Chapter 21 The Ancestors' Coffin Lids Can't Be Kept Down Anymore
“It’s a deal.” Shen Chu smiled and cupped her hands to Cai Chong. “I would appreciate it if Eunuch Cai could be my witness.”
Cai Chong clasped his hands in front of his abdomen and bowed slightly, saying, "We've just come to join in the fun."
Shen Yan subtly tugged at Wang Yao and whispered, "Don't speak too confidently."
Wang Yao dismissed it, saying, "It's already been said, so don't worry. Didn't you say he's just a country bumpkin? He couldn't possibly know about the tribute from the Eastern Sea Kingdom."
Chen Chu put her hands behind her back, circled the bucket once, reached in and scooped one out, smiling as she said:
"This creature has a hard shell, beneath which are broad, flat, fleshy feet used for attaching and crawling in the sea."
It primarily inhabits rocky reef areas with clear waters, strong currents, and abundant seaweed, feeding on seaweed and very small marine animals.
She paused slightly, her gaze sweeping over Wang Yao and Shen Yan, before continuing:
"This is called abalone. Oh, the abalone cups that you two eat every day are made from this."
However, these were live abalone; the ones made into desserts were dead abalone.
A silvery laugh rang out from the crowd, followed by a chorus of laughter from many others.
Wang Yao and Shen Yan looked as if they had been hit hard in the face with a heavy hammer, their faces instantly turning bright red.
They usually only knew that abalone was precious, and even when they ate it, it was only the prepared product on the table. They had no idea that live abalone was like this.
Wang Yao retorted indignantly, "Impossible! Just because you say it's abalone doesn't mean it is!"
Shen Yan nodded, "Exactly, maybe you're just making it up."
Shen Chu smiled and looked at Cai Chong, "Eunuch Cai should recognize this, right?"
Cai Chong: "According to the envoy from the East Sea Kingdom, this is indeed abalone. What Scholar Xiao Shen just said is completely consistent with what the envoy from the East Sea Kingdom said."
Wang and Zhang were speechless.
Li Anning, the youngest daughter of the Marquis of Wu'an, couldn't help but chuckle, saying with a face full of disdain:
"It's hilarious! Someone was just bragging about eating abalone every day, but when a live abalone was placed in front of them, they didn't even recognize it."
Wang Yao, what are you standing there for? Didn't you want to drink the water from the bucket? Hurry up and drink it.
Shen Yan looked embarrassed and couldn't say a word.
Wang Yao naturally didn't want to drink water, and in his dying struggle, he said, "Chen Chu was just lucky to know these two things."
Shen Chu nodded in agreement. "The two princes' views are truly peculiar. I don't recognize a single kind of pastry, it's just a country bumpkin."
Hehe, Shen Chu knows more than just these two things. She has not only seen, but also eaten, large yellow croaker, opium fish, turbot, red snapper, oysters, sea urchins, and all kinds of sea snails.
Following the logic of the two princes, you two must have never eaten these things before, right? Aren't you even more ignorant?
The surrounding laughter grew even louder.
Li Anning pointed at Wang Yao and Shen Yan, speaking quickly and bluntly, "What's with the fuss? Didn't we agree to drink all the water in the bucket? A gentleman's word is his bond, so hurry up."
Wang Yao glanced at the sea cucumbers and abalone wriggling in the bucket, his face full of resistance.
Shen Yan complained to Wang Yao, "You can drink it yourself, but why did you have to drag me along?"
Neither of them wanted to drink, and they subconsciously looked up at Cai Chong.
Cai Chong chuckled and said, "How about this, I'll plead for the two princes. How about each of them drinks a ladleful? That'll be enough to show our appreciation."
Shen Chu smiled and said, "What Eunuch Cai said is very true."
Immediately, a servant brought over two ladles.
Wang Yao and Shen Yan looked at the water in the ladle with green floating matter, feeling reluctant but not daring not to drink it. They gritted their teeth, closed their eyes, and began to gulp it down.
Shen Chu suddenly said, "There's something I forgot to mention earlier: the dots on the abalone shell aren't black spots, but rather vent holes."
If you count carefully, you should be able to find a total of nine vents. These vents are used for breathing, excretion, and giving birth.
"Hmm, look at those green floating things in the water, that's abalone excrement."
Excretion!
Wang Yao and Shen Yan exchanged a glance, and simultaneously threw away their ladles and vomited.
Shen Qingshuang's face stiffened, and she almost tore the handkerchief in her hand to shreds.
