PART 08 Dilemma

The Fourth Prince's red lips curved slightly as he sat up from the couch: "Tell me, how much of a place does she occupy in Miao Manxi's heart?"

From this point onward, peonies became his taboo

The speed of the face-changing was so rapid that the Fourth Prince felt for the first time the weakness of his fundamental skills. Thus, it can be said that what is practiced later can never compare to that which is endowed by innate talent

The palace maid had not yet regained her senses, her face, which had been extremely red, instantly turned a deathly pale like ash. Chief Eunuch Chang had a tendency for cruelty; the palace maids who fell into his hands usually ended up as nothing but bones.

It is truly extraordinary that he was able to capture her enchanting smile like this

Lin Wuniao looked at him with the gaze one would use to observe a monster: "Fourth Prince, what do you need a chef for? I am neither beautiful nor charming; Miao Fangfei is far more womanly than I am. If you are truly hungry, you can always give orders; there are plenty of chefs to toil for you. There is no need for you to buy a cow just to have milk."

Eunuch Chang slightly raised his head, glanced at the Fourth Prince, and then quickly lowered it again

Eunuch Chang was so startled that he lowered his head even further

"Truly, one cannot learn to behave!" Just before landing, he lifted his robe and leaped down, gracefully scooping up the composed Lin Wuniao.

Eunuch Chang lowered his head and remained silent

After a long time, I answered nervously: "I estimate... I think it should be about seventy percent."

Lin Wuniao scratched her ear, while also wiping away the saliva that had splattered on her with her sleeve, doing so with great indignation. The Fourth Prince's face turned a shade of green as he moved his lips away from her earlobe.

His mother was exceptionally delighted, believing that with her stunning beauty, she would be the sole favorite among the three thousand.

Hearing the messenger's words, his face suddenly turned even colder, his pitch-black eyes resembling a storm of level twelve: "Which little chef?" he asked, tightening his throat.

Indeed, the visiting official did not press him, gave a slight bow, and then turned to return to report.

No matter how many times you flatter, it will not penetrate.

This truth exists eternally

Is Miao Manxi feeling very nervous about that little chef

As soon as he stepped out, he could no longer contain himself, tightening his arms in a mix of shame and anger

The Fourth Prince's lips twitched imperceptibly, and he immediately replaced it with a gentle expression: "No bird, I miss you."

This forest is devoid of birds, truly a place where one speaks without restraint

Fool! He pressed his lips together, lowered his eyelids, yet covered her face with his arm. In this palace, becoming the center of attention was the most dangerous.

This time, it is destined to hit the iron plate of the esteemed Lord Manxi.

Joking aside, being articulate can be deadly; silence is golden and is the only true treasure for survival in the inner palace

"My apologies, esteemed guest!" Lin Wuniao's meaningless murmurs softened Miao Manxi's gaze in an instant

Lin Wuniao maintained a friendly smile on his face, his eyes blinking. After a full cup of tea, he began to tremble all over, shaking as if he were on the verge of life and death, his limbs swaying as if he were performing a shamanic dance

Fool! The adult at the full table was taken aback, unable to think quickly, and grasped her small hand with his large palm, seemingly intending to sacrifice his own hand in the process

Esteemed Master Manxi, my master wishes to request this year's little chef from you Early in the morning, there was an official who came to negotiate with Esteemed Master Manxi

The forest without birds is like a kite that has come undone, swaying and wobbling as it descends towards the ground beneath the trees

Your expression..." The Fourth Prince's eyes and the corners of his mouth twitched simultaneously, "There is no need to be so painful!" He couldn't help but wonder whether the hunting he referred to and the hunting she understood were the same thing

The Fourth Prince's face was stiff, and after a brief moment of hesitation, he continued to pursue a policy of appeasement: "No bird, would you come to my place?"

The Fourth Prince leaned casually against the wooden couch, still wearing a smile, and merely raised an eyebrow, prompting Chief Eunuch Chang to knowingly drag the trembling palace maid away.

"Stay by my side or come with me to hunt, you choose!" He glanced over and saw Lin Wuniao immediately become very serious

On that silk handkerchief, a blooming peony is embroidered, vibrant and radiant

This time, he laughed heartily, without a trace of insincerity

The moon sets on the branches, and people meet after dusk

The palace maid appeared dazed, her face flushed with embarrassment, and she was exceedingly shy

For the first time, a faint trace of anger appeared on the calm face.

