Jiang Mo fished out two plates of crispy pork. She waited and waited, but Iris didn’t return. Just as she was about to carry the plates out, and before she could even step out of the kitchen, Iris flew in like a gust of wind.
“Mistress, it’s bad, it’s really bad!”
“What happened?”
“Lord Shen and the Princess Consort of Qin are fighting over that fish! They’re at a stalemate!”
Jiang Mo fell silent for a long time. “You said who?”
She must have misheard. Why would the Princess Consort of Qin come to her newly opened, obscure little restaurant?
Iris repeated it.
Only then did Jiang Mo realize the matter had blown up. The Princess Consort of Qin was noble; logically, she should be prioritized. But if Lord Shen refused to yield, they still had to make a living in Jiangzhou in the future.
“Go and ask Lord Shen if he is willing to yield. If he is unwilling, then we will proceed in the order they arrived.”
Iris hesitated, wanting to say more.
“Hmm?” A sound escaped Jiang Mo’s throat. Her peach-blossom eyes swirled with amusement as she said, “As far as I know, Jiangzhou is not the territory of the Prince of Qin. If Lord Shen dares to compete with the Princess Consort for a fish, it means he has the capital to do so. Neither of these two is someone to be trifled with, and they surely wouldn’t take their anger out on our small shop. For now, following the order of arrival is naturally the best policy.”
Iris stomped her foot and leaned into Jiang Mo’s ear, whispering, “Mistress, the Princess Consort of Qin took out a bag of silver to buy the fish.”
Jiang Mo’s voice cracked in shock, “How much??”
Iris held up one finger.
“A whole bag of silver. I heard it clearly; it wasn’t copper coins, it was silver.”
In the main hall, the standoff continued. Han You waited for Shen Zhengze to speak and take charge, his heart feeling icy cold.
Jiang Mo pushed aside the curtain and walked out, bowing before Shen Zhengze. “My Lord.”
Before she could think of how to speak, Shen Zhengze turned his gaze toward her.
“Are you here to persuade me to give up the fish?”
Jiang Mo: “…”
Does this man have the ability to read minds?
She smiled. “How could this commoner possibly make decisions for you, My Lord? If you are unwilling, the fish belongs to you. If you are willing, the fish is no trouble to make—just wait a moment and a fresh one will be ready. Our shop will treat you to this meal on the house.”
That bag of silver was worth countless times more than this table of food. Could Shen Ting’an really be so oblivious as to confront the Princess Consort of Qin?
The man in front of her stared at her, and she wondered what he was thinking. His gaze made Jiang Mo feel entirely uncomfortable, and her smile faded slightly.
“Since that is the case, I will listen to Proprietor Jiang,” Shen Zhengze said.
Han You sat down, looking rather depressed.
Jiang Mo breathed a sigh of relief and went over to Chu Ying’s side, inviting her to sit.
Chu Ying’s eyes held hesitation. “Just give the fish to me, and bring a few other quick dishes; I’ll eat them on the road.”
“It is freezing cold outside. Once these dishes go cold, they lose their flavor. Does the Princess Consort truly not wish to finish eating before departing?”
Chu Ying struggled inwardly.
That’s right, she thought, the whole point of eating these dishes is to enjoy them fresh and hot. What’s the point if they’re cold?
She successfully convinced herself.
“Tianli, go tell Commander Xu that I have decided to stay and eat, and tell everyone to take a break and rest.”
Before her seat was even warm, Commander Xu walked in hurriedly.
“Your Highness, according to the plan, we are taking the waterway today and will reach the capital the day after tomorrow. It is better to press on with our journey; let’s just buy some food to eat on the road.”
Chu Ying rested her chin on her hand, waiting for Tianli to de-bone the fish and serve her. “But I want to eat something hot.”
Commander Xu looked around this small restaurant. The tables and chairs were clean, and there was a “Great Fortune for the Grand Opening” character pasted on the wall. A few other diners were waiting for their food, occasionally peeking secretly toward the Princess Consort’s table.
He frowned. “Your Highness, we will arrive at the capital in two days at the latest. You can eat whatever you wish then. Why bother deigning to stay in this tiny, run-down establishment?”
What could possibly be delicious at this run-down little restaurant?
What if she got sick from eating this food?
Tianli plucked a piece of sweet and sour fish and placed it into Chu Ying’s plate.
Chu Ying said lazily, “Commander Xu, you’ve been working hard the whole way. Come and eat something with me.”