Chapter 130

When Jiang Yanyi put the contract with the merchants' fingerprints in front of Feng Shuo, Feng Shuo raised his eyebrows in surprise: "You are getting more and more capable."

Jiang Yanyi raised his chin and snorted: "I got the money for you, and the matter of building the school is waiting for you."

Feng Shuo put down the contract and said: "I will give it to Song Bozhou later."

Song Bozhou is the recorder of Xizhou. After the fall of Xie Zhizhou, he has been in charge of the Xizhou government office. Naturally, the construction of the school and other matters that benefit the people's livelihood are also under his jurisdiction.

Jiang Yanyi said, "After the school is built, I want to erect a stone tablet in the academy and engrave the names of the merchants who paid for the construction of the academy."

This move is to give the merchants a little sweetness in terms of reputation. Everything has to be done with ease.

Previously, the people of the Chamber of Commerce raised military supplies, and then she led the merchants to do the porcelain kiln business together, so that the merchants more or less earned some money. This time, when she proposed to donate money to open a school, the merchants did not oppose it so fiercely.

There is already a sweet date of opening Ruyi Tower in Sishui City, and she gave another one. It's just a matter of engraving a stone tablet, and it's a wave of sugar-coated bullets for the rich businessmen. Why not?

Moreover, the construction of the academy is also beneficial to Feng Shuo's reputation outside.

The world is in chaos now. People in other states have problems making a living, but children from poor families in Xizhou can go to school for free. Merchants also "voluntarily" contribute money to build private schools. It sounds like Xizhou is a paradise. It can attract more merchants to bring their wealth here, and it is also beneficial for Feng Shuo to recruit talents.

Feng Shuo naturally understood what Jiang Yanyi was thinking. He said, "It's up to you. The merchants on the list who have contributed money can have some tax reduction this year."

The government came forward to give benefits, which was different from the benefits that Jiang Yanyi tried every means to give to the government officials. This was clearly telling the wealthy businessmen that in response to the government's decrees, the government would also give them preferential treatment in some aspects.

Jiang Yanyi nodded, stood up and said, "Then I'll go back first."

Feng Shuo looked at her and said in an ambiguous way, "You're leaving now?"

Jiang Yanyi wanted to tease him, so she deliberately walked a few steps closer, leaned against his desk in a coquettish posture, and asked him with seductive eyes, "What else?"

Feng Shuo didn't say anything, but suddenly pulled her into his arms, pressed her neck with his big hand, and made her bury her head in his chest.

It was cold in spring, and it often rained and snowed in late winter and early spring in Xizhou. Ordinary people didn't dare to change their winter clothes, but Feng Shuo only wore a brocade robe that he wore in early spring, and his figure looked tall and thin.

Jiang Yanyi was caught off guard and fell headfirst, and the lip balm on her lips was still imprinted on his snow-white shirt at the collar.

Feng Shuo's breathing was steady, but Jiang Yanyi could clearly feel his heartbeat quickening.

She reacted and was about to struggle when she heard two dry coughs coming from the door. Then came

Xing Yao's voice: "The Grand Concubine heard that Miss Chu came to the mansion, so she asked Miss Chu to come over and sit down."

Feng Shuo put one hand on the back of her neck, his chin against Jiang Yanyi's head, and his voice was unrecognizable: "Got it, you can leave now."

Xing Yao knew that he might have caught his master in the act, and was already feeling very embarrassed. After receiving the order, he quickly left and considerately closed the door.

When Feng Shuo let go of his hand, Jiang Yanyi hurriedly climbed out of his arms like an ostrich, her face flushed to the point of bleeding.

Sure enough, if you don't commit suicide, you won't die.

Although Xing Yao had misunderstood them, seeing Feng Shuo holding her was better than seeing her leaning on the desk and flirting with him...

Feng Shuo's narrow eyes were tinged with a smile, and he glared at her and said, "Not going on?"

