latelenovela Chapter 225 1 Show your skills
Chapter 225 1 Show your skills
Young Master Wu presented the potted plant to his father that same day. Qingsheng also went in with him. Initially, he didn't mention who had given it to him. Later, seeing that Master Wu was delighted with the plant, impressed by its symbolic meaning and the exquisite craftsmanship of the pine and cypress, he told him about it.
They said that this was given to the master by the young master of the Zhao family when he came to visit us. I wanted to pay my respects to the master, but I was afraid of disturbing him, so I wanted to find a suitable time to come and visit.
When Mr. Wu heard this for the first time, he was a little stunned. He put down the bonsai in his hand and said, "The young man is very thoughtful. Does his father know about it?" Young Master Wu nodded and looked at Qingsheng again.
Qingsheng said hurriedly, "Young Master Zhao's visit to our house was also approved by his father. This potted plant is naturally a token of Young Master Zhao's kindness."
Mr. Wu looked at him suspiciously and asked, "How do you know so much? Could it be possible?"
Qingsheng was afraid that he might misunderstand, so he told the truth: "Ran Mo and I went to the Zhao Mansion the day before yesterday, mainly for Li Yi's matter, to see if the Zhao Mansion could relax on this matter.
By the way, I asked Young Master Zhao if young people could visit each other more often. Young Master Zhao was very straightforward and came over right away, and he also brought you a gift.
"So, did you meet that Zhao Lao Er?" Master Wu asked with a slightly dignified tone. Qing Sheng nodded. Master Wu asked again: "Did that old guy make up any bad things about me?"
Qingsheng waved his hands repeatedly and said, "No, no, Master Zhao just said some polite words to us, it's just..."
"Just what?" Master Wu pressed. "It's just that Master Zhao looks very weak and speaks in a very soft voice. I heard from Young Master Zhao that he needs to avoid getting angry."
"Humph, I knew that this old man couldn't outlast me. Well, I'll be more generous and won't interfere with the interactions between you young people from now on. Just don't overstep the boundaries."
Hearing Master Wu's words, the two exchanged a delighted glance, which meant that Master Wu was allowed to visit the Zhao residence in the future. This was very helpful in smoothing relations between the two residences.
Qingsheng opened his mouth and wanted to talk about Li Yi again, but Wu Shao signaled him to stop for the time being, saying that this matter had to be handled step by step, so Qingsheng did not speak again.
Mr. Wu said he needed to rest for a while. The two of them bowed and left the room.
Arriving at Qingsheng's house, Ranmo was waiting for their news. After Qingsheng finished explaining their recent conversation, Ranmo was delighted and agreed with Master Wu's suggestion to discuss Li Yi's matter at another time. They all thought of a good opportunity; it all depended on how that person performed.
That day, Master Zhao, dressed in shorts, arrived at the Wu residence with two assistants. After speaking with Master Wu, they immediately set to work. Not only did they loosen the garden soil and mix in high-quality black soil, they also trimmed the overgrown branches of the flowers and trees and tidied up the edges and corners of the garden.
Young Master Zhao was crouched in the garden, personally tending to the garden. At first glance, one might have mistaken him for the manor's gardener. After the entire garden had been renovated, it truly felt brand new.
Everyone praised him. They admired Young Master Zhao's hard work, but also felt bad. It was beneath their dignity to let the eldest young master of the Zhao family do such rough work.
Young Master Zhao smiled innocently and said, "That's all right. I'm not as fond of reading as you are, but I just feel full of energy when I do these gardening and feel that I can use my strengths."
Everyone applauded. Ranmo almost mentioned a historical emperor who loved carpentry, but he stopped himself, thinking it inappropriate to say so in this context. He simply praised his craftsmanship, saying he would be a pillar of state in the future for his outstanding performance.
Young Master Wu quickly ordered someone to fetch some clean water and asked Young Master Zhao to wash his hands. Then, several people escorted him into the main hall to rest.
On a nearby balcony, an old man looked down at what was happening below. He showed neither approval nor disdain, but was lost in thought.
