Chapter 76 The Old Servant (Minor Revision + Second Update):
"Brother Rong, what are we doing today?" Wang Mu asked.
"Go to the North Gate market to buy daily necessities: soap, incense, soap, hand towels, writing paper, and mats. Let me see what else I need..." Rong Xie took out a list from his sleeve.
"How come there are still so many?!" Wang Mu exclaimed.
“Yes, that’s how it is when you move to a new house. Big items can be delivered in a few trips, but small, trivial items are endless. You have to live a meticulous life, but there’s no limit to how much you can do,” Rong Xie said with a smile. “If you’re bored, go out and have some fun. I’ll come find you after I’ve finished shopping.”
“Okay!” Wang Mu readily agreed and told Rong Xie about the friends he had met at the North Gate Market.
The two walked out of the alley and their figures merged into the crowd coming and going on the bluestone street.
The white wall at the alley entrance rippled, and Shen Bingsi, disguised as an old handyman, revealed herself.
He stared at the two figures as they walked away.
"They've already moved to a new house?" Shen Bingsi murmured. "So fast? And it really is a house in the Southern State style."
Shen Bingsi glanced back at the secluded bamboo alley. Indeed, it was full of houses with blue tiles and white walls. The environment looked quite nice, and the houses were beautifully built. She just didn't know which one Rong Xie lived in.
It seems the broker wasn't telling the truth, or perhaps Rong Xie didn't buy it but rented it. Renting does save money, and if it's uncomfortable, it's easy to cancel the lease.
Yes, how could Rong Xie possibly live comfortably in a place like this? No matter how beautiful or exquisite it is, it's designed for wealthy gentlemen. It's all show and no substance. How can it compare to Huanxue Manor, which was designed inside and out by the best craftsmen in Shengjing? Moreover, Huanxue Manor was decorated entirely according to the owner's needs. Rong Xie will never find a house that fits his needs so perfectly again.
Knowing that Rong Xie wouldn't be staying long and that it was just a temporary arrangement, Shen Bingsi felt a little relieved and started walking towards the North Gate market.
The North Gate Market was bustling with people.
The goods here are fairly complete, including daily necessities, utensils and general merchandise, but the styles are not as gorgeous and novel as those in Shengjing. Most of them are local products produced by villagers in the surrounding villages.
Rong Xie spent some time browsing in a bowl and plate shop, selecting several simple bowls and teacups. Although they weren't perfectly smooth and round, they felt heavy in his hand, made of very solid materials, and possessed a rustic beauty.
"Shopkeeper, how much are these?" Rong Xie asked.
"A large bowl costs ten coins, a small bowl three coins, and a teacup five coins." The shopkeeper beamed. "So, young master, you've come here in person to make your purchases?"
"Well, I just came out for a stroll. I'm not some young master, just an ordinary person," Rong Xie said with a smile, counting out some copper coins and handing them to the shopkeeper.
"Young master, you flatter me. With your bearing, we would believe you were royalty." The shopkeeper accepted the money and showered Rong Xie with compliments.
Rong Xie smiled and shook his head, then took out a plain cloth bag and put the bowls and teacups into it.
Seeing his demeanor, the shopkeeper stopped mentioning any royal relatives and assumed he was probably a once-wealthy young master from a fallen family who had now returned to the life of an ordinary citizen.
Rong Xie packed the bag, said goodbye to the shop owner, and walked out onto the street.
The shop owner tidied up, preparing to serve the next group, when he suddenly saw an old handyman standing in front of the counter, which startled him.
"Old man, when did you come in? Why didn't you say anything?" The shop owner patted his chest. "What are you looking at?"
"Hmm... what did the customer just bought? Give me a set too," the old handyman said.
Although the old servant's voice was aged, it had an arrogance that did not belong to servants. The shopkeeper couldn't help but glance at him a few more times, thinking that he must be a servant born into a wealthy family. Indeed, he was more powerful than those from slightly wealthy families outside.
The shopkeeper didn't dare ask, but gave the old servant a set of bowls and teacups that Rong Xie had bought.
The old servant took the bowl in his hand, weighed it in his hand, and frowned, saying, "How can you eat from such a heavy bowl? It's difficult to even lift it."
The shopkeeper smiled and said, "I'm afraid you're used to the light and thin porcelain bowls and can't handle our farm-style bowls. Although these bowls are a bit heavy, they'll be hot enough to hold hot soup or rice, so they're easy to use!"
