Gao Mai thought for a moment that he had misheard: "Your Highness, are you talking about Chang'anfang?"
Huan Xuan frowned: "Do you want me to say it a second time?"
When Gao Mai heard the tone, he knew that his Highness was upset again, and hurriedly said, "Your Highness, please forgive me, I'd rather not have these ears!"
At this moment, the cry of a mountain crow suddenly came from the branches of the ancient locust tree in front of the door. It was rough and unpleasant, like a malicious mockery.
Huan Xuan frowned: "Wait."
Gao Mai: "Your Highness, do you have any other instructions?"
"Shoot the thief bird down from the tree." Huan Xuan said coldly.
“…Yes.” Gao Mai raised his hand to wipe the sweat off his face and winked at the guard.
Someone immediately drew his bow and drew his arrow.
The thief bird tilted its head and glanced at the man in the car window with its sparkling eyes. Without waiting for the arrow to be shot, it suddenly fluttered into the sky, turning back and making a provocative "cackle" as it flew.
Gao Mai could only smile and say: "The bird is ignorant, please don't blame me, Your Highness."
Huan Xuan glared at him, lowered the curtain and ignored him.
Gao Mai breathed a sigh of relief and ordered the coachman and his entourage to turn around and head south of the city.
The wheels started rolling again. Ma Zhongshun, the palace guard, quietly approached Gao Mai and said in a low voice, "Your Highness, what's wrong? You've been away from Beijing for a few years, and you haven't even set foot in the palace yet. You've gone to that remote place first..."
If you say you can't wait, but you're in such a bad mood, it doesn't seem like you're going to meet a beautiful woman, but rather to settle a score with an enemy.
He lowered his voice even lower, almost whispering in her ear: "What exactly is His Highness's rule towards the one in Shanchiyuan? Eunuch, please let us brothers know so that we can have some peace of mind..."
"I'm really angry," Gao Mai sighed and said, "I just saw that fatal guy in the palace."
Ma Zhongshun suddenly realized: "No wonder."
Gao Mai changed the subject: "But we can't offend Shanchiyuan either. It's a blessing to look alike, right?"
…
Chang'anfang, mountain and pond courtyard.
Sui Sui only slept for about half an hour. She had developed a habit after years of fighting. Each sleep was very short. No matter where she was, she would just lie down and sleep, replenishing her physical strength to the maximum extent in the shortest possible time.
She sat up, stretched, put on her coat and got out of bed.
The six months of hiding her identity were a rare chance for her to rest, but if she relaxed for too long, she would inevitably become lazy, and once she let things go, she would become more and more lazy.
A knife will rust if left for a long time, and the same goes for people.
During the six months of recuperation, she felt that her joints were almost rusted.
In fact, her injuries were no longer serious, but she had lived in Huan Xuan's barracks before, where there were many people around and she couldn't let people know that she had learned martial arts and swords. When she really couldn't bear it, she borrowed the soldiers' bows to shoot at the parapets, but she had to keep another trick up her sleeve - if an ordinary hunter girl could shoot an arrow through a target from a hundred steps away, it would definitely arouse suspicion.
Her identity could withstand investigation, but not a thorough scrutiny.
Huan Xuan threw her into this remote mountain pond courtyard, which was exactly what she wanted. This place covered a large area, but there were few servants and guards, so it was not difficult to find a secluded place to practice martial arts.
As for other things, just take your time, there's no need to rush.
Sui Sui changed into a short shirt, tightened his belt, washed himself briefly, gathered his long hair with his fingers, tied it into a neat and tidy men's bun, and fixed it with a bone hairpin.
Then she put on her moccasins, raised the curtain and went out of the house.
Sui Sui walked around the yard but didn't see Chun Tiao. She knew that the little girl must have sneaked out while she was sleeping to chat with someone and get information.
This is good, it saves her a lot of trouble.
She pushed open the gate. The door hinges creaked because it had not been used for many years, like an old man on his last legs and coughing incessantly.
She stepped on the dead branches and leaves on the ground, passed through the maple forest that was burning like red clouds, and came to a seven-foot stone wall covered with moss.
On the other side of the wall is the West Garden.
