While Night Han was picking up pinecones, he accidentally spotted a red mushroom. Under the dappled light, it looked especially beautiful. Just as he was about to reach out and pick it, a cold voice came from behind:
“Red cap, white stem—eat it and you’ll lie down together in a coffin. The more vibrant and beautiful the mushroom, the more toxic it is, and it can kill you instantly.”
He was so frightened that he immediately pulled his hand back. Turning around awkwardly, he scratched his head and gave a goofy, embarrassed smile before moving to another spot to continue collecting pinecones.
Suddenly, Night Yu shouted from another side, “Miss Mu, come take a look! This mushroom is growing under the pine tree, and it even has a faint pine fragrance.”
Hearing this, Mu Jianxi walked over. Following his direction, she looked down—and exclaimed excitedly, “So there really is some here! We’re in for a treat. This time I’ll eat my fill!”
Carefully, she brushed away the pine needles. Unexpectedly, there were five matsutake mushrooms growing there—each one large, plump, and perfect. She immediately waved the two of them over.
When they arrived, she said, “We don’t need to collect pinecones anymore; we already have enough. The important thing now is this—it’s known as the ‘king of fungi.’ No other mushrooms can compare to its flavor. You must be very careful when digging it out. I’ll demonstrate first.”
Mu Jianxi took out a smooth bamboo blade she had prepared in advance and gently inserted it into the soil around the matsutake. With a light pry, the mushroom slowly lifted from the ground. She carefully grasped the stem and gently pulled it out completely, then placed it on moss and wrapped it up, tying it with a thin string.
Seeing how careful she was, Night Han asked in confusion, “Is it really that complicated to dig this up?”
“It is,” she replied. “But it only stays edible for about a day and a night. After that, it spoils and the flavor drops significantly. Not only must you dig it carefully, you also can’t wash it with water—you can only gently wipe it with a damp cloth.”
“If you want to eat more of this delicacy, it depends on how many you can find yourselves.”
Hearing this, the two of them immediately became motivated. If she said it was delicious, then it must be delicious. They split up and carefully searched every corner, using bamboo blades to turn over pine needles and fallen leaves, trying not to miss a single hidden matsutake.
By dusk, Gu Ruizhe returned from outside with Night Yu and Night Li. He instinctively looked for the familiar figure, but when he reached Mu Jianxi’s courtyard, he was told she wasn’t there—and neither were Night Yu and Night Han. He then went to the princess’s residence steward and asked, “Where did Mu Jianxi go?”
“Replying to Your Highness, this servant does not know. Miss Mu brought those two young men to the kitchen to make something earlier, and then left the residence. She did not say where she was going.”
Hearing this, Gu Ruizhe turned and left immediately.
After he left, the steward wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and let out a long breath. The pressure from earlier had been so overwhelming that he could barely breathe, and his legs were still trembling.
By the time night had fully fallen, the three of them finally returned, each carrying large bundles. However, they saw Gu Ruizhe sitting in the center of the entrance on a stool, his expression dark and cold. Night Feng and Night Li stood beside him, giving the two of them a “good luck” look.
His sharp gaze swept over them as he asked coldly, “Where did you go today? Why are you only coming back now?”
Night Yu and Night Han instinctively stepped back under that terrifying pressure. Their master would definitely not punish her—but they were not so sure about themselves. They immediately turned pleading eyes toward Mu Jianxi, silently begging her to save them.
However, she didn’t care about his expression at all. She shot him a cold look in return.
“Where I go is none of your business. Didn’t I agree to come here on the condition that you don’t interfere with me? I didn’t expect the prince to develop early-onset senile dementia—no wonder he keeps forgetting things.”
“Senile dementia?!” He had already heard strange new words from her before, but this clearly wasn’t a compliment.
He couldn’t understand why he had waited here only to get scolded. With a flick of his sleeve, he turned and left in anger.
At that moment, she added casually, “They were brought by me, so you’re not allowed to punish them.”
He paused, then said without turning back, “They were sent by me to assist you. I won’t punish them without reason.”
“Many thanks, Your Highness!”
Just as he was about to leave, Mu Jianxi suddenly spoke again to Night Feng and Night Li:
“We found an excellent ingredient today. Raw, it has a firm texture and rich aroma. Grilled over a stone slab, it turns golden and sizzles—its fragrance spreads instantly. One bite and the flavor is unforgettable.”
“Gulp…”
A swallowing sound suddenly broke the silence.
Gu Ruizhe couldn’t help but swallow, and even his stomach gave an untimely growl. Everyone turned to look at him.
He stood frozen for a moment, then walked straight up to Mu Jianxi and said seriously, “This king also wants to eat it.”
She glanced at him disdainfully, as if saying, so it only takes food to bring you down.
If this had been in modern times, she would have already roasted him until he didn’t even recognize his own mother.
“Fine, you can eat it—but you won’t get a free ride. You have to help.”
She assumed that as a prince, someone who had always been served hand and foot, he would refuse.
Unexpectedly, Gu Ruizhe simply replied, “Alright,” without hesitation.
The three standing nearby were so shocked their jaws nearly dropped. They remembered their master had never even obeyed the emperor’s orders so readily.
“Bring large stone slabs and bigger charcoal stoves to my courtyard. You four will set them up.”
“You come with me to wash the ingredients.”
In a short while, a pile of matsutake was laid out before them. He watched as she took a damp cloth and carefully wiped each one clean. He didn’t even know what the ingredient was, but he found himself slightly stunned by her focused expression.
They stood neither too close nor too far apart. Under the moonlight, he could even see the fine soft hairs on her face. For some reason, he suddenly had the urge to reach out and pinch her plump cheek.
After cleaning them, Mu Jianxi took out two ceramic knives from her storage box and handed one to Gu Ruizhe, while she held the other and began trimming the bases of the matsutake.