The Crown Prince's face was full of smiles as he stopped Qi You from bowing, and patted his shoulder forcefully. "You're back so soon, is everything taken care of?"

  "Yes, I won't shame your orders."

  "Haha, I was just talking to Mo Wen today and said you should be back in three or four days, didn't expect you to come back earlier than I thought. Are you really worried about my errands or can't bear the loneliness of your new wife?"

  Qī Yòu didn't speak, at this time the crown prince wasn't that high and mighty person who decided his fate, but rather a brother from childhood who could entrust his back to him when they used to knock their heads together three times under the moonlight. So at this moment, he didn't need to show too much respect.

  As expected, seeing him like this, the prince was even more delighted, laughing even louder.

  "With this temperament of yours, how can I praise you? Sit down and have a meal with me."

  "Yes." Without any politeness, he sat down in the position below the crown prince, and Qi You put the intricately carved black lacquer box that had been held in his hand on the table.

  The crown prince had seen it early on and thought it was some rare object he had brought back from outside, so he looked at it with great interest.

  Open the box, and a fragrance hits your nose. The green pellets are full and rolling around in the box.

  "This is... tea?" The aroma of the tea was too familiar, and the prince recognized it at once. His face changed color, and he immediately asked "Where did it come from? Has someone else also made tea leaves somewhere else?"

  "No, this is newly made from the tea garden."

  The crown prince was taken aback for a moment, then burst out laughing "Tea Garden has produced new tea? How come I haven't received any news?"

  "The new wife said it was made in just a few days and improved twice in between, until she thought it was good enough to be sent to you."

  The crown prince picked up a handful and sniffed it at the tip of his nose, raising an eyebrow to look at Le happily: "What if you didn't come back today? Would you have kept it from me forever? Hmm? You're quite bold!"

  "If I don't return today, General Qi's army will arrive tomorrow, and Madam has already made arrangements."

  Qī Yòu closed the box and pushed it in front of the Crown Prince. Earlier, one wrong answer could negate all their good deeds due to the Crown Prince's suspicion.

  But as it was true that he was thinking of her, he didn't want to remind her that she had been a bit rash this time.

  Just remind me of it later from something else if necessary.

  Upon hearing Qi You's response, the Crown Prince felt that it was more than satisfactory, and his smile deepened by another two degrees.

  "Zhou Liang, use this tea leaf to brew two cups."

  "Wait a moment, Your Highness. The brewing method for this tea is slightly different from the previous one. Would you mind putting the hot water cup here and let me brew it for you?"

  "What's going on? Is there another way?"

  "It's obvious at a glance."

  Zhou Liang had long known that the Crown Prince and Qi Daguizi's feelings were different. After hearing Qi Daguizi's suggestion, he went to make preparations.

  Soon brought over the boiling water and tea cups.

  Qiu Yu washed his hands, put the cup cover aside, and added a cup of tea leaves before remembering Zhou's instructions. He then said: "Housekeeper Zhou, bring two more cups."

  Zhou Liang went to fetch them himself. The crown prince curiously asked, "There are only two people drinking, why do we need four cups?"

  Qī Yòu did not speak, he had made up his mind to just do it and not say anything.

  The crown prince couldn't help but give him a punch, how could he have been such a sulky and stubborn person since childhood.

  Even facing him, he wouldn't say what he didn't want to say, and wasn't afraid of being punished by him.

  However, he indeed couldn't bear to punish him after all.

  Good ministers are easily found, but a good general is hard to find.

  Ke Qiu is a rare talent with both literary and military skills, having his own strategies in mind, even leading troops into battle.

  He had thought it through long ago, Qiyou, he would definitely not be treated unfairly.

  He probably never trusted anyone more than Qiyou in this life, and he really handed over his back.

  Pour the boiling water into a teacup, flush it after pouring out the water, refill it with water, cover it slightly with a lid and then filter the tea soup into another empty cup.

  The bright orange-yellow tea rippled with water waves, Qi You slowly pushed it in front of the prince "Drink and see which one is better."

  Just by looking at the color of the tea, the prince felt that his heart was already biased. The royal family loved yellow and revered it as a noble color. While the green tea looked comfortable to drink, this orange-yellow color obviously won him over.

  It should also be more in line with what's on his mind.

  The aroma of tea filled his nostrils, and after taking a deep sniff, the prince took a shallow sip. He savored it for a while, his eyes growing brighter and brighter. "Rich and mellow, with a hint of crispness, thick but not astringent. This is good, original, this is good."

  "Subordinates haven't had a drink yet, you wait for a moment."

  The Crown Prince Lost His Smile "Are you seeking revenge?"

  "I dare not, I just speak the truth."

  "Go and brew your tea, I'm in a good mood now, so I won't bother with you."

  "You don't usually argue with your subordinates."

  He glanced at him sideways, and the smile in the prince's eyes was about to overflow.

  Qī Yòu indeed hadn't drunk any tea, as soon as he got home he went to pay respects to his elders, after returning to the house he waited for a while again, and then chatted for a bit before being chased out by Rú Chū, where was there time to drink tea?

  As Fa made a cup of tea, just by looking at the color, Qiyou knew that as long as the flavor wasn't too different, this tea would definitely win over Sheng's heart.

  After taking a sip, the taste is no worse than that kind of tea, so there's nothing more to say.

