《I became the Prime Minister's Adored Wife after Transmigrating》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1: If You¡¯re Capable, You Go Ahead! Ssh! A basin of cold water was sshed on Ji Zhao¡¯s face. She immediately opened her eyes and saw countless strangers¡¯ faces! The clothes these people were wearing were very strange, and everyone looked at her with an indignant expression. She reached out and touched her abnormally painful head. Only then did she realize that her palm was sticky and there were eye piercing blood stains everywhere she looked. ¡°She¡¯s awake! Hey! Everyone, look, The wife of Sang of the Shen family is awake!¡± Someone shouted, his tone gloating! ¡°What a scourge! She actually didn¡¯t die after rolling down such a high hill? Tsk tsk!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right! Why didn¡¯t she fall to her death? The heavens are really blind!¡± ¡°After such a thing happened, will the Shen Sang still want her?¡± ¡°Pfft! Our Shen family doesn¡¯t have such a shameless wife! How dare she despise our third son?¡± A middle-aged woman in the crowd put her hands on her hips and pointed at her nose angrily! ¡°Isn¡¯t that so? This Ji Ah tao is too shameless! She wanted to ask her lover to elope on the second day of the wedding. Isn¡¯t this retribution? I heard that her lover didn¡¯t go to the appointment at all!¡± Ji Zhao raised her hand to cover her head and sat up from the grass with difficulty. It hurts! The feeling of pain all over her body was too ufortable! ¡°Shh, everyone, stop talking. The third son of the Shen family is here!¡± Ji Zhao subconsciously looked up and saw a tall figure in navy blue. However, that person¡¯s legs were a little unsteady as he limped over to her. ¡°Ah Tao, if you really don¡¯t want to marry me, I¡¯m willing to write a divorce letter and let you go.¡± The man stood in front of her and looked down at her. ¡°You don¡¯t have to use such an extreme method.¡± ¡°I...¡± Ji Zhao slowly looked up and met that pair of cold and emotionless ck eyes. Her head hurt as if it had exploded, and then arge number of memories surged into her mind. She had transmigrated into a book! It was the same book that she hadined about two days ago! The female protagonist, Ji Ah Tao, was a goddess-like beauty. Her adoptive grandmother sold her to the crippled third son of the Shen family, Shen Yao, in Shanghe Vige for two taels of silver. As the author¡¯s male lead, although Shen Yao¡¯s opening was a little miserable, it was as if he had a cheat in hister life! Hisme leg was cured by a divine doctor. Later on, he even rose to the top and became the Grand Secretary of the current dynasty! On the other hand, the female lead, Ji Ah Tao, was simply the author¡¯s enemy. She was dealt a good hand but she yed it terribly. In the end, she even sessfully courted death. Ji Zhao, who had read the entire novel, felt tired and did not like it. She could not help but write a long negative review in the book review section. In the end, she was rebuked by the author: Don¡¯t talk nonsense, if you¡¯re capable, you go ahead! In the end, when Ji Zhao woke up, she really transmigrated into the book! The time she transmigrated was on the second day of her wedding. Ji Ah Tao had stolen all the assets of the Shen family and was about to elope with the poor schr Zhao Xian, who had admired her for many years. In the end, Zhao Xian broke his promise and the dejected Ji Ah Tao actually rolled down the hill. In the original book, Ji Ah Tao would disappear for a few years. When she reappeared, she had already be crazy and silly. Unexpectedly, she became Ji Ah Tao and even returned to the vige in a daze. At this moment, Ji Zhao was in a terrible mood! The current Ji Ah Tao was simply a street rat in Shanghe Vige that was hated by everyone! On the second day of her marriage, she wanted to elope with a man. She was simply engraving the word ¡®shameless¡¯ on her forehead! Chapter 2 Chapter 2: You Want to Poison Me? ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± Shen Yao said coldly and held her hand as they walked through the crowd. Ji Zhao was speechless. As a reader of the original novel, she read the entire book without missing a word. She knew very well that Shen Yao was a person with especially strong self-esteem! His newly married wife was in a hurry to cheat on him on the second day of their marriage. Who could bear that?! Creak- The wooden door was pushed open and Shen Yao let go of her expressionlessly. Then, he went to the kitchen. Just as Ji Zhao was dumbfounded, he turned around and returned. ¡°Drink the medicine first.¡± Shen Yao handed her therge blue and white porcin bowl. ¡°There¡¯s poison in the medicine? Are you trying to poison me to death?¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly opened her eyes and asked anxiously! ¡°If I really want you to die, I don¡¯t have to waste the money to get the medicine. This is to prevent a cold. You¡¯ve been unconscious for so long and caught a cold. You need to drink some medicine to prevent it.¡± Shen Yao nced at her from the corner of his eyes. The sarcasm in his eyes was self-evident. ¡°Also, I know you don¡¯t really want to marry me, so you can leave. However, you have to return the two taels of betrothal money that the Ji family took. You should return all the money you took from the Shen family.¡± What he said was the truth. Ji Zhao could not defend herself, but she was new to the Shen family and would probably die if she left. Therefore, she had to stay in the Shen family. She blinked and pretended to be pitiful. ¡°I¡¯m a weak woman. If you really divorce me, I won¡¯t have anywhere to go. I know my mistake. Why don¡¯t you give me another chance? I promise I won¡¯t do anything stupid in the future! I can swear!¡± Ji Zhao quickly got off the bed and faced Shen Yao. She raised her hand and swore, ¡°If I do anything to let you down again, I¡¯ll be dismembered!¡± Seeing her swear seriously, Shen Yao pursed his lips and did not respond. ¡°Drink the medicine first.¡± After a moment of silence, Shen Yao raised his hand and pointed at the bowl of cold medicine on the cab. Ji Zhao hurriedly picked up the bowl of medicine, pinched her nose, and drank it in one gulp. Hiss! How bitter! ¡°I forgot to mention that this medicine was brewed by Sister-inw. She even added two taels of Chinese goldthread.¡± Shen Yao picked up the empty bowl and walked out. Ji Zhao instantly felt depressed! In terms of who hated her the most in the Shen family, it must be Sister-inw Shen! The Shen family was prosperous. The head of the family was Shen Dashan, and the mistress was Zhao Lanhua. Zhao Lanhua gave birth to three sons in a row. The eldest son, Shen Lei, had already married Madam Feng from the same vige three years ago. Now, the couple was running a pastry shop in the county city. The second son, Shen Zhang, was a carpenter. He had already married Madam Jiang a year ago. The third son was the person Ji Zhao married-Shen Yao. However, the female protagonist was not willing to marry Shen Sang. Therefore, after she entered the Shen family yesterday, she actually went crazy and pushed Second Sister-inw Shen, who was already pregnant! Fortunately, Eldest Sister-inw Shen quickly supported Second Sister-inw Shen. Otherwise, the consequences would be unimaginable. Later on, Eldest Sister-inw Shen reprimanded the female lead, but the female lead scolded her for being a hen that could noty eggs! In short, the female lead had just entered the house and almost angered the two sisters-inw to death... The more Ji Zhao thought about it, the more regretful she became! Why did she have to talk nonsense? Now, she had really be the Ji Ah Tao in the book! The more she thought about it, the more frustrated Ji Zhao became. She pped herself twice! Hiss- It hurts! ¡°Hmph!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen, who was standing outside the door, narrowed her eyes and sneered at her attitude. Then, she spat out the melon seed skin and pped her hands to rid of the dust, preparing to leave. ¡°Wait!¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly shouted. ¡°Are you trying to push me again?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen subconsciously took a few steps back, her eyes filled with suspicion. Chapter 3 Chapter 3: IOU Ji Zhao smiled bitterly and shook her head. ¡°Second Sister-inw, I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have pushed you like that yesterday, let alone scolded Eldest Sister-inw. I know my mistake.¡± Hearing this, Second Sister-inw Shen was even more puzzled. She narrowed her eyes and sized up the sky. Didn¡¯t the sun rise from the west this morning? ¡°Ahem, don¡¯t think that Eldest Sister-inw and I will forgive you just because you apologized!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen looked at her angrily and turned to leave. She did not want to be associated with a shameless person like Ji Ah Tao! Ji Zhao lowered her head in disappointment. Sigh, the Host was too hateful. It seemed that it was not so easy to repair the rtionship between the Host and her two sister-inws. Ji Zhao walked out of the house and stood in the courtyard, carefully sizing up the surroundings. Shen Dashan and Zhao Lanhua were famous for their diligence in Shanghe Vige. The couple worked hard and built a courtyard ten years ago. The old couple lived in the main house. There were three houses parallel to the east, which were the three Shen brothers¡¯ houses. The kitchen and woodshed were in the west, and the courtyard doors were made of red bricks and low walls. On the west side of the courtyard, near the kitchen, were three vats, one big and two small. Ji Zhao thought for a moment and walked to the front of therge y vat. She stuck her head out and gasped. A thick white band was wrapped around her head, making her look like a mummy. She leaned closer to see her face clearly. Her willowy eyebrows were arched, and her almond-shaped eyes were like water... ¡°What are you doing? Are you going to throw yourself into the well? Let me tell you, even if you want to die, don¡¯t die in the Shen family and bring us bad luck!¡± A scolding voice suddenly came from behind. Ji Zhao turned around in a panic and exined carefully, ¡°Sister-inw...¡± ¡°Pfft! I¡¯m a hen that doesn¡¯ty eggs. How am I worthy of being Big Beauty Ji¡¯s sister-inw?¡± The eldest sister-inw of the Shen family, who was wearing a sky-blue rough dress, put her hands on her hips and retorted angrily. ¡°Sister-inw, I...¡± ¡°Mother is looking for you!¡± The eldest sister-inw of the Shen family left after saying this. Ji Zhao shrugged weakly and walked into the hall with her head lowered. The hall in the middle was very spacious. What came into view was a square table with red paint and four long dark red stools. There was a low bench made of bamboo against the wall. At this moment, Zhao Lanhua was sitting at the square table, looking at the peach-colored figure who had entered the room with aplicated expression. ¡°...Mother?¡± Ji Zhao looked down at her toes and called out softly. ¡°Have a seat.¡± Zhao Lanhua looked at her and sighed regretfully. Ji Zhao had a bad feeling. She sat down obediently and carefully looked up. Her hands were nervously intertwined and she did not know what to say for a moment. ¡°I know it¡¯s hard on you to marry Sang.¡± Zhao Lanhua looked into her eyes and said sincerely, ¡°A few days ago, when I brought the matchmaker to your Pomegranate Vige, I made it clear in front of your grandmother. As long as you focus on treating Sang well, our Shen family is not the kind of family that will be harsh on our daughter-inws. Now that money is tight, when you married into our family, the Shen family only gave your family two taels of silver and half a bag of flour and half a bag of sorghum.¡± ¡°If this was during a thriving year, our family wouldn¡¯t care about these things...¡± Zhao Lanhua said gently. ¡°But the current year is really too bad. There¡¯s been a drought for an entire year. Just your Pomegranate Vige alone has starved seven families to death this year... I asked Sang this morning. The two of you didn¡¯t consummate your marriagest night. Since your mind isn¡¯t with the Shen family, we won¡¯t make things difficult for you.¡± Zhao Lanhua raised her hand and knocked lightly on the table. ¡°Including the betrothal money and the silver you took from the Shen family, it adds up to a total of twelve taels. This is an IOU. You need to repay this money within two years. The other letter is a divorce letter that Sang has already written and signed.¡± Ji Zhao was stunned... Chapter 4 Chapter 4: Repentance ¡°Mother, I... I really know my mistake!¡± Ji Zhao squeezed out two drops of tears. ¡°I know I made a very ridiculous mistake, but Mother, can you give me a chance? I¡¯ll really change...¡± ¡°If you knew this would happen, why did you do it in the first ce?¡± Zhao Lanhua shook her head. ¡°Ah Tao, Sang gave you a peaceful divorce letter. This is already the most honorable thing we can give you. Besides, a person¡¯s face is earned by themselves. On the second day of your marriage, you took your inws¡¯ money and wanted to elope with another man. ording to our Shanghe Vige¡¯s rules, you will be drowned in a pig cage. Do you know that?¡± Drowned in a pig cage? Ji Zhao could not help but shiver! ¡°Mother, I... I will really turn over a new leaf! Please give me a chance?¡± Ji Zhao begged anxiously. Zhao Lanhua shook her head. ¡°Mother, I¡¯ll prove it to you. I¡¯ll really change!¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes gradually turned red. ¡°Mother, please, give me a chance!¡± ¡°Ah Tao, you should just sign it.¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s heart was filled with bitterness. She thought for a moment and only pressed her thumbprint on the IOU. ¡°Mother, I know what I¡¯ve done has hurt everyone¡¯s hearts, but I¡¯ll really repent.¡± Ji Zhao pointed at her head and smiled bitterly. ¡°In the past, this was filled with straws. That¡¯s why I made a mistake. Now that I¡¯ve learned my lesson from the heavens, I¡¯ll really change for the better. I know that it¡¯s better to do more than talk, so I want to discuss something with you.¡± Zhao Lanhua looked at her sincere expression with mixed feelings and asked softly, ¡°What do you want to say?¡± ¡°Since I¡¯ve already entered the Shen family, I¡¯m a member of the Shen family. I know that my previous actions were despicable, but Sang and I are already husband and wife who have worshipped the heavens and the earth. Therefore, I want to stay. In the future, I¡¯ll do all the tiring and dirty work in the family. The Shen family doesn¡¯t need to provide for me. I¡¯ll think of a way to solve it myself. I only hope that the Shen family can temporarily provide me with a ce to stay. When I repay the Shen family¡¯s money in the future, I¡¯ll leave. Is that okay?¡± Ji Zhao said sincerely. Zhao Lanhua hesitated for a while before saying softly, ¡°Our family needs to discuss this matter.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand!¡± Ji Zhao smiled gratefully and walked out of the main room. She had to find a way to stay in the Shen family to change the original plot of the book! When she walked to the backyard, Eldest Sister-inw Shen was feeding the pigs. Ji Zhao mustered her courage and walked forward with a smile. ¡°Sister-inw, is there anything I can help with?¡± ¡°You?¡± Sister-inw Shen looked at her suspiciously. ¡°Yes.¡± Ji Zhao nodded hurriedly. ¡°If there¡¯s anything you need, just tell me. I¡¯ll definitely do it well!¡± ¡°Alright, there¡¯s not much pigweed left. Go to the back mountain and get two bundles of pigweed first!¡± Sister-inw Shen said expressionlessly. ¡°Alright!¡± Ji Zhao nced around the pigpen and found the basket and sickle leaning against the outer wall. She hurriedly carried the basket on her back and prepared to set off with the sickle. ¡°Sister-inw, which direction is the back mountain?¡± Sister-inw Shen casually pointed in a direction. ¡°Sister-inw, wait for me. I¡¯ll get the pigweed back soon!¡± ¡°Mm.¡± When Ji Zhao really walked out of the courtyard, Second Sister-inw Shen hurriedly walked to Eldest Sister-inw Shen¡¯s side. ¡°Sister-inw? You¡¯re not angry with Ji Ah Tao anymore?¡± ¡°Her gathering pigweed has nothing to do with whether I¡¯m angry or not.¡± Sister-inw Shen shrugged nonchntly. ¡°It¡¯s getting dark. The mountain path is steep and difficult to walk on. If she insists, what can we do?¡± ¡°Smart!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen quickly gave her a thumbs up. ¡°Sister-inw, you¡¯re still the best!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t joke around. Father-inw and the rest will be back soon. I¡¯ll go to the kitchen to wash the rice and cook first.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help you!¡± ¡°Oh,e on. You¡¯re so pregnant. I don¡¯t dare to let you work. Go back to your room and rest!¡± Chapter 5 Chapter 5: Picking Up a Chicken Following the direction Madam Feng pointed, Ji Zhao carried the basket on her back and walked forward. She climbed two long and narrow steep slopes in a row. She really could not walk anymore. The sun set in the west, and the orange-red sunset dyed half the sky red. A group of geese flew across the low sky in an orderly manner. In the evening breeze, Ji Zhao, who was resting against a tree trunk, could not help but sneeze! With a plop, a fist-sized apple hit Ji Zhao¡¯s head, making her cry out in pain! In the end, she picked up the apple and casually wiped it on her clothes. Then, she took a vicious bite out of revenge. Tsk! So sour! Ji Zhao forced herself to eat half a sour apple. After recovering her strength, she continued walking forward. However, at this moment, her stomach was rumbling with hunger, and her footsteps were a little unsteady. ¡°Heavens, you can¡¯t be so heartless. Are you really going to let me starve to death here?¡± Ji Zhao looked at the cloudless blue sky aggrievedly, feeling very depressed. At this moment, she suddenly heard a rustling sound. She took a closer look and almostughed out loud! It was actually a wild chicken with an injured leg! Ji Zhao deftly caught the wild chicken, then casually picked two reeds and tied the wild chicken¡¯s feet tightly. She threw them into the basket on her back and continued walking. When the sky turned dark, she finally found arge patch of pigweed! Ji Zhao immediately rolled up her sleeves and focused on picking the pigweed. At around 7pm, the Shen family had already finished their dinner. ¡°No way!¡± After hearing Zhao Lanhua¡¯s words, Shen Dajiang said with a fierce expression, ¡°It¡¯s not like our Shen family can¡¯t afford to marry a wife. That Ji Ah Tao is restless! As the saying goes, marrying a bad wife brings disaster to three generations!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. On the second day of the wedding, she took away her inws¡¯ money and agreed to elope with someone...¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen muttered softly. ¡°If we really agree to let her stay, our family will definitely be criticized behind our backs when we go out in the future!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Mother!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen said aggrievedly, ¡°That Ji Ah Tao isn¡¯t easy to get along with. If Eldest Sister-inw hadn¡¯t caught me in time yesterday, I would definitely have fallen!¡± ¡°As the saying goes, a dog can¡¯t change its ways!¡± Shen Dashan said angrily, ¡°If she dares to steal once, she dares to steal again!¡± In the hall, the Shen family was discussing Ji Zhao¡¯s future in full swing. As the person involved, Ji Zhao waspletely unaware. Because she was lost. After getting a basket full of pigwwed and picking up a wild chicken, Ji Zhao was satisfied and wanted to go down the mountain. However, the moonlight was hazy and the mountain path was steep. She circled for a long time but still could not go down the mountain. However, Ji Zhao was not someone who would give up easily. She simply sat on the ground and looked seriously at the crescent moon hanging on the treetop. It happened to be the fifteenth of June yesterday. It tajes twelve hours for the moon to turn from east to west. Coupled with the current moon phase and location, the moon was located to the south! After finding the right direction, Ji Zhao carried the basket on her back without hesitation and quickly descended the mountain. Finally, an hourter, she returned to the Shen residence. However, the courtyard door was tightly shut at this moment. She raised her arm hesitantly. Counting the time, it was already 11pm. Everyone was probably already resting. If she knocked on the door, would she disturb others? The Shen family already had a bad impression of her- But if she didn¡¯t knock on the door, would they think that she had run away again? The conflicted Ji Zhao helplessly sat on the steps in front of the door. Achoo! It was windy again. She couldn¡¯t help but sneeze! A dull noise sounded behind her. She subconsciously looked back and met a pair of familiar cold eyes without any warmth. ¡°I... I didn¡¯t mean to sneeze. I¡¯m just too cold...¡± Shen Yao¡¯s gaze inadvertentlynded on the basket behind her and he turned around without saying a word. When the door opened a crack, Ji Zhao hurriedly walked in. Chapter 6 Chapter 6: The Sweet Potato in Her Hand Suddenly Was Not Fragrant ¡°I picked a lot of pigweed.¡± Ji Zhao quickly caught up with him and said excitedly, ¡°By the way, I also picked up a wild chicken on the mountain. I reckon it weighs three to four catties!¡± Rumble rumble- Before Shen Yao could answer, Ji Zhao¡¯s stomach suddenly rumbled. She covered her stomach. However, in the silent night, the slightest sound would be magnified infinitely- ¡°Follow me.¡± Shen Yao nced at her and limped into the kitchen. The bowls and chopsticks in the kitchen had been washed clean. There was not even a grain of rice on the stove. Ji Zhao silently covered her thunderous stomach. Hunger overwhelmed her, and she could not hide it! ¡°I¡¯ve already eaten half a sour apple on the mountain just now. I¡¯ll just drink some water to deal with it...¡± Ji Zhao stole a nce at Shen Yao¡¯s expression and said softly. Shen Yao did not answer her. Instead, he walked around to the stove, picked up the tongs leaning against the wall, and pulled out two round, dark sweet potatoes. The moment she saw the sweet potato, Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but gulp. ¡°Should we each have one?¡± Ji Zhao asked carefully. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry,¡± Shen Yao said in a low voice. ¡°You¡¯re giving them both to me?¡± Ji Zhao was very surprised, but also very happy. ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Yao nodded slightly. ¡°Shall I start eating?¡± Ji Zhao, who was squatting on the ground, said with a smile. She eagerly picked up a sweet potato and gently peeled off the charred skin. ¡°It¡¯s so sweet!¡± Ji Zhao took a bite of the sweet potato and ate it with relish, her face full of happiness. ¡°Go back to Pomegranate Vige at dawn tomorrow.¡± Shen Yao suddenly looked away and said softly, ¡°From now on, we have nothing to do with each other.¡± The sweet potato in her hand suddenly was not fragrant. Ji Zhao lowered her head and was silent for a long time. After a while, she asked softly, ¡°Can¡¯t you give me another chance? I¡¯ll prove it with my actions.¡± Shen Yao shook his head firmly. ¡°I understand.¡± Ji Zhao lowered her eyes to hide the disappointment in them and responded gloomily. After eating a sweet potato, she was not so hungry anymore. ¡°Then can I stay here tonight? I¡¯ll leave at dawn tomorrow, okay?¡± Ji Zhao asked softly. ¡°Mm.¡± Shen Yao nodded slightly and turned to leave. From the beginning to the end, he did not even look at her. Ji Zhao leaned against the stove and took a nap. Not long after, she leaned against the wall and fell asleep. When the sky was bright, a strong fragrance of chicken soup floated in the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. Zhao Lanhua, who had just woken up, frowned in confusion. In the kitchen, the two-eared pot ced on the stove was steaming. The fragrance of the chicken soup came from here. There were also two rows of firewood on the haystack near the stove. Zhao Lanhua walked out of the door and found that the three vats were already filled with water. ¡°Mother.¡± Ji Zhao excitedly walked up to Zhao Lanhua, ¡°Good morning!¡± ¡°You? What¡¯s that in your arms?¡± ¡°Wild duck eggs,¡± Ji Zhao exined with a smile. ¡°When I went to the river to fetch water, I found a reed bush. There were six wild duck eggs inside!¡± When Ji Zhao first went to the river to get water, she discovered that there were several wild ducks hidden in the reeds on the river. At that time, she muttered that it would be even better if she could find wild duck eggs. In the end, when she went to the river to get water for the second time, she picked up wild duck eggs! Ji Zhao felt that her luck had changed! Chapter 7 Chapter 7: I¡¯m Not Your Father! ¡°What¡¯s with the chicken soup and firewood in the kitchen?¡± Seeing her happy expression, Zhao Lanhua rxed her eyebrows slightly and asked softly. ¡°When I went to the back mountain to gather pigweed yesterday, I happened to pick up a wild chicken, so I made chicken soup. As for the firewood, I went to the back of the mountain early to pick it up,¡± Ji Zhao said obediently with a smile. Zhao Lanhua subconsciously nced at the sky. It should not be dawn yet. ¡°You... you don¡¯t have to do this.¡± Zhao Lanhua thought for a moment and said softly, ¡°We¡¯ve already discussed it yesterday. You... you should return to Pomegranate Vige.¡± ¡°Mother, I know.¡± Ji Zhao gently nodded. ¡°Last night, Sang already told me.¡± ¡°Then you...¡± ¡°Second Sister-inw is pregnant now and needs to be nourished. There¡¯s too much work for Sister-inw to do alone, so I want to help her share some of the burden.¡± A sincere smile appeared on Ji Zhao¡¯s face. ¡°Previously, I was brainless and did many things wrong. I sincerely want to repent.¡± Zhao Lanhua looked at her with aplicated expression. ¡°Ah Tao, as long as you repay the Shen family¡¯s money in the future, it won¡¯t be difficult for you to marry a good man with your looks. Actually, you don¡¯t have to...¡± ¡°Mother, hurry up and drink the chicken soup!¡± Ji Zhao entered the kitchen with a smile and ced the wild duck eggs into the bamboo basket by the wall before leaving. Zhao Lanhua looked at her figure with aplicated gaze. Fifteen minutester, the other members of the Shen family were awakened by the rich fragrance. At the end of the day, the family gathered in the hall. Second Sister-inw Shen¡¯s eyes lit up when she saw the two-eared pot containing chicken soup on the table! ¡°Mother? What day is it today? You actually made chicken soup?¡± Compared to Second Sister-inw Shen, who was full of joy, Eldest Sister-inw Shen looked troubled. ¡°Mother, there are only a few chickens left in this house...¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the chicken at home.¡± Zhao Lanhua sighed faintly and scooped a drumstick into the bowl in front of Second Sister-inw Shen. ¡°Thank you, Mother!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen smiled happily. Zhao Lanhua ced another drumstick into the bowl in front of Sister-inw Shen. ¡°Mother? Second Sister-inw is pregnant. Let her eat all of them!¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen quickly waved her hand and refused. ¡°This wild chicken was obtained by Ji Atao.¡± Zhao Lanhua thought for a moment and softly said, ¡°She said that this wild chicken was used to apologize to you.¡± Second Sister-inw Shen, who was nibbling on the drumstick, paused for a moment. She hesitated for a moment and continued eating. ¡°Mother,¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen put down the bowl in her hand and asked softly, ¡°Have you forgiven her?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t forgive her, it¡¯s just that I feel a little upset.¡± Zhao Lanhua also scooped a bowl of chicken soup and took a sip. ¡°If only she hadn¡¯t made such a scene yesterday. After all, your third brother¡¯s legs are inconvenient. It¡¯s too difficult for him to marry a wife.¡± ¡°Is a wild chicken enough to make you waver?¡± Shen Dashan, who had been sitting silently at the head of the table, put down the bowl of porridge in his hand and said angrily. ¡°There¡¯s more than one wild chicken. The duck egg you just ate was also picked up by Ji Atao in the reeds.¡± Zhao Lanhua nced at him from the corner of her eyes. Shen Dashan was speechless. Unfortunately, he had already swallowed the duck egg. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t ask!¡± Zhao Lanhua curled her lips and said, ¡°We don¡¯t have ducks at home. Where did the duck eggse from?¡± Shen Dashan put down his bowl and chopsticks angrily. He picked up the hoe and prepared to go to the fields to work. When he walked out of the courtyard, he happened to see Ji Ah Tao squatting in the corner. ¡°Father?¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly called out. ¡°I¡¯m not your father!¡± Shen Dashan said with a fierce expression. He turned around and walked away. Chapter 8 Chapter 8: Ruined Earth Temple Ji Zhao shrugged weakly. In the end, she squatted back in the corner and took a tree branch to seriously write and draw. From the looks of it, the Shen family would not forgive her easily. Therefore, she had to think of a way to find a ce to stay as soon as possible. Yesterday, when she went to the back of the mountain to gather pigweed, she saw a short and simple Earth Temple. Moreover, the Earth Temple was not too far from the Shen residence. It was only about 2 to 2.5 kilometers away. Ji Zhao was a woman of action. After she made her decision, she immediately set off for the Earth Temple. Therefore, when Zhao Lanhua was about to bring a bowl of chicken soup to Ji Zhao, she was no longer outside the courtyard. ¡°Mother?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen, who had eaten her fill, held her stomach and walked to the door. ¡°Has Ji Ah Tao left?¡± ¡°She must have left.¡± ¡°What about the remaining chicken soup? Can I have it?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already drunk two big bowls!¡± Zhao Lanhua looked at her angrily. ¡°Do you have to eat until you¡¯re full to be satisfied?¡± ¡°Mother, it¡¯s your grandson who wants to eat, not me.¡± Second Sister-inw Shen looked away guiltily and pouted. ¡°I¡¯ll ask your eldest sister-inw to make some noodles with the rest of the chicken soup at noon!¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Zhao Lanhua said a few more words before leaving with the basket on her back. Now that the year was not good, she had arranged to meet her neighbor, Sister Guihua, a few days ago to go to the back mountain to find some edible mountain goods. ¡°Sister Guihua?¡± ¡°Coming!¡± Sister Guihua, who was feeding the chickens, heard a familiar voice and hurriedly replied before rushing out of the courtyard. ¡°Something so big happened to your family yesterday. I thought you had forgotten!¡± Sister Guihua held her arm affectionately and asked with a smile, ¡°Sister Lanhua, your Sang is definitely going to divorce Ji Ah Tao, right? If you ask me, that Ji Ah Tao is too seductive. Isn¡¯t this old saying good? Beautiful women are too restless!¡± Zhao Lanhua silently nced at Sister Guihua, whose face was filled with freckles and had narrow eyes. She said with a faint smile, ¡°You can¡¯t be so absolute. There are many beautiful women in this world. You can¡¯t overturn a boatload of people with one strike.¡± ¡°Tsk! I¡¯m not talking about you. Don¡¯t take it to heart!¡± ¡°Alright, alright. Don¡¯t I know you?¡± Zhao Lanhua quickly said, ¡°Let¡¯s hurry up and go to the mountain to take a look. If we¡¯rete, I¡¯m afraid we won¡¯t be able to find anything.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± The two of them quickened their pace and hurried in the direction of the back mountain. At the same time, Ji Zhao had already arrived at the simple Earth Temple. She arched her back and walked in, only to choke on the dust. Cough cough! After a careful look, she realized that the size of this temple was not small. It was at least ten square meters. It was just too short, only about 1.5 meters tall. Ji Atao, who was 1.65 meters tall, had to bend over to move around the temple. Ji Zhao first helped the statue of the Earth God up, then knelt down respectfully and kowtowed three times. ¡°Earth God, I am your devotee, Ji Zhao. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to trouble you during this period of time. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t stay for nothing,¡± Ji Zhao said sincerely. ¡°I¡¯ll clean the entire templeter. When I¡¯m more wealthy in the future, I¡¯ll offer you delicious food. If I be the richest woman, I¡¯ll even mold a golden body for you!¡± Chapter 9 Chapter 9: Why Didn¡¯t You Go Back? Ji Zhao rolled up her sleeves and prepared to clean up the temple first. She caught a glimpse of the broom leaning against the corner of the wall and was very excited. First, she used a broom to clean the dust and spider webs in every corner of the temple. Then, he got half a bucket of water and cleaned the entire temple. After working for three hours, Ji Zhao finally had time to rest. ¡°I¡¯ll get some more strawter. I can make do here tonight.¡± Ji Zhao pped her hands and said with a smile. Rumble rumble- A sound suddenly came from her organs. Only then did Ji Zhao realize that she had only eaten two sweet potatoes sincest night. Ji Zhao dragged her tired body out of the Earth Temple. After walking 1 to 1.5 kilometers east, her gaze was attracted by a touch of emerald green. It was cherries! Overjoyed, Ji Zhao quickly plucked a small pink fruit and threw it into her mouth. The juice was abundant and sweet. Ji Zhao tore off the edge of her skirt without hesitation and made a simple cloth bag. Then, she ced all the cherries she had picked inside. It was just that eating cherries alone was not enough to fill her stomach. If only she could find more food, Ji Zhao thought. She took two more steps forward. The moonlight in the corner of her eye unintentionally caught a glimpse of light brown, and she hurried forward. Ji Zhao almost burst outughing! She carefully picked up the five wild eggs. Ji Zhao thought for a moment and prepared to return to the Earth Temple to rest. At that moment, Zhao Lanhua, who was digging for yams on the mountain, saw the peach-colored silhouette in the distance and frowned in confusion. That figure seemed to be Ji Ah Tao? ¡°Lanhua, what¡¯s wrong? What are you looking at?¡± Sister Guihua, who was digging for yams, asked curiously when she saw her stop. ¡°No, nothing.¡± ¡°Hurry up and dig! We¡¯re really too lucky today. There¡¯s so much yam that we can eat for two days!¡± Sister Guihua said happily. ¡°Okay.¡± Zhao Lanhua came back to her senses and squatted back on the ground to continue digging for yams. Ji Zhao returned to the Earth Temple and grabbed a handful of cherries before cing them in front of the statue of the Earth God. ¡°I¡¯m really tired today,¡± Ji Zhao exined softly. ¡°Eat some cherries first. I¡¯ll cook wild eggs for youter.¡± The statue of the Earth Lord sat on the shrine tform, looking benevolent. After resting for a while, Ji Zhao bowed and walked out of the temple. The prerequisite for cooking was a fire. Ji Zhao found some dried branches nearby and simply piled them up. She did not have any flint with her, so she could only use the most primitive method- Drill wood to start a fire. Unfortunately, after several attempts, she failed. At this moment, Ji Zhao was a little discouraged. She looked at the wild egg lying quietly on the ground and swallowed her saliva. ¡°Try again! I can definitely do it!¡± This time, as expected, she failed again. ¡°Let me help you.¡± Just as Ji Zhao was holding her chin with both hands and doubting her life, a navy blue figure barged into her line of sight. ¡°Shen Yao? Why are you here?¡± Shen Yao nced at her, then took out a flint from his pocket and easily lit the firewood piled in front of the temple. ¡°Thank you so much!¡± Ji Zhao thanked him from the bottom of her heart. Then, she ced the packed eggs into the old iron pot on the firewood. Shen Yao looked around and finally looked at Ji Zhao. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go back to Pomegranate Vige?¡± Chapter 10 Chapter 10: I¡¯ll Treat You to an Egg, Do You Want? ¡°I want to stay.¡± Ji Zhao smiled sincerely. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll think of a way to repay the money I owe the Shen family.¡± ¡°This is not a long-term ce to stay after all,¡± Shen Yao said softly. There was no warmth in his ck eyes. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that when I go back, Grandmother will sell me again.¡± Ji Zhao lowered her eyes and voiced the worries and concerns in her heart. She had read the original novel. The original host¡¯s adoptive grandmother, Madam Xie, was not easy to get along with. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for Mother¡¯s kindness, I¡¯m afraid Grandmother would have already promised the broker that she would sell me to the city to be a maidservant.¡± A bitter smile appeared on Ji Zhao¡¯s face. ¡°Now that there¡¯s a drought, several families in Pomegranate Vige have starved to death...¡± Shen Yao fell silent. In the year of disasters, the people who suffered were always the most ordinary people. ¡°The eggs are cooked!¡± Ji Zhao stared at the eggs on the fire and said excitedly, ¡°Do you want to eat one?¡± ¡°No need.¡± Shen Yao shook his head and turned to leave. However, not long after, he came over again. Ji Zhao, who was eating eggs, blinked in confusion. Shen Yao handed her the bag on his back. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°The baggage is yours.¡± Curious, Ji Zhao silently opened the light blue bag and carefully examined the contents. There were two peach-colored rough embroidered dresses and a scarlet skirt, as well as two white clothes. Shen Yao unintentionally caught a glimpse of the white undershirt she was looking over and immediately looked away. However, the tips of his ears were slightly red. ¡°Thank you.¡± After tidying up her clothes, Ji Zhao smiled gratefully. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Shen Yao shook his head indifferently. ¡°Besides, this was originally yours.¡± ¡°No matter what, I still have to thank you,¡± Ji Zhao said with a sincere smile. ¡°I¡¯ll treat you to an egg. Do you want it?¡± ¡°No, you can keep it for yourself.¡± Shen Yao shook his head and really left this time. Ji Zhao stared at the receding figure and felt extremely emotional. Who would have thought that the gentle and peaceful Shen Yao would be the decisive Iron Faced Grand Secretary in the future? After eating two eggs, Ji Zhao walked into the temple and prepared to rest for a while. Now that she had found a ce to stay, she had to think of a way to earn money. The weather was getting hotter and hotter. If only she had the capital to do business. Ji Zhao thought about it and decided to go out for a walk. At that moment, in the Shen residence. Zhao Lanhua, who was drying clothes in the courtyard, identally caught a glimpse of her third son¡¯s thoughtful expression and hurriedly asked, ¡°Sang, where did you go?¡± ¡°Mother,¡± Shen Yao called out respectfully, ¡°I just gave Ji Ah Tao¡¯s bag back.¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t go back to Pomegranate Vige?¡± ¡°No.¡± Shen Yao shook his head. ¡°She settled down in the Earth Temple at the back mountain.¡± ¡°But the temple is very narrow and has not been maintained for a long time...¡± Zhao Lanhua frowned worriedly. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t she return to Pomegranate Vige?¡± ¡°She said she didn¡¯t want to be sold by her grandmother again.¡± Zhao Lanhua was speechless for a moment. After a moment of silence, she squeezed out, ¡°She¡¯s also a pitiful person.¡± ¡°Mother, I¡¯ll go back to my room first.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± When it was almost noon, Zhao Lanhua personally cooked noodles. Eldest Sister-inw Shen chuckled and asked, ¡°Mother, why are you personally making noodles today?¡± ¡°Mother must be happy!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen, who was adding firewood in front of the stove, said happily, ¡°Everyone in Shanghe Vige knows that our mother¡¯s noodle making skills are superb! The noodles she makes are especially chewy!¡± Chapter 11 Chapter 11: You... Poked a Chicken Coop? ¡°Alright, stop joking around,¡± Zhao Lanhua said with a smile. ¡°I learned how to make noodles from your great grandfather. Back then, your great grandfather was an apprentice of the county chef!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pity that my grandfather hurt his hand. Otherwise...¡± Zhao Lanhua suddenly felt a little sad. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not talk about this. Eldest wife, go get three eggs!¡± An hourter, Zhao Lanhua scooped up the cooked noodles. ¡°You have to eat the noodles while they¡¯re hot. It won¡¯t taste good if they turn into lumps.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mother!¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen and Second Sister-inw Shen said in unison. The sharp-eyed Second Sister-inw Shen nced at the bowl of noodles with a fried egg on the stove and asked with a smile, ¡°Mother, is the other bowl for Third Brother? Should I send it to Third Brother?¡± ¡°No need.¡± Zhao Lanhua shook her head. Then, she took a pair of chopsticks and left with the bowl of noodles. Eldest Sister-inw Shen and Second Sister-inw Shen looked at each other and saw deep confusion in each other¡¯s eyes. When Zhao Lanhua arrived at the Earth Temple, Ji Zhao had just returned. However, she looked very disheveled and covered in blood. It was a shocking sight. ¡°You? Are you okay?¡± ¡°Mother?¡± Ji Zhao, who had just leaned against the wall to rest, called out with a smile, ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°What happened to you? Did you roll down the hill again? And the blood on you?¡± ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. This isn¡¯t my blood.¡± Ji Zhao quickly exined, ¡°This is their blood.¡± Following the direction of Ji Zhao¡¯s finger, Zhao Lanhua leaned against the wild chickens piled up beside her and instantly widened her eyes. ¡°You... poked a chicken coop?¡± ¡°Mother, it¡¯s a long story...¡± Just as Ji Zhao was about to speak, an earth-shattering sound came from her internal organs. Zhao Lanhua quickly handed the bowl of noodles to her. ¡°This is?¡± ¡°Eat it while it¡¯s hot.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mother!¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes reddened with gratitude. She took the bowl of noodles and savored it carefully. As she ate, she cried- She had only written a book review. How did she end up in such a situation? The more Ji Zhao thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt. Tears welled up in her eyes. Zhao Lanhua could not bear to see her like this. ¡°You... don¡¯t cry...¡± ¡°Mm...¡± Ji Zhao quickly wiped her tears and quickly finished the bowl of noodles. ¡°Thank you, Mother. The noodles are really delicious!¡± Faced with her bright smile, Zhao Lanhua could not bear to refute her. ¡°How did you find so many wild chickens?¡± ¡°Mother, you don¡¯t know how ferocious the scene of wild chickens fighting is!¡± Ji Zhao, who had recovered some of her energy, said excitedly, ¡°I originally wanted to go to the mountain to see if I could find some food, but not long after I walked, I found seven or eight wild chickens fighting in a bush! I secretly squatted at the side. When they were tired from fighting, I rushed up and grabbed them. In the end, I grabbed all of them!¡± Zhao Lanhua was dumbfounded. She and Sister Guihua were also on the mountain today. Why didn¡¯t they encounter such a good thing? ¡°Mother, I¡¯ve counted. There are a total of seven wild chickens. Please bring six back. I want to keep one and make beggar¡¯s chicken for dinner.¡± Ji Zhao scratched her head and smiled foolishly. ¡°Stop scratching your head!¡± Zhao Lanhua hurriedly stopped her. ¡°The bandage on your head is oozing blood. You can¡¯t scratch it anymore!¡± Ji Zhao obediently lowered her hand. Looking at her obedient expression, Zhao Lanhua felt even moreplicated. ¡°Forget it. Wait for me for a while.¡± Zhao Lanhua left in a hurry. After a while, she returned with a basket on her back. As she picked up the wild chickens and ced them in the basket on her back, she exined softly, ¡°The wound on your head hasn¡¯t healed yet. You still have to see a doctor to take your medicine. As for these wild chickens, I¡¯ll think of a way to help you sell them. The money I get will be used to treat your illness and buy your medicine.¡± ¡°Mother, thank you.¡± Ji Zhao felt even more grateful. ¡°You¡¯re the best.¡± Chapter 12 Chapter 12: Too Evil! For the characters in the original work, Ji Zhao liked Zhao Lanhua the most. She was magnanimous, benevolent, and opinionated. Moreover, when the original owner of the body returned to Shanghe Vige, it was Zhao Lanhua, this ex-mother-inw who had been taking care of her secretly... Eldest Sister-inw Shen and Second Sister-inw Shen were stunned when they saw their mother-inw bringing Ji Ah Tao back. Until Zhao Lanhua closed the courtyard door and took out seven wild chickens from the basket on her back. ¡°So many wild chickens?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen¡¯s eyes almost popped out! ¡°Ah Tao caught these on the mountain.¡± Zhao Lanhua pointed at Ji Zhao, who was standing beside her, and said softly, ¡°Eldest son¡¯s wife,e with me to the county cityter and ask my eldest son to help sell these wild chickens.¡± ¡°Sell them all?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen asked regretfully, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to leave some for us to eat? Even one is fine...¡± Zhao Lanhua narrowed her eyes and nced at her. ¡°Haven¡¯t you eaten enough this morning and noon?¡± ¡°Mother, who wouldin about having too much chicken!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen smiled awkwardly and did not dare to say anything else. ¡°The wound on Ah Tao¡¯s head hasn¡¯t healed yet. She needs to take medicine,¡± Zhao Lanhua said forcefully. ¡°Besides, she caught these wild chickens. If anyone wants to eat chicken, go up the mountain and catch them yourself. I won¡¯t stop you!¡± No matter how much she pretended to be stupid, Second Sister-inw Shen could hear the displeasure in her mother-inw¡¯s tone. She silently shrank her head and did not dare to speak again. ¡°Eldest wife, go boil some hot water.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen nodded and turned to go to the kitchen. ¡°Ah Tao,e with me.¡± Zhao Lanhua waved at Ji Zhao and brought her to a short room beside the main house. After Ji Zhao walked in, she realized that this was actually an ear room. There was a thick grayish-brown curtain hanging at the entrance. She lifted the curtain and walked in. What greeted her eyes was arge bathtub about half the height of a person. ¡°Ah Tao, this towel is clean. There¡¯s a piece of acacia on the shelf over there. After the eldest wife boils the water, you should freshen up. By the way, there¡¯s still a wound on your head. Don¡¯t get it wet for the time being,¡± Zhao Lanhua pointed at the thing on the wooden triangr shelf near the bathtub and reminded her gently. At this moment, Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes were already red. She choked and said, ¡°Mother...¡± Zhao Lanhua waved her hand and walked out of the ear room. In the kitchen. Second Sister-inw Shen looked at Eldest Sister-inw Shen, who was stuffing firewood into the stove expressionlessly, and could not help but mutter, ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, what do you think Mother means? Didn¡¯t we agree to chase her away previously? Why is Mother bringing her back now?¡± ¡°Mother must have her reasons for doing this.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen stared at the mes on the stove and said calmly. ¡°In my opinion, this Ji Ah Tao is too evil!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen could not help but ponder. ¡°She even apologized to me yesterday! This matter is too strange. Could it be that her damaged head was possessed by something unclean?¡± ¡°Otherwise, how could she catch so many wild chickens? This is definitely not ordinary!¡± ¡°Alright, stop thinking about it.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen rolled her eyes at her. Second Sister-inw Shen pulled a long face and made up her mind. If Ji Ah Tao was really possessed, would she know if the child in her womb was male or female? ¡°Eldest wife,e here.¡± Zhao Lanhua, who had been standing at the door for a while, suddenly pushed open the wooden door and shouted. Eldest Sister-inw Shen quickly responded. Chapter 13 Chapter 13: Secret Recipe for Giving Birth! After a while, the mother-inw and daughter-inw found arge wooden basin and dealt with the wild chickens. ¡°Let¡¯s take advantage of the fact that the sun hasn¡¯t set yet. We should be able to reach home before curfew.¡± Zhao Lanhua thought for a moment and nced at Eldest Sister-inw Shen. ¡°Go back to your room and pack your clothes. We can go back to the shop to help today.¡± When she heard that she could return to the shop, Eldest Sister-inw Shen¡¯s eyes immediately lit up. In the end, she shook her head. ¡°No, Second Sister-inw¡¯s body is getting heavier. If I go back to the shop, won¡¯t you have to do a lot of work? If Dng finds out, he will definitely me me.¡± ¡°The second wife is only six months pregnant. There are still a few more months before she gives birth! Besides, I can do the work at home.¡± Zhao Lanhua smiled brightly. ¡°Eldest wife, I¡¯m happy that you care about me. However, Mother is not the kind of old fool who insists on keeping her daughter-inw at home to do housework. Besides, if you don¡¯t live with my eldest son, when will I be able to carry my grandson?¡± ¡°Mother...¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen called out in a choked voice. It had been three years since Eldest Sister-inw Shen entered the Shen family, but she was still not pregnant. This matter was a thorn in Eldest Sister-inw Shen¡¯s heart. Zhao Lanhua inadvertently caught a glimpse of Eldest Sister-inw Shen¡¯s reddened eyes and advised gently, ¡°Don¡¯t be too stressed. You and my eldest son are still young. The matters of pregnancy have to be determined by fate. Perhaps it¡¯s not fate yet!¡± ¡°Mother... I... I understand.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen quickly raised her sleeve to wipe her tears and forced a smile. At that moment, Ji Zhao, who had just walked out of the ear room, felt a little upset. No wonder Sister-inw Shen hated her so much. Cursing a woman who had been married for three years and unable to get pregnant as a hen who cannoty eggs was too vicious. Ji Zhao remembered that there was also a record in the book that Eldest Sister-inw Shen did not get pregnant in the end and died of depression before she was thirty years old. ¡°Mother, Sister-inw, shall I help you clean up?¡± After adjusting her emotions, Ji Zhao smiled and walked to the two of them. She rolled up her sleeves and prepared to help clean up the wild chickens. ¡°You¡¯ve just washed yourself clean. Don¡¯t do it anymore,¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen declined without looking up. ¡°There¡¯s not much work left.¡± Zhao Lanhua slowly stood up and carefully sized up Ji Zhao. Ji Zhao blinked nkly. ¡°Mother?¡± ¡°I think the injury on your head is a little serious.¡± Zhao Lanhua frowned and thought for a while. ¡°How about this? In fifteen minutes, we¡¯ll go to the county city together and take you to see a doctor first.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mother!¡± Ji Zhao smiled gratefully. After Zhao Lanhua turned around and went to the main house, Ji Zhao slowly squatted beside Eldest Sister-inw Shen, who was plucking chicken feathers. Eldest Sister-inw Shen took a step back subconsciously. ¡°Sister-inw, don¡¯t be nervous. I don¡¯t mean any harm.¡± ¡°Who knows?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen replied indifferently. Ji Zhao smiled awkwardly and said softly, ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, I want to apologize to you. I was too much of a bastard before.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± ¡°Sister-inw, actually... actually, I have a secret recipe for giving birth!¡± After hesitating for a while, Ji Zhao finally said this. A glint shed across Sister-inw Shen¡¯s eyes, and in the end, there was only sadness. ¡°How could you possibly have a secret recipe for childbirth? I heard that Third Brother and you didn¡¯t consummate your marriage.¡± Ji Zhao was speechless. ¡°Actually, to be precise, it¡¯s not that I have a secret recipe for giving birth, but I¡¯ve heard it before.¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and whispered into Eldest Sister-inw Shen¡¯s ear with a red face. Chapter 14 Chapter 14: I¡¯m Too Stupid! Eldest Sister-inw Shen¡¯s pupils dted bit by bit, and her eyes flickered with disbelief. ¡°You...¡± ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, there¡¯s no harm in trying. You can try.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen was silent for a long time. In the end, she looked at her with aplicated expression and carried the prepared wild chickens into the kitchen. Ji Zhao exhaled weakly. As soon as she turned around, she met Shen Yao¡¯s dark and calm eyes. Ji Zhao, who was shocked, subconsciously grabbed Shen Yao¡¯s sleeve when she staggered back. Shen Yao, who could not react in time, was thrown to the ground by her. His lips identally brushed past her cheek. Ji Zhao¡¯s mind went nk. ¡°You guys? What are you doing?¡± Zhao Lanhua, who had just walked out of the house, happened to see this scene. Ji Zhao pushed Shen Yao¡¯s chest in a panic. She rolled over and hurriedly stood up. ¡°Mother, this is a misunderstanding! I, I, I...¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine if you can¡¯t stand steadily, but why do you have to implicate me?¡± Shen Yao suddenly asked. Ji Zhao felt wronged! It was clearly because Shen Yao suddenly appeared behind her that she identally fell! Moreover, Shen Yao seemed to have kissed her face just now! No matter what, she was at a disadvantage! But Shen Yao actually took the initiative to question her? ¡°I... I didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡± Ji Zhao lowered her head and said weakly, ¡°I was too stupid. I lost my bnce. I¡¯m sorry!¡± However, when she looked up, Shen Yao had already disappeared. Zhao Lanhua retracted her gaze and smiled faintly. ¡°Everything is packed. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The Shen family¡¯s courtyard was not far from the entrance of Shanghe Vige. It was only about 1 kilometer away. The vige entrance is marked by two hundred-year-old pagoda trees that hug each other. It was early summer, so the pagoda trees were very dense. They were green and pleasing to the eye. Under the pagoda trees, there were several women in rough clothes of various colors holding baskets and fiddling with needles and threads. From time to time, they would converse with one another. ¡°Aunt Chunhua, have you heard? The third daughter-inw of the Shen family made a fool of herself yesterday!¡± ¡°What? What flowers?¡± The old woman sitting in the middle of the crowd had her silver hairbed meticulously. There was a pair of shrewd eyes on her weathered face, but her ears were not good and she could not hear what the woman beside her said. ¡°Tsk! You know your great-grandson, Shen Yao, right? He¡¯s married!¡± ¡°Oh, you mean Little Three?¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to get married. My Little Three has grown up and is getting married!¡± The olddy said happily. ¡°But his wife isn¡¯t a good person! She stole money and is preparing to elope!¡± ¡°In my opinion, Sister Lanhua¡¯s temper is too good. If it were anyone else, they might have sent that restless wife to the pond long ago!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it because she has high standards? She thinks that she¡¯s born seductive, so the wives she chooses are each more seductive than the other. It¡¯s obvious that she¡¯s restless!¡± When Ji Zhao followed Zhao Lanhua to the vige entrance, she happened to hear those gossipy women gossiping about the Shen family. The depressed Ji Zhao was about to step forward to refute when Zhao Lanhua shook her head at her. ¡°Stand here for a while.¡± Zhao Lanhua nced at Eldest Sister-inw Shen. ¡°Come with me.¡± Zhao Lanhua walked to the middle of the crowd. She first took out two pieces of candy from her pocket and handed them to the olddy with bad ears. ¡°Fifth Grandmother, you just ate my Sang¡¯s wedding candy the other day. Have you forgotten?¡± Chapter 15 Chapter 15: Entering the City ¡°I didn¡¯t forget! The candy is delicious!¡± ¡°Alright, try it again if it¡¯s delicious!¡± Zhao Lanhuaughed heartily and finally nced at the two people who were making fun of her behind her back. ¡°Sister Yunzhi and Aunt Suqiu, to be honest, I, Zhao Lanhua, only have one criterion for finding a wife. She has to be good-looking! My three daughters-inw are all good-looking. There¡¯s nothing I can do about it! After all, when the daughter-inws are good-looking, all the men in the family can eat two more bowls of rice, right? Unlike some people who can¡¯t be inws with me and are making fun of me behind my back? Aren¡¯t they worried that they¡¯ll bite their tongues? ¡°You...¡± The two women were so angry that their faces turned red! ¡°Lanhua, your third daughter-inw is already like that. Do you still want her?¡± ¡°My third daughter-inw was muddle-headed before, but she didn¡¯t go to meet a man in private. Besides, which of you saw my third daughter-inw cheat on a man? I heard from my eldest son that people who frames innocent people will be taken to the county office to be beaten!¡± After Zhao Lanhua said this, she brought Eldest Sister-inw Shen and Ji Zhao to the ox cart at the vige entrance. The ox cart swayed along the way. The farnd on both sides had dried up. There was only a bright green spot near the foot of the mountain not far away. ¡°Mother, thank you.¡± Ji Zhao really did not expect Zhao Lanhua to defend her in front of outsiders. Zhao Lanhua waved her hand dismissively. Ji Zhao smiled sweetly at her, then leaned against her side and sat down obediently. The ox cart was slow and bumpy. By the time they arrived at the city gate, it was gettingte. ¡°Let¡¯s split up. Eldest wife, carry the basket to the eldest¡¯s shop. I¡¯ll take Ah Tao to the pharmacy in West City to see a doctor. When we¡¯re done, we¡¯ll return to the pastry shop and gather,¡± Zhao Lanhua said as she helped Eldest Sister-inw Shen put on the basket. ¡°Got it, Mother!¡± The three of them lined up outside the city gate. Ji Zhao subconsciously looked at the city gate in front of her. The greenish-gray city wall was very tall, and there were many soldiers wearing red tassels helmets and holding sabers standing on it. After waiting outside the city gate for almost an hour, Zhao Lanhua brought Ji Zhao and Eldest Sister-inw Shen into the city. The moment she entered the city, Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes were filled with shock. The difference between inside and outside the city was too great. The road was wide enough for four carriages to pass through side by side. It was endless. The vendors on both sides were shouting enthusiastically. There were all kinds of shops in all walks of life, and it was dazzling. ¡°Mother, the county town is so lively!¡± Ji Zhao held Zhao Lanhua¡¯s arm and said with a smile. ¡°Ding Yuan County is located at the intersection between Yunchuan Prefecture and Guichuan Prefecture. It¡¯s famous for its wealth.¡± Zhao Lanhua patted her hand and said gently, ¡°Remember, you have to follow me at all times. It¡¯ll be troublesome if we get separated, understand?¡± ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll remember everything!¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Zhao Lanhua nodded and introduced, ¡°This street is called Qinghe Street. The river in Shanghe Vige is separated from the Qinghe River in the county. The east is filled with influential families, and the west is filled with ordinary people. Do you see that three-hole bridge?¡± Following Zhao Lanhua¡¯s finger, Ji Zhao saw a grayish-white three-hole bridge not far away. It was very lively and crowded. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°After crossing the bridge and walking another 1.5 to 2.5 kilometers, we will reach the county office of Dingyuan County.¡± Zhao Lanhua pointed in another direction. ¡°Do you see the fork in the road to the west? There is a wonton stall at the entrance of that street. The chicken soup wontons there are top-notch. If you walk 3.5 to 4 kilometers to the left, you will find our family¡¯s pastry shop! Eldest wife, quickly go find my eldest son. Ah Tao, let¡¯s walk to the right for a while and we will find a medicine shop.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Chapter 16 Chapter 16: Treatment Ji Zhao listened to Zhao Lanhua¡¯s introduction with relish. She swore in her heart that when she saved enough money in the future, she would definitelye to the county city to settle down! Zhao Lanhua led Ji Zhao to the right street for fifteen minutes before they finally stopped. Benevolent Medicine Hall. Ji Zhao blinked and looked seriously at the triangr banner hanging on the eaves. ¡°Treatment or medicine?¡± The shopkeeper, who was checking the ounts at the counter, heard footsteps and hurriedly looked up to ask. ¡°Doctor, we¡¯re here for treatment.¡± Zhao Lanhua pointed at Ji Zhao¡¯s head. ¡°My little daughter-inw identally rolled down the hill when she was collecting pigweed and fell on her head. Please take a look.¡± ¡°Alright,e and sit down!¡± Ji Zhao subconsciously nced at Zhao Lanhua. Under her gaze, she obediently sat down. The doctor carefully removed the bandage on her head and carefully examined the wound on her forehead. ¡°Why did you fall so badly? The wound already has a little pus. We need to remove the pus first, then sprinkle some powder on it and bandage it again.¡± ¡°Thank you, doctor,¡± Zhao Lanhua said with a smile. An hourter, the wound on Ji Zhao¡¯s head was finally treated. However, Zhao Lanhua had spent another tael of silver. ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll definitely return this silver to you in the future.¡± After walking out of the pharmacy, Ji Zhao suddenly stopped in her tracks and said seriously. Zhao Lanhua smiled at her. ¡°There¡¯s no hurry. Come with me somewhere else now.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Ji Zhao replied obediently. Half an hourter, Ji Zhao stood on the green brick road and looked at the two pastry shops in front of him. She looked at Zhao Lanhua in confusion. ¡°Mother?¡± Shen Dng, who was helping to entertain the customers in the shop, inadvertently caught a glimpse of that familiar figure and hurriedly went out to wee her. A dark red figure hurriedly walked in front of the two of them. ¡°No hurry, no hurry. Walk slowly!¡± Zhao Lanhua patted her eldest son¡¯s hand and asked happily, ¡°How¡¯s business in the shop recently?¡± ¡°Pretty good!¡± Shen Dng had a fair round face and was slightly chubby. His bright eyes looked very smart, and his facial features were quite simr to Shen Yao¡¯s. However, Shen Yao¡¯s facial features were well-defined and looked better. ¡°This must be Third Sister-inw, right?¡± Shen Dng nced at Ji Zhao and asked with a smile. Brother Shen only returned for the wedding banquet on the day of Shen Yao and Ji Zhao¡¯s wedding. Hence, he did not know about the scandal that Ji Zhao had caused after that, so his attitude towards Ji Zhao was very pleasant. ¡°Greetings, Big Brother.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and called out softly. ¡°Mother, Third Sister-inw,e in and sit!¡± Shen Dng immediately invited them into the shop. Only then did Ji Zhao have the time to size up this pastry shop. The shop was not big, about 50 to 60 square meters, but it was very clean. All kinds of pastries were clearly ced on the counter. They looked pleasing to the eye and made one drool. ¡°Mother, Third Sister-inw, quickly drink the sugar water.¡± After a while, Shen Dng brought over tworge bowls of sugar water with a smile. ¡°The sugar water that was brewed an hour ago has already cooled. It¡¯s just right for you to drink it now.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Zhao Lanhua nodded. She picked up the big bowl in her hand and drank it in one gulp. ¡°It¡¯s very sweet!¡± ¡°As long as Mother likes it!¡± Shen Dng scratched his head and smiled foolishly. ¡°By the way, your wife just came, right?¡± ¡°Yes, Chunyan apanied her to the Hongxing Restaurant down the street,¡± Shen Dng quickly said. ¡°The Second Manager of Hongxing Restaurant oftenes to our shop to buy pastries, so he should give more money on ount of me.¡± ¡°Eldest son, I¡¯m very happy that you¡¯re sessful,¡± Zhao Lanhua said happily. Chapter 17 Chapter 17: You¡¯re Still Too Young ¡°Mother, why don¡¯t you make do in the shop tonight? I¡¯ll buy some of your favorite white cut duckter.¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s still a lot of work at home. I came to the city today to treat your third sister-inw¡¯s injuries.¡± Zhao Lanhua thought of another matter and hurriedly instructed, ¡°By the way, pack two boxes of good pastries for meter.¡± ¡°Mother, what do you want to eat? I¡¯ll prepare it immediately.¡± Shen Dng asked. ¡°Ah Tao, what vor do your grandparents like to eat? Is it sweet or salty?¡± Zhao Lanhua suddenly looked up at the distracted Ji Zhao. ¡°Mother? You want to buy pastries for my grandparents?¡± Ji Zhao was very surprised. ¡°Mother, there¡¯s really no need. Let Big Brother keep the pastries in the shop to sell.¡± ¡°Ah Tao, you¡¯re still too young.¡± Zhao Lanhua looked at her deeply and said earnestly, ¡°Although your situation with my Sang is a little special now, no matter what, you¡¯re still husband and wife in name. Tomorrow, you have to return to Pomegranate Vige to visit your grandparents.¡± ¡°But Mother...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be in a hurry to decline. Eldest, go prepare two boxes of pastries first.¡± Zhao Lanhua sent the puzzled Shen Dng away. ¡°Alright!¡± ¡°Mother? Do you still want to chase me back to Pomegranate Vige?¡± Ji Zhao looked at Zhao Lanhua anxiously and asked what was on her mind. ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much.¡± Zhao Lanhua smiled indifferently. ¡°Other than the Shen family, no one else knows that you and Third Brother have divorced, so we still have to do this on the surface. Today at the vige entrance, you heard what those people said about you behind your back, right?¡± ¡°Mother, their mouths are on other people¡¯s faces. Just let them say whatever they want. I don¡¯t care.¡± Ji Zhao smiled nonchntly. ¡°Ah Tao, just because you don¡¯t care doesn¡¯t mean that I don¡¯t care either. Besides, if you don¡¯t return to Pomegranate Vige to visit your family, won¡¯t you give those gossipers a chance to frame my third son?¡± Zhao Lanhua smiled generously and said in a very honest tone, ¡°You still have to do things appropriately. You don¡¯t have to think too much. I¡¯m mainly thinking about my third son¡¯s reputation.¡± 4:30 pm. Eldest Sister-inw returned, her face full of joy. ¡°Mother, husband!¡± ¡°Have you sold all those wild chickens?¡± Zhao Lanhua looked at the bright smile on her face and smiled. ¡°Auntie Zhao, you¡¯re really amazing. You even guessed it?¡± A round-faced little girl standing beside Sister-inw Shen said with a smile, ¡°No wonder my sister said that you¡¯re the best!¡± ¡°Chunyan¡¯s mouth is getting sharper!¡± The smile on Zhao Lanhua¡¯s face deepened. ¡°Sister, Auntie is praising me for being amazing. You can¡¯t say that I¡¯m stupid again in the future!¡± Feng Chunyan held Sister-inw Shen¡¯s arm affectionately and said with a smile. ¡°You, you!¡± Sister-inw Shen tapped her forehead helplessly. When Ji Zhao, who was standing obediently at the side, heard the name Chunyan, surprise shed across her eyes. Feng Chunyan, Eldest Sister-inw Shen¡¯s biological sister. She was just 12 years old this year and had a lively and straightforward personality. She was also very efficient and capable. She helped her sister and brother-inw manage the pastry shop... Ji Zhao suddenly thought of the plot in the original novel. If the plot did not change, Feng Chunyan would definitely encounter a cmity during this year¡¯s Mid-Autumn Festival. ¡°Mother, those wild chickens have all been bought by Hongxing Restaurant.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen took out an exquisite gray pouch embroidered with lotus flowers from her sleeve and poured out the silver fragments in the pouch. ¡°Seven wild chickens. The restaurant owner gave us a total of seven taels!¡± Seven taels was almost half a month¡¯s ie for the pastry shop! It could only earn so much when business was good! ¡°Ah Tao, you were the one who caught the chickens. Keep this silver.¡± Zhao Lanhua nced at Ji Zhao, who was in a daze, and called out softly. ¡°Oh,¡± Ji Zhao replied in a daze. The others looked at her curiously. Chapter 18 Chapter 18: Soup Ji Zhao thought for a moment and divided the seven taels of silver on the table into three portions. She handed five taels of silver to Zhao Lanhua and one tael of silver to Eldest Sister-inw Shen. She only kept one tael of silver for herself. ¡°Mother, you already spent a tael of silver to bring me to see a doctor just now. Moreover, you and Eldest Sister-inw helped to deal with these wild chickens. In the end, it was Eldest Sister-inw who helped to sell it, so we¡¯ll split the silver like this.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and said firmly. Previously, the Host had stolen the Shen family¡¯s silver. However, when the Host unfortunately rolled down the hill, the silver was gone. Ji Zhao felt that she owed the Shen family a lot. ¡°I don¡¯t want it.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen hurriedly put the tael of silver back. ¡°I didn¡¯t put in much effort. Besides, I only helped because of Mother.¡± ¡°Eldest wife, since Ah Tao gave it to you, you can keep it.¡± At this moment, Zhao Lanhua suddenly said, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Ah Tao and I will go back first. You guys don¡¯t have to send us off.¡± In the end, Shen Dng and his wife still sent them out of the city. When Zhao Lanhua brought Ji Zhao back to the Shen family¡¯s courtyard in Shanghe Vige, the sky was about to turn dark. Ji Zhao stood outside the courtyard with a hesitant expression, and her footsteps were uncertain. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Mother, why don¡¯t I return to the Earth Temple first?¡± Ji Zhao smiled lightly. ¡°What time is it? Don¡¯t just stand there!¡± Zhao Lanhua looked at her indifferently. Ji Zhao hurriedly chased after her. Now that her rtionship with her mother-inw had finally eased a little, it would not be worth it if there was another misunderstanding! Ji Zhao obediently followed Zhao Lanhua into the kitchen. At that moment, Second Sister-inw Shen was washing the dishes. When she heard footsteps, she hurriedly wiped her hands and called out with a smile, ¡°Mother, you¡¯re back? I saved a bowl of rice for you in the pot.¡± ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡± Zhao Lanhua smiled, her eyes filled with warmth. Although her second daughter-inw was usually a little greedy, she was not vague when it came to important matters. She came backte today. Her second daughter-inw was very obedient to be willing to cook with a big belly. ¡°Leave the kitchen to me. Go back to your room and rest,¡± Zhao Lanhua said with a smile. ¡°By the way, I brought some snacks. Bring a bag back to your roomter.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mother!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen narrowed her eyes and replied happily. She knew it! As long as she performed well tonight, with her mother-inw¡¯s personality, she would definitely not mistreat her! She loved pastries the most! ¡°Ah Tao, help me add some firewood.¡± Zhao Lanhua nced at Ji Zhao and chuckled. ¡°Okay.¡± Zhao Lanhua immediately put on her apron, rolled up her sleeves, and lifted the lid of the pot. There was only one bowl of rice left in the pot. It was definitely not enough for two people. ¡°Mother? Why don¡¯t I go back first?¡± Ji Zhao whispered when she saw her thoughtful expression. ¡°Add firewood!¡± Zhao Lanhua said without looking up. Then, she turned around and scooped a small bowl of flour from the cab. She quickly added water and noodles and extravagantly added two eggs. Fifteen minutester, Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but gulp when she smelled the fragrance. ¡°Mother? What are you making? Why is it so fragrant?¡± ¡°Dough drop soup.¡± Zhao Lanhua kept stirring the pot with a big spoon. Finally, she added a pinch of white sugar to the soup. In the end, she filled a bowl with the soup and handed it to Ji Zhao. ¡°Be careful of the heat. Blow on it before you eat it!¡± ¡°Thank you, Mother!¡± Ji Zhao held the bowl of soup and smiled brightly. Chapter 19 Chapter 19: What Do You Want to Do? The dough drops in the soup were very chewy, and the taste was sweet and soft. After a while, Ji Zhao finished the bowl of dough drop soup. ¡°Mother, this dough drop soup is really delicious.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and showed her the empty bowl in his hand. ¡°Mother, look, I¡¯ve finished it!¡± Shen Yao happened to walk into the kitchen and saw the bright smile on Ji Zhao¡¯s face. He held his fist to his lips and coughed twice. ¡°Sang, why are you in the kitchen sote at night?¡± Zhao Lanhua asked with concern. ¡°Are you hungry? What do you want to eat? Mother will make it for you.¡± ¡°Mother, I¡¯m not hungry.¡± Shen Yao shook his head gently. ¡°Mother, I have something to say to Ji Ah Tao alone.¡± Zhao Lanhua subconsciously looked back at the nervous Ji Zhao and exined softly, ¡°Mother brought her back. She injured her head and can¡¯t starve. She...¡± ¡°Mother,¡± Shen Yao called her softly. Zhao Lanhua nodded helplessly. In the end, she turned around and walked out of the kitchen. Ji Zhao was so nervous that she did not dare to meet his gaze. She could only look down at her toes. ¡°I... I¡¯ll leave now... Don¡¯t be angry, okay?¡± ¡°What exactly do you want to do?¡± Shen Yao suddenly approached and stopped one step away from her. ¡°Lift your head and answer my question.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t want to do anything.¡± Ji Zhao looked up. The smile on her face was pale and powerless. ¡°Mother is kind. She¡¯s afraid that I won¡¯t have anything to eat when I return to the Earth Temple, so she cooked dough drop soup for me. I really don¡¯t have any ill intentions.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not your mother.¡± Shen Yao interrupted her expressionlessly. ¡°Also, don¡¯te to my house again.¡± Ji Zhao suddenly felt a dullness in her heart. She was so sad that she could not speak. She answered sullenly, ¡°Got it.¡± Ji Zhao turned around and left the Shen residence. The hazy moonlight made her back look very lonely. In the Shen family¡¯s house, Zhao Lanhua sighed sadly. ¡°Sang, Ah Tao seems to have really repented...¡± ¡°It¡¯ste. Mother, rest early.¡± Shen Yao forcefully interrupted her words of pleading. He turned around and limped back to his room. Ji Zhao, who had returned to the Earth Temple, silently leaned against the reed mat in the corner. She rested her chin on her hands, her gaze empty. It was not easy to untie the knot in Shen Yao¡¯s heart! The road ahead was long! Ji Zhao thought about it for a while and felt sleepy. After a while, she fell asleep. The next morning, Zhao Lanhua was worried about Ji Zhao¡¯s head injury and went to the kitchen early in the morning to make a big bowl of steamed egg. Ji Zhao was awakened by her craving. She smelled a strong fragrance and could not help but swallow. Then, she slowly opened her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Zhao Lanhua, who was packing the firewood, heard themotion and turned around with a smile. ¡°I made steamed egg. Eat it while it¡¯s hot.¡± ¡°Mother, how can I ept this?¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly waved her hand to decline. ¡°I can¡¯t eat it.¡± Gulp- Hearing her stomach growl, Zhao Lanhua stuffed the bowl of steamed egg into her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t dawdle. Eat it while it¡¯s hot. Come with me to dig wild vegetablester.¡± ¡°... Okay.¡± Ji Zhao had no choice but to finish the bowl of steamed egg. The steamed egg with sesame oil tasted even more fragrant. After a while, the two of them went up the mountain together. ¡°It¡¯s the drought year now, and everything edible on the mountain has been dug up. It¡¯s rare for you to encounter a wild chicken fight yesterday.¡± Zhao Lanhua chose a low hill and slowly squatted down, preparing to dig up wild vegetables. ¡°Mother! Don¡¯t move!¡± Ji Zhao frowned and shouted! Chapter 20 Chapter 20: Sorry, I Misunderstood You ¡°What? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Zhao Lanhua, who was frightened by Ji Zhao, looked up and asked nervously. ¡°Snake...¡± Ji Zhao swallowed nervously and stared at the dark red poisonous snake that was hanging upside down in the bushes an inch away from Zhao Lanhua. She said softly, ¡°Mother, don¡¯t move!¡± Zhao Lanhua was so nervous that she forgot to breathe. Beads of sweat suddenly appeared on her smooth forehead. Ji Zhao took a deep breath. After adjusting her emotions, she picked up the scythe in Zhao Lanhua¡¯s hand at lightning speed and shed at the poisonous snake! ¡°Ji Ah Tao! What are you doing?¡± A hoarse shout suddenly sounded from behind her. Ji Zhao¡¯s hand trembled, and the scythe in her hand turned around. It failed to hit the snake¡¯s weak spot, and instead, the snake bit her wrist! Hiss- The sudden pain on her wrist made Ji Zhao gasp. She tried her best to shake off the venomous snake on her wrist! When Shen Yao, who had rushed over, saw this scene, his heart sank. He quickly seized the opportunity and grabbed the snake¡¯s weak spot! ¡°I...¡± Ji Zhao was about to exin when she suddenly felt her vision go dark. In the end, she fell to the ground and lost consciousness. It was not until dark that Ji Zhao slowly opened her eyes. What greeted her eyes was a in greenish-gray tent. She blinked nkly, her gaze empty and powerless. ¡°Are you... alright?¡± Shen Yao walked to the bed and asked softly, ¡°Are you feeling unwell anywhere?¡± ¡°I...¡± Ji Zhao turned her head to look at him. The moment she wanted to exin, she suddenly felt very wronged. Her tears kept falling like pearls. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I misunderstood you.¡± Seeing her cry, Shen Yao felt even more guilty. ¡°From afar, I thought you wanted to harm my mother, so I stopped you... I didn¡¯t expect you to raise the sickle to hit that poisonous snake,¡± Shen Yao exined frankly. ¡°The doctor has alreadye to take a look. Your life is no longer in danger, but you still have to drink medicine just in case.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Ji Zhao wanted to sit down herself, but there was a sudden pain on her right wrist. It was so painful that she gasped. Shen Yao thought for a moment and went forward to help her arrange the pillow. He then held her shoulder and helped her sit up. ¡°Thank you,¡± Ji Zhao said softly. ¡°Drink the medicine first.¡± Shen Yao let go of her ufortably and turned to leave. Ji Zhao picked up the bowl of ck medicine, wrinkled her nose, and drank it in one gulp. To her surprise, the medicine actually had a hint of sweetness. In the central room of the Shen family. Zhao Lanhua looked at the silent Shen Yao and advised softly, ¡°Sang, I know that you still have a knot in your heart with Ah Tao. However, if Ah Tao hadn¡¯t helped me today, I¡¯m afraid I would have been bitten to death by that poisonous snake. Also, Ah Tao gave me the money from selling the wild chickens yesterday. I think she has really repented. Moreover, she hasn¡¯t signed the divorce letter until now. I think she has really thought it through.¡± Shen Yao did not say anything. He just lowered his head and gripped the big tea bowl in his hand tightly. Knock knock- Ji Zhao, who was standing outside the door, raised her hand and knocked on the wooden door. Then, she smiled faintly. ¡°Mother, it¡¯s gettingte. I¡¯ll go back to the Earth Temple first.¡± Without waiting for Zhao Lanhua¡¯s reply, Ji Zhao turned around and left. ¡°Ah Tao, wait!¡± Zhao Lanhua anxiously shot her son a look. ¡°The doctor said that the venomous snake is very poisonous. Ah Tao has to rest more! Third son, don¡¯t forget that if you hadn¡¯t suddenly appeared and frightened Ah Tao, she wouldn¡¯t have been bitten by the poisonous snake!¡± Chapter 21 Chapter 21: It Feels So Good to Sleep Under a nket~ Shen Yao pursed his lips tightly. In the end, he did not go out to chase after Ji Zhao. Zhao Lanhua stomped her feet anxiously. She puffed up her cheeks and said angrily, ¡°Ah Tao¡¯s head injury hasn¡¯t healed yet! And she hasn¡¯t eaten yet!¡± On the other side. Ji Zhao returned to the Earth Temple with heavy steps. She leaned against the reed mat in the corner with difficulty and hugged her knees. Her eyes were filled with grievance and sadness. The moment she was bitten by the poisonous snake, she thought that she could return to her original world. In the end, it turned out that it was all wishful thinking. Ji Zhao, who had been letting her imagination run wild for a while, was finally pulled back from her thoughts by hunger. There was also a small bowl of cherries on the shrine to the Earth God. She knelt in front of the statue of the Earth God piously and said guiltily, ¡°Please forgive me, Earth God. I was bitten by a snake today and really don¡¯t have the strength to go out and search for food. I¡¯ll go out to find food tomorrow morning!¡± Just as Ji Zhao was about to take the cherries, she heard heavy footsteps. Shen Yao, who was carrying a wicker basket, bent over and walked into the Earth Temple. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Ji Zhao frowned in confusion. Shen Yao did not answer her. Instead, he put down the basket on his back and took out a thin nket. He ced it on the reed mat in the corner and added anotheryer of bedsheets. After doing this, he untied the water bag tied to his waist and took out an oil paper bag. ¡°My mother made sesame pastries tonight.¡± Shen Yao sat cross-legged on an edge of the reed mat. He looked up at Ji Zhao and said calmly and gently, ¡°If you hadn¡¯t saved my mother today, I¡¯m afraid the consequences would have been unimaginable. Logically speaking, I should thank you.¡± ¡°Mother treated me very well. She even ignored the past and brought me to the county city to treat my illness. It¡¯s only right that I treat her well,¡± Ji Zhao said sincerely. ¡°Mm,¡± Shen Yao replied. The two of them sat opposite each other in silence. Ji Zhao felt that the atmosphere was a little awkward until her stomach growled again. ¡°You have to eat the sesame pastry while it¡¯s hot. It won¡¯t taste good when it¡¯s cold,¡± Shen Yao suddenly reminded. ¡°Oh, okay.¡± Ji Zhao subconsciously nodded in response. She opened the oil paper bag and gently took a bite of the sesame pastry that was still warm. It was salty, crispy, and delicious. Shen Yao thought for a moment and said again, ¡°We¡¯ve already divorced. If we live together again, it will affect your future greatly.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You...¡± Shen Yao looked away awkwardly. ¡°You¡¯re still a virgin. When you repay the Shen family¡¯s money in the future, you can marry another good man. If you and I live together, it will definitely affect your reputation. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t want you to return to the Shen family.¡± Ji Zhao was very surprised. She did not expect Shen Yao to be so considerate for her. ¡°Oh,¡± Ji Zhao replied silently and lowered her head to continue eating the pastry. Shen Yao touched his nose ufortably. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. You should rest early too.¡± However, he seemed to have forgotten how short the Earth Temple was, so the moment he suddenly stood up, his head inevitably hit the eaves. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Ji Zhao quickly asked. ¡°I-I¡¯m fine.¡± Shen Yao covered his head and quickly left the Earth Temple. Ji Zhao looked at his hasty back and fell into deep thought. Would Shen Yao, who looked a little silly, really be a high-ranking Grand Secretary in the future? After filling her stomach, Ji Zhaoy t and rested. It felt so good to sleep under the nket~ Chapter 22 Chapter 22: Mother? Where Are We Going? The next day, Ji Zhao, who had slept soundly, felt refreshed. After packing up the bedding, she prepared to go out to hunt. She carried the basket on her back and went up the mountain. In less than an hour, she had dug up half a basket of wild yams. Then, she went to the river and luckily picked up six wild duck eggs again. At that time, in the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. Zhao Lanhua was busy preparing breakfast for the family in the kitchen. She was worried about Ji Zhao¡¯s injury and specially cooked noodles for her. ¡°Mother, what are you doing? It smells so good.¡± Second Sister-inw Shen lifted the curtain and entered the kitchen with a smile. ¡°Earlier, your eldest brother asked someone to bring back two pig bones, so I made bone soup,¡± Zhao Lanhua replied straightforwardly. ¡°Second Wife, quickly set up the bowls!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen¡¯s eyes lit up when she heard that there was bone soup to drink! ¡°Mother, are you at home?¡± Ji Zhao, who was standing by the door, raised her hand and knocked on the unlocked door of the Shen residence. ¡°I¡¯m in the kitchen! Ah Tao,e over directly!¡± Zhao Lanhua quickly responded and said to Second Sister-inw Shen, ¡°Second Wife, set up an extra bowl.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Second Sister-inw Shen reluctantly took another bowl and muttered softly. This Ji Zhao was really lucky! Zhao Lanhua ignored her and continued to pull noodles. Ji Zhao walked into the kitchen with a basket on her back. ¡°Mother, I dug up a lot of yams and picked up a few wild duck eggs.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. She quickly walked to Ji Zhao¡¯s side and looked around curiously. ¡°Yes.¡± Ji Zhao smiled happily. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect my luck to be so good today.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that for now. Go wash your hands and eat togetherter!¡± Zhao Lanhua quickly said. ¡°... Okay, thank you, Mother!¡± After dawn, in the Shen family¡¯s central room, everyone sat around the square table. Shen Dashan looked at Ji Zhao, who was sitting at the corner, with aplicated gaze. In the end, he did not say anything. ¡°If Ah Tao hadn¡¯t saved me yesterday, I¡¯m afraid I would have died.¡± Zhao Lanhua thought for a moment and said in a low voice, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about the past. In the future, Ah Tao will eat with our family. If anyone has any objections, feel free to mention it to me.¡± Everyone tacitly kept quiet. After all, Zhao Lanhua had the final say in the Shen family. ¡°Since no one has any objections to this matter, don¡¯t just stand there, eat!¡± After stewing the bone soup for the entire night, the fragrance was very strong. The chewy noodles were soaked in bone broth, followed by delicious sour bamboo shoots and delicious fried eggs. The three different textures formed a richyer, making one intoxicated. After eating all the noodles and taking a sip of the broth, the taste was so beautiful that it made one speechless. ¡°Looking at the sun outside, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s going to be another dry day today.¡± Shen Dashan was the first to put down his bowl and chopsticks. He said worriedly, ¡°Third son, go out with meter. The two of us will strive to water morend.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°Second wife, help me pack lunch, peel some yams, and wash some dried mushrooms.¡± Before leaving, Zhao Lanhua instructed Second Sister-inw Shen before turning to look at Ji Zhao. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Mother? Where are we going?¡± Ji Zhao was very puzzled. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to your family,¡± Zhao Lanhua said firmly. ¡°Don¡¯t stand there foolishly. Let¡¯s go ande back quickly. We should be able to make it back in time for lunch.¡± Ji Zhao nodded obediently and followed behind her. The mother-inw and daughter-inw had just walked 1 kilometer when they were stopped. Chapter 23 Chapter 23: Ah Tao, You Hit Me? The man in front of her was wearing a green long robe that looked wrinkled. The man had a pair of peach blossom eyes, but his nose was a little sunken and looked very out of ce. More importantly, Ji Zhao was a little apprehensive under his resentful gaze. Ji Zhao silently shrunk her head and subconsciously nced at Zhao Lanhua beside him. She asked curiously, ¡°Mother, who is he?¡± Hearing this, Zhao Xian revealed a pained expression. ¡°Tao¡¯er, what¡¯s wrong?¡± That word Tao¡¯er almost made Ji Zhao spit out her breakfast! She suppressed the difort in her heart and tried her best to say calmly, ¡°I really don¡¯t know you. Can you please move aside? You¡¯re blocking the way.¡± Zhao Lanhua nced at Ji Zhao. Seeing that her eyes were clear, she knew what was going on. It seemed that Ah Tao really did not remember. ¡°I¡¯m your Brother Xian~ How can you forget me?¡± Zhao Xian pretended to hold his chest in pain and sobbed sadly. ¡°Ah Tao, it¡¯s all my fault. If it weren¡¯t for my sudden abdominal pain that day, I think we would definitely have be a godly couple. It¡¯s all my fault...¡± How could Ji Zhao not understand? The pretentious man in front of her was probably Schr Zhao, whom the original host had admired. Ji Zhao remembered that the original owner of the body was devoted to Schr Zhao. She listened to his sweet words and did not hesitate to steal and rob just to let him live freely. However, this Zhao Xian was not a good person. He used the original owner to obtain money. In the end, he felt bored and sold the original owner. When the original owner appeared again, she was already crazy and stupid. Although the host had brought this upon herself, Zhao Xian was too much! The more she thought about it, the angrier Ji Zhao became. She suddenly walked forward, rolled up her sleeves, and attacked his face from both sides! Zhao Xian, who had been pped twice, was dumbfounded. ¡°Ah Tao? You hit me?¡± ¡°Cut the crap and return the money!¡± Ji Zhao red at him and shouted aggressively, ¡°A year ago, you cheated me of my personal jade pendant for six taels of silver. Half a year ago, you took away two taels of silver that I earned from embroidery. Three months ago, you went to my house and took away a pair of silver earrings that were worth one tael of silver! Also, the silver you asked me to steal from the Shen family a few days ago added up to a total of twenty-one taels of silver and six taels of silver and five cents! Quickly return it to me!¡± ¡°You... Ah Tao... How did you be like this?¡± Zhao Xian widened his eyes in disbelief. His tone was filled with pain. ¡°Have you forgotten the oath we promised each other? How can you treat me like this...¡± ¡°Return the money!¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s face was tense as she said expressionlessly, ¡°If you don¡¯t return the money, let¡¯s go to the county office to argue right and wrong!¡± ¡°You¡¯re spouting nonsense...¡± Zhao Xian, whose face had turned red from anger, gritted his teeth and said, ¡°You willingly gave those to me!¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± Ji Zhao ced his hands on his hips and angrily spat on his face. ¡°Even if I was blind in the past, as an Schr, you actually urged an ignorant vige woman like me to steal the Shen family¡¯s money! You¡¯re the mastermind! If you¡¯re unwilling to return the money, I¡¯ll go to the county office and beat the drum of injustice. At that time, I¡¯ll let the county magistrate carefully distinguish who¡¯s right and who¡¯s wrong!¡± Zhao Xian did not expect Ji Ah Tao, who had always been humble and gentle in front of him, to be so domineering. He took two steps back in a panic and finally fled like a frightened rabbit... Chapter 24 Chapter 24: The Ji Family ¡°Mother?¡± Ji Zhao turned around slightly and lowered her head in shame. The Host was really too stupid. That was why she was deceived by Zhao Xian. Thinking about how the original owner had given all the money she had stolen from the Shen family to Zhao Xian, Ji Zhao¡¯s heart ached! She strongly suspected that the Host had Stockholm Syndrome! Zhao Lanhua suddenly held her right hand and took a closer look. ¡°In the future, when you hit someone, you have to use your skill. Look, your hand is swollen,¡± Zhao Lanhua said earnestly. ¡°I understand, Mother.¡± Ji Zhao smiled faintly, feeling much more rxed. The mother-inw and daughter-inw sped up and finally arrived at Pomegranate Vige at midnight. The location of Pomegranate Vige was a little remotepared to Shanghe Vige. More importantly, Pomegranate Vige was built against a mountain. There was no water source nearby, and cracks appeared in the fields of every family. Everything edible in the vige had been dug up. The Ji Family¡¯s house was located at the end of the vige. It was a short three-door loess house surrounded by a fence. There were two pomegranate trees nted in front of the door. The pomegranate tree, which should have been full of branches and leaves, was too dry. It was bare and listless, looking very deste. Cough cough- A thick and heavy cough came from the room on the left, interrupting Ji Zhao¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Looks like your grandfather¡¯s illness hasn¡¯t fully recovered.¡± Zhao Lanhua frowned and sighed. ¡°Mm.¡± Ji Zhao pushed open the fence door and called out with a smile, ¡°Grandpa, Grandma, are you at home?¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Madam Xie, who was tidying up the firewood in the kitchen, hurriedly walked out. ¡°Ah Tao, is that you?¡± ¡°Yes, Grandma, I¡¯m back.¡± Ji Zhao smiled politely and asked softly, ¡°Grandma, my mother-inw is also here. Can I trouble you to help entertain her? Leave the kitchen work to me.¡± ¡°Oh, inws are here too?¡± Madam Xie saw Zhao Lanhua holding some pastries in her hand and smiled widely. ¡°Quick, quick,e in and sit!¡± Madam Xie warmly weed Zhao Lanhua into the inner room. The Ji family¡¯s inner room was very simple. There were only two faded red benches and a square table with a sprained corner. ¡°Inw, there¡¯s nothing good at home. There¡¯s only a small handful of white sugar left. Can you make do with it?¡± Madam Xie quickly poured a cup of sugar water for Zhao Lanhua. Even the big porcin bowl that was filled with sugar water was missing a corner. The Ji family was really poor. ¡°You¡¯re too kind.¡± Zhao Lanhua sat down with a smile and ced the two packets of pastries on the table. ¡°I don¡¯t know what vors you like, so I took two packets of sesame pastries. Try them!¡± ¡°Oh my, inw, you¡¯re too polite...¡± Madam Xie said with a smile. ¡°We¡¯re already very grateful that you brought Ah Tao back to us... If the old man hadn¡¯t been so sick back then, I wouldn¡¯t have let Ah Tao marry someone so early...¡± Madam Xie suddenly began to wipe her tears and sobbed sadly. ¡°Yesterday, I heard that Ah Tao did something to let the third son of the Shen family down. It¡¯s all because we didn¡¯t teach her well... But in order to treat the old man, we¡¯ve already spent the two taels of betrothal gifts...¡± Zhao Lanhua¡¯s eyes twitched. It seemed that the olddy had misunderstood. ¡°You¡¯ve misunderstood. I¡¯m not here to ask for money.¡± Zhao Lanhua quicklyforted her. ¡°Ah Tao is quite good. She didn¡¯t do anything to let my third son down. Those gossipy women are deliberately stirring up trouble. Don¡¯t listen to their nonsense.¡± ¡°Really? Really?¡± Madam Xie stopped crying and looked very surprised. Chapter 25 Chapter 25: Miss... Just as Madam Xie and Zhao Lanhua were chatting happily, Ji Zhao was busy in the kitchen. The rice in the rice jar was almost empty. There was not much flour left in the bamboo basket hanging on the beam. Ji Zhao was very worried. She remembered that the Ji family in the original novel was in decline. Old Master Ji¡¯s son and daughter-inw passed away many years ago, and Old Master Ji passed away not long after she got married. Old Madam Ji had no choice but to bring her only grandson along to beg on the streets... Ji Zhao thought for a moment and took out the silver tael hidden at her waist. No matter what, the old couple in the Ji family raised her. ¡°Sis... Sis...¡± Just as Ji Zhao made up his mind to turn around, he happened to see a small round ck head. ¡°Chenchen?¡± Ji Zhao asked softly when she saw the little face. The six-year-old boy was as thin as a matchstick. The hair on his head was even more messy. He had a pair of big ck eyes on his fair face. His flickering appearance made one¡¯s heart ache. Ji Chen was the only grandson of the Ji family. He had been quiet since he was young. Ji Zhao had heard from her grandfather that Ji Chen had an illness. He did not cry or make a fuss. Even if he was beaten by other children, he would not feel any pain. If Ji Zhao was not wrong, Ji Chen¡¯s illness should be child autism. Moreover, the reason why something happened to the Ji couple back then was because they had heard that there was a divine doctor who specialized in treating chronic illnesses in the neighboring county. In the end, they encountered bandits on the way and both of them died. ¡°Sister... Sister... Chen... Chen... misses you...¡± ¡°Chenchen, good boy!¡± Ji Zhao felt her heart melt when she heard this. ¡°Mss...¡± Ji Chen looked at her with his big ck eyes. Ji Zhao slowly squatted down and kept her gaze parallel to his. She rubbed his head and smiled gently. ¡°Chenchen, are you hungry? I brought some pastries home. Do you want to try them?¡± Ji Chen nodded. When Ji Zhao brought him into the central room, he happened to hear Zhao Lanhua¡¯s voice. ¡°Ah Tao is very good. I like her very much. The weather is not good now. My third son apanied his father to the fields early in the morning to work, so he couldn¡¯t apany Ah Tao back to the house. Anyway, don¡¯t worry. Our Shen family will take good care of Ah Tao.¡± At this moment, Ji Zhao was very touched. ¡°Mother, thank you.¡± Ji Zhao walked into the central room and bowed to Zhao Lanhua. ¡°From now on, I will treat you as my own mother.¡± ¡°Silly girl, get up quickly!¡± Zhao Lanhua hurriedly went forward to help her up. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s gettingte. We should go back. Ah Tao, I¡¯ll wait for you outside.¡± The attentive Zhao Lanhua quickly gave the space to the two of them. She turned around and took out two Nougats from her sleeve and handed them to Ji Chen, who was hiding behind her. ¡°Nougats, do you want some?¡± Ji Chen blinked nkly. In the end, he carefully reached out and grabbed the two candies. ¡°Thank... thank you!¡± ¡°Good boy!¡± Zhao Lanhua asked happily, ¡°Can you take me to see your grandfather?¡± Ji Chen subconsciously looked at Madam Xie. Seeing her nod, he let go of Ji Zhao¡¯s sleeve and turned to walk out of the room. Madam Xie nced at Ji Zhao and suddenly approached her to hug her waist. She cried bitterly, ¡°My Ah Tao, I¡¯ve let you down! Boohoo! I really had no choice but to marry you off in a hurry!¡± ¡°Grandma, wipe your tears first.¡± Ji Zhao pushed her away expressionlessly and sighed softly. Chapter 26 Chapter 26: Really Good Only then did Madam Xie let go and kept wiping her tears. ¡°Is grandpa¡¯s illness better?¡± Madam Xie shook her head, her eyes filled with sorrow. ¡°He¡¯s taken a lot of medicine, but he hasn¡¯t improved. He¡¯s been coughing even harder these past two days! Ah Tao, don¡¯t me me. I really had no choice... Moreover, the Shen family is one of the richest families in Shanghe Vige. Moreover, your mother-inw is famous for being kind. Don¡¯t... don¡¯t do anything foolish, okay?¡± ¡°Yes, I know.¡± Ji Zhao nodded obediently. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Ji Zhao took out the tael of silver from her waist and handed it to Madam Xie. ¡°This is all I have on me. Make do with it first. When I earn money in the future, find a different doctor for grandpa.¡± ¡°Ah Tao, I¡¯m really sorry...¡± Madam Xie lowered her head and cried again, but her hands were clenched tightly around the two pieces of silver, unwilling to let go. ¡°I¡¯ll go and see grandpa. I¡¯lle back to see you in two days.¡± Ji Zhao didn¡¯t want to hear Madam Xie cry anymore. She turned around and went to the east room to see Old Master Ji lying on the bed. ¡°Ah Tao is back...¡± Old Master Ji struggled to get up from the bed. ¡°Grandpa, are you alright?¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly went forward and ced the pillow behind him. ¡°Cough, cough... I... cough, cough...¡± Old Master Ji coughed again. He coughed so hard that he was panting. Ji Zhao hurriedly poured a ss of water and handed it to him. Old Master Ji carefully took a sip and shook his head. ¡°Grandpa, you should drink some more.¡± Ji Zhao advised gently. ¡°No.¡± Old Master Ji shook his head. ¡°Water is rare. You have to drink it sparingly. Your grandmother is old. Every day before dawn, she has to go to Shanghe Vige to fetch water... It¡¯s all my fault for being useless. If I wasn¡¯t sick, we wouldn¡¯t have sold you...¡± The old man grabbed her hand, his eyes red with guilt. Back then, it was Old Master Ji who picked up Ji Ah Tao, who was covered in blood, on a narrow path outside Pomegranate Vige. ¡°Grandpa, don¡¯t be sad. I¡¯m really fine now.¡± Ji Zhao chuckled. ¡°My mother-inw is a very good person. Moreover, the Shen family is very kind. They treat me very well. You must get better soon!¡± ¡°Ah Tao, you must take good care of yourself, take care of your inws, and be considerate of your husband. After you¡¯ve done this, the Shen family... cough, cough, cough... They... cough, cough, cough... will definitely treat you well, understand?¡± Old Master Ji looked into her eyes and said earnestly. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll remember everything.¡± Old Master Ji¡¯s teachings were in consideration for Ji Zhao. Ji Zhao nodded obediently, her eyes gradually turning red. On the way back to the Shen family, Ji Zhao kept her head lowered and did not say a word. Zhao Lanhua nced at her but said nothing. Halfway through the afternoon, the mother-inw and daughter-inw finally returned to the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. At that moment, Second Sister-inw Shen had already prepared lunch for the family. She cooked mixed grain buns, stir-fried arge bowl of mushrooms, and cooked duck eggs. ¡°Mother? You¡¯re back? Hurry up and have lunch!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen quickly went forward and said happily, ¡°I¡¯ve already delivered food to Father and Third Brother!¡± ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡± Zhao Lanhua nodded in satisfaction. Then, she turned to look at the sad Ji Zhao and said gently, ¡°Ah Tao, let¡¯s eat first!¡± Ji Zhao was worried about Old Master Ji¡¯s illness, so she had no appetite. After eating a mixed grain bun, she brought up that she wanted to return to the Earth Temple to rest. Zhao Lanhua did not stop her. Chapter 27 Chapter 27: Ahhh! Snake! After returning to the Earth Temple, Ji Zhao, who was leaning against the wall, seriously thought about how to earn money. Now that it had been a year of drought, only the vigers of Shanghe Vige, which was by the river, had a slightly better life. At least, every family could barely fill their stomachs. The other viges were gued by the drought. Ji Zhao thought for a moment and piously knelt in front of the statue of the Earth God. ¡°Earth God, please be merciful and plead with the Dragon King. Send the rain earlier!¡± Ji Zhao knew that summoning the wind and rain was not within the jurisdiction of the Earth God, but she still kowtowed three times to the Earth Elder with a pious heart. After resting in the Earth Temple, Ji Zhao prepared to go out and take a look to see if she could catch more wild chickens. After walking 2 to 2.5 kilometers to the east, she only saw barren mountains. Ji Zhao sighed dejectedly. Hiss! Hiss! Hiss! Just as Ji Zhao was about to stop and rest, she suddenly heard a rustling sound. She caught a glimpse of the swaying reeds ahead and held her breath as she cautiously approached- When she saw it clearly, she waspletely dumbfounded! A thick scarlet snake opened its bloody mouth and quickly bit a wild chicken¡¯s neck! The wild chicken was still struggling in pain, pping its feathers all over the ground! In the end, the wild chicken gradually gave up struggling. Ji Zhao picked up a sharp rock from the ground and seized the opportunity to rush forward! The snake died before it could swallow the entire chicken. Ji Zhao panted heavily and pulled the wild chicken out of the snake¡¯s mouth. In the end, she coiled the dead snake and put it into the cloth bag on her body. The snake galldder was a treasure. Perhaps it could be exchanged for some silver. At dusk, smoke rose from every household in Shanghe Vige. Ji Zhao carried her full basket and arrived at the Shen residence again. Zhao Lanhua was feeding the chickens in the courtyard. When she heard Ji Zhao¡¯s voice, she quickly responded. ¡°Mother, I found a lot of wild shepherd¡¯s purse!¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly put down the basket on his back and said happily, ¡°I also found a wild hawthorn tree in the back of the mountain!¡± ¡°Come and wash your face!¡± Seeing her sweating profusely, Zhao Lanhua smiled and greeted her. ¡°Aye!¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly washed her face and instantly felt refreshed. ¡°Mother, what kind of luck does Ah Tao have? I also went to the back mountain with Aunt Guihua in the afternoon, but I didn¡¯t find anything.¡± Second Sister-inw Shen stared at the basket full of shepherd¡¯s purse enviously. Zhao Lanhua frowned thoughtfully. Wasn¡¯t Ah Tao¡¯s luck too good? ¡°Mother, shall we make dumplings with shepherd¡¯s purse filling?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen suggested with a smile. ¡°Okay,¡± Zhao Lanhua agreed. ¡°Mother, can you bring me to the county tomorrow?¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and still said her plea. ¡°To the county? To do what?¡± ¡°I want to sell the snake,¡± Ji Zhao said with a bright smile as she lowered her head and took out the dead snake from the cloth bag. ¡°Ahhhh! Snake!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen was most afraid of snakes. She screamed in horror! ¡°Second Sister-inw, don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯ve already killed this snake!¡± Ji Zhao gestured anxiously. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, touch it. It¡¯s already cold...¡± ¡°Stop!¡± Shen Eng, who had just returned home, heard his wife¡¯s scream and rushed into the kitchen. Without a word, he threw away the snake in Ji Zhao¡¯s hand and raised his arm to beat her up. ¡°You vicious woman, how dare you scare my wife with a snake!¡± Ji Zhao subconsciously raised her arm to dodge, but the p she had expected did notnd. Chapter 28 Chapter 28: shepherd¡¯s purse dumplings Ji Zhao subconsciously looked up and realized that Shen Yao was standing in front of her, stopping Shen Eng, who had raised his arm. After Zhao Lanhua¡¯s exnation, everyone finally exined the misunderstanding. ¡°So I misunderstood Third Sister-inw?¡± Shen Zhang hurriedly bowed to Ji Zhao and apologized. ¡°Third Sister-inw, I¡¯m really sorry. It¡¯s just that your Second Sister-inw is most afraid of snakes, so I was so impulsive and almost hurt you. I¡¯m really sorry!¡± ¡°I... I¡¯m fine.¡± Ji Zhao, who was quite frightened, forced a smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t consider everything. I should have made it clear that this is a dead snake before taking it out.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I was really scared to death by you...¡± Second Sister-inw Shen leaned against the chair and muttered aggrievedly. ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Zhao Lanhua nced at her second son and asked curiously, ¡°Second son, why are you back today? Didn¡¯t you say that you would be busy for seven to eight days?¡± ¡°Minister Wu has high requirements for this batch of goods. He doesn¡¯t like ordinary furniture, so Master went to the prefecture capital.¡± Shen Eng smiled and exined honestly, ¡°Taking advantage of this opportunity, Master also gave me three days off.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Zhao Lanhua quickly nodded. ¡°Go back to your room with your wife and rest for a while. We¡¯ll have dinner togetherter.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Shen Eng replied heartily. Then, he intimately helped Second Sister-inw Shen back to the house. The sudden silence in the narrow kitchen was a little strange. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Mother, I¡¯ll leave first.¡± Ji Zhao was the first to break the silence. Then, she looked at Shen Yao and smiled gratefully. ¡°Just now... thank you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Shen Yao replied indifferently. Then, his gazended on the snake in her hand. ¡°Most snakes are poisonous. If you¡¯re not careful, you¡¯ll lose your life. Don¡¯t do such a risky thing in the future.¡± ¡°...Alright.¡± Ji Zhao lowered her head silently, but she couldn¡¯t help but curse in her heart. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that she was too short of money, she wouldn¡¯t have taken the risk! ¡°I¡¯ll apany you to the county town tomorrow morning,¡± Zhao Lanhua suddenly said. ¡°Ah Tao,e and help wash the shepherd¡¯s purse. Let¡¯s move faster and make some shepherd¡¯s purse dumplings to eat!¡± The shepherd¡¯s purse that Ji Zhao had picked was very fresh. She first washed the shepherd¡¯s purse, then took a small pinch of salt water and soaked the shepherd¡¯s purse for a while. Then, she washed it clean and drained the water before cutting the shepherd¡¯s purse into pieces. Zhao Lanhua walked out of the kitchen and tiptoed to take down a small piece of cured meat hanging under the roof. ¡°Do you know how to make dumpling fillings?¡± Zhao Lanhua nced at Ji Zhao, who was focused on cutting vegetables, and asked with a smile. ¡°I do.¡± Ji Zhao was quite confident in her culinary skills. After cutting the shepherd¡¯s purse, she began to cut the cured meat. However, when she started, she was a little hesitant. ¡°Mother? Can I cut more? If there¡¯s too little meat, the dumplings won¡¯t taste good...¡± ¡°Sure!¡± With Zhao Lanhua¡¯s permission, Ji Zhao began to show off her skills. After chopping the meat and mixing the filling, she ced all the green onions she had prepared in advance into the filling. Then, she added two eggs and rubbed them in one direction. Then, he added a suitable amount of oil, soy sauce, and cooking wine to stir them evenly. She was very adept at mixing the fillings and making the dumpling skin. Zhao Lanhua nodded in admiration. In the end, Ji Zhao began to make dumplings. Her hands were very fast, and the dumplings she made were very beautiful. At the beginning of the evening, the Shen family could smell the alluring fragrance. ¡°Mother, aren¡¯t the dumplings you made today too beautiful?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen looked at the dumplings in the bowl and eximed. Chapter 29 Chapter 29: Can You Stop Disgusting Me? ¡°These are not the dumplings I made.¡± Zhao Lanhua also tasted a dumpling and nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Today¡¯s dumplings were made by Ah Tao. I just helped to start a fire.¡± Everyone looked at Ji Zhao with admiration. In the end, everyone ate to their heart¡¯s content. ¡°Third Sister-inw, where are you going?¡± Shen Eng, who was admiring the moonlight with Second Sister-inw Shen in the courtyard, identally saw Ji Zhao¡¯s back and called out curiously. Hiss- Before Ji Zhao could answer, Second Sister-inw Shen grabbed his arm fiercely and kept signaling with her eyes at him. ¡°Wife, what¡¯s wrong? Are your eyes ufortable?¡± Shen Zhang asked nervously. ¡°Come, let me blow on them?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go back to the house!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen dragged Shen Zhang back to the house. Ji Zhao smiled helplessly and turned to walk out of the Shen family¡¯s door. Shen Yao quickly chased after her- On a summer night, the chirping of cicadas continued. The cool breeze blew away the stifling heat left behind in the day. Ji Zhao narrowed her eyes in satisfaction, enjoying the feeling of the night wind blowing against her face. Until someone suddenly appeared and stopped her. ¡°Ah Tao!¡± Zhao Xian called out affectionately. He looked at Ji Zhao with an innocent and pitiful expression. Ji Zhao felt extremely ufortable under his gaze. She felt ufortable with the hair on her back standing on end. ¡°Are you here to return the silver?¡± Ji Zhao opened her palm expressionlessly. Zhao Xian smiled awkwardly. Then, he suddenly approached her and grabbed her hand tightly before cing it on his chest. ¡°Sister Ah Tao, can you not be like this? I know you resent me in your heart, but that day, I didn¡¯t deliberately not appear. Can you forgive Brother Xian this time?¡± Disgusted, Ji Zhao struggled to pull her hand away. ¡°Zhao Xian, can you stop disgusting me?¡± ¡°Sister Ah Tao, I¡¯ll take you away now. Let¡¯s leave this ce and start over in a ce where no one knows us, okay?¡± Zhao Xian approached her again and grabbed her arm forcefully. ¡°Sister Ah Tao, I know you still have resentment in your heart. It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll take you away now...¡± ¡°Let go of me!¡± Ji Zhao wanted to struggle angrily, but unfortunately, Zhao Xian was too strong! She rushed forward angrily and bit his arm! Ah! Zhao Xian screamed and shook her off forcefully! ¡°Ji Ah Tao, I¡¯m giving you face and you don¡¯t want it?¡± Zhao Xian¡¯s eyes were furious. He raised his leg and wanted to kick Ji Zhao¡¯s abdomen! Bang! At this moment, Shen Yao suddenly appeared and kicked Zhao Xian, who was about to attack! ¡°You stinky cripple, how dare you kick me?¡± Zhao Xian waspletely enraged. From the corner of his eye, he saw a thick branch on the ground. He grabbed that branch and rushed forward! The two of them began to fight. Zhao Xian was gradually at a disadvantage. Shen Yao looked at him coldly and kicked his chest again! ¡°Damn cripple! Just you wait!¡± Zhao Xian clutched his chest and panted heavily. Then, when Shen Yao was unprepared, he aimed at Shen Yao¡¯s otherme leg and waved the thick branch in his hand forcefully! Ji Zhao hurriedly rushed forward and hugged Shen Yao. She used her back to withstand the branch! Thud! Ji Zhao could not help but spit out a mouthful of blood. In the end, shey on Shen Yao¡¯s body and fainted. The panicked Zhao Xian got up from the ground in a sorry state and hurriedly ran away. Chapter 30 Chapter 30: You¡¯re Really Good! In the middle of the night, lightning shed and thunder rumbled. The fields that had been dry for a long time finally weed a rain. The rain continued to pour until dawn. The Shen family. Shen Yao looked at Ji Zhao, who was lying on the bed, with aplicated gaze. ¡°Ah Tao still hasn¡¯t woken up?¡± Zhao Lanhua asked with concern as she walked into the house with the medicine. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Ah Tao, this girl, really has a hard life.¡± Zhao Lanhua sighed faintly. The heartache in her words was self-evident. ¡°Although what she did when she first came to our house was a little dishonest, she has really repented now.¡± Shen Yao pursed his lips and remained silent. When Zhao Xian swung his branch at him, it was Ji Ah Tao who stood in front of him. At that moment, Shen Yao was very surprised. ¡°Sang, you and Ah Tao...¡± ¡°Mother, we¡¯ve already divorced.¡± Shen Yao suddenly interrupted her. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. I¡¯ll apany Father to work in the fields. I¡¯ll leave her to you.¡± Before Zhao Lanhua could answer, Shen Yao had already left. Zhao Lanhua looked at his back and angrily scolded him in her heart! At that moment, Ji Zhao had already woken up. However, her back felt like it was being pulled. ¡°Mother?¡± ¡°Ah Tao? You¡¯re awake? That¡¯s great! Quick, drink the medicine!¡± Zhao Lanhua quickly went forward and helped her sit up. She then handed the freshly brewed medicine to her. ¡°Drink it while it¡¯s hot!¡± ¡°Thank you, Mother!¡± Ji Zhao smiled gratefully and drank the bowl of medicine in one gulp. Ji Zhao felt the bitter taste on the tip of his tongue. Suddenly, she felt her heart ache and tears fell. ¡°Good child, don¡¯t cry!¡± Zhao Lanhua hurriedlyforted her. ¡°That damn Zhao Xian was arrested by the officialsst night! The doctor also said that the stick didn¡¯t hurt your bones. You still have to rest well.¡± ¡°Mother, I...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say anything else. Lie down obediently,¡± Zhao Lanhua advised gently. ¡°There¡¯s bone soup stew in the kitchen. I¡¯ll make you a bowl of bone soup noodlester!¡± ¡°Mother, there¡¯s no need.¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly waved her hand and refused. ¡°I...¡± ¡°You what? Listen to me! Go back to your room and rest!¡± Before Ji Zhao could refuse, Zhao Lanhua forcefully covered her with a thin nket and turned to leave. Ji Zhao sighed helplessly. In the end, she gritted her teeth and got up from the bed. The moment she walked out of the door, she raised her eyebrows in surprise. The air was filled with a long-lost freshness, and there were actually water droplets on the eaves. ¡°The rainst night was too timely!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen held her waist as she walked out of the door. She happened to see Ji Zhao¡¯s stunned expression and could not help but be amused. ¡°I say, Ji Ah Tao, you¡¯re quite interesting! Weren¡¯t you preparing to elope with your lover previously? Why did you suddenly turn against him? You even sent him to prison? You¡¯re really something!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen gave her a thumbs up in admiration and clicked her tongue in wonder. ¡°I-¡± ¡°Even the steamed buns this morning couldn¡¯t stop your mouth?¡± Zhao Lanhua, who was busy in the kitchen, lifted the curtain and looked at Second Sister-inw Shen coldly as she asked in a low voice. ¡°Mother...¡± Second Sister-inw Shen shrunk her head silently and muttered softly, ¡°I¡¯m just curious!¡± ¡°Second Sister-inw, I don¡¯t have an improper rtionship with Zhao Xian,¡± Ji Zhao said with a magnanimous smile. ¡°I don¡¯t know why there were so many ridiculous rumors previously, but there¡¯s nothing between Zhao Xian and me.¡± ¡°Then why did you take away your inws¡¯ money on the second day of the wedding and even ask Zhao Xian to meet you?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen looked at her suspiciously. ¡°Because I was cheated.¡± Chapter 31 Chapter 31: They¡¯re... a Little Busy Now! ¡°As everyone knows, I¡¯m not of the Ji family¡¯s bloodline,¡± Ji Zhao exined softly. ¡°Zhao Xian is my neighbor and he passed the Elementary Schr examination. That¡¯s why I asked him to help me find my biological parents. All these years, Zhao Xian used this as an excuse to take a lot of money from me... I don¡¯t know why there¡¯s such ridiculous news that I¡¯ve been in love with Zhao Xian for many years.¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes were red, and she looked very aggrieved and pitiful. In fact, the original owner of the body had indeed admired Zhao Xian, but that was because Zhao Xian had deliberately created the illusion that he would definitely soar in the future in front of the original owner to coax her. After all, the Host was a selfish and vain person. ¡°So you never liked Zhao Xian at all? He used the fact that he could help you find your biological parents as bait to trick you into giving him money?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen never expected the truth to be like this. She could not help but ask, ¡°Are you a fool?¡± ¡°I...¡± Ji Zhao lowered his head sadly and choked on her words. ¡°Second wife, feed the chickens!¡± Zhao Lanhua ordered with a frown. ¡°...Oh.¡± Second Sister-inw Shen¡¯s gossip was extinguished. She responded gloomily, then picked up the dustpan basket leaning against the corner of the wall and went to the chicken coop. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you going back to your room to lie down?¡± Zhao Lanhua nced at Ji Zhao, who was stunned under the roof, and said in a low voice. ¡°... Okay.¡± Ji Zhao quietly returned to her room and covered herself with a thin nket. Her thoughts ran wild for a while before she finally fell asleep again. Because it rainedst night, the old and young men in the vige went to the fields to work today. Shen Dashan waved his hoe vigorously and said happily, ¡°I thought the drought would continue! I didn¡¯t expect the heavens to still favor poor people like us. The rainst night was really good!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that so? When my two brats heard the rain, they wanted to rush out and drench themselves! In the end, they were beaten up by their mother and finally stopped,¡± Shen Dayong replied with a smile. ¡°Sang, there¡¯s not much work left in the field. You can go back first!¡± Shen Dashan turned around and instructed his absent-minded son. Shen Yao wanted to refuse, but he suddenly thought of something else. He nodded and left. It was not until dusk that Shen Yao returned to the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. At that moment, Ji Zhao, who had slept for an entire day, felt sore all over. She thought for a moment andy on the bed, preparing to practice yoga. When Shen Yao pushed the door open and entered, Ji Zhao was practicing the Pinnacle Style. The moment their eyes met, the atmosphere became awkward. ¡°You...¡± Shen Yao frowned in confusion. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°No... nothing...¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly exined. Just as she was about to stop, she felt her ankle ache. She was like a deted ball and almost rolled off the kang bed- Before he could think, Shen Yao rushed forward and held her. In the end, Shen Yaoy on the ground while Ji Zhaoy in his arms. ¡°Third Brother, what do you think of the design of my table and chairs?¡± The moment Shen Zhang walked into the room, he waspletely dumbfounded. ¡°Ahem, Third Brother, why did you forget to close the door? Remember to close the door next time. Second Brother wille and find youter.¡± Without waiting for Shen Yao to exin, Shen Zhang left. He even closed the door considerately. ¡°Mother, don¡¯t go in and disturb Third Brother and Third Sister-inw!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°They¡¯re... a little busy now!¡± Chapter 32 Chapter 32: Do You Like My San Lang? ¡°Busy?¡± Zhao Lanhua raised her eyebrows curiously. ¡°Busy with what?¡± ¡°Well... anyway...¡± Shen Zhang scratched his ears and cheeks nervously. ¡°Mother, I¡¯m hungry. Is there anything to eat?¡± In the room, Ji Zhao was so nervous that she forgot to breathe. Shen Yao, who was under her, raised his eyebrows silently. His deep eyes flickered with a dark light. ¡°When do you n to get up?¡± ¡°Oh! I¡¯m sorry!¡± Ji Zhao subconsciously apologized and hurriedly got up from his body. The soft touch on his chest suddenly disappeared. Shen Yao suddenly felt a sh of disappointment in his heart. ¡°You...¡± ¡°You...¡± ¡°You first?¡± ¡°No, no, no. You go first.¡± Ji Zhao quickly returned to the kang bed. Her smile was obedient, and her tone was gentle. Shen Yao thought for a moment and took out two taels of silver from his sleeve and handed it to her. Ji Zhao was puzzled. ¡°The snake you caught yesterday is very valuable, so the pharmacy gave me two taels of silver,¡± Shen Yao exined softly. ¡°You sold that snake for me?¡± Ji Zhao asked happily. Her bright eyes were shining brightly, looking extremely cute. ¡°Mm!¡± ¡°Thank you so much!¡± Ji Zhao was extremely grateful and thanked him repeatedly. ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Shen Yao smiled indifferently, but his lips clearly curled into a faint smile. ¡°Logically speaking, I should give you a tael of silver. However, I urgently need money now, so I owe you a favor. If you need my help in the future, feel free to ask.¡± Ji Zhao looked into his eyes and said sincerely. ¡°No need.¡± ¡°In any case, I¡¯ll remember this.¡± Ji Zhao smiled firmly. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, so I¡¯ll leave first.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going back to the Earth Temple?¡± ¡°Mm!¡± ¡°You should stay,¡± Shen Yao suddenly said. ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand. Your injuries haven¡¯t healed yet. You should recuperate.¡± ¡°I feel fine.¡± ¡°If the patient could sense their own condition, would there still be doctors in the world?¡± Uh... Ji Zhao fell silent. Ji Zhao didn¡¯t know what to say. In the end, under Zhao Lanhua¡¯s strong request, Ji Zhao temporarily stayed at the Shen residence to rest. ¡°Mother.¡± After drinking the medicine, Ji Zhao looked at Zhao Lanhua nervously. ¡°I...¡± ¡°Just say what you want to say. Don¡¯t be nervous.¡± ¡°I want to ask you for a favor.¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and handed the two taels of silver in her arms to Zhao Lanhua. ¡°Sang helped me sell that snake. I wonder if you can help me buy some rice and noodles and send them to my grandparents¡¯ house?¡± ¡°Ah Tao,¡± Zhao Lanhua looked straight into her eyes and asked seriously, ¡°Do you hate your grandmother?¡± Ji Zhao shook her head. ¡°I did resent her at the beginning, but I really don¡¯t hate her.¡± No matter how wrong Madam Xie was, she had raised Ji Zhao. If Old Master Ji had not brought Ji Zhao home back then, she would have long be a pile of yellow soil. ¡°That day, I heard someone say that you asked Zhao Xian to elope with you. I felt very upset.¡± Zhao Lanhua faced her and said sincerely, ¡°I know that my third son has a leg problem. Ordinary girls would definitely not be willing to marry him. However, I¡¯m his mother. How can I not consider him? That¡¯s why I came to propose when I heard that your grandmother had the intention to marry you off.¡± ¡°Ah Tao, I want to ask you something.¡± Zhao Lanhua faced her and asked in a deep voice, ¡°Do you like my Sang?¡± Chapter 33 Chapter 33: Catching Fish ¡°I...¡± Ji Zhao did not expect Zhao Lanhua to ask this question. She hesitated for a while before pursing her lips and falling silent. ¡°Alright, I understand what you¡¯re thinking.¡± Zhao Lanhua patted her shoulder andforted her with a smile. ¡°Rest well!¡± Ji Zhao sensed the disappointment in Zhao Lanhua¡¯s tone and felt even more upset. Right now, she did not have any admiration for Shen Yao. She couldn¡¯t lie about her feelings. When Zhao Lanhua walked out of the room, she met Shen Yao¡¯s calm face. ¡°Sang, go to your eldest brother¡¯s room tonight and sleep.¡± Zhao Lanhua waved at him and left. Shen Yao nodded slightly. After resting in the Shen family for three days, Ji Zhao bade farewell. This time, Zhao Lanhua did not stop her. Ji Zhao, who had returned to the Earth Temple, was very surprised. The dpidated Earth Temple suddenly looked new. There was a bamboo bed in the temple with a thin greenish-gray nket on it. What made Ji Zhao the happiest was that there was a newly built stove outside the temple. Beside the stove was a stack of dry firewood. ¡°Earth God, could it be that Miss Conch is here?¡± After looking around the entire Earth Temple, Ji Zhao piously knelt in front of the statue of the Earth God and asked with a surprised smile. ¡°Who is Miss Conch?¡± Shen Yao¡¯s voice suddenly sounded behind her. Ji Zhao looked back in surprise. ¡°I cleaned up this ce a little while you were recuperating at home.¡± Shen Yao looked at her and exined softly, ¡°In addition, I¡¯ve already reported to the vige chief of Shanghe Vige. He also agreed to let you stay here temporarily.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Ji Zhao was extremely grateful. ¡°Shen Yao, thank you so much!¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Looking at the bright smile on her face, Shen Yao smiled silently. ¡°Why don¡¯t I treat you to a meal?¡± Ji Zhao smiled warmly. ¡°You helped me tidy up my residence so well. Logically speaking, I should treat you to a meal!¡± ¡°Come, let¡¯s go look for ingredients first!¡± Ji Zhao grabbed his arm and left the Earth Temple. The two of them walked 1.5 to 2 kilometers west and finally saw a clear river. ¡°The river water has risen a lot!¡± Ji Zhao could not help but sigh. ¡°When I came to the river to get water earlier, the river water was almost dry.¡± ¡°Thanks to the heavy rain a few days ago, the riverbed has risen a lot,¡± Shen Yao exined. ¡°Do you like to eat fish?¡± Ji Zhao inadvertently caught a glimpse of the fish swimming in the river and looked up at Shen Yao with a smile. ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll treat you to fish!¡± Ji Zhao quickly rolled up her sleeves, bent down, rolled up her pants, and carefully walked into the river. Before Shen Yao could stop her, she had already caught a chubby fish! The warm sunlight shone on her body, giving her a faint glow. The fish struggled in her arms, sshing water onto her bright and smiling face. Shen Yao forgot to breathe when he saw this scene. That poem involuntarily appeared in his mind. It must be a fairy that had descended into the mortal world, her smile defeating the stars. Ji Zhao did not notice the change in Shen Yao¡¯s gaze. At this moment, she was immersed in the joy of having gained a lot! After a while, she actually caught five big fish! ¡°Sour pickled fish, steamed fish, sweet and sour fish, Zhuge grilled fish, crucian carp tofu soup...¡± The cooking methods of countless types of fish appeared in Ji Zhao¡¯s mind. Chapter 34 Chapter 34: Fish Soup Ji Zhao quickly pulled out two reed poles and skewered all the fish. She handed them to Shen Yao with a smile. ¡°Can you help me carry them?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to know how to catch fish.¡± Shen Yao really didn¡¯t expect her to be so powerful. ¡°Hehe, I didn¡¯t expect my luck to be so good!¡± Ji Zhao said happily. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the courtyardter?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Shen Yao agreed happily. The two of them walked side by side in the direction of the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. Ji Zhao deliberately slowed down so that Shen Yao could keep up with her. Zhao Lanhua, who was drying the bedding in the courtyard, raised her eyebrows in surprise when she heard Ji Zhao¡¯s voice. ¡°Ah Tao?¡± ¡°Mother, I caught a lot of fish!¡± Ji Zhao pointed at the fish in Shen Yao¡¯s hand and asked happily, ¡°Can you lend me the kitchen? I want to use these fish to cook.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Zhao Lanhua agreed. Second Sister-inw Shen¡¯s eyes lit up when she heard that there was fish to eat! After entering the kitchen, Ji Zhao began to show off her skills. She picked up the kitchen knife and knocked out a fish that was still jumping around on the chopping board. Then, she swiftly cut it open and quickly took out the organs. ¡°Ah Tao, I didn¡¯t expect your knife skills to be so amazing.¡± Zhao Lanhua was full of praise for Ji Zhao¡¯s knife skills. ¡°Mother, do you have pickled vegetables at home?¡± Ji Zhao changed the topic without batting an eyelid. ¡°We do.¡± ¡°Mother, please bring me some pickled vegetables. I want to make fish with pickled vegetables.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± She ced the sliced fish in a bowl and added wine, salt, and starch to prepare it. Then, she washed the onions, ginger, and garlic and minced them. She rinsed the pickled vegetables a few more times and finally cut them into the right square size. ¡°Mother, is there any tofu at home?¡± ¡°You want tofu?¡± Zhao Lanhua hurriedly called out to the outside. ¡°Second wife, go to Grandma Chunhua¡¯s house and buy two pieces of tofu!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen replied. She took tworge sums of money and left. After all the ingredients were prepared, Ji Zhao began to cook. She heated the oil in the pot and stir-fried the chopped onions, garlic, and chili until they were fragrant. Then, she added pickled vegetables and stir-fried them continuously. Then, she poured clear water into the pot. Finally, when the water waspletely boiled, she poured in the fish fillet. When the fish fillet was slightly curled up from the heat, she poured a spoonful of boiling hot oil. Sizzle- The fragrant pickled vegetable fish was fresh out of the pot. In addition to pickled fish, Ji Zhao also made a crucian carp tofu soup. ¡°The crucian carp tofu soup with fried eggs and shredded radish will have a richer fragrance and taste,¡± Ji Zhao exined with a smile as she ced the chopped scallions into the pot of fish soup. At noon, the Shen family sat in the central room and prepared to eat. Ji Zhao got up and scooped a spoonful of fish soup for Second Sister-inw Shen. ¡°Second Sister-inw, drink more soup. I heard that pregnant people should drink more fish soup. It will make the baby in their stomach smarter.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen took the bowl of fish soup without hesitation and drank it in one gulp. ¡°It smells so good! There¡¯s actually no fishy taste at all?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen usually did not like to eat fish. She felt that it was too troublesome to eat fish, and the fish meat always had a fishy smell. However, she did not expect Ji Ah Tao¡¯s fish soup to be so delicious. Ji Zhao smiled and scooped another bowl of fish soup for Zhao Lanhua. ¡°Mother, why don¡¯t you drink it while it¡¯s hot?¡± Shen Yao lowered his head and looked at the empty bowl in front of him. Anticipation rose in his heart. Chapter 35 Chapter 35: I... Don¡¯t Have a Grandpa Anymore ¡°Ah Tao, don¡¯t just take care of us.¡± Zhao Lanhua grabbed her arm affectionately and made her sit down. ¡°Drink a bowl while it¡¯s hot.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Shen Yao lowered his eyes to hide the disappointment in them. When there were more fish slices in the bowl in front of him, he looked up in confusion and met Ji Zhao¡¯s smiling almond-shaped eyes. ¡°How about you try this fish with pickled vegetables?¡± Shen Yao nodded reservedly and tasted it carefully. ¡°The fish is tender and smooth. It melts in your mouth. The sour and spicy taste is very rich,¡± Shen Yaomented objectively. ¡°It¡¯s very delicious.¡± ¡°Then eat more!¡± Ji Zhao said happily. She was quite confident in her culinary skills. Shen Yao, who usually did not eat much, ate an extra bowl of rice after hearing this. ¡°Ah Tao, I saw three live fish in the water tank outside just now. What delicious food do you n to cook tonight?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen asked impatiently. ¡°Second Sister-inw, what vor of fish do you like to eat?¡± ¡°As long as it¡¯s good food, I like it!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen said hurriedly. ¡°Then I¡¯ll make another grilled fish tonight,¡± Ji Zhao said happily. ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen could not stop smiling when she heard that there would be delicious food tonight! ¡°Mother,¡± Ji Zhao put down his bowl and chopsticks and asked Zhao Lanhua softly, ¡°Can I send two fish back to Pomegranate Vigeter?¡± ¡°You silly child. You were the one who caught these fish. It¡¯s up to you how you want to deal with them!¡± Zhao Lanhua smiled and said, ¡°Sang, apany Ah Tao back to Pomegranate Vige in the afternoon. By the way, I¡¯ve already prepared the rice and noodles you asked me to buy. I¡¯ll get Sang to apany you back to your parents¡¯ houseter.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mother. You¡¯re the best!¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes were filled with tears as she was extremely grateful. It was a hot June afternoon. Ji Zhao had only taken a few steps when she felt drenched in sweat. ¡°There¡¯s an old pagoda tree in front. Why don¡¯t we rest?¡± Shen Yao handed her the water bag he was wearing and asked softly. ¡°Might as well.¡± Ji Zhao leaned against the tree trunk and rested for a while. ¡°Wait for me.¡± Shen Yao saw a touch of green in the distance and immediately put down the basket on his back. He hurriedly turned around and left. A momentter, Shen Yao ced the freshly plucked lotus leaf on her head. The fragrance of the lotus leaves seeped into her heart, and Ji Zhao thanked him gratefully. After resting, the two of them moved again and finally arrived at Pomegranate Vige at 3pm. However, the atmosphere in the Ji family was rather gloomy. When Ji Zhao saw the white banner hanging on the fence, her heart sank! She hurriedly pushed the door open and entered. She saw her grandmother, Madam Xie, kneeling on the ground and crying her heart out. ¡°Grandfather?¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly rushed up. At that moment, Old Master Ji, who was lying on the bed, had already stopped moving. Ji Zhao¡¯s trembling index finger reached for his nose. ¡°Grandpa...¡± Ji Zhao cried out in grief. She was on the verge of copse! If Shen Yao, who was following closely behind, had not caught her in time, Ji Zhao would have fallen to the ground. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Shen Yao subconsciously held her shoulder and asked in a low voice. ¡°I... I¡¯m not okay.¡± Ji Zhao closed her eyes weakly. An indescribable bitterness and guilt suddenly surged from the depths of her heart. Ji Zhao knew very well that it was the subconsciousness hidden in the original owner¡¯s body. Although the Host was despicable, she was not a wicked person. She also knew that if Old Master Ji had not saved her, she would have died long ago. But now, Old Master Ji had passed away. ¡°I... don¡¯t have a grandfather anymore.¡± Ji Zhao choked on her words as tears rolled down her cheeks. Chapter 36 Chapter 36: Dream On! Elder Ji¡¯s sudden death was a huge blow to the Ji family. The current year was not good, so Old Master Ji¡¯s funeral could only be simplified. Three dayster, Old Master Ji, who had been at home for three days, was buried on a hill in the back of Pomegranate Vige. He was buried in peace. After the funeral was over, Madam Xie brought Ji Chen to Ji Zhao. ¡°Ah Tao, I really have no choice...¡± Madam Xie lowered her head guiltily. ¡°I don¡¯t have much ability. I can¡¯t take good care of Chenchen anymore. Chenchen will be handed over to you in the future...¡± Ji Zhao had already heard that Madam Xie¡¯s maternal family had already found a marriage for her. Therefore, as a burden, Madam Xie could not take Ji Chen away. Madam Xie thought about it and finally decided to target Ji Zhao. ¡°Grandpa¡¯s bones are not cold yet. Grandma, are you going to remarry?¡± Ji Zhao lowered her eyes to hide the ridicule in her eyes and asked softly. ¡°I... I have no choice!¡± Madam Xie wiped her tears aggrievedly. She was extremely sad. ¡°I know that I¡¯ve let your grandfather down by doing this, but I really have no choice. Ah Tao, you... can you help Grandma? Please?¡± Ji Zhao did not speak, but stared at the old woman in front of her. Madam Xie¡¯s brows and eyes were very good-looking. Even her wrinkles could not hide her exquisite eyes. However, she was still too cold. ¡°I can take care of Ji Chen.¡± Ji Zhao took a deep breath, then looked into her eyes and said in a deep voice, ¡°But I have a request. You can¡¯t take away the Ji family¡¯s house and fields, nor can you sell them. All of them must be left to Ji Chen.¡± ¡°Dream on!¡± Madam Xie spat at her angrily. ¡°I thought you were being kind and wanted to be apetent sister. I didn¡¯t expect you to have already targeted the Ji family¡¯s farnd? Ji Ah Tao, are you shameless?¡± Madam Xie¡¯s original n was to give Ji Chen, this burden, to Ji Atao. Then, she would sell the Ji Ffamily¡¯s property and seize the money before marrying someone else. Ji Zhao¡¯s request had touched her interests! It hadpletely angered her! ¡°Grandma, you and I are not from the Ji family.¡± Ji Zhao crossed her arms and looked at her quietly. She said calmly, ¡°Grandpa has passed away from an illness. The Ji family¡¯s farnd originally belonged to Ji Chen. Now that Grandpa¡¯s corpse is not cold, Grandma, you want to sell his assets and marry someone else. If word gets out...¡± ¡°Take Ji Chen away. Ji Chen can take away half of the Ji family¡¯s farnd.¡± After some deliberation, Madam Xie reluctantly gave in! ¡°Words cannot be proved. Why don¡¯t you write it down?¡± ¡°... You win!¡± Madam Xie gritted her teeth and red at her. In the end, she returned to the inner room unwillingly. Regarding the fact that Madam Xie wanted to marry someone else before Old Master Ji¡¯s corpse was cold, rumors spread in the vige, with mixed opinions. It was not until someone saw Madam Xie cry until she fainted in front of Old Master Ji¡¯s tombstone again and again that the rumors gradually subsided. After getting the Ji family¡¯snd that Ji Chen deserved from the vige chief of Pomegranate Vige, Ji Zhao brought Ji Chen back to Shanghe Vige. ¡°Sister... Sister... Grandmother... don¡¯t want... Chen... Chen...?¡± Ji Chen nervously grabbed Ji Zhao¡¯s sleeve, his dark eyes filled with confusion. ¡°Chenchen, be good!¡± Ji Zhao bent down and rubbed his little head. She smiled gently and said, ¡°From now on, you will live with your sister!¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Ji Zhao did not bring Ji Chen back to the Shen residence. Instead, she went back to the temple first. Chapter 37 Chapter 37: Why Are You Here? ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Ah Tao¡¯s life to be so hard.¡± In the Shen family¡¯s courtyard, Zhao Lanhua sighed as she picked vegetables. ¡°Isn¡¯t that so?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen could not help butin. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that Old Madam Ji to abandon her biological grandson... Ah Tao is really too pitiful.¡± ¡°But Mother, now that Ah Tao has brought another burden, do you still want her to reconcile with Third Brother?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen asked curiously. ¡°How strange.¡± Zhao Lanhua nced suspiciously at Second Sister-inw Shen, who was full of gossip. She raised her eyebrows and asked, ¡°If Ah Tao really returns to our Shen family, won¡¯t you be angry?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve eaten so many of her chickens and fish. If I¡¯m still angry about what happened earlier, wouldn¡¯t it make me look especially petty?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen chuckled. In fact, the real reason was that Ji Ah Tao¡¯s luck was too good! As long as she brought back some chickens and fish every few days, she didn¡¯t mind Ji Ah Tao and Third Brother reconciling! If she could benefit from it, why wouldn¡¯t she agree? ¡°Did the sun rise from the west today? Did my second daughter-inw suddenly gain enlightenment?¡± ¡°Mother!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen pretended to be shy and looked away. Zhao Lanhua was amused by her. ¡°Actually, Ah Tao is sincerely repentant, but I¡¯m afraid she doesn¡¯t like Sang!¡± Zhao Lanhua washed all the vegetables she had picked before turning around and returning to the kitchen. At that moment, in the Earth Temple. Ji Zhao and Ji Chen knelt in front of the statue of the Earth God. ¡°Devotee, Ji Zhao. I¡¯m going to disturb the Earth God again.¡± Ji Zhao sped her hands together and kowtowed three times sincerely. ¡°Chenchen, do it with me.¡± ¡°Sister...¡± Ji Chen clumsily imitated her actions and kowtowed three times. However, his movements were too big, and there was a bruise on his forehead. ¡°Chenchen, doesn¡¯t it hurt?¡± Ji Zhao rubbed his forehead with heartache. She leaned forward and gently blew on it. Then, she looked into his eyes and exined gently, ¡°You don¡¯t have to kowtow so hard in the future. Just let the Earth God feel our sincerity.¡± Ji Chen did not say anything, but his dark, bright, and clear eyes were filled with confusion. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Ji Zhao felt even more helpless when she heard the sounding from his abdomen. ¡°Sit here obediently and wait for Sister toe back, okay?¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment before bowing and walking out of the Earth Temple. Not long after, she returned. She handed the grass woven grasshopper to Ji Chen and said gently, ¡°Chenchen, I¡¯m going out to find food now. Stay here and don¡¯t go anywhere, understand?¡± Ji Chen kept staring at the grasshopper in front of him. In order to fill their stomachs, Ji Zhao still went out. However, her luck was really good. After walking for a while, she was lucky to find a wild chicken looking for food alone! Ji Zhao took the opportunity and quickly moved out! The knife in her hand was quickly, urately, and ruthlessly aimed at the wild chicken that was lowering its head to eat the worm! Ji Zhao thought for a moment and went to the nearby lotus pond to pick a few lotus leaves. When she returned to the Earth Temple, she smelled a fragrance in the air. She quickly walked back, but what she saw surprised her. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Ji Zhao put down the item in her hand and wiped her face casually. She looked at Shen Yao in surprise. ¡°Chenchen has always been unwilling to be close to others. He¡¯s actually willing to eat the food you feed him?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing difficult in the world for people who are willing to try.¡± Shen Yao silently curled his lips and looked back at her with a faint smile. Chapter 38 Chapter 38: Indeed Not Right ¡°You made me think of something else.¡± Ji Zhao suddenly raised her eyebrows and said with a bright smile. ¡°All ears?¡± ¡°As long as one¡¯s martial arts skills are deep enough to grind an iron pestle into a needle!¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s gaze inadvertently swept past him before finally looking away shyly. At that moment, she actually misunderstood- ¡°Why is your face so red all of a sudden?¡± Shen Yao asked with a frown when he inadvertently caught a glimpse of her slightly red face. ¡°Do you have a fever?¡± During this period of time, Ji Zhao had lost a lot of weight in order to manage Old Master Ji¡¯s funeral. Shen Yao even felt that if a wind blew now, it would probably blow Ji Zhao away. ¡°No...¡± Ji Zhao quickly changed the topic. ¡°Didn¡¯t Mothere with you?¡± ¡°Mother asked me to send food to the two of you.¡± Shen Yao pointed at the food box ced near the shrine tform and said softly, ¡°Also, Mother wants you to go backter.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Ji Zhao was also a little tired. She opened the food box and took out the food inside. There were more meat slices in the chili stir-fried meat slices, and there were also plenty of eggs in the loofah egg soup. Ji Zhao lowered her eyes to hide the gratitude in them and lowered her head to eat. At that time, Shen Yao had almost finished feeding Ji Chen. ¡°Shen Yao, thank you.¡± Ji Zhao looked into his eyes and smiled brightly. ¡°My brother...¡± ¡°I know.¡± Shen Yao smiled and interrupted her. ¡°Jichen needs someone to take care of him.¡± ¡°Thanks a lot.¡± When it was almost dusk, Ji Zhao carried the food box in one hand and held Ji Chen¡¯s hand in the other as they arrived at the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. ¡°Mother?¡± ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± Zhao Lanhua, who was fanning herself outside her courtyard, heard the familiar voice and weed the siblings in with a smile. In the central room of the Shen family. Ji Chen held onto the corner of Ji Zhao¡¯s shirt, unwilling to let go. Even if Zhao Lanhua gave him candy, he refused to let go. Seeing this, Zhao Lanhua sighed faintly and looked at Ji Zhao¡¯s face. ¡°Ah Tao, do you have any ns in the future? I heard that your grandmother has already sold the Ji family¡¯s house?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ji Zhao nodded honestly. ¡°Grandmother wants to remarry, so the Ji family¡¯s property has been settled. She¡¯s willing to give half of Ji Chen¡¯s assets.¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and ced all the silver pieces on the square table. Zhao Lanhua frowned in confusion. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Mother, I know I haven¡¯t paid off the money I owe the Shen family, but don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll definitely earn money to pay off that sum of money... As for these, this money belong to Chenchen. Can you help me get a nket and make two sets of clean clothes for Chenchen?¡± ¡°Although the weather is getting hotter now, it¡¯s still a little cold at the Earth Temple at night. Chenchen has been in poor health since he was young, so I want to ask you to help me get some quilts.¡± ¡°Ah Tao, do you n to stay in the Earth Temple with your brother for the rest of your life?¡± Zhao Lanhua sighed helplessly and advised earnestly, ¡°I¡¯ll ept this silver first, but I have another idea. Listen to it first.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°You also know that your eldest brother and sister-inw opened a pastry shop in the county city. They can¡¯t stay at home for more than a few days a year, so no one lives in their house all year round. I¡¯ll take this money as the rent I collected. You and your brother can stay in the Shen residence.¡± ¡°This? This isn¡¯t appropriate, right?¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly waved her hand to refuse. ¡°Indeed.¡± Shen Yao, who happened to walk into the central room, suddenly objected when he heard his mother¡¯s suggestion. Chapter 39 Chapter 39: You¡¯ve Studied? Shen Yao walked in front of the three of them with a frown and a dark expression. ¡°Sang, it¡¯s settled!¡± Zhao Lanhua looked at her son, who was not enlightened, and mmed the table angrily. Ji Zhao nced at Shen Yao, whose face was tense. She could only smile and persuade her, ¡°Mother, don¡¯t be angry. Actually, it¡¯s quite good at the Earth Temple. It¡¯s close to the Shen residence...¡± ¡°Boys and girls cannot sit together once they¡¯re seven years old, and your brother is already six years old.¡± The expressionless Shen Yao suddenly interrupted her and said in a low voice, ¡°For your own future, you can¡¯t live in the same room as your brother.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Ji Zhao waspletely stunned. ¡°So my suggestion is that you stay in my room in the future, and your brother and I will stay in Big Brother¡¯s room. We¡¯ll discuss it when you have a suitable ce to stay in the future.¡± ¡°You... don¡¯t hate me anymore?¡± ¡°The fish you make is delicious.¡± Shen Yao nced at her calmly before turning around and walking out of the central room. ¡°I think it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s decided then!¡± Zhao Lanhua immediately put away the silver and smiled. ¡°Ah Tao,e to the kitchen!¡± An hourter. In the central room of the Shen family. Shen Dashan, who was originally dissatisfied with the fact that the Ji siblings were going to live in the Shen family, swallowed his dissatisfaction after tasting Ji Zhao¡¯s Beggar¡¯s Chicken. That night, when shey on the soft andfortable bed that belonged to Shen Yao, Ji Zhao thought that she would not be able to sleep. Unexpectedly, she slept especially well. This seemed to be the most peaceful sleep she had had since she transmigrated into the book. ¡°I asked Sang to go to the Earth Templest night to get your bags,¡± Zhao Lanhua exined with a smile as shebed Ah Tao¡¯s hair. ¡°The green dress you wore yesterday was stained with a lot of chicken blood. You have to soak it in cold water for a while before you can wash it clean.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mother!¡± Ji Zhao smiled gratefully. Ji Zhao suddenly thought of a way to earn money and said impatiently, ¡°Mother, shall we go to the county today? We can also go to Big Brother¡¯s shop?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Just as Ji Zhao was about to leave, she saw Shen Yao squatting on the ground, writing and drawing. She hurried over and asked curiously, ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m making a sand table.¡± Shen Yao smiled. ¡°I n to teach Ji Chen how to read and write.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes instantly lit up! If Ji Chen became the first disciple of the future Grand Secretary, no one would dare to bully him in the future, right? Ji Zhao¡¯s expression was too surprised, which surprised Shen Yao. ¡°Why are you so happy?¡± ¡°There¡¯s an old saying that there are golden houses in books and beautiful jade in books! I¡¯m so happy that you¡¯re willing to teach Chenchen how to read!¡± Ji Zhao said gratefully from the bottom of her heart. ¡°I¡¯ll catch fish tomorrow and make a few more fish dishes!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve studied?¡± Shen Yao was even more surprised to hear that she could quote the ssics casually. Oh no! Ji Zhao subconsciously covered her mouth! Indeed, the more one spoke, the more mistakes one would make! ¡°Ah Tao, let¡¯s not waste any more time. Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Aye, Mother, I¡¯ming!¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly replied and rushed out of the courtyard. Shen Yao raised his eyebrows slightly, and there was an unfathomable emotion in his deep eyes. Shen Yao had also heard a lot about Ji Ah Tao during the few days when he was helping to organize Old Master Luo Ji¡¯s funeral in Pomegranate Vige. Ever since she rolled down the hill, Ji Ah Yao had changed a little too much. Chapter 40 Chapter 40: It¡¯s a Deal! When Ji Zhao returned to the county city, her state of mind was different. This time, she had to keep her eyes and ears open. After all, the prerequisite for doing business was to learn to survey the market and analyze the market environment. However, from the current situation, the county city did notck anything! There were all kinds of snacks. ¡°Ah Tao, what¡¯s wrong? Why are you suddenly frowning?¡± Zhao Lanhua slowed down and looked at Ji Zhao in confusion. ¡°Mother, actually, I came to the county today to see if there¡¯s any business I can do.¡± Ji Zhao smiled bitterly and revealed her n. ¡°You want to do business?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ji Zhao nodded. ¡°With the Ji family¡¯s meager assets, Ji Chen and I will starve to death sooner orter, so I have to make ns early.¡± ¡°Come, let¡¯s go to your eldest brother¡¯s shop and ask him.¡± Zhao Lanhua led her to the Shen family¡¯s pastry shop. At that moment, Shen Dng was entertaining guests. However, after tasting the Shen family¡¯s desserts, the customer shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s too greasy. My olddy likes pastries with a refreshing taste.¡± ¡°General Manager Qin, why don¡¯t you try something else?¡± Shen Dng anxiously wiped the sweat off his forehead. ¡°The entire Dingyuan County knows that the pastries in our Shen Ji are affordable and delicious. Why don¡¯t you try it again?¡± ¡°Boss Shen, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m unwilling to give you face, but your green bean cake is too sweet. I¡¯m afraid my olddy won¡¯t like it!¡± ¡°May I ask what kind of pastries your olddy likes?¡± Ji Zhao walked forward quickly and asked with a smile. ¡°You are?¡± General Manager Qin narrowed his eyes and carefully sized up the girl in front of him. His gaze became deeper. ¡°Third Sister-inw? Mother? Why are you here?¡± Only then did Shen Dng notice his family standing outside the door. He quickly exined, ¡°General Manager Qin, this is my mother, and this is my third sister-inw.¡± ¡°Mother, this is the Qin family¡¯s General Manager.¡± The Qin family was the richest family in Dingyuan County. Everyone in Dingyuan County knew about them. Zhao Lanhua nodded with a benevolent smile. ¡°I heard from my eldest son that the manager of the Qin Residence is very capable. I just didn¡¯t expect him to be so young.¡± ¡°You tter me.¡± General Manager Qin smiled modestly, but the arrogance in his eyes did not disappear. ¡°General Manager Qin, can you answer my question just now?¡± Ji Zhao smiled and said firmly, ¡°Just state your request. Our Shen Ji will definitely think of a way to make Old Madam Qin¡¯s favorite pastries!¡± ¡°Boss Shen, your sister-inw is young, but she¡¯s quite arrogant.¡± General Manager Qin immediately looked at Ji Zhao with a smile in his eyes. ¡°Third Sister-inw.¡± Shen Dng quickly gave Ji Zhao a look, then smiled apologetically at Steward Qin. ¡°My third sister-inw is still young. I hope General Manager Qin can forgive her.¡± ¡°General Manager Qin, feel free to ask for anything. I guarantee that Shen Ji will be able to make pastries that suit Old Madam Qin¡¯s taste!¡± Ji Zhao raised her eyebrows and smiled confidently and firmly. ¡°Alright!¡± General Manager Qin was also conquered by her confidence. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll give the Shen family another day. I¡¯ll try the pastries again at dusk today. If the pastries suit my olddy¡¯s taste, we¡¯ll order the pastries from the Shen family for the next three years from today!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a deal!¡± ¡°But what if the pastries you make don¡¯t satisfy my olddy? What then?¡± ¡°I¡¯m willing to sell myself to the Qin Residence and be a maid for a year!¡± ¡°Deal!¡± Chapter 41 41 That¡¯s the Truth After General Manager Qin left, Shen Dng hurriedly weed the two of them into the shop. He first poured a cup of sugar water and handed it to Zhao Lanhua. Then, he looked at Ji Zhao with aplicated gaze. ¡°Third Sister-inw, you¡¯re too...¡± Shen Dng could not help but frown. ¡°You¡¯re too impulsive!¡± ¡°Brother, can I try the mung bean cake?¡± Ji Zhao smiled and asked obediently. ¡°Third Sister-inw, you...¡± ¡°Dng,¡± Zhao Lanhua suddenly said, ¡°Ah Tao has already made a bet with General Manager Qin. There¡¯s no need to dwell on this matter further. What kind of pastries does the olddy of the Qin family like?¡± Shen Dng had no choice but to suppress the emotions in his heart. He frowned and said, ¡°That olddy of the Qin family loves mung bean cake the most. However, the doctor said that she shouldn¡¯t eat too much sweet food, so every time General Manager Qines to the shop to buy pastries, he will specially ask us to put less sugar.¡± ¡°A few days ago, that olddy suddenly wanted to eat mung bean cake, so I asked the shop¡¯s chef to make some. We even specially reduced the amount of sugar by half. In the end, General Manager Qin stillined that the pastry was too sweet.¡± ¡°Big Brother, can you let me try the mung bean cake that General Manager Qin tried just now?¡± Ji Zhao thought about it carefully and already had a n in mind. Shen Dng nodded slightly and brought the te of mung bean cake to her. Ji Zhao quickly picked up a piece of pastry and tasted it carefully. ¡°It¡¯s fragrant, glutinous, and delicious. It¡¯s fragrant in your mouth, and the sweetness has been lowered.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and said sincerely, ¡°If you reduce the amount of sugar, I¡¯m afraid the taste will be even worse.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Shen Dng immediately nodded like a chick pecking at rice. ¡°If we reduce the amount of sugar, it will taste dull.¡± ¡°Big Brother, can I borrow the kitchen here? I want to make a pastry.¡± Ji Zhao pondered for a while and finally made a decision. ¡°... Okay!¡± Ji Zhao walked into the kitchen of the Shen family¡¯s pastry shop. The kitchen was not big, but there wasplete set of tools inside. After wiping her hands, she found some mung beans that had been soakedst night. ¡°Ah Tao, what pastries are you making? Do you need my help?¡± Zhao Lanhua asked softly when she saw her confident expression. ¡°Mother, I do actually need your help with something!¡± ¡°Tell me!¡± ¡°Could I trouble Mother to sit here and have a good rest?¡± Ji Zhao helped her sit on a small stool nearby and said happily. Fifteen minutester, Ji Zhao began to work. She first boiled all the soaked mung beans and added glutinous rice flour. Unfortunately, there was no condensed milk here. Otherwise, the pastry she was making would be even more delicious. But she thought of something else. She cracked three eggs. The egg whites and yolks were all separated. In order to be safe, she nned to make two different types of pastries to be prepared. When the mung beans werepletely boiled into paste, she only added half a spoonful of sugar. ¡°Third Sister-inw, if you only add this little bit of sugar, will it be tasteless?¡± Shen Dng, who had been silent, could not help but ask the question in his heart. ¡°Big Brother, don¡¯t worry. It won¡¯t be tasteless!¡± Ji Zhao smiled confidently, but her hands didn¡¯t stop moving. She kept beating the egg whites until it turned milky white. Ji Zhao finally finished making the pastries she wanted. ¡°Mother, why don¡¯t you try one?¡± Chapter 42 42 Mung Bean Ice Cake Zhao Lanhua looked at the exquisite and beautiful dessert in front of her and raised her eyebrows in surprise. ¡°Why is this mung bean cake so beautiful?¡± ¡°Mother, this is mung bean ice cake,¡± Ji Zhao exined with a smile. ¡°Try it. It shouldn¡¯t taste too bad.¡± Zhao Lanhua eagerly picked up a piece and took a small bite. She felt a softness on the tip of her tongue. The fragrance of the mung beans refreshed her heart and assailed her with sweetness. When she took another bite, there was actually a salty fragrance of egg yolk that cushioned the residual sweetness just now. ¡°Big Brother, do you want to try it too?¡± Shen Dng also took a bite with the intention of giving it a try. However, in an instant, his eyes lit up and he looked extremely excited! ¡°It¡¯s sweet but not too sweet. The aftertaste is endless. Coupled with the salty fragrance of the egg yolk, the taste of the pastry is even richer!¡± Shen Dng gave Ji Zhao a thumbs up from the bottom of his heart. ¡°Sister-inw, you¡¯re good at cooking!¡± At dusk, the sun set in the west. The sunset was like fire, making the entire sky look iparably gorgeous. The cool breeze blew away the heat of the day. Shen Ji Pastry Shop. General Manager Qin raised his eyebrows and looked at the confident Ji Zhao. He subconsciously raised his eyebrows. ¡°May I ask if the pastries are ready?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all here.¡± Ji Zhao pointed at the two types of pastries on the table and exined with a smile, ¡°This pastry in the shape of a plum blossom is called mung bean ice cake. The other one is called full moon cake.¡± ¡°Full moon cake?¡± General Manager Qin stared at the pastry that looked very simr to a moon cake. He asked curiously, ¡°Isn¡¯t this a moon cake?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and shook her head. ¡°Why don¡¯t you give it a try, General Manager Qin?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± General Manager Qin tasted a piece of full moon cake and waspletely conquered by it. ¡°The texture is soft and melts in your mouth. Moreover, if you savor it carefully, there seems to be a fragrance...¡± General Manager Qin was full of praise for the pastry. When he tasted the mung bean ice cake, he was even more amazed! ¡°Good!¡± General Manager Qin nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Boss Shen, your sister-inw¡¯s culinary skills are extraordinary!¡± ¡°You tter me.¡± Ji Zhao smiled modestly. ¡°I¡¯ll bring these two pastries back for the olddy to try.¡± General Manager Qin looked at Shen Dng and his smile became more sincere. ¡°Boss Shen, if nothing goes wrong, I¡¯ll sign the pastry contract with you tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°Thank you, General Manager Qin! Thank you, General Manager Qin!¡± Shen Dng kept bowing and thanking him happily! After General Manager Qin left with the pastries in satisfaction, the sky gradually darkened. ¡°Third Sister-inw.¡± Shen Dng walked in front of Ji Zhao and bowed seriously. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you today. If not for your help, Shen Ji would not have been able to secure such a long term business rtionship with the Qin family.¡± ¡°Big Brother, we¡¯re all family. There¡¯s no need to be so ceremonious. Hurry up and get up!¡± Ji Zhao said anxiously. ¡°Mother, quickly tell Big Brother not stand on ceremony!¡± ¡°Dng, you saw Ah Tao making the two pastries just now. Did you memorize the steps?¡± Zhao Lanhua suddenly asked. ¡°I remembered everything.¡± Shen Dng quickly nodded. ¡°Alright, since you¡¯ve memorized it, go get the silver,¡± Zhao Lanhua suddenly raised her eyebrows and said. ¡°How much silver does Mother want?¡± Shen Dng asked hurriedly. ¡°That depends on how much you think Ah Tao¡¯s pastries are worth,¡± Zhao Lanhua suddenly lowered her eyes and said softly. At that moment, Ji Zhao reacted and hurriedly waved her hands in rejection. ¡°Mother, I don¡¯t need silver. Besides, Big Brother is family...¡± ¡°Even blood-rted brothers have to settle scores clearly.¡± Chapter 43 43 Goodnight In the end, under Zhao Lanhua¡¯s strong request, Shen Dng gave Ji Zhao two taels of silver. Seeing that she couldn¡¯t refuse, Ji Zhao could only ept it. On the way home, Ji Zhao kept her eyes down and did not speak. She was thinking about what kind of business she should start in the future to earn money. ¡°Mother? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Zhao Lanhua suddenly stopped in her tracks and Ji Zhao almost bumped into her back. ¡°Ah Tao, are you really Ji Ah Tao?¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she met Zhao Lanhua¡¯s suspicious gaze. She nervously clenched the hand hidden in her sleeve, but her expression was still calm. ¡°Mother, of course I¡¯m Ji Ah Tao. Who else could I be?¡± ¡°Good child, you¡¯re really pitiful!¡± The emotions in Zhao Lanhua¡¯s eyes gradually changed. She rubbed Ji Zhao¡¯s head andforted her softly, ¡°Mother didn¡¯t expect you to not only be good at cooking, but also know how to make desserts. But how could such words spread from Pomegranate Vige?¡± ¡°What words?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all in the past. It doesn¡¯t matter anymore.¡± Ji Zhao helping the Shen Ji Pastry Shop sign a deal with the Qin family shocked the Shen family. Especially Shen Yao. During dinner, the usually serious Shen Dashan actually picked up a piece of pork rib and ced it in Ji Zhao¡¯s bowl. Ji Zhao, who was ttered, smiled sweetly. ¡°Thank you, Father!¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Shen Dashan nodded with a straight face, but his eyes were gentler than the past few days. A crescent moon silently hung above the treetops. The hazy moonlight gently illuminated the ground. Ji Zhao ced her hands in front of the window and looked at the starlight in the distance. She narrowed her eyes and enjoyed the cool breeze. ¡°It¡¯s sote. Why aren¡¯t you asleep yet?¡± Shen Yao suddenly approached the window and asked softly as he looked at her gentle and exquisite side profile. ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep soon.¡± Ji Zhao returned to her senses and smiled at him. At that moment, Shen Yao suddenly felt dazed. ¡°Good night.¡± Before Shen Yao could speak again, the window had already been closed. That sweet smile had already disappeared. The next morning, Ji Zhao woke up early. She first went to the Earth Temple and cleaned the temple carefully. Then, she ced the pastries she brought back from Shen Ji on the shrine tform. ¡°Earth God, devotee Ji Zhao is here to visit you.¡± After Ji Zhao knelt on the ground and kowtowed three times, she said with a smile, ¡°Those pastries were personally made by this devotee. I hope Earth God won¡¯t mind!¡± After leaving the Earth Temple, Ji Zhao went to the river again. Ji Chen had changed a lot under Shen Yao¡¯s care. In order to express her gratitude, Ji Zhao nned to go into the river to catch a few more fish and personally cook some of Shen Yao¡¯s favorite dishes. At dawn, a strong fragrance wafted out of the Shen family¡¯s kitchen again, waking up the people who were still sleeping. ¡°Why are you up so early?¡± Shen Yao was the first to arrive at the kitchen. When he saw that graceful figure, he suddenly thought of the water vat outside the door and could not help but frown. ¡°Don¡¯t do heavy work like fetching water in the future.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m very strong!¡± Ji Zhao turned around with a smile. ¡°I just cooked fish porridge. Do you want to try it?¡± Looking at her sunny little face, Shen Yao subconsciously raised his eyebrows and nodded slightly. ¡°It smells very good.¡± Shen Yao epted the bowl of porridge she handed over and subconsciously blurted out. ¡°It tastes even better!¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile, ¡°But you still have to be careful of the heat!¡± Chapter 44 44 Who Do You Think You Are? The fish meat was tender and smooth, and the fragrance of the porridge filled the air. Not long after, the bowl of porridge in Shen Yao¡¯s hand was empty. ¡°How does it taste?¡± ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± Shen Yao nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Your culinary skills are superb.¡± ¡°Thank you for your praise.¡± Ji Zhao epted the praise and smiled happily. Shen Yao ate two bowls of porridge in a row. In the end, he could not eat anymore and reluctantly put down his bowl and chopsticks. ¡°I heard from Brother Da Zhuang that the pond five miles away from Shanghe Vige has dried up?¡± Zhao Lanhua looked at her man curiously as she cleared the dishes. ¡°There are a lot of fish in that river, right?¡± ¡°Not only fish, but also prawns. But they¡¯re not big.¡± Shen Dashan, who was cleaning the basket, sighed faintly. ¡°Uncle Huzi gathered us to raise some fish and prawns back then. He wanted to bring everyone to make a lot of money, but in the end, we encountered a drought for three consecutive years. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that the pond wasn¡¯t too far from the river, I¡¯m afraid the fish and prawns inside would have dried to death.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the predicted harvest not bad this year? Uncle Huzi wants to fish a batch of fish and prawns first and bring them to the county city to sell them. He wants to see if he can get back some capital.¡± Shen Dashan frowned and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t our family invest 20 taels of gold back then? So Uncle Huzi asked me to fish some fish and prawns too.¡± ¡°Alright, bring Third Brother alongter. I¡¯ll go to the vegetable garden to fertilize.¡± Zhao Lanhua nodded slightly. ¡°Mother? Can I go out and watch the fun too?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen quickly approached Zhao Lanhua and begged anxiously. ¡°You¡¯re pregnant. What fun do you want to join in on?¡± Zhao Lanhua frowned unhappily. ¡°I can ask Ah Tao to apany me!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen hurriedly winked at Ji Zhao and asked with a smile, ¡°Ah Tao, you will definitely take good care of Second Sister-inw, right?¡± ¡°Mother, why don¡¯t you let Second Sister-inw and Ah Tao go together?¡± Shen Yao suddenly said, ¡°Father and I will go into the water to catch fish. Second Sister-inw and Ah Tao can help to watch.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Zhao Lanhua nodded and reminded her carefully, ¡°Ah Tao, remember to take good care of your second sister-inw. Don¡¯t let anyone push her!¡± ¡°OKay!¡± Before nine o¡¯clock, the pond outside Shanghe Vige was already surrounded by people. Ji Zhao brought Second Sister-inw Shen to a rtively t ce and looked at the scene in the pond together. The pond was huge, at least 80 square meters. Shen Yao rolled up his pants and was about to go into the pond when he heard a mocking voice. ¡°Third Brother Shen, a cripple like you also came to join in the fun? Hahahaha!¡± Hearing that ear-piercing voice, Ji Zhao looked over unhappily. A thin man with a sharp mouth and monkey-like cheeks stood in front of Shen Yao. He had a reed in his mouth and a mocking smile on his face. He said sarcastically, ¡°In my opinion, a cripple like you shouldn¡¯t join in the fun.¡± Shen Yao looked at him expressionlessly. ¡°Yo, the cripple has a temper?¡± Just as the man was about to attack, he felt a sharp pain on the top of his head! Ji Zhao grabbed the man¡¯s throat with one hand and grabbed the few strands of hair on the man¡¯s head with the other. ¡°Cough, cough, cough...¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t your mother teach you to rinse your mouth before going out?¡± Ji Zhao narrowed her eyes dangerously and questioned coldly! ¡°You... Cough, cough, cough...¡± After the man¡¯s face turnedpletely red, Ji Zhao let go. ¡°Who do you think you are? How dare you attack me?¡± The man raised his fist at Ji Zhao angrily! Ji Zhao scoffed and dodged his attack. With a sweep of her leg, she knocked the man down again! She pped her hands and ced one foot on the man¡¯s back. ¡°Ji Ah Tao is the name! Who do you think you are?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, let him go.¡± Chapter 45 45 You Are Quite Fierce Hearing Shen Yao¡¯s voice, Ji Zhao loosened her foot. ¡°Cripple Shen, what¡¯s so good about relying on women? If you have the guts, let¡¯spete to catch fish!¡± After experiencing Ji Zhao¡¯sbat strength, the monkey-faced man no longer dared to speak ill of her. However, the way he looked at Shen Yao was still filled with mockery. However, Shen Yao chose to ignore it. ¡°Are you afraid?¡± The man became even more agitated when he saw Shen Yao turn around. ¡°You don¡¯t dare topete?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s afraid?¡± Ji Zhao scoffed. ¡°If we win, kneel in front of my husband and bark like a dog three times!¡± ¡°Then if I win, Shen Yao will have to kneel in front of me and kowtow three times!¡± ¡°Kowtow?¡± Shen Menghu, the vige chief of Shanghe Vige, patted the man¡¯s head angrily and said with a straight face, ¡°Hurry up and go into the river to catch fish.¡± ¡°Ouch, Uncle Hu, can you be gentler?¡± The man shrank his head and said aggrievedly. ¡°Shen Yao, ignore this brat. Hurry up and go into the river to catch fish.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°You¡¯re Shen Yao¡¯s wife?¡± The vige chief suddenly nced at Ji Ah Tao and nodded silently. ¡°You¡¯re quite fierce.¡± ¡°Thank you for your praise, Uncle Vige Chief.¡± Ji Zhao pretended to be ignorant and smiled. ¡°Ah Tao, you¡¯re amazing.¡± Second Sister-inw Shen, who was eating stir-fried pumpkin seeds with relish, gave Ji Zhao a thumbs up from the bottom of her heart and generously grabbed a small handful of pumpkin seeds for her. ¡°Second Sister-inw, who was that rude man just now?¡± Ji Zhao took the pumpkin seeds and asked with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s Shen Lang. He¡¯s also a famous cker in Shanghe Vige! He¡¯s proficient in all kinds of dirty tricks!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen said as she munched on the pumpkin seeds. ¡°He¡¯s famous for having a bad rtionship with our Third Brother!¡± ¡°Why? Did Shen Yao offend him?¡± ¡°Tsk, I heard from my mother that the two of them had a good rtionship when they were young. But once, the news that Shen Lang wet his bed at the age of seven suddenly spread. Shen Lang felt that it was Third Brother who leaked the news. As for Third Brother, he was simply like a sawed gourd. He neither admitted nor denied it. In the end, the rtionship between the two of them deteriorated just like that...¡± Uh... Ji Zhao was stunned. So the reason why the two teenagers fell out was because someone wet the bed? ¡°Ah Tao, look!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen grabbed her sleeve excitedly and shouted, ¡°Look, Third Brother caught a fish!¡± Looking over, one could see Shen Yao in the pond with a strainer in his left hand and a fat fish in his right! The fat fish can be estimated to weigh at least seven to eight catties! However, Shen Lang, who was only two to three meters away from Shen Yao, was not to be outdone. He caught four to five fish in a row! ¡°Second Sister-inw, shall we walk forward too?¡± Ji Zhao carefully helped Second Sister-inw Shen up and said gently. In the end, Ji Zhao circled in front of Shen Yao. The zing sunlight shone on Shen Yao¡¯s body, casting a gentle light on him. Shen Yao raised his arm and was about to wipe the sweat off his face when he identally caught a glimpse of Ji Zhao¡¯s smiling face. He subconsciously smiled in response. ¡°Left!¡± Ji Zhao suddenly shouted excitedly, ¡°Shen Yao, look to the left!¡± At that moment, countless fish suddenly appeared on the water to Shen Yao¡¯s left! Densely packed! Shen Yao immediately picked up the strainer and caught all the fish in one go! Two hourster, the fishing activities officially came to an end. While everyone was amazed, Shen Yao alone caught a big fish that weighed 25 kilograms! Next was Shen Lang who caught one that weighed 15 kilograms! ¡°You¡¯re really amazing!¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly walked in front of Shen Yao and praised with a smile! Chapter 46 46 A Gentleman Stays Away from the Kitchen Shen Yao looked up at her and smiled knowingly. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for your sharp eyes and urate direction every time, I wouldn¡¯t have gained this much.¡± ¡°There are so many fish! We can eat so many delicious fish dishes!¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s gaze waspletely attracted by the lively fish in the basket on his back! In the Shen residence. Seeing so many fish, Zhao Lanhua beamed with joy. ¡°The old saying is right. Working together is more efficient!¡± ¡°Actually, Third Brother caught more fish. I only caught five in total.¡± Shen Dashan smiled sheepishly. ¡°Lanhua, there are so many fish. How should we deal with them?¡± ¡°After lunch, you and Third Brother go to the county city. Send two to Dng first and sell the rest to the restaurants!¡± Zhao Lanhua thought for a moment and immediately made a decision. In the kitchen, Ji Zhao chose a strong and fat fish. She nned to make a chopped pepper fish head and use the remaining fish meat to make braised fish pieces. When Shen Yao walked into the kitchen, Ji Zhao was chopping fish heads. The moment she raised her hand and shed down, Shen Yao raised his eyebrows silently. ¡°Are you hungry? The rice is ready. I¡¯m pretty quick when I cook,¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile when she saw Shen Yao from the corner of her eye. ¡°Is there anything I can do for you?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Ji Zhao replied happily. ¡°Then can you peel the garlic for me? I¡¯ll need itter!¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and sighed as he handled the fish head. ¡°I heard from Second Sister-inw that you used to be very good at studying. I thought you wouldn¡¯te to the kitchen. Isn¡¯t there a saying among schrs that a gentleman stays away from the kitchen?¡± ¡°Food is the most important thing for the people.¡± Shen Yao chuckled. ¡°Besides, a gentleman stays away from the kitchen isn¡¯t taken for it¡¯s literal meaning.¡± ¡°Oh? Would you care to borate?¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s interest was piqued. ¡°A gentleman stays away from the kitchen. Anyone who has blood and vitality will be trampled on,¡± Shen Yao exined gently. ¡°The true meaning of this sentence is to advocate a gentleman to have benevolent morals.¡± ¡°I see!¡± Ji Zhao smiled in realization. ¡°I¡¯m really inexperienced~¡± ¡°Have you really never studied?¡± Shen Yao suddenly stared into her eyes and questioned in a low voice. Ji Zhao panicked. Her fingers were suddenly cut open by the knife, and it was so painful that she gasped. Shen Yao hurriedly grabbed her fingers and carefully and gently wiped the wound on them. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± ¡°Actually... it¡¯s alright.¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly pulled her hand away and nervously avoided his gentle gaze. For a moment just now, she felt that she was in a daze. Shen Yao suddenly turned around and left. Ji Zhao suddenly felt a sense of loss. ¡°Extend your injured hand.¡± After a while, Shen Yao brought over the medicinal powder and bandage. A momentter, Ji Zhao looked at her index finger bandaged like a cocoon and asked with a helpless smile, ¡°Isn¡¯t this... a little exaggerated?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t treat it properly, the wound will get worse,¡± Shen Yao said with a serious expression. ¡°But now that my hand has be like this, I can¡¯t cook anymore?¡± Ji Zhao shrugged weakly. ¡°You teach me, I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Yao nodded firmly. Hence, Ji Zhao retreated to the side and became the teacher. ¡°Then let¡¯s make chopped pepper fish head first. I¡¯ve just marinated the fish head.¡± Ji Zhao carefully exined the cooking method and then stood at the side to admire this pleasing scene. Chapter 47 47 A Wave of ttery An hourter, Ji Zhao was full of admiration for Shen Yao. She only told him the cooking method of all the dishes once. But Shen Yao really did a good job. Especially when he cut the vegetables, his movements were as graceful as flowing water. It was pleasing to the eye. At lunch, when they found out that the four dishes that afternoon were all made by Shen Yao, everyone¡¯s jaws dropped. ¡°Third Brother, how do you know how to cook?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen could not help but ask. ¡°I only learned it today.¡± Shen Yao smiled. ¡°But it¡¯s still because Ah Tao taught me well.¡± Ji Zhao, who was suddenly cued, smiled sheepishly. ¡°It¡¯s mainly because you¡¯re smart. You understand immediately.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and praised him. Zhao Lanhua saw exchange of looks between them and smiled happily. After the family happily finished their lunch, Zhao Lanhua suggested that Ji Zhao follow Shen Dashan and the others to the county to sell fish. ¡°Ah Tao, wait a minute!¡± Zhao Lanhua hurriedly returned to the central room. She took off the bamboo hat hanging on the wall and put it on Ji Zhao¡¯s head. ¡°The weather is getting hotter. Don¡¯t get tanned!¡± ¡°Got it. Thank you, Mother!¡± ¡°That father and son pair are clumsy with their words. Remember to negotiate the prices when you sell the fishter. The county city is short of ingredients now. Remember to raise the price!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ji Zhao nodded obediently. ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll remember everything!¡± ¡°Alright, go quickly ande back early!¡± Around 1:45 PM, the three of them arrived at the Shen Ji pastry shop. ¡°Father, Third Brother, Third Sister-inw, why are you here?¡± Eldest sister-inw Shen warmly weed the three of them into the hall and greeted them with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s too hot today. Quick, drink some mung bean soup to get rid of the heat!¡± She had left the mung bean soup in the deep well for more than an hour. It was cold and refreshing. After drinking a bowl, Ji Zhao narrowed her eyes in satisfaction. ¡°Ah Tao, do you want another bowl?¡± Eldest sister-inw Shen walked up to Ji Zhao and asked with a warm smile. ¡°No need, thank you, eldest sister-inw!¡± ¡°What are you thanking me for? We¡¯re all family,¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen said happily and quickly took out some pastries to serve them. ¡°Eldest wife. Is Dng not at home?¡± Shen Dashan asked softly after drinking two bowls of green bean soup. ¡°Father, Dng went to the Qin residence to deliver pastries!¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen smiled proudly. ¡°Ever since Old Madam Qin ate Ah Tao¡¯s mung bean ice cake and full moon cakes, she needs more every few days. This morning, the shop was not busy, so Dng himself went to deliver them to her door.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± Shen Dashan nodded slightly. ¡°Business is difficult in this year. You and Dng have to put in more effort!¡± ¡°Father, don¡¯t worry. We understand!¡± ¡°By the way, Third Brother and I caught a lot of fish today.¡± Shen Dashan pointed at the tall wooden bucket and said softly, ¡°Leave two for Dng to eat. Sell the rest to a restaurantter!¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen quickly said, ¡°Last time, the second-in-charge of Hongxing Restaurant took the wild chickens that our family sent over. I¡¯ll go with Fatherter?¡± ¡°What about the shop?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll get Chunyan toe out and keep watch!¡± After a while, Sister-inw Shen led the three of them to thergest restaurant in Dingyuan County. After 2 pm, the Hongxing Restaurant was still bustling with noise and excitement. Eldest Sister-inw Shen led them to the back door of the restaurant and happened to meet the anxious-looking second manager of the restaurant. ¡°Second Manager, what happened to you?¡± Chapter 48 48 Jin Ji Yu Kuai When the anxious second manager saw who it was, he frowned and sighed. ¡°Chef Dong of the restaurant suddenly injured his hand. A customer ordered Chef Dong¡¯s specialty dish. I was just worrying about it!¡± The second shopkeeper said in distress. ¡°What specialty dish?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen asked curiously. ¡°Jin Ji Yu Kuai.¡± The second manager was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. ¡°In the entire Dingyuan County, other than Chef Dong, I¡¯m afraid no one else knows how to make this dish...¡± ¡°I do!¡± Ji Zhao, who was in the crowd, said quietly. ¡°You know how to cook?¡± The second manager was extremely excited when he heard those two words. However, when he saw Ji Zhao¡¯s young face clearly, he frowned again. ¡°You really know how to cook?¡± ¡°Second Manager, can I borrow the kitchen?¡± Ji Zhao asked instead of answering. The smile on her face was confident and mboyant. When Ji Zhao walked into the restaurant¡¯s kitchen, she finally understood what the difference was. She estimated that the kitchen was at least 50 square meters. ¡°Ah Tao, do you really know the method of cooking Jin Ji Yu Kuai?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen looked at the confident Ji Zhao worriedly and asked softly. ¡°Actually, this dish is not difficult to make.¡± Ji Zhao smiled. ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, don¡¯t worry. I will definitely make it well!¡± ¡°There are records of this dish in the Qi Min Essentials Technique,¡± Shen Yao suddenly said. ¡°If there are too many orange peels in Jin Qi Yu Kuai, it¡¯s not aesthetic. Therefore, foxtail millet is added, which adds the golden color and gives it its sweet taste.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Actually, the main point of this dish is the ingredients. Seven ingredients are indispensable.¡± Ji Zhao nodded in agreement and looked at Shen Yao with even more admiration. Indeed, knowledgeable people are the most charming~ ¡°To make this dish, you need seven ingredients, but there¡¯s one missing in the kitchen.¡± Ji Zhao suddenly faced the restaurant¡¯s second manager and smiled. ¡°Since this dish is the head chef¡¯s specialty, the ingredient that¡¯s missing should be the head chef¡¯s secret recipe. Can I trouble the second manager to get the chef to send that ingredient over?¡± Chef Dong, who was resting in the backyard, could not help but sneeze! Immediately after, the second manager arrived in front of him. After understanding what had happened, Chef Dong hurriedly returned to the kitchen. When he saw Ji Zhao, he couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Second Manager, do you really believe this girl?¡± ¡°Chef Dong, you need seven ingredients to make Jin Ji Yu Kuai. The one you secretly made should start with the word white...¡± Ji Zhao suddenly spoke, but then stopped abruptly. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be an expert, little girl.¡± ¡°Chef Dong, you tter me.¡± Ji Zhao smiled. ¡°Eldest Brother has always been on good terms with the second manager. That¡¯s why I stepped forward. I just wanted to resolve the second manager¡¯s urgent problem.¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Chef Dongughed heartily when he heard her implication. Then, he took out a small white porcin bottle from his pocket and threw it to her. ¡°Try it, but the amount inside is only enough for one try.¡± Ji Zhao smiled confidently. After washing her hands, she began to make this famous dish. She picked out a medium-sized bass from the water tank and cut it down. After removing the bones, skin, and washing it, she began to slice the fish. Seeing her swift movements, the contempt in Chef Dong¡¯s eyes gradually turned into admiration. Every piece of fish was as thin as a cicada¡¯s wing, and the patterns on it were especially beautiful. Immediately after, Ji Zhao began to add ingredients. The most important step in making Jin Ji Yu Kuai is to learn how to make the Jin Ji sauce. Chapter 49 49 Very Good The method was not difficult. The most important thing was to mix the appropriate amount of seasoning. The Qi Min Essentials Technique describes the recipe in detail. The seven ingredients required are garlic, ginger, salt, white plum, orange peel, cooked chestnut meat, and rice. Among them, the most difficult one was the white plum. The white plum had to be soaked in salt water for the night. The next day, it had to be ced under the sun. Only after repeating this dozens of times could the white plum be obtained. After Ji Zhao prepared the ingredients one by one, she chose half of the fish slices and boiled them in the water. ¡°The dish is alreadyplete. Why are you scalding the fish? Won¡¯t this ruin the taste?¡± Chef Dong couldn¡¯t help but ask with a frown when he saw her actions. Ji Zhao exined with a smile, ¡°Jin Ji Yu Kuai can be eaten both raw or cooked. However, it depends on the person. If it¡¯s a guest with a weak stomach, it¡¯s best to boil it.¡± Actually, the so-called Jin Ji Yu Kuai was raw fish slices. This dish mainly tested knife skills and condiments. ¡°I see.¡± Chef Dong was enlightened. Then, he asked humbly, ¡°May I ask who this your master is?¡± ¡°Grandfather is good at cooking, so I have been influenced since I was young.¡± Ji Zhao casually made up an excuse and then looked away guiltily. ¡°May I ask where your grandfather is now?¡± ¡°Grandfather has already passed away.¡± Ji Zhao lowered her eyes slightly and said softly. ¡°This... I¡¯m really sorry.¡± Chef Dong hurriedly apologized. Ji Zhao had done the restaurant such a huge favor. The second manager was grateful and directly epted therge bucket of fish sent by the Shen family. Fifteen taels of silver! Shen Dashan could not hide his excitement. He carefully put the silver into his pocket. After returning to the pastry shop, Eldest Sister-inw Shen took Shen Dashan to buy things nearby. Shen Yao brought Ji Zhao to the small kitchen in the backyard. ¡°What... what¡¯s wrong?¡± Ji Zhao, who felt inexplicably guilty, blinked nervously. ¡°Give me your hand.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Although she didn¡¯t understand, Ji Zhao still obediently stretched out her hand. Shen Yao carefully examined the wound on her finger and asked with a frown, ¡°Your finger is injured and you came into contact with salt just now. Does it hurt?¡± ¡°Uh... it seems to hurt a little?¡± Ji Zhao finally remembered that her finger was still injured! Shen Yao gently grabbed her hand and treated her wound again. ¡°...Thank you.¡± Ji Zhao smiled gratefully. ¡°I heard that Grandpa Ji has never cooked.¡± Shen Yao suddenly exposed the lie she had just told and asked softly, ¡°Not only are you good at cooking, but you also seem to know some martial arts?¡± This morning, by the pond, she had only used one move to subdue the burly Shen Lang. It left a deep impression on Shen Yao. ¡°I...¡± Ji Zhao blinked nervously, then asked with a smile, ¡°Is that bad?¡± ¡°Third Brother, Ah Tao, it¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s go home quickly!¡± Shen Dashan¡¯s voice suddenly sounded. Ji Zhao responded simply and walked around Shen Yao to the front hall. Shen Yao looked at her back and smiled silently. This was good. Zhao Lanhua was very happy to know that the fish had been sold for fifteen taels of silver! What made her even happier was that her old man had actually bought her a silver hairpin. ¡°Why are you spending this money?¡± Zhao Lanhua said with disdain, but she could not stop the smile on her face. ¡°Lanhua, you¡¯re so beautiful!¡± Shen Dashan suddenly grinned at her and smiled sheepishly. Chapter 50 50 Sunrise When Zhao Lanhua was young, she was considered a flower in this vige. Although she was over 40 years old now, she looked very young because her skin was naturally fair. Now that she had a silver hairpin, her face looked even gentler. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Ah Tao¡¯s culinary skills to be so good.¡± After listening to the entire story, Zhao Lanhua asked in surprise, ¡°So it¡¯s all thanks to Ah Tao that we could sell so many fish today?¡± ¡°Yes, you can say that.¡± Shen Dashan drank a big bowl of sweet water and nodded slightly. ¡°Ah Tao¡¯s luck is really good!¡± Zhao Lanhua could not help but sigh. ¡°At noon, Sister Guihua came over. I heard that the fish from the other two shops were not sold at a high price! Uncle Vige Chief is having a headache!¡± ¡°I noticed it this morning when I was catching fish. Other than the big fish that Third Brother caught, the others didn¡¯t get as many good catches. They¡¯re too small and not easy to sell.¡± Fish that were too small did not have much meat and could not be sold for a high price. When Ji Zhao heard this news, she had an idea. ¡°Are you saying that we should collect all those small fish?¡± Zhao Lanhua frowned in confusion after hearing Ji Zhao¡¯s suggestion. ¡°Ah Tao, why do you need so many fish? Besides, those fish are too small to sell!¡± ¡°Mother, I understand.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and nodded. ¡°The county city iscking in ingredients, and those small fish don¡¯t have much meat. Of course, it¡¯s not easy to sell them. But what if we process them a little? We might be able to earn a sum.¡± After hearing Ji Zhao¡¯s suggestion, Zhao Lanhua made a prompt decision! ¡°Alright, then what do you need? Mother will prepare it for you!¡± ¡°Fish, flour, eggs.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all?¡± Zhao Lanhua was even more confused. ¡°These are enough.¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly. ¡°Many delicious foods are made in the simplest way.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get your father to go to the vige chief¡¯s houseter. Let¡¯s get five catties of small fish to try.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± At dusk, the sunset on the horizon was as brilliant as fire and extremely enchanting. In the courtyard, Ji Zhao was focused on Ji Chen, who was writing on the sand table. ¡°Sister...¡± Ji Chen tried his best to write down two words. He looked up at Ji Zhao and obediently grinned, revealing two cute canine teeth. Facing his pure and beautiful smile, Ji Zhao felt that her heart was about to melt. ¡°Chenchen is really amazing!¡± Ji Zhao generously gave him double the thumbs up. ¡°You wrote so well!¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s interest was also piqued. She squatted beside him, picked up a small branch, and seriously wrote two words. ¡°Chenchen, look. This word is our surname, Ji. The word beside it is Zhao. Actually,pared to the name Ji Ah Tao, Sister prefers the name Ji Zhao.¡± Ji Zhao turned to look at him and smiled brightly. ¡°Zhao, meaning the sun shining.¡± Shen Yao suddenly opened his mouth and said with a smile, ¡°The word Zhao is very good.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s pretty good too~¡± Ji Zhao smiled back and said softly, ¡°Moreover, Ji Zhao has a homonym that means ¡®good omen,¡¯ so that no matter what happens, I can turn misfortune into good luck!¡± Shen Yao nodded slightly in agreement. Then, his gaze inadvertentlynded on the sand table, and a trace of surprise shed across his eyes. ¡°You can write?¡± ¡°I just wrote it for fun~¡± The guilty Ji Zhao was about to erase the name on the sand table when Shen Yao grabbed her wrist, making it difficult for her to move. Chapter 51 51 Watermelon Ji Zhao swallowed nervously. ¡°What... what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Only then did Shen Yao realize that his actions were too abrupt. He quickly let go. ¡°I just think that your handwriting is very good.¡± The words ¡°Ji Zhao¡± were engraved on the sand table. They were bold, beautiful, and elegant. Meeting his smiling eyes, Ji Zhao suddenly felt her heart skip a beat. ¡°Dinner is ready!¡± Zhao Lanhua stuck her head out of the kitchen and shouted loudly. Ji Zhao quickly responded and pulled Ji Chen to the kitchen to wash his hands. Shen Yao pursed his lips and smiled. He lowered his eyes and engraved the two words on the sand table in his mind. In the hot summer, the days were long and the nights short. Even though the Shen family had already finished their dinner, night had yet to fall. Ji Zhao held Ji Chen¡¯s hand and walked to the temple at the back of the mountain. At the pastry shop today, she asked Eldest Sister-inw Shen to buy her a candlestick, red candles, and a handful of sandalwood. ¡°Earth God, your devotee, Ji Zhao, hase to visit you.¡± Ji Zhao brought Ji Chen along and piously knelt in front of the statue of the local god, kowtowing three times. She ced the candlesticks on both sides of the shrine tform and ced an incense stick into the clean three-legged incense furnace. ¡°Earth God, I once promised you that when I earn money, I will definitely help you reconstruct your golden body. Don¡¯t worry, I will definitely be a person who keeps my word! Now that I have no one to rely on, I hope you can protect me!¡± Before leaving, Ji Zhao and Ji Chen carefully cleaned the entire temple. After night fell, the ck sky seemed to be covered with a ck velvet cloth. The twinkling stars were like brilliant diamonds. Shen Yao handed the peeled melon to Ji Zhao, who was leaning against the rattan chair and admiring the night. ¡°Thank you!¡± Ji Zhao quickly took it and smiled sweetly. She couldn¡¯t wait to take a bite of the melon. The flesh was very crispy and the juice was abundant. It was very refreshing. ¡°I wonder if there are watermelons in the county city. After all, summer is the exclusive season for watermelons!¡± ¡°Watermelon?¡± Shen Yao raised his eyebrows slightly and shook his head gently. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of it.¡± ¡°Have you never eaten watermelons?¡± Ji Zhao was shocked. ¡°Watermelons are usually round or oval-shaped, about this big~¡± Ji Zhao exined as she gestured the size, ¡°The skin of the watermelon is green and has ck stripes on it. The skin is smoother. After cutting it open, there¡¯s pink or red flesh inside. The flesh is covered in ck seeds. Have you really never seen it before?¡± ¡°Are you referring to western melons?¡± Shen Yao thought carefully for a moment before waving at her. ¡°Come with me.¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly followed him. The two of them walked under the moonlight and arrived at the Shen family¡¯s vegetable garden at the end of Shanghe Vige. ¡°Shen Yao, where are you taking me?¡± After eating all the melon in her hand, Ji Zhao could no longer suppress the curiosity in her heart. ¡°You¡¯ll know in a while.¡± Shen Yao looked back and smiled. Then, he reached out his hand to her. ¡°The path on the field is rtively narrow. Grab my sleeve and follow my footprints.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Although she didn¡¯t know what was going on, Ji Zhao still obediently grabbed his sleeve. The two of them walked for a while before Shen Yao suddenly stopped. ¡°Look, isn¡¯t that the watermelon you mentioned?¡± Following Shen Yao¡¯s finger, Ji Zhao saw the big watermelon lying quietly in the vines. Her eyes instantly lit up. ¡°There¡¯s actually watermelons here?¡± She hurriedly wanted to go forward to see what was going on, but she staggered and fell to the ground- Chapter 52 52 Five-Animal y The expected pain did note. Ji Zhao opened her eyes nervously and realized that things were not simple- At this moment, she was only an inch away from Shen Yao. More importantly, she was lying on top of him? The moment their eyes met, Ji Zhao felt her heart beating non-stop. ¡°I¡¯m... I¡¯m sorry...¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly stood up with an awkward expression on her face. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Shen Yao slowly got up and elegantly wiped the dust off his clothes. He asked gently, ¡°Did you hurt yourself?¡± ¡°No, no injuries.¡± Ji Zhao subconsciously scratched her head and smiled sheepishly. ¡°But why are there watermelons here?¡± ¡°Many families in Shanghe Vige have nted western melons, but these western melons are too watery. Moreover, they often go to the toilet after eating too much, so no one likes to eat it.¡± Shen Yao exined patiently. Ji Zhao pondered for a moment and understood. After all, to the people living in this era, filling their stomachs was the most important goal. Compared to other melons that could fill their stomachs, watermelons were indeed not filling. Moreover, too much water would make people want to use the restroom. In this way, it would reduce productivity. No wonder watermelons were so unpopr here! ¡°Then can we pick this watermelon back?¡± Ji Zhao stared at the round watermelon and could not help but swallow. ¡°Yes.¡± Looking at the innocent smile on her face, Shen Yao silently curled his lips and nodded slightly. Ji Zhao was overjoyed. She quickly squatted in the watermelon field and carefully snapped the watermelon¡¯s vines. ¡°This watermelon is so heavy!¡± Ji Zhao said with a frown as she picked up the heavy watermelon. ¡°I got it.¡± Shen Yao easily picked up the heavy watermelon. Ji Zhao silently gave him a thumbs up. ¡°When we get home, we¡¯ll put this big watermelon in the well and cut it open tomorrow after lunch?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± When Shen Yao heard the word ¡°home¡±, the smile in his eyes deepened. The search for melons came to an end. Ji Zhao, who had returned to her room, fell asleep in a few seconds. The next morning, when Shen Yao, who was copying calligraphy in the house, heardughtering from the courtyard, he curiously opened the window. In the courtyard, Ji Zhao, who was wearing a light pink dress, was like an exquisite peach blossom, bright and beautiful. ¡°Mother, look, we have to slow down in this position,¡± Ji Zhao exined with a gentle smile. ¡°Follow my example~¡± Ji Zhao bent her knees slightly. After her feet pulled away, she slowly spread her hands- ¡°What are you guys doing?¡± Shen Yao walked to the two of them curiously and asked softly with a faint smile. ¡°Ah Tao is teaching me an exercise!¡± Zhao Lanhua, who was in high spirits, said happily, ¡°Third Brother, look, is Mother doing well?¡± ¡°I¡¯m teaching Mother the Five Animal y.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and exined gently, ¡°The Five Animal y is a special cultivation technique that nourishes one¡¯s health. Every morning, when one wakes up to do the Five Animal y, it will make one feel refreshed and energetic. Do you want toe along?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ji Zhao smiled gently and exined patiently, ¡°The Five Animal y is not difficult. When you use your hands and feet, you must learn to breathe. The Five Animal y consists of one: bear, two: deer, three: bear, four: ape, five: bird.¡± Ji Zhao exined as she demonstrated, ¡°After you finish the entire set, your body will sweat slightly. Do you want to try?¡± Chapter 53 53 Please ept My Knees! After watching Shen Yao finish the entire Five Animal y, Ji Zhao finally understood what it meant to be elegant. ¡°Shen Yao,¡± Ji Zhao suddenly faced him and said with a serious expression, ¡°please ept my knees!¡± This man was really amazing. He could perform the Five Animal y so well after only watching it once. ¡°Did you hurt your knee?¡± Shen Yao asked with concern. He subconsciously squatted in front of her, wanting to check her knee. Ji Zhao, who did not know whether tough or cry, hurriedly exined, ¡°Actually, the meaning of this sentence is that I admire you very much!¡± ¡°I see.¡± Shen Yao smiled in realization. Shen Yao was good-looking to begin with. His facial features were well-defined and his phoenix eyes were deep. However, when he smiled, Ji Zhao finally understood what the phrase peerless young master meant. When he smiled, his face could topple cities. Unknowingly, Ji Zhao was infatuated. It was only when Zhao Lanhua¡¯s voice suddenly sounded that Ji Zhao¡¯s thoughts were pulled out of her fantasy. ¡°Ah Tao, look at my hands. Is that right?¡± Zhao Lanhua asked happily as she performed the Five Animal y. ¡°Mother, you did very well!¡± Ji Zhao praised generously. ¡°But if you could raise your right hand a little higher, that would be even better?¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Shen Yao, who had retreated to the side, looked at such a warm scene. His good-looking thin lips pursed slightly, and the corners of his lips curled up slightly. An hourter, Zhao Lanhua, who had finished practicing the Five Animal y, felt refreshed and energetic. After breakfast, Ji Zhao followed Zhao Lanhua to the county city. Shen Ji pastry shop. Eldest Sister-inw Shen had already tidied up the kitchen in the backyard. ¡°Sis, is Third Sister-inw Shen that powerful?¡± Feng Chunyan looked at her sister¡¯s busy back and was a little angry with Ji Zhao. ¡°Previously, Aunt Lanhua¡¯s favorite daughter-inw was you, but now...¡± ¡°You¡¯re just a child. Don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen pinched her sister¡¯s face angrily and said with a gentle smile, ¡°Actually, Ah Tao isn¡¯t bad. I didn¡¯t know her well before, so I said those things about her to you...¡± ¡°I think Ji Ah Tao is too scheming. How long has it been? She actually made everyone in the Shen family look at her in a new light.¡± Feng Chunyan pursed her lips and said, ¡°She was hot-headed and wanted toe to the county city to set up a stall, but in the end, she made you work so hard... Aunt Lanhua is the same. Now, she¡¯s been coaxed by her until she doesn¡¯t know where to go, right? Sister, don¡¯t think that my words are unpleasant. It¡¯s not impossible for Ji Ah Tao to do business, but what right does she have to borrow the venue of the pastry shop?¡± ¡°Sis, don¡¯t forget that this pastry shop is the property that you and brother-inw have been running for many years. If not for the fact that our Feng family produced more than 30 secret pastry recipes, how could the business of this shop be much better?¡± The more Feng Chunyan thought about it, the more she felt that it was not worth it for her sister. ¡°Chunyan, aren¡¯t you thinking too much?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen smiled helplessly. ¡°Mother said a long time ago that the pastry shop belongs to me and Dng. As long as we give them some retirement money every month, it¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true that it¡¯s like this now, but it¡¯s hard to guarantee that it won¡¯t happen in the future!¡± Feng Chunyan said earnestly, ¡°Sister, don¡¯t despise my words. This old saying is good. Father and Mother dote on their youngest the most. Moreover, Third Brother Shen is an unsound person. It¡¯s hard to guarantee that Ji Ah Tao won¡¯t have designs on our pastry shop.¡± After Feng Chunyan¡¯s analysis, Eldest Sister-inw Shen¡¯s mood fell to rock bottom. At the end of the day, Zhao Lanhua brought Ji Zhao to the pastry shop. ¡°Mother? Third Sister-inw.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen hurriedly went out to wee them, but the smile on her face was a little pale and weak. ¡°Eldest wife, what¡¯s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?¡± Zhao Lanhua checked her forehead with concern and heaved a sigh of relief after confirming that she did not have a fever. Chapter 54 54 Fragrant Dried Fish ¡°Mother, I¡¯m fine,¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen quickly exined. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because the weather is getting hotter, so I feel suffocated.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re really unwell, go see a doctor, okay?¡± Zhao Lanhua held her hand and reminded her earnestly, ¡°We can¡¯t avoid treatment, understand?¡± ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m really fine.¡± Eldst Sister-inw Shen felt warm in her heart after being cared for by her mother-inw. ¡°By the way, Mother, didn¡¯t you say that Ah Tao ising to the county city to set up a stall? I¡¯ve already prepared everything. Do you want to take a look?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Zhao Lanhua hurriedly nodded and turned around to call out to the dumbfounded Ji Zhao. ¡°Ah Tao, let¡¯s go take a look at your stall.¡± ¡°Third Sister-inw, what business do you want to do?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen asked curiously. ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, I n to sell some fried fish,¡± Ji Zhao replied softly with a smile. ¡°Fried fish?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen frowned slightly and was a little worried. After all, the weather was getting hotter and hotter. The food that was fried would probably not be weed. ¡°This time, the vige chief brought everyone to fish out a lot of fish from the pond. However, other than our family¡¯s luck, the fish that the other families fished out were too small. Therefore, we decided to set up a stall in the county city to try our luck and see if we can sell all those fish,¡± Zhao Lanhua exined with a smile. ¡°But when you taste Ah Tao¡¯s fried fish, you will be full of praise!¡± When Ji Zhao walked into the kitchen in the backyard, Feng Chunyan was cutting the dragon whisker pastry. At this moment, Ji Zhao suddenly thought of the plot in the book. She wanted to give her some pointers, but Feng Chunyan¡¯s attitude was a little strange. ¡°Sister Chunyan?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have that many older sisters.¡± Feng Chunyan pulled a long face and took out the dragon whisker pastry. When she passed by Zhao Lanhua, she only called her aunt indifferently. Her attitude was not as enthusiastic as before. ¡°Eldest wife, what¡¯s wrong with Chunyan?¡± ¡°Mother, she¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen quickly changed the topic. ¡°Let¡¯s go see Ah Tao, okay?¡± Ji Zhao could sense Feng Chunyan¡¯s hostility. She felt that it was baffling. However, she was not a saint. She could not be so warm-hearted. Since Feng Chunyan¡¯s attitude was so unfriendly, she had no obligation to remind her. Ji Zhao removed the basket from her back and took out the fish that she had prepared. Early this morning, she had already cleaned up all the small fish. She quickly disemboweled them, cut off their heads, and emptied all their internal organs. Then, she washed them with water. Then, she washed it twice with cooled ginger water before adding a suitable amount of seasoning wine to marinate it. Ji Zhao turned around and picked up arge blue and white porcin bowl. She directly added six eggs into it andpletely mixed the egg liquid. Finally, she poured in some corn starch and added a little salt. She kept stirring it evenly. ¡°Mother, please help me start the fire now. The fire shouldn¡¯t be too big.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Zhao Lanhua replied heartily. She immediately sat in front of the stove and seriously controlled the fire. When the oil in the pot waspletely heated, Ji Zhao smiled and said, ¡°Mother, reduce the heat.¡± ¡°Ah Tao? Aren¡¯t you going to take this opportunity to fry the fish? If you reduce the heat, won¡¯t the oil in the pot turn cold?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen, who was standing at the side, raised a reasonable doubt. ¡°Sister-inw, you might not know this, but this is the key to making this crispy fried fish.¡± Chapter 55 55 Quite Difficult Ji Zhao¡¯s face was filled with a bright smile as she exined gently, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not difficult to cook crispy dried fish. The most important thing is to learn how to control the fire. If the fire is too small, it won¡¯t be able to cook the small fish. If the fire is too big, it will burn the small fish.¡± ¡°Therefore, the best way is to heat the oil in the pot first and then let it cool. During this gap, we can cover the fish in batter. Then, when the oil in the pot is warm, we can start to fry it!¡± Ji Zhao exined as she fried some dried fish. Her hands moved very quickly. After a while, a big bowl of golden and crispy dried fish was already on the te. ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, try it?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen could not wait to taste a piece of dried fish. Then, her eyes lit up! ¡°It¡¯s really delicious!¡± ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, if you like it, eat more.¡± Ji Zhao smiled innocently and asked obediently, ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, did you buy the meat I asked you to buy?¡± ¡°I bought it.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen quickly brought over a small stool and took down the bamboo basket hanging on the beam. She lifted theyer of dark blue floral cloth and took out the fresh and high-quality streaky pork. ¡°Ah Tao, take a look. What do you think of this pork belly?¡± ¡°It¡¯s very fresh!¡± Ji Zhao did not expect the quality of the pork belly to be so good! As expected, the quality of food without additives would definitely not disappoint! ¡°But Ah Tao, did you ask me to buy pork belly to make something delicious?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen asked impatiently. ¡°Yes.¡± Ji Zhao nodded and began to process the pork belly. She deftly peeled the pork belly¡¯s skin and cut the pork into slices that were about half a centimeter thick. Then, she stir-fried the peppercorns. When the fragrance of the peppercorns waspletely stimted and cooled down, she used a rolling pin to crush them into coarse grains. She ced the sliced pork belly into a bowl and added the crushed peppercorns, sugar, salt, cooking wine, and chili powder to stir evenly. ¡°We¡¯ll deal with it in an hour.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and turned to Elder Sister-inw Shen. She suggested softly, ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, can you do me a favor?¡± ¡°Tell me?¡± ¡°Can you give this portion of dried fish to the second manager of the Hongxing Restaurant?¡± Ji Zhao had helped the second manager make the Jin Ji Yu Kuai. It could be said that she had helped him solve his urgent problem. Therefore, the second manager should have a good impression of her. As the saying went, it was good to have a big tree to lean on. Ji Zhao wanted to borrow the big tree, Hongxing Restaurant, to lean on. ¡°Of course not.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen nodded vigorously. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the restaurant with your eldest brother right now.¡± ¡°Thank you, Eldest Sister-inw.¡± ¡°We¡¯re family, what¡¯s there to thank?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen smiled nonchntly. She ced the freshly fried dried fish into the food box and hurried out. Zhao Lanhua, who was stuffing firewood into the furnace, suddenly asked, ¡°Ah Tao, did you already n to cooperate with Hongxing Restaurant?¡± ¡°Mother.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and nodded obediently. ¡°You won¡¯t disapprove, right?¡± Zhao Lanhua thought about it carefully and said sincerely, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t approve of your business, but I hope you can settle down. I know your culinary skills are very good, and your dishes are especially delicious. However, even if you can¡¯t do business with Hongxing Restaurant, I hope you won¡¯t be discouraged.¡± After all, Hongxing Restaurant was Dingyuan County¡¯s century-old signboard. It was not easy to do business with thme. Chapter 56 56 Pepper vored Crispy Pork ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. Even if I can¡¯t do business with Hongxing Restaurant, I won¡¯t be discouraged.¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly and exined obediently, ¡°Actually, the reason why I asked Eldest Sister-inw to give that dried fish to the restaurant¡¯s second manager to try is not entirely for business.¡± ¡°I heard that Eldest Brother and Second Manager have always been on good terms. Isn¡¯t the rtionship between friends formed through such exchanges? I hope that Second Managre can take care of the shop¡¯s business in the future on ount of that bowl of dried fish. In that case, I¡¯ll be satisfied.¡± Zhao Lanhua did not expect Ji Zhao to think so far ahead. She could not help but feel gratified. An hourter, Ji Zhao nced at the marinated pork belly and immediately cracked two eggs into a bowl. Then, she added starch and stirred it evenly. When the oil in the pot was 60% hot, she picked up her chopsticks and ced the pork belly into the pot one by one. After it was fried into a golden color, she scooped it out. For a moment, the entire kitchen was filled with a fragrant and spicy smell. ¡°Mother, this snack is called pepper-vored crispy pork. Do you want to try it?¡± Ji Zhao picked up a piece of crispy pork and brought it to Zhao Lanhua¡¯s lips with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.¡± Zhao Lanhua nodded in agreement. ¡°Delicious!¡± Ji Zhao could not help but taste one as well. Then, she nodded in satisfaction. As an imperial chef¡¯s descendant, her culinary skills had never gone offline! ¡°Mother, let¡¯s try our luck now?¡± After Ji Zhao packed up everything, she smiled gently and said, ¡°Let¡¯s see if we can sell all of these?¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go out now!¡± What Ji Zhao did not expect was that in less than 15 minutes, the crispy dried fish and pepper vored crispy pork she made were sold out. The person who bought these was the second manager of the Hongxing Restaurant, who had tasted the dried fish. Second Manager You was full of praise for Ji Zhao¡¯s delicacies. ¡°Tomorrow afternoon, prepare 15 kilograms of these two delicious dishes and send them to the restaurant. Is that alright?¡± When she saw the two white silver ingots on the table, Ji Zhao was in a daze. A total of twenty taels of silver! ¡°No problem!¡± Ji Zhao agreed readily. ¡°By the way,¡± Second Manager You thought about it and asked curiously, ¡°Do you know how to make braised food?¡± The Hongxing Restaurant originally had six chefs, and one of them was a braised food chef. However, as the braised food chef grew older, his taste also became stronger. Moreover, he also had the intention to retire, so the two managers of the restaurant had kept trying to recruit chefs who knew how to make braised food. Originally, Second Manager You only wanted to give it a try. However, he did not expect Ji Zhao to really know how to make braised food. ¡°Our Hongxing Restaurant¡¯s braised food chefs have good treatment. Every month, they get six taels of silver. Every year, we will give out all kinds of gifts. Do you want to try?¡± Second Manager You invited with a smile. ¡°I have to discuss this with my husband.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and said something lively. ¡°Alright, if you¡¯re willing toe, feel free to look for me!¡± Now, Second Manager You waspletely convinced by Ji Zhao¡¯s culinary skills! When only her family was left in the pastry shop, Ji Zhao hurriedly handed the silver to Zhao Lanhua. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Zhao Lanhua raised her eyebrows in confusion. ¡°Mother, you keep track of all this silver.¡± A delicate smile appeared on Ji Zhao¡¯s face. ¡°Can you help me deal with it?¡± Chapter 57 57 If You Like It, Buy It! Zhao Lanhua smiled and nodded. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll distribute the twenty taels of silver. Why don¡¯t you listen and see if you agree?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you~¡± Ji Zhao smiled obediently. Zhao Lanhua thought for a moment and nced at Eldest Sister-inw Shen, who was standing at the side with a smile. ¡°Eldest wife, how much did you spend on the pork belly?¡± ¡°Mother, the current price of meat is 20 copper coins per catty. The pork belly weighs about 10 catties, which is 2,000 copper coins. It¡¯s a total of 2 taels of silver,¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen replied honestly. ¡°Previously, Ah Tao borrowed the kitchen here and used eggs, flour, oil, and firewood.¡± Zhao Lanhua calcted carefully. ¡°How about this? Mother will give you ten taels of silver. You can collect five taels and give the change to Ah Tao.¡± ¡°Five taels? I can¡¯t take five taels!¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen quickly waved her hand and refused. ¡°Besides, Ah Tao is family. Mother, I can¡¯t ept this silver!¡± ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, just listen to Mother and ept it!¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly advised. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Eldest Brother¡¯s friendship with Second Manager You, the crispy pork and dried fish I made wouldn¡¯t have been sold at such a good price! If you don¡¯t ept this silver, I won¡¯t feel at ease!¡± Hearing this, Zhao Lanhua narrowed her eyes in satisfaction. Ah Tao was indeed a smart child. ¡°Eldest wife, keep it first!¡± Zhao Lanhua stuffed the ingot of silver into Eldest Sister-inw Shen¡¯s arms without any exnation. ¡°Try your best to exchange the remaining five taels for copper coins.¡± ¡°Then... Alright then...¡± Unable to refuse, Sister-inw Shen could only keep the silver ingot. During lunch, Eldest Sister-inw Shen specially bought a roasted chicken and ced one of the drumsticks in the bowl in front of Ji Zhao. Seeing how harmonious the sisters-inw were, Zhao Lanhua¡¯s eyes flickered with relief. ¡°Ah Tao, do you want to be a braised food chef at Hongxing Restaurant?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen looked at Ji Zhao curiously. Ji Zhao thought for a moment and shook her head. ¡°Sang will definitely have to study in the future. If I really go to a restaurant and be a braised food chef, I¡¯m afraid it will have a bad impact on Sang in the future.¡± Her husband was the future Grand Secretary! Hence, she could not act too recklessly. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen nodded in agreement. ¡°However, the braised food chefs in the restaurant can get six to two taels of silver every month. This sry is one of the best!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already thought about it. Instead of working for others, it¡¯s better to start my own business!¡± Ji Zhao smiled confidently. ¡°In the future, I¡¯ll definitely earn a lot of money!¡± ¡°If it was in the past, I would definitely be disdainful of your words! But ever since I tasted your cooking, I think you will definitely be rich in the future!¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen had always been quite confident in her own culinary skills. Until she saw Ji Zhao cooking and tasted her cooking. Only then did she understand what it meant to have a mountain beyond a mountain! After dinner at the pastry shop, Zhao Lanhua brought Ah Tao straight to the cloth shop. ¡°Ah Tao, what kind of material do you like?¡± Zhao Lanhua held her hand and asked with an intimate smile. Ji Zhao looked at the colorful cloth on the counter and was momentarily dazzled. In the end, she chose a bolt of sky-blue fabric embroidered with patterns. ¡°Mother, do you think this looks good?¡± ¡°If you like it, then buy it!¡± Without another word, Zhao Lanhua directly paid the bill! At this moment, Zhao Lanhua¡¯s image in Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes was both cool and handsome! Chapter 58 58 No Way? Apart from the cloth, Zhao Lanhua also bought two sets of ready-made clothes for Ji Zhao. The material was all high-quality satin, soft andfortable. ¡°I don¡¯t think Chenchen has any clothes.¡± Before she left, Zhao Lanhua thought of the poor Ji Chen and bought him a bolt of royal blue fabric without hesitation. It cost a total of seven taels and neen copper coins. ¡°Mother, thank you!¡± Seeing Zhao Lanhua generously foot the bill, Ji Zhao swore in her heart that she would earn more money to be filial to her mother-inw in the future! After 5pm, the mother-inw and daughter-inw pair returned to Shanghe Vige. In the Shen family¡¯s courtyard, Shen Yao, who was teaching Ji Chen how to write in the courtyard, heard the crispughtering from the outer gate of the courtyard. He could not help but smile. ¡°Sister?¡± Ji Chen also heard theughter and hurriedly looked up. ¡°Chenchen?¡± Ji Zhao, who stepped through the door, happened to meet her brother¡¯s anxious gaze. She smiled and raised the candied hawthorn in her hand. ¡°Look, what did Sister bring you?¡± ¡°Candied hawthorn?¡± Ji Chen¡¯s eyes lit up. He immediately opened his arms and rushed into Ji Zhao¡¯s arms! ¡°Chenchen, were you very obedient at home today?¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly and rubbed the tip of the cute little child¡¯s nose affectionately. Then, she handed the candied hawthorn in her hand to him. ¡°Here, Sister¡¯s reward for Chenchen!¡± Ji Chen grinned, revealing his two canine teeth. It was so cute that it could melt people¡¯s hearts! When Shen Yao saw how intimate the siblings were, a strange emotion actually rose in his heart. He raised his hand and wiped his nose. ¡°It would be even better if he didn¡¯t write the words I taught him incorrectly yesterday.¡± ¡°Chenchen has just learned how to read. It¡¯s reasonable that he makes mistakes.¡± Ji Zhao smiled indifferently. ¡°He will definitely write better and better in the future, right, Chenchen?¡± ¡°Mm...¡± Ji Chen, who was eating candied hawthorn, nodded obediently. At this moment, Shen Yao felt even more depressed. ¡°Ah, I almost forgot. I also brought you a gift!¡± Ji Zhao suddenly snapped her fingers and quickly untied the bamboo basket on his body. She carefully took out a brush. ¡°When Mother and I went to the evening market, we happened to see someone selling brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones. I saw this brush at a nce. Do you like it?¡± A stick of candied hawthorn was only three copper coins, but that pen cost Ji Zhao thirty copper coins! She hoped that Shen Yao would like this gift. Shen Yao took the brush and looked at it carefully. The body of the brush was made of high-grade mahogany. The red plum patterns carved on it were smooth and lifelike. More importantly, the raw material used to make the brush was high-grade. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t you like it?¡± Ji Zhao looked at his increasingly serious expression and suddenly felt uneasy. ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, I...¡± ¡°How much did you pay for this brush?¡± ¡°Thirty coins...¡± Ji Zhao carefully observed his expression. ¡°Don¡¯t you like it at all?¡± ¡°No.¡± Shen Yao smiled gently at her. ¡°I like it very much, and your luck is really good.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes were nk. ¡°This red plum-patterned brush is the best of the best. It¡¯s worth thousands of gold.¡± ¡°No way??¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s mouth widened in shock. The reason why she took a fancy to this brush at first nce was purely because this brush was the cheapest among those items, and the price was also something she could afford now. ¡°So, you¡¯re really lucky.¡± Shen Yao carefully put away the brush and smiled gratefully. ¡°Thank you for this gift. I like it very much.¡± Chapter 59 59 Naturally When Ji Zhao heard Shen Yao say that the pen was worth thousands of gold, a trace of regret arose in the depths of her heart. If she had known that this brush was so precious, she would have kept it herself- However, when she saw Shen Yao¡¯s happy smile, she could not bring herself to take back the gift. She could only return a sheepish smile. During dinner, when they heard that Second Manager You of Hongxing Restaurant wanted to invite Ji Zhao over to be a braised food chef, everyone was stunned! ¡°Six taels of silver... We can buy a lot of delicious snacks...¡± Second Sister-inw Shen quickly calcted and realized that six taels of silver was equivalent to a lot of snacks. She immediately beamed with joy. ¡°Ah Tao, aren¡¯t you too amazing?¡± ¡°Actually, I¡¯m more inclined to make braised food myself and then do business with the restaurant.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and then revealed her n. ¡°It¡¯s not easy to do business.¡± Shen Dashan frowned and said, ¡°Before doing business, you have to think carefully. Take your eldest brother and eldest sister-inw for example. They have been guarding the pastry shop for so many years and earn hard-earned money. Not only do they have to wake up early and stay upte, but they also have to deal with all kinds of customers.¡± ¡°Father, I understand.¡± Ji Zhao smiled faintly. ¡°That¡¯s why I n to rely on Hongxing Restaurant to earn some money first. When I earn enough capital to do business, I¡¯ll consider other things.¡± ¡°Ah Tao, since you already have a n in mind, go ahead and do it!¡± Zhao Lanhua expressed her full support for Ji Zhao¡¯s n. ¡°Mother believes in you. You will definitely do well!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± With their support, Ji Zhao felt very confident! After dinner, Shen Yao followed Ji Zhao back to the house. ¡°I want to try this brush. Will it disturb your rest?¡± Shen Yao looked into her eyes and asked softly. ¡°No.¡± Ji Zhao quickly shook her head. ¡°But can I watch you write?¡± Ji Zhao remembered that in the original work, Shen Yao¡¯s calligraphy was especially good, butpared to his calligraphy, his paintings were more valuable! In the original work, after Shen Yao became the Grand Secretary, his paintings were priceless! If only she could get one of Shen Yao¡¯s paintings now! ¡°Of course,¡± Shen Yao agreed happily. He walked to the desk, picked up a piece of white paper at random, and smoothed it out. ¡°Can you apany me to the kitchen?¡± Shen Yao suddenly looked up at that exquisite and bright face and smiled gently. ¡°Why are you going to the kitchen?¡± Ji Zhao asked. ¡°Before writing, you have to open this brush,¡± Shen Yao exined softly with a smile. ¡°Open?¡± The strange knowledge points increased again. Ji Zhao, who was shameless enough to ask, quickly understood the meaning of this word. The so-called opening was topletely unscrew the tip of a brand new brush and soak it in warm water. It needed to be soaked for at least ten minutes before it was picked up. After the ink on the inkstone waspletely blended, Shen Yao lifted his wide sleeve and seriously wrote four words. Ji Zhao looked up, her eyes filled with amazement. ¡°Your handwriting is really beautiful!¡± Although Shen Yao had only written both their names briefly, Ji Zhao was still stunned. Shen Yao¡¯s words seemed to have perfectly fused the vigor and beauty into one. The tip of the brush was a little sharp, but upon closer inspection, it felt very gentle. Shen Yao silently curled his lips and drew a peach under the words ¡®Ji Zhao¡¯. Although he had only drawn a few simple strokes, Ji Zhao felt that the peach was lifelike and extremely beautiful! Chapter 60 60 Fragrance ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to not only write well, but also draw better!¡± Ji Zhao silently gave him a thumbs up. No wonder Shen Yao¡¯s calligraphy and paintings would be hard toe by in the future! ¡°I also think that this peach is very beautiful.¡± Shen Yao looked into her eyes and smiled sincerely. Meeting that pair of smiling phoenix eyes, Ji Zhao suddenly felt that he seemed to be implying something. For a moment, even her face was a little hot. Looking at her sudden blush, the smile in Shen Yao¡¯s eyes deepened. ¡°Cough... It¡¯s gettingte. I want to rest.¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly looked away, not daring to look into his eyes again. ¡°Okay.¡± Shen Yao carefully put away the pen. Before he left, he said goodnight. After he walked out of the house, Ji Zhao hurriedly closed the door. She leaned back against the door, breathing heavily. Only then did she feel the rhythm of her heart slow a little. Fifteen minutester, Ji Zhao, who was lying on the bed, emptied her mind and quickly fell asleep. The next morning, Ji Zhao woke up early. When the others woke up one after another, she had already prepared breakfast. ¡°Ah Tao, what delicious food are you cooking now?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen, who had a sharp nose, hurriedly walked into the kitchen after smelling the fragrance and asked impatiently. ¡°Grilled cold noodles,¡± Ji Zhao replied with a smile. ¡°Second Sister-inw, do you want to try it?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen nodded without hesitation! When she finished a portion of grilled cold noodles, her lips curled up in satisfaction. ¡°It¡¯s delicious!¡± ¡°Second Sister-inw, I also made red bean porridge. Why don¡¯t you have a bowl while it¡¯s hot?¡± Ji Zhao smiled and said, ¡°I heard that pregnant people will look better if they eat more red bean!¡± A bowl of hot and fragrant red bean porridge entered her stomach, and Second Sister-inw Shen let out a satisfied sigh. The feeling of enjoying delicacies was too good~ Ji Zhao¡¯s grilled cold noodles were praised again. After breakfast, Shen Dashan took Shen Yao to the fields to work. As Shen Yao¡¯s follower, Ji Chen followed him. An hourter, Zhao Lanhua returned home with a basket full of ingredients. ¡°Mother, thank you for your hard work!¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly took the basket of ingredients and smiled gratefully. ¡°Not at all.¡± Zhao Lanhua heaved a sigh of relief after drinking arge bowl of warm salt water. ¡°But Ah Tao, can these offal really be made into delicious braised food?¡± ¡°Of course you can.¡± Ji Zhao smiled confidently. ¡°Mother, don¡¯t underestimate these offal. Cow hearts, cow tongue, tripe, and beef can be made into a particrly delicious cold dish.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make it for you to try. You¡¯ll definitely like it!¡± Ji Zhao began to clean up the offal. After washing all the beef and beef intestines, she poured them into the pot and added water until it covered the beef. After boiling it, she removed all the foam and ced the beef aside. ¡°Ah Tao, what did you throw into the pot just now?¡± Zhao Lanhua asked curiously when she saw what she was doing. ¡°Mother, that¡¯s a spice bag. There are peppers, cinnamon, and star anise inside to carry the fragrance,¡± Ji Zhao exined as she boiled the brine. After the spice packet in the pot emitted a fragrance, she immediately added white wine and salt. Then, she picked up arge bowl of clear water. About an hourter, the entire kitchen was filled with a unique fragrance. That fragrance made one drool. After a while, all the vigers in Shanghe Vige smelled the fragranceing from the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. This was the so-called fragrance that wafted for ten miles. Chapter 61 61 Can This Really Be Eaten? Ji Zhao scooped a bowl of brine and added some chili oil, soy sauce, and chili powder to make it into vored sauce. She dipped her chopsticks into the sauce. After making sure that the taste was correct, she began to cut the beef and beef intestines that had been cooked and cooled. After cutting these, she ted them and drizzled the marinade over them. After stirring them evenly, she sprinkled some white sesame seeds andtro. ¡°Mother, do you want to try this dish?¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly handed the chopsticks to Zhao Lanhua, her eyes filled with anticipation. ¡°Delicious!¡± Zhao Lanhua really couldn¡¯t find any other words to describe Ah Tao¡¯s cooking! In addition to making Sliced Beef and Ox Tongue in Chili Sauce, Ji Zhao also made Braised Pig¡¯s Head. When it was almost noon, the mother-inw and daughter-inw pair brought those delicious cold dishes into the city again and went straight to Hongxing Restaurant. When Second Manager You saw the caramelized color of the Braised Pig¡¯s Head, his eyes lit up! Ji Zhao cut a small piece for Second Manager You to taste. ¡°This pig¡¯s head is sweet and tender, fat but not greasy!¡± Second Manager You praised generously. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this ordinary pig¡¯s head to be so delicious in Third Madam Shen¡¯s hands. Third Madam¡¯s culinary skills are really impressive!¡± ¡°If you like it, why don¡¯t you eat more?¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile. ¡°I wonder if Third Madam has considered my previous suggestion?¡± ¡°Second Manager, why don¡¯t we cooperate in another way?¡± Ji Zhao smiled and proposed her idea. ¡°Every ten days, I¡¯ll provide a cold dish to the restaurant. Second Manager, you can buy these delicious cold dishes from me or offer a suitable price to buy up all the cold dishes I make. For example, this Braised Pig¡¯s head will cost about five taels of silver if you include the production cost. Second Shopkeeper, you only need to pay six taels of silver to buy such a good quality Braised Pig¡¯s Head from me.¡± ¡°Third Madam Shen, are you really not considering staying in our Hongxing Restaurant as a braised food chef?¡± Second Shopkeeper You was still unwilling to give up. ¡°Third Madam, don¡¯t worry. The treatment our restaurant will give you will definitely not be bad!¡± ¡°Second Manager, I have my own considerations for not being willing to stay in the restaurant.¡± Ji Zhao smiled, neither servile nor overbearing. ¡°I wonder if Second Manager is willing to agree to my proposed cooperation method?¡± Second Manager You pondered for a moment, then asked, ¡°What if I want to directly buy out your recipe for Braised Pig¡¯s Head? How much silver would it cost?¡± ¡°A fixed price of fifteen taels,¡± Ji Zhao said without hesitation. ¡°Also, I¡¯m willing to sign a contract with the you. I definitely won¡¯t sell the secret recipe of this dish a second time within three years.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Second Manager You was also a straightforward person. After a friendly discussion, they signed the contract. When Ji Zhao pressed the red fingerprint on the contract, Second Manager You had already prepared fifteen taels of silver. ¡°Thank you, Second Manager.¡± Ji Zhao smiled gratefully and handed two taels of silver to Second Manager You. ¡°This is a small token of my appreciation.¡± ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Second Manager You, who had epted the two taels of silver,ughed heartily. In just three days, the Braised Pig¡¯s Head that Hongxing Restaurant hadunched had be popr in the entire county. In the past few days, Ji Zhao had not been idle either. Carrying a small basket on her back, she searched the entire Shanghe Vige and finally found the ingredient she wanted! ¡°Ah Tao, is this thing really edible?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen, who was helping Ah Tao wash the ingredients, could not help but question. Chapter 62 62 Spicy Snails ¡°Second Sister-inw, don¡¯t worry. This thing will definitely be edible!¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s face was filled with confidence. She held the scissors and quickly removed the snails¡¯ tails. That¡¯s right, the dish she was going to make was a must-have side dish for summer- Spicy snails! ¡°Ah Tao, I¡¯ve already peeled the garlic.¡± Second Sister-inw Shen quickly handed the peeled garlic to Ji Zhao. ¡°Thank you, Second Sister-inw!¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly and began to make this delicious side dish. First, she washed the snails that had spat out sand and left them aside. Then, she began to mince the condiments. The peeled garlic was cut into cubes with the ginger and millet peppers. Then, she stir-fried these spices in cold oil over a medium fire to produce a fragrance. Then, she added a spoonful of honey sauce and stir-fried them again to produce an even richer fragrance. She quickly added the snails, then added a suitable amount of cooking wine, soy sauce, and rice wine to stir-fry. Finally, she poured boiling water into the pot and stewed it for 15 minutes. Before thickening the sauce, she sprinkled a little salt and add the diced green pepper. When she took it out of the pot and ced it on the te, she sprinkled some scallions. ¡°Smells good!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen could not help but swallow her saliva. However, when her gazended on the te of spicy snails, she became more suspicious. ¡°Ah Tao, how do we eat this? The shell on the outside is quite hard. There¡¯s no way to bite it directly, right?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen once again had deep doubts about this delicacy. Until Ji Zhao showed her a bunch of long and thin wooden sticks. ¡°Use this!¡± Ji Zhao smiled and demonstrated. ¡°Second Sister-inw, look. We¡¯ll grab a snail in one hand and hold this small wooden skewer in the other. Then, we¡¯ll pick out the snail meat from here, but the end won¡¯t be edible.¡± As a veteran foodie, Second Sister-inw Shen understood immediately. Soon, the snail shells in front of her piled up into a small mountain. Second Sister-inw Shen¡¯s mouth was covered in oil, and her cherry lips were slightly swollen. When she wanted to continue eating, Ji Zhao quickly stopped her. ¡°Second Sister-inw, although this spicy snail is delicious, pregnant women shouldn¡¯t eat too much,¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly exined. ¡°I¡¯ll make other delicious food in a couple days. You can eat more.¡± ¡°Let me eat half a bowl more?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen looked at her eagerly and asked anxiously, ¡°Or another ten?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen did not expect that such an ordinary-looking snail would be so delicious in Ji Zhao¡¯s hands! ¡°Snail are creatures that grow in water. The internal coolness is stronger, and pregnant women really can¡¯t eat too much. Second Sister-inw, I can¡¯t risk your body,¡± Ji Zhao said firmly. ¡°You really can¡¯t eat anymore.¡± ¡°Alright then...¡± Second Sister-inw Shen reluctantly put down the small wooden stick in her hand, but she was still a little unsatisfied. ¡°Then Ah Tao, there¡¯s still so much left. What do you n to do with it?¡± ¡°Bring it to the county city and sell it to Second Manager You.¡± Ji Zhao smiled gently. ¡°Second Sister-inw, what kind of pastries do you want to eat? I¡¯ll bring them for you when Ie back.¡± ¡°No need.¡± Second Sister-inw Shen quickly waved her hand. ¡°I haven¡¯t finished the pastries Mother brought mest time! Besides, I don¡¯t want to always take advantage of you~¡± ¡°We¡¯re all family. Second Sister-inw, you¡¯re being too polite.¡± Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but smile, and her eyes became gentler. ¡°Then bring me a packet of sour fruit? I want to eat something sour.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± After arriving at the county city, Second Shopkeeper You was once again impressed by Ji Zhao¡¯s culinary skills. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this river snail to be edible.¡± ¡°Second Manager You, although this spicy snail is delicious, there are some taboos when eating it.¡± Chapter 63 63 Don¡¯t move! ¡°People with weak spleen and stomach, who often have diarrhea, must refrain from eating,¡± Ji Zhao said slowly, her expression solemn. ¡°Snails are cold, so don¡¯t eat them when you catch a cold. During a woman¡¯s menstrual cycle, or after giving birth, avoid eating.¡± ¡°One more thing. Before cooking the snail, you must wash it clean. And make sure to cook it thoroughly when cooking,¡± Ji Zhao said sincerely. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve memorized everything.¡± Second Manager You nodded vigorously, indicating that he had memorized everything. ¡°Thank you, Third Madam.¡± ¡°Second Manager, can you call me Ah Tao from now on? It sounds a little awkward to call me Third Madam.¡± Ji Zhao shrugged helplessly and suggested with a smile. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do as you say. Ah Tao?¡± The two of them looked at each other andughed together. This time, not only did Ji Zhao sell these spicy snails for eight taels of silver, but she also provided Second Manager You with a supply contract. ¡°Ah Tao, do you mean that our entire family has to go out and pick up snails?¡± During dinner, Zhao Lanhua could not believe her ears. ¡°Can these snails really be sold for a high price?¡± ¡°Mother, take a look at this contract.¡± Ji Zhao took out the contract in her sleeve with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s written clearly on it. In the future, as long as it¡¯s the snails we send to Hongxing Restaurant, Second Manager You will ept it for ten copper coins per catty!¡± ¡°Our Shanghe Vige has a lot of snails!¡± Zhao Lanhua¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Does that mean that the more snails we pick up, the more money we can get?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Ji Zhao nodded vigorously. ¡°Mother, don¡¯t be happy too early.¡± After Shen Yao finished reading the contents of the contract, he slowly said, ¡°The river snails in the river don¡¯t belong to our family alone. If news of us picking up the snails with great fanfare spreads, it will definitely cause some rumors.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Hearing this, the smile on Zhao Lanhua¡¯s face faded a little. ¡°Shanghe Vige has been drinking water from that river for generations. Of course, the snails in the river belong to everyone.¡± ¡°Father, I¡¯ll apany you to see the vige chief tomorrow morning.¡± Shen Yao thought for a moment and said in a low voice, ¡°We still need the vige chief¡¯s help on this matter.¡± If the vige chief was willing to step in, this matter would be much easier. After dinner, Ji Zhao went to the ear room. After taking afortable shower, she felt refreshed. Just as she was about to walk out of the room with her changed clothes, she bumped into a firm chest. Ouch- Ji Zhao, whose nose was hurting from the collision, could not help but gasp. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Shen Yao hurriedly looked down at her face. ¡°I¡¯m... I¡¯m fine.¡± Ji Zhao quickly raised her head and smiled sheepishly. However, two streams of heat suddenly surged out from his nose. ¡°Your nose is bleeding?¡± Shen Yao said anxiously. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Ji Zhao, who was frightened by this voice, suddenly turned wooden. Without another word, Shen Yao carried her by the waist and returned to the house. Because his legs were inconvenient, Shen Yao was already sweating profusely when he carried her back to the room. When she inadvertently caught a glimpse of the anxious expression on his face, Ji Zhao seemed to have a sh of emotion in her heart. Like a light feather, itnded silently on her heart. ¡°Try to lean back as much as possible first. I¡¯ll go get some water.¡± Shen Yao leaned the pillow behind her and left in a hurry. Chapter 64 64 You¡¯re Very Good and Also Very Impressive In just a few seconds, Shen Yao brought over a basin of clean and warm water. He gently wrung out the gauze and gently wiped the blood on Ji Zhao¡¯s nose. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± ¡°It hurt a little the second I bumped it, but I¡¯m much better now.¡± Ji Zhao smiled honestly. ¡°Actually, you... you don¡¯t have to be so nervous. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all my fault,¡± Shen Yao med himself. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t suddenly appeared and frightened you, you wouldn¡¯t have hurt your nose.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really fine. You don¡¯t have to me yourself.¡± Ji Zhaoforted him gently. ¡°On the other hand, I feel like I¡¯ve done something wrong again...¡± ¡°Why do you say that?¡± ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have signed that supply contract with Second Manager You without discussing it with you.¡± Ji Zhao seriouslybed through the entire matter, only to realize that she was really too stupid. ¡°I thought things were too simple. I thought that as long as we worked together and picked up more snails, we could exchange for more silver. I didn¡¯t consider that the snails in Shanghe Vige were public goods.¡± If she couldn¡¯t provide 50 catties of snails to Second Manager You in three days, it would definitely affect her reputation. Ji Zhao really regretted it. She was still not very meticulous in doing business. ¡°You¡¯re very good and also very impressive.¡± Shen Yao suddenly looked into her eyes and praised sincerely, ¡°With this contract in your hand, I believe our Shanghe Vige will be very lively.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ji Zhao blinked in confusion. ¡°You¡¯ll know soon.¡± Shen Yao smiled and kept her in suspense. Before Shen Yao left, he made sure to confirm that her nose was fine before releasing a breath. However, when his fingertipsnded on Ji Zhao¡¯s nose, she could not help but shiver. ¡°You feel cold?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ji Zhao quickly shook her head. It was only then that Shen Yao realized that her hair was still wet. ¡°Your hair is still wet. If you fall asleep like this, you¡¯ll definitely have a headache tomorrow morning,¡± Shen Yao said earnestly. Then, he picked up a clean towel and carefully and gently wiped her hair. For some reason, Ji Zhao felt that her heart was beating a little fast. Shen Yao¡¯s actions were very gentle. When he dried Ji Zhao¡¯s hair, she did not feel any pain. ¡°Thank you.¡± Ji Zhao smiled gratefully, but she did not dare to look into Shen Yao¡¯s eyes. Shen Yao¡¯s eyes were especially deep, like stars shining in the night, making people want to sink into them. ¡°Good night.¡± Shen Yao handed her the towel in his hand, but his fingertips identally brushed across her palm. After his figurepletely disappeared from sight, Ji Zhao looked down at her palm. After a while, she actuallyughed aloud foolishly. The night was quiet and beautiful. Ji Zhao slept soundly. The next morning, the moment she opened her eyes, the dream fromst night suddenly appeared in her mind. Involuntarily, her cheeks felt hot. ¡°Ah Tao? Are you awake?¡± In the courtyard, Zhao Lanhua felt refreshed after finishing a set of Five Animal y. She walked to Ji Zhao¡¯s window and called out with a smile. ¡°Mother.¡± Ji Zhao, who was already dressed, pushed open the door with a smile. ¡°You were looking for me?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Zhao Lanhua immediately nodded like a chick pecking at rice. ¡°Go to the kitchen and get some pancakes first. Later, the two of us will go to the river to pick up snails!¡± Chapter 65 65 Shen Yao, Awesome! When Ji Zhao followed Zhao Lanhua to the river, she was stunned by the scene in front of her. At least half of the old grannies and wives in the vige came. They formed teams in twos and threes and picked up snails together. ¡°Mother? What¡¯s going on?¡± Ji Zhao gently tugged at Zhao Lanhua¡¯s sleeve and asked softly. Generally speaking, the busiest ce at this hour should be the street entrance! Why did everyonee to pick up snails? ¡°Your father and Third Brother went to the vige chief¡¯s house early in the morning.¡± Zhao Lanhua lowered her voice and exined with a smile, ¡°Sang directly told the vige chief that Dng was entrusted by someone to collect snails. The price of buying them is five copper coins per catty.¡± ¡°Five coins?¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes almost popped out! Shen Yao, awesome! He directly cut the purchase price in half! ¡°Come, let¡¯s stop chatting and go collect snails! Look at this situation. I wonder if we can collect a catty this morning~¡± Zhao Lanhua hurriedly pulled Ji Zhao to the river. ¡°Ah Tao, don¡¯t go into the water.¡± Zhao Lanhua took off the basket on her back and said with a smile, ¡°The water in the river is still a little cold.¡± ¡°Mother, let me do it.¡± Ji Zhao quickly stopped Zhao Lanhua, who was about to take off her shoes. ¡°No, I¡¯ll do it!¡± Zhao Lanhua quickly shook her head. ¡°Anyway, listen to me!¡± Ji Zhao felt a warmth in her heart, but she still decided to apany her mother-inw to pick up snails. Fifteen minutester, Zhao Lanhua made a surprising discovery! When Ji Zhao was standing beside her, she would always be able to pick up big and plump snails! Once she was a little far away from Ji Zhao, she would not gain anything! She wasn¡¯t the only one. Everyone else was the same. As long as one was close to Ah Tao, they would always be able to pick up big and good snails. ¡°Ah Tao, let¡¯s go home!¡± Zhao Lanhua suppressed the shock in her heart and hurriedly pulled Ah Tao ashore. ¡°Mother, aren¡¯t we going to pick up more snails?¡± Ji Zhao, who waspletely unaware of all of this, blinked in confusion. ¡°No.¡± Zhao Lanhua smiled and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m worried about your second sister-inw being alone at home. Let¡¯s go back first!¡± Before the others discovered the secret, Zhao Lanhua hurriedly pulled Ji Zhao home. ¡°Mother? Are you alright?¡± Ji Zhao asked worriedly when she saw that she was out of breath. ¡°Ah Tao, did you notice that your luck is exceptionally good?¡± Zhao Lanhua asked gently after calming down. ¡°Yes.¡± Ji Zhao smiled shyly. ¡°I also think that I¡¯m quite lucky. Mother, you¡¯re very good to me, and Eldest Sister-inw and Second Sister-inw also take good care of me. It¡¯s indeed my luck to be able to marry into the Shen family!¡± ¡°Silly Ah Tao, that¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Zhao Lanhua scratched her head anxiously. After thinking about it for a long time, she did not know how to exin. ¡°It¡¯s just that don¡¯t you think your luck is too good? It¡¯s even a little strange?¡± ¡°When you bumped into the pheasant fighting on the mountain that day, Sister Guihua and I were also on the mountain, but we didn¡¯t gain anything. Also, when you went to the river to get water, you just casually muttered that it would be good if there were wild duck eggs. Then, when you went for the second time, you really picked up wild duck eggs. Also, Third Brother said that the pen you casually chose was worth a thousand gold.¡± ¡°Mother, isn¡¯t it good that I¡¯m lucky?¡± Ji Zhao was even more confused. Zhao Lanhua pondered for a moment before slowly saying, ¡°Ah Tao, I¡¯m not saying that it¡¯s a bad thing for you to be lucky, but I¡¯m older than you. I understand that there¡¯s no such thing as luck in this world for no reason. I¡¯m just worried that if you¡¯re so lucky, there will be drawbacks elsewhere.¡± When the water was full, it would overflow, when there was too much gain, there would be loss. If a person¡¯s luck was too good, would it have some bad effects? This was what Zhao Lanhua was most worried about. Chapter 66 66 Earth God¡¯s Grievance ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m fine.¡± Seeing the serious expression on Zhao Lanhua¡¯s face, Ji Zhao hurriedlyforted her. ¡°I think the reason why my luck is so good is probably because the Earth God is secretly protecting me, right?¡± ¡°Earth God?¡± Zhao Lanhua frowned in confusion. ¡°Ah Tao, the Earth God you¡¯re referring to is the dpidated Earth Temple at the back of the mountain?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Ji Zhao nodded obediently. ¡°Previously, when I had nowhere to go, it was the Earth God who took me in. Moreover, I promised the Earth God that when I earned a lot of money in the future, I would renovate the Earth Temple.¡± ¡°Ah Tao, I¡¯ll apany you to pay respects to the Earth Godter!¡± The more Zhao Lanhua thought about it, the more she felt that what Ji Zhao said made sense. If Ah Tao hadn¡¯t received the protection of the Earth God, how could she have been so lucky? An hourter, Zhao Lanhua carried a bamboo basket filled with incense and rushed to the Earth Temple with Ji Zhao. ¡°Mother, I remember that when I first came to the Earth Temple, this ce was in a mess. There were spider webs everywhere. Even the statue of the Earth God was swaying. Don¡¯t the people of Shanghe Vige believe in the Earth God?¡± Ji Zhao really could not understand. Generally speaking, ancient people should believe in gods! Why was the Earth God so unpopr in Shanghe Vige? ¡°Sigh, it¡¯s a long story.¡± Zhao Lanhua inserted the incense stick into the three-legged cauldron in front of the shrine and sighed. Forty years ago, Shanghe Vige did not have arge poption. There were only ten families in total. However, at that time, the riverbed was especially wide and would flood every few days. One day, when a traveling Daoist priest passed by Shanhe Vige, he directly pointed out that this ce was a very dangerous ce. The feng shui here was extremely bad and not beneficial to people. After that, the n leader spent a lot of money to seek guidance from the Daoist priest. In the end, the Daoist priest chose this position and suggested that the n leader build a local temple here. Speaking of which, it was strange. Ever since the Earth Temple was built here, the river outside the vige entrance rarely overflowed. However, who would have thought that not long after, a group of bandits suddenly rushed into the vige and snatched the vigers¡¯ food. They even killed a few burly men. Since then, the n leader who advocated the construction of the Earth Temple rushed into the temple and cursed at the Earth God. Not long after, he actually hung himself at home. Later on, the Earth Temple here gradually declined. The temple that no one cared about would naturally be dpidated. ¡°This?¡± Ji Zhao did not expect the reason for the decline of the Earth Temple to be so strange. She suddenly felt aggrieved for the Earth God. ¡°Mother, can Ie and worship the Earth God more often in the future?¡± Ji Zhao pleaded softly. ¡°Of course.¡± Zhao Lanhua smiled and nodded. ¡°When I¡¯m free in the future, I¡¯lle with you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mother. You¡¯re the best!¡± Before leaving, Ji Zhao knelt on the futon again. She pressed her palms together and made a serious promise in her heart. ¡°Earth God, I understand your grievances. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let you suffer again in the future! In the future, I¡¯lle to offer incense and send tributes to you on the first and fifteenth of every month.¡± Ji Zhao sincerely kowtowed three times before leaving. In the Shen family¡¯s courtyard, the door was wide open. A long line lined up from inside the house to the door. Chapter 67 67 Sour and Sweet Ji Zhao blinked curiously. When she walked into the courtyard, she immediately saw Shen Yao in the crowd. Shen Yao, who was dressed in blue, was quietly making record of the snails sent by the vigers. The warm sunlight shone on him, making him look even gentler. He seemed to have sensed Ji Zhao¡¯s gaze. The moment he looked up, he urately caught Ji Zhao¡¯s infatuated gaze. Shen Yao subconsciously smiled at her. At this moment, Ji Zhao felt her heart stop beating. ¡°If you like someone, you¡¯ll feel your heart beating non-stop. You¡¯ll want to attract his attention, but at the same time, you¡¯ll be afraid of him. That conflicting emotion is like a candied hawthorn wrapped in honey. It¡¯s sour and sweet.¡± At this moment, these words suddenly appeared in Ji Zhao¡¯s mind. She could no longer remember where these words came from, but she felt that her heart had moved. Could it be that she really liked Shen Yao? No, that¡¯s not it. She simply felt that his smile was very kind, gentle, and good-looking. That was all. Ji Zhao pinched her palm hard. The moment the pain hit her, she finally woke up. However, at this moment, she had already unknowingly walked in front of Shen Yao. ¡°Second Sister-inw¡¯s sweet tofu pudding is in the central room. Do you want to try it?¡± Shen Yao looked into her eyes gently and asked softly. ¡°Okay... sure!¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly nodded and ran away like a frightened rabbit. At this moment, the smile in Shen Yao¡¯s eyes deepened. When it was almost noon, Shen Yao finally calcted the amount of snails. ¡°We¡¯ve collected a total of 80 catties of snails. The purchase price for each catty is five copper coins, a total of 400 copper coins. Excluding the cost, we should be able to earn about 380 copper coins.¡± Shen Yao handed the ounts he had calcted to Ji Zhao and could not help but smile. ¡°However, most of the snails in the river in Shanghe Vige should have been picked up.¡± ¡°How about this? After lunch, Third Brother will apany Ah Tao to the county city.¡± Zhao Lanhua immediately decided. ¡°This afternoon, I have to make Chenchen¡¯s clothes.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mother!¡± Ji Zhao was extremely grateful and thanked her repeatedly. ¡°Silly girl, what are you thanking me for?¡± Zhao Lanhua looked at her angrily. ¡°Isn¡¯t Third Brother going to the bookstore anyway? I¡¯ll be more at ease if you guys go together.¡± Ji Zhao looked at Shen Yao worriedly. After all, Shen Yao¡¯s legs were inconvenient. ¡°Mother, actually, I can go alone...¡± ¡°Listen to Mother.¡± Shen Yao interrupted her as he picked up a piece of pork ribs and ced it in the bowl in front of her. ¡°Braised pork ribs are one of Mother¡¯s signature dishes. Try it while it¡¯s hot.¡± ¡°... Okay.¡± Ji Zhao had no choice but to swallow her words. Then, she lowered her head and focused on eating the pork ribs. Unfortunately, the heavens were not happy. When Shen Yao brought Ji Zhao to the county city, a thunderp suddenly sounded in the sky. The originally cloudless sky was suddenly covered in dark clouds. The entire Dingyuan County was enveloped in a gloomy gray. Shen Yao made a prompt decision. He grabbed Ji Zhao¡¯s hand and ran to Shen Ji Pastry Shop. Just as the two of them stepped into the pastry shop, heavy rain fell from the sky! Bean-sized raindrops hit the eaves of the house with loud bangs. ¡°Third Brother, Third Sister-inw, why are you here? Are you wet?¡± Chapter 68 68 Changing Methods Just in case, Sister-inw Shen made them all drink a big bowl of hot ginger soup. ¡°Thank you, Eldest Sister-inw.¡± Shen Yao and Ji Zhao said in unison. ¡°We¡¯re family, what¡¯s there to be polite about?¡± Shen Dng quickly smiled and said, ¡°By the way, why are you guys in the county city? Is there something going on at home?¡± ¡°Brother, don¡¯t worry. Everything is fine at home.¡± Shen Yao smiled and pointed at the basket he had ced in the corner. He exined softly, ¡°I apanied Ah Tao to the county city to deliver goods to Hongxing Restaurant.¡± ¡°I see!¡± Shen Dng nodded gently. ¡°But the rain is still heavy. When the rain stops, I¡¯ll apany you to the restaurant.¡± ¡°Thank you, Big Brother!¡± ¡°We¡¯re brothers!¡± Shen Dng smiled brightly and patted Shen Yao¡¯s shoulder! ¡°Ah Tao, can you apany me to the kitchen?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen thought for a moment and walked to Ji Zhao, pleading softly. ¡°Sure, do you need me to do anything?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk as we walk.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen held her arm affectionately and walked happily to the small kitchen in the backyard. ¡°It¡¯s like this. This morning, when Chunyan went to the market to buy groceries, she mistakenly bought pork trotters instead of pork belly. When she turned around to look for the stall owner again, the stall owner had already sold all the pork belly. The stall owner was also an honest person and did not take extra money from Chunyan.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that your eldest brother has never liked pork trotters,¡± Sister-inw Shen said in distress. ¡°So, Ah Tao, can I ask you for a favor? Can you help me deal with these pork trotters?¡± Ji Zhao did not agree immediately. Instead, she asked curiously, ¡°Sister-inw, why doesn¡¯t Big Brother like pork trotters?¡± Pig trotters were so delicious! Besides, they were full of cogen! ¡°Your brother said that pork trotters always smell like pig urine. He really doesn¡¯t like it.¡± Sister-inw Shen sighed helplessly. ¡°To be honest, before I got married, my favorite food was pork trotters. Unfortunately, your brother doesn¡¯t like it at all.¡± ¡°How do you usually deal with pork trotters?¡± ¡°Braised or boiled with soybeans,¡± Sister-inw Shen quickly replied. ¡°Unfortunately, no matter what I do, your brother still thinks that the pork trotters have a smell...¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s change our method!¡± Ji Zhao snapped her fingers and quickly had an idea. ¡°Sister-inw, help me prepare ginger, green onions, dates, star anise, grass fruit, cloves, and wine.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and asked, ¡°Also, where are the pork trotters?¡± ¡°There, it¡¯s in that wooden basin. I¡¯ve already washed the pork trotters.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll teach you how to make this dish now!¡± Ji Zhao nodded, rolled up her sleeves, and got to work. First, she added the cleaned pork trotters into the pot and stir-fried them gently. ¡°Ah Tao, you¡¯re not adding oil?¡± Sister-inw Shen asked curiously as she watched her movements. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Ji Zhao immediately nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t add oil. First stir-fry the two sides of the pork trotters with a small fire, then drizzle it with wine. When the outer skin is slightly yellow, put in the onions, ginger slices, star anise, grass fruit, and cloves that have been prepared in advance.¡± After a while, a fragrance filled the air. Eldest Sister-inw Shen widened her eyes in surprise. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to have the urine smell of pork trotters anymore?¡± Ji Zhao smiled and continued to stir-fry the pork trotters in the wok. When the outer skin waspletely charred yellow, she added a suitable amount of soy sauce and continued to stir-fry. Then, she added a spoonful of brown sugar. ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, this is the key point of the dish I¡¯m going to teach you. Look, after adding brown sugar, isn¡¯t the color of the pork trotters different?¡± Chapter 69 69 Charcoal Roasted Pork Trotters ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s really different.¡± Sister-inw Shen took a closer look and eximed, ¡°The color of the pork trotters seem to have turned red.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. At this time, we¡¯ll fish out the pork trotters and put them in the y pot. Then, we¡¯ll add enough water to cover the pork trotters. After it starts boiling, we¡¯ll turn it to a small fire and slowly stew it.¡± Ji Zhao exined as she worked, ¡°When the hot water in the y pot boils, reduce the fire and fish out the pork trotters when they¡¯ve be soft.¡± About an hourter, the heavy rain suddenly stopped. ¡°Ah Tao, I¡¯ll go to Hongxing Restaurant with Big Brother. How about you not go?¡± Shen Yao walked into the kitchen and looked at Ji Zhao. He exined softly, ¡°Although the rain has stopped, there¡¯s still a lot of water on the road. I¡¯m worried that your shoes will be soaked...¡± ¡°I know!¡± Ji Zhao replied obediently. ¡°Go ahead. I want to stay and cook something delicious for Eldest Sister-inw!¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be back soon!¡± Shen Yao promised solemnly before he left. ¡°Then be careful on the road! Remember to bring an oil-paper umbre!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen, who was standing in front of the stove and watching the fire, felt her teeth ache when she heard their intimate conversation! ¡°Ah Tao, you¡¯re really something!¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen generously gave her a thumbs up. ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect to see such a gentle smile on Third Brother¡¯s face in my lifetime. It¡¯s really not easy!¡± ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, Shen Yao likes to smile! And his smile is especially beautiful.¡± More importantly, Ji Zhao felt that she had a fatal attraction to Shen Yao¡¯s smile. Facing such a smile, her heart could not help but drown. ¡°Tsk, in my eyes, Third Brother is old-fashioned even though he¡¯s young. He¡¯s like an old schr!¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen couldn¡¯t help but criticize him. ¡°But this is also one of Third Brother¡¯s merits, right? After all, Third Brother won¡¯t fool around outside.¡± Ji Zhao silently lowered her eyes to hide the joy in them. She remembered that Shen Yao in the original novel did not seem to be paired with anyone. It seemed that Shen Yao was not very popr with the opposite sex? About two hourster, Ji Zhao fished out all the soft pork trotters that had been cooked. ¡°Ah Tao, after talking for so long, you still haven¡¯t exined the cooking method of this pork trotter?¡± ¡°Sister-inw, the dish I¡¯m going to teach you today is called charcoal-roasted pork trotters.¡± Ji Zhao smiled gently and said, ¡°Look, when the color of the pork trotters turns into this red, we¡¯ll directly scoop up the pork trotters and prepare charcoal fire and a grill.¡± Ji Zhao ced the cooked pork trotters on the charcoal fire and kept flipping them. Finally, she sprinkled some seasonings. For example, ground peanuts and coriander and parsley leaves. Fifteen minutester, the charcoal-roasted pork trotters were ready. ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, try it?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen took a big bite impatiently and silently gave a thumbs up. ¡°It¡¯s fragrant and delicious, and it¡¯s crispy in the mouth. Mixed with the fragrance of peanuts, it¡¯s irresistible.¡± ¡°I smelled a special fragrance even before I entered the kitchen.¡± When Shen Dng returned to the shop and smelled the unique fragrance, he stomped his feet excitedly. ¡°Is it charcoal-roasted pork trotters?¡± ¡°Big Brother, do you want to try a piece?¡± Ji Zhao shed the white jade te in her hand and said happily, ¡°I guarantee that you will still want to eat more after eating it!¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll wait and see!¡± Shen Dng took a bite of the roasted pork trotter without hesitation- ¡°So, so, so, so... delicious!¡± Chapter 70 70 Saving the Situation ¡°In the past, I always felt that pork trotters smelled like urine, but now I can only smell the fragrance!¡± Shen Dng praised sincerely. ¡°Third Sister-inw, your culinary skills are really good!¡± ¡°Thank you for your praise, Big Brother!¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly. Then, she eagerly picked up a roasted pork trotter and walked in front of Shen Yao. ¡°Do you want to try it? The charcoal roasted pork trotter is really delicious!¡± ¡°It¡¯s indeed fragrant.¡± Shen Yao smiled and took the roasted pig trotter. He ate it seriously. ¡°I think it¡¯s gettingte. Third Brother, Third Sister-inw, why don¡¯t you stay here for dinner today?¡± Brother Shen quickly turned to Eldest Sister-inw Shen and said, ¡°Wife, cook two more dishes. I¡¯ll go to the He Ji Roast Chicken Shop to buy a roast chicken.¡± ¡°Alright, go ande back quickly!¡± An hourter, Eldest Sister-inw Shen had prepared two dishes and a soup. Coupled with the charcoal roasted pork trotters that Ji Zhao had personally made and the roasted chicken that Brother Shen had bought, the table of dishes was very sumptuous. Just as Feng Chunyan was about to pick up a roasted chicken drumstick, she realized that the two drumsticks had been taken away by her sister. ¡°Third Brother, Third Sister-inw, try this roasted chicken drumstick. It tastes especially good!¡± Sister-inw Shen said to Ji Zhao with a smile. ¡°Thank you, Eldest Sister-inw!¡± Ji Zhao did not seem to notice the dissatisfaction in Feng Chunyan¡¯s eyes. She thanked her gratefully and slowly took a bite of the drumstick. ¡°Smells good!¡± Seeing that she liked it, Shen Yao also ced the drumstick in his bowl in front of her. Ji Zhao looked up in confusion. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you eating?¡± ¡°If you like it, I¡¯ll give it all to you.¡± Shen Yao looked at her and smiled gently. Seeing the smile on his face, Ji Zhao looked away ufortably. ¡°Thank you!¡± Just as the five of them were enjoying this sumptuous dinner, a familiar guest came to the shop. Second Manager You hurried into the pastry shop. When he saw Ji Zhao¡¯s figure, he heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Ah Tao, you¡¯re still here. That¡¯s great!¡± ¡°Manager You, why are you here? Have you had dinner? If you don¡¯t mind, why don¡¯t you sit down and eat with us?¡± Shen Dng hurriedly put down his bowl and chopsticks and invited him warmly. ¡°Brother Shen, I¡¯m here to ask Ah Tao to save the situation!¡± Second Manager You hurriedly exined his intentions. Hongxing Restaurant was an old restaurant in Dingyuan County. All the customers were willing to stay and eat here. But today, an uninvited guest came to the restaurant. ¡°That minister brought some ingredients himself and specifically asked the chef to make the ingredients he brought. However, the chef of our restaurant has never seen such strange ingredients. The head manager could only exin it to the customer. In the end, not only did the customer not understand, but he even felt that our restaurant looked down on foreign merchants who came from afar!¡± ¡°That customer even said that if he can¡¯t eat the dishes he wants, he will go to the county office to sue our restaurant for neglecting our customer! Our Hongxing Restaurant has been around for decades. We can¡¯t let our signboard fall into this customer¡¯s hands. Coincidentally, I suddenly remembered that you came to the county today, so I thought of trying my luck!¡± ¡°Second Manager, what ingredients did the merchant bring?¡± Ji Zhao asked curiously. ¡°I can¡¯t tell what that thing looks like, but the ingredient is very wet and slippery. It¡¯s not easy to control.¡± Second Manager You scratched his head anxiously. ¡°That customer seems to have mentioned that the ingredient seems to be called ¡®squid¡¯?¡± Chapter 71 71 Spicy Squid ¡°Squid?¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes lit up. Countless ways to make squid appeared in her mind! Squid Teppanyaki, Soy Sauce Squid, Ginger Scallion Squid Roll, Oil Sshed Squid- ¡°Ah Tao, you really know how to make squid?¡± Second Manager You asked excitedly, ¡°Then can you follow me to the restaurant now?¡± Ji Zhao did not nod in agreement immediately. Instead, she subconsciously looked at Shen Yao. ¡°Second Manager You, it¡¯s alreadyte. If we still go to the restaurant, I¡¯m afraid we won¡¯t be able to go home before curfew...¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll prepare a guest room for you and your wife to rest in the inn. Anyway, Ah Tao, you must help me with this!¡± Second Manager You hurriedly looked at Ji Zhao, his eyes filled with pleading! ¡°Ah Tao, let¡¯s help Second Manager You!¡± Just as Ji Zhao was indecisive, Shen Yao suddenly smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± ¡°Alright then!¡± Ji Zhao smiled faintly. An hourter, Ji Zhao walked into the restaurant¡¯s kitchen. When she saw the ingredients, her eyes sparkled. ¡°Second Manager, can I trouble you to ask that customer if he likes sweet or spicy food? Also, is there any food that he doesn¡¯t like to eat?¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and turned to look at the worried Second Manager You. She asked with a light smile. ¡°Okay!¡± Second Manager You hurried out of the kitchen. Shen Yao walked to her side and asked softly, ¡°This ingredient looks a little strange. Do you really know how to cook it?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Ji Zhao nodded confidently. ¡°You¡¯ll know when I make it!¡± Looking at the confident smile on her face, Shen Yao could not help but smile. In five minutes, Second Manager You, who had returned, hurriedly said, ¡°Ah Tao, that customer said that he doesn¡¯t have any foods to avoid. In addition, he likes spicy food. The spicier the better!¡± ¡°He likes spicy food?¡± Ji Zhao rubbed her chin thoughtfully. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is it difficult?¡± Second Manager You asked hurriedly. ¡°It¡¯s not difficult.¡± Ji Zhao raised her chin confidently and smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know what to do!¡± The customer had brought dried squid. Although the chef of the restaurant was not familiar with making squid, they still knew the basics. They had already soaked out the dried squid. Ji Zhao immediately rolled up her sleeves and started working. ¡°Shen Yao, help me look after the fire in the stove. Make sure it¡¯s small and not too strong.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Ji Zhao immediately cut the squid and washed it clean before draining the water. When the oil in the pot was 30% hot, she immediately poured the squid into the pot and quickly flipped it over, frying it slightly. When both sides of the squid were slightly red, she immediately fished it out. With the remaining oil in the pot, he poured in the chopped garlic cloves and dried red chili. Then, he added a spoonful of hot sauce. After stir-frying to release the fragrance, she poured in all the squid that had been fried earlier and stir-fried it until it was cooked thoroughly. For a moment, the huge kitchen was filled with a rich spicy smell. A few of the people watching at the side choked on the spicy fragrance and cried! After taking the squid out of the pot and putting it on the te, Ji Zhao sprinkled sometro and white sesame on it. ¡°Alright!¡± Ji Zhao smiled. ¡°Second Manager You, can you bring this dish for the guest to try?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and made another Snow Fungus and Pear Soup to dispel the spiciness. After the foreign merchant ate the fragrant and spicy squid that Ji Zhao had made, he cried out in satisfaction. In his joy, he actually rewarded five taels of silver! Chapter 72 72 I¡¯m Telling the Truth ¡°This, Second Manager You, I can¡¯t ept this silver.¡± Ji Zhao waved her hand and refused. ¡°Not to mention that the ingredients were originally brought by the guest. Moreover, I wanted to try making this dish to help you. I don¡¯t deserve this reward!¡± ¡°Ah Tao, if it weren¡¯t for your help, I¡¯m afraid our Hongxing Restaurant¡¯s reputation would have been ruined. In short, you have to ept this silver!¡± Second Manager You stuffed the silver into Ji Zhao¡¯s hand without hesitation. ¡°By the way, the curfew has passed, so I specially prepared a guest room for you on the second floor of the restaurant. If you¡¯re tired, go and rest now!¡± ¡°Thank you, Second Manager!¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee!¡± Second Manager You personally brought the two of them to the first room on the second floor of the restaurant. Pushing open the door of the guest room, a faint fragrance of sandalwood wafted into her nose. After going around the folding screen painted with the pine, bamboo, and plum blossom, what came into view was a wide alcove bed hung with greenish-gray draperies. A 1.5-meter-long soft bed was ced by the window, and a set of tables and chairs were ced on the right. On the table, brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones were neatly ced. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this room to be so spacious.¡± Ji Zhao, who had sized up the entire room, couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Shen Yao, why don¡¯t we get someone to send another nket?¡± Although it was midsummer, it was still a little cold at night. ¡°No need.¡± Shen Yao shook his head slightly. ¡°But...¡± ¡°How do you know such strange ingredients?¡± Shen Yao suddenly interrupted her and looked at her curiously. ¡°This... I¡¯ve seen it before, so I know.¡± Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but smile. Then, she seemed to have thought of something and asked anxiously, ¡°Will Mother be worried if we don¡¯t go home today?¡± ¡°Big Brother has already gone home. He will help exin.¡± Shen Yao chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You, on the other hand, have been busy all day. Are you tired?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Ji Zhao smiled. ¡°I enjoy cooking, so I don¡¯t think it¡¯s too hard.¡± ¡°Your cooking is indeed delicious.¡± Shen Yao praised from the bottom of his heart. ¡°Your cooking is better than others even using the same ingredients. You¡¯re very impressive.¡± Ji Zhao blushed from the praise. She shyly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled modestly. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not that impressive. Don¡¯t praise me anymore. If you continue to praise me, I feel like I¡¯m going to float.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth,¡± Shen Yao said sincerely. The two of them looked at each other and smiled. The atmosphere was very harmonious. An hourter, Ji Zhao, who had soaked her feet, yawned tiredly. ¡°Good night.¡± She smiled at Shen Yao andy on the bed. She pulled the thin nket over her and soon fell asleep. Ji Zhao, who was sound asleep, looked even more gentle. Shen Yao, who was standing in front of the desk, silently spread out a white and wless piece of paper. After picking up a pen, he started painting seriously. Not long after, a painting of the sleeping beauty appeared on the white paper. The person in the painting was very simr to Ji Zhao¡¯s side profile. Shen Yao nced at his painting and then at Ji Zhao, who was sleeping not far away. His lips curled up unconsciously. The night was quiet and beautiful. Ji Zhao, who was deep in thend of dreams, suddenly heard a rapid cough. She slowly opened her eyes and inadvertently saw Shen Yao curled up on the soft couch. Chapter 73 73 Shen Yao, Open Your Mouth! Ji Zhao hurriedly called out, but Shen Yao did not respond. Her heart sank and she hurried to his side. Under the dim candlelight, she realized that there was something wrong with Shen Yao¡¯s expression. She anxiously reached for Shen Yao¡¯s forehead and felt a burning sensation on the back of her hand. ¡°Shen Yao?¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly shook his arm. Unfortunately, Shen Yao, who had a fever, had lost consciousness. Ji Zhao hurriedly helped him up and ced his arm on her shoulder! ¡°Hello, may I know where the nearest medical center is?¡± Ji Zhao helped Shen Yao down the stairs with difficulty. She panted as she walked to the waiter who was leaning against the counter and napping. ¡°Miss? What happened to you?¡± The startled waiter knew that the couple were Second Manager You¡¯s friends and asked with concern. ¡°My husband suddenly has a high fever. Can I trouble you to take me to the nearest medical center nearby?¡± Ji Zhao asked anxiously. ¡°My husband is unconscious now. I¡¯m very worried!¡± ¡°Please wait a moment! I¡¯ll go with you!¡± The waiter hurriedly ran to the backyard. After notifying the head shopkeeper who was keeping watch at night, he helped Ji Zhao support Shen Yao. ¡°After leaving the shop, turn left. It¡¯s Physician Wang¡¯s house. Physician Wang is good friends with Second Manager You. He will definitely help!¡± ¡°Alright, thank you!¡± ¡°You¡¯re too polite!¡± The waiter gritted his teeth and carried Shen Yao on his back. Then, he jogged out of the door. Ji Zhao followed closely behind. About two hourster, Shen Yao¡¯s fever finally subsided. ¡°Thank you, doctor!¡± Ji Zhao thanked him profusely. ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Physician Wang stroked his beard and smiled. ¡°Since you¡¯re Second Manager You¡¯s friend, I won¡¯t pursue the matter of you disturbing my sweet dreams. However, the consultation fee is two taels. I refuse to bargain!¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly nodded. ¡°It¡¯s just that we came out in a hurry just now. Can I send the consultation fees over tomorrow morning?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Physician Wang yawned tiredly. ¡°Your husband suddenly had a high fever because he caught a cold. I¡¯ll give you a prescriptionter. Boil those herbs into a bowl of water three times a day. After drinking it for three days, he¡¯ll be fine.¡± Ji Zhao, who was listening attentively, hurriedly nodded. ¡°Thank you, doctor!¡± ¡°Then go ahead. I¡¯m going back to my room to sleep.¡± To be safe, Ji Zhao decided to stay at Physician Wang¡¯s house for the night. ¡°I want to stay and take care of my husband. Thank you so much for just now. Tomorrow morning, please help me pass a message to Second Manager You?¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly looked at the exhausted waiter and pleaded softly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will deliver the message!¡± The waiter nodded vigorously. ¡°Thanks a lot.