Chapter 79 Chapter 79 "It's not me, Madam, who is it...

In early spring, the weeping willows sprout branches, and water droplets condense on the tips of the tender green leaves, which sway and fall when the wind blows.

"Mammy, take a look. Has the mark disappeared?"

In the carriage, Sheng Puzhu gently pressed the skin on the side of her neck with her fingertips. There was a small area where her fingertips pressed, as if it had been stung by an insect, leaving a very light crimson color.

"It seems to me that it's lighter than when I woke up this morning." Madam Du reapplied the medicine and noticed that the lapel was pressing against that spot. She leaned in to take a closer look. "Madam, your skin is delicate. Perhaps it's the rubbing of the fabric."

The carriage lurched forward and gradually stopped. "Madam, we've arrived."

Sheng Puzhu breathed a sigh of relief, took the veil handed to her by Nanny Du, put it on, then took Naidong's hand and slowly got off the carriage.

Linlang Pavilion is located in Pingkangfang, east of Zhuque Street and close to the East Market. It is the most lively market in the entire Chang'an City.

"My wife."

Seeing her master looking up at the exquisite wooden structure of Linlang Pavilion in a trance, Madam Du couldn't help but shout out in worry.

"Well, go ahead." Sheng Puzhu came back to his senses and nodded.

"My lady, you finally remembered that you have a shop. I have been waiting in Linlang Pavilion every day, and I am almost getting tired of waiting." Wang Liu, the most spoiled young man in the entire Linlang Pavilion, walked forward with a smile and complained pitifully in a low voice.

"That's right. I thought my lady had forgotten us." Shuo Yi was steady and brought tea and snacks with a smile.

"Madam, please praise Nian Yi. Nian Yi has received a very wealthy nobleman who wants to have a custom-made ceremonial crown."

"My wife..."

Sheng Puzhu was surrounded by a group of handsome and handsome young men, all of whom were talking at once, trying to become the most beloved young man in Linlang Pavilion by Lady Zhenzhu.

Naidong stepped forward to stop them, defending her master: "Stop arguing, my wife was ill a few days ago, and she can't stand your quarreling."

"If you have anything to report to my lady, please come one by one. Each person only has a quarter of an hour."

There are currently a total of twelve Shizhu Langjun in Linlang Pavilion, named after the waxing and waning of the moon, namely New Moon 1, New Moon 1, Full Moon 6 to Full Moon 10, and Ninth Moon 1 to Ninth Moon 4, representing different phases of the moon.

Sheng Puzhu sat upright on the armchair. In front of him was a table filled with tea, snacks, writing brushes, inkstones, account books, and a white jade abacus.

When it was Nian Yi's turn, she raised her eyes, a faint smile forming on her rosy lips: "Didn't you say you took on the task of making a ceremonial crown?"

"Why aren't you talking?"

"Slave..." Nian Yi was dazzled by her smile, and his cheeks turned a deep pink.

"Hurry up and speak, Nian Er is waiting." Sheng Puzhu was as gentle and easy to talk to as ever.

Nian Yi's cheeks turned even redder.

Sheng Puzhu smiled sweetly, her slightly upturned almond-shaped eyes clearly revealing a playful expression. She supported her forehead with one hand, a branch of hair tucked between her slender fingertips, and said in a low voice, "Nianyi, Master, I'm still waiting."

Nian Yi finally came back to his senses and opened his round cat-like eyes: "Master, it is a ceremonial crown."

"That nobleman gave me the blueprints and made many requests, and he also asked Lady Pearl to personally receive me. I wonder if my mistress is available."

"What if I'm not free?" Sheng Puzhu teased him like a child.

Nian Yi, who had already received the deposit, blinked and almost cried out of grievance: "My lady, I have accepted it."

He was only fifteen or sixteen years old, with a thin skin that could not stand teasing, red lips and teeth, and skin as tender as a peeled egg.

Sheng Puzhu chuckled and made a note on the account book with her hair. She said gently, "I understand. Please make an appointment with the noble lady and have someone go to Princess Duanyang's mansion to pass on a message."

Nian Yi whimpered, feeling very aggrieved: "Master, you are teasing me again."

Sheng Puzhu raised the corners of his mouth, obviously in a very good mood.

After looking through the account books, she asked the young gentlemen to wear some jewelry. The shop was busy at the beginning of spring. Not only the hairpins and beads that the girls used in their daily lives were sold, but also all kinds of accessories such as hair crowns, jade pendants, bracelets, finger rings, sachets, etc. that the gentlemen wore on a daily basis were sold on the first floor of Linlang Pavilion.

By the time everything was done, it was almost 3 p.m.

Sheng Puzhu clicked the white jade abacus in his hand and finally put down his pen and ink.

She rubbed her sore wrist and looked up to see five or six young men in brocade clothes sitting around the table.

Some were holding teacups, some were holding fans, and the youngest, Nian Yi, was guarding a glass cup filled with freshly washed early spring cherries. The handsome young men were all holding their breath and concentrating, as obedient as children listening to a teacher's lecture in a school.

"What are you guys doing...?" Sheng Puzhu laughed, pointing her finger at the bustling market below the window. "Have you had lunch? Why don't you go help downstairs?"

"My dear, I have already eaten."

"Shuoyi said the shop can handle it, so let us serve you well."

Sheng Puzhu picked up a cherry from the glass cup with her fingertips and bit it with her pearly teeth. She looked up nonchalantly: "Okay, no need to wait on me. It's getting late and I should go back."

"Madam, will you stay for another hour and leave before curfew?" Nian Yi asked in a low voice, with the tips of his ears turning red.

"No."

"I have a dinner appointment with my aunt, so I can't be late."

