The Hearth Boy

Chapter 92 The Stove Boy (Seeking follow-up subscriptions and first-day subscriptions)

"My name is Yan Xiaolou, the senior disciple of the inner sect of Zhefeng Pavilion. The fish shop owes a month's taxes, so I've come to inquire about it."

"Quack, tax collector? Wait a minute, I'll go inform the young master."

Zhaoyue considered anything related to money to be a big deal. She leaned the door against the wall, turned around, and went into the backyard.

Yan Xiaolou's eyelashes fluttered when she heard the word "Young Master".

Is this the man? Is he truly a reclusive master?

With a sense of curiosity, Yan Xiaolou crossed the threshold and entered the front hall.

Once inside, she began to carefully examine the small shop that she hadn't noticed before.

The shop was small; you could see the end of it at a glance. The wooden shelves on the left and right were empty.

The stove in the backyard was burning, and you could hear it making a "whooshing" sound.

Yan Xiaolou looked at it for a moment, then his brows slowly furrowed.

Is this what you call opening a shop and doing business?

Zhefeng Pavilion has vouched for many shops in the West Market, and I have never seen one that refuses to sell a single item.

Before Yan Xiaolou arrived, he reviewed the Yu family's accounts for the past few years. They hadn't sold many farm tools, but at least they had some income and some expenses every month, which was a steady income and a far cry from what they were doing now.

Just then, Xiao Yao's voice came from the backyard.

"Young master, it's that sword repairwoman from last time. She said we owed taxes and she has the seal of the Zhefeng Pavilion in her hand. It doesn't look fake."

Yan Xiaolou's eyelid twitched.

With an inner gate badge hanging from his waist and a legitimate tax register in his hand, the little demon even added a special note that it didn't seem fake.

The curtain was lifted, and Shen Gui walked out from the backyard.

He was still wearing that gray clothes, with a little dust on the cuffs, which he flicked away lightly and it was clean.

Shen Gui walked to the front hall and glanced at the booklet in Yan Xiaolou's hand: "What is it?"

Yan Xiaolou placed the seal of the establishment on the counter and said in an official tone, "The Yu Family Shop is registered under the name of Zhefeng Hall. According to the rules, it should pay a guarantee tax to the hall every month. There is a month's shortfall in the accounts, so I have come to check the accounts on my master's orders."

She had already made things clear before she came.

First, bring up the old grievances, and then waive the portion that can be waived for the Yu family. Under the rules, charging less is not considered favoritism, but it lets the other party know that you came with good intentions.

Wouldn't it be easier to bring up the sword matter after we finish our official business?

result...

Just as Yan Xiaolou opened the tax register, Shen Gui had already taken out a money bag from under the counter.

The money bag was placed on the table, the copper coins clinking together, completely full.

"Pay one year in advance."

"what?"

Yan Xiaolou looked down at the money pouch, feeling a bit numb.

All the words I had prepared for the journey were never used.

"Sir, won't you ask how much it is first?"

"It's in the booklet."

"The fish shop has been closed for many days, so the accounts may not be settled for the whole month."

"It's alright."

Shen Gui pushed the money pouch forward half an inch and then said nothing more.

Yan Xiaolou stood there for two breaths before untying the bag.

It wasn't all copper coins inside; there were also a few pieces of silver. She roughly calculated that it would be enough to last her more than a year, let alone two or three months.

Does this person even know how to do business?

Yan Xiaolou took out the loose silver and pushed one piece back: "I don't need that much."

Shen Gui did not respond: "The rest will be recorded later."

Does having money mean you can do whatever you want?

Yan Xiaolou felt utterly helpless.

But since things have come to this point, we can only proceed according to the original plan.

Yan Xiaolou coughed twice, mimicking his master's usual way of speaking, and said in an official tone: "Before the Yu family shop closed, they went to the West Market tax office to submit a closure receipt. I found the original receipt last night."

She pulled an old piece of paper from the tax book's inner compartment and laid it on the counter.

