Chapter 60: Betrothal and Temptation

Upon returning to her own courtyard, Shen Lingwei was just as usual.

She casually picked up a travelogue and read, paying no mind to the betrothal.

Xiao Tao, however, was so anxious she wanted to cry.

She stood by, hesitating to speak.

She just couldn’t understand how, at a time like this, her young lady could act as if nothing had happened.

 

Seeing her maidservant trembling, Shen Lingwei smiled faintly.

“What’s the rush?

The situation going forward might only be more difficult.

You go rest first.

If anything comes up, I’ll call someone else.”

“Never mind, I’ll stay with you, young lady.

I won’t be able to sleep if I go back now anyway.”

Xiao Tao truly admired her young lady’s calmness.

 

Seeing she didn’t want to leave, Shen Lingwei didn’t press her further.

She continued reading her travelogue.

 

Come to think of it, she had never left the capital since childhood.

She didn’t know what the outside world would be like.

But perhaps she would find out this time.

From the capital to Zhuozhou in the northern border was a long journey, at least a month.

She would be able to properly enjoy the scenery along the way.

 

Thinking this, Shen Lingwei smiled and shook her head.

Just finding joy in hardship.

If her mother were still alive, she might have fought to stay by her side.

But her mother had long passed away, and the current mistress was merely her father’s second wife.

As for her father, he only cared about the family’s dignity.

When had he ever cared about the lives of his daughters?

They were merely tools to solidify his position.

Staying in a home like this was truly boring.

 

On the other side, Fan Chuan was not idle either.

She sent shadow guards to secretly monitor the situation in various parts of the capital.

She also sent people to survey the terrain inside and outside the city.

Since she had already made up her mind, she would begin planning early.

 

***

 

Three days later, Wei Lan had carved two more pieces of the twelve zodiac jade plaques.

There were still two days until her second signing event, so she needed to start researching how to make cream cake.

The first step was to build an oven.

 

This was simple.

Wei Lan had the servants in the courtyard build an oven from green bricks.

Firing wood underneath would make it usable.

 

The next step was making the cake and cream.

Wei Lan planned to make the cake first.

She prepared a large bowl, added sugar, then added twice as much milk as sugar.

She quickly stirred it with chopsticks, then added corn oil in the same amount as the milk, and continued stirring.

 

This step was very labor-intensive.

You had to whip the mixture until it emulsified.

Of course, Wei Lan left this to the cook.

She herself took five eggs and separated the yolks from the whites.

 

The two cooks had no idea what Wei Lan was doing.

But perhaps because Wei Lan wrote storybooks, everyone in Fuqu Pavilion saw her through a new lens, thinking their master could accomplish anything.

Thus, the two cooks were even quite looking forward to the ‘cake’ Wei Lan had mentioned.

 

Wei Lan had already separated the yolks and whites.

She set the whites aside, then poured the five yolks into the emulsified mixture, and had the cook continue stirring.

 

Wei Lan took out some flour and, estimating the proportions, poured it into the well-mixed emulsified liquid.

 

Wei Lan found another large bowl, put the egg whites in it, and then had someone find an orange.

In this world, lemons hadn’t been discovered yet, so she could only use the scent of orange to mask the fishy smell of the egg whites.

Wei Lan added twelve or thirteen drops of orange juice to the egg whites, then added an appropriate amount of sugar.

She had another idle cook whip it.

When Wei Lan felt it was about right, she added more sugar and had her whip it a second time, then a third.

She didn’t tell her to stop until the mixture resembled cream.

 

Next, she folded one-third of the meringue into the yolk mixture, stirring slowly until the two were combined.

Then she poured this mixture into the remaining meringue and stirred slowly, gradually incorporating it.

 

Wei Lan then took an iron basin and poured the mixture into it.

She tapped the basin a few times on the table to reduce air bubbles, which could affect the texture.

 

After doing this, it was ready to bake.

 

Wei Lan had the servants adjust the heat outside first, then placed the basin inside to bake for about fifteen minutes.

 

Afterwards, Wei Lan whipped another batch of meringue using the same method.

She prepared another large basin with water at about sixty degrees.

She placed the bowl containing the meringue in the hot water to sterilize it, then removed it.

She added some corn oil and a few drops of orange juice and continued whipping until the mixture turned into cream, which was then ready to use.

 

The conditions in ancient times were quite basic.

There was no butter, so this was the best she could do.

Wei Lan tasted it.

Although the flavor wasn’t as good as modern cream, it wasn’t bad.

The texture was soft and smooth, fragrant and sweet, with a milky taste.

