Chapter 75: Steward

"Why? Wasn't it enough to be designated as High Grade to enter the Immortal Sect before?"

Even though he had always been somewhat afraid of True Person Zhang, the Seventh Young Master still couldn't help but complain.

Zheng Fa understood his anxiety well; looking from the Seventh Young Master's perspective:

You are a poor student with mediocre grades; for a major exam, you hang your hair from a beam and prick your thigh with an awl, immersing yourself in the sea of books to study hard, just to score sixty points and pass.

Then the invigilator walks into the exam hall and announces the rules have changed: this exam no longer looks at the score on the paper, but ranks by position; everyone after the top ten fails...

Anyone would explode in that situation.

Senior Sister Zhang also shook her head and said, "This time, because the families participating in the Immortal Grade Gathering fear further changes in the future, they have stuffed all their promising seedlings in. The number of people participating in the Immortal Grade Gathering is not only large, but the quality is also the best. If we still go by designation, I'm afraid many people will enter the Immortal Sect this time."

"Is having more people bad?"

The Seventh Young Master asked blankly.

"For you, of course it's good; for the disciples who have already entered the Immortal Sect..." Senior Sister Zhang looked at Zheng Fa with meaningful eyes: "You are going to fight for food."

"Even though those participating in the Immortal Grade Gathering all have Jin Dan True Persons or Nascent Soul True Persons behind them, this time the lower-level disciples of the Baixian Alliance are in an uproar, which led to the regulation limiting the number of spots."

"So how many spots are there?"

"It varies by sect, but in terms of the Tao of Talismans, our Jiushan Sect will be stricter, while the Qingmu Sect... they are renowned for alchemy, so their requirements for the Tao of Talismans are not that high." Senior Sister Zhang looked at the Seventh Young Master as she spoke, seemingly comforting him.

The Seventh Young Master let out a slight sigh of relief; he held the Immortal Grade Token of the Qingmu Sect.

Zheng Fa understood Senior Sister Zhang's meaning.

The Jiushan Sect's Tao of Talismans is number one in the Baixian Alliance; those who study the Tao of Talismans are willing to enter the Jiushan Sect, so naturally the admission requirements are high.

The Qingmu Sect is weak in the Tao of Talismans, the competition is small, so the Seventh Young Master actually has a very high chance.

On the way back to his own new courtyard, Zheng Fa ran into two acquaintances he hadn't seen in a long time—Huang Yu and his father, the somewhat chubby Huang Guanshi.

Behind the two of them was a flatbed cart piled high with ingredients, bedding, and miscellaneous items.

With all these big and small packages, it looked like they were moving house.

"Brother Huang?" Zheng Fa looked at the two in surprise; seeing them here, it was obvious they were waiting for him.

"Zheng... Young Master!"

Huang Yu cupped his hands and said, somewhat awkwardly.

Huang Guanshi, standing nearby, also bowed with a smile on his face, the smile on his face showing more flattery than his usual enthusiasm.

"You two are..."

He looked at the two of them, then at the flatbed cart behind them.

Huang Yu's face turned red, seeming too embarrassed to speak.

Huang Guanshi patted the back of his son's head and said, "My son wants to attach himself to you!"

"Ah?" Zheng Fa didn't expect this turn of events: "Attach himself to me?"

"Yes, my son heard that Young Master you obtained an Immortal Grade Token and went out alone to find a courtyard to live in, so he has been thinking of coming to be your steward!"

Huang Guanshi said with a chuckle.

Zheng Fa looked at the expressions of the two and saw that Huang Yu's face was not very bright; he also had a realization in his heart—this was probably still Huang Guanshi's idea.

"Uncle..."

"Impossible!" Huang Guanshi hurriedly waved his hands and said, "I dare not bear Young Master's title of Uncle."

Seeing his fearful and respectful appearance, Zheng Fa could only skip the title and say, "If Brother Huang is truly willing to come here, I am welcome, it's just..."

Huang Guanshi had probably investigated very thoroughly.

The Zheng family indeed needed a male steward.

Especially if Zheng Fa left Jingzhou, even with the protection of the Zhao family, he truly did not feel at ease leaving his mother and younger sister to live alone.

If Huang Yu was willing to work in the Zheng family, it could be said to solve some of Zheng Fa's hidden worries.

"He is willing! Say it yourself, do you want to work in the Zheng family?" Huang Guanshi suddenly slapped the back of his son's head, and Huang Yu finally spoke gloomily, "I do!"

