Chapter 79

Amidst the bamboo grove path, a pavilion stands, surrounded by tall trees and flowers.

It was noon, and though it was April, the sky was clear and the weather was getting hot, but the garden remained cool. Along the moss-covered pebble path, he strolled leisurely.

Yu Fan and Mr. Kou both had a deep composure. Yu Fan was elegant and dignified, just taking a casual stroll, while Mr. Kou leaned against a lacquered pillar, quietly resting. After a moment, he got up, poured tea for Yu Fan, and said with a smile, "My lord, it's getting hot, have some tea."

As he spoke, he tried to bring up a topic, saying, "There's a case recently, would you like to hear about it?"

Yu Fan knew he was trying to cheer him up and smiled, "What case? Tell me about it."

"It's a feng shui site in our county, said to have been inspected by a geomancer, who saw the qi like layered mountains, red and white, with a faint red in the middle. Whoever gets it can pass the imperial exams. But to fight over this land, seven lives were lost from one family, and such a major case has been dragging on for a year!"

"Why is that?" Yu Fan asked, his heart skipping a beat.

"Actually, everyone knows it was the wealthy Su family who raided the An family at midnight. But they must have spent a lot of silver to bribe the county and county offices, so there's still no evidence."

"But with so many deaths, even if they can suppress it, they can't enjoy it. Recently, the county sold this feng shui site to the Kong family, a major clan in the county, at a low price."

Yu Fan's eyes sparkled, and he said, "It's the Kong family's good fortune to get such a bargain."

After a few turns, he saw the chief constable approaching, looking apologetic.

"Hmm? How is it going?"

"Please forgive me, Master Yu. I mobilized over a hundred constables and several hundred informants. We recorded all the fortune-tellers, but we didn't find the one you were looking for!"

Yu Fan felt a sharp pain in his heart, as if asking a question or muttering to himself, "Not found, can't find, where could he have gone?"

After a long while, he smiled, "Even if we can't find him, you've all worked hard. Let's have a feast tonight, a good meal."

Watching the chief constable leave, the pavilion was left with only Yu Fan and Mr. Kou. Yu Fan paced back and forth, while Mr. Kou stood and stared intently. After a moment, he said, "My lord, don't be too anxious. It's only the 15th of April. The county is so large, and it's inevitable to miss something. Now that all the fortune-tellers are registered, they are ordinary people who come out every day to find business. By the 15th of next month, we can target them and surely find him."

Yu Fan listened to Mr. Kou's words and said after a long while, "You're right, I'm too anxious. There's only a month left!"

After saying that, he smiled. As they were talking, they heard music gradually coming closer, knowing the troupe had arrived, so they stopped talking, smiled at each other, and turned to come out.

April 22nd, early morning

The ox cart set off, with only Jiang Zinan accompanying.

"This time, we're just going to the county to file some documents. Qianqian is gradually transforming, so it's safer to keep her at home." Ye Qing put down the curtain, thought for a moment, and looked at the girl opposite, noticing she didn't look well: "Sister Zinan, are you feeling nervous?"

"Master, you said not to call me that anymore. Now we are master and servant." Jiang Zinan whispered in protest, but felt weak even as she said it.

Sure enough, Ye Qing smiled, showing his teeth, "I like it, and I've been used to it since we were young. What's the harm in calling you privately?"

Jiang Zinan's face turned red, sensing something inappropriate, and cleverly remained silent, just holding her full chest to suppress the discomfort.

Ye Qing understood and stopped teasing her, handing her a packet of motion sickness medicine, "I had it specially prepared after returning from Taiping Lake. Qianqian used it well, and Sister Zinan hasn't traveled far before, right?"

Jiang Zinan took the medicine silently, feeling a bit better, and then carefully said, "I only went once with my mother when I was young. My father followed Master to Pingshou County and summoned us from Linqian County. We left our original home and later stayed at the Ye residence. I only occasionally went to the county with the old lady. After my father passed away, I had to take care of my sick mother and never left the Ye residence again."

Ye Qing fell silent, looking at the intelligent beauty before him. They were childhood sweethearts before she was ten, but that was in the past. Later, they were nominal aunt and niece, and the distance grew.

The young man stubbornly called her by her old name, inevitably harboring some resentment.

But as a穿越者 (穿越者 means "穿越者" in Chinese, which can be translated as "reincarnated person" or "time traveler"), he selectively accepted the physical legacy, taking only what was valuable and indifferent to the rest. Now calling her "sister" was just a playful tease.

"In my previous life, the Ye family was destroyed once. When I rebuilt it, most of the old people had scattered in the war, including this girl. As for the resources from my mother's side, they were completely gone."

"Looking back now, I started too late, wasting too many resources, which made my foundation unstable and unable to break through the great calamity's time limit for mortals."

Even if it were just for old feelings and beauty, it wouldn't mean much, but people could still be of value. This girl was sharp and decisive, and there was a suitable position for her in the residence.

Thinking of this, Ye Qing smiled and said seriously, "Let the past be the past. A simple title is nothing, it has no other meaning... I will take care of you in the future!"

