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Outside Jingzhou City, a carriage was speeding along.

Zheng Fa lifted the carriage curtain and praised the driver, Gao Yuan, "I didn't expect you'd have the skill to drive a carriage!"

Gao Yuan flicked the reins, urging the horse forward, a smile on his face. "The Six Arts of the Gentleman – rites, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and mathematics. Back then, everyone else was learning calligraphy or archery, but my father made me learn charioteering."

Zheng Fa was even more impressed. "Your father has quite the ancient style. There aren't many scholars who learn driving."

The Six Arts of the Gentleman was already a somewhat ancient concept, and charioteering was something very few scholars cared about.

"Uh, my father probably didn't think that way." Gao Yuan grinned. "My father said learning other things was a waste of money. Learning this, if I couldn't study well, I'd still have a skill to make a living!"

"Your father has quite... the wisdom for survival."

Zheng Fa felt a sudden surge of respect for Steward Gao, whom he had never met.

Inside the carriage, the Seventh Young Master placed his fist in front of his mouth to hide his upturned lips and said with a frown, "Pull down the curtain, it's full of dust."

Most roads in this world were dirt roads, and the passage of horses kicked up a lot of dust.

Zheng Fa lowered the curtain, then turned to look inside the carriage.

This was the carriage the Seventh Young Master used when going out. The horses were the same as the Danzhu Ox from before, also possessing Spirit Beast bloodlines.

The interior of this carriage was worlds apart from the ox cart Zheng Fa had ridden in.

There was a main seat inside the carriage, covered with thick blankets, and the Seventh Young Master was lounging lazily on it.

Zheng Fa sat down, and the cushion beneath him was soft, seemingly with a shock-absorbing function. He didn't feel any bumps at all as the carriage moved.

The Seventh Young Master pulled out a small drawer from under the armrest of the main seat.

Inside the drawer were several stacked jade boxes.

The Seventh Young Master's movements were very gentle. With his personality, Zheng Fa had never seen him act so cautiously.

He opened a jade box, revealing a yellow piece of paper about the size of his palm.

Before Zheng Fa could get a clear look at the paper, it spontaneously combusted, instantly turning into wisps of smoke.

The next moment, a gentle breeze, cool and refreshing, appeared out of thin air within the carriage.

The dust that had entered the carriage was blown away, leaving only a faint scent of grass and wood, which seeped into his lungs and refreshed his mind.

Zheng Fa felt as if even his breathing had become much clearer.

"What is this?"

"Hmm, Talisman Paper," the Seventh Young Master said, putting the jade box back. "This is the least valuable one, a Clear Wind Talisman. Oh, one Clear Wind Talisman could support your family for ten years."

Zheng Fa grinned.

Gao Yuan also curiously poked his head into the carriage. "Talisman Paper? Let me see, let me see!"

"Watch the road!" the Seventh Young Master almost jumped up.

"I've just never seen a real immortal talisman!" Gao Yuan retracted his neck.

"I'll send you home when we get back!" the Seventh Young Master grumbled.

It wasn't just Zheng Fa; Gao Yuan didn't really care.

After interacting with him for these few days, even Gao Yuan had to admit that besides being unable to speak properly, having a foul mouth, being annoying the moment he opened his lips, and being easily beaten to death outside, the Seventh Young Master had no other major flaws.

As for sending him home, the guy had said it more than a hundred times in the past two days.

Gao Yuan said with some envy, "Zheng Fa, you're truly going home, and you can even bring your mother and sister to the city. Madam treats you really well!"

Hearing this, the Seventh Young Master became uncomfortable.

He remembered his mother's teachings from a couple of days ago and felt that there was some other intention behind this kindness.

He had come this time because his mother had mentioned it.

His mother's reasoning was that since he was going to bestow a favor, he should lower himself and leave no room for criticism.

Still a youth, the Seventh Young Master felt as if he had ulterior motives this time.

While he was still conflicted, he heard Zheng Fa's voice, "Yes, Madam treats me very well. Seventh Young Master, you've also come, which is also very good."

