In the beginning, he was ranked alongside An Shigeng as a spoiled brat.

Page 44

"Is it?"

An Shigeng narrowed his eyes; Ji Yaohua's analysis was indeed seriously flawed.

A descendant of the renowned Japanese master Yagyu? And standing behind Zhang Xiaoshan like a bodyguard, this is a sign of a samurai's loyalty.

"Give the order to check the Zhang family's current guards."

"Yes!"

After Ji Yaohua left, An Shigeng became even more curious about what Zhang Xiaoshan had hidden.

Meanwhile, Zhang Xiaoshan took Liu Sheng Piaoxu to the Hong Mansion.

Today is the day the second floor of the Red Mansion is open to the public.

As "The Story of the Stone" neared its end and gradually gained fame among literati, and with the second and third floors fully decorated, Zhang Xiaoshan prepared to open the second floor to the market.

As for the third floor, Zhang Xiaoshan was not fully prepared yet.

The private rooms on the second and third floors are named after the Twelve Beauties of Jinling, and each contains a scroll of judgments.

The third floor features the Twelve Beauties of Jinling, and Zhang Xiaoshan plans to recruit the most beautiful courtesan from Lin'an Prefecture, with Manager Feng as their representative.

The second floor mainly features secondary and additional secondary concubines, totaling twenty-four.

There are too many choices for secondary hairpins; half of them can be selected from just a hundred Silla maids, and the other half is even simpler.

Lin'an Prefecture was a prosperous place, and there were countless beautiful women from Jiangnan known as "slender horses" (a euphemism for prostitutes).

Therefore, the second floor was opened ahead of schedule, and preparations for the third floor required finding eleven stunningly beautiful courtesans.

As soon as the Red Mansion opened its doors, the guests who entered saw that the fountain in the center of the main hall, which originally resembled an Aquarius, had been replaced by a 'flying stone' that was three feet high and two feet in diameter.

The densely packed characters on the Flying Stone are the very beginning of The Story of the Stone!

Such a huge flying stone, if it were a single piece, simply couldn't be transported in.

Moreover, the Flying Stone is enormous, so it's impossible for it to suddenly appear here silently in the middle of the night.

For a moment, everyone looked at the flying stone as if it were a miracle.

Chapter Sixty-One: The Arrival of Wanyan Honglie

"Is this the Red Mansion?"

Amidst the bright lights, a group of people arrived in front of the Red Mansion.

Looking at the huge restaurant with its endless stream of customers and constant noise, everyone's eyes revealed a sense of longing.

They had never seen such a magnificent sight in the north.

It's well known that only the wealthy and powerful frequent this place; such a large flow of people signifies its extravagance and daily wealth.

"Among the restaurants in Jiangnan, Hongfu is the most prestigious!"

It's not just the luxury here, but also the culture. Do you all know what "Red Mansion" means?

Wanyan Honglie showed off his knowledge, but what could he do when he brought along a bunch of roughnecks?

Everyone looked on with longing, as for whether it was culture or not.

they do not know.

All they need to know is that Jiangnan Restaurant is the best.

Eating here would definitely make you look very prestigious.

"Gentlemen, let's have a big meal tonight, and then we'll move out in the middle of the night."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Upon hearing this, everyone was overjoyed. Once inside, compared to the dazzling lights outside, it was as bright as day inside, and the hall was packed.

Not to mention that a private room is extremely difficult to book.

"Sir, we are ginseng customers from the north. Do you have any seats?"

Ginseng merchants from the north?

Shopkeeper Feng glanced at Wanyan Honglie and the others, her beautiful eyes narrowing slightly.

What kind of guests are they? Wanyan Honglie's attire clearly indicates that he is a nobleman from the north, while the others, no matter how much they try to conceal the fierceness in their eyes, are all people from the martial arts world.

"Of course there are seats available, everyone..."

"Sister Feng, I'll take care of them. You can attend to other things first."

Suddenly a voice came, and Manager Feng saw Zhang Xiaoshan walking down with Liu Sheng Piaoxu.

Since Zhang Xiaoshan had come forward, Manager Feng naturally knew that the visitor was no ordinary person, not just any important figure. Therefore, she lowered her head and went about her business.

"Lord Wanyan, we meet again. Please come in!"

"I never expected to meet Young Master Zhang here."

The reason Wanyan Honglie didn't go to the Zhang residence but instead stayed here was because he didn't want to see Zhang Xiaoshan.

Zhang Xiaoshan is too mysterious, and he may have an impact on their plans.

But I never expected to run into them here.

They brought Wanyan Honglie and his son, along with five top experts from the Jin Kingdom, to the second floor. The private room was decorated in a classical and elegant style, with an extremely luxurious overall layout.

Moreover, the graceful maids coming and going on the second floor made several Jin Kingdom experts drool.

These Silla maids were all beauties chosen from among hundreds, and after being carefully dressed up, they were even more exquisite and charming.

"The third floor is not open, Your Highness, please bear with us for now."

"Young Master Zhang, you're too kind. The second floor is quite nice too."

How could Wanyan Honglie possibly blame him? Besides, this place is really nice, much better than his residence in the north.

"Your Highness, please forgive me. Tonight's expenses are on me. If there is anything I have done to impress you, please forgive me!"

"Don't dare!"

"Don't dare!"

···

"Young Master, who are those people?"

