A few black feathers fell into the river, and surprisingly, black liquid flowed out, mixing with the river water. However, the river was too vast, and the water did not change color. The river remained clear, with not a trace of blackness visible.
The feathers soon flowed downstream with the current. By the time the two attendants arrived at the riverbank, the feathers had already drifted quite far. They did not see any feathers.
Seeing that the river water was clear and clean, the two attendants confidently placed their buckets into the river to draw water. After filling the buckets, they carried them back to Ying'er.
Ying'er was quite efficient. In a short while, she prepared four buckets of iced honey water. She asked the kitchen staff for help, poured the water into cups, and distributed it to everyone.
The cup of iced honey water for Huangfu Yue was personally delivered by Ying'er.
"Your Highness, the iced honey water is ready. You can drink it now. Please try it."
Ying'er took a sip of the iced honey water, smiled, and nodded, praising, "It's delicious."
The taste of this iced honey water was somewhat similar to a popular drink she had tasted before, iced honey lemon water, but without the lemon flavor. However, it had another subtle taste that could only be detected with careful sipping.
That taste was a bit peculiar, but she couldn't quite describe how it was peculiar. Still, it wasn't an unpleasant taste.
Overall, the iced honey water was quite delicious.
"I'm glad Your Highness finds it delicious. I was worried you might not like the taste of iced honey water," Ying'er revealed a joyful smile.
She was now the Princess's personal maid, specifically serving her, so she cared greatly about the Princess's thoughts.
"This iced honey water is still so delicious! After one sip, I want another!"
A childish voice chimed in from the side. Huangfu Ling, being served by her maid, was drinking the iced honey water with gusto, her little face full of delight.
Others also praised the iced honey water as delicious. It seemed no one else, unlike Huangfu Yue, detected that slight oddity in the honey water. Perhaps they had detected it but, finding the honey water so delicious, didn't pay it any mind and didn't mention it.
"It's hot in the summer, and this iced honey water is perfect. It's cool and refreshing," Concubine Zheng said with a smile as she drank the iced honey water.
"Your Highness, would you like another cup? I'll go pour it for you," Ying'er said solicitously.
Concubine Zheng shook her head, "This cup is enough for me."
Lunch would be served soon, and if she drank another cup of honey water, she might not be able to eat lunch.
As one grew older, their appetite wasn't as good as before. Drinking too much water made them feel unable to eat.
"How much honey water did you make?" Huangfu Yue asked Ying'er. "Is the remaining honey water enough for everyone to drink after we set off this afternoon?"
"Your Highness, please rest assured. I made several buckets of honey water. We've only drunk two buckets so far, and there's still plenty left for everyone to drink after we set off this afternoon," Ying'er replied immediately.
"I'll bring out dozens of water skins later. Fill each water skin with honey water and distribute them to everyone so they can drink when they get thirsty after we set off this afternoon," Huangfu Yue instructed.
"Yes." Ying'er immediately accepted the order.
After drinking two more sips of honey water, Huangfu Yue asked the space to retrieve fifty imitation ancient water skins from the supermarket for her.
She had seen a pile of imitation ancient water skins when she was browsing the supermarket earlier.
The space quickly delivered a pile of water skins. As they were accustomed to Huangfu Yue always being able to conjure things out of thin air, no one was as surprised by the sudden appearance of the water skins as they had been before.
Ying'er called the two young attendants who had helped her fetch water from the river to carry the water skins away. Then, she began to fill each water skin with honey water.
Coincidentally, just as Ying'er, with the help of the two attendants, finished filling all the water skins with honey water and distributing them to everyone, the kitchen staff also finished preparing the dishes and went to report to Huangfu Yue.
Huangfu Yue immediately conjured five large dining tables from the space and asked the servants to set them up. She then instructed Chef Xu and the others to serve the dishes. Both the masters and the servants were to eat at the tables.
The masters of the manor sat at one table, while Feng Maoyuan and his constables sat at another. The servants occupied three tables.
The masters of the manor enjoyed the most lavish meal, with eighteen dishes. Feng Maoyuan's table had slightly fewer dishes, but still a respectable twelve. Each of the three servant tables had only eight dishes, which was still not a small amount.
The chefs in the manor's kitchen were highly skilled, and every dish was delicious. Everyone found the food very satisfying. It was Huangfu Yue's first time eating dishes from the manor's kitchen, and she was extremely pleased, feasting heartily, especially on the braised wolf meat, which she particularly enjoyed.
However, she noticed that others seemed hesitant to eat the wolf meat, likely out of fear of wolves.
"Why aren't you taking any wolf meat? The wolf meat is really delicious," Huangfu Yue said enthusiastically to her family. "Grandmother, would you like to try the wolf meat? I'll get you a piece. This braised wolf meat tastes wonderful."
Concubine Zheng shook her head, "Yue'er, thank you, but I've never liked braised dishes."
Hearing Concubine Zheng's words, Huangfu Yue didn't press her further to eat the braised wolf meat.
"I don't like braised dishes either," Yang Wanqian said softly, a flicker of fear in her eyes, looking as if she was afraid Huangfu Yue would ask her to eat braised wolf meat.
"Me neither!"
"Me neither..."
The others at the same table immediately chimed in, clearly, like Yang Wanqian, fearing that Huangfu Yue would ask them to eat braised wolf meat, so they refused in advance.
Huangfu Yue felt a little speechless, and also a little amused. Looking at them, it was truly...
Never mind! It was their loss if they didn't eat the braised wolf meat.
If they didn't eat it, she would eat it herself.
Huangfu Yue took another piece of braised wolf meat and put it into her mouth. As she chewed, she casually glanced at the other tables and noticed that Feng Maoyuan and his subordinates were all taking braised wolf meat. Among the servants, two men were also taking braised wolf meat. It seemed these individuals were the ones with the courage.
Huangfu Yue slightly curved her lips and looked again at those who dared not eat wolf meat.
In fact, the wolves were already dead and turned into small pieces of meat. What was there to be afraid of? Were they afraid that by eating wolf meat, the wolves would come back to life and bite their stomachs!
She couldn't understand the mindset of those who were afraid to eat wolf meat; they were simply too timid!
However, what surprised her was that her grandmother, who didn't appear timid, was also unwilling to eat wolf meat.
Huangfu Yue secretly glanced at Concubine Zheng.
She didn't know that Concubine Zheng's reluctance to eat wolf meat wasn't due to fear or timidity, but because she genuinely disliked braised dishes.
As she was older, she preferred lighter flavors.
While Huangfu Yue and the others were eating, pedestrians occasionally passed by. Seeing them enjoying such good food and drink by the roadside, they were curious about which prominent family had such a grand display and were filled with envy.