Henian Study is located in a remote alley, covering an area of only about 30 square meters. It looks inconspicuous from the outside. If it weren’t for the plaque “Henian Study” hanging on the door, Zhu Pingan and Chen Yiqun would almost have missed it.
There were two shop assistants in the study, sitting behind the counter drinking tea and eating melon seeds. They looked as if their eyes were on top of their heads and were very arrogant, as if it was a great honor for you to even look at them for a second.
"Excuse me, I came to buy a fan."
After entering Henian Study, Zhu Ping'an took the initiative to come to the counter, bowed to the two of them, and said with a smile.
"On the counter, see for yourself."
The shop assistant glanced at Zhu Ping'an indifferently and pointed casually at the fan on the counter.
Chen Yiqin frowned. Even a shop assistant could be so arrogant. It showed the power and influence of the Yan family.
"Thanks for the reminder."
Zhu Ping'an didn't take it seriously. He smiled slightly, bowed to thank the shop assistant, and then looked at the fans at the counter with great interest.
"It is smooth and delicate, like white jade. The workmanship of this fan bone is so exquisite and amazing... When you walk to the end of the water and sit to watch the clouds rise, the landscape painting on this fan cannot be the original work of the master artist Wu Gong..."
Zhu Ping'an picked up a fan from the counter, unfolded it and exclaimed in amazement as if he was struck by a beauty.
"I want this fan." Zhu Ping'an held the fan with both hands as if he had found a treasure.
Pack
Continue to install...
The shop assistant glanced at Zhu Ping'an like an idiot and thought, "It's fun to take off your pants to fart. Why bother? What are you trying to achieve by buying a fan? Do you really think that no one knows? Why not just pay the money?"
"Ahem..."
Zhu Ping'an's face turned red. He thought he had just performed like a king with superb operation, perfect awareness and flexible movement. He didn't expect that in the eyes of others, he was just a bronze player with a broken bone...
The operation is as fierce as a tiger, but the effect is stupid.
I'm probably talking about myself.
Zhu Ping'an's old face turned red. He put his hand to his lips and coughed twice in succession, trying to hide his embarrassment.
"Well, this fan, then."
Chen Yiqin beside him couldn't help but put his hand to his lips and coughed to hide his smile.
Laugh if you want to.
Zhu Ping'an looked at Chen Yiqun speechlessly, then took out 1,500 taels of silver from his sleeve and placed them on the counter. With a stroke of his hand, 15 silver bills with a face value of 100 taels were overlapped and placed on the counter.
Seeing the 1500 silver note, the arrogant shop assistant finally looked at them and became enthusiastic. He took the initiative to walk out of the counter to pour two cups of hot tea for Zhu Pingan and Chen Yiqin, took out a seal and stamped a very conspicuous stamp on the fan, and then asked Zhu Pingan and Chen Yiqin to show their name cards. The shop assistant wrote "1,500 taels of silver" on their name cards, and one of the shop assistants left the store through the back door with the name card with the price, and took a shortcut to present it to the Yan Mansion in advance. At that time, Zhu Pingan and Chen Yiqin could go directly to the door with their fans.
Normally, people who give gifts would give several hundred taels of silver, so the one who gave fifteen hundred taels was considered a distinguished guest.
That's why the shop assistants are so enthusiastic.
After getting the fan and completing all the formalities, Zhu Ping'an and Chen Yiqin said goodbye and left Henian Study. When they were leaving, they happened to meet a middle-aged man with a big belly who came to buy a fan with ease.
"Business is booming..."
After Chen Yiqin walked out the door, he glanced back at the inconspicuous study and said something sarcastically with the corner of his mouth.
Irony aside, when they arrived at the gate of Yan's residence, Chen Yiqin and Zhu Ping'an both looked respectful and reverent.
In front of the Yan Mansion, there were cars and horses flowing like water and the line was very long. Zhu Ping'an and Chen Yiqun were both more than twenty feet away from the end of the line.
"One, two, three, four... twenty. Why are there so many people?"
Chen Yiqin was standing at the end of the line with an anxious look on his face. He leaned forward and counted. According to this order, they might not even get their turn today.
"Don't worry, Master Chen. I'll give it a try."
Zhu Ping'an's inky black eyes turned, he stretched out his hand and raised the fan above his head, then unfolded it and waved the side with the seal left and right towards the gatehouse.
Because Zhu Ping'an raised the fan above his head, this action itself was very conspicuous, and the seal on the fan by Heniantang Study was particularly large, red, and eye-catching, so the doorman of the Yan Mansion noticed it at once.
As soon as the doorman of Yan's residence saw the seal, he knew that Zhu Ping'an and Chen Yiqun were distinguished guests who had given a large sum of money. He nodded secretly and asked someone to go directly to the team and lead Zhu Ping'an and Chen Yiqun into Yan's residence through the side door.
After entering the Yan Mansion, the doorman led Zhu Ping'an and Chen Yiqun to a guest room, served them hot tea, and asked them to wait patiently.
"Thank you."
Zhu Ping'an and Chen Yiqun bowed to express their gratitude, then sat in the guest room and waited patiently.
A cup of tea
A cup of tea
Another cup of tea
Slowly, Zhu Ping'an and Chen Yiqin drank half a pot of tea. It was almost noon, but Yan Shifan still hadn't sent anyone to invite them. It was as if the people in Yan's mansion had forgotten about them...
Chen Yiqin glanced at the sun outside the window which was gradually rising to the zenith, and gradually became restless. He felt that today's fifteen hundred taels of silver might be given away in vain, like throwing meat buns at a dog, and would never come back. In fact, giving away fifteen hundred taels of silver in vain was the secondary issue. The problem was that he could not get back Prince Yu's annual gift, which would be troublesome, because Prince Yu's Mansion was barely able to make ends meet.
Compared with Chen Yiqin, Zhu Pingan was very calm.
In history, Yan Shifan gladly accepted the bribe from Prince Yu's Mansion, and felt extremely satisfied in his heart. He boasted to everyone he met, "Even the emperor's son wants to give me silver, who dares not give me silver?"
This time, it will certainly be no exception.
I guess Yan Shifan deliberately left us alone before meeting us to add some psychological pressure to us.
It is precisely because of this that Zhu Ping'an can drink tea and wait calmly.
hehe
I am already old, but I am not as calm as Zihou.
Seeing Zhu Ping'an so calm, Chen Yiqin was slowly infected. He smiled at himself and his anxious mood gradually calmed down.
In this way, another cup of tea passed.
Zhu Ping'an and Chen Yiqun heard footsteps outside, followed by a burst of laughter.
Yan Shifan is here!
Zhu Ping'an and Chen Yiqin looked at each other, both of them were a little excited, and stood up from their seats.
"Hahaha, Lord Chen, Zihou, you are such rare guests. What brings you to my Yan Mansion?"
A short, one-eyed fat man came in, shaking his sleeves, walking with his legs spread out, his belly sticking out, and smiling like a flower.
It was Yan Shifan.