The Seventh Young Master looked up and saw Zheng Fa smiling at him, as if he could understand his hidden guilt. He said firmly, "It's really very good."

Zheng Fa had indeed seen some of Madam's intentions.

As Gao Yuan had said, in the eyes of others, this was Madam's regard and favor towards their family. If he valued his reputation and conscience in the future, no matter what achievements he made, he would have to remember this kindness and repay it.

If one were to think more cynically, perhaps there was also the idea of controlling his mother and sister within the Zhao Family...

But honestly, Zheng Fa didn't mind. In the end, Madam could reunite him with his mother and sister and allow them to live a better life.

That was enough.

As for other things, judge by actions, not intentions.

The Seventh Young Master was stunned, looking a bit embarrassed, his lips pursed as he avoided Zheng Fa's gaze.

He turned his head and lifted the curtain to look outside, muttering, "I haven't been to the manor to see yet. I want to go and take a good look this time!"

The village.

The sun was setting, and Mother Zheng was still standing by the door, anxiously gazing outside.

As dusk gradually fell.

A small figure appeared, carrying a bamboo basket three times the size of her head, slowly hopping towards the Zheng family's door.

"Shan'er!" Mother Zheng quickly walked forward, took the basket from her daughter's hand, and examined her from head to toe.

Zheng Shan's pant legs were still stained with mud, and her forehead was sweaty.

Seeing that her daughter wasn't missing any limbs, Mother Zheng finally let out a sigh of relief. Angrily, she pinched Zheng Shan's ear: "Why are you back so late? Do you know I was worried sick!"

"Mom! It hurts!" Zheng Shan wailed, tilting her head to explain, "I wasn't playing! I took a long way around..."

"You took a detour?" Mother Zheng asked, loosening her grip.

"Yes, Wang Gui has been blocking the road and bothering me these past few days. I was scared, so I took a longer route," Zheng Shan nodded.

"Wang Gui... he's getting more and more out of hand!"

Mother Zheng said with a frown.

"His dad should really do something about him!" Zheng Shan also grumbled angrily.

Mother Zheng sighed. Ever since her son refused the money from Steward Wang's family, Wang Gui's bullying of Zheng Shan had intensified.

Because of Zheng Fa, he didn't dare to truly harm Zheng Shan, but he could certainly be a nuisance.

As for Steward Wang?

Knowing Zheng Fa's attitude towards his family, he probably wouldn't bother to discipline Wang Gui anymore.

Since Zheng Fa was still working as a page at Zhao Manor, Steward Wang wouldn't take action himself.

But for these minor incidents now, afterwards, he could just say it was just children being childish.

"Don't tell your brother about this when he gets back," Mother Zheng suddenly said. "Tomorrow, I'll go gather Pig Grass Leaves."

"I'll go! After brother left, Mom has been doing all the chores. I can go, I just need to avoid Wang Gui. Brother used to do even more chores than me!" Zheng Shan protested, holding onto the basket.

"Don't tell your brother."

Mother Zheng tenderly wiped the sweat from her daughter's forehead with her sleeve and reminded her again.

"I won't tell. Mom said, brother is a page at Zhao Manor, it must be difficult for him too," Zheng Shan nodded heavily. "We can't let him worry about us."

Mother Zheng pulled her sensible daughter into her embrace.

Zheng Shan snuggled playfully in her mother's arms, then suddenly said in a complaining tone:

"Wang Gui also said that brother is living the good life at Zhao Manor and told me to beg brother to take me to the city to enjoy myself!"

"That won't do! Your brother is all alone at Zhao Manor, he's already walking on eggshells. He doesn't have that kind of influence! Saying that would make him sound arrogant!"

"I know, he just wants brother to be like him, get spanked and sent back!" Zheng Shan looked up, her face filled with the pride of understanding everything. "Brother always brings me back good food!"

After saying that, she licked her lips, as if recalling the delicacies from a previous food box.