It was somewhat similar to the old-fashioned cream Wei Lan remembered from her childhood.

A few bites of this old-fashioned cream were quite pleasant, but more would feel greasy.

Still, being able to make this here, Wei Lan was very satisfied.

 

With the cream ready, the cake was also baked.

The servants used fire tongs to pull the iron basin out.

Just getting close, a fragrant milky scent filled the air.

The cake looked very soft and fluffy.

Wei Lan thought it had taken shape.

 

She had someone bring the iron pot to a clean cutting board, inverted it to release the cake, and let it cool slightly.

While it was cooling, Wei Lan and the two cooks made another whole cake and whipped another basin of cream.

 

Once the cake had cooled slightly, Wei Lan took a new knife, spread the cream evenly over the cake, and placed seasonal fruits on top.

It was no different from modern fruit cake, very delicious.

 

Wei Lan cut a piece for herself and tasted it.

The cake was very successful, fragrant and soft.

The cream, combined with the fruit, wasn’t greasy.

Though not as good as modern cake, it was still very tasty.

 

Wei Lan couldn’t help but nod.

“Mm-hmm, delicious.

You all try some too.

Keep the good cake; that’s for my wife.”

“Yes.”

One of the cooks quickly put away the large cake for Lu Zijin.

She and the other cook cut the remaining cake into small pieces, trying to ensure everyone in the courtyard could have a taste.

 

It seemed that since they started listening to the storybooks together, the maidservants and servant boys of Fuqu Pavilion had become especially united.

In the end, all fourteen servants in the courtyard, plus Xi Ye, got to eat the cream cake Wei Lan had made.

 

And now, exclamations of surprise could be heard from time to time in the courtyard.

“Oh my god, what is this?

I’ve never eaten anything so delicious in my life.”

“Yeah, it’s so fragrant and soft.

I heard the cook say it’s called ‘cream cake’.”

“It’s so good.

The master is so good to us, letting us taste something this delicious.”

“Yeah.

The master is really amazing.

She can do anything.

No wonder the young lady likes our master so much.”

“Exactly, exactly.”

 

Wei Lan gladly accepted all this praise.

After all, she did have a little insight when it came to food and drink.

 

Thinking this, she had someone put the cake in a large iron basin, covered it with another large iron basin, and had a servant boy carry it.

Wei Lan prepared to deliver it to Lu Zijin.

By this time, it was almost dinner.

Having made something this delicious, she might even get a reward from her wife.

 

Wei Lan pressed her slightly dry lips together, thinking about how she could eat the little cherry again.

She wondered what mood her wife was in today.

Would she let her eat?

 

Soon, the group arrived at Jingchen Courtyard.

Lu Zijin had also finished handling various matters early today.

She was just about to go find Wei Lan when Wei Lan came to her instead.

 

When Wei Lan saw Lu Zijin, her eyes lit up.

If there weren’t others around, she would have rushed over right now.

“Wife, I made something delicious.

Come and try it.”

Wei Lan had someone place the basins on the round table, then dismissed the servants.

 

Lu Zijin looked at the two large basins stacked together and asked, “What is this?”

“This is called cream cake.

I just came up with it.

It’s very delicious, but it can be too sweet if you eat too much.”

As she spoke, Wei Lan lifted the top basin, revealing the cake underneath.

 

She went out to have someone bring a plate and a small knife, then returned to the bedroom.

 

Wei Lan cut a piece for Lu Zijin, put it on a plate, and smiled.

“Wife, try it.”

 

Lu Zijin looked at the little dog, who looked like she was about to wag her tail at her, and felt like laughing.

But she still nodded graciously.

“Alright, I’ll try it.”

 

With that, Lu Zijin took a spoonful of the cake and put it in her mouth.

Just one bite, and her eyes lit up.

“Mm, delicious.

What is this?”

“The white part on top is called cream.

The soft, fluffy part underneath is called cake.

So, is it good?”

Wei Lan asked happily.

“Mm, the flavor is good.

What made you think of making this all of a sudden?”

Lu Zijin took another bite and asked.

“Chen Zhou is going to have a signing event the day after tomorrow.

I’m planning to compete with him.

As for this cream cake, I’ll bring some to give to the people who come to the signing event.”

Wei Lan explained.

 

Lu Zijin’s expression turned cold.

She glared at Wei Lan and asked, “So bringing this to me was just an afterthought?

The main purpose is still to win over your young girls?”

 

Wei Lan immediately shook her head.

“Of course not.

They are the afterthought.

