Chapter 35 Unexpected Clues
Zhao Duan followed Zhu'er and went to the back house.
It wasn't until he walked away that the stagnant air in the room began to circulate again.
"Wow!" The remaining drinkers stood up one after another, and the clinking of cups and plates was extremely unexpected.
“To be honest…”
"Hiss... What kind of poetry did that Young Master Zhao write? He actually defeated Li Caizi..."
"Hiding his true talent, could it be that he was drinking quietly and not showing off his talent before, and that he was just too lazy to fight with us, so he decided to make the final decision at the last moment?"
Regular customers started to use their imaginations to try to justify Xiaoya's choice.
A newcomer said angrily:
"There must be something fishy going on. I never thought the owner of this place would judge people by appearance!"
Upon hearing this, the regular customers nearby turned their guns and came to Xiaoya's defense, most of them saying:
Miss Xiaoya is definitely not a shallow person, and Master Zhao must be a very talented person.
At this time, the benefits of personal image management are reflected. Xiaoya has already established a reputation of "only focusing on talent".
Therefore, when such things happen occasionally, there will be fans to defend them.
"Brother, you are close to that person, so tell me, what kind of shocking poem is it?" The newcomer who was being criticized was furious and came to Dong Shusheng to ask.
At once, the others looked over as well.
Even Mr. Li, who looked grim, tried to maintain his composure and bowed, asking:
"Brother, could you tell me a thing or two? That way I can understand why I lost."
Dong Shusheng was silent for a moment, then slowly stood up, dusted off his robe, looked around at everyone, and said:
"Mr. Zhao's poems are thought-provoking. You don't need to ask me in detail. I am far inferior to him!"
After saying that, he turned around and left without any reluctance.
Only a group of guests were left looking at each other in confusion.
At this moment, Dong Shusheng had a sudden realization and his infatuation with Xiaoya disappeared.
The so-called "only looking at talent" is ultimately just a personality setting, Dong Shusheng laughed at himself.
Yes, if she was truly a talented and outstanding woman, how could she lower herself and actively curry favor with these "patrons"?
"Brother Zhao's words awakened me from my dream. He is truly my teacher."
Dong Shusheng walked in the night, feeling that the principles he had learned from years of hard study were not as profound as Zhao Duan's words.
He walked out of the alley and walked two blocks, only to see a luxurious carriage parked there. Two capable servants bowed their heads.
"Young Master!"
Dong Shusheng said "hmm", and his original reserved and ordinary demeanor was replaced by the nobility of a child from a wealthy family.
He entered the carriage, changed into a robe of fine workmanship, a jade pendant that was worth a fortune, and said:
"Go back home."
A trusted servant noticed that his mood was not right and said thoughtfully:
"Master, she's just a 'talented woman'. If you want her, just order someone to summon her. How dare she disobey? Why do you have to do this..."
Dong Shusheng waved his hand and suddenly said:
"Do you know any wealthy families with the surname Zhao in the capital?"
Halfway through his speech, he closed his mouth again, shook his head and smiled:
"Okay, it's okay."
The friendship between gentlemen is as light as water. Why do we need to know each other when we meet?
Since Brother Zhao is also a powerful figure in the Beijing circle, the two will have the opportunity to meet again sooner or later.
The two servants looked at each other, feeling that the young master, who was always scolded by the eldest master as "reading too much and becoming stupid", was a little different.
…
…
Back house.
As soon as Zhao Duan stepped in, he saw Xiaoya waiting under the porch.
Seeing him coming, he hurriedly bowed and saluted:
"Xiaoya was unaware of the envoy's arrival. I am truly rude. I hope you will forgive me."
Obviously, given Zhao Duan's bad reputation in Beijing, the other party knew him.
As for whether it was an impersonation, Xiaoya did not doubt it. Firstly, she felt that no one would dare to be so bold as to impersonate Zhao Duan.
Secondly, the appearance of the man in front of him matched the rumors and was difficult to fake.
At this moment, the extent of her leaning forward was particularly exaggerated, and the veil on her chest had been taken off at some point, revealing its dazzling whiteness.
Zhao Duan looked calm. He ignored her and went straight into the house.
Warm fragrance filled the air, the floor was covered with silk lichen, the room was elegantly decorated, and a screen separated the bed from the small hall.
