Chapter 6
Qiao Hezhi, not giving up, asked: "Why was there no one accompanying the master when he went out, and why didn't any servant come to inform me?"
Xuezhu replied with a troubled expression: "The master said he dislikes having people follow him, and he also sent this servant to arrange winter clothes for the servants in the residence. That's why this servant didn't accompany the master when he went out. Next time the master goes out, this servant will definitely report to Zhengfu first."
Having heard this, Qiao Hezhi knew that questioning the servant couldn't change the fact that Fang Yu wasn't here. He said faintly: "It's fine. It was originally a small matter. You may go attend to your duties."
Qiao Hezhi dismissed Xuezhu, stood in the courtyard for a while, then picked up the food box and turned back to Xiaotong Courtyard. Although his face showed no expression, he couldn't resist the disappointment in his heart.
"This servant is entirely to blame for not finding out clearly. In the future, this servant will definitely pay constant attention to the master's whereabouts." Returning to the room, Siyu quickly tried to cheer him up: "The master will return after lunch. We can keep the dish warm in the small kitchen, it can still be eaten in the evening. This servant will deliver it to the master then, alright?"
"Keeping it warm until evening will ruin the flavor long before." Qiao Hezhi pushed the food box on the table aside a little, slumped onto the table dejectedly: "I'm ill and cannot eat greasy food. You take it and share it with the other servants. Don't waste your early morning trip outside. Bring me some soup and rice porridge. After I eat, I should take my medicine."
Siyu still wanted to say something more, but seeing Qiao Hezhi completely dispirited, she didn't dare speak up. She took away the mutton that had caused her master unhappiness and said: "Then this servant will first go fetch the soup and rice porridge for the young master."
Meanwhile, at this very moment, Fang Yu was at Qionghua Tower, the most prosperous place in Yuncheng where carriages and horses gathered.
A table of scholars were laughing and joking in a private room. Fang Yu took a sip of tea, but it held no pleasant taste for him.
Today, he had been diligently practicing calligraphy and reading essays in his study when a servant said fellow scholars and friends had invited him out for a gathering, specifically to the most famous Qionghua Tower in the city. He had always been extremely interested in food. Hearing it was the best restaurant in the city, and thinking he had been staying in the residence all this time since arriving, going out for a walk wouldn't be a bad idea, so he accepted the invitation.
It was originally said that only Yang Xiucai and Liang Xiucai had invited him, but when he arrived at the mentioned place, he found a full table of people, all uniformly scholars, but their ages varied greatly. There were Tongsheng scholars in their thirties and forties, and Xiucai scholars in their fifties and sixties. Only Yang Xiucai and Liang Xiucai were somewhat younger, around Fang Yu's age.
[Tongsheng: a candidate who has passed the preliminary county-level exam but not yet the provincial-level exam to become a xiucai]
When he arrived, everyone had already ordered a large table of dishes. The feast was extremely lavish, with five pots of tea and wine, and everyone had already started eating.
He felt it was improper, but thinking about the imperial exams, he decided he should socialize a bit, listen to these scholars discuss essays and poetry, and see the current standard of scholars. But he hadn't expected these people to use the name of a poetry gathering to talk about vulgar things instead - which brothel had the most outstanding prostitutes, which gambling house was easier to win money at, and so on...
Fang Yu sighed silently to himself. Listening to a group of superficially refined scholars talk about brothel adventures, cleverly using poetry to gloss over lewd words—so-called refined scoundrels were exactly like this. He couldn't even stomach the food and drink. He had known that someone with the original host's temperament wouldn't make proper friends, but he hadn't expected it to be this bad.
After hastily eating a few bites, and seeing that everyone had started eating before he even arrived—meaning he was just pulled in to drink halfway through and wasn't any main guest—he used feeling unwell as an excuse to get up and leave.
"Fang Xiucai, why are you leaving so early today? Surely you are not going home to keep your fulang company? I heard Fang Xiucai married the Qiao family's young ger. This is truly worthy of congratulations. The Qiao family is a great wealthy household in the city. In the future, Fang Xiucai must look out for us more."
Fang Yu gave a slight, mocking smile: "You all jest. Fang is truly unwell. I shall take my leave today. Another day, I will host a feast and invite you all."
Everyone at the table except Fang Yu was stunned. Originally, Fang Yu leaving or not didn't really affect everyone's drinking and fun, but the latter part of his statement made everyone unhappy. 'Another day, I will host a feast and invite you all' meant he wasn't hosting today.
Yang Xiucai secretly shot a glare at Liang Xiucai, suppressing his voice: "Didn't you say if we called him out he would definitely pay? Now we've invited so many people and ordered a whole table of dishes. Who is going to pay?"
Liang Xiucai kept a smile on his face, but he was also very displeased with Fang Yu's lack of understanding today. Usually, they just had to call people; if they included Fang Yu, this spendthrift would inevitably show off by paying. Otherwise, who would order so much food and drink at Qionghua Tower? A casual meal cost several hundred to a thousand coppers. Which ordinary scholar's family could afford that?
He said shamelessly: "I previously heard Brother Fang say that the Qiao young master is very considerate and agreeable, and that Brother Fang never needs to use his own silver when going out for drinks or poetry gatherings. He only needs to charge it to Young Master Qiao's name, and the Qiao family young master will come settle the bill. I don't know if this is true or not."
Fang Yu's brow twitched. He understood Liang Minxu's meaning now. So his role today was to be a meal ticket.
He found it laughable. He came and listened to a bunch of dissolute and filthy talk, didn't even get to eat more than a few bites of food, and now they expected him to pay the bill. He didn't know if the original owner's brain was muddled with lard or if he was originally very interested in such things to mix with such a crowd. He couldn't control what happened before, but in any case, he was not going to indulge them now.
"Brother Liang, you jest. The wine hasn't even gone to your head yet, how can you be drunk already?" Fang Yu clasped his hands, smiling: "Today I thank Brother Liang for your hospitality. Another day when I play host, you all must certainly come."
Having said that, Fang Yu left the table without any further hesitation. He left quickly; before everyone could react, only Liang Minxu hurriedly stood up, wanting to chase after him, but got caught on his stool.
Liang Minxu turned red with anxiety. Not only did Fang Yu not settle the bill, he even dumped the responsibility on his head. This table of food and drink would cost at least one or two taels for sure. The thought made his heart grow cold with dread. Even if he emptied his money pouch, he couldn't come up with that much money.
The worst part was that the whole table, like blind people, went along with the flow following Fang Yu's words: "Thank you, Liang Xiucai, for your hospitality."
Liang Minxu felt a bitter taste in his mouth, his head buzzing. He looked pleadingly at Yang Xiucai. Yang Xiucai stayed silent, not looking at Liang Minxu, and for a moment also pretended to be deaf and mute.
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