Quick Transmigration: After Fake Death, All the Protagonists I Flirted With Went Crazy

The three of them avoided people and returned to Gu Yao's courtyard.

Back in the courtyard, Gu Yao changed into a light, narrow-sleeved outfit and began tending to the osmanthus flowers.

Wanyan Jue's eyes lit up. He knew Gu Yao could cook, but at the time their conditions were limited, so Wanyan Jue didn't know the exact level of Gu Yao's cooking skills.

I never expected Gu Yao could even make pastries.

Gu Yao didn't stand on ceremony with Wanyan Jue. Although he was no longer angry, it didn't stop him from ordering Wanyan Jue around.

Having a free pool of young, able-bodied labor can save a lot of trouble.

Qingzhu skillfully assisted Gu Yao; he was one of the few people who knew that Gu Yao could cook.

The idea of ​​"never lifting a finger" doesn't exist for their young master; for Gu Yao, it's simply "food is the most important thing for the people."

The rice and glutinous rice I had soaked yesterday, which I originally planned to use to make rice cakes, came in handy.

With readily available laborers, Gu Yao was happy to have some free time.

He instructed Wanyan Jue to grind rice flour with a stone mill, while Gu Yao began making osmanthus sugar.

The traditional method of making candied osmanthus is no longer available today; we have to use another method.

Setting up a small pot, Gu Yao poured in the sugar, sensing the temperature in the pot by feel. When she felt it was about right, she added fresh osmanthus flowers and orange juice, simmered it for a while, then removed the firewood and poured the candied osmanthus into a glass jar.

It has a clear and bright color and is of superior quality.

Gu Yao nodded, very satisfied.

Look at Wanyan Jue over there, engrossed in grinding powder; he's almost done too.

Sift the two types of rice flour, mix them with powdered sugar, pour the mixture into a mold, steam it until cooked, sprinkle with osmanthus syrup, and steam for another two minutes.

The steam filled the air with the sweet aroma of osmanthus flowers mixed with the fragrance of rice cakes, blurring Gu Yao's handsome face.

The usually refined and elegant young master Gu, who was difficult to approach, now seemed to have a touch of human warmth, and the gentle smile on his lips added a touch of tenderness.

Wanyan Jue looked intently at Gu Yao's serious profile, his eyes filled with tenderness, and a smile unconsciously appeared on his face.

As Qingzhu, who had just removed the firewood, looked up, she was met with the tenderness in Wanyan Jue's eyes. His focused expression showed that Gu Yao was the only person in his eyes.

Unable to conceal her feelings, anyone could see that Wanyan Jue was in love with Gu Yao.

Qingzhu's heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly looked down, as if he had seen something terrible.

If he shouldn't see something, he should pretend he didn't see it.

Gu Yao picked up the osmanthus cake and left the kitchen, glancing at Wanyan Jue who was still standing there, and gestured for him to follow.

Wanyan Jue snapped out of his daze, lowered his eyes to conceal the affection in them, and hurriedly chased after him.

Gu Yao had Wanyan Jue sit at the low table by the window in the outer room, while he got up and went to the inner room to change his clothes.

When receiving guests, it's always best to be a bit formal.

Gu Yao asked Qingzhu to take all the remaining osmanthus flowers to dry.

Qingzhu understood immediately; he knew that his young master and the Third Prince of Xiling must have something to discuss.

Important matters that must not be known to others.

Gu Yao wasn't in a hurry. Offering a cup of good tea to a guest was a sign of respect from the host.

He sat upright at the table, took out the tea set, and began to select water, choose utensils, and pour tea. Every move he made was graceful and elegant.

Wanyan Jue didn't urge him, but just watched Gu Yao's smooth and graceful movements, finding them extremely beautiful.

Gu Yao handed the cup to Wanyan Jue. The tea foam sank to the bottom and the broth rose to the top, its color like gold, indicating it was a fine cup of tea.

Wanyan Jue was not someone who appreciated these things, nor could he distinguish between good and bad tea. To him, tea was simply for quenching thirst.

