Chapter 215: A Family Meal
Xingnong’s face, as thick as a city wall, turned red with embarrassment.
Chu Tiankuo, unable to bear Xingnong’s discomfort, said, “Imperial Sister, just call my Junior Sister Xingnong. The enemy troops will be here soon, Junior Sister, please help me take Imperial Sister away.”
Xingnong nodded: “Okay!”
Chu Tiankuo then said to Chu Zijun, “Imperial Sister, please leave here with Junior Sister first. If you have any questions, wait until I answer them for you.”
Chu Zijun also knew that girls were easily embarrassed, so she nodded: “Okay!”
Chu Tiankuo said to Wei Feng, “You go first and lead the Zhao army into the formation, I’ll see them off.”
Entrusting Chu Zijun to Chu Tiankuo, Wei Feng had nothing to worry about. He glanced at Chu Zijun, his eyes filled with two words “wait for me”, and then he left!
After Wei Feng left, Xingnong and Chu Tiankuo exchanged a glance, then Xingnong took Chu Zijun’s hand: “Eldest Princess, let me take you away first.”
Before Chu Zijun could react, she felt a flash before her eyes, and the entire white world disappeared. She seemed to have entered a huge utility room, then the utility room also disappeared, and she arrived at a room filled with various potted plants. Before she could see what was planted, she appeared in a training room!
Chu Zijun: “…”
What was going on? This scene change was faster than a dream!
Xingnong explained: “Eldest Princess, this is Senior Brother’s training room. I’ll take you to other rooms. You can stay here for a few days for now. Old Master Tang lives below, it’s very safe here.”
Chu Zijun had many questions she wanted to ask, but she remembered her brother’s words and knew that he didn’t want her to bother his beloved. So she suppressed her curiosity and nodded: “Thank you, Junior Sister.”
Xingnong breathed a sigh of relief, fortunately she called her Junior Sister this time!
She smiled: “You’re welcome, Eldest Princess. It’s what I should do! Let’s go!”
Then Xingnong led her out.
Chu Tiankuo had already taken Xingnong through the house on the top of the mountain and arranged for Chu Zijun to stay in that room, Xingnong only needed to take her there.
After introducing the room she would be staying in, Xingnong said: “Eldest Princess, Old Master Tang is halfway up the mountain, let me take you down!”
Chu Zijun nodded upon hearing this: “Okay!”
Old Master Tang was her brother’s Master, someone even her Father Emperor had to respect, she indeed needed to pay her respects.
Xingnong took Chu Zijun to Old Master Tang, let him explain what happened to her, and then she excused herself.
She hadn’t been home for several days, she said goodbye to the two of them and left.
~
When Xingnong returned home, it was almost noon, and smoke was rising from the kitchens of every household in the village.
The courtyard gate was not closed, Xingnong walked straight in, and saw that the courtyard remained as it was when she left.
The sound of conversation came from the kitchen. She walked in and saw the Jin Kingdom Emperor tending the fire while Shen Ruoxi was stir-frying.
Seeing Xingnong return, Shen Ruoxi said happily: “Xingnong, you’re out of seclusion!”
The Jin Kingdom Emperor was also very happy. He hadn’t seen his daughter for several days, and he also said: “Xingnong, was this seclusion successful? Is there anything you don’t understand? You can write it down, and I’ll help you ask someone.”
Xingnong didn’t answer their questions, but looked at Shen Ruoxi and asked: “Mother didn’t go to help at the workshop today?”
Shen Ruoxi nodded, skillfully plating the dishes from the wok: “I happened to be off today. It’s almost the end of the year, and there’s not as much work at the workshop, so it’s fine if I don’t go.”
Besides, with Xingnong in seclusion, there was no one to do the housework. Even though Shen Dabao helped with fetching water and cooking, the clothes still needed to be washed. Madam Gu and she couldn’t bear to leave all the housework to the owner of Welcome Guest Restaurant, so she stayed home to do it.
