Food Fairy Lord

Chapter 639 Born as a unicorn, how can I wash away this blood (Part )

Pei Ye walked along the edge of the banquet hall, and could feel the gazes falling on him from time to time. It was not surprising, considering that the only two outsiders in this occasion were him and Yong Ji.

Everyone knew Yong Ji's origins and purpose, but there was no introduction given to this young man who inexplicably entered the family dinner.

Of course, we can't expect His Highness Jinyang to bring him to meet everyone.

Pei Ye passed Li Cannan, Li Youlong and Li Yujin, and then stopped in front of Li Zhi's desk.

Li Zhi raised his head and looked at him.

In fact, even counting the fight on the Winter Sword Stage a year ago, Pei Ye felt that this was the first time he stood so close to the Fourth Prince.

When he cut the sword into Li Zhi's neck on the Winter Sword Stage, it was indeed closer than this, but at that time he was drunk and his mind was wandering. He could not see Li Zhi's face clearly in his field of vision. He just looked like a symbol. After waking up, it seemed like he had just had a dream.

It was only then that Pei Ye looked at him. His hair was simply tied up, his face was overly clean, his clothes seemed to be from the Jin Dynasty, without any patterns and very simple, and he was wearing a pair of cloth shoes with obvious traces of handwork.

He seemed to only meet the most basic and necessary physical needs, and had nothing to do with the world beyond that.

"I am Pei Ye, the Yan inspector, and I would like to ask how the Fourth Prince is doing." Pei Ye bowed.

After sitting down, Pei Ye was the first person to talk to him, because others were used to it. Li Zhi did not chat, or rather, most of the time he would not respond to any words directed at him.

But this time he spoke, which was rare: "Ruan."

Seeing the first sentence, Pei Yexin felt relieved: "Last time on the Winter Sword Stage, I was drunk and behaved unruly. I lost my sword. I hope Your Highness will forgive me."

"No problem." Li Zhi looked at him, his face calm but his eyes focused, "What do you want?"

"I heard that the saint once bestowed upon your Highness the Holy Qilin Fire. Is this true?"

"Have."

Pei Ye clasped his fists and bowed, saying seriously: "I am here to investigate a case, but it is difficult to stop me. Please lend me a ray of light."

Li Zhi was silent for a moment, then shook his head: "No."

"..."

"Anything else?"

"Your Highness, please think it over again. Or you can wait until Her Highness the Queen arrives and talk with her before giving me your reply." Such a straightforward refusal was actually beyond Pei Ye's expectations. He was inevitably stunned for a moment.

Because he believed that Li Zhi understood his thoughts.

There was no need for any explanation. When he walked over, Li Zhi knew that he came on behalf of Li Xizhou. When he asked Li Zhi to borrow the Qilin Fire, Li Zhi knew that he came to fight against the Prince of Yan's Mansion.

This is what Li Xizhou said when Zhu Jingdian discussed with him. There is no need for any strategy or timing, no need for any explanation or rhetoric. Just let him borrow it, and it will work naturally.

But what if it doesn’t work?

Li Xizhou didn't say anything, probably because she didn't expect this.

Pei Ye turned around and glanced at the man in red in the corner. Li Xizhou was looking at him, and seemed a little surprised that he had encountered an accident.

"No need." Li knew, "The Queen Mother will agree, but the Linhuo cannot be lent out."

"Why?" Pei Ye frowned, "If your Highness has any concerns, we can discuss it."

"Nothing to discuss." Li Zhi looked at him, his eyes were clear and his voice was calm, "The Qilin Blood is a matter of national importance. It is only held by my father and me. It will not be leaked unless it is necessary."

"..."

Pei Ye was silent for a while, clasped his fists, bowed, turned around and left the table.

Although this rejection was unexpected, "unnecessary" is not "under any circumstances" after all, so there is still room for long-term planning. He is a layman in the matter of linxue, so he can go back and discuss it with Li Xizhou and get some more bargaining chips.

He lowered his head and took a few steps outside. When he stepped into the shadow of the pavilion and the trees, he heard a familiar voice beside his ear: "You can just ask them for the Qilin's blood. If it works, I will seem a little funny."

Pei Ye stopped and turned around. Yong Ji in black clothes was lying on the railing of the pavilion beside him, looking down at him with the same smile as he had on the day in Huanlou.

Pei Ye paused for a moment, turned around, and came to the railing: "Why, if I take a few drops of unicorn blood, can it be integrated into my own blood?"

"That's a fantasy. Kirin blood is actually a symbol of the contract with the Kirin. If you swallow a few drops of Kirin blood, your body will probably change, just like a mortal taking a mirage mark. As far as the authority of the Five Clans is concerned, it is considered an offense, but it cannot be said to have triggered it."

