Chapter 32: Someone descended from the sky a little too fast

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation  Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

When another servant, Number Four, heard this, he immediately asked curiously, “Could it be that your young master bought that purple chrysanthemum from the capital?”

He had just returned from an errand, so he wasn’t too sure.

Number Five smiled bitterly. “Yes, it’s that purple chrysanthemum. My young master spent a few hundred taels to buy it.”

“Not only is the colour no longer purple, but it also seems to be withering. My young master’s heart aches so much.”

Number Four could not help but ask, “Then why don’t you look for the seller?”

Number Five said helplessly, “The flower was already wittering. From Nanxi county to the capital, even if we travelled via the river, it would still take about half a month.

“If the road was more bumpy, the flowers would probably die along the way before we reached the capital.

“I’ve invited all the gardeners in the county that I can find to take a look. They couldn’t do anything about it and even told my young master to be mentally prepared.”

Number Four asked, “Then what should we do? If the gardeners in the county couldn’t save the flower, who are you going to look for?”

Number Five sighed and said, “That’s why it’s too difficult for me. My young master said that if I can’t find a gardener who can save the flower, he’ll deduct two months of my salary.”

Number Four shook his head. “Unless a gardener comes down from the sky, you should be prepared to have your salary deducted.”

He comforted him again. “You’ve always been taking care of your young master’s flower house. If there’s a problem, deducting your salary is already a pretty fair deal.

“I’ve heard that in some noble families, a stalk of flower is more important than the life of a servant. If anything goes wrong, you’ll be beaten to death.

Number Five sighed again. “I can only think of it this way, unless a gardener really falls from the sky.”

Suddenly, a crisp and pleasant voice sounded beside the two of them.

“I’m good at raising flowers and treating flowers.”

The two of them turned their heads simultaneously and saw a little girl standing not far away with a woman on her arm.

Someone descended from the sky a little too quickly.

Number Five looked at Shi Qingluo doubtfully and asked, “Are you really good at treating flowers?”

Shi Qingluo nodded. “Of course I am.”

“You know about purple chrysanthemum flowers?” Number Five asked again.

This was a chrysanthemum that had only recently become popular in the capital.

There weren’t such purple flowers in the past.

Their young master had bought one at a high price to groom it, and was one of more well-to-do individuals in town.

From her appearance, it was obvious that she came from the countryside.

How could she possibly know about the purple chrysanthemum flowers?

Shi Qingluo knew their doubts. “My master is Priest Wuchen. I learned how to rear flowers and treat flowers from him. Not to mention healing the purple chrysanthemum, I can even cultivate them.”

It wasn’t difficult to cultivate the purple chrysanthemum artificially.

She was very good at cultivating, transplanting, and grafting all kinds of famous flowers.

It was her fault for having a grandfather who was obsessed with flowers.

Back then, she had been able to successfully go to agricultural university because she had promised her grandfather that she would help him with his flowers after she had finished her studies.

Her grandfather had helped to protect her from her parents who insisted on her going into business.

Number Four and Number Five were wondering, are you joking with us?

Shi Qingluo looked at the two of them and said, “Whether or not I can really heal your young master’s flowers, won’t we know once we get there? Other than me, can you find any other gardeners?”

Number Five thought about it and agreed. It was better than inviting no one back.

“Alright, then you can come back with me to try.”

He said with a hint of warning, “But don’t try to lie. We are staying in the Bai residence. Not only is my young master an elementary scholar, but he also has an uncle who is an official in the capital.”

Shi Qingluo laughed dejectedly. “My husband is also an elementary scholar. For his reputation’s sake, I won’t lie to you, right?”

Number Four was surprised. “Your husband is also an elementary scholar? What’s his name?”

There weren’t many elementary scholars in Nanxi county, so he basically knew all of them.

Shi Qingluo didn’t hide anything. “Xiao Hanzheng.”

Number Four’s surprise deepened. “Ah! You’re Young Master Xiao’s little wife who came to chongxi?”

Now, she asked back, “You know my husband?”

Number Four smiled and said, “Of course I know him. Young Master Xiao is a famous person in the county.”

“In the previous county, capital, and court examinations, he passed with flying colours.”

Now, it was Shi Qingluo’s turn to be surprised. Her husband was so amazing.

She smiled and said, “So, as the wife of an elementary scholar, is there a need for me to lie to you?”

Because Shi Qingluo was Xiao Hanzheng’s wife, Number Four and Number Five’s doubts towards her lessened a little.

They chatted along the way.

Shi Qingluo asked, “Your Bai family is very powerful in the county, right?”

From their tone just now, it seemed that the Bai family was top ranked in the county.

Shengyuan had never been to the county, so she was clueless about all these.

Number Four said proudly, “Our Bai family is a first-class family in the county. My Madam’s sister is a fourth-grade official in the capital.”

Shi Qingluo’s heart skipped a beat. “Is your Bai family more powerful than the Wu Family?”

Number Four smiled embarrassedly. “That’s not considered more powerful. Our Bai family is comparable to the Wu Family.”

He added, “But our Bai family’s character is definitely better than the Wu family’s.”

Shi Qingluo cut to the chase. “Judging from your tone, your relationship with the Wu family doesn’t seem to be that good?”

Number Four nodded. “Not only that. They are head-to-head competitors.”

Their entire county knew about this, which was why he had said it so bluntly.

He asked doubtfully, “You don’t even know about this?”

Shi Qingluo replied, “I used to practise cultivation with my master at a Taoist temple on the mountain, so I don’t know much about the happenings here.”

Number Five asked, “Is the Taoist temple you’re talking about the one in Shangxi village? Did your master really ascend to immortality?”

They had also heard that there was a very powerful Taoist priest in Shangxi village who had ascended to immortality not too long ago.

Many people witnessed this strange phenomenon.

Shi Qingluo nodded without feeling guilty. “Yes, my master has ascended to immortality. That’s why I married Xiao Hanzheng.”

Her noble temperament was obvious from her cultivation in her previous life.

If it wasn’t for her sallow and emaciated appearance, she would look more superior.

Number Four and Number Four also sensed it, so they looked at Shi Qingluo with a little more trust. “No wonder you will treat flowers since you are the disciple of an old immortal.”

Shi Qingluo sighed.

Combining her credibility with a living person, she was still fared worse than a dead person.

However, in ancient times, people were more superstitious.

Hence, many people believed it when the old priest was rumoured to have ascended miraculously.

Even if they did not believe in it, they would still be in awe.

Shi Qingluo smiled confidently. “That’s true. My master knows a lot of things. Grooming flowers is just a small matter.”

Then, she changed the topic and asked, “By the way, is there a new magistrate for our county?”

Number Five replied, “Yes, a new one just came a few days ago.”

“The previous magistrate resigned early. The new magistrate came from the capital.”

Shi Qingluo probed again, “I heard that the new magistrate has a strong background?”

Since the Bai family was one of the top families in the county, they should have a good understanding of their new magistrate.

Looking at Number Four’s appearance and utterance, he was probably a servant that was always at Young Master Bai’s side.

As expected, Number Four knew. “That’s not just having a background, but a very great background.”

Shi Qingluo asked curiously, “What background?”

Number Four did not hide it, but his voice was a little softer. “He is the empress’ nephew, the heir of Manor Hou. He held a very high status, right?”