Chapter 61: Not Only Pinched, But Also Tasted…

Chapter 61: Not only pinched, but also tried to escape...

Jiang Congyan followed the sound. She saw Lingxiao flapping its huge wings as it flew over, finally gliding to her feet. The gust of wind it created lifted her skirt, and Si Zi hurriedly helped her hold it down.

After landing, it ambled its plump body over to Jiang Congyan's leg, calling out several times in a somewhat aggrieved tone.

At that moment, the sound of galloping hoofbeats approached from a distance. Jiang Congyan glanced over and spotted the falconer in hot pursuit.

Clearly, it was trying to skip class—not only avoiding training but also acting pitiful in front of her.

The falconer quickly dismounted and bowed to the Khatun, the queen. Seeing Lingxiao nuzzling up to her, pretending to be pitiful, he was afraid the Khatun might misunderstand and think he had mistreated her beloved pet, so he hurriedly explained.

Jiang Congyan could roughly understand his Xianbei dialect.

Since it was her eagle, the falconer couldn't train it as harshly as he would an ordinary eagle, making Lingxiao a rebellious student.

After just two days of training, it had already skipped class and even brought its grievances to its owner.

In truth, no explanation was needed. Just by looking at Lingxiao's glossy feathers and bright, alert eyes, it was clear it hadn't been mistreated. If anything, it was more likely to be the one mistreating others.

Jiang Congyan flicked Lingxiao's head in exasperation, "If you don't study hard, I won't give you any more dried meat."

Lingxiao seemed to understand and let out an even more plaintive cry, "Yo~" with a long, drawn-out tail.

Such a majestic bird, yet it loved to act coquettish, especially with its expressive eyes that could melt anyone's heart.

Jiang Congyan steeled herself and ignored its antics, ordering the falconer to take it back.

The falconer kept giving commands, but Lingxiao glanced at her, then elsewhere, swiveling its head and even preening its feathers with its beak, completely ignoring the falconer. It refused to move, stubbornly defiant.

The falconer stood awkwardly. With an ordinary eagle, he could restrain it and use a whip or withhold food and water, but he couldn't do that with the Khatun's eagle. Moreover, its claws were so formidable that he might not even stand a chance against it.

He tried every trick in the book to communicate with it. He was certain the eagle understood him, but it simply refused to cooperate.

Jiang Congyan, who had been watching everything, mused silently, "..."

It was evident the falconer had done his utmost.

"If it refuses to be tamed, then so be it. Don't worry about the King blaming you; I'll explain it to him." Seeing how headstrong Lingxiao was, she decided not to pressure the falconer further.

The falconer inwardly sighed with relief. After all, this was a task personally assigned by the King, and he had failed to live up to the King's trust.

Everyone said the Khatun, the queen the King married, was a gentle and beautiful princess, and it seemed to be true. Not only did she refrain from blaming him for his incompetence, but she also offered to plead his case with the King.

The falconer expressed his gratitude at length and then added, "Khatun, Lingxiao is a divine beast like the King's Li Eagle. It is highly intelligent and proud. An ordinary falconer like me cannot tame it, but you could try."

"Me?" Jiang Congyan raised an eyebrow, pointing at herself.

The falconer nodded, "Yes, you are its master. It will only obey your commands."

"But I don't know how," Jiang Congyan said, feeling a bit helpless, as her animal training skills were nonexistent.

"You don't need to be an expert. Just learn a few commands and let Lingxiao understand what they mean. It will follow your orders to carry out tasks," he explained.

Lingxiao's intelligence was clearly far superior to that of an ordinary eagle. Taming such a divine beast could be both difficult and simple, depending on whether it was willing to submit.

Jiang Congyan understood what he meant and glanced down at Lingxiao. It was still preening its feathers, but its bright red eyes occasionally flicked over to her, clearly listening to their conversation.

What a scheming bird!

Since he had said so, Jiang Congyan earnestly inquired about some falconry techniques and commands from the other party.

She decided to give it a try and see if Lingxiao would heed her commands.