To Jiang Zinan, this had a different meaning. She bowed her head in submission, subconsciously avoiding, her heart pounding, feeling both lost and wronged. She heard his voice draw near, "Sit closer. If we return smoothly this time, I'll take you to Shan Zhu County. Do you remember that Uncle Jiang was originally from there? There should still be relatives of the Jiang family, and you can pay respects to your ancestors."

As Ye Qing spoke, his eyes darkened... The Shan Zhu Jiang family, though a small clan in the county, had a faint memory. Who had come from there in his previous life?

"Yes..." Jiang Zinan didn't know these things, just lowered her head, tightly covering her mouth.

"Are you still uncomfortable?" Ye Qing's hand reached out halfway and felt a few cold drops on his fingers, which were clear tears, and a sob: "I'm sorry, Master, I just can't help but cry..."

Ye Qing felt a pang of sympathy, his heart softened by the tears, but he also had a realization—reincarnation wasn't just about making up for a few regrets, which would trap him in his past.

"Before the Dragon Palace Feast, I faced difficulties step by step, calculating and succeeding, inevitably becoming proud and confident that everything was under control, but the carp's appearance almost stunned me."

"Looking back now, life isn't a game, the world isn't the same, everything is constantly changing, bringing more challenges, but also more worth cherishing."

"Compared to when I first came to this immortal world, or compared to living an ordinary life on Earth, the essence of reincarnation isn't about looking down and indulging, but about better grasping and cherishing."

"I should take this opportunity to improve my ability to seize opportunities, cherish the resources in my hands, and solidify my foundation. If I have the chance to survive, I can climb to even greater heights."

With this realization, he no longer held any criticism. Ye Qing hugged the crying girl, comforting her, "It's fine, you don't need to be so formal in private. Seeing you finally show your true feelings, I'm quite satisfied... Don't cry, let's chat casually. For example, who are your relatives in your hometown? Tell me slowly, and I'll listen to see if I know any..."

This gentle voice faded into the air, and the ox cart's tracks stretched far to the west.

Along the way, green mountains and clear waters, a few days later, they passed through the county city and had to stop for inspection.

A guard came up to inspect, looking at Jiang Zinan a few more times. Ye Qing coldly showed a copper seal, "A scholar travels the world, why don't you let us pass!"

The guard's face changed, and he stepped back.

The driver drove the ox cart into a quiet corner by the river and then spoke, "Master Ye, we've arrived at the county city. Do you have any other instructions?"

Ye Qing said, "Do you know the Yu residence? The residence of Yu Tongzhi." "Yes, Master!" the driver quickly responded.

"That's good, go around once." Ye Qing said this, closed his eyes, and said no more. Jiang Zinan also knew it was serious business and immediately stopped talking.

The driver was a family-born servant of the Ye family, bought by his grandfather's generation, and was the third generation. The family trusted him, so he was sent to serve Ye Qing. Hearing this, he didn't hesitate and immediately set off.

In the county city, people came and went. The driver turned a few streets and arrived at a wide, long street. There were fewer people coming and going, the road was paved with blue stones, and there were no beggars, everything was orderly.

After a while, a grand gate appeared in front of them. In front of the high gate, there were two stone lions as tall as a person, and the guards in black clothes. The sign read "Yu Residence."

The driver, following Ye Qing's instructions, drove carefully, neither too fast nor too slow.

This road was still public, and everyone could pass. There were many other vehicles, so they didn't stand out.

Ye Qing looked at the five-bay gate, hearing the faint sounds of music from inside the residence. Though he was prepared, he couldn't help but be secretly amazed.

The flower wall had a hole, and looking far inside, he saw flowers, trees, and a garden. In the middle, there was a waterside pavilion, a winding stone bridge, and stone tables and bamboo chairs under a row of willows. It truly had the air of a grand family.

Ye Qing looked carefully and saw a faint red qi and a faint yellow qi, truly the qi of a prominent family.

"Go to Lan Chongwen's residence."

"Yes, Master." The driver drove the ox cart to a place.

In a short while, they arrived at a residence. Ye Qing got out of the cart, went up the steps, and was stopped by someone.

But the guard was sharp-eyed, seeing Ye Qing's brocade clothes, and spoke politely, "May I ask where you are from, and what business you have?"

Ye Qing said, "Tell him that Ye Qing from Pingshou County is here to visit. Just report my name."

The guard was surprised, thought for a moment, and quickly responded, "Ah, Scholar Ye, I apologize for not recognizing you. I'll go and report immediately."

Ye Qing was personally appointed by the Dragon Lord as a scholar, and at sixteen, he had already passed the examination. Even this small guard knew about it, so he immediately went to report.

A scholar had a position in the county, and at sixteen, with the Dragon Lord's personal appointment, Lan Chongwen deeply understood the potential. So, after a moment, he personally came out of the residence to welcome him, showing his importance.

Lan Chongwen was in casual clothes, and from a distance, he bowed to Ye Qing, "I didn't expect Scholar Ye, please come in."