Flip the table! The reborn villainous woman takes down her entire family and seizes her life.

Chapter 155 Preparing for the Gift

She thought she would have a sleepless night, but she fell asleep very quickly.

I don't know if it's because my body is tired or what.

As dawn broke, Jiang Zhigang, awakened by birdsong, opened his eyes and seemed to still remember Gu Liang's complaints from the previous night.

Thinking she was still dreaming, she shrank further under the covers.

The warm touch made her feel uneasy, so she lifted the bed curtains and looked outside.

Gu Liang was dressed in an indigo-blue casual outfit, her black hair tied up with a jade crown, resembling a jade tree.

He looked down at the letter in his hand, and when he heard the sound behind him, he turned to look at Jiang Zhi.

The two locked eyes, and Jiang Zhi's face flushed slightly as she recalled the enchanting scene from the previous night.

She quickly composed herself, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Is it a letter from Kyoto?"

Gu Liang put away the letter. "We should go back now."

"Do you have other business to attend to in Chong'an Prefecture?"

"I will be discussing matters with my old subordinates who are guarding this area tonight," Gu Liang said. "Our encounter with Wei Zhuo this time has confirmed that the Northern Di do indeed have a plan to attack Yanjing. Wei Zhuo will definitely have a plan when he returns, and we need to step up our efforts as well."

"Go ahead." Jiang Zhi got out of bed.

He moved a little closer to her. "You're not afraid of me, are you?"

His voice was deep, as if the intimate words from last night were still echoing in my ears.

"You were talking in your sleep last night," Gu Liang said, a little smugly.

"I don't believe it." Jiang Zhi turned her face away.

She couldn't say she didn't believe it at all, but saying she didn't believe it made it seem as if she had never actually said it.

“You revealed all your secrets yesterday.”

She blinked and swallowed hard. "What did I say?"

Gu Liang curled her lips into a smile and suddenly leaned closer, "You said you love me so much."

Before Jiang Zhi could even utter a sound of "Hey," Gu Liang had already turned away.

Okay, he just likes to tease her.

Jiang Zhi also put down her thoughts of washing up.

This time, she went out without any maids by her side, and she didn't do any elaborate dressing up. She simply tidied herself up, and her long, ink-black hair was draped down.

After all, Shigeoku is different from Kyoto, and many of its hair ornaments are also different.

Since I've already come all this way, I might as well go and see what's going on. I can also bring back some interesting things for my cousin, and I should also prepare a special gift for someone.

Jiang Zhi took the Starry Night and Moonlit Night left behind by Gu Liang and left together.

Located in the northern border region, Chong'an Prefecture gets light early, and the various stalls on the streets are already calling out their wares.

Baked flatbread, mutton soup, paomo (pita bread soaked in mutton soup)... the whole street smelled delicious.

Jiang Zhi and Xingluo Jiaoyue ordered three bowls of noodle soup and two plates of baked flatbread.

The baked flatbread here was delicious, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a sweet flavor, which made Jiang Zhi order two more plates.

After breakfast, Jiang Zhi instructed Xing Luo, "Take this back to the inn and let Bai Wuyou and the others, as well as His Highness, try it."

“Yes, sir.” Xingluo accepted the order.

As she followed the two of them and listened to some interesting stories along the way, Jiang Zhi almost forgot the purpose of her trip.

After browsing through the jewelry shops in Chong'an Prefecture, I finally found some "little trinkets" that satisfied me.

At the hour of Xu (7-9 PM), Gu Liang brought the food over and placed it on the table. "Come on, let's eat."

Jiang Zhi sat down and, seeing the dish closest to her, asked in surprise, "There's actually cold bamboo shoot salad here."

The products of the north are quite different from those of Yanjing (Beijing), and it is summer now, so how could there be bamboo shoots?

“You said last night that you wanted to eat this, so I went to ask.” Gu Liang served her the food. “It just so happens that the tavern had some left.”

