Tan Dunzhi got out of the carriage, but before he could leave, Tan Xiuyue suddenly walked over and said, “Second brother, what are you going to do? Let sister accompany you.”

Lady Wang imperceptibly pursed her lips.

This girl was lovesick and despite such humiliation still wouldn’t give up. Seeing that handsome man accompanying the procession, she was trying every way to get to the front.

She thought this girl was bad luck – last time Dunzhi was kidnapped precisely because he brought her along. Now she wanted to stop her but feared complications. Yet thinking of that beautiful man’s fierce temperament, how he threatened her family’s business, and his apparently unusual relationship with the Crown Princess, an idea suddenly popped into her mind.

If the Crown Princess truly had an improper relationship with that man, then Dunzhi had no hope. Better to have Xiuyue seduce that man. If successful, the Crown Princess might abandon him in anger, and then if Dunzhi approached gently and considerately, perhaps…

Now that she thought about it, although they were being sent back early, traveling together was still an opportunity.

She smiled at Tan Xiuyue, “Girl, are you still thinking about that Master Rong?”

Tan Xiuyue blushed.

Lady Wang laughed, “What good is just following your brother for a look? At least you should let him see your feelings.”

Tan Xiuyue’s shyness concealed some embarrassment.

She still remembered that man’s heartlessness on the day she was kidnapped – his cold cruelty while chatting and laughing.

She comforted herself that it was because he had to save people, just strategy, but it still made her fearful and afraid to act.

Hearing Lady Wang say this now, her girlish thoughts immediately stirred.

She had never seen such a beautiful person in her life, and surely would never see such again.

If she didn’t grasp this opportunity, she would regret it for life.

Lady Wang smiled, “Your brother is a scholar who can personally deliver pastries to the Crown Princess. You’re a clever girl with skillful hands – don’t you know how to be good to men?”

Tan Xiuyue lowered her head for a long time, then said softly, “Does aunt have more good pastries? I didn’t have time to make any during this hasty journey…”

Lady Wang smiled even more deeply, “Naturally I do.”

After a while, during the rest stop, Tan Dunzhi and Tan Xiuyue took servants and maids to deliver pastries to the Crown Princess.

Tan Dunzhi looked at Tan Xiuyue, wanting to speak but stopping, finally saying, “Sister, that Master Rong seems to have an unusual relationship with the Crown Princess. You’d better not…”

This sister was truly blinded by lust, daring to compete with the Crown Princess for a man.

Tan Xiuyue blinked innocently like a naive girl, “What are you saying, second brother? I just want to thank Master Rong for saving my life. Even if the Crown Princess sees, she can’t blame me, right?”

Tan Dunzhi looked at her, thinking: Are you counting on the Crown Princess’s noble status making her too dignified to bicker jealously with you?

He wasn’t close to this sister and couldn’t be bothered to say more.

The two had only just seen the carriage top from afar when guards stopped them. They explained their purpose, and the guards, considering they were the Crown Princess’s relatives, made an exception to report.

Tan Dunzhi stood waiting. Behind him, the servant kept his head down, his gaze sweeping over the surrounding guards, shifting his feet slightly toward the carriage direction. But as soon as his toes moved, guards blocked him: “No unauthorized approach! No random looking around!”

The servant quickly lowered his head.

The guard returned to report. Tie Ci was reading memorials – daily memorials were delivered by special express riders. Hearing this, she only said, “Thank them for me and say I have urgent business and cannot receive visitors.”

As the guard was about to turn around, Murong Yi, who was cracking walnuts outside the carriage window to nourish Tie Ci’s brain, put down his small golden hammer and said, “I’ll go take a look.”

“Don’t bully people.”

“What are you saying? Am I someone who bullies people?”

“Aren’t you?”

“Of course not. Not just any cats and dogs are worthy of my bullying.” Murong Yi smiled, his sparkling eyes sliding over sideways, “The only one I want to bully ruthlessly is you.”

His voice was both sticky and deep. Combined with those slanted peach blossom eyes with hooks hidden in their gaze, one look would make ninety-nine percent of girls weak in the knees.

The guard kept his head down firmly, thinking: This is flirting, right? Flirting? Flirting?

Openly flirting with the Crown Princess!

Brother, your dog’s courage is boundless, your skin thick as city walls. Admirable, admirable.

Tie Ci smiled, threw down her memorial, rolled up her sleeves, and assumed a fighting stance, “Then come on, let’s try!”

“Pfft!” Mu Si walked past with a loud snort of laughter.

