In Su Xiaoqi’s astonished and shocked gaze, Shen Yun said calmly,
“Sir has introduced me to a few business opportunities.”
Because he had the support of Mr. Gu, a great tree to lean on for shade, and the reputation of being the top scholar of Mianzhou City.
Shen Yun had written several epitaphs for people recently.
They were mostly wealthy families and influential gentry, for whom paying one or two hundred taels of silver for an epitaph was not a significant expense.
So that’s how it was, Su Xiaoqi immediately understood.
With Shen Yun’s writing skills and abilities, coupled with Mr. Gu’s endorsement, it was naturally not a problem.
Moreover, Su Xiaoqi seemed to have overlooked a very important issue.
In fact, the Shen Yun in the novel was originally a person who was very good at making money.
Except for being impoverished and down on his luck in the early stages, after passing the imperial examinations, his financial luck was like rolling tides.
Of course, one must also add his smooth official career.
Only then did he grow into a powerful minister of a generation.
“Your calligraphy is so good for painting and writing inscriptions, why write epitaphs?” Su Xiaoqi felt that her ability to make money was still too weak compared to Shen Yun, and she couldn’t help but mutter.
“Didn’t my wife tell me not to paint or write for others?” Shen Yun said helplessly.
He knew that Su Xiaoqi was different from ordinary women, with many ideas and a meticulous mind. Didn't he need to earn some silver for her to splurge on?
Seeing that he was so obedient, Su Xiaoqi became happy. She dropped the matter and didn’t mention it again. His habit of giving her money after earning it was still commendable.
When she became happy, without thinking, she hugged Shen Yun’s neck and kissed him on the corner of his mouth.
Before he could react, she quickly pulled away.
Shen Yun touched his lips, momentarily stunned.
When he recovered and was about to pursue her, he heard Su Xiaoqi point outside and say,
“We’re here, we’re here, Furong Manor.” She remembered that Shen Yun had mentioned Mr. Gu Shicheng’s manor was called this name.
Shen Yun got out of the carriage, knocked on the door of Furong Manor, and explained the reason to the gatekeeper.
The gatekeeper immediately opened the main door, removed the threshold, and said with a smile,
“The master just went in. He instructed me to rush you in upon seeing Master Shen.”
The mule cart stopped outside, and Shen Yun and Su Xiaoqi alighted and walked.
The cart carrying the reaping machine drove into the main courtyard.
As the two stepped into the main courtyard, they heard a hearty laugh.
“Hahahaha, Xu zhi has arrived.” It was the renowned Mr. Gu Shicheng.
Su Xiaoqi had originally expected to see an elder with a long beard and a dignified demeanor.
Unexpectedly, what appeared was a middle-aged man with a fair, beardless face.
He wore a wide-sleeved robe, his long hair was black and shiny, only a few strands were held by a sandalwood hairpin, and the rest cascaded down his back.
He casually wore wooden clogs on his feet, exuding an unrestrained aura.
Standing with Shen Yun, it was hard to say who was more outstanding.
Looking at him, Su Xiaoqi would unconsciously think of: “Like jade on the path, a peerless gentleman,” his entire being exuded the spirit of the Wei and Jin Dynasties, with his wide sleeves and long robes, he was dashing and free-spirited.
And looking at Shen Yun, it was “A graceful gentleman, as if cut, as if planed, as if carved, as if polished.”
He stood like a jade tree in the orchid grove, and his smile was like the moon entering a loving embrace.
One emphasized freedom and spontaneity, while the other focused on gentle modesty.
“Xu zhi, is that your courtesy name?” Su Xiaoqi asked.
Before Shen Yun could answer, Gu Shicheng said with a smile,
“To be warm is like the spring sun, to be scattered is like timely rain. There is also the morning mist and evening haze, the warmth of spring and the shade of autumn. What do you think, Madam Shen?”
Su Xiaoqi savored it and knew that this courtesy name must have been given by Gu Shicheng; it was too much like him.
It was very unlike Shen Yun’s temperament of being outwardly gentle but inwardly cunning.
“Since it was given by Sir, it must be extremely good,” Su Xiaoqi replied softly, her attitude neither humble nor overbearing.
“As Xu zhi said, his wife is also extremely good!” Gu Shicheng clapped his hands.
He felt that the couple standing side by side before him looked extremely harmonious, a match of talent and beauty.
Seeing them filled him with joy.
He took out two jade pendants from his embrace and handed them to the young couple respectively.
Su Xiaoqi glanced at them. The jade pendants were pure white throughout, with a lustrous sheen. The jade was of superior quality, carved with two intertwined lotus flowers.
Although the patterns were small, the lines were clear, and the carving was first-class. It was obvious at a glance that they were valuable.
