Seeing Lin Zikui walking into the house while looking back every few steps, Lord Xiao walked away contentedly with the pear syrup candy in his pocket. His palms were still warm, as if the temperature of his fingers still lingered.
Suddenly thinking of Lin Zikui's eyes, Xiao Fu sat down for a rare moment, wrote a letter, rolled up the letter paper and tied it to the thin legs of the carrier pigeon.
Yuan Qing hesitated and said, "Is the Marquis sending a message to the Third Master? Is it... something about the palace? The Third Master can't come to Nanjing at this time."
Xiao Fu shook his head: "Third brother is a Gu doctor. Lin Zikui's eyes, maybe he has some secret prescriptions."
Yuan Qing was a little surprised, but didn't say anything. The Marquis was particularly attentive to Master Lin, as if he was obsessed with playing the role of Miss Xiao.
The next morning, Lin Zikui brushed Xiao Fu's pair of cloud boots with Qilin pattern. In fact, the shoes were very clean. After a simple cleaning, he hung the shoes upside down under the eaves. When Mo Liu saw the shoes, he shook his head and said, "Our second young lady's feet really look like a man's. When she's not smiling, she looks very stern. No wonder she dresses like a man all day. If one day the second young lady admits that she is a man, I won't be surprised."
Lin Zikui laughed: "It's just childish talk. There is no such good-looking man in the world."
If the second young lady had not been born different from ordinary girls, Lord Xiao would probably not have been willing to arrange this marriage with his Lin family three years ago. Fortunately, he had the opportunity to meet Miss Zhao Ling.
On this day, Lin Zikui finally decided not to wear the "rabbit fur coat". He changed his clothes while Mo Liu was still sleeping. Lin Zikui passed by the East Guest Hall alone and saw three men practicing martial arts with their bare chests, so he greeted them.
The tall Yuanwu man came over and said, "Master Lin, are you going to the dining hall so early in the morning?"
"I'm going to Qingxin Pavilion to see a Taoist priest. Yes...where's the girl, is she...still not awake?" He stood on tiptoe to take a look, but couldn't see clearly.
"No, my master... is just a sleepyhead."
Lin Zikui took a breath and asked, "Brother Chen, you said that day that the second girl likes wine. Besides wine, what else does she like?"
"Well...I love listening to music."
"Listen to some music..." Lin Zikui recalled that his piano skills were just okay, but his piano did not bring him any spiritual experience.
"So what does he hate the most?"
Yuan Wu replied: "Of course he hates studying and reading books the most. He also hates people reciting poems, pretending to be cultured, and being sour and jealous. In fact, he hates scholars the most in his life."
Lin Zikui was slightly stunned.
He even read the Tao Te Ching to himself before...
Yuan Wu stared at him and added, "You are an exception."
It was indeed an exception. The Marquis actually asked me to brush Mr. Lin's shoes.
Lin Zikui's eyes lit up when he heard this.
Yuan Wu glanced behind him and asked, "Where is Master Lin's servant? Won't he lead the way for you?"
Lin Zikui was still thinking about what he had just said, and replied, "He didn't sleep well these days, so I didn't wake him up."
Yuan Wu said: "Then I will take you to Qingxin Pavilion. Where is it?"
Lin Zikui replied: "Don't bother Brother Chen, I'll just ask the Taoist priest passing by. By the way, these are tea eggs." Lin Zikui packed a bag for Yuan Wu, "They're still hot."
Yuanwu was about to refuse, but when he smelled it and found it really smelled good, he shamelessly accepted it.
Qingxin Pavilion, as its name suggests, is secluded and elegant. It is built in the middle of a wood, among the golden and red fallen leaves. Lin Zikui climbed up the side stairs and saw that the door was half-open. He knocked twice, but no one responded, so he pushed the door open and walked in.
This is the Taoist temple's library, and any Taoist priest in the Xingzhi Temple can enter.