He remembered that she had been talking in her sleep last night about wanting to eat bamboo shoots.

Jiang Zhi looked up at him.

He wasn't telling the truth.

She had seen the tavern's menu last night. If they really had rare dishes like bamboo shoots, they would have put them out there and sold them at a high price long ago. Why would they be hiding them?

Jiang Zhi's eyes crinkled into a smile. "What if I want to eat tilapia?"

“There are no tilapia here,” Gu Liang said casually, “but there is a large lake sixty miles west of Chong’an Prefecture, where the fish are delicious. I’ll take you there to eat.”

Jiang Zhi picked up a piece of meat and placed it in Gu Liang's bowl. "Alright, you should focus on recovering first."

"I asked Dr. Xiaobai, and he said you've been stabbed in several places and lost so much blood. We're leaving for Kyoto the day after tomorrow. If you don't heal your wounds before we get back, I'm afraid you won't have time to rest when you get back."

In the past, even though Gu Liang did not go on expeditions while in the capital, he was often away from home. This time, returning from the north, he will be even busier than before.

"Don't worry," Gu Liang said. "Many things have already been arranged, so I don't need to do them myself."

"How come it's not quite the same as what Xingluo and the others told me?" she said.

Gu Liang, unaware of their conversation, asked, "What did they say?"

"They say you always lead from the front, are single-minded, and do everything yourself," Jiang Zhi said vividly. "They also say you'd go to great lengths for your brothers."

Hearing this, Gu Liang couldn't help but laugh. Jiang Zhi, seeing this, asked, "What are you laughing at?"

Indeed, what they said makes sense.

“It’s alright,” Gu Liang said, looking at her. “There are people in Yanjing who need to get busy.”

-

Inside the Kyoto Imperial Palace.

"Your Excellency, Vice Minister."

As soon as he stepped out of the gate, the Vice Minister of Works heard a familiar voice.

"Marquis of Guangde," the Vice Minister of Works bowed, "why have you come in person today?"

"Could it be that His Majesty has given some instructions?"

"His Majesty is very concerned about the progress of the Lingqu Canal Project in Qingzhou, and specially ordered me to come and take a look." Marquis Guangde smiled and said, "The flood in Qingzhou has always been a concern of His Majesty. Although it has receded now, there is still a lot of cleanup to be done. You, the Water Conservancy Bureau, must hurry up."

"Of course I wouldn't dare delay," the Vice Minister of Works said with a smile. "Look, I'm just about to go to the Water Conservancy Bureau's workshops. Why don't we go together?"

Marquis Guangde nodded, "Please, Your Excellency."

The two arrived at the workshop of the Water Conservancy Bureau, where a huge sand table was placed in front of them.

Even in the north, where it is still sweltering, the ice in the ice basin inside the room has melted into water. Several officials inside, with their sleeves rolled up, are gesturing and whispering to each other beside the sand table.

The Vice Minister of Works accompanied the Marquis of Guangde inside and coughed lightly.

The officials looked up at them.

"The Marquis of Guangde has come to inspect the progress of the Lingqu Canal project in Qingzhou. You all need to report on the current progress," the Marquis of Guangde instructed.

"Your Excellency, the Vice Minister." Marquis Guangde waved his hand to stop the Vice Minister of Works. "I see it's hot inside. Why don't you all come with me for a cup of cool tea, and then we can discuss matters later?"

"You agree, Your Excellency."

The Vice Minister of Works glanced at the officials and laughed heartily, "The Marquis of Guangde is indeed very thoughtful."

Seeing that the officials were all drenched in sweat, and that their appearance was rather unsightly even inside the workshop, the Vice Minister of Works said, "You may all leave now."

Marquis Guangde looked around. "Is His Highness Prince Jing not here?"

"His Highness Prince Jing has gone to change his clothes."

Marquis Guangde nodded, walked to the sand table, stood up, and examined it carefully.