Chapter 318 Isn't this embarrassing for me?
Yihong Pavilion... This is a brothel that can be found throughout the Song Dynasty and in every prosperous town.
Now Shi Lei was sitting in Yihong Pavilion, drinking some wine.
Everyone knows that Lu Sen has three disciples, a pair of twin girls, and a scholar.
But knowing the name does not mean knowing the person. Except for a very small number of people, few people know what Shi Lei looks like.
The main reason is that Shi Lei usually stays inside the mountain gate and only goes out for a walk once every ten days or half a month.
Besides, Lu Sen is also a "homebody". He will not take his disciples to visit other people or other forces to make connections everywhere.
Therefore, although Shi Lei, the new disciple, is quite famous, he is a nobody in real life.
He is now drinking wine in a busy brothel, staying quietly, and no one comes to disturb him.
"At forty, one knows the destiny. That's truly the destiny." Shi Lei sipped the fine wine in the brothel, full of emotion.
More than a year ago, he was still trembling with fear while preparing for the exam. As he got older, his spirit and confidence became lower and lower. He thought of taking the exam for one more year, and if he failed again, he would give up the imperial examination. However, he did not expect that things would turn around and he actually became a disciple of an immortal.
From then on, with the "immortal magic" by his side, everything in the world seemed unimportant to him.
Fame, wealth and power are just commonplace.
Now when I think back to the anxiety, reluctance and worry I felt while preparing for the exam a year ago, it seems like they were all things from my past lives, like waking up from a dream.
After finishing the wine, Shi Lei called out, "Waiter, bring another jar of Bamboo Leaf Green."
Soon, the waiter came over with a jar in his arms, and while helping to open the seal, he asked, "Sir, you seem to be a refined person, so you should not look down on the vulgar women down there. It just so happens that Li Wenwen who went upstairs is free, why don't you go and have some fun with her."
Shi Lei was tempted.
The sect doesn't have too many prohibitions on beauty, as long as you don't force anything.
After all, Shi Lei's master, Master Lu, is surrounded by countless beauties, so naturally he would not have any opinions or restrictions in this regard.
For nearly twenty years, Shi Lei has been devoted to imperial examinations and has never considered the issue of wives and concubines, but now he feels that he can consider it.
This is also the reason why he likes to go to flower boats and brothels when he goes shopping.
"Mr. Li likes scholars like you the most," the waiter continued.
Shi Lei thought for a while and said, "Then I'll go up and sit down. My last name is Shi. If anyone comes to see me later, just let him come up."
The waiter nodded repeatedly, extremely happy.
If he can successfully attract customers, he will also be rewarded.
Not long after, Shi Lei met Li Wenwen in a large room on the third floor.
The woman was indeed beautiful, and had some skills in playing the piano, chess, calligraphy and painting. After they sat down, Shi Lei chatted with her, ranging from love, poetry, to family and national affairs.
Li Wenwen can tell you something about this, although it's not very profound, but she is definitely much better than most people.
The amazing thing about this woman is that she can talk to you while playing the piano. The sound of the piano is melodious but not competing. It's like soft background music, softening the atmosphere of the scene.
Finally, the two talked about calligraphy.
Shi Lei couldn't help but say: "In calligraphy, there are talented people in every generation, but only my master can be the best in the world."
Li Wenwen looked a little surprised, but also a little unconvinced.
Everyone can brag.
The middle-aged scholar in front of me looked steady, but I didn't expect that he was actually arrogant at heart.
Seeing that she didn't believe him, Shi Lei smiled and said, "Bring me some paper and pen, and I'll write a few words for you."
Li Wenwen stopped playing the piano and took out paper and pen and put them on the table.
Every famous prostitute's room would definitely have something like this.
Because the people they serve are generally officials or scholars.
Shi Lei imitated Lu Sen's style and wrote four words: Yesterday and the Past.
These four characters are written in the Slender Gold style.
Although Shi Lei was just imitating, as a scholar, his handwriting was still quite good, and there was some flavor in this imitation.
When Li Wenwen saw these four words, her eyes lit up immediately and she said, "The font is elegant and slender, and it looks like a strong and unyielding character. It is indeed a font that I have never seen before."
Shi Lei put down his pen and smiled triumphantly.
At this time, Zhao Ji had not yet been born. Lu Sen had practiced calligraphy for five years, using the Slender Gold style improved by Qin Hui, which is what later generations called Song style.
Now it can be considered as his first invention.
Moreover, after five years of continuous practice, his handwriting has become very beautiful, and it also has its own "meaning" in it. Shi Lei can copy its form, but it is difficult to imitate Lu Sen's charm.
"My calligraphy skills are not even one tenth of what my master has."
Li Wenwen couldn't help but ask: "May I ask the name of your master?"
Shi Lei said nothing, just smiled.
Li Wenwen sighed, holding the calligraphy and said, "Even my apprentice's handwriting is so elegant, you can imagine how amazing my master's handwriting must be."
