Chapter 21: The Furious Young Master Qin

A man dressed as a servant trotted up, and the moment he saw Qin Shaotian, he knelt down and spoke respectfully.

"This humble servant greets the young master."

"Hmm."

Qin Shaotian gave a soft grunt of acknowledgment, then said nothing more.

The man kneeling on the ground froze, naturally picking up on the dissatisfaction in Qin Shaotian’s tone. Panicked, he quickly looked up. Seeing Qin Shaotian’s disheveled state, the man immediately understood the situation. He hurried to bow his head, knocking it against the floor several times, and said in a voice filled with terror, "This servant is at fault for disturbing the young master's pleasure. I beg for the young master's mercy."

Seeing the man’s fearful demeanor, Qin Shaotian’s mood improved significantly. He waved his hand, feigning a magnanimous tone. "Enough, stop kowtowing. Get up and speak. This matter is not entirely your fault. Come, tell me what major business you have to report."

"Thank you for your mercy, Young Master! Thank you for your mercy!"

The man kowtowed a few more times before rising. He stood with a hunched back and said respectfully, "I have news regarding Shen Xuan that I need to report to you."

"Shen Xuan? What has my 'good' brother been up to now?"

Qin Shaotian’s tone remained unchanged, but he couldn't help but straighten his posture slightly.

"It is like this, Young Master. Shen Xuan completed three couplets at the Hua Man Lou and was awarded one thousand taels of silver." As the man spoke, he produced a sheet of rice paper from his robes.

"Completed couplets? Him?"

Qin Shaotian’s expression froze, and then he burst into uproarious laughter. "Hahaha! How amusing! Are those people at the brothel idiots? Or are they blind? Bring it here and let me see what kind of couplets Shen Xuan managed to come up with!"

Qin Shaotian knew Shen Xuan all too well. Him writing couplets? Don't make him laugh; that good-for-nothing probably couldn't even write his own name.

The man hurried forward and respectfully handed over the paper. Qin Shaotian took it and began to scan it casually, but the more he read, the more solemn his expression became. Eventually, he stood up abruptly, his eyes locked onto the three couplets on the page.

"Are you certain Shen Xuan wrote these?" Qin Shaotian asked, his eyes cold and his teeth gritted.

Could such exquisite verses really be written by that useless Shen Xuan? Qin Shaotian felt it was absurd, instinctively assuming the man was lying.

"This was indeed written by Shen Xuan. All the scholars at the Bai Hua Lou can bear witness. I would never dare to deceive you, Young Master!" Feeling Qin Shaotian’s icy gaze, the man felt a chill run through his entire body and quickly knelt down again, his voice urgent.

"Bullshit! That piece of trash Shen Xuan! A mere adopted son—what right does he have! You tell me, what right does he have!" Qin Shaotian roared, kicking the man away, his face twisted in a ferocious sneer.

He could not understand why the wretch who had been at his beck and call three years ago was now repeatedly doing things that defied his expectations. While this filled Qin Shaotian with resentment, it also planted a seed of fear in his heart.

"Young Master, please calm your anger. They are just three couplets. No matter how well Shen Xuan wrote them, he is still a wretch who cannot even participate in the autumn examinations, and nothing can change the fact that you are the true young master of the Qin family."

Having been kicked to the ground, the man dared not voice any resentment. Once Qin Shaotian had finished venting, the man crawled up from the floor and said cautiously.

"Right! You are correct. I am the true young master of the Qin family. No matter how much that wretch hops about, he cannot change that." Hearing the man's words, Qin Shaotian gradually calmed down. He began to mutter to himself, as if speaking to the man and as if speaking to his own conscience.

"Young Master, besides the matter at the Hua Man Lou, my subordinates have also discovered that Shen Xuan has been spending quite a bit of time with Liu Ruifeng." The man continued.

"Liu Ruifeng? The youngest son of the Minister of Justice? How did those two end up together?" Qin Shaotian, now calm, rubbed his chin, looking puzzled.

"I am not entirely sure, but they appeared to be in deep conversation, so I assume they have a good relationship." The man shook his head, offering his speculation.

"Forget it. It’s just Liu Ruifeng; I haven't taken him to heart. Your mission remains the same: keep a close eye on that Shen Xuan. Report any move he makes to me immediately." Qin Shaotian said sternly.

"Yes, Young Master." After acknowledging the order, the man bowed and retreated.

"Shen Xuan! Sooner or later, you will die by my hand!" Qin Shaotian’s eyes were cold and sharp. He flicked his sleeves and returned to his room; he was still fuming and needed to vent his frustration.

The next morning, inside the Tongfu Inn, Shen Xuan opened his eyes after his cultivation session. A flash of golden light flickered in the depths of his pupils. Sensing the state of his body, his heart filled with joy.

"Another half a month of diligent practice, and the Heavenly Evolution Technique will break through."

Just as Shen Xuan was feeling pleased, a knock sounded at the door. He stepped off the bed, opened the door, and was surprised to see who was standing there.

"Brother Ruifeng? What brings you here?"

"Brother Shen, have you forgotten? We agreed to go look at the storefront today!"

Today, Liu Ruifeng was dressed in fine silk robes and held a folding fan in his hand with a flamboyant air. He stood at Shen Xuan’s door, reminding him with a sigh.

"You found one so quickly?" Shen Xuan was genuinely surprised. He hadn't expected Liu Ruifeng to act so swiftly.

"Heh, look at who you’re talking to! Such a small matter is a breeze for me." Liu Ruifeng gave a smug smile, and the fan in his hand flicked open, fluttering rhythmically.

"Then, would the great Young Master Liu care to take me for a look?" Shen Xuan smiled, not minding a little flattery.

"Let's go!"

Shen Xuan followed Liu Ruifeng out of the Tongfu Inn and headed toward a spot on Vermillion Bird Avenue.

"This is the shop you found for me?" Shen Xuan looked at the fairly large, two-story building not far away and couldn't help but ask Liu Ruifeng with a look of confusion.

Seeing Shen Xuan’s expression, Liu Ruifeng knew what he was thinking and patted his chest in assurance. "Brother Shen, just put your heart at ease. The price will definitely satisfy you."

Shen Xuan’s eyes remained skeptical. This area was not remote, and the location was quite excellent. Even if the owner wanted to sell, he doubted the meager amount of silver he had on hand would be enough.

"Let’s go, Brother Shen. You’ll know once we go inside." Liu Ruifeng didn't offer any more explanation. He draped an arm over Shen Xuan’s shoulder and led him toward the building.

"Green Wine Residence?" Shen Xuan read the large characters on the plaque aloud. So, this was a restaurant after all. But knowing this, Shen Xuan felt even more bewildered.

Since this was a restaurant, and there was no "Closed" sign out front, why was it so deserted? Not a single guest could be seen.

Just as Shen Xuan was pondering this, a middle-aged man with a prosperous appearance walked out of the Green Wine Residence with a smile, bowed to Liu Ruifeng, and said, "Young Master Liu, you have finally arrived! You have certainly kept me waiting!"