When Yan Jiuchao returned to the manor, Yu Wan was no longer in the house. She had gone to the kitchen to work. She was learning to make rose brine from the chef.
She only knew about this rose brine thanks to Madam Du. That day, Madam Du’s rose brine had fallen to the ground at Tianxiang Restaurant. She could still feel her mouth watering when she recalled the fragrance of the rose.
Uncle also knew how to cook, but he could not get such high-grade ingredients in the countryside. Only Uncle Wan, who loved to plant flowers, would build a greenhouse in the Young Master Manor to raise roses.
It was not difficult to make rose brine. She washed the fresh petals clean and dried them. She spread them in the bowl, layer by layer of petals and sugar, until the bowl was filled with them. Then, she used a stone pestle to smash the flower paste into sparkling lumps. A bowl of sweet and delicious rose brine was completed.
Yu Wan carried the rose brine to the pavilion in the Qingfeng Courtyard. Such good food had to be enjoyed with the good scenery.
“Go and see if Young Master has returned. Call the little masters over too,” Yu Wan said to Tao’er and Li’er.
The two of them agreed respectfully and quickly separated to look for them. Tao’er went to the front yard and Li’er went to the garden.
Without Yu Wan watching them, the three little fellows began to turn into wild horses that had lost their reins again. They rampaged through the manor and disappeared in the blink of an eye!
Li’er missed them in the garden. But Tao’er received Yan Jiuchao.
Yan Jiuchao walked towards the Qingfeng Courtyard in a wheelchair. Halfway there, the branch above his head clicked and Yan Jiuchao picked up a son who had fallen from a banyan tree.
Yan Jiuchao: “…”
The baby: “…”
The feeling of being caught by his father was simply too good. The three little fellows were all fished out by Shadow Thirteen. They stood in the corner and obediently reflected on their mistakes.
“Young… Young Master…” Li’er walked over breathlessly and bowed. “Young Madam made rose brine for Young Master and Little Masters to taste. ”
The little lads pricked up their ears and turned around to peek at their father.
“I’ll deal with you later!” Yan Jiuchao brought the three little fellows back to the Qingfeng Courtyard.
The three of them obediently washed their hands and climbed onto the stone bench to sit. Yu Wan took out four bowls of rose brine. She gave three bowls to her sons and one bowl to Yan Jiuchao. “Don’t you like sour food? I put some hawthorn in yours.”
Yan Jiuchao tasted it.
In the past, when his taste buds were lacking, he could taste a little of her food. Now, he could slowly taste an extremely faint sourness. When he ate her food again, he felt that it was even more delicious.
“You like it?” Yu Wan’s eyes sparkled.
Yan Jiuchao did not say anything, but he clearly liked it very much.
The chef, who was looking over from afar, could not help but twitch his lips. To be able to eat something so disgusting, Young Master really doted on Young Madam.
Yan Jiuchao quickly finished the large bowl of rose brine. The three little lads pushed their bowls in front of him. Yan Jiuchao was moved. Forget it, on account that his sons were so filial, he would not punish them later.
The three little lads looked cute. Daddy was thinking too much. Actually, they just didn’t want to eat it and escaped a disaster!
… .
It was not without reason that Uncle Wan could assist the two princes to fight their way out of the Cold Palace. Yu Wan had never seen such a capable person. Yesterday, she had just mentioned that she wanted Yu Song to enter the Directorate. This morning, Uncle Wan had already completed the procedures. After lunch, he brought Yu Song to the Directorate for the exam. Yu Wan seriously suspected that ordinary people could not receive such treatment. Uncle Wan used the status of the Young Master Manor to suppress others. However, this was understandable. He was clearly a member of the Young Master Manor, but he still had to go through the process of being a commoner. Wasn’t he being pretentious?
Yu Song’s results were announced on the spot and he entered Teacher Liao’s class.
“How is Teacher Liao?” Yu Wan looked at Uncle Wan, who had returned to the manor to report.
Uncle Wan smiled and said, “Of course, Teacher Liao is good.”
The bad thing was his class. They were the worst class in the Directorate. All those difficult people and people who got in using connections were there.
However, as long as the Second Young Master was willing to work hard, he would be able to be promoted to a class in the next exam. After all, there were very few people like Zhao Heng who could enter Class A with just one test. Most of the students advanced step by step.
