Chapter Sixty

  In the first month, the streets are bustling with people, and the sound of voices is deafening. Regardless of whether they are rich or poor, everyone is dressed in clean clothes, partly to prevent freezing to death and partly for good luck. The beggars who normally linger around corners and bridges have been driven away by the authorities, and as far as the eye can see, the streets are bright and beautiful.

  "The capital city is really big and lively!" Yatou exclaimed with a surprised look on her face.

  Today was fine, she wrapped herself in a thick cloak, with a hood on her head, holding a hand warmer in both hands, sitting in the car with an unparalleled warmth, it was unclear whether it was joy or warmth that made her plain and unassuming face radiant.

  She watched passersby, and passersby also looked at them.

  A sturdy black donkey pulled a cart, an old servant walked on one side to urge the donkey, he was old but spirited, looked ordinary, but had an inexplicable air.

  "Half a celery." The old servant turned his head and smiled, "This hasn't even entered the capital yet."

  The girl let out an "ah" and was even more surprised.

  "Haven't entered the capital yet? But, but here..." She asked with wide eyes.

  "This is eight miles outside the capital, look ahead." The old servant stretched out his hand with a whip and pointed forward. "The city wall over there is the city wall of the capital. Only after passing through the city wall can you enter the capital."

  The girl stood upright and looked ahead, seeing rows of houses in front of her, and further away, a magnificent city sat majestically.

  The old servant smiled and pointed it out to her, suddenly stunned, putting down the whip in his hand.

  "The young master has arrived." he shouted, with a hint of joy.

  Young Master?

  The girl hurriedly followed and looked back, everything in sight was unfamiliar. Until someone stood beside the car.

  This is a man in his mid-to-late 40s, of medium build and slightly thin, wearing an ordinary blue cotton shirt that doesn't catch the eye at first glance. But upon closer inspection, he exudes an air of integrity, dignity, and refinement that even someone uneducated can discern.

  "Father has had a hard time all his life." The middle-aged man said with a bow.

  This is Zhang Zhen, also known as Zhang Ziran, one of the three thousand disciples of Jiangzi.

  All scholars under heaven consider it an honor to see him and get excited when talking to him, but at this moment, the old servant and the maid in front of him are both calm and composed.

  "Old Master." The servant girl hastily turned back and lifted the curtain of the carriage, "The Old Master has come to fetch you."

  An old man in the carriage looked over and nodded with a smile.

  "The half-?servant has seen the old master." Only then did the maid curtsy.

  Zhang Chun looked at this girl and was slightly surprised in her eyes.

  "The old master has given it away to someone else. This is what that person gave the old master in return." The old servant said with a smile.

  Ya Tou once again paid her respects to Zhang Chun.

  Zhang Chun nodded and stopped paying attention. He stretched out his bony hands to hold the reins and personally drove the carriage for his father.

  Yingtao and the old servant walked alongside the carriage, heading towards the capital city amidst the throngs of people.

  In a small alley in the midst of the bustling city was the Zhang family's residence.

  Mr. Zhang washed away his fatigue and sat down to drink tea, with his sons and grandsons attending him by his side.

  "Grandpa, where have you gone to play again? How come you didn't even hurry back for the New Year." The eldest grandson had a similar appearance to his father, although he was only in his twenties, but looked several years more mature than his peers.

  "It sounds like we're carefree and having fun, but in reality, it's a bit embarrassing." Old Master Zhang laughed, "I lost the money, and now we're stuck in Shanyang County."

  Zhang Chun and his son were shocked.

  "Grandpa." The eldest grandson bitterly smiled, unsure of what to say.

  "However, it's also interesting." Old Master Zhang said with a smile. As he looked at them, "I've been away for so long, what's new in the capital?"

  "Your Majesty's second son is doing well in school." Zhang Chun said.

  "The second prince is six years old this year and should start school." Old Master Zhang nodded with a smile.

  This common thing is nothing new, but neither the questioner nor the answerer found it laughable.

  Your Majesty has only two sons, the eldest son is born to the noble consort, and the second son is born to a lower-ranking imperial concubine. One is eleven years old and the other is six years old. Although they are young, the court has already begun preparations for the succession due to the emperor's frail health.

  "Your Majesty is planning to promote Father." Changsun added another sentence.

  Old Master Zhang nodded and looked at Zhang Chun.

  "Do you want me to teach the Second Prince?" he asked.

  Zhang Chun nodded.

  "My son has already declined," he said. "He has promised to give a lecture on the classics for students who are about to take the imperial examination and cannot go back on his word."

  Old Man Zhang nodded.

  "Oh right, grandpa, there's another interesting thing." The eldest grandson said, thinking of something, and shouted to someone, "Go get the 'Mo Mo Stop Five Characters' from my study."

  And stopped at five characters? Old Man Zhang was somewhat perplexed.

  "Grandpa, there are five words written on the wall in front of the temple. Take a look and you'll surely say they're wonderful." Chang Sun said excitedly.