She had mistaken abalone for black-spotted fish, and no one would have paid much attention to it, but Shen Chu had to point it out.
It's truly hateful.
A smile appeared in Cai Chongchong's eyes. "Young Master Shen is quite interesting. If I tell His Majesty about it when I get back, it will surely amuse him."
At this time, Emperor Longqing was playing chess with Pei Yuan in Longquan Palace.
Emperor Longqing placed a black piece on the chessboard, looking with satisfaction at the vast territory he had conquered. "I have won."
Pei Yuan tossed the white finger back into the chessboard, saying, "Your subject's skills are inferior."
"Don't give me that. I know you're a skilled chess player and you never let me win when we play."
Nine times out of ten, they routed my army; the one time they utterly annihilated me.
The Longqing Emperor sized up Pei Yuan and snorted, "So, what's on your mind today?"
Pei Yuan chuckled, "What could possibly be on my mind?"
He glanced at the water clock on his left; it was almost past 9 AM.
"When I entered the palace, I heard Eunuch Cai mention that Father Emperor was planning to visit his great-aunt in Chengyang today?"
Emperor Longqing waved his hand, "It was Chengxuan who came to the palace yesterday and said that my aunt in Chengyang has been lazy lately, so I thought I would secretly go and visit her today."
Later, I heard from Cai Chong that there was a flower-viewing banquet at their residence today, so I decided not to go, lest I make the young people feel uncomfortable.
"Just send Cai Chong to deliver some tribute from the Donghai Kingdom to my aunt in Chengyang to help her recover."
Pei Yuan nodded, stretched, and suddenly suggested, "The weather is nice today, why don't I accompany Father Emperor for a stroll outside the palace?"
The Longqing Emperor was somewhat tempted and hadn't left the palace in a long time.
"Alright."
------
The Grand Princess of Chengyang's Residence.
After Cai Chong left, Li Anning looked at Shen Chu with sparkling eyes, "How does Lord Shen know so much about things in the sea?"
Shen Chu smiled and said, "I read about it in books when I was young, and later I traveled around with my master and saw it with my own eyes."
After saying that, he looked meaningfully at Wang Yao and Shen Yan.
"People's appearance and talent are equally important. If you're not good-looking, you should read more books, because only by reading more books can you develop your brain."
Otherwise, even if one is dressed in fine clothes, one's inherent incompetence cannot be concealed.
Perfectly returned Wang Yao's words to him.
Wang Yao, who had just vomited, was furious. "Chen Chu, are you saying we're incompetent fools?"
Chen Chu blinked, "So eager to assume it's someone else?"
"you....."
Shen Yan grabbed Wang Yao, "Don't be angry. My elder brother grew up in a Taoist temple and doesn't understand the noble air that comes from generations of family heritage."
Shen Chu scoffed, "Is that so? Your family's influence has shaped you into this kind of person. Does your father know? Do your ancestors know?"
"Won't their coffin lids be about to burst open?"
A burst of laughter immediately erupted from all around.
Shen Yan was so angry that his head was practically steaming.
Wang Yao stepped forward with a dark expression, looking ready to fight.
Before Shen Chu could make a move, Li Anning reached out and blocked her way.
"Want to fight? This is the Grand Princess's residence. Do you dare to make a move?"
Wang Yao's expression was very unpleasant.
Li Anning's father, Marquis Wu'an, and his father, Marquis Changning, both served in the Jingxi Camp, with Marquis Wu'an holding a slightly higher rank than his father.
He dared not make a move, fearing it would implicate Li Anning, and had no choice but to reluctantly stop.
Shen Qingshuang stepped in to smooth things over, saying, "We're all here to admire the flowers. If we start a fight, wouldn't that embarrass the Grand Princess?"
This was all a misunderstanding; let's all not take it to heart.
The crowd dispersed for the time being.
Li Anning followed Shen Chu and asked curiously, "Where have you been, Young Master Shen? Could you tell us about some interesting things you've seen and heard?"
"Hmm, I've been to the East China Sea, visited Miao territory, and traversed the desert. Interesting experiences..."
Shen Chu picked out some interesting things to tell, describing them vividly, and in no time she was surrounded by many little girls.
"Ah, Master Shen knows so much."
"Young Master Shen truly lives up to his reputation as a top scholar; his talent is overflowing."
Many young girls looked at Chen Chu with starry eyes.
Not only is Master Shen not a country bumpkin, but he also speaks in a very interesting way. Such a humorous, witty, and talented man is a rare find in this world.
As more and more people gathered around Shen Chu, Shen Qingshuang's expression grew increasingly grim.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com