Chapter Eleven: Beauty and Delicious Food
In the Murong Mansion of Dongyue, Murong Mingde stood alone in the courtyard, sighing and looking worried, as if waiting for something.
At this moment, a young man, about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, hurriedly walked into the courtyard. He was dressed in fine clothes, carrying a long sword, and walked with the speed of the wind, displaying a dashing demeanor.
Upon seeing Murong Mingde, he bowed and said, "Disciple Xie Yunfeng greets Master!"
Murong Mingde: "Yunfeng, you've finally arrived! The reason I suddenly summoned you back is because of your junior brother and sister."
Xie Yunfeng hurriedly asked, "What happened to junior brother and junior sister?" His face was full of worry.
Murong Mingde sighed, "The two of them have been traveling to Southeast Asia for more than half a month now, but there is still no news of them. I am a little worried about them!"
Xie Yunfeng: "Please rest assured, Master, I will definitely bring my junior brothers and sisters back safely!"
Murong Mingde: "Alright! You must be careful on your journey. If you encounter any emergency or danger, remember to send someone back to report."
Xie Yunfeng: "Yunfeng understands! I'll get ready to leave right away!"
Murong Mingde: "You've just returned and are already embarking on another long journey. I'm sorry to have troubled you!"
Xie Yunfeng: "Master, you flatter me! This disciple takes his leave."
In the kitchen of the Yi residence, Zui Mochou acted furtively.
Xiaoyao Lang asked, puzzled, "Old man! Why did you go into the kitchen like a thief?"
Zui Mochou said helplessly, "Because we just ate! How could you have the nerve to ask them to set up another table for you?"
Xiaoyao Lang stared wide-eyed and exclaimed, "Old man! You've already eaten, why are you still eating?!"
"Keep your voice down, you brat!" Zui Mochou said irritably. "There were so many people at the dinner table just now, and they were all juniors. How could I possibly start eating like that!"
"Hehehe...that makes sense! With the way you eat, you'll only be drinking alone when there are many people around!" Xiaoyao Lang replied, suppressing a laugh.
Zui Mochou pursed her lips and said, "That's right! You don't know, looking at that table full of delicious food, I was tormented, but I still managed to control myself and didn't gorge myself!"
Xiaoyao Lang: "What do you have? I'm so hungry I'm dizzy!"
Zui Mochou squinted and said, "There are too many! You'll see when you get to the kitchen!"
Xiaoyao Lang: "Hey! Old man, it seems like no one's here!" Xiaoyao Lang slowly pushed open the door.
Zui Mochou: "Isn't that even better! Hurry up and go in!" After Zui Mochou went in, she hurriedly closed the door.
When Xiaoyao Lang saw the various delicacies on the table, he knew these dishes very well, even though he might not know much about the others. It was because when Yi Qingxue was fourteen or fifteen years old, she insisted on learning to cook. Yi Yunke doted on her and invited famous chefs from all over to teach her, while he himself became the one to taste the dishes, letting her enjoy delicacies from all over the world.
Xiaoyao Lang couldn't wait. He threw a piece of pork belly mixed with soy sauce into his mouth, followed by mung bean and white shredded pork trotters, heart, two organs, three flowers, five green shredded pork and tender bamboo shoots, chicken blood, tofu and sausage, vegetable leaves stewed with pig brain, garlic stir-fried chicken intestines, seven-spice stewed dog meat, deep-fried dragon, and boiled white chicken in clear water.
Finally, he held a plate of braised taro and cartilage with nine-whip in his hand. Suddenly, he seemed about to burst into tears. Not a single whip was left on the plate, only the cartilage coated with taro powder.
He turned to look at Zui Mochou, who was holding a large plate of pig ears, noses, tongues, and tails, eating it like a wolf, as if afraid he wouldn't be able to finish it soon.
Just then, the kitchen door slowly opened, and Yin Xiaosheng saw them and shouted, "Hey! You two, you didn't even call me when you were stealing food, I had no idea where to look for you!"
