Zhong Niangzi Wanfu

Chapter 12 Stealing Inkstone
一
Rumors of Zhong Lan's marriage spread.

Due to the help of the Yue family, the Yue family's hard work over the years, and the presence of in-laws like the Qu family, the Zhong Mansion can barely qualify as a middle-class family. Although the family background is lower than that of the Shen Mansion, it is not much worse.

Shen Feng didn't mean to make irresponsible remarks, nor did he tell others that he had asked for this marriage.

Therefore, everyone just thought that Mrs. Yang of the Shen family had asked the matchmaker for the second girl's posthumous invitation. No one was too surprised, and no one looked for the reason from Shen Feng.

Zhong Yan knew in his heart that this marriage was much better than the Qu family's. After all, he had benefited from his aunt's favor, and he went to the Yue family's yard to ask An to be more diligent, and never contradicted the Yue family again.

The Yue family no longer criticized Zhong Lan, and devoted themselves to preparing a dowry for Zhong Lan with the Chu family.

As for why the Shen family suddenly came to propose marriage, Zhong Lan still wanted to find a chance to ask Shen Feng face to face.

As soon as the matter subsided, Wen Yi and Shen Yan entered the county school as scheduled, preparing for the next spring examination.

Danzhou County School is considered to be the earliest state and county school established in Beizhao. It is as simple and solemn as Zhangfu, and is full of a thick book atmosphere.From time to time, one or two Confucian students in white clothes would come in and out together, keeping the atmosphere of the county school lively.

Wen Yi and Shen Feng traveled simply, each with a servant.The two of them were dressed in white clothes of Confucian scholars, and the clear breeze and bright moon did not disturb the dust.

"Wow! Is this the county school?" Wen Yi looked at the Confucian students coming and going with curiosity, and greeted the familiar classmates one by one.

Shen Feng greeted Wen Yi humbly and made careful remarks when Wen Yi's speech was unreliable. The two of them were silent and moved, making them particularly conspicuous in the county school.

"Hey, how come the son of a merchant can study in the county?" A harsh voice sounded from behind the two of them, making them look back.

Not far away, there were several men in white clothes with their arms folded and squinting squinting at them with sarcastic expressions. The leader was a shorter man with a fox face, who was the speaker.

Wen Yi frowned slightly, but thinking of his family's instructions, he smiled slightly: "Isn't this little friend a little biased? Tao Ke, the founding prime minister of Beizhao, and Zhu Qian, the first Wuhou of Beizhao, both started their careers as merchants. Emperor Taizu bestowed upon him the title of 'Great Merchant'. Merchants are not much humbler than officials and peasants, and they can enrich their people by studying diligently and becoming an official."

The man sneered: "Are you worthy of being compared with Tao Gong and Zhu Hou? At the beginning of the founding of Beizhao, the Tao family and the Zhu family were both century-old families that could be compared with the current Feng family. A family of nameless merchants with despicable blood in their blood , how can there be hard work? It’s just opportunistic.”

The man didn't give up and took two steps forward: "Wenyi, right? I know you. It's a big deal for you that you can go to the county school. Why are you so proud? When you get to the county school, you can give me a job." Live by your tail."

Wen Yi couldn't help but clenched his fists.

Shen Feng stepped forward and stood in front of Wen Yi: "Beizhao is a big country. In addition to taxes on farming, there are also taxes on merchants. What's more, there was a drought in Yuzhou three years ago. It was merchants from eight states, including Wen's family, who donated money and grain. , which saved the people of Yuzhou from changing their sons to eat each other. Today’s sages have said that farming and merchants from aristocratic families should not have high or low status."

"Have the Kuang Wen family ever done anything out of line in the many years since they started their business? Even the flowing water table a few days ago was a tribute to Mr. Cai and promoted Yong'an's academic style."

"Today, a few of my friends are openly slandering and provoking people in the county school before they become officials. Do they not take the Holy Father and Beizhao's laws seriously?"

"You!" The man was speechless.

Wen Yi glanced at Shen Feng in front of him, breathing slightly to calm down.

Behind the bamboo curtain in the courtyard, Zhang Jue looked intently at the few people not far away, thinking for a moment.

"Uncle, can my nephew come over?" Zhang Zhuo, who was wearing a white and blue shirt, was a little dissatisfied. He walked out quickly without waiting for Zhang Jue to reply.

"Wen Er! Shen Da!" As soon as he left the atrium, Zhang Zhuo put on a happy face and stepped forward, "I've heard you guys are coming."

"Brother Zhang!" The two of them turned around and were overjoyed to greet him.

The three of them did not dare to forget their courtesy and each bowed to him.

