"I told you to find a way to reward Nanny Jiang some money, and you just went to Drunken Mansion and gave her directly the money?" Chu Binghuan's gaze turned cold, struggling to suppress the urge to vomit blood.

The two medical cultivators looked at each other in dismay and admitted, "Young Master, we did indeed give her the money as you instructed."

Chu Binghuan felt like vomiting blood for real. "Two strangers suddenly giving a huge sum of money to a brothel servant, so abrupt. Did you think Nanny Jiang is easy to dupe, or did you take Hua Che for a fool?"

The two medical cultivators felt wronged and didn't think they had done anything wrong.

Chu Binghuan, trying to contain his anger, said as calmly as possible, "With so many rich young masters in Hangzhou, couldn't you have found a way to use them? Giving them the money to reward Nanny Jiang, letting them show up, wouldn't that be more convincing than you two?"

"Right!" The junior brother of Yuntian Shuijing suddenly realized, "Young Master is wise. How did we not think of that?"

Chu Binghuan felt mentally exhausted.

Suddenly, Chu Binghuan sensed something and urged the two junior sect brothers, "Hurry, leave."

The two medical cultivators jumped out of the window, and Hua Che barged in through the door right after.

They locked eyes, and surprisingly, Hua Che was the first to feel embarrassed.

There was no way around it. As the Demon Lord who messed up the sky, the earth, and the air for so long, he was always brazen wherever he went.

What was knocking on doors? Could you eat it?

"Sorry about that." Hua Che smiled awkwardly, stepped back outside the door, closed it, and knocked again.

Chu Binghuan, who had been forcibly confined in the Fen Qing Palace Hall for three years, was already accustomed to this scene. He felt a sense of familiarity just now, but Hua Che knocking on the door again left him somewhat bewildered and at a loss.

He suddenly felt a bit disappointed "Come in!"

Hua Che obediently pushed open the door, trotted to Chu Binghuan's side, and ingratiatingly said, "Seventh Senior Brother, can you help me with something?"

Chu Binghuan was momentarily stunned and took a moment to adjust to this address. "What do you need?"

"I'm short-handed right now and can't find anyone else for the time being, so I have to bother Seventh Senior Brother." Hua Che leaned over and whispered, "Come with me to Drunken Mansion tonight and help me catch someone."

Chu Binghuan shivered all over. He didn't know if it was because Hua Che suddenly approached him, making his ears blush, or because he felt embarrassed as a thief. "What... what kind of person?"

"I don't know." Hua Che sat down on a stool, feeling frustrated. "A mysterious person who inexplicably gave money to Nanny Jiang."

Chu Binghuan silently cursed those two medical cultivators as idiots.

Hua Che continued, "You don't know Nanny Jiang. She's straightforward. She wouldn't accept ill-gotten gains like this."

Chu Binghuan said gently, "What is ill-gotten gains? If it's given by a guest, isn't it what she deserves it?"

Hua Che shook his head. "The point is the motive. She wouldn't accept this kind of money, leaving the charming and beautiful girls unrewarded and instead rewarding a lowly servant? Forget it, it's useless to say more. Anyway, if we catch the person tonight, we'll find out. Drunken Mansion is too big, and my cultivation is limited. I can only guard the front yard, so I'll trouble Seventh Senior Brother to guard the back door!"

Hua Che had already guessed that those people were not ordinary folks, so he knew he couldn't stop them with just his own cultivation.

Chu Binghuan couldn't help but curse those two medical cultivators again.

As night fell, Chu Binghuan reluctantly accompanied Hua Che to Drunken Mansion.

Hua Che was considered a frequent visitor to the Drunken Tavern. When he was young, he often came to see Granny Jiang. However, Granny Jiang eventually found the place too filthy and didn't want Hua Che to pick up bad habits, so she sternly forbade him from coming again.

It wasn't until he turned fifteen, on the verge of adulthood, that Hua Che returned, transformed into a handsome and charming young man. None of the girls in the pavilion recognized him; they thought he was just a country fellow coming to make trouble.

"Truly a case of seeing things in a new light after a few days' absence. The poor boy from before is now a celestial master," Old Bao said, shaking her fan with a strange smirk.

If it weren't for this brat, her cash cow wouldn't be walking!

Hua Che raised his eyelids to look at her, his lips curving into a perfectly timed smile. "We share the same joy."

Old Bao felt a bit embarrassed by his response. She huffed and said, "The flesh and blood of Meier is indeed extraordinary. Isn't the purpose of living in this world all about the word 'money'? Little celestial master, are you doing well in your sect? Are you well-fed and well-clothed? If you ever lack anything, come to my Drunken Bliss Pavilion. Sister will make sure you're not worse off than your mother was."

Old Bao teased with a smile, "Your mother had a hard time making a living, wandering around everywhere. What kind of life was that? All of us sisters have seen it. What exactly did your father do? He made your mother pregnant, then left you both alone. I've been in the Jianghu for so many years, I still have connections. If you need it, Sister can tell you some little information about your birth father."

Hua Che's expression turned icy, and he set down his teacup heavily, splashing the light wine.

"With hundreds of mouths to feed at the Drunken Bliss Pavilion, aren't you already busy enough, Auntie? Your reach is too long. Aren't you afraid of causing trouble?"

Old Bao's smile froze. She didn't know why, but she felt a little intimidated by this young man who had yet to reach adulthood.

Hua Che suddenly smiled again, the hint of sharpness disappearing from his eyes, returning to his usual cheerful and lively demeanour. However, his words were incredibly thought-provoking: "A word of advice, don't investigate him, and don't think you're clever enough to know everything. You've worked hard to manage the Drunken Pavilion. You wouldn't want it to turn into a place of bloodshed, would you?"

