At noon, the morning hunt ends.
Emperor Wu of Zhou took the lead back to the camp and collected the prey. He shot many deer and foxes. However, I was not very lucky in the morning and did not see any wolves or bears.
The prince didn't shoot many prey. King Dai shot a lot of prey, but not as many as Emperor Wu of Zhou. But he didn't expect that he would lose to the fourth prince.
When they were hunting, the fourth prince did not fight or grab. Unexpectedly, he was the one who shot the most prey among their brothers.
The third prince and the fifth prince shot fewer prey than the prince.
Shen Hu, Chu Ying and Zhang Gong shot a lot of prey, but compared with Emperor Wu of Zhou, they were still less.
In the morning hunting competition, Emperor Wu of Zhou won.
Zhao Yao and Song Jicai also shot some prey, but unfortunately they did not hunt any deer.
A bonfire was set up in the camp, and the imperial cooks were roasting the deer and hares that Emperor Wu of Zhou and his companions had shot.
Zhao Yao sat next to the fourth prince and asked him how many prey he had shot in the morning.
Song Jicai and the others sat obediently beside their elder brother.
Knowing that the fourth prince had hunted more prey than the king, Zhao Yao was full of admiration for his fourth brother.
"Fourth brother, you are really amazing!" However, the fourth brother has always kept a low profile, so how could he be so high-profile this time and even beat the second brother.
The fourth prince smiled modestly: "It's nothing. I asked Wei Mian to send a few foxes to Empress Zhaoyi. Then I will make some more cloaks for you and the fifth sister." The fourth prince shot a lot of foxes in the morning and sent them to Zhaoyi. After giving some to his mother and concubine, Wei Mianquan sent the rest to Liang Zhaoyi.
Every year during the spring hunting and autumn hunting, the fourth prince would give a few foxes to Liang Zhaoyi and the others.
"Fourth brother, I also gave you three foxes." Zhao Yao shot three foxes in the morning, and then sent them all to the fourth prince. "By the way, I also shot a few hares and asked Tongxi to deliver them to your tent."
The fourth prince smiled and said: "It seems that you have gained a lot this morning."
Zhao Yao laughed twice, and then said humbly: "Compared to Fourth Brother, you are much worse."
"You are young."
While they were talking, Wei Mian and Tong Xi brought freshly roasted venison, mutton and rabbit meat at the same time.
Zhao Yao smelled the aroma of barbecue, and his stomach suddenly felt hungry. He was about to pick up a piece of lamb chops to eat, but was stopped by the fourth prince.
The fourth prince took the soup brought by Wei Mian and placed it in front of Zhao Yao: "Drink the soup first."
Zhao Yao had no choice but to put down the lamb chops, pick up the soup and drink it slowly.
The fourth prince took the mutton chops that Zhao Yao had just put down into his bowl, and then took out a dagger and a handkerchief from his arms. He wiped the dagger with the handkerchief, and then used the dagger to cut off the lamb chops that Zhao Yao had just taken. Cut off the meat from the lamb chop.
By the time Zhao Yao finished drinking the soup, the fourth prince had already cut the meat for him.
"Thank you, fourth brother." Zhao Yao picked up the chopsticks and started eating the meat.
After he ate a few pieces of meat, the fourth prince asked him to eat some vegetables.
After Zhao Yao ate the meat for a while, he finally remembered that there was one thing that he had not told the fourth prince.
"Fourth brother, we discovered something strange while hunting this morning."
The fourth prince had just picked up the wine glass. When he heard Zhao Yao's words, he quickly put down the wine glass in his hand and asked, "What's weird?"
Zhao Yao's hands were all greasy after eating. He twitched his fingers and said, "We originally went to the northern woods first, but after we went to the northern woods, we found that except for birds, there were no other prey, not even hares." , he picked up another piece of roasted venison and ate it. After finishing the roasted venison in his mouth, he continued, "Chu Huan and the others said that they go to the northern forest every year when they come here to hunt. Although there are not many prey in the northern forest, there are some. They hunted a lot of foxes last year. And hares. But when we went this morning, let alone rabbits, we didn’t even see any rabbit fur.”
"We wandered around for a long time, and we really didn't even see a wild rabbit or fox. Do you think it's strange?"
The Fourth Prince frowned: "Did you really not see a hare or a fox?"
"Really, except for birds, I didn't see any other animals." Zhao Yao said deliberately, "Did someone drive away the prey in the northern forest? Otherwise, why aren't there any animals?"
The fourth prince thought to himself that this was indeed strange, "It's possible that he was driven away."
"Why are you driving me away?"
"The woods to the north are relatively remote." The fourth prince warned Zhao Yao, "Since there are no prey in the woods to the north, you should not go there again."
"If there is no prey, what are we going to do?" Zhao Yao felt relieved when he saw that the fourth prince had listened to his words.
"What are you going to do this afternoon? Do you want to hunt with me?"
"Fourth brother, aren't you going to hunt with Father and the others this afternoon?"
"No," the fourth prince said, "Father, General Shen and the others are with me. I won't disturb them."
"Then fourth brother, please take us hunting in the afternoon."
"good."
On the other side of the camp, Queen Xie and her harem concubines were having a meal.
Sun Kui brought several eunuchs over, first saluted Queen Xie, and then greeted the other empresses.
"Queen, your Majesty has asked your slaves to bring you some food."
Queen Xie first thanked Emperor Wu next week, and then asked Sun Kui: "How is the emperor's appetite?"
"Don't worry, Queen, the Emperor has a very good appetite."
"That's good." Queen Xie said again, "Eunuch Sun, ask someone to prepare a bowl of sobering soup for the emperor. When the emperor finishes drinking, quickly let the emperor drink the sobering soup."