Lin Zikui walked in lightly, carrying a book case on his back. Rays of morning light shone in through the window lattice. In Lin Zikui's sight, a Taoist priest appeared sitting by the window, reading a book with his head down.
"Master Lingbo?" Lin Zikui put down his book, took out a stack of articles and walked over, saying softly, "I am Lin Zikui. Master Lingyuan should have told you about me a few days ago. I am from Fengtai County in Huainan, and I came to Jinling to take the exam. Because my book boy's voice is hoarse, I would like to ask if Master Lingbo has time to review with me?"
"This is my article. Oh, and I brought some chicken legs for the Taoist priest." Lin Zikui put a pile of articles on the table and took out the braised chicken legs from his bookcase. "I heated them up this morning, and they are still warm now."
The Taoist priest was quite old, with silver hair, eyes squeezed due to old age, facial features tilted downward, and two deep nasolabial folds on the sides of his nose. When he sat, his thin figure revealed silent majesty.
The Taoist priest remained silent, but his eyes dropped down and glanced at the cuff of his silver sable fur coat, where there was a small moon-white seal.
The Taoist's eyes changed slightly and he looked up at him.
Lin Zikui stood aside respectfully: "Master Lingbo, chicken legs, articles, books, I don't know if Master Lingyuan has said that I came to ask Master Lingbo for help because I can't read for a long time."
The Taoist priest picked up the article he had written and said in a hoarse voice: "What is your last name?"
Upon hearing his voice, Lin Zikui was surprised. This Taoist priest's voice was even hoarser than Mo Liu's.
But he still answered: "My last name is Lin, Lin Zikui, as I just said..."
"What's the relationship with Yan?"
"Yan?" Lin Zikui thought for a while and answered seriously, "I know a Master Yan in Yingtianfu Academy."
The Taoist priest didn't look at him again, nor did he say anything. His eyes were fixed on the article he was writing.
Then he said solemnly, "After a long period of peace, the people don't know about military affairs. Confucian scholars only use writing to discuss but avoid talking about military affairs. The people in armor and hereditary official positions are mostly arrogant and lazy... Zhuge Kongming faced Sima Yi's 200,000 troops at Qishan and defeated them in one battle. However, the camps at Xiuliu and Huangzhong were all fortified and refused to fight, yet they all succeeded. Why?"
Lin Zikui was stunned again, and quickly answered: "Zhou Yafu's Wu-Chu formation, Wu attacked Liang urgently, Yafu defended the wall but did not come out, only then did we know that trust does not deceive, is that what Kong Ming did?"
This is asking about the long-term way to maintain rule.
Taoist: "Sun Bin defeated Zhao and Wei, but he may have helped Zhao to defeat the invaders in Wudu. Why?"
Lin Zikui said in an orderly manner: "Sun Bin said, those who pursue profit within a hundred miles, General Pang Juan was greedy for profit and pursued, this is what military strategists fear, hidden crossbows are fired at night without knowing when to prepare, the reason why Bin won, Yu Xu said: The enemy has increased..."
The two of them asked and answered each other like this, and the light spots on the ground gradually moved across the wood grain. Lin Zikui also changed from standing to sitting, and talked freely: "He who is good at attacking makes the enemy unaware of where he is defending; he who is good at defending makes the enemy unaware of where he is governing."
Whenever the Taoist priest asked, he could almost answer the questions. He answered until his mouth was dry and he didn't even get up to drink a sip of water.
The Taoist said, "You have unique insights, but your writing is not good." He looked at Lin Zikui and asked, "Do you hate eight-part essays?"
Lin Zikui was stunned for a moment, then nodded: "Yes."
“Then why write it?”
Lin Zikui sat upright, with light falling on his shoulders like a green bamboo: "Everyone knows that eight-part essays are just a stepping stone. Ultimately, it is for entering the government. I know that, but I can't write well if I write with emotion."
