Chapter 654   - Wishing to Appear Beautiful

An example like the captain of the transport team could be found everywhere on the transport team. Because most of the transport team were ex-soldiers, the robbers suffered several losses. They remembered the words ’The Yu’s’ deeply and didn’t dare to provoke the transport teams anymore.

The Yu Family had a method of preservation so there was very little loss during transportation. When they left, they transported fruits and vegetables from the orchards in the capital. Coming back to the capital, they transported local specialties and some good, cheap products to sell in their own shops. Back and forth, taking into account the various expenses of the transport teams’ personnel, they made a couple thousand taels of silver every month.

Although the profit of the transport teams compared to Xiaocao’s other businesses could only be considered a drop in a bucket, Yu Xiaocao was satisfied that she could help the wounded and retired soldiers who had difficulties and also make an income.

The leader of the transportation teams was also a talented person with a unique vision. Every time the goods were transported back, they were in great demand and there was never any worry of not being able to sell them. The transport teams carried all kinds of fruits in the fall and greenhouse vegetables in the winter. Out of season vegetables were more profitable than fruits.

After spring, the Yu Family’s vegetable sales were good. Then there were cherries, strawberries, peaches, watermelons, and so on. In short, the transport teams never had an idle time.

Now, it was the season for grapes, pomegranates, apples, oranges, and crisp pears.. The taste of the Yu Family’s fruits was incomparable. Of course, the price of their fruits was also two or three times higher than ordinary fruit, so they were especially sold to the rich!

Xiaocao comfortably picked up a purple sparkling grape from the fruit plate Wutong had brought over and put it in her mouth, enjoying the sweet taste and feeling it slowly spread in her mouth. The evening breeze was slow and the setting sun was picturesque. What a pleasure!

When Zhu Junyang came in, he saw this scene of a ‘lazy leisurely lass lounging under a cherry-apple tree.’ He couldn’t move his gaze, the lass was even more dazzling than the cherry-apple tree!

"Miss, Imperial Prince Xu has arrived..." Wutong saw who was coming and quickly whispered in her master’s ear to remind her.

“Imperial Prince Xu? Who’s that?” Yu Xiaocao didn’t register what she said and casually asked.

"Is the ’Clerk of the Capital for Grain’ really a noble person who’s forgetful? It hasn’t been an hour since I left you and you’ve already forgotten me?" Zhu Junyang’s voice jokingly rang out in her ear.

Yu Xiaocao lazily opened her eyes and continued leisurely rocking in the rocking chair, not getting up. Her chin pointed towards the bench next to her and casually said, "You’re here! Sit and try some of the ’rose fragranced’ grapes that I planted. They are sweet and fragrant, and the flavors are pretty good!"

Zhu Junyang took one and put it by her mouth. After seeing that she ate it, he took another one and put it in his mouth and said, "Mhm, it’s really good. It’s sweeter than ordinary grapes; lass, you really know how to enjoy life!"

"Life is just a few decades of suffering from fatigue, so one should enjoy it as much as one can when one has the chance!" Yu Xiaocao worked hard for her younger brother and sister in her previous life. In this life, the first few years were also very hard and tiring. Days like these where there were things came to her easily with the snap of her fingers, she naturally would cherish and enjoy it.

"After you marry me, you can live a leisurely life and do whatever you want without any difficulties. Of course, others wouldn’t even think about forcing my wife to do anything!" Zhu Junyang helped her push aside a stray, naughty piece of hair by her cheek and put it behind her ear.

Yu Xiaocao lightly laughed and said, "What’s more, I’m a fourth-ranked official,’Clerk of the Capital for Grain’. Was the emperor giving me the title for fun? We still have to go along with it from time to time to keep people’s mouths shut! Since you came over right now, is there something important?"

"Nothing! Just asking if you need me to come over early tomorrow to help?" How could Zhu Junyang say that he purposely came over for skincare products?

Yu Xiaocao pursed her lips and asked, "Can you help me tend the fire or wash the dishes for me? Forget coming over to help me, I bet you’re coming over to make trouble, right? "

"Are you looking down on me? Tending the fire, washing the vegetables, these are simple things, how could it be hard for me?" Zhu Junyang said, looking proud and confident.

"Gentlemen keep far away from the kitchen. How could I dare to ask Your Highness, Imperial Prince Xu, the Great General Zhenxi, to do odd jobs in the kitchen?" Yu Xiaocao opened her mouth and let the man put the peeled grape in her mouth, and enjoyed it happily. Her man looked rough but he was actually very attentive and indulged her. It looked like she had taught him well over these past few years!

The two of them chatted for a bit longer before Zhu Junyang finally said what he came for. Yu Xiaocao held back her smile and looked at his face carefully for a moment. Then she nodded slightly and said, "Your skin is pretty good. Although it is a little tanner, it’s not a natural-born tan. It will change back soon! However.... didn’t you always think that men were more masculine if they were tanner? Why do you suddenly want to maintain your skin? "

"Aren’t I doing it for you? Tell me, do you like tanner ones or fairer ones?" In her bright eyes, Zhu Junyang’s expression was slightly unsettled.

