. It’s the familiar smell of fragrant tea. Fragrant tea was Yun Ruofeng’s favourite…
Rancour flashed in Su Xi-er’s eyes as she gripped the teacup as if it were Yun Ruofeng’s neck. She wanted nothing more than to torture him to death and make him die without a burial site!
Her expression became increasingly heavy until the waiter came with the dishes on a tray. When he caught sight of Su Xi-er’s current appearance, he jumped in fright. What’s going on?
“Miss…” The waiter placed the tray down as he trembled in fear. “Your dishes are here.”
Su Xi-er kept her chilly gaze and thanked the waiter. She then picked up the chopsticks and slowly ate the Lotus Root Salad.
Lotus Root Salad is Nanzhao’s speciality. There is sweetness encompassed in bitterness, and acts as great nutrition for women.
“Miss, please enjoy it slowly. Please call this lowly one again if you have any other instructions.” Seeing that Su Xi-er’s complexion was ghastly, the waiter immediately withdrew.
Su Xi-er ate a few bites of Lotus Root Salad before turning to the steamed corn bun. She pulled it open before adding some salted vegetables and biting into it.
During the tumultuous war, there was so little food that even having steamed bread to eat was considered a luxury.
No matter how hard it was, she had endured for the sake of quelling the civil unrest. After the war had ended, everything was back on track. New policies were implemented, leading to a rapid upturn in Nanzhao’s overall situation. In only a few months, they were ranked second among the four countries, but they were still a massive distance away from Beimin. At the very least, the situation was much better than it had been in the past.
She originally thought that the situation would continue to improve, but who would have known…
Gradually, Su Xi-er raised her head. Her sorrow was like a river gushing turbulently in her heart.
Pei Qianhao looked downwards as he stood at the edge of the second floor. Although he couldn’t see Su Xi-er’s face, he could tell from her rear figure that she was extremely grieved at this moment. It isn’t sadness, not is it sorrow, but anguish that she is experiencing.
Before she entered the palace, she had been bullied by others, and the kind-hearted manager died because he saved her. Men have been reduced to a loathsome existence in her eyes. However, if that’s the case, she should detest Beimin. Why is it that her anguish is becoming increasingly obvious as we approach Nanzhao?
“Your Highness…” Seeing that Prince Hao was gazing at Su Xi-er for such a long time, Wu Ling couldn’t help but call out to him.
“Have you thoroughly investigated Su Xi-er’s matters before she entered the palace?”
Wu Ling nodded. “Everything has been investigated thoroughly. As for her parents, they are already dead, and dead men tell no tales, so I can’t check from anywhere.”
“Are her parents related to Nanzhao?”
Wu Ling didn’t understand. Why is Nanzhao pulled in now? “Your Highness, her parents were Beimin’s citizens. They were born in and died in Beimin. As they were too indigent, their bodies weren’t even properly buried. This subordinated has patrolled the area and didn’t even find their graves.”
Pei Qianaho snorted coldly. “They degenerated to the stage of selling their daughter off. It also serves them right to have been reduced to such an end.”
Wu Ling’s body stiffened. He made out the pity and hatred in Prince Hao’s tone. For the sake of Su Xi-er, Prince Hao’s emotions have already become like this?
“Your Highness, don’t you feel that your words are a little strange? You have never taken pity on…”
Pei Qianhao shot a cold look that immediately silenced Wu Ling. “When did this prince take pity on someone? I was simply judging the matter as it stands. They abandoned their daughter and struggled to live by eking out a meagre existence.”
“Your Highness… perhaps you don’t understand impoverished people.” Wu Ling didn’t dare to raise his head, but felt that what he said was very reasonable.
Pei Qianhao laughed and looked at Su Xi-er. At this moment, her expression had already returned to normal as she slowly ate the steamed bun and Lotus Root Salad.
“This prince indeed doesn’t understand impoverished people.” However, I know that no matter how tough the going got, my parents didn’t abandon me. But the relationships between humans can’t beat how fate makes fun of people.
He then went downstairs.
Wu Ling watched as Pei Qianhao slowly walked to Su Xi-er’s side, clearly having become compassionate.
It does make sense if I think about it. No matter how callous a person is, once they hear about Su Xi-er’s tragic past, their heart would also go out to her. Although Prince Hao is cold, he treats all of his subordinates extremely well.
However, Su Xi-er is really unique. She elicited Prince Hao’s displeasure again and again, yet escaped from danger again and again.
If it had been any other woman, even losing their head wouldn’t be enough to make up for their mistakes!
(* It is a way for inns to refer to their highest quality rooms.)
(** You can also think of it as pickles.)
