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墨書 Inktalez
"You have a kind heart as well." He held the wolf hair brush in his hand, unable to part with it. The value of this brush was worth more than a thousand taels. Although he was favored in the palace and the women in the harem occasionally provided him with some benefits, he still couldn't bring himself to buy such an expensive item. What was truly precious was that this girl had taken the time to learn about his preferences.
"A few years ago, when the Emperor honored Miss Liu, I could tell you were not an ordinary person. Now it seems I was right back then!" With this encounter, Liu Gonggong had developed a good impression of Liu Qingxi.
Liu Qingxi had not anticipated that this connection would prove useful in the future.
Afterward, they confirmed their departure time. Due to the Emperor's decree, they could not delay too long, so they planned to set off as quickly as possible the next day.
The following day, a larger convoy set out from the county office. Not only were there Yang Yichen's attendants, but also servants from the Wen Family and Yang Family, along with some local specialties brought by Liu Gonggong.
At the county yamen entrance, Hua Scholar, dressed in blue, reluctantly watched his close friend depart. Yang Yichen's departure meant that his own burdens would only grow heavier from now on.
Liu Qingxi and her group set out from their home and met up with Yang Yichen and others at the city gate.
Once they left Linyi County, the road heading south gradually widened; after all, it was an official road and appeared quite smooth.
In the hot summer, although the peak of heat had passed, it was still sweltering. In the morning, it wasn't too noticeable, but by noon, the scorching sun made them break into fine beads of sweat.
After traveling for two hours under the intense heat, the horses were panting heavily. With people and luggage on the carriage, their speed continued to slow down.
"Reporting to Liu Gonggong, it's too hot; the horses can't take it anymore," a soldier came to report.
Liu Gonggong himself was feeling a bit overwhelmed as well. Having lived comfortably in the palace for many years, this long journey to deliver a decree felt like hard labor.
Fortunately, they were not unreasonable people, and their attitudes towards Yang Yichen and Liu Qingxi remained unchanged.
In that palace filled with deceit, it was already commendable to maintain such a stance; both Yang Yichen and Liu Qingxi were well aware of this.
Later on, Liu Gonggong couldn't help but feel fortunate for having befriended these two youths, as this unintentional good fortune had also aided him.
Thus, most of the time, your efforts are not without reward; it is just that the time for it has not yet arrived.
The soldiers in front looked around and noticed a grove of trees ahead. The dense trees were lush and green, casting a cool shade under the sunlight.
It was just the right place for a temporary rest. As they dismounted from the carriage, the sun seemed to scorch everything.
Walking under the shade, a refreshing breeze blew through the open area, dispersing the heat in their hearts. Liu Gonggong waved his silk handkerchief and said, "This place is truly unbearable in this heat. You all, feed the horses some grass and let them drink some water before we continue."
In the palace, serving alongside his godfather by the emperor's side was indeed a luxurious experience; in such heat, the ice basin inside never ceased to provide relief.
"Thank you for your hard work, Liu Gonggong!" Yang Yichen replied. With his internal energy protecting him, he could remain calm and naturally cool.
Liu Qingxi had been busy all day and had grown accustomed to such weather in the village, used to days without air conditioning.
As a cool breeze swept through the grove, his mood had already settled.
"Ah, we are all working for the emperor; it's not about hardship or ease. You all should take a break too; after this period, we can continue our journey." Otherwise, if others couldn't bear it any longer, it would be the horses that would suffer first.
At that moment, Liu Qingxi ran back to her carriage and signaled to Summer Lotus. She moved a pile of items from the luggage cart and approached Liu Gonggong.
“Liu Gonggong, it’s so hot today. I have some food I made myself. Would you like to try some?”
Liu Gonggong waved his hand, saying, “Oh, I really have no appetite at all.” He took a couple of sips of water offered by a servant nearby. “I can only manage a couple of sips of water.”
He was indeed telling the truth; most people present were parched and had no appetite whatsoever.
Liu Qingxi smiled slightly, her eyes twinkling mischievously as she said, “Liu Gonggong, I guarantee you’ll have an appetite for this.” Why was she so confident? Because she simply was!
Her words piqued Liu Gonggong's interest: “Really?”
“Of course it’s real! Let me serve you some to try.” With that, Liu Qingxi opened a deep brown ceramic jar and took a delicate white ceramic bowl, scooping out two spoonfuls from inside.
She presented it in front of Liu Gonggong: “Please give it a try!”
Liu Gonggong looked down at the exquisite bowl filled with chunks of yellow and red fruit. The green patterns at the bottom of the bowl accentuated the fruit's translucence, and he caught a whiff of a refreshing fruity aroma.
The light yellow liquid accompanied by large pieces of fruit and specks of red made his mouth water, instantly awakening his taste buds.
“What is this?” He took a bite, and the sweet and sour flavor slid into his mouth, cooling him down inside and dispelling the heat within. He couldn’t help but exclaim, “This tastes great!”
“Liu Gonggong, this is my homemade fruit preserve made from fruits grown by the villagers. Eating it in summer can cool you down quite a bit. I added some sugar, so when you don’t feel like eating, just have some of this, and you won’t feel hungry.”
It was actually quite simple to make. There were plenty of fruits on Summer Mountain, and she gathered a lot. Inside, there were peach flesh, apples, and some wild hawthorn. Once prepared, they were sealed up; as long as no air got in, they could last for half a month without any issues.
"If you were at home, cooling them in the well would make them taste even better. Feel free to eat more if you like."
During their break, Liu Gonggong was in a good mood and ate three bowls in a row. "Not bad, not bad. This is indeed a good idea." He praised her several times, and his impression of the girl grew even better.
The sun shone down from above, gradually tilting westward. The horses by the river regained their strength, and the people felt revitalized as well. The group continued on their journey.
As dusk approached, they finally arrived at the next resting place in Lingjiang Province.
Yang Yichen, summoned by the emperor, stayed at the post station with Liu Gonggong.
Although Liu Qingxi followed them, she had no official position, so it was not appropriate for her to stay with them. Moreover, with a large entourage of servants, it was inconvenient; she directly went to rent a room at the nearest tavern to the post station.
Besides, she had matters to attend to.
After settling into her accommodation, Liu Qingxi hurriedly took Liu Qingyan out and headed straight for a large mansion.
The familiar architecture came into view, and the doorman did not announce them but directly led her inside.
Arriving here felt like second nature until they reached a tranquil courtyard that appeared before them.
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