Yuan Qingling actually did not really want to come out for this meal. She had good reason not to come – she could say her wounds were hurting, or that she needed to eat special food for her health. But remembering what Granny Xi said, she also really wanted to observe Consort Ji again to see if she was a two-faced or multi-faced person.
When Yuwen Hao saw her arrive, his expression seemed even worse than yesterday. He couldn't help but frown, "Have you taken your medicine?"
"I've had it," Yuan Qingling replied. However, she had taken her own medicine, not the ones prescribed by the imperial doctor. She took one sip of those and found an excuse to pour the rest away.
"It would be better if you really drank it. If I find out later you poured it away in secret, you'll be in trouble," Yuwen Hao said in a low voice, threatening her.
Yuan Qingling shrank her neck back. "I wouldn't dare."
He was genuinely threatening her, and Yuan Qingling also felt genuinely guilty, but to Chu Mingcui's ears, it sounded like playful lovers' banter.
After they were seated, Yuwen Hao was on her left side, Chu Mingcui on her right next to Prince Qi, followed by Consort Ji, Prince Ji, and Prince Sun.
The servants came in to serve the meal, but Prince Sun waved his hand and said, "Today us brothers are gathering, no need to be served. You can all leave."
Having the servants serve was so slow, and they couldn't guess preferences. It was better to just take what you wanted to eat yourself.
In modern times, Yuan Qingling was an educated person who understood proper table manners. She would never sweep the table clean like Prince Sun. She thought of herself as someone who ate very properly.
However, when she saw how Chu Mingcui and Consort Ji ate, she realized how crude she was.
She saw that Chu Mingcui's mouth was slightly open, revealing two pearly white teeth. Her chopsticks picked up about...Yuan Qingling counted...five grains of rice, and put that small mouthful into her mouth. She closed her lips and slowly chewed a few times, then slowly swallowed it down her throat. The action was extremely elegant, especially when the rice slid down her throat, her neck stretched out slightly, and you could see her throat move a little. It was graceful and beautiful.
As for eating dishes, she basically didn't eat meat, only eating stir-fried lotus root slices and small mushrooms. She lightly picked up a slice of lotus root, and gently bit off about...Yuan Qingling estimated...one centimeter. Her biting action was also extremely elegant. Her teeth clicked together almost soundlessly, and she continued chewing lightly with closed lips and swallowed.
Consort Ji ate in the same manner.
Yuan Qingling felt complicated as she looked at the piece of wanfu pork in her bowl.
It was just a piece of fatty pork belly, full of fat. She felt that only biting off one centimeter could not allow her to experience the pork's elasticity and stickiness. She had to put the whole piece in her mouth to let the oil explode in her mouth, leaving fragrance between her teeth and cheeks. That was the highest realm of eating in her opinion.
She had not carefully studied the eating manners of women in this time period, which was very unfortunate.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do. She could only reluctantly give her piece of wanfu pork to Yuwen Hao, saying, "Too fatty, I can't eat it. I'll just have some vegetables."
Without thinking, Yuwen Hao picked it up with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth. Then he picked out a slightly leaner piece for her and said, "This piece is good."
Although they had been bickering these days, they had also become used to each other's presence and developed some tacit understanding. So for these two, this was just ordinary behavior.
But in Chu Mingcui's eyes, it was like shocking, awful news.
Even between her and Prince Qi, who appeared to have a loving marriage to outsiders, he would not eat from her unfinished plate.
Didn't Elder Brother Hao hate Yuan Qingling to the extreme? When did they become so intimate?
No, this can't be. He said he would help her.
Overcome by grief and indignation, Chu Mingcui did not think. She grabbed her chest and fainted.
Prince Qi caught her with one hand, crying out in alarm, "Cui'er, Cui'er, what's wrong with you?"
Yuan Qingling put down her chopsticks and quickly walked over, directing, "Hurry and carry her to the inner room, have her lie down flat. Did she have any illnesses before? Has she taken any medicine recently?"
This was purely a doctor's instinct.
Prince Qi carried her, panicking, "No illness! She was fine, and didn't take any medicine. Medicine...that's right, she did take the tonic prescribed by the imperial doctor to help conceive a child."
Upon hearing this, Consort Ji could not conceal the smile in her eyes. She said, "Could it be false pregnancy?"
Prince Qi ah-ed in surprise. "You can have false pregnancy?"
He looked at Yuan Qingling. "Then, Fifth Sister-in-Law, please go help."
Yuwen Hao grabbed Yuan Qingling's arm and said, "Carry her to the inner room first. The manor has imperial doctors who can be called over later."
"Alright!" Prince Qi carried Chu Mingcui and walked out, led by her head maid.
Everyone sat back down, but had lost their appetites, except for Prince Sun.
Consort Ji laughed. "I didn't expect that they were in such a hurry even though they've been married less than a year."
Prince Sun continued eating and said, "How could they not be in a hurry? Now us brothers don't even have one son yet."
Consort Ji gave an embarrassed laugh. "Then Second Brother will have to work harder."
"I will. Eldest Brother should work harder too." Prince Sun glanced at Prince Ji while eating. "Eldest Brother is anxious, right?"
Prince Ji had just picked up his chopsticks, but slowly put them down upon hearing this. He sternly said, "If you have any issues with me, say it directly. There's no need for snide remarks. I don't recall having offended you."
"No issues," Prince Sun looked up in surprise. "I've always spoken like this. When have I made snide remarks? Everyone is anxious to have a son. I'm anxious too. I was just saying it in passing. Why is Eldest Brother getting so worked up over it?"
Prince Ji harrumphed. "No meeting of minds here. Let's go!" He pulled Consort Ji up.
Consort Ji apologetically said to Yuan Qingling, "Then we'll take our leave first."
Yuan Qingling bowed in farewell. "Have a safe trip."
The brothers' gathering ended unhappily, but Yuan Qingling was very happy. At least she could eat more freely this meal.
She sat down and said to Prince Sun, "Since they're not eating, we should eat more and not waste the food. These are all fresh dishes and meat."
"I'm actually full, but there's so much good food and ingredients here, meticulously prepared by the imperial chefs. It would be a waste not to eat more."
However, Yuwen Hao did not eat. He just sat there, seeming lost in thought.
Yuan Qingling assumed he was worried about Chu Mingcui, and said, "She's fine."
Chu Mingcui had pretended to faint. Just now when she stood up to ask, Yuan Qingling saw that Chu Mingcui's eyelashes were fluttering and her breathing was smooth. Her face was flushed red rather than pale or livid. Clearly she had just been momentarily angered.
But she didn't understand why Chu Mingcui had become so angry all of a sudden. Everyone had been eating at the time. What was she mad about?
Yuwen Hao glanced at her and said flatly, "Jumping to conclusions."
He wasn't thinking about Chu Mingcui. He also immediately saw that Chu Mingcui was pretending to faint.
He found it strange that Eldest Brother had reacted so indignantly over Second Brother's simple remark. Also, Consort Ji's expression seemed to become unnatural in an instant as well.
Second Brother's speech had always been sarcastic. Even more severe things in the past did not elicit such anger. Why was he so angry today?
If it was because he still did not have a son, many of the princes did not have sons, not just him alone.
However, come to think of it, Eldest Brother currently only had one consort. Originally there had been two consorts in his residence, but one died suddenly of illness. After that he did not take another, and even sent away all the beautiful concubines in the manor.
Currently he only had two daughters, both nearing ten years old.
Neither Consort Ji nor that other consort had conceived. And he did not take any more concubines.
