《Rebirth: First Rank Wife》


 C1 Blood Night

    Blood, blood all over the ground. In the dark night, the pungent smell of blood.


    A young man dressed in a red embroidered robe stepped into the Zuo''s Mansion s gate, the soles of his shoes leaving behind a trail of blood marks on the stone floor.


    The blade rose and fell, and everyone who appeared in his line of sight died under the three foot blade of ice.


    His eyes were red, his skin was pale, and his lips were an abnormal purple. He looked like an evil spirit, but he was also like a mindless puppet.


    "Ah ¡­" A flustered old woman charged forward, her legs going limp from the fright. "Putong!" She kneeled on the bluestone path and kowtowed while begging for mercy. "I shall spare my life, I shall spare my life ¡­"


    The red-clothed man lowered his head to look at her. The long blade was pointed at her head. His eyes were as cold as a demon''s.


    "You deserve to die too!"


    The old woman''s entire body was trembling as she slowly raised her head. Under the dim light, she was able to clearly see the appearance of the approaching person. Her pupils constricted and a wave of pain passed through her neck. "Lord Third ¡­" He then silently fell to the ground.


    In the Zuo''s Mansion hall, what used to be a happy and harmonious feast was now completely silent. Only the slow and steady sound of footsteps could be heard approaching bit by bit.


    The red-clothed man kicked open the door. Immediately, a gust of cold wind blew in, causing one to unconsciously shiver.


    When everyone saw the young man standing at the door with their long hair fluttering in the wind, all of them froze in shock, their eyes filled with disbelief.


    "It''s you ¡­"


    "Shao Qing ¡­"


    "Lord Third ¡­"


    Zuo Shaoqing walked in with a long blade dripping with blood. His cold gaze swept across everyone''s face and he laughed hoarsely, "Everyone is here ¡­ "Very good!"


    Master Zuo was the first one to react, he slapped the table and stood up, pointed at the deranged young man and shouted: "You evil son! What are you doing? "


    "Hehe ¡­" "What do you think?" Zuo Shaoqing walked straight towards him with a mocking smile on his pale face, "When I was in hell, you guys were like heaven, I''m not willing!"


    He waved his long blade and a maid who wanted to slip away immediately got separated from him by the head. That horrible scene scared everyone to the point where they couldn''t help but scream.


    "Tonight ¡­ No one can even think of taking a step out of here! "


    "Son, do you know what you are doing? Do you want to kill your father and kill your mother? Those sitting here are all your blood relatives! Aren''t you afraid of being struck by lightning? "


    "Killing the father and murdering the mother?" Zuo Shaoqing laughed in a low voice, his handsome face contorted in a weird way, "So what?"


    He looked up, his sharp eyes meeting Zuo Yunwen''s furious gaze. He said in a flat tone, "Speaking of which, our relationship as father and son ended six years ago. As for the so-called mother, didn''t my mother die? "I don''t have any intention of taking a thief as my mother."


    "You ¡­"


    Zuo Shaoqing flicked his finger and pointed at Zuo Yunwen''s acupoint. He turned around and stared at the youth who was in the first position on the left side. The corner of his mouth slightly lifted, "Big Brother, I haven''t seen you for six years. How have you been?!"


    Zuo Shaoyan was much calmer than the others. His usual cold expression didn''t change much at this moment, but he said calmly, "Third brother, today is a family banquet. It''s great that you''re here. How about we sit down and have a drink together?"


    Zuo Shaoqing used the tip of his sword to lift Zuo Shaoyan''s chin and drew a bloody mark on his fair skin. He said sarcastically, "Haha, big brother is indeed a good official that everyone praises. Such mental fortitude ¡­" Tsk, tsk. I admire you, little brother, for not a single bit of shame was shown on your face when you personally sent me out. "


    He changed his tone and sinisterly said, "I''ve been waiting for this day for six years. If I didn''t want to see you guys again, would I have to endure six years of living a life worse than death?"


    "Third brother ¡­"


    "Shut up!" Zuo Shaoqing glared at him viciously. His eyes were like the devil''s, causing people to feel a chill in their hearts.


    "Ever since you were young, the person I trusted the most was you, Big Bro. I thought you were different from Zuo Family. As long as it is useful for you, you will not hesitate to send them out. See, today, only you direct descendants are sitting here, and you are the only ones who are above us, don''t you find it laughable or shameful to talk about kinship with me? "


    Stretching his sword forward, bright red blood flowed out. Zuo Shaoqing looked at the pair of eyes that had gone from calm to frightened and said in a good mood: "If it wasn''t for the fact that I don''t have much time left, I really don''t want you guys to die so easily!"


    Ignoring the screams, Zuo Shaoqing waved his sabre with extreme indifference, each slash carried the call of death. In a few moments, he had cut most of the people in the room, and finally pressed the sabre''s edge against the neck of his wife Mrs. Xue.


    "Mother, this is the last time I will call you mother. Your sons and daughters have all descended into the underworld. I think you must be in a hurry to find them, right?"


    "You ¡­ "You vile spawn, if I knew earlier, I would have killed you as well!"


    Zuo Shaoqing''s eyes gradually turned cold. His voice carried no warmth as he asked, "So you''re saying that my birth mother died by your hand?"


    "So what if I am? That slut actually dares to seduce the old master while I''m pregnant, and even has a hidden knot in her womb. Letting her live for so many years is already a blessing for her! "


    Zuo Shaoqing slapped her and shouted, "Do you think Zuo Yunwen is a steamed bun? Are all the women eager to climb into his bed? Back then, he was the one who forced my mother into this situation.


    "If it wasn''t for her ¡­"


    Zuo Shaoqing did not have the mood to continue listening. The Qi and blood in his body surged up, almost bursting out of his throat. He ended Mrs. Xue''s life with a single slash, then he walked up to Zuo Yunwen.


    After opening Zuo Yunwen''s acupoints, Zuo Shaoqing looked at his trembling legs and sneered, "Are you scared?"


    "I don''t know... "Your mother, she ¡­"


    "So what if you know?" Zuo Shaoqing interrupted him, "You will kill that wicked woman for my mother? Stop joking around, what does my mother count as? It''s just an aunt, I''m not that naive. "


    Zuo Yunwen closed his eyes, gritted his teeth and said, "It''s my fault towards your mother!"


    "It''s too late to say that now ¡­"


    Zuo Yunwen''s eyes were wide open and filled with fear. In his impression, this son was always timid and weak. Although he had advanced in his studies, he was still not as good as the eldest son whom he had taken a fancy to.


    After not seeing him for six years, that young man who kept his head down at that time had become so decisive and ruthless. Furthermore, he had practiced martial arts. Was this what fate meant when it came to making fun of people?


    In the past, when Mrs. Xue had suggested to trade him for the Zuo Family to become an official, he had hesitated for a few days before agreeing. His greatest wish in life was to allow his Zuo Family to soar to its peak, restoring the glory that her grandfather had at that time.


    Today, his eldest son had been promoted to a fifth-grade Assistant Minister of Revenue. He was still young and had a bright future ahead of him. He might be able to reach that step in the future.


    "It''s over ¡­"


    Zuo Shaoqing turned around and walked out of the parlour. He stood at the door until he heard the sound of a person falling on the ground.


    Thunder rumbled and a bolt of lightning struck Zuo Shaoqing in front of him. He was stunned as he muttered to himself, "Killing his father and murdering his mother, was it lightning striking in the sky? "If you want to hack, hack, hack ¡­"


    Zuo Shaoqingqiang endured the pain of his meridians reversing. Blood trickled out from the corner of his mouth as he walked forward with great difficulty.


    A blinding light fell from the sky and pierced Zuo Shaoqing''s Baihui point. The red figure slowly fell down and a smile of relief hung on the corner of his mouth.


    ?


    Gentle Reminder: 1. The Book of Rebirth, Ancient Style, Riding the Sky, 1V1, HE ~


    2. This is a growth-type Abyssal Black Demon ¨C Evil being, sinister and cunning, cruel and merciless. It has many shortcomings, and is unfilial and unloyal. It has everything (to the enemy, of course).


    3. No concubines, no male pet, no relatives to worry about NP, no love rival!


    After checking the character for the fourth time, he found out that it was polyphonic. This was the pronunciation for the word "yun".

 C2 Rebirth

    "Master ¡­" San Ye ¡­ "It''s time to wake up ¡­"


    Zuo Shaoqing''s eyelids twitched, and his consciousness gradually came back to him from the chaos. Someone was calling out to him softly in his ear. That voice was familiar and warm, but he couldn''t immediately remember who it was.


    Was he not dead? He remembered that he had been struck by lightning. The burning, spasmodic pain was still so clear. How could he still be alive?


    Why was he still alive? After killing everyone in Zuo Family with his own hands, he had already made preparations to go to hell with them. Perhaps, the entire family would be able to climb the mountain of blades together and get into the frying pan together.


    In these past six years, he had relied on his hatred to sustain his will to live. If not for the abnormal cultivation technique he had recklessly cultivated that caused his meridians to be retrograde, there wouldn''t be much time left. He could have waited for his Zuo Family to become more glorious and let them feel as if they had fallen from the clouds to hell.


    "Master San, if you don''t get up soon, it''ll be time to pay respects ¡­" That soft voice still echoed in his ears and gradually pulled Zuo Shaoqing back to reality.


    He opened his eyes and turned his head to stare at the person who spoke. His eyes were filled with bewilderment and shock.


    "Nanny Liu?" The moment Zuo Shaoqing opened his mouth, he noticed that something was wrong. His voice ¡­ How could his voice be clear and crisp like before?


    Most importantly, wasn''t this kind-looking woman the one who had taken care of him since she was young? But he remembered that when she was fourteen, Nanny Liu was kicked out of Zuo Family by that wicked woman.


    "Master, what happened to you?" Is there something wrong with it? " Nanny Liu observed Zuo Shaoqing''s abnormally white face nervously. She reached out her hand to touch his forehead and found that he didn''t have a fever, so she calmed down.


    Zuo Shaoqing held the rough hand and felt the warmth from it. Only then did he realize that he wasn''t dreaming.


    How could that be? Even if the lightning didn''t kill him, he shouldn''t be here, and judging from Nanny Liu''s age, it was impossible for her to be Tianfeng for seven years.


    Was he back in the past? Could it be that even the heavens thought that his crime of murdering his mother and father was unforgivable, and wanted him to live a lifetime to atone for his sins? Or perhaps she felt that he had been too stifled in his past life and wanted to give him another chance to start over?


    Heh, then he would rather drink Grandma Meng''s Soup and be reborn, forgetting everything about Zuo Shaoqing and that humiliating life.


    "Master, don''t stay in bed. Although Third Madame went, you still have to live well before she can leave in peace."


    A trace of haze flashed across Zuo Shaoqing''s eyes, and he asked in a hoarse voice: "Aunt ¡­" "He went?"


    His birth mother was Third Aunt from Zuo''s Mansion and had been doted on by Zuo Yunwen in the past. Thus, his birth mother''s life had been pretty good when she was still alive.


    He remembered that his birth mother had left when he was thirteen. After that, his position in the Zuo Family plummeted and the few loyal servants around him were chased away and killed by the wicked woman.


    "Master, this old servant knows that you''re sad, but it''s the truth that Aunt is gone. You can''t be muddleheaded anymore." Nanny Liu lectured sternly.


    Zuo Shaoqing thought for a moment and remembered that this was the case. Because of his mother''s death, he had been in a daze for several days. He hadn''t even taken a single step outside the courtyard.


    His father was indifferent to him, and the madame in the house had a bad expression when she saw her son. After his mother''s death, the family had become a repressed prison overnight, which made it hard for people to have a good impression of him.


    However, these were all events from his past life. No matter why he did not die, he would not be Zuo Shaoqing like he was seven years ago.


    "What time is it now?"


    "It''s almost time. If you don''t get up soon, it will be time for you to leave. Who knows what that person will plan for you this time."


    Zuo Shaoqing twitched his mouth. What else could he do? It was just some outdated old tricks, so Zuo Shaoqing disdained them in his heart. On the surface, he obediently replied: "I got it, change your clothes."


    Zuo Shaoqing was attended by Nanny Liu and put on a smoke-colored cotton robe. His mother had stitched this half-new robe herself. After this year, he wouldn''t be able to wear his mother''s clothes anymore.


    After cleaning himself up, Zuo Shaoqing first drank a bowl of porridge and walked out of the courtyard. The weather was still early in the winter, and there was a slight cold moisture in the air, making people''s minds clearer.


    He turned around and glanced at this clean and simple little courtyard. In another year, Zuo Family would leave the Youuxi Town, and the entire family would move to the capital. Not long after, he would be given the Ministry of Personnel President Wu Steel as Zuo Shaoyan''s stepping stone.


    To use Mrs. Xue''s words, he was doing her best to repay the favor she received from Zuo Family with her meager abilities. Pfft, what she had said was too noble, he really should have let her son have a taste of his inhuman life.


    Withdrawing his gaze, Zuo Shaoqing''s gaze froze up bit by bit, revealing the coldest hatred. In this life, Zuo Shaoqing wouldn''t kill them personally, but he would make them suffer a fate worse than death!


    ?

 C3 Greetings

    Walking through the garden of Zuo''s Mansion, and passing by the courtyards of his other siblings, he finally arrived at the main house, Wu Ji Hall, in about fifteen minutes.


    "Lord Third is here! Madame has been waiting for a long time. The other lords and ladies have long since arrived." A maid wearing a purple dress stood at the entrance of the main house. When she saw Zuo Shaoqing, her tone became sharp and haughty.


    Zuo Shaoqing didn''t ignore the contempt that flashed in her eyes and felt a little cold in his heart. If he remembered correctly, this servant girl called Zi Zhu would be given by Mrs. Xue to be her concubine very soon. No wonder she was so arrogant.


    However, her arrogance would not last for long. It was not easy to climb out of Lord Zuo''s bed.


    Zuo Shaoqing tried his best to maintain a stiff and timid face. He coughed twice, held his forehead and said in a low voice: "Last night, the wind was cold and I felt a little headache. I woke up late today. Big sister Zi Zhu, go inside and help me pass on the message."


    Violet Bamboo shook his handkerchief as if he wanted to wave away the dirt in the air. With a disdainful expression, he lifted the curtain and entered the room.


    Very soon, Mrs. Xue''s half-hearted voice came from inside the room, "He knows to come and greet us? I think that Mrs. Ruan has no matriarch since he died in this family, so let him wait outside. "


    In his previous life, Zuo Shaoqing would have stood obediently and waited if Mrs. Xue told him to wait. He might have stood there for a long time without daring to complain.


    But now ¡­ He heard the laughter in the room and sneered. He lifted up his clothes and knelt down, saying loudly, "Mother, your son is wrong, your son is temporarily obsessed with phlegm, you shouldn''t overdo everything in the house, thinking of your dead mother, delaying your mother''s greetings, your son will kowtow to you and beg for forgiveness!"


    With that, he heavily knocked his forehead on the limestone ground. He lowered his head, and a cold light flashed in his eyes. Since Mrs. Xue wanted to make a ruckus, it was better to make a big fuss out of it.


    If they wanted to indict him of being unfilial, they would have to see if he would agree or not.


    The room suddenly became quiet. Even the sound of Zuo Shaoqing kowtowing could be heard through the thick curtain.


    Zuo Shuhui gracefully stood behind her and patted her shoulder. The other two concubines quietly and obediently half-knelt down to beat up Mrs. Xue''s legs, while Master Zuo Family, who was at the side, was holding a book and seriously reading it, as if he hadn''t heard the commotion outside.


    The Zuo Family Inner Palace had been controlled by Mrs. Xue for more than ten years, and had long since become impregnable. Besides the dead Lady Ruan, no one can even dream of getting anything good from Mrs. Xue.


    Therefore, when Lady Ruan died, the thorn in Mrs. Xue''s heart had finally been pulled out. As for the son that she had left behind, wasn''t he still letting her squash him as she pleased?


    Thinking of this, a malicious smile appeared on Mrs. Xue''s face.


    "Mom, are we just going to let him kneel like that?" Zuo Shuhui leaned on Mrs. Xue''s shoulder, her pair of large, intelligent eyes blinking. She asked quietly, "Being yelled at like that, aren''t we the villains that will obstruct his filial piety?"


    The smile on Mrs. Xue''s lips stiffened. She snorted lightly and scolded towards the outside, "What are you muttering about? Let him kneel beside her! "As expected of a slut that was born from a slut, she was specially tricked into using such despicable methods!"


    The two concubines were half-kneeling, not daring to make a sound. Their hearts were full of indignation. Mrs. Xue, this mother of hers, was narrow-minded and had never been good to them, the concubines.


    How could Zuo Shaoqing be willing to compromise so easily. He continued to kowtow and said in a tearful tone, "Your son is just kneeling here. It is your son who is unfilial. Please punish him mother."


    Zuo Shaoqing finally breathed a sigh of relief when a pair of shoes with golden cloud patterns embroidered on it entered his line of sight. If this person didn''t come soon, his head would have been smashed open.


    His heart relaxed, but Zuo Shaoqing was still righteous enough to self-judge, "Auntie left so suddenly without a sign. Your son is too sad, so I''m sorry. Please forgive me."


    The reason why he made such a fuss was to see how much weight Mrs. Ruan still had in Zuo Yunwen''s heart. Taking advantage of the fact that Zuo Yunwen had just died, perhaps he still had time to do something.


    If it was another half a year, Zuo Yunwen would have a new favorite. At that time, he would have long forgotten about Mrs. Ruan.


    A heavy sigh came from above his head, followed by Zuo Yunwen saying: "Get up, it''s just a few days'' greetings, there''s no need to punish since there''s a reason."


    Zuo Shaoqing squeezed out two drops of tears. He looked up at Zuo Yunwen with deep admiration in his eyes.


    Zuo Yunwen was slightly surprised. Through the similar facial features, he remembered the gentle and gentle lady. He couldn''t help but reach out his hand to pull Zuo Shaoqing up.


    Tears streamed down Zuo Yunwen''s fair and fair face, bringing about a sense of sadness that made people feel sorry for him. Zuo Yunwen rubbed the bruise on his forehead and scolded him, "You child, how could you knock your forehead like this?"


    "Father ¡­" Zuo Shaoqing''s lips moved as tears welled up in his eyes. He played the role of a filial son who had just lost his loved one.


    Zuo Yunwen was a little surprised. He had never liked this child''s weakness, so no matter how nice he was to Mrs. Ruan, he didn''t treat this son of his with special consideration.


    His eldest son, Zuo Shaoyan, had a calm personality since he was young, so he didn''t say much to his eldest son. His eldest son, Zuo Shaoyan, had a calm personality and didn''t say much to him, so he couldn''t say anything to his eldest son.


    Therefore, when he saw Zuo Shaoqing looking at him with such a complicated expression, Zuo Yunwen felt a sense of satisfaction as a father.


    ?


    After playing crazily with my cousin for two days, her feet are hurting so much that they don''t look like her own.


    Everyone collect, collect, and crave for more!

 C4 Blame

    "I''ve been busy with your mother''s funeral these past few days, so I''ve neglected you slightly. I''ll get the housekeeper to call a doctor to take a look at the wound on your head, don''t leave any scars."


    It was Zuo Shaoqing''s first time hearing Zuo Yunwen speak to him in such a gentle tone. He was surprised, but after the surprise, his heart became colder.


    What do you mean, "Your mother is busy with her funeral"? In this mansion, besides him and the servants his mother brought over, who else had shed a single tear for her? Even her first seven was set up in a small yard on the west side.


    Even so, as soon as the funeral was over, Mrs. Xue sealed the small courtyard with the title of "The Unlucky Courtyard of the Dead". She didn''t even give Zuo Shaoqing anything that Lady Ruan left behind.


    He had to find a chance to get back what his mother had left him.


    Zuo Yunwen didn''t know what he was thinking. He patted his son''s thin shoulder and said softly, "Let''s go in first. It''s cold outside."


    With Zuo Yunwen leading the way, Zuo Shaoqing walked into the main house in a dignified manner. He looked around and saw the maidservants in the room surrounded by a pleasant aroma. Mrs. Xue was sitting in the main seat expressionlessly with an indifferent expression.


    That''s right, Mrs. Xue was the daughter of a second rank imperial teacher. She was once the daughter of a noble, renowned throughout the capital.


    After the death of the old emperor, the crown prince that Tutor Zuo supported did not succeed in his position. On the contrary, the infamous third prince had ascended to the throne, and his Zuo Family had instantly dropped from the ranks of the powerful nobles of the imperial court.


    The new emperor didn''t dare to kill Tutor Zuo and Li Man for their sake, so he just gave a random accusation and chased them out of the capital.


    Tutor Zuo had no choice but to bring his family back to his hometown. However, he was already old and suffered a blow to his heart. He died on the way back.


    Fortunately, the old mistress had some skill, and her Zuo Family was the largest clan in the entire town.


    When his Zuo Family suffered such a huge change, the one who he couldn''t accept the most was his foreign wife, Mrs. Xue. Initially, he thought that he had married into a good family, but after a few days, he had turned into a wild chicken and followed Master Zuo into the Youuxi Town.


    If he was husband and wife, it would be fine. However, Master Zuo didn''t like Mrs. Xue, who was a lady from a noble family. He only loved a girl as gentle as water, and he had quite a number of concubines.


    Zuo Yunwen was used to Mrs. Xue''s cold attitude as he sat down at the head of the table and took the hot tea from the maidservant. Not only did he not drink it, he threw it on the table and asked, "Yu Xiang just left, and you started tormenting Shao Qing using the same method. Do you not have any of the magnanimity and benevolence of a woman?"


    Everyone in the room was shocked, including Zuo Shaoqing. This was the first time Zuo Yunwen challenged Mrs. Xue and her son. In his memory, this father never dared to offend Mrs. Xue.


    After all, Mrs. Xue''s father was still the Prefect of the State of Yue. Although her position had been reduced, she was still an official family, and was much more popular than those with Zuo Family.


    If he could recover his Zuo Family, he would need to rely on the Xue Clan in many places.


    He pinched the handkerchief and stood up, pointing it at Zuo Yunwen while trembling in anger, "I''ve worked so hard for so many years, giving birth to your Zuo Family and taking care of household chores. If you want a concubine, I''ll bring her in without a second word, but now you''re actually blaming me for a mere child!"


    Hearing her words, Zuo Shaoqing knew it was going to be bad. Mrs. Xue had an unshakable position in this family. If he got angry at them, he definitely wouldn''t have a good ending. Plus, he would be unreasonable.


    He stood up, bowed deeply, and passionately advised: "Father, you are blaming your mother. Your son was unfilial and took the initiative to ask for forgiveness because he did something wrong. If you are blaming your mother like this, won''t you be making your son feel ashamed?"


    Don''t be so kind, he doesn''t expect his father to change anything. It would be great if he didn''t stand on Mrs. Xue''s side and make things difficult for him.


    After Zuo Yunwen finished speaking, he regretted it. Now that he heard Zuo Shaoqing admit his mistake, he went down the slope and said, "Cough, I also saw this child kowtowing in front of the door and kowtowing in such a cold manner. His forehead is broken. It''s just a pity that his mother just died."


    "Humph!" "Master, you must be feeling sorry for his dead mother, right?" Mrs. Xue''s heart felt as if it was pierced by over a dozen needles. Her heart was filled with resentment. This damned Mrs. Ruan, he was not even clean even after death.


    Zuo Shaoqing saw that he had nothing else to do, so he applied to leave. If he stayed any longer, he might get burned again.


    He had just taken two steps out of the courtyard when he heard someone call out from behind him: "Third Brother, please hold your steps!"


    Zuo Shaoqing staggered and his eyes turned cold, as if he was trying to freeze everything around him. He only turned around with a harmless face when a hand touched his shoulder.


    Suppressing the bone-piercing hatred, Zuo Shaoqing asked calmly: "Is Brother busy?"


    Zuo Shaoyan took out a porcelain bottle and threw it to him, "This is the best medicine. Wipe it when you go back. There''s no need to go to the academy today. I will send someone to take the leave of absence for you."


    Zuo Shaoqing''s breath was a bit unstable and his eyes were burning with passion. He was such a big brother, he would always make you think that he was truly being nice to you, but it was a pity that all of this was just an illusion. Once the opportunity came, he would take advantage of it.


    In his previous life, he was also like this, stupidly brought into Jiang''s Mansion by Yun Che. He thought Yun Che was just taking care of his younger brother and bringing him out to have a look, but who knew ¡­


    Zuo Shaoqing swallowed his anger which was about to burst out. He cupped his hands and bowed, "Thank you, Big Brother!"


    As he ran back to the yard, Zuo Shaoqing kicked open the door and smashed himself onto the bed. His chest rose and fell violently and his face turned purple.


    He gripped the white porcelain bottle and said to himself: Wait a bit longer. Step by step, he will make all those who have wronged him pay the price.


    In his previous life, he had taken their lives, and he would never do this again. He would nibble away at their willpower, take away the things they cared about the most, and let them experience the feeling of being humiliated once again.


    ¡ª ¡ª


    This article began with a few more words, "Collect!"

 C5 Exercise

    Nanny Liu twisted the handkerchief and wiped the dirt off Zuo Shaoqing''s forehead, then she smeared it with the ointment given by Zuo Shaoyan. She blew on the wound in pain, "Master San, why are you so bitter? "No matter what you do, you won''t be able to get anything good from Madam. Don''t be so foolish next time."


    Zuo Shaoqing smiled and smiled without care. Of course, he knew that he couldn''t get anything good out of this. He only asked for forgiveness for outsiders. He believed that there would be rumors circulating around town tomorrow.


    When rumors had spread out that a concubine was unfilial to her child in Zuo Family, there must have been people who understood the truth of the matter afterwards.


    Zuo Family was the largest family in the town, and it attracted the attention of everyone who moved. There were also very little entertainment in the town, so everyone loved to talk about these family members.


    "Does it hurt?" Nanny Liu gently rubbed the bruises on Zuo Shaoqing''s forehead and frowned as she warned him, "You can''t eat pickled vegetables these few days. It''s not good to leave scars."


    "It doesn''t hurt. As a man, what''s there to be afraid of?" This little bit of pain was nothing compared to the pain he had suffered while cultivating in his previous life.


    As for the scars ¡­ Zuo Shaoqing touched his face, his eyes a little unfocused. He had never seen his face in his two lifetimes, so he believed that a man should have a moral character that allowed him to stand in the world. His looks were nothing more than a piece of skin.


    When he was given to Jiang Che by Zuo Shaoyan, he was still puzzled. He was a man, why was it that he was given to another man? Moreover, he thought that he looked average, so how could Jiang Che let him go so easily?


    In his memory, that man would often caress that face and say some words of love that would make people blush. They would always enter his body again and again.


    To be honest, he didn''t hate Jiang Che, he just couldn''t stand the humiliation of being treated as a forbidden treasure. Furthermore, at that time, he was planning to participate in Conference Test, and one moment he was filled with hope for high school. But the next moment, he lost everything, and fell into the abyss.


    After sending Nanny Liu off, Zuo Shaoqing got off the bed and walked over to the table. He took out a pen and paper and said out word for word the Pure Heart Formula from his previous life.


    He had accidentally discovered this ancient book in Jiang''s Mansion''s large study. At that time, his mind had been muddled by hatred, and he had also become a devil. When he saw the name of this ancient book, he felt that there was something special about it, so he carefully studied it.


    What he did not expect was that this Pure Heart Formula was actually a martial arts mental cultivation method. Because the lower half of it was incomplete, no one had bothered with it.


    The days of being imprisoned were difficult to endure. A few years ago, Zuo Shaoqing was only reading and writing, but as the days passed, he was unable to muster up any interest in reading. As a man that was regarded as a forbidden agent, even if he had the chance to walk out in the future, would he be able to participate in the Imperial examinations and become an official?


    Zuo Shaoqing followed the chant in the book with the last trace of crazy thoughts. Since the scholar was of no use, he would give up on writing and use force. Perhaps, he could still behead his enemy.


    Unfortunately, he had never practiced martial arts before, so he did not have any foundation. Moreover, he did not even have any guidance from others. He only blindly practiced until he reached the third level.


    After being depressed for a month, Zuo Shaoqing started to flip through medical books in the Jiang''s Mansion study, preparing to use medicine to increase his power. In the end, he saw a prescription in a medical journal, and randomly applied medicine for himself.


    Sadly, his meridians could not bear the impact of such inner strength. His dantian was in disorder, his meridians were retrograde, and in the end, he was able to push himself out of the Jiang''s Mansion with one breath. After taking his revenge, he died under the power of lightning and lightning.


    Zuo Shaoqing took a deep breath and carefully read through the Heart Cleansing Technique a few times. Then he sat cross-legged on the bed and began to cultivate as if he was familiar with the place.


    In his entire life, he had no intention of becoming a martial arts expert, as long as he could cultivate to the third level, it would be enough.


    Even if he was unable to achieve his heart''s desire in this lifetime, he could no longer be sent out like a commodity to live a life where he was humiliated without even seeing the light of day.

 C6 Chess Piece

    After meditating for four hours, Zuo Shaoqing opened his eyes and let out a long breath. With the experience of his previous life, he only spent two hours to sink his dantian, which was much better than the time he spent three days to feel his Dantian.


    Zuo Shaoqing protested with hunger in his stomach. He shouted towards the door, "Nanny Liu ¡­"


    The old wooden door was pushed open with a creak, but the person who entered was not Nanny Liu. Instead, it was a fourteen to fifteen year old dark-skinned youngster.


    The young man was short and had a round face with big, intelligent eyes. He ran to Zuo Shaoqing and said: "Master, Nanny Liu went to get the food box. What orders do you have for her?"


    Zuo Shaoqing quietly sized him up with a complicated expression on his face. Of course, he wouldn''t forget that the person who was following beside him for seven years, in Zuo Family, was neither Nanny Liu who had been taking care of him nor Zuo Shaoyan who had occasionally shown him kindness. Instead, it was Luo Xiaoliu who had always been with him.


    To him, even though Luo Xiaoliu was a servant, he was still his playmate. As long as he had something good, Luo Xiaoliu would always think of him. When they first started, he was even worried that Mrs. Xue would kick Luo Xiaoliu out of Zuo Family.


    However, on those two thousand days and nights, Zuo Shaoqing finally understood a lot of things. For example, why Mrs. Xue would catch him every time he went out of line, and why Mrs. Xue would listen to the complaints he made behind his back ¡­


    "Little Six ¡­" Zuo Shaoqing''s voice was a bit hoarse. He quickly coughed twice and returned to his normal state. He said to Luo Xiaoliu, who had his head lowered, "I''m thirsty. Go and pour me a cup of tea."


    Luo Xiaoliu looked up and responded with a naive smile. He didn''t notice the abnormality of his master at all.


    After having a cup of tea, Zuo Shaoqing sat on the side of the bed, thinking about how to deal with the chess piece put in by Mrs. Xue An.


    He had many methods to make Luo Xiaoliu disappear, but with Luo Xiaoliu, Mrs. Xue would definitely arrange for another Zhang Xiaozhu, Wang Xiaosi, to disappear, which would make Luo Xiaoliu even harder to guard against.


    Rather than spending time to guard against the next chess piece that he did not understand, it was better to keep the chess piece in his hands.


    Luo Xiaoliu stood obediently at the side. After a long time, he could not hear Zuo Shaoqing''s voice. He asked with concern: "Master, are you alright?"


    Zuo Shaoqing glanced at him and said, "It''s fine. When I think of tomorrow''s school, I don''t know where the professor will be today. He will definitely be punished."


    Luo Xiaoliu smiled brilliantly, revealing his two cute canines. He said proudly: "I know, it''s'' eating and clothes are the most basic form of etiquette ''."


    "Oh? How do you know? "


    "It was Second Master''s errand boy, Liu Sheng. I just ran into him at the Second Gate. Second Master didn''t go to the school today, so he went to report on the fake."


    "Second Master? Speaking of which, I haven''t even seen second brother when I went to pay my respects. " Zuo Shaoqing lowered his head, his long eyelashes casting a shadow on his eyelids. No one could guess what he was thinking at the moment.


    "Hehe, I heard from Liu Sheng that Second Master stayed in West Street last night. Master is angry about this matter and Second Master will not come back until it''s dark."


    West Street was the Flower Street of Youuxi Town, filled with brothels of red houses. Ever since Zuo Shaoling found out that people loved to hide in it, he became extremely angry with Master Zuo for spending all day in it.


    Unfortunately, Mrs. Xue''s most treasured son was her son. Even if he couldn''t beat her, he couldn''t scold her. After saying a few words, Zuo Family, Second Master, simply stayed outside and didn''t even return home.


    Zuo Shaoqing thought about how his second brother had never fought against him since he was young. In his previous life, he had always been at a disadvantage. Perhaps, he might be able to recover some interest for the rest of his life.


    One must know that the most overbearing and unreasonable people usually had the simplest minds.


    After lunch, Zuo Shaoqing waved away Luo Xiaoliu and told Nanny Liu to prepare some of his favorite green bean cake. Then he took the money bag and went out.


    Since he had a new life, he would not easily trust anyone. Since he knew that Luo Xiaoliu was in trouble, he would not let him report his actions to Mrs. Xue.


    To control a person, there was no other way but to "coerce and tempt". Zuo Shaoqing had no money nor power, so he could only start with the word "coerce".


    The Zuo''s Mansion walked out from the side door, and Zuo Shaoqing walked on the familiar street. It had been seven years, but he could still clearly remember that old man who sold sesame seed cakes, Auntie Li who sold pearl flowers, and Widow Chen who sold tofu ¡­ Every single place he passed by, carried memories of his Youuxi Town.


    Compared to the bustling capital, the Youuxi Town was much more sluggish. However, this was the only place that Zuo Shaoqing missed, and it was his nightmare in the capital.


    After turning into a remote medicine store, Zuo Shaoqing took out a prescription for the medicine boy to catch the herbs. Under the strange gaze of the medicine boy, he walked out of the shop.


    "Master, the medicinal plant that Master bought just now had a kiss on it. I remember that you said that this medicine could not be used carelessly, right?"


    "Kiss, that''s highly toxic. How much did he buy?"


    "Half a dollar."


    "Oh, that''s alright. It might be used to treat some kind of vicious sore." Old Doctor replied indifferently.


    The ingredient girl carefully recalled the herbs on the prescription and nodded her head in agreement. It really did look like a prescription for ointment.

 C7 Joyous News

    "Pleasure ¡­" Happy News... "Quick, let''s ¡­" A horse rushed into the main road of Youuxi Town, shouting along the way.


    Zuo Shaoqing was on the second floor of the Hui Yuan Tower when he heard the book. He was interrupted by this sound, and all the customers on the second floor rushed to the window. Even the storyteller on the stage also rushed over.


    Zuo Shaoqing couldn''t recall the big event that happened today. He cupped his hands to the middle-aged man beside him and asked, "Bro, what''s the good news? Why are everyone so happy?"


    Before the middle-aged man could reply, another bearded man beside him muttered loudly, "Heh, that bookworm, did you lose your mind reading books?" How could you not know about such a big thing? "


    "You really are a bookworm who doesn''t hear anything from outside the window. Do you know about the war between our Great Yang and Beidi?"


    When Zuo Shaoqing heard the words "Beidi", he suddenly remembered. That''s right, this year was the year Tianfeng and Zhaoyuan went overboard. It was also the year where Di Kingdom, which had been harassing Great Yang border in the north, was beaten to a pulp.


    It was also during this year that the old emperor passed away and a new round of struggles for the throne began. Zuo Shaoqing also knew that the last person to ascend the throne was Zhan Yuanfeng, who had just been conferred the title of Crown Prince.


    This battle for the throne was equally intense, with countless deaths and injuries. After Zhan Yuanfeng ascended the throne, the only surviving princes were the intoxicated fourth prince and the young seventh prince.


    Zhan Yuanfeng won with great difficulty. In the end, he was only able to successfully ascend to the throne with the support of Lu Zheng, who returned victoriously from the border.


    Zuo Shaoqing was a little absent-minded as he listened to the praises from everyone towards the Duke of Lu.


    "Young Eunuch Lu is truly the reincarnation of a war god. It would be more worthwhile letting him go than letting him be the husband."


    "That''s right, the Duke of Lu''s household has been serving as generals for generations, protecting my Great Yang for hundreds of years. This is truly my Great Yang''s blessing and the blessing of my people."


    "I heard that young master went to the battlefield at the age of 11 and led three armies at the age of 13. Now that it''s only been a few years, he''s actually able to beat Beidi so much that he can''t even fight back."


    "If I had to say, these were all forced out. Back then, when my husband was injured and fell from his horse, he fell so low that his body became paralyzed. As his son, he had no choice but to go out and fight in place of his father. The Great Ancestor had once given a decree that the military power of the Great Yang could only be held in the hands of the Imperial Family and Duke Zhen Manor.


    "I''ve heard that more than half of the officials in the imperial court are afraid of the Residence of the Duke of Guo. They''ve even been fooling His Majesty with the way they''ve done their deeds. Tch, they''re just a bunch of elm lumps who only know how to throw books."


    "He should be harboring malicious intentions!"


    "Exactly! If they have the guts, they can try fighting in the battlefield! "


    "Heh, you want to send a group of scholars who only know how to read and write? He probably wouldn''t even be able to lift his blade? "Haha ¡­"


    Everyone laughed and looked at Zuo Shaoqing with disdain.


    Zuo Shaoqing smiled bitterly to himself. His Youuxi Town was located in the southeast, and was not affected by the flames of war.


    Just thinking about how the man that was reputed as the God of War would become his brother-in-law in one year, Zuo Shaoqing''s temples started throbbing.


    When the old emperor was in power, no one would dare to plead for Zuo''s Mansion. But once the old emperor had gone, the new emperor, on Lu Zheng''s account, had tacitly approved of Zuo Family''s actions. In his opinion, a small Zuo Family was not enough to cause a ruckus.


    Everyone in Zuo Family thought that Lu Zheng would recommend the disciples of Zuo Family as officials for the sake of the marriage engagement, but in reality, he didn''t say anything, didn''t do anything, and had never admitted that he was a relative of Zuo Family in front of everyone.


    Then why is Lu Zheng married to Zuo''s Mansion?


    Some people said that her husband had made a good verbal agreement with Tutor Zuo, others said that Tutor Zuo had helped the Duke''s Mansion, and there were also people who said that Master Duke had taken a fancy to Miss Zuo, who had good looks.


    Even the entire Zuo Family thought so, but Zuo Shaoqing knew that this was far from the truth.


    This was what Jiang Che had told him. His husband had been Tutor Zuo''s student before, and Tutor Zuo did have the thought of marrying into the Duke''s family. However, no matter how glorious his Zuo''s Mansion was, it wasn''t as precious as the Duke''s family, so he gave up on thinking about it.


    As for why would Lu Zheng want to marry a Zuo Family girl? Jiang Che was drunk at the time, so Zuo Shaoqing asked a few more questions out of curiosity. He didn''t expect the answer to be: "Do you think I''m the only good guy in this court? I have married three wives and four concubines, and have given birth to several fat kids. This Master Lu, haha, much better than me, has married a woman from a small family, and has been married for several years without even touching his wife''s door. What a joke, Zuo Family thinks he''s a good wife, but how could he know that Master Lu''s heart is yearning for our Minister Yuan ¡­


    However, it was not as if Zuo''s Mansion had not received any benefits. If not for this family, how would Zuo Family dare to step foot into the capital? "Even if Zuo Shaoyan gave me ten more men, I wouldn''t dare to open the back door for him. However, this business is too worth it. A mere official with the seventh grade sesame seed in exchange for a beautiful man like Qingqing, it''s too worth it ¡­"


    He felt that he was not the only one being abandoned. Unfortunately, he later found out that although Zuo Shuhui wasn''t able to get the favor of Master Lu, she was actually a first class Wife of State Duke. Her beauty was limitless, and she was not someone who couldn''t sleep alone.


    In any case, Lu Zheng was rarely at home in such a large Mansion, and he never entered her yard. She should have been able to live a healthier life.


    Zuo Shaoqing did not know that within a few days after his death, Lu Zheng had given up Zuo Shuhui for being a "adulterer". Not long after, Miss Zuo, who had nowhere to go, committed suicide by poisoning.


    ?


    Everyone was asking who the small attack was, it wasn''t Jiang Che.


    "Fighting for a Man" was scheduled for next month''s competition! (3) *

 C8 Discipline

    On the snow-covered Northern Frontier Battlefield, a team of more than a dozen men quietly left the camp in the middle of the night and headed due south.


    After a night of travelling, the team stopped in the yard of an abandoned farmhouse.


    Soong Hanlin ordered people to chop some wood to make a fire, and then personally supervise the cooking process. An hour later, a pot of steaming hot noodle soup was ready.


    Soong Hanlin took out several pieces of beef jerky from his bag and placed a big bowl of soup in front of Lu Zheng. "Master, the army will leave the camp in three days. Even if we travel hundreds of miles a day, we should still arrive in the capital in a month."


    Lu Zheng gave a light "En" and took the big bowl. He blew on it and directly put it into his mouth. After a few mouthfuls, he finished the bowl of noodle soup, "Rest for an hour."


    Soong Hanlin was unable to read his thoughts from his calm expression, but he was extremely anxious in his heart. He couldn''t care less about fear as he asked, "Your Majesty is very sick, and the imperial government has continuously sent out three urgent orders to invite you back to the capital. They''re afraid that you''ll hold yourself back.


    "No need to bother." Lu Zheng tore open the hard beef jerky and threw it into his mouth. He chewed it bit by bit, ignoring his subordinates'' anxious looks, as he closed his eyes leisurely.


