Chapter 8

  Old Lady Xia glanced at her again and said, "Don't be too happy yet, I think these two maids are not easy to deal with. After this matter is over, if she is chosen, it will be very good. If she is not chosen, you can still control her in the future. Even if you don't like them, you have to tolerate them for now and not provoke them unnecessarily."

  Li could only nod and respond with a few words.

  Xia Lian sat quietly on the side, listening with a secretly delighted heart. She knew about this matter. A few days ago, news came from the palace that they were going to select eight matching characters for the Crown Prince Baili Rongjin's marriage, and the Empress Dowager decreed that officials of the fifth rank or higher must report at least one eligible daughter's birthdate and eight characters to the palace.

  This Baili Yongzheng was a premature baby, suffering from insufficiency syndrome, with a weak body. He had taken many famous and expensive medicines but to no avail. Now he is already twenty years old and still unmarried.

  It is said that in the past six months, his body has become increasingly weak. The Queen of Jing was anxious and had no other way out, so she came up with a plan to marry her son off to boost his health.

  Although he is the son of King Jing, his identity is noble. However, since ancient times, most people who are born with a deficiency do not live beyond twenty years old. Which high-ranking official's wife would be willing to marry their legitimate daughter to someone who will soon die from illness? And as for daughters from lower-ranking officials or merchant families, Queen Jing feels they are not worthy of her son.

  So the one who wanted to marry wouldn't agree, and the one who wanted to be married wouldn't accept. Princess Jing had no choice but to seek help from her elder sister, the current Empress Dowager.

  The empress was heartbroken for her own sister and nephew, so she asked the emperor for a favor, issuing an edict that all officials of rank 5A or higher must report at least one daughter's birthdate to the palace for selection.

  It just so happened that the Xia family had only one daughter of the right age, and Mrs. Li was a thousand times unwilling to have her own daughter chosen to marry the sickly Crown Prince of Jing. After being anxious for several days, she finally came up with a plan to substitute peach with plum, reporting Xialing's birthdate to the palace, letting her take Xia Lian's place in the selection.

  Xia Lian finally heard her grandmother agree to her mother's request, not letting her participate in the selection. Her eyebrows and eyes were filled with joy, finally getting rid of the possible fate of marrying a sickly husband. As for Xia Ting, it could only be said that she was unlucky. However, having the opportunity to ward off disaster for herself was also considered her good fortune.

  On the side, Xia Rong also secretly rejoiced in her heart: That King Jing's son is so seriously ill, if Xia Ting really gets chosen to marry him, she'll probably become a widow soon. Heaven bless, hopefully she really will get chosen. Who let her be born as a beautiful concubine daughter, maybe one day she'll even steal her husband. Now that there's such a good opportunity to get rid of her, how can she not make her heart move.

  Xia Ting Cong still didn't know that she had been targeted, and returned to Li Yuan with her mother and younger brother, just in time for dinner.

  She personally came to the kitchen, planning to cook a few dishes with her own hands to take good care of her mother and brother.

  After carefully examining the ingredients delivered today, I have a plan in mind. First, select a plump and beautiful carp, cut off its head and tail, debone the fish body, and chop the fish meat into small pieces for later use.

  Then ignite the fire, put the fish head and tail into the pot, add tofu, scallions, and ginger shreds, and simmer into a milky white fresh soup. Then pour the well-washed glutinous rice into the casserole, add water, boil over high heat, then adjust to low heat and simmer slowly, and put the cut fish meat particles together with ginger shreds into the porridge. Before long, the fragrance of fish wafted out from the pot in waves.

  The fish head tofu soup and crucian carp glutinous rice porridge are done.

  She then thought of her brother at home who loved beef, and her mother had always liked light flavors. Xia Tingjing then made another dish of tender and delicious stir-fried beef slices, along with a few plates of crispy and refreshing vegetarian dishes. Only then did she satisfactorily instruct the maids to serve the dishes.

  Just as he returned to the hall from the kitchen, an "uninvited guest" arrived at the door, who was none other than Xia Ting's cheap father, Old Man Xia.

  Shui Shi couldn't help but feel delighted when she saw Old Master Xia arrive, and hastily bowed to him as soon as he entered the door. Old Master Xia quickly walked a few steps forward and helped Shui Shi up, saying "Lan'er, get up quickly, you've suffered for many years."

  Xia Ting looked at the warm scene unfolding in front of her, and coldly curled up the corner of her mouth. At this moment, she knew that her mother had suffered, why did she go so early.

  Xia Lao Ye put his arm around Shui Shi and sat down beside the round table, then looked at his own two children again. Xia Zi Yun opened her big round eyes, with a hint of curiosity, sizing up her father, whom she hadn't seen since she was seven years old, so it was quite normal that she didn't recognize him very well.

  The son's words made Old Man Xia suddenly feel guilty. He looked at his daughter, who was only gesturing to the maid to serve the dishes, and hadn't even given him a proper glance.

