Chapter 122 - 122 Come Here, I'll Teach You
122 Come Here, I’ll Teach You
Granny Xu looked at Ling Zhaoyi with a cold gaze. “Ling Zhaoyi, please?”
If she didn’t kneel, Fengye would die.
Ling Zhaoyi stood up and slowly walked towards the snow-covered courtyard. She knelt down quietly in front of Consort Chu’s residence.
Fengye pounced over and hugged Ling Zhaoyi in the snow. She cried, “Zhaoyi, it’s all my fault. I’m willing to be punished. Get up!”
Ling Zhaoyi forced a smile. Her pale face looked like a ghost that would dissipate with the wind. “Don’t be afraid. It will be fine.”
Fengye cried bitterly. If she could turn back time, she would definitely go back and tear her own mouth apart.
Consort Chu stood at the window and looked over. The corners of her lips curled up, but there was no warmth in her eyes. “What a deep master-servant relationship.”
Granny Xu asked in a low voice, “The emperor might be coming to the concubine’s chambers tonight. If he sees it…”
Consort Chu sneered. “So what if he sees it? If he wanted to protect a promiscuous slut, he would have done so long ago. I’m still her master now. So what if I punish her?!” Then she said gloomily, “When I become the Queen and Ming’er becomes the Crown Prince, she’ll be in trouble!”
Granny Xu shook her head secretly. The Consort was so domineering and the general had passed away. If she acted like this, she would probably make King Chu unhappy. However, she also knew that Consort Chu would not listen to her advice unless she had learnt it the hard way, so she stopped persuading her.
In any case, no matter how beautiful Ling Zhaoyi was, she was only a decoration in the backyard for so many years. After that incident, how many men could tolerate it? When King Chu officially ascended the throne, she could only suffer in the Cold Palace for the rest of her life.
A servant suddenly came to inform them that July from the Duke’s residence had arrived. Consort Chu suddenly sat up and said happily, “Let her in quickly.”
July passed by the courtyard and glanced at Ling Zhaoyi, who had a layer of snow on her head. She entered the room and saw the smiling Consort Chu. She handed the box and the letter to Granny Xu.
As Consort Chu opened the letter, she asked, “How is the Duke’s health?”
July said, “He’s all well.”
When Consort Chu thought of her weak and sickly brother, she could not help but sigh. If he was in good health, why would she need Ming’er to personally go to the battlefield? How would their entire family’s military power fall into Chu Shixiong’s hands? Why would she need to worry that her position as the Queen was unstable and Ming’er could not become the Crown Prince?
Consort Chu restrained the disappointment in her eyes and looked at the letter.
After a while, her eyes lit up. She put down the letter, picked up the white paper in the golden sandalwood box, and looked at it carefully. The joy in her eyes was almost overflowing.
She instructed Granny Xu happily, “Hurry up and get the housekeeper to call this magistrate of the Luochuan Prefecture over!”
It was really like someone handing her a pillow when she was feeling sleepy. It came just at the right time!
With this white paper formula, she could get someone to open a paper workshop. She would definitely be able to make the entire world open up their pockets for her. She would no longer have to worry too much about her son’s private stash.
While she was in joy, Consort Chu completely forgot about her younger brother. She stood up and carried the golden sandalwood box to the study. July took her leave and returned to report to Quan Jiuzhou.
When Si Huihua found out that Consort Chu had summoned him, he locked himself in his room and opened his mouth wide, shouting silently in excitement.
Soon, he would have a meteoric rise.
Knowing the profits that paper production could bring, it was impossible for Consort Chu not to be tempted and even take the initiative to give it to King Chu.
Si Huihua lowered his head and entered Consort Chu’s courtyard. From the corner of his eye, he saw two women who had fainted in the snow.
One of them was in a sorry state but it still could not hide her beauty. He could not help but take a few more glances.
He was envious. As expected of King Chu. Any woman in this residence was so charming. He wondered how beautiful Consort Chu was.