    "Master, even if you want to disobey the decree, at least bring more people with you!" Just these dozen or so people had been annihilated in the middle of the process, yet they had no way to redress the grievances.


    Lu Zheng Xian was too noisy, so he said: "The old emperor won''t be long!" Then he turned and entered the room.


    "Ah ¡­!" Soong Hanlin''s jaw dropped. He didn''t dare to ask why Young Master Lu was so sure, so he could only swallow his saliva. He thought to himself: It seems like he was overthinking. When did Young Master make the wrong decision?


    But where were they going south this time? Soong Hanlin scratched his chin as he thought to himself depressingly, "The situation is still unclear. Instead of returning to the capital to consolidate my status, I have to go to the south. What do I want to do?"


    Zuo''s Mansion, a brightly lit front hall was having a feast, but in Third Master Zuo''s small courtyard, there was only a single lone light, flickering with candlelight.


    Zuo Shaoqing was holding a book as he leaned against the window''s soft couch. He was looking at the main house with an obscure expression.


    "Master San, the green bean cake made by Nanny Liu tastes so good, even better than the one made by Mrs. Chang''s mother." Luo Xiaoliu said while eating with satisfaction.


    "Oh? Is that so? Do you often get pastries made by your mother? " Zuo Shaoqing didn''t turn around, but a sharp light flashed in his eyes.


    "Cough, cough ¡­" No, it''s just ¡­ Second Master would sometimes eat cold cake, and when he met me, he would share some of it with me. " Luo Xiaoliu subconsciously lowered his voice, while his face showed a struggling expression.


    "I''m just casually asking, why are you in such a hurry?" Zuo Shaoqing put down his book and got up from the soft couch. Step by step, he approached Luo Xiaoliu and put his hands on his shoulders, "Or ¡­" What did Lil ''Six hide from me? "


    "Master ¡­" Luo Xiaoliu jumped up in shock and kneeled on the ground in the blink of an eye. "No ¡­" This grandpa thinks too much. How would Lil ''Six dare to? "


    Zuo Shaoqing replied with an "Oh" with an unknown meaning.


    Cold sweat broke out on Luo Xiaoliu''s forehead. He didn''t understand why San Ye was acting so weird today. Such a question and such a tone had never happened before.


    Before he could understand what was going on, he felt a sharp pain in his stomach. Luo Xiaoliu''s arm that was supporting him on the ground softened and he fell towards the ground.


    "Ah ¡­" Luo Xiaoliu screamed and rolled on the ground while hugging his stomach. His face was pale and his lips slowly turned purple.


    Zuo Shaoqing sat on the chair with an indifferent expression. He poured himself a cup of hot tea from the teapot and sipped it slowly, ignoring Wu Tie''s abnormal behavior on the ground.


    Luo Xiaoliu was not a fool. Seeing Zuo Shaoqing''s unusual attitude and hearing those words, he guessed that San Ye must have found out about his actions. He was trying to kill him!


    "Master ¡­" "Lord Third ¡­" Luo Xiaoliu crawled to Zuo Shaoqing''s feet on all fours, tightly grabbed the hem of his clothes, and painfully said, "Master San ¡­" What did Lil ''Six do wrong? You want to... "Ugh ¡­"


    Zuo Shaoqing admired Luo Xiaoliu''s panic attack from above, and sneered, "What did you do wrong? How could you not know? "


    Luo Xiaoliu curled up his body and tried to raise his head to look directly at Zuo Shaoqing. He found that San Ye''s face was still the same familiar face, with delicate facial features and thin white skin. But at this moment, he felt that the person in front of him was an unfamiliar person, no longer the master he was familiar with.


    His ten fingers trembled as he painfully stood up. "Master San, I know my wrongs ¡­" I was forced to ¡­ Madam ¡­ It was all Madam''s doing ¡­ "Ah ¡­


    Sweat the size of beans dripped down his face. Luo Xiaoliu''s lips were already bitten into a bloody mess. His eyes gradually became unfocused, but his hands still held onto Zuo Shaoqing''s clothes.


    Zuo Shaoqing didn''t plan to take his life. He poured some white powder into the tea and fed it to him to drink. Then, he patted his face and asked: "Little Six, do you still remember how many years you followed me?"


    Luo Xiaoliu''s body slowly stopped twitching. He used his sleeve to wipe the tears and snot off his face. His voice was hoarse. "Seven ¡­" "Seven years ¡­"


    "Yeah, at that time, I was six and you were eight, and I almost forgot your appearance back then. However, I still remember that pair of smiling eyes and two big canine teeth. That was the first time I saw someone smile at me so sincerely in Zuo Family."


    Zuo Shaoqing was lost in his memories and didn''t notice that Luo Xiaoliu was looking at him inquiringly.


    "Master ¡­" This humble one apologizes to you! " Luo Xiaoliu forced himself to kneel on the cold ground. Regret and guilt corroded his heart.


    "Get up." "Don''t worry, the poison won''t take your life and will only act up once every month. As long as you don''t have any ill intentions towards me, I will give you the antidote every month, so, you have to be obedient!"


    "Lord Third ¡­" Luo Xiaoliu''s heart skipped a beat. He was scared out of his wits and didn''t dare to have any more thoughts. He kowtowed and said, "Please spare me, Master San. I will listen to you from now on, but Madam ¡­"


    "You don''t have to worry about Mrs. Xue. I''ll tell you what to say, you won''t fail."


    Zuo Shaoqing kept Luo Xiaoliu because of this, he couldn''t get rid of Mrs. Xue''s surveillance at the moment. Since that''s the case, she would know what he wanted Mrs. Xue to know in the future, and she would never find out what he didn''t want her to know.


    ?


    Everyone is looking forward to the small attack small encounter will soon appear, looks like anxious Oh.

 C9 Accounting

    Luo Xiaoliu spent the night in fear, until he saw the sun on the second day and was sure that he was still alive.


    He put away his usual smile and followed behind Zuo Shaoqing in a well-behaved manner, doing his duty as attendant, not daring to take another step further.


    After following Zuo Shaoqing for a few days, Luo Xiaoliu was no longer calm. How could a person change so much in one night?


    He saw Zuo Shaoqing pretending to be smart and smart and lazy, holding a book to rest his eyes, and watching him and his classmates argue intensely. If it was in the past, these would never have happened.


    He even held his family''s master in his arms like a ghost. Otherwise, how could he explain this unforeseen change?


    Actually, it wasn''t without warning, right? Luo Xiaoliu thought about everything that had happened recently and decided that the reason would be Lady Ruan''s death. Especially after seeing his family''s master burn incense twice a day in the morning and night, he was even more determined.


    On a big tree on the mountainside behind the Green Lu Academy, Zuo Shaoqing lay on a thick branch without a care for his image. His face was covered with a book and he was napping.


    "Lil ''Six, shouldn''t you go and make a snitch today?"


    Standing under the tree, Luo Xiaoliu was no longer surprised by Third Master Zuo''s actions of climbing up the tree. "Yes, the Madam asked me to report once every five days, today is the fifth day."


    Zuo Shaoqing took off the book on his face, broke a leaf and played with it in his hands, "Then you go and tell her that because I missed my mother so much these few days, my mind was distracted and I was placed under a rule. It''s as miserable as that."


    "¡­" Luo Xiaoliu raised his head silently and confirmed that Zuo Shaoqing wasn''t going to change his mind. He then replied, "Yes."


    He thought to himself, Lord Third is so filial. After Lady Ruan left, he even skipped Teacher Yang''s class. I haven''t seen his master take any lessons in the past few days, so what should we do next month''s country test?


    How would he know that Zuo Shaoqing was already an experienced person? Not only did he know the topics of the home tutor examination, he had even memorized the Conference Test and the exam questions in his heart.


    Because he missed out on the Conference Test in his previous life, Zuo Shaoqing stubbornly studied the year''s Conference Test''s topic thoroughly until finally, even Jiang Che felt that the theory he wrote surpassed the top scorer''s.


    Zuo Shaoqing jumped down from the tree and landed lightly on the ground. He didn''t raise any dust at all and said, "Is there a thatched hut behind the half mountain pavilion?"


    Luo Xiaoliu was measuring the height of the tree with his eyes and answered: "It was left behind by an old hunter. But no one has lived there for almost a year, it should be abandoned."


    "Then find someone to fix it. It''s good for you to take an afternoon nap if you have nothing better to do." It was better than sleeping on a branch.


    "..." "Yes."


    The two of them walked down the mountain along a small mountain path. Coincidentally, they bumped into Zuo Shaoling, who hadn''t come to school for several days. Luo Xiaoliu''s heart suddenly leaped into his throat.


    From past experience, meeting this little overlord was definitely not a good thing.


    "Heh, isn''t this our family''s most hardworking third brother? I heard that you just passed away. Why haven''t I seen you cry? " Zuo Family Second Master sloppily walked over. In his hand was a paper fan, but he wasn''t worried by the cold.


    This was the first time Zuo Shaoqing met this Second Brother since he was reborn. He looked at him properly and then looked away. Although Zuo Shaoling had bullied him the most since he was young, this wasn''t what he hated the most.


    However, even though he hated Zuo Shaoling the most, it didn''t mean that he didn''t hate him. It didn''t mean that he could just let Zuo Shaoling bully him all the time.


    "Second brother." Zuo Shaoqing greeted them nonchalantly. From start to finish, he maintained his chin slightly raised, looking at them with contempt.


    After having dealt with Zuo Shaoling for so many years, he knew how to anger this grumpy, self-respecting second brother.


    Sure enough, Zuo Second Master, who was smiling mischievously a moment ago, suddenly became angry. He swung his hand and threw a paper fan at Zuo Shaoqing''s face, and then kicked over without any hesitation.


    "Pfft!" You little bastard! You think you can write a few sour poems? Without your mother to protect you, you are not even a fart, yet you dare to act so arrogantly in front of me! "


    Zuo Shaoqing used his eyes to stop Luo Xiaoliu, who wanted to help, and let the paper fan leave a red mark on his face.


    This kind of invisible scar, he wouldn''t have suffered it for nothing.


    Zuo Shaoqing patted his dust free robe and sneered: "If I''m a lowly bastard, then what are you?"


    This was Zuo Shaoling''s first time being rebuked by this cowardly Third Brother. He was stunned for a good half a cup of tea before he reacted, "Yo, we, Third Master Zuo are really capable today, to actually dare to look for Brother Wu. That bitch is not here anymore. As her elder brother, I''ll properly educate you on her behalf."


    As he spoke, he rolled up his sleeves and rushed over with brisk steps.


    ?


    There was someone who posted last night, but when he looked today, he realized that they were still lying in the backstage. As a result, it was the second half of the night and they were even better kids! () *

 C10 Master You Have to Hold on

    Zuo Shaoqing played around with him for a few times. Seeing that the surrounding pedestrians started to stop and watch, he deliberately staggered and pretended to be kicked to the ground. However, he secretly poked the hole on Zuo Shaoling''s knee with his finger.


    Zuo Shaoling only felt a pain in his knee. He couldn''t help but kneel down, causing the surrounding audience to burst into laughter.


    This time, Zou Second Master''s strong pride was hurt. He looked at Zuo Shaoqing as if he wanted to eat him up.


    "Zuo, Shao, Qing!" "You motherf * cking son of a bitch!" Zuo Shaoling rushed over with a flurry of fists.


    Zuo Shaoqing deliberately took a few punches to make his white and delicate face look even more colorful.


    Zuo Shaoling''s errand boy saw that the two were getting fiercer and fiercer. He wanted to go up and stop them, but he was stopped by Luo Xiaoliu''s quick reaction. "Leng Sheng, it''s useless for you to go up to persuade me now. Do you want to die?"


    Liang Sheng couldn''t shake off his hand and shouted in anger: "Luo Xiaoliu, that is your master!"


    Luo Xiaoliu secretly rolled his eyes. Of course he knew that it was his master, not only that, it was also the person who held his life in his hands. But he wasn''t blind, how could he not see that Zuo Shaoqing was purposely angering Zuo Second Master?


    While the two of them were blocking each other, Zuo Shaoling suddenly picked up a machete that someone dropped and ferociously stabbed towards Zuo Shaoqing.


    A trace of ruthlessness flashed across Zuo Shaoqing''s eyes. He calculated the direction, leaned his body to the left, and let the knife pierce into the right side of his chest.


    He looked directly at Zuo Shaoling and the corner of his mouth slightly curled up. He let out an extremely dangerous smile and took the initiative to send his body an inch forward while Zuo Shaoling was still in a daze.


    "Puff ¡­" The bright red blood sprayed all over Zuo Shaoling''s face, completely scaring this spoiled and domineering young master into a stupor.


    "Ah ¡­" The crowd, who were enjoying the show, were also shocked. Even Luo Xiaoliu was so scared that his legs were trembling.


    "Lord Third ¡­"


    "Second Master ¡­" Liang Sheng and Luo Xiaoliu rushed over at the same time. One of them supported Third Master Zuo who was constantly bleeding while the other held the dazed Zuo Second Master.


    "San Ye, you ¡­" "You have to hold on ¡­" Luo Xiaoliu used one hand to cover the bloody spot on Zuo Shaoqing''s chest as he roared at Zuo Shaoling with red eyes, "Second Master, even if you don''t like our grandpa, you still can''t be so harsh on him. He''s your own brother!"


    The crowd immediately burst into an uproar as all sorts of guesses flooded in. Some said that this was a fight between brothers over their family property, while others said that they were angry because they wanted to be beauties.


    Later on, when someone recognized the identities of the two elders in Zuo Family, they gradually shifted the topic to them.


    Zuo Shaoling shook his hand and the hard machete fell onto the ground with a "Clang" sound. His face was pale as he stared at the red color that was spreading rapidly. He couldn''t recover for a long time.


    When the students in the academy heard the increasing clamor outside, they all came out to take a look. When they looked, they were all frightened out of their wits.


    "This... What was going on? "What happened to Shao Qing?"


    "Shao Ling ¡­" You killed people? "


    "I... "I didn''t think ¡­" Zuo Shaoling threw down those feeble words and turned around to run away. Seeing this, Leng Meng hurriedly chased after him.


    Zuo Shaoqing saw that more and more people were coming, so he was afraid that he would be found out. He pinched Luo Xiaoliu''s waist and whispered in his ear, "Carry me back to the city."


    "Master, my life is more important!" Luo Xiaoliu held the person horizontally in his arms, he did not care about the dignity of the person anymore, "At this time, you still have the mood to do mischief."


    Zuo Shaoqing pretended to be in pain and warned in a low voice, "Lil ''Six, are you going against the heavens?"


    "If you die, I won''t be able to live either."


    Although Luo Xiaoliu was not very muscular, he was two years older than Zuo Shaoqing. He was a servant, had strength in his hands, and could still run with a person in his arms.


    Zuo Shaoqing insisted on taking a detour back from the main road, so that the people of the entire Youuxi Town could take a look at his elegance that was covered in blood.


    Luo Xiaoliu was unable to force him, so he could only hurry up. However, running from the Academy to the Zuo Family still took half an hour, causing him to have to lower his head every two steps to check if his master was dead or not.


    Zuo Shaoqing wore a plain white cotton robe today. Red blood flowed down from his shoulders, making him look very scary.


    After running into the yard, Luo Xiaoliu didn''t even have time to catch his breath before he shouted, "Nanny Liu ¡­" "Nanny Liu ¡­"


    Zuo Shaoqing frowned as he looked at Luo Xiaoliu''s anxious face. He didn''t know whether Luo Xiaoliu was worried about him or the antidote.


    Nanny Liu hurriedly ran in and saw Zuo Shaoqing, who was covered in blood. Her eyes darkened and her body swayed for a moment before she stood up.


    "Oh my god ¡­" What''s the matter with you? "Who the hell did this?"


    Of course, Zuo Shaoqing couldn''t answer her. Luo Xiaoliu put him on the bed and left a sentence, "I''ll go get a doctor".


    Nanny Liu''s face was full of tears. Her hands were trembling as she wanted to pull out the knife on Zuo Shaoqing. Zuo Shaoqing immediately stopped her, saying he was waiting for the doctor.


    "Right, right..." It''s because I''m confused, just in case I make a mistake... "Poor child, Lady Ruan was injured like this a few days after she left ¡­"


    Zuo Shaoqing tried his best to control the weak internal energy in his body and make his face pale from excessive blood loss. He comforted Nanny Liu a few times and then sent two people out of the room when the doctor came.

 C11 No Im Threatening You

    Old Doctor had heard a lot of gossip along the way. He was ready to check his pulse without asking too much. Unexpectedly, when the door was closed, the teenager who looked like he was dying with a pale face abruptly sat up on the bed.


    "Ah ¡­" Even though Old Doctor was used to seeing dead people, he was still shocked by this scene. Could it be that this was the end of the world?


    But before he could recover from his shock, the teenager let go of his arm and pulled out the machete from under his armpit. Then, he quickly took off his clothes and took out a bag of blood with a hole in it.


    Zuo Shaoqing poured the remaining blood from the blood bag into the basin beside the bed. Immediately, a basin of water was dyed with blood, and he used a cloth to wipe off the blood on his body and casually threw it into the basin. As he smelled the pig''s blood, he almost couldn''t hold on anymore.


    After wiping his body, Zuo Shaoqing got off the bed, took out a bandage from Old Doctor''s medicine box and wrapped it around his body a few times. On the way, he got some blood from the "wound" and applied some ointment on his body.


    After doing all that, Zuo Shaoqing lazily fell back onto the bed. He leaned on the bed with his bare arms and stared at the scared Old Doctor with a smile that was not a smile.


    "This... "This ¡­" Old Doctor widened his eyes as his beard trembled. He didn''t know what to say as he pointed at Zuo Shaoqing.


    He thought he saw a pitiful bastard son who had been persecuted by his legitimate son. He ran to the Zuo Family with a heart full of sympathy, but what he saw in the end was ¡­ As expected, there were many vices in the mansion.


    Zuo Shaoqing, who was still holding the machete in his hand, flicked his finger with the knife that still had some wood chips on it and sighed: "Doctor, how long do you think it will take for you to recover from being stabbed by this kind of knife? Do you have some sort of wound infection or something?"


    "This ¡­" Are you trying to fool me? "


    Zuo Shaoqing held the knife and jumped off the bed. He placed it on Old Doctor''s neck, and warned while laughing sinisterly: "Presumably, everyone in Youuxi Town knows that I was stabbed by Zuo Second Master now? Even if you go out and tell the truth, does anyone believe you? And I could say that the doctor was bribed by the Left Lady. "


    "You ¡­" Old Doctor was trembling with anger, but he couldn''t find the words to refute.


    "You also know about the situation with the Zuo Family, right? If I didn''t dodge it in time, would this blade really pierce into my chest? "


    Old Doctor stood stiffly and thought: Come on, what''s with the blood bag inside his clothes? This was clearly a conspiracy that had been planned beforehand.


    "Actually, you don''t have to feel sorry for anyone. Look, I''m so injured that I''m about to die. Did anyone from my parents or brothers come over to look at me?" I was forced to do this. " Zuo Shaoqing sighed in grievance.


    He had always been a delicate and obedient person, but now that he acted so pitifully, his body was covered with bandages. It wasn''t a problem for him to scare people off.


    "Forget it, forget it ¡­" Sigh, this old man has been a doctor for most of my life, and I have never done anything against my will! "


    Zuo Shaoqing raised his eyebrows, and the corner of his mouth raised, "Old Doctor, you should remember this matter well. After coming out of this room, you must forget everything.


    Old Doctor was so angry that smoke was rising from the top of his head, "Now you have a request for me!"


    Zuo Shaoqing shook his head lightly, "No, I''m threatening you!"


    "If I reveal this to Madam Zuo, I''m afraid that San Ye won''t have the chance to find trouble with me." If Mrs. Xue knew that Zuo Shaoqing had schemed against her own son, it would be weird if she didn''t strip a layer of his skin off.


    Zuo Shaoqing looked straight at him without batting an eyelid, and gestured the knife at him maliciously, "You can try!"


    Old Doctor finally had to compromise, and said with a shock in his heart, "Your injury will be recuperated for at least a month. In this month, you have to eat and drink, change medicine to clean yourself, and hide it from others, you definitely can''t hide it from others."


    "Of course I have a way to keep them from telling." There were only two servants with Zuo Shaoqing. Nanny Liu could definitely trust one of them. As long as Luo Xiaoliu didn''t want to die, he would not dare to disobey.


    On this side, Zuo Shaoqing and the doctor had reached an agreement, while on the other side, Zuo Shaoling had coaxed Mrs. Xue into submission.


    Previously, when he had escaped from the "murder scene", the first thing he did was to rush home and hug Mrs. Xue''s arm in a spoiled manner. "Mother, what if I did something wrong?"


    Mrs. Xue loved her little son the most. When she saw that he was covered in dust, she first checked to see if he was hurt, then asked with a straight face, "What did you do to him again? Don''t let your father know, or there''ll be a beating. "


    Zuo Shaoling was not afraid of his father at all. Since he was young, Master Zuo''s stick had never hit him before. He held his neck and clamored: "This can''t be blamed on me, who let that bastard offend me, a concubine actually dared to look down on me, so I taught him a lesson."


    When Mrs. Xue heard that it had something to do with Zuo Shaoqing, the anger in her heart rose uncontrollably as she muttered, "What!? How dare that little beast set his eyes on you? "He''s really as shameless as that bitch of a mother. I wonder what his identity is!"


    "Exactly!" Zuo Shaoling had already let go of most of his worries. He hugged Mrs. Xue to incite her, "Mom, dad has always been biased towards him since he was young. No matter what happens, you have to avenge me."


    "Alright, I understand. When have you ever caused trouble for me?" Ling''er, you aren''t young anymore. To learn from your elder brother, you should at least be a bit more stable. "


    Although Mrs. Xue doted on her son, she also knew that he was the one who couldn''t be supported. She didn''t expect him to have any great achievements in this life, as long as he was a little bit more sensible, it would be good enough.


    Zuo Shaoling couldn''t wait to listen to Mrs. Xue''s lecture, so he casually responded with a few sentences and wanted to run away.


    Mrs. Xue called out to him from behind. "It''s been a few days since you went to pay respects to your grandmother. Take this opportunity to go home and say a few good words."


    Zuo Shaoling''s eyes lit up as he happily agreed. Ever since he was young, he knew that as long as he could get rid of these two mistresses of his family, his father would not be able to do anything to him.


    However, this grandmother of hers was usually not easy to see. "Did Grandmother leave the Buddhist Hall today?"


    Mrs. Xue glared at him hatefully. "If she didn''t come out, wouldn''t you have said something nice outside the door?" It''s not like she''s out of work. Do you really think that she''s out of work? "


    Mrs. Xue curled her lips. Ever since Zuo Family fell, the old lady had also suffered a huge blow to her reputation. After settling down in Youuxi Town, she gradually handed over the authority of a housekeeper and spent her days in the small buddhist hall, enjoying the blessings of buddhism. It was just that she did not know if her heart had truly been converted to a buddhist faith.

 C12 Heh Didnt They Intentionally Shield Me

    His son, the concubine, was stabbed by his son. When he heard that his son''s injuries were severe, he almost died.


    "Hey, did you not see? That long knife was stabbed into his chest and blood was flowing from it. Even his clothes were dyed red. I''m afraid that he won''t be able to recover."


    "My family''s niece works at the Zuo''s Mansion. I heard that after Third Master Zuo was sent back to the Zuo''s Mansion, Madame Zuo didn''t even look at him, much less Second Master who injured him."


    "Heh, aren''t you intentionally protecting me?"


    "What''s that?" She was the first wife, and now that San Ye''s mother was dead, wasn''t she supposed to say something? "Who would want to make things difficult for a little bastard like him?"


    "You can''t put it like that. No matter what, we are related by blood, this is too cruel. When I think of Third Master Zuo''s miserable state, I can''t sleep at night."


    "Yeah, this big family doesn''t have many favors. Even after making such a ruckus, they still haven''t said anything fair."


    "Who asked this Master San to commit a mistake? "Sigh!"


    By the time Mrs. Xue found out the truth, there were already rumors flying everywhere.


    She was so angry that she smashed the antique vases in the room. "Why did you all only report such a huge matter to me now?" Mrs. Xue couldn''t help but feel infuriated when she thought about how the people outside all called her a malicious mother.


    Mrs. Zhu, who was her room, lowered her head, "We thought Second Master had already told you, and that person isn''t dead yet."


    Mrs. Xue slammed the table. "Don''t tell me that we have to wait for him to die before he is the last one to know that?" Mrs. Ruan had just died. If that bastard died in the past few days, what would outsiders think? Isn''t my first mother narrow-minded enough to harm my concubine and her son? "


    Mrs. Xue''s heart ached when she thought about how she had to put in so much effort to take care of her family, raise a concubine for her husband, and raise a concubine for her daughter.


    Madam Zhu rushed forward to help Mrs. Xue. "Madam, please don''t be angry. Those people outside don''t have much experience. How could they understand the hardships you''ve gone through these past few years?"


    "Humph!" "I still don''t know what will happen when the old master comes back. Go tell Second Master to hide in the yard for a few days and come back after the limelight has passed." Although Mrs. Xue didn''t feel that her son was at fault, she didn''t want him to be punished. "Also, send some medicinal plants over, regardless of whether he dies or not, you still have to put on an act."


    In the small courtyard of Zuo''s Mansion, Nanny Liu also heard what happened from Luo Xiaoliu''s mouth. His eyes were swollen from crying and when the doctor came out, he dragged the person and asked: "Doctor, how is my third master?"


    Old Doctor''s mouth twitched. His gaze was also unnatural, but he still replied like an immortal: "Your injuries are very serious. If you move your position any further, you will lose your life. Take good care of yourself for now. We''ll see what happens in three to five days."


    "That''s right, that''s right. Whatever medicine you want to use, just say so. Lord Third can''t afford to let anything happen to him."


    Old Doctor thought to himself: "What the hell is wrong with that kid?" He glanced at the simple and crude courtyard as a glint of light flashed in his eyes, "Alright, bring me the brush and paper. I''ll write down the prescription first."


    Therefore, when Zuo Shaoqing got the prescription from Ye Zichen, he frowned so hard that he could kill a fly.


    Ginseng, deer antler? How could he afford this? There was actually a tael of yellow in front of him. Was he trying to torture himself to death?


    The moment Zuo Shaoqing saw the prescription, he knew that Old Doctor was holding a grudge against him. With his left hand holding a brush, he wrote off a few precious herbs and bitter medicines that were meant to torment others.


    Nanny Liu stood to the side, trembling with fear. "Master, this is a prescription made by a doctor. How can you change it as you please?"


    Zuo Shaoqing passed the prescription to her, "Just follow this one to get the medicine."


    He was someone who had studied medical books before, so it was unlikely that he wouldn''t even be able to prescribe the usual blood and Qi replenishing prescriptions.


    When Nanny Liu went out, Zuo Shaoqing called Luo Xiaoliu over, instructing him to go out and inquire about Zuo Family''s reaction.


    As he expected, even if he was seriously injured, he only got Zuo Shaoling to imprison him for half a month.


    Not to mention that it was impossible for his direct son to pay with his life for a concubine with his Zuo Family, he didn''t even have the most basic of care. Only Zuo Shaoyan came over once to apologize for Wu Tie, gave him some medicinal ingredients, and told him to rest well.


    Zuo Shaoqing sneered. This was Zuo Family, no wonder he would send him out without thinking in the future.


    If he hadn''t remembered that Zuo Shaoling beat him up in his previous life, he wouldn''t have thought of taking the initiative.


    He still remembered that back then, Zuo Shaoling and him had had a quarrel outside the academy gate. After Zuo Shaoling made the first move, he accidentally pushed him, causing him to kowtow, and in the end, the entire Zuo Family was considered his fault. He still remembered the angry and vicious gaze that Mrs. Xue had when she looked at him.


    Later, when Zuo Yunwen came home, he ordered his family law regardless of the fact that Zuo Yunwen was beaten black and blue. Zuo Yunwen came back home, completely disregarding the fact that he was beaten black and blue, he ordered his family law.


    With such a lesson learned from the past, how could Zuo Shaoqing not consider it for himself? Furthermore, this kind of revenge was only the beginning, he would slowly take back the debt Zuo Family had owed him.

 C13 Surprise

    "Elder, it''s time to drink the medicine." Nanny Liu came in with a bowl of steaming black soup, causing Zuo Shaoqing''s expression to darken.


    Although he wiped off the bitter medicine, the soup was still too bitter to swallow. However, he had to drink it to prevent Nanny Liu from suspecting him.


    "Put it down. I''ll drink by myself later."


    Nanny Liu objected. "The medicine needs to be drunk while it''s hot."


    Zuo Shaoqing knew she was stubborn, so he took the bowl and casually asked, "Why is it so lively outside? But what''s the good news? "


    "Have you forgotten? The old mistress'' fiftieth birthday is in half a month. Master has sent word that it''s going to be a big affair this year. "


    Zuo Shaoqing was suddenly enlightened. Yes, he had been lying in bed recuperating in his previous life, so he naturally missed his birthday. No wonder he had no memory of it.


    He did not have a deep impression of the madame. He only remembered her as a strict and strict old man. Even Mrs. Xue was respectful in front of her. It was a pity that she had not seen him all year round.


    Although he did not expect this madame to look at him in a different light, it was still too much for his grandma to celebrate his birthday and for his grandson to not prepare a wedding gift. He might even end up with an unfilial hat.


    "Nanny Liu, go and prepare some ink and paper for me. Prepare more."


    "Master, you haven''t recovered from your injuries. Why are you doing this?"


    Zuo Shaoqing blinked and smiled slyly, "You''ll know in the future."


    Nanny Liu caressed his hair lovingly, then a look of worry flashed in her eyes. "I ¡­" There''s something I need to discuss with you. "


    "Hmm?"


    "That... I plan to use the jade bracelet that Lady Ruan left behind as a pawn, what do you think ¡­? "


    Zuo Shaoqing thought for a moment. He looked at Nanny Liu''s weathered face and sighed. "But I don''t have enough silver taels left?"


    In fact, he knew that his monthly allowance was only one tael. Apart from food and shelter, he had to pay for everything else himself. Plus, he had been eating and drinking well these few days. He probably didn''t have any money left, right?


    He shouted towards the door, "Lil ''Six!"


    Waiting for someone to come in, Zuo Shaoqing said lightly: "Go to the old master''s study and tell him that I''m so bored that I want to practice."


    "Huh?" Luo Xiaoliu was confused and did not understand the meaning of those words.


    "Just go. Master will understand." Zuo Shaoqing smiled. Was that father feeling guilty? If he didn''t take advantage of the situation, how could he face himself?


    Although Luo Xiaoliu was puzzled, he still walked obediently towards the study room in the outer court.


    In the time it took to make a cup of tea, Zuo Shaoqing, who was waiting in the room, saw Luo Xiaoliu rushing in with a stack of stuff in his hands.


    Half a month later, the old mistress'' birthday feast arrived on schedule, and other than this small courtyard, the rest of the place was filled with cheers and laughter.


    At a quarter past nine, Nanny Liu walked into the courtyard with an angry face. When she entered the house, she saw a young man reading a book seriously under the light of a lamp.


    "What is it? Didn''t you say that you were going to get the food? " Zuo Shaoqing put down the book and was not surprised that Nanny Liu came back empty-handed.


    Nanny Liu put on a straight face and answered with a stammer, "The people in the kitchen said that there were many guests today. They were too busy cooking dinner for San Ye and told me to wait another four hours before they go."


    Zuo Shaoqing knew the answer a long time ago, so he was not angry. Instead, he comforted, "That''s right, when Lil ''Six comes back, tell him to go out and buy some food."


    Nanny Liu was still angry and snorted, "There are only three people in our yard, how much food can we eat? If it''s just a little bit, we can get rid of it. They are obviously making things difficult for us. "


    Just as he finished his sentence, a candid voice came from outside the yard, "Is Master San here?"


    Zuo Shaoqing and Nanny Liu looked at each other, not understanding why someone would come at this time.


    "Who is it?" Just as Nanny Liu went out to welcome them, she saw a thirty year old daughter-in-law walking in with two young maidservants.


    The daughter-in-law smiled and said, "Sister Liu, the madame knows that Master San has yet to recover from his injuries and can''t attend the birthday feast. She specifically ordered me to prepare a table of noodles for Master San."


    Nanny Liu was a little taken aback. The madame had never looked after San Ye this way. What was going on today?


    The daughter-in-law asked the maidservant to place the noodles in Zuo Shaoqing''s bedroom. She went up and bowed to Zuo Shaoqing and said, "The madame asked me to tell San Ye that San Ye is worried about you. You were lying on the bed thinking about her, and she was very happy to receive your gift."


    Zuo Shaoqing smiled weakly with a pale face, "Grandmother''s birthday is here. It''s unfilial enough that I can''t kowtow to her, it''s not worth being a small gift."


    "That is not a small gift. You have copied every 100 scriptures of the Buddhist scripture and even compared them to the wedding gifts of the other masters. Even the guests praised your meticulous mind and wrote a few words. The old lady really likes it."


    Zuo Shaoqing slightly lowered his head and put on a shy expression. His long eyelashes trembled, "As long as Grandmother likes it."


    It was said that when looking at a beauty under the lamp, Zuo Shaoqing leaned weakly on the bed. His long hair was unbound, as it casually draped over his shoulders. His undeveloped little face was unrecognizable, and it was so beautiful that it made one''s heart ache.


    The daughter-in-law looked at her a few more times and thought to herself, It''s said that Lady Ruan was spoiled by the master for so many years because of her face. This San Ye has been like a mother since she was young.


    Unfortunately, in this Zuo Family, what''s the use of a man''s looks?


    "The madame also said that she has been paying respects to the Buddha all year round, so there is a lot of neglect in the family matters. After knowing the source of Master San''s injuries, she has already taught Second Master a lesson, and asked a servant to send you some medicinal materials and 10 taels of silver so that you can recuperate properly."


    Was this an unexpected surprise? Zuo Shaoqing snickered in his heart and calmly said: "Second Brother did not do it on purpose. Please don''t blame Second Brother."


    The daughter-in-law looked at Zuo Shaoqing with a gentler gaze, "This servant will pass on your meaning to the madame. Please eat first, this servant will take his leave."


    Zuo Shaoqing nodded, "Nanny Liu, help me send this sister-in-law off."


    "No need, no need, I can''t be a servant." The daughter-in-law left her solace and hurried off.


    Zuo Shaoqing stared at the sumptuous dishes on the table and the package on the table. In his previous life, he didn''t give the madame a birthday celebration, so he naturally didn''t receive the rewards tonight. It seemed that something was slowly changing.


    ¡ª ¡ª

 C14 Brother Are You Still Alive

    The night gradually deepened and the Zuo''s Mansion returned to its former tranquility. Nanny Liu was too old to stay up all night, so Luo Xiaoliu stayed up all night.


    Just after midnight, Zuo Shaoqing opened his eyes and listened to the heavy breathing coming from outside. He got off the bed, put on a grey robe and walked out.


    He quietly approached Luo Xiaoliu and saw the capable attendant up close. He was very satisfied with Luo Xiaoliu''s recent performance, "If you can be loyal to me, then the past grudge will be written off."


    Zuo Shaoqing gently opened the door and walked out.


    He had not stepped out of this room for half a month, and if he did not come out now to take a breather, he would feel suffocated. In any case, the number of people on night duty was pitifully few, so he was not too worried about being discovered.


    Passing by Wu Ya Academy, Zuo Shaoqing''s gaze turned cold. He lightly jumped onto the roof and walked towards the hall where Mrs. Xue was.


    Although he had only practiced the Heart Cleansing Method to the first stage and his martial arts skills were not much better than attendant, his qinggong had returned to its peak state.


    The moment he laid down on the roof, Zuo Shaoqing heard Mrs. Xue''s repressed curses from below: "That old thing, to think that I put in so much effort to give her this birthday banquet, all due to her face, she actually made me lose face in front of others!"


    Zuo Shaoqing had just saw Mrs. Xue push away the servant girl who passed her water and circle around the room in anger.


    "Mother, you should know that Grandmother believes in Buddha the most. Third Brother''s wedding present is indeed within your heart." Zuo Shuhui waved away the servant girl in the room and pulled Mrs. Xue to a stool to sit down.


    "Hmph, your elder brother spent several hundred taels of silver to get a Jade Guanyin, but she was actually defeated by those few pieces of scrap paper. How can I be willing to accept this?"


    "So what if you let him feel proud for a few days? It was just a moment of limelight, how could he rise up to the sky? Another day, my daughter will embroider a picture of Guan Yin for Grandmother. I guarantee that she will be satisfied. "


    "Forget it, that would take too much time. It''s not worth it!" Mrs. Xue patted her daughter''s hand, "If you have the time, you might as well weave a few sets of Lovers'' quilts for yourself so that Cao Family can experience my daughter''s good cooking skills."


    "Mother ¡­" Zuo Shuhui leaned shyly on Mrs. Xue''s back and said, "Daughter doesn''t want to marry." However, her eyes were filled with a piercing brightness.


    "That''s enough, you have to be satisfied. Although your Cao Family is only at the fifth rank, Cao Zongguan is already a High Scholar. In the future, you will be the proper official''s wife for the title."


    Zuo Shaoqing almost sneered. He had almost forgotten about this matter. Zuo Shuhui was indeed engaged to Lu Zheng before he married Lu Zheng. It was unknown whether that Young Master Lu really did not know or was completely indifferent.


    He knew that the mother and daughter pair were very satisfied with Cao Zongguan. However, when Lu Zheng came to Zuo Family and indicated that they wanted to marry Zuo Family, the mother and daughter pair neatly gave up Cao Family and let Zuo Shuyu from the second house take over Zuo Shuhui''s position.


    Zuo Shuhui and Cao Zongguan had already gone through the wedding ceremony, so logically, they shouldn''t break off the engagement. However, Mrs. Xue had personally come to find the Cao Family, hinting that it was Young Master Lu who was eyeing their family''s Miss Zuo.


    Who was Lu Zheng, who was the only Duke with a different surname in Great Yang, and he was also known as the "War God", a fierce general. With a heavy soldier in his hands, no matter how sullen his Cao Family was, he would not dare to challenge him.


    Aside from Cao Family who suffered a loss, everyone in the second and third rooms were overjoyed. As for whether Lu Zheng suffered a loss or not, Zuo Shaoqing did not know.


    Not wanting to continue listening, Zuo Shaoqing left from the roof and sprinted in the direction of the Green Foot Academy. Soon, he arrived at the thatched hut at the back of the academy.


    During the day, he heard from Luo Xiaoliu that this hut had been tidied up and had some daily necessities, which was why Zuo Shaoqing came here. Other than this, he really couldn''t think of any other place to stay.


    The cold winter night was bone-piercing. The hazy moonlight seemed to have a layer of silver frost on the ground. Zuo Shaoqing stopped ten steps away from the thatched cottage.


    This is... The smell of blood? Someone? How could that be? Could it be a passing hunter?


    This was exactly what he wanted to say: when people planted a tree, people would take advantage of it. However, he, Zuo Shaoqing, would never allow anyone to lay their hands on a place like this!


    Zuo Shaoqing pushed open the door and walked in. This hut was only a single room, so it was obvious what was inside. The person that Zuo Shaoqing mistook as a hunter was lying on the ground motionlessly.


    Zuo Shaoqing retreated a little. The room was reeking of blood. This person was definitely severely injured, so he didn''t want to cause trouble.


    But he couldn''t let this person die here, right? Otherwise, he would have to abandon this thatched cottage that he had painstakingly sorted out.


    Zuo Shaoqing walked over lightly and used the tip of his shoes to kick the "corpse" on the floor, "Hey, Brother, are you still alive?"


    No response? Zuo Shaoqing cautiously increased the force under his feet, but still didn''t receive a response.


    Was he already dead? That was perfect. He could just throw the person into the ravine and destroy their remains. In two days, this person would definitely not even be left with bone dregs.


    Zuo Shaoqing squatted down, flipped the man over and put two of his fingers on the man''s carotid artery.


    There was also a pulse, faint but still alive.


    Zuo Shaoqing used the moonlight to find the oil lamp that was prepared in the room. After lighting it, he carefully checked the man lying on the ground.


    "Hiss ¡­" So much blood? " He saw that the ground below him was completely stained red with blood, Zuo Shaoqing muttered to himself: "He''s not dead yet, his life is so tough! "Seems like he isn''t an ordinary person."


    Unbuttoning the man''s clothes, Zuo Shaoqing scanned his body from head to toe and found that the heaviest wounds were on his shoulders and thighs, each with a broken arrow. Although there were some small wounds in other places, they were more like scratches.


    To save or not to save? Zuo Shaoqing sat on the bed and stared at the man on the floor. Just by looking at his clothes, one could tell that he was either rich or noble.


    When Zuo Shaoqing saw that face, he was a bit surprised. Although the man''s chin had grown stubble, but that resolute and handsome face made him take a few more glances.


    "Since you look like this, you shouldn''t have to worry that you won''t be able to repay me for saving your life." Zuo Shaoqing mumbled to himself and started to look for tools to use in the thatched cottage.


    He did not dare to pull out the two broken arrows. If the arrows had barbs on them, this pull would not be to save them but to kill them.


    ¡ª ¡ª


    The day after tomorrow will be No.1. This article is about to compete, please give your support to me, my friends.

