Mrs. Zhou accepted the gift and pulled Zhuang Keqing into the house affectionately.
After they were seated, they asked their son to bring some tea, and then they sat down to talk together.
"Eighty percent of the people living in Tianshui Lane here are engaged in business. Don't underestimate this place. This is the busiest place in the entire north of the state capital."
Mrs. Zhou paused and saw Zhuang Keqing smiling, taking a sip of tea slowly and leisurely, and secretly praised her in her heart.
She is indeed a scholar, but she is different from merchants like them.
"I haven't asked my sister-in-law about the title yet."
After putting down the tea cup, Zhuang Keqing asked with a smile.
She was able to enter this house today because she wanted to inquire about the surrounding neighbors, so as to avoid unnecessary trouble in the future.
"Oh, look at my memory."
Mrs. Zhou looked embarrassed and said, "I just saw your kind face and liked you, so I wanted to get close to you. I was so anxious that I even forgot about it."
"My husband's surname is Zhang, and my surname is Zhou. Judging from my age, I'm much older than you. If you don't mind, just call me Mrs. Zhang."
"Hello, Mrs. Zhang."
Speaking of this, Zhuang Keqing also gave a brief introduction, but did not say that Shen Ling was the son-in-law.
"My surname is Zhuang, my husband's surname is Shen, and I currently live with my mother and younger brother."
"It turns out that the most talented person in your family is Mr. Shen."
With a smile on her face, Mrs. Zhou asked again.
"You are studying at home now? Will it have any impact if Tianshui Lane is so noisy?"
"It doesn't matter, my husband is studying in the state school, and he has to go to school during the day."
Hearing that not only was the husband of this family a scholar, but he was also studying at a state school, Mr. Zhou became even more enthusiastic.
"I originally studied in a government school. If I get admitted to the imperial examination in the future, our Tianshui Lane will be no worse than Anping Lane."
She rambled on and on, praising Shen Ling for his talent and his promising future. Zhuang Keqing just drank tea and listened, occasionally nodding and smiling.
"Sister-in-law Zhang, our family has moved to Tianshui Lane. We are new here, but is there anything we need to pay attention to? I'm worried that there may be some inconsiderate things on weekdays that will trouble the neighbors."
After hearing this, Mrs. Zhou once again lamented that scholars know etiquette, and then changed the topic and talked about the families living in the alley.
Her husband-in-law's family has been making sauce since her grandfather's generation, and they have been doing business in Tianshui Lane for decades now. Although she married from outside, she has lived here for more than ten years. Which family is easy to get along with and which family is difficult to get along with?
I know very clearly what scandal has happened.
"Most of the twenty or so households in Tianshui Lane are in the food business. For example, the Jiang family next door specializes in making steamed buns and runs a steamed bun shop. Look at Old Liu at the end of the alley. His mutton soup cake is the best.
Absolutely."
"But doing business is not as good as studying. Don't worry, girl. Your husband-in-law is already a scholar, so you guys don't dare to wait any longer. These worries are unnecessary."
Zhuang Keqing walked around and found out nothing, but he was not disappointed at all.
It's true. I've only met you twice. Who can really talk to you from the bottom of my heart and tell you everything?
This is also normal.
After leaving Sister-in-law Zhou's house, leaving only the house opposite, Zhuang Keqing picked up the basket and knocked on the door. After a while, the door opened from the inside.
It was the beautiful woman I met by chance the day before yesterday.
When the other party saw Zhuang Keqing, she was slightly startled. After understanding her purpose, she smiled slightly, stepped back, and Wen Yan invited her in.
"It's getting late, so I won't disturb your family today. Please be sure to accept this little greeting gift, so you can walk around more in the neighborhood from now on."
Zhuang Keqing took out a wrapped item from the basket and handed it over. The woman did not refuse, took it with both hands, nodded and thanked her. Her actions were polite, modest, and not overly enthusiastic or indifferent.
It's different from any store I've visited before.
This made her feel fond of this woman, so much so that when she saw a pair of pointed little feet exposed at the hem of her skirt, she felt a rare pity.
Little feet? Is there such a thing as this in the Great Sheng Dynasty?
Although he was surprised in his heart, Zhuang Keqing showed no clue on his face, so he said goodbye kindly and turned back to his yard.
During dinner, Qin Manzhi felt fresh when he mentioned this matter.
"There are still people who have their good feet bound and broken. How can they still go to work in the fields?"
