"No Wedding Unless Enemies and Lovers" 《不是冤家不拜堂》Chapter 148

 Ji Ling Xue was wearing a plain simple dress, her face was free of makeup, the spirit in her face was exactly like her mother Liu Mei E who had passed away a long time ago.

Ji Bai Chuan lost his thoughts for a moment, after a moment he coughed saying: "Xue Er, you were wrong, how can you disappear to buy your own things when you take your younger sister out?"

He was blaming Ji Ling Xue for being selfish and petty? Did he think he was in the Ji's residence, taking on the position of head of family?

Ji Ling Xue smiled: "Dad is right to chide, but this is the prince's residence, I'm also the princess, dad you're wrong in saying this, of course there are people to buy things for the residence, this princess went shopping for cloth not for private use, it's almost new year, these cloths are to be sent to each courtyard for new clothes, if younger sister wants you can just take it, this princess isn't petty, there's no need to complain about me in front of prince and dad?"

Ji Bai Chuan had nothing to say and couldn't refute, turning to complain to Xiao Yi Chen, Xiao Yi Chen waved his hand, "Father-in-law, you have misunderstood Ji Ling Xue, according to Xue Er she was dealing with the residence's matters, diligent, without selfishness, you and Qing Er have not seen each other in so long, Qing Er quick take father-in-law for a stroll, let's have dinner together later."

Ji Yu Qing glanced unreconciled at Ji Ling Xue, replying "yes".

Sending away Ji Yu Qing and Ji Bai Chuan, Yi Yun also returned to her own courtyard, only Ji Ling Xue and Xiao Yi Chen remained in the hall.

Telling everyone to leave, Xiao Yi Chen said: "Why did you take them out today, Yi Yun is considered a guest of the residence, you don't need to be vigilant against her."

Ji Ling Xue's lips twitched, "She's a marriage conferred by the emperor, let her hurry up and give offspring to the prince's residence."

Xiao Yi Chen coughed, "This prince is still not ready for children." He was almost thirty years old, Xiao Yi Mo's children were five or six years old, but he didn't have a single child, it wasn't because he didn't want to but he couldn't, before he could have the ability to protect the person he wanted to, he wouldn't allow Ji Ling Xue to fall pregnant.

Xiao Yi Chen's thoughts, Ji Ling Xue didn't understand, she just thought Xiao Yi Chen's sexual orientation was the reason why he didn't want children.

Ji Ling Xue changed the topic, "Why did my father come here?"

Xiao Yi Chen said: "Recently rumours about you haven't stopped, Ji residence has also been affected, now these things have finally gone away, he was worried about you and Qing Er so he came by to see you."

Ji Ling Xue curled her lips, seeing Ji Yu Qing was true, she was the one her father didn't like.

Xiao Yi Chen said: "Your dad wants me to arrange a position for your younger brother Ji Ming Yang at court, the cooking competition is imminent, I'll let him work with me."

Ji Ling Xue tilted her head looking at Xiao Yi Chen, "Give him a place on the judging panel."

Mentioning the cooking competition, Ji Ling Xue recalled the scholar obsessed with cleanliness she met at Wangshan restaurant, that picky mouth, it would be good for him to be part of the judging panel.

Ji Yu Qing took Ji Bai Chuan around the residence, the father and daughter spoke for a long time, it was all Ji Bai Chuan prompting Ji Yu Qing.

Last time he had asked Ji Yu Qing to get Ji Ming Yang a partial position at court, but many months had passed but nothing was heard from Ji Yu Qing, he had no choice but to personally take a trip to prince's residence.

From one glance he could tell what was wrong, Ji Yu Qing mentioned how well Xiao Yi Chen treated her in front of him, yet he wasn't sure if that was true or not, now that he had come, Xiao Yi Chen seemed to care about Ji Ling Xue more.

Ji Bai Chuan said: "Qing Er, father knows you've been proud and arrogant since young and want to fight with your older sister over everything, now you've fulfilled your wish to marry prince Chen, in the future you sisters should get along well and give birth to a few children fprince Chen, your life will be very good."

