The Prime Minister's Darling

Chapter 367: 194 Apprenticeship (Second Update)

“But aren’t you aiming for the Imperial Civil Examination? Where would you get the time to teach me? Aren’t you going to focus on your exam?” Little Jingkong was not one to easily compromise.

This statement hit Gu Jiao’s heart. At present, the most important thing in their family was the upcoming Imperial Civil Examination next month. Whether she could become the wife of a scholar depended entirely on Xiao Liulang’s performance.

Xiao Liulang: I knew you would say that.

Xiao Liulang earnestly said: “It’s not me who will be teaching you, but my uncle will. He also knows how.”

Little Jingkong collapsed soulleslly into the chair.

The next day, Xiao Liulang took Gu Xiaoshun and Gu Yan to start their apprenticeship.

The process of becoming apprentices went smoothly, and the other party did not demand an expensive apprenticeship gift. They graciously accepted them as apprentices.

Their master, surnamed Lu, was a square-faced man. His real age was almost fifty, yet he looked less than forty.

Gu Xiaoshun scratched his head and quietly asked Gu Yan, “Gu Yan, have you heard of our master before?”

Gu Yan shook his head: “No, I’ve only heard of Lun Yuan.”

“Who is Lun Yuan?” Gu Xiaoshun asked. He was like a country bumpkin, clueless about the affairs of the Capital City.

Gu Yan patiently explained: “A great master! Extremely skilled! Our master also has the surname Lu, but he definitely has no relation to that great master.”

That Master Lu was Zhan Country’s most famous craftsman. Even the emperor’s Dragon Throne and Dragon Bed were his creation. This shows how significant his status was in Zhan Country.

There were rumors that the sparrows carved by Master Lu could fly, the fish carved by Master Lu could swim, and even more impressively, there were said to be a beauty carved by Master Lu who was brought to life and became Master Lu’s wife.

The rumors about Master Lu were endless. They couldn’t be finished even in three days and three nights.

However, Master Lu had a temper that was unpredictable and quirky. He once offended the emperor and was almost sentenced to death by the emperor.

After that, Master Lu retreated from the public eye and no longer took up business from the court.

Some people said that Master Lu changed his name and started working as a carpenter in another place. Now, many people in the market boast that they sell Master Lu’s works.

While the two were talking in the courtyard, a woman in simple clothes came out with a basket of salted vegetables.

Just looking at her figure, she was slender and graceful, but when they saw her face … both of them were a little taken aback.

Her face was disfigured.

Unlike the smooth birthmark on Gu Jiao’s face, this face was crisscrossed with scars, hideous and frightening. It was enough to scare anyone.

But neither of them moved or stared rudely at her face.

Gu Jiao often received disdainful looks because of her disfigurement. Neither Gu Yan nor Gu Xiaoshun would treat others this way.

“Who are you?” Gu Yan asked.

His eyes were clear, without the slightest bit of fear or contempt.

The woman smiled.

When ordinary people smile, they usually look warm, but not her. When she smiled, all the scars on her face moved, making her look even more hideous.

She said, “Are you his new apprentices? I am your master’s wife.”

So, she was their master’s wife.

Both of them thought she did not appear to be lying, so they gave her a respectful greeting, “Master’s wife.”

The woman neither acknowledged nor denied it. She just smiled faintly, put the basket of salted vegetables on a rack in the sun, and then went into the house.

Gu Yan became more convinced that this craftsman surnamed Lu was not Master Lu.

Master Lu’s wife was a great beauty, and everyone who saw her was floored by her beauty.

His aunt, the Imperial Concubine Shu, was considered a rare beauty in the palace, but when compared to Master Lu’s wife, she would still evidently pale in comparison.

Gu Yan and Gu Xiaoshun waited in the courtyard for a while before Xiao Liulang and Master Lu came out.

“I leave the two children in your care.” Xiao Liulang made a bow with his hands in front of his chest towards Master Lu.

Master Lu responded with a slight bow, “Master Xiao is too polite. In a few days, my wife and I have to go out, they can come back for lessons in three days.”

“Alright.” Xiao Liulang agreed, then had Gu Xiaoshun and Gu Yan bid farewell to Master Lu. Afterward, they got on the carriage and left.

After the three left, Master Lu was about to go back into the house when his wife, Nanxiang, came out from a curtain inside the house.

“It’s windy out, why did you come out?” Master Lu walked up to his wife and asked with a concerned tone, steadying her arm.

Nanxiang looked at the carriage that was gradually disappearing at the end of the lane and asked him, “Why did you suddenly agree to take on apprentices? I thought you hate being a master to others the most?”

“Ah.” Master Lu sighed. “That young man named Xiao Liulang is Master Feng’s disciple. Many years ago, I owed Master Feng a favour. I just considered this as a way to repay him.”