Tie Ci felt he must have radar installed, always able to precisely capture moments when Murong Yi was deflated and deliver timely strikes.

Murong Yi smiled, picked up a peeled walnut and stuffed it into her fist, then called to Mu Si, “Ah Si! Take these walnuts to peel and grind – I’m making walnut cream!”

Tie Ci thought Mu Si definitely wouldn’t pay attention to him, but after a while, Mu Si came over with a sour face and took away all the peeled walnuts.

Tie Ci looked at Murong Yi in surprise, very curious how this guy whose authority wasn’t firmly established could make Mu Si both mock heaven and earth while still obey orders.

Murong Yi smiled without explaining.

Not difficult.

Tell him mocking a few times was fine, but disobedience would ruin his image in front of Dan Shuang.

Like telling Dan Shuang about his glorious achievements of being born and immediately peeing in his father’s face, and making mud pies with urine as a child to feed to suitors.

With countless embarrassing stories, Mu Si naturally knew that Murong Yi had as many ways to torment people as to kill them.

There, Mu Si was grinding walnuts with a black face, making rustling sounds.

Murong Yi smiled again.

Hiding merit and fame deeply.

…

Murong Yi walked through the army in good spirits to meet Tan Dunzhi.

Seeing him, Tan Dunzhi stepped back two paces and forced himself to maintain dignity, “My mother asked me to deliver pastries to His Highness. Since you’ve come, please help deliver them.”

Murong Yi was quite satisfied with his sensibility. This person needed tempering – look, one hunting trip, one kidnapping, and that ignorant arrogance was gone. He no longer kept saying “I’m a scholar.”

He accepted the pastries, his gaze sweeping over the servant behind Tan Dunzhi, “This one looks unfamiliar.”

Tan Dunzhi was startled, not expecting him to notice his attendant. “You naturally wouldn’t recognize him – this is my book boy.”

Murong Yi said, “Wasn’t your book boy short and thin? That day of the Crown Princess’s birthday when I left the palace, I saw your book boy helping you into the carriage. Doesn’t seem to be this one.”

Tan Dunzhi was dumbfounded.

On the Crown Princess’s birthday, his book boy wasn’t qualified to enter the palace and could only wait outside the palace gate plaza. The Tan family carriage was parked at the plaza edge that day. It was already dark with countless family carriages picking people up and countless servants and maids waiting – his book boy was completely unremarkable in the crowd. And Murong Yi was reportedly detained by someone talking when he left the palace. Among all those gray, nondescript servants, he must have only glanced over inadvertently, yet he remembered?

And remembered whose family they belonged to and what they were doing?

What kind of amazing perception and memory was this?

Tan Dunzhi suddenly broke out in cold sweat, feeling that this job his mother had taken on seemed rash.

But he couldn’t back down now. He lowered his head, “Yes, that book boy fell ill when leaving the capital and temporarily couldn’t serve, so I changed to this one.”

Murong Yi said, “Is that so?”

Tan Dunzhi didn’t dare raise his head, just hummed in agreement. He felt that under those bright yet calm eyes, everything about him seemed to have nowhere to hide.

Tan Xiuyue impatiently stepped forward, rescuing him from his tension, “Master Rong, this young lady made some pastries and would like you to try them…”

She turned her eyes in what she thought was an enchanting smile, angling her face to show what she considered her most beautiful profile.

But Murong Yi couldn’t see her face because the hairpin on her head was too long, with red rubies and green tourmalines that flashed red and green light so blindingly he had to quickly close his eyes. He needed to recover slowly.

A delicate young lady insisting on plastering three pounds of powder on her face, dropping layers with each step – could these pastries still be edible?

He said, “Sorry, I don’t go by Rong.”

The Tan siblings were stunned.

Hadn’t he always said his surname was Rong?

Murong Yi said expressionlessly, “I don’t want to anymore. Is that not allowed?”

The two were even more confused.

Surnames had willing and unwilling?

Those surnamed Old, Mother, Salt, Sauce – could they change surnames too?

Murong Yi said seriously, “From now on, call me Master Mu.”

The two stupidly said “oh.”

They just… couldn’t follow this person’s logic.

Tan Xiuyue didn’t forget to push her pastries forward. Murong Yi glanced down and said, “You come with me.”

Tan Xiuyue was overjoyed, hardly believing her ears. Seeing Murong Yi had already turned around, she hurried to follow.

They walked all the way to a temporarily erected tent. Murong Yi said, “Wait here,” and entered the tent.

