An Invitation

An Invitation

"Yes! Yes! Free meals!" Steward Gao said, looking at Zheng Fa expectantly. His tone was even more courteous than the last time he had come. "Would it be convenient?"

"Please come in, Uncle."

Zheng Fa invited Steward Gao and his son into the little courtyard. His little sister Zheng Shan scampered over and brought two small stools.

"Uncle Gao, you were the one who gave us this furniture." Looking at the two little stools, Zheng Fa smiled. "I should have thanked you long ago."

"What does such a little thing amount to?" Hearing this, Steward Gao hurriedly waved his hand, though much of the awkwardness he had shown upon entering faded away.

"Uncle, this is..."

"Worthy nephew, I heard from Gao Yuan that you taught him an immortal family's secret art?" Steward Gao set down his chopsticks and asked cautiously.

"It can hardly be called an immortal family's secret art."

"Then you did teach him one!" Steward Gao slapped his thigh and revealed his purpose. "I came this time specifically to bring him here and properly thank you."

"Steward Gao, you brought us so many things last time. We haven't even finished eating all that food yet." Before Zheng Fa could speak, Mother Zheng opened her mouth.

"Madam, that amounts to nothing. It cannot compare to an immortal family's secret art!" Steward Gao said disapprovingly.

Seeing that Mother Zheng still wanted to refuse, he said, "I heard Madam has always wanted to find a ready-made clothing shop."

Zheng Fa glanced up at him.

"Worthy nephew, please do not misunderstand. You devote yourself wholeheartedly to studying and martial arts, so you may not know, but quite a few people in Zhao Residence are watching you now." Steward Gao hurriedly explained.

Zheng Fa was not surprised. He had no foundation in Zhao Residence, but he had now become something of a figure, neither great nor small. Naturally, he drew attention.

What concerned Zheng Fa more was the matter of the ready-made clothing shop. He looked at Mother Zheng and, sure enough, her expression was very hesitant.

Mother Zheng had always wanted to do some work and earn money. She looked at Zheng Fa, and Zheng Fa gave a slight nod.

"If we can find a shop, then we'll have to trouble Steward Gao."

Steward Gao was overjoyed. "Perfect! My wife's younger brother has a shop under his name. Madam can go over in a couple of days."

As he spoke, he took out a sheet of paper and placed it on the table.

"Wait..." Zheng Fa frowned. "What do you mean by having my mother go there?"

"To take over the shop, of course!"

Mother Zheng hurriedly said, "I only wanted to find a shop and take on some work."

"Madam, this shop is not worth much. Ah... we are all family here. This is my shop, merely registered under my wife's younger brother's name." Steward Gao said frankly.

"If Madam has someone you trust, then transfer the shop to them. If not, and if you trust me, the shop can remain under my wife's younger brother's name, and I'll have someone deliver the monthly earnings to you."

This was indeed normal practice in Zhao Residence.

Although signing a deed of sale meant one could not possess private property of one's own, once someone reached Steward Gao's position, such arrangements were exceedingly common.

Madam probably understood that perfectly well too.

Otherwise, why would so many people flock to compete for a mere bookboy position beside Seventh Young Master?

Zheng Fa was even certain that as long as he remained in Zhao Residence, Steward Gao would definitely send this money over.

Gao Yuan suddenly spoke up. "Zheng Fa, just accept it. My father has more than one shop."

Zheng Fa: ...Was it really alright to sell out your own father right to his face?

Sure enough, Steward Gao's face darkened. He shot his foolish son a glare, then smiled bitterly at Zheng Fa. "Worthy nephew... I know our family has gained an enormous advantage, but no matter how much I offer, it still feels too little. If you refuse even this shop, I truly will not be able to sleep..."

Zheng Fa looked at Steward Gao's expression, which plainly said, If you do not agree, I am not leaving, then looked at Gao Yuan beside him and nodded.

