Wu Ming knew his family’s background. Dongcheng was full of poor people, and he didn’t have such wealthy relatives.
Shi Qing frowned. He didn’t expect that the coachman was from his legitimate mother, and he didn’t expect that Wang Ru, a peasant girl, would embarrass him and almost expose Wang Ru’s worth.
Originally, he had been squeezing Wang Ru to extract more things that would benefit him, and he had also used Wang Ru’s peasant identity to deceive his stepmother. But now, things were taking a different turn, and Wang Ru’s actions, eating from both ends, were infuriating him.
Shi Qing suppressed his anger. He knew all the members of the Zhao family who mattered, as this family had a relationship with the Zhao family. He spoke, “My surname is Shi, and my name is Qing. I apologize for not visiting in person. I just learned that this ya tou1 was running around, so I came to pick her up. My ya tou comes from a humble background, and she caused trouble today. I hope you can accept this small token of apology.”
Wu Ming’s thoughts took several twists and turns as he realized he was overthinking things. It seemed that Wang Ru wasn’t associated with Zhang Heng’s group. However, he couldn’t quite understand why this peculiar girl knew about Uncle Zhou’s situation and seemed to be indebted to him. Who was this strange girl? Seeing Uncle Zhou’s calm demeanor, he was certain that Uncle Zhou knew, and he would find an opportunity to ask and clarify things.
Finally, he gave a kind reminder.
Wu Ming’s expression turned distant and polite. “Please take your things back. I would kindly request that in the future, you keep a closer eye on your ya tou to prevent her from causing trouble with her unfounded words.”
After these words, his servant Xiao led Wang Ru out.
Zhulan’s good impression due to his appearance completely disappeared after she found out it was Shi gōngzi2. Looking at Wang Ru, whose face turned pale, even though Shi Qing’s expression didn’t change, she felt very angry. Her experience told her that, people who were better at controlling facial expressions were more scheming!
Wu Ming glanced at the box. Today was the time to get rich. He found that since his grandma went to Uncle Zhou’s house to work as a cook, his family’s food had become better. Not only could he eat meat now and then. During the exam days, because Aunt Zhou was kind-hearted and knew that he was also taking exams, he could drink a bowl of chicken soup every day. Because he did not have nutritious food before, he was worried that he would not be able to withstand the exams. Unexpectedly, the food was better and his body became much healthier. He passed the exams without getting sick.
Now, with the help of Uncle Zhou, he solved Zhang Heng’s plan and got thirty taels. He didn’t know what was in the wooden box, but he knew it wasn’t cheap. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that Uncle Zhou’s family were his nobles!3
Wu Ming turned his head and saw Uncle Zhou nodding invisibly. He knew that it would be fine if he put it away, and he also meant to keep his mouth shut. “I’ll put it away. As for today’s matter, we won’t detain Shi gōngzi any longer.”
Shi Qing said, “Goodbye.”
Zhulan watched as Shi Qing left with Wang Ru, touched her bracelet, and thought, “Shi Qing’s address is interesting, ‘ya tou.’ He doesn’t even want to accept her as his concubine!”
The Zhou family and Zhao Bo’s family were in two directions, and they separated when they reached the intersection.
Zhulan and Zhou Shuren returned to the backyard. Mingqing was exposed to something unusual today, and the stimulation had been quite intense. This child was in his twenties but couldn’t compare to someone who was only fifteen. He remained silent the whole way back and went straight to his room to calm down.
Zhulan and Zhou Shuren returned to the backyard. Zhulan first told her daughter that the Wu family was fine.
Then she returned to the house and saw that Zhou Shuren clearly heard the noise and turned away from Zhulan. Zhulan smiled and said, “Mr. Zhou is jealous?”
Zhou Shuren flipped through the book in his hand without responding, exuding an aura that seemed to say, “Cheer me up!”4
The corner of Zhulan’s mouth turned up and she took two steps closer. She quickly approached Zhou Shuren and kissed him on the cheek, “If someone smiles, how about a kiss to match it?”
Zhou Shuren weighed the gains and losses. No matter how tense he was, Zhulan would not coax him anymore. There was a smile in his eyes, but he said, “I will allow you to kiss me to avoid making it difficult.”