¡± Ji Zhao probed Shen Yao¡¯s forehead again. After confirming that his fever hadpletely subsided, she heaved a sigh of relief. Cough cough- Shen Yao, who was lying on the bed, coughed rapidly again. Ji Zhao quickly poured hot water. After blowing on it to cool it down, she sat on the edge of the bed and helped Shen Yao up with one hand. With the other, she brought the cup of water to his lips. ¡°Shen Yao, open your mouth and drink water obediently!¡± When the half-asleep Shen Yao heard this, he subconsciously opened his mouth. After the warm water entered his throat, he finally stopped coughing. At dawn, a ray of light shone through the window onto the bed. Sensing the dazzling light, Shen Yao opened his eyes in difort. He lowered his eyes slightly and saw a familiar beautiful face. Chapter 74 74 I Don¡¯t Just Want to Be Friends With You At this moment, Ji Zhao¡¯s head was resting on her crossed arms. Her cherry lips were slightly open, and she looked very cute. Shen Yao subconsciously wanted to get closer... Just as his lips were an inch away from the cherry, Ji Zhao suddenly turned around. A trace of disappointment shed across Shen Yao¡¯s eyes. Just now, he was so close to tasting that little cherry. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± The sleepy-eyed Ji Zhao sensed the abnormality and slowly got up,zily stretching her arms. ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Yao nodded gently and asked in confusion, ¡°Where are we now?¡± ¡°The medical center.¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and suddenly went in front of Shen Yao- Faced with her sudden approach, Shen Yao felt his heart beating faster. Ji Zhao raised her hand and touched his forehead. ¡°Fortunately, you don¡¯t have a fever anymore.¡± ¡°Did I have a high feverst night?¡± Shen Yao understood after some thought. ¡°Yes, perhaps it was because you were drenched in the rain yesterday that you suddenly had a fever.¡± Ji Zhao asked softly, her eyes filled with concern. ¡°What about now? Do you feel better?¡± ¡°I¡¯m much better now.¡± Shen Yao smiled gently. ¡°Ah Tao, thank you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my duty.¡± Ji Zhao smiled indifferently and couldn¡¯t help but yawn. ¡°Since you¡¯re much better, let¡¯s go back to the restaurant first?¡± ¡°Might as well.¡± When the two of them rushed back to the restaurant, Second Manager You was about to visit. ¡°Third Brother Shen, are you feeling better?¡± ¡°Thank you for your concern, Second Manager You. I¡¯m much better now.¡± Shen Yao smiled gratefully. After returning to the room, Ji Zhao first took half a tael of silver and gave it to the waiter who had helpedst night. Then, she personally went to Physician Wang¡¯s house and personally sent the consultation fees over. When she returned to the restaurant again, she borrowed the kitchen again and personally made some light and delicious vegetable porridge for Shen Yao. Seeing her so busy, Shen Yao felt even more grateful. ¡°Your diet needs to be lighter these few days, so I made this vegetable porridge,¡± Ji Zhao exined softly. ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve already consulted Physician Wang. The medicine he prescribed isn¡¯t bitter, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± ¡°Ah Tao,¡± Shen Yao suddenly looked up and called out gently. ¡°Huh?¡± Ji Zhao, who was tidying up the bed, subconsciously looked back. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Shen Yao stood up and bowed to her solemnly. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Ji Zhao quickly walked to his side and helped him up. ¡°Although we¡¯re not husband and wife anymore, I think we¡¯re still friends. Friends should help each other! Besides, if it weren¡¯t for helping me sell the snails, you wouldn¡¯t have suddenly gotten a fever!¡± ¡°Ah Tao, I don¡¯t just want to be friends with you.¡± Shen Yao subconsciously said the words hidden in his heart. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I understand! We can be good friends!¡± ¡°I mean...¡± ¡°Oh right, I suddenly remembered that I still have some things I haven¡¯t said to Second Manager You. I¡¯ll go to the kitchen first!¡± After saying this, Ji Zhao hurriedly left. It wasn¡¯t until she reached the kitchen that her heartbeat returned to normal. It was not that she did not understand what Shen Yao meant, but she only wanted to focus on her career now. It would be best if she could get rich quickly! As for feelings, she was not ready to face them. Although she knew that Shen Yao would be a high-ranking Grand Secretary in the future, Ji Zhao did not want her feelings to be riddled with other things. Hence, she could not answer Shen Yao¡¯s question just now. Chapter 75 - 75 Open Your Palm 75 Open Your Palm Looking at Ji Zhao¡¯s fleeing back, Shen Yao lowered his eyes weakly. A sense of disappointment suddenly rose in his heart. Back then, he had signed the divorce agreement just to protect his pride. Now, he really regretted it! Ji Zhao came to the kitchen and walked up to Second Manager You, who was talking. ¡°Ah Tao, what¡¯s wrong? Why do you look so lost? Is your husband not feeling well again?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ji Zhao quickly shook his head and smiled. ¡°Second Manager, I suddenly thought of a delicacy that¡¯s especially suitable for summer. I wonder if you¡¯re interested in listening?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s sit down in the front hall and talk, okay?¡± Now, Second Manager You waspletely convinced by Ji Zhao¡¯s culinary skills! Therefore, when he heard that Ji Zhao had thought of delicious food again, his eyes immediately lit up with excitement! ¡°Actually, the delicacy I want to talk about is called teppanyaki.¡± After the two of them sat down, Ji Zhao slowly said, ¡°For example, there¡¯s another recipe for yesterday¡¯s squid. It¡¯s even more delicious, and that¡¯s teppanyaki squid.¡± ¡°Of course, there are many types of teppanyaki. It¡¯s not limited to squid.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and introduced, ¡°For example, chicken wings, pork neck meat, prawns, and many vegetables can be made into teppanyaki using iron tes. Moreover, the taste of the teppanyaki fried rice and teppanyaki noodles won¡¯t be too bad either!¡± ¡°Ah Tao, what iron te are you talking about?¡± Second Shopkeeper You asked curiously. ¡°Could I trouble you to prepare a brush and paper? I¡¯ll draw it for you to see!¡± Ji Zhao thought about it seriously for a while, then drew the iron stove in her mind. ¡°You can stuff firewood down here. The iron te on top also has a size requirement. It¡¯s best if it¡¯s one meter long and wide. That¡¯s more convenient.¡± Ji Zhao handed the drawing to Second Manager You. ¡°Take a look and see if you can find a cksmith to make such an iron te stove.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll remember!¡± Second Manager You nodded hurriedly. After leaving Hongxing Restaurant, Shen Yao apanied Ji Zhao to a nearby gold shop. ¡°Shen Yao, do you think these silver earrings in the shape of small gourds look good?¡± Ji Zhao asked happily with a smile when she saw the pair of earrings on the counter. ¡°If you like it, then buy it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I want to wear it. I want to buy it for Mother!¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly. ¡°Didn¡¯t that foreign merchant give me five taels of silver yesterday? I want to give Mother and your two sisters-inw a gift.¡± ¡°What about yourself?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need it!¡± Ji Zhao chose two pairs of earrings that looked like small pomegranates and lifelike butterflies. When she gave the pair of small pomegranate-shaped silver earrings to Eldest Sister-inw Shen, Sister-inw Shen hurriedly waved her hand and refused. ¡°No, Ah Tao, I can¡¯t ept such an expensive gift from you!¡± ¡°Sister-inw, pomegranates represent blessings for having more children!¡± Ji Zhao could not help but smile. Then, she stuffed the pair of silver earrings into Sister-inw Shen¡¯s palm. Before she could react, she grabbed Shen Yao¡¯s wrist and ran away¡ª ¡°This Ah Tao!¡± Sister-inw Shen stomped her feet anxiously. However, she was the only one in the shop. She really could not chase after her! She opened her palm and looked at the pair of pomegranate-shaped silver earrings lying quietly in her palm. Her eyes gradually turned red, but the corners of her lips curled up slightly. On the other side, Shen Yao brought Ji Zhao to the ox cart back to the vige. ¡°Ah Tao, open your palm.¡± Shen Yao suddenly nced sideways at Ji Zhao, who was sitting beside him, and chuckled. Chapter 76 - 76 Do You Like Ah Tao? 76 Do You Like Ah Tao? Although she was at a loss, Ji Zhao still obediently opened her palm. ¡°What happened?¡± Shen Yao smiled gently and ced something in her palm. Ji Zhao took a look and realized that there was a pair of silver earrings in the shape of small peaches in her palm. Little peaches the size of soybeans were charmingly silly. ¡°This?¡± Ji Zhao was surprised and pleasantly surprised. ¡°Why did you buy this? I¡­¡± ¡°Do you like it?¡± Shen Yao did not miss the surprise in her eyes. He said softly, ¡°This is a thank-you gift.¡± ¡°A thank-you gift? Where does thate from?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you give me a brush worth thousands of gold previously?¡± Shen Yao exined in a low voice, ¡°Friends should return favors.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°I like it very much!¡± After returning to the Shen residence, Zhao Lanhua and Second Sister-inw Shen were very happy to receive the gifts. ¡°Girl, why are you spending money again?¡± ¡°Mother, why don¡¯t you give it a try? I think it will look very good on you!¡± Ji Zhao quickly smiled and said, ¡°And the meaning of this small gourd is especially good! The gourd is equivalent to a blessing. Mother, you must be a lucky person!¡± ¡°Mother, why don¡¯t we give it a try? I like these little butterflies too!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen said impatiently, ¡°Ah Tao, how did you know that I like butterflies the most?¡± Ji Zhao, who had read the original novel, remembered that Second Sister-inw Shen liked butterfly-shaped jewelry the most. That was why she chose it! ¡°Of course I guessed it!¡± Ji Zhao smiled innocently. ¡°I just didn¡¯t expect me to be right!¡± ¡°You¡¯re amazing!¡± ¡°Ah Tao, let¡¯s go. You and your Second Sister-inw can apany Mother to try out this new jewelry!¡± Zhao Lanhua chuckled. ¡°Mother!¡± Shen Yao suddenly said, ¡°Can you let Ah Tao go back to her room to rest first? I suddenly had a high feverst night. It was Ah Tao who took care of me for half the night.¡± ¡°Sang, why did you suddenly get a high fever? Has your fever subsided?¡± Zhao Lanhua asked anxiously. She tiptoed and probed between Shen Yao¡¯s eyebrows. ¡°Mother, I¡¯m fine now.¡± Zhao Lanhua hurriedly turned around and noticed the dark circles under Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes. ¡°Girl, quick, go back to your room and rest!¡± ¡°Mother, actually, I¡¯m not very tired¡­¡± ¡°Whether you¡¯re sleepy or not, you have to close your eyes and rest for a while!¡± Without another word, Zhao Lanhua pulled Ji Zhao back to Shen Yao¡¯s room. ¡°Be good and have a good sleep!¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Ji Zhao smiled gently. ¡°Mother, I¡¯ll rest first?¡± Ji Zhao thought that she would definitely not be able to fall asleep. Unexpectedly, not long after her head touched the pillow, she fell asleep. At this moment, in the central room of the Shen family. ¡°Five taels of silver?¡± Zhao Lanhua¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°That foreign merchant is really generous!¡± ¡°Putting aside the two taels for my treatment. As for the remaining silver, Ah Tao bought three pairs of silver earrings and gave them to you and my two sisters-inw,¡± Shen Yao exined softly. ¡°Why is this girl always thinking about us? Why doesn¡¯t she add some jewelry for herself?¡± Zhao Lanhua¡¯s heart ached. ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. I used my own money to buy a pair of silver earrings for Ah Tao.¡± ¡°Well done!¡± Zhao Lanhua immediately nodded in praise. Then, she looked up and stared at her son thoughtfully. ¡°Mother?¡± Shen Yao raised his eyebrows in confusion. ¡°Third Brother, tell me honestly. Have you fallen for Ah Tao?¡± Zhao Lanhua stared into his eyes and questioned in a deep voice. Shen Yao nodded silently. Chapter 77 - 77 So Be Proud 77 So Be Proud ¡°Mother.¡± Shen Yao pursed his lips and exined softly, ¡°I don¡¯t know when I fell for Ah Tao, but I can confirm that I do like Ah Tao.¡± When he saw her smile, he could not help but smile foolishly. Moreover, he always wanted to be closer to her. He could not help but want to be close to her. Shen Yao felt that this should be love. !! ¡°Since you like Ah Tao, treat her well!¡± Zhao Lanhua advised earnestly. ¡°Ah Tao is very obedient and cute. I like her very much, but the divorce letter you wrote yourself is still in her hands, so if you want her to be your real wife, you have to work harder!¡± ¡°Yes, I know.¡± Ji Zhao slept exceptionally soundly. She didn¡¯t wake up until dusk. The moment she walked out of the door, she saw a thin figure squatting on the steps. ¡°Chenchen?¡± Ji Zhao quickly went to Ji Chen and asked with a gentle smile, ¡°Why are you sitting here alone?¡± ¡°Sister¡­ I miss Sister¡­¡± Ji Chen grabbed Ji Zhao¡¯s sleeve forcefully, unwilling to let go. Looking at the little guy who was about to cry, Ji Zhao sat beside him and pulled him into her arms. Her eyes were filled with gentleness. ¡°Chenchen, do you want to go to school?¡± ¡°School?¡± Ji Chen looked up in confusion, his big innocent eyes filled with confusion. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Ji Zhao rubbed his little head and exined softly, ¡°In the books there are golden houses and beauties. Only by reading more and reading better can you be a knowledgeable person!¡± ¡°Chenchen wants to study!¡± Although Ji Chen was still a little ignorant about studying, he was willing to listen to Ji Zhao. ¡°Okay.¡± Ji Zhao smiled in relief. ¡°I¡¯ll think of a way to earn a lot of money. When the timees, I¡¯ll provide for your studies.¡± Ji Zhao had already thought it through. Before Ji Chen came of age, she was willing to do her best to help him. At dusk, smoke rose in the sky above Shanghe Vige. Zhao Lanhua, who was busy in the kitchen, made two extra bowls of steamed egg with minced meat. ¡°Second wife, Ah Tao! Let¡¯s set the table and eat!¡± ¡°Coming!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen, who was still in the room, replied happily. Before she left, she did not forget to look at the pair of silver earrings hanging on her earlobes! Shen Dashan, who came back at mealtime, had a bright smile on his face. ¡°Why are you smiling so widely?¡± Zhao Lanhua teased with a smile. ¡°Did you pick up silver or did you step on dog poop outside?¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Shen Dashan looked at her helplessly. Then, he exined, ¡°Uncle Vige Chief praised us just now. Not only did we help everyone sell those small fish these few days, but we also led everyone to pick up snails. From beginning to end, we helped some families add some ie. Uncle Vige Chief said that our family did a beautiful job!¡± ¡°This is all thanks to Ah Tao!¡± Zhao Lanhua brought the cooked rice to the central room and said happily. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Shen Dashan nodded in agreement. ¡°Ah Tao is a good girl!¡± Ji Zhao, who happened to walk into the central room, happened to hear this praise. She silently curled his lips and smiled modestly. ¡°Father, Mother, I¡¯ll be proud if you keep praising me like this!¡± ¡°So be proud!¡± Zhao Lanhua scooped a big bowl of minced meat and egg soup and handed it to her. ¡°I¡¯m proud of you too! I¡¯ll reward you with a bowl of steamed egg with minced meat!¡± Chapter 78 - 78 Is This an Indirect Kiss? 78 Is This an Indirect Kiss? ¡°Thank you, Mother!¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly. The way her eyes curved into crescents was extremely cute. In addition to Ji Zhao, Second Sister-inw Shen and Ji Chen also got a big bowl of steamed egg with minced meat. Ji Chen obediently thanked her, while Second Sister-inw Shen smiled so widely that her eyes could not be seen! After the family finished their dinner, Ji Zhao walked to the courtyard to watch the stars with Ji Chen. ¡°Chenchen, do you see those stars over there?¡± Ji Zhao, who was sitting cross-legged on the bamboo bed, looked up at the starry sky and pointed at the stars in the sky. He smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s the Big Dipper!¡± ¡°To learn the constetions, you start with the Big Dipper first, and it unfolds from the north to the west,¡± Ji Zhao exined with interest. ¡°Chenchen, look, connecting the shapes of the seven stars into a line, doesn¡¯t it look especially like a dipper?¡± Ji Chen thought about it seriously and finally nodded. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Dubhe, Merak, Phecda, and Megrez are the four stars that make up the dipper. The handle-shaped three stars are Alioth, Mizar, and Alkaid.¡± Ji Zhao rubbed Ji Chen¡¯s face and continued to exin, ¡°The positions of the Big Dipper in the night sky are different when the seasons are different. With the Dipper pointing east, it is spring; with the Dipper pointing south, it is summer; with the Dipper pointing west, it is autumn; with the Dipper pointing north, it is winter.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to have some understanding of astrology.¡± Shen Yao brought the sliced watermelon to Ji Zhao. His gentle tone was filled with curiosity. ¡°Not really.¡± Ji Zhao waved her hand modestly. ¡°I just happen to know this.¡± Shen Yao lowered his eyes to hide the curiosity in them. He was even more puzzled. How many secrets were hidden in Ah Tao¡¯s heart? Ji Zhao picked up a piece of watermelon and handed it to Ji Chen. Then, she took a piece herself. ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Shen Yao could clearly feel that she was much more nervous. An indescribable sense of frustration suddenly surfaced in his heart. ¡°It¡¯s so sweet!¡± Ji Zhao took a bite of the watermelon, her eyes filled with surprise. Her smile was bright and beautiful, sweeping away the frustration in Shen Yao¡¯s heart. Just as Shen Yao was about to pick up a piece of watermelon to taste, he was stopped by Ji Zhao. Her slender palmnded on his wrist. It was clearly a cold touch, but it made his heart heat up for no reason. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°You¡¯re still recovering from your cold. It¡¯s not appropriate for you to eat such cold fruits,¡± Ji Zhao said with a sincere smile. ¡°Besides, didn¡¯t you just drink the medicine? You¡¯d better not eat watermelons.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Shen Yao nodded obediently and immediately put down the piece of watermelon in his hand. Ji Zhao picked up the watermelon happily and took an extremely elegant bite. Seeing her narrowed eyes and enjoyment, Shen Yao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He suddenly grabbed her wrist and took a big bite of the watermelon she had bitten! ¡°It¡¯s indeed very sweet!¡± Shen Yaomented with a smile. After saying that, he turned around and left without waiting for Ji Zhao to answer. Ji Zhao came back to her senses and stared at the watermelon that Shen Yao had bitten. She blinked nkly. Was this considered an indirect kiss? Ji Zhao suddenly thought of this sentence and felt her cheeks burning. ¡°Sister?¡± Sensing that something was wrong with her, Ji Chen tugged at her sleeve worriedly. ¡°Chenchen, I¡¯m fine.¡± Ji Zhao smiled. ¡°Chenchen, although watermelon is delicious, if you eat too much, you¡¯ll want to go to the toilet at night. So, let¡¯s eat this and not eat anymore, okay?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Ji Chen nodded obediently. His cute and adorable expression could melt people¡¯s hearts. Chapter 79 - 79 Do You Like It? 79 Do You Like It? The next morning, the moment Ji Zhao opened her eyes, an elegant fragrance assaulted her nose. She raised her eyebrows in confusion. When she pushed open the door, she saw a pot of gardenias outside the door. On the lush green leaves, there were a few pure white gardenias. The elegant fragrance of the flowers was refreshing. Ji Zhao¡¯s lips curled up happily. She was in a good mood. She smiled and picked up the pot of gardenias. She carried it back to the room and ced it on the table by the window. ¡°Gardenias mean a lifetime of waiting.¡± This sentence inadvertently appeared in Ji Zhao¡¯s mind. Recalling what Shen Yao said yesterday, Ji Zhao suddenly felt a strange emotion surge in her heart. That feeling was indescribable. She was a little happy and hesitant. Ji Zhao silently closed her eyes and shook off all the messy thoughts in her mind. Then, she let out a long sigh and walked out of the room. Just as Ji Zhao walked to the courtyard, Shen Yao suddenly appeared in front of her and asked with a smile, ¡°When I was walking in the back of the mountain in the morning, I happened to find these gardenias. I felt that its fragrance was elegant, so I brought it home. I wonder if you like it?¡± Shen Yao looked into her eyes. His tone was very casual, but the depths of his phoenix eyes were clearly shining with anticipation. Ji Zhao nodded silently. ¡°I like it. I also think that the fragrance of the gardenias is very elegant and refreshing.¡± Hearing that she liked it, Shen Yao was very cheerful. When their eyes met, the two of them smiled at each other. An hourter, Ji Zhao followed behind Zhao Lanhua with a vegetable basket. The two of them went to the vegetable garden. ¡°Sang took you there once, right?¡± Zhao Lanhua patted Ji Zhao¡¯s hand affectionately and said with a smile, ¡°Although our vegetable garden is not big, our vegetable garden is a treasurend!¡± ¡°Mother, why do you say that?¡± Ji Zhao asked curiously. ¡°In the past few years, it has been drought season all year round. Even the crops in the fields are difficult to grow, let alone those delicate vegetables. However, our family is rtively lucky. Back then, when the vige drew lots to divide the fields, because our vegetable garden had too littlend, no one was willing to ept it. Your father was also a soft-hearted person. When he saw your aunt crying sadly, he got hot-headed and changed the vegetable garden with your aunt¡¯s family.¡± ¡°Aunt?¡± Ji Zhao remembered that there was no such person in the original novel. ¡°Your aunt, heh¡­¡± Zhao Lanhua chuckled. The mockery in her words was self-evident. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about it. Let¡¯s go. Mother will bring you around the vegetable garden.¡± When she walked into the Shen family¡¯s vegetable garden, Ji Zhao finally understood what it meant to benefit from a disaster. Although the Shen family¡¯s vegetable garden was not big, there was a naturally formed well in the middle! ¡°The water in this well is endless!¡± Zhao Lanhua lowered her voice and whispered into Ji Zhao¡¯s ear, ¡°Because of this pond, the vegetables in our vegetable garden are of the best quality!¡± Zhao Lanhua plucked a cucumber and pushed aside the weeds that covered the patio. She twisted the rope on the wooden bolt and fetched half a bucket of water. The cucumber washed with cold well water was fragrant, crispy, and sweet! Ji Zhao dealt with it in no time! ¡°Mother, what should we do now?¡± ¡°Pick chili!¡± Zhao Lanhua quickly smiled and said, ¡°To make hot sauce! Ah Tao, after you taste the hot sauce made by your mother, you will understand what a delicacy is!¡± Chapter 80 - 80 Delicious eggplant 80 Delicious eggnt ¡°Alright!¡± Ji Zhao chuckled. ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait and see!¡± Ji Zhao immediately squatted on the ground and helped pick the chili. The chili peppers she picked, be it green or red, were especially plump and bright. ¡°Eh?¡± Ji Zhao, who was squatting on the ground picking chili, identally caught a glimpse of a dark purple color and raised her eyebrows in surprise. !! ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Zhao Lanhua hurriedly walked to her side and asked softly, ¡°Ah Tao, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Mother, we have eggnts as well?¡± Ji Zhao asked with a curious smile when she saw the dark purple eggnts. ¡°This is a purple fruit!¡± The confused Zhao Lanhua scratched her head silently. ¡°Ah Tao, what did you just say this is?¡± ¡°Eggnt.¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s lips curled into a faint smile. ¡°Eggnt has many effects. Not only can it resist aging, but it also has the effect of reducing swelling and pain.¡± ¡°The charcoal roasted garlic eggnt is especially delicious! And although the pickled eggnt stinks, it tastes especially delicious!¡± Ji Zhao asked excitedly, ¡°Mother, can we pluck these eggnts?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, is this purple fruit really edible?¡± Zhao Lanhua was still skeptical. She had lived for so many years, but she had never heard of purple fruits being called eggnts. ¡°It really is!¡± That afternoon, Ji Zhao used these two eggnts to make two delicious dishes. ¡°This is garlic minced meat eggnt!¡± Before lunch, Ji Zhao exined with a smile, ¡°The other is a fried stuffed eggnt. Father, Mother, Second Sister-inw, Shen Yao, why don¡¯t you try it?¡± The garlic fragrance of the garlic minced meat eggnt was strong, and coupled with a bit of chili sauce, it was very delicious! In addition, the fried stuffed eggnt was also especially delicious. It was crispy, not greasy, and made people want to eat even more. In the end, the Shen family ate everyst drop on the tes to express their highest respect for Ji Zhao¡¯s culinary skills! ¡°It¡¯s so fragrant!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen could not help but burp. ¡°If not for the fact that¡­ burp¡­ I¡­ burp¡­ I really can¡¯t eat anymore. I must have two more bowls of rice!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this purple fruit to really be edible?¡± Zhao Lanhua, who had put down her chopsticks, was still smacking her lips. ¡°But Ah Tao, you¡¯re really amazing!¡± ¡°Ah Tao¡¯s culinary skills are really amazing!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen also smiled and teased, ¡°Ever since I ate Ah Tao¡¯s cooking, my waist has gotten wider!¡± Now, Second Sister-inw Shen was in both pain and happiness! She did not want to miss out on any of Ah Tao¡¯s delicacies! However, she had really gained weight. Sigh! This feeling was really a sweet burden! Two dayster, Shen Yao apanied Ah Tao into the city to buy tofu. ¡°Ah Tao, is the stinky tofu you mentioned really that delicious?¡± Shen Yao expressed his deep suspicion. Would the food that smelled stinky taste good? ¡°I know you won¡¯t believe me no matter what I say now. When I make it, you¡¯ll know how delicious that Stinky Tofu is!¡± Ji Zhao said with a gentle smile. ¡°Shall we leave now? After we buy the ingredients, we¡¯ll look for Big Brother and Eldest Sister-inw?¡± ¡°Alright, as you wish,¡± Shen Yao agreed happily. An hourter, after Shen Yao brought Ji Zhao into the pastry shop, he immediately saw Shen Dng lying in front of the counter with a worried expression. ¡°Eldest Brother, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Shen Yao hurriedly walked forward and asked with concern. Shen Dng subconsciously avoided Shen Yao¡¯s gaze and said with a bright smile, ¡°Third Brother, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just bored and daydreaming.¡± ¡°Big Brother, tell me the truth.¡± Shen Yao¡¯s face was tense as he asked sternly. Chapter 81 - 81 What Does It Have to Do With You? 81 What Does It Have to Do With You? Meeting Shen Yao¡¯s serious gaze, the guilty Shen Dng lowered his head and sighed. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t know if this matter counts as a problem.¡± Shen Dng scratched his head, feeling very frustrated. ¡°Yesterday, a customer came to the shop and specifically asked for mung bean ice cake, but it happened to be sold out yesterday. I could only apologize with a smile and ask them to buy it again today. In the end, that customer still refused to let it go and even smashed a lot of pastries¡­¡± Thinking of the pastries that were ruined yesterday, Shen Dng¡¯s heart ached! Those pastries were all silver wasted! ¡°Eldest Brother, didn¡¯t you report it to the officials?¡± Shen Yao frowned, his deep eyes flickering with dark emotions. ¡°I wanted to report it to the officials.¡± The more Shen Dng spoke, the more aggrieved he became. ¡°After that, I asked around and found out that the guest¡¯s identity is not ordinary. He seems to be a rtive of the county magistrate.¡± The people could not fight with the officials! Therefore, after weighing the pros and cons, Shen Dng could only swallow his grievances. ¡°Right now, I¡¯m worried that our pastry shop will offend the county magistrate¡¯s rtives. It will be even more difficult to do business in the future¡­¡± With a worried expression, Shen Dng said with a bitter smile, ¡°Third Brother, don¡¯t tell Father and Mother about this. Otherwise, the two elders will worry.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Yao nodded and replied, ¡°Eldest Brother, don¡¯t worry too much. The nation has its ownws. As long as the pastries made by our Shen Ji Pastry Shop are clean, we have nothing to worry about. We¡¯re not afraid of shadows!¡± After chatting with Shen Yao, Shen Dng¡¯s mood gradually improved. ¡°By the way, Third Brother, why did you enter the city today? Did Ah Tao think of a new dish?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Yao smiled and nodded. ¡°Ah Tao wants toe to the county city to buy some ingredients for snacks.¡± ¡°What snacks?¡± Shen Dng asked impatiently. ¡°Is it as delicious as roasted pork trotters?¡± ¡°Soup filled stinky tofu?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen, who was busy in the kitchen, was very surprised when she heard Ji Zhao say this. ¡°Ah Tao, I¡¯ve eaten tofu before, but what is this stinky tofu?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an especially delicious snack.¡± Ji Zhao smiled excitedly. ¡°You¡¯ll know when I make it!¡± Ji Zhao had bought some high-quality tofu today, so she only needed to ferment these tofu into stinky tofu to make delicious soup filled stiny tofu! However, haste makes waste. The process of making stinky tofu would take a long time. ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, I¡¯lle back in two days to get the fermented stinky tofu,¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile after tidying up the tofu. ¡°Is there anything I can do to help in the next two days?¡± Sister-inw Shen quickly asked, ¡°Ah Tao, if there¡¯s anything you need my help with, feel free to ask!¡± ¡°Then can I trouble Sister-inw to take care of it? But there¡¯s no need to move the stones on it.¡± Ji Zhao exined with a smile, ¡°When the tofu is furry, the stinky tofu will be ready.¡± ¡°Huh? You can eat furry tofu?¡± Sister-inw Shen asked suspiciously, ¡°Ah Tao, are you kidding me?¡± ¡°Sister-inw, you¡¯ll definitely like it when I make the Soup Filled Stinky Tofu~¡± Ji Zhao smiled faintly, her eyes brimming with confidence. ¡°¡­ Okay.¡± ¡°By the way, Sister-inw, why don¡¯t I see Sister Chunyan?¡± Ji Zhao asked softly. ¡°She went to the Qin family to deliver desserts,¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen replied with a smile. ¡°Ah Tao, why are you looking for her?¡± ¡°Sister-inw, how old is Sister Chunyan this year? It¡¯s time for her to get engaged, right?¡± Ji Zhao asked with a concerned smile. ¡°Speaking of which, Sister Chunyan is as good-looking as Eldest Sister-inw, but isn¡¯t it a little inappropriate for her to keep running around outside?¡± ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡± Chapter 82 - 82 Can I Say Something? 82 Can I Say Something? Feng Chunyan, who happened to hear those words, rushed into the kitchen angrily. She ced her hands on her hips and red at Ji Zhao. ¡°You Ji Ah Tao, you¡¯re deliberately making things up about me in front of my sister? Tell me, what¡¯s your motive!¡± The more Feng Chunyan thought about it, the angrier she became. She narrowed her eyes vigntly. She had long known that this Ji Ah Tao was not a good person, but those people from the Shen family seemed to be possessed and all of them said that she was good! It was unknown what method Ji Ah Tao had used to bewitch the Shen family! Ji Zhao smiled helplessly. ¡°Sister Chunyan, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ve misunderstood. I didn¡¯t say anything bad about you in front of Eldest Sister-inw.¡± !! ¡°You still dare to quibble? I heard everything just now! How old am I? What does it have to do with you? It¡¯s not your ce to judge! My sister is stupid, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m stupid! Didn¡¯t you deliberately deceive my sister to take the opportunity to swallow this pastry shop? Someone like you who ran off to elope with a wild man on the second day of marriage is simply a shameless representative! Let me tell you, this shop belongs to my sister and brother-inw. Give up!¡± Furious, Feng Chunyan blurted out all the words she had hidden in her heart! ¡°Chunyan! Shut up!¡± Sister-inw Shen was also furious. She was even trembling. ¡°Who asked you to say that about your third sister-inw? Apologize immediately!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± Feng Chunyan straightened her neck stubbornly and shouted coldly! ¡°You¡­ Do you want me to invoke the familyw?¡± ¡°Sister, I¡¯m your younger sister!¡± ¡°Feng Chunyan! I want you to apologize!¡± At this moment, the anger in Eldest Sister-inw Shen¡¯s heart had reached its peak. The current situation was about to erupt at any moment. Cough cough¡ª Ji Zhao pretended to cough twice, then chuckled. ¡°Can I say a few words?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t teach Chunyan well. That¡¯s why this child is so anxious¡­ Don¡¯t take what she said just now to heart!¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen hurriedly smiled apologetically. Ji Zhao shook his head gently. ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, Sister Chunyan has misunderstood. Actually, what I said just now has another meaning.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to see what you can say.¡± Feng Chunyan crossed her arms and looked at Ji Zhao¡¯s smiling face coldly. ¡°Sister Chunyan is 14 years old this year, right?¡± Ji Zhao smiled faintly and said gently, ¡°Sister Chunyan is born with delicate features. She¡¯s small and exquisite, slender and elegant. If the two elders of the Feng family were still around, I¡¯m afraid that the people seeking marriage would line up from the east to the west of the city!¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s ttery caught her off guard. Feng Chunyan had a strange expression on her face. ¡°Don¡¯t beat around the bush. If you have something to say, just say it!¡± Feng Chunyan pulled a long face and muttered softly, ¡°Even if you praise me, I won¡¯t thank you!¡± ¡°Whether Sister Chunyan believes it or not, I¡¯m speaking from the bottom of my heart.¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly. At this moment, looking at the smile on her face, Feng Chunyan suddenly felt that this woman was not that annoying anymore. Ji Zhao raised her eyebrows smugly. Indeed, praising a woman was the best way to appease her anger. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°If Father and Mother were still alive, Chunyan would have been engaged.¡± ¡°Sister?¡± Feng Chunyan¡¯s eyes reddened when she heard the sadness in Eldest Sister-inw Shen¡¯s voice. ¡°Don¡¯t be sad. Although Father and Mother are no longer around, we still have each other!¡± Ji Zhao remembered that in the original novel, the Feng sisters had a miserable ending. Chapter 83 - 83 I Understand 83 I Understand Eldest Sister-inw Shen had been infertile for many years. In the end, she died of depression before she was 30 years old. As for Feng Chunyan, her life was also very miserable. She was ruined by a profligate son in the county. Later on, her revenge failed and she wentpletely crazy. Ji Zhao expressed her deep sympathy for the two sisters. ¡°Sister Chunyan, you¡¯re too good-looking. You always show your face like this. I¡¯m worried that it will attract some good-for-nothings¡­¡± !! In the spirit of humanitarianism, Ji Zhao decided to give a pointer or two. As for whether Feng Chunyan wanted to hear her advice or not, Ji Zhao did not know. About 15 minutester. Feng Chunyan walked over to Ji Zhao with heavy steps and said awkwardly, ¡°Sister Ah Tao, I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have spoken to you in that tone just now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Ji Zhao waved her hand magnanimously. ¡°But can you answer me one question?¡± Feng Chunyan stared at her face, afraid that she would miss the change in her expression. Ji Zhao nodded slightly, her eyes filled with curiosity. ¡°You¡¯re impressive. It only took you two months to change the Shen family¡¯s opinion of you,¡± Feng Chunyan said slowly. ¡°Then will youe and snatch this pastry shop?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ji Zhao shook her head resolutely. ¡°Sister Chunyan, your worries arepletely groundless. The Shen Ji Pastry Shop is Eldest Brother and Eldest Sister-inw¡¯s private property. I already know this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± Feng Chunyan heaved a sigh of relief after hearing her promise. ¡°Ah Tao, Chunyan is just a little straightforward. She doesn¡¯t have any bad intentions,¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen quickly exined. ¡°Sister-inw, don¡¯t worry. I understand,¡± Ji Zhao said softly with a smile. ¡°Sister Ah Tao, I might as well tell you the truth. My sister has been married to Brother-inw for so many years, but she hasn¡¯t given birth to a child yet. Therefore, the two of us have already discussed it. When I give birth to a son in the future, my sister will adopt him and raise him under her care,¡± Feng Chunyan said frankly. ¡°Other than Brother-inw being very diligent, there¡¯s another more important reason why Sister and Brother-inw can build this pastry shop. That is, the two of us have ced the Feng family¡¯s heirloom into the pastry shop.¡± ¡°Family heirloom? What do you mean?¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s curiosity was instantly piqued, and she raised her eyebrows in surprise. ¡°The Feng family had an ancestor who was very impressive. He even worked in the pce! That ancestor was an imperial chef and was best at making all kinds of snacks. Therefore, the Feng family had a pastry secret recipe that had been passed down for a hundred years.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen smiled and exined, ¡°Back then, your brother wanted to do business, so I took this recipe out¡­¡± Compared to other pastry shops in the county city, the pastries in Shen Ji were delicious and affordable. Therefore, in less than a year, the Shen Ji Pastry Shop waspletely established in the county. ¡°Not only that!¡± Feng Chunyan hurriedly added, ¡°In order to help brother-inw set up this pastry shop, my sister even sold two dowries!¡± ¡°It¡¯s all in the past. Why are you still talking about it?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen quickly waved her hand. ¡°Ah Tao, I don¡¯t mean anything else by telling you this. Don¡¯t misunderstand. Chunyan really doesn¡¯t have any ill intentions¡­¡± ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, I understand.¡± Ji Zhao nodded obediently. ¡°As for bringing Chunyan¡¯s child under my care, can you not tell Mother first?¡± Eldest Sister Shen gently tugged at her sleeve, her moist eyes filled with pleading. Chapter 84 - 84 Of Course! 84 Of Course! ¡°Sister-inw, don¡¯t worry.¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly nodded. ¡°I definitely won¡¯t tell Mother about this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good!¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen smiled gratefully. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to tell Mother, but I haven¡¯t decided on this matter yet¡­¡± Or rather, she still held onto thest bit of hope in her heart. She still hoped that she could have her own child. ¡°Sister-inw, I suddenly feel a little hungry. Can you bring me to eat some snacks to fill my stomach?¡± ¡°Of course. Come, I¡¯ll take you to the front.¡± When Ji Zhao followed Eldest Sister-inw Shen out of the kitchen, she hurriedly tugged at her sleeve. ¡°Eldset Sister-inw, can we talk in private?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen suppressed the doubts in her heart and nodded silently. When the two of them reached the main house in the backyard, Ji Zhao gently shook her arm and smiled gently. ¡°Sister-inw, have you tried the method I told you before?¡± ¡°What?¡± When the confused Eldest Sister-inw Shen met Ji Zhao¡¯s clear and innocent gaze, the ¡®secret recipe for bearing children¡¯ that she had once mentioned suddenly appeared in her mind. She instantly felt her cheeks heat up. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°I did try a few times¡­¡± Sister-inw Shen lowered her head shyly and muttered softly, ¡°At first, your brother was willing to cooperate, butter on, he was unwilling¡­¡± ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, if you want to be pregnant earlier, you might as well give it a try. Other than that, you still need to recuperate well.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and said, ¡°First of all, you have to cultivate a good schedule and try not to stay upte. Also, you have to learn to adjust your mentality. Don¡¯t always be depressed about not being pregnant. Also, you have to know how to eat.¡± ¡°Ah Tao, I understand what you¡¯re saying.¡± EldestSister-inw Shen lowered her head, her eyes filled with bitterness. ¡°It¡¯s just that I¡­ I feel guilty. I¡¯ve been married to your brother for so many years, but my stomach hasn¡¯t moved. I¡­ I feel that I¡¯ve let your brother down, our parents, and the ancestors of the Shen family down¡­¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen closed her eyes weakly. Two streams of tears flowed down her cheeks. ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, how can you think that way?¡± Ji Zhao quicklyforted her. ¡°Pregnancy and childbirth are not just the responsibility of women.¡± ¡°What?¡± Sister-inw Shen blinked silently and raised her eyebrows in confusion. ¡°If you can¡¯t give birth, do men have to take responsibility?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Ji Zhao nodded like a chick pecking at rice. ¡°The so-called Yin and Yang poles have Yin and Yang. If a woman is has too much yin or a man has too little yang, it will be difficult to get pregnant.¡± ¡°But¡­ but your brother¡¯s health is quite good?¡± Sister-inw Shen said nkly. ¡°Ahem, well, just because both men and women are harmonious in sex doesn¡¯t mean that they can have children smoothly.¡± Ji Zhao scratched her head thoughtfully. ¡°In short, it¡¯s hard to exin this kind of thing in a few sentences. However, Sister-inw, if you want to have your own child, you have to adjust your mentality first. Also, you have to pay attention to your diet and eat more bean products and fish.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen nodded vigorously. ¡°I¡¯ll remember everything.¡± ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Eldest Sister-inw, I¡¯ll leave first.¡± ¡°Ah Tao.¡± Sister-inw Shen suddenly grabbed her sleeve. She looked very troubled and her gaze was a little nervous, but she still mustered up the courage to say what was on her mind. ¡°Ah Tao, Third Brother is really good. He¡­ he was injured a few years ago. I¡¯m afraid he hurt his waist, so even if you two are not harmonious in bed, don¡¯t me him¡­¡± Ji Zhao did not know whether tough or cry. It seemed that eldest sister-inw had misunderstood. Just as Ji Zhao was about to exin, Shen Yao¡¯s figure suddenly appeared. Chapter 85 - 85 I’m Not Worried About Your Waist! 85 I¡¯m Not Worried About Your Waist! ¡°You¡ª¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± The two of them spoke at the same time, and the atmosphere was a little awkward. ¡°Eh?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen suddenly patted her head. ¡°Ah Tao, Third Brother, wait for me for a while. I have something to ask you to bring home for Mother!¡± !! ¡°¡­Okay.¡± The moment Ji Zhao nodded silently, Eldest Sister-inw Shen¡¯s back had already disappeared around the corner. ¡°You didn¡¯t hear anything just now, right?¡± Ji Zhao lowered her head uneasily and silently twiddled her fingers. She didn¡¯t even dare to look up at Shen Yao¡¯s face. ¡°Three years ago, I was indeed injured. That¡¯s why my left leg became like this,¡± Shen Yao raised his eyebrows slightly and exined gently. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Ji Zhao looked up into his eyes and said firmly, ¡°Your leg will definitely recover in the future!¡± ¡°I hope so.¡± Shen Yao smiled faintly. Back then, in order to treat his leg, the family had spent a lot of money. Even the two sisters-inw had sold their dowry to prepare the consultation fee for him. However, after struggling for more than half a year, it was all in vain. Now, Shen Yao no longer had any hope for his crippled leg. ¡°But my waist is not injured. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Shen Yao suddenly turned around and approached her. Startled, Ji Zhao subconsciously retreated. Until she was forced to the wall and could not retreat. ¡°You¡­ You¡¯ve misunderstood¡­¡± Ji Zhao swallowed nervously. ¡°I¡¯m not worried about your waist!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Shen Yao raised his eyebrows slightly and did notment. Ji Zhao, who was suddenly pinned against the wall, was at a loss. Could it be that kabedon was the hidden attribute of all men? Ji Zhao silently shrunk her shoulders. Just as she was about to crawl out from under his arm¡­ Shen Yao approached again, and there was only an inch between their noses. ¡°Shen Yao¡­ What are you doing?¡± At this moment, Ji Zhao felt that her heart was about to jump into her throat. ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± Shen Yao whispered into her ear. Then, he raised his hand and plucked a leaf from Ji Zhao¡¯s head. ¡°Done.¡± Shen Yao opened his palm at her. ¡°This leafnded in your hair just now.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you?¡± Ji Zhao smiled gratefully, and the heartbeat in her chest gradually calmed down. However, her cheeks were still flushed red. The two of them finally returned to the Shen residence at 1:45pm. Ji Chen, who had gotten a sugar painting, was extremely excited. ¡°It seems that Chenchen likes this little piggy very much?¡± Ji Zhao asked with a smile. When she and Shen Yao were about to return from the county city, they happened to see an old man selling sugar paintings. Ji Zhao ordered a sugar painting. Looking at Ji Chen¡¯s bright and radiant smile, Ji Zhao was extremely proud! As expected, the children could not resist Peppa Pig¡¯s magic! ¡°I like it!¡± Ji Chen nodded obediently. He stared at the sugar painting and couldn¡¯t help but swallow. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you eating?¡± Ji Zhao rubbed his head and asked curiously with a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat it.¡± Ji Chen shook his head against his will, but his swallowing did not escape Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes. ¡°Silly, the weather is so hot. If you don¡¯t eat the sugar painting quickly, it will melt under the sunlight!¡± Ji Zhao advised gently. ¡°If you eat Peppa Pig, she can apany you forever!¡± Ji Chen blinked silently, then brought the sugar painting to Ji Zhao¡¯s lips. ¡°Huh?¡± Ji Zhao raised her eyebrows, her eyes filled with confusion. ¡°Sister, eat first. Peppa Pig will apany you too.¡± Ji Chen tilted his head and looked at her. Ji Zhao¡¯s face clearly appeared in his pure and clear eyes. Chapter 86 - 86 The Adventure of the Caterpillar? 86 The Adventure of the Caterpir? Ji Zhao was very gratified when she heard this. She gently took a bite of the sugar painting. ¡°It¡¯s very sweet!¡± Ji Chen imitated her actions and carefully took a bite. ¡°It¡¯s sweet!¡± The siblings sat together on the steps under the roof. The atmosphere was warm and harmonious. Inspired by the sugar painting, Ji Zhao locked herself in her room for the entire afternoon. During this period, Zhao Lanhua even came to see her once. Seeing that she was so serious about practicing her handwriting, she did not say anything. ¡°If only Ah Tao and Third Brother hadn¡¯t divorced.¡± Zhao Lanhua, who had returned to the main house, sighed as she sewed her clothes. ¡°I just went to take a look. Although I didn¡¯t understand, Ah Tao¡¯s handwriting is very good!¡± ¡°Our children and grandchildren have their own blessings.¡± Shen Dashan, who was cleaning up the fishing line, said without looking up, ¡°The fate between husband and wife was cultivated in the previous life. If Third Brother and Ah Tao are destined to be husband and wife in this life, they won¡¯t be able to escape!¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Zhao Lanhua nodded in agreement. ¡°Lanhua, I¡¯ll go fishing with Brother Da Zhuang at Xiaji Vige tomorrow, okay?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already started to pack the fishing rods. How can I stop you?¡± Zhao Lanhuaughed, half angrily. ¡°I have to catch a few more big fish to make fish soup!¡± Shen Dashan said happily. ¡°Lanhua, just watch!¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll wait at home!¡± At dusk, the afterglow of the setting sun covered the entire sky. The brilliant sunset glow was like spilled orange juice. It was beautiful. Ji Zhao put down the brush in her hand and stretched her waist. Knock knock¡ª ¡°Come in!¡± Shen Yao walked up to her with a bowl of mung bean soup that had been cooled. ¡°Mother made mung bean soup and asked me to give you a bowl.¡± ¡°Thank you~¡± Ji Zhao quickly took it and finished the bowl of green bean soup. The slightly cold mung bean sweet soup slid from her throat to her heart, making her feel cool andfortable. ¡°I heard from Mother that you stayed in the house for the entire afternoon?¡± Shen Yao handed her a handkerchief and asked softly. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Ji Zhao said excitedly. ¡°I suddenly had an inspiration and wrote a short children¡¯s picture book. Do you want to take a look?¡± As she spoke, Ji Zhao handed the freshly written picture book to Shen Yao as if she was presenting a treasure. Although Shen Yao did not quite understand the meaning of words like ¡®inspiration¡¯ and ¡®picture book,¡¯ he still read it seriously when he saw Ji Zhao¡¯s enthusiastic gaze. ¡°The Adventure of the Caterpir?¡± Shen Yao was a little stunned when he saw this title. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Ji Zhao snapped her fingers excitedly. ¡°Hurry up and continue reading. If there¡¯s anything wrong with my writing, remember to give me some advice!¡± Before transmigrating into a book, Ji Zhao was the 308th generation sessor of the imperial chefs. She had been influenced by her family since she was young, so her culinary skills were naturally wless. However, Ji Zhao had never given up on her dream, which was to write the stories in her heartt! ¡°The caterpir has gone through many dangers and difficulties. In the end, it realized its dream and broke out of its cocoon to be a butterfly! Isn¡¯t this story especially inspiring?¡± The more Ji Zhao spoke, the more excited she became. ¡°I¡¯ll tell it to Chenchen. He¡¯ll definitely like this story!¡± Just as she thought Ji Chen would definitely like this story, she suddenly realized that he had fallen asleep. Ji Zhao sighed silently in her heart. After tucking him in, she turned around and left dejectedly. A failure was a failure. No matter what kind of story she wrote, she could not escape the fate of being a failure! Chapter 87 - 87 Aren’t You Too Humble? 87 Aren¡¯t You Too Humble? Ji Zhao, who had been dealt a blow, had been depressed. When night fell, she was still sitting on the wicker chair in the courtyard, staring nkly into the dark night sky. ¡°I want to go for a walk. Do you want toe with me?¡± Shen Yao sensed her low spirits and walked to her side with a smile. ¡°Sure!¡± Ji Zhao readily agreed. !! A cool breeze blew, and the air was filled with the elegant fragrance of flowers. Ji Zhao narrowed her eyes and walked forward, quietly enjoying thefort of the cool breeze. The haze that lingered in her heart seemed to have been swept away. ¡°Shen Yao, do you know how to sing?¡± Ji Zhao suddenly stopped in his tracks and looked at Shen Yao curiously. ¡°Singing?¡± Shen Yao shook his head in shock. ¡°I¡¯m not good with music.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Ji Zhao shrugged her shoulders in disappointment. ¡°You want to hear me sing?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Ji Zhao nodded lightly. Shen Yao frowned awkwardly. He was really not familiar with music. He thought for a moment and picked up a leaf from the ground. After wiping it clean, he brought it to his lips. A rhythmic voice slowly flowed out from his lips. Unknowingly, Ji Zhao was intoxicated. ¡°Is this what you meant by not being good at music?¡± Ji Zhao held her forehead helplessly. ¡°Shen Yao, aren¡¯t you being too humble?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know many songs.¡± Shen Yao smiled calmly. ¡°Do you like the song just now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s very nice,¡± Ji Zhao said with a sincere smile. Shen Yao smiled happily and made a decision in his heart. He had to learn a few more songs. Unknowingly, the two of them arrived near the Earth Temple. Ji Zhao immediately bowed and walked in. She picked up an incense stick from the side of the shrine tform, lit it, and inserted it into the incense burner. Then, she piously knelt in front of the statue of the Earth God. ¡°This is your devotee, Ji Zhao. I¡¯m here to pay my respects to you, Earth God.¡± Ji Zhao had been saving up money recently. When she had enough money, she wanted to remodel the statue of the Earth God. ¡°Ah Tao, it¡¯s gettingte. Shall we go back?¡± Shen Yao asked softly after fifteen minutes. However, Ji Zhao, who was kneeling on the futon, did not seem to hear his voice. Instead, her eyes were closed tightly¡ª Under the dim candlelight, he saw that Ji Zhao¡¯s face was covered in sweat! ¡°Ah Tao? Are you alright?¡± Shen Yao¡¯s heart sank. Just as he was about to help her up from the ground, he realized that her weight was all leaning down. Shen Yao anxiously wanted to help her up, but Ji Zhao seemed to be frozen and could not move at all! At that moment, Ji Zhao seemed to have been pulled into a dark vortex! In the vortex formed by the huge waves, she could not make a sound, let alone struggle! Just as she was puzzled, a familiar face suddenly appeared in front of her. Father? Shen Dashan waspletely surrounded by the vortex. His face was weak, pale, and bloodless! Ji Zhao tried her best to save him, but she was already like a y Buddha crossing a river. She could not even protect herself¡ª Water gushed into her seven orifices. The pressing pressure almost made her suffocate! After an unknown period of time, the exhausted Ji Zhao suddenly heard painful cries! Mother and her two sisters-inw hugged each other and cried until they were out of breath! Eldest Brother, Second Brother, and Shen Yao were all kneeling in front of a fresh grave¡ª There was a tombstone in front of the grave. The name carved on it was Shen Dashan! Ji Zhao¡¯s heart suddenly sank to the bottom, and tears unknowingly fell. Chapter 88 - 88 Father, You Can’t Go! 88 Father, You Can¡¯t Go! ¡°Ah Tao?¡± Shen Yao, who was guarding beside her, felt helpless when he saw her suddenly cry. ¡°Ah Tao? Are you alright?¡± Shen Yao touched her forehead again, but there were no signs of fever. Ji Zhao¡¯s statested for at least an hour before it ended. When she woke up, she saw a pair of familiar phoenix eyes filled with anxiety. !! ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Seeing that she had woken up, Shen Yao was overjoyed. ¡°Do you feel ufortable anywhere?¡± ¡°I¡­ Cough, cough, cough¡­¡± Just as Ji Zhao was about to speak, she felt a pain in her throat and found it difficult to speak. Shen Yao hurriedly carried her on his back and hurried back to the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Zhao Lanhua hurriedly stuck her head out when she heard themotion. She hurriedly put on her coat and walked out. ¡°Third Brother, what¡¯s wrong with Ah Tao?¡± ¡°Mother, Ah Tao suddenly fainted just now!¡± Shen Yao said anxiously. ¡°Then go get a physician!¡± ¡°Mother, Shen Yao, there¡¯s no need to call a physician.¡± Ji Zhao, who had already recovered, hurriedly said, ¡°I¡¯m fine now.¡± ¡°Ah Tao, are you still feeling unwell? Are you really alright? I think we should go and get a physician!¡± Zhao Lanhua asked with concern. ¡°Is the wound on your head not healed yet?¡± ¡°Mother, I¡¯m really fine.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and shook her head obediently. ¡°I¡¯m just a little tired. I want to go back to my room to rest. Is that okay?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, of course!¡± Zhao Lanhua immediately nodded like a chick pecking at rice. ¡°Then, Third Brother, hurry up and apany Ah Tao back to her room to rest! In the future, don¡¯t bring Ah Tao out to the cold wind at night. The wound on her head hasn¡¯t recovered yet!¡± ¡°I understand, Mother.¡± Shen Yao apanied Ji Zhao back to the house. He poured another ss of water and handed it to her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± The two of them said this in unison. ¡°Why are you apologizing?¡± Ji Zhao smiled helplessly. ¡°Mother must have misunderstood just now, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Shen Yao said with a gentle smile. ¡°On the other hand, you suddenly fainted in the Earth Temple and you even cried.¡± Ji Zhao in the Earth Temple was too abnormal. ¡°I¡­¡± Just as Ji Zhao was about to exin, a familiar pain surged in her throat. She could only shake her head. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Tomorrow morning, I¡¯ll apany you to the county city to see a physician,¡± Shen Yao said softly, but his tone was firm. When Ji Zhao was alone in the room, the scene from before appeared in her mind again. If those images were real¡ª Ji Zhao did not dare to probe further. If she guessed correctly, Shen Dashan would drown. She had to think of a way to stop her father-inw from approaching any ce with a water source! After some thought, Ji Zhao understood. This ability to foresee the future must be the spell of the Earth God! Ji Zhao tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep. In thetter half of the night, she was finally able to fall asleep with difficulty. The next morning. When Ji Zhao pushed open the door and walked into the courtyard, she saw a gray figure squatting on the ground. She walked up curiously and asked softly, ¡°Father, what are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m digging earthworms,¡± Shen Dashan replied without looking up. ¡°Ah Tao, I¡¯m going fishingter. Our family will definitely be able to have delicious fish soup tonight!¡± ¡°Fishing?¡± Ji Zhao was rmed. ¡°Where are you going to fish?¡± ¡°It¡¯s over by Xiaji Vige. There¡¯s a bigke over there. When I¡¯ve dug up enough earthworms, I can set off!¡± Shen Dashan smiled happily. ¡°Father, you can¡¯t go!¡± Chapter 89 - 89 A Little Strange 89 A Little Strange Shen Dashan, who was digging the earthworms excitedly, was shocked when he heard Ji Zhao suddenly speak so loudly. The earthworms that he had painstakingly dug out fell! ¡°Ah Tao? What are you doing?¡± Shen Dashan frowned unhappily and asked in a low voice. ¡°Father, I¡­¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly bit the tip of her tongue. It was so painful that she sucked in a breath of cold air. Her eyes were filled with tears, and she staggered and almost fell to the ground! If Shen Yao had not arrived in time and caught her, she would have fallen. !! ¡°This? What¡¯s going on?¡± Shen Dashan scratched his head and looked confused. ¡°Shen Yao, I suddenly feel very unwell¡­¡± Ji Zhao had an idea. She grabbed the front of Shen Yao¡¯s shirt tightly with both hands and pretended to be out of breath. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the county to see a physician now!¡± ¡°What about Father? Can Fathere with us? Just in case?¡± Ji Zhao, who was swaying, looked at the confused Shen Dashan with a pleading expression and asked softly. ¡°But I made ns with Brother Da Zhuang to go fishing in Xiaji Vige,¡± Shen Dashan said awkwardly. ¡°What¡¯s there to fish for!¡± Zhao Lanhua hurriedly walked in front of them and said without a word, ¡°Don¡¯t you see how ugly Ah Tao¡¯s expression is? How much pain is she in? Don¡¯t dy! Go to the vige entrance and catch a cart now. Come back early!¡± In the end, the Shen father and son pair apanied Ji Zhao into the city. Benevolent Medicine Hall. The physician who was taking Ji Zhao¡¯s pulse frowned and sighed at times. His face was as dark as ink. Shen Yao, who was guarding at the side, was as anxious as an ant being roasted over a fire. ¡°Physician, how¡¯s my little daughter-inw? Is she alright?¡± Shen Dashan said calmly, ¡°This child injured her head not long ago. She still has a headache now. Did she not get better before?¡± ¡°No.¡± The physician retracted his hand that was checking her pulse. His eyes were like torches. ¡°Thisdy¡¯s pulse is stable. I think her body is fine.¡± ¡°Then why does she have a headache?¡± The physician shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve been a physician for decades, but I¡¯ve never seen such a condition. THe pulse is normal, but the head hurts badly?¡± ¡°I think¡­ it doesn¡¯t hurt anymore.¡± Her lie was about to be exposed. Ji Zhao shrugged guiltily and forced a smile. ¡°It really doesn¡¯t hurt anymore.¡± ¡°Ah Tao, are you really alright?¡± Shen Yao asked with concern, his deep eyes filled with worry. Ji Zhao shook her head obediently. ¡°It really doesn¡¯t hurt anymore, but I¡¯m a little hungry now.¡± ¡°Shall the three of us go home?¡± Shen Dashan carefully observed Ji Zhao¡¯s expression. After confirming that she was fine, he heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°If we rush back now, I should still have time to find Brother Da Zhuang. Tonight, you will definitely be able to drink fish soup!¡± ¡°Father, I want to eat chicken soup wontons at the fork in the road ahead,¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly begged. ¡°I really want to eat them. Can you apany us?¡± Shen Dashan was extremely helpless, but when he thought of Zhao Lanhua¡¯s repeated reminders before he left, he could only nod. Fifteen minutester, the three of them sat down. In front of each of them was a bowl of fragrant and steaming hot chicken soup wontons. Ji Zhao took a bite of the wonton. The hot soupnded on the tip of her tongue, causing her to cry in pain. ¡°Ah Tao? Are you alright?¡± Shen Yao also noticed that Ji Zhao was a little strange today. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Ji Zhao quickly waved her hand and exined with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s hot~¡± Chapter 90 - 90 Eldest Brother Shen Is Bitter! 90 Eldest Brother Shen Is Bitter! Shen Yao suppressed the suspicion in his heart and lowered his head to eat the chicken soup and wontons quietly. When he saw Ji Zhao¡¯s worried expression from the corner of his eye, he raised his eyebrows without batting an eyelid. ¡°Alright.¡± Shen Dashan was the first to put down the bowl and spoon. He smiled brightly and shouted, ¡°Hey, the bill!¡± ¡°Father, let me do it!¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly stood up and said with a smile, ¡°I brought the silver.¡± !! ¡°How can I do that?¡± Shen Dashan did not say anything else. He took out a dark gray pouch from his pocket. ¡°Besides, I have money. Your mother gives me two hundred copper coins a month!¡± Looking at his father¡¯s smug smile, Shen Yao felt his forehead throbbing. His father probably didn¡¯t know that his mother gave the three brothers at least three hundred copper coins a month, right? ¡°Ah Tao, we¡¯ve been to the clinic. We¡¯ve also eaten the wontons. Can we go home now?¡± Shen Dashan nced at Ji Zhao, who was smiling without saying anything, and asked with a simple and honest smile. ¡°Not yet.¡± Ji Zhao narrowed her eyes and smiled faintly. ¡°Father, Shen Yao, we have to go to Big Brother¡¯s pastry shop.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Shen Dashan nodded. He had not seen his eldest son in a long time. Shen Dashan ced his hands behind his back and walked in front of the two of them. Ji Zhao, who was following closely behind, was secretly calcting. She had to think of a way to stop her father from returning to the vige. Shen Ji Pastry Shop. Shen Dng was carrying the pastries that had been freshly baked this morning when he saw a few familiar figures from afar. He quickly approached them with a smile. ¡°Father? Third Brother? Third Sister-inw? Why are you here so early in the morning?¡± ¡°Big Brother, Dad misses you!¡± Ji Zhao was the first to speak and smiled. Upon hearing this, Shen Dashan blushed. ¡°Ahem, how¡¯s business in the shop recently?¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite good. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Shen Dng hurriedly weed them into the shop and asked happily, ¡°Father, have you eaten this morning?¡± ¡°I have.¡± Shen Dashan nodded reservedly. ¡°Why don¡¯t I see your wife?¡± At the mention of his wife, Shen Dng frowned and said, ¡°There¡¯s something wrong with Dongmei sincest night. She feels like vomiting whenever she sees me.¡± Eldest Brother Shen felt wronged. Eldest Brother Shen felt bitter! Last night, he had bathed happily and was about to find his wife to be intimate with¡ª His wife¡¯s expression suddenly changed and she even vomited all over him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Eldest Sister-inw?¡± Ji Zhao asked with concern. ¡°Where is she feeling unwell? Did you call a physician?¡± ¡°Not yet¡­¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and walked straight into the backyard. At that moment, Eldest Sister-inw Shen, who was leaning against the bed, sighed weakly. ¡°Sister, don¡¯t scare me¡­¡± Feng Chunyan¡¯s eyes were red, and her tone was filled with fear. ¡°Illnesses like andslide.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen ruffled Feng Chunyan¡¯s fluffy hair andforted her gently. ¡°Chunyan, if Eldest Sister really leaves¡­ You must take good care of yourself, understand?¡± ¡°Sister, don¡¯t be like this! I¡¯m scared! Boohoo¡­¡± Feng Chunyan hugged her arm and cried until she was out of breath. When Ji Zhao walked in, she saw the two sisters hugging each other and crying until they were out of breath. ¡°This is? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ji Zhao hurried forward and asked hurriedly, ¡°Sister-inw, are you alright?¡± ¡°Urgh¡ª¡± Before Sister-inw Shen could say anything, she vomited again. Shen Dng, who was following closely behind, asked in a daze, ¡°Why is Dongmei vomiting again? Does she want to vomit when she sees Third Sister-inw too?¡± Ji Zhao felt the corners of her eyes twitch as she held her forehead helplessly. ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, are you pregnant?¡± Chapter 91 - 91 Undoubtedly Pregnant 91 Undoubtedly Pregnant Following Ji Zhao¡¯s words, the entire room was silent. Eldest Sister-inw Shen subconsciously lowered her head and looked at her abdomen. A glint shed across her eyes. In the end, she smiled bitterly and shook her head. ¡°No.¡± She had been married to Dng for more than three years. She had tried too many methods, but every time, it was all for nothing. ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, don¡¯t be discouraged first.¡± Ji Zhao immediately walked up to her. Her gaze was gentle, and herf tone was gentle. ¡°The matter of having children also depends on fate. However, other than wanting to vomit, do you have any other symptoms?¡± !! Perhaps it was because Ji Zhao¡¯s voice was too gentle, the fear that lingered in Eldest Sister-inw Shen¡¯s heart gradually dissipated. ¡°I don¡¯t have any other symptoms. It¡¯s just thatst night, I made charcoal-roasted pork trotters again. Your eldest brother really liked it, but before I could take two bites, my heart felt stuffy. Then, I went back to my room to rest. In the end, not long after, I vomited all over your brother¡­¡± The more Eldest Sister-inw Shen spoke, the more guilty she felt. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with me. In the past, I loved pork trotters the most, but yesterday, I couldn¡¯t swallow it no matter what. Moreover, my heart felt stuffy!¡± ¡°Third Sister-inw, I heard that a person will only be unable to eat before they die¡­ My sister¡­ Is my sister¡­¡± Feng Chunyan, who was lying on the edge of the bed, cried until she was out of breath. ¡°Nonsense!¡± Shen Dashan hurriedly walked in. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Dongmei. No matter what illness you have, we won¡¯t leave you alone! In short, if you¡¯re sick, we¡¯ll treat you! Shen Lei, don¡¯t just stand there. Hurry up and bring your wife to the medical center to take a look! We can¡¯t dy this illness!¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Only then did Eldest Brother Shen react. Without a word, he carried Eldest Sister-inw Shen on his back¡ª Benevolent Medicine Hall. The physician who was arranging the medicinal herbs saw Ji Zhao and the other two returning. Just as he was feeling puzzled, Eldest Brother Shen hurriedly held Sister-inw Shen¡¯s hand and walked forward. ¡°Physician Zhang, look at what¡¯s wrong with my wife. She has been vomiting from time to time sincest night!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t worry. Let me take her pulse.¡± ¡°Her pulse is steady like a pearl. There¡¯s no doubt about it, it¡¯s a joy pulse, she¡¯s pregnant.¡± Physician Zhang smiled confidently. When he heard the physician say the word ¡°joy pulse¡± with his own ears, Eldest Brother Shen was dumbfounded. Eldest Sister-inw Shen¡¯s face was filled with disbelief! ¡°That¡¯s great, that¡¯s great!¡± Feng Chunyan jumped in excitement. ¡°I¡¯m finally going to have a little nephew. That¡¯s really great!¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m really pregnant?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen still couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°Physician Zhang, is this true?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Physician Zhang nodded with a firm gaze. ¡°Could it be that Madam Shen doesn¡¯t trust my medical skills? If I can¡¯t even recognize the joy pulse, then this medicine shop should close down!¡± ¡°Physician Zhang, don¡¯t misunderstand. My eldest sister-inw is not questioning your medical skills.¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly stepped forward and exined seriously, ¡°My eldest sister-inw is just too happy. She has been begging for a son for many years, but there has been no result. Now that she suddenly knows that she has a good pulse, she is so shocked. However, she has no intention of questioning your medical skills. I hope Physician Zhang can forgive her!¡± ¡°Hahaha.¡± Physician Zhang stroked his white beard andughed heartily. ¡°Girl, although you¡¯re young, your speaking skills are extraordinary!¡± ¡°Thank you for your praise, Physician Zhang!¡± Ji Zhao smiled and epted the praise. Chapter 92 - 92 Why? 92 Why? Even when she returned to her shop, Eldest Sister-inw Shen still could not believe that she was really pregnant! ¡°Dongmei, is there anything you want to eat now? Or do you want to lie down for a while? Physician Zhang prescribed you some pregnancy stabilizing medicine just now. Do you want to drink it?¡± Eldest Brother Shen nervously helped her sit on the chair and said incoherently, ¡°Why don¡¯t I go and brew medicine for you?¡± ¡°Eldest Brother, didn¡¯t Physician Zhang say just now that Eldest Sister-inw¡¯s pulse is stable and she doesn¡¯t need to take those pregnancy stabilizing medicine for the time being?¡± Ji Zhao was extremely touched when she saw this scene. ¡°Moreover, all medicine is poisonous to some extent. As long as Eldest Sister-inw takes good care of herself, she doesn¡¯t have to take those bitter medicines. Also, you have to be careful with your diet. Don¡¯t eat some cold foods, like hawthorn¡­¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Eldest Brother Shen hurriedly interrupted Ji Zhao and turned around to get a pen and paper. Then, he looked at Ji Zhao eagerly. ¡°Ah Tao, slow down. I have to memorize everything!¡± !! Ji Zhao was even more touched and smiled faintly. ¡°You have to eat less spicy, stimting, greasy, and cold food. Also, Sister-inw, you have to rx and not be too nervous. You have to remember that your emotions are the emotions of the child in your stomach. If you¡¯re happy, the child will be happy. If you¡¯re depressed and unhappy, the child will be sad too.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen nodded gratefully. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll remember everything! Ah Tao, thank you!¡± ¡°We¡¯re all family. There¡¯s no need to thank me.¡± Ji Zhao quickly shook her head. Eldest Sister-inw Shen was more than a month pregnant. This was a joyous asion for everyone in the Shen family. Shen Dashan decided to go back home and pay respects to his ancestors on the mountain to thank them for their protection! Ji Zhao really couldn¡¯t find an excuse to leave him in the county city, so she decided to change her method. That was, she had to follow behind Father for the entire day to prevent any idents. When it was almost noon, the three of them returned to Shanghe Vige. When Zhao Lanhua found out that Ji Zhao¡¯s body was fine, she heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°What? Eldest daughter-inw is pregnant?¡± Zhao Lanhua¡¯s eyes lit up when she heard the news. She was pleasantly surprised. ¡°Are you lying to me?¡± ¡°Lanhua, how could I joke about such a thing?¡± Shen Dashan smiled. ¡°It¡¯s true. We¡¯ve already seen the physician. The physician said that Eldest Daughter-inw is already more than a month pregnant.¡± ¡°More than a month? Calcting the days, she should be able to give birth in February next year?¡± Zhao Lanhua was excited. ¡°That¡¯s great! That¡¯s great!¡± Her eldest daughter-inw had not gotten pregnant since she married her eldest son. Zhao Lanhua was anxious when she saw this! However, as a mother-inw, if she was too anxious, it would only make her eldest daughter-inw more upset. Therefore, Zhao Lanhua had been thinking of ways tofort her. However, Zhao Lanhua was also very anxious! Now that her eldest son had a descendant, she was really too happy! ¡°After lunch, I n to go to the back mountain to pay my respects to our ancestors and tell them the good news!¡± Shen Dashan said quickly. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go prepare the incense paperter.¡± Compared to the joyous atmosphere in the main room, the atmosphere in Shen Yao¡¯s room was a little strange. Sensing that passionate gaze, Ji Zhao turned her face away ufortably. ¡°Shen Yao, why are you staring at me? I don¡¯t have any flowers on my face¡­¡± ¡°Why?¡± Chapter 93 - 93 He Guessed 93 He Guessed ¡°What do you mean why?¡± Ji Zhao blinked in confusion. ¡°Ah Tao, you¡¯re very strange today.¡± Shen Yao observed her expression without batting an eyelid and said softly, ¡°Last night at the Earth Temple, you suddenly felt unwell. Is it rted to Father?¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. As expected of the future Grand Secretary, he could even guess this? ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t understand what you mean.¡± Ji Zhao swallowed nervously. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the kitchen and see if there¡¯s anything I can do to help Mother¡­¡± Bang! Shen Yao shed in front of her and even closed the door. Ji Zhao became more and more nervous and even slurred her words¡ª ¡°What¡­ what are you doing?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, you¡¯ve been especially strange since you heard this morning that Father was going to Xiaji Vige to fish.¡± Shen Yao calmly pointed out her strange behavior today. ¡°Why are you so concerned about this?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Ji Zhao did not dare to exin. After all, the feeling of having her throat grabbed was too suffocating. ¡°Brother Shen, are you at home?¡± At that moment, a worried man¡¯s voice suddenly sounded outside the Shen family¡¯s courtyard! ¡°Brother Dazhuang?¡± Shen Dashan hurriedly walked out of the central room and asked with a smile, ¡°How many fish did you catch today?¡± ¡°Someone drowned in Xiaji Vige! I don¡¯t have the mood to fish!¡± Shen Dazhuang, who had walked into the Shen family¡¯s courtyard, said with lingering fear, ¡°Fortunately, you didn¡¯t go today! You don¡¯t know how terrifying that scene was. At the ce where we usually fish together, someone stepped on a rock covered in moss and fell into the water and struggled for a long time. The big guy on the shore tried to save him, but that person¡¯s leg cramped in the water and died!¡± ¡°I heard that he¡¯s an old man from Xiaji Vige. He just celebrated his 60th birthday a few days ago¡­¡± Shen Dazhuang¡¯s voice was deep and loud. Even though they were separated by a door, Shen Yao could still hear those words clearly. After thinking about the cause and effect, he lowered his head and looked at the terrified Ji Zhao standing in front of him. He frowned. ¡°The reason is what Uncle Dazhuang said? If I¡¯m not wrong, you kept stopping Father from fishing because you knew that something would happen in Xiaji Vige today? The person who might have an ident is Father?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a little hungry.¡± Ji Zhao, who didn¡¯t answer the question, walked around him. ¡°I have to go to the kitchen to see if there¡¯s anything delicious, or I¡¯ll faint again¡­¡± As smart as Shen Yao was, how could he not understand what Ji Zhao meant? She could really foresee the future! If she hadn¡¯t stopped Father from going fishing in Xiaji Vige today, then the person who was in trouble¡­ Shen Yao did not dare to think further. In the kitchen, Zhao Lanhua, who was in a rxed and happy mood, hummed a country tune as she cracked eggs. The moment Ji Zhao walked into the kitchen, he smiled knowingly. ¡°Mother, is there anything I can do to help?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, why don¡¯t you go and rest?¡± Zhao Lanhua turned around and smiled brightly. ¡°Hurry up and rest. Mother will be fine in the kitchen. You guys can just wait to eat delicious food!¡± Fifteen minutester, the fragrant and plump Red Braised Meat was brought to the table in the central room. In addition, Zhao Lanhua also made scallion egg soup, stir-fried sour and spicy cucumber shreds, stir-fried green vegetables, and arge bowl of spicy fried dried fish. ¡°Sister Lanhua, isn¡¯t your lunch too sumptuous?¡± When he came just now, Shen Dazhuang had only brought six eggs. Looking at such a sumptuous lunch, he was really a little ashamed! ¡°Brother Dazhuang, have a few more drinks with my Dashan. There¡¯s a happy asion in our family today!¡± ¡°A happy asion?¡± Chapter 94 - 94 Face Hurts 94 Face Hurts ¡°My eldest daughter-inw has good news,¡± Zhao Lanhua said happily. ¡°Brother Dazhuang, don¡¯t stand on ceremony. Eat more!¡± Shen Dazhuang was Shen Dashan¡¯s neighbor, and his wife, Guihua, was famous for her big mouth! Zhao Lanhua wanted to use Sister Guihua¡¯s mouth to crazily p certain people¡¯s faces! After all, the fact that Eldest Sister-inw Shen had been married to Eldest Brother Shen for many years and had yet to get pregnant had once been the topic of conversation for many gossipy women. Now that Eldest Sister-inw Shen was finally pregnant, Zhao Lanhua naturally had to vent her anger! After lunch, Ji Zhao brought the incense paper to the Earth Temple again. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you letting me know about everything in advance, I¡¯m afraid the consequences would be unimaginable¡­¡± Ji Zhao, who was kneeling on the praying mat piously, thanked him gratefully. ¡°Earth God, thank you!¡± After carefully cleaning the entire temple, Ji Zhao left. When she walked out, a broad and tall back suddenly came into view. Shen Yao slowly walked up to her and thanked her gratefully. Without waiting for Ji Zhao to speak, he bent down and walked into the temple. He lit an incense stick and ced it in the incense burner. ¡°Thank you, Earth God!¡± After leaving the Earth Temple, the two of them were not in a hurry to go home. Instead, they walked on the narrow field together. The summer afternoon wind carried a hint of heat as it blew past the faces of the people walking, leaving no trace. Ji Zhao thought that Shen Yao would question her, but to her surprise, he did not ask a single question. Only then did Ji Zhao heave a sigh of relief. ¡°Shen Yao, look at the people over there. What are they doing?¡± Ji Zhao asked curiously when she saw the figures lying on the paddy field from afar. ¡°Catching rice eels.¡± ¡°Rice eels?¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°The taste of stir-fried rice eel is not bad!¡± ¡°Shall we go and take a look too?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Ji Zhao readily agreed. When the two of them approached, they realized that the dark brown figure was actually an ¡®acquaintance¡¯. ¡°Cripple, you¡¯re here to join in the fun too?¡± Shen Lang, who had caught a rice eel, got up from the ground nimbly. The smile on his face was filled with pride. ¡°It¡¯s a clumsy and childishck of personality to casually give others nicknames.¡± Ji Zhao frowned unhappily. ¡°If you call my husband a cripple in the future, I¡¯ll make everyone call you a bed-wetting brat!¡± ¡°You!¡± After being rebuked, Shen Lang really wanted to p her. However, he did not forget that he had suffered at the hands of this womanst time. ¡°You win!¡± ¡°Can you lend me the hook to try?¡± Shen Yao did not care about those nicknames. After all, it was a fact that his leg was crippled. However, when he felt Ji Zhao¡¯s affection for him, a warm current seemed to surge into his heart. It was warm andfortable. ¡°How strange. You¡¯re asking me to lend you a tool? Why should I lend it to you?¡± Shen Lang crossed his arms arrogantly and asked proudly. ¡°You can have as many of my mother¡¯s osmanthus cakes as you want.¡± When Shen Lang heard the words osmanthus cake, he immediately cowered. He obediently handed the thin hook attached to the bait to Shen Yao. ¡°Fishing rice eels is not an easy task. Do you think everyone is as lucky as me?¡± ¡°The rice eel my husband catches will definitely be bigger than the one you caught!¡± ¡°Tch~¡± Shen Lang rolled his eyes in annoyance. However, fifteen minutester, when he saw the rice eel that Shen Yao had caught, he suddenly felt his face hurt! Chapter 95 - 95 Nearby 95 Nearby Seeing the thick rice eel that Shen Yao had caught, Ji Zhao danced with joy! ¡°You¡¯re really amazing!¡± Ji Zhao stared at the rice eel and a faint smile appeared on her lips. She was secretly thinking about how to deal with this rice eel! ¡°Hmph, you¡¯re actually good!¡± Shen Lang snatched the hook from Shen Yao¡¯s hand in annoyance. However, he was too fast and actually scratched Shen Yao¡¯s palm! ¡°Why are you so tasteless?¡± Ji Zhao red at him angrily. ¡°You¡¯re really too evil. Shen Yao beat you, and you¡¯re so sinister?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡± Shen Lang did not expect that he would identally cut Shen Yao¡¯s hand. However, he would not apologize. He stubbornly straightened his neck and said in a low voice with his back facing the two of them, ¡°I didn¡¯t me you for disturbing me from fishing rice eels!¡± ¡°I say, why are youining first?¡± Ji Zhao, who was quite angry, rolled up her sleeves and wanted to argue with him. Shen Yao silently grabbed her sleeve and shook his head at her. ¡°Ah Tao, my hand hurts a little.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go home first?¡± Ji Zhao held his hand with one hand and held the rice eel with the other as they walked towards the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. When the footsteps of the two of them gradually disappeared, Shen Lang, who was still lying on the field, apologized unhappily. After returning to the house, Ji Zhao carefully rinsed the wound on Shen Yao¡¯s palm. She frowned and said, ¡°Fortunately, we have medicine at home. However, your wound is a little deep. Your flesh has already been dug out. It should be a little painful. Bear with it.¡± ¡°That Shen Lang is too much. He didn¡¯t even apologize!¡± The more Ji Zhao thought about it, the angrier she became. ¡°He¡¯s not bad by nature. He just has an awkward personality.¡± Shen Yao smiled indifferently. ¡°Besides, this wound is not serious. Ah Tao, you really don¡¯t have to be so nervous.¡± ¡°That wire was used to fish rice eels. Do you know how many germs there are on it? Don¡¯t think that you don¡¯t have to worry just because the wound is small. Sometimes, it¡¯s inconspicuous small problems that lead to bad consequences¡­¡± Ji Zhao stopped abruptly and hurriedly spat twice. ¡°Child¡¯s words are harmless!¡± Although he did not understand what she meant by germs, Shen Yao felt warm in his heart when he saw how concerned she was about him. The breeze blew into the house through the window, blowing a strand of hair beside her ear. Shen Yao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. His gazended on her exquisite earlobe. The small peach hanging on it swayed and was extremely cute. He suddenly reached out and picked up that strand of hair. ¡°It¡¯s done!¡± Ji Zhao, who had treated the wound on his palm, smiled and looked up. Only then did she realize that Shen Yao¡¯s face was very close. Badump! Badump! Badump! Ji Zhao could even feel her steady and powerful heartbeat. Shen Yao slowly approached, and Ji Zhao subconsciously turned her face away. ¡°Alright.¡± Shen Yao suppressed the disappointment in his heart and said gently, ¡°I saw that your earring was about to fall off.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Ji Zhao swallowed nervously. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll go to the kitchen to deal with the rice eel first. You¡­ Have a good rest.¡± ¡°Shall I go with you?¡± ¡°No need!¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly waved her hand. Her hasty back was like a fleeing rabbit! Ji Zhao rushed into the kitchen and wiped her face with water, but the temperature on her face could not drop! Chapter 96 - 96 Eel Noodles 96 Eel Noodles ¡°Ah Tao, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen, who had walked into the kitchen to look for food, saw Ji Zhao squatting on the ground in a daze and asked with concern, ¡°Are you alright? Why is your face so red?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just a little hot.¡± Ji Zhao shook her head repeatedly. ¡°Ah Tao, I heard that you went out with Third Brother to catch a rice eel? I wonder what you n to do with that rice eel?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen asked expectantly. ¡°When I was young, I went out to a banquet with my father and ate braised eel. That taste was delicious!¡± At the thought of the delicacies she had eaten when she was young, Second Sister-inw Shen could not help but swallow her saliva. ¡°That eel is veryrge. I n to make two delicacies.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and exined softly, ¡°Stir-fried eel and eel noodles are especially delicious. Second Sister-inw, just wait and see!¡± Fifteen minutester, Zhao Lanhua was invited to the kitchen. ¡°Ah Tao?¡± ¡°Mother, I want to make eel noodles.¡± Ji Zhao smiled. ¡°But if I want to make these eel noodles well, I still need your help!¡± ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± Zhao Lanhua rolled up her sleeves and asked happily. ¡°Making noodles!¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile. ¡°The most important things about eel noodles are the eel strips and noodles!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a piece of cake. Making noodles are your mother¡¯s forte!¡± Ji Zhao picked up the eel that was kept in the wooden barrel and knocked it out with the back of the knife. Then, she cut it in half. Half of it was used to make stir-fried eel, and the other half was used to make eel noodles. The outer skin of the eel was slippery and sticky. If she wanted to sessfully tear open this outer skin, she needed some skills. Ji Zhao¡¯s method was the simplest. It involved putting the eel in boiling water and nching it for five seconds before immediately scooping it out. Then, she washed it with cold water and cut it open along the patterns on the abdomen to remove the main bone. In the end, she began to cut it into slivers. As Ji Zhao was exceptionally skilled in cutting, the eel slivers she cut out were especially beautiful. ¡°Ah Tao, the noodles are almost done.¡± An hourter, Zhao Lanhua looked up and said. ¡°Thank you, Mother.¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly and began to make eel noodles. The ginger, garlic, and scallions were cut into pieces and ced into a hot pan of cold oil to stir-fry. Then, she poured all the clean eel slivers into it and stir-fried them non-stop. She added green chili cubes, a suitable amount of sesame oil, and arge spoonful of secret chili sauce! After adding half a bowl of clear water, the fragrance of the eel silk was immediately stimted. The heat was turned up to thicken the sauce, and before serving, half a spoonful of sesame oil and one spoonful of sugar was added. The eel slivers were ready. She scooped up the delicious eel slivers and poured it on the already cooked noodles. Then, she ced tthe green vegetables and half a braised egg. A bowl of sumptuous eel noodles was freshly cooked. ¡°It smells so good!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen, who was ying with Ji Chen in the courtyard, could not help but gulp when she smelled the fragrance in the air. She quickly walked into the kitchen. ¡°Ah Tao, what delicious food did you make? Isn¡¯t this too fragrant?¡± ¡°Eel noodles.¡± Ji Zhao could not help but smile. ¡°Second Sister-inw, do you want to try it?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen nodded eagerly. In the end, she walked out of the kitchen with a big bowl of eel noodles in satisfaction. After finishing the eel noodles, Ji Zhao decided to make braised eel. Shen Dashan took out the dining table from the central room and ced it in the courtyard. Chapter 97 - 97 Delicious 97 Delicious The evening breeze blew and smoke curled up. A group of geese flew across the blue low sky from the north to the south. They reflected the colorful clouds in the sky and formed a beautiful painting. In the Shen family¡¯s courtyard, everyone sat around a square table. In front of everyone was arge bowl of eel noodles. The fragrant and spicy smell assaulted their noses. !! ¡°It¡¯s so delicious!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen said happily as she rolled her tongue. ¡°Ah Tao, can you give me another bowl?¡± ¡°Second Daughter-inw, you¡¯ve already eaten your third bowl!¡± Zhao Lanhuained . ¡°You¡¯re still eating? Aren¡¯t you afraid that your stomach will burst?¡± ¡°Burp~¡± Second Sister-inw Shen could not help but burp. ¡°Mother, it¡¯s really not my fault. The eel slivers Ah Tao made are fresh and spicy. I can¡¯t stop eating it!¡± ¡°Second Sister-inw, why don¡¯t you drink some water to moisten your throat first?¡± Ji Zhao, who did not know whether tough or cry, got up and poured a ss of water for Second Sister-inw Shen. ¡°Second Sister-inw, actually, in theter stages of pregnancy, you really can¡¯t overeat. If you eat too much, it will really be difficult to give birth.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Ah Tao is right. Second daughter-inw, it¡¯s not that Mother isn¡¯t allowing you to eat, it¡¯s just that giving birth is too dangerous for women,¡± Zhao Lanhua, who was clearing the dishes, advised earnestly. Although Second Sister-inw Shen was a foodie, she also listened to advice. ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t eat then. But Ah Tao, what are we eating tomorrow morning?¡± Ji Zhao held her forehead helplessly and said with a smile, ¡°I haven¡¯t thought about it yet.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Second Sister-inw Shen, who was sleepy after eating, could not help but yawn. ¡°Mother, Ah Tao, I¡¯m a little sleepy. I¡¯ll go back and sleep first, okay?¡± ¡°This second daughter-inw¡­¡± Zhao Lanhua shook her head helplessly. Ji Zhao looked at Second Sister-inw Shen¡¯s back thoughtfully. She remembered that in the original novel, Second Sister-inw Shen suddenly suffered a hemorrhage after giving birth. Although she barely survived and the mother and son were safe, she could never get pregnant again. In short, the original novel was a typical male protagonist¡¯s perspective novel. Only the male protagonist¡¯s fate was developing in a better and better direction. As for the others in the novel, their fates were very bumpy. ¡°Ah Tao?¡± Zhao Lanhua called out twice. Seeing that Ji Zhao still had no reaction, she tugged at her sleeve worriedly. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Mother?¡± Ji Zhao came back to her senses and couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°I n to go to the county tomorrow morning to see your eldest sister-inw.¡± Zhao Lanhua thought for a moment and said softly, ¡°Your eldest sister-inw¡¯s parents passed away early. Now that she¡¯s pregnant and doesn¡¯t have an elder to take care of her, I¡¯m really uneasy. I n to let her return to the vige and recuperate.¡± ¡°Mother, should I go with you tomorrow morning?¡± Calcting the time, the stinky tofu that she fermented earlier should be about done. At the thought that she would be able to taste the delicious stinky tofu tomorrow, Ji Zhao smiled happily. ¡°Alright, you should rest early too.¡± Before Zhao Lanhua turned around and returned to her room, she did not forget to remind her. The night was as dark as ink. The stars that dotted the night sky were dazzling. Ji Zhao rested her chin on her hands and leaned against the window coffin, looking at the crescent moon hanging high in the night sky. ¡°The wind is strong at night.¡± Shen Yao walked up to her, only a window away. ¡°You haven¡¯t slept either?¡± Ji Zhao nced sideways and asked with a gentle smile. ¡°Mm.¡± Shen Yao nodded slightly. ¡°I ate a little too much for dinner, so I wanted toe out to digest my food.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t the eel noodles I made especially delicious?¡± Ji Zhao raised her eyebrows slightly and asked with a smug smile. ¡°Delicious.¡± Chapter 98 - 98 Deluxe Edition of Savory Crepes 98 Deluxe Edition of Savory Crepes Shen Yao smiled silently and looked at her with gentleness. His eyes were deep and gentle, like a deep spring with a fatal attraction that made people want to get closer! Ji Zhao suddenly felt her cheeks burning as this thought silently appeared in her mind. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go to bed first. Good night.¡± Ji Zhao looked away nervously and hurriedly closed the window. Shen Yao, who was standing under the window, smiled silently. !! The next morning, Zhao Lanhua carried a basket and walked into the kitchen with a smile. ¡°Ah Tao, I bought the pork tenderloin you wanted!¡± Ji Zhao immediately turned around and picked up therge piece of tenderloin in the bamboo basket. The color was rosy, and the meat was firm and stic. ¡°Mother, you¡¯re really amazing. The quality of the pork here is really good!¡± Ji Zhao was sincerely impressed. ¡°Of course!¡± Zhao Lanhua raised her chin proudly. ¡°But Ah Tao, did you think of something delicious when you asked for the tenderloin here?¡± ¡°I n to make a deluxe edition of savory crepes. There are eggs, tenderloins, potatoes, vegetables, and hot sauce.¡± Ji Zhao raised her hand and snapped her fingers, smiling. When handling the tenderloin meat, one must first remove the fascia attached to the meat. Otherwise, not only would it be difficult to cut, but it would also affect the taste. Ji Zhao divided the tenderloin into two halves. She nned to make sweet and sour tenderloin at night. Most of the dishes she made these few days were spicy. She wanted to switch things up for everyone. ¡°Mother, before we go out, I¡¯ll make a few more savory repes so that Eldest Brother and Eldest Sister-inw can try them.¡± Ji Zhao smiled as she cut the tenderloin. ¡°Remember to bring a food boxter!¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Zhao Lanhua replied readily. ¡°Ah Tao, it¡¯s been hard on you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m not tired.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and shook her head. ¡°Mother, I like to stay in the kitchen. Besides, I enjoy the feeling of cooking.¡± ¡°Sweetie, you¡¯re too diligent,¡± Zhao Lanhua sighed sincerely. Ji Zhao smiled gently. After preparing all the ingredients, she began to make a luxurious version of the savory crepe! First, she spread the batter in the pan. Then, she cracked an egg and spread the pre-treated tenderloin and shredded potatoes on it. Then, she folded the crepe into quarters and brushed the hot sauce on it. Finally, she ced a piece of broad leaf vegetable on it! ¡°Alright!¡± Ji Zhao grinned. ¡°Mother, have a taste?¡± In the end, this luxurious version of savory crepes conquered the stomachs of everyone in the Shen family! At a quarter past seven, Zhao Lanhua brought Ji Zhao to the vige entrance. ¡°Sister Lanhua, is your eldest daughter-inw really pregnant?¡± ¡°Aunt Qinhua, how can this be fake?¡± Zhao Lanhua said with a smug smile! ¡°Aunt Lanhua, your gourd earrings are really beautiful!¡± A sharp-eyed woman eximed, ¡°This must cost a lot of money, right? It seems that Dng¡¯s pastry shop is doing well?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Zhao Lanhua smiled reservedly. ¡°These earrings were given by our Ah Tao to be filial to me.¡± Ji Zhao, who was standing beside her, had an extremely obedient smile on her face. Under the envious gazes of those people, the mother-inw and daughter-inw boarded the ox cart and rushed towards the county city. ¡°Ah Tao, do you want some water?¡± Zhao Lanhua took a water bag from her shoulder and said softly, ¡°The weather is still very hot, so I made mung bean soup early in the morning. It¡¯s still warm!¡± Chapter 99 - 99 Approaching 99 Approaching Shen Ji Pastry Shop in the county city. Eldest Brother Shen looked anxiously at the haggard Eldest Sister-inw Shen and scratched his head anxiously. ¡°Dongmei, you can¡¯t not eat anything. What¡¯s going to happen if this continues?¡± ¡°Dng, I¡­ Ugh¡­¡± Sister-inw Shen forced a smile helplessly. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to eat. I really can¡¯t eat¡­¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t I make some porridge?¡± ¡°Alright¡­¡± In fact, she could not guarantee that she would be able to eat it. However, when she saw the worried look in Eldest Brother Shen¡¯s eyes, she really could not say no. When Zhao Lanhua brought Ji Zhao into the backyard of the pastry shop, Eldest Sister-inw Shen was barely drinking porridge. Although she had vomited after eating, she still ate some. ¡°Sister-inw, do you want to try my savory crepes?¡± Ji Zhao smiled. ¡°Mother has been carrying the food box in her arms. It¡¯s still warm!¡± ¡°Thank you, Mother.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen smiled gratefully. ¡°Ah Tao¡¯s savory crepes are delicious. Try them.¡± Zhao Lanhua¡¯s heart ached when she saw her haggard expression. ¡°Eldest daughter-inw, have you not eaten well these past few days? Why do you look so pale?¡± ¡°I vomit after eating.¡± Eldest Sister Shen took a bite of the crepe and smiled helplessly. ¡°But I feel hungry after sleeping for a long time. In short, I can¡¯t muster any energy.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be fine after the first three months,¡± Zhao Lanhua quicklyforted her. Unexpectedly, Eldest Sister-inw Shen ate all the savory crepes that Ji Zhao made. ¡°Dongmei, I have another serving. You should eat it too!¡± Seeing that she could eat, Eldest Brother Shen said excitedly, ¡°Quick, eat more!¡± ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°There¡¯s still porridge in the kitchen. I¡¯ll go eat itter!¡± Without another word, Eldest Brother Shen stuffed his crepe into Eldest Sister-inw Shen¡¯s hand. ¡°Mother, please take care of Dongmei for a while. I¡¯ll go to the front of the shop.¡± ¡°Alright, go ahead!¡± Zhao Lanhua quickly waved her hand. ¡°I¡¯ll take good care of your wife. Don¡¯t worry.¡± After eating two servings of savory crepes in a row, Eldest Sister-inw Shen felt energized. ¡°Eldest daughter-inw, actually, I came to the shop today to discuss something with you,¡± Zhao Lanhua said directly. ¡°It¡¯s not easy for you to have gotten pregnant now, but there¡¯s no one in this county who can take care of you. I¡¯m really worried.¡± ¡°Mother, you want me to return to the vige to recuperate?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen instantly understood what she meant. ¡°I did think so at first, but after I discussed it with Ah Tao, she said that if I let you return to the vige alone, you would definitely be unhappy. After all, you want to spend more time with Dng, right?¡± ¡°Mother¡­¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen blushed shyly. ¡°Therefore, I thought of apromise. I want to find an experienced maid to take care of your three meals a day. Also, there are too many taboos when a woman is pregnant, so this maid needs to have experience taking care of pregnant women.¡± ¡°When the timees, Mother will pay for the maid! Of course, I¡¯ll also give some money to second daughter-inw,¡± Zhao Lanhua said with a smile. ¡°Mother, how can that do?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen waved her hands repeatedly! ¡°Why not? It¡¯s settled,¡± Zhao Lanhua said firmly. ¡°Don¡¯t you have some friendship with the manager of Hongxing Restaurant? Can you ask him to help you find an experienced maid?¡± ¡°Mother, the person that Second Manager You trusts the most is right in front of you!¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen could not help but smile. Chapter 100 - 100 Soup Filled Stinky Tofu 100 Soup Filled Stinky Tofu Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°When the timees, I¡¯ll mention it to Second Manager You and see if he can help find a suitable person to take care of Eldest Sister-inw.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Zhao Lanhua nodded happily. ¡°Ah Tao, thank you in advance.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen immediately looked at her gratefully. ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, you¡¯re too polite!¡± Ji Zhao quickly said, ¡°By the way, Eldst Sister-inw, I want to go to the kitchen to take a look at the tofu I madest time.¡± !! ¡°Shall I go with you?¡± ¡°Sister-inw, why don¡¯t you not go? I¡¯m worried that you won¡¯t be able to help but vomit when you smell the stinky tofu.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. I feel much better now. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll throw up anymore,¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen said with a confident smile. However, when Ji Zhao opened the wooden board that was pressed against the tofu, the sour smell assaulted her face. Eldest Sister-inw Shen still broke through her defense! She dashed out of the kitchen, panting heavily. Only then did she suppress the urge to vomit! In the kitchen, Zhao Lanhua, who was pinching her nose, asked suspiciously, ¡°Ah Tao, are you sure such stinky tofu is edible? It won¡¯t cause anyone to have a stomachache, right?¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡± Ji Zhao smiled confidently. ¡°Mother, when I make the soup-filled stinky tofu, you will realize how delicious this stinky tofu is!¡± Even though the smile on Ji Zhao¡¯s face was very confident and her tone was very confident, Zhao Lanhua still could not believe it. How could such stinky tofu taste good? ¡°Mother, if you¡¯re not used to it, why don¡¯t you go and talk to Eldest Sister-inw?¡± Ji Zhao said very considerately. ¡°No.¡± Zhao Lanhua shook her head. ¡°I¡¯d better stay. I want to see if there¡¯s anything I can do to help.¡± Ji Zhao smiled gently and began to process the fermented stinky tofu. The raw mold of the stinky tofu had to be soaked in water for a long time before the water was drained. In fact, the soul of the soup-filled stinky tofu was its soup and the dip! The soup concocted by Ji Zhao¡¯s was exceptionally delicious! When she brought out the soup-filled stinky tofu, Zhao Lanhua and Eldest Sister-inw Shen did not have the courage to try it because it was too smelly! On the other hand, the courageous Eldest Brother Shen gritted his teeth and tasted a small piece. In the end, the more he ate, the more he wanted to eat! Second Manager You, who happened toe to the pastry shop, naturally did not miss this delicacy! ¡°Eldest daughter-inw, why don¡¯t we try it too?¡± Zhao Lanhua couldn¡¯t help but gulp when she saw the three of them eating so happily. In the end, the two of them mustered their courage and tasted this unique delicacy! ¡°Fragrant!¡± ¡°It smells so good!¡± ¡°Ah Tao, do you still have more stinky tofu? Can we have mroe?¡± Second Manager You asked excitedly. ¡°Second Brother You, I just started practicing today, so I didn¡¯t make much. It¡¯s all eaten now~¡± Ji Zhao said helplessly. ¡°I see¡­¡± Second Manager You was extremely regretful. ¡°Then Ah Tao, make more of this stinky tofu next time.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ji Zhao readily agreed. ¡°By the way, Second Brother You, why are you suddenly here?¡± ¡°Oh! I almost forgot.¡± After her reminder, Second Manager You remembered that he hade with a mission. ¡°Ah Tao, do you know how to make roasted wholemb?¡± ¡°Roasted wholemb?¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes lit up and she nodded excitedly. ¡°I know how!¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll send someone to Shanghe Vige to fetch you to the restaurant the morning after tomorrow. You can spend these next two days thinking about what you need to make roasted wholemb. Just tell me!¡± Chapter 101 - 101 My Teeth Are Fine! 101 My Teeth Are Fine! Ji Zhao blinked curiously. ¡°Second Brother You, there¡¯s a guest in the restaurant who has ordered roasted wholemb?¡± Roasted wholemb was an authentic Northwestern dish. The cooking method was not difficult, but if one wanted to make a delicious roasted wholemb, the requirements for tools were rtively high. Other than the special metal frame, the requirements for charcoal were also very high. After Eldest Brother Shen brought the pen and paper over, Ji Zhao pondered for a moment and drew all the grills. ¡°By the way, Second Brother You, if you use high-grade fruit wood charcoal, themb will smell even better.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Second Manager You listed down her requests one by one. In the end, he chuckled and said, ¡°In half a month, it will be the sixty-sixth birthday of the olddy of the county office. That Old Madam Ma¡¯s ancestors are from the northwest. Yesterday, the old butler of the Ma family personally came to Hongxing Restaurant and reserved this roasted wholemb.¡± ¡°Originally, I wanted to reject this business, but the head manager said that the Ma Residence was not to be trifled with, so he agreed and asked them to give us three days to help ask if there¡¯s a northwestern chef who can cook roasted wholemb.¡± Second Manager You said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t expect you to know how to make roasted wholemb, Ah Tao. It¡¯s really surprising!¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll try my best,¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile. ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll send a car to pick you up after I¡¯ve prepared the stove and charcoal fire?¡± Second Manager You smiled as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled, right?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Ji Zhao readily agreed. Before Second Manager You left, Ji Zhao mentioned that she wanted to find a maid who could take care of pregnant women. Second Manager You naturally agreed readily. When it was almost noon, Ji Zhao personally cooked a bowl of sour soup noodles. ¡°Hiss¡­¡± Smelling the sour smell in the air, Eldest Brother Shen felt like his teeth were about to fall off. ¡°Third Sister-inw, these noodles smell too sour.¡± Ji Zhao smiled gently and silently handed the bowl of noodles to the curious Eldest Sister-inw Shen. ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, try it while it¡¯s hot?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen took a big gulp of the soup. It was extremely sour and refreshing. ¡°Delicious!¡± In the end, Eldest Sister-inw Shen finished the big bowl of sour soup noodles! ¡°Dongmei, are your teeth alright?¡± Eldest Brother Shen sucked in a breath of cold air and asked curiously with a frown. ¡°It¡¯s pretty good!¡± Sister-inw Shen deliberately ground her teeth. ¡°Listen, my teeth are fine!¡± ¡°Ah Tao is really amazing. As long as it¡¯s Ah Tao¡¯s cooking, I like to eat it!¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen burped in satisfaction. If only Ah Tao was willing to stay in the pastry shop~ Eldest Sister-inw Shen began to have some hopeful delusions. However, she was smart enough not to say anything. Before returning to the vige, Ji Zhao brought back all the remaining fermented stinky tofu. However, when the mother-inw and daughter-inw pair walked on the long street, the pedestrians would consciously avoid them! After all, the smelling from them was too smelly! ¡°Mother? Are you alright?¡± After leaving the city, Ji Zhao said guiltily, ¡°The smell of stinky tofu is indeed unpleasant.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. When we get home, the two of us have to take a good hot shower!¡± Zhao Lanhua waved her hand indifferently. ¡°Besides, those people don¡¯t know how delicious stinky tofu is!¡± ¡°Mother, I n to set up a stall in the county city to sell stinky tofu. What do you think?¡± Ji Zhao said her thoughts without hesitation. ¡°Didn¡¯t I sell a few recipes to the restaurant previously? I still have some silver on hand, but if I keep the silver in my hands, there won¡¯t be any changes. If I want the money to grow, I have to earn more money.¡± Chapter 102 - 102 Blessing from the Past Life 102 Blessing from the Past Life ¡°Ah Tao.¡± Zhao Lanhua suddenly stopped in her tracks and looked into her eyes. She smiled gently and said, ¡°As long as it¡¯s something you want to do, just do it! Besides, your culinary skills are so good. You can¡¯t just bury yourself in the Shen family¡¯s kitchen.¡± ¡°Mother, actually, I want to earn more money for Ji Chen and Shen Yao,¡± Ji Zhao exined frankly. ¡°Chenchen is already six years old this year. I want to send him to school. Just tuition alone is a big sum of money, so I want to earn more money. Also, Shen Yao has injured his leg, so he doesn¡¯t have the mood to study for the imperial examination anymore. But I don¡¯t want his life to be wasted.¡± Although Ji Zhao knew the plot of the original novel and knew that Shen Yao would definitely make a name for himself in the future, however, she still hoped that Shen Yao could work hard earlier! !! ¡°Ah Tao, I understand what you¡¯re thinking, but¡­ but Sang¡¯s leg won¡¯t recover.¡± Zhao Lanhua sighed regretfully. ¡°Back then, after Third Brother injured his leg, it wasn¡¯t that our family didn¡¯t think of a way. In order to treat Third Brother¡¯s leg, your eledst sister-inw and second sister-inw even sold their dowry jewelry. Unfortunately, the money seemed to have fallen into a bottomless pit. Not only did we not hear a single sound, but Sang¡¯s leg wasn¡¯t treated either.¡± At first, it was Shen Yao who gave up, butter on, the entire family gave up. Fortunately, Shen Yao did not disappoint. He spent two months to pull himself out of his painful memories. Then, he used his talents to write letters for others. He even went to the bookstore to copy some expensive calligraphy. Shen Yao¡¯s handwriting was neat and his paintings were beautiful. Everyone knew that. Other than copying the calligraphy, Shen Yao¡¯s painting skills were also very exquisite. That was why he became famous after bing the Grand Secretary. ¡°But Ah Tao, it¡¯s really Sang¡¯s blessing for you to think for Sang like this.¡± Zhao Lanhua sighed from the bottom of her heart. ¡°It¡¯s Sang¡¯s blessing from his previous life to be able to marry you!¡± ¡°Mother¡­¡± Ji Zhao looked away shyly. ¡°I¡¯m not as good as you say. I just¡­ I just want to do something for him. ¡°Good girl, I know you¡¯re the best.¡± Zhao Lanhua quickly held her hand and said emotionally. After returning to the Shen family¡¯s courtyard in Shanghe Vige, Ji Zhao invited Shen Yao to take a walk at the back of the mountain. The evening breeze caressed the willows, and the air was filled with the fragrance of gardenias. Ji Zhao thought for a moment and told him her n. ¡°You mean, you want to earn money to support Ji Chen and me in our studies?¡± Shen Yao found it unbelievable. ¡°Of course!¡± Ji Zhao immediately nodded like a chick pecking at rice. ¡°You and Chenchen, one is my husband, and the other is my younger brother! Besides, smart and indomitable men like you can¡¯t be found everywhere!¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s colorfulpliments were extremely effective! ¡°Ah Tao, I appreciate your kindness.¡± Shen Yao smiled and shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s just that I¡¯m not qualified to participate in the imperial examination.¡± ¡°Shen Yao, let me tell you a story?¡± Ji Zhao did not respond to his sad words. Instead, he asked seriously, ¡°Do you believe that there are brave warriors in this world? No matter what happens, they will ept it calmly and face it bravely?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Shen Yao smiled calmly. ¡°A true warrior who dares to face the fear in his heart will never put himself in a fixed trap.¡± Ji Zhao raised her head slightly and smiled gratefully. ¡°Shen Yao, there¡¯s a very powerful person. His name is Hawking.¡± Chapter 103 - 103 What Did She Do Wrong? 103 What Did She Do Wrong? Ji Zhao originally thought that Hawking¡¯s deeds would change Shen Yao¡¯s mindset. However, the result disappointed her. ¡°Ah Tao, I admire this Senior Hawking you mentioned just now.¡± Shen Yao smiled calmly. ¡°It¡¯s just that everyone has their own aspirations. Now, my aspirations are no longer the so-called official career. Isn¡¯t it another kind of beauty to stay at home and serve my parents? Moreover, does a person¡¯s value have to be realized through the imperial examination?¡± Ji Zhao was stumped. She really did not know how to answer this question. Everyone¡¯s definition of self-worth was different. ¡°I was thinking too much.¡± Ji Zhao, who had been silent for a moment, suddenly faced Shen Yao and smiled brightly. ¡°You have your own thoughts. I shouldn¡¯t force my own thoughts on you. However, I still want to send Chenchen to school. I don¡¯t want Chenchen being illiterate and crass when he grows up.¡± Not everyone who had studied could rank highly on the imperial examinations! But at least those who had studied knew the most basic etiquette, righteousness, and politeness. ¡°Chenchen¡¯s mind hasn¡¯t fully awakened yet. If we send him to school now, I¡¯m afraid he won¡¯t be used to it,¡± Shen Yao suggested sincerely. ¡°Why don¡¯t you let me teach him first? It won¡¯t be toote to send him to school next spring.¡± Ji Zhao thought about it carefully. She had already umted a lot of silver on hand. In rough terms, it was at least 30 taels! If Ji Chen really wanted to go to school in the future, she had to save more money. Otherwise, the siblings¡¯ lives would definitely be difficult. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± Ji Zhao readily epted Shen Yao¡¯s suggestion. ¡°Coincidentally, I have some money on hand. After the Mid-Autumn Festival, I¡¯ll look for Mother and ask her to help find out if there¡¯s a homestead in the vige to buy.¡± ¡°Why are you buying a homestead?¡± Shen Yao frowned slightly. The warm smile on his lips disappeared. ¡°To build the courtyard!¡± Ji Zhao smiled openly. ¡°After I find a suitable homestead to build the courtyard, I¡¯ll move there with Chenchen. Besides, I can¡¯t wrong you and keep making you and Chenchen squeeze in that narrow west room, right?¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t feel wronged!¡± Shen Yao felt a surge of anger in his heart for no reason. After saying this with a dark expression, he turned around and went back¡ª Looking at his angry back, Ji Zhao only felt confused. What did she do wrong? Even when they returned to the Shen family¡¯s courtyard, Shen Yao still did not understand what he himself was angry about. Recalling what he said just now, he felt bitter. He felt extremely guilty. The next day, when Ji Zhao pushed open the door, she found a wooden hairpin lying on the ground. The pattern on the wooden hairpin was clearly a bright peach blossom. If one took a closer look, they would be able to see the small character ¡°Zhao¡± engraved on the stamen. Ji Zhao carefully examined the wooden hairpin for a long time. In the end, she happily inserted the wooden hairpin into her hair. In the entire Shen family¡¯s courtyard, only Ji Chen and Shen Yao knew her real name. However, Ji Chen¡¯s painting skills were very weak. How could he carve such lifelike peach blossoms? There was nothing more wonderful than receiving a gift early in the morning. Ji Zhao hummed a lighthearted tune and went to the kitchen. Today, she nned to make fried buns and pot stickers that she still missed. Earlier, she had begged Zhao Lanhua to add a few more kitchen utensils, but no one understood what she meant by electric baking pans, mandarin duck pots, or barbeque grills. In a moment of desperation, Ji Zhao simply simplified and drew the styles of the practical kitchen utensils. In the end, Zhao Lanhua actually asked Second Brother Shen to make these strange-looking kitchen utensils. Chapter 104 - 104 Locust Flower Pot Sticker 104 Locust Flower Pot Sticker For example, there was a round t pot ced on the hearth. When Shen Eng first saw the design of this pot, he was quite puzzled. It was not until Ji Zhao used this pot to make delicious savory crepes that Shen Eng was convinced! Indeed, if one wanted to make delicacies with different vors and styles, they had to use different cooking utensils! After cleaning her hands, Ji Zhao began to make pot stickers. If she wanted to make fragrant and crispy pot stickers, the requirements for the filling and for the outer skin were higher. Ji Zhao had prepared the corresponding ingredients. Just as she was about to mix the fillings, she happened to see a locust flower ced on a drying rack not far away from her from the corner of her eye. Her heart skipped a beat and she decided to make a different locust flower pot sticker. When mixing the filling, she added a spoonful of locust flowers into it. Not only could it neutralize the greasy taste of the meat filling, but it could also add an elegant fragrance to the filling. When the outer skin and filling were ready, Ji Zhao began to make the pot stickers. First, she had to ce the filling in the middle of the outer skin. Then, she had to apply a little water at the top. After folding it, he had to squeeze the middle and open both sides. She then added oil to the round pot and kept it at low heat. She ced the pot stickers in an orderly manner and waited until the bottom turned golden yellow. Then, she added a suitable amount of water and fried it for 15 minutes. After a while, the fragrance filled the air. Before the pot stickers were brought out, she sprinkled white sesame seeds evenly. After a while, the entire kitchen was filled with a faint fragrance. ¡°Ah Tao, what delicious food are you cooking?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen eagerly walked into the kitchen and asked with a smile, ¡°I just woke up and smelled that fragrance! It smells so good!¡± ¡°Second Sister-inw, I made pot stickers,¡± Ji Zhao replied with a smile. ¡°There¡¯s also porridge I made this morning in the pot over there!¡± Pot stickers with in porridge was equivalent to a blissful breakfast! As expected, Ji Zhao¡¯s pot stickers were swept clean by the Shen family again! Shen Dashan burped a few times before reluctantly putting down his chopsticks! ¡°Look at you!¡± After returning to the old couple¡¯s central room, Zhao Lanhua frowned andined, ¡°Everyone knows that Ah Tao¡¯s cooking is delicious, but you didn¡¯t have to be so overly supportive just now, right?¡± ¡°Lanhua, you didn¡¯t taste it?¡± Shen Dashan suddenly grinned at her. ¡°Ah? You really don¡¯t remember?¡± ¡°There are locust flowers in those pot stickers!¡± Shen Dashan said anxiously. ¡°Do you remember the first time we met, you and my mother-inw prepared locust flower rice together?¡± That was why Shen Dashan, who had never been a foodie, ate more locust flower pot stickers! ¡°Oh, I remember now.¡± Zhao Lanhua smiled and nodded. ¡°I still remember the dark green robe you were wearing!¡± ¡°Lanhua, you still remember?¡± The overjoyed Shen Dashan asked happily. ¡°How many years has it been?¡± Zhao Lanhua waved her hand casually and went to the kitchen without looking back. Staring at her back, Shen Dashan felt a little lost. Many yearster, he found the robe that he had worn before in Zhao Lanhua¡¯s closet. Naturally, he couldn¡¯t stop smiling! At this moment, in the kitchen. Ji Zhao was cleaning up the mess. ¡°Ah Tao, is there anything I can help you with?¡± Zhao Lanhua pushed the door and asked with a smile. ¡°Mother, I really don¡¯t need your help here. Why don¡¯t you go back to the central room and rest?¡± Chapter 105 - 105 This Is From My Ah Tao! 105 This Is From My Ah Tao! ¡°How can that be?¡± Zhao Lanhua quickly shook her head. ¡°Ah Tao, your culinary skills are too good. I can eat until I¡¯m full every day. Look at my waist. Haven¡¯t I gained a lot of weight? I can¡¯t rest anymore. I think you should be the one who should rest the most!¡± ¡°Mother, you¡¯re not fat. Your figure is just right, a full figure means you have great blessings!¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly andforted her gently. ¡°You¡¯re getting sweeter and sweeter!¡± Zhao Lanhua, who was overjoyed by Ji Zhao¡¯s coaxing, tapped the tip of her nose affectionately. In the end, Ji Zhao left the kitchen obediently. She thought about it and decided to look for Shen Dashan to ask about the homesteads in the vige. Shen Dashan, who was sharpening scissors in the backyard, was also stunned when he heard Ji Zhao asking about the homestead. ¡°Why are you asking about this out of the blue?¡± ¡°Father, I want to buy a homestead near our house and build a courtyard. After all, Ji Chen will grow up slowly. We can¡¯t always let Shen Yao and Chenchen squeeze in the same room, right?¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you ask Third Brother to move back, and the two of you, husband and wife, stay in the same room?¡± Shen Dashan gave a solution without looking up. He didn¡¯t see the difort on Ji Zhao¡¯s face at all. Ji Zhao subconsciously wanted to say that her and Shen Yao had already divorced, but the words changed when they reached her mouth. ¡°Father, now that Eldest Sister-inw is pregnant, she will definitelye back to stay in the future. Chenchen can only stay for the time being. During the New Year and on holidays, won¡¯t Eldest Brother and Eldest Sister-inw have toe back to stay for a while?¡± Only then did Shen Dashan feel that Ji Zhao¡¯s suggestion made sense. He silently stopped what he was doing and pondered. ¡°Ah Tao, don¡¯t worry about this. I¡¯ll ask the vige chiefter!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Ji Zhao instantly beamed with joy. She must earn more money and build a courtyard as soon as possible! Today was quite free, and the work in the fields was almost done. Hence, Zhao Lanhua brought Second Sister-inw Shen, who was pregnant, to the old locust tree at the entrance of the vige to take a rest. At the same time, she gossiped with the vigers. Zhao Lanhua even specially brought some pastries for everyone to try. ¡°Thank you, Aunt Lanhua,¡± a young wife with a charming smile teased. ¡°Usually, as long as Second Sister-inw Shen is around, we don¡¯t dare to look at the pastries you brought. Why has Second Sister-inw Shen be so generous today?¡± ¡°When have I ever been stingy?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen pouted angrily. ¡°Shufang, a few days ago, you were eating my salt and pepper pumpkin seeds! Don¡¯t tell me you forgot so quickly?¡± ¡°No!¡± The little wife named Shufang asked with a smile, ¡°Second Sister-inw Shen, before I went out today, I got a handful of five fragrant broad beans. Do you want to try them?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen subconsciously wanted to nod, but in the end, she shook her head. ¡°Ah Tao told me to eat less snacks.¡± As soon as she said this, the few young wives near her were stunned. ¡°Second Sister-inw Shen, why would you listen to Ji Ah Tao? Don¡¯t you know what kind of person she is? When she first married into the Shen family, didn¡¯t she cause a ruckus? She even shamelessly wanted to run away with her adulterer?¡± ¡°Aiya, this is all a misunderstanding!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen hurriedly said, ¡°You don¡¯t know how good my Ah Tao is! Ah Tao is not only beautiful and kind, but her culinary skills are also top-notch! By the way, look at the pair of silver earrings on my ears. Do they look good?¡± ¡°Let me tell you, this is a gift from my Ah Tao!¡± Chapter 106 - 106 Adoptive Grandmother Comes Again! 106 Adoptive Grandmother Comes Again! Second Sister-inw Shen proudly shook the butterfly earring hanging from her earlobe and smiled happily. ¡°Anyway, our Ah Tao is not only beautiful and kind, but she also knows how to cook a lot of delicious food! Sister Shufang, don¡¯t badmouth our Ah Tao so easily in the future. Otherwise, I¡¯ll be unhappy. Remember that, alright?¡± ¡°But Ji Ah Tao did so many shameless things earlier¡­¡± Shufang frowned unhappily and muttered softly. ¡°Zhao Shufang!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen suddenly scolded. The smile on her face disappeared, and her eyes became extremely sharp at this moment. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to nder our Ah Tao behind her back again! What happened before was all made up by others. Our Ah Tao has never done anything shady. Her actions are upright and she can stand up straight! Unlike some gossipy little wives who always badmouths others behind their backs. It¡¯s really disgusting!¡± After saying this, Second Sister-inw Shen red at Shufang angrily. Shufang was so embarrassed by Second Sister-inw Shen that she ran away with red eyes¡ª The others present looked at each other. Until an old woman in a grayish-brown dress walked into everyone¡¯s line of sight. ¡°Second Sister-inw Shen, look, has that olddy been staring at your mother-inw?¡± The olddy had a meticulous hairstyle. The crow¡¯s feet at the corners of her eyes were not only weathered but also a little angry. Her eyes were fixed on Zhao Lanhua, making her look very strange. ¡°Mother?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen hurriedly walked to Zhao Lanhua¡¯s side and subconsciously hugged her arm. She whispered, ¡°Mother, look to the left. There¡¯s a strange olddy staring at you!¡± Following the direction of Second Sister-inw Shen¡¯s finger, Zhao Lanhua raised her eyebrows slightly. That olddy was none other than Ah Tao¡¯s adoptive grandmother, Madam Xie. Out of basic courtesy, Zhao Lanhua finally smiled and weed Madam Xie to the Shen residence. At that moment, Ji Zhao was cutting chicken into pieces in the kitchen. She was preparing to make braised chicken this afternoon. Just as she was wondering if she should make the braised chicken into a sweet and sour vor, she suddenly heard the news of Madam Xie¡¯s visit. Not only was she surprised, but she was also very stunned. Ever since Old Master Ji¡¯s funeral ended, she and Madam Xie had consciously stopped contacting each other. In the central room of the Shen residence. Zhao Lanhua poured a cup of mung bean soup and handed it to the silent Madam Xie. ¡°You came all the way here. Are you thirsty?¡± Madam Xie immediately picked up the bowl of mung bean soup and drank it in one gulp. ¡°It¡¯s alright, but there¡¯s too little sugar in it, right? It¡¯s not sweet enough!¡± Zhao Lanhua chuckled and ignored her. After all, there are some people that would climb on your heads if you treated them nicely! Coincidentally, Madam Xie was such a person! From the bottom of her heart, Zhao Lanhua looked down on Madam Xie, a woman who remarried before her husband¡¯s bones had even gone cold. What was even more ridiculous was that she was willing to abandon her biological grandson for her own benefit! ¡°Our Ah Tao earned a lot of money for your Shen family, right?¡± A ttering smile suddenly appeared on Madam Xie¡¯s face. ¡°Now that I think about it, I really regret it. The Shen family spent two taels of silver to marry Ah Tao. Your Shen family has really gained a lot!¡± Before Madam Xie came to Shanghe Vige, she had already asked around! She knew that Ah Tao not only had a close rtionship with the Hongxing Restaurant in the county, but she also earned a lot of money! No matter what, she had raised Ah Tao for so many years. Even if she did not contribute, she had worked hard! Logically speaking, Ji Ah Tao had to be filial to her! Chapter 107 - 107 Take Care, I Won’t See You Off 107 Take Care, I Won¡¯t See You Off ¡°In your eyes, Ah Tao¡¯s marriage can be used as a bargaining chip.¡± Zhao Lanhua sat upright opposite her, her cold voice filled with dissatisfaction. ¡°Look at what you¡¯re saying, inw. No matter what, Ah Tao has been in our Ji family for fifteen years! Although I¡¯m not Ah Tao¡¯s biological grandmother, I naturally care about her. I raised her when she was young, she needs to care for me when I¡¯m old. This is reasonable!¡± Madam Xie chuckled and revealed her motive. ¡°By the way, where¡¯s Ah Tao?¡± Zhao Lanhua quietly stared at the smiling Madam Xie. At this moment, she understood what shamelessness meant. The moment Ji Zhao walked into the central room, Madam Xie¡¯s expression suddenly changed. She rushed in front of Ji Zhao aggrievedly and cried loudly, ¡°Ah Tao, it¡¯s Grandmother who has let you down! Boohoo¡­¡± Madam Xie originally wanted to hug Ji Zhao¡¯s arm and put on a show of a grandmother and granddaughter hugging each other and crying! In the end, Ji Zhao quietly avoided her approach and exposed her expressionlessly. ¡°You don¡¯t visit unless you have something to ask. Why don¡¯t you just say what your motive is?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Madam Xie did not expect Ji Zhao to be so direct. She had originally prepared a basket of lines, but they were useless. ¡°Ah Tao, Grandmother knows that you must still hate me in your heart, but I had no choice! Now that your Uncle Pan is sick, and that brat Ji Huai is causing trouble outside, he owes a lot of gambling debts! Those debt collectors even chased him to my house¡­ Do you still remember your cousin, Ji Huai? When you were young, didn¡¯t he always bring chicken drumsticks for you to eat? Ah Tao, you can¡¯t be ungrateful!¡± ¡°How much?¡± Ji Zhao frowned and interrupted her unhappily. ¡°What?¡± ¡°How much does Ji Huai owe in gambling debts?¡± Ji Zhao narrowed her eyes vigntly and asked in a low voice. ¡°Five¡­ five hundred taels¡­¡± Madam Xie silently gestured with her hand and swallowed nervously. ¡°Ah Tao, do you really have a way?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ji Zhao shook her head calmly. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do. You should find someone else.¡± ¡°Ah Tao, I heard that you¡¯re doing quite well in the county city. Didn¡¯t you work with that restaurant?¡± Madam Xie hurriedly leaned forward and asked anxiously, ¡°I know 500 taels of silver is a little too much, but think about it carefully! Your cousin Ji Huai treated you so well in the past!¡± Ji Zhao scoffed. Before she turned around and left the central room, she did not forget to give Zhao Lanhua a look. ¡°Ah Tao, where are you going? I haven¡¯t finished talking!¡± ¡°Hey¡­ Ah Tao, wait for me!¡± Madam Xie thought that Ji Zhao had left because she wanted to return to her room to get her money! In the end, she waited for more than an hour, but Ji Zhao did not return. ¡°The person who Ah Tao is indebted to is the deceased Old Master Ji, not you,¡± Zhao Lanhua said coldly. ¡°Besides, married daughter are like water that has been sshed out. Our Shen family will not wee you in the future!¡± ¡°Are you chasing me away?¡± Madam Xie was furious. She mmed the table and growled, ¡°How good of a girl is Ah Tao? When your Ji family came to propose, I was originally unwilling. It was you who said that you would take good care of Ah Tao and help our family! Why have you changed your words now?¡± ¡°Take care, I won¡¯t see you off.¡± Zhao Lanhua smiled elegantly and left. Madam Xie did not expect that she would not even be able to get a bowl of rice. She puffed up her cheeks angrily and stomped her feet angrily. At this moment, a rich fragrance floated over from the Shen family¡¯s kitchen, making one drool. Madam Xie swallowed her saliva and walked into the kitchen. Chapter 108 - 108 Of Course There’s Enough! 108 Of Course There¡¯s Enough! As noon approached, Ji Zhao had already prepared arge te of braised chicken. The chicken pieces enveloped in sauce and the emerald green chili pieces emitted a fragrant and spicy smell. They were fresh and delicious, making one drool. ¡°It smells so good. Ah Tao, what delicious food did you make?¡± Madam Xie entered the kitchen as if no one was around and asked happily, ¡°Ah Tao, why have your culinary skills suddenly be so good?¡± Madam Xie reached out and grabbed a big drumstick. It was so hot that she stomped her feet, but she was unwilling to put down the drumstick in her hand! ¡°My mother-inw taught me well.¡± Ji Zhao questioned with a straight face. ¡°Is there anything else?¡± ¡°This drumstick tastes so good!¡± Madam Xie took a bite of the drumstick and smiled happily. ¡°Ah Tao, do you still remember? When you were young, your cousin, Ji Huai, specially hid a drumstick for you to eat! You didn¡¯t forget, right?¡± An image suddenly appeared in Ji Zhao¡¯s mind. The three-year-old Ji Ah Tao was staring at a big drumstick with a dirty face and drooling! The owner of the drumstick was an eight-year-old fatty with a fierce face. ¡°You want to eat it?¡± The little fatty suddenly narrowed his eyes and his smile was very greasy. He actually raised one of his legs and ced it on a bamboo stool at the side. He said proudly, ¡°If you crawl under my leg like a dog, I¡¯ll give you this drumstick. How about that?¡± At that time, the original host really wanted to eat that drumstick, so she did as she was told. However, just as she was about to crawl over, the little fatty stepped on her back forcefully. It was so painful that she gasped! Unable to withstand the pain, Ji Ah Tao cried loudly, attracting the attention of the adults who were drinking and chatting in the room! When the adults rushed over, the little fatty suddenly cried loudly! Madam Xie, who felt sorry for her grandson, pped the original host twice in anger! In the end, the little fatty threw the drumstick in front of her! ¡°I don¡¯t remember,¡± Ji Zhao said expressionlessly. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. You should go back early!¡± ¡°Ah Tao,¡± Madam Xie narrowed her eyes in displeasure and mocked, ¡°You can¡¯t be so heartless! How well did your cousin Ji Huai treat you in the past? Have you forgotten? Now that something has happened to him, you should help! Besides, if I hadn¡¯t made the decision to marry you into the Shen family, would you have been able to live so well?¡± ¡°You mean I should thank you?¡± Ji Zhao was amused. ¡°Anyway, I can¡¯t do anything about Ji Huai, but if you want silver¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Tell me, how much silver can you get for Grandma?¡± When Madam Xie heard the word silver, her eyes lit up! ¡°If you want silver, of course there¡¯s enough!¡± Ji Zhao could not help but raise her eyebrows and smile. ¡°Aiyo, good Ah Tao! You¡¯re really too good! I don¡¯t want much. Can you give me 50 taels first?¡± Madam Xie smiled happily. ¡°You don¡¯t know, your Grandpa Pan¡¯s house is really too dpidated. The roof has to be repaired. Otherwise, it¡¯s really impossible to live in¡­¡± ¡°Grandma, I¡¯ll secretly get you some silverter, okay?¡± Ji Zhao deliberately lowered her voice and said, ¡°It won¡¯t be good if my mother-inw sees itter. Why don¡¯t you wait for me outside the courtyard first?¡± ¡°Alright, alright!¡± Madam Xie nodded vigorously! As long as she could get the money, she would do anything! Ji Zhao coaxed Madam Xie out of the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. Then, she hurriedly went to the central room and whispered into Zhao Lanhua¡¯s ear. ¡°Ah Tao, are you really going to do this?¡± Chapter 109 - 109 Who Doesn’t Know How to Use Defamation? 109 Who Doesn¡¯t Know How to Use Defamation? ¡°Mother, I know my adoptive grandmother too well. If I don¡¯t subdue her this time, she will oftene and harass us in the future!¡± Ji Zhao said softly. ¡°Instead of pretending to be polite, it¡¯s better to deal with her thoroughly!¡± ¡°But if we really follow the method you just mentioned, I¡¯m afraid it will affect your reputation!¡± Zhao Lanhua shook her head in disagreement. ¡°Mother, if my foster grandmother was really a reasonable person, would she stille to the Shen residence?¡± Ji Zhao said with a bitter smile. Zhao Lanhua could not resist Ji Zhao¡¯s plea and could only nod in agreement. At that moment, Madam Xie, who was standing outside the Shen family¡¯s courtyard, paced around excitedly! ¡°Ah Tao?¡± When Ji Zhao¡¯s figure came into view, Madam Xie couldn¡¯t help but smile. The wrinkles on her face had exploded, making her look like a chrysanthemum! ¡°You¡¯re all ready?¡± Madam Xie rubbed the three fingers on her right hand and asked excitedly. ¡°Grandmother, I don¡¯t think fifty taels is enough for you.¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly and took out a stack of banknotes from her pocket. ¡°I¡¯ve counted. It¡¯s at least five thousand taels. Do you want to count it too?¡± Madam Xie grabbed the stack of banknotes and her face darkened! ¡°Wretched girl, you actually gave me incense papers?¡± Madam Xie was so angry that her entire body was trembling. She threw the stack of incense papers angrily at Ji Zhao¡¯s face. ¡°You dare to y tricks on me, right? I¡¯ll beat you to death, you heartless b*tch!¡± Madam Xie¡¯s voice was too loud. Soon, it attracted the attention of many vigers! Seeing that more and more vigers were gathering, Ji Zhao pinched her thigh hard. Then, she hugged her head and squatted on the ground. She cried until she was out of breath. ¡°Boohoo¡­ Grandma¡­ I was wrong. Please stop hitting me! Boohoo!¡± ¡°Grandma! I just want you to burn some incense papers for Grandpa!¡± ¡°Grandmother! Even if you don¡¯t care about your past marriage with Grandfather and married Grandpa Pan who has bad breath, you can¡¯t stop me from being filial to Grandfather. Boohoo¡­¡± ¡°You wretched girl, what nonsense are you talking about?!¡± Madam Xie never expected that before she could do anything, Ji Zhao would actually take the initiative to me her? She was so angry that her entire body was trembling! ¡°You b*tch, if you dare to gossip again, believe it or not, I¡¯ll cut off your tongue!¡± Madam Xie had already lost her mind from anger! Whoosh¡ª Zhao Lanhua took arge basin of washing water and sshed it at Madam Xie! ¡°Ahhh!¡± A series of wails and howls sounded like pigs being ughtered! ¡°I¡¯ve heard of you beating and scolding Ah Tao in the past. There are many old and new scars on this girl¡¯s back!¡± Zhao Lanhua said coldly. ¡°In the past, no matter how vicious you were to Ah Tao, our Shen family couldn¡¯t interfere! But now, it¡¯s different. Ah Tao has entered our Shen family¡¯s door and is a member of our Shen family. An old woman like you actually dares toe and take advantage of us. Do you really think our Shen family is a pushover?¡± ¡°Grandmother¡­ Back then, you instigated me to steal the Shen family¡¯s money, and I did as you said¡­ Later on, Grandfather died and you remarried. I originally wanted to keep this secret forever in my stomach, but you¡­ you¡¯re really too much!¡± Ji Zhao, who was squatting on the ground with her hands behind her head, kept sobbing and choking! ¡°You b*tch, stop framing me!¡± ¡°Zhao Xian and I have always been innocent. It was you who thought that he was good at studying and would definitely be famous in the future, so you made him think that I would be his in the future! Also, you were the one who caused me to steal the Shen family¡¯s money on the second day of our marriage!¡± Chapter 110 - 110 Apology Gift 110 Apology Gift Ji Zhao cried uncontrobly, as if she wanted to vent all the grievances she had suffered in the past days after transmigrating! Everyone had empathy, and the scales in their hearts would lean towards the side that they felt was weaker. In the current situation, it was obvious who was the weak one. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to this wretched girl¡¯s nonsense!¡± Madam Xie trembled with anger. ¡°This wretched girl, she¡¯s talking nonsense! I¡­¡± ¡°What else is there to say?¡± Among the onlookers, someone who liked to stand up for injustice sneered and said, ¡°Who in the surrounding viges doesn¡¯t know your bad reputation? Your husband just died, and you ran into another man¡¯s arms in a hurry. Tsk tsk!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that so? This old woman keeps cursing Third Brother Shen¡¯s wife!¡± ¡°Shameless!¡± ¡°This Ji Ah Tao is too pitiful. She actually had to live under such a vicious adoptive grandmother!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what she said just now? What Ji Ah Tao did earlier was instigated by her good grandmother!¡± ¡°Poor girl!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this girl¡¯s fate too bumpy?¡± The discussions of the surrounding people became louder and louder. Most people were cursing Madam Xie for being shameless and sympathizing with the pitiful Ji Zhao. In the end, the vigers of Shanghe Vige spontaneously chased out Madam Xie, who was arrogant and wanted to attack Ji Zhao! ¡°Thank you very much, my fellow vigers.¡± Zhao Lanhua quickly took out a fewrge bags of cloud cakes and peanut crisps from her house and distributed them to the vigers who were speaking up for Ji Zhao! ¡°Aunt Lanhua, you¡¯re too polite!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that so? As the saying goes, distant rtives are not as good as close neighbors. As long as the people of Shanghe Vige can work together, others will definitely not be able to bully us!¡± ¡°Ah Tao, I misunderstood you previously. I even badmouthed you behind your back. I¡¯m really sorry.¡± Zhao Shufang, who had always been on good terms with Second Sister-inw Shen, mustered her courage and walked up to Ji Zhao. She lowered her head guiltily and said, ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect you to be so pitiful¡­¡± Ji Zhao, who was suddenly sympathized with, was confused! When she received the apology gifts from the young wives in the vige, she was even more stunned. ¡°Flower cloth, eggs, a bag of red sugar, and two silk flowers?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen helped Ji Zhao pack up the apology gifts and said with a smile, ¡°Ah Tao, have you eaten brown sugar steamed egg before? It¡¯s especially sweet!¡± ¡°Oh, you¡­¡± Zhao Lanhua knocked Second Sister-inw Shen¡¯s head. ¡°What else can you think of other than what eating?¡± ¡°I think of my husband!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen blurted out subconsciously. ¡°Shameless!¡± Zhao Lanhua smiled helplessly. However, the better the rtionship between her son and his wife, the happier she was! ¡°Mother, Second Sister-inw, why did everyone give me so many apology gifts?¡± Ji Zhao scratched her head, her eyes filled with confusion. ¡°I don¡¯t remember them offending me.¡± ¡°Then just take it that they offended you in the past.¡± Second Sister-inw Shen asked happily, ¡°By the way, Ah Tao, I heard that you¡¯re nning to let Third Brother move back into the room? Are you going to consummate your marriage soon?¡± Cough, cough, cough! The frightened Ji Zhao almost choked to death on her own saliva! ¡°Ah Tao, why are you so excited when you hear about consummating the marriage?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen deliberately nudged her elbow with her arm. She winked and teased, ¡°Are you envious when you see that Eldest Sister-inw and I are pregnant? Do you want a child too?¡± ¡°N-no¡­¡± Chapter 111 - 111 Shen Yao Is Very Good 111 Shen Yao Is Very Good ¡°Second Sister-inw, I didn¡¯t¡­¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s face turned red. She and Shen Yao were innocent previously and had not consummated their marriage at all. How could they have a child? ¡°Ah Tao, don¡¯t be shy in front of Mother and Second Sister-inw,¡± Second Sister-inw Shen said happily. ¡°But Ah Tao, you and Third Brother don¡¯t stay in the same room every day. You can¡¯t have children, right?¡± Ji Zhao was tired. She felt that if she continued to exin, it would only make things worse, right? ¡°Ah Tao, what do you think of Third Brother?¡± Zhao Lanhua could not suppress the emotions in her heart. She hurriedly looked into Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes and asked softly, ¡°Mother is really not bragging. Third Brother is my son. I know him. Third Brother is cold on the outside but warm on the inside. If you spend more time with him, you will discover his good points!¡± ¡°Mother, Second Sister-inw.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and said softly, ¡°Shen Yao is very good. I understand.¡± ¡°Alright, alright!¡± Hearing this, Zhao Lanhua instantly beamed with joy. As long as Ah Tao and Third Brother were interested in each other, she would bepletely relieved. The evening wind blew the willows, and colorful clouds filled the sky. After waking up from her afternoon nap, Ji Zhao¡¯s gaze inadvertentlynded on the pot of gardenias ced under the window. The bud quietly bloomed, and the elegant fragrance of flowers filled the entire room. Ji Zhao did not even realize that the corners of her lips had curled up slightly. Night fell silently, and the dark night sky was filled with bright stars. Shen Dashan, who was thest to put down his bowl and chopsticks, burped in satisfaction. ¡°Ever since Ah Tao took over all the chores in the kitchen, our family¡¯s appetite has increased.¡± Zhao Lanhua smiled and teased, ¡°Ah Tao, your braised chicken is too delicious!¡± ¡°I think Ah Tao¡¯s culinary skills are even better than the chefs in the prefectural city¡¯s restaurants!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen narrowed her eyes and praised from the bottom of her heart. Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but smile. She epted all the praises from the Shen family. After all, her culinary skills were indeed very good! ¡°Ah Tao, I went to the vige chief¡¯s house this afternoon. I¡¯ve found out about the homestead you asked about,¡± Shen Dashan said happily. ¡°Really?¡± Ji Zhao was extremely excited. ¡°Can we really buy a homestead?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say buy. To be honest, if Uncle Huzi hadn¡¯t reminded me, I would have forgotten about this,¡± Shen Dashan said with a smile. ¡°Isn¡¯t there arge piece of emptynd on the right side of our courtyard?¡± ¡°Aiya!¡± Zhao Lanhua also remembered and said excitedly, ¡°That¡¯s right. That empty space is also our family¡¯snd. How could we have forgotten?¡± Other than Shen Dashan and his wife, everyone else present was stunned. ¡°The empty space on the right of our courtyard was originally our home base!¡± Back then, in order to get married and start a family, Shen Dashan had spent all his savings to build such a courtyard. ¡°At that time, the money on hand was too tight.¡± Recalling back then, Shen Dashan¡¯s tone was a little sad. ¡°Your grandparents passed away early, so I could only rely on my own hands. God treated me well, and somehow I got to know your mother. Later, in order to marry your mother, I spent all my savings and borrowed from everyone I could to build this courtyard!¡± ¡°Your mother blessed me. In less than five years, she raised three fat boys for me!¡± Shen Dashan said proudly, ¡°In the entire Shanghe Vige, I, Shen Dashan, have the most sons!¡± Chapter 112 - 112 Why Is Your Face Suddenly So Red? 112 Why Is Your Face Suddenly So Red? ¡°Shameless old man!¡± Zhao Lanhua quickly elbowed the smug Shen Dashan andined, ¡°What are you talking about in front of the children?¡± ¡°Ahem.¡± Shen Dashan scratched his head and smiled innocently. ¡°I¡¯m just happy.¡± He had a good rtionship with his wife, and the boys at home were smart! ¡°Speaking of which, at that time, there was no elder to take care of the family. Your mother suffered a lot with me¡­¡± Shen Dashan sighed with some disappointment. He gently held Zhao Lanhua¡¯s hand and said softly, ¡°At that time, it was all thanks to your maternal ancestor¡¯s kindness. Otherwise, your mother and I wouldn¡¯t have been able to build such a big courtyard.¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for your maternal grandfather¡¯s help, we wouldn¡¯t have been able to buy such a huge homestead on the right.¡± Shen Dashan was deep in thought. Finally, he looked at Ji Zhao and said, ¡°Ah Tao, your mother and I have already discussed it. We n to expand our family¡¯s courtyard. When the timees, we will prepare a room for Ji Chen alone!¡± ¡°How can I do that?¡± Ji Zhao waved her hands and quickly refused! ¡°Why not?¡± Zhao Lanhua smiled kindly and said, ¡°Ah Tao, since you¡¯ve already entered the Shen family, you¡¯re also a member of the Shen family. As for Chenchen, this child is smart and obedient. We like him too!¡± ¡°Besides, you¡¯ve saved a lot of money from me over the past two months. I can¡¯t just take the money and not work, right? So, this matter is settled!¡± Shen Dashan and Zhao Lanhua had already decided to expand the courtyard. Ji Zhao was very touched. ¡°By then, Eldest Brother and Second Brother¡¯s children will be born. Why don¡¯t we build our grandsons¡¯ houses as soon as possible?¡± Zhao Lanhua suggested with a smile. ¡°Coincidentally, the empty space over there is veryrge. Our courtyard will definitely be grand!¡± ¡°Tomorrow, Brother Dazhuang and I will discuss it with the craftsmen.¡± Shen Dashan nodded repeatedly. ¡°Let¡¯s see how much silver we need first. If the price is suitable, we¡¯ll find a master to choose a day to build the courtyard.¡± Ji Zhao sat obediently at the side and quietly listened to the thoughts of the two elders about the future. She secretly made up her mind to think of a way to earn more money! The next morning, Ji Zhao, who was still sleeping, was woken up by a strange sound. Baa¡ª Ji Zhao curiously pushed open the door and saw two cute littlembs! Ji Chen was holding a bunch of mulberry leaves in his hand, and Shen Yao was encouraging him to approach the twombs. ¡°Where did the littlembse from?¡± Ji Zhao walked in front of the two of them and smiled. ¡°Second Shopkeeper You got someone to send it over.¡± Shen Yao turned to look into her eyes and exined gently, ¡°Other than these two livembs, there¡¯s also a ughteredmb and the corresponding tools. They¡¯re all in the kitchen.¡± Only then did Ji Zhao remember that she had promised Second Shopkeeper You that she would try to make roasted wholemb. However, she did not expect Second Shopkeeper You to be so fast. ¡°By the way, Second Shopkeeper You said that he woulde and have a taste of this roasted wholemb at noon today.¡± Shen Yao suddenly approached and chuckled. Ji Zhao took a step back in panic at his sudden intimacy. ¡°I¡­ I understand¡­¡± Shen Yao smiled silently, his deep eyes filled with gentleness. ¡°Sister, why is your face suddenly so red?¡± Ji Chen suddenly asked. Chapter 113 - 113 Why Didn’t You Ask Me? 113 Why Didn¡¯t You Ask Me? ¡°Is¡­ is it?¡± Ji Zhao subconsciously covered her cheeks and was so nervous that she was incoherent. Shen Yao raised his eyebrows and looked at her. The smile in his eyes deepened. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the kitchen first.¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly turned around and went to the kitchen. In the kitchen, Zhao Lanhua pinched her nose and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t the mutton smell too strong? Can the mutton made be delicious?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll know if it¡¯s delicious after you try it!¡± Ji Zhao, who happened to walk into the kitchen, said with a smile, ¡°Although the mutton smells a little pungent, as long as it¡¯s handled well, the pungent smell can be ignored.¡± ¡°Ah Tao, do you really know how to make roasted wholemb?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen immediately looked at Ji Zhao with admiration. ¡°I heard from my father that roasted wholemb is especially delicious. Unfortunately, I haven¡¯t tried it in my life!¡± ¡°Second Sister-inw, you can have a feast today!¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly. Her gaze inadvertentlynded on themb and some intestines spread out on the stove. Her heart skipped a beat. ¡°Mother, do you have any vermicelli or steamed buns at home?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Zhao Lanhua immediately turned around and took down the bamboo basket hanging on the roof. ¡°A while ago, I went to the county city to buy arge bundle of vermicelli!¡± ¡°Then our family will havemb intestine vermicelli soup this morning!¡± Ji Zhao immediately had an idea. ¡°Mother, please help me soak the vermicelli.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°What about me? What about me?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen asked urgently. ¡°Ah Tao, can I help?¡± ¡°Second Sister-inw, you can help start the fire. Don¡¯t let the fire burn too fiercely.¡± ¡°No problem!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen patted her chest confidently. ¡°The mutton vermicelli soup just needs to be fresh, so it¡¯s not difficult to make.¡± Ji Zhao exined with a smile as she cut the mutton liver, mutton belly, and mutton brain. ¡°There are several tricks to get rid of the mutton smell. Vinegar, radish, and mung beans can get rid of the mutton smell! However, I¡¯m most used to using orange peel.¡± Using orange peel could not only remove the smell of mutton, but also leave a trace of fragrance. He put all the intestines that had been cut into pot of clear water with orange peels and boiled them before taking them out. After the water in the pot boiled, he first put in all the vermicelli that had been soaked. Then, he poured all the intestines, then added salt, ginger, and peppercorns. When they were taken out of the pot and ced into the bowl, she added a spoonful of chili oil. Sizzle! Sizzle! A bowl of fragrantmb intestine vermicelli soup was ready. ¡°Fragrant!¡± The fragrance from the kitchen quickly spread throughout the entire courtyard! ¡°Third son, let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s go and see what delicious food your wife made again.¡± Shen Dashan, who was chopping firewood in the courtyard, was really craving it! Shen Yao smiled silently when he heard the words ¡®your wife¡¯. A momentter. Everyone sat around the square table in the central room. Everyone lowered their heads and quickly finished the bowl ofmb intestine vermicelli soup in front of them! Soon, therge pot ofmb intestine vermicelli soup was swept away. ¡°Father, Mother, Second Sister-inw, do you like the taste of thismb intestine vermicelli soup?¡± Ji Zhao asked softly with a faint smile. ¡°Is there a need to ask?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen shed the empty bowl in her hand. ¡°Look at how clean I¡¯ve eaten.¡± Ji Zhao looked at Second Sister-inw Shen and nodded with a smile. ¡°Second Sister-inw has always been supportive!¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask me?¡± Shen Yao suddenly asked Ji Zhao softly. ¡°Huh?¡± Looking into his deep and gentle eyes, Ji Zhao felt her heart beating wildly. Chapter 114 - 114 I’ll Give You Silver to Buy Wine 114 I¡¯ll Give You Silver to Buy Wine Ji Zhao looked away ufortably. ¡°I know you like it even without asking. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have eaten three bowls in a row, right?¡± Pfft¡ª Second Sister-inw Shen was amused. ¡°Ahem.¡± Shen Yao pretended to cough twice, then said to Ji Chen, ¡°Ji Chen, it¡¯s gettingte. We should go and practice calligraphy.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ji Chen nodded obediently and followed Shen Yao out of the central room. After breakfast, Shen Dashan went out to look for the vige chief to inquire about the craftsmen. Zhao Lanhua and Second Sister-inw Shen moved the sewing kit to the courtyard and began to make clothes. Ji Chen¡¯s childish voice came from the house in the west. Ji Zhao, who was standing in the courtyard, smiled silently. She liked this warm atmosphere. After arriving at the kitchen, Ji Zhao rolled up her sleeves and began to clean up the littlemb. In fact, roasting the entiremb was not difficult. It was just that before roasting the littlemb over the charcoal fire, the preparations had to be done well. In order to facilitate the vor, themb¡¯s abdominal cavity and the inner part of its hind legs had to be scored with a knife. Because the mutton had its own smell, the ingredients were very important. Not only must themb¡¯s stomach be filled with scallions, ginger slices, peppercorns, lvarious spices, and fennel powder, but all the crushed salt must also be rubbed into themb. Otherwise, the roastedmb would not taste delicious enough; By the time Ji Zhao had settled everything, two hours had already passed. Fortunately, the tools Second Manager You had sent over were veryplete. However, Ji Zhao seemed to have overestimated her strength. She used all her strength and wanted to insert the iron skewer into the littlemb¡¯s stomach, but she failed several times. Ji Zhao took a deep breath. When she exerted force again, her face was red, but she still did not seed¡ª ¡°Littlemb, oh littlemb, are you unwilling to be roasted and eaten by us?¡± Ji Zhao, who was a little discouraged, sighed weakly. Shen Yao, who happened to walk to the kitchen door, could not help butugh. ¡°Er¡­ what are youughing at?¡± ¡°This littlemb has long died. If you ask it a question, how can it answer you?¡± Shen Yao raised his eyebrows and smiled. ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t expect it to respond to me¡­ I¡¯m not stupid¡­¡± Ji Zhao said in a muffled voice. Shen Yao smiled and walked to her side. ¡°Do you need my help?¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you give it a try?¡± Ji Zhao immediately handed over therge iron skewer in her hand. ¡°Be careful.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°You have to be clever. You can¡¯t stab it straight through¡­ You¡­¡± Ji Zhao nagged. In just a few seconds, Shen Yao had already skewered themb. ¡°You¡­¡± Ji Zhao silently raised her thumbs. ¡°You¡¯re amazing!¡± Shen Yao smiled and did not say anything else. Actually, he had an even more powerful skill¡ª ¡°When eating roasted wholemb, you have to pair it with wine.¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and said, ¡°Second Shopkeeper You has helped us a lot. Since he¡¯sing to our house for lunch today, we should treat him more warmly.¡± As Ji Zhao spoke, she took out two taels of silver and handed it to Shen Yao. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Shen Yao raised his eyebrows in confusion. ¡°I¡¯m giving you silver to buy wine!¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile. ¡°No need.¡± Shen Yao grabbed her hand and ced the silver into her palm. Then, he stared into her eyes with a gentle smile. Chapter 115 - 115 Am I Good-looking? 115 Am I Good-looking? Ji Zhao was so nervous that she wanted to pull out her right hand, but Shen Yao tightened his grip. ¡°What¡­ what are you doing?¡± Ji Zhao mustered up the courage to look into his eyes and asked softly. ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± Shen Yao said softly. Then, he carefully raised her right hand and turned her wrist over, wiping away some of themb blood that was stuck to it. ¡°¡­Thank you?¡± Ji Zhao quickly retracted her hand. ¡°I suddenly remembered that I still need some green onions. I¡¯ll go find Mother¡­¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Shen Yao suddenly stopped her. ¡°Is there¡­ anything else?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, are you afraid of me?¡± Shen Yao walked in front of her again and asked gently. ¡°No¡­ no?¡± Ji Zhao quickly waved her hand. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of you. I, I, I¡­ Why would I be afraid of you? I¡¯m not afraid of you.¡± ¡°Ah Tao, do you like that wooden hairpin?¡± Shen Yao did not find any trace of the wooden hairpin on her bun, and his tone sounded a little disappointed. ¡°I like it¡­ That budding peach blossom is vivid and beautiful.¡± ¡°I also carved the word Zhao on it. Did you see it?¡± ¡°I saw it.¡± Ji Zhao nodded obediently. ¡°The wooden hairpin is very beautiful. I like it very much. Thank you.¡± ¡°What about me?¡± Shen Yao suddenly approached her and held her shoulders, forcing her to look into his eyes. ¡°Can you answer my question?¡± Ji Zhao gulped nervously and was stunned for a moment. Just as she did not know how to answer, she happened to hear Zhao Lanhua¡¯s voice¡ª ¡°Ah Tao, quicklye out and let Mother see if this waist fits. If it doesn¡¯t, Mother will change it for you!¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ming!¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly walked around Shen Yao and left the kitchen. Every time she was alone in the room with Shen Yao, she felt that her heart was beating abnormally! More importantly, when she looked into his eyes, she would lose focus. Her brain kept moring for words that could not be written¡ª ¡°Mother, are you making this dress for me?¡± Ji Zhao came to the courtyard and obediently stood in front of the wooden stake. Zhao Lanhua held a newly made sky-blue dress embroidered with a little yellow daisy on Ji Zhao¡¯s back. ¡°Of course. I¡¯m not bragging, but your mother and second sister-inw¡¯s embroidery skills are not bad. Look at the flower pattern on this dress. Do you like it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s very beautiful. It¡¯s fresh and elegant. I like it very much.¡± Ji Zhao sized up the long dress seriously and said from the bottom of her heart, ¡°It¡¯s really very beautiful!¡± ¡°It¡¯s good that you like it.¡± Zhao Lanhua smiled. ¡°Your Second Sister-inw and I have not worked hard these past days in vain.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mother. Thank you, Second Sister-inw!¡± Ji Zhao happily picked up the clothes and returned to the room with a smile to try them on. The original owner¡¯s figure was very graceful, exquisite, and had smooth curves. Although she had a full chest and plump butt, she had a slender waist. When Shen Yao inadvertently saw her walking out of the room in her new dress, his eyes were filled with amazement. Ji Zhao smirked smugly! Although the Host was a brainless fool, she had good looks and a good figure! Otherwise, Zhao Lanhua would not have been willing to take out two taels of silver to bring the original owner back to the Shen family¡¯s courtyard when the drought was so serious. ¡°Mother, Second Sister-inw, do I look good?¡± Ji Zhao walked to the courtyard and spun around in front of them with a faint smile. ¡°Yes!¡± Zhao Lanhua and Second Sister-inw Shen nodded in unison. Shen Yao suddenly walked closer to her and smiled. There was a beauty in the Southern Kingdom, her looks as vivid as peach blossoms. Chapter 116 - 116 Not 30 Taels, It’s 300 Taels 116 Not 30 Taels, It¡¯s 300 Taels Shen Yao looked at her with gentleness. Ji Zhao looked away ufortably, but a hint of joy arose in the depths of her heart. ¡°Mother, I don¡¯t usually notice how perky Ah Tao¡¯s butt is!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen suddenly eximed, ¡°Ah Tao will definitely give birth to a son in the future!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen¡¯s words were really shocking! Ji Zhao choked heavily and coughed continuously! Shen Yao hurriedly approached her and gently stroked her back to calm her down. ¡°Ah Tao, are you alright?¡± ¡°N-nothing.¡± Ji Zhao quickly waved her hand and said to Zhao Lanhua, ¡°Mother, the waist of this dress is very suitable. There¡¯s no need to change it. Thank you, Mother. Thank you, Second Sister-inw!¡± ¡°We¡¯re a family, what¡¯s there to be polite about?¡± Zhao Lanhua said with a smile. ¡°In a few days, Mother will make you two more coats. Wear them in autumn!¡± Ji Zhao nodded obediently, her smile filled with gratitude. When it was almost noon, Second Manager You arrived at the entrance of the Shen family¡¯s courtyard in a carriage. As soon as he got off the carriage, he smelled a rich fragrance in the air! The taste made him swallow his saliva and rush into the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. ¡°Second Manager You, please take a seat!¡± Shen Dashan wiped his hands nervously and weed him with a smile. ¡°Ah Tao said that roasted wholemb is only good if it¡¯s eaten in the courtyard, so I¡¯m afraid Second Shopkeeper will have to sit on this small stool.¡± A circle was created in the middle of the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. In the middle of the circle was a pile of fruit wood charcoal. There was a grill on it, and on the grill was a roastedmb. The grill rotated slightly. The roastedmb¡¯s entire body glowed red, and the fragrance it emitted made people drool. ¡°Second Brother You.¡± Ji Zhao brought out some tbread from the kitchen and weed him with a smile. ¡°Please take a seat!¡± Second Manager You was treated as a distinguished guest and waited obediently on the spot. Ji Zhao smiled and took out a dagger from her pocket. She neatly cut off a piece of mutton and quickly sliced it into thin slices. Her exquisite knife skills stunned everyone present. ¡°When we just start eating mutton, we have to eat it little by little. We can¡¯t eat too much at once, or else we¡¯ll feel that the mutton is too greasy.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and exined softly, ¡°Let¡¯s try eating roasted mutton like roasted duck?¡± She ced the sliced mutton on the palm-sized tbread, then added the cucumber slices and smeared the secret sauce on it. She gently rolled the tbread up and handed it to the bowl in front of Second Shopkeeper You. ¡°Try it.¡± When Second Manager You took the first bite, his eyes immediately widened! He went from chewing slowly to wolfing down the food! ¡°Fragrant!¡± Seeing the reaction of Second Manager You, Ji Zhao knew that her roasted wholemb had been sessfully made! She smiled and continued makingmb burritos. This time, she handed it to Shen Yao. ¡°You¡­ want to try it?¡± Shen Yao raised his eyebrows silently, the joy in his eyes obvious. ¡°It¡¯s delicious!¡± The person who was the happiest was naturally Second Shopkeeper You! ¡°It¡¯s Old Madam Ma¡¯s birthday in three days. I¡¯ll get someone to bring you to Hongxing Restaurant the day after tomorrow, okay?¡± Second Manager You smiled and said, ¡°Ah Tao, I¡¯ve already discussed with the head shopkeeper. As long as you can help make this roasted wholemb, we¡¯ll give this muchpensation.¡± Ji Zhao stared at the three fingers of Second Manager You and blinked curiously. ¡°Thirty taels? Isn¡¯t that too much?¡± ¡°Not 30 taels, 300 taels.¡± Chapter 117 - 117 Relying on a Big Tree to Enjoy the Coolness 117 Relying on a Big Tree to Enjoy the Coolness ¡°Three¡­ three hundred taels?¡± Ji Zhao was shocked! The other members of the Shen family were also stunned! ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s three hundred taels!¡± Second Manager You nodded firmly. ¡°At Old Madam Ma¡¯s birthday banquet, the value of this roasted wholemb is definitely more than three hundred taels! Moreover, just the signboard of Hongxing Restaurant alone is more than three hundred taels.¡± ¡°Second Brother You, I don¡¯t understand.¡± Ji Zhao shook his head silently. ¡°Actually, roasting a wholemb isn¡¯t difficult. Moreover, you¡¯re asking people to send the ingredients, grill, and charcoal over, so I won¡¯t ept these three hundred taels of silver.¡± Ji Zhao was a very principled person. Moreover, she would not ept a reward if she did not do anything. ¡°Just the twombs you sent over are already worth a lot. If I still ept this reward, then I¡¯ll be too¡­ too inhumane, right?¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Second Manager You had already expected Ji Zhao to reject him. ¡°Ah Tao, this three hundred taels isn¡¯t just a reward for roasting a wholemb. It¡¯s also a transaction. What the head shopkeeper means is that you have to teach the chef of the restaurant to make a few northwestern dishes. It¡¯s best to use mutton as the main ingredient.¡± ¡°Second Brother You, I¡¯m willing to teach the restaurant¡¯s chef to cook northwestern dishes, but I don¡¯t want the 300 taels of silver.¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and quickly had an idea. ¡°I heard that a small shop on the left of Hongxing Restaurant is also the restaurant¡¯s business?¡± ¡°Are you referring to the braised food window that the restaurant used to have?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Ji Zhao nodded hurriedly. ¡°I want to take over the small shop in the restaurant. I wonder if Second Shopkeeper You can agree?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, that shop isn¡¯t big. What do you want to do?¡± ¡°I want to sell fried food,¡± Ji Zhao exined with a calm smile. ¡°Fried food is a street snack. The shop area required doesn¡¯t need to be toorge. Moreover, fried food doesn¡¯t conflict with the main business of the restaurant. More importantly, I will have more time to stay in the restaurant and exchange my cooking experience with the chefs.¡± Ji Zhao originally wanted to rent a small shop in the county and sell stinky tofu first before thinking of a way to expand her business. However, she thought about it carefully just now. If she wanted topletely establish herself in the county city, then relying on the living signboard of the Hongxing Restaurant seemed to be able to achieve twice the result with half the effort! ¡°Ah Tao, if you have three hundred taels, you can totally buy a suitable shop in the county city, right?¡± Second Manager You was quite puzzled by her thoughts. ¡°If I really do that, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll lose Second Brother You as a friend, right?¡± Ji Zhao smiled and asked instead of answering. Hahaha¡ª This time, the smile on Second Shopkeeper You¡¯s face became even brighter! ¡°Besides, it¡¯s nice to have a big tree behind you, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, you¡¯re smarter than I thought!¡± Second Manager You praised from the bottom of his heart. ¡°I¡¯ll discuss the shop with the head manager.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll use this tea as wine. Thank you, Second Brother You.¡± Ji Zhao raised her cup and smiled. In addition to the delicious roasted wholemb, Ji Zhao also stewed mutton soup. In the end, Second Manager You really couldn¡¯t eat anymore. ¡°Every time I taste Ah Tao¡¯s food, I wish I had two more stomachs.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not advisable to overeat,¡± Ji Zhao advised with a smile. ¡°Shen Yao, why don¡¯t you take a walk with Second Manager You in the courtyard to digest the food?¡± Ji Zhao was worried that if Second Shopkeeper You took the carriage back now, he might vomit. Chapter 118 - 118 So She Was Thinking Too Much? 118 So She Was Thinking Too Much? ¡°Ah Tao, what should we do with the remaining roasted wholemb?¡± In the kitchen, Zhao Lanhua stared at the remaining half of the roasted whole sheep and said regretfully, ¡°We can¡¯t just waste it like this, right?¡± Although the roasted food was fragrant, the only w was that it was not easy to preserve. Even if it was preserved, the taste was not as delicious as when it was first cooked. ¡°The remaining mutton can probably be divided into five portions,¡± Ji Zhao said thoughtfully. ¡°Mother, why don¡¯t you discuss with Father and see if we should send some mutton to some close neighbors?¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go look for your father.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± After cleaning up the kitchen, Ji Zhao brought over a food box and prepared a te of roasted mutton and a bowl of mutton soup. Just as she was about to leave, Shen Yao sent Second Manager You out of the vige. ¡°Let me do it.¡± Shen Yao walked up to her with a smile and naturally took the food box in front of her. ¡°You¡­¡± Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°You know where I¡¯m going?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it the Earth Temple?¡± Shen Yao could not help but raise his eyebrows. ¡°In the past, as long as you made something delicious, you would keep two portions. One portion is for the Kitchen Lord, and the remaining portion will be sent to the Earth Temple.¡± ¡°You know¡­¡± For some reason, Ji Zhao felt shy. It turned out that Shen Yao had been secretly paying attention to her! It was the end of August, and the air was filled with the faint fragrance of osmanthus. ¡°In a few days, it will be the Mid-Autumn Festival.¡± When the two of them walked side by side on the field path, Shen Yao said softly, ¡°In the past, the county city would hold the Lantern Festival during the Mid-Autumn Festival.¡± ¡°Then it should be very lively, right?¡± Ji Zhao could not help but yearn for it. ¡°It¡¯s indeed very lively,¡± Shen Yao said gently. ¡°At that time, not only will there be all kinds ofnterns, but there will also be sideshows and performances by the troupe. I¡¯ll bring you to watch it during the Mid-Autumn Festival, okay?¡± Isn¡¯t this a date? Ji Zhao thought. She did not expect Shen Yao to be so romantic. ¡°O-Okay.¡± Hearing her agree, the smile in Shen Yao¡¯s eyes deepened. After the two of them arrived at the Earth Temple, Ji Zhao ced the delicacies in front of the statue of the Earth God. Then, she piously knelt in front of the statue and gently closed her eyes. Shen Yao, who was standing at the side, looked at her face seriously. Her long eyshes were like butterfly wings that flickered gently, looking extremely cute. Shen Yao¡¯s heart skipped a beat and he subconsciously wanted to approach¡ª Suddenly, she felt a warm breath on her cheek. Ji Zhao opened her eyes nervously¡ª ¡°You¡­¡± Ji Zhao did not expect Shen Yao to suddenly get so close to her. She swallowed nervously and blinked her eyes in confusion. Shen Yao smiled. His fingers gentlynded on her cheek like a feather. ¡°Alright, there¡¯s no more dust.¡± Shen Yao sensed her nervousness and smiled as he retracted his right hand. ¡°Dust?¡± Ji Zhao smiled nkly. ¡°Thank you~¡± So she was thinking too much? Just now, when Shen Yao suddenly got so close, she thought that he was up to no good. Feeling inexplicably awkward, Ji Zhao gently bit her lip. Looking at her shy expression, Shen Yao felt his heartbeat bing more and more chaotic. ¡°Earth God, I, Ji Zhao, thank you for your protection all this time!¡± Ji Zhao, who had abandoned all distracting thoughts, kowtowed to the Earth God sincerely. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have never forgotten my promise to you. When I save enough money, I will definitely help you rebuild the Earth Temple and reconstruct your golden body!¡± Chapter 119 - 119 Do You Believe I’ll Break Your Tooth? 119 Do You Believe I¡¯ll Break Your Tooth? An hourter, Shen Yao apanied Ji Zhao to carefully clean the entire temple. The two of them were quite tired. They sat on the ground and looked at each other. ¡°Thank you for today.¡± Ji Zhao smiled gratefully. If not for Shen Yao helping her clean up, she would definitely be even more tired than she was now. No wonder there was a saying, ¡°boys and girls together, the work bes lighter.¡± Now, she understood the meaning of this sentence. !! ¡°Is there a reward?¡± Shen Yao raised his eyebrows and asked with a smile. ¡°Ah?¡± Ji Zhao could not help but be surprised. After thinking about it carefully, she had indeed received many gifts during this period of time. From the earrings to the wooden hairpin, she could feel Shen Yao¡¯s intentions. Logically speaking, she should return a big gift. ¡°It¡¯s getting dark. Shall we go home? Hmm?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After leaving the Earth Temple, the two of them walked side by side on the field. The afterglow of the setting sun made their backs look slender¡ª More importantly, the two shadows had merged into one. Ji Zhao could not help but curl her lips. As she walked, she stared at the two shadows. In the end, she did not pay attention to her feet and was caught by a stone! She staggered and nearly fell to the ground! Fortunately, Shen Yao held her in time. ¡°¡­Thank you?¡± Ji Zhao, who had regained her senses, subconsciously wanted to pull her arm away, but Shen Yao¡¯s grip became stronger and stronger. ¡°Shen Yao, you¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s dark and you can¡¯t see the way clearly. It¡¯s safer for me to hold your hand.¡± Shen Yao smiled gently. His broad and warm palm wrapped tightly around her right hand. His palm was very warm, and there seemed to be small beads of sweat. At this moment, Ji Zhao did not struggle anymore. Instead, she chose to follow her heart and obediently let him hold her hand¡­ Even though Shen Yao had deliberately slowed down, he still reached their house in the end. ¡°We¡¯re home¡­¡± Ji Zhao whispered, ¡°Can you let go now?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Shen Yao smiled and nodded. However, the moment he let go, he actually felt a little disappointed. ¡°Ah Tao, I¡­¡± ¡°Ah Tao! I finally found you! Boohoo!¡± At this moment, a short and fat figure suddenly rushed in front of Ji Zhao and grabbed her arm forcefully. Tears and snot flew everywhere! Shocked, Ji Zhao subconsciously shook off that person¡ª Ji Huai, who was suddenly in pain, scolded angrily, ¡°Good for you, Ji Ah Tao. Are you looking down on us now? I see you¡¯re impressive. You hooked up with the second-inmand of Hongxing Restaurant and don¡¯t like poor rtives like us, right? Do you still have a conscience? You¡¯re a promiscuous woman who doesn¡¯t know shame¡­¡± BANG! Before that person could finish his dirty words, Shen Yao punched him! ¡°You damn cripple, how dare you hit me?¡± ¡°If you still dare to nder Ah Tao, do you believe that I¡¯ll break your teeth?¡± Shen Yao narrowed his eyes dangerously. The anger in his words made people shudder. ¡°You are¡­ Ji Huai?¡± Ji Zhao stared at the ugly face with the sharp mouth and monkey cheeks and asked in confusion. ¡°Yes, yes, yes! Ah Tao, I¡¯m your cousin, Ji Huai! You remember now, right? I knew you weren¡¯t that kind of heartless b*tch! Ah Tao, I miss you so much!¡± Ji Huai tried to open his arms and rush in front of Ji Zhao! Bang! Ji Zhao bent her knees and swung her leg, hitting the target! Ji Huai, who was kicked away, flew out in a parab¡ª ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to beat you up for a long time. How dare youe to me!¡± Chapter 120 - 120 Kick You to Death, You Bastard! 120 Kick You to Death, You Bastard! Ji Zhao, who had kicked him, felt extremely satisfied! When she thought of the suffering the Host had gone through when she was young, she wished she could kick Ji Huai a couple more times! This damn fatty had been crazy since he was young! Not only did he trick the Host into climbing under his legs, but he also stuffed mud into the Host¡¯s mouth! !! If not for the fact that he often bullied the Host when he was young, the Host would not have developed a defective personality! Sometimes a person¡¯s character and qualities are inextricably linked to her family. ¡°I¡¯ll kick you to death, you bastard!¡± Ji Zhao gritted her teeth and cursed fiercely. However, she felt a burning gaze on her face. ¡°Shen Yao, I¡­ you¡­ he¡­¡± ¡°Does your leg hurt?¡± Shen Yao looked into her eyes and asked gently. ¡°Ah?¡± Ji Zhao waspletely stunned. ¡°Don¡¯t use so much strength next time. If you hurt your leg, won¡¯t the gains outweigh the losses?¡± Shen Yao suddenly raised his hand to caress her cheek and smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s go home for dinner.¡± Even when Shen Yao brought her back to the Shen family¡¯s courtyard, Ji Zhao was still confused. Wasn¡¯t this rhythm a little off? She attacked Ji Huai without saying a word. Shouldn¡¯t Shen Yao be puzzled? Why¡­ why was he only concerned about whether her leg hurt? Ji Huai, who had been kicked far away, crawled to the gate of the Shen family¡¯s courtyard with difficulty. He used all his strength and kept knocking on the grayish-green door. ¡°Ji Ah Tao, you heartless b*tch! How could you treat me like this? Ji Ah Tao! Get out here!¡± Ji Huai pounded on the door while shouting loudly. Ji Zhao, who was washing vegetables in the courtyard, narrowed her eyes imperceptibly. She picked up the hoe leaning against the wall and rushed out! ¡°Shut up!¡± Ji Zhao picked up the hoe and pointed it at Ji Huai. She scolded coldly, ¡°Are you done fooling around? The Shen family doesn¡¯t wee you. If you don¡¯t get lost, believe it or not, I¡¯ll smash your dog head with the hoe!¡± ¡°Ah Tao¡­ You, you, you¡­ Can you talk nicely?¡± Ji Huai was so frightened that he covered his head with his hands and gulped nervously. He cursed in his heart. How many days has Ji Ah Tao been married into the Shen family? Why has she changed so much? ¡°What do you think I have to say to you?¡± Ji Zhao narrowed her eyes and sneered. ¡°Don¡¯t forget how you bullied me when you were young! You should be d I haven¡¯t gone seeking revenge on you. You actually dared toe knocking on my door. Why? Do you think your life is too long? Or do you want to pay your respects to the King of Hell as soon as possible?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, don¡¯t be so fierce!¡± Ji Huai shrunk his head and chuckled softly. ¡°No matter what, we¡¯re still a family. We can¡¯t write the word ¡®Ji¡¯ with one stroke. Our flesh and blood and bones are connected, we¡¯re family!¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± Ji Zhao could not be bothered to waste any more time with such a person. ¡°Ah Tao, don¡¯t you want to know who your biological parents are?¡± The moment Ji Zhao turned around, Ji Huai shouted anxiously, ¡°Do you still remember the jade locket I snatched from you when I was young?¡± Ji Zhao subconsciously raised her eyebrows when she heard ¡®jade locket¡¯. ¡°What jade locket?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the jade locket that you¡¯ve been wearing around your neck until you were six years old. Have you forgotten?¡± Ji Huai said excitedly. ¡°Ah Tao, your cousin is really in some trouble. As long as you can help me deal with this small problem, I¡¯ll return the jade locket to you, okay?¡± ¡°Ji Huai.¡± Ji Zhao turned to look at him. The sarcasm in her eyes was self-evident. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll believe your nonsense?¡± Chapter 121 - 121 Disapproval 121 Disapproval Ji Huai shouted anxiously, ¡°Ah Tao, don¡¯t you want to know your background? Grandmother said that not only did you have a jade locket on you, but you also had a lot of banknotes!¡± ¡°Banknotes?¡± Ji Zhao raised her eyebrows curiously. ¡°What banknotes?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± Ji Huai, who almost blurted it out, moved his eyes restlessly. ¡°Ah Tao, can you put down the hoe first?¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and ced the hoe beside her. ¡°If you have something to say, say it quickly.¡± ¡°Ah Tao, I¡¯m really in trouble. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have begged you. Can you be merciful and help me?¡± Ji Huai, who was lying on the ground, kept begging, ¡°It¡¯s not much. Lend me a hundred taels of silver!¡± ¡°A hundred taels?¡± Ji Zhao was amused. ¡°Ji Huai, do you think you have a big face?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, we¡¯re a family. It¡¯s one thing for you to hide it from the Shen family, but you¡¯re also hiding it from me?¡± Ji Huai smiled sinisterly as he winked at her. ¡°If you¡¯re useless, why would the second manager of Hongxing Restaurant look for you? And that poor schr Zhao Xian, if not for your Second Brother You¡¯s help, he definitely wouldn¡¯t have been imprisoned, right?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, I know that you look down on that cripple, Third Young Master Shen. If Grandmother hadn¡¯t been ruthless and sold you out, you wouldn¡¯t have married a cripple like Third Young Master Shen. It¡¯s just that Second Manager You already has a wife, so there¡¯s nothing you can do, right? Ah Tao, I understand your difficulties¡­¡± ¡°You think I have an improper rtionship with Second Manager You?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you?¡± Ji Huai asked subconsciously. ¡°Pfft!¡± Ji Zhao spat angrily, picked up the hoe again, and drove Ji Huai away. ¡°Only a dirty person like you would judge others by your own standards. I, Ji Ah Tao, am upright! If you dare to gossip again, believe it or not, I¡¯ll rip out your tongue and tie it into a knot to feed it to the dogs!¡± The frightened Ji Huai couldn¡¯t help but shiver! If he had not dodged quickly just now, that hoe would have really smashed his head open! After chasing away her scoundrel cousin, Ji Zhao carried the hoe back to the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. Shen Yao handed her the cut watermelon. ¡°Try it?¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Ji Zhao smiled gratefully and took a bite of the watermelon. After eating two watermelons in a row, Ji Zhao finally calmed down. Unexpectedly, Shen Yao leaned close, stopping just a step away from her. ¡°What¡­ what¡¯s wrong?¡± Shen Yao raised his hand to wipe the melon juice at the corner of her lips. ¡°What Ji Huai said just now, what¡­ what do you think?¡± At this moment, Ji Zhao felt an inexplicable frustration in her heart. ¡°They say that women shouldn¡¯t show their faces in public. Do you agree with this?¡± Shen Yao shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t agree.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Ji Zhao was a little surprised. ¡°When I was young, my mother once brought me to the county city to visit the temple fair and happened to listen to a y, ¡®Mu Guiying Takes Command,¡¯¡± Shen Yao exined with a smile. ¡°At that time, I understood the true meaning of the saying that women are not inferior to men.¡± Ji Zhao did not expect Shen Yao to be so open-minded. ¡°Shen Yao, I like to cook. I like it very much.¡± Ji Zhao could not help but smile. She said gently, ¡°When everyone finishes every dish I cook, I will feel a sense of aplishment.¡± Chapter 122 - 122 Goodnight, Sweet Dreams 122 Goodnight, Sweet Dreams ¡°I like to stay in the kitchen. I enjoy the process of cooking.¡± Ji Zhao, who was sitting on a rattan chair with her chin in her hands, looked at the distant starry sky and chuckled. ¡°I want to disy my culinary skills well and make countless delicious food. Then, I want to earn more money, build a courtyard, and buy a shop. I want to earn a lot of money.¡± ¡°My dream is simple and unpretentious.¡± Ji Zhao curled her lips and turned to look at the person beside her curiously. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m tacky?¡± ¡°No,¡± Shen Yao replied firmly. ¡°Food is the most important thing to the people. Besides, your culinary skills are indeed very good.¡± ¡°I remember my grandfather once said something when I was young. He said that as long as a person is willing to be down-to-earth and diligent and work hard, no matter how small his ideals are, they are worthy of respect.¡± Some wanted to be rich; some wanted to be knowledgeable; some wanted to be more beautiful; some liked to live a luxurious life. No matter what kind of person they would eventually be, as long as they were willing to fight for their ideals and fulfill their dreams in a legitimate way, they were worthy of respect. ¡°Grandfather¡¯s words make sense.¡± Shen Yao agreed with these words. ¡°When my grandfather was alive, he treated me very well and never mistreated me.¡± Ji Zhao looked at the starry sky in the distance, her eyes filled with nostalgia and longing. ¡°It¡¯s said that after a person dies, they will be a star in the sky.¡± Ji Zhao suddenly raised her hand and pointed at a bright star not far away. She said softly, ¡°Shen Yao, do you think that star is Grandfather?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Yao nodded slightly. ¡°He must be Grandfather. He will watch Ah Tao from the sky.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and dozed off. After a busy day, she was really tired. Unknowingly, her head was leaning on Shen Yao¡¯s shoulder¡ª ¡°Good night, sweet dreams.¡± Shen Yao carefully pulled his arm out before turning around and carrying her into the house. The next morning. Ji Zhao, who was still asleep, was woken up by amotion. She rubbed her sleepy eyes, lifted the nket, and walked out of the room. Bang! Bang! Bang! The courtyard door was smashed loudly! Zhao Lanhua, who had always been good-tempered, was also furious. ¡°What are you doing so early in the morning?¡± ¡°Ji Ah Tao, you shameless little b*tch, get out here right now!¡± Outside the Shen family¡¯s door stood a burly woman with a fierce face! ¡°Who are you?¡± Zhao Lanhua frowned in confusion after removing thetch. ¡°Get lost!¡± The fat woman pushed Zhao Lanhua hard, causing her to fall heavily! Second Sister-inw Shen, who happened to walk out, waspletely furious when she saw this scene! ¡°Where did this crazy womane from? How dare you push my mother!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen was furious. She rushed to the fat woman and grabbed her hair without a word! When Ji Zhao rushed over and saw this chaotic scene, she was dumbfounded! The fat woman was bullying Zhao Lanhua and Second Sister-inw Shen, one against two! ¡°Who are you?¡± Ji Zhao rushed forward and forcefully pulled the fatdy out. ¡°Do you know that trespassing is illegal?¡± ¡°Pfft! Ji Ah Tao, you slutty fox. You¡¯re finally willing toe out, aren¡¯t you?¡± The fat woman directly rushed towards Ji Zhao and wanted to p her face without saying anything! Chapter 123 - 123 What Nonsense Are You Pulling? 123 What Nonsense Are You Pulling? Ji Zhao was furious! She was filled with anger! Why did everyone think that she was a pushover and wanted toe over and pinch her? With a sweep of her leg, the fat woman immediately fell t on her back! Taking advantage of this opportunity, Ji Zhao grabbed her arms and twisted them! At this moment, the fat woman let out a pig-like howl, ¡°Ji Ah Tao, you slutty fox, how dare you treat me like this!¡± ¡°If a tiger doesn¡¯t show its might, do you think I¡¯m a sick cat?¡± The furious Ji Zhao hurriedly said, ¡°Mother, Second Sister-inw, quickly get the hemp rope! Let¡¯s tie this crazy woman up first before reporting to the officials!¡± Fifteen minutester, Ji Zhao tied the crazy woman up tightly. At that moment, at the entrance of Shanghe Vige. Madam Xie, who was standing under the tree, looked around anxiously. In the end, she stomped her feet and made up her mind to walk towards the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. The Shen family¡¯s courtyard door was open, but there was no one in the courtyard. Madam Xie leaned against the door frame nervously, her long and narrow fish eyes rolling around non-stop. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± A voice suddenly came from behind her. Madam Xie was shocked! She fell directly onto the threshold and knocked her front teeth against it¡­ ¡°Ah¡­ Ah Tao?¡± Madam Xie covered her mouth in pain as tears fell. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Why are you sneaking around outside my house so early in the morning?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, did¡­ did you see your cousin-inw today?¡± Madam Xie shrank her neck guiltily and asked softly. ¡°Cousin-inw?¡± It was only at this moment that Ji Zhao recalled who that crazy woman was! The fat woman¡¯s surname was Zheng, and she was the wife of her shameless cousin, Ji Huai. ¡°It¡¯s like this. Yesterday, your cousin said that he wanted to borrow money from you, but he didn¡¯t returnst night. Your cousin-inw thought that you¡­ thought that you had hooked up with your cousin, so she¡­ she¡­¡± ¡°I remember now. There was indeed an uninvited guest in our house this morning. She pushed my mother-inw and hit my second sister-inw as soon as she arrived, so my father-inw dragged her to the county office.¡± Ji Zhao smiled casually. ¡°Is there anything else?¡± ¡°The county office? Why are you going to the county office?¡± Madam Xie swallowed nervously and persuaded anxiously, ¡°Ah Tao, they¡¯re all rtives of the family. If this goes to the county office, won¡¯t you lose face? Quick, think of a way to get your father-inw to bring your cousin-inw back, okay?¡± ¡°Did youe with Madam Zheng?¡± Ji Zhao suddenly stared into her eyes and questioned with a sharp gaze. ¡°I, I, I¡­¡± ¡°Or are you the one who instigated Madam Zheng to cause trouble?¡± Ji Zhao narrowed her eyes dangerously and sneered. ¡°Looks like the lessonst time was not enough. Do you have to go to the county office to taste the punishment before you¡¯re willing to give up?¡± ¡°Ah Tao! I¡­ I really don¡¯t have a choice¡­¡± Madam Xie actually knelt in front of Ji Zhao and grabbed her skirt. She kept crying. ¡°Ah Tao, I know you have hatred in your heart, but I really don¡¯t have a choice! Back then, I only epted the two taels of silver from the Shen family because I wanted to treat your grandfather. I forgot that you and your cousin were already engaged!¡± ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°Boohoo¡­ Ah Tao, Grandmother has no choice¡­¡± Just as Ji Zhao was feeling puzzled, the vige chief of Shanghe Vige, Shen Menghu, led arge group of people to the entrance of the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. Chapter 124 - 124 I Was Picked Up by Grandfather 124 I Was Picked Up by Grandfather An hourter, the courtyard of the Shen family was filled with people. Ji Shi, the vige chief of Pomegranate Vige, frowned and said, ¡°It¡¯s true that Madam Xie did something wrong, but it¡¯s also a fact that Ji Ah Tao and Ji Huai were engaged since they were young.¡± ¡°I, Shen Dashan, don¡¯t understand what Vige Chief Ji means. Don¡¯t these viges know that Ah Tao is the daughter-inw our Shen family spent two taels of silver to marry my third son?¡± Shen Dashan¡¯s face was tense as he said in a deep voice, ¡°Besides, before Ah Tao came to our Shen family, wasn¡¯t Ji Huai already married?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. Ah Tao is now a member of our Shen family!¡± !! ¡°This¡­ Vige Chief Shen, what do you think about this matter?¡± Ji Shi looked at the silent Shanghe Vige¡¯s vige chief, Shen Menghu, and whispered, ¡°If this matter reaches the county office, I¡¯m afraid we won¡¯t be able to sort it out.¡± It was difficult for an official to resolve family matters! Ji Zhao, who had been standing below, finally understood. This sudden engagement was simply a trap set up by the Ji family! ¡°I think we have to go to the county office for this matter,¡± Ji Zhao suddenly said in a powerful voice. ¡°Coincidentally, I also have some questions and want to see the officials!¡± ¡°Ah Tao, this county office is not a ce you can go just because you want to. Anyone whoins about injustice will have to suffer 20 strokes of punishment first.¡± Panic quickly shed across the eyes of Ji Shi, the vige chief of Pomegranate Vige, before he advised earnestly. ¡°Then how do you think we should handle this matter, Uncle Vige Chief?¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s heart was filled with disdain. She was already certain that Ji Shi had been bribed by Ji Huai! Good lord, all of them treated her like a sick cat and wanted to step on her? In a while, she would let them have a taste of what it was like to kick an iron te! ¡°Actually, this matter isn¡¯t that difficult to resolve.¡± Ji Shi smiled innocently, revealing his yellowed front teeth. ¡°If you ask me, you can¡¯t write ¡®Ji¡¯ in one stroke. Ji Huai is also your cousin. Why don¡¯t we do this? I¡¯ll be the middleman. You guys will write an agreement cancelling your previous engagement. Of course, you have topensate the Ji family appropriately.¡± ¡°Vige Chief Ji, there¡¯s no need to beat around the bush. Just give me a number. How much does Ji Huai want?¡± Ji Shi silently raised three fingers. ¡°Three hundred taels.¡± When this number was announced, everyone present gasped. Three hundred taels? Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help butugh. Ji Huai¡¯s appetite was really big! ¡°Three hundred taels of silver? It¡¯s not impossible.¡± Ji Zhao, who had been silent for a long time, suddenlyughed. ¡°If you want me to willingly fork out these three hundred taels of silver, it¡¯s fine, but I have two requests.¡± ¡°Tell me!¡± When he heard that Ji Zhao was willing to pay three hundred taels of silver, Ji Shi¡¯s eyes lit up. He knew that Ji Ah Tao was definitely unwilling to go to the county office. ¡°Firstly, this 300 taels of silver can be considered an IOU. Ji Huai needs to provide proof. I remember that the Ji Family has two ancestral homes and 26 acres ofnd in Pomegranate Vige. These are probably only worth 300 taels of silver, right?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± The smile on Ji Shi¡¯s face instantly disappeared. ¡°Secondly, Madam Xie is suspected of human trafficking. This is a serious crime! I have to seek justice for myself, right?¡± ¡°You have no conscience! Do you still hate Grandmother in your heart?¡± Upon hearing that she was going to be sent to the county office, Madam Xie cried loudly, ¡°Stupid girl, you have no conscience! I¡¯m your biological grandmother!¡± ¡°I was picked up by my grandfather,¡± Ji Zhao said expressionlessly. Chapter 125 - 125 At Most, We’ll See The Truth in Court! 125 At Most, We¡¯ll See The Truth in Court! ¡°You¡­ Ah Tao! Aren¡¯t you too heartless?¡± Madam Xie wiped her tears and cried. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t raised you, would you have grown to be so beautiful? Also, you fell seriously ill when you were five years old. If I hadn¡¯t taken good care of you, you would have died long ago! Also, when you were eight years old, you almost fell into the river. If I hadn¡¯t arrived in time, would you have been fine?¡± ¡°I know you resent Grandmother in your heart, but Ah Tao, you can¡¯t do such an ungrateful thing! Even if¡­ even if I¡¯m not your biological grandmother, if we didn¡¯t raise you, would you have such a life today? You¡­ it¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t know how to be grateful, but you actually want to send me to the county jail?¡± Ji Zhao looked expressionlessly at Madam Xie, whose face was covered in tears. She only felt that it was ridiculous and ironic. ¡°When I was five years old, the reason why I fell sick was because you forced me to chop firewood in the courtyard in the middle of the night! Don¡¯t you know why I fell into the river when I was eight years old? You lost an argument with the neighboring grandma and had nowhere to vent your anger, so you kicked me into the river!¡± Ji Zhao sneered. ¡°Ever since I can remember, this ¡®grandmother¡¯ of mine has done countless things to hurt me. Do you really think I¡¯ve forgotten?¡± !! The Host hated Madam Xie to the core! If not for the fact that the Ji family¡¯s grandfather truly doted on the Host, the Host would have done something illegal long ago. Madam Xie pretended to be a kind grandmother outside, but in fact, she was like a poisonous scorpion. She would beat the Host all the time! Most of the injuries on the Host¡¯s body were caused by Madam Xie! Shen Yao, who was standing at the side and listening to everything, felt his heart ache unknowingly. He never knew that Ah Tao had suffered so much when she was young. ¡°Vige Chief Ji, let¡¯s get back to business,¡± Ji Zhao said expressionlessly with a straight face. ¡°As long as Ji Huai is willing to write an IOU and mortgage the Ji family¡¯s residence andnd to me, I will definitely fork out three hundred taels. Otherwise, there¡¯s no need to talk about it!¡± ¡°Ah Tao, you and Ji Huai were already engaged¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why you guys suddenly insist that Ji Huai and I arewerealready engaged. In short, I¡¯m already married to Shen Yao, so I¡¯m a member of the Shen family in Shanghe Vige! I, Ji Ah Tao, am upright. If Vige Chief Ji insists on arguing this matter, let¡¯s meet in court!¡± She had never been a coward. She would not be afraid when she encountered problems. At most, they would fight in court! Ji Shi did not expect Ji Zhao¡¯s attitude to take a 180-degree turn and immediately panicked. Cough cough¡ª Shen Menghu, the vige chief of Shanghe Vige, who had been silent all this while, pretended to cough twice. Then, he slowly said, ¡°Shen Yao¡¯s wife is right. The vigers of Shanghe Vige have always been united. No matter who Ji Ah Tao was engaged to in the past, now that she has married into Shanghe Vige and be our daughter-inw, others have no right to take her away.¡± ¡°But Ji Ah Tao¡­¡± ¡°Old Ji, a few days ago, the advisor in the county said that some imperial envoys wille to Dingyuan County and the surrounding viges to investigate the drought. If Pomegranate Vige is found to have sold children during the drought, do you think you can bear the consequences?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Ji Shi did not expect this. Chapter 126 - 126 Miss, Are You Too Confident? 126 Miss, Are You Too Confident? The group of people from Pomegranate Vige, led by Ji Shi, left in a hurry.
In the Shen residence. Ji Zhao found an excuse and left. ¡°I¡¯m afraid Ah Tao is very sad inside.¡± Zhao Lanhua sighed with heartache. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Ah Tao¡¯s life in the Ji family was not easy. It¡¯s just that Madam Xie knows how to act, so no one has realized Ah Tao¡¯s difficulties.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Second Sister-inw Shen nodded in agreement as she bit into the melon. ¡°Mother, then we have to treat Ah Tao better.¡± ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll make another beautiful dress for Ah Tao in the next few days.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯ll work!¡± On the other side, Ji Zhao went straight to the county city. After asking around, she finally found out about the gambling den Ji Huai liked to go to. Octagonal Guests. Ji Zhao stared at the que thoughtfully. Fifteen minutester, Ji Zhao, who had changed into a male outfit, sneaked into the gambling den.
Octagonal Guests was thergest gambling den in Dingyuan County, so the gambling den was very lively. Nowadays, the mostmon gambling methods were Pai Gow and dice. Ji Zhao thought for a moment and took out a tael of silver from her pocket, cing it on the canvas with small words written on it. One tael, two taels, ten taels, fifty taels, a hundred taels, five hundred taels¡­ Ji Zhao had bet six rounds in a row, and each time, he had bet on the small. As she was extremely lucky, the pile of silver in front of her increased. The banker didn¡¯t expect Ji Zhao¡¯s luck to be so good. However, no matter how he tampered with it, the dice seemed to be possessed. They alwaysnded on the small numbers. Seeing that more and more people were watching, Ji Zhao became more and more calm. In the end, she withdrew all the silver and ced it on the ¡®small¡¯ word. ¡°Ouch! My stomach suddenly feels ufortable¡­¡± The banker suddenly cried out in pain. Then, he threw down the dice and turned to run¡ª
Ji Zhao¡¯s lips curled up silently. She raised her hand and mmed the gambling table hard. ¡°Why? Octagonal Guests is such a big gambling den, but you can¡¯t afford to lose?¡± Once she said that, the noisy hall instantly fell silent. The atmosphere gradually became strange. Many thugs with unfriendly expressions gathered around. After receiving the news, the manager walked up to Ji Zhao with a smile. ¡°Sir, my boss wants to see you.¡± Ji Zhao, who had achieved her goal, smiled. She raised her hand and put all the silver pieces into her pocket. Then, she followed the manager to the second floor of the gambling house. The furnishings on the second floor of the gambling den were worlds apart from those on the first floor. After passing through a long bamboo corridor, thergest private room of the casino was at the end. Ji Zhao walked in openly, and the first thing she saw was a dark red figure. The man in red had sharp eyebrows and bright eyes. His hair was tied up with a jade crown and he was holding his sleeve while pouring tea. ¡°Miss, you don¡¯t look familiar. You don¡¯t look like a regr at the gambling den?¡± Qin Minghong slowly looked up, and a trace of surprise quickly shed across his eyes. He did not expect such a beauty to be hidden in such a small Dingyuan County. ¡°Today is my first time visiting.¡± Ji Zhao smiled honestly. ¡°Miss, you¡¯re quite lucky,¡± Qin Minghongmented. ¡°A bit.¡± Ji Zhao crossed her arms and stood opposite him. She raised her eyebrows and said, ¡°Since you can already tell that I¡¯m a woman disguised as a man, I won¡¯t beat around the bush. I¡¯m not here today to cause trouble.¡± ¡°I want to ask the gambling den for a favor.¡± ¡°Miss, are you so sure that Octagonal Guests will agree to your request?¡± Qin Minghong, whose interest had been aroused, suddenly said, ¡°Miss, aren¡¯t you too confident?¡± Chapter 127 - 127 Interesting 127 Interesting ¡°There¡¯s a regr in your gambling den called Ji Huai. He owes the gambling den a lot of money, right?¡± Ji Zhao lowered her eyes slightly and said softly, ¡°I can help Ji Huai pay off the money he owes the gambling den. Moreover, this deal is definitely profitable for you.¡± ¡°Miss, you¡¯re really interesting.¡± The smile in Qin Minghong¡¯s eyes deepened. ¡°I¡¯m starting to be interested in the deal you mentioned.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help Ji Huai return the money. The gambling den will chop off his right hand,¡± Ji Zhao said casually. ¡°If he dares to step into the gambling den in the future, break his right leg.¡± Qin Minghong was very surprised. !! He did not expect a delicate and weak-looking girl to say such ruthless words expressionlessly. ¡°The rtionship between Ji Huai and this Miss is¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s my cousin.¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and ced all the silver in her arms on the table at the side. ¡°There¡¯s about three hundred and twenty taels of silver here. The extra twenty taels can be considered my thank-you gift.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Ji Zhao put down the silver and left. From beginning to end, she did not ask for Qin Minghong¡¯s opinion. Looking at her slender back, Qin Minghong silently curled his lips. ¡°Go investigate this girl.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± This was the first time he had met such a domineering and interesting girl. After walking out of Octagonal Guests, Ji Zhao heaved a long sigh of relief. Then, she turned around and went to the county office. Thanks to the amount of money she had used for bribery, she did not suffer any physical pain. After reporting Madam Xie to the county office, Ji Zhao began her journey home. After returning to Shanghe Vige, she was not in a hurry to return to the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. Instead, she took a detour to the Earth Temple. ¡°Earth God, your devotee, Ji Zhao, have specially bought roasted chicken for you.¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly. After cleaning the shrine tform, she carefully ced the roasted chicken on it and respectfully offered an incense stick. ¡°Earlier in the gambling house, it must have been you, Earth God, who secretly protected me!¡± Ji Zhao said gratefully. ¡°I¡¯ve never been lucky since I was young. It must have been you who helped me in secret to win so much silver, right?¡± ¡°I have always been someone who repays kindness and takes revenge. Madam Xie has bullied me over and over again. I can¡¯t take it anymore!¡± Ji Zhao sighed softly. ¡°I only hope that the perpetrators will receive the punishment they deserve.¡± When Ji Zhao returned to the Shen residence, it was already dusk. ¡°You¡¯re back? Wash your hands and eat.¡± Hearing the footsteps, Zhao Lanhua hurriedly walked into the courtyard and said with a smile, ¡°Mother made chestnut roast chicken tonight! There¡¯s also fragrant chili stir-fried meat!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and nodded obediently. Around 7pm, the Shen family sat around the square table in the central room. ¡°We¡¯re all here. Don¡¯t just stand there. Hurry up and eat,¡± Zhao Lanhua called out with a smile. Then, she picked up a chicken drumstick with her chopsticks and ced it in Ji Zhao¡¯s bowl. ¡°Ah Tao, try it. See how Mother¡¯s cooking is.¡± ¡°Ah Tao, this drumstick is for you too. Eat more!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen also picked up a drumstick from her bowl. ¡°The chicken wings taste good too.¡± Shen Dashan also added food to her bowl. ¡°This chicken wing is for you too.¡± Shen Yao, who had always been a man of few words, couldn¡¯t help but add another mouthful of food. Ji Zhao looked at the bowl piled up into a small mountain in front of her and couldn¡¯t help but smile. However, as she smiled, her eyes turned red. Chapter 128 - 128 Getting Better and Better 128 Getting Better and Better ¡°Mother¡­¡± Before Ji Zhao could speak, tears fell uncontrobly. ¡°Thank you, everyone¡­¡± Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but sob. ¡°Silly child, don¡¯t cry.¡± Zhao Lanhua quickly put down her chopsticks andforted her gently. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Now that you¡¯re a member of the Shen family, no one can take you away!¡± ¡°Mm!¡± Ji Zhao nodded vigorously. !! ¡°Alright, don¡¯t daze around. Let¡¯s eat quickly. The food will taste bad when it gets cold.¡± Shen Dashan smiled and said. ¡°Let¡¯s eat first. After dinner, let¡¯s have a good chat as a family.¡± An hourter, the family sat on the bamboo bed in the courtyard. Zhao Lanhua fanned herself as she asked, ¡°Ah Tao, tell me about your past in the Ji family?¡± ¡°Mother, there¡¯s nothing much to say.¡± Ji Zhao smiled gently. ¡°That¡¯s all in the past.¡± When the Host was young, she had suffered too much. That was why she developed a wed personality. ¡°I think the days ahead will definitely get better and better.¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly, her expression bing even gentler. ¡°Yes, Ah Tao is right!¡± Shen Dashan immediately nodded in agreement. ¡°Our days will definitely get better and better in the future. It would be even better if there are fewer and fewer mosquitoes in the courtyard now.¡± Pfft¡ª Ji Zhao was amused. ¡°Ah Tao, I¡¯ll go fishing tomorrow. You won¡¯t stop me, right?¡± Shen Dashan saw her smile and returned a silly smile. ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± ¡°All you think about is fishing! I don¡¯t know what¡¯s so interesting about fishing!¡± Zhao Lanhuained angrily. Then, she turned to Ji Zhao and asked with a smile, ¡°Ah Tao, when your fatheres back from fishing tomorrow, can you cook two more dishes? Uncle Huzi helped us today. I think our family should treat Uncle Huzi to a meal tomorrow night. What do you think?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes. Lanhua, you¡¯re so thoughtful!¡± Only then did Shen Dashan think of this. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Uncle Huzi¡¯s words today, I¡¯m afraid those people from Pomegranate Vige would have been nagging for half a day!¡± ¡°Ah Tao, your adoptive grandmother is really not a good person. And that cousin of yours is too much of a jerk. And that fat and crazy Madam Zheng, she¡¯s not a good person either!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen thought of the scene that happened this morning and felt angry. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the child in my stomach, I really wanted to rush up, step on her, and pull her hair ruthlessly!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen gritted her teeth and said angrily! ¡°Second Sister-inw, don¡¯t worry.¡± Ji Zhao smiled andforted her. ¡°The heavens are good. These evil people will definitely get their retribution!¡± ¡°I¡¯m just afraid that a scourge will live for a thousand years¡­¡± Second Sister-inw Shen pouted and said. ¡°Alright, alright. It¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s go back to the house and rest.¡± Zhao Lanhua was the first to leave the bamboo bed. She said with a smile, ¡°Old man, let¡¯s go back to the house to rest. Second daughter-inw, you should go back to the house quickly. There are too many mosquitoes in the courtyard! Third son, don¡¯t forget to ce some mugwort leaf rolls in Ah Tao¡¯s houseter.¡± ¡°Got it, Mother.¡± Ji Zhao, who was about to return to her room to rest, cast a curious look at Shen Yao. ¡°Mugwort leaf roll? What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°It can repel mosquitoes.¡± Shen Yao smiled and apanied her back to the house. Fifteen minutester, Ji Zhao, who was squatting on the ground, looked at the leaf roll on the metal te. Her eyes were filled with surprise and admiration. ¡°So there¡¯s already mosquito incense at this time?¡± Chapter 129 - 129 Ah Tao, I… 129 Ah Tao, I¡­ ¡°Mosquito incense? What¡¯s that?¡± This time, it was Shen Yao¡¯s turn to be puzzled. ¡°It¡¯s also a type of mugwort leaf roll.¡± Ji Zhao raised her head and exined with a smile. ¡°The moonlight tonight is very nice.¡± Shen Yao looked into her eyes and said word by word, ¡°But the moonlight is not as beautiful as Ah Tao¡¯s looks.¡± Ji Zhao, who was caught off guard, was so nervous that she did not know what to do. ¡°Ah Tao, I¡­¡± ¡°Shen Yao,¡± Ji Zhao suddenly interrupted him, ¡°I want to use the toilet¡ª¡± After saying this, Ji Zhao turned around and rushed out without waiting for his answer! Shen Yao looked at her back and smiled helplessly. The next morning, it suddenly rained. After the rain stopped, a gorgeous rainbow appeared in the sky. In the kitchen, Ji Zhao was making hot and sour noodles. ¡°Ah Tao, I really don¡¯t have much of an appetite.¡± Second Sister-inw Shen, who was leaning against the wall of the stove and dozing off, looked haggard, and her voice was pale and weak. ¡°Last night, I vomited twice and got up to use the toilet five times. I want to sleep now, I don¡¯t have any appetite¡­¡± ¡°Second Sister-inw, you¡¯ll definitely like it after I make the hot and sour noodles.¡± Ji Zhao smiled confidently and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you believe in my culinary skills?¡± ¡°Of course I know that your culinary skills are very good, but I really don¡¯t have the appetite now¡­ Ugh¡­¡± Second Sister-inw Shen couldn¡¯t help but retch twice. ¡°I thought I would be fine after the first three months. I¡¯m already going to give birth in less than two months, but I actually feel a little ufortable again. Sigh!¡± ¡°Have some vegetable porridge?¡± Zhao Lanhua hurried to Second Sister-inw Shen and asked with heartache, ¡°Second Daughter-inw, why don¡¯t you go back to your room and rest? The oil and smoke in the kitchen are too strong¡­¡± ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m fine.¡± Second Sister-inw Shen hurriedly waved her hand and said, ¡°Compared to lying down, I¡¯m more willing to chat with you and Ah Tao. That way, I won¡¯t feel so ufortable!¡± ¡°When I was pregnant with the three brothers, I didn¡¯t vomit so badly.¡± Zhao Lanhua stared at Second Sister-inw Shen¡¯s bulging abdomen and frowned. ¡°The one in your stomach is too naughty! When you give birth to him, Mother will stand up for you and beat him up!¡± Pfft¡ª Ji Zhao and Second Sister-inw Shen were amused by Zhao Lanhua¡¯s childish words. ¡°Mother, it¡¯s said that there¡¯s always extra love between generational gaps. When the child in my stomach is born, you¡¯ll dote on him so much that you won¡¯t be able to bear to hit him.¡± Second Sister-inw Shenughed until her tears fell. ¡°But I¡¯m very lucky to be your daughter-inw in this life.¡± ¡°Mother, you¡¯re really a very, very good mother-inw.¡± Ji Zhao sighed from the bottom of her heart. ¡°I once saw a passage in a drawing book. Most mother-inws in this world hope that their daughters-inw will go through the same suffering they did, but you¡¯re different.¡± ¡°Silly girl, I¡¯m not stupid! Since you¡¯ve entered the Shen family, you¡¯re all my children. Moreover, a pregnant woman already has it hard. How can I bear for you to suffer?¡± Zhao Lanhua said from the bottom of her heart. ¡°It¡¯s enough that you¡¯re willing to take the risk to bear the Shen family¡¯s children. I just want to take good care of all of you. It¡¯s enough that our family can live happily!¡± When Ji Zhao heard this, she fell into deep thought. She remembered that in the original work, Zhao Lanhua was a very outstanding person. As the mother of the future Grand Secretary, she was open-minded and wise. More importantly, she had good values. That was why the Shen family was able to prosperter. ¡°Ah Tao, the restaurant¡¯s carriage is here!¡± Chapter 130 - 130 Sour and Spicy Noodles 130 Sour and Spicy Noodles Shen Dashan, who was tidying up the fishing line in the courtyard, saw themotion outside the door and hurriedly shouted into the kitchen. ¡°Okay,ing!¡± Ji Zhao quickly wiped her hands and walked out of the kitchen with a smile. ¡°Second Brother You? Why are you here personally?¡± When she saw Second Manager You, Ji Zhao was extremely surprised. ¡°You don¡¯t wee me?¡± Second Brother You deliberately asked with a straight face. !! ¡°How could that be?¡± Ji Zhao quickly smiled and said, ¡°I just thought that Second Brother You shouldn¡¯t be troubled to make a trip for such a small matter!¡± Only then did Second Brother You smile in satisfaction. ¡°By the way, Second Brother You, have you had breakfast?¡± Second Manager You immediately shook his head. ¡°The weather is extremely dull. I barely drank half a bowl of porridge this morning.¡± ¡°Then Second Brother You, wait a moment. I¡¯ll bring Second Brother You a bowl of sour and spicy noodlester.¡± ¡°Sour and spicy noodles?¡± Just hearing this name made Second Manager You salivate. ¡°What kind of delicacy is that?¡± ¡°Second Brother You, you¡¯ll know after you try it!¡± Ji Zhao smiled and kept him in suspense before rushing into the kitchen. Ji Zhao ced the prepared noodles aside and began to prepare the seasoning. Actually, it was not difficult to make sour and spicy noodles. The condiments were the key. ¡°Mother, do we have soybeans at home?¡± Ji Zhao turned around and asked Zhao Lanhua. ¡°There should be. Wait a moment!¡± Zhao Lanhua thought for a moment and returned to her room. She took out arge bag of soybeans from the cab. ¡°My father asked someone to send this over a few days ago!¡± Zhao Lanhua said happily. ¡°I always like to eat soybeans in my spare time. This is all I have left. Ah Tao, is it enough?¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Ji Zhao smiled and began to make fried soybeans. The fried soybeans were crispy! ¡°The spicy and sour noodles are made with sweet potato noodles. It¡¯s not difficult to make.¡± Ji Zhao smiled as she prepared the seasoning. ¡°Soy sauce, rice vinegar, scallions,tro, fried soybeans, and dried chili powder.¡± Precisely mix the corresponding portions and stir them evenly before adding a spoonful of hot oil! Sizzle! After being drenched with hot oil, the fragrance of the condiments wafted over. She scooped up the cooked sweet potato noodles and poured all the seasoning in. Finally, she added a spoonful of crushed peanuts! ¡°Smells good!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen, who had long smelled the fragrance, had alreadye over. ¡°It smells so good!¡± ¡°Second Sister-inw, do you want to try it?¡± Ji Zhao asked with a smile. ¡°Yes!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen immediately nodded like a chick pecking at rice. Second Sister-inw Shen, who had lost her appetite, ate three big bowls of sour and spicy noodles in a row. Even Second Manager You, who had no appetite, had eaten two bowls! ¡°Amazing!¡± Second Manager You rubbed his round belly and said with a smile, ¡°Ah Tao, your culinary skills are really amazing!¡± ¡°Actually, it¡¯s because of the weather. Dull weather will affect one¡¯s appetite. Sour and spicy things help to increase appetite. That¡¯s why everyone thinks it¡¯s especially delicious.¡± Ji Zhao smiled modestly. ¡°By the way, Ah Tao, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be staying for a few days this time. Do you want your husband to apany you?¡± Second Manager You suddenly patted his head and smiled sheepishly. ¡°Shen Yao might not be free, right?¡± Only then did Ji Zhao realize that she had not seen Shen Yao the entire morning. Could it be that he was unhappy because of what happened yesterday? ¡°I¡¯m free.¡± Just as Ji Zhao was deep in thought, a familiar voice suddenly sounded from behind her. She instinctively turned around and bumped into his embrace. Chapter 131 - 131 Seal! From Now On, You Are Mine 131 Seal! From Now On, You Are Mine ¡°I¡­¡± Ji Zhao felt a tightness around her waist, and her heart seemed to be beating wildly. ¡°Slow down.¡± Shen Yao looked down at her, his phoenix-like eyes filled with gentleness. As Shen Yao let go of her slender waist, Ji Zhao felt disappointed for no reason. ¡°It¡¯s good to be young!¡± Looking at the intimate scene between the two of them, Second Manager You could not help but sigh. ¡°Back then, my wife and I were also like this¡­¡± !! ¡°Second Brother You, please wait for a moment.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and immediately turned around to return to her room. She packed two simple clothes and the spice bag she had made in the past two days. When she was ready to leave, Shen Yao stood outside the door and knocked lightly. ¡°Ah Tao, can Ie in?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly. ¡°Ah Tao, I have something to tell you.¡± Shen Yao swallowed nervously. Ji Zhao nodded obediently, but her gaze involuntarilynded on his Adam¡¯s apple. Shen Yao¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple was very beautiful, even very sexy. She even wanted to reach out to touch it. Just as she was about to approach¡ª Shen Yao suddenly leaned closer and Ji Zhao subconsciously took a step back. Shen Yao, who was extremely nervous, lowered his eyes slightly and looked into her eyes sincerely. ¡°Ah Tao, I want¡­ I want to give you a gift.¡± ¡°What¡­¡± At this moment, Ji Zhao was so nervous that she did not dare to breathe, but a trace of anticipation faintly arose in the depths of her heart. ¡°Here¡­¡± Shen Yao handed her the thing hidden behind his back. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes twitched uncontrobly when she saw the kitchen knife he handed over¡­ Shen Yao¡¯s taste when choosing gifts was very unique! ¡°Why don¡¯t you give it a try and see if it¡¯s convenient?¡± Half a month ago, Shen Yao would go to the cksmith shop at the back of the vige every morning to learn how to forge iron and sharpen kitchen knives. He knew that Ji Zhao loved to cook, so a handy kitchen knife was extremely important to her. Of course, he wasn¡¯tpletely innocent. There were two words engraved on the handle of the kitchen knife. They were ¡®Zhao¡¯ and ¡®Yao¡¯. He even specially carved a simple sun pattern in the middle. ¡°Thank you.¡± Ji Zhao tried the kitchen knife and smiled gratefully. ¡°Ah Tao, actually, I still have something to tell you¡­¡± ¡°Give me your hand,¡± Ji Zhao suddenly interrupted him and said in a low voice. Shen Yao blinked in confusion, but in the end, he obediently stretched out his hand. Seeing the small blisters on his hands, Ji Zhao¡¯s heart ached. ¡°When we reach the county city, let¡¯s go to the medical center to buy some ointment first.¡± Ji Zhao mustered up the courage to look into his eyes and said in a domineering tone, ¡°Don¡¯t reject my suggestion!¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± ¡°Shen Yao, can we¡­ start over?¡± Ji Zhao suddenly raised her eyebrows and approached him unexpectedly. She tiptoed and ced her soft hands on both sides of his face. Badump! Badump! Badump! At this moment, Shen Yao was extremely nervous. He could even hear his own heartbeat. Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but smile. She moved closer to his cheek and kissed it. ¡°Seal! From now on, you¡¯re mine!¡± ¡°Ah Tao¡­¡± At this moment, Shen Yao was at a loss. He could feel his face burning. Ji Zhao did not expect Shen Yao to be so irresistant to teasing, so she boldly reached out her finger and ced it on his sexy Adam¡¯s apple¡ª Chapter 132 - 132 More 132 More Shen Yao¡¯s face turned even redder. ¡°Ah Tao¡­¡± He could not help but call out. His deep and maic voice was filled with suppressed desire. ¡°We should set off! We can¡¯t let Second Brother You wait too long¡­¡± Ji Zhao inadvertently caught a glimpse of the fire in his eyes and took two steps back in panic. She said softly, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± At that moment, Second Manager You was chatting with Zhao Lanhua outside the courtyard. !! ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t worry. I definitely won¡¯t let anyone bully Ah Tao.¡± Second Manager You patted his chest and promised. ¡°Yes, yes. With you taking care of it, I can feel more at ease.¡± Zhao Lanhua smiled gratefully. ¡°By the way, Second Shopkeeper, this is the chili sauce that our family just fried a few days ago. It tastes good. Take two bottles back and try it. If you think it tastes good, feel free toe to the Shen residence to get more.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Second Brother You was not a shy person and epted it generously. ¡°In a few days, it¡¯ll be crab season. At that time, I¡¯ll send someone to send you some fat crabs!¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll thank you in advance, Second Manager!¡± ¡°Hahaha, Auntie, let¡¯s not be so polite~¡± Second Brother You said happily. ¡°Not to mention that I¡¯ve been good friends with Eldest Brother Shen for many years, our restaurant is still hoping that Ah Tao can think of a few more recipes! In the future, let¡¯s treat each other as rtives and friends ande and go often, okay?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Zhao Lanhua smiled brightly and nodded. Just as the two of them were chatting happily, Ji Zhao and Shen Yao walked out of the courtyard side by side. ¡°Second Brother You, I¡¯m sorry for making you wait for so long.¡± Ji Zhao smiled apologetically. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Are you done packing? Shall we get in the carriage?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°Third son, you have to take good care of Ah Tao, understand?¡± Zhao Lanhua pulled Shen Yao¡¯s arm and reminded him carefully. ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take good care of Ah Tao,¡± Shen Yao nodded and said softly. ¡°Third son, why is your face so red? Is it because you¡¯re wearing too many clothes that it¡¯s hot?¡± ¡°No.¡± Shen Yao subconsciously looked at Ji Zhao. Ji Zhao hurriedly avoided his gaze. She thought about it seriously just now. Her actions just now were indeed a little rash. However, she seemed to like Shen Yao more than she had imagined. A momentter, the carriage slowly moved forward. ¡°I specially prepared this jasmine tea for you. If you feel thirsty, drink some.¡± Second Manager You pointed at the small table in the corner of the carriage and said happily. ¡°Okay.¡± Ji Zhao smiled gratefully and turned to look at Shen Yao beside her. ¡°Shen Yao, are you thirsty?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hungry,¡± Shen Yao blurted out subconsciously. Ji Zhao raised her eyebrows slightly. The smile in her eyes was self-evident. ¡°I know you¡¯re not hungry. I¡¯m asking if you¡¯re thirsty.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Shen Yao was still reminiscing about the cheek kiss just now. He looked into Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes and asked subconsciously, ¡°Ah Tao, do¡­ do you like me?¡± Pfft¡ª Second Manager You was amused. ¡°Third Brother Shen, if Sister Ah Tao doesn¡¯t like you, why would she marry you? Your question is really silly.¡± Hearing Second Manager You¡¯s voice, Shen Yao realized that there was another person in the carriage. ¡°Ahem.¡± Shen Yao, who was extremely embarrassed, silently lowered his eyes. ¡°I like you,¡± Ji Zhao replied seriously. ¡°In fact, it¡¯s even more than I thought.¡± Chapter 133 - 133 Is It True? 133 Is It True? Shen Yao lifted his eyes in surprise. The moment their eyes met, the two of them smiled. ¡°Hiss~ Did you put too much vinegar in the sour and spicy noodles just now? Why do I suddenly feel that my teeth are sore?¡± Second Manager You could not help but tease. ¡°Then tomorrow, when I make sour and spicy noodles for Second Brother You, I won¡¯t add as much vinegar?¡± Ji Zhao said with a generous smile. !! Hahaha! Second Manager You¡¯sughter became even louder. At this moment, Shen Yao was extremely excited. He looked at Ji Zhao¡¯s face in a daze, and the smile on his lips widened. His gaze was too passionate and hot. ¡°Ah Tao, I¡­¡± ¡°Are you thirsty? Drink some water first!¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly handed him a cup of jasmine tea and said with a sweet smile. ¡°Okay!¡± Shen Yao felt that this cup of jasmine tea was the sweetest tea he had ever drunk in his life. The left side of his chest seemed to be wrapped in honey and was sweet. The carriage that was slowly moving forward stopped outside the restaurant before noon. Second Manager You was the first to get out of the carriage. He took in deep breaths of fresh air before he felt that it was not so sickeningly sweet anymore. He was old and his teeth were sore from staying in this sweet scene for too long. ¡°I¡¯ve already gotten someone to prepare a room upstairs for you and your wife. Why don¡¯t you go back and pack your luggage first? I¡¯ll apany you to the Ma Residence tomorrow morning,¡± Second Brother You said happily. ¡°Ah Tao, Third Brother Shen, if there¡¯s anything you need, just tell the waiter. I still have some things to do next afternoon, so I won¡¯t apany you. Please forgive me.¡± ¡°You only prepared one room?¡± Ji Zhao asked softly as she nervously curled her fingers. ¡°That¡¯s right, just one room.¡± Second Manager You asked in confusion, ¡°Ah Tao, don¡¯t worry, that room is huge! That bed is also big and spacious enough. Don¡¯t worry, it will definitely be enough for the two of you to sleep in!¡± ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t mean that!¡± Two red spots suddenly appeared on Ji Zhao¡¯s cheeks. They looked like ripe red apples, extremely cute. ¡°Thank you, Second Brother You. You can go ahead with your business,¡± Shen Yao said with a gentle smile. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll leave then.¡± Creak¡ª Under the guidance of the waiter, Ji Zhao and Shen Yao walked into the guest room side by side. The furnishings in the guest room were very simple. It was obvious at a nce. There was an alcove bed, a screen embroidered with koi fish ying with the water, a set of red-painted half-branched lotus wardrobes made of elm wood, a small square table with mahogany backed chairs, and a counter. On the counter table was a set of blue and white porcin teacups and two tes of snacks. The entire room was filled with a refreshing hibiscus fragrance. ¡°The tea on the table is freshly brewed by me today, and the pastries on it are also fresh.¡± The waiter introduced with a warm smile, ¡°The two distinguished guests haven¡¯t eaten lunch, right? I¡¯ll prepare some lunch for the two of you first. Do you have any food that you don¡¯t like to eat?¡± ¡°Nothing in particr. Just bring us some simple dishes, not too greasy.¡± Ji Zhao smiled. ¡°Alright!¡± When the waiter left and only the two of them were left in the huge room, Shen Yao could no longer suppress the emotions in his heart. He hurriedly walked to Ji Zhao. ¡°Ah Tao~¡± ¡°Shen Yao, let¡¯s unpack our luggage first?¡± Ji Zhao did not dare to look into his eyes anymore. She had already used up all her courage to say those words in the carriage. ¡°Ah Tao, did you mean what you said in the carriage just now?¡± Shen Yao approached step by step. Ji Zhao subconsciously retreated until she reached the corner of the wall and had nowhere to escape. Ji Zhao thought for a moment and carefully raised her head. She looked into his eyes seriously and nodded slightly. Chapter 134 - 134 It’s Up to You 134 It¡¯s Up to You Seeing her nod, Shen Yao was extremely excited! It turned out that the scene earlier was not his imagination. ¡°Ah Tao, I¡­¡± Shen Yao grabbed her hand excitedly. Just as he was about to confess his feelings, there was another knock on the door. ¡°Dear guests, I¡¯m here to deliver your lunch!¡± The waiter waiting outside the door shouted happily. Shen Yao opened the door and took the mahogany tray with lunch on it from the waiter. He said with a tight face, ¡°Thank you.¡± However, the waiter felt a chill for no reason. ¡°No¡­ You¡¯re wee. It¡¯s what I should do¡­¡± Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help butugh when she saw this scene. The lunch delivered by the restaurant was very exquisite. There was duck soup with yam, stir-fried crown daisy, and sweet and sour lotus root. It looked, smelled, and was delicious. ¡°Shen Yao, why don¡¯t you have a bowl of soup first?¡± Ji Zhao stood up and wanted to pour a bowl of soup for him. ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± Shen Yao hurriedly stood up and their hands inadvertently touched. The back of her hand was suddenly covered with ayer of warmth. Ji Zhao looked up in realization and was caught off guard, meeting those gentle eyes. ¡°Then¡­ then serve it yourself.¡± Ji Zhao was a little nervous. She wanted to pull her hand away, but she realized that Shen Yao¡¯s grip was a little strong. She could not break free. ¡°Ah Tao, I wanted to say that I like you too,¡± Shen Yao held her hand and looked into her eyes as he said seriously. ¡°Mm.¡± Ji Zhao turned her face away shyly, but the curve of her lips was clearly raised. After expressing their feelings to each other, the two of them looked at each other and smiled. There was no need to say anything. ¡°Let¡¯s go look for Eldest Brother and EldestSister-inw after lunch.¡± Ji Zhao put down her bowl and chopsticks and suggested with a smile, ¡°I want to see Eldest Sister-inw.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Shen Yao agreed readily. ¡°As you wish.¡± Hearing this, Ji Zhao felt a sweetness in her heart. The two of them happily finished their lunch and prepared to go to Shen Ji Pastry Shop. After walking out of the inn, Shen Yao nced sideways at Ji Zhao¡¯s side profile. The wind blew her hair, making her exquisite side profile look even softer. Ji Zhao was born beautiful. She had exquisite willowy eyebrows, a tall and perky nose, full cheeks, and pink and tender lips that made people want to kiss her¡­ ¡°Shen Yao, why don¡¯t we go to the cloth shop to take a look first?¡± Ji Zhao suddenly nced sideways and met Shen Yao¡¯s infatuated gaze. ¡°You¡­ Why are you looking at me like this?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, you¡¯re really beautiful,¡± Shen Yao praised sincerely. ¡°Glib-tongued¡­¡± Ji Zhao looked away shyly and muttered softly. ¡°I¡¯m not being glib-tongued. I meant every word I said just now,¡± Shen Yao looked at her and said seriously. ¡°Ahem,¡± Ji Zhao said softly, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the cloth shop. I want to buy two bolts of cloth for the child in Eldest Sister-inw¡¯s stomach.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Shen Yao nodded slightly. The hand hidden in his wide sleeve clenched nervously. In the end, he mustered his courage and identally touched the back of Ji Zhao¡¯s hand. Ji Zhao suppressed herughter and smiled brightly at him. Before Shen Yao could react, Ji Zhao had already grabbed his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the cloth shop!¡± ¡°¡­Oh, okay.¡± Shen Yao nodded in a daze. The smile in his eyes was self-evident. The afternoon sun was bright and beautiful, and the breeze was gentle. The two people holding hands had smiles on their faces. Chapter 135 - 135 Is It… So Obvious? 135 Is It¡­ So Obvious? Shen Ji Pastry Shop. Eldest Brother Shen silently looked at Eldest Sister-inw Shen, who was sitting opposite him, and asked softly, ¡°Dongmei, do you still want to eat?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen quickly handed him the empty bowl in her hand. ¡°Dng, can you scoop me another bowl of wontons?¡± ¡°But you¡¯ve already eaten three bowls!¡± Eldest Brother Shen said nervously. ¡°Why don¡¯t you stop eating first? I¡¯m worried that you¡¯ll bloat.¡± !! ¡°You despise me for eating too much, don¡¯t you?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen rested her chin on her hands on the table and looked at his blinking eyes. She looked aggrieved, as if she was about to cry in the next second. ¡°Dongmei, don¡¯t cry first. That¡¯s not what I meant!¡± Eldest Brother Shen hurriedly went to her side. As he wiped her tears, he exined, ¡°Why would I despise you for eating too much? I¡¯m just worried that you¡¯ll overeat. Don¡¯t cry. I¡¯ll go get you more wontons, okay? No matter how much you want to eat, I¡¯ll go get it!¡± ¡°That¡¯s more like it!¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen finally stopped crying. ¡°At least you still have some conscience.¡± Ji Zhao, who happened to walk to the door, subconsciously nced at Shen Yao beside her. The two of them looked at each other and smiled. ¡°Third Brother, Third Sister-inw?¡± Eldest Brother Shen greeted them warmly. ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re here!¡± ¡°Eldest Brother, Eldest Sister-inw.¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly and walked up to Eldest Sister-inw Shen. ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, are you feeling better recently? How¡¯s your appetite? Mother and Second Sister-inw miss you a lot.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen greeted her with a smile. ¡°Ah Tao,e and sit down. Let¡¯s have a good chat?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Shen Yao let go of Ji Zhao¡¯s hand and turned to follow Eldest Brother Shen. ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, Shen Yao and I went to the cloth shop just now. We specially prepared some soft fabric for the baby in your stomach. Do you like it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful!¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen caressed the soft light blue fabric lovingly. ¡°This material is really too soft. It must be very expensive, right? You guys, how can you spend so much money?¡± ¡°How can you say that it¡¯s a waste of money to spend money on your own family?¡± Ji Zhao smiled sincerely. ¡°Besides, this is a small token of gratitude from Shen Yao and me. Most importantly, Eldest Sister-inw, as long as you like it.¡± ¡°Of course I do. Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen nodded repeatedly. The smile on her face became more and more joyful. In the end, she suddenly stared at Ji Zhao¡¯s face and smiled without saying anything. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ji Zhao subconsciously touched her face. ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, is there something on my face?¡± ¡°Yes, there is indeed something.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen pretended to nod in a profound manner. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, tell me honestly, have you and Third Brother already¡­¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen thought for a moment and bent her thumbs slightly. She touched them and handed them to Ji Zhao. ¡°Have the two of you already expressed your feelings to each other? Hmm?¡± ¡°Is¡­ is it that obvious?¡± Ji Zhao looked away shyly and muttered softly. ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen was sincerely happy for them. ¡°Ah Tao, actually, Third Brother has a cold face but a warm heart. You guys will definitely find happiness.¡± ¡°Mm!¡± Ji Zhao nodded vigorously. That¡¯s right, she would definitely make herself happy! Live in the present and enjoy this love so that you won¡¯t have any regrets in the future. Chapter 136 - 136 Yes! 136 Yes! Fifteen minutester, Eldest Brother Shen finally vented all his frustrations. ¡°Eldest Brother, have some tea?¡± Shen Yao handed him a cup of tea considerately. ¡°Thank you, Third Brother.¡± Eldest Brother Shen smiled gratefully. ¡°But then again, why did you and Ah Taoe to the county city?¡± ¡°Second Shopkeeper You invited Ah Tao to cook,¡± Shen Yao exined concisely. In the end, he asked, ¡°Eldest Brother, the Old Madam Ma that Second Manager You mentioned is County Magistrate Ma¡¯s mother?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Eldest Brother Shen nodded. ¡°This Old Madam Ma is from the northwest. I heard that Magistrate Ma¡¯s father died of illness when he was twelve years old. It was this Old Madam Ma who raised Magistrate Ma and had to beg on the streets. Fortunately, Magistrate Ma is also a hardworking person. He participated in several examinations and finally passed. Later on, he was transferred to Dingyuan County to be the county magistrate.¡± ¡°Then what kind of person is County Magistrate Ma?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Eldest Brother Shen subconsciously looked around, then lowered his voice and said, ¡°So-so.¡± This County Magistrate Ma was not a righteous official. It was just that he had been working in Dingyuan County for so many years and had never done anything out of line. ¡°In any case, the shops on our street have to pay a small amount of taxes to the county office every year.¡± Eldest Brother Shen shook his head helplessly. ¡°In the past few years, our shop¡¯s business has not been very good. A few days ago, thanks to Ah Tao, we were able to sign a contract of cooperation with the Qin family. If not for the Qin family being rich and imposing and paying the silver for half a year in one go, I¡¯m afraid we wouldn¡¯t be able to take out the taxes this year.¡± Eldest Brother Shen smiled gratefully. ¡°Third Brother, it¡¯s really all thanks to Ah Tao that our shop can survive this predicament! You have to treat her better in the future. Don¡¯t pull a long face for no reason, understand? Ah Tao is beautiful, kind, and good at cooking. If you don¡¯t take good care of her, be careful that someone will snatch her away!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let anyone snatch her away.¡± Shen Yao smiled firmly. After chatting with Eldest Sister-inw Shen for a while, under her enthusiastic invitation, Ji Zhao agreed to stay for dinner tonight. ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, you really don¡¯t have to give me money.¡± Ji Zhao, who couldn¡¯t help but smile, repeatedly declined. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s just two sweet and sour dishes. You don¡¯t have to be so polite!¡± ¡°That won¡¯t do. You have to ept this silver.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen¡¯s tone was firm. ¡°I¡¯m ashamed to say that my culinary skills are really not very good! Otherwise, I should be the one cooking some of your and Third Brother¡¯s favorite dishes.¡± ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, we¡¯re family. Why are you saying such things?¡± Ji Zhao really couldn¡¯t refuse the two taels of silver, so she could only ept it. However, she had already made up her mind to think of a way to return the two taels of silver. At 3pm, Shen Yao apanied Ji Zhao out of Shen Ji. ¡°The evening market will only open at midnight. Should we go back to the restaurant first? Or should we walk around?¡± Ji Zhao subconsciously looked at the man beside her and asked with a smile. ¡°Are you willing to apany me to the bookstore?¡± Shen Yao thought for a moment and asked softly. ¡°I¡¯m willing!¡± Ji Zhao readily agreed. ¡°Then shall we go to the bookstore now?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± The Ten Thousand Mile Bookstore was located on the west side of Qinghe Street, adjacent to the Three-hole Bridge. Its geographical location was very special, and it could be said to be quiet in the midst of chaos. It had a different kind of charm. The name of the bookstore was derived from a legendary bird that was said to have to travel ten thousand miles. ¡°Miss Ji?¡± Just as the two of them arrived outside the bookstore, a dark red figure suddenly appeared in front of Ji Zhao. ¡°What a coincidence.¡± Chapter 137 - 137 What Heaven-Defying Luck Is This! 137 What Heaven-Defying Luck Is This! ¡°It¡¯s you?¡± After seeing who it was, Ji Zhao returned a polite smile. ¡°Miss Ji, you still remember me?¡± Joy shed across Qin Minghong¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m really ttered!¡± ¡°Do you have to be so dramatic?¡± Ji Zhao scratched her head silently and muttered softly. Was the owner of Octagonal Guests so friendly? ¡°Miss Ji, a purposeful invitation can¡¯t beat a meeting by chance. I wonder if you can do me the honor of tasting some tea with me?¡± Qin Minghong smiled generously and invited her openly. Ji Zhao smiled and shook her head. Then, she raised the silent Shen Yao¡¯s palm and exined softly, ¡°Thank you for your kindness, but I still have to apany my husband to the bookstore today!¡± Only then did Qin Minghong notice the light blue figure standing beside her. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Miss Ji to be married already?¡± Disappointment quickly shed across Qin Minghong¡¯s eyes, but it returned to normal in a moment. ¡°Since Miss Ji still has something to do, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± From the beginning to the end, Qin Minghong did not even look at Shen Yao. Shen Yao did not back down either. His gaze was fixed on Ji Zhao¡¯s face and he did not see Qin Minghong¡¯s face at all. ¡°Shen Yao, shall we enter the bookstore?¡± Ji Zhao nced sideways at the man beside her and smiled sweetly. Seeing her bright and beautiful smile, the trace of displeasure that lingered in Shen Yao¡¯s heart instantly disappeared. The Ten Thousand Mile Bookstore was thergest bookstore in Dingyuan County. It had all kinds of books. History books, the examination questions for the past years, and even storybooks. Not only were they neatly ced on the elm bookshelves, but they were also categorized. ¡°I want to choose some books for Chenchen. What do you think of the Thousand Character ssic and the Hundred Family Names?¡± Ji Zhao nudged Shen Yao¡¯s arm with her elbow and asked softly. ¡°Huh? What did you say?¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and tiptoed. She leaned close to Shen Yao¡¯s ear and repeated what she had just said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to buy these two.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because Chenchen already has these two books,¡± Shen Yao exined softly. ¡°Huh?¡± Ji Zhao blinked in confusion, then understood. ¡°You¡¯ve already given Chenchen these two books?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Yao nodded slightly. ¡°Although Chenchen is not good with words, he has a good memory. As long as I have exined the content once, he can remember it. This is his talent. I think as long as someone can guide him correctly, he will definitely be sessful in the future.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes instantly lit up with anticipation. ¡°Shen Yao, Chenchen performed so well. As his sister, I have to give him a gift, right? Since you¡¯ve given him these two books, do you have any other suggestions?¡± ¡°During this period of time, I¡¯ve been asking Chenchen to write on the sand table. Now that he can write properly, we should prepare brushes and paper for him,¡± Shen Yao suggested seriously. ¡°I think it¡¯ll work!¡± Ji Zhao excitedly went to pick a set of brushes and paper. When the two of them paid the bill, they werepletely stunned. ¡°Um, can you repeat that again? Your bookstore won¡¯t ept a single cent for the things I bought? You even want to give me six taels? Are you sure you didn¡¯t make a mistake?¡± Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t believe her ears. Not only did she not have to pay for anything, but she also had to pay? What kind of heaven-defying luck was this! ¡°Dear guest, you are the twenty-sixth guest who came to our study today. Therefore, ording to the rules of our bookstore, the items you bought today are free of charge! Also, these six taels of silver are our bookstore¡¯s reward.¡± Chapter 138 - 138 Can’t Bear It 138 Can¡¯t Bear It ¡°But I didn¡¯t do anything to deserve it.¡± At this moment, Ji Zhao felt dizzy. ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re lucky. Even if the twenty-sixth customer today isn¡¯t you, it will still be someone else¡¯s.¡± The worker from the bookstore smiled and advised, ¡°You should keep these things well!¡± Until the moment she walked out of the Ten Thousand Mile Bookstore, Ji Zhao was still a little light-headed and dizzy. ¡°Shen Yao, should we ept this silver?¡± Ji Zhao was a little hesitant. ¡°Why don¡¯t we send this silver back?¡± !! ¡°No need.¡± Shen Yao smiled and shook his head. ¡°The owner behind The Ten Thousand Mile Bookstore is a very interesting person. His thoughts are always unique and unpredictable. You probably don¡¯t know this, but about three months ago, a customer came to the bookstore to buy books, but he was chased out of the bookstore by the owner.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because the owner was in a bad mood that day and didn¡¯t want to entertain the customer.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ji Zhao waspletely speechless. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the owner of Ten Thousand Mile Bookstore to be so willful. Isn¡¯t he afraid of being reported?¡± Ji Zhao asked curiously. ¡°Ah Tao, the evening market is about to begin. Have you thought about what you want to cook?¡± Shen Yao smiled and changed the topic. ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it.¡± At the mention of cooking, Ji Zhao said excitedly, ¡°I n to make a sweet and sour pork tenderloin, another sour and spicy dish, then a Mapo Tofu, and finally a seaweed shrimp soup. Three dishes and a soup. It should be enough for the few of us.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go over quickly? If we go early, we can buy fresh vegetables?¡± ¡°Alright!¡± At a quarter past eight, Shen Yao helped Ji Zhao bring the three dishes and soup to the table. Ji Zhao even specially made a steamed egg with scallion and ced it in front of Eldest Sister-inw Shen. ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, try my steamed egg and see if it suits your taste.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fragrant!¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen praised generously. ¡°Just the smell alone is enough to make people drool. It must be even more delicious!¡± ¡°Sister, Sister Ah Tao has already taught me how to make steamed egg. If you want to eat steamed egg in the future, I¡¯ll make it for you!¡± Feng Chunyan quickly said. ¡°Okay!¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen narrowed her eyes happily and smiled happily. Soon, all the dishes on the table were swept away. ¡°It¡¯s strange. They¡¯re clearly the same ingredients, but Ah Tao¡¯s dishes are even more delicious than the dishes in the restaurants.¡± Eldest Brother Shen praised from the bottom of his heart. ¡°Ah Tao, you¡¯re really amazing!¡± ¡°Eldest brother, Eldest sister-inw, stop praising me.¡± Ji Zhao silently raised her hands to her face and said with a gentle smile, ¡°I¡¯m blushing!¡± Hahaha! Heartyughter came from the courtyard. The atmosphere was very harmonious. ¡°Third Brother, Ah Tao, will you guys make do in the back room tonight?¡± ¡°No need, Eldest Brother.¡± Shen Yao smiled and declined. ¡°Second Manager You has already arranged it in advance, so Ah Tao and I will stay in the restaurant for the time being. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Eldest Brother Shen nodded. ¡°Third Brother, if you need my help with anything, feel free to look for me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± At 9pm, a crescent moon hung above the treetops, silently illuminating the silentnd. Shen Yao held Ji Zhao¡¯s hand and walked back to the room in the restaurant under the moonlight. ¡°Why don¡¯t we get the waiter to bring another nket?¡± Ji Zhao, who was sitting obediently by the bed, suddenly felt sorry for Shen Yao, who was sleeping on the floor. Chapter 139 - 139 Let’s Sleep Together, Holding Hands, Okay? 139 Let¡¯s Sleep Together, Holding Hands, Okay? Ji Zhao bit her lip nervously. She did not mind sharing a bed with Shen Yao. However, if these words came out of her mouth, wouldn¡¯t it seem too unreserved? ¡°No need.¡± Shen Yao, who wasying the nket, looked up and smiled gently at her. ¡°I think this is very good.¡± ¡°Then¡­ good night?¡± Ji Zhao smiled and said softly. ¡°Mm, good night. Sweet dreams.¡± Ji Zhao quickly picked up the nket and quickly hid inside. However, she was too nervous and most of the nket fell under the bed. Shen Yao smiled helplessly and helped her put the nket up. However, he did not expect that he seemed to have identally hugged the leg wrapped in the nket¡ª ¡°You¡­¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes widened nervously, and her entire body stiffened. ¡°I¡­¡± Shen Yao subconsciously wanted to exin, and the tips of his ears gradually turned red. ¡°You didn¡¯t cover yourself well. I was helping you rearrange the nket.¡± Shen Yao took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. ¡°Oh¡­ then¡­ thank you?¡± Ji Zhao carefully pulled out her right leg and silently turned around. Her back was facing him, and her face was red. ¡°Ah Tao, who was the person we met in front of the bookstore today?¡± In order to ease the awkwardness at this moment, Shen Yao decided to ask the question in his heart. ¡°That¡¯s the young master behind Octagonal Guests,¡± Ji Zhao subconsciously exined. ¡°Octagonal Guests?¡± Shen Yao frowned in confusion. ¡°How do you know the young master of Octagonal Guests?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t Ji Huaie to Shanghe Vige to cause trouble earlier? I went to Octagonal Guests.¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and exined obediently, ¡°After that, I met that young master. Meeting him outside the bookstore was just a coincidence.¡± ¡°Octagonal Guests is a famous gambling den in Dingyuan County. Most of the gamblers in the gambling den are from all walks of life.¡± Shen Yao frowned and said, ¡°If you want to go to the gambling den in the future, remember to let me apany you.¡± ¡°No need!¡± Ji Zhao smiled and waved her hand. ¡°I¡¯ve already taken care of Ji Huai¡¯s matter. I won¡¯t go to Octagonal Guests anymore.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Shen Yao could not help but raise his eyebrows, a smile flickering in his eyes. ¡°Shen Yao.¡± Ji Zhao suddenly turned around and extended her hand to him. ¡°Can I borrow your palm?¡± Although he did not understand, Shen Yao still obediently stretched out his left hand. Ji Zhao smiled sweetly and ced her right hand in his broad and warm palm. ¡°Shen Yao, let¡¯s hold hands and sleep together, okay?¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Shen Yao raised his eyebrows silently and agreed happily. After an unknown period of time, Ji Zhao sessfully entered thend of dreams. The softness in his palm suddenly disappeared. Shen Yao slowly got up and walked to the edge of the bed. He first tucked Ji Zhao in before bending down to her sleeping face and nting a light kiss on her forehead. Ah Tao, you probably don¡¯t know how happy I am today. The happiest thing in the world was that the person you loved happened to like you too. The night passed uneventfully. The next morning. When Ji Zhao sat on the bed and stretchedzily, Shen Yao had already brought her breakfast. ¡°Pumpkin millet porridge, fried spring rolls, and chicken soup and wontons. What do you want to eat?¡± ¡°Chicken soup wontons!¡± Ji Zhao made her decision without hesitation. After washing up, Ji Zhao happily enjoyed this rich breakfast. ¡°Shen Yao, why aren¡¯t you eating?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no hurry. You eat first.¡± It was only when Shen Yao helped her settle the remaining breakfast that Ji Zhao felt an emotion rise in her heart. ¡°You¡­¡± Chapter 140 - 140 Mm, As You Wish 140 Mm, As You Wish ¡°You¡­ you don¡¯t mind?¡± Ji Zhao raised her eyebrows curiously. ¡°That bowl of chicken soup and wontons was left behind by me¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Shen Yao raised his eyebrows silently. ¡°I think this bowl of wontons today is more delicious than before.¡± Ji Zhao instantly blushed. Had Shen Yao really never been in a rtionship before? She could not help but feel a little suspicious. !! Fifteen minutester, Shen Yao cleared out all her remaining breakfast. Then, he burped in satisfaction. A quarter past seven in the morning. Second Manager You came in front of Ji Zhao and grinned at her. ¡°Ah Tao, are you ready? Did you leave anything behind?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ji Zhao pointed at the bags on the table and said with a smile, ¡°Second Brother You, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve already packed everything.¡± ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s set off for the Ma Residence now, shall we?¡± Second Manager You quickly said, ¡°I¡¯ve already gotten someone to prepare a sedan chair. Third Brother Shen, why don¡¯t you go with uster?¡± ¡°Second Brother You, may I ask how long Old Madam Ma¡¯s birthday banquet will take?¡± Shen Yao asked with concern. ¡°I heard that there are many rules in the Ma Residence. I¡¯m worried that Ah Tao won¡¯t be able to handle it¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, what Ah Tao has to do is very simple. She just has to cook a few dishes from the northwest and roast the wholemb! As long as she¡¯s done, you can bring Ah Tao out of the backyard. I¡¯ll get someone to wait outside the backyard door.¡± Second Manager You smiled andforted him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, isn¡¯t Ah Tao¡¯s culinary skills obvious to all?¡± ¡°Second Brother You, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll definitely cook those dishes more seriously!¡± ¡°Alright, I believe you!¡± At a quarter past nine, Ji Zhao¡¯s carriage stopped outside the rear courtyard of the Ma Residence. Even in the backyard, Ji Zhao could see some majestic aura. The ck riveted door was grand. Two stone lions stood at the door, looking majestic. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the back door of the Ma Residence to be so imposing. When there¡¯s a chance in the future, we have to go around the front door and broaden our horizons.¡± Ji Zhao quietly leaned towards Shen Yao and whispered. ¡°Mm, as you wish.¡± Shen Yao looked at her and smiled. Under Second Manager You¡¯s lead, they sessfully walked in. The backyard was actually a flowerbed. In the middle of the flowerbed was a golden osmanthus tree. A gentle breeze blew and the fragrance of flowers filled the air. The elegant fragrance of osmanthus flowers made one feel refreshed. After passing through the flowerbed and bypassing a hexagonal arch, they walked dozens of meters to the left and arrived at the Ma Residence¡¯s big kitchen. ¡°The ingredients are ready.¡± The person leading the way was Ma Tong, the second butler of the Ma Residence. At the same time, he was also the butler of the Ma Residence¡¯s kitchen. ¡°Thank you, Brother Ma.¡± Second Manager You smiled gratefully. Then, he handed a heavy gray pouch that he had prepared in advance to the butler. ¡°This is a small token of appreciation. I hope Brother Ma can help take care of things!¡± ¡°Brother You, we¡¯ve known each other for many years. I¡¯m not used to you suddenly being so polite!¡± ¡°Ahem, when the olddy¡¯s birthday banquet is over, shall we have a good drink?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Butler Ma agreed happily. ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll go do other things first.¡± Before Ma Tong left, he didn¡¯t forget to pat Second Manager You¡¯s shoulder and said with a smile, ¡°The olddy has been thinking about northwestern cuisine, so she must make the taste more authentic!¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Second Manager You immediately nodded. Chapter 141 - 141 Something’s Wrong 141 Something¡¯s Wrong Walking into the Ma Residence¡¯s kitchen, Ji Zhao finally understood the meaning of the word ¡®difference¡¯! She had been to the kitchen of the Hongxing Restaurant before. The six stoves that were connected together had already made her sigh in admiration. The kitchen of the Ma Residence was even wider and brighter! This kitchen was evenrger than the entire Shen residence! Other than the nine hot stoves that were connected together, there was also a separate steamer area. Even the pastries were divided ording to the cold and hot nature. !! As for the ingredients section, it was even more dazzling. There were all kinds of vegetables and fruits of the season. There were also tworge vats that were half the height of a person. Fat fish were leisurely wagging their tails in the vats. ¡°The Ma Residence¡¯s kitchen is really too imposing.¡± After sizing up everything in the kitchen, Ji Zhao sighed from the bottom of her heart. Shen Yao nodded slightly in response, but there was aplicated glint in his eyes. They had been suffering from droughts for years. Many people had starved to death in several viges around Dingyuan County. For a mouthful of food, themoners had even sold their children. However, the county magistrate¡¯s residence was so extravagant. Even the kitchen was twice as big as the courtyard where ordinary people lived. The more Shen Yao thought about it, the more ridiculous he felt it was. Would such a greedy official care about the survival of themoners? ¡°Shen Yao, what dish do you think I should make?¡± Ji Zhao stared at the food section and was in a dilemma. After all, the meaning of northwestern cuisine was too broad. What dishes should she cook to sessfully win Old Madam Ma¡¯s favor? She had already thought of opening a snack shop in the future. If the snacks she made could receive Old Madam Ma¡¯s liking, it would definitely be beneficial to her business in the future. ¡°Ah Tao.¡± Shen Yao smiled at her and said sincerely, ¡°As long as it¡¯s your cooking, it¡¯s delicious.¡± Pfft¡ª Ji Zhao was amused. ¡°Your answer is meaningless, but¡­¡± Ji Zhao winked slyly. ¡°I like your honesty.¡± The two of them looked at each other and smiled. ¡°I heard from Second Brother You that Old Madam Ma is from the northwest.¡± Shen Yao thought for a moment and suggested softly, ¡°Ah Tao, are there many ways to cook mutton?¡± ¡°There¡¯s indeed quite a lot.¡± Ji Zhao nodded subconsciously. Then, she asked curiously with a smile, ¡°Shen Yao, you mean to only use mutton? But isn¡¯t it too simple to use only one ingredient?¡± ¡°No,¡± Shen Yao said with a gentle smile. ¡°Using a single ingredient to make a few different dishes can showcase your culinary skills!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Ji Zhao smiled and snapped her fingers, raising her eyebrows happily. After choosing the ingredients, Ji Zhao quickly had an idea! Other than the roasted wholemb that Old Madam Ma had personally ordered, she nned to make another crystalmb jelly, a cuminmb chop, and a spicy peppermb intestine. ¡°Crystalmb jelly?¡± Shen Yao was curious after hearing the menu Ji Zhao listed. ¡°Mm.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and quietly moved closer to Shen Yao. She tiptoed and whispered into his ear, ¡°When I make this crystalmb jelly, I¡¯ll definitely let you try the first one first~¡± A warm breath suddenly sounded in his ear. Shen Yao nodded subconsciously, but there was a blush on the tip of his ear, and a strange feeling appeared three inches below his navel. ¡°Shen Yao, are you alright?¡± Ji Zhao inadvertently caught a glimpse of his expression and subconsciously wanted to touch his forehead, her eyes filled with concern. However, the moment their bodies were close, Ji Zhao also sensed that something was wrong. Chapter 142 - 142 That’s Just What You Think 142 That¡¯s Just What You Think Ji Zhao blinked nervously and subconsciously retreated. However, she identally stepped on the back of her foot and couldn¡¯t help but lean back! Shen Yao hurriedly reached out and hugged her soft waist. Their physical contact seemed to have be even more intimate. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Shen Yao sized her up and asked nervously. The concern between his brows was sincere. Ji Zhao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She suddenly leaned closer and carefully kissed his cheek. The cheek that she had kissed became even hotter. ¡°You¡­¡± Shen Yao opened his mouth, but he did not know what to say. However, the fire in his eyes was obvious. ¡°I can¡¯t dy cooking.¡± Ji Zhao deliberately coughed twice and put on a serious expression. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go to the bookstore and walk around? You can pick me up before sunset, okay?¡± In her heart, Ji Zhao still hoped that Shen Yao could spend more time studying. After all, he was the future Grand Secretary! As the Grand Secretary of a country, he shouldered the heavy responsibility of the country. How could he be greedy for a simple and quiet life? Moreover, only byying a solid foundation at this time could he be more at ease in the court in the future. At this moment, Shen Yao did not understand Ji Zhao¡¯s good intentions. He simply thought that Ji Zhao was shy. After all, just now¡ª ¡°Alright.¡± Shen Yao nodded happily. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go to the bookstore first. I¡¯ll wait for you in the backyard at dusk.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Ji Zhao nodded obediently and smiled sweetly. Shen Yao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He suddenly hugged her and said softly. In the end, he left in a hurry without waiting for Ji Zhao¡¯s reaction. Looking at his hurried but unusually tall back, Ji Zhao silently curled her lips. This man was the epitome of the saying, still waters run deep! The moment he turned around, Ji Zhao began to seriously recall the cooking method of the crystalmb jelly. Crystalmb jelly was an authentic northwestern dish. At the same time, it was also a cold dish. The cooking method of this dish was not difficult, but the requirements for the ingredients were rtively high. For themb, it requires high-quality leg meat with skin, as well as high quality pork skin. Fortunately, the kitchen of the Ma Residence did notck any ingredients. After putting on the apron, Ji Zhao began to cook. At the same time, Shen Yao had already arrived at the Ten Thousand Mile Bookstore. Then, Shen Yao casually picked up a book of scriptures and history and read it seriously. Shen Yao read very quickly. He could read ten lines at a nce. Moreover, he could memorize even books that he had only read once. Just as he was enjoying his reading, a shadow suddenly appeared in front of him. Shen Yao subconsciously looked up and met a pair of half-smiling eyes. ¡°Do me the honor of having a cup of tea?¡± Qin Minghong, who was dressed in a sapphire blue brocade robe, gently waved the folding fan in his hand. His long and narrow phoenix eyes narrowed slightly as theynded on Shen Yao¡¯s face with an unfathomable smile. ¡°No need.¡± Shen Yao rejected expressionlessly. Then, he lowered his head and continued to read the book in his hand. His attitude surprised Qin Minghong. ¡°Do you really think you can bring Ah Tao happiness?¡± Qin Minghong could not help but raise his eyebrows and ask in a low voice. ¡°Ah Tao is not a name you can call.¡± Shen Yao suddenly looked up, his dark eyes suffused with a cold light. However, Qin Minghong did not care at all. Instead, he smiled and raised his eyebrows. ¡°Miss Ji and I are already friends.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just what you think,¡± Shen Yao replied indifferently. Chapter 143 - 143 You Will Not Have a Chance 143 You Will Not Have a Chance ¡°Miss Ah Tao, she has an outstanding appearance and a gentle temperament. You¡¯re not worthy of her,¡± Qin Minghong said seriously with a smile. Shen Yao ignored him and did not even look at him. Qin Minghong rubbed his nose awkwardly. He felt like he had punched cotton! ¡°That day, I saw Miss Ah Tao at Octagonal Guests. She¡¯s very interesting.¡± The scene from that day appeared in his mind again. Qin Minghong couldn¡¯t help but smile, and his tone couldn¡¯t help but soften. !! ¡°Later, I found out that she was already married. I felt a little disappointed.¡± Even though Shen Yao ignored him, Qin Minghong continued, ¡°Now that I know that you¡¯re the one she married, I¡¯m not so depressed anymore.¡± The man in front of him was just a cripple. There was nothing to fear. How could Shen Yao not hear the threat and mockery in his words? It was just that he and Ah Tao were already expressed their feelings, so the man in front of him was just a clown in his eyes. ¡°You won¡¯t have the chance.¡± Shen Yao suddenly looked up and smiled. The smile on his face was so confident that it even made Qin Minghong a little dazed. After choosing two books and paying the bill, Shen Yao left the bookstore and went to his brother¡¯s pastry shop. Eldest Brother Shen, who was entertaining guests, identally caught a glimpse of his third brother¡¯s dark face. He hurriedly walked up to him and asked with concern, ¡°Third Brother, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°The weather is hot and I¡¯m a little frustrated. Big Brother, I¡¯ll go to the kitchen to drink water first.¡± Shen Yao exined briefly and hurriedly turned around to go to the kitchen. Shen Yao gulped down tworge scoops of cold water in one breath. Only then did he feel the anger in his heart suppressed! It was almost noon, but Ji Zhao was still in the kitchen of the Ma Residence, so busy that her feet did not touch the ground. The crystalmb jelly was ready. She was carefully cutting it into pieces. Then, she mixed a bowl of sauce and ced it beside the white porcin te. At 1:15 pm, Ji Zhao, who could finally rest, held a bowl of red bean porridge and drank it with relish. Her mission today had beenpleted. As long as Old Madam Ma liked her cooking, she could discuss with Second Brother You about opening a fried snack shop. The more Ji Zhao thought about it, the happier she became. When she opened the shop, she could still afford a courtyard and buy a house¡ª Just as Ji Zhao was happily thinking about the future, hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the door. Butler Ma rushed into the kitchen and said happily, ¡°Miss Ah Tao, Old Madam tasted your crystalmb jelly and praised it endlessly! She specially instructed me to send this reward to you!¡± ¡°The Old Madam is too kind.¡± Ji Zhao smiled faintly, a hint of surprise shing across her eyes. For a chef, the greatest achievement was the customer¡¯s recognition of her culinary skills. Unable to dissuade the enthusiastic Butler Ma, Ji Zhao still took the two taels of silver. However, she handed the silver in her hand to Butler Ma. ¡°Miss Ah Tao?¡± Ma Tong raised his eyebrows in confusion, but the hand holding the silver never let go. ¡°If Butler Ma hadn¡¯t taken care of me, I wouldn¡¯t have had the chance toe to the Ma Residence to show off my culinary skills. In short, you must ept it. This is also a token of my appreciation.¡± ¡°Miss Ah Tao, you¡¯re too kind¡­¡± Ma Tong smiled sheepishly and put the two taels of silver in his pocket front of her. ¡°By the way, there are many wealthy gentry attending the old madam¡¯s birthday banquet today. Miss Ah Tao, why don¡¯t you make some snacks and distribute them before the banquet ends?¡± After obtaining the two taels of silver, Ma Tong was naturally willing to give her more advice. ¡°I heard from Second Manager You that Miss Ah Tao¡¯s husband¡¯s eldest brother has a pastry shop?¡± Chapter 144 - 144 Double Skin Milk 144 Double Skin Milk Butler Ma¡¯s words stopped there. ¡°I¡¯m still busy in the front yard. I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡± ¡°Thank you, Butler Ma.¡± Ji Zhao understood what he meant and thanked him gratefully. The Northwestern dishes she made earlier all had strong vors. Speaking of which, they were considered greasy dishes. Ji Zhao thought about it seriously and quickly came up with an idea. She nned to make a double skin milk. After all, not only could this dessert relieve greasiness, but it also looked nice! The upperyer of double-skinned milk was sweet and fragrant. The loweryer of milk was smooth and moist. When eaten, the fragrance was rich and would leave a fragrance in one¡¯s mouth. It was just right to relieve the strong vor ofmb for the guests. Of course, the most important thing was that the Double Skin Milk¡¯s method was very simple, and there was a lot of room to be creative. Original Double Skin Milk, Red Bean Double Skin Milk, Fruit Double Skin Milk¡ª Fortunately, the kitchen in the Ma residence had everything. Ji Zhao quickly found milk and eggs. She had once asked Shen Yao if the current dynasty could eat beef. At that time, Shen Yao¡¯s answer left a deep impression on her. Many wealthy families in Dingyuan County raised water buffaloes in farmsteads on the outskirts of the city. Moreover, those wealthy gentry seemed to know how to maintain their health. The rich children had nevercked milk since they were young. It was said that decades ago, the current Grand Emperor had specially issued a decree to attract a batch of cows from the country. After cultivation, cows were now found in many ces! When Ji Zhao heard about those deeds, she had once wondered if the current Grand Emperor was also a transmigrator. However, when she read the original novel, she only paid attention to the Shen family. As for the other supporting characters in the book, she did not pay much attention to them. Now that she thought about it, she regretted it. Ji Zhao shook her head and threw all the messy thoughts in her mind to the back of her mind. She made the double skin milk seriously. Although the ingredients for making the double skin milk were very simple and the cooking was not difficult, she still had to focus on making it. After all, this dessert had a high requirement for the heat control. An hourter, Ji Zhao finally seeded in making the double skin milk. When the Double Skin Milk was sent to the front yard, it received unanimous praise again. Later, when the Shen family¡¯s pastry shop released the double-skinned milk dessert, it instantly became popr in the entire county. The Shen family¡¯s business became more and more popr¡ª Of course, this was news forter. At the end of the day, Ji Zhao, who had been busy for several hours, could finally rest. In addition to the four northwestern dishes at the beginning, she made a total of 21 bowls of double skin milk. She was really exhausted. After the banquet in the front yard ended, Butler Ma came to the kitchen again. This time, the pouch he handed to Ji Zhao was heavy. ¡°Butler Ma? This is?¡± ¡°The Old Madam is very happy today. Moreover, the dishes you made received unanimous praise from the esteemed guests.¡± Ma Tong exined happily, ¡°This time, you have to keep it.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this¡­ too much?¡± Ji Zhao weighed the pouch in her hand and estimated that there was at least ten taels of silver inside. She asked awkwardly, ¡°Why don¡¯t you keep another half?¡± ¡°That won¡¯t do!¡± Butler Ma refused. ¡°Miss Ah Tao, didn¡¯t you already express your intentions earlier? I, Ma Tong, am not a greedy person, so you should take this reward well. In short, your culinary skills have caught the eye of our old madam. There¡¯s still a long way to go!¡± ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll ept it.¡± Ji Zhao was a straightforward person and did not like to be wishy washy. The smile on Ma Tong¡¯s face deepened when he saw how straightforward she was. ¡°I still have to report to the Old Madam. If you¡¯re done packing, you can go back. Do you want me to send someone to lead the way for you?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to trouble Butler Ma. I know the way.¡± Ji Zhao smiled faintly. ¡°By the way, I have a presumptuous request. Butler Ma, I saw golden osmanthus nted in the backyard. Can I pick some osmanthus flowers and bring them back?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Butler Ma agreed happily. Chapter 145 - 145 Can You Move? 145 Can You Move? With Butler Ma¡¯s permission, Ji Zhao found an old cloth bag from the kitchen. She nned to pick some osmanthus flowers and dry them in the sun. Dry osmanthus flowers could not only be used to make pastries, but also to make perfume sachets. After all, she and Shen Yao had already expressed their feelings for each other. Moreover, Shen Yao had given her many gifts before. At the thought of Shen Yao, Ji Zhao subconsciously caressed the hairpin in her bun. There was a hint of sweetness in her heart. !! She nned to make an osmanthus perfume sachet for Shen Yao personally. After tidying up the kitchen, Ji Zhao walked to the golden osmanthus tree in the backyard. A gust of wind blew, and golden stamens covered the ground. It was beautiful. Ji Zhao slowly squatted on the ground and carefully picked up the osmanthus petals on the ground. Soon, the cloth bag was bulging. Satisfied, she turned around and was about to leave when a grayish-brown figure suddenly appeared in front of her. ¡°Are you the new maid in the residence?¡± The young man reeked of alcohol. His eyes were triangr and his nose was t. His mouth was so big that it exceeded the scope of human knowledge. The smell of alcohol almost made Ji Zhao vomit. She frowned in disgust and covered her mouth and nose. ¡°I¡¯m not a maid in the residence. I¡¯m leaving now. Can you please make way?¡± ¡°Not a maidservant?¡± The youth¡¯s tone became even more arrogant. ¡°Let¡¯s go, serve me well. I will definitely make you feelfortable!¡± Ji Zhao sneered and then bent her knee mercilessly. AHHHHH! The arrogant youth suddenly let out a howl like a pig being ughtered! ¡°Miss Ji.¡± Just as Ji Zhao was about to leave, a familiar figure suddenly appeared in front of her. ¡°Young Master Qin?¡± ¡°You damned maid, how dare youy a hand on me?¡± Ma Tianxiang, who had been kicked in the manhood, was furious. He covered his wound and jumped in front of Ji Zhao. ¡°Who gave you the guts? Someone, take this thief down!¡± ¡°Young Master Ma, it¡¯s a misunderstanding.¡± Qin Minghong subconsciously shielded Ji Zhao behind him and exined with a smile, ¡°Thisdy is not a maid in your residence. She¡¯s my friend. Just now, she didn¡¯t know Young Master¡¯s identity and actually mistook Young Master for a lecher. I¡¯m really sorry.¡± ¡°Your friend?¡± Ma Tianxiang narrowed his eyes suspiciously. ¡°Young Master Qin, is this your lover?¡± ¡°Eldest Young Master, please show mercy. Thisdy is my friend.¡± The smile on Qin Minghong¡¯s face suddenly disappeared, and even his tone became stiff. Although Ma Tianxiang was a profligate son, he was not stupid. He knew that his father, the county magistrate of Dingyuan County, Lord Ma, had always respected the Qin family. In other words, he could not afford to provoke the Qin family. Therefore, he was definitely going to suffer today. ¡°If Young Master Qin doesn¡¯t want you anymore in the future, feel free to look for me!¡± Before Ma Tianxiang left, he did not forget to throw a pretentious wink at Ji Zhao. He thought he was very handsome, but in fact, it was very disgusting. Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore and retched twice. ¡°You don¡¯t know how to appreciate favors!¡± Ma Tianxiang narrowed his eyes and looked at her coldly before turning around angrily. ¡°Miss Ji, are you alright?¡± Qin Minghong immediately took out a handkerchief and handed it to her. Ji Zhao waved her hand and refused. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Thank you so much just now.¡± Ji Zhao looked at him and thanked him sincerely. ¡°Just take it that I owe you a favor. If you need my help in the future, just let me know.¡± After all, Ji Zhao knew very well that if Qin Minghong hadn¡¯t helped her out just now, this matter wouldn¡¯t have ended like this. ¡°Then can I ask Miss Ji to treat me to a meal?¡± Chapter 146 - 146 My Wife 146 My Wife To Qin Minghong¡¯s disappointment, Ji Zhao did not agree immediately. ¡°It¡¯s my honor to be able to invite Young Master Qin to dinner. However, I have to discuss this with my husband. It¡¯s better to follow your husband after you get married!¡± Ji Zhao smiled sincerely. ¡°It seems that Miss Ji is very close to your husband?¡± Qin Minghong lowered his eyes to hide the disappointment in them. ¡°It¡¯s just that Miss Ji doesn¡¯t look very old. Why are you married so early?¡± ¡°Marriage is a big matter. Of course, it¡¯s decided by parents.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and changed the topic. ¡°Young Master Qin, I have to go back. Shall we part ways here?¡± !! ¡°It just so happens that I¡¯m leaving too. Shall we go together?¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± No matter what, he had helped her out just now. It would be strange if she did not give him face. Ji Zhao cursed in her heart. In the end, she walked out of the backyard of the Ma Residence with Qin Minghong. The warm early autumn sun shone with a golden glow on the man¡¯s body, coating him with a faint golden light, making him look like an immortal. ¡°Shen Yao!¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly and rushed to Shen Yao, who was waiting under the parasol tree. She showed the cloth bag in her hand as if she was presenting a treasure. ¡°Look, I picked a lot of osmanthus flowers!¡± ¡°Are you tired?¡± Shen Yao took off the water bag on his waist and handed it to her. ¡°You¡¯ve been busy all day. Are you thirsty?¡± ¡°Mm!¡± Seeing such a warm scene, Qin Minghong felt a little disconcerted. ording to his investigation, Ji Ah Tao should have been sold to the Shen family, but how could her rtionship with the third son of the Shen family be so close? This was too illogical. ¡°This water is so sweet?¡± After taking a big gulp of water, Ji Zhao narrowed her eyes happily. ¡°Mm, I specially stewed the water with lilies and pears, so it¡¯s sweeter,¡± Shen Yao exined softly. Then, he held her hand. ¡°Shall we go home?¡± ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Ji Zhao gently squeezed his palm and exined softly, ¡°Just now, something happened in the backyard of the Ma Residence. It was Young Master Qin who helped resolve the situation.¡± Ji Zhao honestly told Shen Yao what happened 15 minutes ago. Finally, she asked, ¡°Can we treat Young Master Qin to a meal to express our gratitude?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Shen Yao smiled generously and walked up to Qin Minghong. He said gratefully, ¡°Thank you for helping my wife just now.¡± The words ¡®my wife¡¯ sounded a little harsh to Qin Minghong¡¯s ears. ¡°If Young Master Qin doesn¡¯t mind, we¡¯re willing to treat you to a meal.¡± Shen Yao raised his eyebrows and smiled gently. ¡°There¡¯s no time like the present. How about tonight? I wonder if Young Master Qin is used to street food?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a chicken soup wonton on West Street. It tastes good.¡± Shen Yao smiled, but his smile did not reach his eyes. ¡°But Young Master Qin might not be used to it.¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± Qin Minghong pretended to not understand what he meant. He looked at Ji Zhao and nodded slightly. ¡°It¡¯s my honor to be able to have dinner with Miss Ji.¡± Ji Zhao felt that there was a hidden meaning in their conversation. However, she was toozy to think about it because she was really hungry now! The three of them walked to West Street together and ordered three big bowls of chicken soup wontons. ¡°How fragrant!¡± Ji Zhao took a whiff of the alluring fragrance and impatiently picked up the spoon. ¡°Be careful, it¡¯s hot,¡± Shen Yao said quickly. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m fine¡­¡± Ji Zhao fanned her mouth as she exhaled. ¡°It¡¯s so hot¡­¡± She was really famished. That was why she put such a hot wonton into her mouth. ¡°Some water?