"Although I have a title, this is Qiantang, not Tokyo. In your tea shop, I am just an ordinary customer, so you don't have to be so formal."
Zhou Chen told Zhao Pan'er and Sun Sanniang not to be restrained, but after knowing Zhou Chen's identity, how could they be as relaxed as before.
Even Sun Sanniang, who had always been carefree and never talked her head off, was cautious at the moment and didn't dare to speak.
However, they felt relieved when they saw that Zhou Chen had no intention of arguing with them. Sun Sanniang was fine with it, but Zhao Pan'er had also met many officials.
But even so, there are very few people in the entire Qiantang, and even Hangzhou, who can match Zhou Chen's status.
This fictional Song Dynasty is different from the official Song Dynasty. Although there are many princes, princes and earls, more than 90% of them are life-long titles that cannot be hereditary. There are not many who can be hereditary, and those who can be hereditary are even rarer.
You must know that even in the Meng family of Zhou Chen's mother's family, the patriarch was named a county king after his death, but the hereditary title is still only the title of Duke.
Therefore, the Zhou family, a hereditary and irreplaceable marquis, has a first-class title throughout the Song Dynasty. As long as the Zhou family does not rebel, it can be passed down.
Therefore, even though the rank of the Zhongyong Marquis Mansion is only from the third rank, its status is deeply rooted and it is more noble than the second rank officials.
Zhao Pan'er whispered: "Master Hou, you have a distinguished status. It is already a great gift that you don't blame us. How dare you treat you like an ordinary guest?"
Zhou Chen also knew that exposure of his identity would make Zhao Pan'er wary, so he said: "I guess I will stay in Qiantang for a while. Regarding my identity..."
Zhao Pan'er immediately understood: "Master Hou, don't worry, Sanniang and I will never leak even a little bit of this matter."
Sun Sanniang also promised: "Me too, Mr. Hou, I will never tell anyone, not even my son Fang, I will not tell him."
Zhou Chen nodded and said: "My interest in drinking tea just now was interrupted. I can't stay in this room anymore. I'm going to the pavilion outside. Please help Mrs. Zhao make me another pot of tea."
"That's what it should be. Lord Marquis, please go over first, and I'll make you a pot of Lingyin Buddha tea now." Zhao Pan'er replied without thinking.
Zhou Chen walked out of the house and sat down at the pavilion by the river in the courtyard. Qin Yi immediately handed over the book Zhou Chen had just read.
Picking up the book, Zhou Chen started reading again.
Inside the room, Sun Sanniang and Zhao Paner were discussing quietly.
"It's really scary. It turns out that Zhou Guanren is still a marquis. Pan'er, you have good eyesight. You can tell how extraordinary he is at a glance."
"I don't have any eyesight. I just thought that he was extraordinary and different from ordinary people, but I didn't expect that his status was so noble. A marquis like him could talk to a businesswoman like us on an equal footing.
It doesn’t even feel real to me.”
Sun Sanniang agreed very much with Zhao Pan'er's words: "You're right, I never felt that he had any airs before. It's not like the officials here, who are little officials like sesame and mung beans. They usually show off their power. By the way, Pan'er, this loyal and brave man
How big an official is Hou?"
Zhao Pan'er rolled her eyes: "Marquis Zhongyong is a title, not an official position, so it is correct for Lord Zhou to say that he does not have an official position, but the rank of a marquis is higher than most official positions. Even our prefect Zhizhou,
In terms of grade alone, he is not as good as Lord Zhou."
"Ah? He's older than the prefect. He's such a high official, and he's so young and handsome. I don't know if he's married yet." Sun Sanniang looked infatuated.
Zhao Pan'er was even more speechless: "What are you thinking? It doesn't matter whether they are married or not, it has nothing to do with us. Hurry up and get some fruit. They just saved us, and we must repay the kindness."
Sun Sanniang sighed: "I just feel it's a pity, Pan'er, I think the way Lord Zhou looks at you is wrong. If it weren't for your Ouyang Xu, I think it would be a good choice for you to follow him."
"Shut up now, Sanniang."
Zhao Pan'er was startled and glanced at Zhou Chen outside in a panic. She lowered her voice and said, "Don't talk nonsense. Ouyang and I are destined. I am only grateful to this Lord Zhou and nothing else. Besides, I have already
I have sworn that I, Zhao Paner, will never be a concubine in my life."
She used to be an official, but after she lived in Jiaofangsi, she saw too many women as concubines, but the ending of each concubine was more miserable than the last, so she had sworn long ago that she would never be a concubine in this life, even in the future.
Don't marry.
Therefore, after she became a good citizen, she did not get married until she was twenty-one years old. In this era, it is really too rare for someone to be unmarried at this age.
Until later she met Ouyang Xu, and she wholeheartedly helped Ouyang Xu in his scientific research, and could no longer tolerate others in her eyes.
