Ningdu City is divided into four major areas, and after careful selection, they bought a four-entry courtyard facing north from the south, located on Yunyan Street in Suzaku City.

The people in this area are basically some traders, or petty officials, and it can be regarded as a wealthy area in Ningdu City.

The man who sold them the house was a member of the Ministry of Rites, who was said to have offended a high-ranking official of the Ministry of Officials and was transferred to Yinzhou, so they bought the house at a bargain price of 500 gold.

Their neighbors to the left and right are a person with a common surname who owns a restaurant, and the other is surnamed Chen, who is the duty clerk of the city patrol department.

After coming to Ningdu, Jiang Shenyu put herself in the position of an ordinary wife, and she could no longer live the days when she stretched out her clothes to open her mouth.

Although Xu Xiang's cooking skills are superb, what kind of system does a dignified seven-foot man cook?

Jiang Shenyu plans to learn to cook by himself.

So these days, Xu Xiang and Yang Dianfeng went out early and returned late, and she was about to visit the neighbors with gifts, get to know the two women, and deal with them.

The people of the Chang family are very generous, the floors are made of fine stones, and the garden is planted with flowers of various colors, and butterflies dance among the flowers, which is beautiful.

The head of the Chang family is called Chang Shenglin, married a regular wife Liu, a flat wife Hu, and has three sons and one daughter, which can be regarded as a prosperous person.

Regarding Jiang Shenyu's visit, the Liu family naturally received her as a deserved, while the Hu family held his infant son as a companion.

"I've heard a long time ago that a new household has moved next door, and I thought I'd go to the door after I'm busy today, but I didn't expect the girl to come first. I don't know what to call a girl? With a kind smile on his face, Liu invited Jiang Shenyu to sit down.

"My surname is Jiang, and my sister just calls me Xiaoyu. My husband's surname is Xu. Jiang Shenyu brought a few good pieces of fabric, she put the fabric on the table, and then sat down.

"My surname is Liu, this is the Hu family, if the girl doesn't dislike it, just call me Sister Liu."

"Well, Sister Liu, Sister Hu!"

Liu and Hu nodded slightly.

Jiang Shenyu said again: "Our husband and wife just arrived in Ningdu, and we are very curious about all this, and yesterday I saw a shop on the street of Yunyan, and the fabrics in it were very exquisite, so I bought some." I came to visit my sister today, and I specially brought some fabric to buy new clothes for my sister. ”

Liu Shi looked at the fabric, the color was very bright, and there was a blood-red plum blossom embroidered on the corner, which was the fabric produced by the largest cloth company in Ningdu, "Plum Blossom Embroidery". This kind of material is very expensive in the market, and even rich and noble families like them can buy one or two horses a year.

I didn't expect this newly moved neighbor to be so generous, and brought three horses over as soon as he came.

She hurriedly said: "Girl, this is unacceptable, the fabric embroidered by this plum blossom is very valuable, and it is useless, Sister Xiaoyu should take it back!" ”

Jiang Shenyu smiled slightly and said, "Since it was given to my sister, there is naturally no reason to take it back." Please also ask my sister to accept it! ”

"Sister, Sister Xiaoyu is kind, you can accept it!" Hu Shi saw that the fabric was very beautiful, and she was indeed a little reluctant to return it.

Liu had no choice but to say, "Then thank you Sister Xiaoyu." ”

"Sister is polite."

Liu Shi asked again: "I don't know what Gongzi Xu plans to do when he comes to Ningdu?" ”

"My husband hasn't figured out what to do yet, he's been wandering the streets for the past few days, presumably looking for a shop and recruiting people." Jiang Shenyu couldn't figure out what Xu Xiang was planning to do now, the money they brought was not much, and after buying the property, the remaining money was only enough to support two or three months.

"In this way, after my husband comes back, I can ask Xu Gongzi to discuss with him, and maybe I can provide some suggestions."

