The Prince's Beloved Little Wife

Chen Mengyao cleverly used a quiet and elegant courtyard in the Grand Tutor's residence as her secret base. From her spatial storage, she meticulously selected all the ingredients needed for the buffet—fresh seafood, tender meats, vibrant green vegetables, and a variety of seasonings, each gleaming enticingly, as if foreshadowing a feast for the senses that evening. In addition, she thoughtfully brought along detailed cooking instructions, meticulously recording the steps and techniques for each dish, from knife skills to heat control, demonstrating the importance she placed on this dinner. She also brought out several iron bowls for holding the food.

Of course, a perfect buffet wouldn't be complete without drinks. Chen Mengyao was equally thoughtful, retrieving a wide variety of beverages from the available space, including refreshing and sweet fruit juices, rich and aromatic milk teas, and even rare wines from afar—each carefully selected to satisfy the diverse tastes of her guests. She also prepared several large buckets to hold these drinks, ensuring an ample supply throughout the dinner.

As for the pastries and fruits, Chen Mengyao decided not to take them out of her spatial storage, since there were still quite a few fruits and pastries left in the mansion from that morning. She instructed her maids to quickly gather the servants in the mansion and send the ingredients, cooking instructions, and iron plates that she had just taken out to the kitchen. She also gave them detailed instructions on how to carefully prepare tonight's dishes according to the instructions in the documents, making sure that every dish would become a topic of conversation among the guests.

Meanwhile, Chen Mengyao didn't stop her busy work. She and several attentive maids stayed in the courtyard, beginning to prepare the much-anticipated drinks. Their movements were practiced and efficient, pouring bottles of beverages into prepared containers; every detail revealed their anticipation and meticulous attention to detail for the banquet. In addition, Chen Mengyao specially ordered many long tables to be moved from the storeroom. These tables would be used to set the buffet food and drinks, providing guests with a spacious and comfortable dining environment. She also specifically instructed her servants to carefully move these long tables to the dining hall, ensuring everything was ready before the banquet began.

Throughout the process, Chen Mengyao demonstrated exceptional organizational skills and meticulous care; every action she took revealed her boundless love and anticipation for the banquet.

She meticulously instructed the servants beside her, her voice revealing a unique blend of undeniable authority and gentleness. She directed them to collect all the remaining unwashed fruit, a vibrant array of colors, like scattered jewels awaiting careful handling. She demanded that they thoroughly clean the fruit, leaving no detail overlooked, ensuring it was restored to its original, freshest state.

After washing, she personally supervised her subordinates as they cut the glistening fruit into even pieces. Each piece radiated an enticing sheen and aroma, as if silently proclaiming its deliciousness and freshness. The cut fruit was neatly arranged on an iron plate, which gleamed with a cold metallic sheen under the light, creating a striking contrast with the bright colors of the fruit and making it appear even more tempting.

After arranging the fruit, she instructed the servants to prepare pastries. Under her direction, the servants busied themselves methodically, filling the room with an orderly atmosphere. However, the moment the servants left the room, she swiftly and deftly placed the iron platters filled with fruit into her spatial storage.

She placed the fruit in a container inside the space's refrigeration unit, a container designed to maintain its freshness and texture, making it appear as if it had just been picked. She did this because she knew that if the fruit were left out for too long, it would lose its original flavor and texture, becoming less appealing. She would then bring it out to serve her guests at dinner that evening.

After meticulous preparations, ensuring everything was in place, she gracefully stepped out of her room, intending to extend another invitation to the Grand Tutor and other high-ranking officials in the capital, inviting them and their families to dine together. She already had a plan in mind: to use this opportunity to cultivate relationships with the officials' families and build good connections. Having navigated the treacherous waters of the business world, she knew that connections were resources. With the support of these officials' families, her future business dealings would undoubtedly be much smoother, and she could avoid many unnecessary troubles and obstacles.

When she laid out her ideas to the Grand Tutor and his advisors, they all showed expressions of approval. The Grand Tutor, in particular, expressed his support without hesitation, believing it to be an excellent opportunity to both strengthen his relationships with the ministers and pave the way for her business. Therefore, the Grand Tutor immediately took action, mobilizing his wife, sons, and daughters-in-law to join in writing the invitations. He himself personally wrote each invitation meticulously, every word conveying sincerity and respect.