The Taoist said calmly: "When you become an official, you will know the turbidity of society, and eventually you will become corrupt as well."
"When times are bad, stay in the clear stream." Lin Zikui said word for word, "One person does evil, and thousands of people suffer. It is the officials who harm and oppress the people, and it is also the officials who subvert them."
The sun gradually grew higher and there was a creaking sound of a door being pushed open at the door.
A Taoist priest dressed in shabby clothes walked in yawning and sniffing as he walked: "Chicken legs, I can smell chicken legs from a long distance, that scholar, is that you?" The old Taoist pointed at Lin Zikui and said, "Where is the chicken leg you brought me?"
Lin Zikui glanced over and vaguely caught a glimpse of a Taoist priest in a gray Taoist robe. He opened his mouth, then shifted his gaze back to look at the Taoist priest in front of him who had been talking to him for at least an hour and still had no expression on his face.
"Lingbo... Taoist Priest?"
As a result, the slovenly Taoist priest came over with a smile on his face and held out his hand: "I am Lingbo, a scholar, can you give me a chicken leg?"
Lin Zikui pointed: "...You are Taoist Lingbo, then you..."
Only then did he realize that he had recognized the wrong person!
Of course, this was not the first time he made such a mistake. The Taoist priest opposite him stood up and looked at Lin Zikui with lowered eyebrows: "You have said thousands of words, which shows your talent and knowledge."
Lin Zikui also stood up and bowed: "One night's conversation with you is better than ten years of reading. May I ask your name, the Taoist priest?"
"Zewu." After saying this, Taoist Master Zewu turned and left. His wide Taoist robe fluttered in the wind, setting off his thin and straight back.
Lingbo himself grabbed the chicken leg and started chewing it, and asked him, "Junior, you want me to read to you, right? What should I read?"
East Guest Hall.
Jinzun sat on the eaves and ate a pear.
Xiao Fu put on his clothes and walked out of the room. The sky cleared up after the rain and the sunlight made him squint.
It’s such nice weather, I should go find Lin Lang and ask him to go up the mountain to pick oranges.
"My Lord, the old Taoist priest you asked me to look after." Jin Zun jumped down from the eaves. "He is in Qingxin Pavilion."
Xiao Fu held a silver hot water bottle in his hand and said, "Did you go to look for something while he was away? Did you find it?"
Jin Zun shook his head: "No."
Xiao Fu had expected this, and thought to himself, "Where would that old guy hide something like the tiger talisman..."
"However," Jinzun said again, "The scholar is also in Qingxin Pavilion, with the old Taoist priest."
Xiao Fu raised his eyes upon hearing this, his pupils slightly dilated: "Lin Zikui? With the old Taoist priest? What did they do?"
Jinzun: “Talking.”
"What did you say?"
Jin Zun shook his head: "I don't understand, and I can't remember."
"How long have you been talking?"
"A long time, about... an hour."
It has been an hour, and it seems like a lot has been said. It would be better to ask Lin Zikui directly than asking Jinzun here.
When Xiao Fu was about to leave, Yuan Qing came back with lunch: "My Lord, would you like to have lunch? We have tea eggs."
“No.”
"Mr. Lin gave it to me."
Lord Xiao stopped and turned his head: "Tea eggs?"
"yes."
"Then eat one."
Since Xiao Fu had no taste for anything, he was easy to deal with. When he went out, there was no need to bring a cook with him. Delicacies from land and sea and big steamed buns were the same to him.
Xiao Fu peeled the eggshell and went out to look for Lin Zikui. When he was almost at Qingxin Pavilion, a tabby cat passed by on the parapet. Under the bamboo leaves shining with spots of light, the cat held its tail high and meowed at him a few times.
"Meow?" Xiao Fu held the tea egg in his hand, and his tone became softer, "You want to eat it, meow meow."
The tabby cat took two steps towards him. Xiao Fu shook his head: "No, you can't eat it. This is what Lin Lang cooked for me. If I give it to you, what will I eat?"
