The Hidden Immortal

Chapter 35 Master Chu is a Good Man

Chu Xun patted his head and said, "Good boy, your name is A-Qiao, right?"

Because his grandfather was a woodcutter, and later died of illness while fleeing famine, he was named A-Qiao (meaning "woodcutter").

The thin, dark-skinned tenant farmer exclaimed in delight, "The master still remembers his name!"

Chu Xun smiled and said, "I've wished you a Happy New Year more than once or twice, how could I forget? When you first came to town, he was still an infant, as thin as a little monkey."

The tall, thin tenant farmer said embarrassedly, "I can't even get enough to eat, and my wife doesn't have much breast milk, so I have indeed lost weight."

Chu Xun then looked at A Qiao and said, "As the saying goes, food is the most important thing for people. Farming is good, but it is not the best."

"If you can fill your stomach, you should still read more books. Reading ten thousand books is like traveling ten thousand miles."

The thin, dark-skinned tenant farmer was so moved he almost cried. People like them were despised wherever they went, treated like stray dogs.

It was only because the magistrate of Zhangnan County took pity on them and gave them a chance to survive, and they also met a kind-hearted landlord like Chu Xun, that they were able to gain a foothold after several years of hard work.

But who cares about children from poor families?

There are very few people like Chu Xun who can remember a child's name so clearly.

A-Qiao looked up at Chu Xun, forgetting even to eat the candied hawthorn in his hand.

Thinking of what Chu Xun once said, "Reading ten thousand books is like traveling ten thousand miles."

Ten thousand miles, how far is that?

Has the boss traveled this far as well?

After exchanging a few more words, Chu Xun and Scholar Zhang An continued on their way.

Several tenant farmers turned back to look at the couple's retreating figures, whispering among themselves, "The landlord and his wife are both good people, it's a pity they still don't have a child."

"Who can argue with that? He's capable, and he's kind enough to us tenants. God really is blind."

"But forget about studying. We're in a poor, remote area, so we can't produce many scholars. It's better to farm and fill our stomachs."

Over the course of several years, Chu Xun acquired several more shops in the town, which enabled him to purchase even more farmland.

Now, the amount of farmland he owns is not just a hundred acres, but more than one hundred and fifty acres.

He had thirty or forty tenants and shop owners under his management.

He was neither too much nor too little, making him a proper small landlord.

Most of these people were refugees who had fled from war, drifting like duckweed without roots in Pingshui Town.

Even though the county government provided loans for the busy farming season, Chu Xun allowed them to pay rent only after the harvest.

But in reality, they didn't actually collect the money in the first year; instead, they were given another year's grace.

When you first arrive, you'll always face many difficulties.

For Chu Xun, delaying the payment of rent by a year was a trivial matter; he wouldn't go hungry or suffer any loss.

But for these refugees, it was an immense blessing.

With the first year's harvest, they could buy clothes for their families and themselves, and some firewood to get through the cold winter.

Even during the Lunar New Year, Chu Xun specially bought some food to visit these tenant farmers.

During the Lunar New Year, they were so grateful that they wept tears of joy.

Chu Xun's fame and kindness spread as a result.

These refugees were filled with gratitude towards him and secretly vowed not to let their employer down.

I'll cultivate the land well, both for myself and to repay this favor as soon as possible.

Not far along, Chu Xun and Zhang Anxiu encountered another merchant who had rented a shop.

"Master Chu, Madam, what a coincidence! We just made some rice cakes, would you two like to try some?" The vendor offered the still-warm rice cakes with both hands, his tone slightly ingratiating.

Even merchants who own shops in town are unwilling to miss the opportunity to enjoy the lively temple fair.

Most of them will bring their own good stuff to sell here.

Chu Xun's name has become quite well-known in Pingshui Town in recent years.

Many families who came to propose marriage to him back then but failed are now filled with regret.

If I had known that this child, who grew up on the charity of many families, would achieve such success, I would have arranged their marriage much earlier.

As he walked through the temple fair, people would often greet Chu Xun with a respectful bow, addressing him as "Master Chu" or "Master Chu".

The more people showed Chu Xun respect, the more forced Zhang Anxiu's smile appeared.

Chu Xun knew why she was like this, and gently patted his wife's hand to comfort her.

Zhang Anxiu looked up at him, her heart filled with worry, unable to let go of it.

Her husband's status rose, but she was still unable to give him a son or daughter, which remained a knot in her heart.

At this moment, Chu Xun patted the back of her hand again and pointed ahead, saying, "Look, Huan'er is over there."

