In the Ming Dynasty 1498, my restaurant connects two worlds.

Although he agreed to give up on Miss He, the image of Miss He's curvaceous figure and fiery red lips could not be shaken off Tang Bohu's mind.

It doesn't feel right, it just doesn't feel right.

"Brother Mengjin, you're not getting any younger. Why don't you marry Miss He?" Tang Bohu, feeling unwell and leaning against the wall, joked as he looked at Zhang Mengjin, who was helping him organize his books.

"You're the top scholar, and what am I? I'm just a piece of trash, a piece of trash who doesn't even qualify for the provincial examination. Do you think I'm worthy?" Zhang Mengjin's gaze swept over Tang Bohu, a self-deprecating smile playing on his lips. He pointed to Du Yuanjing, who was climbing up and down dusting and wiping windows, and said, "Du Mu is quite the lucky one. He gets all the good things. If Brother Bohu doesn't want to marry Miss He, then he'll have to be the best candidate, Master Du."

"Brother Zhang Ling, there's a saying that one shouldn't covet a friend's wife. Don't you understand such a simple principle?" Ever since passing the imperial examination, Du Yuanjing felt confident again, his back had gradually straightened, and he had become much more eloquent in his arguments with Zhang Mengjin. He raised an eyebrow and sneered, "Censor Fang said you're a lump of mud. Do you really think you're mud?"

"Mud" is how the Imperial Censor described Zhang Ling. Zhang Ling himself could use it to mock himself. Tang Bohu would not use this word because Tang Bohu himself almost became one of those lumps of mud.

But when the clown-like Du Yuanjing uttered this word, it stirred up a hornet's nest for Zhang Ling.

"Oh ho! You think you can take advantage of me? Don't you know your own limitations?" Zhang Mengjin grabbed a book and threw it at Du Yuanjing. "We're all just turtles in our own ponds, everyone knows who's better than us!"

Du Yuanjing threw down the rag, put his hands on his hips, and glared at her, adopting a stance for a verbal battle. "Now I'm a scholar, I'm confident, and I'm not afraid of you!"

Zhang Mengjin had always disliked Du Yuanjing. In this imperial examination, Zhang Mengjin, whose scholarship was far superior to Du Yuanjing's, was rejected by the censor Fang Zhi, while Du Yuanjing qualified. In addition, Du Yuanjing had a stroke of luck in the provincial examination and came in last place. Zhang Mengjin was extremely unhappy about this.

Tang Bohu quickly tried to mediate, first signaling Du Yuanjing to back down with his eyes, then turning to Zhang Mengjin and saying, "Can you two just say less? You've been bickering every day before, how long are you going to keep this up? Actually, I really mean it, Brother Mengjin, you should settle down and find a wife to take care of your aunt."

"Forget it, let's leave this good thing to Master Du." Zhang Mengjin thought of his mother, who had been ill for a long time, and his younger sister, who had been unable to eat or drink since returning home. He lost interest in arguing. "I'm going home first. I still have to go back and cook. My sister went to Yingtian Prefecture with you guys and she's completely lost her mind since she came back."

"Brother Mengjin, the one who tied the knot must untie it. I suggest you go back and ask your sister if she'd like to go to Nanjing again, and perhaps bring your elderly mother along." Zhang Mengjin, who was just about to step out the door, bumped into Gu Lan as she entered. Although Gu Lan usually didn't talk much and seemed like a nobody following behind Tang Bohu, he was a shrewd person who saw things very clearly. "Sister Miaolan is probably lovesick."

Following behind Gu Lan, Xu Zhenqing added, "Absolutely, absolutely. Not only can Brother Xiao Yi cure lovesickness, but I've also heard that his medical skills are quite good. He even saved Uncle Wen's life, so he might be able to cure Aunt's illness."

"Brother Xiao Yi? Is Song Xiao Yi really that amazing?" Ever since the group returned from Nanjing, Zhang Mengjin had heard the name Song Xiao Yi so many times he was practically sick of it. "Does he really know traditional Chinese medicine?"