¡± ¡°Wipe your mouth?¡± The two men on her left and right spoke at the same time and handed her something at the same time. Chapter 147 - 147 A Little 147 A Little The atmosphere was a little awkward. Ji Zhao silently took the handkerchief from Shen Yao and gently wiped the corner of her lips. ¡°Better?¡± ¡°Yes, yes. I¡¯m fine.¡± Ji Zhao smiled awkwardly. !! Only then did Shen Yao feel relieved. He brought over the bowl of wontons in front of Ji Zhao and gently blew on it. After a while, he pushed it in front of her again. ¡°It¡¯s not hot anymore.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Ji Zhao narrowed her eyes in satisfaction and smiled sweetly. Qin Minghong, who witnessed this scene, suddenly felt his teeth ache. ¡°Young Master Qin, are you not used to it?¡± Shen Yao keenly caught the twitching of Qin Minghong¡¯s lips and said with ¡®concern¡¯, ¡°If you¡¯re not used to it, don¡¯t force yourself.¡± ¡°I think this chicken soup wonton is really good.¡± Qin Minghong had a polite smile on his face. ¡°Miss Ji, the dessert you presented at the Ma residence was really delicious.¡± ¡°Young Master Qin, are you referring to Double Skin Milk?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Qin Minghong nodded and said softly, ¡°Actually, my mother likes dessert very much. I wonder if I can trouble Miss Ji to make another double skin milk?¡± ¡°In two days.¡± Ji Zhao agreed readily. ¡°In two days, Young Master Qin cane to our eldest brother¡¯s shop. At that time, the shop will sell double-skinned milk.¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± Qin Minghong originally wanted to invite Ji Zhao to his residence as a guest. But now was not the right time. ¡°Thank you for your hospitality, Miss Ji. I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡± Qin Minghong stood up and left. Ji Zhao smiled and sent him off. After a moment, her gazended on Shen Yao¡¯s face again. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Sensing her gaze, Shen Yao smiled curiously. ¡°Shen Yao, are you jealous?¡± Ji Zhao rested her chin on her hands and looked into his eyes with a smile as she asked curiously. ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Yao nodded calmly. ¡°A little.¡± Hearing him admit to being jealous, the smile in Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes deepened. ¡°Why are you smiling so happily?¡± Infected by her emotions, Shen Yao could not help but smile. ¡°You¡¯re jealous, which means that you care about me very much.¡± Ji Zhao raised her eyebrows arrogantly, and there was a hint of smugness in her charming smile. ¡°I¡¯m very happy.¡± Shen Yao held his forehead helplessly. After paying the money, the two of them held hands and strolled in the sunset. Unknowingly, the two of them arrived near the three-hole bridge. The willows on both sides of the Qing River swayed in the wind and danced gracefully. There were all kinds of pedestrians on the bridge. On the bridge, boatmen wearing bamboo hats and holding bamboo poles were rowing slowly. The afterglow of the setting sun shone on the river, causing golden ripples to appear on the sparkling river. ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful.¡± Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but sigh. The scenery in front of her was really too beautiful. It was intoxicating. Closing her eyes, the feeling of the autumn wind blowing on her face was extremelyfortable. Shen Yao looked at her side profile, his eyes filled with gentle affection. ¡°Indeed very beautiful.¡± Shen Yao nodded slightly and agreed with a smile. The sun set in the west and night fell quietly. ¡°It¡¯s done!¡± In the kitchen, Ji Zhao said with a smile, ¡°Shen Yao,e and try this red bean double skin milk!¡± Shen Yao, who was watching the fire in front of the stove, immediately stood up and walked to her side. Ji Zhao eagerly scooped up a spoonful of double-skinned milk and brought it to his lips. She smiled expectantly. ¡°Try it?¡± At this moment, the distance between them was very close. Shen Yao could even see her long eyshes that were like butterfly wings flickering. She was extremely cute. His heart skipped a beat, and he suddenly moved closer to her cheek¡ª Chapter 148 - 148 Really Sweet 148 Really Sweet Facing Shen Yao¡¯s sudden approach, Ji Zhao was so nervous that she forgot to breathe¡ª She could even hear her own rapid heartbeat. Shen Yao was so close to her. Did he want to kiss her? Actually, she was also looking forward to it¡ª !! Ji Zhao subconsciously closed her eyes and gently pouted her cherry lips¡ª However, the expected softness did notnd on her lips. ¡°Ah Tao, are you trying to¡ª¡± ¡°No, no! I didn¡¯t think of anything! I didn¡¯t want you to kiss me! I really didn¡¯t!¡± The flustered Ji Zhao hurriedly retreated and waved her hands. Shen Yao was amused by her expression. ¡°Ah Tao, I wanted to ask you just now. Do you want me to taste the sweetness of this double skin milk?¡± Ji Zhao held her forehead awkwardly, wishing she could find a hole to hide in. Just now, she really misunderstood. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Ji Zhao squeezed out a smile that was uglier than crying. ¡°Have you tried it?¡± Shen Yao asked with a gentle smile. ¡°You made this double skin milk. If you want to know if the sweetness is suitable, you should try it yourself.¡± ¡°It seems¡­ very reasonable?¡± After thinking about it carefully, Shen Yao¡¯s words made sense. ¡°Then let me try it.¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly brought the spoonful of double skin milk to her lips. The sweetness was moderate, and the milky fragrance permeated the air, leaving a lingering fragrance in one¡¯s mouth. ¡°This sweetness should be just right,¡± Ji Zhaomented to herself. ¡°Really?¡± Shen Yao raised his eyebrows curiously. ¡°Then let me try it too.¡± ¡°Here, try it.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and handed him the spoon in her hand. Shen Yao, who had a gentle smile on his face, took the spoon from her and ced it on the chopping board. Then, he suddenly reached out and grabbed her slender waist. Before Ji Zhao could react, a touch of softnessnded on her lips¡ª She was kissed? At this moment, Ji Zhao¡¯s mind was nk! Shen Yao¡¯s actions were very gentle and clumsy. Ji Zhao lowered her eyes to hide the craftiness in them and stuck out her pink tongue mischievously¡ª At this moment, Shen Yao was so nervous that he did not know what to do. However, hisprehension ability was extremely high, and he quickly turned the tables. For a moment, Ji Zhao felt like she was about to run out of oxygen. ¡°Sister Ah Tao, have you prepared the double skin milk?¡± Feng Chunyan walked into the kitchen with a smile. When she saw such an embarrassing scene, she hurriedly covered her eyes and said with a trembling voice, ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything!¡± Then, she ran out of the kitchen. Ji Zhao¡¯s hands subconsciously pressed against Shen Yao¡¯s muscr chest. Her tone was filled with innocence. ¡°Enough¡­¡± ¡°Ah Tao.¡± Shen Yao leaned against her forehead affectionately and smiled gently. ¡°It¡¯s really sweet.¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s face became even hotter. On the other side, Eldest Sister-inw Shen was embroidering flowers. When she heard footsteps, she looked up with a smile. ¡°Chunyan, did Ah Tao finish making the double skin milk?¡± However, the person in front of her did not respond to her. ¡°Chunyan?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen raised her head in confusion, her eyes filled with concern. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Why is your face so red?¡± ¡°Sister, I¡­¡± Feng Chunyan quietly drank a cup of herbal tea and felt a little better. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because it¡¯s too hot today. It¡¯s so stuffy!¡± ¡°Remember to drink more snow fungus pear soup tomorrow. It moistens the lungs and relieves the heat. It can also relieve the internal heat. Autumn in the county city has always been like this. It¡¯s very stuffy and hot,¡± Sister-inw Shen quickly instructed. ¡°Yes.¡± However, Feng Chunyan felt that the two people in the kitchen needed to drink the white snow fungus pear soup more. Chapter 149 - 149 I Will 149 I Will After Eldest Sister-inw Shen tasted the double skin milk, she was full of praise. ¡°Ah Tao, isn¡¯t this too delicious?¡± ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, I¡¯ve already told Eldest Brother about the cooking method of this double skin milk. Moreover, I¡¯ve already asked Butler Ma to promote it at Old Madam Ma¡¯s birthday banquet today, so you and Eldest Brother can discuss a suitable time to promote the double skin milk. However, the cost of making double skin milk is rtively high, so you can sell it in limited quantities. Moreover, if the double skin milk is made overnight, it won¡¯t taste good.¡± ¡°In short, I¡¯ve asked Shen Yao to write down everything I can think of.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and handed the simple n to Eldest Sister-inw Shen. ¡°However, you and Eldest Brother have been running this pastry shop for so many years. You must have your own ideas.¡± ¡°Ah Tao, you¡¯re really too kind!¡± Sister-inw Shen was so grateful that she didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°Mother once said that even brothers have to settle ounts clearly! You were the one who provided the recipe for this double skin milk. In the future, we¡¯ll give you 50% of the profits from this dessert. What do you think?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen had always been sensible, and she really admired Ji Ah Tao from the bottom of her heart. Over the years, Dingyuan County had been affected by the drought. Most of the citizens in the county had been living frugally and did not have any spare money to buy pastries to eat. If not for Ah Tao¡¯s timely appearance, helping their shop push out the mung bean ice cake and full moon cakes and sessfully signing a contract with the Qin family, the shop would have closed. ¡°Sister-inw, we¡¯re family. Why are you treating me like an outsider?¡± Ji Zhao quickly rejected her. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯ll be curfew soon. Shen Yao and I will go back to the restaurant first.¡± Without waiting for Sister-inw Shen to ask them to stay, Ji Zhao grabbed Shen Yao¡¯s arm and ran away. Looking at their hurried backs, Eldest Sister-inw Shen was both amused and touched. The moonlight was like water, quiet and silent. Ji Zhao, who was holding Shen Yao¡¯s hand, walked on Qinghe Street and hummed a tune happily. ¡°I¡¯m sure that you¡¯re my only one~Saying I love you to my phone by myself~ I really love you~¡± Ji Zhao hummed her favorite song and deliberately slurred the lyrics. However, Shen Yao could tell that she was in a good mood. ¡°Ah Tao, are you happy?¡± Shen Yao suddenly tickled her palm and smiled gently. ¡°Yes, of course I¡¯m happy~¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s lips curled up happily. ¡°Today at the Ma Residence, I received a reward of six taels of silver! Besides, didn¡¯t Second Brother You say before that he would help me rent a shop? Of course, more importantly, Eldest Sister-inw doesn¡¯t hate me anymore.¡± ¡°Why do you care so much about what Eldest Sister-inw thinks of you?¡± Shen Yao asked curiously. ¡°Because she¡¯s your family!¡± Ji Zhao blurted out without thinking. ¡°And I heard from Mother that in order to treat your leg injury, Eldest Sister-inw and Second Sister-inw even helped pawn their own dowry.¡± ¡°They¡¯re all family members that care about you. That¡¯s why I care what they think of me.¡± Shen Yao did not expect Ji Zhao¡¯s motive to be for him. At this moment, his emotions were a littleplicated. ¡°Ah Tao.¡± Shen Yao suddenly stopped in his tracks and faced her. He exhaled deeply and asked with a serious gaze, ¡°Do you feel aggrieved marrying me?¡± ¡°Shen Yao, will you do anything to let me down in the future?¡± To his surprise, Ji Zhao asked instead of answering. ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± ¡°Then will you treat me well, love me, and protect me for the rest of my life?¡± ¡°I will.¡± Chapter 150 - 150 It Seems to Be Minghong? 150 It Seems to Be Minghong? Even though the moonlight was hazy, Ji Zhao could still see the determination in Shen Yao¡¯s eyes. ¡°I believe you.¡± Ji Zhao suddenly approached him and wrapped her arms around his waist. The side of her face was close to his strong and firm chest as she said gently, ¡°Shen Yao, in my eyes, when I like someone, I will like them wholeheartedly. It doesn¡¯t matter if the other party is tall, short, fat, poor, rich, none of tat is important. Because these are all external conditions. I think it¡¯s more important to have a tacit understanding in the soul.¡± ¡°I like you. My heart beats faster when I see you. Every time you¡¯re close to me, I¡¯m excited and nervous. Every minute and second I spend with you, I¡¯m happy. Isn¡¯t that enough?¡± ¡°The Shen Yao in my eyes is cold on the outside but warm on the inside. He¡¯s gentle and refined, knowledgeable, and talented. More importantly, he¡¯s handsome.¡± Ji Zhao looked up into his eyes and confessed seriously, ¡°Shen Yao, I really like you very much.¡± Her eyes were very bright. It was even more brilliant than the stars in the night sky. Upon hearing this, Shen Yao¡¯s left chest seemed to be filled with honey. It was sweet. ¡°Ah Tao.¡± Shen Yao could no longer hold back his emotions. He cupped her face and kissed her lips gently and carefully¡ª Looking at the intimate actions of the two embracing figures, even the moon in the sky hid behind the dark clouds shyly. The early autumn wind carried a hint of bleakness. However, the two figures hugging each other only felt their hearts burning. Around 9pm. Ji Zhao, who was already lying on the bed, smiled at the man who was sleeping on the floor and raised her eyebrows silently. ¡°Shen Yao, good night!¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly, then closed her eyes and visited thend of dreams. ¡°Good night, sweet dreams.¡± Shen Yao was in a very good mood tonight. Although he could only sleep on the floor, he felt very happy¡ª The night passed uneventfully. The next day, when Ji Zhao and Shen Yao were having breakfast, Second Manager You walked up to them happily. ¡°It¡¯s done!¡± Second Manager You smiled excitedly. ¡°Ah Tao, the head manager has agreed to rent that shop to you. He even waived your rent for three months!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ji Zhao stood up excitedly. ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± ¡°Second Brother You, thank you.¡± Shen Yao hurriedly stood up and thanked Second Manager You. ¡°With our friendship, what¡¯s there to be polite about?¡± Second Manager You deliberately pulled a long face and said, ¡°Quick, quick, quick, sit down. Let¡¯s discuss the rental of this shop!¡± ¡°Actually, Ah Tao, when you were interested in renting the shop, I already mentioned it in front of the head shopkeeper,¡± Second Manager You said happily. ¡°In addition, the dishes you made in the Ma Residence yesterday were especially good. Old Madam Ma especially liked them, and the head shopkeeper was even happier! I might as well mention this shop again. This time, it¡¯s finally settled.¡± Second Manager You smiled as he took out a contract from his sleeve. ¡°This is the lease drawn up by the head shopkeeper. Third Brother Shen, Ah Tao, take a look first. If there¡¯s anything wrong, we can discuss it together?¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Ji Zhao nodded repeatedly, then took the contract and looked at it seriously. Soon, Shen Yao realized that something was wrong. ¡°Second Shopkeeper You, the seal here seems to have the words Minghong?¡± Chapter 151 - 151 No Reason to be Dissatisfied 151 No Reason to be Dissatisfied When he saw the seal on the contract, Shen Yao had a bad feeling. ¡°I do know a Young Master Qin. I only know that he¡¯s the young master of the Octagonal Guests. Could it be that this Hongxing Restaurant is also a property of the Qin family?¡± Ji Zhao remembered that the richest family in Dingyuan County seemed to be the Qin family? Second Manager You nodded with a hearty smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to know our young master, Ah Tao. The young master of our Hongxing Restaurant is indeed from the Qin family.¡± !! Ji Zhao subconsciously looked at Shen Yao and could not help but sigh in her heart. This world was really small! ¡°But I heard that the owner of Hongxing Restaurant seems to have the surname Yu?¡± Shen Yao was also very confused. Wasn¡¯t this too much of a coincidence? ¡°Mm.¡± The smile on Second Manager You¡¯s face gradually disappeared, reced by a strong sense of sadness. A momentter, Second Manager You faced Ah Tao and asked with a smile, ¡°Ah Tao, what do you think of this lease?¡± ¡°Second Brother You, I won¡¯t hide it from you. Actually, we asked Big Brother to find out if there are any suitable shops in the county. However, every inch ofnd in Dingyuan County is expensive. Even on the furthest East Street, the rent for the shops is very expensive.¡± Ji Zhao smiled sincerely. ¡°To be fair, the rent you offer is really too good!¡± ¡°I guess I have no reason to be dissatisfied.¡± ¡°Hahaha.¡± Hearing this, Second Manager You felt extremely satisfied. Ji Zhao nced at Shen Yao again. Seeing him nod, her smile became even brighter. After signing the contract, Ji Zhao thought for a moment and looked at Second Manager You. She invited him sincerely, ¡°Second Brother You, I¡¯m really grateful for your care during this period of time. Coincidentally, I received some reward money from the Ma Residence yesterday. I want to treat you to a meal. I wonder if you¡¯re willing to do me the honor?¡± Second Manager You gently rubbed his chin and asked with a serious expression, ¡°You¡¯re cooking personally?¡± ¡°Naturally.¡± ¡°Then why wouldn¡¯t I go?¡± Second Manager Youughed again. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled? There¡¯s no time like the present. Why don¡¯t we do it today?¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile. ¡°Shen Yao, let¡¯s go to the marketter to buy more vegetables?¡± ¡°Oh right, I remember now!¡± Second Manager You snapped his fingers and said excitedly, ¡°Today, the manor sent a lot of big crabs to the kitchen. Ah Tao, why don¡¯t you make a few crab dishes?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s settled!¡± Second Manager You happily hummed a tune as he left their room. Ji Zhao carefully put away the lease. Then, she propped her chin on her hands and looked at Shen Yao, who was silent. She held back herughter and did not say anything. ¡°Mm?¡± ¡°Shen Yao, what were you thinking when you saw the signature on the lease just now?¡± Ji Zhao deliberately winked at him and asked with a smile. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Shen Yao pinched her nose helplessly and exined softly, ¡°However, I¡¯m indeed a little surprised because I¡¯ve heard that the owner of Hongxing Restaurant¡¯s surname is Yu. I just didn¡¯t expect that it would change owners now. I¡¯m a little surprised.¡± ¡°Now that you mention it, I also feel that something is wrong.¡± Ji Zhao frowned slightly and said softly, ¡°When Second Brother You mentioned the previous owner of the restaurant just now, he seemed to be very sad?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Yao gently held her hand and smiled gently. ¡°But we don¡¯t have to pay attention to this. You¡¯ve already rented a shop. Have you thought of how to decorate it?¡± ¡°To be honest, I haven¡¯t thought of that step yet.¡± Ji Zhao shrugged helplessly. ¡°And I¡¯m thinking about something else now.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I wonder if I should steam or braise the crabs?¡± Shen Yao was amused by her innocent look. Chapter 152 - 152 That’s Great! 152 That¡¯s Great! When Ji Zhao saw the big basket full of crabs, her eyes shone with a strange light! There were so many big crabs. She almost drooled when she saw them. ¡°Shen Yao, have you eaten spicy crab before?¡± Ji Zhao raised her eyebrows smugly. ¡°Let me show you something today!¡± After putting on the apron, Ji Zhao washed her hands and began to deal with the live crabs. This batch of crabs was very fat. Each of them was not small, about the size of Ji Zhao¡¯s palm. ¡°The crab¡¯s pincers are very powerful. Ah Tao, you have to be careful,¡± Shen Yao, who was peeling garlic, reminded gently. ¡°Don¡¯t worry!¡± Ji Zhao quickly grabbed a big crab, washed its abdomen, and ced it in a bamboo basket at the side. Around 11 am, Ji Zhao finally finished processing all the ingredients. She picked up the kitchen knife that Shen Yao had given her and quickly split the crabs in half. Then, she covered them in starch and ced it aside forter. ¡°Shen Yao, the fire must be moderate. It must not be too big or too small,¡± Ji Zhao called out with a smile. Then, she began to make this delicious spicy crab. When the hot oil in the pot emitted white smoke, Ji Zhao poured all the crabs she had chopped into it! Sizzle¡ª The crab that had been fried immediately turned red. After a while, Ji Zhao fished out all the crabs and began to drain the oil. While the oil in the pot was still hot, she added the minced garlic, ginger, and dried chili, and a spoonful of the secret chili sauce. Soon, a rich fragrance wafted out of the kitchen¡ª That fragrance made one drool. At that moment, Qin Minghong, who was checking the ounts, also sensed the fragrance. He looked curiously at Second Manager You, who was sitting opposite him. ¡°Has the restaurant released its new dishes? This fragrance is very special!¡± ¡°Young Master, do you also think that this fragrance makes people drool?¡± Second Manager You exined with a smile, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s Miss Ji who rented our shop. She¡¯s making spicy crabs.¡± ¡°Miss Ji?¡± Qin Minghong¡¯s mood immediately became excited. ¡°Could it be that Ji Ah Tao, Miss Ji, with outstanding culinary skills?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°But I remember that the name on the lease is Ji Zhao?¡± ¡°Miss Ah Tao¡¯s full name is Ji Zhao.¡± Second Manager You hurriedly smiled and said, ¡°Young Master, Ah Tao is grateful to me for helping her pull strings and rent a shop. That¡¯s why she borrowed our restaurant¡¯s kitchen this afternoon. She said she¡¯s making spicy crab and that the taste of this spicy crab is especially great! But Young Master, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve already reported to the head shopkeeper. The silver for those ingredients will be deducted from my monthly sry.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Qin Ming smiled magnanimously, ¡°Although Uncle Yu has taken on the name of the head shopkeeper all these years, I also know that the restaurant is able to make profits all year round because of you. If I have to deduct your monthly sry for such a small matter, it would seem that I¡¯m too unreasonable.¡± ¡°Young Master.¡± Second Manager You was so touched that his eyes turned red. ¡°Ever since I was 16 years old, I¡¯vee to our restaurant. In the blink of an eye, it¡¯s been almost 14 years. In my heart, the restaurant is my second home.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Qin Minghong nodded in understanding. ¡°Uncle Yu also told me that before. Second Brother You, I believe that the restaurant¡¯s business will get better and better in the future!¡± ¡°Definitely!¡± Second Manager You nodded firmly. ¡°Since Miss Ji made spicy crab, why don¡¯t I stay and try it too?¡± ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Chapter 153 - 153 Very Comfortable 153 Very Comfortable In addition to the spicy crab, Ji Zhao also made garlic chicken wings, dry pot duck head, and fragrant braised pork. Of course, in addition to the four meat dishes, she also made mushrooms, vegetables, and a vegetable soup. ¡°Does it smell good?¡± ¡°Are you tired?¡± !! When Ji Zhao took off her apron, she subconsciously looked at Shen Yao and heard his voice. ¡°Smells good!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not tired!¡± The two of them answered each other¡¯s questions in unison again. The moment they looked at each other, they smiled at the same time. ¡°We have quite a tacit understanding?¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s lips curled up slightly. At this moment, her mood could be said to be very beautiful. ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Yao nodded in agreement and grabbed her right hand. Just as Ji Zhao was feeling puzzled, Shen Yao had already started to rub her wrist. ¡°You¡¯ve been cutting vegetables and cooking just now. You used a lot of strength in your right hand. If you don¡¯t loosen it, you might cramp,¡± Shen Yao exined in a low voice. Then, he continued to massage her wrist. ¡°It¡¯s veryfortable.¡± Ji Zhao narrowed her eyes in satisfaction. ¡°Ah Tao, you¡¯ve made so many dishes?¡± Second Manager You, who had just entered the kitchen, asked happily, ¡°They¡¯re all done? Isn¡¯t this too fragrant?¡± ¡°Second Brother You, let¡¯s bring the dishes out and start eating?¡± ¡°Okay, okay, okay!¡± Second Manager You couldn¡¯t wait any longer. ¡°By the way, Ah Tao, our young master also wants to try your spicy crab. Shall we have lunch togetherter? Don¡¯t worry, our young master is very approachable.¡± Second Manager You smiled and brought out therge portion of spicy crab. ¡°Why don¡¯t we find an excuse to leave first?¡± Ji Zhao felt the low pressure suddenly released by the man beside her and was quite conflicted. ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± After adjusting his emotions, Shen Yao shook his head. ¡°If we leave just like that, we will definitely be estranged from Second Brother You in the future.¡± ¡°You¡­ really don¡¯t mind?¡± Ji Zhao looked at him, a hint of nervousness hidden in the depths of her eyes. Actually, she could also feel Qin Minghong¡¯s feelings toward her. However, she was a very principled person. Now that she knew very well that the person she liked was Shen Yao, she did not want to have too much contact with other men. ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± Shen Yao suddenly grabbed her hand and leaned close to her. He gently pecked her lips. ¡°We¡¯ve already stamped each other, so I really don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± A sweet smile appeared on Ji Zhao¡¯s face. The way her eyes curved into crescents was extremely cute. Qin Minghong, who was standing in front of the window with his hands behind his back, happened to see this scene through the gap of the old locust tree. He felt that Shen Yao was not worthy of Miss Ah Tao. Therefore, she deserved a better choice. Qin Minghong immediately retracted his gaze and turned around to sit at the square table, quietly waiting for their arrival. Fifteen minutester, after the four of them sat down, Qin Minghong was the first to speak. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Miss Ah Tao and I to be fated.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Young Master Qin to be the young master of this Hongxing Restaurant.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and sighed softly. ¡°In that case, why don¡¯t we have a drink together?¡± Qin Minghong was the first to pick up the jade wine ss in front of him. He suggested with a gentle smile, ¡°Miss Ji, you can try it too. This is the hawthorn fruit wine that I¡¯ve kept for a long time. It¡¯s sweet and not spicy at all.¡± ¡°I get dizzy when I drink.¡± Ji Zhao rejected him with a smile. ¡°Young Master Qin, I¡¯ll use tea as a toast to you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sad that Miss Ji doesn¡¯t want to drink.¡± Qin Minghong pretended to be disappointed and sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll drink for her.¡± Chapter 154 - 154 I’ll Listen to My Wife From Now On 154 I¡¯ll Listen to My Wife From Now On Ji Zhao, who was racking her brains for words to reject this ss of wine, did not expect Shen Yao to suddenly speak. She was both happy and a little worried. ¡°Okay!¡± The smile on Qin Minghong¡¯s face became even more carefree. ¡°Then let¡¯s get drunk today, okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy to apany you.¡± Shen Yao finished the wine in his ss and smiled at Qin Minghong, but his smile did not reach his eyes. Soon, the two men began topete in secret. Ji Zhao and Second Manager You were dumbfounded. In less than half an hour, the pot of hawthorn fruit wine had been emptied. ¡°Second Shopkeeper You, get two more jars of Shaoxing Ten-Year Glutinous Rice Wine!¡± Qin Minghong said boldly. ¡°This? Young Master, this glutinous rice wine is much stronger than hawthorn fruit wine. Why don¡¯t we eat first?¡± ¡°Get it!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Thank you, Second Brother You,¡± Shen Yao said without showing any weakness. ¡°This fruit wine tastes average.¡± Just as Second Manager You was in a dilemma, Ji Zhao suddenly stood up and said expressionlessly, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to eat my food, then don¡¯t eat anymore. Why don¡¯t you go downstairs and drink your fill?¡± Ji Zhao was enraged. The two men, who originally wanted topete in drinking, silently lowered their heads and did not dare to ask for more wine. ¡°Eat some vegetables first.¡± Ji Zhao helplessly picked up some vegetables from the bowl in front of Shen Yao and advised gently, ¡°Don¡¯t drink so quickly in the future. Drinking on an empty stomach is not good for your health.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Shen Yao nodded obediently. ¡°I¡¯ll listen to my wife from now on.¡± Hearing this, Qin Minghong felt that it was inexplicably ear-piercing. Second Manager You, who was eating crabs, also felt that the atmosphere of this lunch was a little strange. This feeling was like an undercurrent surging on a calmke, inexplicably depressing. However, this spicy crab was really too delicious! ¡°Miss Ah Tao, I didn¡¯t expect your culinary skills to be so good.¡± Qin Minghong, who had tasted a piece of braised pork, couldn¡¯t help but praise, ¡°The braised pork you made is fat but not greasy. Moreover, if you taste it carefully, you can even feel a fragrance?¡± ¡°Young Master, if you think it¡¯s delicious, eat more.¡± Ji Zhao smiled. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Second Manager You could not help but praise, ¡°This fragrance seems to be a little like the fragrance of osmanthus?¡± ¡°Second Brother You, you really have a good tongue.¡± Ji Zhao gave him a thumbs up from the bottom of her heart. ¡°When I was making braised pork, I had a sh of inspiration and added a small spoonful of honey osmanthus juice to the sauce. I originally wanted to use this honey osmanthus juice to ease the oiliness of the pork belly, but I didn¡¯t expect it to be so delicious after making it.¡± ¡°Ah Tao, we¡¯re doing business. Can you sell this braised pork recipe to the restaurant?¡± Second Manager You, who smelled a business opportunity, looked at Ji Zhao excitedly. Ji Zhao shook her head. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course I can¡¯t sell it to the restaurant, because¡­¡± Ji Zhao smiled and kept him in suspense. ¡°Because I originally nned to give you this braised pork recipe.¡± Originally a bit disappointed, Second Manager You¡¯s eyes lit up when he heard this. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ji Zhao nodded seriously. ¡°A gentleman never goes back on his word. We¡¯re really grateful to you for sessfully renting that shop in the restaurant this time. Moreover, you helped us get a three-month rent waiver. Second Brother You, we really want to thank you.¡± ¡°Ah Tao, you¡¯re too kind¡­¡± ¡°Miss Ah Tao.¡± Qin Minghong suddenly put down his chopsticks and looked at her curiously. ¡°If I¡¯m willing to waive your rent for another year, can you treat me to another meal?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ji Zhao refused firmly. Qin Minghong¡¯s smile froze on his face. Chapter 155 - 155 Mmph… 155 Mmph¡­ Ji Zhao¡¯s refusal was very straightforward. For a moment, Qin Minghong felt a little embarrassed, and his expression was very stiff. There seemed to be a low pressure in the air. It was suffocating. Second Manager You quickly picked up a ss of wine and smiled to smooth things over. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Young Master and Miss Ah Tao to know each other. It¡¯s rare for us to sit together for a meal today. I suggest that we drink together to celebrate this special fate?¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± Qin Minghong smiled faintly, as if he did not care about Ji Zhao¡¯s rejection at all. This Miss Ji was more interesting than he had imagined. ¡°When my snack shop opens, I hope Young Master Qin and Second Brother You can take care of me.¡± Ji Zhao said sincerely with a polite smile on her face. ¡°Young Master Qin, as long as youe to the restaurant for a meal in the future, feel free to ask for anything you want to eat. I will definitely give you a discount.¡± Ji Zhao looked at the puzzled Qin Minghong and smiled. ¡°Okay.¡± The expression on Qin Minghong¡¯s face immediately brightened. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled.¡± An hourter, Qin Minghong, who was full from drinking and eating, was the first to bid farewell. As soon as Qin Minghong left, Shen Yaoy on the table and fell asleep¡ª Ji Zhao did not know whether tough or cry when she saw this scene. ¡°Second Brother You, can you help?¡± Ji Zhao tried a few times but could not help Shen Yao up. In the end, she could only look at Second Manager You pleadingly. ¡°Third Brother Shen¡¯s alcohol tolerance is too low,¡± Second Manager You said with a smile. Then, he helped Ji Zhao carry him back to the room. Before leaving, Second Manager You knocked his own head angrily. ¡°Look at my memory. It¡¯s really too bad!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± After helping Shen Yao tuck in the nket, Ji Zhao quickly turned around and walked to Second Manager You. ¡°Second Brother You?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, these are the keys to that shop.¡± Second Manager You handed her a bunch of keys and said happily, ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to clean it up today. You can take a look tomorrow. After all, opening a shop is a big deal. You have to go back and discuss with your family and choose an auspicious day to open, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Ji Zhao gave him a thumbs up in admiration. ¡°Second Brother You, you¡¯re so thoughtful. I didn¡¯t even think of this.¡± ¡°Anyway, if you need Second Brother You¡¯s help in the future, feel free to ask!¡± Second Manager You said happily. At the thought of the braised pork he had just eaten, Second Manager You felt very happy. ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t stand on ceremony with you,¡± Ji Zhao replied with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± The smile on Second Manager You¡¯s face deepened. ¡°Then take good care of Third Brother Shen. I¡¯ll leave first. If you need anything, just let the waiter know.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Ji Zhao poured a cup of hot tea and walked to Shen Yao¡¯s side. It took a lot of effort to help him up from the bed. ¡°Shen Yao, have some tea?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, I can still drink¡­ My alcohol tolerance is definitely not inferior to Qin Minghong¡¯s! You have to believe me!¡± At this moment, Shen Yao was already drunk to the point of fainting. ¡°Yes, I believe you.¡± Ji Zhao smiled helplessly and her tone became even gentler. ¡°Drink this cup of tea obediently and I¡¯ll believe you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After drinking a cup of hot tea, Shen Yao suddenly opened his eyes and ced his hands on Ji Zhao¡¯s thin shoulders. His eyes flickered with a dark light. ¡°You¡­¡± Mmph¡­ Chapter 156 - 156 One Will Do 156 One Will Do Before Ji Zhao could finish speaking, her lips were already sealed by the man in front of her! Different from before, when he was drunk, Shen Yao was even more aggressive. In just a moment, Ji Zhao felt that she could not breathe¡ª She was like a fish that had been forced to jump ashore. Her entire body wascking oxygen. ¡°Shen Yao¡­¡± Ji Zhao pushed him away with difficulty and said softly, ¡°I really can¡¯t breathe.¡± !! ¡°Ah Tao¡­¡± ¡°Mm?¡± She was caught off guard by his warm breathing. She subconsciously flinched and leaned forward uncontrobly. In the end¡ª Shey on Shen Yao¡¯s body, and Shen Yao, who was lying on the bed, was already asleep. Ji Zhao carefully tried to get up from his body, but Shen Yao¡¯s arms were firmly wrapped around her waist¡­ She couldn¡¯t move at all. Ji Zhao, who had failed to get up after several attempts, chose to give up. After a while, she actually felt a little sleepy. She changed into afortable position in Shen Yao¡¯s arms and gently closed her eyes. After a while, she let out a faint snore. However, what Ji Zhao did not know was that the moment she fell asleep, the man under her had already opened his eyes. His lips curled into a faint smile. The warm sunlight of early autumn shone through the window andnded on the brown ground. In that beam of light, dust appeared and light and shadow floated. In the quiet room, the two figures in each other¡¯s arms were sound asleep. At dusk, the sun set in the west. The afterglow of the setting sun fell on the ground, shrouding the entire Dingyuan County in a quiet and beautiful atmosphere. When Ji Zhao woke up, Shen Yao had already packed the luggage. ¡°Shen Yao? What time is it?¡± Ji Zhao rubbed her sleepy eyes and asked softly, ¡°How long have we been sleeping?¡± ¡°About four hours.¡± Shen Yao thoughtfully handed her a cup of warm water and smiled gently. ¡°Ah Tao, shall we go straight hometer?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ji Zhao immediately nodded. Then, she looked at Shen Yao and asked curiously, ¡°Are you sober now?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sober.¡± Shen Yao looked away shyly. ¡°Did I bully you when I was drunk?¡± ¡°I like being bullied by you~¡± Ji Zhao suddenly went to his side and kissed him hard. ¡°This is your reward for bullying me. Do you like it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Yao smiled happily. The two of them looked at each other and smiled. They could see themselves smiling foolishly in each other¡¯s eyes. Night fell quietly, and the night sky was filled with stars. In the Shen residence. Zhao Lanhua looked at the busy Ji Zhao and her heart ached. ¡°Ah Tao, sit down and rest. There are enough dishes!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mother. I¡¯m not tired at all,¡± Ji Zhao said happily. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Second Shopkeeper You to get someone to send so many crabs. I¡¯ll make another yolk-baked crab and I¡¯ll be done. I¡¯ll make crab porridge and crab roe noodles tomorrow morning!¡± ¡°Fine, fine, fine. You can deal with these crabs, but you have to listen to your mother now. Put down the spat in your hand immediately. It¡¯s time to rest!¡± Zhao Lanhua deliberately said with a straight face. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± Ji Zhao nodded obediently. In the central room, Second Sister-inw Shen stared at the delicious crabs and almost drooled. ¡°Mother, this smells too good. Can I eat just one? Just one will do?¡± Chapter 157 - 157 It’s Me 157 It¡¯s Me Zhao Lanhua shook her head. ¡°Second Daughter-inw, just drink the crucian carp soup obediently. In the future, after you give birth and go through postpartum recovery, I¡¯ll definitely let you eat enough crabs!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen looked even more aggrieved. However, she knew that her mother-inw was doing this for her own good. ¡°Mother, let¡¯s make a deal then? In the future, you must bring me to eat a lot of big crabs!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°Mother, actually, it¡¯s fine for Second Sister-inw to eat one or two crabs.¡± Ji Zhao smiled faintly and said softly, ¡°Although crabs are of cold nature, nothing will happen if she¡¯s not gluttonous.¡± ¡°Ah Tao, can I really eat?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen¡¯s eyes lit up when she heard this. Ji Zhao smiled, then picked up half a spicy crab and handed it to her. ¡°Second Sister-inw, you can only eat this much.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen eagerly picked up the crab. Just as she was about to bring it to her lips, she subconsciously nced at Zhao Lanhua, who was sitting opposite her, and pleaded softly, ¡°Mother?¡± ¡°Since Ah Tao said that it¡¯s fine, you can have a taste.¡± Zhao Lanhua smiled and nodded. ¡°But you can only eat this half. Go back to your room and drink fish soupter. Otherwise, you¡¯ll feel like a cat is scratching your heart when you watch us eat.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen nodded hurriedly and said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ll listen to Mother!¡± The family happily finished their dinner! After dinner, Zhao Lanhua brought Ji Zhao back to the old couple¡¯s main room. ¡°Mother? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, seeing that the weather is turning cold, Mother specially made a waistcoat for you. Try it and see if it fits.¡± Zhao Lanhua turned around and picked up a sky-blue waistcoat embroidered with pomegranate flowers from the wardrobe as she said happily. Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t wait to try it out. She smiled in satisfaction and said, ¡°Mother, this waistcoat fits very well, and it looks especially good.¡± ¡°As long as you like it.¡± ¡°Mother, thank you.¡± Ji Zhao smiled gratefully, then said softly, ¡°But don¡¯t rush embroidery work for too long in the future. It¡¯s not good for your eyes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not difficult to make a waistcoat.¡± Zhao Lanhua smiled indifferently. Then, she thought of something else. She frowned slightly and said softly, ¡°Ah Tao, your adoptive grandmother is in trouble again. Do you know?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her now?¡± Ji Zhao blinked in confusion and asked curiously. ¡°She was taken away by the bailiffs of the county office!¡± Zhao Lanhua could not hide the joy in her tone. ¡°I heard that someone went to the county office to report her. When Old Master Ji was still alive, she sold you out. Later on, in order to find her secret lover, she actually abandoned her only grandson!¡± ¡°I heard that she was caught this time and will be locked up for at least a year and a half.¡± Zhao Lanhua held her hand andforted her softly. ¡°This is also a good thing for our family.¡± ¡°Mother.¡± Ji Zhao looked into her eyes and mustered her courage. She said frankly, ¡°Actually, the reason why Madam Xie ended up like this was because I was the one who went to the county office to report her.¡± Zhao Lanhua was immediately stunned. She nervously grabbed Ji Zhao¡¯s hand and carefully sized her up. ¡°You went to the county office? Did you get beaten? Are you injured?¡± ¡°Mother?¡± Ji Zhao choked out, tears falling uncontrobly. ¡°You¡­¡± Initially, Ji Zhao did not want to talk about this matter because she did not want Zhao Lanhua¡¯s impression of her to be a petty person who would take revenge and be ungrateful. However, she did not expect Zhao Lanhua to be more concerned about whether she was injured. It turned out that she was also a child doted on by her elders! Chapter 158 - 158 I’m Here 158 I¡¯m Here ¡°Ah Tao, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Zhao Lanhua quickly took out a handkerchief to wipe the tears on her face and asked anxiously, ¡°Why are you suddenly crying? Are you really injured?¡± ¡°Mother.¡± Ji Zhao didn¡¯t want her to worry, so she instantly smiled through her tears. ¡°I¡¯m not injured. I¡¯m not injured at all. Don¡¯t worry, I¡­ I¡¯m just very touched.¡± ¡°Actually, if you hadn¡¯t suddenly mentioned Madam Xie just now, I wouldn¡¯t have dared to tell you about this because I didn¡¯t want to leave a bad impression in your heart. It¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t expect that after I mustered up the courage to say it, you would be more concerned about me being injured in the county office.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and said gently, ¡°Mother, thank you very much.¡± !! ¡°You silly girl, you scared me to death.¡± Zhao Lanhua tapped the tip of her nose angrily. ¡°In my eyes, a daughter-inw is the same as a daughter! Besides, it¡¯s not like I don¡¯t know what kind of person your adoptive grandmother is. But Ah Tao, don¡¯t do such dangerous things in the future.¡± ¡°Those bailiffs and constables in the county office are not easy to deal with! This time, you¡¯re lucky. If it was ording to our county magistrate¡¯s temper in the past, he would definitely give you twenty beatings.¡± Zhao Lanhua sped her hands together and kept muttering Amitabha. ¡°Mother, I know.¡± ¡°However, don¡¯t tell anyone about this.¡± Zhao Lanhua thought for a moment and carefully reminded, ¡°Although your adoptive grandmother is unkind, if others find out that you personally sent her to the county jail, I¡¯m afraid it will affect your reputation in the future.¡± ¡°I know that you¡¯re a carefree person and don¡¯t care about what outsiders say, but you have to think about Chenchen, right? So, promise me, you can¡¯t tell anyone else about this!¡± ¡°Yes, yes. I¡¯ll listen to Mother.¡± Stepping on the moonlight, Ji Zhao carried the food box and prepared to go out. At that moment, Shen Yao, who was standing in the courtyard and admiring the moonlight, turned around and smiled when he heard footsteps. He was like unparalleled jade. At this moment, these words involuntarily appeared in Ji Zhao¡¯s mind. Shen Yao¡¯s face was really handsome. At the thought that the man with this face was her husband, Ji Zhao was overjoyed. ¡°What are you smiling at?¡± Shen Yao took the food box from her hand, but when he saw the smile on her face, he was a little confused. ¡°Nothing.¡± Ji Zhao shook her head gently. ¡°Why are you still awake sote?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll apany you to the Earth Temple.¡± Shen Yao naturally held her hand and exined in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s alreadyte. I¡¯m worried about you going out alone.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Ji Zhao naturally enjoyed the feeling of being protected. The two of them held hands and walked towards the temple at the back of the mountain under the hazy moonlight. When they looked at the dim candlelight from afar and looked at each other, they saw doubt in each other¡¯s eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Shen Yao gently squeezed her hand andforted her gently. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°Mm!¡± Ji Zhao nodded silently. Then, she followed closely behind Shen Yao and walked into the temple that was glowing with candlelight. When the two of them walked into the Earth Temple with their backs bent, they immediately saw the ck figure lying on the reed mat. However, under that person was a shocking pool of blood. Chapter 159 - 159 Guaranteed to Be Realer Than Pearls 159 Guaranteed to Be Realer Than Pearls ¡°Shen Yao, why is there a person lying here? Is he still alive?¡± Looking at the scene in front of her, Ji Zhao subconsciously hid behind Shen Yao and asked carefully. ¡°He¡¯s alive.¡± Although the candlelight in the temple was a little dim, Shen Yao could still see the rise and fall of the man¡¯s chest. Clearly, he was still alive, but he looked like he was on the verge of death. !! ¡°Buddha said that saving a life is better than building a seven-storied pagoda. Should we save him?¡± Ji Zhao asked softly, then shook her head and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t we just leave him alone? What if he¡¯s a vicious big baddie?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, let¡¯s save him first.¡± Shen Yao thought for a moment and said softly, ¡°If he¡¯s really a bad person, we¡¯ll send him to the county office. What do you think?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Ji Zhao immediately nodded in agreement. ¡°I think your idea is very good.¡± After a discussion, the two of them decided to save the man covered in blood. Shen Yao approached carefully and slowly squatted down. Just as he was about to check the man¡¯s wound, he felt a cold light suddenly appear in front of him. The unconscious man suddenly opened his eyes. His phoenix eyes flickered with a clear light! The de of the dagger in his hand was only an inch away from Shen Yao¡¯s forehead. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± Ji Zhaoined unhappily. ¡°Let me tell you, we want to save you. Don¡¯t be ungrateful! If my husband loses a strand of hair, I won¡¯t let you off!¡± ¡°Save?¡± The man¡¯s voice was very hoarse, as if he had not drunk water for many days. It was extremely ufortable to hear. ¡°You¡¯ve lost too much blood. If you don¡¯t treat your wound as soon as possible, you¡¯ll definitely have to see Hades with your life,¡± Shen Yao said calmly. ¡°Of course, you can refuse our help.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The man silently let down his guard and squeezed out these two words with difficulty. Then, he fell to the ground and fainted again. Shen Yao picked up the dagger that had fallen to the ground and carefully cut open the clothes stuck to his chest. ¡°Heavens?¡± The wound that came into view was actually a hole that was still bleeding, and there was even a broken arrow stuck in it! ¡°Shen Yao, why don¡¯t we go and get a physician?¡± Ji Zhao tugged at his sleeve nervously and whispered. This man¡¯s wound was too tricky. If they were not careful, not only would they not be able to save him, they might even send him on his way. Ji Zhao did not want Shen Yao to take the risk. ¡°Ah Tao, it¡¯ll be fine.¡± After seeing the mark on the broken arrow, Shen Yaoforted her softly. ¡°Go back and find Mother and ask her to send some gauze and medicinal powder.¡± ¡°Can you really do it alone?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, go quickly.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Ji Zhao could not dissuade him. She immediately turned around and ran out of the Earth Temple. She jogged back to the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. On the other side, Shen Yao had already set up a fire and boiled the water. Half an hourter, Zhao Lanhua came with Ji Zhao. ¡°Third Brother, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Mother, it¡¯s toote to exin now,¡± Shen Yao said with a frown. ¡°Mother, Ah Tao, help hold his wrists tightly. Don¡¯t let him move.¡± The two of them immediately did as they were told. Shen Yao¡¯s gazended on the half broken arrow. Then, he gently rotated his wrist and used some skill to finally pull out the half broken arrow sessfully! The difficulty of the process was self-evident. An hourter, the man¡¯s injuries were finally treated. ¡°Third Brother, should we report this to the officials?¡± After Shen Yao was done, Zhao Lanhua walked to his side anxiously and asked softly, ¡°I¡¯ve already taken a good look at this person¡¯s face just now. He doesn¡¯t look like a viger nearby. Moreover, the clothes he¡¯s wearing aren¡¯t ordinary cotton linen.¡± ¡°Mother, Ah Tao, let¡¯s go home.¡± Shen Yao chuckled. ¡°Let¡¯s go?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going back just like that?¡± Ji Zhao was surprised. ¡°Shen Yao, are we leaving now? What about him?¡± Pointing at the figure on the ground, Ji Zhao asked curiously. ¡°We¡¯ve helped him as much as we can. As for whether he can survive this ordeal, it¡¯s up to him.¡± Shen Yao smiled calmly. ¡°It¡¯ste. Let¡¯s go home early, okay?¡± ¡°Fine.¡± At 12:45 pm, the man lying on the reed mat slowly opened his eyes. Taking advantage of the fact that he had regained some strength, he struggled to get up from the ground and walked out of the Earth Temple shakily. He sent out the signal re hidden in his arms¡ª The next morning, Ji Zhao made crab porridge and crab roe noodles. Other than Second Sister-inw Shen, everyone else was quite satisfied. ¡°Sigh, I don¡¯t think my shredded chicken noodles are fragrant anymore,¡± Second Sister-inw Shen said aggrievedly. ¡°Second Sister-inw, I¡¯ll make you another bowl of braised pork after the Mid-Autumn Festival,¡± Ji Zhao promised her with a smile. ¡°Really?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen instantly beamed with joy! Ah Tao¡¯s braised pork was especially good! However, she was about to give birth in a month, so her mother-inw did not let her eat too much greasy food. Otherwise, it might not be smooth when she gave birth in the future. Of course, Second Sister-inw Shen understood her mother-inw¡¯s good intentions, but she was a glutton! She had not eaten meat for five days! ¡°I guarantee it¡¯s realer than a pearl.¡± Ji Zhao smiled lightly, but her tone was quite serious. Halfway through the morning, Ji Zhao was helping Zhao Lanhua dry the radish. The more Zhao Lanhua thought about it, the more uneasy she felt. ¡°Ah Tao, Third Brother went to the fields to work. I¡¯m afraid he didn¡¯t take what happenedst night to heart.¡± ¡°Mother? I don¡¯t understand what you mean.¡± ¡°Yesterday at the Earth Temple. That person¡¯s injuries looked quite scary.¡± Zhao Lanhua thought about it carefully. ¡°I think we should save him until the end, right?¡± After the mother-inw and daughter-inw discussed it, they agreed to go to the Earth Temple together. ... Zhao Lanhua had a food box in her hand. There was a bowl of vegetable porridge in the food box. Ji Zhao carried a hoe on her shoulder. It was around 9 am when the two of them finally arrived at the Earth Temple. However, the Earth Temple was empty. Even the bloodstains on the ground had been cleaned up. Zhao Lanhua and Ji Zhao looked at each other and saw suspicion in each other¡¯s eyes. The two of them subconsciously rubbed their eyes, but nothing changed. The temple was very clean. ¡°Ah Tao, did we have the same dream?¡± Zhao Lanhua asked softly. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Ji Zhao carefully observed every corner of the temple. Finally, his gazended on the shrine tform of the statue of the Earth God. ¡°Mother, we weren¡¯t dreaming,¡± Ji Zhao said in a low voice. ¡°Look, the pastries on this altar are gone.¡± Chapter 160 - 160 Fortunately 160 Fortunately ¡°In that case, what happenedst night really happened?¡± Zhao Lanhua was even more puzzled. ¡°But that person¡¯s injuries are so serious. How did he leave?¡± ¡°Mother, let¡¯s not think about it, right?¡± Ji Zhao pondered for a long time before analyzing softly. ¡°After all, we don¡¯t know the background of that person. For the sake of caution, let¡¯s pretend that nothing happenedst night?¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± The mother-inw and daughter-inw lit an incense stick for the Earth God. The moment Ji Zhao closed her eyes, she felt a sharp pain on her neck. She widened her eyes in surprise and what greeted her eyes was arge saber that was emitting a cold light! The person holding the saber was a five-foot-three-inch fatty. There was a scar on his face that looked terrifying. Behind him was the benevolent statue of the Earth god. The candles on both sides of the shrine were about to burn to ashes. Just as Ji Zhao was about to call for help, she felt that she could not make any sound at all! ¡°Ah Tao, run!¡± At this moment, Ji Zhao realized that her mother-inw¡¯s arm had been stabbed by the thug¡ª There was a loud noise all around. It sounded like the sound of hooves. The scene suddenly changed. A raging fire rose in front of her. She even saw Shen Yao, who was covered in injuries, rush into the burning Earth Temple. ¡°No!¡± Ji Zhao shouted nervously. Soon, she was drenched in sweat. ¡°Ah Tao?¡± Zhao Lanhua, who was beside her, helped her up nervously. ¡°Ah Tao? Wake up quickly.¡± ¡°Mother?¡± A momentter, Ji Zhao finally opened her eyes and could speak. ¡°You child, did you not rest wellst night? Why did you fall asleep after offering incense to the Earth god?¡± Zhao Lanhua was about to touch her forehead when Ji Zhao stood up from the ground with a start. She nervously circled her surroundings and finally fixed her gaze on the candles on both sides of the shrine tform! The dream just now was not a simple dream! That must have been a warning from the Earth God! Ji Zhao quickly figured it out. She immediately rushed to the statue and used all her strength to carry the statue on her back. ¡°Ah Tao?¡± Zhao Lanhua was dumbfounded. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Mother, wait for me outside the temple first!¡± Ji Zhao said anxiously. ¡°Quick!¡± ¡°Alright, alright, alright, don¡¯t be anxious!¡± Zhao Lanhua hurriedly replied and hurried out of the Earth Temple. ¡°Earth God, thank you for your kind reminder. I will definitely rebuild the temple for you tomorrow!¡± Ji Zhao promised seriously. Then, he picked up the two candles and threw them on the reed mat in the corner! The fire rose immediately! Ji Zhao rushed out and grabbed Zhao Lanhua¡¯s arm. Just as she was about to rush to the Shen family¡¯s courtyard, she felt her feet stumble. It was so painful that she gasped. Once, twice, three times¡ª After falling three times in a row, Ji Zhao immediately grabbed Zhao Lanhua and changed directions. This time, she did not fall. Tap, tap, tap¡ª The hurried sound of horse hooves could be heard. Ji Zhao, who was lying in the bushes at the back of the mountain, carefully pulled at the weeds in front of her and saw the group of people clearly. The man in the lead was the scar-faced man she had foreseen earlier! ¡°Why is there a fire here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s too much of a coincidence.¡± ¡°Boss, there¡¯s a vige nearby. Why don¡¯t we¡­¡± One of the men with a sharp mouth and monkey cheeks deliberately made a throat-slitting gesture. Scarface refused with a straight face. ¡°We can¡¯tplicate matters. Let¡¯s continue chasing!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ji Zhao felt more and more at ease as she watched the group of people leave. When she thought of the scene she had foreseen at the Earth Temple, she still felt a lingering fear. ¡°Ah Tao? Why is your face so red? Are you really alright?¡± ¡°Mother.¡± Ji Zhao lowered her eyes and said in a low voice, ¡°We escaped just now.¡± Around 11am, in the Shen residence. Zhao Lanhua and Shen Yao were stunned after hearing Ji Zhao¡¯s words. This was especially true for Zhao Lanhua. She had not expected that she would almost lose her life. This was truly too terrifying. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Shen Yao, who had quickly calmed down, gently held Ji Zhao¡¯s hand andforted her gently. ¡°Ah Tao, you did well. You saved yourself and Mother.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not me, it¡¯s the Earth God.¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly looked at the Earth God statue on the Eight Immortals¡¯ table, her eyes filled with guilt. ¡°Just now, in order to escape danger, I had no choice but to burn the Earth Temple. I hope the Earth God won¡¯t me me.¡± ¡°The Earth God won¡¯t me you. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have warned you that you would be in danger.¡± Shen Yao quicklyforted her. ¡°Although this sounds unbelievable, I believe you.¡± If Ah Tao had not stopped Shen Dashan from going fishing, something might have happened to him¡­ ¡°I wonder who the person who appeared at the Earth Templest night was? How did he attract such a vicious killer?¡± Ji Zhao sighed silently with her hands supporting her chin. ¡°That¡¯s not important anymore.¡± Shen Yao quicklyforted them. ¡°Fortunately, you guys were safe this time.¡± ¡°Yes, fortunately!¡± Shen Yao thought about it and got up to go to the kitchen to make two bowls of soup. Zhao Lanhua and Ji Zhao each drank a bowl. ... ¡°Mother, Ah Tao, after lunch, go back to your rooms and have a good sleep,¡± Shen Yao instructed gently. ¡°Tomorrow morning, let¡¯s go take a look at the new shop in the county city, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Due to Ji Zhao¡¯s frightful experience, lunch duty was divided between Shen Yao and Second Sister-inw Shen. The family was very satisfied with the simple three dishes and soup. The afternoon sun was very warm, but Ji Zhao, who was lying in bed, was not sleepy at all. She was still immersed in the dream she had foreseen. ording to the contents of the dream, she and her mother would have died in the Earth Temple today. Knock knock knock¡ª Just as her thoughts were running wild, Shen Yao knocked on the door. ¡°Ah Tao?¡± ¡°It¡¯s unlocked.¡± ... Shen Yao walked up to her and touched her forehead without a word. Fortunately, there were no signs of heat. ¡°Were you frightened today?¡± Seeing that her eyes were still filled with fear, Shen Yao sat beside her and asked gently. ¡°Yes.¡± Ji Zhao nodded honestly. ¡°If not for the Earth God¡¯s kind reminder, I¡¯m afraid Mother and I would have already¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think too much.¡± Shen Yao quickly pulled her into his arms. His broad palm caressed her soft ck hair, and his tone was filled with gentleness. ¡°It¡¯s fine now, so don¡¯t think too much.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ji Zhaoy in his arms and listened to his steady and strong heartbeat. She gradually calmed down. After a while, she finally fell asleep. Thanks to a heavy rain, the fire in the Earth Temple did not spread to other ces. However, when Shen Yao rushed over, the former Earth Temple had already turned into ruins. ¡°I saved you, but you n to be a coward?¡± Shen Yao sneered and questioned when he heard the sound from behind him. Chapter 161 - 161 No problem 161 No problem The setting sun that had been washed by the autumn rain seemed to be covered by a golden veil. In the distant sky above the bamboo forest, the birds suddenly flew up, leaving a trail under the dazzling sunset. Shen Yao stared at the earth temple that had been burned to ashes, his eyes dark. A momentter, someone supported a ck figure and appeared in front of him. ¡°You saved me. I¡¯m grateful.¡± ¡°If not for my wife and mother¡¯s quick-wittedness today, I¡¯m afraid they would have already died.¡± Shen Yao¡¯s tone was very light, but he could not hide the anger in it. The man could not deny it. After all, he and his guards had been hiding nearby, so he had seen the previous scene. However, he was seriously injured now. If he really rushed out, they would probably die together. Fortunately, those two women were exceptionally quick-witted. ¡°This jade pendant is my thank-you gift to you.¡± The man was silent for a long time. Finally, he took out a jade pendant from his pocket and handed it to him. His tone was sincere. Shen Yao stared at the jade pendant, unmoved. The guard who was supporting the man was instantly displeased. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t fail to appreciate our kindness. Do you know that our master is¡­¡± ¡°Watch your words!¡± The man in ck scolded sharply with a tense face. The guard hurriedly lowered his head and apologized. ¡°I don¡¯t want this jade pendant.¡± Shen Yao pursed his lips and said softly, ¡°I hope you can promise not to let the vigers of Shanghe Vige be harmed.¡± The injured man¡¯s eyes shed when he heard this. ¡°¡­ Okay.¡± With his promise, Shen Yao nodded slightly. Just as he was about to turn around and leave, he was stopped. ¡°Hm?¡± Shen Yao frowned in confusion. ¡°Brother, can you keep your saving me a secret?¡± Shen Yao lowered his eyes to hide the light in them. In the end, he said slowly, ¡°The temple has been in disrepair for a long time. In addition, a rat overturned the candlestick, causing this fire¡­¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The man in ck naturally understood what he meant and said gratefully. The next morning. Ji Zhao went to the central room of the Shen family early in the morning. She faced the statue of the local god and prayed with an incense stick. ¡°Earth God, I¡¯ve already asked my father-inw for help. He¡¯ll be looking for a craftsman in the next two days. At that time, I¡¯ll definitely renovate the entire Earth Temple,¡± Ji Zhao said obediently with a smile. ¡°Ah Tao?¡± At that moment, Zhao Lanhua, who had just finished a set of Five Animal y in the courtyard, called out to the central room, ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°Mother, I¡¯m almost done!¡± Ji Zhao tidied up the fruits and snacks in front of the Earth God before leaving the house in satisfaction. ¡°Mother, when youe back, don¡¯t forget to bring me a bag of osmanthus pastries!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen leaned against the door frame with a big belly and said eagerly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll remember everything!¡± Zhao Lanhua hurriedly instructed, ¡°Second daughter-inw, if you need any help, remember to call your Aunt Guihua. Mother has already greeted her!¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Don¡¯t worry, Mother.¡± Shen Yao brought his mother and wife and hurriedly set off towards the vige entrance. In the end, they sessfully caught up with the ox cart before seven o¡¯clock. Dingyuan County, Shen Ji Pastry Shop. Eldest Brother Shen was so busy that his feet did not touch the ground. There was a long line of customers who came to the shop to buy snacks. When Ji Zhao and the others rushed over, they saw this scene. ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t squeeze. There are more than a hundred servings of double skin milk today!¡± Feng Chunyan, who was standing outside the shop, shouted at the top of her lungs, ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious. You can definitely buy a portion!¡± ¡°Auntie? Sister Ah Tao, Third Brother Shen?¡± The sharp-eyed Feng Chunyan saw the group of people and hurriedly shuttled through the crowd, greeting them with a smile. ¡°Chunyan, why are there so many customers outside this shop?¡± Zhao Lanhua asked curiously as she handed her a handkerchief to wipe her sweat. ¡°Auntie, this is all thanks to Sister Ah Tao. Didn¡¯t she make a dessert at the olddy¡¯s birthday banquet? Everyone heard that the double skin milk was especially delicious, so they came to line up outside our shop!¡± Feng Chunyan said with a smile. ¡°Sister said that our shop¡¯s business these two days is even better than the previous half a month!¡± ¡°Then aren¡¯t you guys overly busy?¡± Zhao Lanhua asked hurriedly. She rolled up her sleeves and said, ¡°Can we help?¡± Eldest Brother Shen, who was entertaining guests, saw Ji Zhao walk in and his eyes lit up. He called out happily, ¡°Third Sister-inw?¡± ¡°Big Brother, I¡¯ll go help in the kitchen first.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and walked towards the kitchen. Eldest Brother Shen almost cried tears of joy! Ji Zhao¡¯s appearance was like a timely rain for Shen Ji Pastry Shop! The family worked together and finally sold out all the double skinned milk at the end of the day. ¡°Mother, it¡¯s all thanks to you, Third Brother, and Ah Tao who arrived in time today. Otherwise, we don¡¯t know how long we would have been busy!¡± Eldest Brother Shen sat on the rattan chair and thanked her from the bottom of his heart. ¡°Especially Ah Tao. You really helped a lot today!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that so?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen hurriedly poured tea for everyone and said with a smile, ¡°Besides, it¡¯s all thanks to Ah Tao that our shop¡¯s business has been so good for the past two days. Otherwise, if it weren¡¯t for her telling us about the double skin milk, our business wouldn¡¯t have be so good. It¡¯s all thanks to Ah Tao.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen thanked Ji Zhao from the bottom of her heart. After all, it was Ah Tao who appeared in time when this shop was on the verge of bankruptcy and helped them sign a contract with the Qin family. Only then did they turn the tide and revive the score. In the past few years, the scenery had not been good, and the business in the shop had not been very profitable. If not for Ah Tao¡¯s appearance and the fact that she had provided several new pastries, the business in the shop would not have been so popr. ¡°We¡¯re family, so let¡¯s not stand on ceremony. Big Brother, you¡¯re treating me like an outsider.¡± After taking a sip of tea, Ji Zhao smiled gently. Hearing this, the smile in Eldest Brother Shen¡¯s eyes deepened. He was even more grateful to Ji Zhao. ¡°Ah Tao is right. Big Brother, we¡¯re family. Why are you so polite?¡± Shen Yao also smiled. ¡°Besides, we have many things to ask Big Brother in the future!¡± ¡°Third Brother, feel free to ask me for anything!¡± Eldest Brother Shen immediately patted his chest and said happily! ¡°I wonder if Big Brother is free this afternoon? Can you apany us to take a look at the shop under the Hongxing Restaurant?¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly smiled and said, ¡°I haven¡¯t thought of how to decorate that shop. I hope Big Brother can give a valuable suggestion.¡± ¡°No problem!¡± Eldest Brother Shen replied with a bright smile. ... Chapter 162 - 162 Ah Tao, Can We Talk in Private? 162 Ah Tao, Can We Talk in Private? Hongxing Restaurant. Second Manager You looked at the young master sitting opposite him and hesitated. ¡°There seems to be something wrong with the ounts of these two ces.¡± Qin Minghong, who could not sit still, pointed at a number on the ount book and frowned slightly as he asked in a low voice. ¡°Young Master, you were the one who requested for the extra money here,¡± Second Manager You exined carefully. ¡°That day, when Miss Ji was making spicy crabs, didn¡¯t you ask for two jars of glutinous rice wine to bring back?¡± !! Only then did Qin Minghong remember. ¡°Yes.¡± Second Manager You silently lowered his head and looked at his toes. He frowned awkwardly and hesitated again and again before asking, ¡°Young Master, do you like Ah Tao?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± To Second Manager You¡¯s surprise, Qin Minghong admitted it without hesitation. He admitted it so straightforwardly that Second Manager You did not know what to do. ¡°But Young Master, Ah Tao is already married. Moreover, her rtionship with Third Brother Shen is very good.¡± After much deliberation, Second Manager You could not help but persuade him. ¡°Besides, Young Master, with your handsome and outstanding appearance and rich family background, how can you not find a beautiful marriage that belongs to you?¡± ¡°Second Manager You.¡± Qin Minghong suddenly gathered the ledger in front of him and looked at him intently. He smiled faintly. ¡°Do you think Shen Yao is worthy of Ah Tao? Not to mention his family background, he¡¯s a cripple. Do you think he can bring Ah Tao happiness?¡± ¡°Young Master, I think your way of thinking is wrong.¡± Second Manager You quickly shook his head and denied. ¡°When ites to rtionships, what does so called worthiness matter? When two people are together, the most important thing is to like each other!¡± ¡°I admit that I didn¡¯t expect them to be married.¡± Qin Minghong smiled nonchntly. ¡°But I think it¡¯s not toote to start thepetition.¡± Since he was 15 years old, he did notck maids to warm his bed. It was just that all these years, he had never met anyone who could move his heart. However, when Ji Zhao, who was dressed as a man, appeared in front of him, Qin Minghong knew that his fate had arrived. Moreover, he had already asked around. Ah Tao and Shen Yao had never consummated their marriage! They were just husband and wife in name. Since they hadn¡¯t reached the point where everything was done, why didn¡¯t he give himself a chance to give it a try? Second Manager You felt that his young master¡¯s idea was very dangerous, but he didn¡¯t know how to persuade him. At 3:15 pm, the Shen family rushed to the small shop beside the Hongxing Restaurant. Ji Zhao impatiently took out the key and sessfully unlocked the rusty copper lock. Finally, she gently pushed open the door. ¡°One, two, three¡­¡± The number of tables and chairs in front of them could be seen at a nce. On the left, one step away from the door, was a waist-high counter. An abacus, ink, paper, and inkstone were neatly ced on the counter. ¡°Although this shop is a little small, the good thing is that there are all kinds of things inside.¡± Eldest Brother Shen looked around the shop and reached out his fingers to touch the table. ¡°And there¡¯s no dust on the table. I think Brother You must have asked someone to clean it. I have to thank him personally tomorrow!¡± ¡°Eldest Brother Shen, there¡¯s no need to thank me.¡± Second Manager You, who happened to walk in, said happily, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s have a good drink tomorrow!¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Eldest Brother Shen and Second Manager You had been friends for many years. The two of them looked at each other andughed. ¡°Second Brother You.¡± Shen Yao and Ji Zhao greeted him with a smile before continuing to study the shop in front of them. Shen Yao picked up a brush and paper and quickly drew a full picture of the shop. He handed it to Ji Zhao. ¡°See if there¡¯s anything that needs to be changed. Mark it on the paper.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Ji Zhao stared at the paper and silently gave a thumbs up. He was indeed an influential figure who would be the Chief Grand Secretary who would be well-versed in both civil and military matters! Shen Yao¡¯s writing and paintings were exceptionally outstanding! However, Ji Zhao was also very curious. Where did Shen Yao learn from to be able to cultivate such exquisite painting skills? Ji Zhao shook her head and threw all the messy thoughts in her mind to the back of her mind. Then, she seriously made some changes. In the end, she handed the blueprint to Shen Yao in satisfaction and did not forget to pat his shoulder. She pretended to be sincere and said, ¡°This is the first crystallization of our hard work!¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Shen Yao¡¯s lips curled up gently. He raised his hand and caressed her face. His eyes were serious as he promised, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely protect the first crystallization of our hard work.¡± ¡°I believe you!¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly and even tiptoed to kiss his face. This scene was seen by Qin Minghong, who just happened to arrive at the moment. ¡°Ahem.¡± He deliberately coughed twice, instantly attracting everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Young Master?¡± ¡°I was about to leave when I heard themotion here, so I specially came to take a look,¡± Qin Minghong exined concisely. Finally, his gazended on Ji Zhao¡¯s face, and he gently smiled. ¡°Ah Tao, can we talk in private?¡± ¡°I want to talk to you about Ji Huai.¡± Before she could refuse, Qin Minghong immediately said, ¡°If you¡¯re free now, can we talk in private? I believe Third Young Master Shen won¡¯t refuse, right?¡± Shen Yao did not expect Qin Minghong¡¯s methods to improve. What he said just now was simply a trap for him. Ji Zhao subconsciously looked at Shen Yao. Only then did he realize that Shen Yao¡¯s face had be very pale and weak. It was extremely ugly. In the end, he copsed on the table and fell unconscious. ¡°Quick! Send him to the nearest clinic!¡± Without another word, Eldest Brother Shen carried his third brother on his back. Ji Zhao hurriedly followed! Looking at Ji Zhao¡¯s hasty back, Qin Minghong lowered his eyes to hide the displeasure in them. How could a sickly person like Shen Yao give Ah Tao happiness? Unknowingly, it was already dusk. ¡°Shen Yao? Shen Yao? Are you alright?¡± Ji Zhao asked anxiously, ¡°Physician, what exactly is going on?¡± ¡°Calm down,¡± the physician said as he wrote the prescription. ¡°The patient just now had a lot of frustration in his body. The internal heat in his kidneys is too strong, so he suddenly had a heat stroke.¡± ... ¡°But isn¡¯t it already August? The weather has already returned to normal.¡± ¡°During the early autumn, there are all kinds of typhoid fevers. The factors that cause the patient¡¯s liver to re up are notpletely external factors.¡± ¡°Then does my husband have any taboos regarding food in the future?¡± Ji Zhao frowned and asked nervously. Chapter 163 - 163 Ah Tao, You’re Really Torturous 163 Ah Tao, You¡¯re Really Torturous After knowing that Shen Yao did not need to be abstinent and only needed to maintain a light diet for the time being, Ji Zhao waspletely relieved. After all, the scene of Shen Yao suddenly fainting was too worrying. ¡°By the way, doctor, I want to ask, is there any hope of curing my husband¡¯s leg?¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and could not help but ask. She remembered that in the original novel, Shen Yao¡¯s leg was cured by a miracle doctor called Immortal Crane. However, she still had hope that Shen Yao¡¯s leg would recover soon. Meeting Ji Zhao¡¯s expectant gaze, the physician shook his head gently. In fact, after Shen Yao¡¯s leg was broken, the Shen family had already looked for all the doctors around Dingyuan County. Unfortunately, no one said that his leg could be cured. ¡°I understand. Thank you, physician,¡± Ji Zhao replied gloomily and forced a smile. Qin Minghong, who happened to see this scene, raised his eyebrows silently. In the end, he slowly walked up to her and pretended to be concerned. ¡°Miss Ji, is your husband alright?¡± ¡°He¡¯s fine.¡± Ji Zhao smiled politely. ¡°Thank you for your concern.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Just as Ji Zhao was about to turn around and take care of Shen Yao, Qin Minghong shouted, ¡°Wait!¡± ¡°Mm?¡± ¡°Miss Ji, I wanted to tell you earlier that Ji Huai won¡¯te to the Octagonal Guests anymore.¡± How could a person who had lost a pair of hands continue ying dice? ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°May I ask if Miss Ji wants to treat Shen Yao¡¯s injured leg?¡± Qin Minghong said softly, ¡°Three months ago, when I went to Yunchuan Prefecture to do something, I heard that there was a famous doctor in Yunchuan Prefecture who specialized in treating chronic illnesses.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes immediately lit up. ¡°Then do you know the name of that doctor?¡± To Ji Zhao¡¯s disappointment, Qin Minghong shook his head at her. ¡°But if Miss Ji wants to know, I¡¯ll think of a way to find out.¡± Qin Minghong looked into her eyes and promised seriously. ¡°Thank you.¡± Ji Zhao smiled gratefully. Shen Yao walked around the screen and happened to see them chatting happily. He immediately felt a stuffiness in his heart. Cough cough¡ª ¡°Shen Yao?¡± Hearing themotion, Ji Zhao hurriedly turned around to support him. ¡°Why are you awake? Are you feeling better now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Shen Yao ced his arm on her shoulder, his gentle eyes filled with grievance. ¡°I¡¯m just a little hungry.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go home quickly? I¡¯ll cook for you.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly supported Shen Yao. When she left, she politely nodded at Qin Minghong. Qin Minghong smiled back, but his gaze involuntarily fell on Shen Yao¡¯s face. At this moment, Shen Yao¡¯s face was red and his feet were steady. It was impossible for him to not be able to stand steadily. Clearly, he had deliberately leaned on Miss Ji¡¯s shoulder just to dere his sovereignty. Such a childish method was really¡­ Infuriating! By 9pm, night fell quietly. Thanks to Second Manager You¡¯s help, they were able to sessfully send Ji Zhao and the others back to the Shen residence. Ji Zhao handed Shen Yao a bowl of freshly made snow fungus lotus seed soup. ¡°Thank you.¡± Shen Yao put down the book in his hand and thanked her gently. ¡°I specially added a little rock sugar, so it tastes sweet.¡± Ji Zhao sat opposite him and looked at the man opposite her with her chin in her hands. She smiled silently. ¡°I¡¯ve already heard from mother that you don¡¯t like lotus seeds the most, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Yao nodded slightly. ¡°The center of the lotus seeds are too bitter.¡± ¡°But good medicine is bitter,¡± Ji Zhao advised with a smile. ¡°But you can eat the lotus seeds in this bowl of soup without worry. I¡¯ve already peeled all the lotus cores.¡± Hearing this, Shen Yao hurriedly walked in front of her and caught her hands. ¡°What? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Shen Yao was too anxious and Ji Zhao was shocked. ¡°The skin of the lotus seed is already difficult enough to peel, and you took out the bitter core inside.¡± Shen Yao¡¯s gazended on her red fingertips and his heart ached. ¡°Your hand is injured.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Hearing this, Ji Zhao didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry. ¡°You really don¡¯t have to¡­¡± Before she could finish, she felt warmth on her fingertips. Shen Yao carefully held her hand and gently blew on it. Then, he took out the ointment to reduce the swelling and applied it on her fingers. His movements were light and gentle. From Ji Zhao¡¯s angle, she could see his gentle and focused side profile. ¡°I know you like to cook. It¡¯s inevitable that you¡¯ll hurt your hand.¡± Shen Yao carefully applied the ointment and said softly, ¡°But don¡¯t peel the lotus core for me in the future. My heart will ache if you hurt your hand.¡± These words were exceptionally warm. Ji Zhao felt a sweetness in her heart. ¡°Okay.¡± ... After drinking the bowl of soup, Shen Yao prepared to leave the room. ¡°Shen Yao, you¡­¡± Ji Zhao pursed her lips and whispered, ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay and sleep with me?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, have you really thought it through?¡± Shen Yao turned to look at her, his usually cold phoenix eyes flickering with a strange light. ¡°Aren¡¯t you¡­ afraid?¡± ¡°Why should I be afraid?¡± Ji Zhao tilted her head and looked at him with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m your wife to begin with.¡± Since they were husband and wife, shouldn¡¯t they share a bed? Shen Yao suddenly turned around and quickly closed the door. Then, he walked towards her step by step¡ª ¡°Ah Tao, have you really thought it through¡­¡± Before he could finish speaking, his lips were already sealed! Ji Zhao tiptoed and hugged Shen Yao¡¯s neck. She took the initiative to offer up her tender lips. Although her movements were clumsy, it easily ignited the desire hidden in Shen Yao¡¯s heart. The two of them kissed to their hearts¡¯ content. Unknowingly, they had already fallen onto the bed. ... Shen Yao suddenly moved closer to her slender neck and gently bit her round and cute earlobe¡ª At that moment, Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but tremble. ¡°Shen Yao¡­¡± She sounded like a pitiful kitten. At this moment, Shen Yao, who was lying on her, looked more like a ferocious hungry wolf. Ji Zhao grabbed his shoulder forcefully. Just as she was about to close her eyes, she felt a heat under her body¡ª Crap! ¡°Shen Yao, my¡­ my period arrived.¡± Ji Zhao bit her lip nervously and whispered. Shen Yao, who was forced to stop, blinked. In the end, he gently tapped the tip of her nose and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Ah Tao, you¡¯re really torturous.¡± Ji Zhao silently raised her hands and covered her face. She could only me the atmosphere tonight for being so good that she had forgotten her period. Fifteen minutester. After taking a cold shower, Shen Yao finally suppressed the fire in his body. When he returned to the room, Ji Zhao was already asleep. Chapter 164 - 164 I’ll Reward You with a Kiss, Okay? 164 I¡¯ll Reward You with a Kiss, Okay? Looking at her cute sleeping face, Shen Yao could not help butugh. However, he could not help but slow down his footsteps. He walked to Ji Zhao¡¯s side, leaned over gently, and pecked her cheek. ¡°Good night.¡± !! The next morning, the moment Ji Zhao pushed open the door, a light white hibiscus suddenly appeared in front of her. ¡°What a beautiful hibiscus flower.¡± Ji Zhao took the hibiscus flower with a smile. ¡°This is the Drunken Hibiscus,¡± Shen Yao exined with a gentle smile. ¡°However, I feel that Ah Tao is more beautiful than this hibiscus flower.¡± Ji Zhao lowered her eyes shyly and muttered softly, ¡°You secretly smeared honey on your mouth so early in the morning?¡± ¡°Then do you want to try it, Ah Tao?¡± Seeing her shy look, Shen Yao could not help but raise his eyebrows and smile. Ji Zhao pretended not to hear this. She turned around and returned to her room to find a small vase. She ced the hibiscus flower inside. Looking at the drunken hibiscus, she could not help but smile. It felt good to be able to receive fresh flowers the moment she opened her eyes. ¡°Ah Tao, have you heard of the Three Drunkun Hibiscus?¡± Shen Yao stood beside her and asked softly. ¡°Huh?¡± Ji Zhao looked at him curiously. ¡°I remember reading about the Three Drunken Hibiscus in a book. In the morning, the Drunken Hibiscus Flower first bloomed. The flower crown was white and gradually turned pink. From afternoon to evening, it would turn dark red when it withered. Therefore, the color of the flower changed three times a day, so it¡¯s nicknamed the Three Drunken Hibiscus.¡± Shen Yao could not help but hold her shoulder and exin in a gentle tone. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡± Ji Zhao smiled in realization. ¡°Then let¡¯se back at dusk to take a look at this Drunken Hibiscus?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± In the kitchen, Zhao Lanhua specially cooked red bean porridge for Ji Zhao. When Ji Zhao found out that Shen Yao had told Zhao Lanhua about her period, she felt both shy and sweet. ¡°Ah Tao, does your stomach hurt?¡± Zhao Lanhua carefully observed Ji Zhao¡¯s expression and asked with concern, ¡°Don¡¯t touch cold water for the next few days. Also, you have to rest more. Why do I feel like you don¡¯t look so good?¡± ¡°Mother, I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly. ¡°My stomach doesn¡¯t hurt at all, and I¡¯m in good spirits!¡± ¡°If you feel any difort, remember to tell me, okay?¡± Zhao Lanhua reminded her carefully. ¡°Yes, I know.¡± After the family finished their breakfast, Shen Dashan went out to look for the vige chief. After all, thend temple at the back of the mountain was considered a public property of Shanghe Vige. If the Shen family wanted to dig on it, they had to report to the vige. After all, some procedures still had to be followed. Ji Zhao wanted to go too, but Shen Yao stopped her. ¡°Father can handle this matter.¡± Shen Yao could not help but pinch her cheek and say softly, ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the house. I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Ji Zhao nodded obediently. After the two of them returned to the house together, Shen Yao handed her the blueprint he had drawnst night. ¡°This is?¡± Ji Zhao stared at the contents of the blueprint, her eyes filled with confusion. ¡°Since there¡¯s a chance to renovate the Earth Temple this time, I thought about it and decided to build it more imposingly.¡± Shen Yao looked into her eyes and exined with a gentle gaze, ¡°Ah Tao, I know you¡¯ve always been very grateful to the Earth God. Didn¡¯t you promise the Earth God that you would definitely repair his golden body? I think we should take this opportunity to do it together, right?¡± ¡°I think this idea is indeed good.¡± Ji Zhao subconsciously rubbed her chin and finally smiled bitterly. ¡°But if we build ording to this blueprint, we¡¯ll have to invest a lot of money, right? Of course, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m unwilling to spend money, but I don¡¯t have so much money now¡­¡± ¡°I n to gather everyone to raise money together.¡± Shen Yao smiled and exined the n in greater detail. After listening to the entire n, Ji Zhao silently gave him a thumbs up. ¡°Shen Yao, aren¡¯t you too smart?¡± ¡°You¡¯re my wife. How can I not be smart?¡± Shen Yao tapped the tip of her nose affectionately and smiled gently. ¡°Although these two sentences soundpletely unrted, I know you¡¯re praising me. Hehe, I want to give you a reward.¡± Ji Zhao took a step forward and gently wrapped her arms around his waist. Her intimate tone was filled with coquettishness. ¡°I¡¯ll reward you with a kiss, okay?¡± Shen Yao looked down at her bright smile and his heart skipped a beat. He slowly approached her¡ª Knock knock knock~ Ji Zhao could feel her heart beating faster. ¡°Ji Ah Tao, you heartless b*tch. You ungrateful b*tch, get out here!¡± Before Shen Yao¡¯s lips couldnd on her face, a voice suddenly sounded outside the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. Ji Huai shot a look at the fat woman beside him as he shouted loudly, ¡°You bastard! You actually colluded with the head of the gambling den to chop off my hands! I¡¯m your biological cousin. Has your conscience been eaten by a dog?¡± ¡°Dear fellow vigers,e and judge!¡± In the crowd, there was a fat woman dressed in mourning clothes. She wailed at the top of her lungs, ¡°This Ji Ah Tao is really too evil! She killed my mother-inw! Boohoo! Oh my god, is there still justice in this world?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you Pan Ei¡¯s wife?¡± Soon, someone in the crowd recognized the fat woman kneeling on the ground and came forward curiously. ¡°I say, someone from the Lai family, why are you here in Shanghe Vige?¡± ¡°Auntie, I am indeed Ei¡¯s wife. My father-inw is Old Pan. A few months ago, my father-inw married Ji Ah Tao¡¯s grandmother.¡± When the fat woman saw that everyone¡¯s gaze was on her face, she immediately became energetic. ¡°Although this she¡¯s not her biological grandmother, it¡¯s fate that they can be a family! But two days ago, someone from the county office came and captured my mother-inw!¡± ¡°After that, Father-inw brought us around to ask around. In the end, we never expected this¡­¡± The fat woman deliberately paused to hook the attention of the onlookers. In the end, she cried and wiped her tears. She choked and said, ¡°It was Ji Ah Tao who held a grudge and deliberately went to the county office to falsely use my mother-inw of human trafficking, causing my mother-inw to be arrested! In the end, my father-inw wanted tomit suicide, and there was no one to take care of the children. The family has already be a mess¡­¡± ¡°No way? Why would Ah Tao falsely use her grandmother?¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Did you misunderstand?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no misunderstanding!¡± The fat woman anxiously stood up from the ground. ¡°Now that my mother-inw has been arrested, it¡¯s really Ji Ah Tao¡¯s doing!¡± ... Whoosh¡ª Before the woman could speak, a basin of vegetable washing water was sshed on her. Rotten vegetable leaves drooped on her head, making her look extremely disheveled. Chapter 165 - 165 You? You Hit Me? 165 You? You Hit Me? ¡°Yo, it¡¯s so early in the morning. Why is it so lively?¡± Zhao Lanhua smiled and looked at everyone. ¡°Everyone is not busy today. Has the fields all been cleaned up?¡± ¡°You¡¯re Ji Ah Tao¡¯s mother-inw, Auntie Zhao, right?¡± The fat woman rushed in front of her anxiously and took the initiative to attack. ¡°Do you know what Ji Ah Tao has done behind her back? Help me ask her if her conscience has been eaten by a dog. No matter what, my mother-inw has raised her for 15 years!¡± ¡°After fifteen years, even a dog would have feelings, right?¡± The fat woman became more and more agitated as she spoke. ¡°But what about her? She actually did such an ungrateful thing. It¡¯s really¡­¡± Pah! !! Before the fat woman could finish speaking, Zhao Lanhua had already pped her face. The crisp sound stunned everyone around. Especially Madam Pan Wu, who had been pped. She covered her face in disbelief. ¡°You? You hit me?¡± Zhao Lanhua grinned and showed her red palm to her. ¡°I was hitting a bug. If you don¡¯t believe me, look. There were two little bugs on your face just now!¡± Madam Pan Wu only felt anger burning in her heart. She would make up for today¡¯s loss sooner orter! Ji Zhao, who happened to see this scene, silently praised her mother in her heart. ¡°You¡¯re finally willing toe out?¡± Seeing Ji Zhao¡¯s voice, Ji Huai gritted his teeth and walked up to her angrily. ¡°Are you still human? You actually instigated the young master of the gambling den to chop off my hands?¡± Ji Zhao was stunned at first. In the end, she took two steps back aggrievedly. Like a frightened little white rabbit, she looked extremely pitiful. ¡°Cousin, I really didn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Are you still pretending?¡± Seeing her like this, Ji Huai only felt angry. Just as he was about to kick Ji Zhao, he was forcefully restrained by Shen Yao. ¡°If my wife loses even a strand of hair, I will make you lose your feet too.¡± Shen Yao looked at the man in front of him coldly. His tone was deep, making one shudder and could not help but feel fear. ¡°Cousin, I really didn¡¯t collude with anyone to attack you.¡± Ji Zhao wiped her tears and sobbed. ¡°I¡¯m just a weak woman who doesn¡¯t even have the strength to truss a chicken. How could I instigate the gambling den to chop off your hand?¡± ¡°You¡­ Stop crying!¡± Ji Huai shouted angrily. He narrowed his eyes vigntly and sneered. ¡°If you¡¯re so useless, how could you hook up with so many men in the county? Ji Ah Tao, Ji Ah Tao, I really underestimated you in the past. I didn¡¯t expect you to be able to hook up with so many men!¡± Bang! Shen Yao punched Ji Huai¡¯s face urately. Ji Huai¡¯s two teeth were sent flying. ¡°If you dare to nder my wife again, do you believe that I¡¯ll knock out all your teeth?¡± Shen Yao said expressionlessly with a tense expression. Ji Huai, who had been beaten to the ground, struggled to get up. ¡°All of you, just you wait!¡± After saying those harsh words, Ji Huai prepared to leave. He finally understood that Shen Yao, this cripple, was not to be trifled with. He had to find an opportunity to attack when Ji Zhao was alone. ¡°Wait!¡± Shen Yao walked in front of him and stopped him. ¡°You still want to hit me?¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re here, let¡¯s make things clear in front of our fellow vigers.¡± Ji Zhao had already wiped away her tears, but her eyes were still red. ¡°Dear fellow vigers, I¡¯m sure everyone knows this person.¡± Ji Zhao silently pointed at Ji Huai and said softly, ¡°This man¡¯s name is Ji Huai. He¡¯s my cousin! He¡¯s very ¡®famous¡¯ in Pomegranate Vige. He¡¯s proficient in eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling! ¡°I won¡¯t say how he bullied me in the past. After all, our Shanghe Vige and Pomegranate Vige were inws a long time ago. I¡¯m sure many people here have heard of the kind of life I, Ji Ah Tao, used to live in the Ji family, right?¡± ¡°Grandfather died of illness, and in less than three months, Grandmother remarried. She even abandoned her biological grandson, Ji Chen! Although I understand her difficulties, I can¡¯t agree with her actions. As for why she was captured by the county office, she can only me herself.¡± ¡°Ah Tao?¡± In the crowd, an old mother-inw frowned unhappily. ¡°They say that the kindness of birth and raising is as great as the heavens! No matter how many faults your grandmother has, she¡¯s still your grandmother. How can you send her to the county office?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Zhao Suqiu, who didn¡¯t get along with Zhao Lanhua, couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°It¡¯s said that a person will lose ayer of skin even if they don¡¯t die after being imprisoned in the county office. You actually sent your grandmother to prison yourself. Aren¡¯t you too ungrateful?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. Ah Tao, you didn¡¯t do the wrong thing!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Although your grandmother has a strange temper, she raised you for so many years, right?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the difference between you and an ingrate?¡± Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but smile when she heard them criticizing her. However, that smile was filled with mockery. Indeed, no matter what kind of environment it was, the onlookers who did not know the truth would subconsciously stand on the moral high ground and criticize others~ ¡°Aunt Suqiu, may I ask how old you are this year?¡± Ji Zhao raised her eyebrows and smiled. ¡°Ah?¡± Zhao Suqiu, who was suddenly called out, was stunned. ¡°You don¡¯t look old, but your ears aren¡¯t very good.¡± Ji Zhao used the gentlest tone to say the most hurtful words. ¡°I suggest you go to the medical center early to see if your ears are blocked by sh*t. After all, the earlier you get it checked out, the better~¡± Pfft¡ª Someone in the crowd couldn¡¯t hold it in andughed. ¡°You¡­ Is this how you talk to your elders?¡± Zhao Suqiu blushed and shouted angrily. ¡°Pfft, what kind of senior are you?¡± Zhao Lanhua spat angrily with her hands on her hips. ¡°When ites to family ancestry up, you still have to call my third daughter-inw your aunt!¡± Shen Dashan¡¯s lineage had a lot of seniority in Shanghe Vige. In terms of seniority, Zhao Suqiu did not know where she would be ranked! ¡°Mother, Aunt Suqiu is old and her ears aren¡¯t very good. I¡¯ve already forgiven her.¡± Ji Zhao smiled slightly, but herughter was rather ear-piercing to Zhao Suqiu¡¯s ears. ¡°First of all, I didn¡¯t frame my adoptive grandmother, Madam Xie. The reason why she was arrested was entirely because she deserved it.¡± Ji Zhao cleared her throat and exined with a serious expression, ¡°Everyone in Shanghe Vige knows that I, Ji Ah Tao, was sold to the Shen family by Madam Xie. At that time, she even took two taels of silver from the Shen family and some food.¡± ¡°Although the drought was serious at that time and many families could not eat, there were still very few families who were reduced to selling children. It could even be said that they could be counted on one hand.¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and continued to exin, ¡°It¡¯s an undeniable fact that Madam Xie sold me to the Shen family. As for why she was arrested, it was because the county magistrate had started to settle scores! ... ¡°Not only Madam Xie, but all the adults who sold their children during the drought were arrested.¡± Chapter 166 - 166 Do You Believe That I’ll Pull Off Your Hair? 166 Do You Believe That I¡¯ll Pull Off Your Hair? As soon as Ji Zhao finished speaking, the noisy crowd suddenly fell silent. ¡°With just your words? Why should we believe you?¡± Zhao Suqiu pursed her lips angrily. ¡°Previously, during the drought, didn¡¯t my family sell two little girls? You said that the county magistrate was settling scores after the fall, so we have to believe you? I think you¡¯re just making up nonsense! You¡¯re so vicious to your grandmother who raised you! You¡¯ll definitely suffer retribution in the future.¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± Zhao Lanhua rushed in front of her aggressively and grabbed her hair. She gritted her teeth fiercely. ¡°If you dare to say anything about my third daughter-inw again, do you believe that I¡¯ll pull your hair our?¡± ¡°Let go! Let go!¡± Zhao Suqiu did not expect Zhao Lanhua to be so fierce. She directly pulled her hair. Just as she was about to resist, she heard her mother¡¯s exmation from the crowd. !! ¡°Suqiu, this is incredible! Your father and your uncle were arrested by the bailiffs!¡± The scene instantly became a mess. When Shen Menghu rushed over, it was already quiet outside the Shen residence. However, the vigers still gathered in groups of twos and threes, whispering to each other from time to time. Shen Menghu knocked on the bamboo stick in his hand angrily. ¡°Are you all so free? Have you dealt with the crops in the fields?¡± Shen Menghu was already in his sixties. He had been the vige chief for more than 40 years, and his aura was imposing. Coupled with his status in the vigers¡¯ hearts, he was highly respected. Therefore, the vigers were very respectful of him. ¡°Vige Chief, Aunt Suqiu¡¯s father seems to have been captured!¡± ¡°Vige Chief, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Vige Chief, this Ji Ah Tao is so bad. Not only did she get someone to chop off her cousin¡¯s hands, but she also ruthlessly sent her grandmother to prison!¡± ¡°Vige Chief, I think our vige can¡¯t let a person like Ji Ah Tao stay!¡± ¡°Shut up, all of you!¡± Shen Menghu scolded with a straight face. ¡°Are you all so free? Do you want me to find something for you to do before you stop?¡± In the end, the onlookers left on their own. Shen Yao stepped forward silently and weed Shen Menghu into the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. In the central room. Zhao Lanhua brought over arge bowl of green bean soup and said with a grateful smile, ¡°Uncle Huzi, thank you so much for just now. If you hadn¡¯t arrived in time, I¡¯m afraid everyone wouldn¡¯t have been willing to leave!¡± ¡°They¡¯re all too free!¡± Shen Menghuined. ¡°Dashan¡¯s wife, I¡¯m here today to discuss the repair of the temple.¡± Shen Menghu drank more than half a bowl of mung bean soup before he slowly said, ¡°In the past few years, the weather hasn¡¯t been good. Shanghe Vige is considered lucky. But I heard from Dashan that he wants to repair the entire temple to look more imposing?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Zhao Lanhua nodded seriously. ¡°How much money would that cost?¡± Shen Menghu shook his head in disagreement. ¡°Although your family¡¯s situation in the vige is considered good, even so, you can¡¯t spend money like this. Besides, didn¡¯t Dashan say a few days ago that he wanted to buy more homesteads to build houses?¡± ¡°Actually, this matter was my third daughter-inw¡¯s idea,¡± Zhao Lanhua said with a smile. Just as she was about to exin, she heard Shen Menghu scold her angrily, ¡°Nonsense!¡± Ji Zhao, who had been sitting at the bottom, blinked and held back her words. ¡°Ah Tao, tell me the truth. What exactly do you want to do?¡± Shen Menghu frowned and looked at Ji Zhao with a deep gaze. The doubt in his eyes was self-evident. ¡°Others might not know, but I know. If you hadn¡¯t gone to the county office first, your adoptive grandmother wouldn¡¯t have been imprisoned in the county office!¡± Shen Menghu stared at her, his weathered face filled with scrutiny. Ji Zhao was neither servile nor overbearing as she met his scrutinizing gaze. She said softly, ¡°Vige Chief, many people know what kind of life I had before I married into Shanghe Vige. However, ever since Old Master Xie passed away from an illness, I¡¯ve cut off all contact with the Xie family. It was she who came knocking on my door time and time again, disturbing me and even the entire Shen family.¡± ¡°Even a y man has a temper. Moreover, I¡¯m a person of flesh and blood. Perhaps in your eyes, my actions are too unreasonable, but I don¡¯t think I did anything wrong.¡± Although Ji Zhao¡¯s tone was very calm, the rest of the Shen family could not help but tear up. The longer they interacted with Ah Tao, the more they could understand her character. ¡°Vige Chief, actually, when Ah Tao went to the county office to file the case, I went too.¡± Shen Yao, who had been silent, suddenly exined, ¡°We discussed this matter together previously. I also think Ah Tao did the right thing.¡± ¡°You¡­ you guys¡­¡± Shen Menghu did not know what to say. In the end, he slumped his shoulders weakly and frowned. ¡°Even if your adoptive grandmother deserved it, what about repairing the Earth Temple? You¡¯re just a little girl. Why do you have such thoughts?¡± ¡°Because the Earth God will protect the peace of thend,¡± Ji Zhao exined concisely. ¡°Vige Chief, although we don¡¯t have much money on hand to repair the Earth Temple, we will think of another way.¡± Ji Zhao promised seriously. Not only did the Earth God give her good luck, but he also repeatedly reminded her to avoid danger. Therefore, she had to build a tall statue of the Earth God and revive the incense in the temple. ¡°But Shanghe Vige no longer believes in the Earth God.¡± Shen Menghu frowned awkwardly. ¡°You know about the merit monument, right?¡± Shen Yao suddenly stood up and said to Shen Menghu sincerely, ¡°Vige Chief, all these years, in order to revitalize Shanghe Vige, you have worked tirelessly and unafraid of hardships. You have put in a lot of action and sweat.¡± ¡°What are you getting at?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already discussed it with Ah Tao. Once the Earth Temple is renovated, your name must be engraved on the first line of the Merit Monument. Only then can you show your greatness.¡± Although Shen Yao¡¯s tone was as cold as usual, Shen Menghu was still persuaded. ¡°You mean, the order and size of the names on the Merit Monument can be adjusted?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Yao hurriedly nodded. ¡°Anyone who donates more than ten taels of silver can have their name engraved on the Merit Monument. Moreover, the font will change. At the very least, it can be seen at a nce. ¡°If it¡¯s more than eight taels and less than ten taels, the name can be ced in the middle to the left. If it¡¯s more than five taels and less than eight taels, the name can also be magnified slightly. Of course, the specificyout on this merit monument needs to be confirmed onest time.¡± Shen Yao analyzed calmly. ¡°Vige Chief, what do you think?¡± Chapter 167 - 167 Race Crab 167 Race Crab In the end, Shen Menghu was convinced by Ji Zhao and Shen Yao. Not only did he agree to Shen Yao¡¯s suggestion, he even said that he would help publicize this matter. When Shen Menghu left the Shen residence, a smile appeared on his stern face! In the central room, Ji Zhao looked at Zhao Lanhua with a smile and grinned foolishly. !! ¡°Ah Tao, what are you smilling at?¡± Zhao Lanhua asked curiously. ¡°Is there dust Mother¡¯s face?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ji Zhao shook her head firmly and then held her arm intimately. Her tone unconsciously choked up a little. ¡°I think there¡¯s a lot of love on your face. Mother, you¡¯re the best, best, best mother-inw in this world.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Zhao Lanhua followed her words and smiled smugly. ¡°Everyone in this vige knows that I, Zhao Lanhua, am the best.¡± ¡°Yes, Mother is the best.¡± Ji Zhao leaned on her shoulder, her tone extremely obedient. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve only changed my personality in the past few years.¡± Zhao Lanhua patted her hand gently andforted her softly. ¡°Ah Tao, you don¡¯t have to care too much about what others think of you. Most importantly, our family will trust and encourage each other. As for what outsiders think, sometimes it¡¯s not that important. As long as you think that you did the right thing, that¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Mother, thank you.¡± In fact, when so many onlookers stood on the moral high ground and attacked her without knowing the truth, Ji Zhao felt a little sad. From the beginning, Madam Xie was the perpetrator, and she was just a victim. When Ji Zhao was d that she was not the original host, she would feel heartache for the original host. She thought that if the Host knew the consequences of being adopted by Old Master Ji, she would rather die. After all, for the past 15 years, the original host had been living in deep trouble. After Shen Menghu¡¯s vigorous promotion, everyone knew about the reconstruction of the Earth Temple at the back of the mountain. The crowdfunding n proposed by Shen Yao was sessfully implemented. It was such a proud thing to be able to carve one¡¯s name on the Merit Monument in front of the temple. Not only Shanghe Vige, but even the people from other viges rushed over when they heard the news. Shen Yao did not reject anyone. Instead, he raised the threshold. For example, the people from other viges had to pay at least five taels of silver to have the chance to engrave their names on the merit monument. As for whether they could seed in the end, they had to draw lots! Ji Zhao, who was munching on an apple, looked at Shen Yao, who was focused on fiddling with the abacus. She could not help but raise her eyebrows. He sat upright in front of the desk, his expression very focused. The afternoon sun prated the screened windows and shone on him. It seemed to coat him with ayer of golden light, making him look like an immortal. ¡°We¡¯ve already raised 182 taels of silver. Coupled with the 300 taels of silver you brought back earlier, we¡¯ve already raised enough money to rebuild the Earth Temple.¡± After settling the total score, Shen Yao slowly looked up and met her infatuated gaze. ¡°Shen Yao, what did you just say? Can you repeat it?¡± Ji Zhao silently raised her hand to cover her face and muttered softly. ¡°Ah Tao.¡± Shen Yao smiled and gently pushed her hand away. He asked gently, ¡°What were you looking at just now?¡± ¡°Looking at you!¡± Ji Zhao blurted out subconsciously. ¡°Who else can I look at but you?¡± Shen Yao smiled happily and suddenly got up and leaned close to her cheek. His low and hoarse tone was filled with ambiguity. ¡°I, I, I¡­ I¡¯ll get back to work first!¡± The moment he teased her, Ji Zhao felt that her heart was about to jump out. Looking at her retreating back, the smile in Shen Yao¡¯s eyes deepened. August 15th, Mid-Autumn Festival. As dusk approached, Zhao Lanhua shouted and everyone came to the central room. The family sat together happily to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. Zhao Lanhua and Ji Zhao prepared a table full of delicacies. In addition, Ji Zhao specially made Race Crabs and ced it in front of the two sisters-inw. ¡°Race Crabs? That¡¯s an interesting name, isn¡¯t it?¡± Sister-inw Shen looked at the race crabs and asked curiously, ¡°But Ah Tao, this dish really does look like a big crab from the outside!¡± ¡°I know that Second Sister-inw really wants to eat crabs, so I specially designed it like this. I hope you like it,¡± Ji Zhao exined with a warm smile. Then, she strongly rmended, ¡°Second Sister-inw, try it?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen was especially curious about this dish that looked like a crab. She eagerly picked up her chopsticks, picked up a piece of crab meat, and tasted it seriously. ¡°The texture of this dish is smooth and tender, and there¡¯s a faint crab roe fragrance.¡± Second Sister-inw Shen was stunned. ¡°Ah Tao, did you add some crab roe to this dish?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no crab roe.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and exined softly, ¡°Race crabs is a specialty dish. The main ingredient needed is yellow croaker fish.¡± ¡°This dish is actually made from fish meat?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen was also shocked. ¡°Yes.¡± Ji Zhao nodded with a gentle smile. ¡°If you like it, you can eat more. Eating more fish is beneficial to you.¡± ¡°Ah Tao, I really admire you now.¡± Second Sister-inw Shen gave Ji Zhao a thumbs up from the bottom of her heart. ¡°You¡¯re really amazing to be able to make fish taste like crab meat, you know?¡± ¡°Actually, this dish is not difficult to make.¡± Ji Zhao put down the bowl and chopsticks in his hand and exined softly, ¡°The meat of the Yellow Croaker Fish is rtively fresh and tender. Coupled with eggs, it can make a taste simr to crab meat. Sister-inw, Sister-inw, if you think this dish is to your liking, I can make it often in the future.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t do!¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen and Second Sister-inw Shen said in unison. ¡°Why?¡± Ji Zhao raised her eyebrows in confusion. ¡°Because it¡¯s expensive!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that so? A Yellow Croaker Fish is enough to buy two to three catties of pig bones,¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen said quickly. ¡°If we eat this every day, which family can afford it?¡± ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, Second Sister-inw, when I earn a lot of money in the future, I¡¯ll buy Yellow Croaker Fish for you to eat every day. I guarantee that you¡¯ll eat until you¡¯re full!¡± ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll wait for you!¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± The entire family raised their sses and drank happily. Of course, Ji Zhao was the exception. The cup in front of her was filled with warm brown sugar water. A hint of sweetness appeared on the tip of her tongue and spread to her left chest. ... Chapter 168 - 168 Do You Like It? 168 Do You Like It? Ji Zhao subconsciously looked at Shen Yao, who was sitting beside her, but she was caught off guard and met his gaze. The moment their eyes met, it was as if the surrounding world had fallen silent. They could only see themselves in each other¡¯s eyes. ¡°Try this?¡± Ji Zhao picked up her chopsticks with a smile. She picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork and handed it to the bowl in front of him. ¡°It¡¯s sweet and sour. Try it and see if you like it.¡± !! ¡°Okay.¡± Shen Yao tasted it carefully and finally nodded. Ji Zhao smiled sweetly at him, the expression on her face bing more and more obedient. The family finished their dinner early and returned to their rooms to rest. Just as Ji Zhao was lying in bed in boredom (thinking about life), Shen Yao arrived. ¡°Ah Tao, look at this drunken hibiscus. her color has changed again.¡± After entering the house, Shen Yao went straight to the point and called out impatiently, ¡°Come and take a look!¡± The afterglow of the golden sunset fell on the Drunken Hibiscus. The originally elegant color gradually turned into a crimson color. A gentle breeze blew and blew away the two petals. The scene was beautiful. One couldn¡¯t help but sigh at the uncanny workmanship of nature. ¡°So the Three Drunken Hibiscus would be so beautiful before it withered.¡± After seeing it with her own eyes, Ji Zhao waspletely stunned. ¡°The most beautiful scenery is in front of me, and the person I love the most is beside me.¡± Shen Yao¡¯s confession caught her off guard. The moment Ji Zhao subconsciously turned around, Shen Yao had already taken a step forward. Her lips brushed past Shen Yao¡¯s cheek inadvertently. They could feel each other trembling. Shen Yao could not help but lean closer and closer. In the end, he kissed her lips without a word. After an unknown period of time, Ji Zhao, who was in a daze from the kiss, epted everything he showered on her. Shen Yao, who was standing in front of her, tapped the tip of her nose helplessly. ¡°You¡¯re finally willing to wake up!¡± ¡°Me? I fell asleep?¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°How is this possible? We just¡­ We just¡­¡± Seeing her pout, Shen Yao was amused. ¡°You fainted just now. Fortunately, you¡¯re awake now. Mother said that perhaps you lost too much blood on your period and fainted.¡± Shen Yao gently held her hand and asked softly, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about this? Is it because you¡¯re shy?¡± At this moment, Ji Zhao only felt confused. Shen Yao caressed her face with heartache. ¡°It¡¯s my fault for not taking good care of you. That¡¯s why you¡¯re so tired.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not tired. I just want to rest for a while.¡± Ji Zhao looked at him seriously and exined softly, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to suddenly faint. Did I scare you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not frightened. I¡¯m just a little worried.¡± Shen Yao told the truth. ¡°As for you, the physician specially instructed you to lie in bed and rest more. Don¡¯te down for the next few days.¡± ¡°But I feel much better.¡± Ji Zhao didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry. ¡°Besides, other than repairing the Earth Temple, the restaurant¡¯s shop is about to officially open.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t Big Brother already say that he would help think of a way?¡± Shen Yao her arm. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°No buts.¡± Shen Yao¡¯s face was expressionless as he said firmly, ¡°Have you forgotten what you promised me previously?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival.¡± ¡°I know.¡± The confusion in Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes deepened. ¡°Shall we go for a walk now?¡± Before she could answer, Shen Yao had already held her hand and left the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. The sun was setting in the west, and the entire courtyard of the Shen family was enveloped in a faint orange light. It looked very warm. ¡°Shen Yao, where are we going?¡± Ji Zhao, whose hand was held tightly by him, asked curiously. Although the light in the night was a little dim, he still sessfully brought her to a ce. Ji Zhao instinctively circled the area and realized that there was no one else around. ¡°Ah Tao, don¡¯t be afraid!¡± Shen Yaoforted her with a gentle smile. Then, he caught her off guard and hugged her waist, carrying her on his shoulder. ¡°Impressive.¡± Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but exim. ¡°Ah Tao, what do you see through the forest?¡± ¡°A little light?¡± Ji Zhao looked around curiously. In the end, she was extremely curious. ¡°Where exactly is this?¡± ¡°This is the westernmost part of the vige. We are on a mountain. I heard from the elders in the vige that this small mountain is called Nameless Mountain. It has been standing in the wind and rain for more than 300 years.¡± Shen Yao could not help but sigh when he saw the scenery in the distance. ¡°Why did you bring me here?¡± ¡°Because¡­¡± Shen Yao smiled and deliberately kept her in suspense. The curiosity in Ah Tao¡¯s eyes deepened. ¡°Close your eyes.¡± Shen Yao suddenly approached her and kissed her cheek gently. Then, he turned around and left again. Ji Zhao, who had stayed behind, closed her eyes nervously. ¡°Done.¡± After removing the ck cloth from her eyes, Ji Zhao saw the scene in front of her clearly. Countless cute fireflies glowing with a faint green light formed a beautiful painting. It was dreamy and beautiful. ¡°Do you like it?¡± Shen Yao had already circled behind her and hugged her from behind. ¡°I specially prepared it for you.¡± ¡°I like it.¡± Ji Zhao nodded eagerly. It was too beautiful. ... ¡°Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival. I promised you before that I would bring you to thentern festival. Unfortunately, there have been too many things going on recently. I really can¡¯t fulfill my promise on time¡­¡± Shen Yao exined gently, ¡°After thinking about it, I decided to create the most specialntern festival for you, the Firefly Lantern Festival. ¡± ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± Ji Zhao praised generously. ¡°I think this is the most special and uniquentern festival in the world.¡± Just as Ji Zhao was about to sit on the ground, Shen Yao stopped her. ¡°What¡­ what¡¯s wrong?¡± Ji Zhao swallowed nervously. ¡°The night is cold and the wind on the mountain is strong. Shall we go back quickly?¡± Shen Yao said hurriedly. After returning to the Shen family¡¯s courtyard, Shen Yao could not wait to return to his room. He ground ink andid out paper, finally recording the beautiful scene that had just happened. Ah Tao, who was dressed in white, stood under the tree with a lithe figure. Countless fireflies surrounded her. She could not bear to move at all. After all, such a beautiful scene should not be missed! At that moment, in Hongxing Restaurant. Qin Minghong asked around and found out the nickname of the Miracle Doctor. Seizing this opportunity, he rushed to Shanghe Vige. When the carriage stopped at the vige entrance, it was alreadyte at night. ... It was only at this moment that Qin Minghong realized that he seemed to care more about Miss Ji than he had imagined. Chapter 169 - 169 Leaving Without Saying Farewell 169 Leaving Without Saying Farewell The next morning, the moment Shen Yao walked out of the door, he happened to see the carriage not far away. Just as he was feeling puzzled, Qin Minghong lifted the curtain and bowed as he got out of the carriage. Suspicion shed across Shen Yao¡¯s eyes, but his expression remained the same. Just as he was about to pretend not to see this person, Qin Minghong leaned over¡ª ¡°I wonder if Brother Shen¡¯s health is better?¡± Qin Minghong raised his eyebrows and smiled faintly. His seemingly concerned tone hid a deeper meaning. ¡°Brother Shen is already injured. If you¡¯re sick again, then Miss Ah Tao is really too pitiful.¡± ¡°Young Master Qin, you¡¯re overthinking,¡± Shen Yao replied expressionlessly. ¡°Ah Tao and I are husband and wife. It¡¯s our duty as husband and wife to take care of each other. Besides, how can outsiders discuss our matters?¡± Shen Yao deliberately emphasized the word ¡®outsider¡¯. As expected, Qin Minghong¡¯s expression instantly turned extremely ugly. In the end, Qin Minghong squeezed out a smile and walked past him, preparing to knock on the Shen family¡¯s door. Shen Yao immediately grabbed his arm, his cold eyes emitting waves of coldness. ¡°Young Master Qin, my family doesn¡¯t wee you.¡± ¡°Previously, Miss Ah Tao asked me to do something. Now that the matter has been resolved, I just want to tell her personally.¡± Seeing the anger in his eyes, the smile in Qin Minghong¡¯s eyes deepened. ¡°Brother Shen, why are you so nervous? Or is Brother Shen not confident to begin with? After all, Miss Ah Tao is beautiful, kind-hearted, and has outstanding culinary skills. How can someone like Miss Ah Tao be buried in this narrow courtyard?¡± ¡°Ha.¡± Shen Yao chuckled. The mockery in his tone was self-evident. ¡°I just don¡¯t want Young Master Qin to disturb Ah Tao. She was too tiredst night and is still asleep. Isn¡¯t it too immoral to disturb her sleep early in the morning?¡± ¡°Too tiredst night?¡± Qin Minghong¡¯s attention was focused on this ambiguous sentence. Coupled with the smug look in Shen Yao¡¯s eyes, he could not help but feel a little disappointed. Could it be that Ah Tao had already consummated their marriage? Just as Qin Minghong was letting his imagination run wild, Zhao Lanhua¡¯s voice sounded in the courtyard¡ª ¡°Ah Tao, go back to your room and lie down! Women need to rest more when they¡¯re on their period.¡± ¡°Mother, I¡¯m really fine. I¡¯m really bored lying alone in the house. By the way, Mother, did you see Shen Yao?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. She went out early in the morning, right? Be good and go back to your room to rest. I¡¯ll make breakfast today!¡± Qin Minghong, who happened to hear this conversation, raised his eyebrows silently. Just as he was about to knock on the door, Shen Yao pushed it open first. ¡°Ah Tao, Young Master Qin is here.¡± Shen Yao hurried to her side and smiled gently. ¡°Young Master Qin?¡± Ji Zhao saw Qin Minghong standing outside the door. Although she was a little surprised, she still weed him into the central room. Soon, Zhao Lanhua brought breakfast to the table, not forgetting to prepare a portion for Qin Minghong. ¡°It¡¯s a simple meal. I wonder if someone like Young Master Qin, who is used to eating delicacies, is used to it?¡± Shen Yao smiled and asked gently. Qin Minghong naturally did not miss the sharpness hidden in his eyes. ¡°Clear porridge and side dishes are good for the stomach.¡± Qin Minghong could not help but smile. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s a different feeling to be able to share breakfast with Miss Ah Tao and Brother Shen.¡± Shen Yao lowered his eyes to hide the sarcasm in them. He lowered his head and started peeling the eggs. Finally, he ced the shelled egg into the bowl in front of Ji Zhao. ¡°Thank you, hubby!¡± Ji Zhao smiled brightly. She was not stupid. How could she not see that these two men were hiding knives in their words? However, Shen Yao was her husband and her lover, so of course she would support him unconditionally! As expected, Shen Yao smiled when he heard her call him ¡®hubby¡¯. The anger that had been lingering in his heart instantly disappeared. Although Qin Minghong was unhappy, he still maintained a gentle smile on his face. The rest of the Shen family did not speak. After all, the atmosphere at this moment was a little strange. After breakfast, Qin Minghong went straight to the point. ¡°Miss Ji, I¡¯ve already found out the name of the miracle doctor I told you about.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ji Zhao asked excitedly, ¡°Please tell me, Young Master Qin?¡± ¡°That miracle doctor specializes in treating chronic illnesses. His name is Immortal Crane.¡± ¡°Is it really Immortal Crane?¡± Ji Zhao stood up excitedly and asked impatiently, ¡°Then can we find out the whereabouts of this Immortal Crane?¡± Ji Zhao remembered that the famous doctor who cured Shen Yao¡¯s leg in the original work was Immortal Crane! If they could find Immortal Crane earlier, Shen Yao¡¯s leg would recover earlier! Qin Minghong did not expect Ji Zhao to be so excited after hearing the name of this miracle doctor. However, this was a good thing for him. ¡°Immortal Crane travels the world, and his whereabouts are even more unpredictable.¡± Qin Minghong sighed sadly. ¡°It¡¯s as difficult as ascending to the heavens for ordinary people to find him.¡± Ji Zhao lowered her eyes in disappointment. In the end, she nodded slightly. ¡°I understand.¡± After all, otherworldly experts were elusive! ¡°But if Miss Ji really wants to find Immortal Crane, I will help.¡± Qin Minghong looked into her eyes and promised solemnly. ¡°Alright.¡± Ji Zhao smiled gratefully. ¡°Then I¡¯ll thank Young Master Qin in advance.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± After Qin Minghong left, Shen Yao walked up to her and frowned slightly. ¡°Ah Tao, are you determined to find that Immortal Crane for me?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Ji Zhao nodded frankly. ¡°That Immortal Crane is best at treating chronic illnesses. I think if I can find him earlier, I might be able to help you? I¡­¡± Before Ji Zhao could finish speaking, Shen Yao had already turned around and left. Looking at his back, Ji Zhao blinked nkly. When it was almost noon, she did not see Shen Yao again. ¡°Mother, where did Shen Yao go?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, didn¡¯t Third Brother tell you?¡± Zhao Lanhua, who was picking vegetables, was also stunned. ¡°Third Brother went to visit his ssmate from before and said that he would only be back in three to five days.¡± Ji Zhao did not expect Shen Yao to leave without saying goodbye. ... She suddenly felt bitter. That feeling was not good. ¡°Ah Tao, your father said that the Earth Temple construction will begin tomorrow. Shall we go over tomorrow morning to take a look?¡± Zhao Lanhua did not notice the change in Ji Zhao¡¯s mood. She chuckled and suggested, ¡°It just so happens that tomorrow is an auspicious day. Your father means to buy more firecrackers. Mother will bring you along at noon?¡± ¡°Mother, I¡¯m not feeling well. I want to go back to my room and lie down.¡± Ji Zhao returned to her room and her gaze inadvertentlynded on the withered hibiscus flower. A trace of sadness suddenly arose in her heart. She really did not understand what Shen Yao meant. Why did he leave without saying goodbye? Didn¡¯t they already confirm each other¡¯s feelings? The more Ji Zhao thought about it, the more upset she felt. In the end, she simply covered her face with the nket and cried hard. Shen Yao, how dare you treat me like this? I don¡¯t want to talk to you anymore! Ji Zhao swore in her heart! At that moment, Shen Yao, who was on the road, could not help but sneeze. ... In the end, he shook his head with a bitter smile and continued east. Unknowingly, it was already dusk. Zhao Lanhua stood outside the door and called out several times, but she did not hear Ji Zhao¡¯s response. She was instantly worried. She thought for a moment and hurriedly pushed open the door. Chapter 170 - 170 Dream Again 170 Dream Again ¡°Ah Tao?¡± Ji Zhao, who was lying on the bed, had her eyes closed and her face was unusually red. Zhao Lanhua anxiously touched her forehead. The back of her hand was suddenly scalded. ¡°Old man! Old man,e over quickly!¡± Zhao Lanhua shouted anxiously. Shen Dashan and Second Sister-inw Shen rushed over. ¡°Ah Tao seems to have a fever!¡± Zhao Lanhua asked anxiously. ¡°Old man, quickly get a doctor. Second daughter-inw, go get a basin of cold water!¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go get a doctor immediately!¡± Shen Dashan quickly turned around and rushed out of the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. At this moment, Ji Zhao fell into a strange dream again. In her dream, she saw Shen Yao, who was covered in injuries. Shen Yao was lying in a pool of blood in a dark cell, barely breathing. She wanted to rush out, but she could not get close. ¡°Tell me, where did you get that item?¡± The man in ck holding the whip mmed the whip onto Shen Yao¡¯s body, causing his skin and flesh to split open and blood to flow! ¡°Shen Yao!¡± Ji Zhao shouted at the top of her lungs. Unfortunately, her voice could not be heard by Shen Yao at all. ¡°You cripple, you¡¯re quite stubborn, aren¡¯t you?¡± The man in ck sneered when he saw that he didn¡¯t speak. ¡°Alright, you have guts! Since you can¡¯t speak with your tongue, there¡¯s no need to stay. Men!¡± Soon, two more men in ck rushed up and grabbed Shen Yao¡¯s arms from both sides. The man with the whip threw the whip to the side and pinched Shen Yao¡¯s chin with one hand while raising the red-hot brand with the other! ¡°No!¡± Ji Zhao shouted in pain! ¡°Ah Tao? Ah Tao?¡± Zhao Lanhua called out anxiously as she wiped the sweat off her face with a wet towel. ¡°Ah Tao, what¡¯s wrong with you? Don¡¯t scare me!¡± ¡°Doctor, what happened to Ah Tao?¡± Shen Dashan anxiously wiped the sweat off his forehead and asked with concern. ¡°Calm down.¡± The doctor who was taking her pulse frowned slightly. He felt that it was extremely strange. ¡°From her pulse, she¡¯s fine. The reason why she has a fever and is sweating and convulsing should be because of the strong fire in her heart. How about this? I¡¯ll prescribe a soup to douse the internal heat and let her drink some first.¡± The soup was very simple. It only required bitter gourds, lotus seeds, goldthreads, and a small amount of lean meat. An hourter, Zhao Lanhua helped Ji Zhao up and brought the soup to her lips. ¡°Ah Tao, drink this soup obediently. Otherwise, Mother will be worried.¡± Ji Zhao finally woke up at 9pm. She subconsciously turned her head and saw Zhao Lanhua lying on the edge of the bed. She called out softly, ¡°Mother?¡± Hearing themotion, Zhao Lanhua quickly opened her eyes and anxiously looked at her forehead. ¡°You¡¯re awake? Are you feeling unwell?¡± Fortunately, Ah Tao¡¯s forehead was no longer burning. ¡°Mother, I feel so bitter in my mouth.¡± Ji Zhao frowned and said softly, ¡°It¡¯s as if I¡¯ve eaten a lot of goldthread. It¡¯s extremely bitter.¡± The pain made her cry uncontrobly. ¡°I¡¯m afraid the soup is too bitter.¡± Zhao Lanhua wiped her tears and coaxed her. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. Mother will get you a cup of honey water.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Ji Zhao nodded obediently and forced herself to sit up on the bed. Her gaze inadvertently nced at the statue of the Earth God on the shrine tform not far away. The chaotic thoughts in her mind quickly adjusted. In the end, she widened her eyes in surprise. Was the dream she had just now another warm hint from the Earth God? Therefore, it was very likely that Shen Yao was still fine! She had to set off immediately. Only by finding Shen Yao could she help him avoid this cmity. ¡°Ah Tao, you child, why are you up?¡± Zhao Lanhua, who was carrying honey water into the house, said anxiously, ¡°Quick, go back and sit down!¡± ¡°Mother, I¡¯m going to look for Shen Yao!¡± Ji Zhao exined anxiously. ¡°I have to find Shen Yao!¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Zhao Lanhua said angrily, ¡°Ah Tao, can¡¯t you see what time it is? Besides, you¡¯re still sick!¡± ¡°But Mother, if I don¡¯t look for Shen Yao, something will happen to him!¡± Ji Zhao grabbed her arm anxiously and said anxiously, ¡°I dreamed again just now. I dreamed that Shen Yao¡­¡± BOOM! Before Ji Zhao could finish her sentence, a bolt of lightning suddenly shed outside the window! Apanied by the lightning, a thunderp suddenly sounded! Ssh! In an instant, heavy rain suddenly fell. Bean-sized raindrops hit the window, making loud banging sounds. ¡°Ah Tao, what did you just say you dreamed of?¡± Zhao Lanhua asked hurriedly when she saw her suddenly stunned expression. ¡°Mother, I¡­¡± Just as Ji Zhao was about to blurt it out, the rain outside became even more turbulent. She lowered her eyes sadly. It seemed that the Earth God¡¯s reminder was already a gift from the heavens. If she told her mother about this, she was afraid that it would lead to bad consequences. After all, the secrets of heaven could not be revealed. ¡°Nothing.¡± After some thought, Ji Zhao forced a smile. ¡°Mother, it¡¯s raining outside.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s raining.¡± Zhao Lanhua hurriedly handed her the bowl of honey water. ¡°This honey water is still hot. Drink it quickly!¡± ¡°Mm.¡± After drinking a bowl of warm honey water, Ji Zhao felt much more better. ¡°Ah Tao, tell me honestly. Did you and Third Brother quarrel?¡± Zhao Lanhua held her hand and said earnestly, ¡°Third Brother is cold on the outside but warm on the inside. When he res up, he¡¯s even more stubborn than a donkey. Don¡¯t argue with him. If he does anything wrong, just tell me. I¡¯ll stand up for you, okay?¡± Ji Zhao shook his head gently. ¡°Mother, Shen Yao didn¡¯t do anything wrong, and we didn¡¯t quarrel, but I think I made him unhappy.¡± ... Ji Zhao finally understood why Shen Yao was angry. She wanted to find Immortal Crane to treat Shen Yao¡¯s leg. She did not even hesitate to seek Qin Minghong¡¯s help for this matter. She insisted on treating Shen Yao¡¯s leg, but she ignored Shen Yao¡¯s pride. Shen Yao would probably think that she minded his cripped leg, right? That was why he chose to leave without saying goodbye. However, when he thought of what had happened in the dream, Ji Zhao¡¯s heart ached. ¡°Mother, can you tell me where Shen Yao went?¡± ¡°He went to Thunder Mountain County next door,¡± Zhao Lanhua exined softly. ¡°Before Third Brother¡¯s leg was injured, he had been studying at Old Master Fan¡¯s house in Thunder Mountain County. Before he left, he said that he wanted to visit Old Master Fan.¡± ¡°Thunder Mountain County?¡± Ji Zhao frowned thoughtfully. Finally, she looked at Zhao Lanhua and smiled gratefully. ¡°Mother, I¡¯m fine now. Why don¡¯t you go back to your room and rest early?¡± ¡°Alright, if you still feel difort, remember to call Mother!¡± ¡°Yes, I will.¡± ... Chapter 171 - 171 Shen Yao! 171 Shen Yao! The next morning, when Zhao Lanhua pushed open Ji Zhao¡¯s door, she found that there was no one in the room. ¡°Ah Tao?¡± Zhao Lanhua searched the entire courtyard but could not find Ji Zhao. ¡°Sister¡­ went to Thunder Mountain County.¡± Just as Zhao Lanhua was anxious and was about to ask Shen Dashan to get everyone to look for her, Ji Chen walked out of Ji Zhao¡¯s room with a letter in his hand. ¡°Chenchen, what does this letter say? Where did your sister go?¡± ¡°Sister¡­ went to look for¡­ Brother-inw¡­ She told us¡­ not to worry.¡± Ji Chen, who could read now, stuttered as he ryed the contents of the letter. ¡°This girl, how could she leave without saying goodbye?¡± Zhao Lanhua stomped her feet anxiously. ¡°No, I have to go find her!¡± ¡°Lanhua, don¡¯t be anxious.¡± Shen Dashan quicklyforted her. ¡°If you ask me, Third Brother and Ah Tao wille back safely.¡± ¡°Did you forget? Ah Tao is lucky!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Mother. I agree with Father,¡± Second Sister-inw Shen said seriously. ¡°Actually, ever since that Young Master Qin came to our house yesterday morning, the atmosphere between Third Brother and Ah Tao has been strange. I feel that they must have fallen out.¡± ¡°But if this couple quarrels, they¡¯ll get back together soon,¡± Second Sister-inw Shen said quickly. ¡°Mother, don¡¯t be too anxious. They¡¯ll definitely be fine.¡± After their persuasion, Zhao Lanhua calmed down. ¡°But if you¡¯re worried, why don¡¯t you find someone to pass a message to Big Brother?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen thought for a moment and suggested softly, ¡°After all, Big Brother knows many people. Moreover, didn¡¯t Eldest Sister-inw say earlier that Big Brother has some connections with several shopkeepers in Thunder Mountain County?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes. Let Eldest Brother ask around.¡± Zhao Lanhua knocked her head and said, ¡°Let Third Brother and Ah Taoe back early!¡± On the other side, Ji Zhao had already boarded the ox cart to Thunder Mountain County. The reason why she chose to leave before dawn was because she was afraid that Zhao Lanhua would stop her. At the thought of that dream, Ji Zhao felt upset. If Shen Yao really died¡­ No, that couldn¡¯t be! Shen Yao was the protagonist of the book. Since ancient times, protagonists had the halo of a protagonist, so Shen Yao would definitely be fine. Ji Zhao, who was sitting in the cart, let her imagination run wild. Probably because of the heavy rainst night, the road was muddy. The old ox pulling the cart walked very slowly. From Shanghe Vige to Thunder Mountain County, the ox cart traveled for two and a half hours. When Ji Zhao arrived, it was already close to noon. Compared to the bustling Dingyuan County, the city gate of Thunder Mountain County looked very dpidated. The city wall was actually made of yellow mud. It looked very deste. After sessfully entering the city, Ji Zhao immediately went to look for a ready-to-wear shop. In the end, she sessfully changed into a grayish-blue male outfit. She thought for a moment and went to the rouge shop again. She bought some deep-colored rouge and applied it to her face. That heavy color hid her outstanding appearance. Halfway through the afternoon, Ji Zhao found a noodle stall by the street and ordered a bowl of in soup noodles. She took out a pair of chopsticks and started eating. After all, she had only drunk one bag of water since this morning. She was really hungry. ¡°Have you heard? The Fan family¡¯s private school suddenly caught firest night! The fire was so big that it soared into the sky!¡± ¡°That old master from the Fan family is a stubborn old man who can¡¯t take things seriously! The county magistrate wanted to marry his daughter as his second wife, but in the end, that old man directly crashed his own head in a pir in front of the county magistrate! Although he survived, hepletely offended the county magistrate!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! In my opinion, what¡¯s wrong with being the county magistrate¡¯s wife? She would live a good life, but in the end, Old Master Fan¡­¡± Ji Zhao, who was eating noodles, listened carefully to their discussion. Her eyes flickered with confusion. She remembered that her mother had saidst night that Shen Yao used to study under Old Master Fan. It was only after he injured his leg that he gave up on studying. ¡°Brothers, may I ask if this Old Master Fan is a teacher?¡± Ji Zhao carried her noodles and turned to the table beside them, smiling. ¡°This little brother looks unfamiliar. You¡¯re not a local of Thunder Mountain County, right?¡± One of the square-faced men curiously sized up Ji Zhao¡¯s face and asked. ¡°No, no, I¡¯m from Dingyuan County next door,¡± Ji Zhao exined with a smile. ¡°I heard that there¡¯s an old master in Thunder Mountain County who¡¯s very good at teaching, so I wanted toe and broaden my horizons and ask for guidance.¡± ¡°Little brother, are you a schr?¡± Seeing Ji Zhao nod, the square-faced man¡¯s face immediately revealed a trace of respect. ¡°But little brother, you came at the wrong time. Old Master Fan has been captured.¡± ¡°Arrested? Why?¡± Ji Zhao pretended to be curious and asked. In the end, he hurriedly called out, ¡°Owner, give these two big brothers another te of meat with sauce and fragrance. Put it on my tab!¡± When the two of them saw Ji Zhao being so ¡®sensible¡¯, they naturally knew that they had nothing to say. Half an hourter, Ji Zhao finally sorted out the entire sequence of events. ¡°Actually, Old Master Fan is too stubborn. If he could agree to the county magistrate¡¯s request, he wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this, right? However, the most pitiful one is his student. I heard that he¡¯s a cripple and was beaten half to death by the bailiffs.¡± ¡°Cripple?¡± Ji Zhao asked nervously. ¡°What cripple?¡± ¡°Old Master Fan seemed to have stolen some treasure from the county magistrate, right? In the end, arge group of bailiffs rushed straight to the Fan family¡¯s private school and arrested him. Coincidentally, a student of Old Master Fan was present at that time, right? He tried to stop those officials, but he was beaten half to death. I don¡¯t know where he was thrown now!¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s heart ached, and her eyes turned red. ¡°Brothers, can you tell me where the Fan family¡¯s private school is?¡± ¡°Head east on this street. You¡¯ll see it when you turn at the second alley. But little brother, now that the Fan family¡¯s private school has been burned to ashes, it¡¯s better if you don¡¯t go.¡± ¡°Thank you for your reminder, but I have something very important to do. Goodbye!¡± Before leaving, Ji Zhao took out a tael of silver and ced it on the table. ¡°Brother, it¡¯s too much!¡± The square-faced man saw the silver and shouted anxiously. However, Ji Zhao had already run far away. She walked towards the east and weaved through the bustling crowd. Finally, she found the entrance to the second alley. The moment she turned the corner, she saw a familiar figure. ¡°Shen Yao!¡± Ji Zhao rushed out and hugged him tightly. ... ¡°Ah Tao?¡± Shen Yao, who was caught off guard, widened his eyes in surprise. ¡°Why are you here¡­ Cough, cough, cough¡­¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly let go of him and sized him up anxiously. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you injured? Have you seen a doctor?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, don¡¯t be nervous. I¡¯m fine.¡± Chapter 172 - 172 Do You Understand? 172 Do You Understand? Ji Zhao looked at him and could not help but tear up. At this moment, tears kept falling like pearls with a broken string. ¡°Ah Tao, don¡¯t cry!¡± Shen Yao hurriedly wiped her tears and hurriedly hugged her. He coaxed her softly and gently, ¡°Ah Tao, be good. Don¡¯t cry, okay?¡± ¡°Why did you leave without saying goodbye? And why are you here? Shen Yao, you owe me an exnation, a reasonable exnation.¡± After calming down, Ji Zhao slowly pushed him away. Her eyes were cold and her tone was deep. !! ¡°I¡¯m temporarily staying at an inn nearby. Let¡¯s go back to the inn first. Then, I¡¯ll exin it to you slowly. Is that okay?¡± Shen Yao held her shoulder and lowered his head as he asked softly. Leshui Inn. Shen Yao poured a cup of hot tea and handed it to her. He said with a gentle gaze, ¡°Ah Tao, have some tea first?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to drink.¡± Ji Zhao shook her head. ¡°I just heard some news. I was very worried about you, Shen Yao.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t I fine now?¡± Shen Yao sat opposite her andforted her gently. ¡°Ah Tao, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Are you angry with me?¡± Ji Zhao could not help but ask. ¡°I wanted to find Immortal Crane to cure your leg, so I went to Qin Minghong for help. You must be very angry, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m indeed angry.¡± Shen Yao nodded frankly. ¡°But I¡¯m not angry at you. I¡¯m angry at myself.¡± ¡°Angry at yourself?¡± Ji Zhao raised her eyebrows in confusion. ¡°Why do you say that?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, do you still remember? You once asked me if I had ever thought of picking up my textbooks again, continuing to study hard, and trying the imperial examination again.¡± Shen Yao slowly curled his lips, but there was a hint of self-mockery in his tone. ¡°At that time, I said that the imperial examination was not the only choice in life.¡± ¡°But now, it¡¯s proven that my thoughts are wrong.¡± Shen Yao silently held his forehead and sighed softly. ¡°Is studying hard for decades just for fame and fortune? But that¡¯s not the original intention of studying at all!¡± ¡°The original intention of studying should be to seek justice for the people and serve the Imperial Court!¡± Although Shen Yao¡¯s voice was very soft, Ji Zhao could hear the power in it. ¡°Actually, I received a letter from the Old Master half a month ago. It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve never dared to face it.¡± Shen Yao thought for a moment and carefully took out a letter from his pocket and handed it to her. ¡°This is the letter that the Old Master sent me previously.¡± Curious, Ji Zhao opened the letter. When she finished reading the contents of the letter, she was extremely shocked. ¡°Shen Yao, your leg injury wasn¡¯t an ident? It was caused by someone? But why did that person harm you? What¡¯s the benefit of doing this?¡± ¡°He reced my test results and sessfully got the honor roll.¡± Shen Yao closed his eyes weakly and sighed softly. ¡°Back then, he was my most trusted friend, but in the end, he deliberately got someone to push a huge rock down the mountain!¡± Shen Yao was in extreme pain when he recalled that day! Ever since he was young, he had dreamed of serving the imperial court. With the support and encouragement of his family, he came to Thunder Mountin County and sessfully stayed in Old Master Fan¡¯s private school to study. He studied hard for ten years, from the age of seven to the age of seventeen! He had no obstacles along the way. From a child to Elementary Schr, just as he was full of confidence that he could pass, an ident happened. On the way back to his hometown, he was hit in the left leg by a huge rock on the mountain. What made him even more disheartened was that he failed. ¡°During that period of time, Father, Mother, Eldest Brother, and Second Brother visited all the famous doctors, but in the end, they could not treat my leg. In order to treat my injured leg, my family exhausted their money. Eldest Sister-inw and Second Sister-inw even sold their dowry¡­ Ah Tao, actually, I once gave up on myself. I hated the heavens for being unfair! I hated myself even more for dragging my family down.¡± Shen Yao smiled bitterly and said, ¡°After that¡­ I threatened them with my life and finally made Father and Mother give up. They said that as long as I could live well, it was enough.¡± ¡°My body, hair, and skin belong to my parents! And I had to threaten them by hurting myself. I know I¡¯m stupid, but I really had no choic¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s all in the past.¡± Sensing his pain, Ji Zhao quickly held his hand andforted him gently. ¡°Shen Yao, all that pain is in the past.¡± ¡°No.¡± Shen Yao shook his head. ¡°If I didn¡¯t receive this letter, I would continue to numb myself and make myself think that that painful memory is already in the past. But I received this letter.¡± ¡°Actually, I came to Thunder Mountain County for two reasons. Firstly, I want to ask the Old master in person. I want to ask him if he knows what happened back then? And what role he is ying in the whole thing? Secondly, I want to find something.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Actually, on the day Ji Huai came to cause trouble, I went to see him again,¡± Shen Yao said honestly. ¡°I wanted to find a small jade locket you wore since you were young. Your name was engraved on it. Ji Huai said that he took the jade locket to the pawnshop and pawned it. I went to the pawnshop again. The pawnshop said that the jade locket was bought by a wealthy businessman surnamed Jia from Thunder Mountain County, so I came.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you bring me along?¡± Ji Zhao looked into his eyes and questioned with a sharp gaze. ¡°We¡¯ve clearly told each other our intentions. Don¡¯t you trust me?¡± ¡°I just wanted to give you a surprise,¡± Shen Yao said with a bitter smile. ¡°But obviously, I overestimated my ability. Not only did I not give you a surprise, I almost gave you a shock.¡± ¡°Ah Tao, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Shen Yao carefully grabbed her hand as if he had obtained a treasure. His gaze on her was filled with gentleness. ¡°Can you forgive me?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ji Zhao resolutely took back the hands he held and said coldly, ¡°I think we all need to calm down.¡± ¡°Shen Yao, do you know what¡¯s most important when two people are together?¡± ¡°Is it like? Or trust?¡± ¡°Neither.¡± Ji Zhao shook her head and looked into his eyes. ¡°When two people are together, the most important thing ismunication. If it were me, what would you do if I left without saying goodbye? We just confirmed our feelings for each other, but you have such a big secret in your heart. You would rather solve it alone than discuss it with me. ¡°If the two of us are together and are unwilling tomunicate with each other, do you think we can continue to be together for a long time? Whether we like each other or trust each other, the prerequisite is that we have tomunicate with each other and understand each other¡¯s feelings. Only then can we manage this rtionship steadily in the long term. Do you understand?¡± Chapter 173 - 173 Runzhi, I’ve Let You Down 173 Runzhi, I¡¯ve Let You Down Ji Zhao was really a little disappointed. She felt that regardless of whether it was a man or a woman, the most important thing when it came to rtionships was attitude. Ifmunication was not important in Shen Yao¡¯s eyes, then they would definitely have more conflicts and misunderstandings because of their suspicion of each other in the future. At that time, their rtionship would definitely crack. ¡°Ah Tao, I know my mistake.¡± Shen Yao tried to hold her hand, but she avoided it easily. The bitterness that lingered in his heart made him feel even worse. ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not angry,¡± Ji Zhao said calmly. ¡°I¡¯m just a little disappointed.¡± Shen Yao lowered his eyes in pain. ¡°Are you thirsty? Are you hungry?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a particrly famous orange cake nearby. Do you want to try it?¡± Shen Yao carefully tugged at her sleeve, his gentle eyes filled with careful pleading. Ji Zhao¡¯s heart softened when she met that gaze. ¡°Then promise me that no matter what happens in the future, you¡¯ll discuss it with me?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°Also, you¡¯re not allowed to leave without saying goodbye! If there¡¯s a next time, I¡¯ll¡­ never talk to you again!¡± Ji Zhao narrowed her eyes and said coldly. ¡°Mm!¡± Shen Yao nodded vigorously. Rumble¡ª Ji Zhao¡¯s stomach let out a sound. Shen Yao quickly said, ¡°I¡¯ll go find the waiter.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± At 1:45 pm, the waiter brought over two dishes and a soup. Ji Zhao first drank arge bowl of egg soup. Only then did she feel much better. Ever since she had that strange dreamst night, she had not eaten much. Just now, at the noodle stall, she was only focused on gathering information and did not even finish the bowl of noodles. Ji Zhao was really hungry now. ¡°Then what are your ns next?¡± After putting down the bowl and chopsticks, Ji Zhao looked sideways at the man in front of her and asked softly, ¡°Do you want to continue staying here or go home?¡± ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t have a clue yet.¡± Shen Yao sighed sadly. ¡°I still have a lot of things to ask Old Master Fan. Unfortunately, he was arrested.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we visit the prison?¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and asked in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯ve already asked around. This county magistrate of Thunder Mountain County is a greedy person. He works up and down. I think as long as we¡¯re willing to spend money to get some, we should be able to see that Old Master Fan.¡± ¡°This is the only way!¡± Shen Yao nodded and epted Ji Zhao¡¯s suggestion. At dusk, Ji Zhao bought a whole roasted chicken and two jars of good wine. She followed behind Shen Yao and sessfully arrived at the prison of the county office. After spending another two taels of silver, they finally got 15 minutes of prison visit time. ¡°It¡¯s in the innermost cell. Come out when the time is up. Otherwise, we won¡¯t be polite!¡± The jailer with a big knife at his waist said with a tense face. ¡°Thank you, big brother!¡± Ji Zhao gave him another tael of silver! After receiving the money, the prison guard restrained the murderous aura on his face. Shen Yao walked to the innermost cell and saw Old Master Fan leaning against the corner with his eyes closed. In his impression, Old Master Fan was dressed in a light blue robe. His ck and white hair was tied up high with a wooden hairpin. There was always a faint and kind smile on his face. How could it be like this? Dressed in a white prison uniform, his hair was disheveled and his face was dirty. He looked extremely down and out. ¡°Master,¡± Shen Yao called out in a choked voice. ¡°Runzhi?¡± After seeing who it was, Old Master Fan¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Runzhi, are you here to save me?¡± Shen Yao pursed his lips bitterly, and his eyes were filled with helplessness. ¡°Master, I¡¯m just an ordinary person with a disability. How can I save you?¡± The light in Old Master Fan¡¯s eyes disappeared bit by bit¡ª ¡°Runzhi, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Back then, if he had not been blinded by greed and reced Shen Yao¡¯s test paper, Shen Yao would not have failed! ¡°Karma doesn¡¯t forgive anyone. The reason why I¡¯ve fallen to this state is simply because I¡¯ve suffered the consequences of my own actions.¡± Old Master Fan closed his eyes weakly. His expression was filled with pain. ¡°Master, I really don¡¯t understand why you did this.¡± Shen Yao really couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°You¡¯ve onceplimented me for being talented in literature and having my own style. You¡¯ve also taught me carefully and patiently. It¡¯s you who taught me a lot of life principles. You¡¯ve also taught me to distinguish right from wrong, but you¡­ Why did you do this?¡± ¡°Three years ago.¡± Old Master Fan held his forehead in pain and sighed softly. ¡°Runzhi, do you still remember what happened three years ago? At that time, Wanrou was sick.¡± ¡°I remember.¡± Shen Yao nodded slightly. ¡°Master, you once said that Madam Fan had a heart disease since she was young. During that period of time, Madam Fan was always ufortable every other day. When you were in ss, you would often bring Madam Fan to see a doctor halfway.¡± ¡°At that time, Wanrou was already terminally ill.¡± Master Fan sighed softly. ¡°At that time, Sun He came to find me¡­ He said that he knew a famous doctor who could cure my wife¡¯s disease. With the thought of giving it a try, I let my wife try the medicine. Who would have thought that my wife would really improve a lot?¡± ¡°Later on, Sun He said that he wanted to exchange papers with you. At first, I was naturally indignant and rejected him sternly. However, he refused to provide my wife with medicine. I had no choice but to do something that let you down. I swapped your papers.¡± ¡°During the imperial examination, the system was strict. With Sun He¡¯s strength alone, he definitely couldn¡¯t swap two papers. However¡­¡± ¡°However, the invigtor back then was Sun He¡¯s uncle, the governor of Yunchuan Prefecture, Sun Xiangnian. That¡¯s why everything went so smoothly.¡± After that, Sun He sessfully became the new governor of Yunchuan Prefecture. In just three years, he had taken over his uncle¡¯s position. ¡°Runzhi, the Sun family is not someone we can provoke.¡± Old Master Fan smiled bitterly and sighed. ¡°Listen to me and go back early.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°Ever since my wife passed away half a year ago, my heart has been suffering. I¡¯ve been teaching for dozens of years and self-proimed to be a great teacher, but I¡¯ve done such a despicable thing for my own benefit. I¡¯ve ruined your life!¡± Old Master Fan couldn¡¯t help but cry. His tone became more and more choked. ¡°The county magistrate of Thunder Mountain County, Sun Wei, is a coteral branch of the Sun family. He wants to marry Xuancao as his second wife. It must be Sun He¡¯s instructions!¡± ¡°How can I let my daughter marry an old man in his fifties?¡± Old Master Fanughed at himself. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯d rather die than submit! The reason why I sent you that letter half a month ago was because I wanted to tell you the truth before I die.¡± ¡°With your talent, if you can regroup and start over, you will definitely be able to get a spot on the honor roll! I hope that you can regain your position as soon as possible and seek justice for yourself!¡± Chapter 174 - 174 Exactly the Same 174 Exactly the Same When Ji Zhao apanied Shen Yao back to the inn, it was alreadyte. In the early autumn night, the breeze carried a hint of coldness. The moonlight was hazy, and the shadows of the trees floated. The night seemed to be even quieter. Ji Zhao looked at Shen Yao, who was standing in front of the window with his hands behind his back. She called out worriedly, ¡°Shen Yao, are you alright?¡± Hearing Ji Zhao¡¯s voice, Shen Yao gradually came back to his senses. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Snow fungus pear soup. Drink it while it¡¯s hot,¡± Ji Zhao suggested softly as she pointed at the table on the other side with a smile. ¡°Ah Tao, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a form of happiness for a person to live a muddled life?¡± After drinking the bowl of snow fungus pear soup, Shen Yao suddenly sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t agree with that.¡± Ji Zhao shook her head. ¡°Everyone¡¯s life is different. No one can empathize with them.¡± ¡°Besides, how would you know that a muddle-headed person doesn¡¯t have any other worries?¡± ¡°Ah Tao¡¯s words always have a deeper meaning. It¡¯s enlightening.¡± ¡°Shen Yao, I have a suggestion now. Do you want to hear it?¡± Ji Zhao narrowed her eyes and asked with a smile. ¡°Hmm? Would you care to borate?¡± ¡°Wait a moment!¡± Ji Zhao smiled and hurried out of the door. In less than 15 minutes, she walked in with a basin of hot water. She wrung out the handkerchief and handed it to Shen Yao. ¡°Wipe your face first.¡± Shen Yao obediently did as he was told, but his heart was still filled with doubts. ¡°Now sit there obediently.¡± Ji Zhao pointed at a chair not far away and smiled. ¡°Then take off your shoes and socks and soak your feetfortably.¡± After Shen Yao washed his face and soaked his feet, Ji Zhao let him lie on the bed again. She patted his face and said with a smile, ¡°Now you just need to empty your mind and close your eyes to sleep. You¡¯ll definitely feel refreshed tomorrow morning!¡± Shen Yao did not expect her suggestion to be this. For a moment, he did not know whether tough or cry. ¡°Why? You don¡¯t believe me?¡± Ji Zhao raised her eyebrows and said, ¡°Sleeping is the best way to resolve your troubles. If it¡¯s boring to sleep alone, I¡¯ll sleep with you?¡± Shen Yao obediently moved to the side and left a spot for her. Pfft¡ª Ji Zhao was amused and scratched the tip of his nose angrily. ¡°Don¡¯t think too much. Hurry up and close your eyes to sleep!¡± ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°Of course I am¡ªsleeping together with you!¡± Just as Ji Zhao finished speaking, the waiter knocked on the door and brought over a brand new nket. Ji Zhao immediatelyid out the bedding and crawled into it. Before she fell asleep, she did not forget to say goodnight to Shen Yao. In just a moment, Ji Zhao let out a faint snore. Apanied by her snoring, Shen Yao also felt extremely sleepy. After a while, he fell asleep. The next morning. When Shen Yao opened his eyes, Ji Zhao was still asleep. He carefully climbed over her waist, put on his shoes and socks, and walked out of the room. At a quarter past seven, Ji Zhao also woke up. The sweet scent lingering in the air made one drool. ¡°Smells good!¡± ¡°Osmanthus wine brewed glutinous rice balls.¡± After Shen Yao, who was reading, heard themotion, he hurriedly walked to her side and smiled gently. ¡°I just bought it. If you eat it now, it¡¯s just right.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Ji Zhao immediately lifted the nket and quickly washed up. Then, she sat at the table and began to enjoy the delicious little glutinous rice balls. The sweet little glutinous rice balls mixed with the fragrance of the osmanthus flowers and the sweetness of the rice wine had a rich texture and was extremely delicious. ¡°Delicious!¡± Ji Zhao put down the bowl and spoon and burped in satisfaction. Shen Yao smiled faintly. He knew that she would definitely like it. ¡°You¡¯ve already packed your bags?¡± Ji Zhao saw the dark brown bag on the table not far away and asked softly, ¡°Are we going back?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Yao nodded. ¡°I can¡¯t help with Master;s matter. Since there¡¯s no point in staying, I might as well go home early.¡± ¡°No matter what you think, I will support and respect all your decisions.¡± Ji Zhao looked into his eyes and promised seriously. ¡°Ah Tao, thank you.¡± Shen Yao smiled gratefully and gently held her hand. His gentle eyes were filled with love. After the two of them packed up, they left the inn. Shen Yao sized up Ji Zhao beside him and could not help butugh. ¡°Ah Tao, I didn¡¯t expect you to look so elegant in men¡¯s clothes.¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s figure was rather thin. She was wearing a man¡¯s long robe and her ck hair was simply tied up. She really looked refined. ¡°What a sweet mouth!¡± Ji Zhao chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll reward you with a chestnut.¡± The couple looked at each other and smiled. Then, they rushed towards the city gate together. However, on the long street, they suddenly heard the news that Old Master Fan had hanged himself in prison. Hearing this grievous news, Shen Yao immediately stopped in his tracks, his eyes filled with disbelief! ¡°How did this happen?¡± No matter what, Old Master Fan was still a teacher with merits! ... How could the county magistrate of Thunder Mountain County dare to be so bold? No, the person who really killed him was probably not the county magistrate. ¡°Ah Tao, I want to go to the Fan residence.¡± Shen Yao looked at Ji Zhao, his eyes filled with pleading. ¡°I want to send Master on hisst journey.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go with you.¡± The county office gave the news that Old Master Fan admitted that he had stolen the county magistrate¡¯s family heirloom andmitted suicide in prison. However, no one knew the truth. At noon, Old Master Fan¡¯s corpse was sent back to the Fan residence. In fact, the Fan residence had already been burned into ruins. The kind neighbors had helped build a simple shed beside the ruins to serve as a mourning hall. Old Master Fan¡¯s wife had already passed away half a year ago. Now, there was only one daughter in the family who had just reached adulthood, Fan Xuancao. The thin and short Fan Xuancao was dressed in mourning clothes. She knelt in front of the mourning hall and cried bitterly. When Ji Zhao arrived with Shen Yao, very few people came to pay their respects. ... After all, ording to the news from the county office, Old Master Fan¡¯s death was not honorable. Shen Yao looked at the scene in front of him and felt sad. Images of the past kept appearing in his mind. Images of Old Master Fan patiently lecturing, theughter when he praised him, the seriousness of his tone when correcting him, his voice and smile seemed to echo in his ears. ¡°Master, please ept a bow from Runzhi!¡± Shen Yao lifted his robe and knelt in front of the mourning hall. He said firmly, ¡°Runzhi swears again that I won¡¯t let you down in the future!¡± The originally clear sky was suddenly covered in dark clouds as heavy rain poured down. Ji Zhao hurriedly held up the oil-paper umbre and stood beside Shen Yao. ¡°Ah Tao, I want to stand guard for my teacher.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± In less than an hour, a group of bailiffs rushed over. Without another word, the group of people directly smashed the mourning hall! Ji Zhao¡¯s gaze fell on the leader of the group, and her eyes widened in surprise. That man was exactly the same as the whip man who had hurt Shen Yao that she saw in her dream the night before! Chapter 175 - 175 Thank You, Sister Ah Tao 175 Thank You, Sister Ah Tao Ji Zhao stared at the scar-faced man and had a bad feeling. ¡°Stop it!¡± Fan Xuancao, who was kneeling in front of the mourning hall, did not expect that someone would suddenly rush into the mourning hall and smash it. She shouted in pain. Unfortunately, those people seemed to be determined to destroy the entire mourning hall! Fan Xuancao immediately rushed forward, but was kicked to the ground by the short and fat scar-faced man in the lead! ¡°Xuancao!¡± Shen Yao hurriedly shielded her behind him. Then, he looked coldly at the scar-faced man in front of him and asked in a low voice, ¡°What exactly do you want to do?¡± !! ¡°Get lost!¡± That group of people came aggressively and smashed the entire mourning hall into pieces. Before they left, they wanted to take Fan Xuancao away, but Shen Yao tried his best to stop them! ¡°Who exactly are you? What do you want to do? How dare youmit murder in broad daylight and snatch a civilian girl? Do you still have thew in your eyes?¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly helped Fan Xuancao up and questioned the group of ck-clothed people with sharp words. The short and fat scar-faced man in the lead narrowed his eyes and stared at Ji Zhao. Then, he sneered. ¡°Where did this little girle from? She¡¯s very fierce, huh? Interesting!¡± The scar-faced man gave a look to the lean man behind him. Thetter immediately understood and went straight for Ji Zhao. He stretched out his demonic ws and was about to tear her clothes¡ª Shen Yao rushed forward and grabbed the skinny man¡¯s wrist! Crack! The man¡¯s wrist was crushed by Shen Yao! ¡°Do you want to die?¡± The scar-faced man instantly pulled out therge saber at his waist and stabbed in Shen Yao¡¯s direction! ¡°Stop!¡± Qin Minghong, who had rushed over, berated angrily. The guard behind him immediately drew his sword and flew over, neatly shattering the saber in the scar-faced man¡¯s hand! ¡°I advise you to mind your own business!¡± Scarface¡¯s arm suddenly hurt. He stared at Qin Minghong and gritted his teeth fiercely. Qin Minghong took out a badge from his pocket and said softly, ¡°I don¡¯t want to interfere, but these two are my friends. I hope you can leave early on ount of this badge?¡± After seeing the badge clearly, the scar-faced man waved his arm reluctantly and brought the group of people behind him away. ¡°Brother Shen, Ah Tao, are you alright?¡± Qin Minghong hurried forward and asked with concern. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Ji Zhao smiled gratefully. ¡°Young Master Qin, thank you for appearing in time just now!¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Shen Yao bowed to him from the bottom of his heart. ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys too polite?¡± Qin Minghong smiled nonchntly. Then, he looked at the mess around him. ¡°There¡¯s a teahouse nearby. Shall we sit down and talk?¡± ¡°Might as well.¡± However, Fan Xuancao was unwilling to leave the mourning hall. No matter how Shen Yao persuaded her, she still knelt in the middle of the mourning hall and sobbed silently. Ji Zhao thought for a moment, walked to her side, and said softly, ¡°Miss Fan, you saw the faces of that group of people just now. If they return, do you think you can deal with them alone? Old Master Fan¡¯s death has already be a fact. The most important thing for you now is to find the truth and use your own strength to avenge your father.¡± ¡°You mean, didn¡¯t my fathermit suicide to avoid punishment?¡± Fan Xuancao suddenly looked up and asked in a low voice. ¡°Miss Fan, no one knows better than you what kind of person your father is. Why don¡¯t you ask yourself if your father is really the kind of person who steals?¡± Ji Zhao chuckled softly and walked up to Qin Minghong. ¡°Young Master Qin, I saw that your guard¡¯s martial arts skills are not bad. Can you ask him to stay here and take care of Miss Fan for the time being?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Qin Minghong readily agreed. Zen Teahouse. The private room on the second floor was quiet and elegant. Qin Minghong asked for a pot of Longjing tea before the rain. He personally poured a cup and handed it to Shen Yao. ¡°Thank you,¡± Shen Yao said in a low voice. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Young Master Qin just now. But why did Young Master Qin go to the Fan family¡¯s mourning hall?¡± ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t mean anything else. I¡¯m just curious.¡± ¡°Old Master Fan was my first teacher,¡± Qin Minghong exined softly. ¡°When I was young, the elders in my family invited Old Master Fan to my house to enlighten me. Mister Fan taught me the Three Character ssic and the Thousand Character ssic.¡± ¡°A few days ago, I happened to hear the news of Old Master Fan¡¯s imprisonment, so I rushed over. Unfortunately¡­ I was still a step toote.¡± Qin Minghong sighed softly, his tone filled with self-me and regret. ¡°If I had arrived in time, perhaps Mister¡­¡± ¡°Young Master Qin seems to know the group of people who came to smash the mourning hall just now?¡± Ji Zhao asked curiously. ¡°That group of people is fierce and not to be trifled with. But they are willing to give Young Master Qin some face?¡± ¡°The scar-faced man in the lead is called Sun Xing,¡± Qin Minghong exined softly. ¡°He¡¯s from the Sun family and one of the hall masters of the Hongxing Gang. The reason why he was willing to give me some face just now was because of this badge.¡± Qin Minghong took out the badge from his pocket. The badge looked like it was only the size of a palm. On it was engraved the delicate character ¡®Cao¡¯. ¡°The second leader of the Hongxing Gang is surnamed Cao. He¡¯s also my uncle,¡± Qin Minghong exined concisely. ¡°Sun Xing didn¡¯t give me face just now. He was only willing to leave because of my uncle.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Young Master Qin to be rted to such forces?¡± Ji Zhao was quite surprised! However, she was more curious about what Sun Xing wanted Shen Yao to hand over in her dream. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not talk about me anymore. Let¡¯s talk about you guys.¡± Qin Minghong smiled and changed the topic. ¡°The reason why I appeared in the Fan residence was to send Mister Fan off for thest time. However, I didn¡¯t expect you guys to be here too.¡± ¡°Old Master Fan is my mentor.¡± Shen Yao thought for a moment and said frankly, ¡°We¡¯re also here to pay our respects to him.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Two dayster. Old Master Fan was buried. Fan Xuancao packed her luggage and prepared to go to the neighboring county to seek refuge with her uncle. Before she left, Ji Zhao personally made a gift for her. ¡°This little doll has a nice name.¡± Ji Zhao handed the item in his hand to her and exined in a gentle tone, ¡°It¡¯s called the Teru Teru Bozu Doll, but I¡¯ve upgraded it, so there¡¯s a string of small bells hanging under its skirt. In the future, when you hang it under the roof, as long as there¡¯s a breeze, it¡¯ll ring. At the same time, it¡¯ll help you get rid of all your worries and wee more happiness.¡± ¡°Thank you, Sister Ah Tao.¡± Fan Xuancao smiled gratefully. If not for Sister Ah Tao apanying her andforting her these past two days, she would not have been able to walk out of the pain of losing her father. ¡°Xuancao, no matter what difficulties you encounter in the future, don¡¯t be afraid. Face them with a smile. You will definitely be able to ovee all the difficulties!¡± ¡°Mm!¡± ... Chapter 176 - 176 Does Ah Tao Want a Taste? 176 Does Ah Tao Want a Taste? When Ji Zhao and the others returned to Shanghe Vige, it was already the end of August. The autumn wind in the day was still a little hot, but at night, it was bone-chilling. The temperature difference between day and night was too great. Coupled with the fact that Shen Yao was already depressed, he actually caught a cold in the end. In the Shen residence. !! In the kitchen, Ji Zhao was brewing medicine. The bitter smell that filled the air made her frown in difort. ¡°Ah Tao, do you know that you look like a bitter gourd now?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen teased as she nibbled on an apple. ¡°Second Sister-inw, stop teasing me.¡± Ji Zhao shrugged helplessly. ¡°Shen Yao¡¯s cold has been going on for half a month and he hasn¡¯t fully recovered yet. I¡¯m really worried.¡± Actually, Ji Zhao knew very well that Shen Yao¡¯s illness was one of the heart. Unfortunately, Shen Yao¡¯s illness was difficult to cure. After all, the person who had reced his results back then had already be a governor. An arm could not win against a thigh. How could ordinary people like them defeat those evil officials? Moreover, three years ago, the Sun family was so powerful that they could rece the examinees¡¯ test papers. Now, the Sun family was probably even more fearless. ¡°Ah Tao, what are you thinking about?¡± Seeing her dazed look, Second Sister-inw Shen waved her hand anxiously. ¡°It¡¯s burnt!¡± Ji Zhao immediately brought the medicine into the room. Shen Yao, who was reading, heard the familiar footsteps and raised his eyebrows slightly. ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Ji Zhao silently handed the bowl of medicine to him. After thanking her, Shen Yao took the bowl of medicine and drank it in one gulp. He did not even frown. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s bitter?¡± Ji Zhao looked at him and the corners of her lips couldn¡¯t help but twitch twice. ¡°It¡¯s extremely bitter just by smelling it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not bitter because Ah Tao brewed it herself,¡± Shen Yao looked into her eyes and said seriously. ¡°Looks like your mouth was smeared with honey earlier?¡± Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but tease. ¡°Do you want to try it?¡± Before she could refuse, Shen Yao¡¯s lips had alreadynded on her cheek. Cough cough¡ª Because his movements were too fluctuating, he couldn¡¯t help but cough twice. Ji Zhao hurriedly poured a ss of water and handed it to him. ¡°Drink some water!¡± A momentter, Shen Yao gently held her hand. His gentle tone was tainted with guilt. ¡°I haven¡¯t recovered from my cold these days. It¡¯s been hard on Ah Tao.¡± ¡°As long as you recover quickly, I won¡¯t feel tired,¡± Ji Zhao said obediently. ¡°Shen Yao, actually, I know that the reason why you were bedridden for so long was because of Old Master Fan¡¯s incident, right?¡± ¡°Illness of the heart has its own methods of healing,¡± Ji Zhao said softly. ¡°If you want to seek justice for yourself, the path ahead will definitely not be easy. However, I want to say that no matter what decision you make, I will choose to support you, respect you, and walk down with you.¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s voice was very soft, but Shen Yao could hear the seriousness in her tone. ¡°Ah Tao, you¡¯re right.¡± Shen Yao pursed his lips bitterly. ¡°I¡¯m indeed unwilling to resign to fate, but I don¡¯t know where to start.¡± ¡°Three years ago, with Master¡¯s help, Sun He swapped my test papers, causing my reputation to fall behind. As a result, my willpower was depressed for so many years.¡± Shen Yao sighed softly. ¡°But evidence is needed for everything. Now that Master has passed away, no one in the world can testify.¡± ¡°Shen Yao, you can¡¯t stop thinking about this.¡± Ji Zhao looked into his eyes and said calmly, ¡°You can¡¯t let go. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have been sick for so long, right?¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes were very calm, and her tone was very calm. ¡°Restart and start all over again. Only if you stand higher than him can you mercilessly expose the crimes he oncemitted.¡± Ji Zhao chuckled. ¡°Besides, since you¡¯ve already made your decision in your heart, why are you still hesitating?¡± ¡°Tomorrow morning, I¡¯ll apany you to find Qin Minghong.¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and said gently, ¡°If Immortal Crane can treat your leg illness as soon as possible, it will be beneficial to you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Under Ji Zhao¡¯s persuasion, Shen Yao agreed. The seasons were distinct in Dingyuan country. At the beginning of September, most of the people on the streets added an extra vest. Hongxing Restaurant. Eldest Brother Shen had been diligently helping Ji Zhao renovate the shop. Now that the shop was more than halfway done, it would open at the end of next month if nothing went wrong. Ji Zhao had originally nned to open for business in November. Firstly, Second Sister-inw would definitely have finished her postpartum recovery by then. Secondly, the things she wanted to sell would only be popr when the weather turned cold. When he heard that Ji Zhao wanted to see him, Qin Minghong had already tidied himself up from head to toe in an attempt to attract Ji Zhao¡¯s attention. Although Ji Zhao and Shen Yao were husband and wife in name, Qin Minghong was still confident that he still had a chance. ¡°Young Master Qin, did you find out where Immortal Crane is?¡± After seeing him, Ji Zhao went straight to the point. ¡°Not yet.¡± Qin Minghong shook his head. ¡°This Immortal Crane can be said to be elusive. However, I¡¯ve received news that he appeared near Dingyuan County a few days ago. I think as long as I ask around, I can definitely find his whereabouts!¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Ji Zhao smiled gratefully. Just as she was about to turn around and leave, he heard Qin Minghong shout, ¡°Wait!¡± ¡°Young Master Qin, is there anything else?¡± Ji Zhao subconsciously turned around and raised her eyebrows in confusion. ¡°Ah Tao, haven¡¯t you noticed anything different about me today?¡± Qin Minghong hurriedly stood up and walked to her. Ji Zhao subconsciously sized him up. In the end, she shook her head silently. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Clothes!¡± Qin Minghong hurriedly hinted. ¡°Actually, green suits you quite well,¡± Ji Zhao said very sincerely with one hand crossed over her chest and the other silently rubbing her chin. Qin Minghong lowered his eyes in disappointment. Ah Tao did not notice that the hem of the green robe he was wearing today was embroidered with peach blossoms! She also did not notice that the pouch he was wearing today was embroidered with an exquisite peach. It was a pity that he had dressed up meticulously for so long, but Miss Ah Tao did not notice his thoughts at all. Qin Minghong had to admit that he was extremely disappointed. Ji Zhao was equally disappointed. ... She thought that with Qin Minghong¡¯s help, she would definitely be able to find Immortal Crane¡¯s whereabouts sooner. Unfortunately, the elusive Immortal Crane was still elusive. Perhaps she had to find another expert to help her! Chapter 177 - 177 Power of Life 177 Power of Life Shanghe Vige. With money in hand, it was not difficult to do things. After the initial fund-raising, the Earth Temple at the back of the mountain was now being built in an orderly manner. As the overseer, Shen Dashan naturally did his best. After a busy day, Shen Dashan returned to the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. Zhao Lanhua immediately served him a bowl of snow fungus pear soup. !! ¡°Delicious!¡± ¡°Ah Tao specially instructed that you have to drink a bowl of snow fungus pear soup when youe back to moisten your lungs.¡± Zhao Lanhua said happily, ¡°How¡¯s the progress at the Earth Temple?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve already cleaned up the remnants of the old temple.¡± Shen Dashan raised his sleeve and wiped the sweat off his face. He said with a simple and honest smile, ¡°Uncle Huzi had someone read the old almanac yesterday. It¡¯s a good time the morning after tomorrow.¡± ¡°We have to bring Ah Tao along when the timees, right?¡± Zhao Lanhua hurriedly asked. ¡°Third Brother wants to bring Ah Tao along to light the firecracker. Does everyone agree?¡± ¡°How could I agree at first?¡± Shen Dashan shook his head. ¡°After that, Uncle Hu Zi directly showed the list of donations. When everyone saw that Ah Tao had paid the most, they immediately shut up.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that so?¡± Zhao Lanhua pursed her lips and said, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for our Ah Tao starting it, why would they be willing to donate money to repair the Earth Temple! The Merit Monument that Third Brother came up with will not only make a name for themselves, but also benefit their descendants!¡± ¡°Father, Mother, what are you talking about?¡± When Ji Zhao walked out of the room, she happened to hear the two elders of the Shen family¡¯s ridicule. She walked forward with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m talking about you!¡± Zhao Lanhua sized her up happily. The more she looked at her, the happier she became. ¡°Ah Tao, have you grown taller?¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ji Zhao subconsciously sized herself up and shook her head. ¡°You¡¯ve been busy taking care of Third Brother recently. You¡¯ve lost weight!¡± Zhao Lanhua said with some heartache. ¡°Once a person loses weight, won¡¯t they look taller?¡± ¡°There¡¯s such a thing?¡± Ji Zhao could not help butugh. ¡°Of course!¡± Zhao Lanhua nodded hurriedly. ¡°Ah Tao, what do you want to eat tonight? Mother will make it for you.¡± ¡°Mother, I want to eat your dough drops.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and said softly, ¡°I think your dough drops are especially delicious.¡± ¡°Alright, if you like it, I¡¯ll make it for you now,¡± Zhao Lanhua replied happily and immediately turned around to go to the kitchen. In less than an hour, a bowl of fragrant egg and scallion dough drop soup was ced in front of Ji Zhao. ¡°How fragrant!¡± Ji Zhao could not help but gulp when she smelled the fragrance that filled the air. ¡°Quick, try it while it¡¯s hot!¡± Zhao Lanhua eagerly handed her a porcin spoon. ¡°Thank you, Mother.¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly and immediately took the spoon, beginning to enjoy the delicious dough drop soup. ¡°Mother!!!¡± At that moment, Second Sister-inw Shen suddenly shouted from outside the kitchen, ¡°I¡¯m giving birth!¡± Zhao Lanhua rushed out of the kitchen. Ji Zhao hurriedly put down the bowl and spoon and ran out! Fifteen minutester, the midwife and the doctor arrived! In the room, Second Sister-inw Shen panted heavily and felt a throbbing pain in her lower body. ¡°It hurts to give birth!¡± ¡°Second Sister-inw, take a deep breath first!¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly advised. ¡°Slowly follow my rhythm and breathe in!¡± ¡°No, Ah Tao, I¡¯m in too much pain¡­ I have a feeling like I want to go to the toilet but can¡¯t. Boohoo¡­¡± Two streams of regretful tears flowed down Second Sister-inw Shen¡¯s face. ¡°If I had known earlier, I would have listened to you and Mother obediently and not eaten so much¡­¡± Hearing this, Ji Zhao did not know whether tough or cry. ¡°Second Sister-inw, don¡¯t let your imagination run wild. The most important thing now is to conserve your energy and conserve your strength. When your uterus ispletely opened, you can do it in one go. You will definitely be able to give birth to a healthy baby safely!¡± ¡°Ah Tao, it hurts¡­ Boohoo¡­¡± ¡°The ginseng soup is here!¡± Zhao Lanhua hurriedly brought the cooked ginseng soup into the house. ¡°Second daughter-inw, how do you feel?¡± ¡°It hurts¡­¡± Second Sister-inw Shen immediately looked at Zhao Lanhua and pouted aggrievedly. ¡°Mother, it really hurts!¡± ¡°Good child, this is how women give birth. At first, it hurts terribly, but when you sessfully give birth, it will be fine!¡± Zhao Lanhua hurriedlyforted her. ¡°Is there anything you want to eat now? Tell me, I¡¯ll make it for you immediately.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat¡­¡± ¡°Second Sister-inw, even if you don¡¯t have anything you want to eat, you still have to drink this ginseng soup.¡± Ji Zhao blew on bowl of ginseng soup and handed it to Second Sister-inw Shen. She persuaded her gently, ¡°The ginseng soup replenishes your energy. You have to drink it all.¡± ¡°Besides, Mother spent a lot of money to buy this from the county!¡± ¡°Alright¡­¡± Second Sister-inw Shen knew that they were doing this for her own good. Although she did not like the taste of the ginseng soup, she still braced herself and finished the bowl of ginseng soup. ¡°Second Sister-inw, have you heard of the Legend of the White Snake?¡± Ji Zhao had a sh of inspiration and decided to tell a story to divert Second Sister-inw Shen¡¯s attention. This way, she could also divert her pain. ¡°Legend of the White Snake?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen¡¯s curiosity was piqued. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Actually, this is a tragic and beautiful story of a human and a demon in love,¡± Ji Zhao said tirelessly as she supported her to walk slowly. ¡°It¡¯s said that many years ago, there was a white snake. After cultivating for a thousand years, she could finally take human form¡­¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s voice was very gentle and full of emotions. Unknowingly, Second Sister-inw Shen was immersed in the story she told. ¡°Isn¡¯t this monk Fahai too unreasonable?¡± Hearing the climax of the story, Second Sister-inw Shen puffed up her cheeks and said angrily, ¡°Bai Suzhen and Xu Xian are really in love. Besides, Bai Suzhen didn¡¯t do anything outrageous. Why is Fahai so annoying?¡± ¡°Second Sister-inw, do you think Monk Fahai is annoying?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen nodded hurriedly. Then, she asked curiously, ¡°Ah Tao, what happened after that? What happened after Bai Suzhen was locked up in the Thunder Summit Tower?¡± ¡°Second Sister-inw, lie on the bed obediently and listen to me slowly¡­¡± When it was almost 9pm, Second Sister-inw Shen cried out in pain! A loud baby cry came from the house! Second Sister-inw Shen had also fallen asleep due to exhaustion. However, a second before she fell asleep, she wasn¡¯t thinking about the gender of the child she gave birth to, but whether Bai Suzhen had escaped from the Thunder Summit Tower¡­ The midwife cleaned up the child and wrapped him in swaddling clothes. ... Ji Zhao looked at his pink and tender face and felt her heart melting. A person could actually give birth to another person. The power of life was really too magical. Chapter 178 - 178 snuff bottle 178 snuff bottle ¡°Looking at his eyebrows, he looks very much like your second brother!¡± Zhao Lanhua hugged her chubby eldest grandson and smiled. ¡°His ears are like your second sister-inw¡¯s. He¡¯s lucky!¡± ¡°Mother, isn¡¯t Second Brother back yet?¡± ¡°I received the letter yesterday. He should be on his way now, right?¡± Zhao Lanhua looked at the sky outside the house. ¡°It¡¯s difficult to travel at night. He¡¯ll probably have to wait until tomorrow morning to rush back.¡± ¡°Mother!¡± Just as Zhao Lanhua finished speaking, Second Brother Shen had already stepped into the house. ¡°Has my wife given birth?¡± ¡°Yes, she just gave birth fifteen minutes ago. She gave birth to a big fat boy for you!¡± Zhao Lanhua greeted him happily. ¡°Really? Let me take a look.¡± Second Brother Shen grinned excitedly and rushed into the room. However, before his hand could touch the swaddling cloth, his mother pped him hard! Hiss! Second Brother Shen gasped in pain and raised his head in confusion. ¡°Mother, what are you doing?¡± ¡°You heartless person, don¡¯t you know to visit your wife? In order to give birth to a fat boy for you, she has been in pain for four hours!¡± Zhao Lanhua red at him angrily. ¡°What are you waiting for? Hurry up and go see your wife!¡± ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯ll go right away!¡± When Ji Zhao saw this scene, she silently curled her lips. Her mother-inw was the best mother-inw in the world. The next day, Ji Zhao bathed and burned incense early in the morning. She knelt in front of the statue of the Earth God piously and prayed sincerely, ¡°Earth God, your devotee, Ji Zhao, have something to ask of you. I want to find Immortal Crane as soon as possible. I hope that you can protect me in secret. If I can achieve my wish, I will be eternally grateful!¡± Shen Yao, who was about to enter the house, happened to hear Ji Zhao¡¯s prayer. He raised his eyebrows gently and lowered his eyes to hide the gratitude in them. ¡°Ah Tao?¡± ¡°Shen Yao?¡± Upon hearing the voice, Ji Zhao quickly turned around and walked up to him. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Second Brother and Second Sister-inw want me to give their child a name. I don¡¯t have any idea yet, so I want to discuss it with you.¡± Shen Yao smiled and exined his intentions softly. Ji Zhao thought about it carefully. She remembered that in the original novel, Second Sister-inw Shen also sessfully gave birth to a fat boy. It was also Shen Yao who named him. If she remembered correctly¡ª ¡°How¡¯s ¡®Tao¡¯?¡± Unexpectedly, they said this in unison. ¡°Hiding one¡¯s strength and biding one¡¯s time. Hiding one¡¯s strength means hiding one¡¯s sharpness and keeping a low profile. One must be proficient in both literature and martial arts. The word ¡®Tao¡¯ is excellent.¡± Shen Yao smiled and analyzed. ¡°Ah Tao, I didn¡¯t expect us to have a tacit understanding.¡± ¡°This means that we¡¯re destined to be together for the rest of our lives!¡± Ji Zhao suddenly took a step forward and looked up into his eyes. Her eyes were curved into crescents, looking delicate and cute. ¡°Mm.¡± Shen Yao nodded slightly and tapped the tip of her nose affectionately. After Shen Yao¡¯s exnation, Second Brother Shen and his wife naturally felt that this name was excellent! The Shen family¡¯s courtyard weed a new member, Shen Tao. Zhao Lanhua also gave her precious eldest grandson a nickname, Zhuang Zhuang! ¡°Look at this kid. His arms and legs are so strong. He really lives up to his name!¡± Zhao Lanhua hugged Zhuang Zhuang and said happily. Soon, the Shen family weed the little boy, Zhuang Zhuang¡¯s Bath of the Third Day. What surprised Ji Zhao the most was that Second Sister-inw Shen actually suggested that she carry Little Zhuang for the washing. Ji Zhao was deeply suspicious of this. ¡°Me? Second Sister-inw, are you mistaken?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no mistake.¡± After Second Sister-inw Shen finished a big bowl of chicken soup, she said with a smile, ¡°Ah Tao, I think you¡¯re the luckiest person around me! So, you¡¯re the most suitable person to carry Zhuang Zhuang for the bath!¡± ¡°Besides, when I gave birth to Zhuang Zhuang, if you hadn¡¯t apanied me and told me stories, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to give birth to Zhuang Zhuang so smoothly!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen said seriously. ¡°But Second Sister-inw, I¡­ I¡¯m not a blessed person. I don¡¯t know who my biological parents are. I¡­¡± ¡°But you have us now!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen waved her hand indifferently. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about those details! Ah Tao, it¡¯s settled.¡± When Ji Zhao returned to her room, although she was a little stunned, she was more delighted. After all, when she first came to the world in this book, the original host had alreadypletely offended the two sisters-inw of the Shen family. Fortunately, she had turned the tide and used her sincerity to exchange for their forgiveness. Now, the two sisters-inw of the Shen family hadpletely treated her as family, and so did she. In order to prepare for Zhuang Zhuang¡¯s bath of the third day, Ji Zhao asked Shen Yao to apany her into the city and buy some things she needed. ¡°Shen Yao, shouldn¡¯t we buy a carriage?¡± Ji Zhao and the others rushed into the city when it was close to midnight. After all, the speed of the ox cart was too slow. ¡°Buying a horse carriage requires a lot of silver.¡± Shen Yao pointed out the established fact. ¡°Moreover, in order to rebuild the Earth Temple, you donated two hundred taels of silver. I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s not much left now.¡± ¡°Shen Yao, apany me somewhere!¡± Ji Zhao revealed a mysterious smile. Then, she brought Shen Yao to a pawnshop on Qinghe Street in Dingyuan County. ¡°You want to pawn something?¡± Seeing the banner with the word ¡®Pawn¡¯ written on it, Shen Yao was extremely surprised and confused. ¡°I¡¯m not pawning things. I¡¯m buying things.¡± Ji Zhao winked at him. That charming smile made Shen Yao¡¯s heart flutter. After walking into the pawnshop, Ji Zhao directly showed a hundred taels of silver and said generously, ¡°Shopkeeper, have you received any good items recently? Take them out and let us take a look?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± At the sight of the banknote, the shopkeeper¡¯s eyes immediately lit up. ¡°What would you like to see?¡± ¡°A snuff bottle.¡± Ji Zhao went straight to the point. ¡°A snuff bottle?¡± The shopkeeper of the pawnshop was quite surprised. ¡°Customer, you want to look at a snuff bottle? Yesterday, Ijust received a snuff bottle. Isn¡¯t this a coincidence? The enamel snuff bottle I received yesterday was not only vividly painted, but that snuff bottle is also exquisite and small. It¡¯s very good-looking!¡± ¡°Shopkeeper, don¡¯t just talk nonsense! Why don¡¯t you quickly take out the things and let us take a look?¡± Ji Zhao said happily. ¡°Shopkeeper, you should quickly take out the things!¡± ¡°Alright, please wait a moment!¡± After waiting for about ten minutes, Ji Zhao finally saw the snuff bottle. A gilt semi-circle engraved flower cover with folded edge, corseted neck, slip shoulders, bulging belly, round feet; the mouth edge and bottom edge were engraved with gold color, and the abdomen was painted with a picture of a female baby. The characters¡¯ expressions were vivid, and the color of the painting was elegant. It was exactly the same as the snuff bottle she had thought of. ¡°I wonder what price the shopkeeper will be willing to sell this for?¡± ... Chapter 179 - 179 Is Ten Taels Okay? 179 Is Ten Taels Okay? ¡°I see that the two of you really want to buy it. Why don¡¯t you pay this price?¡± The shopkeeper smiled and gestured two fingers at Ji Zhao. ¡°Twenty taels?¡± Ji Zhao immediately raised her eyebrows. ¡°It¡¯s a little expensive.¡± ¡°Customer, you¡¯ve misunderstood.¡± The pawnbroker hurriedly exined, ¡°I mean two hundred taels! I won¡¯t give away a single cent!¡± ¡°Two hundred taels?¡± Ji Zhao was instantly amused. ¡°Shopkeeper, aren¡¯t you asking for too much?¡± ¡°Our Grand Magnificence Pawnshop is also the old trademark of Dingyuan County.¡± The shopkeeper subconsciously stroked his mustache and said with a smile, ¡°I didn¡¯t set a high price! After all, this enamel porcin snuff bottle is worth this price. Otherwise, the two of you wouldn¡¯t have chosen it at a nce. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Ji Zhao did not expect the shopkeeper of the pawnshop to be so eloquent. However, in front of her, he was stillcking. ¡°Shopkeeper, forgive me for not agreeing with you.¡± Ji Zhao smiled slightly. ¡°As the saying goes, only the wrong ones can be bought, not sold. Although the enameled porcin snuff bottle in your hand is very exquisite, is there no more exquisite snuff bottle in this world? You have to know that there are mountains beyond mountains. If I agree to your two hundred taels of silver today and buy this snuff bottle, what if I see something more exquisite than this in the future?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± The pawnshop manager was stunned by Ji Zhao¡¯s words. For a moment, he actually couldn¡¯t find any words to refute. ¡°Shopkeeper, we won¡¯t beat around the bush with you. The price is 20 taels. What do you think?¡± Ji Zhao smiled faintly. ¡°If weplete this business today, we¡¯ll treat it as making friends?¡± ¡°Twenty taels, I really can¡¯t!¡± The shopkeeper hurriedly shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s too little.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a pity.¡± Ji Zhao shook her head and held Shen Yao¡¯s hand as she prepared to leave. She deliberately lowered her voice and said, ¡°Actually, this snuff bottle is a fake!¡± ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Shen Yao immediately understood and raised his eyebrows. ¡°Have you forgotten? Our eldest uncle¡¯s second cousin¡¯s cousin¡¯s wife¡¯s ninth aunt serves the magistrate at his residence? She said that Magistrate Sun likes to collect snuff bottles the most. The one in the pawnshop is a fake!¡± ¡°Then why do you insist on buying it?¡± Shen Yao followed her words and asked softly. ¡°I bought it to y with. Besides, doesn¡¯t our father like it? But now it seems that we have no chance. Let¡¯s go¡­¡± Ji Zhao and Shen Yao whispered to each other. They thought that their voices were very soft, but the shopkeeper of the pawnshop was listening attentively! ¡°Dear guests!¡± The shopkeeper of the pawnshop was also cautious. He walked around to Ji Zhao happily. ¡°As the saying goes, benevolence exists if a business doesn¡¯t seed. May I trouble you to leave your names and addresses? I¡¯ll help you ask the owner. If the owner agrees to sell this snuff bottle at a low price, I¡¯ll look for you, okay?¡± Ji Zhao subconsciously nced at Shen Yao. The two of them could see the smile in each other¡¯s eyes, but they still looked regretful. ¡°Shopkeeper, we appreciate your kindness, but you should be able to tell that our family background is average. Even this twenty taels is our limit.¡± ¡°Since we¡¯re not fated with this snuff bottle, let¡¯s not force it.¡± Shen Yao sighed softly. ¡°Goodbye!¡± The shopkeeper of Grand Magnificence felt uneasy. After the two of them walked out of the pawnshop, they turned into an alley and arrived at the west side of Qinghe Street. Craftsmen¡¯s Silver Workshop. Ji Zhao carefully took out a receipt from her pouch and sessfully retrieved a pair of silver bracelets. The polished silver bracelet had eight neat words engraved on the inside. Health and safety, a life with no troubles. ¡°This is a gift you prepared for Zhuang Zhuang?¡± Shen Yao was surprised. ¡°Ah Tao, when did you prepare this?¡± ¡°About a month ago.¡± Ji Zhao carefully examined the pair of silver bracelets and said with a smile, ¡°Shen Yao, what do you think? Does it look good?¡± ¡°It looks good.¡± Shen Yao was touched and smiled. ¡°I think Zhuang Zhuang will definitely like it.¡± After Ji Zhao paid the rest of the money, she said with a smile, ¡°Shall we go?¡± ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°Eat!¡± Eating was the most important thing in the world! This was the motto that Ji Zhao believed in. The two of them came to the street at the entrance of West Street and ordered two big bowls of chicken soup wontons. ¡°Why do you insist on buying that snuff bottle?¡± After sitting down, Shen Yao looked at Ji Zhao curiously. ¡°Previously, when I was cooking for Old Madam Ma¡¯s birthday banquet at the Ma family, I heard that Old Madam Ma likes to collect snuff bottles,¡± Ji Zhao exined softly. ¡°Although this is information that Butler Ma ¡®unintentionally¡¯ revealed, I think it¡¯s very useful to us.¡± ¡°The enamel snuff bottle we saw in the pawnshop just now isn¡¯t a top-notch craft, but its small and has an exquisite appearance. It¡¯s very beautiful.¡± ¡°If we can sessfully buy this snuff bottle and give it to Old Madam Ma, our shop will definitely be able to gain a foothold in a short period of time.¡± Right now, the shop at Hongxing Restaurant was progressing very quickly under Shen Dng¡¯s supervision. Ji Zhao had already thought of how to run this shop. ¡°Shen Yao, just wait and see. That snuff bottle will be ours sooner orter!¡± Ji Zhao said confidently as she silently clenched her fists. ¡°Yes, Ah Tao is very powerful.¡± As expected. After noon, when Ji Zhao identally passed by Grand Magnificence Pawnshop, she was warmly weed in by the old shopkeeper. ¡°I am untalented. May I ask how the two of you can tell that this snuff bottle is a fake product?¡± ¡°Shopkeeper, why don¡¯t you turn this snuff bottle around and take a closer look at the signature on it!¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly smiled. The old shopkeeper couldn¡¯t wait to flip the snuff bottle over. Only then did he realize that the red signature engraved at the bottom was reversed! ¡°I see!¡± The old shopkeeper was enlightened and thanked them repeatedly. ¡°Fortunately, the two of you have sharp eyes and saw through the clues here!¡± Yesterday, the old shopkeeper had spent six taels of silver to buy this snuff bottle. He thought that it could be sold for at least sixty taels of silver. Who would have thought that it was actually a fake! ¡°Customers, I wonder if you¡¯re still willing to pay the price of 20 taels?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ji Zhao shook her head firmly. ¡°This snuff bottle looks very special at first nce, but I can¡¯t help but think about it carefully.¡± ¡°Then, how about ten taels?¡± ... Chapter 180 - 180 Shredded Chicken Shaved Noodles 180 Shredded Chicken Shaved Noodles In the end, Ji Zhao bought this enameled porcin snuff bottle for nine taels. In addition, she specially bought an exquisite brocade box. Shen Ji Pastry Shop. Ji Zhao chose six snacks in a row and asked Eldest Brother Shen to wrap them up. !! ¡°Ah Tao, where are you visiting?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen asked curiously as she ate the peanuts. ¡°I want to give a gift to an esteemed guest,¡± Ji Zhao exined concisely before making a trip to the Ma Residence. Ma Tong warmly weed the two of them. After all, other than giving him some snacks, Ji Zhao had also given him a heavy pouch. He estimated that it was at least four to five taels of silver. With Ma Tong¡¯s help, Ji Zhao¡¯s gift was sessfully delivered to Old Madam Ma. The next day, the county magistrate personally came to the pastry shop and bought a few pastries! Shen Ji Pastry Shop¡¯s business weed another small climax. When Eldest Sister-inw Shen found out that all of this was Ji Zhao¡¯s good luck, she wished she could worship Ji Zhao! ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, do you know where there¡¯s an oil workshop nearby?¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s gaze inadvertentlynded on the five-spice peanut in Sister-inw Shen¡¯s hand. If she could extract peanut oil and use it to make fried skewers or fried chicken, it would definitely be delicious! ¡°Oil-extraction workshop? Isn¡¯t there one in our vige? I heard from my mother that the vige chief¡¯s family used to run an oil-extraction workshop.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Ji Zhao was extremely excited after receiving urate news! She had already found what she should do next. First, she would look for the oil extraction workshop. Then, she would buy high-quality peanuts and extract the most refined peanut oil! Shanghe Vige. Zhao Lanhua, who was washing Zhuang Zhuang¡¯s diapers, was surprised when she heard Ji Zhao¡¯s words. ¡°Ah Tao, are you kidding me? You can extract oil out of these peanuts?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Ji Zhao nodded without hesitation. ¡°Mother, the most important thing now is to find an oil press. We can give it a try first!¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Zhao Lanhua thought for a while and immediately nodded. ¡°But it¡¯s alreadyte. It¡¯s not good for us to disturb the vige chief sote at night. Why don¡¯t you go back to your room and think about it? You and Third Brother can discuss the n together. I¡¯ll apany you to look for the vige chief tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Ji Zhao nodded hurriedly, not forgetting to smile brightly at Zhao Lanhua. ¡°Mother, thank you!¡± ¡°Have you and Third Brother eaten tonight? The chicken soup is still warmed in the earthen jar. Mother will roll out noodles for you.¡± ¡°Mother, I¡¯ll wash the remaining diaperster. You should go back to your room and rest!¡± Ji Zhao took the diapers from her hand and personally sent her back to the main house. Fifteen minutester, in the Shen family¡¯s kitchen. Shen Yao was helping to start the fire. When the fire was strong, he immediately poked half his head out of the furnace. ¡°Ah Tao, it¡¯s already medium fire.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Ji Zhao, who was making the dough, smiled faintly. She held a knife in one hand and a ball of dough in the other. The way she shaved the noodles was smooth andfortable, pleasing to the eye. Half an hourter, the shredded chicken shaved noodles was brought to Shen Yao. ¡°The noodles will be even more fragrant if you add oil and chili powder.¡± Ji Zhao could not help but sigh when she smelled the fragrance. ¡°It¡¯s already very fragrant now.¡± Shen Yao picked up his chopsticks and took a bite impatiently. The noodles were as thin as snow, but the texture was extremely flexible. With a bite, the souppletely exploded in his mouth! Second Sister-inw Shen, who was already sleepy, smelled the fragrance and immediately swallowed her saliva. ¡°Husband, go to the kitchen quickly. Ah Tao must have made something delicious again. Get her to make me a bowl too!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen hurriedly grabbed Second Brother Shen¡¯s arm and said anxiously. If not for the fact that she was still in postpartum recovery, she would have dashed into the kitchen. ¡°But wife, you just drank a big bowl of chicken soup an hour ago. Are you hungry again?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that hungry. I¡¯m just craving!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen said frankly. ¡°Aiya, hurry up and go to the kitchen to take a look. Perhaps Ah Tao has already made me a bowl!¡± As Second Sister-inw Shen had expected, Ji Zhao had indeed prepared a bowl of shredded chicken shaved noodles for her. ¡°Speaking of which, Ah Tao is really amazing!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen could not help but sigh. ¡°Husband, you don¡¯t know, when I was giving birth to Zhuang Zhuang, I almost fainted from the pain. Fortunately, Ah Tao apanied me and encouraged me. She even told me the story of the white snake, which made me forget the pain of giving birth!¡± ¡°In that case, Third Sister-inw is your and Zhuang Zhuang¡¯s savior?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Second Sister-inw Shen immediately nodded. ¡°Husband, why don¡¯t we give Ah Tao a thank-you gift?¡± ¡°Although we¡¯re a family and don¡¯t have to be too polite, I think Mother was right before. It¡¯s not wrong to give gifts!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen seemed to have a carefree personality, but she was actually very meticulous. ¡°Okay.¡± Just as Second Brother Shen and his wife were worried about what kind of thank-you gift they should give Ji Zhao, Ji Zhao also began to worry. She had many ns, but none of them were good. But no matter which one it was, she could not realize it immediately because¡ª She was out of money. When Shen Yao walked in with hot water, he saw Ji Zhao counting the silver with a frown. He couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Ah Tao, you¡¯re the first person I¡¯ve seen who would frown when counting silver.¡± ¡°Shen Yao, don¡¯t tease me.¡± Ji Zhao shrugged her shoulders helplessly and said aggrievedly, ¡°I finally understand what it means to have full dreams, but reality is very harsh.¡± There were many thoughts in her mind. No matter which one it was, she would definitely make a huge profit. Unfortunately, she had no money now, so every n had failed. ... After soaking her feet, Ji Zhao felt much more rxed. ¡°When I saw Eldest Sister-inw eating peanuts today, I had a sh of inspiration. If we can extract peanut oil, there will definitely be many benefits!¡± ¡°Unfortunately, reality is crueler than we imagined,¡± Ji Zhao said with a bitter smile. ¡°It¡¯s not easy to open an oil extraction workshop. Moreover, I¡¯ve asked around. If we really want to open an oil press, we have to report to the county office.¡± ¡°Ah Tao.¡± Shen Yao thought for a moment and advised softly, ¡°I think you can put aside what you¡¯re doing first. Actually, sometimes, too many thoughts will affect a person¡¯s initial judgment.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Ji Zhao immediately snapped her fingers. ¡°Shen Yao, you¡¯re right!¡± One shouldn¡¯t bite off more than one could chew. Furthermore, a fatty was fed one bite at a time! Opening an oil extraction workshop was extremely difficult for her, but what about the richest family, the Qin family? ¡°Shen Yao, will you apany me to look for Young Master Qin tomorrow morning?¡± Chapter 181 - 181 Lantern Shadow Shredded Beef 181 Lantern Shadow Shredded Beef ¡°I want to work with Qin Minghong.¡± Ji Zhao looked into Shen Yao¡¯s eyes and exined with a smile, ¡°Are you willing to go with me?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Shen Yao smiled and nodded, agreeing readily. ¡°You¡¯re not jealous anymore?¡± Ji Zhao suddenly approached him and teased. ¡°Why should I be jealous?¡± Shen Yao smiled magnanimously and kissed her lips lightly. ¡°You¡¯re mine.¡± They had stamped each other, so he felt that he had nothing to be jealous of. However, he knew very well that he was still a little depressed. ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯m yours!¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly and snuggled into his arms. ¡°Shen Yao, we will always be together.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Yao nodded heavily. His right hand held her shoulder tightly and rubbed it gently. ¡°Ah Tao, no matter what you want to do, I¡¯ll be with you.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± The next morning, Ji Zhao entered the kitchen early in the morning. ¡°Ah Tao, why are you awake so early?¡± Zhao Lanhua, who was busy in the kitchen, heard footsteps and subconsciously turned around to ask. ¡°Mother, let me do it.¡± Ji Zhao quickly put on an apron and approached her with a smile. ¡°This beef is really good. It looks so fresh!¡± ¡°Of course. Don¡¯t you know who bought it?¡± Zhao Lanhua said proudly. ¡°A few days ago, when you asked me to buy some beef, I asked someone to help. Aunt Guihua¡¯s second sister inw¡¯s eldest uncle is a butcher!¡± ¡°Beef is more expensive than pork. If it weren¡¯t for the good timing, we wouldn¡¯t have been able to buy this beef!¡± Zhao Lanhua said happily. ¡°By the way, Ah Tao, you haven¡¯t told me. Why do you want so much beef?¡± ¡°Yes, I want to make somentern shadow shredded beef and spicy beef jerky.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and exined, ¡°Mother, you¡¯ll know when I make it!¡± ¡°Okay, then you do it. Mother will be your assistant?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± If she wanted to make delicious shredded beef, she had to choose the tendon meat on the hind leg of the cow because the meat there was the firmest. ¡°The cooking method of the dish is a littleplicated. First, you have to boil the entire beef tendon in the pot and remove the skin on it,¡± Ji Zhao exined as she cooked. She cut off the corners of the cooked beef and cut it into thin slices before tearing it into strips. After the oil in the pot was heated, she added the chilis and stir-fried it until it was fragrant and spicy. Then, she poured all the beef shreds in and added a small amount of cooking wine. Finally, she added chili and pepper powder, white sugar, and five-spice powder. She stir-fried them evenly. After it was out of the pot, it was cooled and finally drizzled with sesame oil. After working for more than two hours, the beef strips were fresh out of the oven. ¡°It¡¯s fragrant!¡± Zhao Lanhua praised after taking a bite. Before 7am, the fragrant and spicy smell that came from the Shen family¡¯s courtyard spread for 5 kilometers. Many children who were still sleeping cried from the alluring fragrance! At 7am, Shen Yao apanied Ji Zhao to the Earth Temple at the back of the mountain. ¡°Do you dare to light it?¡± Shen Yao looked at the person beside him with a smile and asked softly. ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of? Isn¡¯t it just lighting a firecracker?¡± Ji Zhao smiled indifferently. Although she was a little afraid, she still braced herself and went up¡ª Ji Zhao felt that the hand holding the fire had begun to tremble. In the end, she simply closed her eyes¡ª ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m here.¡± Shen Yao¡¯s gentle voice suddenly sounded in her ears, and Ji Zhao¡¯s heart miraculously calmed down at this moment. Hiss¡ª The firecrackers were lit, emitting a deafening sound! Ji Zhao was pulled into Shen Yao¡¯s arms. His hands covered her ears considerately. At this moment, Ji Zhao seemed to be oblivious to the deafening sounds. She felt very at ease. ¡°The auspicious time has arrived! Let¡¯s move!¡± Apanied by the vige chief Shen Menghu¡¯s shout, Ji Zhao took an iron shovel from his hand and shoveled out a pile of soil. At this moment, the repair of the Earth Temple had officially begun. Ji Zhao and Shen Yao stayed behind to help for the entire day. As dusk approached, the couple was exhausted. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? You just need to help when the ceremony begins.¡± Zhao Lanhua¡¯s heart ached when she saw the tired expressions on their faces. ¡°Mother, we just want to do our part.¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly exined with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t expect to be so tired.¡± ¡°Brat, you¡¯re too hardworking!¡± Zhao Lanhua quickly served a bowl of bone soup. ¡°Drink it while it¡¯s hot!¡± ¡°Thank you, Mother.¡± Ji Zhao smiled gratefully and finished the bowl of bone soup in one gulp. She felt good all over! ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the Earth Temple,¡± Shen Dashan quickly said after putting down the big bowl. ¡°Just leave the matters here to me.¡± ¡°Alright, thank you, Father!¡± Ji Zhao smiled obediently. ¡°We¡¯re a family. What¡¯s there to thank?¡± Shen Dashan shouted again. ¡°Lanhua, give me another bowl. This soup is really good. It feels good to drink it!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that so? I specially brewed it for the entire afternoon!¡± Zhao Lanhua hurriedly added. Then, she added another bowl for him. Then, she looked at Ji Zhao and asked, ¡°Ah Tao, do you want more?¡± ¡°Mother, I¡¯m full!¡± Ji Zhao smiled and shook her head. After returning to her room, Ji Zhao went straight to the desk andid out paper and ink. When Shen Yao walked in, he saw her writing seriously. The scene in front of him was as beautiful as a painting. It was too beautiful to disturb. Ji Zhao quickly drafted the cooperation proposal. ... She hoped that Qin Minghong could see the huge potential hidden under this proposal. If peanut oil could be promoted, not only would they make a huge profit, but it might even be beneficial to the people¡¯s livelihood. ¡°Ah Tao¡¯s calligraphy is delicate and neat, and the strokes are bold and powerful.¡± Seeing that she had finished writing, Shen Yao walked to her side with a smile. However, when his gaze inadvertentlynded on the calligraphy, his eyes were filled with amazement. ¡°Is that so?¡± Ji Zhao scratched the back of her head shyly. ¡°It¡¯s really good,¡± Shen Yao praised sincerely. ¡°I wonder who Ah Tao learned such good calligraphy from?¡± Ji Zhao subconsciously avoided his gaze and pretended to be tired as she yawned. ¡°Shen Yao, aren¡¯t you tired? I feel so tired. Why don¡¯t we rest early?¡± ¡°Ah Tao,¡± Shen Yao suddenly called out. He held her shoulders with both hands and asked sincerely, ¡°Do you still not trust me?¡± Chapter 182 - 182 Not…Not Scared 182 Not¡­Not Scared ¡°I¡­¡± Ji Zhao didn¡¯t know how to exin. Her hesitant attitude made Shen Yao¡¯s heart ache unconsciously. ¡°It¡¯ste. Rest early!¡± Shen Yao gently let go of her shoulder. His tone was as gentle as ever, but Ji Zhao could still hear the loneliness hidden in his tone. However, she really did not know what to say. Her culinary skills were superb because she was a 21st century descendant of an imperial chef; She knew how to read and write because of her educational background, she had graduated with an undergraduate degree. She could write well because she was a calligraphy enthusiast. ¡°Wait.¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly walked in front of him and stopped him from leaving. ¡°Shen Yao, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust you.¡± ¡°On the contrary, I trust you very much.¡± Ji Zhao looked into his eyes and said seriously, ¡°From the moment we expressed our feelings to each other, my trust in you has never beencking. You just asked me why I could write so well. I hesitated to answer, not because I didn¡¯t trust you, but because I didn¡¯t know how to say it.¡± ¡°I think someone as smart as you must know that the me standing in front of you at this moment is very different from the Ji Ah Tao from Pomegranate Vige. You can even say that they are twopletely different people. I can exin these things clearly,¡± Ji Zhao said softly. ¡°Shen Yao, I can share my secrets with you, but have you thought it through? Are you really prepared to know these secrets?¡± Facing Ji Zhao¡¯s question, Shen Yao fell silent. He had always felt that he was very brave, but at this moment, he was afraid. ¡°Ah Tao, if you tell me your secret, will it affect you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Ji Zhao shook her head nkly. ¡°Shen Yao, actually, I¡¯m not from your dynasty. The real Ji Ah Tao is dead, and I¡¯m Ji Zhao.¡± Rumble! As soon as Ji Zhao finished speaking, a sharp bolt of lightning suddenly shed by the window. Thunder rumbled as mes shot in all directions. At this moment, Ji Zhao suddenly fainted. ¡°Ah Tao!¡± Shen Yao quickly held her and called out anxiously! Unfortunately, he was met with silence. 11pm. Shen Yao stayed by Ji Zhao¡¯s side and held her right hand tightly, not daring to rx at all. At this moment, he really regretted it! Why was he curious about the Ah Tao¡¯s hidden secret? If he hadn¡¯t been curious, perhaps Ah Tao wouldn¡¯t have fainted, let alone have a fever. He was the main culprit behind all of this¡­ Shen Yao closed his eyes in pain. He did not dare to imagine what would happen if he lost Ah Tao¡­ ¡°Shen Yao?¡± Ji Zhao opened her eyes and saw Shen Yao with red eyes. Her heart ached. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, you¡¯re awake?¡± Shen Yao stood up excitedly. ¡°Do you feel ufortable anywhere? Are you hungry? Are you thirsty?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Ji Zhao struggled to sit up. Shen Yao immediately ced a pillow behind her waist. ¡°Thank you.¡± Ji Zhao smiled gratefully. ¡°I feel much better.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Shen Yao lowered his eyes guiltily. ¡°Why are you apologizing?¡± Ji Zhao was puzzled. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t insisted on asking, you wouldn¡¯t have suddenly fainted.¡± Shen Yao felt even more guilty. ¡°Ah Tao, I won¡¯t do this again.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so silly!¡± Ji Zhao didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry. ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything wrong, so you don¡¯t have to apologize.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°No buts!¡± Ji Zhao said forcefully. ¡°Shen Yao, actually, I can understand your thoughts. If I were in your shoes, I would definitely be more curious than you.¡± After all, a woman whose reputation had already been ruined could actually undergo such a drastic change. ¡°Shen Yao, I really want to tell you some of my secrets, but I can¡¯t. You¡¯ve seen the consequences just now, haven¡¯t you?¡± Ji Zhao gently grabbed his broad palm and exined softly, ¡°I think when the time is right, you¡¯ll definitely be able to understand these secrets.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly and moved further in, leaving a lot of space for him. ¡°Can you sleep with me?¡± Shen Yao looked away ufortably. ¡°I suddenly remembered that Chenchen still has some homework for me to check.¡± ¡°Ah Tao, I¡¯ll leave first. It¡¯ste. You should rest early too. Remember to cover yourself with the nket.¡± ¡°Wait a minute!¡± Ji Zhao stopped him again and asked curiously, ¡°Shen Yao, are you¡­ incapable?¡± ¡°Huh?!¡± Shen Yao was shocked. ¡°Ah Tao, why do you say that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ intuition, I guess?¡± Ji Zhao blurted out subconsciously. Shen Yao silently walked around her, then quickly closed the door and bolted it. Suddenly, he turned around, picked up Ji Zhao bridal style, and walked step by step into the wide double bed. Ji Zhao could feel her heartbeat elerating! ¡°Ah Tao, you took the initiative to provoke me.¡± Shen Yao carefully ced her on the bed and leaned close to her ear. He nibbled her earlobe and breathed softly. ... Ji Zhao¡¯s shoulders shrank ufortably, and she became even more nervous. Until Shen Yao¡¯s kissnded on her lips! At some point in time, their clothes had already been piled up on the ground¡ª Ji Zhao hugged his shoulders nervously and closed her eyes tightly, not daring to open them. With his hands on both sides of her shoulders, the smile in Shen Yao¡¯s eyes deepened. ¡°Ah Tao, are you afraid?¡± He teased deliberately. ¡°If Ah Tao is really afraid, I¡¯ll leave first, okay?¡± Ji Zhao became even more nervous. Her butterfly-like eyshes trembled uncontrobly. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m not afraid¡­¡± There was an obvious tremor in her voice. Shen Yao tapped the tip of her nose affectionately. Then, he pulled the thin nket over and covered Ji Zhao. He said goodnight to her and left. Ji Zhao only dared to open he reyes when the door was closed. ... After looking around and confirming that she was the only one left in the room, Ji Zhao silently patted her chest and panted heavily. She was really a little scared just now¡­ However, she did not expect Shen Yao¡¯s reaction to be like this. At the same time, Shen Yao had already rushed into the small room beside the main room and took a cold bath. Only then did he suppress the heat below his navel. He had sensed the nervousness and fear hidden in Ah Tao¡¯s emotions just now. He didn¡¯t want to force her, so he returned in defeat. What he hoped for was for their bodies and souls to bepletely familiar. Instead of being together at all costs for the sake of so-called lust. Chapter 183 - 183 Happy Cooperation 183 Happy Cooperation Ji Zhao silently pulled the nket beside her and covered her head. She had mixed feelings. She thought that she was already prepared, but at the critical moment, she still failed¡­ Indeed, there was a huge difference between theory and practice. The next day, Ji Zhao came to the Hongxing Restaurant with the cookedntern shadow shredded beef strips. !! ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± After tasting it, Qin Minghong and Second Manager You were full of praise. ¡°Ah Tao, are you really not consideringing to our restaurant to be a chef?¡± Second Manager You invited again. ¡°Second Brother You,¡± Ji Zhao declined politely with a smile. Then, she faced Qin Minghong and chuckled. ¡°Young Master Qin, we actually came here today to show you a n.¡± ¡°n? What n?¡± Qin Minghong raised his eyebrows curiously. ¡°I want to open an oil extraction workshop to produce high-quality peanut oil.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and handed the proposal she had prepared in advance to him. ¡°Young Master, don¡¯t you want to take a look?¡± ¡°Miss Ah Tao, you want to do business with me?¡± Qin Minghong instantly understood what she meant and could not help butugh. ¡°Yes.¡± Ji Zhao nodded frankly. ¡°I¡¯ll be in charge of providing the technical method, and you¡¯ll be in charge of providing the funds. I think we¡¯ll have a pleasant cooperation.¡± Qin Minghong smiled. ¡°Business is business. Miss Ah Tao, I need to take a look at your n first.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and raised her hand to invite him in. Shen Yao, who was sitting beside her, immediately poured her a cup of hot tea. Ji Zhao subconsciously looked up and returned a gentle smile. Then, she began to wait quietly. Fifteen minutester, after reading the proposal, Qin Minghong asked curiously, ¡°Ah Tao, I have two doubts about this proposal.¡± ¡°Tell me?¡± ¡°Firstly, is this peanut oil as fragrant as you say? Secondly, regarding the final profit sharing, what do you mean by the share system?¡± ¡°I think we need to verify whether peanut oil is fragrant or not. I n to squeeze some peanut oil out these few days and make a few dishes for everyone to try. This way, everyone can have a taste of peanut oil. As for this share system, I think this dividend mechanism is more reasonable.¡± ¡°The so-called shareholding system is a multi-person investment. Everyone will receive the corresponding dividends ording to the shares they hold. When the year-end inventory is done, we will give them the corresponding dividends.¡± Ji Zhao smiled. ¡°Of course, we also have requirements for the amount of money they contribute.¡± ¡°Other than Young Master Qin, Second Brother You can also invest a little.¡± Ji Zhao looked at Second Manager You with a smile and suggested sincerely. ¡°Me?¡± Second Manager You subconsciously pointed at his own nose. ¡°I can be a shareholder too?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Ji Zhao smiled and snapped her fingers. ¡°Second Brother You, why don¡¯t you give it a try? I guarantee that after the oil extraction workshop is established, we will definitely make a profit within half a year!¡± ¡°Ah Tao, are you that confident in yourself?¡± Young Master Qin was infected by her confident smile. He could not help but raise his eyebrows and ask with a smile. ¡°After Young Master Qin tastes the delicacies I make with peanut oil, you¡¯ll understand why I¡¯m so confident~¡± Ji Zhao smiled faintly and said firmly. ¡°In that case, let¡¯s discuss the details of the cooperation?¡± ¡°Young Master Qin, are you agreeing?¡± ¡°Since you guarantee that I can earn money, why wouldn¡¯t I agree? Miss Ah Tao, I¡¯m a businessman.¡± Chapter 184 - 184 Actually, You Gave Me Courage 184 Actually, You Gave Me Courage ¡°It¡¯s our honor to work with Young Master Qin,¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile. ¡°Since we¡¯ve already reached a preliminary agreement, let¡¯s discuss the next step after I refine a batch of peanut oil.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait and see.¡± Qin Minghong smiled. ¡°After all, it¡¯s a blessing to be able to taste Miss Ah Tao¡¯s cooking!¡± ¡°Young Master Qin, you tter me.¡± Ji Zhao smiled humbly. The moment she walked out of the restaurant, Ji Zhao felt that her footsteps had be much more rxed. !! ¡°Shen Yao, shall we go to the market now?¡± Ji Zhao held his arm intimately and said happily, ¡°I can¡¯t wait to extract a bucket of peanut oil now!¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Shen Yao never rejected her suggestions. For the next three days, Ji Zhao locked herself in the vige chief¡¯s oil extraction workshop. It was not easy to extract peanut oil. Fortunately, the vige chief, Shen Menghu, had extracted oil before, so Ji Zhao had learned a lot from him. After all, the difference between theory and practice was quite big. After experiencing a total of neen failures, Ji Zhao finally seeded in extracting the fragrant peanut oil on the fifth day and twentieth experiment! ¡°Ah Tao, you¡¯re amazing!¡± Shen Yao praised from the bottom of his heart. Over the past few days, he had seen a special trait in Ji Zhao. That was perseverance. As long as one was persistent, an iron pestle would be ground into a needle. What about him? Shouldn¡¯t it be time for him to go into action? To pick up his books and start over? If he continued to remain silent, no one would be able to avenge the injustice he had suffered back then. Instead of praying for the heavens to open their eyes and deal with those evil people, it was better to rely on himself and seek justice for himself as soon as possible, right? ¡°Shen Yao,e and help me!¡± Ji Zhao called out a few times, but Shen Yao was still stunned on the spot. Ji Zhao walked up to him worriedly and waved her hand in front of him. ¡°Shen Yao, are you alright?¡± ¡°Huh? I¡¯m fine.¡± Shen Yao returned to his senses and smiled gently. ¡°Ah Tao, congrattions on sessfully extracting peanut oil!¡± ¡°This is nothing.¡± Ji Zhao waved her hand indifferently. ¡°Wait until I make delicious food with peanut oil. Only then will it be considered a sess!¡± It was best to let the freshly extracted peanut oil settle for a while before using it. As noon approached, another fragrance wafted out of the kitchen in the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. It made all the children in the vige cry! ¡°Chicken fingers, Colonel¡¯s chicken nuggets, salt and pepper popcorn chicken, and french fries!¡± Ji Zhao smiled and brought the fried food to the table. ¡°Mother, Shen Yao, try it. How does it taste?¡± ¡°Delicious!¡± Zhao Lanhua praised generously. ¡°Ah Tao, although I¡¯ve never heard of these dishes, these dishes are really delicious!¡± ¡°These are all delicacies I fried with peanut oil,¡± Ji Zhao exined with a smile. Then, she subconsciously looked at Shen Yao and raised her eyebrows smugly. ¡°Shen Yao, you can say that we seeded now.¡± After Qin Minghong tasted the delicacy made with peanut oil, he was full of praise. Second Manager You and Eldest Brother Shen had invested some shares in this oil extraction workshop. ¡°Ah Tao, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s for so many people to invest, right?¡± Qin Minghong was a little dissatisfied with Ji Zhao¡¯s final proposal. ¡°It only costs three hundred taels at most to open an oil extraction workshop. I think we can split it fifty-fifty.¡± ¡°Young Master Qin, I want to bring Second Brother You and my eldest brother to earn a sum of money together,¡± Ji Zhao said honestly. ¡°Besides, my position in the oil extraction workshop is a shareholding system. Since it¡¯s a shareholding system, why can¡¯t I bring everyone to earn money together?¡± ¡°Besides, the Qin family is already the richest family in Dingyuan County. I believe Young Master Qin won¡¯t be so petty, right?¡± Ji Zhao deliberately smiled and provoked. ¡°Alright.¡± In the end, Qin Minghongpromised. ¡°Who asked Ah Tao¡¯s fried food to smell so good?¡± Qin Minghong and Ji Zhao each took 30% of the shares, while Second Manager You and Eldest Brother Shen each took 20%. When the four of them signed the contract and pressed their thumbprints, Second Manager You was still in a daze. ¡°I really never dreamed that one day, I would be able to open a shop with the owner.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that so?¡± Eldest Brother Shen was also in a daze, as if everything in front of him was so unreal. ¡°There are a total of four copies of this contract,¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile. ¡°Young Master Qin, Second Brother You, and Big Brother, you all have to keep the contract well. After the oil extraction workshop makes a profit for a quarter, we will use the contract to split the dividends.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± After a month and a half of renovation, Ji Zhao¡¯s fry shop was finally tidied up. The 18th day of the 11th month was an auspicious day. Apanied by the lively sound of firecrackers, the curtains of the Ah Tao¡¯s Fried Snack Shop officially opened. ¡°It¡¯s a grand opening banquet. If you buy one catty of fried chicken tenders, you get half a catty for free!¡± Long before the opening, Ji Zhao had already opened this fried shop for three days as a test. During this period, the county magistrate had personallye and praised it for being delicious! Therefore, Ah Tao¡¯s Fried Snack Shop already had a good reputation. On the first official day of business, the 80 catties of fried chicken that Ah Tao had prepared were sold out. There were even many people who did not manage to buy it. Night fell silently. After checking all the ounts, Ji Zhao leaned back in her chair to rest. Shen Yao went behind her and gently massaged her shoulders. ¡°Thank you!¡± After being massaged, Ji Zhao felt that her entire body had rxed a lot. ¡°But you¡¯re quite tired today as well. Sit down and rest together?¡± The couple sat facing each other, each holding a cup of hot pear juice. ¡°I heard from Father that the Earth Temple will bepleted in half a month,¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile. ¡°At that time, let¡¯s rest for a few days and return to the vige to help?¡± ¡°Whatever you say.¡± ¡°Shen Yao¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m very happy.¡± Ji Zhao looked into his eyes and smiled gently. ¡°I saw.¡± ¡°What?¡± ... ¡°You picked up your books again.¡± Ji Zhao raised her eyebrows and smiled sweetly. ¡°You¡¯ve already made your decision. I¡¯m really happy.¡± ¡°Ah Tao,¡± Shen Yao held her hand gently and said gently, ¡°Actually, you gave me courage.¡± ¡°I can feel a fearless courage from you. In the past half a year, you¡¯ve achieved many goals, such as repairing the earth temple, opening an oil extraction workshop, and running such a shop. You¡¯ve worked so hard, so what reason do I have to continue being pessimistic?¡± Chapter 185 - 185 Tsk Tsk, Who Are You Lying to? 185 Tsk Tsk, Who Are You Lying to? ¡°Then let¡¯s work hard together?¡± Ji Zhao smiled brightly at him, her gaze bing even gentler. ¡°Mm.¡± At the end of November, Dingyuan County weed the first snow. The snowkes fluttered. In less than half a day, the entire Dingyuan County was painted dreamily. Before 3pm, all the delicacies in the frying shop were sold out. ¡°Shen Yao, since the snow isn¡¯t heavy today, let¡¯s go back to the vige?¡± After Ji Zhao cleaned up the counter, she turned around and walked to Shen Yao, who was reading. ¡°Okay.¡± However, just as the couple walked out of the shop, a thin old man suddenly fell in front of them! ¡°Sir?¡± Shen Yao hurriedly helped him up. He subconsciously checked the old man¡¯s breathing and said nervously, ¡°Ah Tao, this old man is on hisst breath!¡± ¡°Shen Yao, help the old man into the shop first,¡± Ji Zhao said hurriedly. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the kitchen of the restaurant to see if there¡¯s any hot soup left. Hurry up and find Second Brother You to help. Get a doctor over!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± After an hour, the man who had suddenly fainted finally woke up. ¡°Uncle, how do you feel? Are you feeling better?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all your fault!¡± The old man suddenly pointed at Ji Zhao¡¯s nose and scolded unreasonably. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, would I have fainted from hunger?¡± Ji Zhao was dumbfounded and asked in a daze, ¡°Uncle, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen you before today? Did you get the wrong person?¡± Could it be that there was a scammer now? ¡°Let me ask you, do you own Ah Tao¡¯s Fried Snack Shop?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°Those chicken fingers and toothpick meat, are they all delicacies you made?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°Then isn¡¯t that your fault?¡± The old man puffed up his cheeks angrily. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault for cooking so deliciously. Ever since I ate the delicacies you made, I felt that the dishes in the inn were nd and tasteless. Every day, I hoped to buy a serving of chicken fingers. In the end, when I just arrived today, you closed the shop!¡± ¡°I fainted because you angered me!¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± Ji Zhao had never expected such a scene. ¡°Then what else do you want to eat?¡± Ji Zhao smiled kindly and asked, ¡°Shall I make it for you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have money!¡± The old man pursed his lips and muttered angrily. ¡°I say, big brother, isn¡¯t your temper too unreasonable?¡± Second Manager You, who was standing at the side, really couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. ¡°The couple saved you, but you don¡¯t even thank them? You still want to eat without money?¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± The old man with a head full of gray hair said angrily, ¡°Do you have the right to speak here?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Second Manager You, who had been scolded, was also furious! ¡°Second Brother You.¡± Shen Yao smiled and shook his head at him. Then, he walked to the old man and asked softly, ¡°Uncle, since you¡¯re fine now, please be on your way.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a cripple?¡± Seeing Shen Yao¡¯s walking posture, the old man subconsciously narrowed his eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve been crippled for a few years, right?¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. ¡°Uncle, we don¡¯t wee rude people like you here. Please leave.¡± ¡°Tsk tsk, this I was just telling the truth! Why did you suddenly lose your temper?¡± The old man muttered aggrievedly. ¡°I¡¯m still hungry. Can you get me something else to eat before I go?¡± Ji Zhao was so angry that sheughed. She had never seen such a thick-skinned old man! ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t eat and drink for free.¡± The old man¡¯s gazended on Second Manager You¡¯s face. He raised his eyebrows and said, ¡°Come over and show me your tongue.¡± For a moment, Second Manager You suspected that the old man in front of him was not very smart. ¡°Do you often feel that your mouth is dry and tasteless? Even your hands and feet are heavy and your joints are sore?¡± While Second Manager You was in a daze, the old man had already grabbed his right hand and checked his pulse. ¡°Your pulse is both heavy and slow. It¡¯s a symptom of dampness entering your body. Open your mouth!¡± For some reason, when Second Manager You heard those three words, he could not help but open his mouth. ¡°You have a thick tongue and a strange smell in your mouth.¡± The old man pinched his nose in disgust and said angrily, ¡°Are you especially hot every summer?¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± Second Manager You waspletely stunned. ¡°Soak your feet with boiled wormwood for three months. After taking medicinal soup for half a month, the dampness in your body will be removed.¡± The old man said in a low voice, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t believe me. At most, you¡¯ll be fatter and fatter in the future. You won¡¯t even be able to breathe when you walk.¡± ¡°Uncle, are you a doctor?¡± Ji Zhao was suddenly enlightened. ¡°Could you be the famous Immortal Crane?¡± Ji Zhao suddenly remembered that there were some records of Immortal Crane in the original work! He had a head full of white hair, a childish temper, loved delicious food, and liked to mock people! However, his medical skills were superb and he often helped poor people. Overall, he was a kind, benevolent, yet prideful and awkward old man with a childish temper! ¡°Girl, you have a good eye, huh?¡± Immortal Crane smiled calmly. ¡°It¡¯s really you? What do you want to eat? I¡¯ll make it for you immediately.¡± Ji Zhao was extremely excited and asked happily! ¡°I want to eat braised noodles. Do you know how to make it?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Ji Zhao nodded hurriedly. ¡°As long as it¡¯s something you want to eat, I¡¯ll make it!¡± Ji Zhao rushed into the restaurant¡¯s kitchen and began to make braised noodles! The method of making braised noodles was still a little difficult. The most important thing was to concoct the braising sauce. Fortunately, the kitchen of the restaurant had all kinds of ingredients! ... Immortal Crane thought for a moment and said to Second Manager You, ¡°Go prepare some paper, ink, brush, and inkstone. I¡¯ll write a prescription for the medicinal soup for you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Immortal!¡± In the end, Immortal Crane fixed his gaze on the silent Shen Yao. ¡°Are you still angry? Although what I said just now was a little straightforward, I¡¯m telling the truth. You¡¯re indeed a cripple!¡± Shen Yao smiled nonchntly. ¡°You¡¯ve misunderstood. I¡¯m not angry.¡± ¡°Tsk tsk, who are you trying to fool?¡± ¡°Whether you believe me or not, I¡¯m really not angry.¡± Shen Yao smiled calmly. ¡°I¡¯ve heard your story before, but you¡¯re different from what I imagined.¡± ¡°Oh? How is it different?¡± Immortal Crane was suddenly curious. ¡°I heard of Immortal Crane, who is kind-hearted, helping the world. Therefore, the impression of Immortal Crane in my mind is that he is a kind and amiable old man. As for you, your temper is strange and doesn¡¯t match the rumors.¡± ¡°Kid, are you trying to mock me?¡± Chapter 186 - 186 I’m Not Telling You 186 I¡¯m Not Telling You ¡°How would I dare?¡± Shen Yao could not help but smile. Immortal Immortal Craneughed heartily as well. At this moment, Ji Zhao brought the cooked braised noodles to the table. She even thoughtfully added a braised egg and two pieces of braised dried tofu. The fragrance that assaulted the nose almost made Immortal Crane drool! ¡°Smells good!¡± The Immortal Crane eagerly took the bowl of braised noodles and nearly inhaled them Finally, he smacked his lips in satisfaction. ¡°It tastes really good. Is there more?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly nodded, then turned around to scoop out a bowl of noodles. After going back and forth three times and watching Immortal Crane eat six bowls of braised noodles, Ji Zhao was stunned. ¡°Are you alright? You don¡¯t feel any difort in your stomach, right?¡± ¡°Burp~¡± Immortal Crane burped and said happily, ¡°I¡¯m finally a bit full.¡± After eating six bowls of braised noodles, he was barely full? Ji Zhao¡¯s lips twitched involuntarily. ¡°Senior, we¡¯re preparing to return to the vige. This shop still has to be closed,¡± Shen Yao said softly. ¡°Since you¡¯re already full, please be on your way?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to treat your leg?¡± Immortal Crane rubbed his goatee and asked curiously. ¡°My leg can¡¯t be cured anymore.¡± Shen Yao smiled calmly. ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything bad about it now.¡± ¡°You¡¯re deceiving yourself and others!¡± The Immortal Crane mercilessly exposed his words. In the end, his gazended on Ji Zhao¡¯s face. ¡°Girl, let¡¯s make a deal?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help you treat your man¡¯s leg, and you¡¯ll cover my meals for three months?¡± Immortal Crane said seriously, ¡°I don¡¯t care much about where I live, but for this food, I need meat and vegetables for three meals a day. In addition, I have to eat dessert every afternoon. I prefer sweet food!¡± Ji Zhao nodded seriously and memorized all of Immortal Crane¡¯s requests. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°Deal!¡± Ji Zhao immediately nodded vigorously! ¡°Ah Tao?¡± Shen Yao, who tried to stop her, failed in the end. ¡°Come here.¡± Immortal Crane waved at Shen Yao. Seeing that he did not move, he simply rushed forward and grabbed his wrist to take his pulse seriously. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with his pulse.¡± While Shen Yao was in a daze, Immortal Crane suddenly pressed his acupuncture points! Shen Yao suddenly realized that he could not move! ¡°Senior, what do you want?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve eaten so much braised noodles. I can¡¯t eat it for nothing.¡± Immortal Crane pinched his left leg and instructed in a low voice, ¡°Girl, prepare a pair of scissors, a pot of strong wine, and send a basin of clean hot water!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Ji Zhao immediately did as she was told! Fifteen minutester, Immortal Crane picked up the scissors and cut open Shen Yao¡¯s inner pants. Ji Zhao subconsciously turned around and turned her back. ¡°Aren¡¯t you husband and wife? Haven¡¯t you already seen what you should have seen? What¡¯s there to be shy about?¡± The Immortal Crane looked at Ji Zhao¡¯s shy turn and felt puzzled. ¡°If you want to treat your man¡¯s leg,e and help me!¡± Ji Zhao turned around awkwardly. Immortal Crane pinched Shen Yao¡¯s crippled leg seriously. Finally, he frowned and asked in a low voice, ¡°How did this happen?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ji Zhao asked nervously. ¡°Immortal, can my husband¡¯s leg be cured?¡± ¡°Let me ask you, after you broke your leg back then, did you find a doctor to fix your bone?¡± Immortal Crane suddenly looked up and stared into Shen Yao¡¯s eyes. His tone was serious. ¡°Back then, the sh flood came suddenly. Unfortunately, a piece of rock hit my left leg. Later, I fainted from the pain. My ssmate, who was lucky enough to escape, helped me get a doctor to reattach my broken bone. Unfortunately, half a monthter, my leg hurt more and more.¡± ¡°Quack doctor!¡± Immortal Crane spat angrily. ¡°Not only is he a quack doctor, but he¡¯s also a sinister and cunning person!¡± ¡°Senior, why do you say that?¡± ¡°If it was me who treated your leg when it was smashed back then, your leg would definitely recover to its original state in less than three months!¡± The Immortal Crane said confidently, ¡°There¡¯s an obvious dislocation in the joint on your knee. Clearly, someone deliberately connected it in the wrong ce!¡± ¡°How could this be?¡± Ji Zhao widened his eyes in surprise. ¡°Shen Yao, someone wanted to harm you from the beginning?¡± ¡°Fortunately, you met me. If you do not deal with your current position, the bones here will definitely rot. In less than a year, your calf will definitely be amputated. Otherwise, your life will be in danger,¡± The Immortal Crane continued. Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes were still red. She looked at Immortal Crane nervously and begged anxiously, ¡°Senior, please help my husband!¡± ¡°If you want to cure your crippled leg, you will definitely suffer a lot.¡± Immortal Crane gestured for Ji Zhao to calm down. Then, he looked at Shen Yao and said softly, ¡°There are not many people in the world who can endure the pain. Of course, I can also use the numbing medicine. However, once you use it, your leg will often feel sore and painful every rainy day in the future. You won¡¯t even be able to use any strength.¡± ¡°I wonder how confident senior is in treating my crippled leg?¡± From the beginning to the end, Shen Yao¡¯s expression was calm. He did not seem surprised at all that the doctor who had helped him set his bones back then was actually harboring evil intentions. ¡°If you use the numbing medicine, I am 90% confident. If you don¡¯t use the numbing medicine, it will only be 50% at most.¡± Immortal Crane said very honestly, ¡°Of course, if you don¡¯t n to treat this crippled leg, I can help you saw it off now.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll trouble you, Senior.¡± Shen Yao quickly made a final decision. ¡°Good, young man, you¡¯re bold!¡± Immortal Crane looked at him with heartfelt admiration. ¡°Senior, when do you n to start treating my husband¡¯s leg?¡± ¡°No hurry, no hurry.¡± Immortal Crane waved his hand indifferently. ¡°Let¡¯s wait for five days!¡± ¡°Why wait five days?¡± Ji Zhao asked anxiously. ¡°You want to know?¡± Immortal Crane looked at her anxious expression and could not help but raise his eyebrows. ¡°I¡¯m not telling you.¡± Ji Zhao silently held her forehead andined in her heart. This Immortal Crane¡¯s temper was really strange! In the end, the three of them borrowed the restaurant¡¯s carriage and finally returned to Shanghe Vige before dark. When Zhao Lanhua found out that the energetic and thin old man was a miracle doctor, she was extremely excited and weed him warmly! ¡°Do you want to try this sweet and sour carp?¡± ¡°Oh right, there are also dumplings stuffed with mushroom and meat. Do you want to eat more? If it¡¯s not enough, I¡¯ll add more for you?¡± ... Chapter 187 - 187 You’re Not Stupid! 187 You¡¯re Not Stupid! In the end, Immortal Crane ate threerge bowls of dumplings and half of the sweet and sour carp before putting down his bowl and chopsticks in satisfaction. ¡°Senior, how about you staying in this room tonight?¡± Shen Yao pointed at the room he and Ji Chen were temporarily staying in and exined softly, ¡°The house is narrow, so you must suffer and squeeze with me and Chenchen.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you and Ah Tao husband and wife? Why don¡¯t you live together?¡± The Immortal Crane said angrily, ¡°Or do you not wee me at all and deliberately arranged this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the case. I¡­¡± !! ¡°Let¡¯s do as you say!¡± Just as Shen Yao was about to exin, Ji Zhao walked up to them with a bowl of red bean sweet soup. Finally, she reached out and rubbed Ji Chen¡¯s head. ¡°Chenchen will sleep with Sister and Brother-inw tonight, okay?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Ji Chen nodded happily! ¡°Girl, you¡¯re more sensible.¡± After picking up a bowl of sweet soup and drinking it in one gulp, Immortal Crane hurriedly returned to that room. ¡°I¡¯m a light sleeper. Don¡¯t disturb me if there¡¯s nothing!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Half an hourter, Ji Zhaoid out two thick nkets on the bed. ¡°It¡¯s already winter. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯ll be even colder at night. I¡¯ve already put a foot warmer in both quilts,¡± Ji Zhao exined with a smile. ¡°Chenchen, do you want to sleep under the same quilt as Sister or with Brother-inw?¡± ¡°Chenchen always kicks the nket when he sleeps at night. If he sleeps with you, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be worried,¡± Shen Yao quickly said. ¡°Let him sleep with me. Besides, I¡¯m already used to covering the nket for him at night.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Ji Zhao nodded slightly and finally gave Shen Yao a grateful smile. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you taking care of Chenchen during this period of time. He¡¯s much braver than before.¡± ¡°Chenchen has always been a brave little guy.¡± Shen Yao smiled and ruffled his hair as he said gently. ¡°Chenchen, good night!¡± Ji Zhao gently kissed his forehead and tucked him in. ¡°Tomorrow morning, I¡¯ll make your favorite seaweed shrimp wontons.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Ji Chen obediently closed his eyes. However, the moment he entered the dream, he was a little confused because he remembered that he was very obedient when he slept and never kicked the nket away. After Ji Chen fell asleep, Ji Zhao carefully took Shen Yao¡¯s hand and looked into his eyes. Her gentle voice was filled with heartache. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Back then¡­ the person who asked the doctor to save you was your ssmate, was it Sun He?¡± Ji Zhao could not help but ask. Seeing him nod, she was immediately furious. ¡°Why is this person so vicious?¡± ¡°The ident back then happened too suddenly. Actually, I didn¡¯t n to walk that rugged mountain path.¡± Now that he thought of the scene of him being injured back then, Shen Yao¡¯s mood miraculously calmed down. However, even he didn¡¯t know how deep the anger hidden under this calmness was. ¡°It¡¯s just that Sun He said that he identally lost the letter from my family. In the letter, there was news that my mother was seriously ill. I was burning with anxiety, so I listened to his suggestion to bypass that rugged mountain road and shorten the journey home. Who would have thought that we would encounter an ident on the way?¡± Shen Yaoughed bitterly. In the end, heughed at himself. ¡°From the looks of it, the ident back then was nned all along.¡± ¡°What¡¯s even more ridiculous is that when he returned back then and invited a doctor to treat me, I didn¡¯t notice his evil intentions at all. I even kept thanking him.¡± Shen Yao¡¯s eyes turned red. ¡°Ah Tao, am I very stupid?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not stupid!¡± Ji Zhao quickly shook he rhead. ¡°You just identally fell into the trap of a bad person.¡± ¡°All these years, I¡¯ve been wallowing in self-pity. I didn¡¯t even hesitate to hurt myself to force the people to stop their expectations and hopes for me. I hated the heavens for being unfair, and I hated my bad luck even more. But I really didn¡¯t expect that the so-called ident was actually an attempted murder with ulterior motives.¡± ¡°Shen Yao, it¡¯s not toote for us to find out now!¡± Ji Zhao squeezed his palm and said softly, ¡°There¡¯s a saying that it¡¯s never toote for a gentleman to take revenge.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and suddenly leaned in front of him. She kissed his cheek gently. ¡°The most important thing now is to treat your leg. Let¡¯s not think about anything else for the time being.¡± ¡°Be good, close your eyes and have a good sleep,¡± Ji Zhao advised softly. ¡°Tomorrow will be another beautiful day.¡± Shen Yao originally thought that he would not be able to sleep tonight and would toss and turn. What he did not expect was that after his big hand was grabbed by Ji Zhao¡¯s hand, his heart would be so calm that he actually had a good sleep. The next morning, the snow in front of the door piled up into a thickyer. Shen Dashan was waving his shovel and shoveling the snow in the courtyard seriously. In the kitchen, Ji Zhao was making small wontons. Her hand speed was so fast that no one could see it clearly! ¡°Ah Tao, your Aunt Guihua got someone to send over a lot of persimmons yesterday. Do you want to try themter?¡± Zhao Lanhua covered her ears and walked into the kitchen. She said cheerily, ¡°It¡¯s winter. It¡¯s morefortable to stay in the kitchen. It¡¯s not like outside. The cold wind is howling, almost freezing your ears off!¡± ¡°Mother, didn¡¯t I tell youst night? You can sleep a little longer!¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly poured a cup of hot sesame paste and handed it to her. ¡°It¡¯s freshly cooked. Warm your hands first and drink itter!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Every morning at this hour, if I don¡¯t get up, I¡¯ll feel ufortable all over. I¡¯m already used to it,¡± Zhao Lanhua said with a smile as she held the bowl of sesame paste. ¡°I made bone broth noodles for Second Sister-inw and specially added a poached egg.¡± Ji Zhao pointed at the small earthen jar on the stove and smiled. ¡°I went up to take a look at Zhuangzhuang early in the morning. He¡¯s quite chubby, but unfortunately, Second Sister-inw¡¯s breast milk is a little insufficient.¡± ¡°However, we can make more soup for Second Sister-inw that would help her produce more milk. I believe it will definitely help!¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Zhao Lanhua nodded hurriedly. ¡°When our family ughters the pigs for new year¡¯s next month, we¡¯ll keep all the pork trotters and arms for Second daughter-inw to stew.¡± ¡°ughtering pigs for new year¡¯s?¡± Ji Zhao quickly asked, ¡°Mother, when is our family going to kill the pigs? Do you want Shen Yao and me toe home and help?¡± ¡°No need, no need. Just focus on the shop!¡± Zhao Lanhua hurriedly waved her hand. ¡°Your father and I can handle it alone. Besides, your second brother should be back in two days.¡± ¡°Mother, if there¡¯s anything you need me and Shen Yao to help you with at home, feel free to ask!¡± Ji Zhao said seriously. ¡°I n to close the shop for a period of time during the twelfth lunar month and reopen it after the new year.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t that affect business?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s almost the twelfth lunar month. Everyone is busy preparing for the new year. The business of this shop is naturally going to enter the off-season, right?¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile. ¡°Moreover, Immortal Crane also said that in less than three months, he will definitely be able to treat Shen Yao¡¯s leg! So for the next three months, I n to stay at home and help.¡± Chapter 188 - 188 You Can Hear This? 188 You Can Hear This? Hearing that Shen Yao¡¯s leg would recover in three months, Zhao Lanhua¡¯s excitement was obvious. ¡°Ah Tao, can that person really treat my son¡¯s leg?¡± Zhao Lanhua was really worried that they would have false hope! ¡°Mother, I think we have to have confidence in Immortal Crane!¡± Ji Zhao quickly encouraged her. ¡°Also, we have to believe in Shen Yao. As long as he can actively cooperate with Immortal Crane to treat him, I think his leg illness will definitely recover!¡± ¡°Yes! You¡¯re right! No matter what the oue is, we have to have hope!¡± Zhao Lanhua said with a smile. ¡°Ah Tao, we¡¯re almost done wrapping the wontons. Shouldn¡¯t we start a fire?¡± !! ¡°Yes, thank you, Mother!¡± At a quarter past seven in the morning, everyone except Second Sister-inw Shen, who was still in recovering, sat around the table in the central room. In front of everyone was a bowl of fragrant seaweed shrimp wontons! Apart from that, Ji Zhao also made some pot stickers. Just as the Shen family was about to put down the bowls, Immortal Crane arrivedte. ¡°This fragrance is too tempting.¡± In the past, Immortal Crane would sleep untilte in the morning. Even if the gods came, he would never wake up early! But today, he made an exception. The Shen family¡¯s breakfast was simply too fragrant. After Immortal Crane had his fill, he raised his chin at Shen Yao. ¡°Follow me.¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and went over as well. ¡°Senior, I was worried that you weren¡¯t full, so I specially prepared an extra serving of red bean pastry for you,¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile. ¡°Alright, sit down and listen together.¡± ¡°Thank you, Senior!¡± Immortal Crane was silent for several minutes before his gaze finallynded on Shen Yao¡¯s face. ¡°If you don¡¯t use the numbing medicine, you¡¯ll definitely have to endure the pain of your bones being broken. Have you really made your choice?¡± Immortal Crane confirmed again, ¡°I originally wanted to wait for someone to deliver the numbing medicine before treating your injured leg. Of course, if you¡¯ve already decided not to use the numbing medicine, I can start treating you this afternoon.¡± ¡°I believe in you. If enduring the pain can resolve it once and for all, then why should I use the numbing medicine?¡± Shen Yao smiled and asked softly. ¡°Not many people in the world can withstand the pain. If you insist on not using the numbing medicine, you have to sign a statement first. This way, even if you die from the pain during the treatment, I won¡¯t have to take responsibility.¡± Immortal Crane suddenly took out a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to him. ¡°Look at it carefully. If there¡¯s no problem, sign your name on the bottom right corner.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go back to sleep first. You have to give me an answer before noon.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Ji Zhao felt like her head was about to explode when she saw the densely packed notes. However, when she thought about how Shen Yao had to endure the pain of having his bone removed, she could not help but feel her heart ache. ¡°Why do you insist on not using the numbing medicine?¡± Ji Zhao nced sideways at the silent Shen Yao and asked with concern, ¡°I don¡¯t want you to take the risk.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave any symptoms behind.¡± Shen Yao slowly looked up and reached out to caress her little face. He chuckled and said, ¡°Ah Tao, I hope I can recover.¡± He wanted to stay by Ah Tao¡¯s side as her husband. He did not want Ah Tao to endure the strange gazes of others in the future. More importantly, he hoped that he could recover. Even if he only had a 10% chance, he would try his best! ¡°I will apany you,¡± Ji Zhao said firmly. ¡°Mm.¡± The two of them looked at each other and smiled. Immortal Crane was not surprised to know Shen Yao¡¯s final decision. In his eyes, although Shen Yao was crippled, his eyes were filled with ambition. Moreover, although he had not participated in the imperial examination, he had already obtained the favor of that master. In the future, if he was willing to continue choosing the path of imperial examinations, he would naturally soar! Of course, this was all in the future. There was no need to mention it for the time being. Ji Zhao hoped that Immortal Crane could let Shen Yao suffer as little as possible, so she specially sent a few sweet and sour dishes over for lunch. Sweet and sour pork tenderloin, honeyed lotus root, and braised pork. In the end, Immortal Crane expressed his satisfaction with his actions. After noon, Immortal Crane gave Ji Zhao another piece of paper. ¡°In an hour, prepare everything on it.¡± Finally, he walked back to his room to take an afternoon nap. ¡°You sleep after you eat, eat after you sleep. Why aren¡¯t you fat at all?¡± Ji Zhao looked at the thin back and muttered softly. ¡°I¡¯m a divine doctor. I naturally have a good way to maintain my thin body!¡± ¡°You can hear that?¡± Ji Zhao eximed and subconsciously covered her mouth. ¡°My hearing is very good!¡± After Immortal Crane said this arrogantly, he left. Ji Zhao looked at his back and couldn¡¯t help but have some thoughts. Actually, she was quite interested in medicine. She had to think of a way to acknowledge him as her master! ¡°You want to acknowledge Immortal Crane as your master? Beg him to teach you medicine?¡± After hearing Ji Zhao¡¯s thoughts, Shen Yao was shocked. ¡°Ah Tao, are you serious?¡± ¡°Do you think the expression on my face looks like I¡¯m joking?¡± Ji Zhao shrugged helplessly. ¡°Shen Yao, help me think of a good way to make Immortal Crane ept me as his disciple.¡± Living in this world, it was always better to learn a few more skills! ... ¡°He loves delicious food. Ah Tao, you¡¯re good at cooking. Why don¡¯t you cater to his taste?¡± Shen Yao thought for a moment and gave a very pertinent suggestion. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Ji Zhao immediately snapped her fingers and was overjoyed. ¡°I also think that this is a good idea. Let¡¯s do that! But before that, we have to split up and prepare the items on this.¡± ¡°The things here aren¡¯t difficult. But these two herbs written at the end.¡± Ji Zhao pointed at the bottom of the paper and scratched her head anxiously. ¡°What herbs are the Snow Grass and Dragon Bone?¡± She had never heard of it before! ¡°Ah Tao, don¡¯t be anxious.¡± Shen Yao quickly grabbed her hand andforted her gently. ¡°No, we can¡¯t waste any more time!¡± Ji Zhao made a prompt decision and asked Zhao Lanhua to bring Shen Yao to prepare other things. She returned to the kitchen and picked up a te of snowke pastry. She turned around and knocked on Immortal Crane¡¯s door. ¡°Senior, I specially made snowke pastries. They taste very good. Do you want to try them?¡± ¡°Bring it in!¡± Immortal Crane, who was writing prescriptions, replied. After tasting the unique snowke pastry, Immortal Crane went straight to the point and asked, ¡°Did you encounter any difficulties?¡± ¡°Senior, can you tell me what dragon bone and snow grass are?¡± Ji Zhao asked sincerely. ¡°Also, where are we going to find these two medicinal herbs?¡± ... Chapter 189 - 189 Shen Yao Is the Most Important! 189 Shen Yao Is the Most Important! ¡°This dragon bone is amon medicinal ingredient. Any medicine shop should have this medicinal ingredient.¡± Immortal Crane put down the pen in his hand and exined seriously, ¡°Compared to dragon bone, snow grass is even harder to obtain.¡± ¡°The snow grass is usually picked in summer and autumn. It¡¯s already winter, so I wonder if there¡¯s any snow grass nearby?¡± ¡°Senior, can you draw the appearance of the Snow Grass? This way, it will be easier for me to find it.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± After obtaining the snow grass drawing, Ji Zhao¡¯s confidence doubled. Just as she was about to set off to find this herb, Zhao Lanhua brought Shen Yao to the county city. In less than an hour, the mother and son had already prepared all the necessary items. Ji Zhao piously knelt in front of the statue of the local god and sincerely begged, ¡°Earth God, please bless me and help me find the snow grass!¡± By 3pm, Ji Zhao carried the bamboo basket and walked out of the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. The snow on the road was a little thick. When one¡¯s footstepsnded on it, it would actually make a sound. Fortunately, Ji Zhao was prepared. She wore a pair of sheepskin boots, so she could smoothly shuttle through the ice field. Due to the harsh weather these few days, Shen Dashan made the decision to stop the matters at the Earth Temple for three days. Therefore, when Ji Zhao passed by the Earth Temple, she did not notice anyone else. However, when she was halfway up the mountain, she heard amotion. Ji Zhao subconsciously held her breath and slowlyy on the snow, concentrating on the Earth Temple not far away. The surroundings were quiet. The only thing Ji Zhao could hear was her own heartbeat. Until¡ª A sharp and shrill sound almost broke through the clouds. Only then did Ji Zhao slowly take small steps towards the direction of the Earth Temple. At this moment, the other vigers of Shanghe Vige also heard this sharp and strange sound. They followed the direction of the sound and ran to the vicinity of the Earth Temple. ¡°There¡¯s¡­ there¡¯s a ghost!¡± A fat woman suddenly rushed out with her head in her hands, almost sending the vigers who were watching themotion flying! ¡°Ghost¡­ There really is a ghost!¡± Ji Zhao walked forward and recognized this fat woman. ¡°Why are you here?¡± The fat woman in front of him was actually the daughter-inw of Old Pan, whom Madam Xieter married! ¡°Ghost¡­ There¡¯s really a ghost¡­¡± The fat woman was clearly frightened. In the end, she closed her eyes andpletely fainted! ¡°Quickly send someone to get a doctor and get someone to call our vige chief and the vige chief of Pomegranate Vige!¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly shouted. At this moment, the restless crowd gradually calmed down. Ji Zhao thought for a moment and turned to leave. Now was not a good time to be kind. She had to find the snow grass as soon as possible. Otherwise, what would happen to Shen Yao¡¯s leg? To Ji Zhao, Shen Yao was the most important person in the world! After searching for an entire three hours on the back mountain, Ji Zhao finally found the snow grass. However, when she walked down the mountain happily, the atmosphere in the entire vige became strange. ¡°Are we really going to stop the Earth Temple project?¡± In the Shen family¡¯s courtyard, Zhao Lanhua hurriedly grabbed Shen Dashan¡¯s arm and asked anxiously. ¡°Old Pan¡¯s daughter-inw from Pomegranate Vige insisted that our vige¡¯s temple was haunted. Someone with ulterior motives found out about this, which led to the current situation!¡± ¡°Haunted?¡± Zhao Lanhua spat angrily. ¡°What¡¯s in that Old Pan¡¯s daughter-inw¡¯s head? That Earth Temple worships the Earth God! How would ordinary demons and monsters dare to approach?¡± ¡°She, on the other hand, actually dares to spout nonsense in the Earth Temple. Isn¡¯t she afraid of biting her tongue!¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t understand. Why should we believe her nonsense?¡± The more Zhao Lanhua thought about it, the angrier she became. ¡°No, I have to look for Uncle Huzi. I have to ask him why we should stop the project at the Earth Temple.¡± ¡°Lanhua, don¡¯t be angry first. Can you wait for me to finish speaking?¡± Shen Dashan grabbed her arm anxiously. ¡°That daughter-inw of Old Pan is obviously here to cause trouble. How can Uncle Huzi not see it? It¡¯s just that the New Year ising. If she makes a big deal out of it, can the vigers of Shanghe Vige still have a good New Year?¡± ¡°But building the Earth Temple is Ah Tao¡¯s recent wish. Besides, the money has been given. Why should we stop just like that? Do we have to admit defeat just because of Old Pan¡¯s daughter-inw¡¯s foul mouth? No, I can¡¯t take this lying down!¡± ¡°Father, Mother.¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly walked into the central room and took off the basket on his back. Then, she looked at Shen Dashan and asked curiously, ¡°Father, why did that fat sister-inw say that there are ghosts in the Earth Temple?¡± ¡°Did she see it with her own eyes?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, there¡¯s news from Pomegranate Vige that Madam Pan Wu has been possessed. That¡¯s why she suddenly has a high fever and can¡¯t stop convulsing.¡± Zhao Lanhua quickly exined, ¡°That Madam Pan Wu sneaked in when there was no one guarding the Earth Temple today. I didn¡¯t expect her to insist that she saw a ghost.¡± At this moment, no one could be sure if Madam Pan Wu was lying. ¡°If we can prove that she didn¡¯t see a ghost, then the rumors will copse on their own, right?¡± Ji Zhao thought seriously for a moment, and finally whispered a few simple words into Zhao Lanhua¡¯s ear.¡¯ ¡°Wonderful!¡± Zhao Lanhua could not wait to give Ji Zhao a thumbs up. ¡°Ah Tao, you¡¯re amazing! With this method, we can definitely expose Madam Pan Wu¡¯s lie!¡± ¡°Mother, I found the snow grass. Where¡¯s Shen Yao?¡± ¡°He went to see Immortal Crane,¡± Zhao Lanhua exined with a smile. In the end, she handed the heater in her hand to Ji Zhao, whose hands were red from the cold. ¡°Ah Tao, warm your hands first.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mother!¡± ¡°Mother should be the one thanking you,¡± Zhao Lanhua said gratefully. ¡°Actually, I can feel the obvious change in Third Brother recently. He¡¯s no longer as cold as before.¡± Zhao Lanhua could feel the warmthing from her third son¡¯s body, so she was grateful to Ji Zhao from the bottom of her heart. ¡°Ah Tao, I¡¯m really d that you became my third son¡¯s wife. I¡¯m even more d that such a good daughter-inw is actually from my family!¡± ¡°Mother, you tter me.¡± Ji Zhao waved her hand humbly. On the other side. Immortal Crane carefully tidied up Shen Yao¡¯s pants and finally handed him a pair of scissors. ¡°Do you want to cut it yourself or should I do it for you?¡± ¡°Where?¡± For a moment, Shen Yao felt a chill. In the end, Immortal Crane had no choice but to squat on the ground and cut his pants with a pair of scissors ... Chapter 190 - 190 In My Heart, Shen Yao Is Also Very Powerful 190 In My Heart, Shen Yao Is Also Very Powerful The moment Ji Zhao pushed the door open and entered, the atmosphere was a little awkward. He saw Immortal Crane squatting beside Shen Yao¡¯s legs while Shen Yao sat on the chair with a nk expression. ¡°What are you guys¡­?¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s mind suddenly shed with some inappropriate images. ¡°Have you found the Snow Grass?¡± Immortal Crane suddenly reached out and tapped Shen Yao¡¯s acupuncture points. Shen Yao was forced to sit on the chair and could not move anymore. ¡°Found it!¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly handed over the rare Snow Grass. ¡°I have already prepared all the necessary medicinal ingredients. Do you see that stone mortar? Add the medicinal ingredients ording in order of most to least amounts. After crushing them all into powder, add the Snow Grass.¡± The Immortal Crane instructed in an orderly manner. ¡°Yes!¡± Ji Zhao immediately nodded and obediently did as she was told. Fifteen minutester, Immortal Crane cut open the inner pants on Shen Yao¡¯s left leg. ¡°I¡¯ve already sealed a few of your acupuncture points just now. At first, you shouldn¡¯t feel any pain, but once I touch this flesh and expose the dislocated bones, the pain will definitely be unbearable.¡± Immortal Crane said as he smeared the strong wine on his knee, ¡°If you really feel that the pain is unbearable, bite this gauze!¡± ¡°Remember, don¡¯t move during the treatment process. Otherwise, all my efforts will be in vain.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Shen Yao nodded slightly. ¡°Thank you, Senior.¡± Although his expression was normal, his hands could not help but clench into fists. ¡°Shen Yao, have you heard of the story of Lord Guan scraping bones to heal his injuries?¡± Ji Zhao pretended to be rxed and asked with a smile. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve read this book before.¡± Shen Yao smiled and said softly, ¡°Back then, Lord Guan drowned seven armies and killed Pang De. His reputation soared, but when he attacked Fan City, he was injured by Cao Ren¡¯s archers. He was shot in the right arm and fell off his horse.¡± ¡°Cao Ren was sinister and smeared poison on that arrow in advance. That poison was extremely vicious and instantly prated deep into the bone.¡± ¡°Lord Guan was lucky to have been saved by Miracle Doctor Hua Tuo. His expression did not change when he scraped his bones to treat his injuries,¡± Shen Yao praised from the bottom of his heart. ¡°In my heart, Shen Yao is also very powerful.¡± Ji Zhao looked into his eyes, her gaze filled with seriousness. Immortal Crane picked up a sharp dagger and carefully cut open Shen Yao¡¯s knee. At this moment, Shen Yao also felt a wave of pain. Immediately after, Immortal Crane slowly removed the rotten flesh near the wound. When he saw the misced bone, he began to treat it. Ji Zhao had already crushed the herbs into powder. Then, she hurriedly picked up the gauze and gently wiped the sweat on Shen Yao¡¯s forehead. ¡°Does it hurt a lot?¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s heart ached. She did not even dare to look at the wound on Shen Yao¡¯s leg. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine.¡± Shen Yao looked at her and forced a smile. Ji Zhao hurriedly lowered her eyes and covered her already red eyes. The paining from his knee joint was indescribable. He tried his best to restrain himself. The fingertips of his hands had already dug into his palms, cutting through his flesh. Crack! Immortal Crane finally repositioned the bone. ¡°Ah Tao, bring a basin of clean hot water!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± After cleaning up all the blood near the wound, Immortal Crane sprinkled the powder on it and carefully wrapped the bandage around it. ¡°For the next month, the wounds here must not be touched by water,¡± Immortal Crane instructed in a deep voice. ¡°In addition, you have to undergo such treatment again in ten days. Do you have any objections?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all up to you, senior,¡± Shen Yao said in extreme pain. ¡°Mm!¡± Immortal Crane did not expect Shen Yao¡¯s leg to be so serious. The quack who treated Shen Yao¡¯s leg back then probably had the intention to kill. Otherwise, he would not have sprinkled priceless gold powder at the intersection of the two bones. Ji Zhao hurriedly brought the hot water in. ¡°Senior, the hot water is here.¡± Immortal Crane nodded slightly. After washing the blood off his hands, he turned to look at Shen Yao¡¯s face and hesitated. ¡°Senior, if you have something to say, why don¡¯t you just say it?¡± Shen Yao naturally saw the hesitation in Immortal Crane¡¯s expression and asked softly. ¡°Before your leg was injured, did you offend anyone?¡± Gold powder was priceless. It was impossible for ordinary people to obtain it. However, someone used the gold powder to harm Shen Yao. Immortal Crane felt that there was something strange behind this matter. ¡°No.¡± Shen Yao shook his head gently. ¡°Three years ago, I was focused on my studies and spent most of my time in the private school and bookstores.¡± ¡°Just now, when I was treating your leg, I found something strange.¡± Immortal Crane looked at him and slowly said, ¡°Back then, someone sprinkled gold powder near the wound on your leg. Although gold powder has the effect of reviving blood and stasis, if you use too much of it, it will cause your bones to die.¡± ¡°More importantly, the gold powder is priceless. It¡¯s difficult for ordinary people to obtain it.¡± ¡°You mean that someone wants to kill me?¡± As intelligent as Shen Yao was, how could he not understand the meaning behind Immortal Crane¡¯s words? ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°After your treatment, can my leg recover to its original state?¡± Shen Yao asked softly. ¡°Are you questioning my medical skills?¡± Immortal Crane rolled his eyes at him. ¡°I¡¯ve been a doctor for many years, and there¡¯s never been an injury that I can¡¯t treat.¡± ¡°Senior, Shen Yao didn¡¯t mean that.¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly smiled and persuaded, ¡°Senior, you¡¯ve been busy for so long. You must be tired, right? I wonder what you want to eat for dinner? I¡¯ll prepare it immediately.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a cold day. Put up a heater.¡± ... ¡°Alright!¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly responded and asked with an obedient smile, ¡°Senior, does Shen Yao have any taboos now? Also, shouldn¡¯t he lie down and rest more? Also, he¡­¡± ¡°Ah Tao, can I ask you a question?¡± The Immortal Crane suddenly turned to look at Ji Zhao and asked with a serious expression, ¡°Why would such an obedient little girl like you marry such a mute blockhead?¡± ¡°Senior, Shen Yao isn¡¯t a blockhead.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and exined softly, ¡°He¡¯s really good, really.¡± ¡°As the saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder?¡± Immortal Crane waved his hand silently. ¡°He still has to lie down and rest more for the time being. Don¡¯t stand up without my instructions. Also, don¡¯t eat those spicy and stimting dishes for the time being. Oh right, there¡¯s also the prescription I just prescribed. Three times a day, and it needs to be brewed with three bowls of water. To be taken after meals.¡± Chapter 191 - Chapter 191: Radish in Winter, Ginger in Summer Chapter 191: Radish in Winter, Ginger in Summer Ji Zhao earnestly memorized Immortal Crane¡¯s instructions and finally thanked him from the bottom of her heart. ¡°I love mutton. Let¡¯s set up a mutton stove tonight.¡± Immortal Crane hummed a tune happily and left. Ji Zhao supported Shen Yao and helped him lie on the bed. However, when she tried to retract her arm, Shen Yao grabbed her hand forcefully. ¡°What... what¡¯s wrong?¡± The distance between them was getting shorter. Ji Zhao felt a trace of nervousness for no reason. ¡°Ah Tao.¡± Shen Yao¡¯s voice was low and maic. Ji Zhao felt her ears itch a little. ¡°Thank you.¡± Shen Yao caressed her face gently, his gentle tone filled with gratitude. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t used the ssics to encourage me with the story of Lord Guan, I think I definitely wouldn¡¯t have been able to hold on.¡± ¡°It hurts, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Ji Zhao held his hand with heartache and said softly, ¡°When Senior treated your wound just now, I didn¡¯t even dare to look.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt with Ah Tao by my side.¡± Shen Yao gently brushed away a strand of hair that had fallen on her forehead. His voice became even gentler. ¡°Ah Tao, it¡¯s so good to have you.¡¯ ¡°Of course, I¡¯m good to begin with!¡± Ji Zhao raised her eyebrows smugly and pretended to be rxed. Fifteen minutester, Shen Yao, who had taken the medicine, fell asleep very quickly. Ji Zhao carefully tucked him in before turning to leave. Knock knock¡ª ¡°Come in!¡± Immortal Crane put down the brush in his hand. The moment he slowly looked up, he happened to see Ji Zhao¡¯s worried expression. ¡°What¡¯s going on? ¡°Senior, can you answer my question truthfully?¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and asked seriously, ¡°Can Shen Yao¡¯s leg really bepletely healed?¡± ¡°Girl, if you don¡¯t believe in my medical skills, why did you ask someone to find out my whereabouts?¡± The Immortal Crane sighed helplessly. ¡°Senior, you¡¯ve misunderstood.¡± Ji Zhao exined seriously, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t believe in your medical skills, but you said before that the injury on Shen Yao¡¯s leg was maliciously caused. In other words, some people hope that Shen Yao can be crippled for the rest of his life.¡± ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve heard of your deeds before. You¡¯re an unworldly expert. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll settle down in Dingyuan County in the future, right?¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°Senior, I actually want to acknowledge you as my master.¡± Ji Zhao mustered up her courage and said sincerely, ¡°I want to study medicine.¡± ¡°After going around in circles for so long, it turns out that you want to be a disciple?¡± The Immortal Crane never expected that this was what Ji Zhao wanted to talk about. ¡°Senior, I really want to be your disciple.¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and continued, ¡°I admit that it¡¯s a little abrupt for me to suddenly say this, but I really want to study medicine. Please agree.¡± ¡°Girl, can I ask you a question first?¡± The Immortal Crane looked into her eyes, his gaze solemn. ¡°Learning medicine isn¡¯t something that can be done overnight. More importantly, why are you learning medicine?¡± ¡°For Shen Yao.¡± Ji Zhao shrank her neck guiltily. ¡°I¡¯m worried about him.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Immortal Crane smiled and raised his eyebrows. ¡°In the end, you still don¡¯t believe in my medical skills?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡± Ji Zhao exined anxiously, ¡®Senior¡¯s medical skills are famous, so how can I not believe you? I¡¯m just worried about Shen Yao. Back then, he only passed the Elementary Schr examination and attracted the harm of people with ulterior motives. If he enters the official career in the future, I¡¯m afraid he will have to face even more tests.¡± ¡°There are thousands of candidates participating in the imperial examination every year. There are less than 30 people who can be on the rankings. Are you so confident in your husband?¡± Immortal Crane could not help but tease. ¡°Are you so sure that once your husband chooses this path, he will definitely be ranked on the Golden Rankings?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ji Zhao nodded firmly. ¡°You seem to have a lot of confidence in your man?¡± Immortal Crane could not help butugh. Then, he shook his head. ¡°I have no intention of epting a disciple. ¡± In other words, he was rejecting her. ¡°Senior, can you give me a chance?¡± Ji Zhao begged again. ¡°A doctor should have a benevolent heart, and a medical practitioner should have a benevolent heart and treat the world as his own.¡± Immortal Crane looked at her and said earnestly, ¡°You are studying medicine for Shen Yao alone. It¡¯s a little selfish.¡± ¡°Senior, forgive me for not agreeing with your words.¡± Ji Zhao shook her head gently. ¡°1 know that doctors are benevolent, but Senior, do you really think that all the people who study medicine in this world have the original intention of helping the world? There was once a sentence that left a deep impression on me. How can one sweep the world without sweeping their house? I admit that I¡¯m selfish, but if I can¡¯t even protect the people around me, how can I help others?¡± Immortal Crane did not expect Ji Zhao to say such a thing. Although it sounded a little selfish, after careful consideration, he could tell that it made sense. ¡°Senior, it¡¯s gettingte. I¡¯ll go prepare the mutton pot first.¡± Ji Zhao smiled faintly. Before she left, she did not forget to turn around and say, ¡°I¡¯m not the kind of person who gives up easily! I think that sooner orter, you¡¯ll be moved by me and take me in as your disciple-¡® At 6pm, Shanghe Vige weed another snowstorm. It was snowing heavily. Before long, the entire vige was enveloped in a white sea. In the kitchen, Ji Zhao was cutting radishes. ¡°As the saying goes, we eat radishes in the winter and ginger in the summer. Let¡¯s have a mutton warming pot tonight.¡± Ji Zhao smiled as she cut the radishes. ¡°Mother, can you help me wash another bunch of green onions? ¡°Alright!¡± Zhao Lanhua quickly replied with a smile. ¡°By the way, Ah Tao, can Third Brother drink this mutton and radish soup? ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve already asked Senior.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Zhao Lanhua was relieved. ¡°Ah Tao, Immortal Crane has helped us so much. Shouldn¡¯t we prepare some gifts in return? ¡°Aren¡¯t we already preparing?¡± Ji Zhao smiled. ¡°Immortal Crane has already said that he wants to eat mutton soup¡±

