Yinshan Record

Chapter 614 The Little Fox Who Lives for All Families (Part 1)
After having a casual meal, Feng got up to take his leave, and Su Che saw him off from the residence.

The political situation has just changed, and this is the most worrying time. Old Su cannot leave Feng to control the foundation of the Imperial Guards; he truly cannot do without him for even a moment.

Promising Lu Bai and Zhu Yi a bright future was something Su Che had always kept in mind.

The path of cultivation is long, and the scenery around us is fleeting; there will always be a moment to say goodbye. Lu Bai has been with me since Cizhou. We have faced hardships and difficulties along the way, and I must find him a secure future.

As for Zhu Yi, although he did not work as hard as Lu Bai, he was like Sha Wujing on the journey to the West. Even if he did not make any great contributions, he still put in a lot of effort. Moreover, Su Che also hoped that Lu Bai would not be all alone in dealing with future troubles.

Everything requires an ally. With Zhu Yi by his side, Lao Lu's future path will be easier.

These words remained hidden in Su Che's heart. A man in this world naturally wouldn't reveal every word. Brotherhood is about sincerity, and even if Su Che didn't say it aloud, Lu Bai could still sense it.

If I were to say that I have any relatives in this world, then Lu Bai would be one of them.

Despite having two brothers, Su Che never felt any connection with them, but he truly regarded his hardworking subordinates as his own brothers.

With Feng gone, Su Che sent Lu Bai and Zhu Yi home together, not giving them any chance to cause any drama.

Enjoy life to the fullest, spend more time with your wife and children, and savor the life of a wealthy and leisurely person—that's better than anything else.

If Lu Bai and Zhu Yi were to enjoy playing chess and fishing, spending their days in carefree play, that would be in accordance with Su Che's wishes.

However, Su Che couldn't say these things in front of the two of them, for fear of chilling their hearts and making them feel that they were useless.

"My husband is such a gentle person."

The little fox sat casually in the pavilion, looking at the artificial hills and trees in the courtyard, and spoke with feeling.

"gentle?"

"It's a blessing that Lao Lu and the others were able to run into you."

“They earned it all themselves,” Su Che said solemnly. “This is not their good fortune, but my way of repaying this kindness.”

"That's why I say my husband is gentle."

The little fox chuckled, "If anyone else were in the husband's position, they would only think that the two of them were lucky, and would even complain that they weren't capable enough."

"This isn't called gentleness, this is called loyalty."

Su Che smiled. Diabolo was good in every way, but when it came to human relationships, he lacked the unique human sensitivity that people have.

“I wish my husband would be as loyal to me as he is. I was reading a book the other day and I came across something about a wife who has shared hardship should not be abandoned.”

"I can't be loyal to you."

Su Che patted the little fox's head and said, "But I also want to thank you properly."

"Thank me?"

"Indeed, this mansion can't function without you."

Originally, the Changxin Marquis's residence was built according to the standards of a marquis, and the imperial craftsmen were tasked with completing it as quickly as possible. In the noble ranks of Daliang, the highest level was the Marquis, which means "to be granted land and territory." At the Marquis level, one had their own marquisate and fief, becoming a small state within a state.

Above the marquises, there is an unwritten title of lord, who holds the position of prime minister in the capacity of a marquis and is the most honored among the ministers, hence the title lord.

Since Su Che chose the old emperor last time, the new emperor has given him the title of "Attendant-in-Ordinary".

The position of Attendant-in-Ordinary was extremely prestigious and esteemed in the official system of the Great Liang Dynasty. It was a position where one would accompany the emperor and offer advice and strategies, and only trusted and noble individuals would be appointed to it.

Since this position involves accompanying the emperor in planning state affairs, it is also considered equivalent to that of a prime minister.

In fact, because the power of the prime minister was so great, very few dynasties actually appointed a prime minister. Instead, they used internal positions such as the Grand Secretary, the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, and the Attendant-in-Ordinary to replace the prime minister.

Therefore, Su Che is now theoretically the head of the Liang Dynasty's Secretariat. He should go there every day to check whether the imperial edicts are written in accordance with regulations and to uniformly approve whether the court's decrees can be promulgated.

However, Young Master Su simply didn't have the time for such things, and the Liang court probably didn't really want Su Che to get involved in these matters. Even if Su Che didn't go to the Secretariat to take up his post, the court would still provide him with a salary. In a way, everyone got what they wanted.

While we may not concern ourselves with the affairs of the court, it doesn't mean that the court's rules and regulations will be reduced.

The Marquis of Changxin's residence was always busy with visitors, not for official business, but for some kind of routine.

When a family's son returned to Jiankang (Nanjing) to visit his family and report on his duties after serving in a local post, they would present him with local specialties. The more refined gifts were local fruits and delicacies, while the more common ones were gold and silver.

The local government offices in Jiankang would also supply charcoal for winter and ice for summer. Local government offices in different places would also send various specialty products at different times of the year.

This thing is called "Tu Gong," and it includes everything from people who can run to delicious oranges, mercury that can be used to refine elixirs and draw talismans, paper for writing...

Su Che had never served as a local official close to the people for more than a few days, and he had never worried about collecting these things. However, once the items arrived, Su Che ignored them and asked no questions. Apart from having some local specialties sent to Lu Bai and Zhu Yi, he neither refused nor demanded anything.

The entire Changxin Marquis's residence was thus like a "headless dragon" in Taoist scriptures, an extremely auspicious sign.

Later, a little fox came to take charge. Although he didn't officially establish a title, the Marquis's mansion finally had an owner, and gradually some rules began to be established.

The little fox herself came from the Cloud Recesses in the East Sea. Such a place where demons gather also has its own rules. Back in Shanyin County, she was an old hand at manipulating people's hearts and stirring up family conflicts. Putting her talents into the Changxin Marquis's mansion is a perfect match.

With a matriarch in charge, the overall situation naturally changes.

In short, the Changxin Marquis's residence was harmonious and did not cause trouble outside. The little fox, however, had inadvertently earned Su Che a lot of goodwill in Jiankang.

Besides, the little fox also took a lot of the family's gold and silver to do some "good deeds," and of course, he also did some of those ghost-related things.

For example, if someone in Jiankang got drunk and started arguing, she would secretly throw some silver into their house as encouragement, saying that reason must be clarified through debate.

If someone is having a hard time, someone will bury some money in their yard, then pretend to be a ghost and say it was left by their ancestors. Then they will run over excitedly and say that they have become someone else's ancestor.

When an elderly person or child falls ill, the doctor will pretend to be a mysterious old Chinese medicine doctor and visit their home, instructing them to find all sorts of strange and unusual medicinal herbs, such as a six-legged toad or a four-eyed fish, speaking with great confidence. Then, the doctor will quietly cure the illness. When the person returns home and can't find the herbs, they will suddenly realize that the illness is cured and quickly kick the doctor out of the house...

Su Che felt that this was the true way to be a living bodhisattva, not seeking fame or fortune, but simply doing good deeds and being fond of making trouble.

(End of this chapter)