Old Mr. Chu

The jingle of the motorcycle gradually grew closer.

Shen Tang trotted back after finishing her inquiries, feigning mystery. "Why aren't you asking me, Yuan Liang? Aren't you curious about that person's news?"

Qi Shan remained composed, calmly uttering words that made one clench their fists. "You Li isn't one to keep secrets."

Shen Tang: "..."

She often felt like jumping up and performing a cranial surgery on Qi Shan.

"It's truly a miracle you've lived this long with a mouth like that," Shen Tang teased. Qi Shan, however, didn't even flinch. She relented, "According to the butcher at the meat stall, that old gentleman is quite the 'celebrity' around here. His surname is 'Chu'."

Qi Shan asked, "Which character?"

There weren't many surnames with the same pronunciation.

Shen Tang had specifically asked the butcher and others. They replied, "It should be the 'Chu' from 'taking ancient attire and calling it Chu,' the 'Chu' for clothing."

Upon hearing it was this Chu, Qi Shan's brow twitched almost imperceptibly. However, Shen Tang was two steps behind him and didn't notice.

"Chu... this surname is rare in both Xin Kingdom and Geng Country."

Shen Tang asked, "Which country is it common in?"

Qi Shan shook his head, avoiding the question. He changed the subject, "Besides the surname, did you find out anything else?"

Shen Tang said, "The butcher also mentioned that this old Mr. Chu was a slave sold cheaply at the market five years ago. There were over thirty slaves brought then. He also heard that there were originally over two hundred slaves, intended to be sold elsewhere, but they got an epidemic halfway there, and only this many were left. They had to be sold nearby in Xiaocheng. Because they had contracted the plague, the slaves were very cheap..."

Qi Shan asked, "Five years ago? Are you sure about the timing?"

Shen Tang carefully recalled the butcher's words, "The butcher wasn't too clear either, maybe it was a little over five years... Old Mr. Chu was bought by Moonlit Pavilion as an add-on, and he's been there ever since. I even specifically inquired about what Moonlit Pavilion is..."

Before she could finish, Qi Shan said, "It's a brothel."

Shen Tang's steps faltered. She looked at Qi Shan's back with a strange expression and muttered, "How do you know so much?"

What kind of place was a brothel?

A place where both men and women could go for pleasure.

Qi Shan didn't answer directly. He turned his head and spoke in a tone used to admonish a child, "You Li isn't old enough to understand these things yet."

Shen Tang: "..."

She made a rude gesture in her mind.

Sister here got her adult status centuries ago, thank you!

Qi Shan asked, "What does this gentleman do at Moonlit Pavilion?"

Shen Tang looked bewildered. "He's definitely a handyman in the kitchen. Old Mr. Chu is old and not strong, he can't do heavy work. At most, he helps with washing dishes, scrubbing bowls, serving food, and other chores. At his age, what else do you think he can do?"

Qi Shan: "..."

He'd bet three coins that Young Master Shen had it all wrong.

Also--

Qi Shan said calmly, "This person is rather peculiar, with many contradictions. From our brief chess match earlier, I could tell his attainments in Literary Heart and Word Spirit are not low, at least not below mine. This Xiaocheng truly hides dragons and crouching tigers; it's quite interesting."

Shen Tang was surprised. "Not below yours?"

"Perhaps, even above it."

Shen Tang was confused. "If he has such talent, even if he fell to the point of being bought by a brothel, he wouldn't be doing so much menial work in the kitchen, would he? It shouldn't be difficult for him to live better on his own, but his clothing doesn't suggest that."

Even a slave with a skill.

Qi Shan lowered his gaze and gave a cold laugh.

"Who knows what he's thinking? However, speaking of the surname 'Chu,' it reminds me of an old case."

Upon hearing this, Shen Tang's gossipy soul was awakened, and she immediately became spirited. According to the usual pattern, this so-called "old case" was more likely than not related to old Mr. Chu.

Even if he wasn't the principal party, he was a close relative.

This was the routine!

"What old case?"

