Yu Qizhe has been very busy since he entered the cabinet and was often kept in the palace by Liu Ziqi to discuss state affairs. Zhu Kuang left many malpractices during his reign, and it took a lot of effort just to investigate the corrupt officials in various prefectures. Liu Ziqi handed over the matter to Yu Qizhe with full responsibility. In the past six months, almost half of the local officials in various prefectures were sent to Zhaoyu by Yu Qizhe and the Jinyiwei. Therefore, Yu Qizhe did not have a good reputation among local officials. Outsiders scolded him for being a cruel official and his methods of torture were brutal and cruel.
Later, because of the reform of the military system, the old ministers in the court also had complaints about Yu Qizhe.
The garrison officers of Linjiang Prefecture occupied military land, the garrison soldiers lived in poverty, and there were many deserters, which revealed the tip of the iceberg of the malpractices of the garrison system. The court wanted to reform the garrison system, and Yu Qizhe proposed the recruitment system, but in this way the cabinet had to delegate military power to the generals, which led to many voices of opposition in the court. The old ministers in the court slandered Yu Qizhe behind his back, saying that he was lucky to marry Princess Anle, which made him relied on by Emperor Chengping, and now he holds an important position in the court and is on good terms with the Annan Marquisate, so he proposed the recruitment system to please the father and son Gu Wei who hold a large number of troops.
However, the ups and downs outside did not affect Yu Jiao. While Yu Qizhe was busy with official duties, she was also busy with her own affairs.
The rouge workshop was already on track during her correspondence with Shen Yu. The shop was opened on Qingyu Street, right next to the Xiangwan shop. Wang Xueyan and Shen Wan both had shares in it, and Wang Xueyan was also the shopkeeper of the shop.
Apart from business matters, Yu Jiao goes to Wanfu Bridge to see patients every day.
When the news that the doctor at Wanfu Bridge Clinic was Princess Anle first spread among the people, the clinic was very deserted for some time. Even the patients who used to come to get medicine no longer came. The shop assistants felt very unhappy. The medicine they dispensed was cheap in the clinic. Although the owner was Princess Anle, she was a very good doctor. She should not be viewed with prejudice just because of the halo of a princess's mansion.
Yu Jiao didn't care about these things. When there were no patients, she would go from street to street in South City to provide free medical treatment and free medicine. After a long time, the prostitutes in the brothels that Dai Mili had seen in the clinic recognized her. Since then, some of them started to go back to the clinic occasionally.
"Miss, aren't you going to South City today?" Jianjia was used to going to South City for free medical consultations with Yu Jiao after the elder went to court. It was rare to see her getting dressed up today. She smiled and said, "I don't remember which family has an invitation for a banquet today."
Because Yu Jiao didn't like them calling her princess, the servants in the mansion continued to call her Miss or Madam as before.
Yu Jiao followed suit and smiled, "We won't go to South City today."
Jianjia suddenly remembered that today was Jingzhe. "My uncle has been so busy lately that I think he has forgotten today is his birthday. Should I ask Yunxiao to send a message to ask my uncle to come back from work earlier?"
Yu Jiao shook her head: "If you come back later, you can eat later."
She took Jianjia Bailu to Zhuoyu Pavilion first to retrieve the birthday gift prepared for Yu Qizhe. After returning home, she went to the kitchen.
Mrs. Song bought the ingredients that Yu Jiao had asked her to buy yesterday early in the morning. Yu Jiao was busy in the kitchen for half the afternoon and finally made a cake that she was quite satisfied with.
It was already late in the evening when Lord Yu arrived home. It was already dark outside. When he entered the room, he saw Yu Jiao sleeping on the soft low table. Yu Qizhe walked lightly, took the half-read travel journal from her hand and put it aside. When he leaned over and was about to carry her to bed, Yu Jiao woke up.
"You're back?" Yu Jiao rubbed her eyes and came to her senses.
Yu Qizhe held her and sat on the couch. "There are a lot of things going on in the cabinet recently. If you are tired, go to sleep. You don't have to wait for me all the time."
Yu Jiao reached out and stroked the wrinkles between his brows, smiling faintly, "It seems you really forgot."
She stood up from Yu Qizhe's arms and said to him, "Wait."
Yu Qizhe raised his eyebrows slightly and watched her walk out of the house.
A moment later, Yu Jiao came in with a bowl of freshly cooked longevity noodles, and Jian Jia was holding the cake she had made during the day.
Yu Qizhe watched her quietly as she turned off all the lights in the house, and then she put a small candle on the sweet cake and lit it. In the dim candlelight, she turned her head and smiled at him and said, "Yu Qizhe, happy birthday."
His eyes moved, and his heart felt like it was gently scratched by a soft cat's claws, causing a sore feeling.
Seeing that he was staring at her in a trance, Yu Jiao walked over, pulled his hand, and pulled him to the table, "Close your eyes and choose a wish."
Yu Qizhe lowered his eyes and looked at her, his eyes were extremely gentle, and he closed his eyes when she urged him.
The best person is right beside him, and he doesn't want anything else.
After blowing out the candles, Yu Jiao hesitated and said, "Let's eat the noodles first. If we don't eat them, they will become clumpy."
Yu Qizhe took the longevity noodles and picked up the noodles in the bowl. The noodles were kneaded very thinly, the same thin noodles he always liked to eat. He ate the whole bowl of noodles before putting down his chopsticks.
Yu Jiao handed him the cut cake and said, "It tastes a bit sweet. If you don't like it, just eat less."
Yu Qizhe took a bite and found it was indeed a bit sweet, but he still finished it because he knew that the food was made by Yu Jiao herself.
Yu Jiao asked Jianjia to take the remaining gifts and share them with the others. Then she took out the wooden box and handed it to Yu Qizhe: "It's time to open the gifts now!"
Yu Qizhe opened the box under her expectant gaze. Inside the box was a mutton-fat jade pendant, which was slightly larger than the one he usually wore around his waist and the carving was more delicate, but it was still carved with Bai Ze.
"Do you like it?" Yu Jiao asked.
Yu Qizhe rubbed the jade pendant and smiled, "I like it."
There are people who care about the crack on the white stripes on his waist and will find ways to fill it up. How could he not like it?
"I like it very much." Yu Qizhe repeated in a low voice.
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