Conceptual melting pot, the fusion of all realms starting from the Qin Dynasty.

Rosewood sofas, round stools, grand master chairs, rosewood desks, blue and white porcelain, inkstones, brush washers, bookshelves, potted plants, and so on.

The room's layout, unlike anything else in the Seven Kingdoms, struck Nongyu and Hongyu as something entirely new and exciting.

"Welcome! Welcome!"

Chen Hao, who was idly browsing through the various books he had collected, immediately stood up to greet Nongyu and Hongyu upon their arrival. "What would you two like to see?"

Hongyu looked around Qingpingzhai's shop with some curiosity and asked in confusion:

"Shopkeeper, I heard your calligraphy and painting shop is quite popular, but why can't I see anyone here?"

The quiet Nongyu also looked at Chen Hao with some curiosity.

She was clearly also curious about the reason behind this.

Chen Hao looked at Nongyu, who was wearing a pale yellow and moon-white short-sleeved dress, and Hongyu, who was wearing a pale yellow maid's outfit, and while guessing their identities, he replied:

"Although the calligraphy and paintings here are much cheaper than bamboo slips and cloth, they are still beyond the reach of ordinary people."

"Furthermore, in this era, only a minority of people are literate."

"In addition, in the past two weeks, almost everyone who wanted to buy calligraphy and paintings, and everyone who was able to buy them, has already come."

"So even if guests visit here in the future, it won't be as frequent as before."

"I see!" Nongyu nodded in understanding, then looked at the books and scrolls on the bookshelf and asked Chen Hao, "Boss, may I freely browse through these books and scrolls?"

"Of course you can!"

Chen Hao gestured to Nongyu, inviting her to make herself at home, saying, "Please do as you please."

Splash! Splash!

Seeing Nongyu and Hongyu quietly flipping through books in the shop, Chen Hao didn't get too close. Instead, he went back to the desk where he had been sitting and started looking through the books he had recently collected.

The Book of Changes, Qimen Dunjia, books on forging, medical books...

In order to collect these books that were once readily available online, Chen Hao has recently spent a lot of effort and time, and has also pulled many strings.

If it weren't for the fact that Chen Hao had recently gained some renown among the literary circles in Xinzheng City, those who owned books would have completely ignored him.

Even so, Chen Hao still made Yan Lingji use some underhanded methods.

Fire Charm!

For those who clearly possess a collection of books but refuse to exchange or share them with Chen Hao no matter how much persuasion they receive, Chen Hao can only have Yan Ling Ji use her Fire Charm to hypnotize them.

Gurgling~!

While cooperating with the great sage in his sea of ​​consciousness to analyze the books in the book, Chen Hao picked up a bamboo teacup and leisurely took a sip of tea.

In addition, being alone in a room with two beautiful women, Chen Hao felt quite relaxed.

"Huh?! The Book of Changes and Qimen Dunjia?"

Nongyu's clear and melodious voice, accompanied by a faint fragrance of a young girl, reached Chen Hao's ears. "I didn't expect the young boss to be interested in metaphysics?"

Chen Hao looked up and saw that Nongyu had already come to his side carrying a thick stack of books and several scrolls.

Hearing Nongyu's question, Chen Hao smiled and said:

"If you want to go far in this world, how can you do it without reading more books?"

Chen Hao then stood up, looked at the paintings and calligraphy that Nongyu had chosen, and asked, "Has this young lady already selected what she wants?"

However, Chen Hao did not expect that Nongyu would not answer his last question, but instead follow up on his previous question by asking:

"If you want to be ennobled and appointed as a high-ranking official, shouldn't you be studying the Four Books and Five Classics, laws, military treatises, and the like?"

"The schools of thought that are most prevalent in the courts of various countries today are Confucianism, military strategy, and Legalism."

"As for the Mohists, Yin-Yang School, Taoism, and Medical School, although various countries offer them tribute, they generally do not allow them to interfere in the internal affairs of their respective dynasties."

Looking at the forging book, medical book, and Taoist scripture beside Chen Hao, Nongyu frowned slightly, quite puzzled by Chen Hao's choice.

The choices he made seem quite different from the goals he just mentioned.

"Haha!" Chen Hao laughed happily. "I didn't expect this young lady to have such insight into the courts of various countries, and her observations are so accurate."

"May I ask your name, Miss?"

After saying that, Chen Hao looked at Nongyu with some anticipation.

Although he had a rough guess about the identities of Nongyu and Hongyu, reality and animation are two different things, and Chen Hao couldn't guarantee that he could match them up completely.

After all, Chen Hao didn't recognize Yan Lingji at all when he first met her.

