"No Wedding Unless Enemies and Lovers" 《不是冤家不拜堂》Chapter 82

 Ding Si Fang let go of Ji Ling Xue, his tone softening: "This is a cobblestone not an egg, you can't hatch a chick, it's very dangerous here, where do you live, I'll take you back."

He had felt a pair of eyes on him before, now that he found out who it was, he only felt it was by chance.

Ji Ling Xue blinked her large eyes: "Ok, I want to go to the empress dowager, do you know how to get there?" As she spoke she tugged on the corner of Ding Si Fang's sleeve with familiarity.

Even though Ding Si Fang's name was very unsophisticated, he was actually a very robust young man, his facial features were very standard, even though he didn't have Xiao Yi Chen's assertiveness, he had his own awe-inspiring manner as a general.

"So, you're not a concubine of the emperor?" Ding Si Fang was surprised, he had thought he had come across a concubine who had lost favour and gone mad, it turns out he had over thought things.

Ji Ling Xue laughed covering her mouth, pointing behind Di Si Fang she asked: "That's a place where the emperor's concubine live right?"

Ding Si Fang nodded: "Yes, my younger sister lives there." As he spoke his eyes lowered, some sadness in his eyes, as the emperor's concubine, being locked up in the depths of the palace really wasn't what he wanted for his sister, but it was hard to go against imperial orders, the emperor has always liked to be related to his officials by marriage to secure his position.

"Oh, I thought you also lived in the palace?" Ji Ling Xue giggled.

Ding Si Fang turned around, without a word he took his sleeve out from Ji Ling Xue's hand, taking large strides forward, maintaining a distance between the two of them.

Ji Ling Xue shrugged her shoulders, Ding Si Fang and Xiao Yi Chen had never gotten along, in the past he had been betrothed to the Ji residence as a baby, however Di Si Fang's family met some misfortunes, Ji Bai Chuan snobbishly retracted this betrothal, and married his daughter into prince Chen's residence.

The broken-hearted Ding Si Fang travelled to a distant border station to strive for military achievement, standing on the corpses of his enemies he climbed to the top eventually becoming a young general, the hardships he suffered were not known to people. Since he became a general, he came across the obstacle Xiao Yi Chen at every turn.

Recalling this, Ji Ling Xue slowed down, turning to look at Qingluo park behind her and sighed.

The two of them continued on without speaking, half way, Ji Ling Xue's heart raced, she sneezed.

Ding Si Fang turned to glance at Ji Ling Xue, "Are you alright?"

Ji Ling Xue shook her head, giving a silly laugh, out of the corner of her eyes she saw a familiar figure ahead, her eyelids twitched, why did Xiao Yi Chen also enter the palace!?

Hearing the footsteps behind him Ding Si Fang turned around, meeting Xiao Yi Chen's pensive gaze.

"Greetings prince." Ding Si Fang gave a general's salute.

"Why is general Ding also in the palace?" Xiao Yi Chen frowned, an expression like he had come across an unpleasant enemy, his gaze falling behind Ding Si Fang, "Who was general Ding talking to just now?"

Di Si Fang turned his head, Ji Ling Xue had already long disappeared from behind him, he couldn't help be stumped.

At the empress dowager's palace, Xiao Yi Mo turned the jade tablet in his hand, a profound smile on his lips, "Mother, brother is very concerned about this conferred princess, you don't need to worry."

The empress dowager sighed, "It's good that you took his military power over the northwest, let him stay in the capital and settle down, give me another grandson."

Xiao Yi Mo nodded, "Brother has established his family for some time but there has been no good news, it really does make people anxious, mother should take action, maybe you'll have a grandson this year."

The empress dowager nodded, giving a look towards elderly maid Zhao standing by her side, the empress dowager didn't need to say it, elderly maid Zhao knew what her mistress wanted, she turned and left to handle it.

After a quarter of an hour, elderly maid Zhao came carrying a cup of tea, placing it by the empress dowager's hand.

It was at that moment Ji Ling Xue walked into the room, "Empress dowager, your majesty, does the food I made taste good?"

The empress dowager gave a benevolent smile, "Xue Er's cooking skills are getting better and better, I'm used to eating greasy and indulgent foods, today's dishes were exquisite food of the commoners, you ought to send the recipes over, let those chefs in the imperial kitchen learn from them."

Xiao Yi Mo nodded in agreement, "I'm afraid no matter how those chefs in the imperial kitchen research into cooking they wouldn't reach princess Chen's skills."