"Brother Lan, here! Mutong picked the best pieces for you," Princess Mutong said, handing a freshly grilled skewer to Yi Junlan.
Gu Qing and Han Feng, the Prince's personal guards, moved to intervene—their master rarely touched meat, let alone street-style BBQ—but to their absolute shock, Yi Junlan accepted it. He began to eat, his movements as graceful and refined as if he were at a state banquet. "The flavor is excellent," he remarked, elegantly wiping his lips with a silk handkerchief.
The guards exchanged looks of pure disbelief. Is the sun rising from the west? Our master is actually eating this?
Mutong's round face lit up with a joyful smile. She hadn't seen her brother eat with such appetite in a long time. But then, a sudden breeze blew through the pavilion, and Yi Junlan began to cough uncontrollably. Gu Qing immediately draped a heavy mink cloak over his shoulders.
"Brother Lan, are you alright?" Mutong asked, her voice full of worry.
"It's nothing. Just an old ailment. It will pass in a moment," Yi Junlan replied indifferently.
Not far away, Mo Lixia listened to the sound of his cough and felt her brow furrow instinctively.
The "Burnt" Banquet
"Miss, the grilling is done. Have some too," Xiqiu said, placing a tray of skewers before Lixia.
Lixia took a bite and felt her face scrunch up. It was bitter. The heat had been too high, and the meat was distinctly overcooked. It seemed Mutong and Yufu had swiped the perfectly cooked ones from the maids and left these "experimental" bits for her.
"Miss, just bear with it," Hongshang whispered with a chuckle. "Miss Yang and the Princess were so excited; it was their first time. Please be patient with them."
"Li'er, you have to finish it! Mutong and I saved those specifically for you!" Yufu teased, leaning on Lixia's shoulder.
Lixia laughed and shook her head, eating while chatting. In her amusement, she didn't notice a smudge of charcoal black remaining on the corner of her mouth.
Watching her from a distance, the corners of Yi Junlan's mouth tilted upward in a rare, genuine smile.
The Arrival of the "First Talent"
Just as the party was at its liveliest, a clear, feminine voice drifted from the distance, reciting poetry about the plum blossoms. A crowd of finely dressed ladies soon appeared, surrounding Beiye Yinman.
"Oh? What is that smell? It's quite strong," said a girl in her mid-teens, looking around the BBQ setup with clear disdain. She was Miss Yin, and she circled their table like a vulture.
Lixia frowned. Yang Yufu stood up and offered a polite but cool smile. "Miss Yin, what brings you here?"
"Is this... food?" another girl asked, looking at the charred meat and then at Lixia's smudged face. She sneered, "I suppose it's true what they say—people of a certain 'kind' tend to flock together. This scene is truly a blight upon this beautiful plum forest."
Yufu, being well-bred, was stunned into a silent, red-faced rage by such blatant rudeness.
"Miss Yang spends all her time with that 'plump' Princess Mutong; what future can she have? Even a good marriage would be hard to find," the girl added. Beiye Yinman stood by, a faint smile on her face, making no move to stop the insults. Instead, she "helpfully" added:
"Is that not the General's lost daughter, Miss Mo?"
"Oh! So it is the country girl," Miss Yin mocked, covering her mouth with a silk handkerchief. "No wonder she's so... unrefined."
Lixia and the Princess Strike Back
Lixia sighed mentally. Who did I offend this time? I've never even met these people. She realized Beiye Yinman was the one pulling the strings with that single "reminder."
Xiqiu moved to defend her mistress, but Lixia held her back. She looked at the mocking girl and said calmly, "Miss, please watch your tongue. If you speak too harshly, you might just bite it by mistake."
"How dare a country girl speak to me like that!" the girl hissed.
Lixia simply looked toward the sky, exhausted by the pettiness. At that moment, Yi Mutong walked over from the Prince's side, her expression icy.
"Who said my food was a 'blight'?" she asked, her voice low and dangerous. "And who called my friend a country girl?"
"P-Princess Mutong!" The group of noble ladies suddenly realized that the Princess—a true member of the Imperial Family—was right there. They hadn't seen her among the smoke.
"Princess, I didn't mean..." Miss Yin stammered.
"You didn't mean what?" Mutong snapped, her round, serious face now carrying an undeniable weight of authority. She looked at the noble ladies, including the "lofty" Beiye Yinman, who were now forced to bow. "There is plenty of space in this forest. Leave now. Do not disturb the peace of the Princess and her Imperial Brother."
The Shadow of the Prince
The ladies' hearts skipped a beat as they noticed Yi Junlan sitting by the spring. Despite the distance, his presence was chilling. They hurriedly offered their respects. "Greetings, Prince Kang."
He didn't respond for a long time, leaving them stooped in a nervous bow. Beiye Yinman stole a glance toward him, her eyes filled with a desperate, hidden obsession that completely contradicted her usual "Ice Beauty" persona.
Finally, Gu Qing signaled them to rise. "My Master dislikes disturbances. Leave at once."
Yi Junlan's voice finally cut through the air, cold and sharp: "Do not let there be a next time."
The noble ladies fled, their backs drenched in cold sweat.