80: Chapter Seventy-Four: Infiltration 80: Chapter Seventy-Four: Infiltration Beneath the warm sun of a winter’s day,
a steady stream of traffic flowed in front of the Xu Residence, with commoners and runners bustling as usual, Qin Mo, having used the Disguising Technique, blended in inconspicuously.
This was his third day since his arrival in Jingjiang City.
Before arriving at Jingjiang City, he had been prepared to infiltrate the mansion under cover of night to carry out the rescue, but after seeing the scale of the Xu Residence, he resolutely abandoned that plan.
The estate was too vast, and without clear knowledge of the interior layout, even if he managed to infiltrate, it was impossible to find someone quickly unless extraordinarily lucky.
Moreover, there were powerful individuals within the Xu Residence, and even with his teacher masking his aura, there remained a significant risk of exposure.
Thus, the rescue mission reached a deadlock.
However, over the past two days while eating at nearby stalls, he overheard talk of a woman beautiful as a Heavenly Immortal from the Xu Residence who had gone out twice.
Qin Mo wanted to try his luck to see if he could encounter Jin Xuan outside the estate.
If he could meet her, he would not need to take the risk of entering the Xu Residence.
But that wait turned into two days.
Qin Mo sighed softly, approached a small noodle vendor next to the Xu Residence, ordered a bowl of noodles with extra meat, found a table, and sat down, discreetly observing the Xu Residence’s gate nearby.
Soon, a steaming bowl of noodles was scooped out of the pot by the owner and served up.
As he ate, Qin Mo pondered his next move.
a rather honest voice came from the table next to his.
“…Old Liu, I heard your son got taken in to work as a long-term laborer at the Xu Residence, that’s quite something, huh?”
Upon hearing this, Qin Mo’s brows lifted with keen interest, casting a glance their way.
It was a middle-aged man and a frail old man, both dressed in coarse hemp garments, with some mountain goods on the ground beside them – they appeared to be vendors who had come to the city to trade.
He withdrew his gaze and focused his hearing.
As the honest man’s voice faded, the frail old man replied with slow pride:
“What’s so great about that?
Spent quite a few pieces of silver and pulled some strings to get him in there.”
At this, the honest man lowered his voice:
Old Liu, I heard that a lower-level long-term laborer at the Xu Residence gets one piece of silver per month, is that true?”
The old man named Old Liu glanced at the middle-aged man with a hint of smugness, stroking his thin beard:
“Where did you hear that?
Monthly wages are just over one guan.”
One piece of silver could be exchanged for two guan at the end of the month.
“Just over one guan?!
Then in a year, he’d have made his investment back, tsk tsk….” The honest man smacked his lips, his eyes showing interest.
He rubbed his hands together and smilingly pushed a basket of mountain goods toward the old man:
“Brother Liu, our families have been close for generations.
Ahem, could you tell me which connection you used?”
The frail old man glanced at the goods, and his wrinkled face beamed: “The connection?
Hehe, that’s simple, as long as you…..”
After listening intently to the entire conversation,
Qin Mo finished his noodles, left a few coins, and stood up to leave, with a rough plan forming in his mind.
Xu Residence in Jingjiang,
At the southwest side door, used for the entry and exit of the servants and laborers,
the alley was quiet, but at this moment, bursts of instructive voices could be heard.
“…Remember the rules of our Xu Residence well.
Whoever dares to cause trouble will face the house discipline!”
“…Once you’re in the Xu Residence, do more, talk less, look less, your wages will never be delayed….”
“…In these tumultuous times outside, being able to work at our Xu Residence is the fortune you’ve cultivated in eight lifetimes!”
A young steward stood on the steps, lecturing the new long-term workers before him.
It wasn’t until his mouth was dry and tongue parched that the young steward waved his hand, signaling the gatekeeper to open the door and prepare to leave.
But as if he remembered something, he stopped his movements, turned his head, and his tone carried a hint of warning:
“Oh, and don’t say I, Li Ping, didn’t remind you.
Later, the foreman will take you around to familiarize you with the environment.
Keep your eyes to yourselves.
Those young ladies and madams, even the maids are not for the likes of you to look at.”
“Especially Miss Su.”
