Volume 3: Dragon and Snake Movement Chapter 458: Even if it is ruthless, it is still touching
At the entrance of the once bustling Xinglong Teahouse, the food booth is still there, and the people who gathered here for the day's excitement have not yet dispersed, but the many bigwigs who came to judge today are already preparing to go home.
"Grandpa Ge, walk around more after you go back to help digest your food. Don't just sit there studying. The better your health is, the more opportunities you'll have to give Ah Shou advice on the things he comes up with, right?... How can I be angry with you? I'm just telling you the truth. It's true that you can learn until you die, but you have to live to old age first! I also hope to wish you a happy birthday every year!"
After sending Ge Yong, who was about to get his nose crooked, away and tricking Chu Ying into giving her a thumbs-up, and thanking him and Qi Jingshan for the two birthday gifts, Zhu Ying smiled and sent Chu Ying and Qi Jingshan to the carriage. But when she turned around, she saw that Zhang Chuan, Duke of Qin, and Zhang Kang, Earl of Weinan, were already getting on their horses and leaving, so she had to go over and chat with him.
Just now, Zhang Chuan and Zhang Kang did not miss the gift from her junior, and each of them gave her a purse. As for what was in the purse, the eldest lady didn't care much because there were too many good things. After thanking them with a smile, Zhu Ying couldn't help but glance at Zhu Jing and Zhang Shou who were talking on the side.
She didn't know if it was her illusion, but she always felt that if something went wrong, her father would make things difficult for Zhang Shou.
Zhu Jing also clearly felt the suspicious look from his daughter, so he could only take out a small and exquisite wooden box that was at most half the size of a palm from his sleeve with a sad and helpless look, and handed it to Zhang Shou expressionlessly. Seeing that Zhang Shou was slightly stunned, he quickly took it with both hands, and he coughed with a stern face.
"It's not a birthday celebration, so Duke Qin and Earl Weinan wanted to give you birthday gifts, but I stopped them. It's just a birthday, don't make such a fuss. After all, even Princess Yongping declined the gift just now."
As soon as he finished speaking, he saw that Zhu Ying had clearly heard the conversation between him and Zhang Shou, and she was already angry. He had to change his slightly stiff attitude and said earnestly: "You and Yingying are still young, so don't take this kind of day too seriously. This seal is something I carved to kill time when I was bored. You can take it and enjoy it."
Seeing that her father was beating around the bush even when giving Zhang Shou a birthday gift, Zhu Ying finally started to laugh. It was not until she saw Zhu Jing leaving Zhang Shou and walking towards her with a serious face that the eldest daughter hurried forward and just as she opened her mouth to call him "Dad", she felt a hand pressing down on her head, and she was immediately frightened and pale.
"I'm not a child anymore! Dad, please don't mess up the bun that I managed to get Zhanjin and Liuyin to style today!"
Zhang Shou saw Zhu Jing's hand abruptly stop an inch away from Zhu Ying's head - or hair, and then he sighed deeply. He couldn't help but shed a tear of sympathy for this poor and awkward father. The next moment, he saw Zhu Jing's right hand move down, press Zhu Ying's shoulder as if he were a boy, and then walk away.
As the man mounted his horse and galloped away, he disappeared in an instant. He couldn't help but laugh and came to Zhu Ying, who was in a dilemma. "Yingying, aren't you afraid that your resistance just now will irritate your father? If it wasn't your birthday today, even if Lu Sanlang had great skills, he would never have invited your father to be a judge on the day of the preliminary competition."
"I know, but it's my father's fault for always patting my head. I'm not a child anymore!" Zhu Ying snorted and then glanced at Zhang Shou with resentment. "My father even gave you a gift, but I have nothing!"
Zhang Shou burst into laughter. Princess Yongping had previously asked the eunuch to announce that he would not accept any gifts, and no one else did so. However, Zhu Ying and he both received gifts from Ge Yong, Chu Ying, and Qi Jingshan, either pens, books, fan pendants, or ornaments. Only Zhu Jing had delayed until just now, and he did not expect that he would not give Zhu Ying anything in the end.
"Your father is a tough guy on the outside but a soft one on the inside. He must be unable to express himself in public. When you go home, there will be countless gifts waiting for you." At this point, Zhang Shou smiled and said, "It's getting late. I also have a gift for you, the birthday boy. Come with me back to Zhang Garden, and then I'll take you home!"