 C15 A Dead Horse Should be Treated as a Living Horse Doctor

    After rummaging for a long time, Zuo Shaoqing finally found a carving knife left behind by a carpenter, as well as a brazier and silver char that Luo Xiaoliu had prepared beforehand.


    After moving the person onto the bed, Zuo Shaoqing covered him with a blanket and lit up the charcoal brazier. Then, he rushed out the door and looked around for Purple Pearl Grass to stop the bleeding.


    When everything was ready, Zuo Shaoqing even used the teapot to get a pot of water. Thanks to Luo Xiaoliu''s knowledge that he liked tea, he even prepared a teapot for Zuo Shaoqing.


    After burning the carving knife on the fire, Zuo Shaoqing took a deep breath before he lifted the blanket.


    "Brother, this is my first time saving someone. If I accidentally kill you, please don''t blame me!" With that, he tapped the man''s acupoint.


    The feeling of a sharp knife stabbing into his flesh made Zuo Shaoqing''s hands tremble. His eyes were a little dazed, he was too familiar with this feeling, in his previous life, he killed dozens of people using a knife.


    Zuo Shaoqing bit down on his lips. The pain made his mind come back to his cage. He cut open the muscles at the edges of the wound and dug out the two arrows. Then, he applied the crushed herbs on them.


    Zuo Shaoqing looked around and realized that he forgot to prepare a cloth strip. He had no choice but to take off his undergarment from the man''s body, cut it into strips with a knife, and tied it to his wound.


    After doing all of this, Zuo Shaoqing found that his back was cold. He was actually covered in sweat during the winter night.


    He stared at the two wounds for a quarter of an hour to make sure the bleeding had stopped before he heaved a sigh of relief. To be honest, he had no experience treating patients.


    After pouring the hot water from the teapot onto the remaining cloth, Zuo Shaoqing simply wiped his hands. He stared at the half-naked, half-naked man on the bed and started to worry.


    Based on the injuries on this man''s body, he definitely wouldn''t be able to get out of bed within ten days or half a month. Moreover, he just found out that this man suffered severe internal injuries.


    I can''t just leave him on the mountain, can I? Didn''t that mean he had saved her for nothing?


    Zuo Shaoqing clenched his fist and thought angrily: "I didn''t expect that I, Zuo Shaoqing, would have to do something good before doing anything bad. It seems that even the heavens despise me for killing too many people in my past life."


    Zuo Shaoqing turned around and walked out of the hut. He got down the mountain using Qing Gong. Then he climbed over the wall and entered the back of the academy. He entered the kitchen familiarly and wrapped two cold steamed buns from the steamer before returning to the mountain.


    He put the two steamed buns beside the man''s pillow. Zuo Shaoqing bent over and picked up the purse that dropped when he was taking off his clothes, then said to the person on the bed: "No matter what''s inside, it''s mine now. Just treat it as your medical fee."


    "If you don''t say anything, I''ll take it as you agreeing." Zuo Shaoqing looked at the well embroidered bag again and again with a tsk-tsk sound, "If Miss Zuo saw this embroidery, he probably wouldn''t be so arrogant as to think that he''s the best in the world. He''s really a frog in the well."


    Pulling open the bundle, Zuo Shaoqing poured the contents of the bag onto the table and began to stroke it with the carving knife.


    Silver ¡­ No!


    Silver banknotes ¡­ Nor!


    Even the jade pendants that wealthy families usually did not have!


    Zuo Shaoqing was slightly disappointed. He was currently a poor person with no money, if he left the Zuo Family, it would be hard for him to even take a single step.


    It''s better to take things step by step. Zuo Shaoqing casually picked up the few unremarkable things on the table.


    A black, charcoal-like wooden sign with a strange yet familiar pattern was engraved on it. Zuo Shaoqing looked over it a few times but couldn''t find anything, so he threw it aside.


    A completely transparent pearl was pointed at the oil lamp and a red flower bloomed inside. It was a rare item and Zuo Shaoqing kept it in his bag.


    A piece of paper with the word "Changping" written on it was scrawled on it. If Zuo Shaoqing wasn''t too familiar with these two words, he wouldn''t have recognized it. No matter how Zuo Shaoqing looked at it, he wouldn''t have been able to see the purpose of this note, so he threw it into the brazier.


    Zuo Shaoqing looked at the last item for a while but still couldn''t recognize it. It seemed like a key but it didn''t look like it was worth a lot. Zuo Shaoqing just threw it together with the wooden plate.


    "Looks like this person''s identity isn''t as simple as being rich." Zuo Shaoqing knew that if the purse was filled with silver coins, it wouldn''t be anything special. However, there wasn''t even a single copper coin in the purse. This meant that this person was used to not taking money with him.


    "To be able to be carried inside such a beautiful bag, I guess these are all important items. Let''s first collect them before thinking about anything else." Zuo Shaoqing happily put everything back into his pocket and decided to take it for himself.


    Seeing that the sky was about to brighten, Zuo Shaoqing did not stay any longer. He turned his head and glanced at the unconscious man, then flew towards the Zuo''s Mansion.


    When he returned to the small courtyard, he happened to have just passed Yin. Before Nanny Liu woke up, Zuo Shaoqing had already untied Luo Xiaoliu''s sleeping point and fell asleep.


    This time, he slept for the entire morning, but his sleep was not stable. He kept dreaming, and his dreams were filled with the events of his past life, disturbing his mental state.


    "Ah ¡­" Zuo Shaoqing sat up on the bed and held his chest to catch his breath, not bothering to wipe the cold sweat off his forehead.


    "That pattern ¡­" Zuo Shaoqing exclaimed. He lifted the blanket and got off the bed. After spinning two rounds, he jumped back onto the bed and fished out that exquisite bag from under the pillow. Then, he impatiently poured out the wooden plate.


    Zuo Shaoqing stared at the eagle-like pattern in a daze. Beneath him was a thick ball of flame that matched the scene in the dream. He mumbled to himself in a daze," Also ¡­ That''s true ¡­ That... Could that person be ¡­ "That''s impossible, right?


    He remembered that that person coming to Zuo Family to propose marriage still had more than ten days remaining, and it just so happened that when he was participating in the hometown examination, he heard of this shocking news when he returned from Changping.


    "Could it be that he knew about Zuo Family while he was recuperating from his Youuxi Town in his previous life, which was why he made the decision to marry Zuo Family?" Zuo Shaoqing felt that it must be so. Otherwise, why would a dignified Duke Zhen think that there was actually a Zuo Family living in such a remote place?


    What do we do now? He had kicked the man a few times last night, and had even gone along with his purse and burned his note. He had even dug out the arrow for him without much thought.


    Furthermore, Zuo Shaoqing knew that there would be others even if he didn''t save him, so this so-called favor of saving his life was actually nothing.


    Therefore, the purse that was warm in his hands suddenly became scalding hot, wanting to push him back into Lu Zheng''s arms now.


    ?


    Tomorrow is the day of the competition, so let''s have some fun!


    Thank you for your reward, Xi Qijun.

 C16 Seek Money(part I)

    Just as Zuo Shaoqing was in a daze, the door to his room was pushed open and Luo Xiaoliu yelled in surprise.


    "Master, why did you get up?" Luo Xiaoliu looked at San Ye who was standing still on the bed and his mind was in a mess. Didn''t San Ye get hurt so badly that he couldn''t get up?


    Only then did Zuo Shaoqing realize that he had lost his composure. He slowly sat on the bed and ordered Luo Xiaoliu, "Go and close the door!"


    When everyone returned to him, Zuo Shaoqing stared at him while playing with the wooden board: "Don''t look at what you shouldn''t, don''t ask what you shouldn''t, don''t say what you shouldn''t, remember?"


    Although his tone was very calm, Luo Xiaoliu was still covered in cold sweat. He did not know when this San Ye had developed such a calm and powerful temperament. It was really unbearable.


    Luo Xiaoliu had already experienced Zuo Shaoqing''s power and was afraid that Zuo Shaoqing would kill him to silence him. He nervously knelt on the ground and said, "Master, your servant did not see anything!"


    "Yes, very good." Since he was exposed, Zuo Shaoqing didn''t pretend to be a patient with injuries. His legs dangled by the side of the bed as he instructed Luo Xiaoliu to do something for him.


    "Go and invite Second Uncle over first. Tell him that your nephew has some business to discuss, then go to Nanny Liu''s five taels of silver and help me buy some things."


    "Grandpa, are you looking for Second Master?" Luo Xiaoliu didn''t know how many times he had been surprised in the past few days. Ever since San Ye had recovered, he had been reborn and changed.


    "Don''t ask what you shouldn''t ask!" Zuo Shaoqing reported what he wanted to buy to him and urged him to go quickly.


    "Yes, your servant will go now!" Luo Xiaoliu did not dare to stay in his room, so he took the mission outside without stopping.


    A few years after Zuo Family returned, they split up. Second Master Zuo Yunyang brought his meager land and a few shops to the east side of the city where Thorny Tree Alley was located.


    Second Master was born to be a businessman. With his amazing talent and luck, he managed to accumulate enough wealth to the point where the mansion would be jealous of him in the short span of ten years.


    However, the main house was for scholars and the second house was for merchants. Their status was clear at a glance, not to mention that Second Master was a concubine.


    Zuo Yunyang was a man of his word. He knew that their family was just a lowly merchant register after leaving the mansion, so all these years they had to eat and drink. When outsiders heard this, they would only say: "Brother is courteous, drink water and think of the source!"


    Although the main house looked down on the status of the second house, they still had to give face after receiving so many benefits. Thus, the two houses had always gotten along well, at least on the surface.


    Zuo Shaoqing was very short of money right now, so the first person he thought of was this second uncle who knew how to give birth to money.


    He needed to buy good medicine and food for the man to eat, drink, and recuperate, so the money was a big problem.


    He wasn''t sure if he could get the money from Second Master, but he still had to give it a try. If possible, he still wanted to make a long-term profitable profit.


    He had never gone through a business or even a family business before. He had only relied on a few more years of "experience" than others.


    Zuo Second Master came very slowly. He frowned the moment he entered the yard and then walked into Zuo Shaoqing''s house as if nothing had happened.


    "I heard that nephew was injured a while ago. Is he feeling better?" Zuo Yunyang had the face of a Maitreya Buddha. He didn''t smile, but he was also happy. He sat on the footstool beside the bed and looked at his nephew who he hadn''t seen many times.


    He knew that the concubine was not doing well, but he did not intend to lend a helping hand. It was already difficult for the two of them to maintain their politeness, and he would not cause trouble for himself.


    Zuo Shaoqing leaned powerlessly on the headboard. His face was pale from the initial recovery, but his pair of beautiful eyes were exceptionally bright.


    "Second Uncle, your nephew wants to do a business with you. Are you interested?" Zuo Shaoqing went straight to the point. He didn''t have time to test each other out.


    A flash of surprise appeared in Zuo Yunyang''s eyes, then he laughed and asked: "Then, how does nephew plan to do business with second uncle?"


    Zuo Shaoqing ignored the disdain in his words and looked at him confidently, "I think what Second Uncle is asking is just that Second Cousin can get married to a good family, Fourth Cousin can make a name for himself, and Second House is safe and sound, but?"


    The eldest daughter was one year younger than Zuo Shuhui, and the youngest son was three years younger than Zuo Shaoqing. Both of them were direct descendants, and Zuo Yunyang never had a concubine, not even a concubine.


    This was also why Zuo Shaoqing dared to bet on him. He believed that a man who loved his wife and started his life with his own hands wasn''t like Zuo Yunwen, a flowery pillow.


    "Nephew''s words are false, which family''s parents don''t have that kind of desire?"


    Zuo Shaoqing made sense when he thought about it. Even Mrs. Xue, whom he hated, had been plotting for her two sons and one daughter.


    Zuo Shaoqing thought for a while, organized his thoughts, and then calmly said: "Second Uncle is a bastard, and is also a merchant, although eating and drinking is not worrying, but it is impossible to get people''s respect. Adding on the current situation of our Zuo Family, Fourth Cousin Brother is not able to participate in Conference Test even if he is talented in literature, at most he would take the test to bring people home to play, and not have any achievements! I''m afraid you don''t want him to go into business. "


    Zuo Shaoqing''s words are a bit heavy, Zuo Yunyang even looked at him with ridicule: "Nephew, did you forget? "You are just a little bastard!"


    "Second Uncle, there''s no need to be angry. Nephew only wants to explain the situation to you. What if I say that I have a way to change the current situation of Zuo Family?"


    Zuo Yunyang naturally did not believe him and thought that the third son was just daydreaming.


    "Back then, Zuo Family stood on the wrong side of the army, so it was His Majesty''s great kindness not to be executed by the entire family." He was even delusional enough to think that he could change the situation. The people of this mansion must be thinking of returning to the temple, right?


    Zuo Yunyang did not try to conceal his contempt and doubt, but the string that was innermost in his heart was still slightly strummed.


    "I know that Second Uncle has no reason to believe an insignificant person like me, but there is a saying: There is no absolute in this world. How can you guarantee that I won''t be able to do what I say?" The corner of Zuo Shaoqing''s mouth slowly curled up, which was especially convincing when matched with his pair of bright and deep eyes.


    Zuo Yunyang couldn''t help but glance at this nephew of his. In his memory, this child had always been timid, timid, and had a soft temper.


    When did this unremarkable child grow up to be like this? Confidence! Zhang Yang! Moreover, it was magnificent!


    Was this still the concubine he knew?


    ¡ª ¡ª


    It''s time for the competition, asking for an olive branch! There was still one more match in the evening.


    Although most readers know, the source of the olive branch is still repeated: there are those who consume more than 100 copper coins last month, who can see the olive branch on the "secret" home page, who can see it by clicking on the "store of props" when they go in, and those who give a reward of 1000 copper coins, who also have an invincible branch and come to the account immediately.

 C17 Seek Money(part Ii)

    Zuo Shaoqing''s words were not fabricated. As long as Zuo Family could climb up Wu Steel Manor, none of these would be a problem.


    He knew that if he wanted to change the situation with Zuo Family, the key figure would still be Lu Zheng, so he would definitely let the two families marry each other.


    The smile at the corner of his mouth turned cold. Zuo Shaoqing''s eyes were like torches, "Second Uncle, if I were to say that I can find a good home for second cousin?" No one would think that marrying into the Wu Steel Manor wasn''t a good marriage, right? The Second House would probably laugh themselves awake even in their dreams.


    As for Lu Zheng liking men, what''s the big deal? How many women, after getting married, would not be able to get a husband''s favor and would have to carry concubines for their husbands?


    "Anyone can speak big words without any proof. Nephew should at least show some sincerity for Second Uncle to see, right?" Zuo Yunyang admitted that his heart was moved. After realizing that Zuo Shaoqing was incomparable to yesterday, he was completely moved.


    "Is Second Uncle buying food everywhere?" Zuo Shaoqing suddenly asked an irrelevant question.


    Zuo Yunyang''s eyes darkened and became alert. He laughed and said, "Second Uncle is also in the rice grains business, aren''t we all going to have to buy food?"


    Zuo Shaoqing didn''t want to cause trouble with him and bluntly suggested, "Second Uncle, you''d better sell all the food you have as soon as possible. Otherwise, the gains won''t make up for the losses."


    The new emperor ascended the throne as if he had suddenly opened a mysterious treasure box. The entire nation of Great Yang would have good weather and good harvests in the next three years, with almost no breakthroughs in granaries.


    After the war ended, not only did Beidi receive his tribute, but he also had to spend less food. Food was suddenly plentiful, especially in the southern part of the country, where even the poor farmers were fed for four seasons.


    In this kind of situation, grain business was not beneficial at all. Zuo Shaoqing still remembered that after Zuo Family moved to the capital, he received Zuo Yunyang''s first letter and told him about this matter. Luo Xiaoliu had even eavesdropped to tell him about it.


    "Reason?" Zuo Yunyang fixed his gaze on Zuo Shaoqing, wanting to hear what else he could say that would make people even more surprised.


    Second Uncle should know that the Crown Prince is about to ascend to the throne, and the north is about to come to an end. At this point, the new Emperor must be putting all his effort into farming.


    Zuo Shaoqing''s words made sense. Putting aside the time difference, it was easy to convince people.


    "I didn''t expect nephew to not only read diligently, he even knew that the Crown Prince would ascend the throne." Zuo Yunyang said nonchalantly: "These are just your guesses, they are not convincing at all. Why should I believe you?"


    "Whether you believe it or not will be up to second uncle to decide. Since nephew has said everything that should be said, second uncle must not regret it in the future." Zuo Shaoqing held the black wooden plate in his hand, revealing half of the ornament on it.


    Zuo Yunyang had been carefully observing him, so naturally he wouldn''t miss this small movement. He was older than Zuo Shaoqing by twenty years, and he grew up in the capital. He understood the meaning of that pattern better than Zuo Shaoqing.


    His expression changed. He wanted to take the wooden plate to verify his feelings, but Zuo Shaoqing put it away and looked at him with a smile.


    Zuo Yunyang gritted his teeth and said, "Alright, I accept my nephew''s proposal. Tell me your conditions." He knew that Zuo Shaoqing invited him over and drew such a big cake for him. He also gave him a hint, so it was impossible for him to ask for nothing.


    "Second Uncle is a straightforward person and I will not beat around the bush. I need some money to do something, so I went to find Second Uncle." Zuo Shaoqing saw the look of understanding on his face and continued, "I will not speak carelessly. Even if I am not able to reach the best state for Second Uncle in the future, I will not be worse than I am now! Second Uncle should just treat it as investing and doing business, right? "


    "Alright, how much do you want?"


    "I heard that Second Uncle is also in the trading business?" I want a hundred silver notes plus ten percent of the profit from this business. "


    "You''re asking for it!" Zuo Yunyang''s face was dark. If the other person wasn''t his nephew, he would have really slapped him.


    Ten percent might not be a lot, but Zuo Shaoqing was a bit too arrogant for thinking about it with just his red mouth and white teeth.


    "Don''t worry second uncle, I have something to rely on to dare open my mouth. According to my nephew''s knowledge, second uncle''s kaleidoscope business relies on his Cao Family, what if I can find a stronger backer for you?"


    Zuo Yunyang instantly thought of that black wooden plate.


    "Good!" As long as you can do this, I''ll give you thirty percent, let alone ten percent! " If he really had such a backer, at least he would save money on filial piety. That would be a huge expense.


    Zuo Shaoqing didn''t have the intention to be modest at all. With a smile, he replied, "It''s a deal!"


    After Zuo Yunyang left in a daze, Zuo Shaoqing took out his hand from under the blanket. He stared at the wooden signboard and thought to himself: "This is really a good thing, but what a pity it will be returned to its owner tonight."


    If that person knew that he had taken his wooden stick, who knows if he would kill him with a single palm.


    ?


    "Tomorrow is a chapter three thousand words.


    The reward was too cruel. Uncle Lian had invented this weapon all for the sake of participating in the competition, so he was unable to withstand it.

 C18 His Surname Was Zuo and His Name Was Shao Qing

    After dinner, Nanny Liu carried the empty lunch box to the kitchen to return the chopsticks. Zuo Shaoqing told Luo Xiaoliu to bring in the purchased dishes and prepared to count them.


    Luo Xiaoliu''s curiosity almost jumped out of his chest. Unfortunately, he remembered Zuo Shaoqing''s earlier words: Don''t ask what you shouldn''t ask! He could only stand to the side and watch Zuo Shaoqing busy.


    Zuo Shaoqing touched the man''s suit that Luo Xiaoliu bought. It wasn''t really a good outfit, it was a bit rough and hard. It definitely couldn''t compare to the suit that Lu Zheng was wearing, but taking out the clothes that were too good under his conditions made people suspicious.


    He bought a few simple toiletries. Considering the temperature on the mountain, Zuo Shaoqing also got Lil ''Liu to buy a hand stove. Unfortunately, it was not easy to get the quilt up, so he could only pray that the man''s body could withstand the cold at night.


    After putting everything into a bag, Zuo Shaoqing also put the soup that he didn''t drink into the bag. After thinking for a while, he instructed Luo Xiaoliu: "Go to the kitchen secretly later and get some clean food."


    Luo Xiaoliu opened his mouth and said with a bitter face, "I ¡­" If that crazy old woman in the kitchen sees it, he''ll break the servant''s legs! "


    Zuo Shaoqing raised his head and glanced at him lightly, "Then don''t let her see."


    "..." "Yes."


    At night, Zuo Shaoqing lied on the bed and counted the hours. No matter how tired he was, he couldn''t bear to close his eyes. When it was time, he jumped up from the bed and ran out the door while carrying his packed bags.


    This time, he didn''t hide anything from Luo Xiaoliu and gave him a dark brown pill, "This month''s antidote, remember, before dawn, don''t let anyone find out that this grandpa went out."


    Luo Xiaoliu took the antidote nervously, nodding his head like a rattle drum, "This servant will definitely defend the yard well!"


    Zuo Shaoqing dashed all the way, wishing he could grow three legs. However, when he arrived outside the thatched cottage, he didn''t dare to go in. He was scared, nervous, excited, and had mixed feelings.


    Zuo Shaoqing lingered at the door for the time it takes to drink two cups of tea. He considered every possible situation that could happen, and he also thought of a way to deal with it before daring to take a step forward.


    "Creak!" The old wooden door made a big noise in the dark night. Zuo Shaoqing was so shocked that he almost wanted to run away.


    He took a deep breath of the cold air, carried his bag into the room, lit the oil lamp that had been placed on the table the night before, and looked at the bed.


    Under the dim light, the person wrapped in the blanket slept very deeply. The faint yet steady sound of breathing came over, which somehow made Zuo Shaoqing feel at ease.


    It''s good that he''s still alive. He''s really afraid that Lu Zheng would be treated to death by me.


    Zuo Shaoqing secretly put the bag together with the clothes he changed last night. As for the note that he burned, he pretended he didn''t see it.


    Zuo Shaoqing let out a sigh of relief when he saw that the person on the bed didn''t move at all. He walked over to the bed and looked at the man in front of him carefully.


    After all, he had never seen Lu Zheng before, so he could not be sure that he was the only one who had that wooden plate. He only knew that Duke Zhen Manor was passed down throughout the five generations, and the Old Duke had also passed away last year.


    Moreover, combining all of the things in his past life, he was 90% sure that Lu Zheng had once been to the Youuxi Town before.


    When the new emperor ascended the throne, Young Eunuch Lu righteously inherited Duke Zhen''s title, becoming the most sought after young talent in the entire Great Yang. Thus, when Lu Zheng wanted to marry a young woman who was of no repute, it caused a great stir in the entire Great Yang Kingdom.


    When he shifted his gaze, Zuo Shaoqing realized that the two steamed buns that were placed beside his pillow had disappeared. Zuo Shaoqing noticed that the two steamed buns that were placed next to his pillow had disappeared. He had to catch that damned rat and skin it!


    He took out the pot of soup from his bag. It was already cold. Zuo Shaoqing lit the fire and poured the soup into the teapot to heat it up.


    Luckily, he had a hobby of making tea himself. Otherwise, it would be really taxing for a young master like him, who didn''t even need to use any Yang Spring Water, to make tea.


    After pouring a cup of soup, Zuo Shaoqing sat down on the edge of the bed and stared at his bloodless and dry lips for a long time.


    Perhaps his eyes were too focused on Lu Zheng''s lips to notice the quivering lids.


    Before Zuo Shaoqing could make a decision, a callused hand clamped his throat like an iron pincer. His skin was tightly pressed together and he could even feel the killing intent coming from the other party''s body.


    Zuo Shaoqing was quite frightened. After cultivating the Mind Cleansing Technique, his senses had improved quite a bit, but he didn''t even notice his opponent''s movements.


    He did not doubt that his neck would be broken by this hand in the next moment. He gripped the man''s wrist and squeezed out a few words with great difficulty, "Release..." Let go! I''m the one who saved you! "


    His life was precious, he definitely wouldn''t give up his life like this, let alone when he had the intention to take revenge.


    Zuo Shaoqing stared straight at Lu Zheng, using his eyes to convey his innocence and fear. Even though his eyes were extremely cold and filled with killing intent, Zuo Shaoqing did not dare to retreat.


    The palm on Zuo Shaoqing''s neck slowly loosened and then hung limply on the bed. Zuo Shaoqing looked as if he had received a new life, he stepped back and became alert.


    "Where is this place?" The moment Lu Zheng opened his mouth, he discovered that his throat was burning. His entire body was weak and aching.


    Zuo Shaoqing did not dare to not answer, "This is the back mountain of the Youuxi Town, the Green Tooth Academy."


    "Who are you?"


    Arriving, Zuo Shaoqing straightened his back slightly, bowed to him, and replied in a righteous tone, "My name is Zuo, and my name is Shao Qing. I''m a student of Green Lu Academy."


    Zuo Shaoqing stopped talking. Other than a moment of excitement, he did not repeat that he had saved his life. He believed that with Young Master Lu''s cleverness, it was not difficult to think of that.


    Lu Zheng didn''t continue asking questions, but ordered, "I''m thirsty, get me some water!"


    He said those words boldly and confidently. If Zuo Shaoqing didn''t know his identity, he would definitely slap him on the face with the teapot.


    Zuo Shaoqing suppressed his anger, then handed the teacup in his hand over, "This is a soup that was specially prepared by my family. Young Master lost too much blood last night, I think it''s better to make up for it."


    Lu Zheng did not rush to pick it up. Instead, he stared at Zuo Shaoqing with a stern expression.


    Zuo Shaoqing''s mouth twitched. He actually saw the doubt in this bastard''s eyes. He was clearly worried that Ye Zichen would poison the soup.


    What a f * cking grandpa! If he couldn''t get enough benefits from Lu Zheng in the future, he would definitely throw this man into the mountain ditch to feed the beasts.


    Zuo Shaoqing knew that what he should do now was to drink a mouthful of soup to prove that there was no poison in it. However, he was playing the role of an upright and righteous scholar, so how could he accept such an insult?


    "Young Master, are you questioning my character?" He slightly raised his chin and looked Lu Zheng in the eye with an injured look, "Although my family background is not obvious and my knowledge is limited, but I still think of myself as an open and aboveboard person."


    Lu Zheng quietly sized up this young man. He had the exquisite facial features unique to the Southern Scholars. Even though the lights were dim, it was obvious that he had a good appearance.


    Lu Zheng was most impatient with these pedantic scholars. Civil officials in the imperial court loved to impeach him when they had nothing to do. They would even view the killing of a few prisoners as grass and a bunch of fools!


    However, since he was a pedantic scholar, there was no way that he would do such a malicious thing as poisoning.


    "Hand it over!" Lu Zheng reached out his hand, took the cup and gulped it down.


    The teacup was so small that Zuo Shaoqing had to refill it on the side. Only when most of the soup was poured into Lu Zheng''s stomach did his lips finally brighten a little.


    After finishing the medicine, Zuo Shaoqing took out the pastry that he packed. If you were to say Luo Xiaoliu was really talented, he actually took out a whole plate of horseshoe cake from the kitchen without any suspicion.


    Zuo Shaoqing''s original intention was for him to eat two pieces of food to rest his belly, then he would treat the leftover food as tomorrow. However, in the blink of an eye, a plate of horseshoe cake was gone.


    "Although it''s a little too sweet, I can still barely swallow it down." Lu Zheng commented with an indifferent expression.


    Zuo Shaoqing tried his best to control his facial expression, not daring to give a look of contempt. He cursed in his heart: "You can barely swallow it all in one breath?"


    Fortunately, Second Uncle got someone to send him 50 taels of silver in banknotes first. Otherwise, he would be a thief every day in the next few days.


    After serving the old man enough food and drinks, Zuo Shaoqing went to the back of the house to fetch some water. He got a basin of warm water to clean Lu Zheng''s body and prepared to put on his new clothes.


    The upper half of Lu Zheng''s body was naked, and Zuo Shaoqing had also cut a big hole in his pants. It could be said that apart from his underwear, the rest of his clothes were rags.


    ?


    Thank you for your help!"

 C19 I Want to Go to the Toilet

    Zuo Shaoqing controlled his men''s strength, afraid that he would cripple his future golden chicken. However, there were many big and small wounds on Lu Zheng''s body. Some were new, some were old.


    Zuo Shaoqing was troubled when he got to the bottom half of his body. His pants had already been taken off, and his legs were clean. But even though he was going up, he couldn''t do it.


    He gritted his teeth and thought to himself: "I''ve already reached this stage, and I''m not lacking in this aspect." Zuo Shaoqing took off the last piece of cloth from Lu Zheng''s body under the pressure and his breathing immediately quickened.


    He tried his best not to let his eyes fall on the lump in the middle. He wiped it as fast as he could and then put on the new underpants he had bought. Only then did he let out a long sigh.


    He wasn''t embarrassed when he was bathed by attendant, but now that his target was Lu Zheng, he felt like he was taking advantage of attendant.


    Lu Zheng watched the entire process in silence. He raised his leg, he raised his arm, he treated Zuo Shaoqing as his personal attendant.


    After changing his wound, Zuo Shaoqing helped him put on his clothes again. After putting on his clothes, he realized that his clothes were too short. Although he told Luo Xiaoliu to buy the clothes according to Zuo Shaoyan''s size, it was obvious that this master''s figure was more oppressing.


    "Brother, please wear it. When you can get out of bed in a few days, bring me some clothes." Since it was a bed anyways, it didn''t matter whether it was small or small.


    Lu Zheng did not say anything, but his slightly frowning brows revealed his dissatisfaction, but he did not make things difficult for Zuo Shaoqing. This made Zuo Shaoqing''s impression of him improve.


    Although he decided to serve this lord well and leave him a good impression, it didn''t mean that Zuo Shaoqing was willing to be his servant.


    After packing up, Zuo Shaoqing was so tired that he couldn''t even straighten his back. In his previous life, he did less work than he did today. It was really hard to serve someone.


    "I want to go to the toilet!"


    Toilet? How so?


    Zuo Shaoqing''s eyes widened as he looked at the lower half of Lu Zheng in horror, "This... "What should we do?" He had only thought of the first two, but he had forgotten that the last two were equally difficult.


    Lu Zheng looked at him for half an incense''s time and confirmed that Zuo Shaoqing wouldn''t bring him a spittoon like attendant. Lu Zheng looked at him for half an incense''s time and confirmed that Zuo Shaoqing wouldn''t bring him a spittoon.


    Zuo Shaoqing didn''t know how much pain he had to endure because even he himself suffered from reverse circulation. The man in front of him was definitely not as injured as he was at that time.


    However, Lu Zheng only managed to stabilize his body after shaking twice. His originally bloodless face became even paler and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.


    Zuo Shaoqing didn''t have much time to think. He ran over to support the person and planned to put his thin arm under his armpit. Unfortunately, he wasn''t tall enough, so he could only wrap his arms around his waist to barely support half of his body weight.


    Lu Zheng''s expression changed and he lowered his head. His deep gaze fell on Zuo Shaoqing''s face and he muttered: "So short!" Then he tiptoed slowly outside on one foot.


    Zuo Shaoqing lowered his head and pretended that he didn''t hear anything. Otherwise, he wasn''t sure if he still had the stamina to continue this challenging task.


    After exiting the house, he found himself in the wilderness. Lu Zheng was cautious. With the help of the moonlight, he scanned the surrounding and was surprised by the height of the hut. From here, he could vaguely see the small town at the foot of the mountain.


    In the quiet night, the sound of flowing water was exceptionally clear. Zuo Shaoqing''s gaze wandered as he stared at a tree. His mind was filled with the scene he saw when he wiped the man''s body.


    She had honey-colored skin, tight muscles, long legs, and a flat, hard lower abdomen ¡­ A familiar heat rose from inside Zuo Shaoqing''s body. He hatefully thought: He''s only thirteen years old now, isn''t it a little too early to think about this?


    He still hadn''t realized why he would respond to a man''s body after his rebirth.


    "Alright." Wu steel tidied up the clothes with one hand and gently pinched Zuo Shaoqing''s earlobe.


    His original intention was to remind Zuo Shaoqing that everything was over, but the temperature and feel of the touch made him pause for a moment. That soft and hot feeling was something he had never experienced before.


    "Hello ¡­" "You ¡­" Zuo Shaoqing suddenly turned around with vigilance in his eyes. He did not forget the sexual orientation of this man. Could it be that he had a bad intention towards him?


    "You''re blushing."


    "..." "Hot." A gust of cold wind blew past, causing Zuo Shaoqing to sneeze.


    "I''m cold."


    When Zuo Shaoqing helped him back to the bed, he suddenly thought of a question, "Which hand did you use to touch me just now?"


    Lu Zheng raised his only movable arm and waved it in front of his eyes.


    He didn''t know if it was just Zuo Shaoqing''s imagination, but he actually saw a hint of a smile in the man''s eyes. Young Eunuch Lu''s face was as famous as his martial skills, and there was no one who could surpass him.

 C20 Grandpas Noonday

    After this torture, both of them were covered in sweat. Zuo Shaoqing didn''t see it, so he definitely didn''t want to wipe Zuo Shaoqing''s body again.


    "The homecoming examination is coming soon. I''m afraid that I won''t have the time to bring food over to this brother''s place during the late morning, so ¡­" "Hahahaha!" "Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!" Zuo Shaoqing puffed up his chest, but he still didn''t have the guts to say something that would make Young Duke Lu hungry.


    Lu Zheng was indeed worthy of being the most revered person in the entire Great Yang. He actually agreed without any difficulties, causing Zuo Shaoqing''s prepared draft to not even come in handy.


    "Then... "Brother, rest early and come back tonight."


    "Bring a roast chicken."


    Zuo Shaoqing narrowed his eyes and saluted with a smile. He said with a sincere attitude, "I''ll ask the doctor for your opinion later. After all, your brother is severely injured. I hope you don''t mind." You still want to eat roast chicken? I''ve decided to bring you some steamed buns today!


    If he dared to mention this kind of request again, Zuo Shaoqing would directly tell him that his family was poor and he would feel embarrassed. In any case, it was true before yesterday.


    As for the banknotes that Zuo Second Master had given them, that was their secret that they were taciturn about.


    Zuo Shaoqing didn''t hear Lu Zheng''s voice after waiting for a while. When he focused his eyes, that person had already closed his eyes and ignored the person beside him.


    Zuo Shaoqing actually wasn''t afraid of Lu Zheng''s request. The more requests he made, the more he owed him. Although he was unhappy, he would still write them down on the list so that he could get them back in the future.


    But how could Lu Zheng''s attitude be counted? Was this because he had to satisfy him? Zuo Shaoqing was filled with resentment: With such an undesirable character, it''s no wonder that he would be persecuted like this!


    Returning to the Zuo''s Mansion in a hurry, Zuo Shaoqing asked Luo Xiaoliu to bring more hot water. Before Nanny Liu stood up, he comfortably took a hot bath.


    Yesterday, although he bought a lot of things, it was still insufficient. At least he should prepare a spittoon for Lu Zheng, otherwise how could he go to the toilet when he was not around?


    After a night of contemplation, Luo Xiaoliu had decided that his family''s master must have kept an outer room. Otherwise, why would he buy these things every day? He didn''t think that the clothes, shoes, and socks he bought could actually be worn by someone from the outer room.


    Just as he walked out of the room, Luo Xiaoliu bumped into Master Zuo Family. He quickly bowed and said: "Good afternoon!"


    Before San Ye became like this, the people Luo Xiaoliu was most afraid of were the madam and the lord. The former always made him tense up, but the latter always made his hair stand on end.


    "If I don''t stay in my room to take care of your master, then where are you going?" Zuo Shaoyang''s deep voice sounded above his head.


    Luo Xiaoliu rolled his eyes, "Reporting to the boss, San Ye said he wants to eat the roasted chicken from De Sheng Lou, let me buy it."


    "Is this something he can eat now?" No need to go, let the kitchen stew an old hen. " With that, he ignored attendant and walked into the room.


    Ah? Luo Xiaoliu looked up nervously, only to see Lord Zuo turning around. He felt bitter: If I knew earlier, I wouldn''t have said I''d go and buy roast chicken. How nice would it be to buy a plum!


    His feet felt heavy as if they were filled with lead. He first went to the kitchen to pass on the orders from the lord before returning to the courtyard.


    Zuo Shaoqing listened to all the commotion outside. When Zuo Shaoyang entered the room, he immediately struggled to get out of the bed, "Why is Big Bro here?"


    "Don''t move! "Lie still!" Zuo Shaoyang quickly walked to the bedside and pushed Zuo Shaoqing back onto it.


    Zuo Shaoqing, who was just pretending, leaned on the soft pillow, held his wound and coughed twice, "No need, Brother. The doctor said that you can get off the bed in two days."


    Zuo Shaoqing originally planned to lie on the bed before the country exam, but things had changed now. He couldn''t wait until after midnight to take care of Lu Zheng everyday, so he let Old Doctor change his mind and said he would rest for two more days.


    "Seeing your pale face, it would be better for you to rest for a few more days, lest you leave behind the root of your illness in the future."


    Zuo Shaoqing looked at him emotionally, "Thank you, Brother!" With a change in his tone, he revealed a worried expression, "The country test is coming up in a few days. I don''t know if my body will be able to hold on until the end of the country test."


    The hometown examination was divided into four stages: the ''Classic of Four Books and Five Classics'', the ''Scheme'', and the ''Poem''. Each stage required three days. If one did not have sufficient stamina, many students would faint in the dorm.


    Zuo Shaoqing was sensitive to the fact that when the topic was brought up, a trace of gloominess flashed through Zuo Shaoyang''s eyes. That was true. His elder brother was almost twenty this year, and he had been in high school for five years. Yet, he could not rush to the capital to take the examinations. How could he be willing to be so full of poems and books?


    It was no wonder that Zuo Shaoyang would do anything to ensure his future, but all these years, he had been depressed and had worn down his patience.


    Since he was so heartless back then, in this life, don''t blame yourself for being ruthless. Zuo Shaoyang, in this life, you are destined to lose your official position!


    "You''re still young, and your body is still the most important. Even after three more years, you''re still only sixteen. Don''t worry."


    Zuo Shaoqing''s lips curved up into a brilliant smile. He shook Zuo Shaoqing''s hand intimately like a young man who was cared for by his elders. "Big Bro said it''s just for us to try. The outcome isn''t important."


    When the examination was over, he would give Zuo Family a pleasant surprise. The youngest High Scholar of Zuo Family would actually be an unfavored concubine.


    ?


    ?

 C21 How dare You a Little B Tch Challenge Me!

    After Zuo Shao left, he went straight to his study. His study was organized according to Master Zuo, three big bookcases with the majority of the books inside they had read before. However, he was very confused, what''s the use of reading all day long?


    Could it be that he had to follow his father''s example, for he was still an idle scholar in his middle years. He spent all his time together with these so-called literati to play with the whores, admiring the beauty of the world? If he had to live his whole life like this, why would he need to study? Why practice? Why take the exam?


    Zuo Family and ancestors were very rich, there were many fertile land and shops, and if there was no need to worry about food and clothes within the third generation, then what was he studying for?


    "Bam!" Zuo Shaoyang swept the ink and paper on the desk to the ground and kicked down the enamel two-eared bottle closest to him.


    "Uncle, what''s wrong?" A slim girl pushed open the door and entered. It was the purple bamboo that Zuo Shaoqing had seen before. She cried out in fright, "Master, you can''t vent your anger on a vase even if you''re not well. Madam came looking for this."


    Mrs. Xue originally wanted to give this servant girl to her eldest son to make a room, but Zuo Shaoyang didn''t immediately give up his wife''s face and just left her in the study as a first-class maid.


    Mrs. Xue simply looked down on the eldest son and daughter-in-law of this daughter of a county. However, Zuo Shaoyang still needed to use his wife''s face to get a position as the head of the yamen.


    Only this kind of a ninth rank official would not be noticed by the imperial court. However, how could he be willing to spend his life in such a small place as a principal?


    As the fire in his heart gradually grew stronger, Zuo Shaoyang grabbed the Violet Bamboo''s arm and forcefully pressed the person on the desk, then roughly tore off her clothes.


    "Master ¡­" Zi Zhu was delighted. He used both of his hands to lightly press on Zuo Shaoyang''s chest. His face showed that he wanted to refuse but was still welcoming. Very quickly, a lustful moan sounded out in the study room.


    "..."


    Under the night sky, a figure stumbled towards the backyard. Judging from her figure, it was a woman. She turned around in three steps with a nervous expression on her face. In the end, she had actually chosen the quietest path.


    He sighed in satisfaction as he heard Luo Xiaoliu complain endlessly, "Previously, when I was injured, Nanny Liu went to the kitchen and begged for forgiveness, asking the kitchen to make some soup for you. In the end, they even ignored us, but now, with just a word, they managed to make a bowl of this chicken soup, it''s really ¡­"


    Zuo Shaoqing knew what he wanted to say, it was just another person with different lives, "In the eyes of the people under the Zuo''s Mansion, the entire Zuo Family will belong to Big Brother in the future, do they dare to offend him? Weren''t you the same back then? " Otherwise, how could he have become the chess piece that Mrs. Xue had placed in front of him?


    Luo Xiaoliu tentatively emphasized: "Master, this servant was forced!"


    "Alright, stop nagging, help this grandpa pack the remaining half of the Gu chicken soup." Zuo Shaoqing got up and put on a thick cloak with a bunch of grey rabbit fur at the side of the collar covering his entire chin.


    Luo Xiaoliu felt his heart ache. This San Ye really didn''t have it easy. He had to feed himself after taking care of San Ye, and it wasn''t easy for him to take care of Third Master Zuo.


    Zuo Shaoqing ignored the matter of letting Young Master Lu drink his saliva. He just thought to himself, I didn''t prepare the roast chicken for him today, so it wouldn''t be against his orders to bring half a stewed chicken, right?


