The Prince's Residence.
"You all have to try this, it's really, really bad. If you don't like it, come hit me!"
Yanran spared no effort in promoting the grilled squid.
So early in the morning, Linlin and Lang Xuan were dragged here by her.
Linlin laughed and said, "Who can eat something so greasy so early in the morning?"
"I can do it! Do I have to worry about the time to eat good food?" Yanran said. "Tsk tsk, it's a good thing you have a little sister like me, otherwise you would suffer a lot when it comes to food, big brother."
Lang Xuan was very curious about the grilled squid, and her eyes were fixed on the person grilling it.
"I feel like that squid is still moving," she said weakly.
"It was alive to begin with, otherwise it wouldn't taste so good?" Yanran said.
"Ah?"
Lang Xuan stared at the squid that seemed to be twitching on the red-hot coals, and hid behind Linlin, too frightened to look any longer.
Yanran: "Don't worry, I guarantee you'll eat more deliciously than anyone else in a little while."
Cui Xiaoqiu suddenly said, "Zhao Yingzhu and the others eat live squid."
This time, even Yanran was shocked.
"Alive? Alive?"
"Um."
"How did you know? You didn't eat it too, did you?" Yanran pouted. "You really are a barbarian who eats raw meat and drinks blood."
"I just saw it," Cui Xiaoqiu said with a smile.
The aroma of grilled squid quickly filled the air.
It must be said that, just as Yanran said, it is indeed very tempting.
After the first batch was baked and placed on a plate, Yanran handed it to Lang Xuan first.
Lang Xuan refused to take it, gesturing for Linlin to take it first.
Linlin picked up a skewer and brought it to her lips.
Even if there were no one around, let alone so many people, Lang Xuan would still feel embarrassed to act like this.
So she quickly shook her head and refused.
Linlin didn't move.
Although he didn't say anything, his attitude was clear—eat!
Lang Xuan hurriedly reached out to take it, Linlin wouldn't let go, just smiling at her.
Lang Xuan had no choice but to bite his hand.
"Wait, it might be hot." Linlin reached out to touch the tip of the wooden skewer.
Then...
Then Lang Xuan bit him.
Both of them froze for a moment, then one smiled and the other was utterly embarrassed.
"Nobody saw it," Linlin whispered with a chuckle in Lang Xuan's ear.
But Lang Xuan's face was still flushed.
Seeing this, Linlin felt reluctant to part with the squid, so she handed the squid skewers to her and went to get the ones from the plate herself.
Then he discovered that there was hardly anything left on the plate.
Yanran stuffed two skewers into Cui Xiaoqiu, while she herself had one in each hand, happily munching away, her mouth dripping with oil.
"Is this seasoning a family heirloom?" Yanran asked the person grilling the squid with a smile.
The man grilling the squid nodded hurriedly, his face turning red.
Beside him, a young apprentice he had brought was scooping squid out of a wooden bucket and skewering them.
The squid tentacles were cut off with a sharp knife, and they were still moving all the way to the wooden skewer, which was quite creepy to look at.
"Don't be nervous," Yanran said casually, "I'm eating grilled squid, not you."
She leaned closer to watch the young waiter cut the squid and said, "Why aren't you using a kitchen knife?"
The young man held a narrow knife, about the width of a dagger, which looked extremely sharp.
The young waiter raised his hand, wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve, and said with a simple, honest smile, "Your Highness, kitchen knives are expensive to make; this narrow knife is cheaper."
Yanran's eyes widened.
She never expected it to be for this reason.
"But I think," she tilted her head, "That knife doesn't look cheap."
Upon hearing this, Cui Xiaoqiu walked over.
"It's just a regular one, take a look if you don't believe me." The waiter handed the knife to Yanran.
"Yanran!" Cui Xiaoqiu pulled Yanran with such force that he pulled Yanran directly to his side.
Yanran: "..."
Do people have unlimited potential in crucial moments?
The problem is, he was too nervous.
When the young waiter handed her the knife, he held the blade himself, with his hand facing her.
Cui Xiaoqiu's movements also caught the attention of Linlin, who was secretly exchanging glances with Lang Xuan.
He didn't speak, he just looked over.
"It's alright, look how scared you've made them," Yanran said with a smile. "Never mind, I won't watch anymore, you can continue with your work."
As she spoke, she pulled Cui Xiaoqiu back a step.
Wrong!
There's something wrong with this young man.
Although Yanran didn't say anything, she had already noticed that the knife was extremely sharp and was definitely not some cheap, narrow knife made to save on iron.
Cui Xiaoqiu squeezed her hand under his sleeve.
Yanran and returned the handshake.
The two of them understood each other implicitly; they both knew what was going on.
Trying to cause trouble while they're on guard? Heh.
However, the next moment, Yanran's eyes suddenly went blank, she let go of Cui Xiaoqiu's hand and grabbed the kitchen knife.
The sound of a flute came from somewhere, Yanran suddenly attacked Linlin directly.
Even with Cui Xiaoqiu's quick reflexes, she never expected that Yanran would attack Linlin.
No one expected it.
However, Lang Xuan's body reacted faster than her mind, and she directly stood in front of Linlin.
In a flash, Linlin caught her in his arms, turned around, and was already facing away from the blade.
Cui Xiaoqiu acted swiftly, grabbing Yanran's wrist.
Even so, the tip of the knife still pierced Linlin's back, tearing his clothes, and blood stained the tip of the knife.
At the same time, the young waiter leaped up, pulled out another knife from somewhere, and attacked directly.
Jiaojiao, who had been drooling beside him, let out a long howl, pounced on him, and bit his throat.
The guards outside the door came in upon hearing the noise, and the situation became somewhat chaotic.
The biggest problem is that Yanran, who has always kept her eyes fixed on the spot, is now locked in a fierce battle with Cui Xiaoqiu.
"Your Highness, are you alright?" Lang Xuan asked anxiously.
"I'm fine, just a few scratches." Linlin let go of her.
"What's wrong with the princess...?" Lang Xuan was utterly puzzled.
Linlin said in a deep voice, "There's something wrong with this flute music. Men, go and arrest the person playing the flute. If they resist, kill them without mercy!"
"Yes."
"Your Highness, what should we do about the princess?"
"Go inside, I'll stay here."
"Okay!" Lang Xuan turned around and ran into the house without delay.
She stood at the doorway, peering through it.
"She's out of her mind now," Linlin said through gritted teeth, seeing that Cui Xiaoqiu was already at a disadvantage and had been cut several times by Yanran. "Go all out, just don't seriously injure her!"
After saying this, he drew his guard's sword and joined the battle.
--At times like this, everyone else is tied up and can only rely on him and Cui Xiaoqiu.
Yanran's kung fu skills are truly impressive; it took two people working together to barely keep her in check.
Just as things seemed to be at a stalemate, the sound of a pipa suddenly rang out from the doorway.
The pipa's resonant sound, like a thousand troops breaking through enemy lines, forcefully and domineeringly interrupted the flute's rhythm.
Jinse held the pipa tightly, her face solemn and her eyes sharp. Her slender fingers plucked the strings rapidly, producing a cacophony of sounds that startled the flute music, causing it to gradually fade away.
Behind Jinse, Qu Nian was supporting a bewildered Ren Yingying.
--Ren Yingying woke up and heard that there was grilled squid, so she came over without waiting, but she didn't expect to see this scene.
(Two updates today; the author froze to death in spring.)