Qianmen Street is one of the more prosperous streets in the capital, and is usually crowded with dignitaries.
Nearly half of the shops and restaurants on this street alone are Lu Zhiyun's private properties.
These properties were not only purchased for profit, but also to facilitate him to set up spies everywhere.
The private rooms of this restaurant are decorated very elegantly, with a strong Jiangnan style.
Behind Shen Yuan stood a small folding screen with a grass crabapple pattern. On the incense table next to it, a small stove was emitting thin green smoke.
Lu Zhiyun's deep gaze was still on her.
When Shen Yuan looked at him from closer, he realized that his phoenix eyes were truly unique.
It turned out not to be a single eyelid, but a fan-shaped double eyelid.
Under the high brow bones, the dark pupils appear particularly deep and stern.
Shen Yuan lowered his eyes and quickly avoided his sight.
From childhood to adulthood, she had never been so anxiously frightened by anyone's gaze.
When she came, she was thinking that if she saw him, she would have to act shy.
But now it seems that she really doesn't need to be shy.
After Lu Zhiyun entered the room, Biwu was obviously frightened by his aura. She stood behind Shen Yuan and didn't even dare to raise her head.
Although Liao Ge'er followed his fifth uncle every day, his expression was not much better than Bi Wu's. He sat with his small body on a spacious armchair with his two short legs hanging in the air.
As soon as Lu Zhiyun came in, he placed his two chubby hands on his knees obediently, not daring to even breathe, looking pitiful.
Shen Yuan opened her soft lips and was finally ready to reply, but Liao Ge'er helped her explain: "Fifth Uncle, Sister Shen got a heat stroke. She almost fainted outside just now~"
After hearing this, Lu Zhiyun frowned slightly and asked in a low voice, "Have you seen the doctor?"
Shen Yuan shook his head and replied softly, "Thank you for your concern, it's okay."
After saying that, Lu Zhiyun looked at Jiang Feng without any expression.
Jiang Feng seemed to understand his master's thoughts immediately. He then left the private room, whispered a few words to the attendants waiting outside, and then returned to his room.
Shen Yuan didn't want to feel so awkward all the time.
Then he took the initiative to ask Lu Zhiyun: "It's still a long way to noon, what are you doing in this restaurant, Mr. Lu?"
Although Shen Yuan grew up in Yangzhou, her aunt who raised her was from Suzhou.
Before the establishment of the Qi Dynasty, many merchants in Suzhou fled to Yangzhou due to the chaos of war. As a result, many people in Yangzhou now say "Go to Suzhou" when they go to bed. (1)
Luo spoke the soft Wu dialect, and she also taught Shen Yuan to speak Wu dialect since she was a child. She always said that it sounded better when a girl spoke Wu dialect.
Therefore, when Shen Yuan spoke, his voice was soft and gentle.
Jiang Feng stood to one side. He could clearly sense that after entering the capital, Miss Shen was also intentionally controlling her Jiangnan accent.
But when the words were finished, the extremely soft ending tone still made people's bones soften.
As the beauty spoke, her long, thick eyelashes drooped slightly.
She is reserved and reserved, but also has a kind of beauty that is like a woman holding a lute, with her face half covered, and she is gentle and charming without realizing it.
Jiang Feng noticed that her master Lu Zhiyun's eyes never left her, but his expression was as calm as ever.
Lu Zhiyun raised his eyes and glanced at Liao Ge'er.
Then he replied calmly, "He is not yet thirteen years old, not old enough to enroll in the Imperial Academy, so I plan to take him to see the academies nearby today. I originally thought of finding a teacher to teach him individually, but Liao Ge'er is a bit introverted, so it might be better for him to interact with children of the same age."
Shen Yuan nodded slightly in response.
She secretly felt that although Lu Zhiyun was strict, he was still very thoughtful in Liao Ge'er's education.
At this time, Liao Ge'er pleaded with Lu Zhiyun softly, "Sister Shen used to be a teacher in the academy. Uncle Wu, can you let Sister Shen teach me?"
As soon as the child's clear voice fell, Lu Zhiyun's expression seemed to have become more interested.
