Chapter 81: “Don’t You Have Anything to Say?”…

Chapter 81: "Got nothing to say?"...

Jiang Congyan had asked the kitchen to prepare extra dishes earlier, so the midday meal was more lavish than usual. There was braised lamb, charcoal-grilled lamb chops, lamb noodle soup, soy-braised beef, marinated beef offal, tea-smoked chicken, cold bean sprout salad, and a sweet rice wine. The spread was generous, though light on veggies—but there was no helping that.

Lan Zhu and Qiu Liju watched as the Khatun’s maidservants brought out dish after dish. Just the smell alone had their mouths watering before they even took a bite.

Little Mica was even more eager.

Though he drooled nonstop, he didn’t immediately lunge forward or throw a tantrum at Qiu Liju. Instead, he fixed his round eyes unblinkingly on the food, repeatedly pressing his lips together to keep the drool from spilling out. He looked downright adorable, and it was clear that Qiu Liju was truly gentle and had raised him well.

Once the maids laid out the tableware, Jiang Congyan invited them to sit and eat.

"These are common dishes in Liangzhou. Not sure if this is to your liking."

"Smell amazing!" Lan Zhu said without hesitation.

After spending half a day together, she had grown less reserved around Jiang Congyan, revealing some of her youthful liveliness.

"Alright, let’s eat."

Jiang Congyan picked up her chopsticks first, and Lan Zhu and Qiu Liju followed suit.

The second the lamb hit their tongues, its rich, savory flavor exploded on their tongues. Though Lan Zhu and Qiu Liju held back to avoid appearing impolite before the Khatun, their widened eyes betrayed their true feelings—it was delicious!

They had never imagined that the lamb and beef they’d grown up eating could be prepared this way, way better than anything they’d ever had.

Little Mica, meanwhile, was totally lost in his food.

Since arriving at the royal court, Jiang Congyan had only ever dined with Tuo Baxiao. Today, eating with them brought her unexpected joy, especially seeing how much they enjoyed the food. It gave her a sense of accomplishment—many of these delicious dishes were ones she and Aunt Zhu had developed together.

Moreover, their appreciation for the food was pure, unlike that damn man who couldn’t even eat a meal peacefully.

Though they tried not to scarf it down, the dishes were simply too irresistible. It wasn’t until they set down their chopsticks that they realized just how much they’d eaten—they’d nearly cleaned out several platters.

Lan Zhu and Qiu Liju flushed with embarrassment. Qiu Liju said, "I’ll have a sheep sent over later as thanks for your hospitality—please don’t refuse."

Jiang Congyan had initially intended to decline, but after a moment’s thought, she agreed with a smile. "Alright, I won’t say no then. I’ve treated you to a meal, and you’re giving me a sheep—that makes us friends. You’re welcome to visit again in the future. This is just a taste of what we’ve got..."

Wait, there’s more good stuff?

The two couldn’t help but look forward to it.

Though they were already among the most esteemed women in the royal court, wanting for nothing, free to eat meat whenever, having so many livestock didn’t necessarily mean they could enjoy refined cuisine. A lot of spices and seasonings just weren’t a thing on the grasslands and had to be acquired through trade.

Jiang Congyan then served them bowls of sweet rice wine, a drink made from fermented sticky rice, lightly boozy and sweet, popular among women in Liang State.

"Try this. It’s light on alcohol but big on flavor."

When it came to serving Mica, she hesitated and asked Qiu Liju, "Should we give Mica milk instead?"

Qiu Liju let out a hearty laugh. "Mica is almost five—he can drink alcohol. Besides, the Khatun’s rice wine isn’t intoxicating at all."

"...Five years old and drinking already? Hardcore."

She’d never raised kids, hardly spent any time around them, making it hard to imagine how one could raise a child healthily.

Back in Liangzhou, even her cousins hadn’t been allowed to drink as children. But since Qiu Liju didn’t mind, she said nothing more—the rice wine was pretty weak anyway.

Mica looked soft and adorable, but he chugged the rice wine, clearly no stranger to alcohol. Jiang Congyan relaxed and only took small sips from her white porcelain bowl.

Years on medication meant she never picked up drinking—and she didn’t particularly like it anyway.

Soon enough, after scarfing down her meal, A Fei came with an update on Tuo Baxiao, saying the food had been delivered and the king ate.

"...It’s just... he seemed kinda grumpy."

Jiang Congyan waved it off with a smile and gave a light hum. "So what if he’s unhappy?"

She brushed it off. She knew the man wasn’t truly angry, just sulking over being ignored. But why should she cater to him 24/7? It was only right to let him see her annoyed side.

Not long after, Si Zi returned, having finished her own rushed meal, ready to report back to Jiang Congyan.

Seeing Lan Zhu there, she was surprised but pleased, greeting her with a grin.

Lan Zhu asked, "I didn’t see you earlier. Are you no longer by Ah Yan’s side?"

Si Zi, lively and outgoing, had been running around every day lately, meeting many Xianbei people and making rapid progress in their language. She replied, "The lady put me on a big job! Now I’ve got real responsibilities!"

