"Um?"
Jing Zhe had never heard of this name before, so he asked again.
What is meant by "the fragrance of osmanthus in Ru County"?
"Because the quality of osmanthus varies, the only places in Anguo that can make the best osmanthus cake are Jiangling and Ruzhou. The most famous shop for making osmanthus cake is in Ruzhou, called Ru Gui Piao Xiang."
As Zhu Xinning spoke, she pointed to a faint, delicately embroidered character "Ru" on the back of the gift box lid and said, "In addition to the unique shape and flavor of this osmanthus cake, I'm afraid no other shop can make it except Ru Gui Piao Xiang."
After listening to Zhu Xinning's explanation, Jing Zhe couldn't help but admire her extensive knowledge; she could discern so much from just a glance.
At this moment, Zhu Tong also spoke up: "This fragrant osmanthus is very precious and delicious. I only tasted it when Xin Ning brought back a box from Ruzhou. Nephew, this gift is too generous!"
Jing Zhe quickly waved his hand with a smile: "Uncle, you flatter me! Uncle, the kindness you have shown to my second sister is something I can never repay with any amount of filial piety!"
That's the truth. The only reason he gave Zhu Tong face was because Zhu Tong had adopted Zhu Xinning. Otherwise, he wasn't even afraid of Grand Tutor Bai Qingyuan, so why would he be afraid of a neutral prime minister like him?
Zhu Xinning, who was standing next to her, was also touched, but she still asked a crucial question: "Zhe'er, where did you buy such a precious gift?"
"Um, I was..."
When you tell one lie, you have to use countless lies to cover it up. Jing Zhe is only now realizing this truth.
Just as he was racking his brains trying to find a shop he'd seen on the street before, Zhu Xinning "kindly" reminded him, "The fragrance of Ru Gui is not only precious but also extremely rare. It's not sold outside of Ruzhou. Where did Zhe'er buy this box? Or..."
Then, raising an eyebrow and making the same displeased expression as Liu Jinghong had just made, he said, "Which young lady gave it to you? Why don't you introduce it to us, Zhe'er, so we can have a good look at it too?"
"..."
Jing Zhe felt like he was sitting on a wax statue, when suddenly an idea struck him: "Second sister, you're mistaken. Such a precious thing, even if I wanted the young ladies to give it to me, they would have to have it, wouldn't they?"
Liu Jinghong immediately glared at him: You bastard, you still dare to think about it?
Jing Zhe shrank back and continued, "Isn't it because His Majesty felt bad that I hadn't been rewarded yet despite winning first place in the Mid-Autumn Poetry Competition and passing the martial arts test? So he gave me these gift boxes as an early reward!"
Seeing everyone pondering after listening, Jing Zhe was delighted, but inwardly he cursed Yu Haixing: Damn, he really spares no expense, using such good gifts to woo a girl!
It's just a pity that the girl you've taken a fancy to is my woman!
Although Zhu Xinning still had some doubts, she couldn't think of any other explanation besides this one. Where would an ordinary person get these things?
At this moment, Madam Zhu had already begun to consider the second gift box. Jing Zhe had just passed the first hurdle and hadn't even had a chance to breathe a sigh of relief when she said, "Oh, I recognize this. It's the Huanhua Yun Brocade from the Zhou Family Cloth Shop in Ruzhou! I've seen others wear it before and was incredibly envious. I never expected to see it today..."
He glanced at Jing Zhe as he spoke, and seeing Jing Zhe's unfriendly expression, he awkwardly withdrew his hand.
Zhu Tong glanced at it and said, "The Huanhua Yunjin is far more precious than the Rugui Piaoxiang. If it's not a local tycoon in Ruzhou, then it can only be something that royalty and nobility possess. It seems that this was truly a gift from His Majesty!"
The others remained noncommittal, but Liu Jinghong and Zhu Xinning's expressions changed slightly when they heard "Zhou Family Cloth Workshop," though they concealed it well and it was fleeting.
Jing Zhe was deeply moved when he heard Zhu Tong speak up for him. He thought that things should be settled for today and he was about to tell Zhu Tong that he wanted him to take the gift box back to the inner room and look at it in the evening.
Before he could even speak, Madam Zhu, quick as a flash, had already reached for the last gift box. Only then did he suddenly realize what was happening, but it was too late.
Because… the third gift box was opened…
"Huh...this...this..."
When Madam Zhu saw the rouge, face powder, and other women's cosmetics in the gift box, she liked them, but she wisely and quietly closed the box.
Emperor An bestowed upon an unmarried man and woman a set of rouge and face powder.
Whether others believe it or not, Madam Zhu certainly doesn't.
She finally understood why Jing Zhe looked at her so frighteningly when she opened the box, and she also understood why Zhu Xinning and Liu Jinghong kept asking her questions and mentioning "girl".
However, she could understand it. Given Jing Zhe's current popularity and appearance, it was not surprising that unmarried women in Jingzhou admired him.
Sigh, why did I have such poor eyesight back then and offend him?
Madam Zhu sighed inwardly, then stepped aside, giving the stage to Jing Zhe.
Zhu Xinning and Liu Jinghong had already surrounded the gift box and opened it again. When they saw the rouge and face powder inside, their eyes looked at Jing Zhe as if they could eat him alive.
Stay calm and don't panic!
Jing Zhe forced himself to remain calm: "What, is it strange that a monarch of a country would include women's toiletries when bestowing gifts?"
The two women exchanged a glance and then nodded.
"Hmm, that's strange!"
"..."
...
"Master, Young Master Chen has arrived!"
Jing Zhe never dreamed that the person who would save him from dire straits would be Chen Jiannan—a tragic character whose every appearance was accompanied by a humiliating defeat…
As the servant announced the arrival, Chen Jiannan, dressed in a white robe, walked in.
"Alright, let's talk about the rest later!"
Zhu Tong also gave Jing Zhe a hand, thinking that how to handle things later would depend on his own abilities.
He added, “His Majesty has decreed that not only you, but Jiannan, must also attend court tomorrow. Therefore, I have invited him here as well, so that we can have a simple meal together as a family and discuss the matter of attending court tomorrow.”
"I'll leave everything to my cousin's arrangements!"
Chen Jiannan cupped his hands in a polite gesture.
These past few days have been even worse for Chen Jiannan. Ever since Jing Zhe caused a scene at the Prime Minister's residence, he has also been kicked out by Madam Zhu, and she no longer has any goodwill towards him.
Just when he thought there was no way to mend his relationship with the Zhu family, he suddenly received an invitation from the Prime Minister's residence, which made him overjoyed. At the same time, he analyzed the situation.
He was the top scorer in the imperial examination. In the vast An Kingdom, he was the only one. No matter how talented Jing Zhe was, even if he won first place in the poetry competition, wouldn't he eventually end up like him, entering the court and being granted a title?
He is still so young and will surely have a bright future. The Zhu family certainly doesn't want to miss out on him, so it's easy to understand why they would invite him again. Thinking of this, Chen Jiannan regained his spirited demeanor.
Looking at Jing Zhe, all fear vanished.
When I enter the government and become an official, we will all be of the same rank, so why should I be afraid of him?
————
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