599: Chapter 599 Dragon's Hidden Side - The Holy Lord Arrives

"Stop, don't shout just yet—the Manor Lord will be here soon. Everyone must keep their composure; we must not show weakness or lose face for Hedong." A man in front walked over quickly and reminded them in a hushed voice.

"Brother, don't you know what everyone is thinking? We respect the Manor Lord from the bottom of our hearts; we've been looking forward to this day for a long time." As soon as the words fell, several people scrambled to answer, their tones warm. No one found it abrupt; instead, they nodded in agreement.

"That may be so, but we dare not speak recklessly. What would it look like if word got out? It would make the Manor Lord seem arrogant and conceited. Even if that is truly what we think, it should only be hidden in our hearts; as long as we understand each other, that is enough. It must never be put out in the open."

Everyone immediately fell silent, yet smiles remained on their faces. They gathered in twos and threes, whispering to ask how much profit they had shared this year, whether the land rent had increased, and whether their children's entry into private school had gone smoothly.

"Need you ask? If the Manor Lord hadn't shared the dividends with us, where would we be today? My son is entering the county school this autumn, I've renovated the old house with green bricks, and even the stove has been rebuilt with new bricks—if every generation of Manor Lords were this generous, how could our lives be anything but good?"

"Indeed! I heard that the Manor Lord's Young Master was well-versed in the Zuo Zhuan and skilled in archery and horsemanship from a young age. How could the seed of a Dragon be ordinary?"

"By the way, I heard that Steward Peng is over a hundred years old; if you calculate carefully, he must be seventy or eighty, right? His health is very robust, and he still manages all affairs of the manor himself. As for the others, they study martial arts and literature from a young age without neglecting either—is this really true?"

"It is absolutely true. The outermost village is designed specifically for receiving guests, and most people cannot even stay there and have to return home. Those who can enter the 'Chennei Village' are already as rare as a Phoenix feather or a unicorn horn. As for the actual manor—no one has ever stepped inside to this day. Now, how many squires are beating their chests in regret: when the invitation was delivered to them, they made excuses about being busy, and now they don't even know which way the manor gate opens!"

"That is exactly right. Those who can enter the manor are all direct descendants of loyal servants from several generations. Want to enter Chennei Village? First, they check your ancestors for three generations, then verify your relatives across eight branches. Only when every single detail is spotless are you allowed to cross the second sentry post."

"That is only natural. If a petty thief were to sneak in, wouldn't it make people laugh their heads off? Not a single bit of carelessness is allowed."

"Speaking of petty thieves—I heard that people faint outside the forest every day. When they wake up, they can't remember how they ended up lying there. Later, it was realized that they were all people who tried to sneak into the forest in the dark, wanting to peek at the secrets of the manor, only to be knocked down by the roadside, and they didn't recover until noon the next day. It's very eerie."

"I've heard that too. That forest is truly strange—there is only one main path into the manor. Any other path, even if you follow the stream to circle inside, you'll find your vision going black as you walk, and then you'll fall to the ground. No one can explain it; it's just strange."

At this point, everyone suddenly fell silent. Their eyes met, and they quickly changed the subject, chatting about the market for cloth and the rise and fall of grain prices.

"Young Master, this manor is truly extraordinary. For decades, no one has been able to break into the outer villages, let alone the inside... I really wonder what it looks like inside those walls—how many pillars, how many pavilions?"

"This Young Master is also waiting to see—does that Manor Lord really dare to show his face? Is he not afraid of being ambushed or captured on the spot?" Emperor Li Shimin raised an eyebrow, seemingly puzzled: Could it be that his martial arts are divine, or does he have some other support behind him?

"We subordinates are also looking at flowers through the fog. However—when he appears, we might as well test the depth of the water."

"Excellent! If he is just a straw bag using his influence to show off, it will save us the trouble of wasting our breath." Cheng Yaojin slapped his thigh and grinned, his eyes clearly dancing with eagerness to try.

