Chapter 274: The wind and waves within the pavilion are fierce; this person is none other than Xie Guan!

Outside Hongjing Yuan, on the western bank of the Mother Lake,

stands a pavilion with wings spread, its four corners upturned, with screens hanging down that sway gently in the breeze.

It is late autumn, and the chill is growing thick.

On all four sides inside the pavilion, large round braziers are placed, with charcoal burning fiercely, crackling and popping.

A charcoal-tending old man from the manor is there, adding fuel to keep the fire roaring.

In the center of the pavilion, there is a large warming stove surrounded by fine charcoal, upon which sits a brownish-black Jingde teapot. Steam rises, and the lid dances, emitting a "puchi" sound—the noise of iron lightly clashing.

On the warming stove, an iron plate is also arranged, holding peanuts, chestnuts, dates, and the like, their fragrance striking the nose.

Beside it sits a yellow-sandalwood table, with seasonal fresh fruits and exquisite pastries laid out upon it.

The autumn scenery of the lake, the towering mountain rocks, and tea being brewed around the stove.

The lake light and the autumn moon harmonize; the pool surface is windless, like a mirror yet to be polished.

Truly an elegant and refined affair!

Inside this pavilion, apart from the submissive attendants,

there is also a woman standing gracefully; Sister Wu Tong would surely recognize her—she is Sister Shilan, the head maid in Xie Renfeng's courtyard.

She has a tall figure, wears a treasure-blue dress with water sleeves, her skin is white as snow, her face like peach blossoms, and a small black mole on the tip of her nose adds a touch of charm.

As a maid, she naturally has no seat.

"Cousin Renfeng is in such a rush on this trip; I wonder when he will be able to return?"

"In the end, he is still afraid of Father; he is not as carefree as I am!"

One person sits lazily on a snow-white fox-fur cushion, his eyes fixed directly on Sister Shilan, lingering from top to bottom, especially on the suddenly magnified, graceful curves beneath her slender waist, and the corners of his mouth hook into a smile.

This person has a figure like firewood, wears brocade clothes and a jade belt, has four or five sachets hanging from his waist, wears a headband, and has a jade hairpin inserted at an angle.

His features are ordinary, with a donkey-like face powdered with makeup, especially with slightly sunken cheeks, and his brows reveal a frivolous air.

This person is the fourth young master of the Zhao family, Zhao Yang.

It is rumored that he has body odor, so he often wears sachets to cover it.

Once, a woman covered her nose because of his strange smell; seeing this, he flew into a rage and beat the woman to death, sinking her into the lake.

Though he is not handsome, he is fond of applying powder and painting his lips.

In the Great Qi, men applying powder and visiting courtesans are both regarded as elegant acts.

Xie Renfeng's biological mother, Lady Zhao, was born into the Zhao family, one of the Nine Great Surnames. The family has two marquises who earned their titles through military merit, and especially in recent years, the two have become pillars of the military, having merit in pacifying demons, and their prestige in the imperial court has greatly increased.

By seniority, this Zhao Yang is Xie Renfeng's cousin.

Sister Shilan is usually upright and self-possessed, but she feels quite uncomfortable being stared at by Zhao Yang, and her legs involuntarily clamp together slightly.

Seeing this, Zhao Yang smiles lightly and picks up a small tangerine from the iron plate, roasted golden and dripping with juice.

"My cousin Renfeng really doesn't understand romance, actually letting such a beauty's pearl be cast in the dark. If it were me, I would have long since..."

He uses his finger to drill a hole in the already softened orange, then slowly peels the skin from the middle, squeezing out the golden hot juice.

Then he withdraws his finger and slowly sucks on it in his hand!

Zhao Yang looks at Sister Shilan with a look of intoxication.

Sister Shilan lowers her head even further, her face flushing with shame and nervousness.

Opposite Zhao Yang, by the warming stove, there is also an old man, small in stature, wearing a thick padded coat, with both hands tucked into his sleeves.

He wears a fur hat, his face is covered in wrinkles, his nose is strangely large, and he is ugly.

"Young Master Yang, in this Bianjing city, who can compare to your style?" the old man laughs hoarsely:

"Even the high and mighty princess almost became your prize; it's just a pity she didn't have that fortune."

