"Brother Su, how is the investigation going on with this couple's affairs?"
In Lu Fengyu's courtyard in Xiangyang Palace, Su Donglou and Lu Fengyu were drinking tea under the grape trellis. When he heard Lu Fengyu asking about this topic, Su Donglou said seriously, "I came here for this matter. I was just about to tell you that you should hand over the couple to me."
"What's the meaning?"
Lu Fengyu's heart skipped a beat, but he remained expressionless and just asked leisurely.
"Now it seems that this couple's background is not simple." Su Donglou's face became more serious, and he approached Lu Fengyu and said: "Do you know? In March, there was news that Duan Tingxuan and his wife went to Niutou Mountain, but until now, they have not been seen on the ground of Niutou Mountain. Isn't this suspicious?"
"No way? Even if the wife of the prince is a spy, they can't be Duan Tingxuan and his wife, right? How dare they take risks in Jiangnan? Hangzhou is the prince's lair." Lu Fengyu lowered his eyes to look at the teacup. When he said this, he raised his eyes again and stared at Su Donglou closely: "Could it be... that you have found some evidence?"
With a "gulp" sound, Su Donglou secretly swallowed his saliva. Ever since Lu Fengyu took the initiative to express his trust in him last time, he has been running here almost every day in the past three months. Although there is no intimacy between them, he can still notice the changes in his mood.
"If I had evidence, would I still be sitting here? I would have brought people to arrest them and report to the prince. But I don't have any solid evidence, so I am just suspicious. After all, there is indeed a lady who has quit her job in Anle Tower, and her husband is indeed a henpecked man. Both husband and wife have said that they are coming to Jiangnan. However, no one can say for sure whether that couple is the one here. And you are a foodie. If I catch the wrong people, you won't reason with me, and you will definitely hate me for this. I won't know how I will die in the future. But if I don't catch them, what if they are really spies? How can a weak scholar like you fight against them? If I really push them to the limit, I will put a pound of croton seeds in your rice. You will have diarrhea and die..."
"You don't want me to get better, do you?" Lu Fengyu was so angry. He glared at Su Donglou, but he smiled and said leisurely: "Anyway, I have told you the situation. You decide what to do. If you say to arrest, then arrest. If you say not to arrest, then don't arrest. If you don't know what to do, then send the person to me first. I will watch over them for you. After their identities are confirmed, we can decide whether they live or die. How do you think? I have left three options for you, right?"
"You might as well leave me one way out." Lu Fengyu rolled his eyes at him, picked up a peach and bit it hard, but he was in doubt. Was I really wrong? Can this Su Donglou really be trusted?
As he thought about it, he narrowed his eyes. Su Donglou had been hanging out with him for so long, and he knew him very well. When he saw this expression, he felt relieved. He knew that his risky move had worked. As long as Lu Fengyu was not sure of the identity of Duan Tingxuan and his wife, he would never be cruel to them because of his love for food.
In fact, Su Donglou still underestimated Lu Fengyu's love for food. He had actually confirmed the identities of Duan Tingxuan and Su Nuannuan, but he was reluctant to make up his mind because of the food. Especially in the past three months, Su Nuannuan and Duan Tingxuan changed their plan of keeping a low profile and being spies, and put a lot of thought into the food. The inconspicuous appearance of those foods often contains huge surprises, which made Lu Fengyu think of surrendering countless times. This was also a risky gamble, not only to test Lu Fengyu's attitude, but also to try to win over the number one confidant of King Xiangyang with food. So far, it seems to be working well.
"Continue to investigate their identities carefully, and don't let up on Niutou Mountain. I'll be keeping these two here for now. If they are really Duan Tingxuan and his wife, they will definitely reveal their flaws if they stay under my nose for too long."
Lu Fengyu thought for a while, and finally waved his hand and gave the answer that Su Donglou hoped for.
Su Donglou originally wanted to dawdle a bit and have dinner at Lu Fengyu's place, but after just lunch, he noticed that he seemed to be in a low mood, and in the afternoon, he couldn't help but chase him away.
After Su Donglou left, Lu Fengyu leaned on the bed and pondered for a while. Suddenly, he stood up, changed his clothes, and sat with the King of Xiangyang for a while. Then he came out and saw Liu Qiang walking in from outside. He hurriedly greeted him and said, "After you report to the prince, come to me. I have something for you to do."
Liu Qiang quickly agreed. Lu Fengyu was waiting in the yard. After Liu Qiang came out, he whispered a few words to the other party and then returned to his own yard.
First there was Long Pingzhang, then Duan Tingxuan. It seems that Jiangnan has attracted the emperor's attention. In order not to arouse the suspicion of the court, the King of Xiangyang has not recruited soldiers in recent years. At this critical moment of life and death, the power of Mingyulou is much more important than it was a year ago. They don't want to take the path of rebellion, so they don't accumulate armed forces. If this Mingyulou can really be used, it will solve the big worry of him and the prince.
