The Idle Man of Zhenguan Intercepts Wu Zetian at the Start

Wu Xu slept until noon before waking up. When he came yesterday, he thought the plum garden was very large, with winding corridors, the fragrance of plum blossoms, red lanterns hanging everywhere, swaying tree shadows, and shadowy scenes. What was even more strange was that there was a flowing river running through the garden, which left him with a lasting impression.

It was unbelievable that someone from such a small county could live in such a large garden. Compared to his own old Duke's mansion, it was far inferior in both size and garden layout. Laughter could be faintly heard from the courtyard. Wu Shun sat by the window, reading a book in her hand. Sunlight shone on her fair face, making her appear peaceful and serene.

"Sister, where are we?"

Wu Shun put down the book, turned around and smiled gently:

"Yesterday, after making a contract with the county magistrate, Mei Niang drank a bowl of wine in one gulp and immediately became drunk. The county magistrate then arranged for us to stay at the Plum Garden."

Wu Xu was filled with resentment:

"That scoundrel knew his wine was so strong, yet he didn't warn me, making me lose face in front of all the servants."

Wu Shun's voice was gentle:

"I think the county magistrate is very considerate and attentive to Meiniang. He even said with a smile that no matter who drinks his Poet Immortal Wine for the first time, they will get drunk, even the number one Wu Zetian in the world is no exception."

"Number one in the world? Does he really think that of me?"

Wu Xu lifted the white silk quilt, and a faint fragrance wafted into his nose. Looking around, he realized that this room was probably more than ten times larger than his room in the Wu Mansion. Rows of antique bookshelves stood against the wall, filled with all kinds of books, and even jade and rare trinkets were all available. The scorched-tail guqin on the zither stand, the calligraphy and paintings hanging on the wall, and even the pine soot ink and inkstone on the desk all exuded luxury and nobility, yet they were arranged with a refined scholarly atmosphere!

Wu Shun stepped forward with a smile:

"I heard it from the county magistrate himself. After Meiniang got drunk, he specifically told me to feed her more honey water. If Meiniang could be gentler with him, she might become the number one in the county magistrate's heart!"

"I also heard from the maids in Plum Garden that Her Majesty the Empress once stayed in the main courtyard of Plum Garden. After the Empress gave Plum Garden to the county magistrate, she didn't take a single thing from the garden with her. You were the first person to move into this house after the Empress."

A slight warmth appeared on Wu Xu's cold face, but his tone remained icy:

"He's nothing but a despicable man who uses underhanded tactics. A real man should be out on the frontier making a name for himself, not wallowing in women and living a life of debauchery. Using such methods to please women is his specialty."

Wu Shun lowered his head and sighed softly. It was a pity that Meiniang was born into the wrong family, and that she had a deep-seated prejudice against the county magistrate. She had such a good man in front of her, but she did not know how to cherish him.

After washing up, Wu Xu saw two bowls of mutton soup still steaming on the stove. Several golden-brown flatbreads were cut open and stuffed with juicy bits of meat. He picked one up and took a bite. The aroma of wheat and meat mingled together, leaving a lingering fragrance in his mouth. The crispy flatbread and the tender stewed mutton melted in his mouth. The mutton's usual gamey smell, the coarse salt's usual astringency and sourness, were all gone, replaced by a pure, soft, crispy, fragrant, and fresh taste. He had never eaten anything so delicious in his life!

Wu Zetian opened her eyes wide, picked up a cake, and handed it to Wu Xu:

"Sister, you should try it!"

Wu Xu smiled and took the pancake:

"This was just brought over by Liu'er, a maid in the courtyard. It was the first time I had ever seen this way of eating, so I asked about it. Liu'er told me that this was a method that the county magistrate came up with himself. The coarse salt was refined into fine salt by the county magistrate, and the mutton was stewed with many medicinal herbs. She said that the county magistrate calls this roujiamo (meat sandwich)."

Wu Xu picked up the mutton soup and took a sip. The milky white broth had a unique, refreshing aroma; it was neither greasy, nor gamey, nor astringent. Moreover, it was sweet with a hint of peppery spiciness, leaving a lingering aftertaste. He couldn't help but sigh softly.

"This man does possess some talent and ingenuity. The Preface to the Orchid Pavilion he wrote in our mansion that day is still beyond my comprehension. His 'Poet Immortal Wine' caused a sensation in Chang'an, not only because of his tricks like forging poems, but also because the wine itself is truly impeccable..."

Wu Shun nodded slightly, his eyelids drooping slightly, a hint of envy on his face:

"For thousands of years, it has always been the government that brews and sells wine, but no one has ever been able to make such a fragrant and mellow spirit. The same goes for government salt. In my opinion, the county magistrate is probably not just someone with a little talent and ingenuity. Look at his printing and papermaking; no matter what kind of problem he faces, he can solve it with ease. Among the sages of this world, is there anyone who can compare to him?"

Wu Xu raised his head, glanced at Wu Shun, and said calmly:

"If only His Majesty would bestow my elder sister upon this scoundrel. Although I cannot accept that my husband only knows some strange and frivolous skills, I do not dislike having a brother-in-law like this."

Wu Shun blushed deeply with embarrassment, and even though he was mild-mannered, he couldn't help but spit out a curse.

Wu Xu smiled and put his arm around hers:

"If my elder sister likes him, it's not impossible. When I become powerful in the future, I will divorce him. With my elder sister by his side, it won't be considered that my Wu family is heartless!"

Although Wu Shun blushed deeply with embarrassment, she kept her mouth shut, not wanting to argue with Wu Xu any longer. Wu Xu, unsure whether his sister was pleased or simply angry with him, pushed open the door and pulled Wu Shun aside, saying:

"Sister, come with me to stroll around this plum garden. After I move here, I'll bring you and Mother over as well, and you won't have to live under Wu Yuanqing's thumb anymore."

Wu Shun was naturally delighted, but he stammered in response:

"How can this be? I... I am also an unmarried woman, how can I continue to live in my brother-in-law's house..."

Wu Xu's expression returned to its coldness:

"Since this marriage is bestowed by His Majesty, I am the sole mistress of this Plum Garden. Besides, I have a bookstore and a school to manage. It is only reasonable for you to come and help me. Those two maids are in the hands of that scoundrel's winery and paper mill, but he won't necessarily hand over his fiefdom and permanent land to those servants!"

Wu Shun was speechless. Meiniang wasn't even married yet... But he was happy for her. The county magistrate was exceptionally talented and kind-hearted. He was also deeply loved by the Empress and had such a large family fortune. If Meiniang and he had a harmonious marriage, wouldn't their life be a thousand times better than in the Wu family? However, Meiniang was only interested in men who held power over the world... Thinking of this, he couldn't help but frown slightly.

The East Garden has several buildings, and the entire courtyard is surrounded by the Qujiang Pool. The corridors and bridges are connected, and the ancient plum trees are in full bloom. There are also many strange rocks. The East Garden alone is much larger than the entire Wu Mansion. To the right of the East Garden, there is a lively atmosphere with laughter and chatter. However, the trees and strange rocks block the view, and not a single person can be seen.

"Let's go take a look."

Although Wu Shun was the older sister, she followed behind Wu Xu. The two passed through the plum grove and in front of a west-facing house in the far corner of the East Garden, a group of people were busy. They worked in pairs, constantly lifting a large filter board into the water, shaking it for a while, and then lifting it out of the water. After the water was filtered out, a wet paper was formed on the filter board.

"This...is papermaking..."

Wu Shun stared wide-eyed, his face filled with indescribable admiration.