Chapter 18

Xiao Bao burst out in laughter: "Okay!"

For the lunch, the Imperial kitchen had prepared it for them. There were vegetables, and soup. Extremely exquisitely arranged in groups. The Blind Concubine simply had a taste of each meal, didn't eat much at all. Only said that it was because the weather was too hot and losing his appetite.

Xiao Bao told him: "This afternoon, I will go to tell the Imperial Kitchen, to bring in some appetizer. Master wants to eat the sour kind or the sweet kind of appetizer?"

The Blind Concubine reprimanded him: "We are only two people, there is no need to spread the food all over the table. It will be wasteful. In the former days, during the summer, I only have the mung bean porridge, this year we'll have it as usual."

Xiao Bao nodded his head: "I will comply with Master's wish."

After lunch, the Blind Concubine went to the Imperial Garden. The sky was slightly overcast, the sun was being obstructed by the clouds, pleasantly cool for a few degrees.

The Little Prince was playing with the General's scabbard. That scabbard even taller than him in comparison. Inlaid with sets of gems. Even with two hands, the Little Prince was still unable to hold it. He could only drag it on the ground, like a rake.

Xiao Bao said: "This little rice dumpling really knows how to spoil things."

The Blind Concubine lightly replied to him: "Every child, when they see things, will act this way."

Not long after, Qi Sheng also arrived at the Imperial Garden. Little Prince hastily tossed away the scabbard. Behaved himself and exercised his kung-fu.

The Blind Concubine went to Qi Sheng, "We meet again, General."

Qi Sheng laughed and said: "Today also come to accompany the Little Prince?"

"Mm."

They engaged in an idle chat for a while. Qi Sheng looked up at the sky, saying: "The sky has been overcast. It looks like rain."

Nodding his head, The Blind Concubine said, "The humidity in the air indeed has become heavier."

"It has been hot for a long time. A spell of heavy rain will be good."

"Indeed it is as what General had said, heavier is better, so it won't be confusingly stuffy anymore."

Qi Sheng told him: "That being said, you better head home early, the Little Prince here has got me to watch over him."

Softly laughed, the Blind Concubine said: "Then I have to thank General."

Walking out from the Imperial Garden, in the middle of their way back home, Xiao Bao patted his forehead: "I almost forgot to tell the Imperial Kitchen about the mung bean porridge."

The Blind Concubine considered: "It is not a big deal."

Xiao Bao stated: "Who said three meals a day isn't a big deal? Master, you just wait here, I will go for a while and then come back soon."

The Blind Concubine said: "I know my way around."

Xiao Bao gazed at the sky for a while, "It is raining soon, from what it looks like, it won't be a spell of light rain, Master go going back first is a good thing." After saying that, he quickly ran off towards the Imperial Kitchen.

From this place, the distance to the Imperial Kitchen was not that far. However, the narrow path in the Palace was curving and revolving, it was quite time consuming. By the time he finished with the food issue, the sky, which had already been densely covered by the gloomy clouds, had started to send its drip and drop droplets of water.

A very light thread of rain had fluttered in the sky, just about to begin to scatter its soft and lithe water. And then, the rain's rhythm became heavier, in a very short time, it had become a heavy downpour.

Xiao Bao assumed that the Blind Concubine must have had gotten back safely to their serving quarter, therefore he wasn't worried at all. He intended to wait until the force of the rain became slower before heading home. The lightning in the sky was thunderous. The downpour getting more and more heavier, not showing the least bit tendency of decreasing. Xiao Bao bit his lip. Using his upper garment to wrap up his head, he broke into the heavy downpour.

Ran all the way to the serving quarter. When he arrived, he had already been drenched thoroughly.

He shook his head to throw the water away, took off his wet clothes, then heaved a sigh: "What a downpour!"

He added: "Fortunately, Master had come home earlier. Don't have to face the rain."

For a very long time, there wasn't any reply.

"Master??"

He called out continuously for quite some time, still no one there to answer him. Gradually, he generated a shred of ominous premonition. Hurriedly ran all over to the room, looked for the Blind Concubine in all direction of the house. However, even though he had ran all over the place, even the shadow of the Blind Concubine couldn't be seen.

From outside the room, the thunder was rumbling. Big droplets of water was pounding on the window, it was as if being violently knocked by hands. Xiao Bao uncontrollably felt nervous and alarmed. Without taking an umbrella, he turned his body and ran back into the rain.