Zhulan gritted her teeth, and she was even more arrogant, bowed her head and kissed again, “Okay, come here and help kill the fish.”
Zhou Shuren’s mood brightened, and he took another step closer. He put down the book and cleared his throat, saying, “My modern looks are quite impressive, much better than that young pretty boy Shi Qing.”5
Zhulan believed Zhou Shuren’s words. When she saved Zhou Shuren, he was already very good-looking with glasses on, but looking at Zhou Shuren now, “It’s a pity that you are Zhou Shuren in ancient times, and you are still a grandfather!”6
Zhou Shuren said, “….. “
The terrible ancient times!
At noon, Wu Li Shi came to cook, with a happy face. Only then did Zhulan realize that Shi Qing had given twenty taels of silver, and they had made a huge sum of fifty taels in one day. No matter how much frightened Wu Li Shi was, the fear was gone. With this money, she didn’t have to worry about the cost of Wu Ming’s imperial examination next year, and could also help her two grandsons to study. Wu Li Shi was full of energy.
Moreover, after listening to the eldest grandson’s analysis, Wu Li Shi, who was already superstitious, became more and more convinced that the Zhou family was a noble family, so didn’t dare to neglect her duties of cooking.
Zhulan chatted with Wu Li Shi and found out that their family’s arrival in Pingzhou had indeed changed the Wu family a lot. If Wu Li had not been hired to cook, one of her grandsons would have dropped out of school. With what happened today, they would indeed be considered a noble person.
The next day, it was time for yuànshì7. The several people who had been studying together for the examination attended it smoothly. Zhulan had been worried, knowing that Zhou Shuren had been working diligently to secure the top spot these days. Their family could afford the usual fee for scholars, but Zhou Shuren was determined to prove himself.
Yuànshì ended soon. On the day when the results were released, Zhulan found that Zhou Shuren was calm again, “I thought you would be uneasy!”
Zhou Shuren said, “The exams are over. No matter how worried I am, I can’t change anything. It’s better to be calm. By the way, are you ready with gift money?
He said this, but he said in his heart, that he must not be in second place, otherwise, if he thinks about it in the future, it will be harder to get the first place.
Wu Ming knew his family’s background. Dongcheng was full of poor people, and he didn’t have such wealthy relatives.
Shi Qing frowned. He didn’t expect that the coachman was from his legitimate mother, and he didn’t expect that Wang Ru, a peasant girl, would embarrass him and almost expose Wang Ru’s worth.
Originally, he had been squeezing Wang Ru to extract more things that would benefit him, and he had also used Wang Ru’s peasant identity to deceive his stepmother. But now, things were taking a different turn, and Wang Ru’s actions, eating from both ends, were infuriating him.
Shi Qing suppressed his anger. He knew all the members of the Zhao family who mattered, as this family had a relationship with the Zhao family. He spoke, “My surname is Shi, and my name is Qing. I apologize for not visiting in person. I just learned that this ya tou1 was running around, so I came to pick her up. My ya tou comes from a humble background, and she caused trouble today. I hope you can accept this small token of apology.”
Wu Ming’s thoughts took several twists and turns as he realized he was overthinking things. It seemed that Wang Ru wasn’t associated with Zhang Heng’s group. However, he couldn’t quite understand why this peculiar girl knew about Uncle Zhou’s situation and seemed to be indebted to him. Who was this strange girl? Seeing Uncle Zhou’s calm demeanor, he was certain that Uncle Zhou knew, and he would find an opportunity to ask and clarify things.
Finally, he gave a kind reminder.
Wu Ming’s expression turned distant and polite. “Please take your things back. I would kindly request that in the future, you keep a closer eye on your ya tou to prevent her from causing trouble with her unfounded words.”
After these words, his servant Xiao led Wang Ru out.
Zhulan’s good impression due to his appearance completely disappeared after she found out it was Shi gōngzi2. Looking at Wang Ru, whose face turned pale, even though Shi Qing’s expression didn’t change, she felt very angry. Her experience told her that, people who were better at controlling facial expressions were more scheming!
