Chapter 30 Roasting Meat

Chapter 30 Roasting Meat

A Yuan’s sleep was restless, filled with fragmented dreams of Wei Xun gripping her waist and asserting control over her.

The carriage swayed, the curtain fluttering in the wind, and the figures outside appeared blurred.

The carriage jolted as the wheel hit a stone. The man’s eyes turned bloodshot as he stared intently at her, and A Yuan abruptly woke up.

“Mistress, you’re awake?”

Chun Tao, hearing the commotion, hurried over to help her up.

A Yuan’s mind was still foggy, her body drenched in sweat, leaving her deeply uncomfortable.

She clenched her sleeves, taking a moment to compose herself before instructing the maid.

“Fetch my plain white ruqun—a traditional Chinese garment—and bring some water.”

After the long carriage ride, she was soaked in sweat.

Chun Tao brought the items, but A Yuan didn’t let her assist, instead undressing herself behind the screen.

Her knees were still swollen from the morning’s exertion. Wei Xun was always relentless in such matters, and A Yuan bit her lip, a hint of worry creeping into her brow.

At the Marquis’s estate, Wei Xun seldom visited her courtyard, and she could barely cope. Now that they were together, what would she do if she couldn’t manage...

“Mistress, the Heir Apparent is roasting meat outside with others. Let’s join them.”

Just as A Yuan finished changing, Chun Tao ran in, her face beaming with joy.

She had an eager craving and had been looking forward to the roast meat even before coming to the estate. As soon as she caught the aroma, she went to the front courtyard to investigate and saw the suckling pig roasting over the fire.

Chun Tao resisted drooling and rushed back to urge A Yuan, nearly ready to beg if she refused.

A Yuan looked at her maid’s eager eyes and smiled lightly, “Alright.”

With so many people around, Wei Xun wouldn’t do anything to her in public, and she had never seen meat being roasted before.

After all, she was still a girl of eighteen or nineteen, still harboring a youthful curiosity.

When they arrived at the outer courtyard, Wei Xun’s suckling pig was almost ready.

The skin was glazed with honey, roasted to a golden, crispy perfection. Chang Yuan managed the fire while Wei Xun, in rolled-up sleeves, revealed his muscular arms.

He used a brush to apply another layer of honey to the pig, the aroma growing richer, enveloping the courtyard in the sweet smell of roasted pork.

A Yuan stood at the back of the crowd, stealthily observing Wei Xun. It was the first time she had seen a man of his status stooping to do such menial work.

Yet, it was this approachability that made her unable to look away.

Wei Xun had known she was there all along. The concubine had changed into a plain white ruqun, making her even more charming and delicate.

Now, as she gazed at him with admiration, Wei Xun felt a rush of energy.

He transformed roasting the pig into an art, his brush and knife moving in perfect harmony, scoring the pig’s skin to let the honey penetrate more deeply.

The aroma grew stronger, and even A Yuan couldn’t help but salivate.

Wei Xun noticed her swallowing, paused, and called out, “Come here.”

The servants in the manor all turned to look, and A Yuan slowly walked towards the man under everyone's gaze.

"My lord."

She stood in front of Wei Xun and curtsied. The midday sun shone on her, making the fine hairs on her face clearly visible.

Since they were outside, A Yuan hadn’t tied up her hair. Her smooth black hair was braided into a single plait that hung in front of her chest, adorned with a gardenia flower, looking fresh and extraordinarily beautiful.

Wei Xun's heart softened, and he reached out to grasp her wrist, "No need for such formalities out here. Just say what you want to eat."

A Yuan blushed, realizing that her craving had been noticed by the man. She lowered her head, her fingers twisting her handkerchief, "I understand, sir."

The two of them, a handsome man and a lovely woman, looked perfectly matched standing together.

Wu Laosan and his son were not eloquent, but Zhou was articulate and didn’t hold back in front of her masters.

"Lady Xie, you may not know, but no one has dared to go up the mountain behind us for many years. The Heir Apparent hunted so much game in just half a day and even personally roasted a suckling pig for you. Such favor is unparalleled. Lady Xie, you are truly blessed."

She spoke with a smile, her tone sincere, which made the servants all agree.

"Indeed, they say the Heir Apparent is cold-natured, but I see he truly treats Lady Xie well."

"After all, Lady Xie is as beautiful as a goddess. There's no second one like her in this world. It would be strange if the Heir Apparent didn’t dote on her."

"..."

A Yuan listened to the flattery, her face turning completely red. Just then, the man cut a piece of the tenderest meat and handed it to her. A Yuan instinctively opened her mouth, and the rich aroma filled her mouth. Wei Xun's cooking was indeed impeccable.

"Is it good?"

The man looked down at her as she chewed in small bites. A Yuan nodded with her cheeks puffed, "It's delicious."

It was her first time eating roasted game, and it was personally cooked by the man.

A Yuan naturally didn’t believe the servants' words about Wei Xun doting on her. A man as noble as Wei Xun wouldn’t stoop for a woman.

She silently ate the roasted meat, keeping her thoughts hidden, while Wei Xun enjoyed the pleasure of feeding her.

He had never known that just seeing his concubine eat a bit more could bring him such joy.

"Sir, you should eat too."

A Yuan had a small appetite, and after two pieces of meat, she was already quite full. She stopped the man's hand from continuing to feed her and urged him to eat as well.

Her concerned expression made Wei Xun feel even more comforted, "Hmm."

They had caught a lot of game. The rest was taken to the kitchen by Wu Laosan and his son to be distributed among the servants. He kept a deer and a rabbit, roasted them, and went to Chun Tao to impress her.

With the misunderstanding between the masters resolved, Chun Tao also regarded him more favorably, "I didn’t expect your cooking skills to be good too."

The young girl held the roasted rabbit meat, eating until her mouth was shiny with grease. Chang Yuan took out a handkerchief to wipe her mouth, not forgetting to boast, "Of course, you should know who I learned from. I've mastered eighty percent of the Heir Apparent's roasting skills."

Others didn’t know that Wei Xun was good at roasting meat, but as his personal servant, the two of them had often been out on missions, relying on this skill to fill their stomachs.

"Pah! You can't compare to the Heir Apparent."

Chun Tao made a face at him, but in her heart, she believed his words. However, only her master could taste the Heir Apparent's cooking. She wondered how delicious that suckling pig must be.

With this thought, the rabbit in her hand no longer seemed as tasty.

After Wei Xun finished eating, A Yuan handed him her handkerchief. The man elegantly wiped his mouth and didn’t return the handkerchief.

Seeing the woman's gentle and caring demeanor, he ruffled her hair, "I won’t be back tonight. Rest well, and don’t forget to apply the medicine."