Chapter 12 The Fan Jiang Zhiyao was momentarily stunned.

At noon, Yan Zhenxi came in from outside the courtyard. When he got near Jiang Zhiyao's room, he heard a silvery laugh.

Is that Jiang Zhiyao? Why are you laughing so happily?

Seeing Yan Zhenxi stop, a servant stepped forward and said, "Madam is making pastries in the small kitchen."

"I understand." Yan Zhenxi continued walking towards the study, seemingly unconcerned.

Back in his study, Yan Zhenxi thought, "I'll give it a try this time."

It looks like some kind of yam cake?

In the small kitchen, Jiang Zhiyao was laughing at Nan Zhi: "Hahaha, Nan Zhi, you've turned into a little kitten."

After lunch, Jiang Zhiyao and Nan Zhi went to the small kitchen, thinking of taking some pastries to Ji Wanqing's place in the afternoon.

Jiang Zhiyao watched Nanzhi kneading the dough diligently and suddenly had a mischievous idea. She dipped some flour in the dough and drew three lines on both sides of Nanzhi's cheeks.

Nan Zhi was a little confused, her hands still kneading the dough, and she looked up at Jiang Zhiyao innocently.

Seeing Nanzhi's expression, Jiang Zhiyao burst into laughter.

"Okay, Miss." After realizing what was happening, Nan Zhi took advantage of Jiang Zhiyao's smile and smeared some on her face as well.

"Hahaha, good Nanzhi, spare me!" Jiang Zhiyao was hiding from Nanzhi all over the small kitchen.

A few minutes later, both of their faces were covered in flour.

They looked at each other, and the laughter that had finally subsided surged back up, and the two of them burst into laughter.

After finishing, Jiang Zhiyao couldn't wait to take the pastries and fan to the Minister's residence.

When they arrived at Ji Wanqing's boudoir, Cheng Mingzhu was already there.

Several snacks were already laid out on the small table, brought by Ji Wanqing and Cheng Mingzhu respectively.

Nanzhi stepped forward and placed the freshly made pastries on the table.

Looking at the abundant food on the table, Cheng Mingzhu smiled and said, "I'm in for a treat this afternoon."

Jiang Zhiyao took out two round fans and gave one to Ji Wanqing and the other to Cheng Mingzhu. The embroidered patterns and colors on the two fans were completely different, each embroidered according to their own preferences.

The one given to Ji Wanqing was embroidered with elegant orchids, while the one given to Cheng Mingzhu was embroidered with large peonies.

Ji Wanqing took it: "Yaoyao is really skillful."

"Thank you for the summer refreshment, Miss Jiang." Cheng Mingzhu fanned herself a few times, first pretending to be serious, then gently pressed the fan against Jiang Zhiyao's lips, looking flirtatious and charming.

Jiang Zhiyao blushed: "Mingzhu..."

Chatting, reading, and an afternoon passes quickly.

Back at the Yan residence, at night, Jiang Zhiyao looked at the folding fan in her hand, hesitating whether to give it away.

"Send it here, Miss." Nan Zhi came in to deliver the tea and saw Jiang Zhiyao's hesitant look, so she naturally guessed what she was thinking. "It's all ready."

"But," Jiang Zhiyao thought nervously, "what if he thinks my embroidery isn't good enough..."

Actually, Jiang Zhiyao didn't embroider this folding fan very complicatedly. After finishing the round fan for Ji Wanqing and Cheng Mingzhu, she saw a folding fan next to her and picked it up to embroider it casually.

But for some reason, Jiang Zhiyao suddenly thought of embroidering bamboo on it. She didn't choose the pattern in advance, and the position was also chosen randomly. The folding fan was embroidered quickly. When used on it, it was not even a third as good as when she embroidered a round fan. But after finishing the embroidery, she inexplicably felt that it was very suitable for Yan Zhenxi.

"How could that be? This embroidery is so beautiful." Nanzhi looked at it from left to right and thought it was perfect, and it looked like it would suit her son-in-law very well.

"Never mind," Jiang Zhiyao said, biting her lip. "If I'm going to give it as a gift, I'll just embroider a new one."

