Chapter 10, what should be done

At first, he merely mentioned it casually

"No nonsense allowed." Li Zhao cannot be recognized

If it were not for Li Jing's presence, Fang Yue would have certainly asked Li Zhao whether Li Jing had taken a liking to Qin Fengyi

Li Jinghan smiled and said, "Even if I have been there, it would not matter to go again."

Qin Fengyi recalled that it seemed they had dined at the Fang family. After the Qin father and son took their leave, her daughter-in-law said to her brother-in-law, "Let the gentleman take good care of himself, as there are many matters to attend to here with A Yue. Let us return together."

Qin Fengyi said, "I recognized him from my dreams. I saw him at Qiongyu Building, and later, I encountered him again at an antique shop, so I recognized him.

Mrs. Qin listened with a look of surprise, still somewhat unable to believe it, "Did you really see the esteemed official?"

Oh dear, this is truly distressing. It seems that his wife has developed feelings for him; what should be done about this

Qin Fengyi smiled and said, "The lion's head at Lion Tower is truly exceptional, and at this time, it is served with river shrimp and bamboo shoots, then simmered to perfection, fragrant and delicious. On one occasion, I was extremely hungry and ended up eating three in one sitting."

It is a source of comfort to see my son succeed and become more sensible. The glory comes from the fact that among so many who have sent gifts, he is the only one who has met the esteemed elder. When Mrs. Qin inquired, Mr. Qin could not even take a sip of tea, first praising his son’s achievements and telling his wife, "As for our family’s status, let alone the esteemed elder being ill, even if he were in good health, it would not be certain that we could meet him when we go to pay our respects. This time, truly, our A-Feng, I do not know how he made such distinguished friends. Originally, I was waiting in the side hall, thinking that even if I could not meet the esteemed elder, it would still be good to present a gift. Unexpectedly, A-Feng went out for just a quarter of an hour and came back to call me. We then went in together with the young master and young lady of the Li family, as well as the young master of the Fang family, to personally pay our respects to the esteemed elder. At noon, it was still Young Master Fang who accompanied us for the meal. Oh dear, this is truly an unexpected fortune.

"There is something to discuss." Old Master Qin called his son and said, "The young master and young lady of the Li family have been so considerate towards us. You should send an invitation tomorrow, asking them to come to our home for dinner."

Elder Fang smiled as he glanced at Li Jing and said to Li Zhao, "There is no need to worry about this; when I was young, I was even better at having fun than you all." However, despite the doctor clearly stating that it was necessary to eat vegetarian food for a few days to recover, Elder Fang became quite unhappy that day when he saw the vegetarian soup and noodles, all because Qin Fengyi mentioned those foods and drinks in front of him.

Then, after his family took their leave, his wife asked, "Is the shrimp from the boat better, or is the flavor of the shrimp from this afternoon better?"

Fang Yue thought to herself that this was indeed the case. The Li family is a prominent family in the capital, and seeing that Qin Phoenix has struck a stroke of good fortune, it is clear that Li Jingwu has intentions of marrying down. As long as Qin Phoenix is not foolish, she would naturally take the opportunity to climb up the social ladder of the Li family. Given this opportunity for Qin Phoenix, Fang Yue might as well engage with her more often.

Qin Fengyi did not only focus on talking to Li Jing, but also inquired about what medicine Elder Fang was taking, which doctor he had consulted, and even introduced several renowned doctors from Yangzhou to the Fang family, expressing his sincere concern for the illness.

Qin Fengyi was drinking osmanthus honey water, and she was naturally aware of the backgrounds of her brother-in-law and sister-in-law. She said, "Li Dage is the son of the Duke of Jingchuan, and A Jing is the eldest daughter of the Duke of Jingchuan; they are siblings"

"Next time we go to Mingyue Tower, I will treat you to a Three-Head Feast. Hey, let me tell you, the most famous dish in Yangzhou is the Three-Head Feast, which includes braised pig's head, stewed fish head, and crab meat lion's head. Oh my, it is incredibly fragrant," Qin Fengyi said enthusiastically. Suddenly remembering something, she asked, "You haven't been to Mingyue Tower, have you?"

