Chapter 5 Milk Cake only eats grass, it really is a rabbit.
Back in the tent, Xuan Niang and Ruan Yu chatted quietly for a few moments.
"I inquired further, and it seems that Madam Qiu is from Jiangnan. If her surname is 'Wei'..."
Ruan Yu suddenly thought, "I once heard my brother mention that the previous governor of Jiangnan was surnamed Wei, but he was later exiled after his family was raided. It shouldn't be him..."
“That surname is too common, so it’s unlikely. However, I did find out that Lady Qiu has a guard from Chang’an named Yang who married a woman on the grasslands and had a son named Yang Chong. He is also a servant of the Fourth Prince.”
Ruan Yu seemed to be deep in thought.
Xuan Niang paused for a moment, then asked, "Miss, did you offer to accompany Madam to worship Buddha today? Is it to curry favor?"
Facing Xuan Niang, Ruan Yu no longer concealed her true feelings. She silently removed the gold hairpin from her hair and said, "Xuan Niang, my coming here for a political marriage is not entirely without purpose. When I heard the news, I knew that worrying was useless. I had to look ahead and move forward. If I can gain a foothold on the grasslands, my mother's life in the Marquis's mansion will be a little easier."
Xuan Niang was stunned.
After a moment, she closed her eyes, suppressing her emotions: "Your wish will surely come true..."
As soon as Xuan Niang finished speaking, Qing Guo suddenly strode in: "Khedun, the other three Khedun have arrived."
Ruan Yu immediately composed herself and put the gold hairpin back on: "Please."
The eldest prince, Damu, married Una, a member of the prestigious Geer tribe. The eldest prince's marriage was also a tribal alliance. The second prince, Bayar, married Qiqige, a member of the Chaha tribe. The third prince married Yuzhu, a beauty from the Alashan tribe. Ruan Yu had already memorized all these relationships.
She hurried outside the tent to greet them. The main tent for welcoming guests was not far away. The four of them met and exchanged polite greetings.
Una noticed the gold hairpin in her hair and paused for a moment, but quickly smiled and said, "I didn't get a good look at you last night. Look at you, you really are a beauty from the Central Plains!"
The other two Khatuns also smiled and echoed.
Ruan Yu generously invited them into the main tent, where Qingguo and Xuanniang brought milk and pastries.
“I should be the one visiting my sisters-in-law, but you have come first today. I have been impolite,” Ruan Yu said.
Una: "There are no such rules on the grassland! We were thinking of you, so we came together!"
Ruan Yu smiled and said, "These are pastries from the Central Plains. The three of you may try them."
Qiqige exclaimed in surprise, "How did you bring this?!"
Ruan Yu: "It was made by Xuan Niang; she's quite skilled."
The three Khatuns thanked them with smiles, and Qiqige was the first to pick one up and take a bite: "Mmm! Delicious! So sweet and fragrant!"
"Look how greedy you are! Is it sweeter than milk?" Yuzhu couldn't help but say.
"Third sister-in-law, you'll know once you try it!"
Ruan Yu looked at Yu Zhu, who was also looking at her, seemingly at the flower decoration on her forehead. Noticing Ruan Yu's gaze, Yu Zhu smiled slightly and took a small bite.
Una also exclaimed, "A different taste! No wonder Father Khan said that the food in the Central Plains is much more refined!"
Ruan Yu: "Xuan Niang, bring a portion for the three Khatuns later."
"yes."
Qiqige: "Fourth sister-in-law, then we won't stand on ceremony with you!"
The four of them chatted and laughed over tea, just like sisters. After finishing a cup of tea, Una suddenly said, "Good sister, we've come here today for the Zhamuyan event in half a month. Would you like to participate?"
Ruan Yu was taken aback: "Zhamuyan?"
“Yes, it’s the morin khuur (horsehead fiddle) competition. All the women in the tribe participate! We’re going too!” Qiqige explained enthusiastically.
