Yao Tianlan thought this was a good idea.   

She knew Diao Dalang—he was a smart and down-to-earth kid.

Although she hadn’t stopped Ji Rongxia and Gu Tangjin from “wasting” the oil before, she’d still had a lingering doubt in her heart. Now, she was completely at ease. Gu Chuncai asked, “How long will it take before Tangjin’s batch is ready for use?”

He had always valued craftsmanship, and making scented soap was certainly a craft. Though he didn’t quite understand the process, he watched with great interest.

“In a couple of days, I’ll split the bamboo, cut the scented soap inside into small pieces, and let them air-dry. They’ll need to dry for about ten days before they’re ready to use,” Gu Tangjin said.

The Culinary God System explained very generously this time: “Because freshly made soap has a relatively high pH level and is alkaline, it’s not suitable for skin contact. To use it on the skin, you have to wait until the pH drops to seven. Since the Host and the Host’s partner heated the mixture while making the soap, the curing time can be shortened somewhat. If the soap solution had been stirred directly in a cold environment, the curing time would have to be extended.”

“Also, the reason you added salt earlier, Host, is that potassium soap has a softer texture. Depending on the recipe, potassium soap can take the form of a paste, liquid, or semi-solid. Adding salt granules to the pot reduces the solubility of sodium fatty acids, causing them to precipitate out of the mixture.”

Ji Rongxia: “???”

Either the little master didn’t say anything at all, or he explained it in a way that left him completely confused.

It took him a moment to process it before he summarized, “So, at first, this soap is like the water Tangjin made—it can burn the skin, so you can’t use it carelessly, but it’s fine once it’s left to air dry? Adding salt is what makes the soap harden?”

The Culinary God System explained in detail: “The Host may think of it that way. The liquid your partner produced is called lye. Wood ash contains potassium carbonate, which reacts with quicklime—calcium oxide—to produce calcium carbonate and potassium hydroxide. After settling, the liquid on top is the lye.”

Ji Rongxia was completely baffled.

“Wait a minute, Master. Yesterday, I only had to prod you a little before you mentioned that rapeseed oil could be used to make scented soap. How come I haven’t even asked you anything yet, and you’ve already said so much?” Ji Rongxia said.

The Culinary God System replied in all seriousness, “Because I’ve discovered that you, the Host, and your partner are currently completing the long-term mission I assigned to help recharge my energy. Therefore, as the system, I need to offer some assistance—such as sharing common knowledge—without threatening the development of this world.”

Ji Rongxia thought to himself, “Oh, so that means as long as I’m helping you recharge, you’ll answer questions about ‘common knowledge.’” 

The Culinary God System replied, “Yes, Host.”

Ji Rongxia smiled and, understanding the implication, didn’t ask any further questions.

“To have this much scented soap after just ten days or so!” Yao Tianlan was delighted. Their restaurant needed cleaning every day; without soap nuts or soap, the tables and chairs would become sticky and impossible to scrub clean. Just buying soap nuts and soap each month cost a pretty penny.

“That’s right, and there’s more to come. Mom and Dad, it’s getting late—you should go to bed now.” Gu Tangjin glanced at the sky and said. Yao Tianlan and Gu Chuncai went to bed.

Gu Tangjin and Ji Rongxia also washed up briefly before returning to their room.

“The little master told me that by making soap, we’re helping him complete his energy-recharge task, so he can share some basic knowledge with us,” Ji Rongxia said, furrowing his brow as he struggled to describe what the little master had said. “Adding salt makes scented soap harder—he said adding salt causes another substance to precipitate out, and that a reaction between wood ash and quicklime produces lye…”

Ji Rongxia spoke very slowly, relying entirely on his memory to repeat the young master’s words. Since he didn’t really understand what he was saying himself, he couldn’t make it sound coherent.

Gu Tangjin looked at him gently and listened patiently until he finished.

When Ji Rongxia finished, he exhaled deeply and took a sip of the plain tea beside him.

Gu Tangjin took out paper and pen and quickly jotted down what he had just heard: “I still don’t quite understand it, but now I think I have some idea of why scented soap can be made using oil and wood ash water.”

“That’s good. Phew, it’s so complicated. I still prefer cooking.” Ji Rongxia slumped onto the table, feeling as though all his strength had drained away, though stirring the soap mixture had actually been quite fun.

