Chapter 5

The day for selecting attendants came quickly; three days after the news reached the village, an ox cart arrived to take Zheng Fa to the Zhao Fu.

“I want to go to the city too!” Little sister Zheng Shan clung to Zheng Fa’s sleeve, whining.

The Zhao family’s main residence stood within the inner city of Jingzhou; even Zheng Fa, let alone his six-year-old sister Zheng Shan, had never been there.

“Shan’er!” Before Zheng Fa could speak, Zheng Mu had already pinched her little ear and scolded: “Your brother’s going to the main residence—dozens are watching. This isn’t a trip for fun. Are you going to cause trouble again?”

Watching his sister, her small ears red and tear-filled, Zheng Fa patted her round head: “If I have time, I’ll bring you something tasty from the city.”

…

“Mother, I’m leaving.”

Standing beside the ox cart, Zheng Fa bid farewell to his mother.

Zheng Mu said nothing, only pulled out a clean, coarse cloth bundle. She untied it to reveal flatbread and a few slices of cured meat, then handed it to the driver: “Sir, you’ve had a long journey. I made some food—nothing fancy, but it’ll help you along the way.”

The old man removed his pipe from his mouth and accepted it with a smile.

Only when he took the bundle did Zheng Mu beg: “This child has never been to the city. He’s young—please look after him. Don’t let him offend any nobles.”

“Of course,” the old man glanced at Zheng Fa. “This boy looks obedient. He won’t cause trouble. Might even land himself a future.”

Zheng Mu looked at Zheng Fa and whispered: “I don’t care about futures. I just want him to come back safe…”

…

The ox cart pulled farther from Zheng Fa’s home; turning back, he could still see his mother and little sister watching from afar.

“Hold on tight!”

The driver up front suddenly shouted, cracking his black whip through the air into the ox’s hindquarters.

The cart surged forward. Zheng Fa, unprepared, toppled backward and barely steadied himself by gripping the side rail.

Wind howled past his ears; rice fields beside the cart blurred by in flashes.

The ox cart’s speed took Zheng Fa by surprise.

He couldn’t estimate its exact velocity, but it felt no slower than the buses he’d ridden in his other world.

The cart itself was ordinary—a common vegetable delivery cart, wooden floorboards beneath, railings on both sides.

But the ox pulling it was anything but ordinary—it differed from any he’d seen before, its body massive, nearly three to four meters long.

Most striking was the fleshy tumor on its spine; as it ran, the blood vessels on the tumor bulged visibly, revealing the crimson surge of blood within.

Even more astonishing was that despite its size and speed, the ox’s hooves made no sound upon landing—utterly smooth, as if gliding on wind.

“Surprised?” the old man laughed.

“This ox?”

“This isn’t an ordinary ox. It’s a Danzhu Ox—rumored to carry a trace of spirit beast blood. A thousand li a day? Easy! And this treasure isn’t just fast—it’s steady!”

“Spirit beast? Even a trace of blood grants such marvels…”

“Our Zhao family isn’t ordinary. In all of Jingzhou, few own oxen like this!”

“The Zhao family is this powerful?”

“Powerful? It’s more than that! Our Zhao family has immortals!” The old man’s tone swelled with pride: “Since our ancestor settled in Jingzhou a thousand years ago, every generation has produced someone who entered an immortal sect and gained divine fortune!”

“Immortal sect? I’ve always heard the Zhao family had immortal backing—was it true?”

Zheng Fa’s spirits lifted. He’d grown up in the village; he knew less about this world than his other one.

Though he’d heard many tales of immortals, none had been stated with such certainty as this old man’s.

“Of the three great families in Jingzhou, which one lacks immortal ties?” The old man pulled out a slice of cured meat, chewing as he glanced at Zheng Fa. “You want divine fortune?”

Zheng Fa nodded.

“For the sake of this cured meat, I’ll give you good advice: that’s not for the likes of us to dream of. I’ve spent half my life in the Zhao household and haven’t seen so much as a single hair from an immortal.”

Zheng Fa fell silent, lips pressed tight. Only the crack of the whip broke the silence of the journey.

