Feng Dalang was delighted and said loudly, "Brothers, you have all worked hard to help me find my little sister these past two days. Don't leave for a moment. I will treat you all to a drink and some fun."
Everyone agreed and was very happy.
Feng Yinu sat alone in her room, staring blankly at the window paper, listless. Tomorrow she would have to go to Wazili to start her singing career, and the thought of it made her upset.
"Slave!" Someone shouted outside. It was the eldest brother's voice.
Feng Yinu opened the door, and Feng Dalang's strong body rushed into her room, followed by his second brother.
"Erlang, close the door." Feng Dalang ordered, then pulled his sister aside and asked with a smile, "Nu'er, you and Zhang Tianshi have been away for several days. What have you been doing?"
"I didn't do anything...Brother, I didn't go out alone with Zhang Tianshi, there was also Saisai." Feng Yinu emphasized.
"I haven't done anything in the past few days. Don't lie to me."
"I told you, just go play."
"What are you playing?"
"Saisai and I didn't do anything but read the Heavenly Book for a few days."
"ah!"
The two brothers looked at each other, envy in their eyes.
"It was snowing heavily, and Mr. Zhang was afraid that Saisai and I would be lonely, so he gave us the heavenly book to read." Feng Yinu covered her mouth and yawned. "We read it day and night, and didn't sleep all last night... Brother, you two should go out, I need to sleep."
"Okay! We'll go out right away." Feng Dalang agreed, but he moved forward and asked with a bent waist, "My dear sister, tell me honestly, does Zhang Tianshi like you?"
"Don't talk nonsense. Didn't I tell you? He's Saisai's lover."
Feng Erlang interrupted, "So what if it's Saisai's lover? It doesn't stop him from liking you."
Feng Yinu looked at them warily: "What's going on between you two? Mr. Zhang is an honest man, don't let your imagination run wild."
"You've been out with him for a few days. As his brother, how can I not have wild thoughts?" Feng Dalang still didn't believe that there was no story behind it.
"Brother, I am not such a lowly person. Even if Mr. Zhang likes me, I will not have anything to do with him... You guys go out, I want to sleep." Feng Yinu sternly pushed them out.
Of course she could see what her brothers were thinking; they wanted to climb up the social ladder.
In the past, they also wanted her to marry into a high-ranking official's family, but that was just a thought. Now that they saw Mr. Zhang sending her home, they started thinking about it again.
…
Love of beauty is human nature.
Zhang Shixun also loved beauty, especially when he saw the five beauties awarded by Emperor Zhao Ji.
It’s no wonder that all five palace maids are very beautiful, especially the leading one, whose appearance is no less than Ding Dusai.
When the five beauties were blessing Zhang Shixun, Ding Dusai quietly twisted his arm and whispered sourly, "You are blessed."
"What blessing?" Zhang Shixun replied in a low voice.
"The blessing of Qi people."
"Why do I think it's tofu?"
Ding Dusai pinched him again and said nothing.
Zhang Shixun coughed lightly, raised his head and asked the leading palace maid, "What's your name?"
"Master, my name is Zheng Yuanyuan."
Zhang Shixun said with a smile: "Yuan means beautiful woman. Yes! You are indeed very beautiful, and your name is just like you."
"Master, you are too kind to praise me. I really don't deserve it." Zheng Yuanyuan, worthy of being from the palace, answered neither humbly nor arrogantly.
Zhang Shixun politely asked the names of the other four palace maids.
A palace maid replied, "There are four of us, named Plum, Orchid, Autumn, and Chrysanthemum."
"The first name is easy to remember, but what about the last name?"
"No surname."
"How come there is no surname?" Zhang Shixun was stunned.
"I entered the palace at a young age and had no given name. My current name was given to me by a female official after I entered the palace."
Zhang Shixun was silent for a moment after hearing this, then he sighed, "Actually, I don't need anyone here at all, but since the emperor has given you as a reward, I will reluctantly accept you."
When the five beauties heard this, they all lowered their heads and remained silent.
Zhang Shixun continued, "Since the emperor's reward cannot be refused, then you should stay here for the time being. When you find your in-laws, you can leave at any time."
The women present, including Ding Dusai, were all dumbfounded.
Can you leave at any time?
Did you hear that right?
Although Ding Dusai was very disgusted with these palace maids, he still couldn't help but say, "Sir, since they are rewards from the emperor, then they are your people. How can they leave at will?"
Zheng Yuanyuan also said: "From the moment I stepped into this door, I have been a member of the Zhang family. Whether I am a concubine or a maid, we sisters are happy to accept it."
Ding Dusai nodded repeatedly, "Yes! If you like, you can take them as concubines."
When Zhang Shixun heard this, he felt it was ironic.
"Madam Ding, you can eat more, but don't say anything careless. They left their families and entered the palace at a young age, which is miserable enough. They were all raised by their parents. How can you treat them with contempt?"
Zhang Shixun said sternly, "Don't talk about taking a concubine anymore. It's not good."
Ding Dusai's face turned red immediately. Since she met Zhang Shixun, she had never seen him be so ruthless, let alone in front of other people.
"Master Gaoyi!" Zheng Yuanyuan knelt down with a plop.
The other four also knelt down.
Zhang Shixun was a bit overwhelmed. "Everyone, get up. Kneeling is not a custom in this house. From now on, no matter what, don't kneel."
He really has no experience with women.
Seeing Ding Dusai looking at him thoughtfully, he suddenly had an idea and pointed at the Ding Dusai track: "From now on, all of you should listen to Madam Ding. Although she is not the mistress of the family yet, she will be sooner or later."
As soon as these words were spoken, Ding Dusai blushed immediately and stood there at a loss.
Upon hearing this, Zheng Yuanyuan and the others knelt down to salute her and shouted in unison, "Madam."
"Don't... don't call me Madam." Ding Dusai was a little bewildered, but after all, he was someone who had experienced such things, so he calmed down and said gently, "You can call me Madam Ding."
Zhang Shixun laughed heartily. "That's fine! Let's call her Madam Ding for now."
Ding Dusai glared at him, wishing he could strangle him to death.
"Okay, I'll leave this place to you. I'll go to the back and sleep for a while." After Zhang Shixun said this, he didn't even allow her to answer and walked towards the backyard with his hands behind his back.
Ding Dusai was so angry that he stamped his feet, but he could do nothing about it.
Zhang Shixun went back to the second floor of the backyard and fell asleep. He didn't know how long he slept when he suddenly felt a pain in his ear. When he opened his eyes, it was Ding Dusai.
Ding Dusai's eyes were wide open and his eyebrows were raised.
She twisted his ear hard and said through gritted teeth, "You are a big bad guy!"
"Ouch! Let go."
"Don't let go!" Ding Dusai not only did not let go, but instead exerted force with his hands and turned it a small circle.
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