"Thank you, sister. I'll talk to my husband when I get back. ”

Then a few people chatted about some homely things, and after refusing Liu's to let her eat, Jiang Shenyu said goodbye and left.

And the Chen family is the home of the eunuchs, and they didn't care about this kind of visit, and even the housewife of the Chen family didn't see her, but just accepted the gift and sent her away.

Jiang Shenyu didn't care and returned home.

In the past, she had a personal maid Jing'er by her side, who could talk to herself when she was bored in the palace, but now after Xu Xiang went out, she guarded the huge house alone, looking very lonely.

I don't know how Jing'er is doing now.

She asked Jiang Fu this question at the time, but she just said that Jing'er was sent to "guard the spirit" for herself.

Jing'er knew about this plan, and she knew that she and Xu Xiang were fake deaths.

Jiang Shenyu expected that Jing'er would be sent to guard the spirit, so he also proposed to let her leave with him in a suspended animation. It's just that Jing'er didn't agree, she lived to be a "witness", and let others believe that the second prince of Chu and the fifth princess of the East China Sea had been "buried in the sea of fire".

She tried to cook, she saw Xu Xiang's cooking process, she also painted a scoop according to the gourd, tried countless times, whether it was the taste, saltiness and heat, she couldn't grasp it accurately, and wasted so much food in vain.

It seems that I am still not good at cooking! She sat in the kitchen in frustration, looking at the dishes, crying without tears.

At this time, Xu Xiang came back, followed by Yang Dianfeng and a fourteen or fifteen-year-old girl.

The girl was dressed in a coarse cloth coat, bowed her head, and followed behind Xu Xiang.

Xu Xiang was stunned when he saw Jiang Shenyu in the kitchen, and said, "Shenyu, why are you in the kitchen?" ”

Then he looked at the plates of identical dishes on the table, and then looked at Jiang Shenyu's face like a little cat, and couldn't help but smile lightly, "You... Cooking? ”

Jiang Shenyu was aggrieved, "I see that you make this braised fish so delicious, I have made it myself several times, and the taste is not as good as yours." ”

Xu Xiang picked up the chopsticks, took a piece of fish meat, put it in his mouth, his eyes widened, and he pretended to be surprised and said, "Well! It's delicious! ”

Jiang Shenyu said, "Don't lie to me! I've tasted it myself, and it's not delicious at all! ”

"How so! It's great that you've been able to do this for the first time! Lao Yang, come and taste it, isn't it delicious? ”

Hearing this, Yang Dianfeng was holding a pair of chopsticks, also holding a piece of fish meat, and put it in his mouth. Tasting the dishes made by ginger and sunken fish, his face gradually became a little ugly.

Jiang Shenyu kept staring at his expression, and when he saw Yang Dianfeng's appearance, he muttered and said, "Look! Lao Yang, he frowned! He thought I was unpalatable! ”

"Huh? Is it? Xu Xiang turned his head to look at Yang Dianfeng, his eyes full of threat.

Yang Dianfeng reacted at this time, and hurriedly pretended to enjoy it and said, "Young lady, the dishes you cook are really delicious!" I've never eaten such delicious fish in my life! ”

Jiang Shenyu sneered, Yang Dianfeng's acting skills were too clumsy in her eyes.

"Good! Since you think it's delicious, you can eat all of these fish! Jiang Shenyu said with an evil smile.

"Ahh All...... Eat up? Yang Dianfeng drooped his face, with an expression of "you kill me".

"yes, eat it all! If you don't eat it all, you won't be allowed to sleep tonight! Xu Xiang also said with a wicked taste.

Yang Dianfeng could only cry and mourn, and extremely reluctantly brought over the plates of fish.

These dishes are not very unpalatable, but some are too salty, some are too light, some are half-cooked, and some are old.

"Oh, Shenyu, I forgot to tell you." Xu Xiang said again, "This is Qing'er, I have been busy in Ningdu before, and I forgot that there is no one around you to serve, so I specially hired a maid to come over for you to send, and I can talk to you when I am usually fine." ”

"Qing'er has seen the young lady!" The little girl bowed to Jiang Shenyu and said a little timidly.

