Chapter 56 The wedding date is approaching, the great Confucian scholar Zhang Shu…

A few days ago, Zhang Ting discussed with the village chief about buying the open space in front of and behind the house. Today, she received the deed. Since she had nothing to do, she decided to take Zong Suyi to the countryside for horse racing.

By the way... let's burn off some of Dun Dun's energy.

It's almost like a spirit; it can even use its teeth to unscrew the door latch and pry open the fence to escape. Zhang Ting would encounter it every evening; it loved to stroll in the yard. Fortunately, it would go back after its walk and would even lock the door itself.

However, it can also be quite a handful, as it loves cutting hair and has caused quite a bit of damage to the yard.

Zhang Ting originally intended to instruct Zheng Er to prepare a carriage, so that she and Zong Suyi could ride in the carriage, while Li Ruilian, who was more familiar with horses, could ride Dundun first.

As a result, Zong Suyi pressed down on the front of the saddle, touched the stirrup with his toes, and his body leaped into the air like a light swallow, landing steadily on the horse's back. His leather boots brushed against the saddle, making a soft sound.

Dundun felt the weight on his back and shook his head uneasily. He raised his front hoof, but was suddenly pulled back by the reins and forced back to the ground.

His crimson robes fluttered in the wind, and the golden sunlight dappled through his hair. His brows were radiant with spirit, his eyes were dazzling, and he reached out his hand to Zhang Ting with a slight smile.

What a spirited and dashing young man! Everyone around him was stunned.

Zhang Ting's eyes revealed admiration. She then grasped his hand, stepped on the stirrups, leaped up, and sat behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

Zong Suyi smelled the scent of soapberry on her body. He glanced back slightly, his eyes smiling, then flicked his whip and rode away.

Following Zhang Ting's directions, the horse's hooves pounded on the country road, kicking up dust.

We ran all the way to the back of the house, where the land was open, the terrain was gentle, and the greenery was lush.

When Zhang Ting was about to dismount, Zong Suyi's eyes darted around, and he quickly stopped her.

He dismounted, tilted his head, and said jokingly, "I've heard that Miss is not good at riding. I have some basic skills. If you don't mind, I might give it a try."

Zhang Ting immediately knew he was up to something, but she pretended not to know, saying, "I don't mind at all, please enlighten me, young master."

He straightened his chest, furrowed his brows, put his hands behind his back, and said with a serious expression, "Since you are instructing me, what should Your Majesty call me?"

Zhang Ting chuckled, but was met with a glare from him. She stopped smiling, cupped her hands, and said seriously, "Ting requests guidance from Teacher Xiaoyi."

Zong Suyi, having taken advantage of Zhang Ting, nodded in satisfaction, covered his lips with his hand, and pretended to be an old scholar. He walked ahead and meticulously taught her equestrian knowledge, occasionally testing her with a few questions. If she couldn't answer, he would scold her with a stern face.

"It's so simple, how come you can't even do this?"

Zhang Ting, mounted on his horse, stared at him with a half-smile.

Zong Suyi suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, shrank his neck, and quickly changed the subject.

The two played in the back mountain for a while and got a little tired. Just then, the house was almost finished, so Zhang Ting suggested taking him to see it.

Zong Suyi tied his horse to the tree and hurried over to Zhang Ting's side. As they walked, their hands touched, and he suddenly grabbed hers, stealing a glance at her. Seeing that her expression was normal, a sweet feeling spread from his heart, seeping into his bones.

He shook their clasped hands, his tone light: "Go ahead, and we can fix anything that goes wrong." (Before the wedding.)

Enter the house through the back door, walk through the covered walkway, and arrive at the courtyard.

The courtyard is spacious but empty. The master craftsman will come to build the octagonal pavilion tomorrow, and the stone benches and tables have all been ordered and will be picked up the day after tomorrow.

Zhang Ting has dug a shallow pond in the yard, which has already been lined with pebbles and white sand. He plans to raise a few fish or plant some aquatic plants there.

Take a stroll inside; it's bright and airy, just waiting for the ordered furniture to be moved in.

Zong Suyi noticed that there was an empty spot in the flower bed, pointed to it, and asked Zhang Ting what she wanted to plant.