Yu Wan asked around for more information about the Directorate and realized that the Directorate of the Great Zhou Dynasty actually had scholarships too. Every month, the Chancellor would give them five to ten taels of silver for the top three positions. This might not be much in the Capital, but in the countryside, it was an entire year’s worth of money for the family.
“Zhao Heng received it?” Yu Wan asked.
Uncle Wan nodded. “He’s in the top three every month.”
That was ten taels. The heavens really treated him well. He could earn ten taels of silver in a month.
Yu Song could be considered a person with connections. He had spent a huge sum of money to obtain a spot. There was no need to tell Yu Song about this. Yu Song could just study in peace. Yu Wan did not want him to feel burdened.
Yan Jiuchao had said that Yu Song would not stay at home for long. Yu Wan did not expect that it would only be for a day. After completing the admission procedures, Yu Song could not wait to see his classmates. Yu Wan recalled that in her previous life, she was impatient to start her life in the dormitory. She smiled understandingly and got someone to prepare a carriage to personally send Yu Song to the Directorate.
Yu Wan packed Yu Song’s luggage and said, “I’ve put the clothes in this bag. The silver is also inside. The brush, ink, and paper are all in the box. By the way, I’ve prepared a few handkerchiefs. Remember to use them.”
“Alright, alright, I understand. Why are you like my mother?” Yu Song was speechless.
Yu Wan could not help but smile. That’s right, she used to be the least talkative, but ever since she became a mother and a wife, she had become naggy.
The siblings chatted for a while at the entrance of the Directorate. Just as Yu Song was about to enter, Zhao Heng appeared.
Zhao Heng was with a few classmates. They went to buy stationery and had just returned from the streets. Zhao Heng saw the luxurious four-horse carriage at a glance. In the Capital, anyone who could ride such a carriage was either a royal or a prince. No matter how virtuous he was, he could not help but take a few more glances. In the end, he noticed Yu Wan walking down from the carriage.
Yu Wan was wearing a red and white wide-sleeved fairy dress. The red was really red, making her look indescribably beautiful. The white collar, sleeves, and skirt made her look clean and elegant. Her temperament was calm and tranquil, and her smile was light and gentle. Her face was still the same, but Zhao Heng did not dare to recognize her.
Was this still the village girl who was squatting by the dirty fish pond and washing her face with smelly water? Everyone would believe that she was the daughter of a Zanying family. Of course, she had a married woman’s hairstyle and it was obvious that she was already married.
There was a woman’s charm between her eyebrows, making them even more impossible to look away.
“What are you looking at?” A classmate followed Zhao Heng’s gaze and recognized the cloud pattern emblem on the carriage. “Ah, the carriage of the Yan Manor. That must be Young Master Yan’s new wife.”
A woman with such outstanding looks and temperament could not be a servant of the Young Master Manor. That would be too unreasonable. Of course, Zhao Heng already knew that Young Master Wan was Yan Jiuchao. However, knowing was one thing, seeing her marry Yan Jiuchao with his own eyes was another.
He had once thought that Ah Wan was beautiful, but she was rustic and could not compare to the young ladies in town. Now that he looked at her, he felt that not to mention the young ladies in town, even the young ladies in Marshal Xiao’s residence could not compare to her.
Zhao Heng frowned and clenched his fists under his wide sleeves.
“Why is the madam of the Young Master Manor here?”
“I heard she sent her brother to school.”
The two students discussed.
“Let’s go, stop looking.” His classmate urged Zhao Heng. Yan Jiuchao was not to be trifled with. If he knew that they were staring at his wife, he might do something to them.
In fact, it was not only Zhao Heng who was looking. The students passing by could not help but be attracted by Yu Wan. It was true that she was beautiful, but the most eye-catching thing was the quiet and distant temperament she slowly emitted.
“Get in the carriage quickly. Uncle Wan and I will go in!” Yu Song also noticed the others sizing her up. He did not want his sister to be surrounded by so many men.
Yu Song did not see Zhao Heng, but Zhao Heng saw him.
“Nonsense,” Zhao Heng muttered coldly as he entered the Directorate.
“What’s wrong?” asked his classmate.
Zhao Heng stopped in his tracks. “He’s not cut out for school.”
A farmer who only knew how to pick birds’ nests and behave atrociously in the village all day long would only cause trouble to the Directorate.
Zhao Heng, who had been stunned by Yu Wan’s temperament just now, suddenly felt that Yu Wan was only so-so. She wanted to copy those city people after climbing up the social ladder. She should take a look at her brother’s character. He was simply a useless person!
