A graceful young man wearing a jade crown emerged from the carriage.
The youth appeared to be thirteen or fourteen years old, with a hint of baby fat still on his face. Beneath his slightly curled eyelashes, a pair of eyes as clear as morning dew surveyed his surroundings.
Innocent and harmless.
This was Lin Qingge's first impression of the Eighth Prince.
But then, she mused, how could someone born into royalty be truly harmless?
She hooked the corner of her lips in a self-deprecating smile and bowed again to introduce herself:
"Lin Jingxing, acting Prefect of Fengtian Prefecture, pays his respects to Your Highness, the Eighth Prince!"
The Eighth Prince turned his gaze towards her and immediately flashed a bright smile. "So you are Lord Lin! You are truly as handsome and extraordinary as the rumors say!"
Rumors?
As if sensing the doubt in Lin Qingge's eyes, the Eighth Prince explained with a smile:
"Lord Lin, you don't know yet? You've become a celebrity, the talk of the capital's elite circles during tea breaks!"
???
"Lord Lin, you are not only the prized disciple of Minister Xu Changling of the Ministry of Punishment, but after achieving the third rank in the imperial examination, you resolutely refused the opportunity to remain in the Hanlin Academy to compile books. Instead, you plunged yourself into the remote Changzhou County.
You eliminated local bullies, found disaster relief funds, established schools, accepted refugees, and treated the plague, transforming the small Changzhou County in just over a month.
And you, Lord Lin, have risen from a mere county magistrate to acting Prefect.
Your promotion speed is so rapid that perhaps no one can match it, except for Minister Feng."
"Of course, both you and Minister Feng are pillars of the imperial court. Having you is truly a blessing for Great Xia."
Although the flattery was expertly delivered, Lin Qingge couldn't shake the feeling that being mentioned alongside that "Minister Feng" wasn't a good thing.
Also, which idiot had too much time on their hands to spread such accurate information in the capital?
Even if she were to kill Yan Tinghao, she wouldn't believe there wasn't someone fanning the flames behind the scenes!
Despite her thoughts, Lin Qingge's brow didn't even furrow. "Your Highness the Eighth Prince is too kind. You have had a long and arduous journey. I have already arranged your accommodation. Please follow me."
The entourage returned to the prefectural office in a grand procession.
Fortunately, the Eighth Prince was not pretentious. He not only made no complaints or criticisms about staying at the prefectural office but seemed quite delighted, especially with Xiao Cao's culinary skills, which he praised highly.
After serving this young master his meal, Lin Qingge excused herself under the guise of practicing cuju.
However, before leaving, she thoughtfully left Lin Yan behind.
Passing through the backyard, Lin Qingge saw Leng Ningyue staring intently at a hen and curiously asked:
"Madam, what are you doing?"
"I had nothing to do. Seeing that you've all been busy lately, I thought I'd make some chicken soup to nourish you."
"Chicken soup?"
Lin Qingge's alarm bells rang. Her eyes darted around, and she immediately rolled up her sleeves. "How can Madam trouble herself with such rough work as killing a chicken? I'll do it!"
But Leng Ningyue shook her head, her tone unusually firm:
"No need, I can do it myself."
With that, Leng Ningyue placed the porcelain pot for the chicken soup on the table and then brought over a large basin of clear water.
After doing these things, she resumed her intense gaze at the hen.
"Um, Madam, aren't we making chicken soup?"
"Xiao Cao said that soup made from a live chicken tastes more delicious, so I'm estimating the time it will take to skin and disembowel the hen to ensure it's still breathing when it goes into the pot."
!!!
Lin Qingge, who had never heard of skinning a live chicken before, opened her mouth wide enough to fit an egg.
While this sounded utterly fantastical, it came out of her mouth so matter-of-factly?
Besides, with all the skinning and disemboweling, how could there still be any breath left?
Even if the heart suffered a severe blow outside the chest, it would only beat for a little while longer, but how fast would that have to be?
Seeing Leng Ningyue continue to confront the hen, Lin Qingge considered her words carefully and said:
"Madam, is there a possibility that 'live chicken' simply means a chicken that needs to be slaughtered, rather than one that is still alive when put into the pot?"
"Then wouldn't that be making soup with the hen's corpse?"
That was indeed how it was done, and how she had always eaten it, but after Leng Ningyue's words, Lin Qingge felt a churning sensation in her stomach.
Fortunately, Xiao Cao arrived at that moment.
"Madam, I told you, I can handle rough tasks like killing a chicken and making soup. Why won't you listen?"
While Xiao Cao was grabbing the hen, Lin Qingge changed the subject. "By the way, Madam, where is Mo'er?"
"There are distinguished guests at the prefectural office, and it's not suitable for boisterous movement. I sent Mo'er to Assistant Coroner Murong's courtyard to study with him."
Now that Leng Ningyue mentioned it, it seemed that everyone had been quiet since the Eighth Prince's arrival.
Hua Jinrong was like this, Murong Bai was like this, and even Lin Moyuan, who visited the prefectural office several times a day, was also behaving.
Since the Second Prince was also coming, and thinking about the Second Prince's entanglement with Xu Siyun, Lin Qingge hurriedly sent Er Niu to the academy with a message, specifically instructing them not to come to watch the commotion during the cuju tournament.
As if concerned about Yongning's restless nature, Lin Qingge called Zhou Zeli over and asked him to return to Changzhou Academy to supervise after he finished his current tasks as soon as possible.
With these arrangements made, Lin Qingge glanced at the Qiyun Society, and her day was essentially over.
In the evening.
As soon as Lin Qingge entered the door, she was stopped by Lin Yan.
"Reporting, Your Excellency, your subordinate has just received news that the Second Prince and his entourage have arrived in Fengtian Prefecture. However, due to their large numbers, they will not trouble the prefectural office and have settled directly at a manor outside the city."
"A manor outside the city?"
"Reporting, Your Excellency. According to the messenger, the Second Prince purchased manors in each prefecture to prepare sufficient grounds for the cuju team."
"Tsk, as expected of a prince, truly extravagantly wealthy!"
After finishing her slightly envious remark, Lin Qingge handed over all the remaining miscellaneous tasks to Lin Yan and returned to the backyard for chicken soup.
In the following days.
As a hands-off manager, Lin Qingge led Yan Tinghao, Ling Han, and others in practicing cuju at the Qiyun Society. The difference was that the Eighth Prince also followed them, his eyes full of anticipation.
Not only did he follow, but his little mouth was also constantly chattering.
"Lord Lin is so fast!"
"Lord Lin shot, shot!"
...
Although she knew it wasn't what she was thinking, the constant stream of such 'foul language' made even Lin Qingge, with her thick skin, somewhat unbearable.
After missing two cuju shots in a row, she cast a cold glance at Lu Mingxuan, who was waiting by the sidelines.
Lu Mingxuan, trembling all over, understood. He walked up to the animated young man, bowed deeply, and said, "Reporting to Your Highness the Eighth Prince, one member of Lord Lin's team is absent due to illness. Since Your Highness is in such a good mood, why not join us?"