Qin Zhao really wanted to give it a try.
He never let his husband suffer in life, and now he has a son to raise, so the expenses will not be small. Compared with those manual labor jobs, being a husband in a rich family is naturally the best choice.
"But that young master Gu seems to be very difficult to deal with. He has driven away so many gentlemen..." Jing Li was still worried.
Qin Zhao didn't care much about this: "There will always be a way, don't worry."
However, there was still some work to be done at home and he couldn't leave home for the time being, so Qin Zhao was not in a hurry.
Over the next few days, they went shopping in the city, and after the custom-made furniture arrived, they decorated the house according to their preferences.
On the afternoon of the second day after the mansion was decorated, Qin Zhaocai brought up the old matter again.
When Jing Li said this, he was feeding the fish fry. He turned his head and looked at him: "I'll go with you."
After taking a bite, the little fish raised its head and saw Jing Li holding the egg yolk crumbs and not feeding it to him, so it swam around in his hands anxiously.
"No need." Qin Zhao said, "This kid can't be alone right now, we can't take him everywhere with us."
Jing Li: "Why not? You always took me out with you before."
When Jing Li was still unable to transform into a human form, Qin Zhao carried him around the village every day.
Thinking of the past, Qin Zhao walked up to Jing Li, deliberately chose an angle where the fish couldn't see, bent down and kissed him on the lips: "Aren't you worried that my little fish will be eaten by the cat at home?"
The little fish jumped higher in the water.
Jing Li didn't notice what his son was doing at all. He even put the egg yolk back into the bowl and raised his hand to help Qin Zhao straighten his collar: "I know. I'll stay home with your son."
"Be good." Qin Zhao said again, "I'll buy whatever you want to eat later."
"As long as it's something you do."
Qin Zhao: "Okay."
The fish in his house are becoming easier and easier to raise.
The two fathers finally finished their affectionate embrace when their sons were about to jump out of the fish tank. Qin Zhao turned and went out, and Jing Li continued to feed the cubs.
"I know. I'll feed you right away."
Jing Li sprinkled two egg yolks on him, shook his head and sighed: "You are so greedy, I don't know who you inherited it from."
Cub: “…”
Qin Zhao did not go directly to Gu's house, but went straight to another place.
"This is Jiangling Prefecture School. Who are you looking for?" Outside the gate of the prefectural school, a young man stopped him.
Qin Zhao bowed to him and took out a letter from his bosom: "I am from Linxi Village, looking for an assistant teacher named Ye. This is a letter from the village chief to Assistant Teacher Ye."
The boy took the letter and nodded: "Please wait a moment."
He turned and went into the government school. After a while, he came out with a message: "Assistant Professor Ye is answering questions in the study. Please come with me."
The young man led Qin Zhao in.
Jiangling Prefecture School is considered to be the best among the twelve prefectures because the prefect of Jiangling attaches great importance to education and the school is built very large. Qin Zhao followed the young man through several lecture halls in the front yard and walked along a long corridor before arriving at a relatively secluded courtyard.
As soon as I walked through the Chuihua Gate, I heard some arguments: "I think what Brother Li said is inappropriate. Even if the meaning of this sentence can be understood, its deeper meaning..."
The young man took Qin Zhao to the eaves and said, "Please wait here for a moment. I am about to go back."
Qin Zhao: "Thank you."
The door of the study was open. Qin Zhao stood under the eaves and heard the argument inside.
What the two students in the room were arguing about was nothing more than the interpretation of classics. Even the scholars of the dynasty had not made any judgment on these contents, so it was naturally impossible for them to reach a conclusion just by arguing.
Sure enough, Qin Zhao listened quietly for a while, and then he heard another old man in the room say leisurely: "What you said is reasonable, and it is useless to argue here. Go back and write an article for me. Go."
"Yes, sir."
As soon as he finished speaking, two young men in their twenties walked out of the house.
Then, an old man in his fifties also stepped out of the house.
"Are you Qin Zhao?" the old man asked.
Qin Zhao bowed to the old man and said, "Mr. Ye."
Assistant Professor Ye looked him up and down for a moment, then smiled and said, "I know you. The teacher went to participate in the provincial examination and came back to say that this year's provincial examination had produced a top-notch essay. The prefect was very pleased and immediately named you the top-ranked essay."