"Damn!" Lin Wuniao reacted instinctively, slapping away with a crisp and pleasant sound of 'pa'. The person supporting her behind immediately darkened his expression.

The knife in hand is being swung wildly, completely unaware of the direction.

The Fourth Prince cast a sidelong glance at him, stood up, and smiled slightly: "Wrong, I am certain, it is a nine-tenths chance." His eyes gradually narrowed, and a sinister smile appeared at the corners of his lips, "Miao Manxi, where exactly will your bottom line be?"

On the second day, Lin Wuniao understood what this "wanted her" meant

However, Lin Wuniao is ultimately not a woman of this time and space; it would be more straightforward to let her become a nun than to be someone else's concubine

What a cutting-edge method of hunting

He turned his head, his anger palpable: "Lin Xiaochu has only been in the palace for a few days, and it is truly inappropriate for him to go to the prince's residence. I kindly ask the eunuch to return to the Fourth Prince, and the entire banquet will naturally come to apologize!"

Unfortunately, this time both the scenery and the characters are not right. When Lin Wuniao woke up, he almost thought he was still dreaming

He paused for a moment and then said: "Since that is the case, please also invite Chef Miao for me. He has already refused me three times. Go! Use your enthusiasm to inspire him!"

She is not unafraid; she simply has not reacted yet.

Lin Wuniao, Lin Xiaochu! The old man bent down, his eyes filled with a smile, glancing at Lin Wuniao, who was raising a knife towards his own finger. Suddenly, he exclaimed in surprise, "Hey, Lin Xiaochu, be careful of your finger!"

"Lin Wuniao, has anyone ever told you that you speak quite eloquently?" The Fourth Prince rubbed his temples and looked at her with weary eyes

Upon seeing him for the first time, she let out a piercing scream

After a brief moment of astonishment, the Fourth Prince looked up to the sky and laughed heartily, saying, "You are truly a treasure"

I am immensely honored! Lin Wuniao wiped his face and immediately put on a flattering expression.

He is very curious about what makes Lin Xiaochu unique, and why it can elicit such a candid and genuine smile from his master

He suddenly felt in high spirits, lifted the hem of his robe, and sat down in an exceptionally graceful and carefree manner, a smile spreading across his face: "Order it down, today this prince will have vegetarian noodles, without any chopped scallions or garlic, just sprinkle a bit of chives on top!" As he spoke, he suddenly chuckled lightly.

She actually did nothing wrong; she merely took a handkerchief that pricked the Fourth Prince's hand

Lin Wuniao immediately wilted.

Little Chang, the eunuch, wiped the sweat from his forehead and respectfully replied: "In response to my lord, Master Manxi was angry today, disregarding even the most important hands of a chef for the sake of Chef Lin"

During their third meeting, she felt even more embarrassed, as she could not recall how she could smile after having cooked a rag and sprinkled chopped chives.

"Xiao Chang, what kind of reaction did Miao Manxi have?" The Fourth Prince lifted his damp fingers from the golden basin, glancing left and right at the candlelight. His fingers were long, fair, and rounded, exceedingly beautiful. The palace maid beside him immediately presented a fine silk handkerchief. He smiled slightly, exuding unparalleled gentleness, and cast a sidelong glance at the handkerchief, his smile deepening even further.

Alright, for next month's hunt, let's bring her along as well

Fourth Prince, everyone in our imperial kitchen can make vegetarian noodles! She corrected him seriously while considering when she had ever smiled at such a comrade.

I miss your smile, I miss your noodles... His voice grew increasingly gentle, his lips pressed against Lin Wuniao's earlobe, and with every word he spoke, a faint warmth would escape.

Although the royal relatives held a certain degree of apprehension towards him, this was the first time he had outrightly rejected a royal relative.

Lin Wuniao looked at him with a tangled expression, could it be that he wanted to bring a chef along with the team to cook and barbecue on the spot

Indeed, the Fourth Prince was deeply shocked.

The corner of the Fourth Prince's mouth twitched again. In the past, he would use such a gentle tone to coax the little palace maids beside him, and those women were all utterly captivated; who would dare to ask such a mood-dampening question

Although the peony is beautiful, it is not the foremost among flowers. The current sovereign once likened the peony to the mother of the Fourth Prince, praising her for her enchanting fragrance and captivating presence, where every frown and smile is breath-taking

Lin, with no birds around, swallowed hard and asked, "What do you think of me?" She believed she was not so stunningly beautiful as to inspire love at first sight.

