Chapter 876: Chapter 519: Wine, the Old Confucian, the Mo Xia Sword, and Yourong’s Calligraphy (Part 2)
"I heard from Wenruo that the Bluefield Spirit Jade from his family is highly sought after among the scholars over at Siqi Academy, selling for thousands. I wonder if it’s true."
Zhang Huizhi temporarily placed down the jade and looked up, "Oh? This Wenruo mentioned by Ziyu, is he the new Family Head of the Lin family in Lanxi, Zhongnan Country... Lin Wenruo?"
Zhao Rong nodded and said with a smile:
"That’s him. Do you know him, Brother Huizhi?"
As he said this, he paused and nodded: "That’s right, Wenruo is also from Siqi Academy. It’s not surprising that you know him. The Scholar Jade I’ve seen before at Siqi Academy also belonged to Wenruo. I even asked him for it then, examined it closely, but now that I have the Linlu Jade, I realize they’re essentially the same."
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PS: Brothers, refresh around three in the morning.
Also, the previous Chapter was a bit short because it went into a small dark room. Made up for it in this Chapter...
Been feeling a bit off these days, sorry brothers.
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A cough sounded.
Zhao Rong seemed to notice the commotion from the kitchen. He glanced at one of the old servants whose face seemed to be marred by fire, coughing from the smoke of firewood.
The disfigured old servant appeared to suffer from a severe respiratory illness but continued to take a few draws from a copper smoking pipe, exhaling as his face turned flush with relief.
The other old servants were similar, each with their ailments, frail with age.
"Brother Huizhi, maybe we should just stop. No need for so many dishes to go with the wine. Let’s have a few drinks and chat. Besides, I still have some things to attend to later, so I won’t stay for dinner."
Zhao Rong couldn’t help but earnestly suggest.
Zhang Huizhi seemed to come back to his senses, drawing his gaze from the kitchen and then stared blankly at Zhao Rong for a moment before shaking his head resolutely.
"Ziyu rarely comes to visit your brother... We must drink well and have good food as well. Otherwise, I’ll feel guilty in my heart. Just enjoy without worrying about the kitchen, my wife will settle everything."
He raised his half-closed eyelids, fully awake from the recent drowsiness, reassuring Zhao Rong.
The latter looked at the sky, noticing there was still some time before the afternoon’s Shen hour.
"Alright, we’ll do as Brother Huizhi says then."
Zhao Rong smiled.
At this moment, little Qian’er standing behind him quietly pinched Zhao Rong’s waist, and before he could react, she hummed lightly and walked towards the kitchen.
"I’ll go help Sister Yunnang."
Hmph, in front of outsiders, she always maintained decorum and grace, yet Brother Rong’er deliberately chose not to notice, bringing up ’other people’s wives’...
Qian’er felt a little hurt.
Zhao Rong made a slight "hiss" sound; this little girl didn’t know her strength. He would certainly repay her on her backside later.
He muttered to himself, glancing at the little girl who stubbornly went to the kitchen to help.
"Ziyu, what’s wrong?"
Zhang Huizhi glanced at the young Confucian scholar’s expression, concerned.
"Ah, it’s nothing. Right, what were we just talking about?"
Zhao Rong turned back to change the subject.
Zhang Huizhi didn’t answer immediately but picked up a wine jug from the table, handing one to Zhao Rong.
Under the bamboo forest, on the sitting platform, in the autumn breeze, the two academy Confucian scholars each held a jug of exotic wine, inviting each other.
"Ziyu praised me for cultivating oneself and managing the household. I’m not worthy of such praise."
"Why not take the praise? For us Confucians, regardless of circumstances, the first thing is to be thick-skinned. After receiving compliments, humility is humility, but you can’t really be humble. One must think in their heart, ’Who doesn’t know this?’ Of course, it cannot be said, but what if it does happen?"
"......"
"Ziyu truly has a sense of humor."
"This secret, I wouldn’t normally share with others. Come on, let’s have a drink."
The sound of clinking wine glasses resounded on the table.
Zhang Huizhi didn’t answer at first, but picked up the wine pot on the table and handed one to Zhao Rong.
Under the bamboo grove, on the mat, in the autumn breeze, each of the two scholars from the academy held a pot of exotic wine, raising their hands to invite one another.
"Ziyu praises me for cultivating oneself and managing the family, but I am too ashamed to accept it."