The garden gate was at the other end. One had to take a long detour to get there from Tongyun Pavilion. Sui Sui was too lazy to take the long way, so she had already estimated the shortest route in her mind before going out. A wall could not block her way.
With just a glance, she found a slightly raised brick on the wall. She grabbed the crack between the bricks with both hands, used her toes to gain leverage, climbed nimbly to the top of the wall, and flipped over easily.
The posture and movements were truly as graceful as a flying monkey.
Sui Sui was not worried about being seen, so it was no wonder that the daughter of a mountain hunter was so agile.
But at this moment there was no one in the garden.
No one takes good care of the garden. The grass and trees are withered in autumn. The open lake is half covered with withered lotus leaves and half withered leaves, looking desolate and bleak.
Sui Sui climbed up the western mound along the path that was almost covered by weeds.
A hundred years ago, Princess Shou'an specially transported rocks from the Yangtze River and Huai River to build the mountain. The rocks are jagged and the valleys are steep. The mountain is planted with pine and cypress. After a hundred years of growth, it has become almost like a wild forest, with kudzu vines hanging everywhere and lush moss.
Sui Sui walked deep into the dense forest, found a suitable open space, broke off a dead branch to make a sword, and began to practice sword skills.
Her sword, boxing, archery and horse riding were all taught by her father.
Xiao Yan was a man of few words and didn't know how to pamper his daughter. Every time they were separated and reunited, he would always smile awkwardly and say, "Pull out your sword, let me see if you have improved."
The clanging of swords is the unique conversation between them, father and daughter.
The pine forest was silent. There was only the sound of the wind between heaven and earth. The rustling sound of the wind blowing the yellow leaves, and the fallen leaves swirled in the air and quietly fell.
Sui Sui is faster than the wind and lighter than the autumn leaves in the wind. She spins and leaps among the branches, chopping, stabbing, cutting and cutting... Every movement is deeply engraved in her bones and muscles, forming a peculiar rhythm, as natural as breathing, heartbeat and blood flow.
After finishing a set of exhilarating Xiao family sword practice, she threw the branch lightly, exhaled heavily, and wiped the sweat from her face.
Then she bent down and began to look for fungi in the woods.
This forest blocks out the sun, making it difficult for sunlight to get in. It has been rainy since the beginning of autumn this year, which is perfect for the growth of ground fungi.
She had just set her sights on several kinds of edible mushrooms, including the extremely delicious pine mushroom, which she could pick and cook a pot of wild mushroom soup to satisfy her craving.
Searching for ground mushrooms in the dark and dense forest is extremely challenging for eyesight. Suisui's eyesight is already extraordinary, let alone finding delicious food.
After a while, she picked a large bunch, tied the bundle into a small bundle with a towel and hung it on her elbow, then went back to Qixia Pavilion contentedly.
Just as I climbed over the garden wall, I heard Chun Tiao's voice not far away: "Madam, madam—"
"What happened?" Sui Sui asked vigilantly.
Chun Tiao ran towards her breathlessly: "Qi... King Qi... His Highness... Your Highness..."
Sui Sui patted Chun Tiao's back and said, "Sister Chun Tiao, please speak slowly. Don't be anxious. What's wrong with His Highness?"
Chunjo's eyes widened: "Your Highness is here!"
Sui Sui raised an eyebrow: "Where is it?"
Chun Tiao calmed down and said, "We haven't arrived yet. The carriage is still halfway on the road. The guard came on a fast horse to pass on the message, asking us to get ready."
Suisui was also a little surprised this time.
The Prince of Qi has just returned to the capital, and he must have paid his respects to the emperor in the palace today. Even if he is not in the palace to have dinner with the emperor, he should return to the prince's mansion after leaving the palace. Why would he come all the way to this mountain pond courtyard
When something is abnormal, there must be something wrong.
While she was thinking, Chun Tiao had already pulled her arm and dragged her into the yard: "By the way, where did my wife go just now?"
She raised her hand and plucked half a dead leaf from Sui Sui's hair, then patted her clothes: "Your clothes are all dirty."
"I went for a walk on the hills to the west," Sui Sui took down his bag and showed it to her, "I picked some mushrooms in the pine forest and will make some soup later. I wonder if there are any chickens or ducks in the kitchen..."
