The Meal

Li Mingxuan stood still with his head down. The people around the table did not know what he was thinking. Li Baojia took the initiative to walk up to him and said, "Mingxuan..."

Before she could say something else, Li Mingxuan raised his head, smiled, and said, "Well, fine. Let's go back to the table."

Li Baojia felt strange, but all the people behind were watching. She could not say more but returned to the table with worry.

Li Wangde sat at the head of the table, ordered the servants to serve the food, and looked at the people around. "Let's eat!" Li Wangdi said.

Then those people picked up chopsticks and began to eat.

Although the meal was nominally due to Li Mingxuan's return, it seemed that he was obviously not at the center today.

Qin Ke kept putting vegetables in Li Li's bowl.

"Lili, don't you like this pigeon soup best? I'll get some for you."

"Lili, you said that the stewed chicken was delicious last time. I'll get some for you."

Li Li did not answer at all and just ate like crazy. He was not very old, but his weight was not small. He was a real little fat man, which must have something to do with his mother.

After a while, Li Wangde said, "Enough. If he wants to eat something, he should reach for it himself. Don't you ever do that again?"

Qin Ke may also feel that this seemed not so right. She then turned her head and looked at Li Mingxuan. She felt embarrassed and then picked a piece of fish into Li Mingxuan's bowl and said, "Mingxuan, eat more fish. It's good for your health."

Li Mingxuan laughed bitterly. He had never eaten fish since he was a child because he would have some rashes when he ate it.

Li Baojia said, "Mingxuan..."

Huang Ru'er tugged at Li Baojia under the table, but Li Baojia still finished her sentence. "Mingxuan doesn't eat fish."

Then there was a moment of embarrassment.

Qin Ke laughed and said, "Oh, my bad. I forgot about it."

Li Wangde said, "Just don't eat. Stop talking now. Just eat what you like."

Li Wangde looked at Qin Ke when he said the last sentence.

Qin Ke came from a small merchant family. Her family rules were not as strict as those of a big family. Usually, there were not so many people eating at one table. Li Wangde just tolerated her.

Somehow today, he felt a little embarrassed under the gaze of Li Wangde's first wife, Huang Ru'er, Li Baojia, and Li Mingxuan.

Huang Ru'er was contemptuous. She said to herself, "What bad habits she got!"

For a moment, there were no voices on the table. And everyone finished the meal quietly.

After the meal, Huang Ru'er wiped her mouth and said, "Jiajia, today you went to deliver soup to the crown prince. What did the crown prince say to you?"

Li Baojia said vaguely, "What else could he say? He didn't say anything."

Huang Ru'er said suspiciously, "But I heard that he kept you for breakfast. What did he say after this that? Nothing?"

Li Wangde's eyes lit up, and he said happily, "The crown prince asked you to stay for breakfast today?"

"Ha ha! Good for you, my daughter."

Li Baojia said, "Dad, mom, because I didn't have breakfast then, the crown prince felt kind of sorry that I didn't have breakfast and went to deliver soup, so he asked me to have breakfast with him."

Li Wangde was still happy. He said, "Even so, the crown prince has treated you very well. It seems that something good is happening to our family."

"Just get along with the crown prince, and I will cover the rest for you."

Although Li Wangde had only taught the crown prince for three years, he knew the crown prince a little.

The crown prince was easy-going and polite. He never went beyond his due limit with the ladies in the palace.

Li Baojia went to the palace and had breakfast with the crown palace.

Li Baojia was kind of nervous now. She said, "The crown prince doesn't like me. Dad, you don't have to waste your time on that."

Qin Ke beside him also said, "Sir, I think Baojia is right about this. There are no other signs yet. Don't overthink."

Huang Ru'er immediately became annoyed. She shouted at Qin Ke, "What do you mean by that? You just can't tolerate the fact that my daughter will be living a good life, right?"

Qin Ke sneered and said, "Sis, I don't mean that. Can't you see that? Baojia doesn't like..."

"Come on! Shut up!" Li Wangde frowned.

"She is just a girl. I am her father, and I am not going to do anything to harm her. I have my own conclusion about this."

Although Li Wangde was the Grand Preceptor, the Li family was no longer quite favored by the emperor.

Old Mr. Li was the mentor of the emperor. He had taught the emperor for more than ten years. Then the emperor had just one of the most insignificant princes.

Finally, when he ascended the throne, other aristocratic families were both surprised and frightened, and the Li family got rewarded very well.

However, Li Wangde was not too knowledgeable. He became the Grand Preceptor of the crown prince just because of his father. The crown prince was talented, and he was also the legitimate eldest son. The Grand Preceptor was useless.

Now the crown prince was different. More than a dozen preceptors had to teach the crown prince riding and shooting, soccer, martial arts, and military tactics. Therefore, there must be several dozen of preceptors in total.

At this moment, the emperor still supported the Li family, but what if the crown prince ascended the throne?

The imperial court would not support the Li family, and it would be no different from the second-class aristocratic families in the capital.

If the Li family declined when Li Wangde was in charge, he would be humiliated.

Therefore, his daughters must marry well, so he did not hesitate to match Li Rulan to Duke Guangping, a widower.

That was almost the best result for Li Rulan.

If Li Baojia could marry the crown prince and become the crown princess, then he would be the father-in-law of the future emperor.

The Li family would still be prosperous.

Thinking about this, Li Wangde looked at Li Baojia and said, "You are going to get married soon. Stop fooling around all day long and learn some needlework."

Otherwise, how could she bear the burden as the empress?

Li Baojia said she would, but she was secretly thinking about her own plan.

Her becoming the crown princess would not make the Li family prosperous, but they would not believe her now.

She could only tell them about this later.

The servants came to remove the dishes, and Li Wangde returned in a good mood. Before he left, he said to Huang Ru'er, "Make preparations tonight, and I'll go to your room for the night."

Qin Ke seemed kind of upset and said, "Sir..."

Li Wangde just ignored her, turned around, and left.

When Huang Ru'er and Li Baojia left, Qin Ke gnashed her teeth and said, "Li Baojia has not become the crown princess. However, he already treated me like this."

"If she really becomes the crown princess, I will be just an unimportant woman in this family."

Xixi beside her said, "What can we do now?"

Qin Ke put on a sinister look and said, "Actually, I don't want her to marry some bad guy. I just want her to marry someone worse than Li Rulan's husband. Baojia, don't blame me. I have to do this."

Li Baojia and Li Mingxuan, who had just left the dining table, walked into the small garden.

Many flowers in the garden were in full bloom. The beautiful flowers were lively and very pleasing to the eye from afar.

Li Baojia looked anxiously at Li Mingxuan and said, "Mingxuan, were you okay just now?"

Li Mingxuan sighed and said, "Don't worry about me. I'm fine. I'm used to it now. Well, what do you think about the crown prince?"