Chapter 55

However, before she could ask who the other party was, a voice suddenly came from the darkness.

"Second Miss, do you still remember the life-saving favor from two months ago on the Qinhuai River?"

"Our master says he has decided how you, Second Miss, should repay the favor. Please come with me tonight, if you would?"

Li Qingluo's forehead instantly beaded with sweat.

Is that the person?

She recalled the four-and-a-half-foot long sword on the black-covered boat.

This is indeed a great favor she still owes that person.

But if these are his subordinates, their skills are truly terrifying!

She wouldn't call her Hongfenguan an iron barrel, but at least it shouldn't have been completely silent without any disturbance.

There were two grannies guarding the gate each night, and Que'er and Deng Mama in her courtyard were also skilled.

She may not claim to be formidable, but she is no longer the oblivious fool who noticed nothing.

But this person still managed to reach her room soundlessly.

If he wanted to kill someone, what difference would walls make to him in Jinling City?

"Okay!"

Li Qingluo was sensible, knowing she was no match for this person.

So she sheathed her sword and readily agreed.

She had been worried about this matter anyway; since she couldn't avoid it, she might as well go.

Zhui Yu in the darkness was also secretly startled.

This Second Miss is quite bold.

Zhui Yu arrived soundlessly, and even though he brought Li Qingluo when he left, he remained utterly silent, like a gust of wind passing.

Osmanthus Garden

Upon returning to this place, Li Qingluo felt no tension at all, and even felt somewhat relaxed.

Several mute servants had already been waiting in the courtyard; upon seeing Li Qingluo, they warmly and happily gathered around her.

They even noticed that Li Qingluo's skin had become fairer and her appearance much more beautiful.

They pointed at their faces, happily gesturing at their eyebrows and eyes; for some reason, seeing them made Li Qingluo feel a bit happy as well.

But what she didn't expect was that this person brought her to the Osmanthus Garden just to have her cook a meal!

The masked Zhui Yu, holding his sword, said coldly: "Our master does not eat heavy meat and fish; his diet is rather light. Second Miss, you may prepare whatever dishes you like."

Having said that, he vanished.

Li Qingluo: ……

All right, it turns out she was brought here tonight to work as a cook.

But if a life-saving favor can be repaid with just one meal, isn't she taking too much advantage?

Li Qingluo thought it was probably because that person lacked nothing, and he certainly had many capable people around him; after thinking for months, he realized there was no use for her, so he simply had her cook a meal to settle the matter.

As she thought, she rolled up her sleeves.

Li Qingluo first surveyed the available ingredients in the kitchen, then quickly got to work.

She first stewed a pot of white porridge in a small sand pot, adding only a few vegetable leaves and some grains of salt.

Next, she quickly kneaded the dough, adjusted the filling, and made a mushroom-sauce meat bun.

Then she tossed a dish of shredded bamboo shoots.

Seeing lively yellow croakers, she slaughtered and fragrant-fried two of them.

Finally, she stir-fried a dish of yam and green beans.

Three dishes, one pastry, and a bowl of porridge.

But in just half an hour, she had finished everything.

Although she was sweating profusely from the busyness, Li Qingluo indeed prepared everything with sincerity.

She knew that last time she hadn't suffered only superficial injuries; Li Kechuan had also struck her back hard with a stick, causing an internal injury.

But afterward her body was unharmed, likely because that person had saved her.

While recuperating from her injuries in the Osmanthus Garden for two days, the mute servants attended to her with utmost care; this was the first time in either life that an outsider had treated her so kindly.

Although she didn't know who that person was, she truly felt a rare warmth in her heart……

The mute servants placed the dishes on the stone table in the courtyard, then brought over a screen.

Before them lay a lotus pond, and to the right stood a few osmanthus trees.

It was deep autumn, and the fragrance of the osmanthus was rich enough to permeate the heart and spleen.

Li Qingluo was invited to sit down, and the mute servant raised a finger to signal her not to speak.

While Li Qingluo wondered what this meant, a tall figure emerged from behind the screen.

Li Qingluo's body instantly stiffened.

Is that…… the young man?

All that could be seen of the young man were his legs and stature, which were unusually tall and long.

He seemed to have a head of slightly curved long hair.

He wore a spacious cloak that hung loosely on his already broad frame.

As for his appearance, it was indistinct behind the screen.

Li Qingluo rose and bowed slightly toward the screen.

She did this merely to express gratitude for that person's life-saving grace that night.

That night she had been soaked in the Qinhuai River, and even now she felt a chill deep in her bones.

However, this person seems to especially like quiet.

That night, it was clearly on that black-canopied boat, yet no lamp was lit, making her think it was an empty, unmanned boat, so she thought of climbing aboard.

And there are all these mute servants in the house.

Tonight is the same—he likes quiet, yet why does he still have her sit here, yet not let her speak?

Li Qingluo isn't thick-skinned; since this person doesn't like it, she will just do her duty and simply sit and admire the lotus pond scenery under the moonlight.

Occasionally stealing a glance at the shadow on the screen, she discovered that he was already eating.

He seems…… to be eating quite well.

Li Qingluo slowly relaxed her breath, lifted her head to look at tonight's especially bright moon, and a smile appeared on her face.

After Li Qingluo was sent back, Zhui Yu returned to Osmanthus Garden and also sent a small plate of sliced mooncakes to Duan Rongshi's desk.

Your Highness, you've only eaten those tonight all day; why not eat a bit more?

Today Duan Rongshi spent the whole day interrogating people in the prison, didn't have time to eat, and by evening he actually had completely lost his appetite.

It was Po Feng who boldly asked whether they should invite the Second Miss of the Li Mansion to prepare some appetizing dishes.

After all, last time at the Green Pine Temple, that table of sweet potato dishes, the Prince still liked them relatively.

Zhui Yu was greatly startled, thinking Po Feng's doggish courage was too big!

Their Prince, although indeed not usually fond of fragrance and jade, and hardly ever gets close to women, otherwise there wouldn't be no mistress in the manor to this day.

But to go in the middle of the night and seize a lady to come to the mansion to cook—this is really too inhumane, right?

Duan Rongshi: 'Go bring her here.'

Duan Rongshi hasn't properly eaten a meal for several days; no delicacies can whet his appetite.

So, he did not refuse.

Zhui Yu: '……'

Your Highness, indeed it's you.

Looking at the mooncake in his hand, while still examining the documents, Duan Rongshi merely asked casually: 'Where is it from?'

Zhui Yu: 'Just now I escorted the Second Miss back to Jiangjun Fu; she slipped a few into my hand. She said she made herself them yesterday Mid-Autumn; if you don't disdain, you can try a taste as a snack.'

Duan Rongshi looked at these pink, green, and yellow colors, and originally had no interest.

Moreover, tonight he had rarely eaten his fill, and does not intend to eat anything else.

But strangely, he still picked up a piece and put it in his mouth.

The texture is fine and dense, not very sweet; a faint osmanthus fragrance slowly spreads between lips and teeth.

Duan Rongshi tapped the tabletop: 'Leave it here, go out.'

Zhui Yu secretly wondered: could the Second Miss Li's food really suit the Prince's taste so well?

Zhui Yu left the study and couldn't help pulling out a piece to take a bite.

This…… is indeed quite delicious, but it's not irreplaceable!

The Prince indeed doesn't care much about food, but it's rare to find something that suits his palate; this is already enough to make Zhui Yu and the others sigh.

Looks like this Second Miss Li, from now on, will still be very useful!