Li Huan looked directly into Tang Bohu's eyes and stated his request.
"You must give me three paintings and calligraphies before I'll take you into the Hua Mansion and help you woo Qiu Xiang!"
Tang Bohu was taken aback: "Calligraphy and paintings? What do you need calligraphy and paintings for?"
Li Huan made no attempt to hide it: "Your calligraphy and paintings are very valuable; I'll sell them for money!"
Tang Bohu smiled and said, "This condition is not difficult. I agree!"
Li Huan said, "Wait, I haven't finished yet."
Tang Bohu said, "I'm all ears."
Li Huan said, "These three paintings must be 'Spring Trees and Autumn Frost,' 'A Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix,' and 'Viewing the Waterfall at Mount Lu'!"
"Furthermore, the dimensions of each piece of calligraphy and painting must be no less than one zhang in length and no less than three chi in width!"
Tang Bohu's eyes widened upon hearing this.
"Damn, you're too greedy! Do you know how valuable my calligraphy and paintings are? A small piece can sell for several hundred taels of silver! A huge piece that's ten feet long can sell for tens of thousands of taels of silver!"
"The three paintings and calligraphies you requested all require my careful work, and their value is no less than 100,000 taels of silver!"
Li Huan said, "You're a scholar who earns money through your wisdom, without doing any hard labor. It's just three paintings, why get so worked up?"
Tang Bohu said, "Please, painting also requires physical strength and consumes a lot of energy."
Li Huan said, "I won't let you waste your effort. Not only will I bring you into the Hua family as a cook, but I'll also give you three hundred boxed meals in exchange for your three calligraphy and paintings. How about it?"
Tang Bohu said, "Each boxed meal costs fifty taels of silver, and three hundred boxed meals would cost a total of fifteen thousand taels of silver... Hmm, I can accept this offer."
"But you can't give me all three hundred boxed meals at once. You should give me thirty boxed meals in ten installments..."
Li Huan said, "I understand. You have eight wives and an old mother. Giving them thirty boxed meals each time is enough to fill their stomachs!"
Tang Bohu said, "Deal!"
"Deal!" Li Huan and Tang Bohu high-fived, reaching an agreement.
Li Huan instructed, "Go and change into some coarse cloth clothes. You look more like my employer than my assistant."
Tang Bohu nodded and hurried off to prepare.
Zhu Zhishan, Wen Zhengming, and Xu Changgu were still drinking and playing drinking games, quite drunk.
A moment later, Tang Bohu, disguised, appeared in front of Li Huan's car.
He was dressed in coarse cloth and wearing a waiter's hat.
Li Huan laughed and said, "Did you buy this outfit at a restaurant?"
Tang Bohu said, "That's right, I found a restaurant and spent money to buy the waiter's clothes and hat! Brother Li, do I look good now?"
Li Huan said, "It fits perfectly, very much like a buddy."
Tang Bohu said excitedly, "Let's set off immediately for the Hua Mansion."
Li Huan said, "What's the rush? Madam Hua and her four maids are burning incense at the temple. Let's wait an hour before going to the Hua residence!"
...
Afternoon.
Li Huan drove his electric tricycle, carrying Tang Bohu, towards the Hua Mansion.
Tang Bohu looked around excitedly, reaching out to touch the dashboard: "Brother Li, your car is very high-end, it must be a product from overseas, right?"
Li Huan said, "That's right, this is a 'limited edition overseas, amphibious' tricycle!"
"Amphibious?" Tang Bohu exclaimed in shock. "This...this car can sail on water?"
Li Huan said, "Let's go for a drive on the lake another day, and I'll show you what it's like!"
Tang Bohu asked, "Once we're in the lake, will we be as fast as we are on land?"
Li Huan said, "To put it simply, once my tricycle gets on the lake, it's faster than any boat on the market—ten times faster!"
"Wow!" Tang Bohu exclaimed, "This is incredible! I must see it for myself!"
Li Huan reminded him, "Once we arrive at Huafu, you must change your name and can no longer call yourself Tang Bohu."
Tang Bohu laughed and said, "Brother Li, please give me a new name!"
Li Huan said, "We're going to work as cooks at the Hua family mansion. Since you want to pursue Qiu Xiang, why don't you change your surname to Hua and win Madam Hua's favor?"
Tang Bohu said, "No problem at all. My surname is Hua. What's my name?"
Li Huan said, "The character 'Hua' is pronounced the same as the 'Hua' in 'calligraphy and painting.' Since you are a highly skilled painter, why not call yourself Hua Sheng?"
"Hua Sheng?" Tang Bohu murmured, "Hua Sheng, the 'Sage of Painting'! I dare not accept such a title! I am unworthy of it!"
Li Huan said, "You're quite humble, not arrogant at all! How about this, you'll be called 'Hua An,' the 'An' in 'peace'!"
"Hua An!" Tang Bohu murmured again, "Hua An means 'peace and safety in the Hua family.' Not bad, not bad, this is a good name. Madam Hua and Qiu Xiang will definitely like it!"
Li Huan said, "Once we arrive at the Hua Mansion, do not approach Qiu Xiang for the time being, lest you reveal a flaw!"
Tang Bohu said, "I understand. Haste makes waste, and you can't rush things!"
Li Huan said, "You misunderstood. I told you not to get close to Qiu Xiang not because I was afraid you would be too hasty, but because I was using a 'feigned indifference' tactic!"
Tang Bohu was taken aback: "Playing hard to get? What do you mean?"
Li Huan said, "Qiu Xiang is no ordinary maid. She is well-read, talented, and has high standards. If you pursue her rashly, she will definitely feel repulsed!"
"Therefore, you should stay in the Hua Mansion and wait for the right opportunity to approach Qiu Xiang and win her favor."
After listening, Tang Bohu sincerely said, "Brother Li, not only are your cooking skills superb, but your ability to woo women is also first-rate! I will definitely remember your words and play hard to get. I won't rush to pursue Qiu Xiang!"
He was unaware that the man Qiu Xiang admired was none other than Tang Bohu.
As they were talking, the electric tricycle arrived at the gates of Washington, D.C.
Li Huan stopped the car and honked the horn.
Soon, the gates of the mansion opened, and a servant walked out, looking around curiously.
Li Huan said, "Quickly go and inform Madam Hua that I'm coming to the Hua residence to be the head chef!"
The servant hurriedly asked, "Who are you?"
Li Huan replied, "Li Huan, the one who sells boxed lunches at a street stall!"
A short while later, a servant and a woman walked out of the gate.
This woman was slender, heavily made up, and exuded a lewd air.
"Sister Pomegranate!" Li Huan blurted out.
That's right, it's Yuen Qiu-dan playing Sister Pomegranate!
Sister Pomegranate asked in surprise, "You know me?"
Li Huan said, "Sister Pomegranate is stunningly beautiful and captivating to all. Who doesn't know her?"
Sister Pomegranate was overjoyed, smiling from ear to ear, and flirting with Li Huan.
“I had already heard from Chunxiang and Xiaxiang that you set up a stall selling boxed lunches near the temple. Madam Hua ate the boxed lunches and praised them highly, and invited you to join the Hua family as a chef.”
Li Huan said, "After careful consideration, I have decided to go to the Hua Mansion to cook delicious food for the Grand Tutor and his wife!"
Sister Pomegranate smiled charmingly: "You've come to the right place. Please come with me into the mansion and pay your respects to the Madam."
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