Last Concern

Early the next morning.

Jiang Fu'an wolfed down breakfast, carefully tucked twenty taels of silver into his robes, then pushed open the door and headed toward the county town.

Yesterday, he had already persuaded the neighbors on both sides.

Without spending a single copper coin, he had settled the transfer of a thousand mu of farmland.

As for the trifling procedures of changing ownership and affixing seals, Sun Xiuyuan had promised yesterday that he would help handle them.

That was the first thing he needed to do in town today.

The second was to hire official craftsmen to survey the land and build the house.

That idea had also come from Sun Xiuyuan.

Now that the family had children cultivating immortality, hiring government craftsmen would earn them some benefits.

Third, he needed to buy some gear.

Exploring a cultivator's cave dwelling at night was no child's play. He needed something to rely on for protection.

Yet the moment he stepped over the threshold, he spotted the Xu brothers, hunched with their necks tucked in beside the stone roller at the threshing ground.

The moment they saw him come out, the two hurriedly rose and jogged over.

Xu Lao'er rubbed his hands, red with cold, and asked eagerly,

"Brother Jiang, when can we break ground on our house?"

Seeing how impatient they were, Jiang Fu'an found it somewhat amusing.

He jerked his chin toward the village entrance.

"Let's talk as we walk. I'm heading to the county town today to hire official craftsmen to survey the terrain first and draw up construction plans.

"If you two are free, you might as well come along."

"Official craftsmen?"

Xu the Elder walked half a step behind Jiang Fu'an, his pace hesitant.

"Would they be willing to build a house for our family?"

Official craftsmen generally served only the court and wealthy dignitaries. Poor folk like Xu the Elder would never even dare dream of it.

"Don't worry. I've already thought it through."

Without slowing, Jiang Fu'an laid out the plan he had considered last night.

"This time, I plan to combine the adjoining homesteads of your family, mine, and Uncle Xu's, and build one large residence.

"On paper, the ownership will all be under my name. But once the residence is finished, you'll naturally be given a side courtyard to live in."

Xu Lao'er's eyes widened at once, and he blurted out,

"Then isn't this still just building a house for your family? Can't you build a small one just for us?"

Naturally, Jiang Fu'an would not agree to build them a separate house.

The reason he wanted to gather the three households together was precisely because the Xu brothers were honest and filial, people he could trust.

In the future, he still hoped these two could become guards for the household.

If the residences were built together, they would treat the entire compound as their own property and guard it accordingly.

That was far more cost-effective and dependable than hiring outsiders at a high price.

Naturally, though, he could not speak of such thoughts openly yet.

Jiang Fu'an's expression remained unchanged as he explained unhurriedly,

"If we build separately, we won't be able to hire official craftsmen. If we hire private craftsmen, the expense will be as vast as the sea. Where would I get that much silver right now?

"Besides, think about it. Once such an impressive grand residence is built, how much face will you have when it comes time to arrange marriages?

"When girls see a household like that, how could they not be pleased?"

Xu Lao'er's furrowed brows loosened unconsciously when he heard the words "arrange marriages."

He smacked his lips, seeming to find that reasoning rather sensible.

Xu the Elder still felt that something was not quite right, but when he turned to look at his younger brother and then considered their ages, he knew they truly could not afford to delay any longer.

He sighed dully and said no more.

The three traveled in silence, but their pace was swift, and before long they entered the county town.

They first went to the county yamen to call on Sun Xiuyuan.

When Sun Xiuyuan heard about the farmland transfer, he was very straightforward. He immediately summoned a clerk and gave him detailed instructions.

What had originally been a complicated and time-consuming exchange of documents was handled properly in less than an hour with the clerk personally leading them around.

After walking out from beneath the county yamen's blue-gray walls, Jiang Fu'an stopped and said solemnly to the Xu brothers,

"From now on, when we're outside, call me 'Master.' When speaking to others, just say I hired you to watch the house and guard the courtyard."

Both brothers were stunned. Xu the Elder asked in confusion,

"Why is that?"

Jiang Fu'an had long prepared an explanation and answered calmly,

"I'll have many miscellaneous matters to deal with in the future. From surveying the land to construction, I'll need you to help keep watch over things at all times.

"With the title of 'house guards,' you'll have a proper standing when dealing with those official craftsmen and masters, and when you give instructions."

The brothers exchanged a glance, lowered their heads to consider it for a moment, and felt that it did make sense. They nodded in agreement.

How could they have imagined that once they took on the identity of house guards, it would be for a lifetime?

Next, Jiang Fu'an led the two to the official craftsmen's office.

After some negotiation, they settled on the construction schedule and payment. He had the Xu brothers take the official craftsmen back to the village first to survey the land, while he turned and slipped into the bustling market.

He needed to purchase the things required for exploring the cave dwelling alone at night.

Over the past few days, he had pondered it again and again, and already had a thorough plan in mind.

First, he needed to buy a pair of thick felt boots and find a blacksmith to hammer iron studs into the soles.

That way, even on mountain paths sealed in ice and buried in snow, he could keep his footing and would not slip.

Second, he needed to buy a pouch of throat-burning strong liquor.

The mountains were bitterly cold at night, enough to freeze the very cracks in one's bones. In a critical moment, a mouthful could get the blood moving and keep his body from stiffening.

Last came weapons.

A dagger concealed close to his body, and a long saber comfortable for hacking and slashing.

A snowy night was not utterly silent. There was no telling when starving beasts might come out to forage. If he encountered one, he needed the means to fight.

As for thick winter clothes and leather armor for protection, he already had them at home as an old hunter, so there was no need to spend more.

From that day onward, Jiang Fu'an was so busy his feet barely touched the ground.

During the day, he had to oversee the official craftsmen as they surveyed the foundation, discussed the plans, and transported materials.

At night, someone needed to patrol and guard the construction site against wild animals or petty thieves.

The night watches, however, were shared in rotation between him and the Xu brothers.

It was during this process that Jiang Fu'an naturally suggested that, since they had to come out on patrol at night anyway, they might as well walk a few extra steps and keep an eye on the old houses where the three families still lived.

The Xu brothers considered it. It really was merely a matter of taking a few extra steps, so they agreed.

With someone helping guard the small courtyard at home, Jiang Fu'an's last concern about exploring the cave dwelling at night was dispelled.

In the blink of an eye, a month had passed.

The season had reached Lesser Cold.

That day, a piercing cold wind swept through. The sky was dim, and by afternoon, goose-feather snowflakes began to drift down in a swirling flurry.

It was bitterly cold outside, cold enough for exhaled breath to freeze. The official craftsmen all tucked in their necks, stopped work, and hurried back to their warm homes.

Night fell, yet the snow had not stopped.

Jiang Fu'an first finished "plowing" Su Wanqing. Only after she had fallen asleep from exhaustion did he quietly rise.

He dressed himself completely—thick leather coat, studded boots, leather armor—then slung the packed basket over his shoulder.

He told no one of his plans for that night.

Only at dusk did he casually ask the Xu brothers, while guarding the construction site, to pay a little extra attention to his family's small courtyard and watch out for thieves.

He gently pulled open the courtyard gate, then turned back and closed it.

Jiang Fu'an's figure silently vanished into the wind and snow filling the sky.