Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 97 Harmony and Meimei
When other people dress up, they focus on looking bright and attractive, striving to be radiant.

Xiao Zhao is completely different.

She dressed Xue Sui Cong up to make him look ugly.

She used a light blue powder on her eyelids to make her bright and lively eyes lose some of their color. Her black hair was simply tied into a bun, with a few strands of hair casually falling on her cheeks. Her fair skin was also cleverly covered with a layer of powder to cover up the luster...

A bright pearl is covered with dull dust.

After getting dressed up, he looked inexplicably listless, as if he hadn't slept for a long time.

Xiao Zhao leaned closer to the mirror with a sly look on his face.

"My lady, do you think it is satisfactory?"

Xiao Zhao knew Xue Sui well and knew that the girl was unwilling to sleep with him.

But Xue Sui really didn't think of doing so.

Li Huan is not a fool. How could he not see such obvious tricks?
However, since Xiao Zhao was so kind, she just smiled and agreed.

"Very good. Thank you for your hard work."

Xiao Zhao smiled happily when he heard this, not noticing the mockery in the words.

Jinshu saw her immersed in her "masterpiece" with a smug look on her face. Her chest was shaking slightly from trying to hold back her laughter. She and Xue Sui exchanged a glance, and they both understood each other tacitly.

Jinshu calmed himself down and then asked Xue Sui for instructions with a smile.

"Miss, the prince is coming to eat, what should we prepare?"

Xue Sui hesitated for a moment and said, "Just ordinary food."

It sounds ordinary, but it’s actually not that ordinary.

Because one of the "Ten Arts of Old Ling Numa" is "cooking".

In life, all we need is food, clothing, shelter and transportation. Mastering superb cooking skills is undoubtedly a very important way of survival.

The Nine Treasures Cake that Xue Sui made last time was just a trial.

On weekdays, even if the master and servants use the same ingredients, they can come up with many new and unique foods in the small kitchen.

Jinshu received the order and hurried down to make arrangements.

At dinner time, Li Huan stepped into Tan Qiuyuan and the food had just come out of the pot.

This is Li Huan's first time here.

The red silk, happy couplets and big red lanterns used on the wedding day in the yard had long been removed. The wedding paper-cuts on the windows were also gone, and there was no trace of any festive atmosphere.

The whole courtyard is simple and clean. Perhaps because it is next to the lake, the courtyard is filled with mist at night and a breeze blows by, bringing a unique freshness and a hint of coolness, making it particularly cooler than other places.

"Welcome to you, Your Majesty."

Xue Sui led the maids out, stood in the yard properly, and saluted him.

Li Huan withdrew his gaze indifferently, waved his hand gently, signaling to stand up, and then walked towards the dining hall under the guidance of Xue Sui.

The dining hall is very clean, simple and elegant.

As soon as he sat down, a maid came over with a copper basin and helped him wash his hands.

Li Huan followed suit and his expression remained unchanged from beginning to end.

After picking up the chopsticks and tasting the first dish, his frowning brows slowly relaxed and there was visible admiration in his dark eyes.

"It's delicious. The Sixth Miss is a good cook."

He still called her Sixth Miss.

Xue Sui smiled slightly, with a dignified manner.

"Your Highness, thank you for your reward."

Li Huan asked: "The chef of Muyueju was also trained by the Sixth Miss, right?"

The tone was very casual, but with a sense of certainty.

Xue Sui had never thought about these things and could completely deceive Li Huan.

She didn't hide anything and just admitted it generously.

"Xue Liu hopes that my elder sister and brother-in-law will enjoy their meals, live in harmony, and treat each other as equals. I also hope that they will have a smooth and worry-free life in the future, and have many children, blessings, and good fortune..."

Li Huan raised his brows when he heard this, and stared at her face, which was darker than usual, with his dark eyes, with a knowing and gentle smile.

"You've already married into the palace, but you still call me brother-in-law?"

Xue Sui smoothed down his messy hair, lowered his head and smiled. "A brother-in-law is a brother-in-law. He has been my brother-in-law since the day the prince married my elder sister."

What a cunning woman.

Dressed like this, it's obvious that she doesn't want to sleep with me.

Li Huan did not expose her. He lowered his head, picked up the soup bowl and took a sip.

The soup smelled delicious. He raised his eyebrows without saying anything else. There was still a faint smile on his face. He looked up and signaled the girl standing beside him.

"You guys go down. This king doesn't like to be served when he eats."

Jinshu and the others glanced at Xue Sui, replied "yes", bowed and left.

Li Huan and Xue Sui were the only ones left in the dining hall.

Xue Sui said nothing and served the food to Li Huan himself.

Li Huan looked at the white and slender hand, and for some reason, he felt a very strange and indescribable feeling of throbbing in his heart.

It's not gentle and lingering, nor is it a ripple in the heart, but a different kind of freshness.

Most of the women around him were flattering, but Xue Sui's behavior was natural and special, like an unknown variable that suddenly broke into his life, making him feel uneasy and it was difficult for him to be as at ease as he was in front of other women.

So this woman easily disturbed his usually calm state of mind.

He never touched Xue Liu, not because he disliked her appearance or for other reasons, but because he was afraid of her.

The reason why Li Huan was able to stand out among many princes was not only because of Emperor Chongzhao's favoritism towards Concubine Xiao, but more importantly, he was a meticulous and cautious person.

Xue Liu has been in Jiuling Swamp for ten years, so he must have had close ties with the people there.

He has always been cautious and careful about this.

But even a perfect plan can lead to a loophole, let alone sleeping in the same bed?

He didn't want to fall into an irretrievable disaster because of a moment's negligence.

He values ​​his life more than he lusts after women.

Li Huan put down his chopsticks and raised his eyebrows slightly.

"Sixth Miss, do you still remember what I said last time in Xue Mansion?"

Xue Sui was putting a crystal clear shrimp into his plate.

Today was the second time the two had a private conversation.

The first time was in the octagonal pavilion in the Xue Mansion garden.

Hearing this, Xue Sui paused and said calmly, "That day in Xue's mansion, the prince suspected that I was the murderer, so I asked the prince to produce evidence according to the Twenty-Eight Notes on the Reform of Criminal Law..."

She raised her eyes with a gentle smile.

"What evidence did the prince find?"

Li Huan coughed lightly: "It's not about that."

Xue Sui raised his eyes, "Anything else?"

Li Huan said, "I'm telling you, I might need you to help me with the matter of the Old Mausoleum Swamp. I came here today because I have something to ask you..."

Xue Sui ignored the inquiring look in Li Huan's eyes and curved her eyes slightly, like an embarrassed woman who had just married into the mansion and was facing her husband.

"Why should you be so polite, Your Majesty? If you have anything to ask, just ask. Xue Liuding will tell you everything he knows."

Li Huan's brows did not relax, but became even tighter.

Xue Sui stared at her, knowing that he was hesitating and choosing his words.

She placed another piece of jadeite roll on his plate with slow and calm movements.

Li Huan picked up the teacup, took a sip, and after a moment of silence, he slowly spoke.

"I am looking for the Old Mausoleum Swamp, emissary."

His voice was calm and calm, but his eyes were extremely sharp, staring at Xue Sui's face as if examining him.

Any slight change in her would not escape his eyes.

Xue Sui looked calm.

But when he talked about antique dealers, she gave a knowing smile.

His Royal Highness Prince Duan looked down on the person in front of him, but found a liar...