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