Qi Shan smiled. "The hundred kingdoms under heaven have intermarriages, with relatives everywhere. A few years ago, Xin Kingdom was powerful, and the surrounding small nations followed its lead, not hesitating to offer their own princesses to Xin Kingdom's imperial harem. One of these princesses, who became a concubine, was surnamed 'Chu'."

"Oh, and then?"

Qi Shan continued to tell Shen Tang the story. "This 'Chu' surname princess from another country, upon entering the Xin Kingdom's imperial harem, was favored by the King of Xin. Her prestige was unparalleled, forcing even Nü Jiao, who was already favored, to avoid her. It is said that this favored concubine was well-read, gentle, and kind. Soon after, she became pregnant, showing great potential to become the empress. However, she miscarried at five months and died mysteriously."

Shen Tang listened intently to every word, afraid of missing a key point.

"I bet this matter isn't as simple as it seems."

Qi Shan nodded. "Naturally, it wasn't simple. Rumors abounded in the marketplace. Some said the favored concubine was caught having an affair with a guard by the King. Others rumored that the fetus in the concubine's womb actually belonged to Zheng Qiao. And shortly after this, Zheng Qiao returned to his country, and Xin Kingdom sent troops to annihilate the concubine's home country. It is said that during the conquest, the King of Xin also secretly ordered a massacre of the city, causing great turmoil among the royalty and nobles of that small country... Judging by the King of Xin's attitude, those marketplace rumors might have some truth to them. Of course, it's also possible that Zheng Qiao schemed, harming and framing this favored concubine to ensure a smooth return to his country."

Shen Tang: "..."

Was this the legendary "what goes around comes around"?

Xin Kingdom had also committed acts of conquering and massacring cities, tormenting foreign royalty, showing no dignity to prisoners of war. Now it was Zheng Qiao's turn to destroy Xin Kingdom, not only copying Xin Kingdom's past actions but also innovating, forcing the Xin Kingdom's royal family and princesses to surrender [naked].

This was called "the student surpasses the master."

Shen Tang guessed, "Do you mean that this Elder Chu might be a member of the royal family of that small kingdom?"

"It's hard to say. It's possible, and it's also possible that he isn't." The largest surname in the destroyed small kingdom was "Chu," which was too broad to determine his identity. However, he definitely held a grudge against the Xin Kingdom.

Qi Shan slowly exhaled, suppressing the complex emotions churning in his chest. "Let's not talk about that for now. Young Master Shen, let's go to our lodging and settle down first. We can take care of other things slowly."

They would have to spend some time in Xiaocheng.

Shen Tang shrugged indifferently. "I'll do whatever you say, Yuan Liang."

Unfamiliar with the place, she could only rely on this "guiding NPC."

Qi Shan led Shen Tang to a small, secluded residence.

Although the house was small, it was well-equipped and exuded the owner's meticulous care. The owners were an elderly farming couple, appearing to be in their fifties. As soon as they appeared, the old woman smiled and came forward, leading Shen Tang to her room.

The room was close to the courtyard. Opening the wooden door revealed the courtyard's central well. Qi Shan would be staying next door. After the old couple left, she asked, "Do you know these two, Yuan Liang?"

The old couple's interaction with Qi Shan was familiar, like old acquaintances.

Qi Shan replied, "Yes, for about five or six years..."

Shen Tang raised an eyebrow.

She didn't know if she was being overly suspicious, but she inexplicably cared about "five or six years."

I read some comments saying that Literary Heart and Martial Gall are discriminatory, and it made people uncomfortable. I'll address this here.

Settings like Literary Heart and Martial Gall are considered old tropes that were popular a few years ago.

Male-oriented novels often have a setting where women cannot possess these abilities. In this novel, it's a setup to increase plot conflict. The novel's background is similar to ancient times in a fictional setting, where women's status is inevitably restricted. The Literary Heart and Martial Gall settings are also a nod to the imperial examinations and martial arts exams, with certain prototypes.

There's no need to rush the current situation.

In my opinion, discrimination isn't the key issue. The key is to overthrow this discrimination during the course of the plot.

P.S. There will be quite a few key female characters (specifically those active in their careers) in this novel. To put it crudely, the main theme of this novel is "doing a career is better than doing people."