Gu Si could never have imagined that the Prince would one day specifically call him down the mountain just to chat, all to avoid the Princess Consort who was bathing.
Although all of them were dissatisfied with the Prince’s wife, something like peeping at the Princess Consort while she bathed—even if he had an extra head, he wouldn’t dare do it.
Back when the Prince was in trouble, the eight Shadow Guards fought desperately to protect him, sacrificing three brothers’ lives before they finally managed to save him.
Now, with the Prince blind and their enemies watching closely, they had thought that marrying would bring a wife who could care for the Prince a little. Who could have imagined that this venomous woman would not only steal the Prince’s belongings but also speak disrespectfully to him, and even often leave him hungry?
Even though they knew the Prince was deliberately enduring, living a miserable life for the sake of those watching, they still hoped every day that the Prince would divorce that venomous woman or give the order for the Shadow Guards to simply kill her.
“Your Highness, this is bird meat I hunted in the mountains over the past few days. It’s already dried and roasted. Keep it for emergencies.”
To prevent their Prince from taking his act too far and accidentally starving to death, whenever Gu Si came down the mountain to see the Prince, he always brought some food.
According to the rules the Prince had established, the other four Shadow Guards each had a false identity in nearby prefectures, operating in secret.
Gu Si was the bridge between the four and the Prince, and he also bore the heavy responsibility of protecting the Prince. He lived year-round in the back mountains, surviving on wild beasts and fruits. Occasionally, he came down the mountain on business but rarely stayed to purchase supplies.
Hearing about the roasted bird meat, Gu Haoyuan felt a sharp pain in his stomach.
Although Gu Si’s intentions were good, offering something he himself couldn’t bear to eat, his cooking skills were truly lacking!
The birds he roasted had tough, hard meat. Lacking seasonings, the meat often carried a gamey, fishy taste. It was difficult to chew and even harder to digest once swallowed.
In the past, when hunger became unbearable, he would take out the roasted meat Gu Si had given him and eat a few bites, but afterward, his stomach would only feel worse.
Thinking of this, the Prince recalled the braised pork he had eaten the night before—the delicious sauce mixed with rice, the grains soaked in the meat’s aroma. Even back in the Prince’s mansion, he had never eaten such delicious food.
“Little Si, there’s some leftover food from last night in the kitchen. Go and eat some.”
This was the first time the Prince had invited him to eat at home. Gu Si felt as if he were dreaming—what good food could there possibly be in this house?
But when he actually tasted it, he realized there was a reason the Prince hadn’t killed the Princess Consort: her cooking was simply too delicious!
Perhaps it had been too long since he’d eaten such a delicious meal, but Gu Si didn’t leave a single bite—not the chicken soup, the braised pork, or even the last bits of meat at the bottom of the pot. Only after wolfing everything down did he think of a serious problem.
When the Princess Consort returned, how would the Prince explain the disappearance of all the food in the house?
Both men fell into silence at the same time…
Of course, Ye Ningxin had no idea about the two men’s troubles at home.
At that moment, she was soaking in the hot spring, enjoying nature’s gentle caress.
The temperature of the spring water was just right, and all the pores in her body relaxed. It felt truly wonderful!
The only downside was that when she took off her clothes, Ye Ningxin truly saw her current physique—a plump belly and thick thighs…
After one glance, she didn’t want to look anymore.
The weight-loss pill she took after lunch must have taken effect. While bathing, Ye Ningxin noticed a lot of black grime on her body, which looked disgusting.
Fortunately, this was a natural hot spring. Otherwise, after a few more washes, the pool water would have become unusable.
Not wanting to leave the warm spring, she took the opportunity to carefully observe her surroundings.
Gu Haoyuan really knew how to pick a spot. If she hadn’t been searching for someone in the mountains back then, Ye Ningxin would never have come this way.
This place was nestled in a mountain col, with strange rocks blocking the view above, making it appear completely inaccessible. Who would have thought there could be such a fairyland-like retreat?
Just as she was admiring the scenery, the sharp-eyed Ye Ningxin spotted the stem and leaves of a fleeceflower root on a small earthen slope beside the hot spring. It seemed this fleeceflower root had been growing for quite some time.
Whenever a doctor sees good medicinal herbs, their hands always itch to collect them. Moreover, this treasure could be sold at the pharmacy for money, adding a brick and a tile to her future endeavors.
Hastily putting on her clothes, she broke off a sturdy branch from nearby and began digging with her bare hands.
To ensure the root remained intact, she had to dig carefully. Combined with the clumsy tool, just this one fleeceflower root took her nearly half an hour to unearth.
Afterward, she discovered a patch of itchweed nearby. Although not valuable, it was still useful.
Its medicinal properties lay in its stems and leaves. Once they touched the skin, they would cause intense itching for twelve hours, and even bathing wouldn’t help.
The cure, however, was simple—just wipe the affected area with boiled glutinous rice water.
Ye Ningxin took out a handkerchief, carefully wrapped the harvested itchweed, and prepared to take it home to dry and grind into powder.
“If that Prince at home upsets me again, I’ll teach him a lesson.” Thinking this, the corners of Ye Ningxin’s mouth curled upward.
By the time she returned home, the sun was nearly setting, and the freeloading Shadow Guard had long since slipped away.
After hanging up her clothes and the itchweed to dry, Ye Ningxin placed the fleeceflower root in a basket and turned back to the house, planning to simply reheat the leftover food.
What greeted her eyes, however, were empty bowls and plates, not even a single bone left behind.
Had the house been robbed? And by a starving ghost thief who only stole leftover food, leaving everything else untouched.
When she asked the Prince what had happened, he stammered incoherently, using his blindness as an excuse.
He and Gu Si had discussed it for a long time but couldn’t come up with a plausible explanation.
Gu Si suggested the Prince claim he had eaten it himself, but that would likely mean no dinner for him, which the Prince refused. In the end, he could only play dumb.
Unable to find the cause, she decided to treat it as if wild dogs had eaten it.
Ye Ningxin restarted the stove and cooked another pot of rice. There was still some leftover pork belly from yesterday. She sliced it thinly, stir-fried it in oil until the slices curled up, the fat rendering and turning golden. Then she added garlic shoots and sauce, instantly filling the air with the distinct aroma of meat, making one’s mouth water.
The remaining meat was sprinkled with some salt and preserved. Although unhealthy, in this era without refrigerators, it was indeed inconvenient.
Prince enjoyed his dinner as usual that evening. He remembered the roasted bird meat Gu Si had left behind and thought he should return it the next time he came.
Before going to bed that night, Ye Ningxin took another Weight-Loss Pill. Throughout the day, she hadn’t felt particularly hungry; instead, her spirits seemed better than before.
It seemed the first batch of pills had been quite successful. This amount would last exactly one month. After a month, she could make appropriate adjustments based on her physical condition. She just wondered whether her Medical Space would reveal itself again by then.