Of course, Sun Qiang couldn't say!

If I say it, wouldn't that be like slapping myself in the face?

But the surrounding diners were not having it and started clamoring, "So there's a preceding line? What's the preceding line? Tell us quickly!"

Is there anything else we can't hear?

"Hey, you three scholars, you can't be outdone by a woman! Tell us your opinions!"

The surrounding diners, having finished their meal, seemed to enjoy watching the spectacle.

Zheng Pingsheng and his two companions knew that these people were just having fun with them, but given their current situation, staying was not an option, and leaving was even less feasible.

But it's impossible for them to say it.

As long as they don't say anything, and others don't know, they haven't lost!

Fan Jin looked at Shui Qing, the disappointment in his dark eyes vanished, and he smiled, saying leisurely, "A man's virtue is his talent."

Shui Qing explained to the surrounding diners: "A promising man should prioritize virtue and use talent as a supplement. I would like to remind every man to value virtue!"

How come when it comes to the three of you, you only remember the requirements and constraints placed on women, completely forgetting about yourselves?

None of the three had ever imagined that Fan Jin's wife was learned.

How could that be!

Fan Jin's wife was just a butcher's daughter; how could she know the knowledge in the book and even argue with them?

The key point is that they haven't even debated it yet!

Shanhailou Restaurant is considered one of the best in Guangning Prefecture. Most of the diners are merchants who are trying to make money and don't really understand fancy, literary language.

Once Shui Qingyi explained, they immediately understood!

Merchants held a low social status in Ming State. Seeing that the scholars who had always looked down on them were not much better in character, they suddenly realized that people could not be judged by their profession.

Among the merchants there are unscrupulous ones, but not all the scholars are good either!

"This guy calls himself a scholar? He's not even as good as a businessman like me!"

"I looked at it from beginning to end and couldn't see a single thing about his character."

"Three grown men talking about one woman, have they forgotten that their own mothers are women too? They're meek and submissive at home, but arrogant and domineering outside!"

When Zheng Pingsheng and his two companions visited Shanhailou, they always wore long gowns, a symbol of scholars, and were always treated with courtesy and respect, even if they didn't order many dishes.

When the negotiations were going well, some businessmen even offered to pay for their bills!

Today I had planned to have a long and eloquent discussion and find a rich and foolish businessman to pay the bill, but I never expected to be looked down upon by the businessman I have always looked down on.

Just as the three were about to turn and leave, the waiter, carrying a large wooden tray, called out, "Sorry to keep you waiting, sir! Your dishes are here."

The dishes on the table were braised pork, stir-fried young chicken, scrambled eggs with shrimp, steamed fish, and braised rabbit... each one looked delicious and made the three of them swallow hard.

Shui Qing was not one to be trifled with, and now she was kicking him while he was down, pressing him for an answer: "We were just having a nice meal, and the three of you came up here and started mocking us for eating steamed buns at a roadside stall. You three are so blind and arrogant, open your eyes and take a good look. Did we order steamed buns?"

By the way, I overheard you mentioning earlier, who's already a Xiucai (a scholar who has passed the lowest level of the imperial examinations)? The next step is to enter the officialdom and become a local official. Can someone like you really be a local official?

Let's tell you, which one is the scholar? Let everyone witness the scholar's brilliance!

Zheng Pingsheng used to love seeing his teacher, Fan Jin, who later became his father-in-law's favorite student, unable to hold his head up. But now, it was Zheng Pingsheng himself who was unable to hold his head up, and he wished he could run away as fast as he could.

He was especially afraid of people knowing his name.