Chapter 52 Entering the Taishi Mansion for the First Time
Being shouted down by the guards of the Grand Master's Mansion, Shen Lie was startled. He quickly cheered up, clasped his fists, and whispered: "Please let me know, brother, I'll look for you..."
Before he finished speaking, the guard glared and shouted: "Back off!"
Shen Lie still wanted to argue, but the guard had already put his hand on the handle of the knife rudely. His face changed slightly in fright, and he hurried away.
Under the scorching gaze of the guards, Shen Lie walked back to the opposite street dejectedly. He looked at the tall lintel of the Taishi Mansion and complained in his heart.
Forget about borrowing money from Zhang Jingxiu now, looking at the situation, if no one recommends him, he won't even be able to get in the door of the Grand Master's Mansion!
Right.
Can ordinary people enter the Taishi Mansion casually?
He originally wanted to ask the guards to pass the message, but he was shouted back before he could finish his words.
Shen Lie had no choice but to stand at the entrance of the alley, mingling with a group of porters, craning his neck and waiting, muttering to himself.
"I hope I can meet someone I know."
So one hour passed, two hours passed...
Shen Lie stood under the bright sun and waited hard all afternoon. He waited until evening and did not see any acquaintances, so he looked at the setting sun with some helplessness.
It's getting dark.
Shen Lie patted his sore calf with a wry smile on his face. It seemed that there was no chance for him today and he could only wait until tomorrow.
As he spoke, Shen Lie turned around to leave, but at this moment, in his sight, a familiar figure walked out of the side door of the Taishi Mansion.
It's Zhang Kui.
Shen Lie felt relieved and hurried over, waved to Zhang Kui and called softly: "Guard Zhang, Guard Zhang!"
Hearing this, Zhang Kui looked over and couldn't help but be slightly surprised. He also hurriedly stepped forward to greet Shen Lie and met face to face.
"Ouch."
Shen Lie looked at Zhang Kui's familiar big black face and almost burst into tears. As if he was seeing a relative, he grabbed his arm.
"I've been waiting for you!"
Dear!
Zhang Kui was grabbed by his arm and said with a surprised look on his face: "This is Shopkeeper Shen?"
Shen Lie smiled bitterly and said, "I won't mention it anymore. I'd like to trouble Guard Zhang to send a message and say... Shen has something to ask for and wants to see Brother Zhang Jingxiu."
Zhang Kui responded hurriedly: "Okay, okay, just wait a moment, I will go and pass the message."
Considering the relationship between Brother Shen and his young lady, it would not be too much to send a message.
Seeing Zhang Kui return to Zhang Mansion through the side door, Shen Lie breathed a sigh of relief. Looking at the mansion with tall lintels, he couldn't help but smile bitterly.
"It's too difficult, it's too difficult..."
Not long after.
Zhang Kui then walked out of the mansion with a round-faced maid.
Shen Lie glanced over and saw that this maid was very well-dressed and well-dressed. She had a pink and round face. He could tell at a glance that she was the maid who went to bed.
From this maid, Shen Lie immediately thought of Qingwen in Dream of Red Mansions... But her life was much better than Qingwen's. She was serving a young lady who went to bed.
And Zhang Jingxiu is not the kind of tricky master who loves to act like a monster.
During the conversation.
I saw Zhang Kui leading his maid towards the guard guarding the door, handing him a note, and then waved to Shen Lie and said with a chuckle: "Come here."
Shen Lie quickly agreed: "Hey!"
Keep your head down.
Shen Lie followed Zhang Kui and the maid from the upper room and walked into the Taishi Mansion from the side door, bypassed the huge white jade screen wall, passed through the front yard and corridor, and then walked towards the inner house.
Along the way, he met adults wearing official robes or generals in a hurry, which made Shen Lie feel uneasy.
This is not a play, this is the real Ming Taishi Mansion. This mansion is the center of the entire Ming Dynasty and the seat of power!
With his head lowered, Shen Lie walked in the majestic mansion and passed by adults wearing various official uniforms. Shen Lie's palms kept sweating.
