“That’s a great idea. I’m tired of eating all those supplements every day. If we could have a couple of new dishes, that would be wonderful!” Mo Qiqi said with a smile to Madam Qin.
Madam Qin feigned anger and said, "You absolutely must take the tonics. Who cares if you find them too greasy? You're carrying the child of our General's Mansion! You're the future hope of our General's Mansion, so you should eat more!"
"Mother too. Take care of yourself." Mo Qiqi nodded.
Upon hearing Ji Wushang's words, Ji Sisi's expression changed slightly, but she quickly concealed it.
"It would be nice to dine together, it would be lively!" she said with a smile.
Ji Wushang smiled, "Alright, you can all go out first! After I finish feeding Grandmother her medicine, we can have our meal together." At this moment, Hongfei brought in a bowl of medicine and quickly bowed when she saw so many people in the room.
Ji Wushang helped Hongfei up and then waved for her to step aside.
Both Madam Qin and Mo Qiqi looked satisfied. Madam Qin said, "Then I'll have to trouble you, Wushang."
“It’s what I should do,” Ji Wushang said calmly.
Mo Qiqi smiled in agreement and expressed her filial piety.
After the two women left, Ji Sisi stepped forward and said, "Sister, how about I feed Grandma her medicine? You're both so tired, and I haven't been able to do anything for you. I don't know much about feeding medicine, but I'll learn." Her sincere eyes and earnest attitude were impeccable.
Ji Wushang nodded, "Okay." Let's see what tricks you're up to!
Ji Sisi happily stepped forward and took the medicine bowl handed to her by Ji Wushang. The smile under her eyelids had not yet disappeared, but it already contained a hint of sarcasm and malice.
Ji Wushang and Nan Xuzong stood to one side, watching Ji Sisi slowly stir the medicine. Her technique was extremely elegant and standard. After stirring slowly with her slender jade hands, she scooped up a spoonful of medicine and fed it to the old lady.
He fed her mouthful after mouthful of medicine until she finished the whole bowl, then put it down with a satisfied smile.
Ji Sisi stood up, looked at Ji Wushang and Nan Xuzong, and said with a smile, "Alright."
"Okay." Ji Wushang smiled, stepped forward and took the bowl from her hands, "Let Grandmother rest! Let's go out."
"Okay." Ji Sisi nodded and smiled.
Nan Xuzong stepped forward and said in his deep voice, "You all go first. I still need to carefully observe Grandmother's illness and see if there are any other problems."
"Then I'll have to trouble you." Ji Wushang smiled and took Ji Sisi's hand as they went out together.
Ji Sisi glanced back at the Elder Madam, her bright eyes darkening. He probably wouldn't be able to find out; the medicine wouldn't take effect so easily! She should rest assured!
Ji Wushang and Ji Sisi arrived at the main hall, where Mo Qiqi and Madam Qin were sitting, chatting and laughing while doing needlework. Ji Wushang watched them from a distance. Their life was peaceful and tranquil, without any strife. The relationship between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law was also good, with neither making excessive demands or causing trouble. It was indeed an ideal life.
It was rare to see the two women getting along so well. She had been worried that Madam Qin might harm Mo Qiqi, since they were both pregnant at the same time. If Madam Qin gave birth to a boy, the status of the household would be significantly different. If Ji Tiankui died, the hereditary position of Grand General might fall to Madam Qin's son or Ji Wusi. If Mo Qiqi also gave birth to a boy, the struggle would be even more intense. But looking at them now, they seemed quite calm.
She herself had never seen such peace. Ji Wushang smiled, and Nan Xuzong had caught up from behind, walking to her side. He placed his large hand on her shoulder and said softly, "What are you thinking about?"
"It's nothing." Ji Wushang smiled as she met his eyes. Even without her saying anything, he was sure he knew what she was thinking. Wanting a child, wanting a peaceful and tranquil home—it was that simple.
Nan Xuzong hugged her, "I know what you're thinking, I will give you this kind of life... it won't be long!"
"Okay." She smiled.
Meanwhile, Ji Sisi watched the two of them cuddling together from a distance, feeling resentful. After thinking for a moment, she stepped forward and said, "Sister, Fourth Prince, it's time for your meal!"
"Yes, come quickly!" Upon hearing Ji Sisi's voice, Madam Qin and Mo Qiqi, who were doing needlework, put down their work and stood up.
"Bring me lunch," Madam Qin said, a smile playing on her lips.
Nan Xuzong smiled indulgently, and led Ji Wushang into the room. Maids filed in, bringing out a variety of dishes. Among them was a teacup of stew.
Madam Qin sat in the main seat, with Ji Wushang and Nan Xuzong on her right and Mo Qiqi and Ji Sisi on her left.
