Chapter 13: The First Beauty of Lacquer City

  I heard that sister is going to get married, Ren Bingyue was very excited, she grabbed her hem and asked eagerly: "Sister is going to marry which young master?"

  Ren Ruoxi drew back her sleeves and said lightly, "It depends on where Father wants to move to. If it's Yue State, then it will be the royal house of Yue State. If it's Lu State, then it will be the royal house of Lu State. And if we are to move to Chu State, hehe, naturally I will marry a man from Chu."

  Ren Bingyue was taken aback and muttered: "This... is marrying someone, not up to sister's decision?"

  Ren Ruoxi shot her a glance, and said irritably: "Nonsense! From the emperor to the princes, from the officials to the common people, which family doesn't marry off their daughters like this? Since ancient times, women's happiness has never been up to themselves. As for the sons of aristocratic families, they are born with a sense of responsibility, how many can be as lazy as you?"

  Ren Bingyue was stunned and muttered: "But our Ren family... how can we bear to part with you?"

  "So that's why I brought you out, hoping you could follow me and learn well, but who would have thought you'd be so disappointing."

  Ren Bingyue thought for a moment, then smiled foolishly and said: "If not... if Father wants to form an alliance with which family, just marry me off to them, anyway I'm useless at everything!"

  "Who?" Ren Ruo Xi laughed: "The eldest daughter is not yet married, how can the second daughter get married? Besides, you silly girl, even if you got married, what's the use?"

  Ren Bingyue puffed out her chest, her face red as she said: "If we're talking about other things, of course I'm not as good as my sister. But if we're talking about looks, I'm not that much worse than my sister, am I? And besides... and besides..." Ren Bingyue stammered: "And besides, giving birth to children, which family's daughter can't do?"

  Ren Ruo Xi let out a "heh" and couldn't help but laugh, saying: "You're still so childish. You think too simply. A woman's wealth is just a means to form an alliance, once the alliance is formed, how can you manage this relationship with just your daughter's status?"

  Ren Bingyue let out a disappointed sigh: "It seems I'm really useless, can't even do something like this. You... you want to meet Yang Hu, is he also one of Father's chosen ones? He... he's almost forty years old."

  "Of course not!" Ren Ruoxi smoothed out her sleeves and said proudly, "We are the Ren family, a noble clan from ancient times, descendants of the Yellow Emperor. Although Yang Hu's power is great, he is ultimately just a slave of the Ji family. Could the eldest daughter of the Ren family possibly marry him? Alright, these matters are not for you or me to decide. I'm telling you this only so that you'll be more alert and won't be taken advantage of by others. For these three days, control your temper and don't go wandering around everywhere. After three days, we will set out for Qi."

  Ren Ruoxi got up and headed towards the inner hall, walking to the door and turning her head to glance at Bingyue before saying: "Call your maid Qingyu over, but don't be foolish enough to say it was I who wanted her to get up."

  Ren Bingyue stuck out her tongue and made a face at her sister.

  Two maidservants attended Qingyi as she entered the bath, although they were not particularly good-looking, they were still young and tender, and their gentle touch made this fallen nobleman feel like he was floating on air. Fortunately, he had inherited all of Qingyi's memories, and their fusion had given him a completely different perspective and temperament, so he naturally understood many rules and etiquette, and his demeanor and movements also had a kind of aristocratic elegance, which did not make him appear awkward or out of place.

  After finishing the hot water bath, Qingji put on a loose-fitting shirt and pants, and sat down comfortably on the couch. This kind of pants was called "neiku" in that era, which had pant legs but no crotch, and could be considered as a type of open-crotch pants, except that it didn't expose one's lower body like children's pants did.

  Behind him, a maid knelt and combed his long hair with a horn comb. Another maid knelt in front of him, holding a copper mirror. Qing Ji lightly took the copper mirror from the maid's hand, gently feeling the copper mirror, which was an ancient bronze mirror with a pattern of intertwined small snakes on the edge, looking very exquisite. The surface of the copper mirror was smooth and bright, and the scene in the copper mirror was clearly visible.

  Qing Jin grasped the copper mirror, hesitated for a moment, and slowly lifted it up. In the mirror, two thick eyebrows appeared first, followed by a pair of bright and spirited eyes, a straight nose, clear-cut lips, and a face full of masculine energy suddenly emerged in the mirror, looking exceptionally handsome.

  He had seen his reflection in the water's edge before, but only now did he see it so clearly: "So this is what I look like, not only ten years younger, but also a little handsome guy", Qing Ji smiled intoxicatingly at himself in the mirror.

  "Hey, how's this young master looking?"

  Qing Ji smiled and asked the maid who was kneeling in front of her.

  The maid raised her face, looked at him carefully again, and smiled with a pursed mouth. She bowed her head and replied: "When Madame Cheng Bi was entertaining guests at another mansion, many of the young scholars and sons she invited were handsome, but none compared to you in terms of elegance and appearance. In my humble opinion, sir, your refined and elegant demeanor is like the beauty of a city, and among all the people I've seen, only you can be called the number one beauty."

  Qing Jin knew that the term "meiren" was a unisex description, but he still found it amusing. He chuckled and stood up, saying: "Come, help this young master get dressed."

  "Yes," the two maidservants smiled lightly and stood up together. Qing Jin was an easy-going person, so when they had waited on him to take his bath just now, these two little maidservants already knew it, therefore they were very relaxed in front of him.

