Chapter 175

Yin Zheng looked up at the man in front of him. The young man was wearing a dark-colored brocade robe with a cross collar and a Qilin pattern. There was a hint of arrogance and impatience in his eyes, and a look of determination when he looked at Youyou.

"No, no, no!"

Before Yin Zheng could speak, Jiaojiao, who was nestled in her father's arms, waved her hands anxiously and spoke.

Because Jiaojiao was small, she was completely blocked in Yin Zheng's arms. Zhao Chenzhou looked around for a while but couldn't find the person who made the sound. He frowned and gave up looking. When he was about to say something, he saw Jiaojiao sticking her head out of Yin Zheng's arms.

He lowered his gaze to the child holding the clay figurine in front of him, and twitched his lips maliciously: "Children, don't interrupt when adults are talking, understand?"

Jiaojiao pursed her lips and frowned, and said seriously: "Yoyo, I won't sell it!"

Seeing that the child didn't cry out of fear, Zhao Chenzhou curled his lips in boredom and didn't take his words seriously. His gaze returned to Yin Zheng: "How much?"

"Not for sale!" Yin Zheng uttered these two words lightly, gave the last two clay figurines handed by the old man to Shi'an, paid the money, and was about to leave with Jiaojiao in his arms.

Zhao Chenzhou stepped forward to stop Yin Zheng, saying in a bad tone: "I'm not asking if you want to sell it, I'm asking how much you want!"

The implication is that you have to sell it even if you don’t want to!

Yin Zheng's gaze fell on him, and the hostility deep in his eyes that had not been completely restrained made Zhao Chenzhou stiffen when he met his gaze. He subconsciously looked away, and cold sweat soaked his entire back.

By the time he came to his senses, Yin Zheng had already passed him, carrying Jiaojiao. Zhao Chenzhou looked at Yin Zheng's back, a flash of uncontrollable rage in his eyes. He was actually frightened to the point of standing still by the look of a country bumpkin?!

"Someone," he pointed at Yin Zheng's back and said sternly, "Break his legs for me."

"yes!"

The servant responded, picked up his weapon and rushed towards Yin Zheng's back.

Seeing this, the vendors around skillfully gathered up the things on their stalls and quickly moved aside.

In the capital, at the foot of the emperor, where a single brick could kill two officials, the city was teeming with dandy young men. These dandy young men were perpetually divided into two factions: one led by Zhao Chenzhou, the third son of the Right Prime Minister Zhao family, and the other by Gu Changyuan, the young heir of the Zhongyuan Marquisate. The relationship between the two factions was so intense that they would rush into a brawl at the mere sight of each other in the street.

Over time, the small vendors in the capital have developed the skill of evacuating the center of a fight as quickly as possible.

Of course Yin Zheng did not miss the movement behind him. He knew that with his status he could not afford to offend the young man in brocade clothes, so he had no intention of taking action. So he reached out and picked up Shi'an, said "Yo Yo", and ran away.

Yin Zheng's speed was so fast that he left a trail of afterimage in front of the people watching. When they looked again, Yin Zheng and the others were no longer in their field of vision.

The furious servant was stunned on the spot, and Zhao Chenzhou was even more furious. He gritted his teeth and swore that he would find this man and break his legs.

The scorching sun from high in the sky cast scattered spots of light through the dense treetops. Jiaojiao, squatting under the tree, was staring at his new clay figurine, and from time to time he reached out to touch it carefully.

Among these clay figures, Jiaojiao likes the one that looks like her father the most. When she looks at the clay figure, her clear eyes seem to be filled with broken light.

There was a knock on the door at this time. Jiaojiao turned her head and looked down the corridor. She saw her father reading a book and her brother Shi'an was groping to write. She carefully put the clay figure away, stood up with the help of the ground, and ran to open the door.

The yard door was not locked tightly, but was just hanging loosely. Jiaojiao pursed her lips and used a little force to open the door.

Liu Xingzhi's eyes moved as he saw the door open but saw no one. Just as he was about to move forward, a childish voice came. He stopped and looked down, and met a pair of black and clear eyes.

After opening the door, Jiaojiao raised her fair and tender face and met Liu Xingzhi's emotionless eyes with a confused look. She tilted her head and asked with confusion in her voice, "Uncle, who are you looking for? Jiaojiao doesn't know you!"

So small!

This thought flashed through Liu Xingzhi's mind, and his low, gravelly voice said, "Find Yin Zheng."

"Daddy is reading." Jiaojiao waved her little paws: "Uncle, come in, Jiaojiao will take you there."

Liu Xingzhi stepped over the threshold as instructed, and Jiaojiao reached out and pulled his trouser leg to lead him forward.

Liu Xingzhi's gaze fell on the little hand that was pulling his trouser leg. There was some doubt in his dark eyes. He could have avoided it when the child stretched out his hand to pull his trouser leg, but for some reason he didn't avoid it?

Looking at the child's legs struggling to take each step, Liu Xingzhi subconsciously slowed down his pace.

"Daddy, an uncle is here to see you." Jiaojiao came to the corridor and shouted, letting go of the hand that was pulling Liu Xingzhi's trouser leg, and climbed up with the help of the wooden ladder.

Liu Xingzhi's gaze fell on Yin Zheng: "Sorry to bother you."

Yin Zheng put down the book in his hand: "It's okay."

Liu Xingzhi came this time because he learned of Liu Jingcheng's stupid behavior and came to clean up the mess for him. He walked forward and sat down at the low table: "I am fully aware of the stupidity of my foolish brother. I have already punished him. I will also do my best to compensate you for the losses caused. I hope you can forgive me."

“No need!”

Liu Xingzhi raised his eyes and his gaze fell on Yin Zheng's face.