Not far away, Lin Zikui, who had just come down from Qingxin Pavilion, caught a glimpse of Xiao Fu, who was dressed in a black fox cloak and was as handsome as jade.
Second girl?
Although he couldn't see clearly, he recognized it. Just as he was about to shout, he heard Xiao Fu speaking in cat language in a serious manner. He leaned slightly and meowed at the tabby cat. His profile was flawless, and the fluffy fox fur collar made Xiao Fu's eyebrows look like spirals and his eyes look like stars.
For a while, Lin Zikui was in a trance.
Second girl, could it be that you really have transformed into a monster? He really seemed to be able to communicate with animals.
Lin Zikui stood there motionless, watching vaguely from a distance. As for Xiao Fu, he knew who he was. He had heard Lin Zikui's footsteps a long time ago and wondered when he would come over. However, after waiting for a while, Lin Zikui still did not move.
Xiao Fu pinched out a rice-sized egg yolk and gave it to the cat to eat. Then he turned his head, as if he had just noticed him, and with a curved eye, he called out to him, "Lin Lang, come here."
Lin Zikui, carrying a heavy bookcase on his back, ran towards him under the midday sun.
The bookcase was so tall that it could block out some of the sunlight. He wore a bamboo-leaf green six-panel hat, a white kapok shell fur coat inside, and a silver sable fur coat given to him by Xiao Fu outside.
Ignoring the gauze scarf that only Taoists wear, this scholar has a handsome face and elegant temperament. With this outfit, he looks like a young master of a noble family in Jinling.
After Lin Zikui passed by, the tabby cat ran away. He had seen this cat in the main hall. It was a cat that had converted to Buddhism in the Guanyin Temple and was not allowed to be touched.
Xiao Fu naturally went to help him take down his bookcase: "How long have you been standing there looking at me?"
"It won't be long, just a moment," Lin Zikui refused to let him take it, "My bookcase is heavy, Second Miss, I can do it myself!"
"It's so heavy that it's crushing your shoulders." Xiao Fu lifted it with one hand, thinking that this thing was no lighter than a machete.
He held it lightly, and Lin Zikui was trembling with fear. What strength...
"Why did the second young lady come to Qingxin Pavilion?"
"I'm looking for you to see how your studies are going."
"Very good," Lin Zikui said shyly, trying to find something to talk about. "Why were you chatting with a cat just now?"
"I'm bored, so I talk to them. They also pay attention to me. Don't say anything, communicate more, they will understand."
"Really?" Lin Zikui opened his eyes wide.
Although he had an eye disease, his eyes were not dull but rather bright and hazy.
"Of course it's true. I'm always like this. Animals are very reliable companions, unlike humans who are good at betrayal." Xiao Fu realized that he had said too much and turned to look at him, "Lin Lang, you haven't eaten yet, right?"
"Not yet," Lin Zikui said, "My servant is still waiting for me."
"I'll ask Yuan Wu to send it to him. Come back to the East Guest Hall with me. I also want to hear what you studied this morning. Is there anyone accompanying you?"
"Yes, he is Taoist Lingyuan's uncle. He was a scholar before he entered Taoism. I gave him chicken legs and he read with me."
Xiao Fu asked again: "What did he read with you?"
As they walked and talked, Lin Zikui said, "I recognized the wrong person at first. It was a Taoist priest named Zewu. I thought he was Taoist priest Lingbo, so I sat down with him and talked with him. He is very knowledgeable."
"How do you mean learned?"
Lin Zikui replied: "He knows a lot. He asked me in the examination that Confucian scholars do not talk about military affairs, and there are no generals who can be used. The Mongols in the north are arrogant and indulgent, and the barbarians in the south are not always submissive. How can the court achieve victory and maintain stability?"
Xiao Fu's eyes flashed with surprise, but he didn't show it on his face. He asked him, "How did you answer?"