He whispered to Shen Yuan again: "Have you ever been a teacher in the academy?"
Shen Yuan nodded.
Lu Zhiyun asked again: "Which academy?"
Shen Yuan replied softly, "The Lord mentioned it himself, Plum Blossom Academy."
Many people in Beijing looked down on the salt merchants in Yangzhou, thinking that they were just common merchants with great wealth and power but little knowledge.
But in fact, the salt merchants in Yangzhou attached great importance to the education of their descendants, and many powerful salt merchants had sponsored academies.
When Plum Blossom Academy was at its peak, there was once a year when four people made the list, and one of them even became the top scorer in the palace examination.
Shen Yuan's teacher, Yuan You, the president of Plum Blossom Academy, had once had dealings with Lu Zhiyun, who was then the Imperial Censor of Salt.
Therefore, when Lu Zhiyun was about to leave his post and return to Beijing, he gave Yuan You's academy the four words "Meihua Academy".
Jiang Feng praised him in an almost flattering manner: "It turns out that Miss Shen was a teacher in Yangzhou. You must be able to teach our Liao brother very well. Apart from the master, our Liao brother listens to you the most."
When Shen Yuan lowered his eyes in embarrassment, Lu Zhiyun glanced at Jiang Feng with deep eyes.
He then asked Shen Yuan: "Miss Shen, are you willing to teach Liao Ge'er alone?"
Liao Ge'er's black pupils were filled with anticipation.
When he looked at Shen Yuan, he heard Lu Zhiyun say again: "If it's inconvenient, then forget it."
Seeing Shen Yuan was hesitant, Jiang Feng quickly advised: "Miss, you are going to manage a nearby pastry shop. If you feel it is inconvenient, you don't have to come to the mansion to teach our Liao brother. You can come to this restaurant to teach. Our master will also reward you generously."
Bi Wu looked at her young lady who seemed to be hesitant to speak, but she felt that Shen Yuan must want to teach that Brother Liao from the Lu family a lesson.
At that time, Luo asked Shen Yuan to go to the academy to study with her cousin Tang Yulin. She always said that her son Yu would definitely take the path of imperial examination and become an official in the future.
Shen Yuan was the daughter-in-law that Luo favored. She had always wanted to wait until Shen Yuan was older and then let her marry Tang Yulin.
As the wife of a man who is taking the imperial examination, she must have some knowledge.
In fact, Luo was a very picky woman and she looked down upon ordinary people.
While she was taking care of Shen Yuan, she was also exposed to various aspects.
Shen Yuan is intelligent and can understand anything he is taught.
Whether doing business or studying like great scholars, she is no less inferior to men.
Not to mention managing the household accounts and taking care of the trivial matters in the inner house.
However, Shen Yuan's favorite thing was to study books and also liked to teach some children.
Luo even once said that if Shen Yuan was a man, he would have passed the imperial examination long ago.
Under the eager gaze of Jiang Feng and Liao Ge'er, Shen Yuan timidly looked into Lu Zhiyun's sharp and deep eyes, and finally agreed.
"As long as you don't mind, I am willing to teach Liao Ge'er to read."
——
After it was decided that he would become Liao Ge'er's teacher, Shen Yuan was in a very good mood.
Because she was doing what she liked, and maybe she would have the chance to see Lu Zhiyun again in the future.
She was just trying to find an excuse to go home.
Jiang Feng suddenly picked up Liao Ge'er from the armchair.
Liao Ge'er's little face showed some reluctance, and he kicked his short legs a few times in Jiang Feng's arms.
When Shen Yuan looked at him in confusion, he saw that Jiang Feng looked a little embarrassed.
"I have to take Brother Liao to the toilet."
Liao Ge'er replied in a baby voice: "I, I don't want to go to the toilet either~"
Jiang Feng immediately replied: "Hey, my dear, you should go. Last time you said you wouldn't go, and in the end... you made me suffer so much."
Biwu couldn't help but cover her mouth and smile.
Although Jiang Feng is more humorous and interesting than his brother Jiang Zhuo, he is also a man who is steady and efficient in his work.
