The weather was that of early winter, and it had rained the night before, causing Xiao Shuang to shiver uncontrollably in his quilt. However, the Hong Family was expecting honored guests recently, so he dared not delay important matters.
Gritting his teeth, he climbed out of bed and wrapped himself in two layers of cotton clothes before feeling a bit better. The rain outside had not yet stopped, and the sight of a hundred flowers vying for beauty in the Hong Family Manor had lost some of its color.
Xiao Shuang rubbed his hands together and ran towards the inner chamber under the light rain.
"Are the guest rooms all tidied up?"
The person below answered with a "Yes," and only then did Hong Qisheng's expression soften. This rain had come at a rather inopportune time, causing the flowers in the courtyard to be beaten to the ground, adding an image of desolation. When Xiao Shuang came in, Hong Qisheng had just finished giving instructions for the banquet.
He sat holding a white porcelain tea bowl, lifted his eyelids to glance at him, and said, "There are many things to do these next few days. You keep an eye on them, don't let any mistakes happen." He paused, then added, "Tell Qianqian to restrain herself as well.
Don't be rude in front of the honored guests." The closer it got to the day of the son-in-law selection, the stranger his daughter became. Hong Qisheng had been worn down by her until he had no temper left.
He bought her whatever she wanted, made her satisfied with everything, with only one exception: the matter of the son-in-law selection could absolutely not be postponed. Xiao Shuang nodded in agreement and stood silently to the side, beginning to look over the account books for Hong Qisheng.
"I don't want to force her either, but how can anyone in this world have everything go their way? Who knows how many people in this city are watching me. I must choose a good one for her, to prevent scoundrels from finding an opportunity.
"They say I don't dote on her, but she's my only daughter. How could I not hold her in my heart and dote on her!"
Hong Qisheng muttered on and on, and Xiao Shuang listened along. He was a servant bought by Hong Qisheng when he was only twelve or thirteen. Later, he learned to read and do arithmetic and became a steward.
In a blur, more than ten years had passed. The phoenix tree outside had long since grown to provide a canopy of shade. The swing built for the young miss had a rope broken on one side.
She had become a bride-to-be, no longer the little girl dangling her feet on the swing.
"Master! The guests have arrived!"
The two were each lost in their own thoughts and didn't even notice someone entering the room. They only came back to their senses upon hearing the voice. Hong Qisheng sprang up and said urgently, "Go, go, go!
Quickly, follow me out to greet them!" The rain had come abruptly, and Zhao Chun's group was unprepared. It was the attendant at the inn who brought them conical bamboo hats, saving them from being drenched and disheveled.
When a Hong Family servant saw Feng Sanchu present the token, he immediately ushered them inside without pause, served hot tea, and then sent someone to inform Hong Qisheng. He arrived quickly. After all, he had been an escort in his youth.
Zhao Chun observed that he was powerfully built and light on his feet, not looking at all like a man past fifty.
"Honored guests from the True Spirit Sect have graced our door. This Hong has failed to welcome you from afar. I hope the guests will not take offense!"
"Daoist Friend Hong is too kind, it is we who are imposing!"
When others respected him by a foot, he would respect them by ten. Feng Sanchu bowed in return, and Zhao Chun and the Liao siblings also clasped their hands in a gesture. Meng Han, however, sat boldly in his chair.
The tea bowl in his hand looked like a toy, excessively small.
"And this is?"
Hong Qisheng was a sharp man. Seeing Meng Han's utter lack of inhibition, he sensed that his status was not simple. Feng Sanchu knew his senior brother's temper.
He was a perpetual ruffian, fearing neither heaven nor earth. He smiled and said, "This is a senior martial brother of the sect, Meng Han. He was originally on his way to Huiming Mountain Villa to seek a spiritual object.
As it happened to be on the same path, he came along with us." For a cultivator to go from Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment, they needed to refine a spiritual object of heaven and earth to serve as their own spiritual foundation.
Huiming Mountain Villa, three hundred li outside of Ji City, nurtured an earth-attribute spiritual fruit treasured tree, which was most suitable for earth-attribute cultivators to establish their foundation. Huiming Mountain Villa's strength was not enough to protect the treasured tree, so they used the spiritual fruits as a stake to align with the nearest Three Great Sects.
It was agreed that any earth-attribute cultivators from these three sects who reached the late stage of Qi Refinement could visit the villa and receive a spiritual fruit. Meng Han was one such case, which was why he was traveling with them. This matter was not a secret; even the rogue cultivators were aware of it.
