Chapter 194 Becoming an Apprentice (Second Update)
"But aren't you going to take the imperial examination? Where will you find so much time to teach me? Don't you want to do well on the exam?" Little Jingkong wasn't so easily persuaded.
These words struck a chord with Gu Jiao. Right now, the most important thing in the family is the imperial examination next month. Whether she can become a successful candidate depends entirely on Xiao Liulang's performance.
Xiao Liulang: I knew you'd say that.
Xiao Liulang said seriously, "It's not me who's teaching you, it's your great-uncle who's teaching you. Your great-uncle can do it too."
Xiao Jingkong slumped lifelessly in the chair.
The following day, Xiao Liulang led Gu Xiaoshun and Gu Yan to become apprentices.
The apprenticeship process went smoothly, and the other party did not ask for an expensive gift, accepting the two apprentices very kindly.
My master's surname is Lu. He is a man with a square face. He is almost fifty years old, but looks less than forty.
Gu Xiaoshun scratched his head and asked Gu Yan in a low voice, "Gu Yan, have you ever heard of Master's name before?"
Gu Yan shook his head: "No, I've only heard of Lu Yuan."
"Who is Lu Yuan?" Gu Xiaoshun asked. He was a country bumpkin who knew nothing about the capital.
Gu Yan patiently explained, "A master! He's incredibly powerful! Although our master also shares the surname Lu, he certainly has no connection to that master."
Master Lu was the most famous craftsman in Zhao Kingdom. He even made the emperor's dragon throne and dragon bed, which shows how important he was in Zhao Kingdom.
There are rumors that the swallows carved by Master Lu can fly, the fish carved by Master Lu can swim, and some even say that Master Lu once carved a beautiful woman who came to life and became Master Lu's wife.
There are so many rumors about Master Lu that you could talk about them for three days and three nights straight.
However, this Master Lu had a capricious and eccentric temper. Once, he offended His Majesty and was almost sentenced to death.
After that, Master Lu went into seclusion and stopped taking on business with the imperial court.
Some people say that Master Lu changed his name and moved to another place to continue working as a carpenter. Nowadays, there are many people on the market who boast that they are selling Master Lu's works.
As the two were talking in the courtyard, a woman dressed in a simple cloth dress came out carrying a basket of pickled vegetables.
Judging by her figure alone, this woman could be described as graceful and elegant, but when they saw her face... both of them were somewhat taken aback.
It was a disfigured face.
Unlike Gu Jiao's smooth birthmark, this face was covered in crisscrossing scars, making it hideous and terrifying; anyone with a weak heart would run away on the spot.
The two of them remained still, neither of them staring at each other for an extended period of time.
Gu Jiao is often looked down upon because of her disfigured appearance, but Gu Yan and Gu Xiaoshun would never treat others that way.
"Who are you?" Gu Yan asked.
His eyes were clear, without a trace of fear or disdain.
The woman smiled.
An ordinary person's smile can be heartwarming, but not hers. When she smiles, all the scars on her face come to life, making them look even more grotesque and terrifying.
She said, "You must be his new disciples? I am your master's wife."
It turns out she was the master's wife.
Seeing that she didn't seem to be lying, the two men bowed to him and said, "Master's wife."
The woman neither agreed nor disagreed, but simply smiled faintly, placed a basket of pickled vegetables on the rack to dry, and then turned and went into the house.
Gu Yan became increasingly certain that the craftsman surnamed Lu was not Master Lu.
Master Lu's wife is a great beauty; everyone who has seen her is captivated by her beauty.
His aunt, Consort Shu, was considered one of the most beautiful women in the palace, but it is said that she would pale in comparison to Master Lu's wife.
Gu Yan and Gu Xiaoshun waited in the courtyard for a while before Xiao Liulang and Master Lu came out.
"I'm entrusting the two children to you," Xiao Liulang said, bowing slightly to Master Lu.
Master Lu returned the greeting slightly: "Young Master Xiao, you're too kind. I need to accompany my wife on a trip for the next two days, and I'll have them come back for lessons in three days."
"Alright." Xiao Liulang agreed, then had Gu Xiaoshun and Gu Yan say goodbye to Master Lu before getting into the carriage and leaving.
After the three left, Master Lu was about to go back to his room when he saw his wife, Nanxiang, come out from inside the room by lifting the curtain.
"It's windy, why did you come out?" Master Lu stepped forward and took his wife's arm with concern.
Nanxiang watched the carriage gradually disappear at the end of the alley and asked him, "Why did you suddenly agree to take on a disciple? Didn't you hate being a master?"