The newly renovated garden flowers and trees made one feel even better. I wonder what kind of fertilizer or water Young Master Zhao had applied to the flowers and trees, but after just a day or two, their branches and leaves looked exceptionally bright and vibrant.
Mr. Wu sat in the main hall, lost in thought, gazing at the flowers and trees in the garden. Originally, he didn't care much for them, but since everyone in the mansion was talking about them, and since it was Young Master Zhao who had brought people to take care of them, he couldn't help but take a second look and think about them.
He and Mr. Zhao had served in the same court for many years, but due to their differing political views, they had always had a grudge against each other. They usually did not interact with each other. Later, he was assigned to guard Xiaoyue Town, and for several generations, his family had taken root there.
I had originally thought I'd never see Mr. Zhao again, so I could find some peace. But Mr. Zhao's hometown was near Xiaoyue City, and after retiring, he'd actually moved there permanently. Initially, the two families exchanged pleasantries via letters. Later, they grew too lazy to maintain these superficial ties, and the two relationships ceased.
Having been idle these years, the two masters who once held high positions have somehow become like ordinary old men and women. They like to say "bad things" about each other to people around them, perhaps just to kill time.
Some younger generations took it as a joke, while others deliberately avoided contact with the other family, forming a certain prejudice. Because both families were noble and unwilling to yield to each other, the relationship between the two families continued to stagnate, and for a time it became a topic of conversation and joke among the people.
Now, under the leadership and operation of several younger generations, the Zhao family actually agreed to let Young Master Zhao come to help the Wu family repair the flowers and trees. If you tell others about it, I'm afraid no one will believe it. But the facts are there.
Although he also disapproved of a young master of a mansion giving up the proper path of studying literature and martial arts and choosing to dabble in low-end work such as flower and wood crafts, but since Zhao Lao Er approved of his son's behavior, why should he bother with such idleness?
Speaking of worrying, he couldn't help but sigh. Other people's sons might just be interested in a craft, but his own son, on such an important matter as marriage, was so insistent on his own way. It was truly infuriating for a parent. Forget it, he was old enough, so he let them do whatever they wanted.
He took a deep breath, stood up and prepared to go to the bedroom to rest. At this time, a maid came in and said that Mr. Wu and his friends wanted to see the master.
Mr. Wu turned his head and saw that Young Master Wu, Qingsheng and the man named Ranmo were standing in the hall, waiting for him to call them.
Mr. Wu wanted to wave goodbye, but then he thought about it and decided that he wanted to talk to his son about the banquet arrangements, so he asked the maid to call them in.
The three of them entered the house and bowed to Master Wu. Master Wu glanced at them, waved his hand, and said, "Just tell me what you want to say." Just as Young Master Wu was about to speak, Master Wu said, "Wait, let me ask you first, how are the preparations for the banquet at the mansion going?"
Young Master Wu replied, "Don't worry, Dad. The banquet arrangements and all the purchases have been prepared. I just need you to check on the guests."
Mr. Wu hummed, and then asked what they wanted to see him about. Mr. Wu said with a happy look on his face:
"Dad, you can see that the flowers and trees in the garden are different now than they were before. Young Master Zhao promised to help us prune the flowers and trees, and he really did keep his word. You can't tell, they look much better now that he's been around."
Mr. Wu rolled his eyes at him and said, "How dare you say that? You can't even handle such a small matter yourself, and you have to ask outsiders to help repair it."
Then, he softened his tone and said, "It's hard for that Zhao family kid to be willing to do such rough work. You can learn from his down-to-earth work ethic and apply it to your literary and martial arts studies."
Young Master Wu said happily, "I will follow Father's instructions. Also, I think Young Master Zhao is so honest and pragmatic, and I also want to return the favor, but I don't know how. It just so happens that our family is having a banquet, and I was thinking about inviting Young Master Zhao to join us. What do you think, Father?"
Mr. Wu looked at him for a long time without saying anything. Then he waved his hand and said, "As long as it's not his father, you can handle the others as you wish. I don't want to get involved in these matters anymore."