When the provocative man saw that it was Zhang Zhuo, he changed his expression and pushed forward: "It turns out that he is the young master of Zhang's family! I'm glad to meet you! I am Lu Sanlu Mengzhi from the magistrate's family in Lu County, Wuding. From now on, I will We are classmates. When Mr. Zhang arrives in Wuding City in the future, he must let his younger brother fulfill his duties as a landlord!"

Zhang Zhuo glanced at Lu Meng and nodded with a smile: "Zhang doesn't agree with Third Young Master Lu's criticism of businessmen; Zhang doesn't dare to accept Third Young Master Lu's friendship as a landlord."

Lu Mengzhi was panicked for a moment. He was a little dissatisfied when he saw Zhang Tong and Wen Yi and Shen Feng acting intimately, but he did not dare to refute anything.

Zhang Zhuo sneered when he saw this, and pulled Wen Yi and the two of them over: "I've been waiting for you for a long time, come with me to see your dormitory. I specially selected it, it is close to my yard and my husband's."

"Thank you, Brother Zhang."

Everyone looked at the three people leaving together and talked a lot.

These all fell into Zhang Jue's eyes.

two

All the students in the county school are here for the spring examination next year. Most of them are students from lower backgrounds who hope to pass the examination and rise to the top. Naturally, they have the will to destroy people and study hard; in addition, Zhang Jue is rigorous and academic. Strictly, he set up 49 rules for the new students who just entered the county school, which once pushed the atmosphere in the county school to the bottom.

Most of the candidates are not ignorant of right and wrong, so naturally they will not say anything nonsense.

Once you get serious and focus on one thing, time flies by.

The New Year's Eve is approaching soon, and it stands to reason that we should take the New Year's Eve holiday.However, traveling back and forth was time-consuming and expensive, so those students who were far away from home did not go home and continued to study in the county school.As a county school instructor, Zhang Jue ate and lived with the students. If the students stayed, he would not go back.

Although Wen's family is in Yong'an, a large number of sea pearls have problems at the end of the year. Zheng and Wen Shu need to go to Luanzhou to check the goods, and it is estimated that they will not be able to return at the end of the year; In the twelfth lunar month, he went westward and could not come back.

Therefore, Wen Yi and Shen Feng also stayed in the county school.

Sitting on the steps in front of the court, Wen Yi looked at the gorgeous fireworks in the sky, shook his head and smiled.

Shen Feng, who had just gone to Zhang Jue's residence to ask questions, passed the arch and saw this scene and couldn't help but smile: "Are you homesick?"

"I think about it. How can I not think about it?" Wen Yi watched Shen Feng gradually approach and sat down side by side with him. "This time something went wrong with Haizhu in Luanzhou, and my mother and eldest sister didn't tell me the reason. I asked someone to go back. After asking, I found out that it was detained by the Luanzhou government when it was shipped."

Wen Yi sighed: "Actually, this kind of thing has happened before. The family always uses some money to smoothen the relationship, but this time their appetite is too big."

"If we become officials, we can support our family, and this kind of grievance will not happen to us."

When he got excited, Wen Yi stood up and pointed at the bright fireworks on the horizon: "I will bring peace to the merchants in the area under my jurisdiction and seek justice for the wronged merchants."

Seeing Wen Yi's burning eyes, Shen Feng was a little touched, and patted Wen Yi on the shoulder with a smile: "Don't worry, I will definitely do it."

"Wen Er! Shen Da!" A familiar voice came from the arch.

The two of them looked toward the door, and it was Zhang Yu who was wearing a maroon robe with cloud patterns and a snow-fur cloak with gold threads: "Brother Zhang?"

"Didn't you go home during the annual vacation? Why are you back so early?" Wen Yi asked in confusion.

Although this annual vacation is not long, it is only the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, and Zhang Zhuo should be in Quanzhou.

"Aren't you afraid that you two will be lonely if you don't go home?" Zhang Zhuo smiled slightly and looked at the arch, "Also, when I came here, I happened to meet Miss Zhong who came to give you cotton-padded clothes, so I brought her here .”

Zhong Lan walked in with someone carrying a few bags. When he saw Wen Yi and Shen Feng who had been away for half a year, he smiled and said hello: "Long time no see."

"Sister Lan!" Wen Yi was delighted and quickly stepped forward to take the baggage from Zhong Lan's hand and handed it to Yun Lang behind him.

"Your eldest sister has something to do and can't come. Please ask me to bring you some cotton clothes and food." Zhong Lan asked people to place the delicacies in six or seven three-layer food boxes on the stone table in the courtyard one by one.

