Please call me Your Majesty!

Chapter 288 Your Highness is Too Idle
"Are you talking about this kid who looked like a wilted cucumber and ate seven bowls of rice?"

Arriving at the scene and seeing Zheng Yan concentrating on eating, Li Batian became even more suspicious of the truth of the rumor.

The thin young man in front of him had his military uniform hanging loosely on his body, and his exposed wrists were so thin that they seemed like they would break if bent.

Upon hearing this, someone immediately said with a smile: "General Li, you are not bragging. I saw it with my own eyes." The speaker was a bearded old soldier.

"Yes, General, it's impossible that we are all lying to you?" another soldier interrupted, his eyes still glued to Zheng Yan, as if he was looking at something rare.

"This kid has been eating since noon and hasn't stopped talking."

"I swear to God, this is absolutely true."

Li Batian was born in a poor family and was a straightforward soldier. Not only was he brave in combat, he was also a humble person in his daily life.

Therefore, the soldiers did not treat him as an outsider.

If it weren't for his limited ability to command troops, he could have been promoted higher. Li Batian stared at Zheng Yan's sunken cheeks and suddenly remembered himself looking for food among the dead twenty years ago.

"This kid is really a good-for-nothing." With so many people guaranteeing this, Li Batian had no choice but to believe it. His voice was filled with a hint of disbelief and a hint of admiration.

He had seen many soldiers in the military camp who could eat a lot, but this was the first time he had seen one who could eat so much and still be as thin as a stick.

Li Batian was somewhat shocked when he saw the skinny and small Zheng Yan who had not yet fully grown up. The cuffs of the boy's military uniform were frayed and there was a patch sewn crookedly on the collar. But his eyes were surprisingly bright, like two flames that refused to go out.

Being able to eat so much, I originally thought that even if this guy was not an eight-foot-tall strong man, he would at least be a big fat man.

But looking at his appearance, apart from his belly being a little bigger than that of ordinary people, he is just an ordinary person.

As he was talking, Zheng Yan finished another bowl of rice, touched his stomach and smacked his lips, then he took the bowl and went to queue up for food again. His movements were very skillful, and it was obvious that he had done this many times.

While waiting in line, he did not forget to lick the last few grains of rice at the bottom of the bowl.

Even those who were already shocked by his appetite exclaimed in surprise when they saw him going to get food again.

"No way? This kid hasn't eaten enough?" A Xueyuan Pass soldier widened his eyes.

His companion poked him in the waist and whispered, "Two nights, a month's worth of socks to wash, how about a bet?"

"I'm really worried that he might die from eating too much."

"Young people don't know how to be hungry or full, so why not let them eat? It's not worth risking their lives for a meal."

"Do you feel embarrassed to stop now because so many people are watching you?" someone whispered.

The veteran next to him shook his head: "Not really! That look of fear from hunger doesn't look fake."

Everyone made all kinds of guesses, and Zheng Yan didn't explain after hearing them. He just smiled at them friendly.

There were still grains of rice stuck to the corners of his mouth, but his smile was as clear as the sky after the rain.

Zheng Yan no longer needs to queue up to get his meals.

Because everyone in the queue will take the initiative to give Zheng Yan a seat.

Some people even gave up their seats just to take a closer look at how this "glutton soldier" managed to stuff so much food into his small body.

More people want to see how much he can eat.

Many patrolling guards pretended to pass by several times, craning their necks to look inside.

"Uncle..." Zheng Yan just handed over his bowl, but found that the person who served him the meal had been replaced without him noticing.

He raised his head and met a pair of smiling eyes. Those eyes were particularly bright in the twilight, as if they could see through people's hearts.

"Your Highness..." Zheng Yan's jaw almost dropped to the ground. His fingers suddenly lost control and the wooden bowl fell onto the stove with a clang, then rolled to the ground.

The boy hurried to pick it up, but because he moved too hastily, he bumped his head against the edge of the stove and immediately saw stars.

He was just an ordinary soldier and could usually only see Zheng Yi from a distance.

Although he had fought side by side with Chu Shizhao in the previous battle, he was busy at war and could not take care of anything else.

This was the first time I saw the prince so close, and I was so nervous that I was speechless.

Zheng Yan's throat seemed to be blocked by something, and he could only utter meaningless mumbling sounds. His fingers unconsciously tugged at the corner of his clothes, almost tearing off the patch.