"Then he wouldn't lend it to me."

Yong Ji chuckled. His pupils were not light in color, but pure black, like his own eyebrows and hair.

"I told you that it's a national event," he said. "It's the carrier of the Tang Dynasty's authority and a sacred symbol, just like the nine tripods placed in the ancestral temple by the Zhou royal family. Even though it's useless, how could I lend it to you to make soup?"

"Then is there no other way to borrow it for use?"

"I told you, they won't lend it to you."

“But I want to use it.”

"Then you have to think of something... just like me."

"Like you," Pei Ye looked at the banquet, "relying on marriage as a tool to get unicorn blood?"

"You definitely don't want to."

"Of course I don't want to." Pei Ye said bluntly, "Do you treat me as a human being?"

Yong Ji was not angry. He lowered his eyes and looked at him, only speaking in a low voice: "Even with this, you still have to use all your efforts and cry and beg, but it may not succeed."

"Why, does your father need unicorn blood to save his life? Can't he survive without unicorn blood?" Pei Ye lowered his head and wrapped the bandage around his wrist, "Then I'm going to yell."

“Hahaha.” Yong Ji folded his arms, leaned towards him, and said coldly, “Once we leave the palace, I will cut you into three pieces.”

Pei Ye glanced at him with a smile and said, "I will kill your little bastard first, and then I will kill your old bastard."

"Really? It's a pity that your old bastard has been killed. I have no choice but to lose this round to you."

"It's four chips. I'll chop off your two dog heads first, and then let Grandpa Yue chop off another round when we get down." Pei Ye raised his neck and moved closer to his face. "Hey, I've never checked, did you really have a pair of dog brothers and sisters before you were born?"

Yong Ji smiled with his teeth showing white teeth: "The only reason you are still alive is that I didn't find the opportunity to do it myself."

Pei Ye smiled but did not leave. He turned around and looked at the banquet hall where Wen Ya was walking through.

Yong Ji was still lying on the railing. Just like when he was in Huanlou, he seemed to enjoy the time standing with the young man in front of him more.

After a while, Yong Ji said indifferently: "Of course I want unicorn blood. Without unicorn blood, who will guard the northern border? Rely on the useless people of the Five Surnames? You like to be an upright fool, so, did being 'upright' allow you to ask for unicorn blood from Li Zhi?" Pei Ye did not answer: "I ask you, why didn't Yu Sicheng come? Didn't he come to the banquet to help you say a few words?"

Yong Ji smiled faintly and said, "It's none of your business."

Pei Ye stood up and walked away from the pavilion.

The vulgar words melted away in the cool and gentle spring night. Although many people looked at the conversation in the corner, few people paid attention to it.

The fragrance of spring flowers and cakes, the whispers of nightingales and palace maids, the heirs in black or yellow robes chatting in low voices to each other, all the scenes were kind and polite.

Pei Ye sat down behind Li Xizhou. The woman was watching quietly with her chin in her hand. He told her what she had experienced and Li Xizhou was silent for a while.

"Did you expect this?" Pei Ye said.

"It's not here," Li Xizhou shook his head. "I know that unicorn blood is very important, but if I borrow it to use in the palace, does that count as leaking it?"

These words sounded more like a sigh than a question. She raised her head. At this time, the sky had really darkened. The yellow color faded and a full moon hung high in the sky.

The Queen's carriage finally arrived, and the Queen Mother, who was as graceful as an autumn flower and as noble as a summer moon, stepped down from the throne. Everyone at the table stood up and saluted.

Li Huang's eyes soon fell on the red dress in the corner with a little surprise, and then Pei Ye looked at Li Xizhou with the same surprise as he put down his wine glass, stood up with everyone else and bowed to the queen earnestly: "Greetings to the Queen Mother."

He was stunned for a moment, then bowed with his fists clasped.

“…Please don’t be so polite, all of you Lin’er.” Li Huang had a very gentle and beautiful appearance, with majestic and gentle features. If a person’s face grew according to her profession, then she was born to be a “Queen”.

"Jinyang is here today, why is he sitting here?" Li Huang smiled with some surprise, but seemed a little bit at a loss, "——Yujin, please invite elder sister to take a seat."

Li Xizhou smiled and said, "No need to trouble mother, it's just a family dinner, it doesn't matter what. I like to sit in the corner and chat with my friends."

Li Huang's eyes fell on Pei Ye for a moment, he turned around and told the eunuch something, then nodded and smiled at them, and then sat down in his seat.

After a few breaths, several palace maids added a seat for Pei Ye next to Li Xizhou.

“……” Pei Ye thanked him in a low voice, put on his clothes and sat down in front of the desk.

