"Young Master, what did the Prime Minister say when he came looking for you?" the attendant student Shanhe asked with a smiling face.
Yan Zisheng replied, "He just came for a casual visit, but sir commented on my essay, which left me enlightened with much insight. I must rewrite my policy essay afterward."
"The Prime Minister treats you the best and has the highest regard for you," Shanhe said cheerfully, then whispered, "I was thinking, might the Prime Minister want to arrange a match for you, maybe with the Second Miss of the Prime Minister’s Mansion..."
"Silence." Yan Zisheng reprimanded him, scolding, "Your mouth runs unchecked, daring to say anything. What if this brings trouble? If you keep acting , without a lock on your tongue, you can return to your hometown; I have no need for your service here."
Shanhe immediately knelt down, "Young Master, it was my fault, I won’t dare do it again."
"Get up." Yan Zisheng said irritably, "Never speak like that again. Sir treats me with great kindness, and so do his family, whom we must not discuss behind their backs, especially the ladies of the Prime Minister’s Mansion, lest we damage their reputation."
"Yes, Young Master," Shanhe replied awkwardly, getting back on his feet.
Yan Zisheng sighed softly as he looked at Shanhe’s dejected appearance. He knew what Shanhe meant, but how could he dare to think of the Second Miss of the Prime Minister’s Mansion? He never even wanted to.
She was not someone he could think about.
"Changsheng, Changsheng, where’s the Prime Minister, has he left?"
A man dressed in a blue long robe walked in, shouting at Yan Zisheng.
Yan Zisheng cupped his hands in salute, "Brother Xiuquan."
"Oh, no need for such formalities. I ask you, has the Prime Minister left?" Wu Xiuquan asked anxiously.
Yan Zisheng nodded, "He has already left."
Wu Xiuquan was somewhat regretful, saying, "He left so quickly. What did the Prime Minister say? Oh, did he mention when the Prime Minister’s Mansion will hold a poetry gathering, and if we can attend?"
Yan Zisheng was speechless, "Why would the Prime Minister be involved in such things?"
Poetry gatherings are usually hosted by young scholars, a figure like the Prime Minister wouldn’t host such a thing, and Prime Minister Song never liked attending those poetry or tea gatherings, because he once said those kinds of gatherings were trivial and of no interest to him.
Yan Zisheng had also attended a few poetry and cultural gatherings, which were indeed boring. However, he was very interested in the lectures hosted by true great scholars.
Wu Xiuquan sighed, suddenly remembering something, and exclaimed excitedly, "Changsheng, you’ll never guess who I just saw at the East Gate of the front street? It was the Second Miss of the Song Mansion, surrounded by a group of maids. Ah, the Second Miss of the Song Mansion is truly beautiful beyond measure, a beauty beyond words. Imagine if we could marry such a lady, how could we worry about our future?"
Yan Zisheng frowned, "Brother Xiuquan, watch your words. I have an essay to write, so I must excuse myself first."
Gossiping about noble ladies is not the behavior of a gentleman.
Wu Xiuquan watched him return inside without any hesitation, curling his lips, thinking to himself, "What pretense of being a gentleman. I refuse to believe you don’t want to become the Prime Minister’s son-in-law."
But thinking it over, they, as scholars from poor families, could never match up to the daughters of the Prime Minister’s Mansion, and could only dream about it, like daydreaming.
Wu Xiuquan also returned to his room, thinking he should find a way to obtain an invitation to the poetry gathering held by the second young master of the Marquis of Yongchang’s Mansion, hoping to make a name for himself there.