Jiang Yanyi was embarrassed and couldn't save her face, so she had to pinch the soft flesh on the inside of his arm to vent her anger.

Feng Shuo had thick skin and didn't feel any pain, but laughed out loud because of her embarrassment.

Jiang Yanyi was embarrassed and turned to walk out: "I'm going to see the Grand Concubine."

Feng Shuo closed the document in his hand and stood up: "I happen to be free, so I'll go with you to see mother."

The bright red lipstick mark on his snow-white collar was particularly eye-catching. Jiang Yanyi said: "Why don't you change your clothes?"

Feng Shuo only replied with one word: "Busy."

Jiang Yanyi had to turn back and wipe off the lipstick mark on his collar with a handkerchief dipped in some tea. During this time, Feng Shuo kept staring at her.

Although she was standing and Feng Shuo was sitting, Feng Shuo's gaze always made Jiang Yanyi feel an indescribable sense of oppression. She glared at him: "What are you looking at?"

Feng Shuo's voice was lazy and a little bit ruffian: "Looking at you."

"Then you take your time to look." Jiang Yanyi lowered her eyelids to cover the ripples in her eyes that were aroused by his words, and pretended to be calm before speaking.

After wiping off the lip print, she was about to withdraw her hand, but Feng Shuo grabbed her white wrist. From the back of her hand, her five fingers were slender and white, like tender green onions, and she couldn't even see the knuckles clearly, but there were some not-so-obvious knots on the palm and fingertips.

Feng Shuo gently stroked the cord on her palm, his voice was low and a little sticky, indescribably sexy, "How did you do it?"

Jiang Yanyi said, "I sharpened it when practicing crossbow."

Although the crossbow Feng Shuo made for him was small, her palm was numb several times when she released arrows, and slowly a layer of cord formed. She became more and more skilled in using the crossbow, and now she can hit the target from twenty steps away.

Feng Shuo didn't say anything, staring at her hand carefully for a moment, and then a hot kiss fell on her palm. His warm lips pressed against the thin layer of cord on her palm for a long time without moving, "Does it hurt?"

"It hurt before the cord was sharpened, but it doesn't hurt anymore after the cord is sharpened... well..." Jiang Yanyi was talking, and she couldn't help but let out a low cry.

Feng Shuo kissed her palm heavily, and the hot and wet kiss lingered all the way to her fingertips, and held them in his mouth.

He closed his eyes, and his long eyelashes drooped on his eyelids. He was such a cold man, but when he kissed her fingertips, he was pious and had a bit of rationality and aggressive desire that could not be restrained.

Jiang Yanyi was startled by his sudden action.

He seemed to know the critical point of her outburst. When she was about to pull her hand back, he let go first. His deep phoenix eyes were so calm that it made people's heart palpitate, as if a storm was about to come. He said: "Let's go and see mother."

If it weren't for his still magnetic and sticky voice, just this cold and serious look, Jiang Yanyi would have suspected that everything just now was just her illusion.

When the two arrived at Mingtan Courtyard, the maid who served the Grand Empress Dowager said that the Grand Empress Dowager was in the small kitchen and said that she wanted to make some snacks herself.

Jiang Yanyi had made pastries in the small kitchen of Mingtan Court before, so she went to help. Feng Shuo was a busy man. Although he came to Mingtan Court, he still had important letters delivered to him. He would take time to deal with these letters in the warm pavilion.

The Grand Empress Dowager did not wear gorgeous clothes today. In order to make it easier to knead the dough, she lifted her wide sleeves high and fastened them with ties.

