I am about to die of old age, and I have awakened the character of longevity.

Chapter 37: Dissension between Master and Disciple
The night was deep with heavy dew and the cold air was coming.

The wind blew the candlelight in the room, causing it to flicker and make a slight "crackling" sound.

Han Li and He Chunli both stared at Xie An with wide eyes, waiting for Xie An's arrangements.

Xie An sat in his seat and looked at the two disciples carefully.

Honestly, Han Li was more suited to business due to his lively and intelligent mind. He Chunli, while honest and unspeakable, possessed more solid skills and was a more practical and steady person.

Having Han Li be the master of the pawnshop would be beneficial to the pawnshop's business.

If He Chunli is made the pawnshop master, the business may not be as good, but the pawnshop's business will be more solid and will go further in the future.

What's more, He Chunli had been serving Xie An at his bedside during the most dangerous period of his life. Xie An saw it all and had some selfish motives in his heart.

I am not a machine, I am also a human being.

Thinking of this, Xie An no longer hesitated: "Han Li, you have a quick mind and are good at speaking. You are a good candidate for business."

Hearing this, Han Li was delighted.

Immediately afterwards, Xie An's next words poured a bucket of cold water on him.

"Although He Chunli is a bit dull, he has solid skills, isn't overly ambitious, and is down-to-earth. It's safer to have He Chunli as the pawnshop master. After all, you are all servants, and the success of the business is not the most important thing to you. Ensuring that the pawnshop business goes well is the foundation of your existence. If the business goes wrong, no matter how much money you earn for the Li Mansion, it will be useless. You will be punished anyway."

Han Li's eyes showed a deep sense of loss, and he looked like a deflated ball.

He Chunli's eyes lit up with joy and surprise. He glanced at the dejected Han Li beside him and wanted to decline. After all, in his heart, he had always felt that Han Li was more suitable to be the master of the court. He even regarded this as a foregone conclusion.

He didn't expect that his master would let him be the court master.

but--

An apprentice court official could only earn six or seven taels a year, while a court official master could start with at least ten taels, which was double the income.

Although He Chunli was dull, he was not stupid. He knew that this might be his only chance to make a name for himself in his life, and he didn't want to miss it.

This could only make Han Li feel disappointed.

Thinking of this, He Chunli gritted his teeth and bowed, "I will definitely do my best for the pawnshop, try not to make mistakes, and live up to Master's expectations."

Han Li also gritted his teeth, suppressing his disappointment and reluctance: "It's all up to Master."

Xie An nodded slightly, "That's good. I hope you can help each other in the future. I will move out tomorrow."

Xie An is now the deacon of the Tiger and Wolf Sect. If he develops well in the future, he will naturally be able to help the two disciples redeem themselves. It is nothing more than a matter of words.

But Xie An did not say this. On the one hand, Xie An had not yet taken up his post at Hulangmen, and his future was uncertain, so it was naturally difficult for him to make any promises.

On the other hand, Xie An also felt that everyone has their own destiny.

If the two disciples maintain their original intentions and continue to respect and be filial to me in the future, I will help them if I am able.

If they change their minds later, there will be no need to help them.

……

During dinner, He Chunli was still as attentive as before. He bent over to pour tea for Xie An, serve him rice, and pick up some dishes. Han Li, on the other hand, looked gloomy, only concentrating on eating.

Xie An saw it all and knew that Han Li had developed a grudge against him.

Xie An did not point it out.

This kind of thing requires Han Li to weigh and adjust it himself.

After all, I had raised him for over ten years, from a child to the young man he is today. I had even taught him the art of appraising objects. This kindness alone far outweighed everything else.

If he knew the importance of the matter, he would be able to figure it out on his own. If he developed hatred towards himself because of this, Xie An would have no choice but to feel disappointed and helpless.

After all, Xie An now has enough strength and no longer needs to rely on the two of them for retirement. If Xie An still needed to rely on the two disciples for retirement a few months ago, he would have to be careful in allocating his time to the two disciples.

