The Lucky Farmgirl

The person Zhao Liulang focused on introducing to them was Pei Shouyue, from the esteemed Hedong Pei family. He came to the capital this time to take the imperial examination.

He was a few years older than Bai Shan, a very tall and sturdy man, more like a military person than a scholar.

He had a good impression of Bai Shan and the others, and as soon as they met, he clasped his hands in salute and said, "I’ve long admired the three of you, and today I finally meet you."

Zhao Liulang patted his shoulder and laughed, "See, I told you I would introduce you to them, didn’t I?"

Pei Shouyue laughed, clasped his hands and said, "Thank you, Brother Zhao Liu."

"No need to be polite, no need."

Manbao, Bai Shan, and Bai Erlang all laughed and returned the salute. Zhao Liulang pulled them to meet other people.

No one knew how he did it. Clearly, he studied with Bai Erlang in the palace, and they had breaks together, yet he could meet so many people in one day.

They were all students who came to the capital to take the examinations, and none of them came from simple backgrounds.

Once they were in the crowd, Pei Shouyue didn’t talk much; he just sat quietly on the side. But Zhao Liulang did not ignore him and would pull him into the conversation from time to time to keep him involved.

At noon, it was the generous Zhao Liulang treating everyone. Yep, Daji and the others intended to take advantage of this meal.

Avoiding people, Zhao Liulang whispered to them, "Don’t be fooled by his lack of presence among them. In my opinion, he’s the only one worth noting among so many people."

Bai Shan raised his eyebrows, "You can tell?"

Zhao Liulang said, "Why wouldn’t I be able to tell?"

Bai Shan said, "I noticed his strong arms, slender waist, and broad chest. It seems he practices martial arts?"

"Naturally," Zhao Liulang laughed, "His father and older brother were both famous generals from the previous dynasty, and his grandfather was also a renowned general of Northern Zhou. The Hedong Pei family is of high status, and he practiced martial arts from a young age."

Bai Shan paused for a moment and asked, "Is he a descendant of the Duke of Hedong?"

"Yes."

Seeing Bai Shan couldn’t help but look over, he whispered, "Don’t stare. He’s a posthumous child. The reason I brought him along is that my father wanted me to, saying his father was formidable, and his brother is a rare mighty general. Like father, like son, he should be quite talented too."

Though Zhao Liulang thought Pei Shouyue indeed seemed impressive, he opposed his father’s saying, "Like father, like son," as he knew himself quite well.

Bai Shan nodded slightly, knowing that only he and his mother were left in their family, and their days might not be easy. So he thought for a moment and said, "I have some notes, I’ll ask him later if he wants to borrow them."

Of course, he would want them.

Bai Shan had already passed the imperial exam; looking at his notes wouldn’t be wrong. Pei Shouyue rented a house to live in since he came to the capital, unfamiliar with the place. During this period, he visited old family friends but only became familiar with Zhao Liulang.

However, he couldn’t chat much with Zhao Liulang, especially during this tense exam preparation period, where he wasn’t keen to socialize.

But he wanted to see Bai Shan.

He felt their situations were somewhat similar. Of course, Bai Shan had it tougher initially, at least he didn’t have an enemy like the Prince of Yizhou.

Therefore, he admired Bai Shan’s ability to break through the encirclement and pass the exam under those circumstances, now being favored by the emperor.

After exchanging addresses with Bai Shan and agreeing to visit his place for notes the next day, Pei Shouyue happily went to roast meat.

He was quite skilled at roasting meat.

Bai Shan and the others rolled up their sleeves as well. Though their barbecue skills weren’t yet perfect, among the young masters and ladies in the capital, the three of them dared to rank in the top three. No one dared to surpass them, because they simply couldn’t.

The three skillfully brushed sauce on the lamb leg, then turned it, and grilled it...

The aroma wafted over in waves, whetting everyone’s appetite. Zhao Liulang, swallowing, waited while saying, "Don’t make it too delicious, or I’ll truly be eaten poor."

Everybody burst into laughter at this, saying, "Brother Zhao Liu, you’re too stingy, we’ve only eaten a few sheep."

Zhao Liulang feigned anger, "A few sheep? Is your stomach insatiable?"

"Don’t worry, don’t worry, today you treat us to barbecue, tomorrow I’ll treat you at Spring Breeze Pavilion."

Instantly, Zhao Liulang changed his mood to joy, cheerfully saying, "Alright, it’s a deal then, I’ll be waiting, huh, Yin Huo and Liu Huan are here, come over, why are you so late?"

The leg of lamb Bai Shan was handling was done; he sliced three plates of meat, one for Manbao, one for the host Zhao Liulang, and one for Yin Huo.

After receiving it, Yin Huo sat on the side, appearing somewhat sullen.

Liu Huan chuckled mischievously, but he didn’t tell everyone the reason. Instead, he said, "I came with my sister and the others, Zhou Man, do you want to play with them later?"

Zhao Liulang was frustrated, "Didn’t your sister get married already?"

"Yes, she’ll return to her husband’s family after Mid-Autumn, so this meeting is the last one."

Manbao immediately said, "I’ll go play with her once I’m full."

Lady Liu recently got married, and since she married far away, they held the wedding in the capital first, awaiting her departure to her husband’s place after Mid-Autumn.

Thus, the topic was led away by Liu Huan with mentions of his sister. After everyone finished the barbecue and moved on to have stir-fried and boiled dishes, Liu Huan and Yin Huo came over to their side and couldn’t help but laugh, "We were late because, just as we were about to leave, his sisters blocked him."

Bai Shan, Manbao, and Bai Erlang shivered simultaneously, all turning to look at Yin Huo.

Yin Huo, feeling frustrated, said, "They want me to go back for the Mid-Autumn Festival."

"Wow, you aren’t going back for Mid-Autumn?"

"I’ll go back, but tomorrow is Mid-Autumn."

This implied he’d return just in time.

Manbao sighed, "This is like a bird leaving the nest, reluctant to return."

Yin Huo coughed softly and defended, "It’s not that I don’t want to go back."

He changed the subject by asking, "I saw you chatting so happily with that Mr. Pei just now, but I haven’t seen him in the capital before."

"He’s from Hedong, here to take the imperial examination."

Only then did Yin Huo remember to ask Bai Erlang, "Have you finished the extra assignments Mr. Zhuang gave you?"

Bai Erlang complained, "Don’t bring it up, I have to go back after eating and playing for a bit, you guys have to come with me."

No problem with that.

Zhao Liulang knew many people, so he set up two tables directly. Bai Shan and the others sat together, and considering that Pei Shouyue was not familiar with others either, they invited him to sit with them.

Manbao couldn’t help but marvel, "When did Zhao Liulang become so wealthy?"

Zhao Liulang came over to offer a toast and, upon hearing the remark, whispered back, "My father gave it."

Manbao raised an eyebrow.

Zhao Liulang whispered, "I’ve already set a date to join the palace guards. The next time you see me, it will be at the palace gate."

Manbao was skeptical, "You can guard the palace gates?"

Zhao Liulang was momentarily at a loss for words; indeed, he couldn’t. But he didn’t want to guard them either.

Zhao Liulang’s duty was to patrol the inner city, but that was after Mid-Autumn. After that day, Manbao and the others would always run into Zhao Liulang on the way to the imperial city every morning, hahaha...

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