To the First Emperor of Qin: The state has decreed this!

Chapter 323 The Graceful Steps of a Pre-Qin Lady: Every Step Shows Attitude!

Fang Zhengge's heart raced as he looked at the box full of pearls. Without a word, he pulled it into his arms and whispered, "Rest assured, Lord Xiang, I will do my utmost to ensure that you and the Immortal Master are not disappointed!"

Xiang Liang nodded in satisfaction, then looked at Ji Dan, who was still pretending to be deep in thought, and a smile appeared on his lips.

With the help of this great Qin immortal master and the back door opened by the governor of Kuaiji, the Xiang family can not only retain their military strength, but also extend their tentacles to the core of power in Xianyang.

This is the vitality that Zhang Fan brought!

However, just as they were exchanging toasts, a dark figure disappeared outside the window of the private room.

Yu Miaoyan was extremely anxious at this moment, "Zhang Fan, you actually sold the imperial examination to a rebel..."

……

The next day.

In Xianyang, the sky was just beginning to lighten, and the morning mist had not yet dissipated.

Inside the palace, along the long corridor leading to the Institute of Natural History, Zhang Fan, sporting two enormous dark circles under his eyes and with weak legs, was swaying forward, leaning against the wall.

His hair was slightly disheveled, and he looked miserable from excessive indulgence.

He drank most of the night last night, and now he has a splitting headache and an empty stomach.

Just as he was thinking about hurrying to the Gewu Academy to find a soft couch to catch up on his sleep, a pretty figure suddenly jumped out from around the corner and blocked his way.

"Young Master Zhang...!"

The person who arrived was none other than the Tenth Princess, Ying Yinman.

Today, Ying Yinman specially changed into a light pink soft dress, and even her hair was styled in a more gentle way than usual, clearly taking the teachings of her wise older sister Mi Yueyao from yesterday as her guiding principle.

However, when she looked up with great joy and saw Zhang Fan's appearance, which looked as if he had just been drained dry by a vixen, she couldn't help but be slightly taken aback.

"Young Master, what...what did you do last night? Why do you look so haggard?" Ying Yinman's big eyes were full of curiosity, worry, and even a hint of suspicion.

"Ahem... I stayed up late last night drawing some blueprints for the great cause of the Qin Dynasty. It's alright, it's alright." Zhang Fan coughed twice guiltily and made up a lie on the spot.

Although Ying Yinman found it a bit strange, she quickly put her doubts aside and remembered her purpose.

"Young master must be hungry?"

She took a deep breath, her face flushed, and handed over the food box she had been carrying:

"This...this is a snack I made for you this morning, would you like to try it?"

Zhang Fan looked down.

Inside the exquisite bamboo basket lay several... indescribable, unidentified objects.

The pastry was shaped crookedly, but you could barely make out that it was a dough ball.

The most outrageous thing is that there are obvious marks on the surface where it was scraped with a knife... It's obvious that after it was burnt, the charred parts were forcibly scraped off, revealing the half-cooked filling inside.

Zhang Fan's lips twitched suddenly.

Is this a snack?

They wouldn't have poisoned me, would they?

However, seeing the woman in front of him washing her hands and cooking for him, even accidentally burning a few small red marks on her fingers, Zhang Fan's heart couldn't help but soften.

"Thank you, Princess. You're too kind. I'll take it to the Gewu Academy to eat." Zhang Fan gave a gentle smile, took the basket, and prepared to make a quick getaway.

Little did he know, Ying Yinman had no intention of letting him off so easily!

"No!"

Seeing Zhang Fan about to leave, Ying Yinman became anxious, grabbing his sleeve and looking at him expectantly with her big, watery eyes: "Sister... no, I mean, desserts should be eaten while they're hot! Young Master, you should try one now and tell me if it's good or not so I can improve it next time!"

With that expectant look on her face and that deliberately soft, coquettish tone, Zhang Fan felt a chill run down his spine.

In his mind, he cursed Mi Yueyao's ancestors for eighteen generations:

Why don't you teach her something else, like cooking?

Isn't this blatant disregard for human life?!

But looking at Ying Yinman's persistent gaze, Zhang Fan was exhausted and hungry, and simply didn't have the strength to refuse.

"Okay...okay."

Zhang Fan closed his eyes with a death-defying resolve, stretched out two fingers, picked up a pastry that wasn't too abstract in appearance, stuffed it into his mouth, and chewed it a couple of times.

next second.

Zhang Fan shuddered violently, and his whole body became much more alert!

"How is it? Isn't it delicious?" Ying Yinman leaned forward expectantly.

Zhang Fan covered his mouth tightly, tears welling up in his eyes, but he forced them back!

Who puts a handful of salt in their desserts?!

"Delicious...cough cough, of course it's delicious!"

Zhang Fan forced a bright smile that looked more like a grimace. "Yin Man's cooking skills are truly unparalleled, unmatched by anyone! It's so... invigorating!"

Hearing this, Ying Yinman was overjoyed and proudly reached for the basket: "Then young master, have a few more, there are still some here..."

"No!"

Zhang Fan was startled and quickly grabbed the edge of the food box, saying with righteous indignation, "Your Highness, how could I dare to enjoy such delicacies all by myself?"

Ying Yinman was taken aback: "Huh? But this was specially made for you..."

"Precisely because it was made by the princess herself, I cannot eat it all!"

Zhang Fan's mind raced, and he immediately offered a shield: "This humble subject believes that Your Highness's culinary skills are so exquisite, how can you not let your loved ones taste them? You should quickly send some to your elder brother, so that Prince Fusu can also feel your sister's heartfelt sentiments!"

Upon hearing this, Ying Yinman's face immediately fell!

This is something I, the princess, made after getting up very early and getting several blisters from the heat!

Why should the emperor's brother eat it?

She instinctively wanted to refuse, but as the words were about to come out, the scene at Yingkelou yesterday suddenly flashed through her mind.

The wise older sister's advice: "Little sister, if you want to win a man's heart, affection alone isn't enough. You must show your gentleness, generosity, and good manners. Never let him think you're a spoiled, willful girl who only cares about love..."

Thinking of this, Ying Yinman took a deep breath and forcefully suppressed her reluctance.

"What you say is absolutely right, young master!"

She tried her best to appear dignified and obedient, and nodded gently. "It was Yin Man's oversight. I'll send some over to my brother as well, so he can be happy too."

"Yes, yes, yes, Young Master Fusu will definitely never forget it after eating it!" Zhang Fan silently lit incense for Fusu in his heart.

For the next incense stick's time, the two stood in the corridor and awkwardly chatted for a long time, trying to make conversation.

While trying to mask the savory saltiness in his mouth, Zhang Fan mumbled incoherent responses to Ying Yinman's soft whispers.

After enduring countless hardships, Zhang Fan finally breathed a long sigh of relief as he watched Ying Yinman reluctantly say goodbye and turn away.

He turned and ran wildly toward the water vat in the Institute of Natural History. If he didn't drink some water soon, he would really become the first transmigrator in the Great Qin Dynasty to die from salt!

the other side.

Ying Yinman carried a bamboo basket, walking with a constant backward glance.

Once Zhang Fan was completely out of sight, her carefully constructed image of a gentle and demure lady instantly crumbled.