I Am Immortal in Great Yu

Chapter 207: Chapter 86: Daily Life 2

"Shame, shame!" Nannan heckled from the side.

"Go on, go on, you two little tykes. What do you know?"

’These two little girls used to be so cute. How have they become so detestable to man and beast alike?’

’Of course, I’m just kidding. They’re still quite... spirited.’

’One is my own sister, and the other is as good as. Even if they’re not cute anymore, what can I do? I can’t just throw them out.’

While Fang Rui was having his morning tea, Fang Ling and Nannan, led by the maids, built a big snowman in the courtyard. They stuck in two brooms for arms and a carrot for a nose.

RUSTLE, RUSTLE, RUSTLE!

The snow was still falling, and the tiny flakes dusted the snowman like makeup, softening its features.

...

Breakfast consisted of fragrant soy milk and large meat buns with thin skins and generous fillings. One bite, and your mouth would be flooded with savory juices.

After breakfast, it was still snowing lightly.

"Brother, it’s still snowing! Can we please not go to school today?" Fang Ling asked, turning her head and wiggling her body, bundled up like a chubby little duckling.

"Yeah, no school!" Nannan faithfully echoed Fang Ling.

"In your dreams. Now go rinse your mouths. We’re getting ready to leave."

Fang Rui chided the two little girls, "Look at me. I have to go to work even when it snows. How can you skip school?"

"That’s not it at all! When Brother goes to the Government Office, all he does is drink tea. It’s nothing like us having to study," Fang Ling called him out without mercy.

"Yes! Yes!"

In a small, delicate voice, Nannan began to imitate Fang Rui. "’Hey, you there. Something’s come up outside. Go take care of it.’ ’Oh, right, get me another brazier.’ ’And bring my food back for me.’... Brother Ah Rui, that’s how you order all the uncles around. You just lie there all day like a salted fish."

They had learned the term "salted fish" from Fang Rui himself, and now they were using it against him. The absolute nerve!

’You little brats, can you even say things like that?’ Fang Rui’s forehead throbbed.

’They have no respect for me at all!’

"Alright, keep this up and I’ll dock your allowance."

Third Lady’s words instantly suppressed the two little girls. Smiling softly, she walked over to fasten Fang Rui’s cloak and smooth out the wrinkles on his official uniform.

She didn’t have to go to the Four Seas Building every day. Today, for instance, she was taking a day off to keep Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family company at home.

She saw Fang Rui, along with the two little girls, Fang Ling and Nannan, out the door.

"Auntie, it’s cold outside. Let’s go back in," Third Lady said, taking Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family’s hand.

Back inside the residence, they would while away the hours making things by hand for Fang Rui, Fang Ling, and Nannan, and making small talk.

In this era, carriages and horses were slow and there were few diversions. One could truly feel the immense length of a single day, could feel the very texture of time, granular and distinct.

...

「Divine Capture Bureau Southeast Branch」

After dropping Fang Ling and Nannan off at the girls’ academy, Fang Rui clocked in at the Government Office right on time.

He closed the door, holed himself up in his office where a brazier of red-hot coals was already waiting, and opened the travelogue he hadn’t finished the day before. A new day of work had begun.

’Work, you ask?’

’In truth, very little official business actually required his personal attention. Anything that could be passed down, was passed down. Life was quite leisurely.’

A short while later, Niu Bajin reported that Silver Seal Duan Yu from the Zhengdong District was here to see him.

"Brother Duan, what a rare visit. What important business brings you here today?" Fang Rui said as he went out to greet him.

’Of course, this was pure courtesy. The man held the same rank; they were both essentially the Land Tyrants of their respective districts. There was no need to fawn over him, just treat him as an equal.’

"Fang Yinzheng, you were officially promoted to Silver Seal Chief Constable last month, weren’t you? You’re now eligible for the formal benefits. This is the internal supply list. I was told to bring it to you," Duan Yu said, handing over a document.

The list was comprehensive, containing everything from Cultivation Techniques, Martial Arts, and Great Medicines to rare culinary ingredients.

Items could be exchanged for a combination of Contribution Points and silver.

And how did one get Contribution Points? A certain number were automatically issued after the annual assessment of one’s jurisdiction was completed, with extra awarded for meritorious service.

In reality, it was half-sale, half-gift; though there were personal limits on special items, the quotas were generous. The allocation of Great Medicine, for instance, wasn’t just enough for a single Sixth Grade Martial Artist—it was more than enough to supply three to five people.

