The Prince's Beloved Little Wife

Chen Mengyao slept until dinner time, perhaps because she was truly exhausted. She slowly woke up, rubbed her eyes, and was still a little groggy. She sat up, looked at the darkening sky outside the window, and was startled to realize that she had slept for so long.

At noon, Ouyang Han came to call her for lunch, but seeing that she was sleeping so soundly, he didn't disturb her. He knew she had been traveling around a lot lately and hadn't had much rest, so he let her rest well and would wake her up for dinner earlier. Therefore, Ouyang Han didn't disturb her and didn't let the servants go in to bother her.

Just then, there was a soft knock on the door. It was Ouyang Han's voice: "Yaoyao, are you awake? Dinner is ready." Chen Mengyao responded, quickly tidied her clothes, and opened the door.

Seeing Ouyang Han's gentle smile, Chen Mengyao said somewhat shyly, "Did I sleep too long?" Ouyang Han smiled and shook his head, "No, you were too tired before. You've been busy these past few days, so you should rest more." The two walked towards the dining room while talking.

The table was laden with exquisite dishes, their aromas irresistible. Chen Mengyao had barely sat down when her stomach growled loudly, eliciting a soft chuckle from Ouyang Han. Chen Mengyao blushed slightly and began to eat heartily. Ouyang Han watched her quietly, his eyes filled with doting affection, thinking that it was good that she was so relaxed and at ease; after all, what she had done earlier had indeed drained her energy.

After finishing her meal, Chen Mengyao sat in a chair, rubbing her slightly protruding belly as she pondered her next steps. She glanced at the deepening night outside the window, thinking that since she couldn't sleep anyway, she might as well prepare everything needed for tomorrow's barbecue early to avoid any last-minute scrambling. Moreover, she had a little plan in mind—to surprise the servants in the manor with a delicious barbecue.

Thinking of this, Chen Mengyao stood up and walked towards the door. A moment later, she saw Ouyang Han leisurely strolling in the courtyard. She quickly walked up to him and said softly, "Yichen, I'd like to ask you for a favor." Ouyang Han smiled at her, gesturing for her to continue. Chen Mengyao continued, "Could you please gather all the servants in the manor? We can help skewer the meat; this will not only speed things up but also allow them to try this new delicacy ahead of time!"

Upon hearing this, Ouyang Han nodded without hesitation and replied, "Sure, no problem, I'll take care of it." After saying that, he turned and walked to various corners of the mansion, calling out to the servants.

Taking advantage of Ouyang Han's absence, Chen Mengyao quickly returned to her room, gently closed the door, and entered the space.

She entered the space and went straight to the freezer. Opening the door, a blast of cold air hit her. Unfazed, Chen Mengyao skillfully used her mind to retrieve a large quantity of meatballs, chicken wings, and various vegetables.

After taking out all the ingredients, Chen Mengyao found several large plates and carefully sorted and arranged the meatballs, chicken wings, and vegetables. Then, she carefully carried the plates full of food out of the space and placed them steadily on the stone table in the center of the courtyard.

Immediately afterward, Chen Mengyao returned to the room, this time bringing out a barbecue grill, charcoal, and various seasonings from her spatial storage. She laboriously carried these heavy items to the courtyard and arranged them neatly. Everything was ready; they were just waiting for Ouyang Han and his servants to arrive and help.

She first led the maids in her courtyard to wash and pack all the ingredients, then prepared some seasonings in small dishes and placed them aside. Once they had finished, the servants quickly came to the courtyard and lined up, waiting for instructions. Chen Mengyao looked at them and said with a bright smile, "Today we're going to make a special dish called barbecue." The servants looked at each other, clearly not knowing what barbecue was.

Chen Mengyao picked up a handful of bamboo skewers and a piece of tender mutton to demonstrate. As she did so, she explained, "Like this, cut the meat into small pieces, then skewer them with bamboo skewers, one next to the other, without leaving too much space." The servants stared wide-eyed with curiosity, eagerly imitating her. Some skewered too forcefully, ruining the meat; others held the skewers crookedly, making the meat wobbly. Chen Mengyao patiently corrected them one by one, jokingly adding, "Don't waste our ingredients!"

