Xun Zhou was startled by the young man’s inexplicable voice. He felt that he was just like the bird called peacock that Yu Jijiu once mentioned, which was a tribute from Silla and could spread its feathers. At this moment, it was “shaking” its colorful feathers and showing them off in front of the young lady.

Not wanting to talk to him any more, Xun Zhou just wanted the two people in front of him to leave quickly, so he still didn’t raise his head, but just lowered his head and stammered “Yes”.

Although he didn’t look up, he was not a close friend. He was just selling paintings at a roadside stall. There was no friendship between the two of them, so there was nothing wrong with him lowering his head to respond.

But Xun Zhou still grumbled about the “peacock” that was being displayed. The young man snorted coldly and suddenly began to find fault: “The brushwork and strokes of this sunset red maple painting are definitely not those of an ordinary person. How could it be painted by a poor scholar like you? How dare you pretend to be a famous artist?”

Poor scholar Xun Zhou: “…” I really couldn’t tell whether he was praising his painting skills or scolding him for being poor.

Perhaps because of the praise and scolding, the poor scholar Xun Zhou was in a calm mood. He wanted to raise his head to speak, but when he thought of the acquaintance next to him, he lowered his head halfway and said, “Before my family fell into poverty, I learned the art of painting from a famous teacher for several years!”

To be fair, there was nothing wrong with Xun Zhou’s answer from beginning to end, but the young man was in the mood to show off his talents and wanted to suppress others to showcase his talent, so even if there was nothing wrong, he could still find fault with it.

Xun Zhou’s behavior of keeping his head down from beginning to end had now become a huge problem.

“Why are you lowering your head and acting so sneaky? The Sage once said, ‘When speaking to others, those who avoid eye contact must surely harbor guilt in their hearts!’” the young gentleman shouted. “Why won’t you lift your head?”

Xun Zhou: “…” He is well-versed in poetry and literature. Which saint said such a thing? This “peacock” could call this saint out for confrontation! What law of Darong stipulated that people cannot speak with their heads down?

If it were under normal circumstances, Xun Zhou would definitely argue with him for three days and three nights, making this “peacock with spread tails” so angry that he would jump up and down and feel ashamed.

But right now, he was a poor scholar! Xun Zhou took a deep breath, silently repeated “poor scholar” several times, suppressed the anger in his heart, and said: “I am just setting up a stall to sell paintings. If you don’t want to buy, don’t look at it!”

“Who said I won’t buy it?” The “Peacock with Spread Tail” was unyielding. He pulled the painting and shouted, “No matter how much the paintings on your stall are worth, I will buy them all!”

Xun Zhou: “…” He really underestimated this Peacock. If he was really a “poor scholar”, he would probably laugh like crazy when meeting such a wealthy guest. But right now, he hoped that this “Peacock” would take the lady away as soon as possible!

Before he could open his mouth, the peacock threw out a tiny silver coin from his purse and shouted, “One tael of silver, and I will buy all the paintings on your stall…”

Before he could finish his words, he heard a “puff” sound from the side. The young lady, who had been silent since the beginning, couldn’t help laughing.

When the “peacock” heard the beautiful lady beside him laugh, he immediately left the “poor scholar” aside and turned to ask the lady: “Third Miss Huang, what’s wrong? Why are you laughing?”

The pretty lady at the side pursed her lips, suppressed her smile, coughed dryly, and said, “Forget it, this poor scholar’s paintings are not good and worthless, let’s put them down and look somewhere else!” As she said this, she fanned her lips and nose with her hands, glanced at the Hu people’s mutton stall opposite with thick smoke, and said, “It’s so choking!”

This young lady’s words were worth countless saints’ words. “Peacock” immediately put down his words and said, “I think so too. How can this poor scholar’s painting be worth only one tael of silver?”

While speaking, he did not forget to pick up the small piece of silver that he had just thrown out!

Xun Zhou looked at the “peacock”‘s behavior, and at the same time, he breathed a sigh of relief: How stingy!

Just when he was feeling lucky to have avoided the acquaintance, he heard the young lady who had not left yet say: “Yes! How can one tael of silver buy this painting?”

Xun Zhou, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, was immediately shocked when he heard the words. He looked up instinctively, and when he looked up, he met the eyes of the pretty lady who was pursing her lips and trying not to smile.

However, the glance only lasted for a moment before she immediately retracted it. The young lady turned around and never looked at Xun Zhou again, pretending not to know him.

Xun Zhou was shocked by this sentence, but it obviously had a different meaning to the “peacock”‘s ears.

“Third Miss Huang is right. How can this poor scholar’s painting be worth only one or two taels of silver?” Peacock said, “Let’s go!”

The pretty Third Miss Huang didn’t say anything else, just hummed and followed the “Peacock” away!

Xun Zhou, who had escaped a disaster, breathed a sigh of relief. He looked up and saw the direction where the two people left, but he couldn’t help but curl his lips: This Third Miss Huang had a bad reputation. Although she didn’t seem to have any good points at first, it seemed that there was at least one good thing about her now!

That meant she had a good eye! How could his paintings be bought for just one or two taels of silver?

..…

Although Lin Fei, who saw the whole scene, was not present, he knew most of the conversation by looking at the lip movements of the people.

After putting away the telescope, Lin Fei said to Liu Yuan who came over: “Master Wen, Brother Xun’s paintings are not considered famous in the market, but in terms of painting skills, he can be regarded as a first-class painter. One tael of silver really can’t buy one of his paintings!”

Liu Yuan didn’t know much about painting, so he responded, but his attention was on the pretty young lady who left with the young master of the Yang family: “Lin Shaoqing, which family is that young lady from?”

Also, the way Young Master Xun just hung his head, Liu Yuanqi, who was also familiar with Xun Zhou, said: “Why did Young Master Xun’s reaction seem… as if he knew her?”

Mr. Xun always follows Yu Jijiu, Wang He and the others. He saw famous people everywhere. He often came to see Master Wen, which made them feel that Wang He was very lenient. Now, it seemed that he could even go to meet the ladies in the capital, which showed that the homework was too little!

“I was very busy when I was studying. How could I have so much free time?” Liu Yuan sighed, “The imperial examination is like thousands of people walking on a single-plank bridge. It is not easy. The homework assigned by the teacher was piled up like a mountain!”

After hearing this sigh, Lin Fei shook his head and said, “You are blaming him wrongly. This lady is not someone he met on his own!”

Oh? If not this way, how else could they know each other? Liu Yuan was puzzled.

Lin Fei glanced at him and said, “That lady’s surname is Huang. She is the third child in the family. Her father has sought a position as a minister in the court!”

Huang… Huang Shizhong? Liu Yuan was shocked. When he realized what was happening, he couldn’t help but take a deep breath: “No wonder the mother and son of the Yang family are so sure that the father-in-law will accept him!”

(End of this chapter)

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