In the north of the city, a carriage drove through the bustling streets, passed through a row of majestic luxury mansions, turned into a narrow alley, drove slowly to the end, and stopped outside a small courtyard.
Tang Ji took the lead to get out of the carriage, raised his eyes and looked slightly surprised.
There was no vermilion door or black gold plaque in front of him, only a copper-brown wooden door with peeling paint. The eaves and the gray tiles on the walls on both sides were more or less damaged. The cracks on the gray wall seemed to be caused by the passage of time.
The traces left on the body.
Tang Ji turned to look at Li Yu, who had just stepped off the carriage, and asked, "Are you sure Professor Chen lives here?"
"Of course, Mr. Chen has been poor and honest all his life. His father had previously offered a house, but he rejected it. I only found out about this place when I came to visit on purpose before." After Li Yu explained, he stretched and saw everyone coming down.
Afterwards, he sent Song Xiao to knock on the door.
Soon, the courtyard door opened, and an old and rickety old woman curiously glanced at everyone, and finally her eyes fell on Li Yu. She felt that the other person was familiar. After thinking about it, she hurriedly saluted and said, "See His Highness, King You."
With a smile on his face, Li Yu quickly took a step to support her and explained: "No need to be polite, madam. Is Professor Chen at home?"
Mrs. Chen shook her head and replied: "The old man went fishing with others and has not come back yet. If Your Highness is not in a hurry, you might as well come in and wait."
After saying that, she opened the courtyard door completely.
Li Yu turned around and looked at Tang Ji, then turned around and said with a smile: "Then I'm sorry."
Soon, several people walked into the courtyard.
The space in the courtyard is not small, but it looks a little simple. There is a kitchen on the right side of the courtyard door, and a large amount of firewood is piled on the left side. There is a long flower bed next to it, with many green plants planted in it.
Mrs. Chen walked into the lobby with the four of them. Due to the lack of light, she quickly took out the fire stick and lit the candle. After waiting for the room to become brighter, she said to Li Yu: "Your Highness, please sit down first while I go make tea."
"Old madam, don't bother me," Li Yu replied.
Mrs. Chen was particularly persistent and insisted on preparing tea.
Seeing this, Jiang Ran followed him with wine, wanting to help.
Tang Ji stood there and looked around, and found a desk on the side, and several bookcases spliced together behind it. There was a small window open beside the outermost desk, and the nearby walls were covered with calligraphy and painting works.
.
He walked over and took a look around, and found that the "Beauty" he wrote in Yuexian Tower last time was actually among them. He was about to reach out and touch it, but was stopped by Professor Chen who rushed in from outside the house: "Stop!"
Professor Chen quickly walked up to Tang Ji, spread out his arms to protect the long scroll behind him, and said, "Are you here to pick up this manuscript today?"
Tang Ji chuckled, retracted his arm raised in the air, cupped his hands and said, "Master Chen, you are worrying too much."
At this moment, Mrs. Chen walked in with tea. Seeing Professor Chen's appearance, she put the tray on the table, walked over, grabbed his arm, and reminded: "Old man, His Highness Prince You is still here!
"
Professor Chen felt relieved when he heard that Tang Ji was not here to pick up this long scroll that he regarded as a treasure. He coughed twice, raised his hands to Li Yu and said, "Greetings to His Highness, Prince You."
Li Yu hurriedly raised his hand and returned the greeting: "Master Chen, there is no need to be polite."
Professor Chen led several people back to the lobby, asked Li Yu to sit on the upper seat, and he and Tang Ji sat on each side, and asked: "I wonder why Your Highness came here today?"
Tang Ji couldn't help but glance outside the house, looking for Jiang Ran and Jiu'er.
Li Yu coughed lightly, pointed at Tang Ji and said, "The person looking for you today is not my king, but Tang Ji."
Hearing this, Professor Chen picked up the teacup and took a sip, then raised his eyes to look at Tang Ji opposite who was distracted, and asked curiously: "I wonder what Mr. Tang wants to see me for?"
"Don't dare, don't dare!" Tang Ji retracted his thoughts, quickly stood up, and said with cupped hands: "I came to see you today to apologize for my rude behavior in Yuexian Tower that day. I hope you can forgive me."
Professor Chen raised his hand and waved, and replied: "I didn't take it seriously. As a young man, you are full of blood, and you encountered a hero saving a beauty. Your eyes were red at the time, and you mistakenly thought that I and Li Runsheng were of the same spirit.