Ji Yu Qing however didn't take Ji Bai Chuan's words to heart, she wanted to take everything of Ji Ling Xue, Ji Ling Xue was like a cockroach who scuttered about everywhere unable to die.

Ji Bai Chuan saw Ji Yu Qing had her head lowered in silence, after saying a few things he changed subjects.

After dinner, Ji Bai Chuan said his goodbyes and left, Ji Ling Xue and Ji Yu Qing both saw him to the door.

Ji Bai Chuan turned to look at Ji Ling Xue thinking it was like Liu Er Mei was alive again, sighing in his heart.

Ji Bai Chuan said: "Xue Er, you and Qing Er should go back, it's cold at night."

Ji Ling Xue nodded, still obstinately watching Ji Bai Chuan's figure disappear.

As soon as Bai Chuan disappeared, Ji Ling Xue turned and returned to her house, her skirt curving in a beautiful arc, Ji Yu Qing's eyes flashed, raising her foot wanting to stamp on it, sadly she was a little late and stepped on nothing.

Ji Yu Qing gritted her teeth was not resigned, she hurried after Ji Ling Xue, smiling: "Older sister, it's almost the cooking competition, ai, such a pity, you can't enter such a competition with your status, otherwise with older sister's abilities you would get the first prize, I heard the prize for the cooking competition is quite big, it seems to be a thousand gold, and the emperor will personally be immortalised as a god of cooking."

Ji Ling Xue had already heard of the prize for the cooking competition from Xiao Yi Chen, she didn't find it amazing to hear it again.

Seeing Ji Ling Xue paid no heed, Ji Yu Qing continued to  say: "Older sister the clothes for new year have been ordered, what about the jewellery for new year? When will the owner of the coloured glass factory come to take a look, choose a beautiful set of head ornament."

Coloured glass factory, this was the newest store to be opened in the capital, supposedly the jewellery shone rainbow colours, the women in the capital went crazy over it, the more people liked them the more popular it became.

Unfortunately Ji Yu Qing's monthly budget was too little, it wasn't enough to buy rouge and powder, she could only give Ji Ling Xue the idea, she was the one who dealt with the residence's inner courtyard matters.

Ji Ling Xue gave an oh: "Younger sister, you don't know how expensive it is to manage a household, so, the inner courtyard's expenses can be given to you to manage, anyway Xiao Yi Chen didn't tell me I couldn't let someone else manage it."

Having heard what was said, Ji Yu Qing's eyes brightened, strongly nodding: "Good, older sister be at ease, younger sister I will definitely itemise and manage the inner courtyard's expenses clearly."

Ji Ling Xue nodded, getting Mo Xiang to give the account book and monthly expenses for the inner courtyard to Ji Ling Xue.

Ji Yu Qing held the account book like a treasure, happily leaving.

Mo Xiang grumbled: "Princess you're so kind-hearted, you even give the account book to imperial concubine Qing to manage, aren't you afraid of her misappropriating funds?"

Ji Ling Xue disagreed, "Just let her manage it, I can just relax and deal with my own matters, if prince asks I'll just explain to him, it's fine Mo Xiang, you look tired too, get some rest."

Mo Xiang pouted, giving her greetings she left.

Not long after, Lian Xin carried items to wash the face and rinse the mouth into the room to help Ji Ling Xue freshen up.

Xiao Yi Chen walked into the house, after sending Lian Xin away, he said to Ji Ling Xue: "Xue Er, your Qingfengyashe also signed up to the competition, wasn't that chef's hand injured, who are you sending to participate?"

Ji Ling Xue raised an eyebrow, "It's a secret, why do you want to even get information from me, on the battlefield there are no father and son, no husband and wife in competition."

Xiao Yi Chen lips twitched, his mood turned happy from Ji Ling Xue's batter, he spread out his arms saying to Ji Ling Xue: "Princess, quickly help this prince take off his clothes."

