?

  Parting with Abu at the North Gate, they agreed to meet again tomorrow afternoon at Zhou's residence to discuss the specifics of opening a clothing store. After returning home, Zhou Xuan was informed by a servant that Rui Chu, the young lady from "Miao Yin Lou", had been waiting for him for an entire afternoon.

  Zhou Xuan smiled in his heart and thought: "Look at her paying respects with such sincerity, forget it, I'll accept her as a disciple."

  Zhen Needle spoke with Hua Chu in the side hall, and this Hua Chu still had eyebrows like black cicadas, lips like a black abacus, her face was pasted like a ghost mask, and the rouge on her cheekbones was extremely thick, truly both beautiful and ugly.

  Rui Chu saw Zhou Xuan enter and quickly stood up, making a deep bow: "Greetings, Master. Rui Chu has been waiting for you for a long time."

  "Ah, husband," said Zhenzhen with a smile, "this Miss Rui Chu's great-grandmother was once a palace maid in the Shangyang Palace, and her dowry was passed down from her great-grandmother."

  Zhou Xuan pulled the needle aside and asked, "Needle, don't you think her makeup looks good?"

  Zhen Zhen said: "Yes, Zhen still wants to learn from her about Yuanyang and Sheng makeup."

  "Ah!" Zhou Xuan hastily stopped: "Zhen'er, I'm telling you, if you draw her in that ghostly manner, I won't like it."

  The needle was originally full of enthusiasm, but was suddenly drenched with a basin of cold water by Zhou Xuan, and responded dejectedly: "I know, husband."

  Zhou Xuan scratched her nose and smiled: "Not happy? Wait for me to tell you something later, I'll make sure you're thrilled to death."

  On the other side, Cui Chu had already asked an old servant with a head of white hair to present the gift for becoming a master, and invited Zhou Xuan to sit down. She herself knelt on the ground and said: "My master is above, please accept your student's three bows."

  Zhou Xuan took a look at the gifts, which included cured meat, a bundle of silk, a jug of wine, and a small ebony desk. He smiled and said, "Get up, Master has led you to the door, but cultivation depends on oneself. It's just the beginning, let's make an effort."

  Nan Xun got up and respectfully said: "I remember the teachings of my teacher." Then she bowed to the needlework teacher and asked: "Is there another teacher?"

  "Sir, the younger sister of Que Er is not feeling well and has returned from the doctor's office early to rest in her room. Shall I call her?"

  Zhou Xuan knew he had been too reckless last night and said, "Never mind, I'll wait and see her - Rui Chu, she has already paid homage to the master, you can go back now."

  "Ah!" Jingchu opened a pair of eyes with blue eyeliner and said: "Since the student has been listed on the wall of our school, he naturally needs to follow me around. When I read at night, the student can also grind ink and spread paper, / Green Xiao Shuo Wang."

  Zhou Xuan's eyes widened in shock, and he thought to himself: "Did I just take in a female student or marry a young concubine? With your appearance, you'd be more suited to the 'Green Ghost Story' website. Suddenly turning around, it's like a fierce ghost devouring people - even the 'Liaozhai' doesn't have such a frightening female ghost!" He said: "This... this... Rui Chu young lady..."

  "Please address me directly by name."

  "Ah, Nui Cho, I have something to attend to tonight and can't teach you. I'll record some of my old works for you to study and appreciate in the next two days, so come back then. Don't come every day, it will affect your performance at 'Miao Yin Lou'."

  The flower bud withered and fell off quietly.

  Zhou Xuan and Zhēn Zhēn returned to the inner room to see Qin Que, they still had a short distance to go, Zhēn Zhēn asked: "Husband wants to talk to Zhēn about what?"

  "Secret, I won't tell you for now, haha. By the way, is my little Nei done yet? And what about your Que'er?"

  "The needle blushed and replied: 'It's all done, washed once, and dried.'"

  "Great, everyone has to wear it inside, no one is allowed not to wear it."

  The needle says: "If the sparrow's sister wears me, I will wear too."

  "Hey," Zhou Xuan laughed, "all of them must be worn, not one can be missing, I'll supervise."

  As soon as she heard that her husband was going to supervise, her face turned even redder and she walked quickly, afraid that Zhou Xuan would supervise her getting dressed right now.

  Two people entered Qin Xiao's room, Qin Xiao leaned on the bed reading a book, Xiao Huixiang and Xiao Mei sat on the low stool in front of the bed, the sky had darkened, and the lamp had already been lit.

  Zhou Xuan walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed, gently patting Qin Que's pale hand, knowingly asking: "Que'er, what's wrong with you? Didn't you get tired from moving yesterday?"

  Qin Que lowered her eyelids and looked inward, saying: "Mm, a bit tired, husband doesn't need to worry."

  "Get a good rest tonight, I won't let anyone disturb you."

  Qin Que's heart was filled with joy and her pale face flushed with a hint of red: "Thank you, husband, for your concern."

  This subtle secret that only you and I know makes Qin Que's heart feel joyful, really wanting to sleep with Fu Jun at night.

  Zhou Xuan had the servant woman deliver dinner to Qin Que's room, so as to avoid Qin Que having to move around. He and Zhen Shu went to have dinner with his father-in-law and mother-in-law together.

  Madam Qin was worried about the congratulatory gifts for her new home sent by officials from Jiangzhou yesterday, which filled up two large rooms.

