The Duchess of Zhenguo had been watching her the whole time. When she saw that she was awake, she quickly put down the fan in her hand and said, "You're awake. Are you hungry? Amber, quickly bring the porridge from the stove."
As soon as she finished speaking, she rubbed her right wrist with her left hand, where there were still burn marks.
This scene was witnessed by Xu Yuehuai. The fact that she could fan herself until her wrists were tired showed that she had been watching over her ever since she fell asleep.
"Madam, you don't need to..." Before Xu Yuehuai could finish speaking, Amber brought in the porridge.
Seeing Xu Yuehuai's appearance, she quickly smiled and said, "Manager Xu, please try this porridge. My wife cooked it herself."
Xu Yuehuai felt a lump in her throat. Although Zhou Wan and San Niang treated her just as well, they were sworn brothers, while she and the Lady of Zhenguo had only met a couple of times, yet she was treated like this. How could Xu Yuehuai not be moved?
"This porridge is delicious." Xu Yuehuai smiled.
When the Duchess of Zhenguo saw that she finally smiled, her heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down.
She spoke again, placing the small dish in front of her: "A-Yue, try this one too."
Xu Yuehuai took another bite. Although the taste was a little off, it wasn't something she couldn't swallow.
For some reason, she suddenly had a great appetite and not only finished the bowl of white porridge, but also ate the whole plate of side dishes.
After a hearty meal, she wiped her mouth, glanced at the time outside, and realized she couldn't delay any longer. She quickly said, "Madam, it's getting late. I need to hurry back to Tianxiang Tower. Third Sister and Zhou Wan aren't here, so I have to go and hold them off."
"Please sit down." The Duchess of Zhenguo quickly pulled her aside. "I just sent someone to check, and they saw that the two young guards at the gate looked tired, so I simply told them to close the shop and rest. I was afraid you would worry, and that Jiang Shichen and Jiang Qianqian might come to keep you company. So you can stay here tonight and go back tomorrow."
Xu Yuehuai opened her mouth as if to say something more, but unexpectedly, the Duchess of Zhenguo spoke first: "You mean Third Sister isn't here either? Where did she go?"
"She..." Xu Yuehuai was at a loss for words.
She glanced at the kind-looking Lady Zhenguo, and then thought about Aqi and Marquis Ningyuan's furtive behavior. It seemed that she had no choice but to seek the protection of the Zhenguo Duke's mansion.
Thinking of this, she knelt down on the ground: "Madam, please help me this time."
"Get up, good child, get up first." The Duchess of Zhenguo had already sensed something was wrong the moment she saw her again, and judging from her current appearance, she knew that this was no small matter.
Xu Yuehuai was helped up and then briefly recounted what had happened yesterday. His voice was somewhat agitated: "Madam, this concerns the Marquis of Ningyuan. We are just ordinary people and can do nothing. I only beg you to help me and save Third Sister."
Upon hearing this, the Duchess of Zhenguo wished she could agree immediately, but since it concerned state affairs, she could not make a decision on her own.
Just as the two were at an impasse, a male voice suddenly rang out: "Ah Yue, don't worry. Later today, I will go to Marquis Ningyuan to ask for her back. I will make sure that Third Sister returns safely so that your Tianxiang Pavilion can be run well."
Both of them turned to look at the Duke of Zhenguo.
"Thank you, Duke." Although Xu Yuehuai did not want to involve the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, she had no other choice at the moment.
Seeing this, the Duchess of Zhenguo breathed a sigh of relief and quickly took her hand: "Shichen and Qianqian are studying in the study. We'll have dinner together later. You can rest and recover. We'll take care of the rest."
"Yes," Xu Yuehuai replied quickly.
She is becoming increasingly enamored with the love and care from the Duke and Duchess of Zhenguo, and if possible, she truly wishes she were their daughter.
There are two sides to this story.
Zhou Wan and Tie Xiong rested for a night, and the next morning, they prepared to continue their journey with the old lady. Along the way, Zhou Wan treated the old lady like her own mother, making her laugh heartily, and the atmosphere was very harmonious.
However, Tie Xiong remained vigilant throughout.
After traveling for about two hours, they came to a small river. The weather was getting warmer, and it was lunchtime, so the three of them decided to take a break.
"Let's rest here for a while. Tie Xiong, go catch some fish, and then we'll have grilled fish." After Zhou Wan suggested this, Tie Xiong went straight into the water to catch fish. "Auntie, please sit down and rest. You're so old, and you still have to suffer with us. I really feel bad about it."
"What are you saying, child? We're all in the same boat now, no need for formalities," the old woman chimed in. "I just didn't expect you to know how to grill fish. I can't sit still, is there anything I can do for you?"
Zhou Wan thought for a moment and said, "Auntie, let's go and collect some small branches. We'll need them to make grilled fish later. But we mustn't go too far, or Tie Xiong will get worried."
After giving the old woman her instructions, she went to gather tree branches to start a fire.
Tie Xiong quickly caught three fish, cleaned their scales and internal organs, and then skewered them from head to tail with a thin twig.
They were almost done roasting when the old woman came over from a distance carrying a bunch of branches. When Zhou Wan saw her, she quickly asked Tie Xiong to go and help her take them.
Zhou Wan built a frame by diagonally placing three or five tree branches over the fire, and then put the fish on it to start grilling.
Soon the riverbank was filled with the aroma of fish. Zhou Wan imitated Xu Yuehuai and gently turned the wooden stick, making the fish sizzle. This made the fish fresh, fragrant and firm.
Fortunately, she had learned some things from Xu Yuehuai before, otherwise, no one would have wanted to eat the things she made.
She looked at the golden-brown fish skin and sprinkled on the chili powder Xu Yuehuai had given her. Instantly, the aroma was irresistible, making it hard not to devour the fish.
"Okay, now you can eat it." Zhou Wan said, taking the fish off the shelf and then distributing it to them.
Tie Xiong took a big bite, and the spicy flavor was delicious. The fish meat was tender and firm, leaving a lingering aftertaste that made one reluctant to swallow.
"You cooked this fish so well, young man. You're so lucky to have married such a wonderful wife," the old woman said after taking a bite.
Upon hearing this, Tie Xiong couldn't help but scratch his head.
Zhou Wan was also very happy eating the fish, and everyone was chatting and laughing.
Suddenly, Tie Xiong became alert and even stood up, staring intently at the movements in the bushes.
"What's wrong?" Zhou Wan immediately became nervous, but she didn't forget to protect the old lady behind her.
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