Sun Sanniang said apologetically: "I'm sorry, Pan'er, I just said casually, I know what you are thinking. Didn't Mr. Zhou also say that the exam should have ended. I believe Ouyang Xu can definitely pass high school."
Maybe now he has arranged for someone to come to Qiantang and want to take you to Tokyo."
Hearing this, Zhao Pan'er's face suddenly showed a sweet smile, but for some reason, she suddenly thought of what Zhou Chen said to them back then.
If it were Ouyang Xu High School, would he still treat her as well as he did in Qiantang if he stayed in Tokyo?
"I hope so."
"Master Hou, your Lingyin Buddha Tea."
Zhao Pan'er and Sun Sanniang put the tea and fruits in their hands on the table.
"Let's go and clean up the house, so we won't disturb the Marquis's tea."
"good."
Zhou Chen picked up the teacup and took a sip. Zhao Paner's tea making skills were indeed very good.
Although the variety of tea is not as good as that of later generations, this is completely handmade tea, which is more natural than the tea that was produced by machines in later generations.
People who don't like tea may not be able to tell the difference, but Zhou Chen often tastes tea in modern times, so he can tell the difference.
"Master Marquis, your identity has been known. Do we need to leave? Jin Huan can leave at any time."
Qin Yi asked Zhou Chen in a low voice.
Zhou Chen said casually: "No, my identity is not shameful, and I don't have an official position now. Is it possible that someone will be unfavorable to me?"
There is one thing he didn't say, even if someone wants to harm him, they have to see if they have the ability.
The reason why he was not in a hurry to leave was because he knew that he would see the last of the three Menghualu sisters, the youngest Song Yinzhang, shortly.
The character of Song Yinzhang in the play does not look very likable, but in fact, Song Yinzhang is a good woman, but she is not deeply involved in the world, is too simple, and does not know people well; and she wants to leave her country, and in order to do so, it is easy
She was blinded, which led to her doing many wrong things in the play.
But this is all from the audience's point of view, but if you look at it from Song Yinzhang's point of view, it will be a different situation.
For a prostitute living in Jiaofangsi, their status is not as good as that of ordinary servants. They look glamorous, but in fact they are just playthings in the hands of big shots and will never be free.
We are still living in this era. If we were a woman in modern society and came to this world with the same status as Song Yinzhang, I am afraid that for the sake of freedom, she would do even more extreme things than Song Yinzhang.
Don't urge others to be kind if you have not experienced others' suffering! If you have experienced my suffering, you may not be as kind as I am!
Audiences who watch the TV series basically stand in the perspective of the protagonist, so what they see is that Song Yinzhang is stupid and hopeless, but in fact, she still has a lot of merits.
At the very least, without Song Yinzhang, Zhao Pan'er, Sun Sanniang and others would not have been able to establish themselves so quickly after arriving in Tokyo.
After traveling through so many movies and TV series, Zhou Chen has long since learned to see people from multiple angles instead of just looking at one side.
Seeing that Zhou Chen had no intention of leaving, Zhao Pan'er continued to tidy up the house without urging him.
Qin Yi didn't sit down, but stood next to Zhou Chen without making any sound.
An hour passed in the blink of an eye, Zhou Chen had finished reading the book, stretched out, and was about to stand up when he suddenly saw something flying over from the other side of the river.
Qin Yi's expression suddenly changed, he blocked behind Zhou Chen, quickly reached out his hand and caught the flying object, and then discovered that it turned out to be the ball used in Cuju.
"Throw it back." Zhou Chen said coldly.
Qin Yi did not hesitate. When he saw the child on the opposite side, he aimed at him and threw the ball. His aim was very good and he hit the target.
"oops!"
A scream alerted Zhao Pan'er and Sun Sanniang who were cleaning the house. They rushed to the railing and saw Fu Zifang covering his head across the river.
Zhao Pan'er was fine, but Sun Sanniang felt a surge of anger gushing from the soles of her feet.
"Fu Zifang, you skipped school again and dared to hit someone. I'll beat you to death."
You can't blame Sun Sanniang for being angry. She had high hopes for her son and was already furious when she saw him skipping school. Not to mention, he actually dared to hit Zhou Chen with a ball.
Zhou Chen was the Zhongyong Marquis, a big noble in the imperial court, and they were not someone they could offend. If Zhou Chen was unhappy, a beating would be a light one, but a harsher one would not be considered.
In a small county like theirs, the son of the county magistrate can run wild and domineering in the village, and have no law. A marquis who is countless levels higher than the county magistrate must be even more terrifying.
Thinking of this, she couldn't help it anymore, picked up the broom and rushed out of the tea shop.