"Just imagine, a woman shedding her gorgeous clothes, blowing out the candle light, with shadows thick—at that moment, you only need to find that position, locate the place of that gentle village, and thrust lightly... Heh, the taste of it, isn't it all the same? In the end, it's just a skin bag; what truly distinguishes the high from the low is that status of nobility. Speaking of which, this old man only feels admiration for you, Young Master."

The old man raises his thumb, his face smiling like a blooming chrysanthemum.

"As the saying goes, to die under the peony flower is to be a romantic ghost, and Young Master, you are a person of worldly wealth; even if you go to the underworld, you will only enjoy blessings."

This notorious incident that spread throughout Bianjing is actually described by the old man as a beautiful affair.

"Master Shen, you overpraise me; compared to you, I am still far behind."

Zhao Yang hooks the corners of his mouth into a faint smile, his face revealing a trace of self-satisfaction.

The old man is named Shen Kuan, a guest in Zhao Yang's manor, and also a powerful soul cultivator in the "Heavenly Star" realm.

On the path of soul cultivation, above "Heavenly Star," there is still the "Spirit Wandering" realm, and further up, the true great cultivators who have ignited the divine fire.

And Shen Kuan's cultivation, among the many guests in the Zhao manor, is also in the forefront.

Shen Kuan was originally a wild cultivator, with no sect or faction. When he was young, he practiced haphazardly, causing his physical body to decay early, exhausting his potential, and he could no longer advance to "Spirit Wandering."

Feeling disheartened, he simply defected to the Nine Great Surnames of Bianjing and became a guest. People like this, whose cultivation is not low and who have no master, must have done evil deeds to obtain their cultivation, and neither the academy nor the imperial court tolerates them.

The Nine Great Surnames, however, are most willing to treat them with courtesy and provide protection.

If people like this cause trouble, they can be slaughtered at will, and there will be no connection afterward; moreover, there are inevitably some dirty affairs within the great surnames, and these people are "handy" to use.

Shen Kuan, as Zhao Yang's personal bodyguard, was even begged for by his mother from the clan; for a Heavenly Star realm cultivator to protect a family's playboy is somewhat of a "small use."

Zhao Yang is also respectful to Shen Kuan, which is why he can sit peacefully beside the warming stove.

Zhao Yang has many enemies in Bianjing, and there is no lack of "lowly people" who do not fear death and would splash blood five steps away.

Only with Shen Kuan here does he dare to be unscrupulous.

What kind of cultivator is a Heavenly Star soul cultivator? Rubbing hands to create fire, having various divine wonders, one only needs a light word to charm a mortal without cultivation.

Shen Kuan also has a banner in his hand, inside which he keeps ghost mothers and ghost children, which can easily take a person's soul and turn them into a "soul slave."

This is also one of the reasons why Zhao Yang admires Shen Kuan so much.

If a woman does not comply, Shen Kuan only needs to use his methods to confuse her mind and make her obediently submit.

Shen Kuan laughs hoarsely, his gaze also falling on Sister Shilan.

Sister Shilan has a tall figure, standing out like a crane in a flock of chickens among the maids, possessing a unique charm.

"Northern women are taller, and their feet are larger, lacking the gentleness of Southern women. But between the sheets, they like to say some vulgar curses, which has a unique flavor."

"Oh?"

Zhao Yang laughs: "Master Shen is indeed knowledgeable!"

"But this is Cousin Renfeng's personal maid, and I am like brothers with my cousin; if I were to steal his love, I fear it would not be good."

Shen Kuan laughs and shakes his head: "Young Master Renfeng also treats this old man well; naturally, this old man cannot do such a thing."

The conversation between the two is almost naked, without any cover, making Sister Shilan, who is standing on the side, feel ashamed and angry; when had she ever suffered such humiliation?

However!

Her face dared not show the slightest anger.

In the Xie manor, she might still have some status and be able to say a few words among the servants, but in the eyes of these high and mighty ladies and young masters, what difference is there between them and slaves? Life and death are all at their whim.

The life of a slave, from the moment of birth, is firmly pressed upon them by the Confucian rites; they are powerless to resist and unable to escape.

Who in Bianjing does not know the name of the fourth young master of the Zhao family, Zhao Yang?

And that old man beside him is even a practitioner, with strange methods, especially good at confusing women and making them do shameful things.

I don't know how many women have fallen for his tricks and become his playthings.

If she were truly to be like this, she would rather jump into a well and leave cleanly.

Shen Kuan laughs and says: "In recent years, this old man doesn't like this type either; I am especially fond of petite girls. The older one gets, the more one likes young girls, haha, there is a feeling of returning to youth. When a woman gets older and her skills get deeper, it makes this old man seem useless."

