Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Blushing

Zhang Wen didn't care about Zhang Xiaoman's going out without permission, but Mrs. Jiang refused to let her off easily. After carefully questioning her for a long time, she still couldn't believe it. "You hit him on the head, and he really doesn't hold a grudge against you?"

Zhang Xiaoman assured me again and again, "Really not, he was just joking with me!"

Thinking of the attitude of the two Jinyiwei when they escorted her back, Mrs. Jiang finally stopped asking questions, but she still looked worried.

Xiaoman looked at her puzzledly.

"Being valued by someone like Chen Ling'an is a curse, not a blessing." Mrs. Jiang poked her forehead with a hint of disapproval. "Liu Jinshu just came to visit you, and you turned around and went to see Chen Ling'an, as if you were afraid that this marriage would go through."

Before her stepmother could start her long lecture, Xiaoman quickly changed the subject. "Mother, the Dragon Boat Festival is coming soon, and my fifth sister will be home soon. I heard she likes calligraphy and painting, so I want to go shopping and find some good things for her. It's not good to come empty-handed on our first meeting."

Madam Jiang said with a fierce face, "We have everything at home. She doesn't need your little stuff. Besides, you only have a few dollars, and you saved it all to send back to Xuanfu. Do you think I don't know? If you really want to give it to her, take it from my warehouse. You stay home honestly and don't look for Chen Ling'an again!"

Xiaoman gently shook her stepmother's sleeve. "I know mother loves me, but it's not the lack of wealth that worries us, but the inequality. Even if my fifth sister and her aunt don't care right now, if someone stirs up trouble and says something irrelevant, it will inevitably cause trouble over time."

It's hard for a child without a mother, but you have to think carefully before taking a few things. Mrs. Jiang felt a pang of sadness in her heart, but also felt relieved, "You child..."

Seeing tears in Mrs. Jiang's eyes, Xiaoman hurriedly made jokes, making Mrs. Jiang neither laugh nor get angry, and completely dispelling her sadness.

But he didn't dare to bring up the matter of leaving the house again.

Xiaoman left and the main courtyard became quiet again.

"Who does this child resemble?" Mrs. Jiang sighed, holding her forehead. "Her aunt is quiet and taciturn, and her master is serious and old-fashioned. I don't know how they gave birth to such a lively girl."

Mother Fang tested the temperature of the teacup with the back of her hand, then handed it over with both hands. "I think it looks like the lady."

Mrs. Jiang was surprised. "How can you say that?"

Mother Fang smiled and said, "When Madam was a girl, she was also so lively and clever. She could never sit still for a moment. She would spend her days either riding horses or boating on the lake. She rowed better than the boatwoman."

The past of the boudoir is always nostalgic. Mrs. Jiang sighed with emotion, "I was so happy back then, but my mother was extremely worried. She was afraid that I wouldn't be able to get married, so she forced me to learn the temperament of a womanizer. Even my father's pleas were useless, which made me very depressed."

Mother Fang took over the conversation, "I remember that Madam couldn't stand it anymore, so she asked the maid to pretend to be you and sleep in the room. I kept watch while you sneaked out..."

She suddenly stopped, looking a little nervous.

Mrs. Jiang's smile faded and slowly disappeared.

It was at that time that she met Zhang Wen.

When she saw him at the bridge, she was stunned by his beauty. No matter if he came from a poor family, failed the imperial examination, or his parents were against it, she was determined to marry him.

There were also sweet days after their marriage. She restrained herself and learned to cook, while he studied hard without distraction and vowed to make a name for himself and never let anyone look down on him.

As her parents had only two children, she and her sister, they naturally devoted all their efforts to supporting their son-in-law. Zhang Wen's official career became more and more powerful, and he began to be surrounded by beautiful women. She was dissatisfied, but she could do nothing about it.

After their parents passed away, their relationship became increasingly cold.

She really doesn't have a very good eye for people.

Madam Jiang was silent for a while, then suddenly said, "If the third girl wants to go out, let her go. Send two steady and reliable maids and servants to accompany her."

Mother Fang was stunned, then she understood what was going on. She sighed, wanting to say something but stopping herself, and quietly retreated.

Mrs. Jiang sat there for a while, then felt tired and went for a walk in the yard.

The weather is very good today, the sun is shining, the breeze is intoxicating, and the magnolia trees under the high walls are lush and swaying.

