The sky was clear and the breeze was gentle. The waves on Shichahai were rippling. In the distance, a luxuriously decorated and elegantly shaped pleasure boat was approaching. On the deck, two short-legged people were lying on the railing, pointing at the fish in the water and shouting happily...
Of course, the one that everyone on the shore envied the most was the honest-looking young man on the deck. The young man was holding a fishing rod and sitting lazily on the beauty's back, like a salted fish, with a group of beautiful girls surrounding him.
Especially the girl sitting next to the boy. Although she was wearing a gauze hat and her face could not be seen, a breeze just now blew and lifted her veil. At that moment, everyone was almost suffocated. Stunning beauty... It turns out that there are really girls who can bear such words.
So, when the girl in the veil stretched out her delicate and fair hands and fed the fruit on a toothpick to the honest and naive boy, everyone wished they could exchange their lifespan of ten or a hundred years to become that boy for one second, just to have a bite of the fruit fed to them by the girl in the veil.
At this moment, everyone's envy of the honest and simple boy had reached the point of hatred.
Of course, everyone's envy, jealousy and hatred disappeared after a while.
It’s not that the young man was unlucky, or that the people on the shore got what they wanted, but because the pleasure boat disappeared from everyone’s sight in a short while. Out of sight, out of mind.
"Haha, sir, didn't you see that those men on the shore just now wanted to eat you up?"
The little maid Huaer covered her mouth and giggled.
"If you want to wear the crown, you must bear its weight."
Zhu Ping'an smiled nonchalantly, then shook his wrist lightly and pulled up a palm-sized crucian carp with melon seeds.
"What do you mean? Ah, I caught a fish..."
Hua'er was confused and bewildered when she heard this, but then she couldn't help cheering when she saw the fish took the bait.
"What a silly girl."
Li Shu rolled her eyes and smiled.
"The fish is hooked..."
"I caught a small fish..."
When the naughty kid Ruiger and the little loli Niuniu saw Zhu Pingan catch the fish, they ran over to see the fish, crying.
Zhu Ping'an took the fish off the hook and put it into a basin of water that had been prepared on the side. The fish started swimming as it entered the water, wagging its tail.
"Brother-in-law is really amazing."
The little Loli Niuniu poked the crucian carp in the basin with her little finger and looked at Zhu Pingan with admiration.
"Whatever, I can do it too."
The naughty kid pouted his mouth in dissatisfaction.
Then
The naughty kid also asked for a fishing rod and deliberately sat next to Zhu Ping'an, fishing without giving up. He was determined to catch one fish, no, a whole basin of fish that were bigger than the one his country bumpkin brother-in-law had just caught. He had to let sister Niu Niu see that he was the best.
Ideals are full, but reality is skinny.
Zhu Ping'an caught two more fish, one of which was particularly big, probably weighing half a pound, but the naughty kid still didn't catch any fish. After Zhu Ping'an caught the third fish, the naughty kid had given up, left the fishing rod aside, and ran to the side to play with the little loli Niuniu.
Shichahai is not very big, and it only took Zhu Ping'an and his boat about half an hour to circle the lake.
Next step
Island in the middle of the lake.
The pleasure boat accelerated towards the island in the middle of the lake. This speed was no longer suitable for fishing. Zhu Ping'an put away his fishing rod. There were already six fish in the basin at his feet.
There are many pleasure boats and cruise ships near the island in the middle of the lake, almost all of which are surrounding three gaudy and heavily-decorated pleasure boats, from which bursts of stringed instruments, ethereal singing and cheers can be heard from time to time.
Getting closer, you can vaguely see the scene of three pleasure boats in the center. On one of the pleasure boats, a woman with a slim figure and outstanding appearance is dancing gracefully with charming dance moves. On the other two pleasure boats, there is also a stunning woman performing her talents. One is singing "Guan Guan Ju Jiu" with an ethereal voice, and the other is playing the piano with melodious sounds.
There were bursts of applause from the surrounding pleasure boats and cruise ships. A scholar wrote a poem and sent it to one of the pleasure boats. A rich young man spent a fortune on one of the pleasure boats. A wealthy master commented on the boats...
Zhu Ping'an took a quick glance and roughly guessed it in his mind. It was probably an event where brothels in the capital were selecting their most beautiful courtesans.
"Why, do you want to go in and take a look?"
Li Shu looked at Zhu Ping'an with a smile and asked in a delicate voice. Her big watery eyes blinked and her cherry mouth revealed two sharp little canine teeth. In the sunlight, the two little canine teeth sparkled.
