CHAPTER 46: CHAPTER 46: ALL THE RIGHT CONDITIONS ARE ESSENTIAL

It sounds like it was made especially for him, but doesn’t he know Zhao Xiaohua well? Clearly, it’s something she wanted to eat herself.

"Anyway, if I didn’t say anything, mom might not have made it. So, you should be thanking me for being able to eat it!" Zhao Xiaohua retorted defiantly.

"The thanks should go to mom, she worked so hard to make it," Zhao Dahe argued back.

"But I was the one who went and bought the meat!" Zhao Xiaohua said loudly.

"All you did was run an errand, and you’re bragging about it?" Zhao Dahe snorted.

Meng Yao didn’t pay attention to the two of them. These siblings always loved to bicker, especially after Zhao Dahe felt his status was diminished here, they would start arguing as soon as they met.

"If you two keep squabbling, you won’t get to eat," Meng Yao said lightly.

Zhao Dahe immediately shut his mouth.

Zhao Xiaohua, acting like a sycophant, wrapped her arm around Meng Yao’s, "Mom, my second brother and I only bicker because we’re close."

The bright, glossy braised pork aroma almost seemed to capture one’s soul.

The rice cooked to a shimmering translucency, with each breath filled with the fragrance of rice.

Scooping a bowl of rice with a spoon of braised pork and a bit of sauce, it was perfect.

The whole family ate with oil dribbling from their mouths and happiness on their faces.

Unlike the harmony in the Zhao Family, at the Han Family, it couldn’t be described as anything less than chaos.

Madam Han, after hearing from the servants, smashed several teacups, scattering porcelain shards all over the floor, creating a mess.

It was actually that little girl from the Zhao Family!

After the house-buying was refused, Madam Han naturally sent people to inquire about the Han Family matters. Upon learning that the Meng Family was the natal family of that widow from the Zhao Family, she specially invited Sun Shi and Lin Shi for a chat and unintentionally gathered a lot of information about Meng Yao.

After all, in Madam Han’s eyes, Meng Yao was an uncultivated, ungrateful, rough rural woman.

What good words could Sun Shi and Lin Shi have about Meng Yao?

Meng Yao’s affair with Zhao Ting was naturally depicted with much embellishment.

To sum up, Meng Yao was characterized as lacking restraint, unfaithful, and disgraceful.

As they say, a dragon begets a dragon, a phoenix begets a phoenix, and a mouse’s son knows how to dig holes.

That little girl was the daughter of the Meng’s, and the Meng’s were unrestrained, and she’d learned the art of seducing men at a young age.

No wonder, might her son falling into the water have been a deliberate plot by that little girl?

Her son, so naive, proposed to marry her.

Does she deserve it?

After venting her anger, Madam Han called for the attendants serving Han Muchi, "Keep an eye on the young master, he caught a cold from falling into the water, don’t allow him to go out."

As for that little girl, she would give her a proper "thank you".

At the Zhao Family.

Zhao Dahe rubbed his round, full stomach, happiness all over his face, "Mom, your cooking skills are getting better and better."

Zhao Xiaohua immediately chimed in, "Mom’s cooking skills are getting better, I must have some credit for that, right? So, second brother, you should still thank me."

Zhao Dahe absent-mindedly glanced at her, "Stop patting yourself on the back, it’s because mom is great. Try getting sister-in-law to cook, do you think she can make braised pork this good?"

Indeed, even with the same recipe and following Zhao Xiaohua’s instructions, the dishes Song Xiu’er cooked, though good, still couldn’t compare to Meng Yao’s.

"I won’t give mom any more suggestions in the future," Zhao Xiaohua said angrily.

"Fine, don’t suggest, mom already knows how to make plenty," Zhao Dahe said without concern, "Besides, without your suggestions, you won’t get to eat even better food."

"Brother Qin Zheng, second brother is bullying me!" Zhao Xiaohua could only seek help pitifully.

"Ignore your second brother, he’s all alone at the academy, without anyone to talk to. Finally coming home, he has no one to talk to, so he’s clinging to you. If he didn’t make you angry, would you even talk to him this much?" Qin Zheng said calmly.

Zhao Xiaohua immediately brightened up, making a face at Zhao Dahe, and happily went to stand by the wall with Qin Zheng.

Zhao Dahe, having eaten too much, also went to stand by the wall.

"Since Prime Minister Qin was exiled, the Crown Prince was confined for speaking up for the Prime Minister’s Mansion for half a year," Zhao Dahe said, "Now, the Second Prince, Third Prince, and Fourth Prince are all very active in court. By the time the Crown Prince’s confinement ends, these three will have certainly strengthened their positions."

"Of course, this is all hearsay from the teacher; how reliable it is, who knows," Zhao Dahe added.

"It seems, Prime Minister Qin was likely implicated. After all, if he truly committed unforgivable crimes, exile would hardly be the punishment," Qin Zheng affirmed, he couldn’t have become an escaped fish in the net otherwise.

"It’s exhausting," Zhao Dahe sighed, "If we want to find out what happened, we still have to go to the Capital City. Otherwise, based on the unreliable news from so far away, who knows if the analysis is correct."

"We’ll count on you, Dahe," Qin Zheng said.

Zhao Xiaohua asked curiously, "Second brother, Brother Qin Zheng, when you say going to the Capital, do you mean going to the Capital City?"

"Zhao Xiaohua, just stand there, where we go is none of your business," Zhao Dahe snorted.

Zhao Xiaohua made a face, "Ugh, what’s there to be proud of, if I want to go, I can go too."

"You think a little girl like you could?"

"Sister Xing said, if I’m willing, she can take me to the Capital City!" Zhao Xiaohua said proudly.

"Where did this Sister Xing come from? Who is it?" Zhao Dahe asked, puzzled.

Qin Zheng was also bewildered; he didn’t know who Zhao Xiaohua’s Sister Xing was.

Zhao Xiaohua realized she misspoke and tightly closed her mouth, unwilling to say anything.

"Zhao Xiaohua, where did you meet these odd people? Could it be a kidnapper?" Zhao Dahe stopped standing by the wall and hurriedly went to find Meng Yao, worried that the annoying little girl might be tricked away.

Zhao Xiaohua quickly followed behind Zhao Dahe.

Meng Yao didn’t hide it from Zhao Dahe, she told him that Lu Luoxing was the owner of Hundred Herbs Hall. Seeing Zhao Xiaohua having some talent in medicine, she developed a liking for her talent and wanted to take her to the Capital City’s Hundred Herbs Hall where there are many famous doctors.

Only then did Zhao Dahe breathe a sigh of relief.

At the same time, he was shocked that his mom could network with the owner of Hundred Herbs Hall.

"Mom, do you plan to send Xiaohua to the Capital City?" Zhao Dahe asked.

"What for? She’s just a little girl, are you comfortable with her being out there alone?" Meng Yao rolled her eyes at Zhao Dahe, she didn’t plan to go to the Capital City, a place where you could hit several Beijing Officials with one stray brick, why would a commoner want to rush to such a place?

"Then, when I participate in the provincial exam, won’t you go?" Zhao Dahe asked.

"You haven’t even taken the academy exam yet, and you’re already thinking about the provincial exam? Even if you smoothly pass everything next year in spring, and then immediately proceed to take the provincial exam in August, even if you pass, you won’t go to the Capital City immediately, it’s still over half a year away," Meng Yao said, "And do you really think the imperial exam is in your pocket?"

Being smart is one thing, but taking the imperial examinations isn’t just about being smart!

It requires the right time, location, and people, all indispensable.