Not long after, Kebina and Wan Yan'er also got up. Upon seeing the table full of food, both praised Su Muqing's cooking. However, when she groggily turned her head, they saw her sleepy appearance and wondered if she had really gotten up early to make breakfast.
They looked at Lu Yuzhi, who was setting out bowls and chopsticks, with some surprise. Had he made this delicious meal? Didn't people from the central plains say that a gentleman stays away from the kitchen? It seemed the men of their Huaxia City truly were capable in both the hall and the kitchen!
"Eat up!" Lu Yuzhi smiled and served Su Muqing a bowl of congee. Hake also stepped forward to serve Kebina and Wan Yan'er each a bowl.
Their ship had no servants, so everyone did their own chores. During this time, Leng Ren and Leng Feng had also been eating at the same table with them.
Although Kebina and Wan Yan'er had been served by others their entire lives, they were not the type of people who couldn't pick up their chopsticks without assistance. They didn't feel that Leng Ren and the others were inferiors and were unwilling to eat with them. On the contrary, Kebina even called Hake to eat together, and everyone got along very harmoniously.
After breakfast, Kebina rushed off to find Black Bear and the others. Although Wan Yan'er was a little scared, her eyes were filled with irrepressible curiosity. So, Leng Ren and the others stayed to wash the dishes while Lu Yuzhi and the others followed along.
After sailing for an entire night, the large ship was now in the vast sea.
When they arrived, the eagle was just preparing to fly out for a patrol. If it just ate and lay around every day, it feared it would one day be unable to fly.
The eagle spread its wide wings. Fortunately, the deck area was large enough. It swooped down, flying almost at water level before flapping its wings to ascend.
Kebina's eyes lit up when he saw it fly. A seventeen or eighteen-year-old boy was full of curiosity. He excitedly ran up to Su Muqing. "Miss Su, can you let it take me for a flight?"
As soon as he finished speaking, before Su Muqing could respond, Hake rushed forward as if facing a great enemy to stop him. "No... Your Highness, in this vast sea, what if it throws you too far, and I fear I won't be able to retrieve you!!"
"Get out of the way, don't be a nuisance... Alright? Miss Su, please, please, Sister Muqing~" Kebina pushed Hake aside, then turned and shamelessly began to act coquil.
Lu Yuzhi was displeased when he saw this. How could a dignified man speak so effeminately? He took out a small whistle from his sleeve and blew it twice. This was the bone whistle Su Muqing had given him. The sound of the bone whistle was like a sound wave, sharp and very penetrating. Even if the eagle flew far away, it could still sense the audio frequency.
Indeed! In a short while, the eagle flew back. It was clearly not yet done flying, but Su Muqing was very satisfied to see it return as soon as it heard the whistle. The eagle did not land, but instead hovered in the air, flapping its wings.
Lu Yuzhi, in a rough and direct manner, yelled at the eagle. "Badian, take him for a flight! Don't drop him into the sea..."
Kebina rubbed his hands excitedly when he heard Lu Yuzhi's words. This was great! Being able to ride such a fierce bird and fly into the sky would be something he could brag about for a lifetime. Hake ignored his master's excitement and quickly stepped forward, spreading his arms to stop him.
It wasn't that Hake didn't trust Su Muqing and the others, he just didn't trust the large bird. A beast is just a beast. What if it went berserk halfway and threw someone off? If something happened to his master, then his own small life would be forfeit.
Who knew that as soon as Hake extended his hands, the eagle had already flown over. It grabbed Kebina by the belt with one claw and lifted him up. Just as it was about to fly away, it saw someone else rush over.
Thinking he also wanted to experience it, the eagle quickly extended its other claw and grabbed Hake by the belt. Then, straddling its legs, it flew into the air carrying the master and servant...
"Ahhh... Save me~" The sudden lift terrified Hake, and he screamed.
"Don't yell so loud, it will throw you down!" Kebina heard his piercing scream and felt it was affecting his flight, so he tried to scare him.
Hake indeed stopped shouting loudly after hearing this. Kebina was very pleased with this. Although he was being carried and flying, his posture might not be as elegant as riding on the eagle's back. But he still felt very satisfied.
"Badian, fly slower! Let me get a good look at the scenery of this world!" Kebina shouted loudly at the eagle. He didn't know if the eagle could understand him or if it would listen.
Who knew that the eagle actually understood and slowly reduced its speed. Kebina excitedly spread his hands. With his eyes open, he admired the blue sky and white clouds, and experienced the boundless scenery of the sea. He loved this feeling of freedom, even fantasizing about how wonderful it would be if he had wings!
Hake was forced to keep quiet. After the eagle slowed down, he gradually got used to the feeling of flying in the sky. Looking at the beautiful scenery before him, he even began to feel fortunate that he had been brought along, otherwise, he might never have had the chance to see such beautiful scenery in his life.
