knife

Chapter 34 Gift
Li Dachui opened the main gate wide to welcome Zhang Qingyun, making Zhang Qingyun feel both uneasy and secretly pleased.

But upon closer reflection, perhaps it's because this Li Dachui is just a country bumpkin who doesn't know many rules, which is why the gate opened so easily.

Tai'an City has only been established for a little over twenty years, and it started with martial arts, so it's perfectly normal that it lacks rules and etiquette.

Thinking about this, I finally felt a little more at ease.

However, looking at Li Dachui, he finally seemed a bit more agreeable at this point.

Although they lack manners, they are sincere in their dealings with others, so even if they make some mistakes, it is forgivable.

"Let me show you your new home!" Li Dachui said with a beaming smile, leading the way.

Stepping through the gate and past the courtyard, one arrives at the spacious reception hall. Staring at the six enormous pillars in the hall and examining their materials, Zhang Qingyun had to admit that this nouveau riche was indeed extraordinary.

It turned out that they were all made of Phoebe zhennan wood, each as thick as a person's embrace.

In Chang'an, such thick Phoebe zhennan wood is priceless and unavailable.

Even if one were to appear occasionally, no one would dare to use it, for fear of overstepping their bounds and being caught red-handed.

Six appeared here all at once.

Looking up again at the carved railings and painted beams overhead, although they were quite far away and not very clear, the lifelike carvings were already breathtaking. If they were also made of Phoebe zhennan wood, that would be terrifying.

"You're so extravagant!" Zhang Qingyun sighed. "You were complaining about being poor to me earlier! If you really ran out of money, you could just dismantle these beams and pillars and sell them for a fortune."

“I would like to sell it, but no one will buy it!” Li Dachui spread his hands: “The materials in this house were all stolen by the old man in the early years. I originally wanted to sell it to Linghu Ye, but that guy didn’t want it. I also thought about selling it to the old man, the Emperor of Beiyuan, but that guy didn’t know its value. He only recognized the golden tent he lived in. There was nothing I could do but use it myself.”

"You even sold it to the Emperor of Northern Yuan? You're really good at bragging!" Zhang Qingyun pouted and looked up at the couplets on the six large pillars.

“If one’s teachings are always truthful, then one who is content with his lot is truly respectful of his ancestors; if one is self-reflective in three ways, then one who is willing to suffer losses is a filial son or virtuous grandson.”

"Cherishing clothes and food is not about cherishing wealth, but about cherishing blessings; seeking fame and fortune requires seeking from oneself, not from others."

"Those who study will not be lowly, those who guard the fields will not go hungry, those who accumulate virtue will not fall into ruin, and those who choose their friends wisely will not fail."

Pointing to the three couplets, Zhang Qingyun's eyes widened as she exclaimed, "The calligraphy is so familiar, could it be Yu?"

Li Dachui nodded repeatedly: "You could guess that? It was indeed written by Master Yu himself. When this house was built, he was teaching me here, so he wrote these three couplets!"

"Master Yu's calligraphy is priceless!" Zhang Qingyun exclaimed repeatedly. "Furthermore, he is now over eighty years old and has long since retired from writing. Not to mention such large characters, even a small piece would be coveted by countless nobles and dignitaries. And here you have three couplets!"

Li Dachui's eyes lit up: "Is the old master's calligraphy really that valuable? All the couplets in my house were written by him. If I make rubbings of them and sell them, wouldn't I make a fortune?"

Zhang Qingyun stared speechlessly at Li Dachui, whose face was filled with greed. After a long while, she finally said, "Don't you cherish things that others treasure and pass down through generations?"

"This has nothing to do with cherishing! I'll sell them first, get the money, and then I can take care of things. Once I've finished what I need to do, these things might come back, don't you think? Whether these things are in my hands or someone else's, they're not going to fly away, are they?"

This line of thought left Zhang Qingyun speechless.

What he meant by "returning" was probably robbery.

“Even Linghuye doesn’t dare to buy it, so who else would dare to do business with you?” Zhang Qingqu sneered.

“Ordinary people certainly won’t do. The Northern Yuan Emperor doesn’t know its value, and the one in Chang’an probably won’t pay. In that case, the Empress Dowager in the South is a potential trading partner. I just don’t know if she likes Master Yu’s calligraphy.” Li Dachui pondered, “We need to find out about this, but this thing is too big. Luck is not on our side! Forget it, we’ll talk about it later! Come on, Miss Qingyun, I’m really sorry, I’m so poor that I forget about the important matter as soon as money is mentioned.”

The second room was a study, where Zhang Qingyun gazed intently at the couplets on the pillars.

"The virtue of a gentleman is to interact with others in accordance with the Way and to treat others with courtesy. The able-bodied should use their leisure time to recite his poems and read his books."

As expected, they are all in the handwriting of Master Yu.

It was unbelievable. I couldn't understand what this person had done to catch Master Yu's eye, that he would stay in this remote town for several years to teach for him and even write so many couplets for him.

"From now on, you'll study, write, and do errands here. Although I haven't read many books myself, there are so many here! I bet there's nowhere else in the Northeast with as many books as here!" Li Dachui proudly pointed to the two side rooms. "They're full of books! Want to take a look?"