"According to the rules of the museum, during the period of closure, only the land fee is charged, and no protection tax is charged. There are 22 days in this month that should be deducted."

She took a pen and crossed out most of the debt, leaving only a small line of numbers.

"You only need to make up for eight days. I will record the remaining money as a prepayment for future hearings. When the hearing resumes, the court will acknowledge this payment."

"Can it really be that much less?"

Zhaoyue leaned over the counter, watching the girl beside her disappear with a stroke of her pen, and felt a surge of pride.

This is a good person!

Zhaoyue thought to herself.

Yan Xiaolou closed the tax book and then tried to justify himself: "It's not that I can reduce the amount as I please; it's all done according to the rules. If the receipt had been found half a month later, no one could have changed it."

Zhaoyue immediately said, "Fairy Yan is really reliable. I could tell last time that you are a person who follows the rules."

Yan Xiaolou could tell that the little demon was afraid that he would add the money back after he had reduced it.

Shen Gui nodded: "Thank you for your trouble."

Only two words.

Yan Xiaolou's slight dissipation of frustration dissipated somewhat.

At least the other party appreciated the gesture.

Official business completed.

Yan Xiaolou took out the sword-testing record from Sihailou from his bosom.

"I have another matter to discuss with you, sir."

Yan Xiaolou placed the record in front of Shen Gui: "I asked the master of Sihailou to personally examine it. There is yellow iron mixed in the spine of the sword, which is why the blade is rough. The sword is indeed not broken, just as you judged."

"Hmm." Shen Gui glanced at it.

Yan Xiaolou waited for a moment, then her eyes widened.

"Okay," that's it. And then what?

It's gone?

The shop was quiet for a moment, then the atmosphere suddenly became a little awkward.

Yan Xiaolou could only brazenly continue, "Sir, how did you know it wasn't broken when you didn't draw your sword that day?"

"Seen with the eyes."

"Well...

"6

Yan Xiaolou clenched his fists tightly inside his sleeve.

Who doesn't know that we see with our eyes?

She forced a smile. "What I'm asking is, what tricks did you use, sir?"

"experience."

"6

""

Yan Xiaolou's teeth itched.

Even a strict teacher would explain the concepts of fire and earth in his speech, but this person saved himself the trouble, summing it up with just one sentence of experience.

But there's no way to say that what I said was wrong.

Yan Xiaolou patted her chest, remembering that Shen Gui had the same attitude last time, and in the end she could only suppress her anger.

It's normal for capable people to have eccentricities.

After calming himself down, Yan Xiaolou's voice gradually softened: "Yesterday, the strict teacher gave us two options: one was to wait for the first frost, and the other was to forge a water-attribute sword sheath. But now the Hundred Sects Seating Ceremony will be held soon, and there's not enough time for either option."

She was focused on the gray-clad woman as she spoke, but Shen Gui didn't react at all, not even blinking.

Yan Xiaolou could only say again, "I will pay the price of Sihailou, but I would like to ask you to help me think of other methods. If it can be cast before the opening of the Fuyou Group, the price can be increased."

She untied the sword and placed both hands on the counter.

"It's too late," Shen Gui replied crisply.

Yan Xiaolou was prepared, but upon hearing these three words, her expression still turned somewhat dejected.

"Then forget it." She reached for the sword.

Shen Gui: "Actually, there's no need to wait until autumn is over, nor is there any need to forge the sheath."

Yan Xiaolou's hand stopped on the sword hilt, and he looked up: "Does the master have another way?"

"have."

Upon receiving an affirmative answer, Yan Xiaolou's disappointment vanished instantly. She took a half-step around the counter, getting closer to Shen Gui.

"Please teach me, sir."

"Can."

Yan Xiaolou was taken aback when he answered so quickly.

She suppressed her anxiety: "How much silver do you need, sir?"

"I don't want money."

"What do you want?"

Shen Gui looked at Zhao Yue beside the counter.

Zhaoyue was still lying there, her claws wrapped in cloth, the edges of which were stained with coal dust.

