Chapter 3 The Lady Returns, the Wicked Servant's True Colors
night.
Li Xian lay on the bed, the servants on either side of him already asleep. Snoring filled the air, and the stench of sweat and feet was extremely unpleasant.
Those who performed menial tasks were not entitled to bathe. They were covered in dirt, stench, and stickiness, and could only endure it until the twice-monthly bathing days when they could hastily wash themselves.
He remained awake for a long time, pondering the matter repeatedly.
“Bi Hao is right: even a menial servant needs to have skills to rely on.”
"If I could learn some cooking skills or gardening, life in the mansion would be much better. If I have the opportunity, I should try my best to improve my skills."
As a time traveler, this ambition seems rather small.
But that's the harsh reality.
His head was resting behind his head, the moonlight shining on his cheek, and his eyes were unusually bright.
"I've been here for over half a month, and I still have no idea what this world is like?"
Stop thinking about it and close your eyes to sleep.
Perhaps knowing that her younger brother had no worries about food and clothing, she was in a cheerful mood and slept exceptionally soundly.
Before they knew it, it was already dawn, but it was still dark. Li Xian woke up first, and suddenly a flash appeared before his eyes.
[Skill: Sleep]
[Proficiency: 2/500 Beginner]
[Description: Since ancient times, who has never slept? Don't wait until you're long asleep to realize how precious sleep is.]
"Could there be some secret to something as ordinary as sleep?"
Before Li Xian could think about it, the head of the chores struck the gong.
"clang!"
"clang!"
"Wake up, wake up. Time to get to work."
This is the daily wake-up call; the sound of the rooster heralds the start of the day's work.
Because he did a good job weeding yesterday, Bi Hao arranged for Li Xian to take care of the abandoned house's backyard.
They are specifically responsible for the area where weeding is carried out.
This thankless and arduous task, which no one else was willing to do, fell squarely on Li Xian's shoulders.
"Little Li, do a good job." Bi Hao said dismissively, then turned and left.
Li Xian was happy to have some peace and quiet; this patch of weeds meant nothing to him.
Now that I'm familiar with the task, it's actually much easier than other tasks. I roll up my sleeves, bend down, and get down to work.
[Proficiency +1]
[Proficiency +1]
[Skill: Weeding]
[Proficiency: 19/1000 Mastery]
The more he pulled, the easier it became. Every time he bent down, a sense of naturalness emanated from him.
In the blink of an eye, it was evening. Bi Hao was on his routine inspection and saw that the weeds in the backyard had been cleared away again. It was very tidy and he nodded secretly.
This time, however, he did not reward Li Xian with money. He simply said, "Very good. Tomorrow, go to the next room and continue weeding."
This went on for several days.
Li Xian doesn't have to do anything; his sole responsibility is weeding. Outsiders think he's working very hard, but what they don't know is that he actually has more and more free time.
It only takes him half a day to clear all the weeds from the backyard. He then spends the other half a day practicing "Raging Bull Fist".
That evening.
[Proficiency level maxed out!]
[Skill: Weeding]
[Proficiency: 0/1500 Minor Success]
[Description: Pulling weeds a thousand times reveals their meaning; contemplating one's breath may reveal profound mysteries.]
According to the description, Li Xian focused on her breathing while weeding. She felt her fatigue greatly relieved.
"After mastering weeding skills, it seems to have improved my patience and ability to resist fatigue."
"This effect seems to originate from...breathing?"
He found that his breathing became smoother and more natural. It was hard to explain, but it was indeed beneficial.
[Incomplete form of the Wild Bull Fist]
[Proficiency: 139/1000 Mastery]
In comparison, the progress of the Wild Bull Fist is slightly slower, but it is still quite remarkable.
He could feel that the heat flow in his lower abdomen became stronger, from a small strand to the thickness of a finger.
His punches were more powerful, and these things gave him a sense of security.
“Weeding every day gives me a lot of free time, but it does nothing to help my position.”
How can we break this deadlock?
Li Xian had to think, now that he had entered the deep courtyard, he had no choice but to climb up!
Just then, a commotion broke out in the courtyard. Footsteps approached quickly.
