Chapter 336: Chicken Flies, Eggs End Up Empty

She instantly saw Xianggong; Yuan Jiaqi was then with the County Magistrate and a contingent of officials arranging disaster victims.

They needed to search the entire county for suitable villages.

Qiao Mai stood aside, watching her long‑absent husband; he had become much thinner, gaunt, and his beard had grown out.

But his spirit seemed okay, and as she was about to step forward to greet Xianggong, a woman carrying a small soup basin walked up to Yuan Jiaqi.

"Yuan Jiaqi, you have not yet had a meal; this is a chicken soup I simmered for you, with Ginseng added. Please have a sip, sir."

Yuan Jiaqi didn't even lift his head. "No need. I will promptly finish arranging matters here and return the imperial command as soon as possible."

"But your health is important; it shouldn't be neglected even for a moment."

Qiao Mai muttered under her breath, "I won't follow, peach blossoms keep flooding in—whose girl is this, taking advantage of her absence to pry into the corner?"

Yuan Jiaqi paused his work, lifted his head, and glared coldly at that girl.

"There are many here like me who haven't eaten all day; could you give the chicken soup to them?"

"Why, why?"

"It is, Princess!"

Not even the girls from the tiny county town—let alone the high‑born ladies of Jingcheng—has any girl not coveted him.

To avoid complications, he had forbidden his subordinates from drinking a drop of Wine these days; with the Princess arriving, they finally could taste it.

"It is, Prince!"

"Uh, then shall I start eating?"

"With Nü'er's such beauty, I don't believe he can't catch his eye."

In the Erlou private room of the tavern, a table laden with a sumptuous Meal was set, and Yuan Jiaqi handed chopsticks to Qiao Mai.

"Hmph, as long as he looks at Nü'er seriously even once, he'll be enchanted by my beauty."

Yuan Jiaqi was about to peel shrimp for Qiao Mai, but she stopped him.

This other‑surname lord not only feared his wife, but all his wealth comes from the Princess, and his inner warmth instantly cooled by half.

"Dad, I just like him."

"Wife, you've also worked hard; rest well for the night."

Before she could finish, Qiao Mai cut her off.

Qiao Mai looked at Yuan Jiaqi gently, "First have an apple as a palate cleanser, and later I'll make you something delicious."

The woman, intending to scold the suddenly appearing Qiao Mai, turned pale the moment Yuan Jiaqi called her wife.

Yuan Jiaqi stood, grasping Qiao Mai's hand.

But with her current status, she isn't even fit to be a concubine of a different‑surname king, yet who can blame her for liking him.

"My husband and I never have any private dealings with any court officials; work is work—if there's business, the Yamen handles it; if not, we each return to our own homes."

Our own lady is a famed beauty of Yuanshan County; she claims to be second, no one says she's first—though not a nation‑shaking beauty, she's still a fish‑dropping, goose‑falling beauty.

To this day, Yuan Jiaqi has never given Sun Girl a proper look.

"Wife, the people I brought are staying at the inn; shall we go to the tavern to eat later?"

Yuan Jiaqi picked up the apple and ate, "Mmm, delicious; it's been over a month since I've had food from home."

The County Magistrate of Yuanshan County sighed and ordered his subordinates to finish the remaining work.

"Nü'er, stop daydreaming; what's in your heart is impossible—don't end up with chicken flying and eggs empty."

"Then shall I wait for you to return together?"

"Mm, is there something?"

Breathing desperately the unique fragrance from his wife, he asked happily:

"Wife, why did you come?"

"What's the point of aiming high? Nothing can be relied on; even a favor depends on the Princess's mood, especially the Prince's fear of his wife—aside from the girl herself, no one harbors hope."

"People may be good‑looking but overly arrogant; how could they be content staying in such a small place?"

Qiao Mai lifted a wine bowl for Xianggong, "Drink up; you've become too thin lately. Now I'm here, you can finally sleep soundly."

Yuan Jiaqi heard the voice, jerked his head up, and the moment he saw Qiao Mai, he rose and rushed forward to embrace her.

