In the end, Jiang Yunshu "personally" speared three fish!
Never mind that her hand was guided by Xie Lin’s… the spear was in her hand, after all!
Couldn’t that count as her doing it herself?
After Jiang Yunshu and Xie Lin came up from the lake, the palace attendants had already prepared hot water, and the two went to their tents to bathe and change.
When they stepped out again, the aroma of grilled fish greeted Jiang Yunshu.
She eagerly approached the bonfire and asked, "Which ones did I catch?"
The cook immediately pointed to two fish roasting over the fire and replied respectfully, "These two are being grilled, and the third has been made into fish soup."
Jiang Yunshu nodded in satisfaction at the arrangement. Perfect—one grilled fish for her, one for Xie Lin, and the soup to share.
She had caught these fish herself, so she was determined to savor every bite.
Once Jiang Yunshu left, the cook exhaled in relief, his expression one of someone who had narrowly escaped disaster.
All thanks to the Chief Steward’s reminder!
The cook mused that he had been preparing meals for Her Majesty the Empress Dowager for years—even before she became the Empress Dowager. His dishes had always suited her tastes.
It was precisely because of her favor that he had been chosen to accompany her on this trip to oversee her meals.
He prided himself on understanding Her Majesty’s preferences, yet he realized now that the Chief Steward knew her far better.
Had Xie Lin not reminded him earlier, he would never have thought to specially set aside the three fish Her Majesty had "personally" caught, preparing them exclusively for her and the Chief Steward.
Weren’t all fish from the same lake the same? And as for how Her Majesty had "personally" caught them… well, the palace attendants weren’t fooled.
Without the Chief Steward’s warning, he would have simply picked the plumpest fish for them.
The cook silently admitted to himself—no one understood Her Majesty’s mind like the Chief Steward did.
Jiang Yunshu enjoyed the grilled fish and the soup, thoroughly satisfied. This was exactly the kind of unique experience she wanted while traveling!
Noticing her enthusiasm, Xie Lin asked, "Would you like to try archery tomorrow? There should be pheasants and rabbits around here."
Jiang Yunshu’s eyes lit up. "Yes!"
By now, she was quite skilled at horseback riding and had even practiced archery.
In the palace, Xie Lin was busy, Yuancheng was busy, Concubine Qiao was busy—everyone had their own duties. Jiang Yunshu had plenty of time to herself and had taken up many new hobbies.
Her aim at targets was decent, but she had never tried shooting live prey before.
Eagerly, she rubbed her hands together, imagining catching pheasants and rabbits—tomorrow, she’d treat Xie Lin to roasted rabbit and pheasant soup.
But the next day, after riding for a long time and finally spotting pheasants and rabbits, Jiang Yunshu hesitated when it came time to shoot.
The pheasant’s vibrant feathers shimmered in the sunlight, and the rabbit’s fluffy form darted through the grass.
She lowered her bow. "Never mind. We’re not short on meat—why bother hunting them?"
Xie Lin glanced at her. "Your Majesty didn’t say that yesterday while devouring the grilled fish and praising how delicious it was."
Jiang Yunshu laughed. "Spearing fish and shooting rabbits feel different, though…"
A hint of sheepishness crossed her face before she quickly regained her confidence. "Pretty things are special. The first time I saw you, Chief Steward, it was because of your looks that I—"
Before she could finish, she let out a startled cry.
Xie Lin suddenly pulled her from her horse onto his own.
With one arm around her waist, he spurred his horse into a gallop, racing back to the tents.
By the time Jiang Yunshu emerged again, night had fully fallen.
She and Xie Lin lay side by side on the open ground beside the tent, beneath a silver crescent moon and a sky strewn with countless stars forming a dazzling river of light.
A moment later, Xie Lin’s arm reached out again, drawing her close.
As she tilted her head back, the stars above seemed to sway in unison.
