After the Great Dao died

Chapter 29 Zhao Yong

Chen Lingxi stood in the hall, but did not immediately answer when he heard this.

He lowered his head, his shoulders trembling slightly, as if he were somewhat taken aback by this sudden favor.

After a few breaths, he slowly raised his head, his face revealing an excitement that he tried to suppress but which still overflowed from his eyes.

The excitement was not exaggerated; in fact, it could be said that the control of the emotions was excellent.

It's like someone who has been trapped in a swamp for a long time suddenly seeing a rope hanging down in front of them, wanting to reach out and grab it, but fearing it's just a dream.

He moved his lips twice, as if he wanted to say something expressing his deepest gratitude, but he swallowed it back. In the end, he just took a deep breath and said, "Miss's kindness will be forever etched in my heart."

Lin Longyue held her teacup, her gaze falling on his face, taking in the momentary excitement and restraint. She didn't say anything, only nodded slightly, signaling him to continue.

Chen Lingxi lowered her eyes, seemingly considering her words.

After a moment, he spoke: "If Miss allows, I would like to ask for two things."

"explain."

"Firstly, Chen Lingxi's cultivation is still shallow and his foundation is not yet solid. He needs to purchase many of the medicinal herbs, elixirs, and flowers and plants for flower arranging from outside the mansion."

Chen Lingxi dared not trouble the stewards of the manor, and wished to ask the young lady for permission to leave the manor several times a month to go shopping.

He spoke earnestly, his head bowed the entire time, his tone tinged with caution.

"Go out of the manor to make purchases?" Lin Longyue repeated these four words, her tone flat, revealing neither joy nor anger.

Chen Lingxi continued, "Lingxi comes from the Chen family of Linchuan and loves reading the most. However, after becoming a servant, it is difficult for her to study anymore. I hope that Miss will be merciful and allow Lingxi to enter the manor's library..."

Chen Lingxi felt a slight tightness in her chest, but her face remained calm as she stood quietly with her hands at her sides, waiting for her to speak.

A few breaths later, Lin Longyue suddenly smiled.

"She does know what's important," she said. "She didn't take the opportunity to ask for pills, cultivation techniques, or money. All she wanted was a right to leave the manor and a right to enter the library."

Chen Lingxi lowered her head and remained silent.

"Granted." Lin Longyue waved her hand: "You are permitted to leave the manor twice a month, departing at Chenshi (7-9 AM) and returning at Youshi (5-7 PM), without delay. As for the library..."

She turned to Liu Que, who was standing by the door: "Steward Liu, take him to the library to register his name. From now on, he can read all the books on the first to third floors of the mansion. For the fourth floor and above, he will need my order."

Liu Que bowed and agreed.

Chen Lingxi felt reassured, but her face only showed a perfectly measured joy as she bowed and said, "Thank you, Miss Xie."

Lin Longyue hummed in agreement, picked up her teacup, and took a sip.

The tea had gone cold, but she didn't care. She just slowly swallowed it, put the teacup down, and suddenly changed the subject.

"Why has Zhao Yong summoned you today?"

The question came suddenly, but the tone remained calm.

Chen Lingxi's heart skipped a beat, but she didn't show it on her face.

He raised his head, a look of bewilderment on his face: "Miss, Chen Ling knows nothing. Steward Zhao sent someone to summon you, only saying 'I want to summon you for questioning,' without explaining the reason."

He was telling the truth.

Lin Longyue stared at him for a few moments.

Chen Lingxi stood with his hands at his sides, his breathing steady and his gaze unwavering.

A few breaths later, Lin Longyue withdrew her gaze and let out a cold snort.

The snort was very soft, yet it carried an undisguised displeasure.

"Zhao Yong, you've certainly got a long reach."

She picked up her teacup, then put it down, turning her gaze to Liu Que: "Manager Liu, send someone to Zhao Yong's courtyard to convey my message—Chen Lingxi will henceforth be under my direct control, and his affairs are none of Manager Zhao's concern."

"If anyone else wants to be questioned, let him question me first."

Liu Que bowed: "Yes."

Standing in the hall, Chen Lingxi felt a weight lift from her heart upon hearing these words.

He took a deep breath, bowed deeply, and said with just the right amount of gratitude in his voice, "Miss Xie."

Lin Longyue waved her hand, seemingly unwilling to discuss the matter further.

She leaned back in her chair, her gaze sweeping over Chen Lingxi, before suddenly speaking again, her tone slightly gentler than before.

"Your monthly allowance will increase to thirty taels starting today."

Chen Lingxi was taken aback.

Thirty taels.

This number was unimaginable for a government slave.

Even the most prominent stewards in the Marquis's mansion only earned a hundred or so taels of silver a year.

Seeing him in a daze, Lin Longyue slightly tugged at the corner of her mouth, which could be considered a smile.

"There's no need for this formality." She picked up her teacup, her tone indifferent. "Since you have this skill, I won't be stingy with the money. Use it wisely for flower arranging and cultivation, and don't waste this monthly allowance."

She paused, then added, "There's one more thing."

Chen Ling listened quietly with his hands hanging down.

"From now on, you don't need to refer to yourself as an official slave anymore; you can just call yourself by your own name."

"When the time is right, I will free you from your status as a government slave and promote you to a foreign household."

Fanhu.

Chen Lingxi felt a slight stirring in her heart.

Under the laws of Dali, official slaves and servants were hereditary and their status was perpetual, treated like livestock, with virtually no chance of redemption.

To be freed from slavery, one needs the master's mercy. First, one is promoted from a government slave to a foreign household, then from a foreign household to a common household, and finally, one must wait for a general amnesty by the emperor to be able to return to the status of a free person.