Zheng Fa saw that although his expression was somewhat embarrassed, there was not much sign of reluctance, so he nodded and reminded him, "We are a small household and cannot afford too high a monthly salary."

"Whether you give money or not is fine!" Huang Guanshi said with a chuckle: "I have packed everything he needs to eat and use on this cart! It's enough for him to live for a year!"

Zheng Fa looked at the flatbed cart piled high behind the two and felt a shock—bringing your own dry rations to work, what a noble spirit.

In modern times, this could move even the black-hearted capitalists to tears.

While speaking, Huang Guanshi also said to Zheng Fa: "I won't hide it from Young Master, this boy has a wild nature and can't stay at the farm; I was afraid he didn't have the smarts to work in the Zhao Manor—I know Young Master is a good person and you know each other, so I put on a bold face to come to your door and beg for a way out."

"My son, well, he is clumsy with his mouth and his mind is not flexible; the only advantage he has is honesty. I'm not afraid of Young Master disliking it, so I'll tell you the truth: if you want a versatile, all-around steward, he can't do it, but if you want him to guard the household and protect the Lady and the Young Lady, he dares to risk his life."

Zheng Fa couldn't help but nod; Huang Guanshi was truly a shrewd person, and the person he needed indeed didn't need to manage the Zheng family well; reliability was the most important.

"Then Brother Huang's contract..."

"That's why they say Young Master has great face!" Huang Guanshi said with a chuckle: "I asked someone to inquire about the Lady's opinion; the Lady heard it was to be your steward, and without a second word, she gave us the contract."

"Good, the monthly salary cannot be not given... How about this, one tael of silver a month, is that okay?"

"That is Young Master's kindness!"

A monthly salary of one tael of silver was too little for Steward Wu, the high steward of the Zhao Manor; this price was equivalent to an insult.

But for Huang Yu, a person with no experience, it was actually a bit high—this was also Zheng Fa buying a piece of his loyalty; if he really didn't give money, there might be no resentment in the short term, but who wouldn't feel aggrieved in the long run?

Being too far from home, Zheng Fa was actually willing to spend some money to buy peace of mind.

The Zheng family's new courtyard was a two-courtyard compound; Zheng Mother and the younger sister both lived in the back courtyard.

Huang Yu and his father moved the things to the front courtyard; in the future, Huang Yu would also live near the front courtyard gatehouse, which was roughly the meaning of guarding the gate.

After putting the things away, Huang Yu saw his father out of the city.

Seeing his son's not-so-bright expression, Huang Guanshi spoke lightly: "What, do you feel being this steward is an insult?"

"No, it's just that I feel awkward... the last time we met, we were calling each other brothers."

"Are you stupid? Can't you see Zheng Fa is about to ascend to the Immortal Gate? In the future, you'll rise with him; you might even be more glorious than the Butler Wu of the Zhao family now. Isn't that worth far more than the empty name of a friend?"

"... But my relationship with Zheng Fa wasn't bad before, was it?"

"Do you know what you must do first if you want to rise with him?"

"Huh?"

"You must first be a chicken or a dog!" Huang Guanshi slapped his own son's head in frustration: "If you hadn't known Zheng Fa first, would this butler position be yours?"

Hearing something amiss in these words, Huang Yu looked up at his father.

"If Father had known him earlier, Father would have ascended himself!"

Huang Yu fell silent, only to hear his father continue: "Zheng Fa is not difficult to serve, and his future is vast. Even if you cannot become immensely wealthy or noble, you will at least have stability... Father has no ability; after asking around everywhere, I could only find this good path for you. Work hard."

"Yes."

"Brother, you are going to become an immortal, and our family already has its own butler!" Little Sister Zheng Shan said excitedly.

Zheng Fa's expression remained calm: "These things are all empty."

This courtyard, Shijie Zhang, Huang Yu, even the Lady's kindness—all of it was borrowed.

If he failed to ascend to the Immortal Gate at the Immortal-Grade Gathering, all of these would likely leave him.

"Mother said so too..." Little Sister suddenly said.

"Hmm?"

"Mother said that while life is good now, she fears Brother you are too tired." Little Sister frowned and said: "Brother, are you tired?"

She gripped Zheng Fa's index finger with both hands and looked up at her brother: "If you are tired, then don't become an immortal. Actually, pigweed leaves taste quite good!"

As she spoke these words, Little Sister wore an expression of heroic self-sacrifice on her face.