Xiao Changyi didn’t say anything immediately but just led An Jing out of the kitchen. Then, he had An Jing sit in the courtyard to bask in the sun and said, "If you’re tired, go back to the room and rest."
An Jing’s belly had grown noticeably larger than before. If she really couldn’t stay idle, she would do some light chores. If she could, she would do nothing at all. And her husband would rather she did nothing, fearing any mishaps.
Thinking that both Meng Lanqing and Meng Zhuqing were visiting today and would help her husband with chores like washing vegetables and starting the fire, she wasn’t needed at all. Thus, she simply nodded and said, "Hmm."
She certainly didn’t want to end up as a burden instead of helping.
After Meng Lanqing finished washing dishes, Xiao Changyi instructed Meng Zhuqing to heat water, as he planned to prepare the chickens and ducks.
Once the water heated up, Xiao Changyi told Meng Lanqing to slaughter the chickens and ducks.
Meng Lanqing had no idea how to kill chickens or ducks and just thought of chopping off their heads in a rough and simple manner; surely the poultry would die that way. But before his cleaver could strike, he was stopped by Xiao Changyi’s cold stare.
The cleaver just hung there, unable to come down.
"How old are you?" Xiao Changyi suddenly asked, neither cold nor warm.
Meng Lanqing immediately answered respectfully, "This subordinate is already twenty-five."
Xiao Changyi said, "You’re that old, and you still can’t kill chickens?"
Meng Lanqing: "..." What does age have to do with being able to kill chickens?
Meng Zhuqing, who was standing aside and watching, inwardly lit a candle for his elder brother.
Then, Xiao Changyi took the chicken from Meng Lanqing, grasped its wings and head with one hand, and with the other, deftly cut the chicken’s throat with the cleaver. The chicken’s blood immediately began to flow, collected neatly in a bowl set aside.
Meng Lanqing and Meng Zhuqing watched their lord complete the task in one fluid motion, filled with admiration.
After all the chicken blood had drained into the bowl and the chicken was thoroughly dead, Xiao Changyi soaked it in hot water and instructed Meng Zhuqing to pluck its feathers afterward.
Xiao Changyi then handed the cleaver back to Meng Lanqing, asking him to slaughter the duck. Meng Lanqing tried to mimic the action. Though not skilled, he did manage to kill the duck. He then soaked the duck in hot water as well.
Xiao Changyi didn’t bother with Meng Lanqing and Meng Zhuqing anymore and turned to wash the vegetables himself.
Once the chicken and duck were ready, Meng Zhuqing began to pluck the chicken, while Meng Lanqing plucked the duck.
Meng Zhuqing secretly glanced in the direction of their lord, saw him washing vegetables, and noticed An Jing had approached to speak with him.
Feeling fairly certain their lord wouldn’t notice them, he asked his elder brother in an extremely low voice, "Brother, why do I feel like our lord seems a bit cold towards you today?"
Meng Lanqing lowered his voice as well but was nonchalantly confident, "Normal, he has always been cold towards me. He was even reluctant to take me to the Capital last time when he took you."
Meng Zhuqing’s jaw clenched instantly: Then why did you beat me black and blue last time? You’re just itching for a fight, aren’t you?!
If the person in front of him wasn’t his own older brother, Meng Zhuqing might have stopped plucking and pounced on him directly. If not to the death, then at least to bite. Too infuriating! Every time he took advantage of the fact that Zhuqing didn’t know how to retaliate!
"What’s wrong, why do you look so upset? Are you not feeling well?" Meng Lanqing turned to look at his younger brother with concern.
Meng Zhuqing kept silent for a moment before revealing a wide smile, "It’s nothing, I just thought of some unhappy things."
Upon hearing this, Meng Lanqing stopped worrying and said, "If you know they’re unhappy thoughts, why think of them? You are simply asking for trouble."
Meng Zhuqing: "..." I really want to bite you to death ahhh!