Volume 1, Chapter 72: Discussing Marriage?

Village Head Zhao and Zhao Wenlong, along with others, began working enthusiastically inside the horse farm.

They swept the rooms, cleared away the weeds, and reinforced the outer walls.

The weeds, in particular, had grown over many years and thus spread across the entire horse farm.

However, they would serve nicely as firewood, which was more than enough to last for several days.

Before long,

Zhao Defu also arrived with a group of people.

Knowing that Fan Xiu was moving, he had brought men along to help.

To Fan Xiu's surprise, Guo Xiulan and Zhao Yufei had tagged along as well.

Seeing Zhao Yufei, Li Chuntao standing nearby teased Fan Xiu, "Fan Xiu, your childhood sweetheart is here."

Fan Xiu gave a light cough and said, "What childhood sweetheart? Hush."

Xiao Ruoqing glanced at Fan Xiu in surprise.

What childhood sweetheart?

She had been living at the Fan household for quite some time, yet she had never heard of any so-called childhood sweetheart of Fan Xiu's.

"Brother Fan Xiu!"

At that moment, Zhao Yufei called out happily and ran over with excitement, unabashedly hugging Fan Xiu's arm.

"My dad brought so many people here, and they're all here to help you!" Zhao Yufei said, as if claiming credit.

Fan Xiu awkwardly glanced at Xiao Ruoqing, then quietly pulled his arm away and said with a smile, "Thank you. With this, the horse farm should be pretty much cleaned up by the end of today."

Xiao Ruoqing silently observed Fan Xiu, a trace of imperceptible displeasure occasionally crossing her face.

However, a moment later,

Xiao Ruoqing came to her senses.

Why should I feel uncomfortable?

Fan Xiu often called her his wife; could it be that she really considered herself Fan Xiu's wife?

She was, after all, the dignified Empress!

"Mm-hmm."

Zhao Yufei nodded vigorously and said, "Naturally! I can't let it delay your business! This horse farm is so huge. Is this going to be your home from now on? Can I move in and live here too?"

Before Fan Xiu could speak, Zhao Defu walked over with an expressionless look and pulled Zhao Yufei away.

"Yufei! Stop messing around! You are an unmarried maiden, how can you go and live at a man's house!" Zhao Defu scolded.

Then he chuckled awkwardly at Fan Shoucheng, "Elder Brother Fan, please excuse us."

Fan Shoucheng hurriedly replied, "You flatter me, Estate Master Zhao."

Previously, their humble Fan family had always cringed and bowed before Estate Master Zhao. When they borrowed silver back then, they had nearly fallen to their knees.

Even so, it was only thanks to Zhao Yufei stepping forward that they managed to borrow the silver from the Zhao family.

Had it not been for that sum of silver, they probably would have sold themselves into servitude long ago.

And now,

Estate Master Zhao was addressing him as "Elder Brother," which truly made him feel flattered and deeply honored.

At that very moment,

Fan Shoucheng finally acknowledged Fan Xiu's decision. It seemed that Fan Xiu's choice to go into business was indeed the right one.

If Fan Xiu had not gone into business and had continued merely studying, he probably would have had no choice now but to sell himself as a slave just to pay off those debts.

Yet, in just a few days, Fan Xiu had not only earned enough money but had also bought such a massive horse farm.

Previously, this was something he wouldn't even dare to imagine!

Fan Xiu changed the subject, saying, "Estate Master Zhao, since all of you are here, didn't you leave anyone behind to look after the Zhiwei Pavilion?"

"No need."

Zhao Defu smiled and said, "Everything is arranged over there. I've hired a few more workers and asked Steward Wang to keep an eye on things personally. We have plenty of manpower!"

Having said that,

he looked toward Fan Shoucheng and his mother, Madam Zhou, and smiled, "Elder Brother Fan, Sister-in-law, might I trouble you to step aside for a private word?"

Shortly after,

Zhao Defu led Fan Shoucheng and Madam Zhou toward a nearby room.

Before leaving,

he instructed Guo Xiulan, "Xiulan, keep an eye on Yufei!"

