Chapter 62 (Fake Vegetables)

The boy's face turned cold, and his voice became icy cold.

Nanny Li was so frightened that her face turned pale and she knelt on the ground with a plop: "Greetings to His Majesty Prince Shun!"

The other maids and mothers-in-law in the room were also startled and knelt down one after another.

Yan Qiushu led Zhou Zhaoqin to stand up. She was not a slave, so even if she met such a prince, she did not need to kowtow. She only knelt and saluted: "I, a commoner, greet His Highness Prince Shun."

"I've met Fifth Uncle!" Zhou Zhaoqin saluted nervously, carefully glancing at his calm face, mustering up his courage, and weakly explained, "Uncle, this is not meat."

Prince Shun snorted coldly and said nothing, but this reaction alone was enough to show that he did not believe it.

Of the three dishes, two were meat dishes and the other was a soup with a rich color. It was hard to tell whether meat was added or not, but when he looked at his nephew, he felt that it was very likely that meat was eaten.

Could it be that the girl from the Xiao family secretly fed meat to the child in order to prevent the Xiao family from being tortured by his mother? Otherwise, how could the shape look round in such a short time? !

Yan Qiushu waited for a while, but he didn't say anything to stand up, so she just stood up and said, "Your Highness, this is indeed not meat, it's just a meat product. If you don't believe me, you can taste it yourself."

King Shun frowned and looked over with a little suspicion.

Yan Qiushu reached out and took out a round skewer from the chicken leg in front of him. The chicken leg was missing bones, so the authenticity was lost a little. Then she took out a pair of unused chopsticks and passed them over. With her other hand, she pointed at the darker-colored "Preserved Vegetable Braised Pork" and said softly, "You can also try this dish."

Prince Shun hesitated.

Seeing this, Zhou Zhaoqin said softly, "Uncle, come and try it. Sister Shu's cooking is delicious!"

When Prince Shun heard this, he probably knew in his heart that he had wronged them. He felt a little annoyed and tried hard to suppress his expression. However, he still took a closer look at the dish. How could it really be that similar?

The texture of the braised pork is revealed!

When the chopsticks picked up the meat and felt the "taste", King Shun was stunned for a moment. It felt much harder than real meat!

This made him feel much more at ease and his movements became smoother.

Until the food was brought to his mouth, he took a tentative bite, and the soft yet hard "meat" was bitten off. In addition to the salty aroma of pickled vegetables, he also tasted a sweetness at the end?

Shun Wang looked closely and found that the color of the braised pork was not stained by the sauce, but was actually a light green. The taste on the tip of the tongue was soft and hard, with the salty aroma of pickled vegetables, and it really tasted a bit like meat!

But it is indeed not meat, but winter melon.

This substitute is a perfect choice, and the shape is similar, especially the part near the flesh of the winter melon. The soft texture is so good that if you are not prepared, you can sometimes mistake it for the real thing.

Moreover, the winter melon tastes really good. The pickled vegetables taste a bit salty, but it is probably because they have been soaked in hot water before, which has reduced the saltiness. Pairing it with light-tasting food like winter melon can neutralize the taste, and it will not put excessive burden on the tongue when eaten with rice.

After finishing the meal in one bite, Prince Shun pursed his lips, hesitated for a moment, and then put the rest into his mouth. After finishing it all, he licked his lips again, feeling that he was not satisfied. He put down his chopsticks, tightened his cheeks, and said in a low voice: "It tastes good. It is indeed not meat. I misunderstood."

Zhou Zhaoqin grinned, his joy visibly evident.

Seeing this, Prince Shun also smiled. He was handsome, with red lips and white teeth, and looked like a rich man. He was no longer as dignified as when he first arrived. The tense atmosphere around him also relaxed. He said loudly, "Everyone, get up."

"Thank you, Your Highness." Nanny Li spoke first.

The others followed suit and stood up.

At this time, Madam Xiao's voice was heard from the gate of the courtyard: "Hello, His Royal Highness Prince Shun. I wonder what brought you here? We apologize for the poor hospitality. Your Highness, please forgive us."

Prince Shun immediately turned around, bowed politely, and said softly, "Madam Xiao, this is too serious. I didn't even have a visiting card, but came directly to disturb you, and I came in a hurry. I am sorry."

As they were talking, Madam Xiao came over. She motioned Yan Qiushu to step aside and said slowly, "It's okay, but if Your Highness comes next time, you still have to let him know in advance. I'm really worried that the people in the mansion won't be able to entertain him well. After all, my Xiao family hasn't entertained any distinguished guests for a long time."

