"Hey, stop sleeping, wake up!" Prefect Chen nudged Huang Shi beside him.
He had just heard the sound of horses outside.
Huang Shi rolled over, smacked her lips twice, "Mamia!"
Prefect Chen: "......"
This old hag, like a pig.
"Wake up, there's movement outside!" Prefect Chen pinched her nostrils.
Huang Shi sat up with a yelp, her hair disheveled, "What are you doing? Ah, Atchoo!~"
"There's movement outside!" Prefect Chen pointed out the window.
"If there's movement, can't you go and see? Why are you pinching my nose?" Huang Shi rolled her eyes at him, pulled the quilt over herself, and lay down again.
A moment later, the butler called from outside the door, "Master, we have guests..."
"Who is it?"
"It's... it's the Prefect and Young Master Xiao!~"
"Huh?" Prefect Chen stood up directly from the bed, stepped over Huang Shi, and jumped off the bed.
Unexpectedly, his legs were not nimble, and he tripped over Huang Shi's forehead, falling headfirst off the bed...
"Bang!"
"Ouch!"
"Flop!~"
"Mas... Master, are you alright?"
"N-no problem!"
Prefect Chen rubbed the large bump on his head, put on his clothes, and went out to meet them...
He already knew that the young prince and Young Master Xiao had been found, and he didn't expect the Prefect to personally escort them back.
And visiting his residence so late was truly a blessing in his life.
"Ah, get the lanterns and everything ready, it's too dark!" Prefect Chen directed the servants to get busy.
Prefect Qin had already led Little Xi Tian and the others into the main hall of the central courtyard. The butler had prepared hot tea and served it...
"Your subordinate... your subordinate pays his respects to the Prefect!" Prefect Chen tiptoed into the main hall, bowing with his waist bent.
Prefect Qin gave him a sideways glance and asked, "Have you been hunting wild game recently?"
Everyone knew that Prefect Chen was fond of eating wild game...
Whether it was wild boar, roe deer, pheasants, or wild ducks, as long as they were caught in the mountains, he ate them.
He even ate the big-eyed thieves from the fields.
Prefect Chen looked up, glanced at Xiao Jinheng and Little Xi Tian, and seeing that they were safe and sound, he breathed a sigh of relief.
"Your subordinate received six wild rabbits yesterday and is keeping them in the backyard!" Prefect Chen said with a smile.
Prefect Qin grunted, "Roast three and stew three. Is there any wine? Bring a jar!"
These people had only eaten some roast goose and drunk some noodle soup at the post station at noon, and they hadn't eaten anything since.
Prefect Chen twitched the corner of his mouth.
This was bandit behavior!
As soon as they arrived at his house, they didn't ask about anything else, but directly demanded food and drink.
He had been planning to fatten up those six wild rabbits to eat himself...
"There is wine, but it's not strong, it's sweet. I'm afraid the Prefect won't be used to it!" Prefect Chen said.
The fruit wine was prepared for Huang Shi, who liked to drink it.
"Don't you have sorghum wine or something?" Prefect Qin raised his eyebrows.
Prefect Chen scratched his head.
With such a large residence, how could there not be a few jars of wine?
However, the good wine was buried under the roots of the trees, waiting to be dug up and drunk in more than ten years...
Prefect Chen was reluctant to take it out.
Seeing his hesitant appearance, Prefect Qin knew he was lying, "One jar is enough, look how scared you are!~"
"Alright, I'll have the kitchen prepare the dishes first, please wait!" Prefect Chen cupped his hands and turned to leave.
"Wait a moment!" Xiao Jinheng called out to him.
"Young Prince... Young Master Xiao, what are your orders?" Prefect Chen wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Xiao Jinheng couldn't help but laugh, "The rabbit meat should be braised, add some dried chili!"
Prefect Chen was stunned for a moment and explained, "Don't laugh, Young Master, our chef doesn't know how to braise rabbit meat. What he makes turns out unpalatable, so it's better to stew it directly with the ribs..."
"No problem!" Du Tieshan stood up with a smile, "I can braise rabbit meat!~"
Yun Er Man saw this and wanted her to sit down.
It was better to speak less in front of these high officials!
Prefect Chen craned his neck to look at Du Tieshan, put his hands into his sleeves, and after a long pause, asked, "Who is this lady?"
Is she Prefect Qin's concubine?
But why is she wearing such ragged clothes?
Do women now all like to dress like this?
"I am Er Man's wife..." Du Tieshan said.
Prefect Qin heard this and immediately reacted.
Er Man had divorced Liu Cuirong, so he had to find a new wife to live with.
This woman was beautiful and knew how to cook, which was good!
"Then I'll take you to the kitchen!"
"Okay!~"
Half an hour later, just as the two little buns were about to fall asleep, three roasted rabbits and a pot of braised rabbit meat were served...
The rabbit meat was roasted to a crisp outside and tender inside, fragrant and crispy. The braised rabbit meat was even more fragrant, whetting everyone's appetite.
"Have a couple of drinks and go to sleep. Prefect Chen, you can accompany me to Dashui Village tomorrow morning!" Prefect Qin took a sip of wine and served a piece of meat to Xiao Jinheng and Little Xi Tian respectively.
Prefect Chen cupped his wine glass with both hands, "Your subordinate went there today, and the old Yun family is very lively. As soon as they heard that Sweet Baby and Young Master Xiao were found, Old Brother Yun invited the yangge troupe..."
"What?" Yun Er Man put down his wine glass, "Why did my father invite the yangge troupe?"
"What else? For excitement, for celebration. The yangge troupe is now living in the village. When you go back, they'll start beating gongs and drums and dancing. Oh, it's incredibly lively!~" Prefect Chen's speech became more talkative after two cups of wine.
Little Xi Tian heard this and asked with a smile, "Are they singing or anything?"
"How could they not!" Prefect Chen winked at her, "Do you know Er Ren Zhuan?"
Little Xi Tian nodded, "I know..."
"Have you heard it? Yi hu hai ya hu hai!" Prefect Chen gestured a couple of times.
Little Xi Tian's mouth twitched violently, "I... I've heard it!~"
"You're such a little kid, you definitely haven't heard it. I'll sing a couple of lines for you!" Prefect Chen was getting drunk.
He downed the wine in his cup, staggered to an open space, and without caring about his dignity, he started dancing, "In the first month... it's New Year, ah ha ah, the first day of the Lunar New Year, eh eh, every family is reunited, oh, wish the elders fewer New Year greetings!~"
"Pfft, hahahaha!"
Everyone in the room was amused to the point of rolling with laughter.
Little Xi Tian even held her stomach, laughing so hard she was about to pass out.
Oh my, this Prefect Uncle is too funny...
Xiao Jinheng also turned his face away, stifling his laughter with grunts.
Yun Er Man and Du Tieshan also almost laughed tears.
"You're singing it wrong!" Prefect Qin threw a rabbit bone at him, "What do you mean wish the elders fewer New Year greetings? It should be wishing the elders more New Year greetings, why are you messing it up?"
Prefect Chen picked his eye boogers and sat back down. Just as he was about to say something, the sound of horses' hooves suddenly came from outside the mansion...