Guo Xiulan waved her hand and said, "Got it, got it!"

With that, Guo Xiulan glared at Fan Xiu before pulling Zhao Yufei aside.

Li Chuntao also pulled Fan Xiu to the side and whispered, "Fan Xiu, I bet Estate Master Zhao is talking to your parents about the marriage between you and Zhao Yufei."

"How would you know?" Fan Xiu asked doubtfully.

"Nonsense!"

Li Chuntao chuckled and said, "Zhao Yufei practically wants to move in here. If they don't discuss marriage now, what will happen if Zhao Yufei gets pregnant later?"

"Ahem, how could that happen!" Fan Xiu said awkwardly.

Li Chuntao smiled and said, "Fan Xiu, do you like Zhao Yufei, or Liu Qing? Both of these young ladies seem quite wonderful to me. One has a cheerful, lively, pure, and straightforward personality, and has always liked you; the other is cold, noble, elegant, and intelligent. Is it really that hard to choose?"

Fan Xiu glanced at Xiao Ruoqing, then looked at Zhao Yufei.

How to choose between two?

Only children make choices!

Fan Xiu said, "Sister-in-law, I want them both!"

"Ah?"

Li Chuntao's eyes widened in shock, and then she speechlessly muttered, "You really are greedy! But..."

As she spoke,

a thoughtful look appeared on Li Chuntao's face as she continued, "If you choose like that, your sister-in-law can understand. After all, if I were in your shoes, I wouldn't know how to choose either! Besides, men having three wives and four concubines really isn't much of a problem! Only..."

For some inexplicable reason, Li Chuntao recalled the scene a few days ago in the county town where she saw 'Liu Yue' kill three people with her own hands.

And 'Liu Yue' hadn't returned since leaving on some business yesterday.

She had asked Xiao Ruoqing about it, but Xiao Ruoqing only said she was away on business and might not return for a short while.

As for what kind of business, she hadn't mentioned it.

She only looked somewhat worried.

"What is it, Sister-in-law? Is something wrong?" Fan Xiu asked.

Li Chuntao asked, "Do you know the true identities of Liu Qing and Liu Yue?"

Fan Xiu asked suspiciously, "What do you mean? Aren't they sisters from the Liu family of Jingzhou?"

Li Chuntao said with a solemn expression, "I always feel their identities are not simple, especially Liu Yue's. Don't you think Liu Yue's martial arts skills are formidable?"

Fan Xiu agreed profoundly and replied, "Liu Yue's martial arts are indeed very impressive!"

"Right?"

Li Chuntao hurriedly asked, "How could a young lady from a prestigious family possess such formidable martial arts?"

Fan Xiu smiled and said, "Sister-in-law, you're overthinking it. I've asked Liu Qing about this, and she said Liu Yue learned martial arts from a general since she was a child, which is why she has such strong skills."

Li Chuntao sighed.

This Fan Xiu seemed to harbor no suspicions toward Liu Qing at all!

"Then where do you think Liu Yue went? Why hasn't she returned since leaving yesterday?" Li Chuntao asked, unwilling to give up.

"I don't know,"

Fan Xiu replied. "She has her own matters to attend to, and with her advanced martial arts skills, what could possibly happen to her? Don't worry, Sister-in-law, she'll be fine!"

Li Chuntao: "..."

Was I worried that something happened to her?

I was trying to make you wary of those two sisters!

Just as they were talking,

Zhao Defu returned with Fan Shoucheng and the others.

Fan Shoucheng walked up to Fan Xiu and said, "Xiu'er, Estate Master Zhao just spoke with us about the marriage between you and the Zhao family's daughter."

Fan Xiu gave Li Chuntao a surprised look.

She had actually guessed it right.

Fan Shoucheng continued, "We naturally have no objections to this match, but since this is your own affair, it's not our place to interfere too much. It all depends on your own thoughts."

Just as he finished speaking,

Xiao Ruoqing also walked over, crossed her arms, and watched Fan Xiu with an amused expression.