Cai Wei sat down opposite Huo Yuan, her delicate face lifted with an expression of pride and confidence.
Huo Yuan laughed and, raising his eyebrows, said, "Good, let me taste this!"
Having said that, he stretched out the ivory chopsticks, picked up a piece of delicate white fish meat, and began to savor it in his mouth.
When he ate, he did so very elegantly, pursing his lips without making a sound, somewhat similar to Nangong Yi’s way of eating.
Cai Wei, resting her chin in her hand, watched him eat slowly and orderly, and suddenly thought of that man far away in Lingbei. Several days had passed, and she wondered how he was now. When she had left Lingbei, the courier he sent mentioned that he was attacking Kash in the following days. Kash was just a small city like Yushu County with a few inhabitants, so she assumed victory would surely be swift! As long as he could clinch victory in every battle and with the pressure she was putting on Tuoba Kui, there was no worry that Lingbei wouldn’t surrender.
When that time came, she would ensure his glorious return to Great Jin. The Prince was already useless; perhaps this battle could prompt The Emperor to change his mind and appoint him as The New Prince. Although she didn’t want to become the Empress, court affairs were unfathomably intricate. Take Jin Guifei for instance—if she hadn’t killed Nangong Yi, she would have had to harm her whole family. Therefore, to prevent such a situation, Cai Wei felt it better to keep the power in her hands.
"Hmm, it really is good; no wonder Younger Sister was so confident!"
By now, Huo Yuan had finished tasting Cai Wei’s boiled fish and began praising it generously.
"Younger Sister indeed has good skills. If you could open a restaurant that specializes in this dish, you would surely make a fortune!"
Cai Wei said, "In fact, I have several other projects I want to invest in, but because I’ve only been in the Capital for a short time and don’t have capable people, many profitable ideas have been put on hold. How about it, Big Brother Huo, would you recommend some people to me?"
Huo Yuan thought for a moment and replied, "I do have some reliable people in my hands. Whenever you want to do something, just come and find me."
"No need, those people were not easy for Big Brother Huo to cultivate. If you gave them to me, wouldn’t that cause you hardship?"
Although she wanted people, she didn’t want to owe Huo Yuan, so she refused without a second thought.
However, Huo Yuan insisted, "A few days ago, we were saved from Jin Guifei’s plot and the Virtuous Consort and King Jing from a fate of life and death separation, all thanks to the parrot Younger Sister sent to send the message. Our whole family is profoundly grateful, and we didn’t know how to thank Younger Sister. Fortunately, Younger Sister has come to me with this request. A few servants are nothing; The Huo Family has plenty, just use them with peace of mind ..."
Cai Wei responded, "These little favors, Big Brother Huo, why keep them on your mind? If we really were to weigh and separate everything into portions, how could a single purse suffice as a reward when Big Brother Huo helped me start a ginseng business? Plus, the jewelry you gave me for the Shangsi Festival, those things were worth seven or eight thousand tael, right? I accepted them without a second thought. If we really had to be particular about it, then I wouldn’t dare to accept those things!"
Her words considerably brightened Huo Yuan’s mood, and he laughed refreshingly, "Alright, let’s agree on that, and from now on, let’s not be so precise between us."
As the two talked, they moved their chopsticks. On the table, besides the boiled fish Cai Wei made, there were also the Mu Family’s signature dish—grilled skewers, along with several cold dishes. While it could not compare to mountain and sea delicacies, it had its own unique charm and was extremely delicious, prompting Huo Yuan to unusually eat two bowls of rice and nearly devoured all of Cai Wei’s personally made boiled fish before finally putting down his chopsticks!