Courtyard House: A System Connecting Two Worlds, Resources for the Nation

After several rounds of drinks and five courses of food,

Seeing Zhou Feng's silence, Sun San Niang suddenly started a conversation.

"We, the three sisters, have come to Tokyo and are unfamiliar with the place. We are very grateful for your care, sir. We wonder if you have any family or relatives in Tokyo, and where they live, so that we, the three sisters, can visit you in the future."

If she could see it, Zhao Pan'er must have seen it too, but they just didn't say it because of the difference in their status.

Since that's the case, as Pan'er's sister, she brought up the topic directly, so that neither of them would hesitate and wonder how long they would drag it out.

"I'm all alone; I have no relatives left in this world!"

Zhou Feng shook his head with a wry smile.

He wasn't lying about that.

His parents are in this world, so of course he has no relatives in the Dream Record world.

But his words caused the three women at the table to simultaneously show a hint of pity in their eyes.

Women are like that; even though the three of them had their share of hardships, they couldn't help but feel sorry for Zhou Feng after hearing that he was all alone.

"Well... now that you, Master Zhou, hold an official position, you can be said to have achieved great success in your career. I wonder what your thoughts are on settling down and starting a family?"

When Zhao Pan'er heard Sun San Niang's question, she narrowed her eyes slightly, knowing that her best friend was trying to find out what Zhou Feng was thinking. So she didn't interrupt, but instead picked up some food while listening intently.

"Starting a family? I do have some thoughts about it, but I haven't had a chance to put them into practice yet."

Zhou Feng's gaze swept over Zhao Pan'er without any attempt to conceal it, and the three women at the table immediately understood his intentions.

This time, Zhao Pan'er didn't let Sun San Niang speak for her. She put down her wine cup and looked intently at Zhou Feng.

"I wonder what Master Zhou thinks about the matter of wives and concubines."

By saying this, Zhao Pan'er was essentially playing her cards right in front of Zhou Feng.

Sun San Niang and Song Yin Zhang's eyes also focused on Zhou Feng.

"Concubines are merely appendages of the master's household, there's not much to say about them. However, I have specific requirements for the candidate of the principal wife."

Upon hearing Zhou Feng's words, Zhao Pan'er's eyes narrowed slightly. Although her expression didn't change much, the clenched fists hidden in her long sleeves proved that she was quite uneasy.

"What are your requirements, sir?"

It was Sun San Niang who asked the question again. It was enough that Zhao Pan'er was able to reveal her hand in one go.

If I say any more, it will sound like I'm desperate to get married.

"He must be intelligent and decisive, strong and independent, with a neat and steady personality, insightful about human nature, and able to get along with me in a harmonious and pleasant way."

hiss…

Sun San Niang gasped, glancing furtively at Zhao Pan'er out of the corner of her eye.

The conditions that the official mentioned this week were extremely compatible with Pan'er's, so only one last point remained.

Now that things had come to this point, Zhou Feng no longer needed to probe further. He turned to look at Zhao Pan'er and said, "Whether you were once a courtesan or are now a commoner, as long as you haven't used your beauty to serve others, what difference does it make?"

Upon hearing this, the three women simultaneously showed expressions of surprise and delight. Zhao Pan'er's cheeks flushed, and she lowered her head shyly.

Her direct question had exhausted all her courage, and now that she had received a definite answer, she felt shy instead.

Just as the four were speechless, a shout came from below: "The courtesan is here! The courtesan is here!"

Looking down from the second-floor window, a convoy of cars slowly approached.

Not only them, but also the guests at other tables were gathered around the window, gazing down.

"It's Zhang Haohao who's here!"

"Of course, she's the head of the brothel, the most famous courtesan!"

"I heard her singing is like celestial music, but to hear her sing, you have to spend a string of cash and wait half a month!"

"You all don't know this, do you? Today is the Eighth Prince's birthday, and the Imperial Music Bureau, acting on imperial orders, held a grand performance of songs, dances, and acrobatics at the South Tower of the Yamen. Lady Zhang sang 'The Cry of the Wild Geese,' and the Emperor not only rewarded her with a colorful dress but also granted her permission to parade along the Imperial Street!"

"The hairpins in her hair were all gifts from the Eighth Prince, and even hundreds of strings of cash couldn't buy them."

"Tsk tsk tsk, a courtesan from a music academy, yet the one leading her horse is none other than Liu Jiu, the most skilled lyricist in the world. She has truly gone to great lengths."

Hearing the exclamations of amazement from the people around him, a glint of light flashed in Song Yinzhang's eyes.

The customers on the second floor of this restaurant were all wealthy and powerful, yet they were peering out the window, envying a courtesan. This stirred up a storm in her heart.

