After dinner, Zhou Jun lay on the folding bed in the courtyard, enjoying the cool breeze with his eyes closed.
The voice of Hua Yue came to my ears: "The oil mill over the Bahe River has squeezed bean oil these days, and the kitchen no longer has to go to the pharmacy to buy oil for cooking."
Zhou Jun hummed softly.
Hua Yue said again: "When Pang Gong saw the Shu oil, he also praised the Fan family's craftsmanship, and even asked people to take them to get the deed."
"After settling in the jurisdiction, Aunt Gongsun said yesterday that she planned to go to the Qu family to propose marriage to the eldest son of the Fan family."
Zhou Jun hummed again.
Huayue looked at Zhou Jun and asked, "Erlang looks a little thinner, but how are you doing these days?"
Zhou Jun opened his eyes and sighed: "In the past few days, I have been running around non-stop. Sometimes I can't even take care of a full meal."
Huayue peeled off a piece of Jade Dew Cake, put it in Zhou Jun's hand, and said, "I don't understand why I have to work as a subordinate and be so busy every day when I can't live a good life."
Zhou Jun put the pastry in his hand into his mouth, swallowed it and said, "If you endure hardship now, you will be more stable when things happen in the future."
Hua Yue took a deep look at Zhou Jun: "Does Erlang know something?"
Zhou Jun paused, laughed again, and said, "Just be prepared."
Hua Yue: "In the Tang Dynasty, there are so many peaceful days right now. How can there be so many worries?"
When Zhou Jun heard this, he was stunned and just whispered: "Peaceful days..."
Seeing Zhou Jun's expression, Hua Yue lowered her head and thought for a moment, then took the initiative to change the topic: "Erlang, listen, there are gongs and drums sounding by the Waiyuan Lake, the theater troupe is about to start a performance."
Zhou Jun calmed down his mind, smiled and said to Hua Yue: "I've been running around for a long time today and I'm exhausted. You can go and see it. It's okay."
Hua Yue thought for a while, shook her head and said, "The theater troupe performs those performances every day, so I still won't go."
Zhou Jun sat up and said to Hua Yue: "I do have a script. Although it has not been revised yet, the story is probably there."
Huayue became interested and asked: "What script?"
Zhou Jun: "The original name of the play is "The Romance of the West Chamber". Listen carefully. It is said that in the previous dynasty, there was a scholar..."
Early the next morning, Hua Yue yawned and followed Zhou Jun to the courtyard of the outer garden.
I was fascinated by The West Chamber last night. Hua Yue was still not satisfied after listening to the script, and was pestering Zhou Jun to hear more stories.
Zhou Jun had no choice but to tell the story of "The Legend of White Snake" in summary.
This was said late into the night.
After listening to the story, Hua Yue went to bed and was still very excited. She closed her eyes and her mind was filled with the characters in the play. She tossed and turned on the bed, thinking about it.
As a result, she stayed awake all night and waited until dawn.
Aunt Gongsun was waiting in the courtyard and was shocked when she saw Hua Yue walking over with two dark circles under her eyes.
Looking at Hua Yue and then at Zhou Jun, Aunt Gongsun shook her head. Judging from her expression, she seemed to want to admonish something.
Zhou Jun was quite helpless when he saw it, but he didn't explain it and just said hello to Aunt Gongsun.
First, Huayue was asked to stab the horse, and Gongsun helped Zhou Jun hang up the sandbags, and then watched him punch and kick all the way.
Aunt Gongsun shook her head while looking at it and said: "Erlang went to Chang'an on an errand, but the practice of martial arts was wasted."
Zhou Jun felt extremely ashamed when he heard this.
Ever since I became the secretary of Du Guanshi, I have been busy attending to affairs every day, and I really have no time to practice.
Aunt Gongsun pondered for a moment and said: "I know that Erlang is very busy, so I'm afraid I have no time to take care of boxing and kick training."
"It's not like this. There is a simpler set of exercises. Although it is not a superior skill, it can still strengthen the body."
Zhou Jun bowed to Aunt Gongsun, saying she was just asking for advice.
Aunt Gongsun explained the routines of the exercises and some precautions for practicing.
Zhou Jun listened once and recited it again. After confirming that it was correct, he bowed and thanked him.
Seeing Hua Yue still riding in the courtyard, Zhou Jun asked Madam Gongsun, "Has she made any progress after studying for a long time?"
Aunt Gongsun glanced at Zhou Jun and spoke without mercy: "In terms of talent and hard work, Painting the Moon is far better than Erlang."
Zhou Jun was stunned.
Aunt Gongsun: "When Hua Yue was young, he must have been trained by a famous teacher. Both his bones and hands and eyes are excellent. He is a good material for martial arts training."
