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"Brother Qingzi, my father once sold a raccoon for six taels of silver. It was about the same size as yours, that steward sold it too cheaply."
After the three of them had moved away from Wanfeng Building, Shen Xiaohu began to express his dissatisfaction on behalf of Shen Qing.
"Hey, you were rather lucky. If they had decided to use force, they wouldn't have given you a cent, and you'd have nowhere to reason with."
Zhang Shuyuan sat leisurely on the cart, at some point having taken out a small booklet, reading it with great interest.
Shen Xiaohu exclaimed, "Doesn't the government care here? We've never been short on various taxes every year."
"This place is far from the Dragon Court, and the officials sent from above all look to the faces of the Four Great Eastern Families. A strong dragon does not suppress a local tyrant. You'll understand after you've been here struggling for a while. The government here has always been about collecting money without doing anything."
Zhang Shuyuan glanced at Shen Xiaohu and said meaningfully, "If you cause trouble for the government, the first thing they do is deal with the troublemaker, which is you."
Shen Xiaohu opened his mouth slightly, words stuck in his throat, unable to speak.
Although he had never traveled far since childhood, he had seen the state Tian Chuan was in after being beaten to death.
He understood these truths.
It was just... there was some dissatisfaction in his heart.
Nearby, Shen Qing listened to the conversation between the two, remaining silent.
Why was it so difficult for people like them at the bottom to rise?
Whenever they had any harvest, if they wanted to enter this county, they could not escape the exploitation of the Four Great Eastern Families and the government.
Upon entering the city, they were exploited once. When trading, another layer was peeled off. Every year, various pretexts took another layer.
For them at the bottom, being able to eat their fill was a luxury. How could they have the energy and capital to rise?
Like Zhang Shuyuan said, today he was considered lucky.
At the end of the day, he was still too weak. He still needed to practice martial arts and quickly find a way to secure a backing, change his martial arts register.
"Sir, do you know where Linfeng Hall is?" Shen Qing asked while holding the reins.
...
Shengshi Square.
Majestic courtyards were neatly lined on both sides of the street, and as far as the eye could see, the roads were paved with bluestone, clean and sparsely populated.
The snow on the ground had been thoroughly cleared, piled on the sides of the street.
Shen Qing drove the cart and stopped in front of a courtyard with single-story houses.
At the entrance, a pair of stone lions crouched on either side, one paw grasping a ball, another protecting the young, majestic and solemn.
Above the doorway flanked by the stone lions hung a black plaque with gold lettering, inscribed with the three large characters "Linfeng Hall."
Standing at the entrance, Shen Qing and the others could faintly hear the sounds of exercise and shouting from inside.
Little Aunt Shen Xiu was initially sold to a wealthy family in the county. Because of her beauty, her days were passable.
When the grandparents were still alive, she could return to visit once a year.
Even after the grandparents were gone, they did not lose contact, occasionally sending some items to the Shen Family through others.
But without pregnancy over the years, her days in the wealthy family gradually became difficult, making it hard for her to come out and contact them frequently.
When his parents died back then, she couldn't return to the Shen Family either.
According to what his uncle said, not long ago, Little Aunt was sold again, this time to the master of Linfeng Hall, becoming a concubine.
Since he had come this far, he should visit her, and following his uncle's instructions, inquire about Shanwa's entry-level martial arts training.
Shen Qing walked up the bluestone steps, clutching the bronze ring on the vermillion gate, knocking three times slowly and steadily.
After waiting a while, the vermillion door opened inward, revealing a face with prominent brow bones.
"Who are you, and what are you here for?"
Shen Qing stepped forward to explain his purpose, "My aunt is Shen Xiu, the concubine of Master Li inside. I have something in the county, and my family asked me to bring some mountain goods for her, please relay the message."
"Relatives of Miss Qi's maiden family? Wait here at the door."
As soon as the voice fell, the large door closed with a bang.
Shen Qing remained indifferent, waiting patiently at the door.
After a moment, the vermillion door opened again, "Come in."
"Thank you."
Shen Qing, accompanied by Shen Xiaohu, walked in briskly, handing over the cart and carriage to Zhang Shuyuan.
Upon entering the courtyard, they were confronted by a dozen or so robust men, each bare-chested, lifting stone locks, their bodies radiating heat.
Although it was the middle of winter, the courtyard felt as warm as spring, a sight that was astonishing.
Shen Qing paused briefly before being led by the gatekeeper to a side room in the front courtyard, waiting for Aunt Shen Xiu.
Master Li Linfeng, the owner of Linfeng Hall, had operated the martial arts hall for many years and had some renown in the county, with many family members.
As the family's estate grew, so did the rules.
Outsiders and men could not enter the inner courtyard or interact with the women without permission.
After waiting in the side room for about a quarter hour, a beautiful lady who bore some resemblance to Shen Qing pushed open the wooden door and came in.
The Shen Family might not match others in many ways, but in terms of appearance and demeanor, they were second to none.
His aunt had skin as delicate as porcelain, thin lips, a high nose bridge, and a pair of almond-shaped eyes filled with liveliness.
She was a true beauty, bearing no trace of her hunter's origins.
"Are you Shen Qing? The eldest son of the elder brother's family? I didn't expect you'd grown so much, the last time I saw you, you were still just a little kid."
Aunt Shen Xiu entered the side room, her steps somewhat cautious, her waist faintly round.
She recognized her nephew and spoke with a gentle warmth, her gaze soft.
Aunt Shen Xiu found a soft cushion, sat on the chair, and asked, engaging in small talk, "Are Second Brother and his family well?"
"Thank you, Aunt, for your concern. Uncle and Aunt are all well."
"That's good. When Elder Brother had his accident, I couldn't return. Nephew, don't blame me. I really couldn't help it." Aunt Shen Xiu's face darkened, seeming to recall many sad things.
Shen Qing quickly said, "How could I blame you, Aunt? The situation of our family, if others don't know, our own family knows very well."
"Alas..." Aunt Shen Fang sighed and asked, "Did something happen at home that made you come to see me?"
"Aunt, nothing happened at home." Shen Qing stood up, pulling Shen Xiaohu beside him, and said, "This is Xiao Hu. We rarely have a chance to enter the county, so Uncle asked me to bring some mountain goods and visit you."
Aunt Shen Xiu showed several traces of happiness on her face, smiling, "You all are so thoughtful."
After Shen Qing finished speaking, he patted Shen Xiaohu on the back.
Shen Xiaohu understood, bringing a basket full of mountain delicacies to place at Shen Xiu's feet.
"These are just some Hericium erinaceus, bamboo mushrooms, lamb's tripe, and the like. Aunt can have the cook make some dishes with flavors from home if you're free."
Aunt Shen Xiu smiled warmly, "It's been a long time since I've tasted the flavors from home. Now I can indulge a little."
"As long as Aunt doesn't mind," Shen Qing said, standing up and bowing slightly, "Besides visiting Aunt, Uncle indeed entrusted something to discuss with you."
Aunt Shen Xiu's face didn't change, maintaining her gentle tone, "What matter is it? Let me hear it first and see if I can help."
Shen Qing's expression became increasingly respectful, showing a hint of embarrassment in asking for a favor, "Uncle wants to know if you could help us brothers enter Linfeng Hall to train in martial arts?"
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