Every time he drank tea, he would finish it in one gulp; in the words of the Da Xuan literati, it was like a cow chewing on a peony.

But seeing how elegant and proper Gu Yao was, he couldn't help but want to dress himself up in a more refined manner.

Wanyan Jue couldn't help but straighten his back and solemnly accepted the cup of tea, which looked extremely beautiful. He also learned to appreciate tea like the literati of the Great Xuan Dynasty. He took a small sip and, whether it was just his imagination or not, he felt that this cup of tea was indeed more fragrant than other teas.

Gu Yao couldn't help but laugh as he watched the awkward, half-baked attempt at imitation.

"Alright, I know you're not good at appreciating this tea anyway. If you're thirsty, just drink it. You're not acting like a proper connoisseur at all."

Upon hearing this, Wanyan Jue relaxed completely, his posture became unrestrained, and he drank the tea in one gulp, even refilling his cup.

Wanyan Jue leaned to one side, his chin supported by a fist, his whole body looking as if he had no bones, crooked and unsteady.

Those azure eyes stared intently at Gu Yao, as if they couldn't get enough of looking at him. He teased, "Le'an, is there something you want to discuss with me?"

Gu Yao sat upright, not in a hurry, taking a sip of tea with slow and elegant movements.

Every move he made exuded the demeanor of a gentleman.

Upon hearing this, Gu Yao gently put down the cup and looked directly at Wanyan Jue.

"Yan Lü, do you still remember the grand ambition I talked to you about?"

When Wanyan Jue heard the words "Yan Lü", his heart skipped a beat.

This is his courtesy name.

Although his mother was a woman from a foreign land, she loved the culture of the Great Xuan Dynasty and asked a renowned Confucian scholar to give him a courtesy name.

He was also the only royal descendant of Xiling in that generation to have a courtesy name.

When he came to Da Xuan to travel (to gather intelligence), he used his courtesy name to address Gu Yao.

Wanyan Jue lowered his eyes, as if savoring something. His fingers gently caressed the rim of the cup, and with a hint of nostalgia, he chuckled softly.

"I thought Le'an had forgotten..."

Gu Yao interrupted Wan Yanjue, his gaze fixed on him. "Yan Lü, I have never forgotten the grand ambitions we discussed back then. Are you still willing to work with me to fulfill those aspirations?"

Wanyan Jue was startled by Gu Yao's gaze. He saw a flickering flame in Gu Yao's eyes, waiting to spread like wildfire.

Wanyan Jue smiled broadly, his expression full of confidence and arrogance, "Of course."

Upon hearing Wan Yanjue's affirmative answer, Gu Yao's solemn expression softened, and he relaxed, revealing a genuine smile.

The two had discussed the specifics more than a year ago, and now they just needed an opportunity to put them into practice.

If things really go through, the two of them will have plenty of opportunities to discuss it in a formal setting.

Now, the two are just friends.

Once that topic was left aside, the long-lost friends began to talk about their recent lives.

*

Before nightfall, Wanyan Jue left the Prime Minister's residence.

Before leaving, he shamelessly smuggled a bag of osmanthus cakes.

Gu Yao indulged him, saying it was just some pastries, which he could easily make himself, and instructed Qingzhu to pack them up for Wanyan Jue.

Watching Wanyan Jue carefully place the oil paper package into his front, Gu Yao was speechless. The simple oil paper package really didn't match Wanyan Jue's gorgeous clothes.

"Did my Great Xuan Dynasty lack food for the Xiling delegation? Why do you find these two pieces of pastry so precious?"

Wanyan Jue carefully placed the paper package away, her eyes filled with a gentle smile. "But this is osmanthus cake made by Le'an herself."

Without waiting for Gu Yao's reply, he flew away.

Gu Yao was taken aback, then shook his head and chuckled.

Upon hearing Wan Yanjue's ambiguous words, Qingzhu tried her best to minimize her presence and pretended that she hadn't heard anything.

Young master, you should be more careful.