The tent flap was tied up, revealing it was actually a temporary kitchen. Tan Xiuyue stood at the tent entrance holding her plate, seeing steam rising from pots inside. A tall man crouched by the stove removing date pits, others soaking rice, others selecting raisins… bustling with activity.

Then Murong Yi rolled up his sleeves and began personally peeling scalded walnuts.

Tan Xiuyue’s eyes widened slightly, staring at the graceful lines of Murong Yi’s arms visible through the rising steam, thinking he was actually going to cook personally?

Calling her over, then cooking personally – this was… this was making something for her to eat?

Tan Xiuyue was struck by enormous joy, her cheeks warming, her mind dizzy, her eyes burning bright as she stared unblinkingly at Murong Yi cooking personally in the tent.

She planned that since Master Rong… oh no, Master Mu had such noble bearing, he probably wasn’t skilled in kitchen matters. She mustn’t let him hurt himself. If he seemed struggling later, she’d quickly help, both showing consideration for her beloved and displaying her own cooking skills…

But watching longer, she realized her so-called “helping” and “displaying cooking skills” were pure presumption.

Those hands were obviously skilled in cooking with superb technique. All manner of peeling, cutting, grinding, steaming, frying, seasoning… kitchen methods were performed in turn. Seven or eight pots sat on the stove, dozens of ingredients piled on the counter. Master Mu moved among them busy but orderly, swift as wind yet steady as rock. Dish after dish of pastries and delicacies flowed from his hands like water. Pots, bowls, ladles, and pans lightly clinked against each other with rhythmic harmony, like a wonderful performance needing no words.

It wasn’t long before Tan Xiuyue saw plates arranged on the counter: amber walnuts crystal clear like flowing honey, giving off the fresh richness of walnuts and sweet fragrance of honey; walnut cream based on finely ground rice milk, with large plump green raisins and round full pitted red dates, finally adding walnuts for rich intoxicating aroma; sugar-frosted walnuts like frost and snow, revealing hints of walnut’s reddish-brown flesh, mouth-wateringly tempting; palm-sized golden crispy fragrant walnut pastries that obviously melted in the mouth… walnut black sesame paste, walnut goji porridge, salt and pepper walnuts… Tan Xiuyue even saw Murong Yi painstakingly select egg-sized large red dates, carefully split the dense firm date flesh, remove the pits, then stuff in carefully selected whole walnut meat. He opened another pot to make milk skin with sugar, oil and milk, wrapping the date-stuffed walnuts… endless varieties, meticulous care, breathtaking to behold.

At first Tan Xiuyue was delighted, but by the end she was dazed. Could she really see this without paying?

Such grandeur and abundant sentiment – she was almost too happy to bear it.

Watching Murong Yi create over ten varieties from a pile of walnuts, a group of constantly salivating guards took up those plates, while Murong Yi personally carried the milk dates toward Tan Xiuyue.

Tan Xiuyue felt she could barely breathe.

They say gentlemen stay far from kitchens, but what woman doesn’t love her beloved cooking personally for her?

A man who could move like flowing clouds and water even in the kitchen was a true gentleman.

Her gaze uncontrollably fell on that plate of dates. They didn’t look particularly special – just round, snow-white and lovely – but having watched the entire process, she knew what deliciousness this would be. She could imagine that one bite would bring rich sweet creamy milk skin, then tough resilient fragrant date flesh, finally crispy walnut kernels…

She uncontrollably swallowed again.

Murong Yi stopped in front of her. She blushed, reaching out to take the plate, saying shyly, “Young master’s sentiment, this servant truly cannot accept…”

Murong Yi dodged, and Tan Xiuyue grasped air, looking at him in confusion. Murong Yi picked up a milk date and reached toward her. Tan Xiuyue thought he was going to feed her personally, her face turning red, both shy and happy as she slightly opened her mouth…

The milk date waved in front of her, then quickly returned to the plate as Murong Yi walked past her.

Tan Xiuyue stood with her mouth open in bewilderment, forgetting to close it.

Murong Yi looked back, glancing at her pastry plate, saying coolly, “What are you thinking? I called you here to let you see clearly – this is what pastries should be. Your crooked melons and cracked dates – don’t bring them to disgust me anymore.”

Tan Xiuyue stared at him blankly. This person had a beautiful face, an exquisite heart, and a demonic soul – spring breeze smiles with eyes frozen for thousands of miles.

She stood rigid for a while, then lowered her head and began crying.

Her voice grew louder and louder. Murong Yi didn’t look back.