Zhang Ting's gaze fell on him, and she suddenly thought of pomegranate flowers, their intense, almost arrogant, vermilion color like a blazing flame.

Her eyes crinkled slightly. "Let's plant pomegranate flowers."

This was the couple's new home after their marriage. In Zong Suyi's ears, the pomegranate symbolized many children and many blessings, and Zhang Ting wanted her to give birth to several chubby babies for her.

"Okay, sure." He lowered his head shyly, biting his lip, thinking that she really wasn't reserved at all.

However, his thoughts wandered. Since Zhang Ting liked children, and nine was the extreme number, he decided to give her nine children himself.

Zong Suyi couldn't help but chuckle as she imagined a group of children surrounding Zhang Ting and calling her "Mother."

Zhang Ting was about to say that one of the roof tiles wasn't in place properly and that he could have the master craftsman fix it tomorrow, when he turned around and saw a silly smile on the man's face, leaving him completely bewildered.

However, these were all secondary matters. With the wedding date approaching in two days, there was something she needed to clarify with him.

"We won't be able to invite our close friends to our wedding, but we will invite our neighbors to come and celebrate with us."

Zong Suyi snapped out of her thoughts and nodded gently upon hearing her words. After all, what was called a wedding was actually just a small ceremony for the betrothal of servants; why, why would it be worthwhile to invite close friends?

Zhang Ting rubbed his distraught head and comforted him, "The village is simple and honest; there won't be any gossip."

Zong Suyi nestled her head against her chest, gazing at her with clear eyes: "Even if no one attends our wedding, as long as you have me in your heart, I will be content."

......

Taizhou Prefecture, Zhang Mansion.

"I have long admired Master Zhang, and today I have come to pay my respects with my calligraphy and paintings. Please allow me to greet you, Master Zhang," said the woman in purple, her features beautiful, as she bowed to Zhang Sheng.

These days, Zhang Sheng has politely declined many visits from students because of her family aunt, but she is truly at a loss with this one in front of her.

This is the eldest daughter of Prefect He of Zhangzhou Prefecture. The He family is a prestigious and powerful clan, with a long history of aristocratic lineage. Prefect He holds a high position and is known for his ruthless methods, making him someone who must not be offended.

Zhang Sheng bowed to return her greeting and could only say, "Please wait a moment, Your Majesty."

The woman in purple smiled, but stopped her and had her maid present the calligraphy and painting. She said confidently, "Master Zhang, please take this in as well. I sincerely wish to learn from you."

Zhang Sheng accepted it, and the maid was still beaming with joy, thinking that her young mistress would easily meet Master Zhang. "Thank you for your trouble, Master Zhang."

Our young lady has been exceptionally intelligent since childhood, and her reputation as a child prodigy still circulates throughout the prefectural city. Last year, she passed the provincial examination and became the top scholar in the provincial examination. This year, when Zhangzhou Prefecture held a poetry and calligraphy competition, no student could compare to her. This calligraphy and painting is the result of her dedicated study, and I expect that even the most discerning Zhang Dajia will be captivated by it.

Zhang Sheng nodded in acknowledgment and turned to report back to his aunt.

At that time, Zhang Shu was completely drunk, his hair disheveled, and he was lying on the ground with a wine pot in his hand, the wine flowing down the spout.

When Zhang Sheng came in and saw this scene, she hurriedly cried out "Ouch!" and rushed over to help Zhang Shu up.

"Auntie, wake up, please wake up!"

Zhang Shu's eyelids felt like they were weighed down with lead, barely managing to open a crack. Seeing it was Zhang Sheng, he slapped her hand away, fell back to the ground, turned over, and continued sleeping.

She muttered, "Zhang... Zhang kid... don't bother me."

Zhang Sheng picked her up and shook her again, trying to wake her up, saying, "My dear aunt, wake up! Lord He's daughter is waiting outside!"

Zhang Shu was dizzy from being shaken, and he grabbed Zhang Sheng's hand, "Forget about Lord He and Lord Li, I won't see them... I won't see any of them!"

Zhang Sheng pleaded in a low voice, "Oh, Auntie, you may not be afraid, but my niece is in business, so how can we avoid this? Please, have mercy and help me!"

