The Feast

> > The Feast – Chapter 37

Chapter 38: Brilliant Under Pressure

I really shouldn’t be doing this, but I found myself suddenly awake at 4:30 am and had the time. No editing and no reply to comments, but I thought you guys would want to know what happen when Mummy arrives at the scene.

Have fun you guys. I won’t have much time for translation from 11 – 17 August since I have to be on call 24/7.

Hugs,

Gumihou

"That's right, mother. If there's anything you wish talk about let's do it inside." Duan Tingxuan was also doing his best to warmly encourage Madam Yang to enter the house. Only to hear Madam Yang said coldly, "No, I only want ton know, how do you plan on dealing with these three?"

Duan Tingxuan understood Madam Yang's meaning, she wanted him to divorce this wife. However, is this possible? Let's not even talk about the delicious food that this prince now depended on like tiger's milk. Even if there's no good things to eat, he could no longer live without that woman who dares to get into rowdy battles with him. He simply refused to live without this source of happiness. Even if he was beaten to death, he will not divorce this wife.

Mind like zipping lightning, he immediately saw an opportunity within this crisis. Thus, pretending not to hear the dark hints under Madam Yang's words, he made a he-he laugh and said, "Nuan Nuan and the rest have been living in this Mei Yue Lou for quite a few months. As mother could see, this place is quite remote, so your son is just thinking that in these next few days, once they've packed up this place, they could return to the Inner Court."

"WHAT?" Madam Yang and Su Nuan Nuan screeched in unison. Both directed ferocious glares at Duan Tingxuan. Madam Yang grounded out, "You still wish to send them back to the Inner Court? Are you trying to say that our palace is not lively enough?"

As her voice dropped to dangerous decibels, she directed her furious glare at Su Nuan Nuan, who waved her hand quickly, "Elder Madam don't look at me like that. This is decision was all due to your son, nothing at all to do with me. I have decided to reside in this Mei Yue Lou till my dying day, I won't let anyone move me from this place. Why should I go to that backstabbing and intrigue filled place, when I could just stay here to continue my research on good food and drinks?"

Xu Ran Yun and Xue Zi Lan couldn't quite believe their eyes as they stared at Su Nuan Nuan. Is this woman not afraid of getting struck by lightning? You've already done so many bad deeds, what 'backstabbing and intrigue filled place, research on good food and drinks'?

No wonder the Lord has changed. From what they could see, it's clear that her level of scheming has upgraded to an un-precedented level. Daring to use the 'let loose in order to capture' technique and play around with the Lord to this point!

As the two of them pondered upon this information, a feeling of doom loomed over them. As expected, Duan Tingxuan said to Su Nuan Nuan, "You'll have to come back to the inner court sooner or later, why not come back a little sooner, and…"

""Absolutely not, I forbid it." Madam Yang declared, "Want them return to the inner court? Over my dead body."

"You hear that? Are you trying to curse your own mother? Already a slag, you want to add unfilial too?" Su Nuan Nuan nodded fiercely, a finger pointing straight at Duan Tingxuan, as though she was Madam Yang's personal defender of justice.

"Very well, since mother already said so, the three of you can stay in Mei Yue Lou." Duan Tingxuan said decisively. Both Su Nuan Nuan and Madam Yang breathed a united sigh of relief and grinned over their victory. However, when they caught each other's smile, a sense of awkwardness fell over them.

"Since mother does not wish to enter the house, let son send you home, ba. Hong Lian, please go to your madam's kitchen and fetch a large bowl of that smoothie." Duan Tingxuan ordered loudly. In a short while, Hong Lian appeared from the kitchen with food box and brought it over to Madam Yang. With a wordless bob of greeting, she handed over the box to Duan Tingxuan.

At the word 'smoothie', Madam Yang's eyes brightened. She'd been obsessing over this thing for a few days. However, when she had heard that this thing was made by Su Nuan Nuan, she refused to lower her pride and ask for any. On the other hand, since the other side had personally send some over, there was no reason to reject it.