Just as she was thinking this, Jiang Feng actually winked at her.
Bi Wu didn't react immediately. Jiang Feng had already come close to her and whispered, "Come with me first. Regarding Liao Ge'er's matter, the master has something to tell your master alone."
——
In a flash, Shen Yuan and Lu Zhiyun were the only ones left in the private room.
Just when Shen Yuan was feeling a little nervous, he heard the clear sound of a pipa coming from downstairs, as clear as the sound of a jade plate falling on a jade plate.
——"Red tender hands, yellow wine, the whole city is full of spring scenery and willows on the palace walls."
——"The east wind is bad, and the joy is thin."
She looked out the window and saw a pair of actors downstairs, one holding a pipa and the other a sanxian, singing a little tune in a leisurely manner.
The song sung was "The Golden Hairpin" which was written by Lu You for Tang Wan.
After Shen Yuan came back to his senses, he asked softly, "My Lord, do you have something to say to me alone?"
As soon as he finished speaking, several servants came in carrying sumptuous and exquisite dishes.
After they placed all the dishes on the table, Lu Zhiyun's slender hands with distinct finger bones had already picked up the ivory chopsticks. He pointed at Shen Yuan with the handle of the chopsticks and whispered, "These are all Huaiyang dishes. Let's eat and talk at the same time."
Shen Yuan hesitated for a moment, but still nodded submissively.
In fact, she really missed Huaiyang cuisine. Although the dishes in Beijing were edible, she still couldn't get used to them.
Among these dishes, there is one that she likes most, Wu Ding Bao.
But when he thought about eating in front of Lu Zhiyun, Shen Yuan still felt a little uncomfortable.
Seeing that Shen Yuan didn't pick up his chopsticks, Lu Zhiyun glanced at the servant beside him.
The waiter had a keen eye and immediately used the serving chopsticks to put a Wu Ding Bao on Shen Yuan's plate.
Shen Yuan just picked up the chopsticks with her slender hands.
Before she could pick up the five-piece bag, she heard the sound of a pipa string breaking.
The sound was so harsh and sharp that the music was interrupted.
Then, heavy rain like a waterfall suddenly fell from the sky.
The sound of thunder that pierced through the clouds and split the silk suddenly rang out.
The sound was rumbling and frightening.
Lu Zhiyun was still sitting motionless. His usual temperament was deep and unfathomable, giving people a feeling that the sky was about to collapse and he would not even blink an eye.
Shen Yuan's palm-sized face suddenly turned extremely pale.
Her heart was beating like a drum, accompanied by tremors and pain as if being cut by a knife.
Since Shen Yuan was reborn, it rained once in the capital.
That rain was not as heavy as it is now, but she realized something was wrong with her then.
Because in her previous life, she knelt in the rain for three days and died in a village caught in a thunderstorm.
So in this life, she is not only extremely afraid of rain, but once it starts raining, it is like taking her life.
"Boom boom—"
Several loud thunderclaps sounded again.
Lu Zhiyun naturally noticed the strangeness of the beauty opposite him. He frowned and asked, "What's wrong with you?"
Shen Yuan stood up hurriedly, tears welling up on his face.
The thunder was so loud that she actually saw her own soul, in a supernatural scene, about to leave her body.
She is a mortal being, and once her soul leaves her body, it means death.
Shen Yuan was filled with unspeakable fear and panic. She just wanted to leave this place as soon as possible. She didn't want the man to see her embarrassment, and she had lost the ability to think rationally.
At this moment, Lu Zhiyun walked in front of her. His tall and straight figure tightly covered the weak and helpless her.
In panic, Shen Yuan suddenly grabbed the man's wrist.
Lu Zhiyun's voice deepened a little, and he asked again: "What happened to you? Are you having a heart attack?"
A few more tears fell in Shen Yuan's soft watery eyes.
She couldn't utter a word, but a guess suddenly came to her mind.
Just now when she touched Lu Zhiyun, not only did all the unbearable pain disappear, but her soul also seemed to return to her body in an instant.
She is extremely afraid of thunderstorms.
But Lu Zhiyun seemed to be able to calm her soul.