Chapter 178: Chapter 171: So You’re Here
A short while later, a portly, middle-aged man dressed as a steward, with his hands behind his back, walked up to the crowd of laborers and lifted his chin.
"The Hu family of Willow Lane needs three men to load goods onto a cart."
Zhao Lin didn’t say a word, so none of the laborers dared to move.
Seeing that no one was moving, the steward assumed they were just being modest and pointed out three men, "You, you, and you..."
With his impressive physique, Zhao Lin was also chosen by the steward.
Zhao Lin remained seated and turned to Tuft. "I’m not going. Find someone to take my place."
"Right away!" Tuft hurriedly agreed.
The steward’s mouth twitched, and he grew angry. "If you’re not here to work, why are you loitering around trying to get hired?"
Zhao Lin ignored him and let out a huge yawn, which made the steward glare in fury.
Over the next hour, several more employers came looking for workers, but Zhao Lin remained completely unmoved.
The other laborers found it strange, wondering what he was planning.
It wasn’t until around noon that someone from the Chu Mansion arrived.
A man in his thirties, dressed in a satin robe, approached from a distance, followed by two attendants.
"Who’s that?" Zhao Lin asked Tuft.
"Second Steward Sun of the Chu Mansion," Tuft replied.
Zhao Lin nodded. ’I know what to do.’
The Chu Mansion had three stewards: the head steward managed internal affairs, the second steward handled external matters, and a female steward was in charge of the inner residence.
"The Chu family of Golden Street needs six people for purchasing! Five copper coins!"
Before Steward Sun had even drawn close, one of the attendants behind him shouted out the offer.
Zhao Lin was the first to stand. He made a show of dusting himself off, then bowed respectfully.
Based on his surveillance over the past few days, he knew this second steward was pompous, so he deliberately put on a display of humility.
Just as he expected, Steward Sun nodded in satisfaction. "Good, you’re hired!"
He then picked a few more laborers he found agreeable, and they all headed to the rice market together.
While they were walking, Zhao Lin quietly reached into his robe, took out a pinch of black powder, and with a flick of his finger, sent it onto Steward Sun’s back.
A unique, sweet fragrance slowly began to spread.
The Musk powder prepared by Old Man Ma was potent and long-lasting. As long as it touched the clothing for a moment, the scent would seep deep into the skin. Even if they changed clothes or bathed, Zhao Lin would still be able to find them.
Steward Sun remained oblivious, strolling along at a leisurely pace with a pompous gait.
The Chu Mansion housed several hundred people and consumed a massive amount of food every day, requiring a major purchasing trip every few days.
Steward Sun purchased a large pile of rice, grains, and meat. Zhao Lin and the other laborers carried it on their shoulders or pushed it in carts, transporting everything to the east side-gate of the Chu Mansion.
"Take the goods to the kitchens. Be quick about it, and no looking around."
Steward Sun issued the warning, then directed the men to move the items inside.
"The second steward is back."
The head of the guards stationed at the side gate called out in greeting.
Before leaving that morning, Zhao Lin had already activated the Reversed Destiny Returning to the Sea Skill, suppressing his vital energy back down to the Power Realm. He wasn’t worried about his true cultivation level being exposed.
FFFT...
As they passed each other, Zhao Lin flicked another pinch of Musk powder, hitting the hem of the guard captain’s robe right under his ribs.
Following Steward Sun, they arrived near the kitchens east of the main hall, where Zhao Lin and the others moved the ingredients into the woodshed.
"You lot did a good job. Here’s your pay!"
Steward Sun settled the payment readily, then said to an attendant, "Xiaosi, see them out."
Zhao Lin glanced sideways toward the kitchens and saw four of them lined up side-by-side. The characters for "Upper," "Inner," "Outer," and "Small" were written on their respective doors.
An idea suddenly struck him. ’Applying it externally isn’t as good as having them ingest it,’ he thought. ’Instead of dosing them one by one, why not cook them all in one pot!’
Once the Musk powder was ingested, it would slowly be released through the body’s fluids, a process that could last for several months.
Back then, Diao Liu of the Drilling Mountain Leopard gang had swallowed a Musk pellet right before he died, and his body was found in the spring by a Fragrant Mink.
’It’s a good idea, but... why are there so many kitchens?’
"Brother, your Chu Mansion is truly impressive!"
Zhao Lin said in a flattering tone as they walked out, deliberately putting emphasis on the word "your."
The attendant’s mouth curled into a smile upon hearing this. He said proudly, "But of course! They say wealth is in the south and nobility in the west. And here in South City, the Chu family is one of the few you can count on one hand!"
Zhao Lin nodded in agreement. "Exactly! Just now, when we were moving the goods, I saw you have four kitchens. I think they had something like ’Upper, Lower, Left, Right’ written on them?"
The attendant couldn’t help but let out a "PFFT" of laughter. "Don’t just say whatever comes to mind! It’s not ’Upper, Lower, Left, Right,’ it’s ’Upper,’ ’Inner,’ ’Outer,’ and ’Small.’"
"Right, right, right."
Zhao Lin deliberately slapped his own head. "Don’t mind me, brother. I don’t know many characters, so I misread them."
He then put on a serious, inquisitive expression. "Could I trouble you to explain it to me, brother? What do ’Upper,’ ’Inner,’ ’Outer,’ and ’Small’ mean?"
"If I knew, I’d have something to brag about when I leave. It would make this trip to the Chu Mansion worthwhile."
The attendant laughed heartily at his words. "It’s really nothing special. All the great families do it..."
He then proceeded to explain.
As it turned out, the four kitchens were: the Upper Kitchen, the Inner Kitchen, the Outer Kitchen, and the Small Kitchen.
The Upper Kitchen was for the exclusive use of the Chu family members.
The Inner Kitchen prepared food for people of a certain status, like the stewards, guards, hired escorts, strategists, and the Tutor.
The Outer Kitchen was for the servants.
As for the Small Kitchen, its stove was kept lit year-round to ensure that whenever the master or madam wanted to eat, food could be prepared instantly, with no waiting required.
"Wow, I’ve really learned something today!"
Zhao Lin exclaimed in admiration, and the other laborers also had looks of sudden understanding.
...
In the dead of night, a crescent moon hung high in the sky.
Dressed all in black, Zhao Lin silently arrived outside the Chu Mansion.
He found an empty spot nearby. Spiraling vital energy shot out from his acupuncture points, and his body slowly ascended into the sky.
The entire layout of the Chu Mansion unfolded beneath him.
