The capital was filled with officials, and Zhao Yanping was promoted to the seventh rank without attracting much attention, but Lu Taigong accepted him as his disciple. When this incident slowly spread from Dali Temple, it caused some sensation in the officialdom in the capital.

Duke Lu had a son who was mediocre and had a free job in Taichang Temple. However, Duke Lu had received five disciples in total. The eldest disciple was the current Minister of Justice. The second disciple served as the governor of the local government, and the third disciple also showed his style in the capital, but unfortunately he died young. The fourth disciple was in his thirties and served as the fourth-rank assistant censor of the Censorate. If he persisted, he would take charge of the Censorate sooner or later.

Zhao Yanping is the fifth disciple.

Duke Lu did not accept disciples easily. Once he accepted them, he would give them all his money and cultivate them with all his might. Emperor Chunqing valued Duke Lu again. Now that Zhao Yanping has to take Duke Lu as his teacher, he may have been remembered by Emperor Chunqing and placed on the list of candidates who can be reused in the future.

When the news spread, someone immediately wanted to start as soon as possible to win over Zhao Yanping first.

The most reliable way to win over is to be diligent, a daughter is a good child, and a good son-in-law with a promising future is rare. If Zhao Yanping really has a great future in the future, the in-laws will not be in vain. If Zhao Yanping does nothing, then his family will only lose a less favored daughter, which is not a loss.

The dignitaries and nobles all held this plan, and the matchmakers began to come to their doors one after another.

Zhao Yanping was working in Dali Temple, and only Guo Xing was at home. Guo Xing kept in mind the instructions of the official. Whenever the matchmaker came to knock on the door, he stood directly at the door and said that his official lost a sister. He once swore that he would not get married if he couldn't find his sister. In this way, the matchmakers were dismissed. If any official found Zhao Yanping directly, Zhao Yanping would still have the same remarks.

Because he couldn't find his sister, he vowed not to get married. This is a rare thing. When the officials and wives met, they would mention the newly recruited poor disciple of Mr. Lu. The maids from various palaces heard about it and then passed it to the pile of servants. Soon, the matter spread to the streets and alleys, and were eventually taken to Ajiao's embroidery shop by some unknown female guest.

It was almost the Chinese New Year, and Gillian finally heard about Zhao Yanping again. One was promoted, the other was to take Lu Taigong, whom he admired, and the third was to spread the reasons for his failure to get married.

Jiao absent-mindedly fiddling with the abacus.

When Zhao Yanping first entered Beijing, Jiao was quite confused. One of the thoughts was that when Zhao Yanping became prosperous, more and more ladies of noble families fell in love with him and wanted to marry him. He might be noble for the sake of glory or violated his oath and married because he was attracted to noble women. But now he made the whole capital know that he was looking for his sister, and if he couldn't find it, he would not get married. Then the greater the official position, the less likely he would break his oath, otherwise he would become a laughing stock in the mouths of others.

This made Gillian feel ashamed of her former suspicion.

It’s not that he doesn’t want to marry her, but that he just doesn’t want to marry any woman. He vows to find his sister and will do his best to find her.

As the sky became darker, Jiang Niangzi and Xia Zhu closed half of the door, hung a sign that was "closed", and began to put all the embroidery work on the counter into boxes. The market will be closed tomorrow and will be reopened on the seventh day of the first lunar month.

Gillian came out to help.

Suddenly someone knocked on the door. Gillian turned around and saw Zhao Yanping standing outside the door, wearing a green official robe. She lost weight and looked even longer. Her black eyes looked at her deeply, unable to tell whether she wanted to see her or not.

"Master Zhao, it's been a long time since we met." Gillian smiled at him, trying her best to hide his panic when he suddenly met, "Please come in quickly."

Zhao Yanping nodded, stepped in with two bags of pastries, and glanced around. He explained: "The next day, my mother and Sakura will arrive in Beijing. Before the market is closed, I will pick up a few silk flowers and keep them for the New Year. This is a small snack that the palace gives to officials everywhere. I can't get used to it, so you can try it for Brother Zhao."

Ajiao said in surprise: "Master Zhao should keep the good things that are appreciated in the palace for his wife and girls to eat. The child swallows the whole thing, and everything he eats is the same."

Zhao Yanping looked at her and said, "It's for Brother Zhao, he doesn't like it, I'll take it away."

Gillian lowered her head.

