"Sir, you are too kind. It's not that good." Xu Jiang felt embarrassed by the compliment.
"There's no need to belittle yourself. Those who can catch Du Hui's eye are definitely not ordinary people." Xie Zhubu feigned anger. "Besides, your edition of 'New Collection of Elementary Education' has been proofread by several of us Zhubu. If you say it's not good, isn't that a roundabout way of saying we're shortsighted?"
"How dare I, how dare I." Xu Jiang smiled apologetically.
It was just a teasing for the younger generation. Xie Zhubu saw the situation and stopped it. Then he and Xu Jiang counted the poems and signed the contract, and the matter was settled.
Xu Jiang put the deed away carefully and thanked Xie Zhubu and Song Xuelu, "Thank you very much, both of you."
Xie Zhubu smiled and waved his hand, then said to Lou Yunchun beside him, "Zhaoyue finally came back, would you like to go and see your fellow apprentices?"
"No, I have to go to the Dali Temple later."
"Then why did you come back?"
Song Xuelu whispered to him, and he suddenly realized what was going on. His eyes moved between Lou and Xu.
Xu Jiang's face flushed at his gaze, so she said, "I just heard the bell ringing, and I think it's time for the students to start their classes. I won't keep you two masters any longer. Goodbye."
Xie Zhubu did not force them to stay, and escorted them out of the hall. He then instructed Xu Jiang, "Remember to bring the deed back at the end of the month to settle the accounts."
Xu Jiang bowed to him and said, "That's a relief."
Xu Jiang, clutching the fluttering deed in her arms and leaning on the empty carriage, left the Imperial College, her heart still full. She patted the deed in her arms, thinking to herself, "From now on, I've truly entered the world of the capital."
Lou Yunchun reminded: "Get in the car, it's time to go back."
Xu Jiang smiled at him, then jumped onto the cart and lay down.
"Let's go back."
Lou Yunchun looked at her with a smile.
Xu Jiang pointed at him with her fingers, "Four times."
"What?"
"You laughed four times today."
Lou Yunchun felt a little embarrassed and just said to her, "Lie down." Then he sat in the front and drove the cart for her.
Xu Jiang looked at the Imperial College, the highest institution of learning in the capital, which was gradually moving away. She felt that its aura was majestic and its momentum was magnificent, like a wall in the sky dotted with stars.
And the brightest one among them is now in front, leading the way for her.
After returning the oxcart, the two returned to the bookstore, and Lou Yunchun immediately rode his horse to the Dali Temple. After seeing him off, Xu Jiang spread out the contract for Lin Hongchu to see. Lin Hongchu hugged her and jumped for joy.
Xu Jiang kneaded her for a while, then put away the contract and said, "Let's have a good meal today to thank you for your hard work these days. By the way, let's invite Shopkeeper Wang and his family over and have a good time."
"Good!" Lin Hongchu cheered.
"Then you look after the bookstore. If you get hungry, you can eat some bread. I'll go to the West Market to do some shopping."
"knew."
After giving the instructions, Xu Jiang went into the backyard to lead the donkey. When the donkey heard the word "West Market", it excitedly twitched its mouth and pawed its hooves.
Xu Jiang was in a good mood today, so she let the donkey run on its own. However, the donkey was quite capable, so it ran straight to Zhao Zhang's stable.
Zhao Zhang filled the dog's mouth and gave it water with familiarity. Xu Jiang smiled and said, "You've spoiled it. Whenever it comes to the West Market, it only comes to you."
"This donkey understands human nature and is quite clever." Zhao Zhang stroked its head and asked, "Why did you decide to keep it in the first place?"
Xu Jiang said helplessly, "You are too stubborn, lazy, and greedy. I am afraid of cheating you, so I have to keep it for myself."
Zhao Zhangchang laughed out loud, "That's true. If this donkey had been sold to me at the time, I'm afraid it wouldn't have been able to sell. Just the smell of this grass feed would have made it run back and forth several times."
"Isn't it?" Xu Jiang saw that its head was almost buried in the trough, and she couldn't help but pat it. Then she said to Zhao Zhang, "Please help me take care of it. I'm going to go buy some things and will be back to take it."
"Okay, go ahead and have peace of mind."
Xu Jiang went to the market.
It was a rare opportunity to have some leisure time, so Xu Jiang walked very slowly. She looked at each stall one by one and saw a new stall selling tofu. It not only sold tofu, but also soy milk. She couldn't help but order a bowl and sat down to drink it.
The stall owner was a bustling woman. Xu Jiang heard that her accent didn't sound like a local, but seemed familiar, so she asked another question.
"Where are you from, sister?"
"I'm from Gongjing, and I've been in the capital for two years."
"It's strange," Xu Jiang said, speaking the same language as Gongjing. "The people of Gongjing are the best at making tofu, and they're very courageous."
A look of surprise flashed across the woman's face. "Are you from Gongjing too?"
Xu Jiang shook her head. "I'm from Qianzhong, but I've been to Gongjing County with salt merchants. The salt from your hometown is famous. The quality of this tofu is probably due to the bile produced by the salt."
"That's right," the woman said enthusiastically and cheerfully. "Since you've been to Gongjing County and know so much about our food, you're half a fellow villager. I'll treat you to this bowl of soy milk."
"Sis, what you said makes me feel uneasy about drinking my soy milk." Xu Jiang put down her bowl and looked at the snow-white tofu on her wooden board. "Besides, I want to buy more than just soy milk. If you don't accept the money, I won't be able to buy it."
"Hey, you little sister." The woman patted Xu Jiang on the back. Her hand was so heavy that Xu Jiang almost spit out the soy milk she had just drunk. "Who can speak as well as you?"
Only then did Xu Jiang feel at ease and started drinking again, chatting with her while drinking.
"Sister, why haven't I seen you setting up a stall here before?"
"I used to be supported by my lover, but he ran away, so I had to find a job on my own. But this is the only skill I have, and I don't know anything else, so I just set up a stall to sell tofu."
Xu Jiang almost choked. This sister has a real temper.
The woman sighed again after she finished speaking, "You know what? If you can earn money through business, you can stand up straighter."
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