“Is this, is this edible?”
Someone couldn’t help but ask, but regretted it afterwards. The thick creamy aroma mixed with the fragrance of the cake and the different patterns made of fruits on the side of each layer made people mouth-watering, how could it be inedible?
Xu Liang handed the old man a long bamboo knife, and he took off the top layer of birthday peaches and put them on a large special plate, then gave the bamboo knife to Mr. Er, who cut them into small pieces layer by layer and instructed his servants to put them on the plate and distribute them to the crowd.
Those who got their share eagerly bowed their heads and ate, while those who didn’t stretched their necks and waited. The underlings who were allowed to do so were brought over in an orderly manner, table by table, until each person had a small piece in their hands.
“Delicious.”
Some nodded their heads in praise, others pursed the cream on the corners of their mouths, all were ministers in the court, their salaries were not low, not to say that they had eaten all the cakes from all the good pastry shops in the capital, but they were not far off. Some of them even have cooks who specialise in making pastries, but never has a pastry tasted so good. The most important thing is the significance of the birthday cake, step by step, long life, who doesn’t want that.
The most important thing was the meaning of the birthday cake.
“Don’t be envious ……”
The old gentleman could not hide the smile on his face, “My great-granddaughter has opened a cake shop in the South City, specializing in making birthday cakes, which can be made in different layers according to different ages, and can also be written with different words, and can also be made into different styles, so in the future, if you need, you can send someone to order in advance.”
The people’s words just now were to make a birthday cake for their birthdays in the future, so they were happy to hear that old man Song Wan Yue had opened a cake shop, and they all answered in a loud voice, “Sure, sure.”
The female customers had also eaten the birthday cake, and although they had not seen the shock of the seven-layer cake with their own eyes, they had heard the descriptions of the underlings and thought it was a good thing, so they told Meng that they would definitely make a custom-made cake for their family’s birthday in the future.
All of a sudden, there was a lot of talk about the birthday cake in the house.
Wen Zhong ate very unpleasantly and approached Duke Qi with his plate and quietly said, “After Duke Guo leaves the house, please also wait for me in the teahouse for a while.”
The Duke of Qi nodded slightly, finished eating the cake, took out a handkerchief to wipe his mouth and hands, and got up to say goodbye.
The rest of the people saw this and also took their leave, Wen Zhong stayed behind and kept sending the last guest away, and went to the old gentleman’s courtyard again to say a few words, before he took his own wife out of the mansion, got into the carriage, and when he passed the teahouse, he ordered the carriage driver to stop, and said to his own wife, “I have a few colleagues for tea, you go back first, and have the carriage driver come back to pick me up later. ”
The carriage was far away, and Wen Zhong walked into the teahouse. The boy from the Duke of Qi’s house waiting at the door led him to the elegant room upstairs.
Seeing him enter, the Duke of Qi waved his hand and the servant withdrew.
Wen Zhong sat opposite him, held up the teapot and slowly poured a cup of tea for the Duke of Qi, “There is one thing I want to make clear to the Duke of Qi, lest you find out later and blame us.”
“Please speak, Squire Wen.”
“My little sister and Ling’er have long since been expelled from the Xu Mansion.”
Duke Qi narrowed his eyes. He hadn’t made things more difficult for the Song family and Gu Yi today in front of the old man because he was thinking of tying the knot with the Xu family and couldn’t have an unpleasant situation at this time, but he hadn’t expected that Xu Ling’er had long since been expelled from the Xu Mansion.
The face did not show anything, not slow to pick up the tea, to the mouth, “can Squire Wen tell me why?”
“Because of Song Si. You also know that Ling’er’s status is awkward. Although she bears the name of the Xu family, she is not a member of the Xu family after all, so naturally, she cannot choose a marriage. When Song Si went to the Xu residence, he was taken with my sister and wanted to marry Ling’er to him, but when my grandfather found out about it, he angrily rebuked her for being unruly and spoiling the Xu family’s style, so he threw them out.”
He spoke this half-truth, but the Duke of Qi did not believe it at all. The old gentleman was a great Confucian known throughout the world and had a deep and profound heart, so naturally he would not have thrown someone out because of this trivial matter, there must have been something else that could not be told.
However, he did not expose Wen Zhong and nodded, “The old gentleman is indeed a bit too pedantic, it is right for a mother to take care of her daughter’s marriage, how can he drive someone out of the house. ”
Wen Zhong didn’t take his words and said, “The reason I spoke up to the Duke of China was that I didn’t want you to think that we cheated on the marriage. Even if they are driven out of the Xu House, they are still my family, and with me as an uncle, I will never let Ling’er be wronged.”
The Duke of Qi twirled his tealight, “Servant Wen’s meaning is ……”
“If you still want to help your distant relative beg for Ling’er’s hand in marriage, as soon as they are engaged, I will find a way to get the person into the Household Ministry.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
Wen Zhong’s face changed for a moment, but he heard Duke Qi add, “I have already done this, and in a few days he will go to serve in the Household Ministry, so I will ask Squire Wen to give him more encouragement then.”
Wen Zhong’s heart was relieved and a smile appeared on his face, “That is natural.”
……
When he came out of the teahouse, the coachman was already waiting outside. Wen Zhong got into the carriage and instructed him to go to the mansion where Wen and Xu Ling’er lived.
They did not know that Sun Jin had been recruited as a team leader, and they were hoping that Sun Jin would come over to be betrothed, but after so many days, there was still no movement. Is there something wrong?”
“Yes, there is a small matter.”
Wen’s voice shook a little, “No, it’s not because Sun Jin is repenting his marriage, is it?”
“It’s more serious than that, he automatically offered to marry the princess at the Qionglin banquet.”
Wen’s eyes went black and she almost slipped off her chair.
“He, he, how could he do such a thing, he even begged a matchmaker to come to his door to propose marriage!”
“Do you dare go before the Emperor and say so?”
Wen didn’t dare, if she dared to go before the Emperor and say so, not to mention her and Ling’er, even big brother would be implicated, and she might not even be able to see the sun tomorrow.
Her eyes were red, “What about Ling’er?”
Sun Jin was already the second best choice for Ling’er, how could she bear this blow.
“I have arranged another marriage for her, a distant relative of the Duke of Qi, tenth place in the temple exam this time, talented and not inferior in looks to Sun Jin, the Duke of Qi has arranged for him to join the Ministry of the Household, his future is boundless.”
“Ling’er will not agree.”
Wen Zhong’s tone intensified, “You go and call her here, I’ll talk to her.”