"I, I am..." Lin Zikui was no longer shy when he said this. He slowed down his speech and told the story for a long time. When he arrived at the East Guest Hall, he suddenly realized that Brother Chen had said that the second young lady didn't like these things, so he immediately stopped talking.
Xiao Fuzheng was listening carefully, but suddenly stopped talking and said, "Why don't you continue?"
"What I said is very boring. Second Miss... I don't think you will like to hear it."
"I didn't like it at first. You scholars' armchair talk is bullshit," Xiao Fu leaned sideways on his chair and cursed, then changed the subject, "But Lin Lang, you speak very well, and I like listening to you speak, so please continue."
Lin Zikui nodded and licked his lips. Xiao Fu saw it and held his teacup to his mouth. Lin Zikui subconsciously took it and drank it without reacting. He shared the same teacup with him.
He continued to speak, and Xiao Fu nodded after listening: "Well said, the ancient generals used the military tactics in a clever way, you can explain it."
Now I understand why the old man talked to him. That man has always valued talent.
Xiao Fu: "Did you learn the art of war from books, or did someone teach you?"
"Reading books," he said honestly. "The government school mainly teaches the Four Books and Five Classics and writing eight-part essays. Military strategies are not taught."
Xiao Fu also guessed that Lin Zikui was actually still at the stage of talking about it on paper, but he had his own ideas and opinions. The old Taoist priest was willing to listen, but the current emperor was not willing to listen.
With Lin Zikui's personality and knowledge, he would suffer losses in the officialdom.
Xiao Fu said, "I also have the knowledge that the old Taoist has. Lin Lang, why don't you come to me to study with you?"
"I... came here at 11:00 a.m., and your guards were practicing martial arts. You were sleeping at that time."
If he read to himself, Lin Zikui would worry that he would not be interested in studying.
Xiao Fu was speechless, and after a pause, he said, "You can come at 9:00 p.m. tomorrow, and I will get up early!"
Isn’t it Confucius who said it? He can do it too.
“……Yeah.” Lin Zikui nodded.
Xiao Fu kept Lin Zikui on the grounds of not wasting charcoal. Xiao Fu read with him for a while, but Lin Zikui couldn't listen at all. He was always distracted by the scene of the second girl giving birth to a son or daughter for him, and the family living in harmony, sitting in front of the charcoal basin.
He had no choice but to sit down and read by himself.
Lord Xiao went to play chess with Jinzun, sighing repeatedly while playing. From time to time, he turned his head to look at him. He saw that he was very serious. He didn't pay attention to anything outside the window. His face was pressed against the book. He was really immersed in reading.
Xiao Fu couldn't help but say, "Reading like this will damage your eyes."
"I know that, but if I don't look at it this way, I won't be able to read these tiny words clearly."
Xiao Fu: "Then I'll read to you."
Lin Zikui: "But I still have to write."
"You talk, and I'll write." Xiao Fu stood up and walked to the desk. "I'll grind the ink for you." While grinding the ink, he watched Lin Zikui write.
Because he was close to the rice paper, the tip of his nose was accidentally stained with ink. Xiao Fu saw it and couldn't help it, so he dipped his index finger in tea and wiped it on his nose. As soon as his fingertips touched Lin Zikui's nose, Lin Zikui raised his head.
Xiao Fu's mouth was curved, and his strong eyebrows softened in the afternoon sunlight: "There is ink, don't move, I will wipe it for you."
Lin Zikui blushed: "Second Miss..."
Xiao Fu caressed her gently, and Lin Zikui's heart beat along with it, lightly and quickly. He lowered his head, thinking to himself, with a wife like this, what more could a husband ask for.
Even though he had wiped it almost clean, Xiao Fu didn't put his fingers down yet. From his perspective, Lin Zikui lowered his head with his eyes drooping, his eyelashes fluttering like two small fans, and the tips of his ears that showed on both sides of his corrugated hat were also red as blood.