Zui Mochou and Xiaoyao Lang were startled. When they turned around and saw Yin Xiaosheng, Zui Mochou hurriedly whispered, "If you want to eat, come in quickly! What are you yelling about?!"
Yin Xiaosheng quietly closed the door and, together with Zui Mochou, ate a large plate of lean pork, drinking as they ate, until the wine was gone.
Yin Xiaosheng: "Wine!" Yin Xiaosheng called out, reaching out his hand.
Zui Mochou turned his wine gourd upside down and shook it, saying, "It's all gone!"
Yin Xiaosheng: "Brother Xiaoyao, you're quite familiar with the Yi residence, so where can you find some good wine? Help us find a jar!" He then grinned foolishly at Xiaoyao Lang.
While eating, Xiaoyao Lang muttered, "Why did you make me go find it? Give me a reason!"
Zui Mochou: "Because we both drink, but you don't!" He then looked at Xiaoyao Lang with disdain.
Upon hearing this, Yin Xiaosheng said calmly, "That seems to make sense!"
Xiaoyao stormed out of the kitchen, cursing inwardly, "Those two beasts! What ridiculous excuses they gave!"
In Yi Qingxue's boudoir, she sat elegantly before a bronze mirror when suddenly another figure appeared in it. She said, distressed, "Miss Murong, why aren't you going to find Brother Xiaoyao? Why are you bothering me?" Thinking of Murong Hanchan kissing her in the garden, Yi Qingxue felt both ashamed and angry.
Murong Hanchan teased, "Because I like you, don't you like me?!"
Yi Qingxue turned around, and there stood Murong Hanchan, now dressed in women's clothing, wearing a jade-green cross-collar ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress). Her stunning figure and exquisite features made her appear like a celestial being. Yi Qingxue, already a beauty of unparalleled allure, felt somewhat insecure compared to her.
Yi Qingxue: "Miss Murong, please stop joking with me. I know your surname, but I don't know your given name. You just know how to make fun of me." Yi Qingxue said somewhat angrily.
Murong Hanchan held Yi Qingxue's small hand and said, "My beauty, I, Murong Chang..."
Yi Qingxue said angrily, "You're doing this again! If you do this again, I'm not talking to you anymore!"
Murong Hanchan declared boldly, "No! My surname is Murong, and my given name is Hanchan. I am eighteen years old this year. You can call me Xiaochan, Hanchan, Murong Chan, whatever you like!"
Yi Qingxue: "What a cold and elegant name! You're a year older than me, so I'll call you Sister Murong!"
At this moment, the maid Ping'er called out, "Miss, the Second Young Master wants to see you!"
Yi Qingxue: "Okay! Sister Murong, let's go out together!"
Murong Hanchan: "Alright!" Then she left.
Yi Qingxue: "Please!"
Upon hearing this, Murong Hanchan turned her head and said, "Sister Qingxue, customary etiquette is too complicated. It would be better if we didn't follow it! Your invitations to me are mostly pointless."
Yi Qingxue smiled and said, "Alright then! I'll listen to Sister Murong from now on!"
The two left the boudoir and entered the hall, where they saw Yi Mingzhao sitting upright in a chair. Yi Mingzhao glanced at her, hesitated for a moment, and saw Miss Murong in a green dress, her face like a peach blossom, her skin like jade, her figure delicate and beautiful, incomparably stunning. He quickly bowed and said, "Miss Murong, I, Yi Mingzhao, have been rude!"
Murong Hanchan smiled and said, "Young Master Yi is too polite. It was Murong Hanchan who was disrespectful!" The two were very tacit, and they already knew each other's names while exchanging greetings.
Yi Qingxue: "Second Brother! What do you want with me?"
Yi Mingzhao: "Little sister, I noticed you've been in a bad mood these past few days, so I came to ask what's wrong. Tell me what's wrong, don't always lock yourself in your room. It makes your second brother very sad."
Yi Qingxue: "Thank you for your concern, Second Brother. I'm really fine, but I'm a little hungry right now. I'd like to go to the kitchen to get something to eat." She then left.
