Chapter 118 Strong Wine
Chapter 118 Strong Wine
The iron birch was the hardest wood in the whole world. It was twice as hard as ordinary steel.
Yuan Qingling had known about iron birch in her former life. Iron birch had become an endangered
plant. It had been widely used as a replacement of the steel in ancient times, and she had seen some
pricey art objects that were made of it.
However, she saw Retired Emperor used a saw to cut it off! If it was really made of iron birch, he
couldn't be able to cut it, let alone chiseled something on it!
"I don't think that is iron birch. I saw Retired Emperor engraved it himself," Yuan Qingling tried to
explain it.
"Ordinary guards can't carve something in iron birch. It has to be someone like Retired Emperor,"
Nurse Xi said.
"He is weak. He can't even walk for too long! How can he manage to engrave on the hardest
wood in the world?" Yuan Qingling was baffled. She had the feeling that there were some things that
she didn't know!
"That is because he is sick now. When Retired Emperor was young, he was the bravest and the most
fierce knight in our country. He was the perfect man who excelled both in academics and sports. He is
old, that is true. But he still can carve things with his internal force."
"Does internal force really exist?" Yuan Qingling asked with curiosity. She had read fiction about the
internal force. They said if someone's internal force was strong enough, he could hurt others easily with
only a leaf.
Just as Nurse Xi was about to explain, someone flashed by the door. She fixed her eyes at the person
and said, "Good evening, my lord. What a pleasant surprise."
Yuwen had heard that the gifts from the Palace arrived and he had wanted to take a peek at the door.
Yet his appearance was noticed and he strode into the room casually. He took a glance at the staff in
Yuan Qingling's hand and asked, "Is this the gift that grandfather gave you?"
"Yeah, the carving is breathtaking," Yuan Qingling handed him the staff while saying it.
Yu Wenhao didn't expect her to be so generous. He took over the staff and caressed it. He could feel
the cold and uneven texture. "Yeah, you are right. The carving is really exquisite. And it's a good staff
too. But you have to find a place to put it. This was given by Retired Emperor, and you can't lose it. Let
me take care of that," Yu Wenhao suggested. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!
"You don't have to. I will bring it with me wherever I go."' What if he takes it and hide it? This staff is
called the husband-discipline-staff for a reason!' Yuan Qingling thought.
"You can't take it anywhere. What if you lose it?" Yu Wenhao said seriously.
"I'll be careful," said Yuan Qingling.
However, she was baffled. The staff was thin yet it was more than three feet long. It wouldn't be pretty
to carry a long stick every day. Others would think she was being punished. She was irritated by its
length.
Nurse Xi smiled and said," Take a closer look at the flame-shaped carving, my lady"
Yuan Qingling looked down immediately and saw the carving and found flames around the dragon that
was chiseled on it. She saw the flame-shaped pattern every four inches.
The engravings are deeper than the dragon. Yuan Qingling knew that meant something.
Yuan Qingling pressed down on the flame pattern, and the fascinating thing happened, a section of the
staff was gone. It retracted into the staff!
Stunned, she pressed another flame pattern and it happened again. She raised her head with
surprise, "It's retractable!"
She pressed down all the patterns and shrank her staff to only about ten four-inch long, which she
could easily place in her sleeve or on her waist.
"How is this possible? I had the feeling that the Retired Emperor was capable of anything!" Yuan
Mingling cheered. She was thrilled by it. She was a researcher herself, and that kind of retracting
mechanism was incredible!
"When Retired Emperor was young, he was an excellent carpenter," Nurse Xi explained with a smile.
"No way!"Yuan Qingling was transported in joy! "Look, I can hide it easily on my own," she said to Yu
Wenhao. She shoved the staff into her sleeve and no one could see it.
Yu Wenhao gave Nurse Xi a cold stare. Why would she tell Yuan Qingling? If Nurse Xi didn't say that,
Yuan Qingling would never know the mechanics of the staff. That would be fun to watch her getting
anxious.