Seeing this, Ouyang Han joined in without hesitation. His brushstrokes were fluid and his handwriting powerful, and he quickly completed several letters. With everyone's concerted effort, the letters soon piled up like a mountain, and soon all the letters to the ministers in the capital were finished. Looking at these letters, which embodied everyone's hard work, she was filled with gratitude and anticipation.

The Grand Tutor, fully aware of the importance of this matter, immediately dispatched his personal guards to deliver the invitations. These guards were all agile and swift. Ouyang Han also summoned his own guards to join the mission. He repeatedly instructed them to personally deliver the invitations to the officials, ensuring absolute safety.

Upon receiving the order, the guards immediately took the invitations and sped off in different directions like arrows released from a bow. Their figures were as swift and mysterious as ghosts. Watching the guards' departing backs, she was filled with confidence and anticipation. She knew that tonight's banquet would be a new beginning, an opportunity for her to build deep friendships with the ministers' families.

Soon after, the guards swiftly arrived at the residences of the ministers, personally handing them exquisitely crafted invitations before disappearing like a fleeting night breeze. The ministers, filled with curiosity, opened the invitations to find that Princess Jing cordially invited them and their families to a banquet at the Grand Tutor's residence. Some astute ministers couldn't help but speculate that this might be a way for Princess Jing to facilitate her business ventures, establishing good relationships with their families to build valuable connections and resources for her commercial success.

The ministers, overjoyed, shared this good news with their wives and children. At midday, after the ladies and daughters tasted the exquisite pastries and juicy fruits, they all praised them highly. They were filled with curiosity and longing for Princess Jing, eager to see for themselves what kind of extraordinary woman she was. Now, with such a rare opportunity, they were naturally delighted and readily agreed.

The women returned to their chambers and began carefully selecting their attire for the evening's banquet. They meticulously compared each magnificent garment, hoping to present their most elegant and captivating selves at the event. The entire mansion was filled with an atmosphere of anticipation and joy, as everyone made thorough preparations for the upcoming feast.

Of course, everyone remembered to prepare a thoughtful gift for the esteemed Princess Jing to express their sincere gratitude for her personal invitation to this grand banquet. After all, it was a special dinner she had hosted, inviting them to share in the delicious food; such an honor could not be taken lightly. Following the tradition of reciprocity, they knew they could not be impolite and had to present a gift that was both substantial and heartfelt.

Therefore, each minister racked their brains, trying to choose the most unique and precious gift from among the many available. They gathered together and discussed for a long time, each face beaming with seriousness and anticipation. After careful consideration, they finally reached a consensus—to go to the storeroom and select some precious medicinal herbs and exquisite jewelry as gifts.

The storeroom was filled with all sorts of rare and precious treasures, a dazzling sight. The ministers carefully selected their items, knowing Princess Jing's fondness for medicinal herbs and jewelry, and thus paying particular attention to these aspects. They meticulously chose some top-quality medicinal herbs, not only highly effective but also extremely rare, each plant embodying the essence of nature and the dedication of artisans. They also selected exquisitely designed and crafted pieces of jewelry, shimmering with a dazzling light, like the brightest stars in the night sky, unforgettable at first sight.

As these precious gifts were carefully packed and prepared to be delivered to Princess Jing's residence, every minister wore a satisfied smile. They knew that these gifts not only represented their respect and gratitude to Princess Jing, but also their emphasis on and anticipation for the upcoming banquet.

Seeing that everything was proceeding smoothly, Chen Mengyao felt a little relieved and decided to take a short rest so that she could greet and entertain the guests with renewed energy later. Therefore, she politely asked her godmother, the Grand Tutor's wife, if she could find a quiet courtyard to rest for a while. Upon hearing this, the Grand Tutor's wife immediately showed understanding and concern, knowing that Chen Mengyao had been busy since early morning and was exhausted, and truly needed such an opportunity to relax and recover.

