Volume 2: Residence in the Capital Chapter 77 I'll be damned if I believe you!
The situation is over...
This was Xu Fengyang’s biggest thought at the moment.
It doesn't matter if he offends the Zhaoguo Mansion behind Zhang Shou, because the person behind him and the Zhaoguo Mansion are in a life-and-death situation anyway.
It is very troublesome to offend Ge Yong, but the old man has always been a gentleman and will not use any other despicable means except scolding others.
Anyway, Princess Yongping and the eldest daughter of Duke Zhao, Zhu Ying, have always been at odds with each other. They will not side with Zhang Shou because of their old grudge. So, although his persistence is risky, it at least has its own value.
But Chu Kuan, the eunuch in charge of imperial household affairs, who had accompanied Princess Yongping to the literary gatherings at Yuehua Tower several times and had always been as silent as the guardian of a mountain, suddenly brought such news that was enough to stun him or even kill him!
Even if there was chaos in the Linhai camp before, which made the emperor sick; even if Zhang Shou really captured dozens of rebel soldiers in a short time; even if Zhang Shou was the future son-in-law of the Duke of Zhao... With the situation in the court so treacherous and the Duke of Zhao and his son in danger, why did the emperor suddenly value Zhang Shou so much? Was it because of Ge Yong, or was it because of something else?
Xu Fengyang just felt a headache and couldn't figure it out no matter how hard he tried.
However, unlike him, some people don't even have to think about it, and are too lazy to think about it.
"Thank you, Eunuch Chu, for the good news." Ge Yong smiled and nodded to his old acquaintance Chu Kuan. He then smiled at Concubine Yu and Lady Zhao who had not yet come out of the door on the first floor. Then he looked at Princess Yongping.
"The princess invited this useless disciple of mine to come to the Yuehua Tower to judge the literary competition. She really overestimated him. This kid is different from my other former students. He has been in poor health since he was a child, so he was left alone. I just gave him a few books and let him figure it out on his own. So, he has more spiritual energy than my other former students."
Qi Jingshan frowned when he heard such shameless words, but Zhu Ying smiled. Meanwhile, the lady had come out first, supported by the maid Yutang.
"It's rare for Grand Tutor Ge to come here with Grand Tutor Qi. Don't leave right away. At least sit down in Yuehua Tower for a while and see the young talents." She was one of the people who knew Ge Yong best. Before the old man could say that he didn't have time and had to go back to solve some problems, she smiled warmly and said, "I know you are a busy person. There are pens, ink, paper and inkstone upstairs. It won't delay you from teaching your disciples."
Ge Yong glanced at the gate of Yuehua Tower and found that Concubine Yu had disappeared. Although he didn't know how the emperor would easily allow this favorite concubine to go out, but the lady had specifically brought a message, and thinking that Chu Kuan, the second-in-command of the Imperial Household Department, was also there, he was silent for a long time, and finally agreed.
"Madam, you are always giving me troubles... Well, I'll just give Princess Yongping some face. But I've already said that today I only brought my eyes and ears, but not my mouth, so don't mention the word judgement!"
After these words came out, Xu Fengyang's face turned paler than a piece of white paper. This was exactly what Zhang Shou had said just now. He had seized on this point to criticize him, but ended up hitting a wall!
Princess Yongping ignored Xu Fengyang. At this moment, her expression finally eased a little. If the lady hadn't kept Ge Yong, this Yuehua Tower literary gathering would have been a real joke! She immediately smiled happily and nodded slightly, saying, "With the presence of Grand Tutor Ge and Grand Minister Qi, everyone invited here today will definitely come up with the best articles."
Ge Yong couldn't help but glance at Zhang Shou when he noticed that Zhang Shou, who was supporting one of his arms, suddenly twisted him lightly.
Are you planning to take revenge for the arrow I just grabbed you for?
The next moment, he only heard Zhang Shou muttering in a low voice: "Isn't this just showing off his sword in front of Guan Gong?"
"Oh, people think that I am old now, and I am either advancing or retreating. I may not be able to write contemporary articles as well as young people. Only you are young and naive, and you still think that I am still the same as when I won the imperial examination with seven yuan and wrote eight-legged essays."