"Don't need me to make it for you?"

They were starving; a subordinate took the wine jar, had the tavern bring several wine bowls, and filled each to the brim.

"Is there anything left after we finish here?"

"Eat your own portion; these are extraordinary times. When we get home, whatever you want, I won't stop you."

So he shared his thoughts with his parents; they didn't object, but the County Magistrate and the people Yuan Jiaqi brought only learned after inquiring.

After speaking, he lowered his head again to continue recording; the woman was very embarrassed, and in front of so many, she had Wang Jiaru's Servant Girl divide the chicken soup into several bowls, serving each busy person a bowl.

Yuan Jiaqi was already handsome and refined; over the years in Jingcheng dealing with the emperor and civil and military officials, he cultivated an aura of prestige and authority, and any woman would wish to have such a man as a partner.

One sentence made Sun Girl's cheeks flush bright red; how could she continue speaking?

She could only kneel and say, "Understood, Princess," then stepped aside.

He held his wife's hand, not even glancing at Sun Girl, walking forward with the people he had brought following behind.

"Don't just eat vegetables; here, one bowl of wine per person, drink to relieve fatigue, and we'll all sleep well tonight."

"Later, after the adult's official business is done, shall we visit Sun's house? My cooking is quite good."

The County Magistrate looked at Nü'er, grinning oddly, unsure what to say.

The girl, unwilling, approached Qiao Mai.

"He isn't your husband!"

"This is my medicinal wine, beneficial for your health."

"Not at all."

Someone couldn't wait and took a sip, "Wow, this wine is so fragrant, warm in the stomach, it feels like it's dispersing all my fatigue, what a fine wine."

"Stop deceiving yourself, he didn't even give you a glance."

"Worried, I came to see you, look how much you've lost weight; seems my Nü'er has been neglectful, huh."

"Alright, you all eat quickly, we've been busy all day, no need to be polite."

Opening the lid, just the scent of the wine eased the whole body's fatigue.

"Lord Yuan, Hard Work!"

"The County Magistrate's daughter of Yuanshan County, Sun Shumin, has met the princess."

Qiao Mai smiled, the husband performed well, and then took a big apple from the bundle.

He gave Qiao Mai a cold stare, seeing the princess who looked like a village woman, and his confidence instantly rose again.

"Nü'er, try the flavor from this side of Nanfang?"

It's been several days, this lord hasn't given her any chance, making her whirl anxiously.

What a pity, in the end they were defeated by Yuan Jiaqi's poisonous tongue and his cold ruthlessness.

The sky gradually darkened; the people registered today will, tomorrow morning, follow the official to the village to arrange household registration matters.

Silently came to the table and placed the apple in front of Yuan Jiaqi.

At the table, everyone except Qiao Mai ate ravenously; they were all the husband's subordinates, loyal to him, so Qiao Mai naturally could not be shortchanged.

She flipped her hand under the table, took out a jar of wine, Yuan Jiaqi's eyes lit up, and he took it.

"Aye, aye."

Naturally she wants to marry into a high‑status family; with her status, she looks down on small households, a principal wife of a high family is impossible, now she is seventeen, and the marriage has never been arranged.

"Thank you, princess."

It turned out she was the County Magistrate's daughter; the first time she saw the mature, steady, and imposing Yuan Jiaqi, she had already fallen for him.

"That's all, once the disaster victims in the city are settled, we can return."

"I only drink the soup Nü'er stewed."

The couple's affectionate display was truly eye‑aching; the girl clenched her hands in anger, exchanged a glance with a man present, the man shook his head at her, and the woman remained silent, taking no further action.

Yuan Jiaqi had someone move a chair for Qiao Mai, sitting beside him; while he worked, he let her watch from the side, and the two occasionally glanced at each other and smiled.

Yuan Jiaqi's eyes reddened, "Hmm!"

The others, seeing this, quickly lowered their heads, ate their fill, and hurried back to the inn to rest.

The two finished their meal, hand in hand, walking on the County Town's streets.

"Where are the winter jujube and Longxue?"

(End of chapter)