GTB Chapter 73

Chapter 73: The More, The Merrier

In the main kitchen, an old woman grabbed a chicken from a nearby enclosure and stopped a few steps away from Jiang Jiuchu.

“Seventh Imperial Consort, what do you think of this chicken’s feathers? The color is black-green, do you like it? If you don’t, this old servant will go and exchange it for another one.” As she spoke, she turned the chicken’s rear towards Jiang Jiuchu.

“It’s good, it’s good, I like the dark colors, this one will do.” Jiang Jiuchu pinched the white handkerchief in her hand, ready at any moment.

Seeing that Jiang Jiuchu was satisfied, the old servant quickly took the knife handed over by someone next to her and went to the side to start bleeding the chicken.

“Wait.” Seeing that the old woman directly squatted on the ground to bleed and kill the chicken, Jiang Jiuchu thought, the blood would definitely be completely absorbed by the soil, how would she get the blood then?

“What’s wrong, Seventh Imperial Consort?” Aunt Xing stood aside, asking in confusion.

Jiang Jiuchu thought for a moment and said, “I heard a scholar say that chicken blood is a good thing for watering Monstera deliciosa. I suddenly thought that there seem to be a few Monstera deliciosa plants in the purple bamboo area next to His Highness’s house, so I thought I shouldn’t waste it.”

As soon as Aunt Xing heard this, she quickly ordered someone to take a large bowl to catch the blood. She was happy in her heart, never expecting that the Seventh Imperial Consort would be so concerned about the bamboos in His Highness’s courtyard.

Seeing that the chicken blood had been drained, Jiang Jiuchu stepped forward, asked the chicken-killing nanny to pluck a few of the best-looking feathers, and then, carrying the half-bowl of chicken blood on the ground, she prepared to leave.

“Seventh Imperial Consort, this old servant will help you carry it, don’t get it on your body.”

“It’s alright, it won’t get dirty, I can do it myself, Aunt Xing, you go and be busy!” After Jiang Jiuchu refused, she turned and left.

After walking a distance, she looked back and saw that there was no one around, so she dipped the handkerchief she had been holding in her hand into the bowl.

After dipping it, she looked at the small patch of blood on the handkerchief and was a little conflicted. She didn’t seem to be very clear about how much blood a woman would shed after consummating the marriage. She… hadn’t heard anyone say!

She was very conflicted. She couldn’t ask anyone about this kind of thing. Forget it, the more, the merrier! She pinched the four corners of the handkerchief and dipped most of the middle into the bowl.

Just as she finished everything and wanted to pour out the chicken blood in her hand and throw away the bowl, a figure suddenly walked out from the side, scaring her so much that she almost splashed the bowl of chicken blood in his face.

“Seventh Imperial Sister-in-law, what are you holding in your hand?”

Jiang Jiuchu quickly lowered her hand, hiding the handkerchief in her wide sleeves.

“Oh, it’s Eighth Brother! It’s nothing, just chicken blood.” As Jiang Jiuchu spoke, she continued to walk forward with the bowl.

Shí Yuanchen followed beside her, “Seventh Sister-in-law, what are you going to do with the chicken blood in this bowl?”

“Oh, I just heard that chicken blood is best for nourishing bamboo, so I’m just taking it back to water the Monstera deliciosa in the courtyard.”

Shí Yuanchen asked curiously, “Is there such a saying? Why haven’t I heard of it?”

“These are all folk remedies. I heard it from a bamboo lover in An Yang County.” Jiang Jiuchu made up a reason.

“Seventh Sister-in-law, what good things are you hiding in your hand?” Let me see!

“It’s just a few chicken feathers, I plan to use them to make a shuttlecock, Eighth Prince, can you make one?”

Jiang Jiuchu changed the subject, not wanting him to see the handkerchief stained with chicken blood under her wide sleeves.

As she spoke, without waiting for Shí Yuanchen to reply, she quickly handed the half-bowl of chicken blood to him, “Can you help me hold this?”

“Sure, I was just about to go find Seventh Brother. I’ll help you carry it.”

Seeing that Shí Yuanchen had taken the bowl, Jiang Jiuchu immediately said, “Then you can help me take it back directly! I’ll go back and find Green Luo to make a shuttlecock first.”

After she finished speaking, she quickly stepped forward and ran away, seemingly impatiently.

