Fang Ke delivered the secret manual himself.
"This..."
Looking at the bags and bundles that all but buried Fang Ke, Yang Ge hesitated, but still stepped forward to take them off him. "You didn't bring anything you shouldn't have, did you?"
Fang Ke smiled. "I wanted to, but I was afraid you'd throw me out without even letting me stay for a bite!"
Fang Ke knew Yang Ge meant silver.
Yang Ge breathed a sigh of relief. It was the New Year, and he didn't want to embarrass Fang Ke. "Then what's in all these bags?"
Fang Ke said, "These are New Year gifts bestowed on you by the palace. These are the holiday provisions Lord Shen prepared for you. These are my New Year gifts... Oh, right, this is what General-in-Chief Jiang Kui sent you!"
Yang Ge asked, "How did you carry so much here by yourself?"
Fang Ke said, "Old Gu brought me to the end of the street. I didn't let him come in."
"You, honestly..."
They set the bags and bundles on the stone table beneath the grape trellis, and Fang Ke deftly sorted them into four piles.
The things from the palace were the most valuable. Even the packaging was fine brocade and sandalwood; one glance was enough to tell they weren't cheap.
Shen Fa had sent the most: things to eat, wear, and adorn himself with, as though he feared Yang Ge wouldn't be able to buy anything decent in Road Pavilion.
Fang Ke's own gifts were the plainest, all ordinary cured meats and holiday provisions, with even a few strings of sausages...
Jiang Kui had sent the least: just a wooden box sealed with wax...
Yang Ge frowned at the sandalwood boxes wrapped in fine silk. "I'm a cook. Why is the emperor