Chapter Twenty-Three: It Was Delivered to the Estate by Young Master Chen

"Xiyue, has the Xu family found new seeds again?"

Zhou Xiujing wore a perpetual smile. His silk robes rippled with the spring breeze entering the hall, giving him the air of a true noble youth. He had just seen Xu Xiyue deliver several more batches of seeds to the military supply tent, where they were being graded by the officials in charge.

Yet, he felt no concern. Medicinal herbs like Buddha’s Armor, Agarwood leaves, and Golden Lampstems, while seemingly common, were essential military supplies. Their sources were already spread throughout the land, and their quality had long since stabilized; it was difficult for any one family to pull ahead.

His own family’s supply, however, came from the "Qunyu Yaotai," ranked fifty-second on the Profound Gate List—a source his uncle, a government official in the capital, had specifically secured for him. Zhou Xiujing could not fathom how the Xu family, whose patriarch had built their fortune from nothing, could possibly find better seeds. Thus, he continued to question her with a tone of arrogance and condescension.

This time, Xu Xiyue did not remain silent. She simply nodded. "I happened upon some better seeds."

Zhou Xiujing smiled, dropping the subject of the herbs to inquire about her past. "Xiyue, the scenery of Mount Qixia is said to be quite pleasant—with autumn moons over frosty skies, white clouds brushing the heavens, and green mists drifting from the peaks, winding through pines and rocks. It is truly refreshing. If there is an opportunity in the future, I must ask you to take me for a stroll there."

"It is said that although there is no Profound Gate on Mount Qixia, there lives an immortal. Having lived there for so long, have you ever seen this immortal?"

Xu Xiyue replied listlessly, "The scenery is indeed pleasant, but the mountain paths are winding. It is not easy to reach the heights to take in the full view."

Zhou Xiujing laughed heartily. "I know you possess the cultivation of Divine Essence, ranking among the top of our young generation in Sunan Prefecture. I cannot compare to you, of course, but I have already cultivated True Origin; my internal energy has already formed a 'Wondrous Tree,' and it is on the verge of bearing fruit. No matter how winding the paths of Mount Qixia may be, they should not be able to stop me."

"Once these matters are concluded, and once the Xu family’s fields are planted with my family’s herbs, you will be free of your shackles. Then, we can arrange to visit Mount Qixia together."

"You..." Xintong, catching the implication in his words, was struck speechless with rage. Had they been anywhere else, her temper would have surely led her to lash out. But this was the prefectural office, and today was a crucial occasion that concerned the future of the Xu family. She could only suppress her anger, glaring coldly at him.

Zhou Xiujing was also nursing a private resentment. He toyed with the lid of his teacup. Ever since Xu Xiyue returned from Mount Qixia, he had humbled himself time and again to court her. Every young master and lady in Sunan Prefecture knew of his intentions. Yet, this Xu lady treated him with total indifference, even going so far as to throw an embroidered ball to choose a suitor, effectively slapping his face in public. This had caused his bitterness to grow.

However, he was waiting patiently for an opportunity—like today.

*Today will decide the life or death of the Xu household,* he thought, taking a sip of tea, his eyes flashing with a cold light. *Once the Xu family’s fate is sealed, let’s see how arrogant you can remain. When their herb contracts wither away, if you want the Xu family to survive, you will have no choice but to beg me.*

Thinking this, he felt an immense sense of satisfaction, the accumulated gloom of the past few days dissipating. Even the circulation of his internal energy seemed to speed up.

Just then, the silent Xu Xiyue spoke up. "For Young Master Zhou to find such precious seeds, your mother's family in the capital must have gone to great lengths."

Zhou Xiujing smiled and nodded. "My uncle holds an extraordinary position; he can find even the most precious spiritual herbs. But finding better versions of these common herbs is even more difficult. As you said, it indeed took a great deal of effort. The Qunyu Yaotai on the Profound Gate List is not something an ordinary person can easily access."

Xu Xiyue nodded. "Having relatives serving in the imperial court certainly makes many things easier."

"However," she continued, "since your uncle went to such lengths, he surely expects you to win the Songhuai military herb contract. If you were to fail, I fear it would be difficult to explain."

"Fail?" Zhou Xiujing laughed even more heartily. "How could I fail?"

Xu Xiyue looked at the noble young master with profound meaning in her eyes. "You have spoken to me time and again with such arrogance and confidence, even wishing for my family’s fields to be planted with your seeds. But... the world is unpredictable. Your uncle in the capital surely expects a grand return on his investment. If that return were to vanish because of your failure, I wonder if he would be angry."

Behind her, Xintong looked at her mistress in surprise. She suddenly understood—the Xu family had been suppressed by the Zhou family repeatedly, and this young master had been disrespectful to her mistress, even making lewd remarks about visiting Mount Qixia today. Given her mistress’s gentle nature, though she had not explicitly stated it, she must have been deeply incensed. That was why she spoke this way. Xintong felt a sense of relief, thinking that her mistress was becoming more and more like a true head of a great household.

