Chapter 143

It was straight road all the way, the carriage ran fast, in less than half an hour, they stopped before Qingchen Bookshop. Not until Ling Jingxuan changed clothes for the four of them did they got off the carriage. This month, the kids knew a lot more characters, and they had already learned the second volume of The Analects of Confucius. Every day, one could hear them reciting ‘Confucius said’ this and that while shaking their heads. Ling Jingxuan knew that Chu Ci really used his heart to teach them.

“Hmm, I’ll tell Uncle Chu later. Daddy, we gotta go.”

Ling Wen nodded. After saying those words on behalf of the four of them, he brushed open the curtain. Song Gengniu who was already waiting outside held them down one by one. Only after they saw them walk into the bookshop did the carriage ran again. Inside the carriage, Ling Jingxuan, hands crossed before the chest, was resting his mind with his eyes closed. This month, while making jam, he also used the knowledge in the head to work on the high quality steel with Zhao Dalong, and even stainless steel! Now they had already made some progress! A few days ago, Zhao Dalong had already forged two scalpels with that little stainless steel they had refined according to his drawings. But he didn’t tell it to Yan Shengrui. It was not that he didn’t trust him, but he wanted to give him a surprise. If someday when he had to leave them and go back to the battlefield, in such an era where people used cold weapons, the only thing he could do was to teach him the mature steel-making techniques.

“Master Xuan, we are arrived at Xinyuan Restaurant.”

Not long after, the carriage stopped again, and Song Gengniu’s voice was heard. Ling Jingxuan who was resting his mind with his eyes closed opened his eyes, lifted up that jar of wine and brushed open the curtain. But the thing that came into his eyes was not the extravagant front gate of the restaurant, but an extremely luxurious carriage. The body of the carriage adopted the top quality rosewood, which was sending out some kind of faint natural fragrance. The whole body was engraved with exquisite flowers and plants, with a closer look, one could even see the grains of the petals and leaves. And in the front were two snow-white horses, each of which looked pretty strong. Even someone who knew nothing about horses could tell that they were top level horses. Having been here for so many times, this was the first time he saw such luxurious carriage. Is it possible that a big figure came to Datong Town?

“Master Xuan?”

As Song Gengniu who was waiting aside saw that he didn’t move for quite a while, he couldn’t help raising his head and calling him again, with undisguised doubts under his eyes. But he was smart, so he knew this master didn’t like them long-tongued. So he did not ask more.

“You wait outside for me.”

Coming to his sense, Ling Jingxuan jumped out of the carriage. Carrying the wine, he bypassed that carriage and went in. Now was not the busy hour, so there was nearly no guests inside. But the strange thing was Shopkeeper Zhang was not behind the counter.

“It’s Child Ling. Please wait a moment. Our shopkeeper is entertaining some honored guests.”

The waiter who was doing some cleaning job saw him. He hurriedly moved forward and greeted him. Since he often came, those waiters here all knew him, and also showed respect.

“Honored guests?”

Looking up, he saw a row of maids by the fence of the third floor. So many maids waiting on? Is it possible it’s some official’s wife?

“Hmm, they said it’s our boss. He suddenly showed up here, even the shopkeeper was surprised.”

No one isn’t gossipy. See? The waiter looked so curious. He moved to his side and said so mysteriously. That’s really a big beauty! He had worked here for nearly two years and never seen someone more beautiful than him.

“Hehe…really? Then I will go to the second floor and wait for a moment. After brother Zhang is done, remember to tell him that I’m waiting here.”

Ling Jingxuan smiled and then went straight to the second floor. The waiter hurriedly followed to wait on him, “Childe Ling, shall I make you a pot of hot tea for you?”

“No, just bring me a pot of plain water.”

Tea early in the morning? He doesn’t have such a good appetite.

“Got it!”

Every worker in the shop was a deep card. Who didn’t know his relationship with the shopkeeper? Let alone a pot of plain hot water, even if he asked for a pot of cold water, they would immediately do as they were told.

They went all the way to the room closest to the left on the second floor, after sending him in, the waiter went downstairs to get the plain boiled water he asked for.

In the luxurious box on the third floor that was not open to public, a man wearing a red brocade clothes was leisurely leaning on a recliner gracefully and casually, two beautiful women in green standing on both sides. The morning sun shone in through the open window. Under the refraction of the sunlight, the man’s skin was so delicate that it looked nearly transparent, but not that kind of sickly delicate, fine and smooth, with a little bit healthy pink, a pair of fox eyes like they were bearing boundless sentiment, high nose bridge, plump lips, only one word could describe that face—beautiful! Seen from each angle, he was breathtakingly beautiful. If it hadn’t been his dressing and that obvious Adam’s apple, one would really take him as a woman, a exceedingly fascinating and graceful lady.

“Master Liu, what brings you here this time, if I may ask?”

Standing in front of him tremblingly, the shopkeeper asked carefully. That man was called Zeng Shaoqing, the youngest son of Duke Zeng, 27 this year, unmarried, owner of this restaurant. Although he looked like a seductive woman, as long as you contacted with him, you would know he was not a pushover. If you got fooled by that beautiful face, you’d even get your bones chewed.

Reclining on the chair, Zeng Shaoqing gave him a faint look, and then made a lazy but enchanting smile, “Don’t be nervous. A few days ago when I went to Zhenguo Temple to pray and draw a divination stick for my mother, I happened to hear that recently the profit here is very considerable. And I only know after the shopkeeper in the prefecture told me that you launched a cold desert aiming at those guests who suffer from a hot summer, so I came to check it out by the way.”

The shopkeeper couldn’t help twitching his mouth. Although he had never seen the boss before, every year when he went to report the profit, people often mentioned him before him. That was not a fainéant! He would never just come here by the way. Obviously, he should be holding some other purpose. But, he was not a fool. Since the boss wouldn’t tell, he shouldn’t ask. Things about the boss, the more he knew the worse.

“I heard that the one who supplied you with something called jam is only a common farmer?”

As if satisfied with his humble manner, Zeng Shaoqing sat up slowly, crossed his legs and asked casually.