Gu Tangjin casually jotted down the formula he’d figured out while making the scented soap today.

“Are we still practicing calligraphy today? My arms are a little tired.” Ji Rongxia shook his hands.

“Then let’s take the day off.” Gu Tangjin set down his brush and reached out to massage Ji Rongxia’s arms. Ji Rongxia’s eyes lit up as he asked, “Really?”

Gu Tangjin replied firmly, “Really.”

Taking an occasional day off wasn’t a big deal, but every time he saw Xia-ger acting spoiled and throwing a tantrum to avoid reading and writing, Gu Tangjin couldn’t help but smile. Ji Rongxia let out a quiet cheer, darted away from the desk, plopped down on the bed, and lay back.

It was indeed comfortable!

He closed his eyes and fell asleep almost immediately.

As soon as he entered the system space, Ji Rongxia said, “I’m taking the day off, so I can practice a little longer. Little Master, wake me up in an hour and a half.” 

Culinary God System: “Sure, Host.”

Ji Rongxia rolled up his sleeves and got to work on the spices for the roasted lamb chops.

He adjusted the mixture time and time again, and by the fifty-third attempt, Ji Rongxia finally brought the completion rate above ninety-five percent.

【Ding. Detection shows the seasoning completion rate for the grilled lamb chops is 97%. Exceeding 95% triggers a special reward.】

【Ding! Special Reward: Grilled lamb chops seasoned by the host themselves, and the detailed recipe for perfect grilled lamb chops.】

“Whoa! Seven dishes left. Once I finish this task, I don’t think I’ll need to practice seasoning for a long time.” Ji Rongxia stood with his hands on his hips, twisting from side to side to stretch his body.

The Culinary God System asked, “It’s been less than the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn. Do you want to continue?” 

“Continue!” Ji Rongxia said, giving his waist a light tap.

【Dish 14: Stir-Fried Shredded Potatoes with Vinegar.】

【Tip: A simplified recipe follows: Wash and peel the potatoes, then cut them into thin strips. Chop the chili peppers, scallions, and dried chili peppers and set them aside. Add a small amount of vinegar to a bowl of water, soak the potato strips in it, then rinse them with clean water to remove excess starch.】

【Heat a wok, add a little oil, and stir-fry Sichuan peppercorns until fragrant; remove the peppercorns. Add dried red chili peppers and chopped scallions and stir-fry until aromatic. Add the potato strips and stir-fry. Pour in vinegar, sugar, salt, and sliced green peppers, and stir-fry over high heat. Finally, add a small amount of cornstarch slurry to thicken, and it’s done.】

【Please enjoy the finished dish, Host.】

A plate of seemingly ordinary shredded potatoes appeared before Ji Rongxia.

The combination of green pepper strips and potato strips—yellow against green—looked refreshing and vibrant. Ji Rongxia picked up his chopsticks: “Shredded potatoes? Potatoes?”

“This tastes like shredded yam that isn’t slippery, or shredded taro that isn’t very sweet. No, no—on closer tasting, it doesn’t quite resemble either.” Ji Rongxia shook his head as he ate, feeling that none of the things he’d mentioned really matched this potato.

“It’s delicious.” Ji Rongxia wasn’t quite sure how to describe this unfamiliar flavor. The shredded potatoes were crisp and refreshing, with a tangy, spicy kick—they’d definitely go well with rice.

“By the way, can this be used to make starch?” Ji Rongxia asked. The Culinary God System replied, “Yes.”

“First soak them, then rinse off the excess starch from the potato strips, and finally add starch water to stir-fry. What a strange method.” Ji Rongxia was puzzled, wondering why as he seasoned the dish.

Ji Rongxia knew that removing the excess starch would make the potato strips crispier and prevent them from becoming mushy like taro, but why add starch water at the end?

It certainly wasn’t to make the potato strips softer or more tender, was it?

Ji Rongxia couldn’t figure it out, so when he made the stir-fried potato strips for the first time, he simply skipped the starch slurry at the end. Leaning over the stove, he studied the dish intently. Suddenly, he clenched his fist and exclaimed, “I get it!”

Ji Rongxia completely ignored the system’s reminder that his completion rate was only thirty-five percent; he was completely immersed in the joy of his new discovery. Pointing at the plate of potato strips, which had already turned slightly brown, he laughed, “This starch slurry makes the dish’s color brighter!”