Fortunately, Zhang Kui kept whispering from the side: "Don't look around, don't talk..."
Shen Lie nodded.
clear!
So the three of them walked through the gorgeous mansion. Shen Lie only dared to look around with the corner of his eyes, admiring in his heart from time to time.
This Grand Master's Mansion is really big. It looks like a four-entry house, but it is much larger than an ordinary four-entry house. Walking along the way, passing in front of small courtyards, it feels like entering a house with four entrances. The maze.
Finally, the three of them passed through several corridors and aisles before entering a deep and quiet courtyard deep inside the inner house.
Zhang Kui and the round-faced maid led Shen Lie into a small living room, and then said with a smile: "Shopkeeper Shen, wait a moment, my lady will be here in a moment."
Shen Lie hurriedly responded: "Hey."
Looking at the classical decoration in this small living room, the famous calligraphy and paintings hanging on the walls, and the piles of books on the bookshelves and in the corners, Shen Lie couldn't help but smile bitterly in his heart.
It's really hard to see her.
After a while, when he heard soft footsteps outside, Shen Lie hurriedly straightened his clothes and went forward, feeling a big stone fall in his heart.
Finally saw it...
Not far away, outside the semicircular arch, I saw a beautiful man dressed in Confucian attire, walking leisurely.
As soon as he saw Shen Lie, Zhang Jingxiu's bright and beautiful face showed a look that was half-smile but not a smile.
"Yo."
Zhang Jingxiu stopped in the courtyard, slapped the folding fan on his arm, and said jokingly: "Isn't this the shopkeeper Shen? Brother Shen is here, and the humble house is really full of glory."
There was a hint of ridicule in his words.
Shen Lie had known that he would be ridiculed by her, and had already made plans to please her, so he cupped his fists and saluted to the ground, with a smile on his honest face.
The old man's face turned slightly red, and Shen Lie quickly apologized and said with a smile: "I don't dare, I don't dare. If Brother Jingxiu's here is a humble house, then isn't the place Shen lives in a doghouse?"
In order to borrow three hundred taels.
It's not shabby to be humble.
Zhang Jingxiu looked at his innocent look and couldn't help but smile again and again. His bright and pretty face was full of pride at the moment, and he was in high spirits.
He sneered a few more times.
Zhang Jingxiu gave up in frustration, showed off her ladylike demeanor, and said with a chuckle: "Brother Shen, please sit down, someone will... serve tea."
Shen Lie bowed humbly, took a few steps back, and sat down on the Taishi chair made of small-leaf sandalwood. He looked at his nose with his eyes and his heart with his nose, acting like a gentleman.
The afterglow of the setting sun shone in and shone on Shen Lie's shining forehead, as if two big characters were engraved on it.
Clever!
Wait until Zhang Jingxiu sat down on the other side.
The maid served tea.
Zhang Kui watched secretly from the side and quickly smoothed things over. He chuckled and said: "Shopkeeper Shen, your poem is very popular. The second and fourth young masters have read it in the past few days, and several young masters have said that your poem is very popular." The poem is of great courage and broad-mindedness, and among the great poets of the world... it is undoubtedly one of the top three masterpieces."
Shen Lie quickly pretended to be flattered, bowed his body, and said hurriedly: "Ashamed, ashamed."
The two of them were putting on a show.
Zhang Jingxiu watched from the side, pursed his lips and smiled, then opened the ivory fracture in his hand and fanned the wind for himself.
Only then did the atmosphere gradually become harmonious.
In silence.
Zhang Jingxiu looked at Shen Lie who was like a dull bird, smiled slightly, and said softly: "Brother Shen is here. I must go to the Three Treasures Hall for nothing."
Shen Lie was stunned and quickly denied: "Where, where."
She is indeed a considerate and intelligent woman.
This was seen through.
Wiping the sweat from his forehead again, Shen Liecai chuckled and said, "Brother, I have nothing to do and I have composed a new poem. I am here to enjoy it with my fellow Jingxiu brothers."
