Chapter 29 Maid Xiaoqing

  The Xi family's power is in the southern city of Jade Water City, the Xi family's South District Fang Market, and the Xia family's North District Fang Market are across from each other, with an unusually fierce competition in business. Various means of attracting customers can be said to be endless.

  Xī Jiā Cháng's son, Xī Qiūshuǐ, was the inspector of the southern district of Fāng Shì. In Fāng Shì, there were two types of shops that stood out as the most important: one was the medicine shop and the other was the blacksmith shop. The medicine shop and the blacksmith shop were the most profitable shops and also a display of a family's power. Among the customers who came and went in the city, those who spent money the most generously were cultivators, and they generally had a greater demand for medicinal materials, weapons, armor, and other items.

  The medicine shop in Nandongfang Market, in order to attract more customers, came up with a plan to rent some precious medicinal materials from the auction house in Yushui City. The hundred-year-old Four-Eared Orchid that Xia Yan needed was exactly what the medicine shop in Nandongfang Market had rented out a month ago.

  They put the medicine in the pharmacy, not for sale, but just to have an advertising effect. Businessmen are extremely shrewd and naturally know the benefits of advertising.

  "Bang!"

  Xiqiu's palm slapped on the sandalwood table, and he suddenly stood up, his elegant brocade robe fluttering, his face dark and sinister, his eyes venomous.

  "Hmph, it must be that despicable Xia family who bought the Four-Eared Orchid. Hmph, that ghost girl said something about a mysterious person buying the Four-Eared Orchid, I'm sure it's just someone from the Xia family trying to conceal their identity by being deliberately mysterious!" Xi Qiushui let out a cold hum, his face extremely gloomy.

  "Master, the auctioneer just left. Why don't we catch up with him and buy the Four-Eared Orchid?" a shop assistant from the medicine store said in a flattering tone.

  Xie Qiushui's eyes flickered, and he glanced at the shopkeeper before sneering, "No need! The power behind the auction house is too great, not something our Xie family can easily offend. Since the Xia family wants to compete with us, then let them. Our Xie family isn't afraid. In two days' time, I'll bring people to visit the Xia family's North District market, heh heh!"

  The shop assistant was busy bowing and smiling, with a flattering expression on his face. He opened his mouth and said with a sly gaze: "Young master must have had an extraordinary idea, that Xia family wants to compete with young master is simply asking for death! Young master's wisdom is unparalleled in the world, young master's martial arts skills are the best in the world!"

  "Hahaha...” Xi Qiushui looked at his partners with satisfaction and burst into hearty laughter.

  Before the tea was served, a green-clad girl from the auction house's medicinal herbs store arrived at the Xi family's southern district pharmacy, saying she had been ordered to retrieve the Four-Eared Orchid. Xi Qiushui asked why they wanted to take back the Four-Eared Orchid, and the green-clad girl said someone wanted to buy it.

  At that time, Xi Qiushui was a bit puzzled. How did Yushui City suddenly have someone who wanted to buy such expensive medicinal materials? Moreover, it was still primary medicinal material! He then continued to ask what kind of person would want to buy the hundred-year-old Four-Eared Orchid, and the green-clothed girl hesitated for a while before saying that it was a mysterious person wearing a mask on his face.

  Xie Qiushui's mind turned, and he suspected that the Xia family had found out about the Xie family renting the auction house to attract customers with the hundred-year-old Four-Eared Orchid, so they came up with this idea to buy the Four-Eared Orchid and sabotage the Xie family's plan. Although he was extremely angry, the auction house was something that absolutely could not be offended.

  After the green-clothed girl left, Xi Qiushui finally vented his frustrations. As the most outstanding young man in the Xi family and the son of the patriarch, even the elders treated him with unusual courtesy.

  After taking office as the inspector of Nandu Fangshi, Xi Qiushui became even more arrogant and overbearing!

  ……………………

  Xia Yan returned to the Xia family's residence just after noon. After leaving the auction house, he made sure no one was following him and casually ate some food on the street before hurrying back.

  Now all the medicinal materials are ready, and they are waiting for the old emperor to teach him how to configure the medicine.

  When Xia Yan opened the courtyard door, his eyes suddenly blurred, thinking he had walked into the wrong place.