"Hmph." The old handyman reluctantly accepted the shopkeeper's explanation and continued to scrutinize the rough bowl with a critical eye. Suddenly, he angrily slammed the bowl onto the counter. "You old scoundrel! Look at this bowl, is it even fit for people to eat from? It's so rough on this side, and it even has a chip. What if some pampered young master gets cut?"
The shopkeeper felt a chill run down his spine, and his smile faltered: "Uncle, this is the kind of bowls we farmers use to eat from! You're already quite old, isn't it a bit much to call yourself a pampered young master? If you're not buying, please step aside for a moment."
As they were talking, the curtain at the back door of the shop was lifted, and two burly men came out, greeted the shop owner, and stood behind the old handyman.
"Alright, I have other things to do today and can't bother you. I won't stoop to your level." The old servant picked up the bowls and teacups, took out a piece of silver, slammed it on the counter, and strode away.
The shopkeeper glared at the old handyman as he left, saying, "Old man, you're lucky you got away fast."
“Uncle, this silver is real!” One of the two burly men took a piece of silver from between his teeth and handed it to the shopkeeper to see.
The shop owner held it in his hand, looked at it again and again, and suddenly beamed with joy, exclaiming, "I never expected him to be such a shrew!"
Rong Xie strolled around the market, stopping whenever he felt like he was in a particular place. He would stop to choose from items listed on the menu, and he would also stop to look at interesting or pretty little trinkets.
Before she knew it, she had walked around the market for a long time, but Rong Xie didn't feel tired at all. It was just like she was out for a stroll, and she felt very relaxed and comfortable.
This is different from going to the outer market before. Huanxue Manor is too far from the outer market. Every time I go, I have to plan what I want to buy and buy everything at once before coming back.
The North Gate Market is just three streets away from Zhuli Lane. You can go whenever you want, and if you don't finish buying today, you can go again tomorrow.
Rong Xie was all smiles as he approached Qian Yi, unaware that a "tail" had already appeared behind him—Shen Bingsi, disguised as an old handyman, was two or three steps behind him.
When Rong Xie stopped, the old servant also stopped. While Rong Xie was picking out small items at the stall, the old servant pretended to be looking at things at the stall next door, but his eyes didn't look at the stall at all; he kept glancing at Rong Xie.
When Rong Xie smiled, the old servant's gaze became more lingering. After Rong Xie left, the old servant would go up and buy the same set of items as him.
Rong Xie bought the ticket all the way, and the old handyman followed along.
Suddenly, Rong Xie stopped and stood motionless in the middle of the road.
The old handyman also stopped in his tracks.
Shen Bingsi's heart skipped a beat as she stared at the figure so close to her.
Did Rong Xie discover him?
Shen Bingsi didn't know whether she hoped Rong Xie would find him or not.
Rong Xie turned his head, his gaze fixed on a clothing store on the roadside. After hesitating for a moment, he walked towards it.
It turns out he didn't discover Shen Bingsi, but was struggling with whether or not to go into that store.
Shen Bingsi was slightly disappointed, but still followed Rong Xie to the clothing store.
Before she even reached the door, Shen Bingsi knew why Rong Xie was hesitating.
On either side of the clothing store's entrance, two rows of brightly colored clothes hang. At first glance, the scene is a riot of colors, with bees and butterflies fluttering around, creating a noisy and chaotic atmosphere.
Rong Xie hates flashy styles the most, so Shen Bing Si was very surprised that he could enter this kind of store.
Rong Xie really had no other choice.
He had been browsing the North Gate Market for three days, and this was the only clothing store he had found.
Unless he doesn't buy clothes at all, or goes to Shengjing to buy clothes, as long as he lives in Lanyuan and wants to buy some simple inner and outer garments, he can't avoid this only clothing store.
"The butterfly and peony pattern is all the rage in Shengjing! It's a style that every noblewoman in the palace owns! You have excellent taste! The fabric from our Huahong Clothing Shop is the most famous in the surrounding area. It's made of high-quality material, the weaving is excellent, and it's very comfortable to wear next to the skin!"
Seeing a new customer come in, the shopkeeper indeed began to vigorously promote the two rows of gaudy clothes at the entrance, showing them to Rong Xie while looking him up and down with a greasy smile on his face.
"Young master, are you picking out clothes for yourself?"
Rong Xie hesitated and said, "It's for me, but don't you have any plainer fabrics here?"
"A simpler fabric? Yes, of course!" The shopkeeper rummaged through two rows of brightly colored clothes and pulled out a bright red and a bright green one. "Take a look at these two. They're both plain. With your fair skin, you'll look good in anything!"
