APSIL -Chapter 27 What Great Master Is This?

The blazing sun hung high overhead, yet a gentle breeze drifted through the bamboo grove, keeping the rows of bamboo cottages at Cuiyun Retreat pleasantly cool.

At that moment, Zhang Shou reclined leisurely against a bamboo couch in the rear chamber of the Hall of the Gentle Breeze, looking completely at ease.

Outside, Qi Liang was teaching in his master’s place, explaining mathematical problems to the ever-diligent Lu Sanlang.

Seated beside Zhang Shou, Zhu Ying was smiling as she concentrated on playing the guqin. Her slender fingers danced gracefully across the strings, making for a beautiful sight.

As for the music…

It could only be described as somewhat unpracticed. Barely satisfactory—but at least it wasn’t unpleasant enough to be called noise. It was still perfectly listenable.

Originally, Zhang Shou had planned to retire from the stage after this. Any future visitors from the capital could simply be left for Lu Sanlang to handle.

But Zhu Ying had pestered and pleaded until he agreed to continue pretending to be a mysterious recluse.

Just what exactly was she planning?

Still, one thing was certain.

For Lu Sanlang, who was outside trying to study mathematics, the music amounted to relentless distraction.

Yet since Lu Sanlang himself didn’t complain—and because the piece Zhu Ying was playing was a slow, soothing melody that actually suited the tranquil surroundings—Zhang Shou naturally had no intention of interrupting her enthusiasm.

Besides, Zhanjin and Liuyin were happily skewering chilled grapes that had been cooled in the well, one after another with bamboo picks, and attentively offering them to him.

He could only pretend to be calmly appreciating the music.

Otherwise, every now and then when Zhu Ying looked up…

She might reward him with a murderous glare.

At last, Zhu Ying finished her performance to her own satisfaction.

Zhanjin and Liuyin immediately rushed over, serving her tea and offering fruit.

Just then, Zhang Shou heard shouting from outside.

“We’re here! I told you we’d find the place! This has to be it!”

“Brother Chen, look! Every bamboo cottage has a wooden plaque hanging outside, just like Lu Pighead said!”

“Hmph! That idiot Lu Pighead couldn’t solve the problems on those plaques and assumed nobody else could either? Go take down ten or eight of them and let me see what kind of impossible questions they are! Anyone who plays the qin this badly can’t possibly be some lofty hermit or great scholar. Only a country bumpkin like Lu Pighead would mistake such a person for someone extraordinary!”

“Exactly! Lu Pighead has always been the most annoying one among us. Zhu Ying probably just made up some random person to fool him, and he actually believed she’d think highly of some rustic nobody! Didn’t they even claim earlier that Zhu Ying’s fiancé was living out here in the countryside? That must’ve been another fake story spread by the Duke of Zhao’s household!”

Hearing the arrogant shouting outside, Zhang Shou noticed Zhu Ying’s eyebrows shoot upward in anger.

He couldn’t help smiling.

It was just like pointing at a monk and calling him a bald thief.

Back then it had been Zhu Gongquan.

Now it was this group outside.

Without the slightest hurry, Zhang Shou adopted his aged, hoarse voice.

“Yingying, you’ve only just begun learning the qin. One day, with enough practice, you’ll naturally master it. Why bother getting angry over a group of idle fools?”

Hearing Zhang Shou speak in such an old-fashioned tone, Zhu Ying burst into laughter.

Her irritation instantly vanished.

She smiled mischievously, nodded toward Zhanjin, and the maid quickly stepped forward to straighten the veiled bamboo hat on Zhang Shou’s head.

Only then did Zhu Ying snort.

“As if I’d waste my temper on people like them… Sir, do you know who they are?”

Knowing perfectly well that she was deliberately leading him on, Zhang Shou cooperated with a smile.

“Could they also be the sons of meritorious nobles?”

“They’re from meritorious families, yes—but don’t lump them together with the truly distinguished ones.”

Zhu Ying smiled faintly.

“The one everyone called Brother Chen is Zhang Chen, the only son of Duke Qin, Zhang Chuan.”

“I mentioned Duke Qin to you before. Zhang Chuan inherited none of his father Zhang Yun’s extraordinary strategic genius, but he is exceptionally talented in literature and is considered the finest scholar among the descendants of the founding heroes.”

“But Zhang Chen…”

She shook her head.

“He’s an embarrassment. Ever since he was little, he’s managed to drive away countless tutors.”

Zhang Shou found such indulgent parenting rather bizarre.

“The Duke of Qin never disciplined his son?”

“Zhang Chuan is fairly learned, but he believes in governing through noninterference. He doesn’t just ignore his son—he practically ignores everything at home and leaves it all to his wife.”

“Because his son keeps driving tutors away, Zhang Chuan’s reputation among scholars isn’t very good either.”