“Right? Little Chef!” Ji Rongxia looked up at the cloud-shaped system floating beside him and asked.

“Yes, Host,” the Culinary God System finally explained in detail. “The starch water absorbs the moisture in the vegetables, preventing the oxidase on their surface from oxidizing the vitamin C, which keeps the vegetables bright and fresh.”

Ji Rongxia: “……” That sounds so complicated.

Who cares? At least he’d learned something new.

Ji Rongxia happily continued preparing the stir-fried shredded potatoes with vinegar.

Provided he didn’t make any deliberate mistakes, Ji Rongxia successfully finished the stir-fried shredded potatoes in just over the time it takes to burn a stick of incense!

【Ding! Testing shows that the seasoning for the stir-fried shredded potatoes is 97% complete. Since it exceeds 95%, a special reward has been triggered.】

【Ding! Special Reward: The detailed recipe for the Host’s own version of Stir-Fried Shredded Potatoes with Vinegar and the Perfect Stir-Fried Shredded Potatoes with Vinegar.】

“There’s still time. Would you like to continue, Host?” asked the Culinary God System.

Ji Rongxia shook his head. “I’m not going to keep working on this. I’ve been meaning to ask—how do you make starch?” 

“The starch-making tutorial is in the Cooking Module,” the Culinary God System reminded him.

“Then let’s take on a task from the cooking module,” Ji Rongxia said with a shrug, full of anticipation.

【Host has selected the Cooking Module.】

【Ding! Beginner’s Task in the Cooking Module: Starch Production. (Includes instructional video.)】

【Task Requirements: Select two ingredients from wheat, corn, potatoes, mung beans, taro, peas, sorghum, and red beans, and independently produce starch from them.】

【Reward: 10 jin each of potato starch and corn starch.】 Ji Rongxia hesitated slightly before choosing wheat and taro.

However, all the foods mentioned in the task appeared on the stove as a display. Ji Rongxia clicked to play the instructional video.

The person in the instructional video, whose face was obscured, began explaining the differences and specific uses of each type of starch one by one.

“In cooking, starch primarily serves three functions: thickening, pastry making, and batter preparation.”

“Thickening is mainly used to lock in moisture, making ingredients like meat more tender and helping the food absorb flavors.”

“When deep-frying, the batter helps shape the food and makes it crispy.”

“Different types of pastries require different starches to achieve a variety of textures.”

“Different types of starch have different uses. Starch primarily consists of amylose and amylopectin. Amylose is characterized by a chewy texture, while amylopectin is viscous.”

“For example, potato and corn starch are primarily used for thickening. Both contain a high proportion of amylopectin, and their good viscosity allows them to adhere well to food.”   

“Starches from peas and mung beans, on the other hand, contain less amylopectin. They have a distinctive chewy texture and are suitable for making cold jelly desserts.”

“Cassava and sweet potato starches have a high amylopectin content, which can make them too viscous. They aren’t suitable for making batter for deep-fried foods but are more commonly used in pastries. Among these, wheat starch is often used to make dumplings and cold noodles.”

Ji Rongxia listened, completely dumbfounded.

“Do I have to learn all this?!” Ji Rongxia asked the Culinary God System.

The Culinary God System repeated the content of the Cooking Module: “The Cooking Module covers learning classic dishes, studying culinary principles, and practicing the creation of new dishes.”

Culinary God System: “Host, didn’t you notice there’s a ‘Knowledge Learning’ option in there?” 

Ji Rongxia: “……”

“No wonder the fundamentals are just simple modules,” Ji Rongxia said, shaking his head. He realized just how difficult it was to become a culinary god. He didn’t quite understand the knowledge explained in the instructional videos, so he could only memorize it by rote!

“There’s so much to learn about cooking.” Ji Rongxia felt that he hadn’t actually learned to read today, yet he was just as exhausted as if he had.

After finally memorizing all of this, before Ji Rongxia could even learn how to make starch, the Culinary God System reminded him: “Host, one and a half hours are up.” Upon hearing this, Ji Rongxia desperately wanted to keep practicing.

He’d finally finished memorizing it all—he was about to get his hands dirty!!! But he couldn’t stay up late; otherwise, he’d be too tired tomorrow.

