Chapter 118
Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW
Chapter 118: Villa Mistress
However, Qiu Tong and Zhang Xiaohua didn’t go far before she changed her mind.
Ou Yan hadn’t given specific instructions to Qiu Tong on which books Zhang Xiaohua could borrow, and without the Villa Mistress’s perBig Sisterion, it would be inappropriate to bring someone into the study.
So, Qiu Tong brought Zhang Xiaohua outside of the main hall.
As they approached the main hall, Zhang Xiaohua could hear two people speaking inside. One voice was exceptionally pleasant, like an oriole emerging from the valley, a voice that one could listen to endlessly without growing tired. The other voice, though smooth and gentle, lacked that gripping charm.
Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t help but assume that the melodious voice belonged to the Villa Mistress, Ou Yan.
In fact, Zhang Xiaohua had been speculating about Ou Yan’s appearance and voice since he came to the inner courtyard. After coming to Huanxi Villa for several months, although he received excellent care from Ou Yan, he had never met her in person. This visit was not only to return and borrow books but also to personally thank her for her care.
Qiu Tong asked Zhang Xiaohua to wait outside while she went inside to report.
Once Qiu Tong entered the hall, the voices of the two people ceased. Zhang Xiaohua could hear Qiu Tong speaking: “Villa Mistress, Zhang Xiaohua from the medicinal fields has come to return your books and wishes to borrow more. What books should we lend him?”
At this moment, Zhang Xiaohua eagerly strained his ears to hear the response.
To his disappointment, the melodious voice replied: “Oh~ he finished reading so quickly? Perhaps the boy just skimmed through. Let him in, I’ll ask him. If he really finished reading and understood, it won’t be too late to lend him more.”
Zhang Xiaohua was surprised to learn that the loud and enchanting voice was not Ou Yan’s.
Qiu Tong came out and gestured for Zhang Xiaohua to enter the hall. As he carefully stepped inside, he saw that at the end of the hall sat a woman in her twenties. Her temperament was like Liu Qian’s, with fair and radiant skin. Had it not been for the fact that this woman had phoenix eyes while Liu Qian had almond-shaped eyes, Zhang Xiaohua might have accidentally called her “sister-in-law”.
On the side of the hall, a middle-aged woman with an ordinary appearance was seated. She had a rather dark complexion and a stocky figure, and although her clothes were bright and colorful, they did little to conceal her robust frame.
Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t help but be stunned. Could it be that the lingering sound that seemed to be echoing for three days was made by this woman?
At this moment, Ou Yan spoke and said: “Are you Zhang Xiaohua?”
Zhang Xiaohua quickly withdrew his gaze, bowed deeply, and said: “Yes, Big Sister Villa Mistress, I am Zhang Xiaohua.”
Ou Yan seemed a bit taken aback and almost laughed, saying: “Big Sister? Haha, it’s been a long time since anyone called me ‘Big Sister’. Zhang Xiaohua, your words are indeed very sweet.”
Zhang Xiaohua didn’t think anything of it, and couldn’t help scratching his head and asking: “Is there something wrong, Big Sister Villa Mistress?”
Ou Yan wasn’t upset, she just asked, “Why did you decide to call me ‘Big Sister’?”
Zhang Xiaohua replied: “Since you are older than me, I should call you ‘Big Sister’. Besides, Villa Mistress looks very much like my sister-in-law. Just now, I almost called you ‘Sister-in-law’. Oh, my sister-in-law’s name is Liu Qian. Before she married my eldest brother, I used to call her ‘Big Sister Liu’. So, I feel that Villa Mistress is very kind, so, of course, I should call you ‘Big Sister’.”
The swarthy, rugged woman beside them spoke, her clear voice ringing in Zhang Xiaohua’s ears: “Haha, this Xiaohua is quite interesting. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen such a pure child.”
Zhang Xiaohua looked at this woman and couldn’t help but say: “Big Sister’s voice is really pleasant to hear.”
Ou Yan laughed and said: “You should call her ‘Big Sister Qin’. If you call her a few more times, she’ll talk to you more, and you’ll get to hear more.”
The woman turned out to be Great Aunt Qin from the Piaomiao Sect’s Ming Cui Hall.
Zhang Xiaohua, hearing this, sincerely said to the woman: “Hello, Big Sister Qin.”
Great Aunt Qin was taken aback and smiled, saying: “Everyone else calls me Great Aunt Qin, but you, kid, actually call me ‘Big Sister’. Well, it does sound quite comforting. If you ever need anything from Big Sister in the future, just ask.”
