Chapter 675: Who Knows How They Might Mourn For Me

The other two eunuchs also shuffled over, sticking their heads out to look outside.

"What a rare thing! It's oddly good-looking, why does it have a horn on its head?"

"It can't be one that ran out of the Palace, can it?"

Xiao Feifei tilted her head, stood up and ran two steps outward, turned back to look at them, and let out another "Ying".

"It can't be here to steal food, can it?" one eunuch laughed.

"Go, go, go! Hurry and shoo it away!" the other eunuch waved his hand, "If the steward finds out a fox entered the imperial kitchen, we'll be scolded again."

"Shoo what? Just catch it and that's it. This fur, wrapped around in winter would be warm for sure."

Xiao Feifei, hearing that, turned her head and ran.

"Hey! It ran, it ran!"

"Let it run; horizontally or vertically, it's not really important."

The eunuchs exchanged a few laughing curses, turned around and sat back down.

The few people outside the window glanced at each other and all furrowed their brows.

Unexpectedly, those eunuchs hadn't fallen for it.

Xiao Feifei stopped, tilted her head, thought for a moment, then stretched her legs and slipped into the imperial kitchen.

It hopped onto the long counter, grabbed a piece of pastry, leapt to the floor, and while running out cried, "Ying Ying Ying—".

The three eunuchs stood up simultaneously.

"Hey hey hey! It really is stealing!"

"Quick, chase it! Don't let it ruin all the stuff!"

The three of them swarmed after it.

Xiao Ran laughed, "Tuan Tuan, your fox has become a spirit, hasn't it?"

Tuan Tuan proudly shook her little head, "Of course!"

The group slipped into the imperial kitchen.

Inside the imperial kitchen, the space was spacious and clearly divided.

Steamer racks, staple food stations, pastry stations, soup stations… each occupied its place, orderly and neat.

Lu Qi's eyes lit up; the miss loved pastries!

He lifted a large empty steamer tray from the long counter, opened various steamer baskets and began filling them with pastries.

Osmanthus cake, jujube paste crisp, pea yolk…

Actually he didn't recognize many of them, but how could he keep track of all that?

He just picked two or three of each and tossed them in.

Xiao Er grabbed a large soup jar beside him, lifted the lid and saw half a jar of thick white soup remaining.

Without a word, he poured out the soup, carried the empty jar to the side where the cooked food station stood.

Roasted goose, baked duck, marinated meat, braised pork hock… he took one of each, packed them into the jar, filling it to the brim.

Xiao Ran, imitating Lu Qi, lifted an empty steamer tray and stuffed it with various staples.

Shumai, buns, small flower rolls… piled high on the floor, and he even slipped a xiaolongbao into his mouth.

So familiar! This is exactly the flavor!

Tuan Tuan, short in stature, walked alone on the floor.

She went to the wall and saw a row of neatly aligned small porcelain jars, each mouth sealed with red paper.

She picked one up and clutched it tightly to her chest.

Xiao Ran saw it and asked, "What is that?"

Tuan Tuan replied confidently, "I don't know!"

Xiao Ran: "……"

It looks like a loot raid.

No, that's wrong! Loot what? This is my home!

Just as they filled their hands with the items, faint voices of eunuchs came from outside.

"Where did it run to?"

"Can't find it… never mind!"

"That fox is really clever!"

Xiao Er scooped up Tuan Tuan in one hand, "Let's go!"

The group darted out of the imperial kitchen at speed, took advantage of the night, and returned to the side of the dry well; looking around, it was completely empty.

There was no sign of Xiao Feifei.

"Where is Xiao Feifei?" Tuan Tuan was getting anxious, and the nearby grass rustled with a "shush shush" sound.

A white silhouette darted out, still holding half a pastry in its mouth, and proudly let out a "Ying".

Lu Qi, swift-eyed and quick-handed, snatched it up, "Go!"

The group followed each other into the well, went through the secret passage, and after a short while arrived back in the hidden chamber.

Eunuch Cheng paced the room, anxiously waiting; when he saw them enter, he hurried forward, "Finally you're back!"

Feng Zhou, Xiao Ningyuan, and Chen Hao also gathered around; seeing each of them with their arms full, their eyes widened in amazement.

"What have you done," Feng Zhou swallowed, "emptied the imperial kitchen?"

Xiao Er set the soup jar onto the table; the jar's bottom struck the surface with a dull thud, "Picked a few of each, not many."

"That's not a lot?" Chen Hao lifted the jar's lid, and a fragrant aroma hit his nose, making his mouth water just from looking.

Xiao Ran slammed the steamer tray onto the table, lifted the lid, and beamed, "Try it, I got them all!"

Tuan Tuan also placed the small porcelain jar she was holding on the table: "I also took it!"

"Little Princess also didn't come empty‑handed! What a good child!" Eunuch Cheng tore open the red paper seal, looked inside, and the scent of wine hit his nose: "Whoa!"

"Little Princess has good taste; this is Imperial wine! And it's aged! It's only opened during grand banquets in the Palace."

Xiao Er and Lu Qi's eyes lit up instantly.

"You're really good at picking!" Lu Qi lifted the porcelain jar, took a deep sniff, grinned: "Miss, I've never drunk such precious wine before!"

Tuan Tuan blinked: "I haven't drunk it either, I want to drink too!"

"No!" everyone said in unison.

"Hmph, when Dada arrives," Tuan Tuan pouted, "I'll ask him, he'll definitely let me drink!"

Xiao Ningyuan reached out, grabbed a small steamed bun and shoved it into his mouth, shouting indistinctly: "Everyone stop talking, eat first, eat first!"

The group sat around a table, each taking bites, eating until their mouths were greasy.

Lu Qi bit into the roast goose, nodding repeatedly: "The Imperial kitchen's skill is truly exceptional."

Eunuch Cheng smiled, sipped the Imperial wine, his eyes slightly reddened: "These things, even in the Palace, aren't for us to eat."

Tuan Tuan was tearing a piece of roast goose leg to feed Xiao Feifei, and upon hearing that, looked up, waved her small hand: "Weng Weng, eat big bites! From now on, you'll be able to eat this every day!"

Eunuch Cheng laughed: "Good, good!"

After a gust of wind swept away the remaining clouds, Xiao Ningyuan looked at the leftover food, smacked his lips: "Alright, at least it's enough for two days."

Feng Zhou let out a satisfied belch, leaned back against the chair: "I never thought I'd still get to live days of eating Imperial cuisine every day."

"You all," Xiao Ningyuan suddenly noticed something off, "seem to have forgotten the water!"

The few of them stared blankly, indeed! They were so busy with the food they forgot the clear water!

"Water is easy to get," Xiao Er smiled, "much more convenient than these; we'll go again tomorrow night."

Tuan Tuan was massaging Xiao Feifei's round, full belly: "Then let's go see Imperial Aunt!"

"I'll go too," Xiao Ran straightened his expression, "if Aunt believes the notice outside, who knows how sad she'll be."

"That's a good idea," Eunuch Cheng nodded, "we should have Eldest Princess meet Ninth Prince."

The group tidied up briefly, then slept contentedly.

At noon the next day, a small sedan chair stopped outside the ruins of Guoshi Residence.

The curtain had just been lifted when Mo Zhanggeng rushed out.