novelraw Chapter 55: My Status is Different Now
Chapter 55: My Status is Different Now
After experiencing the fires of war, Blue Stone Platform could be said to have all industries in decline. The Zhao family had no backbone and fell into internal strife. Large numbers of shops on the street closed their doors and ceased business, dragging down the town's overall economy along with them.
These past two days, Li Qiuchen wandered around the town and had one obvious feeling, that no one was buying goods. Many things on the street stalls couldn't be sold.
Many common mountain goods, such as dried mushrooms, nuts, grouse, and wild rabbits were all starting to drop in price.
After wandering around in a circle, he didn't find a suitable house. No need to look for rental advertisements at the door, just looking inside to see if anyone lived there, you'd know. The town's population was quite large with no vacant rooms. The few empty houses were also in disrepair from years of neglect.
Walking along, he happened to see Liu Po carrying a piece of meat and a pot of wine coming from the opposite direction. Li Qiuchen brazenly went over to greet her.
Having met once yesterday at the Zhao household, they could be considered acquainted. Plus Li Qiuchen was young and sweet-tongued. After a few polite exchanges, he was pulled back to Liu Po's home and mooched lunch.
Liu Po's husband died early. Actually, at that age, it couldn't be considered early. They weren't the kind of particularly poor family. They had done business before and now could still live in a small courtyard with three large tiled rooms.
She had two sons. The eldest son did business outside and rarely came home a few times a year. The younger son had just come of age and was apprenticing at a tailor's shop. His wimpy personality worried her the most.
That's what she said, but looking at her spirit, Li Qiuchen didn't think she looked like someone whose husband had died several years ago.
Blue Stone Platform wasn't very big to begin with, so news spread quickly.Before, when Liu Po said she had "emerged," basically no one believed her. Only some familiar old sisters would ask her to come chant and mutter.
As a result, yesterday she made a big impression at the Zhao household. Never mind whether she solved the problem or not, at least quite a few people present at the time saw the change in her eyes.
With this, Liu Po became famous, directly rising to become a hot celebrity in Blue Stone Platform town.
The small merchants who used to compete with her for those few coins no longer dared compete, and some even actively sent gifts to build connections. The wine and meat in her hands, she hadn't spent a single wen of her own money on.
All morning, Liu Po had been immersed in a state of being praised and complimented until she was floating with delight.
As a result, encountering Li Qiuchen, she was doused with a ladle of cold water and instantly returned to her original form.
"Auntie, some people say nice things to you, but their hearts might not be kind."
Li Qiuchen quietly reminded her, "Squire Zhao still has no news until now. You're being so high-profile. Aren't you afraid someone with ulterior motives will fabricate charges against you and secretly report you to the authorities?"
Liu Po shivered, instantly sobering up, frightened into a cold sweat.
"How did I not think of this? Fortunately, Xiaohe, you reminded me. In these times, people's hearts are separated by their bellies. Everyone knows I got twenty taels reward money at the Zhao household. Who knows who might be jealous behind my back?"
"Let me ask you one more thing. What's your relationship with that Lord Chang the Eighth?"
"Lord Chang the Eighth? Who's that?"
Liu Po looked bewildered.
"The immortal family you invited yesterday."
"I don't know them."
Li Qiuchen said in surprise, "You met last night..."
"Last night? Last night I was sleeping at home. I didn't see anyone at all."
Liu Po was even more surprised than Li Qiuchen. After being stunned for a long time, she suddenly reacted and quickly pressed her palms together, muttering rapidly, "So that immortal family is called Lord Chang the Eighth. Forgive me, forgive me. Immortal sir, you have great magnanimity. Please don't hold it against this old woman. I'll carve a tablet for you and offer it up, with incense morning and night."
So you don't know anything at all?
Then what was Lord Chang the Eighth's background?
According to what Wang Su said, even the Earth God knew Lord Chang the Eighth's name.
That meant he wasn't some mountain demon or wild monster.
It was just unknown why he had possessed Liu Po's body, while Liu Po knew nothing about this Lord Chang the Eighth.
Liu Po was also carefree. After muttering for a while and feeling she had no headache or fever, she felt the immortal family probably didn't blame her. She immediately perked up, stretching her neck to loudly instruct her daughter-in-law to take the meat and stew it. Today she was entertaining a guest.
Having experienced yesterday's incident at the Zhao household, she didn't dare treat Li Qiuchen as an ordinary child.
"Actually, I have something I want auntie to help me decide on."
When Liu Po heard Li Qiuchen say this, her face immediately lit up with joy.
Wasn't she now specifically helping others with matters?
"You child, being so polite with me. Whatever it is, just say it."
Li Qiuchen smiled, "You also know my home is in the mountains. This time coming to town, I originally only wanted to sell some medicinal materials. Who could have expected old Master Zhao to have that incident, and I just happened to be there. I didn't contribute much effort but received such a heavy reward for nothing."
Liu Po's old face flushed red listening to this.
How come this child doesn't know how to talk? Why do I feel like you're pointing at the mulberry tree while cursing the locust tree?
"With money in my pockets, I don't want to sleep at the cart inn anymore. I'm thinking about finding a place to stay in town. But this morning I asked around outside, and houses in our town are too expensive. Inns are also expensive..."
"I thought you were going to say something else."
Liu Po said puzzled, "Xiaohe, if you want to find lodging, why not go ask Third Brother Zhao? The Zhao family is a big landlord. Nearly half the properties in Blue Stone Platform town belong to their family. Where couldn't they arrange things properly for you?"
Li Qiuchen spread his hands, "What you say is right, but I was thinking, no matter what, this time the Zhao family owes us a favor. Later, who knows when we might encounter difficulties and be able to use it. Favors, once you use them, they diminish a bit. For such a small matter, it's a bit not worth it to ask them."
This was a lie.
Actually, it was that he had finally left a fairly good positive impression with the old shopkeeper. If you opened your mouth to ask for a house from him, it would somewhat ruin the character design.
What Li Qiuchen was planning now was to gradually integrate into Blue Stone Platform, obtain an aboveboard identity here, and prepare for entering the county academy in the future.
It wasn't about fearing the ten thousand to one, but the one in ten thousand.
What if their review standards were relatively strict and they investigated your background information and such?
After listening, Liu Po laughed heartily, "You child have quite a lot of schemes, but having schemes is a good thing. Not like my second son, wimpy and weak, can't get three farts out of him even with three sticks."
"If you don't mind, just stay at auntie's place. Auntie has a spare room. Originally it was prepared for when my second son marries a wife, but won't be used for a while. Just rest assured and stay. There's nothing to say about it!"
Li Qiuchen quickly shook his head, "That's not appropriate. Where will Second Brother stay when he comes back?"
Liu Po glared, "His old mother isn't dead yet. Would sharing a kang with me squeeze him out? If you rent someone else's house outside, seeing you're young and not local, who knows how they'll cheat you. If you stay at my place, I won't charge you money. Xiulan cooks and we'll eat together. How much trouble that saves you!"
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