"I've read that article, and it's really beyond compare."
Qin Zhao: "Sir, you are too kind."
The old man had a kind face and was not arrogant at all. He took Qin Zhaolin into the study and poured him a cup of tea. "I have known your village chief for decades. He asked me to take care of you in his letter. But if I were to ask you, with your reputation as the top student in the double case, it would be a great honor to have you as my teacher. Why would you need my help?"
The entrance requirements for Jiangling Prefecture School were strict. It was not enough to pass the prefectural examination. One had to have excellent grades, good conduct, and a certain reputation. Therefore, many students came to seek connections to open a back door.
However, even if one submits the list through connections, one still has to go through an entrance examination, and the screening of students is very strict.
But Qin Zhao shook his head: "I am not here to study in the government school."
Assistant Professor Ye asked: "Then why did you come here..."
Qin Zhao said: "I heard that the Gu Mansion in the city is recruiting teachers for the Mansion School."
Hearing this, the smile on Assistant Ye's face completely disappeared: "You mean the Gu family of the weaving and spinning mill? That's true."
He seemed to be quite resentful about this matter, and said coldly: "We did select some students for them earlier, but they were sent back after a few days, and they suffered a lot. The young master of his family has no intention of studying at all. If it weren't for the good relationship between the Gu family and the prefect, why would the prefectural school care about them?"
"Why do you ask this? You wouldn't..."
Qin Zhao: "I wonder if Mr. Ye can introduce me to someone."
The requirements on the Gu family's notice had been lowered from Juren to Xiucai, or students with excellent grades in the prefectural school. But Qin Zhao's current conditions did not meet this requirement.
So he needed to find an intermediary to introduce him.
"Your conditions are better than most students in the prefectural school, but..." The old man paused and advised, "But you have to think carefully, this is not an easy job."
Qin Zhao said: "I have thought it through."
The old man was silent for a moment, then sighed and said, "Well, let's give it a try. I happen to be free this afternoon, so I'll go with you."
Assistant Professor Ye found a carriage and took Qin Zhao to Gu's house.
The Gu Mansion is located on the main street of the city. There is a plaque hanging in front of the door, and two majestic stone lions squatting on both sides of the stone stairs leading to the door. The mansion's luxury can be seen just from the gate.
Compared to this mansion, the government office across the street a few hundred steps away seems a bit shabby.
The carriage stopped in front of the Gu Mansion, and a doorman came up to greet them. After seeing who was coming, he bowed and said, "Mr. Ye, are you looking for my wife?"
"Yes." Assistant Professor Ye asked, "Is the Madam in the mansion?"
"Yes, please wait a moment, I will go and inform them."
The doorman ran into the mansion quickly, and the two got off the carriage. Qin Zhao asked, "Madam?"
"Mr. Gu's husbands are all personally selected by Mrs. Gu." Assistant Teacher Ye said, "Don't worry, Mrs. Gu is from a scholarly family and treats us scholars with kindness and courtesy."
This can also be seen from the doorman's polite attitude towards them.
It must be because the master taught him well.
He can teach such well-behaved servants, but he can't teach a child well.
Qin Zhao sighed in his heart.
He looked at the plaque of the Gu Mansion above his head and asked, "Will Master Gu not take care of this?"
"You don't know this. The weaving mills have to pay tribute to the palace with new silk fabrics before winter. Master Gu is busy with these matters all day long. I heard that he even went to the county town to supervise the silk production a few days ago. How could he have the time to take care of these trivial matters?" Assistant Instructor Ye explained.
Qin Zhao was silent for a moment, his eyes still fixed on the plaque.
The reason he wanted to come here was not just to make money.
Ever since he met Mr. Gu outside the restaurant last time, he had wanted to come here again.
He always felt that... that Mr. Gu looked familiar.
The doorman came back soon and led them into the Gu Mansion through a small door at the side.
They arrived at a reception room in the side courtyard. Just as they sat down, another maid came in and served them tea.
Even the maids in the Gu mansion were all extremely beautiful, but Qin Zhao ignored them and just lowered his head to take a sip of tea.