"As long as it’s you, fair or tan, I will always like it!" Yu Xiaocao hadn’t seen her handsome men for more than a year. Now the longer she looked the more valuable he became.

These words made Zhu Junyang feel sweet. He took the lass’s hand and wanted to become a single body with her. Unfortunately, there was a large oil lamp (third wheel) hanging around him, so he could only anticipate for nothing.

However, according to Zhu Junyang’s understanding of the lass, she still liked that kind of gentle, elegant, warm, white, and pure type of man. He had a height of nearly 1.9 meters and a strong physique. Elegance, gentleness and he would never be on the same side. Only his face could attract the lass’s sight. Not to make trouble, but he was afraid that shortly, the lass wouldn’t want to see him! Alas, the Imperial Prince Xu, the ever-victorious general on the battlefield, was reduced to the point of pleasing people with his face.

In the end, Zhu Junyang got the whitening skincare product from Xiaocao. A few days ago, Xiaocao was very bored and made a lot of high-grade skincare products. Whitening, anti-wrinkle, moisturizing, firming...there were a lot of bottles and jars. Zhu Junyang chose two sets of anti-wrinkle and firming products, saying that his lady mother had asked him to take them back.

Yu Xiaocao was a little puzzled. She seemed to have just given her future mother-in-law a set of anti-wrinkle and firming skincare products. It had only been half a month. It was impossible to use it up already. Unless...Princess Consort Jing wanted these two sets to gift people?

Zhu Junyang’s eyes dodged Xiaocao’s surprised eyes. He wrapped the three sets of skincare products in a bag and put them into Hou Xiaoliang’s hand, and told him to handle them with care.

Hou Xiangliang’s mind was currently all on Wutong. He thought about it, the two of them weren’t young anymore. Should they arrange something for their marriage? But then he reconsidered, Wutong had said she had to wait till her young miss was married before she could consider the matter of marriage. Also after marrying, she wanted to continue staying by her young miss’s side. If he couldn’t fulfill these two conditions, then he would have to choose someone else.

Hou Xiaoliang didn’t know what he loved about Wutong. Was she gentle? When this lass was protecting her young miss, she was as fierce as a cat with claws and open teeth. She could withstand pressure in front of her young miss. Call her virtuous? What kind of master will determine the type of servant. She was like her young miss; someone who didn’t stay within their bounds, and she also ran about outside all day. Her ability to handle affairs was not any less than that of a man.

However, her loyalty and willingness to work hard were really impressive. Perhaps, it was because of this that he had a deep affection for her. Alas, as mentioned before, the kind of master will have what type of servant. His master wasn’t married yet, but he was already like a slave to his wife. He would have to yield to her about when they might get married. He didn’t lose any face by doing this!

Besides, he had no intention of leaving his master or planned for another way out. In the future, he was going to be the most effective person around the master, and she was going to be the most important person around the mistress. They were going to help their masters manage their residence and share their worries. Wouldn’t that be good?

The next day, Yu Xiaocao entertained several ‘meritorious officials’ in her home, which could be regarded as helping them. The first to arrive, of course, was Zhu Junyang, who self proclaimed to be half a host at the Yu’s. The Yu Family father and son pair were in Tanggu most of the time and needed to have a crash course in receiving noble guests. When entertaining the guests, they naturally wanted him, ‘the future half son of the Yu Family’, to help!

‘Buddha Jumps Over the Wall’ had been simmering on the stove for a long time. Other dishes, ingredients, and so on had already been prepared and waiting Once the guests arrived, they could be cooked immediately.

Although Su Ran had not yet recovered from his injuries, he only arrived a little later than Zhu Junyang, and he had also come to Yu’s Estate early in the morning. Looking at Su Ran’s pale face and lips, which had no trace of blood, Yu Xiaocao’s tears almost came down. Even if she was half skilled in medicine, she could see that Sir Su’s vitality was greatly damaged. If he was not well taken care of, then he may be bedridden for the rest of his life.

"I’m fine. I’ll be able to recover after a few days with some care." As soon as Su Ran arrived back to the palace, the emperor had called over an imperial physician to diagnose and treat him. This time, a vital point had been gravely injured. If it weren’t for Royal Prince Yang’s... Imperial Prince Xu’s medicine, his bones would be rotten into the mud at this time.

He knew very clearly that the medicine Imperial Prince Xu carried with him was specially made for him by the lass, Xiaocao. He reckoned that a lot of precious medicinal materials such as the thousand-year-old ginseng and the hundred-year-old purple lingzhi collected in the northern region were used in them. Otherwise, how could he be pulled back from the hand of the underworld? This time, he owed the lass his life! He didn’t know if this broken body of his would ever have a chance to repay her.

Yu Xiaocao knew that his physical condition was not as trivial as he said. However, she still nodded and said, "I’ll prescribe some medicinal food for healing and nourishing your body. Eating that along with some Thriving Vitality pills for half a year will ensure that you’ll recover to full and complete health just like before."

Su Ran knew that the lass was really worried about his health. Going with what she said, even if he recovered up to seventy to eighty percent compared to before, he would be satisfied. No matter whether the medicated diet and pills were good for his body or not, he needed to be the most cooperative patient: "Then my health will be all up to you, Godly Doctor Yu!"