Duan Tingxuan placed the flowered steam buns he had been carrying all this while into the box and slung it over one arm. With the other arm, he attempted to escort Madam Yang, only to be smacked by her. With a fierce harrumph, "Don't touch me with your greasy hands, these are new clothes."

Yes, yes, son is careless."

Duan Tingxuan smiled indulgently, and made a respectful gesture for his mother to walk before him. Madam Yang turned, and stepped smartly made to step out of Mei Yue Lou. This almost shocked Xu Ran Yun to death. After seeing her huge hopes just crashed down like that, she has completely forgotten Duan Tingxuan's cold gaze from earlier.

Neither did she noticed Xue Zi Lan's drooping figure, the carefully cultivated gentle and agreeable air all gone: The moment they walk out of this door, they could not bring up divorce any more. She almost could not bear the anger in her heart, Elder Madam, ah, Elder Madam. Could you please take a look at how you handle this important matter? We came here with the intention to force the Lord to divorce this creature, you can't just let the mention of 'returning her into the inner court' frighten you into a retreat, ah.

With such fury burning within her, Xu Ran Yun's brain almost couldn't take it. As such, she dashed towards Madam Yang's side and cried out, "Elder Madam!" Before the echo of her shout disappeared, Duan Tingxuan suddenly turned to look at her, in a very neutral voice said, "Ran Yun, if there's anything you wish to say, let's go back first, all right?"

It sounded like a gentle suggestion, but the weight behind it was almost overbearing. Xu Ran Yun felt a tingle on her scalp, her lips moved, but no words came out. She did not dare to speak any more and could only lower her head. At this moment, MAdam Yun's mood was worse than if she had actually eaten a mouthful of flies.

Madam Yang also sighed quietly, in the end, she would leave the matter of controlling the wives to her son, the Lord of the Palace. Though she had been stunned by her son's att.i.tude just now, how could she not be reminded of the true reason they enter this place at the sudden cry of 'Elder Madam!'? Only it looked like her son was determined to protect this woman of his.

If that is the case, Madam Yang who had always indulged her son decided not to interfere. It was one thing to decide one something, it's quite another to actually implement it. Actually, the two secondary wives had placed their bets on a 'Pig Team Mate[1]'. The moment they encounter a 'G.o.dly Opponent[2]', her true nature was squeezed out, she retreated.

Thus, Madam Yang pretended not to hear Xu Ran Yun's true cry for a.s.sistance. She only gave her son a little glare. Using her eyes to inform him: You better just find an excuse for me to let you keep that woman of yours, if you dare fool me again, I shall not be so lenient.

When Duan Tingxuan caught this secret message from his mother, he breathed a sigh of relief in his heart. This prince had never thought his mother would come right at this moment and see the way he battle with Su Nuan Nuan with her own eyes. This is fortunate, that female tiger's arrogance had definitely angered his mother, that's really bad, ah. If he really could not get over this hurdle, he still has Old Madam as back up. Since she had eaten so many good things from Su Nuan Nuan, surely she would come up with some ways to mediate and sooth his mother's temper.

Ah, not good, Old Madam had specifically informed me to bring some snacks for her, how could he have forgotten?

Wu! Thank goodness, he has those 2 flowered steamed bun in the food box. He could still cut them into pieces and made up 2 platefuls. As long as Old Madam never knew that he had clutched them in his paws all day should be fine.

Duan Tingxuan continued to polish up this evil plan of his as he escorted Madam Yang back. Su Nuan Nuan kept her eyes on that group of people until not even a shadow was left on her threshold. The, she turned towards Si Ping who was trying to quietly sneak away, "Why did you not appear when Elder Madam arrived? Why did you not go back with your master? Did you feel that he had not stolen enough from me and want to sneak out more food on his behalf?"