"Yes, when I first saw Master's calligraphy, I was amazed... No, he is a god." Shi Lei recalled the scene at that time and said slowly: "I always feel that the calligraphy I have practiced for more than 30 years is no different from a child's scribbles."
More than thirty years?
Li Wenwen was startled and looked at Shi Lei's appearance. This scholar had a calm and mature temperament. He looked a little older, but judging by the tenderness and texture of his skin, he would not be over thirty years old.
At that moment, she laughed and said, "Sir, you really love to joke. You are at most thirty years old, so you are definitely not 'forty'."
"I am really forty-one years old this year." Shi Lei was quite proud.
More than a year ago, he looked extremely old, with a body of a 40-year-old, but the appearance and spirit of a 50-year-old.
But with the nourishment of honey, fairy fruit and other rare things, his complexion became better and better, and he became younger and younger.
Li Wenwen pretended not to believe it: "Sir, please don't joke. Do you think I believe it or not?"
"Whether Mr. Li believes it or not, it doesn't matter." Shi Lei laughed twice, picked up the wine cup and drank it all. Although he looked like a scholar, he had a kind of unruly heroism.
Li Wenwen looked at it and for some reason, she felt a little flutter in her heart.
At this time, there was a knock on the door.
Li Wenwen shouted outside: "Who's outside?"
"I'm here to look for Second Brother Shi."
Shi Lei nodded to Li Wenwen and said, "It's someone who's here to see me. Please open the door, Mr. Li, and invite the guest in. Please close the door for me. We have something to discuss in private."
Li Wenwen nodded and did as she was told.
She asked the middle-aged man outside to come in, then closed the door and went to the inner room on the third floor to sit and rest.
This place is used by famous prostitutes to "rest and recuperate".
For example, if some customers have special requests that she cannot handle on her own, they will come here for help.
There are usually quite a few people waiting here.
This time was the same. As soon as Li Wenwen entered, the sisters surrounded her and asked her what was going on and how they needed help.
Li Wenwen waved her hand and said, "My benefactor has something important to discuss with other guests, so I am leaving now."
"You've got a piece of paper to copy?" A pretty girl next to him snatched the copy and said with a smile, "Could it be that the scholar also wrote a love poem for you? Let me see... This is the calligraphy. Wait, this kind of handwriting, this is the first time I've seen it."
As I said, the women in high-end brothels are much more knowledgeable than ordinary people.
They could tell there was something wrong with this word at first sight, and immediately started discussing it.
It is said that although this character lacks "spirit", its "form" is unique.
A beautiful woman said: "Although he has not yet reached the level of a true master of calligraphy, he is still rare in the world."
Li Wenwen sat down, took a sip of tea, and said with a smile: "This person said that his handwriting is far inferior to that of his master, and he also said that his master is definitely the best in the world."
“That’s really shameless.”
"The handwriting is good, but the person is too crazy."
"How dare you claim to be the best in the world? Where does this put the true talents in the court?"
"This man is so proud, do you know where he came from?"
Li Wenwen shook her head: "I don't know, I only know that my last name is Shi."
The sisters laughed again.
However, a woman who didn't like to talk much suddenly spoke timidly: "I heard that Master Lu's third disciple is named Shi... If he is really that person, he can be the best in the world."
The room suddenly became quiet.
Li Wenwen was also stunned, her eyes wide open, muttering to herself: "I remember, he just said he was forty-one years old, but judging from his appearance, he is only about thirty... If this is true, it makes sense."
Hearing this, all the women in the room stood up and looked at Li Wenwen intently.
This is Hangzhou. Master Lu is practicing on a hill outside the city, which is the closest place to the dummy, so they reacted extremely quickly and thought of the answer immediately.
After a long while, someone said, "Sister Wenwen, if you need any help later, please let me know. I will help you without asking for any reward."
At this moment, Shi Lei was in a dilemma.
"Second brother, I'm not saying anything bad to you, but according to the elders of the clan, you should get married and have children." The middle-aged man who just came in advised.
Shi Lei frowned, "But I have just been a disciple for a little over a year. It's not good to think about getting married now. What will Master think of me?"
The man in front of him is his cousin, and what he says carries a lot of weight in Shi Lei's eyes.
"Didn't Master Lu get married?" Boss Shi said cautiously, "He shouldn't forbid his disciples from getting married and having children."
"That's not the case." Shi Lei said with a smile, "Master often drives me out and asks me to walk around. He also knows that I like to go to the red-light district and has never said anything bad about me."
"That's it." Boss Shi was relieved. He said, "Second brother, what kind of person do you like? If you have any requirements, just tell us. We will help you find someone. I guarantee you will be satisfied."
Shi Lei thought about it for a while, but couldn't say it.
His perspective is different now than before. More than a year ago, he would be at a loss what to do when he saw a beauty like Li Wenwen, but now, he is not very moved.
The other person is beautiful, but I always feel like something is missing.
Not attractive enough.
He thought for a while and asked, "Brother, if I want to find a witch, can you help me find one?"
Boss Shi was immediately stunned!
What are you talking about? Aren't you making things difficult for me?