Prince Shun's expression remained unchanged, and he said with a smile, "Madam Xiao is right."

Madam Xiao curled her lips and asked, "Is Your Highness ready to eat?"

"Not really." Prince Shun shook his head honestly.

"Then..." Mrs. Xiao was about to invite him to the living room.

Then he heard this person say, "I just tasted the food this girl cooked. It tasted really good. I wonder if you can let me enjoy it?"

Yan Qiushu was in the corner, watching everyone's thoughts. She had no intention of saying anything, but at this moment she raised her eyes to look at the young man with a strange look on her face. He actually stayed?

It shouldn’t be that serious, right?

Although the dishes she cooked tasted good, they were fake vegetables after all. The actual ingredients were vegetarian dishes, which were imitated as much as possible. But in terms of deliciousness, they would not be enough to seduce a prince who was used to eating delicacies from land and sea to the point of asking for a free meal, right?

Mrs. Xiao was also puzzled. She glanced at the table and was startled at first glance, but after a closer look, she calmed down again. Although she was puzzled, she still had to meet the prince's request: "Then I will ask the chef in the mansion to make two more dishes. Is there anything your prince would like to eat?"

"No, no, this is all. I came here mainly to see my nephew. We can chat while eating." Prince Shun waved his hand. His attitude was very casual, but revealed a hint of toughness.

Madam Xiao saw this and said, "Then it's up to you, Your Highness. I'll take my leave first."

She saluted, turned and left, taking Yan Qiushu with her.

She looked back and saw Zhou Zhaoqin was also a little at a loss. Seeing Yan Qiushu being taken away, he took half a step forward anxiously, but soon realized the situation and silently retreated.

The other maids and servants in the room also left. When they walked out of the yard, Yan Qiushu clearly heard Nanny Li let out a long sigh. She found it a little funny. She didn't expect that Nanny Li would be afraid of such a young man.

Although he looked like he was trying hard to act dignified, he was not like Mrs. Xiao. She was not really afraid.

Madam Xiao led them out, but did not walk far. After a while, she told Li Ma and the others, "Just wait here. If His Highness has any instructions, just do it."

"Yes." Everyone responded.

Madam Xiao continued to pull Yan Qiushu to one side, and they found a pavilion, where they sat down to rest. She patted the back of the woman's hand and said, "Did I scare you? It's okay. His Highness Prince Shun has a good temper among the princes. He won't punish you easily unless you provoke him."

Yan Qiushu shook her head: "Not really, I'm just a little curious, why are you so afraid of him?"

Mrs. Xiao was quite helpless and whispered, "I'm not afraid of him, I'm afraid of the people behind him."

"Concubine Lu?" Yan Qiushu also asked in a low voice: "Isn't she in the deep palace?"

Madam Xiao sneered: "She has long hands. But our prince, who was born to her, is very different from her. He is an okay person..."

The words were left unsaid, leaving room for people to daydream. Yan Qiushu felt even more curious. The little plot in her memory did not involve the princes in detail. When the third prince was in trouble, Prince Chang did not come out at that time, and the Xiao family was even less prominent. The fifth prince's opponent was only the sixth prince, and the two forces fought fiercely, but there was no specific description of the two princes.

She also didn't know what this King Shun looked like.

Is there some hidden secret behind this?

Mrs. Xiao sighed, shook her head, turned around and saw Yan Qiushu looking at her with her big eyes, waiting for her to say something.

Madam Xiao was silent. She didn't want to say anything at first, but being looked at like this, she felt like telling the story and said softly, "Actually, this Prince Shun studied in the Imperial College with the Sixth Old Man when he was a child, and he always liked to follow him. The Sixth Old Man liked to fight at that time, and all the rebellious students in the Imperial College had fought with him. Our Xiao family was also very powerful at that time, and no one dared to say anything. His Royal Highness Prince Shun was very delicate when he was a child, and his personality was a bit like Wan'er. He would never say anything when he was bullied. The Sixth Old Man helped him a few times, and then he followed the Sixth Old Man, but the Sixth Old Man didn't like children and despised him..."

Yan Qiushu's eyes widened slowly. Considering Xiao Huaiting's rebellious character, it was not difficult to imagine such a scene. She chuckled, "What a pity."

The friendship we had in childhood has become like this now because of power.

Mrs. Xiao murmured, "Isn't it?"

Yan Qiushu pursed her lips and smiled, and her worry about Zhou Zhaoqin also eased.

The last time he went to the prince's residence to see Prince Chang, Xiao Huai Ting also happened to meet Prince Shun, but he didn't realize that the two had any entanglements in the past.

