Chapter 9: The Dream of Being the Richest

  The dishes were served, and the southern cuisine was quite particular about the workmanship being fine and delicate, with not too much quantity. This is related to the temperament of southerners, who are fond of elegance and pay attention to the atmosphere in everything, whether it's food, clothing, or living arrangements. At the same time, they emphasize health preservation and elegant behavior. The shopkeeper brought up a dish with one meat and two vegetables, along with a pot of hot chrysanthemum tea, which was exquisitely shaped but estimated to be only enough to fill the gaps between the teeth.

  Tai Xū was completely unceremonious, picking up his chopsticks and devouring his food with great relish, like a wolf that had been starving for several days, his eating manners were quite ferocious.

  Xiao Fan sat stupidly, still in a state of shock.

  Zhang Sanfeng, what a formidable figure! I didn't expect to run into the junior brother of this ageless immortal just a few days after crossing over. It's truly a deep and profound fortune. If I can really meet the legendary Zhang Zhenren, I won't ask for anything else, just ask him to pull some strings for his disciple Zhang Wuji, learn some Nine Yang Divine Skill or something like that, and then casually ask for a few pointers on alchemy methods. Then I'll mix in some sour plum juice, white flour, and other stuff, not enough to kill anyone, but also not enough to let people ascend to heaven during the day. If I sell it with the label "Zhang Zhenren's exclusive secret recipe, dedicated with passion", how much money would that be worth? What a shortcut to getting rich!

  Thinking of this, Xiao Fan became more and more excited, as if he saw the throne of the richest man in Jiangpu County beckoning to him...

  Xiao Fanxing hastily turned his head and excitedly said: "When did your senior brother..."

  Xiao Fan suddenly stopped talking, he saw Tai Xu like a beggar with both hands directly into the dish to grab food and eat, eating with oil all over his mouth, looking particularly ugly, gobbling down food like a whirlwind sweeping away clouds.

  Xiao Fan was like he had been doused with a basin of cold water and immediately calmed down.

  He suddenly reacted and realized that this Taoist priest's character was really suspicious. To put it bluntly, he was simply a swindler. He claimed to be Zhang Sanfeng's junior fellow apprentice, which was probably also a lie - if Zhang Sanfeng had such a junior fellow apprentice who looked so wretched, more like a beggar than a Taoist priest, then perhaps he should reflect on whether he had been too cruel to his junior fellow apprentice over the past hundred years. As an immortal on earth, he was extremely glorious, so why would his junior fellow apprentice be so miserable?

  Xiao Fan smiled self-deprecatingly and shook his head. Where there are people, there is the jianghu (rivers and lakes). This saying is indeed true. The jianghu is full of traps and lies everywhere. Even a proud transmigrator like himself can be deceived by ancient people, making him look foolish. The jianghu is really treacherous!

  He lightly tapped the table and Xiao Fan automatically skipped over Zhang Sanfeng's topic, furrowing his brow: "You just said on the street that I was possessed by a demon, what do you mean?"

  Tai Xū Zī Lì ér took a sip of wine, let out a satisfied sigh, and then belched. Only then did he slowly roll his eyes and say: "Heavenly secrets must not be revealed..."

  Xiao Fan's expression was unpleasant out of the corner of his eye, Tai Xu hurriedly smiled and said: "Actually saying you're a demon possessing someone... this is just my intuition..."

  It's settled then, this old scoundrel is just cheating people.

  The so-called "demon possession" and whatnot is just a scam to swindle him out of a meal, it's the same as clickbait titles on previous life forums.

  Xiao Fan clenched his fists under the table, he really wanted to curse "The landlord is a ***, identification complete."

  Turning his head, he saw Tai Xu with a pitiful look, Xiao Fan sighed again. After all, at this age, people just want to eat a full meal, it's really pitiful.

  Tai Yu saw Xiao Fan sigh, he also felt embarrassed, and suddenly pulled out a divination tube from nowhere, pitifully saying: "Or... I'll draw an eight-character fortune for you?"

  Xiao Fan: "………"

  "Counting the years of flow is also okay, the number of longevity before marriage..."

  Xiao Fan sighed and muttered to himself, "Forget it, even if I'm just a toilet paper, I should still fulfill my duty... If you really can't bear the thought, then calculate for me when I'll become rich."

  "Hah! How refreshing! I want to know when I can get rich, and yet until now still deceiving and cheating... Cough cough, Amitabha Buddha, I've misspoken. Come, Xiao Lao Di, tell me your birth eight characters, I'll help you calculate."

