Chapter 74 His sister's dimples almost got him drunk.

"Want to go?"

"I want to go, I want to go!" Sheng Sheng nodded vigorously. "But I already promised to go with Fifth Brother to Changyin Pavilion to see the pretty ladies today. Brother, can you take me next time?"

Xie Yunqi quickly said, "Oh, what's the big deal? We have such a long break anyway. If you want to go, I'll go with you another day!"

Xiao Quanzi hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

Xie Yunqi paused, thought for a moment, and said to Xie Yunchuan, "I think it would be better to go three days after New Year's Day. It will be right after the festival, and Father will definitely not object! Second brother, why don't you talk to the Crown Prince and we go together again? Anyway, you all like to go, so it won't hurt to accompany your sister one more time."

"OK."

Xie Yunqi was delighted: "I haven't been out of the palace with my brothers yet. Sister, I know a restaurant that's particularly delicious; their frozen cheese is absolutely amazing! I'll take you there this time."

"Okay, okay."

The two children huddled together excitedly, chattering away. Little Quanzi hesitated, then leaned close to Xie Yunqi's ear and whispered, "Your Highness, leaving the palace... I'm afraid Consort Li won't allow it, will she?"

"It's alright," Xie Yunchuan said. "If His Highness the Crown Prince speaks up, Consort Li will not refuse."

"Hey, I see you." Xie Yunqi patted Xiao Quanzi's shoulder with a beaming smile. "My second brother said he will personally explain to Mother Consort through His Highness the Crown Prince, so don't worry."

Xiao Quanzi had no choice but to thank the Second Prince, having no other option but to say thank you.

Xie Yunqi started telling the little boy about his only experience leaving the palace, as if he were telling a storybook. The little boy listened to the unfamiliar world Xie Yunqi described, and a hint of anticipation appeared in his eyes.

Xie Yunchuan noticed this, his heart sank slightly, and he remained silent.

Xie Yunchuan composed himself, smiled and watched for a while, then instructed Zijuan to take good care of the princess and the Fifth Prince when she went out. Soon after, someone sent by the Crown Prince said that the Crown Prince was already waiting at the palace gate, so Xie Yunchuan went out.

Xie Yunqi arrived without having breakfast, because on days when he didn't have to attend morning classes, Xie Yunqi loved to sleep until the sun was high in the sky before getting up, and by the time he got up, it was long past breakfast time.

At first, Consort Li tried to reprimand him, but Xie Yunqi was a man who loved to sleep, and no one could stop him.

And what's the point of getting up so early? Just to get up, have breakfast, and then go back to sleep?

Over time, Consort Li stopped having breakfast prepared for him in the palace and let him sleep.

Today, the winter bathing begins at Wenhua Palace. Consort Li thought he would sleep until the sun was high in the sky as usual, so she naturally didn't have anyone prepare food for him.

Heaven knows how surprised Consort Li was when she saw Xie Yunqi get up this morning.

Xie Yunqi had no food, so he thought he might as well come to Yuqing Palace for a free meal.

And so, this scene unfolded: Xie Yunchuan had been gone for a long time, and Sheng Sheng's half-cup of milk had gone completely cold, yet Xie Yunqi was still eating it.

Sheng Sheng looked blankly at the four empty baskets of xiaolongbao, the pot of porridge that was almost empty, the bowl of radish soup that was completely dry, and even the side dish that hadn't been touched much had been eaten clean.

Xie Yunqi dipped a radish in the chili oil next to him, and muttered, "Ha, ha, what is this thing? Why is it biting my mouth?"

Xie Yunqi, with a ring of chili oil around her lips, couldn't help but laugh: "This is called chili oil, it's made from dogwood seeds. Isn't it delicious?"

Xie Yunqi took a big gulp of hot tea, but found that it made his mouth feel even worse. Looking left and right, Sheng Sheng hurriedly handed him the cooled milk in his hand: "This is what Sheng Sheng drank. Fifth Brother, don't mind it. Drinking something cold can relieve the spiciness."

"I don't mind at all, who would dare to dislike my sister!"

Even though Xie Yunqi's face turned red from the spiciness, she still forced herself to explain.

After saying that, Xie Yunqi immediately took the milk and drank it all in one gulp. The coolness of the milk indeed suppressed the heat in her mouth.

"Cool!"

After the spiciness subsided, Xie Yunqi picked up a radish from the soup and dipped it in chili oil, repeatedly advising, "Brother, if you can't eat spicy food, then don't eat it."

"Who says I can't eat this?" Xie Yunqi praised as she ate, even taking off her cloak. "Who invented this way of eating? It's so delicious! My lips feel a bit numb from being bitten, but my whole body feels warm and not cold at all!"

Sheng Sheng was both amused and exasperated. She poured him a cup of tea to cool it down, and then said to Xiao Quanzi, "Xiao Quanzi, quickly go and get some more milk for your Highness to cool down."

"yes."

Xie Yunqi is both a glutton and a foodie. Even though she was suffering from the spiciness, she was still attracted by the aroma and continued eating.

Xiao Quanzi simply poured the entire jug of milk into several cups and let them cool together.

Now that it's cold, the milk cools down in just a few minutes after it's poured from the jug.

After Xie Yunqi finished drinking, he praised the chili oil and then started praising the radish: "This radish is even better than the ones in my palace, so sweet and tender. Could it be that your radishes weren't sent by the Imperial Kitchen, but grown by yourself?"

When this was mentioned, Sheng Sheng got really excited: "Yes, we grew them ourselves, but not by Sheng Sheng, nor by Yuqing Palace."

"Who is that?" Xie Yunqi asked curiously.

This isn't it, that isn't it, could it be a demon species?

"Brother, guess!" The little dumpling smiled, tilted her head to look at him, and deliberately kept him in suspense.

She bet Xie Yunqi would never guess.

Xie Yunqi didn't want to guess. He's never been very patient. If it were someone else asking him to guess, he would have punched them long ago.

But looking into his sister's big, watery eyes, staring straight at him with such anticipation...

Xie Yunqi felt that his sister's dimples were almost making him drunk.

"childish."

While saying it was childish, Xie Yunqi was actually thinking to herself how cute her younger sister was, and at the same time guessing, "Could it be that Second Brother planted it? Does Second Brother go to the farm so often to grow vegetables? And His Highness the Crown Prince too...?"

Xie Yunqi's guess was a bit far-fetched, yet he himself thought it made a lot of sense, acting as if he was sure he had guessed correctly.

Sheng Sheng burst out laughing and quickly clarified, "No, it was planted by Jingyuexuan!"

Xie Yunqi frowned, her face full of doubt: "Jingyuexuan? Where is that place name? I don't know it. Could it be the lake behind Yuqing Palace called Jingyuexuan? This name doesn't sound like a lake at all."

Those around couldn't help but laugh. Xiao Quanzi covered his face and whispered a reminder: "Your Highness, the lake behind Yuqing Palace is called South Lake. Jingyue Pavilion is where the hostage prince of Song Kingdom lived."

"What? Pei Ji?"

Xie Yunqi's expression changed, his face clearly showing his belief. He pointed at the poisonous soup in surprise and asked Sheng Sheng, "Pei Ji, planting radishes?"

"Yes, it was planted by Brother Pei Ji and Afu together, and it tastes delicious."