Seeing the master and servant flying further and further away, Wan Yan'er's eyes were filled with envy. She also wanted to fly once! But she was a little afraid to do it alone. Her gaze slowly shifted to Su Muqing, and she smiled somewhat ingratiatingly.
Oh well! Su Muqing instantly understood her intention! She rubbed her forehead, blaming herself for being too clever!
About twenty minutes later, the eagle flew back. It slowly flapped its wings, and when it was very close to the deck, it opened its claws and let go of the master and servant. Then it landed on the deck itself.
Lu Yuzhi walked over and fed it some food, letting the eagle rest properly. Wan Yan'er begged Su Muqing for a long time before Su Muqing finally agreed to accompany her for a flight in the afternoon.
However, Su Muqing knew in her heart that Ying Badian would likely not agree to Wan Yan'er riding on it. If it suddenly engaged in another extreme flying challenge mid-air, then it would be curtains for this young lady from a wealthy family. It seemed she would also have to experience being grabbed and flown like an eagle catching chicks.
When it was time to cook lunch, Kebina told Hake that they couldn't always eat the food prepared by Su Muqing and the others. So, they were escorted back to their own boat, and the two packed the goods they had bought yesterday into a huge bundle. They had the eagle deliver the food first and then pick them up.
Su Muqing twitched her lips as she looked at the large bundle that descended from the sky. Were this master and servant planning to stay here long-term? Upon opening the bundle, she found a very rich assortment of ingredients. The two had brought almost all the fresh food with them.
Wan Yan'er suddenly thought that if she kept eating and living here for free, it seemed a bit shameless! So, she generously took out a thousand tael silver note and gave it to Su Muqing, telling her that the note could be cashed in for silver in Tianzhao Kingdom.
Su Muqing hadn't intended to accept her silver note. Although those mirrors were indeed priceless in this era, she had also obtained over two hundred and ten thousand gold coins from Wan Yan'er for free. Therefore, she felt it was perfectly acceptable to sponsor their trip.
However, Wan Yan'er insisted on giving it to her, saying she wasn't short of money. If Su Muqing didn't accept her money, she would feel uneasy. The two pushed the silver note back and forth, almost causing Wan Yan'er to throw a tantrum.
Finally, Su Muqing had to accept the silver note, meaning that all expenses for their boat rental and even their round trip were covered by Wan Yan'er!
At noon, Su Muqing cooked a table full of food. Even Kebina and Wan Yan'er pitched in to help. The two were usually accustomed to being served food, but today they tried helping out and found it quite enjoyable.
After Su Muqing finished preparing their lunch, she also stir-fried a large pot of twice-cooked pork with potato slices and had Leng Ren and Leng Feng carry it over to the boatmen for an extra meal. Their living conditions were truly mediocre. They usually lived below deck, in a place that was stuffy and hot.
Except for the old captain and a few first mates, who could occasionally come up to check the weather or come out to adjust the direction when needed, the others stayed in the cabins and generally didn't loiter in front of the employers.
When Leng Ren and the others brought over the two large basins of meat dishes, all the boatmen were deeply moved. At first, when they saw that most of the food prepared on the ship were rice, flour, and potatoes, they thought they would have to eat boiled potatoes all the way.
But they never expected their employer to be so generous, sending them two meals with dishes on the second day. The boatmen were all sighing, saying that this was truly a good job. Not only was the pay high, but the food was also so good, it was truly worth it!
At breakfast, the two had already found the food Su Muqing and the others ate to be very special and delicious. What they didn't expect was that the food at lunch tasted even better. Su Muqing's cooking skills were surprisingly good, and the dishes and flavors were unlike anything the two had ever tasted.
The two pulled her aside to ask all sorts of questions, sometimes asking how the seasonings were made, and sometimes asking if that type of sausage was available for sale. Su Muqing smiled with satisfaction, saying that all these things would be available for sale in Huaxia City in the future. If the two were interested, she could offer them exclusive agency rights in the future.
The two did not understand what exclusive agency rights meant, so Su Muqing patiently explained it to them. After that, every time she introduced a new term, the two would act like eager students. In the end, Su Muqing had to consider her words carefully before speaking. She was truly afraid of being questioned by these two...
It was originally agreed that after lunch, she would take Wan Yan'er for a flight. But who knew that the two of them were so full after lunch? Plus, the weather was very good today, with the sun shining brightly. Su Muqing found it too hot, so she decided to go in the evening.
It wasn't until around five in the afternoon that the sun began to set. Since Su Muqing didn't want to be grabbed by the belt, she had the eagle take off first. Then, she put her arm around Wan Yan'er's waist and followed closely behind the eagle.
The sudden change startled Wan Yan'er, and her eyes widened. She stared at Su Muqing's face with admiration, completely unaware that her slender waist was being held by the eagle.