"Hurry up and serve the meal first, don't let the two young generals go hungry." Li Huang smiled and adjusted her skirt, lowered her head and sat down. Two girls sat obediently, one sitting upright, the other shaking her head. There was only one less snow doll on the table, and the plates on the other side were empty. "I wanted to hold a banquet in Qiongju Garden during the New Year to taste the first touch of spring in the Renwu year. Unfortunately, the saint is too lazy to take an extra step, and none of us can persuade him."

Several concubines laughed, and Li Yujin said with a smile: "We can eat our own food, as long as our mother is here, that's enough."

Li Huang glared: "You are just saying such treasonous words."

There was some laughter at the table.

As the banquet began, more pearls shone, and the moonlight made the venue brighter. The prepared dishes were presented one by one. Li Huang smiled and said, "There are thirteen dishes in total. I asked the imperial kitchen to come to the palace to discuss them one by one. There are two western dishes, and I demonstrated them to them. These thirteen dishes together have a name, called 'Snow-burning Spring', which has a light and sweet taste. Everyone try it and tell me if there are any flaws."

Li Cannan replied in a crisp voice: "The first one is the snow doll, and I guess the last one is the elm pod cheese made in Qiongju Garden."

Li Huang smiled helplessly: "You live in Penglai Palace every day, you don't know anything else, but you watch my cooking skills."

Li Cannan laughed.

Pei Ye thought about it. This was indeed the first time he had met the second queen. He retracted his gaze and said to the woman beside him, "This queen seems to be quite nice."

Li Xizhou glanced at him and said, "I never said she was bad."

"I thought she was going to pretend not to see you." Pei Ye picked up a piece of fish with chopsticks, "but she served me a whole meal instead."

“That’s going to be wasted.”

"what?"

"I can't finish all this. I wanted you to eat it anyway."

Pei Ye smiled and lowered his head to pick up some food: "How do you know I can't eat two tables?"

"..." Li Xizhou admired and turned back to say, "You can't tell when others act it out. It seems that it is not suitable for you to live in the palace in the future."

"what?"

Li Xizhou rested his chin on his hand and looked at the banquet hall: "I have been sitting here since early morning. Do you think no one would tell her? Why are there a few more dishes prepared, including yours?"

Pei Ye paused for a moment while raising his chopsticks, still putting the fish fillet into his mouth, then looked out at the banquet hall filled with bright light and laughter, and seeing the relaxed and happy expressions on everyone's faces, his throat couldn't help but move.

“But it’s good like this.”

"……Um?"

Li Xizhou held his chin up and looked at the field quietly and gently: "It is indeed rare for us to sit together, smile and talk, isn't that precious enough?"

The newly served dish was being discussed at the table. Li Huang did not neglect anyone at the table, especially Yong Ji, and he always remembered to give some consideration to the two tables of Li Xizhou.

"Did you see that Yu Jin always goes to visit Li Chen?" Li Xizhou raised his finger and couldn't help but smile. "In fact, he likes Li Chen very much, since he was a child. It's just that Li Chen has always played with girls since he was a child. He is not good at hunting, has a different temperament, and is of different age. He can't play with him at all."

"…Then why does he like to see Li Chen?"

"Because Concubine Xian and Concubine De had a very good relationship in the past, when Concubine Xian was pregnant with Li Chen, Concubine De often told Yu Jin that she would take care of this younger brother." Li Xizhou smiled as she talked about the old things in the palace, like a sister sorting out the relationship between her younger brother and her relatives. "But when Li Chen was born, Yu Jin was not very old. When she grew up, she had her own preferences and naturally didn't like to take care of children. When he grew up and looked back, Li Chen had already played with Li Cannan."

"Well……"

"Mother, Queen, I'm full!" Li Wuyan stood up and said crisply, wiping his mouth, and couldn't wait to get the small fishing rod behind him.

Her mother quickly held her back and said, "Don't be rude. The feast has just begun."

Li Wuyan frowned: "But I'm full."

Li Bijun was sitting upright beside her, waiting obediently for the next dish to be served. He tilted his head to look at her with some fear, and raised his hand to pull her back.

Li Huang smiled: "Let her go and play, why force her to chat with us? Little General, what are you going to do?"

"Your Majesty, I'm going fishing." Li Wuyan held the fishing rod and bowed seriously.

"Okay, if you catch something tonight, I'll have the imperial kitchen cook it for you right away." Li Huang smiled and turned around to order, "The edge of the pond is slippery, send a few palace servants to follow."

Li Wuyan leaned over to glance at Pei Ye, who waved at her, so she ran back in disappointment.

The sky gradually turned into a cold blue, and the full moon became more and more conspicuous above. Li Huang withdrew his gaze from Li Wuyan and said in a gentle voice: "Although tonight is mainly for dinner, there is still a family matter that I want to discuss with you."

(End of this chapter)