Chapter 20: Upgrading Family Status

After settling Xiao Liu’s matter, Patriarch Su continued discussing Su Wan’s apprenticeship with Cang Ye.

“Second,” Cang Ye said, “from now on, the servants in the estate must show Su Wan more respect for my sake. Please issue an official notice as well, Patriarch Su.”

“Easy! Easy! He’s the young master of our family, the Ninth Young Master of the Nine Quarters, my own flesh and blood. How could the servants possibly disrespect him? Hahaha!” Patriarch Su laughed.

Cang Ye nodded before adding, “By the way, make sure the other servants and concubines treat Su Wan and his mother better, too.”

Cang Ye glanced toward the Fox Demon.

Qian Yue frowned at him, then disdainfully lowered her eyes and playfully poked her son’s cheek.

“Mother, why are you poking my cheek?” Su Wan asked.

“Because I like it. What? Can’t your mother poke you? Hehehe!” Qian Yue chuckled.

Patriarch Su glanced at Qian Yue but ignored the interaction between her and Su Wan.

He simply continued smiling at Cang Ye and said, “No problem, no problem! Do you have any other requests? I’ll take care of everything at once!”

“Third, at the Disciple Acceptance Banquet, you must emphasize that it’s the honored young master of the Su Family who is taking me as his master, not some illegitimate young master from the Nine Quarters who has attached himself to a powerful figure. I don’t want others looking down on him.”

Cang Ye added this consideration with Su Wan’s future in mind.

Everything he requested was intended to make Su Wan happier and ensure that he wouldn’t suffer the slightest inconvenience in his life.

Cang Ye thought, ‘This can also count as… a little compensation.’

He glanced toward Su Wan and saw that the boy was still chatting with his mother.

It seemed Su Wan hadn’t heard what he had said earlier, but that didn’t matter.

It didn’t matter if Su Wan couldn’t appreciate his kindness now, as long as he could enjoy a happy life in the future.

Even if Su Wan never realized that Cang Ye had made it possible, Cang Ye would be content as long as the boy could live happily.

Although Cang Ye intended to take Su Wan away eventually, he believed that until the boy grew up, his childhood and especially his relationship with his birth family should be handled carefully.

That was what Cang Ye had learned from his experiences traveling through the mortal world.

Only then could he give Su Wan some happy childhood memories.

Cang Ye thought again, ‘This way, I should have fulfilled my duty as his Master.’

‘At least for the next hundred years, I still need to maintain the act of a loving father and a filial son.’

‘After a hundred years, we’ll each have to rely on our own abilities…’

‘…to kill! And plunder everything.’

Cang Ye closed his eyes and stopped watching Su Wan’s interaction with his mother.

He continued discussing the arrangements for Su Wan’s care at the Disciple Acceptance Banquet with Patriarch Su.

That day, Cang Ye and Patriarch Su briefly asked Su Wan for his opinion and confirmed that the Disciple Acceptance Banquet would take place seven days later.

The third day.

In Cang Ye’s courtyard, located in the eastern guest wing of the Su Family estate, Su Wan walked out, planning to go out and have some fun.

For the past two days, Su Wan had been accompanying Cang Ye around the estate, putting on a show to reassure everyone and make them believe that the household was safe.

He had barely returned to the Rear Courtyard of the Nine Quarters.

Actually, Su Wan had returned once.

However, he had run into Sister Xiao Liu, whose face was completely flushed and whose legs were pressed tightly together.

She could barely stand steadily, yet she was still busy carrying out her daily chores in the courtyard.

Just one glance was enough for Su Wan to understand what had happened to Xiao Liu.

She had been punished by his father.

Su Wan’s mother had clearly known about it, too.

She had even sent Xiao Liu away, unwilling to let the maid, who was practically like an older sister to Su Wan, suffer from a feverish flush in front of him.

Later, Su Wan happened to encounter Patriarch Su bringing another woman over along with several strange tools.

Su Wan immediately fled in embarrassment, not daring to return and look at things he shouldn’t see.

Matters between adults were things he ‘didn’t understand’ and couldn’t interfere with.

He could only leave them alone.

Now, as Su Wan had just stepped outside, with Cang Ye following behind him, someone called out to him.

The person bowed respectfully with a fawning smile and said, “Ninth Young Master, this old servant has brought you three top-grade maids. Your mother has already inspected them. Please accept them.”

“Maids?” Su Wan stopped in front of Cang Ye, frowned, and said, “How could I possibly afford maids? No! I’m used to being alone. Send them back.”

