Chapter 75: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 75: Yan Junyu
In the blink of an eye, it was mid-December, and the entire Da Chu was about to usher in the most significant festival of the year - New Year's Eve.
Affluent households had already begun to slaughter pigs and sheep, preparing for a prosperous year to reward their hardworking family members who had toiled for most of the year. People from the villages near the capital city streamed into the city to purchase items needed for the New Year. Many shop owners had stocked up on goods a half month ago, intending to make a good profit during the festive season and return home for the New Year.
The streets were crowded with people, exuding a strong festive atmosphere. Every face was filled with contented smiles. Even if mischievous children cried and demanded to buy candy or figurine-shaped sweets, adults no longer scolded them as they usually would. Instead, they happily bought a string for the children.
At noon, the famous restaurant, Huixianju, in the capital city was bustling with guests, with every seat taken. Guests who arrived slightly late couldn't even find a secluded spot to sit and had to leave with regret.
Unlike the noisy atmosphere on the first and second floors, the third floor was very quiet, unaffected by the hustle and bustle below. This entire floor only had six luxurious and different styled VIP rooms, accessible only to the privileged.
At this moment, in one of the VIP rooms facing the street, the door was tightly closed, while the window was wide open. A young man with clear eyes and extraordinary demeanor lazily leaned on the luxurious couch by the window, playing with a jade folding fan. His slender phoenix eyes seemed to be smiling as he looked at the middle-aged man sweating profusely before him, resembling a sly fox.
Under immense pressure, just as the middle-aged man was on the verge of fainting, the young man finally spoke with great mercy, "Xiao Qiang, tell me how you think I should punish you, hmm?"
The rising tone at the end made his already enchanting voice even more bewitching. The middle-aged man, known as "Xiao Qiang," trembled, his face turning pale. He had to put on a smiling face and beg for mercy, "Master, as long as you let me continue to manage Huixianju, I'm willing to accept any punishment, whether it's physical, verbal, or a fine!"
"Tch!" The young man sneered coldly, not surprised to see Xiao Qiang's trembling face. Instead, he seemed amused by the situation. He couldn't help but say with a touch of wickedness, "I am a gentleman and don't engage in physical punishment or verbal abuse. I'm not short of a few silver coins either. You'd better tidy up and leave for Mang Prefecture!"
At the mention of "Mang Prefecture," Xiao Qiang trembled even more violently. He knelt down on the ground, his knees soft. Fortunately, he managed to fall onto the young man's knee. He hugged the man's knee, tears streaming down his face as he pleaded, "Master, please, spare me. I have an eighty-year-old mother and a three-year-old child to support. With my old bones, I'm afraid I won't even make it to the borders of Mang Prefecture. Please, give me a few more days. I will definitely get things done. Please spare me this time!"
Mang Prefecture, a place known for being poor and chaotic, filled with bandits and rogues. It was a place where even officials would rather die than go. With his old bones, he might be torn apart by those savages before even reaching Mang Prefecture!
The man disdainfully kicked him, prompting him to let go. Opening the jade folding fan, he swept away the nonexistent dust on his knee. He scrutinized Xiao Qiang from head to toe, his face filled with expectation, "You're still able to father a three-year-old child at your age. Do you have some kind of secret method?"
Hearing the absurd words from his master, Xiao Qiang's face twitched even more severely. He replied through gritted teeth, "Master, that's my grandson. He's the son of my eldest son."
Upon hearing this, the man's disappointment was palpable. "You even made me hope that the old man could have another child to play with. Now, that hope is dashed."
Xiao Qiang's face twitched involuntarily. He thought to himself, If the child were really born, would you dare to play with him? But considering the master's unpredictable behavior, maybe he really did think that way.
Thinking of this, Xiao Qiang felt a headache. He even felt relieved that the child didn't exist.
The man lost interest in teasing him and waved his hand impatiently, "You have three days. If you still can't obtain the secret method of growing vegetables from that household within three days, I won't allow you to stay in the capital city for the New Year!"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Qiang first felt a glimmer of hope, but then his face turned bitter again. He wanted to plead for more time, but seeing that his master had turned away, he didn't dare to speak again, afraid of angering him further. He could only leave the room with drooping shoulders, wearing a troubled expression on his face.
"Shopkeeper Xing, how did Young Master say?" Outside the door, a fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy hurriedly approached Xing, also known as Xing Qiang.
Xing Qiang looked despondent, saying sorrowfully, "Xiao Zhu, we're done for. If we can't obtain the secret method within three days, we'll have to go to Mangzhou."
Mangzhou? The Mangzhou where everyone drank blood and ate raw meat?
Xiao Zhu was scared out of his wits, almost wetting his pants. "Shopkeeper Xing, what should we do? I have an eighty-year-old grandmother and a three-year-old brother relying on me. What should I do? Sob, I haven't even married yet!"
As he spoke, Xiao Zhu burst into tears, his sobbing echoing down the corridor.
"Shut up!" Xing Qiang snapped, his forehead throbbing. Seeing Xiao Zhu about to cry again, he quickly dragged him to the resting room downstairs, afraid of disturbing the people in the room.
Behind the door, Yan Junyu listened attentively to the conversation between the two, a mischievous smile playing at the corner of his mouth.
Tapping his palm lightly with the jade folding fan, he thought of the secret method of growing vegetables that hadn't been obtained for half a month. A glint of interest flashed in his slender eyes. Perhaps he should personally intervene. Challenges made things more interesting, didn't they?
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