Chapter 639 641. Colleagues

Li Xiangyun led the way to a small path on the side, and finally saw some green plants at the corner.

To call it a small garden is actually an exaggeration. It is just a small courtyard of less than 20 square meters.

It may be used to entertain guests, so it is an exquisite little pavilion.

"I seldom entertain guests in my house. Please forgive me for making a fool of myself."

Li Xiangyun led people into the pavilion, where they saw some fruits already placed on the table.

As for the garden, there are only a few tenacious wild flowers in the corner, two small trees, and some green plants of unknown origin.

"That's good, small and elegant," Jin Qianqian retracted her scrutinizing gaze and said with a smile, "It's us who suddenly came to disturb you today, so we are the ones who are really rude."

"Let's not exchange polite words between our two families," Li Xiangyun waved her hand, and several maids came over with tea and snacks.

When Jin Qianqian saw these girls with steady steps, she knew that they must have practiced before.

And in terms of appearance, only the older maid next to Li Xiangyun was pretty, while the others had dark skin.

"I don't know what kind of snacks you like, so I asked someone to go to your shop and order a few."

Li Xiangyun placed as many snacks as possible in front of Jin Qianqian.

"The cook in my mansion's kitchen is really not good at this. She can't make the special cakes like other mansions."

Jin Qianqian had heard about this before she came. Lord Cao didn't care about these things. Madam Cao was raised by the old couple, and their personalities and habits were somewhat similar.

Because of this, they became a big curiosity in the capital and the family that least liked entertaining guests.

Jin Qianqian smiled and said, "That's great, this way, my store can have more regular customers.

If I were to become like those mansions where every man has his own cake shop, then I would not be doing this business any more."

"That does make sense," Li Xiangyun had been noticing the look in her eyes. There was not a trace of disgust in her eyes, but she looked calm instead, and the smile on her face became more genuine.

"But the cakes in your shop are really delicious. I often buy them here..."

…

Gu Wenheng was now taken to Cao Xiangqian's study.

As soon as he was about to salute, Cao Xiangqian immediately stopped him and said, "I don't need so many empty formalities here, sit down..."

Gu Wenheng glanced at the study room out of the corner of his eye, and he didn't expect that there were actually some books on the bookshelf.

"I know you came here this time to inquire about the situation in Yi Province," Cao Xiangqian said, "I stayed there for more than ten years in the early years, and no one in the court knows it better than me.

I don't know why the emperor sent a weak scholar like you over there this time, but don't worry, the place is not as scary as the rumors say.

Except that you may not be able to adapt to the climate there at first and there will be some physical reactions, but after a long time, you will find that life there is much more convenient than here. "

Cao Xiangqian tried his best to describe the place better.

“Although I have been away from that place for many years, I still have a few familiar old subordinates there.

I have already written a few letters, and they will not make things difficult for you if you go there."

Gu Wenheng quickly stood up and thanked him. He was not like those ignorant newcomers who had just left the officialdom. If he could take advantage of the situation and get in faster, it would of course be easier.

Cao Xiangqian knew the main reason for his visit today, and explained the customs there in more detail, as well as some details of the local government.

After staying in the study for more than half an hour, Gu Wenheng finally said goodbye and left.

He and Jin Qianqian also started visiting from this trip onwards and continued to do so for several days.

Gu Wenheng chose an afternoon to host a banquet for his former colleagues from the Hanlin Academy at Tianfu Restaurant in Shangjing.

Regardless of their previous relationship, Gu Wenheng treated them all equally and invited them all together.

Except for a few who had been transferred elsewhere, everyone showed up on time.

Because He Nan has the skill of mental arithmetic, he has been helping various departments to reconcile accounts in recent years and has accumulated a lot of connections. Now, he has been promoted to the next level and has taken the position of Gu Wenheng, the editor.

"I really didn't expect that we were in the same class back then, but now you have become a third-rank official, while I'm still hovering at the sixth rank." He Nan has been keeping in touch with him over the years, and coupled with his personality, there was no sense of strangeness or distance when they met. He actually hooked his arm around his shoulder and spoke very naturally.

"Then how can we compare with him?" Ning Yuchen said with a smile, "If we had half the ability of Lord Gu, we wouldn't have to stay in the Hanlin Academy for so long."

"Oh, if you dislike me, then quickly find a way to transfer me away," Liu Shijiang said with a cold face, "I'm afraid you don't even have the ability to transfer me away, and you're still restless."

Ning Yuchen, "..."

Gu Wenheng immediately invited everyone to the private room, "Please come in, sirs. Please order whatever drinks and food you need."

"As expected of a former local official, his tone is so generous." Ning Yuchen walked to the back, muttering softly.

Cao Shijiang, who was standing next to him, paused for a moment, and waited until everyone had gone in before following them in.

Gu Wenheng was entertaining, so he naturally wouldn't be stingy, and all of Tianfu Restaurant's signature dishes and drinks were served.

Looking at the table filled with delicious food, not only Ning Yuchen, but everyone else also felt a little uncomfortable.

They would occasionally come here to have a bite to eat and they knew the prices of the food here.

This table cost more than a hundred taels of silver, but people ordered it without blinking an eye.

"This is too expensive," He Nan smiled sarcastically when he saw that everyone was silent.

He picked up the wine pot on the table nonchalantly and said, "Master Gu, you are still so stingy even though we are having dinner at your own house. This is at least a top-quality Huadiao wine. I can't afford to drink this wine."

Lord An on the side looked at He Nan curiously, "This wine is already top-notch, so the top-grade Huadiao wine must be worth over a hundred taels of silver, right?"

"That's more than two hundred taels," He Nan called the waiter skillfully, "Your master is too stingy, change the wine quickly."

Gu Wenheng waved his hand and asked the waiter to leave. "It's not that I'm stingy. This top-grade Huadiao is limited. This year's stock is gone. Let's find a chance to have a drink next time the stock arrives."

"From what you said, does this wine house belong to Lord Gu?" Lord An looked at them in surprise.

The others had the same expression. They knew that Madam Gu was an imperial merchant, but they also knew that it was a soap stall. How was it related to the restaurant?

He Nan said that on purpose. If some people are jealous, their eyes should be made to pop out of their frames.

"What's so strange about this? Madam Gu has a lot of assets under her control. Don't worry, we won't make Madam Gu poor.

Eat and drink to your heart's content today, otherwise you may never know when the next opportunity like this will come."

(End of this chapter)