The disgraced official I took care of was actually Zhu Houcong's childhood friend.

Soon, new guests appeared before Zhou Chu and his group.

This is a graceful and elegant young woman.

The clothes she wore and the elaborate accessories on her head all indicated that her status was far beyond that of ordinary people.

She's definitely not comparable to that alluring woman from before.

Of course, perhaps it's just that I haven't seen any more impressive noblewomen.

Zhou Chu said this to himself.

The noblewoman was accompanied by two children, a boy who looked to be eight or nine years old, about the same age as Zhou Chu.

The other was a little girl who looked only four or five years old.

She looks like a porcelain doll, a true beauty in the making.

Zhou Chu didn't even dare to look any longer and quickly lowered his head.

"Is there anyone who can read?"

The noblewoman looked at Zhou Chu's cousin and asked.

Her voice was like water droplets falling on a stone, extremely soothing to listen to.

"Yes, a benefactor."

As he spoke, his uncle approached Zhou Chu and lifted him up.

“My lord, he does know some characters.”

He then looked at Zhou Chu.

“Recite the Thousand Character Classic for the important person.”

The Thousand Character Classic was taught to Zhou Chu by his uncle on the way here.

Zhou Chusheng's handsome appearance.

And it was his cousin.

If one is literate, there is a high chance that a noble person will buy one of their hands to be a page.

Although a pageboy is also a servant.

But they don't need to do any heavy work.

The allowance they received was also significantly more than that of ordinary servants.

"Heaven and earth were dark and yellow, the universe was vast and boundless, the sun and moon waxed and waned, and the stars and constellations were arrayed..."

Zhou Chu could recite it off the top of his head.

Soon, Zhou Chu recited the entire Thousand Character Classic from memory.

Zhou Chu's cousin was stunned.

He originally thought that it would be good if Zhou Chu could memorize three or five lines.

Many people's criteria for buying a book boy are limited to his literacy.

He never expected that the child would memorize everything after he only taught him once or twice.

Even he struggled to memorize the entire Thousand Character Classic.

The noblewoman looked at Zhou Chu's handsome appearance and listened to him recite the Thousand Character Classic, and she seemed extremely satisfied.

"Let's take this child. How much?"

In the end, Zhou Chu was sold for twenty taels of silver.

Before leaving, Zhou Chu's cousin called him aside and had a private chat with him.

"This is the matriarch of the Lu family. The Lu family is very simple. There are no concubines. The family is peaceful and quiet. Moreover, it is a grand mansion. This matriarch is kind-hearted and a rare good family."

"I've done my duty to your mother."

"The nobleman who bought you is most likely to have you as a study companion for that young master. Since you're quick-witted, I'm not too worried."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chu immediately understood his uncle's good intentions.

"Thanks to my uncle, I know."

Upon hearing this, my uncle immediately smiled.

"Go ahead, and if you need to send a message home in the future, come find me."

My uncle's prediction was correct.

The Lu family bought him to be a study companion for that boy.

The boy was Lu Wei, the second son of the Lu family, whose courtesy name was Wenxin.

The Lu family has two sons and one daughter.

The eldest son is not home.

It is said that he is working in another city.

He was only about thirteen or fourteen years old when he started working.

The daughter is the little girl who went to the dental clinic with me before; her name is Lu Wan'er.

Lu Wan'er's father, the head of the Lu family, was a captain in the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Lu Wan'er's grandfather was also a captain in the Embroidered Uniform Guard before he died.

It is said that their ancestors were even wealthier.

Zhou Chu simply didn't know the patriarch's name or the eldest son's name.

Since no one brought it up, Zhou Chu naturally wouldn't ask.

Zhou Chu knew what to say and what not to say.

His own identity was nothing more than that of a pageboy.

The Lu family was small, with only fifty or sixty servants.

The various household servants, including the matrons, maids, and second-class maids.

My uncle is right.

This family isn't that complicated.

When Zhou Chu first arrived at the Lu family's residence, the housekeeper took him to have a proper bath.

The butler then brought over a set of light blue clothes for Zhou Chu to change into.

The material of this garment is far superior to the coarse linen clothes Zhou Chu wore before.

"From now on, you will stay by the second young master's side and accompany him in his studies."

The butler's name is Liu Cheng, and his ancestors for three generations have been butlers for the Lu family.

The duties and words of a housekeeper should be learned from a young age.

He has never made a mistake.

"Madam, the person has been brought."

Liu Cheng brought Zhou Chu to the matriarch, Madam Yang.

"come over."

Yang looked at Zhou Chu and said gently.

Lu Wan'er, who was standing next to Yang, couldn't take her eyes off Zhou Chu when she saw his current appearance.

There's nothing we can do; Zhou Chu is naturally good-looking.

Now he's changed into a pageboy's outfit.

The temperament immediately comes out.

"You don't have a proper name either. I'd like to give you one. Do you have a name you'd like?"

Yang looked at Zhou Chu and asked.

"Madam, I would like to be called Zhou Chu."

Zhou Chu said respectfully.

"Zhou Chu... This name is not bad. Let's call him Zhou Chu then. I'll have someone go to the government office later to officially change it for you."

After a moment's thought, Yang agreed.

Originally, I just wanted to give Zhou Chu a random name.

Since Zhou Chu had already made up his mind, she naturally had no reason to object.

Zhou Chu breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.

He was genuinely afraid that his wife would give him a different name.