“Oh, Miss,” Nanzhi advised, “this is beautiful. It’s a token of your affection. The young master won’t dislike it.”

Seeing that Jiang Zhiyao was still hesitant, Nanzhi pushed her out of the room and winked at Jiang Zhiyao: "Go, Miss."

Jiang Zhiyao still wanted to give it away, but after leaving the house, she held the fan in her hand and said, "Then I'll go?"

Nan Zhi nodded vigorously through the crack in the door, and Jiang Zhiyao hesitated for a moment before heading to Yan Zhenxi's study.

After standing outside the study for a while, Jiang Zhiyao hesitated before taking a step to leave. The tassels under the folding fan gently brushed against her wrist with her movements. After thinking for a moment, Jiang Zhiyao turned around and knocked on the door.

"Come in." It was Yan Zhenxi's usual gentle voice.

Yan Zhenxi knew about it the moment Jiang Zhiyao arrived at the door.

The figure faintly visible outside the door is clearly Jiang Zhiyao. Why doesn't she come in?

Is it because you were rude in the study last time that you're afraid this time?

Yan Zhenxi began to seriously reflect on his actions, deciding that he shouldn't speak harshly to her next time.

After sitting upright in the chair for a while, seeing Jiang Zhiyao's movements, which seemed to indicate that she was about to leave, Yan Zhenxi immediately stood up from the chair, pretending that he was just about to go out.

But Jiang Zhiyao knocked on the door again the next second.

Yan Zhenxi sat down and breathed a slight sigh of relief, then spoke in his usual gentle tone.

Jiang Zhiyao looked at Yan Zhenxi, who was sitting at the desk holding something, and asked hesitantly, "Are you busy right now?"

"No," Yan Zhenxi answered quickly, then realized something and paused for a few seconds before asking, "...Is there something you need?"

His tone was exceptionally gentle.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Zhiyao looked up at Yan Zhenxi with some confusion. Was he sick? But his complexion still looked quite rosy.

Feeling the folding fan in her hand, Jiang Zhiyao remembered the purpose of her visit. Since she was already here...

“My husband, I’ve embroidered a folding fan for you.” Jiang Zhiyao handed the folding fan to Yan Zhenxi.

"Thank you, Madam," Yan Zhenxi said with a smile, then unfolded her folding fan and stroked the pattern on it with her hand.

The eyes behind the veil carefully followed the movement of the fingers. To the left were lush and upright bamboo stalks, their stitches fine and slightly raised.

The right side is a blank space, with one or two bamboo leaves interspersed.

"Thank you, Madam," Yan Zhenxi said again. "May I write a poem on it?"

Jiang Zhiyao nodded: "Of course."

Yan Zhenxi picked up a brush and began to write on the blank space on the fan.

"Dew washes away the lead powder from the joints, the wind shakes the jade branches." The handwriting is vigorous, unrestrained, and elegant.

Jiang Zhiyao thought to herself, "As expected of Young Master Yan, even though he can't see, his handwriting is still so beautiful."

Jiang Zhiyao remembered that he often composed poems and songs at banquets. Each time, he was surrounded by a group of young masters and ladies from noble families. Jiang Zhiyao could only watch the backs of those people. It was only when Yan Zhenxi finished composing and the servants were passing the papers around the banquet that Jiang Zhiyao was able to catch a glimpse of him.

But they only stayed by her side for a short time before being taken away by the young masters and ladies to admire.

Jiang Zhiyao could only sit upright in her seat and watch from afar as they picked up the pale back of the paper.

This was the first time she had seen Yan Zhenxi write calligraphy up close, and she was the only audience member present.

After Yan Zhenxi finished writing, Jiang Zhiyao was momentarily stunned.

"Is it alright? Does Madam think it matches your embroidery?" Yan Zhenxi asked.

Jiang Zhiyao snapped out of her reverie after hearing Yan Zhenxi's question, but suddenly realized that she couldn't recall any of the words of praise in her mind. After several seconds, she said dryly, "It looks very good."

Looking at the fan, she felt that compared to the elegant and refined calligraphy, her own embroidery next to it was simply dull and lackluster.

Yan Zhenxi chuckled softly: "It is my good fortune to be able to match your embroidery, Madam."