When Zhu Ying heard Zhang Shou say it was getting late, she thought he was going to send her home, and she was a little unhappy. But when Zhang Shou said he had a gift for her, she was overjoyed and said with a smile, "Okay, let's go!"
Seeing this, Lu Sanlang groaned, then glanced at Mr. Song who was looking around beside him, and said meaningfully: "Mr. Song, did you see that? If you had half the meticulousness of my teacher, you would never have made Princess Yongping cry today. I really admire you. I have never seen anyone as clumsy as you."
And Ah Liu also echoed: "I told you he was stupid."
Hearing two people calling him stupid, Mr. Song suddenly became depressed. This low mood was not only because he made Princess Yongping cry because she was celebrating her birthday today, but also because Mr. Hua had specially sent Zhang Shou a packet of seeds to plead for him, but also because he specially asked Zhang Shou to take him in and stay temporarily in Zhang Garden. In other words, his plan to open a store would be temporarily ruined!
Seeing Zhang Shou and Zhu Ying already on their horses, Ah Liu said hello to Lu Sanlang, grabbed Song Juren and walked to the two horses. Seeing Song Juren looking at the tall horse in surprise, the young man frowned and asked, "You don't know how to ride a horse?"
"Yes, but I don't ride very well..." Mr. Song no longer cared about why Ah Liu came to see him before. After nodding repeatedly, he stepped on the stirrup awkwardly and got on the horse's back. But before he turned his head to talk to Ah Liu, he saw a hand reaching out from the side and snatched the reins from his hand.
Turning his head, he found that Ah Liu had come to the other side of him without him knowing when. Mr. Song was stunned for a moment, but when he saw Ah Liu shook the reins and pulled his horse forward, he shouted in panic.
"Can you go to the inn and pack my luggage first? Also, my servant is still in the room. In order to get rid of him and let him run away today, I had to drug him. In order to prevent him from waking up and running around, I tied him to the bed. If something happens, it will be a big trouble. Human lives are at stake!"
The voice was so loud that not only Ah Liu, but also Zhu Ying and Zhang Shou in front heard it. Zhu Ying was so angry and amused that she stopped her horse and looked back. Then she pointed at a guard behind Zhu Hong and said, "Go ask where Mr. Song lives and get him out quickly. Remember to pack your luggage. If there is any money left for the room, pay it all first."
Soon, seeing that the guard had already found out the location from Mr. Song, and whipped his horse to rush to an inn, Zhu Ying rode forward again. But before she had taken a few steps, she heard a hesitant voice behind her.
"Well... Thank you, but I have already paid my room fee to that inn, and it was my servant who prepaid it for half a year... Because my family was afraid that I would spend money recklessly, they asked him to keep it... Ahem, it's easy to pay but hard to get a refund. I'm afraid they may not be willing to return the remaining money to me... By the way, do you really want me to move there? It's not very convenient, you two are newlyweds..."
Before he finished speaking, Zhu Ying's face flushed, and even Zhang Shou almost laughed out of anger. Ah Liu's reaction was relatively calm. He just pulled the reins and pulled Mr. Song closer to him. Then he said word by word: "The young master and the eldest lady will not get married until the end of the year. Do you understand?"
Mr. Song's mind suddenly buzzed. He looked at Zhu Ying again and saw that she indeed had the hairstyle and clothes of a young girl. When he met her angry gaze that seemed to be real, he suddenly remembered that he had only heard people say that the two of them were a perfect match, but no one said that they were already married!
After a long while, he hesitantly said, "I didn't notice it before, really, I was just focused on the princess... No, no, no, that's not what I meant. What I meant was that I think you two are very loving... No, no, no, I mean you two are a perfect match!"
It's a miracle that this guy has survived until now without being beaten to death! In a flash, Zhang Shou felt that Mr. Song in front of him was a rare and wonderful person.
However, although Zhu Ying's face still blushed, her charming smile showed that she was actually in a very good mood at the moment. Whether it was love or a good match, these words were what she loved to hear the most!
Then, after giving Mr. Song a meaningful glance, as if to say, "Thank you for saying a few nice words," the eldest lady rode her horse around to the other side of Zhang Shou.
She lowered her voice and said, "Ah Shou, if we let this guy open a shop, I'm afraid he'll lose money in three days, get into trouble in five days, get beaten up in eight days, and close down in ten days. It's better to let him stay in Zhang Garden!"
Zhang Shou immediately laughed, "He is a juren after all. Do you want to keep him locked up and make desserts for you? Aren't you afraid that his family will come after us? You just heard that his family is the richest in Guangdong... I suddenly feel that we are too destined to be with the richest man. Wan Yuanbao is fine, but Fourth Master Hua and this Young Master Song came to us on their own initiative."