¡°But isn¡¯t this return gift a little too light?¡±

¡°Mother, you and Father spent a lot of effort to buy this mutton from Aunt Guihua. I think as long as our intentions are fulfilled, Immortal Crane will definitely understand,¡± Ji Zhao exined seriously. ¡°Alright.¡± Zhao Lanhua nodded. Then, she thought of something else. ¡°By the way, Ah Tao, your father has already found someone to help with the n you mentioned earlier.. Are we going to Pomegranate Vige tonight?¡± Chapter 192 - Chapter 192: Ah Tao’s Is Sweeter Chapter 192: Ah Tao¡¯s Is Sweeter ¡°There¡¯s no hurry.¡± Ji Zhao waved her hand and said softly, ¡°Mother, I think the snow outside is a little thick today, so let¡¯S postpone our n for a day.¡± ¡°Alright, Mother will listen to you!¡± Zhao Lanhuaughed heartily. Ji Zhao smiled faintly and focused on making mutton and radish soup. The mutton was fresh but not pungent, and the radish was fragrant and sweet. The two ingredients collided and formed a bowl of delicious mutton soup. Using the base of the mutton soup to boil the mutton and then adding a secret sauce, the taste was indescribably wonderful! ¡°Little girl, I have nothing to say about your culinary skills.¡± Immortal Crane, who had drunk three bowls of mutton soup in a row, put down the bowl and chopsticks in his hand with a satisfied expression and praised from the bottom of his heart. ¡°Senior, you tter me.¡± Ji Zhao smiled modestly. At quarter past eight, Shen Yao woke up. He was woken up by the pain. The calming soup had lost its effect. He felt that his knee was in extreme pain, as if countless silver needles had pierced it. It was so painful that it was difficult for him to breathe. When Ji Zhao pushed the door open and entered, she happened to see him sweating profusely from the pain and almost rolling down. ¡°Shen Yao?¡± Ji Zhao rushed forward nervously and helped him up. ¡°Shen Yao, are you alright? Don¡¯t scare me!¡± ¡°Ah Tao, I... I¡¯m fine...¡± Shen Yao took a few deep breaths and finally suppressed the pain. ¡°I¡¯m really fine.¡± ¡°Did you identally touch your wound?¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly went forward to check his wound. ¡°No.¡± Shen Yao shook his head gently. ¡°I think it¡¯s probably because the calming soup has lost its effect, so I felt a special pain in my wound just now, but it¡¯s much better now.¡± ¡°Is it really better?¡± Ji Zhao asked with concern. ¡°Do you want to invite Senior to take a look?¡± ¡°I¡¯m really much better.¡± Shen Yao looked into her eyes and said sincerely, ¡°Ah Tao, when I see you, I don¡¯t feel any pain anymore.¡± ¡°What a glib tongue!¡± Ji Zhao pinched his cheek angrily and said gently, ¡°I¡¯ve already brewed your medicine. It¡¯s just right for you to drink it now.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Shen Yao obediently took the bowl of ck medicine and drank it in one gulp. He did not even frown. ¡°Isn¡¯t it bitter?¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s lips couldn¡¯t help but twitch when he saw his smooth movements. ¡°By the way, I forgot to bring you candied dates!¡± She walked out in a hurry. After a while, she brought the candied dates to Shen Yao. ¡°A few days ago, Eldest Brother sent back these candied dates. It¡¯S sweet and especially delicious. Try it?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Shen Yao smiled gently. He picked one up and took a small bite. In the end, he frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ji Zhao looked at his strange expression and asked curiously, ¡°It doesn¡¯t taste good? Or is it not sweet enough?¡± Shen Yao did not speak Ji Zhao thought for a moment and picked one up to taste. ¡°It¡¯S very sweet. It tastes very good!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Shen Yao raised his eyebrows in confusion. ¡°Could it be that the one Ah Tao picked is sweeter?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the same?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯S different.¡± Shen Yao thought for a moment and waved at Ji Zhao. ¡°Ah Tao, let me try the one in your hand?¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± Without hesitation, Ji Zhao ced the date on his lips. However, Shen Yao held her arm tightly. Ji Zhao subconsciously moved closer to his face. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Shen Yao gently kissed her delicate lips. At this moment, Ji Zhao¡¯s mind went nk! ¡°As expected, Ah Tao¡¯s is sweeter.¡± Shen Yao reluctantly let go of her. He narrowed his eyes gently and said softly. ¡°You...¡± Ji Zhao didn¡¯t know what to say. In the end, she thought about it and stared into Shen Yao¡¯s eyes. She asked seriously, ¡°Shen Yao, are you Capricorn?¡± She had studied the twelve constetions before, and she remembered that the book of constetions had recorded that Capricorn¡¯s greatest characteristics were seriousness and sultryness. ¡°Capricorn? What do you mean?¡± Shen Yao raised his eyebrows curiously, his eyes filled with confusion. ¡°Have you heard of the twelve constetions?¡± ¡°Actually, I read this from a book. Isn¡¯t there twelve months in a year? It corresponds to the twelve constetions in the sky.¡± Ji Zhao sat by the bed and seriously taught Shen Yao about the twelve constetions. Shen Yao listened to Ji Zhao¡¯s every word with relish. In the end, he asked curiously, ¡°You just said that Capricorn and Pisces are perfect constetion partners. Then you said that I¡¯m Capricorn. Are you Pisces, Ah Tao?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly and tapped the tip of his nose dotingly. ¡°So, the two of us are a match made in heaven!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Yao nodded in agreement. He also felt that he and Ah Tao were a match made in heaven. With Ji Zhao¡¯spany, Shen Yao felt his pain gradually weaken. As long as he could hear her voice, he felt at ease. Unknowingly, he felt sleepy again. After a while, he fell asleep again. Hearing Shen Yao¡¯s snoring, Ji Zhao was relieved. She took out a handkerchief from her pocket and gently wiped the sweat off his forehead. Then, she tucked him in and left quietly. Ji Zhao did not return to her room. Instead, she stepped on the thick snow and walked out of the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. Shanghe Vige, which was covered in ayer of snow, was quiet. The white snow made the night look as bright as day. Ji Zhao wrapped her coat tightly around herself and slowly walked into the Earth Temple that had stopped construction. There might be a reason for this. Ji Zhao did not believe that Madam Pan Wu alone could cause such a hugemotion in the day. She felt that there must be someone else behind the scenes. A person¡¯s name had already appeared in her mind. After entering the Earth Temple, Ji Zhao narrowed her eyes vigntly. After carefully lighting the candles on both sides of the statue, Ji Zhao quickly grabbed a candlestick and turned around! The person who had originally nned to continue acting mysterious had peed his pants because of Ji Zhao. ¡°You¡¯re so timid, yet you still dare to hide in the Earth Temple and scare others?¡± Ji Zhao crossed his arms and sneered at the frightened person. The sarcasm in her tone was self-evident. ¡°How... did you know?¡± Ji Huai¡¯s face was tense as he questioned with a deep gaze. ¡°Because other than you, no one else would do such a boring and despicable thing.¡± Ji Zhao sneered and said, ¡°Auntie Guihua once told my mother that she often saw you and Madam Pan Wu sneakilying to the back mountain of our Shanghe Vige.. I think you deliberately did this haunted thing today, right?¡± Chapter 193 - Chapter 193: Extremely Shameless Chapter 193: Extremely Shameless ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying.¡± Ji Huai, who was lying on the ground, looked away guiltily. He immediately got up from the ground and was about to leave when Ji Zhao blocked his way. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Ji Huai stared into her eyes vigntly and swallowed nervously. His long and narrow peach blossom eyes flickered with a fierce light. ¡°You and Madam Pan Wu have to exin to everyone that the Earth Temple is not haunted at all. This is all a rumor that you deliberately spread.¡± Ji Zhao looked at him coldly and said in a deep voice. ¡°Why should I listen to you?¡± Ji Huai straightened his neck and sneered. ¡°Previously, on ount that we have the same surname, I tolerated you a lot.¡± Ji Zhao cracked her fingers as he slowly approached him. Her expression became even more serious. ¡°Since you refuse to take the easy route, don¡¯t me me for being merciless!¡± ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Looking at Ji Zhao who was approaching step by step, Ji Huai felt an inexplicable fear in his heart. He subconsciously retreated, but he was forced to the corner of the wall and had nowhere to escape. In the silent snowy night, an ear-piercing scream suddenly sounded! Ji Huai held his head and cried bitterly, ¡°What exactly do you want to do?¡± Ji Zhao did not say anything. Instead, she tore off his outer robe and stuffed it into his mouth. Then, she quickly tied up his hands and feet before pping her hands in satisfaction. Ji Huai screamed in pain as he watched her walk away! The next day, in Pomegranate Vige. When Madam Pan Wu, who was hiding in the back room, heard the news of Ji Huai¡¯s disappearance, her heart sank! They had clearly agreed yesterday that they would go to Shanghe Vige to cause trouble again today and use the fact that the Earth Temple was haunted to extort a sum of money from Ji Zhao. Now that Ji Huai was missing, what should they do with the n they had discussed beforehand? ¡°Is the news true?¡± Ji Shi, the vige chief of Pomegranate Vige, confirmed again. ¡°Did you really see that Ji Ah Tao hit Ji Huai and threw him into the river?¡± ¡°Yes! It¡¯S absolutely true!¡± Aunt Guihua patted her chest with a firm expression. In short, she had toplete the task given by Lanhua. As long as the news of Ji Huai¡¯s disappearance reached Pomegranate Vige, Lanhua would get Ah Tao to teach her how to make boiled mutton! Her man loved mutton the most. Unfortunately, the mutton she made always had a pungent smell. ¡°I say, Vige Chief Ji, it¡¯S fine if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± Auntie Guihua pursed her lips and said, ¡°Besides, I came back today to see my father and mother. I¡¯m not the kind of woman who gossips. I¡¯ll leave first.¡± ¡°Guihua, wait a minute!¡± Ji Shi took a puff of his pipe and narrowed his shrewd eyes. He confirmed again, ¡°You¡¯re also a girl who came from our Pomegranate Vige. No matter what, you watched Ji Huai grow up!¡± ¡°Vige Chief, look at what you¡¯re saying. If not for the fact that everyone¡¯s surname is Ji, would I havee to tell you this news?¡± Aunt Guihua sighed aggrievedly. ¡°Now that Ah Tao has hooked up with a big shot in the city, the Shen family is not something we can afford to offend!¡± ¡°Vige Chief, I¡¯ll go back first. I still have a pile of things to do at home!¡± Aunt Guihua waved her hand and turned to leave. When she returned to Shanghe Vige, it was almost noon. She thought for a moment and knocked on the Shen family¡¯s door with a smile. At that moment, Ji Zhao was making boiled mutton in the kitchen while Zhao Lanhua was helping out. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ve already brought the message back ording to your wishes.¡± Aunt Guihua took the bowl of mutton soup from Ji Zhao and drank it in one gulp. ¡°It¡¯s too cold outside. It feels toofortable to drink a bowl of warm mutton soup.¡± ¡°Thank you for your hard work, Aunt Guihua.¡± After Ji Zhao exchanged nces with her mother-inw, she smiled gratefully and said, ¡°Coincidentally, we bought a lot of mutton these two days. Aunt, how about you bring a bowl back to tryter?¡± ¡°How... how can I ept this?¡± Auntie Guihua quickly waved her hand. ¡°Alright, just carry it.¡± Zhao Lanhua stuffed the bowl of mutton into her arms without any exnation. ¡°It¡¯S such a cold day. It must have been hard on you to make this trip.¡± ¡°Look at what you¡¯re saying. You¡¯re treating me like an outsider! It just so happens that I¡¯m sending some mutton to my father and mother. Isn¡¯t this just a convenient matter?¡± Auntie Guihua said happily. Then, she looked at Ji Zhao curiously. ¡°Ah Tao, why did you make me say those words in front of Vige Chief Ji?¡± ¡°You will know soon.¡± Ji Zhao revealed a mysterious smile and continued to deal with the mutton in her hand. As expected, after the Shen family had lunch, Ji Shi led a group of people to Shanghe Vige and asked to see Ji Zhao. Zhao Lanhua followed Ji Zhao¡¯s instructions and pretended to stop him. In the end, she pretended to identally spill the beans. ¡°Ah Tao went to the Earth Temple...¡± ¡°No, Ah Tao went to the county city! Really!¡± Zhao Lanhua covered her mouth in pretended panic and argued anxiously. Looking at her expression, Ji Shi believed what Guihua said even more. Half an hour ago, Ji Zhao had been lurking around the Earth Temple, waiting for her prey. When she saw Madam Pan Wu sneaking over alone, she rushed forward and knocked her out. Immediately after, Ji Zhao pulled her into the temple and ced her beside Ji Huai. ¡°Please forgive me, Earth God!¡± After helping the two of them set up some discordant postures, Ji Zhao hurriedly knelt in front of the statue of the local god and kowtowed three times to apologize. Then, she covered the statue of the local god with the red silk cloth she had brought from home. Countless hurried footsteps came from afar. Ji Zhao took a few deep breaths, then retreated to the entrance of the Earth Temple and shouted loudly! When the group of people led by Ji Shi heard the exmation, they rushed forward. When he saw the scene of Ji Huai and the Madam Pan Wu hugging, he was instantly furious. He quickly rushed forward and picked Ji Huai up from the ground! Pah! Ji Huai, who had just woken up, did not expect to receive a loud p the moment he opened his eyes! More importantly, that p had knocked out another tooth! ¡°What a shameless adulterer!¡± When he saw the person who had hit him, Ji Huai was furious. He pped him back without showing any weakness. ¡°Who do you think you are? How dare you hit me?¡± ¡°You... you guys...¡± Madam Pan Wu waspletely dumbfounded when she woke up. Because the two men who were fighting were her lovers.. Chapter 194 - Chapter 194: I Want to Hug You Chapter 194: I Want to Hug You Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡®Stop fighting, stop fighting!¡± Madam Pan Wu panicked and tried to dissuade them. Unfortunately, Ji Shi and Ji Huai were already blinded by rage. ¡®Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know that you¡¯ve been having an affair with her since a long time ago!¡± Ji Huai spat angrily. ¡°Not only did you sleep with her, but more than half of the young wives in Pomegranate Vige haven¡¯t escaped your clutches!¡¯ ¡®You bastard, if you dare to spout nonsense again, I¡¯ll pull out your tongue!¡± ¡®Why? You¡¯ve already done it and you don¡¯t dare to admit it?¡± At that moment, Ji Huai hadpletely lost his mind. His eyes were red as he pointed at the group of people standing outside the door and sneered. ¡°Uncle Dacheng, your son doesn¡¯t look like you. Haven¡¯t you thought of the reason? And Uncle Wei, guess why Auntie Wei swallowed arsenic back then? And you, you, you... You¡¯re like a group of dogs raised by Ji Shi. You don¡¯t dare to go west when he says go east. All these years, you¡¯ve been like fools and listened to him! All of you, each one more stupid than the other!¡± Hearing Ji Huai¡¯s revtion, the men from Pomegranate Vige were dumbfounded. Uncle Wei, who was the oldest among them, carefully observed Ji Shi¡¯s expression and asked in disbelief, ¡°Ji Shi, is what Ji Huai said true?¡± ¡®No! Of course not!¡± Ji Shi quickly quibbled. ¡°Ji Huai must be crazy to make up such nonsense. Uncle Wei, you have to believe me. I really didn¡¯t do those things!¡¯ ¡®Look me in the eye and say it!¡± Uncle Wei suddenly hit the walking stick in his hand hard and questioned angrily. At this moment, a group of bailiffs rushed over. ¡®Who¡¯s fighting here?¡± The bailiff wearing arge saber looked dignified. At this moment, Shen Menghu rushed forward and exined concisely. In the end, Ji Huai, Ji Shi, and Madam Pan Wu were all taken away by the bailiffs. ¡®Haunted incidents are purely unfounded.¡± After the bailiffs left, Shen Menghu cleared his throat and faced the surrounding vigers. He said firmly, ¡®Everyone saw it just now. Madam Pan Wu was afraid that others would discover her adultery, so she deliberately said that the Earth Temple was haunted! In addition, our county magistrate strongly agrees with our Shanghe Vige¡¯s renovation of the Earth Temple!¡± ¡®Therefore, I announce that we will continue preparing for the construction of the Earth Temple. After the Laba Festival, everyone can rest. Does anyone have any objections?¡± ¡®No objections!¡± ¡®Sounds good!¡± ¡®Yes, we¡¯ll listen to the vige chief!¡± ¡®Uncle Huzi from Shanghe Vige is still the most reliable!¡± At that moment, the people from Pomegranate Vige, led by Uncle Wei, hung their heads and left dejectedly. Shen Menghu did not say anything. Ji Zhao, who had returned to the Shen residence, was in a very good mood. She even hummed a tune happily. ¡®Ah Tao, are you in a good mood today?¡± Shen Yao, who was leaning against the bed and reading, could not help but smile when he heard Ji Zhao¡¯s singing. ¡®Yes.¡± Ji Zhao nodded happily. ¡®Tm in a good mood after dealing with the two annoying bugs. ¡°1 heard from Mother just now.¡± Shen Yao looked at her curiously. ¡°But I¡¯m very curious. Ah Tao, how did you know about the rtionship between those three people?¡± ¡¯11t was a coincidence.¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly. As she peeled the chestnuts, she said, ¡°From the moment Aunt Guihua saw Ji Huai and Madam Pan Wu sneakilying to the back mountain of Shanghe Vige, I felt that things were not that simple.¡± ¡®Actually, when Ji Huai came to cause troublest time, I was already prepared. I spent some money to find out some gossip from Pomegranate Vige. In addition, I don¡¯t like Ji Shi to begin with. When I was very young, he almost touched me.¡± Actually, these were all painful memories hidden in the depths of the original owner¡¯s heart. When the Host was very young, Ji Shi had an ambiguous rtionship with Madam Xie. The reason why Madam Xie abused the Host repeatedly was because Ji Shi often brought some snacks like pastries for the Host. ¡®Tm afraid no one will believe it even if I tell them. The reason why Madam Xie treated me like that was because she was jealous.¡± Ji Zhao took a sip of hot tea and sighed softly. ¡°Grandfather doted on me very much, so she was already dissatisfied. Later on, even Ji Shi often brought me some biscuits and pastries. At first, I didn¡¯t understand why Grandmother was so angry when the elders liked me. She even flew into a rage from time to time.¡± ¡®Then, one day, Grandfather went on a long trip and didn¡¯te home for a few days. During those few days, Ji Shi often came to the house. They even hugged in front of me.¡± ¡®One day, when Ji Shi picked me up and was about to kiss me, my grandfather rushed back.. The memories hidden in the depths of the original owner¡¯s heart were very sad. ¡°1n a way, my grandfather didn¡¯t just adopt me. He saved me.¡± ¡®Ah Tao...¡± Shen Yao held her hand with heartache, his gentle eyes filled with heartache. ¡°It¡¯s all in the past.¡± Ji Zhao smiled brightly at him and continued, ¡®Shen Yao, what do you want to eat for dinner? Shall I make it for you?¡¯ ¡®Ah Tao, I want to hug you.¡± Shen Yao looked into her eyes and said sincerely, ¡®Can I?¡± ¡®Of course!¡± Ji Zhao replied obediently. Then, she gentlyy on Shen Yao¡¯s muscr chest and closed her eyes. Shen Yao reached out and hugged her slender waist. He sniffed the fragranceing from her temples and said softly, ¡®Ah Tao, I¡¯ll protect you well in the future.¡¯ Although his voice was very soft, Ji Zhao could still hear the determination in his words. Two dayster, Eldest Brother Shen hired a carriage and brought Eldest Sister-inw Shen and Feng Chunyan home. At the same time, he also brought back thetest news. ¡®Ji Shi has harmed many poor women. What¡¯s even more terrifying is that the bailiff even dug out three to four girls¡¯ corpses under his backyard!¡± Eldest Brother Shen gritted his teeth and said, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a ruthless person in my life!¡± ¡®That¡¯s right.¡± Sister-inw Shen could not help butin. ¡®Who would have thought that such a simple and honest person would be so vicious behind his back! Anyway, the county magistrate has already ordered a strict investigation!¡± ¡®The human heart is unpredictable,¡± Ji Zhao said as she bit into the peanut crisp. ¡°Fortunately, evil people have their own retribution.¡± ¡®By the way, Father, I also heard that the county magistrate intends to integrate Pomegranate Vige and our Shanghe Vige into one vige!¡± Eldest Brother Shen thought of another piece of gossip and said impatiently, ¡°If we really integrate, perhaps this field will have to be redistributed!¡± ¡®Really?¡± Zhao Lanhua¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡®Actually, Pomegranate Vige has fewer people and morend. All these years, their vige has not developed much. It¡¯s all because the vigers arezy and hate to work,¡± Shen Dashan said with a serious expression.. ¡°Back then, Shanghe Vige¡¯s life was not easy!¡± Chapter 195 - Chapter 195: I Dreamed Something Happened to Second Brother Chapter 195: I Dreamed Something Happened to Second Brother Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°There are a total of eight viges around Dingyuan County. Among them, Shanghe Vige and Pomegranate Vige are the closest.¡± Shen Dashan also picked up a piece of peanut crisp and said in a disappointed tone, ¡°When your grandparents were still alive, these days were very bitter!¡± ¡°Shanghe Vige has more people thannd. There are very few fields that each family can get. In addition, the taxes were heavy a few years ago. The reason why your grandparents passed away so early was because of exhaustion.¡± Thinking of his parents who had died early, Shen Dashan felt a little upset. ¡°Fortunately, there¡¯s one good thing about Shanghe Vige. Everyone works together. Gradually, our vige¡¯s days became better. In the entire Shanghe Vige, you can¡¯t findzy people.¡± ¡°People can eat as long as they¡¯re notzy.¡± Zhao Lanhua couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°Previously, when the drought was serious, only Pomegranate Vige sold children in the surrounding viges. I¡¯m afraid the county magistrate knows this!¡± ¡°If we really integrate the two viges, there will definitely be pros and cons,¡± Ji Zhao analyzed calmly. ¡°Father, I think you have to go to the vige chief¡¯s house for this matter.¡± ¡°Yes, Ah Tao is right!¡± Shen Dashan nodded hurriedly. ¡°Let¡¯s not wait for tomorrow. I¡¯ll go now.¡± ¡°It¡¯S already dark outside!¡± Zhao Lanhua hurriedly stopped him. ¡°You can go tomorrow!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Father. We only heard about this through the grapevine. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯S not urate yet.¡± Eldest Brother Shen also stopped him. ¡°How about this? I¡¯ll apany you to see the vige chief tomorrow?¡± ¡°Alright!¡± ¡°It¡¯S gettingte. Why don¡¯t you all go back to your rooms and rest?¡± Early in the evening, Shen Yao was exining the story in a book to Ji Chen. ¡°Shh...¡± Ji Zhao, who was standing at the side, quickly made a gesture at him and carefully picked Ji Chen up. ¡°Chenchen is asleep?¡± Shen Yao quickly lowered his voice and whispered, ¡°He¡¯s finally asleep.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± After settling Ji Chen down, Ji Zhao turned around and set up a futon on the floor. ¡°Ah Tao? It¡¯S too cold on the ground in the winter night,¡± Shen Yao quickly advised. ¡°This bed is big enough for you to sleep on.¡± ¡°I move a lot when I sleep.¡± Ji Zhao shook her head gently. ¡°If I identally touched the wound on your leg, wouldn¡¯t the gains not make up for the losses?¡± ¡°But the ground is really cold. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll fall sick.¡± Shen Yao anxiously dissuaded her. ¡°If not, I¡¯ll sleep on the ground!¡± ¡°How can that do?¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and silently snapped her fingers. She rolled a thin nket into a cylindrical shape and ced it in the middle of the bed. ¡°How about this? I¡¯ll sleep on the inner side and use this to block it. I shouldn¡¯t be able to touch you.¡¯ ¡°Okay.¡± In the first half of the night, the two of them slept soundly, but in the second half of the night, Ji Zhao dreamed again. In her dream, she saw Second Brother in a hurry. Second Brother was carrying a heavy bag on his shoulder. He looked especially pale. The path that Second Brother Shen took was especially bumpy. The snow on the road was too thick. Second Brother Shen stepped into a deep pit and drowned! Just as Ji Zhao was stunned, a group of burly men covered in ck masks rushed up. One of them cut off Second Brother Shen¡¯s head and even snatched the bag on second brother¡¯s shoulder! ¡°It¡¯S still there!¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°Ah Tao? Ah Tao?¡± Hearing Ji Zhao¡¯s painful cry for help, Shen Yao hurriedly turned sideways and gently patted her back. He called out anxiously, ¡°Ah Tao, wake up.¡± ¡°Shen Yao...¡± Ji Zhao slowly opened her eyes. She was drenched in cold sweat. ¡°Did you have a nightmare?¡± Shen Yao asked softly as he wiped the sweat off her face. ¡°Yes.¡± Ji Zhao nodded gently. ¡°I dreamed that something happened to Second Brother.¡¯ BOOM! At that moment, there was a sudden p of thunder outside the window! Ji Zhao¡¯s heart sank. She clenched Shen Yao¡¯s hand nervously, unable to speak. ¡°Ah Tao, I¡¯ll ask you a few questions. You just have to nod or shake your head.¡± Shen Yao held her hand andforted her gently. ¡°You dreamed that something happened to Second Brother? Is it very serious?¡± Ji Zhao immediately nodded vigorously. ¡°Is Second Brother on his way home?¡± Ji Zhao nodded again. ¡°Shen Yao, what should we do?¡± Ji Zhao asked anxiously. ¡°Ah Tao, go and get Eldest Brother and Father and Mother over. Don¡¯t rm Eldest Sister-inw and Second Sister-inw.¡± Shen Yao, who had calmed down, immediately made a decision. After a while, Shen Dashan, his wife, and Eldest Brother Shen arrived at Shen Yao¡¯s room. ¡°Son, are you feeling unwell?¡± Zhao Lanhua looked at Shen Yao¡¯s expression nervously and asked with concern. ¡°Mother, I¡¯m fine.¡± Shen Yao quicklyforted her. ¡°Actually, I asked everyone toe over sote because I just had a nightmare.¡± Everyone looked at each other and saw the confusion in each other¡¯s eyes. ¡°Third Brother, are you really okay? Isn¡¯t it normal to have nightmares?¡± Eldest Brother Shen scratched his head in confusion and asked with a frown. ¡°Eldest Brother, I dreamed that something happened to Second Brother.¡± Shen Yao thought for a moment and said softly, ¡°Father, Eldest Brother, I want you to split up and find Second Brother. No matter what, you have to bring Second Brother back.¡± ¡°Third Brother, aren¡¯t you being too ridiculous? Just because you had a dream?¡± Eldest Brother Shen could not believe his ears. ¡°Big Brother, at this time in the past years, Second Brother must have already returned home. But now that it¡¯S almost winter, Second Brother hasn¡¯t sent any news back for a long time. Don¡¯t you find it strange at all?¡± ¡°This...¡± Eldest Brother Shen hesitated. ¡°Your Third Brother has a point.¡± Shen Dashan deliberated for a moment and immediately made a decision. ¡°Son, after dawn, let¡¯S go out and find your Second Brother together.¡± ¡°Father, Second Brother, I want to go too!¡± Taking advantage of this opportunity, Ji Zhao hurriedly said, ¡°I¡¯ve always been lucky. Can you bring me along?¡± ¡°Well... ¡°It¡¯S freezing out there. Third Sister-inw, don¡¯t join in.¡± Eldest Brother Shen waved his hand. Ji Zhao could only cast a pleading look at Zhao Lanhua. ¡°Ah Tao¡¯s luck has always been especially good. If you bring Ah Tao along, you might be able to find Second Brother sooner.¡± Zhao Lanhua immediately said, ¡°This matter is settled. Didn¡¯t you hire a carriage? You guys will set off tomorrow morning. As for the family matters, leave them to me!¡± The next day, Shen Dashan went out with Eldest Brother Shen and Ji Zhao. Looking at the carriage that was getting further and further away, Zhao Lanhuas eyes were filled with worry. ¡°Father, Eldest Brother, let¡¯S go straight to the south.¡± Ji Zhao pointed at the path in the distance and said firmly, ¡°Follow this path and we will definitely be able to bring Second Brother home smoothly..¡± Chapter 196 - Chapter 196: Go Back First Chapter 196: Go Back First ¡®Ah Tao, are you sure?¡± Eldest Brother Shen looked at the narrow path covered in a thickyer of snow in front of him and narrowed his eyes suspiciously. ¡®Tm afraid this path is not easy to walk!¡± Ji Zhao pursed her lips and did not say anything else. She remembered that in her dream, Second Brother was killed on such a narrow path, so they had to take a risk. ¡®Alright, listen to Ah Tao!¡± Shen Dashan rubbed his frozen hands and said firmly, ¡°Let¡¯s follow this path and find Second Brother!¡± The carriage swayed all the way, and the hooves kicked up snowkes that had already melted into water. Ji Zhao lifted a corner of the curtain and let the cold wind blow past her face. Only then did she feelpletely awake. It was almost noon. Eldest Brother Shen, who was driving the carriage, was really a little tired. ¡®Father, Third Sister-inw, we¡¯ve been going for more than half a day. Shall we rest first?¡± ¡®We can¡¯t rest!¡± Ji Zhao said forcefully. This matter concerned Second Brother Shen¡¯s life and death, so they had to continue on their way. ¡®But the path we¡¯re taking isn¡¯t the same path that Second Brother took to return home!¡± It was the dead of winter and they had been traveling outside. For some reason, Eldest Brother Shen became angry. ¡°Father, are we going to travel like fools just because Third Brother had a nightmare?¡± ¡®And Ah Tao, I¡¯m really grateful for your help in the Shen Ji Pastry Shop for the past half a year, but it¡¯s winter. Can you y with me like a monkey? We¡¯ve been rushing for more than half a day, but we haven¡¯t even drunk a sip of water!¡¯ Anger rose in Eldest Brother Shen¡¯s heart for no reason. Shen Dashan, who was sitting in the carriage, did not say a word. In the end, he simply jumped off the carriage. ¡®Father?¡± Eldest Brother Shen cried out in rm. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Shen Dashan did not even look at him. Instead, he waved at Ji Zhao. ¡°Ah Tao,e down too.¡¯ Although she did not know what was going on, Ji Zhao still obediently did as she was told. ¡®Father!¡± Brother Shen stomped his feet anxiously. ¡°The snow on the ground is too thick. Look, your and Ah Tao¡¯s shoes are wet!¡± ¡®The cold starts from your feet. What if all of you catch a cold?¡± ¡®You can go back first.¡± Shen Dashan waved at him and said calmly, ¡°Ah Tao and I will continue walking. If you feel tired and hungry, you can go back and rest first.¡¯ ¡®How can that do?¡± Eldest Brother Shen anxiously wiped the sweat off his forehead. ¡°Father, I know I was wrong. Don¡¯t be angry, okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not angry.¡± Shen Dashan nced at him and said softly, ¡®Go back. You can go back and help your mother. Ah Tao and I will continue walking.¡± ¡°This...¡± Eldest Brother Shen looked apprehensive and hesitant. ¡®Father, Big Brother, look, isn¡¯t that Second Brother?¡± Just as the atmosphere was in a deadlock, the sharp-eyed Ji Zhao suddenly saw the figure in the distance and called out anxiously, ¡°Second Brother!¡± Second Brother Shen did not expect to hear his family¡¯s call in the wilderness. He hurriedly wanted to rush over, but he slipped and fell into a deep pit! ¡®Father, Second Brother fell!¡± ¡®Quick, let¡¯s go take a look!¡± Shen Dashan¡¯s heart suddenly sank as he hurriedly jogged forward! At that moment, Second Brother Shen fell headfirst into the deep depression and kept struggling! ¡®Son!¡± Shen Dashan rushed over and grabbed Second Brother Shen¡¯s ankle anxiously. At the same time, Eldest Brother Shen rushed over and grabbed Second Brother Shen¡¯s other ankle. Ji Zhao also helped from the side. The three of them spent a lot of effort and finally pulled the dying Second Brother Shen up. At this moment, Second Brother Shen had choked on a lot of ice water. Even his lips had turned purple. ¡®Son! Don¡¯t scare me. Don¡¯t scare me!¡± Shen Dashan shouted as he watched Second Brother Shen breathe heavily. ¡®Second Brother!¡± Eldest Brother Shen¡¯s eyes turned red. ¡®Dad, Big Brother, move aside!¡± Ji Zhao used all her strength to pull the two of them to the side. Then, she carefully checked Shen Eng¡¯s condition. Without hesitation, she ced her hands on her chest and began to perform CPR on him! ¡®Ah Tao, what are you doing?¡± Eldest Brother Shen questioned sharply when he saw Ji Zhao¡¯s actions. ¡®Big Brother, if you want to save Second Brother, quickly pinch his nose and help him breathe!¡± Ji Zhao replied anxiously and sped up her actions. Cough¡ª Second Brother Shen, who was on the verge of death, suddenly made a sound. Then, he spat out arge mouthful of ice water and opened his eyes with difficulty. ¡®Big Brother? Father?¡± ¡®Good boy, you¡¯re finally awake! Thank God!¡± Shen Dashan excitedly helped Second Brother Shen up from the ground. ¡®Son, carry your Second Brother quickly. Let¡¯s go home!¡± ¡®Wait!¡± Ji Zhao pulled off Second Brother Shen¡¯s outer robe without any exnation and threw the heavy bag into the pit just now. ¡®Ah Tao, you...¡± Second Brother Shen coughed again. ¡®Could it be that Second Brother wants to attract a fatal disaster?¡± Ji Zhao questioned with a sharp gaze. ¡®INO matter what¡¯s in that bag, it¡¯s not as important as Second Brother¡¯s life! Second Brother, have you ever thought about what Second Sister-inw will do if something really happens to you? What will happen to Thuangzhuang?¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s words enlightened Second Brother Shen. ¡®Dad, Big Brother, let¡¯s go home quickly.¡± When dusk approached, the carriage finally returned to the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. ¡°Why are you only back now?¡± Seeing that they had returned safely, Zhao Lanhua hurriedly went to the kitchen and brought over severalrge bowls of ginger soup. ¡®Quick, drink the ginger soup while it¡¯s hot!¡± After Ji Zhao drank the ginger soup, she immediately returned to her room to change her clothes. An hourter, Shen Yao looked at Ji Zhao, who was smiling brightly. He slowly curled his lips. ¡°Ah Tao, thank you. Ji Zhao could not help but sneeze. In the end, under Shen Yao¡¯s gentle gaze, she fell to the ground. ¡®Ah Tao!¡± Shen Yao eximed and got out of bed anxiously! Another hour passed. Shen Yao looked anxiously at the silent Immortal Crane and asked nervously, ¡®Senior, is Ah Tao alright?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a low fever.¡± Immortal Crane thought for a moment and quickly wrote down a prescription. ¡°Let¡¯s follow the prescription and grab the medicine first. When the medicine is brewed, let her drink it. If nothing goes wrong, the heat will subside tomorrow morning.¡¯ ¡®Thank you, Senior.¡± ¡®You¡¯re wee!¡± Immortal Crane waved his hand indifferently and returned to his room to rest. Shen Yao looked at Ji Zhao lying beside him, his eyes filled with heartache.. Chapter 197 - Chapter 197: Ah Tao, Get Better Quickly Chapter 197: Ah Tao, Get Better Quickly Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Early in the evening, Zhao Lanhua brought the medicine into the house. ¡°Third Brother, is Ah Tao still not awake?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± Shen Yao temporarily ced the medicine on the high table beside the bed and shook his head ?????? ¡°Mother, where¡¯s Second Brother? Is he ¡°Immortal also prescribed a medicine for your second brother. He¡¯s already fallen asleep after drinking the medicine,¡± Zhao Lanhua said in a low voice. ¡°Your second brother should be fine.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Shen Yao nodded slightly, but the worry in his eyes did not diminish at all. ¡°Ah Tao has always been lucky. She¡¯ll be fine,¡± Zhao Lanhua said softly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Shen Yao replied gloomily and stopped talking. Zhao Lanhua sighed and left. ¡°Ah Tao?¡± Shen Yao called out a few more times, but unfortunately, Ji Zhao was still unconscious. Seeing that her face was getting redder and redder, Shen Yao¡¯s mood became extremely anxious. He thought for a moment and picked up the bowl of medicine. He took a small sip to test it and carefully brought it Ji Zhao¡¯s burning lips. After feeding the bowl of medicine mouthful by mouthful, Shen Yao felt exhausted. More importantly, he felt waves of pain on his left knee. Shen Yao gritted his teeth and sat up from the bed with difficulty. Immortal Crane, whose dream had been disturbed, was furious. However, when his gazended on Shen Yao¡¯s bloody wound, his anger immediately dissipated. ¡°What¡¯s going on Immortal Crane hurriedly pressed at a few acupuncture points near his knee and hurriedly treated his wound. ¡°Didn¡¯t I already tell you that you can¡¯t stand up? I think you don¡¯t want to keep this leg, right?¡± Immortal Crane pointed at Shen Yao¡¯s nose and scolded him! Shen Yao, on the other hand, remained silent. Earlier, he had watched Ah Tao copse in front of him. He had no time to think, so he struggled out of bed and helped Ah Tao up. ¡°Stop scolding,¡± Shen Yao advised softly. ¡°Why don¡¯t you rest for a while? Drink some hot tea to moisten your throat before continuing to scold?¡± ¡°You...¡± Immortal Crane was furious, ¡°If there is a next time, I will definitely sit back and do nothing. Hmph!¡± ¡°Thank you, Senior!¡± Shen Yao smiled gratefully. Looking at the smile on his face, Immortal Crane felt even more displeased. He grunted sourly, then went back into the house to sleep. In the middle of the night. Shen Yao stayed by Ji Zhao¡¯s side and gently held her hand. ¡°Ah Tao, get well soon.¡± Shen Yao¡¯s fingers gently caressed her plump face, his deep voice filled with pleading. The next day, Zhao Lanhua woke up before dawn. She did not prepare the family¡¯s breakfast. Instead, she carried a bamboo basket and walked out of the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. The sky was still dark, so there was no one else around the Earth Temple. Zhao Lanhua piously knelt in front of the statue of the local god and seriously kowtowed three times. Finally, she offered incense and many pastries. ¡°Earth God, please bless that child Ah Tao to turn misfortune into fortune and be safe and sound!¡± At the same time. Shen Yao touched Ji Zhao¡¯s forehead again. After confirming that her forehead was no longer hot, he heaved a sigh of relief. This night was especially long for Ji Zhao. In her dream, she seemed to have returned to the room she had rented for many years. She saw herself sleeping in front of theputer. Just as she was puzzled and wanted to approach, a dazzling light suddenly shed, forcing her to retreat¡ª

Cough cough¡ª

¡°Ah Tao?¡± Shen Yao rushed forward when he heard her voice. ¡°Are you awake?¡± ¡°Shen Yao?¡± Hearing the familiar voice, Ji Zhao subconsciously raised her arm and rubbed her abnormally painful head. ¡°Are you still feeling unwell?¡± Shen Yao asked anxiously. ¡°Don¡¯t move first. I¡¯ll get the senior to take a look!¡± ¡°Alright, alright! There¡¯s no need for you to invite me. I¡¯m already here.¡± The Immortal Crane crossed the threshold and walked in. Without any exnation, he picked up Ji Zhao¡¯s right wrist and took her pulse seriously. ¡°Your fever has subsided, and your pulse has stabilized. However, you still have to drink the medicine for another day,¡± Immortal Crane said indifferently. However, even he did not notice the relief in his emotions. ¡°Thank you, Senior.¡± Ji Zhao forced a smile and smiled gratefully. However, her expression was still a little ugly. ¡°But Senior, I feel that my head hurts.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Immortal Crane grabbed her wrist forcefully and examined her head carefully. In the end, he did not find any wounds on it. He thought for a moment and took out silver needles from his pocket. He inserted it into the acupuncture points in her temple and behind her head. Gradually, Ji Zhao felt much more rxed. Her head was no longer so heavy. ¡°Don¡¯t think too much, and don¡¯t tire yourself out.¡± Immortal Crane warned seriously, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to get a headache, close your eyes and continue to reset. ¡°Okay.¡± Ji Zhao obediently did as she was told and immediately closed her eyes. A momentter, Immortal Crane carefully pulled out the silver needle that was inserted into her head. ¡°Is Ah Tao asleep?¡± Shen Yao quickly lowered his voice and asked carefully. ¡°Mm.¡± Immortal Crane nodded slowly. ¡°She caught a cold, causing a low fever. She needs to rest more now.¡± Shen Yao immediately nodded and swore in his heart that he would take good care of Ji Zhao. In the central room. Eldest Brother Shen lowered his head and made a deep self-reflection. ¡°If Father and Ah Tao hadn¡¯t insisted, I¡¯m afraid Second Brother would have...¡± The more Eldest Brother Shen thought about it, the more guilty he felt. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. If it weren¡¯t for me...¡± ¡°Alright, don¡¯t think too much.¡± Shen Dashan patted his shoulder andforted him gently, ¡°Fortunately, Second Brother was safe this time.¡± ¡°But Third Sister-inw is still sick!¡± The more Eldest Brother Shen thought about it, the more guilty he felt. ¡°Father, when Third Sister-inw recovers, I have to apologize to her.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the use of apologizing?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen pursed her lips angrily. Then, she took out some silver from her sleeve and handed it to the silent Zhao Lanhua. ¡°It¡¯S all thanks to Ah Tao that the shops business is thriving. Mother, these are some money that I saved up. Can you help me buy some good things to nourish Ah Tao¡¯s body?¡± ¡°I originally wanted to go by myself, but now that I¡¯m pregnant, it¡¯S not convenient for me to go out. I can only trouble you, Mother.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen expressed her attitude sincerely. ¡°Mother, actually, Eldest Brother doesn¡¯t feel good either. Last night, he didn¡¯t sleep the entire night..¡± Chapter 198 - Chapter 198: Over Chapter 198: Over At this moment, Zhao Lanhua had mixed feelings. She thought for a moment and looked up at the guilty Eldest Brother Shen. She asked softly, ¡°Son, do you really know your mistake? Then tell me, what did you do wrong? Eldest Brother Shen didn¡¯t know how to exin. ¡°I¡¯ll speak for you.¡± Zhao Lanhua thought for a moment and sighed softly. ¡°You felt that we all mobilized just because your Third Brother had a nightmare, so you didn¡¯t feel so good, right? In addition, Ah Tao insisted that you guys change paths. You didn¡¯t feel good about that either. You think your Third Brother and his wife are fooling teasing you, right? You even think that we¡¯re deliberately helping your Third Brother and his wife fool you, right? Because we firmly believe your Third Brother¡¯s nightmare, you must feel that it¡¯s ridiculous, right? ¡°If I¡¯m not wrong, you think that Father and Mother dote on your Third Brother more, right?¡± Eldest Brother Shen did not say anything because that was exactly what he was thinking. He was the eldest of the three brothers in the Shen family, but the person his parents ced their highest hopes on was his Third Brother. Especially after his third brother¡¯s leg was crippled, as the eldest brother and the person who earned the most money for the family, his personality had changed. ¡°In the early years, when the business of the shop was not good, you always had a long face when you returned home during the winter months. Your father and I saw this and were anxious, but we were afraid that you would be sad, so we didn¡¯t dare to ask too much.¡± Zhao Lanhua looked into his eyes and said earnestly, ¡°As the eldest brother of the family, you have a lot of responsibilities on your shoulders. Every year, the two of you give the most money to the family. But son, you didn¡¯t raise this family alone. All the money you gave us over the years has been saved up by me.¡± ¡°Do you know why Mother can save money? ¡°Because our family has a plot ofnd, and more importantly, your third brother is a well-known schr on the rankings, so the taxes our family pays every year are 30% less than the other farmers.¡± ¡°The reason why I¡¯m telling you this is to tell you that you and Third Brother are both my sons. Both of you are equally important to me. Your father and I are not so bored as to help your Third Brother fool you!¡± ¡°Second Brother is lucky this time, but what if you didn¡¯t have an argument at that time? If you didn¡¯t have an argument and didn¡¯t waste time on the road, wouldn¡¯t you have been able to bring Second Brother back earlier?¡± If they hadn¡¯t argued, Second Brother wouldn¡¯t have fallen into the water and almost lost his life! Ah Tao wouldn¡¯t have been so sick! ¡°Mother, I¡¯m really sorry!¡± The more he thought about it, the more guilty Eldest Brother Shen felt. He knelt on the ground with a thud. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault! I shouldn¡¯t have been so suspicious!¡± Zhao Lanhua could not help but wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes. ¡°I admit that it sounds a little ridiculous to make you guys work so hard just because of your third brother¡¯s nightmare, but son, think about it carefully. Growing up, has your third brother ever done anything ridiculous like that? If our family can¡¯t even trust each other, this family will disband sooner orter. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Get up.¡± Zhao Lanhua¡¯s heart ached as she helped Eldest Brother Shen up from the ground. ¡°It¡¯s freezing here. The ground is very cold. Don¡¯t hurt your knees from the cold.¡± ¡°Son, I¡¯m not telling you this to me you. I just want to help you untie the knot in your heart,¡± Zhao Lanhua said earnestly. ¡°This matter is over.¡± ¡°I will follow your teachings, Mother.¡± After sleeping for another morning, Ji Zhao finally woke up. She was prepared to say that she was hungry and was woken up by the fragrance in the air. ¡°It smells so good!¡± ¡°Eldest Brother and Eldest Sister-inw specially bought some bird¡¯s nest for you.¡± Shen Yao tapped the tip of her nose dotingly, then ced the pillow behind her waist. ¡°Get up and try it.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t bird¡¯s nest very expensive? Why are Eldest Brother and Eldest Sister-inw spending so much money?¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s heart ached. ¡°A tael of bird¡¯s nest can buy a lot of pork ribs!¡± ¡°Eldest Brother said that this is his apology gift.¡± Shen Yao hurriedly scooped up a spoonful of bird¡¯s nest and brought it to her lips. ¡°Mother specially stewed it for you. She even put some rock sugar in it. It should be very sweet. Try it?¡± Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t wait to eat a spoonful. In the end, her eyes lit up. ¡°It¡¯s sweet. It¡¯s better than sweet soup.¡± Ji Zhao subconsciously licked her lips. ¡°But don¡¯t let Eldest Brother spend so much money in the future. Besides, why would he give me an apology gift?¡± Shen Yao exined concisely. Ji Zhao waspletely stunned. ¡°Actually, Eldest Brother¡¯s considerations are reasonable. Isn¡¯t what Mother said a little too harsh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± Shen Yao held a handkerchief and gently wiped her lips. ¡°There¡¯s no need to think about it anymore.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± After three days of recuperation, Ji Zhao had regained herbat strength. ¡°Mother, is our family killing pigs today?¡± Ji Zhao rubbed her small hands impatiently. ¡°Can you let me make the She had not touched a kitchen knife for many days. Her hand was itchy! ¡°No problem,¡± Zhao Lanhua replied brightly. ¡°Ah Tao, actually, even if you didn¡¯t mention it, Mother would have given you this difficult task!¡± ¡°That¡¯s great. Thank you, Mother!¡± Ji Zhao immediately beamed and picked up the kitchen knife happily. ¡°Did the butchere to our house?¡± ¡°Not yet. He probably hsould be at your Aunt Guihua¡¯s house now, right?¡± Speak of the devil. Before Zhao Lanhua could finish speaking, Aunt Guihua had already sent over a fat pork trotter. ¡°Sister Lanhua, the trotter you wanted is here!¡± ¡°So soon?¡± Zhao Lanhua was also very surprised. ¡°Didn¡¯t the butcher go to your house only an hour ago? ¡°At first, it was a little difficult to settle, butter on, my brother came. With the help of another person, our work became faster.¡± Aunt Guihua exined happily. ¡°I see.¡± Zhao Lanhua nodded. ¡°Can you get Dongzi toe to my house to helpter? By the way, don¡¯t cook today. My Ah Tao will be cooking personallyter. Do you want to try it too?¡± ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Aunt Guihua couldn¡¯t wait to answer. ¡°Sister Lanhua, keep these trotters for now. I¡¯ll go back and tell them.¡± Before nine o¡¯clock, the big fat pig from the Shen family was also killed by the butcher. In the kitchen, Ji Zhao rolled up her sleeves and began to pack up the ingredients. Actually, the had another name, which was Stew Dish. The main raw ingredients came from pig blood. After chopping the pig¡¯s bloody neck intorge pieces, she cooked it and ced it in the pot. Finally, she added some dried cabbage bit by bit and added some water and seasoning. When the meat and vegetables were cooked, she poured all the blood sausages she had prepared beforehand. This was the freshest Butcher¡¯s Dish. However, Ji Zhao nned to upgrade the Butcher¡¯s Dish today.. Chapter 199 - Chapter 199: Pork Belly Chicken Chapter 199: Pork Belly Chicken Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions When it was almost noon, an alluring fragrance wafted out of the Shen family¡¯s kitchen. The moment Ji Zhao ced the prepared butcher¡¯s dish on the table in the central room, everyone looked over curiously. ¡®Ah Tao, what are you making?¡± Looking at the tworge y pots on the table, Eldest Sister-inw Shen could not help but ask curiously, ¡°This butcher¡¯s dish smells fragrant and spicy? ¡°1n order to take care of everyone¡¯s taste, I specially made two vors of the butcher¡¯s dish,¡± Ji Zhao exined with a smile. ¡°The one on the left is butcher¡¯s dish, and the one on the right is pork belly chicken.¡¯ Different tastes, but each had its own merits. Apart from that, Ji Zhao also made pot-cooked pork and ground delicacies. In short, the dishes ced on the table were fragrant and dazzling. ¡®Don¡¯t just stand there. Sit down and eat!¡± Zhao Lanhua quickly called out. ¡°Sit down, sit down. Ah Tao, you¡¯ve been busy all morning. Sit down and eat!¡± ¡®Mother, you guys eat first.¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly and exined softly, ¡°I want to give Shen Yao a bowl of pork belly chicken soup.¡¯ Looking at Ji Zhao¡¯s back, Aunt Guihua couldn¡¯t help but praise, ¡°Lanhua, you¡¯re lucky. Your three daughters-inw are all good! I¡¯m really envious!¡± ¡®Yes, I also feel very blessed. These children are very obedient. I don¡¯t have to worry at all,¡± Zhao Lanhua said happily. ¡°Sister Guihua, don¡¯t just stand there. Quickly try this pkor belly chicken soup. I¡¯m not bragging. Our Ah Tao¡¯s culinary skills are top-notch!¡± ¡®The pork belly is refreshing, and the chicken meat is fresh and tender.¡± After drinking a bowl of pork belly chicken soup, Shen Yao was full of praise. ¡°The soup is sweet and delicious.¡± ¡®Then do you want another bowl?¡± Ji Zhao asked with a smile. ¡®Of course.¡± After drinking two bowls of pork belly chicken soup in a row, Shen Yao really could not eat anymore. ¡®Ah Tao, your culinary skills are getting better and better Shen Yao praised from the bottom of his heart. ¡®Thank you for thepliment.¡± Ji Zhao narrowed her eyes and smiled gently. After the annual pig ughtering, all the vigers in Shanghe Vige began to prepare for the uing New Year. Ji Zhao was not idle either. She helped Zhao Lanhua marinate the cured meat and filled the intestines to make sausages. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of such a way of eating before.¡± Sister-inw Shen, who was helping wash the intestines, could not help but sigh. ¡°Ah Tao is still the best.¡¯ ¡®Sister-inw, this method is actually not rare. It¡¯s just that this method is a little time-consuming andborious, so no one is willing to try it.¡± Ji Zhao exined as she chopped the meat, ¡®However, the sausages after drying are really delicious. Whether it¡¯s steamed, cooked, or stir-fried, the taste won¡¯t be too bad.¡¯ ¡®After the new year, I n to try selling a portion of it in the shop.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and revealed her n. ¡°If we can sell it at a high price, we¡¯ll think of a way to expand the scale of our business.¡± ¡®Ah Tao, didn¡¯t you already open an oil extraction workshop with Young Master Qin?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen asked curiously. ¡®Ah Tao, aren¡¯t you too tired now that you¡¯ve opened a shop and started a workshop?¡± ¡®Second Sister-inw, why would it be tiring to earn money?¡± Ji Zhao could not help but smile. ¡°I have to earn more money so that I can rebuild the Earth God¡¯s golden body as soon as possible!¡± If it weren¡¯t for the Earth God¡¯s repeated reminders, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to turn misfortune into fortune and even help the Shen family. Eldest Sister-inw Shen and Second Sister-inw Shen exchanged nces at the same time. Finally, Eldest Sister-inw Shen said slowly, ¡®Ah Tao, actually, your Second Sister-inw and I have something to tell you.¡± ¡®Yes?¡± Ji Zhao raised her eyebrows in confusion. At this moment, the two sisters-inw stuffed a pouch into her arms. ¡®This is?¡± ¡®When you first married into the family, there was some unhappiness between the three of us.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen looked into Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes and said earnestly, ¡°But that¡¯s all in the past. After spending so much time together, although we¡¯re sisters-inw, our rtionship is simr to that of biological sisters.¡¯ ¡®IAS for these two pouches, one contains a gift from your second sister-inw and me. The other contains ten taels of silver. It¡¯s also the money we saved up together.¡± ¡®This? Eldest Sister-inw, Second Sister-inw, what are you doing?¡± Ji Zhao was even more confused. ¡°I don¡¯tck money!¡± ¡®Ah Tao, don¡¯t be anxious. Let Eldest Sister-inw finish speaking first.¡± Second Sister-inw Shen smiled andforted her. ¡®ording to the rules of Shanghe Vige, if there¡¯s a new wife in the family, the sister-inws in the family should give her a greeting gift. Take the silver bracelet in this pouch as our greeting gift topensate you. As for the ten taels of silver in the other pouch, it¡¯s a token of our gratitude to the Earth God.¡¯ ¡®Mother has already told us that if it weren¡¯t for the Earth God showing you a dream, your second brother wouldn¡¯t have been able to escape this cmity. Second Sister-inw Shen looked at Ji Zhao with reddened eyes. ¡°Ah Tao, thank you.¡± ¡®Ah Tao, if it weren¡¯t for you, the pastry shop wouldn¡¯t be so prosperous.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen looked at her and said sincerely, ¡°Thank you.¡¯ ¡®Eldest Sister-inw, Second Sister-inw...¡± The smile on Ji Zhao¡¯s face was as sweet as ever, but her voice involuntarily choked. ¡°1 should be the one thanking you. Thank you for for forgiving me and epting me.¡± When Zhao Lanhua walked into the kitchen, she saw her three silly daughter-inwsughing and crying. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Zhao Lanhua did not know whether tough or cry when she saw this scene. ¡®Mother!¡± The three of them shouted in unison. The atmosphere was harmonious. Time passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, Shen Yao weed his second treatment. Ji Zhao stood nervously beside the bed, not even daring to breathe loudly. Immortal Crane carefully cut the gauze wrapped around his left knee and carefully examined the wound. ¡®From the looks of it, the wound has almost healed, but the medicinal effect of the gold powder is very strong. Just in case, I think we should peel off the flesh again. If there¡¯s still rotten flesh on it, it¡¯s best to cut it off.¡± Just listening to it made Ji Zhao feel extreme pain. Shen Yao, who was lying on the bed, did not change his expression. ¡°It¡¯s all up to you, senior.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already asked your father to make a wopden stick.¡± Immortal Crane thought for a moment and picked up the extremely smooth wooden stick from the table at the side. He handed it to Shen Yao. ¡°The pain this time will definitely be stronger than thest time, so I suggest you bite the stick in case you can¡¯t withstand the pain.¡± ¡®No need.¡± Shen Yao declined with a smile. ¡®Now is not the time to put on a brave front,¡± the Immortal Crane said earnestly. ¡°Now that new flesh has grown on your knees, the reason why you could endure the pain earlier was because the flesh that wrapped around the bones had already rotted. However, it¡¯s different this time.. Do you understand?¡± Chapter 200 - Chapter 200: Master, Please Guide Me! Chapter 200: Master, Please Guide Me! Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°I understand what you mean, senior,¡± Shen Yao smiled and replied softly. ¡°Forget it. Since you insist, I will not say anything else.¡± After spending some time together, Immortal Crane understood how stubborn Shen Yao was. ¡®Shen Yao?¡± Ji Zhao gently grabbed his hand and advised softly. ¡®Ah Tao, don¡¯t be nervous.¡± Shen Yao held her hand andforted her in a low voice. ¡¯11t will really hurt...¡± Ji Zhao looked at him, her eyes red with heartache. ¡®IAS long as I hold Ah Tao¡¯s hand, it won¡¯t hurt.¡± ¡®Nonsense!¡± Ji Zhao looked at him, feeling both angry and amused. ¡°I remember that there was no sourness in breakfast today, right?¡± Immortal Crane could not help butin, ¡°Why do I feel that my teeth are sore now? ¡®Senior, if you want to eat sour food, I¡¯ll prepare more pickled vegetables tomorrow morning,¡± Ji Zhao added with a red face. ¡®No, I don¡¯t like sour food.¡¯ After a round of banter, the atmosphere was not as stiff as before. The moment the sharp de cut through his flesh again, Shen Yao closed his eyes in pain. The painsted for an hour. ¡®IAS I expected, the medicinal effect of the Gold Powder is notpletely clear, so new rotten flesh has appeared on your wound,¡± Immortal Crane exined as he removed the rotten flesh, ¡°But from the range of the rotten flesh, the medicinal powder I usedst time has already taken effect.¡± ¡®Girl, bring me the purple bottle in my medicine box.¡¯ Ji Zhao quickly went to get it. ¡°Senior, is this it?¡± It was a dark purple bottle that looked like a small gourd. It looked very precious. ¡®Yeah.¡¯ Immortal Crane nodded slightly. ¡°Pour out the pills inside and hand them to Ji Zhao immediately did as she was told. At that moment, the rose-red pill that was the size of a fingernail actually had a faint fragrance. ¡®Senior, this pill smells so good.¡± ¡®This is a fragrance-condensing pill that¡¯s hard toe by even with a thousand gold coins,¡± Immortal Crane exined in a deep voice. ¡°It took hundreds of medicinal herbs and the once-in-a-hundred-years Heavenly God Snow Lotus to refine such a fragrance-condensing pill.¡¯ Immortal Crane crushed the fragrance-condensing pill and smeared it evenly on the wound on Shen Yao¡¯s left knee. Then, he carefully cleaned the wound and bandaged him again. At that moment, Shen Yao was already sweating profusely. But he was still awake. Immortal Crane had to admit, he admired his determination. ¡°Take good care of yourself from now on. If nothing unexpected happens, you¡¯ll be able to walk after the Lantern Festival.¡± The Immortal Crane washed the blood off his hands and reminded him seriously, ¡°When you can walk, don¡¯t be too anxious. In the first half a month, you just have to walk around in this room. Every time you walk, you can¡¯t walk for more than fifteen minutes.¡± ¡®Later, I¡¯ll prepare some medicine for you. The ointment on the outside will be changed every day, and the internal medicine needs to be drunken twice a day. You can stop using it after the Lantern Festival.¡¯ ¡®Have you memorized everything?¡± ¡®Got it.¡± Ji Zhao nodded vigorously. ¡®Girl, the pork jerky you madest time and thentern shadow shredded beef are not bad. Prepare some more for me.¡¯ ¡®Senior, are you preparing to leave?¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly asked after understanding the meaning behind his words. ¡®Yeah.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s almost the end of the year. It¡¯s time for me to go home,¡± Immortal Crane said with a smile. ¡°Girl, I¡¯m in a good mood today. Go and gather all the vigers of Shanghe Vige. I¡¯ll be merciful today and take everyone¡¯s pulse.¡± ¡®Senior, are you serious? ¡°When have I ever lied to you? Ji Zhao dashed forward. When the vigers heard the news, they consciously formed a long line outside the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. After Shen Yao took the medicine and fell asleep, Ji Zhao immediately took a brush and paper and stood obediently beside Immortal Crane. ¡®There are four words to treat a patient: look, hear, ask, and feel.¡± Immortal Crane took the vigers¡¯ pulses and exined, ¡°The so-called look refers to looking at theirplexion; the so-called hear refers to listening to their breathing; the so-called asking refers to asking about symptoms; the so-called feel refers to feeling their pulse.¡¯ ¡®The most difficult part of these four words is the word ¡®feel¡¯. The incision is to ce your finger on the patient¡¯s wrist and carefully check the patient¡¯s pulse.¡± Immortal Crane continued, ¡°As a doctor, you have to learn how to feel the pulse. Only by checking the changes in the pulse can you distinguish the strength and weakness of the internal organs.¡± ¡®Normal pulses are pulses in the three parts of the body. They don¡¯t float, sink, rush, or stagger. They are calm, gentle, and powerful. They are fluent, uniform, and rhythmic. They beat four to five times in a breath. This is called a t pulse.¡± Ji Zhao listened attentively and carefully memorized everything Immortal Crane said. Unknowingly , it was already dusk. Immortal Crane was also a little tired and yawned tiredly. ¡®Girl, didn¡¯t you want to take me as your master earlier?¡± The Immortal Crane could not help but raise his eyebrows after reading the notes she had recorded. ¡°1¡¯11 give you a chance since you¡¯re so serious and studious.¡± ¡®Master, please guide me!¡± Ji Zhao said excitedly. ¡®Girl, it¡¯s too early to call me Master now! I have a list of medicinal herbs here. It records hundreds of medicinal herbs with extreme effects. If you can finish memorizing this book before I leave tomorrow, I¡¯ll take you in as my disciple.¡± Immortal Crane picked up a thick book from the medicine box on the table and handed it to her. ¡®Okay!¡± Ji Zhao readily agreed. After the family had dinner, Ji Zhao returned to the house with the list of medicinal herbs. At that time, Shen Yao had just woken up. ¡®Shen Yao, do you have any good ideas?¡± Ji Zhao raised the book aggrievedly. ¡°I¡¯ve been reading it for an hour and my head is buzzing. There are some medicinal herbs in this book that I¡¯ve never heard of.¡± ¡®The medical books are difficult to understand.¡± Shen Yaoforted her gently. ¡°1f Ah Tao really can¡¯t memorize them, why force yourself?¡± ¡®Tm really interested in studying medicine, but I don¡¯t seem to have the talent for it.¡± Ji Zhao simply copsed in her chair andughed at herself. ¡®But Ah Tao is very talented in cooking,¡± Shen Yao praised softly. ¡°There are shorings and strengths. Ah Tao, you have to learn to look at your own strengths.¡± ¡®That¡¯s true.¡± Ji Zhao regained some confidence at the mention of her cooking talent. ¡°Unfortunately, medical books and recipes are still different.¡¯ ¡®Recipe?¡± Shen Yao frowned thoughtfully. ¡°Ah Tao, do you mean that if the medical book in your hand is a recipe, you¡¯re very likely to memorize it?¡± ¡®Of course!¡± Ji Zhao puffed out her chest confidently. ¡°I love reading recipes the most, and I can read ten lines at a nce!¡± ¡°1n that case, let¡¯s turn this medical book in your hand into a recipe together. Shen Yao smiled faintly. He already had an idea in his heart. ¡®Actually, many medicinal herbse from the same source. They¡¯re both medicinal herbs and ingredients.¡± Looking at Ji Zhao¡¯s nk gaze, Shen Yao exined patiently, ¡°For example, lilies, lotus seeds, or potato orchids.. These can be used as medicine and cooked, right?¡± Chapter 201 - Chapter 201: Alright, I ’ll Listen to Mother! Chapter 201: Alright, I ¡®ll Listen to Mother! Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Hearing Shen Yao¡¯s exnation, Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes lit up! ¡®That¡¯s right.¡± Ji Zhao snapped her fingers happily and praised from the bottom of her heart, ¡°Shen Yao, you¡¯re too amazing! Herbs and foode from the same source! Amazing!¡± ¡®Ah Tao, this is not my credit. You thought of it yourself.¡± Shen Yao smiled and epted the praise. Then, he waved at her. ¡°Come over. Let¡¯s memorize it together?¡± ¡®Okay!¡± With Shen Yao¡¯s help, Ji Zhao actually memorized the list of medicinal herbs in less than four hours. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. It¡¯s time to rest,¡± Shen Yao patted the back of her hand and said gently. ¡®Mm.¡± Ji Zhao nodded obediently and said goodnight with a smile. ¡®Good night.¡± After a while, Ji Zhao fell asleep. Hearing her mutter the names of several medicinal herbs, Shen Yao could not help but smile. ¡®Ah Tao, I¡¯m so lucky to be able to marry you in this lifetime!¡± That day, when Shen Yao was ying chess with Immortal Crane, he identally found out that Ji Zhao wanted to study medicine for him. At that moment, Shen Yao¡¯s heart was moved. The Ah Tao he liked was tenacious, brave, kind, and gentle. It was a blessing for him that she could be his wife. Shen Yao kissed her cheek gently and fell asleep unknowingly. The next day. The Immortal Crane looked at the confident Ji Zhao and could not help but raise his eyebrows. ¡°You seem very confident?¡± ¡®Tm just excited at the thought of bing your disciple.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and said firmly. Immortal Crane asked about a few umon medicinal herbs, and Ji Zhao actually answered all of them correctly. ¡¯11t seems that I must take in this female disciple!¡± ¡®Ji Zhao greets Master!¡± Ji Zhao, who was facing Immortal Crane, immediately knelt down and eagerly served a cup of hot tea. Immortal Crane epted the cup of tea with a kind smile and took a sip. ¡®Good tea!¡± Immortal Crane took out a circr jade pendant engraved with a koi pattern and handed it to Ji Zhao. ¡°Since you¡¯ve already taken me as your master, this jade pendant is a gift I¡¯ve prepared for you. I¡¯ve been used to being idle all these years. You¡¯re the only disciple I have now.¡± ¡®Ji Zhao will follow Master¡¯s teachings.¡± ¡®The list of medicinal herbs you memorized is a medical book that I have beenpiling for many years.¡± Immortal Crane thought for a moment and took out another medical book from the medicine box at the side. ¡°These are prescriptions worth a thousand gold coins. Take a look at it when you¡¯re free. If nothing goes wrong, I will look for you again next year in the third month of spring. At that time, I will teach you acupuncture.¡± ¡®Alright.¡± Ji Zhao took the book solemnly and nodded obediently. ¡®Ah Tao, studying medicine isn¡¯t something that can be done in a day. Since you¡¯ve decided to take me as your master, I¡¯ll give you a mission now.¡± ¡®Master, please instruct me!¡± ¡®During the time I spent in the Shen family, I¡¯ve been walking around in my free time. There are many natural herbs on the nearby mountains and rivers. I want you to gather 49 different herbs before March next year. Moreover, you have to mark the appearance, growth conditions, and effects of these herbs one by one. When I see you again, I hope you can submit this homework. Can you do it?¡± ¡®Master, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t disappoint you!¡± Ji Zhao promised with a firm gaze. ¡®Good,¡± Immortal Crane gently nodded, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, it¡¯s time for me to leave.¡± ¡®Master, today is a good day. Why don¡¯t you leave after lunch?¡± Ji Zhao invited sincerely. ¡°I¡¯ll cook personally and make a table full of good dishes!¡± ¡®No hurry, no hurry.¡± Immortal Crane waved his hand. ¡°This apprenticeship banquet can wait until we meet again.¡±¡® The Immortal Crane insisted on leaving. Ji Zhao tried to persuade him to stay but failed. She stood outside the Shen family¡¯s courtyard and watched the carriage leave. She actually felt a little reluctant. Shen Yao looked at her resting her chin on her hands on the table and could not help but call out, ¡°Ah Tao?¡± ¡®Yes?¡± ¡®Are you alright?¡± Shen Yao asked with concern. ¡®Tm fine. I just feel a little disappointed.¡± Ji Zhao shrugged weakly and forced a smile. ¡°Actually, in the beginning, I felt that Master¡¯s temper was especially bad, but after interacting with him for a long time, I realized that Master is actually quite good. He¡¯s just an old man with an awkward temper, but he¡¯s actually especially kind.¡¯ ¡®Shen Yao, you don¡¯t know, but everyone says that Master is especially good. Not only did Master take everyone¡¯s pulse for free, but he also gave medicine to the old elders in the vige for free.¡± ¡®Parting is for a better reunion.¡± Shen Yao smiled andforted her. ¡°Ah Tao, you don¡¯t have to feel sad. Since Senior has already epted you as his disciple, he will definitelye and look for you in the future.¡± ¡°1 understand.¡± Ji Zhao smiled. ¡°By the way, Master gave me a mission before he left. When you recover, you canplete this mission with me, okay?¡± ¡®Okay,¡± Shen Yao agreed happily. As the new year approached, every family in Shanghe Vige began to prepare for the uing new year. The Shen family was even more lively. Shen Dashan brought Eldest Brother Shen and Second Brother Shen to the reservoir near Xiahe Vige and bought a lot of fresh ck carp. One of the fat fish immediately caught Ji Zhao¡¯s attention. ¡®Ah Tao, do you think this is enough?¡± Zhao Lanhua cried as she cut the chili. ¡®This chili is too strong!¡± ¡®Mother, let me do it.¡± After simply marinating the big fish head, Ji Zhao smiled and took the kitchen knife from Zhao Lanhua. ¡®Coincidentally, Second Brother You got someone to send over a lot of peppers a few days ago, so I thought I¡¯d make a double pepper fish head for lunch today.¡± Ji Zhao exined with a smile, ¡®Didn¡¯t Big Brother and Second Brother want to eat some spicy dishes?¡± ¡®Those two brats always say that my dishes are a little nd.¡± Zhao Lanhua stuffed firewood into the stove as she said angrily, ¡°Ah Tao, remember to put more peppers. It¡¯s best if you can make those two brats cry from the spiciness!¡± ¡®Alright, I¡¯ll listen to you!¡¯ When Ji Zhao brought the te of fish head with double peppers to the table, Eldest Brother Shen and Second Brother Shen were stunned¡ª The colorful peppers were so spicy that it made one¡¯s head spin just by looking at them! ¡®Try it?¡± Zhao Lanhua said with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s not like you don¡¯t know Ah Tao¡¯s cooking. The taste of this dish is definitely not bad!¡± In the end, Eldest Brother Shen braced himself and picked up a piece of fish. After putting it into his mouth, his eyes instantly lit up! In the end, not even a single pepper was left on the te.. Chapter 202 - Chapter 202: It Seems...a Little Sweet? Chapter 202: It Seems...a Little Sweet? Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°It¡¯s bitter, right?¡± Seeing Shen Yao finish the bowl of ck medicine in one gulp, Ji Zhao could not help but frown. ¡°Do you want a candied date?¡± Shen Yao smiled and shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not bitter. ¡®Did you drink too much bitter medicine? Is that why your taste buds are out of whack?¡± Ji Zhao asked with concern. ¡°Just now, the medicine smelled so bitter.¡± Ji Zhao silently leaned forward, wanting to see if there were any changes to his tongue. At this moment, Shen Yao suddenly wrapped his arms around her neck and kissed her lips. A momentter, Ji Zhao, who was dizzy from the kiss, waspletely stunned. ¡¯11t seems... a little sweet?¡± ¡®Ah Tao, you¡¯re so cute.¡± Shen Yao looked at her adorable expression and could not help but raise his hand to gently tap the tip of her nose. ¡®That shouldn¡¯t be the case. I¡¯ve read the prescription several times. Some of the medicinal herbs on it have a bitter taste. Why does it seem sweet after being brewed into medicine?¡± ¡®Ah Tao, did you brew this medicine yourself?¡± ¡®Yes.¡± Ji Zhao nodded silently. ¡°1 understand.¡± Shen Yao looked into her eyes and said seriously, ¡®Because Ah Tao brewed it herself, this medicine is filled with Ah Tao¡¯s feelings. Is that why it¡¯s sweet?¡± Pftt¡ª Ji Zhao was amused. ¡°1 suddenly feel myself cringing. What about you? ¡°Indeed, I¡¯m not used to it.¡± Shen Yao could not help butugh. The moment their eyes met, theyughed again. ¡°What are you two talking about? Why are you so happy?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen held her bulging stomach and knocked on the door. ¡®Eldest Sister-inw?¡± Ji Zhao quickly turned around and helped her into the house. ¡°It¡¯s cold outside. Why aren¡¯t you resting in your room? ¡°1 sleep after I eat, eat after I sleep. Sinceing home, my face became several times rounder!¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen could not help butin. ¡®Ah Tao, actually, I came to look for you to ask you something.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡®This morning, I heard from my parents that Pomegranate Vige is really going to merge with Shanghe Vige. Thisnd will definitely have to be redistributed.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen looked into Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes and said sincerely, ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t mean anything else. I just saw Chenchen when I was eating just now.¡± ¡°1 heard from mother that Chenchen is very obedient and sensible. But I remember that Chenchen¡¯s household registration hasn¡¯t beenpletely moved to our house, right?¡± Sister-inw Shen kindly reminded her. ¡°Ah Tao, if you hope that Chenchen can participate in the imperial examination in the future, wouldn¡¯t the household registration need to be changed?¡± Ji Zhao really hadn¡¯t thought of this. ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, thank you. If you hadn¡¯t reminded me, I wouldn¡¯t have thought of this.¡± ¡®You¡¯re just too busy. You have to run a shop and help with the oil-extraction workshop. How could you think of this?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen took a sip of milk tea and said, ¡°However, Chenchen is from Pomegranate Vige. Logically speaking, the Ji family¡¯s previous fields and assets should be transferred to his name.¡¯ ¡®Ah Tao, I think you should settle thend and assets under Ji Chen¡¯s name before the two viges merge. After all, he¡¯s the only bloodline of thete Old Master Ji.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Ji Zhao nodded slightly. ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, thank you so much.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ve already said that we¡¯re family. You don¡¯t have to be so polite.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen quickly waved her hand. ¡®Alright, I can¡¯t sit still anymore. I have to go back and lie down to rest. By the way, you said earlier that we¡¯ll eat fish with pickled vegetables tonight, right?¡± ¡®Yes.¡± Ji Zhao nodded obediently. ¡°There¡¯s still more than half of the big fish left, so Mother and I discussed making pickled fish hotpot tonight.¡¯ ¡®Okay!¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen narrowed her eyes happily. ¡°Ah Tao, your dishes are too delicious!¡± Ji Zhao epted thepliment with a smile. The afternoon sun was warm and warm. The snow covering the eaves gradually melted into water and fell down bit by bit. The icicles hanging upside down on the roof emitted a dazzling light under the refraction of the sunlight. When it was almost 1 pm, Ji Chen came to Ji Zhao¡¯s room and called out obediently, ¡°Sister?¡± ¡®Are you cold?¡± Ji Zhao put a fluffy gray hat on Ji Chen¡¯s little head and asked gently. ¡°1 have a hat. I¡¯m not cold.¡± Ji Chen shook his head obediently. ¡®Good boy!¡± Ji Zhao rubbed his cheek dotingly, and the smile on her face became even sweeter. Looking at the warm interaction between the siblings, Shen Yao raised his eyebrows gently and reminded softly, ¡°Ah Tao, Chenchen,e home early.¡± ¡®Don¡¯t worry.¡± Ji Zhao waved at him in an extremely carefree manner. Then, she held Ji Chen¡¯s hand and walked out of the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. At that moment, Eldest Brother Shen had already prepared on the carriage. ¡®Third Sister-inw, Chenchen, are you ready? Hurry up and get in the carriage.¡± ¡®Thank you, Big Brother!¡± ¡®Ah Tao, I should be the one thanking you. Earlier.. ¡°It¡¯s all in the past,¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll have to trouble youter! The snow on the road has just melted. If we walk, we¡¯ll definitely wet our shoes. It¡¯s all thanks to your foresight that you rented a carriage to go home.¡± ¡°I was afraid that the snowy road would be slippery and the ox cart would be too bumpy, so I rented a carriage to bring your sister-inw back. I didn¡¯t expect it to reallye in handy.¡± Eldest Brother Shen scratched the back of his head and smiled foolishly. ¡®That¡¯s why I said big brother knows best!¡±Ji Zhao smiled and praised him. ¡°But it¡¯s gettingte. Big brother, let¡¯s set off now? I want to take Chenchen to burn incense for Grandfather first before returning to Pomegranate Vige.¡¯ ¡®Okay, get in the carriage!¡± In less than an hour, Ji Zhao had already brought Ji Chen to Old Master Ji¡¯s grave. ¡°1f the ground is cold, don¡¯t kneel.¡± Ji Zhao stopped Ji Chen, who was about to kneel, and sighed. ¡°Grandfather will understand.¡± Ji Chen did not say anything. Instead, he obediently squatted beside Ji Zhao. After lighting the paper money, Ji Zhao ced the roasted chicken and pastries that she had prepared in advance in front of Old Master Jits grave. Her eyes were red as she sobbed. ¡°Grandfather, Chenchen and I came to see you.¡± A cold wind blew, and the weeds on both sides of the grave swayed gently. ¡®Grandfather, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take good care of Chenchen in the future.¡± Ji Zhao wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and said softly, ¡°Besides, Chenchen is bing more and more obedient. He speaks much more nimbly than before. By the way, Chenchen knows how to memorize poems!¡± The siblings lingered in front of the tomb for a while before leaving reluctantly. ¡®Sister, don¡¯t cry.¡± In the carriage, Ji Chen suddenly held Ji Zhao¡¯s hand and said softly.. Chapter 203 - Chapter 203: This Is Really Great! Chapter 203: This Is Really Great! Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡®My good Chenchen.¡± Ji Zhao smiled. ¡®Sister didn¡¯t cry.¡± ¡®Your eyes are red,¡± Ji Chen pointed at her eyes and whispered. Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but curl her lips as she said in a low voice, ¡°Perhaps the sand has blinded my eyes? Ji Chen did not say anything else, but his eyes were still filled with worry as he looked at Ji Zhao. Ji Zhao leaned against the carriage and closed her eyes to rest. Earlier, in front of the old man¡¯s grave, she suddenly felt very depressed. If she was not wrong, that sudden sadness should be the true feelings hidden in the Host¡¯s heart, right? After all, the Host¡¯s life was too tragic and dark, but Old Master Ji was a glimmer of light that shone into the Host¡¯s tragic and dark life. When the carriage stopped again, they had already arrived at the Earth Temple. During the Laba Festival, Shen Dashan made the decision to let the craftsmen take a break and start work after the Lantern Festival. However, the Earth God in front of him waspletely different from before. The main hall with the statue of the Earth God had already been repaired. Ji Zhao piously knelt in front of the statue of the Earth God and seriously kowtowed three times. ¡®Earth God, please forgive me. I¡¯ve been too busy recently and couldn¡¯te to pay my respects to you often.¡± Ji Zhao immediately took out a te of Dongpo pork and two pastries from the basket behind her and ced them on the shrine tform. ¡°A few days ago, my family had the annual pig ughter, so I specially left the fattest piece of pork for you to try!¡± ¡®After the new year, I will continue to earn money and strive to mold a golden body for you as soon as possible!¡± When the three of them returned to the Shen family¡¯s courtyard, it was alreadyte. Ji Zhao, who was about to go to the kitchen to make dinner, was chased out by Zhao Lanhua. ¡®Girl, you¡¯ve been busy all day. Aren¡¯t you tired? Go back to your room and rest. I¡¯ll call you when I¡¯m done cooking dinner!¡± ¡®Mother, I¡¯m really not tired. Can I help?¡± ¡®Go back to your room. Third Brother is still waiting for you!¡¯ Helpless, Ji Zhao could only turn around and return to her room. When she walked into the back room, her eyes widened in surprise. Her hands could not help but cover her mouth, her face filled with disbelief! Because she saw¡ª Shen Yao held onto the bed and stood up! ¡®You...¡± ¡®Ah Tao?¡± Shen Yao looked at the expression on her face and smiled gently. Then, he walked towards her step by step! ¡®Ah Tao, you¡¯re back.¡± Shen Yao ced his hand on her shoulder and helped her sweep away the snowkes on her shoulder. ¡®Shen Yao, you can stand up? No, you can walk? No, how can you walk? Didn¡¯t Master say that you can only walk slowly after the 15th?¡± The excited Ji Zhao was already incoherent! ¡°I just wanted to give it a try. I didn¡¯t expect to be able to walk so quickly.¡± Shen Yao looked down at her and said gently, ¡°I think Ah Tao must have passed on her good luck to me, right?¡± ¡®This is great!¡± Ji Zhao smiled brightly at him, but her eyes were clearly sparkling with tears. Shen Yao¡¯s heart ached as he wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. Just as he was about to kiss her lips, Ji Zhao suddenly squatted down¡ª ¡°I have to see if the wound on your knee has healed. Also, we have to observe if there are any signs of bleeding on this bandage!¡¯ Shen Yao, who missed, suddenly felt a little disappointed. ¡®Master has already instructed that even if you can stand up, you can¡¯t be too anxious. Shen Yao, lie back down first!¡± Ji Zhao helped him to the bed and forced him to lie down. ¡°Quick, lie down!¡± Shen Yao did as he was told and held his forehead helplessly. ¡®Ah Tao, you really don¡¯t have to be so nervous. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± If he wasn¡¯tpletely confident, how would he dare to stand up? Actually, two days ago, when Ah Tao was not in the house, he could already stand up. He originally wanted to give her a surprise today, but now it seemed that she was more frightened? At this moment, Ji Zhao had already rolled up the bottom of his pants and was carefully examining the bandage. After confirming that there was no blood on the bandage, Ji Zhao heaved a sigh of relief. ¡®Thank god!¡± ¡®Ah Tao, don¡¯t be so nervous.¡± Seeing the sweat on her forehead, Shen Yao¡¯s heart ached even more. He quickly raised his hand and wiped the sweat on her forehead. ¡®How can I not be nervous!¡± Ji Zhao pouted angrily and said, ¡°You really scared me just now. It wasn¡¯t easy for Master to cure your leg injury... ¡®Silly Ah Tao.¡± Shen Yao suddenly pinched her cheek. His gentle tone was filled with gentleness. He suddenly approached her and kissed her lips gently. ¡®Chenchen said that you¡¯re not happy today?¡± ¡®Yes.¡± Ji Zhao leaned into his arms and gently closed her eyes. Her voice was even more muffled. ¡°When I paid my respects to Grandfather, I felt a little sad.¡± Shen Yao¡¯s palm gently stroked her soft hair, silentlyforting her. For some reason, as long as shey in Shen Yao¡¯s arms, Ji Zhao¡¯s emotions would miraculously calm down. In the end, she actually fell asleep¡ª However, in her sleep, she had another strange dream. When she brought Ji Chen back to Pomegranate Vige to deal with the Ji family¡¯s fields, Ji Huai actually appeared again! He even said that Chenchen was a bastard and that Chenchen was not a child of the Ji family at all! What was worse was that they actually kidnapped Chenchen and threw him into a deserted mountain pass. Everyone in the Shen family, including the entire Shanghe Vige, had gone to look for him. Unfortunately, they could not find Chenchen even after searching the entire Jiming Mountain. They also heard the howling of wild wolves on the mountain! ¡®Ah Tao, your brother must have been eaten by a wild wolf, right?¡± ¡®That¡¯s right, Ah Tao. The vigers have been searching for a day and night, but they haven¡¯t found your brother!¡± ¡°1n this deep mountain, there are many wolves, tigers, and leopards. Perhaps your brother has already...¡± ¡®Ah Tao, my condolences!¡± No!!! Ah Tao shouted at the top of her lungs and suddenly sat up on the bed! ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Shen Yao, who was reading, was also shocked by Ji Zhao¡¯smotion. ¡®Shen Yao, Ji Zhao was about to speak when she felt a sharp pain in her throat. It was so painful that she kept coughing and saw stars! Shen Yao hurriedly handed her the tea on the table beside him. ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious. Drink some water to moisten your throat first.¡± Ji Zhao held the cup of tea and took a sip. However, the hands holding the teacup were still trembling uncontrobly! ¡®Did you have another nightmare?¡± Shen Yao asked softly as he wiped her sweat. ¡®Mm.¡± Ji Zhao weakly closed her eyes and gently nodded. The reason why she cried out in surprise just now was because a skeleton that had been eaten by a jackal shed in front of her¡ª Chapter 204 - Chapter 204: Uncontrollable Chapter 204: Uncontroble Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions When she thought of the nightmare just now, Ji Zhao felt suffocated. Shen Yao patted her back gently andforted her in a low voice, ¡°Ah Tao, don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m here.¡¯ These simple words actually miraculously calmed Ji Zhao¡¯s emotions. She leaned into Shen Yao¡¯s arms and listened to his steady and strong heartbeat. She finally calmed downpletely. ¡®Are you feeling better?¡± After a moment, Shen Yao rubbed her shoulder and asked softly. ¡®Yeah.¡¯ Ji Zhao forced a smile. ¡°I just... had a terrible nightmare, so I was scared awake.¡± ¡®Don¡¯t be afraid. Dreams and reality are the opposite.¡± Shen Yao kissed her forehead, his deep voice filled with gentleness. ¡°Be good and sleep. I¡¯ll be with you.¡± -Okay.¡± The two of themy down together. Ji Zhao nestled in his arms and unknowingly fell asleep again¡ª She slept peacefully in thetter half of the night. She only woke up when the sky was bright. The moment she opened her eyes, she saw Shen Yao¡¯s sleeping face. His face was very close, his eyebrows were very thick, and his nose bridge was very straight. More importantly, his lips seemed to be glowing seductively at this moment. To be fair, Shen Yao was very handsome. After all, Shen Dashan and Zhao Lanhua were both outstanding-looking people. The three Shen brothers were all very good-looking. However, Shen Yao was still the most good-looking because he had gathered all the good points of his parents. Unexpectedly, Ji Zhao suddenly stretched out her left index finger and tapped the tip of his nose. Then, she slowly moved down andnded on his lips¡ª Ji Zhao stared at him and smiled foolishly. Just as she was about to approach him, she suddenly felt a moist touch on her index finger. It was numb like an electric current. Only then did she realize that Shen Yao had already bitten her index finger! ¡®You...¡± Ji Zhao retracted her finger in a panic and blushed nervously. ¡®Ah Tao.¡± ¡®Yes?¡± Before she could react, Shen Yao had already leaned forward and kissed her lips fiercely¡ª He was like a bee that had been looking for honey for a long time suddenly discovering a rose¡ª That forceful kiss was filled with aggression and suppression! It was not until his handnded on her shoulder that Ji Zhao suddenly woke up! She pushed Shen Yao away in a panic and stammered, ¡°I haven¡¯t rinsed my mouth...¡± Then, like a gust of wind, she quickly got off the bed. Looking at her hurried and flustered back, Shen Yao could not help but smile. Deep in his heart, he vaguely felt a little disappointed. Although he and Ah Tao were already connected, they were still not a real couple... Actually, he had already woken up before Ah Tao woke up. He pretended to close his eyes to rest because he wanted to see Ah Tao¡¯s reaction. As for the kiss that followed, it waspletely uncontroble. However, judging from Ah Tao¡¯sst reaction, he seemed to have frightened her. After walking out of the room, Ji Zhao still felt her face burning. Actually, she did not reject Shen Yao¡¯s intimacy with her. She was even looking forward to it¡ª However, Shen Yao¡¯s leg had yet to fully recover. She wanted to wait for him to recover before taking it step by step with him. When Zhao Lanhua walked into the kitchen, Ji Zhao was standing in front of the stove in a daze. What was even stranger was that she kept pping her own face. ¡®Ah Tao, what are you doing? Why did you p your own face? Doesn¡¯t it hurt?¡± ¡®Mother?¡± Ji Zhao subconsciously turned around and grinned foolishly. ¡°Why are you up so early?¡± ¡®The sly is already bright.¡± Zhao Lanhua pointed at the sky outside the door and asked nkly, ¡°Why are you in the kitchen so early? Are you hungry?¡± ¡®Mother, what are we eating this morning?¡± Ji Zhao quickly changed the topic with a smile. ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± ¡®Dough drop soup!¡± Ji Zhao answered without hesitation. ¡®Child, do you like to drink dough drop soup that much?¡± ¡®Because Mother¡¯s dough drop soup is super delicious!¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile. ¡®Alright, then let¡¯s eat dough drop soup this morning!¡± Zhao Lanhua, who was overjoyed from being coaxed, smiled happily. ¡®Mother, you make the dough drop soup. I¡¯ll make some fried buns!¡± ¡®Sure!¡¯ The mother-inw and daughter-inw chatted while making delicious breakfast. After a while, another fragrance wafted out of the Shen family¡¯s kitchen. ¡®The Dashan family must have cooked something delicious again! This taste is too fragrant!¡± ¡®Look at how greedy you are.¡± Ji Guihua nced at her man angrily. In the past, in winter, her man would not wake up untilte in the morning! These two days, he woke up very early! Her man was awakened by the fragrance of the breakfast next door! However, Ji Guihua had always been on good terms with her neighbor, Zhao Lanhua, so she cleverly filled arge pot of soy milk from home and went to the Shen family¡¯s house at the right time. In the end, she sessfully brought back a total of eight fried buns! Looking at her man eating with a satisfied expression, Ji Guihua couldn¡¯t help butugh. At this moment, the Shen family was also happy and harmonious. Especially the moment Shen Yao slowly walked into the central room, everyone except Ji Zhao was stunned! ¡®Third Brother? You... you¡¯ve recovered?¡± Shen Dashan, who was eating a bun, looked at his youngest son who was standing upright in front of him in disbelief. Unknowingly, his eyes turned red! ¡°Father, Mother, my leg has recovered.¡± Shen Yao smiled and said this short sentence gently. However, these words carried a lot of weight! ¡®That¡¯s great! That¡¯s great!¡± Zhao Lanhua was extremely excited and hurriedly went forward. ¡®Third Brother, take two more steps? Two more steps for Mother to see? Shen Yao smiled and nodded obediently. Then, he took a few more steps in the central room in front of his family. ¡®That¡¯s great!¡± ¡®Third Brother has finally recovered!¡± ¡®Mother, should we burn incense for Bodhisattva tomorrow? ¡°Father, Mother, Eldest Brother, Eldest Sister-inw, Second Brother, Second Sister-inw.¡± Shen Yao sat at the square table and called out to them one by one. Then, he said with a serious expression, ¡°I want to pick up my textbooks again and give myself another chance to participate in the imperial examination.¡¯ ¡®Good!¡± Shen Dashan was the first to p and cheer. ¡®That¡¯s how it should be!¡± ¡®Third Brother, go ahead and study. I¡¯ll take good care of you at home!¡± Eldest Brother Shen patted his chest and promised seriously. ¡®[Thank you, Eldest Brother.¡± Shen Yao looked at everyone and said seriously, ¡®[Ever since my leg was injured, I haven¡¯t been able to recover. In the past three years, thanks to the care of my parents, brothers, and sisters-inw, I was able to gradually untie the knot in my heart.¡± In the end, Shen Yao¡¯s gazended on Ji Zhao¡¯s face. He promised word by word, ¡°I want to participate in the imperial examination again. I want to marry Ah Tao again on the day of the honor roll in the future Chapter 205 - Chapter 205: I’m Blowing His Eyes! Chapter 205: I¡¯m Blowing His Eyes! Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Shen Yao¡¯s voice was soft, but every word he said carried a lot of weight. ¡®Third Brother, don¡¯t worry and go to school!¡± Shen Dashan said slowly, ¡°As for the family matters, you don¡¯t have to worry. Your mother and I will arrange everything!¡± ¡®Okay!¡± The 23rd of 12th month was a good day for everyone in the Shen family to celebrate. Because Shen Yao hadpletely be free of the title of Cripple Shen! However, under Ji Zhao¡¯s strong request, after Shen Yao finished his breakfast, hey on the bed again. ¡°1 can understand your eagerness,¡± Ji Zhao looked into his eyes and advised seriously, ¡°But before Master left, he specially instructed you that even if you can walk now, you can¡¯t be too stubborn!¡± ¡®How about this? From now on, other than eating, you can only get out of bed and walk for 15 minutes every day. When you can remove the bandage, you can move freely! ¡® Looking at Ah Tao¡¯s serious expression, Shen Yao smiled. ¡°What are youughing at?¡± ¡®Nothing.¡± Shen Yao shook his head gently. ¡°I was just wondering if Ah Tao is very nervous about me.¡± ¡®Who? Who¡¯s worried about you?¡± Ji Zhao suddenly straightened her neck and awkwardly avoided his passionate gaze. I¡¯m just afraid that if you don¡¯t listen, Master will be angry!¡¯ ¡®Ah Tao, can youe over here?¡± ¡®No way!¡± ¡°I feel a little pain in my leg.¡± Shen Yao suddenly frowned and pretended to be ufortable. ¡®Where? Where does it hurt?¡± Ji Zhao rushed forward and was about to check carefully¡ª Shen Yao had already wrapped his arm around her waist! ¡®And you said you weren¡¯t worried about me? Huh?¡± His warm breathnded on her neck, making her shiver uncontrobly. What was even more unbearable was that Shen Yao¡¯s tone was suddenly filled with ambiguity. Like a light feather, itnded silently on her heart. It looked calm, but in fact, ripples had already appeared. ¡®You? Were you lying to me just now?¡± Ji Zhao puffed up her cheeks angrily. She clenched her fists and punched his chest hard! Shen Yao quickly grabbed her fist and kissed her. Ji Zhao slowly released her small fist. Just as the two of them were entwined... ¡®Sister, Brother-inw?¡± Ji Chen, who was standing outside the door, called out. Ji Zhao slowly pushed Shen Yao away, but because she was too anxious, she identally bumped into his forehead. She immediately gasped in pain. ¡®Are you alright?¡± Shen Yao was extremely nervous. Just as he was about to check her forehead, Ji Zhao avoided him! ¡®Chenchen, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly turned around and walked to Ji Chen. Seeing Ji Chen¡¯s confused look, Ji Zhao hurriedly exined, ¡°Just now... Just now, there was a flying insect in your brother-inw¡¯s eye. I was helping him blow his eye!¡± ¡®IA flying insect?¡± Ji Chen silently pointed at Ji Zhao¡¯s mouth. ¡°Sister¡¯s mouth is red. Did the insect bite you? Ji Zhao¡¯s face turned even redder. She nodded in a muffled voice. ¡°That¡¯s right. It was bitten by a bug!¡¯ Shen-bug-Yao: I¡¯m confused? When did he be a bug? ¡®Sister, look?¡± Ji Chen excitedly handed a painting to Ji Zhao. It was a very simple but beautiful painting with many people drawn on it. After some identification, Ji Zhao finally understood that Ji Chen was drawing the siblings and the entire Shen family. He had even drawn the baby Zhuangzhuang. However, how should she describe her younger brother¡¯s painting skills? It was very Van Gogh-like. In any case, she wouldn¡¯t be able to tell who was who if she didn¡¯t look carefully. ¡®Our Chenchen¡¯s painting is really good!¡± Ji Zhao narrowed her eyes and rubbed his little head with a kind smile. ¡°But Sister thinks that Chenchen still has a lot of room for improvement, so you must not be arrogant and impatient and study humbly, understand?¡± Ji Chen, who was praised, nodded obediently. When Ji Chen was about to leave, Ji Zhao¡¯s sharp eyes noticed the red string around his wrist! ¡°Where did thise from?¡± Ji Zhao nervously grabbed Ji Chen¡¯s arm and stared at the red string. ¡®Auntie gave it.¡± Ji Chen obediently held out his wrist. ¡°Peach pit, ward off evil spirits.¡± Ji Zhao took a closer look and realized that there was a small peach pit the size of a broad bean on the red string. The peach pit was carved into the shape of a basket. It was extremely cute. However, Ji Zhao¡¯s heart sank to the bottom at this moment. The corpse fromst night¡¯s nightmare also had a red rope around the wrist. At this moment, Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t convince herself that it was just a nightmare. ¡®Sister?¡± ¡®Ah Tao?¡± Shen Yao also saw her stiff back. He hurriedly got off the bed and walked to Ji Zhao¡¯s side! If not for his quick reflexes, Ji Zhao would have already fallen to the ground! ¡®Shen Yao.¡± Ji Zhao bit her lip bitterly. ¡°So not all nightmares are the opposite of reality.¡± As smart as Shen Yao was, how could he not understand what she meant? ¡®Sister, it hurts...¡± Ji Chen couldn¡¯t help but cry out. Only then did Ji Zhao realize that she had been holding Ji Chen¡¯s wrist and had subconsciously tightened her grip. She hurriedly let go and said guiltily, ¡®Chenchen, I¡¯m sorry!¡± ¡®Sister, don¡¯t cry. It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore.¡¯ Only then did Ji Zhao realize that she had unknowingly shed tears. Shen Yao thought about it seriously and understood. ¡®Ah Tao, the nightmare hasn¡¯t happened yet. There¡¯s still a chance!¡± ¡®IA chance? His words woke her up from her dream! Only then did Ji Zhao realize that the nightmare had yet to happen! At least Ji Chen was still standing in front of her unscathed! ¡®That¡¯s right! There¡¯s still a chance!¡± Ji Zhao snapped her fingers and said excitedly. ¡°I hope that you can recite two poems before New Year¡¯s Eve. They are Zhuge Liang¡¯s ¡®Chu Shi Biao¡¯ and Li Baits ¡®The Difficulty of the Shu Road¡¯,¡± Ji Zhao reminded him seriously. ¡®Your brother-inw will teach you, so you have to stay at home obediently for the next few days. Don¡¯t go out, understand?¡± ¡®Okay!¡± Ji Zhao looked up and gave Shen Yao a deep look. In the end, she said softly, ¡°I want to go to the county city.¡± ¡®Shall I go with you?¡± ¡®No.¡± Ji Zhao shook her head. ¡°I hope you can stay at home and recuperate. Master said that you can only go out after the fifteenth.¡¯ ¡®But Ah Tao, I¡¯m worried about you.¡± ¡®Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve already thought of a solution.]¡¯ Chapter 206 - Chapter 206: She Knew She Was Very Lucky! Chapter 206: She Knew She Was Very Lucky! Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Looking at Ji Zhao¡¯s confident gaze, Shen Yao was still very worried. ¡®Ah Tao, what are your ns? Just as Ji Zhao was about to speak, she suddenly remembered that Ji Chen was still in the room. She quickly smiled and rubbed Ji Chen¡¯s head. She said gently, ¡®Chenchen, go back to your room and read first, okay?¡± Ji Chen nodded obediently. After he walked out of the room, Ji Zhao held Shen Yao¡¯s hand and sat back on the edge of the bed. She thought for a moment, dipped her finger in some tea, and wrote a word on the smooth table. Shen Yao was very surprised when he saw the word ¡®Huai¡¯ clearly. ¡®Wasn¡¯t he already taken away by the yamen? ¡®That¡¯s why I¡¯m puzzled.¡± Ji Zhao frowned and said in a low voice, ¡°1 want to enter the city to ask for information.¡± ¡®Shall I go with you?¡± ¡®There¡¯s really no need.¡± Ji Zhao shook her head gently. ¡°1 hope you can stay at home and recuperate.¡± ¡®But Ah Tao...¡¯ ¡®Shen Yao, you have to believe me.¡± Ji Zhao looked into his eyes and said seriously, ¡°I¡¯m not a dodder flower attached to a big tree. I¡¯m more determined than you think. So please believe me, okay?¡± ¡®Tm afraid...¡± In the end, Shen Yao was convinced by her determined gaze. ¡®Then Ah Tao, promise me that you won¡¯t act rashly. Come back when you hear the news. Let¡¯s discuss it together, okay?¡± ¡®Okay!¡± Ji Zhao nodded obediently. Before she left, she did not forget to kiss him on the lips. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my luck has always been very good!¡± Just as Ji Zhao was about to leave, Eldest Brother Shen put set up the carriage. ¡®Eldest Brother, are you going back to the county city? ¡®Your Eldest sister-inw ordered some clothes from the cloth shop a few days ago. We can go and pick them up today. Also, I want to take a look at the shop,¡± Eldest Brother Shen exined with a smile. ¡°Third Sister-inw, are you going out? Where are you going? I¡¯ll give you a ride.¡¯ ¡®Tm going to the county too!¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile. She knew she was very lucky! Dingyuan County, Hongxing Restaurant. Qin Minghong looked at the table full of dishes, but he still did not have an appetite. Second Manager You looked at his absent-minded appearance and could not help but say, ¡®Young Master, our restaurant¡¯s special dishes are all on this table. Do you really not want to eat at all?¡± ¡°1 don¡¯t have an appetite. I don¡¯t want to eat.¡¯ ¡®Why don¡¯t we go to Ah Tao¡¯s house? Ah Tao said before that she likes to eat hot pots the most in winter...¡± Second Manager You carefully observed Qin Minghong¡¯s expression. ¡®No need.¡± Qin Minghong waved his hand. ¡®Get someone to remove these dishes. I want to go out for a walk.¡± When Qin Minghong walked out of the restaurant, he happened to see a red figure not far away. The depressed expression on his face was immediately reced by a smile as he walked quickly to the person. ¡®Ah Tao, why are you here?¡± Ji Zhao, who was dressed in a crimson coat, walked quickly in the cold wind. ¡®Young Master Qin?¡± Ji Zhao replied with a smile. Second Manager You, who was clearing the ounts in front of the restaurant counter, heard his young master¡¯s heartyughter and raised his head curiously. When he saw Ji Zhao walking beside the young master, his eyes lit up. ¡®Ah Tao?¡± ¡®Second Brother You!¡± Ji Zhao greeted him warmly. The smile on Qin Minghong¡¯s face instantly froze. ¡®You call him Second Brother You straightforwardly. Why are you still calling me Young Master? Ah Tao, isn¡¯t this way of addressing me too distant?¡± Qin Minghong had never been one to suffer grievances. He immediately voiced out the dissatisfaction in his heart until Ji Zhao addressed him seriously and obediently as Big Brother Qin. Only then did he smile in satisfaction. ¡®Ah Tao, it¡¯s almost the end of the year. Why are you in the county town? Second Manager You hurriedly brought a bowl of ginger tea from the kitchen and asked Ji Zhao with concern. After gulping down half a bowl of ginger tea, Ji Zhao felt her entire body warm up. She thanked Second Manager You obediently and said, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m here to ask around.¡¯ ¡®My brother and the others heard that the county magistrate intends to integrate Shanghe Vige and Pomegranate Vige into one vige. I want to ask if the previous fields will be redistributed.¡± Ji Zhao exined the Ji family¡¯s matter concisely. In the end, she smiled bitterly and said, ¡®Actually, I¡¯m worried that the share that belongs to Chenchen will be snatched away by Ji Huai.¡± ¡®After all, Chenchen is the only bloodline left in the world by the Ji family¡¯s grandfather.¡± Ji Zhao lowered her eyes and sighed. Her tone was filled with disappointment. ¡°I want to protect the right that belongs to Chenchen.¡¯ ¡®Previously, Ji Huai caused trouble at the Earth Temple in our Shanghe Vige and was arrested by the bailiffs of the county office. Therefore, I came to the county city today to ask about Ji Huai.¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and looked at Second Manager You anxiously. ¡®Second Brother You, don¡¯t you have some rtionship with the butler of the Ma Residence? Can you help me ask around?¡± ¡®Ah Tao, you¡¯re here early! You came at the right time!¡± Second Manager You said with a smile. ¡°I just happen to be meeting Butler Ma for lunch today!¡± ¡®Really?¡± Ji Zhao didn¡¯t expect herself to be so lucky. ¡°That¡¯s good. I¡¯ll help make a few side dishes at the restaurant this afternoon? ¡®Deal!¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s culinary skills were already godly in Second Manager You¡¯s heart! He was naturally more than happy to ept Ji Zhao¡¯s suggestion! ¡®Cough, cough.¡± Qin Minghong couldn¡¯t help but cough when he heard the two of them discussing which side dishes were better. Finally, he sessfully attracted Ji Zhao¡¯s attention. ¡®Brother Qin, is your throat ufortable? Why don¡¯t you drink more hot water?¡± Ji Zhao looked into his eyes. Her delicate brows were filled with concern for her friend. Even so, Qin Minghong was still very happy. ¡®Okay.¡± ¡®By the way, Young Master Qin, do you know if there are any good teachers in Dingyuan County? ¡®Teachers?¡± ¡®Yes, I want Chenchen toe to the county to study.¡± ¡®What a coincidence. I have one in my family.¡± Qin Minghong slowly curled his lips and said softly, ¡°Master Song, who taught me since I was young, is not only talented in literature, but also has a good temperament.¡¯ ¡®Really?¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes instantly lit up. ¡°Then can I trouble Brother Qin to introduce me? ¡®Okay.¡± Qin Minghong nodded happily. He picked up the cup of hot tea in front of him and took a sip happily. ¡°I wonder if this Master Song would mind teaching two people at the same time? I think Shen Yao needs a good teacher too!¡± Upon hearing this, Qin Minghong suddenly felt that the cup of tea in his hand was not fragrant at all. In fact, it was a little bitter! ¡®Shen Yao? He needs a teacher too?¡± ¡®Yes.¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly and said happily, ¡®Shen Yao¡¯s leg illness has already recovered. He ns to pick up his books again and give himself another chance to participate in the imperial examination..¡± Chapter 207 - Chapter 207: People Like You Are Contaminating the Air! Chapter 207: People Like You Are Contaminating the Air! Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions At this moment, Qin Minghong¡¯s emotions were a littleplicated. ¡®Brother Qin, thank you in advance!¡± Ji Zhao looked at him and smiled. Her tone was filled with gratitude. At the end of the night, Ji Zhao happily walked into the restaurant¡¯s kitchen. She excitedly rolled up her sleeves and prepared to show off her skills, but she forgot one thing¡ª In winter, there would be ack of ingredients. Even the kitchen of the restaurant did not have many ingredients to use. ¡®Look at my memory, it¡¯s really getting worse and worse! Yesterday, we paid everyone for their annual leave. Now, there are no more ingredients in this kitchen.¡± Seeing Ji Zhao¡¯s motionless appearance, Second Manager You pped his head angrily. ¡°It¡¯s a pity that the roasted chicken shop at the entrance of the alley has also closed for the day. Otherwise, I could have bought a roasted chicken to deal with it!¡± Ji Zhao searched the entire kitchen and finally found a few ingredients. ¡®Second Brother You, these ingredients are enough!¡± ¡®Ah Tao, are you sure?¡± Looking at the few ingredients, Second Manager You asked uncertainly. ¡®Yes!¡± There was tofu, peanuts, lotus roots, and pork belly. These were enough. In less than an hour, Ji Zhao made a te of cold peanuts, sweet and sour lotus root, Mapo tofu, and marinated pork belly that had been cut into thin slices. Ji Zhao found a clean tile and washed it clean. Then, she found some green lettuce and washed it for backup. At noon, Ma Tong arrivedte. ¡°It¡¯s been a few days since west met. Did Brother You develop a new dish?¡± On the round table was a small charcoal stove with a tile ced on it. The tiles were brushed with ayer of oil, and the sliced pork belly was instantly roasted. The sizzling sound was very appetizing! ¡®Ah Tao specially prepared this for you,¡± Second Manager You exined with a smile. Then, he extended his arm and greeted politely, ¡°Please take a seat and try it.¡± After three rounds of wine, Ma Tong waspletely conquered by this dish called Tile Roasted Meat. The pork belly that was roasted like this was fragrant but not greasy. It was salty, fragrant, and crispy in the mouth. Coupled with the fragrance of the big leafy vegetables, the fragrance of the meat and the fragrance perfectly fused into one. The taste was extremely wonderful. ¡®Second Brother Ma, to be honest, Ah Tao actually wants to ask you about someone.¡± Second Manager You ran into the main topic with a smile. ¡®Ji Huai?¡± Ma Tong subconsciously frowned and recalled seriously. ¡°Is it the person captured by the bailiffs from the local temple in Shanghe Vige?¡± ¡®Yes!¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly nodded. ¡°I wonder if he¡¯s still locked up in the county jail?¡± ¡°1 remember now,¡± Ma Tong suddenly said. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that person was released two days ago.¡± ¡®Released? He deliberately found an opportunity to cause trouble and even fought with others. Many people saw it, right? How could he be released so easily?¡± Ji Zhao asked anxiously. ¡®Of the three men and one woman who were arrested, except for the vige chief of Pomegranate Vige, Ji Shi, the other two were released.¡± Ma Tong took a sip of wine and looked around before lowering his voice. ¡°1 heard that the county magistrate of Thunder Mountain County next door helped to plead for mercy. The county magistrate didn¡¯t want to embarrass Lord Sun, so he found an excuse to release them!¡± ¡®The county magistrate of Thunder Mountain County? Why is this lord willing to help Ji Huai?¡± Ji Zhao was even more puzzled. ¡°1 heard that Lord Sun¡¯s new wife in Thunder Mountain County happens to be the niece of that woman¡¯s sister-inw.¡± Ji Zhao subconsciously frowned. Although this rtionship was a little awkward, she had to admit that Ji Huai was rted to Lord Sun from Thunder Mountain County. That was why he dared to secretly kidnap Chenchen and throw him into the deep mountains and old forests for the wolves to devour. In this way, he could sessfully swallow the residence that belonged to Chenchen. Ji Zhao closed her eyes weakly, feeling a little anxious. Things were much moreplicated than she had imagined. ¡°I suddenly remembered that I¡¯ve made an appointment with my eldest brother. We¡¯ll return to the vige together after noon.¡± Ji Zhao smiled apologetically as he stood up. ¡®Butler Ma, Second Brother You, when there¡¯s a chance next time, I¡¯ll make a few more side dishes for you two. Take your time to eat. I¡¯ll leave first!¡± ¡®Do you want me to get someone to send you?¡± Second Manager You, who was already a little drunk, couldn¡¯t help but burp. ¡®No need, my big brother will take me back with him.¡± Ji Zhao declined with a smile and left the restaurant in a hurry. However, she was not in a hurry to rush to the vicinity of the city gate. Instead, she turned around and went to the Octagonal Guests. As early as when she was making lunch, Qin Minghong was invited away by the steward of the Octagonal Guests. Coincidentally, she had something to ask Qin Minghong for help. However, just as she turned into an alley, two unfriendly figures suddenly appeared in front of her. Ji Huai narrowed his eyes and sized up Ji Zhao, who was standing in front of him. The depths of his eyes were filled with undisguised aggression and filth. ¡®Long time no see, Sister Ah Tao!¡± He deliberately emphasized the words ¡®Sister Ah Tao¡¯, and his tone was even more despicable and obscene. ¡®The heavens have no eyes. They actually released a scourge like you.¡± Ji Zhao pinched her nose in disgust and said, ¡°People like you are polluting the air if you live!¡± ¡®Ji Zhao!¡± Ji Huai growled angrily. Just as he was about to kick her... Ji Zhao dodged and his leg kicked into the bamboo pole leaning against the wall! Taking advantage of this opportunity, Ji Zhao immediately pulled out a short bamboo pole beside him and hit his leg hard! Ji Huai, who could not dodge in time, let out a painful roar! Just as she was about to run out, three burly men approached her from not far away. ¡®Run, I dare you!¡± Ji Huai used all his strength to pull the leg out. He quickly walked in front of Ji Zhao and raised his hand to give her a loud p! Pah! That crisp sound made Ji Zhao¡¯s head buzz! She immediately touched the corner of her lips. Her fingers were really stained red! ¡®Run! Why aren¡¯t you running anymore!¡¯ Ji Huai looked at the blood on her face and became even more excited. He picked up a bamboo pole and approached Ji Zhao step by step. Then, he waved the bamboo pole vigorously¡ª Ji Zhao naturally would not sit still and wait for death. She sneered and stood up unexpectedly. She suddenly bent her knees and ruthlessly hit his triangr area! Before Ji Huai could react, Ji Zhao retaliated forcefully! Unfortunately, two fists were no match for four hands. Gradually, she was at a disadvantage... Just as she thought that the bamboo pole wouldnd on her, a sapphire blue figure immediately rushed over and kicked Ji Huai, who had almost injured her! Chapter 208 - Chapter 208: Missing Ah Tao? Chapter 208: Missing Ah Tao? Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡®Are you alright?¡± Qin Minghong rushed to Ji Zhao¡¯s side and asked anxiously, ¡®Are you hurt anywhere?¡± ¡®Tm fine.¡± Ji Zhao raised her head and forced a smile. However, her cheek, which had been pped by Ji Huai just now, was in extreme pain. ¡®Your face? ¡®Be careful!¡± Ji Zhao did not expect Ji Huai to raise the bamboo pole and swing it at the back of Qin Minghong¡¯s head¡ª In a moment of desperation, she immediately pulled Qin Minghong along to avoid Ji Huai¡¯s attack! ¡®You want to dodge?¡± Ji Huai sneered. He actually took out a sharp dagger from his pocket and stabbed it straight at Ji Zhao! Rip¡ª The sharp de cut open the clothes on her shoulders! An eye -catching red cut appeared on her fair and round shoulders! Qin Minghong waspletely enraged. He kicked Ji Huai¡¯s chest with all his might! Then, he ruthlessly stabbed the dagger into his wrist! ¡®Since you want to die, I¡¯ll fulfill your wish!¡± In the end, Ji Huai and the helpers he brought were taken away by a group of mysterious men in ck. Ji Zhao, who had survived a cmity, let out a deep breath and looked at Qin Minghong gratefully. ¡®Brother Qin, thank you.¡¯ Qin Minghong looked at the wounds on her face and shoulders and felt even more upset. He thought for a moment and quickly took off his coat. He tried to put it on Ji Zhao, but Ji Zhao easily avoided him. ¡®Tm not cold.¡± ¡®Your shoulder...¡± Qin Minghong pointed at her shoulder and asked softly, ¡°Are you going to walk out like this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and nimbly tore off her skirt hem, drooping it on her injured shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s almost the end of the year. The clinics have already closed.¡± Qin Minghong thought for a moment and asked softly, ¡°I still have a doctor at home. You.. ¡®Tm fine. I¡¯m not badly hurt.¡¯ ¡®Are you sure you won¡¯t make Shen Yao worry if you go back like this?¡± Qin Minghong looked at her trying her best to avoid contact with him and felt a little upset. Did she care about Shen Yao that much? As expected, when she heard that Shen Yao would be worried, Ji Zhao wavered. She thought about it and came up with apromise. ¡®Brother Qin, can I trouble you to invite the doctor to the restaurant? I¡¯ll wait for him in the restaurant, is that okay?¡± Ji Zhao looked into his eyes and sincerely begged. Qin Minghong nodded weakly. Hiss¡ª Just as Ji Zhao was about to leave, she realized that she had sprained her ankle. ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡± Qin Minghong sensed that something was wrong and subconsciously looked back. He happened to see Ji Zhao frowning in pain. ¡°I think I sprained my ankle,¡± Ji Zhao said with a bitter smile. ¡°But it¡¯s fine. I can still walk if I endure it.¡¯ ¡®Let me help you.¡¯ Before Ji Zhao could reply, Qin Minghong had already grabbed her shoulders forcefully! ¡°This...¡± ¡®Compared to Shen Yao¡¯s misunderstanding, do you want Shen Yao to be more worried about you? His leg has recovered. Do you want to be a cripple?¡± Qin Minghong watched her deliberately avoid contact and felt an unknown fire burning in his heart. Ji Zhao pursed her lips and did not say anything in the end. After all, she was saved because Qin Minghong appeared in time. Speaking of which, Qin Minghong was her savior. It was indeed a little ungrateful of her to repeatedly decline his kindness. ..Brother Qin, thank you.¡± Only then did Qin Minghong feel the anger in his heart lessen. He supported Ji Zhao and walked towards the restaurant. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the third daughter-inw of Lanhua¡¯s family, Ah Tao?¡± Ji Guihua, who happened toe to the county to deliver the goods, happened to catch a glimpse of Ji Zhao¡¯s side profile. She subconsciously rubbed her eyes. After confirming that she had not seen wrongly, she could not help but feel a little puzzled. Hongxing Restaurant. Second Manager You and Ma Tong, who were drunk, went home to rest. Qin Minghong helped Ji Zhao to sit in the hall. ¡°I¡¯ve already asked the servant to go back and get a doctor.¡± ¡®Okay.¡± Ji Zhao smiled gratefully. However, when she smiled, her face hurt. An hourter, the doctor finally arrived. Fortunately, Ji Zhao only suffered superficial wounds and did not injure her muscles and bones. After the doctor reconnected her bones, he left behind a bottle of ointment. ¡®Twice a day. After cleaning your hands, apply the ointment on the wound.¡± ¡®Alright, thank you, doctor.¡± Ji Zhao sat beside the square table, deep in thought. If she went back with such a face, Shen Yao and the others would definitely be worried. Moreover, the matter with Ji Huai had not been investigated clearly. After thinking for a while, she looked up at Qin Minghong, who was sitting opposite her without saying a word, and asked in a low voice, ¡°Brother Qin, can I ask you for a favor? As dusk approached, Ah Tao had yet to return home. For some reason, Shen Yao felt uneasy. ¡®Have you drunk the medicine?¡± Zhao Lanhua brought the medicine into the house. When she saw her son¡¯s distracted expression, she could not help but tease, ¡®Are you missing Ah Tao?¡± Shen Yao silently took the bowl of medicine and drank it in one gulp. However, the tips of his ears were clearly red. ¡®Didn¡¯t Ah Tao get someone to send a message? She was dyed by something today. I¡¯m afraid she¡¯ll be staying in the restaurant for two days.¡± When Ji Zhao was mentioned, Zhao Lanhua¡¯s words were filled with love. ¡°But it¡¯s very cold today. I wonder if the nket in the restaurant is thick.¡± Shen Yao lowered his eyes and did not say anything, but he was as worried about Ji Zhao as Zhao Lanhua. ¡®You keep everything in your heart!¡± Zhao Lanhua, who had not gotten a response after talking for a long time, said angrily. ¡®Lanhua? Lanhua? Are you at home?¡± Outside the courtyard, Aunt Guihua, who was holding a bowl of fried meatballs, shouted loudly. ¡®Coming!¡± ¡®The meatballs that our family just fried are still warm. I specially sent you a big bowl. You haven¡¯t had dinner at home, right? Try them.¡± ¡®Okay, I¡¯ll try one!¡± Zhao Lanhua happily grabbed a fried meatball. ¡®Delicious, delicious!¡± ¡°It¡¯s delicious, right?¡± Ji Guihua said with a smile. ¡°1n the past, my husband always disdained the meatballs I fried. They were either too salty or nd! This year, it¡¯s all thanks to Ah Tao teaching me how to make fillings. I finally seeded once. My husband has eaten much better!¡± ¡®By the way, where¡¯s Ah Tao? I want her to try it too!¡± ¡®Ah Tao isn¡¯t at home. Shall we let her try it tomorrow? ¡®Not at home?¡± Ji Guihua frowned in confusion. ¡°Could it be that the person I saw in the alley in the county city during the day was really Ah Tao?¡± ¡°What alley?¡± ¡°When I apanied my husband to the county to deliver the goods, I seemed to have seen Ah Tao. There was a particrly handsomed beside her, right? He seemed to be supporting her, but I don¡¯t think that person was Ah Tao, because that person seemed to be limping?¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not so sure!¡± Shen Yao, who happened to hear their conversation, felt his heart sink.. Chapter 209 - Chapter 209: Why Should I Tell You? Chapter 209: Why Should I Tell You? Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡®But there are simrities. Perhaps I saw wrongly?¡± Ji Guihua chuckled and handed the bowl of fried meatballs to Zhao Lanhua. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. I¡¯ll go back first! ¡®Aunt Guihua, wait!¡± Shen Yao hurriedly walked out and asked anxiously, ¡°May I ask which alley in the county city you saw that girl who looked like Ah Tao?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the green stone alley next to Hongxing Restaurant!¡± If you walked out of Hongxing Restaurant and turned left into the green stone alley, When you walked out, you could see the Octagonal Guests. Although that alley was a shortcut, if someone had ambushed in the alley in advance¡ª Thinking of what Aunt Guihua had said, Shen Yao was basically certain. Ah Tao must have been injured and even injured her legs! ¡®Mother, I want to go to the county city!¡± Without waiting for Zhao Lanhua to answer, Shen Yao had already quickly left the house. He took a big stride and got into the carriage, driving it straight to the county city! On the other side. Qin Minghong personally cooked a bowl of vegetable porridge for Ji Zhao. ¡°I wanted to make more delicious food, but my culinary skills are limited.¡± Qin Minghong looked at Ji Zhao and felt guilty for no reason. ¡°But I¡¯ve already tried it just now. It should taste okay.¡± ¡®Brother Qin.¡± Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help butugh when she saw his disheveled face. ¡®Do you want to wash your face? ¡®Huh?¡± Qin Minghong raised his eyebrows in confusion, but he still returned to the kitchen. He couldn¡¯t help smiling himself as he looked at the gray face reflected in the water. Fifteen minutester, Ji Zhao finished the half-cooked vegetable porridge. ¡®How does it taste?¡± Qin Minghong looked into her eyes and asked impatiently. ¡®Brother Qin, have you cooked before? Seeing him shake his head, Ji Zhao praised him from the bottom of her heart. ¡®Brother Qin, it¡¯s already not bad for you to be able to cook like this on your first time.¡¯ ¡°1f you like it, I¡¯ll learn a few more dishes tomorrow.¡± ¡®Brother Qin, actually, you don¡¯t have to...¡± Ji Zhao took a deep breath, then looked into his eyes and exined seriously, ¡°Brother Qin, the person I like is Shen Yao, so you really don¡¯t have to worry about me. I¡¯m really grateful that you saved me today. Whether it¡¯s gratitude or thanks, it¡¯s not love.¡± ¡®Ah Tao,¡± Qin Minghong put away the smile on his face and said seriously, ¡°In your eyes, must I have ulterior motives just because I like someone? ¡®Huh?¡± ¡®Although you and Shen Yao are husband and wife now, no one knows what will happen in the future, right?¡± Qin Minghong chuckled. ¡®How do you know that Shen Yao won¡¯t let you down in this life?¡± ¡°1 won¡¯t let her down!¡± At this moment, a man¡¯s resolute voice suddenly sounded! It was powerful and resonating! ¡®Shen Yao? Why are you here?¡± Ji Zhao did not expect Shen Yao to suddenly appear. He was extremely surprised! However, she did not realize that Shen Yao had already seen the wound on her face. Shen Yao walked quickly to her and bent down to get closer. When he saw the wound on her face, his heart ached. ¡®Ah Tao, the wound on your face? ¡®No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± In her panic, Ji Zhao was about to raise her hand to cover her face when she identally pulled on the wound on her shoulder and could not help but gasp. ¡®Her face and shoulders are injured,¡± Qin Minghong suddenly said. ¡°She sprained her ankle earlier, but I¡¯ve already asked the doctor to fix her bones. For safety reasons, it¡¯s best for her to stay in the restaurant for the night.¡¯ ¡®Shen Yao, I was surrounded by Ji Huai and his men. It was Brother Qin who saved me.¡± Ji Zhao tugged at Shen Yao¡¯s sleeve and exined softly. She felt the coldness emanating from Shen Yao¡¯s body and felt inexplicably guilty. Shen Yao turned around and looked into Qin Minghong¡¯s eyes. He thanked him sincerely. ¡®You¡¯re wee. After all, I like Ah Tao very much.¡± Qin Minghong deliberately emphasized the word ¡®like¡¯. Unfortunately, he could not see any emotions in Shen Yao¡¯s eyes. There was only a terrifying coldness in his ck eyes. ¡®Ah Tao, since Shen Yao is here, I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡± Qin Minghong smiled and waved at Ji Zhao. Qin Minghong left. The moment he left, he felt very disappointed. Shen Yao came earlier than he had expected! What a pity. Ji Zhao looked at Shen Yao, who was standing silently at the side, and asked nervously, ¡°Shen Yao, are you angry? I...¡± ¡®Before you left today, you promised me that you wouldn¡¯t act rashly.¡± ¡°I really didn¡¯t act rashly. I didn¡¯t expect Ji Huai to be so disgusting. He actually ambushed me in the alley in advance. wasn¡¯t careful...¡± ¡®The Green Stone Alley is a shortcut to the Octagonal Guests, but it¡¯s not the way out of the city.¡± Shen Yao looked into her eyes and said word by word, ¡°Why did you go to the Octagonal Guests?¡± Ji Zhao lowered her head silently and said gloomily, ¡°1 want to ask Brother Qin to help me find out who¡¯s behind Ji Huai.¡± Shen Yao only felt extremelyplicated. He could not tell if that emotion was disappointment or depression. ¡°It¡¯ste. Rest early. ¡°What about you?¡± Ji Zhao blurted out subconsciously. ¡°1¡¯11 stay with you.¡± ..Okay.¡± Ji Zhao nodded obediently. The two of them went to a guest room on the second floor of the restaurant. After washing up, Ji Zhaoy on the bed and fell asleep. At the same time, Shen Yao walked out of the restaurant. Just as he was about to head in the direction of the Qin Residence, he realized that Qin Minghong was standing under the roof not far away. The snowy night was silent as the two men stared at each other. There seemed to be mes in the air. ¡°Where is Ji Huai?¡± Shen Yao walked up to him step by step and asked in a low voice. ¡°Why should I tell you?¡± Qin Minghong crossed his arms and smiled instead of answering. ¡®Even if you don¡¯t tell me, I can find out.¡± Shen Yao looked at him deeply. Just as he was about to turn around¡ª ¡®Wait!¡± Qin Minghong suddenly shouted, ¡°Do you have a grudge with the Sun family of Thunder Mountain County? ¡®The Sun family?¡± Shen Yao narrowed his eyes dangerously. ¡®Looks like Ah Tao hasn¡¯t told you yet. The reason why Ji Huai was released was because of Lord Sun from Thunder Mountain County.¡± Qin Minghong suddenly smiled. ¡°How could Ah Tao not tell you such an important thing?¡± ¡®Forget it, I won¡¯t tease you anymore. Come with me.¡± Qin Minghong sighed softly. ¡°I¡¯ve locked Ji Huai up.¡± A winery adjacent to Hongxing Restaurant was also the Qin family¡¯s property, and Ji Huai was locked in the backyard of this winery. ¡®He¡¯s on the verge of death.¡± The moment he pushed open the door, the smell of blood assaulted his face. It was nauseating. Qin Minghong pinched his nose in disgust. ¡°He¡¯s still breathing.. How are you going to deal with it?¡± Chapter 210 - Chapter 210: Shen Yao, Don ’t Be Angry, Okay? Chapter 210: Shen Yao, Don ¡®t Be Angry, Okay? Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Shen Yao did not say anything. Instead, he walked closer to Ji Huai, who was curled up in the corner. At that time, Ji Huai was covered in blood and was in a sorry state. He put his head in his hands and curled up in the corner, looking terrified and uneasy. However, from the corner of his eye, he kept ncing at the gray figure that was gradually approaching. Ji Huai aimed for the right moment. Just as he was counting in his heart, Shen Yao suddenly stopped in his tracks¡ª ¡®Send him to the government office,¡± Shen Yao said indifferently. Even the emotions in his words did not fluctuate at all. Qin Minghong was extremely surprised. ¡°Send him to the government office? Are you sure? ¡°The country has its ownws. We¡¯re not officials of the Imperial Court, so how can we judge the life and death of others?¡± Shen Yao said calmly, ¡°Besides, didn¡¯t he intend to attack you? Everyone knows the Qin family¡¯s status in the prefecture capital.¡± Qin Minghong was only the eldest son of the Qin family¡¯s second branch in the prefecture capital. The eldest daughter of the first branch in the prefecture capital, that was the biological elder sister of the magistrate! The Qin family¡¯s power wasplicated, which was why Qin Minghong could survive in Dingyuan County like a fish in water. Even County Magistrate Ma had to give him some face. ¡®Okay.¡± Qin Minghong did not expect Shen Yao to let Ji Huai off so easily. He felt that this matter was a little strange. Just as Shen Yao turned around and was about to leave, Ji Huai suddenly stood up and quickly took out a dagger from his pocket. Just as he was about tounch a sneak attack, Shen Yao avoided it! At the same time, Shen Yao kicked away the dagger in his hand and forcefully kicked his chest! Ji Huai was knocked against the wall and bounced back! ¡®You want to kill me.¡¯ Shen Yao turned around and stared into Ji Huai¡¯s angry eyes as he calmly stated this sentence. ¡®You and JiAh Tao deserve to die!¡± Ji Huai spat angrily and sneered. ¡°Who¡¯s the mastermind?¡± Shen Yao suddenly picked up the dagger on the ground and stabbed it into Ji Huai¡¯s shoulder bone. His expression was indifferent and his tone was cold. Qin Minghong was extremely surprised. In his impression, although Shen Yao was a little cold, he should not be so cold. Especially the moment he stabbed the dagger into Ji Huai¡¯s corbone, he actually felt some fear from the bottom of his heart. Such a cold aura made one shudder. ¡®You¡¯re not going to tell me?¡± Shen Yao was not surprised by Ji Huai¡¯s stubbornness. Just as Ji Huai was about to struggle, he suddenly pulled out the dagger and stabbed it again! Ji Huai let out a painful howl. His entire face had already deformed because it was twitching too much. ¡®Actually, I know even if you don¡¯t say it.¡± Shen Yao cut off a piece of flesh on his shoulder expressionlessly, and his tone became colder. ¡®Since you¡¯re here for me, you shouldn¡¯t have provoked Ah Tao.¡¯ ¡®You...¡± Ji Huai¡¯s eyes widened in horror! He did not expect this weak schr in front of him to have such a cruel side! He could even tell his true motive at a nce! Just as Ji Huai was distracted, another bone-piercing pain came from his cheek! ¡®Since you¡¯ve already be the Sun family¡¯s dog, I naturally have to give you a congrattory gift.¡± Shen Yao, who was holding a dagger, carved the word ¡®dog¡¯ on his face expressionlessly. Ji Huai finally fainted from the pain. Shen Yao silently took out a handkerchief from his pocket and slowly wiped the hilt of the dagger. Then, he wiped the blood on his hand. Qin Minghong, who had witnessed the entire process, came back to his senses. ¡®Young Master Qin, please send him to the prefecture city safely.¡± ¡®You...¡± ¡®Thank you.¡± Shen Yao did not exin much. However, when he walked past Qin Minghong, he stopped and said these two words sincerely. Qin Minghong looked at his firm back and raised his eyebrows silently. Shen Yao¡¯s way of dealing with problems was very special! The next day. Ji Zhao, who had slept soundly, felt refreshed. However, when she tried to stretch, tragedy struck¡ª She identally pulled on the wound on her shoulder. Just as she was gritting her teeth in pain¡ª Shen Yao started walking silently. The moment their eyes met, Ji Zhao could onlyugh foolishly. Shen Yao¡¯s gazended on the wound on her shoulder, and his heart suddenly ached. ¡®Sit tight.¡¯ ¡®Okay!¡± Ji Zhao sat obediently by the bed and silently looked at Shen Yao¡¯s unsmiling and cold expression. She nervously twisted the fingers of her two hands. ¡®Shen Yao, are you still angry? Shen Yao pursed his lips and did not say anything. He picked up the ointment from the high table beside him and gently applied it on Ji Zhao¡¯s shoulder¡ª Suddenly, she felt a cold touch on her shoulder. It was a littlefortable and itchy. Ji Zhao could not help but shrink her shoulders and smile at Shen Yao in embarrassment. ¡°Why don¡¯t I do it myself?¡± Shen Yao sighed softly and handed the ointment in his hand to her. Then, he turned around and left. Ji Zhao looked at his back and pursed her lips in grievance. She felt even more disappointed. She was injured, but Shen Yao seemed to be still angry. This feeling was not good. Half an hourter, Shen Yao, who had returned, arrived in front of her. ¡®And this is?¡± ¡®Red bean porridge,¡± Shen Yao said in a low voice. ¡°I¡¯ve tried it. It¡¯s not hot.¡¯ ¡®You cooked it yourself?¡± Ji Zhao stared at the bowl of red bean porridge and immediately beamed. ¡®Yeah.¡¯ ¡¯11t smells so good!¡± Ji Zhao eagerly took the bowl and spoon and tasted it seriously. ¡°It¡¯s so fragrant and soft. It¡¯s so delicious! Let me tell you, the vegetable porridge that Brother Qin cookedst night was half-raw...¡± Oh no! Ji Zhao suddenly shut her mouth! She secretly nced at Shen Yao¡¯s expression. As expected, the smile on Shen Yao¡¯s face disappeared. ¡®Ah Tao.¡± Shen Yao suddenly stared into her eyes and said seriously, ¡°Don¡¯t get hurt again.¡¯ His heart really ached. . Alright.¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes instantly turned red, and she choked as she nodded. ¡®Ji Huai was sent to the prefectural city by Qin Minghong,¡± Shen Yao suddenly said. ¡®The person behind him is the Sun family.¡± ¡®You already know?¡± Ji Zhao raised her eyebrows in surprise. ¡°Actually, I heard that the reason Ji Huai could be released was because of County Magistrate Sun of Thunder Mountain County. When I heard this news, I also felt that something was amiss, so I wanted to take a shortcut to ask Brother Qin for help. However, I didn¡¯t expect Ji Huai to ambush me in the alley in advance...¡± ¡®Shen Yao, I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ Ji Zhao really knew that she was in the wrong. She had clearly promised Shen Yao that she would not act rashly. However, in a moment of desperation, she had thought too highly of herself, which was why she was injured. ¡®Shen Yao, don¡¯t be angry with me anymore, okay?¡± Ji Zhao silently tugged at his sleeve and shook it gently. The expression on her face was aggrieved and pitiful.. Chapter 211 - Chapter 211: My Heart Aches Chapter 211: My Heart Aches Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Looking at her aggrieved expression, Shen Yao sighed weakly. ¡®Ah Tao, I¡¯m not angry with you.¡¯ ¡®Liar...¡± Ji Zhao bit her lip in grievance. ¡°You¡¯re not even looking at me, and you¡¯re still saying that you¡¯re not angry? ¡°I just¡ª¡± ¡®Just what?¡± Ji Zhao blinked in confusion. ¡®Tm just angry with myself.¡± Shen Yao suddenly approached her and raised his hand to gently rub the scar on her cheek. His gentle eyes were filled with heartache. ¡°If I could be firm and apany you to the county office, at least you wouldn¡¯t be so seriously injured. The reason why I don¡¯t want to see you is because my heart aches.¡¯ My heart aches. Ji Zhao was stunned. She felt a strange feeling in her heart. ¡®Ah Tao, put yourself in my shoes. If I were the one who was injured.. ¡°Ptui ptui ptui! Knock on wood!¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly interrupted him and even reached out to cover his mouth! ¡®Don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡± Shen Yao smiled helplessly and gently held her hand. ¡®Alright, I won¡¯t say anymore.¡± After finishing the big bowl of red bean porridge, Ji Zhao felt her stomach be warm andfortable. ¡®Ah Tao?¡± ¡®Yes?¡± ¡®The wound on your face is too obvious now. If you go home now, Father and Mother will definitely be worried.¡± Shen Yao held her hand and said softly, ¡°But staying in a restaurant is not a long-term solution.¡¯ ¡®Then what should we do?¡± Ji Zhao asked with a frown. ¡°I want to go home after I recover.¡± ¡®Let¡¯s go to Big Brother¡¯s shop.¡± Shen Yao thought for a moment and said softly, ¡°I¡¯ve already asked someone to send a message back just now. If nothing goes wrong, Big Brother will pick us up at noon.¡¯ ¡®Will it be too much trouble for Big Brother?¡± ¡®Silly girl, Big Brother is family.¡± Shen Yao gently tapped the tip of her nose and said gently, ¡®Besides, if we continue to stay in the restaurant, we¡¯ll really trouble others. Ji Zhao nodded silently. ¡®That¡¯s right. What you said makes sense.¡± As expected, after Eldest Brother Shen received his third brother¡¯s message, he immediately got into the carriage and returned to the city. When Eldest Brother Shen saw the wound on Ji Zhao¡¯s face, he was furious! ¡®Third Sister-inw, what¡¯s going on? Who bullied you? Tell Big Brother! Big Brother will definitely seek justice for you!¡± Eldest Brother Shen said agitatedly! ¡®Eldest Brother, calm down first.¡± Shen Yao silently handed him a cup of hot ginger tea and exined the entire matter concisely. ¡®Ji Huai again? Why is he haunting us? Third Brother, is the person behind Ji Huai really after you?¡± Eldest Brother Shen threw out a few questions in a row. ¡®Big Brother, let¡¯s go back to the pastry shop first?¡± Shen Yao said softly. ¡®Yes, yes, yes. Look at me, I¡¯m forgetful!¡± When Qin Minghong finished dealing with Ji Huai¡¯s matters and came to the restaurant again, he found that Ji Zhao had already left. On the counter of the restaurant was a piece of paper. The handwriting on it was very delicate. Thank you, Brother Qin! Qin Minghong raised his eyebrows silently. He carefully folded the piece of paper and put it in his pocket. Then, he rushed straight to Shen Ji Pastry Shop. At that moment, at the Shen Ji Pastry Shop. Ji Zhao came to the kitchen and was about to cook herself. However, Shen Yao stopped her. ¡®Ah Tao, go back to your room and rest,¡± Shen Yao said softly. ¡°I¡¯ll make lunch.¡± ¡®But.. Looking into Shen Yao¡¯s dark and deep eyes, Ji Zhao could only nod obediently. When it was almost time, Shen Yao finished preparing lunch. In front of Ji Zhao was a bowl of fragrant chicken soup noodles. There was also a golden fried egg lying on it. ¡¯11t smells so good!¡± Ji Zhao could not help but swallow her saliva. She looked at Shen Yao in surprise. ¡®But how do you know how to make hand-pulled noodles?¡± ¡°I learned it from you.¡¯ ¡®You learned it from me?¡± Ji Zhao raised her eyebrows in confusion. ¡°When I was helping to burn firewood in the kitchen at home, I often looked at you.¡± Ji Zhao lowered her eyes shyly , and the tips of her ears unknowingly turned red. ¡®Do you like me that much? Even when I¡¯m cooking, you keep staring at me?¡± ¡®Yes.¡± Shen Yao nodded frankly. Facing his calmness, Ji Zhao was at a loss. ¡®Shen Yao, why... do you like me?¡± Ever since they confirmed their feelings for each other, Ji Zhao could not help but think¡ª Why did Shen Yao fall for her? When did he fall for her? ¡®Ah Tao, do you still remember when you were seven years old...¡± Shen Yao smiled faintly. Just as he was about to tell her about the past, he heard Eldest Brother Shen¡¯s shout outside the door. ¡®Ah Tao, Third Brother, Young Master Qin is here!¡± Qin Minghong greeted Eldest Brother Shen with a smile and handed him all the medicinal herbs he had brought. ¡°This?¡± ¡°It¡¯s for Ah Tao,¡± Qin Minghong said with a magnanimous smile. ¡°Where¡¯s Ah Tao? Are her injuries better?¡± ¡®Brother Qin, are you looking for me?¡± Ji Zhao walked to the front hall and smiled. ¡®Yes.¡± Qin Minghong stared at her face seriously. Just as he was in a daze¡ª Shen Yao, who was standing beside Ji Zhao, deliberately coughed twice. Only then did Qin Minghong retract his gaze and look at Ji Zhao with a faint smile. ¡°Ah Tao, the wound on your face seems to have healed a lot?¡± ¡®Yes.¡± Ji Zhao nodded gently. ¡°Fortunately, Shen Yao cooked an egg for me and wrapped it in gauze. Then, he rolled it on my face. It¡¯s very effective in reducing the swelling!¡± ¡°What about the wound on your shoulder? Does it still hurt? Do you want me to get someone to invite a doctor over? ¡®There¡¯s really no need! The ointment prescribed by the doctor was very good. I feel that it doesn¡¯t hurt much anymore,¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile. ¡°Look at me. I¡¯m only talking. Brother Qin, please sit down.¡± Qin Minghong did not stand on ceremony and sat opposite Ji Zhao. Then, his gazended on Shen Yao¡¯s face. ¡°Ji Huai¡¯s matter is done as you wish.¡¯ ¡®Thanks a lot.¡¯ ¡®Ah Tao, why didn¡¯t you stay in the restaurant for a few more days?¡± Qin Minghong took a sip of tea and went straight to the point. ¡®Brother Qin, I don¡¯t want to trouble you anymore.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and exined seriously. Qin Minghong did not say anything. Instead, he sighed. ¡®Ah Tao, you¡¯re always so distant from me.¡± Ji Zhao smiled. ¡°Forget it. Since you don¡¯t want to continue staying in the restaurant, I can¡¯t force you.¡± Qin Minghongughed bitterly. ¡°After all, I¡¯m not qualified.¡± ¡®Brother Qin, you.. ¡®Ah Tao, if you¡¯re free tomorrow, bring your brother and Shen Yao to my house to meet Master Song.¡± Qin Minghong smiled and changed the topic. ¡®Master Song?¡± Shen Yao, who had been pursing his lips silently, finally spoke.. Chapter 212 - Chapter 212: I’m Coaxing You! Chapter 212: I¡¯m Coaxing You! Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Shen Yao subconsciously looked at Ji Zhao. Just as Ji Zhao was about to exin, he heard Qin Minghong speak again. ¡®Looks like Ah Tao hasn¡¯t told you yet,¡± Qin Minghong said with a smile. ¡°She wants to hire a teacher for you and Ji Chen. Coincidentally, there¡¯s a Master Song in my family. He¡¯s knowledgeable and serious.¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly held Shen Yao¡¯s hand and exined with a smile, ¡°Yes, I didn¡¯t have time to tell you...¡± ¡®Thank you for your kindness, Young Master Qin.¡± Shen Yao smiled slightly, but his smile did not reach his eyes. ¡°However, I have already made a decision about the teacher.¡± ¡®Shen Yao...¡± Just as Ji Zhao was about to speak anxiously, Shen Yao stood up. ¡®There¡¯s still soup simmering in the kitchen. I¡¯ll check the heat.¡± After Shen Yao left, the atmosphere was a little awkward. Qin Minghong lowered his eyes and took a sip of tea. He was in a good mood. ¡®Ah Tao, Master Song is really good. If Shen Yao is unwilling, you can bring Ji Chen to meet him.¡± Ji Zhao was stunned at first, but she could only nod in the end. ¡®Then take good care of yourself. I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡± Qin Minghong sensed her emotions and left with a smile. ¡®Ah Tao, Young Master Qin sent over a lot of medicinal herbs. I saw some Lingzhi or something inside. Isn¡¯t this... too expensive?¡± Eldest Brother Shen looked at Ji Zhao and asked slowly. ¡°It¡¯s indeed too expensive.¡± Ji Zhao closed her eyes in frustration and raised her hand to pinch the space between her eyebrows. ¡°Eldest Brother, please keep these medicinal herbs first. I¡¯ll think about how to deal with them.¡¯ ¡®Alright.¡± Eldest Brother Shen nodded silently. Then, he could not help but say, ¡®Ah Tao, Third Brother... He¡¯s really worried about you. Actually, that day...¡± After Eldest Brother Shen¡¯s exnation, Ji Zhao finally understood how worried Shen Yao was about her. ¡®Actually, Third Brother is really worried about you. It¡¯s just that he¡¯s used to keeping everything to himself. He¡¯s been like this since he was young. Even if he¡¯s unhappy, he won¡¯t say it out loud. Ah Tao, don¡¯t me Big Brother for being nosy. Although Big Brother knows that there¡¯s nothing between you and Young Master Qin, if you switch positions with Third Brother now, if Young Master Qin wasn¡¯t a man, but the eldest daughter of the Qin family. Do you think you won¡¯t feel frustrated?¡± Eldest Brother Shen sighed softly. ¡®Ah Tao, this is the key to the shop. I¡¯ll go back first. After all, your Eldest sister-inw is pregnant.¡¯ ¡®Okay.¡± After Eldest Brother Shen left, Ji Zhao quietly closed the door of the shop, then turned around and went to the backyard. In the kitchen, Shen Yao was staring at the fire on the stove in a daze. The two-eared jar on the stove was misty, and the air was filled with the rich fragrance of meat. ¡®Shen Yao, what soup are you cooking?¡± Ji Zhao walked to his side with a smile and asked curiously, ¡°This meat fragrance smells a little special! Could it be Tianma Pigeon Soup? ¡®Ah Tao¡¯s nose is very sharp,¡± Shen Yao replied with his eyes lowered. However, the expression on his face made it impossible to see his emotions. Ji Zhao thought for a moment and suddenly moved to his side. Then, she wrapped her arms around his and ced her head in his arms, rubbing it gently. This sudden coquettishness made Shen Yao very confused. ¡®Ah Tao... What are you... doing? ¡®Tm coaxing you!¡± Ji Zhao suddenly popped her head out of his arms. The smile on her face was obedient and cute. ¡°Shen Yao, can you smile?¡± Shen Yao tapped the tip of her nose helplessly, but there was still no smile on his face. Ji Zhao suddenly stretched out the index fingers of both her hands. When she pulled the corners of his lips, she did not forget to make a face at him. In the end, Shen Yao¡¯s defense broke and was amused by her. ¡®You finally smiled!¡± Seeing the smile on his face, Ji Zhao heaved a deep sigh of relief. Shen Yao tapped her forehead. ¡®Then, Master Song...¡± Ji Zhao looked into his eyes and said sincerely, ¡°I really want to hire a good teacher for you and Chenchen. However, I really neglected your feelings. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡®Silly girl, you don¡¯t have to apologize.¡± Shen Yao couldn¡¯t help but pull her into his arms and say gently, ¡°I¡¯m not angry. I¡¯m just a little jealous.¡± When Ah Tao was in danger, it was Qin Minghong who stepped forward to save her. Although Shen Yao was grateful to Qin Minghong, he felt a little disappointed. ¡°Why don¡¯t we make some dumplings tomorrow? We don¡¯t have to buy vinegar anymore!¡± Ji Zhao teased with a smile. ¡®Alright, as you wish.¡± On the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, the wound on Ji Zhao¡¯s face finally healed, and the wound on her shoulder had already scabbed over. ¡°1f we don¡¯t go back, I¡¯m worried that Mother will rush to the county city,¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile as she packed her bags. ¡®Yes, Mother and the rest miss you very much,¡± Shen Yao said as he helped her pack her luggage. At the end of the day, the two of them finally returned to the Shen family¡¯s courtyard in Shanghe Vige. Zhao Lanhua carefully examined Ji Zhao from head to toe several times. After confirming that she was safe and sound, she was relieved. ¡®Are your injuries healed?¡± ¡®Mother?¡± Ji Zhao raised her eyebrows in surprise. ? I¡¯m not injured!¡± ¡®You still want to hide it from me?¡± Zhao Lanhua looked at her angrily. ¡®Your eldest brother has always been honest. He has never lied since he was young. Do you think Mother can¡¯t guess it?¡± Ji Zhao smiled awkwardly. She wanted to exin but didn¡¯t know where to start. ¡®Don¡¯t be so impulsive in the future. If anything happens, our family can discuss it together, understand?¡± Zhao Lanhua held her hand and reminded her gently, ¡®Mother believes that as long as our family works together, we can definitely ovee any difficulties!¡± ¡®Okay!¡± Ji Zhao nodded heavily. ¡®Alright, it¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s have lunch together!¡± Lunch was sumptuous, but Ji Zhao¡¯s lunch was meticulously arranged by Zhao Lanhua. ¡®Radish and pork rib soup, stir-fried cabbage, and braised fish,¡± Zhao Lanhua exined softly. ¡°In winter, our familyrs meals are a little greasy. Your injuries just recovered a little. Mother has already asked the doctor. The doctor said that it¡¯s best for you to eat light food. Ah Tao, why don¡¯t you drink the soup first?¡± ..Okay.¡± Ji Zhao was so touched that her eyes turned red. She obediently picked up the bowl of soup in front of her and took a sip. The fragrance of the radish and the meat of the pork ribs perfectly fused into one, forming another wonderful taste. It entered her throat for a moment, and there was a faint sweet aftertaste. ¡°1 even added some wolfberries to the soup. It should taste good, right?¡± Zhao Lanhua looked at her and asked expectantly. ¡®Delicious!¡± Ji Zhao quickly gave her a thumbs up. ¡°Mother, your soup-making skills are unparalleled!¡± ¡®You¡¯re such a sweet talker!¡± The smile on Zhao Lanhua¡¯s face deepened as she added another piece of pork ribs to Ji Zhao¡¯s bowl.. ¡°Ah Tao, eat more!¡± Chapter 213 - Chapter 213: Plum Blossom Soup Chapter 213: Plum Blossom Soup Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions After the family finished their lunch, Ji Zhao returned to her room. As soon as she entered the house, she saw the red plum blossom in front of the window. The room was even filled with the faint fragrance of plum blossoms. It was refreshing. She couldn¡¯t help but walk closer to the window. She leaned over and sniffed the plum fragrance. Shen Yao happened to pass by the window and saw this scene. He raised his eyebrows silently, imprinting this scene firmly in his mind. Many yearster, when Ji Zhao unintentionally discovered the picture book that this man treated as a treasure, she finally understood how important she was to Shen Yao. ¡®Shen Yao.¡± The moment Ji Zhao opened her eyes, she met Shen Yao¡¯s smiling phoenix eyes. ¡®Ah Tao,¡± Shen Yao replied with a smile. The moment their eyes met, the two of them could see the deep affection in each other¡¯s eyes. ¡®The plum blossom is blooming beautifully near the back of the mountain. Do you want to take a look?¡± Shen Yao walked into the house and invited her with a gentle smile. ¡°If you¡¯re not tired, I¡¯ll bring you to take a look?¡± ¡®Okay!¡± Ji Zhao readily agreed. ¡°Then wait for me for a while.¡± Ji Zhao immediately walked into the kitchen and picked up a basket leaning against the corner. ¡°What are you doing? ¡®Shen Yao, have you eaten honey-stained plum blossoms before?¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile. ¡°Honey-stained plum blossoms are fragrant and sweet. They¡¯re especially delicious. When we pick some plum blossomster, I¡¯ll make them for you personally. ¡± ¡®Okay.¡± The two of them went out together. It was probably because of the snowst night, although the sunlight in the sly was very eye-catching, it was still very cold outside. ¡°It¡¯s said that melting snow is colder than snow. From the looks of it, it¡¯s true!¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile as she rubbed her hands. Shen Yao smiled and grabbed her hands, gently tucking them into his arms. ¡®Aren¡¯t you cold?¡± Ji Zhao was about to pull her hands out when Shen Yao held them tightly. ¡°I¡¯m not cold. I¡¯m very hot.¡± ¡®Silly.¡± Ji Zhao smiled helplessly. However, this feeling was really warm. The river outside Shanghe Vige was already frozen. The weeping willows on both sides of the riverbank had also be bare. The thick white snow covered the branches. Under the sunlight, they sparkled. ¡®Ah Tao, look.¡± Following Shen Yao¡¯s finger, Ji Zhao saw the two plum blossom trees not far away. The cold wind blew, and the branches that were filled with plum blossoms trembled uncontrobly. Pink plum blossoms scattered all over the ground. The pure white snow and pink plum blossoms reflected each other , forming a beautiful painting that made one unable to help but be intoxicated. ¡®Now I understand what that phrase means. The plum blossoms are not as pristine as snow, but the snow is not as fragrant as the plum blossoms.¡± Looking at the scenery in front of her, Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Shen Yao¡¯s eyes lit up when he heard this. He looked at Ji Zhao with admiration. ¡®Ah Tao, which senior wrote this poem? Ji Zhao thought about it seriously. ¡°I remember that this poet¡¯s name is Lu Meipo, right?¡± Both the plum blossoms and the snow thought they overcame spring, neither admitting defeat. The schrs could not decide which had the upper hand, so they could only put down their brushes and discuss. The plum blossoms are not as pristine as snow, but the snow is not as fragrant as the plum blossoms. ¡®This Senior Lu is really talented.¡± Shen Yao could not help but praise, ¡®This poem is very artistic. When I think about it carefully, I feel that it¡¯s interesting.¡± Actually, Ji Zhao was just casually mentioning it. She did not expect Shen Yao to have so many insights. She smiled and squatted on the ground to pick up the plum blossoms. Compared to discussing this poem, she was more willing to think about what to do to make the honey-stained plum blossom more delicious. Shen Yao apanied her and picked up a lot of plum blossoms. Ji Zhao carried the basket back to the kitchen and smiled in satisfaction. ¡®Tm afraid the honey-stained plum blossoms are a little too sweet. I n to make plum blossom soup.¡± Ji Zhao rolled up her sleeves and began to prepare this sweet and delicious dish. At night, there was sweet and delicious plum blossom soup on the Shen family¡¯s dining table. Zhao Lanhua stared at the bowl of soup and asked worriedly, ¡°Ah Tao, is this plum blossom really edible?¡± ¡®Of course you can!¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile. ¡°Mother, try it. It tastes really good!¡± Curious, Zhao Lanhua carefully took a sip of the soup. It was sweet in her mouth, apanied by the faint fragrance of plum blossoms. There seemed to be a refreshing taste that made her want more. ¡®The Plum Blossom Soup is appetizing and can clear the lungs,¡± Ji Zhao exined with a smile. ¡°1 also added some sandalwood incense to this soup. The fragrance of the plum blossom is also mixed in with the sandalwood. ¡®Ah Tao, is there chicken soup in this soup?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen asked impatiently. ¡°I can even taste the delicious fragrance of the chicken soup!¡± ¡®That¡¯s right!¡± Ji Zhao said in admiration, ¡°Second Sister-inw, you really have a good tongue. You¡¯re amazing!¡± ¡®Of course!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen said proudly, ¡°I won¡¯t brag about anything else, but my tongue is really amazing! Whether it¡¯s sweet, salty, or sour, as long as you bring the dishes to me and let me have a taste, I¡¯ll definitely be able to analyze it for you!¡± ¡®Alright, stop bragging!¡± Zhao Lanhua was amused by her daughter-inw. ¡®Hurry up and drink more soup!¡± ¡®Alright, Mother!¡± ¡®Tomorrow will be the 29th. Remember to clean the house well!¡± After putting down the bowl and chopsticks, Zhao Lanhua instructed seriously, ¡°Second daughter-inw, take good care of Zhuangzhuang. Eldest daughter-inw, help make some old dough. We¡¯ll make dumplings together on New Year¡¯s Eve the day after tomorrow. As for Ah Tao, apany me back to Tian Family Vige tomorrow.¡± ¡®Mother?¡± Other than Ji Zhao, everyone else looked at Zhao Lanhua in surprise. ¡®Mother, are you really going back to the Tian Family Vige?¡± Sister-inw Shen said with a disapproving expression, ¡®How about you not go back? If you have something to give to Grandfather, let Shen Lei make a trip?¡± ¡®Yes, Lanhua, have you really thought it through?¡± Shen Dashan frowned in disapproval. Zhao Lanhua sighed deeply. ¡°I heard that your maternal grandfather is sick. have to go back and take a look.¡± ¡®Shall I go with you?¡± Shen Dashan quickly asked. ¡®No, Ah Tao, apany me.¡± Zhao Lanhua waved her hand and said firmly, ¡®This matter is settled. It¡¯s gettingte. Everyone, go back to your rooms and rest.¡¯ After returning to the house, Ji Zhao rested her chin on her hands and stared at Shen Yao, who was sitting at the table, motionless. ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡± Shen Yao looked at her adorable expression and smiled helplessly. ¡®Does Mother have some story in Tian Family Vige?¡± When Zhao Lanhua mentioned Tian Family Vige during dinner just now, Ji Zhao felt that the atmosphere at that time had suddenly be very strange. Moreover, Zhao Lanhua, who had always been bright and cheerful, actually had a faint frown on her face.. Chapter 214 - Chapter 214: Never Held Hatred Chapter 214: Never Held Hatred Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°The Tian Family Vige is about ten miles away from our Shanghe Vige.¡¯ Shen Yao slowly closed the book in his hand and said tirelessly, ¡°There are a total of ten viges around Dingyuan County. The customs of each vige are different. And the Tian Family Vige has a particrly obvious bad habit of favoring boys over girls.¡¯ ¡°The vigers who were born and raised in the Tian Family Vige are all very stubborn. The sons of the Tian Family Vige are even more stubborn. If the child they give birth to is a daughter and not a son, they will be unhappy. Coincidentally, my maternal grandfather is also such a person.¡¯ ¡®Grandfather also valued boys over girls? ¡®Yes.¡± Shen Yao nodded. ¡®Moreover, the situation in my maternal grandfather¡¯s family is a littleplicated. In the second year after giving birth to my mother, my maternal grandmother was pregnant again. Unfortunately, more than six monthster, something happened to my maternal grandmother. She fell and couldn¡¯t protect the child. In the end, she died in depression in less than three months.¡± ¡®At that time, Mother was still young. Grandfather¡¯s bloodline was thin, and he had to help look after the stove in a restaurant in the prefecture capital, so he brought Mother to the prefecture capital. However, the good times didn¡¯tst long. When Mother was six years old, Grandfather identally injured his hand, so he lost his job in the prefecture capital.¡± ¡®There was once a traveling Daoist priest who said that Mother was destined to carry evil spirits, which would jinx her father and mother. Only by marrying someone without parents and with an extremely life force could she resolve this evil spirit. Later on, Mother married Father.¡± ¡°What happened after that?¡± ¡®After that, Grandfather married another wife and gave birth to two sons in a row. However, those two uncles were two years younger than Eldest Brother.¡± Shen Yao sighed softly. ¡°Five years ago, when Mother brought Father back to the Tian Family Vige to visit the new year, Youngest Uncle suddenly had a fever. That stepmother insisted that the murderous aura in Mother¡¯s life was too strong, which hindered Youngest Uncle¡¯s health. In addition, Grandfather also said some harsh words and forbade Mother from taking the surname Tian.¡¯ Only then did Zhao Lanhua change to her mother¡¯s surname. Ji Zhao really did not expect her warm and hearty mother-inw to have such an unhappy past. ¡®Mother must still be thinking about Grandfather in her heart.¡± Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°After all, no one in this world is willing to abandon kinship.¡± Even if this familial love was not that beautiful, everyone would feel nostalgic for their parents. This was probably human nature! ¡®No matter what happens in the Tian Family Vige tomorrow, I will apany Mother,¡± Ji Zhao promised seriously. After a simple wash, Ji Zhao fell asleep. However, she dreamt again. This dream was not a nightmare, but it was very disgusting! The next day, when Ji Zhao yawned and walked into the kitchen, Zhao Lanhua was cutting cured meat. ¡®Ah Tao, you¡¯re awake? I left some corn porridge in the pot for you. Drink it while it¡¯s hot.¡¯ ¡®Alright, thank you, Mother!¡± ¡®Girl, don¡¯t say thank you so casually in this family. It¡¯s too distant.¡± Zhao Lanhua pretended to look at her angrily. Ji Zhao could only chuckle foolishly. ¡®Mother, what are you cutting?¡± ¡°1 want to give some of the cured meat to your maternal grandfather. Your maternal grandfather¡¯s favorite dish is smoked cured meat. With this dish, he can drink at least two taels more wine!¡± Zhao Lanhua exined with a smile. ¡¯11t sounds like Grandfather¡¯s alcohol tolerance is not bad!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. You don¡¯t know, but when your maternal grandfather was young, his alcohol tolerance was especially good.¡± Recalling the things that happened when she was young, Zhao Lanhua seemed to have opened a conversation box. ¡°1n the past, when he was in the restaurant in the prefectural city, during festivals, the restaurant would give out a jar of good wine. During the Dragon Boat Festival, they would give out glutinous rice and duck eggs. During the Mid -Autumn Festival, they would give out lotus paste mooncakes. During the Spring Festival, they would give out smoked cured meat!¡± ¡®Stir-fry it with garlic sprouts and add fried peanuts. It¡¯ll taste great,¡± Zhao Lanhua said with a smile. ¡°1¡¯11 make it for you tomorrow. You¡¯ll know.¡¯ ¡®Alright!¡± Ji Zhao replied with a smile. At the end of the day, Eldest Brother Shen had already set up the carriage. ¡®Mother, shall I send you and Third Sister-inw off? The roads are slippery in this snowy weather. I¡¯m worried about the two of you going out.¡± There was a simple and honest smile on Eldest Brother Shen¡¯s face, but his tone was firm. ¡®Alright.¡± Zhao Lanhua naturally would not refuse her son¡¯s filial piety. After getting into the carriage, Zhao Lanhua lowered her eyes to hide the worry in them. Ji Zhao thought for a moment and took out an oil paper bag from her pocket. ¡®And this is?¡± ¡®Mother, it¡¯s your favorite egg yolk peanut!¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile. ¡°I specially made some this morning. Do you want to try it?¡± ¡®Girl, didn¡¯t I tell you to rest more?¡± Zhao Lanhua tapped her forehead angrily, but her beautiful eyes were clearly smiling. ¡®Mother, why do you like peanuts so much?¡± ¡°1 probably took after your maternal grandfather.¡± Zhao Lanhuaughed bitterly. ¡°Your maternal grandfather¡¯s egg yolk peanuts are really delicious, but...¡± ¡°Third Brother told you about Mother, right?¡± ¡®Yes.¡± Ji Zhao nodded slightly. ¡°Shen Yao only mentioned it briefly. However, Mother, do you really not hate Grandfather?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never resented him,¡± Zhao Lanhua said softly. ¡°1n fact, I¡¯m very grateful to your maternal grandfather. Do you think that Mother is very foolish and filial?¡± Ji Zhao subconsciously pursed her lips and shook her head gently. ¡®Actually, Mother was quite lucky when I was young. Your maternal grandfather would always bring me beautiful silk flowers and beautiful dresses when he returned home during the holidays. Compared to other girls, I¡¯m considered the more special one. Your maternal grandfather actually dotes on me very much.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that what the traveling Daoist priest saidter...¡± Zhao Lanhuaughed bitterly. ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s not talk about the past.¡¯ ¡®Mother, in fact, some traveling Daoists aren¡¯t experts at all. Instead, they use the name of experts to swindle others!¡± Ji Zhao said angrily. ¡®Maybe, but that¡¯s not important anymore.¡± Zhao Lanhuabed the loose hair at her temples and asked with a smile, ¡®Ah Tao, look, did Mother dress up well today?¡± ¡®You¡¯re beautiful!¡± ¡®That¡¯s great! It¡¯s not easy for me toe back. I can¡¯t let Tian Xiu¡¯e look down on me!¡± ¡®Tian Xiu¡¯e?¡± ¡®Your grandfather¡¯s second wife.¡¯ The carriage swayed all the way and finally arrived at the Tian Family Vige before noon. ¡®Mother, the road ahead is a little narrow. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not easy for the horse to move forward.¡± Eldest Brother Shen, who was driving the carriage, hurriedly stopped and asked anxiously. ¡°Then let¡¯s walk over.¡± Zhao Lanhua quickly jumped off the carriage. ¡®Son, find a ce and tie up the carriage.¡± ¡®Mother, why don¡¯t we let Eldest Brother go back first?¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly said, ¡°Firstly, Eldest Brother¡¯s carriage is also rented. It won¡¯t be good if someone steals the carriage! Secondly, Eldest Sister-inw is still pregnant. Why don¡¯t we let Eldest Brother go back first?¡± ¡®Ah Tao, I want to stay...¡± Just as Eldest Brother Shen was about to exin, he saw Ji Zhao winking at him.. Chapter 215 - Chapter 215: Then Don’t Take It! Chapter 215: Then Don¡¯t Take It! Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡®Listen to Ah Tao. Go home first.¡± Zhao Lanhua waved her hand. ¡®Big Brother, I suddenly remembered that I seem to have dropped an earring on the carriage. Mother, wait for me for a moment?¡± Ji Zhao said hurriedly. Then, she grabbed Eldest Brother Shen¡¯s arm and hurried to the carriage. ¡®Ah Tao, why did you wink just now? ¡®Big Brother, listen to me...¡± Ji Zhao deliberately lowered her voice and said a few simple words. ¡®Huh?¡± Eldest Brother Shen was very surprised. ¡°Are we really going to do this?¡± ¡®Yes, just trust me, Big Brother!¡± ¡®Alright then!¡± After giving Eldest Brother Shen a few instructions, Ji Zhao hurriedly ran to Zhao Lanhua¡¯s side and said with a smile, ¡°Mother, I found the earring. Shall we go? ¡®Girl, you can¡¯t always be so careless!¡± ¡®Mother, is there a narrow bridge ahead?¡± Ji Zhao looked at the scenery in the distance and changed the topic without batting an eyelid. ¡®Yes, that¡¯s a half-arch bridge leading to the Tian Family Vige.¡± Zhao Lanhua couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°Look carefully. There are two mulberry trees nted beside that bridge! When I was young, I even climbed that mulberry tree and picked mulberries! The ck-purple mulberry fruit was sweet and delicious. It also had a lot of juice. ¡®Mother has climbed trees before?¡± Ji Zhao was extremely surprised. ¡®Are you surprised?¡± Zhao Lanhua smiled brightly. ¡°When I was young, I climbed trees, dug out bird nests, and went into the water to catch crabs!¡± Zhao Lanhua¡¯s childhood was joyous and carefree. Everything changed when the traveling Daoist priest came. After the mother-inw and daughter-inw walked across this narrow half-arch bridge together, they saw a muddy alley. Fortunately, this alley was paved with limestone bs, so pedestrians could just barely pass through. ¡®This alley is the same as before. It hasn¡¯t changed at all.¡± Zhao Lanhua looked at the exit of the alley and said softly, ¡°Your maternal grandfather¡¯s house is at the end of the alley.¡± Zhao Lanhua, who was walking in the alley, suddenly felt that her footsteps were a little heavy. Ji Zhao thought that it was probably a feeling of homesickness. ¡®We¡¯re here.¡¯ Zhao Lanhua slowly stopped in her tracks. Just as she was about to knock on the door, she was pulled aside by Ji Zhao. Whoosh¡ª When the door was opened, a basin of vegetable washing water was poured out! ¡®Oh? What a rare guest!¡± Tian Xiu¡¯e, who was dressed in a light gray floral long coat, immediately had a strange expression on her face when she saw Zhao Lanhua. ¡°At New Year¡¯s Eve in other people¡¯s houses the magpies are always chirping at the door. But when ites to our house, the crows are chirping. Yesterday, I was still wondering why there would be crows out of nowhere. It turns out that a person who jinxes parents has returned?¡± Before Zhao Lanhua could say anything, the freckled Tian Xiu ¡®e was already rambling on. Ji Zhao looked at Tian Xiu¡¯e, who was chattering non-stop, and frowned unhappily. Just as she was about to retort, Zhao Lanhua grabbed her wrist. ¡°I heard that my father is sick, so I came back to take a look.¡± Zhao Lanhua handed the basket in her hand to her with a pleasant expression. ¡®Coincidentally, our family had the annual pig ughter a few days ago. I specially sent some cured meat back for my father and Dazhuang to try.¡± ¡®That¡¯s all? Is it enough for the father and son to eat?¡± Tian Xiu¡¯e rolled her eyes angrily, but her hands were quick and agile. She took the basket and turned to the kitchen,ining as she walked. ¡®This cured meat isn¡¯t very well smoked!¡± ¡®Are these eggs fresh?¡± ¡®Also, why is there only a small bag of dried bamboo shoots?¡± Ji Zhao let out a deep breath of anger, but in the end, she didn¡¯t say anything. After all, the show had yet to begin! ¡®Ah Tao,e with me to meet your maternal grandfather.¡± Just as Zhao Lanhua was about to bring Ah Tao to the inner room, Tian Xiu¡¯e stopped her. ¡°What are you doing? ¡®Your father¡¯s not home.¡¯ ¡®He¡¯s not at home? It¡¯s the 29th of December today. Where did he go?¡± Zhao Lanhua asked anxiously. ¡°Isn¡¯t he still sick? Why didn¡¯t he rest well?¡± ¡®He went to the brick kiln at the back of the vige to work!¡± Tian Xiu¡¯e said angrily. ¡°Your two younger brothers are not young anymore. It¡¯s time for them to get married. Doesn¡¯t your father have to earn more money? He can¡¯t count on you, his daughter, who has already achieved sess. How can he not think of ways to earn more money? ¡°1f you hadn¡¯t jinxed your father, would something have happened to his hand? If nothing had happened to your father¡¯s hand, he might have be a chef in the prefecture¡¯s restaurant long ago. Why would he suffer like this? In the end, isn¡¯t the culprit behind all of this you?¡± Faced with Tian Xiu¡¯e¡¯s usation, Zhao Lanhua remained silent. Ji Zhao really couldn¡¯t take it anymore! ¡®Enough!¡± Ji Zhao narrowed her eyes dangerously and walked towards Tian Xiu¡¯e angrily. Then, she criticized loudly, ¡°Look at what you¡¯re saying. From the moment my mother returned, you haven¡¯t been able to spit out ivory from your dog mouth! If you think the gift we sent is too shabby, don¡¯t ept it!¡± ¡°It¡¯s said that lookse from the heart. Look at yourself. You have narrowed eyes and a face full of freckles. One look and I can tell that you¡¯re petty!¡± ¡®You...¡± Tian Xiu¡¯e was so angry that her entire body was trembling. However, in the face of Ji Zhao¡¯s powerful aura, she could not say a word! ¡®Ah Tao!¡± Zhao Lanhua frowned and nced at Ji Zhao. Only then did Ji Zhao stop. ¡®Zhao Lanhua, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re here to be filial to your father. You¡¯re here to anger me, right?¡± ¡®You¡¯re thinking too much.¡± ¡®Lanhua is here?¡± ¡®Father?¡± Hearing that familiar voice, Zhao Lanhua hurriedly went out to wee him. ¡°Father, you¡¯re back? Are you feeling better?¡± ¡®Ahem.¡± Tian Guangsheng could not help but cough twice. The emotions in his words were unfathomable. ¡°It¡¯s such a cold day. Why are you here?¡± ¡°1 heard from Aunt Ju that you¡¯ve caught a cold. I was worried, so I came to take a look.¡± Zhao Lanhua looked at his face carefully. When she saw the darkness under his eyes, she asked worriedly, ¡®Father, you don¡¯t look too good. ¡°It¡¯s almost the new year and he saw his the jinx. How can he look good?¡± Tian Xiu¡¯e said unhappily. Zhao Lanhua pretended not to hear her. She took out some scattered silver from her pocket and handed it to him. ¡°Father, buy more supplements when you¡¯re free. Don¡¯t drink too much wine.¡± ¡®Lanhua, why don¡¯t you have a drink with me today?¡± Tian Guangsheng took the six taels of silver from her hand and turned around to hand it to Tian Xiu¡¯e. ¡®Go make some dishes.¡± For the sake of the silver, Tian Xiu¡¯e finally shut her mouth. Ji Zhao, who witnessed this scene, felt rather upset. ¡®By the way, Father, this is Ah Tao, my third son¡¯s wife.¡± Zhao Lanhua quickly grabbed Ah Tao¡¯s hand and said with a smile, ¡°This child is especially obedient and filial. By the way, Ah Tao is especially good at cooking!¡± ¡®IIS that so?¡± Tian Guangsheng only nced at her indifferently. ¡°Pretty good. Lanhua, follow me into the house. I have something to tell you..¡± Chapter 216 - Chapter 216: Can a Wild Boar Close a Door By Itself? Chapter 216: Can a Wild Boar Close a Door By Itself? Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡®Grandfather, Mother, I¡¯ll go help in the kitchen.¡¯ Ji Zhao walked into the kitchen with a smile. Tian Xiu¡¯e, who was counting peanuts, frowned unhappily when she saw her. ¡°What are you doing in here? Get out!¡± ¡®Tm here to see if you¡¯re poisoning me!¡± ¡®You wretched girl, what are you talking about?¡± Tian Xiu¡¯e was shocked, and the expression on her face became even more flustered. ¡°I just said it casually. Why are you so nervous?¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile. ¡°Pfft! Which eye of yours saw that I was nervous?¡± Tian Xiu¡¯e deliberately pulled a long face. ¡°You¡¯re not wee here. Get out quickly!¡¯ ¡®Okay,¡± Ji Zhao replied obediently. Seeing that she had really gone out, Tian Xiu¡¯e felt even worse. Did this sharp-tongued brat discover something? However, she had done it so secretly that no one should discover it! After Ji Zhao walked out of the kitchen, she did not leave immediately. Instead, she walked around to the base of the kitchen wall and slowly squatted down. Coincidentally, there was arge water tank thatpletely blocked her figure. The dream she hadst night was very disgusting. In her dream, she saw a nauseating scene. Now, she just had to patiently wait for that scene to happen. On the other side. After hearing Tian Guangsheng¡¯s words, Zhao Lanhua frowned. ¡®Sixty taels?¡± ¡®That¡¯s right.¡± Tian Guangsheng frowned worriedly. ¡®Lanhua, you also know that your two younger brothers are not young anymore and should be getting married. All these years, I¡¯ve saved some money, but the family that your eldest brother has taken a fancy to insisted on a betrothal gift of 30 taels. I think that our two sons should be equal, right?¡± ¡®Also, you saw our house. The kitchen and the east wing have a corner of the roof broken. This house needs to be renovated.¡¯ ¡®But 60 taels is really too much.¡¯ ¡®Lanhua, I know you¡¯re having a hard time, so I¡¯m willing to write you an IOU and let your two younger brothers put their thumbprints on it together. What do you think?¡± ¡°Father, I can¡¯t make this decision alone. I have to go back and discuss it with Dashan.¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s true. Then talk to Dashan nicely. Dashan is a kind and honest child. He will definitely agree.¡± Tian Guangsheng tapped his pipe and slowly said, ¡®Lanhua, I¡¯ve let you down all these years. Back then, I had no choice but to let you change your surname.¡± ¡®All these years, whenever I think of this, I feel ufortable in my heart.¡¯ The more Tian Guangsheng spoke, the sadder he became. ¡°You probably still hate me in your heart, right?¡± ¡®No.¡± Zhao Lanhua shook her head gently. ¡°Father has been very good to me.¡± Back then, after the traveling Daoist priest prophesized Zhao Lanhua¡¯s fate of jinxing her father and mother, the elders in the Tian family¡¯s ancestral hall wished they could drown Zhao Lanhua in a pig cage. After all, in their eyes, girls¡¯ lives were cheap. They could not keep a girl who jinxed their father and mother. In the end, it was Tian Guangsheng who suggested that she change her surname and saved her life. In Zhao Lanhua¡¯s heart, her father had always protected her. ¡°I know sixty taels is a lot, but don¡¯t worry. When your two younger brothers can increase their sry, we will definitely return the silver. ¡®By the way, I heard that Shen Lei¡¯s pastry shop is doing better and better?¡± ¡®The years haven¡¯t been good. Eldest Brother and his wife can only barely make ends meet.¡± Zhao Lanhua lowered her eyes to hide the emotions in her eyes and said softly, ¡°Perhaps in two years, Second Brother willplete his apprenticeship and our family will be better.¡± ¡°It¡¯s gonna get better.¡± ¡°It¡¯s gonna get better.¡± ¡®That¡¯s right.¡± Zhao Lanhua smiled and asked carefully, ¡°Aunt Ju said that you coughed very badly a few days ago. Are you feeling better now? Have you called a doctor?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an old problem that has been going on for many years.¡± Tian Guangsheng waved his hand indifferently. ¡°When the weather warms up, it will get better.¡± Putting aside the topic of borrowing money, the father and daughter actually looked at each other in silence. ¡®Shall I go to the kitchen to take a look?¡± Zhao Lanhua thought for a moment and stood up. ¡®Let¡¯s go together.¡¯ At that moment, Ji Zhao, who was guarding under the wall outside the kitchen window, heard the soundsing from the kitchen and covered her ears in disgust. Then, she tiptoed to the door and locked it! In the kitchen, Tian Xiu¡¯e was doing something indescribable with a same man. The sounds she made during this period were really nauseating. ¡®Lanhua?¡± ¡®Mother!¡± Shen Dashan led the Eldest Brother Shen and Shen Yao into the Tian family¡¯s house. ¡®Dashan, why are you here?¡± ¡°I heard from Uncle Ju that the Tian Family Vige has been a little unsafe recently. Wild boars and weasels often appear. We¡¯re worried about you.¡± Shen Dashan hurriedly walked in front of Zhao Lanhua. ¡°Did the wild boars rush to the door?¡± ¡®Wild boar?¡± Tian Guangsheng was also stunned. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of wild boars recently?¡± ¡®Son, what¡¯s going on?¡± Shen Dashan subconsciously turned to look at Eldest Brother Shen, who had his head lowered. Ah Tao told me!¡¯ ¡®Ah Tao?¡± Only then did Zhao Lanhua realize that Ah Tao was missing. ¡®Mother!¡± Ji Zhao rushed to the front of the crowd. ¡°There¡¯s really a wild boar. I saw it just now. A big ck wild boar rushed into the kitchen!¡± ¡°1¡¯11 get the hoe!¡¯ ¡®Shall I get the twine?¡± ¡®No matter what, we have to capture this wild boar today!¡± ¡®Wait?¡± Just as the other men were in high spirits, Shen Yao suddenly shouted, ¡®Can a wild boar close the door on its own? At this moment, Tian Xiu¡¯e, who was having an affair in the corner of the kitchen, felt that her heart was about to jump out. ¡®You restless brat. Didn¡¯t you say you woulde and find me before your father left home? ¡®Auntie Xiu¡¯e, I miss you!¡± The man lying in Tian Xiu¡¯e¡¯s arms smiled wretchedly. ¡°Auntie Xiu¡¯e, are you afraid?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve lived for so long. Who am I afraid of?¡± Tian Xiu¡¯e kicked away the man lying on top of her and quickly buttoned her long coat. Then, she gathered her hair and rushed to the door to open it. ¡®What are you arguing about?¡± Tian Xiu¡¯e spat in displeasure. ¡°I¡¯m cooking right now. Why are you guys babbling on and on?¡± ¡®Shen Yao, Grandmother is so fierce...¡± Ji Zhao hid behind Shen Yao with an aggrieved expression and said pitifully, ¡°But I really saw the wild boar rush into the kitchen!¡± ¡®Get lost!¡± Tian Xiu¡¯e put her hands on her hips and rolled her eyes at Ji Zhao. ¡®Shen Yao, look! Is there a wild boar by the window?!¡± As soon as Ji Zhao finished speaking, everyone heard a painful howl! ¡®Cousin Tian Qing?¡± Zhao Lanhua recognized the ck figure at a nce and asked curiously, ¡°Why are you in my family¡¯s kitchen?¡± ¡®Hiss...¡± Tian Qing was about to speak when he felt a dull pain in his behind! Chapter 217 - Chapter 217: A Thunderclap Chapter 217: A Thunderp Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The monkey-like man called Tian Qing subconsciously touched his butt. Looking at the pool of blood on his hand, he was so frightened that he almost fainted! ¡®Ah!¡± Ji Zhao suddenly eximed, ¡°Shen Yao, look at the thing on that person¡¯s arm. Is it the sexually transmitted disease that Master mentioned before?¡± Sexually transmitted disease? Everyone who heard this word subconsciously took two steps back! Shen Yao nced at Ah Tao, who kept winking at him, and understood. ¡®Ah Tao.¡± Shen Yao shook his head at her helplessly. ¡®Did I say something wrong?¡± Ji Zhao pretended to be flustered and covered her mouth, but her eyes were extremely innocent. Tian Qing was scared out of his wits when he heard that he might have contracted a sexually transmitted disease. He got up from the ground in a panic and stared at Tian Xiu¡¯e with an aggrieved expression. ¡°Auntie Xiu¡¯e, how can you treat me like this?¡± ¡®You, you, you... What are you talking about? Get lost!¡± Tian Xiu¡¯e kept casting looks at Tian Qing, trying to bluff her way out. However, Tian Guangsheng was not a fool. How could he not see something fishy? He casually picked up the broom leaning against the corner of the wall and ruthlessly waved it at Tian Qing. ¡®You bastard who only knows how to steal!¡± ¡®Uncle Guangsheng, stop! Stop!¡¯ Tian Qing, who had suffered a solid beating, scrambled towards the door and bumped into Tian Guang¡¯an who had just entered! Ouch! ¡®Big Brother? Why are you here?¡± Tian Guangsheng hurriedly put down the broom in his hand and immediately walked up to him. ¡®Guangsheng, I¡¯m afraid your Xiaotou has gone crazy. He insists that I¡¯m his father!¡± Tian Guang¡¯an said with a worried gaze. ¡°Hurry up and take a look. He¡¯s going crazy at my house now!¡¯ ¡®IIS Xiaotou really crazy?¡± Tian Qing could not help but say, ¡°He was clearly secretly conceived by Auntie Xiu¡¯e and my father. Why is he addressing random people as his father?¡± This sentence was no different from a thunderp. Tian Guangsheng and the Shen family were stunned. ¡®You... What did you just say?¡± Tian Guangsheng felt his vision go dark and his body swayed. When he saw Tian Xiu¡¯e¡¯s guilty expression, hepletely fainted! This farce slowly began. Unknowingly , it was already dusk. Ji Zhao borrowed the Tian family¡¯s kitchen and made a few simple sesame seed cakes. ¡®You knew long ago?¡± Shen Yao looked at Ji Zhao, who was munching on a sesame seed cake, and asked softly. ¡®No, I just had another dreamst night.¡¯ Ji Zhao smiled at him. ¡®Do you want to know the contents of my dream?¡± Ji Zhao took another bite of the sesame seed cake and smiled sweetly. ¡®Yes.¡± Shen Yao nodded. ¡°1n the dream, I apanied Mother to the Tian Family Vige. Grandfather asked Mother to borrow money, but Mother didn¡¯t agree immediately. Tian Xiu¡¯e was filled with resentment, so she added something to Mother¡¯s favorite egg yolk peanut. Later, Mother and I fainted. Then, Mother woke up. Tian Qing was lying naked beside her. Then, the ancestors of the Tian Family¡¯s ancestral hall came first...¡¯ Even though Ji Zhao spoke very calmly, Shen Yao could not help but clench his fists. ¡®Mother was almost drowned in a pig cage. Although she barely survived, she started to be muddled. Before I woke up from the dream, some disgusting scenes appeared in front of me.¡¯ Ji Zhao frowned and said, ¡°In the past 20 years, I¡¯m afraid Grandfather has raised someone else¡¯s son...¡± Not only was Tian Xiu¡¯e harsh, but she was also lewd and shameless. ¡®That¡¯s why I asked Big Brother to help me do two things,¡± Ji Zhao said in a low voice. ¡®Shen Yao, you won¡¯t me me for acting on my own, right?¡± Ji Zhao gently held his hand and exined in a low voice, ¡°At first, I wanted to tell you everything, but you also know that once I reveal the contents of the dream, there will be a sharp pain in my throat. Therefore, I can only think of a way to resolve the crisis myself. Only after the crisis is resolved can I say the contents of the dream.¡± ¡®Ah Tao, I don¡¯t me you.¡± Shen Yao looked into her eyes and his tone became even gentler. ¡°On the contrary, I¡¯m very grateful.¡± If Ah Tao had not been able to foresee the future in her dream, something would have happened to his mother. ¡®Then what should we do next?¡± Ji Zhao asked curiously. ¡°Things have already developed to this point. Tian Xiu¡¯e will definitely be divorced or even be drowned in a pig cage, right?¡± ¡®No.¡± Shen Yao shook his head firmly. ¡°Why not? It¡¯s already obvious that Tian Xiu¡¯e is having an affair behind grandfather¡¯s back. Could it be that at this point, grandfather still wants to pretend that he doesn¡¯t know anything?¡± The more Ji Zhao thought about it, the more she couldn¡¯t understand! ¡®Sometimes people are more willing to believe hypocritical lies than the cruel truth.¡± Shen Yao sighed softly. As Shen Yao had expected, after Tian Xiu¡¯e confessed everything, Tian Guangsheng¡¯s face was tense and he did not say a word. ¡®Dazhuang and Xiaotou, are they my sons? After a long silence, Tian Guangsheng sighed deeply and asked weakly. ¡®Yes!¡± Tian Xiu¡¯e replied firmly. She even said shamelessly, ¡°Brother Guangsheng, you¡¯re ten years older than me. I¡¯m a living person. I didn¡¯t mean to cheat on you, but I¡¯m too lonely!¡± ¡®You¡¯re not in good health. I don¡¯t want to aggrieve myself.¡± ¡®But don¡¯t worry. Since I, Tian Xiu¡¯e, am still Tian Guangsheng¡¯s wife, I will still serve you well.¡± Tian Xiu¡¯e patted her chest and said, ¡°As long as this matter can be overturned, I promise I will cut ties with them.¡± Tian Guangsheng sighed deeply. In just four hours, a few more strands of white hair had appeared on his temples. ¡®At the end of the day, Lanhua is too unlucky. I knew that nothing good would happen once she returned home.¡± The more Tian Xiu¡¯e thought about it, the angrier she became. She even shamelessly med all of this on Zhao Lanhua. ¡°1n my opinion, it¡¯s better not to let here back in the future.¡¯ Tian Guangsheng closed his eyes in frustration, but Tian Xiu¡¯e was still chattering in his ear. BANG! In a fit of anger, Tian Guangsheng threw the big bowl on the table at her head! The blue-patterned bowl fell to the ground and shattered! Tian Xiu¡¯e¡¯s head was also smashed with a huge hole, and blood spurted out! ¡®You shameless slut, you still haven¡¯t admitted your mistake?¡± The more he thought about it, the angrier Tian Guangsheng became. He picked up the broken porcin piece on the ground and rushed out, trying to cut Tian Xiu¡¯e¡¯s neck! ¡®Go to hell, you slut!¡± ¡°Father!¡± Zhao Lanhua, who was guarding outside the house, heard themotion and rushed in hurriedly. ¡°Father, don¡¯t be rash! Killing is illegal!¡± ¡°Illegal? I can¡¯t care less now.. I¡¯m going to hell with this b*tch!¡± Chapter 218 - Chapter 218: What Do You Want Mother to Do? Chapter 218: What Do You Want Mother to Do? Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°Father, if you really kill her, you¡¯ll be unlucky too!¡± Zhao Lanhua grabbed Tian Guangsheng¡¯s arm anxiously. However, Tian Guangsheng was in a fit of anger at this moment. How could he calm down? He clenched the porcin piece in his hand and angrily tried to shake off Zhao Lanhua¡¯s arm! In the end, he identally cut a wound on Zhao Lanhua¡¯s arm. ¡®Lanhua!¡± Shen Dashan rushed forward anxiously and supported Zhao Lanhua. ¡®Lanhua, you¡¯re bleeding!¡± ¡®Tm fine.¡± Although the wound on her arm was burning, Zhao Lanhua¡¯s expression was as calm as ever. She hurriedly looked at Tian Guangsheng. ¡°Father, calm down first. Think about it. Killing people is definitely illegal!¡¯ ¡®Besides, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a loss to break thew for someone like Tian Xiu¡¯e?¡± Tian Guangsheng fell to the ground in frustration. In an instant, he seemed to have aged by more than ten years. ¡°Father-inw.¡± After Shen Dashan treated Zhao Lanhua¡¯s wound, he turned to face Tian Guangsheng, who did not say a word. His tone was very cold. ¡°I want to ask you, how do you deal with this matter?¡± ¡®ording to the rules of the Tian Family Vige, she should be drowned in a pig cage.¡± Shen Dashan stared expressionlessly at Tian Xiu¡¯e, who was curled up in the corner. His gaze was cold as he said, ¡®Also, whether Dazhuang and Xiaotou are your sons or not, I think you¡¯d better verify this matter.¡± ¡®Back then, when Dazhuang was sick, you changed Lanhua¡¯s surname. This is unfair to Lanhua,¡± Shen Dashan said with a deep gaze. ¡°1f Dazhuang is really your son, then we will ept this matter. But what if he isn¡¯t? Then won¡¯t the grievances that Lanhua has suffered all these years be for nothing?¡± ¡®Also, even if you¡¯re angry, you shouldn¡¯t have hurt Lanhua!¡± Sensing the anger in Shen Dashan¡¯s words, Zhao Lanhua pursed her lips and did not say anything in the end. ¡°This matter,¡± Tian Guangsheng sighed weakly and said expressionlessly, ¡°Let¡¯s end it here.¡¯ ¡°Father?¡± Zhao Lanhua widened her eyes in surprise. She really did not expect Tian Guangsheng to decide to let this matter go so easily. After being cuckolded for so many years, he didn¡¯t want to resolve things, but he wanted to cover his head with his hands and try to deceive himself? This was too unbelievable. ¡®What else? Should I publicize this matter so that everyone in the Tian Family Vige knows that I, Tian Guangsheng, am incapable?¡± Tian Guangsheng was already over 60 years old this year. He was no longer capable of doing things like love between a man and a woman. He was not stupid. How could he not notice Tian Xiu¡¯e¡¯s dirty actions in private? ¡®Most of the time, being confused is a blessing in life.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. You guys should leave first.¡± Tian Guangsheng waved his hand helplessly and said weakly. At this moment, Zhao Lanhua had mixed feelings. In her heart, her father had always been an indomitable man. However, it was only today that she realized how weak the father she had always respected was. ¡°Then take care of yourself,¡± Zhao Lanhua said and left. The next day would be New Year¡¯s Eve. Before dawn, Ji Zhao came to the kitchen to get busy. However, she did not see Zhao Lanhua, so she could not help but feel worried. ¡®Ah Tao, you¡¯re up so early?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen walked into the kitchen with a smile. ¡®Didn¡¯t you guyse back verytest night? Why didn¡¯t you sleep more? I¡¯ll make breakfast!¡± ¡®Eldest Sister-inw, did you see mother this morning? Eldest Sister-inw Shen shook her head gently. ¡°I¡¯ve heard about what happened to Grandfather¡¯s family from your eldest brother. I didn¡¯t expect. Sigh, I think Mother must be very sad, right?¡± ¡®Yes.¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and asked softly, ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, do you know what Mother likes to eat?¡± ¡®Let me think about it.¡± Sister-inw Shen thought about it seriously and suddenly knocked her head. ¡°I remember now. Mother loves to eat red bean and peanut porridge, together with salty duck egg yolk!¡¯ ¡®Okay.¡± Ji Zhao rolled up her sleeves and began to make breakfast. At that moment, Zhao Lanhua was resting on the bed with her eyes closed. Shen Dashan carefully examined the wound on her arm. His heart ached and he was angry. ¡°Fortunately, the wound is not deep. Otherwise, it would definitely leave a scar.¡± Zhao Lanhua pursed her lips and remained silent. ¡®Lanhua, don¡¯t feel bad. I don¡¯t feel good when you¡¯re like this.¡± Shen Dashan¡¯s heart ached as he applied the medicine for her. His gentle tone was filled with heartache. ¡®Tm not upset.¡± Zhao Lanhua pursed her lips and slowly said, ¡°I¡¯m just very disappointed. I thought that my father would be the same as before. No matter what problem he encountered, he would face it bravely. I didn¡¯t expect him to avoid the problem.¡± ¡®Don¡¯t think about it anymore.¡± Shen Dashan looked into her eyes and pleaded softly, ¡°Today is New Year¡¯s Eve. If the children see you like this, they will definitely feel terrible.¡± Knock knock¡ª Ji Zhao, who was standing outside, knocked lightly on the wooden door. ¡®Mother, I made breakfast for you. Why don¡¯t you try it?¡± ¡®Ah Tao,e in.¡± When Zhao Lanhua saw the bowl of red bean peanut porridge and salted duck eggs in front of her, she raised her eyebrows in surprise. ¡°Where did you get salted duck eggs? ¡®As long as you¡¯re willing to put in the effort, there are always more solutions than difficulties.¡± Ji Zhao grinned and said, ¡°Mother, try it quickly.¡± Although Zhao Lanhua did not have much of an appetite, she was still unwilling to let down Ji Zhao¡¯s filial piety. ¡®Mother, don¡¯t you have anything to ask about what happened yesterday?¡± Ji Zhao smiled and was the first to mention what happened yesterday. ¡°Actually, if Father and Eldest Brother didn¡¯t arrive in time...¡± ¡®Boss already told me that you asked him to pick up your father and the others. You even asked him to say some strange things to Tian Xiaotou, making him doubt his background.¡± Zhao Lanhua looked at Ji Zhao curiously. ¡°Ah Tao, why did you do this?¡± Chapter 219 - Chapter 219: Kiss Me and I’ll Tell You? Chapter 219: Kiss Me and I¡¯ll Tell You? Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°1f it wasn¡¯t for the Earth God¡¯s secret protection that gave me this ability to foresee the future, I¡¯m afraid that Mother would have already...¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s words stopped abruptly. Zhao Lanhua nodded slightly. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you, Ah Tao. Otherwise, I¡¯m afraid Mother wouldn¡¯t have been able to escape this cmity.¡± ¡®Mother, after the new year, we still have to go to grandfather¡¯s house.¡± Ji Zhao smiled faintly and said softly, ¡°At that time, you have to cry properly.¡¯ ¡®Cry?¡± Zhao Lanhua frowned in confusion. ¡°Why should I cry? How?¡± A sly smile quickly shed across Ji Zhao¡¯s face. Then, she moved closer to Zhao Lanhua¡¯s ear and whispered a few words. ¡®Alright.¡± Zhao Lanhua nodded vigorously. ¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯ll do!¡± ¡®Mother, don¡¯t be unhappy. Don¡¯t punish yourself with other people¡¯s mistakes.¡± Ji Zhao held her hand and looked at her with a warm and considerate gaze. After Ji Zhao¡¯s exnation, Zhao Lanhua¡¯s mood had be much clearer. Seeing that Zhao Lanhua hadpletely thought it through, Ji Zhao¡¯s mood became much lighter. When she hummed a light tune and returned to her room, Shen Yao had just spread out his brush and ink. ¡®Are you happy? ¡®Mm-¡®t Ji Zhao, who was beaming with joy, couldn¡¯t wait to walk to his side. She hugged his arm tightly and snuggled into his arms. ¡°1 just told Mother is braver than I thought!¡¯ ¡®How did you persuade Mother?¡± Shen Yao put down the brush in his hand and gently hugged her shoulder as he asked with a gentle smile. ¡®Mm...¡± Ji Zhao suddenly raised her head and looked at him. A mischievous smile appeared in her almond-shaped eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you if you kiss me? ¡®Are you sure?¡± Shen Yao raised his eyebrows inadvertently and tapped the tip of her nose with his right hand. There was a faint smile on his face. Facing his smile, Ji Zhao inexplicably felt a little flustered. ¡®Nevermind... Umph.. Before she could say the word ¡®no¡¯ , her lips were sealed. Unlike his usual gentleness, Shen Yao was exceptionally enthusiastic today. At this moment, Ji Zhao felt like a fish that had been dragged ashore. Her entire body was weak and he was already out of oxygen. ¡®Ah Tao.¡± Shen Yao reluctantly let go of her. Then, he leaned close to her ear and gently bit her earlobe. ¡°After the new year, you¡¯ll be sixteen.¡¯ Ji Zhao, who was held tightly in his arms, could not help but tremble. Shen Yao, I want to go to the toilet. Hearing the implication in his words, Ji Zhao thought of a way to escape. It turned out that after the new year, she would be sixteen! No wonder Shen Yao was overly enthusiastic today. Looking at her fleeing back, the smile in Shen Yao¡¯s eyes deepened. When it was almost noon, the entire Shen family came to the central room and wrapped dumplings happily. ¡®Mother¡¯s dumpling skin is still the best!¡± Ji Zhao said in admiration as she looked at Zhao Lanhua, who was rolling out the dumpling skin. ¡®That¡¯s right. The dumpling skin that Mother rolled out is not only round, but the size is also just right.¡± Sister-inw Shen smiled and said, ¡®But Ah Tao,e and take a look. How are the dumplings I made?¡± ¡®Mine too!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen couldn¡¯t wait to show the round and chubby dumpling in her palm. ¡°Ah Tao, take a look. Does it look good?¡± ¡®Yes, they¡¯re all good-looking!¡± Ji Zhao praised with a smile. ¡°Not only are the two sisters-inw good-looking, but even the dumplings they make are top-notch!¡± ¡®My sisters-inw are beautiful and skillful-¡± Ji Zhao started a wave of ttery. Those pleasant words were like a surging river that flowed endlessly. Zhao Lanhua and her two sisters-inw were overjoyed. The family worked together and wrapped several types of dumplings. Zhao Lanhua even secretly added copper coins to some dumplings. ¡®ording to the customs of Shanghe Vige, whoever eats dumplings with copper coins will definitely have good luck next year!¡± Zhao Lanhua said happily. ¡°Let¡¯s go and cook dumplings!¡¯ By the time the dumplings were served on the table, it was almost midnight. The family ate the dumplings happily. Ji Zhao was the first to eat the first dumpling with a copper coin¡ª ¡®Ah Tao¡¯s luck is really good!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen immediately cast an envious gaze. Shen Yao followed closely behind. He also ate a copper coin. Half an hourter, the family was full and put down their bowls and chopsticks in satisfaction. ¡°I only ced a total of eight copper coins. I didn¡¯t expect Ah Tao to eat six alone.¡± Zhao Lanhua couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°Ah Tao, you¡¯re really lucky!¡± Ji Zhao grinned. She carefully put away the copper coins. After noon, she used the excuse that she wanted to take an afternoon nap and locked herself in her room. Ji Zhao found a ball of bright red string from the sewing kit. After twisting it open, she lowered her head and began to work on the bracelet seriously. Her fingers weaved through the bright red string. In a short while, she finished weaving two bracelets. The copper coins passed through the middle of the bracelet, making it look yful and cute. Shen Yao should like this New Year¡¯s gift, right? After carefully putting away the two identical bracelets, Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help butugh. Before 3 pm, the entire Shanghe Vige became lively. The vige chief, Shen Menghu, brought the men from the vige to the vicinity of the ancestral hall. ording to the ancestral rules, every family in the vige had to ce a long string of firecrackers outside the ancestral hall. When the elders in the vige calcted the right time, the vige chief lit the fuse. ¡°1f firecrackers are very loud from beginning to end, it means that Shanghe Vige will wee an even better year next year,¡± Shen Yao exined softly as he held Ji Zhao¡¯s hand and walked towards the ancestral hall at the end of the vige. ¡°It¡¯s going to be fun, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡®Yes.¡± Shen Yao nodded slightly. When it was close to midnight, Shen Menghu lit the fuse on the long firecracker. Crack! Crack! The crisp sound of firecrackers resounded through the world! Ji Zhao subconsciously covered her ears and looked at Shen Yao standing beside her with a smile. ording to the ancestral rule of Shanghe Vige, every family would produce arge bowl of dumplings on New Year¡¯s Eve and cook them together on the chef¡¯s stove in the ancestral hall. After eating the dumplings happily, night had already fallen. ¡®Ah Tao, follow me.¡± Shen Yao smiled and grabbed her wrist, walking towards the back of the mountain. Just as Ji Zhao was feeling confused, Shen Yao suddenly took out a red cloth from his pocket and gently covered her eyes. ¡®Shen Yao?¡± ¡®Shh!¡± Shen Yao smiled and ced his index finger on her lips. He smiled gently. ¡®Ah Tao, I want to give you a gift..¡¯ Chapter 220 - Chapter 220: Can I? Chapter 220: Can I? Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Ji Zhao nodded obediently. Shen Yao held her hand and carefully slowed down. ¡®We¡¯re here.¡± Fifteen minutester, Shen Yao untied the red silk cloth covering her eyes. The surroundings were dark and quiet. Ji Zhao blinked curiously. ¡°This is?¡± Shen Yao smiled and snapped his fingers. Boom! A bright firework suddenly appeared in the sky not far away. Boom! Boom! Boom! Dazzling and bright fireworks exploded three times in a row in the low sky, dazzling everyone¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful!¡± Looking at the beautiful scenery in front of her, Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but sigh. When thest firework exploded, Ji Zhao could not help but feel a little dazed! ¡°That firework just now, was it a peach?¡± ¡®Yes.¡± Shen Yao went behind her and gently pulled her into his arms. His tone became even gentler. ¡°This is a gift for you. Do you like it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s beautiful and special. Ji Zhao tilted her head slightly, her eyes filled with tenderness and sweetness. ¡®Shen Yao, I have a gift for you too.¡± Ji Zhao turned around and gently grabbed his wrist, putting the carefully woven bracelet around it. ¡°The size is just right.¡± Ji Zhao grinned and showed her right wrist. ¡°Take a look. Doesn¡¯t it look good?¡± ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡®IA couple¡¯s bracelet!¡± Ji Zhao looked at him and the smile on her face became even sweeter. ¡°But this bracelet has a special meaning. Do you want to know?¡± ¡®Tm all ears.¡± ¡®Look, the copper coins on this rope are the copper coins I ate from the dumplings this afternoon.¡± Ji Zhao grabbed his wrist and rubbed the copper coin on his wrist. She said in a low voice, ¡°The meaning of this bracelet is that I¡¯m willing to share half of my good luck with you.¡± Although Ji Zhao was not used to it when she first came to this world in the book, Fortunately, she was blessed by the Earth God. Her luck was always present. Now that she and Shen Yao were connected, she was willing to share half of her good luck with him. ¡®Ah Tao.¡± Shen Yao lowered his head and looked at her. A touched feeling surged in his heart. The words of love that she had wanted to say were deeply reflected in that passionate kiss. Ji Zhao, who was in his arms, felt his passion again. Even through her clothes, she could still feel the restlessness. Her delicate little face was already flushed with shyness. ¡®Ah Tao.¡± Shen Yao took a deep breath. His deep and rich voice could not hide his desire. ¡°Can we, tonight?¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s face turned even redder. Shey shyly in Shen Yao¡¯s arms and hummed softly. However, Shen Yao still heard her clearly. When their eyes met, they saw shyness and anticipation in each other¡¯s eyes. Just as the two of them were about to leave, they heard a rustling sound. Shen Yao subconsciously shielded Ji Zhao behind him. Their expressions instantly became serious. ¡®Shen Yao.¡± Ji Zhao gently grabbed the corner of his shirt and deliberately lowered his voice. ¡°I feel that something is wrong. Shall we go down the mountain first?¡± -Okay.¡± Just as the two of them were about to leave, the rustling sound became more and more obvious. A bad feeling shed across Ji Zhao¡¯s heart¡ª She clenched Shen Yao¡¯s arm nervously. In the blink of an eye! A sharp sword appeared out of thin air and headed straight for Shen Yao¡¯s head! BANG! Shen Yao immediately grabbed Ji Zhao¡¯s waist and dodged the sword. He kicked the longsword in the man¡¯s hand with his right foot! Ji Zhao, who was still in shock, hugged his neck nervously! Just as that person was about to continue attacking, Shen Yao suddenly kicked the long sword in his hand and stabbed it fiercely¡ª Seeing this scene, Ji Zhao was dumbfounded! She had never thought that Shen Yao knew martial arts. ¡®Don¡¯t be afraid!¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s heart miraculously calmed down when he heard his voice. ¡®Who are you? Why are you trying to assassinate me?¡± In just three rounds, the man in ck had already lost to Shen Yao. ¡®You can only me yourself for offending someone you shouldn¡¯t have.¡± That person sneered and quickly threw out a smoke grenade! Then, he used the opportunity to escape¡ª ¡®Shen Yao, how are you? Are you injured?¡± Ji Zhao asked anxiously after the fog dissipated. ¡®Tm fine.¡± Shen Yao held her hand tightly andforted her gently. ¡®Ah Tao, don¡¯t be afraid.¡¯ After confirming that Shen Yao was safe and sound, Ji Zhao heaved a sigh of relief. However, from the corner of her eye, she inadvertently saw a dazzling light. She hurriedly turned around and picked up the small bronze badge hidden in the bushes. It was a very smooth bronze badge with no patterns on it. ¡°From what the man in ck said, he should be here for you?¡± The more Ji Zhao thought about it, the more uneasy she felt. ¡°Shen Yao, what should we do?¡± ¡®Don¡¯t worry.¡± Shen Yao gently kissed her forehead, trying to calm her anxious emotions. ¡°Let¡¯s go home first.¡± After returning to the Shen residence, Ji Zhao drank two cups of hot tea in a row and felt much better. ¡®Ah Tao, don¡¯t tell Mother and the others about this for the time being.¡± Shen Yao looked into her eyes andforted her gently. ¡®Shen Yao, your leg has recovered. Will it pose a threat to others?¡± Ji Zhao analyzed calmly. ¡°This matter is strange.¡± Ever since Shen Yao¡¯s leg recovered, there was an additional danger lurking around them. There was probably someone monitoring their every move in the dark. The more Ji Zhao thought about it, the more uneasy she felt. ¡®Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Shen Yao scratched her palm and said gently, ¡®Things will be settled soon.¡¯ ¡°1 have something on and have to go out. I can¡¯t stay with you tonight,¡± Shen Yao kissed the back of her hand and told her softly. Just as Ji Zhao was about to say something, Shen Yao¡¯s figure had already disappeared in front of her. This New Year¡¯s Eve was destined to be extraordinary. Shen Yao held the bronze badge tightly in his hand and rushed towards the back of the mountain with firm steps. As expected, when he returned to that ce, the ck figure had been waiting for a long time. ¡®There you are.¡± The man wearing a straw hat and ck clothes actually had a strange smile in his dull tone. ¡°Why did youe?¡± Shen Yao lowered his eyes and said coldly, ¡®You shouldn¡¯t have appeared so suddenly and almost scared her.¡± ¡®Your heart aches?¡± The man in ck slowly walked closer, his gaze bing colder. ¡°A gentle woman is a hero¡¯s tomb. Do you really want to indulge in love? ¡®My choice has nothing to do with you. Shen Yao said expressionlessly, ¡°If you hadn¡¯t secretly helped Sun He back then, how could I have be a cripple?¡± Chapter 221 - Chapter 221: Interrupted Chapter 221: Interrupted Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The night was as dark as ink When it was close to midnight, it started snowing again. The snowkes rustled and soon left ayer of white on the ground. ¡®The auspicious snow is a sign of prosperity,¡± Shen Dashan, who was guarding the central room, said happily as he wrapped his coat around his body. ¡°It¡¯s a good sign,¡± Zhao Lanhua rubbed her hands and replied with a smile. ¡®Mother, I¡¯m so sleepy-¡®t Second Sister-inw Shen leaned on Second Brother Shen¡¯s shoulder with half-closed eyes and asked in a daze, ¡°Where did Ah Tao At that moment, in the Shen family¡¯s kitchen. Ji Zhao held a pair of iron pliers in her hand as she sifted through the roasted sweet potatoes in the furnace. Other than the roasted sweet potatoes, she also specially made beggar¡¯s chicken. Theyer of yellow mud wrapped around the Beggar¡¯s Chicken shattered with a tap. The fragrance of the lotus leaves waspletely stimted. After raising her hand and shing down, Ji Zhao cut the Beggar¡¯s Chicken and ted it. ¡®Smells good!¡± Before Ji Zhao could enter the central room, Second Sister-inw Shen, who was a little sleepy, suddenly jolted. ¡°Father, Mother.¡± Ji Zhao carried the full tray and walked into the central room with a smile. ¡°I made some sweet soup.¡¯ ¡®Child, why did you make so much delicious food without making a sound? Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Zhao Lanhua was both joyful and full of heartache. She quickly went forward and helped Ah Tao distribute the sweet soup to everyone. Ji Zhao had made a sweet soup with red dates, wolfberries, and snow fungus. The taste of the sweet soup was sweet and mellow, leaving a lingering aftertaste. ¡®This chicken tastes really good.¡± Second Sister-inw Shen, who was nibbling on a chicken wing, smiled with satisfaction. ¡®Ah Tao, you¡¯re really amazing. I was just saying it casually, but you really made the Beggar¡¯s Chicken!¡± Ji Zhao could not help but smile. The smile on his face was obedient and cute. ¡®Second Sister-inw, what do you think of the taste?¡± ¡°It¡¯s extremely delicious!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen said happily. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the fact that I can¡¯t chew this chicken bone, I would have swallowed it!¡± Ji Zhao was amused. ¡°Dong¡ª¡± Apanied by a deep chime, everyone weed a brand new year. Ji Zhao had just returned to her room to rest when Shen Yao returned home in the snow. She did not ask anything. Instead, she brought the bowl of sweet soup that she had left for him into the room. The moment the still warm sweet soup flowed down his throat and into his stomach, Shen Yao felt the coldness in his bodypletely dissipate. ¡®Ah Tao.¡± After Shen Yao put down the bowl of soup, he immediately grabbed her wrist and asked gently, ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything to ask me?¡± Ji Zhao looked up at his eyes that were as bright as obsidian and shook her head gently. ¡°I know martial arts.¡± ¡®Yeah.¡¯ Ji Zhao¡¯s calmness was beyond Shen Yao¡¯s expectations. ¡®Ah Tao, actually, I...¡¯ Ji Zhao looked into his eyes obediently. The smile on her face was as gentle as ever. ¡®Actually, I know martial arts.¡± Shen Yao reached out and hugged her, letting her sit on hisp. He whispered, ¡°It all started thirteen years ago.¡¯ Thirteen years ago, Shen Yao was just seven years old. After discussing with hispanions, they were about to go to Thunder Mountain County to study together. However, an ident happened on the way to study. ¡®That day, I was separated from my ssmates. Coupled with the fact that it waste at night, it was inconvenient for me to travel, so I rested in a nearby mountain temple. I originally wanted to wait until dawn to travel, but when I was in a daze, I sensed that something was wrong.¡± ¡°1 wanted to open my eyes, but I felt dizzy. When I woke up, I was in a dark room. Later... Thinking of those dark days, Shen Yao did not know what to say. Ji Zhao sensed his low spirits and gently held the back of his hand. ¡°Shen Yao, if you don¡¯t want to tell me, you don¡¯t have to force yourself.¡± ¡®All of us have a past. I don¡¯t know if your past is happy or painful, bright or dark, but none of that matters anymore.¡± Ji Zhao carefully cupped his face, her gaze filled with gentleness. ¡°I didn¡¯t get to participate in your past, but I¡¯ll be in your future. That¡¯s enough.¡± Her tone was gentle, her eyes even gentler. At this moment, Shen Yao could no longer suppress the heat in his heart. He grabbed the back of her head and kissed her fiercely¡ª Ji Zhao gently closed her eyes. Her long eyshes that were like butterfly wings trembled slightly, and her hands nervously pressed against his strong chest. ¡®Ah Tao.¡± Shen Yao leaned close to her ear and gently bit his earlobe. His deep voice carried a hint of charm. ¡°Can we really?¡± ¡®Yes...¡± Ji Zhaoy in his arms shyly and nodded gently. Shen Yao suddenly stood up and carried her to the bed behind him. Just as Ji Zhao closed her eyes and held his breath, she heard a hurried knock on the door. Knock knock knock! Zhao Lanhua, who was standing outside, knocked on the door excitedly. ¡°Ah Tao,e out quickly. Mother has something to tell you!¡± Shen Yao, who was forced to stop, replied helplessly, ¡®Mother, it¡¯s gettingte. If you have anything to say, we can talk about it tomorrow morning, okay?¡± ¡®How can that do? You brat, I¡¯m looking for Ah Tao, I¡¯m not looking for you!¡± Zhao Lanhua, who was standing outside the door, rolled her eyes angrily. ¡®Ah Tao, are you asleep? ¡®No, no...¡± Ji Zhao tried her best to hold back herughter. She wrapped her arms around Shen Yao¡¯s neck and quickly nted aforting kiss on his cheek. Ji Zhao quickly put on her clothes and hurriedly opened the door. The cold wind blew into the house and immediately blew away the blush on her face. Zhao Lanhua looked at her son¡¯s dark expression. What else could she not understand? However, she had to think about Ah Tao. After all, the lovemaking between husband and wife could not be too rash. ¡®Mother, it¡¯s already sote. Why aren¡¯t you asleep? ¡®Ah Tao,e with me.¡± Zhao Lanhua waved at her and led her to the central room. After a round of heartfelt conversation, Ji Zhao¡¯s face had already turned red. ¡®Mother, why... why are you telling me this all of a sudden?¡± Ji Zhao turned her face away shyly, her tone even more awkward. ¡®Third Brother, he¡¯s cold on the outside but warm on the inside. Mother is afraid that he won¡¯t know his ce,¡± Zhao Lanhua exined softly. ¡°You can¡¯t just let him do whatever he wants. Otherwise, you¡¯ll be the one suffering in the future.¡± Facing Zhao Lanhua¡¯s nagging concern and advice, Ji Zhao¡¯s initial shyness turned into gratitude. However, when she returned to the house, Shen Yao had already fallen asleep. Ji Zhao quietlyy down beside him and carefully whispered a good night in his ear. After a while, she fell asleep. The night passed peacefully. The next morning, the sleepy Ji Zhao felt the warmth on her cheek. The moment she opened her eyes in a daze, she met Shen Yao¡¯s smiling eyes.. Chapter 222 - Chapter 222: Keep It Short Chapter 222: Keep It Short Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡®Good morning¡ªumph¡ª¡± Before Ji Zhao could finish speaking, Shen Yao¡¯s face approached her unexpectedly and he had already kissed her lips. After an unknown period of time, Ji Zhao nervously clutched her clothes. Her face was flushed and she was panting. ¡®Ah Tao.¡± Shen Yao gently stroked her soft ck hair. His gentle and doting eyes were filled with desire, and his deep voice was filled with a charming aura. ¡®Shen Yao.¡± Ji Zhao gently curled her lips and wrapped her arms around his neck. Then, she clumsily leaned close to his lips. Even through the clothes, Ji Zhao could still feel Shen Yao¡¯s enthusiasm. ¡®Shen Yao, will you treat me well for the rest of my life?¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s handsnded on his broad and firm back, and her beautiful eyes were shining brightly. ¡®Ah Tao, you¡¯re the only one in this life.¡± Shen Yao looked into her eyes and promised seriously. ¡°I wish to catch someone¡¯s heart, till death do us apart.¡± Ji Zhao smiled faintly, her voice bing more and more gentle. Her hands trailed down his muscr waist... Her fingertips were cold. It was a wonderful feeling. Just as the two of them were about to help each other, they heard the hurried sound of horse hooves outside the courtyard door! ¡®Shen Zhang, get the hell out here!¡± That sharp voice was deafening! Shen Dashan, who was shoveling snow in the courtyard, raised his eyebrows in confusion. He immediately removed thetch and frowned at the woman standing outside the courtyard door. ¡®You are? The gorgeously dressed woman suddenly pushed open the door and walked into the Shen family¡¯s courtyard with her fat butt swaying. She sneered, ¡°Shen Zhang,e out quickly!¡± ¡°Why are you so unruly?¡± Shen Dashan shouted angrily. ¡°How can you barge into someone else¡¯s house?¡± ¡®IA man should act like a man. Since you already have a wife in your family, why did you provoke Miss Fengdie of our Wind and Moon Restaurant?¡± The woman with the pearl hairpin ignored the angry Shen Dashan. Instead, she sneered and shouted, ¡®Shen Zhang, are you still considered a man? Fifteen minutester, Shen Dashan and Zhao Lanhua looked at the woman sitting on the bench in confusion. ¡®May I ask who you are? Why are you looking for my second son?¡¯ ¡°Today is the first day of the Lunar New Year. Logically speaking, I shouldn¡¯t havee to your resi]dence without invitation.¡± The brothel madam sneered and continued, ¡°However, your Second Young Master Shen deceived our Fengdie of Wind and Moon Restaurant and even cheated her of her many years of savings. As Fengdie¡¯s mama, I have no choice but to ask about this.¡± ¡®Second Son, what¡¯s going on?¡± Shen Dashan, who was sitting at the head of the table, had a face as dark as ink. His thick eyebrows were so furrowed they could kill a fly. ¡°Father,¡± Second Brother Shen said helplessly, ¡®There¡¯s nothing between me and Miss Fengdie.¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± The brothel madam of Wind and Moon Restaurant spit aggressively. With her hands on her hips, she roared in a cold voice, ¡°If you have nothing to do with Fengdie, will she give you all her savings over the years? Let me tell you, if you don¡¯t hand over Fengdie¡¯s savings today, we won¡¯t be done with this!¡± When Ji Zhao and Shen Yao rushed to the central room, they happened to see the aggressive brothel madam. The two of them frowned at the same time and looked at each other. They could see the confusion and doubt in each other¡¯s eyes. ¡°Father, Mother.¡± After Shen Yao greeted his parents, he walked to his second brother¡¯s side and asked softly, ¡°Second Brother, what exactly is going on? ¡®Third Brother, it¡¯s a long story.¡± ¡®Then make it short.¡± Shen Yao narrowed his eyes and said coldly, ¡°Second Brother, don¡¯t forget that today is the first day of the new year. It should be a happy day for the family, but it has be like this?¡± ¡®Anyway, if you don¡¯t hand over Fengdie¡¯s things today, I won¡¯t leave!¡± The brothel madam¡¯s face was tense as she said in a deep voice. ¡°I¡¯ve already said that Miss Fengdie has never given me her savings.¡± Shen Zhang frowned and shouted in frustration, ¡°Believe it or not, I¡¯ve never seen Miss Fengdie¡¯s savings.¡± ¡®Now that Fengdie is dead, who knows if what you said is true?¡± The brothel madam said angrily, ¡®Besides, you are thest customer Fengdie saw before she died. Who knows if you took her money? In short, if you don¡¯t hand over Fengdie¡¯s things today, I won¡¯t let you off!¡± ¡®Miss Fengdie is dead?¡± Upon hearing this news, Shen Zhang¡¯s eyes widened in shock, ¡°How could this be?¡± ¡®Continue pretending?¡± The brothel madam crossed her arms in front of her chest, and her eyes became even colder. ¡°You are thest guest Fengdie received before she died. Don¡¯t you know that she already had the intention to ¡°Whether you believe it or not, I really don¡¯t know.¡± Shen Zhang snapped out of his daze, and his eyes darkened. ¡°Also, I¡¯ve never taken Miss Fengdie¡¯s savings. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can go and report it to the officials. Furthermore, my family doesn¡¯t wee you. Please leave immediately.¡± Shen Zhang¡¯s attitude was exceptionally domineering, but the brothel madam of Wind and Moon Restaurant was no pushover either. ¡®Very well. Since you refuse to take the easy path, don¡¯t me me for being impolite.¡± The brothel madam left aggressively. However, the look she gave him before she left was really unsettling. After the woman left, Shen Dashan mmed the square table angrily. ¡®Shen Zhang!¡± ¡°Father!¡± Second Brother Shen hurriedly knelt on the ground, his heart thumping. ¡®Have you forgotten all the family rules of our Shen family? Who gave you the guts to enter and exit those brothels?¡± Shen Dashan berated with a sharp gaze. ¡°Father, I.. ¡®Lanhua, bring the rattan over!¡± ¡®Husband, why don¡¯t you listen to Second Brother¡¯s exnation first?¡± Zhao Lanhua advised softly. ¡°You have to listen to what the child has to say, right?¡± Shen Dashan, who was in a fit of anger, looked at Second Brother Shen and asked, ¡°Have you ever been in and out of the Wind Moon Restaurant?¡± ..Yes.¡± Second Brother Shen nodded with aplicated gaze. ¡°But the situation at that time was a little special. I was entrusted by someone.¡± ¡®No matter what reason you have, entering and exiting brothels is already against the Shen family¡¯s family rules!¡± Shen Dashan interrupted him sharply. ¡®Lanhua, bring me the rattan!¡± ¡°This...¡± Zhao Lanhua couldn¡¯t bear it. Shen Dashan could only return to his room to get the rattan! ¡°Father!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen hurriedly advised, ¡°Father, don¡¯t hit my husband!¡± ¡®Second daughter-inw, this bastard actually dared to enter a ce like the brothel. If I don¡¯t beat him up today, he will never realize his mistake!¡± ¡°Father, I believe in my husband. He must have something difficult to say!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen said hurriedly, ¡°Calm down first. Don¡¯t hit him.. Let¡¯s listen to his exnation first, okay?¡± Chapter 223 - Chapter 223: How Smart! Chapter 223: How Smart! Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡®You¡¯re harming him by defending him like this!¡± Shen Dashan was so angry that his face turned red. He growled angrily, ¡°No matter what reason Shen Zhang has, it will never be an excuse for him to enter and leave the brothel!¡± After Shen Dashan retrieved the rattan, he looked coldly at Shen Zhang, who was kneeling in the middle of the central room. His usually gentle eyes were filled with sharpness. ¡°Give me your hand!¡± Second Brother Shen, who was kneeling on the ground, silently opened his palm. The moment the rattannded on his palm, it made a dull sound. The onlookers could not bear to look at it. One hit after another, Shen Zhang¡¯s palm was swollen to the point where it was unbearable to look at. Shen Zhang furrowed his brows tightly as tears welled up in his eyes. ¡°Father, stop!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen hurriedly hugged Second Brother Shen, her heart aching. ¡®Second Brother is a craftsman. In the future, he will rely on his hands to earn money. If you really hit his hands and cause any harm...¡± Zhao Lanhua hurriedly grabbed Shen Dashan¡¯s arm and pulled out the long rattan from his hand. ¡°Father, Mother.¡± With Second Sister-inw Shen¡¯s help, Second Brother Shen slowly stood up. ¡°It¡¯s a fact that I entered the Wind and Moon Restaurant, so I ept my punishment. ¡®Qingqing.¡± Second Brother Shen thought for a moment and turned to look at Second Sister-inw Shen beside him. He exined gently, ¡°I¡¯ve never done anything to let you down.¡± ¡®Shen Zhang, I believe you!¡± Second Brother Shen smiled gratefully and began to tell the whole story. ¡®When Master brought me to work at Minister Wu¡¯s house in Thunder Mountain County, I happened to meet a big brother named Wu Gang. Brother Wu¡¯s hands are very good. He¡¯s best at carving. The furniture he carved has exquisite patterns and novel designs.¡± ¡®More importantly, this Brother Wu is very enthusiastic and takes good care of us juniors. He taught me a lot. There was even a time when I damaged a rosewood. It was only because Brother Wu helped to carve an exquisite pattern on it that I was saved.¡± ¡®Later on, after chatting with Brother Wu, I found out that he already had a sweetheart. His sweetheart was his fellow countryman, Miss Fengdie, who was forced to enter Wind and Moon Restaurant. They had already agreed that after saving up enough money to redeem buy her freedom, he would help Miss Fengdie redeem herself and then return to their hometown to live together.¡± ¡®But Brother Wu passed away unexpectedly.. The coroner¡¯s conclusion was that he was drunk and identally fell into the moat and drowned.¡± At the mention of this matter, Shen Zhang¡¯s heart was filled with grief. ¡°When I was helping Brother Wu pack up his belongings, I happened to see some things he wanted to transfer to Miss Fengdie. That¡¯s why I went to the Wind and Moon Restaurant to see Miss Fengdie.¡± ¡®But that day, Miss Fengdie was especially flustered. She stuffed a bag into my arms without any exnation and then got someone to chase me out.¡± Shen Zhang frowned and said in a low voice, ¡°I keep feeling that this matter is strange. I originally wanted to ask Miss Fengdie about it, but Miss Fengdie entrusted a beggar to send me a letter. In the letter, she asked me to take good care of that bag and instructed me not to step foot in the Wind and Moon Restaurant again.¡¯ ¡°What about the things Miss Fengdie entrusted to you? ¡°I lost it.¡± Shen Zhang pinched the space between his brows in frustration, ¡°Father, do you still remember how you, Big Brother, and Third Sister-inw picked me up before the new year? At that time, I identally fell into a deep pit. If it wasn¡¯t for you guys arriving in time, I¡¯m afraid I would¡¯ve already been dead. The thing that Miss Fengdie gave me also fell into that deep pit.¡± Second Brother Shen said apologetically, ¡°Father, Mother, I didn¡¯t expect the brothel madam of the Wind and Moon Restaurant toe knocking on our door. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡®This matter seems to be strange in every way?¡± Ji Zhao, who had been sitting at the side and listening, couldn¡¯t help but frown and say, ¡°Second Brother, doesn¡¯t that Big Brother Wu know how to swim? ¡°I¡¯ve mentioned it for Brother Wu before. When he was young, he lived by a small stream. He had learned how to swim at a very young age.¡± Shen Zhang shook his head helplessly, ¡°But the county office concluded that he drowned.¡± ¡®Then Second Brother, do you remember what¡¯s in the bag that Miss Fengdie gave you?¡± Shen Yao also realized that this matter was extraordinary and asked curiously. ¡®There¡¯s nothing special about it, but there¡¯s a very old booklet.¡± Shen Zhang thought for a moment before shaking his head, ¡°I can¡¯t really remember.¡± ¡®IIS there any gold, silver, or jewelry in that bag?¡± ¡®That¡¯s strange.¡± Ji Zhao subconsciously looked at Shen Yao beside her and frowned. ¡°Just now, the brothel madam kept saying that Second Brother cheated Miss Fengdie of her money. What exactly is going on? ¡®No matter what the cause and effect of this matter is, I¡¯ll give you two days to resolve it.¡± Shen Dashan¡¯s face was tense as he said in a deep voice. ¡®Okay.¡± Second Brother Shen immediately nodded. It was really displeasing to encounter such a farce on the first day of the Lunar New Year; However, after Ji Zhao made a sumptuous breakfast, the atmosphere clearly eased up. ¡°Father, try this chicken soup. It¡¯s been stewed for several hours.¡± Ji Zhao scooped arge bowl of chicken soup with a smile and brought it to Shen Dashan, who was frowning and not saying a word. ¡°And this puffed rice is very crispy. It¡¯ll taste better if you soak it in chicken soup! Try it?¡± Although Shen Dashan was not in a good mood, his mood improved when he saw the smile on Ji Zhao¡¯s face. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll try it.¡¯ ¡®There¡¯s also this winter bamboo shoot shrimp dumpling. You have to try it too.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and said, ¡°This winter bamboo shoot shrimp dumpling is amazing. Every one of them are full of good ingredients!¡± With Ji Zhao, the atmosphere had obviously eased up a lot. After a warm and happy breakfast, Ji Zhao returned to her room and prepared to change into the pair of sheepskin boots that Zhao Lanhua had made for her a few days ago. ¡®Ah Tao, I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Shen Yao pushed open the door and walked to her side with a smile. His gentle tone was firm. ¡®How did you know I was going out?¡± Hearing his voice, Ji Zhao looked up curiously. Her bright almond-shaped eyes flickered with a smile. She was extremely cute. Shen Yao smiled faintly and did not say anything. Suddenly, he leaned close to her face. Ji Zhao felt nervous for no reason. She did not dare to look into his affectionate eyes again. ¡°You... What are you doing? ¡®Ah Tao and I are connected.¡± Shen Yao suddenly leaned close to her ear and exhaled. ¡°That¡¯s why I can guess what Ah Tao is thinking.¡± ¡®What a glib tongue...¡± Ji Zhao chuckled and muttered. ¡°Isn¡¯t it true?¡± Shen Yao naturally held her hand, and the smile in his eyes deepened. ¡®Since you¡¯re so smart, why don¡¯t you guess where I¡¯m going?¡± Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but raise her eyebrows, her tone carrying a hint of cuteness. ¡®The deep pit that almost took Second Brother¡¯s life.¡± ¡®You¡¯re so smart!¡± Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but pinch his cheek and praise him with a smile.. Chapter 224 - Chapter 224: How About I Carry You? Chapter 224: How About I Carry You? Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Looking at the smile on her face, Shen Yao suddenly leaned closer and kissed her cheek gently. Ji Zhao shyly averted her gaze and coughed lightly. ¡°Let¡¯s... let¡¯s go?

