I started as a concubine, and I made the crown prince cry with my delicious food.

A steaming hot pot meal quickly brought everyone closer together.

Xie Zhao, in particular, was a man who was not concerned with formalities. After a few drinks, he completely let loose and forgot that the person sitting in front of him was the Crown Prince.

"Hey, hey, hey! Lu Chengyuan, put that down! I was the one who wanted that fried dumpling first!"

"Nonsense! I reached over with my chopsticks; I clearly got it first!"

Xiao Jingshi sat in the main seat, looking at the lively scene before him. Although he didn't say much, his eyes were much gentler than usual.

He ate with the same elegance and slow, deliberate movements, but his speed was anything but slow. Especially the dipping sauce Ye An'an prepared for him, it was like opening a new world for him, making him more and more addicted to it.

The snow-white shrimp paste was crystal clear and looked extremely tempting.

Just as Xiao Jingshi was about to pick it up, a pair of chopsticks reached out with lightning speed, aiming directly at the shrimp paste in his bowl.

"Hehe, Your Highness, this shrimp paste looks pretty good. Let me taste it for you first!" Xie Zhao was a little tipsy and had become quite bold, daring to snatch food from the Crown Prince's bowl.

Lu Chengyuan watched in horror, but it was too late to stop them.

Just as Xie Zhao's chopsticks were about to succeed, another pair of chopsticks moved faster, striking him with a sharp "snap" and precisely blocking his "sneak attack".

It was Xiao Jingshi.

With a blank expression, he used his own chopsticks to block Xie Zhao's chopsticks, and then, to everyone's astonishment, he slowly picked up the shrimp paste and put it into his mouth.

The entire movement was executed in one smooth motion, filled with an undeniable... sense of protecting the food.

The air froze instantly.

Xie Zhao, holding his chopsticks, was completely dumbfounded.

Lu Chengyuan, holding his wine glass, froze in mid-air.

Your Highness... His Highness...

Was that... food possessiveness?

To protect a piece of shrimp paste?

All eyes were on Xiao Jingshi, but he seemed completely unaffected, slowly chewing the shrimp paste in his mouth, and even nodded seriously, saying, "The meat is firm and bouncy."

"puff--"

Ye An'an was the first to burst out laughing.

Immediately afterward, Lu Chengyuan also realized what was happening. He put down his wine glass, his shoulders shrugging, wanting to laugh but not daring to laugh out loud, his face turning red from holding it in.

Xie Zhao, however, remained completely bewildered as he stared at Xiao Jingshi, muttering, "Your Highness...you...you actually tried to steal my food..."

Xiao Jingshi raised his eyelids and glanced at him indifferently, his eyes seeming to say: So what if I take you?

Xie Zhao instantly sobered up halfway.

He finally realized, belatedly, what a stupid thing he had just done.

He actually tried to steal food from the crown prince.

This is practically like an old man hanging himself – he's tired of living!

"Your Highness, I was wrong! I deserve to die!" Xie Zhao tried to kneel down and beg for forgiveness in a playful manner.

"Alright, alright, if you don't eat it now, I'll eat it all."

This little incident actually made the atmosphere at the table even more lively.

Lu Chengyuan and Xie Zhao completely let loose and started teasing Xiao Jingshi in various ways.

"Your Highness, so you like shrimp paste. You should have said so earlier, then I wouldn't have tried to take it from you."

"Your Highness, look at this piece of tofu. Doesn't it resemble my broken heart?"

Xiao Jingshi was teased by the two of them, and his handsome face darkened slightly. However, he did not get angry, but silently ate the food that Ye An'an kept putting into his bowl, expressing his "dissatisfaction" with his actions.

The meal lasted until the moon was high in the sky.

The plates on the table were all empty, and the soup in the pot was almost gone.

The three men ate to their hearts' content, then slumped in their chairs, not wanting to move at all.

"I'm full... I'm full..." Xie Zhao patted his round belly and let out a happy burp. "This is the most filling and comfortable meal I've ever had in my life."

Lu Chengyuan nodded in agreement: "Your Majesty, your hot pot is truly an exquisite delicacy. After this meal, I'm afraid I won't be able to eat the food prepared by the cooks in the manor anymore."

"That's easy," Ye An'an replied with a smile. "If you want to eat here in the future, just come and have a meal here. You're welcome."

"Really?" Xie Zhao's eyes lit up.

"Of course." Ye An'an looked at Xiao Jingshi and deliberately asked, "Your Highness, you don't mind having two more people at the dinner table, do you?"

Xiao Jingshi took a sip of tea to moisten his throat before speaking calmly: "One should not speak while eating or sleeping. Both of you have violated etiquette today."

He spoke words of admonition, but there was no hint of blame in his tone.

Lu Chengyuan and Xie Zhao exchanged a glance and smiled knowingly.

They knew that His Highness was happy.

Now that we've eaten and drunk our fill, it's time to get down to business.

Ye An'an tactfully asked Chen Zhu and Fu Yun to clear the table, while she excused herself to prepare tea and snacks, leaving the three of them alone.

She hid behind the screen, preparing a fruit platter while eavesdropping.

She heard them mention the Minister of Revenue again, and the water conservancy funds in the south, and their tone gradually became serious.

Ye An'an's heart stirred.

Short of money?

This is a big problem.