CHAPTER 214: CHAPTER 214 RANDOM

The training arranged by Su Chong for them was already tough enough to make them drink a pot.

They couldn’t imagine how terrifying the special training given by Marquis Dongxiang would be.

Prince NanAn felt his legs trembling.

He looked at Su Chong.

Su Chong patted his shoulder and said, "Don’t think about it. If my father promises something to others, he will definitely do it. Even if you escape for three to five years and return to the capital with your wife and children, this training is unavoidable."

Prince NanAn, "..."

"Let’s go, time to hit the streets. My sister has already eaten and gone back, we haven’t even had lunch yet."

"Whatever you guys want to eat today, it’s on me," Su Chong said generously.

"I want to eat the roast duck from Beauty Pavilion," Prince NanAn said.

Su Chong, "..."

Instantly folded.

Prince NanAn gave him a sidelong glance.

Didn’t he just promise, and now he’s going back on his word?

Isn’t Qingyun Mountain known for saving face?

Thinking about being bullied by someone else’s father tomorrow, he decided to bully the son a bit to vent a little first.

"Do you really have to eat it?" Su Chong asked reluctantly.

"Absolutely," Prince NanAn said.

Then—

They ate roast duck at the tea stall in front of Beauty Pavilion.

Not being able to enter Beauty Pavilion didn’t mean its food couldn’t come out.

Eight dishes and one soup, all beautifully colored, fragrant, and flavorful.

Making the cravings of many passersby stir, their mouths watering.

Since Beauty Pavilion opened, those noble ladies were obsessed with it, and the Mahjong and meals inside became famous.

Everyone knew that the Eldest Young Madam of Duke Zhen’s Mansion specifically went to the palace to ask the Emperor for two Imperial Chefs for Beauty Pavilion, and nobody knew what happened, but the chefs ended up with terrible food poisoning.

As a result, the entire Imperial Palace ate buns and small porridge with pickles for three days.

Even the Emperor’s food quality was downgraded.

But the rear courtyard of Beauty Pavilion prohibited male access, so there was no chance to taste the Imperial Banquet.

Now that Su Chong and the others had set a good precedent by bringing the food out, everyone was tempted.

After all, it’s the Imperial Banquet.

After all, it’s the chefs who cook for the Emperor.

Though eating at the tea stall wasn’t prestigious, what little prestige was lost, the Imperial Banquet made up for it and then some.

Besides, it was Prince NanAn who brought the food out, so they didn’t fear losing face.

The Junior Minister of the Ministry of Justice passed by on official business, saw his cousin having a feast, and felt a bit hungry.

He patted his belly and dismounted to join them for a meal.

The Heir of Marquis Beining hadn’t noticed him.

Chu Shun said to him, "Your cousin is here."

The Heir of Marquis Beining turned his head, startling the Junior Minister of the Ministry of Justice.

"Cousin! It’s only been a few days, and how did you manage to get a face full of bruises?"

"And why are you so much darker?"

"..."

The Heir of Marquis Beining touched his face, "Did I get darker?"

He asked Chu Shun and the others.

Chu Shun shook his head, "Didn’t notice."

The Junior Minister of the Ministry of Justice’s face was full of black lines, "It’s not just my cousin, you’ve all gotten a lot darker."

Chu Shun, "..."

"It’s the sun!"

"It must be the sun!"

The Heir of Marquis Beining was distressed.

Following Su Chong for training was exhausting enough.

The weather gets hotter with each passing day, and when Marquis Dongxiang supervises their training, won’t they get tanned like charcoal?

Su Chong suppressed a laugh and said, "No worries, Beauty Pavilion specializes in beauty treatments; you’ll become their live advertisements."

"I refuse to be a live advertisement," said the Heir of Marquis Beining.

"No way, I’m going to buy a mask to wear later," Prince NanAn said.

"Smart!"

The Heir of Marquis Beining shifted his position and asked the servant to get a bowl and chopsticks from Beauty Pavilion.

Everyone was eating outside.

Looking at the full table.

The tea stall owner was upset.

He’s selling tea!

How can he do business like this?

The tea stall owner and his wife stood aside, unsure of what to do.

Those who can afford to eat Beauty Pavilion’s food are either rich or noble, people he couldn’t offend.

However, after those people finished eating and drinking and left, they gave him a tea stall fee, which was more than what he earned selling tea for half a month.

The tea stall owner, "..."

In front of Duke Zhen’s Mansion.

The carriage slowly stopped.

Xie Jingchen dismounted and helped Su Jin down.

Xingxing jumped off the carriage behind them.

As she jumped down, the invitation she failed to secure in her arms dropped to the ground with a thud.

The gold-embossed invitation shimmered in the sunlight.

Xingxing quickly picked it up and dusted it off.

The Hidden Guard at the side twitched at the corners of his mouth.

This invitation was personally written by Mrs. Tang to invite Princess Nanzhang to the housewarming banquet of Marquis Dongxiang.

She asked the Eldest Young Madam to pass it on, so she didn’t have to make another trip.

In short, the person didn’t come, but the invitation did.

"Miss, should I deliver the invitation to Peony Garden now?" Xingxing asked.

"No rush, feeling a bit fatigued, let’s rest first."

"Okay."

Su Jin and Xie Jingchen went directly back to Agarwood Pavilion.

Once inside, Su Jin lay down on the Imperial Concubine’s Couch.

Xingxing brewed tea.

Outside, a young maid stood cautiously outside the beaded curtain, "Eldest Young Madam, earlier the second master’s maid came to find the young master, saying she needs the military book from the old master."

"Then go find my young master; my young lady doesn’t know where the military book is," Xingxing said.

"..."

"The young master isn’t here, we searched the study but couldn’t find it, it should be in the backyard."

"The second master needs it urgently, but there’s no key," the maid said.

To be precise, they couldn’t find the key.

The second master’s maid was furious.

The young maid thought since the Eldest Young Madam wasn’t home, as long as they didn’t say anything, the Eldest Young Madam wouldn’t know.

The maids boldly searched the house, but to no avail.

Su Jin rolled her eyes.

It’s just a backyard, is it necessary to be so interested?

Everyone is finding ways to get in.

It seems from now on, the doors must be locked and double-protected when going out.

"Get the key to open the courtyard door," Su Jin said.

Xingxing nodded in agreement.

She got up to get the key.

Upon turning her head, she saw the high shelf was empty.

Xingxing walked over, patted the high shelf, and asked, "Where’s the peony on the high shelf?"

The maids were puzzled.

Wasn’t she supposed to get the key?

Why care about the peony?

You can’t lose flowers!

Seeing no one speak, Xingxing urged, "Answer the question."

"The peony was moved to the yard to sunbathe," a maid said quietly.

Xingxing ran out.

In the yard, several potted peonies bloomed brilliantly, elegant and luxurious, looking very similar.

Xingxing quickly walked over and started poking at them one by one.

The maids stopped their work and watched her.

Wondering what she was up to.

Until—

Xingxing dug out the key from the last pot.

The maids, "..."

The key was still wet, clearly just watered by the maids.

Xingxing forcibly shook it twice.

A drop of water splashed onto a maid’s face.

The maid twitched her mouth, silently wiping it off.

What else could they say?

What more could be said?

The key they couldn’t find after searching the room, under chairs, and even under the bed was hidden in the peony pot?!

Right under their noses sunbathing!

They all knew the Eldest Young Madam’s maids hid keys quickly.

But did they have to hide it so casually and willfully?!

They just wanted to spit blood.