Xiaoshan's bags were piled high on the cart. The two children stood beside the oxcart like quails, their eyes full of helplessness. Then they saw Jin Shanyao a pig's ear and looking at them with surprise.
Su Wenqian's head buzzed. He shouted sternly, "What are you all standing there for? Tie the pig up!"
The servant, upon receiving the order, hurriedly went to find a rope. Jin Shanyao his fist at the pig's head again, and the hundred-pound pig collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
You little punk... If the butcher hadn't said that live pigs are better than dead ones as gifts, I wouldn't have kept you alive until now.
Jin Shanyao off his clothes, grinned at Su Wenqian, but seeing that his expression was not good, he was about to ask who had offended him when he heard Madam Su coughing loudly beside him.
Looking over Jin Shanyao saw Madam Su constantly winking.
She was puzzled... " Madam Su, what's wrong with your eyes?"
Su Wenqian looked at his wife with displeasure, Madam Su quickly said with a smile, " Anci, come here quickly and let your teacher's wife take a look."
Meng Anci obediently stepped forward and bowed to Madam Su, "Greetings, Master's Wife..."
"Come in quickly, my dears," she said, beckoning to Meng Anzhi and leading the two children into the house.
Jin Shanyao and Su Wenqian looked at each other in bewilderment.
She pointed to the oxcart, " Hongdou, dates, longan... and celery..."
Su Wenqian took a deep breath, "I see it..." Bundles of celery were arranged around the oxcart, it was hard not to see them.
"A ceremony for taking a master?"
Jin Shanyao and said, "That's right... I bought four bags of each... Pretty generous, isn't it?"
Su Wenqian couldn't help but laugh out loud, "Four... death... didn't anyone tell you that this number is taboo when giving gifts?"
"Ah... is that so? I didn't know that!" Jin Shanyao was bewildered. How did gift-giving get involved with numbers?
Su Wenqian took a deep breath, closed his eyes... "Come in."
Okay.
Jin Shanyao handed the oxcart to the servant and followed him inside. Because she was in such a hurry, she stepped on Su Wenqian's heel, causing him to trip and fall straight forward.
Jin Shanyao reacted swiftly, grabbing him by the back of his collar and pulling him back steadily.
Su Wenqian steadied himself and was about to reprimand her with a stern face when he saw Jin Shanyao looking at him with bright eyes, as if waiting for praise.
He took a deep breath and continued walking towards the main hall.
Jin Shanyao followed beside him, twisting her head to ask, " Old Su, is your lungs not okay?... You can't keep panting like that. I'll have Anzhi check your pulse later. Don't underestimate her just because she's young; her medical skills are among the best these days."
Upon hearing this, Su Wenqian flicked his sleeves and took even bigger strides.
Have you eaten breakfast?
"Have eaten..."
Su Wenqian gave her a disapproving look. "I haven't eaten yet. Remember, no matter who you're giving a gift to, don't go there first thing in the morning, understand?"
After thinking for a moment, he added, "You're not allowed to deliver gifts before dawn." He took two steps and then stopped, having tried to hold back but finally couldn't resist.
"Although I am still a member of the board, I am still in mourning for my parents, and you, of all people, send me a live pig..."
He lowered his voice and admonished, "That's extremely disrespectful, do you understand?"
"I understand, I'll take the pigs to the estate in a bit," Jin Shanyao, never expecting to make so many mistakes while giving a gift to someone seeking a master.
Su Wenqian knew she didn't mean it, and said calmly, "No need to send it to the estate. Since it's a gift for becoming a disciple, just have the servants slaughter it and share it. But in the future, when you give gifts, please refer to the book."
Jin Shanyao didn't dare say that the gift was given according to the book.
Madam Su was talking to her two children when she saw them come in and smiled, "Are you done arguing?"
Su Wenqian glanced at her. Since his mother's death, Madam's attitude towards Jin Shanyao had completely changed. She imitated her mother's behavior in every way, and even her way of getting along with Jin Shanyao was exactly the same.
In the main hall, Su Wenqian and his Madam Su sat upright.
Meng Anci respectfully served tea to Su Wenqian and Song Zhiwei ( Madam Su ).
"Master, please have some tea."
Su Wenqian smiled, drank his tea, placed the cup on the table, and handed Meng Anci five calligraphy brushes of different sizes. "Small brushes are for honing knowledge, large brushes are for writing achievements. I hope you can master both."
Meng Anci accepted the tea and then offered it to Song Zhiwei.