Murong Hanchan was taken aback: "Qingxue, I'm a little hungry too! Wait for me!" After saying that, she ignored Yi Mingzhao who was standing next to her.
After the two left, Yi Mingzhao muttered, "Miss Murong is really something else. She's beautiful and unconventional, a truly rare and remarkable woman!"
The two had not gone far outside the hall when they ran into Yi Mingjian again.
Yi Qingxue greeted him, saying, "Big Brother!"
The two maids also bowed and said, "Young Master!"
Yi Mingjian: "Hmm!" Upon seeing Murong Hanchan, Yi Mingjian was instantly captivated, his gaze lingering on her for a long time, making Murong Hanchan somewhat embarrassed. Seeing her elder brother's rudeness, Yi Qingxue immediately said, "Brother! This is Miss Murong Hanchan!"
Yi Mingjian then realized his mistake and bowed to Murong Hanchan, saying, "I was very rude just now, please forgive me, Miss Murong!"
Upon hearing this, Murong Hanchan replied casually, "Greetings, Young Master Yi!" Then she turned and left.
Yi Qingxue and her companion arrived at the kitchen, where the maid Ping'er opened the door: "Ah! Miss, look at them!"
What Yi Qingxue and Murong Hanchan witnessed was Yin Xiaosheng and Zui Mochou, each holding a chicken and eating it with relish. Caught off guard, the two blushed and were momentarily speechless with embarrassment.
Upon seeing this, Yi Qingxue couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh, "You're hungry, but there's no need to eat so quickly!" She walked up to Yin Xiaosheng and said with a slight smile, "Young Master Yin, this boiled chicken will upset your stomach if eaten cold! Please bear with it for now, we'll heat it up before we eat! Ping'er, quickly start a fire!"
Ping'er: "Yes, Miss!"
Yin Xiaosheng replied awkwardly, "Miss Yi, I'm sorry you had to laugh at me!"
Yi Qingxue: "No way! Nobody can stand being hungry. You guys go out first, and we'll call everyone to eat together when we're done."
Just then, Xiaoyao Lang, carrying a wine jar, walked towards the kitchen. Seeing Zui Mochou and the other person coming out leisurely, Xiaoyao Lang joked, "What happened? You look like you've lost your wives!"
Zui Mochou: "Your wife isn't lost! She's inside!"
Xiaoyao Lang hesitated for a moment: "Chan'er? Chan'er is inside!" He then threw the wine jar to Zui Mochou and hurriedly ran into the kitchen. Inside, he saw Murong Hanchan and two maids.
Xiaoyao Lang: "Chan'er! Where have you been these past two days? You've been alright since that day, haven't you?" He held Murong Hanchan's delicate hand and said.
"Brother Xiaoyao! Chan'er is alright, Chan'er is perfectly fine!" After saying that, the two hugged each other. Yi Qingxue, who was standing to the side, watched them leisurely. Murong Hanchan blushed immediately and said softly, "Brother Xiaoyao! Let's go outside to talk!"
Xiaoyao laughed and said, "Alright! Sister Qingxue! I won't be your kitchen helper today!" Yi Qingxue smiled sweetly and said, "Brother Xiaoyao, do whatever you want! When the food is ready, I'll have Ping'er call you!"
The two walked hand in hand out of the kitchen, embracing and whispering sweet nothings in front of Yin Xiaosheng and Zui Mochou. (Such behavior was taboo in society, especially for unmarried people.) Xiaoyao Lang said, "Chan'er! You look so beautiful today!"
"Really? Which one do you prefer?" Murong Hanchan asked, pulling at her bangs.
Xiaoyao Lang said earnestly, "As long as Chan'er wears it, any clothes will look good on her, and I'll like them all!"
Murong Hanchan pinched Xiaoyao Lang's nose and said in a coquettish voice, "Brother Xiaoyao, when did you learn to say sweet words and lie to people?"
Xiaoyao Lang hurriedly said, "Chan'er, what I said is true, you really are that beautiful!"
Murong Hanchan smiled sweetly and said, "Brother Xiaoyao, I know!" As she spoke, she leaned happily into Xiaoyao's arms.
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