Fish Soup and National Destiny

The Eighth Prince ran after Zhao Hongming at full speed, his backside sticking up in the air.

Once they had left the Imperial Garden, the Eighth Prince panted heavily. "Fifth Brother, what are we doing next?"

Zhao Hongming smiled. "Of course, we're stewing fish soup."

The Eighth Prince carefully examined the fish in Zhao Hongming's hand.

No matter how little he knew, he could tell that this fish was extraordinary. It seemed somewhat different from the Silver Spirit Fish he knew of.

The thought made him, already guilty, feel even more uneasy. He began to lose his nerve.

"Fifth Brother, do you think this fish might have been specially raised in that well by someone else?"

"We've already caught it. There's no use saying more." Zhao Hongming lifted the fish in his hand. "It's been out of the water for quite a while already. Even if we put it back, it might not survive. Come, to the Inner Kitchen!"

Carrying the "Silver Spirit Fish," Zhao Hongming quickly led the others into the Inner Kitchen and had one of the cooks stew it into soup.

Within the Great Wei Imperial Palace lay countless palace compounds, most of which had their own kitchens.

They were distinguished according to the status of the master of each compound.

The lower the status, the smaller the kitchen and the fewer dishes it served. Among all the kitchens, the largest was the Imperial Kitchen, which served the emperor.

That was the difference between an Inner Kitchen and the Imperial Kitchen.

Furthermore, in the broader sense, the Imperial Kitchen was also a specialized institution under the Internal Affairs Department, responsible for managing the meals of Imperial Family members, ceremonial banquets, and related matters.

The Inner Kitchen Zhao Hongming had brought the Eighth Prince to was his own.

A few days earlier, after receiving his stipend, he had instructed the Inner Kitchen to make additional adjustments to his meals. Thus, they were no longer surprised by Zhao Hongming's various strange requests.

They simply did as they were told.

Zhao Hongguang suddenly remembered something and hastily reminded them, "Don't remove the gills, scales, or innards. Just put it straight into the pot and simmer it over high heat."

The kitchen cooks were stunned by the request. They had never heard of anyone demanding fish be prepared this way.

But as servants, the cooks did not dare say much. They began stewing the fish according to Zhao Hongguang's instructions.

Before long, a pot of milky-white fish soup was presented before the two brothers.

A rich fragrance wafted from the clay pot.

Zhao Hongguang impatiently lifted the lid and found that the broth inside had turned white, yet there was no fish meat to be seen. He flew into a rage. "Where is This Prince's fish meat? Don't tell me you stole it for yourself?"

The cook who had served the soup hurriedly dropped to his knees and frantically explained, "In reply to Your Highness, how would servants like us dare steal food? The fish Your Highness brought has all melted into this soup."

Hearing the cook's explanation, Zhao Hongguang was half-convinced and half-doubtful. "Get out."

"Yes." The cook felt as though a great burden had been lifted.

The Little Eunuch beside them fetched two bowls, filled each with fish soup, and placed them before the two men.

Zhao Hongming took his bowl and held it beneath his nose, breathing in the rich aroma of the fish soup.

He raised the bowl to his lips and cautiously took a sip.

The soup had been prepared before the two brothers' eyes, so there had been no possibility of anyone tampering with it.

Otherwise, given his temperament, he would certainly have made someone test it first.

After taking a sip, Zhao Hongming found it strange. The soup smelled irresistibly fragrant, but when he actually drank it, it had no taste at all.

At his side, Zhao Hongguang said with some disdain, "Why doesn't it have any flavor at all? It's like drinking plain water."

He turned to Zhao Hongming. "Fifth Brother, did you feel any changes after drinking it? I heard this fish soup is very nourishing and can moisten the five viscera and six bowels."

Zhao Hongming stared blankly at the fish soup in his hand.

It seemed as though some change was taking place within his body, though it was not yet obvious.

Without hesitation, he raised the bowl and drained it in one gulp.

After the bowl of fish soup went down, Zhao Hongming did not experience the sensation he had felt when taking spiritual pills and miraculous medicines. At the very least, the vital essence throughout his body had not been replenished.

Yet what puzzled him was that under such circumstances, the Longevity True Qi circulating through his body became smoother.

How could this be?