She looked up, but saw a palm-sized piece of sky above her head.

-

Zhang Xiaoman was afraid that his stepmother would go back on her word, so he left home with Jinxiu as soon as he got the news.

Since arriving in the capital, she had to stay at home all day long like most noble ladies and rarely went out. Not to mention Jinxiu, the farthest distance she had walked was the Zhang family gate.

So when the driver asked where they were going, they couldn't answer.

"Let's go to Qinhuai River." Zhang Xiaoman thought for a moment. "I heard that's the most prosperous place in Jinling. They sell everything there. The Imperial Examination Hall and the Imperial Academy are all there. There must be a lot of calligraphy and painting shops there. I'm sure I can find some good stuff there."

The driver was stunned for a moment, but without saying anything else, he whipped the horse to urge it on.

The carriage moved steadily on the compacted loess road. The scene outside the window went from quiet to lively. Gradually, the thick walls of the carriage could not block out the noisy hawking sounds from the street, which sounded high and low, with long notes, like a winding song.

Zhang Xiaoman lifted the car curtain and looked at the worldly atmosphere with great interest.

The more they walked, the more people gathered. Soon, the carriage was stuck in the crowd and could not move. The two men got off and walked inside with the crowded crowd.

As they walked, Zhang Xiaoman felt something was wrong.

On both sides of the river are rows of riverside houses with carved beams and painted buildings, and pearl curtains hanging from the windows. Each house has a terrace extending out of the water, where all kinds of people sit, some with graceful figures and soft singing voices.

Looking at the shops in this area, 60 to 70 percent of them are engaged in food, drink, and entertainment. At a glance, there are wine shops and teahouses connected together, gambling houses of all sizes next to each other, and the sound of gongs and drums from the opera stage is deafening.

The air is filled with the smell of debauchery and extravagance everywhere.

The two of them looked at each other in confusion, and only then did they realize that they had come to the wrong place.

"I'm so tired." Zhang Xiaoman sat in front of the sweet soup stall, pounding his sore and swollen legs. "I really should have asked Mom in advance which store had the best stuff so we could just go buy it."

Jinxiu drank a bowl of iced sour plum soup in one gulp and breathed a sigh of relief. "My lady doesn't often go to crowded places, so she might not know. I think it's better to ask Master Liu. Scholars often visit calligraphy and painting shops, and he has excellent taste, so he can definitely help you pick out something good."

Zhang Xiaoman smiled and said nothing.

Jinxiu simply asked, "I just can't understand why Young Master Liu is such a suitable candidate for marriage, but you don't care about him at all? If this continues, the cooked duck will fly away."

"I don't feel anything." Zhang Xiaoman said.

"Feeling? What feeling?"

"That's the feeling of liking someone," Zhang Xiaoman whispered, leaning closer. "My heart beats fast, my face flushes. When I'm not around, I miss him, but when I see him, I'm afraid to see him. Even smart people become tongue-tied, and even open-minded people start to get jealous."

Jinxiu's ears felt hot when she heard this, and she also lowered her voice and said, "Miss, do you have someone you like? It can't be that Chen..." But she didn't dare to say the remaining two words.

"That's totally different!" Zhang Xiaoman laughed and sat up straight again. "I'm close to him because he's an old friend and a benefactor. I treat him like a brother and a relative. I have no other thoughts."

Jinxiu said "Oh——" with a doubtful tone.

Zhang Xiaoman was about to explain further when he heard a man's sneer from behind him, "How dare you openly discuss the affairs of men and women? How vulgar and uneducated!"

Although no one was mentioned by name, Zhang Xiaoman could tell that he was being scolded. He became furious and immediately turned around to look.

Several young students in robes were sitting at the back table. One of them was glancing at them with a downturned corner of his mouth and a look of disdain on his face.

The student had a long, thin face, fair skin, small eyes and a bulbous nose. Zhang Xiaoman thought carefully and was sure that he had never seen this person before.

Jinxiu was furious. She stood up and pointed at his nose, cursing, "What a shameless scholar! In the noisy and chaotic streets, how hard did you try to hear people whispering? Don't look, don't listen, don't say anything indecent. You've read so much that it's like a dog's stomach!"

The student had never been insulted like this before. His face flushed crimson, and his words became even more caustic. "Like master, like servant. How can you be called a lady of a noble family with such an ugly appearance? You are a shameless, lowly, and foolish village woman. You are a disgrace to our family. Whoever marries you will bring endless disasters."

