Chapter 99 Provoking Fire

  After strolling around the streets of Chengdu for a few hours, it was already evening. After returning to the hostel and taking a nap, Lu Xuan devoted himself to finding a house on the second day.

  In a place like Chengdu, buying and selling houses all have specialized matchmakers. Lu Xuan found a matchmaker, stated his requirements, and under the matchmaker's leadership, came to an ordinary alley.

  As they walked, the porter said, "The houses on the left are all too expensive, only this courtyard is priced at 400 taels of gold, the others won't suit your taste, young master."

  Lu Yu proposed to buy a house priced between 300 and 350 taels of gold, which is not a high price for Chengdu's housing market. Therefore, Lu Yu asked several real estate agents, and only this courtyard next to the Huatian Academy had a suitable price.

  When they arrived at the gate, the porter knocked for a while before an old man with white hair opened the door.

  "Sir, take a look, this is the courtyard."

  Lu Xuan raised her head and looked around.

  The yard is very small, about the size of four rooms. The weeds in the yard are lush and it seems that no one has taken care of it for a long time. The back wall has collapsed more than half.

  However, unlike the house in Hanyang, this yard also has a special well, and it's a living well.

  When Lu Xuan looked at the well, Old Cangtou said: "This well has been here for 40 or 50 years. The water is endless and can be passed down to future generations as a blessing."

  In this era, digging wells and measuring wells are not easy. Sometimes several households share a well. In many places, wells are indeed property like houses, which can be passed down as wealth.

  Luo Yue hummed and walked around a few times before saying, "The wall is broken in more than half. Just repairing it would cost hundreds of iron coins. And this courtyard, it's all weeds. The roof of the house on the left side has leaks. This room doesn't even have a door."

  She turned her head to look at the old man and said seriously: "The small can be, this house is worth no more than 350 gold. If you are willing, we will sign the contract immediately."

  The old man hesitated, and Lu Xuan didn't respond. She walked a few steps forward and muttered to herself: "This place is so dilapidated, I don't know if he'll like it or not? If all else fails, we can still ask for that other courtyard."

  The old man listened to her words and thought to himself: This courtyard is also in disrepair, it's not a big deal if I put it here. The difference is only about 20-30 taels of gold. Forget it.

  He nodded and said, "Forget it, let's just buy it then."

  Lu Yu nodded and went down. The two exchanged documents, and when everything was settled, the sun had just set.

  After another night at the inn, on the third day, Lu Yue moved into her new home. She spent three days clearing all the weeds in the yard and over 900 iron coins to hire people to repair the walls, fix the rooms, and add two more rooms, giving the place a whole new look.

  Then she bought two osmanthus trees and several peach blossom pear flower trees, apricot trees and pomegranate trees. Because the yard was not big, she planted them against the wall, all along the wall, and then pulled out the original banyan trees in the center of the yard, repaired and renovated. Lu Xue finally stopped.

  Next, Lu Xuan was busy adding a few bookshelves and other items to the house.

  After five days of busy work, when Luoyin had less than five taels of gold left on her body. The courtyard was renovated and tidy, clean and comfortable.

  When Lu Xuan was exhausted and had a good rest, he could sit comfortably in the yard, tasting wine and water. By that time, Lu Yun had already entered Chengdu.

  The next day, Lu Xuan locked up the yard and came to the city gate.

  Standing here, through the open city gate, looking at the official road in front that stretches as far as the eye can see, Lu Xuan couldn't help but think: The books at home are so precious, Ah Yun has taken on this burden, and probably hasn't slept well for several nights.

  At this time, the open city gate was bustling with people coming and going, and all kinds of vehicles were constantly entering and exiting. Although Lu Xuan had changed into her brother's clothes and looked like an ordinary Confucian scholar from a humble family background, she was elegant and refined, with a beautiful face that attracted many people to look at her.

  At this time, a young man in a gorgeous dress on the wooden loft of the wine building "Xiang Piao Shi Li" near the city gate looked at her for a long time near the window.

  While he was admiring him, the young man waved his hand and summoned a servant, saying: "Go and invite that young gentleman to come up."

  That servant had a shrewd look on his face. He glanced at Lu Yue and said, "That young man is probably waiting for someone."

  The young man glanced at him and said, "Can't you handle this kind of thing?"

  "Yes."

  The conversation between the two men startled several other young people, who turned their heads to look down. One of them laughed and said, "Indeed, he's a rare find." Another young man sighed and said, "Recently, many Confucian scholars have come to Chengdu, but not all of them are as impressive as they seem. However, from afar, the one Brother Xu has taken a liking to is truly exceptional."

  ……

  Before long, Lu Xuan heard a polite laugh coming from behind him, "Sir, are you waiting for someone?"

  Lu Xuan turned back.

  What appeared before her eyes was obviously a servant of a wealthy family. The man was dressed properly, and the ox cart he rode in was also sturdy and clean. Even a humble servant like him was dressed so well, which meant that his master must be someone of great importance.

  She glanced at the man. Lu Xuan looked at his appearance again, this person was not tall, with a thin and long face, a pair of eyes that kept rotating, obviously a clever and cunning person.

  The man smiled politely, and Lu Yue replied very courteously: "Yes, my younger brother has returned home today."

