Except for Hua Zhi, everyone seemed to be busy all the time. Shaoyao could only see her in the morning every day. She had to wear a veil when she was outside all day. It was visibly hard, but she endured it without saying a word. Every time I saw Hua Hua, she still looked coquettish, but she had become thinner.
Hua Zhi and Bao Xia stayed in the kitchen early in the morning, making some appetizers and cooling foods together.
"The mung beans need to be crushed a little more. When they are almost cool, take them out and put them in an ice basin to keep them cool." Hua Zhi turned around following the footsteps and saw that it was Jiang Huanran who gave the instructions, so she spoke faster, "Cook more in the morning and keep them cool in ice. Have Xu Ying deliver them at noon."
"Yes, I know how to do it. Please go and have a rest, it's hot in the kitchen."
Hua Zhi nodded and walked towards Jiang Huanran, "Master Jiang, are you feeling better?"
"Much better." Jiang Huanran had lost a lot of weight, but his smile was still bright and cheerful. "Young lady, you must believe that I am not this sickly on a normal day."
"Mr. Jiang was held back by me."
"Don't say that. I feel very honored."
In later times, Jiang Huanran is a playboy who is playboyish in words but has a bottom line in heart. He likes to play games based on mutual consent but will not force anything. He is romantic but not vulgar. Hua Zhi does not hate such a person. After this period of contact, she feels that he is sociable. However, in this world where men and women are not allowed to be intimate with each other, they probably cannot become friends.
The two men entered the main hall one after the other. Jiang Huanran saw the sand table that occupied a large area of the main hall at a glance. He just took a look and immediately restrained his little thoughts, turned in a different direction and walked towards the sand table. After looking at it for a moment, he picked up the map next to the sand table and compared it with the map.
Hua Zhi did not stop him. She picked up the half-read book and started reading. Knowing that she would stay here for a few days, she asked Bo Fan to help find some books. Unexpectedly, the one who brought the books was Xu Yangjun. There were new and old books. Some of the old books had annotations. She had seen Xu Yangjun's handwriting before and recognized it as his handwriting. She knew in her heart that these must be his own private collection. For a scholar, these things are lifeblood. She didn't know why he would do this. Was he trying to curry favor with her? It didn't look like it.
Hua Zhi didn't think too much about it since she couldn't figure it out. She just kept it in mind and would repay the favor later.
"Miss, I want to know who wrote this."
Hua Zhi raised her head from the book and looked at Jiang Huanran who had a serious expression. Children of aristocratic families, no matter how unmotivated they are, what they know is far beyond what ordinary people can understand. This is the real way to win at the starting line of life.
Putting down the book, Hua Zhi walked closer to the sand table, "Who wrote this? It's very important."
What is more important than who created it is of course the existence of this sand table. It can simulate the mountains and rivers of the Daqing Dynasty. If one can understand the internal situation of the enemy country, doesn't it mean that one can also simulate the enemy country on the sand table
Just thinking about it made Jiang Huanran's heart beat faster and his blood boil. The situation around Daqing Dynasty is not stable!
Jiang Huanran looked at Hua Zhi with burning eyes, "It was made by the eldest girl."
It was not a question, but a statement. Hua Zhi did not respond to him, but just said: "We will probably stay here for a few more days. If Mr. Jiang is in a hurry to go back, he can leave first."
"I'm not in a hurry, not at all. Miss, I'll stay here as long as you want..."
"Not necessarily. It's enough for the young lady to have me accompany her." Hua Zhi was stunned, turned her head to look at the door, joy gradually appearing in her eyes.
Gu Yanxi came in from outside in black clothes, looking exhausted. While talking to Jiang Huanran, his eyes fell on Azhi, staring at her intently, "It is Azhi who has dragged down Young Master Jiang. Since Young Master Jiang is still ill, please go back to your room to rest. I will take Young Master Jiang back to his room."
Yu Tao stepped forward and half-forced him to leave. Jiang Huanran was unwilling to do so and struggled with all his might, "Who are you? What qualifications do you have to do this to me..."
Yu Tao simply covered his mouth and quickly left the room. No matter how Jiang Huanran struggled, it was useless.
There were no more people in the room. Maybe it was because they hadn't seen each other for a long time, but Hua Zhi felt a little uncomfortable for some reason, as if her body was frozen and she couldn't move a step. "Why... did you come here suddenly?"
Gu Yanxi walked closer and gently held her in his arms. He had been missing her so much these days that he wanted to rub her into his body, but Azhi was injured.
He's injured again!
The first time he was a step late, and the second time he sent people to follow but still failed to protect her. He was careless. Next time he must follow her no matter where she goes, no matter where she goes!
Gu Yanxi calmed down her longing before replying, "When I was in Jiangling, Shaoyao contacted the local people of Qisusi to send me a letter. When I knew you were injured, I couldn't sit still. I made arrangements in Beijing and came here. I received several letters from you along the way, and I knew you were here."
So that's how it is. Hua Zhi leaned against the man's broad chest and didn't want to move at all. Her tense body finally relaxed. She had been under pressure these days. The idea was hers. If this costly and time-consuming idea didn't play the expected role, even if Qi Susi was in the lead, she knew that the blame was hers and she had to bear it.
Although she couldn't put the blame on Yan Xi after he came, she felt more at ease.
"Day and night?"
"Yes, I travel day and night, rain or shine." Gu Yanxi chuckled, "Smell me and see if I'm rotten."
"It smells a bit too manly." Hua Zhi let herself go for a moment and straightened her spine. She pulled him out of the house and said to Bao Xia who was waiting outside the door, "Go clean up the room next to me and get some more hot water in."
"Yes." Bao Xia bowed to Mr. Lu with a smile. It was great that the young lady felt much better as soon as Mr. Lu came.
Hua Zhi took the man back to her room. "Since you're coming from that place, I just wanted to ask you if it rained on the way here."
"It rains on and off, and when it rains it's pretty heavy. After I received your letter on the way, I asked them to go to several other places to inquire. We'll have news tomorrow at the earliest, so don't worry."
"I am a little anxious. Shaoyao is afraid that I will worry and take all the pressure on myself, but how can I not know that sometimes I even secretly hope that it will rain again so that those people will get anxious."
Hua Zhi shook her head in self-mockery. She was not a truly kind person. Sometimes she actually had a bad temper, but she just hid it well.
Gu Yanxi held her hand and kissed it, "It's okay, Shaoyao can handle it. If she is really pissed off, she can get rid of all the officials in Xiangyang. No official is really clean. It just depends on whether they are investigated or not."
"I can see that she is a bit reckless in this matter, which is not a good thing for Qisusi."
"She is a special case. She rarely cares about these things on weekdays. Everyone else in the company just follows the rules." Gu Yanxi smiled, "If there were more people like Shaoyao in the company, I wouldn't be able to handle it."
PS: I went far today and came back late, even later. I’m sorry.