"Lower your voice! Did you really not figure it out earlier? A single troop broke an army of ten thousand—if he travels, are the guards accompanying him just for show? Do you think you can take on an army alone? The difference between a thousand men and ten thousand is not just the number; it is the bloodline of life for life. Even scattered soldiers would be enough for you to handle."

These words were solid, and everyone who heard them nodded. How could such a person be negligent in his defenses? Even if he himself were magnanimous, his subordinates would never allow any mishap—after all, everyone had received the grace of having their lives saved. If they truly harbored ulterior motives, no matter how vast the world is, they would have nowhere to stand.

"Fine, fine, fine, consider it my big mouth, alright?" Cheng Yaojin twisted his neck and muttered, turning his face away.

"However, Brother Cheng's words may not be without Foundation. Along this journey, I fear there will indeed be a spectacle to watch. I just don't know if it will be a scene of gongs and drums, or a fizzle." Li Jing stroked his beard and smiled, his gaze cast toward the distant mountain shadows, the curiosity in his heart sinking a bit deeper than before.

"Yaoshi's words are very true; there is indeed such a principle. Whenever one side gains, another must lose; this is the common way of things. People in the Jianghu have always acted this way, and it is precisely because of these entanglements that it is most difficult to restrain them." Fang Xuanling nodded in agreement, hitting the nail on the head. Hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement.

After listening, Emperor Li Shimin felt clear-headed, but whether the matter would succeed remained unresolved, and he could not help but feel anxious.

"Young Master, do not worry. Previously, wars were frequent, yet he never stepped in, which shows his indifference to power and status. Our actions do not necessarily have to be like walking on thin ice; furthermore, the person has not yet arrived, why the need to speculate too early?"

The few words of comfort from his subordinates did make him breathe a little easier. But the hidden worry in his heart did not truly dissipate—generations change, minds differ, who can assert that tomorrow will not bring change? If that day truly comes, would it not stir up the winds and clouds once again?

According to secret investigations, the Manor Lord is over fifty. The older generation can suppress it, but the younger generation is hard to say. Once a change occurs, the Xiaoyao Manor, sitting on wealth and holding the respect of the people, is no small matter. Fortunately, Emperor Li Shimin was a man who had seen great battles, and as soon as the thought arose, he suppressed it, only lowering his eyes to wait quietly.

Just as his mind settled, a commotion suddenly arose in the front and quickly spread. Fortunately, the servants of the Qian residence were well-trained, immediately stabilizing the scene and announcing loudly: "The Xiaoyao Manor Lord has arrived!"

Squire Qian and the various local gentry heard the news and hurried to the gate. They saw a vermilion-lacquered, gold-painted carriage approaching from the end of the long street, with attendants standing in rows before and behind, numbering at least a hundred. Steward Peng rode in front, his robes imposing and particularly striking.

"Steward Peng, long time no see! Are the Manor Lord and his ladies well?" Squire Qian hurriedly put on a smiling face and cupped his hands in greeting.

Peng Hui had managed the Xiaoyao Manor for decades and had long since cultivated a composed demeanor, returning the salute calmly: "Thank you all for your concern; the Manor Lord and his ladies are in good health as usual. It is just that there is such a commotion today... The Manor Lord has always preferred quiet, so I hope you can understand."

"This... this was truly not our intention to disturb! It is just that we have long admired the Manor Lord's bearing but have never had the chance to meet him. In our excitement, we lost our composure. Please, Steward, be magnanimous!" Squire Qian had a light sweat on his forehead, fearing that he might offend the distinguished guests.

The other squires also knew the weight of the situation and bowed to apologize.

"Enough. The Manor Lord is always generous and will not hold it against you. But in the future, do not make such a scene again." Peng Hui waved his hand to stop the crowd, then shouted clearly, "Invite the Manor Lord to alight from the carriage—"

When the words fell, no one dared to say another word.

Jiang Chen watched coldly, his expression unmoved, only turning to take the hands of the two beautiful ladies beside him and slowly stepping down from the carriage.