Wu Ming glanced at the box. Today was the time to get rich. He found that since his grandma went to Uncle Zhou’s house to work as a cook, his family’s food had become better. Not only could he eat meat now and then. During the exam days, because Aunt Zhou was kind-hearted and knew that he was also taking exams, he could drink a bowl of chicken soup every day. Because he did not have nutritious food before, he was worried that he would not be able to withstand the exams. Unexpectedly, the food was better and his body became much healthier. He passed the exams without getting sick.
Now, with the help of Uncle Zhou, he solved Zhang Heng’s plan and got thirty taels. He didn’t know what was in the wooden box, but he knew it wasn’t cheap. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that Uncle Zhou’s family were his nobles!3
Wu Ming turned his head and saw Uncle Zhou nodding invisibly. He knew that it would be fine if he put it away, and he also meant to keep his mouth shut. “I’ll put it away. As for today’s matter, we won’t detain Shi gōngzi any longer.”
Shi Qing said, “Goodbye.”
Zhulan watched as Shi Qing left with Wang Ru, touched her bracelet, and thought, “Shi Qing’s address is interesting, ‘ya tou.’ He doesn’t even want to accept her as his concubine!”
The Zhou family and Zhao Bo’s family were in two directions, and they separated when they reached the intersection.
Zhulan and Zhou Shuren returned to the backyard. Mingqing was exposed to something unusual today, and the stimulation had been quite intense. This child was in his twenties but couldn’t compare to someone who was only fifteen. He remained silent the whole way back and went straight to his room to calm down.
Zhulan and Zhou Shuren returned to the backyard. Zhulan first told her daughter that the Wu family was fine.
Then she returned to the house and saw that Zhou Shuren clearly heard the noise and turned away from Zhulan. Zhulan smiled and said, “Mr. Zhou is jealous?”
Zhou Shuren flipped through the book in his hand without responding, exuding an aura that seemed to say, “Cheer me up!”4
The corner of Zhulan’s mouth turned up and she took two steps closer. She quickly approached Zhou Shuren and kissed him on the cheek, “If someone smiles, how about a kiss to match it?”
Zhou Shuren weighed the gains and losses. No matter how tense he was, Zhulan would not coax him anymore. There was a smile in his eyes, but he said, “I will allow you to kiss me to avoid making it difficult.”
Zhulan gritted her teeth, and she was even more arrogant, bowed her head and kissed again, “Okay, come here and help kill the fish.”
Zhou Shuren’s mood brightened, and he took another step closer. He put down the book and cleared his throat, saying, “My modern looks are quite impressive, much better than that young pretty boy Shi Qing.”5
Zhulan believed Zhou Shuren’s words. When she saved Zhou Shuren, he was already very good-looking with glasses on, but looking at Zhou Shuren now, “It’s a pity that you are Zhou Shuren in ancient times, and you are still a grandfather!”6
Zhou Shuren said, “….. “
The terrible ancient times!
At noon, Wu Li Shi came to cook, with a happy face. Only then did Zhulan realize that Shi Qing had given twenty taels of silver, and they had made a huge sum of fifty taels in one day. No matter how much frightened Wu Li Shi was, the fear was gone. With this money, she didn’t have to worry about the cost of Wu Ming’s imperial examination next year, and could also help her two grandsons to study. Wu Li Shi was full of energy.
Moreover, after listening to the eldest grandson’s analysis, Wu Li Shi, who was already superstitious, became more and more convinced that the Zhou family was a noble family, so didn’t dare to neglect her duties of cooking.
Zhulan chatted with Wu Li Shi and found out that their family’s arrival in Pingzhou had indeed changed the Wu family a lot. If Wu Li had not been hired to cook, one of her grandsons would have dropped out of school. With what happened today, they would indeed be considered a noble person.
The next day, it was time for yuànshì7. The several people who had been studying together for the examination attended it smoothly. Zhulan had been worried, knowing that Zhou Shuren had been working diligently to secure the top spot these days. Their family could afford the usual fee for scholars, but Zhou Shuren was determined to prove himself.
Yuànshì ended soon. On the day when the results were released, Zhulan found that Zhou Shuren was calm again, “I thought you would be uneasy!”
Zhou Shuren said, “The exams are over. No matter how worried I am, I can’t change anything. It’s better to be calm. By the way, are you ready with gift money?
He said this, but he said in his heart, that he must not be in second place, otherwise, if he thinks about it in the future, it will be harder to get the first place.