At least at this time, in the face of the temptation of delicious food, Lu Changshi struggled several times but still maintained his integrity. He was still planning sincerely for the King of Xiangyang, and still fantasized that in the future he would be able to follow the dragon and bring honor to his family, and hang up and beat those examiners who had ruined his future one by one.
"Liang Shou, the master is in the backyard admiring the moon, and I want you to bring a few plates of snacks and small dishes over, and also bring two jars of chilled Huadiao wine."
The Liu family's wife walked into the kitchen and called out to Duan Tingxuan, who was helping Su Nuannuan. He asked in confusion, "What is the master going to do? After the master left today, he seemed unhappy to see him, and he didn't eat much for dinner. Why did he want to drink and eat snacks now?"
"Why do you care what the master thinks? Since I've given you the order, just take it over and I'll arrange it for you." Su Nuannuan was quick and nimble. With everyone's help, she prepared a large food box in a short while. It contained a plate of rice dumplings with four kinds of fillings, a plate of smashed cucumber and peanuts, a plate of cold jellyfish, and a plate of shelled peanuts boiled in salt water. There were also four kinds of snacks: walnut sponge cake, nut peach crisp, hand-torn twisted dough sticks, and fried dough sticks stuffed with sugar and peanuts. A bowl of bright smoothie was enough to complete the meal.
Duan Tingxuan winked at Su Nuannuan and told her to be careful. Then he came to the backyard with the food box, and saw Lu Fengyu sitting on a stone bench, holding a cup to flirt with the moon, chanting something like "Chang'e should regret stealing the elixir, her heart is filled with the blue sea and sky every night".
"Master, snacks are here. Tell me to forget about Chang'e. Even if she doesn't steal the elixir, you can't get it. How can Houyi be easily messed with? He shot nine suns to death with one arrow. With your mortal body, I'm afraid it would be solved by throwing a stone. Come on, let's drink some wine and eat some snacks. This is the practical enjoyment you can see and touch."
As Duan Tingxuan spoke, he quickly took out the food from the food box. Suddenly, Lu Fengyu laughed and said, "It's a pity for a smart person like you to be a servant. If you become successful in the future, I will be proud of you for serving me so attentively."
Damn, when I regain my status in the future, I will not be named Duan if I don't make you want to live but not to die. You can't afford the price of letting me serve you, you know?
Duan Tingxuan was secretly complaining in his heart, but he smiled and said, "Master, you are joking. If I could become successful, would I have to wait until now?"
"That's not necessarily true." Lu Fengyu shook his head and chuckled. Seeing that Duan Tingxuan had already laid out the snacks, desserts and wine, he pointed to the stone bench opposite and said softly, "Sit down and talk to the master."
"Master... well, you eat me and watch me dry, isn't this too miserable?" Duan Tingxuan chuckled, "I'd better go back, otherwise my tigress won't say that it was the master who kept me, but will think that I was having an affair with some sister, then I'll be miserable."
"Just sit down when I told you to. Why are you talking so much nonsense?" Lu Fengyu scolded him. Duan Tingxuan had no choice but to carefully sit opposite him. He muttered to himself, "What's wrong with this bastard? Is he trying to lure the tiger away from the mountain and harm Nuannuan? Fortunately, Zhengniang was recruited into the kitchen a few days ago. Even if something happens, she can at least take care of it."
Zheng Niang is Su Donglou's confidant. She has been in charge of gathering information in Saibei. Because Lu Fengyu's test made people uneasy, Su Donglou called her back and took the opportunity to insert her into the kitchen to echo Duan Tingxuan and his wife. Her main responsibility is to protect Su Nuannuan secretly.
"Your wife's cooking skills are truly rare in the world. I often hear people say that the cooking skills of the wife of the prince in the Anping Marquis's mansion in the capital are the best in the world. In my opinion, although your wife can't make butter or anything like that, in terms of cooking skills alone, she is not inferior to that wife of the prince."
Lu Fengyu scooped a spoonful of cucumber and peanuts into his mouth, chewing with his head shaking, praising Su Nuannuan. After the dish was swallowed, he took a sip of wine, then he breathed a sigh of relief, nodded and praised: "Good, no wonder Madam Wang said that chili is delicious. Sure enough, adding some chili oil here will immediately improve the flavor."
"Hey, my wife and I are both lowly people, how dare we compare ourselves with the wives of the princes in the marquis' mansion?" Duan Tingxuan rubbed his hands, but heard Lu Fengyu laugh, and then said: "Then if your wife has the opportunity to become the wife of a marquis or even a prince, are you willing to give her this future?"
"Ah?" Duan Tingxuan blinked, looking confused: "Master, what do you mean? With my wife's appearance, how could any marquis or prince be willing to marry her? Hahaha, only someone like me can be a good match with her, and we can only live a simple life."
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