"Please have some tea, Master's wife."
Madam Su took the teacup, sipped it, and put it down.
He handed over the writing implements and said with a smile, "May you be well-versed in literature, yet retain a childlike heart. May you have a broad mind and an open heart."
Meng Anci said respectfully, "Thank you for your guidance, Master's wife."
Rumble... Su Wenqian's stomach growled at an inopportune moment.
The hall fell silent for a moment.
Madam Su covered her mouth with her sleeve, her shoulders trembling slightly, but she couldn't help but laugh.
Su Wenqian's face flushed slightly as he cleared his throat. "Now that Anci has become an apprentice, he is no longer an outsider. Please stay for a simple meal today."
He turned his gaze to Jin Shanyao, who was grinning foolishly to the side, and said helplessly, "You can come along too."
Jin Shanyao her head and said, "I've already eaten..."
"You..." Su Wenqian glared, "You can stay here and drink cold water..." Then he said to the two children, "Come on... Teacher will take you to eat."
Meng Anzhi and Meng Anci both looked at Jin Shanyao, Jin Shanyao waved to them, "Go on, your aunt will wait for you here."
Madam Su couldn't help but burst into laughter. She stepped forward, grabbed the Jin Shanyao, and walked behind the screen.
"A letter arrived from the capital the other day, one of Lu Chi was for you. He's getting married after the New Year and has invited you to the banquet with us. Have a meal with me, and I'll give it to you in a bit."
Jin Shanyao in surprise, " Fu Congxi is getting married?"
Madam Su raised an eyebrow, surprised that Lu Chi wasn't as important to Jin Fu Congxi as Jin Shanyao. "They grew up together as childhood sweethearts, if it weren't for..."
Madam Su sighed, "I won't say anymore. Their wedding date is set for the second day of the second lunar month next year. My husband and I still have six months of mourning left, so we can't attend the wedding banquet."
I have two sons, the elder is fourteen and the younger is twelve. I'd like them to come with you, so they can look after each other on the way.
Jin Shanyao was stunned. So, people in mourning period couldn't attend the wedding banquet? However, she understood what Madam Su meant: she was just bringing something.
Last time I brought clothes, this time I'm bringing someone.
Seeing that she remained silent, Madam Su assumed she didn't want to go and advised, " Anci is now a scholar and a disciple of the Su Household. Let him go out more and not always be confined at home."
Madam Su knew about Jin Shanyao's relationship with Lu Chi, and was also aware of her abilities and protective nature; otherwise, she wouldn't have entrusted her two children to her.
On the surface, the Su Household accepted Meng Anci as their student, but in reality, the Su Household used Meng Anci as a pretext to truly climb the Jin Shanyao.
"No wonder her husband is so lucky," Madam Su said with a smile, as she served Jin Shanyao some food.
Just as she was about to say something flattering, her husband said leisurely, "The capital is not like Qingzhou Prefecture; there are stricter rules and more watchful eyes. Acting..."
Jin Shanyao looked at Madam Su in confusion, "Why did you pinch him? Even though we females are the masters of the world, we can't just lay a hand on a male."
Caught red-faced with embarrassment, Madam Su Wenqian rubbed her thigh and corrected him, "Woman, man... not female, male, you know?"
After Su Wenqian finished speaking, he suddenly felt angry for some reason. He put down the steamed bun and said righteously, " Jin Shanyao, you are now the aunt of the scholar."
You must be mindful of your words and actions. You can't do whatever you want or say whatever you want like you used to, or people will have something on you.
"If Meng Anci enter the court as an official, he would also be impeached because of your recklessness and rudeness. Do you understand?" Su Wenqian finished speaking in one breath, picked up the steamed bun and continued eating.
Jin Shanyao narrowed her eyes slightly and said to Madam Su in a sinister tone, "Snatch the bun from his hand."
Without a word, Madam Su snatched the steamed bun from Su Wenqian's hand, saying, "You want to eat and talk at the same time? Don't tire your mouth out."
Su Wenqian stared blankly at the two of them, then pointed at Jin Shanyao and said to Madam Su with a wronged expression, "You do whatever she tells you to do. If she tells you to jump into the river, will you jump?"
Madam Su looked confused. "What did you say? I didn't hear you clearly. Could you repeat it?"
"I said, what did she tell you to do..." He was interrupted sharply by Madam Su, "If I tell you to repeat it, you repeat it; if I tell you to jump into the river, you jump into the river, right?"
Su Wenqian was stunned...