The Virgin Mary in the Book: I Decide My Life with Two Swords

Cang Yue Kingdom - Official Road

The day passed quickly, and in the evening Yelu Zongzhen's caravan set up camp again, still camping along the river bank.

Ye Ling helped Bicheng set up the tent and took a stool to sit next to the carriage. She had completely relied on Yelu Zongzhen's cook. It must be said that all kinds of food with Xidu flavor were delicious. She was also happy not to have to cook for herself and could just sit back and enjoy the fruits of her labor.

Bicheng, the "officer" who had gone out to tie up the horses, came back with two pheasants. "Look at what these are?"

"Sure! How did you catch it?" Ye Ling immediately felt hungry.

"If you hit it with darts, it would be delicious if you grilled it at night."

"That's such a waste! You go to the river and clean it up, I'll prepare the ingredients, and let's heat the oil in a pan," said Ye Ling.

"Okay," Bicheng happily carried the pheasant to the river.

Ye Ling began to prepare various ingredients. The things in her space had not been touched at all in the past ten days. She first steamed rice with a small stove, then sat down and started to cut the ingredients with a small chopping board. While cutting, she looked at the Tongshun Escort Team not far away. They were also setting up camp and resting. The carriages were concentrated in the middle, and there were sentries around them.

"Master, don't be absent-minded, be careful not to cut your hands." Mengmeng felt that Ye Ling was multitasking, so it habitually reminded him.

Ye Ling didn't answer, continuing to watch the Tongshun Escort Team's every move in the distance. She had a nagging feeling that something fishy was going on with their transport. Watching the men using bowls to bring water to the caged creatures only made her even more puzzled. Feeding water? Animals? If they were animals, why were they being so secretive?

Because Ye Ling was disobedient and multitasking, she cut her left index finger. Before she could react, her hand was pulled up by Yelu Zongzhen.

"It's just a minor injury," Ye Ling said quickly, trying to pull his hand back.

"Don't move." Yelu Zongzheng used his handkerchief to stop Ye Ling's bleeding. "Can you do this? You're cutting vegetables with your hands and staring into the distance. Don't you want to use your hands anymore?"

"It's okay, it's just a little scratch. Please sit down, Your Highness! Give me the handkerchief and I'll wash it for you later." Ye Ling continued to cut her potatoes.

"Tonight, let me experience farm-style dishes again. How about the farm-style dishes of your Cangyue country?" Yelu Zongzheng sat on a small stool beside him.

"Of course! I can't eat yours every day, right? It's my duty. Your Highness, just sit and wait."

Yelu Zongzheng smiled and nodded, looking into the distance: "What were you looking at just now? You were fascinated."

"Have you heard of Tongshun Escort Agency, Your Highness?"

"No, this is my second time in Cang Yue. I don't know these small escort agencies. What? Are there problems with them?"

"The problem is what they're delivering. It's so mysterious. They just delivered water to those things covered with cloth."

Yelu Zongzheng also looked at it seriously: "That's really strange. If it's giving water to drink, it must be a living thing. If it's a living thing... why hide it? What's so shameful?"

"Are there any animals in Cang Yue Country that are prohibited from being bought and sold privately?"

"No? I haven't heard of it." Yelu Zongzheng said and laughed: "Envoy Ye, you are a Cang Yue countryman and you ask me, a Xidu native, such a question?"

"Oh! It's all the same, it's better if there is none."

"Envoy, Your Highness," Bicheng returned with the processed pheasant. "It's been cleaned very well."

"Put it in this basin first, and go get me some clean water."

"Come on"

While Bicheng was fetching water, Ye Ling chopped the chicken into small pieces, blanched it in cold water, took it out and washed it, then heated the oil and stir-fried it for a while, then added water to stew it.

Yelu Zongzheng was watching intently from the side, almost unable to take his eyes off her. "Ye Ling, look at you! You're a top-notch martial artist. You can cook, take care of people, talk, and even kill. Is there anything in this world you can't do? Being with you means I never have to worry about food or clothing, and I feel incredibly safe!"

Ye Ling smiled and said, "Your Highness, you are joking. My greatest strength is that I can kick someone when they are down and watch from the sidelines, so your perspective is always one-sided."

“It’s the first time I’ve heard someone say that about themselves.”

"Honestly, I'm actually very selfish. When I do things, I only consider my own feelings and never consider other people's feelings."

"That's great, I feel the same way," Yelu Zongzheng said with a smile. He found that he really enjoyed chatting with Ye Ling. Although he was always left speechless by the other party, he still felt happy.

Ye Ling closed the pot lid and looked at Yelu Zongzheng: "Your Highness, I've always had a question. Why did you come to Langya Pavilion this time? Don't tell me you came all the way here just to attend my senior brother's wedding. Even a child wouldn't believe it."

"This is a secret, I can't tell you."

Ye Ling nodded: "I understand. Then don't tell me. If I find out too much, you'll have to send someone to kill me and silence me. That's too much trouble."

"Interesting, aren't you afraid that I might have some conspiracy to harm the Cang Yue Nation?"

"What does it have to do with me?"

"Every citizen has a share of responsibility for the fate of his country!"

