The Dramatic Crown Princess Wants to Poison Me!

Chapter 368: Claiming It as One’s Own

The owner quietly glanced at Xia Wenjin, recalling Xia Wenjin’s earlier instruction. She had prepared the seasoning, enough for tonight, but it shouldn’t be said that she made it, so he quietly let the restaurant take the credit.

However, the original creator was here, making him feel somewhat uneasy.

Luckily, Xia Wenjin looked calm, showing no sign of taking offense, truly uninterested in claiming the credit.

It was not yet completely dark, but given the special status of the guests in the room, he had already lit the lamps early, with several candelabras brightly lighting the room as if it were daytime.

The aroma of grilled skewers was everywhere. Kong Tixin immediately took two skewers to offer to Yu Shikui, saying, "Please try, my lord! Eat while it’s hot, it’s delicious when hot!"

Yu Shikui was very self-restrained. What good food hadn’t he tried before? It was just grilled skewers, after all. There was already a specialized grill house on the main street behind the Northern County Government.

His purpose today wasn’t to eat skewers. He reminded Kong Tixin, "Pour the wine first!"

Wang Bolao, being very perceptive, quickly said, "Let me, let me!"

But Kong Tixin stopped him and graciously said, "I’ve already said that today it’s the county’s invitation, and the county will be the host. You are all guests, so it’s not appropriate for the guests to pour the wine."

He stood up and poured wine for everyone.

Xia Wenjin’s gaze swept over the people at the table: Yu Shikui’s venom, Kong Tixin’s scheming, Wang Bolao’s ingratiation, Mrs. Wang’s flattery—they were all utterly boring.

She originally didn’t want to interact superficially with these people, but really, these two needed a lesson!

Couldn’t they just let things be? She was planning to leave tomorrow, yet they still had to create drama today!

Kong Tixin urged everyone to drink, pointing to the four jars of wine, saying, "Since we’re sending off Doctor Xia today, we shouldn’t leave until we’re drunk, so let’s not leave any wine behind!"

Wang Bolao was probably accompanying such a high-ranking official for the first time and was very anxious.

Yu Shikui glanced at Xia Wenjin. Her gaze was clear, her demeanor composed, her expression calm, free of a young lady’s shyness, none of the apprehension of a small-town girl, and none of the frivolousness of a worldly woman. She was like an orchid in a secluded valley, serene and elegant, with delicate beauty and purity.

A bit too slender, though.

The quarantine matters had kept her busy, and coupled with an illness, she hadn’t fully recovered.

Even so, she remained astonishingly beautiful.

With those clear, pure eyes, those delicate eyebrows, and a face with skin so tender it seemed to melt at a touch, seemingly capable of dripping water.

Her temperament was inherently pure and clean. When wearing male attire, she was a handsome young man, and the villagers of Wangshan Town, even Shang Jingwang and Wang Bolao, could only think how dashing this youth looked.

Thus, even when she changed into female attire, after the initial shock in their hearts, they found her even more likable. After all, her demeanor was refined without being seductive or vulgar, her beauty so pristine and pure that no vile thoughts could arise.

However, Yu Shikui and Kong Tixin clearly did not fall into this category.

When they saw something beautiful, be it people or objects, they only wanted to claim them as their own!

At the table, Yu Shikui’s superior and condescending demeanor, Kong Tixin’s fawning on Yu Shikui, his superiority towards Wang Bolao and his wife, and his inexplicably passionate attitude towards Xia Wenjin, combined with Wang Bolao and his wife’s anxiety, made the atmosphere rather bizarre.

Xia Wenjin was unfazed, eating grilled skewers.

Unfortunately, although she prepared the seasoning, the restaurant’s cook failed to fully bring out the flavor, either overcooking it slightly, mixing the spices unevenly, or failing to let the flavors fully infuse.

Fortunately, the game was fresh, and the meat tender, worth barely a score of four.

Clearly, if one wanted to taste truly delicious grilled meat, they had to go to the top notch chefs in the Capital City, or she had to do it herself!

Yet, despite the flawed skewers worth only a four, to Yu Shikui, it rated a ten. He wasn’t here for food or drink and had little expectation for the small town’s offerings. But after trying the skewers, he found them surprisingly delicious and ate several more.

Seeing his satisfied expression, Kong Tixin perceptively called the restaurant owner over, "Serve two more plates of those grilled skewers!"

The restaurant owner, seeing that the main dishes were being ignored in favor of the skewers that the official liked the most, was delighted and discreetly grateful to Xia Wenjin before immediately ordering the kitchen.

This was all thanks to Lord Imperial Envoy for having hunted that large wild boar, ensuring ample meat supplies.

Here, the atmosphere was delicate, but in the Blue Crane Room, things were much more relaxed.

Over there, there were only two people, the brothers Huangfu Jingchen and Huangfu Jinxuan. Or rather, three, as Wei Jun was also there, standing behind Huangfu Jinxuan, fulfilling his duty as a guard.

Huangfu Jinxuan regretted, "I wanted to invite that girl Xia Wenjin too, but when I sent someone, they couldn’t find her. Isn’t that unfortunate?"

Huangfu Jingchen was also a bit regretful, not having seen Xia Wenjin today.

But he was also helpless. Isn’t it said that there would be feelings of parting when one leaves? Ever since Huangfu Jinxuan arrived, he found that Xia Wenjin was busier, with fewer opportunities to meet her.

Sometimes he even suspected that Xia Wenjin was deliberately avoiding him.

As he pondered this, he was completely unsure of his thoughts, and resignedly drank a glass of wine, swallowing his concerns along with it.

Huangfu Jinxuan continued probing with curiosity, "What exactly is your relationship with Xia Wenjin? Look, even drinking with me doesn’t feel right. Come on now, it’s just that we couldn’t invite Miss Xia over, right?"

Huangfu Jingchen glanced at him, "I understand why Uncle Kang sent you here!"

"Why?"

"You talk too much!"

Huangfu Jinxuan: "..."

He pouted and said, "My father didn’t send me here because I talk too much; I cause more trouble than I talk. My father and older brother fear I’ll demolish the Prince Mansion!"

"You are rather self-aware!"

Huangfu Jinxuan said, "Young Master, why don’t you stay as well? It’s my first time as an imperial envoy, and although nothing on this side needs my concern, the person dealing directly with things is bad news. I’m afraid of any little tricks they might pull; having you here puts me more at ease!"

Huangfu Jingchen turned his head to scrutinize him, his eyes full of disdain and contempt: "Shouldn’t it be Yu Shikui who’s afraid? In the Capital, you parade around like a playboy; what’s to fear in this small Wangshan Town?"

"Young Master, don’t say that!" Huangfu Jinxuan replied, "I’m a playboy by strength! Suddenly becoming an imperial envoy, I now have to mind my image, don’t I?"

As he talked, he picked up a skewer of grilled meat, handed it to Huangfu Jingchen, took another himself, saw its appealing color and tempting aroma, felt quite satisfied, closed his eyes as he took a bite of the golden-brown, juicy wild boar meat. Suddenly, he stopped, looking at the skewer in his hand, eyes wide open, saying, "This isn’t right!"