Xu Lian rode his black horse and followed Lin Chengyu's chestnut horse to the city gate, dismounted, led the horse in line to enter the city, and paid ten cents before he was allowed to enter the city. Of course, the money was paid by Lin Chengyu, as Xu Lian was a "guest" after all.
From this point, it can be seen that the Lin family should not be a particularly powerful family in Pingyang County, otherwise the soldiers guarding the city gate would not have been unaware of Lin Chengyu and would have had to pay him to enter the city.
After entering the city, Xu Lian's eyes lit up. A towering tree like a canopy stood in the center of the city. Its branches were strong, like a dragon, and its leaves were colorful. Each leaf had a different shape, some like sleeping silkworms, some like flying birds, and some like walking beasts. It was truly amazing.
Even from a long distance, he could smell the fragrance and felt all the pores on his body dilate and he felt refreshed. There was no doubt that this was the spiritual tree.
The streets are circular, like spring rolls, and are built around the sacred trees in rings.
"Manager Xu, please follow me."
Lin Chengyu climbed back on the horse.
Xu Lian also followed on horseback.
After walking through several circular streets, we stopped in front of a house with a vermilion lacquered gate.
Xu Lian looked up at the plaque hanging above the gate. On it were two large characters "Lin's House" written in vigorous and powerful strokes, which showed that it was quite imposing.
“This is my home.”
Lin Chengyu handed the reins to the gatekeeper and led Xu Lian in.
Xu Lian looked at the Lin family's mansion curiously. There were green trees and grass, rockery and lotus pond, pavilions, towers, houses and corridors. It was somewhat similar to the garden style of ancient Jiangnan.
After coming to the living room and drinking tea for a while, a man dressed like an old housekeeper came in. Lin Chengyu asked, "Grandpa Fu, where are my parents and eldest sister?"
The old housekeeper said, "The master, the mistress, and the eldest daughter have gone to live in the spiritual house they rented on First Street. They probably won't be back for a few days."
First Street, a rented spiritual house
Xu Lian noticed keenly that the First Street should be the street near the spiritual tree. It seemed that the houses there were extremely expensive. Even a family like the Lin family could not afford it and could only rent one for practice.
Lin Chengyu stretched out his hand and pointed at Xu Lian, "This is a friend who came back with me from Lvzhu Town. He will stay at home for a few days. Grandpa Fu, please make arrangements for him."
The old housekeeper should say “OK”.
Lin Chengyu chatted with Xu Lian for a while and then left. He was not very familiar with Xu Lian. They had only met once when the three major families in Lvzhu Town were hunting, and they had a drink on the same boat when returning to the city. That was all. There was no need for him to accompany Xu Lian all the time.
Xu Lian said "thank you" to the old butler, and followed him out of the living room.
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The old butler took Xu Lian to the wing rooms in the small courtyard on the west side of the mansion. Wing rooms are also called guest rooms. A wealthy family like this usually reserves wing rooms for guests to stay in, which is very convenient.
The old butler looked very old, about seventy years old. His eyes were blurry and he walked slowly, but he was very talkative. He asked Xu Lian all kinds of questions, including his name, age and where he lived.
Xu Lian answered one by one, "Xu Lian, seventeen years old, from Luzhu Town."
"You are not from the county town who went to Green Bamboo Town? You are from Green Bamboo Town?"
The old housekeeper was stunned for a moment, looking a little strange, "Aren't locals of Green Bamboo Town not allowed to leave the town?"
Then, he seemed to remember something, raised his hand and gently patted his wrinkled forehead, "I forgot that the young master had a pass. You followed the young master to sneak into the city, right? Going into the city to find a job? To make money?"
Supplementing with your own imagination is the most deadly... Xu Lian didn't know what to say, but he was indeed here to "make money", the money used by practitioners, "I guess so."
The old housekeeper smiled and said, "I heard that the men in your Green Bamboo Town work hard every day to earn food to support their families, and the women have to give their blood to the night watchmen every night. It's really not easy. You followed the young master to sneak into the county town, and you are lucky to meet a noble man like my young master.
Work hard in the city for a few years, save up some money, and return to Green Bamboo Town. Then you will be a rich and glorious master, and you can marry any beautiful girl you see. A good life will come, won’t it? "
"..." Xu Lian said, "You are right."