Rong Xie looked down and thought for a moment that there was something wrong with his eyes—why would the shopkeeper call two pieces of bright red and green fabric "plain"?
"I mean, do you have fabrics in white, ultramarine, and khaki?" Rong Xie mentioned a few common colors, colors that ordinary people wear. As for colors that are more difficult to dye, such as moon white and aquamarine, Rong Xie didn't expect the shopkeeper to be able to dye them.
The shopkeeper's smile faltered: "These are all ordinary goods. Of course we have them in our shop, but they've all been ordered."
"It's already sold?" Rong Xie was surprised. He hadn't expected that ordinary fabric would be more sought after than the store's main product.
"Yes, you know there are several prominent families from the capital living here. Their servants wear fabrics of these colors. Our Huahong Clothing Shop has the best fabrics for miles around, and they order their servants' clothes from us. Just like the old man behind you is wearing—"
Rong Xie turned around and, sure enough, saw an old servant standing by the door.
He was taken aback, not knowing why, but something just felt off.
This old handyman looks somewhat familiar, but I don't recognize his face.
When did he stand there? Why didn't Rong Xie notice at all?
The old handyman was also a little confused, seemingly not expecting the shopkeeper to suddenly point him out. He stared blankly at Rong Xie, coughed twice, and lowered his head, looking timid and hesitant.
The familiar feeling in Rong Xie's heart disappeared again.
"See? I told you so. It's the same color and style. It's from our Hua Hong Clothing Shop. I recognize it," the shopkeeper said with a smile. "Young master, your overall demeanor isn't suited to servants' attire. I advise you to choose one from our superior selection. If you don't like overly red, this rich green would also be suitable. Green complements your skin tone..."
Rong Xie frowned as he looked at the eye-catching green dress the shopkeeper recommended, and was about to refuse.
"Cough cough," came an old cough from behind. The old servant muttered, "Strange, how come I didn't know I was wearing your fabric? This shopkeeper, he's really good at patting himself on the back!"
"You old fool!" the shopkeeper snapped angrily. "What are you muttering about! Ask your steward where you came from and who made the clothes you're wearing. Do you think it's something only an old servant like you should know?"
The shop owner had only meant to intimidate Rong Xie, thinking that the old servant wouldn't dare to say anything. He didn't expect the old man to be so bold. Not only did he sneak into his shop, but he also dared to talk too much and ruin his business!
To everyone's surprise, the old man remained completely unfazed, muttering to himself, "You think you can make something like the craftsmanship of the Shengjing Clothing Workshop? You're really trying to flatter yourself. Although I only know how to sweep the floor and trim tree branches, I know that the master's clothing is all made according to regulations, and is uniformly ordered from the Shengjing Clothing Workshop. Why would we use such shoddy goods from a roadside shop?"
"You!" The shopkeeper was so angry that he choked. But the old servant was right. There were many wealthy and powerful families in Lanyuan. The shopkeeper could only get orders from ordinary wealthy and powerful families. The top wealthy and powerful families did follow the Shengjing Clothing Workshop route. He couldn't get a single penny from them.
The shopkeeper suddenly felt uneasy. Looking again at the old handyman's clothes, they did indeed seem to be made of unusual materials...
"Shopkeeper, if you don't want to do business, fine, but why make things difficult for this old man?" Rong Xie spoke up at this moment. He had already felt that the shopkeeper's attitude towards doing business was really bad. He clearly had plain fabrics, but he refused to sell them, only trying to push more expensive clothes on him. When he saw that Rong Xie wasn't falling for it, he deliberately belittled the plain fabrics, saying that they were for servants. He didn't expect that the old man was not someone to be manipulated. He immediately denied it clearly, and the shopkeeper became angry.
Having figured this out, Rong Xie no longer wanted to buy clothes here. He took the old man's arm and walked out of the store, saying, "Uncle, let's go. Don't bother with him."
Shen Bingsi originally wanted to argue with the shopkeeper a bit more. It had been a long time since anyone had dared to speak to him like that. If it weren't for his status as an old handyman and the need to avoid being exposed, he would have already unleashed his full power and verbally abused the shopkeeper so badly that his own mother wouldn't recognize him.
Unexpectedly, Rong Xie spoke up for him and even took his hand. Shen Bingsi's attention immediately shifted to Rong Xie, and he was so happy that he forgot all about the world and stopped arguing with the shop owner.
And so, the two walked out of the clothing store and onto the street, where Rong Xie finally let go of her hand.
