Volume 1 In the Countryside Chapter 34: Like Father, Like Daughter
Although she was curious about how Zhang Shou would show the nobles a way out if he stayed in Qingfeng Xulai Hall, Zhu Ying still had a good sleep that night. When she was woken up by Zhan Jin and Liu Yin early in the morning , she was still a little grumpy until she heard what they said clearly.
"A Shou asked Zhu Hong to come back and report what happened when he met someone last night? Quick, let Zhu Hong in!"
"Miss, you haven't dressed yet!"
Faced with such a reminder, Zhu Ying still ordered a screen to be put up. She sat in front of the dressing table, while Zhan Jin and Liu Yin were busy dressing her up. At the same time, she listened to Zhu Hong talking about what he saw and heard last night through the screen.
Angry? Of course that's impossible.
After listening to half of it, she started laughing uncontrollably. When she finished listening to the whole thing, she was already leaning on the dressing table while applying lip balm with laughter, and the bright red color almost stained her sleeves.
"I knew that Ah Shou would plan carefully before taking action, so he must have a good idea !"
Although Zhu Hong outside expected Zhu Ying to have such a reaction, he endured it again and again, and finally could n't help but said: "But Mr. Shou is completely using the name of the eldest lady. Not to mention that the lady in the mansion has no such plan, you have no such plan at all. Isn't he just talking nonsense to deceive those people?"
"I didn't have this plan originally, but I just thought about it carefully, and Shou's idea is great, so let's do it!"
Zhu Ying casually threw the rouge in her hand onto the dressing table, and looked at her radiant self in the bronze mirror with a beaming eyebrow. Then she turned around and signaled Zhan Jin and Liu Yin to remove the screen, and then appeared in front of Zhu Hong in her most perfect form as always.
Seeing that the guard whom her grandmother had always trusted was full of surprise, and then hurriedly lowered his head and dared not look directly at her, she ignored him, sat down in the main seat, and then snorted.
"Why did Second Brother dare to plot against me before? Didn't he think that I, Zhu Ying, only relied on my face to win the favor of the Empress Dowager and the Emperor in the palace, and then relied on the doting of my grandmother and father, and the indulgence of my eldest brother, so he acted recklessly and unscrupulously?"
"I have thought it through. What's the point of having no one on hand and a bunch of guys who are more likely to cause trouble than to do good? If Ah Shou can help me gather those people, find out their strengths, and then help me train these fools who used to do nothing but make mistakes, and let them work for me, let alone find a marriage for them in the future, I can even arrange a future for them, that's not a bad idea!"
"Miss!" Zhu Hong was so shocked that his jaw dropped. Miss usually did whatever she wanted, but there was one thing she had no interest in at all - that was fighting for power!
"Why are you looking at me like that? If Dad and Big Brother weren't in trouble, I wouldn't bother with these things, but what time is it now?" Zhu Ying raised her chin slightly, with a hint of pride on her face, "When Dad and Big Brother come back safely, I will naturally report to them truthfully and hand these people over to them, but it's different now. Ah Shou must be thinking so far for me!"
Her hair was glittering with pearls and jade, her chest was decorated with red gold necklaces, her skirt was jingling with rings and pendants, and she was wearing a red dress that was too beautiful for an ordinary woman. When Zhu Ying, along with the two maids Zhan Jin and Liu Yin, left the Zhang family mansion and came to Cui Yun Room again, she was like a red dot in the midst of green, extremely stunning. The next moment, someone came forward with a big smile on his face. It was Zhang Lu.
After saying hello, the nobleman, who was also Zhang Chen's follower, quickly glanced around and then said cautiously: "Miss, last night the old man told me that if I want to make a name for myself, I can serve you in the future..."
Before he could finish his words, Zhu Ying interrupted him impatiently: "Why, do you think the teacher lied to you, so you came to me to verify it?"
Seeing Zhang Lu's face turn pale in an instant, and then he pretended to be nonchalant, Zhu Ying sneered, "What the gentleman said is what I said. If you question him, you are questioning me. Zhang Lu, put away your cleverness. Do you think I don't know? You were the second to last person to go to Shuibo Buxing Pavilion. Did you go to inquire for Zhang Chen? If you told Zhang Chen... ha!"
The young lady even knew the order of going to the Shuibo Buxing Pavilion. This really scared Zhang Lu. He hurriedly swore, "I never told Brother Chen... No, Zhang Chen! He just treated Xiao Wu and me as his followers. Of course, I would rather follow the young lady..."
"Just think it through and stop talking nonsense!"