Although they were allowed into the house, Madam Gu did not show up immediately. Qin Zhao was not in a hurry and just drank his tea. After finishing a cup of tea, the maid came up to add another cup. It was not until the third time that the tea was completely cold that he heard footsteps outside the door.
The maids in the room all nodded and saluted, saying in unison: "Madam."
A beautiful woman in gorgeous clothes came into the house, accompanied by two maids, and ordered in a calm voice: "Everyone go down."
The maids said: "Yes."
Assistant Professor Ye and Qin Zhao also stood up and saluted Mrs. Gu.
"Please don't be polite, please take a seat." Madam Gu sat down in the main seat in front and looked Qin Zhao up and down. Seeing that he had an extraordinary demeanor, she showed an approving look, "Are you a student of the prefectural school?"
"No."
Mrs. Gu asked again: "So you are a scholar?"
“No.”
"… "
Assistant Teacher Ye smiled and said, "Madam, he just finished the college entrance examination two months ago and was the top scorer in both the county and college entrance examinations."
Madam Gu was surprised and asked, "Are you Qin Zhao?"
Qin Zhao nodded, but felt a little puzzled.
Is he so arrogant in the mansion
Assistant Professor Ye explained, "Mr. Gu is on good terms with the prefect, and his wife likes reading, so she has read your article a long time ago."
Madam Gu also laughed: "Mr. Ye, why didn't you tell me earlier? If I knew it was Mr. Qin who came, why would I have gone to all this trouble?"
Qin Zhao said: "Character and knowledge are not related, it would be good for Madam to test it."
Madam Gu asked, "Did you see that I was testing you?"
"From the moment you step into the gate of the Gu Mansion, you are being tested." Qin Zhao said, "Sending a maid to serve tea is a test of your character. Waiting for three cups of tea is a test of your patience. And from the moment you enter the mansion until now, your behavior has been tested."
"If my guess is correct, then it's time to test your knowledge. Madam, please give us the questions."
When he said this, not only Mrs. Gu, but even Assistant Professor Ye was slightly stunned.
Madam Gu smiled and said, "There is no need to test your knowledge. I believe that there is nothing I can do to stump you, the prefect."
The way she addressed Qin Zhao had changed.
"But..." Mrs. Gu hesitated.
Qin Zhao asked: "What does Madam want to say?"
Madam Gu shook her head and sighed, "Sir, your character and knowledge are both excellent. It would be a waste of your talent to ask you to teach my silly son."
Qin Zhao: “…”
Qin Zhao said: "If jade is not polished, it will not become a useful tool. I have the confidence that I can teach Young Master Gu well."
"Alas, you don't understand." Mrs. Gu sighed, "Many teachers say this when they first come to my house. Within seven days, they will come to me and say that they can't teach this child and ask me to find someone else."
Qin Zhao was silent for a moment, then said, "I can make a bet with Madam that Young Master Gu will be brought back within seven days, but Madam must agree to one condition of mine."
Madam Gu and Assistant Professor Ye looked at each other and said, "You go ahead."
Qin Zhao left the Gu Mansion, rejected Mrs. Gu's suggestion to send a carriage to take him home, and left on foot alone.
He asked for the shortest route home, and bought some vegetables and pork ribs from the fruit and vegetable stall and meat stall he passed by. It took him exactly one incense stick of time to get home.
He will go to Gu's house frequently in the next period of time, so it is important to calculate the time required for the journey.
Qin Zhao first put the ingredients in the kitchen, washed his hands, and then returned to the inner courtyard.
The door of the main house was open and the whole yard was quiet without any sound.
Qin Zhao entered the room quietly. Jing Li was lying on the desk in the inner room with a book spread out under him, soundly sleeping. In the fish tank beside him, the little fish fry were also sleeping obediently on the bamboo leaf bed, not moving at all.
Qin Zhao smiled and bent down to kiss Jing Li on the lips.
"Hmm..." Jing Li was awakened by the kiss and opened his eyes dazedly, "You're back..."
"Hush." Qin Zhao glanced at the little fish next to him, and seeing that the latter was not awakened, he whispered, "You're back. Why are you here? Why don't you go to bed?"
"I didn't sleep." Jing Li rubbed his eyes.
He was clearly reading a book.
Qin Zhao looked down and found that Jing Li was not reading a storybook, but a medical book from the pile of books he kept in his study.
