"That depends on how the two master chefs perform," Xie Jiang called back towards the kitchen. "More thick-skinned freeloaders have arrived. Make sure the portions are large, served in basins."
Chef Jia replied, "Got it!"
Xia Zeshi blushed slightly. "Servings in basins... isn't that a bit exaggerated?"
"I have some confidence in both you and your dining companion," Xie Jiang said, glancing towards Xu Hengyi when she mentioned the companion.
Xu Hengyi didn't care about his image; what mattered was what went into his mouth.
Once the food was ready, they sent for Xu Hengyan to join them.
Xu Hengyan had also developed a great anticipation for Xie Jiang's cooking. Regardless of whether she personally cooked it or just directed the household chefs, the results were always supreme delicacies.
Today's dishes were all on the lighter side.
Xia Zeshi and Xu Hengyi were somewhat disappointed.
Both of them were now fervent lovers of spicy food.
They wished they could douse everything they ate with a bowl of chili oil.
"Did you run out of the chili peppers you brought?"
"I am a patient, I need a light diet."
"We'll eat spicy food, and you can eat lightly. It won't affect each other."
Xie Jiang replied, "It's an eyesore."
Xia Zeshi thought: She's domineering, and she's right.
Xu Hengyi tasted two dishes and found that even without the spice, the flavors were excellent.
After all, this was dinner Xie Jiang had prepared for herself, and they were merely tagging along for a meal. Xie Jiang would never shortchange herself.
It was tastier than the food prepared in his own manor.
You couldn't get this texture anywhere else.
It somewhat compensated for the lack of spice.
However, it still couldn't quell his craving for spice.
"Second Brother, why don't you have Ninghe County plant chili peppers? And our own estates too, let's plant some chili peppers."
As long as this rice-enhancing marvel, chili pepper, could bloom everywhere within the Great Yu territory.
He wouldn't have to worry about running out of chili peppers in the future.
"We can," Xu Hengyan agreed readily.
Tonight's meal was unexpectedly to his taste.
Xu Hengyan couldn't help but have another bowl of soup.
He found the taste of chili peppers to be quite good, but he wasn't as addicted to them as Xu Hengyi and the others.
However, since the Fifth Prince and Xu Hengyi both liked them, there would likely be many people who enjoyed chili peppers.
Promoting them would definitely be a good thing.
At the very least, if his father and uncle tasted dishes made with chili peppers, they would surely become addicted to spice, just like the Fifth Prince and Xu Hengyi.
Hearing them discuss planting chili peppers, Xie Jiang turned to Xu Hengyan. "By the way, Young Master Xu, how is the sweet potato seedling cultivation coming along?"
Mentioning this, a smile appeared in Xu Hengyan's eyes. "It's going very smoothly. Qiu Gang and the others are very capable."
"It's good that you can help," Xie Jiang nodded. "It wasn't a difficult task to begin with. Once you've planted it once, you'll know how simple it is."
Initially, they only had a general understanding from Xie Jiang.
In recent days, through Qiu Gang and the others, they had gained a more specific understanding of the cultivation and popularization of sweet potatoes in the Southern Ocean.
She spoke of it so casually.
She must not know how excited he was.
The more Xu Hengyan learned about sweet potatoes, the more he found it difficult to contain his excitement.
Xie Jiang couldn't help but look at Xu Hengyan a few more times.
He usually maintained a solemn expression, but when he suddenly smiled, it was truly captivating.
Xia Zeshi and Xu Hengyi also found it incredibly strange.
Planting crops could make Xu Hengyan this happy?
"I don't even remember how I got out of the Dali Temple prison. I can't recall anything," Xie Jiang's eyes sparkled. "I heard that it was Young Master Xu who specifically rushed back to save me. I'm truly touched."
Xu Hengyi almost spat out his food.
Shouldn't Xie Jiang's personality dictate that she say something like, "Here's an opportunity to help this lord, aren't you honored!"?
She was actually touched.
How peculiar.
