"But aren't you going to spring? Where did you get so much time to teach me? Do you still want to take the exam?" Xiao Jingkong is not so easy to compromise.
These words came to Gu Jiao's heart. Now the family's top priority is next month's spring festival. Whether or not she can become a concubine depends entirely on Xiao Liulang's performance.
Xiao Liulang: I knew you would say that.
Xiao Liulang said sternly: "I didn't teach you, it was my aunt who taught you, and my aunt will also."
Xiao Qingkong slumped on the chair without a soul.
The next day, Xiao Liulang led Gu Xiaoshun and Gu Yan to apprentice and learn art.
The process of apprenticeship went very smoothly, and the other party did not ask for an expensive apprenticeship ceremony, and accepted the two apprentices very kindly.
The master's surname is Lu, and he is a man with a Chinese character face. His real age is almost fifty, but he looks like he is less than forty.
Gu Xiaoshun scratched his head and asked Gu Yan in a low voice, "Gu Yan, have you heard the name of Master before?"
Gu Yan shook his head: "No, I've only heard of Lu Yuan."
"Who is Lu Yuan?" Gu Xiaoshun asked, he was a bum and didn't know anything about the capital.
Gu Yan explained patiently: "A master! It's amazing! Although our master is also surnamed Lu, he must have nothing to do with that master."
Master Lu was the most famous craftsman in Zhao State. He even made the emperor's dragon chair and dragon bed, which shows how important his position in Zhao State is.
There are rumors that the swallows carved by Master Lu can fly, the fish carved by Master Lu can swim, and what's more, Master Lu once carved a beauty, and the beauty came to life and became Master Lu's wife.
There are too many rumors about Master Lu, and it can't be finished for three days and three nights.
However, this Master Lu has a temperamental temperament and is very strange. He once offended His Majesty and was almost killed by His Majesty.
After that, Master Lu retired and no longer took over the business of Chaotang.
Some people also say that Master Lu changed his name and surname and continued to work as a carpenter in another place. Many people in the market today boast that they are selling Master Lu's works.
The two were talking in the yard, and a woman in a cloth and a skirt came out with a dustpan and pickles.
Just looking at her figure, this woman could be called a graceful and graceful woman, but looking at her face... Both of them were a little surprised.
It was a disfigured face.
Different from the smooth birthmark on Gu Jiao's face, the scars on this face are intertwined and ferocious, and the less timid can scare away on the spot.
The two of them did not move, nor did they stare at each other for a long time.
Gu Jiao was often looked down upon by people because of her crippled appearance. Gu Yan and Gu Xiaoshun would not treat others like this.
"Who are you?" Gu Yan asked.
His eyes were clear, without the slightest fear or contempt.
The woman smiled.
Ordinary people will feel warm when they smile, but she is not. When she smiles, all the scars on her face move, making it even more hideous.
She said, "You are his new disciples, right? I am your wife."
It was the mistress.
Seeing that she didn't seem to be lying, the two bowed to him and said, "Master."
The woman didn't say yes or no, she just smiled lightly, put a dustpan and pickles on the rack to dry, turned around and entered the room.
Gu Yan became more and more certain that the craftsman named Lu was not Master Lu.
Master Lu's wife is a great beauty, but anyone who has seen her will not be fascinated by her beauty.
His aunt, Concubine Shu, is already considered to be the most beautiful in the Six Palaces, but I heard that compared with Master Lu's wife, she will still be eclipsed.
Gu Yan and Gu Xiaoshun waited in the courtyard for a while before Xiao Liulang and Master Lu came out.
"I'll leave the two children to you." Xiao Liulang bowed his hands and said to Master Lu.
Master Lu also bowed slightly: "Young Master Xiao is very polite. I will go out with my wife in two days, and let them come to class in three days."
"Okay." Xiao Liulang agreed, and asked Gu Xiaoshun and Gu Yan to say goodbye to Master Lu before getting on the carriage and leaving.
After the three of them left, Master Lu planned to go back to the room, when he saw his wife Nan Xiang coming out of the room with the curtains drawn.
"Feng Da, why did you come out?" Master Lu stepped forward and held his wife's arm with concern.
Nan Xiang looked at the carriage that was gradually disappearing at the end of the alley, and asked him, "Why did you suddenly agree to accept disciples? Don't you hate being a master the most?"
"Alas." Master Lu sighed, "That young man named Xiao Liulang is Feng Lao's apprentice. I owed Feng Lao's favor back then, and this time I just return it to Feng Lao."