    Zuo Shaoqing went out of the house against the night wind. He still chose the most secluded path and walked out. When he went around the lotus pond in the backyard, he suddenly stopped and asked, "Who''s there?"


    A black shadow ran off into the distance, and Zuo Shaoqing hurriedly went forward to intercept it. If people knew that not only was Third Master of the Zuo Family unharmed, but he also slipped out the door in the middle of the night, then even Zuo Yunwen would not be able to protect him.


    "Ah ¡­" "Ugh ¡­" Zuo Shaoqing covered the black shadow''s mouth as soon as it let out a short scream.


    "Violet Bamboo?" Zuo Shaoqing thought it was some silly little girl. He didn''t expect to run into his old enemy here. This servant girl had insulted him a lot back then, and was a dog by Mrs. Xue''s side.


    "What are you doing here in the middle of the night?" Zuo Shaoqing was so close that he could smell the strong musky scent of the purple bamboo. It was not hard to guess what she had done before, not to mention that this woman''s clothes were still untidy.


    "Woo woo ¡­"


    "I can let you go, but you have to promise not to yell."


    "Woo woo ¡­" Violet Bamboo nodded.


    Zuo Shaoqing walked in front of her and carefully looked at the unusual appearance of the purple bamboo. Even if the other person had lowered his head, he could still clearly see the wound on her face and neck.


    Zuo Shaoqing squinted his eyes. He didn''t expect his good brother to have such a hobby, hehe ¡­ Isn''t this the key to sending himself to the door?


    Zi Zhu quickly calmed down, raised his head and looked at Zuo Shaoqing, "Isn''t San Ye injured?" Why did he come here in the middle of the night? If I tell Madame about this, Lord Third might not be able to get away with it! "


    "Oh? What are you going to tell her? " Zuo Shaoqing raised her chin and admired her red and swollen face, "Tell her you''ve been abused? Tell her that Master Zuo Family has an unusual hobby? "


    A trace of panic flashed across Zi Zhu''s eyes. He forced himself to remain calm and said, "If Madam knew that San Ye purposefully framed Second Master, San Ye would definitely meet a worse end!"


    "So?"


    "Third Lord, just pretend you didn''t see me tonight."


    Zuo Shaoqing slowly let go of his hand. With a smile, he said with a sincere expression, "Yeah, I really haven''t seen you before tonight." With that, he quickly tapped her acupoints when the purple bamboo loosened its opening, and then brought the person to the lakeside.


    "What do you think will happen if we find your body in the lake tomorrow? That scene would definitely be very sensational. When the time comes ¡­ Hehe, the entire Zuo''s Mansion, and even the entire Youuxi Town will know of Master Zuo Family''s special hobby. If I don''t take advantage of such a good opportunity, how can I face this reaping new life of mine? "


    Violet Bamboo''s pupils contracted. She couldn''t believe that this sinister youth in front of her was the cowardly Third Master that she knew. Her lips trembled as she wanted to ask for help, but she found that she couldn''t make a sound.


    No... She still didn''t want to die!


    Zuo Shaoqing reached out his hand and gave it a gentle push. Soon after, he heard a "Putong" sound.


    "You''re just a little rascal and yet you dare to challenge me!" Zuo Shaoqing patted his sleeves, picked up the pot and walked out of the house with a calm expression, as if what he pushed into the lake was not a person but a rock.


    Actually, even Zuo Shaoqing himself was shocked. At the moment he pushed the person down, he did not hesitate at all. In his eyes, life could no longer arouse any ripples.


    Arriving at the mountain, Zuo Shaoqing poured out the warm chicken soup and passed it to Lu Zheng, who was still awake, "I''ve asked the doctor for help tonight. It''s not good to eat spicy and hot food for your injuries. This chicken soup is perfect. Try it."


    Wu Tie finished the soup in a few mouthfuls, along with the chicken. Zuo Shaoqing knew that this half of the chicken could only be used as an appetizer, so he took out the sesame seed cake that Nanny Liu made.


    The sesame seed cake was big and had a lot of weight. Zuo Shaoqing could only eat two cakes at most, but looking at Lu Zheng''s appearance, these five sesame seed cakes would probably all go to his stomach at one go.


    This was too edible! Could it be that all martial artists were like this? No, that''s not right. He, Zuo Shaoqing, could be considered half a martial artist. The only difference was that the former was a war god whose name shook the world, while the latter was just a nobody.


    Lu Zheng stopped after chewing the two sesame seed cakes. He probably realized that he would starve after one full meal, so he could only lie down obediently.


    "Your surname is Zuo?" It was Lu Zheng''s first time speaking tonight.


    "Yes." Zuo Shaoqing lowered his eyelids, and his long eyelashes reflected a shadow under the light.


    "Who is Zuo Houshun to you?"


    Zuo Shaoqing took a step back and pretended to struggle as he replied in a low voice, "It''s my great-grandfather."


    Zuo Houshun was the most famous person in the Zuo Family family tree. His Zuo Family flourished, and he lost to him.


    His father was once this Tutor Zuo''s student, and if not for the fact that he was promoted to the position of crown prince later on, the current Zuo Family would not be something an ordinary courtier could compare with.


    Seeing that Lu Zheng didn''t have any hostility towards him, Zuo Shaoqing asked, "I still don''t know your name, brother."


    Lu Zheng raised his head as a slight curve slowly formed on the corner of his mouth. If Zuo Shaoqing hadn''t been studying the changes in his expression, he probably wouldn''t have noticed it.


    "Didn''t you already know?"


    "Boom..." With a loud explosion, his heart beat faster and faster, his entire body chilled from head to toe. "I ¡­" I was born late, so I didn''t understand what your brother meant. "


    Zuo Shaoqing''s hands and feet were cold. Even though he was wrapped in the cloak, he still felt a chilly wind blowing into his neck. In order for Lu Zheng to be able to see that the bag was still there, he even put it on top of his clothes.


    Although he didn''t understand how Lu Zheng found it, he still obediently handed the bag to him. He thought to himself: "Did Lu Zheng already notice that the note in the bag is missing?"

 C22 A Favor to Save Ones Life Is Nothing

    Zuo Shaoqing watched Lu Zheng''s actions nervously. Seeing Lu Zheng directly open his bag, Zuo Shaoqing took out the transparent pearl and threw it over, "This reward is yours."


    Seeing the doubt on Zuo Shaoqing''s face, Lu Zheng explained patiently, "In any bank in the Great Yang, you can exchange it for five hundred silver."


    Zuo Shaoqing didn''t know if this little thing was valuable or if it was valuable because it was Lu Zheng''s, but he knew that Lu Zheng was giving him compensation in advance and was planning to give him two taels of silver.


    However, what Zuo Shaoqing wanted wasn''t money. If he saved an ordinary person, five hundred liang would be enough. However, was the person in front of him an ordinary person?


    He didn''t hesitate to return the item. "I do have some guesses about your identity, but I can''t be sure. I didn''t want anything in return for saving you."


    Zuo Shaoqing''s words were sonorous and forceful. Anyone would have been moved by his sincerity. Unfortunately, the person in front of him was Lu Zheng. This man could no longer be seen as a normal human being.


    "Oh? "Is that so?"


    "Naturally, late ¡­ "I was just curious, that''s why I touched the purse."


    He thought Lu Zheng would say something else, but that person just looked at him deeply, with an unfathomable depth, making Zuo Shaoqing''s heart race again.


    Lu Zheng threw the pearl back into his arms and slowly closed his eyes. His bag had a unique fragrance that most people would not be able to detect, only those with profound inner force skills would be able to detect it, so he was sure that this young man had once taken his bag with him.


    As for why he returned it, it was very simple. One possibility was that he discovered that the things inside were worthless and useless. The other possibility was that he knew of his identity and didn''t dare to not return it.


    If it was the Mountain Barbarian Man, then it would be the former, but Zuo Shaoqing was a scholar, not to mention he was a descendant of Zuo Family, so the possibility of him not knowing the Lu Family emblem was very small.


    Just from this point alone, he knew that the youth in front of him was not as upright and generous as he had shown.


    But what did it matter? It was a fact that Duan Ling Tian saved him, so giving him a certain amount of compensation was only natural. He only hoped that this youth wouldn''t be so greedy, or else he would let him know that saving his life was nothing much.


    Seeing that he was not angry, Zuo Shaoqing felt even more upset. This meant that Lu Zheng did not take him seriously at all. Well, he was indeed not worthy to be the future Master Lu.


    But... It wasn''t enough to send him away with money. How could he settle the grudge so easily when he had placed all the opportunities in his life on Lu Zheng?


    "Brother ¡­" Young Eunuch Lu, are you suspecting the evil intentions of this late one? " Zuo Shaoqing consciously changed his way of addressing Ye Zichen. It was better to not talk too much.


    "There''s no point in speaking any further. Just remember your words." Lu Zheng closed his eyes and completely ignored Zuo Shaoqing after saying that.


    Zuo Shaoqing raised his eyebrows and ignored his warning. A person like Lu Zheng might be ruthless and could kill without blinking, but he absolutely disdained owing a favor. And what he wanted was nothing but a piece of cake for Lu Zheng, he believed that he would not be stingy.


    Maybe, I can test his bottom line in the future. Zuo Shaoqing laughed at himself, hoping that he was lucky enough.


    ?


    There was another chapter at 9 PM.

 C23 What Are You Thinking of Again?

    The sky had just started to brighten, and following the sound of the rear flower garden, the entire Zuo''s Mansion began to boil.


    Beside the patio, the two women were washing clothes and talking. The woman on the left with the crooked mouth took a deep breath at her frozen palms and asked softly, "Did you hear? The maidservant that the madam bestowed upon the Lord is gone? "


    "Ah, which one? It''s that Red Luan? "It''s still the same ¡­"


    "Violet Bamboo!" Just say that you''ll be meeting him in a few days. "


    "Oh, it''s her. How come she''s all gone?" The good days have only just begun. " said the horse-faced woman on the right.


    The silver moon was so high and she had face. Even when she walked out, she was even more arrogant than a concubine. When she reached this age, if she wasn''t taken into a house by a lord or married to a reputable steward, which servant wouldn''t be envious?


    The woman with the crooked mouth stopped what she was doing and leaned over to whisper something into her ear.


    "Ah ¡­" Really? It can''t be? Doesn''t look like it? "


    "This isn''t something that can be seen with the naked eye. But think about it, has grandpa''s room been running out of maidservants for the past few years?"


    "It really is ¡­" However, didn''t everyone say that Young Madame was a stubborn girl and couldn''t stand the sight of those maidservants seducing you? "


    "Sigh, the truth has come out now. Poor Young Madame has suffered for so many years because of nothing."


    "She''s still a daughter of Zhixian."


    "Forget it. Why don''t you think about the background of our Madam? She is truly a noble person. It is normal for her to not like the daughter of a seventh grade sesame seed official."


    "Then what year''s history is that? Madam''s family doesn''t even recognize our family now. What''s the use of being noble?"


    "Shut up. This kind of thing can be said. Be careful not to let others hear it and sew your lips shut!"


    The horse-faced granny immediately said, looked left and right, patted her chest: "Work!"


    When Zuo Shaoqing woke up, almost the entire Zuo''s Mansion knew about this news, because the servants had found the corpses of the purple bamboo in the lake, so he had shouted out at them at that time. The servants who woke up early helped out the servants, and they came to watch the show.


    At that time, the masters hadn''t even gotten up yet, so before they could suppress the news, it had already spread throughout the entire city.


    While eating lunch, Zuo Shaoqing listened to Luo Xiaoliu''s description of the purple bamboo''s death, "You didn''t see it, those clothes were torn to shreds, and the undergarment was exposed, revealing a large area of azure and violet, and there was a clear pinch mark on the neck. Everyone said that the purple bamboo didn''t jump into the lake itself, but ¡­" Luo Xiaoliu made a hand gesture.


    "Oh? Didn''t you say that you committed suicide because you were humiliated? " Zuo Shaoqing was in a great mood. Even after hearing such a disgusting joke, he was still able to swallow the food down one bite at a time.


    "That''s what everyone thought at the beginning. After all, big... He couldn''t just kill him himself and throw him into the lake, right? But then someone thought, "That''s not right. It is very common knowledge that this purple bamboo wanted to climb onto the master''s bed. Even if that happened, it would be fine to just endure it. It is not likely that it would live lightly."


    "That''s true ¡­" Zuo Shaoqing smiled meaningfully. Originally, he only wanted to expose some of Zuo Shao''s hobbies, but he didn''t expect to have an unexpected surprise. He really didn''t spend the night killing people and throwing their corpses away.


    Nanny Liu came in after washing her clothes. After she heard Luo Xiaoliu''s wild guesses, she suddenly slapped his head and said, "Stop talking nonsense. Be careful that you don''t hear it over there. You will suffer."


    Luo Xiaoliu lowered his voice and retorted, "Nanny Liu, over there... Do you have any reactions? "


    Nanny Liu met Zuo Shaoqing''s curious eyes and said, "Madam just ordered that no one is allowed to discuss this matter in the mansion. Once they are discovered, they are immediately sold out."


    "Where''s big brother?" Are there any movements? "


    Nanny Liu sighed. "Can there be any movement?" Only one servant has died. "


    Zuo Shaoqing lowered his eyes. That''s right, it was just a maid who died. Moreover, it was a servant who always wanted to climb onto the bed. This result was his own fault. It seemed like he had to find another way.


    Luo Xiaoliu was not convinced, he choked and said, "Although it''s just a maid, but Zi Zhu''s father and mother are managers of the storehouse and are old people in the house. If they get in the way of the madame, we should at least give them an explanation, right?"


    Zuo Shaoqing''s eyes lit up as if he had thought of something.


    "Which servant would go to their master to demand an explanation?" Nanny Liu tapped Luo Xiaoliu''s forehead and scolded him, "Don''t be like those perverts and serve Master San well."


    Luo Xiaoliu drooped his head and thought absent-mindedly: Even if he wanted to, he wouldn''t have a chance. His life is in San Ye''s hands, how dare he go astray?


    When Nanny Liu went out of the door, Zuo Shaoqing called out to her, "Little Sixie", causing Luo Xiaoliu, who was immersed in grief, to lose his soul.


    "Master ¡­" What kind of idea did you come up with?


    "Come here!" Zuo Shaoqing raised his eyebrows and whispered something into his ear. Then, he patted his shoulder and comforted him, "If it succeeds, I will cure the poison in your body."


    Luo Xiaoliu was in high spirits. He could not care about this mission being shady anymore. He nodded and said: "Yes, this servant will definitely do it!"

 C24 Line of Separation

    In the afternoon, Zuo Shaoqing was lazily lying on the soft couch in front of the window with a book in his hands.


    "Master, are you listening?" Luo Xiaoliu saw that there was no movement from him after talking for a long time and felt powerless.


    Zuo Shaoqing''s posture did not change. He only said two words softly, "Continue."


    Luo Xiaoliu pulled up his long hair and continued, "This servant has already bought a few wives with small mouths from their families as per your orders. I learned that Zi Zhu''s mother does not have any intentions of making a big fuss, after all, her daughter died in disgrace, making the whole family look bad."


    "Before Zi Zhu died, her body was broken. Without a doubt, her mother definitely wanted to help her earn some reputation. This servant encouraged them to go and tell her about it, so I believe there will be an outcome soon."


    "Yes." Zuo Shaoqing pulled up the thick blanket in front of his chest and said with a tired expression, "Remember to take off all of your clothes."


    "This servant knows."


    After an unknown amount of time, a light rain began to fall outside the window. A cold wind began to blow in, and the heat in the room dispersed very quickly.


    Nanny Liu came in and added charcoal twice, then found a thick fur coat for Zuo Shaoqing to wear last New Year''s Eve and draped it over the blanket.


    "It''s a good thing that you made this thick blanket for me in private last year. Otherwise, this winter wouldn''t have been so good."


    Her heart gradually drifted away. Lady Ruan had only been gone for two months, yet he hadn''t seen her for seven or eight years. She vaguely remembered that she was a very gentle girl who would secretly stuff him with delicious food and dress him.


    Thinking about it, Zuo Shaoqing''s hatred began to swell again. He closed his eyes and shouted softly, "Lil ''Six!"


    "Yes ¡­" Luo Xiaoliu drooped his head. What he was most afraid of right now was San Ye''s call; it was definitely not a good thing!


    "Go to the lady''s place and tell her that the hometown examination is around the corner. I want to go to the academy to ask a few questions from the teacher."


    "Master ¡­" The Madam is angry, so this servant will not dare to touch this bad luck. "


    "What are you afraid of? It''s not like she''s going to eat you alive! " Zuo Shaoqing turned around and glanced at him. He threw the book in his hands into his arms and urged, "Go quickly!"


    Luo Xiaoliu protested that it was no good and could only walk to Wu Hengyuan in fear.


    Mrs. Xue was reprimanding her eldest son and daughter-in-law in her room. She was scolding her eldest son and daughter-in-law that they couldn''t even manage their own little yard, yet they managed to make people run away in the middle of the night.


    "Hold back the anger in your heart! Do you think this is your He family? He couldn''t do anything small! What man doesn''t have a problem? You should be thankful that your husband has dragged into the room those who have neither gone out nor smelled anything. In all these years, which part of him has treated you unfairly? "


    Mrs. Hoe''s eyes were red and swollen. Her head was almost hanging to her chest. No matter how her mother-in-law scolded her, she did not dare to retort. However, the bitterness in her heart was slowly accumulating.


    When she had just entered the Zuo Family, she had indeed been overjoyed. Her husband was handsome, and he was an outstanding scholar that was renowned far and wide. Moreover, his ancestors even had a Tutor, so many people envied her for marrying a good family.


    However, the good times didn''t last long, and her beautiful dreams were shattered bit by bit. Granny disliked her family''s low status and never showed her good face. Hubby''s personality was unstable, and he actually ¡­


    Everyone thought that she had ascended to the Zuo''s Mansion, so how would they know the suffering in her heart?


    "Madam, Lil ''Six is here." Mrs Zhu pushed open the curtain and came in. She greeted the two of them and secretly threw a pitying look at Mrs. Hoe.


    "What is he doing here? Isn''t it too late? "


    "He said that Lord Third sent him here."


    "Hmph, what are you trying to do if you don''t take good care of his injuries? "Go call them in, I want to see what that evil creature is going to do this time."


    Luo Xiaoliu walked in with trembling legs. He lowered his head and quickly relayed San Ye''s words to him, then stood there quietly.


    "He wants to go to the academy?" Mrs. Xue suddenly raised her voice and shouted in a weird tone, "Do you really think that he can ascend to the heavens after reading for only a few days? To think that you would want to pass the hometown examination at such a young age. You sure are conceited. "


    Everyone in the room knew that Mrs. Xue was using this as an excuse. Who didn''t know that even though Mrs. Xue had been studying for so many years, she still couldn''t rush to the capital to take the exam.


    "Go back and tell him to go wherever he wants to, but he has to remember. If he dies outside, he better not leave it to us, mother and son!"


    Luo Xiaoliu frowned. He couldn''t understand why Mrs. Xue would be so hostile towards San Ye, but this was not something he could deal with, so he bowed and took his leave.


    The cold wind was blowing outside. Zuo Shaoqing wanted to go up the mountain. He was worried that the thatched cottage would leak rain. Even if it didn''t, it wouldn''t be able to stop the wind.


    As soon as Luo Xiaoliu entered the room, Zuo Shaoqing impatiently walked out with his arm on his shoulder. When there was no one around, he walked as fast as he could. Sometimes, he walked as if he was weak, and sometimes, he took three steps to catch his breath.


    They arrived at the market just like that. Zuo Shaoqing bought all of his clothes, gloves and charcoal, along with a few hot dishes. Then he took Luo Xiaoliu and went into the back door of the school.


    Zuo Shaoqing brought Luo Xiaoliu to a hidden tree and asked: "Is there a lot of homeless people living in this broken temple in the south of Zhen?"


    Luo Xiaoliu nodded and looked at his master with a puzzled expression.


    Zuo Shaoqing threw a few pieces of silver to him, "Take this money and try to find a new face to get on good terms with them within three days."


    "Master, you want to use them? Those people are all hungry ghosts. If they have milk, then they are a mother.


    "It''s not like I''m asking them to kill someone and set them on fire. It''s just a precaution."


    Luo Xiaoliu secretly felt relieved when he heard this. He took the silver and walked out of the academy through the other side door.


    Zuo Shaoqing carried his stuff to the back of the mountain. When he climbed to the middle of the mountain, the fur on his robe was already wet with the hem of his coat and his hair was dripping with water. Even his undershirt was wet from running.


    Pushing the door open, Zuo Shaoqing clearly felt that the temperature inside the room wasn''t any different from outside. He immediately ran over to the charcoal brazier and took a look. There really wasn''t a single spark inside.


    "Didn''t I tell you to put more charcoal in the basin?" Zuo Shaoqing was furious and shouted at the man who was healing himself.


    Lu Zheng stopped his training and opened his eyes. His black pupils seemed to be dyed with a layer of gold, making them look exceptionally bright.


    "No problem!"


    "How could it be alright? What if you catch a cold and have a fever? "


    Lu Zheng looked curiously at Zuo Shaoqing, who seemed to have offended his ancestors for eighteen generations. He did not understand why this scholar did not care about his image anymore.


    "Not cold!"


    Zuo Shaoqing reignited the charcoal brazier and put his frozen hand on top of it. After a long time, he finally understood that Lu Zheng was not a southerner, but a soldier who spent the new year in the frozen northern border. He reckoned that the winter of Youuxi Town was warmer to him than spring.


    He immediately felt that his previous worries were foolish. He was in a bad mood as he curled his lips and said, "I wonder what you guys ate to grow up. Why are you so resistant to the cold?"


    He could still remember the past few years in the capital. Winter was the most difficult time for him. He could only hide inside the house wrapped in a thick blanket every day. Even when he opened the window, it would still feel cold.


    Lu Zheng stared at Lu Zheng''s flushed face as he climbed up the mountain. He was surprised to find out that the boy''s appearance was more exquisite during the day than at night. It gave people a feeling of unease.


    Zuo Shaoqing lit up the brazier, and when he felt some warmth on his body, he handed the bought food to Lu Zheng. He also recovered his usual courtesy and said, "It''s raining tonight. I was afraid that you would get cold, so I rushed over to take a look."


    Lu Zheng did not say anything, nor did he reveal his different attitude. He took the food without saying a word, picked up a meat bun from the paper bag and stuffed it into his mouth.


    The way he ate was not elegant, it could even be said to be bold and unrestrained, but it did not make people feel rude. Zuo Shaoqing thought, "Men who have been to the battlefield are just different, compared to the soft scholar, they are full of masculinity."


    "This was made by the most famous meat bun in our town, Xi Shi. It is said that many people came to propose when she was young, but who would have thought that she would marry a butcher."


    "That must be the butcher."


    "No!" He''s big and tall, not gentle at all, and his temper is especially bad! " When Zuo Shaoqing talked about the butcher in the town, he wrinkled his nose. He finally looked like a thirteen year old teenager.


    Lu Zheng stared at Zuo Shaoqing for a while and said, "A man with a bad temper loves women."


    "What kind of logic is this?"


    "How many of those self-styled gentle scholars are unkind?" This was one of the reasons why Lu Zheng didn''t like scholars. His mouth was full of righteousness and morals, but in reality, he was doing the work of a male thief or female slave.


    Zuo Shaoqing immediately thought of Master Zuo and nodded in agreement, "That''s right. There is often only a thin line between being dissolute and indecent."


    Lu Zheng was stunned by his attitude. He thought that the young man in front of him would at least defend the scholar.


    It seemed that not all the descendants of Zuo Family were as pedantic as Tutor Zuo. It could also be that this young man in front of him did not inherit Tutor Zuo''s straightforward character.


    ?

 C25 Everyone Loves Beauty

    Zuo Shaoqing sat beside the brazier, his gaze was glued to Lu Zheng''s body. Watching Lu Zheng constantly changing his hand gestures to heal his injuries, Zuo Shaoqing gradually became addicted to it.


    He didn''t know how deep Lu Zheng''s cultivation was, but he could still feel the pressure from his body even from ten steps away. This was definitely not something an ordinary martial artist could do.


    Perhaps he could ask Lu Zheng for a complete set of inner force cultivation method as compensation. In any case, for a family of generals like Duke Zhen Manor, there would be plenty of martial arts manuals.


    Sweat rolled down his neck and entered his clothes. The thin clothes stuck to his body, completely covering his muscular body.


    Zuo Shaoqing''s eyes stared straight ahead. He thought to himself, "Sex is the sky, while sex is the air." Meanwhile, he thought to himself, "Everyone loves beauty. It''s just a look. It''s okay."


    "Ugh ¡­" Lu Zheng suddenly frowned and his face twitched. All of the meridians in his body also moved up and down as if they were alive, just like the signs of Qi deviation.


    Zuo Shaoqing did not care about his beauty. He rushed to the bedside and looked at him worriedly. He knew that martial artists were most afraid of going berserk.


    However, at such a critical moment, Zuo Shaoqing couldn''t do anything other than stand to the side. He had experienced this feeling of helplessness many times in his past life.


    "Pfft!" Lu Zheng spat out a mouthful of black blood. His facial expression gradually returned to normal. He opened his eyes and golden light flowed within them. It was extremely dazzling.


    Zuo Shaoqing stared blankly as his mind was sucked into that golden light bit by bit.


    Lu Zheng opened and closed his eyes, returning to his normal colour. Zuo Shaoqing came back to his senses and asked nervously, "Are you alright?"


    Lu Zheng shook his head and looked at his clothes stained with black blood in disgust. Lifting his chin, he ordered Zuo Shaoqing, "Go get some water!"


    Zuo Shaoqing''s worries were relieved. Even though he was unwilling, he still went out to fetch water through the rain and wind. This time, he did not heat the water kindly, but handed the cold water directly to Lu Zheng.


    Lu Zheng didn''t care and started to rub himself on the handkerchief. Since he was young, other than injuries, he couldn''t move. He always took care of his own living, and there were no maids around him. attendant also didn''t allow him to get close.


    This was probably something ordinary people could not understand, but Lu Zheng knew that only by relying on himself could the danger be minimized. Just like this time''s ambush, if not for the fact that a traitor had appeared in the group, he would not have fallen into a trap and almost lost his life.


    First, he was struck in the chest by the traitor''s palm, and then he was besieged by over forty archers. The external injuries were left when he broke out of the encirclement, but the injuries on his body were terrifying to ordinary people, but to the traitor, they were only minor injuries. Other than a few more days of treatment to heal his internal injuries, the external injuries were not even enough to pose a threat to him.


    Since the situation outside was unclear, he might as well live in this shabby hut for a few days to enjoy a peaceful life.


    Zuo Shaoqing went back to visit a few teachers at the academy before bringing Luo Xiaoliu home.


    Luo Xiaoliu had just become a hero. His whole body was radiant, and he even walked while floating.


    "Master, do you know how many beggars there are in the south of the city? Usually, we only see a few people on the streets, but we never would have thought that there were more than twenty people living in that dilapidated temple.


    Zuo Shaoqing knew that the majority of these people were refugees who had escaped to somewhere else in Youuxi Town last year. Those who were able to do so would all be self-reliant, the rest would be either old, weak, women, children, or lazy, rogue hoodlums.


    "Then you''re lucky you didn''t come back naked."


    "Ah ¡­" Do you think they don''t want to? If not for the fact that this servant said that he would bring them more food tomorrow, it would be a wonder that they weren''t stripped naked! " Luo Xiaoliu didn''t understand why Zuo Shaoqing suddenly wanted to help those beggars. He felt that it couldn''t be because he was soft-hearted.


    Zuo Shaoqing held an umbrella as he walked down the street, observing the crowd of people of all kinds. Surprisingly, he had a desolate feeling of "nowhere for a home".


    When he had to live his second life, he had only thought about revenge, and had only thought about becoming an official. However, he had never thought about where his home would be.


    "Master ¡­" "Grandpa ¡­" Luo Xiaoliu called Zuo Shaoqing anxiously a few times, pointed to the front and asked, "Isn''t that Second Master? Shall we make a detour? "


    Zuo Shaoqing came back to his senses and looked at where his finger was pointing. Wasn''t that his good second brother? He was waving a paper fan in the middle of the cold weather, but he couldn''t put on a refined air. On the contrary, he looked like a bully in the market.


    ?


    The second chapter was 9 PM.

 C26 Isnt It a Bit too Early to Find a Woman?

    Zuo Shaoqing walked over with Wu Junzi, and greeted with a smile: "Long time no see, how are you, second brother?"


    Zuo Shaoling''s expression changed again and again when he saw his third brother, and he also unconsciously took two steps back. He always had nightmares recently, every one of them was the smile of Zuo Shaoqing after being stabbed by him. He was as charming as a ghost, even holding his throat tightly with a bloody hand.


    "Second brother?" Zuo Shaoqing blinked and looked at him innocently and puzzledly.


    Zuo Shaoling was shocked awake, "Humph!" With a grunt, his eyes gradually turned sinister as his teeth chattered, "You dog, you sure acted like you did!" Do you think I didn''t know that you intentionally sent out that slash? Just you wait! "


    With that, Zuo Shaoling ignored the expressions of the surrounding people as they watched a good show, and hastily ran towards another road.


    Zuo Shaoqing had water flowing in his eyes, half-hanging his head. He also leaned against Luo Xiaoliu powerlessly, like a pitiful person who was bullied. After earning enough sympathy from passersby, he left under Luo Xiaoliu''s support.


    After turning a corner, Zuo Shaoqing straightened his body and ordered with a cold face, "I''ll give you another mission. Tomorrow, go to the west street and find a woman named Liu''er."


    "Master, why are you looking for her?" Actually, he wanted to ask, with this grandpa''s age, isn''t it a bit too early to find a woman?


    Zuo Shaoqing coldly swept his eyes over him, then silently walked into the Zuo''s Mansion.


    Luo Xiaoliu slapped himself on the face and quickly followed him into the yard. He couldn''t help but ask, "Master, what happens after we find it?"


    This time, Zuo Shaoqing didn''t ignore him, but said: "After finding him, we''ll secretly redeem him." Seeing Luo Xiaoliu''s strange expression, he warned again, "Remember, don''t touch her!"


    Luo Xiaoliu immediately jumped up and down when he heard this. He muttered loudly, "Master, Lil ''Six wouldn''t have taken a fancy to a woman like that."


    Zuo Shaoqing raised his eyebrows and asked mockingly: "Then what kind do you like? Do you want this grandpa to redress your grievances? " Zuo Shaoqing remembered that even after he left Zuo Family, Luo Xiaoliu still hadn''t gotten married. Now, he was relying on medicine to prevent him from betraying him, but buying out people''s hearts was the key.


    Luo Xiaoliu''s face turned red and he stammered, unwilling to answer directly, "Anyway, he''s not that kind of woman."


    Zuo Shaoqing''s heart skipped a beat as he checked through all the maids with similar age and didn''t find any young maid that was suitable for Lil ''Six.


    The most neatly dressed of the Zuo''s Mansion''s maidservants were those following by his wife''s side. The former was painstakingly nurturing his sons'' concubines while the latter was for one day, to be used on his own husband.


    Even if there were one or two fish that escaped the net, Zuo Shaoqing wouldn''t let Luo Xiaoliu marry those people.


    Take your time, it''s not like I have to go to this house. It''s fine to find an ordinary girl for him when he leaves in the future.


    When that time came, he would take Nanny Liu and Little Six and leave this ice-cold prison. If it was possible, he would marry a gentle and virtuous woman, and even if he had a son, it didn''t matter to him whether or not his Zuo Family had a son or not. He absolutely did not care whether or not his Zuo Family had a son or no son.


    Thinking of this, his mood finally became cheerful.


    Luo Xiaoliu was waiting for his master to change his clothes. He was very curious about the mud on his clothes. Could it be that San Ye went to the back mountain of the academy in the rain?


    He thought of a possibility and silently cursed, "No wonder Master San told him to repair the thatched cottage on the back mountain and to buy so many things. He must have planned all this beforehand."


    Luo Xiaoliu was proud of his intelligence. He looked at Zuo Shaoqing from the corner of his eyes and found that Zuo Shaoqing was a lot more tired than usual, but his expression was unusually refreshed.


    Just which Heavenly Immortal was he, to be able to make his master go out for private meetings in the middle of the night with an expression that said "I''m not tired of it"?


    At this moment, Young Eunuch Lu, who had been mumbling to himself in the back mountains of the academy, sneezed. He frowned as he threw the charcoal into the brazier.

 C27 I Cant Live This Long

    The night was dark, and the rain outside had stopped, but there was still not a single speck of starlight in the cloudy night.


    Lu Zheng opened his eyes vigilantly and closed his eyes. He focused his mind and placed his Qi on the palm of his hand. He remembered that the young man said that he would not come tonight.


    A nearly negligible footstep sound slowly approached. Lu Zheng felt the familiar aura and kept his power back into his dantian. He turned his body and called out, "Yinyi."


    The black figure paused for a moment, then rushed to the bedside and knelt down on one knee. With a tired and hoarse voice, he said, "Master, I came late!"


    "What about the others?"


    "Everyone, spread out from the Changping County to search for Master''s trace. This is already the third day."


    "Yeah, is there any news from Soong Hanlin''s side?"


    "Subordinate received a message this morning from a flying pigeon. Vice General Song has led troops to defeat all the traitors in one fell swoop."


    "How is the situation in the imperial court?" Lu Zheng sat up from the bed and leaned against the pillow Zuo Shaoqing bought him. His expression was languid, and it was impossible to tell that he was still half dead three days ago.


    "The First Prince has been executed. The Third Prince and the Fifth Prince have also been escorted back to the capital. General Ni led his army and voted for the crown prince. His Majesty is hanging his last breath as he descended from the throne, giving way to the crown prince."


    "Oh? "So the old Emperor is dead?"


    "Yes, news of our Duke''s Mansion arrived soon. It will take another two days for the country''s funeral to reach Changping."


    "Very well, send a letter back to the capital and let Zhan Yuanfeng keep the lives of the Third and Fifth Princes." Lu Zheng''s eyes flashed with viciousness. As the one who had set himself up, he would never let this opportunity slip by.


    "Yes." Yinyi paused and looked up, "Mistress, the Crown Prince sent an order to this subordinate, saying that he will return to the capital as soon as he finds you."


    Lu Zheng''s lips curved into a smile that was not a smile, "The situation has been decided. If I go back, he won''t be able to sleep at night, so why?"


    "Then you ¡­"


    "Attach a message in your letter saying that I haven''t fully recovered from my injuries and will have to lie in bed for a year or so to calm our Crown Prince''s heart."


    Yinyi understood the crux of the matter. He said after some thought, "The Crown Prince''s ascension depends entirely on his master''s support. Does he want to destroy the bridge after crossing the river?"


    "How can you allow others to sleep on the side of a bed? Zhan Yuanfeng would not destroy the bridge after crossing the river, but he must be on guard. Rather than returning to the capital to fight with him, it would be better for him to stay here in peace. "


    "Yes, your subordinate will send a message to all the departments at the same time, asking them to keep a low profile during this period of time." Yinyi was indeed the one who had been by Lu Zheng''s side the longest. Even if he couldn''t guess Lu Zheng''s thoughts, he knew how to make a mistake.


    Lu Zheng nodded in satisfaction, "Send another letter back to the mansion, and let the mansion begin preparations for my grand wedding."


    Yinyi looked up in shock. His face, which had remained unchanged all year round, had a lot of confusion on it, but he did not continue asking.


    He could tell that Young Eunuch Lu was in a good mood. Otherwise, it would be impossible for him to make such a big call. Could it be that Master had already found Madam during his disappearance?


    He couldn''t help but admire this new mistress''s ability. Since young, he had never seen his master being influenced by anyone.


    Lu Zheng didn''t know that he was misunderstood by his closest subordinate. In fact, he just wanted to find a woman from a small family to calm down that guy''s heart. In any case, getting a wife was useless to him.


    After finishing his business, Lu Zheng frowned and ordered: "Go get some food."


    It was quiet and peaceful on the mountain, but Zuo Shaoqing only came once a day and he was starving for half the day. As for the food that Zuo Shaoqing left behind, it was not even enough for him to eat.


    What he didn''t know was that Zuo Shaoqing was prepared according to his double appetite.


    Zuo Shaoqing was woken up by the noise when he was about to fall asleep. He sent Luo Xiaoliu out to have a look and then laid down wrapped in a blanket again. However, he couldn''t fall asleep no matter what.


    When Luo Xiaoliu returned, there was no need to ask him to guess what was going on.


    "Master, it was just as you expected. There''s been a ruckus at the Wuhan Institution." Luo Xiaoliu''s eyes lit up as he gloated.


    Compared to his excitement, Zuo Shaoqing was much calmer, "Oh, who started it?"


    Luo Xiaoliu recounted what happened in detail, "Zi Zhu''s dad is an alcoholic, he was dragged out for a drink at night, and when he came back to listen to some bad words, the two of them quarreled. Originally they were just being stubborn, but when the few women we bought joined hands with each other, the whole servants'' room became rowdy.


    [Which of the maids who died in my room was fatherless?] With Zi Zhu''s mother leading the way, they said that they were looking for the madame to decide on the matter. However, before they could even leave the house, the madame found out about the matter and ordered people to tie up the families that were causing trouble. "


    "Will the madame still be staying at the buddhist hall tonight?"


    Luo Xiaoliu blinked, "Don''t worry, I''ve already arranged for people to report to the buddhist hall. They chose a sister who is on good terms with Zi Zhu and won''t suspect us."


    The corner of Zuo Shaoqing''s mouth curled up as he stared at Luo Xiaoliu with a smile that was not a smile. No wonder this servant was able to lurk around him for so many years, he was indeed a little smart.


    "Well done, I will fulfill my promise tomorrow."


    Luo Xiaoliu heaved a sigh of relief and quickly knelt down, "Thank you, Master San! Lil ''Six will only be loyal to you in this lifetime. "


    "Whether you are loyal or not is not something you can say with your mouth. I will wait to see your performance."


    Zuo Shaoqing yawned and waved at him, "Go to sleep. Let them cause trouble. There will definitely be results tomorrow morning."


    "Yes."


    While Zuo Shaoqing was sleeping soundly on one side, Wuliang Yuan''s side was causing a ruckus. Zuo Yunwen couldn''t wait to deal with the inner court''s matter, so he shook his sleeve and went to a concubine''s room for the night.


    Mrs. Xue held in her anger, and became angry at the woman who was making trouble for him, "Don''t rely on your pride, a bunch of servants trying to turn the sky upside down? Look at your identities! "


    Zi Zhu''s mother wailed as she crawled to Mrs. Xue''s feet, tugging at her skirt while crying, "Madam, this servant was really forced to such an extent. I can''t live my life anymore ¡­" This servant is too ashamed to go out now, the moment I go out I am pointed at and pointed at. Violet Bamboo ¡­ Zi Zhu, on the other hand, had a short lifespan. This servant didn''t ask for anything, but hoped that Madam would give her an innocent identity on behalf of the fact that she had served you before ¡­ "


    Hearing her words, the other wives who had lost their daughters started to cry as well.


    In the past, everyone was weak and did not dare to say anything, but tonight they had companions, as well as Zi Zhu''s mother, an old steward of the mansion. As a result, their courage grew.


    The death of your daughter hurts everyone''s heart, but what''s the use of heartache?" It was impossible to risk her life just for a daughter. However, if she could earn a place for her dead daughter, it could be considered a relationship between a mother and daughter.


    Zi Zhu''s mother sobbed until her voice was hoarse, her tears and mucus streaming. "There are some bad rumors outside. For the sake of this great lord''s reputation, madam, please grant me your slave ¡­"


    Mrs. Xue kicked her away with a sneer. "Are you threatening me? Don''t even mention that this matter has nothing to do with you, even if it does, it is not something you can afford! "Without even weighing their own worth, a bunch of servants would rather marry an elder!"


    However, after a serious concubine died, she would be able to enter the Ancestral Hall. As long as she had a son, she would be able to enjoy the support of the Joss Flame for the next generation.


    ?


    Because the first part focused on revenge, it would slow down the progress of the relationship. Tears could be found in two more chapters, it would be a good thing to develop emotions while crushing enemies.

 C28 What a Sin!

    When the old mistress came, Mrs. Xue was instructing the steward to carry out the family rules, hitting thirty big boards each. Dozens of strong and robust attendant pulled up his wife who was kneeling on the floor and pressed her down on the bench.


    "Madam ¡­" "Your servant also loves her very much ¡­"


    "Madam ¡­"


    Just as the courtyard was in an uproar, the old mistress, supported by two maidservants, walked in using her walking stick and shouted, "What are you all making a fuss about?"


    At this moment, Zi Zhu''s mother and the other wives acted as if they had seen a buddha and cried out ''madame'' with incomparable misery.


    Mrs. Xue''s face was as dark as the bottom of a pot, but she did not dare hold Qiao Qiao''s hand. She put on a smile and quickly walked over to the madame to greet her. "Mother, how did you get out in the middle of the night?" What if the wind blew? Which dog of a slave has come to disturb you in the middle of the night? " To let her know which cheap hoof was the source of the news, he had to skin her alive.


    The old mistress replied snappily, "Why are you sleeping in this noisy backyard?"


    The corner of Mrs. Xue''s mouth twitched. She thought to herself: Your Buddhist temple and Wu Heng Academy, even if you were to light a firecracker, the sound would definitely not be transmitted over. Who are you trying to bluff?


