Chapter 639: Chapter 641: Colleagues

Li Xiangyun led them down a small side path, and around a corner, they finally spotted some greenery.

Calling it a small garden was an exaggeration. It was merely a small courtyard, less than twenty square meters.

It was probably used for entertaining guests, as there was an elegant little pavilion built within it.

"We rarely have guests, so please excuse the simple state of our home."

Li Xiangyun led her into the pavilion, where a platter of fruit was already laid out on the table.

As for the "garden," there were only a few tenacious wildflowers in a corner, two small trees, and some nondescript green plants.

"It’s lovely. Quaint and elegant," Jin Qianqian said with a smile, drawing her gaze back. "We’re the ones who are being impolite by dropping in so suddenly today."

"There’s no need for such pleasantries between our families," Li Xiangyun said. With a wave of her hand, a few maids approached, carrying tea and pastries.

Seeing the maids’ steady, sure-footed gait, Jin Qianqian knew they must have had some formal training.

As for their appearances, only Li Xiangyun’s personal attendant was what one might call pretty. The others all had rather dark complexions.

"I wasn’t sure what kind of pastries you like, so I sent someone to your shop to pick out a few different kinds."

Li Xiangyun pushed the pastries closer to Jin Qianqian.

"The cook in my kitchen isn’t very skilled with these sorts of things. She can’t make the specialty pastries you’d find in other manors."

Jin Qianqian had heard as much before her visit. Mr. Cao wasn’t particular about such things, and his wife, Madam Cao, had been raised by his parents, so her personality and habits were quite similar to theirs.

Because of this, they had become something of an oddity in the Capital and were known as one of the families least fond of entertaining guests.

Jin Qianqian smiled. "That actually works out perfectly. This way, my shop can gain a few more regular customers.

"If every manor had its own pastry chefs, I’d be out of business."

"You have a point there." Li Xiangyun had been watching her expression closely. Seeing not a trace of disdain, but rather a serene look, her own smile became more genuine.

"But I have to say, the pastries from your shop are truly delicious. I buy them quite often..."

...

Meanwhile, Ancient Wen Heng was led to Cao Xiangqian’s study.

Just as he prepared to offer a formal salute, Cao Xiangqian stopped him. "I don’t stand on ceremony here. Sit..."

Ancient Wen Heng scanned the study from the corner of his eye. ’I’m surprised there are actually books on these shelves.’

"I know you’ve come to ask about the situation in Yi Province," Cao Xiangqian said. "I spent over a decade there in my younger days. No one in the imperial court knows it better than I.

"I don’t know why the Holy Emperor decided to send a scholar like you over, but rest assured, the place isn’t as terrifying as the rumors claim.

"Aside from possibly having trouble adjusting to the climate at first—you might have a physical reaction—once you’ve been there a while, you’ll find that life there is much more convenient than it is here."

Cao Xiangqian did his best to paint the place in a favorable light.

"Though it’s been many years since I left, I still have a few old, trusted subordinates there.

"I’ve already written a few letters. They won’t give you any trouble when you arrive."

Ancient Wen Heng quickly stood to thank him. He wasn’t some naive rookie, new to the world of officialdom. ’Being able to leverage this connection to integrate more quickly will certainly save a lot of trouble.’

Knowing the main reason for his visit, Cao Xiangqian went on to explain the local customs and details of the regional government in greater detail.

After spending over an hour in the study, Ancient Wen Heng finally took his leave.

This visit marked the beginning of several days of ceaseless social calls for him and Jin Qianqian.

One afternoon, Ancient Wen Heng hosted a banquet at the Tianfu Restaurant in Shangjing for his former colleagues from the Hanlin Academy.

Regardless of his prior relationship with each of them, Ancient Wen Heng made no distinctions and invited everyone.

With the exception of a few who had been transferred to other posts, everyone arrived as scheduled.

Thanks to his skill in mental calculation, He Nan had spent the last few years helping various departments reconcile their accounts, building a large network of contacts in the process. He had now been promoted a rank, taking over the position of editor that Ancient Wen Heng once held.

"Who would have thought? We passed the exams in the same year, and now you’re already a third-rank official while I’m still stuck at the Sixth Rank." He Nan had kept in touch by letter over the years, and given his personality, there was no awkwardness or distance between them. He casually slung an arm around Wenheng’s shoulder as he spoke.

"How can we compare ourselves to him?" Ning Yuchen said with a laugh. "If we had half of Mr. Gu’s talent, we wouldn’t have been stuck in the Hanlin Academy for so long."

"Hmph. If you dislike it so much, then hurry up and find a way to get transferred," Liu Shijiang said, his face as cold as ever. "I’m just afraid you lack the ability to even get a transfer, yet you still won’t stop complaining."

Ning Yuchen was speechless.

Ancient Wen Heng quickly invited everyone into the private room. "Gentlemen, please, this way. Take a look and feel free to order any food and drinks you like."

"Spoken like a true regional official. So generous," Ning Yuchen muttered under his breath as he trailed behind the group.

Cao Shijiang, who was standing beside him, paused for a moment. He waited until everyone else had entered before following them inside.

As the host, Ancient Wen Heng was naturally not stingy. The signature dishes and finest wines of the Tianfu Restaurant were all brought to the table one after another.

Looking at the table laden with delicacies, it wasn’t just Ning Yuchen this time; the others also felt a sour pang of envy.

They occasionally came here to splurge on a meal, so they all had a good idea of the prices.

A spread like this had to cost over a hundred taels of Silver, yet he had ordered it without batting an eye.

"This is far too extravagant," He Nan said when he noticed everyone’s silence, a teasing smile playing on his lips.

He casually picked up the wine pot from the table. "I say, Mr. Gu, we’re basically eating at your own house, and you’re still being this stingy? This might be a fine, top-grade Huadiao, but this wine won’t do for me."

Lord An, who was sitting to the side, looked at He Nan curiously. "This wine is already excellent. Wouldn’t the very best Huadiao cost upwards of a hundred taels of Silver?"

"More like two hundred-plus taels," He Nan said, expertly summoning a waiter. "Your master is being far too cheap. Hurry up and bring us a different wine."

Ancient Wen Heng waved the waiter away. "It’s not that I’m being stingy. The supply of the absolute best Huadiao is limited, and this year’s stock is already gone. When the next shipment comes in, we’ll find another opportunity to have a few drinks."

"Listening to you two... does that mean this restaurant belongs to Mr. Gu?" Lord An asked, looking at them in astonishment.

The others wore similar expressions of surprise. They knew Mrs. Gu was an Imperial Merchant, but they thought her business was limited to soaps and fragrances. What did that have to do with a restaurant?

He Nan had said it all on purpose. ’If some people are going to be green with envy, then let them be so jealous their eyes pop out.’

"What’s so strange about that? Mrs. Gu has far more businesses than just this one. Don’t worry, we’re not going to eat Mr. Gu into poverty.

"So, everyone eat and drink your fill today! Who knows when we’ll get another chance like this."

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