How could Hong Qisheng not understand? He hurriedly stepped forward and bowed, respectfully saying, "To think it is a senior of the late stage of Qi Refinement who has arrived! This Hong has eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai, I truly did not see it!
Later tonight, I will host a humble banquet in my home to welcome Senior Meng and the other fellow Daoists! When the time comes, I hope Senior Meng will grace us with his presence. This Hong will certainly sweep the mats to welcome you!"
Meng Han merely gave a perfunctory wave of his hand outwards and continued to play with the tea bowl. Hong Qisheng understood this as an acceptance and tactfully stopped bothering him. He turned his head to Feng Sanchu and said, "I still do not know the names of my fellow Daoists."
"These two are Liao Duanyi and Liao Xiaoyi, a brother and sister pair. This one..."
Feng Sanchu moved his hand down and placed it on Zhao Chun's shoulder, saying, "Although Junior Sister Zhao Chun has not yet broken through to the third level of Qi Refinement, her talent is outstanding. It's been less than a year since she entered the Dao, and she has already advanced to the second level."
How could Hong Qisheng dare to be dissatisfied? He praised the three of them endlessly. Zhao Chun had long since been nurtured by the menial laborers of the Daylily Garden to have a thick skin, so she showed no reaction.
Liao Xiaoyi, however, had a timid personality and lowered her head, looking quite embarrassed. After exchanging pleasantries for a while, seeing the impatience on Meng Han's face grow, Hong Qisheng hastily shut his mouth. He called for a servant to lead them to the guest rooms to rest.
The son-in-law selection was set for seven days later; during this time, they could take a good look around Ji City. Not knowing that a late-stage Qi Refinement cultivator would be coming, the banquet Hong Qisheng had prepared before now truly seemed like a "humble banquet."
He rushed back to his room, ordered people to double the original preparations, and opened his storehouse to prepare a lavish gift, hoping to form a good connection with Meng Han. Zhao Chun didn't know how anxious Hong Qisheng was.
What troubled her was a girl who had failed to climb over a wall and was now stuck on an old, leafless tree by the wall. Liao Xiaoyi had never encountered such a thing before. She stood frozen under the tree, staring back and forth with the girl.
"Can you go get someone for me?" the girl asked, hugging the tree trunk.
Liao Xiaoyi let out an "Ah," not knowing how to help. Zhao Chun walked over, opened her arms towards the person, and said, "Jump down, I'll catch you."
"Little sister, how old are you? I'm afraid I'll hurt you!"
The girl refused to move, coaxing, "It's better to call someone. He's over in the main house, tall with a round face, his name is Xiao Shuang!" Zhao Chun looked at her and blinked.
"Let go first!"
The girl didn't understand why, but she brought her hands in front of her, straddling the branch. Then she saw Zhao Chun take two steps back, turn, and kick the tree trunk fiercely. The old tree shook violently.
The girl screamed and fell from above, only to be caught by Zhao Chun's arms half a foot from the ground. Her soul still unsettled, she turned and sat on the ground, then pulled over Zhao Chun's arm to confirm there were no injuries. Only then did she clutch her heart and say, "That was so scary!
So scary..."
"How did you do that? You're so small!" she asked in astonishment, then suddenly had a realization.
"You're like my father, you must be the guests he said were coming!"
The girl quickly scrambled up from the ground, adjusted her crooked hair bun, and smiled, "My name is Hong Qian, welcome to Ji City!" Zhao Chun pointed to herself.
"Zhao Chun."
Then she turned slightly.
"This is Senior Sister Liao Xiaoyi."
"Ah!"
Hong Qian smiled brightly.
"I didn't expect you all to be so young! Not like the Immortals in the city, they're all about to turn to dust from old age."
Liao Xiaoyi was only fifteen or sixteen, and with her petite frame, she looked like a child. Just as Hong Qian was about to say more, her father, who had suddenly rushed in, pulled her over.
"Look at you, what do you look like? Hurry back to your room to wash up and get dressed. Don't let the Immortal Masters see you and laugh!"
Hong Qisheng had rushed over as soon as he got the message, only to see his daughter, half her clothes covered in dirt, chatting with the two guests. He was instantly fuming, blowing his beard and glaring. He apologized to the two, "My young daughter is reckless and has offended you two fellow Daoists.
I'll take her away now and not disturb your rest!" Before the two could speak, he had already whisked his daughter out the door like a gust of wind. Zhao Chun's gaze followed them, landing on a third person.
The one Hong Qian had mentioned, "tall with a round face, named Xiao Shuang," was following far behind the father and daughter, his back stooped in an attitude of utmost humility.
(End of Chapter)