Zhu Ying was too lazy to talk any more with Zhang Lu. She walked forward as if no one was around. Along the way, she dealt with several groups of people who came to greet her warmly. Only when she entered the Shuibo Buxing Pavilion and saw Zhan Jin and Liu Yin guarding outside and Zhu Hong watching over her in secret did she breathe a sigh of relief.
Although Zhang Shou's idea was good, it was really annoying for her to deal with those annoying guys.
"You're here!" Zhang Shou, who was sitting at the desk with his back to Zhu Ying, yawned without turning his head.
"I've been busy all night, and you'll have to help me keep an eye on things during the day. I need to go back to sleep. I can hardly keep my eyelids open right now! By the way, if you're angry that I acted first and asked for your permission later, and used the tiger's skin as a banner, then just scold me. Then I'll hang up the sign of wandering friends, and this identity of a noble scholar will be lost!"
After the words were spoken, Zhang Shou, who was taking the time to record the conversation according to his memory, did not receive a reply, and could not help but feel a little puzzled. After all, the voices of greetings outside were really loud, and he heard them clearly, knowing that it must be Zhu Ying who came.
But when he turned his head, he found that Zhu Ying was standing behind him. If he moved a little more violently, he might bump into her!
"What are you talking about? Who wants to scold you?" Zhu Ying poked her head out from behind Zhang Shou and noticed that he closed the book and quickly stepped back. She secretly praised him as a true gentleman in her heart and took two steps back.
"I know everything that happened last night. Thank you for your advice and help. Your method of recruiting them is very good. I felt a few days ago that I know a lot of people, but why can't I pick out the ones who can be used at the critical moment. But you shouldn't trust them too much. I heard from Zhu Hong that you revealed your true identity in front of some people? That's too risky. What if someone spreads it?"
Even though he guessed in his heart that after hearing his misleading words last night, given Zhu Ying's temper, she would most likely go along with it, but Zhang Shou was still quite touched by her bright and straightforward attitude.
He smiled to himself, "My true face will no longer be a secret sooner or later, and there were only six people who saw my face last night, all of whom I have carefully observed over the past few days. You reminded me not to trust others easily, but don't you think that you are the one who trusts me too easily? What if I did that last night for some other purpose?"
"Didn't I ask Zhu Hong to watch you here last night?" Zhu Ying looked at Zhang Shou innocently, then smiled slyly, "Besides, what good would it be for you to lie to me? How could a liar remind others to beware of his ulterior motives?"
That’s because you have never seen a smart liar. Those people are all sincere and honest, and they look like decent human beings!
Zhang Shou was complaining in his heart, and Zhu Ying smiled again and said, "Besides, my father taught me that if you want to see a person clearly, you might as well trust him sincerely once, but the premise is that you must be able to stand firm even if you trust him wrongly, or you must be able to afford to lose. I am confident that even if you really lie to me once, it won't matter, so I am willing to believe that you are a kind gentleman. What's more, you didn't lie to me!"
With a father who teaches his daughter like this, it’s no wonder that he has such a willful yet generous daughter!
Seeing Zhang Shou's slightly dazed look, Zhu Ying couldn't help but laugh so hard that she shook with laughter.
"In fact, my father also told me that when judging a person, don't judge by appearance. Every detail of what they say and do can reveal their true nature."
"For example, Zhang Chen looks like a good-for-nothing, hot-tempered young man, but in fact, he has done some good things. When many merchant ships sank inexplicably after leaving Tianjin, he took in a merchant who escaped death and returned to Beijing to file a complaint but was hunted down. He also secretly reported that the chief steward of the Taining Marquis family colluded with the Linhai Camp under the Tianjin Patrol to rob and kill merchant ships."
"After the incident became a big deal, the emperor was furious and stripped the title of Marquis of Taining and killed many people. So, although Zhang Chen was annoying when he was pestering me, since I heard about this from my father, I also think he is a brave and upright person. You know, the Duke Qin's Mansion has never engaged in maritime trade, because the fields and shops they own are enough for his father and son to squander for several generations."
It turns out that Zhang Chen is a passionate young man who likes to meddle in injustice. Hmm, I was right to think he was interesting before...
Just as this thought came to Zhang Shou's mind , he suddenly heard Qi Liang shouting from outside.
"Sir, there are some strangers in the village!"
Following the voice, Qi Liang rushed in like a gust of wind. Obviously, Zhan Jin and Liu Yin outside the door were very sensible and did not stop him at all.
He rushed to Zhang Shou and lowered his voice and said, "They are not here to seek help from the master in Cuiyun Room. They are here for you, sir. They are going to your home! Moreover, these people met Zhang Chen who was planning to return to Beijing, and they had an excuse to send him off. In fact, they went to the mocking Lu Sanlang!"
