Tingfeng finished speaking quickly, looking at Xie Lingqin with expectant eyes.

"Listen to the sea."

Xie Lingqin suddenly called out into the shadows.

Tinghai immediately appeared, his head bowed low, and asked, "What are your orders, Miss?"

"Did you know about this?"

"Yes, Miss, I know a little."

"Why didn't you say so earlier?"

Tinghai's face turned bitter, and she looked wronged. "I wanted to say it, but Miss, you wouldn't let me say it that day."

"Is there?"

Xie Lingqin glanced at her coldly.

Tinghai dared not make a sound, but his expression clearly said, "Yes, yes, yes."

"Then, who has your Crown Prince seen?" Xie Lingqin asked Tingfeng again.

"I don't know. After the Crown Prince returned from the General's Mansion last night, he locked himself in his room and hasn't eaten anything. The entire Crown Prince's residence is like it's covered in frost. We don't dare to speak loudly, for fear of angering the Crown Prince."

"Is that so? I saw that Miss Li just now, didn't she come to deliver pastries to the Crown Prince?"

"No, the Crown Prince didn't even look at the pastries, he just put them aside."

Hearing the wind, he immediately offered a hurried explanation.

"That's because you, the Crown Prince, are not fortunate enough to have such a feast." Although Xie Lingqin's tone was stiff, something that had been weighing on her heart suddenly seemed to dissipate.

I felt lighter all over.

Not long after, Xie Lingqin and Tingfeng arrived at the Crown Prince's residence.

Everything was quiet.

Just as Tingfeng had said, there seemed to be a low pressure in the air, making people subconsciously hold their breath and dare not breathe out.

Upon seeing Xie Lingqin arrive in the courtyard, the guards all smiled, as if seeing Xie Lingqin was like seeing flowers bloom.

Xie Lingqin was speechless, but instead of heading towards the main house, she asked Tingfeng to take her to the small kitchen.

The small kitchen in the Crown Prince's residence was also the large kitchen.

The servants, who were busy in the kitchen, were unaware that a woman had entered.

Those who knew her and those who didn't all stepped back at Tingfeng's signal.

Then, he quietly left the kitchen.

"You can stay outside. I'll call you if I need any help," Xie Lingqin said, rolling up her sleeves and strolling leisurely into the kitchen.

The kitchen was fully equipped, and some of the dishes were ones she had rarely seen before.

The Crown Prince's residence is indeed very luxurious.

To be honest, she hadn't had maocai (a type of Sichuan hot pot) in a long time, so today she decided to make something different.

First, the seasonings.

The enticing aroma soon spread, and people outside the kitchen couldn't help but lean forward, crane their necks, and peer inside, curious about what Xie Lingqin was doing.

Especially Tingyu, who had heard the wind whistling long ago, stood aside and peered inside.

However, no one's stares or curiosity deterred Xie Lingqin.

After preparing the seasonings, it's time to take out and wash the vegetables.

To truly make a bowl of delicious and unforgettable Maocai, the amount of ingredients used is also important.

Secondly, the combination of meat and vegetables should be done in moderation.

Due to funding issues, Tianxia Yiwei has had to adjust its vegetable sourcing methods, and Xie Lingqin has made adjustments accordingly.

Therefore, it cannot be said that the taste of today's dish will be better than any other in the world.

After working for most of the hour, Xie Lingqin looked at the two large bowls of maocai (a type of Sichuan hot pot) on the stove and breathed a sigh of relief.

This fragrance... it's been so long!

They were almost reluctant to give it to Yuwen Yao.

Outside the kitchen, people were already waiting.

"Someone come in here. Hmm, take this to your prince."

Xie Lingqin gave instructions to the rows of people standing neatly in the kitchen.

However, they all shook their heads.

“Miss Lingqin, this servant dares not.”

"What's there to be afraid of?"

“Generally speaking, apart from the guards who listen to the rain, the Crown Prince does not like women walking around in his courtyard.”

"Yes, the Crown Prince also dislikes servants freely entering and leaving his courtyard."

Someone stepped forward to explain.

Xie Lingqin was slightly taken aback.

Does the Crown Prince have this strange quirk?

"Why don't you take it, Miss Lingqin? Don't look down on me, I wouldn't dare offend the Crown Prince." Tingyu waved her hand in refusal after receiving Xie Lingqin's look.

Xie Lingqin thought for a moment, then looked around again.

"Nobody dares?"

They all shook their heads again.

Xie Lingqin raised an eyebrow. "Alright then." With that, Xie Lingqin simply turned and went into the kitchen.

Just when everyone thought Xie Lingqin would personally serve the hot pot to the Crown Prince, she didn't come out for a long time.

It wasn't until Tingyu, out of curiosity, went up to take a look, and then, she was speechless.

Xie Lingqin was actually sitting in the kitchen, happily eating, with her sleeves rolled up.

"Anyway, I only want to eat it myself. Since your prince is acting so strangely, then he shouldn't eat it."

Xie Lingqin stared at the delicious food in front of her, not even looking up.

However, the rain stopped, and the air seemed much quieter.

Xie Lingqin's eyes flashed, and she raised her head to look at the threshold.

But then a white figure appeared, standing there.

Backlit, he wore wide sleeves and a loose robe, his dark hair was disheveled, and his face was slightly pale.

That exquisite face, those dark eyes, those thin, cold lips.

A single glance is enough to make people kneel in submission, a person who is astonished by the beauty of spring breezes and autumn moons.

Who else could it be but Yuwen Yao?

"Oh, the Crown Prince has arrived. He's borrowed your kitchen, so I've cooked you a bowl of food as well. The chopsticks are already laid out; help yourself."

After Xie Lingqin finished speaking, she continued eating with her head down.

"good."

Yuwen Yao uttered a single word, then walked over slowly and sat down directly opposite Xie Lingqin.

The hem of the robe, adorned with black cloud patterns, fluttered slightly, making the kitchen appear like a fairyland.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!