Chapter 120: Date Pastry with Auspicious Cloud Pattern

"Third Prince, it's time for lunch. Do you need to wait for lunch before leaving?" Xiao Jiuyue had never expected that the Third Prince would leave after staying for only one night!

"No need." Jun Lie's voice was cold, his eyes fell on Xiao Jiuyue's empty hands, and he walked out with big strides.

"Third Master, wait a minute." Guo Sheng turned around and saw Jun Lie had already jumped onto the horse nimbly. His movements were so neat and he looked so handsome. Xiao Jiuyue keenly felt that the Third Prince seemed... unhappy?

"Guo Sheng, I have no way to repay the Third Prince for saving my life. I wonder what I can do for the Third Prince?" Xiao Jiuyue stopped Guo Sheng and asked straight to the point.

"This..." Guo Sheng hesitated and said, "The Third Master is in a hurry to collect herbs. It's already noon."

Guo Sheng touched his stomach. When he sent Mr. Jiang away just now, he saw with his own eyes that Xiao Jiuyue had sent a snack box. How come when it came to the Third Prince, there was nothing at all?

"It was my negligence, Luo Kui, go get some snacks and canned food so that His Majesty the Third Prince and the others can fill their stomachs." Xiao Jiuyue immediately understood what Guo Sheng meant, and she gave the order while apologizing.

Jun Lie sat on his horse, and before he could say anything, Guo Sheng took the initiative to say, "Third Master, I'm hungry."

"Third Prince, why don't you come down and have a cup of tea?" Xiao Jiuyue invited enthusiastically. No matter what, Jun Lie had helped her, so it was only natural to treat him to a meal. She said, "The kitchen has already prepared lunch. How about Third Prince, come and try our cooking?"

"Miss Xiao, I appreciate your kindness. I have things to do." Jun Lie squeezed the horse's belly and said, "Guo Sheng, eat when you're hungry. I'll come back later."

After saying this, Jun Lie pulled the reins and rode away.

"Third Master!" Guo Sheng swallowed a mouthful of dust and just got on his horse when Luo Kui came over panting, carrying a food box with snacks and canned food.

"Thank you, Miss Xiao." Guo Sheng smiled as he saw the food boxes, snacks, and canned food. He picked up the things and chased after her.

The horses galloped away, and Xiao Jiuyue took a few steps back. Luo Kui panted and said, "Luckily I ran all the way, otherwise it would be too late. The Third Prince might be in a hurry to collect herbs?"

"Maybe." Xiao Jiuyue turned back to the house and went to see her grandmother. She asked, "Grandmother, have we offended the Third Prince?"

Xiao Jiuyue seemed to vaguely sense that Jun Lie was unhappy.

Madam Xiao looked at her puzzled face, paused the Buddhist beads in her hand, and said with a smile: "What do you think of the Third Prince?"

"He's quite affectionate. Dad helped the Third Prince once before, and he still remembers it and is willing to help the Xiao family." Xiao Jiuyue finished speaking, and added: "Perhaps, the Third Prince also hopes that the Xiao family will be vindicated and can help him, but, a person's true character is revealed in times of trouble!"

"Being willing to lend a hand is already very commendable!" Xiao Jiuyue knew very well that the Xiao family used to be bustling with people, but now, there are only a few people willing to interact with the Xiao family!

"Yes." Old Madam Xiao nodded approvingly and said, "Your Highness the Third Prince was collecting herbs for the Empress Dowager and passed through Hongdu. He was willing to come and see an old woman like me. How could he have offended me?"

"That's right, but I always feel that the Third Prince is not very happy. Could it be because he can't find the herbs he wants to pick?" Xiao Jiuyue muttered to himself.

Madam Xiao did not answer but asked, "Yuer, I heard that Mr. Jiang came today?"

"Yes." Xiao Jiuyue sat up straight and said, "Mr. Jiang is very responsible. When Jiayuan and Jiachen asked for three days off, he came to inquire about their situation and even tested their homework."

