Chapter 257 - Great Buddha (1/2)
Yu Xiaocao, who was making ‘honey abalone’ angrily shouted at him, ”If you want to eat it, then go and pick it yourself, alright?”
Today, when Royal Prince Yang saw the abalones that were drying out in their yard, he casually ordered the dish ‘honey abalone’. Yu Xiaocao finally had a chance to go into the sea to help Third Young Master Zhou prepare the portions needed for the palace next month. All that hard work was ruined by his one word... it looked like she would have to go into the sea again these few days!
Madam Liu, who was acting as an assistant, glanced at her and whispered, ”The other person is a royal prince, a member of the imperial family. Just because he has a good temper, it doesn't mean you can take advantage of it. Regardless of his identity, the visitor is a guest. If the guest has any requests, the host should try to satisfy them. That is hospitality.”
After scolding her daughter a few times, Madam Liu put a piece of firewood in the stove and stood up. She walked over to the kitchen door and said, ”Our family's Cao'er has a childish temper, please don't take offense. I'll go help you pick...”
Zhu Junyang was also curious about the vegetable plots in the backyard. He put down his cup, slowly stood up, and said to Madam Liu, ”No need. I'm currently idle and have nothing to do. I'll go to the backyard and take a look. Go ahead and continue your work!”
Zhu Junyang left the capital on the orders of the emperor this time. He could stay until the corn and potatoes were ripe. Therefore, Head Steward Liu, who closely served him, also came. What did it mean to closely serve? Naturally, it meant that he will be wherever the master went.
”Master, let this old servant go pick it!” Although the royal prince still only had one expression on his face——that is to say, there was no expression, Head Steward Liu could hear his master's politeness toward Madam Liu from his tone.
His master never said false words to people. There were no exceptions, even for the so-called noble ranked women of the capital. Why did the prince make an exception for this Madam Liu, who was just a countrywoman? For the past few days, Head Seward Liu observed that it was not only Madam Liu that his master treated differently. What did the Yu Family have for the prince to regard them specially?
Could it be the matter of Yu Hai saving the master's life? That didn’t seem right! Before the prince went out to sea, he had already met the Yu Family at the pier. At that time, he still had a cold and cool attitude and didn't pay them any attention. Was it possibly because the Yu Family had helped the prince with his problems, and could grow corn and potatoes? The men under the master were much more capable and had made outstanding contributions, yet the master never praised them for doing a good job? Just what magic potion did the Yu Family give his master?
Head Steward Liu was just in the middle of puzzling, and his master had already passed through the round doors into the backyard, coming to a more open vegetable field.
Unlike the leafy green vegetables planted in the front yard, the vegetables in the backyard were more abundant. On the surrounding walls, there were many sponge gourds with yellow flowers on them. On rows of bamboo racks, there are long fresh green beans, jade green cucumbers, fresh and tender calabashes, and golden pumpkins...In the well-planned vegetable field, the purple eggplants had a mysterious luster in the sunlight, the red and green pointy peppers covered the branches, and the tomatoes were like little lanterns sticking out of the leaves. The entire backyard was filled with the joys of harvest.
Seeing that his master's cold personality was gradually warming up, Head Steward Liu was rather relieved. It seemed that the master had an affinity for the rural scenery. Maybe after staying here for a while, the master will gradually turn back into the carefree little boy from when he was a child...
While Head Steward Liu was moved to the point that his nose tingled, Zhu Junyang had picked a tender cucumber from the cucumber rack and chewed it up in his mouth.
As soon as Head Steward Liu saw it, he hurried forward, ”Master, let this servant wash it for you before you eat it!”
“No need, I saw Yu Xiaocao eat it like this last time!” Zhu Junyang took another bite. The crispy and tender cucumber was full of juice, refreshing and thirst-quenching.
'That little girl is used to living in the countryside. If she eats unclean food, it's alright. Master, you are delicate and pampered. If you get a stomachache, what will we do?' Head Steward Liu said in his mind.
At this time, Zhu Junyang came to the tomato field. Searching carefully, he finally found a red and colorful tomato under a cluster of thick leaves. The Yu Family didn’t have to worry about selling their vegetables. There were many carriages that came to buy them every day. Tomatoes can be eaten raw or cooked. Naturally, they were one of the more popular vegetables for the rich people in town. To be able to find one or two out of the vegetable fields that didn’t get sold was considered lucky already.
Zhu Junyang could care less about his new shoes that were dirtied by the newly watered soil. With a sense of achievement, he found five ripe tomatoes in the tomato field. He returned from the backyard content, with a tomato in his mouth and the rest in his pocket. He looked very casual and at ease.
He stomped the dirt off his feet and stomped toward the kitchen instead of sitting at the stone table. He rushed inside and hurriedly said to the busy Yu Xiaocao, ”Yu Xiaocao, I want to eat scrambled eggs with tomatoes!”