¡®Okay.¡±

The two of them held hands and walked out of the door with a smile. At this moment, in the second room of the west room, Second Sister-inw Shen applied medicine for Second Brother Shen with a pained expression. Looking at his swollen palm, she could not help but cry. ¡®Qingqing, I was the one who was beaten up. Why are you crying?¡± Second Brother Shen hurriedly wiped her tears and coaxed anxiously. ¡®What do you think!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen pinched his arm angrily and cried even harder. ¡°Do you still remember what you said when you married me back then? You said that you would treat me well for the rest of your life and not make me sad! What happened in the end?¡± Second Brother Shen felt even more guilty. ¡®Qingqing, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± The more Second Sister-inw Shen thought about it, the angrier she became. She pinched his ear and questioned again, ¡°If you dare to go to a ce like the Wind and Moon Restaurant behind my back again, I¡¯ll divorce you! Do you believe that I¡¯ll bring Zhuangzhuang to remarry and let him call another man ¡®Father?¡± ¡®Qingqing, don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡± Second Brother Shen grabbed her arm anxiously. ¡°You can¡¯t say that. I¡¯ll really be sad.¡± Second Sister-inw Shen crossed her arms and red at him angrily without saying a word. ¡®Qingqing, it really hurts...¡± Second Brother Shen raised his terrible right hand at her. He looked like a stray dog. ¡®Serves you right!¡± Second Sister-inw Shenined in a low voice. Then, she picked up the ointment and applied it on his wound seriously. ¡°Ah Tao said earlier that as long as you apply this caterpir fungus ointment every day, your hand will recover quickly.¡± ¡®Mm.¡± Second Brother Shen freed his other hand to hug Second Sister-inw Shen. He buried his head in her neck and rubbed it gently. ¡°Honey, I really know my mistake. I won¡¯t make such a mistake again.¡¯ ¡®Honey, that Brother Wu treated you very well?¡± ¡®Yes.¡± Second Brother Shen sighed softly. ¡°Brother Wu, he¡¯s kind-hearted. Unfortunately...¡¯ ¡®After the new year, I¡¯ll apany you to pay my respects to him,¡± Second Sister-inw Shen said with a determined expression. ¡°Honey, in my heart, you didn¡¯t really do anything wrong. It¡¯s only right for you to repay kindness. Besides, I believe in you. You¡¯re definitely not the kind of lecher who will linger around brothels.¡± Perhaps in the eyes of outsiders, Second Sister-inw Shen was gluttonous, willful, and even a little talkative. But in Shen Zhang¡¯s eyes, she was his wife, the best wife. ¡®Qingqing, thank you.¡± Second Brother Shen hugged her waist tightly. The feelings that surged from his heart were indescribable. After walking for an hour, Ji Zhao was already panting. She nced at Shen Yao beside her and could not help but sigh. ¡°The difference between people is really big. We¡¯ve walked so much, but you¡¯re not even sweating or panting? ¡®Ah Tao, you can¡¯t walk anymore?¡± Shen Yao tapped the tip of her nose dotingly and asked gently, ¡°Why don¡¯t I carry you? ¡®Alright!¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly. Shen Yao carried her on his back, his steps still steady and strong. ¡®Shen Yao, look at that tree in the distance!¡± The warm sunlightnded on the plum blossom tree that was filled with snow, reflecting a resplendent light. A breeze blew over, and the white snow and red plum blossoms fell from the branches. That scenery was as beautiful as a painting. ¡°Isn¡¯t it especially beautiful?¡± Ji Zhaoyao looked at the scenery in the distance and praised in a low voice. Shen Yao subconsciously nced sideways and happened to see Ji Zhao¡¯s gentle side profile. To him, the most beautiful scenery was the beauty lying on his back. ¡®Yes, it¡¯s beautiful.¡± After walking for another hour, Shen Yao¡¯s forehead was covered in sweat. ¡®We¡¯re here!¡± Ji Zhao immediately jumped down from his back, but her movements were too quick and she almost sprained her ankle. Fortunately, Shen Yao was quick to hold her. ¡°Slow down.¡± ¡®Got i?¡¯ Ji Zhao chuckled, then hurriedly walked towards the deep pit not far away. ¡°It¡¯s here.¡± The two of them stared at the deep pit that had already frozen. For a moment, they were in a dilemma. ¡°1 miscalcted.¡± Ji Zhao slowly squatted down and stared at the ice surface. She was a little worried. ¡°The weather hasn¡¯t been very bright these past few days. There¡¯s snow almost every day. Even if we pry open the ice surface and take out the bag inside, I¡¯m afraid the items inside have long been soaked in ice, right?¡± ¡®We have to give it a try first.¡± Shen Yao searched the vicinity for a while before finding a sharp stone. ¡°Ah Tao, stand further away. I¡¯ll dig through the ice first.¡¯

¡®Okay.¡±

Just as Shen Yao was seriously chiseling the ice, Shen Dashan and Eldest Brother Shen rushed over. ¡®Third Brother, Ah Tao?¡± Shen Dashan carried the shovel and came to the two of them. ¡°What are you doing? ¡°Father, Big Brother?¡± When Ji Zhao saw the shovel in Shen Dashan¡¯s hand, her eyes lit up! She silently gave Shen Dashan a thumbs up. Indeed, the older you were, the more experience you had! ¡®Let¡¯s cut open the ice first and see if we can find Second Brother¡¯s bag.¡± Shen Dashan let out a sigh of disappointment. He was in a fit of anger this morning, which was why he had punished his son. Which parent didn¡¯t trust their children? Moreover, Shen Dashan knew his three sons very well. Therefore, after his anger dissipated, he wanted toe over with his eldest son to look around. Perhaps he could find Second Brother¡¯s bag. ¡®Since your second brother has been entrusted by Miss Fengdie, the three of us will think of a way to help your second brother find that bag! After all, among the three of you, your second brother¡¯s head is the simplest.¡¯ The eldest son was a businessman and was smart. The third son knew how to read and was also very smart. Only Second Brother was simple-minded and innocent. As an old father, he could only worry more. Achoo¡ª Second Brother Shen, who was drinking soup, could not help but sneeze! Who was thinking about him in the middle of winter? After the efforts of the Shen family¡¯s three men, the ice on the deep pit was finally pried open, and Second Brother Shen¡¯s bag was pulled out. ¡®Why is it so heavy?¡± Shen Dashan immediately frowned. He carried the bag with both hands and got into the carriage. ¡°Eldest son, you drive the carriage.¡±

¡®Okay!¡±

When the group returned to the Shen residence, it was already close to noon. Zhao Lanhua was busy in the kitchen. When she heard the sound of the wheels, she hurriedly came out to wee him. She did not even put down the spat in her hand. ¡°Honey, have you found it?¡± ¡®Yeah.¡¯ Shen Dashan nodded. ¡°1 found it.¡± The family walked into the central room again. When Second Brother Shen looked at the bag that he had lost and regained, his eyes were already red. ¡°Father, Eldest Brother, Third Brother, and Third Sister-inw, thank you so much.¡¯ ¡®Alright, let¡¯s not talk about this as a family,¡± Shen Dashan said with a tense face. ¡®This bag is heavy. Open it and see if you¡¯ve missed anything inside.¡¯

¡®Okay.¡±

As Second Brother Shen opened the bag, the contents of the bag appeared in front of the Shen family.. Chapter 225 - Chapter 225: Unreliable! Chapter 225: Unreliable! Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions There were not many items in the light gray bag. Two books and an exquisite ck wooden box. Fortunately, the two books were wrapped in ayer of parchment paper, so the books were not frozen. ¡®Third Brother, I can¡¯t read very well, so I don¡¯t know what¡¯s written in these books. Why don¡¯t you take a look?¡± After Second Brother Shen picked up the two books, he subconsciously looked at Shen Yao. Shen Yao nodded slightly. When he took the book, he realized that it was not a book at all, but a register. Many people¡¯s names were recorded on it. There was even a redbel behind each name. After flipping through two pages, Shen Yao had a rough idea. ¡®This wooden box should have been made by Brother Wu himself.¡± Second Brother Shen looked at the pattern of the acacia flower carved on the wooden box and could not help but sound a little disappointed. Inside the exquisite wooden box were two strands of ck hair tied together with a red string. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this Miss Fengdie¡¯s belongings to be these.¡± Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°As the saying goes, a married couple with their hairs entangled together can love each other without any doubts. I think this Miss Fengdie and Brother Wu¡¯s rtionship is really good.¡± ¡®That¡¯s right!¡± Second Brother Shen nodded repeatedly. ¡®Brother Wu and Miss Fengdie came from the same hometown. They were childhood sweethearts. Unfortunately,ter on, their hometown flooded and many viges were drowned.¡± ¡®Later, they unexpectedly reunited in Thunder Mountain County. It took Brother Wu more than three years to persuade Miss Fengdie. The two of them discussed that when they had saved enough money to redeem Miss Fengdie, they would return to their hometown and get married. However, the world is unpredictable...¡± Who would have thought that both of them would die in an ident? ¡®Second Brother, is this Miss Fengdie very famous in the Wind and Moon Restaurant?¡± Shen Yao quietly put away the two ledgers and asked softly. ¡®Yes.¡± Second Brother Shen nodded. ¡°1 heard that this Miss Fengdie is the courtesan of Wind and Moon Restaurant. No one canpare to the pipa she ys.¡¯ ¡®Moreover, I heard that the county magistrate of Thunder Mountain County likes to listen to Miss Fengdie y the pipa. He often goes to the Wind and Moon Restaurant.¡± Thunder Mountain County, County Magistrate, Miss Fengdie, the ledgers. Shen Yao lowered his eyes gently and sorted out all the clues in his mind. ¡®But didn¡¯t the brothel madam insist that Second Brother took Miss Fengdie¡¯s savings?¡± Zhao Lanhua frowned worriedly. ¡°I keep feeling that this matter is not simple.¡± ¡®Her words alone can¡¯t exin anything.¡± Ji Zhao quicklyforted her. ¡®Mother, don¡¯t worry. We will definitely find a way to solve the problem.¡± ¡°1 hope so!¡± Zhao Lanhua did not dare to say that ever since this morning, her right eyelid had been twitching non-stop. Today, she originally wanted to visit the other neighbors in the vige to pay New Year¡¯s greetings, but she had always felt uneasy, so she did not go out. ¡®Second Brother, these two books are quite interesting. Why don¡¯t you lend them to me for two days?¡± Shen Yao looked at Shen Zhang and asked with a smile. ¡®Okay.¡± Of course, Second Brother Shen would not be stingy with his younger brother. After Ji Zhao apanied Shen Yao back to their own room, her gazended on the budding plum blossom nt ced in front of the window. ¡°1 smelled a fragrance when I walked in just now. Only now do I know that it¡¯s actually plum blossoms? Shen Yao, when did you pluck the plum blossoms?¡± ¡®After waking up in the morning, I was walking around the courtyard when I happened to see a plum blossom. I couldn¡¯t help but pluck it.¡± Shen Yao smiled at her and exined gently. ¡®You must pluck the flowers when they bloom, lest they wither and you are left with empty branches,¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile. ¡°This budding plum blossom is really beautiful. ¡± ¡®IAS long as Ah Tao likes it.¡¯ ¡®Shen Yao.¡± ¡®Yes?¡± ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Ji Zhao walked up to him, her gentle eyes filled with concern. ¡°There¡¯s something wrong with you.¡¯ ¡®Ah Tao, why do you say that?¡± Shen Yao was stumped by her question. ¡®We found Second Brother¡¯s bag. This should be something to be happy about, but...¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and her gazended on the two books in his hand. ¡°Shen Yao, these are not books. They are ledgers and also evidence, right?¡± A trace of shock shed across Shen Yao¡¯s eyes. He subconsciously looked around, then closed the door and windows. He tried his best to take a deep breath and suppress the uneasiness that surged in his heart. ¡°Ah Tao, how did you know?¡± ¡°When Second Brother asked you to read these two books just now, your expression was a little off.¡± Ji Zhao gently held his hand, her tone filled with gentleness andfort. ¡°I was standing beside you, so I naturally saw this book.. No, the contents of this ledger. ¡®Second Brother said that Miss Fengdie is the courtesan of the Wind and Moon Restaurant and is famous. More importantly, even County Magistrate Sun of Thunder Mountain County favors her. On the surface, the brothel madam of the Wind and Moon Restaurant is here for Miss Fengdie¡¯s belongings, but in fact, what she wants should be the ledger in your hand.¡± ¡°1f I¡¯m right, there¡¯s a good chance this ledger is a list of bribes or embezzlement?¡± Listening to Ji Zhao¡¯s calm analysis, the panic in Shen Yao¡¯s eyes was gradually reced by amazement¡ª His Ah Tao was smarter than he had imagined! ¡®Ah Tao, you¡¯re really too smart... If you were a man, I¡¯m afraid I wouldn¡¯t be as good as you,¡± Shen Yao looked into her eyes and said seriously. Pfft- Ji Zhao was amused by his serious expression. She tiptoed and gently tapped the tip of his nose. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? If I be a man, how can I be your wife? Besides, in my eyes, Shen Yao is the best!¡± Her voice was sweet, and the smile on her face was bright. At this moment, Shen Yao¡¯s heart skipped a beat uncontrobly. How could his Ah Tao be so beautiful? ¡®Shen Yao, let¡¯s get back to the topic.¡± Seeing that he was still in a daze, Ji Zhao flicked his forehead helplessly and asked softly, ¡°What should we do next?¡± ¡®That brothel madam doesn¡¯t seem like someone who would give up easily.¡± Ji Zhao frowned awkwardly. ¡®Shen Yao, shouldn¡¯t we think of a way to help Second Brother?¡± ¡®The county office will only open again after the eighth day of the new year.¡± Shen Yao subconsciously tightened his grip on the ledger in his hand, his eyes dark. ¡°Ah Tao, let¡¯s go visit County Magistrate Ma after the eighth day of the new year. ¡®County Magistrate Ma?¡± Ji Zhao raised her eyebrows in surprise. ¡®Shen Yao, you want County Magistrate Ma to appear? But I heard that he has always been on good terms with County Magistrate Sun of Thunder Mountain County. How can he agree to our plea? Perhaps he and County Magistrate Sun have long been in cahoots. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have let Ji Huai go after County Magistrate Sun greeted him!¡± Ji Zhao really felt that this Magistrate Ma was unreliable! ¡®Ah Tao, there are no eternal friends in the bureaucracy. There are only eternal benefits.¡± Shen Yao lowered his eyes and chuckled.. Chapter 226 - Chapter 226: It’s Only Right for a Wife to Control Money! Chapter 226: It¡¯s Only Right for a Wife to Control Money! Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions For some reason, Ji Zhao suddenly heard a hint of loneliness in Shen Yao¡¯s words. Ji Zhao subconsciously held his hand andforted him silently. ¡®Shen Yao, after we¡¯ve saved up enough money, let¡¯s buy a house in the county city?¡± Ji Zhao sat on the embroidery stool and suggested with a smile as she threaded the needle. ¡°This way, when you and Chenchen go to the county city to study, you¡¯ll have a ce to stay.¡± ¡®Okay.¡± Shen Yao, who was copying the calligraphy, agreed happily. Then, he seemed to have thought of something. He suddenly put down his brush and ink and turned to the bookshelf behind him. There were many books neatly ced on the simple bookshelf. There was not a single speck of dust on it. Shen Yao raised his hand and took out a small red box from the bookshelf. Then, he handed it to Ji Zhao. ¡®And this is?¡± ¡°When I was five years old, I often helped others copy books and received some remuneration. In addition, my parents would always give the three of us some pocket money. I received more than Eldest Brother and Second Brother. More importantly, Eldest Brother and Second Brother doted on me and often gave me some change. Over time, I saved it.¡¯ ¡®That shouldn¡¯t be much, right?¡± Ji Zhao, who was curious, took the wooden box with a smile. It was just as she had imagined¡ª It was very light! ¡®Before I got married, I counted it. It¡¯s not much. There¡¯s a total of 156 taels. Seeing the shock in her eyes, Shen Yao smiled silently. ¡®That much?¡± Ji Zhao really did not expect Shen Yao to be a hidden tycoon. 1,56 taels! If this was in the modern world, it would be about 1,560,000 million! After all a copper coin from this period could unleash its greatest value! ¡°I didn¡¯t expect there to be so much either.¡± Shen Yao took the opportunity to sit beside her and exined softly, ¡°Later, I asked Mother to send those scattered copper coins and silver to the bank in exchange for banknotes of a hundred and fifty taels.¡± In fact, when Ji Zhao married into the Shen family, Shen Yao was prepared to hand these over to her for safekeeping. After all, ording to the Shen family¡¯s rules, it was only right for the wife to manage the money. However, he did not expect what happened after that. He had also forgotten the silver in this box. If Ah Tao had not suddenly mentioned saving money to buy a house just now, Shen Yao would not have remembered that there was some money in this ordinary-looking box. ¡®So now, you want to give me all this money?¡± After opening the wooden box and seeing the banknotes and silver pieces inside, Ji Zhao smiled and could not help but tease, ¡®Shen Yao, aren¡¯t you afraid?¡± ¡®Afraid of what?¡± Shen Yao asked in confusion. ¡°1f I really take this money and leave secretly, you... Hmm...¡± Before Ji Zhao could finish her sentence, there was no chance! Because Shen Yao had forcefully sealed her lips! Unlike the spring breeze and drizzle in the past, Shen Yao was domineering at this moment¡ª Ji Zhao could even feel his domineering possessiveness and the urge to tear her apart and crush her into his body... ¡®Shen Yao... I can¡¯t breathe... It hurts...¡± Ji Zhao used all her strength and pressed her hands tightly against his strong chest before she could barely speak. ¡®Ah Tao.¡± Shen Yao¡¯s fingersbed through her ck hair. His deep voice was still filled with desire. ¡°Don¡¯t say things like leaving again, okay?¡± When he heard her say the word ¡®leave¡¯ just now, a terrifying thought suddenly arose in Shen Yao¡¯s heart. He wanted to lock Ah Tao by his side and never let her go! It was only when that stubborn obsession appeared in his mind that he became so domineering. He even bit her lips just now. Ji Zhao had only pushed him away when she felt the pain. ¡®Okay.¡± Ji Zhao identally caught a glimpse of the redness in his eyes. She was a little frightened, but more than that, she was worried. She kept feeling that the Shen Yao just now was not like Shen Yao. ¡®Ah Tao, does it hurt a lot?¡± Shen Yao closed his eyes weakly. When he opened them again, his eyes were already clear. When his gazended on Ji Zhao¡¯s bright and moist lips, he could not help but feel guilty. ¡¯11t doesn¡¯t hurt anymore.¡± Ji Zhao shook her head obediently. She thought for a moment and gently gestured with the thumb and index finger of her right hand. ¡®Just now, it only hurt a little. Just a little.¡¯ Seeing how obedient she was, the guilt in Shen Yao¡¯s heart deepened. ¡®Shen Yao, I¡¯m a little sleepy.¡± Looking at the dazed Shen Yao, Ji Zhao tugged at his sleeve worriedly and frowned slightly. ¡°Can you sleep with me?¡± Faced with her innocent smile, Shen Yao could not reject her. ¡®Okay.¡± It was dusk, and the sun was setting. Ji Zhao, who was lying on the soft bed, snuggled tightly in Shen Yao¡¯s arms. Soon, she let out a faint snore, but Shen Yao, who was outside, felt powerless and could not calm down. He was too rash just now. In fact, not only did he scare Ah Tao, but he also scared himself. The moment he closed his eyes, he could hear the cold wind whistling past his ears. In front of him was a mountain of bones, and he was sitting in the middle of a pile of bones. No matter how he struggled, he could not move. What was even more terrifying was that he was holding a sharp dagger in his hand. However, the de of the dagger was filled with blood. Dark red blood stained the ground along the de of the sword, sshing out blood lotuses one after another. Those people were all killed by him! He was trying to protect himself. If he didn¡¯t kill them, they would kill him in turn¡ª Just as Shen Yao felt his head splitting in pain, he heard a sentence¡ª ¡®Shen Yao, I won¡¯t leave. If you don¡¯t leave me, I won¡¯t abandon you.¡¯ ¡®If you don¡¯t leave me, I won¡¯t abandon you.¡¯ When he heard these words clearly, Shen Yao¡¯s mood miraculously calmed down. Gradually, his heart calmed down. Apanied by the familiar faint snoring, he also felt sleepy and fell asleep unknowingly. About an hourter, Ji Zhao, who had been taking a short nap, woke up. Looking at the sky outside the window, it was probably past nine o¡¯clock. Ji Zhao carefully got off the bed and tiptoed into the kitchen. At that moment, Zhao Lanhua was kneading dough in the kitchen. When she heard the familiar footsteps, she chuckled and said, ¡®There¡¯s soup left in the pot for you. Why don¡¯t you have a bowl first?¡± ¡®Alright,¡± Ji Zhao agreed with a smile. ¡°Thank you, Mother!¡± ¡®During dinner, I wanted to ask and Third Brother to eat, but before I could knock on the door, I heard the two of you snoring.¡± Zhao Lanhua sighed softly. She looked at Ji Zhao with heartache and helplessness. ¡°Child, you¡¯re just too good-tempered. Didn¡¯t Mother already remind you earlier? You can¡¯t always listen to Third Brother when ites to sex...¡± ¡®Cough cough... Mother!¡± Ji Zhao, who was drinking soup, choked.. Chapter 227 - Chapter 227: He’s Very Capable! Chapter 227: He¡¯s Very Capable! Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Ji Zhao did not expect Zhao Lanhua to misunderstand that she and Shen Yao were doing that in broad daylight. ¡®Mother, it¡¯s not like that! Shen Yao and I, he...¡± ¡®Child, why are you so nervous?¡± Zhao Lanhua quickly patted the back of her hand to appease her anger. ¡®Don¡¯t I know you? You¡¯re too soft-hearted! As for Third Brother, he has always been cold on the outside but warm on the inside. Now that the two of you are connected and have a good rtionship, I¡¯m overjoyed! However, I really feel sorry for you. You¡¯re still young!¡± Zhao Lanhua was different from the other mother-inws in the vige. She also liked fair and tender grandchildren, but her heart ached for her daughter-inw! She had once heard that it was best for this woman to give birth after she was 18 years old. This way, it would be better for her health! Later on, she took this matter to heart. That was why when Eldest Sister-inw Shen entered the family and did not get pregnant for two years, she was not worried at all. She even counseled Eldest Sister-inw Shen! She always advised Eldest Sister-inw Shen to rx. Look, her eldest daughter-inw was very hardworking. Although she was already 23 years old, she was already pregnant now, so she was not worried. Second Sister-inw Shen, who had just given birth, had just turned 20st year, so she was not too worried. What she was most worried about was Ji Zhao, who was only 16 years old after the new year. ¡®Ah Tao, I don¡¯t want to interfere with you and Third Brother. It¡¯s just that I think you¡¯re still young. Moreover, you suffered so much in the Ji family a few years ago and are still so thin. I¡¯m worried about your health.¡± Zhao Lanhua held Ji Zhao¡¯s hand and said earnestly, ¡°When a woman pregnant. It¡¯s not easy...¡± ¡®Mother!¡± Hearing Zhao Lanhua¡¯s nagging, Ji Zhao was touched and helpless. ¡®Mother, don¡¯t worry. I definitely won¡¯t be able to get pregnant now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good!¡± After Zhao Lanhua heaved a sigh of relief, she widened her eyes in surprise. ¡°Ah Tao, why do you say that?¡± ¡®Mother.¡± Ji Zhao was amused by Zhao Lanhua¡¯s stunned expression. She shrugged her shoulders helplessly. ¡°Actually, Shen Yao and I haven¡¯t consummated our marriage yet. How can I have a child?¡± In fact, it wasn¡¯t that the two of them hadn¡¯t thought of consummating their marriage, but the timing didn¡¯t seem right every time. Moreover, every time it was about to happen, all kinds of idents would always happen. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you consummate the marriage?¡± Zhao Lanhua was even more anxious. She nervously grabbed Ji Zhao¡¯s arm. Ji Zhao was at a loss. Ji Zhao was also led astray by Zhao Lanhua and began to let her imagination run wild. She silently raised her hand and patted her burning cheeks. Then, she grabbed Zhao Lanhua¡¯s hand andforted her gently, ¡°Mother, don¡¯t let your imagination run wild. Shen Yao... he¡¯s very capable!¡¯ ¡®But didn¡¯t you just say that you didn¡¯t consummate the marriage at all?¡± Zhao Lanhua was also confused. Could her third son...? ¡®Mother! Actually, it¡¯s Shen Yao. He thinks that I¡¯m still young. He has the same thoughts as Mother and doesn¡¯t want me to get pregnant and have a child early.¡± In a moment of desperation, Ji Zhao hurriedly thought of words. ¡°He said that he will only consummate our marriage when I¡¯m 18 years old!¡± ¡®Did Third Brother really say that?¡± ¡®Really!¡± Ji Zhao immediately nodded vigorously. ¡®That¡¯s good.¡± Zhao Lanhua heaved a deep sigh of relief. ¡°Third Brother is still considerate. He knows how to dote on his wife!¡± Ji Zhao heaved a sigh of relief. She had finally diverted the topic! ¡®Mother, Ah Tao, what are you guys talking about?¡± Shen Yao, who happened to walk into the kitchen, could not help but look at Ji Zhao¡¯s face. Then, he asked curiously, ¡°Ah Tao, are you alright?¡± Although the candlelight in the kitchen was very dim, Shen Yao could still see her flushed face. ¡®Tm... I¡¯m fine...¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly averted her gaze and continued drinking the soup. ¡®Son, finish the soup too.¡± Zhao Lanhua smiled and handed Shen Yao a bowl of bone soup. ¡°You¡¯re indeed my son. You know how to dote on others. Anyway, m my eyes, you¡¯re stronger than your two brothers and even your father!¡± Men, no matter how docile they looked before, once he married a wife, he was simply a jackal! Shen Dashan was one, and so were Eldest Brother and Second Brother! Third son was still the most sensible. If a man could even resist the urge to have sex, his willpower would definitely be strong enough! Shen Yao felt that his mother¡¯s gaze on him was a little strange. It was meaningful and gratifying. ¡®Alright, I won¡¯t disturb the two of you anymore. If you feel that the soup isn¡¯t enough, I also left dumplings for you.¡¯ Zhao Lanhua happily hummed a tune as she walked out of the kitchen. Shen Yao looked at her back thoughtfully. ¡®Ah Tao, what did you and Mother talk about just now? Why is Mother so happy? ¡± Ji Zhao swallowed nervously, then shook her head. ¡°No, nothing.¡± Shen Yao suddenly walked towards her. Ji Zhao felt her heart thumping non-stop. She was nervous. ¡®Ah Tao, are you afraid of me? As she got closer, Shen Yao saw the sweat on her forehead. His heart involuntarily ached. That kiss at dusk had frightened her after all, hadn¡¯t it? ¡®No... No.¡± Ji Zhao quickly shook her head. She lowered her eyes to hide the shyness in her eyes. She could not tell Shen Yao directly that the topic of discussion between her and her mother just now was whether he could do it in bed, right? This... this was too difficult to say! However, what Ji Zhao did not know was that her hesitation at this moment made Shen Yao think that his guess was right. ¡°It¡¯ste. Go back to your room and rest early.¡± Shen Yao sighed in disappointment. Ji Zhao nodded obediently and returned to her room. However, after waiting for a long time, Shen Yao did not return to the house. Ji Zhao originally wanted to go out and look for him, but the moment she was about to leave, her vision turned ck and she fainted on the ground¡ª At the same time, Shen Yao pushed open the courtyard door and strolled in the night. His heart ached a little. It was all his fault. He was too rough today, which frightened Ah Tao. What could he do to dispel Ah Tao¡¯s fear of him? After letting his imagination run wild, Shen Yao actually walked to the vicinity of the Earth Temple. He calmed himself down and walked into the temple. More than half of the Earth Temple had been repaired, and the statue of the Earth God had been ced on the shrine tform in the main hall. Shen Yao respectfully lit an incense stick for Earth God. In the past, he did not believe in ghosts and gods. But now, under Ah Tao¡¯s influence, he began to believe it. For some reason, after praying to the Earth God, the frustration that lingered in Shen Yao¡¯s heart miraculously disappeared. Shen Yao, who had just returned home, waspletely stunned the moment he pushed open the door! ¡®Ah Tao!¡± Shen Yao hurriedly rushed over and hugged Ji Zhao, who was lying on the ground.. ¡°Father, Mother! Ah Tao has fainted!¡± Chapter 228 - Chapter 228: Perhaps This Is a Chance? Chapter 228: Perhaps This Is a Chance? Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions It hurts! It was very painful! It was so painful! Ji Zhao felt pain all over her body. It was as if she was being burned by a raging fire. Every inch of her skin was on fire. She subconsciously opened her mouth to call for help, but she felt a puff of smoke enter her throat through her slightly open mouth. It burned her throat, making it impossible for her to call for help. The moment she opened her eyes with all her might, raging mes burned in front of her. The fire soared into the sky and chilled the entire night sky! Ji Zhao was at a loss and did not know what to do. ¡®Ah Tao! Don¡¯te over!¡± Suddenly, she heard Zhao Lanhua¡¯s hoarse cries. Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes widened in fear Zhao Lanhua, who was standing in the fire, was still holding a bundle in her arms. The surging mes quickly engulfed her! ¡®Mother!¡± Ji Zhao wanted to rush forward anxiously, but the beam above the house suddenly fell! Crackle¡ª The mes in front of her became even more intense. Ji Zhao weakly knelt on the ground, tears streaming down her face. The fire burned for the entire night and was only extinguished at the moment of dawn. The Shen family¡¯s courtyard had turned into ruins. ¡°What a sin! Who did Dashan¡¯s family offend? Why did they suddenly start a ¡®That¡¯s right. I heard that the entire family was burned to death... ¡®The county office said that it was an ident.. ¡®Could it be that the Shen family did something outrageous? ¡®No way? Dashen and Lanhua aren¡¯t that kind of people!¡± ¡®Do you think it was Ji Ah Tao who did it?¡± ¡®How is this possible?¡± ¡°1 heard that Ji Ah Tao was the only one who survived this fire...¡± ¡®IIS it that strange? ¡®You think it¡¯s weird, too, don¡¯t you? Ji Zhao could hear the discussions of many people, but there was no one in front of her! On the second day of the Lunar New Year, the atmosphere in the Shen family¡¯s courtyard was still terrible. Shen Yao guarded the unconscious Ji Zhao. His usually gentle eyes were filled with worry. He reached out to touch her forehead, but it was still burning hot. ¡®We can¡¯t let Ah Tao continue burning like this.¡± Zhao Lanhua wiped the sweat off Ji Zhao¡¯s face with a handkerchief as she instructed, ¡°Third Brother, go outside and take a look. See if your father and the others are back.¡± When Shen Yao returned homest night, he saw Ji Zhao lying unconscious on the ground. Shen Dashan immediately got Eldest Brother Shen to prepare the carriage and rushed to the county city to get a doctor. However, it was the new year and the county was probably heavily guarded. They would not be able to get a doctor back for a while. ¡°1 didn¡¯t hear the sound of hooves.¡± Shen Yao shook his head gently. ¡®Mother, go back to your room and rest first. I¡¯ll take care of Ah Tao.¡± ¡®That won¡¯t do.¡± Zhao Lanhua quickly shook her head and refused. ¡°I have to guard Ah Tao well. But Third Brother, don¡¯t worry too much. Ah Tao has always been very lucky. She will definitely be fine. Perhaps she¡¯s just having a nightmare?¡± Why would she suddenly have a high fever from a nightmare? Shen Yao pursed his lips bitterly. He held Ji Zhao¡¯s right hand tightly, his gentle eyes filled with concern. ¡°Ah Tao, don¡¯t scare me, okay?¡± At the end of the morning, Ji Zhao, who had been unconscious for the entire night, finally woke up. Cough cough¡ª She coughed a few times sadly. The moment she forced herself to open her eyes, Shen Yao¡¯s extremely haggard face appeared in front of her. ¡®Shen Yao, you... cough, cough, cough.. ¡®Ah Tao, you¡¯re awake?¡± The moment he saw her wake up, Shen Yao¡¯s dull eyes lit up again. He hurriedly reached for her forehead. The temperature on the back of his hand was finally no longer hot. Shen Yao quickly helped her sit up against the head of the bed. He turned around to pour some water. After blowing on it to cool it down, he handed it to her. Ji Zhao took the cup and took a sip. Then, she smiled at him obediently, but tears could not help but roll down her cheeks. ¡®Why are you crying? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Seeing her cry, Shen Yaoforted her anxiously and wiped the tears on her face clumsily. ¡®Shen Yao... Boohoo... It hurts...¡± Ji Zhao buried her head in his arms and cried uncontrobly! She was in so much pain! That dream must be another omen! Everyone in the Shen family, including Shen Yao, had lost their lives in that fire! The feeling of every inch of her skin being wrapped in fire was indescribably painful! Ji Zhao cried for a long time until her tears dried up. ¡®Did you have another nightmare?¡± Shen Yao helped her wash her face. Then, he rubbed her soft hair andforted her gently. ¡°Ah Tao, don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯ll be by your side.¡± ¡®Mm!¡± Ji Zhao nodded vigorously and wrapped her arms around his waist. She closed her eyes and listened to Shen Yao¡¯s steady and strong heartbeat. The sadness that lingered in her heart gradually dissipated. ¡®Ah Tao, you¡¯re awake?¡± Zhao Lanhua brought the cooked porridge into the house. ¡®Are you hungry? Mother made you some porridge. Do you want some?¡± ¡®Thank you, Mother.¡± Ji Zhao nodded obediently. After rinsing her mouth, she finished the bowl of porridge in one gulp. A warm current flowed down her throat and into her heart. At this moment, she waspletely awake. The fire in her dream had not arrived yet. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Looking at her absent-minded expression, Shen Yao frowned slightly and asked with concern. ¡®Shen Yao, I...¡± ¡®Has Ah Tao woken up? We¡¯ve invited the doctor over!¡± Brother Shen hurriedly weed the doctor into the inner room and asked anxiously. Half an hourter, the doctor took Ji Zhao¡¯s pulse. ¡®Her pulse has stabilized, and her fever has subsided.¡± The doctor thought for a moment and reminded her, ¡°You have to eat a lighter diet these few days. Later, I¡¯ll prescribe a prescription to calm your nerves. You¡¯ll be fine after drinking it for two days.¡± ¡®Thank you, doctor!¡± After confirming that Ji Zhao was fine, Shen Yao waspletely relieved. ¡°Father, Mother, Big Brother, go back to your rooms and rest first. I¡¯ll take good care of Ah Tao.¡± Shen Yao turned to look at the others who were relieved and said softly. When only the two of them were left in the room, Shen Yao walked up to the dazed Ji Zhao and caressed her cheek with heartache. He asked gently, ¡°Ah Tao, was that nightmare very scary? ¡®Mm.¡± Ji Zhao lowered her eyes and replied gloomily. Shen Yao took the opportunity to sit beside her and reached out to pull her into his arms. ¡°Ah Tao, don¡¯t be afraid. Sometimes, some things seem to be a dead end, but when you think about it carefully, this might be another chance, right?¡± It was a dead end, a chance of survival. Ji Zhao came back to her senses when he heard those words. ¡®That¡¯s right!¡± She grabbed Shen Yao¡¯s hand excitedly and suddenly looked up. Her eyes were as bright as the stars in the night sky.. ¡®Perhaps this is a chance?¡± Chapter 229 - Chapter 229: This... Could You Have Done This? Chapter 229: This... Could You Have Done This? Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡®Unfortunately, before what happened in the dream happens, I can¡¯t tell you what happened in the dream.¡± Ji Zhao pinched the space between her eyebrows in frustration, and a sense of frustration appeared in her heart for no reason. ¡®IIS that dream rted to me?¡± Shen Yao asked softly. Ji Zhao nodded slightly. ¡°You¡¯re not the only one. There¡¯s also¡ªn BOOM! Before Ji Zhao could finish speaking, a thunderp suddenly sounded from the ground! Ji Zhao subconsciously covered her mouth and looked nervously at Shen Yao beside her. ¡®Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Shen Yao hugged the person in his arms even tighter and his tone became even gentler. ¡®Don¡¯t think about anything else. After you drink the calming soup, you can have a good sleep,¡± Shen Yao said gently as he tapped the tip of her nose dotingly. ¡®Okay.¡± Soon, Zhao Lanhua brought the calming soup to Ji Zhao. ¡®Thank you, Mother.¡± ¡®Girl, are you always so polite to your mother?¡± Zhao Lanhua pretended to look at her angrily. ¡°We¡¯re family. You¡¯re always thanking me. You¡¯re treating me like an outsider. ¡°I understand, Mother.¡± ¡®Be good and have a good sleep.¡± Zhao Lanhua held her hand and reminded her with a gentle gaze, ¡°Mother will make dough drop soup for you this afternoon, okay?¡± ¡®Okay!¡± ¡®Good girl!¡¯ Looking at such an obedient Ji Zhao, Zhao Lanhua felt that her heart was about to melt. She then looked at Shen Yao¡¯s haggard face and said with heartache, ¡°Third Brother, how about you sleep with Ah Tao?¡± ¡®Mother, I¡¯m not sleepy.¡± Shen Yao shook his head subconsciously. ¡®You¡¯ve been guarding Ah Tao all night. How can you not be tired? Look at your red eyes!¡± Zhao Lanhua said earnestly, ¡®Third Brother, if you can¡¯t even take care of yourself, how can you take care of Ah Tao? The two of you, listen to Mother and lie on the bed together to rest well!¡± Unable to dissuade Zhao Lanhua, Shen Yao could only lie down beside Ji Zhao. ¡®That¡¯s good!¡¯ After Zhao Lanhua walked out of the house, she did not forget to close the door considerately. ¡®You... stayed by my side for the entire night?¡± Ji Zhao turned sideways to look at the man lying beside her. Her gentle almond-shaped eyes were filled with gratitude. ¡®Mm,¡± Shen Yao replied softly and pulled her into his arms firmly. ¡®You were unconscious. No matter how much I shouted, you didn¡¯t wake up. It waste at night and you still had a high fever. I was very worried.¡¯ If not forst night, Shen Yao would not have thought that his feelings for Ah Tao would be so deep. In fact, he liked Ah Tao more than he had imagined. Ji Zhao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She quickly leaned over and pecked his cheek. ¡®Shen Yao, thank you.¡± ¡®Go to sleep.¡± Shen Yao raised his eyebrows gently. Her smile was reflected deeply in his eyes. The warm sunlight shone through the diamond-shaped wooden window andnded on the two figures sleeping in each other¡¯s arms. The atmosphere in the room was warm and heartwarming. Near noon, Ji Zhao woke up. However, the soft cushion beside her was already slightly cold. ¡®Shen Yao?¡± Ji Zhao rubbed her eyes and looked around, but she did not see Shen Yao. At that moment, in the Shen family¡¯s kitchen. Zhao Lanhua looked at her youngest son and could not help but sigh. ¡®Mother¡¯s youngest son has grown up and knows how to dote on his wife.¡± ¡®Mother, is this much water enough? Do you want more?¡± Shen Yao, who was kneading dough, asked softly. He wanted to learn how to make dough drop soup. This way, when Ah Tao wanted to eat it, he could make it too. ¡®That¡¯s enough, that¡¯s enough,¡± Zhao Lanhua said with a smile. ¡®My youngest son is so smart. He learns quick!¡± She only said it once, and Third Brother could knead the dough himself and make a suitable dough. ¡®Tomorrow morning, I want to go to the Tian Family Vige again.¡± Zhao Lanhua thought for a moment and still said her n. ¡°You know my personality. Although I¡¯m a little muddle-headed sometimes, I¡¯m not stupid. That Tian Xiu¡¯e has already bullied your grandfath&.. ¡°1f Grandfather can¡¯t stand up on his own, even if Mother returns to the Tian Family Vige, there won¡¯t be anything to make up for, right?¡± Shen Yao frowned slightly and asked softly. ¡°I know.¡± Zhao Lanhua lowered her eyes to hide the emotions in her eyes. ¡®Your maternal grandfather is a very prideful person. He feels that once news of Tian Xiu¡¯e being unfaithful spreads, he will lose face. It¡¯s just that Tian Xiu¡¯e is too vicious.¡± ¡°1f it weren¡¯t for Ah Tao¡¯s good luck, I¡¯m afraid Mother would have already fallen into Tian Xiu¡¯e¡¯s trap. How can Mother swallow this anger?¡± Zhao Lanhua narrowed her eyes, her gaze dark. ¡°Moreover, from the looks of it now, Dazhuang and Xiaotou are very likely not my younger brothers. How can Mother continue to be merciful?¡± ¡®Mother.¡± Shen Yao stopped what he was doing and looked at her curiously. ¡®Have you thought of what to do?¡± ¡®Yes.¡± Zhao Lanhua nodded. ¡®My youngest, don¡¯t worry. I know what to do!¡± ¡®No matter what you want to do or n to do, you have to remember one thing.¡± Shen Yao looked into her eyes and reminded her seriously, ¡°That is, no matter what, you have to protect yourself first.¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t worry, I know!¡± After resting for the entire morning, Ji Zhao felt that she had be more energetic. Just as she was about to leave, she bumped into Shen Yao, who was about to enter the room. ¡°Why are you up?¡± Shen Yao asked nervously. ¡°Are you still feeling unwell?¡± Ji Zhao shook her head gently, her face brimming with an obedient smile. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Ji Zhao asked curiously when her gazended on his hand. ¡®Dough drop soup, do you want to try it?¡± ¡®Sure!¡¯ Ji Zhao dly agreed! When she first came to the world in this book, she had to face the difficult situation caused by the original owner. At that time, Ji Zhao was very helpless and sad. Until Zhao Lanhua cooked a bowl of dough drop soup for her. That was the most delicious dough drop soup she had ever eaten! This was because the bowl of dough drop soup contained a rare kindness. ¡®How does it taste?¡± After tasting it, Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but raise her eyebrows and praise, ¡°It¡¯s so delicious. Mother is really amazing, right? The dough drop soup she made is extremely delicious!¡± ¡®Mother didn¡¯t make it.¡± Shen Yao couldn¡¯t help but smile when he saw that she was eating happily. He felt much happier. ¡®Mother didn¡¯t make it?¡± Ji Zhao blinked curiously. ¡°Is it Eldest Sister-inw or Second Sister-inw?¡± ¡®Neither. ¡°This... this couldn¡¯t have been made by you, right?¡± Seeing the doting smile on his face, Ji Zhao waspletely stunned. ¡°When did you learn to make dough drop soup? ¡®An hour ago.¡± Shen Yao smiled faintly. ¡°Mother taught me once, and I learned it. I was originally worried that you would find the taste bad, but now it seems that you like it.¡¯ Ji Zhao lowered her head and looked at the empty bowl. She could not help butugh.. Chapter 230 - Chapter 230: Happy New Year, Second Brother You! Chapter 230: Happy New Year, Second Brother You! Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Looking at her silly smile, Shen Yao could not help but smile. The moment their eyes met, they saw tenderness in each other¡¯s eyes. ¡®Shen Yao, I want to go to the county city.¡± Ji Zhao gently grabbed his hand and begged softly, ¡°I want to wish an early happy new year to Second Brother You and Brother Qin. Also, I have something to ask Brother Qin for help.¡± ¡®Okay,¡± Shen Yao agreed happily. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± An hourter, Zhao Lanhua handed the two New Year¡¯s gifts she had prepared to Shen Yao. Then, she looked at Ah Tao and reminded her gently, ¡®Second Manager You likes to eat spicy sauce, so there¡¯s a bottle of spicy sauce in this gray bag. Ah Tao, don¡¯t give it to the wrong person!¡± ¡®Got it. Thank you, Mother!¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly. ¡®Alright, you guys, leave early ande back early. I¡¯ll leave dinner for you!¡± ¡®Okay.¡± At the same time, in Hongxing Restaurant. Second Manager You was apanying Qin Minghong to check the restaurant¡¯s inventory. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to the few dishes Ah Tao sold us previously, so our Hongxing Restaurant¡¯s profit this year is two points higher thanst year. Moreover, some of the old wine in the cer has also been sold.¡± ¡®Ah Tao is indeed amazing.¡± Qin Minghong nodded in agreement. ¡°Speaking of which, have you prepared the New Year¡¯s gift I asked you to prepare for Ah Tao?¡± ¡®Don¡¯t worry, Young Master. Everything is ready.¡± ¡®Alright.¡± Qin Minghong nodded. ¡®Send it over tomorrow morning.¡± ¡®Okay.¡± ¡°1¡¯11 go with you.¡± Qin Minghong waved the fan in his hand and said with a gentle smile, ¡°I can also take the opportunity to try Ah Tao¡¯s cooking.¡± Before noon, Shen Yao had already apanied Ji Zhao to Hongxing Restaurant. ¡®Second Brother You, Happy New Year!¡± Ji Zhao smiled and said to Second Manager You, who was full of shock! ¡®Ah Tao?¡± Second Manager You walked around the counter excitedly and hurried to her. ¡°Why are you here? Quick, please sit down!¡± Half an hourter, Ji Zhao and Shen Yao were treated as distinguished guests. Second Manager You got someone to prepare hot tea and exquisite pastries. The smile on his face was filled with undisguised joy. ¡°Ah Tao, what do you want to eat for lunch today? I¡¯ll ask the kitchen to prepare it immediately.¡± ¡®Second Brother You, we¡¯re not too hungry yet.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and shook her head. Then, she took the bag from Shen Yao¡¯s hand and handed it to him. ¡®These are some New Year¡¯s gifts we prepared for you. Don¡¯t be disdainful of them!¡± ¡®You little girl!¡± Second Manager Youughed and said, ¡°I couldn¡¯t be happier. Why would I be disdainful?¡± ¡®My mother knows that you like chili sauce, so she specially prepared some for you,¡± Ji Zhao exined with a smile. ¡°My mother also said that if you finish it, let us know!¡¯ ¡°This... Ah Tao, you have to thank your mother for me!¡± The Shen family did not prepare many New Year¡¯s gifts, but to Second Manager You, the value was as heavy as gol . The gifts were light, but the feelings were heavy! ¡°I¡¯ll get the kitchen to set up a hot potter. Shall we have a good meal?¡± Second Manager You had an idea. He smiled and suggested, ¡°Coincidentally, the kitchen bought a lot of fresh mutton this morning. Let¡¯s get drunk today.¡± ¡®Alright!¡± Ji Zhao readily agreed. ¡®Second Brother You, actually, we have another matter that we need your help with.¡± ¡®Ah Tao, just tell me!¡± Second Manager You patted his chest heartily and said happily, ¡°As long as Second Brother can do it, I will definitely help!¡± ¡°I want to hire some guards. It¡¯s best if they¡¯re skilled,¡± Ji Zhao said softly. ¡°It¡¯s best if they can return to the vige with me tomorrow.¡± ¡®Guards?¡± Second Manager You was puzzled. ¡®Ah Tao, why are you hiring guards? Did you encounter some trouble?¡± ¡®You can say that...¡± Ji Zhao frowned slightly. ¡®Under normal circumstances, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to find some skilled guards. However, it¡¯s still the New Year¡¯s Eve. I¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t be easy to find them.¡± Second Manager You frowned and looked at Ji Zhao with worry. ¡°Ah Tao, what trouble did you encounter?¡± ¡®Actually, I haven¡¯t encountered any trouble for the time being. I just want to take precautions.¡± Ji Zhao forced a smile. ¡°Second Brother You, I still hope that you can help me ask around. In terms of renumeration, we can discuss it.¡± She could not be sure when the fire in the Shen family would happen, but ording to her nightmares in the past, the fire would definitely happen, so she had to think of a way to prevent it in advance. ¡®Okay, I¡¯ll keep an eye out for you.¡± Halfway through the afternoon, Qin Minghong, who had been resting for a while, heard the familiarughter and his eyes lit up. At the beginning of the night, Ji Zhao, who was eating mutton hot pot, suddenly heard someone call her name. She looked up and happened to see Qin Minghonging down the stairs. Qin Minghong, who was dressed in a bright red brocade robe, smiled at her. Admittedly Qin Minghong looked very good in red. He was handsome to begin with, especially when he smiled, his temperament seemed to be even more outstanding. ¡®Ah Tao,¡± Shen Yao, who was sitting beside her, called out in a low voice. Ji Zhao came back to her senses and smiled guiltily. Shen Yao suddenly leaned close to her ear and whispered. Ji Zhao¡¯s face instantly turned red! She had never said such a thing! ¡®Ah Tao doesn¡¯t believe me?¡± Shen Yao looked at her flushed face and the smile in his eyes deepened. ¡°There are still your scratches on my back!¡± When Qin Minghong, who happened to be approaching, heard this, a sour feeling suddenly surged in his heart. Just now, he only saw pure admiration in Ah Tao¡¯s eyes. There was no other emotion... She looked at him as if she was admiring a beautiful dress. ¡®Nonsense!¡± Ji Zhao angrily elbowed his arm. Shen Yao smiled gently and stopped teasing her. In fact, on the night of New Year¡¯s Eve, Ji Zhao a bit more wine than usual. However, she was very cute when she was drunk. ¡°When did youe?¡± Qin Minghong sat opposite Ji Zhao and asked with a graceful smile. ¡°I¡¯ve only been here for a while,¡± Ji Zhao exined with a smile. ¡°Brother Qin, sit down and eat with us. By the way, I also brought you a New Year¡¯s gift.¡¯ ¡®You didn¡¯t have to,¡± Qin Minghong waved the folding fan in his hand and smiled warmly. ¡®IIS Young Master Qin very hot?¡± Shen Yao looked at him and asked curiously. ¡®Why do you say that?¡± ¡°1f Young Master Qin isn¡¯t hot, why do you keep fanning yourself?¡± Shen Yao¡¯s gazended on the folding fan in his hand. Was there something wrong with Qin Minghong¡¯s brain? ¡®Shen Yao, try this mutton. It tastes very good with sesame sauce.¡± In order to ease the awkward atmosphere, Ji Zhao quickly picked up a piece of mutton and ced it in the bowl in front of Shen Yao.. ¡°Eat it while it¡¯s hot!¡± Chapter 231 - Chapter 231: This Ledger Is My Sincerity Chapter 231: This Ledger Is My Sincerity Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Shen Yao looked at her with extreme gentleness. Seeing them whispering to each other from time to time, Qin Minghong¡¯s heart ached even more. If only he could have met Ah Tao earlier! ¡®By the way, Ah Tao, didn¡¯t you say that you wanted to hire some skilled guards just now? Young Master can definitely help you with this!¡± Second Manager You suddenly knocked his head and said excitedly, ¡°Young Master, can you help Ah Tao?¡± ¡®Hire guards?¡± Qin Minghong immediately looked at her with concern. ¡°What happened? Or did you encounter some trouble?¡± Ji Zhao silently put down her chopsticks and exined seriously, ¡°Before the New Year, I was ambushed by Ji Huai and almost got into an ident. It was all thanks to Brother Qin¡¯s help. But I¡¯ve been uneasy.¡± ¡®Now that Ji Huai has a big tree to lean on, I¡¯m worried that someone will go to the vige to harass our family.¡± Ji Zhao sighed softly. ¡°After all, the whole thing started because of me. I don¡¯t want my family to be implicated by me.¡¯ When she thought about how everyone had died in that fire in that nightmare, Ji Zhao felt suffocated. It was as if a huge rock had been piled up in her heart, so heavy that she could not breathe. Sensing the change in her emotions, Shen Yao hurriedly grabbed her hand and said gently, ¡®Ah Tao?¡± ¡®Tm fine.¡± Ji Zhao, who had regained her senses, forced a smile. ¡®At this time, it¡¯s not easy to hire guards.¡± Qin Minghong frowned slightly and exined softly, ¡°After all, those people have been busy for an entire year. They all want to take advantage of the New Year to rest.¡± ¡®But Ah Tao, don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Qin Minghong thought for a moment and quickly came up with an idea. ¡°How about this? I¡¯ll visit the Shen residence tomorrow morning. ¡® waAfter finishing the hot pot, Ji Zhao and Second Manager You went to do some ounting. After all, they had already discussed beforehand that they would take the dividends from the oil extraction workshop on the eighth day of the new year. ¡®The peanut oil produced in our workshop is in short supply,¡± Second Manager You said happily. ¡®Ah Tao, we can get a lot of dividends on the eighth day of the new year! ¡± ¡®Peanut oil is delicious and cheap to begin with. It¡¯s not surprising that the supply can¡¯t meet the demand,¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile. ¡°But Second Brother You, we have to establish our brand as soon as possible to prevent fake and inferior products from appearing in the market.¡± ¡®You¡¯re right.¡± Second Manager You nodded silently. ¡°I¡¯ve also heard that other peanut oil has appeared on the market now, but the peanut oil sold in those small workshops is of average quality.¡± ¡®That¡¯s why we have to establish our brand as soon as possible and maintain our brand awareness. Only then can we run the oil extraction workshop better.¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She borrowed a brush and paper and began to write and draw. At the same time, Shen Yao and Qin Minghong were sitting in a private room on the second floor of the restaurant. ¡®This tea is not bad.¡± Shen Yao picked up the teacup with engravings on it and took a sip. He raised his eyebrows and praised, ¡°It¡¯s fragrant and mellow. The aftertaste is endless.¡± ¡®The Lu Mountain Cloud Mist is indeed worthy of its reputation.¡± ¡®You¡¯ve drunk it before?¡± Qin Minghong was a little surprised. ¡°The Lu Mountain Cloud Mist is very expensive. With the Shen family¡¯s strength, you shouldn¡¯t be able to afford it, right?¡± ¡®Three years ago, I tried it in a private house in Thunder Mountain County,¡± Shen Yao exined with a gentle smile. ¡®At that time, I didn¡¯t know how expensive this tea was. I just felt that the taste of this tea was very good. Qin Minghong stared into his eyes and frowned slightly, deep in thought. ¡®Young Master Qin, don¡¯t look at me like that. After all, you already know everything about me, right?¡± Shen Yao met his sizing gaze in a neither servile nor overbearing manner and smiled silently. ¡®Now that your enemy has be a prefectural governor, it¡¯s difficult for you to take revenge.¡± Qin Minghong directly pointed out his current predicament. ¡®Ah Tao thought that Ji Huai was targeting her, but in fact, the person behind Ji Huai has only wanted your life from the beginning to the end.¡± ¡®Young Master Qin, you¡¯re smarter than I thought.¡± Shen Yao picked up the teacup that was already slightly cold and took another sip. ¡®But Young Master Qin, do you want to make a deal with me?¡± ¡®IA deal? What kind of deal?¡± ¡®Naturally, it¡¯s a deal that¡¯s guaranteed to be profitable.¡± Shen Yao yed with the teacup in his hand and smiled. ¡°What are you trying to say? Shen Yao thought for a moment, took out the ledger from his sleeve, and handed it to him. ¡°Young Master, why don¡¯t you open it and take a look?¡± Curious, Qin Minghong slowly flipped open the ledger. After a few pages, his eyes widened in surprise. ¡°This is?¡± ¡°I heard that the First Madam of the Qin family is the biological sister of the magistrate, Lord Zheng, right?¡± Shen Yao said softly, ¡°I know that the bureaucracy has never been ck or white. No matter what considerations Lord Zheng has, he epted 300,000 taels of silver. Once this news is leaked, I¡¯m afraid Lord Zheng won¡¯t be able to sit on the chair under him, right?¡± ¡®More importantly, there are many conflicts of interest between the Zheng family and the Qin family. As the saying goes, a slight move will affect the entire situation... Young Master should understand this principle, right?¡± Qin Minghong narrowed his eyes vigntly and looked at Shen Yao thoughtfully. ¡°What are you trying to say? ¡®Young Master, there¡¯s no need to misunderstand. The reason why I entrusted this ledger to you is naturally not to threaten you.¡± Shen Yao smiled gently and said sincerely, ¡°After all, you¡¯re my Ah Tao¡¯s savior. I, Shen Yao, won¡¯t bite the hand that feeds me.¡± ¡°I hope that Young Master Qin can think of a way to send this ledger to Lord Zheng,¡± Shen Yao said honestly. ¡°My grudge with Sun He is irreconcble. It¡¯s just that I know my limits. If I fight Sun He head-on now, it¡¯s simply throwing an egg at a rock.¡¯ ¡®Therefore, I can only gather more evidence. When the time is right, I can give Sun He a fatal blow,¡± Shen Yao said firmly with a deep gaze. ¡®This ledger is my sincerity.¡¯ Qin Minghong did not agree immediately. Instead, he held the ledger tightly and pondered. ¡°1¡¯11 get back to you after I think about it.¡± ¡®Okay.¡± ¡°It¡¯s done!¡± Ji Zhao put down the brush in her hand in satisfaction and said with a smile, ¡°Second Brother You,e and take a look!¡¯ ¡®This is?¡± Following the direction of her finger, Second Manager You frowned in confusion. ¡°Ah Tao, this pattern looks like a small gourd?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a gourd, it¡¯s a rounder peanut!¡± Ji Zhao held his forehead helplessly. ¡®Second Brother You, can¡¯t you tell that these are peanuts?¡± ¡®Well, this...¡± Second Manager You hesitated for a long time.. Finally, he gritted his teeth and said, ¡°At first nce, I can¡¯t tell that these are peanuts, but after looking at them for a while and looking at them more carefully, I can still tell!¡± Chapter 232 - Chapter 232: I, I, I... I’m Sleepy... Chapter 232: I, I, I... I¡¯m Sleepy... Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡®Second Brother You, you don¡¯t have tofort me.¡¯ Looking at Second Brother You¡¯s troubled expression, Ji Zhao didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry. ¡°1 know I¡¯m an average painter.¡± Speaking of which, it was strange. If Ji Zhao was given a carrot, she waspletely confident that she could carve a flower on it. However, if this kitchen knife became a paintbrush, her skills would be very ordinary. ¡®Ah Tao, why did you draw this gourd... Peanut?¡± Second Manager You asked curiously as he seriously admired the painting. ¡°I¡¯d like to draw a trademark for the oil press.¡± ¡®Trademark? What do you mean?¡¯ ¡®Trademarks are the logo of goods,¡± Ji Zhao exined with a smile. ¡°If the peanut oil produced by our oil press factory has a logo, not only can it effectively prevent other peanut oil from impersonating us, but it can also increase our brand awareness.¡± ¡°1f Ah Tao is a man, you will definitely be able to make a name for yourself in the business world.¡± Qin Minghong, who happened to hear this, praised her generously. ¡®Brother Qin?¡± Ji Zhao subconsciously turned around. Her gaze could not help butnd on Shen Yao¡¯s face. ¡°Are you guys done chatting? ¡®Yeah.¡¯ Shen Yao walked to her side with a smile. After seeing the painting that Ji Zhao had made, had an iea. He picked up the brush beside him and hurriedly added a few strokes. ¡®Shen Yao, aren¡¯t you too amazing? After Shen Yao¡¯s modifications, the logo that Ji Zhao had made instantly became much clearer. He anthropomorphized the round little peanut and added some water droplets around it, forming a cute little sun pattern. ¡®Golden Sun Peanut Oil.¡± Ji Zhao quickly hugged Shen Yao¡¯s arm and said coquettishly, ¡°Shen Yao, can you help me write these five words too?¡± The golden sunlight gave off a very healthy feeling! This also meant that their peanut oil was especially healthy! ¡®Okay!¡± After the ink dried up, Ji Zhao carefully picked up the design and said to Qin Minghong with a smile, ¡°Brother Qin, please copy more of this pattern and paste it on the peanut oil we produce!¡± ¡®Alright.¡± Qin Minghong immediately nodded. ¡®That¡¯s an excellent name.¡± Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, it was dusk. Ji Zhao, who was sitting in the carriage, was drowsy. Shen Yao gently rubbed her face and said softly, ¡°Ah Tao, if you¡¯re tired, why don¡¯t you sleep for a while?¡± He immediately straightened his back so that Ji Zhao could leanfortably on his shoulder. ¡®Shen Yao, Brother Qin said that he will visit tomorrow.¡± Ji Zhao narrowed her eyes and said in a low voice, ¡°What do you think I should make to entertain them?¡± ¡®Anything is fine,¡± Shen Yao said gently. ¡°After all, my Ah Tao¡¯s culinary skills are unparalleled. Every delicacy you make is delicious.¡± Ji Zhao was a little embarrassed by the praise. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t praise me...¡± ¡®Ah Tao doesn¡¯t like it?¡± Shen Yao pinched the tip of her nose dotingly and said gently, ¡®But I meant every word I said just now!¡± ¡®Smooth-tongued-¡®t Shen Yao suddenly grabbed her head and kissed her gently. Ji Zhao, who was caught off guard by the sneak attack, blinked in a daze. ¡®You...¡± ¡®Tm proving that I¡¯m not glib-tongued at this moment.¡± Shen Yao leaned close to her ear and breathed. That warm breathnded beside her ear. That feeling was numbing. ¡®Il, I, I... I¡¯m sleepy...¡± Ji Zhao felt that her heart was beating wildly. She hurriedly closed her eyes and muttered softly. ¡®Ah Tao.¡± Shen Yao¡¯s hand suddenlynded on her slender waist, and his voice became even gentler. ¡°You¡¯re so cute.¡± You¡¯re so cute. Ji Zhao¡¯s lips curled up happily. She closed her eyes and leaned into his arms. Soon, she fell asleep. In the blink of an eye, it was early evening. Shen Dashan was the first to enter the central room. ¡®Lanhua, why are these dishes raw?¡± Shen Dashan asked as he looked at the bean curd and spinach on the table. ¡®We¡¯re having fish head hotpot tonight!¡± Zhao Lanhua replied with a smile. ¡®Don¡¯t be anxious. Ah Tao said that the fish head will be ready soon!¡± Two hours ago, in the Shen family¡¯s kitchen. Ji Zhao was still preparing the side dishes for the hotpot. ¡®Ah Tao, take a look. Is this enough?¡± Second Brother Shen, who was sitting in front of the stove and looking at the fire, raised therge number of wooden sticks in his hand and asked loudly. ¡®Enough!¡± ¡®Eldest Sister-inw, Second Sister-inw, do as I say and put these mutton on the wooden skewers. Don¡¯t be too anxious. Be careful of your hands!¡± Ji Zhao smiled and reminded them before turning around to prepare the charcoal. ¡®Themb skewers roasted with fruit wood charcoal are not only delicious, but they also have a faint fragrance.¡¯ Ji Zhao ced the charcoal evenly on the special barbecue stove and ced the wire above it. She turned to look at Shen Yao beside her and said with a smile, ¡°Shen Yao, I¡¯ll leave the ignition to you!¡¯ ¡®Okay.¡± At a quarter past eight, the fish head hotpot was served on the table. There were fragrantmb skewers ced in front of everyone. ¡°Father, Mother, eat it while it¡¯s hot-¡®t Ji Zhao picked up themb skewers and greeted them with a smile. ¡°Thismb skewers have to be eaten while it¡¯s hot to taste delicious!¡± ¡®This method of eating is very rare.¡± Shen Dashan imitated Ji Zhao¡¯s actions and quickly finished themb skewer. Then, he eagerly gave a thumbs up. ¡°Fragrant!¡± ¡®Second Brother You gave us 30 catties of mutton,¡± Ji Zhao said as she grilled the skewers. ¡®Ah Tao, I heard from Third Brother that Young Master Qin and Second Manager You areing to our house tomorrow?¡± Zhao Lanhua thought for a moment and quickly said, ¡°1 originally wanted to go back to the Tian Family Vige tomorrow. Since our family will have guests tomorrow, I¡¯ll wait for the day after tomorrow, alright?¡± ¡®Okay, thank you, Mother.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and nodded. ¡®Ah Tao, have you ever thought about opening your own restaurant?¡± Eldest Brother Shen, who had eaten more than tenmb skewers in a row, burped in satisfaction. Then, he looked at Ji Zhao and asked curiously, ¡°Your culinary skills are so good. If you open a restaurant, business will definitely not be bad!¡± ¡®To be honest, it¡¯s not that I haven¡¯t thought of opening a restaurant,¡± Ji Zhao smiled faintly and said softly, ¡°It¡¯s just that I feel that we can¡¯t be too hasty. Nowadays, the business of the oil extraction workshop and the fried snack shop is notpletely stable, so I want to wait a couple of years before I open a restaurant.¡± In fact, the more important reason was that Hongxing Restaurant already existed in the county city. Ji Zhao felt that if she wanted to be friends with Qin Minghong for a long time, it was best for her not to open a shop in Dingyuan County. This way, she would not offend Qin Minghong¡¯s interests. Most importantly, Ji Zhao was an ambitious person. She wanted to save up money first and open a restaurant in the prefecture capital when the time was right. ¡®That¡¯s true.¡± Eldest Brother Shen nodded in agreement. ¡®Actually, I¡¯m thinking of expanding the Shen Ji Pastry Shop, but I don¡¯t have any leads for the time being. However, there are a few shops with good geographical locations on East Street. I originally thought that if Ah Tao wants to open a restaurant, we can discuss the price of the shops together..¡± Chapter 233 - Chapter 233: Ah Yao, I Love You Too Chapter 233: Ah Yao, I Love You Too Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡®Big Brother, you want to expand the Shen Ji Pastry Shop?¡± Shen Yao asked softly as he picked up a piece of fish and put it into the bowl in front of Ji Zhao. ¡®Yes.¡± Eldest Brother Shen immediately nodded. ¡°Previously, Shen Ji almost went bankrupt. It was all thanks to Ah Tao¡¯s help in signing the contract with the Qin family. In addition, Double Skin Milk is selling very well. Now, Shen Ji¡¯s business is getting better and better.¡± ¡°1 want to take advantage of this momentum to expand the shopfront of Shen Ji. However, there are no suitable shops on West Street. East Street is not bad.¡¯ Eldest Brother Shen analyzed seriously. ¡°Moreover, in terms of the market entrance, East Street is naturally better. It¡¯s just that the rent is a little expensive.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s better to buy it than rent it.¡± Ji Zhao, who was listening attentively, immediately put down her chopsticks. ¡°Big Brother, why don¡¯t you consider buying the shop property? ¡®The shops in the county are very expensive, and the boss behind the row of shops on East Street is Madam Ma.¡± Eldest Brother Shen smiled helplessly. ¡®Although I have the intention, I¡¯m powerless!¡± More importantly, even if he had enough money, he might not be able to buy the shops on East Street. ¡®Alright, alright. Let¡¯s eat in peace. It¡¯s not easy for us to have a holiday. Don¡¯t worry about business matters.¡± Sensing the low atmosphere, Zhao Lanhua quickly called out, ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there. Hurry up and eat!¡± After dinner, the men of the Shen family helped to clean up the dishes. ¡®This?¡± Ji Zhao looked at the scene in front of him and was stunned. ¡°Mother, why don¡¯t I wash the dishes?¡± ¡®One look at Third Sister-inw and I can tell that you don¡¯t know the rules of our Shen family for the new year,¡± Second Sister-inw Shen said happily. ¡®Eldest Sister-inw, quickly tell our Ah Tao?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen nodded and smiled. ¡°Ah Tao, don¡¯t feel sorry for them. During New Year¡¯s and on holidays, men have to wash the dishes at home. This is also a rule set by our mother.¡± Zhao Lanhua excitedly walked into the central room with arge te of melon seeds and peanuts. She said with a smile, ¡°Ah Tao,e and munch on melon seeds! There¡¯s also Mother¡¯s five-spice peanuts. Come and try them?¡± It was not until early in the evening that Ji Zhao, who could not hold back her sleepiness, prepared to return to her room to rest. The moment she pushed open the door, she saw a tall figure. She subconsciously rubbed her eyes and muttered softly, ¡®Did I enter the wrong house? Shen Yao, who was dressed in red, slowly approached. The smile on his face was as gentle as jade. The moment the door was closed by the wind, Ji Zhao swallowed nervously. ¡®You... Why are you dressed like this?¡± ¡¯11t doesn¡¯t look good?¡± Shen Yao raised an eyebrow and asked instead of answering. ¡®Y-you look good!¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly nodded, her eyes filled with unconcealed amazement. ¡°I, I just didn¡¯t expect Shen Yao... you would look so good in red.¡± He was dressed in a long red robe, which entuated his tall and straight figure. His ck hair was casually scattered behind him, adding to hiszy and charming temperament. Shen Yao was handsome to begin with, and the red color seemed to make him even more dazzling. ¡®Then does Ah Tao like it?¡± Shen Yao approached her. Ji Zhao, who was a little nervous, subconsciously retreated. One step after another, she finally leaned against the wall, unable to retreat. ¡®You, you, you... Shen Yao... I. ¡®Ah Tao, don¡¯t you like it?¡± Shen Yao suddenly lifted her chin, his deep eyes filled with love. ¡®Il... I like it!¡± Ji Zhao gulped again and nodded honestly. ¡°When Qin Minghong appeared in red at the restaurant today, Ah Tao, you were dazed.¡± Shen Yao pressed his forehead against hers. His seemingly calm tone was filled with grievance. Ji Zhao could hear the strong jealousy in her voice and could not help butugh. ¡®Cough cough, Brother Qin in red is indeed very good-looking.¡± ¡®Does Ah Tao mean the person or the clothes?¡± Shen Yao asked impatiently. ¡°What do you think?¡± Ji Zhao pinched his earlobe helplessly. Her gentle almond-shaped eyes were as bright as the stars. ¡°My Ah Yao is the most handsome man. No one canpare to him.¡± Hearing this, Shen Yao instantly smiled. ¡®Ah Tao, can you...¡± ¡®No!¡± Before Shen Yao could finish speaking, Ji Zhao immediately crossed her arms and hugged herself nervously. ¡®Although I praised you for being good-looking, you can¡¯t... you can¡¯t push your luck!¡± ¡®Ah Tao, I want...¡± ¡®No, you don¡¯t!¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly interrupted him. ¡°Shen Yao, Mother has already told me that before this woman turns 18, it¡¯s best not to have sex, let alone get pregnant and have children early. So let¡¯s postpone consummating the marriage for two years, okay?¡± ¡®You have no choice but to agree. I¡¯ve already told Mother that this is your idea...¡± Ji Zhao secretly sized up his expression and blinked nervously. ¡®So Ah Tao is thinking about consummating the marriage?¡± Shen Yao suddenly smiled. ¡°So the reason why you were blushing in the kitchen earlier was because you were discussing consummating the marriage with me with Mother?¡± ¡®Mm...¡± Ji Zhao nodded silently, her voice as soft as a mosquito. ¡®Do you want to consummate our marriage? ¡®Of course not!¡± Ji Zhao puffed up her cheeks angrily and turned her head away from him. Looking at her innocent expression, the smile in Shen Yao¡¯s eyes deepened. ¡®Ah Tao, don¡¯t call me Shen Yao anymore, okay?¡± ¡®Huh?¡± Ji Zhao was stunned, and his eyes were filled with confusion. ¡°What should I call you if not Shen Yao?¡± Most importantly, if she were to call him ¡®honey¡¯ now, she, she, she... she wouldn¡¯t be able to say it now! ¡®Ah Yao is fine.¡± Shen Yao kissed her cheek and smiled. ¡°I like this nickname.¡¯ ¡®Oh,¡± Ji Zhao replied in a daze and nodded slightly. ¡®IAS for consummating the marriage...¡± Shen Yao could not help but pull her into his arms. His tone became even gentler. ¡®Let¡¯s listen to Mother and wait for a while!¡± It was not that they had not tried to consummate their marriage before, but at that time, Shen Yao could still feel the fear and uneasiness in Ah Tao¡¯s heart. He was a very proud person. He did not want to force Ah Tao. Moreover, the love between husband and wife should be a sweetness, not a burden. Ji Zhao wanted to ask him how long a while was. A day? A month? Another year? Actually, she was not against being close to Shen Yao. It was just that there were a few times when they almost reached thest step, all kinds of idents would always happen. ¡®Shen Yao, do you love me?¡± Ji Zhao, who was leaning in his arms with her eyes closed, asked softly. ¡®Yes.¡± Shen Yao rubbed her shoulder and raised his eyebrows gently. Ji Zhao smiled sweetly and grabbed his pinky finger. Then, she hooked her pinly finger on it and finally stamped it. She suddenly looked into his eyes and smiled gently. Before Shen Yao could react, Ji Zhao suddenly tiptoed and wrapped her arms around his neck. She took the initiative to kiss him. ¡®Ah Yao, I love you too.¡± Hearing this, Shen Yao¡¯s heart skipped a beat and he responded to the kiss enthusiastically. After an unknown period of time, Ji Zhao actually fell asleep in his arms. Listening to her snores, Shen Yao smiled helplessly. He raised his hand and tapped the tip of her nose lovingly. ¡°What a silly girl.¡± Ji Zhao slept extremely soundly. She did not wake up untilte in the morning. However, the moment she opened her eyes, she was in a daze. Recalling what happenedst night before she went to bed, she shyly pulled the nket over and covered her head! This, this, this... this was too embarrassing, right? She should be the only woman in the world who could fall asleep even when kissing, right? Squeak¡ª When Shen Yao pushed open the door and entered the room, he saw a lump of nket on the bed. ¡®Ah Tao is awake?¡± ¡®No, she¡¯s not awake yet!¡± ¡®Then is Ah Tao talking in her sleep?¡± Shen Yao could not help but ask with a smile. Ji Zhao silently lifted the nket. ¡®Are you hungry?¡± Shen Yao smiled and handed the bowl of noodles in his hand to her. ¡®Mother made shredded meat noodles. Try it?¡± ¡¯11t smells so good!¡± Ji Zhao took a deep breath. After smelling the fragrance, she quickly got off the bed and washed up. Then, she sat upright beside the desk. The entire set of actions was like flowing water, done in one go. ¡®Mother¡¯s shredded meat noodles are delicious, right?¡± After a while, the bottom of the bowl of shredded meat noodles could be seen. ¡®But looking at the sky outside, it¡¯s gettingte, right?¡± ¡®Yes, it¡¯s already 9 am.¡± Shen Yao sighed as he wiped her lips. ¡°I was reprimanded by mother this morning. She used me of going back on my word. ¡®Huh? Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably because my Ah Tao is too good at sleeping, so Mother misunderstood.¡¯ Although Shen Yao said it casually, Ji Zhao still blushed.. Chapter 234 - Chapter 234: Then Ah Tao, Let Me Hear It Chapter 234: Then Ah Tao, Let Me Hear It Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡®Ahem...¡± Ji Zhao looked away shyly. ¡®Have some water.¡± Shen Yao handed her a ss of water considerately and said with gentle concern, ¡°Ah Tao, did you sleep wellst night?¡± ¡®Pretty well.¡± Ji Zhao nodded obediently. ¡°No more nightmares.¡± ¡®That¡¯s good.¡¯ ¡®By the way, are Second Brother You and the others here?¡± ¡®Not yet.¡± ¡®Shen Yao, it¡¯s still early. Why don¡¯t we go to the back of the mountain and take a look? It would be great if we can find some fresh bamboo shoots! Although it¡¯s winter now, if we¡¯re lucky, we might be able to catch wild rabbits and pheasants!¡± Ji Zhao, who was talking excitedly, suddenly looked up and happened to see Shen Yao¡¯s aggrieved gaze. ¡®What... what¡¯s wrong?¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly held his hand and asked anxiously, ¡®Shen Yao, are you feeling unwell?¡± The man standing in front of her shook his head gently. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡¯ ¡®Then why are your eyes red?¡± ¡®Il... am a little sad and a little aggrieved.¡± ¡®Why?¡± Ji Zhao was rather puzzled. ¡®Ah Tao, do you not remember what you saidst night?¡± ¡®What did I sayst night?¡± Ji Zhao scratched her head silently and thought about it seriously. ¡°What did I sayst night?¡± Shen Yao tapped the tip of her nose angrily. His seemingly helpless tone was still gentle and doting. ¡°Compared to you calling me by my name, I prefer you to call me Ah Yao.¡± Ah Yao sounded closer. Pfft.. Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°So you were a little unhappy just now because of this? Why don¡¯t I call you ¡®honey¡¯?¡± ¡®Then Ah Tao, let me hear it.¡± Shen Yao approached suddenly. There was undisguised desire in the depths of his eyes. Ji Zhao blinked nervously when she met his direct and passionate gaze. She subconsciously licked her lips. However, what she did not know was how cute her subconscious actions were. Shen Yao could not help but kiss her lips carefully. Bit by bit, he pried open her teeth and gently absorbed the fragrance between her lips... Ji Zhao closed her eyes nervously and ced her hands on his muscr chest. After a while, Shen Yao reluctantly let go of the lovely girl in his arms. His gentle gazended on her red lips. ¡°Ah Tao?¡± His voice was low and maic. When she heard this name, Ji Zhao felt her heart tremble. ¡®Yes?¡± Shen Yao smiled and reached out to pinch her plump cheek. He said softly, ¡°I¡¯ll apany you to the back mountains.¡± The two of them walked hand in hand in the direction of the back mountain. Fortunately, Ji Zhao had dug up the bamboo shoots that she had been longing for. Looking at the fresh and crisp bamboo shoots, she grinned happily. ¡°Why are you so happy? Influenced by her joy, Shen Yao could not help butugh. ¡®The newly grown bamboo shoots are especially fresh and tender. Whether it¡¯s stir-fried on its own or with meat, the taste is especially good! Moreover, the dried bamboo shoots that have been sunbaked are especially fragrant. If you braise the fragrant pork ribs with dried bamboo shoots, the soup will be extremely delicious! When the weather is good, I¡¯ll dry the bamboo shoots. I guarantee that you¡¯ll eat two more bowls of rice-¡®t Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but raise her eyebrows and smile. ¡®My Ah Tao is amazing,¡± Shen Yao suddenly raised his hand and gently caressed her cheek as he said gently. The two of them dug up a lot of bamboo shoots and were lucly enough to catch an injured wild rabbit! Returning with a full load. At this moment, a gray carriage had already stopped outside the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. In the central room, Zhao Lanhua brought over tworge bowls of tea enthusiastically. ¡®Ah Tao brought this tea back from the county city. Young Master Qin, Second Manager You, quickly try it?¡± Shen Dashan smiled and hurriedly greeted them. ¡®Okay.¡± Qin Minghong took a sip and nodded subconsciously. ¡°This tea tastes good.¡± ¡®Young Master, if you like it, why don¡¯t you drink more?¡± Shen Dashan said quickly. ¡®Okay.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t I see Shen Yao and Ah Tao?¡± Second Manager You looked around and asked curiously, ¡°We still want to try Ah Tao¡¯s cooking today!¡¯ Ever since he tasted Ji Zhao¡¯s dishes, Second Manager You felt that the dishes made by others were as tasteless as chewing wax to him. ¡®That girl knew that you wereing today, so she went to the back mountains with Third Brother early in the morning,¡± Zhao Lanhua exined with a smile. ¡®She said she wanted to see if she could dig up some fresh bamboo shoots!¡± ¡®Ah Tao is too kind!¡± Second Manager You quickly said, ¡°As long as it¡¯s made by Ah Tao, even if it¡¯s just a bowl of Egg-Fried Rice, I¡¯ll eat it clean!¡± ¡®How did Second Brother You know that I¡¯m going to make egg fried rice today?¡± Ji Zhao, who happened to walk into the central room, couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Second Brother You really has divine foresight. You actually thought of this?¡± ¡®Ah Tao, Happy New Year-¡± Second Manager You hurriedly stood up and said with a smile, ¡®INO matter what delicious food you n to cook for us this afternoon, Young Master and I will definitely eat until the tes are clean. Young Master, don¡¯t you am I right?¡± From the moment Ah Tao walked in, Qin Minghong¡¯s gazended on her face. After not seeing her for just a day, she seemed to have be even more beautiful and moving, especially her smile, which was as sweet as ever. ¡®Brother Qin?¡± Ji Zhao looked at his stunned expression and subconsciously waved her hand. ¡®Ahem.¡± Shen Yao pretended to cough twice and lowered his eyes to hide the displeasure in them. ¡®Ah Tao, Second Manager You is right. As long as it¡¯s your cooking, we¡¯ll eat it all.¡± Qin Minghong smiled faintly. ¡°After all, your cooking is exceptionally delicious.¡± ¡®Thank you for your suppor?¡¯ Ji Zhao thanked them with a smile. ¡°In that case, would you two honored guests please wait a moment? I¡¯ll go to the kitchen to prepare now! ¡± ¡®Ah Tao, Mother will help you!¡± Zhao Lanhua quickly followed Ji Zhao to the kitchen. ¡°1 heard that Young Master Qin has outstanding literary talent. It just so happens that I have written two new poems recently. I hope Young Master Qin canment on them?¡± Shen Yao looked at Qin Minghong and smiled. However, the smile on his face did not reach his eyes. ¡®Sure.¡± Fifteen minutester. Qin Minghong was the first to speak. ¡°I¡¯ve already arranged for some strong experts to secretly protect the Shen family.¡± ¡®Thank you.¡± Shen Yao thanked him sincerely. ¡®IAS for that ledger, I¡¯ve already gotten someone to transcribe it and send it to the prefecture capital.¡± Qin Minghong¡¯s lips curled up silently when he met his stunned gaze. ¡®Are you surprised by what I did?¡± Shen Yao thought about it seriously for a while before shaking his head. ¡°You have to be wary of others. ¡®This is a serious matter, so I n to personally return to the prefecture when the time is right..¡± Qin Minghong thought for a moment and said, ¡°What do you n to do next?¡± Chapter 235 - Chapter 235: Claypot Rice Chapter 235: ypot Rice Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Shen Yao turned around and sat on the rattan chair, sighing softly. The current Sun family had monstrous power. It was very difficult to overthrow the Sun family with just that ledger. Shen Yao, who was deep in thought, frowned thoughtfully. His slender fingersnded on the table at the side, making a rhythmic sound. He thought for a moment and briefly exined the origin of the ledger. ¡®Miss Fengdie of the Wind and Moon Restaurant shouldn¡¯t have died by ident.¡± Shen Yao thought for a moment and looked up at the silent Qin Minghong. He asked softly, ¡°1 wonder if Young Master can help me again? ¡®You want to find out the cause of the courtesan¡¯s death?¡± Qin Minghong instantly understood what he was thinking. ¡®Yes.¡± Shen Yao nodded and said, ¡°It¡¯s never toote for a gentleman to take revenge. Moreover, I have plenty of time to search for evidence of the Sun family¡¯s crimes. As the saying goes, things will be released after umtion. When the time is right, I¡¯ll think of a way to list all the evidence of the Sun family¡¯s crimes. As the saying goes, things will be released after umtion. When the time is right, I¡¯ll think of a way to list all the evidence of the Sun family¡¯s crimes!¡± Hearing this, Qin Minghong¡¯s eyes were filled with admiration. Shen Yao was patient enough. ¡®Back then, GoujianO suffered a lot and finally seeded in his revenge. He relied on the word ¡®endure¡¯.¡± Qin Minghong could not help but praise, ¡°Shen Yao, you¡¯re very powerful.¡± ¡®Young Master, you tter me.¡± Shen Yao sighed softly. ¡°I¡¯m not holding back. I just know my limits.¡¯ With his current strength, going against the Sun family was no different from throwing an egg at a rock. At the same time, in the Shen family¡¯s kitchen. After Ji Zhao prepared all the side dishes, she took out the small y pots that she had ordered before the New Year. ¡®Ah Tao? Why do you have so many y pots?¡± Zhao Lanhua could not help but ask, ¡°When you bought so many y pots back, I wanted to ask. We have y pots at home!¡± ¡®Mother, the reason why I prepared so many y pots is because I n to make y pot rice!¡± Ji Zhao exined with a smile. ¡°Although this y pot is a little small, it will be of great useter!¡± ¡®Mother, help me wash the rice and soak it in water!¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile. Then, he rolled up her sleeves and began to work. She quickly dealt with the wild rabbit. After removing the rabbit¡¯s head, she began to deal with the rabbit meat and cut all the rabbit meat into pieces. ¡®Ah Tao, you¡¯re so lucky!¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen, who was helping to burn the firewood, couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Every time Ah Tao goes to the back mountains, you won¡¯t return empty-handed!¡± Ji Zhao smiled faintly, but she had already made up her mind. After the y pot rice was ready, she would go to the Earth Temple to pay her respects to the Earth God. After all, her good luck was brought about by the Earth God! As a person, the most important thing was to repay kindness! In addition to the y pot rice, Ji Zhao also nned to make a few side dishes. The main event was the spicy rabbit! She cut the rabbit meat into cubes, cut the dried peppers into segments, and washed the ginger and garlic. When the oil in the pot was 50% hot, she fried the rabbit cubes until the surface was golden. She immediately fished them out and began to stir-fry the spices. Soon, the kitchen was filled with a fragrant and spicy smell! In order to make the color of this dish even better, Ji Zhao added half a spoonful of chili sauce personally made by Zhao Lanhua! That fragrant and spicy smell drifted all the way into the Shen family¡¯s central room. The men who were ying leaf cards swallowed their saliva at the same time. ¡®This is too fragrant!¡± Eldest Brother Shen could not help but take a deep breath. ¡°Third Sister-inw must have made delicious food again!¡¯ ¡®Third Brother said that he and Third Sister-inw caught a wild rabbit in the back mountains. This fragrance... It must be spicy rabbit!¡± Second Brother Shen said confidently. ¡®Smelling this fragrance, I actually feel a little hungry.¡± Second Manager Youughed self-deprecatingly. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of beingughed at, but I ate a whole bowl of Egg-Fried Rice this morning!¡± ¡®Hahaha, Second Manager You, you must be hungry from the smell!¡± Brother Shen teased with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s just that Third Sister-inw¡¯s cooking is extraordinary. I think not only are you hungry, but we¡¯re also hungry!¡± Shen Dashan and Second Brother Shen nodded silently. In addition to the spicy rabbit, Ji Zhao made another pickled fish, century egg tofu, and fried peanuts! In addition, she also made scallion oil chicken and vermicelli steamed pork ribs. Halfway through the afternoon, six exquisite dishes were served on the red square table in the central room. Shen Dashan even specially took a jar of rice wine that he had kept for five years! After three rounds of drinking, the atmosphere became even more lively! Qin Minghong and Second Manager You were talkative people to begin with. More importantly, they did not put on airs in front of the Shen family, so everyone chatted happily. While everyone was happily eating, Ji Zhao returned to the kitchen. To her relief, the ypot rice was a sess! She put a portion of sausage ypot rice into a food box and hurried out of the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. She taught quickly and arrived at the Earth Temple in a short while. After respectfully serving an incense stick of incense, she ced the y pot rice on the altar. ¡®Earth God, this is y pot rice made by your devotee herself. It tastes very good. Remember to try it when you¡¯re free!¡± ¡®Thank you for giving me the ability to foresee danger,¡± Ji Zhao, who was kneeling on the praying mat, said with heartfelt gratitude. After kowtowing three times sincerely, Ji Zhao left with the food box. However, she vaguely felt that someone was following behind her. However, when she suddenly turned around, there was no one behind her. The more Ji Zhao thought about it, the more he felt that something was wrong. She immediately quickened her pace and rushed back to the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. At that moment, Shen Yao was about to go out to look for her. When he saw her flustered and anxious expression, he hurriedly came forward and asked with concern, ¡°Ah Tao, what¡¯s wrong?