Old Master Qin expressed his intentions and presented a gift. Minister Fang smiled and said, "Thank you, Old Master Qin and Young Master Qin for your thoughtfulness. Upon my return to my hometown, I was craving the lion's head from Lion Tower. In a moment of gluttony, I indulged and ate two, and now I find myself quite stuffed"

"Isn't that so? After Young Master Qin left, my grandfather praised him for his remarkable elegance," Fang Yue said. "With looks like his, it is indeed... no wonder that Sister Jing, who has always had such high standards, could not escape the norm."

Qin Fengyi, with a cheerful expression that seemed somewhat foolish, smiled broadly and bowed slightly as she introduced herself, "Esteemed elder, my surname is Qin, and my name is Fengyi. This is my father. I heard that you have been feeling a bit unwell, so my father and I came to pay our respects and inquire about your health. How have you been?"

The Li family was waiting for the invitation from Qin Fengyi, but Qin Fengyi was quite hesitant at home. Speaking of which, when he returned home from the Fang family yesterday, his father truly had a look of satisfaction and glory on his face

I am still young and can grow taller; perhaps in the future, I will be able to eat five.

Qin Fengyi watched her father ramble on endlessly, and no longer pointed out the places stained with tea. She let go of her hand and said, "Mother, look at how sycophantic my father is! You have no idea, when he talks to Fatty Zhao, he addresses him as 'Master Zhao' with such deference. What does that Fatty Zhao have? He can only write a few characters and paint a picture, and his paintings are nothing special at all."

"You should just be quiet. Is Zhao the talented artist not good at painting? He comes from the Hanlin Academy! If you paint well, why don't you go to the Hanlin Academy and paint one for me?" Old Master Qin said to his son, "As for Zhao's calligraphy and painting, in Jiangnan we say he is second to none, and no one dares to claim the first place."

Li Jingxin was quite satisfied with the progress made with Qin Fengyi, as this Young Master Qin showed no fear of her at all. It was unclear what had happened earlier, but there was no need to rush; she would understand everything once she asked about it later

Do not mention Pinglan too much; my sister has neither a marriage contract nor a matchmaker with him. Li Zhao said, "You should keep your mouth shut and not speak carelessly."

Minister Fang laughed heartily

He patted his chest and said, "Tomorrow we will go eat boat cuisine, you will know then"

It seems that this matter has been settled just like that

Li Zhaobai rolled his eyes at Qin Fengyi, thinking to himself how he was acting like a fool, wasting such a good appearance. However, his good sister continued to say, "The lion's head from Yangzhou is indeed quite good. I have eaten it in the capital as well, and I heard it was also a chef from Yangzhou who was invited there, but eating it in this Yangzhou city brings a completely different flavor."

Young Master Qin is a well-known figure in the city. Although you are from Yangzhou, this is your first time returning home. If he extends an invitation, having him as a guide to explore Yangzhou City together would not be a bad idea. Li Zhao spoke candidly; although his sister had taken a liking to Qin Fengyi's face, he could not allow her to go alone, so he naturally accompanied her.

Hey, I said, what do you mean by always mentioning A Jing

Fang Yue had clearly investigated the Qin family's background thoroughly and remarked, "To be honest, that Young Master Qin truly lives up to the title of Phoenix Young Master; he is indeed handsome. In the past in the capital, you and Ping Lan were evenly matched. If we set aside our backgrounds and talents, and only consider appearances, I hope you won't take offense when I say this, but that Young Master Qin is truly not inferior to either of you." Fang Yue's statement that he was not inferior to the two was already a polite way of putting it; in reality, Qin Fengyi's looks were even a notch better than Li Zhao's.

Then, his wife smiled slightly and said, "Alright."

Old Master Qin sighed again, saying, "Miss Li's given name can be called privately, but in front of her brother, it must be treated with respect." He continued, "She is a young lady and also from the capital, so she must be taken to a clean place for dining."

Minister Fang slightly nodded and smiled, saying, "Please, take a seat."

Li Zhao said, "I see that you also have a somewhat special regard for Feng Yi."

Fang Yue privately complained to Li Zhao, "That day, Qin Fenghuang spoke so extravagantly that it left me, who had just returned to Yangzhou, quite tempted, let alone the old man. Nothing tasted good that day, and he kept insisting on having freshly caught river shrimp, saying that shrimp is a light meat and harmless."

