Under the subtle glances from Chun Que and Xia Zhu, Tong Wanyan blushed and had no desire to get out of bed.
Just then, a light rain began to fall outside, and she asked Xia Zhu to open the window.
Outside, everything was lush and green, with a few red roses flamboyantly displayed.
Tong Wanyan supported herself with a soft pillow at her waist, moved to the edge of the bed, and quickly washed her face.
The palace maid held the basin steadily, ensuring that the water from rinsing her mouth wouldn't splash onto the bedsheet.
After wiping herself clean, Tong Wanyan felt refreshed and invigorated after a few drops of rose-scented dew were added to the basin.
"Don't laugh at me. In two years, I'll marry you both off, and you'll live the same life as me," Tong Wanyan said, her voice tinged with embarrassment and anger.
Chunque and Xiazhu were still unmarried young women, and their faces turned red when they heard this.
"Master is bullying us servants again, but we servants are not laughing at all. It's lunchtime now. Master, would you like to have breakfast first and then lunch later, or do you want to have lunch directly?" Xia Zhu asked Tong Wanyan coquettishly.
Tong Wanyan thought for a moment and said, "Let's have lunch directly. Don't make anything too complicated. Just some roast duck rolled with cucumber strips, and a bowl of noodles. I'm feeling a bit craving something today, so have them make Sichuan-style noodles, with extra chili."
Chun Que nodded knowingly. She took it upon herself to have the kitchen prepare an extra serving of vegetable and tofu soup, so that Tong Wanyan wouldn't have to eat something greasy and spicy as soon as she woke up, which could upset her stomach.
Normally, according to Tong Wanyan's custom, the table would be filled with three meat dishes, two vegetable dishes, and a soup.
Since she's not dining in the main hall today, we'll naturally listen to her and serve fewer dishes.
After a satisfying meal, Tong Wanyan washed up, changed into some fresh clothes, and lay down again.
She couldn't stay in bed; her back and legs were too sore to bear.
"It's raining, let's add a dish of green pickled plums to Master's lunch," Tong Wanyan said.
Upon hearing this, Su Jixiang felt a pang of sympathy and went to the kitchen to report it.
The concubine must be getting revenge on the Crown Prince. Knowing that he hates sour food, she still gave him a sour plum.
The servants in the Southern Courtyard all knew that the Crown Prince held the highest status in Yuqing Palace, but Consort Tong's words were the most effective.
As long as it doesn't involve major matters that disrupt the court or cause chaos in the palace, Tong Wanyan can decide on all minor matters.
When Yinreng opened the food box that Su Jixiang had sent at noon, his teeth went weak at the sight of the plate of bright green sour plums.
The minister who was working with him looked up and actually praised the chef of Yuqing Palace for his refined taste.
Enjoying a glass of sake and a plum on a rainy day is so poetic.
Faced with the minister's sincere praise, Yinreng smiled kindly and accepted it.
Not only that, he also invited his ministers to taste the sour plums together.
Yinreng knew Tong Wanyan's temper well. If he refused to eat, she might throw a tantrum when they got back. Even if she faked crying, he would feel sorry for her.
Su Jixiang waited on the side and watched as Yinreng took a bite of a sour plum and his face contorted in rage.
Fortunately, that minister also couldn't eat sour food, and his scrunched-up expression was even more exaggerated than Yinreng's.
He carefully watched how many bites Yinreng ate and how his handsome face contorted, then went back and told Tong Wanyan everything truthfully.
Upon hearing this, Tong Wanyan laughed so hard she almost fell over. Doing naughty things in secret really does bring pleasure.
Tong Wanyan lay down on the bed contentedly and took a nap.
Having a rare moment of leisure, Tong Ruita and Orondai went to a tavern to find some wine.
As the saying goes, "no fight, no friendship." Although Orondai was beaten so badly by Tong Ruita that he cried for his parents and had a bruised and swollen face, the hostility he felt towards the illegitimate son was also dispelled by Tong Ruita.
Heroes cherish heroes. Orondai thought that Tong Ruita had saved his father's life, and as a son, he should give his father some face and get along well with his cousin.
Tong Ruita didn't care at all what Orondai's views were. If he hadn't discovered that Orondai was quite resilient, he wouldn't have wanted to play with him.
Now everyone in the family is in pairs. Father pampers Mother and spends all his time with her, and elder brother spends all his free time with his wife. He's all alone, with no one to practice martial arts with, which is quite boring.
"Eighth Brother, what kind of girl do you like?" Orondai asked casually, taking Tong Ruita to his usual tavern and finding a window seat.
Tong Ruita sniffed, inhaling the intoxicating aroma of wine in the air.
The noses of scions of noble families are indeed more sensitive than his; he can even find such an obscure tavern.
He used to drink for just a few copper coins. Now, he'd probably need several jugs of wine to buy dozens of taels of silver.
Tong Ruita looked at Orondai as if he were some kind of wealthy man.
"Big cousin, can I ask you for drinks whenever I want to in the future?" Tong Ruita didn't want girls; he just wanted to drink and eat meat occasionally.
Orondai's pockets were bulging; he had never lacked money since he was a child.
He said generously, "Sure, I like drinking too. I'll treat you to drinks every day. We won't leave until we're drunk!"
Tong Ruita had been waiting for him to say that. She uncorked a bottle, picked up the small bottle, and poured it directly into her mouth.
Drinking in small sips is so boring.
A real man should eat meat and drink wine heartily.
Orondai's eyes lit up, and he imitated Tong Ruita's posture, chugging the wine into his mouth.
“In the past, when I drank with others, it was always just clinking glasses, but I always felt like something was missing. Seeing you drink like this today, I know now, it turns out I wasn’t drinking to my heart’s content before,” Orondai said with a sudden realization.
“Big cousin, there’s a lot you don’t know. But haven’t you ever drunk with your uncle? When we were on the battlefield, we drank like this to keep warm on cold nights. Uncle would drink straight from the wine jar, taking a sip of wine with a bite of roasted mutton—it was so satisfying,” Tong Ruita couldn’t help but say.
Orondai said hesitantly, "You beat me up last time because of my bad relationship with Father. I still feel the pain all over my body when I think about it now. Tell me, how could we, with our connections, know so much?"
Tong Ruita nodded thoughtfully: "Big cousin, I drank too much and said some drunken things, don't mind it. If you do mind, it's fine, I'll just beat you up."
"How can you talk like that? Tell me, I don't care." Orondai stared at Tong Ruita's fist, then swallowed a mouthful of wine without getting angry.
Tong Ruita said honestly, "Have you ever thought about how you got the chance to be fawned over by a group of people and showered with money like snowflakes when you go out?"
"The Tong family is wealthy. Since our ancestors, they have followed the founding emperor in conquering the country and have accumulated a very rich fortune!" Orondai said proudly.
"Do you know that generals on the battlefield always charge to the front? And that the enemy's swords and arrows most want to cut down the generals leading the troops?" Tong Ruita asked again.
Orondai roughly guessed what Tong Ruita was going to say: "Are you trying to say that the identity I obtained by spending money was something my father risked his life for? But I am his son, and it is only natural for a son to spend his father's money. He fought on the battlefield for the family, not just for me."
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