Seeing Jiang Yanyi, the Grand Empress Dowager smiled and said, "Look, I told you before that you should come to the house more often. When you come, Yannu will have time to visit me, an old woman. If you don't come, he will be very busy with official duties." Jiang Yanyi was teased by the Grand Empress Dowager and didn't know how to respond. Fortunately, the Grand Empress Dowager quickly changed the subject herself: "I'm old now, and my hands and feet are not as flexible as before. I've been busy making snacks for a long time and they're still not ready ." Jiang Yanyi was teased by the Grand Empress Dowager

and didn't know how to respond. Fortunately, the Grand Empress Dowager quickly changed the subject herself: "I'm old now, and my hands and feet are not as flexible as before. I've been busy making snacks for a long time and they're still not ready." Jiang

Yanyi tied up her sleeves with laces and went over to help: "These tasks are practice makes perfect. You haven't done them for a long time, so you are not familiar with them. What kind of snacks are you going to make?"

The Grand Empress Dowager said: "Fuxi said that Yannu has a poor appetite recently. He liked to eat Heyuesu when he was young. I plan to make some for him. The child has a heavy burden on his shoulders and has lost weight recently."

Jiang Yanyi thought of the crucian carp soup that Aunt Guo asked her to bring before she left, and her conscience suddenly pricked.

She said: "I have never learned this snack. You go to the side and teach me, and I will make it."

The Grand Empress Dowager said: "The kitchen is dirty, don't ruin your nice clothes."

Jiang Yanyi washed her hands and started to knead the dough: "It's okay."

The Grand Empress Dowager also saw that Jiang Yanyi's kneading posture was much more experienced than hers, and finally made way.

"After kneading the dough, add lard to shorten it twice." said the Grand Empress Dowager.

Jiang Yanyi kneaded the dough twice and felt that this dough seemed to be different from the one she usually used. It was particularly smooth when kneaded. She said, "This flour works quickly."

The cook beside her smiled and said, "The flour of the palace is transported from the south. The flour that was offered to the palace in previous years was also from Yuzhou."

Since it was a tribute, it must be top-notch in every way.

After the dough was crispy, she used sesame oil, osmanthus, sugar and kumquat cakes to prepare the filling under the guidance of the Grand Empress Dowager. After

the filling was prepared, the Grand Empress Dowager tasted it and nodded, "It tastes just right. There are green plums pickled before the New Year in the palace. You can add some green plums."

The servants quickly found the green plums, removed the pits, crushed them and mixed them into the filling.

Jiang Yanyi wrapped the filling with puff pastry, rolled it into an ellipse shape, put it in a plate and put it in the oven to bake.

The dough was puffed twice, because of the lard, the overlapping dough separated when it was baked, and when it was broken open, there were even folds inside, one layer next to another, like lotus petals, and the filling in the middle smelled of sweet osmanthus and the pleasant aroma of orange peel. It was

crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Not only was it fragrant when you bit into it, but the sour and sweet taste of kumquat and green plum stimulated your taste buds, which increased your appetite.

The Grand Empress Dowager also asked the maid in the kitchen to cook a pot of soy milk. After the He Yue Su was ready, the Grand Empress Dowager not only asked the maid to bring the He Yue Su to the warm room, but also prepared three parts of soy milk and added a lot of sugar to it.

Jiang Yanyi didn't like sweet things, and thought that the Grand Empress Dowager wanted them to drink soy milk. She wanted to say that she would add less sugar to her bowl, but she didn't want to offend the Grand Empress Dowager, so she kept silent.

When the few people entered the warm room, Feng Shuo had just finished instructing Xing Yao, and his brows were tightly wrinkled, as if he had encountered some trouble.

Xing Yao's face was also serious. After greeting Jiang Yanyi and the Grand Empress Dowager, he left in a hurry.

Although the Grand Concubine Dowager would occasionally fall ill, she was still aware of the current situation when she was conscious. She asked Feng Shuo with some concern: "But what happened?"

"With the current situation, there will always be something good happening?" Feng Shuo said lightly, but when he saw the snacks the maid had put on the table, he was slightly startled: "He Yue Su?"

Those devastating memories flooded his mind, Feng Shuo's expression did not change, but the corners of his lips tightened slightly.

