Chapter 155: Letters From Home (3) (1/2)

Since there was a shortage of goods, when Laiyue had gone shopping earlier today, he had only been able to buy some millet, sorghum, and wheat bran.

He couldn’t even find any fresh vegetables, fruits, or even wild-caught meat.

There was only a single place selling alcohol in this bleak and desolate place. The alcohol was simply some watered down low quality wine.

Laiyue had never needed to cook while serving his young master before. His culinary skills were close to non-existent. Making something edible was already a commendable feat for him.

There were monthly raids by the Tuhun soldiers here and the whole city was almost empty. They were indeed in dire straits.

He Changdi glared fiercely at Laiyue. This manservant was way too useless; how could he be even more pampered than his own master?

Laiyue’s legs turned to jelly under that intense stare. He had to summon up enough courage to say, “Young Master, if you think that my cooking is bad, then why don’t I buy back a maidservant for you tomorrow?”

There were plenty of poor families forced to sell their sons and daughters to survive in this city. It was quite cheap to buy a girl to cook and clean for you.

He Changdi took up the wooden chopsticks at the side and harrumphed. “Buying a maidservant? Are you going to raise her then?”

After hearing He Changdi’s words, Laiyue immediately shut up. Although it was only a single maidservant, he couldn’t afford to keep her. He had to eat and drink! The money they brought was barely enough for the two of them as it was.

Too lazy to continue talking to this useless manservant of his, He Changdi held his bowl in hand and took a sip with his brows furrowed.

As expected, this ‘porridge’ tasted as bad as it smelled. Even the Chinese olive porridge made by the barbarians was better…

For the sake of keeping his body fueled, He Changdi forced himself to drink down the entire bowl. It wasn’t the time to be picky. After the morning market in Liangzhou closed, there were barely any street stalls or shops open. Even if they wanted to eat something better, they didn’t have the money for it.

Laiyue drank down a bowl of ‘porridge’ with a bitter expression. When he was done, he stared at the empty bowl before him with a blank expression and began talking to himself. “If only Third Young Madam were here… Even the lousiest ingredients become heavenly dishes in her hands…”

As he daydreamed about a heaping bowl of braised meat, Laiyue felt that he had become even more of a glutton after these few months…

“What did you say?” When He Changdi heard Laiyue’s mumbling, he abruptly turned his fearsome gaze onto his dazed manservant.