Zhou Feng glanced at it briefly, then turned away with a smirk.

Perhaps Zhang Haohao is not bad-looking, but he really can't appreciate a face painted white, with a red patch of makeup in the middle of the lips, making it look like a menstrual pad.

What makes it good-looking?

Besides, I remember in the TV series, she was with Chi Pan as soon as she appeared. How could Zhou Feng be interested in a woman like that?

Who does that young master Chi think he is? Does he even deserve to have Zhou Feng wash his pots?

Thinking of this, Zhou Feng lost all interest in what Zhang Haohao looked like after removing her makeup.

Instead, Zhao Pan'er, who was sitting next to him, noticed his expression, a hint of curiosity in her eyes: "Zhang Haohao is the number one courtesan in Tokyo, aren't you interested, Master Zhou?"

"Ha... Even a piece of trash like Chi Pan can become her lover. What kind of Tokyo's number one courtesan is she?"

Upon hearing Zhou Feng's words, Zhao Pan'er and Sun San Niang simultaneously recalled Chi Pan's disheveled state in front of Zhou Feng, and couldn't help but smile.

Even though Song Yinzhang didn't know who Chi Pan was, he sensed the disdain in Zhou Feng's tone, and his positive feelings towards Zhang Haohao below suddenly weakened.

However, no matter what, Zhang Haohao was already a courtesan in the imperial music academy. She had received the emperor's reward and could ride the emperor through the streets. She was extremely impressive!

How could this not make her, who was also of lowly status, extremely envious?

"Yinzhang, although Zhang Haohao seems glamorous, relying on her beauty to please others is ultimately a lowly path. There are countless beauties in the world, and even if they are famous for a time, it is difficult to maintain their fame."

Zhao Pan'er gently pulled Song Yinzhang's hand and whispered a word of advice.

She knew her younger sister all too well; she wanted to be in the limelight, escape her lowly status, and marry into a wealthy and powerful family.

Such naive thinking inevitably leads to being deceived by wicked people; Zhou She is a prime example.

"Sister, I know."

Song Yinzhang bowed his head in agreement, but his peripheral vision still darted downwards through the open window.

Although Zhou Feng noticed Song Yinzhang's actions, he didn't say anything.

He has his eye on Zhao Pan'er, and if it's convenient, he wouldn't mind helping her take care of her sister. But if Song Yinzhang does something reckless, he won't interfere too much.

Zhou Feng has done a relatively good job in respecting the fate of others.

Moreover, if I remember correctly, in the original storyline, Zhang Haohao learned that Chi Yanei had been wronged by Zhao Pan'er and even bit his tongue, so he specifically wanted to settle accounts with Song Yinzhang.

Now, Chi Yanei did not encounter Song Yinzhang, but suffered an even greater loss at the hands of Zhao Pan'er.

If Zhang Haohao comes knocking on his door because of this, Zhou Feng wouldn't mind getting some emotional value from her.

Just like Zhou She, he has already figured out the pattern.

Two consecutive days of torture, followed by a day of rest, would be the most stable frequency for obtaining emotional value, and would not cause further damage to Zhou She's body.

Although there are fewer characters and plot points in this world than in the courtyard house, Zhou She and Gu Qianfan have single-handedly increased the speed at which Zhou Feng gains emotional value.

In addition, the divine lightning that appeared in front of the emperor, empress, and civil and military officials in the palace at night provided Zhou Feng with even more emotional value.

Even though many of them didn't appear on screen in the TV series, the miracle of the Thunder Gods descending to earth was still incredibly awe-inspiring!

"Introduction!"

Unlike Zhao Pan'er, Sun San Niang was not so reserved and pulled Song Yin Zhang's arm forcefully.

"So what if Zhang Haohao is living the high life? Even a spoiled brat like Chi Pan managed to have a one-night stand with her, but he lost all face in front of Master Zhou. What's there to envy?"

The voice was quite loud; even the guests at other tables could hear it clearly.

But this is Tokyo, where there are countless dignitaries and nobles. Even if they heard it, they would only glance at it and immediately turn away.

Even Chi Panchi, the son of the governor, is someone they can't afford to offend, so they wouldn't dare to provoke him casually.

"Alright, we came to this restaurant to eat, so who cares what Zhang Haohao does?"

Zhou Feng cleared his throat, instantly bringing the three women back to their senses. Zhao Pan'er smiled gently, "The culinary skills of the restaurants in Dongjing City are certainly good, but they are still somewhat inferior to those of Third Sister. If Master Zhou doesn't mind, you can come to our place next time and let Third Sister cook for you personally, how about that?"

"Great! I'm not bragging, but my skills from over twenty years of cooking are still pretty good!"

Upon hearing Zhao Pan'er's words, Sun San Niang immediately stood up and patted her chest.

