Chapter 322

Feng Xuanrui originally still didn't really want to try.

But when Feng Xuanbin asked, he felt that if he didn't agree, wouldn't that be very unbrotherly of the sixth brother? Plus, Sui Sui was looking at him pleadingly.

He's the older brother!

He can do it.

It's just eating bugs!

Moreover…

Feng Xuanrui was also genuinely curious—what do grasshoppers taste like? Children's energy is still amazing.

While the Princess Consort of Qi listened to Aunt Qiu talk about the situation at the Jin Yang Marquis Manor, the three children darted off.

The Princess Consort of Qi looked and shouted, but couldn't stop them.

Left with no choice, the Princess Consort of Qi could only gesture for everyone to follow.

The mountain road after the rain wasn't easy to walk on; even with stone slabs, each step squelched, and in some spots water pooled and even spurted out.

The Princess Consort of Qi walked very carefully, afraid her skirt would get wet.

The children had no such worries.

They even wore their new shoes, stepped straight onto the grass, their soles covered in mud, didn't mind, and kept running happily.

Seeing Sui Sui also running with them, her skirt splattered with mud, the Princess Consort of Qi felt her breath tighten.

She raised her hand, pointed at the children's direction, and asked uncertainly, "Won't they turn Sui Sui into a troublemaker?"

Watching Sui Sui's happy little back, Aunt Qiu swallowed uncertainly: "... Probably not?"

Her uncertainty made the Princess Consort of Qi feel even less sure.

She thought, studying together really is important.

We can't let these older brothers keep taking Sui Sui around anymore.

Sooner or later they'll be just like Little Six and his gang, tearing off roof tiles—there's no stopping them!

Feng Xuanrui and the others need a fire source if they want to try.

Where can we get fire?

The kitchen! Along the way, they didn't forget to catch more grasshoppers.

To catch grasshoppers, Feng Xuanrui contributed his ugly sachet, Sui Sui contributed her little hat, and Feng Xuanbin didn't want to be left out—he lifted his outer shirt to help hold the extra grasshoppers.

After Prince Qi finished his morning meal, hearing the children were playing in the backyard, he leisurely came over.

As a result, he saw Sui Sui take off her little hat and rush forward with the two older brothers.

The two older brothers' poses looked a bit strange.

Prince Qi didn't understand, so he turned to Sui Si and asked, "What are they doing?"

Sui Si had just come over and didn't know either, so he casually pulled Qing Shui over: "What are the Sixth Prince and his gang doing?"

Hearing Sui Si's question, Qing Shui's face instantly showed a pained expression.

He hesitated a moment, then chose to speak frankly: "Let's go borrow fire from the kitchen."

Prince Qi didn't get it: "Borrow fire for what?"

Qing Shui: "... To roast grasshoppers."

Prince Qi:? Sui Si:??

Prince Qi didn't react at first, but soon realized what it was, let out a sudden yell, and rushed toward the kitchen: "Goodness, that thing isn't edible—don't mess around!"

By the time Prince Qi arrived, Feng Xuanrui had already, with his silver tongue, successfully borrowed fire from the little novice monk, and also borrowed a piece of wire.

The wire looked dirty, so Feng Xuanrui wiped it clean, then threaded the grasshoppers onto it, ready to hold them over the fire to roast.

This way of roasting should turn out pretty good, right?

Sui Sui watched from the side, unable to help clapping: "Brother, you're amazing! I used to just toss them onto the fire's edge, roast them until about done, then pull them out to eat—there was nothing like this." "Actually, grasshoppers cook quickly; they don't need long roasting."

If you roast them too long, they burn, and really all that's left is a mouthful of crumbs.

Actually, roasted bamboo worms are also tasty, crunchy with a hint of sweet.

……

When Prince Qi approached, he saw Feng Xuanrui with a solemn expression, threading grasshoppers.

Feng Xuanbin stood aside helping to watch, making sure the remaining grasshoppers didn't escape, and that they weren't killed outright.

Feng Xuanrui said that dead ones aren't fresh and probably wouldn't taste good.

So, we thread them now, thread them alive—those grasshoppers must be watched closely.

Sui Sui was reminiscing about the past, counting up the things she had eaten before, which tasted best, which were not so tasty but still barely edible.

Which ones she simply couldn't eat, even if she starved to death.

After hearing that, Prince Qi's eyes immediately felt sore.

Prince Qi turned away, roughly rubbed his eyes, then gritted his teeth and said: "Has the Chen Dalang family gone to mine?"

Sui Si was someone who knew the inside story.

As soon as the Prince asked, Sui Si hurriedly replied in a low voice: "They've already been dug up; over in Qingzhou things move fast. Once the court's edict arrives, they'll already be collecting labor service personnel. Since it's not yet the busy farming season, each household's conscription will surely be able-bodied men. We've said hello, so the Chen family will definitely receive special treatment."

After saying that, Sui Si chuckled briefly and then added: "Besides, I've heard that the two young sons of the Chen Dalang family, led by someone unknown, have taken up gambling. Though the situation isn't certain, it's likely that before long they'll lose all their family assets, and then they'll probably come to Jing Cheng."

Prince Qi, although he didn't want to see these people.

However, if he could make them live poorly, make that counterfeit in the Jin Yang Marquis's residence suffer, Prince Qi felt that having the Chen Dalang family come to Jing Cheng wasn't out of the question.

Thinking of these, Prince Qi nodded slightly: "What kind of days did my dear used to have, eating bugs every day, damn the Chen family— isn't that his niece? His sister brought back so much silver back then; how much could one child eat?"

Saying this, Prince Qi gritted his teeth: "That Chen San Niang is no good thing; when she was alive, Sui Sui's life was bad, which shows she wasn't one who loved her child. Heaven really— she didn't even love this child, why let her be born? Wouldn't it have been better for her to be reborn into the Prince's residence?"

He had been longing for a daughter, but Heaven just wouldn't give him one.

He had to let Sui Sui go to someone else's residence to suffer all kinds of hardship before giving him one.

It made him feel extra pity for no reason.

Sniffle!

His pitiful good child.

Prince Qi was so angry he wished he could go to Qingzhou now and cut down Chen Dalang with a single stroke each.

But, no way! Chen Dalang's family is dead; that counterfeit in the Jinyang Marquis Manor is surely the happiest.

Can't let her get away with that!

Prince Qi harshly wiped his tears, composed his emotions, then strode forward.

Eating bugs is nothing; the good child can do it, so why can't he? He can't go back to the past to accompany his good child, to eat the bitterness she ate, to walk the path she walked.

But he can now stay by the child's side, cheer her up, give her a stable life, which is also good.

So, little bug, handle it……

By the way, can it really be eaten?

Prince Qi took two steps, hesitated briefly, then quickly advanced bravely.

It's just bugs; he ate them!

When Prince Qi had just arrived, Sui Sui and the others had already noticed.

But they were roasting bugs; they had to watch closely, not let them burn, or they wouldn't taste good.

So Prince Qi didn't approach, so they stayed still, all staring at the grasshoppers already placed on the fire to roast.

Just then Prince Qi approached; Sui Sui hurriedly rose, opened her slender arms and lunged at him, crying, "Father King!"

The second watch is at 19:00.