Ou Yan laughed even more and said: “Zhang Xiaohua, hurry up and thank Big Sister Qin. She doesn’t usually speak so readily.”
Zhang Xiaohua was puzzled, and after bowing, said: “Thank you, Big Sister Qin.”
In fact, he didn’t take it seriously. He thought that good things don’t just fall from the sky, and since this was their first meeting, it was unlikely that a mere form of address would result in any help. He wasn’t sure what Ou Yan meant, she was probably just joking.
Everyone continued to talk for a while.
Then Ou Yan asked Zhang Xiaohua: “Zhang Xiaohua, have you read all these books? Did you understand them?”
Zhang Xiaohua replied honestly: “I’ve read them, Big Sister Villa Mistress.”
Ou Yan frowned slightly and said: “Calling me Big Sister Villa Mistress sounds quite awkward. Just call me Sister Ou or Sister Yan.”
Zhang Xiaohua thought for a moment and said: “Got it, Big Sister Ou.”
However, Ou Yan wasn’t quite convinced by Zhang Xiaohua’s words and said: “Zhang Xiaohua, the worst taboo when reading books is skimming and not understanding deeply, bitting more than you can chew. Last time I heard He Tianshu say you’ve already read quite a few books. This time, you borrowed so many books and finished them so quickly. Can you really remember and understand them?”
Zhang Xiaohua felt a bit anxious and said: “Really, Big Sister Ou, I understand everything. But it’s precisely because I’ve read and understood these books that I’ve realized how much more there is that I don’t know.”
Ou Yan, hearing this, relaxed a bit and said: “I see. Let me ask you a few questions then.”
With that, Ou Yan flipped through the books and selected some questions for Zhang Xiaohua to answer.
In Zhang Xiaohua’s eyes, these questions were no problem at all, as everything was clearly written in the books. So he answered them quickly and fluently without much thought.
Seeing Zhang Xiaohua’s rapid responses, which almost followed immediately after her questions, Ou Yan was very pleased. She then chose a few questions that weren’t in the books for him to answer.
This time, Zhang Xiaohua pondered a bit, drawing on the knowledge he had read, and answered with what he thought were appropriate responses.
Ou Yan was even more pleased after hearing his answers. After pointing out a few inaccuracies in Zhang Xiaohua’s responses, she said: “Zhang Xiaohua, I didn’t expect you to be so well-versed in these matters. Very good. Wait here, I’ll get some more books for you. Take your time to read them, and if you have any questions, come and ask me.”
Afterward, she apologized to Great Aunt Qin and left with Qiu Tong with a smile on her face.
In the hall, only Great Sister Qin and Zhang Xiaohua remained.
Seeing Zhang Xiaohua standing there with his head bowed, Great Aunt Qin struck up a conversation and asked about Zhang Xiaohua’s recent situation. Zhang Xiaohua, feeling comfortable with the pleasant-talking Big Sister Qin, spoke candidly about his journey to Pingyang City, how he arrived at the Huanxi Villa, and how he was injured. He only omitted the Big Dipper Divine Fist and his Sword Technique. Hearing Zhang Xiaohua’s experiences, Great Aunt Qin sighed and was reminded of her own childhood experiences, which made her feel even closer to Zhang Xiaohua.
Just as they were talking, Ou Yan returned, and Qiu Tong behind her was carrying a heavy-looking white cloth bundle. Zhang Xiaohua hurried over to take it, and it was indeed quite heavy, suggesting it was filled with many books.
Ou Yan sat down and said: “Zhang Xiaohua, these are books I’ve selected based on your situation. Read them carefully. I heard from Qiu Tong that you understand the importance of combining theory with practice, which is excellent. Keep following this path and see how far you can go. It will benefit both you and our villa.”
Zhang Xiaohua smiled and said: “Okay, Big Sister Ou. I will work hard to read and practice diligently. I hope it can help Big Sister Ou solve the problem with the seeds.”
When the topic of seeds was brought up, Ou Yan couldn’t hide a trace of worry on her brow and said: “Your expectations are good, but if finding the reason was as simple as reading these books, I would have found it by now.”
Zhang Xiaohua felt a bit embarrassed, realizing that his enthusiasm might have come at the wrong time. He said: “As the ancients said, ‘Three cobblers with their wits combined can match Zhuge Liang’. If everyone works together, there might still be hope.”
