Springtime Farming: A Happy Wife At Home

Chapter 1327: Unconcerned

Editor: Henyee Translations

Shao Yunduan enjoyed high regard from the Crown Prince, and many of the Crown Prince’s ministers and advisors held him in high esteem. Nevertheless, a few individuals harbored jealousy and sought to undermine him, actively seeking opportunities to cause trouble.

What Shao Yunduan was unaware of was that his words had struck a chord.

Qiao Xuan’s reputation had flourished when she revived the only peony flowers in the palace and introduced strawberries to the capital, quickly becoming a favored fruit among the ladies and children. Such achievements were not easily attainable for ordinary women.

More importantly, the Crown Prince had come to know that Qiao Xuan was not only capable but also skilled at generating income. Shao Yunduan had made it explicitly clear that all the wealth from the South had been earned by Qiao Xuan.

Hearing these words, the Crown Prince, sensing a glimmer of hope in a dire situation, agreed, saying, “Indeed, Madame Shao should give it a try.”

Internally, Shao Yunduan cursed those colleagues who harbored ill will toward him and seemed perpetually determined to create difficulties.

However, the Crown Prince’s response had been swift, leaving Shao Yunduan with no opportunity to object.

In an attempt to set the record straight, Shao Yunduan stated, “Ms. Qiao is fortunate to receive such high regard from the Crown Prince, but she is not particularly knowledgeable. Her expertise lies in gardening and farming, and in cooking, she is only slightly more skilled than the average person. While she enjoys cooking, she does not possess the culinary prowess of the imperial chefs or other professional cooks. Crown Prince, please pardon her if her efforts fall short.”

Shao Yunduan felt compelled to articulate these concerns.

The Crown Prince responded with a smile, saying, “Certainly, we are merely exploring possibilities. We acknowledge our lack of expertise in the culinary arts, so Madame Shao may bring a fresh perspective to the table.”

Shao Yunduan continued with modesty, attempting to shield Qiao Xuan from any further involvement.

If possible, he preferred that Qiao Xuan not become entangled in these matters.

Since Qiao Xuan was a woman, it was not appropriate for the Crown Prince to directly involve her. Shao Yunduan couldn’t leave either, so he arranged for someone to inform Princess Consort about the situation.

Princess Consort promptly instructed Auntie Fu to bring Qiao Xuan to the East Palace.

Despite feeling bewildered and somewhat dissatisfied, she couldn’t help but think that the Crown Prince had lost his sense of propriety in his anxiety.

“Could Ms. Qiao’s culinary skills really address such a serious matter?” Princess Consort harbored doubts.

The Crown Prince held Shao Yunduan in high regard, which extended to Qiao Xuan. However, Princess Consort had reservations about Ms. Qiao’s abilities.

Princess Consort assumed that the Crown Prince’s affection for Shao Yunduan had led him to overestimate Ms. Qiao’s capabilities. She wasn’t entirely convinced.

Nevertheless, as the Crown Prince’s wife, she felt obligated to follow his instructions and decided to call Shao Yunduan over to inquire further, even though she believed it might be unnecessary.

Auntie Fu didn’t provide Qiao Xuan with the full details but simply informed her that Prince of Qingdi had requested a few dishes and seemed to be deliberately causing difficulties. Given her reputation for culinary skills, she wondered if she had any ideas for resolving the situation.

Qiao Xuan was taken aback. She couldn’t recall ever boasting about her cooking skills. She believed that her husband, Shao Yunduan, would never praise her in such a manner.

He preferred that she remained inconspicuous, and he would avoid drawing attention to her whenever possible.

In the capital city, it seemed that no secrets could be kept for long.