"Who is that man with Prince An and Miss Shen? He's really handsome!" After Prince An, Shen Lixue, and the other two entered the private room, the diners in the hall began to discuss among themselves.
"Yes, her beauty is absolutely stunning!" the guests exclaimed, their eyes filled with admiration.
The word "exquisite beauty" is used to describe women, but it is not an exaggeration to describe Ye Qianlong. He is exceptionally handsome, yet not effeminate. His clear eyes and pure smile add to his stunning beauty, making him unforgettable at first sight.
"I've never seen him in the capital before. He must be from somewhere else and has only recently arrived in the capital..."
The No. 1 room in the Heavenly Pavilion is the most prestigious private room. It is furnished like a small living room, separated by a screen. In front of the screen is a round table for dining, and on a small table in front of the window are writing brushes, ink, paper, inkstones, a guqin (a seven-stringed zither), and a Go board. Behind the screen is a comfortable large bed, where one can rest after drinking too much.
After Dongfang Heng, Shen Lixue, and Ye Qianlong entered the private room, they closed the door, shutting out all the discussions.
Dongfang Heng sat down in the main seat, with Shen Lixue to his right. Ye Qianlong was about to sit next to Shen Lixue when Dongfang Heng moved a chess piece to stop him. He glanced at the seat next to him and said coldly, "The seating is arranged according to the host and guest. You should sit here!"
"Li Xue!" Ye Qianlong gripped Shen Li Xue's sleeve tightly, lingering and unwilling to sit to Dongfang Heng's left.
“There are only the three of us here, so there’s no need to be so formal. Let Qianlong sit here!” Shen Lixue pulled Ye Qianlong to sit down next to her.
Dongfang Heng remained silent, his handsome face darkening slightly, a hint of anger swirling in his sharp eyes, and the temperature in the room instantly dropped.
"Your Highness, these are the dishes from Zuixianlou!" The manager handed over the menu with trembling hands. The atmosphere in the room was too oppressive; if he stayed any longer, he would feel suffocated. Getting the menu and leaving as soon as possible was the best course of action.
Dongfang Heng glanced at the menu indifferently and said coldly, "Bring up all of Zuixianlou's signature dishes, and another jar of wine!"
"Yes!" The innkeeper took the menu, lowered his head, and quickly left the private room.
Dongfang Heng, Shen Lixue, and Ye Qianlong remained silent, making the atmosphere even more oppressive.
"Li Xue, where is this place?" Ye Qianlong tugged at Shen Li Xue's sleeve, curiously looking around at the room's furnishings.
"Drunken Immortal Pavilion is the largest restaurant in Qingyan, and the food is also the most to our liking!" Shen Lixue explained with a smile.
"What delicious dishes are available here...?"
"Does it have all kinds of flavors, like sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, and salty?"
"Ye Qianlong, shut up!" Ye Qianlong's question was so boring that Dongfang Heng couldn't stand it anymore and shouted angrily.
"It's Qianlong's first time at Zuixianlou, so of course he doesn't know anything. There's nothing wrong with him asking out of curiosity. Don't take it to heart!" Shen Lixue looked at Dongfang Heng and explained to him on behalf of Ye Qianlong.
Dongfang Heng didn't speak again, and his gaze toward Ye Qianlong grew even colder.
Ye Qianlong continued to pester Shen Lixue with questions, his clear gaze occasionally glancing at Dongfang Heng, his pure smile a silent display of boasting and provocation.
Dongfang Heng stared coldly at Ye Qianlong, his eyes burning with fury.
Zuixianlou is the number one restaurant in Qingyan, offering a rich and varied menu with each dish prepared to perfection in color, aroma, and taste, making it incredibly tempting.
A fragrant aroma wafted to his nose. Ye Qianlong picked up a piece of braised pork with his chopsticks. The rich flavor lingered in his mouth, and he couldn't help but exclaim repeatedly, "It's so delicious! Li Xue, you should eat more too!"
As she spoke, Ye Qianlong picked up a piece of braised pork and placed it into Chen Lixue's bowl.
"Li Xue is a girl, she should eat more vegetables and less braised pork!" Dongfang Heng removed the braised pork from Shen Li Xue's bowl and replaced it with a piece of bok choy.