Judging from his tone, he should know his background. Alarm bells rang in Zhang Xiaoman's mind, "You call me ignorant and stupid, but whose family are you from? You are so arrogant and rude, which shows that your talent is limited. I'm afraid you got into the Imperial College by flattering others."

The scholar snorted, "Trying to provoke me into revealing my identity so I can complain to your treacherous brother? Oh, I won't be fooled. I'll piss you off to death."

Jinxiu was furious and rolled up her sleeves to fight with the man - no matter whether she could win or not, she would at least make his face bruised!

When he was about to rush forward, he was held back by his own girl.

The girl's expression was a little strange. Jinxiu followed her gaze and saw a tall man among the crowd watching the excitement who immediately caught her attention.

He clearly has a handsome appearance, but he exudes a cold and austere temperament that keeps people at a distance.

He suddenly smiled towards us.

Jinxiu didn't know how to describe this smile. It was like a noisy and warm little warm room, the air was mixed with the smell of fireworks and various sweet fragrances, and at this moment someone peeled an orange.

The refreshing fragrance makes people feel good.

Jinxiu wanted to ask the girl who he was, but when she saw the girl's expression, she was stunned again.

The girl stared at the man intently, her eyes sparkling as if filled with spring water.

For a moment, the master and servant forgot about the student sitting opposite them who was speaking eloquently.

The student thought he had suppressed Zhang Xiaoman, and triumphantly called on his classmates to give her a fatal blow. However, the classmates who had just been watching the excitement with their arms folded now hid far away and were all silent.

"Hey, what's wrong with you guys?" he asked in a hurry.

"What are you talking about so happily? Say it out loud and make me happy too." A slow and low male voice suddenly came from behind him, floating down and pressing down on him so softly that his heart almost exploded.

"Mr. Zhou?" the voice called him again.

Zhou Yongchang twisted his body stiffly and said, "No, no..." He moved his lips for a long time but couldn't utter a complete sentence.

Chen Ling'an tilted his head slightly and sighed regretfully, "You won't tell me? It seems Master Zhou looks down on me. Alas, after all, I'm a treacherous villain, so it's only natural that Master Zhou, a gentleman, would despise me."

Zhou Yongchang only dared to talk behind the victim's back and never expected to be caught red-handed by the victim.

He wasn't completely stupid. After a moment of hesitation, he bowed deeply to Zhang Xiaoman and said, "I have offended the young lady by not recognizing the value of gold and jade. Please forgive me."

Zhang Xiaoman had already guessed his identity. He was the Zhou family member who had previously proposed to meet her but changed his mind at the last minute, making her stepmother very angry.

She had never seen him, but he recognized her. He must have secretly seen her when she was out one of the times.

Sewer rat! Zhang Xiaoman cursed inwardly, her emotions naturally showing in her words, "I'm just an ignorant and rude country girl, so naturally I'm not going to make trouble for no reason, and I'm even more unforgiving when I'm right."

Zhou Yongchang's face froze, "I've already apologized, and you still..." He glanced at Chen Ling'an beside him, but didn't dare to say the rest of the words.

A good man never suffers a loss in front of him. A man's knees are made of gold. He gritted his teeth and stomped his feet, then knelt down in front of Zhang Xiaoman. "Miss, I'm sorry for my rude behavior."

Zhang Xiaoman subconsciously wanted to dodge, but Chen Lingan stood beside her and forced her to accept Zhou Yongchang's gift.

"Get up." Zhang Xiaoman still turned sideways.

Zhou Yongchang stood up joyfully and was about to run away when he heard Chen Ling'an say coldly, "I'll let you go. Are you touched?"

"Hmm..." Zhou Yongchang didn't dare to move.

Chen Lingan: "Tell me a joke, make me laugh, and I'll let you go."

Zhou Yongchang was terrified and had no idea what jokes to tell. After a long pause, he almost cried, "I think I'm a joke..."

Laughter immediately broke out among the crowd, and even Chen Lingan couldn't help but smile.

Zhou Yongchang covered his face and ran away.

Scholars value integrity the most. Even if he passes the imperial examination and becomes an official in the future, today's incident will become an indelible laughing stock for him.

It feels so good to let out this anger!

Zhang Xiaoman looked at Chen Ling'an with sparkling eyes.

She didn't know that her face was turning red at this moment.