Chapter 98 A Display of Skill

Upon returning to the Jia mansion, before Jiang Xi could even ask for her reward, Shang Yuji pounced on her like a hungry tiger, showering her with kisses until her face was flushed and glistening with tears.

She patted his shoulder, and Jiang Xi nuzzled her cheek against his before reluctantly leaving.

"You did a good job today. You portrayed the image of a shy and reserved wife who keeps people at arm's length perfectly. You must have made that Mr. Tian completely infatuated."

Recalling Tian Mu's somber expression as they turned away, she felt even more satisfied; the enemy's displeasure was their victory.

Jiang Xi applied lip rouge to his lips, but it had smudged during their playful antics, spilling over from the corner of his lips and onto his cheek. She reached out and used her fingertips to wipe the rouge off his face.

A bright smile shone in the fox's eyes, and the corners of his lips turned up, causing the soft flesh beneath her fingertips to twitch. He asked, "So, has it captivated Aji?"

Why be infatuated with that Tian guy? If you're going to be infatuated, it's naturally with Aji. It would be even better if she were happy and willing to be close to him.

Wiping the lipstick off his face, Shang Yuji casually grabbed the soft flesh: "Of course, our Xiqu is so beautiful, it captivated Aji so much that she wanted to kiss him as soon as she came back."

His eyelashes blinked rapidly, he hummed twice, and leaned closer to say, "Ah Ji... no, Lord Jia, Lord Jia has accidentally gotten some lip rouge on the corner of your mouth, which is... detracts from your dignity. Let me help you clean it off."

Anticipating his move, Shang Yuji changed her approach from pinching to covering his mouth with her hand. Even though there was a glimmer of hope in her fox-like eyes, she knew all too well what he was thinking: "Imitating me would damage your dignity. And you want a taste of my rouge?"

"Mmm-hmm!" He blinked and nodded slightly in affirmation.

"Not yet," Shang Yuji refused, adding, "I have important business to attend to later, and I need to maintain a professional image."

Leaving in a disheveled state would be beneath the dignity of Lady Jia!

"Okay." His tone was somewhat disappointed, but he knew he couldn't disturb Ah Ji while she was doing her business.

Perhaps the light in his eyes had visibly dimmed, she coughed and said slowly, "You can wipe it with a handkerchief."

Taking out a handkerchief... shouldn't escalate into an increasingly chaotic situation.

Having received permission, he groaned as his face was covered, and quickly pulled out a handkerchief embroidered with a corner of white pear blossoms from his sleeve. He was about to press himself against her when she hurriedly withdrew her right hand from covering half of his face.

Fortunately, Jiang Xi only wanted to wipe off his lip rouge and didn't do anything else. He carefully folded and wiped off the lip rouge, then dabbed a bright red handkerchief in it and carefully folded it back into his sleeve.

Shang Yuji watched the whole thing, completely unfazed: "You're going to keep it?"

"Yes, I've kept it." He nodded vigorously, responding happily.

This handkerchief has smeared with Ah Ji's lip rouge; he must keep it safe!

She seemed a little regretful: "It's a very pretty handkerchief. It's the first time I've seen you use it. It's such a waste to put it away like this..."

Understanding the meaning behind Aji's words, Jiang Xi hesitated and grasped the sleeve where the handkerchief was.

However, she then said knowingly, "Never mind, it's yours, you can do whatever you want with it."

Jiang Xi grabbed her sleeve, smiled and said, "Then I'll use it a few more times before putting it away."

Shang Yuji thought for a moment, then opened her palm to him: "Let me use it, I like it quite a bit, I'll give it back to you when it's worn out."

"!" What a surprise! Compared to the lip rouge being used and returned, the latter definitely carries more of Aji's scent. Besides the joy of having another collectible, he was even more satisfied with Aji's acceptance of his preferences, and... and even her active support of his preferences. His heart felt like it was filled with a sugar jar, sweet and cloying.

He happily took out his handkerchief and placed it in her open palm. Shang Yuji weighed it in her hand and then put the handkerchief away: "Let's go out first. After dinner, we'll accompany Elder Cheng to the Princess's residence."

With a folding fan waving, she stepped out of the room and transformed into the elegant young master, Lord Jia, while he became the cold and taciturn Lady Zhen, who was only affectionate and lingering with Lord Jia.

·

The Princess's Residence, Council Hall.

Sun Wang, the recruitment inspector, has recently seen a rare reduction in his workload. The dark circles under his eyes from staying up late have faded considerably, and he has fewer strange and innovative items to review. He looks refreshed and energetic.

Apart from a few kids who still follow him around asking "Where is the master craftsman?" and "Can I meet the master craftsman?", he has been living a very comfortable life lately.