"Lao Feng has accepted an apprentice?" Nan Xiang curled his lips, "That old-fashioned man can't even look down on Zhuang Daru, how could he look down on a lame child?"
The Zhuang Confucian in her mouth is Zhuang Xianzhi, the fourth master of the Zhuang family. He was appointed as the governor of Youzhou a while ago.
Zhuang Xianzhi has always respected Feng Lao very much and hoped to inherit Feng Lao's mantle, but unfortunately, Feng Lao confiscated him as a disciple for unknown reasons.
"I think that boy is not bad." Master Lu said, "It doesn't look like an ordinary country boy when talking."
"Could the person Feng Lao fancy be a simple person?" Nan Xiang smiled lightly and moved the topic away from Xiao Liulang, "With one favor, there are two more apprentices, will it cost too much? ?"
Master Lu said: "It's not big, if it weren't for Feng Lao's help, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to meet you in my life. Feng Lao is our matchmaker, and I have to survive this favor no matter what."
Nan Xiang was amused.
In front of outsiders, she was a little worried that she would laugh too terribly, but she had no such concerns in front of her husband.
After she laughed enough, she took Luff Jun's hand and said, "I like those two children, the ones who came before are much stronger."
Gu Xiaoshun and Gu Yan were not the first two to ask for apprenticeships to learn the arts. I don't know how many came long before that. Many of them were talented, but Nanxiang didn't like any of them.
As long as she appeared, those people seemed to have seen a ghost, and some people were even scared to pee on the spot by her.
"Xiang'er likes it." He accepted his apprentices without looking at their qualifications, it was all based on the wife's likes, even if he was a fool, he recognized it. Not to mention, that pretty young man named Gu Yan seems to be quite an idiot.
"Teach it well." Nan Xiang said, "Don't fool people."
Master Lu cleared his throat: "I know, ma'am."
Don't look at his willingness to promise, but he actually has it in his heart. Carpentry work is hard, tiring and boring. Most people can't last for a few days, but three months at most. He can guarantee that the two children will take the initiative to ask him not to learn. .
When Xiao Liulang and the three returned to Bishui Hutong, they could hear the noise in the courtyard from a distance. It turned out that Feng Lin and Lin Chengye came over.
Along with the two, there was an acquaintance whom they had seen in Pingcheng - Du Ruohan.
Du Ruohan has been locked up by his uncle to study at home since he returned to Beijing, and he has not been released during the New Year. It was because his aunt pleaded with his uncle these few days that Zhuang Xianzhi gave him a one-day vacation.
Du Ruohan had already found out that Feng Lin and Xiao Liulang were studying at the Imperial College. He was not familiar with Lin Chengye, so he didn't deliberately ask about Lin Chengye, but he only met Feng Lin when he went to the Imperial College today to find Feng Lin.
According to Du Ruohan's meaning, the two of them finally came to the capital. He was the host and invited them to go to the most famous restaurant in the capital, Zuixianju, to have a big meal. At night, they would rent a painting boat, swim in a lake or something. , just don't be too happy!
But Feng Lin and Lin Chengye were all thinking of Xiao Liulang and Jiao Niang, mainly thinking of Jiao Niang, especially missing her, they must come and see her, so Du Ruohan was also dragged over by the two.
Xiao Liulang had no feelings for Du Ruohan, but Gu Yan and Gu Xiaoshun were very curious about the guests at home.
"Jiao Niang's younger brother." Feng Lin introduced Gu Yan and Gu Xiaoshun to Du Ruohan, and then introduced Du Ruohan to Gu Yan and Gu Xiaoshun, "My brother-in-law and I's childhood playmates, you are called Brother Du."
Xiao Liulang: You really don't think of yourself as an outsider.
Gu Yan and Gu Xiaoshun greeted the guests.
Gu Jiao went to buy food, and not long after the three returned, she also entered the yard.
At a glance, she noticed that there was another guest in the yard.
Apparently the guests spotted her too.
Xiao Liulang was about to start his introduction when he heard Feng Lin running over excitedly and said, "Jiao Niang is back! What are you buying so heavy? Everyone said you don't need to buy such a dish! Xiao Chengzi, hurry up!"
Lin Chengye hurriedly came over and slipped the things in Gu Jiao's hand away.
