Shen Wei was momentarily stunned, pointing at her nose: "The Princess Consort wants me to go over?"
Granny Liu smiled insincerely: "Of course, please come with me, Lady Shen."
Reluctantly, Shen Wei had no choice but to leave Cai Lian behind at the pavilion to watch over the fishing gear while she took Cai Ping with her to the Princess Consort's courtyard.
As she walked, Shen Wei's mind raced. The Princess Consort was holding a meeting, and as a mere concubine, she didn't even have the right to sit at the table.
Being suddenly summoned like this probably didn't bode well.
When she arrived at the main hall of Kunyu Courtyard, Shen Wei saw the Princess Consort seated in the main seat, with Concubine Liu, Concubine Zhang, and Concubine Liu sitting below.
Shen Wei maintained her composure and politely bowed to the Princess Consort and the three concubines.
The Princess Consort, sitting high on her seat, looked slightly weary: "Lady Shen, the Prince is going to Dongshan for a hunting trip the day after tomorrow. Would you be willing to accompany and serve him?"
Shen Wei was taken aback.
She thought it would be something terrifying, but it turned out to be just accompanying the boss on a business trip?
Before Shen Wei could answer, Concubine Zhang Miaoyu, sitting to the side, couldn't help but interject: "Shen Wei, Dongshan is full of fierce beasts—tigers, wolves, they're all very dangerous! Last year, the Prince took a concubine with him to Dongshan, and when a tiger attacked the camp, that concubine was so frightened she died on the spot."
Concubine Zhang Miaoyu was genuinely concerned.
Hunting was dangerous, and Shen Wei, a delicate woman with no strength to defend herself, might not survive if something went wrong.
"Shen Wei cares deeply for the Prince, so she will surely be willing to accompany him," Concubine Liu Qiao'er said coolly.
Shen Wei's rosy lips curved slightly as she replied to the Princess Consort: "Your Highness, I am willing to accompany the Prince to Dongshan for the hunt."
The Princess Consort breathed a sigh of relief and said lightly: "Then it's settled. Go back and prepare well."
Shen Wei bowed again and left Kunyu Courtyard.
On the way back to the lotus pond pavilion, Cai Ping, who had been holding back her words, finally spoke up: "My lady, this Dongshan hunting trip is too dangerous! The Prince goes to Dongshan every year, and it seems like bad luck always follows him—there's always some kind of danger."
Shen Wei stopped in her tracks and asked curiously: "How dangerous is it?"
Cai Ping nodded vigorously, chattering away: "Five years ago, the Prince's camp almost caught fire. Four years ago, his horse suddenly went mad. Three years ago, a pack of wolves attacked the camp. Two years ago, the Prince ate poisonous mushrooms and suffered from severe diarrhea. Last year, a tiger attacked the camp. Dongshan hunting is a tradition of the Qing royal family, and if the Prince doesn't go, it will cause controversy."
Shen Wei asked: "Is it only the Prince who faces danger?"
Cai Ping: "It seems so..."
Alarm bells immediately went off in Shen Wei's mind.
One accident could be considered a coincidence, but four or five accidents in a row? That was deliberate.
Prince Yan was Shen Wei's biggest financial support, her stepping stone to a comfortable retirement. If Prince Yan were to die during the Dongshan hunt, all of Shen Wei's plans would fall apart!
Cai Ping continued to plead: "My lady, why don't we beg the Princess Consort for forgiveness? Tell her you're sick and can't accompany the Prince?"
Shen Wei shook her head firmly: "No, I must go."
In Shen Wei's mind, the Prince's mansion was like a big company, with Prince Yan as the boss and Shen Wei as an employee. If the boss died, how could the company continue? How would she, the employee, get her salary?
Shen Wei also felt a slight pang of resentment. The Princess Consort and the three concubines hadn't even noticed the danger Prince Yan was in!
If Prince Yan died, how miserable would the lives of the women in the mansion become? Had they not thought of that?
With a heart full of worries, Shen Wei returned to the lotus pond to continue fishing.
Her persistence paid off, and Shen Wei was lucky enough to catch a lively, flapping big fish in the pond.
Since the Prince didn't like spicy food, Shen Wei had the cook divide the fish into two portions. One half was made into a non-spicy pickled fish dish, while the other half was made into the spicy boiled fish that Shen Wei loved.