"Do you want to change your shoes?" I asked out of habit from my previous life.
"Ah? No, of course not." Xiaoya was stunned and said hurriedly.
Then he drove away the maid and served tea and water himself.
Zhao Duan happily sat down at the low table in the hall. Looking at Xiaoya, who had just been busy with her pretentious tone and looked like a hard-to-pick peony, he couldn't help but ask with a smile:
"Don't be so nervous. Sit down too. Is my reputation really that scary?"
What do you think... Xiaoya complained in her heart, but she didn't dare show it on her face. She sat opposite him quietly, looking angry and resentful:
"Don't scare me, sir."
"Haha," Zhao Duan was a master at acting, and he was very adept at playing the villain.
"I've heard that there's a wonderful beauty in Qinglian Lodge. Seeing her today, I'm sure she's extraordinary."
"You are joking, my lord. I am not famous at all."
The two exchanged pleasantries and joked for a while, and the atmosphere eased a little.
Seeing that the person in front of her was not angry, Xiaoya felt relieved.
Observing him closely, I couldn't help but admire him. No wonder he was favored by the empress of the time. Just based on his looks, he is indeed handsome.
When she thought about the day when she would become a "sister" with the Empress, she felt a little excited.
Zhao Duan saw that his expression had eased, and slowly got to the point:
"My appearance here today doesn't seem surprising to you, young lady?"
The surprise here does not refer to his arrival, but the fact that he, as the "Empress's male favorite", would actually appear in a private club.
Xiaoya's eyes were full of beauty, and she pursed her thin, plump lips and smiled:
"I have also entertained some guests. Those who have a tigress at home especially like to seek pleasure outside."
After saying that, he gave her a look that said "I understand".
Good guy... I understand it all now... You are a henpecked husband with a strong wife at home. You suffer at home, so you like to find women outside to show off your power, right... Zhao Duan complained in his heart.
Xiaoya was able to make Qinglian Cottage Club famous by herself, which shows her real ability.
"Oh, if it gets out that you slander the emperor like this, you will be charged with a capital crime." Zhao Duan said with a smile.
Xiaoya pretended to be frightened and begged for mercy. I controlled my emotions just right and thought he was just playing around.
As expected, Zhao Duan was not annoyed and just smiled and passed it off.
After eating a piece of fruit, he said:
"Speaking of which, if I were to intercept him like this, that talented scholar Li from the Imperial College would probably be pissed. Aren't you afraid of him? I heard that he's in contact with people like Zhang Changshuo and Han Zhou..."
Xiaoya has a strong desire to survive:
"What a talented Li, how can he compare to the face of the envoy?"
After a pause, he said aggrievedly:
"As for him blaming me for this, wouldn't that mean he's dissatisfied with the envoy? I don't think he would dare to do that."
Good man... You have such a great grasp on men's psychology... Zhao Duan gave a thumbs up and was about to use this topic to lead the conversation to the Zhang brothers.
Then Xiaoya continued:
"Besides, I don't care about him. I also know Zhang Changshuo and Zhang Shijun, the people he's trying to get close to."
? ?
Two question marks appeared above Zhao Duan's head. He sensed the elements and said casually:
"How did Zhang Changshuo get to know you?"
The intelligence only mentioned that Zhang Changji was a frequent visitor here.
Xiaoya said, "Envoy Zhang is just like you, my Lord. He often comes to visit me. Actually, it was Captain Zhang, his brother, who recommended him here."
etc……
Zhao Duan felt a little confused.
Therefore, Zhang Changji, the soldier, came to Qinglian Cottage first, and then as an "old member", he recommended his brother to become a "new member".
Is the atmosphere in Dayu so exaggerated?
I knew it... That hypocrite Zhang Changshuo divorced his wife two years ago and hasn't remarried. To please the Empress, he never visits brothels, and even when attending a serious literary gathering, he won't stay overnight...
Such self-discipline is really inconsistent with his villain nature...
Now it makes sense. Although Zhang Changshuo appears to be uninterested in women, he is actually very busy behind the scenes.
"Hey, come to think of it, weren't you recommended by Envoy Zhang?" Xiaoya realized it later and asked curiously.
Thanks to my old book friend He Ren for playing my Changhe Yin for the 5,000-coin reward!
(End of this chapter)
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