"Steward Liu, wait!"
The fatty steward was about to approach the approaching Lingyin Sect carriage for greetings, when a thin, shifty-eyed steward next to him pulled him back.
"Hmm?"
The fatty steward turned around, seeing it was another steward from the Herb Pavilion, he frowned.
"Wait for what? Don’t you see it’s a Lingyin Sect carriage? This is the new Lisong Valley steward taking over from Steward Tian, we must not offend!"
Although they are also stewards of the Lingyin Sect, their status within the sect was considered the lowest.
They were responsible for menial tasks like selling Spirit Plants and Spiritual Medicines, nowhere near the authority held by a steward like Chen Ye.
"Steward Liu, why should we involve ourselves in their struggle?"
The thin steward explained,
"There was originally another steward waiting to take Steward Tian’s position at the Lisong Medicine Garden. This Steward Chen was parachuted in out of nowhere, which surely displeased him."
The thin steward lowered his voice: "Steward Liu, you’re new to Peach Mountain District and unacquainted with the intricate relations here. The position of Lisong Medicine Garden’s steward had long been eyed by Steward Wei. Steward Wei has deep roots in Peach Mountain District, with many connections, and has worked diligently at Lisong Medicine Garden for nearly ten years waiting for Steward Tian’s promotion. It’s unimaginable how many relationships he had to smooth over. Now, this Steward Chen descends from the sky and takes this lucrative position. Do you think Steward Wei will let it go easily?"
The fatty steward felt a chill in his heart. His name was Liu Quan and indeed, he had just been transferred here a month ago, not familiar with the tangled relationships within Peach Mountain District.
He wiped the sweat from his forehead and whispered: "Brother Ma, what do you mean... should we watch and wait, or help Steward Wei, and teach the new steward a lesson?"
The thin steward known as Brother Ma was a veteran of the Herb Pavilion named Ma Jun.
He chuckled, squinting: "No, no. Their fighting has nothing to do with us. Just don’t intervene. Steward Wei does have considerable influence at Herb Peak, but this Steward Chen was directly appointed by the sect, formally justified. In my opinion, to snatch food from Steward Wei’s mouth, wouldn’t he have support from above?"
The thin steward spoke confidently, with an air of relaxed control.
Liu Quan pondered for a moment and felt Ma Jun’s words made sense.
He looked at the carriage, which was inexorably coming to a stop, and clenched his teeth: "Brother Ma is right! Fortune favors the bold! I bet this Steward Chen can establish himself!"
With that, he ignored Ma Jun’s grasp, tidied his robe, put on a warm smile, and quickly went to greet.
"This fool!" The thin steward was amazed.
What did he understand?
He just understood the latter part of the sentence, not the front part where he said not to intervene, right?
Moreover, Lisong Medicine Garden is a critical source of Spirit Plants for Peach Mountain District’s Herb Pavilion, but has recently suffered together with cold disasters, and most Spirit Plants within it are in a state of recuperation.
Only Steward Wei, with whom Spirit Plants are well-honed from his ten-year cultivation at the Lisong Medicine Garden, can continuously supply healthy Spirit Plants to the Herb Pavilion.
If we offend Steward Wei, wouldn’t Fatty Steward face deferrals when requesting Spirit Plants?
Remember, these Herb Pavilion stewards, each has their task goals!
Even though Lisong Valley must deliver Spirit Plants to the Herb Pavilion, the actual distribution depends on the intentions of Lisong Valley’s stewards, doesn’t it?
Leaving aside Lisong Valley’s matters... Steward Wei is the local power player in Peach Mountain District!
A strong outsider may not necessarily topple the local power!
The carriage stopped, and the curtains lifted.
A graceful, imposing young woman in a cyan Taoist robe stepped down first.
She pressed her hand on her sword hilt, looked around at the desolate market scene, her delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly.
She then courteously stood aside, lifting the curtain for the person inside.
The respectful demeanor of the young female cultivator left the two stewards stunned.
Indeed, when new stewards take office elsewhere, they generally have late-stage Qi Cultivation disciples as escorts.
But they are only escorts!
Usually, they never involve themselves in the steward’s affairs.
In other words, these so-called escorts, are actually training for those disciples, and the relationship between the escort disciples and the steward is equal.
Who has ever seen escort disciples being so reverent to a steward?
Remember these disciples, young as they are, having reached late-stage Qi Cultivation, are usually proud.
Then a man, accompanied by two girls in black and white, calmly descended from the carriage.
"Welcome Steward Chen, Taoist Friend Li!" Liu Quan warmly bowed, "I’m Liu Quan, steward of the Herb Pavilion, ordered to wait here for a long time!"
As the saying goes, you don’t hit a smiling face.
Chen Ye also smiled warmly: "Pleasure, pleasure."
"Steward Chen, please enter the pavilion, let us host you to wash away the dust of travel!"
With that, the group escorted Chen Ye inside the pavilion.
Although Lisong Medicine Garden is within Peach Mountain District, it’s a medicinal garden, naturally not in the bustling market.
Its location is remote, near the Three Thousand Great Mountains, bordering Yunxi District.
Traveling to Lisong Medicine Garden requires a half-day journey.
Therefore, Chen Ye and the others temporarily rested in the Herb Pavilion for a day.
...
Lin Qiongyu, who had been driven away by Fatty Steward, walked out of the Herb Pavilion dejectedly.
"Which major sect figure has arrived?"
She watched Fatty Steward cheerfully approaching and thought numbly.
However, no matter what kind of major figure, it has nothing to do with her...
She looked up, gazing vaguely at the desolate street scene of Peach Mountain District. Under the gray scarf, the eyes that once sparkled like waves now appeared utterly empty.
Her sister’s coughing illness...
Suddenly, within her empty pupils, a familiar reflection appeared.