However, when he saw Yuan Qingling's smiling face, he let it go. 'She is rarely this happy, besides, she
won't really hit me! We talked about it before. No domestic violence is allowed in this house,' Yu
Wenhao thought.
"This is my lucky day! Bring us some food, Nurse Xi! I want to drink with the Prince tonight!"
"Forget about the drinking. I didn't each much earlier. Let's eat something," Yu Wenhao replied.
"I'll have to be prepared. I can't drink and we have to fix that! I can't control myself after I get drunk,
and that's dangerous. Besides, I'm going to Yu Wenhuai's residence. Just drink with me," Yuan
Qingling insisted.
Yu Wenhao couldn't refuse her.
He shrugged." OK. I also happen to want a drink," he replied peacefully. ‘I had to say it like that or she
would think that I listen to everything she says!" Yu Wenhao thought.
Yuan Qingling felt that she had to drink to train her drinking skills. She couldn't let others find out about
her weakness. A weakness could easily become a threat.
When she was thinking about this, Nurse Xi returned with food. Nurse Xi had always managed to
create the best dishes she had ever tasted. She had magic hands that could turn common ingredients
into delicacies.
Yuan Qingling thought of something when she was eating and said," Wenhao has always said that the
food made by the royal chef is delicious. I think that is because he has never tasted the food Nurse Xi
made. If he eats these, I'm afraid he'll move in with us."
Yu Wenhao looked at her and asked, " You are getting oddly familiar with Er Ge."
Yuan Qingling poured him a glass of wine and filled her cup as well. Though this small glass carried
about a mouthful of wine, it was all Yuan Qingling had wanted, aromatic and pure.
Yuan QingLing took a deep breath of the wine and had the feeling that she was a bit drunk. She
answered with a bright smile," Yes, he is not bad, I guess. Except for the eating. I think he can't control
himself when it comes to food."
"You think?" Yu Wenhao snorted.
Yuan QingLing think of Prince Sun's chubby figure, and his fat fingers and chuckled, "Yeah, you're
right. He really couldn't control himself. And the worst thing is, he always says he wanted to lose
weight! If he didn't shout about losing weight, he would eat like there is no tomorrow."
Yu WenHao somehow didn't like her talking about Prince Sun and retorted, "So he likes to eat, what do
you care so much? You don't even care the things that you should care!"
"What should I have to care?"Yuan Qingling smelled the wine again. She had to gain her courage
again for drinking this wine.
Yu Wenhao said unhappily," Everything! You rely on Tang Yang for everything when it comes to the
palace. You are the princess, you should responsible for those things. You should be ashamed of
yourself."
"I remember what you said to Nurse Xi. You said you just wanted to keep me here like a dog." Yuan
Qingling said sarcastically.
Yu Wenhao flew into a rage."Why do you always do this? Is it that funny to oppose me at everything?"
"Are you denying it?" Yuan Qingling glanced at him.
"You're such a vindictive woman. Do you still remember what happened that long ago? If you
remember that, then why don't we recall what happened in the Princess's Mansion a year ago?" Yu
Wenhao retorted.
She didn't know what to say. He had a point.
Yuan Qingling smiled and raised her glass."OK, then. Let's forget what someone said or did and put the
enmity behind us, deal?"
Yu Wenhao snorted, but he still picked up the wine glass and clicked to hers and said, "I agree only
because I am a generous person. But you have to restrain yourself from now on!" He drank his wine
cup in one gulp and showed it to her.
Yuan Qingling poured the wine in her mouth, and all she could taste was burn.
It was too strong, and she spits it out after a second.
Yu Wenhao was so angry that his whole body trembled. Nurse Xi hurriedly went forward to wipe the
wine on his face. Yuan Qingling spat the wine right onto his face
Yu Wenhao pounded the table and shouted, "You did it on purpose!"
Yuan Qingling slowly took out the staff, put it on the table, and explained, "No! It was just too strong! It
made my throat burn!"
Yu Wenhao looked at the royal staff in a daze. He calmed down after a while and ordered Nurse Xi," It
is too strong for her. Change it with some fruit-flavored ones."
Dooby whimpered and turned around. He didn't want to see his owner like that.