Ji Wushang looked at Mo Qiqi and asked, "Sister-in-law, is Wu Zi currently training with my elder brother on the frontier?"
“Yes. I had really forgotten about it! My older brother said that Wu Zi is very capable. He is already a vanguard, so he must be very brave. He will definitely become a general in the future!” Mo Qiqi smiled.
Ji Wushang was startled. "Vanguard, vanguard!" The vanguard is the first to charge into battle, which is extremely dangerous. He didn't know how much suffering he had endured or how many injuries he had sustained!
"Don't worry, my elder brother will take good care of him. If the Fourth Princess Consort is worried, I will write a letter and ask my elder brother to arrange another position for him to gain experience.
"No, I want to know, did Wu Zi make this choice himself?" Ji Wushang looked at Mo Qiqi. If Ji Wusi made this choice himself, then it was his own choice, and she should respect his opinion. Besides, he had grown up and was sensible, and she couldn't impose her own thoughts on him.
“It was his own choice,” Mo Qiqi said admiringly. “My brother and the others said that Wu Zi is very brave and he needs to train as soon as possible so that he can become a great man like my husband and father, and protect you and our family in the future.”
Ji Wushang felt relieved upon hearing this. "Is that really what he said? He's so sensible." Ji Wushang smiled. Wu Zi was indeed a good man. He had truly lived up to her expectations. Her mother's spirit in heaven could rest in peace now.
Mo Qiqi smiled. Madam Qin, upon hearing this, said, "Wu Zi is so good. When he returns, Mother will reward him. I haven't seen him for many days and I'm starting to miss him."
Hearing her words, Ji Wushang looked at Madam Qin and said, "In the future, we will still have to rely on Mother, Sister-in-law and Brother to take good care of Wuzi."
"Of course," Madam Qin smiled. "Quickly, eat your food, or it'll get cold."
"Yes." Everyone nodded.
"Please, Madam," Nan Xuzong said. Here, in terms of status, Nan Xuzong, as the Fourth Prince, was the most esteemed, and it was only right that he should start eating first. If he didn't, none of the women would dare to do so. Nan Xuzong's words subtly elevated Madam Qin's status.
Madam Qin smiled broadly and said, "Please, Fourth Prince." She then picked up her chopsticks and placed a piece of green vegetable in her bowl.
Only then did everyone begin to work.
However, not many people touched the teacup that was still covered. The teacup was placed in front of Ji Sisi. According to the rules, one should use the teacup in front of them to pick up food, so Ji Wushang, Nan Xuzong, and the others did not eat anything from the teacup.
However, Ji Sisi still noticed it. After all, she was only a ten-year-old child. Although she was precocious, she still had a strong sense of curiosity.
She turned to look at Madam Qin, "Mother, I'm thinking of opening this teacup to see what kind of dish it contains."
“Yes. I heard the chef has made a new dish. Looking at this, it must be the dish in this teacup. Everyone can try it.” Madam Qin said with a smile, then ordered the maid beside her, “A-Yue, come, open it and see what it is.”
"Yes." The maid, A-Yue, immediately stepped forward and opened the teacup. Maids always kept their heads down and dared not look too closely at what their masters were eating and drinking, so she retreated without even seeing what was inside the teacup.
Ji Sisi smiled and said, "Everyone should try this! I bet it's delicious." Looking at everyone smiling and acting cute, Ji Sisi tried her best to appear filial and obedient. She reached out with her chopsticks to pick up a piece of food from the teacup, but when she saw it clearly, she cried out, "Ah!" and immediately dropped her chopsticks. One fell onto the table, and the other onto the floor! The cooked "poisonous scorpion," due to her actions, unexpectedly landed on Ji Sisi!
"Ah, help!" Ji Sisi screamed loudly, falling to the ground in panic!
Ji Wushang immediately stood up. "What's wrong?" Her eyes remained fixed on Ji Sisi. She stepped forward and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Ah, what is this?!" Mo Qiqi exclaimed and immediately backed away.
When Madam Qin saw it clearly, she was extremely surprised. "What... what happened! Someone, summon all the people from the kitchen! How could they have made such a thing!"
"This is... soft meat, what's wrong?" Nan Xuzong smiled, picked up his chopsticks, and put a piece of meat with seven or eight claws that looked like a poisonous scorpion into his mouth. "What's wrong, Fifth Miss?"
"What?" Ji Sisi was still in shock. "What? Soft flesh?"
"What a fuss! You scared me!" Mo Qiqi scolded, patting her chest. Madam Qin leaned forward to take a closer look and saw that it really was some soft meat cut into strips, some of which had been deep-fried over low heat before being steamed or stewed... However, what she thought she had just seen were some scorpion-like things... Oh well, she must have been seeing things!