Hearing this, Zhao Yang also laughs loudly and echoes: "Didn't Cousin Renfeng recommend a maid today? Her name is... Sister Wu Tong, saying her appearance is better than the young ladies in the manor, and she is still a virgin, not one of those mediocre powders in the brothel."

"I was originally a bit tempted, but that princess incident last time also implicated Master Shen; this time, consider it my apology to Master Shen."

"Young Master is too polite!"

Shen Kuan is also interested and says: "Since it was recommended by Young Master Renfeng, it must be good goods; maybe I can play with her for ten days or half a month, and let this old man treasure her."

Hearing this, Zhao Yang knows deeply that this personal bodyguard of his has a hobby; basically, the maids sent to him are tortured to madness within a few days.

Moreover, he also liked to keep the most favored parts of the women he took a fancy to as a collection.

Hearing this, Sister Shilan's eyes finally show a look of panic.

Sister Wu Tong!

Young Master Renfeng recommended Sister Wu Tong, "offering a treasure" to Zhao Yang and the old man!

Two years ago, she even went to Xie Guan to ask for Sister Wu Tong to come to this second courtyard.

At that time, Xie Guan did not allow it!

She even felt sorry for Sister Wu Tong; after all, compared to the environment Xie Guan was in, the second courtyard was much better.

What could Xie Guan achieve? A concubine's son with no one to rely on; who knows when he might die inexplicably in the courtyard one day, just like them, the servants.

But now, why would Young Master Renfeng so easily give Sister Wu Tong away?

Young Master Renfeng's reputation in the manor has always been very good; he treats servants extremely kindly and never beats or punishes them like the young ladies and masters in other courtyards.

Moreover, he always acts with grace, making people feel like they are bathed in a spring breeze.

Sister Shilan had also fantasized that if something could happen with Young Master Renfeng, perhaps she could become the mistress of the second courtyard.

However, she dared not seduce or have an affair with her own master; if that happened, she feared there would be no place for her in the Xie manor.

Sister Shilan still does not believe Young Master Renfeng would do such a thing; it is mostly Zhao Yang talking nonsense, or something Lady Zhao ordered and he had no choice.

Young Master Renfeng mostly cannot do such a heartless thing.

But if it is not someone from the Xie manor, who would know Sister Wu Tong is beautiful?

Just as Sister Shilan is thinking anxiously.

A figure slowly walks into the pavilion.

"Ganzhi, greets Young Master Zhao Yang!"

Seeing Ganzhi, Zhao Yang's eyes light up, but then he frowns slightly and asks: "Why are you alone? Where is Sister Wu Tong?"

The head maid Ganzhi, who looks to be only in her early twenties, wears a dark green silk dress, which outlines her graceful figure.

Unlike little maids like Sister Shilan, she has a mature charm.

Ganzhi's expression does not change, and she explains Sister Wu Tong's situation.

"Xie Yuan!"

Zhao Yang says angrily: "Xie Yuan, repeatedly ruining my good deeds!"

He and Xie Yuan are both playboys of the great clans in Bianjing, so conflicts are inevitable.

Plus, their personalities are originally very different, and he has angered Zhao Yang several times.

Once, he took a fancy to a "great master" in the Xifeng Tower, famous for her zither skills, and was about to forcibly take her back to the manor, but was stopped by Xie Yuan.

He has rarely met him within this year; it is said he changed his nature and wants to study.

Zhao Yang certainly does not believe it; can a dog stop eating excrement?

Zhao Yang has not tried to let Shen Kuan secretly give Xie Yuan a lesson, but Shen Kuan told him that Xie Yuan has a Heavenly Star realm expert bodyguard behind him, and there is also a drunken scholar who often follows behind him, and Shen Kuan cannot see the depth of that scholar.

Moreover, Xie Yuan's uncle is a teacher at the academy and is also a great cultivator who has ignited the divine fire, so Shen Kuan is also unwilling to offend him easily.

Shen Kuan is calm and says nothing.

Zhao Yang's face is angry; what he just said, isn't that slapping his own face.

"Then what should we do now?"

"Sister Wu Tong is just a maid of a concubine's son of your Xie family; how can it be so troublesome."

"After the matter on Young Master Yuan's side is finished, Ganzhi will definitely personally send Sister Wu Tong to the Young Master to apologize."