Zhang Qingyun shook her head; there would be plenty of time to see it later.

"Next is the tea room! When you're tired from reading, writing, or doing things, come here to brew a pot of tea and relax!" The third tea room appeared before Zhang Qingyun.

"A leisurely stroll through this tower allows one to savor the aroma of tea, and a carefree wander through this realm allows one to appreciate the beauty of all four seasons!"

Zhang Qingyun was already numb to the fact that it was still Master Yu's calligraphy.

"There's nothing much to see here, just a place to relax. Let's go see where you'll be staying!" Li Dachui led the way solicitously. "The main house is spacious and bright, and fully equipped. You'll be living there from now on."

“I’ll be fine with the side room!” Zhang Qingyun said.

"I can't let you suffer. Besides, I rarely come back, and even when I do, I mostly stay at the City Lord's Mansion!" Li Dachui laughed. "So you can rest assured!"

"Don't worry about anything," Li Dachui didn't say, and Zhang Qingyun didn't respond either, but her face was burning.

"Such a big house, am I living alone?"

"How is that possible?" Li Dachui clapped his hands: "Let's get rich and call everyone over."

A moment later, more than twenty people stood in front of Zhang Qingyun.

“The housekeeper who served me before I got rich is also the housekeeper of this house. She will work for you from now on!” Li Dachui laughed. “Just give her all the instructions! With her around, you don’t have to worry about any chores.”

Zhang Qingyun nodded, turned to look at Li Dachui, and said, "Alright, I'll move in. I don't need to look at the fifth courtyard anymore. Now we can talk about what I should do with what I've gained. I don't want to take your benefits for nothing. I need something in return to feel at ease!"

Li Dachui clapped his hands together with a loud thud, "Alright, that's great. Let's go to the tea room and talk over tea, shall we? Make a fortune! Arrange a banquet for dinner. I'm going to have a few drinks with Miss Qingyun later. Also, add a meat dish and a pot of wine for everyone tonight. This is Miss Qingyun's treat for them."

Fa Cai waved his hand, and the group of people quietly dispersed. In an instant, the entire house seemed to be deserted again.

The bright yellow tea soup was poured from the teapot into the white porcelain cup, making it appear even brighter. Without even tasting it, just by looking at the color of the soup, one could tell that it was definitely a top-quality tea.

This Li Dachui, while constantly complaining about being poor, is also incredibly particular about his lifestyle.

When we first met in the dilapidated temple, this person was clearly there to kill someone, yet he still brought a complete set of barbecue equipment, as well as sets of tableware and tea sets.

This man isn't just fussy; he's genuinely particular.

Looking at this grand house again, every detail exudes charm and style.

Of course, Zhang Qingyun didn't know whether this guy understood the elegance that permeated the house inside and out.

Judging from that guy's single-minded focus on exchanging Master Yu's calligraphy for money, he probably doesn't understand it.

I roughly know that it's good, very good.

But it's hard to pinpoint exactly what makes it good.

What a waste! Such a precious thing has fallen into his hands and has been squandered.

"Try it. When the old man brought this box of tea cakes, he said it was at least fifty years old!" Li Dachui picked up his teacup and gestured to the side. On a low table to the side was an exquisite wooden box. He didn't know what the box was made of, but it was inlaid with gold and silver, so it was obviously not something an ordinary person could afford.

"Speak, what is it?" Zhang Qingyun asked softly, taking a small sip of tea.

"Do you remember the chase we encountered when we returned to Tai'an City?" Li Dachui asked with a smile, putting down his teacup.

"Of course I remember. That guy was stabbed to death by that boy surnamed Luo in the end." Recalling this, Zhang Qingyun smiled. It was indeed a very satisfying thing. "I know you were behind this, but what does it have to do with me?"

“It has a lot to do with you!” Li Dachui said, “If you hadn’t begged me, I wouldn’t have gotten involved in this. When you left, did that boy see what you looked like?”

Zhang Qingyun was stunned for a long time before saying, "I think I lifted the curtain and glanced at that boy when I passed by them."

"That's it!" Li Dachui laughed heartily. "That young man is named Luo Ying. He's been asking about you everywhere he goes since he arrived in Tai'an City."

"What does this have to do with me?"

“It’s related!” Li Dachui said, “He thought you ordered this to be done, since at the time it seemed like you were the master and Li Kaixin was the servant. As for me, a passerby, he had absolutely no idea at the time.”

"so what?"

"Luo Ying is fifteen years old this year, but his martial arts cultivation has already reached the fourth level of Qi Control. For someone of the Luo family's trashy cultivation method to reach this level at this age, he can be called a genius. Therefore, we naturally want to win over such a talent."

"You want me to subdue him for you?"

“It’s for your own sake!” Li Dachui said, “Luo Ying himself has great investment value, and the Luo family is a powerful force in the area outside the Great Wall. If you subdue Luo Ying, you will naturally subdue the Luo family as well. I think you shouldn’t miss this opportunity.”

"How to do it?"

“This is Tai’an City, our territory. Staging a chance encounter is a piece of cake!” Li Dachui laughed. “Fa Cai will arrange this. What happens after we meet is up to you.”

(End of this chapter)