"Stop it!" Ye Ling protested. "Every man has a share of responsibility for the fate of his country. When a man is in trouble, he should end his own life."

"What kind of perverse logic is this? Shouldn't all citizens of a country contribute to their country?"

"In times of peace and prosperity, the world belongs to the rich and powerful. When the country is on the verge of collapse, the world belongs to the common people again. When the country prospers and distributes dividends, the common people have no share. When the country is in danger and needs help, the common people have a share. Tell me, isn't this the truth?"

Yelu Zongzheng choked again. "What you say is not unreasonable, but if everyone thinks this way, then the country will be doomed. If great generals like your father don't risk their lives to protect the country, how can the people live and work in peace?"

"My father? What happened to him? He was so loyal that he fought to the death for the man who wanted to kill him, and abandoned me and my son for more than ten years. I have never seen him and don't know what he looks like. Sometimes I hate him very much. If I had a choice, I would not be his daughter. Just like what others say, I am a bastard born of a mother but raised by no father." Ye Ling said this because she recently remembered a lot about the real Ye Ling's life. Since she was five or six years old, she has been called a bastard.

Yelu Zongzheng hadn't expected that Ye Ling had never met her father, so he didn't know what to say for a moment: "I'm sorry, I didn't know about this."

"It doesn't matter. It's all in the past. He died and I am alive. I live one day at a time. Now I believe in letting things take their course. Don't say that I don't care. Even if I do, what can I do? It's just that I have become indifferent to everything and have let it go. Any relationship between people is mutual. You cherish me, and I will give you what you are worth. You give me distance, and I will give you propriety. If sincerity cannot be exchanged for sincerity, then you must learn to turn around and learn to forget." Ye Ling said as he added firewood to the stove.

"My mother once said something: Those who understand you won't let you spend the night with your emotions. Those who care about you won't let you feel sad. Those who know you're feeling bad but still abandon you don't love you. Because in the eyes of such people, right and wrong are more important than you."

"Your mother is right. She must be a very insightful woman, right? And she must be a great beauty. Just look at your face and you'll know."

Speaking of his mother, Yelu Zongzheng's face was obviously gentle: "Envoy Ye is really good at speaking. Mother is the most beautiful and gentle woman in the world. It's a pity that my father has many women, and she is just one of them."

"Your Highness, you feel sorry for your mother, but have you ever considered that you too are one of the many beauties? I believe that in this world, most men think of women as pieces of clothing. They wear one today, another tomorrow, and another the day after tomorrow. Once worn, they're thrown aside, and when they're no longer wanted, they're never worn again, right?"

Yelu Zongzheng smiled and nodded. "Yes, I don't have a wife at the moment, but I do have two concubines and five maids. They are all children of ministers in the court. To secure their position, every prince does the same."

"I understand, and I know. Among these seven women, have you ever truly loved anyone?"

Yelu Zongzheng shook his head without hesitation: "No."

"Look, is this fair to them?"

"I have always been fair. Whenever I return home, they all take turns sleeping with me. I never show partiality to any one of them."

Ye Ling smiled: "Aren't you afraid of being tired? Can you handle it?"

Yelu Zongzheng was stunned for a moment, then he said, "Do you doubt my... ability?"

"No, Your Highness, you're overthinking it. I just mentioned it casually. What is Jiaojiao to you?"

"Didn't we introduce you the other day? Maid, what's wrong with you coming out to serve me this time?"

"And a bed warmer, right?"

Yelu Zongzheng smiled and admitted generously: "Of course, after all, it's been several months since I left and right, and I'm not a monk."

Ye Ling smiled, picked up the lid of the pot, stirred the meat, and the aroma spread instantly.

"Can we eat it so soon?" Yelu Zongzhen was a little excited.

"No, this is pheasant meat, which is the most difficult to cook. It takes a while to cook before it can be eaten. Your Highness, if you are hungry, please have a snack first."

"Okay! It looks delicious to me."

As the two chatted, the sky gradually darkened. The campfire was brightly lit, and the meals for the large group had been prepared in advance. Yelu Zongzhen refused to eat a single bite and insisted on eating what Ye Ling cooked.

Finally, the pheasant meat was out of the pot. After taking a bite, Yelu Zongzhen praised it repeatedly. Perhaps he was used to eating delicacies from mountains and seas, and now he felt that this bowl of chicken was particularly delicious.

Bicheng ate bowl after bowl, "Sir, no wonder Zhuang Yi said that if you don't cook, it will be delicious."

"Don't exaggerate," Ye Ling said.

"If you ask me what the biggest gain from this trip to Langya Pavilion is, it must be eating the meal prepared by Ye Sishi himself. It is enough for my life," said Yelu Zongzhen.

"You two are exaggerating a bit. This is just ordinary chicken and potato stew."

"You use the simplest ingredients to make the best things, which really shows the chef's skill," said Yelu Zongzhen.

Ye Ling shook his head: "Whatever you two do! I have no objection."

After dinner, Bicheng still rushed to wash the dishes. Ye Ling was happy to have some peace and quiet, so he got into the carriage early, saying that he was going to rest, but in fact he was going into the space to chat with Jiuyou and tell him stories.