"My lady, you still think about food..." Chun Tiao stamped her feet, "Go back and change your clothes quickly. I will dress you up."
Sui Sui said indifferently: "You have to eat."
Chun Tiao suddenly thought of something and slapped his forehead heavily: "The King of Qi is on the road at this hour, so he is going to come here for dinner?"
She felt as if she was facing a formidable enemy, and she paced around the room like a headless fly: "What should I do?"
This shouldn't be something they should worry about. After all, it wasn't their fault that Shanchiyuan didn't have a cook.
But he was the King of Qi, a child of destiny. No matter where he went, it was natural that someone should serve him. If he was not served well, it would be their fault.
He may not give orders, but they must prepare.
As for the difficulties faced by the people below, he doesn't need to consider them.
Sui Sui understood this truth. If her father had not thrown her into the army when she was young and asked her to hide her identity and start her training as an ordinary soldier, she might have become such a person.
Sui Sui had no choice but to comfort her: "Go to the kitchen and light a fire and cook the meal. I'll wash myself and change my clothes and come back in a while."
She had just practiced sword fighting and was sweating all over. She felt sticky and uncomfortable.
Chun Tiao stammered, "I don't know how to make a fire..."
Sui Sui laughed dumbly: "Wait for me for a moment."
She fetched a basin of cold water, washed herself hastily, changed into a blue cloth dress, and went to the kitchen with the bag of precious mushrooms.
The kitchen was well-equipped. The rice jar was full, bacon and lamb legs were hung on the beams, there was fresh cabbage in the bamboo basket, and a fat hen was tied to the tree outside the door.
Sui Sui's eyes lit up as soon as he saw the chicken: "That's right, chicken stewed with mushrooms is the most delicious."
Chun Tiao swallowed his saliva: "But this is a live chicken... I won't kill it..."
Sui Sui certainly didn't count on her: "You go boil the water, I'll kill it."
After she said that, she remembered that this girl had never touched water before, so she asked her to wash the rice and mushrooms first.
When Chun Tiao came back from washing the silkworms, Sui Sui had already killed the chicken. He was humming a little tune as if nothing had happened while plucking the feathers of the scalded chicken.
Chun Tiao looked at her skillful movements and for the first time felt that such a master was not completely without merit. Sometimes she was even more reliable than the weak and helpless young lady.
After plucking the feathers, Sui Sui gutted the chicken, removed the fat and put it aside: "This way the soup will be clear."
As he spoke, he washed the chicken, blanched it, cut it into large pieces, and stewed it in a clay pot.
She told Chun Tiao to make tea, and at the same time put the peeled chicken fat into a small copper pot to boil out the oil, removed the oil residue, added peppercorns, star anise, cloves, and orange peel to stir-fry, and then threw in the blanched mushrooms to fry.
The smell of chicken fat, spices, and pine-scented mushrooms immediately filled the air, and Chun Tiao couldn't help swallowing.
When the mushrooms are fried until dry and the tea is ready, wash the mushrooms in tea to remove the oil. Then take out the processed mushrooms and put them in a celadon bowl, add rice wine and clear sauce.
Her movements were smooth and orderly, and Chun Tiao could hardly help, so she could only help by passing the ladles and bowls to her.
"My wife is really capable," she couldn't help but say, "How come she can do everything?"
"If you don't know how to eat, you won't be able to eat."
She has always been willing to think about food. A person can only fill his stomach with grain and dried meat for a year or two, so it is inevitable that he will be greedy.
At first, he was just trying to satisfy his craving, but later, he had someone in his heart, so he thought that one day he could share it with him and see the light of joy in his eyes. But they had been together for two years, dealing with the rebels all the time, and when they met, they only talked about military affairs, so they had no time to do anything else.
Sui Sui lowered her eyes and curled the corners of her mouth. Although she was smiling, in Chun Tiao's eyes, she looked inexplicably sad.
Maybe he's thinking about his family, Harujo thought.
"Madam, serve His Highness well, and you will have support in the future," she comforted.
The aroma of chicken soup and mushrooms made Chun Tiao's stomach stir, but she couldn't help feeling a little worried. His Royal Highness the Prince of Qi was a nobleman who loved fine food. Would he be interested in this kind of barbaric food
Her worries were unnecessary.