"Not interested."
Zhu Ping'an shook his head without thinking. He really had no interest. The singing and dancing performed on the pleasure boat could not be compared with the modern developed entertainment industry.
Whether it is modern programs such as The Voice of China, The Voice of China, and Dancing with the Stars, or obviously entertaining song and dance performances, regardless of the content, just in terms of form and effect, they are hundreds of times more exciting than those on these pleasure boats.
After being influenced by the modern entertainment industry, the performances on the three pleasure boats really did not attract Zhu Pingan at all.
"Go if you want to. I'm curious too." Li Shu's voice sounded a little coquettish. Her big watery eyes stared at Zhu Ping'an without blinking while she spoke, not missing any change in expression on Zhu Ping'an's face.
"In no mood."
Zhu Ping'an still shook his head without hesitation.
Humph, you're smart.
Li Shu's big watery eyes narrowed into crescents, and her cherry lips raised a satisfied arc.
"What's going on in there? Why is it so busy?"
The chubby little maid Huaer held the railing, stood on tiptoe, and stretched her neck to look inside with a look of curiosity.
"What's all the fuss? It's just some dirty stuff." Qin'er glanced inside and curled her lips in disdain.
"Ah?" Hua'er, the little maidservant, looked puzzled.
Qin'er leaned close to Hua'er's ear with a speechless look and whispered a few words.
"Ah? Choosing an oiran? Ugh, how shameless..."
When Huaer heard this, she opened her mouth in surprise and spat several times in the direction of the pleasure boats.
"What kind of flower is the Oiran?"
The naughty kid raised his chubby little face and asked in confusion.
"Go away, little kid. Ask this question when you grow up." Zhu Ping'an stretched out his hand and turned the kid's head to face the pleasure boats. Then he leaned over and shouted to the sailors in the cabin below, "Please work harder. Let's go around the pleasure boats in front and have a good rest on the island in the middle of the lake."
"Good uncle."
The sailor in the cabin below responded loudly.
The ship speed increased again.
"Tsk tsk, it's a rare selection of courtesans, don't you want to take a look? Didn't you hear what was said inside? It was said that the courtesans of the capital, Qinhuai, and Shuzhong would compete and be evaluated together to select the number one courtesan and the most beautiful woman in the Ming Dynasty." Li Shu stretched out her little finger, poked Zhu Ping'an's chest, and said with a smile.
"So what? Even if all the girls in the Ming Dynasty were to compete, she would be ranked second at best."
Zhu Ping'an shrugged nonchalantly, and showed disdain for the selection of the most beautiful woman.
"Why is it second?" Li Shu asked in a tender voice.
"Because the most beautiful woman in the Ming Dynasty is right next to me." Zhu Ping'an looked at Li Shu with burning eyes and raised the corners of his lips.
"He's smooth-talking and knows how to flatter people."
Li Shu pretended to be coquettish, but her pretty face was like a blooming peony, full of charm, and it was obvious that she enjoyed it very much.
"Hehehe... Master, then tell me what's beautiful about the young lady?" The chubby little maid Hua'er giggled and said.
"Everywhere is beautiful." Zhu Ping'an laughed.
"Son-in-law, what you said seems a bit perfunctory..." Huaer pouted her lips, dissatisfied with Zhu Ping'an's answer.
"In my opinion, a beauty should have the appearance of a flower, the voice of a bird, the spirit of the moon, the bones of jade, the skin of ice and snow, the posture of autumn water, and the heart of poetry. In the entire Ming Dynasty, only your young lady is like this, flawless."
When Zhu Pingan answered the little maid, he looked at Li Shu with a pair of burning eyes, without blinking, and replied seriously. Zhu Pingan felt that this theory of beauty originated from Zhang Chao's "You Mengying" in the Qing Dynasty, which was perfect for Li Shu.
For Zhu Ping'an, these words are a reference.
But for the Ming Dynasty and for this world, Zhu Ping'an's words were the first and original.
For girls, there is nothing more romantic than this moment and these words.
"Hun said."
Li Shu's pretty face suddenly turned red, her rosy little mouth curled up slightly, she uttered a coquettish sound, and turned away shyly. The two cute dimples on her pretty face had already appeared before she turned around.
As she turned around, her long black hair fluttered happily and gracefully in the wind.
A smile is enough to conquer the city.
Nothing more than this.
Baozi's maids Hua'er, Qin'er and others were stuffed with a lot of dog food...