But it alarmed Tie Ci, who pulled open her window for a glance.

Murong Yi happened to walk to her carriage with people carrying pastries, forming a long line behind him – a dazzling array with tantalizing aromas.

Tan Xiuyue glimpsed from the corner of her eye and stiffened.

Only now did she finally clearly confirm that what second brother said was true.

This Master Mu really did have something going on with the Crown Princess!

For a moment her heart felt both resentful and uneasy – the Crown Princess must have seen. Would she be angry? Would she retaliate?

At least she’d be jealous, right?

She tensed her body, watching from the corner of her eye.

Tie Ci glanced over there, accepted the milk dates, and said, “That’s about enough.”

Murong Yi looked at her sideways, “Sour or not?”

Tie Ci raised an eyebrow at him.

Murong Yi deflated, leaning against the carriage, “You don’t even get jealous over me!”

Tie Ci said gently, “Next time you can try flirting with people and see exactly how I get jealous.”

Murong Yi looked at her gracious smile and eight sparkling teeth, feeling that this jealousy would definitely be ferocious.

Better not to taste it.

Tie Ci wasn’t someone who competed for attention. If he wasn’t faithful enough, she would definitely turn and leave.

The Crown Princess could compromise for the common people and the country, but definitely not for men and love.

Tan Xiuyue didn’t receive the Crown Princess’s rebuke.

In fact, Tie Ci even had guards go over to give her some pastries and had her escorted out of her camp area, fulfilling the attitude and responsibility of a busy Crown Princess cousin.

But she didn’t give her the pastries Murong Yi made.

Not competing with these young girls’ thoughts didn’t mean indulging their behavior.

Murong Yi was very satisfied. He knew Eighteen treasured everything he gave her.

Tan Xiuyue was politely escorted away by guards. Turning around, she suddenly understood that she was nothing.

In Crown Princess cousin’s eyes, she wasn’t worthy of being an opponent, not even worthy of making her jealous.

In Master Mu’s eyes, her only use was probably as a stepping stone for flattering his cousin and as a tool to test cousin’s jealousy.

Shame and indignation burned in her chest. She was still young and couldn’t control her emotions well. She walked back with her head down, tears soaking the pastries soft, until she saw her family members and barely held back her sobs.

But aunt still came up asking, “Did everything go smoothly?”

Tan Xiuyue couldn’t hold back anymore. Her young lady’s temper flared as she flung her hand away, saying with a crying voice, “It’s all aunt’s terrible ideas!”

Pastries scattered on the ground as she ran away crying.

Lady Wang pursed her lips.

Really a shameless girl.

Failed at seduction and humiliated herself, yet still had the face to throw tantrums at her elder.

But indeed useless. Forget undermining – she couldn’t even make the Crown Princess jealous or petulant.

Tan Dunzhi had already returned earlier, saying he couldn’t even get near the Crown Princess’s carriage. Lady Wang cursed silently for a long time.

Really putting on airs!

Her own relatives!

She turned around angrily and was startled to see her son standing behind her.

Tan Dunzhi looked at the fake book boy, who was secretly peering toward the front.

“Mother, I always feel something’s wrong,” he said. “A noble family like the Qis – if they really had a branch wanting to return to Xizhou, they could surely find a way. Why demean themselves as servants to follow us?”

“Isn’t it because they want to curry favor with our family?”

Tan Dunzhi had never felt shame hearing this before, but now felt somewhat ashamed, “What does our family have worth the Qis currying favor with? Besides, why does this person keep looking toward the Crown Princess’s carriage…”

“So son, you’re right. Why would they willingly become servants to sneak in? They probably want to curry favor with the Crown Princess.”

“If they want to curry favor, let them do it themselves. We shouldn’t get involved.” Tan Dunzhi remembered Murong Yi’s dark, deep eyes and felt chilled, “Let him go.”

Lady Wang said angrily, “His family’s gifts have already been used by your father. If you can return them, I’ll let him go!”

Tan Dunzhi was helpless.

“Don’t be discouraged. During this period, you should go to your cousin more often. Here, I have a list of the Crown Princess’s daily routine and preferences from Noble Consort Jing. She gets up at dawn to run every day, so maybe you could also…”

Suddenly there was commotion ahead with rolling dust clouds. Lady Wang felt uneasy and sent a servant to inquire. The fake servant immediately volunteered to go.

Soon he returned with an ugly expression, “The Crown Princess has taken some guards and the young masters, left the main guard army, and struck camp to depart first!”

Lady Wang: “…”