At that moment, an aura rose from his body.

Somewhere in the unseen, it was as though a certain restraint had been suppressed by another strand of destiny.

Zhao Hongming abruptly rose from his chair.

He knew what had changed.

It was National Luck Suppression.

This bowl of fish soup had reduced the restraints National Destiny imposed upon him by at least thirty percent.

That was why, despite no increase whatsoever in the vital essence throughout his body, his Longevity True Qi circulated faster.

Staring at the bowl of fish soup, Zhao Hongming murmured, "Old Eight, can Silver Spirit Fish suppress National Destiny?"

"Huh? No way. It's just a fish. How could it be that miraculous?"

"Oh." Zhao Hongming served himself another bowl of fish soup. After drinking it, the earlier phenomenon did not occur again.

It seemed only the first time had an effect.

Zhao Hongming suddenly said, "Old Eight, I think what we caught today was definitely not a Silver Spirit Fish."

"If it wasn't a Silver Spirit Fish, what was it?"

"I don't know either."

Seeing Zhao Hongming's grave expression, Zhao Hongguang grew nervous. "Fifth Brother, we didn't get ourselves into trouble, did we?"

"You know what getting into trouble means now?" Zhao Hongming said. "When you dragged me over there, you looked so high-spirited. You've lost your nerve already?"

Zhao Hongguang muttered, "Wasn't that because I heard Fifth Brother was practicing Martial Arts and wanted to nourish your body a little more?"

"Just pretend you know nothing about this. If trouble comes in the future, push it all onto me. This Prince is all alone anyway, with nothing tying me down."

"I knew Fifth Brother was righteous enough."

Zhao Hongming said, "Since I'm taking on so much for you, don't drink this fish soup. Give it all to me."

"Ah!"

With that, Zhao Hongming ignored whether the Eighth Prince agreed and drank all the remaining fish soup in one go.

After fishing, Zhao Hongguang had long since lost interest and had no intention of lingering.

Seeing Zhao Hongguang leave, Zhao Hongming said, "Guard Chang, find a top-quality fishing rod in This Prince's storeroom. Come with This Prince to the Imperial Garden again."

Chang Wubing clasped his fists and acknowledged the order.

Before long, Zhao Hongming returned to the ancient well.

He leaned over to look inside, only to find that the Silver Fish from earlier had vanished without a trace.

Zhao Hongming took up the fishing rod and tried again, but received no response.

"Could it be the Longevity True Qi?"

He remembered that only after he had circulated the Longevity True Qi had the fish at the bottom of the well taken the bait.

Zhao Hongming thought it very likely. He circulated the Longevity True Qi and continued trying.

Yet after circulating more than ten Grand Heavenly Cycles, even the progress on his Martial Arts panel had risen by a fair amount, but there was still no movement whatsoever.

"Your Highness, it will soon be You Hour. We should return."

"It seems this can only be encountered by chance, not sought after."

Zhao Hongming ultimately gave up in resignation.

He tidied up a little, put away all the fishing gear, passed through the Purple Bamboo Forest, and left the Imperial Garden.

On the way back, Zhao Hongming unexpectedly ran into Feng Dabao. He did not dare slight this favored attendant by Father Emperor's side. "Eunuch Feng."

"Greetings, Your Highness." Feng Dabao wore a smiling face as he bowed in greeting.

Zhao Hongming recalled something. "Regarding the stipend, many thanks to Eunuch Feng."

"Your Highness need not thank me. This is His Majesty's concern for Your Highness. If Your Highness wishes to give thanks, you should thank His Majesty instead."

"Eunuch Feng's instruction is correct. It is getting late, so This Prince will return first."

Feng Dabao stepped back and made way. "This servant sees Your Highness off."

Watching Zhao Hongming's departing back, Feng Dabao fell into thought. He felt that Zhao Hongming's Qi and Blood was flourishing, like the sun newly risen in the morning.

That was the feeling only produced when a Martial Warrior cultivated to Second Rank Meridian Opening.

Could the Fifth Prince have reached such a level in so short a time?

Impossible. Absolutely impossible.

No one in the world had ever opened two meridians in less than a month.

What was more, the Fifth Prince was a member of the Imperial Family, making Meridian Opening even more difficult.

He must have seen wrongly.

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