Ge Yong spoke in a loud voice, loud enough for everyone around to hear: "Finish the article and show it to me later . I don't believe that you can master mathematics without a teacher, and you can also master contemporary literature without a teacher..."
"I didn't write this. It's just someone else's exercise." Zhang Shou lied.
Behind him, Qi Liang's mouth had already turned into an o shape. "Young Master, don't tell me that you urged me to recite ten articles of contemporary literature with impeccable ideas last night just to build momentum for me!" The next moment, he hurriedly caught up with Ge Yong and Zhang Shou in front of him and shouted, "Master Ge, it's not mine..."
Ge Yong, who had already entered Yuehua Tower, interrupted Qi Liang's explanation without even turning his head: "Of course I know it wasn't you!"
But the next moment, Master Ge turned his head and glared at Zhang Shou, only to see that this closed disciple was looking at him seriously.
"Actually, it's the article you left in Qingfeng Xulai Hall. It seems to be your childhood practice. Teacher, do you really not remember it?"
You are becoming more and more daring, I would never believe you!
Ge Yong angrily grabbed Zhang Shou and rushed upstairs. Seeing this, Zhu Ying, who was supporting Qi Jingshan, finally couldn't help laughing. But at this moment, a hand suddenly stretched out from behind Zhu Ying, pressed her shoulder and dragged her over lightly.
Qi Jingshan, who also noticed it, looked back and saw that it was the lady who was pulling Zhu Ying and whispering something to her, so he didn't pay any attention to it.
"Yingying, go and hold Princess Yongping for a while. Let your grandfather Ge take Zhang Shou to see Concubine Yu first." Seeing Zhu Ying's surprised face, the lady said softly, "Zhang Shou's biological mother was kind to Concubine Yu. Few people know this."
Zhu Ying first took a breath of cold air, then snorted angrily, but she finally followed her grandmother's instructions and immediately walked towards Princess Yongping angrily, blocking her way.
Glancing from the side, she noticed that her grandmother had intercepted Grandpa Qi, while Chu Kuan was dragging Qi Liang and Deng Xiaodai around the first floor with great interest. Ah Liu was staring blankly at the wall in the corner, so she felt relieved. She immediately glared at Princess Yongping: "You invited Ah Shou here today. Did you have bad intentions from the beginning?"
The lady heard such an excuse to provoke a fight, and she couldn't help but laugh or cry. Even if Princess Yongping wanted to rush upstairs, she couldn't think of it because she was delayed by Zhu Ying's unreasonable nagging. So, she put away her distracted ears and asked Qi Jingshan about his opinion of Zhang Shou with a smile, just like a good grandmother who was about to marry her granddaughter.
Zhang Shou followed Ge Yong and went straight to the third floor. When he saw Chang Ning, who had greeted him before, standing next to a woman with a bun on her hair and simple clothes, he couldn't help but feel a little nervous.
Immediately afterwards, Ge Yong beside him suddenly shook him off and bowed, "Empress Yu."
"Master Ge is well."
Zhang Shou saw Concubine Yu looking at him, and he couldn't help but feel suspicious. He immediately bowed and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty."
"Hurry up, hurry up." Concubine Yu stretched out her hand to help him, but then she realized her mistake and quickly covered it up, "Sixteen years have passed in a flash, and you have grown so big."
This was a similar conversation to the one he had when the lady dowager first met him. Thinking that Zhu Ying had the same birthday as him, and that Princess Yongping also had the same birthday as him, Zhang Shou couldn't help but come up with countless ridiculous speculations about his life experience.
However, to his surprise, the next moment, Concubine Yu sighed and covered her face with tears, and then whispered: "Yingying's mother and your mother met during a turmoil. If it weren't for her, Yingying's mother and I would have died long ago! Even the safe birth of Yingying and Mingyue was also thanks to her."
At this moment, Zhang Shou suddenly remembered that Zhu Ying often mentioned her grandmother, father, eldest brother and second brother, but almost never mentioned her mother.