Miss Jiang saw it and smiled and advised, "Boss, since Mr. Zhao has good things to send to the young master, please ask Mr. Zhao to go to the backyard to sit. Let's pack up the things first and ask Xia Zhu to bring a few boxes of silk flowers later. Master Zhao slowly picks up while drinking tea."

Gillian really wanted to ask Chen Ying and others about their recent situation, so she asked Zhao Yanping to follow her back.

On the way, Gillian smiled and asked, "Mr. Zhao's official robe has changed. Has he been promoted again?"

Zhao Yanping walked behind her two steps, looked at her soft and side face and said, "I have been promoted to the seventh rank because of Cui Zhen's case. I want to thank you even if I say it."

Gillian shook her head and said softly: "It is you who rescued Cui Zhen first to have such blessings. Don't be polite to me."

When Zhao Yanping heard that she had changed her respectful title privately and no longer became unfamiliar with him, he showed a smile in his eyes.

It was already evening. Dong Zhu was helping the nanny cook in the kitchen, Chun Zhu and Qiu Zhu were playing with Meng Zhao in the yard. Last time, Zhao Yanping saw Meng Zhao's little boy only one and a half years old, and now he is two years old. He can run and jump with his hands and feet flexibly. When he saw Zhao Yanping, he no longer resisted too much. He just stood beside Qiu Zhu and looked at the stranger behind his mother intently.

Gillian waved to him and smiled very gently: "This is Lord Zhao, can Brother Zhao still recognize him?"

Meng Zhao didn't recognize it, and soon stared at the pastries in Zhao Yanping's hand.

Zhao Yanping handed the pastry to Gillian: "Try it to Brother Zhao."

Gillian stopped being polite to him and asked Chunzhu to lead Zhao Ge'er to the wing room to eat, and instructed: "Eat less, you'll have to eat later."

Chunzhu smiled and said that only fresh pastries were left in Xiao Mengzhao's eyes.

Gillian invited Zhao Yanping to the hall for tea.

"Has Mr. Zhao been very busy recently? It seems to be cleared." Yu Guang was Qiu Zhu standing quietly on her side. Gillian smiled and greeted Zhao Yanping.

Zhao Yanping underestimated: "I first came to the capital and was not used to the climate here, so I got sick two times."

Jiao was shocked. She lived under the same roof with him for a year and a half, and had never seen him sick.

Looking at his thin face, I tried to imagine that when he was sick, he was only taken care of by Guo Xing, and was deserted. Gillian was quite uncomfortable for him. He couldn't help but talk a little, mentioning the difference in climate between the north and the south, and wearing more clothes on his usual occasions.

Zhao Yanping listened expressionlessly, and finally said "um".

Gillian asked Liu again, Chen Ying, Qiu Yue, Cui Niang.

Zhao Yanping said: "Mother, Xiao Sakura has been mourning, and her family is closed to thank the guests, nothing is wrong."

Gillian: "Did the Dong family have trouble with Miss Ying later?"

Zhao Yanping's voice was slightly cold: "They dare not."

Shortly after Xie Ying left Beijing, he also went to Beijing to become an official. The Dong family was just greedy for money and his sister did not continue to target them. The Dong family would not offend him for the past.

"Before they set off, they wrote a letter to me and mentioned your uncle's family." Zhao Yanping suddenly said, and after saying that, he looked at Qiu Zhu.

The meaning of the look was too obvious, Qiu Zhu bowed and stepped out.

Gillian waited in confusion.

Zhao Yanping whispered: "Zhu Shiyu is seriously ill and has not survived and dies. Cui Niang heard outsiders' discussions. Your uncle seems to be planning to let Zhu Shuangshuang recruit a son-in-law in two years."

Upon hearing this, Ajiao looked into the yard.

She thought of Zhu Shiyu's look at her, and also the mockery of Zhu Shuangshuang looking down on the wall that day on the wall, but she didn't expect that a year later, Zhu Shiyu, who was rescued by Jin's family, was finally dead. Her uncle had no other sons, so Zhu Shuangshuang could only recruit a son-in-law and could never become a young grandmother of a rich family.

Because of my uncle, Gillian was not happy with him, but she didn't feel sad either.

She only cares about the people who are good to her. Zhu Shiyu's death is not as good as Zhao Yanping's illness.

"It's good to marry into a marriage. My uncle and aunt are staring at her in front of you, so you are not afraid of your son-in-law bullying her." Gillian reluctantly said.