The old housekeeper said kindly, "But it's not easy to find a job to earn money in this county. My master is a very kind person. I think you might as well ask him to stay in the Lin family as a servant or gardener for seven or eight years. The money you save will be enough for you to return to Green Bamboo Town and enjoy the scenery."
Is the old man's eyesight poor? Do I, a young man with a good appearance, look like a servant... Xu Lian's face darkened and he didn't want to talk anymore.
When we arrived at the west courtyard, it was empty and there were no other guests. The old housekeeper took the key and opened a room at random, "You can stay here."
Xu Lian took a look and found that the tables and chairs were spotless, and the bedding was also clean and tidy. It was obvious that the maids often came to tidy them up. "Okay, thank you."
The old butler did not leave, but followed in and closed the door, as if he had something to say in secret.
Xu Lian was a little speechless. It had been a long time since there were guests at home... The old man seemed a little overly enthusiastic.
The old housekeeper said, "I have been in this family for decades. I have been the housekeeper since the old grandfather's generation. I have watched the eldest daughter, the second daughter, and the young master of the family grow up. They are no different from my granddaughters and grandchildren.
The young master has a good talent for cultivation. In his early twenties, he has already reached the strength of the tendon-refining stage. He is expected to become a disciple of the Yi Sect, but he is not in a hurry to get married and have children.
The second young lady married into a family in the city and became a young lady. Once the master and mistress of that family come knocking, she will be the head of the household and have hope for the future.
What worries me most is the eldest daughter. In her early years, she became a Taoist partner with a talented independent cultivator. However, independent cultivators do not have the support of their families, so it is not easy for them to cultivate. With insufficient cultivation resources, she forced her way through and died. The eldest daughter was left alone and had to return home to live."
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Old man, shut up!
If you continue, I will know all the details of the Lin family... Xu Lian asked suspiciously, "Old man, what do you mean by telling me this?"
The old housekeeper stretched out his finger and nodded at Xu Lian's head from a distance, "You are a country boy, you are simple and honest, your brain is not bright, it's hard for you to understand."
"..." Xu Lian could only bow his hands, "Boy, I really can't understand the meaning of the old man's words."
The old housekeeper said, "The eldest lady has had a husband before, so she couldn't marry into a wealthy family in the city. She also looked down on peddlers and hawkers. She has been dragging it on for 28 years and is still living alone at home.
I think you are a handsome young man with decent looks. If you work hard in our Lin Mansion and be more responsive, maybe the master and mistress will take a liking to you and invite you to marry into the family. It is also possible that you can become the eldest lady's man."
Xu Lian finally understood. It turned out that the old housekeeper was just worrying about nothing. It was understandable that this was what happened when people got old.
Seeing that he didn't show any reaction, the old housekeeper thought that he had some grudges in his heart. "Although the eldest lady has had a man before and is eleven years older than you, she has been practicing martial arts since she was a child and has a very good figure. If a poor boy like you can marry her, you will definitely not suffer any loss. You will wake up laughing even in your dreams."
Young and unaware of the benefits of a rich woman, he mistook a young girl for a treasure... Xu Lian certainly understood this truth, but, he had just come to stay at Master Lin's house, and he already had his eyes on someone's eldest sister, which was not a good idea.
Xu Lian said with a straight face, "Old man, your eldest daughter is left alone at home as a widow, without a husband. You feel anxious every day, I can understand, but I have never seen your eldest daughter, and your eldest daughter has never seen me. Besides, you don't know me, so it's not good to match people up like this."
The old housekeeper had his own reasons, "The young master is well-educated and sensible. The people he brings home must be of good character. I am not blind, and I can see that you are a simple-minded person with simple clothes and proper words and deeds. You are a simple and honest person, not a street urchin or a scoundrel. That's why I wanted to tell the young lady about the man.
You will see her when the eldest lady comes back in a few days. She often practices martial arts in the front yard. You can stroll to the front yard and touch her, and then you will see her.
After reading this, you can raise your pillow a little when you sleep at night and think about it carefully.
Tell me when you have made up your mind, and I will talk to the master and the mistress. My words still carry some weight in this family."
Is it possible that it wasn't your young master who brought me here, but I shamelessly came here on my own... Xu Lian said, "Okay, okay, old man, I get it, you go and get busy."
Watching the old butler open the door and walk out tremblingly, Xu Lian was really worried that he would fall. It was not easy for him to worry about the younger generation in the family at such an old age.