After the cannon fodder father and daughter married into the family, the whole family regretted it

On the way back, Fang Tong thought about it.

The other party must have been targeting him not only before he came to Beijing, but Huai'an Prefecture was the best opportunity to strike.

At that time, their family was at most a peasant family with a small fortune, so it was easy to control them.

But he didn't feel any danger.

Mr. Zhou had no objection to being able to go to Beijing smoothly, and only left Zhizhi behind.

"It's OK, but these words are missing two strokes."

Qian Fengping said this as she took the pen and replied to him.

"What should I do? Should I quit competing? Go home?"

Fang Tong pondered for a moment and wrote on the paper.

"No, we were able to enter Beijing safely without any incident, which means it's not that dangerous. At least someone is protecting us. Leaving Beijing suddenly will only arouse suspicion."

Qian Fengping nodded and continued writing on the paper.

'Brother Yan!'

Zhizhi is safe at Zhou's house, but Brother Yan is alone outside...

"Not everyone can enter Luming Academy. My son lives with Zhou Zijing."

The last time he went to send his child, he couldn't get in.

Students and their relatives can only stay in the inn at the foot of the mountain, and it is even more difficult for outsiders to get in.

He felt that Brother Yan's place was the safest.

Qian Fengping thought so too, and the couple felt relieved and decided to continue pretending nothing had happened and participate in the dim sum competition.

As for other things, such as whether Mr. Zhou had any plans behind his agreement for them to go to Beijing.

They still take things one step at a time and go with the flow.

After the couple had practiced writing, they were about to take a break.

As a result, there was a knock on the door. It turned out that Wu Dongjia had just come back from drinking and wanted to see them for something.

The two of them hurriedly invited the person in.

Wu Dongjia reeked of alcohol, but he was sober and not drunk at all.

"Sister-in-law, this dim sum competition is not that easy. Even if you can't get first place, it's fine if you can get into the top three."

Wu Dongjia said comforting words, but there was a sense of depression between his eyebrows.

Fang Tong glanced at him, somewhat confused.

When coming to Beijing, although Wu Dongjia didn't say anything explicitly, he was full of confidence in his wife.

Going out for a drink and getting hit?

"Brother Wu, what happened?"

Wu Dongjia sighed and did not hide it.

The dim sum competition is held in which dim sum shops in Beijing send their dim sum chefs to participate.

The winner can choose one of the three dim sum shops with a share of half of the profit.

The three are Wu Dongjia’s Xile Cake Shop, the old-fashioned Rongji Dim Sum, and Beijing Liubaozhai.

Leaving aside Joy Cake Shop, Rongji Dim Sum has a two hundred year history.

The Rong family has been running the business for generations and is very famous.

At Liubaozhai, the dim sum is characterized by its precious and exquisite cuisine. Thirty years ago, an imperial chef was granted a royal gift and allowed to retire from the palace, where he was highly valued by the owner of Liubaozhai.

Most of Liubaozhai’s dim sum are made with secret recipes from the imperial chef.

He is very popular among the powerful and influential people in the capital.

These three are currently the largest dim sum shops in Beijing. You can choose to buy half a share of their shops, which is equivalent to directly choosing to become the owner of one of the three shops.

Only when the prize is big enough can it attract people.

This has attracted many dim sum shops, big and small, in Beijing.

Fang Tong smacked his lips when he heard this: "Brother Wu, you are so generous?"

No wonder Wu Dongjia cares so much about the competition. If he loses, he will lose half of his points.

If you win, you can also break into other dim sum shops.

Wu Dongjia smiled bitterly, "It's not that I'm being generous, it's just that the cake shop is so popular that Rongji and Liubaozhai challenged each other and gave their share."

There was nothing he could do.

The existence of this dim sum competition is only possible with the permission of the benefactors behind several companies.

They are of noble status and do not want to damage the relationship over a mere business matter, but they are reluctant to give up the real money they have obtained.

So we agreed to stay out of each other's way and let them solve the problem in their own way.

Fang Tong understood and nodded.

Wu Dongjia continued speaking.

Originally, he was not afraid.

The cake shop is no worse than the other two in terms of taste and appearance. The only shortcoming is the shop's background.

But the dim sum competition is all about the dim sum itself.

But the other two came for the cake shop’s membership, so how could we not make preparations?

Tonight, he learned that Rong Ji had invited the previous generation of dim sum chef, Mr. Xing, to participate in the competition.

In other words, all the pastry chefs at Rongji are apprentices of Mr. Xing. He is best at making osmanthus cakes, and it is said that the current Empress Dowager was fond of his craftsmanship even before she got married.

When the Empress Dowager was young and pregnant, she suffered from severe morning sickness and couldn't eat anything, so she longed for this osmanthus cake.

For the Empress Dowager's sake, the late Emperor asked Old Xing to make fresh food every day and send it to the palace.

Later, Mr. Xing was old and could no longer work, so he wanted to return to his hometown to retire.

Not only did the owner of Rongji give him a gift, but the Empress Dowager also sent someone to give him a bronze plaque engraved with the words "Jiu Gui".

