Chapter 259 Killing Chickens and Slaughtering Fish

The steward, hearing the commotion, hurried out.

Prefect Qin, dusty and travel-worn, entered the courtyard, his brow furrowed and his eyes dark with exhaustion.

"My lord, I was just about to write to you!" the steward said.

Prefect Qin glanced at him. "Write a letter for what? I'm already troubled enough."

How was he to explain to the palace that the young prince and Sweet Treasure were missing?

It was all that useless Prefect Chen's fault for not notifying him immediately when such a major incident occurred. Was it still possible to find them?

He had searched along the riverbank for an entire night and half a day, and finding nothing, he had returned directly to his mansion without even listening to the soldiers' reports.

The steward pointed towards the inner courtyard. "My lord, two young children were found at the Prefect's mansion, and they look exactly like the children you described. Please, go and see!"

"Ah?" Prefect Qin was momentarily stunned, then glared at the steward. "Are your old eyes playing tricks on you?"

"No... no, my lord. You'll know when you see them yourself!" the steward replied weakly.

Prefect Qin then strode towards the inner courtyard. Yun Erman and his group were coming out, and they met him head-on after only a few steps.

"Yun... Yun Er'man? Young Master Xiao? Sweet... Treasure?" Prefect Qin stuttered through their names, his jaw nearly dropping.

This was impossible, how did these people end up together?

And how had the young prince and the others escaped danger?

Yun Erman stepped forward and cupped his hands. "Prefect Qin, thank you for your concern. My sister and Young Master Xiao have been found..."

Prefect Qin blew his nose, inwardly thinking, "You're fine, but I'm in trouble."

The young prince's expression was clearly not good. Would he blame him?

"Um, Young Master Xiao, are you injured or bumped anywhere? Does anything hurt? Are you hungry?" Prefect Qin asked solicitously.

Xiao Jinheng, with his hands behind his back, tilted his chin up. "This young master is fine, but your gatekeepers at the Prefect's mansion need to be properly managed..."

Upon hearing this, Prefect Qin immediately turned to the steward. "What's going on?"

How dare a mere gatekeeper offend a prince?

Did he have eight hundred heads?

The steward, trembling, recounted the events, adding at the end, "My lord... my lord has already dismissed him!"

Prefect Qin's face turned red with anger. "Dismissing him isn't enough! Go, drag him back, give him fifty heavy strokes, and then throw him in the garbage heap!"

This was outrageous. When the tiger isn't home, the toads dominate.

The steward twitched his lips. His lord was truly ruthless, having already dismissed the man and still refusing to let him off...

Prefect Qin then smiled and looked at Xiao Xi Tian. "Sweet Treasure, you've lost weight. Do you miss home? Uncle will arrange a carriage to send you back tomorrow morning!"

After speaking, he quickly instructed the steward, "What are you waiting for? Hurry and have the kitchen prepare food, bring out the best things from the mansion. I want to entertain Erman and them!"

"No need!" Xiao Jinheng glanced at him indifferently. "We've already eaten..."

He and Xiao Xi Tian had eaten almost a whole leg of lamb, and now, with every burp, the smell of lamb still wafted out.

Prefect Qin blinked. "Then... at least stay for the night. It will be dark in another hour or two. If you leave now, I won't be at ease!"

What if something unexpected happened on the road?

To be safe, Prefect Qin decided to bring soldiers and personally escort them back to Dashui Village.

After all, his wife had already left with their two daughters, so there was no point in him staying in the mansion alone.

Seeing Xiao Jinheng waver slightly, Prefect Qin continued, "Don't worry, I'll write a letter right away and send someone to deliver it to Dashui Village by express horse, to let your family know you're safe!"

Xiao Jinheng looked at Xiao Xi Tian, seeking her opinion.

Yun Erman and Sister Hua had also stayed up for several nights, and traveling now was indeed not safe.

"Okay, but you must write the letter immediately!" Xiao Xi Tian said crisply.

"Good, good!" Prefect Qin's face bloomed with joy.

With the young prince staying in his mansion, he would have something to talk about later when Xiao Jinheng regained his identity.

"Steward, arrange the best guest rooms for them. Slaughter chickens and fish immediately, and prepare dinner!"

As he spoke, Prefect Qin leaned towards Xiao Jinheng and asked with a smile, "Can Young Master Xiao eat spicy food?"

The food must be prepared according to the guests' tastes. If they were satisfied, Prefect Qin's mood would also improve.

Xiao Jinheng grunted, "Yes, I can!"

Mainly because the little village child liked spicy food, he could endure it reluctantly.

"Good, Steward, then have the kitchen make boiled fish with plenty of dried chili peppers. Also, take out the dried hazel mushrooms and stew them with the little village chicken. Use slow heat so the flavor can infuse."

"And I caught a few crucian carp a few days ago. Have the kitchen make crucian carp soup, add some tofu, do you hear?"

Steward: "..."

My lord, why don't you just cook yourself?

This fellow, boiled fish, stewed chicken with mushrooms, and crucian carp soup.

"Are... are those the only three dishes?" the steward asked.

"Oh dear, are you dense? Make whatever good ingredients the kitchen has. Today, I absolutely must have twelve dishes. If there's one less, I won't let you off!" Prefect Qin issued a strict order.

Xiao Jinheng said indifferently, "Prefect Qin, twelve dishes are too extravagant. Ten will be enough!"

Prefect Qin: "..."

My dear prince, what's the difference between ten and twelve?

"Alright, alright, whatever you say!" Prefect Qin was in such a good mood.

So much so that he overlooked Sister Hua beside Yun Erman.

After giving a series of instructions, he looked at Sister Hua blankly and asked, "And this lady is...?"

He remembered that Yun Er'man's wife didn't look like this.

That one was lazy and gluttonous.

But in Sister Hua's eyes, Prefect Qin clearly saw a hint of shrewdness and capability.

Yun Erman found it difficult to explain, so he nudged his sister discreetly.

Xiao Xi Tian: "..."

She hadn't figured out what was going on herself, how could she speak?

Seeing that everyone was silent, Prefect Qin pulled Yun Erman aside and reprimanded him, "Er'man, I always thought you were an honest person, upright and proper. How could you bring out someone else's wife?"

"Alas, if your father and mother knew about this, how would they be able to hold their heads up?"

"Hurry up and return this wife to her family. If you truly like her, marry her or take her as a concubine, then no one will gossip!"

Yun Erman: "..."

Prefect, which eye of yours saw me taking advantage of someone's wife?

Is that the kind of person I am?

Just as everyone was so embarrassed they could dig a three-bedroom apartment with their toes, Sister Hua stepped forward generously. "We will get married when we return to the village!"

Prefect Qin: "???"

Although Yun Erman was tall and handsome, this woman was too eager.

Does being good-looking give you the right to do whatever you want?