It seems my uncle was right.

The lady is easy to talk to.

"From now on, you will follow Wenxin and be his page."

Yang glanced at her son beside her and said.

"Yes, ma'am."

Zhou Chu said respectfully.

From that day on, Zhou Chu never went hungry again.

Even the meals served to the servants in the Lu family were far superior to those of the Zhou family in the past.

This was the first time Zhou Chu had tasted something so delicious since arriving in the Ming Dynasty.

Compared to that, the food from before seemed unpalatable.

As for the delicacies of my previous life, they were like a fleeting dream.

Out of reach.

"Brother Chu, this is some food I specially saved for you. Take it with you so you won't get hungry later."

Zhou Chu was about to go find the second young master and go to the academy with him to study.

With a slightly flushed face, Yin Qiao approached Zhou Chu, carrying food wrapped in her handkerchief.

Yinqiao was one of the maids who served the lady.

Twelve or thirteen years old.

They were also captivated by Zhou Chu's good looks.

After Zhou Chu ate well, he naturally grew up.

He grew taller very quickly.

Although he is only nine years old, he looks about the same age as eleven or twelve.

His already handsome face became even more alluring.

Many of the maids in the mansion had secretly brought Zhou Chu food or other things.

Even the young lady Lu Wan'er frequently tried to get close to Zhou Chu.

However, Zhou Chu always kept his distance.

It has never exceeded its bounds.

Zhou Chu knew very well that he was nothing more than a servant.

If you cause unrest in the household because of yourself, even if your wife is very magnanimous, she will not tolerate it.

"Thank you, Sister Yinqiao."

Zhou Chu took the handkerchief, took out the food inside, and put it into the food box he had prepared beforehand.

He then handed the handkerchief to Yinqiao.

A hint of disappointment flashed in Yin Qiao's eyes.

She really hoped that Zhou Chu would keep her handkerchief with him.

However, he grew to like Zhou Chu's measured approach to things more and more.

For the past month, Zhou Chu has been learning etiquette from the butler.

Now that he has learned the rules, Zhou Chu can be considered to have officially followed the Second Young Master.

During this month, Zhou Chu also learned a lot of information.

For example, the powerful eunuch Liu Jin was still alive at this time.

According to the history of Zhou Chu studies, this was the tenth year of the Zhengde reign, and Liu Jin should have been dead long ago.

I don't know if the historical records are wrong, or if I've traveled to a parallel world.

But regardless of the reason, Zhou Chu knew that the history he remembered was no longer entirely reliable.

Today is the first day that the second young master, Lu Wei, went to the academy to study.

Madam Yang's ancestor was Yang Shiqi, the foremost of the Three Yangs.

Regardless of whether Yang Shiqi was loyal or treacherous, the Yang family could be considered a scholarly family, with many great Confucian scholars coming from the Yang family.

The Lu family has been mostly composed of rough men for generations, either serving in the military or as members of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard was notorious among scholars.

Back then, Lu Wei's grandfather went to great lengths to change his family's situation and add more culture to their home, eventually managing to become related to the Yang family through marriage.

Although the Yang family had declined, it was still a scholarly family. Yang's marriage to the Lu family could be considered a step down.

The eldest son of the Lu family had just turned thirteen when he became a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and went to work in another region.

The second son, Lu Wei, was always unruly, causing Yang a lot of headaches.

Left with no other choice, Yang had to swallow her pride and ask her cousin, Yang Shunzhi, for help.

Yang Shunzhi was a renowned Confucian scholar of his time.

Many of his students became officials in the imperial court.

If one could become Yang Shunzhi's disciple, one's future career path would be much smoother.

This is the current state of affairs.

The great Confucian scholar's disciples and former officials were scattered throughout the court, forming a complex and intertwined network.

You have me I have you.

Without a good teacher, even the most talented person will find it difficult to succeed.

Lu Wei was notoriously unruly, and Yang Shunzhi had long heard of this. Originally, such a student would not have been of any interest to him.

However, since Yang was his niece, he couldn't directly refuse her request.

So he proposed that Lu Wei learn from him for a month first, and if he was satisfied with the results, he would let him stay.

If Lu Wei himself cannot accept it, or cannot meet his own requirements, then he will have no choice but to ask the Yang family to find another famous teacher.

Yang could only agree, but couldn't help looking worried.

How could she, as Lu Wei's mother, not know what kind of person he was?

So on this day, before Lu Wei and Zhou Chu were about to leave, Madam Yang had someone call Zhou Chu to her side alone.

"Meet Madam."

Zhou Chu bowed and said.

Yang looked Zhou Chu up and down, becoming more and more satisfied.

Have you read any books this month?

Yang asked.

"Reporting to Madam, I dare not neglect my duties and have been studying diligently."

Zhou Chu replied.

Upon hearing this, Madam Yang nodded.

“Wenxin is unruly. If he stays by himself, he may not be able to keep up with his studies. You should follow him and carefully remember what my uncle said. When you get home, tell Wenxin about it repeatedly.”

In fact, for the past month, Madam Yang had been having the steward keep an eye on Zhou Chu's reading progress.

He discovered that Zhou Chu was different from his own son; while not a prodigy, he certainly had a photographic memory.

With Zhou Chu by her side to help, Madam Yang could feel much more at ease.

"Don't worry, Madam, I understand."

Zhou Chu said.

"Go."

Yang nodded.