Chapter 109 - Let's prepare a meal together
-Well, now all we have to do is transfer it to my lab. Yu Xuan told me it only requires to be well mixed with water and we are done.
-No problem, please let me help you. - Feng Long smiles.
-This is not the kind of work your majesty should perform. - Yu Lexuan bows to him.
-I'll do it. I'll also be the first one to take this new medicine, after all, it should be safe to drink.
Feng Long smiles and helps Yu Lexuan to rise. He smiles back at him, and they start unloading the heavy loads. Zhang Yi goes away and returns with a cart so they can transfer the containers to his lab more easily.
After finishing the unloading and moving the containers to Zhang Yi's lab, Yu Lexuan helps Zhang Yi mix the chemicals in a large pot. Feng Long returns to Xia Chunyu's room, getting there, he knocks on the door.
Xia Chunyu and Ouyang Ziyu have just finished their bath and were already dressed. Ouyang opens the door and bows to Feng Long after seeing him:
-Please, rise...
Feng Long gently touches Ouyang Ziyu, helping him. Xia Chunyu smiles, and walks toward him:
-I noticed that the product you left in the bathroom for us has such a flowery scent... Just like you.
Feng Long smiles, and gently bows to Xia Chunyu:
-The most handsome emperor needs something that harmonizes with his heart...
-I need you. - Xia Chunyu smiles.
Feng Long blushes slightly and Ouyang tries not to laugh at that situation. Feng Long quickly recovers and takes both hands of Xia Chunyu, looking into his eyes:
-Well, if you say so...
-You know I'd never lie to you.
-I trust you.
They both smile at each other. Feng Long then turns, looking at the windows:
-Xia Chunyu, as I told you, we are betting on a new kind of medicine that is very promising... Would you want to take some?
-As far as I pay for it, no problem.
-You don't necessarily have to pay, as I told you earlier.
Ouyang Ziyu moves closer to Feng Long, bowing:
-His majesty, we will pay you for it, even if it only costs us one tael... It was not free for your prince and your minister of health to get it.
Xia Chunyu moves behind Feng Long, putting his hands on his hip:
-Even if I need to pay it in other ways...
Feng Long blushes:
-I'd not charge you anything but... You are willing to pay a fairly high price, Xia Chunyu...
-I have enough, well... money to pay for it, you know.
Xia Chunyu blushes slightly, as well as Ouyang Ziyu. Feng Long smiles:
-Well, whatever... Would you want to visit Zhang Yi's lab? The new medicine will be ready very soon, and after that, I'll prepare dinner for all of us.
Xia Chunyu smiles:
-Of course, I'd appreciate knowing more about your beautiful palace, Feng Long.
-Just follow me.
Feng Long turns and walks away, being followed by Ouyang and Xia Chunyu. In the lab, Zhang Yi and Yu Lexuan were having difficulties pouring the chemicals into the large pot, so they asked for Zhong Kunyi's help as well.
In the meantime, the pigeon sent by Ding Qi was arriving at Jinhua. It flew all the way to Zhang Yi's lab, resting on Feng Long's shoulder when he arrived. Xia Chunyu and Ouyang notice it as well:
-Feng Long, I think someone sent a letter.
-Yes, it is probably from our neighbour, Huangshan. It's been a while since they sent a letter.
Feng Long takes the letter, and they all go inside Zhang Yi's lab. There, Feng Long sits on a bench beside Xia Chunyu and Ouyang Ziyu, and also close to Yu Lexuan and his friends:
-Huangshan has sent a letter, it's been a while so maybe there are some important updates on it.
Yu Lexuan smiles, and brings Zhang Yi and Zhong Kunyi closer to Feng Long. He stands and starts reading out loud:
-"We are happy to communicate with his majesty Feng Long again. It's been a while since we've exchanged letters, I hope your majesty is doing really well because we aren't. We thought re-enacting a city shutdown would be the best option, but the city ran out of supplies and we were forced to reopen later. Our quarantine centres are full and Zhang Xiaofan is trying a new medicine, but nothing seems to be going forward. How about you? Are there new medicines available? We wish you a wonderful day!"
Zhang Yi smiles:
-Ding Qi is lucky! Well, if our new medicine works, it will help him tremendously!
-I think we have to do it in small steps. I understand that time is running fast, but I just want to be a bit more cautious about selling it elsewhere. - Feng Long turns, looking at everyone.
-Like I said, there's nothing really so concerning in this medicine. We can produce and sell it elsewhere without any problem. - Zhang Yi moves closer to Feng Long.
-Well, if you trust it so much, yes... We can send a small sample to Huangshan so they can test it first before ordering more.
-We can do it. It will take some time for us to mine more of those minerals.
Xia Chunyu walks toward Feng Long:
-Ding Qi used to be very ruthless against his people, I wonder why has he changed so much.
-There are other reasons. And I was not the main one.
Yu Lexuan smiles:
-Well, so I think we are almost done with the preparations.
-Excellent. In the meantime, I'll prepare lunch for us.