At noon, the ox cart stopped before another Zhao family farmstead, where a boy roughly Zheng Fa’s age boarded.

The moment he saw Zheng Fa, his expression grew uneasy, tinged with hostility: “You’re here to be Seventh Young Master’s attendant too?”

Before Zheng Fa could answer, the driver lazily replied: “Not just you two. Nearly dozens of boys in Jingzhou fit the age requirement. Those who didn’t come are just too far out—you two are the only ones I had to fetch.”

Zheng Fa froze. He’d known Seventh Young Master was favored—but he hadn’t realized how fiercely the position of mere attendant was contested?

The newcomer seemed to grasp the driver’s implication; his expression softened slightly, but he sat in the far corner, away from Zheng Fa.

Zheng Fa felt his gaze flick toward him repeatedly throughout the journey.

After a long while, the boy finally spoke: “I’m Huang Yu. What’s your name?”

“Zheng Fa.”

“Did you attend elementary school?”

“Yes.”

Huang Yu’s expression darkened further.

Zheng Fa added: “But I only went for a year.”

“I went for five years!” Huang Yu perked up, shifting closer to Zheng Fa. “If I hadn’t been too old, I’d have applied the last time Seventh Young Master chose attendants.”

Zheng Fa smiled inwardly—the boy clearly thought he posed no threat and had grown more amiable.

“Five years of elementary school? You’re practically guaranteed this time,” Zheng Fa said, playing along.

True enough, Huang Yu’s eyes sparkled despite his efforts to hide it.

The driver, however, snorted softly.

“I wonder what kind of status Seventh Young Master really holds—a mere attendant’s post drawing dozens of competitors, and talents like you, Brother Huang.”

I wonder what kind of status this Seventh Young Master really has—just a page’s position, yet dozens compete for it, even someone like you, Brother Huang.

“I’ve lived on the farm all my life—my ears are closed.”

Huang Yu sized Zheng Fa up: his clothes were clean but worn, the cuffs faded to translucence. His wariness toward Zheng Fa faded further.

He thought a moment, then clamped his mouth shut—refusing to answer.

Zheng Fa understood: the boy didn’t want to give him any extra information.

But the driver spoke up, answering Zheng Fa’s question: “The Zhao family has three branches. The eldest branch is the main line.”

The old driver spoke up, answering Zheng Fa’s question: “Our Zhao family has three branches; the eldest branch is the master’s direct line.”

“Exactly. Seventh Young Master is the only legitimate son of the main line. The Lady has only one daughter and one son—so though he’s young, he’ll inherit the Zhao family. The current head steward of the main branch? Rumor says he started as the master’s childhood attendant—highly prestigious.”

“That’s right—the Seventh Young Master is the only legitimate son of the eldest branch. The Lady has only one daughter and one son, so though the Seventh Young Master is young, he will one day be the Zhao family’s master. The current external steward of the eldest branch, I hear, was once the master’s own page in his youth—quite an esteemed origin.”

The attendant’s post held no real power—but it was like the “old retainers of the imperial court” in his other world’s history: a chance to earn future favor.

It was about securing a future.

“And I’ve heard…” The driver glanced back at Huang Yu. “Seventh Young Master’s twin sister? She’s the Zhao family’s divine seed of this generation—already claimed by an immortal sect! This attendant position? Not just you two—children of every prominent steward in the city are fighting for it! Hah! What’s five years of elementary school worth?”

“And I heard…” the old man glanced back at Huang Yu, “the Seventh Young Master’s elder sister is the Zhao family’s divine seed of this generation—already chosen by an immortal sect! This page’s position? Not just you lot—even the children of influential stewards in the city are fighting for it! Hey, what’s a few years of elementary schooling worth?”

The sole legitimate son of the main branch.

His own sister, blessed with divine fortune.

Seventh Young Master’s status was as solid as a mountain.

Zheng Fa glanced at Huang Yu beside him—his face flushed crimson, clearly realizing the driver’s rebuke:

You may have studied longer than Zheng Fa, but among the stewards’ children in the city,

you’re still just a country bumpkin.

You're from the countryside too.