"In addition, she is already smart and thoughtful. She only needs a few hints of the secrets of the exercises, and she can understand them by analogy and make rapid progress."
"I have the intention to accept her as a close disciple. I will first build her foundation and then teach her sword skills. I wonder what Erlang wants?"
Zhou Jun heard this and said happily: "I have no objection. It is also a blessing for Hua Yue to be able to learn swordsmanship from my aunt."
Aunt Gongsun nodded and said with a smile: "Okay, since Erlang agrees, I will officially teach you the Moon Painting Sword Technique starting tomorrow."
After the training, Zhou Jun took the exhausted Hua Yue, had lunch first, and then returned to the wing.
Huayue fell down on the bed in the small room and said to Zhou Jun: "I can't hold it anymore, let me sleep for a while."
Zhou Jun looked at the sky outside the window and said to Hua Yue, "I'm going back to Chang'an."
Hearing this, Huayue opened her eyes wide, struggled to sit up, and asked, "Are you going back so soon?"
Zhou Jun: "The sun sets and the official road is difficult to travel. If you go back earlier, you don't have to rush."
Huayue bit her lip and nodded.
Zhou Jun: "I'll live peacefully in the other garden. If anything happens, I'll write to Erlang of the Qu family and bring it to me."
Huayue nodded again.
Zhou Jun smiled and said: "I will go back to Bachuan during my next ten-day break."
"At that time, the script of 'The West Chamber' will probably have been written, so I'll make a copy and bring it to you."
When Huayue heard this, she struggled to get up from the bed and said, "I'll take you to the door."
Zhou Jun shook his head and said, "I want to say goodbye to Mr. Pang first. You can rest in the room."
Before Hua Yue could say anything else, Zhou Jun closed the door and then went to Pang Gong's place to talk for a while.
Finally, he packed his luggage, went to the gatehouse of Bieyuan, picked up his horse, and headed towards Chang'an.
When Zhou Jun returned home, it was already the last moment.
Zhou Dinghai and Luo Sanniang went to a hometown friend's house but have not returned yet.
Zhou Ze was sitting on the crescent moon stool in the hall, looking at the sky outside the door with a grimace on his face.
Zhou Jun looked at his eldest brother and asked, "Didn't my brother go to the poetry club today?"
Zhou Ze nodded and said, "Here we go."
Zhou Jun looked at Zhou Ze's face and asked, "Then Nie Hongluan is taking the exam for you again?"
Zhou Ze shook his head and said: "There is an examination school, but it is not Nie Jurchen."
Zhou Jun was puzzled: "Who is that?"
Zhou Ze turned around and sighed deeply: "It's Mother Yujun."
Zhou Jun was taken aback and asked unconsciously: "Why did Yu Junniang test you in the school?"
Zhou Ze covered his forehead with his hands and said, "Mother Yu Jun first asked about Qiu Wei, and then she tested my homework."
Looking at Zhou Ze's dejected look, Zhou Jun said, "Brother, you didn't answer?"
Zhou Ze said helplessly: "Half of them...didn't get the answer."
After a pause, Zhou Ze said again: "This is not the end, Mother Yu Jun also said that autumn is coming, if you want fame and fame, you should concentrate on books, how can you come to this poetry club to waste your time?"
"Heng Cai, please tell me, Mother Yu Jun never asked me about my homework in the past. Why did she suddenly say these things to me this market day?"
Zhou Jun sighed in his heart when he heard this.
This lady Yujun also has good intentions.
After she knew her brother's purpose of joining the poetry club, she tried to persuade Zhou Ze that scholars should put their studies first.
Zhou Jun thought of this and asked Zhou Ze: "Brother, tell me the truth, do you have any plans to marry Yu Junniang?"
Zhou Ze said seriously: "Of course, I won't marry anyone but her!"
Zhou Jun: "Okay, think about it. Mother Yu Jun lives in Beili Nanqu. She has met many literati and officials in the past. These people may have literary talent or official status. How can you compare with them?"
When Zhou Ze heard this, his face turned red. After a long time, he sighed: "I am not as good as them."
Zhou Jun added: "Since you know you are inferior, you should know your shame and then be brave."
"Winning the Qiu Wei Examination is the first step."
"Getting on the list for the spring exam is the second step."
"Only in this way will Madam Yujun look at you."
"Otherwise, everything is just illusion."
Zhou Ze listened to Zhou Jun's words and stayed where he was for a long time.
Finally, he stood up, bowed his hands towards Zhou Jun, and said, "Hengcai's words made my brother enlightened."
"I will never go to this poetry club again."
"I, Zhou Changzhi, will study carefully from now on. If I am named on the gold medal list in the future, I will make Madam Yu Jun look at me differently!"