The iron eaves of the eaves hummed with the sound of rain, and the dim oil lamp, half-extinguished, illuminated the blue curtains, making them appear as if they were half-transparent cocoons.
The scent of mint mingled with the slight perspiration on her skin, condensing into a tiny bead at her temple, which then slipped into the collar of her plain silk blouse.
Qin Zhaoyue slowly woke up, her eyes languid.
The bamboo mat was damp, and a lock of hair had somehow gotten tangled around her earlobe.
Her arms dangled over the edge of the bed, her fingertips idly tracing the patterns on the mat—it all boiled down to two words: lingering in bed.
It's really rare. I slept until I naturally woke up and didn't see Sui Mo's big face. Where can I complain about this?
Just then, the door creaked open, and Suimo stepped into the room.
Seeing that the sixth princess had opened her eyes, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
"Has Your Highness woken up?"
Qin Zhaoyue curled up and turned around, facing away from the outside with her rear end.
Broken Ink: ...
She gently lifted the blue curtain and sat down on the edge of the bed. "Your Highness, dinner is served."
Qin Zhaoyue rolled her eyes and muttered, "What good food could there be in this lousy place?"
"The floodwaters from the breached dike inundated a village, and the county magistrate, in an attempt to curry favor, brought back a cow and several sheep in the afternoon."
Sui Mo noticed that the Sixth Princess had slightly tightened her shoulders, clearly indicating that she had taken his words to heart, and couldn't help but chuckle to herself.
He leaned down and whispered in her ear, "It's roasted meat made by Mo Twelve~"
Whoosh!
Qin Zhaoyue scrambled to her feet in a flash. If Sui Mo hadn't reacted quickly and dodged in time, she would have been hit.
"Stop talking nonsense, let's go!"
After a quick wash, the two hurriedly went out.
From afar, I could smell the aroma of charcoal fire under the covered walkway in the backyard.
In front of Mo Shier were two clay stoves, and beside him, on bamboo trays, were various ingredients.
From Mo Yi to Mo Shiyi, each person had a bamboo stool under their bottom, lining up and gazing longingly ahead.
Only Yin Zhe stood by the eaves pillar, maintaining his usual aloof demeanor.
She was still dressed in that same blue robe, clean and untouched by dust.
She probably didn't have any other luggage. She probably washed and dried the clothes before changing into them. But what was she wearing when she washed them?
The question flashed through her mind, but soon Qin Zhaoyue was completely captivated by the aroma of the meat.
Oh ho ho, charcoal-grilled meat!
The sizzling sound of oil dripping into the charcoal fire created a chorus of sounds that made one involuntarily swallow.
"Your Highness!"
As Mo Zu was about to rise and bow, Qin Zhaoyue pressed down on Mo Yi's shoulder, waved her hand, and sat down on the empty bamboo stool.
"Have you all rested well?"
After spending more than a month together, everyone got used to his way of doing things and didn't care much about rigid etiquette such as hierarchy, so they didn't insist on it.
"Your Highness, they've all had enough sleep."
According to the Sixth Princess, having the Xuanji Guards watching over things is enough.
Those they can't stop, are useless even if they're awake; those they can stop, it doesn't matter whether they're awake or not.
So, the broken ink and the entire ink group were spared from taking turns on duty, and they all got a good night's sleep, and were now full of energy.
Mo Shier was focused, with a clay oven roasting lamb ribs and another oven used to grill slices of meat that cooked faster.
She skillfully flipped the container over, occasionally sprinkling powder from the bottles and jars; the complex fragrance wafted up with just a scratch.
She was most skilled in concealed weapons and poisons in the Mo Group, and developed the side skill of spices while researching poisons.
"Get ready, it'll be done soon."
Without saying a word, everyone immediately distributed the ceramic bowls.
The items were purchased on short notice, so they couldn't be too picky, but they were cleaned very thoroughly. Qin Zhaoyue wasn't particular about them anyway.
A group of people held bowls and chopsticks, eagerly waiting to be divided up the meat.
Soon, the first batch of grilled meat was ready.
Let it cool slightly, then eagerly pop it into your mouth.
Hiss... Ugh...
"Your Highness, all the spices I usually keep have been washed away. I bought some from the pharmacy, but the taste may be a bit different."
Qin Zhaoyue didn't have time to speak, but she took a moment to give her a thumbs up.
Although it has a bit of a Versailles vibe, it is indeed fragrant and delicious!
These days, there aren't many kinds of spices, so Mo Twelve's method of grinding some medicinal herbs and adding them is quite unique.
Mo Shier tilted his head slightly, revealing a reserved smile.
No one spoke under the covered walkway; the only sounds were the clinking of chopsticks and bowls and the chewing and swallowing. Even Yin Zhe was no exception.
Those who practice martial arts have big appetites, and the food on the bamboo tray was changed several times before the pace slowed down.
Qin Zhaoyue ate four lamb ribs and countless other meats before finally putting down her chopsticks.
Suimo brought over a glass of iced drink, a simple plum juice topped with crushed ice. I gulped it down in one go, and it was so refreshing!
"Ah...that feels so good!"
Without a doubt, this was the most enjoyable meal I had since leaving Fengjing.
With such fresh meat, such spices, and such a cozy atmosphere of grilling and eating under the covered walkway, what more could you ask for?
Suddenly, a figure flashed in front of them, staring blankly at the empty shelves.
At that moment, the resentment seemed to materialize.
Liu Yan looked up at Yin Zhe not far away, "Did you do this on purpose?!"
Yin Zhe calmly put down his chopsticks and turned his back on them, ignoring them completely.
Sui Mo stepped in to smooth things over, saying, "Captain Liu Yan, there's still plenty of ingredients; it's enough."
Upon hearing this, Liu Yan's expression softened somewhat. "Sixth Prince, the First Prince requests your presence."
He asked Mo Shier to grill some meat for him, and reluctantly led the equally reluctant Qin Zhaoyue forward.
With flames flowing in front and hidden lurking behind, the guard force was at its maximum, so the others didn't follow.
We arrived at the inner hall, where the county magistrate usually reviewed documents and received his trusted subordinates.
"Zhaoyue is here."
"Sister~"
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