Surviving in the General's Mansion - Chapter 64

It was at this moment that Xiao Yaqing came looking for Xia Heng.

From the high platform, Dongfang Wei watched her trot all the way into his friend Cang Chuli’s pavilion with her parents in tow. He rubbed his temples.

He had already slept poorly last night. Now he felt even more depressed…

They had all played together as children. Why did she acknowledge only Cang Chuli and ignore him now that they were grown?

While Xiao Huan and Madam Xiao spoke with Cang Chuli, Xiao Yaqing took the opportunity to squeeze in beside Xia Heng.

“Deputy General Zhang’s horsemanship was incredible! That moment when he hung upside down frightened me to death!”

“Of course! It scared me half to death too. I searched for him everywhere… You really can’t judge a person by his appearance. He’s nothing like that at the mansion!”

“Really? Watching him makes me want to practice riding again. I rode when I was little, but I haven’t practiced for ages. I’m rusty now!”

Xia Heng was not particularly surprised to learn that Xiao Yaqing could ride.

She was the female lead, after all. Later, she would have to gallop off and save Dongfang Wei. How could she manage without the necessary skills?

Still, Xia Heng replied, “I’ve never ridden a horse. If I get the chance, I’d like to try.”

While they spoke, a strange gust of wind suddenly swept across the field.

“Oh, dear. It looks like rain!” Xiao Huan said, watching the sky abruptly darken. “They’re supposed to hold the archery contest next. What will they do?”

“Since they chose today, the contest will certainly proceed,” Cang Chuli replied. “A battlefield does not care whether it rains.”

Xia Heng looked up at the woven-grass roof over their heads.

That would not keep out rain.

She took a sheet of oilcloth from the bamboo chest and once again asked Mo Qing and Mo Bai to help spread it over the roof.

“You even brought that?”

By now, the two men’s admiration for Xia Heng knew no bounds.

“Just in case. Just in case,” Xia Heng said modestly.

She could hardly tell them that she had checked the weather forecast and seen showers predicted for today.

She had not known whether it would be accurate, but she had packed everything they might need.

Cang Chuli asked, “How many sheets of oilcloth did you bring?”

“Two.”

He nodded without asking why she had brought two.

Xiao Yaqing secretly glanced at Xia Heng.

The second one had to be for her!

What a good sister!

“Aunt, take one back with you later,” Cang Chuli said. “Your roof may leak otherwise.”

Madam Xiao smiled and agreed.

At last, Mingxu had someone dependable beside him. She could finally worry a little less!

She looked at Xia Heng again.

If the girl could win Mingxu’s heart, Madam Xiao would be even more reassured.

“The morning has passed quickly,” she said. “After the contest, the young men from each family will probably enter the field and fool around. Mingxu, did you bring any pastries? Shall I have a servant send some over later?”

Cang Chuli was about to point at the chestnuts and say those were enough when Mo Bai drew in a sharp breath beside him.

He turned and saw Xia Heng lifting a three-tiered food box from the chest.

Then she produced a copper pastry box…

“Your name is Xia Heng, isn’t it?” Madam Xiao finally asked.

This went beyond simple satisfaction!

Mingxu would never have remembered to bring such things. When he was young, Cang Er had known only to stuff two flat cakes into his hands before sending him out.

Then Mingxu grew up and joined the army.

Madam Xiao had genuinely worried he would not even bother bringing two cakes today, which was why she had prepared extra food herself.

When she came over and saw dried fruits on his table, she had raised her brows and wondered whether the boy had finally learned to care for his stomach.

Judging from everyone’s reactions now, none of them had known what Xia Heng packed!

“Yes, Madam,” Xia Heng answered respectfully, holding the food box. “You may call me Ah Heng.”

“Wow! Ah Heng, what did you bring?” Xiao Yaqing immediately asked.

“Eggs, sweet bean buns, meat-filled flatbreads, and noodles with braised sauce.”