"Sigh." Master Lu sighed. "That boy named Xiao Liulang is Master Feng's apprentice. I owed Master Feng a favor back then, and this is just to repay it."
"Master Feng has taken on a disciple?" Nan Xiang scoffed. "That old fogey doesn't even respect the great scholar Zhuang, yet he's taken a liking to a lame child?"
The Zhuang Daru she mentioned was Zhuang Xianzhi, the fourth master of the Zhuang family. He was recently appointed as the governor of Youzhou and is one of the top Confucian scholars in Zhao Kingdom.
Zhuang Xianzhi always respected Master Feng and hoped to inherit his mantle. Unfortunately, Master Feng did not accept him as a disciple for some unknown reason.
“I think that lad is quite good,” Master Lu said. “He doesn’t seem like an ordinary country boy.”
"Could someone who has caught Elder Feng's eye be a simple person?" Nan Xiang smiled faintly, shifting the topic away from Xiao Liulang. "Isn't it too much of a price to gain two more disciples for just one favor?"
Master Lu said, "It's nothing, it's nothing. If it weren't for Elder Feng's help, I'm afraid I would never have met you in my life. Elder Feng is our matchmaker, and I must repay this favor properly no matter what."
Nanxiang was amused.
She was somewhat worried that her smile would be too terrifying in front of outsiders, but she had no such concerns in front of her husband.
After she finished laughing, she took her husband's hand and said, "I like those two children; they're much better than the ones that came before."
Gu Xiaoshun and Gu Yan were not the first two to come and ask to become apprentices. Countless others had come before them, including many talented ones, but Nanxiang did not like any of them.
Whenever she appeared, people would act as if they had seen a ghost; some were even so frightened that they wet themselves on the spot.
"As long as Xiang'er is happy." He doesn't consider aptitude when accepting apprentices; it's all based on his wife's preference. Even if they're fools, he'll accept them. And speaking of which, that rather handsome young man named Gu Yan seems to be quite a simpleton.
“Teach them well,” Nan Xiang said. “Don’t try to fool them.”
Master Lu cleared his throat: "I know, Madam."
Don't be fooled by his quick agreement; he actually knew what he was doing. Carpentry is hard, tiring, and tedious work, and most people can't stick with it for more than a few days, or at most three months. He was sure that the two kids would come begging him to quit.
When Xiao Liulang and the other two returned to Bishui Hutong, they could hear a commotion coming from the courtyard. It turned out that Feng Lin and Lin Chengye had arrived.
Accompanying the two was an acquaintance they had met in Pingcheng—Du Ruohan.
Since returning to Beijing, Du Ruohan has been kept at home by his uncle to study, and he wasn't even allowed to leave for the New Year. It was only in the last few days that his aunt pleaded with his uncle that Zhuang Xianzhi granted him a day off.
Du Ruohan had already found out that Feng Lin and Xiao Liulang were studying at the Imperial Academy. He wasn't familiar with Lin Chengye and hadn't deliberately inquired about him. It was only today, when he went to the Imperial Academy to find Feng Lin, that he ran into him.
According to Du Ruohan, since the two of them had finally come to the capital, he would treat them to a hearty meal at Zuixianju, the most famous restaurant in the capital, and then rent a painted boat and go boating on the lake at night. It couldn't be more carefree!
However, Feng Lin and Lin Chengye were both thinking about Xiao Liulang and Jiao Niang, especially Jiao Niang. They missed her very much and wanted to come and see her, so Du Ruohan was also dragged over by the two of them.
Xiao Liulang had no feelings for Du Ruohan, but Gu Yan and Gu Xiaoshun were very curious about the guest in their home.
"Jiao Niang's younger brother." Feng Lin introduced Gu Yan and Gu Xiaoshun to Du Ruohan, and then introduced Du Ruohan to Gu Yan and Gu Xiaoshun. "He is my childhood playmate with your brother-in-law. You can call him Brother Du."
Xiao Liulang: You really don't consider yourself an outsider.
Gu Yan and Gu Xiaoshun greeted the guests.
Gu Jiao went to buy groceries, and not long after the three of them returned, she also entered the yard.
She immediately noticed that there was an extra guest in the courtyard.
The guests had obviously noticed her as well.
Just as Xiao Liulang was about to introduce them, he heard Feng Lin excitedly run over and say, "Jiaoniang is back! What did you buy that's so heavy? I told you not to buy so many vegetables! Xiao Chengzi, hurry, hurry, hurry!"
Lin Chengye quickly came over and snatched the things from Gu Jiao's hands.