  The whole yard is full of flowers and grass, fragrant and refreshing, bright and dazzling. Among the flowers, there is a beautiful young girl with skin as smooth as silk and white as snow. Her slender waist moves forward with a pair of golden lotus feet, holding a watering can to water the flowers and plants. Her smile and frown are like an intoxicating dance, and the sparkling sweat on her lovely face shines in the sunlight.

  Xia Yan's expression paused, and he felt a sense of doubt in his heart. Just as he was about to exit to take a closer look, the girl had already discovered him pushing open the door and entering.

  "Master!" The young girl hastily bowed and greeted him, her voice as melodious as a yellow oriole's song, indescribably wonderful, and completely different from the elegant Yafen who had challenged the limits of the venue.

  "Who are you?" Xia Yan knew she hadn't gone to the wrong place, it's just that the courtyard had changed too much.

  "My name is Xiao Qing, and the clan leader asked me to serve Young Master!" Xiao Qing lowered her small head, her two braids extremely cute, her neat pink long dress outlining her slender figure. Although Xia Yan didn't recognize her, she recognized Xia Yan, now probably everyone in the Xia family knew Xia Yan, including the servants and maids.

  Xia Yan heard this and frowned, his tone somewhat displeased: "How can this be? I'm used to being alone, you go back and tell the clan leader that I don't need anyone to serve me!"

  Xiao Qing's face turned pale upon hearing this, her slender body trembling slightly. She looked at Xia Yan with a pitiful expression, then lowered her head in fear, as if she had suffered infinite injustice.

  This woman is really troublesome!

  Women like Xia Zixin are troublesome, women like Xiaoqing are also troublesome, and women like Yafen are even more troublesome, and they're also dangerous!

  "Never mind, I'll let her stay. Anyway, there's still an empty wing on the left side of the courtyard, and she can just do things on her own usually! Besides, if I insist on not accepting her, the clan leader might be unhappy about it." Xia Yan thought for a moment, feeling reluctant to drive Xiao Qing away, weighing the pros and cons, and decided to just go with the flow.

  "In that case, you can stay in this courtyard. Normally, I won't summon you, and you must not enter my quarters!" Xia Yan instructed with a dark face.

  Xiao Qing burst into tears of laughter, like a pear flower in the rain, so beautiful that it was dazzling. Xia Yan couldn't help but stare blankly for a moment, then quickly turned away and walked towards his own room, with waves rising in his heart.

  "Yes, young master!" A voice like a yellow warbler's came from behind him.

  Xia Yan is already fifteen years old and has come of age in the Dragon Continent, so he naturally understands romantic feelings between men and women. However, at present Xia Yan still can't distinguish his thoughts to think about these things.

  As soon as he entered the house, Xia Yan was shocked again. At this time, all the objects in the room had been replaced, and compared to before, it could be said that the current room decoration was a hundred times more luxurious.

  All of the utensils are of high quality and brand new, apparently just purchased.

  Especially the fragrant wooden bed, which is at least twice as large as before. Sleeping on such a bed, even sideways, is no problem! Turning back to look at Xiao Qing, Xia Yan shook his head and didn't ask, thinking that it must have been replaced by the clan leader's order.

  His status changed, and his treatment completely changed. If Ruxia Yan hadn't shone brightly in the selection of excellent young men, I'm afraid no one would have remembered where he was hiding.

  "Oh no, this is not good..." Suddenly, Xia Yan's expression changed as he remembered something. The medicinal herbs he bought yesterday were still on the table in his room. He had left them there because he was used to being alone and didn't expect anyone to come in.

  Upon hearing Xia Yan's cry of surprise, Xiao Qing hastily ran over with quick steps and asked anxiously: "Young Master, what's wrong?"

  Xia Yan asked in a row: "Little Qing, have you seen those few strands of grass that were originally placed on my table?"

  The small and delicate nose wrinkled slightly, the red and moist little mouth opened to reveal pearly whites as she said: "Those few blades of grass were picked up by me in the kitchen, I saw they looked like medicinal herbs so I didn't throw them away. Young master, are you ill? Do you need to brew some medicine?"

  Xia Yan's eyes rolled, and she was startled. The medicinal herbs that cost hundreds of gold coins to buy back were almost thrown away. Fortunately, this little Qing was sensible and didn't throw them away directly, otherwise it would have been a disaster.

  Heaving a sigh of relief, Xia Yan put on a smile and looked at Xiao Qing, saying: "Well done, quickly bring those herbs over, I need to use them."