After conversing for nearly half an hour, the falconer shared his years of falconry experience unreservedly with the Khatun.

Each falconer has their own unique techniques, which they would never normally pass on to outsiders, but since the Khatun had spared him from the King's reproach, he was willing to do so.

After learning the techniques, Jiang Congyan tested a few simple commands. Indeed, Lingxiao responded.

The falconer praised, "A rare and divine creature, it submits only to its one true master!"

That seemed a bit exaggerated.

However, a falcon of Lingxiao's breed is indeed rare, especially one so attuned to human behavior.

Once the falconer departed, Jiang Congyan mounted her horse and set off back.

She rode at a gentle pace, the horse's gait smooth and steady. Lingxiao, eager for a free ride, attempted to perch on her horse's back but was promptly shooed away.

For a bird of prey, constantly seeking a free ride is rather amusing.

And it had indeed put on weight; excessive weight would impede its flight.

Lingxiao emitted a couple of disgruntled "yo" sounds, but Jiang Congyan stood firm, and it eventually took to the air with a flap of its wings.

With a snow-white, spirited jade lion as her mount and a bird of prey soaring above, Jiang Congyan mused that only a dog was missing to complete the scene, perfectly embodying the phrase, "Leading a yellow dog on the left, holding a falcon on the right."

Jiang Congyan had never anticipated such a splendid day; her melancholy from Wen Yu's departure vanished as she gazed upon the star-lit royal court.

Being out already, Jiang Congyan decided to take a slight detour to inspect the workshop.

She had assembled the necessary workforce the previous day, including not only her own staff but also masons, carpenters, and woodworkers from the craftsmen's team.

Jiang Congyan rode to the construction site and observed the workers laying the foundation, the area alive with activity.

The production of maltose involves a fermentation process that demands precise temperature control. The northern climate is harshly cold, and though summer masks it, winter will freeze the entire grassland, turning insulation into a critical concern. Thus, from the outset, Jiang Congyan opted against continuing with the tent model, choosing instead to construct earthen houses. Thick earthen houses offer superior insulation compared to tents and can also accommodate heated brick beds.

The royal court is situated in Shengle, a location that would later become a provincial capital. The natural conditions here are favorable, featuring an entire lake and a traversing river, ensuring abundant water supply. If nomadic migration were not a factor, it could be developed into a city akin to those in the Central Plains.

Jiang Congyan halted at the edge of the construction site, observing workers maneuvering wheelbarrows laden with stone and mud, while Gan Luo meticulously checked and organized with a ledger.

After some time, she suddenly caught sight of Jiang Congyan and hastened over.

"What brings the lady here?" She quickly patted the dust off her clothes before approaching.

For ease of supervision, she had changed her skirt into short trousers, very neat, though inevitably covered in some dust, but her eyes were bright and full of spirit.

"I was passing by, so I came to take a look."

Jiang Congyan dismounted and asked about the situation.

"Don't worry, lady, everything is going smoothly. General Modolou is very diligent and has ordered others not to trouble us," Gan Luo said.

Jiang Congyan nodded, "With him assisting, I am at ease."

Tuo Baxiao probably also thought of this, which is why he sent Modolou instead of someone else. Modolou speaks Chinese, so the task of preparing materials was handed over to him. Gan Luo reported a couple of days ago that he was very dedicated.

Being of mixed blood himself, without strong bloodline notions, and having enjoyed Jiang Congyan's spices and fine wines along the way, plus the post-war medical aid that helped him and many of his subordinates, he now holds a very friendly attitude towards Jiang Congyan.

So, Su Li's constant claims that he was bribed aren't entirely wrong. Of course, the main reason still lies with Tuo Baxiao's attitude. As long as the king values the princess, he shows her the same respect.

The two had a brief chat, and Jiang Congyan noticed some onlookers nearby, perhaps out of simple curiosity, or maybe trying to probe something. Nearby were the tents of Tuoba Wuxi's subordinates.

She casually glanced over and spotted a familiar figure.