Feng Lin said to Du Ruohan, "This is Jiao Niang!" Then he said to Gu Jiao, "Jiao Niang, he was my and Liu Lang's neighbor when we were little. The three of us grew up together. His name is Du Ruohan, you can call him Little Belly! His aunt married into the capital, so now he can be considered half a capital resident. He'll be taking the imperial examination with us next month!"
Xiao Liulang's eyes were icy: "You become so talkative when you're with Jiaojiao! And who exactly is the master of this house?"
Du Ruohan wasn't as familiar with Xiao Liulang as he was with Feng Lin. Firstly, he had known Feng Lin for a longer period of time since childhood. Secondly, he always felt that this Xiao Liulang was not the same Xiao Liulang he knew from childhood.
In short, it's quite unfamiliar.
However, Xiao Liulang's family members are quite easy to get along with.
Especially Aunt Xiao Liulang.
The story begins with Du Ruohan's visit. He is a rational person, and although Feng Lin told him not to be too formal, he still brought some things with him.
One of the boxes contained roasted chestnuts, which delighted the old lady so much that she called out to it with great relish.
The old lady no longer keeps her stock at home, as it's easy for Xiao Jingkong to complain about it; she keeps it with the old priest.
The old lady thought the young man was very sensible and decided to take him flying.
"Want to play a round?" The old lady took out the leaf cards that Gu Changqing had given her. The new leaf cards felt particularly comfortable to the touch, and the old lady loved them.
Du Ruohan knew about the leaf cards, but his uncle usually forbade him to play them at home.
Feng Lin doesn't know how to play, but Lin Chengye does.
The old lady called Gu Xiaoshun over.
Gu Xiaoshun, the old lady, Du Ruohan, and Lin Chengye put together a table of leaf cards.
Du Ruohan is a novice driver.
As it turns out, not every novice has the same luck as Gu Changqing. After one game of cards, Du Ruohan lost everything except her underwear.
The old lady liked him even more!
Young man, you have a bright future ahead of you!
Around lunchtime, more people came to our house.
"I'll go open it! I'll go open it!" Little Jingkong pattered as he went to open the door. He peeked his little head through the crack and blinked at the person who came in. "Who are you looking for?"
The man said, "I'm looking for Xiao Liulang."
"Oh." Xiao Jingkong was disappointed.
Why didn't anyone come looking for him?
He's no longer a child without friends!
Xiao Jingkong slowly went to the study and called Xiao Liulang.
Xiao Liulang went to the door and looked at the man with a goatee in front of him. The man had a friendly and shrewd appearance, was well-dressed, and behaved with propriety.
But Xiao Liulang didn't recognize him: "You are—"
The man cupped his hands in greeting: "My surname is Wang. Young Master Xiao, you may call me Wang Yun. I have long admired Young Master Xiao's name. I have come to pay my respects today. May I ask if you may come inside to speak with me?"
Xiao Liulang glanced at him again and led him to his study.
Xiao Jingkong was also in his study, doing his homework.
Xiao Liulang said to him, "Rest for a while, then continue writing later."
Xiao Jingkong looked at him suspiciously: "Why are you suddenly being so kind?"
Xiao Liulang: "Jiaojiao made something delicious."
Xiao Jingkong disappeared in a flash!
Wang Yun chuckled: "Is he Young Master Xiao's younger brother? He's truly adorable."
Is Yu Xue cute? That's just an appearance. He's actually a genuinely mischievous and maddening little monk.
Xiao Liulang refrained from criticizing the little monk in front of outsiders. Instead, he asked calmly, "May I ask what brings Master Wang here?"
Wang Yun was taken aback by Xiao Liulang's directness and said with a smile, "I have come to your door today to discuss an important matter with you, Young Master Xiao."
Xiao Liulang: "About the imperial examinations?"
Wang Yun was surprised again, and laughed, "Young Master Xiao is indeed clever, he even guessed this."
Many people have been coming to see Xiao Liulang recently, all about the imperial examinations. However, most of them go to the Imperial Academy, and only Wang Yun has come to his door.
Xiao Liulang stated frankly, "I don't have the energy to tutor others, nor do I have the energy to predict exam questions and write essays."
Those who came to Xiao Liulang were of two kinds: one was those who earnestly sought his guidance, like Lin Chengye and Feng Lin; the other was those who asked the tutors to predict the exam questions and then asked Xiao Liulang to write essays based on those questions to sell to them.
Xiao Liulang rejected them all.
Wang Yun lowered his eyes and chuckled, dusting off his wide sleeves. He said, "I'm not here to ask Young Master Xiao to tutor my young master, nor am I here to buy Young Master Xiao's writings. I want to ask Young Master Xiao—"
He uttered the last two words.
(End of this chapter)
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