"Mom, isn't there anyone who binds feet in our village?"
"How could that happen? If we can't do anything, how can we talk about the marriage?"
Qin Manzhi shook his head as he spoke, obviously unable to understand why some people would be so careless about their own bodies.
"Foot-binding is a legacy of the previous dynasty. It was banned during the great dynasty, but it has been revived in recent years."
Shen Ling said lightly.
What he didn't say was that most of the people who had the ability to bind their feet were young ladies from official families. In the past, his adoptive mother Zhou was openly and secretly laughed at by the ladies around her because of her big feet. She took it out on herself when she came back, otherwise he wouldn't know.
so clear.
"But how come the female relatives of an official family live in Tianshui Lane?"
Even Qin Manzhi felt something was wrong.
"Ke'er, it's better to have less contact with each other in the future, so as not to cause any trouble."
Zhuang Keqing also thought this was strange, and her mother was worried for good reason, so she nodded in agreement.
At this time, the woman opposite also heated up the steamed buns she sent, put them on a plate, brought the same plate of stir-fried vegetables into the room, and invited her men to eat.
"Who just came?"
The man was tall and strong, with sharp eyebrows and sharp eyes. He sat down at the dining table, reached for a bun, broke it in half, and gave the larger half to the woman.
"The Jiang family's craftsmanship is getting better and better. The buns smell better today than before."
"It's not Jiang's steamed stuffed buns."
The woman chuckled lightly, her eyes slightly bent, and her soft gaze fell on the man who was eating the buns.
"A new family has arrived across from our house, and the young lady from that family came to deliver the meeting gift in person."
"Then it seems like this family is nice. You can go and walk around more often, so as not to be bored at home every day."
The man finished the buns in two mouthfuls, and put some vegetables to eat, and then said, "Would you like me to come with you for a visit tomorrow? Let's go buy some fashionable snacks near Anping Lane. It will look more respectable."
"Sanlang, no need. I'll just make something and send it to you tomorrow. Don't worry about it."
The woman smiled, got up and gave the man a bowl of rice, and then began to eat her own.
On the second day, Shen Ling woke up at about the same time. As soon as he got up, Zhuang Keqing also woke up, rubbing his eyes and getting up.
"It's still early, you can sleep a little longer."
"I'm not going to sleep anymore. I'm going to heat up breakfast for you first."
With that said, Zhuang Keqing got dressed and got out of bed, and went to the yard to have a busy meal. After Shen Ling washed up, she also brought breakfast over.
An egg, the leftover steamed buns from yesterday, I chose two meat ones, and a bowl of vegetable porridge.
There are meat and vegetables, dry and thin.
"Aling, eat quickly. Eat and leave early. We have to take roll call when we get to the official school."
As he spoke, Zhuang Keqing walked behind Shen Ling and used his feet to help him tie the straps of the scarf on the back. After tying it, he went around to the front and looked back and forth from top to bottom, and finally came to a conclusion.
Her Arling is so handsome!
Shen Ling didn't know what his little lady was thinking, but she felt warm and comfortable in her heart.
After breakfast, he picked up his schoolbag and went out. Zhuang Keqing walked all the way to the alley and waited until the others were gone before turning back.
It was bright at this time.
It was almost a quarter to two when Shen Ling went out. He was already tall, with broad shoulders and long legs, and he walked quickly. It only took him less than two-quarters of an hour to reach the gate of Zhouxue.
At this time, some day students have been arriving at the gate of Zhouxue. Under the stone sign at the door, there is a master checking their appearance. The students will hand the sign to the master and they will be released after inspection. If they are disheveled or have stains on their clothes, Anyone who is dirty will be severely criticized and punished for copying.
Shen Ling followed a scholar, handed over his sign, bowed respectfully and said "Good morning, Master."
The master took the wooden sign and saw the name on it. His eyes stayed on him for a while. It was only when the students around him thought someone was going to be unlucky again that he said, "Come in."
Shen Ling then collected the wooden sign and entered the gate.
After this delay, I didn't go very far when I heard three "ding-dang-dang-dang" sounds, which was the sound of a copper bell being rung.
As soon as the bell rang, the students who were walking slowly around them suddenly accelerated their pace, and some even started to run. When the passing teacher saw them, they shouted and scolded them, scratching their heads and ears anxiously.
Shen Ling took his time and walked along the trail. He didn't stop until he saw the class name Xuan Jia on the door sign and walked in.