She focused her gaze, and their eyes locked. The girl blinked and looked flustered, turning to hide.

"Lan Zhu?" Jiang Congyan called softly, with a hint of uncertainty, "Is your name Lan Zhu?"

The girl hadn't given her name when she came to her tent that day, but later, she heard from Si Zi's investigation that the description of Lan Zhu matched this girl perfectly, so she guessed it was her.

Lan Zhu seemed as if she had been struck by a fairy's spell, instantly rooted to the spot.

"Just like the first time we met, why do you hide when you see me? Do I scare you that much?" Jiang Congyan walked over with a smile.

"No, it's not..." Lan Zhu quickly waved her hands, stammering nervously.

She hadn't expected the Khatun to remember her from that first night, and she felt a bit embarrassed.

Back then, she was curious. The king had put off marriage for several years, yet he specifically went to Liang State to marry a Han Princess.

Would the Han Princess look very different from us? Would she be very beautiful?

So, when she heard the Han Princess had arrived at the palace, she couldn't help but sneak over to take a look. Then she saw the princess's appearance, and indeed, she was very beautiful. The princess's clothes and hair were unlike anything she had ever seen before. She couldn't quite put her finger on what made her beautiful, but she felt that beauty.

"Can you keep me company for a while?" Jiang Congyan asked with a gentle smile, looking at the girl in front of her.

Most Xianbei girls are lively and vivacious, but Lan Zhu seemed a bit shy.

"I... I don't know what to say to the Khatun," Lan Zhu fidgeted with her fingers, feeling uneasy.

She wasn't usually this way. When she was with her friends, riding horses and dancing, she was very relaxed. She didn't know why, but whenever she saw the Khatun, she felt nervous, afraid she wouldn't make a good impression, even though she had already made a bad one.

Her brother had even spoken ill of the princess. Did the princess know she was his sister? Would she be mad at her too?

Her eyes had a clear, innocent look, like a fawn's, very endearing. Jiang Congyan felt like ruffling her hair, but just as the thought crossed her mind, she noticed the girl was slightly taller than her.

"..."

She quietly gave up on the idea, "It's okay, then I'll ask, and you answer."

Lan Zhu cautiously watched her, "What does the Khatun want to ask?"

"Did you try the candy I gave you last time? Did you like it?" Jiang Congyan deliberately stepped closer, lowering her voice, creating a sense of secrecy, like girls sharing a secret.

"Ah?" Lan Zhu was surprised the Khatun's first question was about this. After a moment, she replied, "It was delicious; I really enjoyed the candy the Khatun gave me. Qiu Liju and Mica liked it too."

She couldn't bring herself to eat it all at once, so she still had most of it left. Every day, she, Mica, and Qiu Liju would each have one piece, and when the three of them gathered to eat the candy, she felt especially happy. As for her brother, humph, she wouldn't give him any, and he got angry when she didn't!

"I'm glad you liked it." Then Jiang Congyan looked around, seeing no one nearby, she lowered her voice even more, almost whispering into Lan Zhu's ear, "I'll let you in on a secret: last time I said I was out of candy, I lied. I still have some left. If you like it, come find me to play later, and I'll secretly give you more."

"Ah?" Lan Zhu's eyes widened.

"Shh!"

Lan Zhu quickly covered her mouth.

"But... why is the Khatun being so nice to me?" Lan Zhu was very puzzled.

"Because you're adorable!"

Lan Zhu was taken aback for a moment, then realized what the Khatun had said, and her little face immediately turned red.

Her complexion was a bit darker than the girls from the Central Plains, but even so, the blush on her face was still visible. With her dazed eyes and round face, she was truly adorable.

Then Lan Zhu heard the Khatun say, "I just got to the royal court and don't have many friends yet. Would you like to be friends with me?"

"I would," Lan Zhu quickly nodded, but after agreeing, she suddenly remembered her brother, fearing that the Khatun might hold a grudge or that her brother might not allow it. She hesitated, waving her hands regretfully, "No, no, Khatun, do you know my brother is the Sixth Prince?"