"These are all delicious dishes from Wanxianglou. You two can't go home this year, so you can celebrate the New Year here." Zhong Lan asked Wen Yi, Shen Feng and Zhang Zhu to sit down and handed them their chopsticks one by one, "What's more, there are It’s an honor for Young Master Zhang to accompany me.”

"I also have something good for you." Zhang Tong smiled and took three wine bags from He Ming, and waved to the three of them, "Here, I brought you Tusu wine."

Wen Yi's eyes lit up and he quickly answered the next one: "As expected, you still understand me, Brother Zhang!"

"This is the imperial wine given by the emperor. We only have three pots in our house, so I secretly packed some for you to try!"

Zhang Yan looked at Zhong Lan with a smile: "I've already drank this wine at home. If Miss Zhong doesn't mind it, just give mine to her." "Thank you, young master Zhang." Zhong Lan waved his hand hurriedly, "It's just I'm too drunk, so that's all."

"It's just a little bit of nothing, let alone the wine from the palace," Wen Yi advised, handing Zhong Lan a clean wine cup, "The three of us will give it to Sister Lan from the wine bag, and Sister Lan will have a taste. Fresh, it’s also considered auspicious!”

Zhong Lan understood Wen Yi's intention and agreed with a smile.

As soon as the wine bag is opened, the mellow smell of wine spreads everywhere.

After the four of them celebrated the New Year together, Zhang Meng looked at Zhong Lan and Shen Feng raising their glasses and said with a smile: "I heard that you two are engaged, so let me toast you two with this second cup."

Zhong Lan blushed slightly and glanced at Shen Feng, who also smiled back.

The two of them toasted Zhang Zhuo together.

Zhong Yan had already eaten before coming, and it was inconvenient to share the same table with the man, so he sipped a cup of wine and sat down on the side corridor, leaving the delicacies on the stone table to the three of Wen Yi.

Because it was royal wine, Zhang Tong didn't take much, and the three of them sipped and drank carefully.But the aroma of the wine was mellow, except for Zhong Yan who drank very little so it was fine, the other three soon became drunk.

Zhang Meng lived and ate with the two of them during these days, and helped the two of them block a lot of sarcastic comments overtly and covertly. Wen Yi and Shen Feng saw this, and the three of them got along very harmoniously.

When he went home during the annual vacation this time, Zhang Meng was still thinking about Wen Yi and Shen Feng who were not coming home. After the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, he hurried back to the county school to deliver wine.Wen and Shen were filled with gratitude.

Wen Yi's face turned a little red, and he sat on the steps with his hands on his hands and said with satisfaction: "Brother Zhang, I, Wen Yi, have made a decision to be your friend."

"Is your kid determined to make love now?" Zhang Zhuo smiled and pretended to be angry.

"Good morning, I've wanted to make love for a long time!" Wen Yi quickly changed his words.

Wen Yi held Zhang Meng in his arms and laughed and drank in front of the prosperous fireworks, soaking all Mo Ni's pride into the wine.

Seeing that the two of them were really drunk, Shen Feng ordered Yun Lang and He Ming to make sobering soup, while he walked slowly to the stone steps not far from Zhonglan and sat down: "You come here because you have something to say to me. Tell me?"

Zhong Yan came back to his senses, looked at Shen Yan who was smiling gently, and said straight to the point: "Why did your family come to propose marriage?"

Shen Feng laughed: "Looking at you, you don't recognize what you said after drinking that day?"

"Words after drinking?" Zhong Yan murmured hesitantly, and suddenly remembered that dream. Just before he went home, he dreamed of Shen Yan's dream, and vaguely remembered the dream that he said something ridiculous.

That wasn't a dream?Did he beg Shen Yan to marry him?
Zhong Lan's cheeks suddenly turned red.

"What, you regret it?" Shen Feng said with a slight smile.

"No," Zhong Lan said hurriedly, "I don't regret it. Since it's what I said, I won't regret it, it's just, just,"

"It's just that I didn't expect me to take it seriously?" Shen Yan asked with a hint of surprise in his tone, deliberately retorting.

Zhong Lan didn't know how to answer, so he changed the topic and asked Shen Feng: "What about you? You won't lose your marriage just because of my drunk joke, will you?"

Shen Feng lowered his head with a smile and said nothing.

Only then did Zhong Lan realize that Shen Feng was about to enter the royal capital for the scientific examination. He might have affected Shen Feng's character by asking such questions, so he repeatedly accused him: "You didn't answer if you didn't want to. After all, it was you who helped me delay my marriage to the Qu family. , I am extremely grateful to you."