Ye Qianlong's gaze dimmed slightly, and he also picked up a piece of bok choy and gave it to Shen Lixue: "Vegetables are good, so eat more!"
"Vegetables are good, but they should be eaten with other foods. Eating only one kind of food is not good for your health!" Dongfang Heng once again removed the bok choy that Ye Qianlong had picked up and replaced it with his drunken chicken.
The food in Shen Lixue's bowl kept coming and going, not because it was eaten, but because Dongfang Heng had removed it all. Shen Lixue shook her head and sighed. Why was Dongfang Heng acting like a child, getting angry with Ye Qianlong at the drop of a hat? Ye Qianlong's personality was as innocent as a child's, yet he was the renowned War God of Qingyan. If the two of them kept arguing like this, they wouldn't be able to finish their meal...
"Li Xue, I want to drink porridge." Dongfang Heng picked out all the food that Ye Qianlong had put into Chen Li Xue's bowl, so he simply stopped putting any in and put down his chopsticks.
"What kind of porridge would you like to drink?" Shen Lixue asked softly. Zuixianlou had all kinds of porridge.
"It was that day, the white rice porridge you served me!" Ye Qianlong's eyes sparkled, as if the aroma of the porridge was already filling his mouth, leaving him with an unforgettable aftertaste.
Shen Lixue was taken aback: The white rice porridge that day was just something I cooked on a whim and it didn't taste that good. Why did Ye Qianlong remember it so fondly?
Dongfang Heng looked at Shen Lixue, a storm brewing in his eyes, and said slowly and deliberately, "Did you make that porridge yourself?" He knew about Shen Lixue serving the porridge, and thought it was a very ordinary thing, but from Ye Qianlong's tone, he could tell that there was something more to the porridge than met the eye.
"That's true, and that's not true either." Shen Lixue raised an eyebrow. Dongfang Heng's temper was becoming more and more unpredictable. "The ingredients I prepared, and the fire was lit by the maid!"
Dongfang Heng's expression softened slightly, but his gaze toward Ye Qianlong remained as cold as a icy wind.
"Your Highness, someone has brought you a letter!" The waiter knocked lightly a few times and pushed open the door to come in.
"Read it!" Dongfang Heng leaned back in his chair, coldly commanding, his gaze sharp.
The waiter was taken aback. The Prince actually wanted him to read a letter? He couldn't have heard wrong, could he? The waiter had worked at Zuixianlou for many years and knew that noble families had secrets. Their letters were not to be seen by others, but Dongfang Heng did not shy away from it at all. He truly deserved to be called the God of War of Azure Flame, upright and honest.
The waiter didn't know that Dongfang Heng had secret guards who would deliver important intelligence. Ordinary correspondence delivered by ordinary people contained no secrets, so Dongfang Heng wasn't worried about others finding out.
The waiter dared not disobey the Prince of An's order. He quickly opened the letter, and a piece of paper floated out. It was blank. The waiter frowned and reported, "Your Highness, there is a blank piece of paper inside!"
A blank sheet of paper! Dongfang Heng's sharp gaze sharpened for a moment, but he remained silent.
"What does it mean to send blank paper?" Ye Qianlong asked, puzzled, her clear eyes filled with confusion.
Shen Lixue's cold eyes narrowed slightly. Sending a letter and a blank piece of paper—what was her intention? Or was there some hidden meaning behind that blank piece of paper?
Shen Lixue looked at the waiter, intending to ask him to bring the white paper over for her to look at, but then she saw the waiter's expression change: "Thump!" He fell to the ground, his face, neck, hands, and all the exposed skin turned a frightening purplish-black.
"The letter is poisoned!"
Dongfang Heng's gaze sharpened, and he was about to get up to check when a volley of arrows shot in through the window, flying between him and Shen Lixue. To avoid the arrows, Dongfang Heng and Shen Lixue retreated, and the distance between them grew larger and larger.
The arrow struck the ground, sending up plumes of white smoke. A cold glint flashed in Dongfang Heng's sharp eyes: "It's poisonous smoke! Hold your breath!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than arrows rained down upon him, piercing the floor and furniture of the room.