Shen Gui said, "You will come to the shop for six hours every day to help out as a stove boy."

Yan Xiaolou asked subconsciously, "To help the master?"

"Let him be its furnace attendant," Shen Gui said, pointing to Zhaoyue.

The front hall fell silent.

Zhao Yue hadn't expected that she would be dragged into this, and Yan Xiaolou couldn't immediately respond either.

After a few breaths, she raised her hand and pointed to herself.

"I?"

"Um."

"To be its hearth boy?"

"right."

Yan Xiaolou looked down at Zhaoyue.

This little demon was only at the Body Tempering Realm, barely reaching her knees, with two dark circles under his eyes and bandages wrapped around his hands, looking rather silly.

Zhaoyue silently hid her claws behind her back.

Yan Xiaolou withdrew his gaze, his tone somewhat annoyed: "Does sir know who I am?"

"Yan Xiaolou".

"I'm not asking for your name."

She placed the inner gate plaque of Zhefeng Pavilion on the counter: "I am the senior inner gate disciple of Zhefeng Pavilion, with a superior sword body and the peak of Guanchen. Among the young cultivators of this generation in Qiwu Kingdom, I dare not say that I am definitely in the top three, but I will always have a place in the top ten."

Yan Xiaolou pointed at Zhaoyue, "I'm supposed to be an assistant to a mere Body Tempering Realm demon?"

Zhao Yue scratched her head, feeling a little embarrassed: "Young master, how about we forget about it? I can work the bellows myself, it's just a bit slow. Fairy Yan is dressed so cleanly, how could she be suited for such dirty work as blacksmithing?"

"Alright, as you wish."

Shen Gui nodded and turned to walk towards the backyard.

The curtain fell, concealing a gray-clad figure.

Yan Xiaolou's hand was still pointing at himself, and he stood frozen in front of the counter.

Are we just going to leave it at that?

No more talking?

She didn't mean to outdo Zhaoyue with those words; she just wanted Shen Gui to understand how outrageous the condition of asking her to be a furnace attendant was.

The other party simply said "Okay" and left.

Yan Xiaolou's chest heaved twice.

She came from an ordinary background, and no one in her family practiced cultivation. At the age of ten, she was found to have a superior sword physique. Several elders from the Zhefeng Pavilion rushed to her house that very day and almost fought in the courtyard over who would take her as a disciple.

After entering the sect, she learned swordsmanship faster than her peers and broke through realms quickly.

Over the years, she has heard praise and criticism, but she has never been looked down upon.

Zhaoyue walked around the counter and ran to Yan Xiaolou's side: "Fairy Yan, don't be angry. That's just how the young master talks. He wasn't targeting you specifically."

Yan Xiaolou asked, "Does he usually have someone at the peak of the Guan Chen realm operate the bellows for you?"

No, not at all.

"Isn't that directed at me?"

Zhao Yue scratched her head, thought for a long time, and said, "Maybe it's because you have long legs, you're naturally suited to shoveling coal?"

Yan Xiaolou closed her eyes.

It's better not to offer any advice at all.

Zhaoyue then said, "Why don't you go back? It's better than being mistreated here. Young Master may have just said it casually, and I'm too embarrassed to actually make you my assistant."

"Just something you said offhand?"

Yan Xiaolou looked towards the backyard.

The words "Let's go" were almost on her lips, but she forced them back down.

Yan Xiaolou gripped the scabbard, tightening his grip little by little, then loosening it again.

She took a step towards the backyard: "Sir."

Shen Gui didn't come out, but only asked, "Speak."

Yan Xiaolou asked through the curtain, "Six hours a day, helping out by the stove, just following this little demon's instructions?"

"Let it be with the stove."

"If I do it, will you teach me the way?"

"meeting."

"Can you make it into the 100-seat quota?"

"able."

Yan Xiaolou stood there for a long time before straightening his back again.

She addressed the curtain, saying each word clearly, "Yan Xiaolou is willing to be the stove attendant."

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