As soon as the three of them appeared, everyone on the street seemed to have their throats pinched—the idlers on the side of the street froze in place, the people waiting to greet them held their breath and focused, not even daring to breathe heavily. The scene before them made people suspect it was a dream.

"Manor Lord, ladies, this is the residence of Squire Qian." Steward Peng stepped forward half a step, lowered his head, and whispered, extremely respectful.

"Hmm." Jiang Chen responded lightly and walked straight ahead with the two ladies.

Squire Qian and the others finally came to their senses, hurriedly tidying their clothes and composing their faces, stepping forward, and bowing deeply: "Welcome, Manor Lord! Our humble home is honored, shining with brilliance! Manor Lord, ladies, please come inside for tea; do not stand on ceremony!"

The other squires followed closely behind, heads bowed and waists bent, not even daring to breathe loudly. The astonishment from just a moment ago had not yet faded, and now another layer of shock was added: it turned out that the Manor Lord himself was young and handsome, and the two ladies were even more stunning in beauty and natural in aura—the rumors were far from a ten-thousandth of what they saw with their own eyes. Looking closely at Steward Peng again, his brows were relaxed, his steps were steady, and he looked more vigorous than he had years ago. Everyone sighed inwardly: their own temples were already frosted with gray, while others seemed to be going against the current, untouched by time.

All the way through the courtyards, the servants in the mansion stood with their hands down against the walls, not even daring to glance sideways, for fear of being rude and inviting disaster.

When they arrived in front of the main hall, everyone who had been looking forward to it finally got to see the full picture, but only felt their throats tighten and their minds go blank—

"I'll be damned! The Manor Lord is actually this young? And those two ladies... they are even more eye-catching than what is written in plays! That calm and composed demeanor, how could it be cultivated by an ordinary family?"

"Indeed! Look closely at the Manor Lord's every gesture—graceful like a crane from beyond the clouds. Standing there, Squire Qian and the others cannot even straighten their waists; they are clearly being completely suppressed! No wonder he can support such a Foundation as the Xiaoyao Manor!"

"Quiet! If this gets out, it will cause trouble! It's enough to understand in your heart!"

Jiang Chen did not care at all about the gossip in the streets. It would be strange if no one was talking.

"The Manor Lord's arrival is truly our great honor! I wonder if you have any important matters to instruct upon this visit? In fact, sending a servant to pass a message would have been enough; why trouble you to make this trip in person? It really makes us feel anxious! Please, take the seat of honor, please take the seat of honor!" Squire Qian dared not show the slightest neglect, hurriedly clearing the central seat of honor, gesturing with both hands for Jiang Chen to take a seat; then he respectfully invited the two ladies to take their seats.

The three sat down, and Squire Qian breathed a slight sigh of relief, sitting down with the others present. Everyone then echoed in agreement, the meaning all much the same.

"Everyone, please do not stand on ceremony. I have come today just to talk in person, so that we can twist into a single rope—no matter how overbearing outsiders are, they cannot suppress those who are united. The world is vast and can accommodate true unity; although Hedong is small, it is precisely the root where we settle down, earn a living, and raise our children. Who doesn't have some Foundation? I dare not say we can protect everywhere, but on this land, only by working together can we seek long-term benefits."

"The Manor Lord's words have touched our hearts! As long as everyone is of one mind, Hedong will only become more stable and prosperous. Over these years, anyone with a discerning eye can see: our lives are becoming more substantial, and the common people are living steadily and securely. Is such a life not worth protecting? Not worth passing down to our descendants? This is the most important principle, wouldn't you all agree?"

"That's right! Squire Qian has put it clearly! Only by working together can Hedong flourish without decline, and can family businesses be passed down from generation to generation! Everyone, isn't this the principle?"

"Yes! That is exactly so! We resolutely support it! One hundred percent in favor!"

Below, there was an immediate chorus of agreement. With favorable weather and all trades flourishing over these years, who didn't have a scale in their hearts? The benefits were real and tangible, and everyone could see them clearly.