"What kind of work?" Lan Zhu didn’t quite understand. She and Si Zi were about the same age, but on the grasslands, aside from riding with her sisters, attending bonfire dances, or occasionally herding sheep, she had nothing to do.

Si Zi explained, "The king handed the slave camp over to the lady, and now she’s ordered me to compile a list—recording their ages, genders, tribes, and skills... It’s a big deal."

"Is it fun?"

"Not exactly a thrill ride, but I’m doing something important, just like the guys."

This statement gave Lan Zhu a small shock. So Ah Yan and her maid were both doing important things?

Her brother was also doing important things, but he never told her about them.

He said war was men’s business.

But she could ride and shoot arrows too!

Lan Zhu’s eyes lit up. "Mind if I tag along?"

Si Zi hesitated, then turned to look at her lady.

Jiang Congyan, who had been amusing herself with Mica while listening to their conversation, noticed Si Zi’s questioning glance and nodded immediately. She turned to Lan Zhu and said, "Of course. If you’d like to go, you can join Si Zi."

Lan Zhu beamed, chest puffed with pride, and thanked her profusely.

Qiu Liju, supporting Mica’s increasingly drowsy form, hesitated before speaking to Jiang Congyan. "Khatun, Lan Zhu doesn’t know anything. Won’t she be a bother?"

Jiang Congyan waved her hand. "Not at all. Lan Zhu is very sensible."

That settled it. Qiu Liju just told Lan Zhu to behave and not trouble the Khatun.

Mica could barely keep his eyes open, so he bid Jiang Congyan farewell.

Jiang Congyan walked him out a little ways before returning and asking Si Zi to continue her report.

Si Zi went to the slave camp today with A Chun and He Zhou. The foremen there naturally refused to hand people over without a fight, as it meant losing their original authority.

But A Chun scolded them loudly, dropping the king’s name, and if anyone still resisted, she directly ordered He Zhou to have them subdued.

The foremen knew they were Khatun’s people and recalled what had happened not long ago—when a noble’s ox trampled Khatun’s house. At first, they hadn’t taken it seriously, but in the end, they paid her back in livestock. That incident made everyone realize this Han Khatun was not someone to mess with. Now, seeing A Chun so assertive, they dared not say anything more.

Next, they set up stations in the men’s and women’s tents, excluding those too young or too old, and first recorded the details of the able-bodied. Those skilled in carpentry, leatherworking, or blacksmithing got first dibs on signing up, as being selected for the workshops meant they could get two meals a day.

In the slave camp, they only got one meal a day, and even that wasn’t enough. Despite their fear and suspicion, many came forward willingly for the chance at an extra meal.

A Chun wasn’t worried about lies either. She had brought along several master craftsmen, and anyone claiming to have a skill was simply asked a few basic questions to verify their ability. This was the fastest way to pick out useful workers.

To Jiang Congyan, it sounded like a mass hiring drive.

However, by midday, not many skilled individuals had been selected. Then again, craftsmanship was rare among the nomadic tribes.

"...Just proceed as planned. Oh, and keep an eye on how many children under ten there are, noting their age range. Put together a separate list for them—I’ll have a use for it later."

"Yes, Milady."

After reporting, Si Zi took Lan Zhu with her to continue working at the slave camp.

Lan Zhu watched as A Chun and Si Zi laid out paperwork, asking questions and then writing down rows of markings after each person. Though she couldn’t understand them, it somehow looked impressive.

After finishing one record, they wrote something on an ID tag and handed it to the person being questioned, telling them to keep it safe—it was their ID tag, which they would need to present to receive meals later.

In truth, they could have just lined people up and distributed food without the tags. The explanation was meant to make the slaves take it seriously. The tags were actually for internal use, making management easier since the slaves couldn’t read.

The registration process was interesting at first, but it got old fast.

Lan Zhu saw Si Zi sit there all afternoon, working until sunset before finally packing up the tables and selecting some of those registered that day.

By the time everything was done, it was already dark. Yet Si Zi didn’t seem tired at all, and neither did the others. Instead, their eyes burned with purpose.

Lan Zhu felt an inexplicable energy—an invisible force that bound them together in such unity and drive.

A Chun and Si Zi were women, yet they were doing the same work as that man named He Zhou, who even took orders from A Chun.

Suddenly, Lan Zhu wanted very much to join them—to be part of this bigger mission.

——

That evening, Tuo Baxiao made sure to be back before dinner. When he saw Jiang Congyan, instead of immediately embracing or being affectionate with her as usual, he sat down in a chair, lifting his gaze to watch her.

Jiang Congyan naturally noticed his displeasure but pretended not to see it. Her wide sleeves swayed lightly as she walked straight to the dining area, instructing A Fei, "Serve the meal."

Tuo Baxiao: "..."

He clenched his fist, knuckles cracking. Seeing that she truly had no intention of speaking to him first, he stood abruptly, strode around the screen, and planted himself before her. His jade-colored eyes narrowed, icy and dangerous. "Don’t you have anything to say?"

Jiang Congyan slowly lifted her head, blinking up at him, her lashes fluttering slightly. "What should I say?" Her tone was all innocence.