"What does it mean? The Queen Mother is so stingy. She didn't give me a gold medal, but a copper one?" Fang Tong couldn't help asking.

Copper is worthless.

For example, in Mr. Fang's eyes, he is a cheap guy.

My eldest brother Fang Jin is my precious baby.

"Shh, shh, shh, ouch, Brother Fang, don't dare to talk nonsense about the empress dowager. No, you are still an official appointed by the court, you have to pay more attention to this aspect than I do." Wu Dongjia was frightened by him and almost covered his mouth with his hands.

Fang Tong smiled awkwardly.

He has gotten used to it, so he has to be careful in the future, not to talk nonsense, and to be careful with what he says and does.

"As for what that 'old osmanthus' means, I don't know either, but it at least means that the Queen Mother recognized Mr. Xing's craftsmanship in making osmanthus cakes. Since then, some people have said that he is the best pastry chef in the world."

Wu Dongjia brought the topic back.

Qian Fengping nodded after listening to it, it was indeed amazing.

Queen Mother, you are a noble lady who has tasted so many delicacies from land and sea, but you can still remember a pastry chef and give him a plaque, no matter whether it is made of copper or gold, which shows your approval of the other party.

What an honor.

If you think about it, she is just an ordinary farm woman who has been cooking home-cooked meals for half her life.

The cake is famous, thanks to the method given by the system god.

She only occasionally makes one or two improvements.

However, Qian Fengping was not intimidated. She really wanted to meet this "world's best dim sum chef".

In my daughter's words, let's have a competition. If you win, you shouldn't say anything, but if you lose, you can brag about having fought against the best in the world.

Not a loss!

"Not only Rongji, but Liubaozhai also directly invited an imperial chef to participate in the competition." Wu Dongjia continued.

"Imperial chef? The one from more than thirty years ago?" Fang Tong asked.

Wu Dongjia shook his head: "The old imperial chef passed away a long time ago, and Liubaozhai hired his apprentice."

"Chef Jiang, forty years old, has worked in the imperial kitchen for half his life. He was awarded to Marquis Jingnan some time ago."

"Marquis Jingnan was generous enough to allow Chef Jiang to take charge of Liubaozhai."

Fang Tong raised his eyebrows: "The backer behind Liubaozhai is Marquis Jingnan?"

Wu Dongjia smiled but said nothing. This was something everyone knew.

Do you really think that the generosity of rich and powerful people is out of kindness?

"The Marquis' Mansion is really powerful." Fang Tong sighed with ambiguous meaning.

His cheap fake niece is just the daughter of an uncle, but she is so proud of herself.

"Oh, Brother Wu, both sides have taken action. Where is your big backer? You can't just stand by and watch, right?"

Although Fang Tong didn't care much about the cake shop, he knew that there was someone behind Wu Dong's family.

Otherwise, how could the business be so successful and grow so big?

Wu Dongjia shook his head.

He had looked for the manager of the Jin family, but he didn't even see the person, let alone anything else.

The Jin family's attitude, I wonder if they have given up on him? Or perhaps they have other plans? But there is no need to tell him, a small businessman.

Wu Dongjia calmed down and brought the topic back to the topic: "With Elder Xing and Chef Jiang here, it's the dim sum competition. Just do your best. There's no need to force it."

He felt bad.

If we really lose, I’m afraid the Jin family will not be affected.

But he was afraid that he would be kicked out of the cake business.

"Mr. Wu, I can't guarantee anything else, but I will definitely do my best." Qian Fengping told the truth.

With such powerful people coming, she really has no confidence.

But when it comes to doing things, it doesn't matter if she doesn't do it, but if she does it, she will try her best to do it to the best of her ability.

As for the outcome, leave it to fate.

"Yeah." Wu Dongjia smiled bitterly and left without staying any longer.

The back view is somewhat dejected.

Fang Tong also felt a bit complicated.

Wu Dongjia put a lot of effort into his cake shop, and it was indeed successful. He opened branches in various places and it became famous.

But in the eyes of the powerful, it still means nothing.

They could easily defeat Wu Dongjia with just one or two random moves.

Such are the benefits of power.

But was it right? Was it fair? He didn't know.

Fang Tong felt uncomfortable, but fortunately he was never the kind of person who would dwell on things, so he prepared to go back and ask his son.

What are the court laws about this? Are there any restrictions?

The night was very dark, so dark that one could not see one's hand in front of one's face, as if one could not see any hope.

Prince Ning's Mansion.

In Wutong Courtyard, Su Qingya sat under the corridor, looking up at the sky, without moving for a long time.

The maid Chuncao brought a cloak and gently covered her master with it.

Chuncao was transferred from the uncle's house to serve the young lady four years ago.

In addition to her, there are Xia Ye, Qiu Hua, and Dong Zhi, all four of whom are head maids.

The young lady was kind and tolerant towards them.

But Chuncao always served carefully and did not dare to slack off, because four years ago, all the servants who followed the young lady to Huai'an Prefecture died.

No one dares to say or ask how he died.