Jiang Congyan nodded, her expression calm, "I know."

"You don't mind?"

"You are you, and your brother is your brother. I am making friends with you."

Lan Zhu was deeply touched but still concerned, "I'm afraid my brother will get mad if he finds out, and then he might..." cause trouble for the Khatun.

"It's okay, I'm not scared. He can't beat the king," Jiang Congyan winked at her playfully.

Hearing this, Lan Zhu finally dared to cautiously reach out, "Then... I would like to be friends with the Khatun."

"You're the first friend I've made since arriving at the royal court," Jiang Congyan raised her pale pink lips and smiled at her.

"Lan Zhu, do you know my name?" she asked gently.

Lan Zhu instinctively shook her head. She only knew that she was the Khatun, a Han Princess.

"My name is Jiang Congyan."

She took Lan Zhu's hand, palm up, and with her right index finger, she gently wrote her name stroke by stroke in Lan Zhu's palm.

"This is how my name is written in Chinese characters. You can call me Sister Ah Yan."

"In Chinese, it's 'A Yan Jie Jie,'" she switched back to Chinese for the last few words, deliberately slowing down her speech and enunciating each word clearly.

Lan Zhu felt a tickle in her palm. She stared at the Khatun, whose skin was snow-white, eyes star-bright, and so gentle—she was stunning.

She never imagined she could be friends with the Khatun and still couldn't believe what had just happened.

"A Yan Jie Jie," Lan Zhu repeated.

Sister Ah Yan. She repeated it silently in her heart. This was the first Chinese phrase she had learned.

—

Back in her tent, Jiang Congyan rested, had lunch, and then personally visited the Imperial Guard's tent.

They didn't expect the lady to come then and quickly hid their smelly socks and shoes under the bed, folding their bedding. But the air still smelled faintly, and the big men were unusually awkward.

"Hehe, if you'd told us beforehand, we'd have cleaned up and not embarrassed ourselves in front of you," He Zhou said sheepishly.

Jiang Congyan looked at him with a half-smile, "I recall that Liangzhou military regulations include a rule about keeping the barracks orderly."

He Zhou's face stiffened, and he stood respectfully to the side, not daring to argue.

"It was my fault. Please punish me, lady."

Jiang Congyan waved her hand and said seriously, "I'm not here to punish you. It's just that with the warmer weather and your wounds still healing, it's crucial to stay clean to prevent disease."

Hearing the lady say this, all for their own sake, everyone felt even more ashamed.

"Lady, rest assured, we will not be like this in the future."

Jiang Congyan did not dwell on the matter of housekeeping. After chatting for a while, she brought up the matter of the merchant caravan, reconfirmed the necessary arrangements, and issued several commands.

When they firmly declared their intention to join the caravan and continue serving her, Jiang Congyan smiled and had Si Zi bring out the books.

"If you want to form a merchant caravan, relying solely on past fighting and killing won't do. Since you still need some time to recover from your injuries, I have a few books here for you to study. I will test you in two weeks. If you keep failing the tests, then you'll have to rest until you pass before joining the team."

The Imperial Guards: "..."

Their heads were pounding, and their expressions instantly fell, as if they had been struck by a disaster.

Although they were the Liangzhou Imperial Guards, the elite of the elite, it didn't mean that everyone could read. Especially since most of them came from humble backgrounds, at best recognizing a few characters on military flags and city plaques. Reading books and writing essays? Impossible.

"Lady, it's not that we don't want to improve, but we really don't know many characters," Luo Qi said with a bitter face.

Jiang Congyan shook her head and chuckled, "Do you think I would intentionally make things hard for you? Knowing that you don't know many characters, I've already arranged a teacher for you."

"Ah? Who?"

Jiang Congyan gestured outside the tent, and a young woman in green clothes walked in, none other than A Chun.

A Chun greeted them with a smile and said, "The lady has assigned me to be your teacher during this time. I hope you will cooperate and let us enjoy the upcoming learning time together."

