Empress Chu

Before coming to Pingyang Mansion, he had already been to the aristocratic families in two other places, but he had not been able to get close to the head of the family. He could know his attitude just by looking at the outside heads, and he almost exposed his identity and whereabouts.

Tan is the last hope.

The [-] soldiers and horses were scattered, wandering and stealthy. It is extremely difficult to get here. If you drag on, you will be discovered. You can only go to war and plunder the city. In that case, even if you can hold on, you will definitely be in trouble. Don't even think about getting close to the capital for two or even three years.

Then this battle will really be like that in that life, it will not end in ten years, and it is not certain who will win or lose in the end, maybe Xie Yanfang will sit in front of her coffin and lament the past in the end.

Thinking of this, Chu Zhao took a deep breath and reached out to touch his face again.

"You should help me buy some of the best powder in Pingyang Mansion." She said to Chu Tang.

……

……

Empress Chu's crusade against the Xie Clan was uproarious, but the real battle was still confined to the vicinity of Yunzhong County, so although the atmosphere was tense, it did not have much impact on daily life.

Restaurants and teahouses, the crowds running on the road are still lively.

The East Street is especially lively today, people with chariots and horses come from all directions, stop in front of Ximoxuan, there are men and women, some are young and some are gray-haired.

Such excitement attracted the attention of idlers, especially seeing that the officers and soldiers who wished to check all the rat holes had also passed by here recently.

The idlers became even more curious. What's the matter? This East Street is not the busiest place in the city. There are only a few bookstores that buy the Four Treasures of the Study, and one or two tea shops that are not very popular. Why are there so many people suddenly?

There are more and more people coming around, and they are still talking about "how is it?" "how about winning or losing?"

Not long after, the clerk in the bookstore held up a blue pennant and planted it outside the door, and the crowd of onlookers was instantly noisy.

"Readers win."

At the same time, they rushed forward, and a scroll was hung on the shelf outside the bookstore by the store clerk, and the words were densely written on it.

"Look at what's written here?"

"Whose splendid article is it?"

The idlers were squeezed to and fro, and had to stand firmly against the wall, asking again, "What the hell is this doing?"

The people who were squeezed over heard it and explained to them, "Ximoxuan held a garden party."

The idlers stared, "There is a fart garden in Ximoxuan." It is such a small place, with only two floors.

The person next to him laughed, with a bit of flaunting: "You don't understand that, the garden party does not refer to the garden, it is a kind of cultural gathering spread in the capital, which refers to men and women competing in the same field."

But someone next to him snorted, "What is the legend of the capital? It was obviously founded by the Queen of Chu. Now I dare not say the Queen of Chu, so I changed it to the legend of the capital. If you have the ability to continue to say the word Queen of Chu—"

Empress Chu.

The idlers stared at the fact that Queen Chu was involved.

But some people don't like this kind of yin and yang, and sneered: "What about what the Queen of Chu created? If the Queen of Chu is guilty, is the Wenhui also guilty? The Queen of Chu has only existed for a few years, how long has the Wenhui been in existence? Are you trying to promote it?" Because Empress Chu is guilty, should the Wenhui be banned in the world?"

The man blushed suddenly, he couldn't afford this, and shouted, "You're talking nonsense, misinterpreting me—"

Then there was a quarrel, and the idlers were dumbfounded again, and everyone around laughed: "What is this? The garden party is just arguing. In the earliest garden party in Beijing, men and women scolded each other."

There is such a thing?That's all for men, women dare to scold each other?The idlers were shocked, and the people here have already started clamoring for "debate" and "you also compare the winners and losers."

The street outside Ximoxuan became noisy.

Ximoxuan was also noisy.

The men downstairs were laughing, and the women upstairs were angry.

"What's there to be proud of! That Zhang Xuan is 30 years old, and we are not surprised to win."

"Yes, Aru can still compete with him, and our Aru is also very good."

"That's right, Aru, you are amazing! Didn't the old man with the white beard just say that you are just a little weak in writing skills, just practice for a while longer."

"Hee hee, Aqi, you dare to call Mr. Wen an old man with a white beard—be careful when your father goes back to punish you, that's your father's mentor."

Although the girls were angry, they encouraged each other, praised each other, and laughed, full of youthful vigor.

