Secret Chamber

Peach Blossom looked toward Lin Fei for help; she dared not agree on her own, for after all, the fine clothes and abundant food she enjoyed now were all provided by him.

"This is a favor my family owes, and I shouldn't be asking you to repay it, husband, but I..."

Peach Blossom did not continue, fearing that a wrong word might cause Lin Fei to despise her.

The social concepts in Nanli City were the same as those in ancient feudal society: men were superior and women inferior.

Within a household, the man held the highest status.

Especially in wealthy families, the master's word was law.

Whether a wife or a concubine, one had to respect her husband.

If a husband were displeased, a wife could be cast aside, and a concubine could be sold.

Although Lin Fei was a kind-hearted man, he did not like to meddle in unnecessary affairs.

He had helped Peach Blossom initially for two reasons: first, seeing her sell herself to bury her father had stirred his compassion; second, he did not want to see her ruined and her life destroyed by a butcher.

But Xinghua's family was different.

Xinghua's father was a degenerate gambler; a man like that would never change unless he lost everything and brought ruin upon his family.

Helping such a person would likely end up bringing nothing but trouble upon himself.

However, Lin Fei and Peach Blossom had already consummated their marriage and would be together for the long term.

As the saying goes, a single night as husband and wife brings a hundred days of grace.

Regardless, Lin Fei had to give Peach Blossom some face.

"For Peach Blossom's sake, I can help you. But I will say this clearly: I am only helping this one time."

"Thank you, thank you, brother-in-law!"

Xinghua thanked him repeatedly, as if she had grabbed onto a life-saving straw.

Peach Blossom also looked at him with gratitude, stepping forward to wrap her arms around Lin Fei's.

Lin Fei thought for a moment and said, "I will give you two choices. The first is that I give you a sum of money to start a small business yourselves; that should be enough to feed your family."

"The second choice is that I have a residence in South City where your family can go to work. However, the treatment will be that of servants. From then on, your family will have no worries about food or clothing and will even be able to save some money."

Upon hearing that Lin Fei would give them money, Xinghua's father's eyes lit up.

"Thank you, master..."

But before he could finish, Xinghua made the decision first.

"Brother-in-law, we choose the second option. If you give us money, my father will sooner or later gamble it all away, and our lives will be just as they are now."

"Working in a large estate, no matter how hard or tiring it is, at least we will be able to eat our fill and have a roof over our heads."

Lin Fei couldn't help but nod, taking a few extra looks at the young girl, Xinghua.

She was a clever girl who understood the difference between one full meal and being fed for a lifetime.

Perhaps she had been terrified enough and no longer wanted to live a life where debt collectors came knocking and she could be sold at any moment.

"Very well, then pack your things; we are leaving now."

Xinghua's family lived in Peach Blossom's old house, which was already bare, and with her father being a degenerate gambler, all their belongings had long since been lost.

The only things in the house worth packing were a tattered mat and two worn-out quilts.

Yet, when they left, Xinghua told her parents to take nothing at all.

This detail made Lin Fei feel a bit wary.

As the saying goes, a poor home is still worth ten thousand strings of cash; even if the items in a house are worthless, they are still one's own.

Keeping them could serve as a memento.

He had agreed to help them, but they hadn't even reached a stable life yet, and to throw everything away like this seemed a bit too clever for his liking.

Or perhaps, it showed a lack of sentimentality.

The haunted house had been abandoned for many years, but after some time spent tidying and rearranging, it looked brand new.

Seeing the grand estate, Xinghua couldn't help but cry out.

"Wow... what an impressive house!"

This was also Peach Blossom's first time here, and she was equally startled to see such a large residence.

The main gate was over ten meters wide, enough for three or four carriages to enter side by side.

Compared to the small house in East City, it was indeed far more imposing.

As the gates opened, twenty guards stood on either side, holding long staves and looking quite formidable.

"Greetings, Master!"

This scene made the girls, who had never seen such a spectacle, feel a bit intimidated.

Peach Blossom gripped Lin Fei's arm, looking somewhat nervous.

Lin Fei smiled, patted her hand, and asked, "Where is Steward Bai?"

A guard replied, "Replying to Master, Steward Bai is currently inspecting the land reclamation at the back mountain. I shall go notify him at once."

Lin Fei and the others went to the front courtyard parlor, where the maidservants immediately brought over tea and pastries.

Xinghua and her family were at a loss, unsure whether to sit or stand.

After quite some time, Bai Yansong finally arrived, panting for breath.

"Master, you have returned."

"Steward Bai, these three are people I have brought back. Arrange their living quarters first. As for what they will do in the future, I leave the arrangements to your discretion."

Bai Yansong swept a glance over the family of three, then nodded.

"Yes, Master. I shall arrange it shortly."

"I also have an urgent matter that I wish to report to you, Master."

Bai Yansong looked up slightly at Lin Fei, his expression turning serious.

He glanced at Peach Blossom, Xinghua, and the others, hesitating as if he felt it inappropriate to speak in front of outsiders.

"Master, could we step aside to speak?"

Bai Yansong walked to Lin Fei's side and whispered a few words into his ear.

Upon hearing this, Lin Fei could not help but show a look of surprise.

"A secret chamber?"

Bai Yansong had just told him that while a maidservant was cleaning, she had inadvertently opened a hidden secret chamber.

Lin Fei was immediately intrigued.

The original owner of this grand mansion was a wealthy merchant; the secret chamber he built might very well contain a hoard of gold, silver, and jewels.

"Peach Blossom, I have some business to attend to. You stay here and rest for now."

"Steward Bai, lead the way!"

Bai Yansong led Lin Fei through the halls and courtyards until they reached a room in the back garden.

Outside the room, four guards stood watch.

"Master, the secret chamber is inside."

"Ever since the maid discovered it and reported it, I have ordered men to guard this place. No one is allowed to enter, waiting specifically for your arrival."

Lin Fei patted Bai Yansong on the shoulder; this old man was not only shrewd but also understood the rules well.

"Let's go, let's head in together and take a look!"

Lin Fei and Bai Yansong walked inside. The room had been cleaned and was free of any clutter, containing only rows of bookshelves.

"Where is the secret chamber?"

"Master, please wait a moment."

Bai Yansong walked to the bookshelf at the very back and pushed it with force; the wall behind the shelf actually moved.

The bookshelf rotated like a revolving door, revealing a pitch-black space within.

"This was originally a study for storing various books, and these shelves were not taken away. When the maid was cleaning, she discovered that this particular shelf could not be moved."

"Later, a few maids pushed it with all their might and accidentally discovered the entrance to this secret chamber."

Lin Fei looked at the dark, cavernous chamber, from which a faint, chilly breeze blew, causing him to shiver.

"There aren't any traps or hidden arrows inside, are there?"