  Zhang Chun didn't have much of a reaction, he emphasized proper font and stable six arts, without any particular bias.

  Before long, a young servant brought over a well-mounted scroll, which Changsun carefully unrolled.

  "Is this written by that anonymous person?" Old Master Zhang said, getting up to take a look, his expression slightly stunned.

  "How's that? Grandfather, okay? Five new fonts, each with its own style: elegant, handsome, strong, free and easy, and calm." Chang Sun smiled.

  The door was pushed open and a young girl came in with a tray, accompanied by a faint fragrance.

  "Great-grandfather, have some snacks." The maid said.

  "Ban Jin, come here," said Old Man Zhang, beckoning him over.

  The girl put down the tray and walked behind Old Man Zhang.

  "Look at this character," said Old Man Zhang.

  Zhang Chun and his son exchanged a glance, slightly surprised.

  The old master replaced the young girl, everyone knew that the young girl was nothing special, but Su Xin had been following the old master for many years and was clever and obedient. She had always liked her deeply, so it was unexpected to suddenly replace her. It turns out that the old master wants this young girl to learn to read, is she someone who understands poetry, calligraphy and painting?

  "Great Grandfather, what do these characters read?" the young girl asked.

  Zhang Chun still looked as usual, dignified and composed. Her son was not well-behaved enough, lost his smile, lowered his head, and his eyes fell on the tray in front of him.

  On the blue porcelain four-grid plate, there are golden soft and glutinous balls filled with sesame seeds.

  What kind of pastry is this?

  "This thought is done, waiting for the plum blossoms to open at the mountain temple." Old Master Zhang said, pointing to one of them with his hand. "Banjin, do you find this character familiar?"

  The girl looked at it seriously again and finally shook her head.

  "Great grandfather, I think eating habits can reveal differences, this character..." She said with a smile.

  Perhaps I'm seeing things? Old Master Zhang looked at the characters, and for some reason felt that they seemed somewhat similar to the "Taiping" characters he had seen in Jiangzhou's Xuanmiao Temple back then.

  He looked down and took another look, just similar, but this character is obviously written better.

  Moreover, his wife was in Jiangzhou, how could she be at Mopanshan Temple inscribing on the wall?

  He shook his head and smiled.

  "Good words, good words, although still a bit immature. But the style is not common. The most important thing is that it's novel." He praised. On the one hand, he stretched out his hand to point at the tray, "Come, try some dim sum. Half of them are made by me, and they're really good."

  Zhang Chun picked up a shallow one, and Chang Sun ate two without hesitation.

  "Hmm, okay, and there's even a Qiankun inside." He praised, looking at the girl, "What is this?"

  "It's nothing, just exploding fruit." The girl said with a smile.

  "We in Shanyang County can only make a living by selling vegetables and snacks." Old Master Zhang said with a smile, picking one up himself.

  It turned out to be a kitchen maid, Zhang Sun was astonished.

  "Father, has your dizziness improved?" Zhang Chun thought of something and asked.

  "It's much better now. He hardly makes mistakes anymore, all thanks to Ban Jin." Old Master Zhang said with a smile.

  Zhang Chun and his son looked at this young girl.

  "Grandpa will be fine if he eats a bit more." The maid said with a smile.

  Eating more can also cure diseases?

  This girl is quite talkative, and Zhang Chun and his son laughed it off.

  At this time, in the Chen's house, Old Master Chen was also having a snack. The fried yellow sparrows were crispy and fragrant, but unfortunately, when Old Master Chen reached for his chopsticks again, the plate in front of him had been taken away.

  "Grandfather, Chang's wife said so, you are not allowed to eat too much fried food." Dan Niang said.

  "Have another one, have another one." Old Man Chen said with a smile.

  Chen Dan Niang had no room for negotiation, turned her head and grasped the plate stubbornly.

  Chen Shao walked in at this time, and Old Man Chen smiled and put down his chopsticks.

  "Father." Dan Niang called out, standing up and opening her arms in a circle. "Look, the new clothes Mother made for me."

  Chen Shaodan nodded slightly and revealed a hint of a smile, which was already the greatest extent that the strict father could express.

  "It's made in the same style as Madame Cheng's clothes." Chen Dan Niang said with a few hints of pride, "Eighteen Niang has one piece, and I have one piece. When we went out, many people surrounded us to look and ask, and Eighteen Niang and I agreed not to tell them."

  The maid who was standing by led Chen Dan Niang out after they had finished speaking, leaving the father and son to talk.

  "Father, have you heard about what's been going on with Cheng's daughter-in-law recently?" Chen Shao asked.

  "It's not worth saving someone who is destined to die anyway." Old Man Chen said.

  "Look at her, saying such things, after all she's still young," said Chen Shao with some worry.

  Mr. Chen smiled.

  "She didn't say anything wrong," he said, pointing at himself with his hand. "I was a dead man from the start anyway."

  Chen Shaobai smiled wryly.

  "But where is such a rule? How can you say this?" He said, "Or rather, let's get treatment first and talk later."

  Old Mr. Chen shook his head.

