A true master

"For this courtyard, and the main house and side rooms over there, send two quick, capable workers to clean them every three days. One tael of silver a month, with a bonus if they do well."

Standing in the courtyard, Xia Yi told the servant broker he had summoned, "The servants' quarters probably won't be occupied anytime soon. I'll occasionally have your people clean them once or twice, paid separately."

The broker beside him was around thirty, with regular features. At his words, she looked slightly troubled. "Sir, you see, this is a sizable residence. I'm afraid cleaning once every three days won't keep it clean. Why not..."

"It's fine. I'm not that particular about cleanliness."

The rest of her words caught in her throat. In over a decade as a servant broker, this was the first time she had met anyone... so frank?

"You must be joking. Once every three days really puts me in a difficult position. If I assign workers to you, they'll have nothing to do on the other two days. No other household will want servants who can't come one day out of every three." She added, "If you insist, then as for the price... oh, no, I'll take the loss. I can't let you lose out."

"My suggestion is that you simply buy two capable maids from me. I'll charge you just twenty taels of silver. After that, all you need to do is feed them and give them somewhere to stay..."

An extremely faint fluctuation of Saint Soul power reached him.

Xia Yi found it rather amusing. The Deception Scripture?

He said nothing and watched her perform.

It wasn't that hearing about the inferior rat Saint Soul at Wangjiang Tower yesterday had frightened Zhou Xiaoxian into agreeing to let Xia Yi hire servants to clean today. Today was the start of term at the Holy Academy, and Zhou Xiaoxian had gone there early that morning. From now on, she would spend most of her time cultivating at the Holy Academy and have no time to manage the cleaning.

Old Xia, all alone, wasn't quite used to suddenly having no one around. This broker was just the person to relieve his boredom.

In the study of the neighboring residence, a portly middle-aged man bent over his desk, wielding his brush. Just as he finished writing several large characters, a knock sounded at the study door.

"Come in!"

"Master." A young man dressed as a servant entered with his head slightly lowered. "Someone else just went into the courtyard next door. A servant broker."

"A servant broker?" The middle-aged man's expression shifted slightly.

Although the tracks for the Railway Carriage now covered all seven kingdoms, shortening the distance between cities, a carriage was still a carriage, however fast it went. The saying that a close neighbor was better than a distant relative still held true in this day and age.

Wang Xun had taken notice as soon as the neighboring residence sold. Normally, newcomers ought to pay visits to their neighbors, but several days had passed without the visit he expected.

More remarkably, his new neighbors rarely ventured out. Even now, all he knew was that an old man and a young girl had moved into the courtyard next door. He had never even seen their faces.

Their only visitor was a boy who always came and went in a great rush.

Since they made no effort to associate with their neighbors, Wang Xun felt certain they weren't merchants like himself.

Yet being able to afford a large residence worth over a thousand taels proved they certainly weren't ordinary people. On the Saint Soul Continent, people like that were generally accomplished soul cultivators-"masters."

Thus, Wang Xun had long been considering paying them a visit himself, but he feared they might be reclusive by nature. Hearing about the broker's arrival immediately perked him up.

"Prepare a gift. We're going over."

A short while later, he arrived outside Xia Yi's courtyard with a servant carrying a gift box. Before he could knock, he clearly heard the voices inside.

"The way you put it, buying two maids really does sound like quite a bargain."

"A bargain. Of course it's a bargain."

"Just room and board? Hmm, food... in that case, I'll need a cook too. You have good cooks, don't you?" Xia Yi asked.

"Yes, yes, yes. Of course."

"Well, with maids and a cook, I might as well spend a little more. Give me two guards to watch the house, someone to tend the flowers and plants, and someone to handle purchases and bookkeeping. You have all those, right?"

"Yes, yes, yes." The broker's voice grew positively cheerful. "For cooks, I have three grades, and the guards are also..."

"Give me the best of everything!"

