Chapter 67: Chapter 24 The Immortal Marries a Husband
Given that he had been chosen to serve an immortal, Fang Yizhen was radiant, completely transford from before, and had even forgotten Zhong Minyan and his friends’ "misdeeds." He cordially invited them to stay at his mansion.
Linglong was not pleased with his attitude and imdiately shook her head, "No need! Zhongli City isn’t short of inns, why should we go to your place?"
Fang Yizhen was sowhat embarrassed by her blunt refusal. Quick to smooth things over, Ruo Yu said with a smile, "We can’t ignore Young Master Fang’s kind offer. After all, it’s just his way of showing hospitality."
Primarily, Fang Yizhen couldn’t bear to part with the delicate beauty, Xuanji. He longed to spend more ti with her, so he bowed and said, "Though inns are fine, they simply don’t compare to one’s own ho. I sincerely ask you, heroes, please do not refuse."
Seeing that Ruo Yu had spoken, the others no longer objected. They followed him onto his imnsely opulent carriage and ostentatiously returned to his ho.
"He’s doing it on purpose, not allowing Xuanji to refuse!" Linglong and Zhong Minyan whispered to each other. Each ti she saw him sneaking glances at Xuanji, she felt like kicking him off the carriage.
Zhong Minyan glanced over at Xuanji, who was idly leaning against the window. The light outside cast a gentle glow on her delicate features. To those unfamiliar with her, this quiet and serene beauty might be captivating, but to those who grew up with Xuanji, like them, her expression ant only one of two things: she was either sleepy or daydreaming.
He smiled softly and said in a low voice, "Don’t worry. He can’t do anything."
Or rather, it should be said that when faced with soone like Xuanji, ordinary people are unable to do anything.
They soon arrived at Fang Mansion, and although they knew beforehand that Fang Yizhen was from a wealthy family, they were still surprised by the opulence they saw. Linglong described the luxury of Fang Mansion: it was a labyrinth of rooms three layers deep inside and out. Just when you thought you had reached the end and could step out, you would turn your head and realize there was still half of it left to see.
Along the way they encountered many people from Zhongli City who had heard that Fang Yizhen had been chosen to serve the immortal and ca to congratulate him. It was a true celebration, yet surprisingly, there was not a trace of joy in Fang Mansion, which was as gloomy as a murder of crows. Even the servants who ca to take the horses bowed their heads, not daring to speak loudly.
Seeing several unfamiliar horses tied up in the stable, Fang Yizhen couldn’t help but ask, "Er Huzi, has the mansion had visitors?"
The stable boy nad Er Huzi hurriedly replied in a hushed tone, "Young master, Mr. Fang ordered that as soon as you returned, you should go straight to the main hall. The Rong, Zhuang, and other families from the eastern part of the city have sent people. They seem to be discussing so very serious matters!"
Fang Yizhen wondered, "Oh? Why have individuals who were selected co to our house!" He then turned to Zhong Minyan and the others with a gesture of invitation, "Please join
in the side hall for a mont. I have another matter to attend to but will be back shortly."
It was hardly proper to excuse himself from guests he’d just welcod into his ho, and Linglong was about to protest, but Zhong Minyan stopped her with a smile, "Don’t worry, let Young Master Fang attend to his affairs. We shouldn’t delay his important business."
Once Fang Yizhen had left, Linglong said, "What are you all really planning? Why co to his house at all?"
Zhong Minyan blinked, smiling again, "Silly, haven’t you noticed sothing strange here? Everyone outside is cheering, which should be a good sign, but inside it’s very dreary. Besides, don’t you want to see what this so-called Gao Family immortal looks like?"
"Oh, you’re trying to figure out the whole immortal thing? Hmph, all this secrecy, you just want to join the excitent!"
Zhong Minyan, hit right on the nose, chuckled twice.
A servant ca to lead the way to the side hall and, after seating them and serving tea, left them alone at the doorway.
Linglong peeked out the door, then gestured to the others, "Co here! This place is really weird! There’s not a soul outside!"
Ruo Yu pondered for a mont before saying, "Sitting here idle is useless. If his family is facing a crisis, they might send us away and we’ll miss the excitent. Better to eavesdrop and find out exactly what they’re discussing."