    She pressed the corner of her lips with the handkerchief and reached out to support the old lady''s arm. "Mother, these few wives are causing trouble. My wife is busy cleaning up the mess. Why don''t you go back first?"


    The madame brushed her hand away and went to the only chair in the courtyard and sat down. "Who says what happened? "Although this old woman doesn''t care anymore, she can''t just sit by and watch the house fall into chaos!"


    No one dared to make a sound. The servant girls only glanced at Mrs. Xue from the corner of their eyes. After all, everyone knew who was in charge. The fate of those who were in the wrong team had already been explained previously.


    The old mistress smacked the ground a few times with her cane. "What?" You shouted so loudly just now, are you deaf now? Mrs. Wu, you tell me! "


    Her mother, Zi Zhu, was already mentally prepared. She knelt on the ground and told the whole story with red eyes. She only vaguely mentioned the cause of death of Zi Zhu, but the madame had also seen the world.


    The old mistress was shocked and surprised at the same time. She questioned Mrs. Xue loudly, "Is that true?" "Shao Yue, he ¡­"


    "Mother!" With a heart full of unwillingness, Mrs. Xue walked over and knelt down, taking the initiative to take over the responsibility. "It''s my daughter-in-law who is too weak to discipline me!"


    "What a sin!" "Sin ¡­" The old mistress closed her eyes and her originally straight back bent. She then told the steward weakly, "Go call the lord!"


    "Mother ¡­" Mrs. Xue wanted to stop him, but this matter was too small. It was just that Zuo Shaoyan was a little harsh on the servants. If it got out of hand, it would become Zuo Shaoyan''s bad character.


    "Shut up! A loving mother has many failed children! It''s fine if Shao Ling is confused, but Shao Xi is the eldest son and grandson of our Zuo Family, and he will inherit his family''s property in the future. Some of his bad habits should be fixed as soon as possible! Must we wait until something big happens before we try to save them? "


    She rested for a while before she said tiredly, "Forget it, bring this uncle to the ancestors to kneel down in front of the ancestors. Bring him to the buddhist hall tomorrow to accompany this old woman in paying respects to the buddha, and keep your heart at rest."


    How could Mrs. Xue bear to have her precious son live such a miserable life? She immediately retorted, "Mother, Shao Yue still has the position of Registrar Official. Every day, he still has to study and study ¡­"


    The old mistress interrupted her, "The Qi family rules the world, and cultivation is the first priority. This is the decision. When did he decide to come out again?"


    In her entire life, the old mistress focused on rules and regulations the most, concerned about the face of the Zuo''s Mansion the most, and couldn''t tolerate even the slightest blemish. If it wasn''t for the fact that she was too old and weak, the children in her family would all have to be raised by her.


    "And you guys ¡­" The old lady stood up and looked around at the kneeling wives, "I know that I have treated you well in Zuo Family, but you guys only care about yourselves and do not care about your Zuo Family or face. Forget about the thirty big boards, just treat it as you accumulating merits for your lord, kneel here!"

 C29 If You Dont Want to Leave Just Faint!

    The next day, Zuo Shaoqing got up early in the morning and went to see what was going on at Wu Hui Yuan in the name of greeting. This was the first time since he was "injured" that he came to Wu Heng Academy. The last time was when he was kneeling in the courtyard, but this time, the people kneeling there were a whole new group of servants.


    The woman who had been punished to kneel had already aged, and after a night of kneeling she had already breathed in and out more, looking like she was about to faint.


    Zuo Shaoqing had already understood what happened last night. Although he didn''t see Mrs. Xue fail, his mood was still high.


    Luo Xiaoliu followed behind him. When he heard that the lord had been punished to kneel in front of the ancestral hall, he glanced at Zuo Shaoqing''s brisk back. He didn''t know how the lord had offended San Ye, but he secretly decided that no matter what, he shouldn''t offend this man in the future.


    How many people were punished in this matter? Putting aside the main culprit, even his wife had been scolded by the madame. Yet, San Ye, who had just added fuel to the fire, was completely fine. He was on the verge of becoming an intelligent person.


    Zuo Shaoqing saw that he had achieved his goal and didn''t want to touch Mrs. Xue''s bad luck. He greeted her at the door and then turned away. He wasn''t afraid of Mrs. Xue making things difficult for him.


    This kind of good mood lasted all the way until noon. When Luo Xiaoliu told him that the woman named "Liu" had found him, Zuo Shaoqing was simply so happy that he almost laughed out loud.


    This really was one good thing after another. Even he suspected that the heavens had given him a new life just to get him to take revenge.


    Luo Xiaoliu touched his goosebumps and asked carefully, "Master, that..." "Miss, where will you put it after you have redeemed it?"


    Zuo Shaoqing thought for a moment and said: "Rent a small house on the road that Zuo''s Mansion must take to West Street, no need to be too good, let people stay inside first. Lead the way tonight, I''ll meet her in person!"


    Luo Xiaoliu''s mouth twitched as he tried his best to persuade her: "I ¡­ This servant heard that Liu''er ¡­ She, she doesn''t have a good reputation ¡­ Shall we buy a girl from an innocent family? "


    Master San, even if you''re not picky with food, you should at least find a cleaner one. What kind of trash is this? Why did you learn Second Master''s coquettish habit?


    Zuo Shaoqing knocked on his head, "What are you thinking about? You think I bought it for you? " Not to mention that he was only thirteen, even if he wanted to find a girl, it was impossible to find one for him.


    He specially prepared this for second brother. He believed that after this incident, Zuo Second Master would not be able to get away with it.


    Luo Xiaoliu did not deny it. Was San Ye spending money to get people out of brothels not for his own use, but to give it to someone else?


    It was very normal for scholars to send a few talents to each other, but how old is San Ye? He had never seen anyone who could make friends like dancer.


    After lunch, Zuo Shaoqing first went to the back of the mountain to bring Lu Zheng food. He accompanied Lu Zheng in practicing martial arts for a while, then changed his medicine before rushing back.


    The servants of Zuo''s Mansion were all busy with discussing about last night''s matter, so no one paid attention to this unremarkable Third Master. Zuo Shaoqing didn''t even wait for the sky to turn dark before he went out again.


    "Master, this is the place. What do you think?" Luo Xiaoliu chose a small alley close to the Zuo''s Mansion. Walking out of the alley, they would reach the main street of the Youuxi Town. The house was the backyard of a widow''s house.


    The backyard had a corner door, so the tenant didn''t need to pass by the widow''s house to get in and out. It was very convenient.


    Zuo Shaoqing nodded with satisfaction and let Luo Xiaoliu guard outside the door while he entered the room alone.


    Luo Xiaoliu guarded outside the door nervously. His face turned red at first, then white. He was already young and ignorant, so he knew a little bit about some things. Inevitably, he created all kinds of dirty scenes in his mind.


    Zuo Shaoqing didn''t go in for long, only for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. When he came out, his clothes were neatly arranged and his expression was normal. Even though Luo Xiaoliu was inexperienced, he knew that Zuo Shaoqing''s expression didn''t seem to be one of someone who had been in bed for a long time.


    "Master ¡­" Luo Xiaoliu tried his best to comfort his with a sullen face: "Don''t be upset, you''re still young. This kind of thing will naturally happen in the future."


    Zuo Shaoqing staggered and the corner of his mouth twitched as he looked at Luo Xiaoliu who acted as if he knew his brother well, "I''ve cleaned up your brain!"


    He really regretted giving him the antidote at noon. Look, his words were becoming more and more unrestrained.


    Zuo Shaoqing touched his dry pocket. His good mood for the whole day was gone. He scolded Luo Xiaoliu grumpily, then sent Lil ''Six home to the back of the mountain.


    ?


    One lesson every day: "Please." Collect!

 C30 Unlucky Rabbit

    Lu Zheng looked at Zuo Shaoqing''s empty hands and didn''t understand his intention for coming here. Since this person had come, couldn''t he bring some food along with him?


    Zuo Shaoqing didn''t receive Lu Zheng''s resentment at all. When he realized that only two of the six big sesame seed cakes and six big meat buns remained, he couldn''t help but twitch his mouth.


    He looked at Lu Zheng''s stomach and really wanted to go up and feel if it was a bottomless pit.


    "Ahem, I''m sorry, I was just thinking of going up to take a look. The shops are not doing business at this time of the year." In fact, there was always a night market for every fifteen years of Youuxi Town, and today, it just so happened to be fifteen.


    Lu Zheng noticed Zuo Shaoqing''s curved lips and eyes as bright as the stars. He knew that Zuo Shaoqing must have met with some good fortune, so he didn''t poke a hole through his clumsy lie.


    Although that young man would smile every time he saw him, that smile did not reach his eyes. It was as if a mask was hung on his face, and tonight, that smile was much more real.


    Zuo Shaoqing clapped his hands and suggested, "Why don''t you go up the mountain later and catch a rabbit to roast?" He was greatly amused. Without waiting for Lu Zheng''s nod, he swept up a gust of wind and dashed out of the door.


    The mountain road that had just been raining was slippery and wet. Zuo Shaoqing''s high spirits disappeared after he fell down for the third time. At this moment, he didn''t even see a shadow of a wild game.


    He had thought that with his current Qing Gong, catching hare and pheasant would be easy.


    Lu Zheng, who was leaning on the bed, said to the air, "Yinyi, go help him. Don''t be found out."


    "Yes."


    Zuo Shaoqing was a bit discouraged. After circling the forest twice without any gains, he was unwilling to return empty-handed. He had already boasted in front of Lu Zheng. Wouldn''t it be a joke if he returned without anything?


    After walking lightly into the jungle for another hundred meters, water droplets would occasionally fall from the tree. Zuo Shaoqing couldn''t bear the disturbance and was about to shake after taking a few steps.


    After walking for a quarter of an hour and still not finding any traces of wild animals, Zuo Shaoqing kicked on the tree trunk in frustration. Rain began to fall from the tree, splattering all over Zuo Shaoqing''s body.


    As a result, Third Master Zuo, who was originally depressed, was about to go crazy.


    Yinyi, who was hiding on a tree, looked at the childish young man in disbelief. He couldn''t believe that this young man was the savior of his master.


    He quietly untied the rabbit he caught earlier and threw it towards a tree trunk behind Zuo Shaoqing.


    A "peng" sound rang clearly in the dark night. Zuo Shaoqing turned his head and saw a rabbit hit a tree trunk and fall softly onto the ground.


    His eyes lit up. Was this what it meant to be a sitting duck? Isn''t his luck a little too good?


    Zuo Shaoqing picked up the rabbit and put it in front of his eyes. The unlucky rabbit still had one last breath left, so it limped on its four short legs and laughed towards the sky. "Unlucky guy, why don''t you have eyes when you''re walking?"


    Zuo Shaoqing never would have thought that someone would specially catch a rabbit and throw it in front of him in such a dark night and such a dense forest.


    Returning to the thatched cottage, Zuo Shaoqing waved the rabbit in front of Lu Zheng as if he was offering a treasure, "Look, what a big fat rabbit!"


    Lu Zheng couldn''t bear to look at the proud expression on his face and said lightly: "Go and kill him."


    "Ah?" Wasn''t he dead? How do we kill them? " Zuo Shaoqing was confused.


    Lu Zheng''s eyes twitched, and asked in a low voice: "Didn''t you want to roast the rabbit? Do you want to eat them raw? " Truly useless as a scholar!


    Zuo Shaoqing lowered his hand that was holding the rabbit. He was just thinking about roasting the rabbit, but he forgot.


    Lu Zheng knew from his expression that it was impossible to make a bookworm who only knew how to read.


    "Skin the rabbit skin and clean its innards."


    Zuo Shaoqing responded. He found the only carving knife in the hut and carried the rabbit outside to dissect it.


    Killing was easy, but cleaning up a rabbit was not that easy.


    Lu Zheng waited in the room for three minutes before Zuo Shaoqing came in with a terrifying looking rabbit. Instantly, he lost all appetite.


    "And then?" Zuo Shaoqing asked shyly.


    "Go and increase the fire in the charcoal brazier and find a branch to string up the rabbits and roast them, do you understand?" Lu Zheng already had no hope for this supper.


    Fortunately, there was Yinyi right now, and he didn''t have to worry about his hunger. Otherwise, he really wouldn''t be willing to waste a rabbit on Zuo Shaoqing.


    Zuo Shaoqing ordered and acted. He quickly put the rabbit on the brazier and stared at it.


    "Remember to flip every now and then." Lu Zheng sat cross-legged on the bed and gave Zuo Shaoqing the last command before he closed his eyes and began to heal his wounds.


    Zuo Shaoqing twitched his mouth and shifted his gaze from the rabbit to Lu Zheng. There was a clear comparison between the handsome and upright Young Master Lu and a skinned rabbit. Thus, Zuo Shaoqing gradually stopped paying attention to the rabbit on the brazier.


    Roast meat was a delicate process. Zuo Shaoqing switched his left hand to his right hand, and after ten times, the rabbit''s skin only changed color.


    When he opened his eyes, he saw the teenager supporting his chin with one hand and holding a branch with the other. At the end of the branch was a rabbit, and half of it had already fallen into the brazier. The oil dripped into the fire, making a crackling sound.


    He sighed and got off the bed. He snatched the half-burnt rabbit from Zuo Shaoqing''s hands, and facing Zuo Shaoqing''s confused eyes, he actually felt that he was innocent like this. Therefore, he passed the roasted rabbit over playfully: "Do you want to eat it?"


    Zuo Shaoqing''s face turned red as he looked at the lump of rabbit meat. He stood up and took a step back, "No ¡­" Be Late and Not Hungry... "Please enjoy!" After saying his goodbyes, he fled without even saying goodbye.


    Lu Zheng watched as his back quickly disappeared into the night. He rubbed his chin and thought to himself, "I didn''t expect this young man to know Qing Gong. It seems like I have underestimated him."


    Zuo Shaoqing didn''t realize that he had used Qing Gong to escape in front of Lu Zheng until he rushed down the mountain. Although this wasn''t a secret that couldn''t be told, he still didn''t dare to believe that he had done such a shameful thing.


    He turned around and looked at the dark mountain. He was extremely regretful about his performance just now. He should have stuffed the rabbit into Lu Zheng''s mouth to see if he still dared to laugh at him.


    Zuo Shaoqing secretly entered his own courtyard, took off his clothes and went to sleep. He planned to pretend that nothing had happened, and hazily thought: How about I have Lil ''Six deliver the food tomorrow.


    In the thatched cottage, Yinyi walked out from the shadows and cleaned up the room. Then he placed a rabbit he cleaned on the brazier and turned it over skillfully. Soon, the smell of roasting meat came from inside the house.


    Lu Zheng stood up and walked around the house a few times, then ordered Yinyi: "Go and check the Zuo Family."


    "Yes." Yinyi had already listed someone with surname Zuo as the target of his investigation. This was probably the only person in the world who could be treated like this by his master. He cleaned up the house, hid in the darkness again, and soon disappeared into the forest.


    ?


    Tomorrow, the eleventh, the first branch of the tree, the branch of the tree, the branch of the tree, the branch of the tree, the branch of the tree, the branch of the tree, the branch of the tree, the branch of the tree, the branch of the tree.

 C31 I Have Meat to Eat with San Ye

    Zuo Shaoqing didn''t remember if he had a bosom friend back then. Even if he had, he had forgotten about it during the years he was imprisoned. Therefore, Zuo Shao became confused when he saw this scholar who called him "little brother" standing in front of him.


    "Brother, is the wound bad?" That person''s nervous expression did not seem fake, pulling at him as he wanted to strip off his clothes.


    Zuo Shaoqing moved his feet and avoided his hand. He coughed twice and said, "Brother Qu, it''s been a while since we last met!" Actually, he didn''t know anything else except that his name was Qu Changqing.


    Qu Changqing thought that he was embarrassed, and did not care about his resistance, "Brother just came back and heard about your matter, this Zuo Shaoling is going too far, to actually be able to deal such a heavy blow to his own younger brother, he has really tarnished the reputation of our Zuo Family and school!"


    Hearing his indignation, Zuo Shaoqing couldn''t help but think highly of him, "Don''t worry about Brother Qu, it''s just a small grudge."


    "A small grudge and he can even use a knife? If there really is a deep grudge, then how terrible would it be?"


    Zuo Shaoqing thought to himself, if there really is a deep hatred, then of course we have to make him live a life worse than death!


    Memories were dug up bit by bit. Zuo Shaoqing recalled a few things related to Qu Changqing. They had been classmates for three years. After Qu Changqing joined the tutelage of Scholar Yin, the two rarely met.


    The him in his memory was a genuine, upright scholar. He was benevolent and righteous, kind and evil. He was similar to Zuo Shaoqing in his previous life, but he was much more courageous and optimistic than him.


    There were many such scholars in Great Yang who studied the Dao of Confucius and Mengdao. In terms of etiquette, integrity, and integrity, they were tall and upright and could not tolerate a single grain of sand in their eyes.


    Some of these scholars were in Enke High School, some were in the censors, some were indifferent to fame and fortune, and they were all scholars. However, no matter which type they were, they all seemed to go against their own moral principles.


    Zuo Shaoqing was a bit afraid of such a friend because in front of them, he felt like he was covered in mud.


    It was as if they were people from different worlds.


    "I see Brother Qu''s face full of dust. Let''s go back and rest for a few days." Zuo Shaoqing said with a distant look and a faint smile.


    Qu Changqing was slightly surprised, "Younger brother..." But what difficulties? "


    Zuo Shaoqing laughed lightly, "No, in a few days, it will be the hometown examination. I believe Brother Qu should also prepare for it."


    Qu Changqing was shaken by his smile and immediately put aside his doubts from before. He pulled Zuo Shaoqing''s hand and said: "Brother, you''ve returned because of this. How about we set off together to Changping County the next day?"


    Zuo Shaoqing refused, nodded and said, "Ok."


    The day before they set off, Zuo Shaoqing specifically bought a lot of dry rations to go up the mountain. Luckily, the weather was cold, so it wouldn''t be bad even if they put in a few days of cooked meat and pastries.


    He explained the situation to Lu Zheng. This trip would take at least ten days to half a month, and no one came to deliver food. He wondered if this Young Master Lu would starve to death!


    Lu Zheng ignored Zuo Shaoqing''s worries, ate the chicken soup and Ciba that Zuo Shaoqing brought, walked two rounds around the bed, and then sat down at the only table in the room.


    There were a few popular textbooks on the table, and Zuo Shaoqing was afraid that he would have nothing to do, which would relieve his boredom. Wu Tie flipped through them once and then never touched them again.


    "We only brought enough rations to eat for five days. What should we do then?"


    Zuo Shaoqing walked around the house. Seeing the charcoal brag, he said, "There''s not enough charcoal. Luckily, you''re not afraid of the cold."


    Seeing that the canteen had started to mutter again, he said, "The canteen is a bit small, I think I''ll go and get a bucket of water."


    "How about... "It''s better if I leave Little Six behind ¡­" Zuo Shaoqing made up his mind.


    Lu Zheng took out the black wooden plate from his pocket, dipped it in ink and imprinted a mark on a piece of paper. He then wrote a few words on the paper with the pen.


    Zuo Shaoqing was stunned by his actions. He took off the paper and looked at it. He suddenly opened his eyes wide, "This ¡­" "This ¡­"


    "You don''t want it?"


    "No ¡­" "No ¡­" How could he not want it? Wasn''t this what he had been trying so hard to get?


    He thought he would need a long line to catch a big fish, but he never expected Lu Zheng to be so generous. First, he gave him a valuable bead, and now, he even gave him a letter.


    Zuo Shaoqing hurriedly folded the paper that weighed a thousand pounds and put it in his pocket. After thinking about it for a moment, he felt that it wasn''t safe enough and stuffed the paper into his bag and put it into the innermost layer of his shirt.


    His face was slightly red, but he still calmly bowed to Lu Zheng and said, "Thank you, Master Lu, for your generous gift!" This was truly a generous gift. With this, the things he promised his second uncle would come to fruition, and the 30% profit from this good fortune would all be his.


    He didn''t know how expensive it would be if he didn''t own a family. These days, he had only raised a man and spent most of his savings.


    Zuo Shaoqing tried to make his expression look smoother, but the curve of his mouth couldn''t be wiped away no matter how hard he tried. He didn''t even notice the change in title, "Isn''t Master Lu afraid that I will use your letter to do bad things?"


    Lu Zheng laid back on the bed, picked up a plate of Plum Blossom Cake and started eating. He mocked, "What kind of bad things can you do?"


    To Young Master Lu, even if Zuo Shaoqing were to murder someone and set them on fire, it would be a small matter. Moreover, this scholar didn''t have the guts to do so.


    Zuo Shaoqing also understood this point, so he accepted the benefits with peace of mind. He also decided to be generous and said, "How about I go back late and buy some attendant?"


    He only had Luo Xiaoliu by his side. If he didn''t go with him to Changping, people would be suspicious, so he might as well buy a complete stranger, attendant. Luo Xiaoliu could serve this master all day long and didn''t have to worry about his whereabouts being leaked.


    "No need." Lu Zheng refused without thinking. Other than the first two days, he was completely able to take care of himself.


    If it wasn''t for the fact that Zuo Shaoqing was interesting, he wouldn''t have let him stay for so long.


    Zuo Shaoqing hesitated. "Then these days ¡­"


    "I have someone to take care of me!"


    Zuo Shaoqing was stunned for a moment before coming to a realization. Yes, what is Lu Zheng''s identity? How could it be possible that no one had gone missing for so long? He reckoned that they must have logged on when he was unaware.


    It was hard to tell what he was feeling, but Zuo Shaoqing was relieved at this knowledge. At least, he wouldn''t have to bear the burden of Young Master Lu''s safety anymore.


    Zuo Shaoqing lightly returned home, took up his pen and wrote a letter. Along with Lu Zheng''s seal letter, he stuffed it into an envelope and told Luo Xiaoliu to give it to Zuo Second Master. He also told him to personally hand it to Second Master.


    When Luo Xiaoliu returned, he was similarly as light as a feather, because Second Master had just rewarded him with five taels of silver. That was his entire year''s salary, it was like a pie dropped from the sky.


    "Master, Second Master told me to bring this to you." Luo Xiaoliu respectfully bent his waist and handed a bag to Zuo Shaoqing.


    The current him was not only fearful of Zuo Shaoqing, he also had a deep admiration for him. After coming to the conclusion that he could not offend San Ye, he came to a conclusion: there was meat for San Ye to eat!


    Zuo Shaoqing opened his bag and saw the remaining 50 taels of silver as he wished. Not only that, but there was also a piece of good jade and a land deed. It was obviously an extra gift from Second Uncle.


    Looking at the location written on the title deed, Zuo Shaoqing wiped his eyes and read it three times to make sure there was no mistake. Then, he laughed out loud, "Haha ¡­" Second Uncle is so generous! " If he knew how much money this store would make in the future, he would probably regret it until his intestines turned green.


    At the moment, there was only a grocery store, which could only earn a little money. But Zuo Shaoqing knew, with the new emperor ascending the throne, opening a wide open sea business, this grocery store was the first batch of people to go out to sea to rummage through the goods. After coming back, they made a huge fortune, and in the following few years, they slowly developed into the most famous life market in Great Yang.


    What was the manager''s name? Zuo Shaoqing scratched his chin and thought that he had to win this person over. Even if it couldn''t be used for him, he definitely couldn''t let him leave and become his opponent.


    Zuo Shaoqing was grinning from ear to ear when he thought of the scene of his future wealth rolling in.


    However, this matter couldn''t be rushed. He was going out tomorrow, so he had to wait for his hometown examination to come back. Moreover, he had to think of a way to avoid Zuo Family''s eyes and ears, otherwise, he would get into trouble before he could earn money.


    It seemed that Second Uncle was testing him with this shop. If he, Zuo Shaoqing, could not even solve this little problem, then Second Uncle would probably not be able to cooperate with him.


    Luo Xiaoliu did not understand San Ye''s crazy state. He touched his bulging pockets and smiled foolishly.


    ?


    Today, I was too preoccupied with Taobao that I forgot to ask for a branch. This Singles'' Day is burning money, and the days of people paying are so bitter!


    I''ve made a big deal today. Thank you for your support! What?

 C32 Venerable People Come to Your Door

    After a good night''s sleep, Zuo Shaoqing got up in a comfortable mood. He washed his face and rinsed his mouth while listening to Nanny Liu nagging, simply to make him pay attention to his safety on the road, to put on more clothes and eat more. After nagging, he went back to nagging at Luo Xiaoliu.


    Zuo Shaoqing had never felt that Nanny Liu was such a irritating woman. In his previous life, when Nanny Liu was chased away, he had never been cared for so much.


    Looking at the strands of white hair on Nanny Liu''s temples, he made a decision in her heart. In this life, he would definitely give Nanny Liu the best possible life. She would never let anyone hurt her again.


    After eating breakfast, the butler from Zuo''s Mansion sent him 10 taels of silver as a snooker, and also arranged a carriage for him. He said that the Madam had specially taken care of him after considering his "injury not yet healed".


    In his previous life, he didn''t have such treatment, so Zuo Shaoqing''s face was naturally full of gratitude. He coldly snorted in his heart: "This Mrs. Xue is worried that someone will say something after he is seen walking out of the door, right?"


    Because he was not fit to be a coachman, Luo Xiaoliu had no choice but to go up in the battle himself, and with strange movements, carried his family''s Third Master Zuo on the road.


    When he just came out of Youuxi Town, he saw Qu Changqing waiting there. Qu Family was not very famous in Youuxi Town, it was only the little rich''s home, but from Qu Changqing''s status, he had brought a coachman, two bookkeepers, and a woman with him.


    "Sorry for making Brother Qu wait." Zuo Shaoqing jumped down from the carriage, cupped his hands and said to Qu Changqing.


    "No worries, we just arrived too. From here to Changping County, it''s less than a hundred miles. We can reach there before it gets dark if we hurry."


    "This is my first time travelling so I hope Brother Qu can take care of me."


    "Brother, you''re too polite." Brother, you''re too courteous. Qu Changqing strongly invited Zuo Shaoqing to ride with him in the same carriage. Zuo Shaoqing refused because he didn''t want to get too close to him due to his body''s discomfort.


    However, after seeing Luo Xiaoliu''s unreliable driving skills, Qu Changqing still generously gave up the old woman who knew how to drive a car and took over the job.


    The two carriages drove on together, and along the way, there were still many poor scholars carrying bags on their back and walking on their legs. Qu Changqing was kind, so he invited a few of them to get on the carriage.


    Zuo Shaoqing leaned comfortably on the thick mattress of the carriage as he ate the pastries that Luo Xiaoliu passed to him.


    Luo Xiaoliu heard the laughter from the car beside him. He glanced at his master''s lazy look and sighed. If it''s like this, San Ye might not be a good official in the future.


    Zuo Shaoqing put down the pastries, took a sip of water and leisurely said, "Hey, I forgot to bring the tea stove along. It''s a big pleasure to be able to make tea on the way."


    "Master, why don''t you recruit a few students and get on the carriage as well?" "Not only can you build a good relationship with them, you can also create a good reputation."


    "Our car is small. This grandpa needs some rest, where do you want to sit?" Zuo Shaoqing raised his eyebrows and said, "Don''t tell me you want to get off the car and walk?"


    Luo Xiaoliu quickly shook his head, "No, no, this servant is joking. We should still be at ease."


    The group of people rested for a while in a teahouse at noon, then ate the rations they brought with them and set off. They hurried along the way until they finally saw the walls of Changping County at night when the stars were very sparse.


    Changping County was the largest county in the south, and it was said that this place used to be under the First Prince''s influence. But now, Zuo Shaoqing knew that this place had probably changed hands as he saw the horse carriage enter the city unhindered.


    He had heard that there were three difficulties with the Changping County, and one of them was the difficulty of entering the city.


    Because of the exam, all the inns in the city were busy with business. Zuo Shaoqing and Qu Changqing had to ask the three families before they found one that was not full. Even so, the price for a night''s stay was still three times higher than usual.


    Zuo Shaoqing recently made a few small money, so he played the rich and rented the last small house in the inn. He also sincerely invited Qu Changqing and a few other students to live with him.


    His attitude was extremely sincere. It was neither arrogant nor humble. It caused the students who were beginning to complain about him to change their opinion and start to care about his body.


    Weak people always attract pity and favour. No matter how strong Zuo Shaoqing was, he had a weak face and a slight frown could affect the hearts of others. Thus, after a few sentences, the older students started to call him "little brother".


    Zuo Family was, after all, the number one clan in Youuxi Town, and had a predecessor like Zuo Houshun. Although there were some people who did not care about Zuo Shaoqing''s status as his concubine son, a majority of the people still maintained a friendly relationship with him.


    Zuo Shaoqing was very satisfied with this result, so he generously invited everyone to a sumptuous dinner, then dragged his tired body back to his room.


    Actually, he wasn''t very good at socializing with others, but he knew that it wasn''t enough for an official to rely on his knowledge to become an official. People who were overly straightforward and pedantic would often be a stepping stone for others.


    The next day, Zuo Shaoqing did not go out. Qu Changqing knocked twice on the door, the first time inviting him to visit the head examiner and the second time inviting him to join the student poetry meet.


    Qu Changqing sincerely exhorted him, "Brother, tomorrow''s exam will begin. Today, you should properly relax." It''s not right to make a car behind closed doors.


    Zuo Shaoqing smiled, "Brother Qu is right. It''s just that I am not strong enough, so it''s better for me to have some energy before the exam."


    Qu Changqing''s face turned slightly red as he apologized: "I didn''t think it through for you!"


    After the ninth day of the country exam, Zuo Shaoqing came out of the examination hall exhausted. With his sharp eyes, Wu Tie quickly dragged him onto his back and carried him back to the tavern.


    In fact, Zuo Shaoqing was still fine. Many students fainted in the dorm when they finished writing the last word and their families had to carry it out. However, there were still a lot of students who couldn''t keep going and fainted on the way.


    After sleeping in the inn for a day and a night, Zuo Shaoqing finally regained some of his spirit. He really wanted to know if Lu Zheng went to the Zuo''s Mansion like in his previous life, and he also wanted to know if the letter he sent to Cao Family was effective.


    Early the next morning, Zuo Shaoqing couldn''t sit still anymore. He urged Luo Xiaoliu to pack his luggage and return, leaving only a letter for Qu Changqing.


    Zuo Shaoqing immediately knew the answer the moment he got off the carriage and saw the Zuo''s Mansion gate. This wasn''t a new gate that had never shone so brightly in the past thirteen years, even the two crooked trees outside the wall had been replaced with verdant pine and cypress.


    Zuo Shaoqing walked into the main hall with quick steps. The maids on the way were all in a hurry, so much so that they didn''t even have time to look at Zuo Shaoqing.


    Zuo Shaoqing''s heart was beating like a drum. He had a ridiculous thought and this thought caused his feet to move forward even faster.


    Zuo Shaoqing was stunned as soon as he stepped into the door. That man was sitting on the master''s seat with a cold expression and an aura that made people want to avoid him. Behind him was a man dressed in green.


    The two brothers, Zuo Yunwen and Zuo Yunyang, stood at the bottom of the group. Even the old man Zuo who was locked in the Buddhist Hall and the man who fought all day long, Zuo Second Master, stood quietly at the side. In addition, Zuo Shaoqing also saw Zuo Shaojin from the second room and Cao Zongguan, a person he had never expected to see.


    The hall was very quiet. No one spoke, and even breathing was suppressed. Zuo Shaoqing''s arrival instantly broke the silence.


    Zuo Yunwen turned and looked at Zuo Shaoqing as if he were looking at his savior. He first gave a nervous bow to the man in the seat of honor. "Master Lu, this is the third son of the old man. His name is Shao Qing."


    After saying that, he immediately waved at Zuo Shaoqing. "Shao Qing, come and greet Master Lu."


    His original plan was to not let this bastard come out to meet a guest, but the atmosphere in the hall was too heavy, and he couldn''t wait for someone to come out to warm the place up.


    There was a rule in Great Yang that when a High Scholar met with an official, they did not have to kneel. However, Zuo Shaoqing was just an Elementary Scholar who had just finished his examinations.


    Zuo Shaoqing walked up unwillingly, and greeted Liu Tie with a slow and courteous gesture. He said, "Wu Iron An!" He thought to himself: In any case, I''m still his savior, who knows if my benefactor''s kneeling will end his life.


    Just as he was thinking, an emotionless voice came from above, "Yes."


    Zuo Shaoqing didn''t need anyone to tell him to stand up and respectfully saluted the elders. Finally, he stopped in front of another young man and cheerfully greeted him: "Good morning, Brother Cao?"


    In fact, he really wanted to call Cao Zongguan "Brother-in-law" in his heart and label Zuo Shuhui and warn her not to eat while looking at the dishes in the pot. However, even if she only cared about the dishes in the bowl, she wouldn''t have the chance because he felt that Zuo Shuhui really wasn''t worthy of Cao Zongguan.


    "How did your younger brother do?" Cao Zongguan was not restrained and asked openly.


    Zuo Shaoqing smiled and narrowed his eyes, looking like an innocent teenager, "Not bad, but we, Chang Ping, have a lot of talented people, so little brother''s literary talent is not enough."


    "Little brother is being modest." Cao Zongguan said politely.


    "Cough, cough ¡­" Zuo Yunwen coughed and reminded the two not to forget the most important one while talking.


    Lu Zheng had been focusing his attention on Zuo Shaoqing ever since he entered the room. Although his expression was calm, there was a strong interest in his eyes, especially after seeing him and Cao Wei talking and laughing, his eyes narrowed unnaturally.


    ?


    The name that was just changed in this article is no longer used in the past. The name "Man for Man" seems to be quite misleading.

 C33 You Are a Man of No Feeling You Common Man!

    Just when the hall was about to fall into silence again, Lu Zheng suddenly said, "It''s getting late, let''s start the meal."


    This sentence came from a customer''s mouth that was quite loud, but other than Zuo Shaoqing, no one else thought so. Zuo Yunwen was so embarrassed that his face turned red, "It''s because this old man couldn''t take care of you, so I got someone to serve the dishes."


    At the same time he turned around, Zuo Yunwen gave Zuo Shaoqing a look, meaning for him to leave. Obviously, he felt that a bastard should not be on the table.


    Zuo Shaoqing had only eaten a few pastries during the whole day. He was hungry to the point that his chest was pressed against his back. At this moment, he couldn''t care less about Zuo Yunwen''s mood, so he sat down peacefully.


    From beginning to end, Lu Zheng never showed any sign of knowing Zuo Shaoqing. He played the role of a perfect stranger, which made Zuo Shaoqing secretly breathe a sigh of relief.


    Being able to get to know Master Lu was definitely a good thing, but once he left, he would definitely be forced to confess and might even be beaten to a pulp.


    The dishes quickly arrived at the table. There were sixteen big plates, eight different dishes, and all of them were delicacies that Zuo Shaoqing couldn''t normally eat. They were packed to the brim with dishes that were even more sumptuous than the New Year''s Eve meal on Zuo''s Mansion.


    Although Zuo Shaoqing was not greedy, but having good food was better than eating cold rice steamed buns, so he felt that he was right to stay.


    The maidservant poured a pot of wine and poured a cup for Lu Zheng. It was unknown if she was too nervous, but his hands were trembling and a few drops of it leaked out.


    Even though Lu Zheng''s expression didn''t change, the servant girl was still so scared that she kneeled on the ground, trembling and unable to say a single word.


    Zuo Family ruthlessly scratched the maid with his eyes. Zuo Shaoyan immediately took the wine jug and personally poured the wine for Sun Tie, "Liu Tie, this young maid doesn''t understand the rules and is clumsy. Please don''t blame her, this is Youuxi Town''s special Peach Blossom Wine, you can try it."


    Lu Zheng did not move. Zuo Shaoqing was aware of a certain someone''s caution. Looking at Zuo Shaoyan''s face which was becoming more and more unsightly, he suddenly laughed in his heart.


    Thinking back to the first time he delivered food to Lu Zheng, wasn''t he like this? It was so hateful that it made one''s teeth itch.


    When the atmosphere was the most awkward, the light robed man behind Lu Zheng drank the cup of wine and then silently went back to stand behind Lu Zheng.


    Everyone knew what this meant, and Zuo Yunwen''s face didn''t look too good either. However, he still calmly instructed the servants to change cups.


    When Lu Zheng was the first to move his chopsticks, Zuo Shaoqing didn''t care about the mood of the others anymore. He raised his chopsticks and grabbed the beef closest to him.


    Lu Zheng had always only ate when he was full. Compared to the others, he was much more heroic. Of course, this was also because the other men were too refined.


    Other than Zuo Shaoqing, the other men only put a few dishes on the nearest plate. They were basically there all the time ¡­ It was obvious how much pressure Master Lu had created from eating all day long and slowly.


    Zuo Shaojin, who was sitting beside Zuo Shaoqing, stuffed a mouthful of rice full of rice and almost couldn''t hold it in anymore. He was so anxious that tears were rolling in his eyes.


    Zuo Shaoqing kindly scooped a bowl of soup for him and instructed him, "Eat slowly!" Then under the grateful gaze of his younger cousin, he continued to sweep through the delicacies.


    Only after eating seventy percent full did Zuo Shaoqing''s movements slow down. At the same time, he was puzzled: Why has there been such a huge change in this life? Wasn''t Lu Zheng supposed to leave after just a few words from the Zuo''s Mansion?


    In order to guard against this, Zuo Shaoqing even imitated Zuo Shaoyan''s handwriting and hinted at Liu Tie to come and go with Zuo Family so that the two new and old brother-in-law could gather together and see how Zuo Family could marry two women.


    Ye Zichen didn''t expect Cao Zongguan to come and meet him, but no matter how he looked at the atmosphere, it didn''t seem right.


    Putting aside Cao Zongguan''s question, why would Lu Zheng appear in Zuo Family at this time? and even swaggering around to sit at the Zuo''s Mansion to eat? This was too different from what he knew about the future. Zuo Shaoqing was both nervous and expectant.


    Could he think that Lu Zheng''s abnormality was due to him?


    Thinking of this, Zuo Shaoqing quickly lowered his head to clear the throbbing in his eyes. He picked up a chicken drumstick and started munching on it.


    After a repressed dinner, Zuo Yunwen tried to chat with Lu Zheng. Unfortunately, no matter what he said, the other party would either keep a cold face or say something wrong.


    For example, Zuo Yunwen just mentioned: "Haha, tonight''s moonlight is pretty good, how about we go to the backyard and admire the moon?"


    Lu Zheng drank his tea without raising his head, "It''s just a dead thing, what''s there to reward?"


    If it wasn''t for Zuo Shaoqing''s willingness to see Zuo Yunwen humiliated, he would have said something to him at this moment: You heartless vulgar person!


    "Yes, yes, then why not ¡­" This old one will play chess with Young Master? " Zuo Yunwen thought he was good at chess.


    "No way!" "Yes," Lu Zheng replied coldly. Zuo Yunwen was so ashamed that he wanted to find a hole to hide in. This old one only knows some basics. "


    In the end, Zuo Shaoyan was smarter, so he went up to help him out. "Father, this must be Master Lu''s first time coming to Youuxi Town, how about I accompany him for a walk?"


    Seeing Zuo Yunwen nod repeatedly, he turned to Lu Zheng and asked with a smile, "What does Master Lu think?"


    Lu Zheng didn''t refuse this time. He nodded and stood up. Then, he walked towards the door without saying hello.


    Zuo Shaoqing twitched his mouth. He felt that the injured Lu Zheng was easier to serve. He would eat whatever he was given and wear whatever he was given. He wasn''t as picky as he was now.


    Zuo Shaoqing wanted to follow them, but unfortunately, after sitting in the carriage for a whole day, his body was about to fall apart.


    However, before he could take action, someone in front suddenly turned around and pointed at him. "Follow!"


    "¡­" At that moment, Zuo Shaoqing felt that everyone''s gaze was focused on him. It had an inexplicable meaning. His expression was complicated and he had the urge to run away.


    But it was impossible for him to slip away under the eyes of so many people, especially if he was walking at the front.


    Zuo Shaoqing followed them onto Youuxi Town Main Street. Today happened to be the first day, and both sides of the road were filled with peddlers peddling along the street, bustling with noise and excitement.


    Zuo Shaoyan was half a step behind Lu Zheng, explaining to him the customs and practices of Youuxi Town as well as saying a few sentences about the development history of Zuo Family and their current status. Whether it was from the outside or the inside, all of them were imbuing Master Lu with an idea: Although Zuo''s Mansion was defeated, and he had no choice but to live in this place, but the people of Zuo Family did not slack off because of this, and still diligently studied.


    Zuo Shaoqing, who was standing far behind, took two steps and yawned. His tears were almost flowing out. He was extremely resentful and thought to himself: "If I knew it was going to happen, I would have slept enough in the carriage."


    While Zuo Shaoyan was talking about Youuxi Town, Lu Zheng rudely interrupted him and said: "Go back."


    "¡­" Everyone was silent.


    Zuo Shaoqing turned his head to take a look and clearly saw Zuo''s Mansion''s eaves. I probably have only walked not more than a hundred meters, right?


    He stood sideways on the street, waiting for Master Lu to pass by first, secretly guessing: Is Lu Zheng''s injuries still not healed? Now that he was showing off his robust physique, he was actually just forcing himself to stay strong?


    This guess instantly caused his mood to improve, so much so that when he heard Lu Zheng''s voice transmission, he was still in a daze.