"Why not accept it? For us scholars, the most important thing is to have thick skin. When receiving praise, we should be modest, but not truly modest. We must think in our hearts, ’Who doesn’t know?’ Of course, we shouldn’t say it out loud, but what if it becomes true?"
"......"
"Ziyu, you are truly humorous."
"This secret, I wouldn’t share with most people. Come, let’s have a drink."
The sound of clinking wine cups echoed on the table. Meanwhile, the young couple glanced at each other secretly.
Zhang Huizhi turned and asked the simple-dressed woman, "Yun Niang, where is Fu’er?"
The woman lowered her eyebrows obediently and said, "Fu’er took a short nap at noon, and then continued with the tasks set by you in the morning for an hour. After finishing, he has been practicing calligraphy in the north room until now, waiting for you to assign more tasks..."
"Let him continue practicing calligraphy."
"Yes."
The simple-dressed woman responded and withdrew.
Zhang Huizhi turned his head and looked towards the north room where a simple-minded young boy was faintly seen copying words and practicing calligraphy inside.
The young Confucian scholar from Siqi Academy was quiet for a moment, then glanced towards the west side of the kitchen.
There, under the call of the simple-dressed woman passing by, several poor old servants who were missing arms, legs, or disfigured were busy chopping wood, boiling water, and preparing wine and dishes.
Every now and then there were sounds of panting and coughing.
Zhao Rong also seemed to notice the commotion from the kitchen side. He glanced at one of the old servants, whose face seemed to have been disfigured by a fire, coughing from the smoke of the firewood.
The disfigured old servant seemed to have a chronic respiratory condition, yet he took out a copper smoking pipe with a cigar hanging from it and took a few puffs, exhaling a red-faced breath of comfort.
The other old servants were similar, each with their ailments, struggling in their old age.
"Brother Huizhi, perhaps let’s not bother with preparing so many dishes. We can leisurely drink a few cups and chat. Besides, I have some matters to attend to later, so I won’t stay for dinner here, Huizhi."
Zhao Rong couldn’t help but sincerely suggest this.
Zhang Huizhi seemed to come back to his senses, withdrawing his gaze from the kitchen. He then looked dazedly at Zhao Rong for a while, firmly shook his head.
"Ziyu, it’s rare for you to come here... we must have a good drink and good dishes... cannot be lacking, otherwise I would feel guilty. Just enjoy yourself, no need to worry about the kitchen, my wife will take care of everything."
He raised his half-lowered eyelids, fully awakened from the drowsiness of earlier, and reassured Zhao Rong.
Zhao Rong glanced at the sky, noting the time was still a bit away from mid-afternoon.
"Alright, let’s do as Brother Huizhi says."
Zhao Rong smiled.
At this moment, the young Qian’er standing behind him quietly pinched the soft flesh at Zhao Rong’s waist. Before he could react, she hummed softly and walked towards the back kitchen.
"I’ll go help Sister Yunniang."
Humph, in the past, in front of outsiders, she never lacked in decorum and virtue, yet Brother Rong chooses not to see it and even brings up ’other people’s wives’...
Little Qian’er felt a bit aggrieved.
Zhao Rong lightly hissed, the little girl didn’t know her own strength, he’d have to repay her little behind in kind later.
He silently mused to himself as he watched the stubborn little girl run off to help in the back kitchen.
"Ziyu, what’s the matter?"
Zhang Huizhi looked at the young scholar’s face with concern.
"Ah, nothing. Right, where were we in our conversation just now?"
Zhao Rong turned around and changed the subject.
Zhang Huizhi didn’t answer at first, but picked up the wine pot on the table and handed one to Zhao Rong.
Under the bamboo grove, on the mat, in the autumn breeze, each of the two scholars from the academy held a pot of exotic wine, raising their hands to invite one another.
"Ziyu praises me for cultivating oneself and managing the family, but I am too ashamed to accept it."
"Why not accept it? For us scholars, the most important thing is to have thick skin. When receiving praise, we should be modest, but not truly modest. We must think in our hearts, ’Who doesn’t know?’ Of course, we shouldn’t say it out loud, but what if it becomes true?"
"......"
"Ziyu, you are truly humorous."
"This secret, I wouldn’t share with most people. Come, let’s have a drink."
The sound of clinking wine cups echoed on the table.