Ji Ling Xue said: "You still have two beautiful concubines, why not share the favour?"

Xiao Yi Chen's lips twitched, suddenly picking Ji Ling Xue up and spun around: "No matter how beautiful the concubines are princess looks the tastiest."

Ji Ling Xue hit Xiao Yi Chen's chest: "Let me down."

Xiao Yi Chen gave an evil chuckle, turning he placed Ji Ling Xue on the bed and lowered the curtains.

Ji Ling Xue hurriedly pushed Xiao Yi Chen, "Prince, I can't serve you tonight, I...my period has come..."

Xiao Yi Chen hugged Ji Ling Xue kissing her on the forehead, "This prince likes to hold you to sleep, don't worry, this prince won't touch you."

Ji Ling Xue: "..." 

She couldn't find an excuse so she let Xiao Yi Chen hold her, recently Xiao Yi Chen had been sleeping with her, Ji Ling Xue tried everything to chase him away but wasn't successful

Ji Ling Xue opened her eyes looking at the curtains, losing her thoughts.

Xiao Yi Chen glanced at Ji Ling Xue, raising his hand to extinguish the candle, the night fell into darkness.

Xiao Yi Chen said: "Ji Ling Xue, sleep early, enter the palace with me tomorrow."

Ji Ling Xue said: "Why enter the palace?"

Xiao Yi Chen said: "Xiao Yi Mo told me to bring you into the palace, you've returned for some days, you ought to pay respect to the empress dowager."

Ji Ling Xue gave an en, closing her eyes she forced herself to sleep early.

The next day,  Lian Xin and Mo Xiang waited at the door to help the princess get ready, Xiao Yi Chen opened the door, the two of them quickly entered to help Ji Ling Xue make herself presentable.

After Xiao Yi Chen washed his face and rinsed his mouth he sat on a stool to the side to wait for Ji Ling Xue to get ready.

At this moment, a guard knelt at the door to report: "Prince, there's someone asking for an audience outside."

Xiao Yi Chen stood up asking, "Who is it?"

The guard hesitated for a moment: "It's a scholar, he said he's offering to be a cook..." He was also very suspicious, a scholar accepting the job of a cook, no matter what is sounded strange.

Ji Ling Xue's eyebrow raised, it really was a rare occurrence, yesterday she had seen an interesting scholar who was obsessed with cleanliness.

Xiao Yi Chen stood up saying: "Let's go take a look." As he spoke he waved his sleeves and left.

Ji Ling Xue looked at herself in the mirror, saying to Mo Xiang: "Mo Xiang, don't just stick everything into my hair, it's very heavy."

Black lines appeared on Mo Xiang's forehead: "Princess, you're entering the palace to see the emperor, you have to be more formal in your appearance."

Ji Ling Xue rolled his eyes, she could only bear it, "Fine, don't put in hairpins, help this princess change clothes, prince is still waiting."

Lian Xin carefully put the clothes on Ji Ling Xue, tying the belt on properly, Ji Ling Xue turned and walked out, Mo Xiang hurried after her, mistress, don't walk so quickly.

Ji Ling Xue only wanted to take a look in the hall, what did the scholar who wanted the job of a chef look like.

Inside the hall, Xiao Yi Chen looked at the scholar in green in front of him asking: "You can cook?" Don't these scholars speak of idioms at every turn, what man of character speaks of being a chef?

The scholar in green nodded, cupping his hands, with a reserved smile he said: "To tell the truth, this student had his money stolen when he just came to the capital, now new year is almost here, the academies aren't recruiting teachers, today I heard prince Chen's residence is looking for a cook, so I came to try it."

Xiao Yi Chen nodded, "Then go to the kitchen to make your speciality dish for this prince to try."

The scholar in green nodded, under the guard's guidance he was taken to the kitchen, he had just left when Ji Ling Xue entered the hall, she didn't see a scholar anywhere, she guessed Xiao Yi Chen had sent him away, she said: "I'm ready, let's go."