Evidently, family needs had been taken into consideration, making the system very thoughtful.

’Just as I thought. A Sixth Grade Silver Seal is already considered part of the Great Yu’s mid-level hierarchy. The treatment is completely different; all kinds of benefits are starting to unlock.’

Fang Rui thought to himself as he flipped through the pages, surprised to see that even Spirit Master legacies were listed.

However, on closer inspection, he realized he had gotten excited for nothing.

All the Spirit Master legacies had been deliberately split into parts: a Low Grade Spirit Master Scroll, a Middle Grade Spirit Master Scroll... And higher levels? There were none.

Not only were they sold by the scroll, but each one also cost an exorbitant amount of Contribution Points. It was a complete rip-off, like a carrot dangled before a donkey—so close, yet so out of reach.

Seeing Fang Rui pause at the Spirit Master section, Duan Yu smiled. "Fang Yinzheng, I had the same idea back in the day, thinking about Spirit and Martial Dual Cultivation. But later..."

He trailed off here and shook his head. "In short, being a Spirit Master is good, but the limitations are huge. Not only is it incredibly difficult to reach the Beginner stage, but there are also taboos..."

As if feeling he was speaking too freely for their level of acquaintance, Duan Yu stopped mid-sentence.

’Of course, from my perspective,’ Fang Rui thought, ’it’s more likely he’s waiting for me to press him for details, trying to make me owe him a favor.’

But Fang Rui simply refused to ask.

’I have plenty of patience,’ Fang Rui mused. ’Since he’s already dangled this in front of me, I’ll find out sooner or later. Why be impatient now and reveal my own interest?’

’This young man has no curiosity at all,’

Duan Yu muttered to himself, then stated his true purpose. "Fang Yinzheng, you practice martial arts alone, don’t you? Would you be willing to part with some of your item quota for this year? I’m prepared to purchase it at a high price..."

’On paper, it’s true I practice martial arts alone. Is this a test from our superiors? Unlikely!’

’But whether it’s a test or not, I don’t have to bite just yet. Even if I do decide to trade away part of my quota, I’ll need to shop around and pick the best offer.’

’A high price? At our level, what is money even worth? This Duan Yu has the nerve to make an empty offer with nothing but words. Is he taking me for a fool?’

With these thoughts in mind, Fang Rui just laughed and began to play Tai Chi with his words, being completely evasive.

Seeing how slippery Fang Rui was, refusing to take the bait, Duan Yu finally proposed trading other resources for the quota. But Fang Rui still put him off, saying he had to think about it, which made Duan Yu inwardly curse him for being a sly fox.

...

After seeing Duan Yu off, Fang Rui didn’t hurry back inside. Instead, he took the opportunity to check on his subordinates.

He inquired and learned that the other Chief Constables had already led teams of constables and governmental officers out to patrol the streets. Only the three Chief Constables—Li Dadan, Xun Buhe, and Niu Bajin—remained, holed up in the Government Office.

Of the three Chief Constables, even the most restless one, Li Dadan, wasn’t fond of freezing outside and doing grunt work. They were all comfortably holed up in the Government Office.

And Fang Rui, needless to say, had to stay and hold down the fort, coordinate the overall situation, and manage the big picture... Alright, to put it in plain terms, it came down to two words: slacking off.

Even without going out, they wouldn’t miss out on their cut of the gifts their subordinates collected as a sign of respect.

Fang Rui never put on airs about this sort of thing. His philosophy was always to blend in and go with the flow—as long as you’re happy and I’m happy, everyone’s happy.

By mid-morning, he closed his travelogue, feeling a bit peckish. He stepped out and called, "Bajin, go buy some snacks and fetch some wine. Let’s have a drink to warm ourselves up."

That Niu Bajin was a master of sucking up, a clever operator, and a real foodie. For a job like this, he was the perfect man.

"You got it, Chief. Just a moment."

A little while later, Niu Bajin returned with takeout boxes of snacks like beef offal, duck intestines, and chicken gizzards, as well as a plate of steaming hot and fragrant donkey meat pastries.

There’s no fun in eating and drinking alone, so Fang Rui called over the three Chief Constables—Li Dadan, Niu Bajin, and Xun Buhe—to drink, shoot the breeze, and joke around. At first, the three were a little reserved due to his recent promotion, but after a couple of cups, they were right back to their old selves.

Snowflakes danced outside, but the room was as warm as spring. The four men ate their snacks and drank aged yellow wine. It was a beautiful life.

...

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