"Certainly! Let me work out the price..."

"All right, keep dreaming. It seems I have a visitor." Smiling, Xia Yi walked toward the courtyard gate and pulled it open.

"D-dreaming?" The broker looked bewildered.

Outside the gate, Wang Xun faced Xia Yi rather awkwardly. How had he forgotten to knock while listening? "My apologies, sir. My name is Wang Xun, and I live next door. I've come to pay my respects and congratulate you on your new home."

"Wang... Xun?" Xia Yi paused briefly, then smiled. "Thank you. Please come in."

[Xia Yi's favorability -1]

[Current favorability: 19 (goodwill)]

Wow, has that old gay geezer gotten upset because I haven't visited in too long? So annoying! So annoying!

Resting his chin in both hands, Shi Lai sat quietly in a corner of the bustling classroom, looking out of place. The first-year students were getting acquainted with the second-years. He had been skipping class all along, so never mind the older students-he didn't even know any of the new ones.

Of course, that wouldn't stop him, a player, from striking up conversations to look for quests. What really stopped him was... "What are you looking at?! Surprised to see me here? Didn't expect it, did you?"

Feng Mo froze, a vicious glint flashing in his narrowed little eyes. But after glancing at Zhou Xiaoxian, who was watching from nearby, he ultimately said nothing.

At Xia Yi's residence, Wang Xun was just about to enter when the broker finally caught on and stormed over. "Sir, are you making a fool of me?"

"Yes, I am. What of it?"

Xia Yi admitted it so readily that the broker was at a loss instead. Only after a moment did she begin shouting at the top of her lungs. "Hey, you old bastard! Two maids, a cook, two guards, a gardener, and a purchasing agent-that comes to 180 taels. If you don't pay today, I'll show you which way the gates of Lieyang City open!"

Servant brokers dealt in buying and selling people. None of them were kindly souls.

"The gates? As I recall, there are gates in all four directions. If you're so capable, go open a few more. If not, stop barking!" Xia Yi shot back.

The broker faltered, then left without another word, storming out without even a parting threat. But anyone with eyes could tell she had gone to fetch help.

Wang Xun stood completely rigid in the doorway. Only when Xia Yi addressed him again did he force a smile, take the gift from his servant, and offer it.

"Sir, there's no need for me to come in and sit. I still have matters to attend to at home." He cupped his hands briefly and was about to leave, then hesitated and added, "I've heard of that broker. She's fairly well known here in East District Three, and she even has a Three-Star Tianji cultivator working under her. She's not someone to cross."

"You... take care of yourself."

Xia Yi smiled. "Understood. Thank you for your kindness. I'll come pay you a visit later."

Wang Xun acknowledged him and turned to leave, passing a thin middle-aged man. Only as he was about to step through his own courtyard gate did he sigh softly and whisper to his servant, "I hope that broker doesn't end up holding a grudge against me too. What rotten luck. How foolish of me. A master? What master would get into an argument with a servant broker..."

"Senior, this is an invitation from the Deputy Dean. He invites you to visit the Holy Academy tomorrow afternoon to observe the selection of the Four Little Talented Scholars and the talented maiden."

"Oh? Teacher Hu Jun? Sorry for making you run this errand. I've received the invitation. Sorry to trouble you again, but please tell Deputy Dean Luo Ti I'll be there on time."

"Senior, you're too kind."

Deputy Dean? Holy Academy? Luo Ti?

The voices from next door stopped him abruptly in his tracks. Those three key terms flashed through Wang Xun's mind, and he suddenly remembered something that had caused an uproar throughout Lieyang City a few days earlier:

"Four-star guard commander Lin Gong was attacked without cause and died horribly in the street, while five-star military governor Shu Hu was actually severely injured by an old man's flying kick!"

"Unconventional, with hidden depths." He immediately changed his tune. "Now that's a true master!"

Beside him, the servant lowered his head without a word.

Master, whatever you say.