Tianliangyuan

Chapter 74 will have to do for now.

Jiang Wenchong felt as if his legs were shaking, but he also felt as if he couldn't move them at all. He couldn't describe the feeling; it was too strange.

It wasn't until he involuntarily opened his mouth and swallowed that pill—whose name he didn't know—that he realized either he was going crazy or the woman in front of him wasn't human at all!

This is incredible!

But that's how it happened.

Jiang Wenchong felt that he could move his arms and legs again, and immediately turned his head to gag, but no matter how hard he tried, he could not vomit the pill.

"Alright, can we talk properly now?"

At that moment, Jiang Wenchong felt every hair on his body stand on end.

so horrible!

How could this woman possess such terrifying power? This is simply beyond human capabilities!

A quarter of an hour later, Jiang Wenchong emerged, pale-faced and soaked in sweat, staggering. Had a servant not quickly helped him up, he might have collapsed to the ground.

Even the servant found it unbelievable!

You must understand that even if the young master is an illegitimate son, he is still an illegitimate son of the Jiang family, and he is not someone that everyone in the capital can afford to offend.

But right before his eyes, his master was so frightened that he could only imagine how terrifying the people inside were.

Xu Zhaozhao was actually not very satisfied with Jiang Wenchong.

What she wanted was a pawn that could be discarded at any time, but also one with a certain level of ability, and Jiang Wenchong was too timid.

She thought that someone who dared to compete with Jiang Yanhui for a woman must have some guts.

Little did she know that she had misjudged him; he did have courage, but that was all he had.

Xu Zhaozhao sighed, "Until we find a good dog, we'll just have to make do with what we have for now."

After returning to his residence, Xu Junqing basically stayed indoors, focusing on reading and writing.

Xu Junting discussed articles with him almost every night, and occasionally mentioned the writing style of a certain great Confucian scholar.

Seeing that the Marquis's mansion was bustling with activity, Wang Wenxiu was torn about whether to return home. After Xu Zhaozhao noticed this, she simply took everyone to the Hundred Fruit Garden in Wannian County to relax.

The annulment of the engagement ultimately had an impact on Wang Wenxiu.

The occasional whispers and rumors outside didn't affect Wang Wenxiu, but they did greatly impact her self-confidence.

She was the eldest daughter of the main branch of the family and had always been proud of her background and knowledge. Who would have thought that one day, the concubine's daughter whom she had looked down upon would steal the man's attention?

This is hard for people to accept.

As proud as Wang Wenxiu was, it was impossible for her to adjust all at once.

The orchard is currently preparing materials for winemaking. At this time of year, some fruits on the estate are also ripe, so the two of them simply consulted the local farm women and started making some dried fruits and preserves.

They weren't making it to eat; they were just killing time.

"Cousin, what is this? I've never seen it before."

Xu Zhao looked in the direction she pointed and smiled slightly, "This plant is called Myrtle. Its fruit is edible, and its roots, leaves, and fruit can all be used in medicine. It's normal that you haven't seen it before, Cousin. I specially ordered someone to transplant it from the south."

"Is this something from Yunnan?"

"Pretty much. It's too cold here, so this plant isn't suitable for cultivation. In winter, it needs to be transplanted indoors to survive. Just like osmanthus, if we want to appreciate osmanthus here, we have to do it indoors, and there are no tall and lush osmanthus trees, only potted plants."

Wang Wenxiu understood. This plant grows in the south, yet she was willing to spend a lot of money to transplant it here, and it wasn't even certain that it would survive. She was indeed very generous.

"Just from this myrtle, I know my cousin is a very wealthy woman."

After Wang Wenxiu finished speaking, she chuckled softly. Xu Zhaozhao, remembering how her father and brothers called her "Little God of Wealth," also chuckled.

"I didn't transplant many this year, so if I made jam, I'm afraid I wouldn't get much. When the fruit ripens, I'll share a jar with my cousin. This stuff can replenish qi and blood, and it's perfect for women. But it's not suitable for children."

Wang Wenxiu nodded: "Okay, then I'll thank you in advance, sister."

This myrtle was not transplanted; it was bought by Xu Zhaozhao during a stroll in the West Market.

Some shops sell all kinds of seeds and seedlings. After recognizing several kinds of southern seeds, Xu Zhaozhao bought them directly.

She had already thought it through: if she could induce labor, she could certainly make it bear fruit, but the taste of the fruit was another matter.

For example, she tried lychees a few times, but the fruits that grew were extremely difficult to swallow, so she simply stopped trying.

Fortunately, it wasn't all for nothing; we managed to test a few things successfully.

When the fruit ripens, you can make it into jam or dry it for storage; either way, you'll gain something from it.

Jam can be diluted with water or spread on pastries. Xu Zhaozhao is even considering whether to open a tea shop.

After all, the peaches are ripe now. Peaches can be used to make wine, jam, and so on. This large area of ​​peach trees can earn her a lot of money.

Xu Zhaozhao ordered someone to send some newly ripened fruit back to the manor. The surplus would be used for brewing wine, and the rest could be made into jam.

Although Xu Zhaozhao had never sold the wine she brewed before, her reputation had already spread far and wide.

Nowadays, everyone in the capital knows about a wine called Peach Blossom Wine and another called Hundred Flowers Fragrance. Once the jar is unsealed, the aroma of the wine wafts out. When poured into a bowl, the fruity fragrance fills the air. Noble ladies in the capital all want to taste the flavor of Hundred Flowers Fragrance.

Many people have heard that these two wines were specially brewed by the daughter of Marquis Anxin so that her mother could drink wine that she preferred. In a short time, Xu Zhaozhao's reputation for being filial and skillful spread.

"Miss, the Second Young Master and the Third Young Master Xie have arrived."

Xu Zhaozhao wondered why they had come here. Considering that the two of them had been back in the capital for quite some time, she wondered if they were about to leave.

Xie Zheng and Xu Junfeng are indeed about to leave Beijing.

"Zhao Zhao, these two are orphans adopted by the Xie family. They have been rigorously trained since childhood and both are skilled in martial arts. Let them stay by your side and obey your orders."

Xu Zhaozhao looked at the boy and girl behind him. They were both young, only about thirteen or fourteen years old.

“I have people to serve me and protect me, you don’t need to do that.”

"Let's keep them here. If you and I need to communicate in the future, it will be much more convenient for them to be here."

Xie Zheng stepped forward and whispered, "Besides, if there's an emergency, having these two around will make it easier for you to ask the Xie family for help."

Need help?

Xu Zhaozhao narrowed her eyes, seemingly displeased.

Xie Zheng naturally noticed this change and immediately changed his tune, saying, "The two of them are quite familiar with the Xie family. Taking them out is like having an extra pair of eyes and ears."

Xu Zhaozhao snorted. These words sounded a little better, but she was still not very happy.

“Zhaozhao, the Jiang family is not easy to deal with. You are very smart and resourceful, but the Jiang family is too despicable. I always have to be wary of them doing anything vile. Only with the two of them around can I feel at ease.”

Xu Zhaozhao's heart skipped a beat: He actually knew all of this?