I made this specifically for you, because I wanted you to eat it.”

 

Lu Zijin reached out and pinched Wei Lan’s chin.

“You’d better be.”

“Of course.

I like you so much, wife.

I haven’t seen you in days.

I missed you.”

As she spoke, Wei Lan moved her round stool and scooted closer to Lu Zijin, leaning her cheek against Lu Zijin’s shoulder, acting spoiled.

 

Lu Zijin smiled at Wei Lan, reached out and pinched her earlobe.

“Why are you so sweet-tongued today?

Hmm?

Have you been up to something bad again?”

“No.

I’ve been very good these past few days.

I’ve either been carving jade plaques or making this cake.”

Wei Lan pressed her cheek against Lu Zijin’s shoulder, nuzzling, and reached out to gently tug at Lu Zijin’s sleeve, shaking it back and forth.

 

Lu Zijin was amused.

“Why are you so clingy today?”

 

Only after she spoke did Lu Zijin realize she had said something wrong.

Her little Qiankun was this clingy every day.

She was used to it.

 

Hearing this, Wei Lan was a bit embarrassed.

She buried her face in Lu Zijin’s chest, leaned in and kissed Lu Zijin’s lips, then acted spoiled.

“Wife, I made you something delicious.

Do I get a reward?”

 

The corners of Lu Zijin’s mouth lifted.

The bad little dog was waiting for her.

 

She simply followed Wei Lan’s lead and asked, “Tell me, what reward do you want?”

 

Wei Lan hesitated for a moment, then leaned in and kissed Lu Zijin again before burying her face in her wife’s chest and saying, “I want to eat the little cherry.”

 

Lu Zijin hadn’t expected Wei Lan to say that.

After all, Wei Lan was usually quite well-behaved.

 

Lu Zijin’s earlobes flushed slightly.

Last time was a special circumstance.

She had tied Wei Lan up, and the main purpose was to keep her in suspense.

But today was different.

She wasn’t planning to tie Wei Lan up.

“Wife, can I eat it?

Just a little bit?”

Wei Lan looked at Lu Zijin with an expectant expression.

 

Lu Zijin’s neck reddened with embarrassment.

She reached out and poked Wei Lan’s cheek.

“Saying such things in broad daylight.

Bad dog.”

“I like you, wife.

Since you’re not saying no, that means yes.

I’ll wait to eat it tonight.”

Wei Lan leaned in and kissed Lu Zijin’s cheek, then hugged her tightly and wouldn’t let go.

 

Lu Zijin was stunned for a moment.

Wei Lan was getting bolder and bolder.

She smiled and reached out to pinch Wei Lan’s nose.

Wei Lan nuzzled against her affectionately, acting spoiled.

 

The two had dinner, then went to bathe separately.

Because Wei Lan wanted to eat the little cherry, she was very impatient during her bath.

She didn’t soak for long before getting out.

When she dried her hair and returned to Lu Zijin’s bedroom, Lu Zijin was still soaking in the tub.

 

Wei Lan looked at the screen with pleading eyes and asked, “Wife, aren’t you done yet?

I’ve already dried my hair.”

 

Lu Zijin found it funny.

The little dog was a bit too eager?

“I’ll soak for a while longer.

You go wait for me on the bed.”

Lu Zijin instructed.

 

Wei Lan pressed her lips together, shuffled over to the screen, peeked her head around, and then moved towards Lu Zijin’s tub.

 

Lu Zijin naturally heard the noise.

She turned her head to look at Wei Lan and saw she had already come over.

“Wife, let me help you wipe your back.”

Wei Lan, looking very helpful, walked behind Lu Zijin.

 

Lu Zijin glared at Wei Lan.

“Bad dog.

What are you waiting for?

Wipe.”

 

As she spoke, Lu Zijin seemed calm, but in truth, her own earlobes were red.

Having Wei Lan look at her like this, she was actually quite shy.

But having kept Wei Lan in suspense for days, Lu Zijin was also inexplicably a little happy.

 

Wei Lan took a cloth from the rack beside her, wet it, and gently wiped Lu Zijin’s back.

Her eyes, however, began to wander.

After she caught a glimpse of what she had been wanting for days, Wei Lan started to blush, her whole body turning red from her earlobes.

 

Her wife’s body was so beautiful there, pink and tender.

Just looking at it made her heart race.

 

As if sensing the burning gaze behind her, Lu Zijin looked up and saw WeiLan staring at a certain part of her.

Lu Zijin glared at Wei Lan, reached out and grabbed her ‘little dog’ plaque, and raised an eyebrow.