    Watching the back of the person walking back, Zuo Shaoqing muttered worriedly: "Zi time? Is this asking my son to go to him or his son to come to me? Can''t you just say two more words? "


    "Shao Qing, quickly follow." Not far away, Cao Zongguan was waving at him.


    Zuo Shaoqing looked at the smiling man in front of him. That smile was like a spring breeze, gloating over the mistake made by Zuo Shuhui in her previous life.


    It was foolish to refuse such a fine man and insist on going to the Duke of Guo''s estate to live as a widow.


    ?


    Collecting branches!" Madda ~ ~

 C34 A Stone Stirs a Thousand Ripples

    In the backyard of the Zuo''s Mansion, Zuo Shuhui was anxiously walking around the room, occasionally asking someone outside, "How is it? Has it dispersed? "


    It was only when a woman came to deliver a message saying that Master Lu and a few of the elders had gone out that she rushed out of the room and ran all the way to Wu Hui Yuan.


    "Mother ¡­" Zuo Shuhui could no longer remember any disgraceful questions, so she grabbed Mrs. Xue''s arm in excitement and asked, "Mother ¡­" Outside... [Is it true?] Is it really Master Lu? "


    "Don''t be anxious!" "Look at you now, you don''t look like a lady anymore." Mrs. Xue was also very excited. Even though her master was so busy that her feet didn''t even touch the ground, she was willing to go through with it.


    She pushed her daughter down on a chair and asked in amusement: "Does anyone dare to fake Master Lu''s identity?"


    "Mother, your daughter heard that ¡­" Zuo Shuhui whispered into Mrs. Xue''s ear.


    Mrs. Xue patted her daughter''s hand and said, "When your father comes back, you can ask him. We only heard a few words, so don''t misunderstand."


    "Mother, you said ¡­ "If it''s true, then ¡­" Zuo Shuhui''s face was flushed, and her eyes were astonishingly bright.


    "If it''s true, this spot will definitely be yours. Mother, I guarantee it!" Mrs. Xue''s palms were dripping with sweat. When she thought of the possibility that her daughter could become Wife of State Duke, her heart couldn''t help but tremble.


    This was Duke Zhen Manor! If her daughter could marry into the family, she would be a dignified first class wife. Then, she would be an honorable mother.


    This was not only a change in status, but also an opportunity for her to return to the capital. She would never be able to forget the beautiful life she had lived in the capital before leaving the pavilion.


    After staying in this small place for more than ten years, she felt that she was the same as that country woman. All she could do was suffer for such trivial matters, living without any dignity at all.


    "But ¡­" what about Cao Family ¡­ " Before she finished speaking, Zuo Shuhui had already started to worry that she would be implicated by the Cao Family.


    "Don''t worry, Mother will take care of it." A bright light flashed across Mrs. Xue''s eyes as she confidently stroked Zuo Shuhui''s hair.


    After a moment, she said worriedly: "But mother doesn''t think this is true, that is the Duke Zhen Manor, a place that even we, as people of the Zuo''s Mansion, could not reach during our best times, not to mention that our Zuo''s Mansion has already been defeated. Let alone official wife, I''m afraid that even little concubines do not have the qualifications to enter."


    Zuo Shuhui''s mind became clear after she said that and her eyes reddened. She snuggled up to Mrs. Xue and said, "Mother, didn''t you say that great-grandfather wanted to marry Duke Zhen Manor back then? "Perhaps ¡­"


    "Ai ¡­" It''s just a rumor. Even if it''s true, it''s still the matter of your great-grandfather''s life. The Zuo Family has long been incomparable to the past.


    Although Zuo Shuhui agreed with Mrs. Xue''s words, she still felt a sliver of luck and urged her mother, "Mother, go call Father back. We''ll know if we ask him."


    "Stop messing around, your dad will come back when he should be back. Don''t leave a bad impression on Master Lu."


    The mother and daughter spent their time waiting in this atmosphere of anticipation and unease.


    Zuo Yunwen and his brother were also discussing this issue in the study room.


    "Big Brother, Master Duke''s words are too vague. I am not sure if he wants to marry Zuo''s Mansion." The degree of shock in Zuo Yunyang''s heart was actually not too high. This was because he had already seen the wooden tablet with Lu Family at Zuo Shaoqing''s place, so he more or less thought that this matter was related to Zuo Shaoqing.


    This made him extremely happy. He felt that agreeing to cooperate with Zuo Shaoqing was a wise decision.


    After a long while, he said, "He specifically mentioned the relationship between teacher and student between the Old Duke and Grandfather, and then he pointed out that if it wasn''t for the change in the current situation, the two families might have been able to become in-laws. With Master Duke''s personality, it''s impossible for him to just randomly shoot a shot at them."


    "But ¡­" Could it be that the Duke of State''s Palace and the Zuo''s Mansion will really get married? " Zuo Yunyang felt embarrassed when he said this. How narcissistic was he to think that he could climb onto the Duke''s Mansion?


    "Well, who knows?" Zuo Yunwen''s face was also red and white. He was both excited and felt that he was overthinking it, "Don''t tell this to your family in case you misunderstand and spread the news."


    "Don''t worry, big brother. I know how serious this is." Zuo Yunyang changed his mind and asked tentatively, "Big Brother, look at what Master Duke said to Shao Qing at the end, do the two of them know each other?"


    Zuo Yunwen''s brows creased even more tightly. He was so twisted that he almost went numb, "Impossible, in this life, the only time Shao Qing went out of Youuxi Town was a few days ago when he went to Changping Exam. How could the two of them meet?"


    "That''s true." But how did Zuo Shaoqing get that brand? Zuo Yunyang could not figure it out, but he did not intend to reveal it to Zuo Yunwen.


    "Let''s not talk about this for now. In these few days, let''s let Shao Xi and the other children accompany Master Duke. Even if they can''t become in-laws, they will have a future that Master Duke appreciates."


    If he could get help from the Duke''s Palace, then there would be a good chance for Zuo Family to return. Zuo Yunwen was extremely excited; this was the biggest wish of his life.


    Lu Zheng still didn''t know that with just a few casual words, he had caused his entire Zuo''s Mansion to lose sleep. Of course, even if he knew, he didn''t care, because he had thought of marrying into a Zuo''s Mansion before.


    However ¡­ This sudden thought was dispelled after seeing the information on his Zuo''s Mansion.


    ¡ª ¡ª


    The second night watch was presented at 9 PM!

 C35 This Is Truly a Promising Future

    Zuo Yunyang didn''t want to miss such a great opportunity. Unfortunately, his son was only nine years old. Even if he wanted to show his face in front of Master Lu, he couldn''t.


    After leaving Zuo Yunwen''s study room, Liu Tie''s footsteps paused. He stroked his goatee and turned around, walking towards Zuo Shaoqing''s yard.


    This Third Nephew of his was really not simple, he had to rope him in first.


    When Zuo Shaoqing returned to the courtyard, he first asked Nanny Liu to boil a large bucket of water. He took a beautiful bath to relieve his fatigue. Before he finished soaking, he heard Luo Xiaoliu report Second Master''s arrival.


    Zuo Shaoqing wiped off the water from his face and lazily leaned against the tub. He didn''t have any intention of getting up and instead got Luo Xiaoliu to pass the message, telling Wu Tie to wait for a moment.


    This kind of behavior was quite disrespectful, but Zuo Shaoqing knew that the more calm and proud he acted, the more this Second Uncle would believe in him.


    As expected, Zuo Yunyang did not show any signs of dissatisfaction. He patiently waited for the time it took to make a cup of tea. After he saw Zuo Shaoqing coming out, he laughed and said, "The tea from Shao Qing''s side is too bad.


    Zuo Shaoqing did not stand on ceremony and cupped his hands, "Then, thank you, Second Uncle."


    When Zuo Yunyang saw that he had wet hair and a rosy red face, which looked even more gorgeous than usual, he could not help but sigh with emotion: Among all the children of Zuo Family, no matter what color they used to have, none of the girls in the house could compare to this nephew of his. Unfortunately, he was a man, so he did not know if it was fortune or misfortune.


    Zuo Shaoqing was wiping his hair. He didn''t notice Zuo Yunyang''s peculiar gaze and asked, "Second Uncle, are you here so late?"


    Zuo Yunyang came back to his senses and smiled, "Nothing important. It''s just that with that grandpa previously here, Second Uncle didn''t have the time to ask you. Did you pass this year''s country level exam smoothly?"


    Zuo Shaoqing knew that he was just being polite, so he did not expose him, "Everything went smoothly. We will only know when the results are released."


    Zuo Yunyang thought he would be modest, but he did not expect to hear such an answer. He flattered him, "Your great-grandfather was a High Scholar at the age of fourteen. My nephew is only thirteen this year. His future is boundless."


    If that guy really came because of Zuo Shaoqing, then it was not impossible for him to soar into the sky in the future. The way Zuo Yunyang looked at Zuo Shaoqing became a bit more passionate.


    Zuo Shaoqing didn''t want to tell him about this, so he rolled his eyes and said casually: "Second Uncle is too kind, I haven''t thanked Second Uncle for the gift. I was too busy a few days ago and I didn''t even have the time to take a look at the exam, so I don''t know if the manager is still there."


    Zuo Yunyang''s face stiffened. Initially, he had the thought of probing him, which was why he sent this tepid shop. He smiled coyly: "Of course I''m here, that shop is only for nephew to earn some pocket money. It''s fine as long as nephew doesn''t mind." He thought to himself: When I get home, I''ll have to talk it over with my wife and give her something else.


    "How could that be? "This is my nephew''s first shop. I will definitely cherish it well, and my nephew will go take a look tomorrow." Zuo Shaoqing seemed to be thinking of something as his face slightly blushed and said: "Nephew doesn''t know the ways of business, when the time comes I''ll have to trouble the shop manager a lot. I wonder if second uncle ¡­"


    Zuo Yunyang thought for a bit and quickly understood the meaning of the sentence. He quickly added: "I''ll get someone to deliver their indenture contract when we get back."


    He thought Zuo Shaoqing was worried about his young age and was not a proper master, so he couldn''t control those servants. Of course, Zuo Shaoqing wouldn''t mind giving him some personal benefits.


    Seeing that he had achieved his goal, Zuo Shaoqing thanked him sincerely. Then, he added, "If you have time, please ask your second cousin to come and walk around. She is about the same age as elder sister, so it''s good to have a companion."


    Zuo Yunyang was surprised and his face turned serious. "Nephew is saying ¡­" Is big brother''s guess true? Was Master Lu really thinking of marrying with Zuo''s Mansion?


    Zuo Shaoqing smiled enigmatically, knocked on the table and whispered: "Nephew doesn''t know anything, it''s just that... There''s nothing wrong with being prepared, right? Big Sis is about to leave the pavilion. If she doesn''t move now, it will be difficult in the future. "


    Zuo Yunyang felt as if his whole body was floating. He swallowed his saliva with difficulty, took a few deep breaths, and finally digested those words. He stood up and cupped his hands towards Zuo Shaoqing, "If that day ever comes ¡­" Second Uncle will definitely acknowledge your love. "


    Zuo Shaoqing tried his best to ignore the sour feeling in his heart. With a smile on his face, he looked more sincere, "Look at what Second Uncle said. We''re a family, why should we talk about each other?" A favor or something like that, there would always be a time for it to be returned!


    If Lu Zheng had to choose a woman from the Zuo''s Mansion, he would gladly let Zuo Shuyu choose her. At the very least, there wasn''t much of a grudge between him and this elder cousin of his.


    However, Zuo Shaoqing had a bad taste in his mouth whenever he thought about Lu Zheng marrying Zuo Shuyu. In his opinion, Lu Zheng was worth a better woman, even if that woman was just an unworthy name for Wife of Duke Zhen.


    With Lu Zheng''s identity, Lu Zheng''s talent, and Lu Zheng''s dedication, all of them were admired by Zuo Shaoqing. He even thought that if he was a woman, he would definitely not forgive such a man.


    ?


    There are many more words today. If you don''t have a ticket, you can get more tickets.


    The backstage was a little unlucky. He had to try several times before sending the message.

 C36 Master Lu I Came Late on an Appointment

    At fifteen minutes past midnight, Zuo Shaoqing opened his eyes in the dark. Perhaps he had woken up when he was used to serving food to Lu Zheng. At this point, he would wake up even if he was still sleepy.


    He got off the bed, put on a thick fur robe and walked out of the yard. Under the cold night wind, he walked towards the Fu Yue Tower where Lu Zheng was at.


    When he heard that Zuo Yunwen and Mrs. Xue originally planned to clean up Wu Heng City for this man to live in, he could not help but look down upon the miasma of the miasma. After circling around Zuo''s Mansion, he chose this small building that was separate from the rest.


    Fu Yue Restaurant was in the back garden. It was a two-story house used for observing and admiring flowers at the Zuo''s Mansion Festival. The decorations were quiet and elegant.


    Zuo Shaoqing paced back and forth outside of the door. After making sure that it was time, he knocked on the door. He didn''t want to let Lu Zheng think that he couldn''t wait to see him.


    The one who opened the door was the blue-clothed attendant. Lu Zheng didn''t know if it was because of his order, but that person was not surprised to see Zuo Shaoqing visiting in the middle of the night.


    Yinyi listened to Zuo Shaoqing''s deliberately soft footsteps outside the door and remembered the night he roasted the rabbit.


    Zuo Shaoqing was a little perturbed, but when he remembered that Lu Zheng did not repay his debt, his steps became firmer.


    He lowered his head and stood outside the main door. After taking a deep breath, he opened his mouth: "Master Lu, I''m here today to make an appointment."


    The door opened from the inside, but there was no one behind the door. If Zuo Shaoqing was still an ignorant scholar, he would definitely be scared by this scene. He once again sighed at the profoundness of Lu Zheng''s inner force and stepped into the room.


    He quickly scanned the furnishings in the room. Even if he did not come to this building often, he could tell how much effort Mrs. Xue had put in here. Compared to this room, his small courtyard was like a beggar''s nest.


    Looking at Zhong Liuyu''s real work hanging on the wall, looking at the blue and white porcelain vase standing next to the cabinet, and smelling the burning incense in the room, Mrs. Xue''s main house probably wasn''t much better than this.


    Of course, these things weren''t worth mentioning in Master Lu''s eyes.


    Lu Zheng didn''t sleep. He was sitting cross-legged on the soft couch in front of the window, cultivating with a serene expression and closed his eyes. If he didn''t open the door for him earlier, Zuo Shaoqing would have thought he was in a meditative state.


    Zuo Shaoqing didn''t know what kind of martial art he practiced, but every time he would be able to practice it until he was covered in sweat and his clothes were all wet. Zuo Shaoqing didn''t know what martial art he was cultivating, but every time he was able to practice it he would be covered in sweat.


    After waiting for an hour, Zuo Shaoqing''s legs started to feel numb. He started to suspect if Lu Zheng was deliberately making fun of him to avenge his previous disrespect.


    A quarter of an hour later, just as Zuo Shaoqing was about to retreat, Lu Zheng opened his eyes. It was still that familiar golden light, which was especially dazzling in the dark night.


    Lu Zheng didn''t even look at Zuo Shaoqing. After collapsing, he took off his wet clothes and threw them on the ground. Then, he walked behind the screen.


    Zuo Shaoqing''s face turned red when he saw Lu Zheng undress as if no one else was around. Although he had seen Lu Zheng''s naked body before, it was understandable that Wu Tie was injured to the point that he couldn''t move.


    He kept his head as low as he could, his eyes on his toes, his ears straining to hear what was going on behind the screen.


    The sound of water came from behind the screen. Zuo Shaoqing wasn''t sure if it was his imagination, but he noticed that the temperature in the room had risen, and the heat seemed to have originated from the water bucket behind the screen.


    Zuo Shaoqing was sure that even if a bucket of boiling water could turn cold in less than two hours, how did the bucket heat up now? No one had entered the room in more than an hour.


    Just as his soul was wandering, a deep male voice came from behind the screen, "Come here!"


    Zuo Shaoqing suppressed his surprise and walked around the screen. A white handkerchief was thrown in front of him. He reached out to catch it and looked at Lu Zheng doubtfully.


    "Come here and wipe your back!"


    Zuo Shaoqing''s mouth twitched. He really didn''t understand how he was reduced to being attendant. Wasn''t there a proper attendant standing outside?


    "What are you waiting for?"


    Zuo Shaoqing answered with an "Oh" and reluctantly stepped forward. He soaked the handkerchief in the water and then rubbed it on Lu Zheng''s shoulder.


    When his fingers touched the warm water, he could not help but ask, "Why is this bucket of water hot? When did you bring it in? "


    "Don''t you know that there is something called inner strength in this world?"


    Zuo Shaoqing''s hand trembled and the handkerchief fell into the bath barrel. He stared at the back of Lu Zheng''s head with bright eyes and a sense of worship rose in his heart. He was even more determined to get a martial arts manual from Lu Zheng.


    Zuo Shaoqing fished out the handkerchief from the bath barrel and carefully avoided the scab on Zuo Shaoqing''s shoulder. He sighed at the man''s strong recovery ability and casually found a topic: "I still have some trauma medicine, do you want me to get it for you?"


    Lu Zheng raised his head and glanced at him, then replied plainly, "No need."


    Zuo Shaoqing was only casually saying that Master Lu didn''t have any good medicine, so how could he fall for his medicine? Zuo Shaoqing was just casually saying that Master Lu didn''t have any good medicine, so how could he fall for his medicine?


    Lu Zheng didn''t say anything. He just laid lazily on the ground with his arms on the edge of the bathtub, allowing Zuo Shaoqing to vent his anger on his back.


    Zuo Shaoqing got tired after wiping for a while. This kind of physical work was not suitable for a scholar like him. His hands were holding a brush with all his strength, so it definitely wasn''t for him to rub his back.


    He threw the handkerchief into the water and said, "All right." Then he handed a dry cloth to Lu Zheng.


    Lu Zheng washed the lower half of his body before standing up. Water flowed from his honey-colored skin and flowed into the water, causing Zuo Shaoqing to feel a burning sensation on his nose.


    He stepped out of the tub and stood there with his hands spread out. He could see every muscle and scar on his body.


    Zuo Shaoqing wasn''t unfamiliar with this action. It was the same way when he asked Luo Xiaoliu to help him put on his clothes, but ¡­ Why did he do all this? It''s not enough to finish rubbing your back, but you still have to wait for me to change?


    It was a pity that Lu Zheng didn''t give him the right to refuse. Zuo Shaoqing resigned himself to drying Lu Zheng''s body with a dry cloth. When the cloth touched the lower half of his body, his eyes were almost closed, but even so, he was still able to catch a glimpse of something lurking in the black forest.


    Quickly putting the jacket on Lu Zheng, Zuo Shaoqing took a step back and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Facing such a strong male body, the pressure was too great.


    Fortunately, Lu Zheng stopped struggling and sat obediently at the table. Zuo Shaoqing put on the cloak for him. Although he knew that this man''s body was hot and not afraid of the cold, he couldn''t sit face to face with a man in a suit in the middle of the night.


    Lu Zheng didn''t reject his action, but pointed at the chair opposite him, "Sit."


    Zuo Shaoqing knew the important matter had arrived, so his heart began to beat faster. He sat down next to the edge of the chair and almost fell down.


    "Third Young Master of the Zuo''s Mansion? Or was it a bastard? "


    "..." "Yes." Zuo Shaoqing sat upright and waited for Lu Zheng''s next words. Instinct told him that it was definitely not something good.


    "I heard that Third Master Zuo was heavily stabbed a month ago and he stayed in bed for 20 whole days before getting out of bed."


    Zuo Shaoqing''s heart skipped a beat, then he smiled and explained: "I can be considered to be related to Master Lu by fate. Actually, I recovered from my late injuries half a month ago, it''s just that because ¡­" So I lay in bed for a few more days. "


    Lu Zheng did not evaluate the authenticity of his words. Instead, he said, "A bastard whom the matriarch doesn''t like actually has the ability to save a stranger on the mountain and even sends him gifts every night. Third Master Zuo is quite capable."


    "That hut... It''s a private property of late birth. " Zuo Shaoqing felt particularly pitiful after saying this. What he truly had was only a shabby little thatched cottage.


    Afraid that Lu Zheng would be suspicious, he added: "Zuo''s Mansion aren''t heavily guarded, so I can leave during the night. Please forgive me for neglecting Young Master."


    The moment Lu Zheng stepped into the Zuo Family, he had already thoroughly investigated the entire Zuo Family. After all, he came here with the same goal in mind;


    From the information gathered from the investigations, the only person in the entire Zuo''s Mansion who was different from the information listed was San Ye. If it wasn''t for the fact that Lu Zheng and Zuo Shaoqing had interacted with him before, they really wouldn''t have been able to tell that this seemingly weak scholar was unusually quick-witted and capable.


    This was also the reason why he would personally come to the Zuo''s Mansion, and even the reason why he wanted to live here in the first place. He wanted to personally see this young man''s life in the Zuo Family, and he was extremely interested in finding out what exactly this variable in the Zuo Family was hiding.


    ?


    Thank you for your rewards.

 C37 It Is Always a Good Thing to be a Good Boy at a Late Age

    Zuo Shaoqing''s heart started to beat as he felt Lu Zheng''s gaze was a little strange. Although he wasn''t afraid that Lu Zheng would see through his real face, this kind of scrutinizing gaze made him very uncomfortable.


    Outside the door, the azure-dressed man knocked on the door three times before reporting, "Master, a woman sent four maidservants over. She said that she is here to serve you."


    Zuo Shaoqing looked at the sky, then looked at the oil lamp in the room that had never broken, and guessed that Mrs. Xue had been following them closely, afraid that Master Lu would be lonely at night and not be able to sleep soundly.


    However, he didn''t know which room these four girls came from. Could it be that they had sent Miss Zuo''s trained maid here first? They were all for his future husband, so wouldn''t they always be the same?


    It was a pity that they sent the wrong gender. If they sent a few handsome attendant, Master Lu would probably accept it reluctantly.


    With this thought on his mind, Zuo Shaoqing revealed a smile as if he was watching a good show. The cunning look on Zuo Shaoqing''s face made Lu Zheng stare at him a few more times.


    "You''re laughing!" Lu Zheng did not give face to break Zuo Shaoqing''s little thoughts.


    "Nope." Zuo Shaoqing immediately denied it, "I was just wondering how these four maids are going to deal with them."


    "What do you think?"


    "Of course ¡­" Zuo Shaoqing rolled his eyes and slowly said: "Master Lu has been bathing in blood on the battlefield all year round, I''m afraid he doesn''t have the time to enjoy this affair. Since someone is sending himself to my doorstep, why not ¡­"


    Lu Zheng glanced at his lower body with suspicion, "You know quite a lot."


    It took Zuo Shaoqing half a cup of tea to understand the meaning of this sentence. His face immediately flushed red and he stammered as he stressed, "There is a face like jade in the book ¡­" What should be understood will naturally be understood! "


    Liu Tie said towards the door, "Let them go." Seeing Zuo Shaoqing''s eyes widen, Lu Zheng stared at him with an unreadable expression and asked, "Or should I say that Third Master Zuo is interested in keeping them here?"


    "No no, no! "I have always been pure and honest, how can I, how can I fool around with maids and maids?" Zuo Shaoqing''s tongue was beginning to be tied up as he was being stared at by Wu Tie in an extremely embarrassed manner.


    Lu Zheng came in front of him and observed every single pore on Zuo Shaoqing''s face. He couldn''t help but rub the back of his hand across Zuo Shaoqing''s smooth and tender cheek. The touch made him think of the finest silk.


    The back of his hand brushed the corner of Zuo Shaoqing''s lips, his gaze stopped on those two tender red lips, and he asked in a low voice: "Has Third Master Zuo reached the age where he can fool around?"


    Zuo Shaoqing''s entire body was tense and his scalp tingled. The spot where Lu Zheng touched him carried a peculiar heat that burned all the way to his heart.


    He remembered that he was an adult when he was 13 years old in his previous life, but he didn''t know if it was because there were too many things in his life that he had never been able to lose himself.


    There was a slight blush on the young man''s fair skin. Under the light of the lamp, he looked like flawless jade. A stream of heat flowed out from Lu Zheng''s body and converged on his lower abdomen.


    He coughed dryly as he sat up straight. He looked away from Zuo Shaoqing and said uncomfortably, "At such a young age, you shouldn''t learn to live in the brothels every day like those geniuses. They are a bunch of scum."


    Zuo Shaoqing glanced at Lu Zheng thoughtfully. This master had been on the battlefield since he was 11 and had been on the battlefield for seven years. It was unknown if he was still a boy.


    In those few years at the Jiang''s Mansion, he could tell that many nobles liked to place a few handsome and beautiful attendant beside them.


    Zuo Shaoqing tried to test him, using his inner force to push the steam up to his cheeks. His eyes were as smooth as water as he looked at Master Lu shyly and wrongly, saying, "Master Lu has wronged me."


    Lu Zheng was slightly stunned, then frowned and coldly lectured: "Why are you doing this? "Vulgar!"


    Zuo Shaoqing''s nerves snapped with a "Ka Cha" sound. He forced out two tears and blinked his long eyelashes. He seemed to be unable to let go as his lips also quivered, as if he was trying his best to restrain himself from feeling wronged.


    He rarely looked at himself in the mirror and didn''t pay much attention to his appearance. However, from Jiang Che''s reaction in his previous life, he was definitely not a common person.


    You dare to call him vulgar? Did Master Lu have a sense of aesthetics? Could it be that what he liked was not this type?


    In Zuo Shaoqing''s previous life, he had never seen the top scholar whom he had a crush on before. He didn''t know what kind of man Lu Zheng had taken a fancy to. But judging from time, the current Lu Zheng still did not know Jiung Hengzhou, and it was even more impossible for him to be of any concern to him. Did that mean ¡­ Zuo Shaoqing did not dare to think too deeply about it. He had a nagging feeling that that idea would drag him into the abyss.


    He stared at Zuo Shaoqing for a long time. Just a moment ago, his chest suddenly tightened up, and he felt a strange feeling of suffocation. The teenager''s eyes gave him a very strange feeling, it seemed to be pure, clear, and dark like the abyss; both extremes appeared in his eyes at the same time.


    But no matter what it was, Lu Zheng did not find it annoying. He thought he would hate people who were two-faced, but in reality, he was more interested in Zuo Shaoqing and had a strong interest in solving all the mysteries.


    Lu Zheng wanted to wipe away the tears on his eyelashes, but the longer he looked at them, the more he frowned. He felt that Zuo Shaoqing was acting a bit weird.


    Zuo Shaoqing didn''t hear anything for a long time. He slightly raised his chin and turned his head to look at Lu Zheng. He asked softly, "What do you want to say?"


    "Very fake!"


    "¡­" Zuo Shaoqing subconsciously touched his cheek and pinched it. He thought his expression was perfect.


    A thick hand replaced his hand, and imitated his actions by pinching the tender flesh on Zuo Shaoqing''s face. It was just that Zuo Shaoqing was clenching his teeth in pain.


    He stared angrily at Lu Zheng and really wanted to ask Master Lu if this was a punishment.


    Lu Zheng was a bit reluctant to let go. Most of the men he had met were coarse military generals, and even with such a delicate and tender scholar, he could not arouse Lu Zheng''s desire to communicate at all. Not to mention having hands on him, the scholar in front of him was really special.


    Special... It was so appetizing!


    He especially wanted to reveal his outer layer of hypocritical skin, so that he could reveal his true appearance.


    In his memories, that gentle and refined looking guy from the Jiang Family had a dark heart and was a decently dressed beast. It was said that he had already mixed in with the Ministry of Personnel, and would bring disaster to who knows how many more commoners.


    Seeing Lu Zheng''s eyes becoming more and more focused, Zuo Shaoqing felt a little uneasy. Lu Zheng was like a piece of meat placed in front of him. It made people want to jump at him, and there was an unspeakable desire in their hearts.


    He was afraid of this desire. In this life, he did not intend to live for others. He wanted revenge, he wanted to become an official. He wanted to rise to the top.


    "Lu..." Master Lu, it''s getting late ¡­ I shall take my leave. " After Zuo Shaoqing said that, he left.


    Lu Zheng looked at his empty hands and recalled the throbbing in his heart. He frowned unnaturally. Could it be that he had some ulterior motives towards this young man?


    "Yinyi ¡­" Lu Zheng shouted towards the door.


    "Master!" Yinyi flew in like a gust of wind and stood straight in front of Lu Zheng. He was trying to figure out how his family''s master had provoked that young man, to the point that his face turned pale.


    Lu Zheng sat there in confusion. After a long time, he finally spat out two words: "..." "Nothing."


    He originally wanted to ask Yinyi''s opinion. After all, he didn''t know anything about relationships, and didn''t even know if that feeling was moving his heart. However, he didn''t know how to ask about this sort of thing, so he could only figure it out.


    He had known about men''s ways since he was young, and he had seen quite a few men in the military camp. In his heart, he was not afraid of men, but what was terrifying was: why would he be interested in a scholar?


    ?


    It wouldn''t be that early to see a lady getting married. The plan was to wait until he got the title of the Golden Rankings. However, the relationship would progress first!


    Thank you for your rewards, DGPY!" What?

 C38 Old Madam Is so Lonely

    "Master, the madame sent a letter asking which family''s lady you wish to marry?" Although he already had a guess, Yinyi still cautiously asked.


    Zuo Shaoqing''s figure flashed through Lu Zheng''s mind, his eyebrows twitched, "Let''s postpone this until later!"


    "Huh?" Yinyi originally thought that Master Lu was a girl that was determined to marry Zuo''s Mansion. Otherwise, why would he lower himself to enter Zuo''s Mansion?


    Could it be that Master Lu isn''t satisfied with Zuo Family Eldest Miss? As far as he could remember, apart from his demure appearance and a bit of cleverness, there didn''t seem to be anything special about that girl.


    But didn''t his master choose Zuo''s Mansion as the daughter of a small family because of this?


    "Mistress, the madame said that if you don''t find yourself a wife candidate this year, she will come out on her own."


    Lu Zheng, who was already frowning, could kill a fly if he heard Ye Zichen''s words, "What is she doing?" If Madame Lu made her move, the entire capital would be in chaos.


    Wu Tie secretly sighed. Madame Lu was lonely. She had no husband and her son was not by her side. In such a big Duke Zhen Manor, there was only such a master. Wasn''t it too much for her?


    He still remembered that when he lived in the Duke''s Mansion that year, those people had all been teased by that old lady. No wonder this lord didn''t want to return to the capital. It was probably because he had a deep memory of the past, right?


    "Let Butler Qiu watch over her, and don''t let her bring some women back to the manor. Then, take the orphans back to the capital from the frontier last year and place them in Tong An Hall as usual. I am going to re-select the palace guards."


    Yinyi silently cried out for those "good girls". At the same time, he gave Master Lu a big thumbs up in his heart. It was this guy who knew how to distract Madame Lu''s attention the most.


    Zuo Shaoqing couldn''t sleep after returning to his room. He was tossing and turning on his bed like a pancake. His mind was filled with Lu Zheng''s resolute face.


    After his rebirth, he had only thought of how to take revenge on Zuo Family, how to avoid Jiang Che, and how to link this line with Lu Zheng to change the current condition of the Zuo Family''s descendents that could not enter the capital.


    Occasionally, there would be the thought of finding a virtuous woman to marry into a family. However, this thought was not strong. Even he knew that his need for a woman was not strong.


    Thirteen years old was the age when a boy changed from a boy to a man, but Zuo Shaoqing clearly felt that something was wrong with his body. Other than the unusually hot days when he was facing Wu Tie, he didn''t even have a dream.


    What he did not know was that the six years he had been confined in his previous life had cast a psychological shadow over him, causing him to subconsciously avoid this matter.


    Zuo Shaoqing turned over his body again. In his mind, he recalled the scene he saw when he wiped Lu Zheng''s body. A well-built body, smooth muscles, slightly rough skin after experiencing wind and sand ¡­


    The heat in his body was rising bit by bit. That familiar, annoying desire broke out of the shackles and went towards his lower abdomen.


    Zuo Shaoqing pulled the blanket over his head, biting his lips as he thought powerlessly: Why didn''t he think of a woman just now? He clearly had feelings for women in his previous life.


    Ignoring the changes in his body, Zuo Shaoqing fell asleep with his legs tucked under him and his mind filled with all sorts of thoughts.


    Then I had a night of colored dreams.

 C39 Big Sister must be Shy

    The next morning, Zuo Shaoqing was dug out of bed by Nanny Liu. He even found the latest set of clothes for him and advised, "Master San, there''s an important guest at home. You have to be careful.


    Zuo Shaoqing twitched his mouth. It was too late to say that. Putting aside his previous words, he had already collided with someone of nobility last night. However, that person was not a narrow-minded person.


    After combing Zuo Shaoqing''s hair, Nanny Liu took out the breakfast from the food box. "In order to entertain guests, Madam ordered the kitchen staff to wake up at the time and prepare more than ten specialties for breakfast. This steamed dumplings were also eliminated from the kitchen."


    "This is all thanks to that esteemed guest." While smelling the fragrant dumplings, Zuo Shaoqing once again had the thought of staying close to Master Lu.


    Not only did he eat well and drink well, he didn''t need to worry about being bullied and was even more confident in his work.


    It was a pity that not everyone could get close to such a man.


    After breakfast, Zuo Shaoqing went to pay his respects at Wu Heng Courtyard. In order to leave the distinguished guest with an impression of "proper family style", the greeting this morning was especially formal. Even the madame was sitting at the head of the table to receive everyone''s greetings.


    Zuo Shaoqing rolled his eyes dejectedly. He really wanted to know who were the four maidservants sent by Mrs. Xue to warm the bed last night.


    He scanned through the people inside and out. They were all the servant girls that were commonly seen by Zuo Shaoqing, but he didn''t find anyone who looked especially outstanding. Hence, he firmly believed that the person sent over was Zuo Shuhui''s future maid.


    Zuo Shuhui was dressed exceptionally splendidly today. She was dressed in a crab-colored skirt with a rouge jacket over her head. The bright and beautiful colors were especially eye-catching in the winter, not to mention that she was wearing a golden red dress with rubies embedded on it.


    Zuo Shaoqing lowered his head to cover the disdain in his eyes. This was just the beginning, but Zuo Shuhui already couldn''t help but want to go up against Lu Zheng? Of course, maybe he was wrong, maybe he was doing it for Young Master Cao.


    "Mother ¡­" It''s already been a few minutes, may I ask if esteemed guest has gotten up yet? " With just one sentence, she had broken Zuo Shaoqing''s expectations for her.


    "The butler is already at the door. If there''s any movement, he will come to report it."


    Zuo Shaoqing obviously knew who the VIP was, but he raised his head and innocently blinked, "Big Sis is worried about Big Brother Cao right? He asked me about you yesterday. "


    Mrs. Xue and Mrs. Xue''s expressions changed instantly. They glared at Zuo Shaoqing with similar eyes, "Shut up!" How could he speak carelessly like that? Don''t sully your Big Sis''s reputation! "


    Zuo Shaoqing weakly shrugged his shoulders. "I ¡­" How quick was that!


    Zuo Shuhui also seemed to be disappointed. With a face full of anger, she lectured Zuo Shaoqing: "Third brother, Young Master Cao is just a guest of our Zuo''s Mansion and a good friend of big brother. It''s none of my business. If he ¡­" She pursed her lips and said firmly: "If Young Master Cao mentions me in front of you, don''t speak carelessly!"


    Zuo Shaoqing asked innocently: "Isn''t Big Brother Cao going to be my brother-in-law soon? That''s what everyone says... Oh, I know, big sister must be shy. "


    Zuo Shuhui gritted her teeth so hard that her teeth almost broke. With tears in her eyes, she cried pitifully, "Third brother, who made this up? This... Aren''t you deliberately throwing dirty water on me? "Mother ¡­"


    Zuo Shaoqing hid behind Zuo Shaoyan in fear, tugging on his sleeve nervously and asked: "Big Brother ¡­" Did I say something wrong? "


    Zuo Shaoyan patted his hand and said to Mrs. Xue, "Alright, don''t act rashly before making things clear. Don''t end up displeasing everyone."


    Zuo Shaoqing secretly gave a big thumbs up in his heart. He said that Zuo Shaoyan was indeed the most rational person in Zuo Family.


    Zuo Shaoyan bowed at Zuo Yunwen, "Father, I think it''s better to find some time to test his intentions. We can''t just keep guessing for no reason."


    He had a plan in his heart. If Zuo Shuhui couldn''t marry Cao Zongguan, it was simple. As long as she knew that she had the chance to become Wife of Duke Zhen, she would definitely be the most eager to annul the engagement. As for whether she could marry Lu Zheng or not, it was not up to her to decide.


    He didn''t know how many days Lu Zheng would stay at Zuo''s Mansion, so he really wished he could continue staying like this.


    ?

 C40 The Horses Fart Hit the Horses Leg

    After having breakfast at Lu Zheng''s side, Zuo Yunwen brought his family to pay his respects. Of course, this did not include Zuo Shuhui, the girl who had yet to leave the pavilion.


    Zuo Shuhui wanted to go, but the other party was a stranger. Even a lady from a noble family would not go out to meet an outsider.


    When he arrived at the Fu Yue Restaurant, Cao Zongguan was already waiting at the door. When he saw his future father-in-law and mother-in-law, he greeted them elegantly and respectfully.


    The current him did not know that he was about to become the target of Zuo Family.


    Zuo Yunwen changed from his previous friendly attitude to lightly nodding at him, "Nephew Cao, there''s no need to be courteous. Our families are old friends, and Shao and you have been close friends for many years. You can treat this as your own home."


    Previously, Mrs. Xue was beaming with joy when she saw Cao Zongguan pay her a visit with Zuo''s Mansion. She didn''t expect that Master Lu, who had been laughing for less than half a day, would come knocking on her door.


    It was already chaotic enough for Master Lu to appear, why would this person be involved?


    If Master Lu really intended to marry into Zuo''s Mansion, then Cao Zongguan would no longer be a hot potato in her eyes. On the contrary, he would become a stumbling block in her attempts to curry favor with the Duke''s Mansion.


    "Don''t stand outside and talk, go greet Master Duke first." Mrs. Xue urged.


    Zuo Shaoqing stood behind a group of people, looking down at the ridiculous scene in front of him, thinking: Maybe... It would be a good choice to let the two families become enemies with each other.


    Inside the house, the servants were cleaning up the table. Zuo Shaoqing secretly glanced at it and found that most of the food had indeed been wiped clean. It seemed like Mrs. Xue had a good foresight.


    "Did Master Lu rest well last night?" Zuo Yunwen stood modestly below, bowing slightly.


    Lu Zheng took the cup and rinsed his mouth. Then, he said with an emotionless face, "It would be even better if no one disturbed you in the middle of the night."


    Zuo Yunwen blushed. He obviously knew the hidden meaning behind these words was to prevent them from entering his room in the middle of the night. Forget about the Cypriots, they actually retreated before even meeting each other.


    Zuo Shaoqing was thinking about more than that. He frowned and thought, "I don''t think I am part of the people who are going to be disturbed in the middle of the night, right?" After all, he had been invited.


    Zuo Yunwen secretly glared at Mrs. Xue, blaming her for causing trouble. She said that all martial artists loved beauties, and since Master Lu was so young and weak, he didn''t even have a maid to wait on him. At night, he was sure to be lonely.


    And the result? He didn''t know that Master Lu was lonely at night, he only knew that this master was angry.


    He smiled awkwardly and avoided the topic, "It is the fortune of this old and useless family that Master Lu is able to come to this humble house. This old and useless one intends to invite the local noblemen to a banquet to welcome young master."


    "I came down here to see the scenery of Jiang-Nan, so I don''t have to put in the effort." After saying that, he swept a sharp glance at Zuo Yunwen.


    Zuo Yunwen was slightly disappointed, but when he thought about how Master Duke hid his whereabouts and only came to Zuo Family, his face immediately lit up again, "Then how about we let our child take you out for a walk today? The Cheng Guang master of the Zen Temple is proficient in Buddhist arts, and is good at solving them. "


    "I don''t believe in Buddha!"


    Zuo Yunwen was at a loss. After thinking for a long time, he couldn''t think of any place to go to with such a small Youuxi Town.


    When Lu Zheng saw that everyone in the room had their heads down with a blank expression, Zuo Shaoqing played with his fingers in boredom, so he benevolently let the family go, "Then let''s go to Xizen Temple for a walk."


    A light flashed at the corner of Zuo Shaoqing''s eyes and he breathed a sigh of relief along with everyone else.


    The Western Zen Temple was located at the Dragon Tiger Mountain that was located twenty kilometers away from the Youuxi Town. It was said that the first abbot of the Western Zen Temple was a renowned monk that came here every Buddhist day to worship Buddha.


    The old lady of Zuo''s Mansion was a person who worshiped Buddha. Every year, the money she collected made Zuo Shaoqing jealous. He often thought indignantly: If his grandmother has such a merciful heart, why don''t she first take care of her own grandson?


    "Shao Qing..." "Shao Qing ¡­"


    "Ah?" Zuo Shaoqing came back to his senses and blinked his eyes. He looked at Cao Zongguan doubtfully.


    This brother-in-law who was about to be annulled looked at him warmly with a plate of walnut cake in his hand. "Do you want some?"


    Zuo Shaoqing saw something similar to sympathy from his eyes and instantly understood. Presumably, Cao Zongguan heard about his situation from Zuo''s Mansion and pitied him.