Zhao Yanping could see that she didn't care, and he just used the Zhu family as a guise and sent Qiu Zhu away.

What Zhao Yanping really wants to say is: "Cui Niang is shattered, I will tell her not to mention your relationship with me to anyone, and Sakura, she will definitely open a rouge shop after the New Year. I don't know where it is. If she is also on this street, she may meet you. If you mind, I will tell her not to disturb her..."

"No, thanks to Miss Ying, I knew how to open a shop. It's best to meet me. I still want to talk to her about the past." Gillian hurriedly interrupted him and said with a smile: "I agreed that we will be neighbors. I believe Miss Ying, Cui Niang and Qiuyue will not talk about our affairs everywhere. Besides, I'm not afraid of being known. Anyway, I don't plan to remarry."

"You are only twenty years old after the New Year. You are so young, you really don't want to marry anymore?" Zhao Yanping looked at her and asked.

Gillian lowered her eyes and touched the silk handkerchief and said, "You know my situation. I may not be able to be a good stepmother with a widower with children. Those who do not have children will take concubines and give birth to children even if they marry me. If there are too many people, they will easily become unhappy. Why should I cause trouble for myself?"

Zhao Yanping held the tea bowl in his hand tightly and said for a long time: "Okay, I'll be free if I don't marry."

Gillian smiled and looked up and asked him: "What about you, you are so old, when your wife comes to Beijing, you will definitely urge you to get married soon. Do you have to use that reason to delay?"

Zhao Yanping smiled bitterly, and his smile flew in a flash: "To be honest, a matchmaker has come to the door recently, and I will say it directly, and I will find my sister first and then get married. My wife knows what I am thinking and will never force it."

Gillian nodded, and the wife looked gentle, not the same as Mrs. Zhao.

"But, what if you are only a male partner in the Zhao family's big house, are you really not married?" Gillian asked quietly, twisting her handkerchief.

There was a conversation in the wing room that Chunzhu wanted to put away the pastry, and Xiao Mengzhao wanted to eat again. Zhao Yanping looked at Ah Jiao and said, "If that's true, I'll accept an adopted son."

Ajiao looked at him blankly.

At this moment, Xia Zhu came over with a few boxes of silk flowers, and Gillian immediately changed the subject.

Xia Zhu placed all the silk flowers on the table between the two of them. There were eight boxes of silk flowers in total, each of which was lifelike.

Zhao Yanping looked carefully for a moment and picked a cherry blossom and a magnolia.

Xia Zhu said in surprise: "Master Zhao is really good at thinking. He chooses all the ones we choose. No matter how good the embroiderers outside have, they are still not as exquisite as our ladies."

The person who spoke was unintentional, and Jiao was shocked. Is it purely a coincidence, or does he still recognize her skills?

Gillian quickly glanced at Zhao Yanping.

Zhao Yanping looked faint, put away the silk flowers and asked Gillian for the price.

Gillian smiled and said, "Mr. Zhao gave such a good snack to Brother Zhao. These two silk flowers will be my return gift."

Zhao Yanping said politely and said goodbye.

Gillian sent him to the embroidery shop himself, but she didn't go out.

"Owner, I don't know if it's me vain or it's really that way. Why do I think Mr. Zhao's promotion seems to be more heroic and handsome than half a year ago?" Miss Jiang came over and whispered in Ajiao's ear while looking at Zhao Yanping's back as she walked away.

Gillian pursed her lips.

It’s not that Miss Jiang is vain, but that Zhao Yanping is indeed becoming more outstanding. When he was in Wu'an County, he was tanned and looked more like a martial artist. He was burly and strong. Now he is a civil servant and has lost weight when he gets sick. He is wearing a green robe. His back is elegant and elegant, but his eyebrows and eyes are cold, which makes people intimidate.

"What a pity, Mr. Zhao is determined to find his sister, otherwise with his current identity, he is so handsome, so many noble girls are rushing to marry him." Miss Jiang said with regret.

Gillian's eyes turned and she went back to clean up the account.

It was a pity that Jiang Zi was, but Yu Ajiao was glad. She didn't know what she was looking forward to. Ajiao only knew one thing. She was unhappy with him to marry. When she thought that he would hold another woman to do those dull and enthusiastic things, Ajiao felt uncomfortable everywhere, as if, as if she had slept with him, he had become her person.

That night, Gillian had a shameful dream without any expectations, and her whole body was still hot when she woke up.
Chapter completed!