Jeune Premier ministre, un ermite

Chapitre 31

"You're never serious!"

Seeing a faint smile on Dieyun's face, he knew it was time, so he took Dieyun's hand and said, "Come here, Dieyun, I brought you lots of delicious food."

When Dieyun's hand was held by Wei Zijun, that tingling sensation returned, traveling from his fingertips straight through his limbs and bones, and a flush instantly rose to his cheeks.

After enjoying the delicious food brought back from the General's Mansion, Wei Zijun really wanted to take a nap.

Worried about her master and Dieyun, she got up early in the morning to go back.

She had already gone to bed late last night, and coupled with a poor rest, she kept feeling sleepy. It was all because of that damned bra; because she couldn't take it off, she almost had a heart attack last night.

Lying in bed, she pondered the opening of the restaurant. Liu Lang had been handling the purchasing and renovations for her all this time, and he hadn't disappointed her. Despite being a young man with little formal education, he was incredibly organized and efficient; it seemed human potential was limitless.

When I woke up, it was already noon. Seeing that my master and Dieyun were still fast asleep, I wrote a note, placed it on the table, and quietly left.

As soon as I stepped into the general's mansion, I received a sharp rap on the forehead.

"Didn't you say you'd be back soon? Why are you still waiting?" Li Tianqi was very dissatisfied; he had been waiting for him all morning.

Wei Zijun rubbed her forehead, which was throbbing from the flick, and rolled her eyes at him. "Why are you waiting for me instead of doing what you're supposed to do?"

"We've done everything we could. We sent men to arrest Manager Qiu first thing this morning, and Shangzhen has already headed to the capital to draft an imperial edict. If it weren't for waiting for you, I would have gone to review the troops with Gongzhi long ago. Tell me, how should you be punished?"

"Then punish me with your delicious food." She was a little hungry after her long journey.

Li Tianqi rolled his eyes at her. "Let's go out to eat and take a stroll around Banshan Bridge while we're at it."

In the height of summer, the sun blazes down on Lucheng, and even the gentle breezes cannot alleviate the heat in the slightest.

Seeing the sweat beading on Li Tianqi's forehead, Wei Zijun felt even hotter. The sweltering heat made her crave a slice of chilled watermelon.

"Eating a few slices of chilled watermelon in this kind of weather would be such a treat," she said unconsciously.

Li Tianqi glanced at her and said, "Once things are settled here, you'll come with me to the capital. You can eat as much as you want!"

"Really?" Is there ice at this time? Did they use saltpeter?

"Of course, but what's so great about chilled watermelon? I'll take you to eat chilled jelly."

Li Tianqi pulled Wei Zijun to a shed set up by a teahouse on the side of the street. It was a blue cloth shed with a few bamboo tables and chairs underneath. A blue cloth banner hung in one corner of the shed with two big characters on it: "Iced Drinks".

Wei Zijun stared wide-eyed at the translucent, yellowish, gelatinous substance still steaming in the bowl, her mind filled with questions. "Is this jelly?" she wondered.

Seeing her curious look, Li Tianqi explained, "It's made from the seeds of the creeping fig. The seeds contain a kind of gelatinous substance, which solidifies into this when mixed with water."

Upon hearing that it was a natural food, Wei Zijun excitedly scooped up a large spoonful and put it in her mouth, immediately letting out a satisfied "Mmm".

The jelly was not only icy cold, but also smooth and incredibly fragrant. She devoured the chilled treat, feeling completely refreshed. Putting down her empty bowl, she exclaimed, "Another bowl, please!"

Looking at her eating habits, Li Tianqi couldn't help but laugh and said, "Don't eat too much, or you'll get a stomachache."

"This is so delicious, I want to take some for Liulang." With that, she asked the shopkeeper to pack some for her to take away.

Looking at the ice cubes wrapped around the bowl, I couldn't help but wonder, "How are these ice cubes made?"

"Hahaha, Fourth Brother seems to be well-read, but does he not know this?" Li Tianqi finally realized that there was something she didn't know, and deliberately put on airs.

Wei Zijun found his expression amusing, but couldn't bear to dampen his enthusiasm, though she herself was genuinely curious. "Second Brother, could you please enlighten me?"

"Of course, it's hidden away in winter and only used in summer."

"Huh? Then it all turned into water?" She was clearly incredulous.

"Some will melt, but we'll still retain 30%. Each ice well can store tens of thousands of pieces of ice, so even if only 30% remains, it's still a lot."

"But the Three Wu regions are warm in winter, so is there ice there?" Wei Zijun asked, puzzled.

Just then, the shopkeeper came over to collect the bill. "Sir, thank you for your patronage. It will be three hundred coins in total."

"What did we eat? Why was it so expensive?" Wei Zijun exclaimed.

"So, only high-ranking officials or the richest people in the area can afford to enjoy ice in the summer; ordinary people can't afford it. This shop isn't for ordinary people either."

After listening to Li Tianqi's words, she took another look at the shop. The teahouse inside was elegant and opulent, and upon closer inspection, the furnishings were also extraordinary. The bamboo tables and chairs were exquisitely crafted, the porcelain bowls for iced drinks were delicate and translucent, adorned with blue floral patterns, and the accompanying saucers were equally exquisite. Even the spoons for holding the ice were exceptionally beautiful, with handles made of enamel. It seemed this shop must have been owned by a wealthy merchant who hoarded ice.

“The ice in the south is thin and difficult to store. Salt needs to be sprinkled on the ice, layer by layer, to form a block. Some of it has to be transported from the north in winter, which is why ice from the south is much more valuable than ice from the north,” Li Tianqi continued to explain.

Oh, I see! It seems they don't know how to make ice with saltpeter.

After having lunch outside, the two walked for about half an incense stick's time before arriving at the Rain-Viewing Pavilion. Wei Zijun called out as she entered, "Sixth Brother—"

"Hey!" came a reply from inside, and a short figure ran out.

"Duan Xin! Where is Liu Lang?" Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Duan Xin who had run out.

"Liu Lang went out to buy curtains," Duan Xin replied.

"Xin'er, come and greet the Ambassador of Appeasement. Your family's revenge this time depends entirely on the Ambassador of Appeasement!"

“This is Duan Shiju’s son, Duan Xin!” Wei Zijun turned to introduce him to Li Tianqi.

"Duan Xin greets the Ambassador of Pacification." He then knelt down to pay his respects, and upon hearing that the ambassador could help him avenge himself, he kowtowed three times deeply.

"Get up!" Li Tianqi said, then turned to look at Wei Zijun. "Huh? I am a high-ranking envoy and a first-rank official of the court, so why have you never bowed to me?"

“Xin’er wants you to seek justice and asks for your help. What grievance do I have? What do I want to ask for? Even generals in the field sometimes disobey orders. I do not receive a salary from the court and am not a person of the court. Why should I be bound by the court’s etiquette?”

"You really have no favors to ask of me?" Seeing that he still refused to back down, he added, "I remember someone lent me a thousand taels!"