Chapter 73
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Chapter 73: Meeting
Before Qiu Tong could speak, they heard a series of footsteps approaching rapidly. Both of them looked up and saw the one-armed old man briskly entering the hall.
Approaching them, the one-armed old man bowed respectfully. The young lady nodded, while Qiu Tong quickly returned the gesture. The young lady asked: “Elder Yu, why such haste?”
With a stern expression, Elder Yu replied: “Miss, Liu Er, who was weeding in the medicinal fields, had to leave yesterday due to his mother’s passing. We are short-handed in the medicinal fields now. I informed Qiu Tong at noon, but just now I saw a child of about ten years old standing in the courtyard. Is this the help Qiu Tong found? Does Lotus Escort Agency not have any adults available? Isn’t this just brushing me off?”
His rapid questions made Qiu Tong blush deeply.
At this moment, the young lady smiled warmly and reassured Elder Yu: “Old Master Yu, Qiu Tong has always been meticulous in her work. Please have a seat first and let her explain. If you’re still not satisfied afterward, can’t we still consider other options?”
Elder Yu’s expression softened considerably, and he apologized to Qiu Tong, saying: “Qiu Tong, you know I have a quick temper. Please go ahead and explain.”
Qiu Tong promptly spoke up: “It’s nothing, Elder Yu. The medicinal fields are indeed crucial, and I just happened to bring Zhang Xiaohua over. I was about to report to Miss. Please listen to the whole story before making a decision, how about it?”
Elder Yu nodded and took a seat. Qiu Tong poured him some tea and placed it in front of him.
Then, Qiu Tong recounted everything that had happened today in detail to the two of them. As they listened to how Zhang Xiaohua helped Qiu Tong retrieve the money pouch, they both nodded approvingly, feeling that he was a good child. When they heard about Zhang Xiaohua lifting the 500-jin stone lock, the young lady was deeply moved, but Elder Yu seemed skeptical. He asked: “Were you there at the time? Did you see that the stone lock was really 500 pounds?”
Qiu Tong replied: “I wasn’t there when he lifted it. I was talking to Third Uncle Qu at the time. By the time I saw Zhang Xiaohua, he had already lifted it. I can’t be sure if the stone lock was 500 jin, but based on what people nearby said, it’s probably accurate.”
Elder Yu shook his head and said: “It’s all hearsay. That stone lock might not necessarily be 500 jin, it could be 300 or 400 jin.”
[TL_Note: Jin to kilograms just divide by half, 400 jin = 200 kg]
Qiu Tong, lacking experience in this regard, could only rely on what she heard from the escorts. She admitted: “That’s possible. After all, I don’t have a concept of weight myself. I haven’t personally seen the weight marked on the stone lock from the Escort Agency.”
Elder Yu chuckled: “Qiu Tong, there are no weight markings on that stone lock. Even if you looked, you wouldn’t know, haha.”
Blushing, Qiu Tong scolded him lightly: “Elder Yu, you know I’m not familiar with martial matters, but you’re still teasing me about this.”
Seeing the tension between them dissolve, the young lady felt relieved and said: “Elder Yu, even if it’s 300 or 400 jin, it’s still extremely rare for a child of Zhang Xiaohua’s age. However, as Third Uncle Qu mentioned, his age is quite awkward. Such potential, if discovered a few years earlier, could have been a great asset to the Piaomiao Sect. But now is too late, since he’s here at our Huaxi Manor, we can’t let him go to waste. Elder Yu, let this child stay with you for now. He doesn’t need to help in the medicinal fields immediately. Once we receive confirmation from the Lotus Escort Agency, and we can trust him, then he can start working in the fields. If that’s the plan, you’ll need to take extra care of him in the future. See if he has any potential in martial arts. If there’s a chance to cultivate him, provide him with all the possible assistance. I want to see if our Huaxi Villa can also nurture a talent like Stone Bull.”
After listening to the young lady’s arrangement, Elder Yu didn’t say anything extra, however, after hearing the last sentence, the comparison between the gigantic figure of Shi Niu and the slightly immature Zhang Xiaohua’s little body immediately appeared in his mind. He couldn’t help but shake his head, aren’t they obviously not people of the same level? Then, he bowed to the young lady and left.
Qiu Tong watched Elder Yu leave and couldn’t help but pat her forehead and say: “Miss, I only thought about how to arrange Zhang Xiaohua, but I forgot about Elder Yu. Thanks to the young lady for helping me speak, otherwise Zhang Xiaohua wouldn’t have been able to enter his eyes.”
The young lady smiled poked Qiu Tong’s forehead and said: “You little girl, I never see you do many good things all year round. Why are you so helpful to Zhang Xiaohua today? If I didn’t see he was still young, I would almost think that you…?”
Qiu Tong immediately protested, laughing and saying: “Young Lady, look at what you said. I just saw Zhang Xiaohua and thought of my younger brother. Seeing Zhang Xiaohua’s pitiful situation, I felt compelled to help. Why would you think otherwise? Besides, I’m younger than you, Miss, and you don’t even have a fiancé yet. How could I think of such things? Hehehe!”
Qiu Tong even teased the young lady, it seemed that the young lady was really not arrogant, and had a very good relationship with the servants.
The young lady didn’t argue back, sighed, looked at the darkening sky outside the hall, and said: “Yes, blood ties and family affection are always strong. Thinking of your younger brother when you see a stranger and thus feeling compelled to help him, that’s loving the house and its crow. But I wonder if my eldest brother is making progress smoothly right now?”