"What are you looking at?"
"I'm just bored, so I just read it." Jing Li yawned, "Who knew your books are so difficult to understand? I feel sleepy just reading them."
Qin Zhao closed the book and threw it aside casually: "This book is all about prescriptions using exotic poisons as medicine. Even I haven't finished reading it."
"Are you also feeling sleepy from reading?"
"No." Qin Zhao said, "Because I don't believe this."
Jing Li snorted and stopped reading the book.
He hooked his hands around Qin Zhao's neck and asked in a low voice, "Did your visit to Gu's house go smoothly?"
"It went well." Qin Zhao picked him up and put him on the bed. "You will start teaching Young Master Gu tomorrow."
Jing Li said: "Remember to teach that bastard a lesson."
Qin Zhao lowered his head and kissed him again, then laughed: "Why do I remember that he didn't seem to provoke you?"
"Of course not." Jing Li said righteously, "Have you forgotten the last time we met him? He almost left us without dinner."
It was about the time when they were kicked out of the restaurant by the young master when they first came to the capital city.
When it comes to food, no one holds a grudge more than Jing Li.
Jing Li asked: "So what are we having for lunch?"
Qin Zhao: "I bought some spareribs."
Jing Li didn't think twice: "I want braised ones."
"good."
It was already late, and the braised spareribs had to be simmered for more than half an hour to make them tasty, but Qin Zhao was in no hurry to leave.
He lowered his eyes, tracing the boy's facial features bit by bit, and his fingertips followed his gaze downwards bit by bit. He said nothing, but even a fool could guess the meaning.
Jing Li felt hot all over when he looked at her, and grabbed his hand: "You..."
Qin Zhao lowered his head and kissed his fingertips.
Leaves a little moisture.
“In broad daylight…” Jing Li looked away, his voice a little hoarse.
Qin Zhao: "Then wait until night?"
Jing Li: “…”
Qin Zhao took his hand and kissed his palm again: "Let's talk, can we do it tonight?"
Jing Li rested his face on the pillow, his ears had already turned red, and he nodded slightly.
Qin Zhao was satisfied and let him go to the kitchen to cook.
They are really busy these days.
In the village, I was busy dealing with trivial matters before moving away. When I got here, I was busy decorating the new home and taking care of the little fish cubs.
Normally, I would not mention it, but after being provoked by Qin Zhao, all the necessary and unnecessary thoughts came to my mind again.
Jing Li didn't even enjoy his dinner. He forced his son to sleep as soon as it got dark, and went to bathe and change clothes early. When Qin Zhao came back from bathing, Jing Li was already lying on the bed reading and waiting.
Qin Zhao walked to the bedside, smelled a faint fragrance in the air, and asked, "Did you light incense?"
"Yeah." There was a new incense burner at the end of the bed. Jing Li wrapped himself in a quilt, staring at the book in front of him, his ears slightly red. "Just bought it."
Qin Zhao pulled out the script and glanced at it: "Did you learn from this?"
Jing Li wanted to shake his head, but after hesitating for a moment, he nodded honestly.
Qin Zhao threw the book aside and leaned forward to kiss him: "What else did you learn?"
Jing Li hadn't felt such a passionate kiss for a long time. The kiss went straight in, making him almost breathless. The candlelight at the head of the bed flickered. Jing Li instinctively pushed away, but was pushed into the bed by Qin Zhao.
The hot palm moved down along the clothes and lingered between the waist and abdomen through the clothes.
Qin Zhao looked at him with a smile: "Do you remember what you promised me?"
Jing Li was so breathless from his kiss that it took him a while to understand what he was saying.
"Isn't it time to fulfill your promise?" Qin Zhao kissed her earlobe and whispered seductively, "Come out, Xiaoyu."
Jing Li's eyes were blurred, and he was burned to pieces by the scorching heat. In a trance, he saw a bright red shadow flash in his peripheral vision.
Bright red... what
Qin Zhao also noticed it, and they both turned their heads at the same time and looked at the empty edge of the bed.
A moment later, a little fish jumped up from the side of the bed.
But he was too small and not strong enough to jump onto the edge of the bed. He could only float down again.
It goes on and on, very persistently.
Qin Zhao: “…”
Jing Li: “…”