Evening.
Jiang Mianmian woke up from her afternoon nap.
Wearing a thin cotton robe, she felt too hot to wear socks. Grandma massaged the soles of her feet before putting socks on her.
After waking up, she would have a light snack.
Since Grandma had arrived, Jiang Mianmian had at least five meals a day.
Three main meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with snacks before lunch and dinner.
It was very much like kindergarten.
Jiang Mianmian felt plump, certainly not a skinny child.
She was quite sturdy.
She liked to eat and drink under the tree, where it was cooler.
Grandma carried her out, and to her surprise, she found that Eunuch Duan was still at her home.
He hadn't left yet.
Eunuch Duan was setting the table.
He had made a trip back to the County Government Office and learned that Heir Apparent Han had left before dawn...
Heir Apparent Han had truly left without any hesitation.
He had abandoned both the Meng Young General and Eunuch Duan, taking only a woman who was caring for a child.
Eunuch Duan had just gone out, traveling for so long.
He barely had time to sit down.
He hadn't even had enough tea.
He had found a set of tea utensils at the County Government Office and eagerly returned to the Jiang family in Kan'er Village.
Now, he was preparing to brew a pot of tea for the little mistress who had just woken up from her afternoon rest.
The Meng Young General hadn't left either; he wasn't in a hurry.
Jiang Mianmian had creases on one side of her face from sleeping and was still yawning.
Afternoon naps shouldn't be too long. Sleeping too much doesn't relieve fatigue, but instead makes one more tired and unable to sleep at night.
Jiang Mianmian ate some snacks and sipped some milk tea.
It was just boiled tea mixed with boiled milk, which had a unique flavor.
Grandma had gone to teach her elder sister.
Jiang Mianmian sat on a small chair, playing with Jiang Xiaoshu.
Next to her sat Eunuch Duan, seriously brewing tea.
Eunuch Duan had just learned the art of gongfu tea yesterday.
Today, he was back to making milk tea.
He carefully controlled the heat, watching the milk bubble and listening to the intertwining aromas of milk and tea, which created a unique flavor.
He took a small sip himself and found it indeed excellent.
If the Emperor liked gongfu tea, then surely the ladies in the imperial harem would all love this milk tea.
Eunuch Duan watched the little girl beside him, seriously playing with a thumb-sized ant. He dared not touch it or say anything about it.
This must be the "good friend" the little girl had mentioned, the one she had put on the heir apparent's face.
They did seem to have a good relationship.
But who could tell him what species this was, and where to find such large ants?
This ant must have achieved spiritual cultivation.
However, the greatest survival skill Eunuch Duan had learned in his life was to not be curious or talkative. Even if surprised, he didn't ask questions.
He just quietly refilled the tea.
He worked hard to study the ratio of tea to milk.
Which ratio tasted the best?
Adding a little sugar or a little salt seemed to create different flavors.
Jiang Mianmian tasted each small sip along with him, and gradually they approached a taste close to modern bubble milk tea. She couldn't help but give Eunuch Duan a thumbs up.
He was truly talented.
Eunuch Duan was encouraged by the little girl's upturned thumb.
He felt he had received great affirmation.
He was very happy.
The little mistress was really interesting. Grandma said she was too lazy, sometimes even too lazy to speak, using gestures to express things, yet people could understand at a glance.
Jiang Mianmian drank the milk tea, thinking that if there were some fried chicken cutlets or braised chicken feet, it would be perfect.
Unfortunately, her teeth were still not strong enough, and she didn't dare eat too many sweets, fearing cavities. If she got cavities before losing her baby teeth, without painkillers in this era, it would surely be unbearable.
It was said that people in ancient times had shorter lifespans, which was also closely related to poor dental health.
She must protect her teeth well.
Jiang Mianmian chatted casually with Eunuch Duan.
"Eunuch, have you seen an uncle in the palace with a messy face who sings very well? His surname is Yan."
Eunuch Duan thought to himself, here it comes. He hadn't expected the first person in the family to ask about Lord Yan would be this little mistress.
