The Feast

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"Think whatever you like, no matter what, Mei Yue Lou will never be rebuilt." Duan Tingxuan hardened his heart and turned his head away from Su Nuan Nuan\'s eyes. For the sake of long term happiness, he must endure this trial to the end.

"Very well, don\'t rebuild Mei Yue Lou. Don\'t expect to eat my delicious food. I\'ll tell you now, I have plenty of other hands I have not shown yet. Ever heard of Beggar\'s Chicken? Or Stuffed Eggplants? Also…"

"I\'m fine not eating your cooking for a day or two. In fact, I\'m sure I can withstand up to ten or twenty days without it." Duan Tingxuan slashed his hand down, cutting off Su Nuan Nuan\'s words. He smiled, and said, "But, tell me this, Nuan Nuan, how long can you live among the ruins of Mei Yue Lou? Though it is summer time, there are plenty of mosquitoes around, ah. If you light too many mugwort to get rid of the mosquitoes, you could drive yourself crazy. Moreover, even the kitchen is gone, how on earth are you going to cook? While it may feel charming and romantic in the first couple of days, do you really think you can stand camping out over ten days? How are you going to shower or bath? Where are you going to sleep? In the morning, the sun will be unbearable…"

"b.a.s.t.a.r.d, rascal, beast…" Su Nuan Nuan was so angry that her fists came up. However, it did her no good, she knew that everything Duan Tingxuan said was true. There was no way for her to continue living at Mei Yue Lou. The only option was to move back to the inner court, and face the watchful eyes of those other wives and concubines.

"Go ahead and yell whatever you like, call me an animal or beast for all I care, as long as you move back." Duan Tingxuan shrugged, he really did not care. Those political enemies he face in the morning court have called him worse things, if he really cared what other people called him he would have died long ago.

"Missy, what should we do now?" Hong Lian and Xiang Yun approached her cautiously, worry on their faces. Of course they hope that Su Nuan Nuan would move back to the inner court, however, with their mistress looking so sad, and their master so overbearing and condescending, the two maids really don\'t know what to think.

"What else could we do? Move out, just move out, my greatest fear is being annoyed by others. If anyone dares to disturb my peace, I\'ll just drive them back ruthlessly. Who\'s scared of them?"

Su Nuan Nuan\'s practical foodie side finally revealed itself, she shook her fist against the heavens. Curses. Why is it that other transmigrated women could change the currents of history just by waggling their golden finger? By just showing their face, beautiful men of all kinds fell at their feet like dominoes. When will her turn come? Why is it that the only man she have is this male s.l.u.t, this single rascal whom she could barely defeat? Now he was about to chomp his teeth on her neck and squeeze her under his power. No, there was no way she could just go down like this, ah.

"Nuan Nuan, so you really agree?" the little marquis was so happy that a nauseatingly flattering smile appeared on his stupid face. This increased the dissatisfaction in Su Nuan Nuan\'s heart. No matter what, she was still condescending to this slag man\'s desire to drag her back to the inner court, not something she would ever be willing to do.

"I can agree to come back, but I have a condition." Su Nuan Nuan snapped, there was no way she was going to just allow this man to get her back so cheaply. Anyway, she had just thought of the condition, and sure enough. Duan Tingxuan was all smiles as he nodded quickly, "I\'m fine with this. You may have it, in fact, you may have a hundred conditions if you like."

"I don\'t need a hundred conditions." Su Nuan Nuan sniffed coldly. She pointed at the still smouldering Mei Yue Lou and said, "Since you refused to rebuild Mei Yue Lou, make a greenhouse there. I want to have our own vegetables in winter.

"No problem, just leave it to me." Duan Tingxuan\'s eyes sparkled. There were actually quite a few rich families who had their greenhouses. The Duan family never really paid attention to their meals in the past and never bothered to build one for themselves. However, things were different now. Now that they have Su Nuan Nuan, so of course they must have a greenhouse. Just think, he would be able to eat stir fried shiitake mushrooms with greens, leek dumplings, grilled eggplants…

[Gulu] the little marquis swallowed audibly, and made up his mind to have contractors come here as soon as possible. He had just thought of this when the pattering of footsteps was heard, soon someone was banging on their font entrance. Hong Lian rushed over to open it, and in poured a number of night watch grannies, as well as a.s.sorted other male and female servants. All were exclaiming loudly at the sight of the fire, but even the fire was rendered as a background effect against the dramatic sight of Duan Tingxuan and Su Nuan Nuan standing together, backlit by the firelight.

Though the fire had consumed pretty much everything, Duan Tingxuan still sent people over to put out the fire and save whatever they could. Su Nuan Nuan\'s small reminder to the worker to \'Be careful\' earned an irritated look from Duan Tingxuan, which she ignored with a roll of her eyes.

Finally, Madam Yang and Xu Ran Yun have also arrived. Duan Tingxuan was uninjured, but since the fire was pretty strong, his hair was slightly singed and the sleeves of his shirt was scorched. As he had been running around with a soaked woollen blanket, his entire person was dyed grey and brown by it. He looked more like a ferocious wolf than an aristocratic heir. On the other hand, not even a single hair or clothes on Su Nuan Nuan was singed, clearly she had been fiercely protected.

Madam Yang felt distressed as she stared at her beloved son\'s appearance and turned accusative eyes at Su Nuan Nuan. However, the knowledge that her son might take this woman\'s side against her stayed the curses on her lips. Xu Ran Yun was filled with regretful misery, why did the heavens not help me? If my husband had not slept here due to the rain, perhaps she would be standing over the blackened corpse of Su Nuan Nuan even now. Not only did the woman not die, she might even want to move into the inner court now that her shabby building had burnt down. This was certainly the worst of the worst news.

Madam Yang was similarly miserable, however, she had a much kinder nature. Furthermore, if they refused to allow Su Nuan Nuan back to the inner court, where was she and her two maids supposed to stay? Outdoors? How could she just let them?

"Mother, it\'s barely pa.s.sed midnight. I shall bring Su Nuan Nuan and the rest to grandmother\'s place to stay the night. I\'ll get someone to properly clean up Chun Feng Yuen tomorrow before they move in, what do you think?" Duan Tingxuan had noticed her looks of course, and went on the attack with this inquiry. Madam Yang answered mildly, "Why do you want to disturb your grandmother for? Just let them stay with me for a day, once Chun Feng Yuan is sorted out they can move in."

Duan Tingxuan gave Madam Yang a doubtful look, his eyes casting about, trying to read her intentions. He muttered, "Let them stay with mother…"

"What\'s that look for?" Madam Yang was starting to get angry, she snort coldly. "Are you afraid that I might turn into a tigress and eat them up?"

"How could such thoughts crossed your son\'s mind? Mother is a virtuous woman of great warmth and tenderness, how could you be a tigress? If anyone\'s qualified to be tigress is that shrew Nuan Nuan." Duan Tingxuan quickly realized that he was very closed to p.i.s.sing off his mother and quickly favoured her with an ingratiating smile. His words were not an insult to Su Nuan Nuan either, she was a shrew of a woman after all. The little marquis knew that his wife had zero illusions about her own behaviour and would understand.

"Humph!" Madam Yang ignored her son\'s flattery and cast her eyes around Mei Yue Lou. People were still bringing in buckets of water to throw on the embers. Next to her was Su Nuan Nuan and Xu Ran Yun, she gave her son a straight glare and said. You tell me honestly now. Were you the one who set fire to this place? Your motive of course, forcing this daughter-in-law of mine back to the inner court."

[Gumihou: Go, Madam Yang!]

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Translated by Gumihou at kitchennovel dot com

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