Chapter 49: Xu Wanning Was Furious

“Qingqing, what are we having for breakfast?” Wang Baochuan asked with a smile.

Qingqing immediately answered, “Miss, we’re having meat porridge for breakfast.”

“The rice is fragrant rice from Luozhou, mixed with dew from lotus leaves, cooked until half-cooked, then add chopped cooked meat, seasoned with bamboo shoots, herbs, and pine nuts, and cooked until done.”

“Miss, you’ll be able to smell the aroma of the porridge soon.”

Wang Baochuan was satisfied, “Not bad.”

“That’s just the beginning. We’re also steaming crab roe buns, and the cooks are making plain fried cakes. And these plain fried cakes are very simple, just crush melon seeds, pine nuts, almonds, and hazelnuts and mix them with flour.”

Qingqing’s voice was clear and loud, and she spoke about food with great enthusiasm.

Wang Baochuan had eaten oil tea before she left, and now she was starting to feel hungry.

Xu Wanning’s face was ashen. She stood at the entrance of the Cold Cave, clutching the patch on her sleeve. The wooden rack in front of the cave was still drying the wild vegetables she had dug in the past few days.

She stormed back into the Cold Cave and slammed the wooden door shut. The door swayed and almost fell apart.

Xu Wanning went into the kitchen. The so-called kitchen was just a simple stove and a rusty iron pot. She lifted the lid, and there were still leftover wild vegetable dumplings from last night.

The air was filled with the aroma of meat porridge, mixed with the rich fragrance of fried cakes.

After a night, her stomach was empty and rumbling. She hadn’t smelled such fragrant food for a long time, especially the plain fried cakes, which were her favorite when she was at home.

She sat on the ground, both angry and resentful, and tears streamed down her face.

She sat there for a long time, finally putting the lid back on the pot. She picked up her bamboo basket and left the Cold Cave. If she didn’t go out to dig wild vegetables today, she would be starving when it rained.

Seeing her leave, Wang Baochuan frowned and looked at the sun outside, “Oh, it’s so sunny. I can’t go out, or I’ll get tanned.”

Xu Wanning ignored her, but subconsciously tucked her tanned and rough hands into her sleeves.

Xu Wanning didn’t come back at noon. Wang Baochuan fanned herself with a fan and ordered the ice wrapped in cotton blankets to be taken out to make iced drinks for everyone.

“You’ve all worked hard. When we return to the mansion, I’ll give each of you two taels of silver.”

“Thank you, Miss.” Everyone said in unison.

It wasn’t hard work at all. They had just been in the sun a little, and their mistress was sitting here with them. Besides, they were getting paid just for sitting, so everyone felt warm inside.

In the evening, Xu Wanning returned with a basket of wild vegetables. She hadn’t eaten anything all day, only drinking a few sips of water. Now, she was about to faint from hunger.

She saw a sandalwood table in front of Wang Baochuan, with delicate carved flower patterns on the sides.

On it were steamed bacon, braised pork knuckle, rabbit meat, venison, and a whole table full of other chicken, duck, and goose meat.

Wang Baochuan held a jade soup spoon in her hand and scolded the maids around her with a hint of disgust, “What kind of food is this? It’s so greasy, how can I eat it!”

Qingqing smiled and persuaded her kindly, “Miss, just make do. We’re not at home.”

Xu Wanning couldn’t help but swallow. She pretended not to see and went into the house with her basket of wild vegetables.

In the following days, Wang Baochuan showed no sign of leaving. Drunken crab, braised meat, fish balls, amber meat, mutton head soup, pickled fish… Every day, she had different delicacies prepared in front of her door.

She pretended to be fine and went out to dig wild vegetables during the day, and at night, she hid under the covers and cried, smelling the aroma of meat.

Wang Baochuan, on the other hand, had endless delicacies to eat and endless silks to wear. Her clothes were never the same, colorful and as dazzling as the sunset.

One night, she could no longer bear the grievance in her heart. She stormed out of the room and went straight to Wang Baochuan’s tent.

“Wang Baochuan! What are you trying to do? Are you trying to show off how well you’re living?” Xu Wanning was like an exploding firecracker, her voice hoarse, startling Wang Baochuan.

Wang Baochuan lay on the soft couch, turned over, and continued to count the stars in the sky.

“I told you, I came out for a walk.”

“Wang Baochuan! You have no heart! You don’t know what love is!” Xu Wanning cried in grievance.

“Yes, that’s why I don’t have to eat wild vegetables.” Wang Baochuan sat up with a smile.

“Xu Wanning, do you love your mother?”

“Of course!” Xu Wanning answered without hesitation.

“Then would you, because you love her, drag her to live in the Cold Cave with you and eat wild vegetables?” Wang Baochuan’s eyes were clear, as bright as the stars in the sky.

Xu Wanning answered without thinking, “My mother is living well in the mansion, with fine clothes and food, and maids to serve her. I wouldn’t want her to come and suffer with me.”

“Yes, you love her, so you wouldn’t want her to suffer with you. But Xue Pinggui loves you, and he’s willing to let you give up your wealth and comfort to come to the Cold Cave and eat wild vegetables!”

Xu Wanning was stunned. She moved her lips as if to say something, but after a moment of silence, she stubbornly explained, “It’s different, Xue Lang and I…”

“What’s different? Didn’t I have Xue Qi tell you that he went to Xiliang?”

Wang Baochuan was helpless.

A glimmer of hope flashed in Xu Wanning’s eyes, “I know. Xue Qi said that after she found Xue Lang in Xiliang, she would ask him to come back to find me.”

“It’s been half a year. Has he come back to find you?”

Xu Wanning burst into tears, “I don’t believe it. Xue Lang said that he would never betray me in this life.”

“Well, I’ll tell you. The news from Xiliang is that Xue Pinggui has already married Princess Dai Zhan of Xiliang.” Wang Baochuan directly shattered all her illusions.

“I don’t believe it!”

“Then you can send someone to Xiliang to investigate! Or you don’t have to investigate. Xiliang will soon be trading with the Tang Dynasty, and news will naturally come back.”

“But he said…” Xu Wanning cried and threw herself into Wang Baochuan’s arms. But he said he would never betray me!

She cried for a long time before she gradually calmed down. From the moment Xue Qi went to Xiliang and there was no news, she knew she had gambled wrong, but she was too stubborn to admit it.

“Baochuan, but I have no way back now. My parents won’t forgive me.” She lowered her head, feeling uneasy, like a child who had made a big mistake.

“Really?” Wang Baochuan held her hand and pointed down the slope.

There was a carriage parked there, with two swaying lanterns hanging from it.

Her voice had a calmness and depth that didn’t belong to her age, as if she was talking to Xu Wanning, but also as if she was talking to her foolish self from her previous life.

“Look… your parents have been waiting for you to come back.”