Old Bao was frightened away.

*

Hua Che smiled and glanced at the bustling entrance, feeling increasingly depressed. It was already the fifteenth of July. If they didn't come tonight, he would have to return to the Lingxiao Palace tomorrow.

"Hey, isn't that Master Qian?" Old Bao's loud voice rang out, and Hua Che followed her gaze, witnessing a scene of money raining down from the sky.

Old Bao cheerfully took the silver notes. "Young Master Qian, it's been a while since you last came. Taohong (NT : táo hóng red/pink peach) has missed you so much that she's been crying every day, and she's lost so much weight. You..."

"Go away!" Young Master Qian brushed Old Bao aside, his foxy eyes sweeping the entire hall. Suddenly, his gaze stopped, and he grinned. "Ask her to serve me tea!"

Hua Che was taken aback.

Old Bao said, "Nany Jiang, Young Master Qian wants you to serve him tea. Why aren't you going?"

"Okay." Nanny Jiang responded, setting aside the cloth and heading to the pantry to fetch a pot of well-brewed West Lake Longjing tea.

"Hmm, you old lady, quite nimble with your hands and feet!" Young Master Qian expressed his satisfaction, pulling out a hundred-liang silver note from his pocket, "Take this and spend it, it's my reward."

Old Bao's eyes bulged with jealousy.

Chu Binghuan sneaked into the main hall, thinking to himself that those two boys really put their words into action promptly.

Nanny Jiang honestly stated, " Young Master Qian, I'm just serving tea, I can't accept so much reward."

Young Master Qian impatiently retorted, "Take what I give you, why so much fuss?"

Nanny Jiang looked troubled, "But this..."

" Young Master Qian." Hua Che reached out and took Nanny Jiang's silver note, casually inspecting Master Qian from head to toe, and chuckled, "Are you not a cultivator from the immortal sect?"

Young Master Qian raised an eyebrow, "Who are you?"

"Why are you rewarding her?" Hua Che questioned.

"Is it any of your business?" Young Master Qian retorted.

Hua Che remained unperturbed, "What if she refuses?"

Young Master Qian slammed the table, "Hey! This is my reward. Why wouldn't she accept it? What's it to you anyway?"

"I'll tell you six words, why are you so worked up?" Hua Che slapped the silver note on the table, "Who let you do it?"

Young Master Qian's eyes flickered, "What nonsense are you talking about?"

"Not saying, huh?" Hua Che's eyes flashed with severity, and Young Master Qian, feeling guilty, made a quick exit.

Just as Hua Che was about to chase him, Chu Binghuan waved his sleeve, and the candles in the entire Tavern were extinguished instantly, plunging the place into darkness!

Even for cultivators, adapting to such conditions took time, not to mention... the chaos that ensued among the ordinary people in Drunken Mansion.

Hua Che didn't panic, swiftly casting a Light Fire Spell, lighting up all the candles in Drunken Mansion in less than ten counts.

In the brief span, Hua Che spotted Young Master Qian about to leave the threshold, but just as he took a few steps, a group of illusory butterflies rushed in from the door, causing another commotion in the hall.

By the time Hua Che managed to chase out, Young Master Qian had vanished.

Chu Binghuan caught up, "Don't chase. Nanny Jiang is still inside."

The butterflies were not real but formed from true elements and dispersed after a moment. Relieved that Nanny Jiang was not affected by the disturbance, Hua Che breathed a sigh of relief.

Then, he decisively looked at Chu Binghuan, "Could it be you who did it?"

Chu Binghuan, feeling guilty, looked away, "You're overthinking."

"Oh really? Isn't it too coincidental? First, the candles went out, then a bunch of true elemental butterflies." Hua Che folded his arms, a faint smirk playing on his lips, "Young Master Qian is a well-known figure in Hangzhou. As long as he's alive, I'll find out the truth sooner or later."

Hua Che paused deliberately, "If someone intends to resist stubbornly to the end, it's best to go kill to cover up the secret."

Chu Binghuan knew he couldn't hide anymore, "It was me."

"Hmm." Hua Che chuckled lightly, leaning back against the round table, "Explain yourself! Young Lord Chu, I may be poor, but I'm not starving. Do you really need to help me in so many extravagant ways?"

Hua Che didn't know what attitude to adopt.

Should he be moved by Chu Binghuan's sincere intentions?

Or should he be angry at Chu Binghuan's pity?

In his past life, Chu Binghuan looked down on him. Firstly, because Chu Binghuan was single-minded in his pursuit of Dao and medicine. His heart was filled with family, Dao, leaving no room for himself.

Secondly, because of Hua Che’s humble background.

One was from a rich and powerful immortal sect, the other was the son of a courtesan.

Hua Che was self-aware. He felt that Chu Binghuan looked down on him, not only Chu Binghuan, but how many people in the world?

Seeing Hua Che's pain from his self-deprecation, Chu Binghuan's heart twisted. He suppressed the impulse to embrace him warmly and struggled to soften his tone, "You misunderstand. I don't pity you, nor do I have any intention of looking down on you."

Hua Che was stunned.

"To Nanny Jiang, you're as close as a grandmother. I should take care of her for you. After the passing of your mother, she didn't abandon you but remained faithfully by your side, taking care of you so well. I appreciate her. Those silvers have nothing to do with you. They are for her."

Chu Binghuan gazed deeply at Hua Che, "Also, don't talk about charity. We have been engaged for a long time. There's no distinction between your asset and mine. What's mine is yours."

 

Translator : DarNan