He hunched into the house, not daring to look around. His gaze only swept across the woman’s gorgeous skirt and a pair of exquisite shoes.
Consort Chu’s high and mighty voice sounded, “Let me ask you, how many people know the formula for this white paper?”
Si Huihua looked up and saw a face that was completely different from what he had imagined. Consort Chu’s appearance was actually not even one-tenth as good as the woman from before. She was really ordinary-looking. He wondered how a handsome man like King Chu had endured giving birth to a son with her.
Although he thought this in his heart, he did not dare to show any disrespect on his face. He told the Consort Chu the answer he had long thought of, “Other than my subordinates, only the villagers from Youjia village know about this white paper formula.”
There was a trace of satisfaction in Consort Chu’s eyes, and she warned again, “Since it’s my formula, keep your mouth shut. If I find out that someone used this formula to make a piece of white paper, I’ll hold you responsible!”
Si Huihua hurriedly nodded. “Consort, don’t worry. I will definitely protect your formula well.”
One naturally had to be given a sweet date after a beating with the stick. Consort Chu also knew why he had given her the formula. She thought that she had arranged it well and said, “Jiangyuan City has just received good news. The Eldest Prince happens to be short of people. Go to Jiangyuan City to make up for it.”
Si Huihua wanted to join the Eldest Prince’s side to be someone who could provide advice. He did not want to go to Jiangyuan City where the plague was rampant to deal with the mess. He wanted to speak, but when he saw Consort Chu’s irrefutable expression, he could only grit his teeth and thank her respectfully, “Thank you, Consort.”
Si Huihua felt extreme regret that he did not achieve his expected outcome. However, he could only comfort himself. After all, he had shown his face in front of the Consort and could be considered the Eldest Prince’s subordinate. He had to take it slow and not be too anxious.
He left the palace, but he couldn’t hold it in anymore. He stomped his foot.
He might as well report such an outcome to the Imperial Court and leave a good impression on King Chu!
But it was too late for regrets.
Si Huihua angrily accepted the reality. Since he was being transferred at the last minute, he had to choose a subordinate from his jurisdiction to take over the Luochuan Prefecture.
Based on the “merits” he had contributed based on his political achievements and donations, Si Huihua should have promoted Qu Yuanxian.
Si Huihua felt even greater hatred for him now. Why would he still be promoted! Bullsh*t! It was already good enough that he did not stab him twice.
At the thought that he would have to deal with the troublesome mess in Jiangyuan City after he returned to settle the handover, Si Huihua almost gritted his teeth.
On the way back to Luochuan residence, Si Huihua cursed Qu Yuanxian. While he was about to find a successor to make things difficult for him, Bai Wutong and Chu Tianbao were preparing dumplings for New Year’s Eve.
She prepared two types of fillings, pork with pickles and pork with onions.
Xiaobai wagged its tail happily behind her. When she had kneaded the dough, Chu Tianbao returned after playing around.
Chu Tianbao reached out to poke the smooth dough, but Bai Wutong quickly patted his claws. “Go wash your hands and change your clothes!”
Chu Tianbao replied with an “Oh” and went upstairs to change.
He had just finished washing his hands and poked a finger into the dough before Bai Wutong could stop him.
Bai Wutong looked at him helplessly and took away his hand that still wanted to poke the dough. She warned, “Don’t move. This is for wrapping dumplings, not for you to play with.”
Chu Tianbao looked regretfully at the soft and elastic dough. Then, he obediently watched as Bai Wutonge rolled the dough into strips, cut it into pieces, pressed it into a flat piece, and rolled it into a perfect dumpling skin.
Bai Wutong was very fast when rolling the skin. It took less than a second for her to make one.
Bai Wutong quickly made dozens of dumpling skin. When she looked up, she saw Chu Tianbao’s excited expression. She couldn’t help but smile. “Come here, I’ll teach you.”