Su Xiaoqi intended to politely decline, but Shen Yun raised his hand and accepted them, then took her hand and gave them to her.
Su Xiaoqi was startled, and Shen Yun’s gentle voice sounded in her ear, “Sir gave them as a meeting gift, so accept them.”
“Hahahaha, that’s right. Since I gave them, you should accept them.”
Gu Shicheng let out another hearty laugh, his laughter clear and piercing the clouds.
Su Xiaoqi knew that he was indeed a straightforward and jovial person.
If they refused what he gave, it would displease him.
One dare not refuse what an elder bestows.
He gave them a meeting gift as soon as they met, which meant he regarded her as his own junior.
Su Xiaoqi knew that Shen Yun must have greatly pleased Gu Shicheng, which was why he treated her with favor out of affection for Shen Yun.
Su Xiaoqi glanced at Shen Yun with reverence in her eyes. He was indeed formidable.
Even someone like Mr. Gu treated him with such courtesy.
Shen Yun put the jade into his embrace, keeping it close to his person.
Su Xiaoqi, however, was still gently playing with the intertwined lotus jade pendant. As soon as the jade pendant entered her hand, she found it hard to let go.
When she first received it, its texture was as warm and smooth as fat. It was a little cool at first, and then it felt exceptionally warm in her palm.
“Xu zhi mentioned that your hands and feet have always been cold, so wearing this warm jade would be best,” Gu Shicheng had always been very knowledgeable about gold, stones, and jade.
For this reason, he even published a book called "Chronicles of Gold and Stones," which was very popular among collectors of gold and stones in the Daliang Dynasty.
Su Xiaoqi received it as a treasure and thanked him with a joyful curtsy.
She said that she would make a string for it upon returning and wear it with her.
Shen Yun was very astute. He immediately followed suit, bowed to Su Xiaoqi, and said to let her trouble herself.
Su Xiaoqi: “……”
She had no intention of making one for him.
As for her craftsmanship, she knew it best herself.
How could she do embroidery?
But in front of Gu Shicheng, how could she not give Shen Yun face? Of course, she agreed.
She even said hypocritically, “My skills are crude, please don’t dislike it, my dear husband.”
Shen Yun smiled with eyes like crescent moons, “What my wife makes is the best.”
Gu Shicheng stroked his chin, inexplicably being fed a mouthful of dog food.
Fortunately, after Su Xiaoqi put on a show, she immediately remembered the gifts she had brought for Gu Shicheng.
“Sir, this is corn, and this is potato. Both are cooked. This is the ice jelly I made, with some watermelon added, and it was chilled in the well.
If you have ice cubes here, adding a few would make the taste even better.”
Gu Shicheng looked at the food box Su Xiaoqi was holding. Not only did the names sound unfamiliar, but even the items looked completely new.
He immediately became interested.
He invited them to sit at the stone table in the courtyard and ordered a servant to fetch some ice cubes from the ice cellar.
Su Xiaoqi had said it casually, but she didn’t expect Gu Shicheng to be so extravagant as to have ice cubes stored at home.
Indeed, being rich was good.
When the ice cubes were brought, the servants had thoughtfully made them into dice-sized cubes.
Su Xiaoqi’s eyes lit up. She put them into the ice jelly, adding raisins, melon seeds, crushed peanuts, and watermelon.
She then poured her special brown sugar syrup over it, and a bowl of modern-style ice jelly was ready.
She respectfully handed it to Gu Shicheng and placed a porcelain spoon for him to taste.
Gu Shicheng took it and looked at the item called ice jelly in the blue and white porcelain bowl.
It was interspersed with green and white, with transparent block-like objects inside, drizzled with brown brown sugar syrup, looking very appealing.
He blinked and gently poked it with the spoon.
This thing was exceptionally slippery. Poking it made it roll to the side instead.
When scooping with a spoon, it would slip away without care.
“Hahahaha, interesting, interesting.” Gu Shicheng was amused and laughed heartily.
Su Xiaoqi took advantage of this opportunity to make two more bowls.
She and Shen Yun each had a bowl.
She pushed one towards Shen Yun, smiling enchantingly, “Try it. It’s much tastier than last night.”
Shen Yun nodded, glanced at Gu Shicheng, and saw his master finally scoop some and put it in his mouth.
Gu Shicheng squinted his eyes. The cool, sweet taste spread through his mouth.
The smooth, tender ice jelly entered his mouth with the ice cubes and quickly slid down his esophagus. The heat in his body dissipated considerably.
Gu Shicheng showed an expression of enjoyment on his face, which was not fake.
Shen Yun was relieved. It seemed his master liked it.
His wife was truly amazing!
His master’s discerning palate had been easily won over by just one bowl of ice jelly.