Feng Lin said to Du Ruohan, "This is Jiao Niang!" and said to Gu Jiao, "Jiao Niang, he was Liu Lang's neighbor and I when we were young. The three of us grew up together. His name is Du Ruohan, you can call him Du Ruohan. He has a small belly! His aunt is married to the capital, and now he is barely half of the capital, and next month he will have a spring break with us!"
Xiao Liulang's eyes are cold: When you meet Jiaojiao, you will talk a lot! Also, who is the master of this house!
Du Ruohan and Xiao Liulang are not so familiar with Feng Lin. First, he and Feng Lin have known each other for a longer time when he was a child. Second, he always feels that this Xiao Liulang is not the Xiao Liulang when he was a child.
It's kind of unfamiliar anyway.
However, Xiao Liulang's family is quite easy to get along with.
Especially Aunt Xiao Liulang.
The matter has to start with Du Ruohan's visit. He is a rational person. Even though Feng Lin told him not to be too outspoken, he still bought something and brought it over.
Among them was a box of fried chestnuts with sugar, which made the old lady happy and called Hanhanhanhan.
The old lady doesn't keep the inventory at home now, and it is easy to be sued by Xiaojingkong. She puts the old sacrifice wine there.
The old lady felt that the young man was very good and decided to take him to fly.
"Play a game?" The old lady took out the leaf card that Gu Changqing sent. The new leaf card felt very comfortable, and the old lady couldn't put it down.
Du Ruohan knew Ye Ziqi, that is, his uncle in the mansion would not allow him to play it on weekdays.
Feng Lin doesn't know how to play, but Lin Chengye will.
The old lady called Gu Xiaoshun over.
Gu Xiaoshun, the old lady, Du Ruohan, and Lin Chengye gathered a table of leaf cards.
Du Ruohan is a novice on the road.
Facts have proved that not every novice has the same luck as Gu Changqing. After a poker game, Du Ruohan lost only his pants.
The old lady likes him even more!
Young people, have a future!
As lunch was approaching, another person came to the house.
"I'm going to open, I'm going to open!" Xiao Jingkong tapped to open the door. He stuck a small head out of the door and looked at the person who came, "May I ask who are you looking for?"
The man said, "I'm looking for Xiao Liulang."
"Oh." Xiao Qingkong was disappointed.
Why didn't you come to him
He is no longer a child without friends!
Xiao Jingkong slowly went to the study and called Xiao Liulang.
Xiao Liulang went to the door, and he looked at the man with the goatee in front of him.
But Xiao Liulang didn't know him: "You are—"
The man cupped his hands: "My surname is Wang, and Young Master Xiao can call me Wang Yun. I have long admired Young Master Xiao's name, and Wang came to visit today. I wonder if I can come into the room and talk?"
Xiao Liulang glanced at him again and took the person to his study.
Xiao Jingkong was also in his study, doing a problem.
Xiao Liulang said to him, "Take a break and write later."
Xiao Jingkong looked at him suspiciously: "Why are you so kind all of a sudden?"
Xiao Liulang: "Jiaojiao made delicious food."
The small net is gone!
Wang Yun laughed: "Is it Xiao Gongzi's younger brother? Yuxue is really cute."
Is Yuxue cute? That's the appearance, he's a real naughty, maddening little monk.
Xiao Liulang stopped complaining about the little monk in front of outsiders. He asked lightly, "I don't know what is the matter with Mr. Wang's visit?"
Wang Yun did not expect Xiao Liulang to be so direct. He was shocked and said with a smile: "Wang came to the door today to discuss an important matter with Mr. Xiao."
Xiao Liulang: "About Chunwei?"
Wang Yun was surprised again and said with a smile, "Young Master Xiao is really smart, he even guessed this."
There are many people who have come to Xiao Liulang recently, all of them are for the matter of Chunwei, but they usually find Guozijian, and only Wang Yun comes to the door.
Xiao Liulang said bluntly: "I don't have the energy to help others with their homework, and I don't have the energy to make a fuss about the topic."
There are no more than two kinds of people who come to Xiao Liulang. One is to ask for advice like Lin Chengye and Feng Lin are practical; the other is to ask the masters to bet on the topic, and let Xiao Liulang make an article according to the topic and sell it to them.
All were rejected by Xiao Liulang.
Wang Yun lowered his eyes and smiled, brushed his wide sleeves, and said, "I didn't come to ask Mr. Xiao to help my young master with his homework, nor did I come to buy Mr. Xiao's articles. I wanted to ask Mr. Xiao to—"
He said the last two words.
(End of this chapter)