Liu Dalu was originally a wealthy Young Master. Though his family wasn't as affluent as the Ye family, they were well-off.
He was a genius.
There was hardly anything in this world that Liu Dalu didn't know how to do.
Dice gambling, mahjong, pai gow, embroidery, cooking, farming, carpentry, blacksmithing, storytelling, singing, and playing instruments—he excelled at all of them.
Since childhood, Liu Dalu had harbored a dream: to roam the martial world and become a great hero.
But becoming a hero wasn't easy. At the very least, he needed to learn martial arts first.
Being an oddball, however, Liu Dalu approached martial arts differently.
While others sought renowned Masters to train under, he decided to teach himself.
A genius is a genius, and somehow, through his own methods, Liu Dalu became a capable fighter.
How strong was he exactly? Neither he nor anyone else could say for sure.
When he grew up, his parents passed away, and Liu Dalu finally had the freedom to pursue his dream.
He sold his family estate for 700 taels of silver, bought a fine horse, forged a treasured sword, and set off to roam the martial world.
But soon, Liu Dalu spent all his silver and regretted his decision.
Had he known how quickly money could be spent, he wouldn't have sold his estate, worth 70,000 taels, for just 700 taels…
Liu Dalu's luck turned when he saved someone—the Chief Escort of the Zhongyuan Escort Agency!
Grateful for the rescue, the Chief Escort gave Liu Dalu a generous reward and, impressed by his martial skills, invited him to join the agency as an escort.
On his first mission, Liu Dalu encountered bandits.
After beating them up, he began persuading them to abandon their lives of crime and turn over a new leaf.
The bandits lamented, "We have no land, no skills. What else can we do but rob?"
Liu Dalu suggested, "Why not start a small business?"
The bandits replied, "We have no capital."
Liu Dalu said, "That's an easy fix. The escort wagon carries thousands of taels of silver."
And so, Liu Dalu gave all the silver in the wagon to the bandits, including his horse, sword, and even his clothes.
When he returned to the Zhongyuan Escort Agency, all he had left was a pair of underpants.
Liu Dalu recounted the entire incident to the Chief Escort, promising to escort more missions to repay the loss.
The Chief Escort knelt before him on the spot.
"Please, sir, I beg you, spare me. Here's 500 taels of silver. Take it.
"The lost thousands of taels and this 500 taels—consider them my gratitude for saving my life.
"The Zhongyuan Escort Agency can't handle a dragon like you in its shallow waters. I beg you to leave quickly."
Refusing the money, Liu Dalu walked out wearing only his underpants.
That was when he met Ye Xuezhang. Noticing Ye's elegant attire, Liu Dalu approached him to borrow money, explaining his story in full.
Amused by Liu Dalu's eccentricity, Ye Xuezhang lent him the money.
Since then, Liu Dalu had worked at the Ye residence to repay his debt.
Such was the eccentricity of this man.
Despite his peculiarities, Liu Dalu found the Young Madam suspicious from the moment she entered the Ye residence.
He couldn't pinpoint what exactly was odd about her.
But he didn't dwell on it, focusing instead on working hard to clear his debts as soon as possible.
The Next Day
The overseer of the jade mine, Manager Zhang, came to report that the Wang family's jade mine in Zhongzhou was up for sale. He asked Ye Xuezhang if he wanted to purchase it.
Technically, the Ye family didn't own their jade mine; it belonged to the court.
The Ye family had merely leased the mining rights years ago, paying annual fees to the court.
The Wang family operated under a similar arrangement.
These mining rights could be privately bought and sold.
Coincidentally, the system issued a new check-in task, requiring Ye Xuezhang to visit Zhongzhou.
He decided on the spot to travel to Zhongzhou to negotiate the purchase of the Wang family's jade mine and complete the system task.
Before his departure, Qi Yixuan escorted him to the gate, reluctant to part.
"Husband, be careful while you're away," she said, her voice full of concern.
"And remember, while May's weather is hot, it gets chilly at night. Close your windows and use an extra blanket when you sleep."
"Ride slowly to avoid accidents. Just the other day, the second son of the Shen family fell off his horse and broke his leg."
"If you encounter bandits, prioritize escaping. Don't risk fighting them just because you know some martial arts."
"And also…"
"Oh, one more thing..."
Listening to her endless reminders, Ye Xuezhang smiled wryly. "Wife, if you keep talking, it'll be dark before I can leave."
"Alright, then. Safe travels, husband. Come back soon."
Ye Xuezhang nodded, mounted his horse, and left Cangxi City.
Watching his retreating figure, Qi Yixuan felt a pang in her chest, her eyes welling with tears.
"Wife, what's wrong?" Ye Xiaoyu asked from the side.
"Husband will be gone for at least two months. It's the first time we'll be apart for so long," Qi Yixuan replied, her voice trembling.
Ye Xiaoyu chuckled helplessly. "If you don't want to be apart from him, why not go with him?"
Qi Yixuan shook her head. "How could I do that?"
"It's a man's business. What would people think of my husband if I, a woman, tagged along? Wouldn't they laugh at him?"
Ye Xiaoyu suggested, "If you're feeling upset, why don't I accompany you on a shopping trip to cheer you up?"
"Alright."
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]