  Xiao Fan felt a growing sense of desolation upon hearing this, the old man was indeed honest, but Xiao Fan's heart was extremely uncomfortable. An old man from ancient times had easily deceived him out of a meal, which was a small matter, but a sense of defeat arose in Xiao Fan's heart. Ancient times... were really not easy to mix around in! The grand goal he had set that morning to become the richest man in Jiangpu County within a month had been shaken in less than two hours. The old swindler's butterfly wings lightly flapped, extinguishing a young progressive's dream of becoming the richest man. It was truly a deep sin, and reciting countless "Amitabha" wouldn't be enough to redeem it.

  "What's your birth date and time?" Xiao Fan bitterly smiled, "Honestly, I don't even know my own birth date and time..."

  Tai Yu's expression immediately turned sympathetic: "So, you're a homeless orphan?"

  "......I don't think I'm an orphan either, I'm currently living with my father-in-law, but I don't know how many more days I can stay..."

  "Your father-in-law is..."

  "Jiangpu County rich merchant, Chen Siliu."

  Tai Yu was shocked: "So you are the husband of Chen's daughter!"

  Xiao Fan couldn't help but rub his nose and sighed with a bitter smile: "I didn't think I was so famous in Jiangpu County..."

  Tai Xū smiled wryly and looked at Xiao Fan with a gaze that had undergone a great change, unable to tell whether it was sympathy or regret.

  "Your reputation is truly not small, I've been drifting around for a long time and only arrived in Jiangpu County a month ago, yet I already knew of your great name. Today, to be able to sit with you and eat together, it's really... Ah, let's just say it's an honor for me!"

  Honored to be honored, and "even if it is" ...

  Xiao Fan bitterly smiled and said: "You don't have to say polite words if you don't want to, since you've already spoken, why not be more hypocritical and make me happy?"

  Tai Xū laughed and said: "You're famous, that's true. When Chen Sìliù took you in back then, he was so proud of himself, showing off all over the streets, saying things like 'The Chen family isn't a family that looks down on the poor and favors the rich', 'the value of friendship is worth a thousand pieces of gold', 'we won't regret our relationship just because your family is poor and lowly'. Because of this, the Chen family's reputation was loudly proclaimed in Jiangpǔ County, and their business became even more prosperous... But after four years passed, Chen Sìliù gradually stopped saying those boastful words. When outsiders mentioned his brother-in-law to him, he would scowl and not say a word. Everyone can see that he has regrets about this marriage now. The entire population of Jiangpǔ County is watching with bated breath, waiting to see when Chen Sìliù will go back on his word, regret this marriage, and kick you out of the Chen household..."

  Xiao Fan was a bit stunned, no wonder he took the scandal of Bao Qin so lightly, Chen Si Liu didn't even drive him out, it turned out that he also knew that this young master couldn't be driven away, at least not for now, otherwise the reputation of the Chen family would be ruined.

  Xiao Fan bitterly smiled: "It seems that being famous is also a good thing, if this young master of the Xiao family was unknown in Jiangpu, I'm afraid he would have been wandering the streets long ago..."

  Tai Xuzi gazed at Xiao Fan for a long time, then shook his head and said: "I'll say something that's both superficial and profound, Brother Xiao. I can see that you're not someone who will be stuck in this place forever, there will come a day when you'll soar to great heights. Why must you belittle yourself and live under someone else's roof all your life?"

  Xiao Fan sighed and said, "I don't want to rely on others either, so I came out today to see if there's any way to make money. The Book of Changes says: A gentleman strives to be self-reliant and never gives up; as a man, even if you can't dominate the world, at least you should be able to support yourself..."

  Tai Yu heard this and immediately became solemn and respectful. He bowed his head and said in a serious tone, "Young Master Xiao is highly talented, may I ask what are your ambitions?"

  "This question is too familiar, Xiao Fan's spirit was shaken, and he thoughtlessly said: 'Dong Zhuo, named as a Han minister, but actually a Han thief, I will rise up and attack him...'"

  Tai Xū was stunned: “…………”

  Xiao Fan smiled awkwardly: "Sorry, your question is too cool, if I don't answer like this it won't be fitting..."

  Tai Xū wipes sweat: “…………”

  Division line

  A new week, please collect and recommend! Everyone, my dream is small, just hoping to occupy the top three of the new book list. Such a pitiful dream, I believe you will fulfill mine, right? (Throwing a charming glance at everyone.)

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