“Back then a Sixth Grade Immortal was killed by the Third Young Master with a single palm strike, let alone you lot.
If you stare and make the Third Young Master unhappy, not even the king could save you!”
With that, the doorman opened the door behind him, and the young steward turned and left.
As soon as the steward had gone, the long-term workers below began to whisper and discuss among themselves, and Qin Mo, who had disguised himself, joined in the murmuring amongst the crowd.
After hearing the news at the noodle stand and facing several hurdles, he spent seven pieces of broken silver to buy a spot from a dark-skinned young man.
And so, this scene unfolded.
After waiting outside the Xu Residence for a quarter of an hour, several robe-clad foremen finally sauntered in to choose their workers.
Owing to his tall stature, Qin Mo was picked in the first batch to trim and clean up the gardens within the residence.
New servants and laborers entering the residence would usually be taken around the estate by the managing foremen for an introduction, walking them through the premises while informing them of their work responsibilities and the residence’s prohibitions.
even with some preparation, at this moment, Qin Mo and the other long-term workers showed an inevitable hint of awe in their eyes.
The entire Jingjiang Xu Residence was like an imperial palace.
Pavilions and towers, small bridges over flowing water, one private courtyard after another, and even a vast lake constructed within it.
“Kid, can you not gawk like a country bumpkin?”
The voice inside Qin Mo’s mind caused his thoughts to halt for a moment, and after a brief pause, he asked inwardly without any outward sign:
“It was just a little surprise.
But old man, won’t you be discovered talking to me inside this residence?”
The middle-aged voice was unhurried:
“If I can conceal your aura, naturally I can also speak to you.”
“Can you help me find Jin Xuan then?”
“Kid, there’s at least one Great Grandmaster in this residence, using my Will-spirit to search for her could very likely get us discovered.”
Hearing this, Qin Mo felt a slight disappointment and thought:
“Then I’ll just have to find her myself, slowly.
There will be an opportunity.”
“Hehe….” With a light chuckle, the middle-aged voice said, “So, looking forward to meeting your little sweetheart, are you excited?”
“We’re just friends,” Qin Mo replied inwardly with a hint of resignation.
“Hehe, alright, ‘just friends.’ Remembering back to my young days, those Sects’ Saintesses ah…”
As he listened to the slightly annoying prattle in his ear, Qin Mo silently memorized the paths they had walked in his mind.
After wandering around for half an hour, the group of servants and laborers finally returned to a corner of the lake under the foreman’s lead and began to be assigned some simple tasks.
Qin Mo stood quietly amid the crowd, feeling a slight thrill in his heart.
He had been assigned to a position around this part of the lake.
Undoubtedly, it was the place where he was most likely to encounter Jin Xuan.
Then, all that remained was to quietly wait for the right moment…
But while he was lost in thought, Qin Mo’s gaze suddenly sharpened.
The vast lake had a long bridge extending from the shore to its heart, where an elegant pavilion was built in the very center.
At that moment, a silk-robed young man with flowing long hair was just walking out from the Lake Heart Pavilion, heading along the bridge towards the shore.
“….” Qin Mo narrowed his eyes.
“Kid, that’s probably Xu Changtian, isn’t it?”
The previously silent voice spoke up once more.
Qin Mo withdrew his gaze, showing no emotion on his face, and thought to himself:
The middle-aged voice teased:
“Hehe, that kid does look quite good, much better-looking than you.”
Qin Mo wasn’t annoyed and just chuckled inwardly in response:
“Old man, on our way here, haven’t we seen enough of these good-for-nothing pretty boys?”
The deep middle-aged voice laughed heartily: “Are you planning to visit that pavilion in the lake heart tonight?
It feels like a perfect place for hiding a beauty.”
Qin Mo felt tempted but resisted:
“No, old man, you said yourself there’s a Great Grandmaster in this residence; we better not act rashly.
Let’s wait until after the foreman finishes assigning rooms, then I’ll try to get some information from the senior staff.
Jin Xuan won’t be without reputation among these servants; there’s no need to hurry this moment.”
And during their conversation,
the silk-robed young man had already made his way along,
casting a casual glance,
and his eyes met Qin Mo’s….