“Does it look good, bad dog?”

“It looks good.

You’re beautiful everywhere, wife.

There’s not a part that isn’t beautiful.”

Wei Lan immediately sweet-talked.

“Full of bad ideas.”

Seeing Wei Lan staring at her non-stop, Lu Zijin was both amused and annoyed.

Her little Qiankun couldn’t do anything, but after tasting a bit of sweetness once, she kept thinking about it.

It was quite interesting.

“No bad ideas.

Just like for you, wife.”

Wei Lan, with her ‘little dog’ plaque being held, grabbed the edge of the tub and acted spoiled.

 

Lu Zijin reached out and pinched Wei Lan’s cheek.

“Go wait for me on the bed.

I’m done washing.”

 

Wei Lan rubbed her ears.

She had been thinking of helping her wife dry off, but thought her wife probably wouldn’t agree, so she obediently nodded.

“Hurry up, wife.

I miss you so much.”

“Alright, alright.”

 

Having appeased Wei Lan, Lu Zijin finally got out of the tub, dried her body with a clean cloth, put on clean clothes, and then continued drying her hair with a cloth.

 

She walked out from behind the screen and saw Wei Lan lying by the edge of the bed, looking at her with pleading eyes.

 

Lu Zijin was amused, but she wasn’t in a hurry.

She dried her hair unhurriedly, while Wei Lan grew anxious.

 

Her wife was so beautiful to look at, but she could only look and not hold her.

She rolled around on the bed hugging the blanket a couple of times, then began acting spoiled towards Lu Zijin.

“Wife, when will you be done?

I miss you.

Can you hurry up?”

 

Lu Zijin was amused and deliberately asked, “What’s your hurry?”

 

Wei Lan looked at Lu Zijin pitifully and murmured softly, “I’ve been wanting to eat the little cherry for days.”

“What?”

Wei Lan had murmured too softly for Lu Zijin to hear clearly, so she simply asked.

 

Wei Lan rolled over again.

“Nothing.

I just miss you.”

 

How could Lu Zijin not know what her bad little dog was thinking?

Sure enough, once a Qiankun had tasted a bit of flesh, they would think about it constantly.

Even a little puppy like Wei Lan could turn into a bad dog.

 

But last time, she had eaten it through red silk.

Strictly speaking, that shouldn’t count as tasting flesh.

Thinking about it, they had been married for quite a while now.

Wei Lan was actually quite pitiful.

 

Lu Zijin, still drying her hair, walked to the bedside.

She blinked at Wei Lan.

Wei Lan immediately reached out and hooked the hem of Lu Zijin’s clothes, shaking it gently, acting spoiled.

“Alright, almost done.

I’m coming.”

Lu Zijin reached out and gently stroked Wei Lan’s hair, soothing her little dog.

 

Wei Lan continued to look at Lu Zijin with pleading eyes.

 

Soon, Lu Zijin switched to another cloth, then finally got into bed.

As soon as she did, Wei Lan very proactively lowered the bed curtains and then stared at her with pleading eyes.

 

Lu Zijin was almost angered into laughing.

Last time, she had been the one to tie Wei Lan up, so she had taken the initiative herself.

Did her little Qiankun expect to be fed again this time?

 

Sure enough, the next moment, Lu Zijin saw Wei Lan already lying down.

 

Lu Zijin took a deep breath.

She felt that she might have let Wei Lan develop a bad habit.

A Qiankun, how could she lie down faster than her?

 

Wei Lan, seeing that Lu Zijin wasn’t moving, smiled shyly at her.

“Wife, aren’t you coming?”

 

Lu Zijin pinched the bridge of her nose with one hand.

She felt she needed to correct her little Qiankun’s bad habit.

She reached out and patted Wei Lan, then said, “Get up.

That’s not where you’re supposed to lie.”

“Ah?

But I’ve always lain down here.

I’m used to it.”

Wei Lan asked, confused.

After all, from the very first time she had given Lu Zijin pheromones, she had been lying down.

Now she was used to it; it was muscle memory.

 

Lu Zijin was choked by Wei Lan’s words and coughed lightly.

Then she said, “The past is the past.

Now is now.

It’s different, understand?

If you want to eat the little cherry, get up and eat.

You won’t get it lying down.

Don’t think I’ll feed you like last time.”

 

As she spoke, Lu Zijin’s own face turned red.

 

Wei Lan, hearing that she wouldn’t get to eat if she lay down, finally scrambled up with pleading eyes, giving up her spot.

She was a bit aggrieved too; she was used to lying in that spot.

 

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