  The thin man smiled and said, "So the young master was waiting for your brother." Many people were waiting at the city gate to meet their relatives, but usually they had servants keeping watch. The young man in front of him looked refined and handsome, no less than those from wealthy families, but since he didn't have any servants following him and wasn't willing to spend money to wait at a tavern, it was clear that his family background was very ordinary.

  Thinking of this, the thin man chuckled and said: "Is that so? My young master is also here waiting for someone." He pointed to the wine building behind him and smiled: "Just saw Little Lang, specially ordered me to come and invite Little Lang to drink a cup together."

  What?

  Lu Ying raised her head and looked at the pavilion three hundred steps away.

  Meeting her gaze, a handsome young man raised his cup to her.

  That young man raised his cup, and Lu Xuan still didn't feel anything. The thin servant standing next to her couldn't help but think: It seems that Lang Jun attaches great importance to this little guy.

  Thinking of this, he smiled directly at Lu Xuan and said: "Young master, shall I send you on your way?" His tone was not to be refused.

  Lu Xuan turned around and stared at the servant for a moment. She smiled slightly and said, "Thank your young master for me. But my brother will be here soon."

  "The young master has spoken, we will wait together."

  Lu Xuan smiled, "People are like objects, they have their own categories, this is hard to explain."

  This was a clear and direct refusal. The servant's eyebrows furrowed, he leaned in close to Lu Yue and said warmly: "Let me teach you something, young master. My master has never tolerated anyone refusing him."

  Lu knitted her brow slightly.

  He stared at her with a smile, his eyes fixed on hers for an instant.

  It's been a while. Lu Xiangyang raised his lips and said, "Since that's the case, please lead the way."

  As Lu Ying walked slowly downstairs, the young man on the attic felt that the boy in front of him was getting more and more handsome, and his eyes became deeper.

  Before long, Lu Xuan arrived at the attic.

  On the large attic, there were five compartments. Lu Xuan had just appeared at the door of one of them, and immediately, four or five young men turned to look at her.

  At such a close distance, the young man by the window suddenly lit up his eyes. Another fair and handsome young man looked at Lu Yue up and down several times before smiling: "Indeed, she is extraordinary in appearance! Ah Xu has good taste!"

  Facing the gaze of the young people who were staring at her without restraint, Lu Xuan's expression remained unchanged.

  She had long heard of the wealth and luxury of Chengdu, which was famous throughout the land.

  But she didn't expect that those young masters from powerful families would normally take an interest in playing with two respectable women or handsome and innocent scholars, and actually consider it ordinary.

  Yes, Chengdu is located in a remote area, whether it was the Wang Mang chaos or the new emperor's unification, neither had much impact on this place. Many old families that have been rooted in Chengdu for centuries are used to doing whatever they want and don't put anyone in their eyes.

  She still wore her old clothes today. If I had known that, she would have hired a donkey cart and waited for people in the car.

  Many young people, whether they were sizing each other up or chatting, were completely carefree. What they didn't realize was that when other Confucian scholars encountered such a situation, they either turned pale with rage or trembled with fear.

  They stood there so calmly and composedly, looking very serene, as if they had never seen anything like this before.

  Several people couldn't help but whisper to themselves: Could it be that this person is actually a young master from a noble family in disguise?

  But in a flash, they thought that among the aristocratic families of Chengdu, there was no one they didn't know. The young man in front of them looked so familiar, if he was from the same class, they would have heard of him long ago.

  Since he wasn't a young master from a wealthy family, the youth before him had an even more extraordinary air about him. For a moment, the eyes of the handsome young man by the window deepened.

  That thin man smiled on one side: "Young master, this is my husband." Almost as soon as the servant's voice fell, the handsome young man said with a smile: "Come over."

  He ordered Lu Xuan to sit beside him.

  Lu Yun didn't move.

  Her bright and clear eyes looked at the young man for a while, then slowly, her right hand stretched out.

  It was just a pull, and the cloth strip that tied her hair was pulled down, and with her raven-black hair flowing down to her waist, Lu Yue bowed slightly to the young man and smiled softly: "Sir, please forgive me, it's just that men and women should not be too familiar."

  She is a girl!

  Such a cool and handsome beautiful young man, with every move revealing a elegant young man, is actually a girl?

  For a moment, everyone was stunned.

  The handsome young man obviously didn't expect this to happen either. In his daze, Lu Xuan bowed again and smiled slightly: "This humble woman has been too forward, dare not disturb you further, please excuse me."

  Having said that, she turned around, twisted her waist and walked out.

  Watching her slender waist twist, the girl's posture was undoubtedly revealed. A young man exclaimed, "This, this little girl, really dressed up as a man, and then changed back into a woman, what a beauty!" Lu Xuan had come with an air of leisurely elegance, but in an instant, he completely transformed, which is why he had this feeling.

  As Lu Xuan disappeared from the staircase, when she reappeared outside the wine tower, she had already rebraided her hair into a young man's hairstyle. Suddenly, that fair and handsome youth exclaimed: "Good, good girl! Ah Xu, I'll take this little lady." Saying so, he waved his hand and ordered: "Go find out who her family is."

  "Yes."