Shí Yuanchen paused, looked at the chicken blood in the bowl, and finally didn’t dare to run.

Jiang Jiuchu ran all the way to the courtyard, entered the room, found a corner to put the blood-stained handkerchief, and waited for Nanny Li to come tomorrow to give it to her directly.

“Miss, have you picked out good-looking chicken feathers?” Green Luo walked in from outside the door.

“Yeah, take them and wash them.” After Jiang Jiuchu handed over the chicken feathers, she realized that her hands were stained with some blood, and quickly went out to fetch water and wash her hands.

Just after washing, she saw Shí Yuanchen carrying the bowl of chicken blood into the courtyard. She went up to him, took the bowl of chicken blood, and thanked him, “Thank you, Eighth Brother, I’ll bring you to play together when the shuttlecock is made.”

After she finished speaking, she carried the bowl of chicken blood towards the side of the house and poured it directly on a Monstera deliciosa plant.

However, when she turned around, she found that Shí Yan was holding a writing brush and sitting at his desk, looking at her through a window on the side of the house.

Jiang Jiuchu was shocked and quickly took the bloody bowl and left the scene, after all, the chicken blood nourishing the bamboo was all nonsense she made up.

She handed the bowl to Green Luo and washed her hands again, then returned to the house.

Not long after lying on the chaise longue, she heard Shí Yuanchen’s voice from outside the house.

“Seventh Sister-in-law, the shuttlecock is made, do you want to come out and kick it?”

“Forget it! I’m a little sleepy, let’s kick it another day.” After Jiang Jiuchu shouted out, she continued to sleep.

Alas! Why does it feel like the chaise longue I usually lie on is not so comfortable anymore! Is the reaction so big after not sleeping in bed for one night?

Speaking of which, will she have to sleep on the floor from now on? This is not a long-term solution!

After this wedding period is over, can she ask the Seventh Prince to arrange a separate courtyard for her?

As Jiang Jiuchu thought about it, the figure of Song Fuge outside the sedan chair yesterday appeared in her mind.

The golden light shining in through the window gradually turned red.

Probably because she didn’t sleep well last night, Jiang Jiuchu slept directly until sunset.

“Miss, wake up quickly, it’s time for dinner.”

Jiang Jiuchu was awakened by Green Luo’s voice and couldn’t tell what time it was, “Time for dinner?”

“Yes, you’ve been sleeping all afternoon, I’m afraid you won’t be able to sleep at night.”

Green Luo said as she helped her young lady up. She accompanied her to the dining room next door.

“Is he not coming to eat?” Jiang Jiuchu asked, puzzled, not seeing Shí Yan’s figure.

“Oh, His Highness took Eighth Prince out in the afternoon and has not yet returned.”

Jiang Jiuchu nodded and began to eat, drinking a bowl of chicken soup that was stewed for her.

After eating quickly, she ordered Green Luo to fetch hot water, taking advantage of Shí Yan’s absence to wash up early.

But after washing up early, she didn’t dare to make the floor bed too early, fearing that the maids would see it, so she took out the book “Essays on the Bizarre” that Song Fuge had given her from the box and sat at the table to read it.

Just as she was engrossed in reading, a creaking door sound scared her into a cold sweat in an instant.

She looked up and saw Shí Yan walking in.

Jiang Jiuchu’s eyes widened, her gaze falling on the object he was holding, what was that ball of red fluff?

Shí Yan walked up to Jiang Jiuchu and sat down, picked up the pastries on the table, and patiently fed the little red fox in his arms.

Jiang Jiuchu’s gaze was completely attracted by the little red fox, and she only turned a page of the book in her hand after a long time.

She had only seen a fox once, when she was shopping with her mother as a child and saw a white fox locked in a hunter’s cage. Just as she wanted to ask her mother to buy it for her, a big sister bought it first.

However, this red fox seemed to be even more spiritual.

Jiang Jiuchu glanced at Shí Yan’s cold face, as if he didn’t want to pay attention to her, or rather, as if she didn’t exist.

She had no choice but to endure a heart that was being melted by cuteness, and while flipping through the book, she peeked up at him.

Seeing that the little fox in his arms had eaten almost enough, Shí Yan got up and put the fox on the bed, then walked to the cabinet, took out a set of inner clothes, and entered the secret door.