“Alright, that’s it for today.”

“…No way! Let me see how to make wheat starch!” Ji Rongxia quickly said.

The Culinary God System helped Ji Rongxia adjust the video’s progress.

Making wheat starch isn’t difficult. Simply put, it involves repeatedly rinsing the dough in water, then waiting for the milky-white water to settle. After draining off the excess water, what remains at the bottom is the wheat starch.

The process for taro starch is similar, except you mash the taro with water into a paste, then strain it through a cloth to remove the liquid. The rest of the process is pretty much the same as making wheat starch.

Ji Rongxia instantly understood: “Oh, oh, oh, I get it! The methods for making starch from other foods are probably similar. For hard beans like mung beans, you’d probably need to soak them first, wait for them to swell, and then grind them into a paste to make the starch!”

The Culinary God System said, “The host is very smart.”

Ji Rongxia replied modestly, “I’m only smart when I’m cooking. I’m not going to chat with you anymore—it’s too late. I’m going back to bed.”

With that, he quickly left the system space and hurried off to bed.

━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

At the Marquis’ Mansion, early morning.

“Goodness, this boat ride has left my back and waist aching.” Wu Baoquan stretched his limbs, feeling as if his body had been shaken to pieces. Zhu Pengyi and Peng Lecheng also disembarked.

“Come on, let’s go find something to eat first,” Wu Baoquan said generously. “Just tell me what you want—no need to be polite.”

Peng Lecheng was still a bit unaccustomed to Wu Baoquan’s warmth and generosity, appearing somewhat reserved. Zhu Pengyi spoke up directly: “I’d like something hot—let’s have some meat buns.”

“Just meat buns?” Wu Baoquan asked.

Zhu Pengyi thought for a moment and added, “And some egg drop soup.”

Wu Baoquan turned to Peng Lecheng: “What about you?”

Peng Lecheng replied sheepishly, “Anything is fine with me.”

“Alright, Cheng, let’s go get the meat buns first.” Wu Baoquan led Zhu Pengyi and Peng Lecheng to a bun shop.

The meat buns here tasted pretty good at first, but after a few, they started to feel a bit too salty and greasy.

Zhu Pengyi sipped a bowl of egg drop soup and muttered, “I’d rather be munching on cold crumbly flatbread.” Even though the crumbly flatbread had gone cold and hard, its flavor was still unbeatable.

Wu Baoquan nodded silently.

Only Peng Lecheng was eating with great relish. Although these buns couldn’t compare to the pan-fried buns Xia-ger had given him last time, they weren’t bad either. It was a rare chance to eat meat, so he had to have as much as he could!

After they had eaten their fill, Wu Baoquan took the two of them to buy gifts.

Although Peng Lecheng hadn’t passed the scholar examination, he’d been to the provincial capital many times. He’d heard of several good shops and offered some suggestions.

Wu Baoquan bought some writing supplies and tonics to restore his health, intending to pay a visit to Guan Feibai first.

This was something Gu Tangjin had specifically told him when he went to buy provisions, instructing him to seek out Guan Feibai first upon arriving in the provincial capital.

Although Wu Baoquan didn’t quite understand the reason, he decided to follow Gu Tangjin’s advice.

“Xiao Peng, you’re the youngest among the candidates recommended by Scholar Gu, so I won’t beat around the bush. Let me just ask you this: have you heard of this Guan Feibai?”

“I’ve only heard vague rumors. I know this old scholar acted as a guarantor for Scholar Gu during the provincial exams, but that’s all I know,” Peng Lecheng said sheepishly.

He was too busy making a living to have much contact with Scholar Gu, let alone his friends.

“Well… I recall that Scholar Gu has a master, doesn’t he?” Wu Baoquan probed indirectly.

With a properly ordained master and matters like acting as a guarantor for the provincial exams, shouldn’t the master have handled that?

Someone who could be friends with a juren should hold an official title themselves and have disciples under their tutelage. They would vouch for one another, knowing their own disciples’ temperaments and dispositions. This would prevent the student they vouched for from cheating and ruining their own reputation, while also avoiding a situation where one person’s cheating would result in collective punishment for all the students who co-signed the guarantee.