"Sir, someone outside says they have a skill to offer," the doorman called out.

Sun Wang stood up and said, "Let's bring them in."

Four people entered the council hall: a grandmother and grandson, and a husband and wife. It seemed that the whole family had come. This was not unusual, as there had been instances of the whole family coming together during previous recruitment and assessment processes.

He greeted them with a smile: "Are you all together?"

Granny Cheng replied, "Yes."

"Then may I ask who would like to perform?"

The young man covered half his face with a fan, and the girl beside him leaned against him with her head bowed, so he couldn't see her face, but she had a graceful figure and must be a beauty. Usually, it was young men and women who contributed their skills, so he habitually assumed that she was one of the two of them.

Wait a minute, why do those young master's eyebrows and eyes look so strangely familiar? For a moment, he felt like he was hearing a cacophony of "Master Craftsman, Master Craftsman" in his ears, and his stomach started to ache.

It was Granny Cheng who spoke first, bringing Sun Wang back to his senses: "Sir, it's me. What I want to offer is how to make the crops in the fields grow 60% more."

Fearing he wouldn't believe her, Granny Cheng added, "It's true. No one else in the village grows grain as well as I do. That's what everyone in Chengjia Village says."

Sun Wang first calmed Cheng Liupo down in front of the officials. Many commoners, who had long toiled in the fields, were cautious when speaking to officials, afraid of saying the wrong thing and offending them. He had been doing this so many times that he was already skilled at calming down the other party.

While reassuring him, he thought to himself that farming skills aren't immediately apparent, unlike machinery where you can simply move things around and see the results. From sowing to growth to fruiting, the process takes a long time and depends on the seasons and solar terms. However, the household has a way to recruit talent for this kind of project:

"There are crops being planted in the manor. You can set aside a plot for yourself to use. After a month, we can compare the crops you've tended with those planted by others. Alternatively, you can suggest a type of vegetable that grows quickly and that you're familiar with growing. After a month, we can also compare the results. Which one do you want to choose?"

If there is a comparison after one month, the results can be seen. But if there is no difference from normal growth, then it is a lie. Of course, we cannot make such a drastic decision. Perhaps there was an accident that caused a mistake halfway through. The government can give another month to make a final trial and error.

Granny Cheng confidently chose the first option. Sun Wang nodded knowingly and then said to her, "The Princess's estate is located in the suburbs of the capital. The manor provides accommodation and food. Are you all going there?"

However, he still felt something was strange. Upon closer inspection, he could see that the young man and woman had fair and tender skin, unlike ordinary farmers. On the contrary, the thin, yellowish-black grandmother and granddaughter looked like people who worked in the fields.

Surely it can't be that the able-bodied men exploit the elderly women to support them, can it?

We need to investigate their backgrounds. If the old woman is indeed skilled, the Princess's residence must resolve their inappropriate relationship and prevent them from becoming a weak point for His Highness's faction.

Sun Wang's mind was in turmoil, but his expression remained unchanged. He had a dignified appearance and a composed demeanor, the kind of official that would easily gain the trust of the people, making it impossible for anyone to detect anything amiss.

After saying this, Granny Cheng turned her head to look at Jiang Langjun. Shang Yuji put down the folding fan that was covering her face and smiled, "We have something to do and it is inconvenient for us to go."

She glanced down at Cheng Xiao and then said, "If you're comfortable with this, you can leave Jia Xiao here for us to look after."

Rather than sending Cheng Xiao to the manor on the outskirts of Beijing to farm, it would be better for him to stay with the two of them, where he would be well-fed and clothed. Cheng Xiao is sensible; even if she tells him not to come, he will most likely still go to the fields to help. However, his back injury has just healed, and if he works with her, it will reopen the wound. She doesn't know if there will be a doctor there, or if the doctor will be willing to treat him properly.

After much deliberation, it was best to leave him in the city. Moreover, judging from the others traveling with him, they were all upright and honest people who would take good care of their grandson.

"Grandma..." Cheng Xiao tugged at her clothes and called softly. He was a little worried about Grandma being alone. Grandma was old, and if she fell or hurt herself, what would she do if he wasn't there for her?

Granny Cheng squatted down to comfort him, telling him to stay in the capital and listen to the two officials, and not to worry about her.

Seeing this, Sun Wang's doubts deepened, especially when the young man lowered the fan covering his face, he felt that something was amiss.

Shang Yuji smiled and called out, "I wonder if Lord Sun could arrange for a young, talkative, and capable girl to take care of Grandma? It would be even better if she knew some farm work and could help Grandma with some heavy labor. Grandma is old, and if she gets tired, she might not be able to rest for a long time. Of course, we will pay for the girl's wages, and we will pay more than we should. Please find a suitable person, sir."