Before long, some people became more skilled, their movements becoming faster and faster. Seeing this, Chen Mengyao brought over some vegetables and told everyone which ones were suitable for grilling. The whole courtyard was filled with laughter and chatter. The servants found it novel and interesting, while Chen Mengyao, looking at the strings of food that were about to be finished, seemed to already see the lively barbecue scene of tomorrow.

She then instructed her servants on how to light the charcoal and maintain a steady fire. The servants carefully manipulated the charcoal fire according to her instructions, and after thick smoke rose, they finally succeeded in igniting a flame.

Chen Mengyao clapped her hands with a smile and said loudly, "Now we can start grilling!" She took the lead, picked up a few skewers of meat and placed them on the grill. She then used a brush to lightly brush oil onto the skewers, the oil dripping onto the charcoal and making a sizzling sound. The servants followed suit, and soon the courtyard was filled with the aroma of grilled meat.

Chen Mengyao frequently flipped the meat skewers, sprinkling them with cumin powder, chili powder, and other seasonings, making the aroma even more enticing. She instructed her servants, "Watch the color of the meat; when it turns golden brown, it's almost cooked. You can sprinkle the seasonings now." The servants worked busily, both nervous and excited. Occasionally, someone would accidentally get tears in their eyes from the smoke, causing a burst of laughter from the crowd. As the first batch of skewers cooked, Chen Mengyao picked one up and took a bite. The meat was incredibly fragrant and had an excellent texture. She nodded in satisfaction and invited the servants to taste the fruits of her labor. The servants ate with happy faces, and the courtyard was filled with joy and the aroma of delicious food. Chen Mengyao even went into the room to get them drinks like Wanglaoji herbal tea.

The group sat around the campfire, thoroughly enjoying the unique barbecue. Each bite revealed the exquisite flavor of tender, juicy meat perfectly infused with spices, leaving a lingering aftertaste. The unidentified beverages were even more astonishing—refreshing, sweet, and delightfully delicious, like nectar. Although no one knew the origin of these foods and drinks, at that moment, who cared?

The reason they were so grateful to the princess was that she not only always thought of sharing these delicious dishes with everyone, but also always took great care of everyone's feelings. This genuine care had deeply touched everyone's hearts, filling them with endless trust and loyalty to the princess.

If anyone dares to harm the Princess in the future, everyone present will step forward without hesitation and fight with all their might to protect her. Even if the road ahead is treacherous and the enemy is incredibly powerful, they will never retreat a single step! Because in their hearts, the Princess is someone worth protecting with their lives.

After everyone devoured the food, Chen Mengyao smiled and said to everyone, "Thank you all for your hard work! But I need to ask you for a small favor." As she spoke, she turned around and took out a variety of colorful and dazzling ingredients from the side, and gestured for everyone to work together to skewer them one by one.

"Let's prepare a lot today so we can bring some to our new house tomorrow and enjoy a delicious barbecue feast in the new yard!" Chen Mengyao enthusiastically described the wonderful scene of tomorrow to everyone, making everyone's mouths water and eager to help.

And so, amidst laughter and cheerful chatter, everyone got busy again. Some were in charge of chopping vegetables, while others focused on skewering the ingredients; everyone was doing their job with great enthusiasm. In no time, the mountain of ingredients was neatly skewered onto bamboo sticks, resembling exquisite works of art.

Night had fallen, but no one felt tired at all. On the contrary, after all this work, everyone not only had a full stomach but was also full of energy and vitality. Seeing that all the ingredients had been prepared, Chen Mengyao nodded with satisfaction and said gently, "Thank you all for your hard work! Now, please help me tidy up the things."

Upon hearing this, people quickly sprang into action, washing and drying the used tableware and putting it back in its place. Chen Mengyao smiled and said goodbye to everyone, telling them to go home early to rest and recharge for a new day tomorrow. After they left, Chen Mengyao put the food back into her space as usual.