¡®I

l... I feel like someone is following me.¡± Ji Zhao frowned and grabbed Shen Yao¡¯s sleeve nervously. ¡®Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m here.¡± Shen Yao held her hand andforted her softly. ¡°Father and Mother said that your ypot rice is very delicious. Second Brother You was about to ask you about your ypot rice. Why don¡¯t you go back to the central room first?¡± ¡®Okay.¡± After beingforted by Shen Yao, Ji Zhao felt less nervous. She forced a smile and nodded obediently. After adjusting her emotions, she returned to the central room. At the same time, Shen Yao walked out of the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. He stood outside the door and looked around. In the end, he sneered and smiled. He picked up a tree branch on the ground and rushed towards the southeast! The man in ck who was hiding on the roof of the house did not expect the other party to be so sharp. He subconsciously dodged, but his identity was immediately exposed! ¡°Why are you following my wife so sneakily?¡± In just two rounds, the branch in Shen Yao¡¯s hand had alreadynded on the man in ck¡¯s throat. Chapter 236 - Chapter 236: Of Course I Don’t! Chapter 236: Of Course I Don¡¯t! Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Shen Yao lowered his eyes. The hostility in his eyes was self-evident. However, the man in ck who had lost to him exuded a cold aura. BANG! A wisp of smoke suddenly appeared in front of him. After a while, the man in ck in front of him disappeared without a trace. The moment the smoke dissipated, Shen Yao pursed his lips and remained silent. Then, he turned around and returned to the central room. At that moment, Second Manager You was full of praise for Ji Zhao¡¯s sausage y pot rice. ¡®Ah Tao, this y pot rice tastes really good!¡± Second Manager You could not help but ask, ¡°Why don¡¯t we discuss the cooking method of this y pot rice? As long as you¡¯re willing to tell me the method to make this y pot rice, the price is negotiable!¡± ¡®Second Brother You, Brother Qin.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and asked softly, ¡®Actually, I have a question to ask you.¡¯ ¡®Ah Tao, what do you think?¡± ¡®Brother Qin, Hongxing Restaurant is indeed one of the best restaurants in Dingyuan County, but it¡¯s probably not ranked in the prefecture city, right?¡± ¡®Ah Tao, you...¡± When Second Manager You heard this, he couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He was also very depressed. On the other hand, Qin Minghong had a calm expression. He looked at Ji Zhao with a burning gaze, as if he wanted to see through her through that sharp gaze. However, the emotions he saw in Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes were gentle and indifferent. ¡®Ah Tao, since we¡¯re already friends, why don¡¯t you just say it?¡± Qin Minghong lowered his eyes and hid the hostility in them. The smile on his face was as gentle as ever. Ji Zhao naturally did not miss the probing look in Qin Minghong¡¯s eyes just now, but she did not want to explore it. After all, to her, she only needed to care about Shen Yao¡¯s emotions. That was enough. As for the other men, they were not important. However, at this stage, she wanted to use the Qin family¡¯s power to build a business empire that belonged to her. ¡®The prefecture city.¡± Looking at their stunned gazes, Ji Zhao opened her red lips slightly and smiled. ¡°We have to set our sights on the long term. Compared to Dingyuan County, the business in the prefecture city is more profitable, right?¡± ¡®Ah Tao, running a business is not as simple as you think!¡± Second Manager You was the first to speak. ¡®Our Dingyuan County is the intersection between Yunchuan Prefecture and Guichuan Prefecture. Therefore, there are many merchantsing and going here. The reason why Hongxing Restaurant¡¯s reputation is so good is firstly because Dingyuan County doesn¡¯t have many big restaurants. Secondly, it¡¯s convenient and cheap.¡¯ ¡®The reason why the Hongxing Restaurant can stand tall is also rted to the location of the restaurant,¡± Second Manager You continued, ¡°Our Hongxing Restaurant has a good market entrance and an obvious location. Not only is the lobby spacious and bright, but even the rooms on the second floor are clean and exquisite. But Ah Tao, do you know how much money it will cost to open the restaurant in the prefecture city? Even in Dingyuan County, shops were in high demand for high prices. The prefecture city was an existence where every inch ofnd was worth a lot of money! ¡®Second Brother You, have you heard of the story of a small ball pushing a big ball?¡± Ji Zhao took a sip of milk tea and chuckled. ¡°I also know that every inch ofnd in the prefecture city is expensive. If you want to find a big shop with a suitable geographical location, not only will it consume a lot of energy, but it will also consume a lot of money. What I¡¯m talking about is not biting off more than I can chew, but I have the conditions to perfect this business n.¡± ¡®More importantly,¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s gaze fell on Qin Minghong¡¯s face again, ¡°Does Brother Qin want to stay in Dingyuan County for the rest of his life?¡± Ji Zhao did not know much about the Qin family. However, she had heard from Eldest Brother Shen that the Qin family was not only the richest family in Dingyuan County, but also the richest family in the prefectural city. As the eldest son of the second branch of the Qin family, Qin Minghong hade to this small Dingyuan County. On the surface, it was said to sharpen his ability, but this was ancient times! The so-called schrs, farmers, and businessmen were the most respected in this dynasty. Could it be that the Qin family did not even have this vision? Most importantly, Qin Minghong did not return to the prefecture city¡¯s Qin family! Qin Minghong did not expect Ji Zhao to ask this question. For a moment, he was stunned and did not know how to answer this question. Did he want to stay in Dingyuan County for the rest of his life? Of course not! As a man, he naturally wanted to study hard so that he could bring honor to his ancestors and serve the imperial court! However, everything had changed since his mother passed away when he was five years old. His father married anotherdy from a prestigious family, Madam Liu. In the beginning, Madam Liu treated him with sincerity. She asked about his well-being and was gentle and caring. Everything changed when Madam Liu had her own child. Later on, the teacher who taught him fell sick every other day. Gradually, he also felt that studying was boring. He also saw his father¡¯s disappointment in him. He was the eldest son of the second branch of the Qin family, but he was like an outsider who did not fit in. His father, Madam Liu, and his half-brother were a warm and loving family. What was he? After thinking it through, Qin Minghong went to plead with his grandmother, the olddy of the Qin family. In the end, he sessfully left the prefecture city and came to Dingyuan County. In the beginning, he had never thought of doing business. After all, the money his biological mother had left him was enough for him to enjoy for the rest of his life. As for the matter of buying the Hongxing Restaurant, he did not expect a restaurant to bring him much profit. He just felt that it was fun, so he handed all the matters of the restaurant to Second Manager You. However, Qin Minghong was most surprised to meet Ji Zhao. He had never seen such a bright and confident woman, especially when she was cooking. It was as if her entire body was shining! More importantly, Ji Zhao¡¯s dishes were really delicious. It was unforgettable. Unfortunately, Ji Zhao had married someone else. At first, Qin Minghong agreed to rent the restaurant¡¯s empty front to her purely because he wanted to see her more. That was all. However, as they worked together more and more, Qin Minghong¡¯s feelings for her changed. At first, he admired a beautiful woman from a man¡¯s point of view. However, it was different now. He looked at Ji Zhao with heartfelt admiration. ¡®Of course not.¡± After a long silence, Qin Minghong slowly said, ¡°Ah Tao, what do you want to do?¡± ¡®Brother Qin, can I ask you another question?¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and slowly asked. Seeing him nod, she continued to ask, ¡°What do you really want?¡± ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡®Because in my eyes, you no longerck a luxurious life!¡± Ji Zhao smiled. ¡®Everyone seems to be born different, but in fact, they are the same. Some people may have lived a mediocre life, but the ordinary feeling they feel is another kind of greatness. Some people may be vigorous, but the bumps and thorns they have experienced are unimaginable.. However, I really want to know if Brother Qin wants to continue being a carefree and wealthy country squire, or do you want to fight for your own pride?¡± Chapter 237 - Chapter 237: I... Wasn’t It All For You! Chapter 237: I... Wasn¡¯t It All For You! Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡®Ah Tao,¡± Shen Yao suddenly said. He walked up to Ji Zhao with a graceful smile and reached out to scratch her palm. He smiled and said, ¡°Young Master and Second Brother You are guests at our door. You suddenly threw out such a profound question. It¡¯s confusing.¡¯ Only then did Ji Zhao realize that she had made things sound a little too serious. She hurriedly smiled apologetically and said, ¡°Brother Qin, Second Brother You, I shouldn¡¯t have said these things on a rare day of rest. I admit my punishment. I¡¯ll punish myself with three cups, okay?¡± ¡®Punish with what? Wine?¡± Qin Minghong, who had regained his senses, suddenly smiled and asked in a clear tone, ¡°If it¡¯s milk tea, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be happy to drink 30 cups, right?¡± ¡®My alcohol tolerance is really bad, but I¡¯ll risk my life to apany you today!¡± Ji Zhao also felt that she had said too much. She thought for a moment and really poured herself a ss of white wine. She drank it in one gulp! Before Shen Yao, who was sitting beside her, could stop her, she had already drunk cups sses of wine. ¡®Boohoo... I¡¯m so dizzy?¡¯ After a while, Ji Zhao felt the world spinning in front of her. Everyone¡¯s faces were blurry¡ª ¡®Ah Tao¡¯s alcohol tolerance....¡± Second Manager You couldn¡¯t help butugh when he saw Ji Zhao¡¯s silly smile. ¡°It¡¯s really not good!¡¯ ¡®Young Master, Second Brother You, apologies.¡± Shen Yao smiled helplessly. Then, he stood up and carried Ji Zhao. ¡°I¡¯ll carry her back to our room first. Please forgive me!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. Go take care of Ah Tao first!¡¯ Shen Yao smiled gratefully and carried Ji Zhao back to his room. ¡°It¡¯s ufortable-¡± Ah Tao, who was hugging his neck tightly, suddenly opened her eyes. Her eyshes, which were as long as butterfly wings, seemed to be covered in ayer of mist. She pouted aggrievedly. The expression on her face was extremely aggrieved. ¡°Why did you drink so much even when you¡¯re feeling ufortable?¡± Shen Yao smiled helplessly. ¡®Tm already in so much pain, yet you¡¯re still scolding me... Boohoo...¡± At this moment, Ji Zhao shrunk into his arms aggrievedly. Her two pink fists were punching Shen Yao¡¯s chest. ¡®Silly girl.¡± Shen Yao ced her on the bed and exined gently, ¡®How can I bear to scold you? My heart aches! You know that you can¡¯t hold your liquor well, so why did you drink so much? Huh?¡± At this moment, Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes were red and she looked like she was about to cry. She looked aggrieved and pitiful. ¡®Il... It¡¯s all for you!¡± ¡°For me?¡± Shen Yao frowned in confusion. ¡°1 know that Ji Huai isn¡¯t here for me!¡± Ji Zhao said angrily. ¡®On the surface, he¡¯s here for me, but in reality, he wants to harm you, right? I... You... I want to protect you! Although I don¡¯t know about the Qin family, I think Brother Qin must have been forced toe to Dingyuan County!¡± ¡®So you said those words in front of Qin Minghong just now to motivate him?¡± Shen Yao thought for a moment and understood Ji Zhao¡¯s intentions. ¡®Yes!¡± Ji Zhao nodded vigorously. ¡°I, I... I know that I can¡¯t help you. After all, matters in the bureaucracy are veryplicated! But I will work very hard to earn money. With a lot of money, it will be easy to do things!¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t dare to tell you what I think. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll think that I¡¯m tacky.¡± Perhaps it was the effect of the alcohol, but Ji Zhao told him everything that she had hidden in her heart. However, she was too sleepy. She did not hear Shen Yao¡¯s response at all and fell asleep. Looking at her peaceful sleeping face, Shen Yao felt a littleplicated. He seemed to have underestimated Ah Tao¡¯s intelligence. In fact, she knew everything. However, now was not the time to fight the Sun family head-on, so the method Ah Tao came up with was considered another good choice. Cooperating with Qin Minghong was not necessarily a bad thing. ¡®Silly girl.¡± Shen Yao nted a gentle kiss on her cheek. His deep eyes were filled with love. ¡°Why would I think you¡¯re tacky?¡± She probably did not know that to him, she was a ray of bright sunlight that shone into his heart, pulling him out of the dark swamp and seeing the light again. After tucking her in, Shen Yao walked out of the room quietly. He came to the central room and saw Qin Minghong drinking tea. ¡°1 heard that the snow scenery at the back of Shanghe Vige is very beautiful. I wonder if I can trouble Shen Yao to apany me around?¡± Qin Minghong looked at him and smiled. ¡®My pleasure.¡± The two of them walked side by side to the back mountains. However, the bright sunlight for the next few days had already melted the snow covering the mountain. Without the embellishment of the pure white snow, the scenery on the back mountains was not bright. The bare branches added an indescribable bleakness to the scenery before them. ¡®Ah Tao¡¯s words are thought-provoking.¡± Qin Minghong stood with his hands behind his back and looked at a lonely tree in the distance. He was the first to break the silence. ¡°Actually, when I was young, I made up my mind to study hard. Every time the teacher praised me for my improvement in front of my father, there would be a glint in his eyes. That glint was probably because he was proud.¡¯ ¡®IAS the eldest son of the second branch of the Qin family, I¡¯ve lived a life of luxury since I was young. It could be said that I lived a luxurious life. However, all the changes happened in the year my mother passed away.¡± Qin Minghong suddenly let out a long sigh. Although he was trying his best to restrain himself, Shen Yao could still hear a trace of resentment and hatred in his tone. ¡°1n less than two months after my mother died of illness, Madam Liu entered the family and became my father¡¯s second wife. In less than a year, I had a half-brother.¡¯ ¡®Everyone thought that wealthy families were great, but after I grew up, I realized that there was dirty and dark mud hidden under those seemingly prosperous flowers. No matter how brilliant the flower on the surface was, the rotten mud still existed.¡± ¡®Do you know why I didn¡¯t like to studyter?¡± Qin Minghong smiled self-deprecatingly. ¡°It was because the teacher who taught me fell sick every few days and often said some specious words in front of my father. My father naturally thought that I was not obedient and angered the teacher. I tried to exin, but my father never gave me any trust. Gradually, my reputation as a good-for-nothing spread. Even after I came of age, Madam Liu directly asked the maidservant who served me to drug me... My reputation was not good, and I had a servant girl who I slept with early on. How could I get the favor of a youngdy from a wealthy family? In order to avoid Madam Liu¡¯s schemes, I begged Grandmother and fought for the chance to leave the prefecture city. I didn¡¯t expect that it would be two years already. ¡®You want to return to the prefecture city.¡± As the listener, Shen Yao suddenly looked into his eyes and said calmly, ¡°1n your heart, you¡¯ve already made a choice..¡± Chapter 238 - Chapter 238: What You Say Makes a Lot of Sense Chapter 238: What You Say Makes a Lot of Sense Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Qin Minghong smiled. ¡®Yes, I want to go back.¡± He casually broke a plum blossom branchwith a faint smile and a deep gaze. ¡°After all, Ah Tao is right. Not to mention that running away won¡¯t solve any problems, I don¡¯t want to leave any regrets in my life.¡± He had to seek justice for himself! His good stepmother had a hypocritical gentle and kind face. She had deceived his father for so many years. He had to personally tear off that human skin mask, right? In the past, he did not dare to face it. But now, he had the courage. ¡°1 n to leave tomorrow.¡± Qin Minghong yed with the plum blossom in his hand and smiled gently. ¡°Actually, that Master Song in my residence is really not bad.¡± ¡®Ten years ago, His Majesty Emperor Tianqi appointed Master Song as the third ce ranker of the imperial examination, but because he was too straightforward and offended a noble, His Majesty disliked him. Later, Master Song resigned from his post and returned to his hometown. However, on his way back, he was almost assassinated by an evil person, and I saved him,¡± Qin Minghong said softly. ¡°By the way, the person who Master Song offended is the current favored Imperial Concubine Sun.¡± The reason why the Sun Family was so noble and illustrious was because Emperor Tianqi favored and doted on Imperial Concubine Sun. ¡®Master Song is talented. If you can get his favor, it will definitely be a help to you,¡± Qin Minghong said sincerely. ¡®Shen Yao, if you miss out on a good teacher because of your prejudice against me, you will definitely regret it in the future.¡± ¡®Young Master, you¡¯re being too serious.¡± Shen Yao smiled faintly. ¡°I don¡¯t have any prejudice against you.¡¯ ¡®Oh?¡± Qin Minghong raised his eyebrows thoughtfully. ¡°I have a good impression of Ah Tao. You don¡¯t mind?¡± ¡®Everyone loves beauty. Besides, my Ah Tao is very good. It¡¯s not surprising that she will be admired by other men, right?¡± Shen Yao smiled indifferently. It was just that he didn¡¯t realize how much force he used to enunciate ¡®my Ah Tao¡¯. ¡®Shen Yao, Shen Yao! You¡¯re really interesting!¡± Qin Minghong was amused by his tone. ¡°But don¡¯t worry. Although I really admire Ah Tao, I¡¯m not someone without a bottom line.¡± ¡®But if you and Ah Tao are separated one day, I won¡¯t miss any chance.¡± ¡°That day won¡¯te.¡± Shen Yao looked at him with a burning gaze and a firm tone. The moment their eyes met, they smiled at the same time. ¡®Sometimes, when dealing with people who have the face of a beast, you can try to use softness to ovee hardness,¡± Shen Yao suggested sincerely. ¡°It¡¯s not embarrassing to show weakness. On the contrary, it can sometimes be a more advantageous weapon. Young Master, your biological mother passed away early. Doesn¡¯t your father feel any guilt? If you can use the trace of guilt in your father¡¯s heart, perhaps there will be an unexpected oue? When Qin Minghong heard this, he fell into deep thought. In the past, he had always been defeated by Madam Liu. It seemed that it was because Madam Liu was very good at pretending to be pitiful and soft that she had won his father¡¯s trust! ¡®What you said makes sense.¡± ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. I have to go back and take care of Ah Tao.¡± Shen Yao could not help but smile when he saw that he understood what he meant. He said softly, ¡°1f Ah Tao wakes up and finds that I¡¯m not by her side, she¡¯ll be worried. Qin Minghong rolled his eyes. So what if he had a wife? However, having a good wife like Ah Tao was indeed quite impressive! Sigh, why wasn¡¯t he the one who met Ah Tao first? The more he thought about it, the more depressed Qin Minghong became. He also walked down the back mountain. It was dusk, and the golden sunlight shone on the ground. After the winter snow melted, tender green grass had already appeared on the steps of the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. In the room, Ji Zhao rubbed her sore temples and took the hangover soup from Zhao Lanhua¡¯s hand. She drank it in one gulp. The sweet and sour taste traveled down her throat and finally woke her up. ¡®Mother-¡® Ji Zhao held Zhao Lanhua¡¯s arm affectionately and grinned foolishly. ¡®You¡¯re not obedient at all!¡± Zhao Lanhua poked her forehead angrily. Her tone was angry and full of heartache. ¡°Your alcohol tolerance is so bad, yet you still dare to drink so quickly?¡± Ji Zhao chuckled. ¡®Tm just too happy, aren¡¯t I? By the way, have Big Brother Qin and Second Brother You left?¡± ¡®Yes, they returned to the county city not long after dinner.¡± Zhao Lanhua suddenly held Ji Zhao¡¯s arm and asked nervously, ¡°Ah Tao, isn¡¯t the New Year¡¯s gift we gave them too shabby?¡± ¡®Huh?¡± Ji Zhao was stunned, his gaze nk. ¡°The two guests have given us a lot of New Year¡¯s gifts. Not only are there all kinds of goods, but there are also a few beautiful pieces of fabric. I heard from your elder brother that it seems to be, what, Shu brocade! Just one piece of cloth is worth more than ten taels of silver! Oh right, in addition to these, they also gave us six jars of yellow wine, two sets of good brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone, and two pairs of silver bracelets for children!¡± The more Zhao Lanhua spoke, the more uneasy she became. ¡°Ah Tao, I¡¯ve discussed it with your father. These gifts are too expensive. Why don¡¯t we think of a way to return them?¡± ¡®Big Brother Qin and Second Brother You gave so many gifts?¡± Ji Zhao did not expect them to be so generous. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± The more Zhao Lanhua thought about it, the more worried she became. ¡°Ah Tao, why don¡¯t you and Third Brother send the things back tomorrow? After all, we¡¯re already happy enough that they cane to our house for a meal. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not appropriate to ept so many gifts!¡± ¡®Mother, if we really send the things back, it would be really inappropriate.¡± Ji Zhao shrugged helplessly and smiled. ¡°Just keep them in peace.¡± ¡®Ah? Are we really going to ept it?¡± Zhao Lanhua was still a little hesitant. ¡®Mother, don¡¯t worry and keep the things.¡± Ji Zhao smiled faintly, but her tone was exceptionally firm. After all, the value she could create was definitely far more than this! ¡®Mother, can you take me to see those fabrics?¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile. ¡°Let¡¯s call Eldest Sister-inw and Second Sister-inw to choose together?¡± After a while, the women of the Shen family arrived at the main house. ¡®Mother, isn¡¯t this fabric too soft?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen was the first to choose a light yellow cloth embroidered with a butterfly pattern. She asked lovingly, ¡°It¡¯s so soft!¡± ¡°This is Shu brocade!¡± Zhao Lanhua said proudly. ¡°I heard that this single piece of material is worth more than ten taels of silver!¡± ¡®So expensive?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen and Second Sister-inw Shen were dumbfounded! Especially Second Sister-inw Shen, who hurriedly let go. She could not ruin such good fabric. ¡°The Shu brocade is rich in color and exquisitely crafted,¡± Ji Zhao exined with a smile. ¡°In addition, the craftsmanship of the Shu brocade is especiallyplicated, so it¡¯s said that every inch of the brocade is worth gold. In addition, the clothes made of Shu brocade are also especially beautiful. Second Sister-inw likes this light yellow Shu brocade.. Why don¡¯t you cut it and make a long dress? You can wear it when springes! ¡° Chapter 239 - Chapter 239: Then It’s Decided! Chapter 239: Then It¡¯s Decided! Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°This... This is too expensive...¡± Second Sister-inw Shen hurriedly waved her hand. ¡°1 don¡¯t want it.¡¯ ¡®No matter how precious the fabric is, if it can¡¯t be made into clothes, then no matter how exquisite the fabric is, it¡¯s meaningless!¡± Ji Zhao advised with a smile. ¡°Besides, Second Sister-inw, your skin is fair, and your facial features are very delicate. If you wear a lively and elegant light yellow dress, Second Brother will definitely stare at you!¡¯ ¡®Ah Tao, you, you, you... How could you say such a thing-¡± Second Sister-inw Shen blushed from being teased. She, who had always been eloquent, actually stuttered at this moment! ¡®Mother, look at Ah Tao!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen had no choice but to look at Zhao Lanhua for help! ¡°I think Ah Tao is right.¡± Zhao Lanhua nodded happily. ¡°Then this cloth will be given to Second daughter-inw.¡± Zhao Lanhua thought for a moment and picked out a pea green cloth. She handed it to Eldest Sister-inw Shen, who was smiling. ¡°Eldest daughter-inw, Mother thinks this color suits you very well. Do you like it?¡± ¡®Thank you, Mother!¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen nodded happily and beamed. ¡®Ah Tao, I¡¯ll give you this light pink fabric. You look good in pink.¡± ¡®Alright, thank you, Mother!¡± ¡®This dark gray one is for your father. These sapphire blue ones are for each of the three brothers to make a set of clothes. As for this bright red one and this light brown one, I¡¯ll put them away, okay?¡± Zhao Lanhua quickly distributed the fabrics. ¡°Do you have any objections to me dividing them like this?¡± ¡®Yes!¡± The other three nodded in unison. ¡®Tell me about it.¡± Zhao Lanhua crossed her arms in front of her chest in confusion. ¡®Mother, you didn¡¯t choose for yourself!¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile. ¡°You can¡¯t be the only one wearing old clothes after our family has made new clothes, right? If word gets out, won¡¯t people think that the three of us are the bad wives who abused our mother-inw?¡± ¡®That¡¯s right. Mother, I heard from Shen Lei that Father likes you in red dresses the most!¡± ¡®Mother, don¡¯t worry about making the dress. Leave it to Eldest Sister-inw and me!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen patted her chest and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Eldest Sister-inw and I will definitely make a beautiful dress for you!¡¯ ¡®Alright, then it¡¯s decided!¡± Ji Zhao was afraid that Zhao Lanhua would refuse, so she quickly winked at the two sisters-inw. The two of them immediately carried the red Shu brocade and ran out... ¡®You guys!¡± Zhao Lanhua smiled helplessly, but her eyes couldn¡¯t help but be misty. ¡®Mother.¡± Ji Zhao smiled obediently and poured her a cup of hot tea. ¡®Ah Tao, what should we do with the rest of the things?¡± ¡®Other than food, I¡¯ll have to trouble you to keep the other things and take good care of them.¡± Ji Zhao smiled. ¡°Mother, are you going to the Tian Family Vige tomorrow? ¡®Yes.¡± Zhao Lanhua nodded gently. ¡°We¡¯ll have to face it sooner orter.¡± ¡®Alright.¡± Ji Zhao nodded in agreement. ¡°Mother, there¡¯s something else I want to tell you.¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and still voiced out the guess in her heart. ¡®There are definitely not so many coincidences in this world, so I think that the so -called traveling Daoist priest who said that your eight characters were unknown back then might have been arranged by someone with ulterior motives?¡± Ji Zhao gently held her hand andforted her in a low voice. ¡®There¡¯s a saying in the Three Character ssic that humans are innately kind. But sometimes, we have to admit that the human heart is unpredictable, right?¡± Who could tell if the other party¡¯s heart was kind? Moreover, there were always some vicious people who would put on an aggrieved white lotus posture after hurting others like a hypocrite. Ji Zhao thought that Tian Xiu¡¯e was probably that kind of person. The curtain of night quietly lifted. When Shen Yao walked into the room, Ji Zhao was sitting in front of the desk, seriously drafting a business n. The dim candlelight swayed gently, entuating the lines on her side profile. In fact, Ji Zhao had long wanted to go to the prefectural city to do business. The first step of doing business was naturally to open up the business market! Therefore, she had long thought of starting a small food and beverage industry. The first step was this y pot rice. After all, the cooking method was simple and the cost was rtively low. It was within Ji Zhao¡¯s expectations that everyone would praise the ypot rice endlessly. As the saying went, it was better to have a big tree to lean on. That was why she encouraged Qin Minghong to return to the prefecture city. This way, it would be easier for them to open up the business market in the prefecture city! However, she had to draw up a detailed n that could convince others. Seeing that she was engrossed in writing, Shen Yao smiled gently, unwilling to make any sound to affect her. The serious and focused Ah Tao was really beautiful. This was probably what it meant to look at a beauty under the light, right? Shen Yao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He spread out a paper and seriously drew her appearance. An hourter, Ji Zhao finally finished the proposal. She stretchedzily and realized that Shen Yao was standing opposite her with a faint smile. ¡®When did youe back?¡± Ji Zhao was stunned at first. Then, she hurriedly walked around the table and wrapped her arms tightly around his waist. She smiled sweetly. ¡°1 came back a long time ago.¡± Shen Yao smiled gently and tapped the tip of her nose affectionately. ¡°It¡¯s just that Ah Tao was so focused on writing that I couldn¡¯t bear to disturb her.¡± The smile on Ji Zhao¡¯s face became even sweeter. ¡°I must have been in a trance. Otherwise, how could I not even hear your footsteps? But Ah Yao, do you want to take a look at this proposal I wrote?¡± ¡®Okay.¡± Shen Yao happily agreed. He walked around the table and looked at the neat paper. ¡®Ah Tao¡¯s handwriting is so beautiful.¡¯ Ji Zhao, who was praised, couldn¡¯t help but smile. However, two shy blushes still appeared on her cheeks. ¡°I wrote it randomly.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really good.¡± The more Shen Yao looked at it, the more he liked it. ¡°Ah Tao¡¯s handwriting is neat and beautiful. It¡¯s really pleasing to the eye.¡± ¡®But Ah Tao, do you really want to go to the prefecture city to do business? ¡®That¡¯s right.¡± Ji Zhao immediately nodded. ¡°After spring, you and Chenchen will go to school. I don¡¯t want to be idle, so I want to set up the shop first. When business is on the right track, I¡¯ll hand the shop over to father and mother to manage. ¡± ¡®Then, when the time is right, I¡¯ll open another small food shop that specializes in selling fast food like y pot rice. When the reputation is good, I¡¯ll open a shop in the prefectural city,¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile. ¡°1 want to make the brand Ah Tao y Pot Rice and earn a lot of money. After I earn money, I¡¯ll reshape the golden body of the Earth God!¡± ¡®After this goal is achieved, I have to work harder.. It¡¯s best if I can be the richest businesswoman in the world!¡± Chapter 240 - Chapter 240: You Asked For It! Chapter 240: You Asked For It! Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡®Then, when you retire in the future, let¡¯s roam the world together, okay?¡± Ji Zhao smiled and hugged his arm, thinking about the future. Hearing that he was in her future n, Shen Yao smiled. ¡®Okay.¡± ¡®Qin Minghong ns to return to the prefecture tomorrow.¡± Shen Yao could not help but pull her into his arms and said gently, ¡°I¡¯ve also given him the ledger.¡¯ ¡®Tomorrow, Father and Mother will return to the Tian Family Vige.¡± Ji Zhao nestled in his arms and gently closed her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m afraid there will be amotion these few days. ¡®IIS there any news about the courtesan of the brothel?¡± ¡®Not yet.¡± Shen Yao shook his head. ¡°But this afternoon, Big Brother and I found the wandering Daoist priest who swindled people back then. So tomorrow, let¡¯s go back to the Tian Family Vige together.¡± The next morning, the weather was bright and sunny. However, Zhao Lanhua, who was sitting in the carriage, was also in a gloomy mood. This morning, she met the traveling Daoist priest who had once looked into her birth characters. Ah Tao¡¯s guess was right. Back then, it was Tian Xiu¡¯e who bribed the Daoist priest and made the fake Daoist priest say many specious words in front of Tian Guangsheng. That was why Tian Guangsheng sent his only daughter out of the Tian Family Vige like sending away the gue and even changed her surname. Zhao Lanhua was Tian Guangsheng¡¯s only daughter because Tian Dazhuang and Tian Xiaotou were not Tian Guangsheng¡¯s biological sons. In other words, Tian Guangsheng had worked hard for so many years to raise someone else¡¯s ¡®Lanhua.¡± Shen Dashan¡¯s heart ached when he saw her frowning and not saying a word. He quickly held her hand andforted her softly, ¡°Don¡¯t think too much. The heavens have eyes. Those bad people will definitely get their retribution.¡¯ Zhao Lanhua forced a smile, but it was bitter. ¡°When I was young, I really felt very blessed.¡± Zhao Lanhua sighed deeply and slowly said, ¡®After all, every family in the entire Tian Family Vige favors boys over girls. Those uncles and aunties think that girls¡¯ lives are cheap. The daughters they raise will have to work for others in the future, so in their eyes, their daughters are useless.¡± ¡®But my father is different.¡± ¡®He ignored all the objections and brought me to his side. He also doted on me very much. I thought I was very lucky until that fake Daoist priest appeared. He said that my birth characters were hard and that I was obstructing my parents and my family,¡± Zhao Lanhua said with a bitter smile. ¡°Then, my father stopped liking me.¡± Especially after Tian Xiu¡¯e sessfully gave birth to Dazhuang, the way Tian Guangsheng looked at her became more and moreplicated... Zhao Lanhua thought that she was not crying, but her tears poured out like a flood. ¡®Mother, don¡¯t be sad.¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the tears on her face. Sheforted her softly, ¡°Those bad people will definitely get their retribution!¡± At that time, in the Tian Family Vige. Tian Guangsheng looked at the gorgeously dressed Tian Xiu¡¯e and frowned unhappily. ¡°It¡¯s not a big day today. Why are you dressed so delicately?¡± ¡®Doesn¡¯t it look good?¡± Tian Xiu¡¯e pretended not to hear the anger in his voice. Instead, she smiled smugly. ¡°I think it looks pretty good. Besides, they all say that I look best in red. ¡®Take it off!¡± Tian Guangsheng mmed the table angrily and roared. ¡°Why should I take it off?¡± Tian Xiu¡¯e rolled her eyes and posed in front of the palm-sized bronze mirror again. Finally, she prepared to leave. Tian Guangsheng rushed to her angrily and grabbed her hair. He threw her onto the bed and ruthlessly pressed on her! Unfortunately, he still didn¡¯t have the ability. The anticipation in Tian Xiu¡¯e¡¯s eyes gradually turned into resentment. She pushed him away angrily ¡°1 told you long ago that you don¡¯t have the ability!¡± ¡®Brother Guangsheng, do you think I don¡¯t want to be a good woman who takes care of my husband and children?¡± ¡®But you can¡¯t even satisfy the most basic requirements. I have no choice.¡¯ Tian Xiu¡¯e buttoned up all the buttons on her body and tidied her messy hair. Before she left, she did not forget to look at him aggrievedly. ¡°Breakfast is ready in the kitchen. Go eat first. I¡¯ll be back in time to make lunch.¡¯ Tian Guangsheng, who was lying on the bed, closed his eyes weakly. He panted heavily, his heart filled with sorrow. When Zhao Lanhua and the others rushed to the Tian family, they smelled a strong smell of alcohol. Tian Guangsheng, who was sitting in the central room, was drinking alone. On the square table that had lost its paint, other than the crooked wine jar, there was only a te of peanuts. Seeing this scene, Zhao Lanhua felt very upset. ¡°Father?¡± ¡®Lanhua?¡± Tian Guangsheng rubbed his red eyes and barely saw who it was. ¡®You¡¯re back? Did you bring wine?¡± ¡°Father, drinking so early in the morning is very harmful to the body,¡± Zhao Lanhua sighed helplessly and advised softly. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, your father¡¯s alcohol tolerance is as deep as the ocean!¡± Tian Guangsheng suddenly burped andughed. ¡°My good daughter, why don¡¯t you have a drink with me?¡± ¡®Where¡¯s Tian Xiu¡¯e?¡± Zhao Lanhua looked around and frowned when she realized that there was no one else in the house. ¡°It¡¯s the new year. Where did she go? Why didn¡¯t she dissuade you¡± BANG! Tian Guangsheng suddenly smashed a wine jar in anger! ¡®Shut up! If you don¡¯t know how to speak, don¡¯t speak!¡± ¡®You! Why did you mention that slues name?¡± Tian Guangsheng was furious. ¡°Why did you do this? Do you still have me in your eyes?! Or are you here tough at your father?¡± ¡®Enough!¡± Shen Dashan, who was standing outside the door, could not stand it anymore. He rushed up angrily and pointed at Tian Guangsheng. He scolded angrily, ¡°A married daughter is like water that has been sshed out. Now that Lanhua is my wife, what right do you have to scold her?¡± ¡®Besides, Father-inw, even if you¡¯re angry, why don¡¯t you vent your anger on Tian Xiu¡¯e? Why? Do you think that Lanhua is soft and easy to bully? To put it bluntly, you asked for it!¡± ¡®Bastard!¡± After being scolded by Shen Dashan, Tian Guangsheng sobered up a lot. ¡°How dare you criticize your elders? Do you still have me in your eyes as your father-in w?¡± ¡°1f you want people to respect you, you have to first learn to respect others!¡± Ji Zhao could not help but say, ¡°Grandfather, don¡¯t you feel any guilt towards my mother all these years? Just because of a fake Daoist priest, you pushed your beloved daughter out of the house and even raised someone else¡¯s son. Don¡¯t you regret it?¡± ¡®Do you really think that Tian Xiu¡¯e and her son treat you sincerely?¡± ¡®All these years, the three of them have been like parasites, relying on you to survive! But what about you? Even if you caught them in the act, you never thought of widening your eyes to see their true faces!¡± Chapter 241 - Chapter 241: This... This is Impossible! Chapter 241: This... This is Impossible! Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡®Enough! All of you, shut up!¡± Tian Guangsheng was so angry that heughed. His gazended on Zhao Lanhua, who was pursing her lips and not saying a word. ¡°You¡¯re really my good daughter! What? Is it fun to bring your family to criticize me on the new year? ¡°Father,¡± Zhao Lanhua slowly raised her eyes and called out softly. ¡®Shut up!¡± Tian Guangsheng was furious. ¡°I¡¯m not your father, and I don¡¯t have a daughter like you!¡± ¡®That¡¯s right. From the day you married Tian Xiu¡¯e, you no longer had me in your heart. How could I not know?¡± Zhao Lanhuaughed bitterly. ¡°Do you still remember what you said to me the night before you nned to marry Tian Xiu¡¯e?¡± Tian Guangsheng frowned and pursed his lips in frustration. ¡®You said that you didn¡¯t want to die alone. I hugged your leg and cried non-stop. I said that I would apany you for the rest of my life. I could do anything that a son could do.¡± Zhao Lanhua sighed softly. ¡°After that, you said that Tian Xiu¡¯e was a good person. She would treat me as her biological daughter and dote on me. But what happened after that?¡± ¡®You probably don¡¯t know, right? Tian Xiu¡¯e always pretends to love me in front of you, but in fact, she always secretly pinches my arm and often threatens to throw me into the ravine at the back of the mountain...¡± Zhao Lanhua thought that she would cry, but at this moment, a faint smile actually appeared on her face. It turned out that she no longer felt sad about the Tian family! ¡®Later, that traveling Daoist priest said that my birth characters were too hard and hindered my parents and brothers, so you had the idea of sending me out of the Tian Family Vige... My body, hair, and skin belong to my parents. Father, I don¡¯t beg you to dote on me like when I was young, but I hope that you can open your eyes and see if the people around you are sincere or have ulterior motives? ¡°Whether it¡¯s Dazhuang or Xiaotou, they¡¯re not your sons!¡± Zhao Lanhua did not shout. Instead, she said these words in her heart indifferently. Tian Guangsheng¡¯s expression became even uglier. At this moment, his expression was as ck as ink. ¡®Don¡¯t spout nonsense without any evidence.¡± Tian Guangsheng suddenly raised his eyes and red fiercely at Zhao Lanhua. His gaze became even colder. ¡°Do you have to make this matter public? Do you have to let everyone know that your father is an ipetent man? His anger was within Zhao Lanhua¡¯s expectations. ¡°Father, I know you don¡¯t want to believe it, or rather, you don¡¯t want to face it.¡± Zhao Lanhuaughed bitterly and continued, ¡°But I can¡¯t not seek justice for myself!¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Tian Guangsheng narrowed his eyes and frowned in confusion. ¡°Father, there¡¯s nothing wrong with my birth characters.¡± Zhao Lanhua looked into his eyes and said seriously, ¡°On the contrary, my birth characters are very good. Before I married Dashan, I believe you know what kind of situation the Shen family was in. But now, the Shen family has built a big house in Shanghe Vige, and I¡¯ve given Dashan three sons in a row. Moreover, each of my three sons are more outstanding than the other.¡± ¡°What are you trying to say? ¡®The traveling Daoist priest who spread rumors about my unknown birth characters in front of you back then was a fake Daoist priest,¡± Zhao Lanhua said calmly. ¡°And that Daoist priest was Tian Xiu¡¯e¡¯s ex-lover. Dazhuang and Xiaotou are both that person¡¯s sons.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Tian Guangsheng suddenly mmed the table and stood up. However, his vision suddenly turned ck, and he was even more groggy! ¡°Father,¡± Zhao Lanhua shouted again, ¡°Tian Xiu¡¯e... has lied to you a long time ago.¡± ¡°This... this is impossible!¡± Tian Guangsheng subconsciously retorted. ¡°Lanhua, don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡± ¡®Grandfather, my mother isn¡¯t spouting nonsense,¡± Ji Zhao said again. ¡®Whether you believe it or not, this is the truth. Moreover, Big Brother and the others have already found the fake Daoist priest. He has already admitted that he has been having an affair with Tian Xiu¡¯e for many years.¡¯ ¡®By the way, he also said that Tian Xiu¡¯e added a lot of harmful drugs to the wine you drink every day, so you no longer have the ability to reproduce...¡± BOOM! It was as if a thunderp had exploded above his head. The furious Tian Guangsheng actually fell down... ¡°Father!¡± Zhao Lanhua hurriedly went forward. Shen Dashan helped to support Tian Guangsheng. At this moment, Tian Xiu¡¯e, who was enjoying herself outside, felt uneasy. Her right eyelid was still twitching non-stop. ¡®Auntie Xiu¡¯e, why are you so distracted?¡± Tian Qing frowned unhappily when he saw her distracted look. ¡°Are youining that I didn¡¯t use enough strength? Huh?¡± Tian Qing jumped and taught her a lesson! Tian Xiu¡¯e almost fainted. She grabbed his back tightly. ¡®Do you want to die? Why are you using so much strength?¡± ¡®Auntie Xiu¡¯e, aren¡¯t you quite happy?¡± Tian Qing raised his eyebrows proudly. ¡®Auntie Xiu¡¯e, if you¡¯re still so distracted, I¡¯ll leave.¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t, don¡¯t go.. Right on the heels of that, filthy moans came from inside the house again. An hourter. Ji Zhao sat on the steps of the Tian family¡¯s central room. She rested her chin on her hands and looked up at the white clouds in the sky, deep in thought. Shen Yao walked to her side and handed her a cup of hot tea. ¡®Thank you.¡± Ji Zhao smiled obediently and thanked him. ¡°How¡¯s Grandfather?¡± ¡®The doctor said that he¡¯s not doing well.¡± Shen Yao sat beside her and sighed softly. ¡®Mother is still taking care of him. However, the doctor said that Grandfather¡¯s health is not good to begin with. Now that he¡¯s suddenly attacked by anger, if he can¡¯t adjust his mood, he might... be paralyzed.¡± ¡°It¡¯s that serious?¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡®But Grandfather looks healthy and healthy. He doesn¡¯t look strong on the outside but weak on the inside!¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably the effect of the medicine. The doctor said that Grandfather¡¯s vital energy and blood are deficient and he doesn¡¯t have enough vital energy.¡± Shen Yao suddenly raised his hand and rubbed her head. ¡°Don¡¯t think too much.¡¯ Ji Zhao shrugged helplessly. ¡°Did you see through me?¡± ¡®Yes.¡± Shen Yao could not help but pull her into his arms andfort her softly. ¡®Your eyes are filled with self-me.¡± ¡°1 was just thinking that if I hadn¡¯t said those words to Mother, then Mother wouldn¡¯t have returned to the Tian Family Vige. If Mother hadn¡¯t returned, perhaps Grandfather wouldn¡¯t have fainted from anger... So I... do indeed me myself a little, and I¡¯m afraid that Mother will me me in the future.¡± Leaning on his shoulder, Ji Zhao spoke out all her thoughts. ¡®Silly girl.¡± Shen Yao stroked her cheek with a doting smile. ¡°Not only will I not me you, I might even be very grateful to you!¡¯ ¡®Huh? Why?¡± Chapter 242 - Chapter 242: I Have Never Hated You Chapter 242: I Have Never Hated You Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Ji Zhao blinked nkly. ¡®Ah Yao, why would you say that?¡± ¡°1f Grandfather hadn¡¯t fainted, he would never have known that Tian Xiu¡¯e had been secretly drugging him. All medicine is party poisonous. Moreover, Grandfather is already over 60 years old. If Tian Xiu¡¯e had secretly increased the amount of those medicines, do you think something would have happened to Grandfather?¡± ¡®Your words... seem to make more sense!¡± Ji Zhao thought about it seriously. She also felt that what Shen Yao said made sense. ¡®So, you don¡¯t have to me yourself.¡± Shen Yao smiled and kissed her cheek. ¡®Let¡¯s go hometer?¡± ¡°What about Grandfather?¡± ¡°Father and Mother will stay. Besides...¡± Shen Yao suddenly whispered into her Ji Zhao was surprised. Then, she gave Shen Yao a thumbs up from the bottom of her heart. ¡®Shen Yao, aren¡¯t you too awesome? On the other side, Tian Xiu¡¯e, who was having sex with Tian Qing, felt uneasy. She thought for a moment, gritted her teeth, and pushed Tian Qing away. Just as she was about to pick up her clothes¡ª BANG! The door was suddenly kicked open! The four tall and strong bailiffs¡¯ faces were tense as they scolded coldly, ¡®Madam Tian!¡¯ This scene happened too suddenly, catching Tian Xiu¡¯e off guard. More importantly, there were many men, women, and children from the Tian Family Vige standing behind the group of bailiffs. Among them were her two sons, Tian Datou and Tian Xiaozhuang! ¡®Mother?¡± The timid Tian Datou cautiously called out, ¡°You... Why are you here?¡± ¡®How shameless!¡± ¡®Wow, Tian Xiu¡¯e. She¡¯s already basically an old woman, but she¡¯s still seducing the young men in the vige?¡± ¡®Shameless!¡± ¡®Shameless!¡± ¡®How can there be such a lowly woman? The vigers¡¯ curses were endless. If every curse was a mouthful of saliva, then Tian Xiu¡¯e would have drowned! ¡®Vige Chief, our Tian Family Vige¡¯s reputation can¡¯t be ruined by such a lowly woman!¡¯ ¡®Vige Chief, Tian Xiu¡¯e did such a shameless thing. I suggest that she be drowned in a pig cage!¡± ¡®She¡¯s still a married woman. How can she face Brother Guangsheng by doing this?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t drowning her in a pig cage too easy for her?¡± Tian Xiu¡¯e quickly wrapped herself up and scolded loudly, ¡®Shut up, all of you! I¡¯m only here to look for Tian Qing for a massage. What are you dirty-minded people thinking?¡± ¡°Pfft!¡¯ Tian Xiu¡¯e ced her hands on her hips and shouted angrily, ¡°Get lost...¡± Crack¡ª The leader of the guards took out the knife at his waist and ced it on Tian Xiu¡¯e¡¯s neck! ¡®Shut up!¡¯ The people who were originally chattering and discussing instantly fell silent. Even the aggressive Tian Xiu¡¯e¡¯s tone became weaker. She shrunk her neck in fear and looked at the officer with an aggrieved expression. She asked carefully, ¡°Officer, what exactly is going on? ¡®Don¡¯t you know what you¡¯ve done?¡± ¡®Come with us!¡± Seeing the bailiffs escort Tian Xiu¡¯e out, the people from the Tian Family Vige were also curious. ¡®Did Tian Xiu¡¯e break thew?¡± ¡®IIS it illegal to secretly sleep with a man? ¡®Did she do anything else?¡± ¡°1 don¡¯t know. Why don¡¯t we follow them and take a look?¡± A bold viger followed behind the group of bailiffs. The bailiffs did not stop them and directly escorted her to Tian Guangsheng¡¯s house. At that moment, Tian Guangsheng had already woken up. He subconsciously looked at Zhao Lanhua, who was guarding beside him, with mixed feelings. ¡®Lanhua...¡¯ ¡°Father,¡± Zhao Lanhua, whose eyes were already red, asked in a low voice, ¡°are you alright?¡± ¡®Lanhua... Father... is sorry!¡± Tian Guangsheng closed his eyes in pain. Two streams of tears immediately fell from the corners of his eyes. ¡°1 heard what the doctor said. I¡¯m sorry... Lanhua, in your heart, you must hate Father very much, right?¡± Zhao Lanhua quickly shook her head. ¡°Father, I¡¯ve never hated you. Never.¡¯ She had lost her mother since she was young. Her father had really treated her very well. Even if she was forced to change her surname and marry someone, she had never med anyone. ¡°Father is too stupid.¡± The more Tian Guangsheng thought about it, the more upset he felt. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Father being too stupid, my daughter wouldn¡¯t have suffered so much.. After noon, the warm sun hiding behind the dark clouds slowly poked out half of its head. Soon, the warm sunlight shone on the entirend. It even weakened the cold wind. Soon, the bailiffs had already escorted Tian Xiu¡¯e to the Tian family. Tian Xiu¡¯e, who was flustered, rushed in front of Tian Guangsheng and cried with red eyes, ¡°Brother Guangsheng, you have to help me! Boohoo... ¡®Tm not dead yet. Stop wailing!¡± Tian Guangsheng pulled her arm away expressionlessly, his eyes bing colder. ¡®Brother Guangsheng, what nonsense are you talking about?¡± Tian Xiu¡¯e wiped the tears off her face anxiously and asked anxiously, ¡°Hurry up and exin to the officer. They said that I harmed someone, but I didn¡¯t harm anyone at all...¡± The more Tian Xiu¡¯e thought about it, the more she felt that something was wrong. It was the new year. Shouldn¡¯t these officials be resting at home? Could it be that someone wanted to harm her? ¡®Zhao Lanhua, it was you, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Tian Xiu¡¯e had a sh of inspiration. She pointed at Zhao Lanhua¡¯s nose and scolded, ¡°Did you frame me on purpose? Tian Xiu¡¯e rushed over, wanting to p her face! ¡®Stop!¡± The furious Ji Zhao hurriedly pulled Zhao Lanhua to dodge Tian Xiu¡¯e¡¯s attack. However, Tian Xiu¡¯e lost her bnce and fell to the ground! ¡®Tian Xiu¡¯e, don¡¯t you know what you¡¯ve done?¡± Ji Zhao sneered. ¡°Heaven is watching! ¡®You wretched girl, you have no right to speak here. Get lost!¡± At this moment, Tian Xiu¡¯e was like a mad dog, biting anyone she caught! Pall! Looking at the ridiculous scene in front of him, Tian Guangsheng could not hold it in anymore. He raised his hand and pped Tian Xiu¡¯e¡¯s face! Ever since she married Tian Guangsheng, Tian Xiu¡¯e had never been beaten. Sometimes, she was the one who would use violence. But now? ¡®You hit me?¡± Tian Xiu¡¯e covered her face and widened her eyes in disbelief. ¡®Tian Guangsheng! You actually hit me? Do you still have a conscience? Have you forgotten what you said when you married me?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten.¡± Tian Guangsheng sneered. ¡°I, Tian Guangsheng, ask myself honestly. Ever since I married you, Tian Xiu¡¯e, I¡¯ve treated you like a treasure. But what about you? What did you do?¡± ¡®What... what do you mean?¡± Tian Xiu¡¯e¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and her eyes revealed obvious guilt.. Chapter 243 - Chapter 243: Good Job! Chapter 243: Good Job! Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°It¡¯s said that a day as husband and wife is equivalent to a hundred days of kindness. A hundred days as husband and wife is as deep as the sea,¡± Tian Guangsheng said with a bitter smile. ¡®But you, Tian Xiu¡¯e, are a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing!¡± ¡®Do you dare to say that Dazhuang and Xiaotou are my sons? ¡®Do you dare say you¡¯ve never poisoned my wine all these years? ¡®Do you dare to say that you¡¯ve never done anything to let me down?!¡± Tian Guangsheng approached her step by step. He looked into her eyes and questioned her one after another. Tian Xiu¡¯e wanted to quibble, but she did not know where to start. ¡°Brother Guangsheng, I only gave birth to Datou and Xiaozhuang after marrying you. How can you not admit that they are your children?¡± ¡®As for the matter of poisoning, that¡¯s even more nonsense!¡± Tian Xiu¡¯e¡¯s face was tense as she said angrily, ¡®We¡¯re husband and wife who¡¯ve bowed to the heavens and earth. We¡¯ve been together for so many years. Why should I harm you)¡± ¡®Naturally, it¡¯s for the small fortune in my hands.¡± Tian Guangsheng couldn¡¯t help but cough twice. His gaze became sharper. ¡°You schemed to chase Lanhua out of the house and deliberately drugged my wine. Aren¡¯t you trying to wait for me to die? Once I die, you can take this small fortune under my name as my widow, right?¡± ¡®Of course not!¡± Tian Xiu¡¯e immediately jumped up. ¡°Brother Guangsheng, am I that vicious in your eyes? If I wanted to harm you, why didn¡¯t I just poison you to death? Don¡¯t believe me just because those people tried to sow discord!¡± Tian Guangsheng sneered. ¡®The reason why you didn¡¯t kill me earlier is because I¡¯m still useful to you! After all, the pressure of raising two sons as a woman is too great, so you urgently need a fool like me to help you raise your children!¡± ¡®Tian Xiu¡¯e, Tian Xiu¡¯e, you¡¯re really good!¡± Tian Guangsheng suddenly clutched his chest and spat out a mouthful of ck blood! The blood fell on Tian Xiu¡¯e¡¯s skirt. She immediately tore off the skirt in disgust. Looking at her actions, Tian Guangsheng only felt sad. It was only at this moment that he understood that Tian Xiu¡¯e really did not have any feelings for him! This farce did not end until dusk. Tian Xiu¡¯e was escorted back to the county city by the bailiffs on suspicion of intentional murder. As for Tian Datou and Tian Xiaozhuang, they were both expelled from the family by Tian Guangsheng after the blood test.. Zhao Lanhua and Shen Dashan stayed in Tian Vige to take care of the depressed Tian Guangsheng. As for the others, they boarded the carriage and returned to the Shen family¡¯s courtyard in Shanghe Vige. When Ji Zhao and the others rushed home, it was already close to 9 pm. Fortunately, Eldest Sister-inw Shen had left them some radish bone soup. She used the radish bone soup to cook arge pot of thin noodles. The taste was especially delicious and rich. After eating an entire bowl, Ji Zhao put down her bowl and chopsticks in satisfaction and burpedfortably. After Eldest Sister-inw Shen and Second Sister-inw Shen heard what happened during the day, they were shocked! ¡°1 didn¡¯t expect Tian Xiu¡¯e to be so evil! She actually harmed Grandfather...¡± ¡®That¡¯s why it¡¯s hard to tell what¡¯s inside a person¡¯s heart! Grandfather must be regretting it now, right? Only Mother is his only daughter.¡± Second Sister-inw Shen thought for a moment, then looked at Ji Zhao and asked, ¡®Ah Tao, I heard from someone that the county magistrate needs evidence when he judges whether a person is guilty or not. Now that the bailiffs have taken Tian Xiu¡¯e away , do we have any evidence to prove that she harmed someone? ¡®Second Sister-inw, you even thought of this!¡± Ji Zhao praised with a smile. ¡®Second Sister-inw, you¡¯re really amazing, aren¡¯t you? ¡®Alright, alright, stop praising me.¡± Second Sister-inw Shen quickly waved her hand and looked at Shen Yao¡¯s face. ¡°Third Brother, how long do you think Tian Xiu¡¯e will be sentenced to?¡± ¡®After all, Tian Xiu¡¯e has apanied Grandfather for so many years. If Tian Xiu¡¯e can¡¯t be locked up for long, she will definitely think of a way to pester Grandfather again in the future, right?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen also felt that this matter was very troublesome! ¡®Don¡¯t worry, she won¡¯t be able toe out.¡± Shen Yao smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll personally write aint and send it to the county office.¡± ¡®The most important thing now is for Mother to persuade Grandfather to write a divorce letter. This way, Tian Xiu¡¯e will have topensate Grandfather with a sum of silver.¡± ¡®That¡¯s for the best!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen nodded hurriedly. ¡°We must let these bad people receive the punishment they deserve!¡± Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, it was the Lantern Festival. The matter with the Tian family had alsoe to an end three days ago. Tian Xiu¡¯e was sentenced to life imprisonment, and Tian Datou and Tian Xiaozhuang disappeared after being expelled from the family. Under Zhao Lanhua¡¯sfort, Tian Guangsheng gradually came to his senses. However, Ji Zhao felt more and more uneasy. Because the night before the Lantern Festival, she had a nightmare again. The scene in the dream was the same asst time. The Shen family¡¯s courtyard had been burned to the ground by someone with ulterior motives. The house was burned down and those who lived in it were burned to death. Thest thing Ji Zhao saw in her dream was Zhao Lanhua holding little Zhuangzhuang and shaking her head at her, telling her not to get close. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Sensing her abnormality, Shen Yao quicklyforted her. ¡°Ah Tao, what¡¯s wrong? ¡®Ah Yao...¡± The moment Ji Zhao spoke, tears streamed down her face. Shen Yao wiped her tears in a panic and his heart ached. ¡®Did you have another nightmare?¡± Ji Zhao closed her eyes weakly and nodded lightly. Previously, she had never had the same nightmare twice. This must be a warning from the Earth God! ¡®Ah Yao, can you help me prepare candles and ingots?¡± Ji Zhao, who had calmed down, gently tugged at his sleeve and begged in a low voice. ¡®Okay.¡± Ji Zhao immediately smiled through her tears. After quickly calming herself down, she went to the kitchen. She rolled up her sleeves and continued to be a little yuanxiao. She made two vors of yuanxiao, sesame and red bean. She scooped out arge bowl of cooked yuanxiao and ced it into the food box that she had prepared beforehand. Before dawn, Ji Zhao and Shen Yao arrived at the Earth Temple at the back of the mountain. Ji Zhao ced the small yuanxiao she had made on the shrine tform and respectfully ced it on the shrine tform for an incense stick of time. Finally, she knelt piously on the soft futon. She closed her eyes and prayed silently in her heart. Smelling the sandalwood fragrance, the anxiety in her heart gradually calmed down. Gradually, she felt more and more at ease. ¡®Ah Yao, let¡¯s go back.¡± An hourter, Ji Zhao already had a n in mind. ¡®Okay.¡± After returning to the Shen family¡¯s courtyard, Ji Zhao was not in a hurry to enter. Instead, she turned to look at Shen Yao and said softly, ¡°Ah Yao, didn¡¯t Brother Qin secretly arrange a group of guards to protect us? Can you let them appear? I have something to ask of them..¡± Chapter 244 - Chapter 244: Diligent Chapter 244: Diligent Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions An hourter, Ji Zhao saw the six guards. Not only were the six people sent by Qin Minghong strong, but each of them was also skilled in martial arts. Ji Zhao said gratefully from the bottom of her heart, ¡°It¡¯s been hard on you brothers to guard the Shen family¡¯s courtyard during this period of time. However, I have a presumptuous request. I hope you can help me.¡± ¡®Third Madam, if you have something to say, just say it. We will naturally do our best.¡¯ ¡°I hope you can help me build a secret passage. Starting from the Earth Temple, the end point is the kitchen of the Shen family¡¯s courtyard.¡± Ji Zhao immediately took out a blueprint from her sleeve and exined in detail, ¡°I¡¯ve already nned the route of the secret passage. As long as you dig the secret passage ording to the direction on this blueprint, I believe you will be able to finish this secret passage very quickly.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not difficult to dig a secret passage, but does Third Madam have any requirements for time? If it¡¯s just the six of us, I¡¯m afraid it will take some time.¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll be able to dig through the secret passage before the second day of the second month¡± Ji Zhao said confidently. ¡®Perhaps a mysterious ¡®friend¡¯ wille to help.¡± The six of them looked at each other and nodded in the end. The matter of the secret passage was put on the agenda, and Ji Zhao felt much more at ease. ¡®Ah Yao, let¡¯s go home!¡± Shen Yao nodded slightly. Even though he was full of questions, he did not ask. After all, he knew Ah Tao well. If it was something that could be said, she would definitely say it. In the following days, Ji Zhao did another thing. That was to persuade Eldest Brother and Eldest sister-inw to return to the city and open the pastry shop as soon as possible. ¡®Originally, I wanted to open for business after the eighth day of the Lunar New Year,¡± Eldest Brother Shen said with a smile. ¡°Then, I dragged it to the fifteenth... But after beeing busy for an entire year, it wasn¡¯t easy for me to rest, but I actually don¡¯t want to move anymore!¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re toozy!¡± Zhao Lanhua poked his head and pinched his ear. She said angrily, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you wanted to open a second branch? You need to be diligent!¡± ¡¯11t hurts, it hurts, it hurts!¡± Eldest Brother Shen hurriedly begged for mercy. ¡®Mother, don¡¯t twist my ear! In front of my brothers and sisters, at least give me some face!¡± Only then did Zhao Lanhua let go of her hand angrily. ¡®Don¡¯t I know you? Once you¡¯re free, you¡¯ll bezy. You and your wife can pack your luggage tonight and go back to the county tomorrow!¡± ¡®This shop, even if it doesn¡¯t open for a day, it will lose money! Besides, don¡¯t you have to send the carriage you rented back?¡± Zhao Lanhua calcted the ounts one by one. ¡®Tm still waiting for you to earn money to be filial to me! You want to sit at home and eat empty? No way!¡± ¡®Eldest Daughter-inw, apany Eldest Brother back to the pastry shop first. Come back when the weather is warmer.¡± Zhao Lanhua¡¯s gazended on Eldest Sister-inw Shen¡¯s bulging abdomen. She could not help but feel a little worried, but when she thought of what Ah Tao had said earlier, she suppressed her worry. ¡®Okay,¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen replied obediently. ¡®Second Brother.¡± Zhao Lanhua looked at Shen Zhang and said, ¡°In two days, bring your wife and Xiao Zhuang to stay at your father-inw¡¯s house for two days!¡± ¡°1n the past few years, Peace Vige hasn¡¯t been peaceful at all. It¡¯s all mountainous over there. The vigers aren¡¯t having a good time, but your father-inw is tough. He managed to support the entire family by himself. Previously, when your wife gave birth to Xiao Zhuang, your father-inw even got someone to send a silver locket over,¡± Zhao Lanhua said very seriously. ¡®Tomorrow, let your elder brother send you there first. Then, you can stay there for a few more days. As for this gift, Mother has already prepared it for you.¡± ¡®One hanging of cured meat, two big carps, three pastries, four good cloths, and five taels of silver.¡± ¡®Mother?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen was so touched that she did not know what to say. ¡°Mother, you¡¯re really too kind... Boohoo...¡± Second Sister-inw Shen suddenly rushed to Zhao Lanhua, hugged her arm, and cried. ¡®Silly child.¡± Zhao Lanhua wiped her tears with a loving gaze andforted her gently. ¡®Tm sorry for letting you marry my second son back then... I know very well!¡± ¡®Mother, I¡¯m not aggrieved.¡± Second Sister-inw Shen quickly shook her head and said firmly, ¡°I¡¯m very happy to be able to marry Second Brother.¡± Ji Zhao blinked curiously and carefully tugged at Shen Yao¡¯s sleeve. The two of them quietly left the central room. At this moment, it suddenly started drizzling in the dark sky. A light drizzle trickled down the green eaves andnded on the steps, making a dripping sound. ¡®They say that spring rain is as expensive as oil!¡± Ji Zhao said happily. ¡°I believe that in a few days, there will definitely be a lot of spring bamboo shoots on the mountain.¡± ¡°1¡¯11 go dig with Ah Tao.¡¯ ¡®Okay.¡± Ji Zhao suddenly looked up and smiled brightly at him. Shen Yao smiled in return. Then, he put his arm around her shoulders and looked at the rain in front of them. ¡®Second Brother and Second Sister-inw, they...?¡± Ji Zhao looked up at the man beside him and blinked curiously. ¡®Second Sister-inw¡¯s surname is Jiang, and she was originally from Peace Vige. Second Sister-inw¡¯s father is a very famous carpenter, so Second Sister-inw¡¯s family background is considered very well-off,¡± Shen Yao exined with a smile. ¡®Second Sister-inw had an engagement since she was young, butter on, Second Sister-inw realized that the person her fianc¨¦ liked was her eldest sister, Jiang Ruixue.¡± ¡®After that, Second Brother identally saved Second Sister-inw who was bitten by a snake and had a physical rtionship with her, so the engagement on Second Sister-inw was automatically annulled. Second Brother married Second Sister-inw,¡± Shen Yao said concisely. ¡°It¡¯s just that Second Sister-inw¡¯s father has never been very satisfied with Second Brother. Even when Second Sister-inw got married, he didn¡¯t hold a wedding in the vige.. ¡®Did the eldest sister of the Jiang family get together with Second Sister-inw¡¯s ex-fianc¨¦?¡¯ ¡®No.¡± Shen Yao shook his head. ¡°The eldest sister of the Jiang family got pregnant out of wedlock and had a miscarriage. She... became a nun.¡¯ Who would have thought that the story would end up like this? Ji Zhao could not help but sigh. ¡°For the past two years, Second Sister-in w¡¯s gifts that she asked people to bring over every year have been returned by Uncle Jiang,¡± Shen Yao said softly. ¡®Ah Tao, although Second Sister-inw looks like she¡¯sughing and joking on the surface, she must be feeling terrible in her heart.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Ji Zhao nodded. ¡°But now, I think Mother¡¯s suggestion just now was really too good-¡® Later, Second Sister-inw Shen knocked on Ji Zhao¡¯s door. Looking at the silver pieces on the table, Ji Zhao was at a loss. ¡®Second Sister-inw?¡± ¡®Ah Tao, don¡¯t misunderstand-¡± Second Sister-inw Shen said with a smile, ¡®Actually, I want to ask you for a favor, so you must ept these three taels of silver!¡¯ Chapter 245 - Chapter 245: Sauced Duck Chapter 245: Sauced Duck Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Second Sister-inw Shen smiled in embarrassment. ¡°Ah Tao, I won¡¯t beat around the bush with you. Actually, I want you to help me make a duck dish.¡± ¡®Make a duck dish?¡± Ji Zhao was even more puzzled. ¡°Second Sister-inw, do you want to eat duck?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not me. It¡¯s my father,¡± Second Sister-inw Shen quickly exined. ¡°My father likes to eat duck. Whether it¡¯s braised or duck soup, he likes to eat it. Ever since I married your second brother, I haven¡¯t returned to my parents¡¯ house for a long time.¡± ¡®That¡¯s why I want to ask you to help me buy two ducks. It¡¯s best if you can help me make them into delicious dishes.¡± Second Sister-inw Shen looked at her pleadingly. ¡°Ah Tao, can you help me? ¡°1 see!¡± Ji Zhao finally understood what she meant. She quickly patted his chest and smiled. ¡°Of course I¡¯m willing! Second Sister-inw, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll definitely make the duck especially delicious!¡± ¡®Really? Really? Ah Tao, you really agreed?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen was extremely excited. ¡®Ah Tao, thank you so much!¡± ¡®Second Sister-inw, we¡¯re a family!¡± Ji Zhao grinned. Two small dimples appeared on both sides of her lips, making her look cute and charming. ¡®But Second Sister-inw, I can¡¯t ept this silver.¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and stuffed all the silver on the table back into Second Sister-inw Shen¡¯s hands. ¡®How can I do that?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen quickly declined. ¡®Ah Tao, buying ducks also costs money. Ducks don¡¯t fly down from the sky! Besides, if you don¡¯t ept it, how can I feel good?¡± ¡®Second Sister-inw, why don¡¯t you help me make some clothes?¡± Ji Zhao quickly suggested with a smile. ¡®You know that I can hold a kitchen knife smoothly with my hands, but if you want me to get the embroidery needle, it¡¯ll be too difficult for me... You can help me make clothes, and I¡¯ll help you make the duck. It¡¯s very fair, right?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen was stunned by her words. In the end, when she came out of Ji Zhao¡¯s room, not only did she not give Ji Zhao the money, but she also had two bolts of cloth in her arms... The next day, Shen Dashan bought six ducks. ¡®Ah Tao, ording to your requirements, the ducks I chose are rtively lean and not too fat.¡± Shen Dashan walked to Ji Zhao, who was squatting on the ground and plucking duck feathers, with a curious expression. ¡°But Ah Tao, what exactly are you going to cook?¡± ¡°Father, I n to make sauced duck!¡± Ji Zhao looked up and smiled. ¡°After I make the sauced duck, you¡¯ll definitely like it!¡± ¡®Look at what you¡¯re saying. Is Father so gluttonous?¡± Shen Dashan suddenly said with a straight face. Then, heughed. ¡°But the dishes you make are too delicious! People who aren¡¯t gluttonous have learned to be gluttonous.¡± Pfft- Ji Zhao was amused. In her impression, Shen Dashan was a solemn and strict father. However, as she got to know the Shen family better, she realized that everyone in the Shen family was super cute and interesting! ¡®Don¡¯t just stand there. Hurry up and throw these duck feathers out.¡± Zhao Lanhua, who was helping Ji Zhao pluck the duck feathers, looked at her man angrily. ¡®Don¡¯t throw it away!¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly stopped her. ¡°Mother, this duck feather is a good thing. You can¡¯t throw it away!¡± ¡®Ah Tao, this duck feather stinks. Why do we have to keep it?¡± ¡®Mother, after the duck feathers are dried, they will be very useful,¡± Ji Zhao exined seriously. ¡°As for the smell on the duck feathers, I have a way to remove it!¡± ¡®Ah Tao, this duck feather shouldn¡¯t be edible, right?¡± Shen Dashan struggled for a long time before he finally squeezed out this sentence... Ji Zhao suppressed herughter and said seriously, ¡°Father, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t cook duck feathers for everyone to eat.. ¡°What are you thinking? Ah Tao isn¡¯t stupid.¡± Zhao Lanhua looked at Shen Dashan helplessly. ¡°Go to the kitchen and bring a basin of hot water over. Be careful not to burn yourself!¡± ¡®Oh.¡± When Shen Dashan turned around, the mother-inw and daughter-inw subconsciously looked up. In the end, they could not help butugh. The process of making the sauced duck was not difficult. The most important step was the sauce; The sauce form for making the Sauced Duck was veryplicated. It required more than 30 types of Chinese medicine, 10 types of spices, and more than ten processes such as drying and roasting. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to the list of medicinal herbs that Master left me previously.¡± Ji Zhao smiled as she mixed the sauce. ¡°1n addition, Second Brother You and the others also sent a lot of spices previously, so I could sessfully make this sauced duck!¡± After removing the internal organs of the processed duck, she cut off the duck¡¯s foot and cut it open from the duck¡¯s chest. After washing the duck, she hung it up to dry. She didn¡¯t have to worry about anything right on the heels of that. She just had to rub salt on it. She saut¨¦ed the salt in the pot and added a small spoonful of fennel. Finally, she smeared the stir-fried salt evenly on the duck. Then, she neatly arranged it in a small wine jar that she had prepared in advance and took it out after spending the night. She lifted the ducks back wings and opened its anus, causing all the salt water in the duck¡¯s body to flow out. After the second marination, it was marinated again. After the second marination, the duck was soaked in the secret sauce soup. Finally, it was taken out and the water was drained again. Then, it was propped in the duck¡¯s stomach with two strips and pressed into a te. Thest portion was to roast the duck in the oven. However, Ji Zhao felt that if they dried it, the sauced duck would smell even better. However, Second Sister-inw and the others would be leaving in two days, so Ji Zhao used the method of roasting it. The Sauced Duck that was sessfully made was mellow and delicious. It had both color and fragrance. The texture was not greasy, and the aftertaste was endless. In addition to the sauced duck, Ji Zhao also made the duck foot wraps that she used to love. First, she cleaned the duck feet, intestines, and hearts. Then, she ced the duck hearts on the duck feet. Finally, she wrapped them together with the duck intestines and soaked them in warm water for a while. Then, she ced the duck feet wraps into the steamer. She added an aniseed, two pieces of ginger, half a spoonful of white sugar, a spoonful of chicken essence, and a little cooking wine to start steaming. After taking out the steamed duck foot wraps and waiting for it to cool down, she used the steam in the steamer to steam for another 15 minutes! ¡®Ah Tao, isn¡¯t this too fragrant?¡± When the Shen family tasted Ji Zhao¡¯s sauced duck, everyone immediately praised it. It was simply too fragrant! ¡®Ah Yao, try this.¡± Ji Zhao picked up a duck foot wrap and ced it in Shen Yao¡¯s bowl. She suggested with a smile, ¡®Try it?¡± Shen Yao agreed happily and tasted it eagerly. ¡®The fragrance is overflowing and the meat is delicious. The bones are crispy.¡± Shen Yao did not expect that a simple duck foot could be made so delicious by Ji Zhao. ¡°It¡¯s delicious, right?¡± Ji Zhao raised her eyebrows smugly and smiled at Shen Yao. ¡®Exquisite and rare delicacy fit for royalty..¡± Chapter 246 - Chapter 246: I Believe That Man Can Defeat Heaven Chapter 246: I Believe That Man Can Defeat Heaven Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions Hearing this, Ji Zhao smiled sweetly. ¡°Since you like it, eat more. Don¡¯t stand on ceremony¡ª¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Shen Yao nodded gently, his usually cold eyes filled with tenderness. As Ji Zhao had expected, the Sauced Duck received unanimous praise from everyone in the Shen family. Later on, Shen Yao apanied Ji Zhao out of the door and came to the Earth Temple again. The Qin family¡¯s guards only spent half a day to sessfully dig a two-meter-long tunnel. The Qin family¡¯s guards were very surprised that things could progress so smoothly. ¡°Brother Qin Yong, why don¡¯t you guys take a break first?¡± Ji Zhao pointed at the food box in her hand and said with a smile, ¡°l made some food. Try it while it¡¯s hot?¡± ¡°This?¡± The leader of the guards, Qin Yong, hurriedly shook his head and said, ¡°Third Madam Shen, thank you for your kind intentions. It¡¯s just that us brothers can just eat some dry food. You really don¡¯t have to be so polite! ¡± ¡°Brother Qin Yong, don¡¯t decline,¡± Shen Yao hurriedly said. ¡°Brothers, you¡¯ve worked hard. Why don¡¯t you rest first?¡± Qin Yong originally wanted to refuse, but for some reason, when he met Shen Yao¡¯s smiling eyes, he actually felt a powerful aura. The pressure made him unable to refuse. Ji Zhao took out the dishes from the food box and ced them on the table at the side. She said humbly, ¡°Everyone must be hungry, right? Sit down and eat, okay?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this too fragrant?¡± ¡°Third Madam Shen, the dishes you made smell too good.¡± Qin Yong couldn¡¯t help but swallow a mouthful of saliva. He looked at Ji Zhao with admiration. ¡°I¡¯ve long heard that your culinary skills are extraordinary, but I never thought that one day, I would actually be able to taste your cooking!¡¯ ¡°Brother Qin Yong, try it quickly?¡± In less than 15 minutes, the four dishes and one soup were swept clean! ¡°Brother Qin Yong, did you dig the tunnel smoothly today?¡± Ji Zhao asked with a chuckle. ¡°Third Madam, I was about to tell you about this!¡¯ Qin Yong said excitedly. ¡°You might not know, but the reason why we were able to dig the secret passage so smoothly this afternoon was because a ¡®friend¡¯ came to help!¡¯ Qin Yong thought for a moment and collected all the duck bones that his brothers had eaten. Then, he turned around and walked to the entrance of the secret passage. ¡°Friends,e out and eat!¡¯ After a while, a rustling sound came from the entrance of the secret passage¡ª A few gray and round little field mice stuck their heads out, then picked up the duck bones and started chewing... ¡°Today, it¡¯s really all thanks to these vole brothers helping to open up a path in front. That¡¯s why my brothers and I were able to sessfully dig a portion of the secret passage. I think if we have their help next, we might be able toplete this mission in advance.¡± ¡°Brother Qin Yong, you¡¯ve worked hard during this period of time,¡± Ji Zhao said gratefully from the bottom of her heart. ¡°From tomorrow onwards, we will send three meals a day to the Earth Temple. You must remember to eat. After all, you won¡¯t have the strength to work if you don¡¯t eat your fill!¡± Ji Zhao gave Qin Yong a few more instructions before going home with Shen Yao. The two of them walked side by side, stepping on the hazy moonlight as they walked towards the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. ¡°You insisted that Mother think of a way to get Eldest Sister-inw and Second Sister-inw to leave the courtyard, and then asked Mother to think of a way to transfer all the valuables in the house to Grandfather¡¯s house.¡± Shen Yao scratched her palm and asked softly, ¡°Ah Tao, in your nightmare, will something happen to the Shen family¡¯s courtyard?¡¯ Ji Zhao shrugged helplessly. Although she did not answer this question directly, Shen Yao still understood. Ah Tao insisted on creating the secret passage and thought of ways to get everyone in the Shen family¡¯s courtyard to leave for a while. He thought that the content of Ah Tao¡¯s nightmare must be rted to the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. ¡°I¡¯ve already done everything I can think of.¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s tone suddenly sounded a little disappointed. ¡°So I can only leave it to fate now. ¡® Fortunately, the heavens had blessed her with the protection of the Earth God, giving her the ability to warn her of danger. However, some dangers could not be avoided, so she really did not know what to do next. Shen Yao held her right hand tightly and looked into her eyes as he said firmly, ¡°I believe that humans can conquer the heavens.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Looking into his eyes, Ji Zhao felt her courage increase. In the blink of an eye, it was the first day of the second month. Zhao Lanhua looked at the empty room in a daze. Until Ji Zhao walked in and called out, ¡°Mother?¡± ¡°Ah Tao?¡± Zhao Lanhua turned around and said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m done packing. I¡¯ll set off for the Tian Family Vige in a while. But Ah Tao, are you and Third Brother really staying?¡± Zhao Lanhua felt uneasy. ¡°Ah Tao, why don¡¯t you leave with Mother?¡± ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry about us.¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly smiled andforted her. ¡°You also know that my luck has always been very good, so I¡¯ll be fine!¡± ¡°But...¡± ¡°Mother, Grandfather and Father are still waiting for you outside!¡¯ Ji Zhao smiled and changed the topic. ¡°Ah Yao, I don¡¯t seem so afraid anymore.¡± When only she and Shen Yao were left in the huge courtyard, Ji Zhao made a pot of tea and brought it into the room. She smiled brightly, her dimples appearing. Shen Yao, who was copying the calligraphy, immediately put down the brush in his hand and looked up with a smile. ¡°Ah Tao.¡± ¡°Try the tea I just made.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and poured a cup of tea for him. ¡°I also made some sesame cake. Drinking it with this tea should be good. Try it quickly?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The fragrance of the tea was strong, and the taste of the tea was very exquisite. Thebination of the two of them indeed had a different feeling. ¡°Ah Tao, why don¡¯t you try it?¡± ¡°Ah Yao...¡± Ji Zhao rubbed the space between her eyebrows tiredly. ¡°l seem to be a little sleepy.¡± Shen Yao hurriedly came to her side and lent her his shoulder to lean on. After a while, Ji Zhao fell asleep. Shen Yao hurriedly carried her bridal style in his arms and slowly walked towards the bed¡ª At midnight, a bolt of lightning suddenly shed in the silent night sky! BANG! Several sneaky figures appeared outside the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. Those people deliberately lightened their footsteps and poured the kerosene that they had prepared in advance around the courtyard wall. In the end, they threw the matchsticks up¡ª After a while, the fire surged and the mes soared into the sky! At this moment, Ji Zhao, who was still asleep, was also woken up by the thick smoke! ¡°Shen Yao? Shen Yao? Where are you?¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly got off the bed and staggered! ¡°Shen Yao?¡± However, she did not hear Shen Yao¡¯s response after shouting for a long time. An ominous feeling swept through Ji Zhao¡¯s heart... ¡°Shen Yao? Where are you?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, don¡¯te over!¡± Chapter 247 - Chapter 247: Too Calm Chapter 247: Too Calm Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions ¡°Shen Yao!¡¯ In front of her, Shen Yao was surrounded by raging mes. The soaring mes hurt Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes! ¡°It¡¯s not like that! She had clearly made thorough preparations. Why did something still happen to Shen Yao? Something was not right! Impossible! ¡°Ah Tao? Ah Tao?¡± In the middle of the night, Shen Yao heard Ji Zhao¡¯s painful shout and was immediately woken up. The girl beside him had her eyes closed and was sweating profusely. She looked very wrong. ¡°Ah Tao?¡± In a moment of desperation, Shen Yao could only ruthlessly pinch her acupoint. ¡°Ah Tao, wake up! ¡® Ji Zhao gradually woke up from the pain. ¡°Shen Yao... fire! A very big fire!¡± Through the window, they could still see the soaring mes in the courtyard! ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Shen Yao first wiped the sweat off her forehead, then carried her in his arms. He turned around and strode towards the kitchen. ¡°Brother Qin Yong and the others have already dug through the secret passage yesterday.¡± Shen Yao easily moved the rice vat and lifted the wooden board on it. ¡°Ah Tao, go in first. ¡® ¡°Alright.¡± Ji Zhao gritted her teeth and slowly walked into the hole. ¡°Ah Yao,e down quickly too?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, I still have some things to take. Go back to the Earth Temple and wait for me.¡± Without waiting for Ji Zhao to answer, Shen Yao closed the wooden board again! ¡°Shen Yao?¡± ¡°Shen Yao!¡± At this moment, the Shen family¡¯s courtyard was already on fire. Meanwhile, Qin Yong and the others were entangled with the group of vicious people who had set the fire! ¡°Big Brother, the other party has the advantage in numbers. Let¡¯s retreat?¡± One of the Qin family guards covered the wound that was constantly gushing blood and shouted anxiously, ¡°If we don¡¯t retreat, I¡¯m afraid our brothers won¡¯t be able to keep their lives!¡± He didn¡¯t know who the Shen family had offended to actually attract such a group of fiends! ¡°No!¡± Qin Yong raised the saber in his hand with all his might and resisted stubbornly! Seeing his brothers getting injured one after another, Qin Yong became more and more anxious! ¡°Brother!¡± Bang! One of the brothers was stabbed in the heart by the criminal who set the fire! Qin Yong was also attacked from the front and back. Seeing that the long sword was getting closer and closer, his heart could not help but skip a beat! However, the expected pain did note! A white figure suddenly appeared in the night. With a long sword in his hand, he leaped into the air and easily pushed away the sharp sword that was about to enter Qin Yong¡¯s forehead! ¡°Third Young Master Shen?¡± After seeing who it was, Qin Yong¡¯s eyes were filled with shock. He really did not expect the gentle-looking Third Young Master Shen to know martial arts. What surprised him even more was that Third Young Master Shen effortlessly defeated the group of criminals one by one! ¡°I left them alive.¡± Shen Yao slowly took out a handkerchief from his pocket. After wiping the blood off his sword, he turned to look at Qin Yong and smiled gratefully. ¡®Thank you, Brother Qin, please bring these people back and taking good care of them. It would be best ifwe can get some useful information from them.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Qin Yong immediately nodded. ¡°Please rest assured, Third Young Master.¡± As the Shen family¡¯s fire grew bigger and bigger, the vigers of Shanghe Vige were also awakened! The vige chief, Shen Menghu, immediately ordered the young men in the vige to start putting out the fire! It was not until dawn that the fire waspletely extinguished. ¡®Vige Chief, with such a huge fire, Dashan and the others...¡± Someone in the crowd could not help but ask. ¡°It can¡¯t be, right? Could it be that the entire family was burned to death?¡± ¡°This, this, this... This is too...¡± ¡®Why would the Dashan family suddenly start a fire?¡± Just as the vigers gathered outside the Shen family¡¯s mansion and whispered to each other, Ji Zhao sessfully arrived at the Earth Temple through the secret passage. She knelt in front of the Earth God statue and prayed devoutly! Finally, she heard familiar footsteps. The moment she turned around, she saw Shen Yao¡¯s smiling face. ¡°Ah Tao, don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Shen Yao walked up to her firmly and hugged her. Heforted her softly, ¡°We¡¯ve survived this cmity safely.¡± At this moment, Ji Zhao¡¯s face was already covered in tears. ¡°The vige chief has already brought people to put out the fire. No one was injured or killed.¡± Shen Yao grabbed her shoulder tightly and held her cold palm in his palm. His tone became even gentler. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Hearing this, Ji Zhao nodded vigorously. She turned her head andy in Shen Yao¡¯s arms, crying uncontrobly. It was not until 15 minutester that peace gradually returned. Ever since she had the nightmare of the fire in the Shen family¡¯s courtyard, Ji Zhao had always felt uneasy. What was even more helpless was that she could not tell Shen Yao the details of the dream, so she could only rely on herself to think of a way to avoid the things in the nightmare. Fortunately, she seeded in the end. ¡°Ah Yao, have you caught the people who set the fire?¡± Ji Zhao, who had calmed down, suddenly smelled the smell of blood from Shen Yao¡¯s body. She frowned worriedly. ¡°Are you injured?¡± The rusty smell of blood made her feel very ufortable. ¡°No.¡± Shen Yao shook his head gently. ¡°It¡¯s not my blood.¡± ¡°That group of people has already been taken away by Qin Yong.¡± Shen Yao caressed her cheek and said softly, ¡°Let¡¯s go home firstter. We¡¯ll return to the county cityter?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± At dawn, Shen Dashan and Zhao Lanhua also rushed back to the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. The originally imposing brick house had been reduced to a mess by the fire. ¡®Which f*cking b*stard set the fire!¡± Shen Dashan was so angry that his eyes turned red. He stomped his feet and roared! ¡°Dashan? Lanhua? You¡¯re still alive?¡± Aunt Guihua rushed forward with tears of excitement in her eyes! ¡°That¡¯s great! You¡¯re still alive! That¡¯s great!¡¯ ¡°Dashan, did you offend someone recently?¡± ¡°By the way, where are your children? Are they all right?¡± When the vigers saw Shen Dashan and Zhao Lanhua appear in front of everyone safe and sound, they surrounded them excitedly and kept asking questions. ¡°Alright, alright. Disperse!¡± Shen Menghu, who was leaning on his walking stick, unintentionally caught a glimpse of Zhao Lanhua¡¯s expression. He frowned thoughtfully and shouted, ¡°Disperse!¡± ¡°Thank you, fellow vigers, for putting out the fire!¡± Zhao Lanhua suddenly stood on a rock at the side and said gratefully, ¡°Thank you, fellow vigers! After my family¡¯s courtyard is renovated, Dashan and I will hold a banquet to thank everyone!¡± An hourter, Shen Menghu returned home. He looked at the silent Zhao Lanhua with a burning gaze. ¡°Lanhua, tell me honestly, what¡¯s going on with this fire?¡± Any normal person would be furious and stunned when they saw their house burned down, but Zhao Lanhua¡¯s eyes were too calm.. Chapter 248 No Work Without Reward Chapter 248 No Work Without Reward Hearing this, Zhao Lanhua''s eyes shed. "Uncle Vige Chief, as you can see, the fire came too suddenly." Zhao Lanhua suddenly raised her arm and wiped the corners of her eyes. Her tone became even more aggrieved. "Two days ago, Eldest Brother returned to the county city to work on the pastry shop. Second Brother apanied his wife back to the Yue family¡­ If my father hadn''t suddenly asked Dashan and me to apany him yesterday, we might have¡­ Boohoo¡­" "Don''t be afraid, Lanhua!" Shen Dashan''s heart ached when he saw his wife crying from fear. He quickly grabbed her hand andforted her gently, "Although I don''t know which bastard set our home on fire, our family is blessed!" "As long as our family is safe, the house can be built again." "Yes!" Zhao Lanhua nodded vigorously and raised her hand to wipe her tears. "Fortunately, the Earth God protected our family!" Shen Menghu, who was sitting on the rattan chair, frowned slightly when he saw the couple echoing each other. Could he have seen wrongly just now? Dashan''s wife wasn''t overly calm, but rather, she was scared silly? "Cough, cough." Shen Menghu coughed lightly. "The courtyard won''t be able to be repaired in a short period of time. Have you two thought of a ce to go?" "Vige Chief, I want to go back to my father''s house for a period of time." Zhao Lanhua sighed softly, her voice filled with disappointment. "I believe you''ve heard about what happened to my father, right?" After all, good things don''t go out and bad things spread for thousands of miles. Tian Xiu''e''s matter should be known by everyone in the surrounding viges. Now, the vigers of Tian Family Vige looked at Tian Guangsheng with sympathy and pity. They even looked down on him. Zhao Lanhua was worried that her father would let his imagination run wild, so she wanted to take this opportunity to stay in Tian Family Vige for a few more days. "That''s fine." Shen Menghu nodded. "The Tian Family Vige isn''t too far from Shanghe Vige, but this isn''t a long-term n. Dashan, didn''t you want to expand the courtyard before the new year? Now that more than half of this house has been burned down, why don''t you find some craftsmen to start working in the near future?" "After all, it will be the spring plow in a few days. At that time, it will be even harder to find craftsmen." "Uncle Huzi, you''re right." Shen Dashan nodded silently in agreement. "After Master Jiangpletes the construction of the Earth Temple, I''ll pick a date for them to start work." "Okay." Shen Menghu nodded and instructed in a deep voice, "The two of you wait for me for a while." Shen Menghu walked out of his central room with his walking stick. A momentter, he returned. "Uncle Huzi, what are you doing?" Shen Dashan looked at the heavy pouch that he had stuffed into his hands. His gaze was very nk. "Such a big fire probably burned a lot of things." Shen Menghu sighed faintly. "Previously, it was all thanks to your Ah Tao who helped me rent out the discontinued oil extraction workshop. I made a small profit. Therefore, these ten taels of silver can be considered a personal token of my appreciation." "How can I do that?" Shen Dashan quickly shook his head and refused. He said in a serious tone, "Uncle Huzi, I can''t ept this silver!" "I''ve already said that this is a small token of my appreciation!" Shen Menghu red at him angrily. "I don''t know how much money it will cost to build such a huge house ording to your original n! Moreover, the fire is really big. I''m afraid you two won''t be able to keep your capital, right?" "Lanhua, she¡­" "Thank you, Uncle Vige Chief!" Zhao Lanhua hurriedly interrupted Shen Dashan and said, "However, my third son once said that you shouldn''t receive a reward without doing anything! However, since you said that this silver is a small token of your appreciation, we won''t decline. However, I have a request." Zhao Lanhua calmed herself down and said with a smile, "Dashan borrowed this silver from me, so we have to write you an IOU. After our courtyard is built, we must return this silver! If you agree to my suggestion, I''ll put this money away now." "Of course, if you don''t agree, we can''t ept this silver." Shen Menghu did not expect her request to be this. For a moment, he could not think of a way to refuse. "Dashan." Shen Menghu suddenly turned around and looked at Shen Dashan. He smiled lovingly. "Your Lanhua is still as eloquent as ever!" In the end, the three of themughed. At the end of the day, Shen Yao had already apanied Ji Zhao to the county city. Hongxing Restaurant. Second Shopkeeper You, who was fiddling with his abacus, heard a familiar voice. He hurriedly looked up and smiled brightly. "Ah Tao? Shen Yao? Why are you here? Quick, pleasee upstairs!" Fifteen minutester. Second Manager You mmed the table angrily. "This group of vicious people is simplywless. How dare they set fire andmit murder?" "Second Brother You, calm down first." Shen Yao hurriedly poured a cup of tea and handed it to Second Manager You. "Fortunately, only some things were burned, the people are all fine." "That''s right!" Second Manager You could not help but sigh. "Fortunately, your family is fine. It''s really fortunate!" "Second Brother You, we actually came to look for you for two things." After eating two pastries in a row, Ji Zhao felt less nervous. "Firstly, I want to reopen the fried snack shop and add the y pot rice to the menu. Secondly, I hope you can help us." "Ah Tao, just tell me!" Second Manager You quickly patted his chest and said, "As long as it''s something I can help with, I''ll definitely help!" "I want to ask if anyone has bought a lot of kerosene recently?" Ji Zhao lowered her eyes and said in a low voice, "Second Brother You, you have a widework. Can I trouble you to help me find out?" "¡­Okay." Second Manager You instantly understood Ji Zhao''s intentions and immediately nodded. "Ah Tao, don''t worry. I''ll definitely think of a way to find out." "By the way, why don''t the two of you stay in the restaurant?" Second Manager You quickly suggested. Ji Zhao subconsciously looked at Shen Yao beside him. Shen Yao nodded slightly at her. In the end, the two of them decided to stay in the restaurant for a while. "Ah Tao, you don''t look too good." Second Manager You looked at Ji Zhao and said with concern, "Why don''t you and Shen Yao go back to the guest room to rest first? For lunch today, I''ll get the waiter to send it to your room?" "Yesterday, you must have been quite frightened, right?" "Yes." Ji Zhao forced a smile. "That soaring fire was really scary. Fortunately, it was a close call." "That''s why I said that you''re a lucky girl, Ah Tao!" Second Manager You stroked his mustache and said with a smile. Half an hourter, Shen Yao brought over a basin of hot water. He wrung out the handkerchief and handed it to Ji Zhao, who was sitting in front of the window in a daze. "Ah Tao, wipe your face?" "Thank you." After washing her face, Ji Zhao felt much more awake. "Why don''t youe and have some noodles?" Shen Yao gently brushed away the hair on her forehead and caressed her cheek as he spoke softly. Chapter 249 - Chapter 249: Are You Willing to Explain Now? Chapter 249: Are You Willing to Exin Now? Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions Looking at the steaming bowl of green pepper shredded pork noodles on the table, Ji Zhao¡¯s appetite was instantly aroused. ¡°Smells good!¡± ¡°Try it?¡± Shen Yao immediately handed her the chopsticks. Ji Zhao immediately started eating heartily. Soon, she finished the bowl of noodles. ¡°How does it taste?¡± ¡°It looks, smells, and tastes great.¡± Ji Zhao gave him a thumbs up in admiration. ¡°It¡¯s good that you like it.¡± Shen Yao smiled lovingly and rubbed the top of her soft head. ¡°Ah Tao, I seem to have understood the joy of cooking now.¡± It turned out that it was actually such an interesting thing to personally make delicacies for the person you loved. Ji Zhao replied with a sweet smile. Looking at the dark circles under her eyes, Shen Yao¡¯s heart suddenly ached. ¡°Ah Tao, you haven¡¯t slept well recently, right?¡± Ah Tao hasn¡¯t had a good rest since that nightmare. Although being able to warn of danger was a special ability bestowed by the heavens, everything had two sides. Ah Tao wass warned of danger in advance, so she had been afraid in advance. Thinking of this, Shen Yao¡¯s heart suddenly twitched uncontrobly. Meeting his gentle and heartbroken gaze, Ji Zhao suddenly felt a lump in her throat. She blinked aggrievedly, then stretched out her arms and wrapped them tightly around his muscr waist. ¡°Yes... I haven¡¯t been able to sleep recently. Even if I manage to fall asleep sometimes, I¡¯ll always dream of that raging fire.¡± ¡°My Ah Tao, you must be very tired.¡± Shen Yao kissed the tip of her hair with heartache andforted her gently. ¡°Ah Tao, close your eyes obediently and sleep well now, okay?¡± ¡°Okay . Ji Zhao found afortable position in his arms and listened to his steady and strong heartbeat. Gradually, she became sleepy. A momentter, Shen Yao carefully ced the person in his arms on the bed. Then, he pulled a thin nket over her and left quietly, closing the door gently. Before Shen Yao left, he specially instructed Second Manager You not to let anyone disturb Ah Tao¡¯s good dreams. Then, he rushed towards the Qin family. A few days ago, Qin Minghong had released the news that he was sick and was recuperating in his residence. However, the truth was that Qin Minghong had already secretly returned to the prefecture capital. After receiving the news, Qin Yong immediately personally weed Shen Yao into the residence. Qin Yong was not only the head of the Qin family¡¯s guards, but he was also one of Qin Minghong¡¯s trusted aides. If Ji Zhao had not begged Qin Minghong to lend him a team of guards, Qin Yong would have followed Qin Minghong back to the prefecture capital. Shen Yao, who came to the Qin family, was not empty-handed. He had prepared a lot of medicinal herbs and handed them to Qin Yong. ¡°Third Young Master Shen, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Last night, I saw a few little brothers seriously injured,¡± Shen Yao said with some self-reproach. ¡°Although these medicinal herbs are not expensive tonics, they can nourish blood and energy. Take it as a small token of my appreciation. After all, if it weren¡¯t for our family, you wouldn¡¯t have been injured.¡± ¡°Third Young Master, you¡¯re being too serious!¡± Qin Yong hurriedly bowed and said, ¡°Before Young Master left, he specially instructed me to protect the Shen family well. It¡¯s just that we¡¯re really not skilled enough. If it wasn¡¯t for Third Young Masterst night, I¡¯m afraid we would have been beheaded.¡± ¡°However, it¡¯s really surprising that Third Young Master knows martial arts.¡± Qin Yong subconsciously scratched his head and smiled foolishly. ¡°Third Young Master¡¯s temperament is refined and elegant. You don¡¯t look like a martial artist. Moreover,st night, Third Young Master¡¯s moves were very fierce. Every move could be said to be fatal!¡± ¡°I once had a master when I was young,¡± Shen Yao exined with a smile. Then, he changed the topic without batting an eyelid. ¡°By the way, did those people reveal any useful information?¡¯ ¡°Those ten people are all a tough nut to crack, tough cookies. They¡¯re not easy to chew.¡± Qin Yong shrugged helplessly and said, ¡°Until now, we haven¡¯t gotten any useful information. Now, they¡¯re all locked in the dark room of the woodshed. Third Young Master, do you want to go and see them?¡¯ ¡°Alright.¡± Shen Yao pondered for a moment and nodded slightly. ¡°May I trouble Brother Qin Yong to lead the way?¡± Qin Yong hurriedly nodded. Then, he smiled foolishly and said, ¡°By the way, Third Young Master, just call me Qin Yong in the future.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Shen Yao smiled and agreed softly. Qin Minghong¡¯s residence was very low-key and luxurious. After going around a wall carved with lifelike lotus flowers, he turned left and entered the semi-circr arch. After walking for a full 15 minutes, he arrived at the woodshed in the residence. Qin Yong immediately took out a dagger from his waist and opened the lock hanging outside the woodshed. The furnishings in the woodshed were extremely simple. Other than the west wall, there was a tall firewood in front of the other three walls. Qin Yong walked to the west wall and slowly squatted down. After choosing a spot, he knocked twice. Rumble¡ª A heavy and dull sound suddenly sounded. The wall in front of him slowly moved back a full ten feet, revealing a pitch-ck hole. Qin Yong took out a lighter and lit it before walking in front. ¡°Third young master, please follow me.¡± After walking down the stairs for about 15 minutes, Qin Yong finally stopped. He immediately turned to look at Shen Yao and said softly, ¡®Third Young Master, we¡¯re here.¡± Shen Yao frowned in difort, a cold glint in the depths of his eyes. The air was filled with the strong smell of blood. That smell was nauseating. ¡°We¡¯ve already tortured these people,¡± Qin Yong, who was frowning, said in a low voice. ¡°It¡¯s just that these people are too stubborn, so our brothers haven¡¯t been able to dig out any useful information.¡± ¡°Bring someone to the torture rack¡± Shen Yao lowered his eyes and said calmly, ¡°I¡¯ll interrogate him myself.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Qin Yong immediately nodded. As Qin Yong pped his hands, one of the arsonists was escorted to the torture rack. Shen Yao¡¯s gaze did notnd on the back of the torture rack. Instead, he saw the various sharp weapons stained with blood. He casually picked up a dagger and slowly approached the person on the torture rack. With lightning speed, he stabbed it into that person¡¯s corbone! The criminal, who was already on the verge of death, let out a miserable scream! Shen Yao ignored him. Instead, he casually held the dagger in his hand and turned it in the criminal¡¯s flesh. The criminal was sweating profusely from the pain and kept twitching! In the end, he fainted. Only then did Shen Yao let go and turn around. ¡®Get someone to prepare a basin of salt water.¡± The salt water sshed onto the criminal¡¯s wound. The sound of flesh being torn apart made one¡¯s scalp tingle. ¡°Are you willing to confess now?¡± Shen Yao suddenly pulled out the dagger that was inserted into the criminal¡¯s shoulder de and sighed softly.. Chapter 250 - Chapter 250: Why Do Scholars Need to study? Chapter 250: Why Do Schrs Need to study? Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions The criminal who was tied to the cross torture rack was forced to let out a miserable scream! Even Qin Yong, who was used to bloodshed, was shocked. After all, Third Young Master Shen¡¯s temperament gave people the feeling that he was as gentle as jade. But who would have thought that he would have such a cold side? In the end, all the criminals who could not withstand the torture confessed. Shen Yao did not expect the mastermind of the arson to be the brothel madam of the brothel. ¡°Third Young Master, the Wind and Moon Restaurant of Thunder Mountain County seems to have a powerful background.¡± Qin Yong frowned slightly and asked in a low voice, ¡°But why would the Shen family have a grudge with the Wind and Moon Restaurant?¡¯ Shen Yao lowered his eyes, hiding the hostility in them. ¡°Ahem.¡± Qin Yong hurriedly smiled awkwardly. ¡°But how do you n to deal with this group of people?¡± This group of skilled arsonists were all hired thugs secretly raised by the Wind and Moon Restaurant. ¡°Cut off the tendons in theiir hands and feet. When it gets dark, throw them all back to the Wind and Moon Restaurant,¡± Shen Yao said softly as he lowered his head and rubbed the pouch at his waist. ¡± -Okay.¡± He used the calmest tone to say the most ruthless punishment. The third young master of the Shen family really could not be judged by his appearance! Aftering out of the secret room, Shen Yao was not in a hurry to leave. Instead, he rested for a while and went to see Master Song. In the front yard of the Qin family, there was an elegant and unique tea room. The tea room was not big, but the decorations inside were luxurious. As soon as Shen Yao stepped into the tea room, he smelled a faint fragrance. Taking a closer sniff, it seemed to be the fragrance of tea mixed with wisps of sandalwood. A middle-aged man with disheveled hair and dressed in green was sitting cross-legged in front of the curved pear blossom wood tea table, resting with his eyes closed. ¡°Master Song.¡± Shen Yao stopped in his tracks and bowed slightly. ¡°In the Analects of Confucius, there is a saying, ¡®A gentleman does not ask for food to fill his stomach, and he does not seek peace in his residence. If he is sensitive to things and careful with his words, he will be upright. It can be said that he is eager to learn.¡¯ What¡¯s the exnation?¡± Shen Yao raised his eyebrows silently. This Master Song was very interesting. ¡°Confucious thought that a gentleman should not seek to be full, nor should he seek to livefortably. He should be agile and diligent in his work, and he should be more cautious in his words. He should be close to people with morals and knowledge, and learn to correct his shorings. That would be good enough for him to learn.¡± Shen Yao smiled calmly. ¡°There seems to be some disdain in your tone?¡± Master Song suddenly looked up into Shen Yao¡¯s eyes with a burning gaze. ¡°You don¡¯t agree with Confucious¡¯s words?¡± ¡°Confucious¡¯s thoughts center on benevolence.¡± Shen Yao chuckled. ¡°But not everyone in this world is a good person!¡¯ ¡°Some people put on a virtuous and benevolent appearance, but they do dirty things like to pilfer, to phnder.¡± Shen Yao suddenly sighed. ¡°I¡¯m inexperienced and don¡¯t dare to judge Confucious¡¯s thoughts. It¡¯s just that sometimes, I don¡¯t agree.¡± ¡°Before Young Master Qin left, he told me that if Young Master Shen Yaoes to visit, I have to wee him warmly.¡± Master Song slowly stood up and walked in front of him. His eyes were like torches as he said in a deep voice, ¡°Just now, Young Master Shen¡¯s understanding of the Analects of Confucius was indeed unique and creative, but... ¡® ¡°Different paths lead to different goals.¡± A faint smile suddenly appeared on Master Song¡¯s face, but the smile did not reach his eyes. ¡°If Young Master Shen wants to participate in the imperial examination, you must first convince yourself to trust Confucious¡¯s thoughts,¡± Master Song said earnestly. ¡°If you don¡¯t even believe yourself, how can you get a good ranking during the examination?¡± ¡°Master Song, please forgive me for being rude,¡± Shen Yao suddenly said. ¡°l just want to ask you a question. Why do schrs need to study?¡± ¡°Many students have studied hard for years just to get on the rankings,¡± Shen Yao suddenly said with a smile. ¡°Getting on the ranking and rising to the top. From then on, they can live a luxurious life. Is this the meaning of studying?¡¯ ¡®Your words are biased.¡± Master Song shook his head in disagreement. ¡°Studying is to cultivate one¡¯s character and open one¡¯s mind. The meaning of studying is to know shame and distinguish right from wrong.¡± ¡°There are many people in this world who like to study, and there are even some women who like to study. However, women can¡¯t participate in the scientific examination at all. Is the meaning of their studying also for pleasure?¡± Master Song could not help but ask, ¡°Shen Yao, I once read your theory. Your calligraphy is good, and your opinion is sharp and special. You can be said to be unique and stand out from the crowd.¡± ¡°But your only w is that you¡¯re too clear-headed.¡± Master Song suddenly walked to his side and patted his shoulder. He sighed softly and said, ¡°When you participated in the imperial examination three years ago, I was also one of the judges. Your theory of water management received unanimous praise from other colleagues. Only I gave you a low score.¡± ¡°Senior, you¡¯ve actually read the essay written by me?¡± Shen Yao was shocked. ¡°But my results back then...¡± Sun He got someone to swap his test paper. The answer sheet that originally belonged to the word ¡°Shen Yao¡± had long been changed. ¡°Back then, I impeached a profligate son of the Sun family in the court. In the end, he was displeased by the emperor. The Sun family even wanted to secretly take my life. Fortunately, Young Master Qin saved me and I was able to live in this world.¡± Looking at his stunned gaze, Master Song sighed softly. ¡°Shen Yao, I heard some hostility in your words just now. If you don¡¯t ease yourself early, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll hurt yourself in the future.¡± ¡°If the path in front of you is destined to be full of thorns, retreating is not the only choice.¡± Master Song suddenly smiled. ¡°If you have enough ability and courage, you might be able to cut through the thorns on a muddy path and finally be invincible, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve learned a lot.¡± Shen Yao smiled gratefully and looked at Master Song with heartfelt admiration. ¡®Qin Minghong is right. Senior is indeed a knowledgeable person. Listening to your words is better than studying for ten years.¡± ¡°I¡¯m ttered.¡¯ ¡°Master Song, are you willing to help me resolve the hostility in my heart and take me in as your disciple?¡± Shen Yao looked into his eyes and asked sincerely. ¡°l heard that Young Master Shen¡¯s calligraphy is excellent. If Young Master Shen really wants to take me as your master, why don¡¯t you copy the Analects ten times?¡¯ Master Song looked into his eyes and smiled. ¡°Okay.¡± Hongxing Restaurant. It was not until dusk that Ji Zhao woke up from her sleep. She slept soundly. There were no nightmares. It was very sweet. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Hearing themotion, Shen Yao immediately walked up to her and smiled gently. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Rumble¡ª Ji Zhao lowered her head and looked at her stomach that was already t from hunger. She covered her face shyly.. Chapter 251 - Chapter 251: Naturally Looking at You Chapter 251: Naturally Looking at You Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions ¡°Chicken soup wontons?¡± Ji Zhao smelled the fragrance and immediately got up from the bed. ¡°Is it the little wontons at the intersection of West Street?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Yao smiled and nodded. He gently pushed away the hair on her forehead and said gently, ¡°If you eat now, the temperature should be just right.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly nodded. She picked up the spoon and scooped some wonton soup. The soup was fragrant and every small wonton had a thin skin and a lot of meat. With a bite, the fragrant soup immediately burst out in her mouth, giving her taste buds a feast. A momentter, Ji Zhao finally finished the bowl of wontons. The dim candlelight swayed gently, and the bright and beautiful girl in front of him had a satisfied expression. ¡°Shen Yao, what are you looking at?¡± Seeing how engrossed he was, Ji Zhao, who was holding her face with both hands, blinked curiously. ¡°Of course I¡¯m looking at you.¡± Shen Yao raised his eyebrows gently and tapped the tip of her nose dotingly. ¡°Are you full?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m full!¡± Ji Zhao grinned. Then, she pointed at his small stomach and said with a smile, ¡°It probably won¡¯t make any more protests.¡± At this moment, she was exceptionally delicate and naive. It was really adorable. ¡°Today, I went to the Qin Residence to meet Master Song.¡± Shen Yao looked into her eyes and said softly, ¡°Just as Qin Minghong said, Master Song is knowledgeable and talented.¡± ¡°So you want to take Master Song as your master?¡± Ji Zhao immediately understood what he meant. She blinked and asked curiously. ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Yao nodded slightly. ¡®Tomorrow, I want to bring Chenchen to the Qin Manor to officially visit Master Song.¡± Ever since Ji Zhao had a nightmare that the Shen family¡¯s courtyard would catch fire, she had convinced Ji Chen to go to Eldest Brother Shen¡¯s pastry shop to help. Although Ji Chen was quiet, he was extremely reliable. Although he did not understand why his sister insisted on him staying in the pastry shop to help, he still listened obediently. The business of the Shen Ji Pastry Shop was bing more and more popr. Double-skinned milk and various styles of milk tea were immediately popr once they wereunched. In addition, the Shen Ji Pastry Shop was already famous, so the profits of the Shen Ji Pastry Shop were increasing. Every day at 9:15 pm, Eldest Brother Shen was in the happiest mood. Because at this time of night he began to calcte the ounts. ¡°Don¡¯t tire yourself out,¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen said gently as she sent over a bowl of warm milk ¡°Dongmei, we have more and more silver on hand now.¡± After settling the ounts, Eldest Brother Shen closed the ount book with satisfaction and said with a smile, ¡°I n to buy the shop on East Street.¡± ¡°Shen Lei, should we discuss this with Father and Mother again?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen asked hesitantly. ¡°After all, our courtyard has been burned down. I¡¯m afraid it will cost a lot of money to rebuild it! Moreover, I¡¯m worried that Father and Mother will be very tight on money.¡± ¡°No.¡± Eldest Brother Shen took a sip of milk tea and let out afortable sigh. ¡°I know my parents. They won¡¯t be without money. ¡± ¡°But...¡¯ ¡°Shopkeeper Zhao was in a hurry to sell, so he lowered the price of the shop by 50 taels,¡± Eldest Brother Shen said excitedly. ¡°You also know that shop. The shop is big enough and the market is good. Now that our Shen Ji¡¯s reputation has been spread, I believe that when we move there, our business will definitely prosper!¡± ¡°After we earn money, it won¡¯t be toote for us to be filial to Father and Mother. Looking at Eldest Brother Shen¡¯s excited expression, Eldest Sister-inw Shen felt a little uneasy. ¡°Shen Lei, is Shopkeeper Zhao really a trustworthy person?¡± Sister-inw Shen could not help but frown. ¡°I feel uneasy...¡± ¡°Dongmei, don¡¯t worry.¡± Eldest Brother Shen patted his chest and promised, ¡°I¡¯ve been doing business for so many years. Can¡¯t I tell if the other party is a human or a ghost?¡± ¡°Shopkeeper Zhao has been running the grain shop for many years. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that his mother was seriously ill in the countryside and urgently needed expensive medicinal herbs to save her life, he wouldn¡¯t have lowered the price of the shop again and again,¡± Eldest Brother Shen quickly said. ¡°However, business is business, Shopkeeper Zhao might lower the price of the shop even more tomorrow.¡± Before Eldest Sister-inw Shen could say anything, Eldest Brother Shen had already blown out the candle. ¡°Dongmei, it¡¯ste. Shall we rest early?¡± Now that Eldest Sister-inw Shen was in thete stages of pregnancy, she would always wake up several times at night. Therefore, she and Eldest Brother Shen temporarily slept in separate beds. After a while, Eldest Sister-inw Shen heard a familiar snoring sound. Shopkeeper Zhao¡¯s appearance was too coincidental. Moreover, the shops on East Street were expensive. Even if Shopkeeper Zhao was short of money, he would not lower the price of the shops. Taking a step back, even if a pie really fell from the sky, why would it hit Shen Ji Pastry Shop¡¯s head? However, after being married to Eldest Brother Shen for so many years, Eldest Sister-inw Shen knew her husband too well. She could not directly question Shopkeeper Zhao in front of Eldest Brother Shen. Therefore, she could only use a roundabout method to ask Ah Tao for help. The next day. Ji Zhao woke up early in the morning and personally made a few types of refreshments and prepared some apprenticeship gifts. By the time she was done, Shen Yao had already picked Ji Chen up from Shen¡¯s Restaurant. ¡°Chenchen?¡± Ji Zhao rushed in front of him and hugged him warmly. She rubbed his little head hard and shouted excitedly. After not seeing him for a few days, Ji Zhao felt that Ji Chen had grown taller. ¡°Sister,¡± Ji Chen called out obediently. Seeing the siblings¡¯ intimate actions, Shen Yao could not help but cough lightly. ¡°Ah Tao, it¡¯s gettingte. ¡® ¡°Oh, okay.¡± Only then did Ji Zhao reluctantly let go of the little boy in her arms. Then, she handed all the gifts she had prepared to Shen Yao. ¡°I wish you sess! When you seed in bing disciples, I¡¯ll make delicious food for you!¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Shen Yao agreed happily. ¡°By the way, Ah Tao, Eldest Sister-inw asked me to pass you a message just now. She said that she wants to see you. If you¡¯re not busy today, why don¡¯t you go to Shen Ji?¡¯ ¡°Eldest Sister-inw is looking for me?¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll goter.¡± When Shen Yao brought Ji Chen to the Qin Residence, Ji Zhao also went to Shen Ji with a few new pastries. Halfway through the night, there was already a long line outside Shen Ji¡¯s door. Feng Chunyan was helping distribute the number tes. When she saw Ji Zhao, she immediately beamed. ¡°Sister Ah Tao!¡± ¡°Eh? Why don¡¯t I see Big Brother?¡± After entering the shop, Ji Zhao asked curiously. ¡°Brother-inw went out to do something, but Sister is in the backyard! Sister Ah Tao, there are too many customers in this shop. I¡¯ll go greet the customers first.¡± Feng Chunyan smiled apologetically. ¡°Okay.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and nodded. She carried the newly made refreshments and went to the backyard.. Chapter 252 - Chapter 252: I Can’t Take You As My Disciple Chapter 252: I Can¡¯t Take You As My Disciple Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions When Ji Zhao walked into the backyard with the refreshments, Eldest Sister-inw Shen was squatting on the ground and peeling the yam skin. ¡°Eldest Sister-inw?¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly went forward and helped her up. ¡°Ah Tao, you¡¯re here?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen smiled and replied, ¡°Ah Tao, I n to make yam pork ribs soup for lunch. Why don¡¯t you stay and drink a bowl?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Ji Zhao smiled generously. ¡°Mother said that the soup made by Eldest Sister-inw is the best.¡± ¡°If someone else were to praise me, I would definitely be overjoyed. But when you praise me, why do I feel so guilty?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen deliberately teased. Ji Zhao could only smile. ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, I made some new refreshments. Do you want to try them? I realized that using green tea juice to mix the pastries has a different vor. Try this white jade green tea cake quickly.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll try it. ¡® After Eldest Sister-inw Shen wiped her hands, she picked up a piece of pastry and took a bite. The sweet pastry carried the fragrance of tea leaves. The two fragrancesplemented each other, making the pastry taste even richer. ¡°Delicious!¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen couldn¡¯t wait to praise, ¡°Ah Tao, you¡¯re really amazing, aren¡¯t you?¡¯ ¡°Actually, this is still Shen Yao¡¯s inspiration for me,¡± Ji Zhao said happily. ¡°Shen Yao likes to drink tea. He said that when he drinks tea, those tea pastries are too greasy. Moreover, the vor of the tea pastries are too heavy and will overshadow the fragrance of the tea. Therefore, I thought ofbining the two. In the end, this white jade green tea cake indeed has a different vor.¡± ¡°Ah Tao, you¡¯re really amazing.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen praised from the bottom of her heart. Her eyes were filled with admiration as she looked at Ji Zhao. ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, I¡¯ve already written the recipe for this pastry.¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly took out the recipe from her sleeve and said with a bright smile, ¡°You can let the chef in the shop make it first.¡± ¡°Ah Tao, we¡¯re doing business here. Your eldest brother and I will buy the recipe for this pastry.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen quickly expressed her attitude. ¡°Name a price. I¡¯ll go get the silver for you.¡± ¡°ELdest Sister-inw, there¡¯s really no need!¡± Ji Zhao was caught betweenughter and tears when she saw her serious expression. ¡°Shen Ji is a pastry shop. If we want to retain our old customers and attract new customers, we have to constantly push forward new ones. This way, our business can thrive! Besides, we¡¯re family. It¡¯s just a recipe for tea pastries. Eldest Sister-inw, there¡¯s really no need to calcte so clearly!¡± Back then, when Shen Yao was injured and even gave up on himself, it was all thanks to the help of his two sisters-inw. The Shen family was very simple and honest. More importantly, the rtionship between the family was very harmonious. It was precisely because of this that Ji Zhao was willing to offer the pastry recipe. After all, they were family! ¡°Since you don¡¯t want the silver, I won¡¯t force you.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen thought for a moment and immediately made a decision. ¡°Let¡¯s follow the dividend model. At the end of the year, I¡¯ll calcte the dividends that I should give you. When the timees, you¡¯re not allowed to decline!¡¯ The smile on Ji Zhao¡¯s face became even more helpless. ¡°By the way, Ah Tao, actually, I called you over today because I want to hear your opinion on something.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen suddenly frowned, and her tone was tinged with a faintyer of worry. ¡°About this matter, I keep feeling uneasy...¡± Fifteen minutester, after understanding the whole story, Ji Zhao could not help but frown. ¡°So Shopkeeper Zhao lowered the price of the shop by fifty taels again?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen felt uneasy. ¡°You know that ever since the business in Shen Ji improved, your eldest brother has been thinking of expanding the shop. Now that such an opportunity has appeared, your brother is tempted.¡± ¡°But I feel uneasy. How can there be so many good things to have something fall into yourp?¡¯ Sister-inw Shen sighed helplessly. ¡°It¡¯s a pity that your eldest brother is getting along very well with Shopkeeper Zhao now. He thinks that Shopkeeper Zhao is a good person.¡± ¡°So, Ah Tao, I want to ask for your opinion. Besides, aren¡¯t you on good terms with the restaurant¡¯s Second Manager You? Second Manager You is knowledgeable and is a famous figure in the county city. Therefore, I want you to ask Second Manager You for help and find out if this Shopkeeper Zhao is really trustworthy?¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Ji Zhao nodded obediently. ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll think of a way to investigate this matter.¡± ¡®Yeah.¡¯ ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, you¡¯re still pregnant. You can¡¯t let one¡¯s imagination run wild anymore.¡± Ji Zhao smiled faintly and looked into her eyes. She said seriously, ¡°If you don¡¯t want the child in your stomach to have a bitter expression the moment they¡¯re born, don¡¯t worry anymore.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen was stunned at first, but in the end, she couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, you don¡¯t believe me?¡± Ji Zhao raised her eyebrows and her tone became more serious. ¡°Actually, a child can sense an adult¡¯s emotions. Moreover, when Eldest Sister-inw is free, you should talk to the child in your stomach or read to him.¡± ¡°Read to him?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen widened her eyes in surprise. ¡°He can understand?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if he doesn¡¯t understand,¡± Ji Zhao exined with a smile. ¡°Actually, prenatal education is very important. There are also some benefits of prenatal education recorded in ¡®Important Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold¡¯. In short, Eldest Sister-inw, when you¡¯re free, you have to talk to the child in your stomach and chat with him. It¡¯s beneficial and harmless. Why don¡¯t you do it?¡± Hearing Ji Zhao¡¯s words, Eldest Sister-inw Shen hurriedly nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right, Ah Tao. What you said makes sense.¡± . Tvleanwhile, in the Qin Residence... After Master Song finished looking over Ji Chen¡¯s words, he admired the snowy scenery he had painted. He could not help but sigh. ¡°I finally understand the meaning of the word ¡®the younger generation will surpass us¡¯!¡± Ji Chen blinked and looked up at Shen Yao. Shen Yao smiled gently at him and rubbed his head. He exined in a low voice, ¡®The teacher is praising you!¡± Hearing this, Ji Chen grinned. ¡°Chenchen doesn¡¯t talk much.¡± Shen Yao smiled and exined when he met Master Song¡¯s puzzled gaze. ¡°But he¡¯s very smart, and I also realized that he¡¯s very talented in painting.¡± Master Song couldn ¡®t help but nod. ¡°I¡¯ve seen some special children in the capital. Some of them, although silent, are exceptionally talented in a certain skill.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s the same for Ji Chen.¡± Master Song thought for a moment, stroked his white beard, and said softly, ¡°I¡¯m willing to take him as my disciple. ¡® ¡°Although his paintings are interesting, theposition is still a little inexperienced. I feel that if he can focus, he will definitely make a difference in the future.¡± Master Song was quite satisfied with Ji Chen as a student. ¡°As for Young Master Shen,¡± Master Song said sincerely, ¡°l can¡¯t ept you as my disciple.¡± Chapter 253 - Chapter 253: Many Variables in the World Chapter 253: Many Variables in the World Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions Shen Yao raised his eyebrows silently, confusion appearing in his eyes. ¡®Why?¡± Master Song sighed softly and said, ¡°Shen Yao, you¡¯re already full of wisdom. I can¡¯t teach you at all. Your biggest problem is that you have hostility.¡± ¡°Only by getting rid of that hostility can you calm down and study.¡± Master Song looked at Shen Yao and said earnestly, ¡°l heard that this autumn, the imperial court might reopen the Fall Quarter Examinations. Why don¡¯t you give it a try?¡± ¡°The Fall Quarter Examinations are held once every three years. It was already heldst year.¡± Shen Yao frowned curiously. But Master Song smiled. ¡°Shen Yao, there are many variables in the world.¡± Master Song suddenly patted his shoulder and said with a kind smile. When Shen Yao brought Ji Chen back to Hongxing Restaurant, Ji Zhao had not returned yet. Shen Yao said a few words to Ji Chen, then turned around and went to the kitchen. He thought that Ah Tao should stay at Shen Ji for lunch. Just as Shen Yao had expected, Ji Zhao had indeed stayed at Shen Ji for lunch. However, at this moment, the atmosphere in Shen Ji was not good. Eldest Sister-inw Shen looked at the silent Eldest Brother Shen with a straight face. She was so angry that she could not speak ¡°Shen Lei! How can you be so muddle-headed? How can you sign this contract without reading it clearly?¡¯ They had been husband and wife for many years, but this was the first time Eldest Sister-inw Shen had scolded Eldest Brother Shen using his full name! ¡°I...¡± Eldest Brother Shen scratched his ears in frustration. ¡°l don¡¯t know either.. At that time, I drank two sses ofwine with Shopkeeper Zhao, and he lowered the price of the shop by 50 taels. I was really tempted, so I signed this contract and paid a deposit of 100 taels.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen was so angry that she could not speak. ¡°Buying a shop is such a big deal. Why didn¡¯t you discuss it with me?¡± ¡°Dongmei, don¡¯t be angry,¡± Eldest Brother Shen coaxed her. ¡°You¡¯re still pregnant. It¡¯s bad for your health to be angry!¡± ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, can you show me the contract?¡± When the atmosphere was less tense, Ji Zhao coughed lightly and asked softly. Eldest Sister-inw Shen hurriedly handed the letter to her. Ji Zhao looked at it seriously and her gaze fell on thest line of small words. Her heart sank. ¡°Eldest Brother, is there a problem with this sentence?¡± Thest line of the contract stated that once the transaction between the buyer and the seller waspleted, the buyer had to bear all the debts of the seller and could not go back on his word. Otherwise, not only would the contract be invalidated, but the buyer would also have topensate the seller five hundred taels? ¡°This is apletely unequal overlord treaty!¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly stood up and asked nervously, ¡°Big Brother, when you signed the contract, did Shopkeeper Zhao act strangely?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, don¡¯t panic first.¡± Eldest Brother Shen quickly waved at the two of them. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, listen to me first. ¡® ¡°Thisst contract was added by Shopkeeper Zhao. His goal is very simple. Because he¡¯s in a hurry to sell the shop, he doesn¡¯t want the buyer to go back on his word.¡± Eldest Brother Shen patted his chest and smiled confidently. ¡°As for the shop¡¯s previous debt, I¡¯ve asked clearly. Brother Zhao only owes the workers¡¯ sries. It¡¯s not much. It¡¯s only 25 taels.¡± ¡°Tomorrow morning, Brother Zhao wille to look for me. At that time, I¡¯ll go to the county office with him to prepare the case,¡± Eldest Brother Shen said with a smile. ¡°So, wife, Ah Tao, you really don¡¯t have to worry so much.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already asked around. That shop is worth 300 taels of silver. Now, we¡¯ve only spent half of the price to buy the shop. We didn¡¯t lose out on this business,¡± Eldest Brother Shen said excitedly when he saw that they had calmed down. ¡°I hope so...¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen exchanged nces with Ji Zhao and smiled helplessly. ¡°Ah Tao, can you do me a favor?¡¯ ¡°Brother, what is it?¡± ¡°Can you help mee up with some good ideas? When the new shop opens, can our Shen Ji hold some discount activities? Besides, didn¡¯t you mention something about a membership system earlier? Can you help mee up with a detailed n?¡¯ ¡°Alright.¡± Ji Zhao nodded in agreement. Halfway through the night, Ji Zhao returned to Hongxing Restaurant. At that moment, Ji Chen was standing in front of the desk, drawing seriously and attentively. Shen Yao, who was standing beside him, was seriously adding details. ¡°Sister?¡± Ji Chen quickly looked up when he heard footsteps. He quickly put down the paintbrush in his hand and rushed to Ji Zhao with a smile. ¡°Did my Chenchen sessfully be a disciple today?¡± Ji Zhao, whose eyes were curved into crescents, could not help but rub the little hair on his head and ask with a smile. ¡°Yes!¡¯ Ji Chen nodded vigorously, and the smile on his face became even more obedient. ¡°I¡¯ve be disciple, Sister. A feast?¡¯ ¡°Have you really be a disciple?¡± Ji Zhao was extremely excited. HeShehurriedly looked at Shen Yao and confirmed again, ¡°Ah Yao, is what Chenchen said true? Is Master Song really willing to take him as a disciple?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Looking at her surprised smile, Shen Yao nodded slightly. The gloominess that lingered in his heart seemed to have dissipated by more than half. ¡®Master Song has indeed taken Chenchen as his disciple.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Ji Zhao was extremely excited. She could not help but bend down and kiss Ji Chen¡¯s cheek. ¡°Our Chenchen is really great. Sister is so happy!¡¯ Ji Chen, who was kissed by her, lowered his head shyly. ¡°Tonight, Sister will make a super delicious meal for our Chenchen! Chenchen, please look forward to it!¡± Ji Zhao wished she could kiss Ji Chen, hug him, and raise him up high. Unfortunately, her arms were too slender, so there was no way to express her excitement in this way. ¡°Ahem.¡± Shen Yao suddenly coughed when he saw her looking at Ji Chen lovingly. ¡®What¡¯s wrong? Is your throat ufortable?¡± Ji Zhao quickly poured a cup of tea and handed it to him. ¡°Quick, drinka cup of tea to moisten your throat.¡± ¡°Ah Tao.¡± Shen Yao suddenly looked up at her, his low voice filled with grievance. ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ji Zhao walked to his side anxiously and tiptoed to touch his forehead. ¡°Shen Yao, don¡¯t scare me. Are you feeling unwell somewhere?¡± ¡°Here.¡± Shen Yao suddenly grabbed her hand and ced it on his left chest. He said aggrievedly, ¡°It¡¯s a little ufortable.¡± ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ji Zhao sensed his abnormality and asked gently with a frown. ¡°Master Song doesn¡¯t want to take me as his disciple,¡± Shen Yao looked at her and said pitifully. ¡°Huh?¡± When Ji Zhao heard this news, she was really stunned. ¡°So, Master Song thinks that Chenchen is very talented in painting, so he took Chenchen as his disciple? But he didn¡¯t take you as his disciple?¡± Ji Zhao blinked in confusion. ¡°But why didn¡¯t Master Song take you in?¡± Ji Zhao remembered that ording to the plot in the book, the reason why Shen Yao would be the Grand Secretary of the imperial court in the future was because he was talented in literature! Why was Master Song unwilling to take him in as a disciple? Chapter 254 - Chapter 254: A feast for the eyes and the palate Chapter 254: A feast for the eyes and the pte Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions Ji Zhao could not figure it out, so she decided not to think about it. When Shen Yao was not paying attention, she suddenly tiptoed and leaned close to his cheek, quickly kissing him. ¡°Shen Yao, don¡¯t be sad, okay?¡± ¡± -Okay.¡± Shen Yao raised his eyebrows gently and rubbed her cheek affectionately. ¡°l didn¡¯t seed in bing a disciple, will Ah Tao still cook a feast for me?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly, her eyes curved like a bridge. ¡°You guys rest for a while. I¡¯ll go talk to Second Brother You and borrow the restaurant¡¯s small kitchen.¡± ¡°Shall I go with you?¡± ¡°No need!¡± Ji Zhao quickly waved her hand. ¡°If you¡¯re bored, y Go with Chenchen! I¡¯ll be back soon!¡± When it was almost evening, Second Manager You was counting the ingredients in the kitchen. When he heard Ji Zhao¡¯s voice, he hurriedly put down the ount book and weed her with a smile. ¡°Ah Tao? Why are you in the kitchen? Are you going to cook something delicious again?¡¯ ¡°Second Brother You really has sharp eyes!¡¯ Ji Zhao praised with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m going to fry a few chicken chopster. Don ¡®t worry, Second Brother You. You¡¯ll get your share too!¡¯ ¡°Hahaha!¡± Second Manager You immediatelyughed heartily. ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait and see!¡± Ji Zhao walked into the kitchen with a smile. After putting on an apron, she began to prepare chicken chops. Compared to spicy chicken chops, Ji Zhao preferred sweet plum-vored chicken chops. The fried chicken chop was not difficult. As long as one could perfectly control the time and fire, the fried chicken chop would be crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. It would be crispy and delicious. Apart from the fried chicken chops, Ji Zhao was also preparing to make a beef scone. There were still some differences between the method of making scones and shaobing. The scones needed more attention on the ingredients and the heat. After Ji Zhao washed her hands, she began to make beef fillings. She spread the beef filling evenly on the prepared tbread and hung it in the hanging stove to bake for seven to eight minutes. Soon, the fragrance of the tbread wafted out. When she took it out, she sprinkled some sesame and green onions, and the fragrance became stronger. In addition to the chicken chops and scones, Ji Zhao made another peanut and pork ribs soup. Unlike the past, Ji Zhao specially ced the soup ingredients in a special small earthen jar this time. This method was called earthen jar simmered soup. Halfway through the night, Shen Yao and Ji Chen were a little hungry. ¡°Brother-inw.¡± Ji Chen suddenly put down the stone in his hand and nced at Shen Yao anxiously. ¡°l want to look for my sister.¡¯ ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious,¡± Shen Yao said softly. ¡°Chenchen, Ah Yao, let¡¯s eat!¡¯ When Ji Zhao approached the door with a tray, Shen Yao hurriedly came out to wee her. He naturally took the tray from her and asked gently, ¡°Ah Tao, why didn¡¯t you call me to bring the food?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not heavy.¡± Ji Zhao smiled nonchntly. ¡°Chenchen,e and try this!¡± She quickly picked up a bamboo stick, poked a small piece of chicken chop, and brought it to Ji Chen¡¯s mouth. ¡°Try it.¡± Ji Chen obediently opened his mouth and took a bite. Right on the heels of that, he ate a second and third piece... ¡°Good!¡± Ji Chen grinned happily and said obediently. ¡°Ah Yao, do you want to try one too?¡± Ji Zhao happily poked another chicken chop and fed it to Shen Yao¡¯s lips. Shen Yao smiled and took a bite slowly. ¡°Isn¡¯t it delicious? I specially wrapped the chicken chops with ayer of sweet plum powder. This way, the fried chicken chops will have a faint plum fragrance and can relieve the greasy taste of the chicken chops. What do you think?¡± In the end, under Ji Zhao¡¯s expectant gaze, he said: ¡°A feast for the eyes and the pte.¡± Ji Zhao naturally understood what he meant. her cheeks involuntarily turned red. ¡°Ahem, I¡¯m asking you how the chicken chop tastes. What are you talking about?¡± ¡®What do you think, Ah Tao?¡± Shen Yao raised her chin with interest and forced her to look at him. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t understand!¡± Ji Zhao pretended to cough twice and immediately avoided his gaze. She instructed Ji Chen, ¡°Chenchen, remember to finish the pork rib soup in the jarter.¡± ¡°Ah Tao, are you going somewhere?¡± ¡°I have something to ask Second Brother You about.¡± After Ji Zhao gave her instructions, she turned around and left, rushing downstairs. At that moment, Second Manager You was also enjoying arge chicken chop with sweet plum vor. ¡°Ah Tao, your fried chicken chops are too delicious, aren¡¯t they? Moreover, this soup is not bad!¡± Second Manager You said with satisfaction, ¡°Especially this peanut and pork rib soup. The taste is sweet and not greasy at all.¡± ¡°The earthen jar simmered soup leaves the original fragrance. Unfortunately, the peanut and pork ribs soup I made today is still a littlecking in heat. If it was simmered with hard charcoal for more than six hours, the texture would be even richer and the pork ribs in the soup would be even softer.¡± Ji Zhao exined with a smile, ¡°Actually, the y pot simmered soup and the y pot rice have the same effect because both are made using special containers. It¡¯s just that one uses the earthen jar and the other uses the y pot. ¡® ¡°Although the climate in Dingyuan County has gradually warmed up, the warmer it is, the more we have to pay attention to our diet.¡± Ji Zhao exined seriously, ¡°After all, the spring breeze in February is like a pair of scissors, so in my opinion, I think we should drink more soup at this time. After all, no medicine is better than food!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Hearing her words, Second Manager You couldn¡¯t help but nod. ¡°Ah Tao, what you said makes sense! After I tasted your y pot rice earlier, I had an idea. Why don¡¯t you listen to it?¡¯ ¡°Alright!¡± Ji Zhao readily agreed and obediently sat on the bench opposite him. ¡°Didn¡¯t you mention before that you wanted to open a shop in the prefectural city in the future? I go to the prefectural city every six months because only by going to the prefectural city can I understand the current cuisine. This way, I can continuously learn andunch new dishes.¡± Second Manager You put down his bowl and chopsticks and exined softly, ¡°To be honest with you, when I first heard that you wanted to open a shop in the prefectural city, I felt that your thoughts were too simple. What kind of ce is the prefectural city? Every inch ofnd there is worth a lot of money! Moreover, there are several hundred-year-old restaurants on the Vermilion Bird Avenue in the prefectural city. That¡¯s why I subconsciously refuted your thoughts.¡± ¡°However, after I read the proposal you listed in detail, I just want to say that Ah Tao, you¡¯re the most profitable and boldest girl I¡¯ve ever seen!¡± Second Manager You gave a thumbs up from the bottom of his heart and praised, ¡°So I¡¯ve decided to invest in your Spring Breeze Pavilion!¡± ¡°Second Brother You, then I¡¯ll use tea as wine.. Thank you!¡¯ Chapter 255 - Chapter 255: Big Brother Was Cheated Chapter 255: Big Brother Was Cheated Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Second Manager Youughed heartily, then immediately raised his cup and clinked it with hers. ¡°Then I¡¯ll wish your Spring Breeze Pavilion a prosperous business in advance!¡± ¡°Thank you, Second Brother You!¡± Ji Zhao replied with a smile. She already had a detailed n. This year, she had to run the fried snack shop well. After earning the first bucket of gold, she would go to the prefecture to choose a suitable small shop. No matter what, she had to sessfully build the brand of Spring Breeze Pavilion! ¡°By the way, Second Brother You, there¡¯s one more thing I want to ask you.¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly asked, ¡°I wonder if you¡¯re familiar with Shopkeeper Zhao from the Zhao¡¯s Rice Shop? Is this Shopkeeper Zhao a reliable person?¡± ¡°Are you referring to the Zhao¡¯s Rice Shop at the entrance of East Street?¡¯ Second Manager You was stunned at first, then asked curiously, ¡°If you had asked me this question half a year ago, I would have told you that Old Zhao was honest and honest. Usually, when someone went to his ce to buy rice, he would only give more and not less. However, half a year ago, Old Zhao fell and gambled with his brother-inw. He became a gambler who did not care about his life. Naturally, the business of the rice shop plummeted. ¡® ¡°But I heard that he has already found his next target, right? I wonder which fool is willing to take over Old Zhao¡¯s mess. I reckon that Old Zhao owes at least a thousand taels of silver!¡± Hearing this, Ji Zhao¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and her face turned extremely pale. Indeed, pies would not fall from the sky for no reason. What fell could only be a trap ! ¡°Ah Tao, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Second Manager You noticed that she did not look too good and asked anxiously, ¡°Are you feeling unwell?¡± ¡°Second Brother You.¡± Ji Zhao squeezed out a smile that was uglier than crying. ¡°The person who took over Zhao¡¯s Rice Shop is my eldest brother.¡± ¡°Eldest Brother?¡± Second Manager You ¡®s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°How did Eldest Brother Shen fall for it?¡± ¡°Big Brother felt that the shop was big enough. In addition, Shopkeeper Zhao lowered the price of the shop again and again, so Big Brother was tempted.¡± Ji Zhao smiled bitterly. ¡°l only found out about this today.¡± What was even more frustrating was that Brother Shen had even signed an unfair contract with Shopkeeper Zhao. ¡°Before Old Zhao leaves, let Eldest Brother Shen repent of this contract!¡± Second Manager You hurriedly stood up. ¡®Today, I¡¯ll give up this old face and be a middleman. Ah Tao, let¡¯s not waste any more time. Quick, go to Shen Ji to find Eldest Brother! ¡® An hourter. Eldest Brother Shen looked at the empty rice shop and slowly squatted down. If he hadn¡¯t seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn¡¯t have believed it¡ª It turned out that all of this was a trap set up against him! ¡°Shopkeeper Zhao has already left the city overnight.¡± Second Manager You sighed softly. ¡°If I¡¯m not wrong, he left the city overnight after you signed the contract with him.¡¯ Eldest Brother Shen buried his head in his hands, unwilling to admit this fact. ¡°Big Brother?¡± Ji Zhao looked at him and was really worried. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. There are always more solutions than difficulties.¡± ¡°Ah Tao.¡± After a moment of silence, Eldest Brother Shen slowly stood up. His eyes had unknowingly turned red. ¡°Can you promise me not to tell your Eldest sister-inw about this?¡± ¡°Dongmei... She¡¯s about to give birth in a month. I don¡¯t want her to worry.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Ji Zhao immediately nodded. ¡°But Big Brother, have you thought of what to do?¡± ¡°Tomorrow morning, I¡¯ll go to the county office first.¡± After calming down, Brother Shen had already thought of a solution. ¡°Let¡¯s prepare a case in the county office first. Then, I¡¯ll think of a way to get the county magistrate to help. Other than that, I can¡¯t think of any other good solution...¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The night wind blew, and the shadows of the trees floated. The air seemed to be filled with the residual fragrance of plum blossoms. When Ji Zhao returned to the guest room of the restaurant, she felt exhausted both physically and mentally. ¡°Ah Tao?¡± Shen Yao immediately walked to her side and thoughtfully handed her a cup of snow pear soup. ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°Big Brother has been deceived.¡± Ji Zhao looked up at him and said in a distressed tone, ¡°Now that Shopkeeper Zhao has gone missing, we don¡¯t know how this matter will develop in the end... Zhao¡¯s Rice Shop owes a total of 1,235 taels of silver!¡± Even if they sold Shen Ji, they probably wouldn ¡®t be able to gather so much money. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m too sensitive, but I keep feeling that Shopkeeper Zhao was up to no good when he approached Big Brother!¡± Ji Zhao wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned against his chest. She said in a low voice, ¡°And all of this seems to be a trap deliberately targeted at Big Brother.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think too much.¡± Shen Yao gently rubbed her head and said gently, ¡°Things haven¡¯t reached the worst situation yet. We can¡¯t panic yet. Ah Tao, you¡¯ve been tired for a day. Have a good rest. ¡® Okay! ¡® The next morning, Eldest Brother Shen was stunned when he opened the door of Shen Ji. There was actually arge group of fierce-looking people standing outside the door of Shen Ji. Those people were all holding sticks and looked like they were not to be trifled with. ¡°Everyone, it¡¯s not time for Shen Ji to open for business yet!¡± Eldest Brother Shen calmed himself down and said with a smile. ¡°Pfft! We¡¯re not here to buy pastries!¡¯ ¡°Let me ask you, are you the new owner of Zhao¡¯s Rice Shop on East Street?¡± ¡°Did that bastard Zhao Xu run away?¡¯ ¡°He owes us brothers a lot of money. You know that, right?¡± ¡°Since you¡¯ve be the new owner of the rice shop, please settle our sry first!¡± Those people spoke one after another, surrounding the entire Shen family. Eldest Brother Shen anxiously wiped the cold sweat off his forehead and hurriedly shouted, ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t be anxious. Let¡¯s talk things out. Can we sit down and discuss it slowly?¡± ¡°Pfft! I won¡¯t discuss it with you unscrupulous merchants!¡¯ ¡°Isn¡¯t that so? You unscrupulous merchants only know how to squeeze the value of poor workers like us! ¡± ¡°In short, since you¡¯ve taken over Old Zhao¡¯s shop, you have to settle the sry of us brothers first! ¡°If you¡¯re not willing to calcte it clearly, then we won¡¯t leave today! Come on! Brothers, let¡¯s stand in front of the door of Shen Ji today. I want to see who else will buy your Shen Ji¡¯s pastries!¡± Eldest Brother Shen did not expect the workers in the rice shop to be so unreasonable. ¡°Little brother, can we negotiate nicely?¡± Eldest Brother Shen said anxiously. ¡°Yes, I wanted to buy Zhao¡¯s Rice Shop at first, but I didn¡¯t expect Old Zhao to owe you money! But we have to be reasonable, right? The person who owes the money is Old Zhao. If you want to find him, you should find him. Don¡¯t you think that makes sense?¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± The tall man in the lead spat on Eldest Brother Shen¡¯s face. ¡°You unscrupulous businessman, do you think I don¡¯t know? Old Zhao said that the new owner has already signed the contract.. He will settle the sry of the brothers! This contract is in my hands!¡¯ Chapter 256 - Chapter 256: Don’t Point At My Wife’s Nose Chapter 256: Don¡¯t Point At My Wife¡¯s Nose Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions When Shen Yao and Ji Zhao arrived, they saw this scene. The aggressive rice shop workers and the helpless and depressed Eldest Brother Shen. Ji Zhao had a sh of inspiration and hurriedly turned around to leave. A momentter, she forcefully struck the gong in her hand and shouted! The group of rice shop workers who were acting shamelessly outside Shen Ji¡¯s door were all shocked! ¡°Ah Tao? Third Brother?¡± After seeing who it was, Eldest Brother Shen seemed to have grasped onto a straw to clutch at. ¡°Eldest Brother, don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Ji Zhao smiled andforted him. Then, she gave Shen Yao a look. Shen Yao immediately nodded, turned around, returned to Shen Ji, and brought out a stool. ¡°Everyone, please listen to me! Ji Zhao looked around at everyone and shouted, ¡°First of all, our Shen Ji is a conscientious merchant. We have never done anythingcking! We run Shen Ji with the purpose of operating it honestly! So, this brother! Please grow your brain the next time you speak! ¡± Ji Zhao pointed at the tall man who was shouting the loudest in the direction and said with a cold gaze, ¡°You just said that you have a contract in your hand, but you don¡¯t seem to have figured out the truth! First of all, the contract signed between Shen Ji Pastry Shop and Zhao¡¯s Rice Shop is unequal! In other words, our Shen Ji is also a victim!¡¯ ¡°My eldest brother wanted to go to the county office to report the case just now, but you guys blocked the door of Shen Ji! What? Do you really think that there are nows in Dingyuan County?¡± Ji Zhao questioned sharply! ¡®Where did this b*tche from? It¡¯s not up to you to decide here, right?¡± The tall, thin-faced man pointed at Ji Zhao¡¯s nose angrily and scolded, ¡°Don¡¯t fool me here! Shen Ji has already signed the contract. The ck and white words on it are clearly written! ¡± ¡°Anyway, if Shen Ji doesn¡¯t pay us today, this matter won¡¯t end!¡± Shen Yao narrowed his eyes unhappily and walked closer to the thin-faced man. He frowned and grabbed his hand that was pointing at Ah Tao. His low voice was filled with hostility. ¡°Don¡¯t point at my wife¡¯s nose.¡± ¡°Pfft, where did this crazy womane from... Ah!¡¯ Before the man could finish speaking, Shen Yao had already crushed his index finger expressionlessly. The man let out a low roar of pain! ¡°Brothers, smash Shen Ji for me!¡± The workers in the rice shop seemed to have gone crazy. They rushed into Shen Ji and started smashing things. After a while, the shop was smashed into a mess. At the end of the day, the bailiffs who had received the news arrivedte. ¡°Stop it!¡± ¡°It¡¯s outrageous, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ ¡°Take them all away!¡¯ The workers in the rice shop and Eldest Brother Shen were taken away by the bailiffs. ¡°Ah Tao, what should we do?!¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen grabbed Ji Zhao¡¯s wrist anxiously. ¡®Will your eldest brother be alright?¡± ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, don¡¯t worry.¡± Ji Zhao quicklyforted her. ¡°Ah Yao and I will think of a way. Big Brother will definitely be fine.¡± ¡°But...¡± The more she thought about it, the more worried Eldest Sister-inw Shen became. In the end, her pregnancy was still affected. An hourter. Ji Zhao looked at Sister-inw Shen, whose face was covered in tears, and hurriedly held her hand. Sheforted her gently, ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, you heard what the doctor said just now, right? You¡¯re about to give birth in a month. This is a critical moment. If your emotions are so unstable, it will affect the child¡¯s health, so promise me not to let your imagination run wild, okay?¡¯ ¡°Ah Tao, I¡¯m still very worried about your brother.¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen raised the back of her hand to wipe the tears off her face and sobbed. ¡°I knew that Shopkeeper Zhao didn¡¯t have good intentions! But your eldest brother just wouldn¡¯t listen to my advice... If I could persuade your eldest brother more, perhaps things wouldn¡¯t have be so bad. It¡¯s all my fault... Boohoo...¡± ¡°Sister-inw, pull yourself together!¡± Ji Zhao held her shoulders and said seriously, ¡°From the moment Shopkeeper Zhao got close to Big Brother, all of this was a trap. So don¡¯t let your imagination run wild, because this isn¡¯t fault at all!¡± ¡°But...¡± ¡°No buts!¡± Ji Zhao interrupted her firmly and said seriously, ¡°Sister-inw, don¡¯t think too much. After drinking the pregnancy stabilizing medicine, rest for a while. Leave the matters outside to me.¡± Afterforting Eldest Sister-inw Shen, Ji Zhao went to the front yard. At that moment, Feng Chunyan was tidying up the shop. When she heard footsteps, she turned to look at Ji Zhao and called out with reddened eyes, ¡°Sister Ah Tao.¡¯ ¡°Chunyan, shall we clean up together?¡± Ji Zhao immediately rolled up her sleeves and helped Feng Chunyan clean up. The two of them quickly cleaned up the shop. In the end, the two of them were so tired that they could not straighten their backs. Feng Chunyan immediately poured two cups of honey water. ¡°Sister Ah Tao, why don¡¯t you have a drink too?¡¯ ¡°Thank you, Chunyan.¡± ¡°Sister Ah Tao, actually, there¡¯s something that Eldest Brother-inw has been unwilling to let me tell you...¡± Feng Chunyan thought about it and decided to reveal the secret hidden in her heart. ¡°Actually, Brother-inw insisted on moving the shop because of me.¡± ¡°Huh? Where did thate from?¡± ¡°Last year, when I was looking over the shop, something happened.¡± Feng Chunyan lowered her head and said in a low voice, ¡°At that time, Shopkeeper Zhao apanied a young master to buy pastries. Brother-inw said that the young master was the only son of the county magistrate. Young Master Ma was the most lecherous... When he was buying pastries, he touched me.. ¡± ¡°Brother-inw had no choice but to help me out. He even said that I was already engaged,¡± Feng Chunyan said in a choked voice. ¡°It¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t expect that Young Master Ma to still not give up. He even came to Shen Ji several times to touch me... Brother-inw really had no choice but to hire a matchmaker to help me arrange a marriage.¡± ¡°The person that Matchmaker Sun said was Shopkeeper Zhao¡¯s nephew and also the young master of the Zhang family¡¯s tavern. Therefore, the reason why Brother-inw is willing to believe Shopkeeper Zhao is because he wants to use this matter to be on good terms with Shopkeeper Zhao. This way, my marriage will be settled.¡± ¡°I wanted to tell Sister about it, but Brother-inw wouldn¡¯t let me... Brother-inw said that Sister is about to give birth, so I can¡¯t let her worry!¡± The more Feng Chunyan spoke, the sadder she became. Her tears kept falling like a kite with a broken string. ¡°Sister Ah Tao, this is all my fault... Boohoo...¡± Ji Zhao did not expect there to be such aplicated story behind this matter. She suddenly thought of something else. She had a dream about Feng Chunyan. In the dream, Feng Chunyan had also been chosen by that silk-pants Young Master Ma. The subsequent story was even more sorrowful.. Because of this, Eldest Brother Shen even suffered an undeserved prison sentence. Ji Zhao thought that with her reminder, this matter would not happen again. However, she did not expect that the plot in the book would happen in another form.. Chapter 257 - Chapter 257: Strange Chapter 257: Strange Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions Ji Zhao gripped the teacup in her hand tightly as her eyes flickered. In other words, her appearance would not change the original plot of the book? No, she had clearly interfered with the plot. Otherwise, something would have happened to the Shen family long ago. ¡°Sister Ah Tao, I¡¯m really scared... If something really happens to Brother-inw, Sister will definitely not be able to take it!¡± Feng Chunyan grabbed Ji Zhao¡¯s arm and voiced all the fear and worry in her heart. ¡°Sister Ah Tao, what should I do?¡± ¡°Chunyan, calm down!¡± Ji Zhao suddenly looked into her eyes and reminded her, ¡°Don¡¯t think about anything. The most important thing for you now is to take good care of Eldest Sister-inw.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s close Shen Ji for the next few days. When Big Brotheres back, we¡¯ll think about it at length.¡± Ji Zhao instructed seriously. In the end, she carried two bags of pastries and rushed towards the county office¡ª She originally wanted to ask to see Ma Tong and find out more news, but she was rejected. It turned out that Butler Ma had already apanied Old Madam Ma back to the prefecture capital. Ji Zhao thought for a moment and went to the county office to wait for news. When Eldest Brother Shen was taken away by the bailiffs, Shen Yao also followed. Shen Yao waited for an entire day. When it was almost dusk, he walked out alone. Seeing the fatigue on his face, Ji Zhao¡¯s heart ached. ¡°Shall we go back to the restaurant first?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Yao nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it when we get back¡± When the two of them returned to the restaurant, Second Manager You immediately asked the waiter to serve two bowls of in noodles. Unfortunately, Ji Zhao and Shen Yao did not have much of an appetite. ¡°No matter how difficult things are, we still have to eat! Second Manager You quickly advised. ¡°Ah Tao, Shen Yao, you guys eat your noodles first. We can discuss after you¡¯re done, right?¡¯ ¡°Zhao Xu dug a big hole for my big brother early on.¡± Shen Yao pinched the space between his eyebrows in frustration and said in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯m afraid that Zhao Xu has already contacted that Master Qi in the county office. In addition, after my big brother signed the contract with him, he even went to the county office to prepare a case...¡± ¡°When both parties went to file the case, Master Qi happened to be present. He even repeatedly emphasized that Big Brother was willing to bear all the consequences after signing the contract. Big Brother agreed.. ¡°With Master Qi¡¯s evidence, I¡¯m afraid Big Brother will definitely suffer this loss.¡± ¡°Lord Ma has deep trust in Master Qi. Over the years, he has been tyrannizing Dingyuan County!¡± Second Manager You snorted coldly. The sarcasm in his tone was self-evident. ¡°¡®lhwo days ago, I received a letter from the young master. I heard that our Lord Ma is about to be promoted! Therefore, the county magistrate definitely wants the big matter to be reduced to a small matter. However, this way, the losses that Eldest Brother Shen suffered are really too big.¡± ¡°I heard that Lord Ma¡¯s political achievements have been mediocre all these years. Why did he suddenly get promoted?¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly asked. ¡°I¡¯m afraid this matter is rted to the Sun family,¡± Second Manager You said in a low voice. ¡°Didn¡¯t we know about Ji Huai¡¯s matter previously? Now that the Sun family is rising in the court, our Lord Ma will naturally be able to climb up the ranks.¡± ¡°Ah Tao,¡± Shen Yao suddenly frowned and said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid this scheme against Big Brother is directed at me.¡± Ever since his leg recovered, the Shen family had been experiencing constant danger. First, Second Brother Shen was almost killed by someone. Then, the Shen family was burned. Now, Eldest Brother Shen was also maliciously framed and imprisoned¡ª ¡°I don¡¯t think so, right?¡± Ji Zhao denied subconsciously. ¡°Perhaps all of this is a coincidence?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, there won¡¯t be so many coincidences in this world.¡± Shen Yao looked up at her and chuckled softly. However, Ji Zhao could hear a bone-chilling coldness in hisughter. ¡°Ah Yao, what do you want to do?¡± ¡°Eldest Sister-inw is still waiting for Big Brother, so nothing must happen to him.¡± ¡°Ah Yao, don¡¯t act recklessly!¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly dissuaded him. ¡°The worst oue of this matter is that we bear the debt left behind by Zhao¡¯s Rice Shop! At most, we¡¯ll admit that we¡¯ve suffered a loss. It¡¯s never toote for a gentleman to take revenge!¡± ¡°But if you do something stupid on impulse, then there¡¯s no turning back!¡± Ji Zhao was extremely anxious. She knew that Shen Yao had originally nned to participate in the Fall Quarter Examinations this autumn! Once he was tainted, he would no longer be qualified to participate in the Fall Quarter Examinations! ¡°Ah Tao, what are you thinking about?¡¯ Shen Yao pinched her cheek helplessly andforted her with a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t do anything illegal.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ji Zhao confirmed again. ¡°Then promise me that you won¡¯t act rashly?¡± ¡°Alright, I promise you!¡± ¡°I think Young Master might be able to help in this matter!¡± Second Manager You thought for a moment and hurriedly stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll immediately write a letter and send the messenger pigeon to Young Master. I¡¯ll see if Young Master can think of a good solution.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Ji Zhao smiled gratefully. ¡°Second Brother You, thank you so much.¡± ¡°Ah Tao, with our friendship, don¡¯t stand on ceremony.¡± At the beginning of the week, Shen Yao looked at the worried Ji Zhao andforted him softly, ¡°Ah Tao, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve already arranged for those bailiffs at the county office today. Nothing will happen to Big Brother in the next three to five days.¡± ¡°Shen Yao, does Zhao¡¯s Rice Shop really owe so much money?¡¯ Ji Zhao stood in front of the window and looked at the hazy moon hanging on the treetops. She asked softly, ¡°The rice shop workers who went to Shen Ji to cause trouble today gave me a strange feeling. I keep feeling that they were instructed by someone.¡± ¡°Tomorrow morning, let¡¯s go meet the workers at the rice shop?¡± Ji Zhao immediately suggested. ¡°1 keep feeling that there¡¯s something strange about those workers. ¡® ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Yao caressed her tightly furrowed brows with heartache and said gently, ¡°Don¡¯t frown anymore.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a little worried about Eldest Sister-inw. Oh right, and Chunyan...¡± Ji Zhao briefly repeated what Feng Chunyan had said. Finally, she rubbed her chin and said thoughtfully, ¡°Shen Yao, don¡¯t you think that everything is interconnected?¡± ¡°Ma Tianxiang is a lecherous person. Big Brother must know about it as well,¡¯ Ji Zhao analyzed calmly. ¡°As one of the people who knew about it, Shopkeeper Zhao took advantage of Big Brother¡¯s anxious mentality. First, he promised to help Chunyan arrange the marriage. Then, he lowered the price of the shop again and again. This way, he couldpletely dispel Big Brother¡¯s guard and achieve his own goal!¡¯ ¡°Now that our courtyard has been burned down, if something happens to Shen JL..¡± Ji Zhao did not dare to think further. The person behind the scenes was meticulous and did not miss anything. ¡°Shen Ji will be fine,¡± Shen Yao said firmly. ¡°Tomorrow morning, let¡¯s find the shop workers to find out the truth.¡± After a moment of silence, Shen Yao said softly, ¡°Ah Tao, do something for me tomorrow, okay?¡¯ ¡®What?¡± Chapter 258 - Chapter 258: Quite Conscious Chapter 258: Quite Conscious Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions The next day, Ji Zhao went to the restaurant¡¯s kitchen early in the morning to get busy. Early in the morning, she ced the cooked ginseng and ck chicken soup into a food box. After packing up, she rushed towards the Ma Residence. Yesterday, she had promised Shen Yao that she would visit the county magistrate¡¯s Madam, Madam Hou, this morning. Shen Yao exined the Ma family¡¯s rtionship to herst night, and Ji Zhao finally understood what Shen Yao meant by a breakthrough point. Old Madam Ma had been alone for many years. She only had one son, County Magistrate Ma. However, County Magistrate Ma was not a sentimental person. Back then, for the sake of his career, he abandoned his wife and married the daughter of the higher-ups, Madam Hou. As for the tyrannical Young Master Ma, although he was registered under Madam Hou¡¯s name, his biological mother was a farmer¡¯s wife that Magistrate Ma had married in the countryside in his early years. Unfortunately, that person was unlucky and died of illness in less than a year after giving birth to Ma Tianxiang. If Ma Tianxiang was involved in the plot against Eldest Brother Shen, then the Hou family would be a good breakthrough point. ¡°Ah Tao, it¡¯s not that I want to attack you.¡± Second Manager You looked at the excited Ji Zhao and said worriedly, ¡°This county magistrate¡¯s Madam is a reclusive person. She has never liked to interact with others.¡± ¡°Second Brother You, in order to save Eldest Brother, I have to give it a try!¡± Ji Zhao sighed softly. ¡°Previously, when I went to the Ma Residence to cook, Madam Ma also praised my double-skinned milk for being delicious. Therefore, even if there¡¯s only a trace of chance, I have to try!¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s a pity that Second Brother Ma apanied Old Madam Ma back to the prefecture capital first,¡± Second Manager You said regretfully. ¡®Otherwise, our chances of meeting Madam Ma would be higher.¡± In addition to a pot of ginseng and ck chicken soup, Ji Zhao also brought along a painting made by Shen Yao. Early in the morning, Second Manager You apanied Ji Zhao to the Ma Residence. ¡°The things have been handed in, but it¡¯s hard to say if Madam Ma is willing to see us.¡± Second Manager You looked at the indifferent Ji Zhao and sighed. ¡°Ah Tao, don¡¯t have too much hope. ¡® ¡°Second Brother You, I believe Madam Ma will be willing to see me.¡± Ji Zhao slowly looked up and smiled firmly. At that moment. Madam Hou, who was kneeling in the small Buddhist hall in the backyard and chanting Buddhist scriptures, couldn¡¯t help but raise her eyebrows when she saw the chicken soup and paintings that Ji Zhao had gotten someone to send in. Aplicated expression appeared in her eyes. ¡°Madam, do you want to see her?¡± the little maid, Lianxin, asked in a low voice. ¡°Ginseng ck Chicken Soup nourishes the qi and nourishes the blood. Before I got married, my favorite thing to drink was the ck Chicken Soup that my mother made herself.¡± With Lianxin¡¯s help, Madam Hou slowly stood up. There was a sincere smile in her eyes. ¡°This Miss Ji is quite thoughtful.¡± ¡°As the saying goes, one never visits unless they need something. I feel that this Miss Ji must have a request!¡¯ Lianxin said firmly. ¡°However, I feel that this painting is a little strange.¡± The painting was a painting of a hundred children. However, everyone in Dingyuan County knew that the county magistrate¡¯s Madam had been married for many years and had never been pregnant. Although she had a son, he was not her legitimate son... ¡°Invite Miss Ji in.¡± Madam Hou chuckled. Halfway through the night, Ji Zhao was finally invited into the Ma Residence. She was brought to the reception pavilion by a maidservant. Not long after, a servant served refreshments. The weather was very bright today, and Ji Zhao had waited outside for more than an hour. Her mouth was really dry. After taking a sip of tea, a look of amazement shed across her eyes. Ji Zhao looked down at the stamen that appeared on the surface of the tea and silently curled her lips. The originally bitter green tea was mixed with osmanthus stamen soaked in honey. Not only did it cover the astringent taste of the green tea, but it also raised the taste of the entire cup of tea to a higher level. The clear and sweet taste left asting aftertaste. She had to admit that this design was very ingenious. Just as Ji Zhao was savoring the tea, Madam Hou arrivedte. ¡°Greetings, Madam.¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly stood up, bent her knees slightly, and curtsied respectfully. This county magistrate¡¯s Madam was exactly as Ji Zhao had imagined. She was wearing a dark gray brocade robe embroidered with the word ¡®fortune¡¯, making her pallor look very ugly. Although her facial features were very upright, it did not hide the haggardness in her eyes. ¡°Get up.¡± Madam Hou smiled and said gently, ¡°The bowl of ginseng ck chicken soup that Miss Ji sent in just now tastes pretty good.¡± ¡°The most important thing is that you like it, Madam.¡± Ji Zhao smiled faintly and said gently, ¡°Previously, when I was lucky enough toe to the residence to cook for Matriarch¡¯s birthday banquet, I wanted to visit you. It was just that I was too busy that day. In addition, I had been busy in the kitchen for the entire day, and the smell of oil and smoke on my body was too strong, so I didn¡¯t visit you.¡± ¡°Miss Ji.¡± Madam Hou smiled slightly. Her seemingly gentle eyes were filled with a cold light. ¡°If you have something to say, why don¡¯t you just say it?¡¯ ¡°Madam, please forgive me for asking.¡± Ji Zhao mustered his courage and asked softly, ¡°When Madam married the county magistrate back then, did you know that he was already married?¡± ¡°How dare you! ¡± The maidservant standing behind Madam Hou berated angrily. ¡°Who gave you the guts to speak to the Madam in such a tone?¡± Madam Hou smiled and shook her head at the maidservant behind her. Then, she looked at Ji Zhao and asked softly, ¡°l heard that Miss Ji is already married? Your husband is also a schr? Miss Ji, don¡¯t you think that your question just now has already offended others?¡¯ ¡°Madam, Ah Tao doesn¡¯t want to offend you,¡± Ji Zhao said sincerely. ¡°It¡¯s just that Ah Tao is in some trouble now and wants to ask Madam for help. The trouble Ah Tao encountered is rted to Young Master Ma.¡± ¡°Ah Tao knows that Young Master Ma is not Madam¡¯s legitimate son, so Ah Tao wants to make a deal with Madam.¡± Ji Zhao clenched her fists and looked into her eyes. She said softly, ¡°Madam, do you want to have your own child?¡± Madam Hou suddenly narrowed her eyes, and her gentle smile instantly disappeared. ¡°Miss Ji, some things can¡¯t be said carelessly!¡¯ ¡°Madam, didn¡¯t you try? How do you know that you can¡¯t do it?¡¯ Ji Zhao met Madam Hou¡¯s cold gaze fearlessly. On the other side. Shen Ji Pastry Shop. Looking at the drunk Young Master Ma in front of her, Feng Chunyan shrunk her neck and kept retreating¡ª ¡°Young Master Ma, Shen Ji is not open for business today...¡± Feng Chunyan clenched her fists nervously and said in a low voice, ¡°If you want to buy pastries,e backin a few days?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know what I¡¯m here for?¡± Ma Tianxiang, who was already drunk, suddenly smiled. However, that cheap smile coupled with his pockmarked face was really nauseating... Ma Tianxiang approached her step by step. He raised the folding fan in his hand and lifted her chin. He sneered.. ¡°Don¡¯t ruin my mood on such a good day! As long as you cooperate obediently, your brother-inw and Shen Ji will be safe and sound! Do you understand?¡± Chapter 259 - Chapter 259: A Motherless Child Is Like Grass! Chapter 259: A Motherless Child Is Like Grass! Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions ¡°Young Master Ma... please... please have some self-respect...¡± Feng Chunyan, who was iparably terrified, choked. ¡°Have some self-respect?¡± Hearing this, Ma Tianxiang was instantly enraged and gave her a tight p! Pall! That crisp sound resounded throughout the entire hall! Feng Chunyan held her painful cheek and gritted her teeth, not daring to make a sound. Fifteen minutes earlier, her sister drank the pregnancy stabilizing medicine and fell asleep. She could not wake her sister up¡ª ¡°I¡¯m warning you, don¡¯t force me to use the hard way. Do you understand?¡± Ma Tianxiang pinched her chin forcefully and forced her to look at him. Looking at the tears on her face, he only felt happy! Ma Tianxiang grabbed Feng Chunyan¡¯s hair with one hand and tore off the clothes on her shoulders with the other! Feng Chunyan subconsciously wanted to resist, but no matter how hard she tried, she could not break free. Just as Ma Tianxiang was about to charge forward, he felt a dull pain in his head. Before he could turn around, he had already fallen to the ground! Feng Chunyan was caught off guard. Her eyes widened in horror and she subconsciously covered her mouth! Feng Dongmei threw away the vase in her hand in fear and retreated repeatedly¡ª ¡°Sister! ¡± ¡°Chunyan?¡¯ Feng Dongmei clutched her stomach in pain. ¡°Chunyan, are you alright?¡± ¡°Sister!¡± Feng Chunyan regained her senses and hurriedly supported Feng Dongmei, who was on the verge of copse. ¡°Sister, there¡¯s blood. There¡¯s so much blood!¡¯ Blood kept gushing out from between Feng Dongmei¡¯s legs! ¡°Sister!¡± Feng Chunyan shouted anxiously, ¡°Doctor! I have to find a doctor to save you!¡± ¡°Chunyan, stop! ¡® Feng Dongmei hurriedly stopped him. ¡°Go and see if that person is dead first.. Feng Chunyan hurriedly stretched out her finger and checked Ma Tianxiang¡¯s breathing. At that moment, Ma Tianxiang suddenly opened his eyes. Caught off guard, he grabbed her neck, flipped over, and pressed her under him. ¡°You b*tch, how dare you plot against this young master? Looks like you won¡¯t learn your lesson until this young master makes you suffer a little, right?¡± ¡°You beast, let go of my sister!¡± Feng Dongmei held her stomach and rushed forward, trying to save Feng Chunyan. Unfortunately, she overestimated her strength! ¡°Damn b*tch, how dare you plot against me? Are you tired of living?¡± Ma Tianxiang violently tore off Feng Chunyan¡¯s clothes, then turned around and kicked her! If Shen Yao had not arrived in time and pulled Feng Dongmei to the side, her stomach would have been kicked! ¡°Third Brother?¡± ¡°Eldest Sister-inw,¡± Shen Yao said with a frown. Then, he sent Ma Tianxiang flying with a roundhouse kick! ¡°How dare you barge into a private house and touch a woman in broad daylight?¡± Shen Yao scolded sternly and rushed out of the house again. He kicked Ma Tianxiang¡¯s chest and his genitals! ¡°Oh my, why are they fighting?¡¯ ¡°Look, isn¡¯t that Young Master Ma?¡± ¡°I think so!¡± ¡®Well done!¡± The surrounding crowd suddenly erupted into cheers! Right on the heels of that, countless rotten eggs and vegetables were thrown onto Ma Tianxiang¡¯s bruised face! ¡°This Young Master Ma has been tyrannizing Dingyuan County for many years just because his father is the county magistrate!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that so? Didn¡¯t he ruin the eldest daughter of the Liang Family¡¯s Pub?¡± ¡°And Miss Ruhua from the Green Stone Alley next door!¡¯ ¡°He even snatched Old Madam Zhang¡¯s coffin money! ¡® ¡°Fellow vigers, thew does not punish the masses. Let¡¯s teach this bastard a lesson today!¡¯ ¡°Since the county magistrate can¡¯t teach his son well, let¡¯s help him teach him!¡± By the time the servants of the Ma Residence arrived, themoners surrounding Shen Ji had already dispersed. At that moment, Ma Tianxiang was also in an extremely sorry state. He was in a mess, his head was bleeding, and his face was swollen¡ª ¡°Just you wait!¡± Ma Tianxiang scolded angrily. Then, with the help of his servants, he left with his tail between his legs¡ª Shen Yao turned around and returned to the lobby of Shen Ji. Eldest Sister-inw Shen was hugging Feng Chunyan, who was half-dressed. Sheforted her softly, ¡°Chunyan, it¡¯s alright, it¡¯s alright... Shen Yao turned around obediently and said softly, ¡°Sister-inw, I¡¯ll go get the doctor now. Why don¡¯t you and Chunyan go back to the backyard first?¡± Okay! ¡® On the other side, after chatting with Ji Zhao for a while, Madam Hou felt that she had been enlightened. Her usually gloomy mood had also improved a lot. ¡°If Madam can maintain a happy mood from time to time, it will be extremely good for Madam to get pregnant.¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and wrote down some ingredients. She reminded softly, ¡°From your pulse, Madam is weak. You don¡¯t have a constitution that allows you to get pregnant easily. That¡¯s why Madam hasn¡¯t had any children for so many years.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a loss of blood and qi. It¡¯s difficult to conceive because your menstrual blood has stagnated.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and handed over the prescription. ¡°Madam, why don¡¯t you follow this prescription for half a month first? I guarantee that after half a month, Madam¡¯splexion will definitely change.¡± ¡°Miss Ji, I¡¯ll believe you this time.¡± Madam Hou smiled. ¡°Madam, in the future, you will definitely be grateful for your trust in me at this moment,¡± Ji Zhao said with a confident smile. Just as Ji Zhao stood up and was about to leave, an old granny with a head of white hair hurriedly walked into the reception hall and whispered into Madam Hou¡¯s ear. ¡°Causing trouble again?¡± Madam Hou sighed softly. The emotions in her words were unfathomable. ¡°Nanny Ji, go with Miss Ji first.¡± Madam Hou smiled helplessly. Finally, her gazended on Ji Zhao¡¯s face. ¡°Miss Ah Tao, I¡¯m afraid your sister-inw is about to give birth. You should go back quickly!¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly bade farewell. When she rushed back to Shen Ji, her heart suddenly sank. The midwife wiped the sweat off her forehead and hurried out. As the curtain was lifted, the strong smell of blood instantly filled the entire backyard. ¡°I¡¯m afraid the Madam can¡¯t take it anymore. Sir, can you say something? Save the mother or the child?¡± Shen Yao, who was standing in the courtyard, felt a chill run down his spine. ¡°l want Eldest Sister-inw and her son to be safe!¡± ¡°Sir, the pregnant woman¡¯s condition is really dangerous now. She¡¯s bleeding too much! If you can¡¯t make a choice early, the worst oue will be one corpse and two lives!¡± One corpse and two lives! This word suddenly exploded in Ji Zhao¡¯s ears! ¡°You old witch, don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡± Ji Zhao rushed forward and said with a sharp gaze, ¡°My Eldest sister-inw is lucky and will definitely be safe!¡¯ Ji Zhao rushed into the room without any exnation. After quickly washing her hands, she turned around and took out a piece of ginseng from her sleeve. She put it to Eldest Sister-inw Shen¡¯s lips and said, ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, don¡¯t be afraid. With me around, you and the child will be fine!¡± ¡°Ah Tao...¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen, who was almost unable to open her eyes, heard that familiar voice and opened them with difficulty. She anxiously grabbed Ji Zhao¡¯s palm and pleaded in a low voice, ¡°Ah Tao... I want... the child to be safe.. It was not easy for her to have this child. She had to let the child descend into this world safely! ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, don¡¯t speak. Save your strength!¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s tone suddenly became serious.. ¡°If you can¡¯t pull yourself together, your child will be a motherless child! A motherless child is like a de of grass!¡± Chapter 260 - Chapter 260: You’re Really Great Chapter 260: You¡¯re Really Great Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions A motherless child was like a de of grass! Hearing this, Eldest Sister-inw Shen felt a pain in her heart! She was a child who had lost her mother since she was young! All these years, she and Chunyan had relied on each other and had been through hardships. Before she married Eldest Brother Shen, she had lived a life where she could not eat or wear warm clothes... She did not want her child to experience that kind of pain again! ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, you want my little nephew to be born without a mother¡¯s love? Don¡¯t you want to see how cute the child you gave birth to after ten months of pregnancy is? Eldest Sister-inw! You have to believe in yourself! You can definitely do it!¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s encouragement gave Eldest Sister-inw Shen full courage. She held her breath and let out a shrill cry! ¡°I saw the baby¡¯s head!¡± ¡°Quick! Put more strength into it!¡± ¡°The baby¡¯sing out! ¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen gripped the bedsheets tightly in pain and used her full strength again¡ª Waaah ! A baby¡¯s cry resounded through the sky! ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, you¡¯re really great.¡± Ji Zhao, who had witnessed this scene with her own eyes, had already unknowingly turned red. She looked at the exhausted Eldest Sister-inw Shen and praised her from the bottom of her heart. ¡°Ah Tao, thank you...¡± After barely saying these five words, Eldest Sister-inw Shen fell asleep. An hourter. The room was finally cleaned up. Ji Zhao looked at the fair and tender child in the swaddling clothes and smiled gently. ¡°Little brat, do you know that you almost scared us out of our wits?¡± After rewarding the midwife, Ji Zhao carried the child out of the screen. ¡°Ah Yao.¡± Ji Zhao walked to the side of the silent Shen Yao and smiled gently. ¡°Look, isn¡¯t this little guy that Sister-inw gave birth to very cute?¡¯ Shen Yao nced at the little guy wrapped in swaddling clothes and replied softly. ¡°Do you want to hold him?¡± ¡°No... No...¡± Shen Yao quickly waved his hand and refused. ¡°Try it!¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile as she ced the bundle in Shen Yao¡¯s arms. Shen Yao straightened his body nervously and hugged the bundle in his arms, not daring to move. ¡°Ah Yao, don¡¯t be so nervous!¡± Ji Zhao reminded him gently. ¡°You have to hold the baby¡¯s neck with your left hand and hug the middle of the bundle with your right hand. Also, don¡¯t be so stiff!¡± Shen Yao was so nervous that he did not dare to speak. It was only when the hand that was separated by the swaddling cloth felt a wave of warmth that Shen Yao hurriedly raised his head to look at Ji Zhao. His face was filled with despair. ¡°Ah Tao, he seems to have... pooped.. ¡® Ji Zhao had never seen such a helpless expression on Shen Yao¡¯s face. If only she had a camera now. She would definitely take a photo of Shen Yao¡¯s expression as a memento. ¡°Ah Tao?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and looked at him. Then, she carefully carried the swaddled baby back from his arms and turned around to go to the Inner room. ¡°You little fe, you¡¯re quite naughty? It¡¯s your uncle¡¯s first time carrying you, and you gave him such a warm gift?¡± Ji Zhao quickly changed the little fe¡¯s diapers and muttered softly, ¡°Don¡¯t bully your uncle in the future, or else your auntie will beat you up!¡± After the little guy fell asleep after drinking goat¡¯s milk, Ji Zhao tiptoed out of the room. At that moment, Shen Yao was wiping the blood on the ground. ¡°Take a break,¡± Ji Zhao said softly as she handed him a bowl of chicken soup. ¡°It¡¯s already wiped clean.¡± Shen Yao slowly looked back and smiled. ¡°Eldest Sister-inw and the child are asleep?¡± ¡°Yes, Eldest Sister-inw woke up 15 minutes ago. After resting, she ate a big bowl of chicken soup noodles and fell asleep again,¡± Ji Zhao said gently. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you appearing in time today. Otherwise, Eldest Sister-inw and the child would be in danger.¡± Shen Yao looked at Ji Zhao, his gentle eyes filled with gratitude. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t encouraged Eldest Sister-inw at thest moment, I¡¯m afraid the consequences would have been unimaginable.¡± ¡°Actually, Eldest Sister-inw was able to sessfully give birth to the child because she was very powerful.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and said, ¡°After all, the power of motherly love is very great.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Yao nodded slightly. However, he had already made up his mind that if he consummated his marriage with Ah Tao in the future, he would never let Ah Tao get pregnant. It was really terrifying for a woman to have a child. ¡°By the way,¡± Ji Zhao tugged at his sleeve and asked with a frown, ¡°When will Big Brother be released?¡± ¡°Soon,¡± Shen Yao said firmly. ¡°If nothing goes wrong, Big Brother will be able to go home tomorrow.¡± . Meanwhile, at the Ma Residence... The enraged Ma Tianxiang smashed the entire set of blue and white porcin teacups, his triangr eyes shing with surging anger! He had never suffered such humiliation in his life! ¡°Eldest Young Master, this is a critical moment for the Lord¡¯s promotion. If anything goes wrong at this time, it will definitely affect His Excellency¡¯s future.¡± The advisor, Qi Rong, who was trusted by County Magistrate Ma, advised earnestly. ¡®Who do you think you are? Get lost!¡¯ Ma Tianxiang raised his leg angrily and kicked Martial Advisor Qi¡¯s chest! County Magistrate Ma happened to see this scene. ¡°Are you rebelling?¡± Magistrate Ma didn¡¯t say anything else and directly rushed to Ma Tianxiang¡¯s face, giving him a resounding p! ¡°You bastard, how dare you touch amoner girl in broad daylight? Do you have to embarrass our Ma family¡¯s ancestors before you¡¯ll stop?¡± ¡°You hit me?¡± Ma Tianxiang covered his face and widened his eyes in disbelief. ¡°Alright! It¡¯s fine if outsiders bully me, but you actually hit me? Do you still have me in your heart? ¡® The front yard was a mess, but the backyard was abnormally quiet. Madam Hou looked at the bowl of ck medicine in front of her and could not help but want to retreat. ¡°Lianxin, do you think I¡¯m crazy to believe someone I¡¯ve only met once?¡¯ ¡°Madam, I¡¯ve already tasted it just now. This medicine isn¡¯t bitter at all. Instead, it¡¯s sweet,¡± Lianxin said respectfully. ¡°Moreover, I¡¯ve also consulted the doctor with the prescription. There¡¯s no problem.¡± Madam Hou sighed softly and forced herself to finish the bowl of medicine in one gulp. ¡°It¡¯s indeed not bitter.¡± Madam Hou could not help but raise her eyebrows. ¡°All these years, in order to beg for a child, I¡¯ve drunk too much bitter medicine. This is the first time I¡¯ve encountered such a sweet one.¡± ¡°Madam, may I say something?¡± Lianxin bent her knees slightly and said softly, ¡°Actually, I think that Miss Ji is right about something. Madam, you can¡¯t always be depressed about not having a child! You have to learn to enlighten yourself before you can rx.¡± ¡°l understand.¡± Madam Hou lowered her eyes and looked at her t stomach. Her eyes flickered. Before the Old Madam left, she had already revealed her intention to take in a concubine for her husband. She could not sit still and wait for death. ¡°Lianxin, help me change. I want to see my husband..¡± Chapter 261 - Chapter 261: Why Do You Think That? Chapter 261: Why Do You Think That? Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions The next day, Shen Yao waited outside the county jail early in the morning. The once high-spirited Eldest Brother Shen had now be disheveled. Although he had only been in prison for two days, the smell on his body had be rotten and extremely unpleasant. ¡°Big Brother?¡± Shen Yao hurried forward and called out softly. ¡°Third Brother?¡± Eldest Brother Shen forced a smile and asked with concern, ¡°Is everything alright in the shop? Is your sister-inw alright? Is she frightened?¡± ¡°Brother, let¡¯s go home first.¡± When the two of them returned to Shen Ji, Ji Zhao brought out the brazier she had prepared. ¡°Big Brother, quickly cross the brazier and get rid of the bad luck!¡± ¡± -Okay!¡± Eldest Brother Shen¡¯s eyes turned red with gratitude. After stepping over the brazier, he went to the backyard to wash up. Halfway through the morning, Ji Zhao brought the prepared pork trotter noodles to Eldest Brother Shen. ¡°Big Brother, after eating the pig trotter noodles, your bad luck will end.¡± ¡°Ah Tao,¡± Brother Shen choked out, ¡°thank you.¡± Fifteen minutester, Eldest Brother Shen put down his bowl and chopsticks. After looking around, he asked curiously, ¡°Third Brother, Ah Tao, where¡¯s Dongmei?¡¯ ¡°Big Brother, something happened in the shop yesterday...¡± Shen Yao looked at him and briefly told him what happened yesterday. Brother Shen clenched his fists in anger. A momentter, he let go weakly. ¡°I was too stupid!¡± Eldest Brother Shen lowered his head and med himself. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t trusted that bastard Zhao Xu so easily, all this wouldn¡¯t have happened. It¡¯s all my fault!¡± ¡°Big Brother, now that it has happened, it¡¯s useless even if you me yourself,¡± Shen Yao looked at him and said in a low voice. ¡°Ahem.¡± Ji Zhao quickly coughed twice and kept shooting looks at Shen Yao. In the end, she looked at Eldest Brother Shen and said, ¡°Brother, hurry up and take a look at Eldest Sister-inw and the child.¡± ¡°Okay.. ¡± After Brother Shen went to the backyard, Ji Zhao gently grabbed Shen Yao¡¯s sleeve and raised her eyebrows at him without saying a word. ¡°Huh?¡± Shen Yao looked down at her in confusion. ¡°Big Brother is already very sad. Why did you add salt to his wound just now?¡¯ Ji Zhao did not agree with Shen Yao¡¯s actions just now. ¡°If the wound doesn¡¯t hurt, it will heal quickly.¡± Shen Yao sighed softly, his tone filled with disappointment. ¡°Big Brother has been managing Shen Ji for five to six years. If he¡¯s not hurt this time, he might make the same mistake in the future.¡± A businessman must be astute. If he could be easily yed by others, the oue would definitely be miserable. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Ji Zhao crossed her arms and seemed to be deep in thought. ¡°But Shen Yao, will the next matter be even more troublesome?¡¯ Zhao Xu had run away. Zhao¡¯s Rice Shop owed so much debt¡ª ¡°And that bastard Ma Tianxiang, he definitely won¡¯t let this go, right?¡± The more Ji Zhao thought about it, the more worried she became. ¡°Shen Yao, we have to think of a n.¡± ¡®Yesterday, I asked to see Lord Ma.¡± Shen Yao held her hand and smiled gently. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ma Tianxiang won¡¯t cause any trouble for the time being. As for Zhao¡¯s Rice Shop, I¡¯ve met with the workers at the rice shop. In short, all the problems can be put to an end. ¡® ¡°Really?¡± Ji Zhao was extremely excited. ¡°Ah Tao, make some pastriester. I have use for them.¡± Seeing her smile, Shen Yao could not help but smile. Ah Tao¡¯s smile seemed to have a special power. As long as he saw the bright smile on her face, all his worries would be swept away. ¡°Okay.¡± When Ji Zhao walked into the kitchen, she saw Feng Chunyan squatting in front of the stove, crying silently. ¡°Chunyan?¡¯ ¡°Sister Ah Tao?¡± When Feng Chunyan heard the voice, she hurriedly wiped the tears on her face and forced a smile. Seeing the haggard look on her face, Ji Zhao approached her with heartache and slowly squatted down. Ji Zhao did not say anything. She only took out a handkerchief from her pocket and gently wiped the tears on her face. Feng Chunyan blinked her eyes helplessly. She tried to stop crying, but her tears kept falling like pearls. ¡°If you want to cry, just cry.¡± Ji Zhao held her face, her eyes filled with gentleness. ¡°Chunyan, if you feel distressed, just cry. Don¡¯t force yourself to smile. Everyone has the right to vent their emotions. I know you¡¯re very afraid and terrified, but that was yesterday. It¡¯s all in the past.¡± ¡°Sister Ah Tao...¡± Feng Chunyan could not hold it in anymore. She leaned on Ji Zhao¡¯s shoulder and cried loudly! It was as if she wanted to cry out all the grievances and fear in her heart! In the end, she cried until she was out of breath¡ª An hourter. Ji Zhao cut a small piece of the steamed sugar cake and handed it to Feng Chunyan, who had calmed down. ¡°I specially added osmanthus and honey into the sugar cake. It should taste good. Try it?¡± Although she had no appetite, Feng Chunyan still forced herself to take a bite. The sugar cake was sweet but not greasy. It melted in her mouth and was endlessly sweet. ¡°No matter how hard life is, you have to find a way to give yourself some sweetness.¡± Ji Zhao looked into her eyes and said earnestly, ¡°Chunyan, I know that you¡¯re still very afraid of what happened yesterday. But Chunyan, everyone will encounter countless setbacks and difficulties in their lives. When facing these setbacks or difficulties, fear won¡¯t solve the problem.¡± ¡°The best way to solve the problem is to be stronger and muster up the courage to face it.¡± ¡°Sister Ah Tao...¡± Feng Chunyan did not fully understand what she was saying. In the end, she asked nervously, ¡°Yesterday... what happened yesterday, was it really not my fault?¡± ¡®Why do you think so?¡± Ji Zhao frowned in disapproval and asked softly. I don¡¯t know...¡± Feng Chunyan lowered her head. She felt extremely ufortable. ¡°Actually, I didn¡¯t sleepst night. As soon as I closed my eyes, I saw that person¡¯s face. I was very afraid... And I think that all of this started because of me. If it wasn¡¯t for me, Brother-inw wouldn¡¯t have been deceived so easily! Anyway, it¡¯s all my fault, isn¡¯t it?¡± Ji Zhao finally understood the crux of Feng Chunyan¡¯s problem. The victim¡¯s sense of self-me is derived from the ssic theory of victim guilt. ¡°Chunyan, who do you think a good-looking person should thank the most?¡± Ji Zhao rubbed her head and asked softly with a faint smile. ¡°Ah?¡¯ Feng Chunyan looked up nkly. After thinking for a while, she shook her head. ¡°A person¡¯s appearancees from their parents. Isn¡¯t there a saying that the body, hair, and skin are inherited from the parents?¡± Ji Zhao smiled.. ¡°Chunyan, do you want to hear a story?¡± Chapter 262 - Chapter 262: Sister Ah Tao, Thank You So Much! Chapter 262: Sister Ah Tao, Thank You So Much! Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions ¡°In the past, there was a girl who was good-looking since she was young. She could be said to be as beautiful as a flower, even more beautiful than XishiO.¡± Ji Zhao picked up a piece of sugar cake and took a small bite. Then, she began to exin tirelessly, ¡°Anyone who has seen this girl must praise her for being good-looking. In addition, this girl is especially obedient and polite. She smiles at everyone she meets. When this girl reached adulthood, her parents arranged a good marriage for her. However, the change happened on the day this girl went to the market to buy sewing materials.¡± ¡°This girl originally wanted to buy some embroidery threads to personally sew her bridal attire. Just as she was about to leave after buying the embroidery threads, a rich and powerful young master blocked her path. That rich young master saw that the girl was extraordinarily beautiful and lusted after her. He harassed her repeatedly. In the end, he even used some methods to forcefully take that girl.¡± At this point, Feng Chunyan covered her mouth in shock. ¡°The girl lost her innocence, and that husband she had yet to marry also came to break off the engagement when he heard the news. The girl felt lonely and depressed and washed her face with tears every day. She was extremely sad. What¡¯s even more tragic is that there were many rumors in the county city for no reason. Some people who don¡¯t know the truth at all are spreading rumors, saying that the girl deliberately seduced the profligate young master and that¡¯s why she ended up like this...¡± ¡°How can those people do that?¡± Feng Chunyan was furious. She clenched her fists in anger. ¡°How can those self-righteous people make things up without knowing the truth?¡± Looking at the furious Feng Chunyan, Ji Zhao smiled without saying anything. Realizing that she had overreacted, Feng Chunyan gently tugged at her sleeve and said in embarrassment, ¡°Sister Ah Tao, what happened after that? How did that girl do after that?¡± ¡°Chunyan, there are two versions of this story. One is happy and the other is sad. Which one do you want to hear first?¡± Ji Zhao smiled and looked into her eyes as she asked seriously. ¡°I want to hear the sad ending first...¡± ¡°That girl never dreamed that she would be ndered by others even though she was clearly a victim. She was too sad, so she didn¡¯t want to live anymore. Just as she was about to secretly hang herself, her parents discovered her and saved her at thest moment. However, because she was injured, she couldn¡¯t speak anymore. From then on, she cut her hair and became a nun. She apanied the ancient Buddha for the rest of her life and finally died alone. ¡® ¡°This girl¡¯s parents were also disdained by others. In the end, they died one after another.¡± ¡°How could this be...¡± Feng Chunyan¡¯s tears fell again. ¡°There¡¯s another version of the ending. Chunyan, do you want to hear it?¡± Ji Zhao looked at her with her chin in her hands and smiled faintly. After seeing her nod, Ji Zhao chuckled and said, ¡°After that incident, that girl was sad for more than half a month. She knew that the rumors outside were all deliberately spread by that silk-pants who had seeded in raping her. This girl did not care about the others¡¯ pointed gazes and went to the brothel.¡± ¡°To the brothel?¡± Feng Chunyan¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°What was she doing there?¡± ¡°The girl spent a lot of money and learned some skills to serve people in the brothel. Then, she thought of a way to sell the family¡¯s assets and sent her Father and Mother far away. In the end, she rmended herself and went to the residence of that profligate young master. About half a monthter, that girl schemed to cripple that profligate young master and finally left secretly. ¡°Later on, the girl met a man who treated her very well. That man did not mind that the girl was no longer a virgin. In the end, the two of them got together and had two children. From then on, they lived a happy life.¡¯ Feng Chunyan nodded subconsciously. ¡®Thisdy has finallye to her senses.¡± ¡°So, Chunyan, do you think this story has any special meaning?¡± Ji Zhao patted her shoulder and said seriously, ¡°Everyone takes different approaches to solve problems. This girl¡¯s two choices have created two different lives. ¡® ¡°Sister Ah Tao, I think I understand what you mean.¡± After pondering for a moment, Feng Chunyan suddenly looked up and said, ¡°Compared to the girl in this story, my situation is much better. Moreover, I didn¡¯t do anything wrong, so I can¡¯t look down on myself.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so smart!¡¯ Ji Zhao smiled and rubbed her head. ¡°No wonder Eldest Sister-inw often praises Chunyan for being smart. You understood immediately!¡± ¡°Thank you so much, Sister Ah Tao!¡¯ Feng Chunyan felt much better after Ji Zhaoforted her. ¡°This sugar cake is really delicious. I¡¯ll give some to Sister to try¨C¡± In the third month of spring, the weather became warmer and brighter. Magistrate Ma¡¯s transfer was also issued. As expected, he was promoted. From a seventh-rank county magistrate to a sixth-rank Yunchuan Prefecture official. County Magistrate Ma was approaching the age of forty. He had thought that his career hade to an end. Unexpectedly, such a huge pie had fallen from the sky! ¡°Congrattions, Master.¡± Seeing his happy expression, Madam Hou bowed slightly. ¡°Now that the transfer order has been issued, shouldn¡¯t we make preparations in advance?¡± ¡°Yes!¡¯ Magistrate Ma stroked his beard in satisfaction and said, ¡°When the newly appointed county magistrate takes office, let¡¯s set off.¡± ¡°By the way, Master, my mother happened to send a letter a few days ago. This newly appointed county magistrate of Dingyuan seems to have a powerful background?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Magistrate Ma nodded slightly. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of him too. I heard that he¡¯s from the capital. Moreover, this person is quite favored. We have to prepare well and not be rude.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Madam Hou nodded obediently. Then, she frowned awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯m just a little worried about that child, Tianxiang. I¡¯m afraid he¡¯s still trying to split hairs, to go down a dead end! This child is really too much. If he likes that girl, he can marry her officially, but he has to use such a method... I really don¡¯t feel at ease.¡± ¡°She¡¯s just a vige girl. How can she be worthy of Tianxiang?¡± Magistrate Ma said with a tense expression. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Shen Yao¡¯s tact, I wouldn¡¯t have let this matter go.¡± A few days ago, Shen Yao personally came to deliver a box of rice cakes. At that time, Magistrate Ma¡¯s expression was not good, but he endured it in the end. Rice cakes had the meaning of achievng greater sess year after year. It also meant that the Shen family would keep their mouth shut about Ma Tianxiang¡¯s previous actions. Of course, Magistrate Ma also interfered in the dispute between Eldest Brother Shen and Zhao¡¯s Rice Shop¡¯s rice shop and dered that the contract signed by Eldest Brother Shen was invalid. Thanks to County Magistrate Ma¡¯s intervention, the workers in the rice shop stopped. Even so, Magistrate Ma still felt that he had suffered a loss. Chapter 263 - Chapter 263: Hunger Marketing Chapter 263: Hunger Marketing Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions Madam Hou lowered her eyes to hide the mockery in her eyes. Her tone became even gentler. ¡®Master is right. A vige girl is naturally not worthy of our Tianxiang. But now that Master has just been promoted, if anything happens at this juncture...¡± Her words stopped abruptly. Magistrate Ma naturally understood what she meant. ¡°Then send someone to keep an eye on Tianxiang. Don¡¯t let anything happen to him again.¡± ¡°Alright, I understand.¡± Madam Hou smiled. Now, Ma Tianxiang was locked in a quiet room in the backyard, but nobody would respond to his shouts. This was because on the night he harassed Feng Chunyan, his third leg had been crippled by a masked man in ck. A crippled son was equivalent to trash. However, Madam Hou did not intend to tell Magistrate Ma about this. After all, she was about to wee her own child. Hongxing Restaurant. Ji Zhao looked at the entire set of jewelry on the table and her eyes flickered. ¡°It seems that Madam Ma has achieved her wish. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have given such a big thank-you gift.¡± Shen Yao casually picked up a pearl hairpin and chuckled. ¡°But my Ah Tao is really amazing. She can be called the goddess who delivers babies, right?¡± Hearing the teasing tone in his voice, Ji Zhao shrugged helplessly. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not that Madam Ma couldn¡¯t conceive. It¡¯s just that her diet over the years is a little strange.¡± ¡°Ah Tao, did you notice something?¡± Shen Yao inserted the pearl hairpin into Ji Zhao¡¯s bun and asked with interest. ¡°The dishes that Madam Ma uses for her three meals a day are more spicy. Moreover, she has to drink a bowl of peanut barley soup every afternoon. The barley rice is cold in nature. If she eats it inrge quantities for a long time, it will cause her kidneys to be deficient and not beneficial to her children.¡± ¡°You mean that someone doesn¡¯t want Madam Ma to be pregnant?¡± He did not expect such dirty methods to be hidden in a small county magistrate¡¯s residence. ¡°Perhaps.¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment, turned around, picked up a pen, and seriously wrote down some food supplements that were good for the woman¡¯s body. ¡°l think Madam Hou will like this gift.¡± After this matter came to an end, Eldest Brother Shen was no longer in a hurry to expand the Shen Ji Pastry Shop. Now, he had a son and was satisfied with everything. Time passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, Dingyuan County weed an even brighter April day. At the same time, a new county magistrate was weed. ¡°This Lord Ji is really to make drastic changes to an organization upon taking charge.¡± In Hongxing Restaurant, Second Manager You fiddled with his abacus as he said, ¡°The ¡®old rules¡¯ left behind by Lord Ma have been revoked. If this Lord Ji is really an honest and good official, then our restaurant¡¯s profits should be even greater!¡¯ The previous Lord Ma Bin was a money-grubber. ¡°I heard that when Lord Ma¡¯s family moved out of the county office, they secretly carried out six sealedrge boxes, right?¡± Ji Zhao stirred the boiled sugar and teased with a smile, ¡°It seems that our Lord Ma has plundered a lot of people over the years!¡± The world was unfair. Those corrupt officials who bullied themon people climbed up the socialdder and rose step by step. Shen Yao, who was making a sugar painting seriously, could not help but smile. ¡°Sometimes, the higher you climb, the worse you fall.¡± ¡®Why are you two talking in riddles?¡± Second Manager You listened to the conversation between the two of them and frowned curiously. ¡°Second Brother You, try this sugar painting. How does it taste?¡¯ Ji Zhao smiled and handed him a sugar painting with a gold ingot pattern. ¡°Try it?¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t understand what the two of you are thinking. The business in the shop was so good a few days ago, but you actually posted a notice to rest? Is the money burning you?¡± Second Manager You took a bite of the sugar painting fiercely, then his eyes lit up. ¡°Eh, why is it different from the ones I ate before?¡± The sugar paintings he had eaten before were stiff and sweet. He wanted to throw it away after two bites. However, the sugar painting made by Ah Tao and her husband was different. The texture was crisp and the sweetness was not greasy at all. There was even a faint fragrance. ¡°I specially added some tea powder into the brewed syrup.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and helped Second Manager You resolve his confusion. ¡°Not only is the sugar painting not greasy, but it also has another taste.¡± ¡°Wonderful!¡± Second Manager You praised generously. ¡°Ah Tao, I¡¯m really convinced by your culinary skills.¡± ¡°But I still don¡¯t understand. Why did you choose to close the shop for three days when the ypot rice and the earth jar soup were the most popr?¡± Second Manager You said regretfully. ¡°If you don¡¯t open for three days, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll lose nearly a hundred taels of silver!¡¯ ¡°Second Brother You, there is an infinite amount of money to be earned,¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile. ¡®We need to strike a bnce between work and rest!¡± ¡°Then aren¡¯t you worried that if you close the shop for three days, the business will be bleak?¡± ¡°No!¡± Ji Zhao raised her eyebrows confidently. ¡°Second Brother You, there¡¯s a term called hunger marketing.¡± ¡®What do you mean?¡¯ ¡°Previously, in order to sessfullyunch y pot rice and earth jar soup in my shop, didn¡¯t I invest a lot of money in marketing and publicity? Now, the citizens of Dingyuan County know that only my Spring Breeze Pavilion has delicious y pot rice and delicious earth jar soup. You saw the long queue outside the shop yesterday, right?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, the more you exin, the more I don¡¯t understand!¡± ¡°Second Brother You, just you wait. When Spring Breeze Pavilion reopens, business will be even better!¡± At that moment, Shen Yao handed Ji Zhao a sugar painting that he had just finished. The chubby peach looked extremely cute. Ji Zhao opened her mouth and took a bite without hesitation. She narrowed her eyes happily. ¡°It¡¯s so sweet!¡¯ ¡°Then should I try it too?¡± Before she could answer, Shen Yao had already grabbed her wrist and bit the spot where she had bitten. The two of them looked at each other and smiled. They could see the gentle love in each other¡¯s eyes. ¡°Am I old? Why do I feel like my teeth are a little sore now...¡± Second Manager You said in a faint tone, then obediently turned around and left. ¡°Shall we set off for the vige tomorrow morning?¡± Shen Yao stretched out his finger and gently wiped the sugar stain on the corner of Ji Zhao¡¯s lips as he said softly. ¡°Okay.¡± Ji Zhao nodded obediently. ¡°By the way, Shen Yao, isn¡¯t it Mother¡¯s birthday in two days? Why don¡¯t we go out for a walkter and choose a birthday gift for Mother?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Shen Yao agreed readily. ¡°But Ah Tao, is there any use for you to let me make so many sugar paintings?¡± ¡°Yes, I want you to apany me somewhere.¡± Ji Zhao looked up at him and smiled brightly. ¡®Where are we going?¡± ¡°Ci¡¯an Hall.¡± Ci¡¯an Hall was located to the south of Dingyuan County. It was a dpidated courtyard with three entrances and three exits. The people living there were all lonely old people and homeless children.. Chapter 264 - Chapter 264: Miss Ah Tao, Beautiful and Kind Chapter 264: Miss Ah Tao, Beautiful and Kind Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions Ci¡¯an Hall was located in the southernmost part of Dingyuan County. It was located in a remote location and had a quiet environment. When Shen Yao arrived with Ji Zhao, it was lunchtime at Ci¡¯an Hall. After passing through the faded vermilion door and walking two steps to the left, they arrived at therge courtyard of Ci¡¯an Hall. At this moment, there were tworge wooden basins about three feet tall ced on the square table in the middle of the courtyard. The outer edges of the wooden basins were even starting to have moldy spots. There were two wooden basins. One contained boiled vegetables, and the other contained some steamed buns of unknown color. The huge courtyard was exceptionally quiet. The children in the queue were each more sallow and thin than the other. The elders were also gray-haired and haggard. When Ji Zhao saw this scene, she felt a little upset. ¡°I heard that His Majesty is a wise ruler who loves his people like his children. Every county in the Great Jing Dynasty has a Ci¡¯an Hall, and the imperial court will allocate funds every year. But who would have thought that the elders and children living in Ci¡¯an Hall would live such a miserable life?¡± Ji Zhao slowly raised her eyes to look at Shen Yao, who was silently pursing his lips. The suffering of the human world was probably this scene in front of them, right? Who knew how many dirty things were hidden in the Great Jing Dynasty? ¡°It will get better and better.¡± Shen Yao rubbed her cheek, his eyes filled with gentleness. ¡°Mm!¡± Ji Zhao perked up and distributed the sugar paintings they had brought to the orphans of Ci¡¯an Hall. Then, she paid for some roasted chicken and added food for everyone. After everyone finished their lunch, Ji Zhao yed games with the children for a while. It was not until sunset that the couple reluctantly left Ci¡¯an Hall. However, what Ji Zhao did not know was that as soon as they left, a gray carriage arrived outside the door of Ci¡¯an Hall. When Ji Ting¡¯an slowly got out of the carriage, he happened to catch a glimpse of Ji Zhao¡¯s side profile. ¡°Young Master?¡± The servant saw that he was in a daze and called out softly. ¡°Zhu Bai, did you see that girl just now?¡¯ Ji Ting¡¯an frowned slightly and said softly, ¡®That girl¡¯s side profile seems to be somewhat simr to Eldest Aunt¡¯s.¡± ¡°Girl? What girl? I didn¡¯t see.¡± The servant called Zhu Bai said nkly, ¡°Young Master, did you see wrongly?¡¯ ¡°Perhaps?¡± Ji Ting¡¯an waved the folding fan in his hand and smiled faintly. ¡°Let¡¯s go to Ci¡¯an Hall to take a look.¡± After Ji Ting¡¯an revealed his identity, the old man guarding Ci¡¯an Hall hurriedly came out to wee him. ¡°We didn¡¯t know you woulde, we apologize for not weing you!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so polite, old man.¡± Ji Ting¡¯an smiled gently. ¡°Old man, it¡¯s gettingte. Why hasn¡¯t food been served yet?¡± ¡°Sir, the steamed buns in the kitchen were steamedte today.¡± ¡®Why?¡± Ji Ting¡¯an frowned slightly and asked softly. ¡°It¡¯s Miss Ah Tao¡¯s order. When Miss Ah Tao came this afternoon, she brought roasted chicken for everyone. Moreover, at noon, everyone ate sponge cake. They¡¯re not too hungry now, so Miss Ah Tao suggested that we postpone dinner for an hour...¡± ¡°Old man, this Miss Ah Tao you¡¯re talking about is...¡± ¡°Sir, I¡¯m afraid you don¡¯t know yet, right? Miss Ah Tao is beautiful and kind. She¡¯s thedy boss of the Spring Breeze Pavilion on East Street!¡± Ji Ting¡¯an was instantly interested. This Miss Ah Tao was quite popr! On the other side, before night fell, Shen Yao apanied Ji Zhao back to Shanghe Vige. The Shen family¡¯s courtyard had been renovated half a month ago. There was strength in numbers. Now, the kitchen and central room were almost repaired. Shen Dashan and Zhao Lanhua had also moved back from the Tian Family Vige three days ago. ¡°I heard that the business in the shop is not bad?¡± Zhao Lanhua hurriedly handed the big bone soup to Ji Zhao and asked with concern, ¡°Ah Tao, why do I see that your face has lost a lot of weight?¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ji Zhao pinched her chubby cheeks with a smile. ¡°Mother, look, I feel like I¡¯ve gained weight!¡¯ ¡°Nonsense! You¡¯ve clearly lost weight!¡± Zhao Lanhua hurriedly called out. ¡°Ah Tao, drink the soup first. We¡¯ll talk after you¡¯re done.¡± ¡°Alright!¡¯ Ji Zhao also guessed that Zhao Lanhua must be full of questions, so she quickly finished a bowl of bone soup and ate half a bowl of knife-cut noodles before putting down her bowl and chopsticks in satisfaction. ¡°Ah Tao, what was the deal with the fire?¡± Zhao Lanhua looked at her and asked impatiently, ¡°Did you have another dream?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ji Zhao subconsciously nced at Shen Yao, who was sitting beside her. Shen Yao immediately stood up. After closing the door and windows, he apanied Ji Zhao to sit opposite his parents. ¡°It was a terrible dream.¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and described what had happened in the dream in detail. At the end, Zhao Lanhua and Shen Dashan broke out in cold sweat. ¡°No wonder... No wonder you secretly got people to dig a tunnel. You even asked me to make sure that your two sisters-inw leave the Shen family¡¯s courtyard! ¡± After understanding the whole story, Zhao Lanhua finally understood why Ji Zhao had made those requests. ¡°Fortunately, you had a dream, Ah Tao. Otherwise...¡± Shen Dashan did not dare to think further! If Ah Tao had not dreamed and made preparations in advance, their entire family would have been buried in the sea of fire! ¡°Father, Mother, don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Shen Yao quicklyforted them. ¡°The group of criminals who set the fire have been arrested.¡± ¡°Third Brother, tell me honestly. Who is the mastermind who insisted on burning our family to death? Why do they want to harm our family?¡¯ Zhao Lanhua, who had calmed down, felt that this matter was not simple. ¡°Does this matter have anything to do with the woman who came to our house to cause trouble?¡± Zhao Lanhua asked with a frown. ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Yao nodded slightly. ¡°But Mother, you don¡¯t have to worry too much. This matter has been resolved.¡± ¡°Is it really resolved?¡± Zhao Lanhua still felt uneasy. ¡°Mother, it;s really fine.¡± Ji Zhao silently grabbed Zhao Lanhua¡¯s hand andforted her gently. ¡°l haven¡¯t had any nightmares recently!¡± ¡°Ah Tao, thank goodness you¡¯re here!¡± Zhao Lanhua felt extremely lucky. She thought for a moment and quickly said, ¡°Ah Tao, shouldn¡¯t we go pay our respects to the Earth God tomorrow morning? The Earth God must be secretly protecting our Shen family. That¡¯s why our Shen family can survive this cmity safely!¡± ¡°Coincidentally, your Aunt Guihua sent two ducks over yesterday. Why don¡¯t we go to the kitchen to clean up now?¡± ¡°Alright!¡¯ Ji Zhao responded with a smile and apanied Zhao Lanhua to the kitchen. Only Shen Dashan and Shen Yao were left in the central room. ¡°Father, why don¡¯t you apany me to look for the vige chief tomorrow morning? I want to take the exam this autumn.¡± ¡°Have you really thought it through?¡± Chapter 265 - Chapter 265: I’ll Carry You Back to the Room to Sleep Chapter 265: I¡¯ll Carry You Back to the Room to Sleep Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions Shen Yao nodded slightly. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Four years ago, when I heard that you had failed, I couldn¡¯t believe it... After all, Master Fan had always praised you. He even said that with your grades, you would definitely pass the imperial examination. Later, you injured your leg in the ident. I realized that something was wrong, so I gave up my face to beg the vige chief to apany me to Thunder Mountain County. In the end, I implicated the vige chief and he was beaten up...¡± Recalling that rainy night four years ago, Shen Dashan¡¯s mood suddenly became veryplicated. ¡°Although your eldest brother and second brother are not as good at studying as you, they do one thing better than you. That is, no matter what happens, they will discuss it with your mother and me. However, you are different. You have been stubborn since you were young. You report good news but not bad At this moment, Shen Dashan¡¯s eyes were already red when he looked at Shen Yao. ¡°Father, three years ago, I was too stubborn and straightforward. I didn¡¯t know how to be flexible. That¡¯s why I ended up like this.¡± Shen Yao slowly looked up, his tone full of introspection. ¡°All these years, I¡¯ve always hated Sun He. Back then, I treated this ssmate of mine as a good friend. When I was free, I was even more willing to chat with him. It¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t expect that in the end, all of this was a scheme. Back then, I also thought that I didn¡¯t perform well. In addition, Master Fan had once misled me and I was deeply affected. That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t recover...¡± Shen Yao smiled self-deprecatingly. ¡°But things are different now. I¡¯ve already understood the truth of the entire matter, so I won¡¯t be rash anymore. Besides, it¡¯s never toote for a gentleman to take revenge.¡± ¡± -Okay.¡± Shen Dashan patted his shoulder, his eyes filled with gratification. ¡°Third Brother, since you¡¯ve already thought it through, I¡¯ll prepare two jars of top-notch rice wine tomorrow morning. Let¡¯s go to the vige chief¡¯s house for a good drink tomorrow afternoon!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± In the kitchen, Ji Zhao quickly dealt with the two fat ducks. ¡°Ah Tao, do you think we should braise it or steam it?¡± Zhao Lanhua stared at the two ducks on the chopping board and was in a dilemma for a moment. ¡®The sauced duck you made previously tastes good too.¡± ¡°Mother, why don¡¯t we change our method?¡± Ji Zhao rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ¡°Mother, do we have ginger at home? I want both tender and old ginger!¡± ¡®Yes.¡± Zhao Lanhua immediately nodded. ¡°But Ah Tao, why do you need so much ginger?¡± ¡°I want to make a ginger braised duck¡± Ji Zhao smiled and snapped her fingers. ¡°Mother, ginger braised duck is fragrant, tender, and delicious. It¡¯s also very nutritious. ¡® ¡°Alright, let¡¯s make this ginger braised duck!¡± Ginger braised duck was a Sichuan cuisine, so in addition to tender ginger and old ginger, it also needed green and red peppers, as well as Sichuan peppercorns. After washing the plucked duck, she cut it into small pieces and rinsed it in boiling water. At the same time, she cut half a catty of tender ginger, two taels of facing heaven pepper, a piece of old ginger, a handful of Sichuan peppercorn, and pickled red pepper into pieces and ced them in a bowl. Then, she mixed the sauce and ced it aside. Oil was poured into the pot. When the oil was 90% hot, Sichuan peppercorn and old ginger were added. Then, she poured the cut duck into the pot and stir-fried it until it turned yellow and covered with the shine of oil! Then, she scooped up the duck pieces and left the base oil. She poured in the sauce that she had prepared beforehand and stir-fried it slowly over a low heat. When the base oil in the pot was dark purple, she poured in the duck pieces and stir-fried them quickly for a while. Finally, she added arge bowl of clear water that covered the duck pieces. After boiling it over a high fire, she changed it to a low fire and continued cooking. About fifteen minutester, she poured in the tender ginger and chili in and continued to braise them. Gulp, gulp- At this moment, the entire kitchen was filled with a rich fragrance. ¡°Isn¡¯t this smell too fragrant?¡± Zhao Lanhua, who was adding firewood to the stove, couldn¡¯t help but poke her head out. ¡°It smells so good!¡± ¡°Mother, watch the heat. The fire shouldn¡¯t be too strong. It¡¯ll be fine as long as it¡¯s medium-low,¡± Ji Zhao replied with a smile. When there was not much soup left in the pot, Ji Zhao added a little salt and quickly lifted the pot and poured it onto a te. ¡°Mother, do you want to try a piece?¡± Ji Zhao picked up a piece of duck breast with her chopsticks and brought it to her lips with an obedient smile. Zhao Lanhua couldn¡¯t wait to take a bite. Her eyes suddenly lit up. ¡°This duck meat is not stiff at all, and it¡¯s very soft. More importantly, it doesn¡¯t have the smell of duck anymore.¡± ¡°Because the fragrance of the tender ginger and old ginger was stimted, the smell of the duck meat was also covered up. It¡¯s not difficult to cook the ginger braised duck. The most important thing is to control the fire well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why this ginger braised duck is so delicious. Mother has contributed the most!¡± Ji Zhao smiled and gave her a thumbs up. ¡°Ah Tao, your little mouth...¡± Zhao Lanhua, who was bursting with joy from the praise, said happily, ¡°It¡¯s really sweet!¡± ¡°Mother, Ah Tao.¡± Shen Yao, who followed the fragrance to the kitchen, happened to hear Zhao Lanhua¡¯s voice. He could not help but smile. ¡°Mother, what did you say was sweet?¡± ¡°I said, your wife¡¯s mouth is very sweet!¡± Zhao Lanhua exined with a smile. Shen Yao¡¯s gaze immediatelynded on Ji Zhao¡¯s smiling face. In the end, his gaze could not help butnd on her soft lips. He nodded gently. ¡°It¡¯s indeed very sweet.¡± Cough cough¡ª Ji Zhao did not expect Shen Yao to dare to tease her in front of his mother. She couldn¡¯t help but cough twice. Shen Yao hurriedly poured a ss of water and handed it over. ¡°I¡¯ll bring this ginger braised duck for your father to try...¡± Zhao Lanhua tactfully left the kitchen with the bowl of ginger braised duck. Ji Zhao gripped the cup in his hand tightly and slowly looked up at the man standing in front of him. ¡®Well... it¡¯s gettingte. Shouldn¡¯t we go back to our rooms to rest?¡± ¡°Ah Tao.¡± ¡®Yes?¡¯ ¡°I want to traste it.¡± Shen Yao approached her step by step. He looked down at her flustered and helpless expression and smiled silently. ¡°Taste... what?¡± Ji Zhao put her hands behind her back and swallowed nervously. She did not even dare to look him in the eye. ¡°Of course it¡¯s tasting...¡± Ji Zhao silently clenched her fists and obediently closed her eyes. However, there was no warm breath on her lips. ¡°Ah Tao, I want to taste the dish you made just now...¡± Ji Zhao suddenly opened her eyes and punched his broad and muscr chest angrily! Unexpectedly, Shen Yao grabbed her slender wrists with one hand and pressed his lips against hers. In the end, Ji Zhaoy in his arms, as soft as water. ¡°Shen Yao, if you continue to bully me like this, I¡¯ll really ignore you...¡± Ji Zhao said weakly. ¡°Okay.¡± Shen Yao tapped the tip of her nose affectionately. At most, he would bully her in another way in the future. ¡°Shen Yao, I¡¯m sleepy...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll carry you back to your room to sleep.¡± Before she could answer, Shen Yao had already carried her in his arms and strode out of the kitchen.. Chapter 266 - Chapter 266: Benefactor, You Lie Chapter 266: Benefactor, You Lie Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions Before Shen Yao could return to the room, Ji Zhao, who was in his arms, had already fallen asleep. Shen Yao carefully ced her on the bed and kissed her cheek gently. It was all thanks to Ah Tao that the Shen family was able to survive this cmity safely. He thought for a moment, then walked around the screen and walked out. At that time, Zhao Lanhua and Shen Dashan were still awake. The two of them were lying on rattan chairs in the courtyard, looking at the dark night sky. asionally, a few hazy stars would appear. ¡°Ah Tao is a blessed person.¡± Zhao Lanhua could not help but sigh. ¡°If Ah Tao hadn¡¯t had that dream and made preparations in advance, our family...¡± She did not dare to think further. Shen Dashan silently patted the back of her hand andforted her softly , ¡°It¡¯s all in the past. Don¡¯t think about it anymore.¡± ¡°Tomorrow morning, I have to prepare more ingots and candles. I¡¯ll apany Ah Tao to the Earth Temple to pay my respects to the Earth god ande backter. Tomorrow, bring Third Brother to the vige chief¡¯s house. Don¡¯t drink too much.¡± Zhao Lanhua looked into his eyes and reminded him seriously. ¡°Don¡¯t worry!¡¯ ¡°Father, Mother.¡± Shen Yao walked up to the two elders and smiled. ¡°There¡¯s something I want to discuss with the you two...¡± After Shen Yao said what he was thinking, Shen Dashan and Zhao Lanhua could not help but nod. ¡°Alright, since you¡¯ve thought it through, I¡¯ll arrange it for you.¡± Zhao Lanhua patted her chest and said, ¡°Let¡¯s prepare a big surprise for Ah Tao. How about that?¡± ¡®Yeah.¡± The next morning, the originally clear sky was suddenly covered in dark clouds. Soon, it rained. However, this heavy rain came and went in a hurry. ¡°Ah Tao, it¡¯s gettingte. It¡¯s time to get up.¡± Shen Yao¡¯s gazended on the figure under the thin nket not far away. He curled his lips slightly and said gently. ¡°I¡¯m sleepy-¡± Ji Zhao simply pulled the nket over her head and continued sleeping. Helpless, Shen Yao could only walk to her side and carefully pull the nket over. Then, he crawled in and quickly aimed at her cheek, licking it gently. Ji Zhao was caught off guard by a moist touch on her cheek. She suddenly opened her eyes and instantly woke up! Just as she was about to escape, Shen Yao suddenly hugged her¡ª Unable to struggle, Ji Zhao could only blink and beg for mercy. However, she did not know that her current appearance was also a different kind of temptation. ¡°Um... mmph. Ji Zhao almost couldn¡¯t resist the passion that surged into her mouth. After some time, the man in front of her reluctantly let go of her. A strange blush appeared on the man¡¯s usually cold and handsome face. Ji Zhao shrunk her neck nervously and whispered, ¡°I just wanted to say... I haven¡¯t washed up yet.. ¡°Ah Tao,¡± Shen Yao suddenly whispered into her ear. ¡®Yes?¡¯ When she heard the word ¡®consummation,¡¯ Ji Zhao suddenly got up from the bed, put on her clothes at lightning speed, and rushed out¡ª Looking at her fleeing back, Shen Yao could not help butugh. In the kitchen. Zhao Lanhua looked at the absent-minded Ji Zhao and touched her forehead worriedly. ¡°It¡¯s not hot?¡± ¡°Mother, I¡¯m fine.¡± Ji Zhao came back to her senses and hurriedly smiled at Zhao Lanhua. ¡°l was just thinking, what are we eating this morning?¡± ¡°Your Aunt Guihua gave me a piece of tofu this morning. Why don¡¯t we make tofu pudding?¡± ¡°Mother, do we have any white shrimp at home?¡¯ ¡®Yes, Second Shopkeeper You just got someone to send over a lot of fresh shrimp yesterday!¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s make shrimp tofu soup in the morning, right? Then we¡¯ll make some scallions and egg pancakes. What do you think?¡± After looking at the ingredients in the kitchen, Ji Zhao immediately had an idea. ¡°Okay!¡¯ After breakfast, Shen Dashan brought Shen Yao to the vige chief¡¯s house. As for Ji Zhao, she apanied Zhao Lanhua to the Earth Temple. After almost three months of repairs, the current Earth Temple had been renovated. In front of the statue of the Earth God, there was also endless incense offerings. Ji Zhao took an incense stick from the incense table on the right and knelt on the praying mat devoutly. Her heart was filled with gratitude. Zhao Lanhua, who was kneeling beside her, had the same feeling. She was extremely grateful. In the end, the mother-inw and daughter-inw inserted the incense in their hands into the golden incense pot. Not long after, people came to the Earth Temple to offer incense one after another. ¡°More and more people areing to the Earth Temple to offer incense.¡± Zhao Lanhua nced at Ji Zhao and said with a smile, ¡°Ah Tao, why don¡¯t we stay in the temple for a vegetarian meal today?¡± ¡°Vegetarian meal?¡± Ji Zhao raised her eyebrows in surprise. ¡°Mother, there¡¯s vegetarian food here?¡± ¡°Not only are there vegetarian meals, but there¡¯s also an eminent monk!¡± Zhao Lanhua excitedly pulled her arm and walked towards the backyard of the Earth Temple. As she walked, she exined, ¡°I heard about this from your father. About five days ago, right? When the vige chief rushed back from the county city, he met an eminent monk on the way. Later on, this eminent monk was ced in the Earth Temple by the vige chief.¡± ¡°But I heard that this eminent monk is proficient in Buddhism, and many people like his preaching. More importantly, the vegetarian food he cooks is extremely delicious.¡± The more Ji Zhao listened, the more confused she became. A few days ago, she had been busy with the shop in the county city, but she had never heard that an eminent monk hade to the vige. Although she was suspicious, Ji Zhao did not show it on her face. After a while, Zhao Lanhua brought Ji Zhao to the scripture hall in the backyard. In the middle of the scripture hall was a huge futon embroidered with a lotus flower pattern. In front of the futon was a purple-red wooden fish[1.A wooden fish, also known as a Chinese temple block, wooden bell, or muyu, is a type of woodblock that originated from East Asia that is used by monks andy people in the Mahayana tradition of Buddhism.]. Under everyone¡¯s expectant gazes, an old monk in a gray kasaya with a white beard and white hair slowly walked onto the high tform in the middle. ¡°Namo Amitabha!¡± The monk sighed and began to preach. ¡°Benefactors, the Buddhist scripture that l, Wuzhi, will be talking about today is from the tenth part of the Lotus Sutra...¡± Wuzhi? IgnoranceO? Hearing this Dharma name, Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help butugh. There was actually an eminent monk who had such a Dharma name. It was really surprising! Normally, Ji Zhao¡¯sughter wouldn¡¯t be a big deal, but at this moment, the entire scripture hall was silent, so herughter was exceptionally abrupt, and it could even be said to be a little strange. The moment everyone¡¯s gazended on her, Ji Zhao also realized this. ¡°Ahem.¡± Ji Zhao cleared her throat awkwardly and hurriedly exined, ¡°1 was distracted for a moment and thought of something else. I¡¯m really sorry for disturbing the master!¡¯ ¡°This benefactor seems to havee from afar?¡± The eminent monk sitting cross-legged on the huge praying mat stared gently at Ji Zhao¡¯s face and slowly asked. ¡°Not far, not far. My name is JiAh Tao, and my husband¡¯s surname is Shen. ¡°Benefactor, you lie.¡± Chapter 267 - Chapter 267: Are You Really All Right? Chapter 267: Are You Really All Right? Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions Ji Zhao was stunned for a moment before she smiled. ¡°Master, why are you saying this?¡± ¡°Benefactor, you¡¯vee from afar, haven¡¯t you?¡± The benevolent-looking monks smile was filled with understanding. ¡°Ahem.¡± Ji Zhao cleared her throat and couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Master, don¡¯t you think that if a friendes from afar, it will be a pleasure?¡± ¡°Benefactor, there¡¯s no need to panic.¡± Wuzhi looked into her eyes and sighed softly. ¡°Benefactor, you are a blessed person. As long as you are devoted to Buddhism and be kind, you will be able to achieve your wish.¡± Ji Zhao fell silent. She caught the implication in the monk¡¯s words. ¡°Since the master has already started his lecture, we can¡¯t disturb you.¡± Zhao Lanhua also realized that the situation was a little strange. She gently tugged at Ji Zhao¡¯s sleeve and smiled at the monk sitting on the high tform. Wuzhi smiled and gently knocked on the wooden fish in front of him. Then, he slowly spoke... About an hourter, as Wuzhi stood up and left, today¡¯s lecture ended. ¡°Master Wuzhi is indeed an eminent monk!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. After hearing Master Wuzhi¡¯s insights on the Lotus Sutra, I also feel that the Buddhist Dharma is boundless!¡¯ The people around him were full of praise for this Grandmaster Wuzhi, but Ji Zhao felt that there was something strange about this Grandmaster who had appeared out of nowhere. When she heard him preach the scriptures just now, she only felt sleepy. She did notprehend any Buddhist Dharma at all? ¡°Ah Tao, let¡¯s go and try the vegetarian food made by Master Wuzhi.¡± Zhao Lanhua wrapped her arms around Ji Zhao¡¯s arm intimately and said with a smile, ¡°You don¡¯t know, but it¡¯s not easy to taste the vegetarian food made by Master Wuzhi himself. You have to reserve it seven days in advance!¡± Filled with curiosity, Ji Zhao had no choice but to apany Zhao Lanhua to the small kitchen of the Earth Temple. At that moment, there was already a line outside the small kitchen. Everyone was holding a wooden bowl in their hands, and everyone¡¯s faces were filled with excited smiles. More importantly, Ji Zhao could smell the fragrance of meat wafting out of the kitchen. If she wasn¡¯t wrong, this fragrance shoulde from... Red braised pork! This Master Wuzhi was really unique! Could it be that this Master Wuzhi was a fake monk? Just as Ji Zhao was frowning and deep in thought, the door to the small kitchen was already opened. Everyone walked in through the side door on the left in an orderly manner. A few secondster, they walked out of the small door on the right. Soon, it was Ji Zhao¡¯s turn. As expected, there was an extra portion of red braised pork in her bowl. ¡°Didn¡¯t they say that monks don¡¯t eat meat? Looks like Master Wuzhi isn¡¯t really a Buddhist?¡¯ ¡°Patron, why don¡¯t you give it a try?¡± Wuzhi extended his arm to her, indicating that she should taste it first. Ji Zhao looked at him suspiciously. She picked up the red braised pork with his chopsticks and took a small bite. The juice was clear and sweet, and it melted in her mouth. Although there was a faint fragrance of meat, Ji Zhao could still taste it. The red braised pork in the bowl was not real meat. The ingredient used for this red braised pork was tofu. To be able to make the tofu taste like meat, Master Wuzhi¡¯s culinary skills were indeed extraordinary. ¡°I¡¯ve offended you,¡± Ji Zhao apologized sincerely. ¡°I hope Master can forgive my rudeness.¡± ¡°Benefactor, you don¡¯t have to do this.¡± Grandmaster Wuzhi smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve already said it just now. Benefactor, you are a blessed person. Namo Amitabha!¡± ¡°Grandmaster Wuzhi, I feel that there¡¯s a hidden meaning behind your words,¡± Ji Zhao said bluntly. ¡°Grandmaster, if you have something to say, why don¡¯t you just say it?¡¯ ¡°Fate is predestined. Benefactor, you came from afar. You can treat all of this as a cultivation or a dream.¡± Grandmaster Wuzhi put his palms together and sighed softly. ¡°You have to know that everything in the dream is like looking at flowers in the fog or trying to scoop up the moon from the water. In the end, it¡¯s all for naught. ¡® ¡°I¡¯ve read a lot of books in the past. Those eminent monks in myths and legends always say some mysterious words that are hard to understand. They say that heaven¡¯s secrets can¡¯t be revealed, but I think everything is nonsense,¡± Ji Zhao said sharply. ¡°Looking at flowers in the fog, at least there are flowers; trying to scoop up the moon from the water, at least there is a moon. What do you think, Master?¡± ¡°If you insist on treating everything in your dream as real, you will hurt yourself in the end.¡± Wuzhi sighed softly. Then, he took off a Bodhi bracelet from his wrist and handed it to her. ¡°Since you insist on staying in the dream, I have no right to ask. It¡¯s just that this Bodhi bracelet was asked by an old man with gray hair to pass it to you. Please ept it!¡± When she saw the golden Bodhi bracelet, Ji Zhao could not help but be stunned. That was her grandfather¡¯s bracelet! ¡°Master, this is my...¡± ¡°Fate is determined by the heavens. Benefactor, why don¡¯t you think about it carefully!¡± Looking at her stunned gaze, Wuzhi sighed softly. ¡°Benefactor, you are immersed in the world of dreams, but you don¡¯t know that in the world of reality, there are also people bitterly waiting for you to wake up.¡± After returning to the Shen residence, Ji Zhao locked himself in her room. She stared at the Bodhi bracelet in her hand, her eyes flickering with a dark light. Grandmaster Wuzhi said that everything she experienced was a dream. Was she about to wake up? But how could this be a dream? Now, she hadpletely integrated into the world in the book and even fell in love with Shen Yao. Squeak¡ª The door was slowly pushed open and Shen Yao slowly walked to her side. ¡°Ah Tao?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Ji Zhao subconsciously looked up and met Shen Yao¡¯s worried eyes. ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡± Shen Yao sat beside her and asked gently, ¡®Mother said that aftering back from the Earth Temple, you were a little strange. You even locked yourself in the house? What exactly happened?¡¯ ¡°Shen Yao.¡± Ji Zhao wanted to say something, but she did not know where to start. In the end, she forced a smile. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Perhaps I¡¯ve been a little tired recently.¡± ¡°Are you really fine?¡± Shen Yao stared into her eyes and confirmed again. Ji Zhao shook her head and grabbed his arm. She looked up and smiled. ¡°Can you lend me your shoulder?¡± ¡°My pleasure.¡± Shen Yao sat upright on the soft couch. Ji Zhao tilted her head and leaned on his shoulder, gently closing her eyes. ¡°Have you and Father already visited the vige chief?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Yao nodded slightly. ¡°I have to go to the county office tomorrow morning. I can only participate in this year¡¯s Imperial Examination after I regain my student status.¡± ¡°Regain your student status?¡± ¡°Four years ago, when the news of my failure spread back to my family, my father could not believe it, so he asked the vige chief to apany him to Thunder Mountain County to find out more. Unexpectedly, he received ten beatings by the county magistrate of Thunder Mountain County. At that time, the vige chief also realized the strangeness of the matter, so he begged the county office of Dingyuan County to cancel my school record..¡± Chapter 268 - Chapter 268: Ah Tao Doesn’t Miss Her Husband At All? Chapter 268: Ah Tao Doesn¡¯t Miss Her Husband At All? Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions ¡°So if I want to participate in the imperial examination again, I have to start all over again.¡± Shen Yao exined the entire matter concisely. However, Ji Zhao could hear countless dangers in these few words. Back then, Sun He had put in a lot of effort to change Shen Yao¡¯s grades! Or rather, he had the intention to kill from the very beginning. However, Shen Yao was lucky and did not lose his life. ¡°I believe you.¡± Ji Zhao suddenly tightened her grip on his broad palm. She smiled faintly and said with a firm gaze, ¡°Shen Yao, I believe you can do it!¡± ¡°Ah Tao, thank you.¡± Shen Yao gently pressed his forehead against hers. A faint ripple appeared in the depths of his eyes. He gently kissed the dimples at the corner of her lips. Ji Zhao shyly shrank into his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck. She took the initiative to kiss him. If what she was experiencing was really just a dream, then her wish was¡ª Continue dreaming. Don¡¯t wake up so early! After an unknown period of time, when Ji Zhao felt a cold sensation on her neck, she trembled nervously and ced her hands on his muscr chest in a panic. Her gentle almond-shaped eyes were filled with ayer of mist¡ª ¡°Shen Yao, why don¡¯t we wait until it¡¯s dark?¡¯ Shen Yao, who was already prepared, smiled helplessly. Then, he gently kissed her forehead. His deep voice was filled with suppressed desire. ¡°Okay.¡± He loved Ah Tao and respected her even more. Ji Zhao bit her lip nervously, but she didn¡¯t realize that her innocent expression was more likely to make peoplemit crimes. Shen Yao kissed her lips without hesitation. He nimbly pried open her teeth and wantonly plundered the fragrance between her lips and teeth! At this moment, Ji Zhao felt that she could not breathe! Her hands grabbed his muscr back forcefully and even left some scratches! ¡°Ah Tao.¡± Shen Yao suddenly leaned close to her ear and breathed softly. The touch that came from her ear made Ji Zhao tremble uncontrobly! ¡°I love you.¡± That deep voice was filled with seriousness and determination. Ji Zhao blinked obediently. In the end, she whispered back, ¡®Me too.¡± Hearing this answer, Shen Yao¡¯s eyes shone with a strange light. He reluctantly let go of the lovely girl in his arms and turned to leave. After a while, Zhao Lanhua¡¯s puzzled voice came from the courtyard. ¡°Third Brother, why are you taking a cold bath? Be careful not to catch a cold!¡± Hearing this, Ji Zhao felt her face burn even hotter! The next morning, the Shen father and son left for the county city early in the morning. After Ji Zhao finished arge bowl of sweet tofu pudding, she walked towards the Earth Temple. Fifteen minutester, she sessfully met Grandmaster Wuzhi. The moment she ced the Bodhi bracelet on the table, Grandmaster Wuzhi¡¯s expression did not change at all. Ji Zhao raised her eyebrows in surprise and asked softly, ¡®Master, you¡¯ve already guessed what I¡¯ll choose?¡¯ ¡°Benefactor, you must be joking.¡± Wuzhi gently shook his head. ¡°Benefactor, your choice came from your own heart. How could this poor monk guess? It¡¯s just that no matter what choice you make, this poor monk will not be surprised. ¡®Why?¡± ¡°Fate,¡± Grandmaster Wuzhi said slowly. ¡°The reason is determined by the heavens. It is fate that you came from afar. If one day you wake up from your dream and leave this ce, it is also because of fate.¡± ¡°Therefore, Benefactor, whether you stay or go, it¡¯s fate.¡± ¡°Master, do you mean that one day, I will still leave this world?¡± ¡°Namo Amitabha.¡± Grandmaster Wuzhi suddenly closed his eyes and did not answer Ji Zhao¡¯s question. Seeing Grandmaster Wuzhi¡¯s attitude, Ji Zhao understood that no matter what questions she threw out, there would be no response. At the end of April and the beginning of May, the Shen family¡¯s courtyard was finally repaired. After a discussion, the family decided to hold a good banquet to invite the vigers! Firstly, it was for the sake of liveliness. Secondly, the family had an additional son. Logically speaking, it should be a big banquet. Hence, after receiving the message, Eldest Brother Shen immediately apanied Eldest Sister-inw Shen and the two month old Shen Hao, back to Shanghe Vige. As the sound of firecrackers continued, the entire Shen family¡¯s courtyard was extremely lively. In the kitchen, Ji Zhao was making popcorn chicken. The alluring fragrance floated in the air above the entire courtyard. Ji Chen obediently sat outside the kitchen door with a big metal basin. When he heard his sister¡¯s shout, he rushed into the kitchen. ¡°Try it?¡± Ji Zhao picked up a small bamboo stick, poked a popcorn chicken, and brought it to his mouth. ¡°Is it fragrant?¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s fragrant!¡± Ji Chen nodded vigorously. He looked up and grinned at his sister. ¡°It¡¯s delicious!¡± ¡°Eat more if it¡¯s delicious!¡± Ji Zhao smiled and rubbed his little head. Then, she filled the big metal basin in his arms. ¡°Go and eat with your friends! Our Chenchen has to learn to share delicious food!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Ji Chen nodded vigorously and answered obediently. Looking at Ji Chen¡¯s change, Ji Zhao felt extremely gratified. She was really grateful to everyone in the Shen family. When she brought Ji Chen to the Shen family, there were rumors spreading outside, but her mother-inw and Shen Yao protected her. Gradually, those rumors disappeared. More importantly, Shen Yao was very patient with Ji Chen. If Shen Yao had not helped Chenchen open his heart, Ji Chen¡¯s symptoms would not have improved. At this moment, she was very d that she had made the choice back then. ¡°Ah Tao, what are you thinking about?¡± When Second Sister-inw Shen carried Zhuang Zhuang into the kitchen, she happened to see Ji Zhao in a daze and smiling foolishly. She immediately teased, ¡°Are you very happy that Third Brother ising back soon?¡± About half a month ago, Shen Yao saved an old man who almost drowned in the county. What was even more coincidental was that this old man was actually a rtive of the current county magistrate of Dingyuan County, Official Ji. Official Ji was very grateful to Shen Yao. Not only did he help him restore his school record, but he also insisted on reporting his heroic deeds to the government office. ording to thews of the Great Jing Dynasty, those who acted bravely and righteously could be rewarded with ten taels of gold. Calcting the time, Shen Yao should be back soon. ¡°Second Sister-inw, you¡¯re teasing me again.¡± Ji Zhao looked away shyly. ¡°I¡¯m not thinking about Shen Yao!¡± ¡°Ah Tao doesn¡¯t miss her husband at all?¡± At this moment, Shen Yao¡¯s voice suddenly sounded! Ji Zhao suddenly raised her head and rushed into his arms, hugging his waist enthusiastically. Second Sister-inw Shen, who had eaten a few popcorn chickens in a row, hurriedly covered Zhuang Zhuang¡¯s eyes. ¡°Zhuang Zhuang, don¡¯t look.. Let¡¯s retreat quickly!¡¯ Chapter 269 - Chapter 269: Give All This to Me? Chapter 269: Give All This to Me? Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions Hearing Second Sister-inw Shen¡¯s voice, Ji Zhao realized how impetuous she was. She blinked shyly and was about to let go of Shen Yao¡¯s waist when the man in front of her pulled her into his arms. Shen Yao cupped her cheek and kissed her affectionately. When the two of them were panting, Shen Yao reluctantly let go of her. ¡°Ah Tao, I missed you so much.¡± A day apart felt like three years. It was not until he fell in love with Ah Tao that hepletely understood the deeper meaning hidden in these words. ¡°Me too.¡± Ji Zhao looked up at him and smiled sweetly. ¡°Shen Yao, did everything go smoothly in the prefecture capital this time?¡¯ Ji Zhao poked a delicious chicken chop and handed it to Shen Yao¡¯s lips as she asked with concern. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ah Tao. Everything is going well. ¡± Shen Yao smiled and took out an exquisite square box the size of a palm from his sleeve and handed it to her. ¡°And this is?¡¯ ¡°Ah Tao, why don¡¯t you open it?¡¯ Shen Yao smiled lovingly and tapped the tip of her nose, his eyes filled with gentleness. Ji Zhao lowered her eyes and carefully opened the box. An exquisite pearl hairpin shone brightly under the ck velvet cloth. There were three tassels hanging from the bottom of the hairpin. What was even rarer was that there were small pearls that looked like peaches hanging from the bottom of the tassels. ¡°It¡¯s so exquisite!¡± ¡°Shall I put it on for you?¡± Before she could answer, Shen Yao had already picked up the pearl hairpin and inserted it into her hair. Ji Zhao impatiently approached therge vat in the courtyard. When she took a closer look, her lips curled up happily. ¡°This time, it¡¯s all thanks to Offical Ji¡¯s help that I was able to sessfully obtain those ten taels of gold.¡± Shen Yao held Ji Zhao¡¯s hand and returned to their room. Then, he handed the remaining eight taels of gold to Ji Zhao. ¡°And this is?¡± ¡°Other than the hairpin I brought for you, I also bought a silver bracelet for Mother. The rest is here.¡± ¡®You¡¯re giving all these to me?¡± Ji Zhao blinked and raised her eyebrows with a smile. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll run away with the money?¡± Shen Yao suddenly leaned closer and gently lifted her chin. Then, suddenly lowered his head to press against Ji Zhao¡¯s forehead. ¡°Ah Tao, if you dare to escape, even if I have to run to the ends of the world, I will find you and imprison you by my side.¡± Shen Yao looked at her seriously. For some reason, Ji Zhao suddenly recalled what Grandmaster Wuzhi had said earlier. Toe was fate, and to go was also fate. Did this mean that she would still leave Shen Yao¡¯s side one day in the future? ¡°Ahem, I was just joking. Don¡¯t be so nervous...¡± Ji Zhao looked away guiltily and epted the remaining eight taels of gold with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll take this money as your initial shares in Spring Breeze Pavilion! By the way, did you help me find out if there are any suitable shops in the prefecture?¡± ¡°Qin Minghong brought me to take a look at a few shops. Two of them should meet your requirements.¡± Shen Yao did not notice the guilt in Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes. Instead, he was brought along by her and changed the topic. ¡°But I think you should take a look yourself before you make a choice.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Ji Zhao rubbed her chin thoughtfully. ¡°Now that the sales and reputation of the y-pot rice and earth jar soup are quite good, I also think it¡¯s time to open Spring Breeze Pavilion in the prefecture capital.¡± ¡°Shen Yao, can you apany me to the prefecture capital in a few days?¡± Faced with her delicate and naive appearance, how could Shen Yao disagree? Today, the Shen family¡¯s courtyard was exceptionally lively. There were a total of six square tables in the courtyard. The vigers of Shanghe Vige sat around the tables. The atmosphere was lively as they chatted andughed. A simple and honest smile appeared on Shen Dashan¡¯s face. He said happily, ¡°During this period of time, it¡¯s all thanks to the help of my fellow vigers that my courtyard was repaired so quickly! Thank you, everyone!¡± ¡°Dashan, aren¡¯t you being too polite?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Isn¡¯t the rule in Shanghe Vige to help each other?¡¯ ¡°In mid-February, my eldest daughter-inw also gave birth to a son for the Shen family. Coincidentally, I wanted to take this opportunity to invite the vigers to gather together! Shen Dashan said happily. ¡°Don¡¯t stand on ceremony today. You must eat and drink well!¡± Theughter in the courtyard intensified. Early in the afternoon, Aunt Guihua, who was close to Zhao Lanhua, shouted at the top of her lungs, ¡°Serve the dishes!¡± The person in charge of the banquet held by the Shen family today was Ji Zhao. This dish was a big dish! Beef tongue with sauce! The fragrance of the cow tongue that had been braised in advance wafted into their noses. Coupled with the secret ck pepper sauce, the taste was even better. In less than five seconds after the dish was served, it was swept away. Right on the heels of that, garlic vermicelli prawns, cornmeal pancakes, deep-fried yellow corvina, rice flour steamed pork, Eight Treasures Duck... A total of ten dishes were served on the table. Ten dishes represented perfection. In the kitchen, Ji Zhao took off the apron around her waist and rubbed her sore wrists. Shen Yao smiled and walked behind her. His handsnded on her shoulders and he gently pressed them a few times. Hmm. Ji Zhao could not help but let out a sigh. ¡°It¡¯s sofortable!¡¯ Hearing her charming voice, Shen Yao trembled uncontrobly. ¡°What happened?¡¯ Sensing the change in his mood, Ji Zhao subconsciously looked back and asked softly. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Shen Yao took a deep breath and barely suppressed the desire below his navel. Then, he asked gently, ¡°You¡¯ve made so many dishes today. Are you tired?¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s indeed quite tiring.¡± Ji Zhao shrugged her shoulders and chuckled. ¡°But I feel that this is quite good. After all, cooking in a big pot is very good for training one¡¯s culinary skills!¡± Shen Yao unintentionally saw the blisters on the back of her hand, and heartache shed across his eyes. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± ¡°Huh?¡¯ Following Shen Yao¡¯s gaze, Ji Zhao realized that there were small blisters on the back of her hand. ¡°I must have identally sshed some oil when I fried the fish just now,¡± Ji Zhao exined with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± ¡°But my heart aches.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Ji Zhao subconsciously looked up at him, her eyes filled with confusion. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Where are we going?¡¯ Shen Yao held her hand and returned to the room. After finding the ointment, he carefully applied it to the blister on the back of her hand. His actions were serious and gentle. ¡°Shen Yao, do you care about me that much?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Shen Yao¡¯s hand paused slightly. He subconsciously looked up at Ji Zhao, who was smiling faintly, and nodded firmly. ¡°Ah Tao, did something happen at the Earth Temple that day?¡± Shen Yao let go of her hand and asked seriously, ¡°During this period of time, when you¡¯re free, you¡¯ll always be in a daze. What worries me even more is that you¡¯ve been caught up in indecision due to excessive worry. It makes me feel that you¡¯ll leave me one day..¡± Chapter 270 - Chapter 270: You’re Indeed a Demon Monk! Chapter 270: You¡¯re Indeed a Demon Monk! Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions Ji Zhao had always thought that she had concealed her emotions very well, but she did not know that Shen Yao had long seen through the worry in her heart. ¡°If...¡± Ji Zhao lowered her eyes and asked in a low voice, ¡°Shen Yao, can you promise me one thing?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t!¡± To her surprise, Shen Yao¡¯s attitude was so unyielding. She could not help but smile bitterly. ¡°l haven¡¯t said what it is yet¨C¡± ¡°Ah Tao, I suddenly remembered that I have something to discuss with Father.¡± Shen Yao let go of her hand and said with a gentle smile, ¡°Why don¡¯t you rest first.. Before Ji Zhao could answer, Shen Yao had already turned around and left. Looking at his hurried back, Ji Zhao helplessly closed her eyes. Shen Yao actually chose to avoid talking about it. However, when she recalled what Grandmaster Wuzhi had said, Ji Zhao felt her heart in a mess. On the other side. Shen Yao did not go to the front yard. Instead, he turned around and walked towards the Earth Temple. As he walked faster and faster, the mor in the Shen family¡¯s courtyard behind him gradually faded away. The May sun was already a little scorching. When Shen Yao walked into the main hall, a fat monk in a gray kasaya was sitting cross-legged on a soft futon, knocking on the wooden fish and chanting scriptures. ¡°Master Wuzhi?¡± Shen Yao frowned slightly and questioned in a low voice, ¡®What exactly did you say to my wife?¡± ¡°The anger in your heart is surging. It¡¯s really inappropriate.¡± Grandmaster Wuzhi slowly opened his eyes. The smile on his face was very kind. ¡°Benefactor, why don¡¯t you calm down and listen to the Buddhist voice? Only then can you stop being arrogant and be calm.¡± For some reason, Shen Yao¡¯s emotions were even more unstable at this moment. He could not help but rush forward and attack the monk! Grandmaster Wuzhi raised his kasaya lightly and easily dodged his attack! ¡°A benevolent master?¡¯ Shen Yao was even angrier. The blood in his heart surged, and even his peach blossom eyes were filled with scarlet blood vessels! ¡°I think you¡¯re simply a demon monk who deceives the public with demonic words!¡± ¡°Amitabha!¡± Grandmaster Wuzhi sighed helplessly. Then, he quickly attacked and tapped the acupuncture points on Shen Yao¡¯s body. Shen Yao, who could not move anymore, narrowed his eyes vigntly. There was a coldness in the depths of his eyes. ¡°You are indeed a demon monk! ¡± Master Wuzhi looked at him and shook his head helplessly. Shen Yao tried his best to circte his energy to break through the acupuncture points in his body, but he suddenly felt his vision turn ck before he lost consciousness¡ª As dusk approached, the noisy courtyard of the Shen family gradually regained its peace. Ji Zhao, who had slept for nearly four hours, felt refreshed and full of energy. However, she searched the entire courtyard and did not find Shen Yao. ¡°Mother?¡± Ji Zhao suppressed the uneasiness in his heart and rushed to the kitchen. ¡°Mother, have you seen Shen Yao?¡± ¡°No, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Zhao Lanhua, who was clearing the dishes, quickly looked up and replied, ¡°Maybe he went out with your father?¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t Father still sleeping?¡¯ Ji Zhaoyao pointed in the direction of the central room and frowned slightly. She searched the entire Shen family¡¯s courtyard again, but she still did not see Shen Yao. Ji Zhao was getting more and more anxious. She forced herself to calm down and then thought of another ce! Earth Temple! Night fell quietly, and a new Earth Temple was repaired. It was brightly lit. The moment Ji Zhao rushed into the main hall, he saw Shen Yao kneeling in front of the statue of the local god. Only at this moment did she feel at ease. ¡°Shen Yao?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Shen Yao, who had his back facing her, slowly turned around. However, the way he looked at her was no longer gentle and doting. ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°Ah Tao.¡± Shen Yao suddenly stood up and walked to her step by step. He looked down at her eyes and asked with a sharp gaze, ¡°You¡¯re not Ah Tao, right?¡± At this moment, his gaze was too sharp. Ji Zhao could not help but feel a little afraid. ¡°Shen Yao, are you alright?¡± Shen Yao looked at her with aplicated gaze. Then, he walked around her and left. For some reason, Ji Zhao felt a sudden pain in her heart. Ji Zhao was not in a hurry to leave. Instead, she walked into the back hall of the Earth Temple. At that moment, Grandmaster Wuzhi was drinking tea under the parasol tree. When he heard the footsteps, he did not look surprised at all. ¡°May I ask what Master said to Shen Yao?¡± Ji Zhao clenched her fists and questioned in a cold tone. ¡°Amitabha.¡± Master Wuzhi slowly raised his eyes. The expression on his face was as kind as ever. ¡°Benefactor, don¡¯t worry. A monk doesn¡¯t lie. I never lie. ¡°Since Master is unwilling to tell the truth, I have nothing to say.¡± Ji Zhao took a deep breath and couldn¡¯t help but sneer. ¡°However, I¡¯m afraid Master doesn¡¯t know that this Earth Temple was very dpidated and simple back then. If I hadn¡¯t spent money and effort to call for everyone to repair this ce, Master wouldn¡¯t have been able to find such a perfect residence!¡¯ ¡°However, I feel that this temple is still too small to amodate an aplished monk like you.¡± Ji Zhao mocked, ¡°So, Master, please pack your luggage and leave this ce as soon as possible!¡± ¡°Benefactor, are you chasing me away?¡± Although Grandmaster Wuzhi was a little surprised, his expression was still indifferent. ¡°Master, don¡¯t misunderstand.¡± Ji Zhao crossed her arms and said coldly, ¡°1 have no intention of chasing you away. It¡¯s just that this Earth Temple is not suitable for you to stay! ¡® ¡°Besides, the Earth God is Daoist, but Master is a believer in Buddhism! Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s inappropriate for you to continue staying here?¡¯ What surprised Ji Zhao was that no matter how much she mocked him, Grandmaster Wuzhi still had a benevolent expression on his face, as if he was not angry at all. In the end, she said angrily, ¡°Anyway, this Earth Temple doesn¡¯t wee you. Master, you should leave early!¡± ¡°Benefactor Ji.¡± Just as Ji Zhao turned around, Wuzhi suddenly said, ¡°I still have a word of advice.¡± ¡°Fate in this world seems to be fate, but it¡¯s actually not.¡± ¡°As the saying goes, the sea of bitterness is boundless. Repent and be saved. This poor monk hopes that you canprehend it as soon as possible. Namo Amitabha!¡± After saying these words, Grandmaster Wuzhi left. The huge Earth Temple was silent. Ji Zhao only felt exhausted. She was not in a hurry to leave. Instead, she knelt in front of the statue of the Earth god piously, full of questions. ¡°Earth God, your devotee, Ji Zhao, is going to disturb you again. I have many questions in my heart. I hope you can give me some instructions as soon as possible.¡± Fifteen minutester, just as Ji Zhao turned around and was about to leave, she felt a wave of dizziness in front of her. In a short while, she fell to the ground¡ª In the Shen family¡¯s house, the family sat around the central room. Everyone¡¯s faces were filled with disbelief. Zhao Lanhua, in particr, widened her eyes in surprise.. ¡®Third Brother, did you just say that you wanted to divorce Ah Tao? Did you get kicked in the head by a donkey? Or have you gone crazy from studying recently?!¡¯ Chapter 271 - Chapter 271: Inner Demon Chapter 271: Inner Demon Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions BANG! Shen Dashan, who was sitting at the head of the table, had a dark expression on his face. He mmed the table hard and scolded angrily, ¡°1 don¡¯t agree!¡± ¡°Father, Mother, I¡¯ve already made up my mind.¡± Shen Yao had long expected the two elders¡¯ attitudes, but there was no room for change in what he had decided. ¡°l think you¡¯re bullshi*tting!¡± Shen Dashan was so angry that his face flushed with agitation. He pointed at Shen Yao¡¯s nose and scolded, ¡°Do you have a conscience? Who helped you treat your leg illness back then? Who did their best for this family? In the past year, Ah Tao has sacrificed so much for you and the Shen family. Have you forgotten?¡± ¡°Father, I¡¯ve made up my mind. There¡¯s no room for negotiation.¡± ¡°Shen Yao!¡± Shen Dashan scolded with a straight face. ¡°If you dare to divorce Ah Tao, your mother and I will pretend that we never had a son like you!¡¯ When Ji Zhao walked into the central room, she felt the tense atmosphere. For a moment, she was actually in a daze. She remembered that in mid-Junest year, when she first entered this world, the Shen family seemed to have discussed her departure and stay as well. ¡°Father, Mother.¡± Ji Zhao walked into everyone¡¯s line of sight with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s already veryte. Why isn¡¯t everyone resting yet?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, what happened between you and Third Brother?¡± Zhao Lanhua rushed forward anxiously. ¡®Tell me honestly, did the two of you quarrel?¡± ¡°l have something to tell you.¡± Shen Yao suddenly looked up at Ji Zhao. His eyes were dark and emotionless. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡± Watching the two of them leave one after another, Zhao Lanhua became even more worried. ¡°Dear, why don¡¯t we follow them and take a look?¡¯ Shen Dashan kept a straight face and said nothing. ¡°Mother, when Third Brother said that he wanted a divorce just now, wasn¡¯t his expression too serious?¡± Eldest Brother Shen couldn¡¯t help but mutter, ¡°Has Third Brother gone crazy from studying? How can he say something like a divorce so casually?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I don¡¯t know if Ah Tao heard it just now. If she heard it, she would definitely be very sad!¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen also felt a little indignant for Ji Zhao. ¡°If you ask me, Third Brother and Ah Tao must have gotten into an arugment!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen quickly said, ¡°Sigh, isn¡¯t itmon for husband and wife to bicker? Perhaps the two of them will reconcile tomorrow morning! Father, Mother, Eldest Brother, Eldest Sister-inw, don¡¯t worry-¡± ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Hurry up and go back to your rooms to rest, okay?¡¯ Second Sister-inw Shen could not help but yawn and say happily. After returning to the room, Shen Yao immediately walked to the desk and wrote. Soon, he finished writing a divorce letter. ¡°Actually, there¡¯s no need to go through so much trouble.¡± Ji Zhao identally caught a glimpse of the word ¡®divorce¡¯ and smiled. ¡°You probably forgot, right? Actually, I have a divorce letter that you wrote.¡± Hearing this, Shen Yao stopped what he was doing. ¡®Yes, I did forget.¡± ¡°Shen Yao, do you really want to divorce me?¡± Ji Zhao looked up at his face, her gentle tone filled with seriousness. ¡°Can I know the reason?¡± ¡®You¡¯re not Ji Ah Tao.¡± Shen Yao did not dare to look into her eyes and simply avoided her gaze. ¡°You already knew that, didn¡¯t you? ¡® Thisme excuse made Ji Zhaough. ¡°You already know that I¡¯m not the rude and impudent Ji Ah Tao from before. More importantly, I¡¯ve never concealed my identity in front of you.¡± Ji Zhao continued to ask, ¡°Although I don¡¯t know what Grandmaster Wuzhi told you, I want to tell you that I don¡¯t agree to the divorce.¡± Shen Yao lowered his eyes to hide the pain in his eyes and said in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯ve already made up my mind. Even if you don¡¯t agree, it doesn¡¯t matter. After all, we¡¯re only husband and wife in name, not husband and wife in body.¡± ¡°Shen Yao, do you still remember what you promised me? You once said that no matter what problems we encounter, we have to support each other and be together for the rest of our lives. Now that the oath is still ringing in your ears, have you forgotten it?¡¯ Shen Yao pursed his lips and remained silent. ¡°Even if you didn¡¯t say it, I would have guessed it. It¡¯s just that I want to ask you one thing. Do you really think everything you¡¯ve done is for my own good?¡± Shen Yao fell silent. He did not know if such a choice was for her own good, but when that terrifying scene suddenly appeared in his mind, he retreated. Grandmaster Wuzhi said that his birth characters were too gloomy and that his life would be extremely dangerous. On the other hand, Ah Tao was different. The original JiAh Tao had already invaded Zhaozhao¡¯s life. If Ji Zhao could not leave Great Jing earlier and return to her original world, she would die. More importantly, even if she chose to stay, she would die in his hands in the future. Because this was fate. He loved Ah Tao. How could he bear to let her get hurt? Silence; The silence was a little strange. Ji Zhao could even hear their heartbeats. ¡°Forget it.¡± Ji Zhao suddenly smiled and chuckled. ¡°Shen Yao, I love you, so I respect all your decisions.¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and went to the inner room to pack her bags. ¡°If you still haven¡¯t changed your mind by dawn tomorrow, I¡¯ll leave the Shen residence.¡± Ji Zhao walked up to him and stopped only a step away. This night was very torturous for Shen Yao. Hey on the soft cushion, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep. How could he really want to divorce Ah Tao? But if Ah Tao really stayed, would he kill her in the future? Master Wuzhi said that he had inner demons. Once the inner demon plundered his rationality, it was very likely that he would do something to hurt the people close to him. Ji Zhao, who was sleeping on the other side, was not sleepy at all. She had a dream in the Earth Temple tonight. That dream was a little bad, but it also made her understand the knot in Shen Yao¡¯s heart. In her dream, she had an argument with Shen Yao, and Shen Yao actually raised his sword and pierced her chest. Bright red blood stained her snow-white undergarment. After Shen Yao killed his wife, he wentpletely crazy. Ji Zhao felt that if she was not wrong, Shen Yao must have found out about this. That was why he suddenly distanced himself and even proposed a divorce. She did not know what was wrong with Grandmaster Wuzhi! Ji Zhao hoped that Shen Yao could defeat his inner demon this time. Otherwise, something would definitely happen to him in the future. Lying on the bed, Ji Zhao thought about many things in a daze. It was not until dawn that she barely fell asleep. As for Shen Yao, he did not sleep the entire night. At dawn, he hurried towards the Earth Temple. He wanted to ask Master Wuzhi about it. However, he realized that the master had already left. Shen Yao, who was frowning, walked back to the Shen family¡¯s courtyard in a low mood. At that moment, a gray carriage stopped outside the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. ¡®Why are you so dejected?¡± Immortal Crane looked at him in annoyance and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s my good disciple? Is she up yet?¡± Chapter 272 - Chapter 272: Someone Wants to Harm You Chapter 272: Someone Wants to Harm You Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions Just as Shen Yao was about to speak, Immortal Crane grabbed his wrist and examined it carefully. In the end, he frowned and did not say a word. ¡°Senior?¡± ¡®You¡¯re poisoned.¡± Immortal Crane silently let go of his wrist, his eyes dark. ¡°Have you seen a great monk recently?¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°Get Ah Tao out!¡¯ The more Immortal Crane thought about it, the more shocked he became! Fifteen minutester, Ji Zhao rubbed her eyes tiredly and walked into the central room in a daze. ¡®What happened?¡¯ ¡°Give me your hand!¡± Immortal Crane suddenly scolded sharply. Ji Zhao, who had been shocked, waspletely awake. ¡°Master?¡± ¡°Reach out!¡¯ Immortal Crane reiterated! Although he did not understand, Ji Zhao still obediently stretched out her right hand. Pall! Immortal Immortal Crane took out a ruler from somewhere and hit her palm hard! Ji Zhao sucked in a breath of cold air from the pain! Shen Yao¡¯s heart ached when he saw this scene. He hurriedly shielded Ji Zhao behind him and looked at the dissatisfied Immortal Crane with a puzzled expression. ¡°Senior, what are you doing? Why did you attack Ah Tao for no reason?¡¯ ¡°Master.¡± Ji Zhao silently let go of Shen Yao¡¯s hand and looked at Immortal Crane nkly. ¡°Stupid disciple, you don¡¯t even know that you¡¯ve been poisoned! Shouldn¡¯t you be beaten up?¡¯ Immortal Crane ced his hands on his hips and said angrily, ¡°If I hadn¡¯t arrived in time, I¡¯m afraid both of you wouldn¡¯t have been able to keep your lives!¡± Ji Zhao subconsciously nced at Shen Yao, who was also shocked. After the two of them exchanged nces, they said at the same time, ¡°Master Wuzhi?¡± ¡°Pfft! He¡¯s just an old bald donkey. How is he worthy of the title of master?¡± Immortal Craneined angrily, ¡°This damn old bald donkey actually dares toy his hands on my disciple. I¡¯ll remember this debt!¡± ¡°Master, I don¡¯t understand.. ¡± Looking at Immortal Crane¡¯s furious expression, Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes were filled with confusion. ¡°Stupid disciple!¡± Immortal Crane red at her helplessly. ¡°Look at your palm now.¡± Ji Zhao silently opened her palm and widened her eyes in surprise. In the depths of her swollen palmy a small golden bug about the size of a soybean. Immortal Crane picked up the little bug and rubbed it gently. The bug instantly turned into ashes. ¡°And this is?¡± ¡°Heart Dissociation Poison.¡± Immortal Crane squinted his eyes, his gaze was deep like a well. Right on the heels of that, he attacked Shen Yao¡¯s chest without warning! Shen Yao, who could not dodge in time, could only forcefully withstand this palm! However, he did not expect Immortal Crane to use 100% of his strength, causing him to retreat continuously... In the end, he vomited a mouthful of ck blood! ¡°As expected!¡¯ Immortal Immortal Crane frowned and shouted, ¡°Bring me a fire starter! ¡± Ji Zhao, who was the first to react, rushed to the kitchen and quickly fetched the fire starter. BANG! mes suddenly appeared, and a dark red insect the size of an adult¡¯s index finger slowly crawled out¡ª ¡°This is?¡± Shen Yao never dreamed that there was such a disgusting thing hidden in his body! ¡°The heart dissociation poison from the northern border is extremely poisonous.¡± Immortal Crane exined concisely, ¡°Wuzhi, that old bald donkey, I knew that he had ill intentions when he approached you!¡¯ Immortal Crane thought for a moment and took out two pills from the cloth bag on his body. He handed them to Ji Zhao and Shen Yao. ¡°In order to prevent the remaining poison, the two of you should quickly eat this antidote pill.¡± ¡°Thank you, Master!¡± Ji Zhao nodded obediently and smiled gratefully. ¡°Stupid disciple! ¡® Immortal Immortal Crane poked her forehead angrily, the smile on his face extremely helpless. ¡®You actually let someone plot against you so easily. You¡¯ve really disgraced my face! I¡¯ll punish you to cook a bowl of small wontons for me. Aren¡¯t you going?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ji Zhao smiled faintly and immediately turned around to go to the kitchen. After she left, the smile on Immortal Crane¡¯s face instantly disappeared. He looked at Shen Yao, who was leaning against the bamboo chair without saying a word. His gaze was like a torch. ¡°Someone wants to harm you.¡¯ ¡°I know.¡± Shen Yao lowered his eyes to hide the murderous intent in them as he said calmly. ¡°Although the Heart Dissociation Poison is very poisonous, it¡¯s not fatal for the time being. However, the longer the Heart Dissociation Poison survives in the human body, the more illusions it will cause people to have. It might even cause people to uncontrobly harm themselves or the people around them.¡± Immortal Crane said in a low voice, ¡°The person who wants to harm you has a heart that deserves to be killed.¡± ¡°Senior, how long has that poison been in my body?¡± Shen Yao had a vague guess in his heart. ¡°From the size of the mother Gu, it has lived in your body for at least three years.¡± ¡°Three years?¡± Shen Yao subconsciously narrowed his eyes, the depths of his eyes filled with mockery. If he did not guess wrongly, the pill that the person ¡®kindly¡¯ fed him to cure the snake poison was probably wrapped around the heart dissociation poison. ¡°Stretch out your arm.¡± For the sake of his good disciple, Immortal Crane pinched his wrist again and examined it seriously. ¡°It¡¯s not easy to activate the heart dissociation poison. What did that old bald donkey Wuzhi tell you?¡± Shen Yao thought about it and chose to tell the truth. Yesterday afternoon, he rushed out of the Earth Temple in anger, wanting to ask the demon monk, Wuzhi, about it. Ever since Ah Tao met Wuzhi, her emotions had been a little off. Shen Yao saw this and was anxious. However, after he arrived at the Earth Temple, for some reason, Grandmaster Wuzhi¡¯s words had poked through his thoughts. What was even more terrifying was that he actually saw an extremely strange scene. He held a sharp sword in his hand and pierced Ah Tao¡¯s chest. Shen Yao did not want to think about it anymore. ¡°I¡¯ve dabbled in metaphysics as well.¡± Immortal Crane looked into his eyes and said earnestly, ¡°Although that old bald donkey Wuzhi has a treacherous personality, there¡¯s one thing he didn¡¯t lie to you about. That¡¯s your eight characters. It¡¯s indeed a terrible omen.¡± ¡°After epting Ah Tao as my disciple, I once asked your mother about your birth chart.¡± The Immortal Crane sighed softly and continued, ¡°Your birth chart is too dangerous. It hinders your family. It¡¯s the fate of a jinx.¡± ¡°Moreover, from your pulse, after youe of age, your rtives will leave you one after another.¡¯ ¡°But this change happened to Ah Tao. ¡® ¡°Ah Tao¡¯s fate is an auspicious omen. More importantly, her fate is closely rted to yours.¡± ¡°However, Ah Tao¡¯s original fate was a sign of a short lifespan. It was only in Junest year that she underwent a strong change.¡± ¡°Senior, what about in the future? Will I affect Ah Tao?¡¯ ¡°The secrets of heaven must not be revealed..¡± Chapter 273 - Chapter 273: Give Me A Status soon? Chapter 273: Give Me A Status soon? Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions At 10 am, Ji Zhao brought the cooked three-fresh wontons into the central room. An alluring fragrance wafted over. ¡°Master, do you want to try it?¡± Ji Zhao smiled and brought the bowl of three ingredient wontons to Immortal Crane. ¡°Smells good!¡± Immortal Crane could not help but exim, ¡°My good disciple, ever since I tasted your cooking, the dishes made by others have tasted like wax to me!¡± ¡°Master, if you like it, eat more!¡¯ Ji Zhao smiled and said, ¡°The stuffing of this wonton is three-ingredient, which is pork, fresh shrimp, and eggs.¡± Immortal Crane eagerly scooped up a small wonton and tasted it. ¡°The texture is extremely fresh and the taste is really good!¡± Seeing that her master was eating so happily, Ji Zhao hurriedly asked, ¡°Senior, has the remaining poison in Shen Yao¡¯s body been removed?¡± ¡°With me around, what else are you worried about?¡± ¡°Master and Master Wuzhi are old aquaintences?¡¯ Ji Zhao smiled in embarrassment. ¡°Master, I¡¯m too stupid. I don¡¯t even know how Master Wuzhi poisoned me without anyone knowing.¡± ¡°Under normal circumstances, the person who nted the poison would put the heart dissociation poison into the food.¡± Immortal Crane frowned and said, ¡°Have you eaten the vegetarian meal made by that old bald donkey, Wuzhi?¡¯ Only then did Ji Zhaopletely react! ¡°Oh no! My mother also ate the vegetarian meal made by Wuzhi! ¡± Fifteen minutester, Zhao Lanhua carefully sized up Immortal Crane¡¯s dark and unclear emotions. She could not help but feel a little uneasy. ¡°Immortal, how is it? I should be fine, right?¡± During this period of time, she had been eating and sleeping soundly. Her body was excellent! ¡®Yes.¡± Immortal Crane retracted his hand and nodded slightly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s nothing serious.¡± ¡°Phew! ¡± Zhao Lanhua hurriedly patted her chest. ¡°I knew I was fine!¡± ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Only then did Ji Zhao heave a sigh of relief. ¡°My good disciple, follow me.¡± Immortal Crane waved at Ji Zhao and led her out of the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. ¡°There¡¯s something I want to tell you.¡± ¡°Is it rted to Shen Yao?¡¯ ¡°You guessed it?¡± ¡°At first, I also thought that Master Wuzhi was here for me.¡± Ji Zhao frowned and said in a deep voice, ¡°But only today did I understand that he was here for Shen Yao. If I¡¯m not wrong, this matter must be rted to Shen Yao¡¯s n to participate in the imperial examination again.¡± ¡°The mastermind wants to destroy Shen Yao.¡± Looking at her logical analysis, Immortal Crane stood with his hands behind his back, feeling even moreplicated. ¡°My good disciple, I finally understand. As long as it¡¯s rted to Shen Yao, you¡¯re not stupid at all!¡± Ji Zhao smiled in embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯m a little tired after traveling for so many days.¡± Immortal Crane saw the light blue figure from the corner of her eye and could not help but raise her eyebrows and ask, ¡°Is the guest room ready?¡± ¡°Everything is ready. Master, don¡¯t worry. ¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll go back to my room to rest first. By the way, my good disciple, remember to make me the Mandarin Duck Hotpot we talked aboutst time tonight!¡¯ ¡°Yup!¡¯ Ji Zhao calmed herself down, then turned around and pushed open the door. Squeak¡ª The moment she looked up, her face turned red. At that moment, Shen Yao had just taken off his clothes and his entire upper body was naked¡ª Ji Zhao took in his tanned and muscr chest, as well as his smooth V-line. ¡°Um... I forgot to knock..¡± Ji Zhao turned around shyly, her tone extremely awkward. ¡°Ah Tao, can you help me apply the medicine?¡± Looking at her back, Shen Yao could not help but curl his lips and ask softly. ¡± -Alright.¡± Ji Zhao nodded with difficulty. She turned around and walked to his side, taking the bottle of ointment from his hand. Her gaze inadvertentlynded on the left side of his chest. Looking at therge red and swollen area, Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes turned red uncontrobly. ¡°Master is too heavy-handed.¡± Ji Zhao could not help but mutter. Shen Yao smiled. ¡°Ah Tao.¡± ¡°Yes?¡¯ ¡°I won¡¯t be stupid again in the future.¡± Shen Yao suddenly grabbed her hand and made her sit cross-legged. Then, he gently kissed her tender lips. Fifteen minutester, just as Ji Zhao felt that her brain was out of oxygen, Shen Yao reluctantly let go of her. ¡°Don¡¯t leave me, okay?¡± He pressed his forehead against hers intimately. Shen Yao¡¯s tone was filled with pleading and self-me. He was too stupid to say such a stupid thing. ¡°Okay.. ¡± Ji Zhao did not me him. After all, she knew that what he had said earlier was against his conscience. ¡°Then tomorrow morning, let¡¯s set off for the county city?¡± Shen Yao said softly. ¡°We didn¡¯t agree on the divorce letter previously. I want to take you to the county office to re-register our rtionship as husband and wife.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ji Zhao nodded obediently with a smile. ¡°Ah Tao, there¡¯s one more thing...¡± ¡°Yes?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ve already asked Mother to check. June 16th is a good day. Let¡¯s hold the wedding ceremony again that day, okay?¡± Shen Yao leaned close to her ear and said, ¡°1 want to be a real husband and wife with you.¡± ¡°So can you please give me a status as soon as possible?¡± Ji Zhao had never seen Shen Yao so shameless! But she didn¡¯t seem to have any reason to object? After knowing that Ji Zhao and Shen Yao had decided to hold a wedding ceremony, everyone in the Shen family cheered excitedly. ¡°It¡¯s already the 7th of May today. There¡¯s not much time left until the 16th of June!¡¯ Second Sister-inw Shen counted on her fingers and said, ¡°Father, Mother, shouldn¡¯t we prepare in advance?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. We have to start preparing Ah Tao¡¯s wedding dress and Third Brother¡¯s auspicious clothes, right?¡± Sister-inw Shen hurriedly said, ¡°And the banquet as well. We can¡¯t let Ah Tao, the bride, cook on her wedding day, right?¡± ¡°Right, right. There¡¯s also a wedding sedan. Shouldn¡¯t we book it in advance?¡¯ ¡°And the wedding matchmaker on the big day?¡± Looking at the Shen family¡¯s heated discussion, Ji Zhao suddenly felt tears well up in the corners of her eyes. It wasn¡¯t until night fell that the family reluctantly ended the topic. After all, marriage was a big deal. It could not be decided overnight. At the beginning of the evening, Ji Zhao¡¯s busy figure could be seen through the kitchen window. Zhao Lanhua, who was sitting in front of the stove, added another piece of firewood. The firelight made her face look very gentle. However, Ji Zhao could still see the faint sorrow in the depths of her eyes. ¡°Mother, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, tell me honestly. Have you really reconciled with Third Brother?¡± Zhao Lanhua asked worriedly. ¡°Also, are you and Third Brother¡¯s bodies really fine?¡± ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. We¡¯re really fine.¡± Ji Zhao patted her chest and promised with a firm gaze.. Chapter 274 - Chapter 274: Indeed Smart Chapter 274: Indeed Smart Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions Ji Zhao smiled and hugged Zhao Lanhua¡¯s arm. Her tone was filled with coquettishness. ¡®Mother, don¡¯t worry. Shen Yao and I are fine!¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Zhao Lanhua nodded vigorously. ¡°But Third Brother, that punk, almost angered your father and I to death!¡± When they heard Shen Yao¡¯s idea to divorce Ah Tao, they were really about to explode from anger! ¡°Mother, I¡¯ve already prepared all the ingredients. We can start eating now!¡± Following Zhao Lanhua¡¯s shout, the family arrived at the central room. In the pitch- ck night sky, there were a few stars flickering. At this moment, the atmosphere in the Shen family¡¯s hall was extremely harmonious. ¡°Master, this is the Mandarin Duck Hot Pot.¡± Ji Zhao stood up and introduced with a smile, ¡®This milky-white soup has a light soup base. I specially added some mushrooms into it, so the taste will be better. On the other side, it is red soup with beef tallow as the base, so it will be more fragrant the more it¡¯s cooked.¡¯ ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there. Hurry up and move your chopsticks!¡± The Immortal Crane could not wait to pick up his chopsticks. Looking at the bubbling soup base, he could not help but swallow his saliva. ¡°The tripe, beef slices, and fishballs have just been put in. They can only be tastedter.¡± Ji Zhao pushed the fried crispy pork in front of Immortal Crane. ¡°Master, why don¡¯t you try this salt and pepper crispy pork first?¡¯ ¡°Alright!¡¯ The Shen family¡¯s hotpot meal only ended at the end of the night. The men of the Shen family who had drunk a lot with Immortal Crane were defeated one after another. Ji Zhao rested her chin on her hands and looked at Immortal Crane with admiration. ¡°Master, your alcohol tolerance is too good, isn¡¯t it?¡± The Immortal Crane had single-handedly defeated all the men from the Shen family. Except for Shen Yao, because he was explicitly forbidden from drinking. ¡°Of course, your master can drink thousand cups before getting.. THUD! Before he could say the word ¡®drunk¡¯, Immortal Crane fell to the ground. ¡°Father specially took out the Green Bamboo Leaf Wine that he had kept for many years tonight.¡± Shen Yao chuckled and said, ¡°Although the taste of the Green Bamboo Leaf Wine is mellow and sweet, its aftereffects are extremely strong. Senior drank three small jars before getting drunk. It¡¯s already a huge amount. ¡® ¡®What about you? Why aren¡¯t you drunk?¡± Ji Zhao tilted her head and looked at him with a smile. Her smile was as bright as the sunset and as bright as spring. The dimples on both sides of her lips were especially sweet. ¡°Ah Tao.¡± Shen Yao suddenly could not hold back the desire in his heart. He suddenly closed in on her, locking her lips forcefully. Then, he went straight to the point and plundered wantonly. Unlike the spring breeze and drizzle in the past, Shen Yao was exceptionally enthusiastic tonight. Ji Zhao could not help but get absorbed. Fifteen minutester, the two of them were panting as they intimately pressed against each other¡¯s cheeks. Shen Yao suddenly reached out and ruffled her already messy hair. He lowered his voice and said, ¡°Ah Tao, you¡¯re really beautiful.¡± He couldn¡¯t wait to eat her up¡ª The breeze made the wooden door creak, and Ji Zhao¡¯s rationality returned. ¡°That...¡± Ji Zhao reached out her right index finger and gently poked his chest. She asked softly, ¡°Shen Yao, why don¡¯t you send Master back to the guest room first? I¡¯ll wait for you in the room... Is that okay?¡± ¡± Okay.¡± Shen Yao understood the expression in her eyes and could not hide the excitement in his eyes. ¡®Then go back to our room and wait for me.¡± ¡®Well Ji Zhao hurriedly crawled out of his arms and turned around to return to the room. After drinking two cups of herbal tea in a row, the temperature on her face still did not drop. She¡ª ¡ªwas not against further development with Shen Yao. After all, they had almost consummated their marriage previously. However, there was always a difference between theory and practice. The more Ji Zhao thought about it, the more shy she became. The temperature on her face rose instead of decreasing. After all, this was their first time together. Ji Zhao felt that she should prepare more grandly. She immediately opened the closet and began to pick and choose¡ª On the other side. Shen Yao supported Immortal Crane back to the guest room. Feeling the pressure on his shoulders getting heavier, Shen Yao raised his eyebrows slightly and did not say anything. The Immortal Crane, who was already sober, refused to let him go. He deliberately pressed all his weight on his shoulders. However, Shen Yao did not say a word. He helped him to the bed and thoughtfully served him a cup of hot tea. ¡°Senior, why don¡¯t you have a cup of tea? This way, you can sober up faster.¡± Immortal Crane could not be bothered to pretend to be drunk anymore. He immediately opened his eyes and sized up Shen Yao. ¡°Senior has something to say?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The Immortal Crane slowly picked up the cup of hot tea and took a sip. Then, he said indifferently, ¡°You¡¯re not worthy of my good disciple.¡± ¡°The Great Jing Dynasty values rules very much. Since my good disciple has taken me as her master, I have to say a few words,¡± the Immortal Crane said very honestly. ¡°The current you doesn¡¯t have any merits, but you¡¯re already facing ambushes on all sides. Although my good disciple¡¯s luck is extremely exuberant, no one can guarantee that your bad luck won¡¯t affect her.¡± The more Immortal Crane spoke, the more he felt indignant for Ji Zhao. If only he could¡¯ve met his good disciple earlier. He would definitely not agree to this marriage. Unfortunately, everything was predestined! ¡°Senior is sincerely thinking for Ah Tao. I can understand this.¡± A faint smile appeared on Shen Yao¡¯s face, and his tone was as gentle as ever. ¡°It¡¯s just that I and Ah Tao are truly in love and have alreadymunicated our feelings.¡± ¡°Of course, I also know that my current situation is not safe, but I can swear that I will always protect Ah Tao.¡± ¡°A person who can¡¯t even protect his own life dares to spout nonsense?¡± Immortal Crane red at him in annoyance. ¡°I¡¯m not blind. I can tell how deep my disciple¡¯s feelings for you are!¡± ¡°As the saying goes, it¡¯s better to tear down a temple than a marriage.¡± Immortal Crane looked into his eyes and said in a deep voice, ¡°Seeing that you¡¯re my good disciple¡¯s husband, there¡¯s something I won¡¯t hide from you. However, with your intelligence, youVe probably guessed it, right?¡± ¡°Thest time Senior appeared, you cured my leg disease. This time, you helped me cure the parasitic poison.¡± Shen Yao met the Immortal Crane¡¯s scrutinizing gaze, neither servile nor overbearing, and said softly, ¡®There has never been a favor in this world for no reason.¡¯ Immortal Crane couldn¡¯t help but look up at him. Shen Yao was indeed smart. No wonder that master had risked his life to ask him toe all the way here to help him. ¡°This old man has indeed been entrusted by someone toe to Dingyuan County. But since you know what you¡¯re doing, this old man won¡¯t say anything more.¡± The Immortal Crane suddenly curled his lips, and his shrewd eyes suddenly became fierce and fierce.. ¡°If you dare to treat my good disciple badly in the future, this old man will poison you to death without anyone knowing! Do you understand?¡± Chapter 275 - Chapter 275: On Purpose Chapter 275: On Purpose Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions Immortal Crane pretended to be fierce and said this. Shen Yao pursed his lips and smiled slightly. His eyes were firm and solemn. ¡°Senior, don¡¯t worry. You won¡¯t have the chance.¡± Ji Zhao was extremely important to him. He would hold her in his hands for the rest of his life, protect her gently, and pamper her for the rest of his life. ¡°In short, you have to remember at all times that I will always support my good disciple! ¡® ¡®Yeah.¡± As the night grew darker, Ji Zhao¡¯s nervousness gradually turned into anticipation. Fifteen minutes ago, she had already taken a careful bath and had applied a faintyer of fragrant powder on her neck. Squeak¡ª The moment the door was pushed open, Ji Zhao clenched her fists nervously and subconsciously looked up. The helplessness on her face turned into an indescribable charm in Shen Yao¡¯s eyes. ¡°You... you¡¯re back?¡± Ji Zhao smiled, her eyes watery and full of affection. Shen Yao¡¯s gaze had always been as gentle as jade, but at this moment, it was as fierce as a wolf. He rushed forward and pulled her into his arms with his strong arms. He lowered his head and locked her red lips, forcefully plundering the fragrance that existed between her lips and teeth¡ª A breeze blew past, and the pair of red candles on the table swayed with a dim yellow light. Fifteen minutester, Ji Zhao felt that her brain waspletely deprived of oxygen. She did not know when the clothes on her body had been removed. She nervously held Shen Yao¡¯s naked shoulder. Her watery almond-shaped eyes were filled with mist, like a deer that had identally entered the forest. ¡°Shen Yao, do... do you really love me?¡± At this moment, Ji Zhao felt that her heart was about to jump out. She thought that she had already made all the necessary preparations, but she did not expect that she would be so nervous at thest moment. Looking at her biting her lip hard, Shen Yao smiled gently. ¡°Zhaozhao, in this life, I only wish to have you. I¡¯m d to have you. I¡¯m grateful to have you.¡± ¡®You...¡¯ ¡°Shh.¡± Shen Yao suddenly raised his index finger and ced it by her lips. Then, he leaned close to her ear and chuckled. ¡°Zhaozhao, on the night we consummate our marriage, you won¡¯t have the right to refuse.¡± ¡°Huh?¡¯ Just as Ji Zhao was at a loss, Shen Yao had already stood up and left. Only then did she realize that rheir first attempt at consummation had ended in failure. Ji Zhao silently pulled the nket over her face. She couldn¡¯t help but reflect on herself. Was she too useless? In the dead of the night, Shen Yao went to the ear room again. He took a cold bath for a full fifteen minutes before he managed to suppress the heat three inches below his navel. He could only me the moonlight for not being charming enough. It could notpare to Ah Tao¡¯s shy and timid smile When Shen Yao returned to the room, Ji Zhao was already asleep. The next day, Zhao Lanhua went to the kitchen early in the morning to prepare breakfast for the family. The fragrant ck rice porridge was mixed with spicy and delicious pickled vegetables. Coupled with the especially fragrant beef sesame seed cake, it filled everyone¡¯s stomachs. ¡°Here¡¯s our n for today,¡± Zhao Lanhua said excitedly. ¡°Later, I¡¯ll apany your father to the vige chief¡¯s house to report that our family is going to hold a new wedding for Third Brother and Ah Tao. Eldest Brother will go to the county city to order a batch of good wine. Second Brother, go to the county city to help choose some high-quality furniture!¡± ¡°As for Third Brother, apany Ah Tao to the county city to choose jewelry. However, Ah Tao, you have toe home after noon. The Immortal Crane has instructed that he will bring you to the back mountain in the afternoon to identify herbs and test if you have been studying seriously during this period!¡¯ Ji Zhao, who was eating a sesame seed cake, nodded obediently. Zhao Lanhua readily took out three silver notes worth fifty taels. ¡°Mother?¡± Eldest Brother Shen was stunned. ¡°Didn¡¯t our house catch fire previously? Why do you still have so much money on you?¡¯ ¡°Yeah, Mother? Eldest Brother has discussed it with me. We¡¯re even prepared to fork out some money to help Third Brother¡¯s marriage!¡¯ Second Brother Shen could not help but look at her curiously. ¡®Well...¡± Zhao Lanhua deliberately waved at her two sons. In the end, she lowered her voice and said, ¡°The secrets of heaven can¡¯t be revealed. If you¡¯re done eating, go out get your tasks done quickly!¡± Fifteen minutester, Eldest Brother Shen pulled out the carriage tied to the backyard and waved at his brothers. ¡°Second Brother, Third Brother, Third Sister-inw, shall we go to the county city now?¡± ¡°Alright!¡¯ In the Shen family¡¯s house, Shen Dashan nced at Zhao Lanhua, who was grinning from ear to ear. His emotions were also affected by her. ¡°Lanhua, why are you so happy?¡¯ ¡°Of course I¡¯m happy!¡¯ Zhao Lanhua raised her eyebrows smugly as she wiped the table. ¡°Dear, I¡¯m really happy. Our three punks have finally grown up!¡± ¡°After so many things, Eldest Brother¡¯s personality has be much calmer. As for Second Brother, he¡¯s not as dull as before. What¡¯s even happier is that Third Brother is not as cold as before.¡± The happiest thing for a parent was to see their children grow up! ¡°That¡¯s right. I heard it just now. Eldest Brother and Second Brother were preparing to pay for Third Brother¡¯s marriage!¡¯ Shen Dashan said with relief, ¡°As expected of my sons. They¡¯re really sensible! ¡± ¡°Alright, don¡¯t tter yourself!¡± Zhao Lanhua tugged at his earlobe and said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s not your work that Eldest and Second Brother could say such things!¡± ¡°Then whose credit is it?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s the credit of our two daughter-inws!¡± Zhao Lanhua said seriously, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for our daughter-inws being sensible, do you think your sons would be any good?¡± ¡°Alright, alright. Don¡¯t just stand there. Hurry up and go to the chicken coop to feed the chickens! Aren¡¯t we going to the vige chief¡¯s houseter?¡± ¡°I hope that by next month, our chickens will grow fatter!¡¯ County City, Hongxing Restaurant. When he heard that Shen Yao and Ji Zhao were preparing to officially get married on the 16th of next month, Second Manager You was stunned at first. After understanding the situation, he naturally beamed with joy. ¡°I hope that Second Brother You will be able to attend the ceremony! Shen Yao smiled and invited sincerely. ¡®Of course!¡± Second Manager You patted his chest and said, ¡°With our friendship, how could I not show up?¡¯ After some small talk, Second Manager You mentioned something. ¡°I heard that Dingyuan County is going to open a Wind and Moon Restaurant as well.¡± Second Manager You frowned and said with a deep gaze, ¡°I¡¯ve already sent someone to ask around. I heard that the Wind and Moon Restaurant will open opposite our restaurant.¡± ¡°But I remember that ever since Official Ji came to Dingyuan County, several brothels have been closed?¡± Ji Zhao asked curiously. ¡°Doesn¡¯t this Official Ji hate ces like that the most? Doesn¡¯t the master behind Wind and Moon Restaurant know this?¡± ¡°Perhaps the owner of the Wind and Moon Restaurant knew this and did it on purpose,¡± Shen Yao lowered his eyes and said in a low voice.. Chapter 276 - Chapter 276: It’s Lonely at the Top Chapter 276: It¡¯s Lonely at the Top Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions ¡°Deliberately? Why do you say that?¡± Shen Yao chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ve met Official Ji a few times before. His words and actions are extremely elegant. He doesn¡¯t seem like someone who has been immersed in the bureaucracy for many years. If I¡¯m not wrong, this Official Ji of Dingyuan County is probably from an extraordinary background. There¡¯s probably another reason why he came to Dingyuan County to be a county magistrate.¡± ¡°Moreover, after Official Ji came to Dingyuan County, he did two major things. Firstly, he reduced taxes. Whether it was the merchants who ran shops in the county or themoners, they were extremely grateful. Secondly, he eliminated brothels. His actions must have touched some unspeakable benefits of power.¡± ¡°In that case, the master behind Wind and Moon Restaurant wants to dere war on Official Ji?¡± Ji Zhao understood Shen Yao¡¯s words and asked curiously. ¡°Other than Official Ji, there¡¯s also Young Master Qin.¡± Shen Yao¡¯s slender fingertipsnded on the table, making an extremely rhythmic sound. ¡°If the Wind and Moon Restaurant insists on opening opposite Hongxing Restaurant, then it will definitely affect the restaurant¡¯s business.¡± Hongxing Restaurant only had good food and wine, but Wind and Moon Restaurant also had beauties. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Second Manager You nodded slowly. ¡°I¡¯ve also realized this, so I¡¯ve already sent a letter to Young Master. I hope Young Master can find a solution. ¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Yao looked at him andforted him. ¡°Second Brother You, you don¡¯t have to worry too much. After all, we¡¯ll cross the bridge when we get there.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Second Manager You immediately smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about these dampening things. On the other hand, Ah Tao, when do you n to let Spring Breeze Pavilion open for business again? During the time you closed, many customers came to inquire about it!¡± After all, the earth jar soup and y pot rice that Ah Tao had introduced were too delicious. Ji Zhao who was in a daze suddenly snapped her fingers! Shen Yao and Second Manager You looked at her at the same time. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Shen Yao, I suddenly have an idea.¡± Ji Zhao suddenly smiled and said, ¡°But you have to apany me to the county office. I want to see Official Ji!¡± ¡°Now?¡± Shen Yao was a little puzzled. ¡°That¡¯s right, now! We have to end this quickly!¡± Ji Zhao said with a determined gaze. Then, he grabbed Shen Yao¡¯s arm. Just as she was about to run out, she did not forget to turn around and look at Second Shopkeeper You. ¡°Second Brother You, don¡¯t worry. The Wind and Moon Restaurant won¡¯t sessfully open opposite Hongxing Restaurant! ¡± ¡°Ah Tao, why are you so sure?¡± Second Manager You hurriedly asked, but Ji Zhao¡¯s back had already disappeared. Dingyuan County Office. Ji Ting¡¯an was dealing with official business. When he heard that Shen Yao and his wife wanted to see him, he was a little surprised. Previously, when Shen Yao saved his maternal grandfather, he was very grateful. That was why he insisted on bringing Shen Yao to the prefecture capital to collect the ten taels of silver. However, the more he talked to Shen Yao, the more Ji Ting¡¯an felt that this person¡¯s speech was extraordinary. He had also read Shen Yao¡¯s case file. He had been smart since he was young. At three years old, he could speak. At five years old, he could write poems. At seven years old, he couldpose poems. More importantly, his poem theory was unique and refreshing. However, such an outstanding person had fallen off the rankings four years ago. The Imperial Court spent a lot of money every year on the selection of talents, but there were endless corrupt officials every year. There was no way to investigate them all. ¡°Invite him to the side hall.¡± Ji Ting¡¯an rubbed his sore brows and retracted his chaotic thoughts. He said softly, ¡°Get someone to prepare tea and pastries.¡± ¡®Yes.¡± The servant obediently retreated. Fifteen minutester, Ji Zhao and Shen Yao were brought to the side hall in the backyard of the county office. Looking at the que hanging above the high hall, Ji Zhao fell into deep thought. ¡°The Mirror of Eminence.¡± Shen Yao squeezed her palm and asked with a chuckle, ¡°Ah Tao, why are you staring at that que?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just thinking, if all the officials were good officials with clean sleeves, wouldn¡¯t themoners be able to live and work in peace? What would it be like to live in peace?¡± Ji Zhao looked back at Shen Yao and smiled. ¡°Well said!¡± Ji Ting¡¯an, who happened to walk in, happened to hear these words. He could not help but p and praise, ¡°The sea and the river are clear, and the world is peaceful! That must be a beautiful painting!¡± ¡°Greetings, Official Ji.¡± Shen Yao calmly protected Ji Zhao behind him and bowed respectfully. Ji Ting¡¯an could not help butugh out loud. ¡°Shen Yao, Shen Yao, you don¡¯t have to be so guarded! I¡¯m not a person who loses his mind because of lust. Moreover, I just think that the words your wife said are very good. I don¡¯t have any other intentions. ¡® ¡°I hope you can forgive me.¡± Shen Yao was not as nervous as before when he saw how honest he was. Ji Ting¡¯an smiled and asked curiously, ¡°But why did youe to see me?¡± ¡°The thing is, my wife and I have decided to get married on the 16th of next month.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you already husband and wife?¡¯ Ji Ting¡¯an was extremely puzzled. ¡®What exactly is going on?¡¯ Fifteen minutester, Ji Ting¡¯an finally understood the entire situation. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect your rtionship to be soplicated.¡± Ji Ting¡¯an couldn¡¯t help but tease. ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s why I brought my wife here today. I have two goals. Firstly, I want to invite you to my house for a wedding banquet on the 16th of next month. Secondly, it¡¯s about the household registration.¡± ¡°No problem!¡± Ji Ting¡¯an smiled and nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry!¡¯ ¡°By the way, my wife still has something to report to you.¡± Only then did Shen Yao let go of Ji Zhao¡¯s hand and smile at her, his eyes filled with encouragement. ¡°Official Ji, may I ask you a question?¡± Ji Zhao slowly looked up and met Ji Ting¡¯an¡¯s sized up gaze. ¡°1 heard that Wind and Moon Restaurant is going to open in Dingyuan County. What do you think about this?¡± Ji Ting¡¯an was stunned. ¡°Ever since I came to Dingyuan County, I¡¯ve learned about the people here. Compared to taverns and inns, there are too many brothels in Dingyuan County. Therefore, the first thing I did when I took office was to investigate three brothels. ¡® ¡°Not only are these brothels dirty, but there are also some forces behind them. I came here this time to investigate these thoroughly! As for the Wind and Moon Restaurant you mentioned just now, I can¡¯t let this que appear in Dingyuan County! ¡± ¡°But the power behind Wind and Moon Restaurant is the Sun Family!¡± Ji Zhao said frankly. ¡°There¡¯s a saying on the streets. As long as your surname is Sun, you can do whatever you want! After all, the Sun Family has a lot of sacred favors! ¡± Imperial Concubine Sun was loved by the Emperor, and Elder Sun was even more powerful and had many disciples! The mastermind behind the Wind and Moon Restaurant was the Sun family! ¡°But I¡¯ve also heard of a saying.¡± Ji Ting¡¯an lowered his eyes to hide the emotions in them. ¡°It¡¯s lonely at the top..¡± Chapter 277 - Chapter 277: Too Much! Chapter 277: Too Much! Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions Although Official Ji¡¯s tone was very calm when he said this, Ji Zhao could still hear the coldness hidden in it. ¡°I think you¡¯re right.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and continued, ¡°Although it¡¯s lonely at the top, the Sun family is still at the top! If the Wind and Moon Restaurant insists on opening opposite Hongxing Restaurant, I¡¯m afraid you can¡¯t do anything about it, right?¡± Ji Ting¡¯an could not help but look at her again. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± ¡°I am not talented, when I heard this news by chance, I was a little dissatisfied. After all, the Spring Breeze Pavilion opened by me is next to the Hongxing Restaurant. If the Wind and Moon Restaurant really seeds in opening directly opposite the Hongxing Restaurant, it will be harmful to my Spring Breeze Pavilion. Therefore, I have a suggestion. I hope you can listen to it?¡± ¡°Just say it!¡¯ ¡°Dingyuan County¡¯s geographical location is special, and it¡¯s also the border between Yunchuan Prefecture and Guichuan Prefecture, so there¡¯s an endless stream of merchantsing and going. Therefore, the taxes that Dingyuan County pays to the imperial court every year are only more and not less. However, with too much money, it¡¯s inevitable that some corrupt officials will be born. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re aware that when Official Ma moved, he secretly transported sixrge boxes. As for what¡¯s in the boxes, I believe you know, right?¡± ¡®What are you trying to say?¡± ¡°Official, do you want to make a political achievement in Dingyuan County? It¡¯s not only beneficial for taxation, but also for the welfare of the people.¡± Ji Zhao raised his head and looked at Ji Ting¡¯an, who had aplicated gaze, with a faint smile. ¡°I¡¯m all ears.¡± ¡°I¡¯m stupid, but I¡¯ve heard my husband mention it by chance. The reason why the Imperial Court collects taxes is firstly to fill the national treasury in case of emergencies. Secondly, it¡¯s for the civilians. If the people are stable, the world will be at peace.¡± Ji Zhao continued, ¡°Ever since you came to Dingyuan County, you¡¯ve forcefully suppressed the brothels. It can be said to be a lightning strike, but sometimes, the more you suppress it, the fiercer the rebound. Official, I feel that it¡¯s better to block it than to let it go? Although you hate ces like brothels, you have to admit that these brothels pay more and more taxes every year.¡± ¡°The two ces that the wealthy merchants and squires who travel between the north and south love to visit the most are restaurants and brothels. Because of this, the taxes paid by these two ces are not small every year.¡± ¡°You mean that I shouldn¡¯t punish these brothels?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ji Zhao shook her head. ¡°Ci¡¯an Hall in Dingyuan County has been in disrepair for a long time. Those lonely old people and homeless children living in Ci¡¯an Hall only have two meals a day. Sometimes, they can¡¯t eat their fill. When it rains, the roofwill leak. Last December, several old people who were not in good health froze to death...¡± ¡°I just think that you can find an excuse to increase the taxes of the brothels and then put this money where it should be used. For example, repairing Ci¡¯an Hall or repairing the canal to do something that benefits the people.¡± Ji Ting¡¯an understood her n and was a little surprised. He did not expect a woman like Ji Zhao to think of such a perfect solution. Just as that master had said, Dingyuan County was his blessednd! There were indeed crouching tigers and hidden dragons here. ¡°I will seriously consider your suggestion.¡± After some thought, Ji Ting¡¯an¡¯s tone was filled with admiration. ¡°This is just my humble opinion.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and bowed. Then, she held Shen Yao¡¯s hand and walked out of the county office. In the blue sky, white clouds rolled and floated with the wind. The air was filled with the faint fragrance of hibiscus flowers, making one feel refreshed. Shen Yao looked at Ji Zhao, who was eating candied hawthorn beside him, his eyes filled with amazement. ¡°Try it?¡± Ji Zhao smiled and brought the stick of candied hawthorn to his lips. ¡°It¡¯s very sweet!¡¯ Shen Yao took a bite and raised his eyebrows. It was indeed very sweet. The two of them walked across the three-hole bridge hand in hand and arrived at the famous Green Jade Pavilion. The ss counter in the hall on the first floor was neatly arranged with various silver jewelry. It was dazzling to the eye. Before Ji Zhao could admire it, Shen Yao brought her to the second floor. The first floor of the Green Jade Pavilion had silver essories; the second floor had gold essories and various styles of headwear; and the third floor had all kinds of jade. Shen Yao took a fancy to a golden phoenix hairpin at a nce. ¡°Take this out. ¡® ¡°Sir, you have good taste!¡± The shopkeeper hurriedly praised, ¡°This Phoenix Seeking Mate is the newest style of our shop. Sir, you don¡¯t have to take a closer look. The wat the phoenix on this golden hairpin spreads its wings and flies is lifelike. The tassel pearls that fall below are even more plump and round!¡¯ Shen Yao nodded slightly, then carefully inserted the golden phoenix hairpin into Ji Zhao¡¯s hair. ¡°Do I look good?¡± Ji Zhao suddenly looked sideways at him and smiled brightly. ¡°Yes.¡± Her smile was bright and dazzling, easily tugging at Shen Yao¡¯s heartstrings. Ji Zhao naturally did not miss the stunned look in Shen Yao¡¯s eyes. She turned her face away shyly and said to the shopkeeper with a smile, ¡°I wonder if the shopkeeper can take out a bronze mirror?¡¯ ¡°Madam, wait a moment!¡± The moment she smiled just now, even the shopkeeper was stunned. Apart from this golden phoenix hairpin, Shen Yao also chose a set of beautiful ruby headpieces for Ji Zhao. ¡°It¡¯s about time, right?¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly tugged at Shen Yao¡¯s sleeve, trying to end his shopping spree. ¡°Ah Tao, don¡¯t worry. I brought enough money with me when I went out.¡± Shen Yao smiled and rubbed her face. He then chose a beautiful pearl bracelet for her. Ah Tao¡¯s skin was fairer, and she often cooked, so it was more convenient to wear pearls than gold. Moreover, pearls were rare nowadays, and their price was almost the same as gold. Ji Zhao did not expect Shen Yao to be so generous when buying jewelry. ¡°Ah Tao, I really want to marry you, so these betrothal gifts are all proper etiquette.¡± In the end, Shen Yao chose a pair of coral earrings in the shape ofwater droplets for her before stopping. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go back, okay?¡± Ji Zhao felt a headacheing on when she saw Shen Yao walking up to her with the bags. She deeply suspected that if Shen Yao¡¯s financial strength was enough, he would definitely make this Green Jade Pavilion his own! When they returned to the Shen residence, Zhao Lanhua looked at the jewelry that Shen Yao had bought for Ji Zhao and could not help but frown. Ji Zhao¡¯s heart sank when he saw her expression. Shen Yao must have bought too much. Was Mother a little unhappy? ¡°Mother, actually, I also think Shen Yao bought a little too much.. ¡°Too much?¡± Zhao Lanhua held her hand and said earnestly, ¡°Ah Tao, I have to criticize Third Brotherter. This is too little! Also, why didn¡¯t you buy the three golds? Why did you buy pearls?¡¯ ¡°Mother, Shen Yao chose so many pearls because I like pearls..¡± Ji Zhao quickly exined, ¡°And this is enough! I¡¯m already very happy!¡± Chapter 278 - Chapter 278: Radish Pig Lung Soup Chapter 278: Radish Pig Lung Soup Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°Do you have to be so happy?¡± Immortal Crane looked at the love-struck smile on Ji Zhao¡¯s face and frowned unhappily. ¡°That golden phoenix hairpin is crudely made. The rest of the jewelry is even worse!¡± ¡°Master!¡± Ji Zhao suddenly puffed up her cheeks and shouted angrily. ¡°Alright, alright. I know you¡¯re protecting that punk! Immortal Crane rolled his eyes silently. Then, he took off the gray pouch on his waist and poured out the items in the pouch. He handed it to her. ¡°Take it. It¡¯s my wedding gift to you!¡± Although Immortal Crane did not approve of this marriage, his good disciple had already decided on Shen Yao. Other than epting it, he had no other choice! ¡°This is?¡± Ji Zhao was dumbfounded. This was because her master had given her a luminous night pearl the size of an egg. ¡°Keep it well!¡± ¡°Thank you, Master!¡± Ji Zhao did not decline and epted the gift happily. A night pearl the size of an egg! This was a treasure that could not be bought with money! Her master had actually given her such an expensive congrattory gift. It could be seen that her master truly doted on her. ¡°Master, what do you want to eat for lunch? Shall I make it for you?¡¯ ¡°My throat has been a little dry for the past two days. Why don ¡®t we prepare some soup?¡¯ ¡°Alright!¡¯ ¡°After lunch, follow me to the back of the mountain to pick herbs.¡± ¡°Okay!¡¯ Ji Zhao immediately went to the kitchen and nced at the ingredients on the storage shelf. She quickly had an idea. She nned to make radish pig lung soup to moisten the lungs. Coincidentally, a few days ago, Aunt Guihua had gotten someone to send a lot of pig¡¯s heart, pig¡¯s lungs, and pig¡¯s liver. In Aunt Guihua¡¯s words, the ingredients that no one usually wanted could always be turned into treasures as long as they passed through Ah Tao¡¯s hands. Ji Zhao picked up the pig lung and began to wash it. She squeezed out all the dirty things in the pig¡¯s lungs, washed them repeatedly, and cut them into pieces. Finally, she scrubbed them twice with salt. After the water in the pot boiled, she nched the pig lungs in water and finally scooped them up. The fresh radishes were peeled and cut into pieces. A little oil was added in the pot. After stir-frying them a little, she scooped them up. In addition to the radish and pig¡¯s lungs, Ji Zhao also picked a few plump dates, ttened them, removed the core, and ced them in the y pot. Then, she added the sliced ginger. When the y pot was boiling, she added the pig¡¯s lungs and white radish and slowly cooked them. Ji Zhao thought for a moment and made another bowl of meatball pork liver vermicelli soup. Halfway through the afternoon, Immortal Crane pushed open the door and walked to the front yard. At that moment, Shen Yao was teaching Ji Chen the horse stance. ¡°Brother-inw...¡± Ji Chen, who had been squatting for 15 minutes, had ayer of sweat on his forehead. He subconsciously looked at Shen Yao beside him, his eyes filled with pleading. ¡°Hold on for another fifteen minutes.¡± Shen Yao raised his hand and straightened his arm. He said firmly, ¡°Chenchen, if you really want to practice martial arts, you must suffer. You have to know that practicing martial arts is not something that can be done overnight. ¡® Ji Chen had only found out the truth about the fire in the Shen family¡¯s courtyard by chance yesterday. Back then, when his sister insisted that he apany Eldest Brother Shen to the county city, he had been confused. However, he listened to his sister and did not ask further. However, he did not know that his sister was carrying so many burdens. Therefore, he came to his brother-inw and only said that he wanted to practice martial arts. ¡°Okay!¡± Ji Chen gritted his teeth and persisted for another fifteen minutes. Looking at the determination on his face, Shen Yao was very relieved. ¡°From tomorrow onwards, continue to practice the horse stance,¡± Shen Yao patted his shoulder and said in a low voice. ¡°Okay!¡± Immortal Crane, who had witnessed this scene, fell into deep thought. ¡°Senior?¡± From the corner of his eye, he saw the gray figure. Shen Yao immediately brought Ji Chen to the Immortal Crane. ¡°Chenchen, this is your sister¡¯s master.¡± ¡°Greetings, senior.¡± Ji Chen bowed obediently. The Immortal Crane kept sizing up Ji Chen¡¯s face, and a trace of surprise shed across his eyes. This child¡¯s face really resembled that old stubborn man! ¡°Are you Ah Tao¡¯s brother?¡± ¡°Yes, it is.¡± ¡°Not bad.¡± Immortal Immortal Cranemented indifferently. Then, he pinched his wrist and carefully examined it. The old stick-in-the-mud¡¯s good grandson had been poisoned when he was in his mother¡¯s womb. If this child was really rted to the stick-in-the-mud, there would definitely be some traces in his pulse. Unfortunately, Immortal Crane found the pulse was very stable. ¡°Senior, is there anything wrong with Chenchen?¡± Looking at his serious expression, Shen Yao could not help but feel a little nervous. ¡°No.¡± Immortal Crane let go of his hand and said calmly, ¡°l only took his pulse because I saw that his lips were pale. However, from his pulse, he¡¯s fine. He¡¯s just a little weak?¡± ¡°By the way, I haven¡¯t asked you how old you are.¡± ¡°Senior, I¡¯m just turned seven years old this year.¡± Ji Chen answered obediently. ¡°Seven years old?¡± Immortal Crane frowned again. He was actually as old as the stick-in-the-mud¡¯s missing grandson? ¡°Master, it¡¯s time for lunch!¡± Ji Zhao smiled and approached the three people who were talking. She said softly, ¡°l made meatball pork liver vermicelli soup this afternoon!¡¯ Fifteen minutester. Immortal Crane put down his bowl and chopsticks in satisfaction. ¡®The meat is fragrant and the soup is strong. It tastes wonderful.¡± ¡°Master, do you want another bowl?¡± ¡°Alright!¡¯ After a warm lunch, Ji Zhao immediately carried her bamboo basket and obediently followed Immortal Crane out the door. ¡°The season of spring is also a good season for the rapid growth of all kinds of herbs.¡± Immortal Crane exined as he walked, ¡°Also, the habits of the herbs are different. The amount of herbs used to treat the patient has to be carefully considered. If the medicine is not used appropriately, it will only worsen the patient¡¯s condition if it can¡¯t be cured.¡± ¡°Those who study medicine must be cautious. A doctor can save people and harm them.¡¯ ¡°Ah Tao will follow Master¡¯s instructions!¡¯ Ji Zhao nodded with a determined gaze. She studied medicine and was determined to save people. ¡°Have you memorized all the medicinal herbs in the book I left for you?¡± ¡°All memorized.¡¯ ¡°By five o¡¯clock in the evening, pick ten different herbs in the mountains and state their growth conditions and effects. Then list more than five prescriptions. ¡± Caught off guard, an exam came. Ji Zhao was stunned at first, then she quickly adjusted her emotions and began to seriously identify the herbs. At dusk, the brilliant sunset filled the entire sky. A gentle breeze blew, and the shadows of the trees swayed. It was filled with the fragrance of flowers. At the beginning of the month, Ji Zhao finallypleted the exam. ¡®You¡¯re two hourste.¡± Immortal Crane said in a serious tone, ¡°Copy the characteristics of these ten herbs ten times and hand them over by tomorrow morning!¡± ¡°Got it, Master.¡¯ Ji Zhao lowered her head and epted. Later, when Shen Yao pushed the door open and walked into the house, Ji Zhao was still sitting at the desk, writing furiously. ¡°You haven¡¯t finished?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ji Zhao yawned tiredly. There was a hint of self-me in her tone. ¡°Shen Yao, I¡¯ve disappointed Master today..¡± Chapter 279 - Chapter 279: Benevolence of a Doctor Chapter 279: Benevolence of a Doctor Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions Looking at Ji Zhao¡¯s defeated expression, Shen Yao hurriedly held her hand andforted her with a smile. ¡°Ah Tao, studying medicine isn¡¯t something that can be achieved overnight.¡± ¡°Besides, you¡¯ve already done very well, so there¡¯s no need to criticize yourself.¡± Ever since she became Immortal Crane¡¯s disciple, Ji Zhao had to read the medical book he left behind a few times a day. When she was free, she would often identify herbs. Although it was only a year, she had already memorized many herbal prescriptions. ¡°But Ipleted the task Master set today two hourste.¡± Ji Zhao lowered her head and said in a sad tone, ¡°1 could have done better.¡± ¡°Ah Tao.¡± Shen Yao stroked her hair and the smile on his face became more and more gentle. ¡°If you think you didn¡¯t do well this time, then work harder and strive to do better next time.¡± After hearing Shen Yao¡¯s constion, Ji Zhao¡¯s mood was not as gloomy as before. ¡°It¡¯ste. Ah Tao, rest early?¡± ¡°I want to finish my homework first.¡± Ji Zhao pointed at the medical books on the table and smiled. Shen Yao did not stop her. Instead, he found a pair of scissors and cut the wick, making the candlelight brighter. He turned around and walked to the bookshelf. He casually picked up a military book and flipped through it with relish. Unknowingly, the night was getting darker. Shen Yao closed the book in his hand. The moment he turned around, he happened to see Ji Zhao sleeping soundly on the desk. Although Ji Zhao was sound asleep, her cherry-like mouth was still moving¡ª ¡°Asiatic pennywort. It can clear heat and detoxify poison, but it¡¯s highly toxic. It can make one dizzy, feel stuffy in the chest, or even convulse¡­¡± ¡°Silly girl.¡± Shen Yao could not help but scratch the tip of her nose, his eyes filled with heartache. Half an hour passed in the blink of an eye. Under Immortal Crane¡¯s careful guidance, Ji Zhao¡¯s medical skills could be said to have advanced by leaps and bounds. More importantly, not only could she urately identify all kinds of herbs with her sense of smell, but she could also prescribe the corresponding prescriptions and poison recipes ording to the concept of mutual reinforcement and suppression. This made Immortal Crane extremely gratified. The reason why he was willing to ept Ji Zhao as his disciple back then was only for his own selfish desires. After all, Ji Zhao¡¯s culinary skills were superb. However, he gradually realized that he had picked up a treasure. With Ah Tao¡¯s intelligence, she could be a famous doctor in the future. At the beginning of June, the climate was getting drier. The dull and dry weather made one¡¯s chest feel stuffy and short of breath. Shanghe Vige and the entire Dingyuan County had gone ten days without rain. More importantly, ever since it entered June, the wind in the air was sticky. ¡°It¡¯s too hot today.¡± It was almost noon when Shen Dashan carried the hoe back to the courtyard. At this moment, his short coat was stuck to his chest and was even drenched. Even his hair was dripping with sweat. ¡°Ah Tao made mung bean slush. It¡¯s just nice to drink it now.¡± Zhao Lanhua hurriedly walked into the courtyard with the mung bean slush. Her face was filled with unconcealed heartache. ¡°Dear, are the crops in our fields alright?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to the living well in the vegetable garden.¡± Shen Dashan took a towel and wiped his face. Then, he took the bowl of mung bean slush and drank it in one gulp. Only then did he let out afortable sigh. ¡°The crops in our farm are all fine, but the weather is abnormally stuffy.¡± The more Shen Dashan thought about it, the more he felt that something was wrong. ¡°Lanhua, do you think this summer will be the same asst year?¡± If there was another drought.. Shen Dashan did not want to think about it anymore. ¡°No.¡± Zhao Lanhua quickly shook her head. ¡°God won¡¯t bully innocent people like us one after another.¡¯ ¡°I hope so.¡± Shen Dashan lowered his eyes to hide the worry in them. At that moment, Ji Zhao was reading a medical book in her room. A few days ago, her master gave her a question and asked her to think of a corresponding treatment method. She thought about it for two whole days but still had no clue. Seeing that her frown was getting deeper, Shen Yao immediately looked at her with concern. ¡°Ah Tao, what¡¯s wrong?¡¯ ¡°Shen Yao, if you meet a vicious but dying criminal and you happen to have a pill in your hand that can save this person¡¯s life, are you going to save him or not?¡± Ji Zhao thought about it and decided to throw this question out to discuss with Shen Yao. Perhaps Shen Yao¡¯s insight could help her clear her doubts? ¡°Yes,¡± Shen Yao answered without hesitation. Ji Zhao did not expect him to answer so readily. For a moment, she was in a daze. ¡°Even if you know that this person is a vicious and evil person, will you still save him?¡± Ji Zhao subconsciously frowned. ¡°Ah Tao, I haven¡¯t finished speaking just now.¡± Shen Yao suddenly grabbed her hand and gently scratched her palm. Then, he chuckled and said, ¡°What I mean is to save before punishing.¡± ¡°There arews in the country. If this person is really a vicious person, he deserves to be punished by thew.¡± ¡°The reason why I chose to save him was because of something Ah Tao once said.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Doctors are benevolent.¡± Ji Zhao suddenly came to a realization. ¡°I understand!¡± Ji Zhao suddenly rushed in front of Shen Yao and wrapped her arms around his muscr waist. Then, she looked up at him and smiled brightly. ¡°Shen Yao, thank you!¡± Just as Shen Yao was about to hug her, he felt her arms suddenly loosen. Ji Zhao had already turned around and left. Looking at her hurried back, Shen Yao rubbed his eyebrows helplessly. The golden sun was setting in the west, and the gorgeous sunset glow filled the entire sky. A group of geese flew slowly from the south to the north, asionally changing their formation. The entire Shanghe Vige was filled with cooking smoke curling up. It was a peaceful scene. In the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. Immortal Crane put down the spoon in satisfaction. ¡°It tastes good.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve put in a lot of effort into this osmanthus dark plum juice,¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile. ¡®The osmanthus flowers used are the osmanthus flower buds fromst year¡¯s autumn season. I didn¡¯t pick many flower buds in total.¡± Immortal Crane gave her a sidelong nce. ¡°It¡¯s only right for a disciple to be filial to Master! ¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly smiled obediently. ¡°Seeing that your brows have rxed and you no longer look conflicted and anxious, I think you¡¯ve already thought of the answer to that question?¡¯ ¡°Yes.¡± Ji Zhao nodded with a determined expression. ¡°Master, regarding the question you asked, my answer is eight words. Save first, interrogate after. A doctor is benevolent.¡± ¡°A doctor¡¯s benevolence.¡± Immortal Crane could not help but curl his lips when he heard these words. ¡°Did you think of this sentence yourself?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ji Zhao shook her head honestly. ¡°Master, to be honest, when you asked me this question, I was very conflicted and at a loss. Because in my eyes, for a vicious criminal to be on the verge of death, the heavens must have eyes! As for whether this person is alive or dead, what does it have to do with me?¡± ¡°However, after my conversation with Shen Yao, I understood one thing. Different positions will breed different thoughts.¡± Ji Zhao exined seriously, ¡°If I face such a thing as Ji Zhao, my choice will naturally be not to save him. However, if I live as a doctor, saving the dead and healing the injured is the benevolence of a doctor. I can¡¯t abandon this benevolence.]¡¯ Chapter 280 - Chapter 280: At Least Better Than Him Chapter 280: At Least Better Than Him Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions ¡°Ah Tao, in fact, my master also asked me this question. Guess how I answered?¡± The Immortal Crane slowly stood up. His eyes flickered with darkness, and the smile on his face was even more unfathomable. Ji Zhao thought about it seriously, then shook his head gently. ¡°l can¡¯t guess Master¡¯s answer, but I think Master¡¯s answer will definitely be different from mine?¡± ¡°Save first, kill after.¡± Immortal Crane lowered his eyes to hide the viciousness in his eyes and sighed softly. When Ji Zhao heard this answer, she was a little stunned at first, but after thinking about it carefully, she felt that it was reasonable. ¡°Others think that l, your master, care for the world, but these false reputations have never been what I want.¡± Immortal Crane suddenlyughed bitterly. ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s not talk about the past. However, my good disciple, I think your answer is extremely good.¡± Better than him, at least. Back then, his original intention in practicing medicine was to harm people, but Ah Tao was different. His good disciple had a benevolent heart. ¡°Master, I don¡¯t know what kind of pain you experienced in the past, but I hope that you can be more happy now and in the future.¡± Ji Zhao looked into his eyes and said sincerely. Meeting her sincere gaze, Immortal Crane could not help but smile. On the spur of the moment, he decided to take Ji Zhao as his disciple. Perhaps this was the very right thing he had done. On the sixth day of June, there were only ten days left until Shen Yao and Ji Zhao¡¯s wedding ceremony. Everyone in the Shen family was so busy that their feet did not touch the ground, except for Ji Zhao, of course. Every time she volunteered to help, Zhao Lanhua would stop her. ¡°Our Ah Tao doesn¡¯t have to worry about anything. Eat well, sleep well, and be a beautiful new bride!¡¯ As for the chef on the day of the wedding, Zhao Lanhua already had a candidate in mind. ¡°Lanhua, that¡¯s not appropriate!¡± Tian Guangsheng did not expect Zhao Lanhua to ask him to be the chef of the wedding banquet. He waved his hand and refused. ¡°That won¡¯t do! Besides, it¡¯s not like you don¡¯t know that my right wrist has long lost its strength. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s difficult for me to even toss and stir the wok! ¡± With a sh of inspiration, Zhao Lanhua led him to Ji Zhao. ¡°Grandfather, Mother?¡± Ji Zhao, who was drying herbs in the courtyard, heard themotion behind her and quickly turned around. She smiled and called out obediently, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, there¡¯s something I need your help with.¡± Zhao Lanhua went straight to the point. ¡°Can you take a look at your grandfather¡¯s right hand?¡± Tian Guangsheng used to be a chef in a big restaurant in the prefecture capital. Among them, he was best at pulling noodles. However, one day, his right wrist suddenly lost strength. He had seen many doctors in the past, but they all said that his right hand suddenly became weak because he had overused it. If he still used his right hand too much, the worst oue would be that his right hand would bepletely crippled. Therefore, after some deliberation, Tian Guangsheng brought the young Zhao Lanhua back to the Tian Family Vige. Later on, he got to know Tian Xiu¡¯e, a woman with a Buddha¡¯s mouth but a snake¡¯s heart. He even believed the lies that Tian Xiu¡¯e made up and chased his biological daughter away. He even became a fool for more than 20 years and raised a child for others¡­ Tian Guangsheng felt that all the misfortunes in his life seemed to have started from the moment something happened to his right hand. However, after so many years, he gradually epted his fate. ¡°Lanhua, Ah Tao has just started learning medicine. Don¡¯t make things difficult for her,¡± Tian Guangsheng said with a frown. ¡°Grandfather, Mother, let¡¯s go back to the central room first?¡± In fact, Ji Zhao had been looking for an opportunity to take a look at the injury on her grandfather¡¯s wrist. It was just that she had not thought of a suitable excuse for the time being. Today was a coincidence. ¡°Ah Tao, don¡¯t listen to your mother¡¯s nonsense. My hand is an old illness. I¡¯ve seen many doctors before, but there¡¯s no improvement. You¡¯ve only studied medicine for a short time. Don¡¯t give yourself too much pressure,¡± Tian Guangsheng advised gently. ¡°Grandfather, don¡¯t worry. Even if I can¡¯t cure your wrist, I won¡¯t be discouraged.¡± Ji Zhao understood his concerns and hurriedly said with a smile, ¡°However, Master also said that experience is the best teacher. Without practice, it¡¯s useless even if you memorize the medical books and prescriptions. ¡± Hearing Ji Zhao¡¯s words, Tian Guangshengughed heartily. ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll be Ah Tao¡¯s patient today.¡± Zhao Lanhua silently gave her daughter-inw a thumbs up. Ji Zhao first took Tian Guangsheng¡¯s pulse, then carefully examined his right wrist. ¡°Grandfather, can you open your palm?¡± ¡°Okay!¡¯ Ji Zhao carefully looked at Tian Guangsheng¡¯s slightly calloused palm. Her gazended on the bulging veins on his wrist. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Ji Zhao used 20% of her strength and used her fingertips to press down on the ce where the veins were bulging. However, there was no pain on Tian Guangsheng¡¯s face. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± Ji Zhao frowned in confusion, and she exerted more force. However, there was still no pain on his grandfather¡¯s face. ¡°If I¡¯m not wrong, this protrusion is the crux of Grandfather¡¯s sudden weakness in his right hand.¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly said, ¡°Grandfather, Mother, wait for me for a while.¡± She dashed out of the central room and went straight to her room. She went to the bookshelf and urately found a medical book. She flipped through the medical book and finally made some progress. Sure enough, the reason why his maternal grandfather¡¯s right hand was weak was because his Daling acupoint was blocked. If one¡¯s bloodline was not connected, one¡¯s wrist would naturally lose strength. However, the blockage of the Daling acupoint would definitely make one¡¯s heart palpitate and stomach ache. However, Grandfather did not have such symptoms. The more Ji Zhao thought about it, the stranger she felt it was. She picked up the medical book and rushed in front of Immortal Crane. After exining the illness, she became even more puzzled. ¡®Master, I can¡¯t figure it out. Why?¡± ¡°If the patient doesn¡¯t have any other symptoms as you said, then you have to think carefully about whether you took the pulse wrongly. Also, why are you so sure that that ce must be the Daling acupoint?¡¯ Immortal Crane took a sip of tea and smiled as he pointed out. ¡°My good disciple, the most taboo thing for medical students is to have preconceived notions. Once you have preconceived notions, you will fall into a strange cycle.¡± ¡°l understand.¡± Ji Zhao finally understood. ¡°Forget it, I¡¯ll follow you!¡± Fifteen minutester, Immortal Crane retracted his hand that was examining the pulse, and his gaze became more and more solemn. ¡°Ah Tao, bring me my needle packet and prepare some boiling water.¡¯ As a precaution, Immortal Crane quickly wrote down a prescription and handed it to Ji Zhao. ¡°Follow the prescription on it. Grab a set of herbs and mix with water, then bring to a boil.¡± ¡°Yes!¡¯ An hourter, Immortal Crane opened the needle bag and took out a few silver needles that were as thin as a cow¡¯s hair. He inserted them into a few acupuncture points on Tian Guangsheng¡¯s right wrist. Then, he took out a small knife and carefully cut open the bump above the Daling acupuncture point on his wrist. What surprised Tian Guangsheng was that even though his flesh had been cut open, he did not feel any pain.. Chapter 281 - Chapter 281: Ah Tao, You’re Really Our Lucky star! Chapter 281: Ah Tao, You¡¯re Really Our Lucky star! Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions What surprised everyone was that the blood flowing out of Tian Guangsheng¡¯s wrist was not bright red. Instead, it was a little ck ¡°This is?¡± Ji Zhao was also stunned! ck blood meant¡­ poison? ¡°Ah Tao, a short needle.¡¯ Ji Zhao hurriedly returned to her senses and immediately handed over the short needle. Immortal Crane narrowed his eyes and quickly pricked the veins on his wrist. In the blink of an eye, the bump on the Daling acupoint deted at a speed visible to the naked eye. ¡°Boiling water.¡± After throwing the short needle into the boiling water, the hot water that was still steaming turned dark red. ¡°Drink this medicine.¡± When Zhao Lanhua brought the medicine over , Immortal Crane hurriedly said to Tian Guangsheng. ¡°Okay!¡¯ The bowl of ck medicine flowed down his throat and into his heart. It was so bitter that it made him want to vomit. ¡°Alright.¡± Immortal Crane quickly bandaged his wrist. ¡°Don¡¯t touch water for three days. Also, you need to drink three more bowls of the medicine just now.¡± ¡°Thank you, Immortal!¡± ¡°Do you remember how you injured your hand?¡¯ Tian Guangsheng thought about it carefully and finally shook his head. It was not that he had not guessed it before, but this matter was serious. If he was not careful, not only would he lose his life, but he would also implicate the Lanhua¡¯s family. Therefore, he definitely could not mention what he had heard in the restaurant in the prefecture. Seeing that he was unwilling to speak, Immortal Crane did not probe further. ¡°I don¡¯t think it was an ident that your hand was injured.¡± Immortal Crane looked at him deeply, then turned around and left. Three dayster, as the bandage on his hand was removed, Tian Guangsheng was surprised to find that his right hand had recovered to its original state. His heart skipped a beat and he immediately went to the kitchen. At that moment, Zhao Lanhua was kneading noodles. This afternoon, she nned to make the oil-sshed spicy noodles that Ah Tao had taught her previously. ¡°Father?¡± ¡°Lanhua, let me try!¡± Tian Guangsheng smiled and took the dough from her hand. He began to knead the dough. Zhao Lanhua¡¯s eyes reddened with excitement when she saw him pull out such slender noodles. ¡°Father, your hand?¡± ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± Tian Guangsheng tried his best to calm his tone, but he still could not hide the excitement in the depths of his heart. His hand had really recoveredpletely. Hence, at noon that day, the Shen family tasted a bowl of extremely delicious oil-sshed spicy noodles. When everyone heard that this was personally made by their maternal grandfather, they were all shocked. ¡°Thank you, Immortal.¡± Tian Guangsheng picked up the wine cup in front of him and stood up. Then, he bowed and thanked Immortal Crane with extreme gratitude! ¡°You¡¯re too kind.¡± Immortal Crane smiled nonchntly. ¡°I only lent a helping hand because of my good disciple.¡± ¡°Ah Tao, you¡¯re really our lucky star!¡± Zhao Lanhua said with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s right! I think Mother is right too!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen hurriedly praised. ¡°In the past, I always thought that Mother¡¯s noodles were super delicious. I¡¯ve always wondered if Grandfather¡¯s culinary skills were better. Now, I¡¯ve finally tasted it!¡± Tian Guangsheng¡¯s hand had finally recovered. Everyone in the Shen family was sincerely happy for him. ¡°Speaking of which, it¡¯s going to be June 16th in a few days. Eldest Brother, Second Brother, have you prepared the things I asked you to do?¡± Zhao Lanhua hurriedly asked. ¡®This time, we must let Third Brother wee Ah Tao into our Shen family in a grand manner! ¡± ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. Second Brother and I are ready.¡± ¡°The bridal carriage, the betrothal gifts, and the rted matters of the banquet have been prepared.¡± Second Brother Shen put down his bowl and chopsticks and said with a simple and honest smile, ¡°There¡¯s only one problem left.¡± ¡®What¡¯s the problem?¡± Zhao Lanhua asked solemnly. ¡°Mother, since our family is weing Ah Tao, shouldn¡¯t Ah Tao return to Pomegranate Vige to leave for marriage?¡± ¡°But hasn¡¯t the Ji Family¡¯s courtyard already been sold?¡± Zhao Lanhua frowned and said worriedly. ¡°Mother, I want to bring Ji Chen back to Pomegranate Vige tomorrow morning. I want to pay my respects to Grandfather,¡± Ji Zhao said softly. ¡°Alright, let Third Brother apany you! ¡® ¡°By the way, Father, didn¡¯t you say that Pomegranate Vige and our Shanghe Vige are going to merge? Why is there suddenly no movement from this matter?¡± Eldest Brother Shen suddenly thought of another matter and asked curiously. ¡°A few days ago, I heard from Uncle Huzi that this matter is probably going to be difficult.¡± Shen Dashan put down his bowl and chopsticks and said in a low voice, ¡°It was Official Ma¡¯s idea to merge Pomegranate Vige and Shanghe Vige into one vige. Now that Official Ma has been promoted, this new Official Ji is focused on policing the county city. I¡¯m afraid he won¡¯t be able to care about these things for a while!¡± Everyone had their own way of doing things. Official Ji probably wouldn¡¯t take it to heart about the policy that Official Ma had previously set. Regarding this matter, Ji Zhao did not say anything. She was brewing a big n in her heart. However, that n would probably be put on hold until after she got married. On the 10th of June, Shen Yao apanied Ji Zhao and her brother back to Pomegranate Vige. The current Pomegranate Vige was bing more and more dejected. Most of the young people in the vige had gone to the county to work, and the rest were old people. Ji Zhao lifted a corner of the curtain and saw the old men sitting under the old locust tree at the entrance of the vige. She brought Ji Chen out of the carriage and greeted the elders she was familiar with obediently. ¡°Ah Tao is back?¡± ¡°Chenchen has grown so tall too?¡± Ji Zhao smiled and distributed the pastries she brought to these kind and amiable elders. Then, she brought Ji Chen to Old Master Ji¡¯s grave. Probably because no one was taking care of it, weeds grew in front of Old Master Ji¡¯s grave and it was very deste. ¡°Grandfather, Ah Tao is unfilial. I only came to see you after so long.¡± Ji Zhao knelt in front of the tomb, her tone filled with guilt and self-me. At that moment, Shen Yao and Ji Chen were helping to clear the weeds in front of the tomb. Ji Zhao ced the few snacks she had personally made in front of the tomb and lit up the incense paper. ¡°Grandfather, I¡¯ve already acknowledged a teacher for Chenchen. Don¡¯t worry, that Master Song is very gentlemanly, and he¡¯s very patient with Chenchen. By the way, Chenchen¡¯s paintings are especially beautiful,¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile for a long time, but her eyes unknowingly turned red. The Ji Family was not a warm ce for the original host. However, Old Master Ji had given all his warmth to Ji Zhao and Ji Chen. Unfortunately, good people didn¡¯t live long. ¡°Ah Tao.¡± Shen Yao knelt beside her and gently held her hand. Then, he looked at the tombstone in front of him sincerely and said firmly, ¡°Grandfather, I will treat Ah Tao well in the future!¡¯ ¡°Shen Yao, thank you.¡¯ Ji Zhao looked up at him with a gentle gaze. Shen Yao smiled back, his deep eyes still filled with gentleness and affection.. Chapter 282 - Chapter 282: Perfect Chapter 282: Perfect Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions After paying respects to Old Master Ji, Ji Zhao brought Ji Chen to the Ji family¡¯s ancestral hall. Ever since Ji Shi¡¯s ident, Pomegranate Vige¡¯s reputation had beenpletely ruined. Coupled with the fact that most of the young people in the vige had been ignorant and ipetent over the years, the reputation and culture of the vige had plummeted. The person guarding the Ji family¡¯s ancestral hall was Uncle Wei, who had lost his wife for many years. ¡°Uncle Wei,¡± Ji Zhao called out obediently, then directly stated her purpose foring. ¡°You want to rebuild the ancestral hall in Ji Chen¡¯s name?¡± Wei Bo was stunned when he heard this. ¡°Yes.¡± Ji Zhao nodded frankly. ¡°One stroke can¡¯t write a word ¡®Ji¡¯. Moreover, Chenchen is a member of the Ji family to begin with. Moreover, wasn¡¯t Grandfather¡¯s memorial tablet also set in the ancestral hall?¡± Ji Zhao had made this decision after careful consideration. She wanted to rebuild the Ji family¡¯s ancestral hall in Ji Chen¡¯s name. Firstly, it could umte Ji Chen¡¯s reputation. Secondly, it could be considered as her and Ji Chen¡¯s filial piety to Old Master Ji. She thought that if she did this, Old Master Ji would be gratified in the afterlife, right? ¡°Okay.¡± Uncle Wei had no reason not to agree. ¡°By the way, Ah Tao, I heard that you¡¯re preparing to get married?¡¯ ¡°Yes.¡± Ji Zhao nodded slightly with a faint smile. ¡°After all, I was sold to Shanghe Vige by Madam Xiest year. The Shen family¡¯s parents wanted me to marry into the Shen family in glory, so they insisted on holding my wedding again.¡± ¡°Madam Xie¡­ has indeed let you down.¡± Uncle Wei sighed in disappointment. ¡°The Ji family¡¯s courtyard is still there. Do you want to take a look?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t that house sold?¡± ¡®When the buyer heard that Madam Xie was in jail, he felt that the house was unlucky, so he moved away overnight. Now, that house is empty.¡± Uncle Wei thought for a moment and said, ¡°Ah Tao, if you don¡¯t mind, why don¡¯t youe back to Pomegranate Vige to leave for marriage?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since our Pomegranate Vige had a happy asion.¡± Ji Zhao did not immediately reject Uncle Wei¡¯s suggestion. Instead, she replied that she would consider it. When they returned to Shanghe Vige, Ji Zhao had just stepped into the Shen family¡¯s house when Zhao Lanhua weed her and pulled her to the main house. ¡°Mother?¡± ¡°Shh!¡± Zhao Lanhua pretended to be mysterious and shook her head at her before making her close her eyes again. Although she was puzzled, Ji Zhao still obediently did as she was told. ¡°Okay!¡¯ A momentter, Zhao Lanhua chuckled and snapped her fingers. ¡°Ah Tao, you can open your eyes now!¡± The moment Ji Zhao opened her eyes, she saw a dazzling red wedding dress. The red doubleyered wide-sleeved shirt had a vivid pattern of mandarin ducks and pomegranates embroidered on the bottom. The neckline had a glowing ruby in front of the chest, and the red outer robe was embroidered with a peacock. The peach-colored waist seal was embroidered with an exquisite lily pattern. The skirt embroidered with the pattern of flowers blooming was decorated with fine pearls. It was dazzling and beautiful. It could be said to be exquisite to the extreme. ¡°Mother?¡± Ji Zhao was stunned the moment she saw the wedding dress. It was really because this wedding dress was too beautiful. ¡°Look at your expression. You must like it,¡± Zhao Lanhua said with a smile. ¡°I embroidered this wedding dress with your two sister-inws. It was justpleted yesterday. Why don¡¯t you try it first?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, don¡¯t just stand there. Try it!¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen hurriedly urged. ¡°Okay.¡± With tears in her eyes, Ji Zhao obediently responded. Then, with the help of the two sister-inws, she changed into this beautiful wedding dress. ¡°She¡¯s so beautiful!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen could not help but praise her. ¡°Today, I finally understand what it means to have eyebrows like emerald feathers, skin like snow, waist like a silk ribbon, and teeth like pearls!¡± Ji Zhao was born fair and beautiful. Now that she was wearing a red wedding dress, she seemed to be even more beautiful. She was bright as the spring flowers, pure as the autumn moon. She could be considered a peerless beauty. ¡°Second Sister-inw, aren¡¯t you exaggerating?¡± Hearing Second Sister-inw Shen¡¯s praise, Ji Zhao could not help butugh. ¡°Ah Tao, you don¡¯t know how beautiful you are!¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen was also stunned. Ji Zhao, who had been fiercely praised, became shy. ¡°On the day of the wedding, Third Brother will definitely be dumbfounded!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen suddenly winked at Ji Zhao and said, ¡°Ah Tao, you¡¯ll definitely be so tired that you won¡¯t be able to straighten your back.¡± Cough cough¡ª Ji Zhao was almost frightened by Second Sister-inw Shen¡¯s fierce words! ¡°Looking at this waist, it should be suitable.¡± Zhao Lanhua walked around her and asked, ¡°Ah Tao, take a closer look. Is there anything else that needs to be changed?¡¯ ¡°Mother.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and said sincerely, ¡°In my eyes, this wedding dress is perfect.¡± ¡°Mother, Eldest Sister-inw, Second Sister-inw, thank you.¡± Ji Zhao smiled gratefully. It was not easy to embroider such a gorgeous wedding dress overnight. They must have been preparing for this since the beginning. ¡°Silly girl, we¡¯re family!¡± The smile on Zhao Lanhua¡¯s face was extremely loving. Knock knock¡ª Shen Yao, who was standing outside the door, knocked on the door and asked softly, ¡°Ah Tao?¡± ¡®Yes?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, don¡¯t open the door yet!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen hurriedly said, ¡°Change out of the wedding dress first! ¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right! Of course, we have to save this surprise until thest moment! ¡± After half an hour, Ji Zhao finally opened the door. ¡°I was the one who didn¡¯t allow her to open the door.¡± Zhao Lanhua looked at Shen Yao with a straight face. ¡°Your sister-inws and I were talking to Ah Tao about some girls¡¯ private matters. You¡¯re such a spoilsport!¡± ¡°Mother?¡± Shen Yao suddenly felt wronged. ¡°Alright, alright. I won¡¯t hold you up from talking to your wife.¡± Zhao Lanhua frowned and said, ¡°But starting tomorrow, the two of you won¡¯t be able to meet!¡¯ ording to the rules, it was best for the bride and groom to see each other in the three days before the wedding. Upon hearing this, Shen Yao grabbed Ji Zhao without another word and led her out. As Shen Yao whistled, a reddish-brown horse galloped over and stopped outside the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. ¡°And this is?¡¯ ¡°This is Inferno,¡± Shen Yao introduced with a smile. ¡°l got to know it at the county market some time ago, so I bought Inferno home.¡± ¡°Inferno? Hunting for beautiesO?¡± Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡± Seeing the smile on her face, Shen Yao raised his eyebrows curiously. ¡°Ah Tao, what are youughing at?¡± ¡°No, nothing.¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly waved his hand. ¡°1 just feel that the name Inferno is very special.¡± ¡°I heard from the horse dealer that this horse used to be called Inferno. If Ah Tao doesn¡¯t like it, why don¡¯t we change its name?¡± Shen Yao suggested with a smile. ¡®Why don¡¯t we call it White Snow?¡± Chapter 283 - Chapter 283: Good News Approaching Chapter 283: Good News Approaching Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Inferno, no, it should be called White Snow now. There was an inverted triangr patch of hair on White Snow¡¯s nose that looked like snow. It was a stark contrast to the maroon hair on its body. Shen Yao lifted a corner of his robe and jumped up. He sat steadily on White Snow¡¯s back. Then, he stretched out his right hand to Ji Zhao. ¡°Ah Tao?¡¯ Ji Zhao obediently stretched out her left hand. In an instant, she felt weightless. Then, shended steadily in Shen Yao¡¯s arms. Shen Yao grabbed the reins and shouted! Like an arrow released from a bow, White Snow quickly rushed out¡ª When the wind blew, the hair on Ah Tao¡¯s temples fluttered in the wind. Shen Yao could smell a faint hibiscus fragrance. After galloping for half an hour, White Snow finally stopped in a mountain stream. The shade of the trees hid the sun, and the stream gurgled. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect there to be such a quiet ce at the back mountains.¡± Ji Zhao walked to the stream and slowly squatted down. The clear stream water reflected her bright and gentle face, rippling with the breeze. ¡°I only discovered this ce by chance.¡± Shen Yao held her hand and walked along the stream. ¡°Ah Tao, follow me.¡± The two of them followed the stream and walked up the stairs. An hourter, they stopped. ¡°There¡¯s actually a hot spring pool here?¡± Smelling the sulfurous smell in the air and seeing the hot spring pool that was surrounded by steam not far away, Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes were filled with surprise. ¡°Yes.¡± Looking at her stunned expression, Shen Yao found it extremely interesting. ¡°It¡¯s also a coincidence that I found this ce.¡± Ji Zhao impatiently stepped forward and reached her hand into the hot spring. The warm spring water wrapped around her skin and felt very warm. ¡°Ah Tao, do you want to go in and soak?¡± Shen Yao stood beside her and suggested with a smile. ¡°Now?¡¯ ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Yao nodded slightly. ¡°I¡¯ll watch over you.¡± Ji Zhao bit her lip in a dilemma. She really wanted to soak in the hot spring. However, it seemed a little strange to let Shen Yao guard her. ¡°Are you worried about me, Ah Tao? Huh?¡± Shen Yao suddenly smiled and lifted her chin. Then, he kissed her without hesitation¡ª Fifteen minutester, he reluctantly let go of the cute girl in his arms and raised his hand to tap the tip of her nose. ¡°Ah Tao, I won¡¯t bully you until you¡¯re ready.¡± Shen Yao gently pushed away the hair on her forehead, his gentle eyes filled with love. ¡°Shen Yao,¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°After we get married, we¡¯lle here to soak together, okay?¡± Ji Zhao whispered into his ear, then hurriedly turned around and walked away. It was as if a brilliant firework had exploded in Shen Yao¡¯s heart. It was beauty beyond description. What Ah Tao¡¯s words meant was¡ª Good things were about to happen to them. After weighing the pros and cons, Ji Zhao decided to bring Ji Chen back to Pomegranate Vige. ¡°Sister, you did it for me,¡± Ji Chen suddenly said as he looked at Ji Zhao, who was packing her luggage. ¡°Sister doesn¡¯t like Pomegranate Vige. Don¡¯t force yourself for me.¡± Ji Chen, who was already seven years old, became more obedient and sensible. ¡°Silly.¡± Ji Zhao stroked his soft hair and said with a smile, ¡°When a woman gets married, she should get married from her maiden home.¡± ¡°And I think that¡¯s what Grandfather wants to see!¡¯ ¡°No, that¡¯s not the main reason.¡± Ji Chen shook his head stubbornly. ¡°Sister paid to rebuild the Ji family¡¯s ancestral hall and decided to get married from the Ji residence for Chenchen. Sister wants to umte reputation for me.¡± ¡°Fool, don¡¯t think too much. ¡® Although Ji Chen wasn¡¯t good with words, he had an intelligent heart. ¡°Chenchen doesn¡¯t like Sister to force herself because of me.¡± ¡°Besides, getting married is a big deal.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want my sister to have any regrets.¡± ¡°Silly Chenchen, don¡¯t you want to marry me off as a member of my maiden family?¡± Ji Zhao asked with a smile. ¡°Chenchen, to me, the Shen family is my husband¡¯s family, and where you are my maiden family. Do you understand?¡± When she heard that Ji Zhao had decided to return to the Ji family¡¯s courtyard in Pomegranate Vige to get married, although Zhao Lanhua was in a daze, she did not stop her in the end. ¡°I originally wanted her to get married from the Tian family. It can be considered as fulfilling my wish.¡± Zhao Lanhua smiled and sighed. ¡°However, I¡¯m proud and impressed that this girl can make such a decision.¡± Her good daughter-inw was really too obedient. ¡°No matter what, Chenchen¡¯s surname is Ji.¡± Shen Dashan also felt that Ji Zhao¡¯s decision was very reasonable. ¡°But now that Pomegranate Vige has declined, we should find a reliable person to help with the marriage, right?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. I¡¯ve already spoken to Sister Guihua.¡± ¡°That works too.¡± On the thirteenth of June, Ji Zhao brought Ji Chen back to Pomegranate Vige. Uncle Wei brought the entire vige to wee them. When the vigers of Pomegranate Vige found out that Ji Zhao had spent money to repair the ancestral hall, they were all very happy. As long as Ji Zhao still acknowledged her surname, there was still hope for Pomegranate Vige. Why was Shanghe Vige¡¯s oil-extraction workshop bing more and more popr? Wasn¡¯t it all because Ji Zhao was familiar with the big businessmen in the county? Now that she had decided to get married from Pomegranate Vige, the vigers were sincerely happy. Among them, Uncle Wei even brought the vigers to clean the Ji family¡¯s original house until it was spotless. He also spent a lot of money and bought many paper decorations to decorate it. The moment she stepped into the Ji Family¡¯s Fence Courtyard again, Ji Zhao was in a daze. It had only been a year, but so many things had happened. Her grandfather died of illness, Madam Xie went to jail, and the Ji Family fell¡ª Scenes of the past surfaced in her mind. ¡°Sister?¡± Noticing that she was in a daze, Ji Chen tugged at her clothes worriedly. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Ji Zhao smiled back and walked into the house she had lived in before. The furnishings in the house were the same as before. However, the word ¡®happiness¡¯O could be seen everywhere, adding a hint of joy to this dimly lit house. ¡°We didn¡¯t have much time, so we could clean up a little,¡± Uncle Wei exined with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s already very good.¡± Ji Zhao smiled gratefully. ¡°Thank you, Uncle Wei. ¡® ¡°Ah Tao, you¡¯re a girl from our Pomegranate Vige, so you don¡¯t have to be so polite,¡± Uncle Wei said with a kind smile. ¡°1 got someone to prepare some rice and noodles in the kitchen. It¡¯s enough for a few days.¡± ¡°Thanks a lot.¡± Ji Zhao took out a silver ingot from her pouch and handed it to Uncle Wei. At first, Uncle Wei was unwilling to ept it, but he really could not push the stubborn Ji Zhao away. In the end, he could only ept it. When only the siblings were left in the courtyard, Ji Zhao smiled and looked at Ji Chen, who was silent. ¡°Chenchen, do you want to eat noodles fish?¡± Uncle Wei¡¯s arrangements were very thorough. Not only was there rice and noodles in the kitchen, but there were also some eggs and vegetables. Beside the stove, there was also neatly piled firewood. ¡°Chenchen, light the fire. I¡¯ll make the noodles,¡± Ji Zhao instructed with a smile. Chapter 284 - Chapter 284: Here, Take It Chapter 284: Here, Take It Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions In the past, when Old Master Ji was still alive, he would always make a bowl of fragrant noodles for the Ji siblings to taste. Thinking of her grandfather who had passed away from illness, Ji Zhao felt a little nostalgic. ¡°Sister, the fire is lit.¡± Ji Chen poked half of his face out of the stove and smiled faintly. ¡°Alright.¡± Ji Zhao returned a smile aftering back to her senses. Then, she grabbed the dough that had already risen and kneaded it evenly again. Then, she picked up the scissors and began to cut the dough into thin strips, like small fish. She ced the cut noodle fish into the boiling soup along the side of the pot. Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but smile when she saw the soup in the pot bubbling non-stop. She brought over two bowls and mixed some soup with eggs and soy sauce. Then, she scooped up a spoonful of hot soup from the pot. Finally, she scooped the cooked noodle fish from the pot and filled the bowl. Finally, she drizzled a little sesame oil on it. ¡°Fragrant.¡± Ji Chen took a sip of the noodle fish soup and his eyes immediately turned red. ¡°Sister, I miss Grandfather.¡± How could Ji Zhao not miss that kind and benevolent old man? However, the elder had already passed away! ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Rest early.¡± Returning to the narrow little room where she had once lived for sixteen years, Ji Zhao¡¯s mind was very calm. Perhaps the word ¡®happiness¡¯ that could be seen everywhere had washed away the hatred in the depths of her heart. Perhaps it was because the original owner of the body had already let it go? Ji Zhao sighed softly and told herself not to let one¡¯s imagination run wild. Her gaze inadvertently fell on the faded wooden box in the corner. She slowly approached, opened the box, and took out an old rattle drum. She remembered that Old Master Ji had bought this rattle drum for her to y with when he first brought her to the market. ¡°Ah Tao?¡± Just as Ji Zhao was immersed in the memories of the past, a familiar voice suddenly sounded behind her. She subconsciously turned around and saw Shen Yao¡¯s tall figure. ¡°You? Why are you here?¡¯ ¡°I miss you.¡± Without another word, Shen Yao hugged her and buried his head in her neck, greedily breathing in the fragrance of the hibiscus flowers on her body. ¡°Didn¡¯t Mother say that we can¡¯t meet three days before the wedding?¡¯ Ji Zhao smiled helplessly. ¡°That¡¯s an unreasonable rule. ¡°Since we¡¯re about to get married, we should be inseparable to each other to improve our rtionship! Moreover, it feels like three years to me to not see Ah Tao for a day. If we can¡¯t see each other for three days, it¡¯s already been six years for me!¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Hearing his illogical rebuttal, Ji Zhao was caught betweenughter and tears. ¡°I can¡¯t sleep without Ah Tao at home,¡± Shen Yao said honestly as he stared at her face. Although they had yet to consummate their marriage, they had been sleeping on the same bed ever since they expressed their feelings. Now that Ah Tao was going back to Pomegranate Vige to get married, Shen Yao was really not used to it. He tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep. In the end, he decided to follow his heart and brought White Snow to Pomegranate Vige. ¡°If Mother finds out, she¡¯ll definitely be angry! ¡± Ji Zhao looked at him helplessly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let Mother find out.¡± Shen Yao smiled and said gently, rush home before dawn.¡¯ How could Ji Zhao resist Shen Yao¡¯s shameless behavior? Especially when she saw such a handsome face, she couldn¡¯t convince herself to reject him. ¡°This rattle drum was Ah Tao¡¯s childhood toy?¡± Shen Yao asked softly when he identally caught a glimpse of the item in her hand. ¡°Yes.¡± Ji Zhao nodded slightly. ¡°I remember that when I was six years old, my grandfather first brought me to the market to y. I fell in love with this rattle drum at a nce. At that time, there was an exquisite hibiscus flower painted on the drum.¡± Unfortunately, the painting on this rattle drum had already faded. After the drum shattered, it could no longer make a crisp sound. ¡°The Ji family was poor, so I didn¡¯t have many toys when I was young.¡± Ji Zhao slowly squatted down and flipped through the items in the box with a faint smile. ¡°However, Grandfather has never treated me badly. Look, this grass woven grasshopper, isn¡¯t it very realistic?¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s very lifelike.¡± ¡°Grandfather woke this himself!¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s tone was subconsciously tinged with pride. ¡°Grandfather¡¯s hands are indeed very nimble.¡± ¡°Of course! ¡± Shen Yao apanied her to look through the items in the box. He listened gently to the interesting things that happened in her childhood. The corners of his lips curled up unconsciously, but his heart was still filled with heartache. ¡°Eh?¡± Ji Zhao inadvertently found a sachet and raised her eyebrows in confusion. ¡®Why don¡¯t I have any impression of this sachet?¡± It was a palm-sized blue sachet embroidered with a cloud pattern. The fabric was very soft. The rarest thing was that the auspicious cloud pattern on it was actually outlined with silver thread? ¡°Is that the sachet you used to wear when you were a kid?¡± Ji Zhao subconsciously shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not too sure. I don¡¯t remember this sachet.¡± Shen Yao took the sachet from her hand and brought it to his nose to smell it carefully. ¡°There¡¯s a faint fragrance, but it¡¯s difficult to tell what it is.¡± ¡®Why don¡¯t you open it?¡± Ji Zhao was extremely curious. She immediately opened the sachet. However, other than a sachet, there was nothing else inside. ¡°Maybe this is just an ordinary sachet?¡± Ji Zhao shrugged helplessly. ¡°Ah Tao, can you give me this sachet?¡± ¡°Here, it¡¯s for you,¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile. ¡°Thank you, wife.¡± Shen Yao took the sachet and did not forget to kiss her cheek. Ji Zhao, who had been sessfully ambushed, instantly blushed. She puffed up her cheeks angrily and red at him fiercely. However, she did not realize how moving her expression was. ¡°Ahem, it¡¯s gettingte. Ah Tao, why don¡¯t we rest early?¡¯ Ji Zhao narrowed her eyes and pushed him out of the room without any exnation. ¡°The bed in my room is too small for two people. ¡°Then what about me?¡± Shen Yao, who was standing outside the door, asked pitifully in the cold wind. ¡°Figure it out yourself! ¡± Ji Zhao quickly locked the door and covered her mouth as she snickered. Shen Yao could only look at Ji Chen, who was standing not far away, for help. ¡°Brother-inw, there are some things a gentleman should do and some things he shouldn¡¯t do.¡± Ji Chen¡¯s face was tense as he said in a serious tone, ¡°If Brother-inw really wants to marry Sister, you should follow the rules.¡± ¡°I came here rashly tonight because I was too impulsive,¡± Shen Yao said with some shame. ¡°I did this because I missed her too much. I¡¯ll leave now.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ji Chen nodded in satisfaction. Then, he turned around and went back to the room to close the door. Shen Yao suddenly felt a little sour.. Chapter 285 - Chapter 285: Improved Again Chapter 285: Improved Again Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Shen Yao did not leave immediately. Instead, he spent the night on the bench in the Ji family¡¯s central room. In fact, he had rushed over because firstly, he really missed Ah Tao. Secondly, he was worried. After all, Ji Chen was too young and did not have the ability to protect Ji Zhao properly. It was not until dawn that Shen Yao climbled onto White Snow and sped back to Shanghe Vige. Ji Zhao, who had a good night¡¯s sleep,zily stretched her waist and practiced a set of Five Animal Frolics. After sweating a little, she felt refreshed. The moment she walked into the kitchen and lifted the lid of the pot, a smile spread across her lips. ¡°Sister?¡± Ji Chen also walked into the kitchen. When he saw his sister holding the pot lid and smiling foolishly, he couldn¡¯t help but worry. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°No, nothing.¡± Ji Zhao quickly smiled. ¡°Chenchen, let¡¯s have breakfast.¡± The fragrant minced steamed eggs with minced meat coupled with the fragrant corncobs made one drool. Ji Zhao scooped a spoonful of steamed eggs and savored it carefully. In the end, she came to a conclusion. Shen Yao¡¯s culinary skills improved again. After the siblings finished their breakfast, a familiar voice suddenly sounded outside the courtyard. ¡°Ah Tao! ¡® ¡°Aunt Guihua?¡± Ji Zhao was a little surprised when she saw who it was. What surprised her even more was the six ox carts behind Aunt Guihua. Every ox cart was stuffed full, and the most eye-catching one was a wild deer wrapped in white cloth. In the wilderness lies a dead deer, wrapped in white grass. A maiden in love, a gentleman takes her fancy.. These words suddenly appeared in Ji Zhao¡¯s mind, and the temperature on her face involuntarily rose by two degrees. ¡°Aunt Guihua, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, didn¡¯t your mother tell you in advance?¡¯ Aunt Guihua smiled so widely that her teeth couldn¡¯t be seen. ¡°Your mother asked me to be the matchmaker. I¡¯m here to give you a betrothal gift today!¡± Ji Zhao really did not expect Zhao Lanhua to prepare such a big surprise for her! ¡°By the way, this wild deer was added by Shen Yao this morning. He said that you¡¯ll understand at a nce.¡± Aunt Guihua introduced excitedly, ¡°By the way, other than the wild deer, there¡¯s also wine, tea, cloth, and so on. Don¡¯t worry, these items are all double sets.¡± ¡°Oh right, oh right, there¡¯s also the betrothal money, 99 taels.¡± Aunt Guihua seemed to have thought of something and patted her smooth forehead. ¡®This is what your mother specially instructed. 99 taels symbolizes that you and Shen Yao will live a long and harmonious life in the future!¡± In addition to the 99 taels of silver, there was also a bundle (50 kilograms) of betrothal pastries, eight types of seafood (seaweed, abalone, scallops, shiitake mushrooms, dried shrimp, squid, sea cucumber, shark fin), pork,mb, beef, carp, four fruits [1. A traditional Chinese wedding custom. It refers to a set of four fruits that are given to the bride¡¯s family by the groom¡¯s family as part of the betrothal ceremony. The four fruits usually include dried longan, red dates, lotus seeds, and walnuts, and they symbolize good wishes for the couple¡¯s future, such as fertility, happiness, and prosperity.] , and a chest of money. As Aunt Guihua reported the names and numbers of these betrothal gifts, Ji Zhao felt dazzled. Aunt Guihua¡¯s voice was very loud. Coupled with themotion outside the Ji family¡¯s courtyard, it was too lively. Soon, the Ji family¡¯s courtyard was surrounded by vigers. ¡°Everyone, it¡¯s Ah Tao¡¯s wedding day soon. At that time, the Ji family will also hold a banquet. At that time, everyone, remember toe to the wedding banquet!¡± Aunt Guihua beat the gong and drum as she distributed some wedding candy to everyone. ¡°By the way, Ah Tao, take a closer look. This is the list of betrothal gifts.¡± After entering the central room, Aunt Guihua happily handed the items in her sleeve to her. ¡°I heard that Third Brother wrote them himself!¡± ¡°Aunt Guihua, thank you for your hard work.¡± Ji Zhao personally poured a cup of tea and handed it to her with a grateful smile. ¡°Hey, girl, why are you being so polite with me? Not to mention my rtionship with your mother, just based on the fact that both of us are girls who married out of Pomegranate Vige, I have to help!¡± Aunt Guihua smiled brightly and said, ¡°Besides, your mother won¡¯t treat me badly!¡± Zhao Lanhua had already told her beforehand that as long as she held the wedding banquet in Pomegranate Vige in a grand manner, she would definitely prepare a generous gift. ¡°Let¡¯s decorate this house tomorrow,¡± Aunt Guihua said with a smile. ¡°By the way, I brought your wedding dress over.¡± ¡°Alright, thank you, Auntie.¡± ¡®Why are you being so polite-¡± After Aunt Guihua¡¯s grooming, the Ji family¡¯s courtyard could be said to be brand new. In the fenced courtyard, tables, chairs, and benches borrowed from other people¡¯s houses were neatly arranged. A red silk cloth passed through them. June 15th. The bright moon hanging in the night sky was exceptionally bright. Ji Zhao, who was standing in front of the window and looking at the full moon, actually felt a trace of apprehension in her heart. After all, she was going to get married after dawn! Squeak¡ª ¡°Sister?¡± ¡°Chenchen?¡± Ji Zhao turned around and looked at the young boy walking towards her with a smile. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I want to talk to sister,¡± Ji Chen looked up at her and said obediently. ¡°Okay, what does our Chenchen want to talk about?¡± ¡°Sister, at the end of the month, I want to go to Jiangnan with Master Song,¡± Ji Chen said softly. Ji Zhao was a little surprised. She raised her hand and rubbed his little head. She asked gently, ¡°When did you decide?¡¯ ¡°Half a month ago,¡± Ji Chen said honestly. ¡°Master said that the scenery in Jiangnan is very beautiful. He has been yearning for it for a long time. He wants to take me to tour the Jiangnan mist and rain ande back during the new year.¡± ¡°You want to go?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ji Chen nodded without hesitation. ¡°But I want to go with Sister more. But Chenchen knows that Spring Breeze Pavilion is Sister¡¯s hard work and you can¡¯t leave it, so I can only go myself.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Even though she was reluctant, Ji Zhao still agreed. After all, Ji Chen had already grown up. He had to go out and see the world. ¡°Sister, rest early.¡± The next day, when the sky was starting to brighten, Ji Zhao was woken up by Aunt Guihua¡¯s loud voice. She opened the door in a daze. ¡°Auntie, why are you so early?¡¯ ¡°Silly girl, you should wash up!¡± Aunt Guihua invited a round-faced woman in and introduced her with a smile, ¡°Ah Tao, this is Madam Guo. She¡¯s the most famous marriage broker in the surrounding viges!¡± ¡°Miss Ah Tao, are you ready?¡± Madam Guo was wearing a dark red long robe. She had ample breasts and fat buttocks, making her look jovial. ¡°Ready for what?¡± ¡°Threading! ¡± When Ji Zhao heard this, she couldn¡¯t help but gasp. Madam Guo stood in front of Ji Zhao with the five-colored cotton thread and began to thread her eyebrows for her. ¡°Hiss¡ª¡± The moment Madam Guo made her move, Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but make a sound. Threading was indeed painful! About an hourter, Madam Guo said, ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± Ji Zhao silently looked at the face in the bronze mirror and blinked nkly. She didn¡¯t seem to recognize herself! Chapter 286 - Chapter 286: Give Birth or Not? Chapter 286: Give Birth or Not? Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions Facing the face in the mirror, Ji Zhao could not help but feel a little dazed. It was not until the sudden sound of firecrackers outside the house that she came back to her senses. ¡°It¡¯s not even dawn yet!¡± Aunt Guihua walked closer to the window and nced at the sky. She couldn¡¯t help butugh and tease, ¡°Shen Yao is really impatient!¡± ¡°Ah Tao¨C¡± Zhao Lanhua walked over the threshold with a smile. ¡°Sister Guihua, you haven¡¯tbed Ah Tao¡¯s hair yet, right?¡± ¡°No, no!¡± Ji Guihua hurriedly smiled. ¡°How could I dare to disobey your instructions!¡± ¡°Mother?¡± Seeing Zhao Lanhua appear in front of her, Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes were filled with confusion. ¡°Good child.¡± Zhao Lanhua happily took the red wooden cow hornb from Madam Guo¡¯s hand and exined in a low voice, ¡°Mother wanted toe long ago. Fortunately, I made it in time. Mother willb your hair, okay?¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Ji Zhao really did not expect Zhao Lanhua to dote on her so much. Under normal circumstances, it was the women on the bride¡¯s side whobed her hair. The most basic requirement was that the children and grandchildren would be full of blessings. Zhao Lanhua had rushed over tob Ji Zhao¡¯s hair, which meant that in her heart, she was not only Ji Zhaofu¡¯s mother-inw, but also her family. Or rather, Zhao Lanhua really treated Ji Zhao as her daughter. ¡°Firstb to the end, secondb for white hair reaching the brows, thirdb for children and grandchildren to fill the hall.¡± After Zhao Lanhuabed her hair, her eyes were already wet. ¡°Thank you, Mother.¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly and thanked her gratefully. ¡°The auspicious hour has arrived!¡± About an hourter, Madam Guo carefully covered Ji Zhao¡¯s head with the red cloth and said with a bright smile, ¡®The bride is getting on the bridal sedan!¡± Ji Chen, who was waiting outside, was also wearing a dark red robe today, which made his little face look even fairer. ¡°Sister, I¡¯ll carry you.¡± . Okay.¡± Ji Zhao responded with a smile and then gentlyid on Ji Chen¡¯s back. Madam Guo, who was standing at the side, hurriedly reached out to support Ji Zhao¡¯s lower back. Although Ji Chen¡¯s footsteps were a little hurried, his every step was iparably firm. ¡°Chenchen wishes you a safe and happy life.¡± Under the red veil, Ji Zhao was already in tears. Until a familiar handkerchief appeared in front of her. ¡°Ah Tao, I¡¯m here to marry you.¡± Shen Yao said gently. ¡°Mm!¡± It wasn¡¯t until the moment she sat in the bridal sedan that Ji Zhao¡¯s thoughts gradually returned. She looked down at the red apple in her palm andughed foolishly. At that moment, Shen Yao was riding on White Snow¡¯s back with a big red flower on his body. Behind him was a long bridal procession. The joyous suona was apanied by the continuous sound of firecrackers. It was extremely lively. The bridal sedan carried by eight people was very stable. After an unknown period of time, Ji Zhao, who was already drowsy, suddenly felt weightless. She suddenly opened her eyes and found that she was still sitting in the bridal sedan. She silently patted her chest. ¡°Ah Tao, we¡¯re home.¡± After the bridal sedan stopped, Shen Yao chuckled. ¡°I know.¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly. After entering the lively central room of the Shen family, the two of them began to pay their respects. Shen Dashan and Zhao Lanhua, who were sitting at the head of the table, could not stop smiling. ¡°The ceremony isplete. Send them into the bridal chamber! ¡± For some reason, Ji Zhao felt her cheeks burning when she heard the word bridal chamber. She couldn¡¯t tell if this feeling was anticipation or apprehension. After an unknown period of time, Ji Zhao, who was beginning to feel sleepy again, suddenly jolted. As the footsteps got closer, she became more and more nervous. ¡°Ah Tao.¡± Zhao Lanhua brought Eldest Sister-inw Shen and Second Sister-inw Shen into the new room. ¡°Mother?¡± Sister-inw Shen smiled and helped her lift the veil. Sister-inw Shen immediately handed her a bowl of dumplings. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Zhao Lanhua looked at her and asked with a loving smile. ¡®Yes, a little.¡± This morning, before she could wake up, she was woken up by Aunt Guihua. Later on, she did not even drink a drop of water. Now, she really felt hungry. ¡°Ah Tao, try this dumpling. Our mother made it herself!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen eagerly handed the bowl of dumplings to Ji Zhao. Ji Zhao obediently took the bowl and chopsticks, picked up a dumpling, and took a bite. She subconsciously frowned. ¡°Is it raw?¡± ¡°It¡¯s rawO!¡± Ji Zhao shrugged helplessly. ¡°Good child- ¡® Only then did Ji Zhao react¡ª ¡°Mother, look, Ah Tao¡¯s face is red!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen covered her face with a faint smile and teased softly, ¡°Our Ah Tao¡¯s figure is very voluptuous. Mother, just wait to gain two grandchildren in three years!¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be waiting!¡¯ Zhao Lanhua also smiled. ¡°Mother! Sister-inw! You¡­¡± Ji Zhao was both angry and shy. ¡°Alright, alright, I won¡¯t tease you anymore.¡± Zhao Lanhua gave Second Sister-inw Shen a look. Thetter quickly took out a booklet from her sleeve and handed it to Ji Zhao. ¡®What is this?¡± Ji Zhao asked curiously. ¡°Ah Tao, take your time to read itter. We¡¯re going out with Mother to entertain the guests.¡± Without waiting for Ji Zhao¡¯s reply, the two sister-inws grabbed Zhao Lanhua¡¯s arms and hurried out. Ji Zhao became even more curious. She silently flipped open the booklet. When she saw the first page, she felt her face turn red! She hurriedly closed it and threw it out¡ª Coincidentally, the bookletnded at Shen Yao¡¯s feet. ¡°This is?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t touch it! Ji Zhao eximed and rushed forward! However, she had forgotten the length of the wedding dress she was wearing. She staggered and fell into Shen Yao¡¯s arms. Shen Yao held her waist with one hand and held the booklet with the other. He raised his eyebrows with a faint smile. ¡°Ah Tao, I really didn¡¯t expect you to be so impatient. ¡± ¡°I, I, I didn¡¯t¡­¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly pushed him away and turned around to sit by the bed again. ¡®Yes?¡¯ ¡°This booklet¡­¡± Ji Zhao lowered her eyes, her tone a little flustered and helpless. ¡°I have an identical booklet too.¡± Shen Yao suddenly leaned close to her ear and chuckled. ¡°Huh?¡¯ ¡°Last night, Eldest Brother and Second Brother asked me to drink with them. Later, Eldest Brother gave me this booklet.¡± Shen Yao took the opportunity to sit beside her and deliberately lowered his voice. ¡°Ah Tao, let¡¯s study the contents of this booklet after it gets dark, okay? What do you think? Hmm?¡± His voice was very low, but it could not hide the temptation hidden in it. ¡°If you don¡¯t say anything, I¡¯ll take that as a yes.¡± Shen Yao tapped the tip of her nose affectionately, his smile full of affection. Before he left, he took out an oil paper bag from his sleeve and handed it to her. ¡°This is?¡± ¡°Grandfather made peanut crisps. They taste good. ¡± Ji Zhao nodded and carefully opened the oiled paper bag. She picked up a piece of peanut crisp and took a small bite. It was crispy and salty, and the fragrance of peanuts was extremely strong. ¡°Is it delicious?¡± Shen Yao suddenly leaned in front of her and asked with a gentle gaze. ¡°I want to taste it too.¡± Chapter 287 - Chapter 287: Zhaozhao, I’m Extremely Happy to Marry Chapter 287: Zhaozhao, I¡¯m Extremely Happy to Marry You Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions Before Ji Zhao could react, Shen Yao¡¯s right hand had already sped the back of her head. The strong and domineering taste of his mouth lingered in her mouth. His nimble tongue licked her pearly white teeth and chased after her non-stop. He only gradually stopped when she begged for mercy. Even without looking in the mirror, Ji Zhao knew that her lips were definitely red and swollen. She puffed up her cheeks angrily and red at him. Her beautiful eyes seemed to be filled with anger and embarrassment. ¡°Grandfather¡¯s peanut crisps are really sweet. Shen Yao suddenly reached out and hugged her. He breathed into her ear. Ji Zhao suddenly felt a ticklish feeling on her neck, and she couldn¡¯t help but tremble. ¡°Shen Yao, you. ¡°Zhaozhao.¡± Shen ???????? suddenly lifted her into the air and held her in his arms. The moment their eyes met, his affectionate eyes were filled with gentleness, like the bright star in the night sky, bright and clear. It was also like a deep spring in an ancient well, making one unable to help but sink into it. ¡°Yes?¡¯ ¡°Zhaozhao, I¡¯m extremely happy to marry you.¡± Shen Yao smiled faintly, his eyes filled with affection. ¡®Why¡­ are you calling me that?¡± Ji Zhao was a little dazed and nervous, but more than that, he was happy. Although her identity in this world was Ji Ah Tao, she knew very well that her soul was still Ji Zhao. Therefore, when Shen Yao called her ¡®Zhaozhao¡¯, her heart trembled involuntarily. ¡°Silly girl.¡± Shen Yao tapped the tip of her nose affectionately and said gently, ¡°I remember everything you said.¡± On the sixteenth of Junest year, she had rolled down the hill and injured her head. He could clearly remember everything that happened after that. The once arrogant and despotic Ji Ah was unwilling to stay in the Shen family. A person would not change so much in such a short period of time; How could a vulgar and vicious person suddenly turn over a new leaf? Moreover, her calligraphy skills and exquisite culinary skills could not possibly belong to the original Ji Ah Tao. ¡°Resurrecting from the dead sounds unbelievable.¡± Shen Yao yed with a strand of ck hair that fell on her shoulder and chuckled. ¡°Zhaozhao, before I met you, I didn¡¯t believe in ghosts or gods. But now, I¡¯m willing to believe it.¡± ¡°Shen Yao.¡± Ji Zhao suddenly hugged his neck and smiled sweetly. ¡°l like this nickname.¡± Her beautiful eyes swirled and she smiled sweetly. How could one not be moved? ¡°Spring nights are short, Zhao. Shall we go to bed early?¡± ¡°But it¡¯s not dark yet¡­¡± Before she could finish her sentence, her lips were already sealed. The wedding tent slowly fell, and the two people who were embracing each other enjoyed this moment of intimacy. The moment Shen ???????? was ready, Ji Zhao grabbed his broad back nervously. Hmm. Ji Zhao, who felt ufortable at first, could not help but frown. Sensing her difort, Shen Yao kissed every inch of her face gently. After that, he gradually entered a good state, unable to extricate himself¡­ An hourter, Shen Yao, who had a satisfied expression on his face, supported his head with one hand and looked at Ji Zhao, who was sleeping soundly in his arms. He smiled silently. ¡°Zhaozhao¡­¡± He deliberately leaned closer and called out softly. ¡°I don¡¯t want it anymore¡­¡± At this moment, Ji Zhao only felt that her entire body was weak. She no longer had any strength, and she couldn¡¯t even open her eyes. Shen Yao had once read in a book that women would feel extremely tired when they first experienced it. His heart ached as he wiped away the beads of sweat on her forehead. He was also a little annoyed that he made her suffer too much just now. He pulled the thin nket from the side and gently covered her with it. Then, he put on the wedding robes and walked out of the room. Although it was almost dusk, the courtyard of the Shen family was getting more and more lively. Shen Yao looked at the guests drinking and chatting happily, and the corners of his lips could not help but curl up into a happy smile. ¡®Quick, quick, quick. The groom is back. Let¡¯s go and propose a toast!¡¯ The sharp-eyed Shen Lang waved his arm and walked in front of Shen Yao with the wine pot. He patted his shoulder and raised his eyebrows proudly. ¡°Groom, on this joyous day, why don¡¯t you drink this jar?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± To Shen Lang¡¯s surprise, Shen Yao really took the jar of wine. He raised his head slightly and drank it in one breath. There was not a drop ofwine left, and his expression did not change. ¡°You, you, you¡­¡± Seeing this scene, Shen Lang was dumbfounded. ¡°When did your alcohol tolerance be so good?¡¯ Shen Yao smiled and did not say anything. He picked up another jar of wine from the table at the side and walked straight to Shen Menghu. He toasted him respectfully. Theughter in the courtyard of the Shen family resounded, and it was extremely lively. When night fell, the banquet gradually came to an end. When Shen Yao walked into the new room, Ji Zhao was still sound asleep. He thought for a moment and turned around to go to the inner room. After the Shen family¡¯s courtyard was rebuilt, every bedroom had an ear room. This was also what Shen Yao had requested. Early in the evening, Ji Zhao, who had slept for six hours, was woken up by hunger. To her surprise, the bed beside her was cold. If not for the fact that her body was weak and her waist was sore, she would have really thought that the scene just now was a dream. Ji Zhao forced herself to sit up from the bed. She was in a daze. Until she heard a familiar voice. ¡®Zhaozhao?¡± Shen Yao brought over a bowl of red dates and egg sweet soup and approached her. ¡°Eat quickly.¡± ¡°This is?¡± ¡°Mother prepared it long ago. Previously, when she was about to send it in, I stopped her.¡± Shen Yao¡¯s expression shed with difort, and his earlobes turned unnaturally red. In fact, Zhao Lanhua had severely criticized him¡ª After all, there were very few grooms like him in this world. Before the sky turned dark, he had tortured the bride to the point of drowsiness. If not for the fact that she was afraid of waking Ah Tao up, Zhao Lanhua would have used the family rules to teach him a lesson. Ji Zhao saw the expression on his face and naturally guessed what was going ¡°Mother criticized you?¡± For some reason, Ji Zhao¡¯s mood became extremely happy at this moment. After happily finishing the bowl of red dates and egg soup, Ji Zhao finally felt that she had recovered 20% of her strength. ¡°I want to take a bath.¡± Previously, she had apanied Shen Yao to fool around. Now, she only felt that her skin was stuck to a thinyer of sweat and was very sticky. Shen Yao¡¯s eyes lit up when he heard this. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you?¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s no need¡­ Meeting his eyes, Ji Zhao hurriedly waved her hand to reject him. However, the moment she tried to get off the bed, she suddenly felt her knees go weak and she almost knelt on the ground. Fortunately, Shen Yao was quick enough to hold her in his arms. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault!¡± After being hugged by him, Ji Zhao clenched her fists and punched his chest angrily as she gritted her teeth. ¡°Zhaozhao, don¡¯t be angry.¡± Shen Yao kissed her cheek and exined in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have fallen for Zhaozhao and lost control.¡± ¡°Then stop fooling around!¡± ¡°Okay..¡± Chapter 288 - Chapter 288: Where’s Your Shame! Chapter 288: Where¡¯s Your Shame! Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions Only then did Ji Zhao rx, especially when she was soaked in the bathtub. She felt that all the fatigue in her body had been swept away. Ssh! To her surprise, Shen Yao also jumped into the bathtub. ¡°You?¡± Ji Zhao suddenly narrowed her eyes, and a sense of vignce arose in the depths of her eyes. Shen Yao flipped open the erotic painting seriously and pointed at a page on it. ¡°Zhaozhao, why don¡¯t we study this move?¡± ¡°You, you, you¡­¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly raised her hand to cover her face and said angrily, ¡°Shen Yao, where¡¯s your shame!¡± In front of Ji Zhao, there was no such thing as shame in Shen Yao¡¯s dictionary. He was like a hungry wolf that did not know fatigue, taking Ji Zhao time and time again. He enjoyed the extreme pleasure. As for Ji Zhao, there was only one sentence in her mind¡ª Men only spewed lies! An hourter, Shen Yao picked up the unconscious Ji Zhao and slowly walked out of the bathtub. He carefully wiped the water droplets off her body and carefully dried her hair before hugging her and falling asleep peacefully. The next day,te in the morning. In the Shen family¡¯s house, the atmosphere was a little silent. ¡°Ahem.¡± Zhao Lanhua cleared her throat and said in a low voice, ¡®Why don¡¯t we not wait for Third Brother and Ah Tao?¡± ¡°This punk doesn¡¯t know how to control himself at all!¡± Shen Dashan scolded with a straight face. ¡°Alright, alright. Weren¡¯t you like this back then?¡± Zhao Lanhua nced at him from the corner of her eyes. ¡®Who did Third Brother take after? Are you unaware?¡± ¡°I¡­ My situation was different!¡± Shen Dashan rubbed his nose in embarrassment. When he and Zhao Lanhua got married, his parents had already passed away, so there was no need to serve tea the next day. Eldest Brother Shen and Second Brother Shen could not help but exchange nces and secretly smile. ¡®What are youughing at? When the two of you got married, weren¡¯t you the same as your father?¡± Zhao Lanhua had waited until noon to drink the tea from Eldest Sister-inw Shen and Second Sister-inw Shen. However, she did not care about these so-called rules at all. After all, she was happy from the bottom of her heart to see her daughter-inw and son loving each other. The only thing she was worried about was that these few punks were so unrestrained. Would they hurt her precious daughter-inws? The moment Shen Yao helped Ji Zhao into the central room, the awkward atmosphere was finally broken. ¡°Father, please have some tea. Mother, please have some tea.¡± Ji Zhao obediently offered tea to the two elders sitting at the head of the table. Shen Dashan and Zhao Lanhua were grinning from ear to ear. ¡°Good, good, good! Good child!¡± The couple prepared arge red packet for Ji Zhao. Zhao Lanhua held Ji Zhao¡¯s hand and ced Shen Yao¡¯s hand on the back of hers. Her eyes were filled with tears as she smiled lovingly and said gently, ¡°I hope you and your wife will love each other forever and grow old together.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mother! Fifteen minutester, Shen Yao apanied Ji Zhao to see Immortal Crane. ¡°Master, please have some tea.¡± Ji Zhao obediently and respectfully handed Immortal Crane a cup of tea. ¡°Okay.¡± Immortal Crane smiled and picked up an exquisite wooden box carved with lilies from the table at the side, handing it to Ji Zhao. ¡°It¡¯s a gift for the two of you. Open it and take a look.¡± Ji Zhao smiled faintly and thanked him obediently. When she opened the box, she saw two semicircr red warm jade engraved with a koi fish. The warm jade was warm to the touch and crystal clear. What was more difficult was the koi carp carved on the warm jade. It was vivid and lifelike. Warm jade was hard toe by. A warm jade with a red tint was even harder toe by. Ji Zhao did not expect the gift her master had prepared for them to be so precious. ¡°Master, this warm jade is too precious. I can¡¯t ept it,¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly said. ¡°If you dare to not ept it, I will not acknowledge you as my disciple! ¡® Immortal Crane took a sip of hot tea and looked at her coldly. The threat in his eyes was self-evident. ¡®Well ¡°Zhaozhao, you can¡¯t refuse a gift from an elder.¡± Shen Yao scratched her palm and persuaded her softly. ¡°Then¡­ Alright then.. Ji Zhao thought about it and asked with a smile, ¡°Then, Master, what do you want to eat for lunch? Shall I make it for you?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that the Sichuan Bobo Chicken tasted goodst time?¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go to the kitchen to prepare now!¡¯ After Ji Zhao turned around and left, Immortal Crane narrowed his eyes and stared coldly at Shen Yao, who had a gentle smile on his face. ¡°I know that the two ofyou are newlyweds, and you¡¯re in your honeymoon phase. However, I still have to remind you that there should be a limit to everything.¡± The little girl¡¯s footsteps were a little unsteady. It was obvious that they had overindulged. This punk, Shen Yao, did not know how to have tender, protective feelings for the fairer sex at all! ¡®Yes, I understand.¡± As intelligent as Shen Yao was, he naturally heard the warning hidden in Immortal Crane¡¯s words. However, Zhaozhao was the person he loved, and now she was his wife. If he could still maintain his rationality on their wedding night, it would be impossible. ¡°My hand is a little itchy. y a round with me¡± Although he didn¡¯t like this punk, no matter what, he was already his good disciple¡¯s husband. ¡°Okay.¡± Ji Zhao walked into the kitchen and began to prepare the ingredients for the Sichuan Bobo Chicken. Actually, the cooking method of the Sichuan Bobo Chicken was very simple. The most important thing was the ingredients. Ji Zhao¡¯s favorite cooking method was to use the fresh and refreshing chicken as the ingredient and then mix it with peanut butter, sesame sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, as well as yellow wine and red oil. She washed the chicken and boiled it with scallions, ginger, and water. Then, she added yellow wine and boiled the chicken before taking it out. She ced it in the prepared cold water and waited for it to cool down before cutting it and putting it in the basin. ¡°It smells so good!¡± Zhao Lanhua, who was guarding the stove, smelled the alluring spicy fragrance and could not help but swallow her saliva. ¡°Mother, turn the fire downter!¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile and continued working. Ji Zhao washed the skewers that Eldest Sister-inw Shen and Second Sister-inw Shen had prepared. Then, she ced them in a pot and boiled them. After all the skewers were cooked, she took out a huge round blue and white pot and filled it with these skewers. Finally, she watered the soup base that she had prepared previously. In the end, arge spoonful of hot oil was poured on it. sh! The hot oil stimted the fragrance in the soup, emitting a spicy and fresh fragrance. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long since we had breakfast, and now I feel hungry again!¡± Second Sister-inw Shenughed heartily and said, ¡°Our Ah Tao¡¯s culinary skills are really amazing!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that so?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen couldn¡¯t help but tease, ¡®This fragrance is really irresistible!¡± ¡°Mother, why don¡¯t you try it?¡± Ji Zhao smiled as she picked up a skewer of chicken and handed it to Zhao Lanhua. ¡°Can you help me try it?¡± ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, Second Sister-inw, quick, you guys try it too!¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly and said extremely seriously, ¡°We have to taste the saltiness first before we can bring this Sichuan Bobo Chicken out of the kitchen!¡± ¡°That makes sense! ¡° Chapter 289 - Chapter 289: Jade Ribbon Cake Chapter 289: Jade Ribbon Cake Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions In addition to the Sichuan bobo chicken, Ji Zhao made another dessert. She crushed the boiled mung beans, added the crushed ice, and made the mung bean slush. It was already the middle of June, and the weather was getting hotter. Eating more mung beans could clear the heat and detoxify the poison, which was beneficial to health. Ji Zhao thought for a moment and prepared to steam some jade ribbon cakes. ¡°Jade Ribbon Cake?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen¡¯s eyes lit up. She hurriedly wrapped her arms around Ji Zhao¡¯s arm and asked anxiously, ¡°Ah Tao, the Jade Ribbon Cake you¡¯re talking about, is it the kind of pastry from Suzhou?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ji Zhao was also a little surprised. ¡°Second Sister-inw has eaten jade ribbon cake before?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve tasted it.¡± Second Sister-inw Shen suddenly felt a lump in her throat. ¡°A good friend of mine from when I was young married far away to Suzhou. About five years ago, she asked someone to send a lot of things, including this Jade Ribbon Cake. However, what she didn¡¯t know was that in the second year of her marriage, her parents died of illness¡­¡± ¡°Her parents passed away from illness. As their daughter, why isn¡¯t she back?¡± ¡°Because her parents are just her adoptive parents¡­¡± Second Sister-inw Shen shook her head, unwilling to talk about this topic anymore. ¡°But Ah Tao, do you really know how to make jade ribbon cakes?¡¯ ¡®Yes, I do.¡± Ji Zhao smiled firmly. She was a descendant of the royal chef. Her culinary skills were top-notch in the 21st century! Not only had she won the gold medal of the World Cooking Competition, but she had also been a judge for the culinarypetition for three consecutive years¡­ ¡°The cooking method of the Jade Ribbon Cake is actually very simple. The most important thing is to grasp the amount of glutinous rice flour.¡± Ji Zhao took out a bag of glutinous rice flour and exined softly, ¡°Use pure glutinous rice flour to make the cake. Ayer of powder, ayer ofrd, and white sugar. After picking it up, put it in the steamer and steam it. The heat has to be high and then lowered. After it¡¯s steamed, cut it, and the jade ribbon cake is done.¡± ¡°It¡¯s sweet and soft. It¡¯s indeed delicious!¡± After tasting a piece of jade ribbon cake, Second Sister-inw Shen immediately praised, ¡°Ah Tao, you¡¯re amazing! ¡± ¡°If Second Sister-inw likes it, then eat more¡ª¡± To Ji Zhao, the happiest thing was to watch everyone eat all the delicacies she had made! Sichuan bobo chicken, mung bean slush, and mung bean cake filled the stomachs of everyone in the Shen family. After lunch, Shen Dashan brought Eldest Brother Shen and Second Brother Shen to his own field. Shen Yao did not go. Instead, he went to the study. ¡®What are you looking for?¡± When Ji Zhao walked in, Shen Yao was standing in front of the bookshelf, flipping through the books on it anxiously. ¡°I found it.¡± Shen Yao caught a glimpse of the old book that was already yellowing. Then, he looked at Ji Zhao behind him with a solemn gaze. ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Zhaozhao, I¡¯m worried about something.¡± Shen Yao said with a deep gaze, ¡°There will definitely be locusts after a long drought.¡± ¡°You mean¡­?¡¯ Ji Zhao¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she heard this. ¡°In the early summer ofst year, the entire Great Jing Dynasty had been suffered a drought for three consecutive years. Although it finally rainedter, the crops in the fields did not grow well. This year, it began to drought again¡­¡± Shen Yao¡¯s tone became more and more solemn. He waved the book in his hand and said in a low voice, ¡®This book records many natural disasters, including the locust gue 30 years ago.¡± ¡®When locusts pass through, not even a de of grass will grow.¡± Ji Zhao also realized the seriousness of the matter and asked worriedly, ¡°Shen Yao, shouldn¡¯t we take precautions?¡± ¡°Prevention is better than cure?¡± Hearing this, Shen Yao fell into deep thought. Then, he shook his head with a bitter smile. ¡°Although the drought situation is a little serious now, locust gues are rare. If we really spread the news, I¡¯m afraid it will attract unnecessary criticism.¡± ¡°But we can¡¯t just watch as the crops in the fields are eaten up by locusts, right?¡± Ji Zhao said anxiously, ¡°Why don¡¯t we go to the vige chief first? We can think of a way to get everyone to put away the crops in the fields first?¡¯ In the face of nature, humans were really small. Hence, Ji Zhao felt that all they could do now was think of ways to reduce their losses. ¡°Okay.¡± At this moment, Shen Menghu was offering incense in the Earth Temple. Ever since the Dragon Boat Festival, not only was the weather getting hotter and hotter, there was not even a thunderp. Most of the fields in Shanghe Vige were near the tributary of the Qinghe River, so the crops in the fields were still standing. However, when Shen Menghu went to the county a few days ago, he heard that many of the fields in the nearby viges were so dry there were cracks. As an experienced farmer, Shen Menghu felt that the situation was not good. This year will probably be another year of drought. With a devout heart, Shen Menghu retracted his thoughts and inserted the incense stick in his hand into the hollowed-out three-legged incense burner. Just as he was about to turn around and leave, Shen Yao and his wife walked in. Fifteen minutester, after listening to the two youngster¡¯s words, Shen Menghu fell into deep thought. ¡°Vige Chief, ording to the records in this book, the abnormal weather is a warning. There will definitely be locusts after a long drought. Although the crops in the fields are not fully ripe yet, if we harvest them now, we can at least reap 60% of the harvest.¡± Shen Yao pursed his lips and exined seriously, ¡°Once the locusts pass through, I¡¯m afraid our Shanghe Vige will have no harvest.¡± Shen Menghu was not in a hurry to agree. Instead, he narrowed his eyes and sized up Shen Yao for a long time. Finally, he said slowly, ¡°Shen Yao, can you guarantee that the locusts will definitely appear?¡± Shen Yao fell silent. Yes, he couldn¡¯t guarantee that. ¡°But Vige Chief, even if there¡¯s only a one in ten thousand chance of a terrifying disaster like the locust gue, shouldn¡¯t we be prepared in advance?¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly exined, ¡°1 admit that Shen Yao and I can¡¯t guarantee that the locust gue will definitely appear, but what if?¡± ¡°Let me think about it.¡± Shen Menghu did not directly ept their suggestion. Instead, he decided to hold a vige meeting to ask for everyone¡¯s opinion. As dusk approached, the low sky in the distance was filled with resplendent sunset light. The multicolored light shot in all directions, enveloping the entire Shanghe Vige in auspicious light. Ji Zhao rested her chin on her hands and sat on the steps outside the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. She looked at the beautiful scenery of dusk from afar, and her calm eyes were tainted with a faintyer of worry. Shen Yao brought the cut watermelon to her, picked up a toothpick, poked a piece, and brought it to her lips. The sweet smell of the watermelon immediately brought Ji Zhao back to her senses. ¡°At noon, Mother picked watermelons from the vegetable garden and ced them in the well for four hours.¡± Shen Yao smiled gently at her. ¡°Eat quickly.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and took a bite. She narrowed her eyes in satisfaction. ¡°So sweet.¡± ¡°Eat more.¡¯ Shen Yao continued to feed her lovingly. He liked to watch Ji Zhao eat because when Ji Zhao ate, her cheeks were puffed up like a cute pufferfish, making people want to reach out and pinch her. That was what he thought in his heart, so he did it. ¡°Mmph!¡± Caught off guard, Ji Zhao¡¯s face was pinched. She blinked helplessly, her eyes innocent and cute.. Chapter 290 - Chapter 290: Zhaozhao, Sleep Chapter 290: Zhaozhao, Sleep Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ji Zhao blinked, her expression innocent and cute. Shen Yao smiled and did not say anything. He slowly approached her. Just as his lips were about to approach her red lips¡ª ¡°Ahem!¡± Qin Minghong, who was covering his face with a fan, deliberately raised his eyebrows. His tone was filled with undisguised teasing. ¡°I know you two are newlyweds, but you have to pay attention to the asion!¡± ¡°Brother Qin?¡± Ji Zhao called out in surprise. ¡°Here, a wedding gift for the two of you.¡± Qin Minghong put away the folding fan in his hand and nodded at the servant behind him. Thetter immediately respectfully handed the box in his arms to Ji Zhao. ¡°Thank you, Brother Qin.¡± Ji Zhao epted the heavy box and smiled. ¡°By the way, Brother Qin hasn¡¯t had dinner yet, right? Coincidentally, there are still cold skin noodles noodles in the kitchen. Shall I make a bowl of sesame sauce cold skin noodles noodles for you to try?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Qin Minghong readily agreed. Fifteen minutester. Ji Zhao made a big bowl of cold skin noodles with sesame sauce and a bowl of osmanthus sour plum soup. ¡°Fragrant!¡¯ Qin Minghong sighed with nostalgia. ¡°When I was in the prefecture capital, Ah Tao¡¯s cooking was what I missed the most.¡± ¡°If Brother Qin likes it, eat more.¡± ¡°Definitely!¡¯ At that moment, Shen Yao, who was sitting opposite him, drank a cup of cold tea to dissipate the heat lingering in his heart. Then, he lowered his eyes and said, ¡®One never visits unless they need something.¡± ¡®Why do I feel like you don¡¯t wee me?¡± Qin Minghong rolled his eyes at him. ¡°You¡¯ve already gotten the beauty, why are you still so stingy?¡± ¡°You rushed over sote at night. What happened?¡± Shen Yao ignored theint in his tone and asked in a low voice. ¡°The prefectural city is about to change.¡± Qin Minghong looked back at the manservant standing behind him. Thetter obediently retreated and waited outside the door. Only then did he say, ¡°l heard that the salt transporters in Jiangnan were killed by the Cao Gang, who smuggled illicit salt. In the past five years, the salt transporters sent by the imperial court have basically never returned. The emperor was furious and ordered a strict investigation. The person in charge of this matter is the current governor of Yunchuan Prefecture, Sun Xiangnian.¡± ¡°I heard from Eldest Aunt that this is an opportunity that Noble Consort Sun fought for.¡± ¡°There are even rumors in the capital that His Majesty wants to abolish the Empress and reestablish the Noble Consort as the Empress.¡± Qin Minghong said in a low voice, ¡°Once Noble Consort Sun bes the mother of the country, it won¡¯t be easy to shake the Sun Family.¡± Shen Yao, who was listening to the news quietly, remained calm. Qin Minghong did not understand his indifference. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to care about this at all? Don¡¯t you want to take revenge?¡± ¡®Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± Shen Yao knocked on the table lightly and looked up thoughtfully. He said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t think we can be anxious about revenge. Ifwe don¡¯t have the confidence to seed in one strike, we can¡¯t take the risk.¡± Ten years was never toote for a gentleman to take revenge. The most important thing was that he had to learn to lie low in these ¡®ten years¡¯. He had to collect all the evidence of the Sun family¡¯s crimes and capture them in one fell swoop. He could not give them any chance to rise again. ¡°The current Sun family is in the midst of blooming flowers. If you want to shake them, it¡¯s no different from a fool¡¯s dream.¡± Qin Minghong sighed softly. ¡°Long before we left the prefecture capital, I had already contacted my uncle. The disappearance of the previous salt transporters in Jiangnan has nothing to do with Cao Gang.¡± ¡°The Cao Gang has been running a serious business all these years. The so-called bootlegging of illicit salt is simply nonsense.¡± Qin Minghong silently clenched his fists and said in a deep voice, ¡°It¡¯s just that government officials have more say, so the Cao Gang¡¯s people are powerless to exin. They can only grit their teeth and bear the me again and again. If not for the fact that the brothers of the Cao Gang had to support their families, no one would be willing to bear those groundless infamy.¡± ¡®Will Brother Qin participate in this autumn¡¯s imperial examination?¡± Shen Yao suddenly changed the topic and asked softly. ¡°Huh?¡± Qin Minghong had never thought of this question. He was a little stunned for a moment. Then, after a moment of silence, he shook his head. ¡®Why not?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to participate,¡± Qin Minghong said straightforwardly. ¡®This time, I decided to leave the prefecture capital. Firstly, I want to send you a message. Secondly, I want to leave for Jiangnan. I want to help Uncle. ¡°As for officialdom, hell.¡± Qin Minghong chuckled. The contempt in his words was self-evident. ¡°l once heard a saying that when turbidity bes the norm, innocence will only be another sin.¡± ¡°Brother Qin, you shouldn¡¯t think that way.¡± Shen Yao shook his head in disapproval. ¡°Compared to the Qin family, I think you care more about your uncle. Uncle Qines from Cao Gang, but Cao Gang is only a martial arts organization after all. If they encounter those unreasonable officials, I¡¯m afraid their lives will be very torturous. So, why can¡¯t Brother Qin jump out of this circle and think from an outsider¡¯s perspective?¡± ¡°For example, if Brother Qin bes an official of the imperial court in Jiangnan, can some policies be changed appropriately?¡± Shen Yao suggested softly. ¡°I¡¯m not advocating self-interest. I just think that if Brother Qin is willing, you can quietly help Uncle Qin in another way. Perhaps it will be twice the result with half the effort?¡± After chatting with Shen Yao for two hours, Qin Minghong came to a realization. Some of the questions that had been bothering him had also been answered. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Take care. I won¡¯t send you off.¡± Just as Qin Minghong was about to ask to stay the night, Shen Yao immediately dispelled his idea. ¡®Why don¡¯t we clean up a guest room for Brother Qin? It¡¯s getting dark,¡± Ji Zhao suggested with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Brother Qin has a carriage. The carriage is very fast.¡± ¡°But didn¡¯t the gates close long ago?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. As the family of an official of the Imperial Court, Brother Qin must have a pass. ¡® ¡°Then goodbye, Brother Qin?¡± Ji Zhao waved at Qin Minghong obediently. Qin Minghong put on a polite smile as he listened to the couple. However, Ji Zhao could tell from his expression that he was gritting his teeth. Qin Minghong had no choice but to reluctantly get into the carriage. Ji Zhao, who was standing outside the courtyard, watched the carriage leave. She gradually retracted his gaze. ¡°Shen Yao?¡± ¡°Zhaozhao, it¡¯s time for us to go to bed.¡± Hearing this, Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but shiver and mutter softly. Could they just chat under the nketter? The answer was obviously no. Ji Zhao was so exhausted that she couldn¡¯t even open her eyes after a prolonged bout of wind and rain. Shen Yao took a towel and gently wiped the sweat on her face. His heart ached. ¡°Shen Yao¡­¡± ¡°Zhaozhao, go to sleep,¡± Shen Yao kissed her lips and said gently. In a daze, Ji Zhao had another dream.. Chapter 291 - Chapter 291: He Will Believe Chapter 291: He Will Believe Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions The sky was filled with locusts. Thend where the locusts passed through was barren. All the crops in Shanghe Vige¡¯s fields had been swept away. The vigers knelt on the barren field and cried bitterly. The viges around Dingyuan County suffered more and more. County Magistrate Ji Ting¡¯an was overwrought. The affected citizens rushed into the county city and knelt outside the county office on their own ord, begging the officials to open the warehouse and release the food. However, that night, the granary of the county office actually caught fire. All the food was burned to ashes. What was even more terrifying was that the county magistrate, Ji Ting¡¯an, had disappeared. The leaderless Dingyuan County seemed to have be a purgatory on earth Looking at the scenes in her dream, Ji Zhao covered her face sadly and kept crying¡ª ¡°Zhaozhao?¡± At dawn, Shen Yao sensed the abnormal movements of the person beside him. He opened his eyes nervously and hurriedly called out, ¡°Zhaozhao? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ji Zhao, who was still asleep, cried extremely sadly. Her palm-sized face scrunched up in sadness, and tears covered her entire face. ¡®Zhaozhao?¡± Shen Yao called out to her several times anxiously before waking up Ji Zhao, who was crying her heart out. ¡°Shen Yao, boohoo¡­¡± Ji Zhao, who had woken up, threw herself into his arms sadly. She wrapped her arms around his neck and sobbed sadly. Shen Yao quickly reached out and patted her back gently,forting her silently. After a long time, Ji Zhao gradually regained her calm. Shen Yao wiped the tears on her face and asked softly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did you have a nightmare?¡± ¡°It¡¯s even scarier than a nightmare.¡± Ji Zhao sniffled as tears filled her eyes. Her tone was filled with worry. ¡°Shen Yao, the locust gue is really terrifying!¡± ¡°Did you dream about it?¡± Shen Yao was also a little surprised. Although he had long known that Ah Tao had an unknown warning ability that could be rted to the people around her in her dreams, could this be a warning from the heavens? ¡°Shen Yao,¡± Ji Zhao tugged at his sleeve and said firmly, ¡°I want to see Official Ji.¡± ¡°Official Ji?¡± Shen Yao frowned in confusion. ¡°The locust gue is really too terrifying. If Official Ji can get everyone to take precautions in advance, perhaps it will have some effect? After all, Official Ji is also our Dingyuan County¡¯s parent official!¡± Ji Zhao exined seriously, ¡°So I think it¡¯s necessary for us to tell Official Ji about this.¡± ¡°But Ah Tao, Official Ji might not believe us,¡± Shen Yao said worriedly. ¡°After all, the locust gue hasn¡¯t happened yet. Everyone still has hope.¡± Although there had been a drought for so long, the vigers who had worked hard in farming still hoped that the heavens would open their eyes and rain early. ¡°He will believe it,¡± Ji Zhao said with a determined expression. She had a feeling that Ji Ting¡¯an would believe her. ¡°Okay.¡± After weighing the pros and cons, Shen Yao nodded and agreed. ¡°After breakfast, I¡¯ll apany you to the county city.¡± Early in the morning, the Shen family sat at the dining table in the central room and enjoyed a delicious breakfast. The sharp-eyed Zhao Lanhua saw the tears on Ji Zhao¡¯s face and hurriedly asked, ¡°Ah Tao, are you crying? Did Third Brother bully you? ¡® ¡°No, no.¡± Ji Zhao, who was eating xiaolongbao, hurriedly waved her hand and said, ¡®Mother, I didn¡¯t cry.¡± ¡°You punk, your wife is meant to be pampered, but you¡¯re bullying her, aren¡¯t you?¡¯ Zhao Lanhua red at Shen Yao angrily and berated him. ¡°Mother, it¡¯s really not like that¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to apany Ah Tao to the county cityter.¡± Shen Yao smiled indifferently. ¡°Mother, take your time eating.¡± Before Zhao Lanhua could respond, Shen Yao had already left the Shen family¡¯s courtyard holding Ji Zhao¡¯s hand. Ji Zhao felt a little guilty. She shook Shen Yao¡¯s arm, her eyes filled with confusion. ¡®Mother misunderstood just now. Why didn¡¯t you exin?¡¯ Shen Yao raised his hand and rubbed her cheek. Then, he exined softly, ¡°Mother and Second Sister-inw always like to read novels when they¡¯re free. If I exin, she¡¯ll overthink even more-¡± Ji Zhao, who seemed to understand but actually not quite, nodded in confusion. Dingyuan County, county office. Ji Ting¡¯an¡¯s brows had never rxed since he personally went to see the grain storage in the official warehouse yesterday. After his inspection, he found that the amount of grain stored in the ount book was very different from the actual stock in the granary. This also meant that someone was secretly selling official grain to fill their own pockets. In addition, the drought in Dingyuan County had been very serious in recent years, but the county office had never opened the granary. ¡°Official?¡± ¡®What is it?¡± ¡°Shen Yao and his wife request an audience.¡± An hourter, Ji Ting¡¯an frowned and looked at Ji Zhao with a dark gaze. ¡°You mean, you want me to open the warehouse in advance and release the food?¡± Ji Ting¡¯an lowered his head and yed with the jade pendant at his waist. His tone was a little unfathomable. He was just about to investigate who in the county office was the stinky rat who had stolen the official food when she came to suggest opening the warehouse and releasing the food? ¡°Yes,¡± Ji Zhao said in a neither servile nor overbearing manner. ¡°During the summer ofst year, many fields around Dingyuan County had dried up and cracked. Some viges even had the situation of selling their children. It¡¯s just that the previous county magistrate, Official Ma, was a bad judge of character and had no understanding of the sufferings of themon people. However, Official Ji, you¡¯re different. You sincerely want to benefit themon people. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have reformed so boldly and prohibited those brothels. That¡¯s why we, husband and wife, mustered our courage and came to offer our suggestions. ¡® ¡°We need the right time to open the warehouse and release the food.¡± Looking at her sincere expression, the doubts in Ji Ting¡¯an¡¯s heart were dispelled. Perhaps this was really a coincidence? ¡°It hasn¡¯t rained in Dingyuan County for nearly two months.¡± ¡°But didn¡¯t we wee a rainstorm inte Junest year? Perhaps this year will be the same asst year?¡¯ Ji Ting¡¯an asked without thinking. ¡°Sir, you¡¯re wrong. No one can guarantee that the weather this year will be the same as in previous years.¡± Shen Yao handed over the book he had brought and exined softly, ¡°Sir, why don¡¯t you take a look at the records in this book? If it droughts for more than two months in midsummer, it will cause another even more terrifying disaster.¡¯ ¡°Locust gue?¡± Ji Ting¡¯an immediately understood what Shen Yao meant and looked up in surprise. ¡®Yes, the locust gue.¡± Shen Yao nodded seriously. ¡°Once the locusts pass through, the crops in the fields will bepletely destroyed.¡± Ji Ting¡¯an narrowed his eyes slightly, and there wereplicated emotions in his eyes. ¡°If it¡¯s really as you said, I should think of a way to prevent the locust gue this time.¡± Ji Ting¡¯an thought for a moment and shouted again, ¡°Someone, go and invite Qin Minghong.¡± ¡°I heard that you and your wife have some rtionship with Qin Minghong?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ji Zhao nodded frankly. ¡°Official, we have business dealings with Big Brother Qin.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Ji Ting¡¯an suddenly smiled and nodded. For some reason, Ji Zhao could read a hint of insidiousness in the smile on his face.. Chapter 292 - Chapter 292: Speak Up Chapter 292: Speak Up Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions Hongxing Restaurant. Qin Minghong was flipping through this spring¡¯s ount book. When he heard that Official Ji had invited him over for a chat, his shimmering peach blossom eyes narrowed slightly, and ayer of mist appeared in his eyes. ¡°Young Master, do you n to go?¡± Second Manager You asked softly. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to go, then I¡¯ll find an excuse to prevaricate?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Qin Minghong silently curled his lips and pondered. ¡°It¡¯s a good opportunity to see what he¡¯s selling in this gourd. ¡® After all, he and Ji Ting¡¯an were old acquaintances! An hourter, Qin Minghong had just stepped into the living room when he saw Shen Yao and Ji Zhao sitting on the right. ¡®This is?¡± ¡°Brother Qin, long time no see!¡± Ji Ting¡¯an greeted him with a hearty smile. Qin Minghong opened the folding fan in his hand and silently took two steps back to distance himself from him. ¡°If you have something to say, just say it. Don¡¯t act like we¡¯re very close.¡± was already used to his cold attitude. He immediately instructed the servant behind him, ¡°Zhu Bai, quickly brew a pot of top-notch Biluochun!¡¯ ¡°After so many years, I wonder if Brother Qin¡¯s taste has changed?¡± Ji Zhao, who witnessed this scene, seemed to be lost in thought. So Official Ji and Brother Qin were old acquaintances? ¡°Let¡¯s get down to business.¡± Qin Minghong raised his eyelids and looked at him. His tone was deep and emotionless. Feeling guilty, Ji Ting¡¯an touched his nose in embarrassment and slowly said, ¡°Brother Qin, to be honest, I have something I need your help with.¡± Half an hourter, after understanding what he meant, Qin Minghong narrowed his eyes suspiciously. ¡°You want me to buy unripe grain at a high price?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ji Ting¡¯an felt more and more guilty. He did not even dare to look Qin Minghong in the eye anymore. ¡°Once the locust gue passes through, the consequences will be unimaginable¡­ Now, I¡¯m afraid only you, Brother Qin, have the ability to buy such arge batch of grain in Dingyuan County¡­¡± ¡°Even so, why should I help you?¡± Qin Minghong raised his eyebrows and looked at him. His seemingly calm eyes were filled with undisguised mockery. ¡°Brother Qin, are you still angry about what happened previously?¡± Ji Ting¡¯an exined anxiously. ¡°There was really a reason for what happened back then.. ¡°No matter what reason or excuse Official Ji has, it¡¯s wrong to barge into someone else¡¯s private room and even plot against someone else.¡± Qin Minghong looked at him coldly. ¡°Huh?¡± Hearing the conversation between the two, Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Brother Qin, Official Ji, you¡­ you two?¡± She did not expect society of the Great Jing Dynasty to be so open-minded! Qin Minghong immediately closed the folding fan in his hand. ¡°Ah Tao, have you read too many novels?¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± For some reason, their rtionship was not what she had imagined. Ji Zhao was actually a little disappointed? ¡°There are a total of ten viges around Dingyuan County. Among them, there are at least 1,000 acres of farnd,¡± Qin Minghong said in a low voice. ¡°Not to mention that most of the crops in the fields are not ripe yet. Even if I buy these crops now, it¡¯s a sure-loss deal for me.¡± ¡°Official Ji, I¡¯m a businessman. Why would I do such a unprofitable business?¡± ¡®Well who was at a loss for words, could only look at Ji Zhao¡¯s face. ¡°Ahem, Ji Ah Tao, as you can see, it¡¯s probably impossible to buy crops in advance.¡± ¡°Ah Tao, is this your idea?¡¯ Qin Minghong was a little surprised. He looked at Ji Zhao in confusion. ¡°Brother Qin, I have a way to make sure you don¡¯t lose anything.¡± Ji Zhao smiled, her gaze firm and confident. Qin Minghong¡¯s curiosity was piqued. ¡°Can you borate?¡¯ ¡°Just as Brother Qin said, the crops in the fields around Dingyuan County have yet to fully mature. In fact, because it has been drought for too long, the production this year will definitely decreasepared to previous years.¡± ¡°However, Shen Yao and I have already investigated. Most of the vigers around Dingyuan County grow spring wheat and sweet cane. However, because the terrain and soil of Dingyuan County are a little special, most of themoners still grow wheat at home. ¡± ¡°Half-ripened wheat can also be used to make craft beer.¡± ¡°Beer?¡± Qin Minghong was even more confused. ¡°What kind of wine is that?¡± ¡°Beer is an alcoholic beverage made from wheat malt and processed through a series of processes. The alcohol content is much lower than white wine. However, beer tastes very good. Most importantly, beer can also be added to dishes. For example, beer braised duck, beer braised beef, and so on,¡± Ji Zhao exined with a smile. ¡°Okay.¡± Ji Zhao effortlessly made Qin Minghong agree to the n to buy food. Ji Ting¡¯an suddenly felt a little aggrieved. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Why don¡¯t we have lunch together?¡± Ji Ting¡¯an invited with a smile. ¡°No need. ¡± Qin Minghong rejected expressionlessly. ¡°Ahem.¡± Ji Zhao pretended to cough twice before giving Shen Yao a look. Shen Yao instantly understood what his wife meant and hurriedly said, ¡°Since Official Ji has invited us so warmly, we¡¯ll have to trouble you.¡¯ ¡°Official Ji, can I borrow your kitchen?¡± Ji Zhao smiled obediently and said, ¡°I want to personally cook two dishes.¡± ¡°Of course! eyes lit up instantly. ¡°I¡¯ve long heard that your culinary skills are extraordinary. It¡¯s just that ever since I came to Dingyuan County, I¡¯ve been busy with work and didn¡¯t have the time to go to Spring Breeze Pavilion to try your cooking. I¡¯m in for a treat today.¡± ¡°Zhu Bai, quickly bring Madam Shen to the kitchen.¡± When they heard the title of Madam Shen, Shen Yao and Ji Zhao looked at each other tacitly and saw strong affection in each other¡¯s eyes. ¡°Eh? Brother Qin, didn¡¯t you say you were leaving just now?¡± Ji Ting¡¯an looked at Qin Minghong, who had not moved an inch from his chair, with a nk expression. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve tasted Ah Tao¡¯s cooking.¡± Qin Minghong nced at him from the corner of his eye and said calmly, ¡°Why? You don¡¯t wee me?¡± ¡°Of course not! I¡¯m naturally bursting with joy that Brother Qin can stay!¡¯ Ji Ting¡¯an hurriedly smiled apologetically. For some reason, Shen Yao felt that the conversation between the two of them was a little straneg. When Ji Zhao walked into the kitchen of the county office, she was in a daze for a moment. Previously, when Ma Bin was the county magistrate, she had alsoe to the kitchen of the county office. At that time, the grand scene in the kitchen was still fresh in her mind. There were vegetables and fruits, hot and cold stoves, and people came and went. It was very lively. But now¡­ There were only a handful of ingredients under the shelf. ¡°Madam Shen, if you need anything, just let me know. I¡¯ll go buy it immediately.¡± Zhu Bai scratched his head and said guiltily, ¡°It¡¯s just that our lord is too thrifty. He felt that the use of the county¡¯s kitchen was a little extravagant previously, so he cut down a lot of people. However, I¡¯ve also heard that a clever woman cannot cook without rice. So if you need any ingredients, just ask. I¡¯ll buy them immediately..¡± Chapter 293 - Chapter 293: A Few More Meals? Chapter 293: A Few More Meals? Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions Ji Zhao thought for a moment and quickly wrote down the ingredients she needed and handed them to Zhu Bai. ¡°That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Alright, please wait a moment. I¡¯ll prepare it immediately.¡± ¡®Yes, there¡¯s no hurry.¡± Ji Zhao caught a glimpse of the round winter melon lying in the corner. She thought of an idea, and she prepared to make a special dish. She found some bitter melon and dried shrimp, then rolled up her sleeves, washed her hands, and began to make soup. The bitter gourd¡¯s most bitter part was its core, so the core of the bitter gourd had to be removed first. After the winter melon¡¯s skin was removed, it was cut into thin slices and some seaweed and dried shrimp were prepared. Just as Ji Zhao was immersed in cooking, the atmosphere in the side hall of the county office was a little strange. ¡°No, no, this won¡¯t do!¡± Ji Ting¡¯an hurriedly grabbed Qin Minghong¡¯s sleeve and said anxiously, ¡°If you ce the stone here, won¡¯t you be walking into a trap?¡± ¡°Ji Ting¡¯an.¡± Qin Minghong tried his best to suppress the anger in his heart. His eyes darkened. ¡°A true gentleman doesn¡¯t speak when watching Go.¡± ¡°Brother Qin, don¡¯t be angry.¡± Ji Ting¡¯an retracted his hand in embarrassment, and there was a hint of grievance in his tone. ¡°1 just don¡¯t want you to lose.¡± ¡°The fun of the gamees from thepetition between the two sides and the control of the situation. If you only think about winning and losing, this game will lose its original fun,¡± Shen Yao exined softly. ¡°Oh,¡± Ji Ting¡¯an replied unhappily. Then, he found an excuse for himself. ¡°l suddenly remembered that I have some official matters to attend to. I¡¯ll go to the study first and look for youter.¡± After Ji Ting¡¯an left, Qin Minghong immediately ced the stone in his hand back into the cup. ¡°I don¡¯t want to y anymre.¡± ¡°Brother Qin and Official Ji seem to have a story?¡± Shen Yao frowned slightly and asked softly. ¡°We¡¯re just acquaintances.¡± Qin Minghong was unwilling to talk about it, so Shen Yao naturally did not say anything else. ¡®Why did you and Ah Tao suggest that Ji Ting¡¯an harvest the crops in advance?¡± Qin Minghong picked up the teacup at the side and took a sip. Then, he looked at Shen Yao and asked in a low voice. ¡°There will definitely be locusts after a long drought, ¡± Shen Yao exined softly. ¡°After Ah Tao and I read the Great Jingzhi, we were very worried. Once the locusts pass through, the consequences will be unimaginable. Therefore, after some deliberation, we decided toe and advise Official Ji.¡± ¡°But these are just your guesses. ¡® Qin Minghong narrowed his eyes. The worry in his words was self-evident. ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Yao nodded calmly. ¡°It¡¯s just that Ah Tao said that even if there¡¯s only a one in ten thousand chance, she doesn¡¯t want to see the vigers crying. The drought is already extremely dangerous. If a locust gue appears, it will be a fatal blow to themoners who work hard to farm. ¡°It¡¯ll make things worse. Corpses will definitely be everywhere. At that time, Dingyuan County and even the entire Great Jing Dynasty will probably be in chaos.¡± ¡°The history books record many incidents of the people rebelling, but no one investigated what their purpose was. Compared to the Sages and the officials of the Imperial Court, the group of people who hoped for the prosperity of the country and the peace of the people are still ordinary people.¡¯ Qin Minghong lowered his head and rubbed the teacup in his hand. Then, he said in a disappointed tone, ¡°Ah Tao has a kind and gentle temperament. It¡¯s your blessing to be able to marry her.¡± ¡°Yes, I think so too.¡± At the mention of Ah Tao, Shen Yao¡¯s eyes could not help but soften. ¡®What you said just now touched me greatly.¡± Qin Minghong chuckled. The emotions in his tone were unfathomable. ¡°In two days, I will return to the prefecture capital and prepare for the Imperial Examination this autumn.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll wish Brother Qin sess in advance.¡± ¡°Thanks a lot.¡± In the kitchen, Ji Zhao, who had finished cooking five dishes in a row, suddenly felt a soreness in her wrist. She found a small stool and was about to sit down to rest when Ji Ting¡¯an walked in. ¡°I specially asked Zhu Bai to buy a roasted chicken. Madam Shen, can you help me cut it?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and nodded in agreement. In the blink of an eye, the roasted chicken had already been cut up by Ji Zhao¡¯s hand. The most amazing thing was that from the outside, this roasted chicken still looked intact. ¡°Your knife skills are extraordinary!¡± Ji Ting¡¯an was in a daze when he saw this scene. ¡°Official, you tter me.¡± Ji Zhao smiled faintly and epted the praise with great indifference. ¡°By the way, Madam Shen, do you mind if I ask you a question?¡¯ After getting her approval, Ji Ting¡¯an asked with concern, ¡°l heard that Madam Shen was adopted by an old man from Pomegranate Vige. Have you ever thought of investigating your background?¡± Ji Zhao was silent for a moment before shaking his head gently. ¡®Why?¡± ¡°To me, my background is not important. Moreover, I¡¯m very happy to be married to Shen Yao.¡± Actually, this was also the Host¡¯s idea. The Host had never thought of going over to find her biological parents. After all, sometimes, the higher the expectations, the greater the disappointment. ¡°Actually, your appearance is very simr to an elder I know.¡± After much hesitation, Ji Ting¡¯an still said this. ¡°Official Ji, there are many simr-looking people in this world!¡± Ji Zhao shrugged nonchntly. Seeing that she was unwilling to continue this topic, Ji Ting¡¯an did not probe further. However, he remembered something else. ¡°By the way, Madam Shen, can you do me a favor?¡¯ ¡°Please speak, Official?¡± ¡°Previously, I offended Brother Qin. I¡¯ve always felt very guilty.¡± Ji Ting¡¯an thought for a moment and slowly said, ¡°A year ago, during the Lantern Festival, my mother forced me to go on a blind date. I didn¡¯t like that girl, so I found a lousy excuse and rejected this marriage.¡± ¡°And the lousy excuse was¡­¡± Ji Zhao became more and more curious. ¡°Ahem.¡± Ji Ting¡¯an coughed ufortably, then said right on the heels of that, ¡°I told thatdy directly that I have a homosexual nature and don¡¯t like women. It¡¯s just that thatdy was a little persistent and insisted that I prove it, so rushed to the private room next door and hugged Brother Qin in public¡­¡± Ji Zhao imagined that scene and the corners of her lips twitched unnaturally. ¡°Sigh, this matter is ultimately my fault.¡± Ji Ting¡¯an rubbed the space between his eyebrows in frustration. ¡°Madam Shen, aren¡¯t you and your wife on good terms with Brother Qin? Help me think about what I should do to express my apology.¡± ¡°This¡­ I don¡¯t know either.¡± How should a man coax another man? This topic was beyond Ji Zhao¡¯s scope! Gurgle gurlge. The two-eared jar on the hot stove suddenly made a sound, emitting a thick white fog. ¡°The soup is ready. Shall we eat first?¡± Ji Zhao felt that there was nothing that a meal couldn¡¯t solve. If it really couldn¡¯t be resolved, then¡ª A few more meals? Chapter 294 - Chapter 294: I Have You! Chapter 294: I Have You! Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions After racking his brains, Ji Ting¡¯an finally thought of a good way to apologize. He kept putting food into Qin Minghong¡¯s bowl at the dining table. Soon, the blue and white porcin bowl in front of Qin Minghong had been piled into a small mountain. ¡°Brother Qin, don¡¯t stand on ceremony. You must eat more!¡± ¡°Come,e, have another bowl of soup!¡¯ ¡°This fried shrimp ball is not bad either. Quick, try it?¡± Ji Ting¡¯an, who was exceptionally enthusiastic, did not notice Qin Minghong¡¯s darkening expression. Ji Zhao coughed silently. ¡°Official Ji, why don¡¯t you try my cooking too?¡± Shen Yao also refilled Ji Ting¡¯an¡¯s bowl of soup at the right time. ¡°Okay, okay, okay.¡± Ji Ting¡¯an finally calmed down and drank the soup with a smile. However, when he took a sip of the soup, his eyes lit up. ¡°This soup? Why is it so fresh?¡± ¡°This soup is made from two ingredients, winter melon and bitter melon. I also added some dried shrimp and conpoy into it, so it tastes very fresh,¡± Ji Zhao exined softly with a faint smile. ¡°It¡¯s that simple?¡± Ji Ting¡¯an clearly did not believe it. ¡°Such a delicious soup uses so few ingredients?¡¯ ¡°Only by using the simplest ingredients to make the most delicious soup can one show the extraordinary culinary skills of the chef,¡± Shen Yao could not help but say. He did not like anyone questioning Ji Zhao¡¯s culinary skills, even if the other party was a county magistrate. Ji Ting¡¯an also realized that his words were a little offensive, so he could only smile awkwardly. ¡°Madam Shen, I¡¯m not questioning your culinary skills. I¡¯m just a little surprised. I¡¯ve long heard that the business at Spring Breeze Pavilion is doing well. Now, I finally understand the reason.¡¯ ¡°Madam Shen¡¯s culinary skills are indeed extraordinary.¡± ¡°Official Ji, you¡¯re too kind.¡± Ji Zhao smiled nonchntly. Perhaps the sudden change in the atmosphere was a little awkward, so when Qin Minghong said goodbye, Ji Ting¡¯an did not ask him to stay. As for Ji Zhao, before she left, she reiterated the horror of the locust gue and vaguely reminded Ji Ting¡¯an. After leaving the county office, she felt that something was wrong. And this trace of abnormality came from Shen Yao, who was beside her. ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Zhaozhao, you seem to be especially tolerant of that Official Ji?¡± Shen Yao frowned slightly. After struggling for a while, he still said what was on his mind frankly. ¡°Just now, during the meal, you looked at him more than you looked at me.¡¯ Pfft¡ª Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help butugh. Looking at herughing so hard, Shen Yao could not help but smile. ¡°Husband.¡± Ji Zhao suddenly hugged his arm intimately and called out with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m already your wife!¡± Hearing the word ¡®husband¡¯, Shen Yao felt his earlobes burning. ¡°During the meal just now, Official Ji spoke the most! Isn¡¯t the most basic respect for a person to look into his eyes when he¡¯s talking?¡± Ji Zhao smiled calmly. ¡°However, Official Ji¡¯s eyes are not as good-looking as my husband¡¯s.¡± ¡°Re¡­ Really?¡± Shen Yao instantly burst with joy. ¡°Of course, my husband is the most handsome person!¡± Ji Zhao spared no effort in praising him. In the end, Shen Yao could not stand it anymore. ¡°Am I really that good in Zhaozhao¡¯s eyes? ¡® ¡®Yes!¡¯ Ji Zhao nodded vigorously. The smile in Shen Yao¡¯s eyes deepened. He could not help but rub her cheek. ¡°Zhaozhao, you¡¯re the best.¡± ¡°Hubby, actually, there¡¯s another reason why I looked at Official Ji just now.¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and decided to speak her true thoughts. ¡°Official Ji might know who my biological parents are. ¡± ¡°This?¡± Shen Yao¡¯s expression immediately turned solemn. After pondering for a moment, he looked sideways into Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes and asked gently, ¡°Zhaozhao, have you ever thought of looking for your biological parents?¡¯ When the original owner of the body, JiAh Tao, was very young, she had ¡®identally¡¯ heard about her background from Madam Xie. At first, the original owner of the body was also sad for a period of time. Later on, under Old Master Ji¡¯s care, she gradually became less injured. Ji Zhao shook her head. ¡°Never.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious at all?¡± ¡°I believe in Heaven¡¯s will.¡± Ji Zhao smiled faintly. A faint dimple appeared on her delicate and gentle face, making her look very cute. ¡°1 keep feeling that if there¡¯s fate, I¡¯ll definitely meet them in the future.¡± ¡°Besides, don¡¯t I have you guys now?¡¯ Ji Zhao smiled and counted on his fingers. ¡°Father and Mother dote on me very much. Eldest Brother, Eldest Sister-inw, Second Brother, and Second Sister-inw also take good care of me. Chenchen also respects me as his sister. Most importantly, I have you!¡¯ I have you! This extremely ordinary sentence made Shen Yao¡¯s heart soften instantly. He immediately reached out and hugged Ji Zhao. He said firmly, ¡°That¡¯s right. You have me.¡¯ ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Qin Minghong, who had been walking in front, suddenly turned around and looked at the two people leaning against each other. He said in a deep voice, ¡°It¡¯s broad daylight. Watch yourselves.¡± ¡°Brother Qin, don¡¯t worry.¡± Shen Yao raised his eyebrows and smiled. ¡°Zhaozhao and I are legally husband and wife. Others will only feel envious when they see us being intimate!¡¯ Qin Minghong suddenly hated the term ¡®legally.¡¯ ¡°Ah Tao, there are still a few things I don¡¯t understand about the acquisition of the crops in advance. Why don¡¯t we return to the restaurant first and continue to discuss it?¡± Qin Minghong said righteously. ¡°Alright, I also want to talk to Brother Qin about building a brewery.¡± An hourter. Shen Yao could not help but feel jealous when he heard them chatting happily. Why didn¡¯t he realize that Qin Minghong was a little detestable in the past? Fortunately, he could understand the n they were talking about. He could even make some appropriate suggestions. When the sky turned dark, they finally ended the topic. ¡°In that case, once the brewery is put into use, the supply of this food will always be less than the demand?¡± Qin Minghong was attracted by the scene depicted by Ji Zhao. Beer was cheap and could be mass-produced. Once it entered the market, it would definitely be able to recover its capital quickly. Then they could take this opportunity to make a considerable profit. ¡°Yes.¡± Ji Zhao nodded firmly. ¡®Therefore, Brother Qin might as well adopt Official Ji¡¯s suggestion and buy the crops in advance. This way, it can also benefit the people!¡± ¡°Then you want to invest?¡± ¡®Yes!¡¯ Ji Zhao continued to nod. ¡°Shen Yao and I have also saved a sum of money. We also n to use this money to buy food, but we have to prioritize Shanghe Vige and Pomegranate Vige. As for the shares, it¡¯s the same as before. I¡¯ll take the technical shares. After all, I¡¯m the only one who knows the process of brewing beer. What do you think, Brother Qin?¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯ll agree..¡± Qin Minghong waved the folding fan in his hand and said with a smile, ¡°Even if I can¡¯t be your husband, it¡¯s not bad to be a big brother you trust! ¡° Chapter 295 - Chapter 295: Sweetness Comes After Bitterness Chapter 295: Sweetness Comes After Bitterness Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions When Shen Yao, who was drinking tea, heard this, he suddenly narrowed his eyes and looked at Qin Minghong with a hint of coldness. ¡°Ahem.¡± Qin Minghongughed awkwardly and said, ¡°Ah Tao, it¡¯s gettingte. Why don¡¯t you and Shen Yao stay in the restaurant for the night?¡± ¡°No need.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and declined his good intentions. ¡°Then I¡¯ll get someone to prepare the carriage?¡± ¡°No need.¡± Ji Zhao refused again. ¡°Shen Yao and I n to walk back. The sky is still a little bright now. We can take a look at the scenery in the fields along the way.¡± ¡°All right, then. It was almost dark, but the weather was still stuffy. After leaving the city gate, Ji Zhao¡¯s mood became heavier and heavier. The crops on both sides of the official road were not in good condition. ¡°This year won¡¯t be a prosperous year.¡± Shen Yao gently squeezed her palm andforted her gently. ¡°Zhaozhao, don¡¯t be sad. Natural and man-made disasters are all unavoidable cmities.¡± ¡°I just feel that¡­¡± Ji Zhao felt a little ufortable, and even her voice was a little sour. ¡°I feel that everyone has suffered too much.¡± The current Great Jing Dynasty was no longer as grand as it was in the past. It was said that many states and counties had the phenomenon of selling their children. If a person could not even survive the most basic way, they would naturally breed boundless malice. ¡°Only after experiencing bitterness can you taste sweetness,¡± Shen Yao advised gently. ¡°Zhaozhao, don¡¯t think too much.¡± ¡°Shen Yao, I¡¯m a little tired.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll carry you.¡± Shen Yao immediately half-squatted in front of her, and Ji Zhao did not refuse. Shey on Shen Yao¡¯s broad back obediently and gradually felt sleepy. Shen Yao immediately slowed down when he heard her warm and even snores. In the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. Zhao Lanhua looked at the grevious Ji Chen and felt a little guilty. ¡°Chenchen, don¡¯t me your sister. This is all our fault. We forgot that the newly married bride needs to go home, and we also forgot that you were still waiting for her in the Ji residence.¡± Zhao Lanhua took all the responsibility on herself. ¡°Your sister and brother-inw must have something urgent to attend to, so they went to the county office.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Ji Chen answered obediently. ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m not angry.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Really.¡± Seeing that Ji Chen¡¯s expression had softened, Zhao Lanhua was relieved. ¡°Chenchen, what do you want to eat? Shall I make it for you?¡¯ ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m not hungry.¡± Ji Chen smiled and shook his head. ¡°I want to wait here for Sister toe back¡± ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll cut some watermelons for you to eat?¡± ¡°Thank you, Auntie. ¡® Ji Chen smiled and sat obediently in the central room, quietly waiting for Ji Zhao¡¯s return. Halfway through the night, Shen Yao, who was carrying Ji Zhao on his back, finally returned to the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. However, Ji Zhao, who was lying on his back, was still sound asleep. ¡°Shh!¡± Ji Chen heard the noise and rushed out. Just as he was about to speak, Shen Yao made a gesture at him. He immediately slowed down and carefully took two steps back. A momentter, just as Shen Yao was about to ce the person on his back on the soft couch, Ji Zhao woke up. ¡°Are we home?¡± Ji Zhao asked softly with sleepy eyes. ¡®Yes, we¡¯re here,¡± Shen Yao replied softly. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ji Zhao nodded frankly. ¡°1 want to eat cold noodles.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ji Zhaozily stretched her waist and washed her face. Finally, she waspletely awake. The moment she pushed the door open and saw Ji Chen, her eyes were filled with surprise. ¡°Chenchen, why are you back?¡± ¡°Sister, have you forgotten that today is the day you return home?¡± Ji Chen looked at her helplessly. Early this morning, Ji Chen asked Aunt Guihua to buy chicken, duck, and fish. Then, he stayed in the Ji residence and waited for his sister to bring his brother-in w home. In the end, his sister did not seem to remember this at all? ¡°Return home?¡± Ji Zhao felt even more guilty. ¡°I-I really didn¡¯t think of this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Ji Chenforted her softly. Then, he took out two red envelopes that he had prepared in advance and handed them to Ji Zhao. ¡°This is?¡¯ ¡°I prepared it in grandfather¡¯s name.¡± Ji Chen smiled faintly, his clear eyes sparkling with stars. ¡°Sister married a good man. I think grandfather will be very happy if he knows in theherworld, so I prepared these.¡± Ji Zhao was extremely touched. She wanted to say something, but she realized that she was already choking. ¡°Sister, if nothing goes wrong, I should be leaving tomorrow.¡± Ji Chen suddenly approached her and obediently wiped away the tears on her face. He said softly, ¡®Tomorrow morning, I¡¯ll go to the county city to meet the teacher. I¡¯ve also asked Uncle Wei to take care of things back home.¡± ¡®Why are you leaving in such a hurry?¡¯ Ji Zhao was a little reluctant. ¡°I¡¯ve already nned it. Moreover, the teacher said that he still has to visit a few ssmates along the way. If we dy it any longer, I¡¯m afraid we won¡¯t be able to rush back before the New Year.¡± Ji Chen smiled and exined obediently, ¡°So, can you make soup dumplings for me tomorrow morning?¡¯ ¡°Okay.¡± Ji Zhao readily agreed, but her heart was still filled with reluctance. ¡°Chenchen, follow me into the house.¡± Ji Zhao took out a light blue bag from the closet and slowly opened it. She introduced it carefully, ¡°I prepared some banknotes for you. I asked Eldest Sister-inw and Second Sister-inw to help sew these banknotes into these two sets of inner clothes. Oh right, there are also these bottles and jars. This bottle is Golden Wound Medicine, this bottle is an antidote pill. Oh right, and this small dagger. I specially asked your brother-inw to help buy it. Remember to hide it well¡­¡± Ji Chen was stunned. He was both touched and surprised. ¡°Sister, when did you start preparing these?¡± ¡°In fact, Master Song had already told your brother-inw about his n to go down to Jiangnan. At that time, we thought that if Master Song was willing to take you with him, should I stop you or not?¡± Ji Zhao sat opposite him. Under the dim candlelight, she could see his young face clearly. ¡°In fact, I didn¡¯t want you to go at first, but your brother-inw said that you are already grown. We should let you choose and respect your choice.¡± Just like how a young eagle has to learn to soar when it grows up. ¡°Sister¡­¡± Ji Chen couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. He rushed into Ji Zhao¡¯s arms and cried. ¡°I can¡¯t bear to part with you either!¡± When Shen Yao walked into the house with the cold noodles, he saw the siblings hugging each other and crying. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Boohoo¡­ Shen Yao, I can¡¯t bear to leave Chenchen!¡± Ji Zhao pouted in grievance. ¡°1 want to leave with Chenchen!¡± Shen Yao sighed helplessly. Then, he ced the cold noodles on the table and turned around to get a basin of hot water. ¡°Wash your face first. You¡¯ve already be a messy little kitten.¡± Shen Yao gently wiped the tears on her face, his gaze extremely gentle.. Chapter 296 - Chapter 296: You’ll Be Sleepy Soon... Chapter 296: You¡¯ll Be Sleepy Soon¡­ Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Half an hourter, Ji Zhao finally calmed down. ¡°Chenchen, when you¡¯re outside, don¡¯t suffer.¡± Ji Zhao looked at Ji Chen, who had grown a lot taller, and reminded him with a gentle gaze, ¡°If you miss me, write to me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Take care of yourself. Don¡¯t let yourself get hurt.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Send me a letter every 10 days.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Also, don¡¯t make Master Song angry. Listen to him obediently!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Ahem.¡± Shen Yao pretended to cough twice and advised in a low voice, ¡°Zhaozhao, aren¡¯t you hungry? Let¡¯s eat noodles first?¡± ¡± -Alright.¡± Ji Zhao quickly finished the bowl of cold noodles and then carefully instructed Ji Chen. It was not until Ji Chen could not help but start to doze off that she gradually stopped talking. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Go back to your room and sleep. I¡¯ll make soup dumplings for you tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ji Chen, who looked sleepy, nodded in a daze. Then, he carried the light blue bag and turned to walk out. Ji Zhao slumped on the table, looking even more depressed. Shen Yao sat beside her and apanied her quietly. ¡°I can¡¯t bear to part with Chenchen.¡± Ji Zhao looked at him sideways and pouted aggrievedly. ¡°If only I hadn¡¯t married you. I could have gone to Jiangnan with Chenchen.¡± ¡°The rising sun shines on the riverside flowers, which are redder than fire. When springes, the river water is so green its blue.¡± Shen Yao remembered this poem and smiled as he rubbed her round cheeks. He said gently, ¡°Zhaozhao, if you really want to apany Chenchen to Jiangnan, then let¡¯s go together.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡¯ Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°A gentleman¡¯s promise is worth its weight in gold.¡± Looking at the bright smile on her face, Shen Yao was also infected by her emotions and could not help but smile. ¡°Shen Yao, you¡¯re really too good!¡± Ji Zhao threw herself into his arms and hugged his neck. She pressed her ear against his chest and listened to his steady, strong heartbeat. She closed her eyesfortably. ¡°In the future, we must find an opportunity to see the scenery of Jiangnan.¡± Ji Zhao sighed softly. ¡°Although I can¡¯t bear to part with Chenchen, he¡¯s a little man. He has to learn to grow up by himself, not to mention that this is a rare opportunity.¡± ¡°Zhaozhao, one day, I will bring you all over the mountains and rivers to see the spring scenery of Jiangnan and the snow in the north¡­¡± ¡°Yes, I believe you!¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Why don¡¯t we settle down now?¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not sleepy yet¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ll feel sleepy soon¡­¡± Shen Yao looked down at her eyes and smiled silently. Then, he picked her up unexpectedly and walked towards the warm tent behind him¡ª The hibiscus tent was warm and the spring night was short. The clouds and rain were overturned until dawn. The next day. When Ji Zhao walked into the kitchen with her hands supporting her waist, Zhao Lanhua¡¯s heart ached. ¡°Third Brother, that punk! He doesn¡¯t know how to dote on his wife at all! ¡°Mother, I think Third Brother is like this because he dotes on Ah Tao!¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen, who was kneading dough, could not help butugh and tease. ¡°That¡¯s right! Mother, just wait for another grandson!¡¯ Second Sister-inw Shen, who was stuffing firewood into the furnace, added with a smile. Hearing the two sister-inws¡¯s teasing words, Ji Zhao felt her face getting hotter and hotter. ¡°Have the two of you forgotten when you first got married? Eldest daughter-inw, have you forgotten who was the one who mored to sleep with me after getting married for a month? Second daughter-inw, don¡¯tugh anymore. Whenever Second sones home to rest, were you be able to get out of bed the next day?¡± Zhao Lanhua said seriously. The three wives blushed. The atmosphere suddenly became a little awkward. ¡°Mother, I want to make soup dumplings.¡± Ji Zhao coughed lightly, breaking the strange and awkward silence. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go get you a steamer.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mother! ¡± After washing her hands, Ji Zhao began to prepare the soup dumplings. Fortunately, Zhao Lanhua had helped prepare the soupst night, so it was not difficult for Ji Zhao to make it. Sister-inw Shen had already kneaded the dough, so Ji Zhao began to mix the minced meat. She ced the minced meat with various seasonings into arge basin and stirred it in one direction until the minced meat and seasonings werepletely mixed together. Then, she added the soup that she had prepared beforehand and continued to mix it right on the heels of the seasoning. When Ji Zhao was preparing the filling, Zhao Lanhua and Eldest Sister-inw Shen also started to make the bun skin. ¡°Ah Tao, why did you apply ayer of oil in the steamer?¡± Sister-inw Shen asked curiously when she saw what she was doing. ¡°There¡¯s oil in the steamer. When it¡¯s boiled, the steam will have oil. This way, the soup dumplings will taste better.¡± ¡°Then did the xiaolongbaos at the West Street of the county also use this method?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen eximed, ¡°That Xiaolongbao tastes better than other people¡¯s, but the price is also two copper coins!¡± ¡°There are only seven xiaolongbaos in one steamer, and each steamer is sold for fourteen copper coins. However, the shop on West Street charged two copper coins more than the other shops, which is sixteen copper coins. However, the oil they brushed on the steamer also costs money, so that breakfast shop isn ¡®t considered expensive. Ji Zhao smiled and seriously calcted this ount. ¡°That seems to make sense.¡± Second Sister-inw Shen nodded silently. ¡°It¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t expect it to be two copper coins more expensive because of this. I thought that the reason their family sold it so expensive was because they had a lot of minced meat!¡¯ ¡°The same ingredients can make different tastes in two people¡¯s hands. Moreover, there will be differences in taste andyers. This is a very normal phenomenon.¡± Ji Zhao smiled andforted her. ¡°But Second Sister-inw, when you taste the soup dumplings I made, you will definitely think that others¡¯ cooking is not delicious at all!¡± ¡°Of course! ¡± Second Sister-inw Shen immediately nodded and replied with a bright smile. In addition to the soup dumplings, Ji Zhao also fried some fried dough twists and made some shortbread. She divided the snacks into two portions and brought them to Ji Chen. ¡°I prepared this for Master Song.¡± Ji Zhao looked at him and reminded him seriously, ¡°The other one is for you.¡± ¡°Sister.¡± Ji Chen lowered his head reluctantly. ¡°Are you really not going to send me to the county?¡¯ Ji Zhao rubbed his head reluctantly and said in a disappointed tone, ¡°When seeing a friend off on a long journey, we must part eventually. ¡± Ji Zhao was most afraid of sending him off. Rather than being reluctant to part with him, it was better not to send him off. ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t bear to part with sister.¡± Ji Chen rushed into her arms and said in a choked voice. ¡°Chenchen,¡± Ji Zhao looked down at his eyes andforted him gently, ¡°you have to know that every parting is for a better reunion.¡± ¡°It¡¯s better to travel tens of thousands of miles than to read tens of thousands of books.¡± Ji Zhao rubbed his cheek and said with a firm gaze, ¡°When the New Year is approaching, I¡¯ll make more of your favorite sausages..¡± Chapter 297 - Chapter 297: Do You Want to Listen? Chapter 297: Do You Want to Listen? Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions At dusk in June, a gorgeous sunset filled the entire sky. The sun set in the west, and the afterglow of the setting sun enveloped the entire Shanghe Vige in a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere. Under the old locust tree in the Shen family¡¯s courtyard, Ji Zhao, who was lying on a bamboo rattan chair, gently narrowed her and looked at the clouds in the sky. She curled her lips in disappointment. ¡°It¡¯s already sote. Where is Chenchen now?¡± ¡°I heard from Master Song that they will first go to Guichuan Prefecture, then turn to the waterway and take a boat south,¡± Shen Yao, who was standing beside her, said softly as he gently fanned himself. ¡°I¡¯m a little regretful.¡± Ji Zhao lowered her eyes to hide the reluctance in them. There was a hint of self-mockery in her tone. ¡°If I had known earlier, I would have gone to the county city with you and sent Chenchen off.¡± ¡®When Chenchenes back, I¡¯ll apany you to pick him up.¡± Shen Yao rubbed her cheek andforted her softly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Chenchen is obedient and sensible. He¡¯ll definitely be safe and sound along the way.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ji Zhao forced a smile and leaned against his muscr waist, closing her eyes in satisfaction. Zhao Lanhua¡¯s eyes were filled with relief as she watched this scene from afar. On June 21st, Ji Zhao was woken up by the heat. The air was so stuffy that it made one panic. Even breathing was suffocating. ¡°Zhaozhao?¡± ¡°Shen Yao, I can¡¯t sleep anymore,¡± Ji Zhao said in a low voice. ¡°1 want to take a bath.¡¯ ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll prepare hot water for you.¡± An hourter, Ji Zhao, who had bathed, still felt suffocated. ¡°Ah Tao, try this. I specially made yam red date millet porridge.¡± Zhao Lanhua filled a bowl with porridge and handed it to Ji Zhao, who was frowning. She asked with concern, ¡°I see that you look a little pale. Are you feeling unwell?¡¯ ¡°Mother, I¡¯m fine.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and shook her head gently. ¡°It¡¯s probably because the weather is too stuffy, so I feel ufortable.¡± ¡®You don¡¯t say. The weather is indeed a little strange,¡± Zhao Lanhua quickly echoed. ¡°Your father and I were sweating from sleeping this morning. Sigh, I don¡¯t know when it will rain!¡¯ ¡°Mother, have we harvested all the crops in our fields in advance?¡¯ Ji Zhao suddenly asked. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Your father brought people to help collect them yesterday. However, the weather this year is really bad. The wheat production we nted isn¡¯t much either. Fortunately, we¡¯ve harvested a lot of sweet cane.¡± ¡°But Ah Tao, you said that you can extract even purer white sugar from the sweet cane. Is that true?¡± Eldest Brother Shen, who was eating a bun, suddenly thought of something and asked curiously. ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Ji Zhao said firmly. ¡®The reason why sweet cane is so sweet is because the amount of sugar it contains is especially high! Moreover, the white sugar extracted from sweet cane will taste better.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± Eldest Brother Shen¡¯s eyes instantly lit up. ¡°If we use white sugar with a better texture to make some pastries, then the pastries will be even more delicious. More importantly, we can save a portion of the cost.¡± ¡°Brother, I have an idea. Do you want to hear it?¡± Shen Yao ced a peeled boiled egg into the bowl in front of Ji Zhao. Then, he looked at Brother Shen and suggested with a smile, ¡°Do you still want to buy Zhao¡¯s Rice Shop from before?¡± ¡°Objectively speaking, the location of Zhao¡¯s Rice Shop is indeed much better than Shen Ji.¡± Eldest Brother Shen thought about it seriously for a while, then shook his head. ¡°But let¡¯s just forget about buying the shop. We can¡¯t make everyone fat with just one bite. Besides, I was indeed too anxious before. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have been fooled by Zhao Xu.¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you and your wife, I don¡¯t know how long I would have been locked up¡­¡± ¡°Brother, there¡¯s a saying that goes, you should get up from where you fell!¡± Ji Zhao smiled and persuaded, ¡®Moreover, the business of the pastry shop is getting better and better. Don¡¯t you want your business to rise to a higher level?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to save more money and send Haohao to school when he grows up?¡± Shen Yao¡¯s casual words easily moved Eldest Brother Shen. ¡°Even if I want to take over Zhao¡¯s, I¡¯m powerless!¡± Eldest Brother Shen shrugged helplessly. ¡°Have you forgotten how difficult it is to deal with those guys from Zhao¡¯s?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing difficult in the world. No matter how difficult a person is, they will have their weakness.¡± Shen Yao smiled and exined softly, ¡°Brother, why do you think those workers from Zhao¡¯s Rice Shop are difficult to deal with?¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s because that son of a bitch Zhao Xu owes them money.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that right? The reason why they stopped you from going to Zhao¡¯s was firstly because Zhao¡¯s Rice Shop was where they had worked for many years. Secondly, they must have thought that there was hope by guarding the shop,¡± Shen Yao analyzed calmly. ¡°In summary, their weakness is that they were afraid that they would lose the job of supporting their family and that they would never be able to get back the money that Zhao Xu owed them.¡± Eldest Brother Shen nodded repeatedly. ¡°Third Brother, your analysis is not bad. But the pastry shop really doesn¡¯t need so many employees!¡± In fact, it wasn¡¯t that Eldest Brother Shen hadn¡¯t thought of taking the workers in the rice shop for his own use. However, the pastry shop was different from the rice shop. The pastry shop needed a master who knew how to make pastries the most. However, the workers in the rice shop only knew how to use brute force. ¡°Brother, have you ever thought about opening a sugar factory yourself?¡± Ji Zhao, who had eaten her fill, smiled and joined the conversation. ¡°Look, you can¡¯t avoid using sugar to make pastries, right? Many families in Dingyuan County have nted sweet cane. Brother, you can choose a suitable location to open a sugar factory and buy these sweet cane at a low price to process sugar. This way, not only can you save the cost of the pastry shop, but you can also let many people have a stable job!¡± ¡®You can totally buy Zhao¡¯s Rice Shop¡¯s shop and provide a good job for the workers at the rice shop. I think they will definitely thank you when the timees! This way, you can also expand the Shen Ji Pastry Shop, right?¡± Brother Shen was moved by Ji Zhao and Shen Yao¡¯s blueprint for the future, but he was still a little hesitant. ¡°But Third Brother, Ah Tao, it shouldn¡¯t be easy to open a sugar factory, right? Can you help me estimate how much it will cost? Also, whether the sugar extracted from sweet cane can be added to the pastries is still a question mark, right?¡± ¡°No matter how difficult it is, as long as you do it with a serious and passionate heart, I don¡¯t think anything will be a problem,¡± Shen Yao said gently. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Ji Zhao rested her chin on her hands and looked at the man beside her.. She chuckled and replied, ¡°Eldest Brother, I know you still have some doubts, but we can do an experiment first!¡± Chapter 298 - Chapter 298: Official Ji, Try It? Chapter 298: Official Ji, Try It? Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions ¡°Experiment?¡± Eldest Brother Shen scratched his head, his honest face full of confusion. ¡°Don¡¯t we have sweet cane at home? We can try¡¯ it first and think of a way to extract sugar from the sweet cane. Then, we can add it into the pastry and try