They could actually recruit people themselves, but the princess's estate must have many things that are inconvenient for others to see, so it would be better for the household to select trusted people to go to the estate.

Sun Wang was still wondering who this person was and how he had called him by the correct surname. In their conversation just now, the man had not revealed his identity, yet he spoke to him so freely, as if they knew each other.

Before he could figure it out, Shang Yuji raised her eyes and smiled, "We have something to discuss with His Highness. Please inform him that Miss Shang and Young Master Jiang have come to visit."

Shang Qiushui is also a Miss Shang, and Jiang Changtian is also a Gentleman Jiang, so she wasn't wrong.

But in Sun Wang's mind, the identity of Miss Shang automatically switched to Shang Yuji, and that of Jiang Langjun was Jiang Xiqu. There could be many Miss Shangs, but the only one who was with Jiang Langjun, knew him, and appeared in such a special place as the Princess's residence was that Miss Shang.

The legendary, unique, and mysterious Shang Yuji, also known as Shang Banxian, resides in the mansion.

Slowly, he switched the genders of the two and realized that the young man was Miss Shang and the young woman was Young Master Jiang. Their behavior was so natural that he was fooled for a moment.

No wonder he felt it was both familiar and strange; now I understand!

Knowing that it was Miss Shang and her companion, he readily agreed: "Don't worry, we will find a suitable girl to look after and help the old lady. The wages will be paid by the manor, so we won't trouble you two. I will inform His Highness right away... However, we have guests at the manor, and His Highness is entertaining them. You two may need to wait a moment."

When Cheng Xiao's eyes lit up upon learning that the Princess's residence would send someone to take care of the old woman, she finally felt relieved and agreed to let the old woman stay at the Jia residence.

Granny Cheng could tell that the two seemed to have a connection with His Highness. Now that she was going to work under His Highness, she was even more glad to have entrusted Cheng Xiao to him. From her perspective, they were working for the same person and had the same goal, just like an ordinary family where everyone was a member of the family and could naturally take care of each other's children.

Shang Yuji told Sun Wang not to worry, as the Princess's distinguished guest was more important than anything else.

Even so, Sun Wang did not want to neglect her. Miss Shang's status in the manor was even more important than that of Lord Cui and Lord Gongsun!

A clever advisor is certainly capable, but how can he compare to the fortune teller Shang Banxian, who can foresee the future, possesses ingenious skills, and always brings unexpected joy?

He ordered tea and pastries to be served, and then hurriedly ran towards Qianhuayuan Garden. His colleagues who passed by had never seen Sun Wang, who was usually so composed and tired from work, so excited. They all sighed inwardly, wondering how strange it was.

Let them think what they want; once they find out that Miss Shang has come to the mansion, they might be even more impatient than he is!

Especially those young lads who surrounded him shouting "We want to see the master craftsman!"

Being offered this hospitality, Granny Cheng was flattered. When Jiang Langjun said to make himself at home, she felt relieved and sat down on the stool to taste the exquisitely presented sweet cake with her grandson.

The servant secretly glanced at the four people. The red bean rolls, magnolia cakes, jade belt cakes, and silver needle tea that Master Sun had ordered them to bring were pastries and teas that were only served to the most distinguished guests. He wondered who the distinguished guest in the room was.

The magnolia pastry was crispy and sweet. Jiang Xi took a bite, and her glassy eyes lit up. She wanted to get a new magnolia pastry to feed her: "Changtian, Changtian, this flower-shaped pastry is delicious. You should have some too."

Shang Yuji, quick-witted, immediately stopped her, saying, "I'll eat it myself."

"Okay~" he said, picking up the one from before.

Unexpectedly, the first person to arrive was not Sun Wang, but Xuan Qing, who had traveled north to the capital ahead of time.

After several months apart, Master Xuanqing still hadn't learned how to naturally show a friendly smile. As soon as he entered, he recognized their disguise at a glance, but since they were pretending, he wouldn't expose them. He simply said without making a mistake, "Young master, young lady, it's been a long time."

Shang Yuji glanced at him twice, then couldn't help but look at him again, but in the end she held back the words she wanted to say.

Perhaps the other person simply enjoys talking to people with a strange smile? It's normal for a master to have peculiar hobbies, so she won't say anything more.

She smiled and replied, "It's been a long time. Is there something you want to tell us?"

She didn't believe that Xuan Qing hadn't anticipated their arrival; his initiative to find them meant he had something to say.

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Author's Note: [Please][Roses][Roses][Roses]