Before Jiang Zhiyao could respond, Yan Zhenxi asked casually, "Did Madam make some pastries for lunch today?"

"Ah, yes." Jiang Zhiyao didn't expect him to ask this so suddenly, and answered honestly, "I took it to Sister Ji and the others this afternoon."

As for Yan Zhenxi, Jiang Zhiyao never even considered giving it to him, since what happened before made her think he probably didn't like pastries.

Before Yan Zhenxi could say anything, a commotion suddenly broke out in the courtyard. Immediately afterward, the study door was flung open angrily, and the door slammed against the wall with a loud thud.

It was Yan Ciying, who was now bruised and battered. He glared at Yan Zhenxi and pointed at him, saying, "It's all your fault!"

"What does the Second Young Master mean by this?" Jiang Zhiyao frowned slightly and stepped aside to block Yan Zhenxi.

Yan Ci stepped forward and shoved Jiang Zhiyao aside, saying in an unhappy tone, "This is none of your business!"

When Yan Zhenxi saw this, she instinctively wanted to help, but when she felt the thin veil over her eyes, she stopped herself from moving.

He clenched his fists, his tone unusually cold and filled with anger: "What kind of attitude do you have towards your sister-in-law?!"

It seems that we can bring up that matter today. Originally, Yan Zhenxi planned to wait a while, until Yan Ciying or Gu Lanru did something irreparable stupid before bringing it up.

But for some reason, Yan Zhenxi felt a surge of displeasure seeing Jiang Zhiyao being ignored and bullied.

Now he can move it forward whenever he wants; does he still need to pick a date?

This was the first time Yan Ciying had ever heard him speak so angrily. He shrank back a little in fear, but then remembered the injury on his face and roared even louder, "Mind your own business! Who do you think you are to me, older brother?"

-

Early this morning, Yan Ciying was lying in bed. He had stayed up too late outside Yan Zhenxi's courtyard yesterday, so even though the sun was high in the sky, Yan Ciying was still asleep.

He was woken up by a bucket of water.

Yan Ciying suddenly opened his eyes: "Who is it? Are you out of your mind?!"

"It's your father!" Yan Zhao said angrily.

"Father?" Yan Ciying calmed down. "What are you doing?"

"You still have the nerve to ask me?!" Yan Zhao was clearly furious. "The whole capital knows what you've done."

"When I went to court today, that old fellow Yang mocked me, saying that I had raised such a fine son!"

"Fool! Utter fool!" Yan Zhao was filled with rage. "He had someone severely criticize me before the Emperor."

"What's wrong?" Yan Ciying was still confused, he hadn't caused any trouble outside recently.

"Who else could you possibly bother? Why did you have to bother Yan Zhenxi?" Seeing Yan Ciying's dazed look, Yan Zhao became even more furious.

Yan Ciying remained unconcerned upon hearing this: "So what? Isn't Yan Zhenxi already a cripple?"

Seeing his nonchalant expression, Yan Zhao grew even angrier, his chest heaving violently. He picked up a teacup from the side and threw it at Yan Ciying.

Yan Ciying quickly dodged, staring at Yan Zhao in disbelief: "Father?!"

"Master!" Gu Lanru rushed over at this moment and quickly protected Yan Ciying. "Let's talk things out. Don't hit the child."

Yan Zhao looked at the two people in front of him complaining about him, closed his eyes in exasperation, then opened them again and angrily said, "You two are simply idiots!"

"How could you curse my mother?!" Yan Ciying retorted to Yan Zhao, his neck stiff with arrogance.

Seeing this, Yan Zhao couldn't hold back any longer and raised his hand to slap Yan Ciying hard across the face.

Yan Ciying covered her face, looking at Yan Zhao with even greater disbelief, then pushed him away and ran out.

"Yan Ciying! If you dare to go out and cause trouble, don't ever come back!" Yan Zhao shouted angrily.

"Give me a shout!" Gu Lanru immediately chased after her.

A note from the author:

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"Dew washes away the lead-white powder from the joints, wind shakes the jade-green branches." - Liu Yuxi, "Bamboo in the Courtyard"