it. ¡®

¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Eldest Brother Shen hurriedly patted his head. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I think of that?¡± Ji Zhao looked at him in a daze and asked with concern, ¡°Brother, doesn¡¯t your head hurt?¡± The p that Brother Shen had given him on the head just now was indeed a little heavy. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Eldest Brother Shen grinned at her. After breakfast, Eldest Brother Shen went to his own field to bring a bundle of sweet cane. Ji Zhao thought for a moment and made a simple n. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve read some books rted to crops before.¡± Shen Yao walked to her side and said softly, ¡°There are only three ways to extract sugar from sweet cane. They are squeezing, seeping, and grinding.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Ji Zhao snapped her fingers in agreement. Then, she rubbed her chin thoughtfully. ¡°l wonder what method is used to purify the sugar?¡¯ ¡°Didn¡¯t you already have an idea just now?¡± Shen Yao tapped the tip of her nose dotingly. ¡°It¡¯s only the experimental stage now. Why can¡¯t we try every method? Only byparing can we choose the best method!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes lit up instantly. She looked at Shen Yao with admiration and admiration. ¡°My husband is still the best!¡± Shen Yao¡¯s smile deepened after being praised by her. After spending two days and a series ofparisons, Ji Zhao discovered that the sugar extracted from the sweet cane through squeezing was purer. After tasting some pastries made with this sugar cane, Eldest Brother Shen immediately decided to open a sugar factory. Ji Zhao and Shen Yao helped to choose a location and buy rted equipment until the end of June when the Prosperous Sugar Factory officially opened. The weather during this period of time was getting hotter and hotter. County Magistrate Ji had also begun to buy food on arge scale. Although the price he offered was 10% lower than in previous years, it was already much better than other provinces and counties. After July, cracks appeared in the fields of several viges in Dingyuan County. The night of the first day of July was destined to be an unusual night. The locusts had passed through! Three days ago, Ji Zhao and Shen Yao came up with an excuse to tell everyone to lock their doors and windows and not go out. Hence, when the locusts passed by, the vigers of Pomegranate Vige and Shanghe Vige locked their doors and windows in advance. Even so, many families were affected. After all, the ces where the locusts passed through was barren! On the third day, the locust gue became more and more serious, and Ji Ting¡¯an became more and more anxious. However, he remembered what Ji Zhao had said before and specially instructed a group of bailiffs to capture the locusts. This time, there were tens of thousands of locusts passing through Dingyuan County. In just five days, the bailiffs had caught a full 300 catties of locusts! It was not until the tenth of July that the sky full of locusts finally stopped. Ji Zhao and her husband were also invited to the county office by Ji Ting¡¯an. ¡°Thanks to your previous suggestion, the locust gue in Dingyuan County is much better than other ces.¡± Ji Ting¡¯an stood in front of the two of them and bowed from the bottom of his heart. ¡°Official Ji, please get up!¡± Shen Yao hurriedly held his sleeve and turned his body to avoid his bow. ¡°No, you can ept my bow,¡± Ji Ting¡¯an said firmly. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t discovered some clues in the Great Jing History in advance, the situation in Dingyuan County would have been even more serious!¡± ¡°Official Ji, it¡¯s everyone¡¯s duty to protect their territory! Ji Zhao smiled and said, ¡°As the citizens of the Great Jing Dynasty, it¡¯s our duty to contribute our own strength when the country needs it!¡± Hearing this, Ji Ting¡¯an was so touched that his eyes turned red. ¡°Madam Shen is indeed not inferior to men!¡± ¡°However, Official Ji, although the number of locusts has decreased, we still can¡¯t rx,¡± Ji Zhao said seriously. ¡°After all, the locusts¡¯ reproduction ability is really too strong! Therefore, we have to take precautions during this period of time.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Ji Ting¡¯an nodded slightly. ¡°By the way, Madam Shen, why did you ask me to arrange for people to catch those locusts?¡± ¡°Actually, locusts can also be eaten.¡± Ji Zhao smiled faintly. ¡°The reason why I reminded you to catch those locusts is very simple. We can have a taste of locusts.¡± Ji Ting¡¯an widened his eyes in surprise. ¡°Locusts¡­ can be eaten?¡± He had never heard of it before! ¡®When I make the fried locusts, Official Ji, you¡¯ll know how delicious this dish Ji Zhao chuckled and exined, ¡°Actually, locusts are quitemon. Have you heard of grasshoppers?¡± ¡°I have.¡± Ji Ting¡¯an nodded slightly. ¡°Actually, locusts are grasshoppers, but their scientific name is locusts. Moreover, once a swarm of grasshoppers appears, we will turn call them locusts.¡± Ji Ting¡¯an was enlightened. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Actually, deep-fried grasshoppers are a particrly delicious dish, and the cooking method is not difficult. However, this dish is more refined in the ingredients of oil, and the best is peanut oil.¡± Ji Zhao exined with a smile, ¡°Official Ji, will you wait with my husband for a moment? I¡¯ll go to the kitchen now to make a deep-fried grasshopper for you to try?¡± Ji Ting¡¯an subconsciously wanted to refuse, but after thinking about it, he felt that this was a good idea. If the locusts could be eaten, they might be able to solve some other problems. Because Ji Zhao had instructed him in advance, Ji Ting¡¯an had already gotten someone to prepare some locusts. She ced the fresh grasshoppers in the basin two days in advance and waited for them to drain the feces. Then, she ced them in a pot of boiling water and boiled them to death. Then, she removed their heads, navels, wings, and internal organs. Finally, she poured the treated locusts into a pot filled with salt water. She boiled them over a small fire and drained the water. Seeing this scene, Ji Ting¡¯an was a little surprised. He felt that no matter who dealt with such ugly locusts, the scene should be ugly. However, Ji Zhao was extremely elegant before making a move. Ji Ting¡¯an did not expect that one day, he would put the words ¡®locust¡¯ and ¡®elegant¡¯ in one sentence. ¡°Ah Tao, the oil pot is already 400/0 hot.¡± Shen Yao picked up a pair of chopsticks and ced them in the pot. After feeling the temperature of the oil, he said softly. ¡°Okay!¡¯ Ji Zhao smiled and poured the processed locusts into the oil pot. Sizzle! A sizzling sound came from the oil pot, and the air was filled with a rich fragrance. Subsequently, Ji Zhao fished out the fried locusts and added some spices to them. Then, she ted them and handed them to Ji Ting¡¯an.. With a faint smile, she said, ¡°Official Ji, would you like to try them?¡± Chapter 299 - Chapter 299: Of Course Chapter 299: Of Course Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions ¡°Official Ji, would you like to have a taste?¡± Ji Zhao handed the te of fried locusts to him with a smile. Ji Ting¡¯an subconsciously waved his hand to refuse. However, when he smelled the fragrance, he was eager to give it a try. ¡°Is¡­ is it really edible?¡± ¡°It¡¯s edible.¡± Ji Zhao smiled firmly. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to set an example and taste it, I¡¯m afraid the vigers of Dingyuan County won¡¯t try it easily, right?¡¯ Upon hearing this, Ji Ting¡¯an¡¯s eyes shed. A momentter, his eyes were filled with determination. In the end, he simply closed his eyes and picked up a fried locust and put it into his mouth! It was different from what he had imagined. The locusts that had been fried were fresh and crispy. When he took a bite, they were actually filled with fragrance? The strangest thing was that he actually felt like he hadn¡¯t had enough? ¡®What do you think, Official?¡± Ji Zhao had alreadye to an answer when she saw the expression on his face. ¡®Very good!¡¯ Ji Ting¡¯an was overjoyed. He really did not expect Ji Zhao¡¯s culinary skills to be so superb. Even the infamous locusts could be made into delicious delicacies by her! ¡°Sir, I¡¯ve already written down the cooking method for locusts.¡± Ji Zhao generously offered the ¡®secret recipe¡¯. Then, she made some very valuable suggestions regarding the cooking of locusts. Ji Ting¡¯an kept nodding. He only sighed after sending the couple off. ¡°If Ji Ah Tao is a man, she will definitely be loyal to the emperor and patriotize the country in the future. She will do her best for the imperial court!¡± Zhu Bai, who was standing behind him, nodded silently. Madam Shen was indeed extraordinary. She was kind and had a good temperament, making people want to get close to her. ¡°But sir, I¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t be easy to convince everyone to eat locusts,¡± Zhu Bai said worriedly. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll send a letter to the Prince. I believe His Highness will have a way to resolve this matter,¡± Ji Ting¡¯an said firmly. ¡°Compared to other provinces and counties, Dingyuan County is the least affected. I believe it has already attracted the attention of some people with ulterior motives.¡± ¡°Previously, His Highness specially instructed me to think of a way to get close to Shen Yao subtly. But now, I feel that his Madam is more interesting.¡± Ji Ting¡¯an lowered his head and rubbed the ring-shaped jade pendant on his waist. He raised his eyebrows thoughtfully. ¡°Zhu Bai, what do you think will happen if I send Ji Ah Tao¡¯s portrait to the capital?¡± ¡°Sir, you still suspect Madam Shen¡¯s background?¡± Zhu Bai was a little surprised, but after thinking about it carefully, he could understand Official Ji¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Yes, JiAh Tao was not born in Pomegranate Vige, not to mention that her appearance is very simr to Eldest Aunt.¡± Ji Ting¡¯an seriously considered for a while and finally decided to quietly draw a portrait of Ji Zhao and send it to Eldst Aunt. After all, Eldest Aunt was a benefactor to him. The locust gue finally ended, and the citizens of Dingyuan County weed a hearty rain at the end of July. The heavy rainsted for an entire day and night. It only stopped at dawn on the first day of August. Crystal clear dewdrops were rolling around on the green banana leaves, mischievous and cute. The air after the rain was exceptionally fresh. The spot beside the sleepy Ji Zhao was already cold. She sat up in bed in a daze. After yawning, she was finallypletely awake. Squeak¡ª The moment the door was pushed open, Shen Yao gathered the oil-paper umbre in his hand and shook the raindrops outside the eaves. Then, he turned around and walked into the house. In his arms were two budding hibiscus flowers. ¡°Zhaozhao, you¡¯re awake?¡± Shen Yao smiled at her. Then, he found a clean bottle and inserted the two lotus flowers inside. The fragrance of the hibiscus flowers added a touch of beauty to the room. ¡°You woke up so early to pick lotus flowers?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Yao smiled and walked to her side. Then, he raised his hand and tapped the tip of her nose. ¡°Have you forgotten what you saidst night?¡± ¡°Last night?¡¯ Hearing this word, Ji Zhao instantly blushed. Ever since they became husband and wife, she realized how energetic Shen Yao Every time they did the deed, he would never stop if she did not cry and beg for mercy. However, this feeling was a sweet burden. ¡°Zhaozhao, why did your face suddenly be so hot? Huh?¡± Shen Yao rubbed her chin, his gentle tone filled with a faint smile. The meaning behind it was self-evident. ¡°Cough cough¡­ Is it hot? I don¡¯t think so!¡± Ji Zhao silently moved his hand away and pretended to blink nkly. ¡°Last night¡­ What did I sayst night?¡± ¡®You said that you¡¯ve been eating too much greasy things. You want to drink a bowl of snow fungus lotus seed soup,¡± Shen Yao pinched her nose helplessly and said softly. ¡°So you went to pick the lotus seed pods early in the morning?¡± Ji Zhao was surprised but also extremely touched. ¡°Yes!¡± Shen Yao nodded slightly. ¡°I¡¯ve already sent the lotus seed pods to the kitchen. Mother said that she would call us when the snow fungus lotus seed soup is ready.¡± ¡°Shen Yao, why are you so nice!¡± Ji Zhao rushed into his arms and wrapped her arms around his waist. The moment she looked up at him, her almond-shaped eyes were as bright as the stars. ¡°Silly girl! Shen Yao lowered his head and pressed it against her forehead. He said gently, ¡°You¡¯re my wife. It¡¯s only right that I treat you well.¡± The smile in Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes deepened. She hugged him tightly, unwilling to let go. ¡°Zhaozhao, I don¡¯t mind letting you sleep a little longer, okay?¡± Shen Yao raised his eyebrows and looked at her. A faint smile appeared at the corners of his eyes. The deeper meaning was self-evident. At this moment, Ji Zhao was like a frightened little rabbit as she hurriedly let go. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the kitchen and see if Mother needs my help!¡¯ With that, she hurriedly ran out¡ª After all, if she was slow, she would definitely not be able to get out of bed before lunch today. An hourter. When Ji Zhao returned to the room with the cooked snow fungus lotus seed soup, Shen Yao was reading seriously. ¡°Shen Yao, let¡¯s eat the lotus seed soup first?¡± Ji Zhao smiled and handed the bowl of snow fungus lotus seed soup to him. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we leave for the prefecture capital in two days?¡± The Fall Quarter Examinations of the Great Jing Dynasty usually started in mid -August. When the Fall Quarter Examinations ended, the osmanthus flowers would bloom. That was why there was a osmanthusurel ranking. There was another name for the Fall Quarter Examinations, which was the vige examination. Shen Yao was already a student seven years ago, but he unfortunately failed the exam four years ago. If Master Fan had not told Shen Yao the truth before he died, he would not have dared to believe that his results had been swapped in advance. ¡®Yes.¡± After finishing the bowl of snow fungus lotus seed soup, Shen Yao nodded slightly. ¡°If nothing goes wrong, we should set off in two days.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s time for me to pack my luggage!¡± ¡°Ah Tao?¡± Shen Yao suddenly called out. ¡®Yes?¡¯ ¡°If I don¡¯t seed this time¡­¡± ¡°Shen Yao,¡± Ji Zhao walked around the table and walked to his side. She said with a serious gaze, ¡°Regardless of whether you can pass or not, to me, you are only my husband.. No matter what your identity is, do you understand?¡± Chapter 300 - Chapter 300: What a Good Idea! Chapter 300: What a Good Idea! Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions ¡°The current Sun family can be said to be flourishing¡­¡± Shen Yao sighed softly. His usually clear eyes were actually covered in ayer of mist now, making him look a little lost. ¡°Shen Yao.¡± Ji Zhao suddenly stared into his eyes and questioned him seriously, ¡®What do you think studying is for?¡± ¡°How many schrs in this world have studied bitterly for many years? Their goal in studying is nothing more than to cultivate their health and rule the country!¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s tone was powerful. ¡°Shen Yao, if you study only for revenge, are you still you?¡± These words were like a thunderp that resounded through the sky, ruthlessly smashing into Shen Yao¡¯s heart, making hime to a realization and wake up from a dream. ¡°I was wrong.¡± Shen Yao, who hade back to his senses, raised his head slightly. His eyes were filled with gratitude as he looked at Ji Zhao. ¡°Zhao, you¡¯ve enlightened me.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and shook her head. ¡°Shen Yao, even if I didn¡¯t say it, you would have figured this out sooner orter.¡± ¡°Shall we go horse riding in the suburbs this afternoon?¡± Ji Zhao suddenly suggested. ¡°Okay.¡± When it was close to noon, Qin Minghong came to visit again. Looking at the bags of gifts he brought, Ji Zhao held her forehead helplessly. ¡°Brother Qin, didn¡¯t I already tell you? We will naturally wee you warmly when youe to visit, but you really don¡¯t have to create such a hugemotion every time youe, right?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, you¡¯ve wronged me!¡± Qin Minghong opened the fan in his hand and said with a smile, ¡°I was entrusted by someone to be loyal to these gifts.¡± ¡°And these are?¡± ¡°Ji Ting¡¯an asked me to bring it over!¡± A trace of difort shed across Qin Minghong¡¯s eyes, but it returned to normal in a moment. ¡°Official Ji?¡± Ji Zhao was even more surprised. ¡°How can I ept such a generous gift from Official Ji? I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s inappropriate.¡± ¡°Girl, I¡¯m afraid you still don¡¯t know what contribution you¡¯ve made, right?¡± Qin Minghong asked with a smile. ¡°Previously, you proposed a n to eat locusts, and Ji Ting¡¯an sent it to the royal court. The current emperor is full of praise for this fried locust, so he gave you so many rewards!¡± Qin Minghong smiled and lifted the silk cloth on one of the gift boxes. On the redcquer tray was dazzling gold. Everyone in the Shen family was almost blinded by the gold. ¡®Why are there so many?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, am I dreaming?¡± Zhao Lanhua eximed and rubbed her eyes in disbelief. ¡°We can¡¯t ept this money.¡± After some thought, Ji Zhao pursed her lips thoughtfully and turned to look at Shen Yao beside her. She asked softly, ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t refuse a gift from an elder.¡± Shen Yao rubbed her little face and chuckled. ¡°Besides, this is a reward from His Majesty!¡± Ji Zhao was a little confused until Shen Yao smiled and said, ¡°But we can use this money for the people! ¡® ¡°Affected by the drought and locust gue, there are thousands of people affected around Dingyuan County.¡± Shen Yao scratched Ji Zhao¡¯s palm and suggested softly, ¡°Ah Tao, let¡¯s entrust this reward to Official Ji. Official Ji loves the people like his children. He will definitely spend every cent of silver on the tip of the de.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea!¡± Ji Zhao immediately snapped her fingers and said with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s said that money moves people¡¯s hearts!¡± Qin Minghong never expected the couple to have such decisions about the use of this reward. He felt regret and admiration. ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to trouble Brother Qin to send these rewards to Official Ji!¡± Ji Zhao smiled and waved her hand. Then, she grabbed Shen Yao¡¯s arm and rushed out of the courtyard. Right on the heels of that, she mounted the horse and left. Qin Minghong waspletely dumbfounded. ¡°Young Master Qin, why don¡¯t I have a drink with you this afternoon?¡± Eldest Brother Shen looked at Qin Minghong¡¯s dark expression and asked carefully. ¡°No need.¡± Qin Minghong shook his head and left in a hurry after bowing to Zhao Lanhua. On the other side. Shen Yao shouted softly and tightened his grip on the horse¡¯s abdomen. Then, he rushed into the back mountains with Ji Zhao. The air in the valley after the rain was extremely fresh. The pines and cypresses that had been baptized by the heavy rain were verdant. asionally, there would be a few orioles pping their wings and singing. Shen Yao deliberately slowed down and brought Ji Zhao through the forest. Ji Zhao closed her eyes and greedily inhaled the fragrance that filled the air. She felt refreshed and rxed. ¡°Shen Yao, don¡¯t you feel veryfortable?¡± Ji Zhao tilted her head and looked at the man beside her. She raised her eyebrows gently. ¡°It¡¯s as if time has stopped at this moment, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Enjoying this moment of peace and quiet, Shen Yao felt much calmer in his body and mind. ¡°Zhaozhao, thank you. ¡® ¡®Why are you thanking me?¡¯ Ji Zhao raised her eyebrows and pretended to be puzzled. Shen Yao raised his hand and tapped the tip of her nose, his gaze extremely gentle. How could he not know her good intentions? During this period of time, Shen Yao had been locked in his room to read books and prepare for the Fall Quarter Examinations. Although he was full of talent, he could not defeat the pressure and worry in his heart. Shen Yao had always thought that this Fall Quarter Examination was his only chance. This was his only chance to take revenge. Only by getting good results in the Fall Quarter Examinations could he climb up step by step until he couldpletely crush the Sun family under his feet. With this belief in mind, Shen Yao did not realize that an inner demon had already grown in the depths of his heart. It was not until Ji Zhao woke him up that he snapped out of his daze. ¡°I know you¡¯re carrying a heavy load now, but even so, I hope you won¡¯t forget your original intention.¡± Ji Zhao looked into his eyes, her gaze filled with seriousness. ¡°Shen Yao, you understand, right?¡¯ ¡°Zhaozhao, don¡¯t worry.¡± Shen Yao smiled firmly. ¡°l know what I should do. ¡® ¡°Didn¡¯t we find a hot spring in the mountains previously?¡± Ji Zhao hid in his arms shyly. ¡®The thing I promised you previously¡­¡± ¡°Okay!¡¯ Shen Yao¡¯s eyes flickered with surprise. Above the hot spring pool, there was a dense steam that made one unable to see clearly. The two figures in the water were like two fishes with their tails wrapped around each other. They did not let go of each other¡¯s arms for a long time. Waves of heat came one after another. That feeling was intoxicating. When Ji Zhao opened her eyes again, it was already the next morning. ¡°I¡¯ve already packed our bags.¡± Seeing that she was awake, Shen Yao asked with some heartache, ¡°Does your waist still feel sore?¡¯ For some reason, Ji Zhao felt stifled. Her almond-shaped eyes red angrily and she pursed her lips without saying a word.. Chapter 301 - Chapter 301: I Know What to Do Chapter 301: I Know What to Do Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions Her angry look became another kind of charm in Shen Yao¡¯s eyes. ¡°It seems that Zhaozhao isn¡¯t tired?¡± ¡°No!¡± Ji Zhao snapped out of her daze. Knock knock¡ª There was a sudden knock on the door. Zhao Lanhua, who was waiting outside, asked with concern, ¡°Ah Tao, are you awake? Mother has made ginseng ck chicken soup. Drink a bowl while it¡¯s hot.¡± ¡°Okay,ing!¡¯ A momentter, Ji Zhao sat obediently at the table in the central room. She carefully savored the ck chicken soup that Zhao Lanhua had meticulously brewed. Then, she gave her a thumbs up from the bottom of her heart and praised her generously, ¡°Mother, your cooking is really amazing! This bowl of ck chicken soup is really fresh!¡± ¡°Drinkmore if you like it,¡± Zhao Lanhua said happily. ¡°I see that you haven¡¯t been looking too good recently. Third Brother doesn¡¯t know how to dote on his wife at all!¡± Ever since they got married, the dark circles around Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes had never disappeared! As an experienced person, how could Zhao Lanhua not understand? ¡°No, Shen Yao treats me very well.¡± Ji Zhao did not understand the deeper meaning in Zhao Lanhua¡¯s words. Instead, she happily drank another bowl of ck chicken soup. After she finished the soup, Zhao Lanhua brought her into her room. ¡°This is?¡¯ Looking at the pouch on the table, Ji Zhao was a little puzzled. ¡°This is the silver I prepared for you. It¡¯s not much. It¡¯s only sixty taels in total. There¡¯s a banknote worth fifty taels and ten taels of silver. Mother specially exchanged it for loose silver and copper coins for you.¡± Zhao Lanhua held her hand and said earnestly, ¡°As the saying goes, one can save at home, but if one were to go out, they must bring enough money to save trouble!¡¯ ¡°Mother, you don¡¯t have to prepare these. I have enough silver on me!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t refuse!¡± Zhao Lanhua interrupted her forcefully. Then, she said worriedly, ¡°Ah Tao, when you and Third Brother go to the prefecture capital this time, you must be careful and take care of yourself, understand?¡¯ ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry.¡± Ji Zhao quicklyforted her. ¡°We will definitely take good care of ourselves.¡± ¡°Mothers are all worried when their children travel far!¡± Zhao Lanhua smiled helplessly. Then, she looked at Ah Tao and reminded her seriously. ¡°Tomorrow morning, I¡¯ll apany you to the Earth Temple to burn incense.¡± Zhao Lanhua thought for a moment and immediately made a decision. ¡°Okay.¡± Even if Zhao Lanhua did not mention it, Ji Zhao was prepared to make a trip to the Earth Temple before she left. Previously, she had the idea of opening a Spring Breeze Pavilion in the prefectural city. She had also asked Qin Minghong to help her choose some suitable shops. Some time ago, Qin Minghong had picked out three shops, but Ji Zhao felt that she still had to go and observe before she could make aparison. The next morning, at dawn, Zhao Lanhua apanied Ji Zhao to the Earth Temple. Ji Zhao piously knelt in front of the statue of the Earth God and sincerely kowtowed. Just as she stood up and was about to insert the incense stick into the incense burner on the altar, she felt dizzy and finally fell to the ground with a plop! ¡°Ah Tao!¡± Zhao Lanhua eximed when she saw this scene. She rushed forward and called her name anxiously. However, Ji Zhao seemed to be in a deep sleep. No matter how hard she called out to her, she couldn¡¯t wake up¡­ A cloud of dust suddenly appeared in her eyes. Ji Zhao felt a sharp pain in her eyes and subconsciously said, ¡°Water¡ª¡± Her throat was so dry that it hurt. She struggled desperately, but she realized that she was tied up by a rope and could not break free at all. ¡°Nanny, why don¡¯t we give her some water? What if she really dies in our residence?¡± A female voice was mixed with worry. ¡°Isn¡¯t that just nice?¡¯ Another rough female voice sneered. ¡°Eldest Miss wants her to die. If she dies, Young Master Shen can marry our Eldest Miss!¡± Listening to their conversation, Ji Zhao frowned and could not help but have some guesses. She had been kidnapped. The mastermind wanted her dead. The mastermind doing this for Shen Yao? Just as Ji Zhao pricked up her ears, wanting to hear more news, she felt a sharp pain in her nose¡ª ¡°You¡¯re awake, you¡¯re awake! Zhao Lanhua watched as she slowly opened her eyes. She kept muttering, ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to the Earth God¡¯s blessings! Ah Tao, are you alright? You don¡¯t know how scared I was when you suddenly fainted!¡± ¡°Mother.¡± Ji Zhao slowly sat up from the ground with her help. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Ah Tao, are you really alright? Why don¡¯t I apany you to see a doctor?¡¯ Zhao Lanhua was still a little worried. ¡°I¡¯m really fine.¡± Ji Zhao quickly smiled at her. ¡°Maybe I didn¡¯t sleepst night.¡± ¡°Third Brother, that punk, I¡¯ll beat him up when we get back!¡± ¡°Mother¡­¡± Ji Zhao held her forehead helplessly. Clearly, Mother had misunderstood her words again. However, when she recalled the scene that had just happened in her dream, Ji Zhao silently pursed her lips. At the same time, in the Shen family¡¯s courtyard. Shen Yao had already prepared his luggage. When he heard footsteps, he immediately walked into the courtyard. However, his mother pinched his ear! ¡°Mother? What are you doing?¡± Shen Yao asked anxiously. ¡°You punk, how dare you ignore Mother¡¯s words!¡± Zhao Lanhua was furious. ¡°Do you think you can bully your wife? To think that you¡¯ve studied for so many years!¡± ¡°Zhaozhao?¡± Facing the furious Zhao Lanhua, Shen Yao could only look at Ji Zhao¡¯s face. However, at this moment, Ji Zhao had her arms crossed over her chest as she looked at him quietly. She had no intention of pleading for mercy. Ji Zhao gave him a look that said, ¡°You¡¯re on your own.¡± Then, she turned around and returned to the house. Fifteen minutester. Shen Yao hurriedly walked into the room, his eyes filled with worry. ¡°Mother said that you fainted again at the Earth Temple? Did you have another dream?¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s dreams meant that danger was approaching. Shen Yao knew this too. ¡®Yeah.¡± ¡°Is it rted to me?¡¯ Shen Yao looked at her with worry. ¡°Nothing will happen.¡± Ji Zhao held his hand and said with a smile, ¡°I know what to do.¡¯ ¡°Zhaozhao¡­¡± ¡°Shen Yao.¡± Ji Zhao shook her head at him and pointed at the bright sky outside the window. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. We should set off.¡± Other than Shen Yao and his wife, Immortal Crane was also prepared to apany them to Yunchuan Prefecture. Under Shen Yao and Zhao Lanhua¡¯s strong request, Ji Zhao could only obediently hand her arm to her master. ¡®Master, I¡¯ve already taken my own pulse. I¡¯m really fine.¡± ¡°Doctors don¡¯t treat themselves.¡± Immortal Crane silently raised his eyelids and looked at her. Then, he took her pulse seriously. After a while, he said softly, ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal, but it¡¯s a little weak. You need to eat more food to nourish your blood and energy..¡± Chapter 302 - 302: Zhaozhao, Wake Up! Chapter 302: Zhaozhao, Wake Up! Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The carriage swayed as it moved forward. Ji Zhao lifted the curtain of the carriage and looked at Shanghe Vige that was getting further and further away. A strong sense of reluctance appeared between her brows. ¡°It¡¯s a pity that Mother has to help the two sister-inws take care of the children. Otherwise, I really want Mother to apany us to the prefecture capital,¡± Ji Zhao sighed softly. ¡°There will be a chance.¡± Shen Yao held her hand andforted her gently. ¡°Cough cough!¡± The Immortal Crane coughed angrily. ¡°Ah Tao, you should bepletely focused when reading! ¡® ¡°Understood, Master , ¡± Ji Zhao replied obediently and continued reading. ¡°The carriage is bumpy, so you don¡¯t have to keep staring at the book. Otherwise, you¡¯ll hurt your eyes. The gains don¡¯t make up for the losses.¡± Shen Yao silently took the book from her hand, then thoughtfully handed her a water bag. ¡°Mother specially made red bean soup for you. It¡¯s still warm. Try it.¡± ¡°Okay!¡¯ Two dayster, at dusk, the three of them finally arrived at Yunchuan Prefecture City. The city walls of Yunchuan Prefecture City were majestic. The golden afterglownded on the majestic and solemn city wall, coating it with ayer of holy golden light. On both sides of the wide city gate stood two rows of city guards in an orderly manner. There was an endless stream of pedestriansing and going. After entering the city, what greeted their eyes was a bustling scene. ¡°I¡¯ve long heard that Yunchuan Prefecture City is very prosperous. Now that I¡¯ve seen it with my own eyes, it really lives up to its reputation,¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile. ¡°Shen Yao, where are we going to stayter?¡¯ ¡°Yinchuan Inn.¡± Shen Yao smiled and pinched her face. Then, he exined softly, ¡°Previously, I asked Brother Qin to book two rooms for us at Yinchuan Inn.¡± In Yunchuan Prefecture City, every inch ofnd was worth gold. Coupled with the fact that the provincial imperial examination was at the end of August, the various inns in the prefecture capital were already filled with people. Shen Yao had already expected this, so he asked Qin Minghong to book two rooms at Yinchuan Inn in advance. Initially, Qin Minghong wanted to arrange for them to stay in the Qin family¡¯s courtyard temporarily, but Shen Yao rejected him. After all, the status of the Qin family in the prefecture was self-evident. If he used the Qin Family¡¯s power to make things easier for himself now, he would probably attract the ostracization of other students. Moreover, Shen Yao despised such behavior. Yinchuan Inn was a property under the Qin family, so when Shen Yao introduced himself, the innkeeper hurriedly weed him warmly. ¡°Esteemed guest, this way please.¡± The innkeeper¡¯s surname was Qian. He had a shrewd round face, especially the mustache on both sides of his nose. He was quite unique, so he left a deep impression on people at first nce. ¡°The Eldest Young Master has already instructed me to make sure that the esteemed guests stayfortably, so I specially arranged for two high-grade guest rooms in the south.¡± Innkeeper Qian walked sideways and walked in front. He bowed slightly and introduced with a smile, ¡°Esteemed guests, please follow me.¡± ¡°These two guest rooms are connected to each other. They sit with the walls facing north and doors to the south. The windows are bright and the light is especially good.¡± Innkeeper Qian smiled and said, ¡°Young Master Shen, Madam Shen, why don¡¯t you rest for a while?¡¯ ¡°Alright, thank you, Innkeeper Qian.¡± Shen Yao smiled gratefully and took out a tael of silver from his pocket and handed it to him. Innkeeper Qian quickly refused. ¡°No, no!¡¯ ¡°Innkeeper Qian, please ept it. We will be troubling you during this period of time.¡± Shen Yao handed the silver tael to him. His gentle tone carried an irrefutable meaning. ¡°Then what are your ns for dinner?¡± ¡°Innkeeper Qian, please prepare three dishes and a soup. We won¡¯t go downstairs tonight,¡± Shen Yao said softly. After traveling for two days, they were already a little tired. A momentter, Innkeeper Qian personally delivered three dishes and a soup. ¡°This braised pigeon is a specialty of our inn. The two of you must try it! In addition, this steamed egg with silver fish is also our inn¡¯s chef¡¯s specialty.¡± Innkeeper Qian exined with a smile and quickly left. In addition to these two hard dishes, there was also a garlic lettuce and a portion of duck soup with yam. ¡°It smells quite good.¡± Immortal Crane gave a pertinent evaluation. ¡°l wonder how it tastes.¡± ¡°Then Master, quickly try it?¡¯ Ji Zhao hurriedlydled a bowl of soup and respectfully handed it to him. Immortal Crane nodded. After tasting the duck soup, he frowned in disappointment. ¡°It doesn¡¯t taste good?¡± Ji Zhao was a little surprised when she saw the expression on her master¡¯s face. She thought for a moment anddled a bowl of duck soup to try. ¡°The duck wasn¡¯t processed properly, so there¡¯s a gamey taste in the duck soup.¡± Ji Zhao savored it carefully and analyzed objectively. ¡°But rtively speaking, the taste isn¡¯t too bad.¡± A momentter, Immortal Crane put down his chopsticks in disappointment. ¡°It doesn¡¯t taste good.¡± Ever since he tasted his good disciple¡¯s cooking, his tongue had be more and more picky. ¡°Master, I¡¯ll borrow the inn¡¯s kitchen tomorrow morning to make breakfast for you,¡± Ji Zhao quickly said. ¡°What do you want to eat tomorrow morning?¡¯ ¡°Anything is fine.¡± Immortal Crane said tiredly, ¡°In any case, as long as it¡¯s made by you, it¡¯s delicious. ¡® ¡°Thank you for your praise, Master!¡± Ji Zhao epted thepliment with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. I won¡¯t disturb you anymore. Rest early.¡± Before Immortal Crane left, he did not forget to look at Shen Yao. The warning in his eyes was self-evident. ¡®The exam is in two days. It¡¯s best to conserve your energy.¡± ¡°I understand. Thank you for your advice, Senior.¡± It was close to midnight, but the long street of Yunchuan Prefecture was still lively. Ji Zhao, who was standing in front of the window, could not help but sigh. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the night market in Yunchuan Prefecture to be so lively.¡± ¡°Zhaozhao, do you want to go out for a walk?¡± Shen Yao walked behind her and suggested with a smile. ¡°Now?¡¯ Ji Zhao was originally a little tempted, but in the end, she shook her head. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it after you finish the provincial imperial examination.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Oh right, I forgot to ask you just now. What do you want to eat tomorrow morning?¡± Ji Zhao turned around and looked into his eyes. Her bright smile was like the bright spring light. ¡°Up to you.¡± Shen Yao tapped the tip of her nose affectionately and said gently. ¡°Then should I prepare chicken soup wontons? I want to eat them too.¡± Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but swallow her saliva. ¡°Sure enough, I shouldn¡¯t talk about delicious food at night. I actually feel a little hungry now.¡± ¡°Shen Yao, let¡¯s go to sleep!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ji Zhao found afortable position in his arms and fell asleep in an instant. Listening to her shallow breathing, Shen Yao felt his heart calm down. In thetter half of the night, Ji Zhao¡¯s tears wet his clothes! ¡°Zhaozhao, wake up!¡± Shen Yao called her name anxiously, but at this moment, Ji Zhao seemed to have fallen into a nightmare and kept crying. Helpless, Shen Yao could only bite her lips.. Chapter 303 - 303: It Has Nothing to Do With Me Chapter 303: It Has Nothing to Do With Me Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions The sudden pain on her lips pulled Ji Zhao out of her nightmare. The moment she opened her eyes, she was in a daze. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m here.¡± Shen Yao quickly pulled her into his arms and leaned intimately against her tear- stained face,forting her gently. Fifteen minutester, Ji Zhao, who was holding a cup of hot tea in her hand, finally woke uppletely. ¡°That nightmare just now was very scary.¡± After taking a sip of hot tea, Ji Zhao snuggled into his arms again, her low voice filled with fear. Shen Yao patted her back gently andforted her gently, ¡°Zhaozhao, don¡¯t be afraid. It¡¯ll be fine.¡¯ ¡°Shen Yao, when you go to the examination venue for the exam the day after tomorrow, you have to be more careful. Don¡¯t eat the food provided by the examination venue,¡± Ji Zhao grabbed his arm and reminded him anxiously. ¡°Zhaozhao, you mean¡­¡± Shen Yao narrowed his eyes warily and frowned thoughtfully. Zhaozhao would never speak without thinking. The reason why she specially mentioned this was definitely because she was considering it from his perspective. In other words, the examination venue was not safe for him? ¡°Aren¡¯t we underestimating our enemy too much?¡± Ji Zhao nodded slightly at him. Her tone was filled with sadness. ¡®The current Yunchuan Prefecture¡¯s magistrate is Sun He, who hates you to the core. Back then, he was only selected because he swapped your grades. How could he just watch you get a high rank?¡¯ ¡°Our journey was too smooth, so we didn¡¯t realize that the danger lurking around us has never disappeared.¡± At this moment, Ji Zhao still had lingering fears. The Sun family had already arranged everything in advance in the examination venue. Once Shen Yao stepped into the examination venue, his corpse would be sent out before the provincial imperial examination ended¡ª The reason why Ji Zhao cried so sadly in her dream just now was because she had received the news of Shen Yao¡¯s sudden death. That was why she knelt outside the main entrance of the examination venue in mourning and wanted to seek justice! ¡°Zhaozhao.¡± Shen Yao held her hand andforted her in a low voice. ¡°Fortunately, you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be sad. The scene in the nightmare hasn¡¯t happened yet, right?¡± Shen Yao rubbed her head and smiled. ¡°I promise you that I¡¯ll protect myself well.¡± Under Shen Yao¡¯sforting words, Ji Zhao finally slept soundly in thetter half of the night and did not have any nightmares. The next day, Shen Yao looked at Ji Zhao, who was still sleeping soundly. He kissed her eyebrows gently and covered her with the nket before leaving quietly. In the lobby on the first floor of Yinchuan Inn, two waiters were wiping the table energetically. Innkeeper Qian was standing behind the counter and fiddling with an abacus. The crackling sounds were refreshing. ¡°Young Master Shen, why are you here so early?¡± Shopkeeper Qian hurriedly put down the mahogany abacus in his hand when he heard themotion. He walked up with a smile. ¡°l wonder if you had a good restst night? Do you have any instructions now?¡± ¡°Thanks to Innkeeper Qian, I slept wellst night.¡± Shen Yao smiled. ¡°1 don¡¯t have any instructions, but I just want to ask Innkeeper Qian a question. I wonder which nearby restaurant has the best chicken soup wontons?¡¯ ¡°Young Master Shen, you¡¯ve asked the right person!¡± Innkeeper Qian patted his chest and said, ¡°I¡¯m not bragging, but Shao Family Wontons are famous for being delicious!¡¯ ¡°Shao Family Wontons?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. After leaving the entrance of our inn, walk left for a quarter of a kilometer, it¡¯s the first shop by the alley. Shao Family Wontons are extremely delicious. If you go now, you don¡¯t have to queue for too long!¡¯ ¡°Many thanks, Innkeeper Qian.¡± When Shen Yao went out, the sky was bright. Probably because it rained after midnightst night, the morning weather was very refreshing. Yinchuan Inn was located in the bustling area of the prefectural city. There were rows of shops on both sides, and the roads on both sides of the wide street were filled with parasol trees. Fifteen minutester, Shen Yao finally arrived near the Shao Family¡¯s wonton shop. It was not even seven o¡¯clock yet, but there were two lines outside the Shao Family¡¯s shop. After asking around, Shen Yao found out that Shao Family Wontons was a century-old shop. Moreover, this shop was very interesting. For so many years, it only sold two vors of wonton, chicken soup wonton, and shrimp wonton. More importantly, Shao Family Wontons opened at dawn every day and only sold 100 servings of wontons. Shen Yao was lucky. He was thest customer this morning. Just as he was about to leave with the wontons, someone blocked his way. ¡°I¡¯ll pay three times the price for the three servings of wontons you have.¡± ¡°No,¡± Shen Yao replied expressionlessly. ¡®Why are you like this?¡± That person ced their hands on their hips. ¡°I¡¯m already offering three times the money. Why are you so ungrateful?¡¯ ¡°Brother, I¡¯m begging you, okay? My Young Miss really likes to eat these wontons. If I can¡¯t buy it today, I¡¯ll definitely be scolded when I go back!¡¯ ¡°It has nothing to do with me. ¡® ¡°How can you be so unreasonable! You¡¯re not a pig. Don¡¯t you feel bloated eating three servings alone?¡± Xing¡¯er was a little angry that both her hard and soft methods didn¡¯t work! Shen Yao could not be bothered with such an unreasonable person. He took two steps back and tried to circle around her. However, the maidservant was unreasonable. She actually tried to snatch the food box from him. Shen Yao narrowed his eyes as a strong murderous intent shed across them. ¡°Let go!¡± ¡°No, unless you sell me thest three servings of wontons!¡¯ ¡°Forceful buying and selling? Which family are you from? How can you be so unreasonable?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll scare you to death if I tell you! Hmph!¡± The maidservant sneered repeatedly, but she was caught off guard and felt her ankle tremble. She fell to the ground with her limbs facing the sky¡ª Shen Yao lowered his eyes to hide the coldness in them. He turned around and left. ¡°Xing¡¯er, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Hearing themotion, Lu Hongshan hurriedly lifted her skirt and came forward. From the corner of her eye, she happened to see a tall and straight light blue figure. ¡°That person just now was¡­¡± ¡°Miss.¡± Xing¡¯er hurriedly got up from the ground and shrank her neckin fear. ¡°I¡¯m useless. I couldn¡¯t buy the chicken soup wontons.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Lu Hongshan smiled nonchntly, her gaze still fixed on the receding figure. When Shen Yao returned with the chicken soup wontons, Ji Zhao was already awake. She was sitting in front of the desk, seriously nning the nutritious meals for the next few days. ¡°Shen Yao,e and take a look.¡± Ji Zhao handed the n to him as if she were presenting a treasure. ¡®Take a look at the nutritious meals I¡¯ve designed for you. Why don¡¯t you take a look to see if there¡¯s anything that needs to be changed?¡¯ ¡°Nutritional meal?¡± Shen Yao brought the chicken soup wontons to her and asked curiously. ¡®You¡¯re going to the examination venue for your exam tomorrow. I¡¯ve already asked around in advance. The food in the examination venue is average.. So, I¡¯ve decided to bring you food every day!¡± Ji Zhao looked up at him and said with a smile, ¡®The so-called nutritious meals are delicious food that are rich in nutrients and good for the body!¡± Chapter 304 - 304: But I Like It! Chapter 304: But I Like It! Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions After listening to her exnation, Shen Yao quietly curled his lips. ¡°Zhaozhao¡¯s arrangements are excellent.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t I the best?¡± Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but approach him. She ced her arms on his shoulders affectionately and raised her eyebrows smugly. ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Yao tapped the tip of her nose dotingly. ¡°My Zhaozhao is peerless. ¡® Ji Zhao grinned, and the smile in her eyes deepened. ¡°I heard from Innkeeper Qian that the Shao Family¡¯s wontons are very delicious. Try them while they¡¯re hot.¡± ¡°Okay!¡¯ Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t wait to taste it. ¡®The skin is thin and there¡¯s a lot of meat. Moreover, the ingredients are quite exquisite. If I¡¯m not wrong, the filling used the most tender tenderloin from a pig and has been tenderized several times.¡± ¡°And the shrimp wrapped within the meat filling are also exceptionally delicious.¡± Ji Zhao praised the bowl of wontons. ¡°Shen Yao, the chef who made the wontons can be said to have put in a lot of effort.¡± ¡°Innkeeper Qian said that Shao Family Wontons is very famous. Moreover, they only sell a limited number of 100 servings of wontons a day. They don¡¯t ept reservations. Firste, first served. I was luckier today and bought thest three bowls.¡± Shen Yao smiled and said softly, ¡°But I still think Zhaozhao¡¯s wontons are more delicious. ¡® ¡®What a glib tongue!¡± Ji Zhao scooped up a small wonton and handed it to his lips with a smile. ¡°But I like it very much!¡± The next day was the day of the provincial imperial examination. ¡°Does it look good?¡± Ji Zhao, who was wearing a red qipao, came in front of Shen Yao and twirled elegantly. ¡°A qipao means victory!¡± ¡°Zhaozhao¡¯s beauty isparable to the bright moon.¡± The examination venue was located in the southernmost part ofYunchuan Prefecture. The environment was very quiet and the security was very tight. At dawn, Ji Zhao apanied Shen Yao to the entrance of the examination venue. At that moment, the entrance of the examination venue was already filled with people. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect there to be so many people participating in the provincial imperial examination!¡± Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡®This feels like a thousand troops crossing a wooden bridge!¡¯ ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Yao smiled faintly. The provincial imperial examination was held once every three years. Once they passed the examination, their meteoric rise would be just around the corner. In the eyes of most people, only schrs were considered outstanding. The exam was divided into three rounds, and the first round was on August 9th. ¡°Zhaozhao, after I enter the examination hall, go back to the inn and rest. ¡® Shen Yao scratched her palm and persuaded her in a low voice, ¡°The examination won¡¯t end until dusk!¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Ji Zhao replied obediently. ¡°By the way, I made you a thousandyer pastry. The water bag is also filled with mung bean soup. Don¡¯t eat anything else!¡± ¡°Okay!¡¯ At the beginning of the morning, the door of the examination venue was slowly pulled open. The students who were preparing for the exam lined up in an orderly manner and waited to enter the venue. After Shen Yao entered the venue, Ji Zhao reluctantly retracted her gaze. She prayed silently in her heart that the events in her nightmare would not happen. ¡°Madam, your jade pendant fell!¡± Just as Ji Zhao was in a daze, a delicate voice suddenly sounded from behind her. Lu Hongshan walked in front of her and opened her palm. ¡°Madam, take a look and see if this is your jade pendant.¡± Ji Zhao looked at it and shook her head with a smile. ¡°Thank you, Miss, but this isn¡¯t my jade pendant. ¡® ¡°Ah?¡± Lu Hongshan pretended to be surprised and asked, ¡°Was I seeing things?¡¯ ¡°Did you pick up this jade pendant?¡± Ji Zhao looked at the confusion on her face and suggested with a smile, ¡°If you don¡¯t know who the owner is, why don¡¯t you hand the jade pendant to the officials?¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s a good idea!¡± Lu Hongshan deliberately revealed a rxed smile. ¡°Thank you for your advice, Madam.¡± ¡®You¡¯re too kind, Miss.¡± Ji Zhao smiled nonchntly and walked past her towards the inn. The smell of cosmetics on the girl just now was really too strong. After Ji Zhao took two steps away, she couldn¡¯t help but sneeze a few times. After returning to the inn, Ji Zhao felt her nose itch more and more. Hearing her sneeze non-stop, Immortal Crane frowned silently. ¡°Come over and let me take a look.¡± ¡°Master, did I catch a cold?¡± Ji Zhao was also in a daze. After a while, she actually felt a little itchy. On closer look, she realized that there were many red bumps on her arms. Immortal Crane, who was taking her pulse, looked even more serious. ¡®You¡¯ve been poisoned. Fragrant Beauty.¡± ¡°Poisoned?¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°How did I get poisoned?¡± ¡°The Fragrant Beauty is a slow-acting poison. Once it is inhaled into the body, one will feel itchy all over within six hours. After three days, one will definitely die.¡± The Immortal Crane hurriedly opened the needle bag and quickly inserted needles into several acupuncture points on Ji Zhao¡¯s wrist. Half an hourter, Ji Zhao saw that the red bumps on her arm were disappearing at a speed visible to the naked eye. ¡°Fortunately, it was discovered early. Otherwise, not even the gods could save you!¡± The Immortal Crane looked at her, angry and heartbroken. ¡°Stupid disciple, you didn¡¯t even know that you were poisoned!¡± Ji Zhao thought about it seriously and finally thought of the girl who had picked up the jade pendant. She remembered that at that time, she had smelled a thick scent of cosmetics from that girl. But why did that girl want to harm her? They did not know each other! ¡°Shen Yao.¡± Ji Zhao stood up anxiously. ¡°Is the other party here for Shen Yao?¡± Shen Yao would definitely be worried if she was poisoned. Once Shen Yao was distracted, how could he achieve good results in the provincial imperial examination? ¡°I told you long ago that Shen Yao¡¯s fate is exceptionally dangerous. If you stay by his side, you will often encounter such dangers.¡± Immortal Crane looked at her with aplicated gaze. ¡°Stupid disciple, it¡¯s not toote to leave now.¡± ¡°Master, can you teach me how to identify poison?¡± Ji Zhao pretended not to understand what he meant and begged seriously, ¡°Medicine and poison are inseparable. Can you teach me?¡± ¡®You really want to learn?¡¯ ¡°Mm!¡± ¡°I really don ¡®t know what to do with you.¡± Immortal Crane red at her angrily. Then, he took a book and handed it to her. ¡°In half a month, memorize this book word for word. I¡¯ll teach you how to distinguish poison.¡± ¡°Thank you, Master!¡± Ji Zhao was extremely grateful. She held the book as if she had obtained a treasure. On the other side. After seeding, Lu Hongshan returned to the Lu Residence in a good mood. ¡°Have you found out the information I asked you to find out?¡± ¡®Yes.¡± Xing¡¯er nodded hurriedly. ¡®That young gentleman¡¯s surname is Shen, and his name is Yao, and he¡¯s from Dingyuan County. He¡¯s friends with the eldest son of the Qin family, Qin Minghong.¡± ¡°Shen Yao, that¡¯s a good name.¡± Lu Hongshan slowly took the bird¡¯s nest porridge from Xing¡¯er and smiled. ¡°1 want this man.¡± ¡°But Miss, this Young Master Shen is friends with Young Master Qin¡­¡± ¡°So what?¡± Lu Hongshan smiled nonchntly. Her enchanting peach blossom eyes shone with determination.. ¡°It¡¯s his blessing to be chosen by me! Chapter 305 - 305: Gentle Knife Chapter 305: Gentle Knife Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions Yinchuan Inn. Ji Zhao was brewing medicine. ¡°If you want topletely cure the poison in your body, you still need to take a medicinal bath.¡± Immortal Crane, who was still a little worried, took her pulse agam. ¡°Master, did you just say that this poison is called Fragrant Beauty?¡± Ji Zhao frowned and asked curiously, ¡°What kind of poison is Fragrant Beauty?¡± ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Immortal Crane¡¯s eyes shed with difort. ¡°I¡¯m ashamed to say this, but this Fragrant Beauty was made by me¡­¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°I¡¯ve been studying medicine since I was young. Later on, I realized that making poisons is more interesting. In my spare time, I made some poisons, and the Fragrant Beauty is one of them.¡± Immortal Crane stroked his beard, his eyes filled with helplessness. ¡°It¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t expect you, stupid disciple, to fall for it!¡± ¡°I was too stupid¡­¡± Ji Zhao blinked aggrievedly. ¡°But Master, since you made this Fragrant Beauty, you should know who has the Fragrant Beauty in their hands, right?¡± Facing Ji Zhao¡¯s expectant gaze, Immortal Crane shook his head helplessly. ¡°I casually made the Fragrant Beauty. Later on, I was short of money, so I sold the form¡­¡¯ ¡°However, my dear disciple, don¡¯t worry. You¡¯re not deeply poisoned. Furthermore, I¡¯ve already given you acupuncture and poisoned your blood. In a while, you can soak in the medicinal bath for another fifteen minutes. You¡¯ll definitely be safe and sound.¡± The Immortal Crane patted his chest and promised. ¡°Okay.¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and casually asked, ¡°Master, can you give me some of that Fragrant Beauty too?¡¯ ¡®What do you need that for?¡± ¡°An eye for an eye, of course!¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile. When it was almost dusk, the door of the examination venue was finally opened. The examinees left the arena in an orderly manner. However, the expressions on everyone¡¯s faces were different. Some were happy and full of smiles, and some were frowning¡ª Ji Zhao, who was waiting outside the courtyard, immediately saw Shen Yao standing in the crowd. She couldn¡¯t help but smile. The pride in her eyes was self-evident. At that moment, Shen Yao also saw the bright smile on Ji Zhao¡¯s face. He immediately quickened his pace and approached in a hurry. However, an uninvited guest stopped Shen Yao and blocked Ji Zhao¡¯s line of sight. Ji Zhao narrowed her eyes as she looked at the jade-green graceful figure. This figure was very familiar! ¡°Young Master Shen,¡± Lu Hongshan boldly stopped Shen Yao. ¡°I am Lu Hongshan, the daughter of the Yunchuan General Judge, Lu Min.¡¯ Shen Yao frowned and walked past her expressionlessly. From the beginning to the end, he did not even look at her. ¡°Young Master Shen, my maidservant offended you in front of Shao Family Wontons this morning, so I specially came to apologize,¡± Lu Hongshan exined aggrievedly. A gracefuldy with tears in her eyes always attracted the pity of others. ¡°Your family¡¯s upbringing is not a great as it seems,¡± Shen Yao replied indifferently. The sarcasm in his words was self-evident. The maidservant of the Lu Residence tried to forcefully buy something from him and waspletely unreasonable. This youngdy from the Lu Residence blocked the path of a stranger in public. She did not have the demeanor of ady at all. ¡°Young Master Shen, are you angry?¡± Lu Hongshan looked at him pitifully. The tear in the corner of her eye fell quietly. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault for not being strict enough and letting my maidservant offend you. As an apology, I want to treat you to a cup of tea. I wonder if Young Master is willing to do me the honor?¡± ¡°No need.¡± ¡°This ssmate, how can you be so unreasonable when a beauty is inviting you?¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. Didn¡¯t Miss Lu already apologize? Why are you still unwilling to let it go?¡± Soon, people started discussing. Shen Yao¡¯s face was tense, and his gaze became colder. Ji Zhao, who was standing not far away, crossed her arms and watched this scene curiously. The expression on her face was even more excited. The world would always pity the weak. Even if they did not understand the entire situation, it did not stop them from criticizing the other party from the moral high ground. ¡°Zhaozhao,e here.¡± From the beginning to the end, Shen Yao¡¯s gaze was fixed on Ji Zhao¡¯s face. Seeing the smile on her face, Shen Yao could only look at her for help. ¡°Eh? Miss, you know my husband?¡± Ji Zhao walked to the two of them with a graceful smile and deliberately emphasized the word ¡®husband¡¯. ¡®You¡­¡± Lu Hongshan did not expect this woman to be fine. She had clearly used the Fragrant Beauty! ¡°So this Madam is Brother Shen¡¯s wife?¡± Lu Hongshan pretended to be surprised and smiled. ¡°We don¡¯t know each other. You shouldn¡¯t call me Brother Shen.¡± Shen Yao frowned and said in a deep voice. Lu Hongshan choked. She had already introduced herself, but Shen Yao was still so merciless¡­ This man was indeed interesting. ¡°Dear, what exactly is going on?¡± Ji Zhao gently tugged at the corner of Shen Yao¡¯s clothes and pretended to be ignorant as she asked with a smile. Shen Yao smiled helplessly and gently exined what had happened outside Shao Family Wontons this morning. ¡°So that¡¯s what happened.¡± Ji Zhao smiled in realization. She immediately turned around and smiled at Lu Hongshan. ¡°Miss Lu, you have to teach the servants well in the future. Fortunately, my husband has a good temper. If it were any other man, he might have strangled your maidservant to death. After all, how can a maidservant of a good family rush to pull a man¡¯s sleeve? She¡¯s not a performer in the brothels, right?¡¯ Ji Zhao¡¯s tone was extremely gentle, but every word she said was like a sharp knife. ¡°Madam Shen, are you mistaken¡­¡± Lu Hongshan clenched her hands in her sleeves, but she still looked aggrieved and pitiful. ¡°Mistaken?¡¯ Ji Zhao waved her hand. ¡°Miss Lu, I think you might have misunderstood. I won¡¯t misunderstand you. I believe in my husband. He¡¯s a gentleman. He definitely won¡¯t do anything to bully the weak. Besides, this matter is indeed your maid¡¯s fault, but I think it¡¯s more your responsibility. However, my husband is magnanimous. I ept your apology on his behalf, but can you make way? You¡¯re blocking our way home. ¡± Ji Zhao suddenly tiptoed and whispered into Shen Yao¡¯s ear, ¡°Husband, aren¡¯t the girls in the prefecture city a little too confident? It¡¯s fine if they¡¯re not as good-looking as me, but they don¡¯t seem to be in their right mind! Don¡¯t the youngdies from noble families pride themselves on staying at home and not revealing their faces? How do they dare to stop men on the streets? It¡¯s really strange!¡¯ Although Ji Zhao deliberately lowered her voice, Lu Hongshan still heard every word. At this moment, her expression became even uglier. ¡°Husband, let¡¯s go back to the inn?¡± Ji Zhao shook his arm and said with a bright smile, ¡°1 want to eat your in noodles.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± At this moment, Lu Hongshan only felt an unknown anger rising from the bottom of her heart! When she returned to the Lu Residence, she was so angry that she smashed a whole set of high-quality tea sets. Then, she picked up a whip filled with barbs and whipped Xing¡¯er ruthlessly. Listening to Xing¡¯er¡¯s screams, Lu Hongshan felt much better. Shen Yao, who had returned to the inn, was furious when he heard that Ji Zhao had been poisoned.. Chapter 306 - 306: It Must Be Wonderful! Chapter 306: It Must Be Wonderful! Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions ¡°Zhaozhao, it¡¯s all my fault.¡± Shen Yao looked at her, his guilty eyes filled with heartache. ¡°Idiot!¡± Ji Zhao snuggled into his arms and hugged his neck intimately. She said with a smile, ¡°Isn¡¯t it proof that I have high standards that others are thinking about my husband?¡± Hearing this, Shen Yao was caught betweenughter and tears. ¡°Zhaozhao, you¡­¡± ¡°My husband is iparably handsome, and his temperament is like a flower in the mountains. It¡¯s not strange for him to attract some wild bees and butterflies!¡± Ji Zhao intimately tapped the tip of his nose, and the smile on her face became even brighter. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, that Miss Lu who provoked me won¡¯t have an easy time.¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and whispered into his ear. Only then did Shen Yao understand. ¡°No wonder you said so much to her outside the examination venue.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Ji Zhao raised her eyebrows smugly. ¡°I¡¯m not stupid. How can I not do anything when someone wants to harm me and snatch my husband? Besides, Master gave me an upgraded version of the Fragrant Beauty. I believe tonight will be wonderful for Miss Lu!¡¯ ¡°But then again,¡± Ji Zhao tugged at hispels and gestured with her right pinky as she looked at him eagerly, ¡°do you think I¡¯m a little vicious?¡¯ ¡°My Zhaozhao is still too kind.¡± Shen Yao smiled and narrowed his eyes. ¡°To me, those who hurt Zhaozhao deserve to die.¡¯ At midnight, the shadows of the trees swayed, and the moonlight danced. Lying on the soft couch, Lu Hongshan curled up in a corner in pain. Her entire body was covered in dense red bumps. It was very itchy. It felt as if thousands of ants were wrapping around every inch of her skin and devouring it bite by bite. At this moment, Lu Hongshan seemed to have lost her mind. She kept scratching her arms, neck, and cheeks! The moment her sharp nails cut through her skin, Lu Hongshan instantly shuddered and eximed, ¡°Someonee!¡± In the middle of the night, the Lu Manor¡¯s doctor carefully retracted the pulse pillow. ¡°Eldest Miss has been poisoned by the Fragrant Beauty¡­¡± ¡°Hurry up and find a way to detoxify me!¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± The doctor frowned awkwardly. ¡®Why are you hemming and hawing? If you can¡¯t speak, there¡¯s no need for you to keep your tongue!¡± Lu Hongshan scolded angrily. ¡°Eldest Miss, please calm down. I will immediately write up a prescription. After the medicinal bath, you will no longer feel an unbearable itch on your body. ¡°Hurry up and go! ¡® It was not until dawn that Lu Hongshan, who had taken two rounds of medicinal baths, finally felt that her body was not so itchy anymore. However, the scratches on her arms were still shocking. ¡°Miss¡­¡± Xing¡¯er held the brewed medicine and walked to her side shakily. ¡®The medicine¡ªthe medicine is ready.¡± Just as Lu Hongshan was about to reach out to take it, the scorching temperature immediately made her retract her finger. ¡°Bastard!¡± Lu Hongshan broke the bowl of medicine in anger. The boiling soup sshed on Xing¡¯er¡¯s face, making her grimace in pain! Compared to Lu Hongshan, who could not sleep the entire night, Ji Zhao slept until dawn. Squeak¡ª The moment Shen Yao pushed the door open and entered, he happened to meet Ji Zhao¡¯s dazed expression. ¡°Zhaozhao is awake?¡¯ ¡°Aren¡¯t there no exams today? Why are you up so early?¡¯ Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but yawn. She remembered that the provincial imperial examination was divided into three rounds, on August 9th, 12th, and 15th respectively! ¡°Didn¡¯t you say yesterday that you wanted to eat in noodles?¡± Shen Yao ced the mahogany tray on the round wooden coffee table at the side. Then, he walked up to her with a smile and rubbed her cheek gently. ¡®Quickly wash up and eat the noodles, okay?¡± ¡°Alright!¡¯ Ji Zhao instantly woke up. Shen Yao had personally made in noodles. The noodles were as white as snow and the fragrance of green onions was strong. ¡°The scallions are fragrant and the noodles are tough. The soup is clear and fresh. It¡¯s light and refreshing.¡± After finishing the bowl of in noodles, Ji Zhao gave him a high evaluation generously. Then, she seemed to have thought of something and smiled shyly. ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°No, nothing. I just feel a little embarrassed.¡± Ji Zhao looked into his eyes and couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°l just felt that I should be the one taking care of you. Now, it¡¯s the other way around. As the wife of an examinee, am I not doing my job?, Shen Yao could not help but pinch her cheek. His smile was gentle, and his eyes were filled with love. ¡°Silly girl.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not silly! ¡® Just as the two of them were flirting, Immortal Crane knocked on the door. A momentter, Ji Zhao was a little puzzled. ¡°Master, are you nning to go to the Qin Residence?¡¯ ¡®Yes.¡± Immortal Crane nodded slightly, a dark and unclear emotion hidden in the depths of his eyes. ¡°Speaking of which, it¡¯s time for me to meet my old friends.¡± ¡°I heard from Brother Qin that his aunt seems to be the biological sister of the Prefect of Yunchuan?¡¯ Ji Zhao was a little surprised. ¡®Master is actually an old acquaintance of First Madam Qin?¡± Immortal Crane didn¡¯t want to talk about it anymore. ¡°Pack up and follow me to the Qin Residence.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± At gam, Ji Zhao apanied Immortal Crane to arge courtyard in the northern part of the prefecture. The stone lions standing on both sides of the manor gate looked majestic. The red-painted riveted door was slowly pulled open, making a dull and heavy sound. Ji Zhao obediently followed behind Immortal Crane. After circling around a wall cawed with orchids, what greeted her eyes were dazzling strange rocks. After going around a long and winding wooden corridor and walking east for another fifteen minutes, they finally stopped. Along the way, Ji Zhao saw countless bonsais. It was the time for the autumn chrysanthemums to bloom. Ji Zhao counted them carefully in her heart. There were at least a dozen different types of chrysanthemums. After entering the inner room, the air was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood. ¡°There you are.¡± A voice suddenly sounded from behind the screen that was painted with flowers, birds, fish, and insects. ¡°I heard that your head pain is acting up again?¡± Immortal Crane asked in a concerned tone. ¡°It¡¯s been an old problem for many years. I¡¯m sorry to trouble you.¡± The voice behind the screen was weak. ¡°But I¡¯m d you came.¡± ¡°umted frustrations turn into illnesses and block the heart. As time passes, not even the gods can cure you.¡± Immortal Crane persuaded helplessly, ¡°So many years have passed. It¡¯s time for you to let go.¡± ¡°BrotherO, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll never be able to let go¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been looking forward to his return for so many years¡­¡± First Madam Qin sighed sadly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about my illness. I¡¯ll be better in two days.¡± ¡°Since you know what you¡¯re doing, I won¡¯t disturb you anymore.¡± Before Immortal Crane left, he pointed at Ji Zhao and said, ¡°This girl¡¯s name is Ji Zhao. She¡¯s my good disciple. ¡® Chapter 307 - 307: Snowflake Cake Chapter 307: Snowke Cake Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions The person sitting behind the screen seemed to hesitate for a moment. Then, she chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re actually willing to take in a disciple?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fated with this girl.¡± The Immortal Crane looked at Ji Zhao with a gratified gaze. ¡°Furthermore, this girl¡¯s culinary skills are even better than yours.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± First Madam Qin was a little surprised. Then, she smiled and said, ¡°I wonder if Miss Ji knows how to make snowke cake?¡± ¡°Madam, are you talking about the square snowke cake made of glutinous rice, sesame seeds, and sugar?¡± Ji Zhao asked carefully. ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°l know how to make it.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to trouble Miss Ji to make a snowke cake in the kitchen, okay?¡± Ji Zhao subconsciously looked at Immortal Crane beside her. Seeing her master nod, she agreed, ¡°Okay.¡± A nanny in gray walked around the screen and walked in front of Ji Zhao. She bowed respectfully and said, ¡°Miss, please follow me to the kitchen.¡¯ ¡°Okay.¡± After Ji Zhao left, First Madam Qin was the first to ask, ¡°I know Brother¡¯s personality the best. Brother is a person who yearns for freedom. Why would you take in a disciple so easily? This Miss Ji must have something extraordinary, right?¡± ¡°Ah Tao is gentle and kind, and her culinary skills are good,¡± Immortal Crane exined in a low voice. ¡°I was originally entrusted by someone to help this girl¡¯s husband. I didn¡¯t expect this girl¡¯s personality to match my temper. She¡¯s a good child.¡± ¡°Fangrong, I hope you can help take care of her.¡± ¡®Why do you say that?¡± First Madam Qin was a little surprised. ¡°Lu Hongshan took a fancy to this girl¡¯s husband and even poisoned her.¡± The Immortal Crane said with aplicated tone, ¡°Back then, I gave you all the Fragrant Beauty I made.. After hearing the entire story, First Madam Qin fell into deep thought. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, brother. I will definitely seek justice for Ah Tao.¡± master was here to find someone to support her today. Although she was a little curious about the rtionship between her master and Madam Qin, if her master was unwilling to tell her, there was no need for her to ask. ¡°Thank you, Nanny.¡± When the ingredients for making the snowke cake were brought to him, Ji Zhao thanked her obediently. ¡°Miss, you¡¯re too polite,¡± the nanny quickly said. ¡°If you have any other orders, feel free to tell me.¡¯ ¡°Not at the moment,¡± Ji Zhao said politely with a faint smile. After washing her hands, Ji Zhao prepared to make snowke cakes. First, she had to steam the washed glutinous rice and then mash it. Then, she had to add a suitable amount of sesame crumbs and crushed sugar. Then, she had to knead it into a pan. Finally, he had to brush a thinyer of oil in the pan and fry the bottom for a while before it was ready to be served. Finally, cut it into the size of a mahjong cube and te it. First Madam Qin took a small bite of the snowke cake and chuckled. ¡°Brother was indeed not exaggerating. Ah Tao¡¯s culinary skills are indeed extraordinary.¡± ¡°This snowke cake is refreshing and delicious. The sweetness is moderate. It¡¯s indeed delicious.¡± Before leaving, Ji Zhao also received a greeting gift from First Madam Qin. It was a white jade bracelet that was extremely smooth and warm to the touch. ¡°This gift is too precious. I can¡¯t ept it.¡± Ji Zhao subconsciously wanted to refuse, but she heard First Madam Qin say, ¡®Girl, you can¡¯t refuse a gift from an elder!¡± ¡°This?¡± Ji Zhao could only cast a pleading look at her master. ¡°Take it.¡± Immortal Crane nodded at her. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s go back to the After returning to the Yinchuan Inn, Immortal Crane locked himself in his room and refused to leave. Ji Zhao was a little worried. ¡°Shen Yao, I feel that Master is a little down. What can I do to make him happier?¡± Ji Zhao, who was sitting in front of the desk, rested her chin on one hand with a worried expression. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Shen Yao looked at her andforted her gently, ¡°Senior will be fine.¡± Ji Zhao thought for a while and finally had an idea. ¡°l think one should eat something sweet when they¡¯re in a bad mood. Why don¡¯t I go to the kitchen and make some sweet soup?¡± ¡°Shen Yao, what do you think?¡¯ ¡®Yes, that¡¯s a good idea. I¡¯ll go with you.¡± On the other side, First Madam Qin was only relieved after asking around about Ji Zhao¡¯s background. ¡°Madam, are you afraid that Immortal Crane will be deceived?¡± Nanny Wu looked at her master and asked softly. ¡°Brother has roamed the martial world for many years and won¡¯t be easily deceived.¡± First Madam Qin chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t expect him to take in a disciple. He didn¡¯t even hesitate to seek justice from me for this new disciple. ¡® Nanny Wu lowered her eyes and did not continue the conversation. ¡°All these years, I¡¯ve been hoping that Sheng is still alive¡­¡± First Madam Qin¡¯s tone was filled with grief. ¡°Madam, have you forgotten what the master said? As long as you pray sincerely, your wish wille true one day.¡± Nanny Wu quicklyforted her. ¡°Nanny, I¡¯ve thought about it for a long time. Perhaps it¡¯s time for us to return to the residence.¡± First Madam Qin sighed softly. ¡°l hope that Sheng wille back early, but I don¡¯t want the Qin family to have already fallen apart by the time hees back. I have to do my best to guard the Qin family!¡± Although Qin Minghong was a little surprised to learn that his aunt was about to move back to the manor, he was mostly happy. It was just that in the Qin Residence, some people were happy while others were worried. The person in charge of the Qin family was Madam Liu, Qin Chen¡¯s second wife and Qin Minghong¡¯s stepmother. ¡®What exactly is going on? Why did Chen Fangrong suddenly want toe back?¡± Madam Liu gripped the teacup in her hand tightly, her long and narrow peach blossom eyes shining with a cold light! Ever since Qin Sheng disappeared on the battlefield sixteen years ago, Chen Fangrong had been unable to recover from the setback. She stubbornly moved to the Qin family¡¯s side courtyard and stayed there for sixteen years. Over the years, Madam Liu had meticulously nned everything and slowly controlled all of the Qin family¡¯s resources. Once Chen Fangrong returned, wouldn¡¯t she have to hand over her power? This was not a good sign for Madam Liu. ¡°Madam, calm down.¡± The nanny beside her hurriedly advised, ¡°First Madam has been eating vegetarian food and chanting Buddhist scriptures for many years. Now, she has long developed a temperament of not listening to anything outside. Perhaps she just wants toe back and stay for a while? After all, it¡¯s time for the person from Weirui Pavilion to get married.¡± ¡°Nanny, do you mean that Chen Fangrong wants to personally arrange Qin Minghong¡¯s marriage?¡¯ After some guidance from the nanny by her side, Madam Liu gradually felt relieved. ¡®That¡¯s right. Chen Fangrong is like a sister to the wife before me. If it weren¡¯t for her secretly taking care of him all these years, Qin Minghong¡¯s personality would have long been raised astray by me! ¡± ¡°Chen Fangrong only dared to go against me time and time again because of her illustrious family background.¡± Madam Liu gritted her teeth fiercely and was extremely angry.. Chapter 308 - 308: My Husband Is Not That Petty! Chapter 308: My Husband Is Not That Petty! Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions First Madam Qin¡¯s return could be said to have caused a storm in the Qin family. Even Ji Zhao, who was staying at the inn, heard some rumors. ¡°First Madam Qin is Prefect Chen¡¯s biological sister, and the Qin family is the richest family in Yunchuan, so if anything happens within the Qin family, there will be rumors on the streets,¡± Shen Yao exined with a smile when he saw Ji Zhao¡¯s puzzled expression. ¡°I¡¯m just a little surprised. That Miss Lu from the Yunchuan General Judge¡¯s Residence is actually the niece of Brother Qin¡¯s stepmother?¡¯ Ji Zhao just felt that these rtionships were reallyplicated. ¡°It¡¯s a littleplicated.¡± Shen Yao was also surprised by the rtionship between Lu Hongshan and the Qin family. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this anymore.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and looked into his eyes. She asked gently, ¡°Isn¡¯t the second round of the exam today? Shouldn¡¯t we set off for the examination venue?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll go myself.¡± Shen Yao gently tapped the tip of her nose. His tone was firm and unquestionable. ¡°Stay in the inn obediently and wait for me to return.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and said with a smile, ¡°Then I¡¯ll tell Innkeeper Qianter that I¡¯ll borrow the inn¡¯s kitchen to make some mooncakes.¡± ¡°Later, shall we enjoy mooncakes together?¡± It would be the Mid-Autumn Festival in a few days. Ji Zhao wanted to take this opportunity to practice and make a few more mooncakes with different vors. ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you,¡± Shen Yao replied obediently. His eyes, which were as bright as the gxy, were filled with gentle affection. At the end of the morning, Ji Zhao asked the shopkeeper to buy all the ingredients needed to make mooncakes. Two days ago, she had already asked the shopkeeper to order some molds for making mooncakes. Today, they woulde in handy. In addition to the usual mixed nut mooncakes, lotus seed paste mooncakes, and egg yolk mooncakes, Ji Zhao also made snow skin mooncakes. ¡°Snow skin mooncakes?¡± When Immortal Crane heard this new term, he was very curious. ¡°What vor is this mooncake? How is it different from the other mooncakes?¡¯ Ji Zhao thought about it seriously for a moment. Finally, she snapped her fingers and said, ¡®There are two characteristics of a snow skin mooncake. The first is that the ingredients used for the outer skin are glutinous rice, not syrup. The second is the texture.¡± Ordinary mooncakes were mostly baked, so the texture was rtively hard. Especially the mixed nut mooncake, it could simply make people break their teeth. However, the snow skin mooncakes did not have this problem. The snow skin mooncakes had a better texture. They were soft and smooth. It could be said that it was suitable for both the old and the young. ¡°No matter what you say, the taste of these mooncakes can only be determined after a try!¡± The Immortal Crane smiled. After taking a bite of the snow skin mooncake, he consciously gave Ji Zhao a thumbs up. ¡°It¡¯s indeed delicious!¡± Hearing this, Ji Zhao raised her eyebrows smugly. ¡°Of course. Don¡¯t you know who made this delicious food?¡± ¡°Have you finished the homework I gave you previously?¡± The Immortal Crane suddenly looked up and his lips curled into a faint smile. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you wanted to learn how to make poison? Why haven¡¯t you put it into action yet?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll go right away¡­¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly put down the mooncake in her hand and obediently returned to her room to continue memorizing. The range of the poison was really too wide. What gave Ji Zhao a headache was that some herbs that were not poisonous could be mixed together to create a highly toxic poison.. Ji Zhao looked at the book spread out in front of the desk. After a while, she felt sleepy. However, she felt like she was dreaming again? Although the scene in the dream was a little unfamiliar, the person in the dream was very familiar. Qin Minghong, who was in a hurry, held a long sword dripping with blood and red at the smug Lu Hongshan. ¡°Could it be that Cousin wants to kill me for an unrted woman? Cousin, don¡¯t forget that Ji Ah Tao is already a married woman! I don¡¯t know where this woman cultivated her bewitching ability to actually charm you men? Could it be that her skills in bed are very outstanding?¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Qin Minghong pped her mercilessly. ¡®You¡¯re full of dirty words!¡± ¡°I¡¯m warning you onest time. If you dare to do anything to hurt Ah Tao again, I¡¯ll definitely take your life!¡¯ ¡®Qin Minghong!¡¯ Lu Hongshan covered her face and scolded angrily, ¡°Don¡¯t pretend to be righteous after taking advantage! Don¡¯t you like Ji Ah Tao? I used a method to send her to your bed. It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t say a word of gratitude, but you still hit me?¡± ¡°Lu Hongshan, you¡¯re so dirty.¡± ¡°Fine! Very well!¡± Lu Hongshan sneered. ¡°Just you wait!¡± The scene changed again. Ji Zhao actually saw her hanging herself? What? What was going on? Why would she think of suicide? This was too strange! When Ji Zhao took a closer look, she realized that she was unconscious. ¡°Miss¡­ are we really going to do this? If someone finds out¡­¡± ¡®What¡¯s there to panic about? Dead people are the safest.¡± Lu Hongshan smiled smugly. ¡°Besides, that b*tch JiAh Tao deserves to die!¡± Bang! Shen Yao, who was dressed in white, kicked open the door and quickly cut off the white silk around Ji Zhao¡¯s neck! He turned around and looked at Lu Hongshan with a terrifying gaze. That gaze was as if he was looking at a dead person¡ª The moment Shen Yao threw the dagger, Ji Zhao shouted anxiously, ¡°No!¡± Once Shen Yao really killed Lu Hongshan, his career would be hopeless. He might even be imprisoned for the rest of his life! ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡± Hearing Ji Zhao¡¯s exmation, Immortal Crane quickly rushed over. ¡°My good disciple, are you alright?¡± At this moment, Ji Zhao was covered in cold sweat and had lingering fears. Without another word, Immortal Crane hurriedly checked her pulse. ¡°Master, I just had a terrible nightmare.¡± Ji Zhao, who had gradually calmed down, lowered her eyes slightly. Her low voice had lingering fears and panic. ¡°I¡¯ll make you a bowl of calming tea.¡± ¡°Thank you, Master.¡± Ji Zhao raised her eyes slightly and forced a smile. After drinking a bowl of calming tea, Ji Zhao felt that her emotions hadpletely stabilized. Just as she was about to rest for a moment, Qin Minghong arrived at the inn. ¡°Birthday banquet?¡± Ji Zhao was a little surprised. ¡°Brother Qin is actually 23 years old?¡± ¡®Yes.¡± Noticing that her face was pale and weak, Qin Minghong asked with concern, ¡°Ah Tao, you don¡¯t look too good. Did something happen?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ji Zhao smiled in embarrassment. ¡°l had a nightmare earlier and was shocked. However, Master has already brewed some calming tea for me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Qin Minghong thought for a moment and took out an invitation from his pocket. He exined with a smile, ¡°Come with Shen Yao when the timees. After all, with Shen Yao¡¯s jealousy, I wouldn¡¯t dare to invite you alone!¡¯ ¡°Brother Qin, you¡¯re being too serious.¡± Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but smile.. ¡®My husband isn¡¯t that petty!¡¯ Chapter 309 - 309: My Zhaozhao Is So Considerate Chapter 309: My Zhaozhao Is So Considerate Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions Qin Minghong subconsciously waved the folding fan in his hand, a gentle smile on his lips. ¡°1 know you two have a deep rtionship, but you don¡¯t have to be so protective, right?¡± ¡°Shen Yao is my husband. I don¡¯t like others talking bad about him in front of me!¡± Ji Zhao smiled and epted the invitation. ¡°However, we naturally won¡¯t miss Brother Qin¡¯s birthday banquet.¡± ¡°Should I send someone to pick you up?¡± Qin Minghong suggested softly. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± Ji Zhao declined with a smile. ¡°But Brother Qin, don¡¯t worry. Shen Yao and I will definitely attend the banquet on time. ¡® ¡°Ah Tao, actually, I have a presumptuous request.¡± Qin Minghong thought for a moment and pleaded sincerely, ¡°Can you help make some appetizers?¡± ¡°Appetizers?¡± Ji Zhao was a little curious. ¡°Brother Qin, what do you want?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure Ah Tao has heard about it, right? Recently, my aunt has moved back to the residence from the side courtyard. However, I heard that her appetite hasn¡¯t been good, so I¡¯m really a little worried.¡± Qin Minghong exined softly, ¡°Ah Tao, you might not know this, but when I was young, if not for my aunt taking care of me in secret, I¡¯m afraid I wouldn¡¯t have been able to grow up healthy.¡± ¡°Are you indebted to First Madam Qin?¡± Ji Zhao raised her eyebrows slightly , feeling even more curious. ¡°Yes.¡± Qin Minghong nodded without hesitation. ¡®That¡¯s why I want to do something for Aunt. I heard from Nanny Wu that Aunt has lost her appetite recently. That¡¯s why I want you to make some refreshing appetizers.¡± ¡°I wonder if First Madam Qin has anything she doesn¡¯t eat?¡± ¡°Eldest Aunt doesn¡¯t have any dietary preferences. She just likes sweet things.¡± Qin Minghong remembered that when he was young, the pastries that Eldest Aunt had sent to Weirui Pavilion were mostly sweet. ¡°I see.¡± Ji Zhao was enlightened. ¡°No wonder First Madam Qin was full of praise for my snowke cake! ¡± ¡°Ah Tao, you¡¯ve met my aunt?¡± Qin Minghong was very surprised. ¡°We met once through a screen.¡± After Ji Zhao¡¯s concise exnation, Qin Minghong was even more surprised. He actually didn¡¯t know that the Immortal Crane and his aunt were old friends? ¡°Brother Qin, I¡¯ve thought of something.¡± Ji Zhao instantly had an idea. ¡°How about this? I¡¯ll go to the kitchen now. After I¡¯m done, Brother Qin, can you bring back the dishes I made for First Madam Qin to try?¡¯ ¡°Alright.¡± Qin Minghong smiled gratefully. ¡°Ah Tao, thank you!¡± ¡°Brother Qin, you¡¯re being too polite!¡± Ji Zhao smiled nonchntly. Qin Minghong thought about it and followed her into the kitchen. ¡°Ah Tao, is there anything I can help you with?¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and chose two thick lotus roots before handing them to him. ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to trouble Brother Qin to clean these two lotus roots.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ji Zhao was going to make two cold dishes. They were cold lotus root slices and cold beef. After all, she felt that cold dishes were more appetizing than hot dishes. Coupled with the fact that it was the end of the tumultuous day, cold dishes would be morefortable to eat. In addition, she also considered the distance between Yinchuan Inn and the Qin Residence. If she made two hot dishes for Qin Minghong to bring back, the dishes would probably turn cold before First Madam Qin could taste them. After considering these factors, Ji Zhao decided to make cold dishes. Compared to cold lotus root slices, cold beef was moreplicated. Although there was some braised beef in the inn¡¯s kitchen, Ji Zhao felt that the taste of the braised beef was average. She thought for a moment and decided to process the braised beef again. She would use the secret sauce to braise the beef again. When the taste waspletely in line with her requirements, she would start making cold beef. ¡°It smells so good.¡± The fragrance that filled the air made one¡¯s mouth water. Qin Minghong gulped. ¡°The braised beef must be fully cooled before being sliced.¡± Ji Zhao was cutting the green melon when she heard Qin Minghong¡¯s voice. She smiled and exined, ¡°This way, the beefwon¡¯t fall apart.¡± ¡°In the past, I only knew that there were many delicious dishes in the world, but I didn¡¯t know that there were so many tricks hidden in these seemingly ordinary dishes. ¡® ¡®Whether it¡¯s learning to cook or doing business, as long as you know the methods, it won¡¯t be difficult,¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile. ¡°Just as the oil seller said, there¡¯s no other trick but to be familiar with it.¡± ¡°Ah Tao, how great would it be if I knew you before Shen Yao married you!¡± Qin Minghong could not help but smile and sigh. ¡°If I knew you first, I would definitely make you happy and marry you!¡¯ ¡°Brother Qin, are you that confident that I will marry you?¡± Ji Zhao subconsciously raised her eyebrows and looked at him with an indiscernible smile. ¡®Would you not?¡± Qin Minghong asked with a hurt expression. ¡°I¡¯m afraid not.¡± Ji Zhao smiled very honestly. ¡°After all, my husband is iparably handsome. Although Brother Qin is considered handsome,pared to my Shen Yao, there¡¯s still a gap¡­ ¡® ¡°Ah Tao, don¡¯t say anymore.¡± Qin Minghong pretended to cover his chest and said sadly, ¡°If you continue, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t even be able to eat dinner.. Ji Zhao smiled without saying anything. An hourter, Qin Minghong, who was carrying the food box, thanked her again before he left. ¡°Ah Tao, thank you so much!¡± ¡°Brother Qin, if you feel bad, can you apany us to find a few more shops after Shen Yao finishes his exam?¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile. ¡°l want to book the location of Spring Breeze Pavilion as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± As soon as Qin Minghong left the inn, Ji Zhao weed another uninvited guest. Lu Hongshan, who was wearing a white veil, red at Ji Zhao with hatred. ¡°Give me the antidote!¡± ¡°Miss Lu, what do you mean?¡± Ji Zhao pretended to be confused and blinked. ¡®What antidote?¡± ¡®You still dare to pretend?¡± Lu Hongshan was so angry that her eyes were bloodshot. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you want to do this the hard way? ¡® ¡°Indeed, I don¡¯t understand what Miss Lu means.¡± Ji Zhao suddenly curled her lips and smiled. ¡°However, Miss Lu should have heard of the phrase ¡®to give someone a taste of their own medicine, to pay back in one¡¯s own coin¡¯, right?¡¯ ¡°JiAh Tao, I¡¯ll give you onest chance. Hand over the antidote or I¡¯ll make you wish you were dead!¡¯ Lu Hongshan gritted her teeth and red at her angrily. ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t apany you anymore.¡± Ji Zhao could not be bothered with Lu Hongshan, who was acting like a mad dog. She nned to go to the kitchen to make beef noodles and eat together with Shen Yao when he returned. When Lu Hongshan saw her leave without looking back, she was furious! Concerned that there were too many people in the inn, Lu Hongshan tried her best to suppress the anger in her heart and turned to leave. If she couldn¡¯t ruin Ji Ah Tao¡¯s reputation and make her life a living hell, she wouldn¡¯t be called Lu Hongshan! The sky turned dark, and it was already dusk. When Shen Yao returned to the inn, the smiling Ji Zhao came to his side with a bowl of fragrant beef noodles. ¡°My Zhaozhao is so considerate.¡± Shen Yao smiled gently, his eyes filled with gentleness.. Chapter 310 - 310: What’s Going On? Chapter 310: What¡¯s Going On? Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions Pangui Hall. Looking at the table full of exquisite dishes, First Madam Qin lowered her eyes to hide the mockery in them. After only two mouthfuls of pickled cucumbers, she got the servants to remove the dishes. ¡°She sure knows how to put on a show.¡± Nanny Wu couldn¡¯t help but mock, ¡°The dishes on the table are all greasy and heavy vored, but they¡¯re also extremely exquisite. If Madam shows any disgust, I¡¯m afraid there will be a lot of rumors.¡± ¡°Mistress, what do you want to eat? I¡¯ll go to the kitchen to make it myself.¡± Nanny Wu thought for a moment and asked with concern. ¡°Nanny, don¡¯t worry. I really don¡¯t have much of an appetite.¡± First Madam Qin chuckled. ¡°Madam Liu is still too anxious.¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s Master¡¯s n?¡± ¡®What¡¯s the hurry?¡± First Madam Qin smiled indifferently. ¡°I¡¯m not in a hurry to fight with her for power. Let¡¯s see if she can be the matriarch of this manor. We¡¯ll discuss the matters after Minghong¡¯s birthday banquet.¡± ¡°Mistress, you¡¯re not in a hurry, but that person from the Ruyi Pavilion will likely be suffering for a period of time.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± When Qin Minghong rushed over with the food box, First Madam Qin was sitting at the desk copying Buddhist scriptures. Ever since Qin Sheng disappeared, First Madam Qin had developed the habit of copying Buddhist scriptures at dawn and dusk. She hoped that her sincerity could move Bodhisattva and bless Qin Sheng¡¯s early return. ¡°Aunt.¡± Qin Minghong bowed respectfully. ¡®Where did Minghunge from?¡± ¡°I heard that Aunt has lost her appetite recently, so I went to see a good friend and asked her to make two dishes for Aunt,¡± Qin Minghong exined with a gentle smile. Then, he said to Nanny Wu, ¡°Nanny, please go to the kitchen and get two bowls of porridge.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Seeing how excited he was, First Madam Qin was unwilling to let him down. However, when Qin Minghong took out the two cold dishes from the food box, First Madam Qin was a little curious. ¡°These two dishes seem to be cold dishes?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Qin Minghong immediately nodded. ¡°Aunt, you must try this cold beef. It¡¯s extremely delicious. Moreover, my good friend¡¯s culinary skills are not inferior to famous chefs. In short, you¡¯ll know once you try it.¡± A momentter, First Madam Qin put down the bowl and chopsticks in her hand reluctantly. ¡°The taste of these two dishes is indeed not bad,¡± First Madam Qin praised with a smile. ¡°This cold beef has a rich sauce fragrance. After entering your mouth, the aftertaste is salty and fragrant, and there¡¯s also a hint of spiciness. ¡® ¡°If Aunt likes it, I¡¯ll go and buy this recipe for cold beef from Ah Tao.¡± ¡°Ah Tao?¡± First Madam Qin was a little surprised. ¡°Could the Miss Ah Tao that Minghong mentioned be surnamed Ji? Is her husband¡¯s surname Shen?¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Qin Minghong seemed to have suddenly thought of something and exined with a smile, ¡°Look at my memory. Ah Tao said that she had met you once!¡¯ ¡°We¡¯ve indeed met once.¡± First Madam Qin smiled. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Miss Ah Tao to be good not only at pastries, but also at making snowke cakes.¡± Qin Minghong smiled and nodded. ¡°Ah Tao¡¯s culinary skills are indeed superb.¡± ¡°From your tone, you seem to be very familiar with Miss Ji?¡± First Madam Qin raised her eyebrows slightly, and a trace of worry appeared in her eyes. ¡°But isn¡¯t Miss Ji already married?¡¯ ¡°I won¡¯t hide it from you, Aunt. Actually, I once had feelings for Ah Tao, but unfortunately, the beauty already has someone in her heart! ¡± Qin Minghongughed self-deprecatingly and exined the process of him getting to know Ji Zhao¡¯s family. An hourter, First Madam Qin became even more interested in Ji Zhao. ¡°In that case, the reason why Hongxing Restaurant¡¯s business could be so popr is because of Miss Ji?¡± ¡°You can say that.¡± Qin Minghong nodded solemnly. ¡°Ah Tao is extremely good. Her husband, Shen Yao, is also a gentleman with both virtue and talent. In short, the couple are both extremely good people. I feel that they are people worth befriending. When there¡¯s a chance in the future, I will invite them to the residence as guests. At that time, I must let Aunt meet them properly.¡± ¡°Minghong, you know the status of our Qin family in the prefecture capital. There are many benefits in the world. That¡¯s why I¡¯m a little surprised that you and Ah Tao are very close. However, since you think they¡¯re trustworthy friends, Aunt naturally won¡¯t say anything. However, friends should help each other.¡¯ ¡°Aunt, you mean¡­?¡± ¡°Back then, before I married into the Qin Residence, I was indebted to Immortal Crane. Later on, under the arrangement of my parents, I acknowledged him as my foster brother. However, not many people knew about this. Moreover, Immortal Crane has nevere to look for me all these years. However, a few days ago, he brought Miss Ji to see me.¡± Eldest Madam Qin smiled and exined, ¡°Someone used the Qin family¡¯s power to bully your friend.¡± ¡®What the hell is going on?¡¯ After First Madam Qin exined the entire matter concisely, Qin Minghong only felt that the anger in his heart could not dissipate! ¡°Lu Hongshan is so vicious! ¡± ¡°Only our Qin Residence has the form for the Fragrant Beauty. I believe you know very well who gave out the poison in Lu Hongshan¡¯s hands.¡± First Madam Qin exined in a low voice, ¡°All these years, your good stepmother has tried to control everything in the Qin family, but I couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with her. Also, you should know why I insisted on holding a birthday banquet for you this time.¡± How could Qin Minghong not know? Firstly, he was already 23 years old. Other young masters of this age already had children who could walk. Secondly , Aunt was giving Madam Liu a chance. If Madam Liu dared to do anything to his birthday banquet, Eldest Aunt would definitely not let her off. ¡°Ever since your uncle disappeared, I¡¯ve been toozy to manage the household. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have beenzing around for so many years.¡± First Madam Qin couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°But now, I can¡¯t just watch Madam Liu destroy our Qin family¡¯s reputation without restraint. I don¡¯t want to go to theherworld and be too ashamed to face your uncle.¡± ¡°Aunt, don¡¯t think that way.¡± Upon hearing this, Qin Minghong¡¯s eyes instantly turned red. ¡°Heaven will bless the good. I believe that Uncle must still be alive!¡± ¡°I hope so.¡± Ruyi Pavilion. When Madam Liu heard that Qin Minghong had rushed to Pangui Hall with the food box, she was furious. ¡°He;s indeed an ingrate who can¡¯t be raised well. He can¡¯t even tell who he should be close with!¡± ¡°Madam, why are you angry over someone unrted? What if your health is affected?¡± The nanny behind Madam Liu hurriedlyforted her. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter even if Eldest Young Master is close to the person at Pangui Hall. He¡¯s just a lowly merchant. He¡¯s not like our Second Young Master. Didn¡¯t the teacher often praise our Second Young Master for being extremely good at studying?¡± At the mention of her biological son, the anger in Madam Liu¡¯s heart immediately dissipated. ¡°That¡¯s true. Compared to that ingrate, our Brother Yao is more important.. Oh right, is Brother Yao back today? Why hasn¡¯t hee to see me yet?¡± Chapter 311 - 311: Tricky Questions Chapter 311: Tricky Questions Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions The night was as thick as a ck velvet cloth, embellished with stars that were as brilliant as diamonds. Shen Yao stood in front of the window with his hands behind his back. He looked up at the starlight in the night sky, his heart as calm as water. Until Ji Zhao deliberately lightened her footsteps and wrapped her arms around his waist. ¡®What are you thinking about?¡± Ji Zhao asked softly. ¡°I¡¯m thinking about today¡¯s questions.¡± Shen Yao turned around and pulled her into his arms with a smile. He exined gently, ¡®This year¡¯s questions are a little different from the previous years.¡± Although his grades had been reced four years ago, Shen Yao had been paying attention to the questions over the years. ¡°Actually, the examination questions in the provincial imperial exams have been simr all these years. The questions in the past years are also very empty and not difficult to answer. Moreover, most of the essays written by the majority of the people who got ranked in the past years were mostly fanciful and gorgeous. However, this year¡¯s questions have fallen into reality.¡± ¡°If a state suffers from drought every year and locusts happen to pass through, what should those in power do?¡± Shen Yao chuckled. ¡®This is today¡¯s test question.¡± ¡°This question?¡± Ji Zhao was also extremely surprised. Wasn¡¯t this what they had experienced in Dingyuan County? ¡°Could this test be tailor-made for you?¡¯ A bold guess suddenly surfaced in Ji Zhao¡¯s heart. Shen Yao did not know either, but this question was indeed a coincidence for him. ¡°By the way, Brother Qin came to look for me today. He invited us to his birthday banquet! Ji Zhao smiled and changed the topic. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go together? After you finish yourst exam, let¡¯s go pick a gift for him?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Shen Yao agreed with a smile. He could not help but pinch her face again. ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± Hearing this, Ji Zhao shyly buried her head in his arms. Seeing this, the crescent moon also quietly hid in the dark clouds. August 15th, Mid-Autumn Festival. At the same time, it was also thest round of the provincial imperial examination. The time for the exam was set at 9:15 am. The moment the bell rang, the examinees could start writing. When Shen Yao opened the questions again, a trace of surprise shed across his eyes. Thest question was really interesting. The test question was actually a short story. A cow was sick. The cowman sent it to the vet. The vet examined it and found that the cow was already terminally ill and could not be eaten. The cowman was heartbroken and sold the cow at a low price. However, the butcher who bought the cow was the vet¡¯s younger brother. In fact, this cow was not sick at all. After the cowman found out the truth, he went to the vet to reason with him. In the end, the vet bit back and said that the cow had an infectious disease. Instead, he asked the cowman for money to treat it. The younger brother of the vet, the butcher, also twisted his words and used the cowman of having ill intentions and deliberately selling the sick cow to him. The cowman was a simple and honest person. He had never seen such a scene before. In the end, he begged the county magistrate, but the county magistrate could not differentiate right from wrong. The cowman did not expect that he, the victim, would be the vicious party. In the end, he bit his tongue in the hall andmitted suicide. Later on, the cowman¡¯s wife, filled with hatred, sold all her belongings and brought her family to the magistrate¡¯s office to sound the drum of injustice. The examinees had to answer the question: If they were the magistrate, how should they deal with the matter when faced with two parties who had different testimonies? This question was really tricky. After all, no one knew if that cow was a sick cow. Many examinees scratched their ears and cheeks with nk expressions. Only Shen Yao immediately started writing after reading the questions. Soon, he finished writing. When Qin Chen, the invigtor, saw the paper Shen Yao had written, his eyes lit up. It was a refreshing sight! Thest question of this year¡¯s provincial imperial examination was written by the current emperor. It was said that Prince XianO was also involved. His Majesty and Prince Xian were both sons of the current Empress Dowager. Prince Xian was also trusted by His Majesty. Although Prince Xian had juste of age, his military achievements were iparably illustrious. Seven years ago, the thirteen-year-old Prince Xian became famous in a single battle. After his division returned to the imperial court, he handed over military power, but His Majesty was unwilling to take over. Later, Prince Xian stayed in the imperial court, but he rarely expressed his opinion on the imperial court. It was only at the beginning of this year that Prince Xian suddenly took action, resulting in such a tricky question in the provincial imperial examination. Qin Chen thought that he had studied for many years, but when faced with such a tricky question, even he was at his wits¡¯ end. He was even a little worried that very few people would be able to make it onto the rankings. It was not until he saw Shen Yao¡¯s answer sheet that he understood the true meaning of Prince Xian¡¯s question. Yinchuan Inn. Ji Zhao also made some snow skin mooncakes and prepared some exquisite food boxes, cing the mooncakes inside. ¡°Madam, your hands are clever.¡± After tasting a piece of snow skin mooncake with bean paste filling, Innkeeper Qian gave Ji Zhao a thumbs up from the bottom of his heart. ¡°I¡¯ve tried many mooncakes, but the taste of those mooncakes is not as good as Madam¡¯s snow skin mooncakes!¡± ¡°If Innkeeper Qian likes it, eat two more pieces.¡± Ji Zhao handed Innkeeper Qian a few more mooncakes. ¡°In addition to the bean paste filling, I also made some lotus filling and winter melon filling. But if you ask me, the most delicious thing is still the egg yolk filling.¡± ¡°How can I ept that?¡± Innkeeper Qian waved his hand repeatedly. ¡°How about this, Madam? Can you sell this mooncake to me?¡¯ ¡°Innkeeper Qian, we¡¯ve troubled you a lot during this period of time. Moreover, you¡¯ve arranged our three meals well. I even borrowed the inn¡¯s kitchen from time to time,¡± Ji Zhao said very honestly. ¡°Take these mooncakes as a token of our appreciation. If you don¡¯t ept them, I won¡¯t agree!¡± Seeing that he really could not refuse, Innkeeper Qian could only ept the mooncakes. However, he secretly made up his mind. If the Shen couple had any instructions in the future, he would definitely not refuse! ¡°By the way, I heard that Madam is preparing to open a restaurant in the prefecture capital?¡± Innkeeper Qian suddenly thought of something and asked with concern, ¡°1 wonder if Madam has chosen a location for this shop?¡± ¡°Brother Qin helped me choose three shops. It¡¯s just that my husband has to take an exam during this period of time, so we haven¡¯t had the time to take a look yet.¡± Ji Zhao exined as she boxed the mooncakes. ¡°However, we definitely have to stay in the prefecture city for a long time. In a few days, we¡¯ll find a suitable residence first. After we settle down, we¡¯ll slowly look at the shops. ¡® ¡°Madam, there are at least a dozen taverns of all sizes in our Yunchuan Prefecture. If you want to open a restaurant, you still have to spend some effort,¡± Innkeeper Qian hurriedly said. ¡°For example, thergest restaurant in the prefecture capital, Tianxiang Restaurant. Their roast duck is superb. The schrly and elegant guests love to go to Gaosheng Restaurant. Actually, the taste of the food in Gaosheng Restaurant is average, but it can¡¯tpare to the rich and imposing owner behind the scenes. He invites people to perform on stage every ten days. The other restaurants also have their own merits.¡± ¡°Actually, when I first thought of opening a restaurant in the prefecture capital, Brother Qin already said that there are many restaurants in the prefecture capital. It¡¯s not easy to let Spring Breeze Pavilion have a ce in the prefecture capital.¡± Ji Zhao smiled faintly. ¡°However, I think with my culinary skills, I can definitely do this!¡± Chapter 312 - 312: Buying a Small Courtyard Chapter 312: Buying a Small Courtyard Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions Innkeeper Qian did not expect Ji Zhao to be so confident. He was stunned at first, then he smiled and nodded. ¡°Madam¡¯s culinary skills are indeed extraordinary. I wonder what kind of restaurant Madam is nning to open?¡± ¡°Catering to rich people.¡± Ji Zhao chuckled and kept him in suspense. ¡°When Spring Breeze Pavilion opens, Innkeeper Qian, why don¡¯t youe and support us?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Perhaps it was because it was the Mid -Autumn Festival today, so the heavens were in a good mood. At noon, it actually rained. The autumn rain was slightly cold, and the hot temperature had also decreased. The weather after the rain was veryfortable. In the Qin Residence, Pangui Hall. First Madam Qin did not expect Ji Zhao to visit her personally. ¡°I originally nned to visit with my husband tomorrow. After all, it¡¯s Brother Qin¡¯s birthday banquet tomorrow.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and exined gently, ¡°Butter on, I thought that today is only the Mid-Autumn Festival, so after some consideration, I decided to visit. I mainly want Madam to try this snow skin mooncake. I¡¯m really sorry to disturb you.¡± ¡°Girl, what are you thinking?¡± When Madam Qin heard her words, she couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°You have good intentions. I¡¯m not the kind of person who doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s good for me. Besides, I¡¯m very happy that you cane.¡± ¡°Madam, why don¡¯t you try it?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, I heard from Minghong that you were very close friends when you were in Dingyuan County?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ji Zhao nodded honestly. ¡°Brother Qin is very kind, so my husband and I sincerely treat him as a good friend. Putting aside our business cooperation, we feel that Brother Qin is someone worth befriending.¡± Even if Qin Minghong¡¯s surname was not Qin, she and Shen Yao were still willing to be friends with him. Eldest Madam Qin did not expect Ji Zhao to be so pure-hearted. She pointed out her worries concisely. ¡°Now I understand why my brother is willing to take you in as his disciple.¡± First Madam Qin smiled and then said, ¡°My maiden family¡¯s surname is Chen, and my name is Fangrong. If you don¡¯t mind, you can call me Aunt Rong in the future.¡± Ji Zhao nodded obediently and smiled. ¡°Okay, Aunt Rong.¡± First Madam Qin smiled and responded. She couldn ¡®t help but feel a little emotional. This girl was generous, obedient, and pure. No wonder everyone liked her so much! ¡°I heard from Minghong that your culinary skills are also excellent?¡± First Madam Qin smiled and nodded at Nanny Wu beside her. Then, Nanny Wu brought over a menu and handed it to Ji Zhao. ¡°Tomorrow is Minghong¡¯s birthday. Help me take a look at this menu. Is there anything wrong with it?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ji Zhao agreed generously. After she finished reading the menu, she frowned thoughtfully and asked, ¡°Aunt Rong, who drafted this menu?¡± ¡°Minghong¡¯s stepmother.¡± Seeing her troubled expression, First Madam Qin understood. ¡°Ah Tao, is there anything wrong with this menu?¡± ¡°At first nce, there¡¯s nothing wrong with this menu, but if you think about it carefully, there are many problems,¡± Ji Zhao exined in a serious tone. ¡®¡±The braised beef with sauce and the brown sugar glutinous glutinous rice cake can¡¯t be eaten together. If you eat both dishes at the same time, it will make you bloated. In addition, this carp and licorice shouldn¡¯t be ced together. If you eat the carp and drink the sweet soup with licorice, you will be poisoned. And this chicken and mustard greens, eating both together will harm your vitality.¡± First Madam Qin only felt a nameless fire rise in her heart, but she forcefully suppressed it. ¡°That person from Ruyi Pavilion won¡¯t shed tears until she sees the coffin!¡± First Madam Qin sneered and nced at Nanny Wu. ¡°Since she can¡¯t even organize such a simple banquet, there is no need for her to be the head of the family.¡± ¡°Nanny, send someone to invite Second Master back to the residence! If we don¡¯t tear off ayer of her face in front of everyone, I¡¯m afraid she won¡¯t stop! Also, go and bring the doctor over!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go immediately,¡± Nanny Wu replied quickly and left the hall in a hurry. Although First Madam Qin¡¯s tone was very calm, Ji Zhao could still hear the fierce killing intent hidden in it. However, Ji Zhao was not interested in other people¡¯s family matters, so she immediately said goodbye. First Madam Qin did not stop her and only reminded her toe early tomorrow. When Ji Zhao returned to the inn, Shen Yao had already returned. ¡°This is?¡± Ji Zhao was a little surprised when she saw the title deed. ¡°I bought a small courtyard not far from the inn. Do you want to take a look?¡± Shen Yao picked up a bunch of keys and handed them to her. The smile on his face was gentle and refined. ¡°You bought a small courtyard?¡± Ji Zhao was a little surprised and confused. ¡°But how did you get the money?¡± ¡°Some time ago, I sold a few paintings.¡± Shen Yao tapped the tip of her nose dotingly and exined with a smile, ¡°A rich businessman took a fancy to my paintings and bought them at a high price. I haven¡¯t had the time to tell you.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ji Zhao smiled in realization. When she saw the name on the deed, she was even more puzzled. ¡°Shen Yao, why is my name written on it?¡± ¡°Silly girl.¡± Looking at her confused expression, the smile in Shen Yao¡¯s eyes deepened. ¡°Because you¡¯re my wife! This title deed naturally has your name written on it.¡± Only then did Ji Zhao react. The corners of her lips curled up slightly with a gentle smile. ¡°Shen Yao, why are you so good to me!¡± ¡°It¡¯s only right for me to treat my wife well.¡± Shen Yao hugged her and chuckled. ¡°Zhaozhao, it¡¯s still early. Do you want to go take a look now?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Before Ji Zhao returned, Shen Yao had already packed their luggage. No matter how good the inn was, it was not their home after all, so they could not find the so-called sense of belonging. After bidding farewell to Innkeeper Qian, the two of them held hands and walked towards the long street in the south. Yunchuan Prefecture City was veryrge. Other than the most prosperous long street, there were two other roads. They were Ginkgo Road and Wutong Road. These two roads intersected in the shape of a cross, dividing Yunchuan Prefecture City into four parts: north, south, east, and west. In the east were some exquisite and elegantrge courtyards. Most of them were the residences of powerful people. Thergest courtyard was the Qin residence. On the west side were government offices and some restaurants. Most of the people living in the south were ordinary people. On the north side, there were many simple bamboo buildings. The people living there were also people from poor families. Shen Yao had long taken a fancy to a small courtyard in the south. The courtyard was not big, but there were two pomegranate trees nted in the front yard and an ancient well in the backyard. He pushed the door open and entered the hall. On the right was the spacious and bright main house, and on the left was the utility room. ¡°The kitchen moved me the most in this courtyard..¡± Shen Yao turned to look at the happy Ji Zhao and exined with a smile, ¡°Zhaozhao, do you want to go over and take a look?¡± Chapter 313 - 313: Stronger than His Father Chapter 313: Stronger than His Father Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions Hearing this, Ji Zhao was a little curious. ¡°Kitchen?¡± ¡®Mm.¡± Shen Yao smiled and led her to the kitchen. The kitchen was not too big, but it had a hot and cold stove. Moreover, the pots and pans were neatly ced on the shelves in the north side. It was simple and clean. The moment she stepped into the kitchen, Ji Zhao felt a breeze on her face. ¡°It seems to be exceptionally cool inside?¡± ¡°Zhaozhao, look.¡± Following Shen Yao¡¯s finger, Ji Zhao noticed that there was a window on the southern wall. The window was not big, but the light was very bright. More importantly, the wind that blew in through the window was exceptionally cool. ¡°Follow me.¡± Shen Yao brought her to the window and slowly squatted down. He pointed at a rice jar that was half the height of a person in the corner and smiled without saying anything. ¡°Icehouse?¡¯ Ji Zhao immediately pointed out the mystery hidden in this kitchen. ¡°There¡¯s actually an icehouse in this kitchen?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Yao did not expect her to guess it so quickly. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve seen a few other houses before, but this is the one I like the most. I heard that the previous owner was a merchant from the north and was most afraid of heat, so they got someone to dig an icehouse under the kitchen. Firstly, it¡¯s to store vegetables, and secondly, it¡¯s to lower the temperature.¡± ¡°Shen Yao, this courtyard is really good.¡± Ji Zhao also expressed her liking for this courtyard. However, she thought for a moment and said, ¡°l still have some money on hand. Let¡¯s buy your paintings back, okay?¡± ¡°Silly girl, every painting that is drawn is for people to admire.¡± Shen Yao smiled and rubbed her head as he exined in a low voice. ¡°Then don¡¯t be like this in the future, okay?¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and said with a serious gaze, ¡°In my eyes, your paintings are worth thousands of gold. So in the future, you¡¯re not allowed to sell paintings without my permission.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll follow your instructions!¡± Shen Yao nodded gently. Then, he leaned behind her ear and said in a low voice, ¡°Wife, I¡¯m a little hungry.¡¯ ¡®What do you want to eat?¡± Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but shrink her neck and smile. ¡°I like all the delicacies made by my wife.¡¯ ¡°Go start the fire. I¡¯ll cook.¡± Ji Zhao crawled out of his arms and said with a smile. ¡°Okay!¡¯ Compared to Ji Zhao and her husband¡¯s warm small courtyard, the Qin Residence could be said to be in chaos. Qin Chen didn¡¯t expect Madam Liu, who had shared a bed with him for more than 20 years, to be so vicious! ¡°If Sister-inw hadn¡¯t ced the evidence in front of me, I would never have believed that you would secretly use so many methods to deal with Minghong.¡± Qin Chen looked at Liu Piaoxue, who was kneeling silently in the hall, with a pained expression, and his heart was filled with grief and indignation. ¡°Old Master, you trust Chen Fangrong¡¯s words that much?¡± Madam Liu, who was furious, acted aggrieved. ¡°Ever since I married into the Qin family, I¡¯ve been taking care of my husband and the children. I¡¯ve never said a word ofint. But now, just based on Eldest Sister-inw¡¯s one-sided words, Master has determined that I¡¯m the vicious stepmother? If I want to harm Minghong, does Master think Minghong can still grow up healthily?¡± ¡°After we got married, you were focused on working hard in the bureaucracy. When did you care about the matters of the Inner Residence? There are many servants in this family, and every single matter has to be calcted carefully. Did you care if I was tired? Now, you want to sentence me to death with just a menu! Although Minghong is not my biological son, he has been raised by me since he was young. Could it be that in Old Master¡¯s eyes, I am so vicious?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Qin Chen had never seen Madam Liu so sharp-tongued. For a moment, he didn¡¯t know what to say. On the other hand, First Madam Qin, who had been sitting at the side and listening, could not help butugh. ¡°Second Brother, do you still remember what you said to your eldest brother when you knelt in front of him in order to marry Madam Liu?¡± Madam Qin slowly looked up, her eyes filled with helplessness. ¡°You know very well why Minghong¡¯s biological mother passed away not long after giving birth. You always thought that Minghong¡¯s mother came from a merchant family and didn¡¯t know poetry and songs. She couldn¡¯t get along with you. Unlike Madam Liu, who was gentle, refined, educated, and reasonable, but now? Do you still think that Madam Liu is really a good person in your heart?¡± ¡°Chen Fangrong, shut up!¡± Madam Liu reprimanded angrily, ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know that you¡¯re the one who instigated all of this. If you want to take back your power, just take it. Why did you set me up? Are you only satisfied after you ruin our husband and wife rtionship?¡± ¡°Or could it be that you¡¯re a widow and can ¡®t stand seeing other couples getting along?!¡¯ Pall! Unexpectedly, the moment she finished speaking, Qin Chen gave her a loud p! ¡°You¡­ you actually hit me because of her?¡± Madam Liu was furious and cried hysterically, ¡°I¡¯ve long suspected that there was an unclear rtionship between the two of you. What, did I expose you? Are you angry from embarrassment?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t know how to speak, then there is no need for this tongue.¡± First Madam Qin slowly raised her eyes. Her cold gaze was filled with killing intent. That gaze made people tremble in fear. Madam Liu was also stunned by that fierce gaze. ¡°On ount of the fact that you gave birth to Mingyao for the Qin family, I can pretend that I didn¡¯t hear what you said just now. If you dare to spout nonsense again, don¡¯t me me for pulling out your tongue.¡± ¡°Second Brother, it¡¯s not the first time that Madam Liu wants to harm Minghong¡¯s life.¡± First Madam Qin slowly stood up and said indifferently, ¡°Logically speaking, this is your family¡¯s matter. As your sister-inw, I shouldn¡¯t ask too much, but don¡¯t forget the oath you made in front of your eldest brother!¡± ¡°As the saying goes, if you marry an unvirtuous wife, you will bring disaster to the three generations.¡± After saying this, First Madam Qin left Zhaohui Hall. At that moment, Qin Chen was already covered in cold sweat. How could he forget the oath he had once sworn in front of his elder brother? The reason why he could go from being a beggar to being called Lord Qin by others was because his surname was Qin. Although Eldest Brother had been missing for many years, his sister-inw was not a fool. If the Qin family really copsed in his hands, then his death was not worth pitying. ¡°Madam Liu, this is the end of our rtionship as husband and wife.¡± After some consideration, he decided to divorce his wife. ¡°No! Qin Chen, I won¡¯t agree!¡± Madam Liu cried hysterically. ¡°1 don¡¯t want to! You can¡¯t do this!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already made up my mind.¡± He looked at her calmly, and his tone was extremely indifferent. ¡°From the moment you couldn¡¯t tolerate Minghong, you should have known that sooner orter, we would cut ties. ¡® ¡°No¡­ I don¡¯t want to¡­¡± Qin Chen ignored the hysterical Madam Liu and turned to leave Zhaohui Hall. Pangui Hall. Upon hearing the news of Qin Chen¡¯s divorce, Madam Qin¡¯s expression was as calm as ever. Nanny Wu, who was grinding ink, sighed softly, ¡°Madam Liu really brought this upon herself¡­¡± ¡°Most people in the world are people who don¡¯t get up early without benefits. Even Second Brother is no exception,¡± First Madam Qin said indifferently. ¡°If he still wants to have the surname Qin, he naturally has to cut the Gordian knot and settle these things as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Madam, if Young Master Minghong finds out about his background¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Madam Qin smiled indifferently. ¡°Minghong is smart, much smarter than his father..¡¯ Chapter 314 - 314: I Missed You Chapter 314: I Missed You Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions When Qin Minghong, who was standing outside Pangui Hall, heard this, his heart could not help but skip a beat. After much deliberation, he still walked into the hall with heavy steps. Looking at his dejected expression, First Madam Qin gave Nanny Wu a look. After a while, Nanny Wu brought over two servings of sweet soup. ¡°I remember that when you were young, you loved to eat Nanny WU¡¯s red bean sweet soup. At that time, your life at home was not easy. Madam Liu was used to putting on an act. Your father was devoted to the imperial court and rarely cared about you. You were also mischievous and stubborn. You often went out to fight. No matter if you lost or won, you woulde to Pangui Hall.¡± First Madam Qin picked up a bowl of red bean sweet soup and fiddled with the spoon in the bowl as she sighed softly. ¡®When I was young, if it wasn¡¯t for Aunt¡¯s secret protection, I don¡¯t think I would have reached adulthood,¡± Qin Minghong said gratefully. ¡°Before my wet nurse passed away, she also said that Aunt and my mother were good friends. So before she died, she told me that if Madam Liu plotted against me in the future, she wanted me toe to Pangui Hall often. At that time, I was too young and didn¡¯t understand my wet nurse¡¯s good intentions.¡± ¡°Try the sweet soup. It won¡¯t taste good if it¡¯s cold.¡± First Madam Qin smiled at him, her eyes gentle. Qin Minghong quietly finished the bowl of sweet soup and left. Although he had some doubts in his heart, he still did not speak. After all, sometimes ignorance was bliss. The moment he stepped out of the Qin Residence, Qin Minghong raised his head and stared at the bright moon hanging in the night sky. His heart was filled with mixed feelings. He suddenly remembered that it was Mid-Autumn Festival today, but he could not eat a reunion meal. At the mention of the prefecture capital¡¯s Qin family, everyone would be envious. But he only felt lonely. Early in the evening, Ji Zhao made three simple dishes and a soup. They were all Shen Yao¡¯s favorite dishes. When Ji Zhao was cooking in the kitchen, Shen Yao had also taken the time to tidy up the courtyard. Under the lush old locust tree was a small wooden table. Beside it were two bamboo chairs. ¡°It¡¯s time to eat.¡± After the dishes were served, Ji Zhao said with a smile, ¡°Are you anxious from waiting? Let¡¯s eat?¡¯ ¡°Okay.¡± The two of them smiled at each other and ate quietly. Compared to the moonlight tonight, Shen Yao felt that his little wife was the most beautiful woman in the world. ¡°Ahem.¡± The way he looked at her was straightforward and passionate, even with undisguised desire. Being stared at by him like this, Ji Zhao felt her cheeks begin to heat up. ¡®You¡ª¡± Before she could finish her question, Shen Yao approached her unexpectedly. Even though they had already be husband and wife, every time he approached, Ji Zhao would blush and her heart would race. Ji Zhao clenched the pair of chopsticks in her hands nervously and closed her eyes silently. She could not help but pucker her lips. ¡°Zhaozhao, there¡¯s a grain of rice here.¡± Shen Yao suppressed hisughter and said seriously. Ji Zhao¡¯s face instantly turned red! ¡°Oh.¡± Ji Zhao smiled awkwardly. Just as she was about to turn around, Shen Yao hugged her. The nervous Ji Zhao subconsciously hugged his neck. Her watery almond-shaped eyes were misty like a deer in the forest, dazed and cute. Shen Yao looked down at the person in his arms and gently pecked her lips like a dragonfly touching the water. ¡°You¡­ why are you like this!¡± Ji Zhao could not help but punch his chest and mutter softly. ¡°Zhaozhao.¡± Shen Yao suddenly leaned close to her ear and called out softly. That tone was too tempting¡ª Ji Zhao felt his heart tremble. ¡°What¡­ what¡¯s wrong?¡¯ ¡°I missed you,¡± Shen Yao whispered as he gently bit her earlobe. Just as Shen Yao was about to carry her back to the house, he heard an urgent knock on the door. Ji Zhao, who was in his arms, nervously grabbed hispels. ¡°It¡¯s sote. Who woulde?¡± At that moment, Qin Minghong, who was carrying two jars of good wine, frowned in confusion. This address should be correct! Just as he was about to knock again, the courtyard door in front of him suddenly opened. If he had not stabilized himself in time, he would have fallen to the ground! ¡°Shen Yao, it¡¯s Mid -Autumn Festival today. Shall we have a drink?¡± Qin Minghong smiled and raised the wine jar in his hand. Qin Minghong was so excited that he did not even notice Shen Yao¡¯s expression that was darker than the night. ¡°Brother Qin?¡¯ Ji Zhao did not expect the person to be Qin Minghong. She quickly asked, ¡°It¡¯s sote. Why are you here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a little sad to spend the Mid-Autumn Festival alone.¡± Qin Minghong shrugged helplessly. Then, he smiled and said, ¡®That¡¯s why I came to disturb you. I didn¡¯t disturb you, right?¡± ¡®What do you think?¡± Shen Yao gritted his teeth and asked. ¡°Did Ie at the wrong time?¡± Qin Minghong lowered his eyes in disappointment. ¡®Then I won¡¯t disturb you anymore¡­¡± ¡°Brother Qin, take a seat!¡± Ji Zhao smiled and took the two jars of wine from him. ¡°Coincidentally, there are still some live shrimp in the kitchen. I¡¯ll make you drunken shrimp to try!¡¯ Ji Zhao turned around and was about to go to the kitchen. When she passed by Shen Yao, she gently tugged at his sleeve and whispered, ¡°Something¡¯s wrong with Brother Qin.¡± Shen Yao, who was full of grievances, pinched her chubby cheeks angrily and replied in a low voice, ¡°Got it.¡± Ji Zhao walked into the kitchen and took out some live shrimp from the small tank The Drunken Shrimp¡¯s recipe was very simple, but the prerequisite was that the live shrimp had to be rinsed a few more times. After washing them, she had to cut off the shrimp head, shrimp antennae, and shrimp legs. She ced the processed shrimp on a te, poured baijiuO over them, and then took a bowl and covered it. Ji Zhao thought about it and decided to mix some sauce. She took out a green onion and cut it into finger-length segments. Then, she began to mix the sauce. At that moment, in the courtyard. Shen Yao crossed his arms and leaned against the bamboo chair. He looked at Qin Minghong, who was drinking alone, with interest. He suddenly said, ¡°Using alcohol to numb your worries will only make your worries worse.¡± Qin Minghong looked at him silently, his eyes filled with guilt. ¡°It seems that I came at the wrong time?¡¯ ¡°And you still came?¡± Shen Yao retorted with a smile. ¡°Zhaozhao said that you¡¯re our good friend,¡± Shen Yao interrupted him and said sincerely, ¡°Although I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re drinking to drown your sorrows, drinking is harmful to your body and kidneys. You¡¯re not married yet. Don¡¯t ruin your body early and harm a kind girl.¡± Qin Minghong could not help but smile. After struggling for a while, he put down the wine pot in his hand. ¡°Zhaozhao said that she went to the residence to visit First Madam today and saw that the menu for your birthday banquet was inappropriate.¡± Shen Yao¡¯s gaze was calm as he asked, ¡°Are you so depressed now because of this?¡± Chapter 315 - 315: Take Care, I Won’t See You Off Chapter 315: Take Care, I Won¡¯t See You Off Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± After a long silence, Qin Minghong sighed softly. ¡°l. never wanted topete with Mingyao for favor. In fact, I was very envious of Mingyao, but she still couldn¡¯t tolerate me. She even treated me as a thorn in her side. Now, Father is actually going to divorce her. I don¡¯t feel happy at all. I even feel a little depressed.¡± ¡°Different positions mean you will have different thoughts. Since you ¡®re not fated, why force it?¡± Shen Yao said slowly and softly, ¡°Human nature is selfish. Why don¡¯t you think about it? If your mother was still alive, would you still expect Madam Liu to dote on you?¡± Qin Minghong fell silent. If his mother was still alive, he would definitely hate Madam Liu to the core, right? ¡°The eldest branch of the Qin family doesn¡¯t have offspring. The second branch only gave birth to you and Qin Mingyao,¡± Shen Yao analyzed calmly. ¡°In your stepmother¡¯s eyes, everything in the Qin family naturally has to fall into the hands of her biological son. Only then will she be at ease.¡± ¡®Your uncle is a Rank 4 General and has many military achievements. He can even stand tall in front of the current emperor. It¡¯s a pity that he disappeared in the Battle of Fei River 16 years ago¡­¡± Shen Yao looked into his eyes and analyzed seriously, ¡°Your aunt came from an illustrious family, but your stepmother didn¡¯t fix her own position. It¡¯s not strange that she ended up being divorced.¡± ¡°Brother Qin, instead of being sad for someone unimportant, why don¡¯t you think about your future?¡¯ A momentter, Qin Minghong looked at Shen Yao and raised his ss with a smile. ¡°Listening to your words is better than studying for ten years.¡± ¡®You tter me.¡± Shen Yao smiled. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Brother Qin, go back and rest early!¡± ¡°I still have one more question.¡± Qin Minghong thought about it and asked, ¡°If therees a day when I can¡¯t be surnamed Qin anymore¡­¡± ¡°Family name is just a title,¡± Shen Yao said very honestly. ¡°If your surname is Zhou, Zhaozhao and I will call you Big Brother Zhou. If your surname is Wu, we will call you Big Brother Wu. Your surname is not important. What¡¯s important is that you are you.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m me?¡± Qin Minghong thought carefully about these words and then came to a realization. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m just me. What does my surname have to do with anything?¡± ¡°Goodbye.¡± Seeing his enlightened expression, a faint smile finally appeared on Shen Yao¡¯s face. In the kitchen, just as Ji Zhao was about to bring out the prepared Drunken Shrimp, Shen Yao suddenly walked in. ¡°Eh? Why did youe in?¡± Ji Zhao blinked and asked curiously, ¡°Where¡¯s Brother Qin?¡± ¡°He¡¯s gone back.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Ji Zhao was even more confused. ¡°But he hasn¡¯t tasted the Drunken Shrimp yet, right? Is he in a better mood now?¡¯ ¡°He¡¯s fine.¡± Shen Yao suddenly reached out to hold her shoulders. He lowered his head to look into her eyes and said aggrievedly, ¡°I¡¯m not fine.¡± ¡®Why?¡± ¡®What do you think?¡± Ji Zhao raised her eyebrows slightly and tiptoed to kiss his cheek. ¡®What about now? Are you feeling better? Big vinegar vat-¡± ¡°It¡¯s not enough-I¡¯ Shen Yao smiled gently. Catching her off guard, he picked her up and turned to return to the house. The night breeze was slightly cool, and the candlelight flickered. The red waves of the quilt stirred under the continuous drizzle. Again and again. It was another night of passion, and it was already dawn. When dawn broke, it was raining. The sleepy Ji Zhao saw the man beside her and askedzily, ¡°Shen Yao, what time is it?¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s loam.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Ji Zhao replied silently. She found afortable position in his arms and closed her eyes. A momentter, she suddenly looked up. ¡°It¡¯s already10am?! Aren¡¯t we going to the Qin Residence for a banquet today?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to go for the time being.¡± Shen Yao yed with a strand of ck hair that fell on her shoulder and exined gently, ¡°Brother Qin saidst night that the birthday banquet has been canceled.¡± ¡°Canceled? Why?¡± ¡°I heard that the second master of the Qin family wants to divorce his wife.¡± Shen Yao tapped the tip of her nose affectionately. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this. It¡¯s still raining outside. Why don¡¯t you sleep a little longer? Hmm?¡± ¡°Then will you apany me?¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Shen Yao raised his eyebrows and looked at her. The light in his eyes was obvious. ¡°It¡¯s better not to¡­¡± Ji Zhao, who immediately admitted defeat, silently pulled the thin nket over herself. ¡°When I wake up, I want to eat shredded meat noodles.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± When it was close to noon, the rain stopped. Ji Zhao got up from the bed with difficulty. As she rubbed her sore waist, she cursed Shen Yao ten thousand times in her heart! This man was simply a hungry wolf! ¡°Try it?¡± Shen Yao walked to her side with the bowl and chopsticks and said softly, ¡°My cooking is not as good as yours, so you can only make do with it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s already very fragrant! Ji Zhao praised generously when she smelled the fragrance of the bowl of shredded meat noodles. Just as she was about to reach out to take the bowl and chopsticks, Shen Yao avoided her. ¡®Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll feed you.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this a little exaggerated?¡± Ji Zhao subconsciously blurted out. ¡®Why don¡¯t you try?¡¯ Fifteen minutester, Ji Zhao angrily handed the chopsticks to him. ¡°I¡¯m not eating.¡± It was really embarrassing. She had never expected that the aftereffects of the couple¡¯s intercourse would be so strong that she could not even hold her chopsticks properly! ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. Zhaozhao, don¡¯t be angry, okay?¡± Shen Yao coaxed her gently. Then, he brought the bowl of noodles to her lips. When Immortal Crane rushed to this courtyard, he saw the scene of the two of them being intimate. ¡°Master? Why are you here?¡± Ji Zhao weed him with a smile, but she was flicked by Immortal Crane! Ji Zhao silently held her forehead and looked at him aggrievedly. ¡®Master, why did you do that?¡± ¡°To think that you still have me in your eyes as your master!¡± Immortal Crane poked her head angrily. ¡°The two of you secretly moved out of the inn without telling me?¡± Ji Zhao, who was in the wrong, silently shrunk her head and immediately admitted her mistake. ¡°l know my mistake.¡± ¡°Senior, this is not Zhaozhao¡¯s fault. It¡¯s my negligence.¡± Shen Yao shielded Ji Zhao behind him with heartache and exined sincerely, ¡°l originally wanted to tell you after we settled down. After all, this courtyard is a little simple and doesn¡¯t have thefort of an inn.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Immortal Crane rolled his eyes at him. ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking? You did it on purpose!¡¯ However, this punk was still too young! He would not watch his good disciple be bullied by him! ¡°I left the inn in a hurry just now and didn¡¯t have time to eat lunch.¡± ¡°Then what do you want to eat, Master? I¡¯ll make it for you,¡± Ji Zhao quickly said. She stood up and was about to go to the kitchen, but her legs went soft and he almost fell to the ground. Fortunately, Shen Yao quickly caught her. ¡®You can¡¯t even stand properly, why are you still cooking?¡± The Immortal Crane was angry and felt heartache. He pointed at Shen Yao and said angrily, ¡°Go and cook another bowl of noodles!¡± ¡°Alright, please wait a moment.. ¡® Chapter 316 - 316: Very Fair Chapter 316: Very Fair Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions Fifteen minutester, Immortal Crane retracted his hand from Ji Zhao¡¯s pulse and his gaze darkened. ¡°Master, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Husband and wife¡¯s affairs are the harmonization of Yin and Yang. When the Yin is strong, the Yang is weak, and when the Yin is weak, the Yang is strong. Women are extremely Yin while men are extremely Yang.¡± The Immortal Crane looked at her and said earnestly, ¡°My good disciple, do you know when a woman should get married and have children?¡± ¡°Master, what exactly do you want to say¡­¡± Ji Zhao asked ufortably, ¡°Don¡¯t beat around the bush. Just say it.¡± ¡®You can ¡®t have intercourse too often. Otherwise, it will be harmful to your body.¡± Immortal Crane cleared his throat and exined softly, ¡®Moreover, with your current body, if you¡¯re pregnant, it will be very difficultter on. It might even affect your lifespan. If you want to have children, you have to recuperate first.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Ji Zhao nodded silently and replied obediently. When Shen Yao brought the second bowl of shredded meat noodles to the courtyard, Ji Zhao had already been chased back to her room by Immortal Crane to rest. After settling the bowl of delicious shredded meat noodles, Immortal Crane warned Shen Yao again. ¡°In your heart, you must think that this old man is nosy.¡± Immortal Crane looked into his eyes and said earnestly, ¡°However, for the sake of my good disciple¡¯s health, this old man hopes that you can restrain yourself. Within two years, my good disciple shouldn¡¯t get pregnant.¡± ¡°Thank you for your concern, Senior.¡± Shen Yao was not someone who did not know what was good for him. Moreover, he knew that the Immortal Crane said this for Zhaozhao¡¯s sake. The Second Madam of the Qin Family had been divorced by the Second Master of the Qin Family! As soon as the news was out, rumors spread like wildfire. However, Ji Zhao had no time to gossip. Instead, she had been looking for a suitable shop. Within three days, she had visited no less than ten shops. However, she did not find anything she liked. ¡°You¡¯ve lost a lot of weight recently.¡± Shen Yao filled a bowl with ginseng chicken soup and pushed it in front of the tired Ji Zhao. Heforted her softly, ¡°I specially made ginseng chicken soup when I woke up in the morning. The temperature is just right now.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Ji Zhao tilted her head and leaned on his shoulder. She closed her eyes tiredly and was a little discouraged. ¡°It¡¯s really not easy to find a suitable shop in the prefecture! It¡¯s either the area is too small or the price is too high.¡± ¡°Zhaozhao, why do you insist on not letting Qin Minghong participate this time?¡± Shen Yao asked softly. ¡°I want to own a restaurant that belongs to us,¡± Ji Zhao replied softly. ¡°Although Brother Qin is someone we can befriend, when ites to business, it¡¯s not the more the better. Otherwise, if there are disagreements in business in the future, wouldn¡¯t it hurt our friendship? Of course, there¡¯s another reason.¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment, then lowered her voice and whispered into Shen Yao¡¯s ear, ¡°A restaurant is the best ce to gather information. When you be an official in the court in the future, it will definitely be useful.¡± ¡°Silly girl.¡± Shen Yao¡¯s heart ached and he was touched. He raised his hand and pinched her chin. He chuckled and asked, ¡°Are you that confident in me?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Ji Zhao nodded without hesitation. ¡°After all, it¡¯s rare to see a gentleman as talented and knowledgeable as my husband.¡± ¡®What if I fail again?¡± Shen Yao teased deliberately. ¡°No way!¡¯ Ji Zhao suddenly looked up at him with a determined gaze. ¡°Shen Yao, do you dare to make a bet with me?¡¯ ¡°A bet?¡± Shen Yao raised his eyebrows with interest. ¡°How do you want to bet?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s bet on your ranking in this provincial imperial examination. How about it?¡± Ji Zhao smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ve asked around before. In the past years, only about 30 people in our Yunchuan Prefecture have been ranked on the honor roll. If they pass, they will be called examinees. The first ce will be the Jieyuan, the second ce will be the Yayuan, the third, fourth, and fifth ce will be Jingkui, and the sixth ce will be Yakui. Generally speaking, the examinees ranked in the top six will be highly regarded.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Yao nodded slightly in agreement. ¡°Then how about we bet on your ranking?¡± Ji Zhao rubbed her chin thoughtfully and finally said with a smile, ¡°I bet you¡¯ll be in the top three!¡¯ ¡°If I win, you have to promise me three things. If I lose, I¡¯ll personally cook a table of your favorite delicacies. How about that?¡± ¡°This bet sounds¡­¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Ji Zhao silently raised her eyebrows and looked at him. ¡°That¡¯s very fair.¡± Shen Yao, who was good at reading the mood, hurriedly nodded and said. ¡°That¡¯s more like it!¡± Ji Zhao put her hands on her hips smugly. ¡°Hurry up and drink the ginseng soup. It won¡¯t taste good when it¡¯s cold.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± At the end of August, Ji Zhao finally found a satisfactory shop. ¡°Madam Shen,¡± Shopkeeper Qian said very honestly, ¡®The reason why this shop has been put on hold for more than half a year is because something bad happened here half a year ago.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s curiosity was piqued. ¡°Could it be that this shop is haunted?¡± ¡°Madam has heard?¡± Shopkeeper Qian was extremely surprised. ¡°Since Madam knows about this, why are you still insisting on settling it?¡± ¡°I¡­ just said it casually.¡± Ji Zhao suddenly felt ayer of cold sweat on ber back. ¡°But Shopkeeper Qian, is this shop really haunted?¡¯ ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not really haunted,¡± Shopkeeper Qian exined softly. ¡®This shop was originally a winery. The previous shopkeeper¡¯s surname was Ji. About three years ago, he came to our Yunchuan Prefecture and opened this winery. However, the winery¡¯s business was not good. Half a year ago, Shopkeeper Ji was drunk and fell on his head. He passed away not long after. I had some friendship with him, so I helped him take care of his funeral.¡± ¡°Madam, you saw it too. This shop has a good market entrance and the price is affordable. It¡¯s not like no one hase to ask about it before, but the people who took over the shop said that this shop is a little strange. Several nights, they saw a faceless monster half the height of a person wandering in the shop. Someone also invited an eminent monk to take a look. They said that there was a ferocious beast under the shop. As time passed, the shop became so deste.¡¯ ¡°Faceless monster?¡± Ji Zhao was even more curious. ¡°Then did anyone see what this faceless monster looked like?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Shopkeeper Qian thought for a moment and persuaded, ¡°Madam, are you really going to buy this shop?¡¯ ¡°In this world,pared to the so-called ghosts, the human heart is the most terrifying.¡± After a moment of silence, Ji Zhao said firmly, ¡°l want this shop.¡± Shopkeeper Qian did not expect Ji Zhao to be so courageous. As dusk approached, Shopkeeper Qian transferred the deed to the shop and the deed to the house to Ji Zhao¡¯s name. ¡°Thank you, Shopkeeper Qian.¡± Ji Zhao smiled gratefully. ¡°When Spring Breeze Pavilion opens, I¡¯ll treat you to a drink..¡± Chapter 317 - 317: What does Versailles Speak Mean? Chapter 317: What does Versailles Speak Mean? Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions After settling the shop, Ji Zhao began to design and renovate. She locked herself at home for two days and two nights before finally drawing the design of the shop. ¡°Tada-¡± She handed the design to Shen Yao as if she was presenting a treasure. Ji Zhao raised her eyebrows smugly. ¡°Quick, take a look at my design. It will definitely Impress you-I¡¯ Shen Yao put down the book in his hand and looked at it seriously for a while. Although the process was a little difficult, he still understood the blueprint. ¡°Are you nning to change the second floor of the shop into private rooms? What about the first floor? What are these strange marks?¡± Shen Yao pointed at the thick dot on the blueprint and asked curiously. ¡°This is the entry point. Look, there are dots on the side. I n to build a koi pond. Only live water can invite money! I don¡¯t n to use the first floor for guests. These four rooms are the four themes of spring, summer, autumn, and winter.¡¯ ¡°Look, I¡¯ll set up a winding staircase above this location. The second floor is the four rooms used to entertain guests. There are four private rooms, named zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. They are independent from each other and don¡¯t interfere with each other.¡¯ ¡®What¡¯s Zhaozhao¡¯s intention in designing this?¡± Shen Yao asked curiously. ¡°In the beginning, I wanted to open an ordinary small restaurant, but after talking to Shopkeeper Qian, I realized that every restaurant in the prefecture capital has their own characteristics. For example, Tianxiang Restaurant is luxurious enough, and Gaosheng Restaurant has a deep meaning. I started to think about who my Spring Breeze Pavilion targets. Later, I thought of those madams and youngdies from wealthy families who don¡¯t leave their houses.¡± ¡°The Spring Breeze Pavilion is designed for this group of people. The highlight is that it¡¯s low-key and luxurious. It¡¯s elegant with a hint of mystery. Most importantly, the dishes in the Spring Breeze Pavilion are unique!¡± ¡°To put it simply, it¡¯s a high-end custom-made luxury meal!¡± Listening to her enthusiastic introduction, Shen Yao was at a loss. Although he did not quite understand what high-end custom-made meant, he felt that his wife¡¯s culinary skills were indeed unparalleled. After Ji Zhao finalized the renovation n for the Spring Breeze Pavilion, she immediately chose an auspicious day to start construction. Looking at the silver in her hand flowing out like water, Ji Zhao¡¯s heart ached. ¡°It¡¯s only when you need money that you regret not having enough!¡± ¡°If Ah Tao is short of money, why don¡¯t you let me invest?¡± Qin Minghong, who was ying Go with Shen Yao, quickly raised his head and suggested, ¡°Coincidentally, I still have some spare money on hand. It¡¯s not much, only about 800 taels.¡± ¡°Brother Qin, can you stop the Versailles speak?¡± Ji Zhao rolled her eyes at him. ¡®What does Versailles speakO mean? ¡® ¡°It means to show off.¡± As Shen Yao ced another stone, the oue was obvious. Qin Minghong waved the folding fan in his hand in frustration and said, ¡°How boring, I don¡¯t want to y anymore!¡¯ He had lost three rounds in a row. If he continued to lose, where would he put his face? ¡°Brother Qin, why do you have to do this?¡± Ji Zhao rested her chin on her hands and said gloatingly, ¡°You know that you¡¯re not my Shen Yao¡¯s match. Why do you have to torture yourself?¡± Qin Minghong drank three cups of herbal tea in a row to calm his anger. ¡°Ah Tao, when do you n to open your Spring Breeze Pavilion?¡± ¡°No hurry, no hurry,¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile. ¡°When the time is right, it will naturally open!¡± Qin Minghong felt that he had asked for nothing. Then, his gazended on Shen Yao¡¯s face. ¡°The rankings will be revealed tomorrow. How are you feeling?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Shen Yao said calmly. ¡°So you¡¯re not nervous at all?¡± ¡°The die is cast. Nervousness won¡¯t change the oue, will it?¡± Qin Minghong nodded silently in agreement. ¡°I heard from my father that the questions for this year¡¯s provincial imperial examination are especially tricky.¡± Before Qin Minghong left, he looked at Shen Yao and said, ¡°I wish you good luck.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± On the fifth day of the ninth month, on the day of the release of the provincial imperial examination results. Before dawn, there were already many examinees gathered outside the examination venue. Ji Zhao tilted her head to look at Shen Yao beside her and quietly held his palm. Shen Yao looked at her and smiled back. Halfway through the morning, the door of the examination venue was slowly opened. After a while, the honor roll was pasted on the white high wall. Those examinees were like carps crossing the river. They all squeezed forward to take a look Those who saw their names were extremely excited and shouted excitedly. There were also people with disappointed expressions who shed tears of sadness. Ji Zhao tiptoed to see the name list on the list, but there were too many people. She could not squeeze in at all. ¡°Zhaozhao.¡± She smiled when Shen Yao pulled her into his arms. ¡°You won.¡± An hourter, as she listened to the gongs and drums outside and looked at the good news in her hand, Ji Zhao felt a little dazed. Although she had long expected Shen Yao would be ranked, she never expected him to be first! ¡°Are you so happy that you¡¯ve gone silly?¡± Shen Yao looked at her stunned expression and smiled helplessly. He tapped the tip of her nose dotingly. ¡°I¡¯m not silly!¡± Ji Zhao, who had regained her senses, deliberately made a face at him. ¡°I just didn¡¯t expect you to be the Jieyuan!¡¯ ¡°Is Zhaozhao happy?¡¯ ¡°Of course!¡± Ji Zhaoughed and snuggled into his arms. She ced her hands on his strong shoulders and smiled brightly. ¡°My husband is too awesome!¡¯ ¡°Then, is there a reward?¡± Shen Yao lowered his head and leaned close to her forehead, asking softly. ¡®What reward do you want?¡± Ji Zhao asked instead of answering. ¡°Of course¡­¡± Crack! Crack! Before Shen Yao could finish speaking, another firecracker sounded outside the courtyard! Qin Minghong hired a team of lion dancers toe to Ji Zhao¡¯s courtyard door and begin the lion dance performance! ¡°Isn¡¯t this lineup a little exaggerated?¡± Looking at the scene outside the courtyard, Shen Yao held his forehead helplessly. ¡°Exaggerated?¡± Ji Zhao shook her head silently. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Actually, there are even more exaggerated ones. ¡® ¡°Mm?¡± It was not until Zhao Lanhua came to Shen Yao with a loud voice that he understood what Ji Zhao meant by even more exaggerated. ¡°Third Brother, you¡¯re finally sessful. Boohoo, Mother is so happy!¡± ¡°Mother.¡± Shen Yao¡¯s eyes could not help but turn red. ¡°I¡¯ve made you worry.¡± The news of Shen Yao getting first ce in the provincial imperial examination instantly spread throughout the streets and alleys of the prefecture! Zhao Lanhua and Shen Dashan were also overjoyed. They nned to hold a grand banquet to invite their good friends when they returned to Shanghe Vige. ¡°Mother, since you¡¯ve alle to the prefecture capital, you should take a good look around the prefecture capital!¡± Ji Zhao intimately held Zhao Lanhua¡¯s arm and suggested with a smile. ¡°That won¡¯t do.¡± Zhao Lanhua smiled and shook her head. She patted the back of Ji Zhao¡¯s hand and said softly, ¡®There are still two little monkeys at home. Your father and I can be free these few days because your second brother is on leave for a few days. We still have to rush back in two days.¡± ¡°But Ah Tao, I think you¡¯ve lost a lot of weight.¡± Zhao Lanhua pinched her face with heartache. ¡°Have you been too tired recently?¡± Chapter 318 - 318: Can I? Chapter 318: Can I? Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions Ji Zhao subconsciously rubbed her chubby cheeks and asked softly, ¡®Mother, I¡¯ve clearly gained weight! ¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Zhao Lanhua¡¯s heart ached even more. ¡°Third Brother has been busy with his exams recently. He definitely doesn¡¯t have the time to take care of you, right? I also heard that you bought a shop in the prefecture capital? Then do you have enough money to spend?¡± ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. Shen Yao and I are fine.¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly and said sincerely. After some conversation, Ji Zhao finally understood that feeling. There was a kind of thinness called your mother felt that you had lost weight- ¡°Mother, Shen Yao is already ranked. Shouldn¡¯t we set up a few tables of banquets?¡± Ji Zhao suggested with a smile. ¡°It just so happens that Spring Breeze Pavilion is opening in the next two days. Our family can be said to have two blessings! ¡± Ever since the good news of Shen Yao ranking asthe Jieyuan came, there was an endless stream of peopleing to congratte him. In addition, the lion dance team that Qin Minghong had invited was extremely lively. It was only when night fell that the outside of the courtyard gradually calmed down. Early in the evening, Zhao Lanhua helped Ji Zhao prepare a table full of good dishes. Smelling the fragrant red braised pork, Qin Minghong couldn¡¯t help but swallow his saliva. ¡°I¡¯m ashamed to say this. Actually, the chef in my house isn¡¯t bad at cooking, but ever since I tasted Ah Tao¡¯s cooking, the dishes made by others always taste like chewing wax-¡± ¡°Then Brother Qin, eat more!¡± Ji Zhao smiled and said, ¡°But Brother Qin, don¡¯t think that just because you praised me, I¡¯ll help you settle the sry of the lion dance team!¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Qin Minghongughed heartily. ¡°Ah Tao, is your Brother Qin such a petty person?¡± ¡°As soon as the good news arrived, the lion dance team rushed over.¡± Shen Yao slowly raised his eyes and stared at Qin Minghong calmly. He silently curled his lips. ¡°Brother Qin always gets the news faster than others.¡± ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Qin Minghong smiled awkwardly, then said with a sincere gaze, ¡°l heard my father mention it before. Although the questions for this year¡¯s provincial imperial examination are a little tricky, one examinee surnamed Shen¡¯s answer sheet can be said to be outstanding. Even Prince Xian praised it.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Shen Yao nodded slightly. ¡°So, Brother Qin already knew that Shen Yao would definitely be able to enter the ranking?¡± Ji Zhao was a little surprised. ¡®Yes, Shen Yao is knowledgeable and talented. How could he not get it? It¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t expect him to be the Jieyuan.¡± Qin Minghong chuckled and said, ¡°Come, Shen Yao, let¡¯s have a good drink?¡± ¡°Thanks a lot.¡± After three rounds of drinking, the atmosphere became even more lively. Qin Minghong, who was depressed, took the opportunity to get drunk. In the end, he was helped back by his servant. Immortal Crane, who had drunk a few more cups, also returned to his room to rest. Only the two elders of the Shen family and Shen Yao and his wife were left in the courtyard. ¡°Father, Mother.¡± Shen Yao lifted his robe and knelt respectfully in front of the two elders. ¡°I¡¯m unfilial. I¡¯ve made you two elders worry.¡± ¡°Third Brother, get up quickly! ¡± Zhao Lanhua, who was sobbing uncontrobly, helped Shen Yao up. She was filled with emotions. ¡°It¡¯s already early autumn. The ground is cold. Get up quickly!¡± Shen Dashan also patted his shoulder hard and said in a low voice, ¡°Listen to your mother. Get up!¡¯ ¡°Third Brother, I¡¯m a boorish person. I haven¡¯t studied much and don¡¯t understand those twists and turns. However, I¡¯m really happy that you got in and got first ce. However, I still want to say a few words to you. First, you have to take good care of your wife. I¡¯ve read a lot of books. Many sons of good families are blinded by power and wealth and will disdain their wives and turn to marrying those rich youngdies from noble families. I¡¯ll get the unpleasantness out of the way. If you dare to do such a thing, not only will your father and I break your legs, but we¡¯ll also expel you from the family!¡± Ji Zhao, who was sitting at the side, was stunned. She did not expect Zhao Lanhua to think of this. Her warnings to Shen Yao were all for her sake. ¡°Mother, I believe in Shen Yao.¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly and said firmly, ¡°I believe in him.¡± Shen Yao subconsciously looked up at Ji Zhao, the doting look in his eyes self-evident. ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t do anything to hurt Zhaozhao.¡± Zhao Lanhua nodded repeatedly. ¡°I know. You¡¯re my son. How can I not know your temper? However, I still have to say what I should say. Old man, didn¡¯t you say that you had something to say to your son?¡± Perhaps because he was too happy tonight, Shen Dashan drank a lot more. Now that he was drunk, he patted Shen Yao¡¯s shoulder heavily and said earnestly, ¡°1 hope you can work harder. When the Spring Quarter Examinations arrive next year, you must get good results. In the future, you must be a good official and serve the Imperial Court to benefit the people! Your mother and I hope that you and Ah Tao can be well. As long as you two are well, your mother and I will be relieved.¡± ¡°Thank you, Father.¡± After the family had a heart-to-heart talk, Zhao Lanhua helped Shen Dashan to the guest room to rest. Early in the evening, Ji Zhao handed over a cup of sobering tea with a smile. ¡°And this is?¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s hangover tea.¡± Ji Zhao walked up to him and said with a smile, ¡°Mung bean dandelion hangover tea, it¡¯s sweet.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Shen Yao replied with a smile and took a sip. As expected, it tasted sweet. ¡°Mung beans have a very strong effect of clearing heat and detoxifying poison.¡± Ji Zhao looked into his eyes and said gently, ¡°Wine is harmful to the liver, and dandelions can eliminate liver fever and protect the liver and galldder, so you have to drink this big bowl obediently¡ª¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Shen Yao nodded slightly and immediately drank the cup of tea in one gulp. ¡°I specially added two rock sugars. Is it too sweet?¡± Ji Zhao asked nervously when she saw his frown. ¡°Zhaozhao.¡± After Shen Yao put down the teacup, he suddenly reached out and pulled her into his arms. He pressed his lips between her brows and his deep voice was filled with gentleness. ¡®This sobering tea is not as sweet as you.¡± Upon hearing this, Ji Zhao lowered her eyes shyly. A full moon hung in the silent night sky, and the moonlight gently shone on the ground. ¡°Shen Yao.¡± ¡°Mm?¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re getting more and more glib-tongued now?¡± Ji Zhao suddenly looked up and pinched his earlobe angrily, teasing him with a smile. ¡°If Zhaozhao doesn¡¯t like it, then I won¡¯t say it again?¡± Shen Yao raised his eyebrows tentatively. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like it¡­¡± Ji Zhao looked away in embarrassment, avoiding his sincere, direct, and passionate gaze. ¡°It¡¯s just that I¡¯m not used to you being like this.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s been so long, but Zhaozhao still hasn¡¯t gotten used to it? Huh?¡± Shen Yao suddenly hugged her and said softly, ¡°Zhaozhao, do you know what the four greatest blessings in life are?¡± Ji Zhao lowered her eyes and said softly, ¡°I know.¡± Rain after a long drought; the pleasant surprise of meeting an old friend; one¡¯s wedding night; and sessfully getting ranked on the imperial examination. ¡°I¡¯ve always hoped to experience this kind of luck one day. Now, it¡¯s the right time and ce with the right person. What do you think?¡± After a moment of realization, Ji Zhao finally understood the meaning behind this man¡¯s words and nodded shyly. The moonlight was bright and the tide was turbulent. Deep inside, the flower quivered. After an unknown period of time, Ji Zhao, who was leaning in his arms, fell asleep.. Chapter 319 - 319: Indeed My Fault Chapter 319: Indeed My Fault Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Herlyee Trantions The next day,te in the morning. The moment Ji Zhao opened her eyes, the intense scenes that had happenedst night kept shing in her mind. Caught off guard, her cheeks turned red. It was as beautiful as the sunset in summer. Hearing the sound of footsteps, she hurriedly pulled the thin nket beside her and covered her face. She bit the nket nervously, her face full of shyness. She was really crazy. She actually allowed Shen Yao to be so rash. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Shen Yao sat on the side of the bed and gently lifted the thin nket covering her head. He asked gently, ¡°Mother has made red bean porridge. Do you want to try it?¡± ¡°Mother? Red bean porridge?¡¯ Ji Zhao suddenly lifted the nket and reacted. ¡°How can I let Mother cook? No, what time is it now?¡± ¡°It¡¯ste.¡± ¡°Shen Yao, you¡­ Boohoo¡­¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes suddenly turned red as she red at him aggrievedly. The moment he saw her cry, Shen Yao panicked. ¡°What happened?¡± Shen Yao hurriedly wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and asked with heartache, ¡°Zhaozhao, did I hurt you?¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re still talking! You¡¯re still talking!¡± Ji Zhao turned her anger into a fist and punched his chest fiercely. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault!¡± ¡°It¡¯s indeed my fault.¡± Shen Yao¡¯s heart ached even more. He coaxed her gently, ¡°Zhaozhao, don¡¯t cry anymore, okay?¡± Ji Zhao responded gloomily, but from the corner of her eye, she inadvertently nced at the mark on his neck. She asked in surprise, ¡°Your neck?¡± ¡°Zhaozhao forgot?¡± Shen Yao was caught betweenughter and tears when he met her surprised gaze. Ji Zhao bit her lip silently and calmed herself down to recall. In the end, her face turned even redder. Shen Yao was not the only one who went crazyst night! After all, the scratches on Shen Yao¡¯s neck were evidence that she had alsomitted a crime. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ji Zhao pretended to cough twice. Just as she was about to get off the bed, her legs went weak and she almost fell. Shen Yao hurriedly carried her up. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the kitchen and bring the red bean porridge over.¡± Fifteen minutester, Ji Zhao seemed to have heard Zhao Lanhua¡¯sints. ¡°Look at you, you don¡¯t know how to dote on your wife at all! Ah Tao has already lost so much weight, yet you¡¯re still bullying her?¡± Zhao Lanhua red fiercely at Shen Yao, her hands on her hips as she raged. ¡°Mother, Ah Tao is hungry¡­¡± ¡®Wait a minute, I¡¯ll get Ah Tao two sesame cakes!¡± When Shen Yao lowered his head and walked into the room with the tray, Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°You still have the energy tough at me? Huh?¡± Shen Yao walked up to her and tapped the tip of her nose angrily. ¡°I was wrong-I¡¯ Ji Zhao was instantly terrified and obediently ate the porridge. She did not dare to provoke Shen Yao anymore. After all, if she angered him, she would not be able to get off the bed! Ji Zhao secretly sized up Shen Yao from the corner of her eye. Many question marks appeared in her mind. Shen Yao¡¯s figure belonged to the category of looking lean when wearing clothes while being muscr underneath, but from the outside, he clearly belonged to the category of weak schrs! ¡°Haven¡¯t you seen enough?¡± Shen Yao couldn¡¯t help but raise his eyebrows. He looked into her eyes and chuckled. ¡®Who¡¯s looking at you?¡± Ji Zhao turned her face away arrogantly and took a fierce bite of the sesame cake. Shen Yao smiled helplessly and wiped the porridge at the corner of her lips dotingly. ¡°I indeed can¡¯t get enough of my Zhaozhao.¡± Shen Yao kissed her cheek gently and smiled. ¡°Of course¡­¡± Ji Zhao smiled smugly. ¡°After all, it¡¯s difficult to find a wife as beautiful as me who¡¯s talented and good at cooking!¡¯ ¡°Zhaozhao is right.¡± Shen Yao smiled and ruffled her hair. His tone was extremely gentle. Fifteen minutester, Ji Zhao felt that she had been revived and was full of energy. ¡°Mother, it¡¯s rare for you and Father toe to the prefecture capital. Let¡¯s not cook at home this afternoon. We have to stroll around and then go to the restaurant to eat a good meal!¡¯ Ji Zhao came to the kitchen and stopped Zhao Lanhua, who was picking vegetables, and suggested happily. ¡°But¡­¡± Zhao Lanhua looked hesitant. ¡°Mother.¡± Ji Zhao shook her arm, her coquettish tone overflowing with grievance. ¡°Previously, in order to let Shen Yao prepare for the exam in peace, I couldn¡¯t even take a good look around the prefecture capital. Mother, you¡¯re the best. Can you apany us out for a walk?¡¯ ¡°Alright!¡¯ Faced with Ji Zhao¡¯s cuteness attack, Zhao Lanhua instantly surrendered. ¡°Ah Tao, wait a moment. Mother will go back to the house to get the pouch. ¡® ¡°Mother, there¡¯s really no need. I have money on hand!¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile. Halfway through the afternoon, there was still an endless stream of customers in Tianxiang Restaurant. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the prefectural city to be so lively.¡± Walking among the bustling crowd, Zhao Lanhua nervously grabbed Ji Zhao¡¯s sleeve and asked softly, ¡°Ah Tao, are we really going to this restaurant to eat? The food here shouldn¡¯t be cheap, right?¡± Ordinary restaurants would at most have four doors, but the Tianxiang Restaurant in front of them had eight doors! ¡°Mother.¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and whispered something into Zhao Lanhua¡¯s ear. In the end, Zhao Lanhua walked into the restaurant¡¯s lobby with her chest puffed out. Surprise shed across Shen Yao¡¯s eyes. He approached Ji Zhao and asked softly, ¡°What did Zhaozhao say to Mother just now?¡± ¡°Actually, it¡¯s nothing much.¡± Ji Zhao pursed her lips and smiled faintly. ¡°Let¡¯s try the dishes of Tianxiang Restaurant first. I¡¯ll tell youter!¡± x¡±Guests, pleasee in.¡± The enthusiastic waiter quickly led Zhao Lanhua and the others to the empty table in the hall and introduced them with a smile, ¡°This is your first time in our prefecture, right? Our Tianxiang Restaurant is the number one restaurant in the prefecture. Our signature dishes are crispy chicken, eight-treasure duck, steamed fish, and steamed pork with rice powder. What would you like to eat?¡± Zhao Lanhua subconsciously looked at Ji Zhao beside her. ¡°Ah Tao, what should we order?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll have crispy chicken first, then steamed fish, then lettuce with garlic and corn tbread.¡± Ji Zhao casually looked at the menu hanging on the wall and quickly made up her mind. ¡°Ah Tao, these dishes are not cheap.¡± After ncing at the menu, Zhao Lanhua looked at Ji Zhao with heartache andined softly, ¡®This crispy chicken costs six taels of silver. Isn¡¯t this too expensive?¡± Zhao Lanhua remembered that the chickens that she had painstakingly fed for an entire year would at most be sold for two taels at the end of the year. When the crispy chicken was sewed on the table, Zhao Lanhua felt that it was even more unworthy. ¡°Isn¡¯t this chicken too small?¡± ¡°Mother, try it first!¡± Ji Zhao picked up a chicken drumstick and ced it into the bowl in front of Zhao Lanhua with a smile. ¡®Try it first and see what¡¯s so special about this Tianxiang Restaurant¡¯s signature dish.¡± Zhao Lanhua thought for a moment and opened her mouth to take a bite. This crispy chicken was really fragrant and crispy, especially the golden and shiny chicken skin outside. It was crispy and smooth. It was indeed delicious.. Chapter 320 - 320: How Could I Dare to Disobey Madam’s Orders? Chapter 320: How Could I Dare to Disobey Madam¡¯s Orders? Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions A momentter, Zhao Lanhua put down her chopsticks in satisfaction. ¡°1 admit that this crispy chicken tastes extraordinary, but isn¡¯t the price a little ridiculous?¡± Zhao Lanhua still felt that it was not worth it. After all, she could not figure out how a chicken could be sold for six taels of silver. ¡°Mother, the crispy chicken 1 make costs at least ten taels of silver.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Zhao Lanhua blinked nkly. ¡°Mother, although this crispy chicken isn¡¯t big, there¡¯s a need to be particr if you want to make this crispy chicken well.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and exined, ¡°First of all, it¡¯s to choose the ingredients. Generally speaking, it¡¯s best to use hens.¡± ¡°The cooking method of the crispy chicken is also veryplicated. If you want this chicken to be fragrant and crispy, you have to steam the chicken with broth first. When the heat is enough, you have to fry it in the pot. Only then can you make a fragrant and crispy outer skin.¡± ¡°It does soundplicated.¡± Zhao Lanhua did not expect this crispy chicken to be soplicated. ¡°But 1 still think six taels is a little expensive¡­¡¯ Although the prefecture was prosperous, the expenses were too high. After the family finished lunch, Zhao Lanhua felt a little tired. ¡°Father, apany Mother home first,¡± Shen Yao suggested softly. ¡°1 still have to apany Ah Tao to the Spring Breeze Pavilion to see the progress.¡± ¡°Alright¡± Shen Dashan nodded and went back with Zhao Lanhua. ¡°What did you say to Mother just now?¡± Shen Yao looked curiously at Ji Zhao, who was chewing onacandied hawthorn. He chuckled and asked, ¡°Mother doesn¡¯t like to be extravagant. You actually convinced her to enter the expensive Tianxiang Restaurant?¡± ¡®Actually, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and shrugged. ¡°1 just told Mother toe to the Tianxiang Restaurant to investigate and see what dishes the people in rhe prefecture city like to order in rhe restaurant. This way, I can set the menu of the Spring Breeze Pavilion.¡± Shen Yao smiled and tapped the tip of her nose affectionately. His tone was filled with admiration. ¡°My Zhaozhao is smart,¡± ¡°Shh!¡± Ji Zhao deliberately looked around, then put her index finger to her lips She deliberately lowered her voice and said, ¡°1 know I¡¯m extremely smart, but don¡¯t say it so loudly. Aren¡¯t you afraid that someone will kidnap your wife?¡± ¡°No!¡± Shen Yao suddenly squeezed her hand tightly and said firmly, ¡°No one can take my wife away. He deliberately emphasized the word ¡¯wife¡¯, causing Ji Zhao¡¯s heart to beat wildly. ¡®Ahem.¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly avoided his gaze and muttered softly, ¡°Let¡¯s go to Spring Breeze Pavilion quickly!¡¯ Spring Breeze Pavilion. Thanks to the craftsman introduced by Innkeeper Qian, the renovation of the Spring Breeze Pavilion wasing to an end. Ji Zhao had looked at the lunar calendar before and felt that the day after tomorrow would be a good day. The eighth day of rhe ninth month would be an auspicious day ¡°Shen Yao.¡± Ji Zhao who wfas standing in the middle of the hall, looked at the surroundings. Her heart skipped a beat as she rushed in front of him and hugged his arm intimately. ¡°1 have a favor to ask.¡¯ ¡°Mm?¡¯1 ¡°Can 1 ask for a few of your calligraphy treasures?¡± Ji Zhao looked up at him and grinned foolishly. ¡±Can you help me write a calligraphy piece and then draw two more paintings?¡¯1 ¡°Let me think about it.¡± ¡°You still have to think¡­¡± Ji Zhao frowned in grievance. ¡°How can 1 not obey Madam¡¯s orders?¡¯1 Shen Yao gently tapped the tip of her nose and smiled helplessly. Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes lit up. She tiptoed and leaned in front of him, nting a light kiss on his cheek. ¡±My husband is so good-¡± ¡°Little fool.1¡® Shen Yao smiled dotingly and could not help but pull her into his arms again. ¡°Zhaozhao, you¡¯re even better.¡± ¡°Shen Yao/¡¯ Ji Zhao said shyly, ¡°Hurry up and let go. There are people watching us.¡¯1 ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Shen Yao raised his eyebrows and nced at the craftsmen who had stopped their work to wTatch the show. ¡°1 hope the masters can finish it on time. If it¡¯s overdue, your sry will be deducted.¡± The craftsmen shuddered when they heard that their sries would be deducted. They quickly averted their gazes and continued working. Ji Zhao, who was leaning in Shen Yao¡¯s arms, did not expect him to be so scheming. She punched his chest angrily and smiled helplessly. ¡ö¡¯Shall we go to the backyard to take a look?1¡® Ji Zhao suddenly suggested. ¡°Innkeeper Qian said earlier that there¡¯s a wine cer in the backyard. Let s go take a look. If those wines are still usable, they can be used to cook,¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Eh? Where¡¯s my candied hawthorn?¡± Ji Zhao turned to look at the empty counter and blinked nkly. ¡±1 remember there¡¯s still half of it?¡± There were a total of seven hawthorn balls on a stick of candied hawthorn. Ji Zhao clearly remembered that she had only eaten three. Moreover, she clearly remembered that she had casually ced the candied hawthorn on the counter just now. ¡°Why don¡¯t we buy two more when we go back?¡± Shen Yao held her hand and smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the wine cer to take a look first?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Although she was a little unhappy, Ji Zhao still obediently wTent to the backyard. The two of them passed through the side door of the hall and arrived at the backyard. The two rooms on the east side of the backyard were the kitchen, and the room on the west side was the original wine cer, When they pushed the door open and entered, they were greeted by thick dust that choked Ji Zhao to the point of tears. ¡±There¡¯s too much dust in here, isn¡¯t there?¡± Shen Yao hurriedly took out a handkerchief and handed it to Ji Zhao. ¡°Zhaozhao, wait for me outside.¡± He picked up the broom leaning against the corner of the wall and quickly tidied up the wine cer. Then, he pushed open the window and called Ji Zhao in. ¡°Done.¡± There are actually so many wine vats here?¡± Ji Zhao looked around in surprise. This wine cer was not big, only about 40 square meters. However, the ground was densely packed with wine jars of various sizes, In the west corner of the wall, there was a shaky wooden frame. Ji Zhao subconsciously approached the wooden frame. Just as she was about to reach out, the wooden frame suddenly fell! Shen Yao hurriedly hugged her and dodged. ¡°Areyou alright?¡± Shen Yao asked anxiously. ¡¯¡¯Zhaozhao, are you hurt anywhere?¡± Ji Zhao shook her head subconsciously.1 I¡¯m fine, but Shen Yao, look at this wall.r Following the direction of her finger, Shen Yao also discovered the strangeness of this wall. This wall was really strange. ¡±The marks on this should be formed by the wooden frame just now. But look here, why is there a golden lotus flower here?¡± Ji Zhao pointed at the marks on the wall and said in surprise. The golden lotus pattern on the wall was only the size of a baby¡¯s fist. The surrounding walls had long fallen, but the lotus flower was still shining brightly. For some reason, Ji Zhao subconsciously stretched out her finger and touched the golden lotus. With a sh of golden light, the lotus in front of her suddenly let out a loud bang. Boom¡ª Chapter 321 - 321: Could It Be That He Could Make Things Appear From Thin Air? Chapter 321: Could It Be That He Could Make Things Appear From Thin Air? Trantor: Henyee Trantions | Editor: Henyee Trantions After a loud bang, the golden lotus on the wall disappeared. In its ce was a square entrance. ¡°Is there a secret passage here?¡± Ji Zhao subconsciously looked at Shen Yao beside her and asked curiously. ¡°Ah Tao, stand guard here. I¡¯ll go in and take a look.¡± Shen Yao looked up at her and said in a low voice. ¡°But¡­¡± Ji Zhao wanted to apany him in to take a look. ¡°Be good.¡± Shen Yao nced at her, and Ji Zhao nodded obediently. ¡°Then if you feel that something is wrong, run out quickly?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Shen Yao bent over and walked into the square entrance. It was pitch-ck in front of him. He held onto the wall and walked down step by step. Finally, he saw a sh of light not far away. To his surprise, he saw a pair of clear, confused eyes and the half-eaten candied hawthorn in that person¡¯s hand. As time passed bit by bit, Ji Zhao, who was guarding outside, became more and more nervous. Just as she was pacing around anxiously, she finally heard movement. ¡°Shen Yao, are you alright?¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly went forward, but he realized that there was a small tail behind Shen Yao. ¡°This is?¡± Ji Zhao looked at the disheveled child with half a candied hawthorn in his hand and frowned nkly. ¡°He¡­¡± ¡°Zhaozhao, this child was locked in the secret room,¡± Shen Yao exined concisely. ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem to know how to speak.¡± ¡°Why docs he have my leftover candied hawthorn?¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s gaze fell on the candied hawthorn in that person¡¯s hand, and she became even more confused. ¡°Did you give it to him?¡± ¡°No.¡± Shen Yao did not know whether tough or cry when he heard her question. ¡°When I entered the secret room, he was already holding this stick of candied hawthorn.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that too strange?¡± Ji Zhao was even more puzzled. ¡°Could it be that he knows how to take things from afar?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Shen Yao shook his head and said, ¡°Zhaozhao, shall we send him to the officials?¡± ¡°Might as well.¡± For some reason, Ji Zhao felt that this child¡¯s eyes were a little familiar. ¡°Shen Yao, let¡¯s bring him home first. We have to change him into a clean set of clothes, right?¡± ¡°Might as well.¡± At that moment, Zhao Lanhua was stewing pork rib soup with yams at home. ¡°Is the fire good?¡± Shen Dashan, who was sitting in front of the furnace, poked his head out and asked with a simple and honest smile. ¡°Perfect!¡± Zhao Lanhua praised happily. When Shen Yao and Ji Zhao rushed back, a strong fragrance floated in the courtyard. Gurgle gurgle. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Ji Zhao heard a loud gurgling sound and subconsciously looked at the young boy who was tugging at the corner of her shirt. ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± Hearing themotion, Zhao Lanhua walked out of the kitchen with a smile. She took a closer look and thought that her eyes were ying tricks on her. ¡°Third Brother, Ah Tao, did you pick up a little beggar?¡± ¡°Mother, he probably isn¡¯t a beggar,¡± Ji Zhao exined seriously. She and Shen Yao both felt that no one would go through so much trouble to lock a little beggar in a secret room. When Zhao Lanhua found out about this child¡¯s background, she only felt her heart ache. ¡°Honey, there¡¯s hot water in the kitchen. Help this child take a good bath.¡± Zhao Lanhua thought for a moment and quickly instructed Shen Dashan. Then, she looked at Shen Yao and instructed seriously, ¡°Third Brother, go to the government office and ask around. See if any family in the prefecture has lost a child in the past few years.¡± ¡°Ah Tao, go to the inn and ask Innkeeper Qian. Perhaps you can find out some useful information?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± At dusk, the horizon in the distance was filled with colorful clouds. The setting sun quietly hid behind the green mountain. The autumn wind suddenly rose, carrying the withered sycamore leaves in the low air and gentlynding on the ground. After a while, it started to drizzle. ¡°He looks like a good-looking kid.¡± Zhao Lanhua scooped a bowl of pork rib soup and handed it to the nervous young boy. She praised him sincerely, ¡°But he¡¯s still too thin.¡± ¡°He¡¯s really thin,¡± Shen Dashan could not help but say. ¡°When I was bathing this child just now, I realized that he¡¯s just skin and bones. I wonder whose family this child belongs to. It¡¯s really too pitiful.¡± ¡°Third Brother and Ah Tao are not back yet. Perhaps they can find out some useful information?¡± Zhao Lanhua looked at the young boy again and advised, ¡°Good child, the soup is getting cold. Hurry up and drink it.¡± The young boy understood Zhao Lanhua¡¯s words. He held the bowl of soup and gulped it down. That speed was truly astonishing. By the time Ji Zhao and Shen Yao rushed back, he had already drunk three big bowls of pork rib soup. ¡°How is it? Is there any news?¡± Zhao Lanhua asked anxiously. Shen Yao shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve already gone to the government office to ask around. No one has reported their disappearance in the past few years, and no one has lost their child.¡± ¡°Innkeeper Qian doesn¡¯t know either. He said that he went to the wine cer a few times before, but he didn¡¯t see any children.¡± Ji Zhao shrugged helplessly and exined softly. ¡°Looks like we won¡¯t be able to find this child¡¯s family for a while.¡± Zhao Lanhua was also a little disappointed. ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry.¡± Shen Yao quicklyforted her. ¡°We¡¯ll cross the bridge when the timees. Let¡¯s cat first. Tomorrow morning, I¡¯ll bring this child to the government office. If we still can¡¯t find his family, we can only send him to Ci¡¯an Hall in the prefectural city.¡± The current emperor was benevolent. In order to take care of those vagrant beggars and old people who had nobody to rely on, he had set up Ci¡¯an Halls in various provinces and counties of the Great Jing Empire. Therefore, Shen Yao thought that if they really could not find this child¡¯s family, they could only send him to Ci¡¯an Hall. The family was discussing the child¡¯s future, but no one noticed that another bowl of pork ribs soup appeared in front of him. ¡°Then this matter is decided for the time being.¡± Zhao Lanhua thought for a moment and quickly said, ¡°You¡¯ve been busy for so long. You¡¯re hungry, right? Mother will cook noodles for you. There¡¯s still a lot of pork rib soup left.¡± ¡°Mother, I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Ji Zhao quickly got up and apanied Zhao Lanhua to the kitchen. A momentter, Zhao Lanhua stared at the empty earthen jar and frowned in confusion. ¡°Mother, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°This is too strange.¡± Zhao Lanhua pointed at the empty earthen jar. Her tone was confused. ¡°I remember that there¡¯s still more than half of the pork rib soup left. Why is it all empty now?¡± ¡°Mother, could it be that you remembered wrongly?¡± Ji Zhao asked softly. ¡°No, definitely not!¡± Zhao Lanhua said confidently. ¡°I made a jar of pork rib soup and onlydled a bowl for that child to drink-¡° Ji Zhao looked up nkly and suddenly realized something. She hurriedly ran to the front hall. As expected, the bowl in front of the young boy was filled with pork ribs soup. ¡°How many bowls of pork rib soup did you drink?¡± Ji Zhao walked in front of him and asked patiently.. Chapter 322 - 322:1 Think It’s Strange Too! Chapter 322:1 Think It¡¯s Strange Too! Trantor: Henyee Trantions | Editor: Henyee Trantions Ji Zhao felt that her tone was already very gentle, but the young boy in front of her still widened his eyes in horror. Then, right on the heels of that, he shrunk his neck back. His pitch-ck eyes were glistening like an innocent deer that had barged into a tiger¡¯s den. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Ji Zhao lowered her tone and asked softly, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter even if you drank all the pork ribs soup. We won¡¯t me you. I¡¯m just a little curious. You¡¯ve been sitting in the hall and didn¡¯t go to the kitchen at all. How did you drink so much soup?¡± A bold guess surfaced in Ji Zhao¡¯s heart, and she did not dare to think further. The young boy, who was sitting obediently on the bench, looked up at her nkly and helplessly. In the end, he nodded gently. As long as he wanted it, he could get it immediately. This was also the reason why he could survive after being locked in the secret room for so long. Ji Zhao felt a little dazed. Could this young boy really have telekenesis? She looked back in disbelief at Shen Yao, who was also silent. After exchanging nces with each other, the couple did not know what to say. Such an ability was really rare! ¡°I remember that there are still some shaobings? from now on?¡± As soon as Ji Zhao finished speaking, the young boy, no, Xiao Jiu, nodded obediently. After settling Xiao Jiu down, Ji Zhao turned around and returned to his room. At that moment, Shen Yao had just finished making the bed. ¡°Are you still thinking about Xiao Jiu¡¯s identity?¡± Looking at her worried expression, Shen Yao went behind her and gently pressed her temples with both hands as he asked softly. ¡°Yes.¡± Ji Zhao nodded. ¡°Shen Yao, who do you think Xiao Jiu is? He looks younger than Cchen, but he actually has such a special ability? He has telekenesis!¡± Unfortunately, Xiao Jiu could not speak. ¡°We¡¯ll ask Senior to help take a look tomorrow.¡± Shen Yaoforted her softly. ¡°Since we found Xiao Jiu in the wine cer, this is also fate between us and Xiao Jiu.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Ji Zhao immediately nodded. She believed in fate. Perhaps it was fate that they were able to save Xiao Jiu? ¡°Sleep early.¡± Shen Yao smiled and said gently, ¡°Don¡¯t you still have to go to Spring Breeze Pavilion tomorrow morning?¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Ji Zhao nodded hurriedly. Spring Breeze Pavilion was about to open. She had to conserve her energy before she could properly prepare these things! Not long after, Ji Zhao fell asleep. Listening to her steady and sweet breathing, Shen Yao raised his eyebrows helplessly. His little wife was really open-minded! However, this was also good. If she kept too many things in her heart, it would make her tired. The next morning, when Immortal Crane arrived at Peach Blossom Cottage, he smelled a strong fragrance. Peach Blossom Cottage was a name Shen Yao had specially given to his and Ji Zhao¡¯s small courtyard. He had even specially hung a small square que on the door at the side. The words Peach Blossom Cottage were written on it. It was handsome and powerful, and it was especially eye-catching. ¡°This fragrance? What kind of soup is this?¡± As early as an hour ago, Immortal Crane had already tasted the prefecture capital¡¯s famous Shao Family wontons. However, at this moment, he felt that the wontons he had just eaten had been digested. After all, the fragrance that entered his nose was too tempting! ¡°Master, you¡¯re here?¡± Hearing that familiar voice, Ji Zhao hurriedly walked out of the kitchen and weed him with a smile. ¡°My mother went to the market this morning to buy some mutton bones. She¡¯s making mutton soup now. Master, have you eaten? If you haven¡¯t, I¡¯ll bring you a bowl of mutton soupter.¡± Immortal Crane immediately nodded. ¡°It smells quite good. If there¡¯s any extra, give me a bowl too!¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Ji Zhao agreed with a bright smile. Fifteen minutester, Immortal Crane looked at Xiao Jiu and frowned slightly. ¡°Open your mouth.¡± However, Xiao Jiu hid behind Shen Yao nervously. Speaking of which, it was strange. Yesterday, when Xiao Jiu faced Shen Yao and Ji Zhao, he was still a little wary, but now, he was reliant on them. ¡°Xiao Jiu, be good.¡± Shen Yao quicklyforted him. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. Senior doesn¡¯t mean any harm.¡± In the end, Xiao Jiu obediently opened his mouth. A momentter, Immortal Crane said in a deep voice, ¡°This child is not mute. He just doesn¡¯t know how to speak.¡± There were no abnormalities in his pulse. Even his throat showed no signs of damage. This meant he was definitely not mute. ¡°Thank you, Master.¡± At that moment, Ji Zhao walked in with mutton and vermicelli soup. She smiled gratefully at Immortal Crane. ¡°Master, eat first!¡± Xiao Jiu stared at the bowl of mutton vermicelli soup in Ji Zhao¡¯s hand and could not help but swallow. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Ji Zhao looked up and smiled at Xiao Jiu. ¡°I¡¯ll get you a bowlter.¡± The mutton soup that had been stewed for two hours was fragrant and rich. The sweet potato vermicelli was chewy and smooth. Not only was the mutton that Ji Zhao had processed not smelly, but it also retained the original fragrance of meat. In addition, there were also green onions sprinkled on the top of the broth. Just looking at it made one¡¯s appetite increase. Even Immortal Crane, who had already eaten wontons, could not help but eat two bowls of mutton vermicelli soup in a row! Immortal Crane burped twice in a row. In the end, he looked up at Xiao Jiu, who was still eating, and said enviously, ¡°It¡¯s good to be young. No matter how much you eat, you won¡¯t feel bloated!¡± However, the moment he finished speaking, he realized that something was wrong. ¡°He¡¯s already eaten four bowls, right? Why isn¡¯t he full yet?¡± Immortal Crane asked with a frown. ¡°Master, Xiao Jiu drank an entire jar of pork rib soup alonest night¡­¡± Ji Zhao quickly said, ¡°I also find it strange!¡± annotations style=¡±disy: none;¡±xol ss=¡±tinymce-annotation-container¡±xli data-annotation-id=¡±64b80078-0866-420d-8df9-54ac3cff90a0¡å>Shaobing is a type of tbread that is a popr food in Northern China, particrly in Beijing and Tianjin.¡¯ in the kitchen. Do you want to eat them?¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and said to the young boy in front of her. The young boy didn¡¯t say anything and just nodded obediently. There was a hint of anticipation in his eyes as he looked at Ji Zhao. ¡°Then you can get it yourself?¡± Ji Zhao probed. ¡°Just sit here. Can you get it?¡± The young boy said nothing. Ji Zhao turned around and nced at Shen Yao. In the blink of an eye, a shaobing really appeared out of thin air in the young boy¡¯s hand ¡°I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t send him to Ci¡¯an Hall for the time being.¡± After a long silence, Shen Yao, who was frowning, said in a low voice, ¡°We still don¡¯t know the identity of this young man, and he has such a strange ability. If we send him to Ci¡¯an Hall, I¡¯m afraid it will cause trouble¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Ji Zhao agreed with Shen Yao¡¯s concerns. After the couple¡¯s discussion, they decided to keep this young boy first. ¡°Do you still remember your name?¡± Ji Zhao looked at the uneasy young boy and bent down slightly to look at him with a gentle smile. The young boy still shook his head and did not speak. ¡°Since we found you in the wine cer, can we call you Xiao Jiu[2. ¡®Xiao¡¯ for ¡®Little¡¯, and ¡®Jiu¡¯ as a homonym for the Chinese word for ¡®wine¡¯.. Chapter 323 - 323: Satisfied! Chapter 323: Satisfied! Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Ever since she became Immortal Crane¡¯s disciple, Ji Zhao had also understood some medicinal theories. At the very least, she had learned how to read pulses. Last night, after Xiao Jiu drank so much pork rib soup, Ji Zhao was also worried that his stomach would feel ufortable, so she specially took his pulse. After all, if an ordinary person drank so much soup, they would definitely hurt their stomach. But Xiao Jiu did not. ¡°That¡¯s strange!¡± Immortal Crane thought for a moment and pinched Xiao Jiu¡¯s wrist again, taking his pulse again. However, this time, his pulse was a little unusual. ¡°Master, is Xiao Jiu alright?¡± Ji Zhao looked at Immortal Crane¡¯s increasingly strange expression and her heart sank. Speaking of which, it was strange. She clearly met Xiao Jiu yesterday, but she felt that this child was a little familiar. Moreover, in her subconscious mind, she did not want anything to happen to Xiao Jiu. ¡°This pulse is a little strangepared to before,¡± Immortal Crane said frankly. ¡°When I was taking his pulse just now, his pulse was stable, but now it¡¯s beating abnormally frequently. More importantly, I¡¯ve diagnosed twopletely different pulses in his body.¡± ¡°Two pulses?¡± Ji Zhao was also extremely surprised. Normally, everyone only had one pulse, because everyone only had one heartbeat! In Chinese medicine, the four diagnostic methods were inspection, auscultation and olfaction, inquiry, and palpation. Palpation was thest and also the most reliable step. After all, only by taking the patient¡¯s pulse could they diagnose the patient¡¯s condition. ¡°Master, is Xiao Jiu sick?¡± Ji Zhao asked with a frown. ¡°It¡¯s not an illness.¡± Immortal Crane thought for a moment and opened the needle bag he carried with him. Then, he picked up a silver needle the length of a pinky finger and inserted it into the middle of Xiao Jiu¡¯s index finger. Hiss¡ª Xiao Jiu, who had been silent, suddenly sucked in a breath of cold air. He was really in pain! After all, ten fingers were connected to the heart. Once one¡¯s fingers were injured, the pain was still very strong. ¡°Ah Tao,e over and take a look.¡± Immortal Crane quickly pulled out the silver needle and waved at Ji Zhao. ¡°Take a closer look. What¡¯s different about the blood bead on his hand?¡± Ji Zhao stared at it for a long time before finally shaking her head. ¡°Nothing has changed?¡± ¡°Stupid disciple!¡± Immortal Immortal Crane gave her a smack, and his tone suddenly became stern. ¡°Look carefully!¡± Ji Zhao silently raised her hand and rubbed her head. Then, she looked at it seriously. After a while, her eyes widened in surprise. ¡°The color of this blood bead seems a little too bright?¡± Generally speaking, the blood of ordinary people was dark red. This was because the human body contained traces of iron. However, the blood on Xiao Jiu¡¯s hand was unusually bright red. ¡°This child¡¯s blood is extraordinary,¡± the Immortal Crane analyzed calmly. ¡°If I¡¯m not wrong, he has absorbed a lot of precious medicinal herbs since he was in his mother¡¯s womb. Also, theplicated pulse in his body is probably rted to this.¡± ¡°Then is there a way to treat him?¡± Ji Zhao asked with some concern. ¡°Xiao Jiu is still so young. If we let the two pulses in his body develop, it will definitely harm him, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Immortal Crane nodded. ¡°It will affect his lifespan.¡± ¡°Master, you must help him,¡± Ji Zhao pleaded. ¡°Ever since I started my medical career, I¡¯ve seen many difficult illnesses. It¡¯s rare to see someone like him.¡± Immortal Crane thought for a moment and nodded solemnly. ¡°My good disciple, don¡¯t worry too much. No matter what illness it is, as long as we can find the corresponding antidote, we will definitely solve the problem!¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll thank Master on behalf of Xiao Jiu first.¡± Ji Zhao was extremely grateful. September 8th, the day of the Spring Breeze Pavilion¡¯s opening. Qin Minghong invited another lion dance team. Amidst the lively firecrackers, two lions were dancing. The lively atmosphere attracted manymoners. In the kitchen of the Spring Breeze Pavilion, Zhao Lanhua looked at Ji Zhao, who was slowly kneading dough, and felt at a loss. ¡°Ah Tao, did Mother hear wrongly? Did you say that there¡¯s no opening today?¡± Zhao Lanhua suspected that she was hallucinating. If this restaurant did not open for guests, where would the iee from? ¡°Mother, we¡¯re really not opening today.¡± Ji Zhao exined with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ll have to trouble you to help deliver these buns as giftster.¡± ¡°Gift?¡± Zhao Lanhua was even more surprised. ¡°These are all real mutton buns. If they were sold outside, they would have cost at least eight copper coins each!¡± After all, ordinary vegetarian buns were already sold for three copper coins in the prefecture capital. These buns with mutton would definitely be more expensive, right? Moreover, mutton was not cheap! ¡°Mother, actually, these are all small profits,¡± Ji Zhao exined with a smile. ¡°Just wait and see. Our Spring Breeze Pavilion¡¯s business will get better and better in the future.¡± Giving away mutton buns was nothing. When Spring Breeze Pavilion becamepletely profitable in the future, she would definitelyunch some lucky draw activities. She might even give money as prizes! However, Ji Zhao decided not to tell Zhao Lanhua about these ns for the time being. After all, ordinary people could not understand her thoughts. The Spring Breeze Pavilion was a restaurant. Themoners who were watching the lion dance outside knew about it. But what kind of restaurant was it? No one knew, because Spring Breeze Pavilion had no intention of weing customers on the first day of opening! Of course, Ji Zhao¡¯s actions were truly unfathomable. Some people were curious, while others felt that she was deliberately mystifying things. There were all kinds of things being said- However, not only did Ji Zhao not care at all, she even specially prepared 99rge mutton buns! Firste, first served, everyone could only try one! These were free buns, and they were mutton buns! Based on the principle that it was a waste not to take advantage of others, everyone went to queue up! Everyone who ate this mutton bun had the same expression. It was¡ª Happiness! ¡°I¡¯m really about to cry. How can there be such delicious mutton buns!¡± ¡°Yes, yes! It¡¯s really too delicious. I almost swallowed my tongue just now!¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys exaggerating?¡± Those in the crowd who didn¡¯t manage to snatch the buns were about to die of jealousy! ¡°Speaking of which, the owner of this Spring Breeze Pavilion is still not magnanimous enough. There are so many people in our prefecture city, but she only gave out 99 buns. Isn¡¯t she too petty?¡± Qin Minghong, who was mixed in the crowd, was so angry that heughed when he heard this. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is it wrong for the owner to do some good deeds?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. How can you say that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! How can you say such things after eating someone else¡¯s buns? Don¡¯t you have any shame?¡± Just as they were arguing outside, Ji Zhao, who was wearing an apron, walked out of the door and said to the people guarding outside with a smile, ¡°Dear fellow vigers, the Spring Breeze Pavilion is opening today! We¡¯re speciallyunching an opening customer weing event! I wonder if everyone is satisfied with the 99 buns given today?¡± ¡°I¡¯m very satisfied. I¡¯ve never eaten such delicious buns!¡± ¡°Is thisdy the owner?¡± ¡°Everyone, at seven o¡¯clock tomorrow morning, the Spring Breeze Pavilion will distribute 88 bowls of Big Bone Soup for free! Firste, first served!¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s powerful words were like a thunderp that shocked the citizens of the prefecture capital! Chapter 324 - 324: The First Guest Chapter 324: The First Guest Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°Have you heard? A new restaurant has opened in our prefecture!¡± ¡°It¡¯s diagonally opposite the Yinchuan Inn!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. It¡¯s the Spring Breeze Pavilion!¡± ¡°The owner of Spring Breeze Pavilion has gone crazy. During the first two days of opening, she has been giving everyone free food!¡± ¡°Lie to you? Why would I lie to you? I brought my mother to drink a big bowl of pork ribs soup this morning. My mother was lucky enough to taste two pork ribs!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it just pork rib soup? Is it that exaggerated?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just pork ribs soup! Yesterday¡¯s mutton buns were especially delicious! By the way, I heard that we can get cake tomorrow!¡± Peach Blossom Cottage. Zhao Lanhua looked at Ji Zhao, who was excitedly making cakes, and wanted to say something but hesitated. Ji Zhao also understood that her heart ached for the money she had spent, but she did not know how to exin it for a while. In fact, although it sounded like a lot of things had been given out in the past two days, they were all within her control. She took advantage of consumers¡¯ weakness for free things and sessfully lit up the signboard of Spring Breeze Pavilion! This was the advertising effect. It had been open for three days and only gave out delicacies for free, but did not open for business. It had already piqued everyone¡¯s curiosity. Right on the heels of that, she wanted to make use of the consumers¡¯ curiosity to let the delicacies of Spring Breeze Pavilion be deeply ingrained in people¡¯s hearts. ¡°Ah Tao, your father and I are going back the day after tomorrow.¡± After the fire in the furnace stabilized, Zhao Lanhua said softly, ¡°Now that we see that you and Third Brother are doing well, we¡¯re relieved.¡± ¡°Mother, don¡¯t you n to stay in the prefecture city for a few more days?¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly raised her head and asked, her eyes filled with reluctance. ¡°We still have a plot ofnd at home,¡± Zhao Lanhua exined with a smile. ¡°Ah Tao, let me tell you something from the bottom of my heart. I don¡¯t quite understand why you didn¡¯t wee guests for the first three days of the Spring Breeze Pavilion¡¯s opening and kept sending things out.¡± ¡°Mother, I¡­¡± Just as Ji Zhao was about to exin, Zhao Lanhua shook her head at her. ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious. Mother knows that you must have your reasons for doing this. Mother also knows that even if you exin it to me, I might not understand, so Mother endured it and didn¡¯t ask.¡± ¡°Mother¡­¡± Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but smile, but the corners of her eyes were clearly red. A reasonable mother-inw like Zhao Lanhua was the real deal! ¡°Besides, didn¡¯t you say that Innkeeper Qian had already hired two waiters? Mother can¡¯t help much if I stay here, so your father and I will return to Dingyuan County the day after tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll apany you out for a walk tomorrow at noon? No matter what, you¡¯ve alreadye to the prefecture capital. You have to bring some gifts for Grandfather and Second Sister-inw, right?¡± Ji Zhao suggested with a bright smile. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Zhao Lanhua quickly nodded. ¡°Then I¡¯ll listen to your arrangements!¡± September 10th, the third day of the Spring Breeze Pavilion¡¯s opening. After giving out 66 portions of cake, someone finally came to inquire. When Ji Zhao showed the menu and prices that she had specially designed, the customers who came to inquire were stunned. So Spring Breeze Pavilion was not an ordinary restaurant? No open dining? Only private rooms? It was really rare to see someone open a tavern like this! After learning that the Spring Breeze Pavilion had failed toplete a single transaction three days before its opening and had even spent tens of taels of silver, Qin Minghong could no longer sit still. He hurriedly ran over to the Peach Blossom Restaurant and looked at Ji Zhao with a nk expression. ¡°Ahem.¡± Ji Zhao could not help but cough lightly. ¡°Brother Qin, if you continue to stare at me like this, when Shen Yaoes back, he will definitely beat you up~¡± ¡°The fire is about to burn your brows, and you¡¯re still in the mood to tease me?¡± Qin Minghong really couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°Ah Tao, if you encounter any difficulties, just tell me!¡± ¡°Brother Qin, are you worried about Spring Breeze Pavilion?¡± ¡°What else could it be?¡± ¡°Brother Qin, you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Ji Zhao calmly drank the red bean sweet soup and said with a smile, ¡°Business wille.¡± Qin Minghong looked at her with an even moreplicated gaze. ¡°Brother Qin, why don¡¯t you think about it? Ever since you met me, have I ever made a loss?¡± Ji Zhao looked at his worried expression and felt touched. Qin Minghong sincerely regarded her as a friend, which was why he was so worried about the business of Spring Breeze Pavilion. However, Ji Zhao really knew what she was doing. Mid-afternoon, Spring Breeze Pavilion weed its first guest. ¡°Madam Shen, this is Shopkeeper Lu of the Qing¡¯an Rice Shop.¡± Innkeeper Qian of Yinchuan Inn helped introduce her. ¡°Shopkeeper Lu, this is Madam Shen, whom I mentioned to you before. The shredded beef you tasted in my humble abode were personally made by Madam Shen.¡± ¡°Hello, Shopkeeper Lu.¡± Ji Zhao smiled generously and said in a hearty tone, ¡°I wonder what kind of banquet Shopkeeper Lu wants to book?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Madam Shen to be able to make such delicious beef shreds at such a young age.¡± Shopkeeper Lu had a simple and honest square face. He had thick eyebrows and big eyes. There was a small goatee on his chin. The most noticeable thing was the ck nail-sized mole on his left cheek. However, Shopkeeper Lu¡¯s eyes were still clear and square. ¡°It¡¯s like this. It¡¯s my wife¡¯s birthday in two days.¡± Shopkeeper Lu frankly exined his intentions. ¡°I want to book a banquet to celebrate my wife¡¯s birthday. I¡¯m neighbors with Innkeeper Qian. A few days ago, Innkeeper Qian sent me a serving of the shredded beef. My wife likes it very much. In addition, I heard that Madam Shen opened a tavern, so I wanted Innkeeper Qian to bring me here to take a look.¡± Understanding his intentions, Ji Zhao smiled and praised sincerely, ¡°Shopkeeper Lu and Madam Lu have such a good rtionship!¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been husband and wife for thirty years,¡± Shopkeeper Lu said with a smile. ¡°My wife likes to eat beef. Madam Shen, can you help me arrange it?¡± ¡°No problem.¡± Ji Zhao agreed with a smile and asked, ¡°Shopkeeper Lu, will you and Madam Lu the only ones dining tomorrow?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Shopkeeper Lu nodded hurriedly. ¡°I want to make her happy.¡± ¡°Then I suggest you reserve a tempting romantic mealbo.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and suggested, ¡°Thisbo is 30 taels, but you¡¯re a guest introduced by Innkeeper Qian, so I can give you a 10% discount. What do you think?¡± 30 taels. After a 10% discount, it would be 27 taels? It was not that Shopkeeper Lu could not afford this silver, but he was a little curious about what kind of dishes were worth so much silver. ¡°Shopkeeper Lu, I guarantee that the dishes and services of Spring Breeze Pavilion will satisfy you and your Madam,¡± Ji Zhao promised firmly. ¡°If you still think this price is not worth it after tasting this romantic set meal, I can refund half of it.¡± The hesitation in Shopkeeper Lu¡¯s heart waspletely dispelled after hearing these words. ¡°Okay!¡± Chapter 325 - 325: Perfect Chapter 325: Perfect Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Zhao Lanhua was genuinely happy to know that the Spring Breeze Pavilion had finally received its first business deal. When she heard that Ji Zhao was prepared to ept the first guest for twenty-seven taels of silver, she was dumbfounded. ¡°Ah Tao, isn¡¯t the price a little ridiculous?¡± Zhao Lanhua frowned and asked, ¡°Twenty-seven taels of silver. That¡¯s enough to buy a lot of mutton buns!¡± Zhao Lanhua felt that it was not worth it to spend twenty-seven taels of silver just to eat one meal. She was more worried that once this price point spread, would there still be customersing to Spring Breeze Pavilion? ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and said confidently, ¡°After Shopkeeper Lu finishes this romantic set meal with his Madam, he will think it¡¯s worth it.¡± Zhao Lanhua found it hard to understand and couldn¡¯t figure it out, so she simply stopped thinking about it. Qin Residence. When First Madam Qin heard Nanny Wu finish talking about the recent news in the prefecture city, she couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°That girl, All Tao, is really bold!¡± ¡°Madam, do you think this Spring Breeze Pavilion can earn money?¡± Nanny Wu expressed her doubts about this. Although she admitted that Miss Ji¡¯s culinary skills were excellent, opening a tavern was not charity. How could she keep giving things out? ¡°All Tao is not stupid.¡± Madam Qin smiled and sighed. ¡°Doesn¡¯t Madam Fang want to use the Qin family¡¯s momentum to help her daughter get married?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Nanny Wu nodded hurriedly. ¡°The Fang family is the Old Madam¡¯s maiden family. Ever since Old Madam died of illness ten years ago, the Fang family and the Chen family have not interacted much. Seeing that the eldest daughter of the Fang family is turning seventeen after the new year, the Fang family has started to move around.¡± ¡°Then 1¡¯11 help them again on ount of the Old Madam.¡± First Madam Qin smiled. ¡°If we can facilitate this marriage, it will be our merit. Send a letter to the Fang family and say that 1 like to eat the dishes made by thedy boss of Spring Breeze Pavilion.¡± Nanny Wu thought about it carefully and finally understood. The person her master really wanted to help was not the Fang family at all, but Miss All Tao? ¡°Yes.¡± Nanny Wu immediately nodded. ¡°1¡¯11 arrange it immediately.¡± Ji Zhao waspletely unaware of First Madam Qin¡¯s secret help. She was helping Shopkeeper Lu and his wife customizing a romantic mealbo! ¡°All Tao, will this steak work?¡± Early in the morning, Shen Yao went to Pear Blossom Vige not far from Dingyuan County and bought the freshest steak. The Great Jing Empire did not allow themoners to ughter cattle privately, but Pear Blossom Vige was a special existence. Pear Blossom Vige was arge-scale vige. Most of the people there were cattle farmers. More importantly, in Pear Blossom Vige, cattle and sheep could be ughtered and sold. When Ji Zhao found out that there was such a ce, she was so happy that she almost jumped! ¡°It¡¯s perfect!¡± Ji Zhao immediately gave him a thumbs up and praised him with a smile. She asked Shen Yao to buy beef tenderloin, which was the tender and thin meat that was cut from the back of a young calf. In more modern terms, what she had to do was filet mignon. ¡°Zhaozhao, is the romanticbo meal you mentioned only two steaks?¡± Shen Yao could not help but ask when he saw her excited expression. ¡°Of course it¡¯s more than that,¡± Ji Zhao exined as she marinated the steak. ¡°Actually, the meaning of the word ¡®romantic¡¯ is very profound! The romance 1 want to designate for Shopkeeper Lu and his wife is an atmosphere, not just a delicacy.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll understand when the timees!¡± In addition to the steak, Ji Zhao also specially prepared some grape wine with a low alcohol content. In the Great Jing Empire, grape wine was notmon, so she bought such a small pot of wine with Qin Minghong¡¯s help. She tasted a little, but she still felt that the taste was too sour. Fortunately, she still had a winning treasure! September 12th, nearing dusk. Shopkeeper Lu brought Madam Lu into the Spring Breeze Pavilion. Madam Lu¡¯s face was very delicate, especially her willowy eyebrows. She had a unique natural beauty that gave her a pitiful look. Actually, when Madam Lu heard that her husband had ordered a custom a dinner worth 27 taels of silver, she wasn¡¯t very happy. After all, money didn¡¯t fall from the sky! She had worked hard with Shopkeeper Lu for 20 years to earn such a huge family business. Naturally, she knew that every copper coin was not easy toe by. However, she was a little woman who was used to obeying her husband, so even if she was dissatisfied, she did not show it on her face. However, she had made up her mind. After dinner, she would definitely tell her family and friends not toe to this ck shop! Ji Zhao had no idea what Madam Lu was really thinking. Shopkeeper Lu and his wife were the first guests in Spring Breeze Pavilion, so as the owner, she naturally had to wee them warmly. ¡°Guests, pleasee in.¡± Ji Zhao pushed open the door of the private roombeled Spring and approached the door. She spread her arms and weed them warmly. The moment Shopkeeper Lu helped Madam Lu in, their eyes were filled with confusion. ¡°Esteemed guests, please wait for a moment. Dinner will be served immediately.¡± After Ji Zhao walked out, Madam Lu grabbed Shopkeeper Lu¡¯s sleeve nervously and asked softly, ¡°Dear, are you sure there¡¯s nothing wrong with this restaurant?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you believe in Brother Qian¡¯s character?¡± Shopkeeper Lu patted the back of her hand andforted her with a smile. ¡°Just wait. I also want to know what kind of delicacies this Madam Shen will make.¡± With Shopkeeper Lu¡¯sfort, Madam Lu calmed down. ¡°There seems to be a faint fragrance in this private room?¡± Only then did Madam Lu begin to sized up the room with interest. She looked around carefully and saw a long rectangr table not far away. In the middle of the long table was a deep Ru Ware vase[i.A type of porcin vase made in the Ru Kiln of China during the Song Dynasty (960-1279). The Ru Kiln was one of the five great kilns of the Song Dynasty, and produced some of the most highly prized and sought-after ceramics of the period.]. The vase was filled with a bouquet of beautiful roses. In addition to the roses, there was also a strange candlestick ced on the long table. The candlelight flickered gently, and Madam Lu¡¯s moodpletely rxed at this mom ant Chapter 326 - 326: Unique Chapter 326: Unique Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions After receiving the first payment, Ji Zhao smiled in satisfaction. ¡°Zhaozhao, I seem to understand what you mean by a high-end custom-made meal.¡± Shen Yao rubbed her shoulders and exined with a smile, ¡°¡®Twenty-seven taels of silver sounds expensive, but you¡¯ve spent too much effort to earn this twenty-seven taels of silver.¡± ¡°The so-called high-end romantic set meal doesn¡¯t lie in the price of the dishes, but in the thought,¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile. ¡°Shopkeeper Lu wants Madam Lu to celebrate an unforgettable birthday. Our Spring Breeze Pavilion has done it ~¡± In other words, Ji Zhao was very clear about the market of the Spring Breeze Pavilion. The Spring Breeze Pavilion didn¡¯t sell dishes, but service. ¡°Let¡¯s go home!¡± After cleaning up the kitchen, Ji Zhao turned to look at Shen Yao and smiled sweetly. Spring Breeze Pavilion hadpleted its first business deal! Moreover, the first customer was full of praise for the dishes of Spring Breeze Pavilion! Sour and spicy boneless chicken feet, filet mignon, chilled grape wine, and delicious mushroom soup. These terms were very unfamiliar to the citizens of the prefecture capital! Of course, this did not affect everyone¡¯s curiosity! Twenty-seven taels of silver for a meal was enough to shut out more than half of the guests. However, Ji Zhao was not in a hurry. After all, she had a clear n for her career. She would first make Spring Breeze Pavilion famous before slowly carrying out the next step of her n. Peach Blossom Cottage. Ji Zhao specially asked Shen Yao to buy more steak for everyone. The steak she made was full of praise. ¡°It¡¯s really fragrant!¡± Shen Dashan could not help but say, ¡°Ah Tao, your cooking is really amazing!¡± ¡°Thank you for your praise, Father.¡± Ji Zhao epted thepliment with a smile. Then, she looked at the silent Zhao Lanhua and asked softly, ¡°What do you think, Mother?¡± ¡°Delicious!¡± Zhao Lanhua immediately nodded like a chick pecking at rice. ¡°It¡¯s just that this portion is a little small. But All Tao, is that Shopkeeper Lu really satisfied?¡± ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s really satisfied.¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly and exined softly, ¡°Actually, I forgot to exin to you before. The Spring Breeze Pavilion in the prefecture capital is different from Dingyuan County. After all, Yunchuan Prefecture is much more prosperous than Dingyuan County. Moreover, many people in the prefecture capital have power and influence.¡± ¡°Everyone has a different definition of delicious food. Some people think that food is used to fill their stomachs, but some people think that delicious food should be refined! The Spring Breeze Pavilion in the prefecture capital is targeted at the special mentality of rich people.¡± ¡°It¡¯s unique. It¡¯s the biggest difference between Spring Breeze Pavilion and other restaurants!¡± Hearing Ji Zhao¡¯s exnation, everyone seemed to understand, but at the same time, they didn¡¯t seem to understand. However, this was not important. What was important was that there would be customersing to the Spring Breeze Pavilion to spend. That was enough! Therefore, Ji Zhao was not surprised when the head of the Fang family stepped into the Spring Breeze Pavilion and wanted to order a custom banquet. The reputation of the Spring Breeze Pavilion had long been made known. The most important thing for her next was to build the reputation of the Spring Breeze Pavilion. Anyone who had eaten at the Spring Breeze Pavilion would be able to praise it from the bottom of their hearts. That was enough! ¡°The Fang family?¡± Shen Yao was a little surprised to hear that Ji Zhao had epted the Fang family¡¯s order. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ji Zhao was a little worried. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the Fang family?¡± ¡°Zhaozhao, don¡¯t be nervous.¡± Shen Yao quickly held her shoulders andforted her with a smile. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with the Fang family. The warden in charge of the prison in the prefecture is Fang Yuanpei, Official Fang from the Prison Bureau.¡± ¡°Prison Bureau?¡± Ji Zhao was a little curious. ¡°What kind of official position is that?¡± ¡°The Prison Bureau is in charge of the criminal registers of the prisons in the various provinces, as well as the cost of clothing and food. They are in charge ofpiling the prison rules, tabting the books, and other matters. Generally speaking, the Prison Bureau in the various provinces will arrange for a Director, a Vice Director, and four managers.¡± Shen Yao exined concisely, ¡°The position of a Director of the Prison Bureau is not high. Although he has the title of a lower sixth-rank official, his treatment is not evenparable to that of a county magistrate.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Ji Zhao nodded silently. ¡°It just sounds like a high-ranking official, but he doesn¡¯t actually have any real power?¡± ¡°You can understand it that way.¡± Shen Yao smiled and tapped the tip of her nose. His Zhaozhao was really smart! ¡°The head butler of the Fang family said that this banquet is very important and that there will be two Madams of high status attending, so he repeatedly instructed me to make the banquet beautiful,¡± Ji Zhao said in a low voice. ¡°However, the Fang family was very generous. They paid me half the deposit for the banquet of 66 taels per table from the beginning.¡± ¡°If I¡¯m not wrong, the reason why the Fang family came to Spring Breeze Pavilion to set up such a banquet is rted to First Madam Qin.¡± Shen Yao lowered his eyes and analyzed calmly. ¡°It¡¯s rted to Madam Qin?¡± Ji Zhao was even more curious. ¡°Why do you say that?¡± ¡°First Madam Qin is Prefect Chen¡¯s biological sister, and Madam Fang is the cousin of the Prefect¡¯s wife.¡± Shen Yao exined with a smile, ¡°The reason why the Qin family has such a high status in the prefecture capital is firstly because First Master Qin has contributed a lot to the Imperial Court. Secondly, it¡¯s because of First Madam Qin¡¯s status.¡± Prefect Chen¡¯s biological sister was also the head of the Qin family. Her reputation and status were obvious at a nce. ¡°Shen Yao, do you mean that the Fang family arranged such an important banquet at Spring Breeze Pavilion because of First Madam Qin¡¯s instructions?¡± ¡°Zhaozhao.¡± Shen Yao rubbed her cheek and smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t think too much. Rest early, okay?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Ji Zhao shrugged helplessly. She knew that it was useless to think too much. Regardless of whether the Fang family hade to Spring Breeze Pavilion for the sake of First Madam Qin, she had to make this banquet perfect. The Fang family¡¯s banquet was set for the 18th of September. There were still a few days of free time. Ji Zhao wanted to take advantage of this period of time to apany Shen Yao back to Shanghe Vige. After all, it was a joyous asion for Shen Yao to be the Jieyuan of the examination. The Shen family would definitely organize a lively banquet! Early in the morning of the 13th of September, Zhao Lanhua packed her bags and was about to say goodbye to her third son and his wife when she heard the sound of horse hooves outside the courtyard door. ¡°Mother!¡± After tidying up, Ji Zhao walked into the courtyard with a smile and wrapped his arms around her intimately. ¡°Shen Yao has already prepared the carriage. Let¡¯s go back together as a family?¡± ¡°All Tao? You? Third Brother? You guys are going back together?¡± Zhao Lanhua was so happy that she did not know what to say. In fact, she had long wanted her third son and his wife to return to Shanghe Vige together. After all, her third son was too promising. He was the Jieyuan! This was the first time someone in Shanghe Vige had scored the Jieyuan! However, Zhao Lanhua also knew that Third Brother and his wife were busy, especially since Ah Tao¡¯s Spring Breeze Pavilion had just opened. She was afraid that they would not have time to go back for the time being, so she did not mention it. Who knew that this couple already had a n in mind! ¡°Let¡¯s go home!¡± Zhao Lanhua said excitedly.. Chapter 327 - 327: Hundred Flowers Restaurant Chapter 327: Hundred Flowers Restaurant Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Shanghe Vige. The rankings issued on the fifth day of September only reached Shanghe Vige on the tenth day of September. The vige chief, Shen Menghu, was overjoyed when he heard that Shen Yao was the Jieyuan. He carried two jars of good wine and went to the ancestral hall of the Shen family! On the tenth day of the ninth month, Magistrate Ji personally sent a congrattory gift! Shen Dashan and Shen Yao were not at home, so Shen Menghu personally received Official Ji! The thing that made Shen Menghu the happiest was that the county magistrate nned to choose a location to build a school! Shanghe Vige was the ce that the county magistrate first considered. Therefore, over the past few days, Shen Menghu had been busy choosing a suitable location in the vige. Once the school in Shanghe Vige was built, the children in the vige could study! Nothing is more important than education! Shen Menghu attributed all of this to Shen Yao! Ever since the news of Shen Yao¡¯s high score came, there was an endless stream of peopleing to congratte him every day. After all, even the county magistrate thought highly of Shen Yao. Those wealthy gentry rushed into the Shen family¡¯s courtyard like carps crossing the river. They said that they were congratting him, but in fact, they were here to give him gifts. However, Eldest Brother Shen was a smart person. He did not ept the gifts from those people. Ever since he had suffered at Zhao Xu¡¯s hands, Eldest Brother Shen had be even more cautious in his actions. After all, these people looked like humans, but who would have thought that they were some kind of monsters behind the scenes? Of course, Eldest Brother Shen was not inflexible. After all, if he rejected everyone¡¯s congrattory gifts, it would give Shen Yao a reputation of being aloof. Therefore, he symbolically epted some small gifts, such as some inconspicuous eggs, pastries, or silk. Regardless, he still asked Feng Chunyan to help him make a list of the things. Therefore, when Shen Yao returned, he expressed high praise for his brother¡¯s appropriate actions. ¡°Thank you, Big Brother!¡± Shen Yao thanked his big brother sincerely. ¡°We¡¯re all brothers. Why are you being so polite with me?¡± Eldest Brother Shen smiled and patted his shoulder. The smile on his face was very sincere. ¡°Third Brother, you¡¯re really promising! I¡¯m proud of you!¡± After the family had a lively conversation, Shen Dashan brought his three sons to the back mountain in the eastern suburbs to pay their respects to their ancestors. ¡°Tomorrow is a good day.¡± After looking through the old lunar calendar, Zhao Lanhua immediately decided. ¡°Our family will hold a banquet tomorrow afternoon and treat the vigers to a good meal!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll all listen to Mother-¡° The three daughters-inw of the Shen family agreed with Zhao Lanhua¡¯s decision. On the 15th of September, Ji Zhao apanied Shen Yao to the county city early in the morning. ¡°Thank you for the generous gift, Official Ji. Shen Yao doesn¡¯t deserve it.¡± Shen Yao thanked him sincerely. After all, Ji Ting¡¯an had given him the imperial examination questions from past years. Ordinary people would not be able to get the entire set of questions. Although Shen Yao was the Jieyuan, he was not arrogant. After all, he still had to wee the moreplicated Spring Quarter Examinations. Only by showing his talents in the Spring Quarter Examinations could he stand tall in the imperial court. ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Ji Ting¡¯an smiled and waved his hand indifferently. ¡°When the locusts passed through our Dingyuan County previously, the two of you could be said to have helped a lot. Moreover, getting those questions was not difficult for me.¡± ¡°By the way, 1 heard that you¡¯ve already opened a restaurant in the prefecture capital?¡± Ji Ting¡¯an¡¯s gazended on Ji Zhao¡¯s face as he asked curiously, ¡°There are many restaurants in Yunchuan Prefecture City. It¡¯s definitely not easy for you to obtain a ce in the prefecture capital!¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing in the world that can¡¯t be done.¡± Ji Zhao smiled lightly and said, ¡°However, 1 still have to thank Official Ji for your concern. Spring Breeze Pavilion has only opened for a few days and is not profitable for the time being. However, I believe that in time, Spring Breeze Pavilion¡¯s business will definitely prosper!¡± ¡°Good!¡± What Ji Ting¡¯an admired the most about Ji Zhao was her fearless courage and confidence! After bidding farewell to Official Ji, the two of them went to Hongxing Restaurant. Second Manager You had long known about Shen Yao¡¯s high score, so when Ji Zhao and her husband arrived, he specially set off a loud firecracker to express his excitement! ¡°Second Brother You¡­¡± Ji Zhao, who was covering her ears with both hands, was caught betweenughter and tears. Their friends and family were already this happy after Shen Yao became the Jieyuan. If they knew that Shen Yao would be the Grand Secretary of the Great Jing Empire in the future, wouldn¡¯t they be even crazier? ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go to the private room and have a good drink!¡± Second Manager You invited the couple to the private room on the second floor without any exnation. ¡°Second Brother You, isn¡¯t it a little too early to eat now?¡± Ji Zhao pointed at the sky outside the window and said helplessly with a smile. It was only loam. It was ridiculously early to have lunch now. ¡°Look at my muddleheaded head, I¡¯m so happy that I¡¯ve gone silly!¡± Second Manager You suddenly patted his head andughed involuntarily. ¡°Shen Yao, I have a presumptuous request.¡± Second Manager You looked at Shen Yao and asked with a simple and honest smile, ¡°Can you draw a painting for me? When the timees, it can be hung in the middle of our restaurant¡¯s lobby! The Jieyuan¡¯s painting can definitely attract many customers!¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Shen Yao agreed happily. After all, with their rtionship with Second Manager You, a painting was really nothing. On the other hand, Ji Zhao found Second Manager You¡¯s tone strange. ¡°Second Brother You, did something happen to Hongxing Restaurant?¡± Second Manager You was stunned for a moment before nodding with a bitter smile. ¡°Ah Tao, you really have sharp eyes¡­¡± ¡°The Hongxing Restaurant is a long-established restaurant. In the past, Second Brother You has never been worried about the restaurant¡¯s business, but when you asked Shen Yao to paint just now, I felt that something was wrong.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why 1 said that you¡¯re amazing.¡± Second Manager You¡¯s smile became even more bitter. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you didn¡¯t notice when you came, right? Right opposite our Hongxing Restaurant, there¡¯s a new Hundred Flowers Restaurant.¡± ¡°Hundred Flowers Restaurant?¡± Ji Zhao subconsciously frowned. This name seemed to be slightly unusual. ¡°I heard that the owner of Hundred Flowers Restaurant is the brother-inw of County Magistrate Sun of Thunder Mountain County!¡± Second Manager You sneered and said, ¡°This person is also the owner of the Wind and Moon Restaurant of Thunder Mountain County!¡± After Second Manager You¡¯s reminder, Ji Zhao recalled something from before. After Ji Ting¡¯an came to Dingyuan County, he cracked down on those brothels topletely change the obscene atmosphere in Dingyuan County. However, it was different in Thunder Mountain County. The ancestors of the Sun family were from Thunder Mountain County. The ancestral hall of the Sun family was still in Thunder Mountain County. With the protection of the Sun family and the fact that the county magistrate of Thunder Mountain County was an arrogant and debauched person, how could he really take measures to benefit the people? ¡°Official Ji explicitly prohibited the Wind and Moon Restaurant from opening in Dingyuan County because the Wind and Moon Restaurant is a well-known brothel. Who would have thought that the other party would change their method and directly open a Hundred Flowers Restaurant opposite Hongxing Restaurant? On the surface, it does indeed look like a proper restaurant, but every evening, one can hear the debauched musicing from Hundred Flowers Restaurant..¡± Chapter 328 - 328: My Zhaozhao Is Really Smart! Chapter 328: My Zhaozhao Is Really Smart! Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°If the Hundred Flowers Restaurant was doing business properly, I wouldn¡¯t feel so aggrieved.¡± Second Manager You spread out his hands weakly. ¡°But they used such despicable methods to attract customers. I¡¯m just unhappy!¡± ¡°Second Brother You, does Official Ji know the true colors of the Hundred Flowers Restaurant?¡± Shen Yao lowered his eyes to hide the thoughts in his eyes and asked softly. ¡°He should know, right? I¡¯m not too sure either.¡± Second Manager You frowned and said, ¡°Actually, this Hundred Flowers Restaurant has only been open for half a month, but in this half a month, the county office hase two or three times.¡± ¡°1 think Official Ji should know what to do. It¡¯s just that he hasn¡¯t found anything on the Hundred Flowers Restaurant yet.¡± Shen Yao knocked on the table lightly and seemed to be deep in thought. ¡°Second Brother You, don¡¯t be too anxious. After all, Hongxing Restaurant has been open in Dingyuan County for so many years. Those customers just want to try something new. However, they will stille back after some time.¡± After all, a person¡¯s eating habits would not change overnight. Moreover, the current predicament was only temporary. Second Manager You naturally understood this logic. However, he felt aggrieved, so afterining to Ji Zhao and her husband, he felt much better. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about these depressing things.¡± Second Manager You smiled and changed the topic. ¡°By the way, All Tao, didn¡¯t you say that you found a suitable shop in the prefectural city? How¡¯s business?¡± ¡°The Spring Breeze Pavilion in the prefecture capital has already opened. Business has just started, but I believe it will get better and better in the future.¡± ¡°That¡¯s for sure!¡± Second Manager You nodded without hesitation. ¡°After all, your culinary skills are there. Business is a step-by-step process. Take it slow. Don¡¯t be anxious.¡± After staying at Hongxing Restaurant to apany Second Brother You for lunch, Ji Zhao and Shen Yao bade farewell. After the two of them walked out of the Hongxing Restaurant, they exchanged nces with each other. In the end, their gazesnded on the que with the words ¡®Hundred Flowers Restaurant¡¯ engraved on it not far away. ¡°Could the owner of Hundred Flowers Restaurant be targeting our family?¡± Ji Zhao gently tugged at Shen Yao¡¯s sleeve and asked worriedly. Not to mention the grudge between Shen Yao and Sun He, the Wind and Moon Restaurant and the Shen family did not get along either! The list of bribed officials also fell into Shen Yao¡¯s hands. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Shen Yao held her hand and said with a faint smile, ¡°In short, we¡¯ll deal with whateveres our way.¡± Ji Zhao fell silent. Then, she suggested softly, ¡°Shen Yao, why can¡¯t we take the initiative to attack?¡± Lord Sun of Thunder Mountain County was just ackey of the Sun family. The real power of the Sun family was in the capital! ¡°What does Zhaozhao mean?¡± ¡°Nothing ventured, nothing gained.¡± Ji Zhao raised her eyebrows slightly. She already had a n in mind. She tiptoed and whispered into Shen Yao¡¯s ear. Shen Yao gave her a heartfelt thumbs up. ¡°My Zhaozhao is really smart!¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Ji Zhao raised her eyebrows smugly. Her beautiful eyes were filled with charm. ¡°This method is feasible, but your candidate?¡± Shen Yao hesitated. He did not want to use himself as bait to go to the restaurant to obtain information. After all, the smell of cosmetics on those brothel girls was really too unpleasant. ¡°Actually, there¡¯s a suitable candidate.¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes immediately lit up. When Qin Minghong received the letter from the couple, he was so angry that he almostughed. First Madam Qin, who was copying Buddhist scriptures, couldn¡¯t help butugh when she saw the unpredictable expression on Qin Minghong¡¯s face. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I was not careful when making friends.¡± Qin Minghong shook his head with a smile. ¡°They¡¯re clearly bad friends. They actually thought of such a method¡­¡± Hundred Flowers Restaurant? After understanding the ins and outs of the matter, First Madam Qin¡¯s curiosity was aroused. ¡°Has the Sun family be so arrogant now? A cheap rtive of a small county magistrate from the side family dares to directly challenge Ji Ting¡¯an? This is really interesting.¡± First Madam Qin could not help butugh. ¡°Aunt, are you very familiar with the Sun and Ji families?¡± Qin Minghong asked curiously. ¡°Who exactly is Ji Ting¡¯an?¡± ¡°The Ji family in the capital is a century-old prestigious family. The only daughter of Grand Princess Imperial of Chang¡¯an, Princess Kang Le, married the Earl of Yong¡¯an, Ji Wenbo. The Ji family can be said to be a rtive of the imperial family,¡± First Madam Qin exined softly. ¡°As for Ji Ting¡¯an, he is the nephew of the Earl of Yong¡¯an. Princess Kang Le is his aunt.¡± Only then did Qin Minghong know that Ji Ting¡¯an¡¯s background was so prominent. ¡°Ji Ting¡¯an¡¯s father is Ji Wenyuan, the Hanlin Academy¡¯s Grand Secretariat who is trusted by His Majesty.¡± ¡°If Ji Ting¡¯an is so powerful, why would hee to the remote Dingyuan County and be a county magistrate?¡± Qin Minghong asked curiously. First Madam Qin put down the goat hair in her hand and smiled faintly. ¡°Most things in the bureaucracy areplicated and unpredictable. Speaking of which, have you ever thought about your future?¡± Qin Minghong did not expect his aunt to suddenly change the topic. He shook his head in confusion. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the scene caused by Madam Liu, 1 would have chosen a good marriage for you during your birthday banquet. After all, you¡¯re not young anymore.¡± ¡°Aunt, I¡¯m only 23¡­¡± For some reason, Qin Minghong suddenly felt a little wronged. Is twenty-three very old? ¡°You¡¯re an opinionated child, so 1 thought about it carefully and decided not to interfere in your marriage. After all, rtionships are all about fate.¡± Seeing his puzzled expression, First Madam Qin couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°No matter what, you have to think about it carefully. What do you want to do in the future? Do you want to continue doing business or enter an official career?¡± ¡°Aunt, actually, I¡¯ve thought about this.¡± After a moment of silence, Qin Minghong slowly looked up and said firmly, ¡°Although I like to do business, the status of a businessman is still too low. If 1 call myself a businessman, I won¡¯t be able to protect the people I want to protect.¡± Among gentry, farmers, skilled workers, and merchants, merchants were at the end of the line. Since ancient times, the status of merchants had been too low. Qin Minghong decided to be an official. With the Qin family¡¯s current status and power, it was not difficult for him to be an official. ¡°Then have you ever thought about where to go?¡± First Madam Qin was not surprised by Qin Minghong¡¯s choice at all. ¡°If you¡¯ve already thought of where to go, why don¡¯t you talk to your father openly?¡± ¡°Your father has indeed neglected you these years. This is his fault, but the reason why he did this is also rted to Madam Liu¡¯s instigation. Under Madam Liu¡¯s description, your image in your father¡¯s heart is that of a silkpants, not as good as a schr like Mingyao. However, Aunt wants to advise you. If you want to obtain your father¡¯s help, you still have to repair your rtionship with him.¡± ¡°Aunt, can 1 ask you something?¡± Qin Minghong hesitated for a while before asking, ¡°Is my father¡­ really Uncle¡¯s brother?¡± Chapter 329 - 329: Her Mother’s EQis Really High! Chapter 329: Her Mother¡¯s EQis Really High! Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Qin Minghong¡¯s question did not get an answer from First Madam Qin. However, her silence revealed the answer. ¡°Minghong, your mother and 1 are old friends.¡± Seeing his confused and helpless gaze, First Madam Qin said softly, ¡°Besides, your mother saved my life.¡± Therefore, regardless of whether Qin Chen was Qin Sheng¡¯s brother or not, Qin Minghong would always be a child of the Qin family. ¡°I understand.¡± Qin Minghong gripped the teacup in his hand tightly. After thinking for a long time, he raised his head and smiled at First Madam Qin. ¡°1¡¯11 always be a member of the Qin family. This will never change.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Seeing that he could figure it out, First Madam Qin was naturally gratified. The main study of the Qin Residence was also Qin Chen¡¯s private study. Ever since he divorced Madam Liu, the residence finally quietened downpletely. It was just that Mingyao seemed to hate him¡­ He pinched the space between his eyebrows in frustration, feeling very frustrated. The current political situation was veryplicated. A storm was brewing, and he didn¡¯t know if the Qin family could safely get through this. It would be great if Big Brother was still alive¡­ Knock knock¡ª There was a sudden knock on the door, and he came back to his senses. ¡°Father.¡± Qin Minghong walked in and bowed respectfully. ¡°1 heard that you haven¡¯t slept well these past few days, so 1 asked the kitchen to make some calming soup.¡± At this moment, Qin Chen¡¯s emotions were a littleplicated. He looked at Qin Minghong with mixed feelings. He didn¡¯t have any feelings for his first wife. At that time, Big Brother felt that Xuerou was suitable for him, so he married her. Cao Xuerou was a gentle and virtuous wife, and she gave birth to his eldest son, Minghong. However, for some reason, he felt that Cao Xuerou was too boring. Although she was a standard Jiangnan beauty, her beauty was too dull and boring. Hence, when Madam Liu expressed her goodwill to him, he epted it. After all, Cao Xuerou¡¯s health was not good to begin with. After giving birth to Qin Minghong, her body became even weaker and she passed away not long after. He didn¡¯t have deep feelings for his first wife, so he didn¡¯t have much expectations for his eldest son. Coupled with Madam Liu¡¯s inteference, Qin Minghong had long understood the matters between men and women. He was in no mood to study and only wanted to have fun. Qin Chen couldn¡¯t entrust things to a son like this. Therefore, he ignored the child¡¯s growth. Now that he was faced with his sudden concern, he was at a loss. After a while, he said dryly, ¡°You¡¯re very considerate.¡± ¡°Actually, 1 have something to trouble you with, Father.¡± Qin Minghong said straightforwardly, ¡°I passed the examination four years ago, but I went into business in a fit of anger. Now, I want to return to my official career. I wonder if Father has any ideas?¡± When he heard this, he was even more shocked. His expression was as if he had seen a ghost! ¡°You? What did you say?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a rmendee to begin with. I wonder if Father can give me some pointers? I want to be an official.¡± Qin Minghong had long expected his reaction, so his expression was very calm. In fact, Qin Minghong had already passed the examination four years ago and was a rmendee. However, at that time, he hated Qin Chen and the bureaucracy. Hence, even if he obtained a schrly honor, he didn¡¯t take it to heart. Instead, he lived a carefree life for a few years and wasted four years of his life. ¡°Do you have an ideal ce to go?¡± After calming down, he was naturally willing to scheme for Qin Minghong. After all, this was his biological son! As his father, how could he not n for his son¡¯s future? ¡°Yangzhou.¡± Qin Minghong said calmly, ¡°Isn¡¯t uncle in Yangzhou? If I can go to Yangzhou, it would be good.¡± ¡°Yangzhou?¡± Qin Chen¡¯s emotions changed from excitement to disappointment. The person his biological son was thinking about was still from the Cao family! ¡°Yes, Yangzhou,¡± Qin Minghong said sincerely. ¡°If you have any good ideas, 1¡¯11 be eternally grateful. Of course, this gratitude is nothing. As long as 1 can go to Yangzhou, I¡¯ll leave all your assets to Mingyao. 1 only want my mother¡¯s dowry.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± he berated angrily. ¡°I¡¯m not dead yet, and you¡¯re already thinking of splitting assets?¡± Qin Minghong did not expect him to have such a big reaction, but what he said just now was from the bottom of his heart! ¡°My mistake.¡± Although Qin Minghong did not know what he had done wrong, he still admitted his mistake obediently. Of course, Qin Chen didn¡¯t agree to his request immediately. Instead, he said that he would make arrangements ording to the situation. Qin Minghong was not in a hurry to get the results. After all, he still had to go to Dingyuan County to help that pair of bad friends! September 16th was an auspicious day. Early in the morning, the kitchen in the Shen family¡¯s courtyard was already packed. Aunt Guihua, who was helping to deal with the live shrimp, could not help but sigh. ¡°Lanhua, why is the difference between people so big? My punk would rather work in the fields than go to school!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You want to send Da Niu and Er Niu to school too?¡± ¡°How can 1 not!¡± Auntie Guihua could not help but sigh. ¡°No matter what, it¡¯s good to study. Unfortunately, Da Niu and Er Niu are not cut out for studying. Sigh!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t sigh. The children here will have their own blessings.¡± Zhao Lanhua quicklyforted her. ¡°Besides, Da Niu is such a filial child. Your Da Niu was already good at farming when he was ten years old, right? There¡¯s also Er Niu. That girl is so beautiful and has a sweet mouth. She will definitely be able to marry into a good family in the future! You don¡¯t have to be dissatisfied. Other people¡¯s children are here to collect debts. Your two children are clearly here to repay their kindness!¡± ¡°Sister Lanhua, you¡¯re the best atforting people-¡± Aunt Guihua smiled and said, ¡°After hearing what you said, I feel much better!¡± ¡°Then why aren¡¯t you helping out?¡± Zhao Lanhua also joked with a smile. Ji Zhao, who was squatting on the ground picking vegetables, gave her mother-inw a thumbs up. Her mother¡¯s EQ was really high! With just a few words, Auntie Guihua was coaxed to the point of no return. If she cultivated to this level, she would be invincible, right? Just as Ji Zhao was thinking nonsense, Tian Guangsheng walked up to her and said awkwardly, ¡°All Tao,e to the kitchen.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Ji Zhao replied obediently. The moment she walked into the kitchen, she smelled a strange smell. ¡°Grandfather, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°A few days ago, Shufang¡¯s family sent over sixrge mandarin fish. I wanted to wait for Third Brother to hold a banquet before using them.. Who knew thatst night, I forgot to change the water and the fish meat became smelly¡­¡± Second Sister-inw Shen med herself,¡± Ah Tao, what should we do?¡± Chapter 330 - 330: Braised Stinky Mandarin Fish Chapter 330: Braised Stinky Mandarin Fish Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Ji Zhao stared at the stinky mandarin fish and thought seriously for a while. In the end, she really thought of a famous dish in Huizhou. Braised stinky mandarin fish! Although this famous dish from Huizhou smelled a little stinky, it tasted very good! ¡°I have an idea.¡± Ji Zhao rolled up her sleeves and put on her apron. Then, she picked up the kitchen knife and began to deal with the six fat stinky mandarin fish. She washed the mandarin fish and scored it. Then, she spread the salt evenly on the fish and stuffed it into the fish¡¯s stomach to marinate it before taking it out. ¡°I feel that the smell of this mandarin fish has be even worse.¡± Second Sister-inw Shen pinched her nose and asked, ¡°All Tao, is this fish really edible? Why don¡¯t 1 ask your second brother to think of a way to buy some more fish?¡± ¡°It¡¯s toote.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and shook her head. ¡°Our family¡¯s banquet starts at noon. It¡¯s almost nine o¡¯clock. Even if Second Brother rushes to the county city to buy fresh fish, we won¡¯t be able to deal with it in time.¡± There was an unwritten rule in Shanghe Vige. No matter which family treated them, there had to be fish on the banquet, and it had to be aplete fish! Having fish was equivalent to having surplus. The meaning was self-evident. That was why Second Sister-inw Shen and Tian Guangsheng were so worried when they found out that the mandarin fish were all dead! If there were no fish at the banquet, it meant that the host did not really want to hold a banquet. ¡°Second Sister-inw, don¡¯t worry. The smelly mandarin fish really tastes good.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and promised, ¡°After 1 make this dish, you¡¯ll definitely like it!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen naturally believed in Ji Zhao¡¯s culinary skills. After all, after going through Ji Zhao¡¯s hands, no matter how ordinary the ingredients were, could be delicious food in her hands. The most difficult thing to make a stinky mandarin fish was to marinate it. Only by marinating the stinky mandarin fish could a delicious dish be made. There were many details to pay attention to when making this dish. For example, the hot pot of cold oil. When the oil was 70% hot, the prepared mandarin fish would be ced in by sliding it down the side of the pot. This way, it would not be easy to burn the fish. After the two sides of the mandarin fish were suffused with a faint red color, a little sugar and a small amount of soy sauce were added, making the color of this dish even more alluring. Ji Zhao preferred to add ck bean sauce. The smelly mandarin fish with ck bean sauce would have a sauce fragrance. After Ji Zhao made the braised stinky mandarin fish, Second Sister-inw Shen could not help but lean closer to take a sniff. ¡°This stench doesn¡¯t seem as obvious as before?¡± ¡°Second Sister-inw, do you want to try it?¡± Ji Zhao picked up her chopsticks and gently fiddled with a small piece of fish before bringing it to Second Sister-inw Shen¡¯s lips. Second Sister-inw Shen opened her mouth hesitantly. After tasting it carefully, her eyes lit up! ¡°Ah Tao, why are you so powerful?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen really did not expect the smelly mandarin fish to taste so good. The meat was delicate, and the texture was smooth and tender. Moreover, there was a mellow sauce fragrance between her lips and teeth! Ji Zhao smiled faintly and curled his lips happily. She was a descendant of the royal chef. A mere stinky mandarin fish was not a big deal- In addition to braised stinky mandarin fish, Tian Guangsheng, as the head chef, also made Eight Great Bowls?! The preparation methods of the Eight Great Bowls are divided into coarse and fine categories. The fine Eight Great Bowls include dishes such as sauteed fish fillet, braised shrimp, seafood soup, osmanthus fish bone, braised smooth fish, Sichuan-style shredded pork, Sichuan-style meatballs, and pork floss. As for the coarse Eight Great Bowls, it included dishes such as stir-fried shrimp, shredded chicken, steamed egg with crab roe, sea cucumber meatballs, ingot pork, chicken soup, hacked braised chicken, and home-style braised carp. The Eight Great Bowls made by Tian Guangsheng belonged to the third type, abination of fine and coarse. There was stir-fried shrimp, braised chicken strips, Sichuan shredded meat, big meatballs, steamed egg with crab roe, ingot pork, chicken soup, and carp. In short, when the Eight Great Bowls were served, the vigers of Shanghe Vige were overjoyed! The Shen family¡¯s banquet could be said to be one of the best! In addition to the delicacies, Shen Dashan also got someone to bring ten jars of glutinous rice wine! As for Shen Yao, the new Jieyuan, he was also persuaded by his fellow vigers to drink a few more cups of wine. Halfway through the hour, the noisy courtyard gradually calmed down. Ji Zhao consciously went to the kitchen to help clean up, but she was chased out by Zhao Lanhua. ¡°You helped Grandfather prepare the banquet for lunch today. You¡¯re already exhausted. You don¡¯t have to worry about the rest. Go back to your room and rest!¡± ¡°Mother, I¡¯m really not tired¡­¡± Although she didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry, Ji Zhao¡¯s heart was really warm. ¡°Even if you¡¯re not tired, go back to your room and rest. You still have to rush to the prefecture tomorrow morning.¡± Zhao Lanhua pushed her out of the kitchen without any exnation. ¡°Quick, go back to your room and rest!¡± ¡°By the way, Third Brother seems to have drunk a little too much. Ah Tao, bring this hangover soup back to the room.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± When Ji Zhao returned to the room with the hangover soup, Shen Yao was leaning against the rattan chair with his eyes closed. The cool breeze outside the window blew away the smell of alcohol from his body. ¡°Are you feeling dizzy and ufortable?¡± Ji Zhao ced the hangover soup on the table in front of the window and walked behind him. She gently pressed his temples with both hands and asked softly, ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± ¡°Wife¡­¡± Shen Yao suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled her into his arms. ¡°Let me hug you¡­¡± After getting drunk, Shen Yao became clingy. He hugged Ji Zhao tightly and couldn¡¯t bear to let go. He even buried his head in her arms and kept acting cute. Ji Zhao found it very strange. It was a pity that there was no video recorder in the Great Jing Dynasty. Otherwise, she would definitely record Shen Yao¡¯s current appearance because the drunk Shen Yao was too cute. ¡°Shen Yao?¡± Leaning into his arms, Ji Zhao reached out and held his face with difficulty. She asked with a gentle smile, ¡°Do you still remember who I am?¡± ¡°Wife, you¡¯re my wife-¡± Shen Yao replied with his eyes closed. His tone was extremely cute. ¡°Then what¡¯s your wife¡¯s name?¡± Ji Zhao asked. ¡°Zhaozhao¡­ My wife¡¯s name is Ji Zhao.¡± Hearing his answer, Ji Zhao¡¯s lips curled into a faint smile, and there was a faint charm in the corners of her eyes. Shen Yao was so good! In his heart, she was Ji Zhao, the one and only Ji Zhao, not Ji Ah Tao. ¡°Silly.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and pinched his face. At this moment, Shen Yao suddenly opened his eyes. Those pitch-ck and deep eyes were like dazzling obsidian. They carried a bewitching power that made one unable to help but sink into them. Ji Zhao suddenly had a bold idea. She cupped his face and gently kissed his gentle eyebrows. Then, she jumped off his body. Unfortunately, she had underestimated Shen Yao¡¯s mobility again. ¡°Zhaozhao.¡± Shen Yao held the person in his arms tightly. His deep and maic voice was filled with undisguised desire. ¡°I love you.¡± The drunk Shen Yao was very crazy. Ji Zhao was forced to experience this madness. As a result, when they were so intimate that they could not bear to part, her calves started to cramp¡­ It was so painful that she kept crying and begging for mercy. Sensing her tears, Shen Yao waspletely awake. Chapter 331 - 331: Too Embarrassing Chapter 331: Too Embarrassing Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions A momentter, Shen Yao gently pounded her calf and asked with concern, ¡°Does it still hurt?¡± ¡°Much better¡­¡± Ji Zhao replied softly with a red face. She really did not expect herself to be so useless as to have a cramp in her leg at such a time. ¡°It¡¯s my fault,¡± Shen Yao said self-reproachfully. ¡°I drank a few more cups of alcohol and my mind isn¡¯t clear anymore. Zhaozhao, don¡¯t be afraid.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not afraid.¡± Ji Zhao quickly shook her head. She and Shen Yao were a loving couple, so this kind of thing happened naturally. Moreover, they had already done intimate things between them. Moreover, she felt that the drunk Shen Yao was very cute. She wasn¡¯t afraid. She just felt a little embarrassed. Shen Yao did not know what she was thinking. After he sobered up and saw her teary expression, his heart naturally ached. ¡°Sleep early.¡± Shen Yao kissed her forehead and exined in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯ll go out first.¡± He had to take a cold bath to suppress the heat in his body. Ji Zhao nodded obediently. After he left, she immediately pulled the thin nket beside her to cover her head. Tonight was really too embarrassing- Early the next morning, Ji Zhao went into the kitchen and cooked arge pot of red bean porridge. Yesterday, the old and young masters of the Shen family had drunk a lot, so Ji Zhao specially cooked red bean porridge that nourished the stomach and even made arge pot of chicken noodles. When Zhao Lanhua came to the kitchen, Ji Zhao had already made red bean porridge. ¡°Child, why don¡¯t you sleep more?¡± Zhao Lanhua¡¯s heart ached. ¡°It¡¯s early autumn now. Why don¡¯t you wear more clothes? What if you catch a cold?¡± ¡°Mother, I¡¯m not cold,¡± Ji Zhao said with a bright smile. ¡°Mother, I made chicken noodles. Hurry up and eat it while it¡¯s hot.¡± Zhao Lanhua nodded hurriedly. ¡°We¡¯ll eat in a while. Ah Tao, go back to your room and catch up on your sleep. Don¡¯t you and Third Brother have to rush back to the prefecture capitalter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, there¡¯s still time!¡± When Ji Zhao returned to the house, Shen Yao was also awake. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± ¡°Zhaozhao.¡± Shen Yao waved at her. Ji Zhao walked up to him without hesitation. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Shen Yao did not speak. Instead, he hugged her tightly, unwilling to let go. Last night, Shen Yao had a dream. In the dream, Ji Ah Tao had disappeared after rolling down the hillst June. Later on, a series of changes happened to the Shen family, and he actually became the Grand Secretary of the Great Jing Dynasty. Unfortunately, even though he had be the decisive iron-blooded Grand Secretary, there was no Zhaozhao by his side. That kind of life was not what Shen Yao wanted. The moment he opened his eyes this morning, the bed beside him was cold. At that moment, Shen Yao felt all the blood in his body freeze. It was as if he had fallen into an icehouse! It was not until Ji Zhao walked up to him with a smile that hepletely came to life. Shen Yao¡¯s grip became stronger and stronger. Ji Zhao coughed ufortably. ¡°Shen Yao, you¡¯re hugging me too tightly. It hurts a little.