  "The lady said this tea leaf is for Your Highness to name."

  Wen Yuandan's eyes rolled around, and after finishing a cup of tea, he said, "You say, how about letting the emperor name him?"

  "Excellent."

  "Thank you very much on my behalf, madam, I won't forget."

  Qī Yòu stood up and bowed with his fists, "As a subordinate and Your Highness are people on the same boat, we share the same honor and the same loss. Whatever she does is what should be done."

  "If everyone had your loyalty, what would I have to worry about? Alright, sit down and teach me the proper way to make tea. Tomorrow when I enter the palace, I must not make any mistakes."

  "Yes, it's not difficult to learn. This tea cannot be steeped for a long time and cannot be left overnight. Just remind you, Your Highness."

  After dinner, Qi You Fang casually mentioned that today Tao Ce Fei came to ask about the tea leaves when he had not returned home yet.

  The crown prince's face sank, anger rising from his heart, and he slammed the table as he stood up. "She is just a woman, even if she has some cleverness, she should be staying at home in peace, going to the Qi manor like this, is she provoking me?"

  Qī Yòu did not speak, as soon as he returned home and heard such a thing, how could he not be angry?

  Taking advantage of his absence, bullying his wife. From a status point of view, he can't avenge this grudge, but that doesn't mean others won't.

  Being calculated by the current empress and suppressed by the second prince, Xun Yudan has been gritting his teeth to get through all these years.

  The more you endure, the more unbearable it becomes.

  Now when circumstances were favorable to him, he had to continue to endure.

  Wen Yuandang looked at Qi You solemnly, "Originally, you can rest assured, I've taken note of this matter. Your wife must have been frightened today, so go back first and don't come tomorrow, take a day off."

  This is compensation, Qi You responded and retreated, neither resentful nor dissatisfied, calm and peaceful as usual.

  The more he was like this, the more Wen Yudan felt that the Qi family had suffered a great injustice for his sake.

  It's still unclear for now, but it will show its effect at a critical moment later on.

  Qī Yòu deeply understood this point, so he endured.

  When he returned home, it was already dark. He dismounted his horse and threw the reins to Qi Liang, ignoring the voices asking about his well-being along the way, and walked quickly inside.

  The gate is still open, as if waiting for him from the beginning.

  Either because of the heat or because he couldn't vent his frustration to his wife, his restless heart calmed down for a moment.

  A person stands quietly and beautifully under a big tree in the yard, slightly tilting their head as if lost in thought.

  Hearing the noise, he looked over and a smile naturally bloomed on his face.

  "Back? Have you eaten?"

  "Ah, I'm back."

  Qī Yòu walked over and sat down beside her, holding her hand tightly.

  No one knows how much significance those three words "back home" hold for him.

  In the past, he was idle and would not return home early.

  The crown prince pitied him and arranged a comfortable room for him in the crown prince's mansion, where he would rest whenever he didn't want to return.

  It was already dark when I got home after returning.

  He was used to it, and other people in his family thought it was a matter of course.

  They seem to have forgotten that this is his home and he should be thinking of it. When he wants to rest, he should come back here.

  He himself had also forgotten.

  Until awakened by a sudden voice saying "I'm back".

  Hua Ru didn't ask what he and the Crown Prince had discussed, as long as it wouldn't harm her or the Qi Manor.

  "Qiu Yu, I want to go out tomorrow."

  "Okay, I'll go with you."

  "With all the hustle and bustle for him, I think the prince should also give you a break. It's good that you're accompanying him, but to be honest, I don't want to hear those words."

  A hint of displeasure flashed in Qi You's eyes, "Someone has been framing you?"

  "Day by day, she's going out and about, and there are always people who envy and resent her. They can't get this kind of freedom for themselves, so they won't let them say a few sour words? It's better to ignore them than to argue with them. If you talk too much, no one will pay attention, and they'll naturally give up their thoughts."

  "Grandma said, your mother is having a hard time because of you."

  "She's been locked up now, what can I do to her?" Hua Ru looked at him for a moment, handed him the teacup, but Qi You didn't take it and drank directly from her hand.

  "I used the golden silkworm fabric from my dowry to make a set of undergarments for my grandparents and parents. I've already sent them to my grandparents, but you should send the ones for my parents tomorrow when you come back from outside. You always need to go pay your respects when you return, but Grandmother has excused me from paying respects to Mother, who is still angry with me, so I don't want to go in front of her."

  "Then I won't send it."

  "She will be even angrier."

  "That's your dowry, you should keep it yourself."

  Someone thought of her like that, Hua Ruochu was originally happy and couldn't help but laugh even more happily. "Of course, I'll keep the big things like gold and silver, but some things can't be kept for long, it's better to use them as gifts and get a good reputation. I also promised Zhenmei that I would add dowry for her later! By the way, did Grandfather tell you about the Jiang family asking someone to propose?"

  "Jiang's family?" Qi You's heart skipped a beat, the Jiang family had always been neutral, not to mention him, even the Crown Prince probably wouldn't have thought they'd get involved.

  They think so highly of the Second Prince?

  The crown prince is still trying to win them over.

  After thinking for a while, Qi You stood up and pulled her up as well. "I have to go to the Crown Prince's mansion again, you go inside first."

  "Alright, go quickly."

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