Who could have imagined that the daughter of Minister Qin, the Princess Consort of Prince Zhongshun, would volunteer to cook a meal for this group of outlaws who had taken to banditry?

Everyone was somewhat stunned.

Bao Hu reacted fastest. In Miss Qin’s eyes, they were actually servants she had hired to escort the funeral procession. What master would want to voluntarily cook for servants?

Moreover, after leaving the capital, Bao Hu found the situation increasingly suspicious. Even if the Qin family had declined and no one came to escort the funeral, surely it wouldn’t be reduced to just Minister Qin’s only daughter? Could it be that their family didn’t even have a single servant or couldn’t even afford to hire bodyguards?

If Qin Yining weren’t just a delicate woman who couldn’t cause much trouble, Bao Hu would have already struck first.

“That’s really not necessary.” Bao Hu smiled ingratiatingly. “We’re all rough people, used to scratching out a living from the soil in our early years. A bunch of crude men—what wouldn’t we eat? If the boss finds the food unpalatable, just tell us what you’d like to eat, and I’ll do my best to find it for you.”

Qin Yining seemed to know they wouldn’t agree and wasn’t discouraged. She immediately switched tactics, lowering her eyes. “It’s not that I find the food unpalatable. I eat so little—how much could I consume? Mainly I see everyone working so hard.

“When my father was alive, he taught me never to look down on others because of my status. Though we have an employment relationship, my family has few members. After father’s death, when the Emperor showed no attitude, our relatives all became distant and dared not approach. Without you all, this funeral would be conducted miserably and bleakly, and father wouldn’t even have posthumous honors—wouldn’t that be laughable?

“That’s why I wanted to cook personally, to express my gratitude. Of course, if you don’t want to eat it, then forget it. When we reach my family’s ancestral home, I’ll reward everyone properly then.”

Qin Yining’s words were reasonable and well-founded, and combined with her gentle, graceful appearance, they softened people’s hearts.

Bao Hu was, after all, the leader of a band of bandits. Even if he didn’t pay much attention to court affairs, he had heard that after Qin Huaiyuan’s death, not even one person dared come to pay respects to the Qin family.

This explanation resolved his doubts. It seemed that Miss Qin had no one following her because when the tree falls, the monkeys scatter—when disaster strikes, everyone flees.

Bao Hu looked Qin Yining up and down once more. Seeing her frail figure and plain white mourning clothes, she embodied the phrase “delicate as a willow in the wind”—a term he usually didn’t quite understand but now saw vividly before his eyes. What could such a fragile woman do?

She just wanted to stir-fry some dishes—the benefit would go to his stomach anyway. Besides, he’d be watching right beside her. The water was fetched by his people, the vegetables found by his people—what tricks could she play?

With this thought, Bao Hu grinned. “The boss is a righteous person. Minister Qin’s reputation among the common people was quite good too. It’s just that being a good person and being a good official are both difficult. Fine, do whatever you want. If you want to cook, then cook.” He looked indulgent and doting.

Qin Yining was delighted inside, but outwardly she only nodded lightly, not showing excessive enthusiasm.

Bao Hu made those who were cooking wild vegetable soup move aside, and when someone was slow to move, they got kicked in the rear.

Qin Yining observed Bao Hu’s attentiveness, showing neither disgust nor any other emotions, maintaining a perfect balance of keeping him at arm’s length. This wouldn’t provoke Bao Hu to immediate action but gave him just enough hope to prevent him from becoming angry from embarrassment, keeping his appetite whetted with just a bit of hope.

Qin Yining began selecting wild vegetables. Some still had mud on them that hadn’t been washed clean, so she had people prepare water to wash them again.

Bao Hu stood to the side with his arms crossed, watching Qin Yining wash vegetables. He asked someone to find a small knife for cutting vegetables. No matter how he looked at her, she was pleasing to the eye. He thought to himself that even when a beauty cooked, it was delightful to watch—how wonderful it would be if he could keep her in the stronghold, where even a casual glance would be like looking at a painting.

With such thoughts, Bao Hu decided to stay close to Qin Yining to help.

Qin Yining wasn’t polite about ordering him around either, having him fetch a wild rabbit they’d just caught to clean, then having him cut meat.

The few who had originally been cooking soup and preparing food saw Bao Hu actually working alongside Qin Yining. Though reluctant to miss the chance to watch the beauty, they still sensibly moved away. After all, Bao Hu’s authority ran deep—who would dare court trouble?

Before long, cooking smoke rose from various parts of the camp of over a hundred people. The bandits gathered in groups of three to five around small pots to eat, except for the central area where Bao Hu was located. Only Qin Yining was there; the brothers all stayed far away to avoid interfering.

“Boss, how does this look?”

Bao Hu chuckled, looking at Qin Yining with eyes like a starving beast eyeing prey, becoming increasingly confident of success.

Qin Yining nodded and silently pinched some salt into the rabbit and wild vegetable soup, stirred it, then ladled a bowl and handed it to Bao Hu.

Bao Hu received it with both hands, somewhat flattered, and slurped a mouthful. “Oh my, the boss has excellent cooking skills!”

Qin Yining smiled slightly and didn’t say much.

Her cooking skills were just ordinary. This Bao Hu had ulterior motives, which was why he tasted something different.

But this was exactly what Qin Yining hoped for.

Qin Yining washed her hands, took a steamed bun, and got up to walk toward the carriage.

“I’m a bit tired and want to rest for a while.”

Bao Hu said, “There’s still a pot of meat soup here. Aren’t you going to eat?”

“I don’t have much appetite. Dry food will be fine.”

Qin Yining walked toward the carriage.

Bao Hu watched Qin Yining’s frail figure in white clothes. Her long hair was arranged in a simple bun, revealing her slender, fair neck. The curve from neck to shoulders was particularly beautiful, and her hair was adorned with plain white silk flowers.

Perhaps having lost a family member, she was too sad to eat?

Bao Hu drank soup while grabbing a steamed bun and taking a bite.

The brothers around gathered closer, lowering their voices: “Second Master, how is it? Does that woman have feelings for you?”

Someone ladled soup to share with the few people around.

Bao Hu took another big gulp of soup and bit into his steamed bun, speaking unclearly: “Scram, scram, scram, you bunch of little bastards—mind your own business!”

Everyone laughed playfully while drinking soup and exaggeratedly praising: “Hey, this soup is really good!”

“The taste of a wealthy family’s young lady is really different!”

“What do you mean by that? Haha!”

Bao Hu was already feeling lustful, and being teased by this group made him even more restless. Looking at the sky, orange-red evening clouds hung on the horizon, so gorgeous that even a rough man like Bao Hu felt his heart skip a beat.

“Tsk tsk, I’m going to take a look.” Bao Hu walked toward the carriage.

Just then, Qin Yining got out of the carriage, glanced at Bao Hu, and walked toward the forest behind.

Bao Hu called out loudly: “Boss, where are you going at this hour?”

Qin Yining said vaguely: “I’m going to the woods for a moment.”

The meaning was implicit but clear. She was the only woman here, and no one had seen her relieve herself all day.

Bao Hu’s heart pounded. “Should I escort the boss there?”