Without the slightest hesitation, the Grand Tutor's wife personally led Chen Mengyao through winding corridors to a secluded courtyard far from the hustle and bustle. Shaded by lush trees and filled with the sounds of birds and the fragrance of flowers, it seemed isolated from the world, a rare haven. The Grand Tutor's wife gently pushed open the door to an elegant room, gesturing for Chen Mengyao to enter and rest, and carefully instructed the servants to maintain the tranquility of the place and not to disturb it in the slightest.

Chen Mengyao nodded gratefully and stepped into the room. A faint, pleasant fragrance wafted into her nostrils, instantly relaxing her tense nerves. She turned to her maids and said, "You've all worked hard. Go and rest in the next room. Come back to wake me later." The maids looked grateful and nodded respectfully before leaving the room and heading to the adjacent rest room.

And so, Chen Mengyao was finally able to temporarily put aside all her worries and busyness in this peaceful place, close her eyes in peace, and enjoy this rare moment of tranquility.

Fearing she might oversleep at the crucial moment, she carefully took out her alarm clock from her spatial storage and meticulously adjusted the time. At that moment, the sunlight streamed obliquely through the window, and the hour hand pointed to two in the afternoon, the time known in ancient times as Wei Shi. She carefully set the alarm for four o'clock, the beginning of Shen Shi, giving her a full two hours of rest—more than enough for her. She planned to wake up early to double-check everything, ensuring nothing was overlooked, to avoid any panic or oversight later.

Just as she was about to drift off to sleep, a thought suddenly flashed through her mind. She thought of the products in her department store—underwear, sanitary napkins, and other women's products. Why not take advantage of tonight to let those wealthy ladies and their daughters try them out? Wouldn't that make her business more secure? With that thought, she immediately took action, using her mind to retrieve a large quantity of underwear and sanitary napkins of different sizes from her storage space, enough to fill several large boxes.

Not only that, she also thoughtfully prepared toiletries and bath products, all in travel-sized containers for the guests to try. Of course, she didn't forget the men's preferences either; pens, ink, paper, and various portable papers and notebooks were also taken out and neatly arranged to the side. All these items combined barely filled more than a dozen large boxes.

While organizing these items, she made sure to separate the woman's personal belongings to avoid confusion. The rest of the items were piled up in another corner of the room, creating a rather impressive sight. Only after confirming that she had everything perfectly prepared did she finally breathe a sigh of relief, lie down on the bed, and drift off to sleep.

Chen Mengyao slept extremely soundly, as if all her fatigue had been gently swept away. When the alarm clock rang, she naturally opened her eyes, carrying a hint of languor yet a refreshing aura. She poured a cup of spiritual spring water from an exquisite porcelain bottle in her own space, drank it, and immediately felt her whole being filled with an indescribable freshness and vitality.

In a cheerful mood, Chen Mengyao immediately instructed several of her trusted maids to summon the servants and move the pile of items from the corner into the spacious and bright main hall. The servants, though somewhat surprised by the sudden appearance of the items, were well-trained and asked no questions, simply following Chen Mengyao's instructions silently. Soon, the items were neatly arranged in the hall.

Taking advantage of the servants' busy moments, Chen Mengyao summoned the skillful Meixiang and asked her to restyle her hair into a unique and elegant updo. Meixiang's technique was adept, and in no time, a stunning updo appeared on Chen Mengyao's head. After finishing her hair and makeup, Chen Mengyao carefully tidied her clothes, ensuring that every detail was perfect, before heading towards the kitchen.

Before even reaching the kitchen, the enticing aroma of food wafted through the air, whetting Chen Mengyao's appetite. She quickened her pace and entered the kitchen, where the chefs were busily and efficiently preparing the dishes she had requested. Each dish was beautifully presented, fragrant, and delicious, making her mouth water. Chen Mengyao smiled and said to the chefs, "Thank you for your hard work. Remember to put your own portions on separate plates, and the rest in the bowls I prepared for you." The chefs were overjoyed, never expecting to enjoy such delicious food themselves, and they worked even harder.

Chen Mengyao quietly observed their process, watching them skillfully add various seasonings, and couldn't help but nod in approval. The preparation and seasoning of each dish perfectly met her requirements, making her very satisfied. So, she smiled and nodded contentedly, leaving the kitchen, looking forward to the delicious feast to come.