Nongyu looked at Chen Haoyou and thought for a moment, then gave him a woman's curtsy, "My name is Nongyu, and I am the Qin Ji from the Zilan Pavilion not far away."

"I never expected you to be the renowned Nongyu! It's a pleasure to meet you!"

Chen Hao quickly bowed to Nongyu, then stood up and said with a smile, "I have heard that Nongyu of Zilan Pavilion has superb musical skills, but I have never had the opportunity to experience them."

"Young boss, you flatter me!" Nongyu covered her mouth and chuckled silently, then looked at Chen Hao expectantly, "Young boss, you already know my name, but I don't know yours yet."

"Just call me Chen Hao."

Chen Hao smiled casually and said to Nongyu.

"Hehe!" Nongyu pursed her lips and smiled as she prompted Chen Hao, "Little Boss Chen Hao, you haven't asked me that question yet."

"Oh~? Oh!"

Chen Hao was puzzled for a moment, then immediately realized what was going on.

After thinking for a moment, he said directly to Nongyu, "Miss Nongyu, there are more ways to go further in this world than just becoming a high-ranking official."

"If you can achieve unparalleled military strength, you can also live freely in this world without any constraints."

In front of Nongyu, Chen Hao's eyes revealed a look of longing, "And that is the path I have chosen."

"after all..."

Chen Hao gave a wry smile, somewhat helplessly. "With my personality, I can't stand the rules of the courts of various countries. I might end up making things worse and losing my life instead."

...

Chapter 020 The Sudden Arrival of Princess Red Lotus

Chen Hao has a very clear understanding of his own position.

I also know that my personality, which I developed in the 21st century, is somewhat out of step with this era, not to mention the many rules and regulations of the courts of various countries.

Facing those old foxes in the imperial court, Chen Hao would be lucky to survive for half a year.

"Chen Hao, your ideas are really strange, hehe!"

Nongyu looked at Chenhao with a smile, amused by his free-spirited, nonsensical attitude and way of speaking.

Even Hongyu, who had been following Nongyu closely, looked at Nongyu with some surprise.

Nongyu realized that although Chen Hao, the owner of Qingpingzhai, was knowledgeable, he did have some differences in some of the rules and habits that she considered ordinary.

Or...

He shared an unspeakable distance from everyone Nongyu had met in this world, and from this era.

However, Nongyu felt very comfortable with Chen Hao's instinctive aura of freedom and equality.

Even Hongyu, who had been following Nongyu closely, looked at Nongyu with some surprise.

"That's just how it is!"

Chen Hao casually flipped through the books beside him and said indifferently, "No matter how these books describe so-called benevolence, righteousness, morality, and a sense of shame, they cannot change the fact that this world is a dog-eat-dog world."

"As long as you become strong enough, the difficulties that once stumped you will no longer be difficulties, and everything will be easily resolved."

"If you still can't solve it, then it just means you're not strong enough."

Having traversed the world and come into contact with the extraordinary abilities that billions of people in the previous world dreamed of, Chen Hao's inner instinct and bloodline for pursuing power and evolution were ignited and burned fiercely.

Moreover, as time went on, this flame grew stronger and stronger, and no one could extinguish it.

"Maybe!"

Nongyu thought of Zi Nu and Wei Zhuang. Although she somewhat agreed with Chen Hao's statement, she could not admit it in this situation.

After giving Chen Hao a perfunctory answer, Nongyu lost interest in continuing the conversation. She nudged the paintings and calligraphy she had selected on the table and asked Chen Hao, "Chen Hao, how much are these paintings and calligraphy?"

Seeing that Nongyu had lost interest, Chen Hao didn't press her for more information. He simply glanced at the paintings and calligraphy Nongyu had selected:

"I'll give you ten taels of gold for these paintings and calligraphy!"

In this world, one gold coin is a currency that ordinary people may have never even seen before. In fact, if they use it sparingly, one gold coin is enough for a family to live on for several years.

However, for the upper classes in various countries, it is merely a form of entertainment.

Nongyu put down ten gold coins and had Hongyu carefully hold the selected calligraphy and paintings in her arms. Just as she was about to turn and leave, she suddenly stopped and asked Chenhao, "Chenhao, I heard that you can draw portraits here. Is that true?"

"Of course!"

Chen Hao nodded, then smiled at Nongyu and said, "Miss Nongyu, if you would like a portrait, you can come to me anytime."

"certainly..."

Chen Hao glanced at Nongyu's slender figure and said jokingly, "If Nongyu wants, we can start painting for you now."

Nongyu blushed slightly, then said shyly, "No, we've been out for so long today, Sister Zinu might already be a little worried."