He paused and touched his finger down to the tip of his nose.
At this moment, a carrier pigeon flew in from outside the window, and the fluttering sound made Xiao Fu turn his head.
Yuan Qing caught the carrier pigeon with one hand.
"Master." Yuanqing took the paper roll off the pigeon's leg.
Xiao Fu had no choice but to give up, walked out and unfold the letter to take a look.
There were only two words written on it.
Swinging.
Xiao Fu stared at it for a long while, frowning: "What kind of medicine is this?"
"What medicine?"
Xiao Fu: "Yuanqing, take a look."
Yuanqing took a look.
"...My Lord, this is 叆叆. 叆叆 is not a medicine."
"What is 叆叇? I asked Third Brother if he had any folk remedies for squinting eyes, and he wrote this. What does it mean?"
Yuan Qing: "A few years ago, an object shaped like a big coin, thin and transparent, and the color of mica was presented as tribute from the Western Regions. It is said that Prime Minister Xue can still write fine words under the lamp, and read the tiny characters, thanks to this object. It is very rare, brought by the envoys from the Western Regions. There should be only a few pairs of such objects in the entire Ye Dynasty. Third Master, this is not a folk remedy, but a serious suggestion for you."
"How and where can I buy this?"
"If we want to buy new ones, we have to send someone to the Western Regions. This round trip will take at least two or three months."
Xiao Fu murmured: "Prime Minister Xue has a pair, right, Yuanqing?" He waved his hand and asked Yuanqing to come closer to his ear.
Yuan Qing leaned over, and Xiao Fu whispered into his ear, "Go to the Prime Minister's Mansion and steal it for me."
Yuan Qing: “……?”
Xiao Fu was calm and composed: "With your lightness skill, it is impossible to be discovered. Steal it first, then ask the craftsmen to study it, make an identical one, and then return it. Xue Xiang will not be able to read for a while, but he will not die. If my Lin Lang's eyes are damaged, he will not be able to become a Jinshi."
Yuan Qing: “…”
Lin Zikui read a book for a while at Xiao Fu's place. He accidentally heard that Yuan Qing was going to Jinling to do some work. He suddenly remembered something and said, "Brother Chen, wait a moment. Can you do me a favor?"
Yuan Qing would naturally not refuse: "Mr. Lin, please feel free to speak."
Lin Zikui took out a letter and gave it to him: "Can you help me deliver this letter to Master Tang Mengyang, the Grand Secretary of Jianji Palace? I have some things left with him, and I want to... Brother Chen, can you help me bring them back? If so, it would be convenient for Brother Chen."
"Tang Mengyang?" Yuan Qing hesitated and glanced at the Marquis beside him.
Lord Xiao showed no expression.
Lin Zikui quietly stuffed a small bag of silver into his pocket and said, "Brother Chen, this matter is very important to me. If you can help me, I will be very grateful."
"Mr. Lin, you've misunderstood. This is just a small favor. There's no need to be so reckless." Yuan Qing refused his silver and put the letter away.
After Lin Zikui thanked him, Mo Liu came to him and said, "Sir, it's time to take the medicine."
The master and servant walked back to Xixin Hall. Lin Zikui sat down and drank a bowl of medicine. Mo Liu carefully applied the medicine to him, and Lin Zikui became blind again.
Yuan Qing had not yet left Xingzhi Temple. He took out the letter and asked Xiao Fu, "My Lord, do you want me to deliver this letter?"
"Send it," Xiao Fu glared at him, "You already promised, how can you not send it?"
"Then... would you like to take a look, Lord?"
Xiao Fu sneered: "Villain behavior."
Yuan Qing: “…”
I don't know who asked him to go to the prime minister's residence to steal something.
However, when Yuan Qing was about to leave, Lord Xiao came again and held out his hand to him expressionlessly: "Here's the letter, let me see it."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