Standing aside, Chu Zhao, who was dressed as a maid, couldn't help but smile.

"I think of when we were young," she said softly.

Chu Tang, who was also dressed as a maid on the other side, glanced at her: "We are not yet seventy or eighty years old, it was only five or six years ago!"

Chu Zhao hurriedly lowered his head, so as not to lose his composure by laughing.

Here, the female shopkeeper of Ximoxuan began to say hello, "A new title is here, this time it's calligraphy."

Chu Tang bumped into Chu Zhao with his arm: "Don't miss the past, just work."

Chu Zhao raised his head and answered yes, picked up the tray with a straight expression, and looked at the innermost table.

Chu Tang winked at her, walked to the other side first, and asked the women in front of the table one by one: "Miss, do you want to try calligraphy?"

There are usually four women sitting on a table, and there are five or six women who are close friends. When they heard the question, some nodded together, while others only responded with two or three. set it up.

Chu Zhao also went inside and stood in front of this table. There was only one woman sitting alone at this table. Unlike other maids who waited for orders in the next room, her two maids stood behind her to accompany her.

"Miss." Chu Zhao asked with a smile, "Do you want to try calligraphy?"

This woman is fifteen or sixteen years old, fair and delicate, but her expression is as condensed as the emerald jade around her ears. She rests her chin on one hand and fiddles with the teacup on the table with the other. Not lifting: "No."

This is not the first time, when this young lady enters the door, no matter what she asks, she will always say no.

Chu Zhao didn't say much, and answered again, getting up to walk away, but this time a girl at the next table snorted.

"Miss Tan, you have been here for half a day. You don't participate in anything, and you don't drink tea." She said, "Did you come to see us?"

Miss Tan still lowered her eyelids, turning the teacup with her fingers: "Yes, let's see how ridiculous it is for you to compete with the men."

These words not only caused the girl who asked the question to raise her eyebrows, but the other girls also looked over with complicated expressions.

Chapter 14 persuasion

Because it is not easy to get, she is spoiled and cherished, Ms. Tan rarely goes out, and she only interacts with relatives, friends, and peers on a daily basis. In this small and narrow range, there are still news that Ms. Tan has a bad temper.

Don't like to joke, always keep a cold face.

The narrow-minded girls also nicknamed her the cold-faced jade girl-this jade girl also refers to the golden boy and jade girl next to the Bodhisattva.

Because her mother promised to become a monk, she was exchanged from the Bodhisattva.

Chu Tang was not sure that she would come before, so even if he didn't come after discussing with Chu Zhao, he could find her later by sending a collection of essays, and then enter the Tan family mansion, and then look for an opportunity to meet Mr. Tan.

I didn't expect that she would come in person on this day. This is even better. As long as Ms. Tan ends up, no matter whether she wins or loses, she will write it in the anthology. In this way, Chu Zhao will directly take the anthology to meet Mr. Tan and praise his daughter. I don't even need to see you anymore.

But I didn't expect it to be the same as not coming.

And it's clear that he doesn't like it.

Then if I go to deliver the anthology next time, will Ms. Tan order not to enter?Chu Zhao looked at the opposite side. Everyone in the hall was watching the movement here. Chu Tang expressed his concern to Chu Zhao with his eyes.

"How are you talking!"

"You have nothing to do with yourself, so you still want to laugh at others?"

Those who could come to the literary meeting today were all the spoiled girls at home, who didn't have a temper, many people stood up immediately, raised their eyebrows and scolded.

"Tan Yunu, your family has invited many gentlemen to praise you for your erudition and knowledge." Some even called her by his nickname, "Let us all see today how knowledgeable you are."

Ms. Tan ignored the previous few questions until she heard this sentence——

"What are you!" She grabbed the teacup and threw it at it.

Because of the distance, the teacup didn't hit the girl, and it fell to the ground with a crackling sound, mixed with the screams of the girls.

Are you going to fight?Chu Zhao moved back, and Chu Tang quietly moved over.

"Quite like your demeanor back then." She whispered.

Chu Zhao pursed his lips and smiled, and said in a low voice: "I was very cowardly at first, and I stood up to resist after being bullied by you until I had no choice."

"We're just quarreling between girls, how can you call it bullying, don't always talk about it." Chu Tang said in a low voice.