He knew that this would inevitably give others a handle to grasp. However, at this moment, he had already lost the calmness of rational thought and made this decision solely based on his own feelings

Ah... blood! Lin Wuniao has always had a fear of blood. Upon seeing the blood gushing out, he closed his eyes and immediately fainted.

The deputy chef, whose face was flushed from suppressing laughter, cast a cold glance around before calmly striding out the door while holding Lin Wuniao.

Alright, I will go! She raised her head, straightened her chest, tossed her hair, and presented herself with an air of noble sacrifice

Fortunately, the kitchen knife trembled momentarily, grazing his hand as it sliced through. Nevertheless, a large patch of skin was completely sheared off, causing blood to flow profusely.

Wealth and prosperity, a step to the sky

Aren't you afraid?" he asked with great curiosity

Lin Wuniao, you should come to the hunt next month

His eyelashes are long, and his eyes are bright; he is originally an exceptionally handsome person. Under the moonlight, he adds a touch of ethereal beauty.

Unfortunately, within just one year, His Majesty conferred the title of Peony Empress upon the mother of the current Crown Prince. The peony is known as the king of flowers

Isn't it very evocative? The gentle voice is as smooth as velvet

Eunuch Chang stood with his head bowed, repeatedly nodding in agreement

The esteemed guest is dressed in a cream-colored long robe today, with a small jade pendant tied around the waist, and a hairpin made of tortoiseshell featuring a dark base with bright red accents, exuding a cool and refreshing demeanor

His mother, no matter how beautiful she may be, is merely the one who bows her head in submission.

Well, she must admit that she used the wrong expression. Had she known earlier, she would have responded with Guo Xiaosi's expression, which is half bright and half sorrowful.

The Fourth Prince pondered for a moment, then suddenly stroked his chin and smiled, "Ah, actually that Chef Lin is quite interesting."

"Miao Manxi, your bottom is so perky!" The birds in the dream are smacking their beaks, looking quite lecherous.

He did not go to take the embroidered handkerchief, but instead pulled the palace maid holding it, and with both hands wet, he wiped them on the maid's clothing

The Fourth Prince was completely at a loss for words, and the policy of appeasement came to a conclusion

Upon seeing him for the second time, she was in a state of panic and confusion

Miao Manxi's face instantly turned as red as a hairy crab

Without a second thought, he loosened his grip with both hands

Indeed, it is the master of the house, even the taste is so exceptional, minced chives, well, this may be yet another innovative way of eating

After a long time, he finally found his voice: "No bird, your reaction is quite, um, thought-provoking, very good indeed!"

No, they all praise me for being a reserved and demure lady, and I usually speak very little! Lin Wuniao looked at him with a very guarded expression

I am so happy that I could die! Lin Wuniao looked at the Fourth Prince, who was speechless, holding her heart and patting her abdomen, unleashing her ultimate move, as the saying goes, when Grandma Qiong Yao makes her appearance, she is invincible in the world

As for that VIP, he actually did not make any guesses

The Fourth Prince, very good, very good... stabbing | exciting! She stammered her praise

Lin Wuniao is responsible for chopping the ribs today. It was already an excruciating task, each chop requiring immense effort, and now it is even more distracting.

She truly did not know when she had offended the Fourth Prince, who clearly smiled in a harmless manner, gentle and amiable, yet in an instant, everything changed.

I also like you, Fourth Prince, I like you, everyone in our imperial kitchen likes you, you are our deity

This is a very large and lush locust tree, with branches and leaves spreading out, verdant and flourishing, and she lies on the tree, shaking three times whenever a gust of wind passes by

The female kitchen assistants here can be assigned as concubines to the royal family, which is also the aspiration of most female chefs. Once they enter the palace, they might even find a suitable partner.

"Xiao Chang, give her to you as a reward for your meal." He waved his hand casually, "I do not want to see her again"

"Ah, I truly like you, Lin Wuniao!" The Fourth Prince slowly drew out his fan, opening and closing it rhythmically, his eyes like autumn waters, gazing at Lin Wuniao with a tender expression.

The candlelight flickered and danced in his dark eyes, as he stood with his hands behind his back. The candlelight elongated his shadow, which swayed gently. When the first candle flower burst forth, he suddenly turned around, smiling broadly, his mood appearing exceptionally good: "Xiao Chang, I believe that this time during the hunt, we will have a distinguished guest."

Master Manxi endured the pain, gritted his teeth, and tightly embraced the limp Lin Wuniao, holding him closely in his arms