…

"Third Master, wait a minute!" Guo Sheng followed Jun Lie up the mountain, carrying a lunch box and canned food on his back. When they rested in the forest, the hand holding the lunch box was no longer his.

"Third Master? The snacks that Miss Xiao sent are very exquisite. Would you like to try them?" Guo Sheng sat aside and handed the food box forward. Guo Yang had already gone to hunt pheasants and rabbits nearby!

As Guo Sheng spoke, he opened the lunch box, put it down, and said, "Third Master, I'll go get some firewood."

Jun Lie sat on the stone and took a casual look. It was just a few boxes of snacks.

His sight fell on the white jujube paste pastry. There was an auspicious cloud pattern in the center, which instantly made him pick up the jujube paste pastry. Most jujube paste pastries have a red dot, but this one has an auspicious cloud pattern!

"Third Master, this should be jujube paste pastry. Many families in Shengjing know how to make it. However, the pattern printed on it is quite beautiful!" Guo Sheng came back with firewood in his arms after a while and said, "The size of the patterns printed on each family is different."

The auspicious cloud pattern is not common, but definitely not uncommon. Jun Lie picked up the jujube paste pastry and took a bite. The crispy exterior, paired with the sweet and sour jujube paste, made him taste like he was in the past.

That year, he was ten years old. It was the coldest time of the year, the first month of the year with snow falling. There was a lively palace banquet. Even when he was kneeling in the aisle of the cold palace, he could still feel the liveliness of the palace banquet.

He had been kneeling for a whole day and was so hungry that he felt dizzy and dizzy. A chubby little hand handed him a piece of date paste.

"Third Master, how is this jujube paste pastry? Is it delicious?" Guo Sheng looked at him eagerly, staring at the remaining jujube paste pastry in the food box, and his eyes almost wanted to snatch the jujube paste pastry away.

Jun Lie held the jujube paste cake with his slender fingers and asked, "Want to eat some?"

"Third Master, I just want to try it." Guo Sheng swallowed his saliva. The sweet and sour date paste made people want to eat it just by smelling it.

"They sell it in Lancang County." Jun Lie's cold voice rang out. Guo Sheng lifted his aching hand and said, "Third Master, my hand..."

"Guo Sheng, boil some water and pluck the feathers." Guo Yang threw a pheasant into Guo Sheng's arms, interrupting him.

"Guo Yang!" Guo Sheng was covered in blood from the pheasant. He was so angry that he gritted his teeth. He took the pheasant and had no choice but to accept his fate and go to the stream to pluck its feathers.

"Guo Yang, I'm not done with you!" Guo Sheng stared at Guo Yang who was catching fish with gritted teeth!

Guo Yang plunged the sharpened branch in his hand into the river at a high speed. When he picked it up again, a fish was skewered on the branch. He said, "Guo Sheng, you should thank me."

"What?" Guo Sheng threw the plucked chicken feathers at him: "Why don't you dream?"

"Do you still want to eat the snacks that Miss Xiao sent?"

Guo Sheng's anger faded after hearing Guo Yang's words. He turned around and looked at Jun Lie sitting on a rock, enjoying the snacks. His eyes were burning with gossip. He asked, "Guo Yang, why did the Third Master just leave like that? He came all the way to Hongdu. We didn't even go through Lancang County when we were going to Wan'an County!"

"Do you think the Third Master likes Miss Xiao?" Guo Sheng was like a curious baby.

Guo Yang threw the fish into his arms: "Go if you want."

Guo Yang picked up the pheasant he had prepared and went to roast it.

Guo Sheng stared at the fish in his hand, its tail wagging and splashing water all over his face. He was so angry that his back teeth were about to break: "Guo Yang, why don't you come and kill the fish!"

Guo Sheng finished processing the fish with a curse, and when he went back to grill the fish, he didn't dare to mention the snack box again. Anyway, the snacks in the box were gone.

After a simple lunch, Jun Lie stood up and said, "Let's go to Lancang County!"

Guo Sheng: “…” If I had known earlier, I would have gone to Fengchunlou for dinner!