This was her first time as a maid, and the tooth store handed her over to her employer, and she was very worried in her heart, not knowing what kind of person her master would be.

At first, with a big man like Xu Xiang, she was still a little flustered, and she heard some sisters who were maids say that some rich people specially bought maids back for their enjoyment.

She was also afraid that she would encounter such a situation, so she was very worried along the way. But she had no choice, after her brother joined the army, the only breadwinner of the family, her father, was seriously ill, and without any silver income, the whole family would starve.

So at a young age, she thought about going to the dental store to inquire if there was any work that could earn some money to subsidize the family.

I happened to meet Xu Xiang, who was looking for a maid, so she was sent over to be a maid, and the tooth shop said that the monthly money given to her was five taels of silver, and with this silver, the family would not run out of food, and she could also give her father medicine.

Now, when Xu Xiang said this, she asked her to serve the hostess, and the worries in her heart were completely dispelled.

"Your name is Qing'er, right? Don't be so restrained, raise your head and I'll see! Jiang Shenyu walked up to her and said softly.

Qing'er raised her head, her immature face was a little shy, and her flushed face showed that she was very nervous. Although her figure looks a little thin, this face is the embryo of a beauty.

"What are you going to do?" Jiang Shenyu asked.

"If you go back to the young lady, Qing'er can do laundry and cooking, and I have a lot of strength, and I can still carry water." The little girl was afraid that she would not be liked by the housemother, so she hurriedly said.

Can do laundry and cook? That's a good feeling! The smile on Jiang Shenyu's face was even stronger.

I'll have the opportunity to learn how to cook in the future!

"Okay, then you can follow me in the future!" Jiang Shenyu said.

Qing'er was very happy to see that her mother was willing to leave her behind, and she finally found a job.

"Thank you, young master, thank you, young lady!" She hunched over and thanked her vigorously.

"No thanks, Qing'er, serve the young lady well in the future! Since you're here, I'll leave dinner to you! Xu Xiang said, holding Jiang Shenyu's hand and preparing to leave.

"Young Master...... That I ...... Can you ......" Qing'er said hesitantly, stopping them.

"What's wrong?" Xu Xiang turned around and asked.

Qing'er suddenly knelt down and plucked up the courage to say, "Can I advance a month's monthly money?" Although Qing'er knew that this request was very excessive, the family really couldn't open the pot, her father was seriously ill, and her mother and younger brother were hungry every day......"

"You get up first." Xu Xiang said, and Jiang Shenyu walked over to help her up.

"I forgot to tell you, in our house, you are not allowed to kneel at every turn! Also, if there is something, just say it, don't hide it secretly. Xu Xiang said again, "I can advance the money to you this month, but I have a request!" ”

"Young Master, please command!" Hearing that Xu Xiang was willing to give her an advance of monthly money, she hurriedly said.

"You said your father was sick and your mother and brother were hungry, right?"

"Yes, what Qing'er said is true, don't dare to deceive the young master."

"Okay, I want you to take them all to the mansion, and you can serve the young lady with peace of mind in the future. Of course, I can give money to treat your father's illness, and when your father recovers from his illness, he will do miscellaneous work in the house according to the monthly salary of ten taels per month. Xu Xiang thought that he would need more people to do things in the future, and there were a few servants' houses in the mansion that could be lived in, so that Qing'er could also work here with peace of mind, and could also add some popularity to the mansion.

Qing'er showed a look of disbelief in her eyes and asked, "Young Master, are you serious?" ”

"I'm going to pick up your family first, and then let's make dinner! Hurry up, I'm tired of the day, and I'm already hungry! ”

"Since you're hungry, Lao Yang's plates of fish haven't moved yet, I'll give you a plate?" Jiang Shenyu said with a smile.

"Uh...... It occurred to me that the clothes I had hung in the yard had not yet been collected ......"