The servant chuckled, bent forward, and replied, “From today onward, your monthly allowance will be the same as that of the eldest son of the Second Quarters. You’ll certainly be able to afford three maids.”

“By the way, this is your monthly allowance. The Master knows you enjoy going out, so he deliberately advanced an extra month’s allowance for you. Please accept it.”

Once again, a blue brocade pouch filled with silver was presented to Su Wan.

Su Wan frowned and glanced at Cang Ye standing behind him.

He knew that all these changes were happening because of Cang Ye, but he still wasn’t accustomed to his father’s sudden ‘kindness.’

His father was merely trying to curry favor with Cang Ye.

Su Wan then turned his attention to the three maids.

All three were slightly older and taller than him, probably around fourteen or fifteen years old.

The oldest had already styled her hair in the traditional bun associated with coming of age, while the others wore simpler hairstyles suited to young girls.

The servant continued his introduction.

“These maids were assigned according to the standards for a top-tier young master in the estate.”

“This maid is responsible for attending to your nighttime toilet needs. She has some basic medical knowledge and can examine, smell, and even taste your waste to help the Young Master detect illnesses in advance.”

“Taste?!” Su Wan had been fine with the earlier explanation, but his expression immediately turned strange at the last part.

The household servant laughed and said, “Yes! She’s just a lowly slave girl. You can use her however you please.”

“Hurry up and greet the Young Master. Introduce yourself!” the servant ordered the maid.

“Forget it!” Su Wan refused. “There’s no need for tasting and diagnosing. If I actually get sick, I’ll find a physician. What about the others?”

“Oh, right!” The servant introduced the next maid.

“This one is responsible for warming your bed. You can have her warm it throughout the night or just before you go to sleep. Hehe.”

The servant smiled.

“Hehe.” Su Wan sneered.

After glancing at the young maiden, he said, “I’m still a child, and the weather isn’t cold. I don’t need that!”

“And this one,” the servant continued, pointing toward another girl.

“She’s your personal attendant. She’ll accompany you wherever you go, whether you’re bathing, going out, or attending to your daily needs. She’ll always be by your side.”

The servant pointed toward a thirteen-year-old girl dressed in green.

Su Wan’s frown finally eased a little.

After thinking it over, he said, “I’ll only take this personal attendant. Forget the other two, the bed warmer and the nighttime toilet maid. I’ll consider those things when I’m older. Let’s go!”

Su Wan glanced at Cang Ye, then strode toward the courtyard gate.

As he passed the three girls, he called out, “You, follow me.”

He was addressing the girl in green.

She was slightly taller than Su Wan and immediately glanced at the servant who had brought her.

After receiving the servant’s signal, she hurriedly lifted her skirt and chased after Su Wan.

Cang Ye also quickened his pace and followed Su Wan out.

On the street, Su Wan passed a cat and dog shop.

A burst of barking and meowing came from inside, as though the cats and dogs were fighting.

Several customers had gathered at the entrance to watch the commotion.

“Hey! Shopkeeper Wang Ling, these two little ones are certainly lively! You let them roam around freely. Aren’t you afraid they’ll get lost?” a passerby asked from the doorway.

Wang Ling wore a white-and-blue dress, and her left hand was wrapped in cloth and supported by a sling around her neck.

With her right hand, she casually grabbed a kitten that had climbed onto her head.

She then used the same hand to separate the cat and dog that were about to start fighting again.

“Hahaha! They won’t get lost. They’re all quite obedient and can understand human speech!” she replied with a smile.

Wang Ling smiled, then noticed a small figure in the crowd.

She waved enthusiastically at Su Wan.

“Little Brother Su Wan, would you like to come in and pet the cats? Your big sister won’t rub your head today.”

As she spoke, Wang Ling noticed another person who had just arrived and was standing behind Su Wan.

It was Cang Ye.

Her gaze paused, and she met Cang Ye’s eyes directly.

The two remained silent for a moment before looking away without saying anything.

Cang Ye turned his attention toward Su Wan.

He heard the boy say, “Hehe, Sister Wang Ling, I’ll just look from outside today. Aren’t you busy, Sister Wang Ling? If you have customers to attend to, I can help look after the cats and dogs.”

Su Wan thought, ‘As long as Sister Wang Ling isn’t around, I won’t have to worry about getting my head patted and being teased.’

‘The power of an older sister truly cannot be underestimated.’