"His Majesty would not allow the descendants of Marquis Jinghai to die in the Dali Temple prison. It was only a matter of time before you were released. Even Qiu Gang and the others didn't seem particularly anxious when they heard you were imprisoned."
This showed she was confident.
When she decided to make an enemy of the Marquis Nanxiong's estate, she had already anticipated the worst possible outcome, hadn't she?
Qiu Gang and the others were also fearless.
How could Xu Hengyan take credit for this matter?
Xie Jiang furrowed her brow, then sighed.
These foolish idiots couldn't even pretend properly!
Perhaps in their minds, she had always been a giant, and giants never fell.
If you lent them a brain, they couldn't even imagine her being weak.
Xu Hengyan continued, "Moreover, His Majesty also has high expectations for the yield of sweet potatoes."
Sweet potatoes were also one of her trump cards.
Xie Jiang unceremoniously thrust this credit onto him. "If you hadn't obtained His Majesty's decree, how could I have been released from the Dali Temple prison so quickly? I might even be sicker right now."
Xu Hengyi nodded vigorously. Second Brother's contribution was the greatest!
Xia Zeshi wondered if he had misheard. Who did Young Master Xu just say Xie Jiang was a descendant of? "Is Marquis Jinghai the Marquis Jinghai I know? Xie Jiang, are you a descendant of Xie Caijin, Marquis Jinghai?"
If Xie Jiang was indeed a descendant of Marquis Jinghai, then it wasn't strange at all that she was a formidable person.
It was inherited ferocity.
Xie Jiang repeated the same explanation she had given to Yi Yanteng earlier.
Xu Hengyi said excitedly, "Does that mean you'll stay in the capital from now on and won't leave?"
Xie Jiang replied, "It depends on the situation."
Xia Zeshi and Xu Hengyi were both very happy.
They wouldn't have to worry about not having a place to freeload meals after Xie Jiang returned to Lanyong!
Guang Bai suddenly rushed in, "Duke Qian has come knocking!"
"What?" Xu Hengyi was a bit bewildered.
Upon hearing this, Xu Hengyan felt a headache coming on. His gaze swept across Xie Jiang's face, then he put down his chopsticks and stood up, saying to Xu Hengyi and the other two, "You all continue eating. I'll go take a look."
Watching Xu Hengyan leave, Xu Hengyi swallowed hard. What had set off this firecracker now? Coming to their door was quite something!
Xia Zeshi hadn't forgotten the glance Xu Hengyan had cast at Xie Jiang before leaving. "Could it be about Xie Jiang's matter?"
Xie Jiang's eyes lit up with curiosity. "Is that Duke Qian Yue Rong, the one who even dares to scold His Majesty?"
Xia Zeshi nodded. "Yes, you've heard of Duke Qian's reputation too?"
"He's the famous 'scolding god' in the Great Yu court." He had also been a staunch protector of the Duke of Dingguo's estate.
His booming, powerful scolding could be heard from a great distance.
Xia Zeshi and Xu Hengyi, no matter how good their appetites were, could no longer eat.
Seeing Xie Jiang walking towards the exit, Xu Hengyi quickly asked, "What are you doing?"
He was afraid Xie Jiang would go up and kick Duke Qian.
"I want to witness the famous scolding god up close," Xie Jiang's retreating figure looked quite cheerful.
"Let's go too!"
Xu Hengyi was primarily worried. Duke Qian was not like Princess Le'an or Lu Baofang; you couldn't just hit him.
In the study, Duke Qian Yue Rong pointed at Xu Hengyan's nose and unleashed a torrent of abuse.
The once glorious Nanxiong Marquis estate had been reduced to scorched earth.
The male members of the Nanxiong Marquis estate had either died of anger, been scared to death, or had been smashed into pulp by rounds of attacks from demonized rioters!
Among the female members, those with a bit of courage had committed suicide early on.
The rest inevitably suffered the fate of molestation.
If the Lu family of the Nanxiong Marquis estate deserved their fate, what about the fire of human ugliness that had spread throughout the entire city?