Sheng Puzhu stood up and said gently and politely, "I just asked Madam Du to book a table at the restaurant next door. The shop can close half an hour early so we can have a good time."

"Yes." Nian Yi felt a little disappointed when he heard that she was leaving.

Sheng Puzhu just smiled helplessly and shook her head. "If Qingke and the others are not here, you should let Shuoyi make the decision about the shop. If Shuoyi can't make a decision, he will ask Princess Duanyang for instructions."

"Next spring, I plan to open a branch in Dengzhou. The shop in Chang'an cannot do without Shuoyi, but the branch in Dengzhou needs a capable manager."

That was all she had to say. The gentlemen who were able to stay in the shop to work were certainly not stupid.

"The stairs are steep, please be careful, ma'am." Madam Du carefully supported the person and stared at the ground.

Sheng Puzhu nodded, turned around and waved to the young men behind him: "No need to see me off, just go and do your own things."

She didn't pay attention to what was ahead, and by the time Naidong wanted to poop, it was too late.

"Master, be careful!"

Before he could finish his words, Sheng Puzhu had already bumped into someone wearing a bamboo green robe. His head tilted back slightly, and the veil on his head fell to the ground like a flowing cloud.

Naidong and Nanny Du were shocked and quickly protected her behind them.

It was a warm spring day, and a breeze seemed to be blowing through the first floor of Linlang Pavilion.

Pei Xuzhi stared blankly at the girl standing so close to him.

The dark eyebrows of the distant mountains, the almond eyes filled with water and naturally affectionate, the jade nose and red lips, were even more breathtakingly beautiful than in my memory, making the lights in the whole building pale in comparison.

He never thought that the girl who had never appeared in his dreams over the years would appear in his sight in this way.

Sheng Puzhu raised her eyes, curled her lips slightly, and smiled: "Wu Lang, how are you?"

Pei Xuzhi's pupils suddenly shrank, and the jade pendant in his hand fell to the ground with a "click". He seemed to be unable to recover, and his throat was severely blocked.

"I hope you are well."

Sheng Puzhu nodded, turned and left.

In the carriage, Madam Du frowned and carefully rubbed Sheng Puzhu's forehead after being hit. "Madam, what's going on?"

"How could it be such a coincidence that I bumped into Mr. Pei."

"Mammy, you don't look happy?"

"Grandfather, how can I be happy? I feel so upset."

Sheng Puzhu was not surprised to meet Pei Xuzhi. After the Spring Examination, there was the Palace Examination. Pei Xuzhi had the talent of a top scholar, so it was impossible for him not to go to Chang'an.

The only thing I didn't expect was that it would be in Linlang Pavilion.

"Mammy, it's okay."

"He and I have always been brother and sister. If it weren't for my mother, I wouldn't have gone to Luoyang, and naturally I wouldn't have known him."

"Besides, I am the jewel of the Sheng family. Why should I be afraid of a mere Pei family?"

Madam Du sighed, "That's not what I meant."

"What is Mammy afraid of?"

Madam Du shook her head: "I am afraid that if my husband knew about this, he might misunderstand your relationship with Pei Xuzhi."

Sheng Puzhu laughed when she heard this: "It's good that Madam doesn't say anything. What happened today happened in Linlang Pavilion, and no one will spread it."

"Besides, I only regard him as my brother. There's nothing for me to worry about."

Madam Du still felt uneasy: "When I saw him, I just felt something was not right."

"The elders of the Pei family are too extreme and calculating. I'm afraid that this will spread a bad reputation towards my wife."

Sheng Puzhu's expression didn't change at all. He said calmly, "I wasn't afraid back then when I was young, let alone now."

"It's a pity that my grandparents passed away. Otherwise, according to my mother's wishes, we would have brought them to Chang'an to spend their old age."

After returning to Princess Duanyang's mansion, Sheng Puzhu had dinner and took a bath before lazily lying on the couch.

She held the quilt in her arms, lifted a corner of the curtain and asked, "Mammy, remember to guard the doors and windows for me. Don't call me too early tomorrow. I decided to read the storybook until late at night. I must see how the red mark was pressed."

"yes."

"I will definitely lead everyone to be more alert."

"Don't even mention me, I wouldn't let a mosquito in there."

It turned out that settling accounts during the day was tiring. In just half an hour, Sheng Puzhu fell asleep with the notebook in his arms.

At midnight, there was a slight noise from the window.

Sheng Puzhu was more alert than in the past few days. She frowned in her sleep and seemed to feel a cold wind blowing across her neck.

"It's cold." She muttered and subconsciously shrank into the quilt.

Just as I was about to go back to sleep, I didn't hold the notebook tightly in my arms and it fell on the couch, making quite a noise.

Sheng Puzhu was awakened and she slowly opened her eyes.

"Who are you..." Before he could finish his words, his lips and tongue were blocked.

Xie Zhiyan knelt on one knee beside her couch and kissed her fiercely and urgently, as if he wanted to get back all the debts he owed in the past few nights.

"Who do you think I should be?" His eyes fell, extremely sharp.

He pressed his thin lips against her lower lip and sucked it hard, taking advantage of the moment when Sheng Puzhu exclaimed, he advanced straight in and took over the city.

"Woo woo…it's haunted."

Sheng Puzhu was so frightened that he gasped.

When she saw who it was, she was stunned again.

This "ghost" is so handsome, tall and handsome, with a clear and elegant appearance, it is an appearance that makes people unable to take their eyes off.

"Awake?" Xie Zhiyan stepped back slightly, his voice hoarse and incoherent.

"My dear, why is it you?"

"If it's not me, who does Madam want?"