"If you don't believe me, go ask Brother Wenbi. It's written in Uncle Wen's family letter, so it can't be fake."

Zhang Mengjin was genuinely moved.

"Nothing else matters. If he can really cure my mother's illness, I'd be willing to do anything for him."

"Brother Mengjin, you're overthinking it. I'd never be a slave to you, but being your brother-in-law would be more like it, hahaha~"

"Hahaha~"

"There's no point in arguing with you!"

When Zhang Mengjin returned home, he saw his younger sister staring blankly out the window in her room. Recalling their teasing at Bo Hu's house, he tentatively asked Miaolan, "Lan'er, what do you think about us taking Mother to Yingtian Prefecture together?"

Upon hearing the words "Yingtian Prefecture," Miaolan reflexively looked up and exclaimed, "Great!"

Zhang Mengjin gently touched his forehead. "They said you were lovesick, and it seems it's true."

"Brother, don't listen to their nonsense, I just... I just..."

"Just what?"

"But... I'm not going to talk to you anymore~"

Zhang Mengjin hesitated as he cooked. It was ultimately dishonorable for someone without a name or status to seek refuge with a stranger. He pondered the matter repeatedly, unable to make a decision.

But hearing the coughing coming from his mother's room, Zhang Mengjin gradually made up his mind. He would go, after all, for his mother's illness. What did it matter if he lost face? But the journey from Suzhou to Yingtian was long, and his mother's health couldn't withstand such a long trip. They would have to find a carriage.

But where would the money come from?

No money... I can only ask Bo Hu! He's the top scholar now, and he receives so many people asking for paintings every day, he must have money!

Zhang Mengjin prepared lunch and had Miaolan serve it to her mother. Then she went to find Bohu to discuss borrowing money.

"Mengjin, go find your master! Brother Zhishan has money; the money Brother Xiaoyi gave us is with him."

"Master?"

"Yes, you should take Miaolan with you. Brother Zhishan will definitely make arrangements for you."

After leaving Tang Bohu's house and returning to his own, Zhang Mengjin asked Miaolan, "Lan'er, if we want to take Mother to Yingtian Prefecture, it's a long journey and will cost a lot of money. I just went to see Bohu, and he told me to take you to find your master. What's going on?"

"Brother, are you really going to take Mother to Nanjing with you?"

"Yes, it's getting cold, Mother's illness can't be delayed..."

"I have some silver here!" Miao Lan said as she went back to her room and took out two silver ingots!

"One hundred taels! Where did that come from?!"

"I earned it myself."

"You wouldn't be worth a hundred taels of silver even if you were sold!"

"Hmph! Anyway, it was given to me by Brother Xiao Yi when I left the city because I worked at his shop."

This Song Xiaoyi is really generous! What kind of work pays one hundred taels of silver for two months? Could it be that he's really taken a liking to his sister?

Why didn't you take it out after you came back?

"I'm saving this money for my mother's medical treatment and for renovating our house. Look at this dilapidated house of ours, how will we live when it gets cold and snows?"

"Should I have taken it out earlier so you could go to a brothel?"

"Aren't you afraid I'll take it to a brothel if you take it out now?"

"How dare you! Brother, look at Brother Tang, he's become a top scholar in the provincial examinations, and even Du Mu, whom you used to look down on, has become a successful candidate in the imperial examinations. Don't you think about the family?"

As she spoke, Miaolan turned her face away, her fingertips quickly wiping the corner of her eye.

Looking at his crying sister, Zhang Mengjin felt his mother's coughs like knives stabbing at his heart. What face could possibly be more important than his mother's life? "Lan'er, this time I've made up my mind. I'll take Mother to find your Brother Xiao Yi. As long as he treats us sincerely, I'll accept him as my brother-in-law and stay in Nanjing to study!"

"Who wants to be your brother-in-law!~"