Surprise! The villain is my brother, stay calm!

Hearing someone calling him, Xiao Lanjue looked back in confusion, only to see a man dressed as a servant.

"you are?"

Lu Tong said, "My name is Lu Tong. My master is the second son of the Duke of Anguo's Mansion. She heard that you are quite talented, so she came to find you. Are you willing to come with me?"

Xiao Lanjue's eyes lit up. Anguo Mansion?

That was the Anguo Mansion, which ranked first among the four great dukedoms. The second young master Lu stole the show on the pleasure boat that night.

He just spent a thousand taels without any hesitation. When I think about how I couldn't even pay the rent of a few taels myself, I feel really frustrated by comparing myself with others.

He was feeling somewhat excited and a little nervous, but he didn't want to give up this opportunity to climb a big tree, otherwise he would have to return to his hometown in disgrace and never make a name for himself in his life.

So he said, "Okay, I'll go with you."

Lu Tong took Xiao Lanjue to a private room in a nearby teahouse, where he met a handsome and noble young master who was leaning lazily on his seat.

"My humble servant Xiao Lanjue greets Master Lu!"

Lu Zhanxing looked up at the young scholar. He was handsome and elegant, with a slender figure, but he seemed a little disheveled.

"No need to be so polite, please take a seat!" Lu Zhanxing pointed to the seat with his folding fan.

"Thank you, young master!" Xiao Lanjue wanted to be appreciated by him and naturally did not want to be looked down upon. Even though he was dressed in ordinary clothes, he had the pride of a scholar and his posture was very natural.

Seeing that he was not embarrassed, Lu Zhanxing nodded secretly: "The other day, Huafang was fortunate to see your poems. You were able to come up with wonderful poems in such a short time. I think Mr. Xiao has real talent and knowledge. It's a pity that I didn't see you at the literary meeting. Otherwise, it's not certain who would have won the first place."

Hearing this, Xiao Lanjue suddenly realized that he knew his identity because he saw his own poems.

I have been setting up a stall to sell calligraphy and paintings in order to attract noble people to appreciate me, but after setting up the stall for several months, I still haven't met a mentor.

Thinking of the great wealth he had missed some time ago, he sighed helplessly: "It's fate~"

"I know something about you. You would rather sell your paintings and calligraphy than go back to your hometown. I think you are an ambitious person. I will give you a chance to be rich. If you can grasp it, the Duke of Anguo's Mansion will be your backer. If you can't grasp it, I advise you to go back to your hometown and become a teacher!"

Hearing this, Xiao Lanjue was pleasantly surprised and quickly stood up and bowed: "Thank you, Mr. Lu, for giving me this opportunity. I am very grateful."

The Mansion of Duke Anguo!

To ordinary people like them, they were also wealthy and powerful families, noble and honorable people that they could never reach in their lifetime.

Now that Mr. Lu appreciates him and is willing to give him an opportunity, how can he not be grateful?

Lu Zhanxing nodded slightly: "Don't be in a hurry to thank me. If my elder brother doesn't like you, I won't plead for you."

big brother?

Mr. Lu?

He widened his eyes in astonishment. Wasn't that this year's new top scholar Lu Zhanyan?

Lu Zhanxing smiled and said, "My elder brother will be the new Duke of Anguo Mansion in the future. If you can't grasp it, then it means you are born with bad luck, and no one can help you."

She deliberately gave Xiao Lanjue the illusion that this was a rare opportunity, so that he must use all his skills to convince his elder brother to recruit him, otherwise, everything would be in vain.

Xiao Lanjue originally thought that Lu Zhanxing wanted to test him and then help her do things.

I didn't expect that he would recommend me to the future Duke, Master Lu. Naturally, my future is limitless.

Even though he is not as good as Tan Ling, he has also married into a wealthy and powerful family. If he can gain the trust of the Duke, he may be able to use his connections to return to the government and become a county magistrate.

He took a deep breath excitedly, then bowed and said, "Thank you, Mr. Lu. I will definitely do my best."

"I guess you have nowhere to go, so just follow me back home now!"

We can't let him run away, the best thing to do is to bring him back.

Even if the eldest brother doesn't need him, I will still hire him and let him help me manage the business.

The group got on the carriage and returned to the Duke of Anguo's Mansion.

In the afternoon, after Lu Zhanyan came home from work to visit his grandfather, he returned to his study.

At this moment, a man in black was kneeling on one knee opposite him: "Greetings, my lord!"

"Well, how are the things I arranged going?" Lu Zhanyan played with the jade ring on his hand, his voice neither slow nor fast. He sat gracefully, and the temperament engraved in his bones was clearly visible in this study.

Although the man in black lowered his head, he could feel the calmness and composure of his new master.

Although he doesn't have the decisive and murderous aura of his previous master, he also has a special aura of being in control.

Facts have proved that both literature and martial arts have their unique charm.

"My lord, the matter has been settled and there will be results tomorrow."

"very good……"

Just when Lu Zhanyan was about to explain something, his attendant Huai Mo reported outside the door: "Master, the second master wants to see you."

Lu Zhanyan was startled, and said to the man in black in front of him: "An Yi, send two secret guards to secretly protect my brother."

"Yes, my lord!"

An Yi responded, and when he saw that his lord had no further instructions, he quietly left.

Watching the man in black float away from the window as if he had never appeared, Lu Zhanyan replied to Huai Mo outside the door: "Let her in!"

Soon, Lu Zhanxing brought Xiao Lanjue into the study.

"Brother." She called out with a playful smile, then walked to his desk, propped up her hands, and sat down on his desk without any hesitation, playing with her folding fan while looking down at him: "Brother, what are you busy with?"

"How disgraceful! Get down!" Lu Zhanyan frowned and scolded, but his voice was not fierce enough at all.

Deep down, I wanted to be close to this brother, but I felt that she had no rules.

"Oh, don't worry about the details, I brought you a talented person today.

She was not afraid of her elder brother at all. She pointed at Xiao Lanjue with her folding fan and said, "Nuo, this guy has good literary talent, but he was deprived of his title of Juren because of cheating in the imperial examination a few years ago. I think he has some talent. Brother, please test him. If he is useful, send him to work for you. If not, let him go. Don't worry about my feelings."

Lu Zhanyan had already noticed the young scholar who came in with his younger brother. He had a handsome and gentle appearance, but was dressed very ordinary. However, his attitude was not flattering or fawning, and he gave a good first impression.

When Xiao Lanjue saw the handsome, cold and noble Lu Zhanyan, he was very surprised. His temperament was completely different from that of the second young master of the Lu family.

Lu Zhanxing, the second son of the Lu family, is somewhat cynical and lazy, while Lu Zhanyan has the aura of a superior and people dare not underestimate him.

He knew that Lu Zhanyan was this year's new top scholar, from the sixth rank, so his talent was beyond words. Today was his chance to turn things around, and he had to use all his abilities to let Lu Zhanyan know his own worth.

"My humble name is Xiao Lanjue, and I am honored to meet you, Lord Lu."

Lu Zhanyan nodded slightly. Seeing that he was neither humble nor arrogant, he looked at him with a high opinion and said, "No need to be polite!"

Seeing them greet each other, Lu Zhanxing, who was standing by, jumped off the desk and said, "Big brother, take your time to test him. I'm going back now."

After she left, Lu Zhanyan looked at Xiao Lanjue again: "I wonder how Mr. Xiao knew my brother?"