    Zuo Shaoqing glanced at Zuo Shaoling, who was sitting on the right side, and smiled, revealing a beautiful dimple at the corner of his mouth. He took a walnut cake from the plate and put it in his mouth, "Thank you, Big Brother Cao. You should also eat it. My elder sister''s walnut cake is the most delicious!"


    Cao Zongguan''s cheeks flushed a bit, but it quickly disappeared. He replied with a little pride: "Of course, Miss''s cooking skills are good."


    Zuo Shaoqing could tell from his reaction that this man really liked Zuo Shuhui. He wondered if he was very disappointed that he didn''t marry Zuo Shuhui in his previous life.


    He wanted to knock him awake and tell him that Zuo Shuhui was not worth his attention, but he would soon let this jellyfish see the true face of that woman.


    Zuo Shaoqing was about to open his mouth, but Zuo Shaoyan coughed twice and said calmly, "Soon, pack up and don''t leave."


    Zuo Shaoqing opened the curtain of the carriage and looked outside. Sure enough, they had arrived at the foot of the Dragon Tiger Mountain. Lu Zheng rode his big horse past the carriage.


    He curled his lip at Lu Zheng, who was riding a horse outside the car, thinking to himself: How great is a horse riding?


    Lu Zheng felt something and turned around to look at the carriage. His cold eyes fell on Zuo Shaoqing, scaring him so much that he immediately put down the curtain of the carriage.


    Mrs. Xue had arranged for two carriages, but Lu Zheng frowned when he saw the carriage. The attendants in green frankly said, "His master never rode in a carriage. That expression of his is as disdainful as it can be."


    This has troubled the entire Zuo Family family. Usually, when everyone goes out, they will be in a soft carriage or a horse carriage, since when have they ever ridden a horse before?


    But he couldn''t let a group of weak scholars travel twenty miles on two legs.


    Hence, this scene occurred. Two tall and handsome young men rode on horses and followed behind the carriage, if not for their extraordinary temperament, the passersby would have thought that they were guards and servants of Zuo''s Mansion.


    The horse carriage stopped and when they got off, Zuo Shaoyan left behind three words as he passed by Zuo Shaoqing: Don''t say too much!


    The corner of Zuo Shaoqing''s mouth curled up, then he lowered his head and got off the car. He walked behind the group of people obediently, completely ignoring Zuo Shaoyan''s warning.


    The way up the mountain was a bit steep, with a total of 888 steps. It wasn''t considered high, but it was enough to make Zuo Family and the other scholars fear it.


    Zuo Shaoqing gloated as he looked at the constipated faces of the few scholars. At the same time, he pretended to look up at the majestic stairs in pain.


    Lu Zheng was still at the front of the group. With his hands behind his back, he was already far ahead of everyone else in just a few seconds.


    Zuo Shaoqing was a bit speechless. Didn''t this man see what kind of physique the group of people behind him had? Did he think they were the generals on his battlefield?


    Zuo Shaoqing was curious to know what the soldiers Lu Zheng had brought with him would be like. What''s more, they wanted to know how he interacted with his subordinates on a daily basis. Looking at his cold expression, he would probably freeze his subordinates to death if he didn''t speak.


    After crawling halfway, other than the master and servant walking at the front who were not red in the least, the rest of the people were all tired to the point that they were about to collapse. Even the servants brought over by Zuo''s Mansion were not much better.


    In order to take care of these young masters, the ones brought out today were all eloquent attendant. He would usually observe their expressions and fawn over them, but in terms of physical strength, he was much weaker.


    Zuo Shaoqing was also panting heavily. The sweat on his forehead had even wet his temples. His face was pale and looked as if he was about to faint at any moment.


    "Master Lu, your little brother''s body is weak. Can you rest first before leaving?" Zuo Shaoyan grabbed Zuo Shaoqing''s arm with one hand and shouted towards Lu Zheng, who had already walked far away.


    Zuo Shaoqing secretly rolled his eyes. This guy really knows how to talk. Obviously, he couldn''t walk anymore and wanted to use him as a target. If it was Zuo Shaoqing from his previous life, he would definitely be touched by his love.


    If Zuo Shaoqing didn''t want to act like an ordinary scholar, he wouldn''t have followed Lu Zheng and easily climbed up the mountain. What a bunch of people!


    Lu Zheng stopped when he heard Zuo Shaoqing and turned around to look down at the group of scholars from above. His eyes flashed when he saw Zuo Shaoqing''s sorry state and he walked into the pavilion by the side of the road.


    With just a single glance, he had caused the drained students below to blush and lower their heads in shame.


    ?


    Would you like to keep one for your relatives?

 C41 Disgrace

    There were already two woodcutters sitting in the pavilion. When they saw Lu Zheng walk in with an imposing manner, they hurriedly stood up and moved aside. However, they were also very tired and weren''t in a hurry to leave when they saw that Lu Zheng didn''t chase them away.


    Zuo Shaoqing and the others walked into the small pavilion with heavy steps. The small pavilion was immediately filled with people. The two woodcutters were glared fiercely by Zuo Shaoling. They immediately picked up the firewood and left obediently.


    The people from Youuxi Town may not know Zuo Shaoyan, and even more so don''t know Zuo Shaoqing, but Zuo Shaoling who did all sorts of evil deeds was extremely famous.


    Zuo Shaoqing thought: This evil reputation has the benefit of evil reputation, at least it can scare ordinary people.


    Taking a handkerchief from attendant, Zuo Shaoqing wiped the sweat off his forehead and looked at the young man a few more times.


    Early this morning, Luo Xiaoliu was borrowed by the butler to buy it, and there were no servants around him. Luckily, Zuo Yunwen had sent more than ten servants with him to show how much he valued Lu Zheng, and some of them were people he borrowed from the second house with great face.


    This young man who was smiling at him was most likely from the second branch, otherwise, who in the main branch wouldn''t know that being too attentive to San Ye would only bring about trouble?


    The servants handed the water and fanned the wind. They were extremely busy.


    Someone even brought out the fruit and pastries, but Lu Zheng immediately put them away with a stern look.


    Zuo Shaoyan, seeing the gloomy atmosphere, especially introduced the historical story of Xizen Temple in Longhu Mountain to Lu Zheng. He was very knowledgeable, and it was very attractive to talk about the story.


    Zuo Shaoqing observed the reaction of the crowd and saw Zuo Shaoling ordering two Liu steels to beat his legs, it was obvious that he was not interested in the story. Lu Zheng looked into the distance with his back facing the crowd, and it was unknown if he was listening or not.


    The only one who would be interested would be Cao Zongguan. He didn''t know if it was to build a good relationship with his brother-in-law, or if he really had a deep relationship with Zuo Shaoyan, but the two of them seemed to appreciate each other.


    After resting for a few minutes, Lu Zheng led the way and walked out. The rest of the people followed him, whether they wanted to or not.


    Zuo Shaoqing calculated the time and route in his heart. He glanced in the direction of Zuo Shaoling and the corner of his mouth slightly curled up. He was waiting for a good show to start.


    He had long guessed that the only place Zuo Family could entertain Lu Zheng was this beautiful Dragon Tiger Mountain.


    Not long after, the sound of a woman crying could be heard in front of them. Everyone looked towards the direction of the sound and saw a woman in mourning clothing kneeling down and climbing up with nine steps and nine kowtows.


    It was difficult for a grown man to climb this mountain path, not to mention a weak woman who had to kneel and kowtow three times. This showed just how strong her willpower was.


    Cao Zongguan sighed and said, "This woman is definitely not an ordinary person!"


    Zuo Shaoling''s eyes were glued to that slim back. Although he was young, he had a lot of experience, and just from the back, he knew that the girl in front of him must be as beautiful as a flower. He looked at her slender waist, her long black hair, then looked at her raised butt when she kowtowed ¡­ It was like scratching his heart.


    Everyone was faster than the girl, so they quickly caught up with her. The girl seemed not to have expected to meet such a large group of men. She quickly covered half her face with her sleeve, only revealing a pair of frightened eyes.


    Even so, when everyone glanced over, they could already see that beautiful face. Especially the pair of eyes that were as black as ink, it had a hint of wanting to say something, but couldn''t.


    She was dressed in filial dress, pure white color against her tear-stained face.


    Master and servant of Lu Zheng continued to walk without stopping, completely treating the girl as air, which made Zuo Shaoqing secretly sigh in relief.


    He didn''t know why, but when he thought that Lu Zheng might fall for a certain man or woman, he was filled with indignation.


    Zuo Shaoyan glanced at the girl''s red and swollen forehead and followed up. His personality was always cold, not to mention that the person who appeared here today was a stranger, even if it was his sister, she didn''t have the right to be taken care of by him.


    Cao Zongguan was full of curiosity, but since his brother-in-law was present, he didn''t have the nerve to hook up with an unfamiliar woman.


    Zuo Shaoqing glanced at his second brother and saw that he was staring at the girl. Zuo Shaoqing snorted in his heart and walked away indifferently.


    Before they had even walked far, they heard his second brother ask in a gentle voice, filled with disgust, "Why is the girl alone on the mountain? Is there anything I can help you with? "


    "I ¡­" I want to go to the Zen Temple to help my deceased father. "


    "Truly a filial daughter. Your father must be deeply comforted in the underworld ¡­"


    Zuo Shaoqing heard the voice that was getting further and further away, and the corner of his mouth also rose higher and higher. He thought to himself happily: "Dear Second Brother, I hope you like the gift I gave you. Enjoy it."


    When they arrived at the Western Zen Temple, it was already noon. The lunch bell had sounded in the temple, and the Zuo''s Mansion matter had already been settled. At this moment, the fasting food had also been served.


    "Amitabha, benefactors, please follow me." At the entrance of the temple, only a small monk dressed in a yellow monastic robe received them. Even though Master Fumu knew it was Master Lu, there was no ceremony.


    Zuo Shaoqing thought to himself, if the officials of Changping County knew that Lu Zheng lived in Zuo''s Mansion, then the threshold of Zuo''s Mansion would probably be trampled flat.


    Everyone''s stomachs were rumbling with hunger as they followed the young monk to the backyard.


    In the winter and the winter, the temple was much colder. There was only one family that was kneeling in front of the Great Treasure Hall, reciting the scripture of the past. It must have been someone from the past who had passed away.


    Xicheng Temple''s reputation was partly due to its esteemed monks, partly due to the sea of crabapple blossoms at the back of the temple. Every spring and summer, people would socialize with each other and the crabapple blossoms would bloom.


    At the front, Zuo Shaoyan was still acting the role of commentator. At the back, Zuo Shaoqing had a worried look on his face as he said to Cao Zongguan, "Second Brother, why haven''t you come up yet?"


    He even knew about the bloody incident that happened between the two brothers not long ago. Now that he saw that Zuo Shaoqing not only didn''t hate him, but was worried for him, he deeply felt that this youth was very innocent, so he smiled and replied: "I think he was delayed due to something."


    As for what it was, everyone was very clear about it.


    Zuo Shaoqing replied with a confused look, "Let''s find someone to take a look. I just saw second brother staying there alone. It would not be good if he missed his lunch."


    Lu Zheng suddenly stopped in his tracks, giving Zuo Shaoyan a fright. He turned around and asked Zuo Shaoqing and Cao Zongguan, "What are you two talking about?"


    Seeing that Zuo Shaoqing was "scared" to the point of lowering his head, Cao Zongguan quickly took a step forward and cupped his hands in a natural manner, "I was discussing with Shao Qing about sending someone to help out Brother Shao Ling."


    Shao Qing? How affectionate he was! Lu Zheng''s gaze fell on Zuo Shaoqing, but did not stay there for long. He turned his gaze away from the top of Zuo Shaoqing''s black hair, and said in a low voice, "I presume the security of Youuxi Town is not enough to make a man die in broad daylight."


    These words were so vicious. Zuo Shaoqing''s lowered his eyes flashed with a trace of a smile. The corner of his mouth also curled up a little. Then he heard Zuo Shaoyan impatiently say, "No need to continue, he will be here soon."


    Zuo Shaoqing could guess Zuo Shaoyan''s expression without even looking at him. Before leaving, Zuo Yunwen reminded Zuo Second Master to restrain himself and not to make a fool of himself.


    In the end, Zuo Second Master was still unable to resist the allure of beauties. He lost the chain halfway and was probably flirting with beauties right now.


    When Zuo Shaoling and the beautiful woman arrived at the temple, everyone had already finished their lunch. However, due to Zuo Shaoqing''s "kindness", he asked the servants to leave a meal for his second brother. When he saw his second brother, he even innocently asked, "Hey, why is this girl with second brother?"


    This girl fainted on the ground, afraid that something might happen to her, so I protected her from the mountain. Buddha said: ''Saving a life is better than building a seven-level pagoda, how can I just sit by and watch a weak girl get into trouble without doing anything?


    Zuo Shaoqing was about to clap for this grand excuse. Compared to him, these people were heartless people who didn''t care about their lives.


    The girl was touched. She looked at Zuo Shaoling with tears in her eyes and bowed deeply, "I have to thank the young master for saving my life."


    "Cough cough, no need, I ¡­" It was just a small effort on my part. "


    Zuo Shaoqing almost vomited out the food he just ate. At that moment, a small Shamei walked over, saying that it was Master Cheng Guang who invited Master Lu to have a chat with him, thus stopping this sour topic.


    ?


    My teeth are aching. What should I do?"

 C42 The Difference Between Paper Tiger and Real Tiger

    Everyone looked at each other in dismay. They didn''t understand how that Master Fangsan, who usually didn''t receive outsiders, had his eyes set solely on Lu Zheng. Could it be that he regretted not going out to greet him and was afraid of neglecting his distinguished guest?


    No matter what, being able to be personally entertained by Master Chen Guang was a good thing.


    Because of his rebirth, Zuo Shaoqing had a little respect for ghosts and gods. He gave Zuo Shaoyan instructions before walking towards the Main Hall.


    Xicheng Temple was not big, Zuo Shaoqing saw Buddhist statues along the way and sincerely bowed to them. When he arrived at the Great Hall and saw the family still kneeling, his heart was moved. He decided to do the same for Lady Ruan.


    He remembered that Lady Ruan''s funeral was very simple. Luckily she had a son, otherwise he would not even be able to enter the Zuo Family Sect''s shrine. He would have to bury Lady Ruan''s body alone in the wilderness.


    The death of a person is like the extinguishing of a lamp. The mother who thinks so much about him is no longer in this world. Zuo Shaoqing''s heart was slightly stifled.


    Kneeling in front of the Buddha, Zuo Shaoqing clasped his hands together and closed his eyes, thinking to himself, "Since the heavens are willing to give me a chance at rebirth, then I must pity the resentment of my previous life. In this life, I will take revenge and have my revenge, and it can also be considered a cycle of karma."


    After the incense was served, Zuo Shaoqing called over a young monk and asked him about his plans.


    "I want to conduct some law and order for my deceased mother to comfort her soul in heaven. I wonder if her master in the temple is free?"


    That little monk looked no younger than Zuo Shaoqing. He looked amiable, had delicate features and exuded an otherworldly aura.


    He asked crisply, "Does Almsgiver want to do the 79-49 day training hall?"


    Zuo Shaoqing glanced outside the temple and asked, "Are you going to stay in the temple for the next forty-nine days?"


    "No need. Benefactor only needs to prepare a set of clothes, shoes and socks from before your death, and to copy out 749 scriptures. After you finish reading these 49 scriptures in front of Buddha, the rest can be done by me."


    Zuo Shaoqing nodded in satisfaction. If it wasn''t for Lu Zheng who lived in Zuo''s Mansion, he would have really wanted to use this opportunity to stay for a few days.


    "Then I''ll be troubling little master. When I return later to prepare the things, someone will send them over."


    When he turned around and walked out of the hall, Zuo Shaoqing immediately saw Zuo Shaoling walking towards him with his filial daughter, whom he ''coincidentally'' met along the way.


    Obviously, Zuo Shaoling also saw this gloomy Third Brother. The smile on his face froze for a moment, and then he glared at Zuo Shaoqing, telling the girl to go in first.


    After they left, Zuo Shaoling glared at Zuo Shaoqing, "What are you doing here?" Get lost! "


    Zuo Shaoqing felt it was funny. His second brother had pretty good skin. He even looked like an elegant young master.


    "What did Second Brother say? This is a temple, so it is natural for me, your brother, to come and pay my respects, right? "


    "Pfft, don''t think that I don''t know what you''re thinking in your heart. Isn''t it just because you''re thinking of the name of the Proclamation of Golden Distinction? "Hmph, go and dream about it!"


    "Second brother''s words were wrong. Our Zuo Family do not even have the qualifications to enter the Conference Test, doing this sort of daydreaming would be useless." Zuo Shaoqing raised his eyebrows and revealed a mocking smile.


    Who didn''t know about Zuo Family? The one who wanted to make a name for himself the most was Master Zuo?


    Zuo Shaoling''s expression changed as he raised his leg to kick Zuo Shaoqing. Unfortunately, this time Zuo Shaoqing didn''t have the intention of obediently getting hit and nimbly dodged the kick.


    Zuo Shaoling had bullied this little brother of his, who was born in a concubine, since childhood. However, ever since the battle at the entrance of the academy, he found out that his younger brother, who had always been submissive, had actually changed.


    "Second brother, I advise you not to make a move here, otherwise ¡­" It''s not good for Master Lu to see it! " Zuo Shaoqing patted his spotless clothes and sneered, "I''m afraid second brother has forgotten everything that father told me before he left, right?"


    Such an impulsive and irritable Zuo Shaoling was not a challenge at all. Zuo Shaoqing felt that he had been extremely foolish in his previous life to allow him to bully him.


    "Don''t think I won''t dare to beat you up just because that guy is here! Is he going to stick his neck out for a bastard like you? Furthermore, as the elder brother who taught the younger brother a lesson for being disobedient, no one can find fault with it! "


    Zuo Shaoqing applauded and applauded Zuo Shaoling''s rare intelligence. He leaned against the pillar with his hands folded across his chest, raised his eyebrows and asked, "What does Master Lu think?"


    Zuo Shaoling was shocked and quickly turned around. Sure enough, he saw Lu Zheng standing behind him, looking at the two brothers with an expressionless face.


    The fire that had been rising in him just a moment ago was immediately extinguished.


    Lu Zheng had a domineering aura. This kind of imposing manner, which had been through the battlefield, was incomparable to Zuo Shaoling, a playboy who only knew how to walk a dog and fight a chicken.


    Zuo Shaoling didn''t even dare to look Lu Zheng in the eye. In front of him, Zuo Shaoling was as obedient as a rabbit. This was the difference between a paper tiger and a real one.


    Just as Zuo Shaoling was getting distracted, Lu Zheng opened his mouth and asked, "So, why?"


    Zuo Shaoqing smiled, "I thought it was natural for brother to teach his disobedient brother a lesson."


    "I have neither brother nor brother." The point is, don''t ask him that.


    "I thought Master Lu wouldn''t stand up for a little bastard like me." Zuo Shaoqing added with a smile.


    "Do you need me to come out?" Lu Zheng glanced at Zuo Shaoling, who was no longer in a state of mind, raised his eyebrows in disgust and walked into the main hall past the two.


    Zuo Shaoqing snickered, turned around and followed his. He didn''t forget that there was a woman who wasn''t kind at all.


    As expected, the moment she entered, she saw the filial daughter that had the looks of a supporting willow looking at Lu Zheng. Although it was impossible for her to know Lu Zheng''s identity, she could tell from Lu Zheng''s temperament that he was not ordinary.


    In her opinion, this one was much better than the embroidered pillow that Zuo Second Master had.


    "This young master doesn''t look like a local, does he?" However, Lu Zheng completely ignored his.


    She did not give up, bit her lower lip, and weakly said: "I want to help my late father, but I have nothing to offer. I don''t know if you can lend me some silver, but I''m willing to serve you." Then, he gave Lu Zheng a coquettish look.


    Zuo Shaoqing''s heart skipped a beat, he quickly went up to block her line of sight, cupped his hands towards Lu Zheng and said: "Master Lu, this temple''s backyard has a thousand year Wishing Tree, can I take you to see it tonight?"


    Lu Zheng''s eyes narrowed and a hint of a smile actually appeared on his face. He said in a cold voice, "Lead the way!"


    Zuo Shaoqing turned his head and gave Liu Xi a warning look. Then, he followed behind Lu Zheng and walked out of the Great Hall.


    He thought as he walked: I should talk to this woman sometime. Let her remember who I am! You still want to be Lu Zheng''s slave? Let''s see if she is qualified!


    After passing by the front yard, Zuo Shaoqing led his group onto a remote road. He was hesitating and didn''t know how to start. Although he wasn''t worried that Lu Zheng would fall for that woman, if he couldn''t resist the temptation, he would immediately fall in love ¡­ The consequences could not be imagined.


    ?


    Tomorrow is a new day. Time flies by so quickly. Kneel down and beg for branches! I look forward to the support of my loved ones.

 C43 As Expected You Have Lost Your Wits?

    The two kept silent all the way until they saw the Wishing Tree. Zuo Shaoqing didn''t know how to open his mouth. He looked up at the red cloth strips hanging on the tree and asked: "Do you have a wish, Master Lu?"


    Wishing? From when he could remember, he was either practicing martial arts or learning literature. At that time, he would think, if only one day you don''t need to learn these things, but ever since he entered the battlefield, he no longer had time to think about these useless things.


    Even after the war was over, he didn''t seem to feel much more at ease. Instead, he was disgusted by the upcoming official battle.


    Zuo Shaoqing did not expect him to answer and said to himself: "I do, when I was young my wish was to take my mother and leave the Zuo''s Mansion when I was growing up, and not to look at my mother''s face anymore, and live an unrestrained life. Later on, I became sensible and knew that this was simply a dream, I just hoped that one day I would get the title, and those people would not dare to bully us, mother and son. Descendants who did not know of Zuo Family could not participate in the Imperial examinations.


    "Do you know what my current wish is?" He blinked his eyes, took a step towards Lu Zheng, and thought to himself, "I hope that one day, I will have this strong man, and can firmly tie him to my side, even if he knows that this is just an idea more foolish than a fool''s dream."


    However, he was very clear that he wanted this man, even if their identities were as different as the clouds and mud.


    However, he didn''t want to be male pet, who didn''t have anything to do with Lu Zheng. He also didn''t want to be stuck in the backyard for the rest of his life.


    So he restrained himself, restrained the craving that grew crazily every day ¡­


    Lu Zheng looked at him without saying a word. Suddenly, he put his arm around Zuo Shaoqing''s waist and with a tap of his toes, he flew up with his men and landed on the highest branch of the Wishing Tree.


    He took down a red cloth from the branch and handed it to Zuo Shaoqing. Then, he ordered, "Write it!"


    "¡­" Zuo Shaoqing was still immersed in his shock and looked at the cloth strips fluttering in the wind in front of him with confusion.


    "Write down your wishes!" Lu Zheng urged.


    Zuo Shaoqing had mixed feelings. He took the cloth and stared at Lu Zheng''s chin. After a long while, he chuckled, "Why would Master Lu believe this? "It''s better to ask yourself than to beg others. There are so many wishes hanging on this tree, but how many of them have actually been fulfilled?"


    "If I tell you to write, then write!" Lu Zheng was embarrassed. Actually, he regretted it the moment he stepped on the top of the tree. He didn''t understand why he would do such a childish action.


    The curve of Zuo Shaoqing''s lips gradually widened and his eyes that were as black as ink were filled with laughter. He put his finger into his mouth and bit down hard. Then, he used his blood to write four words on the cloth.


    Of course, he wasn''t so stupid as to write out the dirty thoughts buried deep in his heart, so Lu Zheng only saw the words "Golden Ranking".


    Although he felt that Zuo Shaoqing was a bit too persistent, but in his impression, this was how scholars fought for their entire lives for achievements, and they would never turn back unless they crashed into a wall.


    The most despicable thing in the past had happened to Zuo Shaoqing, but he did not feel any revulsion for it. Lu Zheng was once again convinced that it was his own heart that was cheating him!


    Zuo Shaoqing held Lu Zheng''s waist tightly with one hand and hung the piece of cloth on the branch with the other. Only after wrapping it a few times did he let go.


    Lu Zheng jumped down from the tree with someone in his arms. He didn''t notice before, but now, he realized that the person in his arms was right next to his chest. He could wrap one arm around that slender waist.


    Zuo Shaoqing put his ear close to his heart, listening to the rhythmic beating of his pulse. His broad and solid chest brought unprecedented warmth and security, making him unwilling to let go for a long time.


    Only when the rhythm of his heartbeat gradually increased in speed did Zuo Shaoqing raise his head in surprise. Coincidentally, he met Lu Zheng''s pitch-black eyes with an unfathomable depth in them.


    Startled, he let go of his hands and took a step back. He looked at his long hair that was being blown around by the wind and said, "More ¡­" "Thank you, Master Lu!"


    Lu Zheng answered with an "Ok", then rubbed his hot palms behind his hands and turned around to leave.


    Zuo Shaoqing followed and his gaze stopped at the tall and straight back. He frowned and compared the figure of his short and thin body with his own. Suddenly, he felt bitter in his mouth.


    He remembered that when the two of them were stuck together just now, he only reached Lu Zheng''s chest. Even if he was growing up, he would at most reach Lu Zheng''s chin in a few years. As for Lu Zheng''s tough muscles, he didn''t even dare to think about it.


    Zuo Shaoqing recalled the medical books he read and wanted to find one or two formulas that could increase his strength. At the same time, he made up his mind to let Nanny Liu cook soup for him every day when he got back.


    Lu Zheng suddenly stopped his steps, Zuo Shaoqing lowered his head and bumped into him, "Mmm ¡­"


    Clutching his nose, he stared at his broad back, which was like a wall, and thought bitterly: Why did you grow so tall?


    Lu Zheng did not care about his grudges and said: "I heard that someone within the Cao Sect used my seal to make a living."


    Zuo Shaoqing instantly straightened his back and tensed his nerves. After a short while, he replied with a serious expression, "My second uncle is in the delivery business."


    "So ¡­" You gave him this master''s letter? " Lu Zheng''s tone was light, making it hard for people to tell what he was thinking.


    Zuo Shaoqing thought about it for a while and felt that it was unlikely for Lu Zheng to be angry with him, "Master Lu''s letter is too precious, I don''t know where to use it for a while, coincidentally, Second Uncle''s business is in trouble, so I sent it to him for help."


    "Oh? Then you didn''t take the opportunity to get any benefits? "


    Zuo Shaoqing was relieved. He knew Lu Zheng wasn''t going to pursue this matter further, so he bravely said, "Second Uncle gave the Fang Family 30% of the profits, so I couldn''t refuse him ¡­"


    "Too little!"


    Zuo Shaoqing looked up in surprise. He blinked his eyes and said with a pure face, "We are all family. I don''t care about these things." Looks like I need to have a good talk with Second Uncle when I get back. No one dislikes money, right?


    "Go back and tell him that he is not allowed to cross the South Wai River. Only thirty percent is allowed. Do he still want to eat it from the north to the south?"


    Zuo Shaoqing rolled his eyes and instantly thought of a solution. He probed: "Is Master Lu interested in the business of kaleidoscope?"


    As far as he knew, there was an important official standing behind the Cao Sect. As for who it was, he wasn''t sure. If Lu Zheng wanted to fight over this piece of profit, as long as the other party wasn''t the current emperor, he would definitely give it up.


    This was a great opportunity. If he could get on Lu Zheng''s ship, his backer would definitely be there. Naturally, his money would come rolling in.


    Furthermore, he also thought about one thing. If his financial strength was enough to suppress Zuo Family, perhaps ¡­ He could let Mrs. Xue and her son drink in the northwest wind.


    This was a pretty good idea. Zuo Shaoqing was happy inside, but he didn''t show it on the surface.


    Lu Zheng had been fighting at the border for many years, so he didn''t have much interest in the business of his family. However, when he saw Zuo Shaoqing''s bright eyes, he unexpectedly nodded.


    He did have the intention to subdue Cao Sect, but what he had his eyes on were the people from the gangs that had Cao Sect spread throughout the north and south. With these people, there were many things that did not require him to dispatch the secret guards of the Duke Palaces, which was a very good intelligence network.


    Since he wanted to subdue Cao Sect, he decided that he might as well take charge of the business and find a suitable person to manage it.


    Thinking about that, the way he looked at Zuo Shaoqing seemed to be a bit hesitant.


    Zuo Shaoqing didn''t know what he was thinking. He opened his eyes and lied, "I have a date with Second Uncle tonight. How about Master Lu?"


    Lu Zheng immediately realized that the person who knew how to do business was Zuo Yunyang and it had nothing to do with Zuo Shaoqing. He actually wanted a scholar to help him manage his business.


    ?


    Shoot Today, (*)... After that, omit 500 words... (3) *

 C44 Chromotropia

    In front of them, Zuo Shaoyan and Cao Zongguan were playing chess. The two of them were unable to match up against each other in a short period of time, so they temporarily forgot about Master Lu.


    When they saw Zuo Shaoqing walk in together with Lu Zheng, they were so shocked that their jaws almost fell off. They didn''t know how Zuo Shaoqing, who had always been depressed, and Master Lu, who always had a cold face, got together.


    However, when they saw Zuo Shaoqing cowering and chasing after Master Lu in panic, the two of them felt relieved at the same time.


    Perhaps he had met her somewhere along the way, Zuo Shaoyan thought, then he stood up and bowed towards Lu Zheng with an apologetic expression, "Look at how we neglected this, we forgot the timing the moment we started playing chess. Has Master Lu seen Grandmaster Fang Shu?"


    Lu Zheng''s gaze fell on the unfinished board. He nodded his head and sat in front of Zuo Shaoyan. He took out a chess piece from his chess box and placed it on the unfinished board.


    Cao Zongguan''s expression tightened. He was a little surprised and a little happy, but he didn''t dare to say anything. He was seriously playing chess with Lu Zheng.


    They didn''t care that Lu Zheng had just said last night that he wouldn''t play chess. He was the boss anyway. If he didn''t want to play with you, he didn''t even need to find an excuse.


    Lu Zheng quickly broke the balance of the game. Zuo Shaoyan and Cao Zongguan''s game was stable and steady. With Lu Zheng''s interference, it was like inserting a sharp knife, quickly breaking Cao Zongguan''s defense.


    Cao Zongguan''s eyebrows never relaxed. He sighed and cupped his hands towards Lu Zheng: "Master Lu, I lost tonight!"


    Lu Zheng threw the chess piece back into the chess box and said coldly, "As long as the spear in your hand is sharp enough, any defense is useless!"


    Cao Zongguan saluted once again and said with sincere admiration, "I''ve been taught a lesson late!"


    Lu Zheng let him pack up the board and pointed at Zuo Shaoyan, "You do it!"


    Zuo Shaoyan was full of fighting spirit. He sat down cross-legged and made a "please" gesture, signaling Blackie to go first.


    Lu Zheng also did not shirk his responsibility, heavily knocking the board with a black piece in his hand. With Cao Zongguan''s previous example, Zuo Shaoyan changed his attitude from the very beginning and adopted an offensive strategy.


    On the other hand, Lu Zheng continued to defend himself at a moderate pace. This made the two officials and his opponent a little confused. How did Master Lu show mercy just now with his unstoppable force?


    However, Zuo Shaoyan''s attack also did not go as smoothly as expected. He was often suppressed by Lu Zheng the moment he appeared and had to surrender in the end.


    Lu Zheng took the teacup that Zuo Shaoqing handed to him and drank a mouthful. He lectured him rudely, "Don''t try to stick your neck out if your spear is not sharp enough. Otherwise, you''ll only end up being surrounded and killed."


    Zuo Shaoqing snickered in his heart. This Lu Zheng really didn''t leave any face for others. He was just short of directly saying: "Greed your way through. You deserve it!"


    However, being overjoyed could easily lead to sorrow. Zuo Shaoqing looked at the finger pointing at him and blinked, "Me?"


    "What is it? "You don''t dare?"


    Don''t dare to? How is this possible? Zuo Shaoqing followed suit and sat opposite Lu Zheng. Looking at the clean chessboard, he took a deep breath and then took Bai Zi first.


    It was very painful to play chess with Lu Zheng because you could never predict what his next move would be. Zuo Shaoqing thought, no wonder this man could force Beidi out of Great Yang. This kind of secretive strategy was really hard to guard against.


    Zuo Shaoqing knew that losing was inevitable. He just wanted to lose a little bit better. He had also studied chess and chess for a while. When he was bored to the extreme, he even used his left and right hand to spend the tough days.


    At first, Zuo Shaoqing didn''t decide whether to attack or defend. He followed Lu Zheng''s pace and gradually changed his route. Although it was a little suspicious that he would follow the trend, at least he wouldn''t end up in the dark.


    By the time he admitted defeat at chess, the sky had already darkened. He had persisted under Lu Zheng for the longest time. Even Lu Zheng did not hesitate to reward him with two words: "Not bad."


    Zuo Shaoyan and Cao Zongguan looked at him with a different expression. The former was very sure that before this, Zuo Shaoqing did not have any outstanding chess skills. Could it be that he had been concealing himself all the time?


    The latter thought to himself: No wonder everyone said that Zuo Family was a scholarly family, even an unremarkable bastard had used a good move. I presume Zuo Shaoqing would also have good results in this year''s country level exam, if he could get Master Lu''s green eyes, then Zuo Family would have a good chance of returning.


    Zuo Shaoqing did not ignore the probing and the profoundness in Zuo Shaoyan''s eyes, but he didn''t mind it at all. Once the results of the country level exam were made public, no matter how much he hid it would be in vain.


    During this period, Zuo Shaoling came back once and saw a few grown men playing chess. After watching for a while, he yawned out of boredom and went to look for entertainment.


    Seeing that it was already late, Lu Zheng decided to stay at the Western Zen Temple. He sent a servant to report back to Zuo''s Mansion, but Zuo Shaoqing was concerned about the store and its business, and wished he could rush back overnight.


    After sitting for too long, Zuo Shaoqing finally realized how bloated his stomach was. He apologized and went out to use the toilet. When he went around to the backyard, he heard a few weird noises coming from the bamboo forest on his left.


    He walked over with light footsteps. The voice was sometimes high and sometimes low, sometimes slow and sometimes hurried. It was so familiar that it made one blush.


    If he didn''t know that Liu Xi was the only woman in the temple today, Zuo Shaoqing wouldn''t have believed that the two of them would dare to commit sacrilege in the back mountain of the temple in broad daylight.


    He thought Zuo Shaoling would at least take the people back and settle them before making a move. He didn''t expect that he overestimated Zuo Shaoling''s mental fortitude.


    Zuo Shaoqing couldn''t tell what he was feeling. He felt somewhat relieved and a little absent-minded. He stopped and looked at the corner of his clothes that was exposed from behind a rock not far away. His expression changed unpredictably.


    He leaned against a tree trunk, closed his eyes, and listened to the sounds of laughter and panting coming from behind the rocks. His eyes gradually turned cold, but he did not regret it.


    There were many students in the academy who liked to roam the brothels. Occasionally, when they were free, they would chat about the various matters on the Wind and Moon Arena.


    In his previous life, he had only heard of Liu''er by chance. At that time, a classmate of his in the academy had suddenly dropped out of school. Rumor had it that his classmate had contracted an incurable disease and had been forced to drop out to seek a famous doctor.


    It was said that his classmate caught this incurable disease on West Street. At that time, he was very curious, after all, Zuo Shaoling was a frequent visitor on West Street, but he didn''t get any disease.


    Later on, someone secretly told him that this so-called incurable disease was actually Flowery Willow Disease. It was passed on to him by dancer, and that dancer was Liu Xi, commonly known as Liu''er.


    Looking at the time, wasn''t this exactly the time?


    He comforted himself with the fact that he had only arranged an ordinary encounter. On the way here, many people had seen Liu Xi, but Zuo Shaoling was the only one who was lustful. How could he not be surprised?


    Zuo Shaoqing didn''t know that because he had schemed against Zuo Shaoling, the sickly student in his previous life had managed to escape calamity. It could be said that he had indirectly saved a person''s life.


    The breathing behind the rock gradually calmed down, Zuo Shaoqing listened to the conversation behind him.


    "Master, please accept this servant ¡­" "Your servant is already yours, you can''t just abandon me ¡­"


    "You bitch, don''t take me for a fool..." I thought she was a filial daughter of a good family, but I didn''t expect her to be such a bitch! "


    "Ah ¡­" "This lord has misunderstood this one. This one died too early ¡­"


    "So you came out here just to hook up with me?" I didn''t expect to meet a charming widow ¡­ "Serve this lord well, this lord will be at ease with anything ¡­"


    The corner of Zuo Shaoqing''s mouth hooked up. He didn''t want to continue listening and turned around to leave.


    ¡ª ¡ª


    Thank you for your support! (3) *

 C45 It Is Meaningless to Laugh too Much on One Person

    Dinner was still a table of vegetables, but luckily the cooking skills of the temple cooks were not bad, so it wasn''t hard to swallow. Zuo Shaoqing had something on his mind and ate solemnly and tastelessly, while Lu Zheng, who always preferred meat, ate a lot less than usual.


    Zuo Shaoqing noticed that Zuo Shaoling had changed into a new set of clothes. There was even a blade of grass stuck in his hair. His appearance was clear and bright, and his eating speed was a lot faster than usual.


    As the only woman in the temple, she was arranged to stay in the farthest room. Originally, the monks in the temple didn''t agree to have a woman stay for the night, but after she said whatever she wanted and begged, they reluctantly left.


    After dinner, Zuo Shaoqing had an interesting evening class with the masters in the temple. Hearing the rhythmic knocking of the wooden fish and the plain chanting of the scriptures, Zuo Shaoqing actually made people''s hearts calm down like never before.


    Zuo Shaoqing put his hands together and looked at the benevolent Buddha statue. He thought to himself: If he wasn''t struck by lightning in his previous life and didn''t go berserk, he would probably be converted to the Buddhist sect.


    After all, his entire body was filthy and full of sins. Only this pure and quiet buddhist land could be washed clean.


    "What are you thinking about?" A familiar male voice entered Zuo Shaoqing''s ears, pulling his mind back to reality.


    He turned his head around and saw Lu Zheng standing in the hall with his back bent, staring at him with a fiery gaze, especially amongst the group of monks that were sitting.


    "I''m wondering if Lord Buddha really does exist." Zuo Shaoqing lowered his voice, he didn''t want to offend all of the monks in the Zen Temple because of one sentence.


    Lu Zheng straightened his body and looked at the three man Buddha statue. With a snort, he said, "If there really was a Buddha, what would the army do?"


    His words were arrogant and loud, immediately attracting everyone''s attention.


    Zuo Shaoqing tugged on his sleeve, wishing that he could dig a hole and hide in it. He thought to himself: "Master Lu, even if you are arrogant, you still have to take other people''s feelings into consideration."


    Anyone who was stared at by dozens of sincere and innocent eyes would feel uncomfortable. Zuo Shaoqing didn''t want to be the center of attention anymore. He stood up, saluted everyone and pulled Lu Zheng out of the Great Hall.


    Lu Zheng let him hold his hand, and his gaze paused on her slender white fingers for a moment. This really was a scholar''s hand, like a girl''s.


    "Master Lu ¡­" Zuo Shaoqing didn''t notice anything strange, he turned around and looked at him helplessly, "At least you should consider the feelings of the masters."


    Lu Zheng frowned in confusion, "I don''t understand why these so-called high monks who don''t join the army to represent the country have to be so compassionate of the heavens. What''s the use of that?"


    "It is just a religious belief. You cannot deny that when civilians suffer from the fires of war and have no one to rely on, they have more motivation to survive than those who do not."


    Zuo Shaoqing knew that Lu Zheng didn''t like to mess around with fake stuff like this, so he said, "Just treat it as them seeking spiritual support."


    Lu Zheng didn''t dwell on the issue of whether the faith was good or not. Instead, he directly asked Zuo Shaoqing: "Then what is your spiritual Legacy?"


    Zuo Shaoqing''s expression froze and the corner of his mouth twitched. His spiritual support? It was probably the hatred that had been supporting him all this time.


    He had thought that after he had avenged himself and resolved his enmity, his life would begin anew. He still had a lot of ways to go, and he would not be at a loss just because he no longer had enmity.


    "The spiritual sustenance of the later generation... I think that this late life is also someone who believes in the Buddha. " Zuo Shaoqing answered ambiguously.


    Seeing the deep look in Lu Zheng''s eyes, Zuo Shaoqing''s heart skipped a beat. Then he saw the hand they had been holding.


    He blushed all the way to his ears and quickly withdrew his hand. He lowered his head not daring to look Lu Zheng in the eyes, "I ¡­" This late birth was not intentional. "


    Lu Zheng formed a fist with his hand that had lost its warmth. He let out an "En" without a care and walked past Lu Zheng.


    Seeing that there was no one around, Zuo Shaoqing followed behind Lu Zheng spontaneously. The two walked in silence for a while until Zuo Shaoqing realized that they were moving further and further away from each other. He then stopped and asked: "Where are we going?"


    "Murder and burial!" Lu Zheng replied with a cold tone.


    Zuo Shaoqing paused for a second and then burst out laughing. The laughter penetrated the surrounding dense forest, causing the southern birds to flee in all directions in fright.


    He really didn''t expect that Master Lu would actually joke around. This Lu Zheng was so beautiful that it was hard to not be tempted by him!


    Lu Zheng didn''t stop him from laughing. Under the bright moonlight, he admired the face that was shining from the laughter. The youth was still young, but he already had quite an outstanding appearance.


    However, Lu Zheng also noticed that in Zuo Family, no one seemed to have realized that there was something wrong with Zuo Shaoqing''s appearance.