Hearing this, Zhao Yang's expression improves slightly.

His gaze lingers on Ganzhi, especially staying for a moment on her fair face and the fullness on her chest.

This one is the personal maid brought by Lady Zhao from the Zhao family; usually, this type of maid has a special role, which is "bed-chamber attendant."

Zhao Yang looks at Ganzhi's posture of walking, and the girl's temperament that seems not to have completely faded from her body, and secretly guesses in his heart that she should still be a virgin!

This makes him feel pleasantly surprised, so he looks at Shen Kuan with a smile.

Shen Kuan naturally understands the meaning contained in Zhao Yang's eyes.

Using soul methods to control this head maid Ganzhi, and having a "fish-and-water joy" here without anyone knowing, or just taking advantage, is also a beautiful thing.

The two have not done similar things before.

The princess last time was like this!

Unexpectedly, Shen Kuan shakes his head at Zhao Yang and whispers:

"Inside the Xie manor, that Master Mingshan has returned; Young Master, we also need to be more cautious."

"Young Master has deep blessings and is naturally safe, but this old man fears for his own safety; how can I continue to follow the Young Master in the future and protect him?"

Shen Kuan is clear in his heart; the Great Qi princess incident last time was actually secretly acquiesced by the Zhao family; if not for that, how would he dare to offend the princess of the golden branch and jade leaves?

Now that the imperial power is gradually declining, it is not something a cultivator in the Heavenly Star realm dares to offend.

The Zhao family's power has been increasing day by day in recent years; this kind of self-defiling act is just to make Prime Minister Su feel at ease, so the aftermath was smoothed over, turning big matters into small ones, and leaving them unsettled.

This Xie family is different, especially this Xie Hong; he has seven parts of fear in his heart.

Xie Hong is a scholar who ignited the divine fire before he was twenty; his name is simply deafening.

Shen Kuan knows his own weight; he dares not easily offend such a person.

At this time, Xie Hong has returned home; if he dares to make a move, the Xie manor will probably become a dragon's pool and tiger's den.

After hearing this, Zhao Yang also recalls Xie Hong, whom he should respectfully call uncle-in-law.

When he visited his uncle-in-law before, the indifferent gaze he looked at him with made an indescribable fear quietly climb into his heart.

In the eyes of the great clans of the Great Qi, the head maid of the legal wife is no different from a concubine, and both are part of the family's face.

If Ganzhi were offended, it would be no different from slapping Xie Hong hard in the face.

He understands that once this matter is truly investigated, even his mother would probably be unable to protect him.

So he dispelled the thought.

At this time!

In the lake, a small boat leisurely rows out from the backyard, slowly sailing toward the magnificent Grand View Garden.

At this moment, it is just when Xie Hong returns to the manor.

Everyone's gaze gathers in unison on the backyard waterway leading to the Grand View Garden, looking forward to this second courtyard master.

A lonely boat breaks the tranquility of the lake and comes leisurely!

The lotus flowers in the lake have withered, and the eyes are full of withered lotus leaves, with only a few green leaves dotted among them, appearing particularly rare.

Autumn is thick.

The boatman wears a bamboo hat, sits steadily at the stern, and gently shakes the oar, and the small boat slowly moves forward.

By the lakeside, in several exquisite pavilions, everyone stands up one after another, their gazes crossing the sparkling lake, focusing on the small boat that is gradually becoming clear.

Everyone is looking forward to it.

Just see!

At the bow of the small boat stands a young boy.

It is late autumn, and today dark clouds cover the sun, but just at this moment the dark clouds disperse, and strands of sunlight fall into the lake, shining brightly on the lake surface.

The boy at the bow seems to feel something and raises his head slightly; he has a straight posture and an extraordinary temperament, and even if his face is slightly blurry from a distance, that unique temperament makes it hard for people to move their eyes away.

For a time, his style surpasses the autumn scenery of the whole lake!

Zhao Yang looks sideways slightly, scanning the young masters and ladies in the surrounding pavilions, all of whom cast their gazes at that person, especially the exclamation in the women's eyes, and a wave of displeasure rises in his heart.

In his life, he dislikes being outshone by others the most, and even more dislikes those who have better family backgrounds and appearances than him.

With brows tightly locked, Zhao Yang asks unhappily: "Who is this person?"

Seeing this, Ganzhi is also slightly surprised.

"This person is Xie Guan."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 275 =====