Chapter 69: Praise and Critique
As evening descended, the red sunset painted the horizon, and the clouds glowed a deep crimson.
Around the Zheng family’s small courtyard, there was an unusual commotion.
Madam Zhao stood accompanied only by Steward Wu, but a number of Zhao family servants lingered in the background. They were cautious yet opportunistic, noticing that Madam Zhao didn’t seem to mind their presence and perhaps even welcomed it. They kept their distance but clustered in small groups, pretending to work.
Some swept the ground, others pruned branches—eyes forward but ears perked up.
The area around the courtyard, once an overlooked part of the Zhao estate, now bustled with attention. Trees that had stood lonely for years suddenly found themselves surrounded by groups of three servants at a time, and even that wasn’t enough for all the workers.
Gao Yuan turned his head slightly to glance at Madam Zhao, who stood just three meters behind him. When he turned back to Zheng Fa, he looked so terrified he could barely speak.
“D-did Madam Zhao hear what I said earlier?”
“Don’t you know?”
“Know what?”“Madam Zhao is a cultivator.”
“…”
“Don’t worry, you were complimenting her youthfulness.”
Gao Yuan’s face turned pale, completely uncomforted by Zheng Fa’s reassurance. Complimenting Madam Zhao’s appearance felt like playing with fire.
However, Madam Zhao walked past Gao Yuan without acknowledging him, her gaze fixed solely on Zheng Fa.
Zheng Fa greeted her with a respectful bow, and to his surprise, Madam Zhao returned a formal curtsy.
Gao Yuan’s jaw dropped, his earlier dejection replaced by sheer disbelief. Now, instead of worrying about Madam Zhao being angry, he seemed more concerned that she might have lost her mind.
The servants behind Madam Zhao stirred, stealing glances at the interaction.
“Please, Madam, come inside to talk,” Zheng Fa said calmly, stepping aside to invite her in.
Madam Zhao hesitated for a moment, studying Zheng Fa, then silently followed him into the courtyard.
Inside, Zheng’s mother and little sister stood nervously. They greeted Madam Zhao with bows, their unease evident.
To their surprise, Madam Zhao returned their bows with solemnity.
This unexpected display of respect left Zheng’s mother frozen in place, unsure where to put her hands. She stammered, “This… this isn’t proper… this isn’t proper…”
Zheng Fa nodded reassuringly at his mother and led Madam Zhao into the main hall.
“I underestimated you,” Madam Zhao said as soon as they were seated.
“How so, Madam?” Zheng Fa asked, puzzled.
“You’re a young man, and at your age, most are enamored with appearances. I thought I could win your favor by giving you a moment of glory before the servants. But you seemed unimpressed and even invited me inside.”
Her candidness was oddly disarming. Though she admitted to a simple ploy, it didn’t feel offensive, perhaps because she was trying to win Zheng Fa over. ṞÅɴＯ฿Ès
After a brief pause, Zheng Fa replied, “Well… it did make me happy, a little.”
“Oh?”
“But you’re the mother of the Seventh Young Master.”
“That’s all? You didn’t want me to lose face for his sake?” Her tone softened, and for the first time, a genuine smile appeared in her eyes.
“And because when my father passed, you gave us ten taels of silver.”
Zheng’s mother often mentioned this. Regardless of Madam Zhao’s reasons, that money came at the family’s most desperate time, paying for Zheng’s father’s funeral and sustaining the family when they were at their lowest.
Hearing this, Madam Zhao’s expression grew serious. Her gaze toward Zheng Fa became genuinely respectful.
She understood the unspoken meaning behind his words.
You underestimated me before, thinking you could scare me into submission—that was looking down on me.
Now you underestimate me again, assuming I would become arrogant and ungrateful upon gaining status—that is still looking down on me.
After a long silence, she sighed and said, “I don’t know whether to call you unshaken by flattery or just more prideful than I thought. If being foolish brings fortune, then Zhao Jingfan must have been foolish for eight lifetimes to befriend someone like you.”
“…”
Her previous air of caution had disappeared. She clapped her hands, and Steward Wu stepped forward with a box.
Inside was a stack of documents. Madam Zhao drew out three from the top.
“These are the deeds to your family. I’ve instructed Steward Wu to go to the authorities tomorrow and annul your indenture.”
This was expected.
An Immortal Token might seem small, but no servant of the Zhao family had ever possessed one, and even the family’s children fought over it every decade. Madam Zhao herself didn’t always have the final say in its allocation.
With Senior Zhang’s endorsement, Zheng Fa was all but guaranteed to pass the Immortal Talent Conference. Using these deeds to hold sway over an Immortal Sect disciple would be laughable.
Madam Zhao didn’t dwell on this point. She gestured to the other documents in the box.
“These properties were originally meant as compensation. Since you’re no longer tied to the Zhao family, you should have some assets of your own.” She paused briefly. “Calling it compensation now would seem petty. Let’s call it my foolish son’s tuition fee.”
“Properties?” Zheng’s mother, already dazed by their sudden freedom, grew even more anxious upon hearing this. “But Steward Gao already gave us a clothing shop!”
Madam Zhao maintained a polite silence.
From her expression, Zheng Fa could read her unspoken thought: That’s what you call property?
For Zheng’s mother, the shop was already a significant asset. It generated a steady profit, and Zheng Fa had planned to have his younger sister manage it to build her skills.
But as he examined the documents in the box, even Zheng Fa’s face showed surprise.
Madam Zhao had included shops located on the main streets of Jingzhou City, all bustling with business. Some were landmarks he recognized from passing through the city.
In addition, there were deeds to eight or nine estates within Jingzhou, most of them spacious residences located in the wealthiest parts of the city’s west side.
It was no wonder Madam Zhao’s expression carried a hint of pride.
After some thought, Zheng Fa pushed the box back toward her.
“Not satisfied?” Madam Zhao raised an eyebrow and said bluntly, “These aren’t even the most valuable properties. There are better ones in my dowry.”
“No, Madam, this is already very generous. It’s just too much,” Zheng Fa replied.
“Too much?” Madam Zhao laughed. “You probably don’t realize just how valuable Senior Zhang’s words were, do you?”
“Hm?”
“Do you know what it cost Lan’er to invite Senior Zhang?”
“I don’t.”
“Nothing.” Madam Zhao’s tone grew wistful. “The Nascent Soul ancestor who founded the Zhao family once helped Senior Zhang’s master. That favor was priceless… but also burdensome.”
She gestured to the box. “What are these properties compared to that?”
“It’s not about the value,” Zheng Fa explained. “When a poor man becomes rich too quickly, it invites trouble.”
Madam Zhao’s gaze sharpened as she stared at him. When she spoke again, her tone was tinged with frustration.
“With your disposition, my foolish son is lucky to have a friend like you. Even if he were my own, I’d still have to ask—what did he do to deserve this?”
…
Madam Zhao, your skill at alternating praise and critique is unparalleled.
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