After he was seven years old, he was not allowed to live in the palace of the Grand Empress Dowager. After attending the Imperial Academy, he was punished for not eating for several days because he angered the late emperor. On the day when the punishment ended, the Grand Empress Dowager happened to ask the palace maid to bring him a plate of He Yue Su. He ate it up in a hurry. That night, he had a stomachache because he had been hungry for too long and overeating. He vomited and vomited, and suffered a lot.

Later, when the Grand Empress Dowager asked him about it, he was afraid of making her sad, so he just said that he ate He Yue Su that day because he liked it.

Seeing that Feng Shuo still recognized the He Yue Su, the Grand Empress Dowager showed some joy and bitterness in her eyes: "My mother hasn't made this for many years, but the girl from the Chu family is very skillful. I only gave her a few instructions and she knew how to make it. Try it."

The maid placed three bowls of soybean milk in front of Jiang Yanyi, Feng Shuo and the Grand Empress Dowager respectively.

Jiang Yanyi was wondering if this soybean milk should be eaten with He Yue Su, when he saw Feng Shuo had already picked up a silkworm pupa-like pastry with ebony ivory chopsticks, soaked it in soybean milk, and picked it up and ate it after a while.

He seemed to be in a bad mood and did not express his opinion on this snack.

The Grand Concubine smiled and said to Jiang Yanyi: "It tastes better when soaked in soy milk than when eaten dry. Good boy, try it too."

It was the first time that Jiang Yanyi saw palace snacks being eaten this way. Curiously, he soaked a lotus moon cake in the soy milk bowl. When the pastry skin softened, the taste was really amazing. The pastry skin became sweet and soft. When the filling was eaten, the sour taste inside was even more delicious under the contrast of sweetness.

Jiang Yanyi praised: "It is worthy of being a snack from the palace. It tastes really good."

With this appetizing snack, Feng Shuo did eat half a bowl more than usual during meals, but he was always worried.

The Grand Concubine thought he was bothering about military affairs, so she asked them to finish their meal and asked Feng Shuo to go to the study to deal with his own affairs, and asked Jiang Yanyi to come to the mansion more often when she had time. Jiang Yanyi naturally agreed.

She and Feng Shuo left Mingtan Courtyard one after another. When they reached the Chuihua Gate, they found Feng Shuo standing by the door with his hands behind his back, as if waiting for her. Jiang Yanyi lifted her skirt and quickened her pace to walk over.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Feng Shuo suppressed a hint of anger on his face: "Chi Qing and the treasures brought out from the imperial mausoleum were seized by the bandits of the western Sichuan green forest. This king has to go to western Sichuan in person."

That group of bandits was more powerful than he expected, especially the bandit leader. It was said that he was very skilled in using the Overlord Spear. The imperial court sent several waves of troops to suppress the bandits, and all the generals died under his spear.

He couldn't ignore Chi Qing's life or death. The treasure of the imperial mausoleum was related to the formation of heavy cavalry and future military supplies. Even if he had to flatten the western Sichuan green forest, he had to take the things back.

However, the discovery of the treasure of the imperial mausoleum was still a secret, and Chi Qing also avoided being noticed when he led people to hunt for treasure.

If he led a large army, not only would it make a fuss, but it would also attract the attention of all forces. Therefore, we could only bring a group of elite cavalry on this trip, and we had to march secretly to reach western Sichuan as quickly as possible.

When Jiang Yanyi heard him say that Chi Qing and the treasure were robbed by bandits, she knew something was wrong, and she also understood why he was always unhappy, and hurriedly said: "Then you should be careful on the road, remember to wear the gold silk soft armor, and bring the breast shield..."

"Yanyi." Feng Shuo suddenly interrupted her. He had a very cold expression before, but when he heard her say this, his expression softened again. He gently stroked her face with his rough fingertips.

"Hmm?"

It was not the first time he called her like this, but Jiang Yanyi always felt that these two words coming out of his mouth today seemed particularly different, and her ears were a little numb because of his voice.

He hooked a strand of her hair with his fingertips and gently tucked it behind her ear, saying, "Don't worry, I can't bear to die before I marry you."