There's no way. When you grow up, you will always feel helpless in various ways.

On the other side

The situation is indeed not serious.

The owner had left, the maids and servants had also left, and only the uncle and nephew were left in the restaurant.

Each person had a bowl of rice and a pair of chopsticks, and they ate quietly.

I ate the big one with gusto. Although it's not as good as real meat, it's quite novel to eat some vegetarian food occasionally, and it tastes really good.

The vegetarian chicken leg was surprisingly chewy and not dry, and it was flavorful inside, but it didn't go well with rice. However, it went well with the rice, the salty pickled vegetables, and a bowl of rice, and it was finished in no time.

Finally, I drank half a bowl of hot and sour soup. It tasted amazing!

Prince Shun quickly finished his meal and put down his chopsticks. However, Zhou Zhaoqin had no appetite. Seeing this, he quickly quickened his pace and nervously finished the last bite. He even burped and quickly covered his mouth, choking for a while. Only after he finished the meal did he feel better.

"Don't be so nervous. I don't eat children." Prince Shun said with a smile and served him half a bowl of soup.

"Thank you, uncle." Zhou Zhaoqin said in a low voice.

"Yeah." Prince Shun agreed, looking at him with a smile. After he finished drinking, he slowly said, "You and Third Brother actually look quite similar, especially your nose and mouth. Your eyes are the least similar."

Maybe he is still a child, his eyes are exceptionally clear and bright, he can't see the hatred, the gloom, and even more so the calculation that often appears in the eyes of the third brother.

When Zhou Zhaoqin heard him mention his biological father, his hands began to tremble, and he did not put the bowl down steadily, causing it to shake several times.

Upon seeing this, Prince Shun stopped smiling and said seriously, "Ah Qin, the emperor's uncle came here to ask if you want to go to Leping. Mr. Shen Qingxuan of the Shen family said he wants to recruit disciples, and the emperor's uncle wants you to be his disciple. According to your qualifications, you cannot become his direct disciple, but you can be a registered disciple. The emperor's uncle can make some arrangements and it will be possible."

However, after hearing this, Zhou Zhaoqin's face turned pale. He lowered his head in resistance, his body trembling slightly. He didn't dare to refuse directly, but he didn't want to go. He didn't want to leave here because this was his home.

A trace of pity flashed in Prince Shun's eyes. Although he was helpless, he still had to say what he had to say: "I know you don't want to go, but you are not suitable to stay here. The Shen family has been clean for hundreds of years. Few of them have served in the government, but they have a lot of power and few people will offend them. Only if you go there will no one use you as an excuse. For example, this time, if this Miss Shu is not good at cooking and makes you thin, the Xiao family will be soft-hearted and take you here. What they will face is my mother's attack, and then this girl will definitely not survive."

The child froze and looked over in panic.

"It hasn't happened yet, because she has taken good care of you, and others don't have the chance to cause trouble. But they may not do this every time. What if... someone poisons you?"

Zhou Zhaoqin was horrified, shook his head, and said in a hoarse voice: "No!"

Prince Shun saw this and smiled bitterly, not knowing what he was thinking. He whispered, "It's not like you can't say no, so it won't happen. And it won't be the only time for the Xiao family to do this. As long as you stay in Kyoto, your identity is a great excuse. Besides my mother, your sixth uncle is also keeping an eye on you. Your father left behind a lot of power, and that's what they want."

Zhou Zhaoqin listened, pouted, and silently shed tears, feeling very aggrieved.

He has lost his mother and his father, and has no one else to rely on.

I finally get to stay with Sister Shu and don’t have to worry about those things, so why can’t I be fine?

But the emperor's uncle explained everything in such detail that even if he didn't want to know, he would still understand what he should understand.

"So are you going or not?" King Shun asked for the last time.

Zhou Zhaoqin shuddered, nodded his head with difficulty, and said in a crying voice: "I'll go!"

Prince Shun patted his head and said softly, "Good boy."

Zhou Zhaoqin wiped his tears, very skillfully using the sleeve of his inner shirt, and after wiping them he covered them with his outer shirt so that nothing could be seen. He then sniffed and steady himself, and when he heard the compliment, he did not feel any joy in his heart, only sadness.

He is just a child. How could he dare to shake his head when faced with such a situation?

Not to mention that he just wanted a safe haven, but when the safe haven was in danger of being blown down by himself, how could he dare to go there?

As long as the safe haven is still there, even if it is unreliable, it is good to look at it. At least he still knows that this is the place he can rely on temporarily.