  "Xia Lao Ye knew he was in the wrong, so he softened his voice and said, 'Ning Er, Yun Er, you've just returned. Father has already instructed the steward to go to the Cloud Robe Pavilion to have some clothes made for you.' After finishing speaking, he waved his hand, indicating that the long-serving attendant standing outside with something in his hands should come in."

  Then he turned his head and said to Shui Shi, "Lan'er, I also had someone make two sets of clothes for you, and made a few more pieces of jewelry."

  Mr. Shi was overjoyed, his eyes shining like water "Thank you, sir" Old Master Xia suddenly felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He looked at Xia Ting and Xia Ziyun with great affection "Ting'er, Yun'er, do you like it?" The long-serving attendant carried the thing a few steps forward again.

  Xia Ting Cong originally didn't want to bother with this cheap father, but when she saw her mother's gaze and received her brother's inquiring glance, she could only sigh helplessly in her heart and finally nodded to indicate that her brother could accept the gift.

  Xia Zi Yun saw her sister nod in agreement, and then hesitantly responded to Xia Lao Ye with a sentence "Yun'er likes it very much, thank you Father". As soon as he heard this sentence, Xia Lao Ye immediately felt greatly relieved.

  Mr. Shui was very perceptive and saw that his daughter's face didn't look good, so he timely interjected "Sir, let's have dinner"

  Xia Lao Ye only then saw a table of exquisite dishes, the enticing aroma wafting up to his nose, making him unable to help but move his chopsticks.

  Xia Ting didn't even bother to greet her cheap father, but personally served a bowl of carp porridge to her mother and brother. She handed a bowl to her brother's face "Come on, Yun'er, try some"

  Xia Ziyun's bright eyes gazed at the porridge in the bowl, with thick and full glutinous rice grains mixed with small pieces of fish meat, and some chopped scallions sprinkled on top. He sniffed his nose, so fragrant! Indeed, his sister was still the best to him.

  Delighted, she picked up her spoon and took a mouthful, the flavors melting instantly, the fish tender and smooth. It was so delicious that Xia Zi Yun narrowed his eyes, hmm, sister's cooking is always so good.

  Xia Ting watched her brother eating with relish, and knew he liked it. She added some beef and vegetables for him, and only then was she satisfied to start eating herself.

  On the other side, Old Man Xia, under the service of Shui's family, had tasted several dishes in a row, all of which were so delicious that he almost swallowed his tongue. He couldn't help but ask, "Which chef made this?"

  The chef in Xiafu's house still knew that he couldn't make such delicious and exquisite dishes. It was very likely that the chef brought by Lan from Yixing City.

  Shui smiled and said, "Sir, these were all made by Ning'er."

  Old Master Xia was extremely surprised, he really didn't expect that his own daughter would have such skills.

  It's no wonder that Xia Ting has been keeping her distance from Old Master Xia since she crossed over. In Yixing City, Shui Shi often accompanied Old Master Xia to have meals in the main hall.

  She didn't like it and was too lazy to go, and her younger brother Xia Zi Yun stuck to her tightly. Xia Ting told her mother that she would only have dinner with her brother in her own room, and Shui Shi couldn't persuade her otherwise, so she had no choice but to agree.

  So in the past few years, only Xia Zi Yun knew that Xia Ting Cong was good at cooking. Later, when Old Master Xia returned to Kyoto, Xia Ting Cong began to accompany Shui Shi with her brother. Therefore, from start to finish, Old Master Xia never knew that his daughter was skilled in cooking.

  Shui smiled as he ladled the soup into a bowl and said, "Ning'er is the most filial, loves to study these dishes. Every day, she makes different kinds of food for me and Yun'er to eat, saying that she wants to nourish our bodies well. Old Master, please try this soup."

  Mr. Xia looked at the soup placed in front of him by Mrs. Shui, with a milky white broth floating with chopped scallions and emitting waves of fish fragrance. He picked up the bowl and took a sip, the fresh, sweet and rich soup slid down his throat, making one involuntarily exclaim that it was really delicious.

  Xia Lao Ye finished a bowl of fish soup in two or three gulps, nodded his head in satisfaction and looked at Xia Ting Cong "Ting Cong's dishes are indeed delicious, Father is very satisfied."

  Xia Ting Cong's eyes narrowed slightly, revealing her displeasure. She casually replied, "I specifically made it for Mother and Brother to eat."

  The implication is: stop flattering yourself, I'm not doing it specifically for you, what's there to be so pleased about.

  Xia Lao Ye was stabbed to the point of embarrassment, and had no choice but to eat the dishes that Shui Shi had served him with a humiliated expression. In his heart, he muttered: Lan Er is so gentle and lovely, whose temperament does this Ning Er resemble?

  Xia Ting didn't bother to care what was on his mind. After finishing a meal, Old Master Xia sat and drank tea for a while before returning to the Qinghua Hall.