She first bowed and apologized to Zhou Chen: "Master Zhou, I'm really sorry. A civilian woman has no way to teach her children and has offended the Marquis. I will go and capture him now and ask the Marquis to punish him."
Zhou Chen waved his hand: "It's just a kid's prank, but Mrs. Sun will still have to discipline him in the future. If he is allowed to continue to behave like this, he will get into trouble sooner or later."
Sun Sanniang was grateful and afraid at the same time.
"Thank you for your grace, Lord Marquis. I'm going to teach that little bastard a lesson now."
After saying that, she picked up the broom and chased in the direction where Fu Zifang escaped.
Zhao Pan'er, who was in the house, also came over to plead for Sun Sanniang and her son. Although she felt that Zhou Chen would not be so stingy, her attitude towards Zhou Chen had changed drastically since she knew Zhou Chen's identity.
Not to the point of flattering, but also serving with caution.
"Ms. Zhao, it seems to me that you are not very sad about the destruction of the tea shop. Why is that?" Zhou Chen deliberately found a topic to talk to Zhao Pan'er.
Zhao Pan'er said truthfully: "The daughter's fiance is a scholar. After the daughter marries him, she will no longer run the tea shop, so the tea shop was destroyed. I am really a little sad, but thinking that this day will happen in the future, I feel relieved."
Already."
Zhou Chen sighed quietly: "Scholars, farmers, industry and merchants, although merchants are ranked last, but the world does not understand that without the existence of merchants, how can the world be stable?"
Zhao Pan'er looked surprised and asked curiously: "Master Hou, from what you say, you don't think businessmen are humble?"
"Relying on your own skills to make money, why is it so despicable? What, as a tea shop owner, do you think you are despicable?" Zhou Chen asked in return.
Zhao Pan'er replied without hesitation: "Of course not, I have never felt that I am inferior, it's just that the world is like this..."
"Yes, everyone in the world is like this, and there is nothing they can do."
Zhou Chen sighed, how should I put it, businessman, this is a historical issue with many problems, but it cannot be said that it is completely unreasonable.
Think about it on the other hand, what would it be like if a businessman had a high enough status, had money and power, and became a ruler?
Do conglomerates control the country?
Zhou Chen shook his head. He didn't think about this anymore. He just sighed and comforted Zhao Pan'er.
In this day and age, thinking about this has no other purpose than to be nerve-wracking.
To put it bluntly, even if the emperor wanted to improve the status of merchants, it was absolutely impossible to do so in this dynasty with such a background.
Zhao Pan'er became more and more curious about Zhou Chen. You must know that even an ordinary scholar can look down on businessmen and dare to point his nose at them and scold them for being full of copper.
And Zhou Chen, despite being one of the few nobles in the world, didn't look down on businessmen. This was something she had never seen before.
"Ms. Zhao, if you go to Tokyo in the future and encounter something, you can go to Zhongyonghou Mansion to find me. Maybe I can help."
Even if she really goes to Tokyo in the future, Zhao Pan'er has never thought about looking for Zhou Chen, but she is flattered that a marquis like Zhou Chen can say such things to her.
"Thank you so much, Mr. Marquis. There is nothing a civilian woman can do to repay you."
"Sister Pan'er, sister Pan'er."
Suddenly, a woman's call came from the stone arch bridge, and Zhou Chen turned around to look.
I saw a carriage parked on the stone arch bridge. Two women and one man were standing on the railings of the bridge. One of them, a young and beautiful girl, was looking here. It was obvious that she was the one who had just called someone.
Zhao Pan'er asked in surprise: "Yinzhang, why are you here?"
Song Yinzhang asked with concern: "I heard that bad guys came to the tea shop, so I rushed over. Sister Pan'er, are you okay?"
Zhao Pan'er walked to the door of the tea shop, and Song Yinzhang and the others also came over.
"Introduction seal, silver bottle."
Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly saw a strange man following Song Yinzhang, and his expression suddenly changed slightly.
"Who is this?"
The man saluted, and Song Yinzhang introduced him sheepishly: "Mr. Zhou, he was afraid that I would be anxious, so he sent me here."
"Zhou Lang?"
Zhao Pan'er looked shocked, her eyes full of exploration.
Song Yinzhang looked back at the man sheepishly, and he took a step forward.
"Xiao Ke Zhou She, I have met Mrs. Zhao. Yin Zhang has to mention Sister Zhao to me at least ten times every day. When I saw her today, she was really in high spirits and extraordinary."
Although Zhou She had a smile on his face, Zhao Paner felt something was wrong no matter how he looked at it, so he could only hide his mood with a smile.
"Please come in."
Then he turned around and led the way. Song Yinzhang's maid Yin Ping hurriedly caught up and told Zhao Pan'er about Zhou She and Song Yinzhang.
Zhou Chen looked at Zhao Pan'er leading Song Yinzhang and the others into the house and chuckled.