These days, Shen Dabao helped fetch water, water the vegetables, and cook every day. Moreover, he had helped Xingnong set up formations before. After a few days of interaction, Shen Ruoxi was no longer afraid of him!
Xingnong nodded and glanced at the Jin Kingdom Emperor again.
She didn’t expect this person to make Shen Ruoxi let down her guard so quickly.
The Jin Kingdom Emperor immediately said: “The food will be ready soon, Xingnong, have you eaten?”
“Not yet.”
✿✿✿
Shen Ruoxi immediately said: “Then let’s set the table. I still have to deliver lunch to Mother and Xingqing. Shen Dabao, you’ve been busy for a long time, why don’t you eat here too! Have lunch with Xingnong.”
Upon hearing this, the Jin Kingdom Emperor’s heart was filled with joy and he immediately said: “Shen Nan can deliver it.”
Soon, three dishes and a soup were set on the table, and the family of three sat down to eat together for the first time.
The Jin Kingdom Emperor was so content he almost shed tears. He finally had a meal with his daughter and wife!
It was simply too difficult!
These days, he even knew how to clean the pigsty and had picked up cow dung!
He never dreamed that one day he would be dealing with pig dung and cow dung, and willingly at that!
The Jin Kingdom Emperor wanted to serve Xingnong and Shen Ruoxi, but both of them refused.
He sighed, reminding himself not to rush.
Xingnong said to Shen Ruoxi: “Mother, I need to go to town after dinner to buy some things.”
Chu Tiankuo said that the Divine Doctor from Zhao Kingdom had arrived in Chu.
The Divine Doctor wanted Soul-Soothing Herb, and it just so happened that she could use it to exchange for a pill from the Zhao Kingdom Divine Doctor, which she could then revive in the Creation Space. Xingnong needed to go to town to give a pot of Soul-Soothing Herb to the shopkeeper of Welcome Inn, so he could send it to the capital and let Chu Tiankuo’s people negotiate with the Zhao Kingdom Divine Doctor to get the pill.
Upon hearing this, the Jin Kingdom Emperor’s eyes lit up. He immediately said: “I heard that today is the market day in Futai County. It’s almost New Year’s, and I also need to go to town to buy some things. Xingnong, why don’t you take your mother for a stroll? I have a carriage, it’s very convenient.”
Shen Ruoxi quickly shook her head upon hearing this: “I’m not going! I have to go to the workshop after dinner.”
She was most afraid of going to crowded places!
She didn’t want to see strangers!
However, the Jin Kingdom Emperor felt that Shen Ruoxi’s condition required her to be in contact with more people in order to get better.
Moreover, now he saw that apart from being afraid of strangers, there was nothing wrong with Shen Ruoxi.
As for being afraid of strangers, as long as she had more contact with them, she wouldn’t be afraid anymore.
So the Jin Kingdom Emperor looked at Xingnong.
He felt that Shen Ruoxi listened to Xingnong very much.
Xingnong knew his intention, but Shen Ruoxi was poisoned, not mentally ill. Once the poison was cured, she would be fine. So she ignored the Jin Kingdom Emperor and only said to Shen Ruoxi: “Then, Mother, I’ll take you to the workshop after dinner.”
Although the road to the workshop was all village paths, no one was at ease letting Shen Ruoxi go alone.
Shen Ruoxi smiled: “Okay!”
After dinner, Xingnong sent Shen Ruoxi to the workshop. When they reached the official road, the Jin Kingdom Emperor’s carriage was already waiting there.
“Xingnong, get in the carriage quickly!”
Xingnong didn’t stand on ceremony and got into the carriage directly.
She had something to tell the Jin Kingdom Emperor, lest he be unaware of the situation and take Shen Ruoxi to the market that day, causing her illness to flare up.
Inside the carriage, Xingnong told the Jin Kingdom Emperor about Shen Ruoxi’s condition. After she finished, she said: “Therefore, it’s not that my mother will recover if she goes to crowded places and interacts with more people. What she needs is to have the remaining Mandarin Duck Snake venom removed from her body.”