After nightfall, He Chunli went to bed early and slept soundly.

Xie An went to the utility room next door to practice fetal breathing. Through the half-open window, he saw Han Li sitting alone on the steps outside the door, his chin supported by his hands, staring at the sky in a daze.

Even through the window, Xie An could feel his disciple's helplessness, unwillingness and loss.

Xie An did not try to comfort her.

The next morning.

The eighth day of the Lunar New Year is the day when all shops open their doors to welcome customers. Red lanterns and couplets are hung on the shop fronts on both sides of the street, hoping for a prosperous business and smooth sailing in the coming year.

Chen Yuan arrived at the backyard of the pawnshop early and found Xie An.

"Congratulations, Old Xie. You've redeemed yourself and become a good citizen. You've turned your life around and become the master of your own life."

Although his voice was not loud, Xie An could tell that Chen Yuan was genuinely happy for him. He exchanged a few pleasantries and said, "Old Chen, I am also planning to resign from this position as the Master of the Imperial Court."

Chen Yuan wasn't surprised at all. "I know. I heard you and the master had a quarrel. And after you redeem yourself, you'll be a good citizen. The salary of a Chaofeng Master won't be that high. So after you leave... which disciple do you plan to let take over the shop, Chaofeng Master?"

At the end of his speech, Chen Yuan lowered his voice and glanced at Han Li and He Chunli who were working in the pawnshop.

Xie An thought about his words.

Although he was the Chaofeng Master and could make suggestions for the next Chaofeng, Chen Yuan was the shopkeeper after all, so he couldn't be too harsh on the matter. If he caused Chen Yuan's dissatisfaction, even if He Chunli became the Chaofeng Master, he would inevitably have a rift with Chen Yuan.

Since I plan to let He Chunli succeed me, I will help him to the end.

Thinking of this, Xie An asked, "After what happened to Zhang Bing, I'm still frightened. Old Chen, which disciple do you think would be a good successor to me?"

If the first half of the sentence is missing, it would be an ordinary question.

But with the first half of the sentence, the meaning is clear.

Chen Yuan's heart skipped a beat. He said, "You really reminded me. Han Li is like Zhang Bing; he's quick-witted, articulate, and able to read people's expressions. But people like him tend to go astray. On the other hand, He Chunli... I think he's honest and hardworking. With him in charge, the pawnshop won't be in trouble."

After hearing Chen Yuan's statement, Xie An felt relieved. "Old Chen has a long-term vision. I think so too. However, Han Li's heart is not bad, but he is different from Zhang Bing. I hope Old Chen will cultivate him more in the future."

Chen Yuan readily agreed, "Have you communicated with them in advance?"

Xie An did not hide anything and told the truth.

Chen Yuan glanced at Xie An and said with a smile, "Old Xie, you're such a good person! You clearly have a plan, yet you still try to test my intentions. You're such a thief."

Xie An smiled in relief: "You are the shopkeeper. I have to listen to you."

Chen Yuan didn't care and laughed heartily: "Okay, then it's settled. I'll just go tell the master. The pawnshop is open today, and I have things to do, so I'll leave first. In two days, I'll invite you to Feiyun Tower to set up a table to celebrate Old Xie's redemption."

Running a pawnshop is a technical job. Although Master Li is very concerned about it, he also knows that technical work should be done by skilled workers. He does not interfere too much in the selection of the pawnshop master. At most, if the pawnshop business is not doing well, he can just change the owner.

After bidding Chen Yuan farewell, Xie An simply packed his luggage. Without telling his two disciples, he left through the back door and headed to the Blood Ridge Black Market to take up his post.

He was just a slave before, without any connections, and no one came to see him off, so he left alone with his luggage on his back.

On the same day, there was another person who went to the Blood Ridge black market to register as a deputy deacon.

The eldest son of the Li family, Li Shaoyun.

(End of this chapter)