Maybe I saw things I shouldn’t have seen, and knew things I shouldn’t have known.

In short, for a wealthy family, the death of a few servants is very normal.

But as a fellow servant, Chuncao was afraid deep down.

Even though her master was already the most sought-after consort of Prince Ning in the capital, she did not dare to show it off.

As if disturbed by her actions, Su Qingya turned around, her profile clear and her lips slightly curled with a hint of anticipation.

"Chuncao, has the prince returned?"

"My dear Princess, there is no movement in the front yard. The prince must be busy with official duties and is resting in the yamen." Chuncao lowered her head and said respectfully.

Su Qingya sighed softly.

I have no doubt that the prince is having an affair outside, and everyone in the capital knows about it.

They have been married for three years, and the prince dotes on his wife like his life. Not to mention taking a concubine, he doesn't even have a maid.

We once promised in public that we would be together for life.

And really did it.

Which girl in the capital doesn't envy her?

But Su Qingya was still a little disappointed, and she wanted to discuss something with the prince.

Today she went to the princess's mansion for a banquet and seemed to see an old friend. His figure was very similar to Fang Jin.

But the man is a cripple.

Shouldn't Fang Jin be dead? She had already heard the steward of the Bo Mansion report it.

Fang Tong also came to Beijing. She wanted to teach him a lesson, but the prince did not allow it.

She said that he was the younger brother of the major general and was under too much attention, so if she took any action, she would definitely be noticed.

In fact, Su Qingya didn’t quite understand how her second uncle could become a major general.

In fact, she had a very shallow impression of Fang Yin.

A fool who is bullied by others, tall and strong, just a little bit strong, how can he be qualified to be a major general?

When the incident happened at the border, she had suggested that the prince come forward and take over the task.

When she returns to the battlefield, using the gunpowder she made, wouldn't it be easy to destroy the barbarians?

By then, the emperor will only value the Ning Palace more.

But the prince disagreed. After a few days, a fool was allowed to take the spotlight in the court.

And there is Fang Tong, a farmer who used to work in the fields became a ninth-rank official?

It shouldn't be like this. She would become the high and mighty Crown Prince's Consort and would never see the Fang family again.

Especially not in the capital.

She is already the cloud in the sky, and the Fang family is the mud in the ground.

That year, when she returned to Beijing from Huai'an Prefecture, the prince ordered people to clear out the people around her.

She knew it was to keep her mouth shut.

A noble lady was brought to court in Huai'an Prefecture and had to kneel in public for three days, completely losing face.

These things cannot be known to outsiders.

For the sake of reputation, she acquiesced.

She thought that this would completely sever her past ties with the Fang family, but they actually went to Beijing.

Su Qingya was very confused and always felt that the existence of the Fang family was a variable.

It will affect her fortune.

"Chuncao, go to the main kitchen and pack some snacks. We'll leave the house and give some snacks to the prince."

Chuncao's face showed difficulty. She wanted to say something but swallowed it back.

He just responded and went to prepare.

When the master and servant had packed up and were about to leave the house, they were stopped.

"Princess, it's curfew outside now, so it's probably not convenient to go out." The gatekeeper said respectfully.

Su Qingya glanced at her sideways and said nothing.

Chuncao put her hands on her hips and said, "You are blind, how dare you block anyone's way?"

As for the curfew, there was the emblem of Prince Ning's Mansion on the carriage, so the yamen runners had to be very brave to dare to check.

The servant was scolded, but he didn't dare to talk back. He smiled and said, "Please calm down. The princess has ordered that no one is allowed to leave the palace at night."

So what's the point of making things difficult for him?

If you have the guts, go find the princess.

Su Qingya's expression suddenly turned ugly.

After she got married, everything went smoothly overall, except for her mother-in-law who disliked her and repeatedly made things difficult for her.

She also always wants to put a concubine in the prince's room.

Humph, a conservative, feudal and vicious old woman.

"Get out of the way." Her voice was cold and a little angry.

The servant's back bent even further, but he didn't retreat. "Princess, if you have any urgent matters, why don't you ask the princess for instructions?"

The implication is that you can only leave the house if the princess agrees.

Su Qingya's chest heaved, and she was obviously very angry.

She glared at the servant and turned back.

It was impossible to go find the princess. If I went to her, I would definitely be scolded for being restless and unruly, and that women should stay in the harem and not disturb men's official business.

Su Qingya felt a headache just thinking about it.

Unfortunately, in ancient times, parents did not divide the family, and this was especially important among the powerful and wealthy.

Otherwise, if she wanted to go out and live alone with the prince, she would be the one who made the decisions in the mansion.

Which of the servants dared not listen to her?

Chuncao hurried to catch up with her and advised, "Princess, that servant is not smart. We'll fine him his monthly salary later. Please don't be angry. If you get sick from anger, the prince will be very sad."

Su Qingya's expression eased slightly.

"Forget it. When the prince comes back tomorrow, you can invite him here first."

Don't let her do anything about Fang Tong's matter.

It would be difficult to ignore the person suspected to be Fang Jin.