Unlike when she had spoken about Duke Chu, Zhang Ming, whom she still respected despite his conflict with her father, Zhu Ying’s tone toward Zhang Chuan carried unmistakable disdain.

Realizing she’d drifted off topic, she quickly continued.

“Since Zhang Chen is here, the other two must be Zhang Lu and Zhang Wu.”

“Their fathers are Marquis Huaiqing Zhang Jingzhou and Marquis Nanyang Zhang Hanzhou, whom I also mentioned before. Both are sons born to concubines.”

“Between those two families there are seventeen or eighteen sons altogether.”

“One ranks sixth among his brothers, and the other ranks fifth.”

“Their fathers were too lazy to come up with proper names, so they simply named them accordingly.”

“As for their status…”

She shrugged.

“I don’t think I need to explain.”

Since Lu (陆) sounded like the number six, and Wu (武) echoed the pronunciation of five (五), their names really did reflect how little importance their fathers attached to them.

“So many people with the surname Zhang…”

Zhang Shou couldn’t help laughing.

Looking through the bamboo curtain toward the outer room, he could vaguely make out Lu Sanlang still furiously working through mathematical problems.

Judging by his concentration, the shouting outside probably hadn’t reached his ears.

Perhaps he hadn’t even heard Zhang Shou’s conversation with Zhu Ying.

Remembering Lu Sanlang’s astonished expression when Zhang Shou had openly declared he had no interest in becoming famous, Zhang Shou smiled again.

These idle young noblemen from the capital…

Each of them seemed to have their own interesting story.

Just as he was thinking that, the “interesting trio” outside, after a brief period of silence, suddenly erupted again.

“What kind of cursed problem is this? Was this even made by a human?”

“This is obviously designed just to torment people!”

“The fraud inside, trying to build a reputation for himself! Putting up a few thatched huts and bamboo cottages doesn’t make you some great recluse! If you know what’s good for you, hand this place over to us!”

As those furious words rang out, Zhang Shou heard the thick cotton curtain at the front entrance being flung aside.

A chaotic series of footsteps followed.

Clearly, the three young men had barged straight into the Hall of the Gentle Breeze.

This was exactly what he had expected.

He wasn’t angry.

Unfortunately…

Beside him sat a hot-tempered, willful young lady.

With a loud smack, Zhu Ying slammed her palm against the armrest before springing to her feet.

“Zhanjin! Liuyin! Raise the curtain!”

The two maids hurried forward and slowly rolled up the woven bamboo curtain.

Only then did Zhang Shou get a clear look at the intruders.

The young man in the center had neatly groomed hair and handsome features, but his eyes were filled with arrogance and violent impatience.

The other two wisely stood half a step behind him.

Though they too looked like refined young nobles, they resembled little more than obedient lackeys.

Standing proudly in the center, Zhang Chen had originally intended to order his two followers to drag over Lu Sanlang, who remained bent over the desk, completely ignoring the three of them.

But the instant he heard Zhu Ying’s voice…

And saw the bamboo curtain rise…

And recognized the two maids holding it open…

Then spotted Zhu Ying standing there with an imposing expression…

His arrogant look instantly turned awkward.

Then came a scene so unbelievable that his jaw nearly dropped.

After glaring fiercely at him, Zhu Ying turned around and walked to the veiled figure seated upon the central bamboo couch.

Speaking with the affectionate tone of a spoiled young girl, she said, “Sir, this is all my fault. I ended up attracting this whole crowd of troublesome people.”

When Zhang Shou saw her actually reaching out as though to help him stand, he nearly jumped in surprise.

Then she secretly blinked at him.

Only then did he realize she was acting on purpose.

Left with no choice, he stood up.

Fortunately, she merely pretended to support him.

Her hands hovered beside his arm without ever actually touching him.

Unable to suppress a smile, Zhang Shou walked calmly into the front hall before giving a light cough.

“People have legs of their own. How can any of this be your fault?”

“Among the sons of noble families, if there are diligent and eager students like Lu Sanlang, then naturally there are also reckless and impulsive youths.”

The moment those words were spoken, Lu Sanlang—who had been completely absorbed in solving problems—suddenly trembled.

A large drop of ink splashed onto his paper, staining it black.

Using every ounce of self-control, he suppressed the overwhelming joy in his heart.

If even this old gentleman—whom Zhu Ying herself treated with great respect—praised him as diligent and eager to learn…

How could his father and brothers continue looking down on him?

Meanwhile, Zhang Chen, Zhang Lu, and Zhang Wu, having just been branded as reckless and impulsive, flushed alternately pale and red.

Yet none of them dared utter a single word in protest.

In all her life, Zhu Ying had only ever personally supported three people with her own hands:

The Empress Dowager.

The Dowager Duchess of Zhao.

And the Duke of Zhao himself.

She had never shown such courtesy to anyone else.

Just who…

Exactly what kind of extraordinary master…

…was this supposedly rustic hermit they had dismissed only moments ago?