The charming widow of the Marquis's mansion: The stable boy carries the flag and raises the dra

Qin Minglan instantly understood the meaning behind Wang Long's words, blushed, and walked away, leaving behind a single sentence.

"You wretched old man, I'll let you starve to death!"

The servants were placed in an open area outside the central palace, and each was given a bowl of coarse rice and a bowl of vegetable soup.

Wang Long held the bowl, looked at the thin vegetable soup inside that was so watery you could see your reflection in it, and shook his head.

This treatment is worlds apart from that of the nobility.

But he was used to it. He had endured all kinds of hardship during his sixty years as a stable boy.

He finished his rice in a few bites, put down the bowl, and got up to wander around the neighborhood.

The food was poor and he wasn't getting enough to eat, so he wanted to find something else to eat.

The servants' activity range was limited; they could only move within an area surrounding the central palace and were not allowed to approach the side halls or enter the central palace.

Wang Long found a secluded corner, looked around, and seeing that no one was paying attention, took out a few taels of silver from his pocket and stuffed them into the hands of a passing eunuch.

"Sir, could you please get me two chickens?"

The eunuch weighed the loose silver in his hand, glanced at Wang Long, smiled and nodded, his pinky finger pointing delicately.

"Wait."

A short while later, the eunuch returned with two prepared chickens and handed them to Wang Long.

"Take it!"

"Thank you so much, sir!"

Wang Long happily accepted the chicken, then gave the eunuch a piece of silver and asked for some seasonings and a few lotus leaves.

He found a more secluded corner, first marinated the chicken with seasonings, then wrapped it in lotus leaves, covered it with a layer of yellow mud, and finally roasted it over a fire.

Soon, a rich aroma wafted out, attracting the attention of several nearby servants.

"It smells so good... What's that old man doing?"

"It smells like beggar's chicken? It smells delicious."

"Tsk tsk, this old man certainly knows how to enjoy life."

Wang Long ignored him and focused intently on roasting the beggar's chicken.

Just then, a sweet voice rang out behind him.

"It smells so good! What are you making?"

Wang Long turned his head and froze instantly.

Suddenly, a young girl appeared behind him, dressed in a light pink palace gown, with long, jet-black hair cascading down like a waterfall, loosely held up by a single white jade hairpin.

Her skin was as white as snow, so delicate it seemed to break at a touch.

Her features are exquisite, like a fairy descended to earth, every feature is just right.

At this moment, she was tilting her head slightly, her clear eyes curiously looking at the beggar's chicken in Wang Long's hand, her small nostrils twitching slightly as if she were smelling the aroma.

Wang Long's eyes widened.

Isn't this Princess Yongning, Murong Qing?

What is she doing here?!

Wang Long stood there, stunned, almost dropping the beggar's chicken in his hand.

A pair of clear, bright eyes were fixed on the oily beggar's chicken in his hand, and her small nostrils twitched incessantly, just like a kitten that had smelled fish.

Wang Long opened his mouth, and subconsciously was about to kneel down and kowtow.

He couldn't bring himself to show the slightest disrespect to the royal family.

Having survived in this world for decades, the Great Qian royal family now holds immense power.

Even the nobles with distinguished military achievements dared not act recklessly.

To survive better, one must have reverence for the strong!

"No, no, no—"

Murong Qingyu gently raised her hand, and an invisible spiritual energy instantly blocked Wang Long.

She put a finger to her lips in a "shush" gesture, then furtively looked around to make sure no one was watching before letting out a sigh of relief.

"Don't make a sound. I snuck out. It would be terrible if someone found out."

Her voice was low and tinged with nervousness.

But those bright, sparkling eyes never left the beggar's chicken in Wang Long's hand.

Wang Long swallowed hard and lowered his voice.

"Your Highness... what are you doing here?"

Upon hearing this, Murong Qing shifted her gaze from the beggar's chicken, glanced at Wang Long, and tilted her head to think for a moment.

"Hmm, you look familiar to me. Have I seen you somewhere before?"

Wang Long nodded quickly.

"This morning on the long street, this old servant had the honor of seeing Her Highness the Princess's carriage from afar."

"Oh—right!"

Murong Qing suddenly realized, her eyes curving into crescents.

"I remember now, you were sitting next to a sedan chair, weren't you?"

"Your Highness has a good memory."

Wang Long offered a compliment, but was secretly astonished.

The princess has incredibly sharp eyesight. The wind only lifted the carriage curtain for a split second, yet she remembered her own face.

After all, Wang Long was just a stable boy, and the high and mighty princess probably wouldn't pay him any special attention.

Murong Qing smiled, her gaze drifting back to the beggar's chicken.

Her throat bobbed slightly as she swallowed.

She clearly craved it, but was too embarrassed to ask because of her status as a princess.

Looking at her like this, Wang Long suddenly found it somewhat amusing.

The most favored princess of the Great Qian Dynasty actually craves beggar's chicken made by an old stable boy?

He looked down at the chicken in his hand, then at Murong Qing's little face that was full of "want to eat," and grinned.

"If Your Highness doesn't mind, even if I made two, I wouldn't be able to eat them all. Would you like to try some?"

Murong Qing's eyes lit up instantly.

"Is it really possible?"

Her voice rose an octave, then she quickly covered her mouth and looked around nervously.

Wang Long suppressed a laugh and handed over the beggar's chicken, which was roasted to a golden brown and glistening with oil.

"Please, Your Highness."

Murong Qing took the beggar's chicken, which was scalding hot to the touch. She hissed and quickly used her skirt to cushion it, but she couldn't bear to let go.

She looked down at the oily, fragrant beggar's chicken in her hand.

He swallowed hard, looked up at Wang Long, and looked a little embarrassed.

"Then... this princess won't stand on ceremony?"

"Please proceed, Your Highness."

Wang Long was surprised that a princess had such a good temper and didn't have any princess syndrome.

Qin Minglan, that little girl, is like a powder keg, ready to explode at any moment.

Moreover, they are arrogant and disdainful of others.

"Achoo!"

Qin Minglan, who was eating, suddenly sneezed. She touched her nose and muttered to herself in confusion.

"Huh? Who's talking badly about me behind my back?!"

Murong Qing took a deep breath, tore off a chicken leg, and began to eat it in large bites.

They have absolutely no image to speak of.

Wang Long's eyes widened.

In his mind, shouldn't princesses eat in a very elegant way?

But this person in front of me is so unrestrained!

It's like a starving ghost reincarnated.

Wang Long watched Murong Qing eat, forgetting to even nibble on the chicken leg in his hand.

Seeing Wang Long staring blankly at her, she mumbled something indistinctly.

"Why aren't you eating? It's delicious!"

As she spoke, she handed the remaining half of the chicken to Wang Long.

Wang Long snapped out of his daze and quickly waved his hand.

"Your Highness, please eat. This old servant is not hungry."

"You're lying!"

Murong Qing glared at him and shoved the half chicken into his hand.

"I'm already feeling bad about giving you a chicken, let's eat together!"

Looking at Murong Qing's earnest little face, Wang Long felt a surge of inexplicable warmth in his heart.

She's a girl who doesn't hoard food, that's good.

Her little face is so chubby and cute, Wang Long really wanted to hug her and give her a kiss.