Chapter 166 Asymmetric Communication
Old Zhao was so scared that he almost drew his sword.
Isn't it just handing over a sign? Why is there such a big fuss?
"Mr. Six?" Mr. Zheng looked at Zhao Yushu and asked with a bow.
"It's down."
"Mr. Liu is here in Jiangning. I'm sorry for not welcoming you in person. Please come upstairs."
"okay."
There didn't seem to be any aggressiveness, and Master Zheng was full of doubts.
And it looks a bit silly.
"Mr. Six."
"Ok?"
"This is a place of elegance. Let's put the sword here for now."
"okay."
Zhao Yushu took off his sword and handed it to the servant, then touched his head, wondering if his behavior was not in line with the social circle.
I have been to Tianxianglou many times, but this is the first time I have been to Jiangnan Huafang in two lifetimes.
It was like a small cruise ship, similar in size to the ship he had taken from Xiangfan to Jiangning, but because there was no need to consider issues such as wind, waves, and speed, this pleasure boat was directly transformed into a water villa.
The title of Mr. Liu was very useful. Master Zheng directly asked him to sit at the main guest seat next to him. The old man who was originally sitting here did not show any dissatisfaction and happily moved to the other side.
"When did Mr. Liu arrive in Jiangning?"
"Just arrived."
Just arrived? You're looking for me right after you arrived? I didn't provoke you, did I? You're not going to use me as a scapegoat, are you?
Dozens of thoughts flashed through Mr. Zheng's mind, and it became increasingly difficult for him to maintain a friendly smile on his face.
"I wonder why Mr. Liu came to Jiangning?"
"Oh, it's just that shit."
Zhao Yushu took a sip of wine. Hmm, the rice wine in Jiangnan is really good. When he leaves, he will bring a few pots for Lan Ling to try, so that she doesn’t have to worry about when she will be able to make the distilled liquor.
Mr. Zheng felt that he could not hold back any longer. He looked at his close friends. What kind of a mess was this? It couldn't be...
Everyone was silent, but quickly reached a consensus through eye contact. What other important matter in Jiangning could be worthy of the Sixth Master of the White Horse Academy coming in person? It must be the salt tax! But back to the original question, why did he come to me?
The originally happy scene suddenly became a little awkward. Mr. Zheng tried hard to think of his words. How could he avoid offending this person and at the same time get some information out of him?
It was obvious that Master Zheng was not in good shape today. He was usually eloquent, but Lao Zhao's uninvited arrival threw him off balance. He couldn't utter a word for a long time. Since the host didn't say anything, his friends didn't know the tone and dared not to speak out. The originally lively scene gradually became cold, leaving only a few musicians performing more and more awkwardly.
Fortunately, there are still people here who can keep the situation under control.
"Thank you for waiting for me, Master. Wanqing apologizes to you all."
The pearl curtain rolled back, and two maids walked out slowly carrying a guqin. Then a veiled woman walked in slowly. Even though half of her face was covered, the eyes that were exposed made the hearts of all the men present pause.
The eyes are full of charm, and the beauty is heavenly!
Wanqing was wearing a plain white dress that didn't seem to have any decorations, but there were a few simple flowers embroidered with silver silk thread on the cuffs and lapels, which instantly made the dress elegant and fairy-like.
The beauties in the south of the Yangtze River are indeed different from those in the north.
As soon as Wanqing showed up, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, at least the focus was shifted.
"I wish Mr. Zheng a promotion. The scholars of Jiangning will be honored. Please drink this cup to the full." Wanqing lifted a corner of her veil, raised the cup and drank it all.
The small half of her face revealed under the veil was as round and smooth as a washed pebble, arousing endless reverie among the onlookers.
Mr. Zheng was in high spirits. He stood up with a smile, raised his glass and drank it. Immediately, there was a burst of applause.
"I am not talented, but I will perform a song to cheer you up." Although she only drank one glass, everyone present was a scholar, at least on the surface, and no one would spoil the mood and urge Wanqing to drink another glass.
The sound of the piano was so beautiful that even Zhao Yushu, who knew nothing about music, put down the piano in his hand and listened attentively. Not to mention the others, many of them closed their eyes, shook their heads, and looked intoxicated.
After the song ended and everyone applauded, someone immediately praised: "Miss Wanqing's piano skills are truly the best in Jiangning. We have the rare opportunity to borrow the glory of Master Zheng, so why don't we play another song for her?"
Wanqing smiled slightly: "My lord, you are too kind to praise me. I have only a few tricks, so how dare I claim to be the best? Playing the zither is the most exhausting. I have already exhausted myself with just one piece of music. If I play again, it will ruin everyone's mood. I hope you can forgive me."
After hearing this, Zhao Yushu couldn't help but want to applaud. Look at how good these people are at speaking.
"Alright, alright, aren't you satisfied with just listening to Miss Wanqing play a song? You young people are so greedy. Come on, let's drink another cup together. Miss Wanqing, you can't refuse this one, hahahaha."
Master Zheng stood up, poured a glass of wine and handed it to Wanqing. Wanqing smiled slightly, took the glass, toasted to all directions, and drank it all in one gulp.
After both the host and the guests have had a great time, the rest of the time is relatively free for everyone to build relationships and flatter. If they are interested, they can also talk to a few maids. After all, the maids on the pleasure boat are all reserve members of the future Qinhuai masters.
As the owner of the pleasure boat, Miss Wanqing did not have to accompany the drinking, but she did not leave the table directly. Instead, she sat next to Master Zheng and chatted with him, which was exactly the position where Zhao Yushuo had been just now.
When Zhao Yushu stood up to offer his seat, Miss Wanqing was somewhat curious. As one of the top people on the Qinhuai River, knowing people was a basic skill, but she assured that she had never seen this person before. Who was he? Why was he able to sit next to Master Zheng?
But if you ask directly about their identity, you will appear unprofessional. What if they have really been here, but just don't look distinctive enough and you don't remember them? That would be embarrassing.
Fortunately, Mr. Zheng is quite knowledgeable about the ways of the world.
"Mr. Liu, how does Jiangning opera compare to Dongdu?"
You ask me how I know, and I don’t understand, “Well, each has its own merits.”
Wanqing's eyes lit up: "Hey, Mr. Liu, are you from Dongdu?"
Zhao Yushu nodded: "My surname is Zhao, and I come from the White Horse Academy in Dongdu."
"So he is a talented person from the White Horse Academy. Has Mr. Zhao ever been to Tianxiang Tower?"
Not only have I been there, but I feel very familiar with the place, just like going home.
"Yes, once or twice..."
"It is said that Tianxianglou is an excellent musician in both music and dance. I wonder if Mr. Zhao thinks that Tianxianglou's music is better than my daughter's?"
Didn't you hear me say that we each have our own merits? Do you really have to force me to say which one is better?
"If you really want to do this, why don't you go to Dongdu in person? As far as I know, Aunt Yun of Tianxianglou is not a stingy person. If you are interested, Aunt Yun will definitely not mind letting the girls of Tianxianglou and Miss Wanqing discuss with each other and learn from each other's strengths and weaknesses."
Wanqing leaned back slightly and said, "It seems that the young master has a close relationship with Tianxianglou. It's not that I don't want to go, but this Zuihuafang is too busy and I can't get away."
Zhao Yushu said, "There's nothing we can do about it. After all, people need money to make a living, don't you think so, Mr. Zheng?"