"Sir, I'm sorry, the shop owner was trying to do business with me and was trying to force me to buy. I didn't expect to get you involved."
"Ahem...ahem," the old servant lowered his head, seemingly a little embarrassed, not daring to look Rong Xie in the eye. "Young master, you don't need to worry about this old servant. But young master, the clothes haven't been finished yet, what are your plans for now?"
Rong Xie was slightly taken aback. For some reason, that familiar feeling resurfaced. It was as if someone had asked him before when his cultivation had not progressed: "What will you do in the future? What are you planning to do?"
"...This old servant knows a few tailors from the Wang family, but they don't take on outside jobs. If you trust me, young master, please prepare some fabrics you like, and I'll deliver them to you," the old servant said enthusiastically.
Rong Xie snapped out of his reverie: "Ah... is this alright?"
The old servant stared at Rong Xie with his cloudy eyes, but when Rong Xie looked at him, he turned his eyes away.
Rong Xie looked at the old handyman's honest and simple appearance and couldn't help but shake his head. How could he think that the old handyman's way of speaking was like Shen Bingsi's? The old handyman just wanted to help him, and his questioning style was definitely not as pressure-filled as Shen Bingsi's.
"Yes, of course, but this old servant cannot introduce you to those tailors. I can only deliver the fabric and arrange a time to give you the clothes," the old servant said.
"That's wonderful! It solves my biggest problem." Rong Xie smiled. "There's only one clothing store on this street, but there are quite a few fabric stores. If we can find a reliable tailor, it doesn't matter if he's not from the Wang family. May I ask your name, sir, and where you live?"
The old handyman was taken aback.
Just then, a commotion broke out in the clothing store, and the owner came out with several employees, surrounding the two men.
"Young master, please wait!" the shopkeeper called out.
Rong Xie frowned and looked at the shop owner warily. Why was he not doing business with him? Why was he chasing after him out of the shop? Did he want to bully people in the street?
Although Rong Xie has not yet established his foundation, he is still a person with cultivation, and he is more than capable of dealing with some street ruffians.
Then the shopkeeper told his assistant to bring out several bolts of white, blue, and khaki cloth, which he lined up and showed to Rong Xie, while saying with a smile, "Young master, take a look at these bolts of cloth. Is this what you want? These were just pulled out of the warehouse by our assistant. They are all top-quality materials. Look how comfortable they feel to the touch."
Rong Xie was somewhat surprised, wondering why the shop owner had suddenly changed his temper and was doing business with him again.
Soon, the shopkeeper turned to the old servant, his attitude much better: "Uncle, I was blind to your greatness just now. It turns out you are an old man from the Wang family, Chief Minister. My apologies!"
As he spoke, the shop owner enthusiastically promoted their shop's fabrics to the old handyman, even more so than he had to Rong Xie.
Rong Xie finally understood why the shopkeeper had suddenly changed his attitude. It turned out that the shopkeeper had also realized that the old handyman's background was no ordinary person, so he came up to curry favor with him. However, the shopkeeper's attempt to curry favor was not very successful, and the old handyman still ignored him.
"Young master, look at this fabric..." The shopkeeper was a little embarrassed and turned his sales pitch to Rong Xie.
Rong Xie had inspected it; the fabric was indeed of good quality, better than any other fabric shop on the street. However, he had to consider the feelings of the old handyman.
"This material is alright, there's nothing better nearby. Young master, please buy it if you wish," the old servant said, seemingly sensing Rong Xie's concerns.
Rong Xie's heart stirred slightly, and he glanced at the old servant a few more times.
“However, their tailor’s skills are not good. Young master, you should do as this old servant suggests, buy the cloth, and find someone else to tailor the clothes,” the old servant added.
“Our tailor is also…” The shopkeeper instinctively wanted to argue, but remembering the old man’s background as a handyman, he swallowed his words and said with a smile, “Young master, this old man is right. He is very experienced. Why don’t we do as he says?”
“...Alright.” Rong Xie readily agreed, selecting one bolt each of white, blue, and kudzu, and handed over the silver to the shopkeeper.
“These three bolts of cloth are still a bit too big. Where does the young master live? I’ll have my servants deliver them to his residence,” the shopkeeper said.
Rong Xie was also having a headache, wondering how he would carry such a large piece of cloth that couldn't fit into a cloth bag. Unexpectedly, the shop owner offered a home delivery service, so he naturally agreed.
