In the dining hall, Huo Qiyuan was savoring his lunch. Beside him, Leng Feng seemed to have forgotten about eating, his mind restless.
Leng Feng didn't know what was happening to him. The image of that young maid kept flashing before his eyes. He shook his head in annoyance, but the maid's pretty face, her melodious voice, and the intoxicating fragrance she exuded were inescapable and unforgettable.
"What's happening? Could it be..." Leng Feng murmured, his heart in a panic. These strange behaviors of his, was he actually falling in love?
Leng Feng raised his hand in surprise and slapped his own mouth. When had he become so unstable? How could he be so easily captivated by a mere maid...
Perhaps it was because he had been a monk for too long. The sudden appearance of a reasonably attractive and pleasant-speaking young girl made his heart skip a beat uncontrollably?
Leng Feng was so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't notice his master, Huo Qiyuan, had stopped eating and was staring at him with a peculiar expression.
Huo Qiyuan watched Leng Feng muttering to himself, then looking self-doubting, appearing rather unintelligent. But Leng Feng had always been the most boisterous one in the Leng Squad. This time, he wondered what screw had come loose.
"Alas! What a loss, this is truly a loss... Your Highness, are you finished eating?" Leng Feng, lost in self-pity, suddenly felt an unfriendly gaze. When he looked up, he saw Huo Qiyuan staring at him.
Huo Qiyuan dismissed the servants, patted the stool beside him, and motioned for the stunned Leng Feng to come sit and eat. He didn't know what was wrong with this young man today. He was usually the most enthusiastic eater, yet he remained unmoved by the feast before him.
"What? Still not eating? Are you waiting for this king to feed you himself?" Huo Qiyuan's temper flared as he saw Leng Feng's unresponsiveness and傻傻 (shǎ shǎ - foolish/silly) demeanor.
Despite having a face that didn't appear particularly bright and a tendency to start things with great gusto but finish them weakly, Leng Feng possessed the highest martial arts comprehension within the Leng Squad. It was infuriating that there was nowhere to reason with this fact.
"Oh, oh, oh, oh, eating! Of course, I'm eating. Your subordinate is starving to death after waiting so long." Leng Feng was startled by Huo Qiyuan's gaze and rushed to sit down. He grabbed his chopsticks and bowl, not even looking to see if there was food in it, and began shoveling it into his mouth.
"Weren't you starving to death? Then why are you still eating air over there? When did eating air, other than the northwest wind, become filling?"
"Huh? Empty, empty bowl? Hehehe, no wonder the dishes tasted a bit bland today. It turns out your subordinate hadn't even managed to pick up any food yet." Caught red-handed by Huo Qiyuan, Leng Feng felt no embarrassment. Instead, he grinned foolishly, holding his bowl.
Seeing Leng Feng's series of foolish actions, Huo Qiyuan shook his head helplessly. Alas! It seemed there was no hope for his subordinate to become smarter.
Fortunately, although his mind wasn't quick, his martial arts were exceptionally good. In the matter of martial arts, he was probably what Mu Qing described as someone whom heaven itself chased after to feed.
After finishing his lunch, Huo Qiyuan returned to his study to continue his work. Leng Feng, dawdling through his meal, was the only one left in the dining hall.
Leng Feng's mind was filled with questions. Even his favorite dishes had become tasteless. He paced back and forth, scratching his head in anxiety, and finally couldn't help but ask the butler standing by the door, "Butler, was that maid who almost fell while serving the dishes new? I've never seen her before."
The butler didn't understand why Leng Feng was asking this, thinking he was still angry with the young maid. "Reporting to Vice Commander Leng, she is new. Not only her, but all the maids serving today have just arrived from Yaojing."
Leng Feng looked at the butler with confusion. "Why were they replaced? Were the previously hired ones unsatisfactory? Did you consult my elder brother before changing them?"
The butler wiped the sweat from his brow, grateful that he had sought prior approval. "This humble one did consult, and Master Leng Blade agreed. The previous group was hired temporarily when His Highness arrived. They were not meticulous in their work, and their hygiene habits were not good. Although the Prince didn't say anything explicitly, this humble one could tell he was a bit uncomfortable, and Master Leng also sensed it. Therefore, after people arrived from Yaojing, Master Leng instructed this humble one to replace all the servants immediately."
Leng Feng nodded thoughtfully. "So that's how it is! Since my elder brother knew, then it's fine. Oh right! What was that little maid's name just now?"
"This humble one isn't very clear about that. This humble one only knows that they were all brought from Yaojing, and their backgrounds must be clean and reputable."
"I'm not doubting her origins, I just... never mind, never mind. You can go, I'll find her myself." Leng Feng said and walked out of the dining hall. The butler could only provide a name, and asking him was less effective than asking her directly.
Seeing Leng Feng leave, the butler breathed a sigh of relief. He remembered that the maids who came this time had been selected long ago. However, one of them had fallen ill and passed away just before their departure.
He couldn't find a suitable replacement in time. Just then, someone was recommended from Zhengyixiang Alley on East City Street. That little maid's name was Su Ling'er, and she was reportedly from the same hometown as His Majesty.
People living on East City Street generally had their family backgrounds traced back several generations, so there shouldn't be any issues. Being from the same hometown as His Majesty and solving the shortage of staff was a win-win situation, so the butler slightly altered the personnel list.
The little maid from just now looked so much like Su Ling'er recommended from East Street. The butler thought for a moment, shook his head, and continued with his work. It shouldn't be such a coincidence.
Leng Feng sat with his arms crossed on the withered tree by the courtyard wall, staring at the young maid below who was dozing by the well. She slept so soundly that even the commotion of people coming and going from the back corridor didn't wake her.
Seeing a large group of servants and the butler approaching from a distance, and worried that the lazy maid might be reprimanded, Leng Feng leaped down and landed beside her. He knocked on the wooden bucket by the well, startling her awake.
The young maid, who had been sleeping soundly, was suddenly awakened by the noise. She opened her eyes sleepily and happened to see a figure in black drifting past her, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
"What was that?" The young maid followed the dark figure, running around the base of the large withered tree, but saw no strange person.
Did she just see things because she was still drowsy?