East Chef.
Oil smoke is lingering, Wang Shouren lights the fire, and Li Qing holds the spoon.
Zhu Wanqing wanted to help, but Li Qing kicked her out and asked her to just wait and eat.
"Sir, what do you want to say to me?"
"Xiaoyun, will you definitely pass the exam next time?" Li Qing asked.
"I don't say 100%, but I'm sure of it." Wang Shouren nodded, "Don't worry, sir, Shouren is true to his word and will not break his promise."
"I know..." Li Qing pondered for a moment and said, "In that case, why not skip the exam and directly enter the official career?"
Wang Shouren was stunned for a moment, then shook his head: "Sir, I believe you can do it, but I don't want to."
Li Qing was not surprised. Anyone with a heart would not take this path.
"You are a civil servant and have the qualifications to be an official." Li Qing persuaded, "There is nothing wrong with entering the official career early."
"In the officialdom of the Ming Dynasty, only Jinshi can truly integrate into the circle. Juren... is not enough!" Wang Shouren sighed, "I am not worldly, it is... the world is like this, you can't escape the world!"
Li Qing sighed: "Xiaoyun, I know it's unfair for me to do this to you, but I can't afford to waste time!"
"I don't understand." Wang Shouren frowned and said, "I'm not sure about the future, but at least for a long period of time, there will be no major turmoil in the Ming Dynasty. The next imperial examination will be in the twelfth year of Hongzhi, and it will only take three years to complete the calculation. Don’t you have any time at this point?”
"It's not the political situation." Li Qing shook his head, "I'm worried about the prince."
Wang Shouren was even more confused: "The prince is still young, so why worry?"
"It is precisely because you are young that you need to pay more attention to education!" Li Qing was worried.
Wang Shouren said in surprise: "You don't want me to be the prince's teacher, do you?"
"That's true, are you willing?" Li Qing was full of expectations.
"This is not a matter of willingness, this is an impossibility." Wang Shouren was speechless, "How many talented people were there in the Ming Dynasty? Not to mention the Imperial Academy, the Hanlin Academy and other places where talents are reserved, it is the officialdom... Take my father as an example Well, he is a serious number one scholar. He can’t even become the prince’s teacher. You asked me to..."
Wang Shouren smiled bitterly: "Aren't you kidding?"
"Irrespective of whether it is possible or not, I just ask you if you are willing?" Li Qing said solemnly, "As long as you nod your head, leave the rest to me."
Wang Shouren said without hesitation, "I don't want to."
"Think again."
The oil smoke rose, and Li Qing's face changed.
"Good fellow, Daqing is Hongmen Banquet!" Wang Shouren was angry, "Sir, let's discuss this principle..."
"I've always been unreasonable."
Li Qing interrupted Wang Shouren's magical power in time.
Haha, who can tell you this?
"That's too much!" Wang Shouren said angrily, "How can one be unreasonable?"
"What a coincidence, I am."
"I won't eat it!" Wang Shouren stood up and left, saying bitterly, "The mutton is what I gave you. It's really... I didn't read the almanac when I went out today."
"Don't mention it," Li Qing stood in front of the door and said with a sneer, "Businesses are not done in a righteous way, so let's not talk about it anymore. Let's have some drinks later."
"Haha, you are trying to get me drunk and set up a trap with me, right?" Wang Shouren saw through it at a glance.
Li Qing: "..."
This guy was very difficult to fool, so he had no idea what to do, so he just resorted to conspiracy.
"Pair mutton with wine, the more you drink, the better." Li Qing said with a smile, "Don't you want to taste this mutton fried with green onions?"
Wang Shouren swallowed his saliva and said angrily: "You can eat meat and drink wine, but I don't guarantee that I will agree."
He brought the meat and cooked the fire. If he left without taking a bite, he would be in serious trouble. At worst, he would be beaten. He would definitely eat mutton fried with green onions.
Li Qing smiled and said, "Let's continue lighting the fire."
…
Lamb stir-fried with green onion, lamb with cumin, and a pot of lamb soup. Li Qing didn't hold back at all. He used half of the lamb leg, and the portion was super generous.
Li Qing opened the wine seal and said with a smile:
"If you have nothing to do today, you can have two more drinks."
Zhu Wanqing hurriedly took the wine jar and said, "How can I ask Uncle Li to pour the wine..."
She poured wine for Uncle Li and Wang Shouren, paused, and poured a small bowl full for herself.
The wine in the north is much stronger than that in the south of the Yangtze River, the land of water and rice. After a bowl of wine, Zhu Wanqing's face turned red and her eyes were red, and she said with a smile:
"This wine is really strong."
Li Qing stared at her and said nothing.
Wang Shouren, on the other hand, said: "Mrs. Li has a good drinking capacity, but you can't compare with Mr. Li. It's better to drink slowly, otherwise you will get drunk long ago."
"This little wine can't make me drunk." Zhu Wanqing refused.
Wang Shouren sighed softly: "Don't you hear that drinking wine to relieve your sorrow makes your sorrow worse?
The Buddha said: All conditioned dharmas are like bubbles in a dream, like dew, or like lightning, and should be viewed as such. "
Zhu Wanqing was startled, and then her pupils were shocked.
He actually knows!
This boy... is so intelligent that he is almost a demon.
Her eyes narrowed, and for the first time, she felt fear of someone other than Uncle Li.
Wang Shouren smiled and said: "My husband and I are close friends. Madam, there is no need to worry. Parting is inevitable. No matter whether you are brooding or letting go, you cannot change the outcome. In this case, why not let go?"