Everyone: "..."

It didn't seem like it would be enjoyable at all.

They pleaded with the lady with their eyes, but unfortunately, the lady remained resolute and unwavering.

In any case, the matter of learning was settled. Starting tomorrow, A Chun would spend two hours each day teaching them to read.

Jiang Congyan's requirements were not high. They only needed to learn commonly used characters, understand rosters, and be able to write letters for regular communication, and do some simple arithmetic.

She had managers and accountants, and the current scale was sufficient. But in the future, as the business grew, she would need loyal and trustworthy people to manage it. The Liangzhou Imperial Guards were among the best choices. As managers, they would at least need to be able to read basic rosters and account books.

Learning to read was not something that could be done overnight. Starting now, two or three years of practice would be just right.

Busy and bustling, the afternoon slipped by unnoticed.

Looking at the dusky sky, Jiang Congyan was now somewhat dreading the arrival of the evening.

Especially since last night she didn't...

During the meal, Tuo Baxiao kept staring at her, making it difficult for her to eat.

Jiang Congyan put down her bowl and couldn't help but chide, "Just eat your meal, why do you keep looking at me?"

"Can't I eat while looking at you?" Tuo Baxiao's gaze still lingered on her face, but his hand picked up a large piece of lamb chop, taking a big bite with a somewhat satisfied expression.

Although they were eating, the atmosphere was strange.

If his gaze could become tangible, it would have already stripped her bare and touched her all over.

Jiang Congyan cursed him in her heart, pervert!

She was only glad that she wasn't used to having maids follow her around for every little thing, and with A Chun and A Fei being busy recently, only the two of them were in the dining hall.

Under his suggestive gaze and thinking about what might happen later, she had little appetite and decided to sip some tea to cleanse her palate.

Tuo Baxiao seemed to catch her drift and asked, "Done already?"

Jiang Congyan was about to nod when she heard the man continue, "I'm done too. Ready to hit the bath?"

"…"

She choked back her frustration, barely able to breathe, and it took great effort to suppress it.

"No, I was just going to have some soup," she said, clenching her teeth.

Then, she actually served herself half a bowl of lamb soup.

Having lamb soup in the heat of summer… it felt like self-inflicted torture.

At this, Tuo Baxiao eased off on teasing her and let her continue eating, while he himself added another bowl of rice.

Tonight's meal wasn't the usual noodles but a spread of rice and various stir-fries—dishes that were visually appealing and delicious, with a mix of meat and vegetables, making it a very rich meal.

Tuo Baxiao adored her cooking, always eating heartily. Having her by his side made meals even more delightful.

Recalling his earlier words, Jiang Congyan intentionally dragged out her meal, so much so that by the time he polished off three bowls, she was only halfway through hers.

Despite his hearty appetite, Tuo Baxiao ate swiftly and was soon full. Catching her stalling, he didn't push her but sat back in his chair, hands behind his head, gazing intently at her.

She ate with grace, her every motion radiating elegance, making it impossible to tire of watching her.

As the room dimmed, the candlelight from the bronze tree lamp bathed her face in a warm, soft light. Her skin looked as smooth and glowing as mutton fat, tempting him to pinch it.

Of course, he'd pinched her before—not just her face but elsewhere too. Like an unopened flower bud, she was incredibly soft, tender, and fragrant, intoxicatingly so.

Tuo Baxiao unconsciously rubbed his fingers, reminiscing about the previous sensations.

Jiang Congyan truly wanted to stall, but his gaze only grew more piercing. Every move she made was under his watchful eyes, and her back stiffened.

This wasn't working, that wasn't working either, so she hurriedly finished the meal.

Mostly seething, she decided he could eat alone from now on.

Jiang Congyan called out, asking A Fei to bring the maids to clear the dishes, but she didn't immediately instruct them to prepare water.

"Not going to wash?" Tuo Baxiao asked.

He didn't care if she washed; she was spotless, all fragrant without a hint of sweat. It was mainly because she didn't allow it.

Jiang Congyan: "…"