For the pickled fish, half of the fish was sliced thinly, marinated with starch, pepper, and salt for a while. The pan was heated with oil, and aged pickled cabbage was stir-fried before hot water was added to boil. The fish slices were then added and cooked briefly. Once done, the dish was placed in a large bowl and topped with a layer of hot oil.
As for the spicy boiled fish Shen Wei loved, the process was similar, but with the addition of plenty of chili peppers to enhance the dish's spicy flavor.
In addition to the two fish dishes, Shen Wei also prepared a light and refreshing vegetable soup. The vegetables were even grown by Prince Yan himself.
The summer heat was intense, and eating fish and drinking soup would make one sweat, so Shen Wei had also prepared chilled plum juice in advance—cooling, thirst-quenching, and refreshing.
When everything was ready, Prince Yan arrived at Liuli Pavilion.
After finishing his official duties, Prince Yan was famished. Returning to the mansion, he was greeted by the enticing aroma of food and the sight of a beautiful woman waiting under the eaves...
All his fatigue melted away.
He had grown accustomed to the cold and lonely atmosphere of the mansion, but now, it finally had the warmth and liveliness of an ordinary household.
"Your Highness, wipe your face and have your meal. I spent the whole day fishing and finally caught a big fish," Shen Wei said as she wrung out a towel, stood on her tiptoes to wipe the sweat from Prince Yan's forehead, and then led him to the dining table.
Prince Yan held Shen Wei's hand: "You caught this fish yourself?"
Shen Wei smiled sweetly, her tone both proud and innocent: "If Your Highness wants to eat fish, of course I have to catch it myself!"
A top-performing employee always knows how to showcase their hard work in front of the boss, making sure their efforts are noticed.
Dedication shouldn't go unnoticed.
Dedication must be loudly proclaimed.
Even though Shen Wei had spent the afternoon napping contentedly by the pond, she would still exaggerate it as "working all day."
No boss dislikes a hardworking employee, and no prince dislikes a concubine who serves him wholeheartedly.
Seeing the beautifully presented pickled fish, Prince Yan's appetite was whetted, and he nearly finished the entire plate.
After the meal, Prince Yan and Shen Wei strolled in the cool evening breeze, and Shen Wei mentioned her desire to accompany him to Dongshan.
Prince Yan led Shen Wei into the waterside pavilion and spoke earnestly: "Dongshan is full of wild beasts. You're a delicate woman—it's too dangerous for you to go."
The Dongshan hunt would last three full days.
With wolves, wild boars, and even tigers roaming the area, Prince Yan didn't want Shen Wei to risk her life.
"With Your Highness by my side, I fear nothing," Shen Wei said softly, waving her small fan, her bright eyes filled with trust in Prince Yan.
Prince Yan's elite guards were all formidable. What could possibly happen to her?
She just didn't trust the boss to go on a business trip alone, fearing he might die out there and leave her without her financial support.
Prince Yan sighed deeply, wrapping his arm around Shen Wei's slender waist as they sat on the large daybed in the pavilion. "If that's the case, don't wander off once we're at Dongshan," he said.
Shen Wei nodded obediently.
After eating, drinking, strolling, and chatting, it was only natural to start the evening's new activities. Both Prince Yan and Shen Wei were still young, and their passion ignited like thunder and fire, lasting for a long time before they finally fell asleep.
The next day, Prince Yan left refreshed and energetic, while Shen Wei leisurely got up, had her meal, and went for a jog to exercise.
In the past, morning runs would leave her gasping for breath, but now Shen Wei could run three laps around Liuli Pavilion without breaking a sweat, feeling full of energy and stronger than ever.
After quenching her thirst with a sip of mint tea, she instructed Cai Lian and Cai Ping to prepare for the trip to Dongshan.
The journey would last three days. With the long travel and the wilderness, they needed to pack thoroughly.
Shen Wei calmly assigned tasks to the maids and eunuchs: "Cai Lian, you'll accompany me to Dongshan. Bring all the ingredients for making chilled cakes and ice jelly. Nanny Rong and Cai Ping, stay at Liuli Pavilion and make sure the daily cleaning, inspections, and gardening are done. Ji Xiang and De Shun, clean out the second floor of Liuli Pavilion and set up the furniture."