This step is as difficult as ascending to heaven.

But Lin Longyue actually promised him today.

"It seems that I value Lin Longyue much more now."

"However... it's hard to say whether it's true or false."

The higher his value, the more Lin Longyue wanted to hold him firmly in her grasp.

Suppressing the turmoil in her heart, Chen Lingxi showed gratitude on her face and bowed, saying, "Chen Lingxi... Thank you for your kindness, Miss."

Lin Longyue hummed in agreement, picked up her teacup, lowered her eyes to drink the tea, and stopped looking at him.

That gesture was saying—I've said my piece, you may leave now.

Chen Lingxi bowed, took two steps back, and turned to leave the East Hall.

The wind outside the corridor was a bit cooler than when we arrived.

Chen Lingxi stood at the foot of the steps and exhaled a long breath of white air.

That breath condensed into a thin mist in the twilight, slowly dissipating.

He looked up at the sky.

The sun had already sunk behind the west wall, leaving only half of its orange-red face hanging on the roof ridge, its afterglow dyeing the clouds on the horizon a dark gold.

Extremely beautiful.

He stood there for a moment, then turned and walked back.

Without stopping, he went straight through the moon gate and turned onto the path leading to the servants' quarters in the west courtyard.

He walked slowly, but his steps were steady.

The turbulent thoughts in my heart gradually settled down during this journey.

"He receives a monthly allowance of thirty taels of silver, is allowed to leave the mansion twice a month, and can freely browse through the first to third floors of the library. He no longer needs to call himself an official slave, and has even been promised the status of a foreign household."

Lin Longyue gave him much more today than he had expected.

but.

Her high regard for him came at a price.

Thirty taels of silver, two trips out of the mansion, several layers of books—all for his loyalty, his worth, and his life.

If one day he is no longer worth this price, she can take these things back at any time.

Chen Lingxi saw this clearly and remained unmoved.

He never expected Lin Longyue to be kind.

"Improve your cultivation as soon as possible, escape from the Baosu Marquis's mansion, and escape from the capital region."

With that thought in mind, he quickened his pace.

At the end of the path was his secluded courtyard.

The courtyard gate was half-closed, and the last rays of twilight shone through the crack.

Chen Lingxi quickened her pace, about to push open the door.

Suddenly, he stopped and turned to look.

A few dozen steps away, there stood a person.

The man stood with his back to him, hands behind his back, of medium height, wearing a dark green cloak.

The cloak was made of the finest material, gleaming with a deep, dark light in the twilight, completely covering his figure.

Chen Lingxi saw the person's back clearly, and her pupils contracted slightly.

He had been in the Marquis's residence for over a year, and he had seen this person's back view many times.

Each time, I had only glimpsed it from afar, through the crowd; never before had it been so close.

Zhao Yong, the steward of the Marquis of Baosu's residence.

Zhao Yong seemed to hear his footsteps and slowly turned around.

In the twilight, that face was faintly visible.

The collar of the cloak stood up high, covering half of her face, revealing only her eyes and a few brow bones.

Those eyes weren't large, with slightly drooping corners and extremely dark pupils, like two dry wells, revealing nothing about them.

But those seemingly ordinary eyes were now fixed intently on Chen Lingxi, their gaze like two unsheathed daggers, pressed within their sheaths, yet already exuding a chilling aura.

Chen Lingxi paused for a moment, then resumed her normal pace.

He stepped forward, stopped three steps in front of Zhao Yong, and bowed: "Chen Lingxi greets Steward Zhao."

His tone was respectful and impeccable.

Zhao Yong did not answer immediately.

He remained standing with his hands behind his back, his dry, well-like eyes scanning Chen Lingxi as if he were looking at a piece of merchandise.

A few breaths passed.

Chen Lingxi lowered his head and bowed his hands, his posture respectful and his breathing steady.

The Concealing Edge Technique circulated silently within his body, completely concealing the spiritual energy barrier without revealing the slightest flaw.

Finally, Zhao Yong spoke.

"Chen Lingxi." His voice wasn't loud, but it was deep and resonant: "You're lucky to be alive."

Chen Lingxi lowered her head and remained silent.

"You don't need to be nervous." Zhao Yong suddenly smiled. "I'm not here today to make things difficult for you."

Chen Lingxi raised her head, revealing just the right amount of bewilderment.

Zhao Yong paced back and forth a couple of steps, his back to the twilight, his dark green cloak fluttering slightly in the wind.

"Do you know that Liu Changle is no longer in the manor?"

Chen Lingxi was taken aback.

This bewilderment wasn't entirely feigned—he didn't know why Zhao Yong was telling him these things.

"You don't need to be surprised," Zhao Yong said slowly. "I released Liu Changle."

Chen Lingxi's pupils constricted slightly.

Zhao Yong saw his reaction and the smile on his lips deepened.

"You think I used you as test subjects for my own selfish desires?" He shook his head. "You're wrong."

"That medicine is extremely toxic; an ordinary person would surely die if they took it."

However, if one can withstand the poison and survive, one will be reborn, one's innate abilities will greatly increase, and one's cultivation will progress by leaps and bounds.

He withdrew his gaze and turned it back to Chen Lingxi.

"You and Liu Changle are the two who withstood the poison."

Chen Lingxi listened with a look of surprise and doubt on her face, but her heart remained as calm as ice.

Zhao Yong continued, "Since Liu Changle has undergone a complete transformation and has become a fellow traveler with me, we can work together to achieve great things."

The old man then released him from the Marquis's residence, granting him his freedom.

He paused, then looked directly at Chen Lingxi.

"If I can spare Liu Changle and set him free, I can also spare you."