After the two left, Mother Zheng stared blankly at Zheng Fa. "Our family... just gained a shop?"

After leaving Zheng Fa's home, Steward Gao let out a long breath.

Gao Yuan behind him asked in confusion, "Father, is that enough?"

"Enough? Enough for what? Even Seventh Young Master said Zheng Fa has a great power behind him. This is an immortal family's secret art—would one shop be enough? Our family came to make our position clear." Steward Gao glared at him. "Remember this in the future: if Zheng Fa tells you to go east, you cannot go west!"

"Our family serves the Zhao Family. We are supposed to listen to Zheng Fa?"

"...In any case, so long as he does not tell you to betray the Zhao Family, just listen to Zheng Fa!"

"Then what if Seventh Young Master and Zheng Fa come into conflict?"

"I can see that Seventh Young Master is also wary of the person behind Zheng Fa. Zheng Fa's thigh is thicker than Seventh Young Master's." Steward Gao gritted his teeth. "Stand with Zheng Fa!"

"Father, would this... count as betraying our master?" Gao Yuan asked uneasily.

"Do not say our family. Your father is the steward of the Second Branch. What does the young master of the First Branch have to do with me?" Steward Gao looked as though he had taken a firm stand.

"But I am the young master's bookboy..."

"Exactly. You are betraying your master, not your father."

"Wait, wait, wait..."

Seventh Young Master's wail came from the study. "I only blinked once—how did we get to this point?"

He looked at Zheng Fa, who was holding a brush and working through the problem before him, his eyes full of clear bewilderment.

"...It is very obvious!" Zheng Fa looked equally baffled.

"Obvious? Why can't I see it?" Seventh Young Master protested. "This secret art is too difficult!"

Gao Yuan beside him also wore a bitter expression.

Neither of them was learning very well.

Other than Talisman Diagrams, Seventh Young Master was practically good for nothing at his studies. No matter how he learned, he could not understand it.

Gao Yuan was somewhat better. He had studied bookkeeping under the accountant and could roughly understand a little less than half, but learning it was extremely painful for him.

Neither had the kind of good brain Zheng Fa needed.

The teaching process even made him want to apologize to Old Man Bai—teaching idiots really could be this painful.

In truth, out of caution, Zheng Fa had also abridged this copy of Middle School Mathematics, Volume One. It mostly contained applications rather than more fundamental proofs of theorems.

But for the two of them, who had never received a modern education, it was still somewhat difficult to understand.

"Zheng Fa, do you have any simpler manuals?" Seventh Young Master seemed to feel that he truly could not learn this, and he pleaded with Zheng Fa.

"I do." Zheng Fa took out a copy of Elementary Mathematics.

"I knew it! You were holding something back!" Seventh Young Master happily took it.

"I was not holding anything back. This is for my little sister to study."

Seventh Young Master's hand froze. "How many little sisters do you have?"

"One. You have met her. She is six this year."

Seventh Young Master and Gao Yuan exchanged a look. Both saw the same conflicted expression on the other's face: They had never heard of an immortal art manual that required shamelessness to cultivate!

The next day, Seventh Young Master seemed to have skipped class and did not come at all.

Steward Wu, whom they had not seen for a long time, stood in the study as though waiting for the two of them.

When he saw them enter, his gaze settled on Zheng Fa.

"Zheng Fa, Madam invites you for a talk."

"Invites?" Gao Yuan was somewhat confused by the word.

But Zheng Fa seemed to have been waiting for this day all along. He nodded to Steward Wu and said calmly, "Please lead the way, Steward Wu."

This copy of Middle School Mathematics was for Seventh Young Master, but it was also written for Madam.

Ever since he had cultivated the Spirit Crane Body, Zheng Fa had repeatedly asked himself the same question:

As a woman who controlled a thousand-year-old family, as a mother, what would she do when an untraceable, uncontrollable bookboy suddenly appeared beside her son?

And none of his answers seemed particularly optimistic.