After that day.

Wen Xian and Zhao Huai called a truce. The two of them received orders to secretly protect Ji Yunshu, staying by her side constantly.

Ever since that night when the two of them drank together, their relationship had improved considerably. They no longer clamored about fighting and killing each other. Their sole mission was to keep Ji Yunshu safe.

However, Ji Yunshu didn’t need their protection at all—she had plenty of martial arts masters around her.

During this period, after Wen Jian was sent to the capital, Jingrong left everything to fate and enjoyed a very leisurely time. What did he use this time for?

Of course, to play all sorts of tricks and try various things!

After all, he had nothing better to do anyway.

Recently, Jingrong had become passionate about cooking. This day, before dawn had even broken, he ran to the kitchen and dragged the chef who usually prepared meals to teach him.

The chef was completely shocked!

“Your Highness, you have a noble status. This kind of rough work should be left to us.”

“Just consider this prince as your apprentice. Don’t worry about status—you teach well, and this prince will learn well.”

“Apprentice?” The chef’s voice trembled as he quickly waved his hands. “Your Highness, please spare this humble one. I’m timid and can’t handle such frights.”

“Are you going to teach or not?” Jingrong shot him a glare.

This person was even more long-winded than the monks in the temple—truly annoying.

The chef, receiving this blatant intimidation, firmly stated one word: “Teach.”

Jingrong nodded with satisfaction!

Thus, the chef began teaching him hand-by-hand, trembling all the while.

Jingrong learned very earnestly, following his master’s instructions precisely and in proper form.

“First wait for the oil to smoke.”

Wait!

“Add one spoonful of salt.”

Add!

“Add half a spoonful of sugar.”

Add!

“Put the meat in, quick, quick, quick.”

Put!

…

“Take it out of the wok.”

Alright!

The stir-fried pork with chili peppers was done.

As a result, before he knew it, he had made an entire table full of dishes.

Unfortunately, their appearance was extremely poor—black things were black, burnt things were burnt, wilted things were wilted.

Things that should be cooked weren’t cooked!

Things that shouldn’t be thoroughly cooked were cooked through completely.

In short, it was a disaster scene on the table.

And not a single dish was presentable!

He stood with the spatula in front of those things that may or may not be food, furrowed his brow, pointed at one of the plates, and asked the chef, “What dish is this?”

“Stir-fried seasonal vegetables.”

“And this one?”

“Sweet and sour spare ribs.”

“What about this one?”

“This one is…” The chef clicked his tongue. He couldn’t tell what that thing was either—it was just one big black lump. After thinking for a while, he finally remembered, “It’s steamed fish.”

Pfft—

Someone get me a basin, a big one.

When the two of them studied those dishes, it was as ridiculous as could be.

The chef asked him, “Your Highness, these are all dishes you cooked yourself. Why are you asking me?”

“Well… this prince forgot for a moment. Next time when learning, this prince will just take a small notebook and write it down.” Ever the diligent student, he pointed at that plate of blackened fish and said, “Except for that thing, bring all the other dishes out and serve them at the table.”

“Ah?” The chef was shocked and quickly asked, “So Your Highness, should I say you made them?”

“Of course this prince made them!”

You actually want to take credit?

Shameless.

The chef expressed that his heart was very conflicted.

Soon, this table of food he had made was brought to the table.

When everyone saw it, they were immediately dumbfounded. First, they were amazed that he, a prince, would actually go into the kitchen to cook. Second, they were shocked that this table of food truly had “complete color, aroma, and taste.”

Muruo swallowed hard, thinking that after all, this prince was entering the kitchen for the first time. So, with an attitude of not wanting to discourage him, he picked up his chopsticks, took a bite, and with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, praised: “Not bad, very delicious, quite good actually. With this thing, as long as it’s flavorful, it’s already quite good. I don’t know what else was added inside, possibly garlic…”

Rambling incoherently and talking nonsense!

Jingrong nudged him and asked, “I’m just asking you how is it?”

“Very good, quite good.” He put down his chopsticks. “Um… there’s still medicine brewing in my room. I’ll go check on it. You all eat slowly, no need to save food for me.”

In a flash.

He ran off!

“Is it that terrible?” Tang Si was curious and clicked her tongue, looking at the table full of dishes and saying, “Some dishes are like that—they don’t look good but taste delicious. In our Houliao, we can eat all kinds of snakes, insects, rats, and ants. They just don’t look good, but the taste is unforgettable.”

As she spoke, she picked up her chopsticks and randomly grabbed something from one of the plates, brought it to her mouth to bite, and tried for a long time without being able to bite through it.

Finally, she had to give up.

She swallowed hard and looked at Jingrong with an extremely awkward smile, pointing at her teeth and saying, “My teeth haven’t been good lately. I’ll go find Muruo and have him check my teeth. You all eat, don’t wait for me.”

In a flash.

Another one ran off.

Compared to those two, Ji Yunshu was much calmer and more composed. She selected a piece of something that she could at least identify as food, picked it up, ate a bite, showed no expression, quietly put down her chopsticks, and nodded with a comment: “Mm… not bad.”

To prove it was indeed not bad, and to take responsibility for her words, she ate a few more bites, just to fill her stomach a bit.

Jingrong was overjoyed, picking up food and constantly placing it in her bowl.

“Eat more. If it’s not enough, this prince will make more for you.”

“…”

“Eat more. This one is delicious. Look at you, it’s because you’re too thin that you must eat more, nourish your body well, so you can bear children in the future.”

“…”

This was the consequence of lying—even through tears, she had to finish what she started.

Thus, Ji Yunshu was force-fed an entire… meal.

That very night, she had stomach trouble, running to the toilet more than ten times throughout the night.

Finally, she collapsed on the bed, completely exhausted.

Qiao’er, holding a candlestick in one hand and a bowl of hot water in the other, called out several times by the bedside, “Master Ji, won’t you drink a bowl of hot water?”

No response!

“Master Ji?”

Still no response.

Qiao’er thought he had fallen asleep and was about to leave when she heard a voice from the person on the bed.

“Help me up… to go to the privy.”

This incident served as a warning to everyone in the world: never speak against your conscience, or you will pay an extremely painful price.

But it was precisely because of her “not bad” comment yesterday that Jingrong was filled with even more confidence. Before dawn today, he again dragged the chef to learn cooking.

Big brother, please have mercy!

However, the dishes made today did look much better in appearance. At least they were cooked through, but the taste was still somewhat “inexplicable.”

Like yesterday, Muruo reluctantly ate a few bites and reluctantly praised him a few times with his mouth, then afterward—

Fled again.

Tang Si followed suit!

Thus, the important task of tasting the food fell on Ji Yunshu’s shoulders again. Naturally, she had diarrhea for another whole night.

Heavens above!

Finally, everyone really couldn’t endure it anymore.

They started a rebellion!