Volume 3, Chapter 28: Dinner (2/2)

The plains of the northern sides that spread out to fields and pastures extended out to the forest.

The citizens of this country do not. Though, I have heard that the foreign tribe hunt mainly for provisions.

I have heard that there are many tribes that worship insects.

I am not sure about that. Though, I have heard about coating insect poison on arrows and using that in hunts and battles.

Using poison in hunting can be found anywhere. However, the arrow poison that was generally used here was wolfsbane. The south also harvested poison from frogs.

The part where they specifically use insects was the key point.

(What if the insects that carry calamity meant this?)

If they intervene with that hereafter while in discussions with the foreign country, the country may fall into an unfavourable situation, if not ruin. Therefore this was a discussion that affected the face of the country.

If its like that, if imprudent, they cannot get away with the small skirmish that they had up until now and a conflict will break out. And then, from that war, the ones who would look more important would be. The majority of the woodlands that spread out in the northern parts was shouldered by Consort Rourans clan, that is, the Shi Clan. The emperor would have no choice but to rely on their strength.

No, then that doesnt make sense.

How did Consort Rouran know about it beforehand? If the Shi Clan knew about it and left it alone, for what reason? Even if that was to demand gratitude from the emperor, wouldnt that be indirect and a bother?

No, that was wrong. That wasnt their goal.

After all this time, would they have a reason to demand gratitude from the emperor? More than that, they wouldnt think of trying to reach for something bigger?

Even if Maomao reached as far as that idea, she wanted to shake her head.

Absurd. As far as that idea goes, were the officials of this society fools? They have plenty of wealth and renown. The ones would think about climbing higher were those who go beyond living fast and plunge towards their own deaths.

But, the other party was the clan, the high official who came along while thinking of the previous era. Somehow or other, that idea that was beyond her means may also exist.

(Ah, so troublesome.)

What to do if they did that? On top of the pointless bloodshed, they will only just meet with familial extermination. Or because there was the cause of victory that they plotted for it?

Was it for this reason that Consort Rouran wanted to tell Maomao?

In order to stop her foolish relatives.

Unless-.

When is this?

Maomao inadvertently spoke. This would be the conference with the foreign country.

Its a short time after the new year. The turn of the year should be busy.

There was no time. Maomao slightly knitted her eyebrows and looked at Gaoshun who was also knitting his eyebrows similarly. Gaoshun, as if he timed it, passed a new document to Jinshi.

Jinshi-sama, what should we do about this?

He had passed over yet another event program. Jinshi blatantly grimaced.

Maomao also peered at it, and end up making an unpleasant expression at the contents. It appeared to be a religious festival that was performed periodically, but the issue was the banquet that was held after that. Seeing that face, she wanted to droop her shoulders.

It was a gathering of elites. Although the emperor wasnt attending, the one who was holding the religious festival seemed to be the Imperial Brother. There were several names that even Maomao knew.

Consort Rourans father, Shishou, and the monocle man made her tired by just recalling him for some reason, Rakan. By just seeing that, the other fellows who were attending must also be elite faces.

Maomao subconsciously nearly stiffened her face, but she noticed that Gaoshun was staring at her.

(This is.)

It was a chance that she wont get again.

Maomao stood before Jinshi and stared at his face.

Jinshi-sama.

What?

Maomao gave a small sigh. Gaoshun must have shown Jinshis schedule before Maomao for this reason. As though he was saying that this was a chance she wont get again.

Thus, Maomao must not miss this. She didnt know when the next chance will come around.

May I take up the food taster post for this banquet?

She had intended to say it very naturally.

However, Jinshi faced Maomao with eyes of scepticism.

How suspicious.

What is?

So to let her expression show outwardly, Maomao looked at Jinshi with a stiffly cooled gaze. This gaze could only look like the eyes where she was gazing at a hairy caterpillar. The gaze of Suiren who had noticed it was considerably terrifying, but she could not pay heed to it now.

You, wont attend the gathering where the tactician is around by choice.

.

Mhm, it was exactly that. He should have just disregarded that sort of thing.

Jinshi-sama, the dinner that Suiren-sama prepared is getting cold.

Your personality is one where you wont lie but you wont speak the truth, right?

.

Maomao glanced at Gaoshun. Gaoshun made a slightly troubled expression again, but he was one step ahead.

Jinshi-sama, Shaomao being Shaomao seem to be thinking about Jinshi-sama.

what?

As Jinshi made a slightly dubious expression, he looked intermittently between Maomao and Gaoshun.

For more or less, even if it is a person she cant deal with, she had said it thinking of Jinshi-samas sake.

(Its wrong though.)

It might be that concerning the result, but it wasnt for his sake. But its a bother so shell stop talking back each time for it.

Even if she didnt say to win over Rakan-sama, isnt she thinking about wanting to become the enemy of an enemy?

The things Gaoshun said, wasnt substantially wrong. She wont need to correct him.

In saying so, a somewhat hot gaze was directed towards Maomao.

Is that true?

Jinshi was, more than usual, looking at Maomao with a face that had increased sensuality. His eyes were slightly wet, the entirety of his face looked feverish.

Maomao neither shook her head nor did she nod. She only cast her eyes down.

Though Jinshi stood up from the couch with a clank, a steamy scrumptious aroma came closer. Though Jinshi charged towards Maomaos face, Suiren held out the congee with a smile.

The meal is getting cold, so please eat.

The words of the middle-aged maid were, as usual, incontestable.