She may not be as good as her two sisters in music, pipa, or running a shop, but when it comes to cooking, Sun San Niang is absolutely confident.

"Cough...cough cough...then it's settled!"

Zhou Feng cleared his throat somewhat awkwardly.

Perhaps because of the actress who played Sun San Niang in the original story, Sun San Niang's superiority over others is not only due to her cooking skills.

Just a couple of taps and Zhou Feng were already agitated; the power was truly immense.

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Zhou Feng saw the three of them downstairs. Before parting, he told Su Xiaoya that she could contact them directly if she needed anything.

Thanks to the efforts of Lin Yin and the 10 science and technology experts who were transferred here, their communication signals have now successfully covered the entire city of Tokyo and are radiating outwards.

Within this city, anyone who wants to stay connected can easily do so using Bluetooth headphones.

This time, Zhao Pan'er did not refuse Zhou Feng's kindness. Instead, she gracefully bowed and then led Sun San Niang and Song Yin Zhang into the carriage that Zhou Feng had given her.

"Let's go back too."

The three people following Zhou Feng couldn't help but twitch their lips.

The experts and warriors who came into this world are all steadfastly completing their missions, and most of them are working tirelessly without sleep.

But this leader, besides participating in the plot every day, all he does is build relationships with the characters in the plot... well, he's a womanizer!

But they didn't have much to say about it; they just felt it was somewhat absurd.

"What? Young Master Chi was bullied by a woman surnamed Zhao and her men?"

Zhang Haohao, who had just returned to the courtyard, heard her maid's report and immediately raised an eyebrow.

The subordinate that Chi Pan had assigned to serve him also sighed, "That's right, the young master is still leading people in the streets shouting and cursing."

"What are you yelling about?"

"It is said that someone owed Zhao Niangzi something and did not pay it back, so she sent someone to knock on the door and curse. The young master suffered a loss and was left there."

"Hey! I'd like to see just who this Lady Zhao is!"

With that, Zhang Haohao changed her clothes and went out with her maid.

Chi Pan's men were stunned for a moment, and when they tried to stop him again, they couldn't.

After hesitating for a few seconds, he decided to give up chasing after him.

After all, Zhang Haohao has just received the emperor's praise and is at the height of her fame in the entire capital city of Tokyo.

If she were to step in, she might actually be able to help the young master resolve the problem he's caused this time.

Just as Chi Yanei said, who in the entire city of Tokyo doesn't know about his relationship with Zhang Haohao?

As soon as she opened her mouth, all the ruffians working for Chi Yanei sprang into action and found Zhao Pan'er's residence in a flash.

Unexpectedly, before she could even knock on the door, she was drawn to the sound of a pipa coming from inside.

Although Song Yinzhang was love-struck, his pipa skills were indeed among the best in the entire Song Dynasty.

Just a few melodies were enough to make Zhang Hao forget her original purpose; all she wanted to do was find the musicians in the mansion and have a long chat!

When she was led into Song Yinzhang's room by the maid, she also put aside her pride: "I have always been proud and thought that my singing voice was the best in the world, but I didn't expect that compared with my sister's pipa, it is far inferior."

With just this one sentence, Song Yinzhang was instantly captivated, regarding Zhang Haohao as a confidante and wishing he could confide in her completely.

Especially when the topic of social class was brought up, Zhang Haohao grabbed her shoulders and said with a coquettish laugh, "So what if I'm of low social class?"

"They have no worries about food and drink on a daily basis, are fawned over by scholars and writers, and respected by high-ranking officials and nobles. They don't have to sell themselves to pander to popular tastes, nor are they bound by rules and dogmas. They wear gold and silver, and have servants by their side. How are they inferior to those commoners?"

"Some people serve as officials their whole lives and never even see the Emperor, but I'm only twenty-three years old, and the Emperor and the Empress have already praised me twice!"

"You practice the pipa so diligently, sleeping at midnight and rising before dawn, and so do I. Using one's looks to please others is despicable; we are upright and honorable!"

Seeing Zhang Haohao's proud expression, Song Yinzhang's face also showed longing.

If I could truly use my pipa skills to meet high-ranking officials, or even the emperor himself, then...

If Zhou Feng were here, he would probably just have to slap his forehead in exasperation. This woman is so easily brainwashed. After Zhang Hao explained something to her, she believed him as if she were possessed.

He only wanted to ask one question: You say that although you are of lowly status and do not use your looks to serve others, if a high-ranking official or noble person really asked you to serve him, could you refuse?

Is that young master of the Chi Panchi government really going to marry you in a grand sedan chair?

It's one thing to fool others, but it's ridiculous to even believe yourself that being of low social status is no worse than being of common status.