Ou Yan smiled and said: “You make a good point. However, many problems can’t be solved just by having more people. They still need high-level talents to handle them.”
Then Ou Yan pondered for a moment and said: “Zhang Xiaohua, you should start by looking through these books. After some time, I’ll take you to see a real expert to learn how they handle medicinal herbs.”
Upon hearing this, Qiu Tong’s expression changed, and she said: “Miss, are you planning to go yourself?”
Great Aunt Qin also said: “Yan’er, you need to think it through. The journey is long, and thousands of miles away. Can your body handle it?”
Ou Yan smiled and said: “Sister Qin doesn’t need to worry about me. Although the journey is a bit long, didn’t Qiu Tong make the trip last time? My health isn’t worse than Qiu Tong’s. Why shouldn’t I be able to go?”
Qiu Tong pleaded: “Miss, it’s better for me to go there again. You shoulder the fate of the villa, so it’s better for you to stay and manage the overall situation. Let us handle these errands.”
Ou Yan smiled bitterly and said: “A year has almost passed, and there’s still no progress with these seeds. This is a major issue related to the improvement of the Piaomiao Sect’s strength. I promised my elder brother that I would resolve it. If I can’t, wouldn’t I become a sinner of the sect?”
Great Aunt Qin also advised: “These seeds have been lost for a long time. The specific planting methods may no longer exist. Although you made a promise in front of the sect master, most of the seeds have been successfully planted. Why focus on this small part?”
Ou Yan sighed and said: “It’s precisely this small part that’s crucial. Last time, Qiu Tong went and was turned away, likely because they thought we weren’t serious enough. If I don’t go again, won’t we lose this opportunity entirely?”
Great Aunt Qin and Qiu Tong saw that they couldn’t dissuade Ou Yan, so they stopped speaking. Zhang Xiaohua, meanwhile, listened to the three of them talking as if hearing something incomprehensible. During the time he was injured, didn’t Qiu Tong mention going south and not coming to see him? From what was said, it appeared Qiu Tong had gone to consult someone about the seeds but was turned away because her status wasn’t considered appropriate. Now, Ou Yan intended to go personally and, according to her, would take Zhang Xiaohua along. The other two seemed concerned about potential mishaps due to Ou Yan’s esteemed status and were trying to prevent her from going.
Having understood the situation, Zhang Xiaohua noticed that the three were losing interest. He quickly thanked Ou Yan for the books and prepared to leave. Ou Yan, smiling, encouraged him a bit more before allowing Qiu Tong to take him out.
Qiu Tong was in a bad mood. She led Zhang Xiaohua to Qiu Ju’s courtyard with a sullen face and said: “Zhang Xiaohua, next time you want to find me or the Mistress, don’t barge in recklessly. Although you’re young, you still need to follow the villa’s rules. Wait here until you see Qiu Ju or someone else, and let them go find me, okay?”
Zhang Xiaohua smiled and said: “Understood, Sister Qiu Tong. Don’t be upset. I’m sure there will be a solution.”
Qiu Tong forced a smile and said: “I know, Xiaohua. Do your best. I hope you can be of help.”
Watching Zhang Xiaohua walk away with a large bundle of books, Qiu Tong finally turned and walked away quickly.
Zhang Xiaohua, holding a large bundle of books in his left hand, made his way back. Fortunately, with Zhang Xiaohua’s strength of 500 jin in one arm, it felt like light work. If it were anyone else, it would have been quite a struggle. He wondered how Qiu Tong managed to move all those books from the study to the living room just now.
When Zhang Xiaohua got back to his room, he threw the bundle onto the bed, drank some water, and then opened it. His eyes widened in surprise: “My goodness, there are quite a few books, probably dozens of them. No wonder it was so heavy.”
However, Zhang Xiaohua’s face soon brightened with joy. With so many books, he would have plenty to keep him occupied during the long nights.
In the evening, after Zhang Xiaohua finished his martial arts practice and casually opened one of the books, he suddenly noticed that these books were different from the previous ones. First, while the previous books were relatively basic, these new books were clearly more advanced, matching Zhang Xiaohua’s current level perfectly. Just flipping through them, Zhang Xiaohua found that they touched on topics that intrigued him, making him reluctant to put them down. Secondly, whereas the previous books had clean blank spaces on each page, these new books had annotations in the margins, some pages had only a few words, while others were densely filled with writing.