"My home is in Zhuli Lane..." Rong Xie was halfway through his sentence when he suddenly felt a burning gaze coming from the side, as if it was eagerly waiting for him to tell him his address. He turned his head slightly, and the gaze disappeared.
"Which house is in Zhuli Lane?"
"Wait, it's not being delivered to my house, it should be delivered to this old man." Rong Xie suddenly realized, looking at the old servant. "I haven't had a chance to ask the old man's name yet because of the interruption earlier."
"Ahem, your surname is Wang, so take him to the northwest gate of Lanyuan Villa," the old servant said.
The shop owner and Rong Xie both showed expressions of "I knew it." The surname Wang meant that they shared the same surname as the master's family. Usually, only senior servants could receive such an honor. Thinking of this, the shop owner's attitude became even more enthusiastic.
Rong Xie never expected that coming out would actually solve the most troublesome problem.
Three bolts of cloth, each enough to make several sets of inner and outer garments, would ensure that for a long time to come, there would be no fear of not having comfortable clothes to wear.
The clothes I wore when I was at Huanxue Mountain Villa were too flashy among ordinary people. Since I'm planning to integrate into a new life, I need to dress appropriately.
Rong Xie felt relieved and was filled with gratitude for the old servant. He insisted on treating him to dinner and then escorting him back to Lanyuan Villa.
Unexpectedly, the old servant said he had other things to do and wouldn't eat, but wanted to go home with Rong Xie to familiarize himself with the place so that he could deliver the clothes as soon as they were finished.
"How can I ask you to deliver it? I'll go pick it up myself." Rong Xie felt very embarrassed. The old servant had already helped him a lot today, and he never expected to meet such a kind person when he went out.
"Ahem, young master, you flatter me. It is my honor that you trust me so much. Besides, I have no idea when the tailor will finish the clothes. It wouldn't be right to let you go all the way here for nothing. I'll deliver them myself." the old servant said.
Helpless, Rong Xie could only agree to the old handyman's suggestion, but when calculating the payment, he should be given more for his hard work. The old handyman did not refuse this point.
Seeing that it was still early, Rong Xie decided to take the old servant back to familiarize himself with the place first, and then use a sound transmission talisman to call Wang Mu back later.
The two walked together toward the bluestone street. Rong Xie wanted to call a cart, but the old servant refused, saying that the cart was going too fast and he couldn't remember the way.
"Young Master Rong, you just moved here, right? Are you settling in well?" the old servant asked on the way.
“I’m used to living here. Actually, this isn’t my first time here. I’ve checked out the climate and environment beforehand, and I’ve chosen a house that I like. There’s a market just three streets away, and there are carriages to Shengjing. Life here is very convenient,” Rong Xie said with a smile.
The old handyman glanced at him with a complicated expression, then quickly looked away.
Is this place really that good? They can't even buy suitable clothes, and they're using rough, large bowls. The living conditions are far worse than Huanxue Manor. How can Rong Xie still smile so naturally?
"However, how did Uncle Wang know I just moved here? Actually, I wanted to ask earlier. Uncle Wang looks very kind. Have we met somewhere before?" Rong Xie looked at the old servant with suspicion.
The old servant's expression stiffened, and he coughed twice: "Young master, you must have mistaken me for someone else. There are old fellows like me everywhere in the mansions of princes and nobles. I saw that you bought so many pots and pans along the way, and also bought so much fabric to make new clothes. I suppose you have just moved here and have a lot of things to prepare."
"So Uncle Wang noticed me a long time ago," Rong Xie said with some surprise. "Am I that conspicuous?"
“Of course it’s conspicuous,” the old handyman muttered.
Shen Bingsi thought to herself that Rong Xie was as conspicuous in the crowd as a luminous pearl in the dark. Once you saw the luminous pearl, everything else around you would become an unimportant background.
As the two walked to the entrance of Bamboo Lane, they encountered a young man in brocade robes waving a folding fan.
Lu Yinglin had been lingering here for a while, originally intending to go to Rong Xie's house, but he didn't expect Rong Xie to be not at home. Just as he was hesitating about where to look for him, he saw Rong Xie walking over with an old servant.
The old servant looked at Rong Xie with an indescribable strangeness. Lu Yinglin frowned slightly, and after only a brief moment of doubt, he smiled, waved his folding fan, and went to greet him, calling out, "Junior Brother Rong, where have you been? I've been looking for you everywhere!"
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I made a minor edit; the paragraph comments might have been slightly reduced, which hurts my fingers [poor thing].
Today's update is also added here; those who purchased it will receive a bonus of 3000 words [milk tea emoji].
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