Although Tang Luoheng was somewhat moved, he maintained a calm and humble demeanor. "Indeed, my purpose in coming to the capital this time is for next year's imperial examination..."
In fact, he had fallen out with his family because of the imperial examination, and they did not want him to have any connection with the court.
His gaze swept lightly between Li Xi and Ling'er, before finally settling back on Ling'er.
Ling'er felt Tang Luoheng's gaze, and her cheeks flushed slightly. She coughed softly to cover up her embarrassment.
"That's a real coincidence. My younger brother is also preparing to take the imperial examination next spring. It would be even better if you two could keep each other company." Although Li Xi was busy, she paid close attention to Li Yi's affairs.
Ling'er also thought it was a good idea. "There's no time like the present. Today I'll host a feast at the General's Mansion to celebrate our General's great achievement."
After saying that, she went to the kitchen with great interest, planning in her mind which dishes to have prepared.
Seeing Ling'er leave, Tang Luoheng felt a moment of loss. Over the past few days, he had developed unusual feelings for her.
“Young Master Tang, please,” Li Xi invited him. “I know you are from the Tang family, one of the eight great families. I admire scholarly families the most. The country needs pillars like you now.”
She knew that the emperor had always wanted to win over the eight great families, and the Tang family, as the leading family of scholars, had countless disciples. However, the head of the Tang family did not want to get involved in court affairs.
Before Li Xi left, his greatest wish was for peace and tranquility in the world, and for the people to live and work in peace and contentment.
"General Li, you flatter me. It's just an empty title. I'm merely a scholar; how could I possibly deserve such praise?" Tang Luoheng bowed respectfully, responding humbly to Li Xi's words. He glanced at Li Xi before him; dressed in a black, sleek outfit, he exuded a heroic and dashing air.
"Alright, let's go." With that, Li Xi pulled him into the carriage. She then had someone pick up Li Yi from Baichuan Academy.
Not long after returning to the general's mansion, Ling'er brought over a feast with the restaurant staff.
Li Yi and Tang Luoheng hit it off immediately, both being people who loved elegance and were full of knowledge.
They had a very pleasant conversation during the meal, discussing everything from poetry and songs to the philosophy of life, as if there were endless topics to talk about.
"Brother Tang, your poem 'Ode to the Plum Blossom' is truly superb, especially the line 'Undeterred by the bitter cold, it blooms alone, its fragrance drifting in the twilight,' which perfectly captures the plum blossom's proud spirit and elegance. I admire it wholeheartedly." Li Yi raised his glass to Tang Luoheng in tribute, his eyes shining with admiration.
Tang Luoheng smiled and replied, "Brother Li, you flatter me. I was just inspired by something. Actually, I admire your article 'On the Current Situation' even more. It has unique insights and thorough analysis, and is truly the kind of insight that a pillar of the nation should have."
The two exchanged pleasantries, their conversation displaying both the elegance of scholars and poets and a deep concern for national affairs. Ling'er listened quietly, nodding frequently.
Over the past few years, she has learned a lot from Xiaoxi and the others. She has also been constantly improving her literary skills.
Tang Luoheng glanced at Ling'er unintentionally and saw her resting her chin on her hand, her eyes focused and bright, as if she were immersed in some kind of thought. He felt his heart skip a beat, and a strange feeling welled up inside him.
Li Xi, who had been quietly observing the two from the sidelines, naturally did not miss this scene.
When she saw Tang Luoheng staring blankly at Ling'er, her heart stirred.
Her eyes lit up, and an idea came to her. She then tiptoed closer to Ling'er, leaned down, and began to whisper to her.
While whispering, Li Xi glanced at Tang Luoheng and found that he was still in the same daze as before, staring straight at Ling'er, looking somewhat disappointed.
Seeing this, Li Xi couldn't help but smile. "Ling'er, what do you think of Young Master Tang?"
Upon hearing this, Ling'er blushed and lowered her head to whisper, "Young Master Tang... he is exceptionally talented in literature and also very gentle..."
A hint of amusement flashed in Li Xi's eyes as she continued, "Have you ever thought about spending the rest of your life with him?"
Upon hearing this, Ling'er looked up at Li Xi in surprise, "You must be joking, we just have a normal employer-employee relationship."
She had never thought about starting a family, let alone that Tang Luoheng was of noble status and from a different world than her.
She had thought Tang Luoheng would leave after finding the person. Unexpectedly, he insisted on staying at the restaurant as an accountant, saying he wanted to earn a living with his own hands. But she knew he just wanted to experience life.
However, it must be admitted that Tang Luoheng did an excellent job as an accountant!
Every account he handled was meticulously organized and clear, making it easy for anyone to understand. Even more commendable was that, thanks to his careful calculations and clever arrangements, he even managed to save the restaurant a considerable amount of money.
Just then, Ling'er, who was standing to the side, suddenly looked awkward.
Seeing this, Li Xi, who had been observing people closely, immediately understood the reason. She smiled and said softly, "Alright, I understand."
Tang Luoheng was confident about next year's imperial examination. He chose to work as an accountant at Ling'er's restaurant because it was quiet enough and there wasn't much to do.
Furthermore, accounting was a piece of cake for Tang Luoheng. With his solid arithmetic skills, he handled the accounts with ease.
Moreover, he had other motives...
His servant, Tang Liu'an, also began working odd jobs in the restaurant's kitchen.
Ever since he had the good fortune to taste the delicious food at Zhongji Restaurant that day, Tang Liuan had been bewitched. He asked Ling'er to let him work as a helper in the kitchen.
At this moment, Tang Luoheng, sitting at the table, softly called out, "Lu'an..."
However, as soon as he said it, he remembered that his servant had already run off to the kitchen to help with odd jobs.
Shaking his head helplessly, Tang Luoheng slowly stood up, preparing to brew tea himself.
But just as he pushed open the door, Ling'er unexpectedly bumped into his arms.
Ling'er looked panicked and jumped back as if she had been burned. Her eyes flickered and she stammered, "I...I have something to tell you. I don't have time to explain in detail. Come with me."
Before she could finish speaking, she pulled him out through the back door, got into the carriage, and headed towards Jingcheng.
After getting into the carriage, Ling'er brought up the important matter: "We need to go to Jingcheng. There's a problem with the chili pepper workshop there; the accounts just don't add up."
Her brows were furrowed, and her expression was grave. Gazing at the scenery rushing past the window, she felt as if a thousand-pound boulder was pressing down on her heart, making it difficult to find peace.
This matter is of great importance. The chili pepper workshop is no longer solely owned by the Qiyang Chamber of Commerce; His Majesty the Emperor also holds a share. If this matter is not handled properly, it could lead to serious trouble.
Chairman Wang and Shen Xu went out of town, and Xi'er and Lan'er were not in Kyoto either. So when she received the letter from Jingcheng, she hurriedly took Tang Luoheng with her.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com