Zhu Wanqing chuckled: "Your Excellency, you are also involved in Zen Buddhism?"
Then, she laughed again, "I forgot about the unpleasant things that happened between you and the monk."
Wang Shouren: "..."
Li Qing tried to smooth things over and said, "Xiaoyun is right. All things in the world are probably unchangeable. However, you can control your own mentality and be more open-minded about everything."
Zhu Wanqing nodded, and looked deeply at Wang Shouren, with vicious thoughts coming up.
Li Qing noticed the change in her mood and said: "Eat your food and don't think about useless things."
Zhu Wanqing paused for a moment, then remembered Uncle Li's evaluation of Wang Shouren, and slowly put away her thoughts.
Isn't it? You uncles and nephews are really good at it. One forced me, and the other even wanted to get rid of me. I gave in! It’s really the Hongmen Banquet... Wang Shouren was annoyed: It’s okay not to eat this meal!
"Sir, I suddenly remembered something else, so I'm sorry."
Wang Shouren felt that he could not stay any longer. This Mrs. Li was really cruel. If she didn't leave, I would never come back.
He knew Zhu Wanqing's identity, and even more so, he knew that Mrs. Li was really capable of tricking him.
I can't afford it, I really can't afford it.
"Xiaoyun, you don't even believe me?"
"...You're playing the emotional card again!" Wang Shouren was speechless, "Sir, let me tell you straight, I don't want to."
At this moment, Zhu Wanqing also realized that she had just lost her composure, and she made up for it: "Well, Xiaoyun..."
"No, I'm friends with your Uncle Li. It's not appropriate for you to call me Xiaoyun." Wang Shouren interrupted her, "Let's call you Your Excellency."
"...I was just wrong, how about a penalty drink?" Zhu Wanqing poured herself a full bowl and drank it all in one gulp.
Then, as if he had turned a page, he was no longer embarrassed at all and said, "Xiaoyun, what did Uncle Li say to you?"
He is really an uncle and nephew, and his face is unusually thick...Wang Shouren slandered.
He knew that Li Qing was doing it for the sake of his family and country, but he really didn't like Zhu Wanqing's behavior at all.
Fortunately, he still wanted to help her untie her knot.
If he hadn't accepted Li Hong's love and Li Qing's relationship, he would have definitely turned around and left.
"My husband wants me to enter the official career as a scholar and be the prince's teacher."
Zhu Wanqing was stunned, turned around and said, "Uncle Li, are you serious?"
"Yeah, no joke at all."
Zhu Wanqing nodded slowly and said thoughtfully: "This is indeed unfair to Xiaoyun. Although Uncle Li has your own difficulties, you cannot impose it on others."
Wang Shouren was surprised and teased: "Mrs. Li said that, aren't you afraid that Uncle Li will beat you up afterwards?"
"Haha..." Zhu Wanqing smiled proudly, "You two are too insistent, why don't you take a step back and the world will be brighter?"
"He retreats!"
The two said in unison.
Zhu Wanqing said with a smile: "What if we each take a step back and achieve our respective goals?"
"How to say?"
"Just be the prince's companion!" Zhu Wanqing said, "Make it clear to the emperor in advance that it will not delay Xiaoyun's imperial examination, but it can also guide the prince. Isn't it the best of both worlds?"
Zhu Wanqing said: "Uncle Li, this matter is just a matter of one sentence."
After a pause, "Xiaoyun's father is the number one scholar, I am a hero and my son is a good man. The son of the number one scholar is the prince's companion. The scene makes perfect sense, doesn't it?"
Li Qing pondered for a moment and asked: "Xiaoyun, is this okay?"
Wang Shouren thought for a while, nodded and said: "It's the same no matter where you study, it's just a matter of worrying more, so that's okay."
"So, you agreed?" Li Qing was surprised.
He was always a little worried about Zhu Houzhao, but he really didn't know what to do. If Xiaoyun was watching, he would feel relieved.
"Ang, agreed." Wang Shouren said dissatisfied, "Now, can we eat meat and drink normally?"
"Look what you said, you just don't agree, how can I not let you eat it?" Li Qing said with a smile, "Come on, do it!"
…
After having wine and food, Li Qing saw Wang Shouren out.
"Xiaoyun, I'm sorry about what happened today."
"Huh? They're all friends. It's okay. I don't take it seriously." Wang Shouren waved his hands indifferently, "Back then at the Yongqing Marquis Mansion, Mrs. Li entertained me warmly. General Li also didn't hide his secrets in military affairs. Back then, I learned a lot from him.”
After a pause, "I was a little angry just now, but if you think about it carefully, you can understand it. After all... I know too much. From her perspective, I am just a cannonball that may explode at any time."
"Anyway, I'm still sorry." Li Qing sighed, "She has her reasons, but if she's wrong, she's wrong."
"Okay, if we are so angry, are we not friends?" Wang Shouren joked, and then said with a smile: "I'll come back tomorrow."
Li Qing said with a smile: "Then I'll catch an early meeting."
~
"Uncle Li, I'm sorry. It's my niece who has gone too far. You can beat her without mercy." Zhu Wanqing said weakly, standing at attention to be beaten.
Li Qing: "..."
In the end, he just slapped her on the head with a wry smile and sighed: "It won't happen again."
"Yes." Zhu Wanqing slowly lowered her heart.
"Hand out."
"Want a slap in the face?"
"Why are you hitting the palm? Aren't your hands burned?"
"Uncle Li..."