Zhang Shu regained some of his composure and let out a burp. "Who is this Lord He?"

"That prefect of Zhangzhou Prefecture."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Shu lost even more interest. He weakly supported himself on Zhang Sheng's arm and waved his hand, saying, "I won't see those who seek fame and fortune."

"It's not Lord He who's requesting an audience with you, but her eldest daughter, the young scholar who was the top scholar in Zhangzhou Prefecture last year. Prime Minister Gao even praised her for her exceptional talent."

"That lady is very sincere; she brought calligraphy and paintings specifically to ask for your guidance. Would you like to meet her?"

Zhang Shu reached out and scratched his slightly itchy neck, lazily saying, "Hiccup... Where are the calligraphy and paintings?"

Zhang Sheng handed her the item in his hand. She took it, unfolded it, looked at it for a while, and then tossed it back to Zhang Sheng.

"Hiccup... What does this mean?"

“Tell her… hiccup… I, Zhang Shu, will never take on another disciple in this lifetime.” With that, she brushed Zhang Sheng’s hand away, lay straight down on the ground again, and turned her back to sleep.

Zhang Sheng was helpless; how could he explain it to anyone like that? He had no choice but to go out and find another reason to politely decline He Jieyuan's offer.

After seeing the person off with utmost respect, Zhang Sheng returned to the house exhausted. Seeing Zhang Shu prop herself up to drink again, he quickly took the drink away and nagged her a bit.

Thinking of the impressive demeanor of that scholar He, she suddenly felt a pang of regret. "Auntie, I think that scholar He is quite good, no less than Yang Fuchen. Why don't you accept him?"

Yang Fuchen is Zhang Dajia's first disciple. He is quick-witted, honest and kind. Last year, he passed the provincial examination with the second-highest score in Taizhou Prefecture and is very famous in the prefectural city. He is one of the top candidates to win the next metropolitan examination.

After his wine cup was snatched away, Zhang Shu frowned, and he sobered up considerably. He said, "They're all people who chase fame and fortune, and who believe that academic excellence leads to officialdom. What's the point?"

Speaking of this, Zhang Shu recalled the poetry collection that had been circulating recently. After making some inquiries, she discovered that there were also talented people in the surrounding counties who were good at applying their knowledge to practical matters and speaking out for the people.

Like his old friend, he valued people's livelihood more than fame and fortune, and turned the situation around without making a fuss. However, this person's methods were more shrewd and experienced than his old friend's. He could walk the line between right and wrong and still get away unscathed.

When Zhang Sheng heard his aunt praising Zhang Ting, he exclaimed, "I told her she's no ordinary person."

Zhang Shu mentally sketched a portrait of this person, imagining that she was probably around his age, with white hair, no children, and still steadfast in her beliefs after experiencing great trials and tribulations. Perhaps she was also a virtuous person who had resigned from her official post and returned to her hometown.

She was surprised: "You know her?" She knew her niece's character well, so why would that virtuous man be willing to befriend her?

Zhang Sheng smiled and nodded, adding, "You know this person too. You saw her at the rockery last time when I invited her to admire the fish."

Zhang Shu frowned and pondered for a long time before she remembered that it was true. The woman's eyes were extremely bright and radiant, just like her old friend from her youth, which made her lose her composure.

She just remembered that the person was extremely young.

Zhang Shu was in a daze: "The Yangtze River's back waves push the front waves, and this person is so young yet he has cultivated such a mature and shrewd way."

Zhang Sheng said, "Isn't that right? This person is elegant and talented, and is currently preparing for the provincial examination. Today, while she was outside, she heard that people in Tongzhou Prefecture were vying to take her as their apprentice."

Zhang Shu stopped abruptly, then her eyes lit up. What famous teachers and scholars could Tongzhou Prefecture possibly have? They were just a bunch of mediocre people far inferior to her.

She straightened up, abandoning her drink, and straightened her disheveled clothes. She coughed lightly and said, "I am currently short of a final disciple." Looking at her niece, she added, "I will be traveling to Lütian County soon. Please prepare a carriage and horses for me."

Zhang Sheng: "???"

Who just said they would never take on another disciple in their lifetime?