Xiao Huan frowned.

“Wouldn’t those taste bad cold?”

Madam Xiao elbowed him.

It was good enough that someone had remembered food at all. This was the girl’s first time. It was perfectly normal if she had not thought of everything.

If he criticized her now, she might not dare bring anything next time!

Madam Xiao was about to reassure Xia Heng and suggest borrowing the training ground’s kitchen when the young woman smiled.

“That’s right. They only need reheating.”

Xia Heng removed the kettle from the small clay stove and replaced it with the square copper pastry box.

She poured in a ladleful of water. Once it boiled, she added the eggs.

Then she separated the bamboo tiers of the food box and stacked them above it. The copper box was slightly smaller, making a perfect base.

“Oh. Chef Xiang wouldn’t lend you a pot?” Chuqing came closer and asked quietly.

“Don’t mention it. All Chef Xiang has are enormous pots. He refused no matter what I said and told me not to disgrace the General’s Mansion.”

So replacing the pot with a pastry box somehow preserved the mansion’s dignity?

Mo Bai no longer had the strength to comment.

Xiao Yaqing crouched beside them.

“Oh! I want a sweet bean bun too!”

The words had barely left her mouth when raindrops began pattering against the oilcloth overhead.

“Hahaha! What a clever method!” Xiao Huan said with interest. “Where did you buy this little clay stove? The pastry box is useful too!”

“Stop asking. You can find these things anywhere.” Madam Xiao turned away. “Wuyue, bring over some of our pastries.”

“Uncle, Aunt, if you don’t mind our humble food, why not eat some with us?” Cang Chuli offered.

He had never imagined he would one day utter those words.

Naturally, Xiao Huan and Madam Xiao could not stay for the meal.

After leaving some pastries for Cang Chuli, they returned to their own pavilion with the oilcloth. The rain had started, and they needed to cover the roof at once.

Before leaving, Xiao Yaqing tucked two sweet bean buns into her clothes.

Only Xiao Huan remained fixated on buying an identical stove.

How convenient would it be to bring one to the Ministry of Revenue?

He could take dishes prepared by his wife to work and simply heat them before eating!

Because the rain suddenly intensified, the final archery event did not begin immediately.

Many families had been caught unprepared. When they saw the oilcloth covering the roofs of Cang Chuli’s and the Xiao Family’s pavilions, they hurried over to ask whether any remained.

Mo Bai sent every one of them away.

Cang Chuli looked at the three food boxes before him. He took one meat-filled flatbread and kept an egg.

“Divide the rest among yourselves.”

Unhurriedly, Xia Heng produced chopsticks and a small bowl. First, she served him a bowl of noodles with braised sauce.

“Chef Xiang made these especially for you. When Uncle Zhao packed the sweet bean buns, he also said you must be sure to eat more.”

She placed a bean bun beside the egg and refilled his hot tea.

Only then did she carry the remaining food away to share with Chuqing and the others.

The meat-filled flatbreads had been made palm-sized so they would be easy to hold. Even Xia Heng found one too small.

How could it possibly satisfy a grown man?

“Did Uncle Zhao truly say that?” Cang Chuli asked.

He strongly suspected she was deceiving him, but he had no proof.

“You may ask Uncle Zhao when we return,” Xia Heng replied with a polite smile.

*Go ahead, if you dare.*

If Uncle Zhao learned that he had neglected his meals again, the old man would lecture him for two hours.

Only then did Cang Chuli turn away and eat in peace.

Mo Qing and Mo Bai took bites of steaming meat-filled flatbread, then mouthfuls of noodles.

This was the life!

Why had they never thought of doing this before?

They exchanged a glance as they ate and reached the same conclusion.

Whenever they went out in the future, they absolutely had to bring Xia Heng!

At the very least, they had to ask her to help prepare their supplies!

By the time Xia Heng and Chuqing finished eating, the shower had finally eased.

The archery event began.