"Don't ask too many questions about these things; the more you know, the less safe you are."

We are just businessmen doing business; everything else is none of our concern!

Zhang Xiaoshan looked at the curious Shopkeeper Feng and gave her a low warning.

There are bottom lines to doing business, and Zhang Xiaoshan didn't want Manager Feng to get involved, mainly because she was just a weak woman. However, he turned around and instructed Liu Sheng Piaoxu:

"Keep an eye on them and keep a distance of more than ten feet. They should still have one Grandmaster-level expert who hasn't arrived yet, namely the Western Poison I let go last time."

If they go to the palace, ignore them and just return to report.

"Yes, son!"

Liu Sheng Piaoxu nodded, becoming much more wary upon hearing about the Grandmaster level expert.

However, Zhang Xiaoshan learned of their plans, especially given the relationship between the Western Poison Master and Zhang Xiaoshan. These people are likely to suffer a setback.

"Young master, you're doing a double standard, allowing officials to set fires while forbidding ordinary people to light lamps."

"These are all desperate criminals who will stop at nothing to do their jobs."

Sister Feng is just an ordinary person; it's definitely not a good thing for them to suspect her. If I stay out of trouble, I can still save face.

Zhang Xiaoshan left the Hong Mansion carrying a bottle of fine wine.

He didn't seem to care much about what Wanyan Honglie was doing.

After all, the Wumu Legacy isn't in the palace. As for Iron Palm Peak? We can just have Guo Jing go there later.

"Son!"

Inside the Zhang residence, Zhang Xiaoshan had just returned when a sumptuous dinner was served.

After Huang Yaoshi left, Huang Rong moved into the Zhang family and became Zhang Xiaoshan's personal cook.

Originally, Zhang Yuan and Huang Yaoshi intended to get married before Huang Yaoshi left.

But Zhang Xiaoshan did not agree. How old was Huang Rong at this time? Not even sixteen years old, the age when she would have just started high school in later generations.

The previous act of eating the forbidden fruit was an earlier incident.

Therefore, Zhang Xiaoshan attended an engagement banquet, but the wedding was held three years later, when Huang Rong was nineteen years old.

Moreover, these three years were also a period in which Huang Rong's strength increased rapidly.

Getting entangled in romantic relationships would inevitably hinder his progress in strength, and Zhang Xiaoshan didn't want to have another burden by his side.

Huang Yaoshi did not object to this.

At least Zhang Xiaoshan had many reasons to persuade him.

"How was your cultivation today?"

Upon hearing about cultivation, Huang Rong, who had been enthusiastically introducing the new dishes, suddenly looked displeased.

She disliked cultivation, and she felt an intense hatred for Zhang Xiaoshan, who forced her to cultivate, wishing she could tear him to pieces.

"With the Zhang family's resources, it's not a problem to help you reach the level of a Xiantian master in three years."

Don't look so resentful; this is something so many people dream of.

"Hmph, cultivation is boring!"

Zhang Xiaoshan shook his head at Huang Rong. Knowing Huang Rong's personality, he didn't try to persuade her further.

When adolescence arrives, saying more will only backfire.

"I'm giving you some motivation. You are the canary now, and the Zhang family is the birdcage that traps you."

If you reach the Innate Realm and master the Nine Yin Divine Claw and Spiral Nine Shadows techniques, then I will allow you to travel the world before your wedding and return before the wedding.

In other words, if you reach the Innate Realm within a year, you will have two years to travel.

If one fails to reach the Innate Realm within three years, one will be forever confined to this inner quarters, deprived of freedom.

"Are you serious?"

Huang Rong's eyes lit up. Could she have reached the Innate Realm within three years?

In her opinion, it was really not difficult. The main reason was that with the resources of the Zhang family, there were as many as three thousand-year-old ginseng plants. Combined with the Nine Yin Manual, a method of refining essence into qi, the strength could be improved very quickly.

"Of course, once you reach the Innate Realm, you'll also have the ability to protect yourself while traveling the world!"

As he spoke, Zhang Xiaoshan looked at Hongxiao and Jiangxue to one side and encouraged them:

"You two should also work harder. From now on, you'll practice once every two weeks, and use the rest of the time for cultivation."

"Yes, Master!"

Upon hearing that it was once every two weeks, the two girls' eyes lit up and their cheeks flushed, knowing exactly what Zhang Xiaoshan meant.

Even Huang Rong couldn't help but glare at Zhang Xiaoshan resentfully.

However, she also knew that the two women were Zhang Xiaoshan's personal maids and that they had been intimate with him since childhood, so they posed no threat to her position.

After all, she is now the undisputed matriarch!

Chapter Sixty-Two: Ghost Again and Again Against Ouyang Feng

Night falls, the moon shines bright!

Zhang Xiaoshan, accompanied by Gui Yi and Liu Sheng Piaoxu, arrived at Niujia Village overnight.

At this time, Niujia Village was dilapidated and desolate, with only two households living there, as if they were living in seclusion and avoiding the world.

One family consists of Yang Tiexin and his wife, who have returned home, and the other is Guo Jing and Mu Nianci, the newlywed couple.

This is their former residence. Yang Tiexin and his wife did not take Zhang Xiaoshan's words to heart at all, thinking that this place was far away from the Jin Dynasty and absolutely safe.

As soon as Zhang Xiaoshan arrived, he woke up everyone who was fast asleep.