Feng Long smiles, as well as the others. He bows slightly and moves away. Xia Chunyu goes with him, and Ouyang stays with Yu Lexuan, offering help:
-Please, let me help you make these... I need to practice. I'll likely be the one who's going to mix and distribute this medicine when I arrive home.
-Yes, you can, please!
Yu Lexuan takes Ouyang's left hand, helping him mix the chemicals in the large pot using a piece of wood as a spoon. Ouyang blushes slightly, trying to avoid direct eye contact with Yu Lexuan, who smiles at him.
Getting to the kitchen, Feng Long turns, looking deeply at Xia Chunyu:
-It seems that you also like to cook, don't you?
-I'd cook for you.
-Hahaha! No, we will cook for our friends.
-It does not matter... I'll cook thinking about you.
Feng Long smirks:
-You are a good dessert.
-You can't eat a good dessert without a good spoon, or can you?
Feng Long smiles:
-If you say...
Xia Chunyu and Feng Long take some vegetal and meat and start making dinner. He helps Feng Long closely, gently holding his hands while handling a cleaver, sometimes passing his arm around his waist. Feng Long likes that and proceeds as Xia wants.
In Zhang Yi's lab, the new medicine was almost ready. It took a couple of hours for them to mix the minerals. Ouyang and Yu Lexuan are both exhausted:
-I think we will need a sort of machine to do it for us, Zhang Yi... Ahh... It is way too tiresome! - Yu Lexuan complains.
-A water wheel could be built for this purpose... We use them extensively in Jiangsu. - Ouyang smiles.
-This would be ideal... Yu Lexuan, can we build it? - Zhang Yi turns.
-I will provide one for us. We may need more than one actually.
-It is not that difficult to build. - Ouyang smiles.
Next, they put the medicine in medium-sized containers, just heavy enough to be lifted by a single person to the carriage. Ouyang Ziyu helps them, even though Yu Lexuan said it was not necessary.
Later, Feng Long and Xia Chunyu finish preparing dinner. Feng Long tastes the food, smiling:
-This is really tasty!
-Let's not forget that you have prepared it, it could only be tasty. - Xia Chunyu smiles.
-I was helped by the most handsome emperor... It was the secret ingredient!
They smile at each other:
-So, let's invite our loved ones to also eat with us.
-In no time.
They walk down to Zhang Yi's lab, and look for their friends, calling for their names. They quickly gather. Yu Lexuan bows:
-Your majesty, the medicines are ready to be shipped. We will distribute them locally in the afternoon.
Feng Long smiles, helping Yu Lexuan to rise:
-Please rise... I'm happy to know you all have worked hard. I prepared dinner for us, so please, come!
They all bow to Feng Long, then follow him and Xia Chunyu. Arriving at a room normally used to serve food for guests, they all take a seat. Feng Long and Xia Chunyu take the pans and bowls to the table and serve everyone:
-This has such a good scent, I wonder why. - Yu Lexuan smiles.
-Our Majesties seem to have talent when cooking is concerned. - Ouyang looks at Yu Lexuan.
-Feng Long cooks so well... He could have opened his own restaurant! - Zhong Kunyi smiles.
-But when two are cooking the same plate simultaneously, it requires a good amount of synergy. - Zhang Yi looks at Yu Lexuan.
Feng Long and Xia Chunyu smile, and sit side by side. As soon as they start eating, they can see that the food they have prepared together was really tasty for everyone else:
-We are grateful to know you all have liked it... This is just a demonstration of how well our empires can work and grow together. - Xia Chunyu smiles.
-Beauty of governance ultimately prevails... We may not have the strongest army or the strongest economy... But our people are living better and safer, knowing that they can count on us to keep the empire thriving.
-Well, there are other, hum... "beauties" out there making it ten times better! - Yu Lexuan laughs.
Xia Chunyu and Feng Long blush slightly, quickly recovering:
-Ann... Well, so that's it! Surely we've barely started. I think Ouyang will have quite a few things to talk about with Yu Lexuan and Zhong Kunyi, as well as me and his majesty, Xia Chunyu.
-Again, I see that you are amid a fight against the epidemic, his majesty... We don't want to cause a fuss. - Xia Chunyu bows slightly.
-You are welcome... We appreciate his majesty's warm heart toward us. - Feng Long helps him rise.
Xia Chunyu blushes slightly. They resume dinner, eating in silence and finishing it a while later:
-Well, so we have important tasks to be accomplished this afternoon, Yu Lexuan and Zhang Yi. I can help you with anything you need. - Feng Long gets up.
-We thank your majesty, but from now on, things are way easier to do. We can get it done ourselves. - Yu Lexuan and Zhang Yi bow.
-As you wish. In the meantime, Ouyang and his excellency, Zhong Kunyi, may talk a bit about any matter related to economics. I and his majesty Feng Long will also hold some talks in this direction. - Xia Chunyu gets up.
Ouyang Ziyu and Zhong Kunyi get up, bowing to their emperors:
-We will get it done.
They then disperse. Zhang Yi and Yu Lexuan will perform very demanding tasks alone, but they choose to do so just as a matter of politeness. Ouyang already helped them a lot, and it would not be polite to allow him to do such a task again, especially considering that he had to talk with Zhong Kunyi that day.
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