Chapter 0168: Your Highness Must Not Be Partial; I Care for You All the Most
Xie Chengze arrived at the county office’s kitchen and rummaged around for a while, quickly finding the leftover dough from earlier dumpling-making.
“Fortunately, this saves me the effort of kneading dough.”
Xie Chengze rolled up his sleeves and lightly washed his hands. He then retrieved the mutton that had been frozen in the snowbox outside the kitchen window, cut off roughly enough for two people to taste, and stuffed the rest back inside.
He then sliced and shredded the mutton on the cutting board, chopping it finely. When it was nearly done, he added half a beaten egg and mixed it together, then took some chopped scallions and spices prepared by the cook and added them to the mixture.
He heated oil in a wok, adding a section of scallion and local specialty spices. Once the aroma was released, Xie Chengze removed the spice remnants and poured the hot oil into the mixed mutton filling. This not only removed the gaminess of the mutton but also enhanced the fragrance of the meat and seasonings.
After stirring again in the same direction, Xie Chengze began cutting the dough and rolling out dumpling wrappers. Truth be told, his dumpling-making skills were quite average—he had only learned from an aunt at a homestay during a trip to Northeast China in his previous life. Compared to dumplings, his hometown traditionally ate tangyuan during New Year celebrations, so Xie Chengze was actually skilled at making tangyuan. Unfortunately, there was no glutinous rice here, so he couldn’t make any.
After somewhat clumsily rolling out the dumpling wrappers, Xie Chengze’s small hands had turned red from the cold. Alone in the kitchen with only a solitary candle burning, he focused intently under the faint candlelight, carefully filling the dumpling wrappers with the mutton filling and meticulously pinching them closed.
When he finished making one dumpling, he held it up as if admiring a priceless treasure, examining it carefully before sighing, “So ugly!”
Such an ugly dumpling should be fed to that damned Shen Yuan.
That matter with Li Dongyao definitely had something to do with him! Otherwise, why would he be laughing so gleefully?
Setting the ugly dumpling aside, Xie Chengze continued diligently making dumplings. After using up all the filling, he lit a fire to boil water and put all the finished dumplings in.
“Quite fragrant,” he remarked. After the dumplings floated to the surface three times, he scooped them out onto a plate. He then used the remaining egg mixture to make egg drop soup in the dumpling water, pouring it into a bowl. Just as he was about to cover it, he felt two shadows fall over him.
“Your Highness.”
“Your Highness~”
Two voices—one cool and detached, the other warm and smiling—spoke as a palm landed on each of his shoulders. Warmth flowed through his arms, thawing his chilled, reddened hands.
“Don’t we get New Year gifts?”
“Your Highness, you must not be partial~”
Xie Chengze: …
Why does everyone want New Year gifts?!
I’m very poor!
“How about… you try one?” Xie Chengze could only point to the dumplings in the food container. He had only made ten in total…
“All this heartfelt devotion has been misplaced after all…” Wuji turned and sat by the stove, raising a hand to pretend to wipe tears. “Your Highness, to deliver messages and handle affairs for you, I’ve worked tirelessly day and night, braving wind and dew, my chest filled with biting cold… and all I get is one dumpling?”
“It seems Shen Yuan is the true insider.” Wuhen released his hand, his usually indifferent voice tinged with a hint of disappointment. “We are ultimately outsiders after all.”
Xie Chengze: …
“How could that be?” Xie Chengze chuckled dryly, quickly pushing the food container toward the two. “Three each! How about that? The remaining four will be split between Shen Yuan and me—two each. That means he’ll get fewer than you!”
“You two are my most trusted confidants~” the young man declared earnestly. “I share the closest bond in the world with you~!”
Only then did Wuji curl the corners of her lips, hop down from the stove, and carefully pick through the plate of dumplings, finally selecting the three most aesthetically pleasing ones.
Wuhen also deliberately avoided the ugliest dumpling, choosing three with nice shapes and placing them on the brought plates.
Xie Chengze gazed reluctantly at the six finest dumplings on their plates. “Well… you eat first. I’ll head back to my room?”
“Your Highness, take care~”
“Your Highness, take care.”
Xie Chengze had no choice but to close the food container and leave the kitchen.
He comforted himself, “It’s fine, it’s fine. There are still four left, and the other three aren’t that ugly…”
“What four?”
Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice startled Xie Chengze, nearly causing him to drop the food container into the snow. Fortunately, a pair of hands steadied it for him. “Second Prince.”
The sleeves of the hands belonged to a purple official robe, indicating someone from the palace.
Xie Chengze looked up and met a pair of intensely aggressive ruifeng eyes. Even filled with laughter, they couldn’t conceal their inherent arrogance—a superiority born of absolute confidence in one’s own qualities, a pride too genuine for anyone with insecurities to feign.
The face appeared relatively young, around twenty-seven or twenty-eight, and was exceptionally handsome. With high brow bones, a straight nose bridge, and features radiating the aura of springtime triumph, his already striking countenance appeared even more flamboyant. Yet, tempered by age and experience, he lacked the naive recklessness of youth, embodying instead a genuine, spirited vigor.
In the imperial court, there was a saying:
“To have a son, one should aspire for Sheng Shihuai.”
Entering the court at twenty, he ascended to the position of Salt and Iron Commissioner in just eight years, overseeing the entire Jian’an salt, iron, and tea industries. He managed the Salt and Iron Office with impeccable order, scarcely making any errors. Moreover, many of the rare treasures in Cheng Huan Palace were procured and offered as tribute by the Salt and Iron Office, a testament to the formidable influence behind him.
Despite such capability, Xie Chengze felt a chill run down his spine, his hairs standing on end.
Simply because…
“So it’s Commissioner Sheng.”
Xie Chengze tightened his grip on the food container, forcing a calm smile. “These are dumplings I made. Would you care to try some, Commissioner Sheng?”
No sooner had he spoken than he mentally slapped himself.
Xie Chengze! What are you saying? No matter how nervous you are, you can’t slip up and invite him to eat dumplings!
There are only four left!
But the words were already out. Sheng Shihuai’s lips curled into an ambiguous smile. “I never imagined I’d have such luck. Since it would be impolite to refuse, I gratefully accept Your Highness’s kindness.”
He then pointed to a nearby side room. “It’s chilly here. Why not enjoy them inside together? What does Your Highness think?”
Xie Chengze glanced at him, then at the side room.
Sheng Shihuai seeking him out was within his expectations—he just hadn’t anticipated it would be so soon.
Very well, he would “chat” with him first.
He nodded. “Alright.”
Walking to the side room, Xie Chengze didn’t push the door open himself. Instead, he lifted his chin arrogantly. “Commissioner Sheng, open the door.”
The smile on Sheng Shihai’s face faded slightly, but he still raised his hand and pushed the door open for Xie Chengze.
Xie Chengze laughed inwardly.
Sheng Shihai was an extremely arrogant man by nature, ambitious yet incompetent, and never willing to submit to others. Having just been so arrogantly ordered to open the door and serve him, he naturally wouldn’t be pleased.
But, in order to cooperate with him, he had no choice but to endure it.