Zhang Xiaohua squinted and realized that these annotations were the reader’s reflections on the page, a reading method he had never encountered before. Zhang Xiaohua’s eyes lit up with interest as he began to read more carefully.
The more Zhang Xiaohua read, the more astonished he became, growing increasingly admiring of the person who had written these notes. The annotations not only highlighted the key points of each page but also cited references and related knowledge, demonstrating the writer’s extensive understanding. As he continued reading, Zhang Xiaohua suddenly had a thought. He put down the book he was holding and picked up another from the bed. Sure enough, this book also had dense annotations. Zhang Xiaohua then randomly picked a few more books, and all of them were similarly annotated.
Zhang Xiaohua realized with a start that such elegant handwriting could only belong to the Villa Mistress, Ou Yan. Seeing that she had managed to review such a large collection of books in such detail left him deeply impressed.
Another feeling he had was one of immense gratitude. Big Sister Villa Mistress had truly treated him as one of her own, generously lending him the books she usually read. At this moment, Zhang Xiaohua genuinely placed Big Sister Ou on the same pedestal as his sister-in-law.
With a sufficient supply of books to read, Zhang Xiaohua’s life became richer. Farming the medicinal fields, practicing martial arts in the forest, and reading by lamplight made for a fulfilling routine, and he was never lonely.
However, during his leisure time, Zhang Xiaohua harbored a slight sense of anticipation, to travel!
Last time, Sister Qiu Tong had been away for several months, saying she had gone south. He was eager to see the world. His farthest journey so far had been to Pingyang City, which was only a few days’ journey away. From what he had read, the climate and living habits in the south were quite different from those in Pingyang City, and many medicinal herbs were also unique to that region. Being able to see it all in person would surely be better than just reading about it.
As the old saying goes, “Read ten thousand books and travel ten thousand miles”. This pursuit of knowledge and experience had now taken root in Zhang Xiaohua’s heart. Indeed, books are truly a good way to cultivate oneself.
However, despite Zhang Xiaohua’s longing, the anticipated journey did not happen quickly. Several more days passed without any news, and gradually, Zhang Xiaohua stopped thinking about it.
One day, while Zhang Xiaohua was working in the fields as usual, he noticed He Tianshu approaching with a group of people. Leading the group were two elderly men, both with white hair and beards. Behind them were a few younger individuals, some appearing scholarly and refined, while others looked strong and powerful. However, like He Tianshu, they all treated the two elders with great respect.
Zhang Xiaohua sighed, realizing that he had never seen Captain He act in such a manner before. These two elders must be high-ranking members of the Medicine Hall. Since he wasn’t a member of the Piaomiao Sect, Zhang Xiaohua didn’t feel obligated to show any particular deference, so he kept his head down, carefully loosening the soil, weeding, and observing the state of each herb.
Unfortunately, things didn’t go as he hoped. He Tianshu spotted him from afar and clearly had no intention of letting him go unnoticed. Leading the group in Zhang Xiaohua’s direction, He Tianshu called out as they approached: “Zhang Xiaohua, come over here for a moment.”
With no choice, Zhang Xiaohua reluctantly put down his small hoe and walked over.
When he got closer, He Tianshu said: “Zhang Xiaohua, come and meet our Medicinal Hall’s Hall Master Bai and Elder He.”
Zhang Xiaohua quickly bowed deeply and said: “Greetings, Hall Master Bai, Elder He.”
He Tianshu smiled politely and said to the elderly man with a purple face: “Hall Master Bai, this is Zhang Xiaohua, the one I mentioned to you earlier. He is very diligent and capable, and extremely intelligent. He has already read quite a few books on medicinal herbs.”
The two elders did not return the bow. Hall Master Bai simply waved his hand slightly, while Elder He nodded indifferently without saying a word.
He Tianshu, still somewhat oblivious to the situation, added: “Hall Master Bai, you see, Zhang Xiaohua has a strong desire to learn. We have many books in our hall—do you think you could lend him one or two to broaden his horizons? After all, he’s working diligently in the herb fields, and learning more can only be beneficial.”
Hall Master Bai had yet to speak when a middle-aged man standing beside him spoke up: “He Tianshu, it seems you’ve spent too much time at Huanxi Villa and have forgotten the rules of our Piaomiao Sect. How could you allow our Hall’s treasured books to be accessed by outsiders?”
He Tianshu responded with a bitter smile: “I know this rule, Senior Brother Chang, but Xiaohua is also part of Huanxi Villa. In that sense, he isn’t really an outsider, right?”