Zhou Xiujing did not feel the same. His expression remained unchanged, masking his reaction with a faint smile. "How would I fail? By relying on the Xu family’s Grade B Buddha’s Armor?"

Just then, someone walked out of the military supply tent and announced in a loud voice:

"More herbs have been selected!"

"Buddha’s Armor, Agarwood leaves, Golden Lampstems!"

Zhou Xiujing’s expression changed abruptly, and he turned sharply to look at Xu Xiyue.

Xu Xiyue’s face remained calm, though she was incredibly nervous inside.

The official announced again, "All three of these herbs are... Grade A Superior!"

"Grade A Superior!"

"How is that possible?" The heads of the various households resting in the rooms fell into a chaotic frenzy, the noise nearly lifting the roof.

Zhou Xiujing sat frozen. The teacup he had been holding for so long slipped from his fingers, shattering on the floor with a crisp sound.

*Crack.*

The cup broke, and the tea splattered onto his silk robes.

Someone in the room shouted, "Which family provided these Grade A Superior herbs?"

"The Xu family of Lianzhou," the official added.

Xintong wept with joy. Xu Xiyue stood up and walked out of the prefectural office. Steward Zhao was waiting outside; seeing her, he hurried over. "Miss, how did it go?"

"Grade A Superior," Xintong replied excitedly, tears still streaking her face.

"Grade A... Superior?" Steward Zhao was also a practitioner, but at that moment, he could not help but tremble. His family had walked the edge of a blade; without these Grade A herbs, they would have fallen into the abyss, never to recover.

"The Second Master has made a great contribution this time. When we return, we must reward his branch handsomely," Xu Xiyue said as she walked ahead.

"The Second Master?" Steward Zhao asked, confused.

Xu Xiyue noticed his tone. "The Second Master has been searching for sources outside. Weren't these three types of seeds found by him?"

Steward Zhao grew even more puzzled. "Miss, you didn't know? I thought you were already aware that Young Master Chen had come to deliver the medicine."

Before Xu Xiyue could ask, Xintong questioned in confusion, "Young Master Chen? Which Young Master Chen?"

"Chen Zhi'an," said Steward Zhao. "Chen Zhi'an from Qihuang Street?"

Xintong’s voice turned shrill and incredulous. "You mean this medicine was delivered by Chen Zhi'an?"

Steward Zhao nodded. "Young Master Chen personally delivered it to the estate."

Xu Xiyue and Xintong fell silent. They remembered Chen Zhi'an, who had greedily taken two hundred taels of gold from Zhou Xiujing; they remembered him blushing as he refused their offers; they remembered him sketching with charcoal and cooking delicious meals... For a long time, they had viewed him as nothing more than an ordinary youth with a few simple skills.

But today, they had to remember another Chen Zhi'an—the Chen Zhi'an who brought Grade A Superior seeds and saved the Xu family.

Xu Xiyue recalled the words of Shen Haohao: "The fates of the world are wondrous; a turning point may arrive in a day, or even in an instant." She had never dreamed that their turning point would come from Chen Zhi'an.

Meanwhile, Zhou Xiujing still sat in the office, his face ashen, his previous radiance gone. This noble youth, whose family had traded in herbs for generations, could not fathom how such Grade A Superior herbs existed in the world.

After a long while, he walked out. A sedan chair awaited him, but as he moved, he stumbled. When a servant failed to steady him properly, he slapped the man across the face, sending him flying. "Useless wretch, you can't even perform a simple task."

Just then, a guard from his family rushed over and presented a letter. Zhou Xiujing, still fuming, barked, "What letter is so urgent? Wait until I return to the estate!"

The guard bowed. "The person who sent the letter is quite extraordinary. Even the Master dared not delay it and ordered me to deliver it immediately."

"The Master didn't open it? This was written specifically for me?" Zhou Xiujing took the letter and finally saw the name on it.

"Li Fushu..."

"The son of General Xuanzi, ranked three hundred and first on the 'Tiger Cub Monument'!"

In that instant, Zhou Xiujing thought of his uncle’s authority and the impossibility of explaining his failure. The name on the letter became his lifeline. He opened it solemnly, reading it word by word.

"Chen Zhi'an?"

Zhou Xiujing thought of the street youth who had studied for two years, full of empty principles, whom he had easily dismissed with two hundred taels of gold. *How could a commoner like him trouble the young master of the Li family of Xuantian Capital to write such a letter?*

He felt the matter was suspicious, but then he recalled Xu Xiyue’s question: "If you fail this, Young Master Zhou, how will you explain it?"

He stopped overthinking and carefully tucked the letter away. "If Young Master Li Fushu wants me to do this, why should I probe further? I will just do it."

"With this letter, the sky... will not collapse."