    Lu Zheng did not know whether a person''s appearance was outstanding or not partly because of their looks, and mostly because of their temperament. Zuo Shaoqing had always been subservient in front of Zuo Family.


    And Zuo Shaoqing, who was in front of Lu Zheng, was initially well-informed and cultured, but was later exposed by Lu Zheng and gradually let go. Although there was still some fear and fawning on Lu Zheng in his bones, he was much more casual than when he was at Zuo''s Mansion.


    Zuo Shaoqing''s superiority in appearance was slowly revealed.


    Zuo Shaoqing smiled and noticed that the atmosphere was a bit weird. He felt a bit embarrassed, like he was laughing a silly laugh by himself. His laughter came to an abrupt end. He blinked his eyes and asked casually, "Master Lu..." Why aren''t you leaving? "


    "Are you done laughing?"


    Zuo Shaoqing heard the ridicule in his tone and blushed. He stared at the ground with his eyes blinking, "It''s meaningless to laugh by yourself."


    Lu Zheng wanted to reach out and touch Zuo Shaoqing''s head. Zuo Shaoqing had a head of black hair that fell straight down to his waist. When the wind blew at night, his hair would also float along with the wind, occasionally sliding across Lu Zheng''s hand, making one''s heart itch.


    He put his hands behind his back and turned to walk.


    Zuo Shaoqing quickly followed him. The road became more and more narrow and steep, and the grass on both sides of the road was rustling. From time to time, he could see living things crawling under his feet.


    Zuo Shaoqing was scared and followed closely behind Lu Zheng. He could see that this was the way to the top of the mountain. Most woodcutter hunters would not come up, so it was a bit dark and gloomy.


    Today was the sixteenth, with the bright moon in the sky. He thought to himself: Could it be that Master Lu wants to admire the moon?


    As for what Master Lu said about enjoying the moon being boring, Zuo Shaoqing ignored it after knowing that he had played a good game.


    ?


    For the past few days, the wedding wine was being organized at home. Every day, he could only find time to log in. He forgot to check if the messages from last night had been sent out.

 C46 Scholars Love to Hurt the Spring and Autumn

    The mountain top wasn''t too far away from the temple. The two of them walked for a quarter of an hour before arriving. Zuo Shaoqing stood on the mountaintop and breathed in the biting cold wind. His mood for admiring the moon was blown away.


    "Cold?"


    Zuo Shaoqing nodded honestly. He saw Lu Zheng take off his jacket and put it on Zuo Shaoqing''s shoulders. Then, he walked into the small forest beside him as if nothing had happened.


    Zuo Shaoqing''s nose was a little sour. He smelt the smell of Lu Zheng''s coat fondly and quickly caught up with him. As he walked, he asked: "You''re not here yet?" The moment he said that, Zuo Shaoqing smelled a faint fragrance in the air.


    After they walked for a few more steps, a light flashed in front of them. Zuo Shaoqing finally understood the intention of this person; he hadn''t eaten his fill yet, so he decided to climb up the mountain in the middle of the night.


    Yinyi was working hard to roast a pheasant. He only glanced at Zuo Shaoqing''s arrival. When he saw Zuo Shaoqing''s coat, his eyes flashed and then he continued to focus on the work in his hands.


    He could already tell that his master treated his savior exceptionally well. Not only did he allow him to serve him in close proximity, but he also spoke more words than usual when they were together. This was absolutely impossible for other scholars.


    However, this was not something he should be concerned about. In any case, he had already dug out Zuo Shaoqing''s true identity. A scholar who was powerless and only knew a bit of Qing Gong was nothing to be afraid of.


    Zuo Shaoqing was very curious about this green-robed attendant. Up till now, he didn''t know Yinyi''s name, and could only guess his identity from his attitude.


    If it was an ordinary attendant of attendant, they would have to be respectful and fawning over Lu Zheng. However, the one in front of them was more like Lu Zheng''s trusted aide. Otherwise, Lu Zheng wouldn''t even be able to take a bath.


    If it wasn''t for the fact that the other party''s face was strong and he had a conspicuous scar on his forehead, he would have thought that he had some secret relationship with Lu Zheng.


    Lu Zheng sat down on the carpeted floor and took the half-roasted pheasant from Yinyi.


    Yinyi was stunned for a moment, then stood up in understanding. In the blink of an eye, he disappeared from where he stood, leaving Zuo Shaoqing standing there nervously.


    "Master Lu?" Zuo Shaoqing sat across from the fire, looking at Lu Zheng''s practiced actions, he sighed and said, "When you are out on the expedition, do you also need to cook for yourself?"


    Isn''t it true that a great general like Lu Zheng would always have his meals taken care of by others? He couldn''t imagine Lu Zheng in his armor cooking.


    Lu Zheng didn''t even look up as he added a few pieces of firewood into the fire. "This is only a part of the training for Lu Family men since they were young."


    As a qualified commander, the first thing he needed to know was how to live in the wild. When he was very young, he was thrown into a forest by himself and lived there for three months.


    If it was in an ordinary family, a single child like Lu Zheng would definitely be doted on. However, Duke Zhen Manor was different from an ordinary family. Lu Zheng had shouldered the entire future of the Duke''s family since he was born.


    Zuo Shaoqing admired him in his heart, but he was also a bit sympathetic. Compared to him, his life was really dull, and even the unforgettable hatred had been reduced by a lot.


    He thought of something and asked worriedly, "The new Emperor ascended the throne. It''s alright if you don''t return to the capital?" It seemed to be because of this that the relationship between the new emperor and Duke Zhen broke down.


    When the new emperor was in power, Duke Zhen, who held great authority in his hands, did not return for a long time. He did not even receive an imperial edict; this was simply a slap on the face of the new emperor, so it was not strange for the new emperor to treat Duke Zhen with indifference.


    However, there was another thing that happened in his memory, which led to the growing tension between the New Emperor and Duke Zhen. What was it? Zuo Shaoqing supported his chin as he thought.


    "I am severely injured!"


    Zuo Shaoqing''s mouth twitched when he heard that. Just which day did this grandpa get seriously injured? Since he was able to say it out loud, it was no wonder he was suspected.


    Lu Zheng calmly tore off a chicken leg. He paused for a moment before handing it over to Zuo Shaoqing. Zuo Shaoqing was overwhelmed by this unexpected favor. He stretched out his hands and respectfully received it.


    Zuo Shaoqing immediately threw his previous concerns out of the window and took a small bite of the chicken leg. His skin had been roasted until it was golden yellow and crisp.


    Zuo Shaoqing didn''t have enough to eat at night, so he ate two more meals in a row.


    When he finished the chicken leg that he wanted to eat, he found that the chicken bones were scattered around Lu Zheng''s feet, and he was chewing on the last chicken wing in his hand.


    Zuo Shaoqing blinked his eyes. This way of eating ¡­ It was much more wild than being at the dining table. It seemed that he would have to learn how to be more heroic in the future.


    Lu Zheng threw away the chicken bone in his hand and poured water from a bamboo tube on the side to wash his hands. Afterwards, he wiped his hands with a brocade handkerchief embroidered with exquisite cloud patterns.


    Zuo Shaoqing looked at the handkerchief that was quickly burnt to ashes with regret, he shook his head and sighed: "Zhu Men stinks of wine and meat, and frozen to death on the way." Just this small brocade handkerchief alone was enough for him to use for half a year.


    Perhaps it might even be more than that. If he did not see wrongly, the embroidery on the handkerchief originated from the most famous woman in the capital, Yun Niang. He had even only seen her embroidery a few times at Jiang''s Mansion.


    Lu Zheng glanced at him and said coldly, "Scholars love to hurt their spring and autumn!" He took out another brocade handkerchief and handed it to him.


    Zuo Shaoqing took it with a blush. After wiping his hands, he carefully folded it and put it in his pocket without any intention of returning it. Master Lu was going to burn it anyway, he thought. He might as well give it to him. If one day he fell, he could use it as a bit of money to save his life.


    "You like it?" Lu Zheng asked as he looked at Ye Zichen''s actions in confusion.


    "Huh?" Zuo Shaoqing tightly held onto the brocade handkerchief that still carried Lu Zheng''s warmth, deeply afraid that he would take it back, so he casually made up a reason. "Of course, this is a top quality brocade clouds, it''s rarely seen in Zuo''s Mansion."


    "Is thirty percent of the profits from this luck not even enough for Third Master Zuo to cut out a set of brocade clothes?"


    Zuo Shaoqing shook his head, "Money doesn''t reveal itself. Moreover, this is a private transaction between Second Uncle and Later Life, so it''s better to keep a low profile."


    "Then, the pearl that this grandpa gave you ¡­?" Lu Zheng squinted his eyes as a dangerous light flashed in the corner of his eyes.


    Zuo Shaoqing subconsciously touched his neck and coughed twice. He replied uncomfortably, "Naturally, I will put it away."


    Lu Zheng looked at him deeply, then he stood up and walked back along the same path with his hands behind his back.


    Zuo Shaoqing also stood up, looked at the bonfire that was about to go out, then looked up at the bright moon and sighed helplessly: "Looks like Master Lu really doesn''t appreciate the moon!"


    ?


    Thank you for your tips, Xi Xi Xi and Mammayke, and thank you for your help.

 C47 There will Always be a Time When You Cry

    Returning to the side room of the temple, Zuo Shaoqing pushed open the door and walked into his own room. The moment his right foot stepped inside, he was shocked by the figure in the darkness.


    "Who?"


    Half of the figure was reflected in the moonlight through the door. Zuo Shaoqing only saw it clearly when the oil lamp in the room was ignited. His heart skipped a beat when he saw Zuo Shaoyan''s gloomy and unreadable face.


    A cup of cold tea was placed in front of Zuo Shaoyan. After sitting in his room for who knows how long, he asked with concern: "Third brother, why did you come back so late?"


    Zuo Shaoqing had already recovered from his surprise. He put both of his hands in front of him in a formal manner, lowered his head and answered in an irrelevant manner: "Why is Big Brother in Little Brother''s room?"


    "Naturally, I''m worried about you when I see that you haven''t come back, so I waited here."


    Zuo Shaoqing revealed a sincere smile as he walked towards Zuo Shaoyan, "Thank you for your concern, Big Bro. I had an evening class with my teachers before and then went to the back of the mountain. The moonlight tonight is really nice."


    "Oh? You went with Master Lu? "


    Zuo Shaoqing''s heart tightened. What did Zuo Shaoyan see? He tried to answer, "Why..." "I met Master Duke on the way back.


    He blinked his eyes and said innocently: "Brother, Master Duke has a cold expression all day, it''s too scary. I feel so nervous when I see him."


    Although Zuo Shaoyan still had some doubts as this was the second time he saw Zuo Shaoqing and Lu Zheng walk together, but he couldn''t believe that his third brother had anything to do with Master Lu.


    "Don''t spout nonsense! "Master Duke is just a bit more serious."


    "Yes!" But little brother is still very afraid of him. " After saying that, Zuo Shaoqing trembled and looked at his big brother with a wronged expression.


    Zuo Shaoyan''s last trace of doubt was dispelled by Wu Tie''s weak attitude. He stood up and said, "Okay, big brother is just worried that you will offend Master Duke. Next time, you can be more polite to him."


    Zuo Shaoqing muttered: "I always greet him when I see him."


    Zuo Shaoyan patted his brother''s shoulder and comforted him before reminding him, "If... Master Lu asked about your family''s matters. Remember to be careful and answer his questions. "


    "Ah?" "What would Master Duke ask?" Zuo Shaoqing paused for a moment, then nervously held his brother''s hand and said with a crying face, "No wonder, just now Master Duke asked how many siblings there are at home."


    Zuo Shaoyan''s expression changed as he pulled Zuo Shaoqing''s wrist and asked, "Did he really ask about that?"


    Zuo Shaoqing shrunk his neck, ignoring the pain from his wrist and nodded fiercely. "Big Brother, I told him the truth about our family. He ¡­" What was he trying to do? Did I say something wrong? "


    Zuo Shaoyan wasn''t in the mood to answer him, so he asked: "What else did he ask?"


    Zuo Shaoqing forcefully retracted his hand and answered with his head lowered: "I even asked about the ages of our brothers and sisters."


    "What else?"


    Zuo Shaoqing pretended to be lost in thought and shook his head after a long while, "No, that''s all." Seeing that Zuo Shaoyan was a bit disappointed, he exclaimed, "Ah! I remember! Master Duke said that to himself."


    "What?"


    Zuo Shaoqing patted his head, "I didn''t hear it clearly either. I only heard a few words, saying that they are ''suitable for your age'', ''keep looking'' or something like that."


    Zuo Shaoyan''s eyes shone brightly, and after he mulled over the words, he stared at Zuo Shaoqing. "Shao Qing, from now on, don''t ever mention Big Brother Cao and your older sister''s marriage again, or say anything to anyone, or be too close to you when you''re Big Brother Cao."


    "Why is that?" Zuo Shaoqing was confused.


    "No reason. After all, your big sister hasn''t married him. It''s not good to hear about it when word spreads. Also, with the relationship between the two families, you, Big Brother Cao, can''t stay at home for long."


    Zuo Shaoqing nodded as if he understood something, "I understand. The groom can''t meet the bride before he gets married. I''ll call him brother-in-law after they get married."


    Zuo Shaoyan''s mouth twitched, and said in a childish tone: "Alright, it''s good that you know it, go to sleep early."


    "I''ll send my big brother out, and he''ll go to bed early as well." Zuo Shaoqing obediently sent the person out of the room, closed the door, locked it, and slowly raised the corner of his mouth into a cold smile.


    Laugh, laugh, you will always cry in the future!


    Poor Big Brother Cao, I am truly sorry. My Zuo''s Mansion should be up in a few days time to discuss about the annulment of the marriage, what a pity, I won''t be able to become an in-laws for the rest of my life.


    In Cao Zongguan''s previous life, Zuo Shuyu had been added into the mix. Zuo Shaoqing had originally planned to hook up with Zuo Shuyu and Lu Zheng, but now ¡­ He felt that Cao Zongguan should find a woman with a higher status as his wife instead of carelessly stuffing him with a merchant''s daughter to be his wife.


    As for his elder cousin, he would find a good marriage for her. Lu Zheng, he won''t give it up to anyone!


    Zuo Shaoqing''s heart tightened. What did Zuo Shaoyan see? He tried to answer, "Why..." "I just met Master Duke on the way back.


    I''m going to break my senses."

 C48 To Give Oneself To?

    In the other side room of the temple, Yinyi said with worry: "Master, the news spread out ¡­" This subordinate still thinks that it''s too risky. How about you transfer more of your dark guards over? "


    "No need. A group of fish that escaped the net. It''s enough for the two of us."


    "But ¡­"


    Lu Zheng waved his hand and stopped Lu Zheng''s advice. Since Lu Zheng dared to use himself as bait, he was confident that he could take the bait.


    Yinyi frowned. He disapproved of his family''s master''s risky behavior. Unfortunately, his family''s master had always kept his word, so he didn''t have the right to oppose it.


    Lu Zheng closed the window in front of him, turned around and walked to the bedside. He then took off his coat, "Zhan Yuanfeng, didn''t you say you wanted to avoid me for some reason? I will take care of the remaining rats for him, so that he won''t be unable to sit on the throne. "


    Yinyi lowered his head and listened, but didn''t comment. He still hadn''t been able to understand the relationship between His Majesty and his master for more than ten years.


    You say they''re on good terms, and they''ve done a lot of calculations about each other, and they''re on bad terms, and they''ve never seen them blush, and that''s a very puzzling relationship.


    "Master, if I accidentally hurt those people with Zuo Family ¡­?" The more Yinyi thought about it, the more he felt that this timing was not good enough. With such a bunch of weak scholars following him, he was sure that he would not fail at anything.


    Besides, there was one of them who saved his master''s life. He would feel sorry if he hurt his master, wouldn''t he?


    "Ah, Zuo Family ¡­" Lu Zheng knocked on the table, "Just find a reason to get rid of them tomorrow, so they won''t get in our way."


    Early the next morning, everyone was woken up by the ringing of the temple''s morning bell. Zuo Shaoling sneakily sneaked into the side room in untidy clothes and was about to go back to sleep.


    Liu Xi was indeed a demoness. Her charm almost drained Zuo Shaoling''s energy. The two of them had been hanging around for an entire night, and only after hearing the loud bell did they realize how much time had passed.


    The moment Zuo Shaoling laid down, he was pulled out of bed by Zuo Shao. He yawned as he asked with dark eyes: "Big Brother, why are you up so early?"


    If it wasn''t for the fact that they were of the same father and mother, he wouldn''t even want to say anything unnecessary.


    "Hurry up and wash up. We''ll head back to the residence immediately."


    "Ah?" "So early?" Zuo Shaoling squinted at the slightly bright sky outside, and he lost all of his spirit.


    "You dare to disobey Master Lu''s orders?" Zuo Shaoyang frowned in confusion, "Where did you go last night?"


    "What?" Zuo Shaoling blinked innocently, "Nothing, I just couldn''t sleep well in another place."


    Zuo Shaoyan stared at his blackened eyes and the musky smell coming from his body. He frowned and urged unhappily, "Hurry and get up!"


    Although he didn''t understand why that lord was in such a hurry to leave the mountain, he still felt it was better to leave as soon as possible when he saw Zuo Shaoling like this.


    "Hurry up! I''ll give you the time of a cup of tea, what do you think about making Master Lu wait for you? " Zuo Shaoyang lectured him with a straight face, but he was already on the verge of losing all of his patience.


    Zuo Shaoling wasn''t afraid of Mrs. Xue, Zuo Yunwen, or the madame. He was only afraid of this cold-faced elder brother.


    However, Zuo Shaoyang didn''t care about him for long. In everyone''s eyes, Master Zuo was the hope for the future of Zuo''s Mansion, and everyone praised him. He was the dregs of Zuo''s Mansion, which everyone wanted to beat.


    When he was young, he had once envied Zuo Shaoyang, but later on he thought it through. If there wasn''t someone who was capable at managing Zuo Family, then his good days would have come to an end. Rather than arguing with his big brother, it would be better to just stick close to him.


    Zuo Shaoling jumped out of bed with a "whoosh" and shivered. Then, under attendant''s care, he washed and changed his clothes. After he was done packing, he took his paper fan and swaggered out of the backyard with Zuo Shaoyan.


    However, when he saw Lu Zheng, he still withdrew his neck out of habit and hid behind Zuo Shaoyang''s back in a flash.


    He also wanted to get closer to Lu Zheng, but every time he saw him, his heart would be filled with fear, especially his eyes, which were as sharp as knives, and made him shiver from head to toe.


    Seeing that everyone was here, Lu Zheng stood up and left without saying a word. When they left the temple, the Cheng Guang Master actually came to send them off himself, which made everyone surprised.


    As Zuo Shaoqing walked behind, he could faintly hear Master Cheng Guang saying to Lu Zheng: "Sir, remember, do not be impulsive in all matters. Bear with the sea and the sky for a while, Sir should pay attention to the people at dawn."


    Zuo Shaoqing was even more curious. No matter how he looked at it, Lu Zheng was not a impulsive person. Furthermore, Master Cheng Guang''s words were really thought-provoking.


    He paid attention to the expressions of the crowd. Other than Lu Zheng and his servant, who only left his back, everyone else revealed a thoughtful expression.


    Cheng Guang stood on the spot, watching Lu Zheng leave. When Zuo Shaoqing passed by him, he sighed, turned around and walked into the temple.


    Zuo Shaoqing was confused by his sigh, how did he get a taste of helplessness from it?


    He shook his head, thinking that these so-called high monks were all mysterious monks, too good at riddles.


    The way down the mountain was much easier than going up the mountain. However, because the sky was getting dark, everyone didn''t walk very fast.


    When they were almost halfway to the pavilion, Lu Zheng actually took the initiative to stop and rest. This moved the group of scholars whose legs had gone soft.


    Unfortunately, this feeling of gratitude disappeared in the next moment. Master Lu said expressionlessly, "You guys go first. I still have things to do!"


    "¡­" Zuo Shaoqing looked around and wondered what important matter Master Lu had in the wilderness.


    Could it be that he could coincidentally meet a Heavenly Immortal beauty here?


    No, if Master Lu had no interest in the Heavenly Immortal beauties, then he would be an immortal beauty.


    Zuo Shao Xi was a bit hesitant and suggested: "Master Lu only has one attendant with him, would it be okay to have Zuo''s Mansion''s attendant stay behind to wait on him at night?"


    Lu Zheng glanced at the dozen or so clean and white attendant and said with disdain, "What''s the use of staying?"


    Zuo Shaoqing almost burst out laughing. He thought for some reason about the four warm bed girls that Mrs. Xue gave him that night. He was thinking that if Mrs. Xue gave him some handsome attendant, he would accept them.


    But to be honest, hearing Lu Zheng''s words, he felt really good inside.


    On one hand, it was to be able to see Zuo Shao eat a loss, on the other hand ¡­ Hehe ¡­ He was really worried that Lu Zheng would leave them behind.


    A strange feeling rose in Zuo Shaoqing''s heart. He turned around in confusion and stared at the jungle on the roadside as he thought. Just now, he felt that someone was spying on him.


    Although his martial arts had yet to reach home, his five senses were much sharper than when he was alive. This was a surprise he had discovered a few days ago.


    "Get lost!" Lu Zheng shouted. Everyone saw a shadow pass above them like a leopard, landing in front of the pavilion. It was the silent green-clothed attendant.


    "Ah ¡­" With the first scream, the mountainside fell into chaos.


    A few black shadows appeared from the forest and surrounded Yinyi in the blink of an eye.


    Zuo Shaoyang and Cao Zongguan looked at each other and saw the hesitation in each other''s eyes.


    In the end, he was still a scholar. It was a lie not to be afraid at this time. However, if they really took their people away, would they leave a "fear of death" impression on Master Lu?


    Zuo Shaoqing wasn''t as complicated as they thought. He was just standing on the spot because he was worried about Lu Zheng. Thinking about the man''s injuries, he might be able to help if he was in danger.


    But then he thought: He has already gained quite a lot from saving his life. If he were to save Lu Zheng again, would he be able to get Lu Zheng to repay him with his body?


    Zuo Shaoqing smiled, but no one appreciated his smile.


    The two of them faced each other for a few seconds. Yinyi was like a towering pine tree standing in the encirclement. He only moved half an inch when a man in black behind him stabbed with his sword.


    Zuo Shaoqing nervously held his hands and quietly moved to stand in front of Lu Zheng. Although he knew he was not good enough, he still had to put on an act, no?


    Zuo Shaoqing was anxious as he watched Yinyi pierce through the sharp blades and knock the men in black onto the ground with his bare hands while the men in black around him kept rushing forward.


    "Aren''t you going to help?" He looked at Lu Zheng, who was standing beside him, completely unperturbed. It was obvious that Yinyi was too weak to help. Was it really alright if he did not help?


    Lu Zheng didn''t even raise his eyes as he gently pushed Zuo Shaoqing away and muttered: "Obstructing my way!"


    Zuo Shaoqing was angry and shouted in a low voice, "Why don''t you bring more people with you?" Wasn''t this the dignified Duke Zhen? Shouldn''t there be a lot of people outside? Shouldn''t they be hiding death soldiers? How could he keep putting himself in danger time and time again?


    "So noisy!" Lu Zheng said this word softly as he continued to pay attention to the situation in front of him.

 C49 Young Master must be Ashamed of Himself!

    Zuo Shaoqing stared at Lu Zheng''s calm face. He took advantage of everyone''s inattention to pull out a dagger from his boot and put it in Lu Zheng''s hand. This thing had never left his hand ever since he was reborn.


    Lu Zheng looked down at the dagger in his palm in astonishment. It was fancy but not sharp. He glanced at Zuo Shaoqing with a weird expression. Obviously, he didn''t expect a scholar to carry a murder weapon with him.


    He put the dagger back in its sheath. Seeing that Zuo Shaoqing wasn''t going to accept it, he disdainfully said, "I don''t need it, it''s so childish!"


    The two of them were very close, and their voices were also very low. The moment Wu Tie finished speaking, he saw Zuo Shaoqing glaring at him with his eyes wide open.


    He couldn''t help but take a few more glances, until he heard the sound of wind breaking. He subconsciously raised the dagger in his hand to block the incoming arrow.


    "Kacha!" The arrow fell to the ground and Zuo Shaoqing''s dagger broke at the same time.


    Before Zuo Shaoqing could feel ashamed, he saw the other two arrows fly towards Lu Zheng. He quickly shouted, "Be careful!"


    Lu Zheng stood where he was without moving an inch. He grabbed Zuo Shaoqing''s arm with one hand and pulled him behind him, easily avoiding the two dazzling arrows.


    However, these three arrows were just the prelude. The next moment, countless hidden weapons as thin as cow hair were thrown out from the dense forest.


    Lu Zheng did not dare to be careless this time. His figure flashed past everyone''s line of sight, took off his cloak, and swung his hidden weapon.


    Even so, quite a few Zuo''s Mansion servants standing at the edges of the pavilion still fell down, as they let out short blood-curdling screams, then spat out white foam and died.


    Everyone was scared to the point that their legs went limp as they scrambled into the pavilion. They squeezed together and crowded around each other in search of a sense of security.


    Zuo Shaoqing was pushed to the back of the crowd. He was originally short, but now, he couldn''t even see Lu Zheng''s back anymore. He anxiously used his eye knife to scratch the tall man in front of him.


    He thought to himself darkly: Maybe he could solve the problem of Zuo Shaoyan and his brother without anyone noticing, without even having to take the blame for it.


    As long as these two brothers died, he would be the only son left in the mansion. No matter how reluctant Wu Tie was, he could only hand over the family to him, unless Mrs. Xue could still bear the consequences, otherwise, wouldn''t Mrs. Xue and her daughter would just let him squash them?


    Who said that a bastard couldn''t be the head of a household? He would definitely become the master of Zuo Family, allowing Mrs. Xue to live under her breath.


    Zuo Shaoqing''s eyes gradually turned cold as he watched Zuo Shaoyan and Zuo Shaoling being surrounded by a group of servants. He looked worriedly at Lu Zheng who joined the battle and didn''t realize that the danger was only one step away from them.


    Zuo Shaoqing clenched his fists. His sharp nails pierced the flesh of his palms, but he didn''t feel any pain. Just when he was about to make his move, a body suddenly flew over and scared everyone to the point where they had to retreat.


    Zuo Shaoqing''s plan was interrupted. He nimbly sneaked into the crowd, deliberately blocked the corpse when it crashed into him, and then pretended to be knocked over as he quickly moved back. The position he chose was right in front of Zuo Shaoyan.


    "Great lord ¡­"


    "Brother Shao Xi ¡­"


    Zuo Shaoqing turned his head and secretly admired the strange scene of Lord Zuo being overpowered by human flesh for a while.


    After everyone moved the body away and helped Lord Zuo up, Zuo Shaoqing finally stood to the side with a frightened face and asked with a trembling voice: "Big... Big..." Brother ¡­ Are you okay? "


    "Cough, cough ¡­" Zuo Shaoyan stood up in a sorry state. His hair and clothes were stained with the blood of the dead, which made his gloomy expression look especially horrifying.


    However, what was even more horrifying was the state of the corpse. Zuo Shaoqing didn''t have the courage to look at the corpse before he died, otherwise, he wouldn''t have the courage to touch it.


    It was unknown whether the corpse''s chest had been slapped by Lu Zheng or by the green-clothed attendant. His entire chest had caved in, and his ribs had fractured, and several ribs had burst out, bringing out several pieces of flesh. His eyes were wide open, and blood flowed out from his seven orifices.


    Seeing that everyone''s face was pale, some were even puking while holding their stomachs, Zuo Shaoqing held back his laughter and asked sincerely: "Brother, Master Lu''s victory is already in our hands, why don''t we go help him?"


    Zuo Shaoqing''s meaning was very clear. Since Lu Zheng was about to win, he might be able to win Master Lu''s favor if he displayed it now.


    Zuo Shaoyan also thought about this and immediately ordered his servants to help.


    When these fancy and fancy attendant entered the stage, the scene immediately became joyful. They didn''t hold branches or rocks in their hands, and were often sent flying by one palm before they could even get close to the black-clothed man.


    As a result, the smart servants started to move closer to the two main characters on stage. It was safe and they could show their faces in front of noble people, killing two birds with one stone!


    Lu Zheng frowned as he looked at this group of troublemakers, especially when he saw a black-clothed man running away in the chaos. He shouted aggressively, "Get lost!"


    He kicked up a stone from the ground and attacked the fleeing man in black. The stone accurately hit the back of the man''s head and sunk deep into his skull.


    Using his palm wind to push away attendant who was surrounding him, Lu Zheng swiftly took care of the remaining few men in black clothing.


    When everything settled, Lu Zheng walked into the pavilion with a darkened face. The surrounding people hastily backed off in fright. They had just witnessed Master Lu''s killing speed and ruthlessness and no one dared to go up and touch this bad luck.


    As the leader of the group, Zuo Shaoyan was forced to step forward and said apologetically: "There''s nothing wrong with Master Lu, right? attendant of the Residence has never seen the market before and is causing trouble for Young Master! "


    Lu Zheng coldly snorted, kicked away the corpses that had been forgotten in the pavilion and sat on the stone bench. He ordered unhappily, "Find the government and bring these corpses to the capital!"


    Zuo Shaoyan looked at Lu Zheng with a little difficulty, "The Youuxi Town will take at least half a month to get to the capital on horseback. I''m afraid this ¡­" The corpses of those from the capital were still not decayed yet, were they?


    "Then chop off your head and send it over!"


    Everyone felt their stomachs turn. Zuo Shaoyan''s face was stiff, and his mouth twitched as he responded.


    He immediately sent someone to report the case to the nearest county. The He County Order was given to him, Lord Yue Shan, so he should be able to complete this difficult task.


    Returning to the Zuo''s Mansion, the moment Lu Zheng entered the door, an old woman knocked into him. Before she even bumped into Lu Zheng, she fell to the ground with a stagger, and the box in her hands fell to the ground.


    A scroll rolled out of the box and spread out in front of the crowd. On the scroll was a beautiful picture of a lady admiring a flower.


    In the pink Peach Blossom Forest, a slim girl wearing a green jacket and a lake-colored dress was standing under the tree. Her eyes were shining brightly. She was truly more delicate than a flower.


    Zuo Shaoyan''s face darkened and quickly shouted: "What happened? Why did you take out the drawing of the young miss? "


    Zuo Shaoqing said "oh" in his heart. Isn''t the woman in the painting his elder sister who was known as the number one genius in Changping County?


    The old woman knelt on the ground and kowtowed as she thanked him, "Please forgive me. Madam ordered me to take the painting that Miss has done to the embroidery room."


    The corner of Zuo Shaoqing''s mouth twitched, with ridicule in his eyes, these words were used to coax people who were not familiar with Zuo''s Mansion, no matter how you went from Zuo Shuhui''s room to the embroidery room, you wouldn''t be able to go around the main entrance.


    Judging from her crude methods, it didn''t seem like Mrs. Xue''s style. It was most likely because Zuo Shuhui was in a hurry to show her face in front of Lu Zheng, that she managed to cause such an accident.


    He first glanced at Lu Zheng, saw his usual cold face, and then glanced at Cao Zongguan. He suddenly had a bad feeling, seeing this silly scholar staring at the portrait with a red face, the admiration in his eyes clearly showed, it seemed that he had been poisoned!


    "Hurry up and take it back. How can you take out the drawing of the young miss so casually?" Zuo Shaoyan sternly lectured a few times and then saluted Lu Zheng with his hands folded in front, "Sorry for making Young Master laugh!"


    Lu Zheng replied coldly: "Looks like it''s time to clean up Zuo''s Mansion''s servants!"


    Zuo Shaoyan''s body stiffened slightly. Then, he replied with a smile, "I''ll report this matter to my parents later."


    After settling the guys down, Zuo Shaoyan went to the study room in the front yard to talk to Zuo Yunwen about what had happened on the way there.


    Speaking of that girl, Zuo Shaoyan gritted his teeth and said, "Father, it''s better if you discipline your brother more."


    Along the way, it was enough for him to understand the good things Zuo Shaoling did at Xizen Temple. When Zuo Shaoyan thought about how he had such a brother, he felt embarrassed.


    Zuo Yunwen also had a sullen face, "Do you want me to be your father? But you also saw your mother''s attitude. Just teach her a few more words, and she''ll be angry with me. Hmph!


    Zuo Shaoyan thought silently, "If you didn''t force Mrs. Ruan to enter the house when your mother was pregnant and even caused that concubine to become pregnant, how could your mother be preterm due to fetal distress?" That was why he felt so much pity for his little brother, who was born prematurely. It was also why he hated his third brother and his mother so much.


    ?


    Tomorrow," he said. He was looking forward to it!

 C50 If You Are an Official You will be a Corrupt Official!

    When Zuo Shaoqing returned to his room, he sent a message to Second Master. In less than an hour, Zuo Yunyang had arrived, sweating profusely.


    Zuo Shaoqing brewed a pot of Longjing tea, which was given to him by Zuo Yunyang. He offered it as a gift and said, "Please forgive me for having to let Second Uncle come here because I have something important to discuss."


    "Haha ¡­" Why was Shao Qing so polite? It''s only right for Second Uncle to take care of your nephew. " Zuo Yunyang smiled as he waited for Zuo Shaoqing to finish.


    Recently, his business had been booming every day. He was smiling from ear to ear every day, so he obviously didn''t care about Zuo Shaoqing''s bland attitude.


    Zuo Yunyang finally understood that this Third Nephew had been hiding his identity very deeply. No one in the main house could see his true face, let alone know the relationship between him and Master Lu. Thinking back to Lady Ruan''s death a while ago, Zuo Yunyang made a bold guess.


    Although his family didn''t have much of a dirty work in the backyard, he had heard quite a bit about it in the business world. Besides, his wife had once said that Lady Ruan''s death was somehow related to his elder sister-in-law.


    The main house had always had its eyes up high, and the way it looked at the second house was full of disdain and contempt for the merchants. Zuo Yunyang was very happy to see them beat up.


    While he was thinking happily on this side, he heard Zuo Shaoqing say, "I heard that someone was using his seal letter as a show of power in the Cao Sect. I interrogated my nephew yesterday, so I invited second uncle here just to find out the truth of the matter."


    Zuo Yunyang''s smile froze as he hurriedly explained, "Oh Shao Qing, how can Second Uncle be someone who doesn''t know the seriousness of the situation? I have only used Master Lu''s seal letter once, the Cao Sect have intercepted Second Uncle''s shipment, and Second Uncle is only borrowing Master Lu''s face. "


    After that, no matter how the people in the underworld told him that they were afraid of him, it was none of his business.


    Zuo Shaoqing cursed silently: "Old fox!" Then he raised his face into a smile, "I am of the same family with Second Uncle, of course, we are of the same side, but I can''t not give an explanation to Master Lu."


    "Then you mean ¡­?"


    Zuo Shaoqing didn''t answer and asked, "Second Uncle, do you think it would be feasible if we could do business together with the Wu Steel Manor?"


    Zuo Yunyang opened his eyes wide, and the fat on his face trembled in excitement. "Nephew wants to put the business of kaleidoscope under the name of the Wu Steel Manor?"


    "This is just a little thought from nephew. Whether or not it''s possible requires second uncle''s consent. If it''s possible, let''s ¡­" "It will still depend on the lord''s decision."


    Zuo Yunyang quickly analyzed the pros and cons. Of course, he understood that with the status of the Wu Steel Manor, there were many families that they wanted to depend on. He was just a businessman, and if he wanted to enter the other party''s eyes, he would need an explanation.


    However, it was good to have the big tree, the Wu Steel Manor, as cover, but how was one to split the profits? Zuo Yunyang directly asked his own question.


    "Second Uncle is the businessman. Nephew doesn''t understand the twists and turns in this matter. Why don''t you discuss it with Master Lu?"


    Zuo Yunyang''s eyes lit up. He was full of energy now, but he couldn''t help hesitating while he was excited. After all, he had to listen to his orders when discussing matters with the old man.


    But with such a good opportunity, how could Zuo Yunyang let it go?


    At night, Zuo Shaoqing was waiting at the side door of Zuo''s Mansion. Watching Wu Tie slowly approach under the moonlight, he actually had the feeling of meeting a beauty in the middle of the night.


    However, the beauty was too tall and too imposing. Zuo Shaoqing looked up and said, "My father didn''t like this junior doing business, so I had to let Master Lu leave in the middle of the night."


    Lu Zheng scolded, "Obstinate." Then he passed in front of Zuo Shaoqing with an expressionless face.


    Zuo Shaoqing touched his nose and confirmed once again that Master Lu had a strong prejudice against scholars.


    Zuo Shaoqing''s appointed place was the shop given to him by Zuo Yunyang, so he called the manager of the shop over as well, intending to meet this future god of wealth.


    The manager of the general store was not very old. He had just turned into a young man. He was short, had thick black skin, was extremely shabby looking, had a moustache on his mouth, and had small, obscene eyes that shone with a shrewd light.


    Seeing Zuo Shaoqing, he bowed slightly and said in a flattering tone, "Good morning, Master San!"


    The corner of Zuo Shaoqing''s eyes twitched. He couldn''t believe that the person in front of him, who didn''t need anything in the future, was Ke Youliang, who would become famous in the business world.


    "Supervisor Ke, no need to be so courteous. Second Uncle gave me this shop, and I won''t be managing it. You can decide what happens in the store from now on."


    The corner of Ke Youliang''s mouth curled up as he obediently responded. In his heart, he thought, "As expected, how could such a young master who only knows how to read books do business?"


    Zuo Shaoqing did not care about what he was thinking, he just said: "Although I do not know much about business, but I know that the items sold in our shop are too ordinary, the Youuxi Town is only so big, the guest sources are limited, coincidentally, Second Uncle is in the process of doing the transportation business, I just want to borrow two ships from Second Uncle and run the sea. I wonder if Supervisor Ke has the ability to pilot the ship out to sea?"


    Ke Youliang straightened his back in shock and looked seriously at Zuo Shaoqing for the first time, "Boss, what you mean is ¡­" Our store is going to change businesses? "


    "That depends on whether you can get good stuff from overseas." Zuo Shaoqing looked indifferent, as if he did not care whether the shop made money or not. He just suggested: "If you want to go, it would be best to find the staff by the end of the year and prepare everything. I will leave the rest to you.


    Ke Youliang would never have thought that Third Master Zuo was such a tough person. This was completely inconsistent with the rumors. He knew that the more difficult it was to deal with such a person, so he put aside the initial contempt and began to discuss it seriously.


    "It''s good to go out to sea, but it''s too risky to go out to sea. I''m afraid Boss will have to prepare a lot of An family''s silver." Ke Youliang looked at Zuo Shaoqing awkwardly, "This shop''s profitable master hasn''t touched a single cent, but it''s still not enough."


    "How much is the difference? Give me a number. If it''s not enough, I can ask second uncle to lend it to me." In any case, he still had 30% of the profits, so he should ask second uncle first if it wasn''t too much.


    When Ke Youliang heard these rich and overbearing words, he felt reassured. He gave Zuo Shaoqing a detailed list of everything that he needed, and everything that he needed was very clear.


    Zuo Shaoqing nodded in satisfaction. It seemed that Ke Youliang had thought of going out to sea before, but he did not find a good time to report to his second uncle.


    I really want to see Second Uncle''s regretful expression in the future.


    Ke Youliang sized up the new owner from the corner of his eyes. Although the owner said that he was the one in charge of everything in the shop, he could tell that the owner was very serious about this matter.


    Now that his indenture contract was in his hands, he couldn''t afford to be careless.


    Zuo Shaoqing indeed didn''t know much about business, and could only rely on the memories of his previous life to give him some advice. Even so, it was enough to make Ke Youliang frightened and benefited a lot.


    Walking out of the store, Zuo Shaoqing carefully observed the expressions of Lu Zheng and Zuo Yunyang. Zuo Shaoqing carefully observed the expressions of Lu Zheng and Zuo Yunyang.


    After bidding farewell to Zuo Yunyang, Zuo Shaoqing followed behind Lu Zheng and walked on the dark and silent street. After mulling over for a while, he finally dared to ask: "How was the discussion between Master Lu and Second Uncle?"


    Lu Zheng replied coldly, "Unscrupulous!"


    "Ugh ¡­" Zuo Shaoqing lowered his head and held back his laughter as he said as tactfully as possible: "It''s easier to earn money with evil merchants since it''s for you to earn money anyways, so the more the better."


    Lu Zheng glanced at him, but nobody knew what he was thinking.


    Zuo Shaoqing didn''t see him talking and thought he was too philistine. He explained with a shy face, "Master Lu has a big family and has thousands of people to support. Money is indispensable."


    Lu Zheng commented in an indifferent tone, "If you become an official, you will definitely be greedy!"


    Zuo Shaoqing''s heart skipped a beat and his face turned red from embarrassment. He looked at Lu Zheng with anticipation, "Master Lu ¡­" "You are wrongly accused of being late in life ¡­"


    Lu Zheng shot him a glance and successfully stopped Zuo Shaoqing''s mouth.


    Zuo Shaoqing''s heart skipped a beat again. He could actually see the teasing tone from Lu Zheng''s glance. Was the sky too dark and the eyes too dazzling?


    Quickly following, Zuo Shaoqing has been trying to redeem his honest and honest image, from the harm of corrupt officials to the difficult situation of the current state of clearing officials, finally summing up: being an official should pay attention to weighing skills, can''t be too greedy or too honest.


    ?