Seeing Shen Qing's stunned expression, the imperial envoy looked at Qi Zhenheng and Cheng Zhiwen and said with a smile, "It's remarkable that both of you, Nephew Qi and Second Young Master Cheng, have come to plead for you at the same time."
Shen Qing then understood his sarcasm and was so embarrassed that she didn't know what to say for a moment.
The imperial envoy left the private room with a loud laugh, and Qi Zhenheng saw him off.
Only Cheng Zhiwen and Shen Qing remained in the private room.
No one spoke. After an eerie silence, Cheng Zhiwen spoke first: "You're getting married to Brother Zhenheng? Congratulations."
Shen Qing snapped out of her reverie, casually replied "Oh," and asked, "What was that envelope you just slipped into the master's hand?"
Cheng Zhiwen sneered: "What else could it be?"
"How much silver was slipped in?"
"What? You want to return the silver to me?"
Shen Qing choked: "I don't have enough funds right now. I'll pay you back when the donation crisis is over and I'm better off."
Cheng Zhiwen laughed out loud.
He had his hands in his suit pockets, his lower back resting on the edge of the table, his long legs crossed, looking relaxed and at ease.
Compared to him, Shen Qing's body was noticeably tense.
She cleared her throat and said, "I also want to thank you for pleading for me. Consider this a favor I owe you."
Cheng Zhiwen smiled and nodded, without saying a word, just smiling like that.
"If there's nothing else, I'll be going now." Shen Qing turned to leave.
Behind him, the man asked softly, "This time, wouldn't you say I saved you again?"
Shen Qing paused, turned around and looked at him: "Of course."
"How many times have I saved you?"
Shen Qing thought for a moment, but couldn't come up with a specific number: "Many times."
Cheng Zhiwen straightened up and walked towards her.
His tall figure stood before her like a giant pine tree, enveloping her entirely in its shadow.
He looked down at her and asked softly, "I've saved you so many times, and I can't even earn one forgiveness from you?"
Shen Qing shook her head: "No, that's my bottom line."
She couldn't be with a traitor.
She would rather be with a pedantic, feudal Qing Dynasty man like Qi Zhenheng, who grew up reading the Four Books and Five Classics, than be with someone who was always ready to betray the country.
She turned away from Cheng Zhiwen and said resolutely, "One thing is one thing. You have saved me time and time again and supported my career, and I am grateful to you! But this gratitude cannot cover everything else. You are doing things that are unfair to this country and its people, and I will despise you forever!"
After saying this, she left the private room.
As they were going down the stairs, they ran into Qi Zhenheng, who was coming up.
Qi Zhenheng escorted her back to the Gao family home.
The carriage bumped and jolted as it slowly drove out of the bustling city.
Shen Qing closed his eyes to rest and did not speak.
Qi Zhenheng said softly, "I told the imperial envoy that we were going to get married so that he would think you were a member of the Qi family and would be more lenient on the matter of the donation."
Shen Qing nodded: "I know. I want to thank you for this."
This matter is similar to the one where she killed Master Zhao and Qi Zhenheng offered to marry her to protect her.
All of this was to make her a member of the Qi family and to give her their protection.
She knew that this protection could indeed shield her from the wind and rain, but she really didn't want to hold Qi Zhenheng back.
She didn't like Qi Zhenheng, and Qi Zhenheng couldn't accept her being so immersed in her career all day.
Now, he may be infatuated with her for various reasons, but once they get married, he will naturally expect her to do what a wife should do in marriage, and he will make demands on her. If she fails to do so, the two will develop misunderstandings.
"Brother, you've helped me a lot over the years, and I've always remembered it." Shen Qing opened her eyes, her clear eyes looking at Qi Zhenheng opposite her. "I'll do my business well and work hard to make money. If you ever need money in the future, just ask me anytime."
She had nothing left to be grateful to Qi Zhenheng for except money.
And what about Cheng Zhiwen?
How could she possibly express her gratitude to him?
...
The next day, Shen Qing sent someone to the market to buy all the ingredients needed for compressed biscuits and began various experiments in the kitchen.
She did this once when she went to England five years ago, but at that time she only prepared the biscuits for a three-month round trip. Now that the compressed biscuits are to be sent to the battlefield, the preservation time needs to be longer.
Otherwise, if it gets moldy along the way, it will not only poison the soldiers, but also endanger the Gao family.
To extend the shelf life of biscuits, but lacking sterilization and vacuum packaging equipment, the only option is to adjust the ingredients.
Shen Qing first adjusted the composition of soybeans and wheat, which can release amino acids and inhibit the growth and reproduction of microorganisms, and also added more sugar and salt.
After a series of experiments, the results were either poor taste or too sweet and too salty.
Shen Qing spent several days tinkering in the kitchen alone, and finally managed to create a dry food product that tasted good and had a shelf life of about a year.
She went to the market to buy thin paper that could be used to wrap food, cut it to size, wrapped it one by one on the dry food, and then put the twelve pieces of dry food together into a whole package, wrapped it in red paper, and tied it with thin hemp rope.
One pack like this can feed a soldier for three or four days.
Shen Qing, carrying compressed rations and several garment samples, went to the Imperial Envoy's residence with Qi Zhenheng.
Qi Zhenheng and the imperial envoy's advisor ate a small piece of dry rations in front of them, and then drank half a pot of water. In less than half an hour, they immediately complained of being full.
The imperial envoy asked his advisor, "Are you truly full?"
The advisor looked pained: "I ate one piece, maybe too much, I'm so full I could die."
The imperial envoy was delighted and immediately stepped down with his hands behind his back, carefully examining the dried rations.
He couldn't understand how such a small piece of dry ration, no bigger than a thumb, could make the clerk, who usually ate two large bowls of food per meal, feel so full.
"Mr. Shen, what did you add to this?"
Shen Qing took the hairpin knife out of her hair bun, took out a new piece of dry food, and cut it into several small pieces: "Sir, look, this contains wheat, soybeans, sweet potatoes, vegetables, and various nuts. Don't underestimate this small piece; it's actually full of nutrients. It expands when it comes into contact with water, so it will have a filling effect. And just one small piece can meet the nutritional needs of a meal."
The imperial envoy nodded and then summoned several servants.
“You guys, each take three packs and eat a small piece per meal. Come back to me in ten days.”
The constables each received their share and left.
The imperial envoy looked at Shen Qing and smiled, "Let me see if these servants are sufficient before deciding whether Mr. Shen can use these rations instead of silver to complete the donation."
After saying that, he pointed to the ready-made clothes piled up to the side: "These ready-made clothes are fine. When the weather is cold, the soldiers can wear them under their uniforms to keep warm."
Shen Qing bowed slightly to the imperial envoy: "This humble woman thanks Your Excellency!"
Thinking they could finally leave, the imperial envoy ended up chatting with Qi Zhenheng.
“Nephew, I’ve heard that your father has arranged a marriage for you, and the bride is the daughter of Grand Tutor Wen!”
The imperial envoy glanced at Shen Qing, lowering his voice even further: "Then why are you still with this Boss Shen..."
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