Song Dynasty Dreams: Marrying Zhao Pan’er at the beginning

Chapter 22 Magistrate Yang’s Visiting Card

Gao You quickly withdrew his hand. Zhao Pan’er, her face flushed red, got up and began tidying the bed.

At that moment, Gao You lost interest in reading The Legend of the White Snake and instead turned his gaze towards her, wondering if she was angry.

Feeling his stare, Zhao Pan’er became increasingly embarrassed and playfully scolded, “Gao Lang, what exactly are you looking at?”

“At a fairy,” Gao You casually replied.

Zhao Pan’er couldn’t help but smile.

In an instant, the whole world seemed brighter.

“Smooth talker!”

After teasing him lightly, she continued with her morning routine.

She wasn’t mad!

Feeling relieved, Gao You picked up The Legend of the White Snake again and resumed reading. He had only ever watched the TV adaptations before and never expected the book to contain so many unfilmed details. It was quite interesting.

______

At noon while Gao You was reading at the teahouse, a group of five burly men strode in.

“Pan’er-jie!”

Xiao Lingdang immediately whispered a warning to Zhao Pan’er. These kinds of rough-looking men were usually not the type to enjoy tea culture. Yet here they were, all unfamiliar faces.

“What would you gentlemen like to drink?”

Sun Sanniang, sensing the tension, took the initiative to serve them.

The black-faced leader casually pointed and ordered, “Qing Feng Sui!”

“One pot per person!”

Sun Sanniang resisted the urge to roll her eyes and patiently explained, “We serve tea by the cup, not by the pot.”

“Then one cup per person!”

The black-faced man glared at her and added, “And bring out all the fruit you have!”

Sun Sanniang nodded, suppressing her annoyance, and went into the kitchen.

“They’re here to cause trouble.”

Zhao Pan’er immediately understood but kept a calm expression as she prepared the tea and served it to them.

Taking a sip, the black-faced man commented, “Not bad.”

“No wonder scholars enjoy it.”

“But the portion is too small!”

A younger man beside him whispered, “Boss, we’re not actually here for the tea.”

“You think I need you to tell me that?”

The black-faced man shot him a glare.

“Bring out what we prepared.”

At his order, the men pulled various insects—flies, worms—from their robes and tossed them into their teacups.

______

Just then, a middle-aged man in his forties entered the teahouse and asked respectfully, “Is Master Gao here?”

Zhao Pan’er quickly stepped forward and recognized him as Steward Qian, the trusted servant of Yang Zhi Yuan, the Transport Magistrate of Liangzhe Circuit.

Yang Zhi Yuan had visited the teahouse several times before to admire paintings.

“Steward Qian!”

Zhao Pan’er smiled and asked, “Which Master Gao are you looking for?”

Steward Qian chuckled.

“Madam Zhao, you’re quite the jokester.”

“In Zhao’s Teahouse, there’s only one Master Gao—your husband.”

“My husband?”

Zhao Pan’er was taken aback.

Steward Qian nodded and presented a visiting card with great reverence.

“My master wishes to visit Master Gao in two days. Would that be convenient?”

At this, several literati who had been quietly drinking tea began whispering among themselves.

“Magistrate Yang is visiting Gao You?”

“Isn’t Gao You an idiot?”

“Don’t talk nonsense—Gao You is actually ‘Liu Yun Ju Shi,’ a true scholar!”

Hearing this, the black-faced thug leader interjected, “Who is this Magistrate Yang you speak of?”

“You don’t even know Magistrate Yang?”

The literati sneered in disdain, further irritating the black-faced man.

But he controlled his temper and forced a smile. “I truly don’t. Would you kindly enlighten me?”

The literati, slightly impressed by his formal phrasing, explained, “Magistrate Yang is the Transport Magistrate of Liangzhe Circuit.”

“I never expected him to personally send a visiting card to Gao You!”

A Transport Magistrate—that was a far higher rank than a mere county magistrate.

Someone of his status personally visiting a teahouse owner?

The troublemakers hesitated.

“What are you afraid of?”

The black-faced man snapped at his subordinates.

“A Magistrate is just a subordinate to the Transport Commissioner!”

“He holds no real power!”

“Besides, this is Qiantang, under the jurisdiction of Qiantang County!”

“Don’t forget who hired us!”

Oh, right!

They had been hired by Wang Yuanwai, a wealthy merchant, through the county’s constable chief. Even if things got messy, the Qiantang County Magistrate would protect them. With their confidence restored, the men prepared to cause trouble.

_____

Meanwhile, Steward Qian turned to Zhao Pan’er.

“Madam Zhao, could you inform your husband?”

“Of course.”

Zhao Pan’er nodded and walked over to Gao You, who was still pretending to be absorbed in his book. A visit from Magistrate Yang was a great honor. But she wasn’t sure how to persuade Gao You to meet him.

After all, many people had requested paintings from him recently, but he had ignored them all.

“Gao Lang!”@@novelbin@@

She lightly tapped him on the shoulder.

Gao You put down his book.

“Yes, my dear?”

“Magistrate Yang wishes to visit you in two days. Would you be willing to meet him?”

It was hard to refuse a polite request. Yang Zhi Yuan had gone so far as to formally send a visiting card, so it would be improper for Gao You to be too aloof. However, he was still playing the role of a simple-minded fool.

So he simply said, “It’s up to you, my dear.”

Leaving the decision to me?

Zhao Pan’er was surprised.