That is why it is so common to study under a master. If you don’t have a master, and you find yourself in a situation where you need one, you’ll have no choice but to throw money at the problem or find someone at the last minute. The imperial examinations are a major undertaking; whether you’re throwing money at it or scrambling to find a guarantor at the last minute, things are bound to go wrong.

Peng Lecheng failed to grasp the deeper meaning behind Wu Baoquan’s words, taking them as a casual inquiry. He answered without reservation: “Yes, but Scholar Gu’s master had his face scarred by bandits and is no longer very active in his duties.”

“When exactly did he sustain that injury? And when did Scholar Gu pass the examination?” Wu Baoquan asked again.

“About two years ago. That was the year of the major examinations. Mr. Zhao’s face was injured when he was on his way to the capital to take the exams. Scholar Gu also passed the examination that same year—he was even the top-ranked candidate—but not long after, his leg was broken. I heard it was broken by a few petty thieves.” Peng Lecheng spoke with a tone of deep regret.

Upon hearing this, Wu Baoquan frowned slightly. It all happened two years ago.

Then Scholar Gu’s broken leg probably wasn’t an accident.

No wonder he felt that Scholar Gu wasn’t particularly close to his own master.

Thinking it over, Wu Baoquan realized this matter would be difficult to handle. The difficulty lay in the fact that Juren Zhao was indeed Gu Tangjin’s master!

Even if he took it upon himself to accept Gu Tangjin as a disciple, Gu Tangjin couldn’t turn against his original master simply because he had “climbed the social ladder” by gaining a new mentor.

If word got out, people wouldn’t have a good word to say about Gu Tangjin, and he wouldn’t have much of a future in the civil service. Never mind him—even if the prefect himself were here, this matter would still be just as difficult to handle!

Not to mention that Scholar Gu is now lame and unable to continue taking the imperial examinations; his future is completely ruined. If his reputation is tarnished, life won’t be easy for him. No wonder Scholar Gu didn’t want to be his clerk.

If he were stuck with this mess, he’d probably be too fed up to bother with the county office’s affairs either. Zhu Pengyi also sensed something was off—it was too convenient; all of this was just too coincidental.

How could a perfectly healthy scholar’s leg be broken out of the blue? Cats have their ways, and mice have theirs—even petty thieves wouldn’t dare provoke a scholar lightly, unless these thieves weren’t locals. But why would a group of outsiders, for no apparent reason, skip robbing merchants and instead break a scholar’s leg?

When you think about it deeply, it just doesn’t make any sense. There must be something fishy going on here!

Seeing that neither man was speaking, Peng Lecheng thought he might have said something wrong. He replayed his words in his mind. He wasn’t stupid; he just hadn’t thought it through earlier. Now that he gave it careful thought, he broke out in a cold sweat.

Could it be that Scholar Gu’s broken leg is somehow connected to Juren Zhao?!!

The three of them found the steward in silence.

Guan Feibai lived in a three-courtyard mansion.

A servant stood guard at the gate. Wu Baoquan presented his calling card and Gu Tangjin’s letter for the servant to inspect. Wu Baoquan did not reveal his own identity, merely stating that he was a close friend of Gu Tangjin.

The servant, upon seeing that it was a letter from Gu Tangjin, let them in without even announcing their arrival.

“My master has been eagerly awaiting a letter from Scholar Gu. He hasn’t heard from you in days, and he’s mentioned it several times—he was even worried you might have forgotten him,” the servant said with a smile.

Wu Baoquan hadn’t expected Gu Tangjin’s letter to be so effective.

Upon arriving at the main courtyard, Wu Baoquan saw an elderly man wearing a neat, short brown robe, skillfully chiseling away at a piece of wood. Scholar Guan looked every bit the seasoned carpenter, not at all like an old scholar.

“Master, a friend of Scholar Gu has come to see you, and he’s brought a letter from Scholar Gu,” the servant said.

As soon as Guan Feibai looked up and saw Wu Baoquan’s build, he recalled hearing that the new magistrate of Qingchi County was a portly man. Then, considering how few people were close enough to Tangjin to have him write a letter, he instantly understood.

“Magistrate Wu, your presence truly graces this humble abode. Come, come, please step inside,” Guan Feibai said warmly, setting down his chisel. Hearing this, Wu Baoquan knew immediately that this man was no ordinary person.