"Madam's words are heavy, this kind of immoral behaviour, only the thick faced master could do. This small one has a thin face, and a cowardly heart. How could this one dare to act under madam's sharp eye?" Si Ping gave a little hei-hei laugh as he tried to coax a smile. After all, the master was not around, if he did not curse him now, when would he have a chance?

"Rascal, don't think that just because you said some bad words against Duan Tingxuan I would let you off lightly. Birds of a feather flocks together, since you're your master's hand, you and he are the same." Su Nuan Nuan said with a sneer. Suddenly, she noticed Xiang Yun also sneaking out from the kitchen. She has no good feeling for these two maids and she angrily said, "I sent you two to guard against Duan Tingxuan in the kitchen. As a result, you not only watch him eat half a plate of my stuff, but also take my food away. Still dare to appear? A pair of dogs is more useful than you two."

Xiang Yun grinned, "Madam, please don't say things like that. If not for this one and Hong Lian, would the master be satisfied with just half a plate? I'm afraid a few of your plates would have be empty by now. To be able to manage this much, Hong Lian and I already did our best. As for the two dogs, I'm afraid the master would just kick them to death, and then eat and eat, and then what would you do? Therefore, we're still more useful than dogs."

"Still want to talk smart? Su Nuan Nuan was still p.i.s.sed off, but Si Ping was nodding vigorously from the side. "This small one can testify, What Xiang Yun said is correct. Our master never give much thought to animals, pets or otherwise. Once, at Prince Qi's palace, there was this really fierce pure bred dog from the Western Regions. It bared it's teeth at our master, barking as it charged at us. Our master gave it a swift kick in the head, and it ran away with it's tail between its legs."

A palace dogs should have its minders, how could it actually charge at Duan Tingxuan, barking and snarling? This Duan Tingxuan was also too violent, actually kicking a dog, really not giving face to its owner, ah. Oh, wait, it should be said that he was being merciful, otherwise, that kick would not have sent it running, away, it would have sent it to its death.

However, Su Nuan Nuan was not all interested in picking out the plot holes in this kind of story. She just treated it as nothing more than fancy story telling. As a foodie, one should stay above all this underhand fighting and squash down one's curiosity. If you investigate to deep into a matter, you will be the one squashed between two hard decisions. Too troublesome, ah.

At this point, she decided to go to the kitchen to calculate her loss, when she saw Si Ping loitering around with shifty rat's eyes, clearly up to no good. Su Nuan Nuan frowned and said, "Still not leaving? Are you waiting for an opportunity to do some thieving for your master? Afterwards when I fry some snacks, would you believe it if I say I'll throw you into the hot oil as well?"

Si Ping quickly smiled flatteringly, "Madam has misunderstood, this servant would never dare to repeat the mistakes of this one's master. Nor does this servant knew any 8 Steps Catching Cicada or Scale Across River on Duckweed qing gong. This servant was just thinking, Madam has just seen this one hide away and did not face the music with master. If master really sees this one right now, wouldn't this small one be kicked to death, ah? Therefore, Madam please show some compa.s.sion and grant this small one some leftovers. So that this lowly one may use it to appease the master, thinking that this lowly slave has stayed behind in order to accomplish his dirty deeds, and not have this poor slave beaten to death."

"Pei! You sure have a big face[3], you think I don't know that some of the stolen food ended up in your mouth? You're not afraid that you'll drown from your own bulls.h.i.t?" Su Nuan Nuan glared at Si Ping's flattering face, and felt amused and happy. When all was said and done, her heart was made of neither stone nor iron. After a brief hiss of fake displeasure, she still went into the kitchen and collected 2 tray full of things, and hallowed the incredibly joyful Si Ping to take them away.

[1] Pig Team Mate – Word originated from teamwork games, refers to stupid team mates.

[2] G.o.dly Opponent – Refers to powerful enemies or opponent

[3] Big face – Daring, lol

The works translated here are works of fans of the novels, and are not in anyway a.s.sociated with the authors of the novels, Qidian and Qidian International. Readers are encouraged to support the author of the novels using the links in the novel page.

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