Kebina and Hake on the ship were also stunned. Who exactly was this woman? How could she possess such miraculous skills at such a young age?
Not only did she have profound internal energy, but she also possessed excellent agility. Furthermore, she could control beasts, and even birds of prey and fierce beasts were willing to obey her commands. She was exceptionally good at making money and was very wealthy herself. She was also beautiful and easy to get along with. Even when dealing with the lowest-ranking boatmen, she did not put on an air of superiority.
How could such a person exist in the world? She seemed to have no flaws! What a remarkable woman!
Kebina felt that all of this was a divine sign from heaven, guiding him to run away from home just so he could meet a remarkable woman like Su Muqing.
(Heaven: You think too highly of yourself. Your rebelliousness has nothing to do with me! I'm not taking the blame for this!)
Su Muqing, flying in the air, made sure Wan Yan'er was securely held before releasing her hands. Then, she herself flew to the eagle's other claw. After she was also firmly grasped, she finally said, "You can take off now."
Fortunately, the eagle's claws were wide, and their waists were slender. This way, being held by them was not too uncomfortable, and their posture was not as awkward as Kebina's.
Wan Yan'er temporarily put away her starry-eyed gaze at Su Muqing and then shouted excitedly at the sea. "Ah~! I'm really flying~! What a beautiful sunset~ What a beautiful sea~ What a beautiful fiery red sky~ I'm so happy~!"
Seeing Wan Yan'er, who was as excited as a child, Su Muqing also shouted, "Badian! Give me something exciting, fly even faster!"
Receiving Su Muqing's command, the eagle accelerated sharply towards the high sky, then carried the two of them to chase the remnants of the setting sun, soaring through the sky filled with twilight!
The two people and the bird flew back and forth for more than forty minutes before returning to the ship. When Wan Yan'er first got down, she couldn't even stand steady. Even so, she was extremely excited. If her legs hadn't been so weak, she would have really wanted to run over and hug the eagle.
Little Milk Bun saw his sister finally return and pouted unhappily. Then, he turned his head and lay on Lu Yuzhi's shoulder, ignoring her. Su Muqing was a little surprised. Was he having a little tantrum? Could such a young child also be jealous?
Su Muqing quickly picked him up and played peek-a-boo with him and chased him around, finally coaxing him into giggling.
In fact, it wasn't just Little Milk Bun; even Lu Yuzhi was a little sulky. He even wanted to throw the other three back onto Kebina's boat, so they wouldn't always pester Su Muqing, wanting to fly here and there one moment, and asking endless questions the next.
Lu Yuzhi had originally hoped to develop their relationship further on the journey. But after they boarded the ship, she was either busy setting up the glass factory or planning how to better develop Huaxia City, leaving him with no opportunity to have a good conversation with her.
Leng Ren and the others sensed their master's subtle displeasure. The two conferred, and that evening, they dragged Kebina, Hake, and Wan Yan'er together and insisted on teaching them Dou Dizhu (Fight the Landlord). This way, Su Muqing and the young master could spend time with Little Milk Bun.
At first, Wan Yan'er and the other two were unwilling. They didn't know what Dou Dizhu was, and they still had many questions they wanted to ask Su Muqing. They had no interest in playing these childish games.
Who knew that "true fragrance" might be late, but it would never be absent!
The reality was that after learning Dou Dizhu, Kebina and Wan Yan'er quickly developed a strong interest. The four of them played from half-past six in the afternoon until past two in the morning.
Finally, Leng Ren and the other were holding their cards, their heads nodding, almost falling asleep at the card table. At this moment, they deeply regretted why they had insisted on teaching these two Dou Dizhu. They had truly brought it upon themselves!
After Su Muqing coaxed Little Milk Bun to sleep, the two began to discuss matters related to Huaxia City. Basically, she would propose ideas or initiate the discussion, and Lu Yuzhi would listen quietly, or occasionally offer some suggestions.
Tonight was the most time they had spent alone together in a long time. They envisioned future developments and planned their grand ambitions together.
Su Muqing talked about many of the plans she had formulated, which made Lu Yuzhi's lips curve upwards, a smile that didn't disappear until the conversation ended. But in the depths of his heart, he was overjoyed.
This was because in Su Muqing's plans, his participation was included in almost every stage and many important steps.
So, his presence was in her future. He had always been in her future plans. Every time Lu Yuzhi thought of this, he felt warmth and happiness in his heart...
The two chatted about everything under the sun, from poetry and song to the philosophy of life. (The content was not of the Qiong Yao style.) Unknowingly, they continued until past two in the morning.
Lu Yuzhi saw that she was getting sleepy and suggested she get some good rest, then left the room and returned to the main hall. Su Muqing, seeing that he had proactively suggested it, breathed a sigh of relief.
