This is a gift for the Marquis to taste.

His posture was upright, and his entire being radiated a sense of fortitude, making him completely different from Gu Xin, that weakling who could neither lift a heavy object nor carry a load, and possessed nothing but a pale face.

Gu Yunting was filled with a masculine aura that made one feel involuntarily drawn to him at a single glance.

"The tea is excellent," Gu Yunting said softly as he turned around.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Shuwan’s face flushed red instantly. Seeing the faint smile in his eyes, she felt even more embarrassed. She had not expected that her stolen glance would be caught red-handed.

Once Gu Yunting left, Lusu walked in. Seeing Jiang Shuwan with a face full of crimson, she couldn't help but feel happy for her. She had been outside the door just moments ago and had secretly overheard their conversation.

"Congratulations, Miss. My heartiest congratulations."

Jiang Shuwan looked at her shyly. "You and your glib tongue."

Lusu tilted her head to look at the two red papers on the table, looking a bit confused. "Miss, why didn't you choose the twenty-second of this month? Today is only the fourth day of the third month; there is still more than a month until the next month."

Jiang Shuwan’s gaze turned cold. In truth, she also wished to marry Gu Yunting sooner, but when she thought about marrying him just like that, she realized the Jiang family had yet to repay what they owed her. None of them would be allowed to escape their debts. Jiang Shuwan glared fiercely at the red paper before her.

"Miss? Miss?" Lusu tapped Jiang Shuwan on the shoulder.

"What is it?" Jiang Shuwan looked up at Lusu.

"Miss, what were you thinking about just now?" While they were talking, Jiang Shuwan’s expression had suddenly turned dark, and she had been staring at the red paper as if it were an enemy.

Realizing she had frightened Lusu, Jiang Shuwan composed her expression and shook her head. "It is nothing, I was just remembering some things from the past."

No sooner had she finished speaking than a man in black robes walked through the door. He held a celadon porcelain vessel in both hands and approached Jiang Shuwan with a respectful expression. "Miss Jiang, this is what our Marquis ordered me to deliver to you."

Both Jiang Shuwan and Lusu recognized him. They had encountered him on the street before; he was Fengye, Gu Yunting’s personal guard.

Jiang Shuwan was quite surprised and glanced at the porcelain vessel. "This is?"

Fengye replied, "This is the tea that His Majesty bestowed upon the Marquis today. The Marquis said that Miss Jiang is fond of tea, so he ordered me to deliver it to you."

"My thanks to the Marquis of Pingning." She turned to Lusu, who stepped forward, took the tea, and placed it before Jiang Shuwan.

Jiang Shuwan took the tea and noticed that the porcelain was of the highest quality. She had seen such vessels at her grandfather’s house; they were said to be the best for storing tea due to their excellent airtight properties. However, they were prohibitively expensive and reserved exclusively for the royal family.

Jiang Shuwan lifted her fair hand and opened the lid slightly. A refreshing fragrance surged into her nostrils. She looked up and tentatively asked, "Is this the top-grade Sparrow Tongue tea reserved for the Emperor?"

Fengye was taken aback; he recalled Gu Yunting mentioning something similar when he was tasked with the delivery, so he nodded. "It is."

Jiang Shuwan was deeply shocked. This tea was a rare treasure, encountered perhaps once in a millennium. It was said to be supplied only to the royal family, as the tea plants could only survive in fertile, extremely shaded environments. It took three years for them to grow enough to be harvested, and each tree yielded only a single ounce. The tea was as scarce as it was precious!

To curry favor with the Emperor, the officials in Lingnan would present the entire harvest to him, and since the Emperor favored it, it remained a royal exclusive. Now that Gu Yunting had obtained such a treasure, he had chosen not to keep it for himself, but to give it all to her. It seemed Gu Yunting was quite sincere in his intentions.

It was nothing like her previous life married to Gu Xin, where, aside from exhausting herself managing the entire Marquis estate, she seemed to have gained nothing. If this was the case, perhaps marrying Gu Yunting was not a bad thing after all. A smile could not help but tug at the corners of Jiang Shuwan’s lips.

"The Marquis of Pingning is very thoughtful." With a smile, she turned to instruct Lusu, "Lusu, go and bring the peach blossom cakes I bought today to give to the Marquis to sample."

"Yes." Lusu looked at Fengye. "Please, follow me."

Fengye’s brows furrowed slightly. He glanced at Jiang Shuwan but said nothing, bowing to her instead. "I shall take my leave."

After Fengye left, Jiang Shuwan couldn't wait to inspect the tea. The vessel was more than half full. Upon opening, a rich, fresh tea aroma wafted out, tempting one to taste it immediately. Jiang Shuwan took the wooden tweezers from the side, picked up a small amount of tea, placed it in the teapot, and poured in a little boiling water.

A rich fragrance filled the air. After letting it sit for a few seconds, Jiang Shuwan poured the water out and refilled it with fresh boiling water. Moments later, she poured the tea into a porcelain cup. Wisps of steam rose from it. Jiang Shuwan placed the lid on the cup, nudged it back and forth, and brought it to her lips to take a slow sip.

Her mouth was instantly flooded with the refreshing fragrance of the tea. It was slightly astringent, but within seconds, a sweet aftertaste blossomed in her throat. Jiang Shuwan’s eyes lit up. It was truly delicious; it was no wonder the nobility of the imperial court favored it so much.

***

At the Marquis of Pingning’s estate, the study window was half-open. A cross-breeze blew through, lifting the hem of Gu Yunting’s robe as he wiped down a short blade. He emanated an aura so icy that even the wind seemed to hesitate to pass by him. Yet, no one noticed that his movements became increasingly gentle, and the corners of his mouth could not help but turn upward.

"Marquis, the tea you asked me to deliver has been delivered."

Suddenly, Fengye’s voice came from outside the door. Gu Yunting ceased his movements, placed the short blade on its stand, and turned to glance at him. "What is that in your hand?"

Fengye lowered his eyes to look at a dark red box, about the size of two palms and six or seven centimeters high. A look of disdain flickered in his eyes. "This is a return gift from Miss Jiang for you." Fengye handed the box to Gu Yunting.

Gu Yunting’s lips curled into a smile. He reached out to take it, walked over to the round table in the room, set it down carefully, sat, and opened the box. Inside were four pastries, each the size of three fingers pressed together, emitting a faint floral scent.

"What kind of pastry is this?" Gu Yunting asked.

"Miss Jiang said it is peach blossom cake." At the mention of this, Fengye couldn't help but complain, "Marquis, you know, Miss Jiang really is something. She didn't even ask about your preferences before sending you peach blossom cake. Who doesn't know that you dislike sweet foods the most, Marquis?"

The Marquis looked at him coldly. "Who said I dislike them?"

Having said this, he picked one up, put it into his mouth, and took a large bite. Instantly, the subtle taste of peach blossoms and a gentle sweetness filled his mouth. Gu Yunting chewed a few times and swallowed. For some reason, the taste wasn't cloyingly sweet, and he found he liked it very much.

Fengye watched Gu Yunting eat it with his mouth agape, staring at his master as if he were looking at a monster. After all, Gu Yunting had always detested sweet food.