Zhu Ying felt more and more pleased when Zhang Shou kept saying "we". She couldn't help but snorted softly, "Who cares if he's the richest man? Even a dragon would lie prone in the capital... Anyway, this idiot surnamed Song wants to live a happy life, so we'll protect him and let him enjoy himself!"
At this point, the eldest lady winked at Zhang Shou playfully, and her voice suddenly became very soft: "Besides, Ah Shou, do you think it's strange that Yongping suddenly got angry today?"
Of course it was a bit strange, but given Princess Yongping's utilitarian yet calm personality, it was no surprise that she was so angry that she almost exploded when facing the stubborn and foolish guy behind her!
Zhang Shou thought so in his heart, and then smiled and said: "Everyone has their own way of living. There is no need to impose your will on others. In fact, judging from Princess Yongping's perspective on people and things, am I not a person who does not seek to make progress?"
Zhu Ying was immediately annoyed: "Who said you don't strive for progress? Who dares to say you don't strive for progress! Ah Shou, you are the most capable and hardworking person I have ever met... Well, except for my eldest brother... Anyway, it doesn't matter if you are motivated or not, as long as you are not just eating and waiting to die, just like the kid from the Song family, who likes to make desserts, there is nothing wrong with that... Wait, Ah Shou, you have diverted my topic!"
The young lady, who had just woken up from a dream, glared at Zhang Shou, then looked around for a while before saying mysteriously, "Don't you think Yongping might be interested in this boy?"
Seeing Zhang Shou's eyes widen instantly, and about to show a disapproving expression, she immediately became anxious: "Don't take it lightly! Let me tell you, I grew up with that girl Yongping, and even the emperor and Concubine Yu may not know her better than me! Don't look at her as smart and everyone says she is a talented woman, but she is actually very cold to people and things."
"Unlike me, who often gets angry and quarrels with others at the slightest mistake, she usually tries to restrain herself and not to quarrel with others. According to her usual temper, she would have just walked away in anger and would not have quarreled with the Song guy at all... So, I think..."
Before Zhu Ying finished speaking, Zhang Shou shook his head and said, "Yingying, you misunderstood. If there is anyone in this world who can fall in love at first sight, it is you, who dares to love and hate, and who does everything according to your will. But it is definitely not the cold and even heartless Princess Yongping you just mentioned. Her feelings for that stupid Mr. Song are probably a long way from what you said."
Seeing Zhu Ying's face full of dissatisfaction, Zhang Shou continued to speak out his own judgment: "She just ate sweets made by others and had some appreciation for their craftsmanship. But later she learned that they were candidates for the imperial examination in Beijing, the group she treated with kindness every day - even if that intention was only for her own benefit - so she felt very disappointed with them."
"As for the dispute..." He paused, then said casually, "A person who has never lived for himself recklessly, suddenly sees someone who is willing break the rules, break other people's prejudices, and live for himself, then there will naturally be a conflict. Just like Princess Yongping is actually envious and jealous of you, she has the same emotion towards Master Song."
Zhu Ying raised her eyebrows in surprise: "Yongping is actually jealous of me? Really?"
The eldest lady, who was a little slow in this regard, thought for a long time, and finally felt vaguely that it seemed to be true, but then she became dejected: "I thought that the matter entrusted to me by Concubine Yu would be fulfilled. You don't know that Princess Deyang and the two princesses have settled their lifelong affairs, but Yongping was left alone. Concubine Yu actually has complicated feelings."
"I thought she had finally found someone who was willing to pay attention to her, but she ended up making such a fuss... Oh!"
Seeing Zhu Ying being upset like a gossipy old lady who failed to become a matchmaker, Zhang Shou couldn't help but think that the eldest lady's behavior at this moment was very interesting - she was obviously not familiar with most of the virtuous and unmarried ladies from noble families in the capital, but Zhu Ying was always able to magically solve people's marriage problems, and now she was even more worried about Princess Yongping.
If it wasn't for the fact that they were in public and Zhu Ying was obviously very proud of the flying fairy bun, Zhang Shou would also like to do what Zhu Jing had just failed to do and touch the eldest lady's head which was obviously different in structure from that of ordinary people.
In the end, he just looked at her and smiled, "I think, Yingying, you really need the gift I'm going to give you. You're always in a hurry, you should stop and take a look at the beautiful scenery around you."
