The Dramatic Crown Princess Wants to Poison Me!

Chapter 136: Chapter 136: Don’t Sneak a Bite

Xia Wenjin was somewhat moved.

In Huangfu Jingchen’s urgency, there was worry and concern, and the protective look in his eyes was obvious. He was genuine, preferring to face matters himself in the future rather than pushing the unpleasant things onto others.

Looking at the man she always thought of as a little brat, Xia Wenjin felt she was mistaken.

He was not a little brat. All along, he had the responsibility of a man. When something happened, he always charged ahead, never using others as a shield, even if it made him feel sick enough to vomit, he would still stand in front of her.

How could such a person be a little brat?

She had always been viewing him through her past life’s perspective and mindset; her attitude and opinions need to change in the future!

She smiled and said self-deprecatingly, ”Stop arguing, I’m Long Yang, whether male or female, it doesn’t really matter to me.”

Huangfu Jingchen exclaimed, ”No! You’re just... in time you will...”

Xia Wenjin chuckled calmly, ”You’re not falling for me, are you?”

Huangfu Jingchen paused, then a suspicious redness appeared on his handsome face, the flush on his face betrayed his sudden embarrassment, and he said, ”What nonsense are you talking about?”

Xia Wenjin shrugged, chuckling, ”The back mountain is definitely more dangerous, I’m not going to such a risky place. If the Zen room holds nothing, I can at least get a good sleep. Isn’t that easier than going to the back mountain? Such a nice thing, and you want to wrestle it from me!”

Huangfu Jingchen didn’t mean that, and rethinking his previous feelings when exploring the back mountain, maybe Xia Wenjin was right. If there were no dangers in the Zen room, wouldn’t it be easier?

Kong Chan had been smiling all along, and now seeing a decision was made, he said, ”Alright then, as tomorrow’s been settled, what shall we do next?”

Xia Wenjin chuckled, ”Haven’t I said it already, compensate you with a drumstick!”

As soon as the words ”drumstick” were mentioned, Kong Chan’s eyes lit up, and he asked, ”Where’s the drumstick? Where’s the drumstick?”

Xia Wenjin rolled her eyes, ”Of course, go fetch it. We’re in the mountains; surely there must be wild chickens around! As long as we find one, there’ll be drumsticks. I promise, once roasted, it will be unforgettable!”

Kong Chan immediately said, ”Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go!”

Xia Wenjin said with a smile, ”I’ll leave the hunting to you, the fake monk, I’ll get ready, and Huang Zheng can help me!”

Kong Chan had no objections, ”It’s decided then.”

He was grateful to be living in a private and spacious Zen temple, claiming a need for seclusion, he kept anyone from approaching. There was even a well in the courtyard, it was just perfect!

Kong Chan eagerly vaulted over the courtyard wall to hunt, while Xia Wenjin leisurely headed out, needing to gather some seasonings, which required a trip to the temple’s main kitchen. She also needed some wood for a fire, which was more than one person could handle, so Huangfu Jingchen accompanied her.

In the main kitchen, there was already split firewood, which Xia Wenjin fetched, asking Huangfu Jingchen to take it back first.

She gathered everything else needed into a large bundle and returned.

It was the time for the monks’ evening class, so they barely encountered anyone on their way back, and even if they did, they carefully avoided them.

No one would have thought that a few gluttonous cats would sneak into the kitchen to filch firewood and condiments.

For the fire, Xia Wenjin didn’t ask Huangfu Jingchen to help; she did it herself.

As soon as the fire was lit, there was a soft sound of footsteps in the courtyard. Xia Wenjin and Huangfu Jingchen looked over, both stunned before chaos ensued, leaving them flabbergasted.

They sent Kong Chan to hunt a wild chicken, but what did he bring? Was that a cow?

Seeing the antlers, Xia Wenjin exclaimed, ”Is that a muntjac?”

Kong Chan proudly declared, ”It was getting late, the wild chickens were nesting, and I was too lazy to search. Happened upon this fellow, and I figured meat is meat, right? So I brought it along!”

With that, he dropped the muntjac on the ground, a large, fawn-like creature, plump and hefty, weighing probably over a hundred pounds.

The muntjac bore no wounds, only its neck seemed twisted.

Xia Wenjin looked from the muntjac to Kong Chan, ”Did you just break its neck directly?”

Kong Chan replied, ”What else? Muntjacs are fast; I chased it for quite a distance before striking its neck, fortunate that my qinggong is extraordinary. Otherwise, catching it would be tall order.”

Xia Wenjin’s mouth twitched, ”Initially, I just wanted to roast a chicken, but you brought a muntjac—aren’t you being overly extravagant?”

Kong Chan, with a righteous tone, said, ”One has to eat to be full. Look at my build, my appetite; with just one or two wild chickens, what am I supposed to do, floss?”

Huangfu Jingchen reminded, ”Master, you are a monk!” Discussing killing and eating meat so openly—was that really appropriate?

Kong Chan rolled his eyes, ”You’re the monk; your entire family is monks. Even if I were one, I’d be a meat-eating monk, anyhow, I’m not a monk. What’s wrong with eating some meat?”

His self-awareness was spot-on.

Xia Wenjin reminded, ”You brought the whole animal; who’s going to skin it and handle the innards?”

Kong Chan, seeing the fire was already kindling, knew he wasn’t being brushed off, and cheerfully said, ”I’ll do it, make the fire a bit stronger; tonight, I’m going to feast. Posing as a monk outside, I couldn’t eat or drink as I pleased, haven’t had a full meal in ages!”

He drooled, hauling the muntjac over to the well, flipping his hand to reveal a dagger from who knows where, and began to skin and prepare the meat.

Watching his deft maneuvering with the dagger, Xia Wenjin felt her sleeves, ”...”

This trickster, when did he make his move?

Really, those skills were unfathomably mysterious.

She was indeed too complacent.

Thankfully, Kong Chan bore no malice towards her, otherwise, if it were someone intent on harming her, wouldn’t it mean she’d be dead before she knew it?

Kong Chan wasn’t bothered to pay attention to her thoughts, but Xia Wenjin and Huangfu Jingchen’s eyes were riveted on Kong Chan.

Was that processing a muntjac? The glistening blade dancing like snowflakes, the swift moves leaving afterimages, each precise action meticulous to a fault—wasn’t it comparable to the greatest swordsman’s prowess?

Kong Chan swiftly extracted two slabs of meat, washed them and handed them to Xia Wenjin, hungrily saying, ”Don’t just watch, get started; I’ll have meat to eat once I’m done.”

Xia Wenjin chuckled, taking the meat and hanging it on a prepared simple wooden rack.

Meanwhile, Kong Chan quickly moved on to handle the rest. Meat pieces were sliced and laid out, along with ribs and four legs, all placed beside Xia Wenjin. Then, somewhat reluctantly, Kong Chan added, ”Actually, all this could be processed and eaten, too; muntjac head is also delicious, but takes too long to prepare.” As he spoke, he bundled up the skin, skull, and leftovers, saying, ”Wait for me, I’ll get rid of these! Don’t eat it all while I’m gone!”

Xia Wenjin: ”...”

Huangfu Jingchen: ”...”

Looking at the pile of meat, this must add up to fifty pounds, right? Insufficient still? He even considers preparing the head for eating; just how gluttonous is he?