Chu Shizhao didn't serve Zheng Yan rice first. He said with a gentle and teasing voice, "Your name is Zheng Yan, right? I heard about you. This is the eighth bowl of rice, right?"

Zheng Yan was at a loss for words, not knowing where to put his hands: "Sorry... I'm sorry, Your Highness. Did I eat too much?" His fingers twisted the corner of his clothes unconsciously, almost tearing off the patch. His Adam's apple kept rolling up and down, and beads of sweat oozed from his forehead, gleaming in the twilight.

"You don't have to be afraid." Chu Shizhao smiled and said, "No matter how much you eat, you won't eat our Great Zhou out of money."

His eyes swept over Zheng Yan's thin body and said, "If I can't even provide food for you, I will be a sinner for all eternity."

His words caused laughter from the people around him.

The laughter spread like waves. Several veterans slapped their thighs with laughter. Some even choked and coughed until their faces turned red.

When the laughter subsided a little, Chu Shizhao said seriously: "I am just worried that you will eat too much and have problems. So I am asking you seriously now, are you really not full and want to continue eating?"

After Chu Shizhao arrived, he did not show up, but he was secretly observing Zheng Yan.

He noticed every detail of the boy's meal, the clean bottom of the bowl, and the hunger that never faded in his eyes.

These undoubtedly show that the boy is really not full.

At least on the surface, although this kid eats a lot, it doesn't cause any effects on his body.

Chu Shizhao's eyes swept over Zheng Yan's flat, bulging belly. Although it was bulging, it didn't look particularly exaggerated.

The boy's eyes became brighter and brighter as he ate, like a long-dry seedling that finally received rain.

However, due to some considerations, Chu Shizhao still showed up and replaced the fat cook. The fat cook had already stepped aside and wiped his hands with his apron, his eyes full of satisfaction. If the news that His Highness personally served meals to the soldiers spread, I wonder how many people would envy him.

"Well, I... I think I'm full." Zheng Yan touched his stomach and said insincerely. His fingers pressed lightly on his abdomen, as if to confirm something.

His eyes were wandering and he didn't dare to look Chu Shizhao in the eye.

Although today was the day he had eaten the most since he was born, the feeling of fullness in his stomach made him feel both unfamiliar and nostalgic.
It was like a blind man touching the sun for the first time. But when it comes to being full, he always feels that he is still a little short of it.

But when he heard the prince ask this, he didn't dare to say that he was not full yet.

Chu Shizhao knew from the look on his face that he was not telling the truth. His flickering eyes, tense shoulders, and the small movement of biting his lower lip unconsciously all silently told the truth.

The corners of his mouth slightly raised, revealing an understanding expression, and he laughed and said, "Don't be nervous, I'm just worried about whether your body can bear it." Chu Shizhao's voice suddenly became brisk, like a spring breeze blowing across the frozen lake: "If you really feel okay and still want to continue eating, it will definitely be fine."

Afraid that Zheng Yan might not believe it, Chu Shizhao added: "In fact, even I am curious about how much you can eat."

As he said this, he deliberately winked. It was a rare scene to see His Royal Highness the Prince personally teasing a soldier.

Zheng Yan's eyes lit up, and then he said cautiously: "Your Highness, can I really continue eating?"
His voice trembled slightly with anticipation, as if he was afraid of suddenly waking up from the beautiful dream, and he raised the empty bowl unconsciously.

Chu Shizhao laughed and nodded, "Of course, no matter how much you eat, can you eat the food of a hundred people?" He deliberately used an exaggerated tone, causing everyone to laugh again. Amid the laughter, Chu Shizhao had already scooped up a full spoonful of meat and motioned Zheng Yan to bring his bowl over.

Zheng Yan was now completely relieved: "Then Your Highness, I would like another bowl."

His voice suddenly became louder, and his eyes flashed with determination. This time, he did not avoid Chu Shizhao's gaze.

It was not because of anything else, but because Zheng Yan really wanted to feel what it felt like to be full.

The feeling of having a bloated stomach that could no longer hold anything was a luxury he had never experienced in his eighteen years of life.

Just imagining it made his fingertips tremble slightly.

It seems that this kid really just loves to eat. Chu Shizhao didn't say anything more and directly served Zheng Yan another full bowl of rice.