He had only just arrived in Qingchi County, yet this man already knew who he was—his sources were certainly well-connected. “Not at all, Scholar Guan, you’re too kind,” Wu Baoquan replied with a smile as he walked arm-in-arm with him into the main hall. They looked as though they were old friends reunited after many years.

Zhu Pengyi and Peng Lecheng exchanged a glance and followed silently.

“This is a letter from Scholar Gu. Please take a look, Scholar Guan.” Wu Baoquan handed it over. In truth, the letter hadn’t been sealed from the start—Gu Tangjin had clearly intended for him to read it freely. Wu Baoquan glanced inside and discovered a highly intricate mechanical diagram.

He couldn’t make heads or tails of it!

As for the content of the letter, it was much the same as the one sent to Peng Lecheng. It merely added a few more details about Wu Baoquan’s generosity.

Wu Baoquan didn’t see anything wrong with the letter’s content; he was indeed quite generous. His younger brother and sister-in-law both managed caravans, so he certainly wasn’t short on silver.

Guan Feibai stared at the mechanical diagram, completely captivated. If there hadn’t been others present, he would have wanted to test it out himself! He then observed Wu Baoquan waiting patiently, showing no trace of arrogance.

Guan Feibai roughly understood Gu Tangjin’s intentions—he wanted him to serve as a legal advisor to Magistrate Wu.

Tangjin didn’t know how he’d come by such exquisite blueprints. If he went there, he might just get his hands on more interesting designs and create some fascinating things.

Guan Feibai smiled and said, “Your Honor, you truly think too highly of this old man. I’m just a humble scholar with little skill—how could I possibly shoulder such a great responsibility?”

“Oh, come now, Scholar Guan, you’re being too modest. I just saw that you’re skilled in carpentry—that’s quite rare. I’m in need of someone like you who can get their hands dirty,” Wu Baoquan quickly interjected.

Guan Feibai replied, looking somewhat sheepish, “If you put it that way, I have no other hobbies—I just love making all sorts of odd and peculiar things. They’re not fit for public display, yet they cost quite a bit of silver.”

Wu Baoquan replied without hesitation, “Scholar Guan, you needn’t worry about that. I may not have much else, but I certainly have plenty of silver.”

Zhu Pengyi glanced at the rather impressive mansion and thought to himself: If this man can really spend money like that, he must be quite skilled at earning it; otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to maintain a household like this.

He can both earn and spend.

He is indeed a man of great ability.

If Zhu Pengyi could see it, Wu Baoquan certainly could as well, which is why he was eager to recruit him into his service.

Seeing that Wu Baoquan had responded so readily, and with Gu Tangjin vouching for him, Guan Feibai quickly agreed: “In that case, I shall humbly comply. Please allow this old man a few days to prepare before reporting to Qingchi County.”

“Excellent! I shall certainly make preparations to welcome you.” Wu Baoquan’s confidence soared; Gu Tangjin’s letter had indeed worked wonders. “By the way, I was just about to ask—have you heard of this former Scholar Jia, Mr. Guan?”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Guan Feibai replied, “Oh, I presume it was Tangjing who recommended him to Your Honor. Scholar Jia has since returned to his village; I hear he has been making a living as a fisherman these past few days.”

“Ah? Isn’t he at Juren Zhao’s academy?” Wu Baoquan asked.

“Mr. Zhao’s temperament has grown quite peculiar lately. Anyone with a shred of self-respect wouldn’t want to waste their time at that academy, enduring humiliation for nothing. It’s no shame for a man to work hard to earn his silver. But to be treated like a servant without even receiving payment for selling one’s labor—that’s the real disgrace.” Guan Feibai didn’t spell it out too clearly.

But those present could guess as much: likely, Juren Zhao’s temper had grown increasingly foul, and he had been treating Scholar Jia like a servant—ordering him about, beating and berating him, and humiliating him—which is why Scholar Jia had left in anger.

Wu Baoquan motioned for Zhu Pengyi to put down the gift and said with a smile, “I wonder which village he’s in. I’ll go and invite him myself.”

Guan Feibai hurriedly waved his hands to stop him, smiling as he said, “Please wait a moment, Magistrate Wu. Though your personal visit would show your regard for Scholar Jia, it might also provoke the displeasure of Juren Zhao. After all, Juren Zhao resides in the prefectural city and has many relatives and old acquaintances. If you were to embarrass him, given his current temperament, he might take his anger out on those close to Scholar Jia. Scholar Jia has elderly parents and young children to support—one need not guard against the noble, but one must guard against the petty. Why not let me send someone to fetch him instead?”

