Just as Hua Ru was in high spirits, Qi Youzhong arrived at the Crown Prince's mansion again. He had originally been overjoyed to return home and tell Ru about his discovery of where to find purple mud, but instead he heard those words.

  He is a man of few words, always deep in thought. He can't quite put his finger on what's wrong with the situation, but as long as his wife and concubine manage the household well and avoid making mistakes they shouldn't make, he doesn't have much to complain about. Romance is not something that comes easily to him, and he doesn't have time for it anyway.

  But I just can't get excited about it.

  His wife was unwilling to give her heart to him, because she didn't want to trade her whole heart for a quarter of his. Nobody would be willing to do that, but some people will rise to the challenge and fight for it. She, however, wouldn't be one of them, she's too proud.

  As long as you have ever been close to her, you can touch her pride.

  "What's wrong? Why do you look so gloomy after just coming back?" The crown prince, who had changed into casual attire, saw Yun Dan standing there with a serious expression on his face. Their close relationship since childhood allowed him to be one of the few people who could sense his emotions.

  Qī Yòu bowed and didn't continue the conversation.

  The prince understood him and didn't mind, continuing to say: "I heard from Mo Xun that you came once during my court session this time, and then left in a hurry. If there's anything important, you can stay for another day."

  "It's nothing." Qi You didn't want to say anything more about it and called over a nearby housekeeper, saying: "Bring over the things I brought with me."

  The housekeeper quickly brought over a box and Qi You said: "Boiled water, tea set."

  The crown prince looked at him with interest and did not urge him.

  Qī Yòu personally brewed a cup of tea and handed it to the Crown Prince, "Taste it."

  "If you follow me, can't you say a few more words?" The prince was helpless. Qi You was very useful, with both literary and military skills, meticulous thinking, and loyalty. He used him with ease, but he just spoke too little. If it were just the two of them in a room, Qi You wouldn't say a word for half a day unless the prince initiated conversation, and even then, it would be just a few words at a time.

  It was just such a comfort to him.

  The cup cover slipped, and the prince took a sip. It wasn't the sweetness or saltiness he had expected, but rather a slightly bitter taste. No, that's not it, it was sweet, no, that's not right either.

  Out of curiosity, I lifted the lid and looked at the mystery inside. It turned out that Qi You had only added a small amount of tender green stuff.

  The green water, everything at the bottom of the cup is standing up like tender twigs.

  "This flavor is a bit astringent, somewhat like tea, but this... doesn't resemble it at all. Qiyou, where did you get this?"

  Dowry.

  The prince also saw the ten-mile red sedan chair that day, although he was embarrassed by his identity and didn't get close to take a closer look, but when the things were lifted and moved inside, he still caught a glimpse of it.

  "This is Yangzhou's tea? Why haven't I ever seen it in the palace? Can the governor of Yangzhou be so foolish? Even if he had presented fine silks, it wouldn't have been surprising. If he could present this thing as tribute, the Emperor would be even more delighted."

  Does the prince like it?

  "The entrance is bitter, but afterwards it's sweet and refreshing. This is a high-quality tea, in comparison our Hebei province's tea seems to be inferior."

  Upon hearing this response, Qi You suddenly felt a sense of pride and honor, and with his usual tone, calmly replied to the Crown Prince's previous question, "This was made by my wife herself."

  The prince didn't hide his surprise, "Really? Won't others in Yangzhou?"

  According to her, it is.

  In an instant, the prince thought of many things, such as the most practical one, using this to please his father, and also the old grandmother in the palace, the old teacher in the court, and the Taifu... He felt that they would definitely like this kind of tea.

  The problem is, this is someone else's dowry, and the majestic Southern Dynasty Crown Prince can't go around taking people's dowries. If this gets out, he won't need anyone to slander him - the fact itself will be enough to thoroughly tarnish his reputation.

  Qī Yòu said: "Madam has a lot to spare, she can give me some, I'll exchange it for a tea garden."

  A calculating glint flashed in his eyes as the Crown Prince said, "Will she be able to have one after giving her a tea garden?"

  "I personally give."

  Qī Yòu's persistence was evident, and the crown prince didn't bother to think about it anymore. After all, they were in cahoots with each other, and Qī Yòu was also the least likely person to betray him.

  "Alright, I'll let you off for one more day. Go back and discuss with your wife, from now on this tea is only for our own use, don't give it to anyone else again."

  "Yes."

  The prince got up and walked back and forth in the house, taking a few laps, step by step, accustomed to calculating everything around him. Although tea is not a necessity of life, it can't be drunk or eaten without it, but for the aristocratic family who has never lacked food, drink, or money, enjoyment is paramount.

  This new tea that has appeared can bring him many benefits, his first reaction is to think of ways to seize it and grasp it in his own hands, not letting the enemy side take advantage of it.

  But this person is not someone else, it's Qi You's wife. No matter how many people are under his command, no matter how many supporters he has behind him, these people are all different from Qi You. The two of them have a true friendship that was established since childhood. The Qi family sent the young Qi You to his side in order to restore their former glory, and he, due to the early passing of his mother, grew up with difficulty in the palace, still relying on each other for support since they were children, it can be said without hesitation that Qi You is the person he trusts the most.

  So he can't be reckless.

  Never mind, it's also good under Qiyou's control.

  "Don't stay here anymore, go back, you're not needed here today."

  "Yes, I'll withdraw."

  After leaving the Crown Prince's mansion, Qi You handed the reins to Qi Liang and walked home at a steady pace. He didn't want to rush back too quickly. After hearing those words, he was momentarily unsure of how to interact with Ru Chu.

  They were all in the city, and even the farthest distance was limited. After entering the second gate, they stopped for a moment at the fork in the road, and Qiyou walked towards the green willow's courtyard.

  Seeing him, Green Willow's face smiled like a flower, and she hastily walked a few steps forward to greet him with a bow. "Young Master, didn't you go on duty today? Why did you come here at noon?"

  Qī Yòu didn't respond, and she was used to his silence. She softly said as he sat down: "It's noon, would the young master like to have lunch with me? It's been a long time since we've had lunch together."

  Qī Yòu nodded slightly, agreeing to her request.

  Green willow was overjoyed and hastily ordered Yiniang to prepare a meal, especially ordering several dishes that the young master loved to eat.

  Just a few days after they got married, the young master came to her place, it can be seen that the young master has her in his heart. As soon as she thought of this, her heart was sweeter than honey, and the smile on her face softened by three points.

  Qiu You's expressionless face drank a mouthful of tea, suppressing the urge to spit it out and swallowed it down. Although he had been drinking this tea for over 20 years, after drinking that strange tea leaf for three days, he found it hard to swallow.

  "Has the tea gone cold? I'll go and brew another pot..."

  "Not thirsty."

  Green willow listened and put down the cup, sat down again, saw Qi You's forehead slightly sweating, hurriedly got up again with a handkerchief and stood in front of him to wipe his sweat.

  A fragrant breeze blew in, and Qiyou's body reacted before his brain did, leaning back to avoid her action.

  P.S: Don't say that Qiyou is a trash, actually he's just a bit of a cleanliness freak, yeah, not revealing too much, don't forget to vote for recommendations.

  I've been watching "I Am a Singer" on Hunan TV every day recently, and Lin Zhixuan sings so well, I'm dying of love for him! Has anyone else been slain by his various CVs? Continuing to indulge in this bliss...