Once I enter the pass, great Confucian scholars will surely debate the classics for me.

July 15, 1102, the reign of Emperor Gengshi.

Under the blazing sun high in the sky, during the hottest days of summer, the study of the Zhou family mansion in Sword Tower City was a cool and refreshing place.

The study was decorated with pale blue gauze curtains, which swayed gently in the breeze, bringing a touch of coolness to the room. In one corner of the room, an incense burner made of snow lotus flowers filled the space with its delicate fragrance, not only cooling the room but also helping to calm the mind.

Zhou Qingfeng sat half-reclined on a sandalwood recliner, holding a book in his hand. He was wearing a black robe with red trim woven from silkworm silk, as thin as a cicada's wing, yet able to withstand the scorching heat. Beside him was a small table piled with various cooling treats.

There are soups made from thousand-year-old snow lotus picked from deep in the snow-capped mountains, drinks made from pearl powder from the depths of the East China Sea, and lychee black tea brewed with the first dew of the morning. Every sip brings a sense of coolness and tranquility.

Jin Wei, Ye Tingxiu, and Xiao Hongyun each sat comfortably in their finely crafted chairs, enjoying the rare coolness.

The small table in front of the three people was also filled with all kinds of cold drinks, including ice cream, herbal tea, mung bean soup, plum juice, lotus seed soup, and so on.

Others were unable to attend immediately for various reasons.

Ye Tingxiu held a bowl of shaved ice and tasted it spoonful by spoonful: "Zhou, your chef's skills are amazing. This shaved ice is absolutely delicious. One bite and it's so refreshing, sweet and delicious. I want to stay at your house and eat and drink here every day."

Zhou Qingfeng looked down at the pages of the book, a slight smile playing on his lips: "If you like it, have the chef prepare a few more portions for you."

Ye Tingxiu said, "A few portions won't be enough. Send me the cook."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qingfeng laughed and retorted, "Dream on! If you take her away, what am I supposed to eat?"

Ye Tingxiu savored the ice cream, muttering under his breath, "You stingy guy!"

"Iced cream" sounds like a more upscale and sophisticated name, and it certainly lives up to that. This cold dessert is similar to ice cream, but iced cream is tastier and more expensive, making it a luxury item among cold desserts. The two are not in the same league at all.

Because the process of making ice cream is quite complicated, especially to achieve a delicious and delicate effect, it not only requires time but also superb skills. The cost of making a batch of ice cream is very high, and ordinary people can only afford to buy a bowl to try it after working for more than ten days.

To make ice cream, first pour milk or goat milk into a pot and heat it slowly over medium-low heat, stirring constantly to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.

Add sugar when the milk starts to bubble, and continue stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved.

When seasoning, you can add some spices at this step, such as a few drops of rose water or orange blossom water, to enhance the flavor.

Remove the cooked milk from the heat and let it cool naturally to room temperature. Then refrigerate it in an ice room for at least two hours to allow it to cool completely. Finally, remove the chilled milk and pour it into a shallow dish. Place the dish in a large container filled with plenty of ice and salt. Scrape the surface with a fork every fifteen minutes, repeating this process for one hour, until a smooth, shaved ice-like consistency is formed.

Once the ice cream has reached the desired texture, it is ready to be served and enjoyed.

You can also add extra fresh fruit or candied fruit according to your personal preference.

Because Zhou Qingfeng was very particular about food and drink and loved to enjoy himself, the kitchen in the Zhou mansion was always open around the clock. The back kitchen alone had more than a dozen private chefs who racked their brains every day to cook for Zhou Qingfeng to satisfy his appetite.

Zhou Qingfeng closed the book, picked up a cup of lychee black tea, took a sip, and said with a smile, "Tell me, who wants to report?"

Jin Wei, Ye Tingxiu, and Xiao Hongyun exchanged glances, then Ye Tingxiu and Xiao Hongyun pointed at Jin Wei in unison: "Him!"

Seeing this, Jin Wei was both amused and exasperated. He had no choice but to put down his iced tea, stand up, and hand over the prepared report: "Young Master, this is the merit book that Jin Wei has prepared. Right and wrong, merits and demerits are written clearly, stroke by stroke. Please take a look."

Zhou Qingfeng took the report, opened it and read it. He said, "You have worked hard all these years. If it weren't for your dedication and hard work, the plan would not have been implemented smoothly. According to the rules, let's reward you for your merits. All expenses will be paid from the Zhou family's treasury."

Jin Wei clasped his hands in thanks and said, "Thank you for your kindness, young master."

Zhou Qingfeng hummed in agreement and casually placed the merit book aside: "How is Shui'er doing now?"

Jin Wei responded: "Miss Shui'er is currently serving as a military supervisor in the resistance army. With Master Chen behind the scenes advising her, the resistance army and its leader Fan Li are both supervised and controlled by Miss Shui'er. Basically, the resistance army is under our control."

Zhou Qingfeng said, "It's like a play about the mortal world."

Jin Wei said, "Young Master, Xi Hongchen is a very powerful woman, especially the cauldrons she has cultivated. Each one of them is both talented and beautiful, and they know very well how to please people. Over the years, she has painstakingly planned and even planted spies in the beds of high-ranking officers. It's simply terrifying."

"Moreover, this woman also runs a brothel and a gambling den in Sihai City and Yumi City respectively, specializing in intelligence gathering, hunting down powerful figures, and frequently interacting with celebrities and wealthy merchants from all walks of life. She has earned the young master a profit of 3 billion coins and built a complete intelligence network."

Zhou Qingfeng said with a smile, "Old Xiao, don't you have anything to say? This woman is under your command."

Xiao Hongyun spread his hands and said, "Xi Hongchen is indeed quite capable, with strong abilities and great ambitions. Over the years, whatever I've asked her to do, she has always done it properly. She is truly a rare talent, but this woman also has a lot of flaws."

"She is extremely fond of beauty, extremely fond of playing, extremely fond of money, and secretly extremely perverted. I have never seen such a perverted woman. She especially likes to turn all kinds of animals and humans into toys and display these toys in the exhibition room for appreciation."

"Damn, I've wanted to ask you this for ages, where did you find such a weirdo with such a perverted hobby?" Xiao Hongyun said, gesturing with his hand to vividly depict the terrifying exhibition room, which to him was nothing short of a living hell.

It was so horrifying. This woman turned animals and people alike into her favorite toys, making them perform fixed scenes and acts every day in the exhibition hall according to her script. She even enjoyed showing these exhibits to others. She was incredibly twisted.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qingfeng clicked his tongue and felt relieved about Xi Hongchen. He did not punish Xi Hongchen because of this. After all, a person without flaws should not be given important responsibilities, let alone placed in his core group.

The reason why Xi Hongchen was able to enter the core team is firstly because she is Zhou Qingfeng's slave, and her word can decide life and death. As long as Zhou Qingfeng does not give her a contract of servitude, she can only be Zhou Qingfeng's lackey. If she dares to disobey, he can punish her at any time.

Secondly, Xi Hongchen's realm and ability are very high, and she can indeed be given important responsibilities if given the opportunity. However, even if she is given important responsibilities, she has no flaws. Zhou Qingfeng always felt that he could not control this woman. Now that she has gone through more than ten years, her flaws have been exposed one by one, which makes Zhou Qingfeng feel much more at ease using her.