  Two maidservants lifted a white hemp garment with crossed collars and right fastening, Qing Ji stretched out his arms, letting them put the robe on him, folding the collar corners, tying the silk belt, hanging the jade pendant, and smoothing the hem. The maid behind him whispered: "Young master, you haven't worn your hat yet."

  Qing Ji wiped her sleeve and smiled: "With hair like this hanging down your back, it's quite casual, no need to pin it up with a crown."

  Two maids responded with tender voices, helping him put on his socks. Qingji stepped onto the floor and walked to the door, where two little maids hurried over to hold up a pair of high-soled wooden clogs for him to step into. With a flourish of his sleeves, Qingji strode out.

  A head of raven-black long hair was simply tied with a thin ribbon hanging down her shoulders, jade pendants on the waistband jingled, wearing high-heeled wooden clogs, treading on the wooden corridor, wind blowing flowers and trees, sparse shadows all over the ground, the elegant atmosphere made people feel carefree. "Ah, in such an atmosphere, I should hold a green bamboo staff, sing loudly as Qu Yuan, the madman of Chu, and laugh at Confucius."

  Qing Ji thought of this, and couldn't help but laugh dryly. Confucius was right here in this mansion now. Thinking of this, he suddenly felt a shock: Oh no, just now when he arrived at the Cheng Mansion with the escort of Zhan Dafu, because he had Zhan Dafu accompanying him, he didn't have time to take care of old Master Kong, only remembering that his ox cart was following behind. Now who knows how it is? Hopefully this old gentleman wasn't neglected.

  He turned back to ask the two attendants and the maid behind, talking about Confucius himself. The two maids shook their heads in ignorance, but after hearing the name of Kong Qiu, they surprisingly knew this person. It seems that at this time, Kong Qiu was already a well-known figure in the state of Lu.

  Qingji hastily arrived at the front hall, only to see Zhan Dafu and Confucius sitting on seats, chatting and laughing together. They were in the midst of a warm conversation when Qingji suddenly appeared, looking somewhat stunned. Zhan Dafu quickly stood up to greet him, saying: "Young master, you've finished your bath? Ha ha, I've long heard of your brave and martial reputation, but now that I see you again, you're still as elegant as a jade person."

  Qing Ji Zhan returned the courtesy, smiling: "Governor Zhang is overpraising me. Just now I was in a hurry and forgot to greet Master Kong. It's really my fault... How is it that Master Kong and Governor Zhang are old acquaintances?"

  Confucius also smiled and stood up, saying: "That's right. I just asked the child at the door and learned that it was Dafu who came to welcome you. Confucius and Brother Zhan are old friends. In those years, Brother Zhan went to the capital on official business. Because the city gate had closed, he spent the night under the city gate. There was a lonely girl under the city wall. It was in the middle of winter, and Brother Zhan feared that she would freeze to death, so he called her into his carriage, held her in his arms, and did not take advantage of her until evening. He is indeed a humble gentleman, and Confucius has always admired him."

  Qing Ji heard that Zhang's mouth was wide open: "Liu Xiaohui! This is Liu Xiaohui's story, how did it become this Zhang Dafu?"

  He didn't know that the story of "sitting in one's lap without being disturbed" was about this person. Liu Xiahui is the fiefdom of Zhan Huo, and Hui is the posthumous title of Zhan Huo. At this moment, Zhan Huo is still alive, so there is no name of Liu Xiahui in the world.

  Zhan Daifu didn't know why he was staring blankly, and smiled humbly: "Zhongni has come to flatter me again. Hehe, Qingji Gongzi doesn't know that I and Zhongni were once colleagues as Shi Shi (officials in charge of criminal cases), we have known each other for a long time. Just now I heard that Gongzi generously lent a helping hand and saved Zhongni from the calamity of encountering thieves on the road, Zhan certain thanks you here." After finishing speaking, he bowed heavily to express his gratitude.

  He calmed down and hastily said: "I don't dare, it's just a matter of lifting one's hand."

  Zhan Daifu let out a wry smile: "For Master Yu, it's just a matter of lifting his hand, but for me, Zhan, it's a monumental task."

  Qing Ji was taken aback, and Zhang Dafu awkwardly said: "This matter... is really... sigh..."

  Zhan Dafu smiled bitterly, Qing Ji looked at him in confusion. Confucius explained on the side: "Just now when I was talking to Brother Zhan about parting, I realized that those thieves were all under Zhan Zhuo's command, and Zhan Zhuo is..."

  He looked at Zhan Huo, and Zhan Huo dryly laughed twice. His face was a bit embarrassed: "To be honest, the great thief Zhan Zhuo is... cough, is Zhan's younger brother. The family was unfortunate, almost harming Zhongni, Zhan Huo really owes an apology to his old friend."

  Confucius smiled and said, "Brother Zhan, why must you be so anxious? The clear will naturally be clear, the turbid will naturally be turbid. Besides, thanks to the help of Qingzhong Gongzi, I am now safe and sound, aren't I?"

  Zhan Huan shook his head and smiled wryly, saying: "Forget it, forget it. Today we welcome Qing Xi Gongzi and meet old friends again, it's a happy day. Let's not mention these annoying things, come on, Gongzi and Zhongni, let's take our seats."

  Having said that, he clapped his hands three times and ordered the Cheng family servant who had slipped in: "Pass on the order, have music and dance attend to the banquet."