"Yes, Queen."
Several young eunuchs delivered the food to each empress.
When Queen Xie saw that there was no venison in front of Concubine Rong, she asked, "Why is there no venison for Concubine Rong?"
"Replying to the Queen, the Emperor said that the Queen's body is not suitable for eating venison. It will be good for the Queen's health to ask the Queen to eat more mutton."
Concubine Rong listened with a sweet smile on her face: "The Emperor still loves me." She said, poured three glasses of wine herself, and then handed it to Sun Kui, "Eunuch Sun, help me bring these three glasses to the Emperor. Say this is my thanks.”
"Yes, your concubine."
Queen Xie saw disdain in Concubine Rong's actions.
Concubine De and the others were also very contemptuous, but in fact they were very jealous in their hearts.
Sun Kui personally returned to Emperor Zhou Wu with Concubine Rong's three glasses of wine, "Your Majesty, this is the toast to you by Concubine Rong."
Emperor Zhou Wu smiled, then picked up the wine glass and drank. After drinking, he handed the jug of wine in front of him to Sun Kui: "Send it to the noble concubine."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
When Queen Xie saw Sun Kui coming back with a jug of wine, she guessed that the jug of wine was for Concubine Rong, and her eyes instantly turned cold.
As she expected, this pot of wine was given to Concubine Rong.
"My dearest concubine, this is the wine given to you by the emperor."
Concubine Rong said with a smile on her face: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for me."
Sun Kui left after delivering the wine. Before he left, he looked at Liang Zhaoyi quietly. Seeing Liang Zhaoyi's expression as usual, I thought, does Liang Zhaoyi not mind at all?
Several low-ranking concubines tried to please Concubine Rong, saying that the emperor was always thinking about her, knew that she couldn't eat venison, and specifically asked her to eat more mutton. Not only that, he also brought her a bottle of wine.
Listening to the compliments of several concubines, the smile on Concubine Rong's face became more and more proud.
Queen Xie was about to say something when she saw Sun Kui coming again.
Sun Kui brought two dishes this time, both of which were Concubine Rong's favorite dishes.
"Your Highness, Your Majesty, I would like to ask you what other dishes you would like to eat. I will ask your servant to bring them to you later."
Queen Xie's hand holding the chopsticks suddenly became stronger, and a hint of jealousy appeared on her usually dignified face.
Concubine De and Concubine Shu also looked ugly, their eyes full of jealousy.
Liang Zhaoyi and Yu Meiren looked calm.
Concubine Rong said with a sweet smile: "I want to eat ham stewed elbow and chicken marrow and bamboo shoots."
"My slave knows. I will bring it to you right away."
"By the way, help me tell the emperor to drink less." Concubine Rong said with a gentle face, "I'm afraid that the emperor will have an upset stomach if he drinks too much."
"If your Majesty says anything, I will definitely bring it to you."
"Also, the emperor doesn't like to eat vegetables or meals when he drinks." Concubine Rong Guifei told Sun Kui, "Just do what I said and let the emperor eat more vegetables. After the emperor finishes drinking, let the emperor eat more food. This way The emperor’s stomach will not be uncomfortable.”
"I have recorded the words of the empress, and I will definitely pass them on to the emperor."
Concubine Rong nodded and said nothing.
After Sun Kui bowed to Concubine Rong and Queen Xie, he retreated.
Queen Xie and the others instantly lost their appetite.
After a while, Sun Kui came back with the two dishes ordered by Concubine Rong.
"Your Majesty, your Majesty asked the chef to make this freshly. It's still hot. You can eat it while it's hot."
"good."
"The Emperor said that he would eat some food." Sun Kui stood next to Concubine Rong, bowed his waist and said respectfully, "The Emperor asked you to drink less wine and eat more food."
"I understand." The smile on Concubine Rong's face became sweeter and sweeter, "You should go back and serve the Emperor as soon as possible."
"Slave, please leave."
Queen Xie stood up and said solemnly: "I am full." After that, she left with a cold face.
Concubine Shu and Concubine De had no appetite to eat any more. When they saw Queen Xie leaving, they also got up and left.
Concubine Rong ignored Empress Xie and the others' departure. She continued to sit at the table, happily eating the two dishes that Emperor Zhou Wu specially asked the imperial chef to cook for her.
Li Bin and Liang Zhaoyi did not leave. Their status is low and they dare not leave at will.
Concubine Rong also left after finishing two dishes and returned to her tent.
After Concubine Rong left, Li Bin, Liang Zhaoyi and the others got up and left.
Queen Xie returned to her tent and got angry.
Seeing how caring Emperor Wu of Zhou was to Concubine Rong, she felt jealous, angry and aggrieved.
What she felt wronged was that Emperor Wu of Zhou did not give her face. She was the queen and his wife, but he only gave food and wine to Concubine Rong instead of her. Didn't this embarrass her in public?
Thinking of Concubine Rong's proud face, Empress Xie's eyes turned sinister, and she gritted her teeth and cursed: "Concubine Rong, that bitch!"
"Your Majesty, do you want to do something to Concubine Rong?" Jiang Chuan said with a sinister look, "There are many people in the paddock, so it is easier to do something than in the palace."
"That bitch Concubine Rong is too vigilant and difficult to deal with." Empress Xie thought of attacking Concubine Rong on the anniversary of the death of the late Queen, but she did not expect Concubine Rong to find out in advance. If she hadn't been alert, Concubine Rong would have taken advantage of her.
"Your Majesty, it would be good to scare Concubine Rong."
Queen Xie understood what Jiang Chuan meant, nodded and said, "Then you go and make arrangements."
(End of chapter)