"I,"

"Then we agreed to go horse racing tomorrow!" Wen Yilang's laughter came, interrupting Shen Feng's words.

Seeing that Wen Yi was unsteady after standing up, Shen Feng hurriedly stepped forward to support him.

Seeing that it was Shen Feng, Wen Yi hugged him and said, "Brother Feng! Let's take a day off tomorrow. Brother Zhang will go horse racing, and sister Lai will go too!"

Seeing Yun Lang and He Ming hurriedly bring the sobering soup, Zhong Lan just thought it was Wen Yi's joke, responded perfunctorily, and coaxed Wen Yi to drink the soup together with Shen Feng.

Zhang Meng, who was not obviously drunk, helped Shen Feng to help Wen Yi lie down in front of the couch.

Seeing that it was getting late, Zhang Zhuo was ready to take Zhong Lan away.Shen Feng sent the two of them out of the arch.

"Stay." Zhang Meng smiled and asked Shen Feng to look after Gu Wenyi, then turned to Zhong Lan and said with a smile: "Miss Zhong, will you have free time tomorrow? Come with me to the countryside to go horse racing."

Zhong Lan was about to refuse, but he remembered what Shen Feng had just said, and thought it would be better to listen to Shen Feng explain clearly, so he agreed.

Zhang Zhuo naturally lives in Zhang Mansion, but Zhang Jue stayed overnight in the county school and did not go home. It was against etiquette to rashly bring the woman back to live in Zhang Mansion, so Zhang Jue was ready to find a safe inn for Zhong Lan.

However, he was stopped by the accompanying steward Chiang of the Wen Mansion: Although none of the masters of the Wen Mansion were at home, everyone in the mansion recognized Zhong Lan and understood that the mistress had treated Zhong Lan as her own girl over the years, so she invited Zhong Lan back. Wenfu.

three

Early on the next morning, Zhang Zhuo, dressed neatly, came to the courtyard of the two of them, preparing to invite the two of them to meet Zhong Lan in the Wen Mansion.

Before he knocked on the door, Zhang Zhuo saw Shi Yan, the attendant beside Zhang Jue, hurrying into the courtyard. He couldn't help but wonder: "Shi Yan? What are you doing here?"

"Why is the eldest son here?" Shi Yan looked anxiously, and looked into the room again, "Are Wen Wenzi and Shen Xuezi here?"

Zhang Zhuo nodded: "I think you are here. Is there anything wrong with my second uncle?"

"My husband's favorite square inkstone is missing. Mr. Lu said that when he returned to his dormitory from the bathroom last night, he saw Wenzi sneaking into Mr.'s yard."

"Nonsense!" Zhang Zhuo retorted after hearing this.

"Whether it's nonsense or not, you'll know after a search." Lu Mengzhi walked into the archway with three or five waiters, "Search for me!"

"Who dares!" Zhang Tong hurriedly stopped several people, "Master Lu, this is the county school, when is it your turn to lead a search?"

"It's exactly what Mr. Zhang asked me to come down here. What else does Mr. Zhang have to say?" Lu Mengzhi said proudly, and gave his men a look. The two of them held down Wen Yi's young man Yun Lang, and the remaining few As if they had colluded, they entered Wen Yi's room.

"Who are you?" Wen Yi's panicked voice came from the room.

Zhang Zhuo glared at Lu Meng and said, "Second uncle is an upright person. Even if he is searched, he will never do such a rude thing. I will truthfully tell my second uncle what Third Young Master Lu has done!"

Lu Mengzhi smiled lightly and did not answer, as if he would definitely search it from Wen Yi's room.

"Xuezi Lu, I found it!" A servant took out a cloth bag, which contained the inkstone.

Wen Yi was also taken out.

After washing herself, Shen Feng entered the archway and was shocked when she saw the scene in the courtyard: "What is this?"

"Wen Yi stole Mr.'s inkstone last night and got both the stolen goods and the stolen goods. Come with me." Lu Mengzhi glanced at Zhang Zhu proudly and took Wen Yi away.

"Shen Da, did Wen Yi go there yesterday?" Zhang Tong pulled Shen Feng and asked.

"Of course not!" Shen Feng replied hurriedly, "After we said goodbye yesterday, Wen Yi was already drunk and unconscious. It was you and me who sent him back to his room."

Yun Lang, who had just been let go, was also anxious: "After serving the young master to drink the hangover soup last night, I kept vigil all night because I was worried about the young master. I can guarantee that no one has ever entered or left the young master's room!"

Zhang Zhuo believed the two of them a hundred times, and quickly ordered He Ming to inform Zhong Lan, and pulled Shen Feng and Yun Lang out to follow them.

(End of this chapter)