Seeing the young lady’s slight worry, Qiu Tong hurriedly stepped forward and said: “Miss, there’s no need to worry. Sect Master Ou has achieved great mastery in his skills, and few in the martial world can harm him. Moreover, this time it’s not an attack on a major faction, just a small Luo River Gang. With our formidable Piaomiao Sect planning for so long, there’s no reason we can’t take it down. Besides, our Piaomiao Sect has greatly improved its strength, and we will never give the Lou River Gang any chance. Miss is worrying unnecessarily.”
The young lady turned out to be Ou Yan, the younger sister of Ou Peng, the sect master of the Piaomiao Sect.
Though Qiu Tong’s words made sense, Ou Yan sighed heavily and said: “If you often stand by the river, how can your shoes not get wet? Bloody storms are common in the Jianghu. Who knows if one day we might slip up. We see the Luo River Gang as a piece of fat meat and can’t others see our Piaomiao Sect the same way? I hope Buddha will bless my brother and bring him back safely.”
Qiu Tong responded seriously: “Besides Sect Master Ou’s kindness and boundless fortune, Young Lady’s good deeds alone can also ensure the safety of our Sect Master.”
Ou Yan chuckled and said: “Alright, little girl, go arrange things for your younger brother quickly. Letting Elder Yu handle it, won’t make him suffer any injustice?”
Qiu Tong declined: “I won’t go. Even though I brought him here, he should be treated like everyone else. Otherwise, Zhang Xiaohua might become complacent, and Elder Yu might find him difficult to manage.”
Ou Yan teased: “Qiu Tong, they say you’re smart, but why are you being foolish now? Zhang Xiaohua is just a child who recently arrived from the countryside. He’s bound to face bullying among a group of young people.”
It was then that Qiu Tong understood Ou Yan’s intention. She nodded and said: “I understand now. I’ll go check on him quickly. The people in the medicinal fields aren’t exactly kind-hearted. I won’t let this child be bullied.”
After bidding farewell to Ou Yan and turning to leave the hall, Ou Yan called her back: “Qiu Tong, wait.”
Qiu Tong returned and asked: “Miss, is there anything else?”
Ou Yan replied: “You don’t need to go. Let Elder Yu handle it.”
Qiu Tong didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, saying: “My dear Miss, what do you mean by this? One moment you want me to go, and the next you don’t?”
Smiling knowingly, Ou Yan replied: “I’m not teasing you. Earlier, I wanted you to go because I feared the child might be wronged. Now, I don’t want you to go so that the child can experience some hardship and see his mind. Children, you see, benefit from a bit of adversity to develop their character. Zhang Xiaohua grew up in the countryside and may not be adept at fighting and scheming against others. Allowing him to experience this will ultimately be beneficial. As they say, ‘When Heaven is about to confer a great responsibility on someone, it first tests their resolve’. A little suffering isn’t necessarily a bad thing.”
Qiu Tong nodded thoughtfully, secretly pleased for Zhang Xiaohua. She understood that the Young Lady’s words indicated a desire to nurture him properly, recognizing it as an opportunity for Zhang Xiaohua. With that, any thoughts of intervening on his behalf were extinguished, and she continued to engage Ou Yan in conversation.
Meanwhile, Zhang Xiaohua was left in a state of turmoil after Elder Yu’s harsh words. He paced anxiously, unsure of his place now that the grumpy one-armed old man had threatened to send him away, perhaps deeming him unfit for Huanxi Villa. In the vast darkness of night, where could he possibly go?
Just as Zhang Xiaohua wrestled with his uncertainties, noise, and footsteps echoed from the main gate. He hastily stood up, cautiously eyeing the round door. Soon, flickers of firelight emerged as a group of people carrying torches and lanterns entered the courtyard.
Leading them was a young man, thin as a bamboo pole, around twenty years old, dressed in a blue gown and a small hat. He held a lantern and immediately noticed Zhang Xiaohua standing under the rack and was surprised, prompting him to ask: “Who are you?”
Before Zhang Xiaohua could respond, the group had already streamed in, filling the courtyard. Zhang Xiaohua didn’t count, but there seemed to be about ten people. Most wore blue gowns and small hats, holding lanterns, while others carried torches and sported robust martial attire. Notably, those in martial attire didn’t mingle with the blue-gowned individuals and were clearly stronger and more formidable. The group of blue-gowned individuals entered first, with the martially dressed individuals bringing up the rear. Among them, their sturdy stature and martial demeanor stood out, contrasting with the more ordinary appearance of those in blue gowns.
Zhang Xiaohua realized that the young man in blue was likely the leader of this group. With respect, he answered: “I am Zhang Xiaohua, here to work in the medicinal field. However, there seems to be… an issue. Just now, an elderly man with one arm went inside to find someone.”
“Zhang Xiaohua? Hahaha, Xiaohua what an interesting name.” The young man chuckled upon hearing Zhang Xiaohua introduce himself. Some of the blue-gowned individuals couldn’t help but snicker quietly, whispering among themselves: “With a name like that, he sounds like a little girl. Only, he looks so ordinary. Now that it’s dark, who knows how his skin looks? How does he even fit the name Xiaohua?”
[TL_Note: Xiaohua= Little Flower]