Ruan Yu suddenly realized, and after thinking for a moment, she said, "All the women will go?"
"Not necessarily, but most people will go! It'll be so lively!"
Ruan Yu thought for a moment and said, "But I can't play the morin khuur (horsehead fiddle), so I'd probably just be a laughing stock if I went."
Qiqige said with some regret, "I see..."
Una: "It's okay, then Fourth Sister can come with us to play, just to join in the fun."
Ruan Yu smiled and agreed.
The meeting between the sisters-in-law was also part of the formalities. Ruan Yu gave some gifts and received some gifts in return. The three of them did not stay long. After getting to know each other, they got up and left.
Ruan Yu was also a little tired that morning.
"Go and ask if His Highness will be back for lunch."
Qingguo hadn't even left yet when Afu came in first.
"Khedun, His Highness has never had the habit of returning home for lunch, so you don't need to trouble yourself."
Ruan Yu nodded. "I understand."
-
After resting for lunch in his tent, Ruan Yu felt refreshed.
With nothing to do in the afternoon, she thought about it and decided to go see Hela.
Ask about this Zhamuyan.
When she arrived near the tent in Dabieji, Hela was milking sheep.
She personally pressed down on a bleating ewe in the sheepfold, skillfully squeezing with her thumb and forefinger, and a stream of milk gushed out, steadily dripping into a bucket on the ground.
Ruan Yu was stunned for a moment, unable to look away.
Hela looked up when her maid reminded her. She gave a simple smile: "An'an, what brings you here?"
In the morning, her mother-in-law asked about her childhood nickname, and to her surprise, Hela had already memorized it.
Ruan Yu stepped forward with a smile: "This is the first time I've ever seen goat milking. It's so interesting."
Hela laughed: "Would you like to give it a try?"
Ruan Yu was startled. She found it amusing, but she was also a little afraid.
Hela smiled even more broadly: "It's okay, take your time! You can go and pet these sheep first. I raised them myself, and they are very obedient."
Ruan Yu was genuinely interested, not just being polite. Encouraged by Hela, she boldly approached the sheep pen. The ewe seemed to sense something and bleated twice when Ruan Yu got close, but did not flinch. Ruan Yu flinched, but was also somewhat unwilling, and finally slowly touched the sheep's head.
Ruan Yu smiled, a very happy smile.
"It's so cute."
Hela kept looking at her, a hint of amazement on her face...
After a moment, she smiled and said, "They are very cute. You'll discover more about them as you get to know them better."
Hela invited Ruan Yu to come in and instructed her maid to brew milk tea.
Ruan Yu also explained his purpose.
“Zhamuyan?” Hela laughed: “It’s just a group of noble ladies showing off their skills. It’s nothing important. If you don’t want to go, you don’t have to.”
Ruan Yu breathed a sigh of relief: "Is that so? That's good. I thought it was a very important festival."
Haila: "In October, the most important festival on the grassland is the Zulu Festival, also known as the Lighting Festival. It is much more important than playing the piano, and we all have to participate."
Ruan Yu hurriedly said, "Please teach me, elder sister."
Hela laughed and said, "Of course, you don't need to worry, there are still more than half a month left."
Ruan Yu was relieved. Her conversation with Hela was much more pleasant and comfortable than with the other Khatuns. A maid quickly brought over freshly brewed milk tea, and Ruan Yu drank a bowl, gradually getting used to it.
"Sister, do you usually do some of the work in this tent yourself?" Ruan Yu asked curiously.
Hela laughed and said, "I'm used to it. I'm just killing time anyway."
Ruan Yu: "That's great! I can make pastries. Would you like some, sister?"
Just now, in front of her sisters-in-law, Ruan Yu hadn't told the truth; her pastry-making skills were no worse than Xuan Niang's. Hela was extremely surprised: "Of course... shall we go together?"
...
At dusk.