“I’m just an old scholar with little standing in the prefectural city. Sending someone to fetch him won’t cause much of a stir.”

Besides, Guan Feibai didn’t want Juren Zhao to hear that Wu Baoquan, the magistrate of Qingchi County, had come to the provincial capital to invite him.

If Mr. Zhao were to think of Tangjin and suspect that he was the one who had stirred up all this trouble, it would likely cause quite a commotion—and that would be a real headache.

Wu Baoquan realized that this course of action was indeed more prudent.

No wonder Gu Tangjin had told him to come here first to find Guan Feibai!

“In that case, I suppose I ought to pay Old Master Su a visit,” Wu Baoquan said.

“That’s certainly not necessary,” Guan Feibai said with a smile, shaking his head. “Tangjin must have written to Old Master Su. I’ve had the letter delivered; Old Master Su will definitely come.”

Wu Baoquan was puzzled: “Why is that?”

Guan Feibai smiled as he explained: “Years ago, when Old Master Su’s mother was gravely ill, he was away visiting friends. It was Tangjin—who had gone to deliver calligraphy and paintings to him—who noticed something was wrong. He carried Old Master Su’s mother on his back all the way from Huaishu Village to the prefectural city to seek medical treatment. That day there was a heavy snowstorm. By the time Tangjin finally carried her to the city, all the major pharmacies were closed, and there were few people on the road. The cousin set aside his pride and sought out the grandfather of one of his friends to treat her, and it was only because of this that Old Man Su’s mother was able to live two more years.”

“Very few people know of this; not even Juren Zhao is aware of it.”

“Back then, Old Su made a vow to grant Tangjin two favors. Now that you’ve delivered the letter, that fulfills the first one—there’s no need to pay a personal visit.”

Wu Baoquan was so shocked he couldn’t speak. Zhu Pengyi and Peng Lecheng were also deeply shaken.

“This… he just handed this letter over to me so easily?” Wu Baoquan thought to himself that he hadn’t even met Tangjin very often. Did Tangjin really trust him that much?

Wu Baoquan’s heart, which had been content to simply live out his days in retirement, suddenly began to race again! He suddenly felt that he wasn’t old yet, and that he could still give it one more shot.

Seeing this, Guan Feibai smiled to himself, thinking, “It’s not that simple. Although Old Su doesn’t meddle in affairs, both Tangjin and I can see that this man has ambition—he’s just been unrecognized for years.”

If Wu Baoquan turned out to be a good-for-nothing, Old Su could at least have managed Qingchi County a bit better in the past. By then, Old Su might even seize the opportunity to secretly take control of Qingchi County—why not?

Now, Wu Baoquan didn’t seem like a man without ability, and Tangjin’s meaning was quite clear: he wanted Old Su to bring Wu Baoquan under his wing while he was still just a county magistrate, so that he might secure a promising future.

He knew this but didn’t point it out, letting Wu Baoquan be moved by the gesture.

Guan Feibai thought to himself: Master Tang has good judgment; this Magistrate Wu does have a genuine character. It wouldn’t be a bad deal to serve as his clerk. For a time, both hosts and guests were thoroughly delighted.

Meanwhile, in Qingchi County, on Wuchu Alley.

Ji Rongxia was helping Gu Tangjin wash the starch.

“This is so much fun. Don’t you think so, Tangjin?” Ji Rongxia said to Gu Tangjin as he kneaded the dough.

Gu Tangjin looked at the yellow, porous lump of dough he had kneaded and said, “It is fun, but I wonder if this is edible. If we only use the starch and discard the rest, it would be such a waste.”

“It should be edible. After all, it all comes from the flour. Why don’t we steam it up and give it a try later? Just like we do with steamed buns,” Ji Rongxia suggested. 

Gu Tangjin nodded. “Sounds good. I’ll look forward to eating it.”

Ji Rongxia shot him a glare. “As if! You still have to help me sun-dry the starch. Don’t even think about slacking off.” Gu Tangjin immediately surrendered. “All right, all right. I’ll work, I’ll definitely work hard.”

Ji Rongxia stifled a laugh and gave him a nudge with his elbow.