The rice was pressed tightly, the meat was piled up like a small mountain, and the golden broth was poured down, forming tiny vortices among the rice. The aroma immediately spread.

After Zheng Yan left, Chu Shizhao did not leave and continued to serve food to the remaining soldiers. Although his movements were not as skillful as Zhao Laosan's, he was extremely serious. Every time he served a bowl, he would ask if it was enough, and only handed it to the other party after getting a positive answer.

This simple action brought tears to the eyes of the soldiers present.

Chu Shizhao had specifically instructed before that the enemy would not attack the city, so let the soldiers rest until they had enough sleep.

The afterglow of the setting sun gradually faded, and dusk enveloped Xueyuan Pass. The torches lit on the city wall swayed in the evening breeze, casting long shadows. A rare sense of relaxation permeated the military camp?
It had been more than an hour since the meal started, and people were still coming to eat. These were soldiers who had just woken up from a deep sleep.

They rubbed their sleepy eyes and dragged their tired steps to eat, but they suddenly woke up when they saw the scene inside.

Many people rubbed their eyes vigorously. Didn't they see the village tyrant? His Royal Highness the Fourth Prince was actually standing in front of the stove, personally serving meals to the soldiers!

Which of those high and mighty nobles they had met did not treat them like animals?

And now, a prince was personally serving hot food into his bowl.

This is His Royal Highness the Prince. Many soldiers were so stiff and their movements were so rigid that they couldn't even speak.

When have these soldiers ever been treated like this?
The atmosphere gradually changed. Many soldiers straightened their backs unconsciously, and the fatigue in their eyes was replaced by a strange brilliance.
They talked in low voices, with undisguised excitement and pride in their voices. This emotion spread like wildfire and soon spread throughout the entire military camp.

His Royal Highness the Prince would not only go to the front line and fight alongside them, but would even prepare meals for them regardless of his status.

Li Batian leaned against a pillar, his strong arms folded across his chest, his eyes flashing with complex light. He thought of those military supervisors who were unwilling to even step into the camp when he was at the border. The comparison between the two made him sigh unconsciously.

The most important thing is that His Highness had personally ordered the evacuation of the people in Xueyuan Pass.

Many of the women and children were relatives of these soldiers. The soldiers were so grateful that their families would not have to go through the war.

At that moment, I don’t know how many people made up their minds to die for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

Zhao Wenguang, who was handling military affairs, hurried over. His boots were still stained with mud, and it was obvious that he had just returned from an inspection of the city wall.

Seeing that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was serving meals to the soldiers, he immediately hurried forward to help.

But before he could get close, he was stopped by Huo Qinghuang. The silver-armored female general appeared in front of him like a ghost, and pressed her slender fingers on his wrist with amazing force. The cold eyes made Zhao Wenguang shudder.

Zhao Wenguang said anxiously: "General Huo, your Highness...you don't even want to do anything about it?" His voice was low, but it couldn't hide his anxiety.

"Your Highness, like us, has not slept for a long time. We should take this opportunity to let Your Highness rest more. Why did you come here?"

There was no expression on Huo Qinghuang's pretty face: "Whatever the young master does, he naturally has his own intentions."

Her voice was as cold as metal. The finger on Zhao Wenguang's wrist did not move at all, holding him tightly like an iron clamp.

Feeling the other person's coldness that kept him at a distance, Zhao Wenguang swallowed back the rest of his words.

Although they were comrades who had fought side by side, he still couldn't understand Huo Qinghuang's thoughts.

This woman was like a sword unsheathed, sharp? Cold, and only used by Chu Shizhao. Zhao Wenguang suddenly realized that his impulsiveness just now might be an offense to His Highness in the eyes of the other party.

I sighed helplessly and could only wait here.

The evening breeze brushed his cheeks, bringing the aroma of cooking smoke. Zhao Wenguang then noticed that the atmosphere in the military camp was completely different from the past.

There was light in the soldiers' eyes, they smiled when they talked, and even their steps became brisker.

This was the first time he had seen such a dynamic army.

While waiting, Zhao Wenguang finally understood what had happened.

It turned out that it was just because a soldier who was particularly gluttonous appeared in the army, so Chu Shizhao came to see what was going on.

"Isn't this nonsense?" Zhao Wenguang couldn't help but complain.

(End of this chapter)