Chaolu walked heavily back to his tent.
He was starving and looked unwell.
Afu saw it from afar and looked at Has with his eyes, asking for his opinion. Has gave him a hand gesture, and Afu understood, carefully stepping forward.
"Your Highness is back."
Chaolu neither smelled the aroma of food nor saw the woman who should have come to greet him outside.
Chaolu frowned: "Where's the food?"
Afu: "It's all ready, but Si Ke Dun hasn't returned yet. We're waiting, and we're waiting for you too..."
"Where is he?" Chao Lu frowned even more deeply.
No sooner had he finished speaking than he heard footsteps behind him.
Hela brought Ruan Yu back, and the two chatted and laughed.
Upon seeing the man's back, Ruan Yu instinctively stopped in her tracks.
Hela saw it too and called out, "Chaolu, come and pick up your wife."
The man turned around, his thick, dark eyebrows relaxing slightly.
"Sister."
He first addressed his eldest sister, then slowly shifted his gaze to Ruan Yu, still expressionless.
Hela: "Alright, you two can have dinner together. I'm heading back now."
Ruan Yu quickly said, "Sister, shall we go together?"
Hela laughed and said, "No, no, I still have an ancestor to take care of."
Ruan Yu didn't understand what he meant at first, but seeing that Hela really didn't intend to stay, she didn't want to force her. After the others left, Ruan Yu slowly turned her head to look at the man not far away.
Chao Lu said nothing and turned to go into the tent.
"Prepare the meal!"
Ah Fu was too busy to leave.
This was the first time the couple had dined together. According to the customs of the grasslands, Ruan Yu had to kneel on the ground, a very uncomfortable position.
Even though there was beef and mutton in front of her, she still had little appetite.
The man was clearly starving, eating large mouthfuls of rice and only making the most primal tearing and biting motions when eating meat. The dagger he used to cut the meat was placed on the table, gleaming with a chilling light.
Ruan Yu silently ate a few bites of vegetables and millet, chewing slowly and carefully.
Chaolu ignored her and continued to eat meat and drink wine heartily.
He would only glance at her when her slender chopsticks reached out.
It only eats grass; it really is a rabbit.
Delicate and spoiled.
Besides beef, mutton, and grass, there was also a plate of sweet milk cakes on the table, milky white and neatly cut.
After Chaolu had eaten and drunk his fill, he noticed the snack. He took it without hesitation and finished it in a few bites.
Ruan Yu was somewhat surprised and looked up at him.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Noticing her frequent glances, Chao Lu asked directly.
Dislike his rude eating habits?
Ruan Yu quickly lowered her eyes and shook her head.
Chao Lu suddenly asked, "What are you going to do with my older sister this afternoon?"
Ruan Yu answered truthfully: "I didn't know what I should do, so I went to Dabieji to help milk the sheep and also asked about the Zulu Festival."
Hearing her talk about milking sheep, Chaolu was clearly somewhat surprised.
But this unexpected event was fleeting.
“Very well. You should know that I am not favored by the Khan, and my status and treatment are different from the other Taijis. I don’t have many servants to command. When you have nothing to do, go and help my sister with her work. It would be best if you could also learn to cook. For example, my sister makes very delicious pastries. You young ladies from Chang’an never lift a finger to cook… but this is the grassland.”
Qingguo, standing to the side, widened her eyes, seemingly wanting to say something, but Ruanyu quickly curled her lips and said, "Your Highness is right, I will remember that."
Chao Lu pursed his lips and glanced at the empty white jade porcelain plate again.
It's really delicious. I'll ask my sister for some more tomorrow.
He got up and went to the bathroom to wash up. As soon as the others left, Ruan Yu immediately changed to a more comfortable sitting position.
Looking at the empty stack of milk cakes in front of me, I chuckled to myself.
A note from the author:
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Haha. [Milk tea][Milk tea][Milk tea]
See you tomorrow
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