Chapter 181 Keep the Stone By Your Side
Xie Yunqi swallowed hard.
As mentioned before, apart from being very strict with Xie Yunjia's words and actions, Consort Xia dotes on her daughter in every way.
The chefs in Xie Yunjia Palace were all top-notch chefs whom Consort Xia had found from the common people. They had also been sent to the imperial kitchen to learn from the imperial chefs. The dishes they made had both the flavor of everyday life and the exquisiteness of fine cooking.
Yesterday, Xie Yunqi ate three whole bowls of rice with that braised beef brisket dish.
Then think about his own palace. Because Consort Li believed that eating more light dishes was good for the body, most of the dishes in his palace were bland and tasteless.
Xie Yunqi swallowed again, pouted, and said, "How annoying! You only called out to Shengsheng but not me. Are you deliberately trying to separate us siblings?"
Xie Yunjia glanced at him and said, "If you want to eat, come along."
"Who, who said I wanted to eat? It's because it was supposed to be my sister and my turn to eat today, but you cut in line. Humph, luckily I'm a magnanimous man, a good man doesn't hold grudges against a girl."
Sheng Sheng chuckled and exchanged a glance with Xie Yunjia.
Xie Yunjia was too lazy to call him out and let him talk nonsense: "Yes, yes, yes."
Xie Yunqi glanced at Xie Yunjia furtively, then put his hands behind his back and pretended not to care: "Alright, since you've invited me so sincerely, I'll give you face today and treat you to a meal at your place."
Xie Yunjia found it amusing, staring at him intently for two seconds before her playful mood struck her: "Oh, I remember Consort Li always eats lightly, so I suppose Fifth Brother's taste is also quite light, right? Xiao Tao, tell the cook to make some boiled cabbage or broccoli later, so Fifth Brother doesn't go hungry."
Xiao Tao wrote it down: "Yes, Princess, I will go and tell the cook in a moment."
Xie Yunqi was dumbfounded: "Hey, you, last time we went to Yunshan Farm, you clearly saw me eat almost a whole plate of stir-fried pork kidneys by myself. Which eye of yours saw that I like to eat light food?"
Xie Yunjia: "Oh, I thought you were possessed that day."
"What?"
Seeing that the two were about to start bickering again, Sheng Sheng quickly suppressed her laughter and moved away from the battlefield, carrying a stone towards the woods.
Several imperial guards followed behind. When they circled around to the back of the mountain, Sheng Sheng encountered Li Manyan and her entourage, who were heading back to the hunting grounds.
Li Manyan seemed to be comforting two girls who were crying next to her. When she saw Shengsheng, she took the initiative to greet her: "Princess, are you alright?"
"It's nothing," Sheng Sheng said, shaking her head with a smile.
"It's good that you're alright." Li Manyan saw the stone in her arms and pointed in a direction, "We saw those white tigers when we came from that side. They were right there."
"Oh, okay, thank you, Sister Yan Yan."
Sheng Sheng was just wondering where to look for it when she thanked Li Manyan and then took Shi Tou and headed in that direction.
The little dumpling walked slowly over, stopped when it saw the tall figures of several white tigers, and said to the little dumpling in its arms in a muffled voice, "Stone, when you go back, you must not forget me."
"Huh?" Stone seemed to only just realize what was happening, her little ears drooping down, even more upset than her. "Can't we all be together? Daddy, Mommy, and Master. Daddy is a great hunter, he can afford to support your Master!"
Sheng Sheng was amused by what Shi Tou said and almost laughed: "Alright, alright, we'll meet again someday. If you miss me in the future, you can come find me."
She ran to Stone's mother and, before Stone could speak, quickly handed Stone back to her.
"The stone is perfectly fine. Have you resolved your issue? Are you taking the stone with you?"
Stone fluttered its paws and hugged Sheng Sheng's neck, whimpering and whining, "No, no, Stone doesn't want to leave its master!"
With a determined look, Sheng Sheng picked up the stone and threw it back into the white tiger's arms.
The white tiger licked the stone's cheek. The stone still missed its mother and, after a short while, settled down in its mother's arms.
Stone asked, "Mother, I knew you would win! But where's Father? Why didn't he come with us?"
The white tiger nuzzled against him and said, "Stone is such a good boy, your parents love you."
Stone was a little shy and snuggled into White Tiger's arms.
Sheng Sheng felt somewhat relieved. No mother would be willing to let her child leave her, and no child would be willing to leave their mother. For Shi Tou, returning to the tiger pack was the best choice.
Sheng Sheng never expected that the white tiger would only hold the stone tenderly for a while before putting it on the ground and pushing it in front of her with its head-sized paws.
A voice, full of doubt: "Hmm?"
What does this mean?
Stone, with its tiger-like head, squatted in front of White Tiger and Sheng Sheng, looking left and right, front and back, up and down.
The little girl was dressed in a thick winter dress and wrapped in a white cloak. In front of her crouched a huge white tiger, which was more than ten times her size.
Behind the white tiger, four larger white tigers guarded this area not far away.
Surprisingly, this scene didn't seem out of place at all.
The character on the white tiger's forehead still exuded majesty. The white tiger's eyes were deep as it stared at the stone, somewhat reluctant to leave.
"I would like to ask you to continue taking care of him for me."
Sheng Sheng was startled and looked back. The four white tigers were sitting quietly there, radiating a sense of goodwill towards her.
Sheng Sheng seemed to remember Shi Tou saying that he had an uncle and his family of four tigers lived in the next mountain.
Here are four white tigers, all neatly arranged. Could it be that Stone's father...?
Stone was still just a child and didn't think too much about it. He was just happy to hear that he could continue to be with Sheng Sheng, and immediately jumped up: "Yay! Yay! I can continue to follow my master!"
Sheng Sheng frowned slightly, moved her lips, unsure whether she should ask the question.
If Stone's father really is... how heartbroken Stone must be.
After thinking for a moment, Sheng Sheng still asked cautiously, "Um, Stone's father..."
White Tiger sighed, "His father was seriously injured. Luckily, my brother came to see me yesterday and found Stone's father, who had fallen into a cave and was unconscious, at the foot of the mountain. His father had already lost a lot of blood. If it had been any later, he might have... But thankfully, he survived. With the wolf pack gone, other packs will definitely be waiting for an opportunity. I have to take care of his father and keep an eye on the situation at the foot of the mountain, so I can't take good care of Stone. After thinking it over, since Stone likes you so much, why not let Stone stay with you? He won't go hungry with you, which is worse than living in fear with us."
"Ah." Sheng Sheng breathed a sigh of relief. This result was a stroke of luck amidst misfortune, and there was nothing to regret.
But Stone is still so small, only a month old, and he has to leave his parents...
Upon hearing that his father was seriously injured, Shi Tou became extremely worried: "Mother, what happened to Father?"
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