It’s normal.”
Speaking of this, he couldn't help but think of the scene in the building that day, chuckled twice, and continued: "But, you are not just here today to apologize to me, right?"
Tang Ji glanced at Li Yu and saw that he couldn't hide it from him, so he said bluntly: "Your Excellency is wise."
"If you are not wise, go and call those two little girls in. It is not a problem to let them stand outside and bask in the sun with Old Man Sun." Professor Chen added.
Tang Ji saluted again and walked out quickly, only to find Jiang Ran and Jiu'er standing at the gate chatting with Sun Yufu: "Senior Sun, why are you here?"
Sun Yufu adjusted his blindfold and replied: "Oh, Old Man Chen asked me to go fishing early in the morning, so I stayed with him all morning. Not only did he have trouble with his legs, he was a little worried, so I personally sent him back."
Tang Ji nodded. Unexpectedly, Sun Yufu and Professor Chen were old acquaintances. Without asking any more questions, he said on second thought: "Let's go in and sit down."
In this way, the four of them quickly walked back to the lobby, and Tang Ji told them all the purpose of their visit today.
After listening to this, Professor Chen looked at Jiang Ran while stroking his beard. His shining eyes wandered twice. After thinking for a while, he smiled and said, "I haven't taught anyone how to play music for more than twenty years. Many things have already been forgotten."
Even if I forget, I don’t know if I can teach it well!”
But as soon as he finished speaking, Mrs. Chen, who was standing behind her, poked his arm and said: "You played for half an hour yesterday. Since this little girl is asking for advice humbly, then you can teach her."
Jiang Ran nodded politely. It seemed that it was the right choice to go out with Jiu'er to help the old lady make tea.
When Professor Chen saw that he had been exposed, he immediately lost his composure. He coughed lightly to remind Mrs. Chen not to talk nonsense. He turned around and found that everyone was smiling at him. He stopped pretending and said straight to the point to Tang Ji: "I want to."
It’s okay to ask me to teach her, but you have to agree to my three conditions!”
Hearing this, Jiang Ran raised her eyebrows slightly and opened her jade lips slightly: "Mr. Chen..."
But before she could say anything, Tang Ji reached out to stop her and said with a smile: "My lord, it doesn't matter if you say so."
"Hahaha, you really went above and beyond for Miss Jiang. You agreed without even asking my conditions." Professor Chen stroked his slender beard, picked up the tea cup again and took a sip.
Later, he saw Tang Ji waiting for his next words and continued: "Okay, since you are so happy, I don't want to write ink anymore. That day you wrote "Qing Ping Tiao" and "Beautiful Lady" in Yuexian Tower.
My first condition is that you come up with the other two poems."
Hearing this, Mrs. Chen was surprised that the poem that her old man had been chanting these days was actually written by this young man!
Tang Ji had already guessed the other party's plan. Without hesitation, he stood up and asked, "Can I borrow your desk?"
"Excuse me." Professor Chen raised his hand and pointed to the desk.
Tang Ji turned his head and wanted to ask Jiu'er to grind the ink for him, but Jiang Ran beat him to it: "Let me grind the ink for you."
"good."
Just like that, the two of them walked to the desk. Tang Ji laid out the rice paper, picked up the pen and thought for a while, and waited until Jiang Ran polished the ink before picking up the pen to write.
I don't know how long it took, Li Yu sat on the chair and fell asleep for a long time, but was woken up by a cry. When he looked back, he realized it was Professor Chen, so he didn't think much, tilted his head and fell asleep again. After all, he was very fond of Tang Ji.
Very reassured.
"A masterpiece...it is indeed a masterpiece!" Professor Chen looked at the "Song of Everlasting Sorrow" and an unknown poem placed on the table and nodded in praise.
But not long after, he raised his eyes to look at Tang Ji and asked seriously: "Were you the author of these four poems?"
Tang Ji didn't know how to answer for a while, so he snatched four poems from others in one breath. If the original author knew about it, he would probably curse himself to death, but now he couldn't think about it so much, nodded and said: "Yes."
Professor Chen clearly felt the lack of confidence in his words, closed his eyes slightly, and continued: "Okay, in that case, my second condition is that I will give you two topics, and ask Mr. Tang to write them each within one stick of incense.
Come up with a poem."
In this way, he can determine whether these four poems were written by Tang Ji!