¡± Hearing this, Shen Yao hurriedly let go, his heart aching. ¡°It¡¯s my fault.¡± ¡°Shen Yao,¡± Ji Zhao stared into his eyes and asked gently, ¡°What happened?¡± At this moment, Shen Yao looked a little haggard, making Ji Zhao¡¯s heart ache. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Shen Yao forced a smile. ¡°I just had a nightmare. In addition, I didn¡¯t see you when 1 opened my eyes, so 1 let my imagination run wild for a while.¡± Ji Zhao nodded slightly, then leaned in unexpectedly and kissed him gently on the lips. ¡°I won¡¯t leave, so don¡¯t let your imagination run wild. Be good and wash up to eat the porridge.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The warmth from his lips finally made Shen Yaopletelye back to his senses. After finishing the fragrant and delicious red bean porridge, Shen Yao prepared to bring Ji Zhao back to the prefecture capital. Zhao Lanhua quietly stuffed a banknote into Ji Zhao¡¯s palm and said earnestly, ¡°Although Mother doesn¡¯t know anything about business, but Mother knows that only when you have money on your hands that you won¡¯t panic.¡± ¡°Mother, there¡¯s really no need. We still have some money on us!¡± ¡°You bought a courtyard and opened a restaurant. How much money do you have left?¡± Zhao Lanhua said angrily. ¡°In short, just keep this banknote. Your two sisters-inw know about it!¡± The next time they met, it would probably be the new year. Zhao Lanhua wished she could apany this couple to the prefectural city, but there was a huge mess at home that she could not afford to leave behind! Seeing that he really couldn¡¯t refuse this banknote, Ji Zhao could only ept it. However, she was already thinking about the banquet that the Fang family had decided on. In the carriage, Ji Zhao leaned on Shen Yao¡¯s shoulder and closed her eyes to rest. Soon, she fell asleep. After all, she woke up too early this morning. Now that she was sleepy, she couldn¡¯t help it. On the 18th of September, Ji Zhao arrived at Spring Breeze Pavilion early in the morning. The Fang family¡¯s banquet was set for noon today, so she had to decide on the menu and the theme of the banquet as soon as possible. ¡°I heard that Official Fang wants Miss Fang to marry into a rich family, so the guests invited today are all from powerful backgrounds. From the looks of it, they seem to want to win this marriage in one go.¡± Innkeeper Qian hurriedly told them the gossip he had heard. ¡°Marriage? To who?¡± Ji Zhao asked curiously. ¡°The second young master of Official Zheng¡¯s residence,¡± Innkeeper Qian said hurriedly. ¡°Official Zheng?¡± Ji Zhao thought about it seriously. She had heard Shen Yao mention that the name of the governor of Yunchuan Prefecture was Zheng Hui. ¡°The Official Zheng that Innkeeper Qian mentioned is the governor of Yunchuan Prefecture?¡± Yunchuan Prefecture was arge province with arge poption. The officials in the prefecture were even moreplicated. Thergest official in Yunchuan Prefecture was Prefect Chen, followed by Governor Zheng. In short, these people were all big shots that Ji Zhao could not afford to provoke. The Fang family was only the Director of the Prison Bureau. If Official Fang wanted to marry his only daughter to the son of the Governor, this marriage was indeed out of his league. After all, this was the Great Jing Dynasty, which had a clear hierarchy. The two parties in marriage had to be well-matched in social status. Governor Zheng¡¯s official position was much higher than Official Fang¡¯s, so this marriage was indeed out of the Fang family¡¯s league. However, if the matchmaker was First Madam Qin, it would be a different story. After all, First Madam Qin was not only a member of the Qin family, but she was also the prefect¡¯s biological sister. It was no wonder that the Fang family valued this marriage so much. Compared to modern dating and marriage, this kind of marriage custom in the Great Jing Dynasty was quite helpless. However, the times had created the situation. After all, since ancient times, blind marriages and mute marriages were not rare. ¡°I understand.¡± Ji Zhao smiled gratefully. ¡°In short, this marriage is especially important, so I have to satisfy all the guests at the banquet today?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Innkeeper Qian nodded heavily. Ji Zhao thought about it seriously and decided to make ten dishes. In terms of quantity, it meant perfection- There were three cold dishes, four hot dishes, a soup, a dessert, and fruits. There were exactly ten dishes. Although the head butler of the Fang family liked to look down on people, the things he repeatedly reminded Ji Zhao about were beneficial to her.. Chapter 332 - 332: Gift Chapter 332: Gift Trantor: Henyee Trantions Madam Fang did not like green onions. Miss Fang liked to eat sweet food. Madam Zheng liked mutton, and Miss Zheng was a little picky. The eating habits of the guests were very important to a chef. After reading the requirements, Ji Zhao finally made the final version of the menu. When it was close to noon, three carriages stopped outside the Spring Breeze Pavilion. Ji Zhao immediately walked forward and greeted them with a smile. With Nanny Wu¡¯s help, First Madam Qin bent over and got out of the carriage. ¡°Spring Breeze Pavilion?¡± First Madam Qin nced at Ji Zhao, who was smiling brightly. She could not help but ask, ¡°Ah Tao, why did you choose this name?¡± ¡°Madam, the reason why 1 named it Spring Breeze Pavilion is because 1 hope that all the guests whoe to the restaurant to eat will feelfortable like a spring breeze,¡± Ji Zhao exined with a smile. ¡°I see!¡± First Madam Qin smiled and nodded at Nanny Wu. Nanny Wu immediately handed the ck brocade box to Ji Zhao. ¡°And this is?¡± ¡°When you opened for business previously, 1 didn¡¯t have time to prepare a congrattory gift. 1 happened to be free today, so I wanted to make up for it.¡± First Madam Qin smiled and exined, ¡°Girl, don¡¯t just stand there. Open it and take a look,¡± Ji Zhao opened it and saw that the heavy brocade box actually contained an ornament that looked like a jade cabbage. The bright jade cabbage was carved vividly. Cabbage meant wealth. It had a very good meaning. Ji Zhao smiled brightly and epted the gift. ¡°Thankyou, Madam.¡± ¡°Girl, don¡¯t stand on ceremony.¡± Seeing this scene from afar, Madam Fang finally understood why First Madam Qin insisted oning to this unknown restaurant to eat. It turned out that she knew the owner of the restaurant. ¡°Madams, pleasee in.¡± Ji Zhao was sincerely grateful to First Madam Qjn. The reason why she gave her such an expensive congrattory gift at this time was clearly to support her! Ji Zhao weed the Madams to the Summer Lotus room on the second floor. The group led by First Madam Qjn walked in. ¡°The fragrance in this house seems to be hibiscus flowers?¡± First Madam Qin smelled the elegant fragrance in the air and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°It¡¯s already early autumn. How can you still have hibiscus flowers?¡± ¡°Madam, you¡¯re really amazing.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and praised. ¡°The theme of this private room is Summer Lotus, As for the hibiscus incense that fills the air, it came from the incense burner on the table over there.¡± ¡°I see!¡± First Madam Qin smiled in realization. ¡°How thoughtful.¡± Madam Qin loved the fragrance of hibiscus flowers, so she was very satisfied with Ji Zhao¡¯s arrangements, ¡°Please wait a moment, Madams,¡± Ji Zhao said with a hearty smile. ¡°The banquet will begin in 15 minutes.¡± After Ji Zhao left, Eldest Miss Fang, who was obediently following behind Madam Fang, tugged at her mother¡¯s sleeve unhappily. ¡°Mother, why didn¡¯t you set the banquet at Tianxiang Restaurant? This Spring Breeze Pavilion is unknown. Aunt Zheng definitely won¡¯t like it¡­¡± Madam Fang hurriedly gave her daughter a look, then deliberately scolded with a straight face, ¡°You children don¡¯t know anythng!¡± ¡°Mother¡­¡± Fang Shuyuan stomped her feet in grievance. She had heard that the owner of Spring Breeze Pavilion had some conflict with her good friend, Lu Hongshan! Now that her family had rushed over to give face to this Spring Breeze Pavilion, if word got out, Hongshan would definitely be unhappy¡­ ¡°In the blink of an eye, Shuyuan has grown into a slender young girl.¡± After First Madam Qin sat down, she smiled gently at Madam Fang. ¡°1 remember visiting you when Shuyuan was bom.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Madam Fang replied hurriedly, her heart filled with emotions. ¡°It was winter at that time. If not for your timely help, I¡¯m afraid 1 wouldn¡¯t have survived that winter¡­¡± Seventeen years ago, the straightforward Master Fang had just entered the bureaucracy and offended many people. If not for the Qin family¡¯s help, the Fang family would have long¡­ Recalling what happened back then, Madam Fang felt even more guilty. ¡°Ever since the Old Madam passed away from illness, I was worried that I would disturb you if I rashly went to visit. I haven¡¯t seen you much all these years. Now¡­ If it weren¡¯t for Shuyuan¡¯s marriage, I really wouldn¡¯t have the face to see you.¡± Madam Qin did not expect Madam Fang to be so straightforward. She had interacted with Madam Fang before, but Fang Yuan tended to evaluate others based on their power. Ever since Old Madam Qin passed away from illness and Qin Sheng went missing, Fang Yuan had slowly distanced herself from the Qin family and became closer to the Lu family. After all, General Judge Lu from Yunchuan Prefecture was Elder Sun s disciple. As the saying goes, Water flows to the bottom while people seek higher ground. It was not surprising that the Fang family would do such a thing. This time, the reason why Madam Fang was willing to beg First Madam Qin was because First Madam Qin and Madam Zheng had been close for many years. If First Madam Qin was willing to put in a good word for Fang Shuyuan, the marriage between the Fang family and the Zheng family would increase by at least 30%. ¡°You¡¯re being too serious.¡± Hearing her sincere apology, First Madam Qin smiled gently and said, ¡°All these years, I¡¯ve been living in seclusion. Even if you had time to go to the Qin family, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have gone for nothing.¡± First Madam Qin¡¯s gazended on Fang Shuyuan¡¯s face again. She smiled and nodded. ¡°Speaking of which, this is the first time we¡¯ve met.¡± Nanny Wu, who was standing behind her, understood the look in her master¡¯s eyes and immediately handed the prepared brocade box to Fang Shuyuan. ¡°And this is?¡± ¡°A greeting gift.¡± Madam Qin smiled gently. ¡°Open it and see if you like it.¡± Fang Shuyuan couldn¡¯t wait to open the brocade box. When she saw the emerald jade pendant, a hint of disappointment shed across her eyes. ¡°Auntie, this jade pendant can¡¯t be made from the leftovers of the jade cabbage just now, right? Isn¡¯t your greeting gift a little too cheap? You¡¯re so good to thedy boss of this tavern. Why are you so stingy to your junior?¡± ¡°Shuyuan!¡± Madam Fang did not expect her daughter to be so straightforward. She actually criticized First Madam Qin. ¡°Who allowed you to speak like this?¡± Madam Qin did not expect this youngdy from the Fang family to be so rash. She could not help but feel a little disappointed, and even the smile on her face faded. ¡°Mother, I¡¯m telling the truth.¡± Fang Shuyuan frowned in grievance. ¡°Sister Hongshan already said that thedy boss of Spring Breeze Pavilion is not a good person at all. But you insisted on listening to Aunt¡¯s arrangements. Besides, Big Brother Zheng and I are in love with each other. We don¡¯t need anyone to be our matchmaker¡­¡± Madam Fang was so angry that she could not speak. She looked at First Madam Qin anxiously and kept apologizing. ¡°Shuyuan hasn¡¯t seen much of the world. Please don¡¯t lower yourself to her level.¡± ¡°Big Brother Zheng?¡± Not only did First Madam Qin raise her eyebrows, but she also asked softly, ¡°Isn¡¯t the son-inw that Madam Fang values the second young master of the Zheng family?¡± Chapter 333 - 333: So Much Drama Chapter 333: So Much Drama Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Yunchuan Prefecture¡¯s Zheng Hui had two sons and a daughter. Among them, the eldest son was illegitimate, borne from Official Zheng¡¯s concubine from a long time ago. Only Second Young Master Zheng and the nine-year-old Miss Zheng were Madam Zheng¡¯s children. ¡°Coincidentally, I also want to know which young master of our Zheng family Miss Fang has taken a fancy to.¡± The moment First Madam Qin finished speaking, Madam Zheng also brought her daughter into the private room. ¡°This¡­¡± Madam Fang was so nervous that she didn¡¯t know what to do. The Young Master Zheng that the Fang family had taken a fancy to was naturally the second son of the Zheng family, Zheng Yue. However, Fang Shuyuan, who had been pampered since she was young, was bewitched by the eldest son of the Zheng family, Zheng Li. She cried and wanted to marry this illegitimate! How could Madam Fang agree? Therefore, she discussed a solution with Official Fang. First, she asked First Madam Qin to help settle the marriage with the Zheng family. After the marriage was settled, she would tell Fang Shuyuan. Unfortunately, Madam Fang had schemed in all ways and forgotten her daughter¡¯s personality. Fang Shuyuan was also very puzzled. She admired Big Brother Zheng. Her mother clearly knew this! ¡°Mother, what¡¯s going on?¡± Fang Shuyuan asked anxiously. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you would let me marry into the Zheng family in a grand manner? I want to marry Big Brother Zheng. I don¡¯t want to marry Second Young Master Zheng!¡± ¡°Why? Is my second young master not worthy of Miss Fang¡¯s attention?¡± Hearing the obvious disdain in Fang Shuyuan¡¯s tone, Madam Zheng couldn¡¯t help but sneer. ¡°Second Young Master Zheng is an ugly man with pimples all over his face. How can I marry him?¡± Fang Shuyuan pouted, feeling wronged. BANG! The enraged Madam Zheng smashed the entire teacup. ¡°The Fang family has raised a good daughter!¡± Madam Zheng gritted her teeth and sneered. ¡°Madam Zheng, calm down!¡± At this moment, Madam Fang was as anxious as a cat on a hot tin roof. ¡°Shuyuan didn¡¯t mean that!¡± ¡°Then Madam Fang, tell me, what exactly does your daughter mean?¡± Madam Zheng crossed her arms and raised her chin with interest as she looked down at the nervous Madam Fang. ¡°I¡­ she¡­¡± Madam Fang wanted to exin, but she didn¡¯t know where to start. She could only look at First Madam Qin pleadingly. First Madam Qin did not expect that today¡¯s banquet was destined to be a farce. ¡°Sit down. Even if your two families can¡¯t be inws today, you can¡¯t be enemies, right? Manager Ji of this Spring Breeze Pavilion is a little friend of mine. For my sake, let¡¯s try her cooking together!¡± Ji Zhao, who was busy in the kitchen, had no idea that so many things had happened in her private room. An hourter. Looking at the ten delicious dishes on the table, Madam Fang felt her cheeks burn. Hearing Madam Zheng¡¯s sarcastic words, she couldn¡¯t sit still anymore and left in a hurry with Fang Shuyuan. ¡°Thismb chop tastes good.¡± Madam Zheng smiled at First Madam Qin. ¡°Are you here to join in the fun because of this food?¡± ¡°You can say that.¡± First Madam Qin nodded with a magnanimous smile. ¡°The taste is indeed not bad. Rongrong¡¯s ninth birthday is in half a month. At that time, I¡¯ll also set up a banquet in this tavern. If you don¡¯t attend, I¡¯ll personally go and kidnap you.¡± Madam Zheng looked up at First Madam Qin, her tone filled with concern. ¡°Fangrong, it¡¯s time for you toe out and suppress these monsters.¡± First Madam Qin raised her eyebrows and looked at her. Then, she chuckled. ¡°You don¡¯t me me?¡± ¡°Why should I me you?¡± Madam Zheng put down the chopsticks in her hand in frustration and frowned. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault for not taking good care of Yue¡¯er and Rongrong. Actually, I also know that the Fang family¡¯s status is too low, but I have a trace of hope in my heart. If this girl from the Fang family is magnanimous and sensible, as long as she doesn¡¯t despise Yue¡¯er, even if her status is low¡­¡± ¡°But the Fang family is clearly ying tricks!¡± Madam Zheng sneered. ¡°The Fang family is in such a hurry to marry their daughter into our Zheng family. I¡¯m afraid it has something to do with the rumorsing from the capital.¡± The spoiled and arrogant Noble Consort Sun actually dared to make the Empress Dowager faint in public and received a good scolding from His Majesty! Although His Majesty doted on Noble Consort Sun, His Majesty was a filial person! In order tofort the Empress Dowager, His Majesty not only punished Noble Consort Sun to be grounded for three months, but he also scolded Elder Sun fiercely in the court. ¡°The Sun family¡¯s situation has be a little awkward. Those people who cling to the Sun family naturally want to find a way out for themselves in advance.¡± The more Madam Zheng spoke, the more amused she became. First Madam Qin picked up another crystal shrimp dumpling and ced it on the te in front of her. She smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be angry. The Fang family is not worth mentioning.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Madam Zheng nodded slightly, her tone still indignant. ¡°I¡¯m just a little unhappy.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t they say that the eldest son in your family is a noble schr of high conduct? Why is Miss Fang unable to forget him?¡± First Madam Qin looked into her eyes and asked with a smile. Madam Zheng was stunned at first, then she seemed to have thought of something and suddenly looked up. At that moment, in the kitchen. Ji Zhao, who was finally free, picked up a pear, washed it, and took a bite. The sweet pear juice flowed down her throat, nourishing her heart. After today¡¯s banquet ended, the Fang family should settle the remaining payment. As long as she established a good reputation for Spring Breeze Pavilion, she would not have to worry about not having business in the future. Just as Ji Zhao was fantasizing about the future, she suddenly heard a sobbing sound. She was a little surprised and turned to walk out of the kitchen. At the corner of the backyard of the Spring Breeze Pavilion, a little girl in pink was squatting on the ground with her head in her hands, crying sadly. Her shoulders twitched, and she looked a little pitiful. Ji Zhao bent down and asked patiently, ¡°Are you lost?¡± Zheng Rongrong, who was curled up in the corner, was shocked by the sudden sound! Like a frightened rabbit, she looked at the person in front of her with red eyes. ¡°Did I scare you?¡± Ji Zhao quicklyforted her. ¡°If my voice was too loud and scared you, then I¡¯ll apologize to you, okay?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s alright¡­¡± Zheng Rongrong quickly shook her head. She sized up this fairy-like sister in front of her. This sister was really good-looking. She was as beautiful as a fairy. Zheng Rongrong blurted out the thought in her heart. Ji Zhao was amused. ¡°Thank you for yourpliment, but I think you¡¯re very beautiful too!¡± Although the little girl in front of her was wearing a ck veil, Ji Zhao could tell that her eyes were beautiful peach blossom eyes. Her clear eyes made people want to approach her.. Chapter 334 - 334: Will Be Even Cuter Chapter 334: Will Be Even Cuter Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Ji Zhao thought for a moment and took out a handkerchief from her pocket and handed it to her. ¡°Your eyes are really beautiful. How can you bear to cry with such beautiful eyes?¡± Ji Zhao smiled andforted her. ¡°Hurry up and wipe your tears.¡± Zheng Rongrong clenched her skirt nervously. She looked at Ji Zhao¡¯s face and finally carefully reached out to take the handkerchief. She said softly, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, can you tell me why you¡¯re crying?¡± Ji Zhao rubbed her little head and asked gently. ¡°Sister.¡± Zheng Rongrong lowered her head in disappointment. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not beautiful at all. They all call me ugly behind my back¡­¡± ¡°Why?¡± Ji Zhao took the opportunity to sit cross-legged beside her. She supported her chin with one hand, her eyes filled with confusion. ¡°You¡¯re clearly very good-looking.¡± ¡°Sister, don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t be afraid¡­¡± For some reason, Zheng Rongrong suddenly mustered up her courage and slowly removed the ck veil from her face. After seeing the little girl¡¯s face clearly, Ji Zhao finally understood what she meant. Although this youngdy had a pair of bright peach blossom eyes, she had a hare¡¯s lips. No wonder she felt so inferior. ¡°Isn¡¯t it very ugly?¡± Zheng Rongrong didn¡¯t see any disdain in Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes. She was a little surprised and curious. Was the fairy sister not afraid of ugly people at all? ¡°I want to be friends with you. Can I?¡± Ji Zhao looked into her eyes and asked with a sincere smile. ¡°Friends?¡± Zheng Rongrong was a bit surprised, but also a bit happy. ¡°Sister, aren¡¯t you afraid of me?¡± ¡°Why should I be afraid of you?¡± Ji Zhao asked with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re not a ferocious beast.¡± ¡°But¡­ but everyone thinks I¡¯m ugly¡­¡± Zheng Rongrong lowered her head again, her tone filled with sorrow. ¡°Besides, Brother was also implicated by me. Actually, there aren¡¯t so many bumps on Brother¡¯s face at all. He deliberately drew them on his own. He wanted to make me happy¡­ It¡¯s all my fault.¡± The more Ji Zhao listened, the more puzzled she became. After some interaction, Ji Zhao finally understood this youngdy¡¯s identity. Zheng Rongrong, the legitimate daughter of the Governor of Yunchuan, was also the beloved daughter of the Zheng family. There were also rumors about Miss Zheng¡¯s ugly appearance in the streets. Actually, Zheng Rongrong¡¯s appearance was not ugly. She had a palm-sized oval face, clear and bright peach blossom eyes, and a high nose bridge. She could be said to be a little beauty! The only w was that she had a hare¡¯s lips. The harelip is also medically known as cleft lip, a congenital malformationmonly seen in the oral and maxiry face, which is generally the result of iplete fusion of facial structures in the fetus during development. In fact, Zheng Rongrong¡¯s harelip was not serious. Unfortunately, this was the Great Jing Empire, where technology was medieval. If it were in the modern era, her condition could be corrected through surgery. ¡°Rongrong, you¡¯re not the ugly one.¡± Ji Zhao patted her head gently and said firmly, ¡°Those who say that you¡¯re ugly behind your back are the real ugly ones. Judging a person¡¯s beauty and ugliness shouldn¡¯t only be based on their appearance. Only the heart is truly beautiful!¡± Upon hearing these words, Zheng Rongrong was at a loss. ¡°A beautiful heart?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Ji Zhao exined with a smile. ¡°No matter who it is, you shouldn¡¯t judge a person¡¯s beauty and ugliness from their appearance. There are thousands of people in this world, and everyone¡¯s appearance is different! If you really admire a person, you should admire their inner qualities-¡± ¡°Thank you, Sister Ah Tao.¡± Zheng Rongrong seemed to understand a little, but at the same time, she was still confused. However, she was still very happy to make a new friend. At the end of the day, Ji Zhao came to the private room on the second floor again. At that moment, only First Madam Qin and Nanny Wu were left in the private room. When Ji Zhao saw the mess on the ground, she could not help but feel a little lost. ¡°Is my food too bad?¡± ¡°No.¡± Madam Qin shook her head at her. ¡°It has nothing to do with you.¡± Following the direction of First Madam Qin¡¯s finger, Ji Zhao found the banknote lying on the table. ¡°A hundred taels?¡± ¡°Madam Zheng was angry today and smashed this teacup,¡± First Madam Qin exined concisely. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry too much. Although the marriage between the Zheng and Fang families hasn¡¯t been settled, Madam Zheng is still quite satisfied with your culinary skills. Before she left, she even said that she would set up a table at Spring Breeze Pavilion in half a month to celebrate Miss Zheng¡¯s ninth birthday.¡± Ji Zhao was even more confused. ¡°I thought Madam Zheng was dissatisfied with today¡¯s banquet. I didn¡¯t expect¡­¡± ¡°The aroma of wine is not afraid of the depth of the alley. The salt and peppermb chop you made suits Madam Zheng¡¯s taste very well.¡± First Madam Qin smiled. ¡°Auntie, I will always remember your kindness.¡± Ji Zhao smiled gratefully at her. ¡°If you really feel bad, make me a couple more pastries when you¡¯re free,¡± First Madam Qin suggested with a smile before she left. ¡°Alright.¡± Ji Zhao immediately agreed. ¡°Then I¡¯ll pay a visit to your residence in two days.¡± The afterglow of the setting sun shone on every inch ofnd in Yunchuan Prefecture, covering the entire city with a mysterious veil. Peach Blossom Cottage. When Shen Yao returned home, Ji Zhao had already fallen asleep on the table. He deliberately slowed down and quietly walked to her side. Just as he was about to pick her up, Ji Zhao woke up. ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± Ji Zhao rubbed her eyes and asked softly, ¡°Have you finished your dinner?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve eaten.¡± Shen Yao reached out and pulled her into his arms. His deep voice was filled with heartache. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you sleeping on the bed?¡± ¡°I wanted to read some medical books first and rest with you when youe back.¡± Ji Zhao yawned tiredly. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to fall asleep.¡± Shen Yao kissed her forehead gently and asked in a low voice, ¡°Are you tired?¡± ¡°A little.¡± Ji Zhao gestured with her fingers and smiled faintly. ¡°However, I¡¯m more happy. Although Spring Breeze Pavilion has only been open for a few days, I¡¯ve recovered a small portion of the cost. I earned a total of 130 taels from the banquet this afternoon!¡± ¡°130 taels?¡± Shen Yao was a little surprised. ¡°That much?¡± ¡°Although 100 taels is Madam Zheng¡¯s apology gift, I calcted carefully and still profited.¡± Ji Zhao nestled in his arms and exined softly. In the end, she said, ¡°Actually, Rongrong is really quite beautiful. However, the little girl feels especially inferior because she has a harelip, so I thought of flipping through the medical books to see if I could find a way to help her.¡± ¡°Do you like her that much?¡± Shen Yao did not expect his wife to be so fated with the youngdy from the Zheng family. ¡°That¡¯s right. I do like her quite a lot. I guess it¡¯s fate?¡± Ji Zhao hugged his neck and replied with a smile, ¡°Young Master Shen, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re jealous of a little girl?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not jealous.¡± Shen Yao suddenly carried her and stood up. He leaned close to her ear and whispered, ¡°I just think that Zhaozhao and I¡¯s daughter will be even cuter..¡± Chapter 335 - 335: But I Don’t Want to Know Chapter 335: But I Don¡¯t Want to Know Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Ji Zhao shyly turned her little face away. The corners of her lips curled into a faint smile as she muttered softly, ¡°How can you be sure that we will definitely have a daughter?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t be sure now.¡± Shen Yao suddenly smiled. His eyes were extremely bright as he looked at her. ¡°But we can work harder.¡± ¡°All?¡± Ji Zhao eximed, only to realize that she had fallen into Shen Yao¡¯s arms. ¡°Zhaozhao.¡± Shen Yao lowered his head and kissed her forehead. His deep eyes were filled with affection. ¡°Shall we settle down early?¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Ji Zhao bit her lip nervously and nodded shyly. After a round of action, the person in his arms had already fallen asleep. Shen Yao raised his hand and rubbed her cheek, a satisfied smile on his lips. ¡°No more¡­¡± Ji Zhao, who was extremely sleepy, muttered softly. In the end, she turned over and fell into a deep dream. The next day, when the sky was bright, Ji Zhao, who smelled a sweet fragrance, slowly opened her eyes. ¡°Why does it smell so good?¡± ¡°I bought a serving of sweet tofu pudding.¡± Shen Yao walked to her side and kissed her cheek affectionately. He asked gently, ¡°Did you sleep wellst night?¡± ¡°Pretty well¡­¡± Ji Zhao nodded gently and lowered her eyes to hide the shyness in them. ¡°Ahem¡­ 1¡¯11 go wash up first. Shall we have breakfast togetherter?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± A momentter, Ji Zhao tasted the tofu pudding that emitted an alluring fragrance, and her taste buds were greatly satisfied. ¡°It¡¯s so delicious.¡± After a while, Ji Zhao finished the sweet tofu pudding. She licked her lips in satisfaction, but she did not notice that the man sitting beside her had a glint in his eyes. ¡°Zhaozhao,¡± Shen Yao suddenly looked up and called out. ¡°Huh?¡± Ji Zhao subconsciously looked up, his gaze nk and confused. ¡°I prided myself on being an elegant gentleman, but after marrying Zhaozhao, I actually became a person with heavy desires¡­¡± Shen Yao looked into her eyes andughed helplessly at himself. ¡°Zhaozhao, do you hate me?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Ji Zhao wanted to say something, but her mind was nk. Shen Yao leaned close to her ear and said, ¡°If 1 didn¡¯t have an appointment with Brother Qin today, I really want to stay at home with Zhaozhao for a day.¡± ¡°Shen Yao!¡± Ji Zhao punched his chest angrily. Her delicate face was like a rose that had weathered the storm, delicate and charming. ¡°If you continue to spout nonsense, I¡¯ll ignore you!¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not disturb my Zhaozhao anymore.¡± Shen Yao could not help but rub her cheek. ¡°You don¡¯t have to wait for me toe back for dinner today. I might be back veryte.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ji Zhao answered obediently. Ever since Shen Yao became the Jieyuan in the provincial imperial examination, he needed to socialize more. However, Ji Zhao didn¡¯t care much. After all, she had her own business to attend to! At the end of the night, Ji Zhao was about to enter the Spring Breeze Pavilion when someone blocked his path. ¡°Young Master, how may I help you?¡± The person blocking Ji Zhao¡¯s path was a young master dressed in sapphire blue embroidered with silver auspicious clouds. This person had a round face and thin lips. His slightly upturned fox eyes looked a little indecent. Especially since this person had a red mole under his left eye. It looked a little enchanting. ¡°May I ask if you are the owner of this Spring Breeze Pavilion?¡± The yboy suddenly waved the folding fan in his hand and asked with raised eyebrows. ¡°Yes.¡± Ji Zhao admitted openly. Based on the principle that anyone who arrives is a guest, she asked softly, ¡°Young Master, do you want to reserve a banquet?¡± ¡°No.¡± The enchanting young master shook his head. ¡°I want to ask the boss to help me make a dish.¡± ¡°What dish?¡± ¡°I wonder if you can make some mutton dumplings?¡± Ji Zhao shook her head. ¡°Young Master, I¡¯m really sorry. This restuarant doesn¡¯t make these snacks. We only ept banquets for more than two people.¡± ¡°Do you not know how to make it or are you unwilling to make it?¡± Zheng Li frowned unhappily, his eyes dark. ¡°Since Young Master isn¡¯t here to book a banquet, please be off.¡± Ji Zhao straightened her back and said in a neither servile nor overbearing manner. The eyes of this enchanting young master in front of her were not right. He did not look like a good person. Ji Zhao was also unwilling to do business with such a person. ¡°Do you know who 1 am?¡± Zheng Li narrowed his eyes and his tone suddenly turned cold. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Ji Zhao shook her head. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to know either.¡± Zheng Li smiled. In the entire Yunchuan Prefecture, other than this woman in front of him, who would dare to step on his face like this? He was the eldest son of Yunchuan¡¯s governor! ¡°Interesting.¡± Zheng Li sneered. Before he left, he did not forget to look at Ji Zhao. ¡°We¡¯ll meet again.¡± The warning and threat in his eyes were self-evident. However, Ji Zhao did not care at all. After all, people with evil intentions would definitely have trouble in the future. After a while, Innkeeper Qian of Yinchuan Inn rushed forward and asked anxiously, ¡°Madam Shen, were you alright just now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and shook her head. ¡°Are you really fine?¡± Innkeeper Qian was still a little worried. ¡°Madam Shen, did that young master make things difficult for you just now?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good!¡± Innkeeper Qian waspletely relieved. ¡°Just now, I saw that Eldest Young Master Zheng¡¯s expression was a little ugly. 1 thought he would make things difficult for you. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t make things difficult for you.¡± ¡°Eldest Young Master Zheng?¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and guessed the identity of the person just now. ¡°Could it be that the yboy just now is the son of Yunchuan¡¯s Governor Zheng?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Innkeeper Qian nodded and raised his hand to point at the street in the east. He said in a low voice, ¡°That street is owned by the Zheng family, and Young Master Zheng has been helping to take care of it. Therefore, no one nearby dares to provoke Young Master Zheng.¡± ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re very afraid of this Young Master Zheng?¡± Ji Zhao could not help but raise her eyebrows, her eyes filled with curiosity. Innkeeper Qian wanted to say something but hesitated. In the end, he sighed helplessly. ¡°Madam Shen, you¡¯re a smart person. If you want Spring Breeze Pavilion to continue operating steadily, don¡¯t provoke those people you shouldn¡¯t. Otherwise, you¡¯ll definitely cause trouble!¡± ¡°Thank you for your advice, Innkeeper Qian.¡± Ji Zhao smiled gratefully. ¡°However, even though I won¡¯t provoke those despicable people, I¡¯m never afraid either.¡± Hearing this, Innkeeper Qian looked at Ji Zhao with aplicated gaze. Ji Zhao nodded slightly at him before turning around and walking into the Spring Breeze Pavilion. Ever since the Spring Breeze Pavilion opened for business, it had only received two tables of customers. Business was still not improving. However, Ji Zhao knew in her heart that it was easier to open a shop than to maintain it, so she was not in a hurry. Just as First Madam Qin had said, fragrant wine is not afraid of the depth of the alley. Ji Zhao thought for a moment and turned to go to the kitchen. She prepared to make some pastries and send them to the Qin residence personally. After all, First Madam Qin had really helped a lot.. Chapter 336 - 336: May Have Offended Eldest Young Master Chapter 336: May Have Offended Eldest Young Master Zheng Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions It was already early autumn, and the weather in Yunchuan Prefecture City was getting cooler. However, this was also the most drying time for the lungs, so Ji Zhao decided to make some sweet snow fungus soup with pear and some pumpkin cakes. First Madam Qin liked sweet pastries, so Ji Zhao nned to make a different type of pumpkin cake. The pumpkin cake with bean paste filling would bring double the sweetness to one¡¯s taste buds. Halfway through the afternoon, First Madam Qin was checking the ounts in the residence. ¡°I¡¯ve asked. Before Madam Liu was divorced, there were many precious items missing from the warehouse.¡± Nanny Wu hurriedly walked in front of First Madam Qin and frowned. ¡°1 roughly estimated that there were at least three thousand taels lost in the public warehouse.¡± ¡°Three thousand taels?¡± Hearing this number, First Madam Qin was a little surprised. Then, she couldn¡¯t help but sneer. ¡°How dare she have designs on the public treasury.¡± ¡°What do you n to do?¡± Nanny Wu asked softly. ¡°Now that Madam Liu has been divorced, 1 heard that the divorce letter written by Second Master has been torn apart by Madam Liu. Moreover, the Liu family also said that Madam Liu is mentally disoriented. If Second Master sends the divorce letter over again, he will be enemies with the Liu family.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± First Madam Qin smiled indifferently. ¡°I¡¯m not dead yet. The ounts in the public treasury have such a huge hole. Someone has to fill them in! Madam Liu still cares about Mingyao. Since she caused a debt in the public treasury, let¡¯s reduce the expenses of Youran Residence!¡± She was not a kind person. Since Madam Liu had the audacity to empty the public treasury, she would let her son repay her! Youran Residence. Knowing that his expenses had been reduced by more than half, Qin Mingyao was furious! In his frustration, he smashed an entire set of brush, ink, paper, and inkstone! Ever since Qin Minghong returned, everything had been going wrong for him! His mother was right. Qin Minghong was an annoying bug! Only by crushing this bug could he live a good life! An hourter. First Madam Qin put down the bowl and spoon in satisfaction. The way she looked at Ji Zhao became gentler. ¡°Your culinary skills are really amazing. This Snow Fungus Soup with Pear is not bad.¡± ¡°If Madam likes it, I¡¯ll leave this recipe to Nanny Wuter. This way, if Madam wants to drink it, she can drink it.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and said gently. ¡°Alright.¡± First Madam Qin smiled brightly and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± ¡°Madam, can you tell me about the Zheng family?¡± Ji Zhao looked into her eyes, her tone bing more and more sincere. ¡°The Zheng family?¡± First Madam Qin was extremely puzzled. ¡°Why is All Tao suddenly asking about the Zheng family?¡± ¡°I might have offended the eldest son of the Zheng family.¡± Ji Zhao shrugged helplessly and smiled. ¡°Oh?¡± A momentter, First Madam Qin frowned and her eyes darkened. ¡°The eldest son of the Zheng family you saw was actually not given birth to by Madam Zheng.¡± First Madam Qin personally poured a cup of flower tea for Ji Zhao and sighed softly. ¡°The eldest son of the Zheng family was born by Governor Zheng¡¯s bedfellow. However, about nine years ago, when Madam Zheng gave birth to Miss Zheng, that bedfellow also died of illness.¡± ¡°Although Official Zheng is an official, he can¡¯t handle family matters well. However, the eldest son of the Zheng family is indeed quite capable. He¡¯s good at business and within seven years, he¡¯s already bought a street of businesses.¡± Although First Madam Qin had only introduced the Zheng family in a few words, Ji Zhao could still hear the deeper meaning hidden in her words. For example, Young Master Zheng¡¯s biological mother died when Madam Zheng gave birth. These words might contain other deeper meanings. ¡°But you don¡¯t have to worry too much.¡± First Madam Qin looked at Ji Zhao¡¯s thoughtful expression and quicklyforted him. ¡°Come with me to the Zheng residence tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ji Zhao nodded obediently. September 28th was a beautiful and sunny day. Ji Zhao went into the kitchen early in the morning and made several types of breakfast. Steamed dumplings stuffed with mutton and scallions, mutton soup withtro, and mutton wraps. She thought that since she was going to visit Madam Zheng, she naturally had to cater to her tastes. She made some soft and sweet egg cakes. She only used eggs and sugar, not even a drop of water was added. After First Madam Qin tasted a piece of egg cake, she was full of praise. ¡°That girl Rongrong also likes sweet food. She will definitely like it.¡± Ji Zhao, who was leaning against the carriage, smiled and asked, ¡°Madam, that day, 1 saw Rongrong¡¯s face.¡± ¡°You also think Rongrong¡¯s face is ugly?¡± Chen Fangrong subconsciously looked up and sized up Ji Zhao¡¯s expression. However, she did not see any disgust or disdain on her face. Ji Zhao shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s impolite to judge a person¡¯s beauty and ugliness based on their appearance alone. Moreover, Rongrong¡¯s eyes are very clear. She¡¯s a good child with a kind heart.¡± Hearing this, First Madam Qin couldn¡¯t help butugh. However, she couldn¡¯t help but hold Ji Zhao¡¯s hand and gently pat it twice. ¡°You little girl, you¡¯re only a few years older than Rongrong. Why do you sound so mature?¡± Ji Zhao almost forgot that she was only seventeen years old in this world. She was only eight years older than Zheng Rongrong. ¡°Although Rongrong was born with rabbit lips, she¡¯s indeed a good child with a kind heart.¡± First Madam Qin couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°Madam Zheng is also a person with a bitter life. She married Governor Zheng after his first wife died and gave birth to a pair of children. Unfortunately, these two children¡¯s looks¡­¡± ¡°Second Young Master Zheng also has a harelip?¡± First Madam Qin shook her head gently. ¡°Zheng Yue doesn¡¯t have hare lips. It¡¯s just that he has face full of marks since he was young. Because of this, his marriage has always been very difficult.¡± Only then did Ji Zhao understand. ¡°Logically speaking, the Fang family¡¯s status is much lower than the Zheng family¡¯s. Miss Fang shouldn¡¯t be able to marry into the Zheng family. That day, the Fang family held a banquet at the Spring Breeze Pavilion and invited you to be a matchmaker. If Miss Fang didn¡¯t have a husband she likes, this marriage probably would have been arranged?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± First Madam Qin smiled and nodded. She looked at Ji Zhao with admiration. ¡°Ah Tao, you¡¯re quite smart to be able to see the essence of this matter.¡± ¡°No wonder Madam Zheng was furious that day. She must have thought that Miss Fang liked Second Young Master Zheng?¡± However, Miss Fang had already secretly fallen in love with Eldest Young Master Zheng. That was why Madam Zheng was so angry when she said that the person she wanted to marry was Eldest Young Master Zheng? Ji Zhao suddenly thought of what Zheng Rongrong had said that day. The bumps on Second Young Master Zheng¡¯s face seemed to have been drawn on himself? Just as Ji Zhao was lost in her thoughts, the carriage stopped. Madam Zheng was waiting outside the door and personally weed them. ¡°Although the weather is much cooler now, the sun in the morning is still a little vicious. Why are you waiting here?¡± After First Madam Qin got out of the carriage, she smiled at Madam Zheng. ¡°I¡¯m happy that you¡¯re here.¡± Madam Zheng smiled happily and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the reception hall. 1¡¯11 get the Nanny to make your favorite osmanthus cake..¡± Chapter 337 - 337: Why Are You Here? Chapter 337: Why Are You Here? Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°Greetings, Madam Zheng.¡± Under Madam Qin¡¯s gaze, Ji Zhao hurriedly took a step forward and bowed slightly to Madam Zheng. ¡°And this is?¡± Although she went to Spring Breeze Pavilion for the banquet that day, Ji Zhao was busy in the kitchen when Madam Zheng arrived. Coupled with the fact that she had left in a hurry, she did not see Ji Zhao. ¡°This is a young friend.¡± First Madam Qin couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Wanrou, let¡¯s go. We¡¯ll talk after we enter.¡± Wanrou was Madam Zheng¡¯s maiden name. The main entrance of the Zheng Residence was exceptionally imposing. After entering the door, they walked through a long corridor to the right and then passed through an arch of hanging flowers to the left before arriving at the reception hall of the Zheng Residence. Madam Zheng was a refined person, so she nted many green nts in the courtyard. The path leading to the reception pavilion was paved with brightly colored goose egg stones, and both sides were nted with emerald-green dwarf holly. Various chrysanthemum bonsais were ced in the corners of the walls on both sides of the courtyard. In addition to somemon breeds, there were also some rare and expensive breeds. ¡°All Tao?¡± Seeing that Ji Zhao had stopped, First Madam Qin turned around and called out. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect there to be so many chrysanthemums nted in the residence.¡± Ji Zhao immediately followed and smiled at Madam Zheng. ¡°That pot of ¡®Vermillion on Snow1 just now was very beautiful. That¡¯s why 1 was dazed.¡± ¡°Fangrong, this girl is hiding her ability. Who exactly is she?¡± When she heard Ji Zhao say ¡®Vermillion on Snow¡¯, Madam Zheng looked at Ji Zhao with intense curiosity. ¡°Wanrou, actually, you¡¯ve tasted Ah Tao¡¯s cooking.¡± First Madam Qin smiled and kept her in suspense. ¡°Me?¡± Madam Zheng pointed at her nose in confusion. ¡°When did I taste it?¡± ¡°Madam Zheng.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and exined softly, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m the owner of Spring Breeze Pavilion.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the owner of Spring Breeze Pavilion?¡± Madam Zheng was extremely surprised. ¡°You made that salt and peppermb chop?¡± Madam Zheng was really surprised. After all, she really liked mutton. It was just that mutton was not easy to handle, so the mutton made by many famous chefs still had an odor. That day at the Spring Breeze Pavilion, although she was quite angered by the Fang family, she had a deep impression of the taste of the salt and peppermb chop. She thought that the master chef behind the scenes was a chef from the northwest, which was why they were so good at makingmb chops. Who would have thought that the delicious food was made by this slender girl in front of her? ¡°Ah Tao happened to make some breakfast today.¡± First Madam Qin smiled and nodded at Nanny Wu. Thetter immediately took a step forward and took out the breakfast from the food box in her hand. ¡°Wanrou, try it.¡± Madam Zheng couldn¡¯t wait to pick up a warm mutton wrap. She took a small bite, and the fragrance of the mutton instantly burst out in her mouth. Coupled with the crispy wrap, the rich texture made her unable to help but be intoxicated! ¡°Tastes good!¡± Madam Zheng, who had eaten two mutton wraps in a row, smiled happily. ¡°Miss All Tao, I didn¡¯t expect you to have such amazing culinary skills at such a young age.¡± ¡°Madam, you tter me.¡± Coincidentally, Zheng Rongrong walked into the reception pavilion. When she saw Ji Zhao, her eyes lit up. ¡°Sister Ah Tao? Why are you here?¡± ¡°Rongrong.¡± Ji Zhao bent over slightly and looked at Zheng Rongrong. She smiled and hugged her. ¡°1 promised to be friends with Rongrong. How can 1 go back on my word? That¡¯s why I came to find you. Is Rongrong happy?¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy! I¡¯m so happy!¡± Zheng Rongrong immediately nodded like a chick pecking at rice. Seeing this scene, Madam Zheng was puzzled again. How long had it been since she saw Rongrong smile so happily? This Miss Ji was really too amazing, right? No, how did Miss Ji know Rongrong? ¡°Mother.¡± Zheng Rongrong held Ji Zhao¡¯s hand and walked to Madam Zheng. She couldn¡¯t wait to introduce her. ¡°Sister Ah Tao is the fairy sister I told you about!¡± Only then did Madam Zheng remember that after the banquet at Spring Breeze Pavilion that day, she and Rongrong had returned to the residence. In the carriage, Zheng Rongrong had mentioned that she had gotten to know a beautiful fairy sister. Moreover, the fairy sister had even praised her for having beautiful eyes. More importantly, the fairy sister was not frightened after seeing her full appearance! ¡°Thank you for helping Rongrong out that day, Miss Ah Tao.¡± After understanding the ins and outs of the matter, Madam Zheng looked at Ji Zhao even more gently. ¡°Miss Ah Tao, you might not know this, but Rongrong doesn¡¯t have many friends. She has a low self-esteem. What you said to Rongrong that day was very heartwarming encouragement to her. Thank you very much.¡± ¡°Madam, you don¡¯t have to thank me,¡± Ji Zhao said honestly. ¡°What 1 said to Rongrong that day was from the bottom of my heart. Moreover, 1 didn¡¯t know that Rongrong was your daughter at that time.¡± Madam Zheng nodded slightly, and the smile in her eyes deepened. This Miss Ah Tao was an extremely good person. ¡°Sister All Tao, let me bring you around my garden?¡± Zheng Rongrong grabbed Ji Zhao¡¯s wrist without any exnation and wanted to drag her out of the door. ¡°Mother, you can chat with Aunt Rong. 1¡¯11 bring Sister Ah Tao around the garden!¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly nodded at the two Madams and followed Zheng Rongrong out of the reception hall. ¡°Wanrou.¡± First Madam Qin faced Madam Zheng and smiled gently. Her gaze was honest as she said, ¡°One never visits unless they need something. Actually, I came today to introduce Ah Tao to you. There¡¯s one more thing. I think we might need your help.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid All Tao has some misunderstandings with the eldest young master of the residence¡­¡± On the other side. Ji Zhao, who was being held by Zheng Rongrong¡¯s hand, patiently listened to her introduction. ¡°Sister Ah Tao,e over and take a look. My mother said that this kind of chrysanthemum is called Clear Water Lotus Flower, but 1 don¡¯t understand. This is clearly a chrysanthemum, right? Why is its name also Lotus Flower? Ji Zhao looked at the pot of light pink lotus flowers in front of her and said with a smile, ¡°The autumn wind is blowing fiercely, shaking the chrysanthemums in the courtyard. The fragrance of the flowers fills the air with a chilly scent, and there are hardly any butterflies left to collect nectar..¡± ¡°Sister All Tao, have you seen this kind of chrysanthemum before?¡± Zheng Rongrong looked at Ji Zhao with admiration. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve seen it before.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and nodded. She had been to the flower fair in the past, so she had seen a lot of chrysanthemums. At that time, Ji Zhao knew that chrysanthemums not only had yellow and white colors, but they also had other colors. ¡°Sister All Tao, you¡¯re really amazing!¡± Zheng Rongrong stared fixedly at Ji Zhao. ¡°Sister All Tao, can 1 ask you a question?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Can you marry my brother?¡± Zheng Rongrong tugged at her sleeve and said excitedly, ¡°1 want to be family with you. If you can marry my brother and be my sister-inw, we¡¯ll be a family, right?!¡± ¡°Silly Rongrong, I¡¯m already¡ª¡± ¡°Zhaozhao!¡± Before she could say ¡®married¡¯, Ji Zhao suddenly heard a familiar voice. She immediately looked up and saw Shen Yao smiling at her. She immediately lifted her skirt and jogged to Shen Yao¡¯s side. She looked up and smiled brightly.. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Chapter 338 - 338: He’s My Husband Chapter 338: He¡¯s My Husband Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Shen Yao smiled and held her waist. He raised his hand and tapped the tip of her nose. He exined softly, ¡°I apanied Brother Qin to visit Governor Zheng.¡± Ever since Qin Minghong revealed his intention to be an official, Qin Chen wanted to help his son. In addition, Qin Minghong wanted to go to Yangzhou, so Qin Chen brought him to the Zheng residence. After all, Governor Zheng¡¯s hometown was Yangzhou, and Governor Zheng¡¯s cousin, Zheng Shengjie, was the current inspector of Yangzhou. Meanwhile, Shen Yao apanied the Qin father and son into the residence to visit Governor Zheng. ¡°What a coincidence.¡± Ji Zhao looked up at him and smiled sweetly. ¡°The Qin family¡¯s eldest aunt brought me to visit Madam Zheng. By the way, this is Rongrong.¡± Zheng Rongrong nervously hid behind Ji Zhao, her small hands nervously clutching Ji Zhao¡¯s clothes. ¡°Sister All Tao, who is he¡­¡± ¡°Rongrong, don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Ji Zhao bowed slightly and smiled at Zheng Rongrong. ¡°His name is Shen Yao. He¡¯s my husband.¡± Zheng Rongrong raised her head in surprise. So Sister All Tao was already married? ¡°Then Sister All Tao won¡¯t be able to marry my second brother, right¡­¡± Zheng Rongrong was a little sad. She even felt like crying. ¡°Rongrong, I believe that your second brother will definitely find a good girl who sincerely admires him in the future.¡± Ji Zhao gently wiped the tears on Zheng Rongrong¡¯s face and exined in a low voice, ¡°In a couple of days, I¡¯ll bring some new pastries for Rongrong, okay?¡± ¡°Really?¡± Zheng Rongrong¡¯s tears instantly turned into a smile. ¡°Sister All Tao, will you stille to my house as a guest?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Ji Zhao smiled and rubbed her little head. Her tone became even gentler. ¡°We¡¯re good friends, so we naturally have toe and go often.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Zheng Rongrong was overjoyed. Even if Sister All Tao could not be her sister-inw, as long as Sister All Tao was willing toe to the residence to visit her often, she would be satisfied! Shen Yao did not expect his wife to be targeted by this youngdy in front of him. He felt a little helpless and aggrieved. His Zhaozhao was too charming. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Brother Shen to have married a long time ago.¡± An unfamiliar voice sounded. Ji Zhao then saw the two people behind Shen Yao. ¡°Zhaozhao.¡± Shen Yao held her hand and turned to face the man who had spoken just now. He was dressed in a green robe with dark embroidery patterns. He smiled and said, ¡°This is Second Young Master Zheng.¡± ¡°Greetings, Second Young Master.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and bowed lightly. ¡°Hello, Sister-inw!¡± Zheng Yue replied with a smile. Zheng Yue, who was already of age, was very tall. However, his skin was a little dark, but his facial features were very upright. The only w was the soybean-sized red bumps that extended from his eyelids to his lips. These bumps affected Second Young Master Zheng¡¯s looks, which was why Madam Zheng was so worried about her son¡¯s marriage. ¡°Second Young Master Zheng, using too much cinnabar is very harmful to your skin.¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and kindly reminded him. Zheng Yue did not expect Sister-inw Shen to see that there was something wrong with the red bumps on his face at a nce. Just as he was about to speak, he heard his brother¡¯s voice. ¡°Why is the garden so lively today?¡± Zheng Li, who was dressed in white, walked gracefully to the front of the crowd. The smile on his face was 30% nonchnt, 30% mocking, and 30% cold. Out of the corner of his eye, he inadvertently saw a familiar face. The smile in Zheng Li¡¯s eyes deepened. ¡°Brother.¡± Zheng Yue turned around and called out with a smile. ¡°Second Brother didn¡¯t go to school today?¡± Zheng Li raised his eyebrows slightly and asked gently. ¡°The teacher applied for leave for three days.¡± Zheng Yue exined respectfully, ¡°Brother, some guests came to the residence today. This is Brother Shen. Not long ago, Brother Shen obtained first ce in the provincial imperial examination. This is Sister-inw Shen. She¡­¡± ¡°The owner of Spring Breeze Pavilion.¡± Before Zheng Yue could finish speaking, Zheng Yue suddenly smiled. However, there was a hint of mockery in his eyes when he looked at Ji Zhao. Ji Zhao did not like that kind of malicious gaze. Shen Yao quietly shielded his wife behind him. His eyes darkened slightly as his cold gazended on Zheng Li¡¯s face. After a moment of silence, Zheng Li suddenly burst outughing. ¡°Since you¡¯re not afraid of offending me, why did you step into the Zheng residence? What? Have you thought it through and want to apologize to me personally?¡± Zheng Li was not a magnanimous person. On the contrary, he was vengeful. When Ji Zhao had humiliated him in public, Zheng Li had already thought of a n to deal with Spring Breeze Pavilion. In the end, before he could make a move, the other party had alreadye to apologize. Zheng Li suddenly felt that it was quite boring. ¡°Eldest Young Master, do you usually like to read novels?¡± Ji Zhao suddenly opened her mouth and smiled. This Eldest Young Master Zheng¡¯s imagination was quite wild. Realizing that something was wrong, Zheng Li subconsciously narrowed his eyes and looked at Ji Zhao even more ruthlessly. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not here to apologize to you. Besides¡­¡± Ji Zhao looked at Zheng Li and smiled, but the smile did not reach her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t need to apologize to you. Or are you trying to bully me?¡± ¡°You have a glib tongue.¡± Zheng Li narrowed his eyes and sneered. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re so naive to think that you can continue your business smoothly after offending me?¡± If he wanted to deal with this woman, it would be easier than crushing an ant! Moreover, this woman did not know what was good for her! ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why are you all standing here?¡± Hearing themotion, Madam Zheng immediately came to the garden and hurriedly asked, ¡°What happened?¡± Just as Zheng Li was about to speak, he heard Ji Zhao¡¯s voice. ¡°Madam Zheng, I¡¯ve been threatened by the eldest young master of the residence. May I ask if you can make a decision?¡± ¡°What exactly happened?¡± Madam Zheng¡¯s expression became more and more serious. Fifteen minutester, Zheng Li tried his best to suppress the unknown fire in his heart. His eyes darkened as he said, ¡°I heard that Mother was anxious about Second Brother¡¯s marriage, so I wanted to go to the Spring Breeze Pavilion and ask Manager Ji to make some steamed dumplings with mutton fillings so that Mother can be more at ease. I didn¡¯t expect Manager Ji to have such an arrogant temper¡­¡± ¡°Eldest Young Master, are you going to nder me with empty words?¡± Ji Zhao could not help butugh. ¡°When the Spring Breeze Pavilion opened, I issued a notice that the Spring Breeze Pavilion would only ept banquets for more than two people and not sell individual dishes. Now, that notice is still posted outside the door! Or does Eldest Young Master think that you¡¯re superior to others and can force others to buy and sell as you please?¡± Ji Zhao did not like Zheng Li and was not afraid of offending him. Madam Zheng frowned and nced at Zheng Li. ¡°Whether you¡¯re from the Zheng family or not, you shouldn¡¯t bully others.¡± Zheng Li lowered his eyes and did not say anything, but his eyes were filled with sarcasm. Although he was the eldest son of the Zheng family, he was the son of a concubine. He had long known that Madam Sun? could not stand him, but now was not the time to fall out with these people. Chapter 339 - 339: She Was Dreaming Again Chapter 339: She Was Dreaming Again Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°Mother is right. It¡¯s my fault.¡± Zheng Li suddenly looked up at Ji Zhao, his tone extremely sincere. ¡°I spoke too quickly, and I didn¡¯t mean it. I hope Manager Ji can forgive me.¡± Ji Zhao did not say anything. She could tell that Zheng Li was not apologizing sincerely. In fact, he hated her even more. ¡°Dear, I suddenly feel a little ufortable. Shall we go home?¡± For some reason, when she met Zheng Li¡¯s gaze again, Ji Zhao suddenly felt a pain in her heart. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go home.¡± Shen Yao hurriedly hugged Ji Zhao. ¡°Goodbye.¡± When she returned to the Peach Blossom Cottage, Ji Zhao was actually sound asleep. Looking at the beads of sweat on Ji Zhao¡¯s forehead, Shen Yao nervously held her hand and waited by her side. At that moment, the moment Ji Zhao opened her eyes, a dazzling white halo weed her. She was in a daze and finally saw the scene in front of her clearly. It was as if she was tied to the deck of arge ship. She had no strength left in her body. She opened her mouth to speak, but she felt a sharp pain in her throat. In the end, she spat out a mouthful of ck blood uncontrobly. ¡°Such a beautiful girl. What a pity.¡± ¡°Who asked her to offend Eldest Young Master?¡± She suddenly heard the conversation between two people. ¡°However, this Eldest Young Master of the Zheng Family is really ruthless. He actually killed a whole family. Tsk tsk¡­¡± ¡°Shh! Do you want to die? How dare you spout nonsense?¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of? We¡¯re at sea now. It¡¯s time to throw this girl into the seater! But this girl looks pretty hot. Are we really not going to have some fun first?¡± Hearing the approaching footsteps, Ji Zhao was so nervous that she forgot to breathe. Just as Ji Zhao bit the tip of her tongue, a sharp pain suddenly came from between her brows! ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Seeing his disciple slowly open her eyes, Immortal Crane felt relieved. ¡°Master?¡± Ji Zhao felt her head hurt even more. She struggled to sit up in bed and looked around before reacting. She had been dreaming again. ¡°After 1 brought you back from the Zheng residence yesterday, you fell asleep. However, not long after, you started to have a fever, and your forehead was burning.¡± Shen Yao handed her the soup he had cooked. ¡°Zhaozhao, are you still feeling unwell?¡± Seeing Shen Yao¡¯s haggard face, Ji Zhao¡¯s heart ached. She nodded obediently and said, ¡°Shen Yao, I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Did you have another nightmare?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Ji Zhao nodded. She held up the bowl of calming soup with both hands, deep in thought. In the dream, she was tied to the deck of a ship; From the conversation between the two of them, it was not difficult to tell that Zheng Li wanted her life. More importantly, Zheng Li would kill the entire Zheng family. How could Zheng Li do such a heartless thing? The Zheng family was still safe and sound, but what could she do to help herself and the Zheng family resolve this crisis? ¡°Your pulse is a little chaotic.¡± Immortal Crane loosened the hand that was checking her pulse worriedly and asked with a concerned gaze, ¡°Did you have a nightmare?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Ji Zhao replied gloomily. ¡°I felt like 1 had a very scary dream, but 1 forgot about it after 1 woke up.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good that you forgot.¡± Immortal Crane rubbed her head lovingly. ¡°If you can¡¯t sleep, get up and walk around to stretch your muscles.¡± ¡°Thank you, Master.¡± ¡°Silly disciple!¡± After Immortal Crane left the room, Shen Yao walked to her side and gently grabbed her hand to bring it to his lips. He asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°Zhaozhao¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m really fine. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Ji Zhao smiled at him. She thought for a moment and moved to the side of the bed. She patted the empty space beside Shen Yao. ¡°Shen Yao, can you apany me?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Shen Yao hugged her shoulders and the two of them leaned against the soft mattress. Ji Zhao leaned her head slightly on his broad and firm shoulder and gently closed her eyes. ¡°Shen Yao, 1 still want to sleep a little longer.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± A momentter, Ji Zhao entered the dream again. However, this time, she came to the Zheng residence. The smell of blood that filled the air was nauseating. The Zheng family¡¯s exquisite backyard was now covered in bright red blood. The servants were lying on the ground, all of them dead with grievances. Ji Zhao clutched her chest sadly and walked towards the reception pavilion step by step. She saw Madam Zheng, whose body parts had been cut off and disfigured, Second Young Master Zheng, who was covered in wounds, and Rongrong, whose eyes were tightly closed¡ª ¡°Goodness! The people from the Governor¡¯s residence were all killed!¡± ¡°I heard that it was done by the bandits from Mi Mountain!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t they say that it was Eldest Young Master Zheng¡¯s doing?¡± ¡°By the way, do you still remember the beautiful girl that Eldest Young Master Zheng brought back at the beginning of the month? 1 heard that she¡¯s the leader of the bandits in Mi Mountain!¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes! Ever since Eldest Young Master Zheng married that bandit, things kept happening to the Zheng family, right?¡± Mi Mountain? Woman? Leader? Ji Zhao memorized these keywords. In the end, everything in front of her suddenly turned into smoke and dissipated. When Ji Zhao woke up again, it was already thest day of September. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Shen Yao¡¯s heart ached. ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten for two days and two nights.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a little hungry.¡± Ji Zhao opened her mouth obediently and tasted the red bean porridge Shen Yao fed her. She smiled in satisfaction. After eating arge bowl of red bean porridge, Ji Zhao finally felt at ease. ¡°Zhaozhao.¡± Shen Yao suddenly looked at her. His eyes were already red. ¡°Was what happened in your dream very dangerous?¡± Zhaozhao had dreams when she was in the vige too. However, at that time, she would not be so sleepy. Hence, Shen Yao was really worried. ¡°It¡¯s indeed a little dangerous.¡± Looking into Shen Yao¡¯s worried eyes, Ji Zhao could only tell the truth. ¡°But Shen Yao, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll definitely turn misfortune into fortune.¡± It must be because of the Earth God¡¯s secret protection that she could foresee the danger in advance. ¡°Is Master at home?¡± Ji Zhao suddenly thought of something else and frowned. ¡°Shen Yao, 1 want to see Master.¡± ¡°Mystical techniques?¡± The Immortal Crane did not expect Ji Zhao to suddenly ask this question. He was a little surprised. ¡°There are countless experts in the world. As for mystical techniques, they should exist. It¡¯s just that we¡¯re all ordinary people and we don¡¯t have any mages who cultivate mystical techniques around us. But All Tao, why are you asking this?¡± ¡°Master,¡± Ji Zhao called out in a low voice, ¡°Actually, every time 1 have a nightmare, it¡¯s not a nightmare. Instead, 1 experience what happens in my dream.. Some of those things have already happened before, and some have yet to happen¡­¡± Chapter 340 - 340: Heavenly Eye Chapter 340: Heavenly Eye Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Ever since she came to this world in the book, Ji Zhao felt that her luck had always been very good. She thought that this was probably the luck of a transmigrator, right? However, what happenedter became more and more mysterious. For example, she could dream of her father-inw falling into the water and dying. She could also see Second Brother Shen drowning to death. She could even see the scene of the entire Shen family being burned to death¡­ At first, Ji Zhao simply thought that all of this was thanks to the protection of the Earth God, but now, she suddenly felt that things were not that simple. After hearing Ji Zhao¡¯s words, Immortal Crane was also extremely shocked. He really did not expect his good disciple to have such a hidden ability. ¡°A few days ago at the Spring Breeze Pavilion, when 1 first saw Zheng Li, I felt that this person¡¯s eyes were not clear enough. More importantly, I felt ufortable when 1 saw him until I had a terrifying dream.¡¯¡¯ Ji Zhao frowned and was about to continue when she felt a pain in her heart. ¡°Zhaozhao, stop talking!¡± Shen Yao¡¯s heart ached when he saw her increasingly haggard and pale face. ¡°Senior, please forgive me. Once Zhaozhao tells others what happened in her dream, she will feel pain! Sometimes, she will have a headache, and sometimes, her heart will hurt.¡± Shen Yao pulled her into his arms and said with heartache. ¡°Mystical techniques can be said to be mysterious and unfathomable. If you really obtained such an opportunity, it must be the will of the heavens.¡± Immortal Crane slowly said, ¡°You can foresee the sinister things that have yet to happen in your dreams. This kind of technique is recorded in the ancient books of Buddhism.¡± ¡°Everyone has eyes. This is called the naked eye in Buddhism. The so-called naked eye refers to ordinary people. However, in the ancient Buddhist books, there are five eyes: the naked eye, the heavenly eye, the discerning eye, the magical eye, and the Buddha¡¯s eye.¡± Immortal Crane suddenly thought of an ancient Buddhist book he had read in Fahua Temple and said slowly, ¡°My good disciple, perhaps you have opened your Heavenly Eye.¡± ¡°Heavenly Eye?¡± Ji Zhao was even more confused when she heard this word. ¡°ording to Buddhism, those who obtain the opportunity will open their Heavenly Eye, and those who open their Heavenly Eye can see the past and the future.¡± Immortal Crane thought for a moment and asked, ¡°Did you roll down the hillst year?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ji Zhao immediately nodded. When she first came to this world, the original owner of the body, Ji All Tao, had stolen the Ji family¡¯s assets and wanted to elope with Schr Zhao. However, Schr Zhao did note as promised. The original owner of the body rolled down the hill and hit her head. No one expected that the soul of the original body had been switched at that time. ¡°If I¡¯m not wrong, that was an opportunity. You hit your head, but you also happened to open your Heavenly Eye, so you could see the future in your dreams.¡± Immortal Crane suddenly thought of something else. ¡°My good disciple, actually, I¡¯ve seen your eight characters. Your fate is a little unusual.¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s fate was extremely good. She could be said to be a person of destiny. However, her fate was wed. A person who had been resurrected from the dead was destined to have a cmity. However, when Immortal Crane met Ji Zhao, her destiny was even stronger. There were even wisps of golden light lingering. Such golden light was also known as merit in Buddhism. ¡°It¡¯s the will of the heavens. Thinking too much will just cause worry.¡± Looking at Ji Zhao¡¯s frowning expression, Immortal Craneforted her, ¡°My good disciple, don¡¯t think too much.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Ji Zhao nodded. She thought for a moment, picked up Shen Yao¡¯s hand, and traced a word in his palm. Mi? ¡°Zhaozhao, is this rted to your dream?¡± Shen Yao suddenly asked. ¡°I¡¯ve heard Brother Qin mention that there¡¯s a mountain in the suburbs of Yunchuan Prefecture City. The mountain is very tall and is surrounded by clouds all year round. Due to the steep terrain, very few people step foot there.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Shen Yao seemed to have thought of something and looked up in surprise. Ji Zhao nodded at him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Shen Yao held her hand and made up his mind. The next day, Qin Minghong came to Peach Blossom Cottage. Other than the two boxes of bird¡¯s nest? in his hand, he had a small tail following him. Zheng Rongrong nervously grabbed his sleeve and asked softly, ¡°Brother Minghong, is this really Sister Ah Tao¡¯s home?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Qin Minghong replied helplessly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to knock?¡± Zheng Rongrong nervously took a step forward. At this moment, the door opened. Startled, Zheng Rongrong immediately hid behind Qin Minghong. ¡°Who are you?¡± Xiao Jiu narrowed her eyes and sized up the people who came. ¡°Who are you?¡± Qin Minghong asked with a frown. He had seen All Tao¡¯s younger brother before, so he was very sure that the person in front of him was definitely not Ah Tao¡¯s younger brother. ¡°Brother Qin.¡± Hearing themotion outside the door, Shen Yao came out to wee him. After introducing the two parties to each other, he weed Qin Minghong to the central room. ¡°Mi Mountain?¡± Qin Minghong did not expect Shen Yao to suddenly mention Mi Mountain. His gaze was a little strange, and his expression became a little strange. ¡°Shen Yao, Mi Mountain is not a ce we should go.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Shen Yao was even more curious. ¡°Mi Mountain is the border between our Yunchuan Prefecture and Guichuan Prefecture. It¡¯s also a ce that the imperial court doesn¡¯t care about.¡± After taking a sip of tea, Qin Minghong exined softly, ¡°I heard that there¡¯s a group of especially powerful bandits living on Mi Mountain. Ten years ago, the Jinan Disaster Relief Silver was robbed by those bandits. I heard that the envoy who delivered the Disaster Relief Silver was also killed by those bandits¡­¡± ¡°Then the Imperial Court is going to ignore it?¡± Shen Yao was a little disappointed. The current Great Jing Empire was really too ipetent. ¡°My father did mention that back then, Prince Xian brought a group of people topletely eliminate these bandits on Mi Mountain. However, these bandits were too cunning! ¡°More importantly, the imperial court seems to have trusted aides of these robbers. Back then, Prince Xian led 3,000 elite soldiers into Mi Mountain for less than two days and lost half of his soldiers. Because there was a fire at Mi Mountain, the mes surged and devoured thousands of miles. Prince Xian barely survived.¡± ¡°His Majesty was furious and ordered that the bandits of Mi Mountain must be exterminated. In the end, these bandits went down the mountain under the banner of the emperor¡¯s muddle-headedness and killed countless innocent people¡­ The imperial court did not have the ability to exterminate the bandits, so they gradually reached a tacit understanding with these bandits. The imperial court no longer asked about the Mi Mountain bandits, and those bandits did notmit any atrocious and crazy acts of killing innocent people.¡± After listening to this past, Shen Yao only felt that it was ridiculous. ¡°The imperial court actually reached a tacit understanding with the mountain bandits?¡± Shen Yao could not help but sneer. ¡°As long as the mountain bandits are not eliminated, it will still be a disaster.¡± ¡°Shen Yao, why did you suddenly mention Mi Mountain?¡± Qin Minghong asked worriedly when he met his cold gaze. ¡°Did something happen?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Shen Yao shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m just thinking about what to do to be helpful to the imperial court.¡± Since Zhaozhao said that her dream was rted to Mi Mountain, Shen Yao felt that he had to go to Mi Mountain personally no matter what. No matter what, he could not let Zhaozhao¡¯s nightmaree true. Chapter 341 - 341: My Zhaozhao Is Really Nice Chapter 341: My Zhaozhao Is Really Nice Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°Sister All Tao, you look ill. Are you feeling unwell?¡± Zheng Rongrong looked at Ji Zhao and asked with concern. ¡°Thank you for your concern, Rongrong, but I¡¯m fine.¡± Ji Zhao forced a smile and exined in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯ve been having some strange nightmares these past two days, so I didn¡¯t rest well. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Sister Ah Tao, did my eldest brother scare you?¡± Zheng Rongrong suddenly looked into her eyes and whispered, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m also very afraid of my eldest brother¡­ When I was very young, Second Brother bought me a white cat. That cat was very obedient, but one day, the cat disappeared.¡± ¡°Second Brother said that the cat didn¡¯t want to be locked in a cage, so it ran away. But actually, 1 know that the cat was killed by Big Brother¡­¡± Zheng Rongrong lowered her eyes slightly, and her tone was even tainted with a strong sense of sadness. ¡°Actually, the cat was especially obedient. One day, it identally tore Big Brother¡¯s clothes, and then the cat disappeared¡­¡± Zheng Rongrong had heard her servants talking about it. They all said that her eldest brother had choke the cat to death. There were even people who saw her eldest brother throw the cat into the well. It was just that Zheng Rongrong didn¡¯t dare to tell anyone about this. Ji Zhao did not expect Zheng Li to have such a ruthless side! ¡°But Sister All Tao, you don¡¯t have to be too afraid. I¡¯ve already told Mother that the banquet will be held at Spring Breeze Restaurant on my birthday. At that time, I¡¯ll get my mother to invite some Madams who are close to her!¡± Zheng Rongrong rested her chin on her hands as she pondered. Then, she smiled and said, ¡°I remember now. Mother said that she¡¯ll support you! I also want to support Sister Ah Tao!¡± Ji Zhao was amused by such an innocent and cute Zheng Rongrong. ¡°Sure!¡± Ji Zhao smiled and rubbed her little head. ¡°Then I¡¯ll thank Rongrong!¡± ¡°Then what kind of dishes does Rongrong like to eat?¡± Ji Zhao looked into Zheng Rongrong¡¯s eyes and asked gently. ¡°I like sweet food,¡± Zheng Rongrong said impatiently. Then, she shook her head. ¡°Forget it. It¡¯s better not to be sweet. Mother said that eating too much sweet food will make you fat.¡± Ji Zhao smiled faintly as she learned Zheng Rongrong¡¯s eating habits and preferences in detail. When it was almost noon, Ji Zhao wanted to cook personally, but Shen Yao stopped her. ¡°I¡¯ve already asked Brother Qin to buy roasted chicken. I¡¯ll cook a few more side dishester,¡± Shen Yao smiled gently at her and said firmly. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want my help?¡± Shen Yao shook his head, his gentle eyes filled with love. ¡°Zhaozhao, you need to rest now.¡± Ji Zhao could only nod obediently and turn around to return to the central room. At that moment, Zheng Rongrong and Xiao Jiu were staring at each other. The two of them sat opposite each other at a table and did not say a word. When Ji Zhao walked in, she could feel the awkwardness in the atmosphere. She thought about it and immediately asked, ¡°Do the two of you know how to kick shuttlecocks?¡± ¡°A shuttlecock?¡± Zheng Rongrong was a little confused. ¡°What¡¯s a shuttlecock, Sister All Tao?¡± Xiao Jiu also looked confused. Ji Zhao was a little surprised. The Great Jing Dynasty didn¡¯t kick shuttlecocks? ¡°After lunch, I¡¯ll bring you guys to make shuttlecocks!¡± Ji Zhao said with a smile. An hourter, Shen Yao looked at the three dishes and soup on the table that had been swept clean. He was a little surprised. ¡°Zhaozhao, did everyone like the lunch I made today?¡± ¡°Actually, other than the roasted chicken 1 bought, these dishes taste very ordinary,¡± Qin Minghong said very sincerely. ¡°It¡¯s just that we all want to know what shuttlecocks are, so we ate them so quickly.¡± ¡°Ahem.¡± Ji Zhao suppressed herughter and looked at Shen Yao. Sheforted him gently, ¡°Shen Yao, actually, I think the dishes you made are very delicious.¡± ¡°Is Zhaozhao coaxing me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡± Ji Zhao immediately shook her head and said seriously, ¡°Every wordes from the bottom of my heart.¡± ¡°My Zhaozhao is so nice.¡± Looking at the two of them looking at each other lovingly, Qin Minghong suddenly felt goosebumps all over his body. ¡°Can the two of you stop looking at each other so affectionately?¡± ¡°Be careful, there are two little fellows here!¡± Just as Qin Minghong was about to point at Zheng Rongrong and Xiao Jiu, he realized that the two little fellows had obediently covered their eyes¡ª ¡°Shen Yao, do we have goose feathers and chicken feathers at home?¡± After Ji Zhao found a needle, thread, and a small piece of red cloth from the house, she walked to Shen Yao and asked softly. ¡°No.¡± Shen Yao shook his head. ¡°But we¡¯ll have some soon. Zhaozhao, wait for me for a moment.¡± Fifteen minutester, Shen Yao brought back some goose feathers and chicken feathers. Ji Zhao immediately picked up the scissors and cut the spine on the goose feather into a cross-shaped opening. Then, she used a needle and thread to sew it tightly. Then, she inserted seven or eight chicken feathers into the top of the uncut goose feather spine and wrapped some colorful threads around the outeryer to make it firm. ¡°Is this a shuttlecock?¡± Zheng Rongrong stared at Ji Zhao intently and eximed, ¡°Sister All Tao, why are you so cool?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something even more cool.¡± Ji Zhao looked up and smiled brightly at her. ¡°Don¡¯t blink!¡± Ji Zhao threw the shuttlecock in her hand and raised her left foot to firmly hook the shuttlecock. After kicking it seven or eight times in a row, she began to spin around and kick the shuttlecock in front of her in various patterns. ¡°Rongrong, do you want to give it a try?¡± Seeing the two little fellows¡¯ shocked expressions, Ji Zhao smiled and immediately handed the shuttlecock to Zheng Rongrong. ¡°Do you want to give it a try?¡± Zheng Rongrong¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she immediately took the shuttlecock. However, she only kicked it three times before it fell to the ground. ¡°Sister Ah Tao, I¡­ I can¡¯t do it¡­ I don¡¯t know how¡­¡± Zheng Rongrong said in a defeated tone. ¡°Silly Rongrong, you¡¯re already very good at kicking shuttlecocks for the first time. Besides, you need to practice kicking shuttlecocks more!¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and ced the shuttlecock in her hand. ¡°Rongrong, thank you foring to see me today. Take this shuttlecock as my thank-you gift!¡± ¡°Thank you, Sister Ah Tao!¡± Zheng Rongrong smiled happily. When Qin Minghong saw this scene from afar, he could not help but sigh. ¡°Our Ah Tao is really loved by everyone. The beloved daughter of the Zheng family has always felt inferior since she was young. 1 didn¡¯t expect her to smile so happily in front of Ah Tao.¡± ¡°Zhaozhao is the best.¡± Shen Yao nced at him from the corner of his eye. ¡°But she belongs to me alone. Brother Qin, you have to be more careful when you speak.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really a vinegar jar!¡± Qin Minghong waved the folding fan in his hand and pointed at the two words on it: free spirited. He said seriously, ¡°You need to learn this.¡± Shen Yao hit him on the back of the head. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Zhaozhao needs more rest. Brother Qin, take care!¡± ¡°Are you really going to Mi Mountain?¡± Before Qin Minghong left, he reminded him solemnly, ¡°If you really want to go, let me know.. I¡¯ll go with you!¡± Chapter 342 - 342: Zhaozhao, Do You Want to Listen to a Story? Chapter 342: Zhaozhao, Do You Want to Listen to a Story? Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions To Shen Yao, the trip to Mi Mountain was imperative. However, Mi Mountain was a well-known danger, so he would never let Qin Minghong be implicated before he waspletely confident. Therefore, he appreciated Qin Minghong¡¯s good intentions. Zheng Rongrong¡¯s visit broke Ji Zhao¡¯s strange and heavy mood. In addition, she did not want Shen Yao to worry, so she had already thought it through. What happened in that nightmare did not happen yet. If she started to be afraid now, she would be too useless. ¡°Shen Yao.¡± Ji Zhao walked to his side with a smile, her eyes as gentle as water. ¡°I want to go to Mi Mountain.¡± ¡°No.¡± Shen Yao subconsciously refused. ¡°Zhaozhao, you¡­¡± ¡°Shen Yao, I want to defeat my inner demon,¡± Ji Zhao interrupted him. She looked into his eyes and said seriously, ¡°I can¡¯t be afraid just because of a dream. Besides, you will apany me, right?¡± Shen Yao frowned and refused. Until Ji Zhao suddenly smiled and said, ¡°Only when we¡¯re husband and wife can we be united.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Shen Yao really could not win against her, so he could only nod helplessly. ¡°But Zhaozhao, 1 need to make some arrangements. Shall we set off for Mi Mountain tomorrow morning?¡± ¡°Yes, 1¡¯11 listen to you.¡± Ji Zhao nodded obediently. Before she turned around, she said, ¡°But Shen Yao, if you dare to secretly set off alone without telling me, 1¡¯11 ignore you forever¡­¡± Shen Yao, who had just thought of this, shook his head helplessly. ¡°Zhaozhao, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t.¡± On the other side, Zheng Rongrong, who had obtained the shuttlecock, returned to the Zheng residence happily. Seeing her daughter smiling so happily, Eldest Madam Zheng felt happy from the bottom of her heart. ¡°Mother, let¡¯s set my birthday banquet at the Spring Breeze Pavilion, shall we?¡± Zheng Rongrong, who was sweating profusely from ying, walked towards her mother with a smile. Her hands wrapped around her arms intimately as she said with a beaming smile, ¡°Sister Ah Tao is really too good. I like her very much. Mother, let¡¯s book a few more banquets at the Spring Breeze Pavilion, okay?¡± ¡°Okay, okay, okay. I¡¯ll listen to my Rongrong!¡± As someone who indulges her daughter infinitely, how could Madam Zheng reject her daughter¡¯s suggestion? However, many yearster, Madam Zheng was extremely d that she had listened to her daughter back then. Not only had she protected the Zheng family¡¯s bloodline, but she had also led the Zheng family to a more prosperous level. ¡°But Mother, I think Big Brother doesn¡¯t like Sister Ah Tao very much¡­¡± Zheng Rongrong nestled in her mother¡¯s arms and muttered softly, ¡°Big Brother won¡¯t bully Sister Ah Tao, right?¡± After all, in Yunchuan Prefecture, Zheng Li was indeed someone who could do whatever he wanted. Zheng Li was the eldest son of a concubine of the Zheng family. Although he had entered the business world, Zheng Hui still had high hopes for this eldest son. Otherwise, how could the eldest son of a concubine stabilize his position as the second richest businessman in the prefecture in just seven years? ¡°Speaking of which, your big brother is not young anymore.¡± Madam Zheng lowered her eyes to hide the thoughts in her eyes, and there seemed to be a hint of disappointment in her tone. That night, Madam Zheng personally brewed a pot of Official Zheng¡¯s favorite sweet soup and walked into Zheng Hui¡¯s study. After the couple conversed for a while, Zheng Hui felt that he should consider marriage for his eldest son. ¡°Married?¡± Zheng Li was a little surprised. He had never thought of this. After all, ever since he hade of age, he had nock of women around him. However, he was not against getting married. Peach Plossom Cottage. Ji Zhao was a little surprised to hear that Eldest Young Master Zheng was about to get married. ¡°Sister All Tao, my mother said that the elder sister of the Lu family is a very good-tempered person. Perhaps Big Brother will change after marrying a wife!¡± Zheng Rongrong said with a smile as she ate a cream puff. ¡°By the way, my mother also said that Big Brother won¡¯t do anything to the Spring Breeze Pavilion anymore.¡± ¡°Why is Madam Zheng so sure?¡± Ji Zhao was even more puzzled. The development of the matter waspletely inconsistent with her dream! If Zheng Li married someone else, there would be no need for her and Shen Yao to go to Mi Mountain anymore, right? ¡°I don¡¯t know either. That¡¯s what my mother said.¡± Zheng Rongrong shrugged helplessly. ¡°But Sister Ah Tao, you don¡¯t have to worry too much. My mother is a person who keeps her word.¡± Time flew. In the blink of an eye, it was the end of October. Autumn was getting thicker, and the city of Yunchuan Prefecture was covered with withered leaves of parasol trees. With Madam Zheng¡¯s secret support, Spring Breeze Pavilion¡¯s business was getting better and better. After discussing with Qin Minghong, Ji Zhao decided to open another restaurant. ¡°This roasted meat is really delicious.¡± Qin Minghong was full of praise. ¡°1 can already predict how prosperous our business will be when our restaurant opens!¡± In Qin Minghong¡¯s eyes, these roasted meat were simply white silver! ¡°I heard that Brother Qin has already made arrangements for Yangzhou. Shouldn¡¯t Brother Qin set off now?¡± Shen Yao ced the roasted beef in the bowl in front of Ji Zhao and raised his head to look at Qin Ming. The roasted meat in his mouth suddenly lost its fragrance¡ª Qin Minghong sighed faintly. ¡°That¡¯s right. Speaking of which, we should set off in the next two days. Aren¡¯t I just thinking of the restaurant, though? But then again, Ah Tao, I¡¯ll have to trouble you with the restaurant¡¯s matters in the future.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Ji Zhao smiled faintly. ¡°It¡¯s my honor.¡± At the beginning of November, it was actually snowing in the prefecture capital. After Ji Zhao and her husband sent Qin Minghong off, they went back to their work. After the new year, Shen Yao would go to the capital to participate in the Spring Quarter Examinations. This also meant that it was time to settle the grudge between Shen Yao and the Sun family. Ji Zhao knew that there was not much she could do. The only thing she could do was to disy her strengths and umte wealth. Only then could she help Shen Yao at the most critical moment. In the blink of an eye, it was winter. In the kitchen of Peach Blossom Cottage, a pink figure was busy. During this period of time, Shen Yao had lost a lot of weight in preparation for the Spring Quarter Examination next year. Ji Zhao saw this and her heart ached. It would be Laba in two days. Ji Zhao originally wanted to return to Shanghe Vige, but when she saw Shen Yao reading day and night, she did not end up opening her mouth. ¡°Shen Yao, I made some Tianma J Pigeon Soup.¡± Ji Zhao walked to his side and called out gently, ¡°Why don¡¯t you rest first?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Shen Yao put down the book in his hand and looked up at Ji Zhao with a gentle smile. A momentter, the couple held hands and sat on the soft mattress. Shen Yao rubbed her shoulder and sighed softly. ¡°The situation in the capital is not optimistic now.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Ji Zhao was very surprised. ¡°Capital city?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Yao nodded slightly and looked at the quiet starry sky outside the window. ¡°I heard that His Majesty is seriously ill¡­¡± When Ji Zhao heard this news, he was very stunned. ¡°How do you know¡­ His Master is seriously ill?¡± ¡°Zhaozhao, do you want to hear a story?¡± Shen Yao suddenly turned around and looked into her eyes. He smiled slightly. Those eyes were as bright as the stars, making Ji Zhao a little dazed. Chapter 343 - 343: As Long As You Are You Chapter 343: As Long As You Are You Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Ji Zhao nced sideways at the man beside her and nodded obediently. ¡°20 years ago, there was an internal strife in the imperial pce of Great Jing. Thete emperor, who was over 50 years old, experienced an assassination attempt by criminals. Later, after the treatment of the imperial physician, although Emperor Jingyuan B barely survived, he was paralyzed because of this.¡± ¡°Thete emperor has eight sons and a daughter. His daughter is Princess Wushuang, and his eldest son is the current Emperor Jingyuan. Meanwhile, the youngest son that thete emperor doted on the most died of illness when he was young¡­¡± Shen Yao originally thought that he no longer cared about the past, but now that he had torn open the wound again, his heart still hurt uncontrobly. It turned out that he had never forgotten the pain that was imprinted in the depths of his heart. Sensing the fluctuations in his emotions, Ji Zhao gently held his hand and silentlyforted him. ¡°The eight princes of thete emperor were all born noble, especially Emperor Jingyuan, who was given birth to by the Empress. Only the youngest son was given birth to by the Empress¡¯s maidservant. The reason was that Emperor Jingyuan was drunk once and treated the maidservant as the Empress¡­¡± Shen Yao smiled bitterly and said, ¡°Later on, the maidservant was pregnant. In order to show her magnanimity and benevolence, the Empress not only cared for the maidservant, but she even remembered the prince of the maidservant. She raised him herself and gave him a proper title of linear descent.¡± ¡°The ident happened when the eighth prince was three years old. When the eighth prince was three years old, the maidservant actually had evil intentions and wanted to assassinate Emperor Jingyuan. Later, she was discovered and died after swallowing gold. As for the eighth prince, no one knows where he went.¡± ¡°No one knew that all of this was the scheme of the generous and benevolent empress. After that, Empress Jingyuan threw the eighth prince into a secret organization and trained the young eighth prince into a killer. Until an ident happened to the eighth prince. When he opened his eyes again, he had already be a crippled man from a remote mountain vige. This man¡¯s name was Shen Yao¡­¡± Before the story could finish, Ji Zhao was already dumbfounded. After saying the secret that had been hidden in the depths of his heart for many years, Shen Yao fell silent. He looked at the silent Ji Zhao with mixed feelings. He thought he would see shock, fear, or other emotions on her face. But he didn¡¯t. Other than her slightly stunned expression, her expression was exceptionally calm. ¡°Zhaozhao, aren¡¯t you¡­ afraid?¡± Shen Yao spoke slowly. He subconsciously wanted to let go of her hand, but Ji Zhao held it tightly. ¡°Why should 1 be afraid?¡± Ji Zhao looked up at him with bright eyes and a faint smile. ¡°When we met, got to know each other, and loved each other, you were Shen Yao. Moreover, from the beginning to the end, 1 only wanted to be with you for the rest of my life. As long as you¡¯re you, that¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°Zhaozhao, thank you¡­¡± Shen Yao hugged her and refused to let go for a long time. After telling Ji Zhao the biggest secret in his heart, Shen Yao felt much more rxed. ¡°The situation in the capital is important to you, isn¡¯t it?¡± Ji Zhao grabbed his arm nervously and asked with a frown, ¡°You want to return to the capital?¡± Shen Yao shook his head. ¡°Prince Xian has guessed my identity¡­¡± ¡°Prince Xian?¡± Ji Zhao was even more confused. ¡°What does this have to do with Prince Xian?¡± ¡°Zhaozhao, do you still remember the man you saved back at Mingtang Mountain?¡± Looking at her dazed expression, Shen Yao silently curled his lips and sighed. ¡°That person was Prince Xian.¡± It was precisely because Ji Zhao had saved Prince Xian that Shen Yao took the opportunity to reveal his identity to him. At first, Prince Xian was skeptical. After all, everyone knew that the eighth prince had passed away. However, after Shen Yao repeatedly listed some evidence, Prince Xian was also moved. ¡°So Master¡¯s appearance wasn¡¯t a coincidence?¡± Ji Zhao suddenly remembered something and said in surprise, ¡°The reason why Master treated your leg was because of Prince Xian¡¯s instructions?¡± ¡°My Zhaozhao is so smart.¡± Shen Yao smiled and tapped the tip of her nose. ¡°Shen Yao, do you want to go back to the capital and take back everything that belongs to you?¡± Ji Zhao asked nervously. Once Shen Yao recovered his identity as the eighth prince, he would be a member of the royal family. And she was probably not good enough for him. ¡°Don¡¯t let your imagination run wild.¡± Shen Yao poked her forehead, then exined softly, ¡°The current me is only Shen Yao from Shanghe Vige. I¡¯ve never thought of bing a superior. It¡¯s just that 1 can¡¯t watch the Great Jing Dynasty go from prosperity to decline step by step.¡± ¡°Then you¡­¡± ¡°I want to help Prince Xian.¡± Shen Yao slowly raised his eyes and said firmly, ¡°These days, I¡¯ve been secretly exchanging letters with Prince Xian. I admire his horizons and his breadth of mind!¡± It was not only because Prince Xian was his seventh brother. More importantly, as a king, Prince Xian would be a benevolent ruler. ¡°I want to assist a wise ruler and be the Grand Secretary.¡± Shen Yao¡¯s tone became more and more determined. ¡°1 must win the championship in the Spring Quarter Examination next year!¡± Looking at Shen Yao, who was so ambitious, Ji Zhao smiled. This man, this ambitious man, was her husband. And the man she loved. She would apany him and work hard to create the world they wanted! ¡°Okay!¡± Ji Zhao smiled and nodded. ¡°Shen Yao, I¡¯ll apany you. I¡¯ll apany you down the road!¡± At that time, in the capital, at Prince Xian¡¯s residence. After Zhao Tuo finished reading the letter sent by Shen Yao, he felt emotional. He smiled and handed the letter to the flickering candlelight, watching it burn to ashes. In fact, he had never thought of getting his hands on that position. It was just that the current Empress was too arrogant. The empress had never only wanted to be an empress. That woman had a ruthless and vicious heart. She was determined to get that position. However, she had forgotten that this world, Great ling¡¯s empire, would always be the Zhao family¡¯s empire! Emperor Jingyuan was seriously ill, and the empress served him every day. The rtionship between the empress and the emperor touched countless people in the capital. However, these touched people did not know that the reason why Emperor Jingyuan had fallen so ill all these years was because of this virtuous empress. Near the end of the year, Noble Consort Sun was suddenly exposed to have an affair with her personal guard. The Empress locked her up in the Execution Bureau at lightning speed. What was even more terrifying was that Noble Consort Sun actually had a miscarriage in the prison! As soon as the news spread, it shocked the entire capital! Everyone in the capital knew that Emperor Jingyuan doted on Noble Consort Sun very much. When Noble Consort Sun got pregnant, he even thought of abolishing the Crown Prince¡¯s title! Later on, countless old ministers tried their best to dissuade him, which made Emperor Jingyuan give up on the idea of abolishing the Crown Prince. However, as the Sun Family became more and more powerful in the imperial court, the ministers who supported the Crown Prince¡¯s line finally couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore! That was why the Sun family experienced continuous troubles. Even Elder Sun was reprimanded by Emperor Jingyuan and locked in the residence to reflect! However, the Sun Family was never worried. As long as Noble Consort Sun was still favored, they would be able to restore their former glory sooner orter. But who would have thought that Emperor Jingyuan would be sick, and his condition was so dangerous! Chapter 344 - 344: Ah Tao Is Pregnant Chapter 344: Ah Tao Is Pregnant Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions As Emperor Jingyuan¡¯s condition worsened, the situation in the imperial court became more and moreplicated. Many people suspected that the incident with Noble Consort Sun was a trap set by the Empress. Some people wanted to find out the truth, but they were implicated. His Majesty was seriously ill, and ording to the rules, the Crown Prince should supervise the country and govern. However, Elder Sun had nurtured many proud disciples over the years, so the forces of the Crown Prince and Noble Consort Sun were still in a deadlock. Now, they onlycked a straw that could crush the Sun family. After understanding the situation in the capital, Shen Yao felt that he should be the straw. On New Year¡¯s Eve, Shen Yao brought Ji Zhao back to Shanghe Vige. Zhao Lanhua was overjoyed and happily weed the couple into the house. ¡°All Tao, it¡¯s good that you¡¯re back. Hurry, hurry, hurry. Come and help Mother taste this sweet and sour fish.¡± ¡°Alright, Mother!¡± Ji Zhao replied with a smile. She quickly walked into the kitchen and took the pair of chopsticks from Zhao Lanhua¡¯s hand. She fiddled with a piece of sweet and sour fish and brought it to her lips. ¡°The fish is fresh and tender. The sweet and sour taste is also moderate. The taste is very¡­ ugh¡­¡± Before he could say ¡°good¡±, Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but retch twice¡­ Zhao Lanhua asked worriedly, ¡°Ah Tao, are¡­ are you alright? Don¡¯t scare me. If this sweet and sour fish isn¡¯t delicious, just tell me!¡± ¡°Mother, this fish is really delicious. I¡­ rgh¡­¡± Ji Zhao really couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore. She turned around and rushed out of the kitchen. She hugged the old locust tree in the courtyard and kept retching. Shen Yao, who was talking to Shen Dashan, looked at her back and rushed forward. ¡°Zhaozhao? Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Ugh¡­¡± An hourter. Ji Zhao looked nervously at the silent Immortal Crane. Although she already had some guesses in her heart, she had not studied medicine for long after all, so she did not dare to make wild guesses. ¡°You stupid disciple, you¡¯re not obedient at all!¡± After Immortal Crane took her pulse, he was angry and full of heartache. He had clearly reminded her repeatedly not to get pregnant so early. However, this girl was stupid! Now, she was actually pregnant at such a young age. It was really worrying. However, the culprit behind all of this was Shen Yao! Immortal Crane red at the worried Shen Yao and sneered. ¡°Senior, how is Zhaozhao?¡± Shen Yao asked anxiously. ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious. She¡¯s just pregnant,¡± Immortal Crane said slowly. Shen Yao was stunned when he heard this news. Zhaozhao was pregnant? They have a child of their own? ¡°However, Ah Tao¡¯s body is weak. If you want to protect this child, she has to stay in bed for the first three months to recuperate.¡± Immortal Crane reminded in a low voice, ¡°If you want the mother and child to be safe, you have to take good care of them.¡± ¡°Master?¡± Ji Zhao, who was originally immersed in surprise, subconsciously looked up to ask Immortal Crane for help. She anxiously said, ¡°Master, please help me?¡± As long as her master was willing to help, she would definitely be able to protect this child. She could definitely do it! ¡°Every ten days, I¡¯ll take your pulse. In the next three months, you have to take pregnancy stabilizing medicine regrly. You have to be careful with your diet,¡± Immortal Crane instructed solemnly. Ji Zhao nodded obediently. Ever since Ji Zhao got pregnant, she had been lying obediently in the house, recuperating and stabilizing the baby. ¡°Shen Yao, do you think I¡¯ve gained weight again?¡± Ji Zhao looked at the man who walked in beside him and frowned aggrievedly. ¡°I¡¯ve been lying at home for half a month. I¡¯m really bored. Isn¡¯t today the Lantern Festival? Can you take me out for a walk?¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to be fat.¡± Shen Yao smiled and pinched her face. ¡°It feels better and better.¡± Ji Zhao red at him shyly. ¡°I¡¯m leaving for the capital in a few days.¡± Shen Yao hugged her shoulders and his tone became serious. ¡°Zhaozhao, stay at home and wait for me, okay?¡± ¡°I want to go with you.¡± Ji Zhao looked into his eyes and said firmly, ¡°Can you take me with you?¡± ¡°Zhaozhao, the trip to the capital is extremely dangerous. Now that you¡¯re pregnant, I can¡¯t bring you along to take the risk.¡± Shen Yao looked at her, his usually cold eyes actually tainted with traces of pleading. ¡°Listen to me?¡± Ji Zhao lowered her eyes and pursed her lips as she said, ¡°If you go alone, I¡¯ll be on tenterhooks even if I stay at home. Master said that the pregnancy in my stomach is unstable to begin with. 1 know your worries, but why don¡¯t you think about it the other way around? What will happen if I don¡¯t get news rted to you in time?¡± ¡°Shen Yao.¡± Ji Zhao suddenly raised her eyes to look at him. Her gaze was firm andheright. ¡°Husband and wife are of the same mind. Moreover, you know my personality. I won¡¯t do anything to make you worry.¡± She had opened her Heavenly Eye by chance, which meant that the heavens had already arranged everything. Therefore, Ji Zhao felt that no matter what, she had to be with Shen Yao. No matter how difficult the road ahead was, no matter how many storms and setbacks they would encounter, as long as they were husband and wife, they would definitely be able to ovee all difficulties! ¡°Zhaozhao.¡± Seeing her determined expression, Shen Yao could not help butugh. His Zhaozhao was really cute! In February, Hongxing Restaurant. Second Manager You handed the ount book to Ji Zhao and said with a smile, ¡°All Tao, congrattions!¡± ¡°Thank you, Second Brother You.¡± Ji Zhao smiled slightly. After she finished reading the ount book, she was a little puzzled. ¡°Second Brother You, is there a mistake with the dividends from the oil extraction workshop? The dividends given to me are 500 taels more?¡± ¡°This is a token of appreciation from the boss and me.¡± Second Manager You smiled happily. ¡°Besides, aren¡¯t you and your husband going to the capital? The capital is a ce where every inch ofnd is worth money. You¡¯re pregnant too. You have to rent a small courtyard to stay in temporarily, right?¡± ¡°In short, you¡¯re not allowed to refuse. If you dare to refuse, you¡¯ll lose me as a friend!¡± Second Manager You deliberately said with a straight face. ¡°Second Brother You, you¡­¡± Ji Zhao shrugged helplessly. ¡°Alright, alright, alright. I¡¯ll reluctantly ept it. Second Brother You, thank you!¡± ¡°By the way, I made some snacks at home a few days ago.¡± Ji Zhao immediately gave Shen Yao a look. Second Manager You looked at the snacks in front of him and his appetite was whetted. ¡°Is this the sushi you were talking about?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ji Zhao immediately nodded. ¡°In addition to sushi, there are also some jerky and sausages I made. The jerky can be eaten directly, and the sausages need to be steamed.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Second Brother You nodded happily and beamed with joy. After bidding farewell to his family, Shen Yao brought Ji Zhao and rushed towards the capital. Before he left Dingyuan County, Ji Ting¡¯an had given him two letters. One was a rmendation letter. With Ji Ting¡¯an¡¯s rmendation letter, Shen Yao could enter the capital unimpeded. The other letter was rted to Ji Zhao¡¯s background. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to open it and take a look?¡± In the carriage, Shen Yao asked softly when he saw Ji Zhao staring at the letter in a daze.. Chapter 345 - 345: Background Chapter 345: Background Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Ji Zhao hesitated for a moment before shaking her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should open it or not.¡± Ji Zhao looked at him and forced a smile. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because I¡¯m pregnant, but I seem to have be a little sentimental.¡± ¡°Official Ji said that he was very surprised when he first saw you.¡± Shen Yao gently held her hand andforted her gently. ¡°He said that your appearance is very simr to his aunt when she was young. More importantly, his aunt gave birth to a stillbirth seventeen years ago.¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s heart trembled uncontrobly. She suddenly felt a little sad. Perhaps the truth was not cruel. Instead, it was a little bleak? ¡°Shen Yao, can you open it for me?¡± Ji Zhao mustered her courage and handed the letter to him. Then, she looked into his eyes and smiled gently. ¡°Open it and read it to me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Shen Yao carefully tore open the letter, only to discover that other than a letter, there was a simple portrait inside. The person was as beautiful as flowers and as bright as the moon; more importantly, the person in the painting was 80% simr to Ji Zhao. The only difference was that the Madam in the painting had a gentler expression. ¡°This is Princess Kang Le?¡± Looking at the painting, Ji Zhao was a little surprised, but she also felt that it was reasonable. Her appearance could be said to be identical to Princess Kang Le. ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Yao handed the painting to her, then unfolded the letter and spoke slowly. Eighteen years ago, Princess Kang Le, the young daughter of the Grand Princess Imperial of Chang¡¯an, fell in love with Ji Wenbo at first sight at a banquet. The two of them got to know each other and fell in love with each other. However, less than half a year after Princess Kang Le married into the Earl¡¯s Mansion, the Earl of Yong¡¯an had already gotten an outer wife. What made Princess Kang Le even more sad was that Ji Wenbo¡¯s outer wife had already given birth to an eldest daughter. Princess Kang Le was devastated. In the end, she made up her mind to divorce the Earl of Yong¡¯an. ¡°Does the Earl of Yong¡¯an really love her?¡± Ji Zhao could not help but interrupt Shen Yao¡¯s voice. Her eyes were dark. ¡°If he really loved Princess Kang Le so much, why would he have arranged for a mistress beforehand? How culd he tolerate his eldest daughter being born from a concubine?¡± The Great Jing Dynasty valued the distinction between the legitimate wife and the concubine. The main wife was the main wife. How could a concubine give birth to a child before the main wife? Princess Kang Le loved the Earl of Yong¡¯an, but she had never thought that she would fall into a huge lie, right? That was why she was so sad after knowing the truth. ¡°Deep love, deep hatred.¡± Ji Zhao chuckled and nodded at Shen Yao. ¡°Continue reading the letter. I¡¯m listening.¡± Shen Yao leaned close to her forehead affectionately. His eyes were firm, and his smile was faint. ¡°Zhaozhao, not all men are heartless. There are also people in the world who are loyal.¡± Ji Zhao smiled at him. ¡°When she found out that the Earl of Yong¡¯an had a mistress, Princess Kang Le was extremely heartbroken. Then, she proposed a divorce. The Earl of Yong¡¯an begged bitterly, but Princess Kang Le insisted on a divorce. In the end, Princess Kang Le was extremely angry and sad. She actually fainted. When the imperial physicians treated her, they found that Princess Kang Le was actually pregnant.¡± ¡°The child in her womb came too unexpectedly. Princess Kang Le no longer insisted on a divorce. She just decided to move back to the Grand Princess Imperial¡¯s residence. The Earl of Yong¡¯an wanted to please her, so he often came to coax and persuade the princess. In addition, the two of them had a deep rtionship before, so the princess¡¯s attitude gradually softened. When the child in her womb was eight months old, the princess finally decided to move back to the Earl of Yong¡¯an¡¯s residence. Princess Kang Le originally thought that the Earl of Yong¡¯an, Ji Wenbo, truly loved her. The mistress was just a mistake. Coupled with the fact that she was looking forward to the birth of her child, she actually felt somepassion and made the decision to let the Earl of Yong¡¯an bring the mistress and the child back to the residence. The mistress was a descendent of an official that had been convicted. She was proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. More importantly, after she entered the Earl¡¯s residence, she had always respected Princess Kang Le. Even the Grand Princess Imperial praised her for being reliable. In the end, half a month before Princess Kang Le gave birth, the mistress actually maliciously framed Princess Kang Le for having an affair with another man. She even ced the so-called evidence in front of the Earl of Yong¡¯an. The Earl of Yong¡¯an was furious and actually hit the princess. Right on the heels of that, the princess gave birth prematurely and gave birth to a stillbirth. Shen Yao did not dare to continue reading. He looked at Ji Zhao, who was silent, and his heart ached. ¡°Zhaozhao?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Ji Zhao looked up at him with tears in her eyes and her voice was trembling. ¡°She must be very sad, right?¡± ¡°If it was in the past, 1 might not have been able to empathize with her.¡± Ji Zhao smiled with reddened eyes and choked. ¡°Now that I¡¯m pregnant, 1 can imagine how she felt at that time¡­ There¡¯s no woman in this world who doesn¡¯t love her child. Once a woman is pregnant and has the identity of a mother, she will be invincible¡­ She¡­ must have be so sad!¡± Framed by a trusted person; despised by a loved one; Even the child she had been waiting for turned into a pool of blood. How sad must she have been? ¡°Shen Yao, continue reading¡­¡± After a moment of silence, Ji Zhao picked up a handkerchief and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. She smiled through his tears. ¡°I want to hear it.¡± She was a little curious. What kind of person was Princess Kang Le? What would she do in the face of such a situation? ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Shen Yao smiled and pinched her face. His tone became even gentler. Princess Kang Le never expected that she would give birth to a stillborn child. She refused to believe such an oue. On the surface, she looked disheartened, but she had been investigating in private. After spending half a year, she finally cleared her name. She did not torture the Earl of Yong¡¯an¡¯s mistress. Instead, she took great care of the concubine¡¯s eldest daughter. However, the concubine had several pregnancies afterwards, but miscarried all of them. The mistress was terrified and begged Princess Kang Le. Princess Kang Le ignored her and continued to bring the eldest daughter of a concubine to various banquets of the aristocratic families. She even arranged a good marriage for the concubine-born eldest daughter. Two years ago, on the day of the marriage of the eldest daughter of the concubine, Princess Kang Le had torn apart the true colors of the mistress and ruthlessly trampled on the face of the Earl of Yong¡¯an! It turned out that the mistress that the Earl of Yong¡¯an favored was no longer pure. What was even more infuriating was that after the blood test, the concubine¡¯s eldest daughter was actually not the Earl of Yong¡¯an¡¯s blood. The Earl of Yong¡¯an was so angry that he has been paralyzed in bed to this day. The mistress was sent to the nunnery in the suburbs to spend the rest of her life with the ancient Buddha. As for the eldest daughter of the concubine, after she got married, she was also humiliated by her husband¡¯s family and died of illness early. As for Princess Kang Le, she had been secretly investigating the truth all these years. Later on, she finally found some clues. It turned out that on the night of her delivery, the trusted nanny beside the mistress carried a swaddling cloth from outside. ¡°Everyone in the capital knows that Princess Kang Le misses her child too much. She has even stubbornly believed that the child she gave birth to back then was definitely not stillborn..¡± Chapter 346 - 346: Princess Kang Le Chapter 346: Princess Kang Le Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Even the unyielding Shen Yao could not help but tear up after reading this letter. ¡°Until Ji Ting¡¯an identally caught a glimpse of your face in Dingyuan County.¡± Shen Yao carefully folded the letter and said softly, ¡°Zhaozhao, Princess Kang Le has never given up on finding her child all these years.¡± ¡°Official Ji secretly drew a painting of you and gave it to Princess Kang Le. I heard that Princess Kang Le fell sick that day¡­¡± Shen Yao sighed softly. ¡°Zhaozhao, no matter what you think, 1 will always be with you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ji Zhao nodded obediently. In the middle of February, Princess Kang Le¡¯s condition gradually recovered. In the Grand Princess Imperial¡¯s residence. ¡°Kang Le?¡± Seeing her in a daze, the Grand Princess Imperial¡¯s heart ached. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°No.¡± Kang Le smiled. ¡°I received a letter from Ting¡¯an a few days ago¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like you haven¡¯t looked for her all these years.¡± The Grand Princess Imperial understood the knot in her heart at a nce. She patted her hand gently andforted her gently. ¡°Now that you¡¯re about to get what you want, you should be happy.¡± Princess Kang Le teared up sadly. ¡°Mother¡­ she should have¡­ she should have lived a luxurious life. She should have been the apple of my eye, but she suffered so much. I¡­ I don¡¯t have the face to face her! If I could find her earlier, perhaps we could have reunited earlier! I was too stupid to trust that b*tch, Madam Hao!¡± Princess Kang Le closed her eyes in pain as tears streamed down her face. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault!¡± ¡°Silly child, how can this be your fault?¡± The Grand Princess Imperial looked at her sad expression and felt as if her heart was being squeezed. She was so sad that she could not breathe. ¡°You can only me the heavens for ying tricks on you. You can only me Madam Hao for being too good at pretending!¡± ¡°But Kang Le, everything will be fine,¡± the Grand Princess Imperialforted gently. ¡°1 heard that the family of that child¡¯s husband is extremely kind. Her husband won first ce in the provincial imperial examination in Yunchuan Prefecture City. His future will definitely be limitless!¡± ¡°Mother, even if my daughter marries into a noble family, they are not worthy of her!¡± Princess Kang Le felt even more upset when she mentioned this. ¡°But now¡­ she married such an ordinary person.¡± At that moment, Shen Yao, who was massaging Ji Zhao¡¯s legs in the carriage, could not help but sneeze. ¡°Did you catch a cold?¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly put down the novel in her hand and asked with concern. ¡°No.¡± Shen Yao smiled and shook his head. ¡°Zhaozhao, does your calf still hurt?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore!¡± Ji Zhao nodded with a smile. Her sly and lively eyes gently moved twice. Then, she suddenly leaned close to Shen Yao¡¯s ear and asked softly, ¡°Husband, you¡¯re so considerate to me. I think I should give you a reward!¡± ¡°Reward?¡± Shen Yao raised his eyebrows and looked at her expectantly. ¡°What kind of reward?¡± ¡°Close your eyes!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Shen Yao nodded obediently and immediately closed his eyes. Ji Zhao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She stretched out an index finger and gently ced it on his lips. Following the curve of his lips, it moved bit by bit andnded on his sexy Adam¡¯s apple. She gently tapped it twice. ¡°Zhaozhao¡­¡± Shen Yao opened his eyes. His deep eyes were filled with affection and indescribable desire. ¡°Stop fooling around.¡± At this moment, Ji Zhao could hear the restraint and desire in his voice. ¡°Actually, 1 have another way to help you¡­¡± Ji Zhao said with a red face. Then, she buried her head in his chest and was so shy that she did not dare to speak again. That night, Ji Zhao, whose arm was sore, regretted it very much. She shouldn¡¯t have said that in a moment of carelessness. In the end, she almost exhausted her hands. February 21st, the Grand Princess Imperial¡¯s residence. Ji Zhao, who was waiting in the reception hall, was a little nervous. She looked down at her bulging abdomen and could not help butugh at herself. Since she was already here, she actually felt a sense of homesickness. ¡°I thought 1 wouldn¡¯t be able to find you in my lifetime¡­¡± Princess Kang Le lost herposure the moment she saw Ji Zhao. She believed without a doubt that the delicate woman in front of her was her daughter. ¡°Greetings, Princess.¡± Ji Zhao curtsied obediently. Although her emotions fluctuated greatly when she first saw Princess Kang Le, she still curtsied obediently. ¡°Get up, get up!¡± Princess Kang Le hurriedly helped her up. ¡°You¡¯re pregnant now, so you have to be more careful.¡± Ji Zhao smiled faintly. Princess Kang Le also smiled at her, but she cried again as she smiled. Looking at her smiling and crying expression, Ji Zhao felt a little anxious. Although they had yet to acknowledge each other as rtives, it was probably because blood was thicker than water that when she saw Princess Kang Le feel sad, Ji Zhao¡¯s heart also felt sad. This was probably a mother-daughter bond, right? ¡°I made salted egg yolk pastry and double skin milk. Do you want to try it?¡± Ji Zhao asked with a smile when Princess Kang Le¡¯s emotions gradually calmed down. Ji Zhao had always believed that delicacies couldfort the heart. ¡°The double-skinned milk with red beans tastes good. When the peaches ripen in a few days, I¡¯ll make you other delicacies.¡± Ji Zhao smiled faintly. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about you, but I heard that you prefer sweet food?¡± ¡°You¡­ How did you know?¡± Princess Kang Le was surprised, but more than that, she was touched. ¡°As long as you have the heart, you will naturally find out.¡± Princess Kang Le sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve always loved sweet food before I got married, but your grandmother didn¡¯t allow me to eat too much. Later, 1 married into the Earl of Yong¡¯an¡¯s residence and indulged myself. But after 1 lost you, 1 gradually stopped liking sweet food.¡± No matter how much sweet food theysumed, it would not help those who were bitter in their hearts. ¡°Princess.¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and said what was on her mind. ¡°How can you be so sure that I¡¯m your daughter just by meeting me once?¡± Kang Le was a little puzzled. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°There are many simr-looking people in this world. Before I¡¯mpletely confident, 1 don¡¯t dare to rashly recognize this identity.¡± Ji Zhao looked at her. Her gaze was magnanimous, and her tone was calm. ¡°Princess, you should have heard of this saying. Sometimes, the higher the expectations, the greater the disappointment.¡± ¡°Zhaozhao,¡± Princess Kang Le suddenly curled her lips and said with a gentle smile, ¡°Can 1 call you that?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ji Zhao nodded slightly. ¡°Back then, when that child, Ting¡¯an, sent your portrait to me, I was extremely happy because the person in the portrait was exactly the same as my youth! Of course, I was also worried that it would be for nothing in the end, so I sent people to secretly inquire about all the news rted to you. Gradually, 1 became more and more certain that you were my daughter. Until today, I saw you.¡± ¡°Have you heard of fate?¡± Princess Kang Le held her hand affectionately as she smiled tenderly, ¡°The moment I saw you, I knew that I had finally found my daughter!¡± Chapter 347 - 347: Entering the Palace Chapter 347: Entering the Pce Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions After some investigation, Ji Zhao was certain that she was Princess Kang Le¡¯s daughter. For a moment, everyone in the capital was discussing this strange news. Most of them were touched by Princess Kang Le¡¯s persistent spirit of searching for her daughter! They congratted Princess Kang Le from the bottom of their hearts! Of course, there were also a small number of people who were suspicious and suspected that the daughter of Princess Kang Le was an imposter. They were waiting to watch a good show. In the Grand Princess Imperial¡¯s residence. Ji Zhao¡¯s new snowke pastry and sesame seaweed roll received unanimous praise from the Grand Princess Imperial and Princess Kang Le. ¡°Ever since Zhaozhao returned, my mouth has be more and more picky!¡± The Grand Princess Imperial, who was more than fifty years old, had a kind expression and an extremely kind smile. The way she looked at Ji Zhao was also filled with love. ¡°Zhaozhao¡¯s culinary skills are even more exquisite than the imperial chef¡¯s.¡± ¡°Grandmother, don¡¯t praise me anymore.¡± Ji Zhao waved her hand repeatedly. ¡°If you continue to praise me, my tail will soar into the sky!¡± The three generations of the familyughed exceptionally happily, and the atmosphere was extremely harmonious. ¡°Speaking of which, now that we¡¯ve found Zhaozhao, it¡¯s time to hold a banquet to introduce Zhaozhao and meet these youngdies from noble families in the capital,¡± The Grand Princess Imperial suddenly suggested, ¡°Kang Le, what do you think?¡± ¡°What do you think, Zhaozhao?¡± Princess Kang Le gave Ji Zhao the greatest respect. ¡°Does Zhaozhao want to hold a banquet?¡± Ji Zhao thought about it seriously, then shook her head. ¡°Now is not the best time.¡± The current situation in the capital city changed rapidly. She did not want to push the Grand Princess Imperial¡¯s Residence to the center of attention at this time. ¡°Grandmother, Mother, I understand your intentions, but now is really not the best time.¡± Ji Zhao analyzed calmly. ¡°Not to mention that I grew up in the countryside since I was young, even if those noble families in the capital respect me on the surface, they probably look down on me behind my back Then why should I hold a banquet and be the topic of discussion for those people?¡± ¡°You¡¯re my daughter. Who dares to talk about you behind your back?¡± Kang Le frowned and said in a deep voice. ¡°Mother, calm down.¡± Ji Zhao quickly coaxed her. ¡°This is just one of the points. Now that my body is getting heavier and heavier, I don¡¯t want to tire myself out. More importantly, I¡¯m waiting for Shen Yao.¡± ¡°Wait for Shen Yao? Wait for him to do what?¡± Princess Kang Le was a little confused. ¡°Are you waiting for him to get ranked?¡± ¡°You could say that.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and nodded. ¡°But that¡¯s not all.¡± She had her pride. Her husband would be the iron-faced Grand Secretary of the Great Jing Dynasty in the future! Then there was no need for her to make friends with so-called influential people. After all, no one could predict the future! More importantly, she wanted to appear in front of those meritorious officials with the identity of Ji Zhao. She wanted to be known as the richest woman in Great Jing, not the daughter of Princess Kang Le, and not the Madam of the Grand Secretary. ¡°Zhaozhao¡¯s personality is like yours.¡± The Grand Princess Imperial could not help butugh. ¡°Both of you are the same. Both of you are stubborn!¡± ¡°Ahem, Grandmother, then who does Mother take after?¡± Ji Zhao deliberately teased. For a moment, the three of themughed even more heartily. In the sunny March, Ji Zhao gradually got used to life in the princess¡¯s manor. Both the Grand Princess Imperial and Princess Kang Le doted on her. It could be said that if they held her in their hands, they fear dropping her; if they kept her in their mouths, they fear she will dissolve. Other than these two people, there was also Shen Yao. Jade Garden was the most exquisite courtyard in the entire Grand Princess¡¯s residence. Ji Zhao and her husband were now living in Jade Garden. Shen Yao cut the peeled apple and brought it to her. ¡°It¡¯s so sweet.¡± After tasting a piece of apple, Ji Zhao smiled sweetly. ¡°Thank you, husband. You¡¯re amazing!¡± Shen Yao did not say anything. Instead, he leaned his cheek close to her. Ji Zhao smiled and quickly kissed his cheek, blushing shyly. ¡°In a few days, you¡¯ll be going to the venue for the exam. Are you nervous?¡± Ji Zhao poked another apple and handed it to him with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s not that bad.¡± Although he was a little nervous, it was still manageable. ¡°Husband, I think highly of you!¡± Ji Zhao leaned close to his ear and smiled mischievously. ¡°Zhaozhao.¡± Shen Yao suddenly held her hand and pulled her into his arms. His tone was serious and serious. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve thought about it. It doesn¡¯t matter even if I fail. Either way, Zhaozhao won¡¯t despise me, right?¡± ¡°That might not be the case.¡± Ji Zhao raised her eyebrows slightly and deliberately said, ¡°Mother said that there are also many handsome young men in the capital¡­¡± Hiss- Before she could finish her sentence, Shen Yao had already bitten her lips. ¡°I was wrong-¡± Ji Zhao immediately admitted defeat. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Shen Yao held her face with both hands and said firmly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Ji Zhao nodded obediently. Although Emperor Jingyuan¡¯s condition did not improve, the Spring Quarter Examinations still proceeded in an orderly manner. In addition, the official presiding over the Spring Quarter Examinations was the upright and virtuous Prince Xian, so the Spring Quarter Examinations went very smoothly. Shen Yao also stood out from the crowd and got first ce. Mid-March, when the peach trees are young and tender, their blossoms brilliant and dazzling. The peach orchard nted in Jade Garden bloomed with bright and enchanting peach blossoms. The situation in the capital changed again. Emperor Jingyuan¡¯s condition had improved. The second prince of the Empress was appointed as the Crown Prince; However, the First Prince, who was under Consort Shu, and the Third Prince, who was under Noble Consort Sun¡¯s, were not very satisfied with this result. After all, the Crown Prince¡¯s aptitude was too mediocre. A storm was brewing, and the sky above the capital seemed to be covered by a dark cloud. It was so dreary that it was difficult to breathe. Time passed unhurriedly until the Dragon Boat Festival. Emperor Jingyuan¡¯s condition worsened again, and Shen Yao, who had already joined the Hanlin Academy, became even busier. Ji Zhao originally thought that they could stay out of it until the empress suddenly issued an imperial decree, ordering her to enter the pce. ¡°Mother will go with you?¡± Princess Kang Le looked at her distracted appearance and hurriedly asked, ¡°Zhaozhao, don¡¯t scare Mother.¡± ¡°Mother, I¡¯m fine.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and shook her head. ¡°The empress summoned me probably for Shen Yao.¡± Three days ago, Ji Zhao dreamt again. She knew very well that the empress¡¯s invitation was an ambush, but she had no right to say no. Fortunately, she had already seized the initiative. When the time came, she would just counter every move. Just in case, she specially wrote a letter and got someone to deliver it to Shen Yao, who was working at the Hanlin Academy. This was the first time Ji Zhao had stepped into the Great Jing Imperial Pce. She had originally thought that she would be panicking, but she did not expect her mood to be so calm. Feng Luan Hall. The majestic and magnificent Empress, who was dressed in a phoenix robe, sat in the high hall and looked down at Ji Zhao, who was curtsying below. She said indifferently, ¡°Rise.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± Ji Zhao obediently thanked her. Then, she stood rooted to the ground like a log. ¡°Do you know why I summoned you to the pce?¡± The Empress suddenly smiled. ¡°Speaking of which, Lord Shen is a lucky person. Not only did he obtain your favor, but he also caught Su Miao¡¯s eye. Su Miao wants to marry Lord Shen. She is willing to share the position of main wife with you. What do you think?¡± ¡°May 1 ask who Su Miao is?¡± Ji Zhao looked up in confusion, her tone filled with confusion.. Chapter 348 - 348: Only Zhaozhao is My Wife Chapter 348: Only Zhaozhao is My Wife Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Ji Zhao naturally knew who Su Miao was. She was the most talented woman in the capital and the most beloved granddaughter of the current Grand Chancellor, Su Rushuang. Not only was she outstanding in appearance, but she was also extremely adorable. Su Miao was the Empress¡¯s top choice for a daughter-inw. However, there was a secret in the capital that everyone knew. Although the current crown prince was 23 years old, he still had the temperament of a child. Once the crown prince ascended the throne, the one in power would definitely be the empress! As the favored daughter of the heavens, how could Su Miao allow herself to be the puppet crown prince consort? ¡°Aren¡¯t you ignorant?¡± The empress looked at her in disdain. ¡°Su Miao is the granddaughter of the current Grand Chancellor Su. Her talent and appearance are unparalleled.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand what the Empress is saying.¡± Ji Zhao asked with a confused expression, ¡°Miss Su is so outstanding, why would she covet a married man? Or is Miss Su¡¯s reputation fake? She¡¯s simply a big idiot?¡± ¡°You¡­ How dare you!¡± The empress did not expect that she would actually be rejected. She was instantly furious. ¡°1 misspoke. Please calm down, Your Majesty.¡± Ji Zhao obediently apologized. ¡°It¡¯s just that I really have confusions in my heart¡­¡± ¡°Miss Su is talented and beautiful. She fell in love with Lord Shen at first sight, so please fulfill her wish,¡± the empress said indifferently. ¡°If you don¡¯t have any objections, I¡¯ll give the decree.¡± ¡°Your Highness, I don¡¯t agree.¡± Ji Zhao pretended to be ignorant. ¡°How can a fairy-like figure like Miss Su marry into a lowly family like the Shen family? However, Your Highness, I heard that Miss Su¡¯s fate is extremely good. Wouldn¡¯t it be better if she can marry into the pce to help the Emperor?¡± ¡°How dare you!¡± ¡°I also think Madam Shen¡¯s suggestion is excellent.¡± Just as the empress gave the order to p Ji Zhao, Prince Xian suddenly brought Shen Yao to the harem. ¡°I¡¯ve already given Miss Su¡¯s eight characters to the empress dowager to take a look. The empress dowager also thinks that Miss Su¡¯s eight characters are extremely good. We can try to let Miss Su to marry into the pce to wash away misfortune. Perhaps His Majesty can wake up?¡± ¡°Prince Xian? How can you barge into the harem without permission?¡± After seeing who it was, the Empress scolded coldly. ¡°Empress, you¡¯re overthinking. I¡¯m familiar with the pce rules, so why would I knowinglymit a crime?¡± Prince Xian, Zhou Yuheng, chuckled and took out a ck iron badge. ¡°I wonder if Your Majesty is interested in this ck iron badge?¡± The Empress took a closer look and her heart skipped a beat! For the previous emperors of Great Jing, the most important items were the jade seal and the ck iron badge that led the army of 500,000 men! Ever since Emperor Jingyuan fell seriously ill, the empress had already grasped the whereabouts of the jade seal. However, she had never been able to find out the whereabouts of the ck iron badge. Until today, she actually saw this ck iron badge in Prince Xian¡¯s hand! ¡°Those with a ck iron badge can freely enter the harem.¡± Zhou Yuheng looked at the Empress¡¯s shocked expression and could not help but smile. The mockery in his words was self-evident. ¡°Didn¡¯t the Empress say that Miss Su¡¯s fate is extremely good just now? Now that Brother is seriously ill, I think Madam Shen¡¯s suggestion is very good.¡± ¡°Someone, pass on my orders. Confer Grand Chancellor Su¡¯s daughter, Su Miao, as the Imperial Noble Consort and bestow her with the Eternal Joy Pce!¡± ¡°Zhou Yuheng, what right do you have to do this?¡± The empress did not expect herself to shoot herself in the foot. She was instantly furious. At this moment, shepletely lost her bearing as an empress and rushed in front of Prince Xian, wanting to scratch his face! Prince Xian sneered and dodged her attack! ¡°She wants to assassinate me. Looks like Her Majesty has gone crazy!¡± Following Prince Xian¡¯s order, the Empress¡¯s Feng Luan Hall was locked up. Ji Zhao, who had witnessed the confrontation between the two, was also in a daze. It was not until Prince Xian sent someone to send her back to the Grand Princess Imperial¡¯s residence that Ji Zhaopletely regained her senses. ¡°Zhaozhao?¡± Princess Kang Le looked at the silent Ji Zhao with a pained expression and asked with concern, ¡°Were you frightened?¡± ¡°Mother, I¡¯m fine.¡± Ji Zhao looked at the sky outside the window and sighed softly. ¡°1 just feel that the sky is about to change.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s going to change.¡± Princess Kang Le gently held her hand and chuckled. ¡°But Zhaozhao, don¡¯t be afraid. No matter how big the storm outside is, it won¡¯t affect our Grand Princess Imperial¡¯s residence.¡± The Grand Princess Imperial of Chang¡¯an was the sister of thete emperor. All these years, she had never taken sides or asked about the state affairs. More importantly, the Grand Princess Imperial of Chang¡¯an had a very high reputation among the people. As dusk approached, Ji Zhao leaned against the window and looked at the setting sun in the distance. At this moment, her emotions calmed down bit by bit. Squeak¡ª Shen Yao pushed open the door and walked to her side. He asked gently, ¡°Zhaozhao?¡± Ji Zhao looked back and smiled brightly. However, there seemed to be a faint smell of blood wafting to her nose. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Ji Zhao asked nervously. ¡°It¡¯s not my blood.¡± Shen Yao thought for a moment and took two steps back. ¡°Zhaozhao, I¡¯ll go change my clothes first.¡± In fact, before he returned to Jade Garden, he had already bathed and changed his clothes. However, Ji Zhao¡¯s sense of smell was extremely sensitive now. An hourter, Shen Yao returned to Jade Garden again with a mahogany tray in his hands. ¡°Mother asked someone to make bird¡¯s nest soup. Eat it while it¡¯s hot, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ji Zhao responded gloomily. Then, she looked up and asked, ¡°Shen Yao, it¡¯s very chaotic outside, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Zhaozhao wants to know what¡¯s going on outside?¡± ¡°Will you tell me?¡± ¡°Of course I will.¡± Shen Yao immediately nodded and said seriously, ¡°If Zhaozhao wants to know something, I will definitely tell her everything.¡± Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help butugh. The gloominess that lingered in her heart dissipated when she heard Shen Yao¡¯s words. Seeing the smile on her face, Shen Yao heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°The empress wants to marry Su Miao to you.¡± Ji Zhao suddenly grabbed his arm and wanted to bite him fiercely, but in the end, she let go reluctantly. ¡°Silly girl.¡± Shen Yao quickly pulled her into his arms and said firmly, ¡°In this life, only Zhaozhao is my wife.¡± ¡°What a glib tongue!¡± Ji Zhao suddenly raised her head and hugged his neck. She whispered into his ear, ¡°But I¡¯m very happy.¡± ¡°But why did Prince Xiane in time?¡± Ji Zhao adjusted herself into afortable position and nestled in Shen Yao¡¯s arms. She closed her eyes and asked, ¡°And the ck iron badge in his hand. When he showed the badge, the Empress¡¯s expression changed.¡± ¡°The Grand Princess Imperial ordered me to give that ck iron badge to Prince Xian,¡± Shen Yao said in a low voice. ¡°I heard that His Majesty¡¯s condition is getting more and more serious.¡± Everyone knew about the Empress¡¯s ambitions. Taking advantage of Emperor Jingyuan¡¯s serious illness, she pushed the Second Prince, who was born with an iplete intelligence, to the position of the heir apparent. She also wanted to arrange Su Miao¡¯s marriage to use it to attract Chancellor Su¡¯s power. In addition, the Empress¡¯s eldest brother was a general in the northwest with 200,000 troops. It would be easy for her to support the Second Prince to ascend the throne. The only regret was that the Second Prince was not the best candidate for the throne.. Chapter 349 - 349: Filial piety and Foolish piety Chapter 349: Filial piety and Foolish piety Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Emperor Jingyuan had three sons. They were the First Prince, who was born to Consort Shu, and the Second Prince, who was born to the Empress. As for the Third Prince, his biological mother was a servant. I ler background was too low and could be ignored. The First Prince was already past his thirties. He had a warm and naive personality, so it was not appropriate for him to be a ruler. More importantly, Consort Shu was a smart person. Ever since she entered the pce, she was very cautious and deliberately raised the First Prince to have a simple and honest personality. The First Prince was not liked by Emperor Jingyuan. Because of this, although the First Prince upied the status of the eldest son, he could grow up safely in the ruthless harem. Later on, he moved into his own residence and married a wife. As for the Second Prince, although the Second Prince was the legitimate son of the Central Pce, he suddenly had a fever when he was young. When he woke up, he had the temperament of a child. He was already 23 years old, but the Second Prince had yet to marry. As for the Third Prince, he was born with an eye disability and did not have a strong presence. ¡°His Majesty¡¯s three princes are really be dogged by bad luck.¡± Ji Zhao could not help but sigh. ¡°1 heard that His Majesty is only fifty this year. How did he suddenly fall so ill?¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably a mental illness.¡± Shen Yao chuckled. ¡°Maybe he took something he shouldn¡¯t have, that¡¯s why God treats him like this.¡± Ji Zhao opened her eyes silently. She felt that Shen Yao was implying something. ¡°Zhaozhao, it¡¯ste. Shall we settle down early?¡± Shen Yao suddenly cupped her face and kissed her affectionately¡ª The moon was bright and the starry sky was resplendent. However, the atmosphere in the pce was really suffocating. Qianqing Hall. Emperor Jingyuan half-leaned on the dragon bed, his eyelids drooping, not saying a word. ¡°If Imperial Brother wants to recover as soon as possible, you still have to drink medicine.¡± Prince Xian pointed at the bowl of medicine on the red sandalwood table and said softly, ¡°No matter what, your health is the most important.¡± ¡°Seventh Brother, are you very proud of yourself?¡± Emperor Jingyuan suddenly looked up and his gazended on Prince Xian¡¯s face. It was extremely sharp. ¡°Brother.¡± Prince Xian sighed in disappointment. ¡°In my heart, you will always be the brother who jumped into theke without hesitation to save me.¡± Upon hearing this, Emperor Jingyuan lowered his eyes to hide theplicated emotions in them. ¡°You are well aware of my sister-inw¡¯s intentions,¡± Prince Xian said softly. ¡°Brother, do you really want Great Jing to fall into the hands of outsiders?¡± Emperor Jingyuan remained silent. ¡°I¡¯m tired. You can leave first.¡± ¡°Then have a good rest, brother.¡± Prince Xian turned around and left. The next day, the Grand Princess Imperial¡¯s residence suddenly received an imperial edict. Emperor Jingyuan summoned the Grand Princess Imperial of Chang¡¯an. Princess Kang Le and Ji Zhao looked at her worriedly. The Grand Princess Imperial of Chang¡¯an, who had long gray hair on her temples,forted her daughter and granddaughter with a faint smile. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. The Emperor is my nephew after all. It¡¯s reasonable for him to want to see me. Coincidentally, I have something to say to him.¡± Now that Emperor Jingyuan was seriously ill, the Grand Princess Imperial of Chang¡¯an felt that she had something to say. If she didn¡¯t say it, she probably wouldn¡¯t have a chance in the future. ¡°Then Grandmother, be careful!¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly warned. ¡°Don¡¯t worry!¡± The Grand Princess Imperial of Chang¡¯an tidied up a little and entered the pce. As soon as she stepped into the Qianqing Hall, she smelled the strong smell of bitter medicine in the air. She frowned in difort. ¡°Aunt.¡± After Emperor Jingyuan dismissed everyone, he looked at the Grand Princess Imperial of Chang¡¯an sitting at the bottom and called out with mixed emotions. ¡°The Emperor wants to see me because of the ck iron badge, right?¡± The Grand Princess Imperial of Chang¡¯an met his eyes fearlessly and asked indifferently. ¡°Yes.¡± Emperor Jingyuan was unwilling. ¡°Before my father died, thest person he saw was aunt. At that time, I knew that the ck iron badge must be in your hands. Over the years, I have asked you for it many times, both openly and discreetly, but you refused to hand the badge to me. However, now that you have handed it to my seventh brother, I¡­ am unwilling. I want to know what is the difference between me and my seventh brother.¡± The Grand Princess Imperial of Chang¡¯an looked at his stubborn and lonely eyes and sighed softly. ¡°Yuhan, do you really not know what you¡¯recking?¡± Emperor Jingyuan¡¯s name was Zhou Yuhan. It had been a long time since he heard this name from others. ¡°Back then, my brother had eight sons. Only you and Seventh Brother were the direct descendants of the Empress of the Central Pce. However, you know very well who my brother favored the most. The emperor must weigh the pros and cons. My brother deliberately divided you brothers into six groups to train so that he could choose the most suitable person to be the heir to the throne. Yuhan, although you are proficient in both literary arts and martial arts, you are not as courageous as Fourth Brother, nor are you as bold as Seventh Brother. More importantly, you are too obedient.¡± ¡°Aunt¡­ As a son, is it wrong to be filial?¡± Emperor Jingyuan was really unwilling. ¡°As a son, you should be filial. You can¡¯t be blindly filial!¡± The Grand Princess Imperial looked at him deeply, her eyes filled with helplessness. ¡°In order to clear the obstacles and support you to get to the top, how much blood was on your mother¡¯s hands? How many innocent bones were piled up in this deep pce? You know very well, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Mother¡­ she did it for me!¡± Emperor Jingyuan argued. ¡°I¡¯m the eldest son of Father, but Father dotes on Seventh Brother and Eighth Brother. Mother is afraid¡­¡± ¡°Do you think you can kill the innocent just because you¡¯re afraid?¡± The Grand Princess Imperial of Chang¡¯an couldn¡¯t help but shake her head. Her voice was filled with disappointment. ¡°Yuhan, even now, you still haven¡¯t figured out what your mother has done. Everything she has done is for her own selfish desires. She wants the Jiang family to rise to the top. She¡¯s not doing it for you. She¡¯s doing it for the Jiang family¡¯s glory and wealth for generations toe. However, she forgot that she was your father¡¯s wife first, and she¡¯s the empress of Great Jing! ¡°What about you? You¡¯ve also forgotten that you only remember that you¡¯re your mother¡¯s good son, but you¡¯ve forgotten your identity. You¡¯ve forgotten that your surname is Zhou! The harem cannot interfere in government affairs, but what have you done? You¡¯re biased and trust the Jiang family unconditionally. Even if the Jiang family has done many infuriating things, you¡¯ll turn a big matter into a small one! You want to be an obedient son and a good grandson of Grand Tutor Jiang, but you¡¯ve forgotten that you¡¯re the emperor of Great Jing!¡± Perhaps because she had umted too much disappointment in her heart, the Grand Princess Imperial of Chang¡¯an could not help but shed tears at this moment. ¡°Thest person your father saw before he died was indeed me. He handed the ck iron badge to me and made me swear to the heavens that 1 would never leave the capital for the rest of my life. Therefore, I have never left the capital all these years. 1 have always kept my oath. Why do you think 1 did this?¡± ¡°I also know that you¡¯ve always wanted to take back the ck iron badge and concentrate all the power in the hands of the emperor, but Yuhan, why don¡¯t you ask yourself honestly? If 1 really gave you the token, would the empire of Great Jing still be surnamed Zhou?¡± The Grand Princess Imperial of Chang¡¯an smiled bitterly. ¡°I thought that after your mother passed away, you would repent and realize your mistake. You would work hard in the government and be a wise ruler of a generation, but what did you do? You didn¡¯t even consider how to be a wise ruler of a generation. You chose to follow your father¡¯s path and used all the emperor¡¯s power on the harem, causing the Sun family to expand.. You even wanted to make Noble Consort Sun¡¯s son the crown prince, right?¡± Chapter 350 - 350: Heart Illness, Incurable Chapter 350: Heart Illness, Incurable Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Emperor Jingyuan could not help but smile bitterly. ¡°Aunt, my three sons are all useless. I only hope that Noble Consort can sessfully give birth to a healthy prince¡­¡± ¡°Yuhan, do you believe in karma?¡± The Grand Princess Imperial suddenly interrupted him and said coldly, ¡°Back then, your mother caused trouble in the harem andmitted many evil deeds. She harmed countless innocent concubines. Not to mention anything else, how much suffering did that young eighth prince suffer at her hands?¡± Emperor Jingyuan fell silent. He knew very well what his mother had done. His mother had never hidden it from him. He knew, but he had never stopped it. Seeing that he was silent, the Grand Princess Imperial of Chang¡¯an gradually calmed down. She stood up and prepared to leave. Before she left, she thought of something else. ¡°Prince Xian and you are from the same mother. All these years, he has been willing to be the sharpest knife in your hand. Compared to his achievements, what have you done as the ruler of a country? Little Seven is loyal to you because he fell into the water when he was young and you risked your life to save him. In the cold winter, you had a fever for three days and three nights. Because of this, Little Seven is filled with guilt towards you, his elder brother.¡± ¡°But you probably don¡¯t know that back then, when you deliberately got someone to pave the slippery moss beside the back pool, I was feeding the fish in the pavilion beside it. If it weren¡¯t for the maidservant beside me who passed by in time¡¯, you probably wouldn¡¯t have jumped into the pool immediately, right?¡± Upon hearing this, Emperor Jingyuan hurriedly coughed. In the end, he vomited a mouthful of blood! The Grand Princess Imperial of Chang¡¯an could not bear it anymore. She poured a cup of hot tea and handed it to him. ¡°In my eyes, you¡¯re all my nephews. All these years, I¡¯ve never been close to anyone, nor have I distanced myself from anyone. I only hope that Great Jing can be peaceful and the people can live and work in peace. However, Yuhan, I¡¯m really disappointed that you didn¡¯t do this¡­ ¡°Do you really think I don¡¯t know why Kang Le fell in love with Earl of Yong¡¯an at first sight back then? 1 just¡­ I just don¡¯t want to believe it. Now you probably understand why I handed the ck iron badge to Little Seven, right?¡± The Grand Princess Imperial of Chang¡¯an smiled helplessly. Before she left, she took a deep look at Emperor Jingyuan. The disappointment in his eyes was self-evident. The flustered and helpless Emperor Jingyuan finally closed his eyes in pain. His chest rose and fell faster and faster. When the Grand Princess Imperial of Chang¡¯an returned to the residence, she saw an uninvited guest. Prince Xian looked at the tired Grand Princess Imperial and bowed respectfully. ¡°Aunt, you look tired. I won¡¯t disturb you anymore.¡± ¡°Little Seven.¡± The Grand Princess Imperial of Chang¡¯an waved her hand at him. ¡°Follow me to the study. 1 have something to tell you.¡± On the other side, in Jade Garden. Hearing that the Grand Princess Imperial had returned safely, Ji Zhao waspletely relieved. ¡°Fortunately, Grandmother is fine.¡± Ji Zhao took the cup of red bean milk tea from Shen Yao¡¯s hand and took a sip with a smile. Then, her eyes lit up. ¡°It¡¯s delicious! Husband, your cooking has improved a lot!¡± ¡°Thank you for your praise, wife.¡± Looking at the bright smile on her face, Shen Yao could not help but smile. ¡°But then again, why does His Majesty want to see Grandmother?¡± Ji Zhao blinked curiously and raised her eyebrows at the man beside her. ¡°Perhaps it has something to do with the ck iron badge.¡± Shen Yao frowned slightly and guessed softly. The person whom thete emperor trusted the most was the Grand Princess Imperial of Chang¡¯an, who was from the same mother as him. After the Great Jing Empire defeated the Rong Di Tribe, the Grand Princess Imperial of Chang¡¯an offered herself in marriage to the Rong Di Tribe. After five years, shepletely subdued the Rong Di tribe. Before the old Rong Di King died, he handed everything of Rong Di to the Grand Princess Imperial of Chang¡¯an. Later on, the Grand Princess Imperial of Chang¡¯an brought Princess Kang Le back to the capital and stayed in the princess¡¯s residence to worship Buddha all year round. The Ci¡¯an Hall, which covered the entire Great Jing, was a business managed by the Grand Princess Imperial of Chang¡¯an. In short, in the hearts of the people of Great Jing, the Grand Princess Imperial of Chang¡¯an was a kind-hearted living Bodhisattva. ¡°I heard that when the current emperor ascended the throne, he only had the heirloom seal in his hand and no ck iron badge. Thest person he saw before his death was the Grand Princess Imperial of Chang¡¯an.¡± Shen Yao gently wiped the corner of her lips and said in a gentle tone, ¡°The current emperor¡¯s physique is still considered healthy, but he¡¯s so sick now. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s a psychological illness.¡± There was no cure for matters of the heart. On the other side. After Prince Xian heard the so-called truth from the Grand Princess Imperial of Chang¡¯an, his mood was veryplicated. ¡°He is my elder brother, the elder brother who risked his life to save me¡­ 1 never thought that all of this was a plot, ha¡­¡± Prince Xianughed wildly, but as heughed, the corners of his eyes unknowingly moistened. When the Grand Princess Imperial saw him like this, her heart felt a little heavy. ¡°Little Seven, it¡¯s my fault. It¡¯s not that 1 didn¡¯t want to tell you the truth back then, but I always had a wishful thinking. Perhaps 1 heard wrongly? Perhaps Yuhan was just confused for a moment? After all, you¡¯re brothers from the same mother. 1 was worried that your brotherhood would fall apart, so I pretended to be deaf and mute¡­ But all these years, our Great Jing Dynasty has been devastated. The originally beautiful rivers and mountains are now¡­ Now¡­¡± The Grand Princess Imperial choked and cried. ¡°I gave you the ck iron badge for selfish reasons. That girl, Zhaozhao, is Kang Le¡¯s lifeblood. All these years, the person I¡¯ve let down the most is Kang Le, followed by you¡­ I know that Zhaozhao¡¯s husband is a promising talent. Little Seven, our Great ling¡¯s world needs someone to protect it.¡± Prince Xian left the Princess Imperial¡¯s manor with heavy footsteps. He had mixed feelings. He had never thought of getting involved in that position. As the younger brother of Emperor Jingyuan, he hoped that Emperor Jingyuan¡¯s body could recover soon. He was willing to be the sharp sword in Emperor Jingyuan¡¯s hand and help him guard the northwest. He was willing to help him guard the thousands of miles of rivers and mountains in Great Jing! But now, his many years of faith hadpletely copsed. The elder brother he trusted and admired had schemed against him from the beginning. In fact, when he was young, his brother had already wanted to kill him? How ironic! Prince Xian imed that he was sick and refused toe out. The imperial court was in chaos. Emperor Jingyuan had been ill for a long time and had not been treated. The Empress¡¯s thoughts were obvious. For a moment, the entire capital was in a state of panic. Among them, there was nock of excited courtiers who wanted to give it a try and overthrow the throne. Even the Third Prince, who came from a humble background and suffered from an eye disability, gradually had people taking sides. The forces behind the three princes werepeting with each other! Time passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, another three months had passed. As the Mid-Autumn Festival approached, Ji Zhao¡¯s stomach became bigger and bigger, and Shen Yao became busier. At the end of the night, Shen Yao returned to Jade Garden in a hurry. The moment he saw Ji Zhao, his fatigue dissipated.. Chapter 351 - 351: It’s Almost Over Chapter 351: It¡¯s Almost Over Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°I really want to eat fish today, so I made sour soup and fish noodles with mother. Go wash your hands quickly and try a bowlter? Hmm?¡± Ji Zhao held her cumbersome waist and carefully walked in front of him with a faint smile. ¡°Zhaozhao.¡± Shen Yao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He gently pulled her into his arms and buried his head in her neck. He took a deep breath. The faint fragrance of hibiscus made him feel refreshed. ¡°Let me hug you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ji Zhao nodded obediently and gently closed her eyes. At this moment, it was as if the world had fallen silent. The couple hugged each other and felt each other¡¯s heartbeats. Their lips curled into the same smile. A momentter, Shen Yao used two big bowls of sour soup fish noodles. Ji Zhao, who was sitting opposite him, looked at his obviously thin jaw and her eyes were filled with heartache. ¡°You¡¯ve lost weight.¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s heart ached. ¡°Have you been very tired recently?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Yao looked up and smiled at her. ¡°It¡¯s almost over.¡± Compared to the three wed princes under Emperor Jingyuan, Prince Xian was more suitable for that position. As for Emperor Jingyuan, he seemed to have epted his fate. Soon, he would be able to write the edict for the throne. As for why Shen Yao was so busy during this period of time, it was rted to Prince Xian¡¯s background. When she heard this news, Ji Zhao looked at Shen Yao in surprise. ¡°Prince Xian¡¯s background? Isn¡¯t Prince Xian from the same mother as the current emperor?¡± Everyone in Great Jing knew that Prince Xian was Emperor Jingyuan¡¯s younger brother from the same mother! ¡°It¡¯s hard to imagine what the royal family is scheming.¡± Shen Yao rubbed her cheek and changed the topic with a smile. ¡°Zhaozhao, let¡¯s not talk about this. You¡¯re pregnant, so it¡¯s not appropriate for you to think too much.¡± Shen Yao¡¯srge palmnded on her round belly, and his lips curled up slightly. ¡°I heard that nine out of ten pregnant women vomit, but our daughter¡¯s heart aches for you,¡± Shen Yao could not help but praise. ¡°Are you so sure it¡¯s a daughter?¡± Hearing his gentle and pleasant voice, Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but raise her eyebrows. She deliberately teased, ¡°I think it¡¯s a son.¡± ¡°Zhaozhao, don¡¯t spout nonsense. It must be a daughter,¡± Shen Yao said stubbornly. Ji Zhao was helpless. She leaned on his shoulder andughed for a while before falling asleep again. Actually, she had already diagnosed that the child in her womb was a boy. In order to prevent Lord Shen¡¯s dreams of a daughter from being shattered, she decided not to tell him for the time being. After August, the weather in the capital became even hotter. Imperial Pce, Qianqing Hall. Even after inviting countless divine doctors, Emperor Jingyuan¡¯s condition still didn¡¯t improve. The huge Qianqing Hall was filled with the strong smell of bitter medicine. The Empress and Consort Shu came to attend to Emperor Jingyuan¡¯s illness every day, but Emperor Jingyuan¡¯s condition was getting more and more serious. It had even reached the point where he could not see people clearly. The only person he could recognize was Prince Xian, Zhou Yuheng. Another day, Prince Xian was summoned to the pce. ¡°Brother, why did you summon me?¡± After entering Qianqing Hall, Prince Xian stood thirty feet away from the dragon bed and asked indifferently. ¡°Little Seven¡­¡± Emperor Jingyuan, who had just taken the medicine 15 minutes ago, looked up at the dignified Langjun standing at the bottom. His heart skipped a beat. ¡°You still hate me, don¡¯t you?¡± Prince Xian lowered his head and yed with the ring-shaped jade pendant on his waist. He remained silent. ¡°I¡­ once regretted it.¡± Emperor Jingyuan smiled bitterly and couldn¡¯t help but cough a few times. In the end, he sighed with emotion in a low voice. ¡°I know that you¡¯ve been suspecting your background recently, but no matter how hard you investigate, you can¡¯t find any evidence, right?¡± ¡°Dowager Consort Zheng from the Cold Pce, Nanny Gui from theundry bureau¡­¡± Prince Xian slowly looked up and said calmly, ¡°Brother, do you really think that 1 can¡¯t find out? There has never been a sin in this world that can be covered up. Those whose hands are stained with blood have to suffer enough torture in hell before they can reincarnate into the afterlife.¡± ¡°Do you hate me that much?¡± ¡°Brother, do you think that 1 shouldn¡¯t hate you?¡± Prince Xian smiled and asked instead of answering. ¡°I¡¯ve always thought that if 1 hadn¡¯t heard that secret, perhaps there wouldn¡¯t have been so many sins, right?¡± Emperor Jingyuan barely propped himself up and leaned against the dragon bed. He looked around at the furnishings in the huge inner hall and chuckled softly. ¡°Little Seven, this is the pce. It¡¯s a deep pce that eats people up without spitting out their bones. Even our father was able to ascend to the throne because he stepped on the blood of countless brothers. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve never felt that I¡¯ve done anything wrong all these years¡­ But you¡­ You¡¯re like a strange existence in the royal family. You respect me and went to the battlefield fearlessly for me. I¡¯m very touched and envious¡­¡± ¡°Seventh Brother, you probably don¡¯t know how charming your pure heart is, right?¡± ¡°Brother, did you summon me today just to say this?¡± Prince Xian frowned and said, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, 1¡¯11 take my leave¡­¡± ¡°Zhou Yuheng, are you going to watch helplessly as the Great Jing Dynasty falls apart?! You¡¯ve been iming to be sick for months. Don¡¯t you want this position at all?!¡± Emperor Jingyuan shouted in pain at the back of the ck figure! ¡°Brother.¡± Prince Xian slowly turned around. His beautiful peach blossom eyes were iparably calm, like a quiet pool of water without the slightest emotion. ¡°I¡¯ve never dreamed of bing the emperor. Brother, you¡¯ve probably forgotten, right? When we were young, you and 1 studied together in the Imperial Academy. My grades were not outstanding¡­ But Brother, you¡¯re different. Brother, you¡¯re skilled in literature and martial arts. In my heart, you¡¯re a role model!¡± ¡°I respect you not entirely because you saved my life when I was young¡­¡± Prince Xian could not help butugh again. ¡°It¡¯s just that now that 1 mention the words ¡®saving my life¡¯, I find it very ironic.¡± ¡°You¡­ have you never considered the throne?¡± ¡°Brother knows very well, don¡¯t you?¡± Emperor Jingyuanughed. He couldn¡¯t stopughing. In the end, he started to cough rapidly and even coughed out blood. ¡°So all these years, I¡¯ve been thinking that I¡¯m smart. I thought¡­ I thought¡­ Forget it¡­¡± Emperor Jingyuan closed his eyes in pain. ¡°I¡¯ve already sent someone to Jiangnan to find a famous doctor. I hope that Brother will take care of his health.¡± ¡°Seventh Brother!¡± Emperor Jingyuan let out a heart-wrenching scream. In the end, he said in a deep voice, ¡°I want to talk to you.¡± Prince Xian wanted to leave, but for some reason, he chose to stay. The eunuch brought over a short stool. Prince Xian sat at the bottom and did not say a word. A momentter, a cup of fragrant tea was served. The top-notch Longjing. ¡°I remember that Seventh Brother¡¯s favorite tea is this Longjing tea before the rain. Therefore, all these years, whenever I get new tea, I will always get someone to send it to Seventh Brother¡¯s residence¡­¡± ¡°I dare not forget my royal brother¡¯s kindness.¡± Prince Xian stared at the cup of fragrant tea that was filled with mist, his thoughts in a mess.. Chapter 352 - 352: Won’t Destroy the Country Chapter 352: Won¡¯t Destroy the Country Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Emperor Jingyuan chuckled. ¡°That year, 1 didn¡¯t want to harm you at first, but 1 unintentionally heard Mother mention your background¡­¡± When the dazed Prince Xian heard these words, he immediately looked up, and his eyes became clearer. ¡°That day, the essay that i wrote was praised by Father, so 1 was very happy. I couldn¡¯t wait to rush to Kun Ning Pce to share this good news with Mother, but I didn¡¯t expect to see Mother¡¯s hysterical side¡­ At that time, I found that Little Seven, you weren¡¯t born by Mother, but the son of Imperial Father¡¯s most beloved Concubine Shu. Back then, Mother and Concubine Shu were both pregnant at the same time, and then they gave birth at the same time¡­ At that time, the Jiang family¡¯s status wasn¡¯t stable yet, and Mother¡¯s younger brother caused trouble and caused the people to be angry. Mother urgently needed to give birth to another prince to stabilize her position, but Mother gave birth to a little princess who had stopped breathing¡­ For this reason, Mother¡¯s gaze fell on Concubine Shu, who didn¡¯t fight for favor at all. Everyone in the harem thought that Father loved the women in the harem equally, but only Mother knew that Concubine Shu was different!¡± Concubine Shu was thete emperor¡¯s first love, the woman he had admired for many years! However, in order to protect Concubine Shu, thete emperor deliberately hid it, allowing Concubine Shu to live a peaceful life in the pce for so many years. It was not until Concubine Shu was pregnant that the empress gradually realized that the seemingly unremarkable Concubine Shu was the woman the emperor truly wanted to protect. This made the proud and arrogant Empress Jiang unbearable. Hence, after some nning, she finally turned Concubine Shu¡¯s seventh prince into the seventh prince of the Central Pce¡­¡± Prince Xian frowned. His hands, which hadnded on his knees, were tightly clenched into fists. His peach blossom eyes were bloodshot. ¡°When you were young, Mother always doted on you. Even if you didn¡¯t write well, you wouldn¡¯t be scolded. However, Mother was especially strict with me. At first, I really didn¡¯t understand. 1 always felt that Mother was biased, butter on, I unintentionally found out about your background and understood why Mother did this. Only by doing this could she make you useless and nurture me into a qualified crown prince¡­¡± Emperor Jingyuan had always thought that he was the son that was not liked, which was why he had evil thoughts. He deliberately got someone toy down slippery moss near the back pool. He wanted to kill his biological brother. His thoughts were simple. As long as Little Seven died, his mother would feel more love for him. He had never thought deeply about how vicious this idea was. ¡°Actually, the moment I saw you struggling in the water, I regretted it. Before I could decide if I should jump in to save you, my aunt¡¯s maidservant happened to pass by, so 1 had no choice but to jump¡­¡± Emperor Jingyuan coughed again. ¡°I¡¯ve regretted it all these years. If i hadn¡¯t done that back then¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no medicine for regret in this world,¡± Prince Xian interrupted him forcefully. His tone was deep. ¡°It¡¯s alreadyte. I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± This time, Prince Xian really left. When the door of Qianqing Hall was slowly closed, Emperor Jingyuan closed his eyes in grief. August 15th, Mid-Autumn Festival. It rained early in the morning in the capital. After the autumn rain, the chirping of the cicadas became even more joyous. The autumn air was refreshing. When the wind blew, the maple leaves fell. Prince Xian¡¯s Residence. Shen Yao carried a box of crystal mooncakes to the prince¡¯s residence. At that moment, Prince Xian was drinking alone in the study. ¡°My wife made some new mooncakes. Your Highness, why don¡¯t you try them?¡± ¡°That¡¯s very thoughtful of you.¡± Prince Xian forced out a hint of gratitude and said indifferently. ¡°Your Highness, have you ever thought about what to do next?¡± Shen Yao went straight to the point. ¡°Or do you n to continue iming to be ill? Now that Chuzhou is in chaos, the northwest faces war and disaster, and the rain in Huzhou¡­ The Great Jing Dynasty is in turmoil. Does Prince Xian really want the country to perish?¡± The words ¡®perished country¡¯ were like a warning bell that ruthlessly struck Prince Xian¡¯s heart! ¡°I¡­ have never thought of destroying my country.¡± After a moment, Prince Xian said firmly, ¡°The Great Jing Dynasty will not be destroyed.¡± ¡°Since Your Highness has already made up your mind, 1 hope Your Highness can pull yourself together,¡± Shen Yao said slowly. ¡°My wife has been pestering the Grand Princess Imperial to ask about Consort Shu¡¯s past. 1 heard that Consort Shu likes to eat crystal mooncakes the most. Your Highness, why don¡¯t you give it a try?¡± After saying this, Shen Yao left. He had only stayed in Prince Xian¡¯s residence for a quarter of an hour. Zhou Yuheng opened the box of crystal mooncakes and gently picked up a piece to take a bite. The fragrance of roses was refreshing. Prince Xian was not a person with a sweet tooth, but on this day, he ate six crystal mooncakes. Twenty-eight years ago, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, a huge fire suddenly erupted in the Hall of Joyous Union in the harem. The fire was raging. Concubine Shu, who was favored by thete emperor, also lost her life in that fire¡­ Grand Princess Imperial¡¯s residence, Jade Garden. After the Mid-Autumn Festival, the chill of autumn was getting stronger. Ji Zhao often felt bloated, and Immortal Crane gave her a serious checkup. If nothing went wrong, Ji Zhao would be giving birth at the end of the month. Shen Yao had also applied for leave at the Hanlin Academy and was by Ji Zhao¡¯s side at all times. ¡°I heard that His Majesty has already written an edict for the throne.¡± Ji Zhao walked into the garden and asked in a low voice, ¡°Is Prince Xian about to ascend the throne?¡± ¡°If nothing goes wrong, it should be at the end of the year,¡± Shen Yao said in a low voice. ¡°The northwestern army is in chaos. Prince Xian needs to personally go to the northwest to calm the army.¡± ¡°But the Empress is eyeing us covetously. Once Prince Xian leaves the capital, will the Empress act rashly?¡± ¡°Silly Zhaozhao, if the empress doesn¡¯t act rashly, the position of Prince Xian wouldn¡¯t be legitimate!¡± Shen Yao tapped the tip of her nose helplessly and said with a gentle smile, ¡°Zhaozhao, don¡¯t let your imagination run wild. The person you should be most worried about now is yourself.¡± At the thought that Ji Zhao was about to give birth, Shen Yao¡¯s heart was in turmoil. When a woman gave birth to a child, she would be walking near the brink of death. Shen Yao was really afraid¡ª However, he could not suffer for her. ¡°Lord Shen, 1 think I¡¯m the one who¡¯s about to give birth.¡± Seeing his distressed expression, Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help but shake her head and smile. ¡°Zhaozhao, why don¡¯t we go and find Mother for another drill?¡± Shen Yao thought for a moment and suggested, ¡°1 feel uneasy¡­¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re the one who shouldn¡¯t let your imagination run wild!¡± Ji Zhao shrugged helplessly. ¡°When the melon is ripe, it will fall. When the baby wants toe out, there will naturally be movement.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Alright, stop dilly-dallying.¡± Ji Zhao quickly changed the topic. ¡°By the way, I heard from Grandmother that there are two new pastries in the capital¡¯s Almond Blossom Restaurant. Go buy some. I want to eat them!¡± ¡°Shall i help you back to your room to rest first?¡± ¡°Might as well..¡± Chapter 353 - 353: The Most Disgusting and Shameless Person Chapter 353: The Most Disgusting and Shameless Person Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Ail hourter, when Shen Yao returned to Jade Garden, he realized that the atmosphere was not right. The Grand Princess Imperial and Princess Kang Le stood guard in the courtyard with anxious expressions. Just as he was in a daze, he suddenly heard Ji Zhao¡¯s scream! ng! The pastry in his hand immediately fell to the ground. ¡°What? What¡¯s going on?¡± Shen Yao asked anxiously. ¡°Grandmother, Mother, Zhaozhao¡­ Why is she shouting so loudly?¡± ¡°Most women give birth like this!¡± Even though Princess Kang Le¡¯s tone was calm, Shen Yao could still see her trembling hands. Hence, Shen Yao rushed into the inner room without thinking¡ª ¡°Madam, work harder! We can already see the child¡¯s head!¡± Ji Zhao, who was lying on the delivery bed, used up all her strength again! ¡°Shen Yao! You bastard! It hurts! Boohoo!¡± ¡°Zhaozhao, I¡¯m here! I¡¯m here!¡± In a daze, Ji Zhao heard Shen Yao¡¯s voice, so she pulled the man¡¯s arm without hesitation and bit him fiercely! When she felt that she was so exhausted that she was about to lose consciousness, she seemed to have heard a loud cry¡ª The next morning, when Ji Zhao opened her eyes, her thoughts were in a daze. She seemed to have dreamed that she had given birth? She looked down at her t stomach and fell silent. That dream was not a dream. Ji Zhao subconsciously turned her head and saw Shen Yao sleeping soundly on the edge of the bed. The dark circles under his eyes were obvious. ¡°Husband¡­¡± Ji Zhao called out softly. ¡°Zhaozhao?¡± Shen Yao suddenly woke up when he heard the voice. ¡°Zhaozhao, you¡¯re awake? Does it still hurt?¡± Ji Zhao shook her head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore.¡± ¡°Are you hungry?¡± ¡°Hungry¡­¡± Ji Zhao pouted in grievance. ¡°I¡¯m so hungry that I don¡¯t even have the strength to speak.¡± ¡°Mother asked the kitchen to prepare ginseng chicken soup. Wait a moment, I¡¯ll bring it over.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After Shen Yao left, Ji Zhao finally noticed the red swaddling clothes lying on the side of the bed. ¡°Did 1 really give birth to this child?¡± Ji Zhao looked at that wrinkled little face and could not help but feel a little suspicious. After all, her and Shen Yao¡¯s looks were the best of the best! Why was the child she gave birth to so ugly? He was so red and wrinkled like an old man. Princess Kang Le, who happened to walk into the inner room, heard her daughter¡¯s muttering and helplessly held her forehead. Princess Kang Le, who was both angry and amused, took the swaddled baby out of Ji Zhao¡¯s arms and said helplessly, ¡°All newborn children look like this. When they grow up after confinement, they will be round and tender.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ji Zhao didn¡¯t quite believe it. ¡°Mother, are you coaxing me?¡± Princess Kang Le was caught betweenughter and tears. ¡°Child, I¡¯m telling the truth. If you don¡¯t believe me, you¡¯ll know after confinement.¡± Princess Kang Le thought for a moment and said, ¡°Yesterday, when you gave birth, you bullied Shen Yao quite badly. The teeth marks on his arm are really shocking. Aren¡¯t you usually the most protective of your husband? Why did you pour all your anger on Shen Yao yesterday? Also, your grandmother and 1 think Shen Yao is very good. It¡¯s difficult to find such a husband even with antern. Don¡¯t bully him too much, understand?¡± ¡°Me? Bullying Shen Yao? Teeth marks?¡± Ji Zhao was confused. After she carefully recalled it, her heart ached. When Shen Yao walked in with the ginseng chicken soup, Ji Zhao rolled up his sleeves without a word. Looking at the bite marks on his arm, Ji Zhao¡¯s heart ached and she cried. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Shen Yao did not expect her to cry for no reason. He wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes in a panic and asked anxiously, ¡°Zhaozhao, the book says that after a woman gives birth, she must recuperate well. She must not cry, or she will have confinement illness in the future.¡± ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly raised the back of her hand to wipe away the tears on her face. She pointed at the teeth marks on his arm and asked softly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt!¡± ¡°Liar!¡± Ji Zhao said angrily, ¡°You¡¯re already bruised, and you¡¯re still spouting nonsense!¡± ¡°It really doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± Shen Yao quickly held her hand and said gently, ¡°Compared to Zhaozhao¡¯sbor pains, it really doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes reddened again. ¡°Shen Yao¡­¡± ¡°Alright, stop crying, okay?¡± Shen Yao coaxed patiently. ¡°Zhaozhao, drink this ginseng chicken soup first and close your eyes to rest, okay?¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± An hourter, Ji Zhao fell into a deep sleep again. Just as Immortal Crane had said, Ji Zhao¡¯s body was weak to begin with. After giving birth, she would often fall into deep sleep. It was only after half a month that she gradually returned to normal. In this half a month, the capital had also undergone earth-shattering changes. Emperor Jingyuan¡¯s long illness was actually secretly nned by the Empress! The Empress was stripped of her title and given a cup of poisonous wine. As for the Empress¡¯ Second Prince, he was also demoted to amoner and sent to the western suburbs to guard the Imperial Tombs. He was never allowed to step out of the Imperial Tombs for the rest of his life. On the ninth day of the ninth month, the Double Ninth Festival. On this day 35 years ago, it was also the day of the wedding of Emperor Jingyuan and the Empress. ¡°That day, the entire capital city was decorated in a festive red color. His Majesty got someone to carry the dowry to the Grand Tutor¡¯s residence. It was even more dazzling¡­¡± In the Feng Luan Hall, the empress looked at the indifferent Emperor Jingyuan and the smile on her face was filled with bitterness. ¡°I¡¯ve slept with His Majesty for 35 years, but I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ve ever entered His Majesty¡¯s heart. Why did His Majesty insist on marrying me back then?¡± ¡°Mingchan.¡± Emperor Jingyuan looked at her deeply. The emotions in his eyes were veryplicated. ¡°All these years, the person in my heart isn¡¯t you. You know very well¡­¡± Whether it was the Empress or the other concubines in the harem. In Emperor Jingyuan¡¯s eyes, those women were substitutes for the person in his heart. ¡°Your Majesty, you¡¯re really cruel!¡± The empress clutched her chest and closed her eyes in pain. ¡°Ever since I entered the harem, my hands have been stained with countless blood. I knew that this day woulde sooner orter, but it¡¯s not fair! Clearly¡­ clearly I met you first. Why isn¡¯t the person in your heart me?¡± ¡°Mingchan, there is no such thing as firste, first served,¡± Emperor Jingyuan lowered his eyes and said indifferently. ¡°Heh.¡± The empress sneered. The disdain in her voice was self-evident. ¡°His Majesty¡¯s words are dignified! However, His Majesty is destined to love but not get it. Does His Majesty really think that Concubine Rong doesn¡¯t know how the Young Master Gu she loved back then died?¡± ¡°Concubine Rong and Little General Gu were childhood sweethearts, but what about His Majesty? As the crown prince, His Majesty did such a disgusting thing as snatching his friend¡¯s wife! Does His Majesty really think that Concubine Rong died from a long illness? No, that¡¯s not the case. She hates His Majesty, so she doesn¡¯t take medicine. That¡¯s why she used such an extreme method to end her own life!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that she can¡¯t survive.. She¡¯s determined to die! His Majesty is the ruler of a country, but he forced a good woman into prostitution and snatched the wife of his trusted minister! Compared to what I¡¯ve done, because of the men of your Zhou family, be it the great ancestors or you, you¡¯re the most disgusting and shameless people!¡± Chapter 354 - 354: All Thanks to Zhaozhao Chapter 354: All Thanks to Zhaozhao Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions The empress passed away, and the entire country mourned. What was surprising was that Emperor Jingyuan was unwilling to bury the Empress in the imperial tomb. ording to thews of Great Jing, only the empress who was not worthy of the position could not enter the imperial tomb. Therefore, Emperor Jingyuan¡¯s actions angered a group of radical officials led by the Su family. Emperor Jingyuan pushed back the memorials handed over by the courtiers indifferently. More importantly, Emperor Jingyuan¡¯s health had improved. This was not a good thing for some people in the imperial court. They were already used to a muddle-headed and ipetent emperor. Now that the emperor had be diligent and loved the people, they naturally could not adapt. Once the sovereign became a wise ruler, those officials who had been sitting around and eating could no longer sit still. It wasn¡¯t until Emperor Jingyuan suddenly wrote an edict for the throne that the entire imperial court erupted! Prince Xian? Who would have thought that Emperor Jingyuan would choose his younger brother, Prince Xian? On the second day after receiving the imperial edict, Prince Xian gathered hundreds of thousands of troops and horses to the northwest. The actions of these two people really stunned the ministers. On the third day after Prince Xian left the capital, Shen Yao, a sixth-gradepiler from the Hanlin Academy, suddenly sued the current Grand Secretary Su! Grand Secretary Su was not strict with his family. He actually tacitly allowed the Minister of Official Personnel, Su Cheng, to buy and sell official positions to secretly umte wealth! What was even more infuriating was that the three walls of Grand Secretary Su¡¯s study were actually made of gold! Other than Grand Secretary Su, the Sun family, who was closely rted to the Su family, had also been investigated! Shen Yao was the Grand Princess Imperial¡¯s grandson-inw. He was the new top schr appointed by His Majesty during the Spring Quarter Examinations this year! No one had expected principal graduate Shen to be so stubborn. He had actually injured the Su family and the Sun family! In the end, the evidence of the Su family and the Sun family¡¯s crimes was verified and their homes were confiscated. No matter how intense the storm in the sky above the capital was, Chang¡¯an¡¯s Grand Princess Imperial¡¯s Residence was as peaceful as ever. Under Immortal Crane¡¯s strong request, Ji Zhao went through fifty days of confinement. ¡°I¡¯m finally free!¡± Ji Zhao stretched her waist and sighed from the bottom of her heart. ¡°Shen Yao, don¡¯t you feel that the air outside has be much fresher?¡± Shen Yao silently turned around and looked at Jade Garden, which was only four or five steps away. He nodded obediently. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s indeed different.¡± ¡°By the way, shouldn¡¯t we give Little Dumpling a name?¡± Ji Zhao looked down at the cute little baby in her arms and could not help but smile. ¡°Little Dumpling is indeed our son. He¡¯s very good-looking!¡± His fair and tender face and long eyshes were extremely adorable. Ji Zhao could not help but lower her head and kiss Little Dumpling. Her kiss shattered Little Dumpling¡¯s beautiful dream. However, Little Dumpling was not angry and continued to sleep obediently. Looking at him, Ji Zhao felt like her heart was about to melt. ¡°Sons take after their mothers, it¡¯s all thanks to Zhaozhao that Dumpling is good-looking,¡± Shen Yao said calmly. Ji Zhao smiled. ¡°Shen Yao, I realize that you¡¯re really getting better at talking now!¡± ¡°Then docs Zhaozhao like it?¡± Shen Yao suddenly leaned closer and kissed her cheek. ¡°Ahem.¡± Ji Zhao hurriedly took two steps away from him. ¡°Be serious. We should seriously discuss Little Dumpling¡¯s name now.¡± Previously, Shen Yao had always thought that the child in her stomach was a daughter, so the names he had prepared were all for girls. Therefore, Little Dumpling could not use any of those names. ¡°Zhaozhao, let me think about it.¡± Shen Yao smiled helplessly. ¡°It¡¯s difficult to think of a name that suits Little Dumpling at this moment.¡± ¡°But why do I remember that after Eldest Sister-inw and Second Sister-inw gave birth, you quickly took came up with names?¡± Shen Tao, Shen Hao, these were the names that Shen Yao immediately thought of! Ji Zhao looked at the man beside him suspiciously and suddenly had a guess. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve lost interest in giving the boy a name just because he¡¯s a boy? Shen Yao, aren¡¯t you a little too biased? Huh?¡± Shen Yao silently looked away and said calmly, ¡°Zhaozhao, what are you thinking? Dumpling is also my flesh and blood. I just can¡¯t think of a suitable name at the moment.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s true!¡± After a hundred days, Shen Yao finally decided on his name. Shen Kang. Ji Zhao looked at the word ¡®Kang¡¯ in a daze. ¡°Kang, it means to be healthy. Firstly, I hope that Little Dumpling will be healthy for the rest of his life. Secondly, I pray that the Great Jing will be safe and sound.¡± Shen Yao exined softly, then his gazended on Ji Zhao¡¯s face. He asked carefully, ¡°Does Zhaozhao like it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s pretty good.¡± Ji Zhao immediately nodded. ¡°This name is not bad.¡± ¡°But I have a question.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°If,¡± Ji Zhao looked into his eyes and smiled faintly, ¡°I mean if. If we have a daughter in the future, will you name her Shen An?¡± ¡°No.¡± Shen Yao shook his head firmly. ¡°This name is too ordinary. It¡¯s not worthy of our daughter.¡± Pfft- Ji Zhao couldn¡¯t help butugh. This man clearly favored girls over boys! He was a proper ve to his daughter! Prince Xian led his troops to the northwest in mid-September and did not return triumphantly until early December. At the same time, Emperor Jingyuan¡¯s illness acted up again. This time, he could not get up. When Prince Xian took off his armor and walked into the Qianqing Hall, he saw Emperor Jingyuan for thest time. ¡°Brother¡­¡± Prince Xian strode to his side, and his eyes instantly turned red. ¡°Seventh Brother¡­¡± Emperor Jingyuan looked into his eyes and smiled. ¡°In the future, our Great Jing Empire will be left to you¡­ I¡¯ve done too many ridiculous things in my life. I should have gone to the underground to apologize long ago. I¡¯m holding on to myst breath now because I want to personally apologize to you, Seventh Brother¡­¡± In the 30th year of Jingyuan, Emperor Jingyuan passed away in the winter. He was 56 years old. Emperor Jingyuan had been in power for twenty years, and his political achievements were average. He was not a virtuous ruler who loved the country and the people, but before he died, he gave the throne to a virtuous prince who had both military and civil merits. Therefore, the history books of Great Jing added a reputation of being a benevolent brother to him. The following spring, Prince Xian, Zhou Yuheng ascended the throne and changed the country¡¯s name to Jingchen. After the Spring Quarter Examinations, the situation in the imperial court changed drastically. Students from poor families were able to be put to use, and the power of the aristocratic families was greatly weakened. The emperor¡¯s most trusted close aide was the newly appointed Grand Secretary, Shen Yao, who was only 27. Shen Manor. Ji Zhao was going through the ounts of a few shops when she heard shouting outside. ¡°Third Aunt, help! My mother is about to tear my butt apart!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Ji Zhao raised her head and asked softly. Second Sister-inw Shen carried the feather duster and walked into the hall angrily. ¡°Third Sister-inw, that brat Shen Hao actually brought Kang¡¯er to watch a cockfight!¡± ¡°Cockfight? Kang¡¯er?¡± Ji Zhao looked surprised. ¡°Second Sister-inw, is there a misunderstanding?¡± Her little boy had yet to learn how to walk! Now, he was only half a year old! Chapter 355 - 355: Drama Queen Shen Kang Chapter 355: Drama Queen Shen Kang Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°That punk Shen Hao insisted that Kang¡¯er wanted to watch the cockfight. This punk is getting more and more mischievous. If I don¡¯t open his butt today, my surname won¡¯t be Jiang!¡± Second Sister-inw Shen, who was extremely angry, shook the feather duster in her hand and said angrily. Seeing this, Ji Zhao silently poured a cup of hot tea for her second sister-inw. ¡°Second Sister-inw, don¡¯t be anxious. Drink a cup of tea to moisten your throat first?¡± ¡°Might as well.¡± A momentter, Shen Hao, who looked aggrieved, cast a pleading look at Ji Zhao. ¡°Third Aunt, you have to save me. It¡¯s really Kang¡¯er who pestered me to go out and watch the cockfight¡­ I didn¡¯t want to bring him along at first, but if I didn¡¯t bring him along, he would keep hugging my neck and wouldn¡¯t let go!¡± As early asst winter, Ji Zhao had gotten someone to bring the Shen family to the capital. At first, Zhao Lanhua and her husband were unwilling, but Ji Zhao urged them repeatedly and sent letters to the two sisters-inw, exining how important a good educational environment was to the child¡¯s growth. Only then was the Shen family convinced to move. Eldest Brother Shen also opened a Shen¡¯s pastry shop in the capital. Second Brother Shen stayed in Ji Zhao¡¯s Hongxiu Building to help as the second shopkeeper. Ji Zhao nned to send Shen Tao and Shen Hao to the National University to study when they were older. After all, the most important thing in a family was to be together. Princess Kang Le was extremely grateful to the Shen family. If Zhao Lanhua had not taken Ji Zhao in back then, Ji Zhao would have been living on the streets. In addition, Zhao Lanhua was a straightforward and passionate person. Soon, she and Princess Kang Le became best friends. Three days ago, the two of them had arranged to stay at the Huguo Temple outside the city. ¡°How dare you spout nonsense?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen raised the feather duster in her hand and said angrily, ¡°I think you¡¯re itching for a beating, right? How old is Kang¡¯er? How dare you push all the excuses to Kang¡¯er?¡± ¡°Second Sister-inw, don¡¯t hit the child yet.¡± Ji Zhao smiled helplessly. ¡°Perhaps Hao¡¯er is telling the truth?¡± Until the nanny carried Kang¡¯er over. Ji Zhao looked at her son helplessly and asked patiently, ¡°Kang¡¯er, were you the one who pestered your brother to go out and y?¡± ¡°Ah Tao, Kang¡¯er is only half a year old. Can he really understand you?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen expressed her doubts. Until Shen Kang buried his head in Ji Zhao¡¯s arms and kept nuzzling¡ª ¡°Kang¡¯er, what¡¯s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?¡± ¡°Kang¡¯er isn¡¯t feeling unwell. He¡¯s admitting it.¡± Ji Zhao was extremely helpless. She leaned close to her good son¡¯s little head and said softly, ¡°Kang¡¯er, you can¡¯t do this next time, understand? Brother took the me for you and was beaten up by Second Aunt!¡± Shen Kang suddenly pouted and looked at Second Sister-inw Shen aggrievedly. ¡°Aiyo, what¡¯s wrong with Kang¡¯er? Why are you suddenly so sad? Did Second Aunt scare you with the feather duster in my hand?¡± Second Sister-inw Shen hurriedly threw the feather duster away. ¡°Kang¡¯er, don¡¯t cry, don¡¯t cry! Second Aunt won¡¯t hit Brother anymore!¡± Shen Hao, who witnessed this scene, could be said to be dumbstruck! Could it be that Younger Brother Kang¡¯er¡¯s was the drama queen mentioned in the books? Later, when Shen Yao returned home, Ji Zhao told him what Kang¡¯er had done. ¡°Shen Yao, although this sounds a little strange, I really think our Kang¡¯er is a child with a high IQ.¡± After coaxing Kang¡¯er to sleep, Ji Zhao said with a worried expression, ¡°Will we be fooled by Kang¡¯er in the future?¡± ¡°No.¡± Shen Yao immediately shook his head and said, ¡°When he¡¯s older, we¡¯ll hire a strict teacher for him.¡± He hoped that their son would put his clever little brain to good use. Late at night, Ji Zhao nestled in Shen Yao¡¯s arms and gently closed her eyes. ¡°Zhaozhao,¡± Shen Yao held her arm tightly and called out in a low voice. ¡°Huh?¡± Ji Zhao, who still had her eyes closed, asked softly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did something happen in the court again?¡± The current Shen Yao already had the title of Iron Blooded Grand Secretary. After all, Grand Secretary Shen was an official who was not afraid of power. In just half a year, he had investigated dozens of cases, including some royal descendants. ¡°Something happened in Jiangnan.¡± Shen Yao sighed softly. ¡°A few days ago, His Majesty received a letter from Brother Qin. In the letter, Brother Qin said that he had found some clues about the salt tax corruption case. However, before he could dig deeper, he had already encountered three consecutive assassinations.¡± Ji Zhao nervously gripped his hand. ¡°Then, His Majesty?¡± ¡°His Majesty urgently needs a trusted aide to go to Jiangnan to investigate this case.¡± Shen Yao gently kissed her forehead and said softly, ¡°And I am the most suitable candidate.¡± Different from Emperor Jingyuan¡¯s cronyism, Emperor Jingchen really wanted to revive the Great Jing Dynasty. He hoped to govern the Great Jing Dynasty into a prosperous era, but there were very few people he could use. ¡°Although His Majesty has allowed those of the humble ss to take important roles, more than half of the officials in the imperial court are from aristocratic families. The power behind them is intertwined and extremelyplicated. Now, the only ones His Majesty has ced an important role in are the Shen family, the Qin family, the Gu family, and the Zheng family. ¡°But Jiangnan is different. The situation in Jiangnan is even more serious. It can be said that it¡¯s extremely difficult for Qin Minghong to investigate the ounts of the salt tax in Jiangnan alone. However, if the salt tax case in Jiangnan can be cleared, it will be a good opportunity for His Majesty to establish his prestige.¡± Ji Zhao nodded silently. ¡°I understand what you mean. You want to be the sharpest knife in His Majesty¡¯s hand, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Yao immediately nodded. ¡°Zhaozhao, I¡­¡± ¡°If you want to go, then go.¡± Ji Zhao looked up at him and could not help but smile. ¡°Do whatever you want to do. I¡¯ll wait for you toe back.¡± She had long known that her man had a passionate devotion to the Great Jing Dynasty. In his heart, he hoped that Great Jing would get better and better! ¡°Zhaozhao, I will return safely.¡± ¡°Yes, I believe you.¡± Ji Zhao smiled sweetly and took the initiative to offer her lips again. In a daze, he heard Ji Zhao say, ¡°Husband, let¡¯s give birth to An¡¯an?¡± She wanted to give birth to his children. Now that they already had a little boy, she would be very happy if there was an An¡¯an. After an unknown period of time, Ji Zhao fell asleep. Shen Yao kissed her forehead gently. His deep eyes were filled with tenderness. It was raining during the Qingming Festival, and the weather in the capital was getting hotter and hotter. Ji Zhao finally received Shen Yao¡¯s letter. When she finished reading the contents of the letter, her heart sank.. Chapter 356 - 356: Qinhuai Tower Chapter 356: Qinhuai Tower Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Grand Secretary Shen was dead. He was shot in the chest and fell into the grand canal of Jinghang. There was no news. When the news reached the pce, Emperor Jingchen almost fainted! ¡°This, this is impossible!¡± Emperor Jingchen could not believe it. How could Shen Yao die just like that? ¡°Your Majesty, I heard that the news has already reached the Shen family¡­¡± Eunuch Wan, who was serving the emperor, carefully considered the emperor¡¯s expression and asked softly. ¡°No, that¡¯s impossible!¡± Emperor Jingchen immediately shook his head. ¡°With Shen Yao¡¯s ability, nothing will happen to him. Something must have gone wrong!¡± On the other side, Zhao Lanhua, who had received the bad news, had also fainted. The huge Shen residence was in chaos. The Princess Imperial¡¯s residence. Upon learning that Ji Zhao insisted on going to Jiangnan alone, Princess Kang Le hurriedly stopped her! ¡°No!¡± Princess Kang Le waved her hands. ¡°Zhaozhao, don¡¯t you know how dangerous Jiangnan is?¡± ¡°Mother, I¡¯m going to bring Shen Yao home,¡± Ji Zhao, who was kneeling on the ground, said with a determined gaze. ¡°Zhaozhao, I know you¡¯re sad, but¡­ but you still have Kang¡¯er. How can you not think about Kang¡¯er?¡± Princess Kang Le persuaded anxiously. ¡°Since this news was sent back by Qin Minghong, it must be true. You¡­¡± ¡°Mother, he promised me that he would return safely,¡± Ji Zhao said firmly. ¡°Zhaozhao, why¡­ why are you so stubborn?¡± Ji Zhao pursed her lips and remained silent. Shen Yao was her husband. Before seeing his corpse with her own eyes, she would not believe this so-called grievous news. The next day, in the pce. Emperor Jingchen looked at Ji Zhao¡¯s determined expression and suddenly couldn¡¯t say the words he wanted to persuade her. ¡°I will send a team of imperial guards to protect you.¡± After a moment of silence, Emperor Jingchen said with aplicated expression, ¡°Shen Yao is my right arm. I don¡¯t believe that anything has happened to him, but if something has really happened to him¡­¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen,¡± Ji Zhao interrupted him forcefully. Eunuch Wan¡¯s eyelids twitched uncontrobly. This Madam Shen was quite bold. She actually dared to interrupt His Majesty! ¡°He¡¯ll be fine.¡± Ji Zhao emphasized again. ¡°Hl have to trouble Your Majesty to prepare an entry badge for me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Two dayster, Ji Zhao went to see Zhao Lanhua before she left. ¡°Ah Tao.¡± Zhao Lanhua looked at her and cried sadly. ¡°Although I don¡¯t believe that something has happened to Third Brother, I don¡¯t want you to take the risk. Ah Tao, you¡­ you shouldn¡¯t go to Jiangnan, okay? What if something happens to you? What will Kang¡¯er do?¡± ¡°Mother.¡± Ji Zhao held her hand and said with a faint smile, ¡°Have you forgotten? I dream. If something really happened to Shen Yao, I¡¯ll definitely dream of it! Mother, don¡¯t let your imagination run wild. Hurry up and recuperate. Get well soon and help me take care of Kang¡¯er. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely bring Shen Yao back!¡± On the eighth of April, Ji Zhao disguised herself and took a detour back to Dingyuan County. Then, she changed to the waterway and traveled south along the canal. Finally, she arrived at Yangzhou before the Dragon Boat Festival. When Ji Zhao appeared in front of him, Qin Minghong rubbed his eyes in disbelief. In the end, he was extremely worried. ¡°You! How can you mess around like this? Do you know how dangerous the situation in Yangzhou is now? How dare you barge in alone? Do you want to die?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to look for my husband,¡± Ji Zhao said concisely. At this moment, Qin Minghong felt a dull pain in his heart. ¡°Shen Yao fell into a trap to save me¡­¡± The grief-stricken Qin Minghong covered his eyes in pain and sobbed. After he calmed down, Ji Zhao asked in a low voice, ¡°Big Brother Qin, what exactly happened?¡± ¡°In Jinling City, not far from Yangzhou, there is a famous Qinhuai Tower.¡± Qin Minghong, who had calmed down, recounted the situation from before. ¡°Ever since I came to Yangzhou, I have been secretly investigating the salt tax case. Later on, with the help of the Cao Gang, I finally found some clues. Most of the officials in Jiangnan liked to go to Qinhuai Tower to listen to music, and there is a famous Lady Liu in Qinhuai Tower. She is the confidante of the Jiangnan salt trader, Lin Zhixuan. Therefore, I want to follow this clue of Qinhuai Tower to continue investigating.¡± On the surface, Qinhuai Tower was a brothel, but in reality, it was also a gambling den. People with a worth of less than 500 taels of silver were not qualified to enter the gambling den. However, 500 taels of silver was just a drop in the bucket for Qin Minghong. ¡°There are a total of seven floors in Qinhuai Tower. The lowest price on the first floor is 500 taels of silver, and each floor is ten times higher. And so on and so forth. Only on the seventh floor can I see that Lady Liu,¡± Qin Minghong said with a frown. ¡°Fortunately, my gambling luck is not bad. I won all the way to the sixth floor, but when I reached the sixth floor, I lostpletely. Not only did 1 lose all the money I had won, but I also gained a lot of interest. I owe Qinhuai Tower a total of 6,530,000 taels of silver¡­¡± ¡°In other words, Qinhuai Tower is a casino that only enters but never leaves?¡± Ji Zhao narrowed her eyes and seemed to be deep in thought. ¡°What happened after that? What happened after Shen Yao rushed over?¡± ¡°After Shen Yao came, I told him about this matter. Hence, we set up a trap together and sealed off Qinhuai Tower.¡± Qin Minghong frowned and said, ¡°On the second day after Qinhuai Tower was sealed off, someone handed us a letter. After that, we went to the appointment.¡± ¡°Actually, Shen Yao had already expected that it would be an ambush, but with the mentality of taking a gamble, I¡­ I insisted on going to the appointment, but in the end, I fell into the enemy¡¯s trap. In order to save me, Shen Yao was stabbed in the heart by the enemy¡¯s arrow and fell into the Grand Canal. He disappeared without a trace¡­¡± Embarrassed, Qin Minghong silently covered his face. ¡°Ah Tao, I¡¯ve let you down!¡± ¡°Where did Shen Yao go missing?¡± Ji Zhao, who had calmed down, asked in a low voice. ¡°On a pleasure boat adjacent to Qinhuai Tower. I¡¯ve already led people to search for an entire month, but there arc still no clues. It wasn¡¯t until a few days ago that someone said that they saw Shen Yao in Yangzhou City that I came back.¡± Qin Minghong hurriedly exined, ¡°Ah Tao, I¡­ I¡¯ve really let you down. Why don¡¯t you hit me? You can scold me, but don¡¯t be so calm¡­¡± ¡°Brother Qin, assemble a group of people for me. They don¡¯t need to be too strong. Ten people are enough,¡± Ji Zhao said softly. ¡°Ah Tao, what¡­ what are you doing?¡± Ji Zhao smiled and didn¡¯t say anything. She turned around and left the teahouse. She mounted her horse and rushed towards Jinling. Jinling City, where thenterns were lit, was a ce of luxury. On the banks of the Qinhuai River, there was soft words and gentleughter All kinds of pleasure boats floated on the Qinhuai River, forming a beautiful scenery. Among them, the most eye-catching was the seven-story Qinhuai Tower. Ji Zhao, who had changed into a male outfit, stuck a fake Adam¡¯s apple on her neck and covered her ear piercings. She strode onto the deck of the pleasure boat.. Chapter 357 - 357: How? Chapter 357: How? Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Ji Zhao was very generous. Even after losing three rounds in a row, she did not even frown. By the fifth inning, her luck had started to change. As she continued to win, the chips in her hands increased. In the end, she sessfully reached the sixth level. The manager of Qinhuai Tower, Madam Lou, who was known as a flower in her middle years, swayed her slender waist and gracefully walked in front of Ji Zhao. She winked at Ji Zhao. ¡°May I know your name, Young Master? Which girl are you visiting Qinhuai Tower for today?¡± ¡°Mother Lou, are you asking the obvious?¡± Ji Zhao chuckled. The emotions in his words were unfathomable. ¡°I came all the way to Qinhuai Tower to catch a glimpse of Lady Liu¡¯s charm. Mother Lou, don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t even have this bit of judgment?¡± Ji Zhao smiled and boldly picked up a stack of banknotes and handed it to Mother Lou. At a rough estimate, it was at least 10,000 taels. Wealth moved people¡¯s hearts. Mother Lou did not expect this young and handsome young man to be so forthright. She immediately smiled until her teeth could not be seen. ¡°Young Master is magnanimous. It¡¯s just that Lady Liu is the signboard of our Qinhuai Tower. If Young Master wants to meet her, you have to win a round.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Then let¡¯s y another round?¡± Ji Zhao patted her chest indifferently and said arrogantly, ¡°I¡¯m so poor that I only have money left. As long as I can see Lady Liu, so what if I go bankrupt?¡± At this moment, Mother Lou smiled even more happily. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll have to trouble Young Master to wait for a moment.¡± Mother Lou smiled and put the stack of banknotes into her arms. She turned around and left with her graceful waist swaying. About 15 minutester, a veileddy in white walked in. ¡°Young Master, it¡¯s different from the previous bets. This time, the winner will be decided in one go.¡± The voice of the veiled woman was very clear. It was as mellow as an oriole¡¯s cry, making one feel charming and soft. If Ji Zhao was a man, she would definitely be immersed in it. ¡°Oh?¡± Ji Zhao deliberately raised her eyebrows and said, ¡°This is interesting. How do you want topete?¡± ¡°A game of dice. It¡¯s up to the young master to decide whether the dice are bigger or smaller, is that alright?¡± When the veiled woman heard Ji Zhao¡¯s voice, a trace of surprise shed across her eyes, but she immediately restrained her emotions. Why did Sister Ah Taoe to Qinhuai Tower? ¡°Then let¡¯spete for small.¡± Ji Zhao didn¡¯t hesitate to ce all her chips on the ce with the word ¡®big¡¯. ¡°Alright, after you, Young Master.¡± Ji Zhao smiled slightly, shaking twice before letting go. ¡°Done.¡± ¡°Young Master, are you sure?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± The woman in white smiled and began to shake the bamboo tube in her hand. A momentter, it stopped. ¡°Young Master, how do you n to open it? Open it first, open itter, or open it at the same time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the type to dawdle. Let¡¯s open it together.¡± Ji Zhao waved her hand indifferently. The points on both sides appeared at the same time. The three dice in front of the white-clothed woman actually gathered together. The number at the top was one. As for Ji Zhao, the three dice in front of Ji Zhao had actually turned to ashes. ¡°Young Master has won.¡± The white-robed woman breathed a sigh of relief and chuckled. ¡°Young Master, follow me.¡± The seventh floor of Qinhuai Tower was where Lady Liu lived. The entire floor was covered with red and white curtains. The window was opened, and a cool breeze blew. Ji Zhao frowned and looked at the woman in white in front of her. She frowned and asked, ¡°Are you Lady Liu?¡± The woman in white who was walking in front of her suddenly turned around. Ji Zhao subconsciously tightened her grip on the dagger at her waist. Until she heard that familiar voice calling her Sister Ah Tao. ¡°And you are?¡± The white-clothed woman in front of her slowly removed her veil, revealing a beautiful and enchanting little face. Ji Zhao took a closer look and waspletely stunned. ¡°Xuancao?¡± The person in front of her looked exactly the same as Fan Xuancao! Except for the enchanting red cinnabar mole between her eyebrows. ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Fan Xuancao nodded obediently and invited Ji Zhao to sit down. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Sister Ah Tao to still remember my appearance after so many years.¡± ¡°Xuancao, what¡­ what¡¯s going on? Didn¡¯t you go to seek refuge with your aunt? Why are you in Qinhuai Hall?¡± ¡°Sister Ah Tao, it¡¯s a long story.¡± Fan Xuancao smiled helplessly. The bitterness hidden in her eyes was self-evident. ¡°I have another identity now. I¡¯m called Liu Ruxuan, and I¡¯m also the top courtesan of Qinhuai Tower.¡± Ji Zhao never expected that the determined little girl back then would actually fall into a brothel. ¡°You¡­ must have suffered a lot, right?¡± Ji Zhao looked at her eyes and her heart ached so much that her eyes turned red. ¡°If we could have insisted on bringing you with us back then¡­ you¡­¡± ¡°Sister Ah Tao, you¡¯re still so gentle and kind.¡± Fan Xuancao interrupted her and said with a smile, ¡°This is my life. You and Brother Shen are the only light that shines on my dark life. Moreover, this is not your fault, so you don¡¯t have to feel guilty.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± After talcing a sip of the fragrant jasmine tea, Fan Xuancao slowly said, ¡°Sister Ah Tao, do you want to hear my story?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± It turned out that after Master Fan passed away, Fan Xuancao wanted to go to Suzhou to seek refuge with her aunt. However, who would have thought that her aunt would die of an illness so early? Her uncle had married a second wife and coveted Fan Xuancao¡¯s beauty, so he pretended to let Fan Xuancao stay in the residence. One day, the drunk uncle almost bullied Fan Xuancao. Fan Xuancao kept resisting and barely escaped from the tiger¡¯s mouth. However, her uncle¡¯s second wife refused to give up. Not only did she give Fan Xuancao a medicine for her to die, but she also sold her to Qinhuai Tower¡­ ¡°Mother Lou is a money-grubber. When she saw that I was born with some beauty, she feltpassion for me.¡± Fan Xuancao poured another cup of tea and sighed with emotion in a low voice.¡± Gradually, my reputation grew bigger and bigger. Official Lin of the Jiangnan Salt Transportation Department felt that the songs I sang was especially good and wanted to protect me. Gradually, those thieves stopped seeing me. In addition, Official Lin realized that I was still a virgin and was even more excited. Gradually, I became his confidante.¡± Although Fan Xuancao¡¯s voice was extremely calm, Ji Zhao could still hear the bitterness hidden in it. ¡°Sister Ah Tao, don¡¯t look at me with such a sympathetic gaze. Actually, I¡¯m doing quite well.¡± Ji Zhao could no longer hold back. She rushed forward and hugged her, silentlyforting her. Fan Xuancao did not cry that night when she suffered under Lin Zhixuan¡¯s arms. After all, from the moment she was sold into Qinhuai Tower, she knew her fate. She also knew that the reason why Mother Lou didn¡¯t ask her to serve guests early was because she had the mentality that a raremodity was more valuable. However, at this moment, when she was held in Sister Ah Tao¡¯s arms, Fan Xuancao suddenly could not suppress the grievance in the depths of her heart. She cried silently, her tears drenching Ji Zhao¡¯s shoulders.. Chapter 358 - 358: Ask a Tiger for Its Skin, I’m Afraid It Won’t End Well Chapter 358: Ask a Tiger for Its Skin, I¡¯m Afraid It Won¡¯t End Well Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°Sister Ah Tao, let¡¯s not talk about me anymore. Why did youe to Jinling?¡± After crying for a long time, Fan Xuancao felt much better. She looked at Ji Zhao and frowned worriedly, ¡°Jinling City is full of people. It¡¯s not a ce to stay for a long time.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Ji Zhao raised the back of her hand and wiped the tears off her face. She sighed softly and said, ¡°I came to Jinling to look for Shen Yao.¡± ¡°Brother Shen, he came to Jinling too?¡± ¡°A month ago, Shen Yao disappeared on the Qinhuai River.¡± ¡°A month ago?¡± Fan Xuancao raised her eyebrows in confusion. Then, she suddenly looked up. ¡°The person who was shot by Young Master Lin¡¯s arrow was Big Brother Shen?¡± ¡°Xuancao, were you there that day?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± At this moment, Fan Xuancao¡¯s entire body was trembling. ¡°Sister Ah Tao, you should leave Jinling quickly. This is really not a ce to stay for a long time!¡± ¡°Xuancao, did you see everything with your own eyes that day? Is Shen Yao really dead?¡± ¡°Sister Ah Tao, I don¡¯t know if Brother Shen is still alive, but if an ordinary person¡¯s heart is pierced, they will definitely die, right?¡± Fan Xuancao looked away guiltily and advised in a low voice, ¡°Sister Ah Tao, the dead can¡¯t be revived. You¡­ you have to move on.¡± Ji Zhao closed her eyes sadly. Her body began to sway uncontrobly. ¡°No, he won¡¯t¡­ He promised me that he would return home safely. He¡¯s not someone who goes back on his word!¡± ¡°Sister Ah Tao¡­¡± Just as Fan Xuancao was about to persuade her, she heard a hurried knock on the door. Her heart sank and she hurriedly opened the door. ¡°Mother Lou? What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Xuan¡¯er, Official Lin wants to see you. It¡¯s urgent.¡± ¡°But the guest inside¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Leave it to me.¡± Fan Xuancao could only nod. Before she left, she secretly exchanged nces with Ji Zhao. In the end, Ji Zhao, who ¡®couldn¡¯t handle alcohol¡¯, was arranged by Mother Lou to stay in another exquisite pleasure boat next to Qinhuai Tower. ¡°Get lost, all of you!¡± Ji Zhao scolded fiercely, then mmed the door shut. Mother Lou shook her head in disappointment. She thought that this handsome young man was useful. Who would have thought that he would be like this after just two sses of wine? It was really disappointing! Ji Zhao sat upright on the soft couch, her eyes gradually turning from blurry to clear. Meeting Fan Xuancao at Qinhuai Tower was indeed beyond her expectations. However, whether Fan Xuancao¡¯s words were true or not remained to be verified. Although she really sympathized with Fan Xuancao, but now that she was in Jinling city, where danger lurked everywhere, she really couldn¡¯t be sure if Fan Xuancao was a trustworthy person. Now, she only hoped to find Shen Yao as soon as possible. That way, she would be satisfied. What Ji Zhao did not expect was that Shen Yao was indeed not dead. In fact, he was in a residence not far from her. Squeak- Exhausted, Fan Xuancao returned to her residence and walked into the ear room. It was only when the hot water covered her entire body that she gradually came back to her senses. Thinking of Lin Zhixuan tonight, she felt so disgusted that she wanted to vomit. She was really tired of such days. She wanted to be free as soon as possible. However, she did not expect to meet Shen Yao and his wife again. She was really grateful to them and really wanted to bring Shen Yao back. An hourter, when the water in the bathtub waspletely cold, Fan Xuancao put on a thin gauze dress and walked into the room next door. By then, Shen Yao had already woken up. However, his injuries were too serious, so he could not move. ¡°Brother Shen, are you feeling better today?¡± Fan Xuancao slowly approached and gently bit her red lips. ¡°Thank you for your concern. I¡¯m much better.¡± Shen Yao¡¯s tone was calm and emotionless. Fan Xuancao looked at him in disappointment. ¡°Brother Shen, are you ming me in your heart?¡± Shen Yao pursed his lips and remained silent. The woman in front of him was no longer the lively and innocent junior sister from back then. There was a strong scent of cosmetics on her body that made people subconsciously want to resist. ¡°Brother Shen, shall I help you apply the medicine?¡± Fan Xuancao pretended to be light-hearted and smiled. ¡°There¡¯s no need. I¡¯ve already applied medicine myself.¡± ¡°Brother Shen, do you have to keep me at arm¡¯s length?¡± Fan Xuancao cried pitifully. ¡°I don¡¯t have any other intentions. I just hope that Brother Shen can recover as soon as possible¡­¡± ¡°Miss Fan.¡± Shen Yao looked at her deeply. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t have a good ending if you ask a tiger for its skin.¡± ¡°Does Brother Shen despise me for being a prostitute?¡± Fan Xuancao smiled bitterly. ¡°But what¡¯s wrong with me? I¡¯m just a woman. I was sold to a brothel. I once thought of escaping, but what happened in the end? It was a beating! Brother Shen, I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve experienced it before. The scorching feeling of being whipped on the back with a leather whip dipped in salt water is so painful that it¡¯s suffocating¡­¡± Shen Yao pursed his lips and closed his eyes gently. Fan Xuancao suddenly moved closer, wanting to touch his lips¡ª ¡°Brother Shen, as long as you¡¯re willing to make love to me once, I¡¯ll think of a way to contact Official Qin. What do you think?¡± Shen Yao opened his eyes. The disgust in his eyes was self-evident. ¡°Brother Shen, are you unwilling?¡± Fan Xuancao was extremely disappointed. ¡°Since Brother Shen is unwilling, I won¡¯t force you. After all, it¡¯s not sweet to force it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that Brother Shen probably doesn¡¯t know yet, right? Today, I saw Sister Ah Tao.¡± Shen Yao suddenly widened his eyes and looked at her with a threatening gaze. ¡°If anything happens to Zhaozhao, I won¡¯t let you off!¡± ¡°So Brother Shen isn¡¯t a cold-hearted person.¡± Fan Xuancao found it extremely interesting when she saw him getting angry. ¡°So Sister Ah Tao is really your weakness. I thought Brother Shen was invincible!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if Big Brother Shen has heard that Official Lin loves to dote on those beautiful women the most. Today, when I met Big Sister Ah Tao, I realized that Big Sister Ah Tao¡¯s looks are above mine!¡± Shen Yao red at her, his eyes almost popping out. ¡°If I introduce Sister Ah Tao to Official Lin, I wonder if something interesting will happen?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡± ¡°Brother Shen, are you threatening me?¡± Fan Xuancao pretended to be terrified and covered her chest. ¡°Brother Shen, don¡¯t be so rough. I can¡¯t take a scare!¡± ¡°Brother Shen, how about I give you one night to consider? As long as you agree to make love to me once, I¡¯ll bring Sister Ah Tao to see you. You won¡¯t lose out on this deal!¡± Shen Yao red at her fiercely and did not speak again. On the other side, Ji Zhao, who had not dreamed for a long time, actually dreamed again. This time, the dream was exceptionally clear. She saw the heavily injured Shen Yao and the naked Fan Xuancao approaching him. The moment she woke up from the dream, Ji Zhao was furious. Bang! The sleepy Fan Xuancao heard the bang and panicked. When she saw the furious Ji Zhao, her mood miraculously calmed down. ¡°Sister Ah Tao, why are you here?¡± Chapter 359 - 359: Who Did She See? Chapter 359: Who Did She See? Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Ji Zhao sneered and approached her without hesitation. She raised her hand and gave her a loud p! ¡°Who gave you the guts to hide my husband?¡± ¡°Sister Ah Tao? What are you talking about?¡± Panic shed across Fan Xuancao¡¯s eyes. She covered her face and asked with tears in her eyes, ¡°I know you look down on me, but no matter what, how could you¡­ how could you hit me casually?¡± ¡°Hitting you will dirty my hands!¡± Ji Zhao narrowed her eyes and sneered. Then, she attacked her face from both sides! ¡°Initially, on ount of our past rtionship, I sympathized with your plight. But now that I think about it, I feel that a person like you who degrades yourself is not worth mentioning!¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Fan Xuancao, whose face was covered in tears, looked at her in fear and unease. Her entire body was curled up into a ball because of fear. In the end, she actually fainted! Soon, someone tied Fan Xuancao up! Following the traces in her dream, Ji Zhao finally found Shen Yao. ¡°Zhaozhao?¡± The moment Shen Yao saw who it was, he thought he was dreaming. ¡°Shen Yao, I¡¯m here.¡± Ji Zhao smiled brightly at him. ¡°Fan Xuancao works for the Jiangnan salt trader, Lin Zhixuan. We can¡¯t stay here for long,¡± Shen Yao said hurriedly. ¡°Zhaozhao, leave quickly!¡± ¡°If you want to leave, let¡¯s leave together!¡± Ji Zhao carried him on her back and panted heavily. ¡°Shen Yao, I know that doing this will definitely damage the wounds on your body, but we have no other way out now, so bear with it!¡± Fortunately, Ji Zhao had brought a group of elite imperial guards with her this time. With their help, Ji Zhao sessfully took Shen Yao and Fan Xuancao away. Considering Shen Yao¡¯s injuries, Ji Zhao did not leave Jinling directly. Instead, she rented a pleasure boat near Qinhuai Tower. She fed Fan Xuancao medicine that temporarily made her lose her voice, making her weak and powerless. Then, she began to treat Shen Yao¡¯s wounds wholeheartedly. When she untied the blood-stained bandage around Shen Yao¡¯s chest, Ji Zhao suddenly felt tears well up in her eyes. Her almond-shaped eyes, which had always been beautiful, were covered in ayer of mist. ¡°Zhaozhao?¡± Seeing her like this, Shen Yao¡¯s heart suddenly ached. ¡°Don¡¯t be sad. I¡¯m fine.¡± Ji Zhao pursed her lips and did not say anything. Instead, she picked up a sharp dagger soaked in alcohol and carefully cut open theyer of rotten flesh on his wound. Finally, she sprinkled special ointment on his wound and bandaged it again. By the time he was done, ayer of sweat had already formed on Ji Zhao¡¯s forehead. Crystalline sweat dripped onto the back of Shen Yao¡¯s hand, making his heart ache so much that he found it difficult to breathe. ¡°Zhaozhao, are you still angry?¡± Ji Zhao took a deep breath, grabbed his arm, and bit him fiercely. But when she saw the red bite mark on his arm, her heart ached even more. ¡°What exactly happened? How did you get injured? And Fan Xuancao, why did she secretly hide you?¡± Ji Zhao had too many questions in her heart. ¡°It¡¯s a long story¡­¡± Shen Yao frowned slightly and slowly exined what had happened during this period of time. Emperor Jingchen had the intention of eradicating the corruption in the Jiangnan area. He had always wanted to find a suitable opportunity to enter the Jiangnan area. Through investigating the salt tax case, he would tear open the dark clouds that enveloped the Jiangnan area. Coincidentally, Qin Minghong had handed over a secret memo. Nine out of ten officials in Jiangnan were corrupt, it was just a matter of how much. After Emperor Jingchen ascended the throne, he had already stripped away the power of the aristocratic families and established his prestige. However, how could the corruption in the Great Jing Dynasty be resolved in a day or two? Therefore, Emperor Jingchen set his sights on the fat Jiangnan. Emperor Jingchen¡¯s temperament waspletely different from his brother, Emperor Jingyuan. Emperor Jingyuan was addicted to indulgence and pleasure. In the imperial court, he was even more cronyistic and close to the bad people while estranging the good ministers. As for the corruption and devastation hidden in the Great Jing Dynasty, he chose to believe that what he didn¡¯t see couldn¡¯t hurt him. However, Emperor Jingchen was determined to revitalize Anbang. The emperor¡¯s original intention was different, so his style of doing things was naturally different. ¡°Qin Minghong reported in a secret memorial that the people selling illicit salt in Jiangnan are colluding with officials. As for those people from the Cao Gang, although they help to maintain order on the canal, they can actually earn very little money. Moreover, they earn some hardbor money. Originally, the Cao Gang, the Yan family who sells illicit salt, and the officials from Jiangnan formed an extremely tacit situation and lived in harmony for many years. However, the taxes that Jiangnan pays to the imperial court every year are just a small amount that leaks out from between their fingers.¡± ¡°It was only three months ago when a case appeared in Qinhuai Tower that the tacit understanding between the three was broken.¡± Shen Yao sighed softly. ¡°Cao Xinyue, the adopted daughter of the Cao Gang¡¯s head, died in Qinhuai Tower. Moreover, her corpse was naked and covered in whip marks. The coroner found that Cao Xinyue had been abused by many people before she died.¡± ¡°As for Cao Xinyue, she was engaged to Lin Youyang, the son of Lin Zhixuan, the salt transporter from Jiangnan¡­ Cao Xinyue died too tragically. Cao Meng, the head of the Cao Gang and Cao Xinyue¡¯s foster father, rushed into the Lin residence and broke Lin Youyang¡¯s leg. From then on, the situation in Jinling changed.¡± ¡°Then, has the cause of Cao Xinyue¡¯s death been investigated? Why did she die in Qinhuai Tower?¡± Ji Zhao became more and more puzzled. ¡°Why do I feel that this case is filled with suspicious points?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Shen Yao silently held her hand and sighed softly. ¡°When I rushed to Jinling and heard about this case, I also felt that there were many doubts, so I thought of a way to pull out the case file of this case and found some clues.¡± ¡°About four months ago, a batch of goods that the Cao Gang was in charge of transporting had some problems. Gang Leader Cao Meng and Qin Minghong¡¯s uncle, Cao Xing, were implicated. Immediately after, the officials took the two of them away. However, on the 15th day of the second month, Cao Xinyue, who usually did not leave her house, hurriedly rushed to Qinhuai Tower after receiving a letter from a little beggar. On the next day, something happened. However, less than half a day after Cao Xinyue¡¯s death, Cao Meng and Cao Xing were released.¡± ¡°In other words, Cao Xinyue met with an ident to save her foster father and uncle?¡± After listening to the entire case, Ji Zhao became even calmer. ¡°There can¡¯t be so many coincidences in the world. Cao Xinyue had just met with an ident when Cao Meng and Cao Xing were released? Or should we assume that all of this was deliberately set up by someone? A trap against the Cao Gang?¡± ¡°Zhaozhao is indeed a smart person.¡± Shen Yao smiled and gave his wife a thumbs up. ¡°After that, I hid my identity and went to Qinhuai Tower. I identally saw Fan Xuancao and found some clues.¡± ¡°That day, Cao Xinyue was at Qinhuai Tower. She only saw two people.¡± ¡°Who did she meet?¡± Ji Zhao asked curiously.. Chapter 360 - 360: Half Each Chapter 360: Half Each Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°When Cao Xinyue arrived at Qinhuai Tower that day, it was a quarter past seven. She went to an upper room on the sixth floor. At a quarter before eight, Lin Youyang went to see her. When it was nine, Lin Youyang left. Before he left, he instructed the madam of Qinhuai Tower not to disturb Cao Xinyue¡¯s rest.¡± ¡°But on the morning of the 16th of February, Fan Xuancao¡¯s maid, Zi¡¯er, saw Lin Zhixuan walking out of the guest room where Cao Xinyue was resting¡­ By noon, Cao Xinyue was already dead. The cause of death was sudden death. Before she died, she had inhaled arge amount of smoke.¡± Although Ji Zhao and Cao Xinyue did not know each other, at this moment, her heart ached for this seventeen-year-old girl. ¡°In other words, before Cao Xinyue died, she only saw the Lin father and son?¡± Ji Zhao narrowed her eyes and said in a deep voice, ¡°The Lin father and son were the murderers? But Cao Xinyue and Lin Youyang were already engaged. Sooner orter, he could marry her and have her openly. Why did he¡­¡± As if she suddenly thought of something, Ji Zhao¡¯s eyes widened. Could it be that the person who bullied Cao Xinyue was Lin Zhixuan? Cao Xinyue was the Lin family¡¯s unmarried daughter-inw. No matter how crazy Lin Zhixuan was, he shouldn¡¯t¡ª ¡°Zhaozhao, some people are born beasts.¡± Sensing that her emotions were a little off, Shen Yao hurriedly held her hand andforted her gently. ¡°If I want to punish the Lin father and son, I need to find evidence. Therefore, I thought of using myself as bait. I didn¡¯t expect Lin Zhixuan to be so cunning. He deliberately set up an ambush.¡± Shen Yao sighed helplessly. ¡°I was too careless and fell into his trap.¡± Ever since Emperor Jingchen ascended the throne, Shen Yao, as the best knife in his hands, had already obtained the title of the Iron Blooded Grand Secretary. Shen Yao was publicly acknowledged as a resourceful person, so he did not take the Lin father and son seriously at first. That was why he suffered such a huge loss. ¡°I carefully examined the wound on your chest just now.¡± Ji Zhao pretended to re at him angrily and said fiercely, ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to the archer¡¯s poor martial arts that the wound didn¡¯t cut into your vital points.¡± ¡°The King of Hell also knows that I haven¡¯t grown old with Zhaozhao yet. He can¡¯t bear to take my life.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Ji Zhao pinched his ear angrily, then asked, ¡°What about Fan Xuancao? What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Lin Zhixuan added a lot of kerosene to that pleasure boat. After careful consideration, I jumped into the canal. ording to the original n, someone woulde to the designated ce to pick me up, but for some reason, I suddenly lost consciousness. When I woke up, I was in Fan Xuancao¡¯s private residence,¡± Shen Yao exined with a sincere gaze. ¡°I understand.¡± Ji Zhao nodded slightly, then rubbed her chin thoughtfully. ¡°Shen Yao, what should we do now to break this trap?¡± ¡°Respond to all changes by remaining unchanged,¡± Shen Yao said with a faint smile. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Zhaozhao, trust me.¡± Shen Yao stroked her palm and exined with a smile, ¡°By the way, Zhaozhao, don¡¯t spread the news of you looking for me. The Grand Administrator of Jinling, Du Minghai, is His Majesty¡¯s subordinate. Zhaozhao, remember to send someone to inform Du Minghai about the disappearance of the courtesan of Qinhuai Tower, Liu Ruxuan.¡± Ji Zhao thought about it seriously, then raised her eyebrows in surprise. ¡°Qinhuai Tower?¡± Cao Xinyue¡¯s case happened in Qinhuai Tower, and everyone knew that Liu Ruxuan was Lin Zhixuan¡¯s confidante. If they followed this lead from Qinhuai Tower, they would definitely find the corresponding evidence. ¡°What about Brother Qin?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell him about me for the time being,¡± Shen Yao lowered his eyes and said calmly. Ji Zhao¡¯s heart sank. ¡°Shen Yao, do you think Brother Qin can¡¯t be trusted?¡± Shen Yao shook his head gently. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust Brother Qin, but this case involves some people from the Cao Gang. If Brother Qin interferes, I¡¯m afraid he will act on impulse.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Mid-May, the sun in Jinling city was still warm. In the Jiangnan area, the four seasons were like spring. After recuperating for half a month, the wounds on Shen Yao¡¯s body gradually healed. ¡°The Cao Gang is blocking the entrance of the Lin Residence every day. I heard that Lin Youyang has contracted the disease and was abandoned by Lin Zhixuan.¡± Ji Zhao said as she peeled an apple, ¡°Unfortunately, we can¡¯t find out about the Lin Residence. If we can find Lin Zhixuan¡¯s weakness, we can treat the problem.¡± ¡°Jinling Grand Administrator Du Minghai was His Majesty¡¯s trusted aide a few years ago. His Majesty realized that the corruption in Jiangnan was too rampant before he ascended the throne, so His Majesty arranged for Du Minghai to go to Jinling long ago.¡± Shen Yao smiled softly. ¡°Before I came to Jinling, I had already met this Grand Administrator Du. Although the Lin residence is imprable, there are people who want to explore the scenery outside the wall.¡± Ji Zhao understood what he meant and couldn¡¯t help but take a bite of the apple. That crisp sound surprised Shen Yao. ¡°So Zhaozhao didn¡¯t peel this apple for me to eat?¡± ¡°Half each.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and handed him the intact side of the apple. However, Shen Yao grabbed her wrist bit down on wear her bite mark on the apple was. For some reason, Ji Zhao felt her ears burning. ¡°Ahem, in other words, Grand Administrator Du has already nted people in the Lin residence?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Looking at her rosy cheeks, Shen Yao¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and he silently curled his lips. ¡°Zhaozhao, just wait. In a few days, Jinling City will undergo earth-shattering changes.¡± Ji Zhao responded gloomily. She missed Kang¡¯er a little. Two dayster, Lin Youyang actually beat the drums and called the officials on his father, Lin Zhixuan¡¯s promiscuous behavior and how he bullied his daughter-inw! When this news was released, it shocked the entire Jinling city! Even Ji Zhao was in a daze when she heard this news. ¡°Lin Zhixuan was promiscuous. Over the years, he had done countless things that were worse than forcing a good woman into prostitution. Now that Lin Youyang¡¯s confession is out, the truth of Cao Xinyue¡¯s death is gradually revealed.¡± Shen Yao sighed softly. ¡°It¡¯s a pity that we came toote.¡± If they had arrived in Jinling earlier, perhaps those innocent lives would not have withered just like that. ¡°The son sues the father, and the people sue the officials. ording to Great Jingw, the person suing needs to lie on the bed of nails. If it¡¯s proven to be false, the person suing will be punished with firecrackers.¡± Ji Zhao lowered her eyes and asked curiously, ¡°Lin Youyang has always been a debauchee who acts absurdly. Why would he suddenly have the courage to sue his father?¡± ¡°Even a good-for-nothing has his weakness..¡± Shen Yao gently held her hand and said with a smile, ¡°If Zhaozhao wants to know the inside story, why don¡¯t you apany me to the Grand Administrator¡¯s residence?¡± Chapter 361 - 361: Pitiful People Must Have Something Hateful Chapter 361: Pitiful People Must Have Something Hateful Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Ji Zhao was a little hesitant. ¡°Although Lin Zhixuan has been arrested, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not that safe outside!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Shen Yao smiled at her, his tone was filled withfort, ¡°Lin Zhixuan is the biggest cancer in the entire Jinling city. Now that this cancer is about to be removed, don¡¯t you want to take a look?¡± In the end, Ji Zhao obediently apanied Shen Yao to the governor¡¯s residence. After flipping through the case file, she understood. Lin Zhixuan had passed the age of fifty and only had one wife and one concubine; Lin Youyang was the son of his first wife. ording to the records, his wife, Madam Niu, died of illness the next year after giving birth. However, in fact, this was just an excuse to the outside world. The real reason was that Lin Zhixuan¡¯s wife discovered that he had secretly imprisoned some young girls and wanted to report him. However, she was stabbed in the chest by Lin Zhixuan and lost her life. When Du Minghai first came to Jinling City, Madam Lin (Madam Niu) had passed away. When he came to the Lin residence to pay his respects, he actually didn¡¯t find any grief on Lin Zhixuan¡¯s face. Therefore, he became suspicious and secretly investigated. It took him decades to find out the truth of Madam Niu¡¯s death. When Du Minghai handed the truth to Lin Youyang, who had already been abandoned by Lin Zhixuan, the series of events that happened after that happened naturally. Although Lin Youyang was a good-for-nothing, he was also a son. He had lost his mother¡¯s love since he was a child. When he heard the truth about his mother¡¯s death, he naturally wouldn¡¯t let it go. More importantly, Lin Youyang had feelings for Cao Xinyue. ¡°Cao Xinyue is gentle and kind. Lin Youyang was very satisfied with this fiancee. However, he did not expect Lin Zhixuan to be so beastly! That day, Lin Youyang wrote a letter asking Cao Xinyue to meet him at Qinhuai Tower. He originally wanted tofort her, but he did not expect that he would be called away by Lin Zhixuan halfway. When he returned, he received news of Cao Xinyue¡¯s death.¡± ¡°Now that Lin Youyang doesn¡¯t have long to live, he mustered up the courage to drag his high and mighty father into the mud.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a pitiful man, too.¡± After a while, Ji Zhao sighed softly. ¡°It¡¯s a pity that there must be something hateful about a pitiful person.¡± In terms of rank, Lin Zhixuan¡¯s rank was higher than Du Minghai, the Grand Administrator of Jinling, so he refused to obey Du Minghai. Until Shen Yao appeared and showed the gold badge bestowed by the emperor. Right on the heels of that, Lin Zhixuan¡¯s crimes were made public, and Qinhuai Tower was also sealed. In the blink of an eye, it was the middle of June. The weather in Jinling city was getting hotter and hotter. A bolt of lightning tore through the sky, followed by a hearty downpour. This heavy rainsted for an entire day and night. Even the water level of the Qinhuai River had risen quite a bit. Ji Zhao and her husband originally nned to return to the capital, but the heavy rain forced them to stay in Jinling city for a few more days. ¡°His Majesty has sent a decree.¡± Looking at Ji Zhao, who was holding her chin and looking out of the window with a worried expression, Shen Yao said softly, ¡°Lin Zhixuan has been sentenced to have his house confiscated and beheaded in public at the end of the month. The case of salt tax embezzlement is also gradually bing clear. The governor-generals and the corresponding officials have been killed and demoted. Official Du has been promoted to the new governor-general.¡± ¡°What about the Cao Gang?¡± Ji Zhao asked curiously. ¡°The corresponding members ofthe Cao Gang have been recruited by the royal court.¡± Shen Yao raised his hand and rubbed her eyebrows. He asked softly, ¡°Is Zhaozhao homesick?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Ji Zhao replied gloomily. ¡°I miss Kang¡¯er¡­¡± ¡°Shall we set off tomorrow morning?¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Looking at her excited smile, Shen Yao felt even more guilty. This time, he had been careless when he went to Jiangnan. Instead, he had made Zhaozhao suffer. He would learn from his mistakes and not be so careless in the future. Before Ji Zhao left, she went to see Fan Xuancao. After the Qinhuai Tower was sealed, Fan Xuancao was also imprisoned in Jinling. However, Ji Zhao begged for mercy and let her out. ¡°Are you here to see me make a fool of myself?¡± Fan Xuancao sneered when she saw who it was. ¡°You think too much,¡± Ji Zhao said indifferently. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know why I saved you from prison?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Fan Xuancao lowered her eyes and said in a deep voice. ¡°No matter what your motive was for saving Shen Yao, it¡¯s a fact that you saved him.¡± Ji Zhao looked into her eyes and said in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯ve always been a person who distinguishes between gratitude and grudges. I¡¯m sincerely grateful that you saved my husband.¡± Fan Xuancao suddenly looked up, her eyes revealing some disbelief. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not surprised that you like a gentleman like Shen Yao,¡± Ji Zhao said honestly. ¡°It¡¯s just that he¡¯s destined to be a high and mighty star that you can never touch.¡± ¡°If you hadn¡¯t appeared, Brother Shen and I would definitely be happy!¡± Fan Xuancao roared angrily. ¡°My father once said that he originally wanted me to marry Brother Shen!¡± ¡°You seem to have forgotten what your father did in the past? It was impossible between you and Shen Yao from the beginning.¡± Ji Zhao chuckled and turned to leave. ¡°From now on, I hope you take care of yourself!¡± If Master Fan had not been bribed to swap Shen Yao¡¯s papers, how could Shen Yao have wasted three years? After Old Master Fan passed away, it was Shen Yao who helped him collect the coffin and gave him a dignified funeral. Shen Yao never owed the Fan father and daughter; on the contrary, they owed Shen Yao a lot. Unfortunately, some people were selfish by nature. They were strict about being magnanimous to others and taking advantage of themselves. How could they realize their mistake? The Jiangnan salt tax embezzlement case was finally cleared, and Shen Yao¡¯s name became even more famous in Great Jing¡¯s court. In addition, Emperor Jingchen was diligent in court affairs and cooperated seamlessly with Grand Secretary Shen, creating a golden age for the Great Jing Dynasty. Grand Secretary Shen was also respected by the officials and loved by the people. Shen Manor. Ji Zhao¡¯s chubby son, who was lying on the soft couch, was smiling so widely that his teeth couldn¡¯t be seen. ¡°Ever since the two of you left, Kang¡¯er hasn¡¯t cried or made a fuss. He just stares at the door in a daze every day¡­¡± Zhao Lanhua put down the rattle drum in her hand and sighed softly. ¡°This little guy is sensible.¡± ¡°Mother, thank you for your hard work.¡± Ji Zhao looked at Zhao Lanhua and smiled gratefully. ¡°You silly child, I¡¯m not tired. When the bad news about Third Brother came back, I was really upset. Fortunately, you told me about not having dreamt about this. Third Brother must be fine.¡± Zhao Lanhua thought for a moment and said, ¡°By the way, Ah Tao, let¡¯s go back to Shanghe Vige after the new year, okay? If it weren¡¯t for the Earth God secretly protecting us all these years, I don¡¯t know how many disasters our family would have experienced..¡± Chapter 362 - 362: Sweet Person Chapter 362: Sweet Person Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Ji Zhao agreed with Zhao Lanhua¡¯s suggestion. In the early years, they left Shanghe Vige and settled down in Dingyuan County. Later, they bought a peach blossom cottage in Yunchuan Prefecture, then lived in the capital for three years. Three years was neither long nor short. ¡°A few days ago, the vige sent a letter saying that the vige chief¡¯s health isn¡¯t too good either. Your father is still worried about him.¡± Seeing Ji Zhao nod, Zhao Lanhua couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°No matter how prosperous the capital is, it¡¯s not our hometown¡­ Now that the three brothers have gradually established themselves in the capital, your father and I discussed returning this time and staying in the vige.¡± ¡°Mother.¡± Ji Zhao smiled and said obediently, ¡°After the new year, we¡¯ll apany you back to Shanghe Vige.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± In the blink of an eye, it was New Year¡¯s Eve again. Emperor Jingchen held a banquet in the pce to entertain all the officials. Among them, Shen Yao¡¯s family was seated to the left of Emperor Jingchen. The sound of silk and bamboo was incessant. At the banquet, the officials toasted each other and were extremely happy. After the banquet ended, Emperor Jingchen asked Shen Yao to stay. Qianqing Hall. Shen Yao took out two hangover pills and handed one to Emperor Jingchen. ¡°Thank you.¡± Emperor Jingchen smiled gratefully. ¡°Runzhi, fortunately, I still have you by my side!¡± ¡°Your Majesty, I still have to return to the residenceter. My wife and son are waiting for me at home,¡± Shen Yao said with a faint smile. ¡°Speaking of which, Your Majesty¡¯s harem is really too cold. It¡¯s time for Your Majesty to find a caring person.¡± ¡°A caring person?¡± Emperor Jingchen shook his head. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t ascended the throne, I might have been able to find a caring person. But now¡­¡± Emperor Jingchen smiled without saying anything. Ever since he ascended the throne, most of the officials in the imperial court had tried their best to add to his harem. On the surface, it was said to be for the sake of the royal family, but in reality, everyone knew what they were thinking. ¡°But Your Majesty¡¯s harem can¡¯t be empty forever,¡± Shen Yao advised gently. ¡°But I believe that there must be someone in this world who will be Your Majesty¡¯s soul mate.¡± Emperor Jingchen¡¯s heart was touched when he heard this. In the end, Emperor Jingchen relented and put the royal selection on the agenda. It was another March day. In the backyard of the Shen residence, the peach blossoms were dazzling. Eldest Sister-inw Shen looked at Feng Chunyan, who was standing below her, in horror. She was almost angered to death. ¡°Are you crazy? How dare you secretly register for the royal selection!¡± Feng Chunyan lowered her head guiltily and pursed her lips without saying a word. ¡°Sister, I know I shouldn¡¯t have not told you, but if I had, you definitely wouldn¡¯t have agreed¡­¡± Feng Chunyan said pitifully. ¡°You! You¡¯re crazy!¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen really did not expect her sister to have such deep thoughts. The person she admired was actually Emperor Jingchen! ¡°Sister, don¡¯t be angry. I really admire His Majesty,¡± Feng Chunyan advised in a low voice. ¡°In my heart, the men I admire the most are His Majesty and Third Brother Shen. I also¡­ know that my looks are average, but it¡¯s rare for me to have the chance to participate in a royal selection! Sister, don¡¯t be angry, okay?¡± ¡°Chunyan, you¡¯re going to be sixteen this year, but His Majesty¡­ he¡¯s already past the age of thirty!¡± Eldest Sister Shen held her forehead helplessly, her eyes filled with tears. ¡°During this period of time, without my permission, you¡¯re not allowed to step out of the room!¡± At that time, Ji Zhao was packing her luggage. After discussing with Shen Yao, they decided to leave on the 15th of March to apany the old couple of the Shen family back to Shanghe Vige. When she heard that Eldest Sister-inw Shen had walked into Peach Courtyard with tears all over her face, she could not help but feel a little worried. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Eldest Sister-inw?¡± Ji Zhao looked at Eldest Sister-inw Shen, who was crying so hard that her eyes were like walnuts, and asked with concern. ¡°Ah Tao¡­¡± The more Eldest Sister Shen thought about it, the more ufortable she felt. In the end, she actually knelt in front of Ji Zhao with a plop. An hourter. After finally understanding the ins and outs of the matter, Ji Zhao was very surprised. ¡°Chunyan secretly participated in the preliminary royal selection? And she has already passed the preliminary selection?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Sister-inw Shen, who had calmed down, said with a bitter smile, ¡°This girl has been bold since she was young. Even ten cows can¡¯t pull her back from her decision. I didn¡¯t expect her to pass the preliminary test of the royal selection.¡± In the first month, when Emperor Jingchen agreed to the royal selection, the courtiers¡¯ joy was obvious. Before they could celebrate for a while, Emperor Jingchen actually issued an imperial decree. The preliminary selection of the royal selection would begin with themon people. Among themoners, as long as they could pay the fee of ten taels of silver, they could participate in the royal selection. As for the women who came from official families, ording to their father¡¯s rank, the fees they had to pay were different. At that time, Shen Yao had even joked with Ji Zhao that Emperor Jingchen had even thought of such a trick to fill the national treasury. Emperor Jingchen wholeheartedly wanted to govern the Great Jing Dynasty. He had no intention of lust. Now, he had used this opportunity to fill up the national treasury. ¡°Sister-inw, don¡¯t be anxious.¡± Ji Zhao thought for a moment and advised gently, ¡°I¡¯ll go see Chunyanter.¡± ¡°Ah Tao, you have to help persuade her. She listens to you the most now!¡± Sister-inw Shen grabbed her sleeve and said anxiously. ¡°Sister-inw, Chunyan is already sixteen years old. She¡¯s already a big girl.¡± Ji Zhao smiled andforted her. ¡°If Chunyan really has feelings for His Majesty, perhaps she can get what she wants in the future?¡± ¡°But don¡¯t the books say that the pce is a ce that eats people up without spitting out their bones?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen quickly shook her head. Ji Zhao was caught betweenughter and tears. ¡°Eldest Sister-inw, have you forgotten that His Majesty is a good son who keeps himself clean? There¡¯s no one in the harem until now¡­¡± ¡°Besides, Eldest sister-inw, you can¡¯t keep Chunyan by your side for the rest of your life, right? Everyone has to marry once they¡¯re grown up.¡± ¡°With Chunyan¡¯s current appearance, temperament, and background, it¡¯s not difficult for her to find a good marriage. However, Eldest Sister-inw, feelings cannot be decided. No matter how good the marriage you arranged for Chunyan is, what if she doesn¡¯t like it?¡± Eldest Sister-inw Shen fell silent. She had indeed not thought of this. After listening to Ji Zhao¡¯s words, Eldest Sister-inw Shen began to reconsider her ns for Feng Chunyan¡¯s future. Feng Chunyanid on the table in her room unhappily. When she heard the footsteps behind her, she said aggrievcdly, ¡°Sister, are you nning to lock me up for the rest of my life? I really like His Majesty. Why don¡¯t you believe me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Ji Zhao smiled helplessly. ¡°I went to the kitchen to make some egg rolls. Chunyan, do you want to try them?¡± Feng Chunyan first nodded, then shook her head. ¡°Sister Ah Tao, are you here to persuade me not to enter the pce?¡± Ji Zhao smiled and shook her head at her. ¡°That¡¯s your life. If you insist on entering the pce, no one has the right to stop you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Feng Chunyan¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Then, Sister Ah Tao, can you help me persuade my elder sister? I really want to enter the pce.. I¡­ I¡¯ve liked His Majesty for a long time¡­¡± Chapter 363-End - 363: Zhaozhao, Long Time No See (Ending) Chapter 363: Zhaozhao, Long Time No See (Ending) Trantor: Henyee Trantions Editor: Henyee Trantions Ji Zhao looked at her in surprise and asked curiously, ¡°Chunyan, have you seen His Majesty before?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Feng Chunyan lowered her head shyly. ¡°It was the third day after Kang¡¯er¡¯s birth. Didn¡¯t His Majestye too? I¡­ When I was flying the kite with Zhuang Zhuang, the kite suddenly broke off and hung on the tree. Later, His Majesty picked up the kite for us¡­¡± Actually, at that time, Feng Chunyan did not dare to look up at the emperor¡¯s face. It was just that she felt that the fragrance on His Majesty¡¯s body was very pleasant. Moreover, when Emperor Jingchen turned around to leave, she mustered her courage and stole a nce. Although she only saw the side of the emperor¡¯s face, that nce was enough to move Feng Chunyan. ¡°Sister Ah Tao, His Majesty was an unattainable existence to me. It¡¯s just that after I heard that His Majesty had allowedmoners to participate in the royal selection, I¡­ I couldn¡¯t hold back.¡± That was why Feng Chunyan secretly signed up for the royal selection. When she found out that she had passed the preliminary test, she was overjoyed. However, when this news reached the Shen family, Eldest Sister-inw Shen was furious. ¡°Chunyan, do you really like His Majesty?¡± Ji Zhao looked at her flushed face and smiled gently. ¡°I can persuade Sister-inw to allow you to enter the pce, but you have to promise me one thing.¡± ¡°Sister Ah Tao, tell me!¡± Feng Chunyan asked impatiently. ¡°Before you love someone, you have to love yourself first.¡± Ji Zhao stroked her head and advised with a gentle gaze, ¡°Once you enter the pce, you will no longer be Feng Chunyan, but His Majesty¡¯s concubine. With this identity, it also means that you will be bound by the pce rules. You have to be careful in every step in the future. The current His Majesty is not a person who values desires. It will not be easy for you to enter his heart.¡± ¡°At first, you might feel excited, but every time your efforts are not reciprocated, you will be disheartened. At that time, your love will gradually disappear. Most love at first sight in this world is lust. Think about it, you only met His Majesty once, so how would you know his character?¡± Feng Chunyan was in a daze when she heard this. In the end, her gaze gradually became firm. ¡°Sister Ah Tao, I want to give it a try bravely. Even if I can¡¯t enter His Majesty¡¯s heart in the end, as long as I can look at him from afar, I¡¯ll be satisfied.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯ve made up your mind, I won¡¯t persuade you anymore. As for Sister-inw, I¡¯ll help you.¡± Before leaving, Ji Zhao smiled and tapped the tip of her nose. ¡°Chunyan, since you¡¯ve chosen this path yourself, then walk down it bravely. I wish you all the best.¡± ¡°Sister Ah Tao, thank you!¡± Feng Chunyan smiled gratefully. In the end, Feng Chunyan still entered the pce as she wished. Because she came from the Shen family, she was conferred the title of Talented Lady as soon as she entered the pce. Later on, she spent a full eight years and used her sincere love to melt Emperor Jingchen¡¯s heart that resembled an iceberg. In the end, she became the empress that Emperor Jingchen respected and liked. In the second year of Jingchen, Shen Yao apanied Ji Zhao back to Shanghe Vige. Lifting a corner of the carriage, the couple looked at each other and smiled. ¡°In a while, I¡¯ll invite Imperial Physician Li to visit the vige chief,¡± Shen Dashan said with a frown. ¡°In the past few years, a few viges around Shanghe Vige have been merged. The vige chief has contributed greatly.¡± Shen Menghu was a wise and insightful person. Moreover, he had helped Shen Yao a lot back then. In Shen Dashan¡¯s eyes, Shen Menghu was an elder worthy of respect! Two dayster, Shen Menghu passed away. However, he had a smile on his face before he left. Shen Dashan helped the vige chief¡¯s family organize a lively funeral for Shen Menghu. Later on, Shen Dashan became the new vige chief of Shanghe Vige. Shen Yao also apanied Ji Zhao and renovated the Earth Temple. They also reconstructed the golden body of the Earth God. Over the years, Ji Zhao had bought a lot of businesses. From Dingyuan County to Yunchuan Prefecture to the capital city, her Spring Breeze Pavilion had opened in every prefecture in the Great Jing Dynasty. The master behind Spring Breeze Pavilion had also be the richest person in Great Jing. Only a few people knew that the richest person in Great Jing was the family of Grand Secretary of Great Jing. In the fourth year of Jingchen, Grand Secretary Shen brought his rtives to the northwest to help the people of the northwest reim the wastnd and be self-sufficient. In the sixth year of Jingchen, Ji Zhao gave birth to another daughter for Shen Yao, named Shen An¡¯an. In the eighth year of Jingchen, under the rule of Emperor Jingchen, the Great Jing Dynasty had be the richest and most powerful country in the continent. In the fifteenth year of Jingchen¡¯s reign, Shen Dashan and his wife fell seriously ill one after another. After three years of mourning, Shen Yao resigned. However, the memorial he handed over was held back by Emperor Jingchen. In Jingchen¡¯s 30th year, the First Grand Secretary of the generation, Shen Yao, died of illness in his sixties. The next spring, his wife, Madam Ji, also passed away in her sleep. After Shen Yao¡¯s death, he was conferred the title of first rank Imperial Duke Yi by Emperor Jingchen. His wife, Ji Zhao, was also conferred the title of first rank Madam. It was not until Emperor Jingchen issued an imperial edict that the people of Great Jing found out that Imperial Duke Yi and his Madam had secretly done countless good deeds that benefited the country and the people! Before her death, the Duchess had even handed over all her assets to the imperial court. This righteousness touched countless people. From then on, the story of Imperial Duke Yi and his wife became a story that the people talked about. ¡°I was once unable to extricate myself from the vastness of the world. I was also immersed in sleep talk. I couldn¡¯t help but struggle if it was real or fake¡­¡± A familiar ringtone suddenly sounded. Ji Zhao, who was lying on the desk, suddenly woke up. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Oh my god, Zhaozhao, you finally picked up the phone. Do you know that I¡¯ve been calling you for three hours? But you¡¯ve been busy! What¡¯s wrong with you? Wait for me, I¡¯ll be at your house soon¡­ Beep, beep, beep¡­¡± A hurried voice came from the phone, but Ji Zhao was in a daze. Her gaze went to the cookbook on the table, then to the softly glowingmp. She blinked in confusion. Fifteen minutester, Ji Zhao confirmed one thing. She had returned to the twenty-first century. With the arrival of her best friend, Zhao Xue, she also understood the reason why she transmigrated into a book. Zhao Xue was a web novelist, and the book she had read before was her new work. However, she felt that Zhao Xue¡¯s description of the original female protagonist, Ji Ah Tao, was too brainless and tragic, so sheined a little. In the end, she actually transmigrated into the book and used Ji Ah Tao¡¯s perspective to change the plot of the entire book. ¡°Zhaozhao, what do you think of my newly modified draft?¡± Zhao Xue eagerly handed the draft to Ji Zhao and said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to your ridicule. I also feel that it¡¯s much better after changing the female protagonist¡¯s character. You don¡¯t know how difficult it is for web novel writers nowadays. You want to write sadistic novels, right? The readers don¡¯t think it¡¯s sweet enough. You want to write sweet novels, but the readers think it¡¯s too boring- Hey, Zhaozhao, did you hear me?¡± ¡°I heard it!¡± Ji Zhao smiled and nodded. ¡°It¡¯s indeed much better after changing like this.¡± It turned out that the 33 years she spent in the Great Jing Dynasty were just a three-hour dream in the new century. Now that she had woken up from her dream, she left with a hollow heart. Seeing that she was still in a daze, Zhao Xue dragged her to the cafe downstairs. ¡°Zhaozhao, are you really alright? Didn¡¯t you always like to drink cappinos from this shop? Why are you in a daze today?¡± Zhao Xue asked anxiously. ¡°Zhaozhao, if anything happens, don¡¯t hold it in. You have to tell me. I¡¯m willing to be your emotional trash can! Really!¡± ¡°I¡¯m really fine.¡± Ji Zhao shook her head. She picked up the cup of coffee and took a sip. When she saw the tall and strong figure outside the ss window from the corner of her eye, she hurriedly chased after him! That tall figure was wearing an exquisite gray suit. When he saw Ji Zhao rushing in front of him, he raised his eyebrows and smiled. ¡°Long time no see, my Zhaozhao.¡± Ji Zhao could no longer hold back her emotions. She threw herself into his arms and hugged his waist tightly. Zhao Xue, who witnessed this scene, had a puzzled look on her face. How did her best friend know the big boss of their website? Even after her best friend became thedy boss, Zhao Xue still could not figure this out. End.. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!