Didn’t I just say that I have been there

I understand. Qin Fengyi saw that her father had no other instructions, so she went back to the courtyard to change her clothes. After changing into her everyday attire, Qin Fengyi was contemplating where to invite her wife for a meal. As she was thinking about this, Qin Fengyi suddenly remembered that he had no intention of rekindling the dream connection with his wife, right

"That won't do, I must take you to a place you have never been to, and it is the most authentic one," Qin Fengyi thought for a moment and said, "Then let's go eat boat dishes by the river. In spring, the fish and shrimp are the freshest; when they are caught and boiled in water, both the fish and shrimp are sweet. Boat dishes may not look impressive, but in reality, they are more authentic than some large restaurants."

So, how did he agree to take his wife to eat boat dishes

Mr. and Mrs. Qin exchanged a glance, both unable to believe that their son had such fortune. Mrs. Qin regained her composure first and asked, "Why have I never heard you mention this?"

I know, I know. Fang Yue was just gossiping a bit and asked, "Is Sister Jing not at home?"

Old Master Fang is actually in good health. It is precisely the season when the grass grows and the orioles fly. The Fang family's residence was tidied up in advance before Old Master Fang returned to his hometown, and the scenery is naturally quite pleasant. He is currently brewing tea in the pavilion of the courtyard and, upon seeing his grandson and the Fang siblings approaching, a look of joy spreads across his face. When he sees the Qin father and son, Old Master Fang is momentarily taken aback, then exclaims, "Whose son is this? What a remarkably handsome young man."

Old Master Qin tilted his hand, spilling more than half a cup of tea, which soaked his clothes. Madam Qin quickly asked, "Did it burn you?" Qin Fengyi, quick-witted and nimble, helped her father lift the wet part. Old Master Qin replied, "It's nothing, the tea is not hot." He set down the teacup and asked his son, "How do you know them?"

Elder Fang looked at Qin Fengyi, stroked his beard and smiled, "That's not too much. When I was young, there was one time I ate four in one sitting."

Li Zhao said, "The tailor from Gangyu Yifang has come over. She came to Yangzhou with not many garments, so I suggested that we simply make a few pieces, which would be good to wear, especially as the weather is getting increasingly hot now"

There is nothing much to say about this, as we are not familiar with each other. We have only just met recently.

Fang Yue smiled, "It seems that my younger sister is about to fulfill her appointment in Phoenix."

"How could that be false!" Old Master Qin took the tea offered by the maid and asked his son, "Who are Young Master Li and Young Lady Li?"

Li Zhao said, "Look at you two, coming over to visit while endlessly talking about food. If you tempt the gentleman again, what shall we do?"

Li Zhao could not help but chuckle, and Fang Yue whispered, "Isn't Miss Jing interested in that Young Master Qin?"

What delicious food is there at home? I have agreed with A Jing to take her to eat boat cuisine

Old Master Qin is not like Qin Fengyi, who thinks aimlessly and wildly. Old Master Qin did not even change his robe, saying, "If we are not familiar, how could they take us along to meet the esteemed official? What kind of human sentiment is this? They value you, which is why they are taking us along! Is this child foolish?" Such an important matter, yet he did not even mention it to the family. They value you, which is why they are taking us along! Is this child foolish? Such an important matter, yet he did not even mention it to the family

Fang Yue smiled, "Do not be vague with me, I am not blind. I have known Sister Jing since childhood; do you think I do not know what kind of person she is? I have always felt that she does not even regard someone like Ping Lan with any importance. In this world, is there anyone who could catch her eye? I thought I would never see such a person in my lifetime, yet unexpectedly, I saw one in Yangzhou City."

That is what Qin Fengyi said, "Can the landscapes of the capital compare to those of Yangzhou? The soil and water are different, and thus the things produced will have different flavors. A Jing, have you ever eaten the lion's head from Lion's Tower?"

Qin Fengyi let out a long sigh: He knows that his wife is completely smitten with him at first sight

"Alright, alright, first things first," Qin Fengyi said, "Father, you haven't changed your clothes; I need to go change mine."