Upon hearing of such an enticing plan, Linglong pushed the door to go out but was pulled back by Zhong Minyan, "Wait, we can’t all go. Only two should, so if soone cos, we have the excuse of needing to freshen up or wash our hands."
After speaking, he turned his head to look at Yu Sifeng, the one among them he respected the most, and imdiately laughed, "Let Sifeng and Ruo Yu go. We both are too restless; if we cause any trouble, it would be botherso. Just sitting tight and waiting is best.
Ruo Yu shook his head, "My light body skills are not up to par; it’s better for Min Yan and Sifeng to go."
Yu Sifeng stood and gestured with his hands, "No need to argue, I’ll go with Xuanji. Her light body skills are the best, and she’s quiet. The rest of you just wait here, in case soone asks, we’ll need to be adaptable."
So off he went with Xuanji, strutting out from the entrance. With their excellent light body skills and swift movents, they passed by many servants without being detected. Soon, they had sneaked into the main hall. Both simultaneously leaped onto the roof beams, mimicked those petty thieves, lifted a piece of Glazed Tile, and strained their ears to hear what was being said inside.
"...We just found out about this as well. Mr. Fang, what do you suggest we do?"
An elderly man in black robes expressed his worry with repeated sighs.
The pair surveyed everyone in the main hall, guessing that the several older individuals must be the elders from various families, and the four young n standing aside with perplexed expressions were most likely the fortunate ones selected for this occasion.
Yu Sifeng saw that all four were about twenty years old, each with strikingly handso features and a noble air about them – truly exceptional young n. It appeared that the immortal did indeed choose servants based on their looks. A plan started forming in his mind.
The man seated in the main chair at the center must be Mr. Fang. With thick whiskers under his jaw, he pondered while stroking them. After a long pause, he finally said, "This is also the first ti I’m hearing of this... Is this really true?"
An elderly woman nearby, wiping away tears, said, "It’s absolutely true! Indeed, the immortal has done a great deed and we should not be disrespectful. But Mr. Fang, think about it, over the past few years, we have sent four children each year. Has anyone ever seen them again?"
It seed that indeed, no one had. Mr. Fang found himself at a loss for words and turned to ask the elderly man in black robes, "Could Elder Jushi please repeat what happened?"
The old man sighed, "That person is a distant relative of mine who recently ca to seek refuge with my family. Upon learning that his child had been chosen to serve the immortal, he revealed what happened three years ago..."
It turned out that there were people in town who found it odd for the immortal to demand four young n as servants each year. So, so daring individuals stealthily followed the chosen young n. The old man’s distant relative was one among them.
It was said that upon reaching the Immortal Residence, a Floral Drum Team with instrunts would appear, and suddenly there would be four flower sedan chairs and over a dozen sedan chair bearers. The four young n were forcibly dressed in a phoenix crown and phoenix robe, resembling brides being wedded, and were carried up the mountain in a daze. The onlookers thought they had stumbled upon a terrible secret, and none dared to stay in Zhongli City, fleeing under cover of night.
Had it not been for that distant relative’s extre poverty, he would not have returned.
"We thought our children were being sent to the Immortal Residence to cultivate and possibly attain a fortunate destiny, but who knew they were actually being subjected to... such affairs! It seems that the immortal captures these young n and, by so thod, extracts their essence; no wonder we never see the children who ascend the mountain again!"
The man in black robes finished speaking, unable to hold back his tears any longer.
Hearing his words, everyone in the room looked at each other in shock. The four youths were even more terrified, trembling as if sifting chaff.
The two on the roof exchanged glances. Xuanji used her eyes to ask Yu Sifeng what to do. After pondering for a while, he whispered, "I have a plan. But firstly, it’s dangerous, and secondly, I’m afraid these people won’t know what’s good for them."
After thinking for a mont, he suddenly produced an Iron Marble from his sleeve, aid at the large vase in the main hall, and flicked it gently. The vase shattered instantaneously at the sound of a loud clang, scaring everyone inside into shouting, "Oh no! The immortal has co!"
After the commotion settled, Fang Yizhen was the braver one. He picked up the Iron Marble from among the fragnts of the vase and imdiately thought of the Abnormal Persons waiting in so side room, his eyes lighting up.
Yu Sifeng whispered in Xuanji’s ear, "Let’s go back; we will have an interesting task to do tomorrow night."
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