Chapter 152 Are you afraid of me?
Rong'er looked at Tao Tao, at a loss.
Tao Tao quickly took the things back and looked at him warily: "What are you doing?!"
Murong Yan frowned and asked in confusion, "Isn't this for me?"
She pursed her lips: "Who said this was for you?" Then she tilted her chin up, gesturing for him to look there, "Hey, there's some left in the pot, you can have it."
"You're going to give it to him? Duan has eaten all sorts of delicacies, why would he care about your coarse food? I advise you not to waste your time."
He belittled her without any politeness, his words filled with sarcasm and irony.
"Um, you should all throw everything out of the pot. The young master doesn't want it."
After saying that, he turned and left.
Murong Yan watched her departing figure, then turned around and saw those who were about to dump the wontons. He hurriedly stepped forward: "Don't dump them! Nobody is allowed to touch them. I haven't given permission yet."
The people in the kitchen looked at him in shock, as if to say, "Would the prince eat such coarse food?"
He blushed and felt embarrassed by their stares. "What are you looking at?! If you look again, I'll gouge your eyes out!"
Upon hearing this, everyone lowered their heads, their faces filled with fear.
When Tao Tao reached the gate of the mansion, she realized that it was actually Chen Jinghe.
He bowed respectfully and greeted her, "Miss."
The sudden change in attitude towards her, so casual as never before, made Tao Tao feel somewhat estranged, like a friend who had suddenly developed some inexplicable misunderstanding with you.
But she knew he wouldn't talk and joke with her like he used to.
"Sorry to have kept you waiting."
When Chen Jinghe heard her apology, he looked up at her in surprise and then smiled.
The three of them rode in a carriage on the road and happened to pass by another carriage. The unfamiliar carriage slowly stopped in front of the Prince's mansion, and a woman dressed as a palace maid got out.
She walked to the door and said to the gatekeeper, "I am the Empress's personal maid, and I have come to convey the Empress's decree."
As she spoke, she took out a token from her sleeve and showed it to him.
The gatekeeper nodded in alarm and said, "Please wait a moment, Auntie, I will go and inform them immediately."
She raised her head, her cold voice tinged with arrogance: "No need, I'll just go in."
After saying that, she walked straight in, and the gatekeeper was immediately at a loss, with a bitter face: "Auntie, you can't just barge in, please wait here for a moment."
"How dare you! I am a lady-in-waiting to Her Majesty the Empress. How dare you lowly servants block my way?"
Zhi'er shouted angrily, showing no regard for the fact that this was the Prince's residence.
The gatekeeper summoned the steward, who, upon arriving and seeing the dire situation, immediately sent someone to fetch the young master.
He greeted her with a big smile, saying, "I heard that you came from the palace, so please forgive me if I have been negligent."
"Our Prince is not in the residence at the moment. May I ask which noble person's imperial decree you wish to convey?"
Zhi'er gave him an impatient look from head to toe. "I'm not looking for your Prince. I'm here on the orders of the Empress to deliver an imperial decree to your Princess Huaimin."
"Oh dear, what a coincidence, our county magistrate is not at home at the moment."
He spoke with a pained expression, full of frustration.
Zhi'er frowned, about to lash out, when a voice came from not far ahead.
"My sister is not here. If you have anything to say, just tell me directly. I will convey the Empress's words to my sister."
She looked up and saw a young man in fine clothes walking towards her.
Upon seeing the master of the Prince's mansion, she composed herself slightly and said with a faint smile, "Your Highness, since that's the case, then I will say it. Her Majesty the Empress has requested that Princess Huaimin come to the palace for an audience the following morning."
"Please convey my message, Your Highness."
Murong Yan looked at her expressionlessly, his eyes revealing a hint of arrogance, and said indifferently, "I understand. If there's nothing else, you may leave."
Zhi'er's smile froze. "Then this servant will go back first."
He didn't say anything, just turned around and left, showing no respect whatsoever to this person who served the Empress.
She gritted her teeth in anger and turned to leave.
She couldn't help but inwardly condemn the people in the Prince's mansion for being so rude. She was the Empress's personal maid, yet she wasn't even allowed to enter and have a cup of tea.
This time, Tao Tao didn't even knock; she simply pushed the door open and entered, as if she knew the way inside.
"Master, look what I brought you!"
A clear and melodious voice came from below. Before Duan Gan could put away the things on the table, he saw the girl standing there, her face beaming with a lively and cheerful smile.
He frowned slightly, then quickly rolled up the portrait in his hand and placed it in the painting basket beside him without making a sound.
Tao Tao's eyes flashed, and she naturally noticed the movement in his hand. She pretended to be nonchalant and walked forward.
How are your injuries?
She took the things out and, upon hearing the question, replied, "Much better."
Duan Gan looked down at the food she had taken out, raised an eyebrow, and smiled knowingly.
"You need something from me."
He used a declarative sentence, not a question.
Every time she cooks, it's either to apologize or because she needs to talk to him; there's always an ulterior motive.
He didn't mind, but it was always too obvious. She didn't try to hide it at all, just blatantly telling him that she had ulterior motives for approaching him.
Tao Tao was taken aback. "Uh... well... I have something to ask you, it shouldn't be too difficult for you."
She felt a little guilty, unsure whether she should tell him or not, and whether he would be angry if she did.
But she felt that he had a good temper, so he should, or perhaps would, agree.
He rested his hand on his temple, tilted his head, and stared intently at her face, intently observing her embarrassed expression.
She was sweating profusely, feeling incredibly guilty.
He chuckled softly and beckoned her over with his finger.
Tao Tao didn't move because she was afraid that if she spoke, he would be unable to resist strangling her to death. But she also wanted to speak because it seemed that no one but him could do it.
"Master, you eat first."
She raised her chin, indicating that he should eat first.
She thought that if she ate what she made, she would be able to bring herself to say it later.
Duan Gan suddenly felt a little confused. He had never seen her so cautious and uneasy, as if she was afraid that he would not agree to her request.
He picked up the bowl of wontons, stirred it, and said, "I can agree to that. Just tell me."
"The assassins from last night are all dead, right?"
"--Um."
"You also know that I'm listed in the Murong family genealogy?"
"Was it you who arranged for Murong Yan to take up a post at the border?"
Isn't that obvious...?
Duan Gan looked up with a slight frown, unable to guess what she was thinking for a moment. The questions she asked were all irrelevant nonsense.
"Little girl, are you afraid of me?"
Tao Tao paused for a moment upon hearing this, gave a vague "hmm," and then immediately shook her head.
He found it both funny and frustrating.
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