Zhang Anxiu looked in the direction he was pointing and saw a handsome boy with a high ponytail, carrying a small basket and selling roasted nuts and seeds.

"Sunflower seeds, peanuts, rice cakes. Eight coins for half a pound, fifteen coins for a pound! Come and take a look!"

His voice was loud and clear, and he showed no signs of stage fright despite the large crowd at the temple fair.

Some people pointed and snickered at him, but the boy not only didn't shy away, he shouted back, "Want to buy some? My dad makes them, the best fried nuts and seeds in the whole Zhangnan County!"

With so many people coming to the temple fair to do business, how could Zhang Sanchun not come?

Long before the temple fair was so crowded, Chu Xun had him bring roasted nuts and seeds to help him become a familiar face.

Nowadays, the money earned from the three-day temple fair each year is no less than what the town earns in a month.

Chu Xun pulled Zhang Anxiu over, and when they reached her, he asked with a smile, "What if I only want to buy half a jin, but feel that eight copper coins is too much?"

"Uncle, Aunt!" Huan'er was overjoyed to see them.

Hearing Chu Xun's question, he rolled his eyes and said with a grin, "That's easy. I'll find you someone who also only wants half a catty. You two can buy it together, and I'll charge you fifteen coins."

Chu Xun then asked, "What if we really can't find anyone to buy it with?"

Huan'er said, "Then you give me eight coins, and I'll give you a rice cake. It's fragrant, sweet, and delicious."

Chu Xun then asked, "If everyone wants an extra rice ball for eight coins, wouldn't you be losing money?"

Huan'er was still a child after all, and she was momentarily stumped by the question, unsure of how to answer it.

Seeing this, Zhang Anxiu went over and put her arm around Huan'er's shoulder: "Why are you making things difficult for your own nephew? Huan'er, be good. Where's your father?"

"Dad's selling goods at the temple gate." Huan'er seemed to still be considering the question Chu Xun had asked.

Zhang Anxiu looked helpless and gave Chu Xun a coquettish glare.

Chu Xun chuckled. He simply felt that his nephew had been very clever since childhood and wanted to nurture him further.

Although Zhang Anxiu knew he meant well, she was naturally protective of her own children, and since she had no children of her own, she always regarded Huan'er as her own.

A cawing sound came from the sky. Huan'er looked up and saw several black crows circling overhead. She immediately waved happily and shouted, "Crows, come down quickly!"

Those bold crows seemed to understand his call, and they folded their wings and landed on his shoulder.

Huan'er took a small handful of melon seeds from the basket, carefully peeled them, and then fed them to the crow.

Watching the crow pick up a melon seed and swallow it, he couldn't help but chuckle.

My uncle's house has many good things, but the best of all are these crows.

Both smart and obedient.

Because the Lin family was executed along with their entire clan, many families in Pingshui Town still harbored reservations about Lin Qiaoxi.

Therefore, the children in the family are not allowed to have too much contact with Huan'er.

Huan'er, who had few playmates growing up, was closest to these clever crows and regarded them as her playmates.

The crows seemed to like him too, and would often bring him a few wild fruits as gifts.

The child had never seen so many crows in anyone else's home, and he felt an indescribable admiration for his uncle.

It wasn't just because Chu Xun was a well-known intelligent man, and also the only small landlord and guest of honor in Songguo Village.

Huan'er also felt that her uncle had many amazing skills, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what they were.

He often fantasized that his uncle might be the legendary martial arts master who lived in seclusion and possessed superb skills, as described by storytellers.

Zhang Anxiu knew that these crows were docile and wouldn't easily hurt people, so she didn't pay any attention to them.

The three walked towards the Pine Willow Water God Temple. In the middle, Zhang Anxiu heard someone shouting, "Ancestral secret recipe, guaranteed to give you a son, money back guarantee if it doesn't work!"

She turned her head and saw a man with a mustache, wearing an old Taoist robe, with sparse teeth and gray hair shouting.

He sat on a broken chair with a limp leg, holding a cloth banner that read "Guaranteed to Have a Son" in one hand and resting the other hand on a three-foot-tall wooden cabinet next to him.

A faint aroma of medicine wafted from the wooden cabinet, attracting quite a few people.

"It's all a lie. Whether you have a son or not depends entirely on luck. If you guess right, you'll benefit; if you guess wrong, you won't lose anything," Chu Xun said.

Zhang Anxiu said "oh," glanced at it again, and then walked away.