Yin Zheng met his gaze without dodging or avoiding it. "Seeing that we were caught by the pirates, your brother was willing to lend a hand, which was already a favor. Later, when we shared the same journey, neither of us asked about the other's destination. It can't be said to be forgiveness, nor can it be said to be compensation."

Liu Xingzhi looked straight into Yin Zheng's eyes, and when he saw that he really believed it, he looked away.

That's what they say, but that's not how it works.

The students from poor families made up their minds to leave their hometown and go to the county town to give it a try. Although with the utilitarian atmosphere of Qingshan Academy, it is highly likely that such poor students will not be accepted. Even if an exception is made occasionally, students like Yin Zheng who are destined to be unable to enter the court due to their appearance will not be accepted. However, most people themselves do not think so. In their hearts, most of them think that it is Liu Jingcheng who caused them to be unable to enter Qingshan Academy, so they will feel resentment and hatred.

Jiaojiao, who had been obediently letting Shi'an wipe her hands clean, reached out to take the snacks when she saw the servant bringing them over.

The afternoon snack was a plate of soft cheese. Jiaojiao held the cheese and gave one to Shi'an first, then ran over and handed one to her father, and then took another and handed it to Liu Xingzhi.

There were only four soft cheeses on the plate. Liu Xingzhi was a little surprised that he had one too, but he didn't reach out to take it. He just said that he didn't like sweets.

Jiaojiao tilted his head in surprise, as if he didn't understand why someone wouldn't like sweet desserts. He took the cheese back and put it in his father's hand, then sat down and started eating the only remaining cheese on the plate with a smile on his face.

Liu Xingzhi glanced at the two cheeses in Yin Zheng's hand, and then looked at Jiaojiao, who was holding a cheese and chewing it with a smile on her face, obviously liking it very much. He didn't understand why he gave the last cheese to Yin Zheng instead of keeping it for himself.

He thought so and asked this question.

Jiaojiao swallowed the cheese in her mouth and said, "Daddy said that Jiaojiao can only eat one piece of dessert in the afternoon. Eating too much is not good for her."

Is this good?

Liu Xingzhi withdrew his gaze from Jiaojiao and looked at Yin Zheng: "Why do you want to join the academy?"

"Study!"

Liu Xingzhi looked at him and placed a note on the low table in front of him. "This is an admissions card for the Songyang Academy entrance exam. If you're interested, take this card to Songyang Academy in three days. Since you said you don't need compensation, consider it a favor!"

Liu Xingzhi brought two cards with him this time, one was for the entrance examination of Chongshan Academy, and the other was for the entrance examination of Songyang Academy. Usually, when someone comes with this kind of entrance examination card, no matter what the final result is, the final result is that they will be qualified to enter the academy.

This is the unspoken rule in the academy. Liu Xingzhi originally planned to give Yin Zheng the post from Chongshan Academy, but later changed his mind.

Although Chongshan Academy is the most prestigious academy in Dayong, it is precisely because of this that most of the people there are children of high-ranking officials and nobles, which makes the situation in the academy complicated.

It is not suitable for someone like Yin Zheng, who comes from a poor family and has a disfigured face and is destined to never enter the court, to go there.

Songyang Academy has a flourishing literary atmosphere, and students generally respect those with profound knowledge. There is not much hierarchy or calculation, and the purpose is to concentrate on studying knowledge. It is the most suitable place for students like Yin Zheng.

"Thank you!" Yin Zheng took the post.

Liu Xingzhi nodded, stood up and left.

"Goodbye, uncle!"

A soft, tender voice came from behind him, and Liu Xingzhi paused as he was leaving: "Well, goodbye."

The next day, Yin Zheng took Jiaojiao out, intending to go to the pawnshop to check out the yard. However, they were blocked by a group of people shortly after they left the house.

He looked at the young man in brocade clothes who was leading the group and had a bit of cruelty in his eyes, and felt a little bit troubled in his heart. As the saying goes, people should not fight against officials. This young man was obviously from an official family, and being hated by him was really a very troublesome matter for him.

"Run, why don't you run?" Zhao Chenzhou stood crookedly, holding a wooden stick as thick as his wrist, and said viciously: "If I don't break your legs today, I will take your last name from now on."

"Fengnian, take that child away from me. I don't have the habit of bullying children."

"yes."

The servant stepped forward to hug Jiaojiao, but was avoided by Yin Zheng.

Several young men in fancy robes standing nearby laughed out loud: "Brother Zhao, people don't appreciate your kindness!"

"Brother Zhao, how did this person offend you?"

"I heard that Brother Zhao wanted to buy someone's deer, but they refused to sell it, so Brother Zhao got angry and embarrassed."

"Could it be that Brother Zhao is too stingy and the money they offer is not worth it?"

"Go to hell, could our Brother Zhao be that kind of person?"

"Li Yang, if you don't shut up, Brother Zhao will hit you in the face with his first blow."

"I understand, Brother Zhao, I'll shut up right now."

Zhao Chenzhou rolled his eyes and ignored the teasing of these animals.

"Brother Zhao is almost done. Let's go see if Shi Wu's injury has healed. We're counting on him to win a game against Gu Changyuan today. He's lost two games in a row. If he loses again today, Gu Changyuan and his gang will be in big trouble."

"Exactly. You don't know how arrogant Zhou Haoting is. His nose is so high up in the sky. I dream about those nostrils every night."

"Alright, alright, got it." Zhao Chenzhou waved his hands impatiently: "Wait until I break this guy's legs."

After he finished speaking, he glanced impatiently at the servants surrounding Yin Zheng: "What are you standing there for? Come on!"

There is still one chapter left, wait for me, I will write and post it right away!!!