Lord Yan's face wasn't messy at all. Although not as handsome as your father, he was quite ethereal, suitable for both men and women. When he started singing, it would shock everyone present.
However, remembering Lord Yan's instructions, Eunuch Duan shook his head and said, "There are too many people serving in the palace, how could I know them all? When I go back, I'll help you inquire about it."
Jiang Mianmian nodded. Indeed, there were more servants than masters in the palace. If her godfather hadn't made a name for himself, it would indeed be difficult to find him.
"Eunuch Duan, if you see a eunuch surnamed Yan when you return to the palace, please tell him that his family is well, conditions are better than before, and if he's not happy working outside, he can come home anytime."
Eunuch Duan listened to these words while lowering his head to prepare the tea. His eyes suddenly turned red.
People like them, who had been cut off from their roots, where was their home?
They struggled in life and were adrift after death.
He nodded.
Jiang Mianmian leaned back in her small chair, stretching out her little feet, using a reed as a straw to drink milk tea from the bamboo cup.
She hadn't seen her parents, elder brother, or Brother Meng all day.
Jiang Mianmian asked curiously, "Eunuch Duan, do you know where my parents and the others went?"
Eunuch Duan cautiously replied, "I believe Commander Jiang went to train troops."
Jiang Mianmian nodded. She understood this - it was a training exercise.
There shouldn't be any danger.
"Eunuch Duan, is the imperial palace very big? Are there many beautiful women there? What kind of clothes do they wear? Are they long? Is it easy to walk? Do their shoes have heels? How skilled are the imperial doctors? Can they perform brain surgery?"
Eunuch Duan: ...
There were too many questions.
He didn't know how to answer.
"The imperial palace is very large. There are many beautiful women. They usually wear robes and dresses, which are quite luxurious. Except for formal ceremonies when they wear floor-length garments, normally the clothes reach just above the feet. The shoes are flat-soled, though if a mistress is petite, the soles might be thicker. The imperial doctors are naturally extremely skilled, but they wouldn't casually perform brain surgery. Opening skulls is the job of coroners."
Eunuch Duan answered word by word.
Then he heard the little girl ask, "What delicious food is there in the imperial palace?"
Eunuch Duan racked his brains and listed a bunch of dish names.
He thought to himself that actually, nothing was as delicious as the food in her home.
But seeing the little one's eyes sparkling, he didn't have the heart to disappoint her.
"Ah, if only I could have the chance to eat palace cuisine in the future, that would be something to boast about for a lifetime," Jiang Mianmian mused.
Eunuch Duan: ...
Suddenly, little Mianmian sat up and said, "Mom and Dad are back."
Eunuch Duan looked around but didn't hear any sound.
After a while, sure enough, a group of people arrived on horseback.
Jiang Mianmian noticed that her father and mother were riding the same horse.
Her father was in her mother's arms, which didn't look out of place at all.
Her father's sleeve was torn.
Jiang Mianmian jumped down from her small chair and ran to greet them.
Eunuch Duan hurriedly followed behind.
He didn't dare to catch up completely, just staying close enough to prevent her from falling.
When they got close, Eunuch Duan noticed that Commander Jiang's sleeve was torn, as if pierced by an arrow. His heart skipped a beat. Who would dare to do such a thing in Ming County? It couldn't be Heir Apparent Han, could it?
Heir Apparent Han had left early in the morning, reportedly before dawn.
"Daddy, hug me! Daddy, your sleeve is torn. Are you hurt?" Jiang Mianmian ran to her father, clinging to his leg and looking up to ask.
"It's nothing, just an accident," Jiang Changtian picked up his little daughter in one swift motion, proving he wasn't injured.
He kissed his daughter's cheek.
Jiang Feng explained to Eunuch Duan standing nearby, "During the exercise, we encountered a group of rebels impersonating the Seventh Prince. It was a minor issue, we've resolved it all. Eunuch Duan, don't worry, it's very safe here with us around."
...
