Although Cheng Yu was only the prefect of Lingchuan, he had heard of Qi Rong's capabilities and knew that the emperor's favor for him was beyond the reach of ordinary people.
Otherwise, the position of the general supervisor for this project wouldn't have fallen to the young Prince Xian!
Especially when he saw that Prince Xian was a man of imposing appearance and noticed that his daughter had developed a secret admiration for the prince at first sight, he deliberately asked about his daughter's feelings and then intentionally hosted a banquet to arrange a meeting between them. He thought that even if his daughter couldn't become the prince's principal wife, becoming a concubine would still make him the prince's father - in - law, which would surely smooth his official career, and his daughter would enjoy endless wealth and honor!
It was simply a win - win situation!
Although Lingchuan was not as prosperous as the capital, the prefect's mansion was extremely magnificent. With rockeries and flowing water, the scenery was pleasant, and there seemed to be a beautiful view every few steps, making people feel extremely delighted.
In this beautiful scenery, a beautiful woman suddenly walked out gracefully. She had almond - shaped eyes, peach - like cheeks, red lips and white teeth. As she walked, her figure swayed like a willow in the gentle breeze, exuding the unique charm of the southwest region.
"I'm Cheng Caijie. I pay my respects to Prince Xian," she said.
As soon as she opened her mouth, her voice was as sweet as a warbling oriole in the valley, refreshing and captivating.
Seeing the beautiful woman blocking the way, Qi Rong raised his eyebrows slightly. His eyes unconsciously swept towards Yun Xi behind him, and a faint smile curved his lips.
"Who is this young lady?"
It was rare for him to show concern for a woman. Yun Xi's heart skipped a beat, and she couldn't help but look intently at the beautiful woman in front of her. Cheng Yu's eyes lit up with joy and he quickly explained with a smile:
"Your Highness, this is my little daughter, Caijie.
"Because my daughter usually cares about the sufferings of the common people and has heard that the court intends to build dams and bridges, she wants to perform personally to express her gratitude to all of you who have come from afar!"
At the prefect of Lingchuan's banquet, there were all local celebrities. Naturally, there was no need for Miss Cheng to perform on stage personally.
However, Cheng Yu's words were tactful and reasonable, leaving no room for criticism.
On the contrary, people thought that Miss Cheng was kind - hearted and grateful. For the sake of the people in Lingchuan, she was willing to humble herself. She was generous and truly a model of a noble lady!
"Oh?"
Meeting the eyes full of admiration, Qi Rong pretended not to understand the prefect's intention and generously gave the woman a smile.
"Caijie. It's really a nice name."
Hearing Qi Rong's public praise, the woman's eyes immediately brightened. Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she shyly curtsied and said:
"Thank you, Your Highness, for your praise."
Seeing the usually cold Prince Xian openly admiring his daughter, Prefect Cheng was overjoyed. He quickly invited everyone to take their seats and deliberately arranged for his daughter to sit next to him, which was the closest to Qi Rong. This would make it convenient for his daughter to pour tea and offer wine to the prince, giving them enough time to interact.
The accompanying officials stared enviously at Qi Rong sitting between two stunning beauties.
Especially Li An. After Miss Cheng performed a charming dance on stage, he was completely captivated.
Thinking of her soft waist and amorous eyes as she danced, he couldn't help but feel itchy. After Cheng Caijie got off the stage, his eyes were fixed on her and never left.
Now, seeing Cheng Caijie being so attentive and admiring towards Qi Rong, he gritted his teeth in jealousy!
If it weren't for the shrew he had at home and the fact that he dared not divorce his wife because of his father - in - law's influence, he would surely have women in his arms.
It was a pity that although he was extremely jealous, he could only watch helplessly, unable to get what he desired!
"Your Highness, this dish is a local specialty cooked by Caijie herself. Please try it and see if it suits your taste," Cheng Caijie said, batting her eyes sweetly. Since Qi Rong had praised her name and dancing skills and didn't reject her advances, she thought that Qi Rong also had feelings for her.
Compared to before, she became more proactive.
Qi Rong took a bite of the braised pork with preserved vegetables using her chopsticks and immediately praised:
"It's soft, fragrant and not greasy at all. I didn't expect Miss Cheng not only to dance well but also to be an excellent cook! Whoever marries you will be very lucky!"
Qi Rong's almost straightforward words made Cheng Caijie overjoyed. The smile on her face was as bright as a blooming flower.
She looked at her father happily and was about to say something when she saw Qi Rong suddenly pick up a piece of the braised pork with his chopsticks and offer it to Yun Xi, who had been quietly eating beside him.
He tilted his starry eyes slightly and said in a doting tone:
"I remember you love meat the most. Try this and see if you like this flavor. I'll ask Miss Cheng to cook it for you every day some other time."
As soon as Qi Rong said this, Cheng Caijie, who had been smiling brightly, suddenly froze, and Prefect Cheng's face also showed a hint of uneasiness.
Yun Xi originally wanted to ignore the situation and focus on the delicious food on the table. But unfortunately, Qi Rong was so talkative today that she couldn't enjoy her meal. She felt really sorry for the food!
Especially after hearing what Qi Rong said, she was absolutely sure:
This guy must be deliberately making trouble for her and not wanting her to be comfortable!!
Looking at the braised pork near her lips and then at Qi Rong's malicious eyes, Yun Xi really wanted to take off her shoe and slap it on his handsome face!
The young lady was the daughter of the prefect, not a cook. How could she cook for her every day? Now the young lady's face was turning all kinds of colors. It was almost like a plate of food itself, yet he still had the mood to cause trouble!
"I don't like this. You remembered wrong," Yun Xi said with a fake smile, pushing away Qi Rong's chopsticks and acting as if they were really not familiar at all.
However, Qi Rong was not discouraged. He picked up a piece of steamed pork with rice flour from the table and offered it to Yun Xi's lips again, smiling and saying:
"Since you don't like what Miss Cheng cooked, try this. I think it's quite good, sweet and sour, with just the right amount of salt. If you like it, I can ask the chef for the recipe and cook it for you myself when we get back."
Yun Xi's plan to clarify their relationship in public was completely ruined by Qi Rong's words.
Now not only the Cheng father and daughter but also everyone else were looking at Yun Xi in surprise. They all wanted to know who this woman was who could make Prince Xian Qi Rong cook for her personally!
Under everyone's inquisitive gazes, Yun Xi felt extremely uncomfortable. She was almost choked to death while chewing the food in her mouth. It was Qi Rong who, seeing this, quickly handed her a cup of water and fed her a few sips, then patted her on the back.
But even though Qi Rong was so considerate and attentive, Yun Xi didn't feel grateful at all!
If it weren't for this guy, she could have eaten her meal quietly without becoming the target of everyone's attention. Miss Cheng was staring at her with such a fierce look that it seemed she could burn holes in her!
After what Qi Rong said, in the eyes of others, she had completely become a woman who was jealous of Miss Cheng's cooking skills because of her love for Qi Rong.
How could he be so shameless?
Sure enough, just as she was thinking this, trouble came. Cheng Caijie, with tears in her eyes, said timidly:
"Miss, have I done something wrong to offend you?"