  "Tomorrow, you can personally bring a few maids and servant girls to slowly sort things out. You can put aside the items that can be stored for a long time first, and deal with those that cannot be stored for a long time. There's no need to rush, taking ten days or half a month is fine."

  Madam Qin was delighted and felt that her old age had some value.

  As the hour was approaching, Zhou Xuan and the two old men said a word, and then took Lai Fu and Ding De Sheng to walk to Du Hu's mansion. Tonight is the first lesson of learning tea ceremony from Jing Yi Xian Zi, he also prepared a gift for Jing Yi Xian Zi, which is not salted meat, wine and small desk, but a beautifully embroidered flower and bird brocade with needle and thread, it was made before, extremely delicate, and two ancient bronze vases with double ears, the vase holds water and inserts flowers, Lai Fu carefully held them.

  Arriving at the west gate of Du Hu Fu, I saw Lin Huan Yun and a little maid holding a lantern waiting at the door. "Zhou Xuan, why are you late? We've been waiting for you for a while."

  Zhou Xuan said: "I'm a bit late in preparing the gift for Master Dao Yun's sister."

  "What's with the master gift?" Lin Hanyun glanced at Lai Fu, who was holding two old copper bottles in his arms, and said disdainfully: "You're just using these two bottles to fool my sister, you're really stingy. The 'Warm Smile' jade pendant my sister gave you last time is worth at least a hundred pairs of such bottles!"

  "You don't understand, I'm too lazy to tell you, but I can guarantee that Dàoyùn sister will definitely be delighted when she sees it."

  Zhou Xuan let Lai Fu and Ding De Sheng sit in the gatehouse to wait, he personally carried two copper bottles to "Jiu Nan Shan Fang", that piece of flower and bird brocade was rolled up into a scroll and stuffed into his bosom.

  On the way, Zhou Xuan told Lin Hanyin about the "unbeatable" battle of Zhang Huo three days later. Lin Hanyin was overjoyed and said: "Great! I also want to come and watch the battle. You can pick me up at that time."

  Zhou Xuan said: "You let Lao Dong protect you to come to Old Crane Pond, why do I need to come and pick you up? I'm busy!"

  "Sister is being too strict with me now, she won't let me go out!"

  Zhou Xuan burst out laughing.

  "What are you laughing at, you schadenfreude guy!" Lin Hanyun pinched his waist from behind.

  Zhou Xuan said: "What's the use of me coming to pick you up, Dao Yun sister won't let you out. You can't watch the insect fight on the 19th, what a pity! 'Mo Bu De' is very powerful, maybe he can win against Zhang Fei, this insect fight is the largest and most bettable in the history of our 'Super Autumn War Hall', it's really a pity for Lin Vice President."

  Lin Han Yun was teased by Zhou Xuan, and she quickly said: "Zhou Xuan, you must come to pick me up. If you come to pick me up, my sister should agree to let me go out."

  Zhou Xuan teased her saying: "Why did I come to pick you up, asking for trouble, you always stir up trouble and can't even get out."

  Lin Han Yun's voice trailed off: "You——"

  Zhou Xuan quickly followed the little maid carrying a lantern, guarding against Lin Hanyu's beating.

  Unexpectedly, Lin Han Yun didn't rush up and pinch him again, but instead changed her tone and said in a coquettish voice: "Zhou Xuan Gege, I'm your sister, how can you be so heartless to your own sister?"

  "Wow!" Zhou Xuan exclaimed: "Vice President Lin, pinch me, twist me, just don't talk to me like that again, all 36,000 hairs on my body are standing up!"

  Lin Han Yun wanted to pretend to be a gentle and lovely little sister, but didn't expect Zhou Xuan to say this about her. "Hmph" she snorted, revealing her true nature, and fiercely asked: "Then do you want to come pick me up?"

  "I'll consider it."

  "Think about it! If you don't come to pick me up by midnight, I'll sneak out and cause a big commotion at the 'Super Autumn War Hall', no one will be able to play!"

  Zhou Xuan said with a scowl: "You're ruthless!" Then he burst out laughing and said: "I was just kidding, how could such an important insect battle not have Vice President Lin participating? On the 19th, I'll come to pick you up myself early in the morning."

  Lin Han said: "Yeah, this is about right."

  Arriving at the elegant and serene "Jiunan Mountain House", a solitary flute is mournfully playing, its melody desolate, making the bright moon in the sky on August 16th appear even more round.

  "Sister, Zhou Xuan has arrived."

  The zither's sound stopped abruptly, and the elegant fairy with a high bun and large sleeves walked out of the small building's lamp shadow.

  Zhou Xuan hurriedly stepped forward a few steps, slightly bowing his head: "Dào Yùn sister, I've come to pay my respects and learn the art of tea from you."

  Jing Yi Xianzi still wore a thin veil to cover her face. Upon hearing the title "Dao Yun sister", the thin veil trembled again, and she hesitated for a moment before saying: "Xuan brother, please come in."

  After entering the tea room and sitting down, Zhou Xuan placed two copper bottles on the black ebony tea table in front of him, then took out a small pair of scissors and began to clip the flower branches.

  Lin Han said with a smile: "Sister, Zhou Xuan is really funny. He brought two old bottles and said they were his master's gift to you, saying that you would definitely like them."

  Jingyi Xianzi didn't speak, gazing at Zhou Xuan's movements as he trimmed the branches and leaves. "I never thought that Master Zhou would be so skilled in the art of penjing, it really opens my eyes."