After leaving the farm and returning to Luoyang City, it was already the time when the sun was setting in the west. Cao Liang did not return to the Gaolinghou Mansion immediately, but went to the Changlinghou Mansion.

By this time, Xia Houxuan had almost finished the court meeting and returned home.

However, when he rushed to the Changling Marquis Mansion and asked the guard at the gate, he said that Xia Houxuan had not returned since he entered the palace. Cao Liang was helpless and did not want to run back and forth, so he simply went into the mansion and waited for Xia Houxuan to return.

Anyway, Cao Liang was a frequent visitor to the Changling Marquis Mansion, and the steward of the Marquis Mansion was also polite to Cao Liang, welcoming him into the study and serving him tea.

This tea was naturally boiled tea. Cao Liang was not interested in it and waved to the person in charge to go out and get busy. He could just wait here.

The steward resigned, but Cao Liang did not sit down. Instead, he clasped his hands behind his back and admired Xia Houxuan's calligraphy and paintings hanging in the hall with great interest.

Xia Houxuan was originally a master of metaphysics and liked to pursue elegance. The calligraphy and paintings hanging on the wall are all written by famous calligraphers. The works of calligraphers such as Cai Yong, Zhong Yao and Zhang Zhi are all good. Even Cao Cao, Cao Pi,

Cao Zhi has many calligraphy works, which are priceless.

Cao Liang had nothing to do and looked at the paintings one by one. Xia Houxuan's collection was really comprehensive. He even had works by the famous Soochow painter Cao Buxing. Cao Liang was amazed when he saw them.

Fang Bu was obviously not interested in these paintings and calligraphy at all. He did not enter the house, but stood guard in the corridor outside the door, holding a knife and saying nothing.

Cao Liang is very interested. If the authentic works of these famous calligraphers and painters can be passed down to later generations, all of them will be priceless. Needless to say Cai Yong, Zhong Yao and Zhang Zhi are both tied with Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi of the Eastern Jin Dynasty.

The characters are known in history as the Four Sages in the Book, Zhang Zhi is known as the "Cao Sage", and Zhong Yao is the first to create regular script, which has influenced people for generations. Their calligraphy is absolutely priceless.

San Cao's calligraphy and Cao Buxing's paintings are also the top representatives of this era. Xia Houxuan has obviously put in a lot of effort to collect them so comprehensively.

Just when Cao Liang was immersed in the art of calligraphy and painting, he suddenly heard someone say bluntly from behind: "Who are you? How dare you come to the study. Do you know that no one is allowed to enter here?"

Cao Liang turned around and saw a girl in purple clothes standing behind him. She had a pretty face and creamy skin. She looked about fifteen or sixteen years old. Her whole body was filled with the aura of youth and her eyes were dark.

He was moving around in circles, with the corners of his mouth slightly raised, as if he was a little angry, but also a little curious.

Judging by her attire, she was definitely not a maid. However, Cao Liang had been to Xiahou Xuan's house many times and had never heard of Xiahou Xuan having such an old daughter. But from the tone of her voice, she clearly seemed to have the air of a master.

Her identity made Cao Liang a little curious.

"Then who are you?" Cao Liang asked instead without answering.

The girl snorted slightly, as if she was very dissatisfied with Cao Liang's attitude, and said angrily: "You don't care who I am, but you know, everything hanging on the wall is a treasure. If you break it, you can accompany me."

Are you up?"

Cao Liang laughed dumbly and said: "I just had a look, and I didn't do anything. Is it possible that I could spoil it just by looking at it?"

"Maybe, who knows if someone will steal something and change it. Each of these calligraphy and paintings are treasures. They can be exchanged for a lot of money. You know the person but not the heart." The girl sneered, looking up and down.

Cao Liang, I really want to see if Cao Liang is suspected of being involved.

Cao Liang was really speechless. This girl was very sharp-tongued and cunning. I really didn't know whose girl she was.

However, seeing that she can enter and exit Xiahou Mansion freely, she must have an extraordinary relationship with Xiahou Xuan.

At this moment, hearty laughter came from outside the door. As soon as she heard the sound, she knew that Xia Houxuan was back. The girl was happy and ran out of the door quickly, shouting: "Uncle, you are back."

"

As soon as Xia Houxuan arrived at the door, he saw her and said with surprise: "Ru'er, it's you, why are you here?"

"Looking at what you said, it seems like I can't come. Don't you welcome me?" Ru'er said playfully.

Xia Houxuan said quickly: "Of course you are welcome, but your father..."

Ru'er smiled proudly and said: "I sneaked out, they can't control me. Uncle, when you are not at home, I can catch a book thief for you, but I want to ask for the reward from you."

.”

"The book thief? Where is he?" Xia Houxuan was confused.

Ru'er pointed at Cao Liang and said, "That's him."

Xia Houxuan laughed loudly and said, "You said he was a book thief, do you have any evidence?"

Ru'er said firmly: "When I came, I saw him walking around in the study, coveting these treasures of yours. There was a sentry at the door. If I hadn't come earlier, maybe all of your calligraphy and paintings would have been stolen by him.

Stole it."

Xia Houxuan laughed so loudly that he almost bent over. He waved his hands repeatedly and said, "No, let me slow down for a while. It's really hilarious. Cao Ziming, when did you become a book thief?"

Cao Liang also gave a helpless smile, saying that it is difficult to raise a villain with a woman, but it turns out that it is just like a scholar encountering a soldier, and he cannot explain why.

It took Xia Houxuan a while to regain his composure and said to Ru'er: "Ru'er, you are mistaken. He is not a book thief. He is a friend of his uncle, Cao Liang, the young prince of Gaolinghou Mansion."

Ru'er immediately opened her beautiful big eyes and looked straight at Cao Liang, studying Cao Liang's face, as if she wanted to imprint Cao Liang's appearance in her mind.

Cao Liang had never been looked at by a woman like this before, and he felt a little uncomfortable all over.

"Are you Cao Liang?" Ru'er asked doubtfully, "Are you the one who stole my stepmother?"

Stepmother? Cao Liang has a black line at one end, so what and what?

Xia Houxuan chuckled and said, "Ziming, this is Sima Ru, my sister Hui'er's eldest daughter. There was some misunderstanding just now. Don't be offended."

In fact, when the girl called Xia Houxuan uncle, Cao Liang had already guessed that Xia Houxuan only had a sister, Xia Houhui, and the only ones who could call him uncle were the daughters of Master Sima and Xia Houhui.

The person she called her stepmother was, of course, Yang Huiyu, but the title sounded a little weird to Cao Liang, and she didn't get it right at the time.

After Xia Houhui married Sima Shi, he gave birth to five daughters in one breath. Sima Ru was the eldest daughter. She was sixteen years old and as graceful as jade.
Chapter completed!