Exile with Storage Space: Family Fortunes in the Barren Lands-Chapter 654 - 0609: Inviting a Matchmaker (1)

After the Big Master of Feihu Village fell ill, his affairs were managed by Ling Yuezi.

When Ling Yuezi spoke up, even if these people were dissatisfied, they had to obey on the surface.

After all, they hadn’t completely fallen out, and the Big Master’s position was still there.

There were also quite a few people supporting the Big Master.

A few people exchanged glances and said one after another, "Rest assured, Miss Ling, we will not recklessly intrude into the Star-picking Pavilion."

"Pass the word down; everyone manages their own people," Ling Yuezi added.

"Yes, Miss Ling!"

After everyone left, Ling Yuezi glanced at the small attic and left with Ah Qing.

In the small attic, Li Xingsheng, who had watched the lively scene throughout, suddenly chuckled lightly.

Lou Chengye curiously asked, "Second brother, why are you laughing?"

Li Xingsheng stroked his chin, "This Ling Yuezi seems not simple, to actually make the people in the village listen to her."

"She is the Fourth Master after all, and also taking over the Big Master’s position, how could she not be impressive?" Lou Chengye said.

Li Xingsheng squinted, "Looks like when we go out tonight, we need to avoid her."

...

Ling Yuezi returned to her residence and immediately said to Ah Qing, "Prepare the betrothal gifts!"

Ah Qing was surprised, "Propose today? Miss? Isn’t this a bit rushed?"

Ling Yuezi said, "The Second Master has his eyes on Mr. Li. If things don’t get settled quickly, Mr. Li’s life might be in danger. I can’t keep him trapped in the Star-picking Pavilion forever; I need to take him out to manage the Big Master’s affairs and work for me."

Ah Qing sighed and said, "Miss, I understand. But, what should we prepare for the betrothal gifts? Time is tight; according to customs, we might not be able to prepare everything. Although it’s bringing in a son-in-law, we still need a matchmaker, right? The marriage contract also needs to be written."

Ling Yuezi thought for a moment, "You go prepare the betrothal gifts; I will have Ah Lan prepare the matchmaker and the marriage contract. Prepare everything today, and we’ll get married tomorrow night."

Ah Qing responded, "Yes, Miss."

After Ah Qing left, Ling Yuezi called someone to find Ah Lan and instructed her again.

Ah Lan was quite distressed; this area within fifty to sixty miles of Feihu Village had been ruined by the Second Master, leaving hardly any trace of human habitation.

Today, tricking a pair of scholars and servants into coming here was already a mercy bestowed by heaven to the miss.

To find a matchmaker, she would have to go to a county town seventy to eighty miles away.

For the miss’s happiness, Ah Lan still said, "Miss, don’t worry, I will definitely find a talkative matchmaker to come."

The two maids left Feihu Village, each going about their own tasks.

Ling Yuezi walked to the back of the bedroom, unlocked a box, and took out a set of wedding clothes.

The wedding clothes were prepared by her two years ago.

Two years ago, she intended to marry herself off to find a good husband to help her foster father manage the village.

However, before she could find a good husband, her foster father fell ill.

He had been ill for two years now, and the village’s affairs had been ruined by the Second Master, far from their former prosperity.

Although the brothers in the village were increasing in number, they were all vicious characters, murderers, robbers, swindlers, and kidnappers, all gathered by the Second Master.

But during the time the Big Master managed the village, such deceitful scoundrels had no right to enter the village.

As a junior with a young age, she could manage the Big Master’s men but couldn’t control the old subordinates of the Second Master, and even less so the new people he brought in who would listen to him without question; she couldn’t interfere at all.

Some of the Big Master’s capable subordinates were killed or driven away by the Second Master using various schemes, leaving only a few honest ones who dared not cause trouble.

There were very few who truly spoke for the Big Master.

The Second Master occupied most of the village and wanted to take some of her people; her people were loyal to her willingly, and the Second Master couldn’t sway them, so he was plotting against her persistently.

Ling Yuezi hung the wedding clothes on the clothes rack and scrutinized them up and down.

According to the customs of the Yue people, from the age of adulthood, a girl must sew her own wedding dress by hand.

She worked on it a little every night, and two years later, this wedding dress was finally completed.

However, the person she was to marry was someone she casually found.

Ling Yuezi smiled bitterly and turned around.

.

At the Star-picking Pavilion, it wasn’t until evening that someone came.

It was Ah Qing who came with a food basket.

The lunch’s taste left much to be desired, and after Li Xingsheng’s complaints, the dinner had improved slightly, featuring braised beef bones.

It wasn’t as fragrant as what Li Yuzhu and Nanny Jiang cooked, but it was still edible.

Li Xingsheng and Lou Chengye ate their fill.

Shortly after the meal, Ah Qing came with two young attendants carrying hot water into the Star-picking Pavilion.

"Mr. Li, please take a bath," Ah Qing arranged for the attendants to assist Li Xingsheng with his bathing.

As for Lou Chengye, he was an attendant student and did not receive such special treatment.

Li Xingsheng, with his scholarly air, hesitantly said, "Ah, I am flattered beyond words."

Ah Qing held back her laughter, thinking to herself, by tomorrow you’ll be the live-in son-in-law of this village, not to mention two attendants waiting on you; even ten or eight wouldn’t be few.

After the attendants had finished attending to Li Xingsheng, Ah Qing left the Star-picking Pavilion with her people.

There were two bedrooms on the second floor of the Star-picking Pavilion.

Of course, the larger one was for Li Xingsheng.

The smaller one was for Lou Chengye.

After the second watch drum sounded, Li Xingsheng and Lou Chengye both extinguished their lamps.

The two quietly came downstairs.

Li Xingsheng looked up and saw that the little servant hanging in the tree had fainted from exhaustion and hunger.

He waved to Lou Chengye, "Let’s go."

During the day, Li Xingsheng had been standing on the second floor, studying the layout of the traps in the courtyard, so even in the faint moonlit night, he had no trouble finding his way.

With good eyesight, he led Lou Chengye, step by step, from the trap’s exit to the courtyard gate.

Lou Chengye exhaled a long breath and gave Li Xingsheng a big thumbs up.

But Li Xingsheng was not happy.

He pulled Lou Chengye, "Hide."

Lou Chengye got a big fright and hid with him in the shadows.

Not far ahead, two people carrying lanterns walked by.

One of them was Ling Yuezi.

Ling Yuezi walked to the courtyard gate but didn’t enter, just standing there looking inside.

Ah Qing, beside her, said, "Miss, come back in the morning. Presumably, Mr. Li is asleep and there’s no light inside."

"Come back in the morning, let’s go." Ling Yuezi turned and left.

Once the light was completely out of sight, Li Xingsheng pulled Lou Chengye out of the shadows.

"Second brother, why did this woman come looking for you in the middle of the night?" Lou Chengye asked suspiciously.

"Who knows! We’re busy with our own business." Was this female bandit afraid he would escape?

Rest assured, he wouldn’t leave until things were successfully settled.

Li Xingsheng led Lou Chengye, exploring the route in the village.

During the day, Li Xingsheng had followed Ah Qing on a round through the village and already had a basic understanding of the village’s layout.

He now just needed to find out if there was a backdoor to the village.

In the village’s paths, little sentries with lanterns occasionally walked by on night patrol.

Both Li Xingsheng and Lou Chengye were skilled martial artists and easily avoided them.

While they were walking around east and west in the village memorizing routes, Ling Yuezi, who had left, brought Ah Qing back to the Star-picking Pavilion.