  "No, no, I think it's quite good this way." He smiled, with a serious expression on his face. "You see, I was a dying man, but now my name is spreading because of the rumors that I helped her meet an immortal. My reputation is growing, and people from the Zhou family are coming to ask for my diagnosis. My fame is spreading again, and only those who are not dying come to me for treatment. Now everything is ready, all we need is the east wind."

  Chen Shaowei was stunned.

  So this is all arranged by that little girl herself step by step? Isn't it just the ignorant and arrogant words of a young man?

  Is it really like this? Or is it just a coincidence?

  Chen Shao remained silent and didn't say a word.

  "For an orphan girl like her, who has lost her mother and been abandoned by her father, and is also known to be foolish, she can't survive without relying on others, once she leaves her relatives." Old Master Chen continued, sighing.

  Chen Shaodong nodded, from what he had heard, this young woman was indeed pitiful and unfortunate.

  Mr. Chen smiled again at this time.

  "Unless she has gained fame." he said.

  "What reputation?" Chen Shao looked at his father with a frown.

  "For instance, the reputation of reviving the dead medical skills." Old Master Chen said, "Now that the momentum has been established, all that's missing is for someone on the brink of death to come knocking on the door. Once the east wind is borrowed, this woman in the capital will become a figure of moderate importance."

  He smiled again at this point.

  "In just a short month after entering the capital, you've already achieved so much, you're truly a remarkable individual." he said.

  "But is there such a person? Or, what if it can't be cured?" Chen Shao asked.

  He is a cautious and meticulous person who must think things through thoroughly before acting, and will absolutely not proceed if there is even the slightest oversight.

  Old Mr. Chen smiled.

  "So, this little girl must be a remarkable person," he said. "She has talent and intelligence, and she's also brave enough to risk her life - truly rare."

  A clever person values their life more than others and never does anything adventurous, but this young lady dares to do so.

  If it can't be cured, then the reputation will be completely lost, and it's not as good as now. To put it simply, if this matter is not done, just relying on curing oneself, even if it can't guarantee her for a lifetime, at least it can help a little when getting married.

  For a woman, being able to marry well is half of her life's worries gone.

  But this woman seemed to be not just hoping for that, or rather, she didn't seem to want to put her hopes on others, and would rather rely on herself.

  In short, people like this are distrustful of outsiders and prefer to have everything under their control.

  It's probably because he was abandoned due to his physical disability since childhood that Old Man Chen felt a pang of melancholy.

  "I really want to know which master this girl has encountered?" He sighed and looked at Chen Shao, "How was the inquiry in Pingzhou?"

  "All those Taoists have scattered and fled in all directions. For the time being, those who have been found had no contact with that woman on a daily basis, and what they said was still the same old story. Others are still searching for her whereabouts, so it is not yet known if this woman has encountered any unusual person." Chen Shao said.

  Mr. Chen nodded.

  "Then let's ask slowly." he said.

  Ban Jin knelt on the ground, too afraid to lift her head.

  "How did you get her into the laundry room?" Qin Langjun frowned and asked Zhou Liulang, looking at the maid in front of him.

  Half of the celery unconsciously withdrew his frostbitten hands into his sleeves.

  "It has nothing to do with Sixth Master, I went on my own accord." She said in a low voice.

  Zhou Lang ignored him.

  "Ask what you want to ask quickly." He said, his voice full of undisguised disgust.

  The celery lowered its head even lower.

  "Half a word, that's it." Qin Langjun glared at him and looked at the girl, his expression kind. "Your wife said a few words, making everyone a bit skeptical, raising some doubts, which isn't good, so I want to ask you if it's really just a misunderstanding..."

  "It's a misunderstanding, it must be a misunderstanding. My wife has never lied to me." Half-chin hastily said before Qin Lang could finish speaking.

  Never cheat people...

  Zhou Liulang suppressed his cold smile beside him.

  Or maybe it's just too good at deceiving people.

  "Your wife is a doctor, are there any rules? For example, not..." Qin Langjun asked.

  Before he could finish speaking, Ban Jin took over the conversation.

  "Some are, some aren't. My wife doesn't visit unless it's absolutely necessary, and she only treats those who are on the brink of death."

  Indeed, so it is.

  Qin Langjun was slightly stunned.

  This woman, upon closer inspection, seems to act without a plan, but is actually well-prepared everywhere, so every move and every word appears absurd, yet ultimately cannot be found fault with.

  "The brightness of Lí Lóu and the ingenuity of Gōng Shū Zǐ, without rules and standards, cannot achieve perfection." He said slowly, "It turns out to be like this."

  Recommend the new book "The Beauty is Too Proud", humorous and joyful, with a high level of character and plot development. It's updated twice a day and currently ranking on the new book chart and PK chart. You can search for it to take a look! Here's the introduction: The beauty is so charming that she has attracted countless handsome men who have fallen in love with her at first sight! After transmigrating into this stunning beauty, Xia Yunjin faces great pressure from these handsome men who each have their own thoughts and feelings.