Indeed, compared to what happened to her later, the girls' quarrels were really nothing, and it wasn't really because of this that she got up. Chu Zhao didn't speak, and looked at the girls in the hall who were fighting with swords.

Neither she nor Chu Tang tried to stop it, and even if it started, it would be even more reason to go to see Mr. Tan.

Chu Tang even asked Chu Zhao with his eyes if he wanted to increase the flames.

"——What am I? Although I, Zhang Jiao, can't compare with your Tan Yunv's knowledge and talents, I still dare to compete with others."

Although Ms. Tan smashed her teacup as if she was going to fight, the girl from before was not afraid, and she refused to give in when she was angry.

Miss Tan sneered, and the two maidservants behind her were closely guarding her, but she didn't rush to scuffle with this lady, nor did she let the maidservants rush to fight, but sat down.

"So, I just came to see how good you are." She said, raising her hand to signal, "You better not let me see the joke."

The other girls also advised that Miss Zhang to "don't pay attention to her." "We came to play for our own pleasure." What, if you lose, you lose, win without arrogance and lose without discouragement." "Come on, Gillian, use your breath on this word to show your sharpness."

The girls all sat down, and the tense atmosphere dissipated.

Chu Tang whispered to Chu Zhao: "I was wrong, not everyone can have Miss Azhao's demeanor."

Chu Zhao held back his smile, turned around, took a new teacup and walked to Miss Tan's side.

"Miss Tan." She said softly, "Your tea."

Ms. Tan didn't raise her eyelids, she wanted to say a word and didn't drink, but saw that the teacup was empty, she was stunned for a moment, couldn't help raising her eyes, and saw a maidservant with delicate features and slightly dark complexion.

The maid didn't speak any more, and retreated quietly.

Miss Tan withdrew her gaze, pursed the corners of her mouth, and slowly turned the teacup in her hand.

……

……

As expected, Ms. Tan watched till the end, and when she came out in the evening, there were far more blue flags standing outside the store representing the men's victory than the red flags of the women's. Take a closer look at their work.

"This lady's handwriting is really good. I have worked hard."

"I didn't expect women to be able to write articles."

Hearing that there were more compliments than ridicules, the sadness on the women's faces dissipated and they smiled at each other. Of course, when they saw Miss Tan, everyone turned their eyes away.

"Miss Tan is very satisfied with the joke." A young lady snorted.

Miss Tan said: "Satisfied, it's really funny." After saying that, she got into the car surrounded by maids and maids.

The girls could no longer help whispering, "She is such a person." Don't come, it's too disappointing."

Miss Tan who was sitting in the carriage didn't care, the carriage left quickly, leaving everything behind.

……

……

In the dark of night, there was a light knock on the Tan family's mansion.

A woman and two maidservants stood outside the door.

"I am the shopkeeper of Ximoxuan. Miss Tan is in a hurry to attend the literary meeting today. We need to make a book and I need the lady to sign the calligraphy. I am here to disturb you again." The woman said respectfully, and the maid beside her held a Show the brochure to the concierge.

The concierge didn't dare to neglect matters involving the young lady, and hurriedly informed the steward of the front yard.

The eldest lady has to get the permission of the elder to go out, so the steward knew that she was indeed going to Ximoxuan's literary meeting today. Since the young lady is willing to go to this literary meeting, she expressed her concern, so she called a maid to give her A pair of cards: "Take them to Miss."

The three of them went inward with the maidservant, the door of Tan's house was closed, light and shadows were shaking, and many figures seemed to appear around the whole house, covering the Tan's house together with the night.

……

……

Miss Tan's house was very quiet, except for the two maids standing in the corridor, she could hardly see anyone else.

There was no Miss Tan in the room either.

Xiaoman quietly rolled down from the roof, and came to Chu Zhao and Xi Moxuan shopkeepers in the side corner of the room.

By the light jumping in the corridor, one can see that Xiaoman has changed into the costume of the maid of the Tan family who brought them in.

"Crying in the back study." She whispered.

The woman in charge said in a low voice, "Leave it to me, and you go to see Mr. Tan."

Chu Zhao didn't leave right away, hesitantly asked, "Why is she crying?"

Because Wen Hui was bullied?It doesn't count, but she bullied others.