Rebirth of the Ninth Princess

With his sharp eyes, he speared fish with unerring accuracy.

"Father Emperor, you're amazing!"

Cailun performed quite well too.

Before long, the bucket was filled with fish.

Having followed Ouyang Qingcheng for so many years and often camped out in the wild with him, tasks like these were second nature to Cailun.

Xiaoci and the others quickly took the speared fish to the riverbank to gut and clean them.

Meanwhile, they whispered among themselves about the many amusing ideas their little princess always came up with.

The riverbank became a joyful scene.

Ouyang Qingtian selected a spot for the stove in a relatively sheltered area, conveniently under the shade of a tree.

He picked up a few appropriately sized stones from the river and built two simple but sturdy earthen stoves, then set up the large iron pots on top.

Only then did Yuanjiu instruct Cailun to bring out the fresh meat and vegetables they had prepared.

Although she wanted everyone to experience labor, she didn't actually intend for them to go hungry.

As Ouyang Qingcheng continued spearing fish, he started a water fight with Yuanjiu.

Poor Cailun found himself dodging their splashes as he was dragged into their playful antics.

Ouyang Qingtian lay happily on the grass nearby, enjoying the show.

Soon, the others who had gone out returned.

Since Yuanjiu had forbidden the use of magic, their haul was modest.

They had enough firewood, but only two wild antelopes as game.

Hanxue, Aunt Yue, and the other maids began boiling water.

Cailun brought out the fresh vegetables and the ample amount of magical beast meat they had prepared.

The shadow guards skinned the magical beasts with practiced skill, applied seasoning to the meat, and started roasting it over two fires.

Meanwhile, the palace maids sliced a large chunk of beef into thin strips and tossed them into the boiling pot.

Nearby, Xiaoding lay on the ground, drooling with anticipation.

The riverbank was filled with a warm and lively atmosphere.

Cailun set up tables and chairs from his spatial ring.

Ouyang Qingcheng sat with Yuanjiu on his lap, watching everyone busily at work.

"My darling, are you happy?"

"Yes! Mwah—" Yuanjiu gave him a big kiss.

"Heh, Father Emperor worries that one day these maids and shadow guards will be too worn out by all your ideas to keep up with you!"

"I'm not making trouble!" Yuanjiu retorted indignantly and playfully bit Ouyang Qingcheng's hand.

The shadow guards immediately stood up and declared, "We are fortunate to serve the Emperor and the princess!"

Ouyang Qingcheng nodded, clearly pleased with their response.

With everyone working together, the food was prepared in no time.

The aroma of cooked dishes wafted through the air by the riverbank.

The stew in the large pot was done, and the roasted lamb was ready.

Expertly, the group carved the roasted lamb into slices and piled them onto a large platter.

The first serving was placed on Ouyang Qingcheng's table.

Ouyang Qingcheng, Yuanjiu, Ouyang Qingtian, Cailun, Hanxue, and Aunt Yue began their meal, while the other eight shared a separate table.

"Um…"

A hesitant voice suddenly interrupted from the side.

The four shadow guards immediately stood up in perfect coordination.

They were quickly surrounding Yuanjiu and the others in a protective formation.

Shadow Guard Jin Yi shouted sternly, "Who's there? Show yourself!"

From behind a small hill nearby, a girl of about ten years old stepped out.

She had a striking purple hair and blue eyes, her face showing clear signs of exhaustion.

Although her clothes were not luxurious, they were clean and neat.

"I'm not a bad person!" She said quickly.

Ouyang Qingcheng held a wine cup in one hand, took a sip, and studied the girl with interest. "No one ever admits they're a bad person, do they?"

The girl grew anxious. "I'm really not a bad person! My name is Hyeonmu Seohwa. I'm from the Suryongdan Kingdom and came here to study. But along the way, my money was stolen, so I had to walk the whole distance. When I got here, I smelled something delicious, so I couldn't resist to sneaking over."

Ouyang Qingcheng looked her up and down. "Do you have a travel permit?"

"Yes, I do!"

Hyeonmu Seohwa quickly reached into his spatial storage pouch and pulled out a piece of paper, and handing it over to him with both of her hands.

Cailun took the document, examined it, and nodded toward Ouyang Qingcheng.

"Master, it's legitimate."

Hearing Cailun address Ouyang Qingcheng as "Master," Hyeonmu Seohwa mustered her courage and glanced at him.

What she saw was a strikingly handsome man in a silver robe, exuding an imposing and commanding aura.

Although he appeared casual and ordinary, his overwhelming presence was undeniable.

Instinctively, Hyeonmu Seohwa took a few steps back and did not dared to look a second time.

What a terrifyingly powerful man!

Even though she felt the weight of Ouyang Qingcheng's presence, she wasn't paralyzed with fear or compelled to flee.

Ouyang Qingcheng felt a faint sense of appreciation in his heart.

With a quick glance at the child nestled in his arms like a delicate porcelain doll, Hyeonmu Seohwa shifted her gaze back to the steaming pot of food.

The rich aroma making her stomach growl even more.

Feeling embarrassed, she swallowed her saliva hard, unable to take her eyes off the pot.

Suddenly, a cool voice echoed near her. "Are you wearing an invisibility amulet?"

An invisibility amulet was a magical artifact that granted invisibility.

It can concealing the wearer's presence and aura entirely.

However, it had a notable weakness: it consumed the wearer's magic power, which requiring a significant recovery period after use.

Hyeonmu Seohwa's exhaustion was not only due to traveling but also from the amulet's energy drain.

"How did you know?" Hyeonmu Seohwa asked warily, her eyes fixed on Ouyang Qingcheng.

Her right hand instinctively covered her chest, where a red string hung around her neck.

Noticing the displeasure in Ouyang Qingcheng's gaze, Hyeonmu Seohwa quickly averted her eyes.