Ji Wushang looked at Ji Sisi on the ground and went over to help her up. "What happened? Even a soft flesh like you has scared you like this. What are you thinking about, Fifth Sister?" She helped Ji Sisi up, and Ji Sisi listened to her words and looked at her face, but she did not see anything unusual.
Could I have really misjudged? I clearly had someone place poisonous scorpions on Ji Wushang and Nan Xuzong's beds. According to my plan, they should have been stung and died from the poison! But they're perfectly fine! This doesn't make sense!
But I must stay calm!
"I was just too scared. When I was in Mount Emei, I was terrified of the animals I saw, so I have a phobia of them now, hehe, thank you, sister!" Ji Sisi wiped the sweat from her forehead and struggled to sit back down on the stool.
Ji Wushang looked at her, "Fifth Sister, are you injured? Should we have the family physician take a look?"
"No need," Ji Sisi said, her gaze returning to the teacup. It was indeed soft flesh, with absolutely no trace of any poisonous scorpions or anything like that! Was she seeing things?
Nan Xuzong looked at them and smiled, "The food's getting cold, let's eat quickly!"
"Yes, yes, come, let's eat." Madam Qin smiled, took a closer look at the contents of the teacup, and picked up a piece with her chopsticks. "Looking closer, it's actually quite good." Madam Qin smiled as she put the tender meat into her mouth. "Seven, try this meat too, it's good."
"Yes." Watching Madam Qin eat the meat, Mo Qiqi felt a desire to try it herself, so she picked up a piece and ate it.
Ji Wushang smiled, and Nan Xuzong placed a piece of fine tender meat into Ji Wushang's bowl. "Wushang, try it."
"Thank you, Fourth Prince." Ji Wushang's eyes crinkled with laughter as he ate with relish.
Everyone was happily eating, except for Ji Sisi, who watched and swallowed hard but didn't dare to move.
Ji Wushang smiled and asked, "Fifth Sister, why aren't you eating? Are you thinking about something?" She smiled, then picked up a piece of meat and placed it in Ji Sisi's bowl. Ji Sisi looked at the soft meat in her bowl with some anticipation and stared at it. "Thank you, Sister."
"Don't be so polite! It's delicious!" Ji Wushang chuckled twice.
Ji Sisi picked up a piece of soft meat from the bowl and put it in her mouth, chewing slowly. She was surprised to find that it was really delicious!
Ji Wushang smiled.
Instantly, the atmosphere at the dining table became warm and harmonious.
After lunch, Madam Qin and Mo Qiqi slowly walked back to their respective courtyards, ready for their afternoon rest.
Ji Wushang and Nan Xuzong did leave the manor, but it was unclear whether they were traveling or on business.
Ji Sisi returned to her chrysanthemum garden, pondering everything that had just happened and filled with countless questions.
Ji Sisi looked at Huizhi and Lanxin following behind her and asked, "When I was eating just now, did you see anything unusual while you were standing to the side?"
"Replying to Miss, this servant did not see anything," Huizhi said, bowing her head.
Lanxin answered in the same way, then thought for a moment and asked, "Miss, has something happened?"
"It's nothing." There's no point in talking to these people! Ji Sisi said coldly, then went into her room. "I'm tired. You all stay outside and keep watch!"
"Yes." Huizhi and Lanxin stepped aside.
Ji Sisi closed the door, wondering if she had made a mistake somewhere. She went into the inner room, unsure of the current situation, and thought it best to go out and ask the Lord for his opinion.
She walked to the door and said, "Huizhi, Lanxin."
“Yes, sir,” the two maids outside immediately replied.
"I'm tired, I need to rest, and I don't want anyone to bother me."
"yes."
Ji Sisi nodded, then walked into her inner room. Looking at her bed, thinking that she should at least create a false impression, she went forward and pulled back the covers.
Unexpectedly, at that moment, as she pulled back the blanket, something flew out and stuck directly to her face!
☆、275 Damn it, she actually impersonated him!
"Ah!" Ji Sisi screamed loudly, scratching at her face! What was that thing?! Ji Sisi felt like she was going to die! She fell to the ground, using all her strength to shake the thing off her face! What she saw was a bed full of venomous scorpions crawling around, some already at her feet!
"Ah! No! No!" Ji Sisi was going crazy, but no matter how she kicked her feet, she couldn't get rid of the poisonous scorpion that was crawling into her body, stinging her flesh, and gnawing at everything inside her clothes!
"Help!" Ji Sisi cried out in alarm, scratching her face and hands with her fingernails!
Huizhi and Lanxin, who were outside the door, immediately pushed it open, but were stunned by the scene before them.
By the time Huizhi realized what was happening, the scorpion had already crawled up Ji Sisi's head and was about to burrow into her seven orifices!
Huizhi dragged Lanxin along, crying out, "Help! Someone help!"