"Brother Li, Brother Li, the madam has returned. Master Bi told us to hurry to the entrance of the manor to greet her. Anyone who is even a fraction late will have their legs broken."
A servant was shouting loudly. His voice gradually faded, showing that he was in a hurry to assemble the group and was running while shouting.
"lady?"
Li Xian had long been extremely curious about this mysterious lady, so he immediately ran out of the abandoned house and joined a group of servants.
Bi Hao and Luo Fang are both here.
The once arrogant Bi Hao now wore a smirk, hunched over, and looked like a subservient grandson.
His cousin Luo Fang also hunched over, not daring to straighten up even a little, appearing very reserved.
Luo Fang was merely the manager; above him were the accountant, the head of the guards, and his personal maid…
Given Li Xian's status, even Luo Fang rarely gets to see her on ordinary days. The head of the guards and her personal maid are all untouchable figures.
"Sigh, it's just a manor house, yet the hierarchy is so strict."
Li Xian mingled in the crowd.
Although he was now a servant, his fate beyond his control, his spirit remained undiminished. He had also become somewhat bolder; though his head was lowered, he dared to observe out of the corner of his eye.
In the distance, four palanquin bearers were seen carrying a red sedan chair along the mountain path.
Even before getting close, a faint fragrance wafted around the tip of my nose.
"Good heavens, such a luxurious sedan chair! To live like this, one must be truly living a life of great prestige," Li Xian thought to himself.
In the blink of an eye, the sedan chair had stopped in front of the manor.
"Master." Pang Long, the commander of the guards, stepped forward to greet him and knelt on one knee.
Luo Fang, Bi Hao, and the others knelt down, bending their waists as much as possible, with their foreheads touching the ground.
Only in this way can the distinction between superior and inferior be revealed.
On the contrary, many of the servants, because of their dirty and disheveled appearance, stood further away with their heads bowed. They didn't know what was happening and, without anyone giving them instructions, just stood there blankly.
Li Xian did not make any attention-grabbing moves, only daring to glance at them out of the corner of her eye...
The vermilion curtain was lifted, and a woman in a white dress stepped out. The woman seemed to have an extremely beautiful figure, with long, flowing hair, but it was not clear what she was looking at.
Only the hem of her skirt could be glimpsed; it was pure white, made of the finest brocade and satin, with gilded lace trim.
"I've just returned from a banquet and am feeling a bit tired. Keep things simple. There's no need for such a grand affair," said Madam Zhuang, her voice as melodious as ethereal music.
The personal maid said, "Master, I have prepared hot water. Would you like to wash up first?"
"Alright," Madam Zhuang nodded.
Madam Zhuang and her personal maid left. Then the head of the guards left, followed by Bi Hao and his nephew Luo Fang.
"TV dramas are all lies. Real big shots, even if they're right in front of you, you don't even have the right to look at them."
Having lived two lives, Li Xian had more to say than others, and he smiled bitterly at himself.
"The Lady of the Manor seems to have made further progress in her cultivation."
"Uncle Luo, what is Madam Zhuang's cultivation level now? Has she reached the legendary Blood Exchange Realm?"
“Little Hao, how have I always taught you? Madam’s affairs are not for us to discuss. However, I heard that the Songjiang Sword Sect in Qiongtian Prefecture once invited Madam to serve as a guest elder. Madam declined.”
"Madam has traveled the world and has many friends and a great reputation. Unfortunately, we are as lowly as mud and do not even have the right to inquire about her."
"Little Hao, although you manage the menial tasks for me, you are still just a menial task. For people like you and me, being able to sniff out the farts of important people is an immense opportunity."
"Uncle Luo, to tell you the truth, I once had the chance to smell Pang Da's farts. The smell... was better than any wine or meat."
"Hahaha, absolutely, absolutely."
...
The conversation between the uncle and nephew subtly influenced many of the servants. They felt that such superior individuals were like stars in the sky, and everything they did was right.
"You bunch of bastards, what are you standing there for? Have you finished your work? Don't wait until I check this evening, or I'll whip you!"
Bi Hao, who had been bent over all day, straightened his back again. He addressed the servants with great confidence and swagger, displaying his spiritedness.
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(End of this chapter)
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