Actually, she had been sleepy for a long time, but seeing that Brother Lu seemed to be in high spirits tonight and kept pulling her into discussions, she didn't want to dampen his enthusiasm, so she had to sacrifice her beauty sleep! As soon as he left, Su Muqing quickly took a quick bath in the space and fell asleep the moment she got into bed!
She silently vowed that starting from tomorrow night, she absolutely could not stay up late again. Whoever stays up late is a dog!
(Fei La: Woof woof woof! Who is calling me?)
Lu Yuzhi arrived at the main hall and saw that the two guards were playing cards so intensely that smoke was almost rising! The other two, however, still appeared full of fighting spirit. Thinking that they were doing this for him tonight, he quickly came to their rescue.
The card game dispersed, and everyone then returned to their rooms to sleep.
Unknowingly, the group had been at sea for nearly ten days. What was a tedious and boring sea voyage for others was extremely exciting for Su Muqing and the others.
When they got tired of staying on deck, they would go for a round of环海飞行 (sea-circling flight). They would gather in groups of twos and threes to play Dou Dizhu, or sit together to fish for sea fish to change their palate.
Even the boatmen had gained weight over the past few days. This was probably the happiest voyage they had ever had. The employers were not only generous and unobtrusive but also provided them with extra meals every time. If they could encounter such employers in the future, it would be great!
November 17th. Today was Little Milk Bun's first birthday. This time last year, the Great Yu Dynasty had already entered the cold winter. But now, in the direction of Tianzhao Kingdom, it was still as hot as summer.
Despite being born in the dead of winter, he had to celebrate his birthday on the vast, hot sea today. It was likely to be a special experience in Little Milk Bun's future life.
Su Muqing got up early and entered her space. Following the steps on the screen, she began to learn how to make a cake. She tried many times and finally baked a relatively perfect cake base.
That's it! She secretly placed the finished cake base in the ship's cabin kitchen, pretending she had made it there. When Wan Yan'er came to help, Su Muqing was using her wind elemental power to whip the cream. Using a cheat was convenient; it was much easier than doing it herself.
After whipping for a long time, Su Muqing inserted a clean chopstick into it. If it didn't fall, it meant the cream was whipped. Then, she mixed some other colors. Since Little Milk Bun's zodiac sign was the rooster, she first coated the entire cake base with white cream. Then, on the white base, she drew a small, pale yellow chick.
It had a chubby body, miniature wings, and tiny claws. She also drew black eyes and a small mouth. Finally, on top of the chick's head, she drew a red comb. Su Muqing was so focused on her drawing that she didn't notice that people had already gathered around her.
At this moment, the onlookers looked at Su Muqing with stars in their eyes. This person was truly amazing! It seemed there was nothing she couldn't do! Since it was a birthday, in addition to the cake, a lavish feast was naturally essential.
A few days ago, the old captain and others had accidentally overheard that it was the little owner's first birthday. Thinking that Su Muqing and the others had been so good to them, they had climbed to the bow of the ship very early the previous day to set up fishing nets. Some boatmen who were good swimmers even risked jumping into the sea to place the fishing nets in deeper waters.
So, by afternoon, the catch was exceptionally abundant. Seeing the nets they pulled up filled with strange-looking sea fish, crabs as large as wooden basins, lobsters as thick as a forearm, and several large octopuses, Su Muqing was deeply touched. These boatmen were truly simple and honest.
She only made an extra dish each day, and the boatmen kept it in mind, always looking for opportunities to repay her. However, Su Muqing also told them not to go into the sea like this anymore, as she would feel guilty if anything happened.
As for those seafood dishes~ they would naturally be arranged! Tomorrow, a luxurious seafood feast would be held to celebrate Little Milk Bun's birthday!
After the cake was completed, Su Muqing saw that the kitchen was packed full. Since they had all come over willingly, she put them to work. Some were responsible for washing and scrubbing, some for lighting fires and cooking, and two more for chopping and dicing...
For a time, the kitchen was filled with laughter. Outside, Little Milk Bun, accompanied by Fei La and Black Bear, and constantly watched over by the eagle, was also having a great time.
Steamed shrimp, garlic shrimp, steamed king crab, stir-fried crab legs, braised sea fish, steamed sea fish, stir-fried octopus, and finally, Su Muqing also made boiled freshwater fish slices... Without so many precautions, it was easier for her to cook with these simple ingredients.
In fact, Su Muqing didn't know how to make such a purely seafood feast. But fortunately, with the system's prompts, she finally managed to reproduce it by imitating.
If a professional gourmet from modern times saw it, they would definitely think she was wasting food. But these unconventional, yet colorful, fragrant, and delicious dishes were very effective in deceiving these ancient people!
She didn't know about others. But at least the people in front of her, who were drooling over the dishes on the table, could be 100% confirmed to have been deceived by her!