章 303: Chapter 303: A Century Passes in the Blink of an Eye
"Protect the General!"
The crowd surrounded Dong Wu, ready for battle. They had come prepared, and their opponents clearly were as well. Did they really think one person on the scene truly meant there was only one?
Who knew how many were hidden in the shadows?
Dong Wu stepped forward, cupping his hands in greeting. "I didn't expect the Marquis to arrive personally. How could this humble subordinate dare to trouble you to come in person?"
The newcomer was the Divine Might Marquis of the imperial court.
His strength was formidable.
Even a valiant and skilled general like Dong Wu was no match for the Divine Might Marquis.
"Since you know you shouldn't have troubled me to come personally, why not surrender and come back with me?" the Divine Might Marquis said.
Dong Wu replied, "I'm afraid I must disappoint the Marquis. I cannot die yet."
The Divine Might Marquis sneered. "Haha, do you think you can escape? The area is surrounded. If you take a single step outside, you'll be riddled with arrows. The only path to survival is behind me, but with your ragtag group, can you even escape?"
He spoke the most ruthless words while pointing out the safest direction.
It was a test of their comprehension.
Dong Wu remained expressionless, but thought to himself, "So that's how it is."
The battle was about to begin.
Those lying in wait outside were ready. If anyone dared to show their head, they would be met with a volley of arrows, leaving no chance of survival.
Suddenly, someone shouted,
"Don't shoot! The Marquis is there too!"
Several figures were seen grappling with the Divine Might Marquis, fighting from the courtyard to outside the mansion. Meanwhile, Dong Wu's men constantly shifted their bows and arrows, changing their aim.
Their status was a bit low.
They cried out in their hearts,
"Marquis, please move! How can we shoot otherwise?"
However, the Divine Might Marquis's attacks were incredibly fierce. With a single palm strike, the ground cracked. A stomp of his foot sent fissures spreading across the ground, generating rolling shockwaves.
Even a battle-hardened general like Dong Wu couldn't withstand such an onslaught from the Divine Might Marquis.
Yet, inexplicably…
Dong Wu remained unscathed. The seemingly earth-shattering attacks hadn't killed a single person.
The powerful shockwaves knocked the surrounding soldiers off their feet, making it impossible to shoot, let alone aim.
A moment later, the Divine Might Marquis's face darkened. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing into the distance. He said coldly, "Consider yourselves lucky to have escaped."
The elderly eunuch overseeing the operation, suppressing his anger, approached the Divine Might Marquis. Just as he was about to speak, the Marquis interrupted him.
"How were you in charge of this matter? They were already out, yet you didn't move. Did you intend to let them escape?" the Divine Might Marquis roared.
These words were originally meant for the eunuch to ask the Marquis, but now the Marquis had spoken them himself. Honestly, the eunuch was momentarily stunned.
He clearly hadn't expected this.
The eunuch said in his shrill voice, "Marquis, you were fighting them. If we had shot arrows, what if we had injured you?"
"Hmph, I am impervious to blades and arrows. How could ordinary arrows harm me? I will report this failure truthfully. I suspect you conspired with Dong Wu. Think carefully about how you will explain this."
The Divine Might Marquis flicked his sleeve and turned to leave, leaving behind the eunuch with a darkened face.
Several years later.
Qingyang Town.
"Young Master, I've inquired about all the girls in our town who are of marriageable age. Who do you like? Tell me, and I can have the matchmaker speak on your behalf."
Qing Lian was exhausted from worrying about Lin Fan's marriage. As the Lin family's maid and estate manager, she felt obligated to ensure the young master carried on the family line, to honor the memory of his deceased father.
Lin Fan, who was tilling the soil, said calmly, "I already have someone I like."
"Who is it?" Qing Lian wished she could be a mind reader, knowing the young master's thoughts instantly.
She found that her young master seemed to enjoy speaking in riddles, never revealing his thoughts directly. It was frustrating.
A faint smile appeared on Lin Fan's face.
A warm smile.
To others, this smile always felt a bit off, somewhat unsettling.
But Qing Lian liked it.
Her young master was too charming.
Qing Lian clung to Lin Fan's arm, acting coquettishly. "Young Master, please tell me. I really want to know. If you keep it a secret, I'll feel like I'm failing as your maid and housekeeper."
"I've read many stories where young masters like to abduct maidens, and their housekeepers help them scheme and become their cunning advisors, with a strong sense of presence."
"I also want to be someone like that."
Qing Lian felt she lacked a sense of purpose. If her young master became that kind of person, she would be disappointed, yet somehow, she also felt a bit of anticipation. It was a contradictory feeling.
Lin Fan stroked Qing Lian's head. "Your thoughts are strange."
Qing Lian's eyes widened. She lowered her head shyly, fiddling with her fingers. "Young Master, don't tell me you've always liked me."
She was incredibly shy as she spoke.
Her heart pounded like a deer.
Then she quickly added, "But that would never do. I'm just a maid. If Master knew, he would be furious. I was taken in by Master, and I'm grateful just to be alive. How could I dream of such things?"
"But I do like you, Young Master."
"Actually, I could be a concubine. Of course, even as a concubine, I would still be your maid and the Lin family's housekeeper. Young Master, what do you say…?"
Qing Lian lowered her head, muttering to herself, appearing extremely shy. When she looked up, she found her young master back in the field, farming.
It was as if he hadn't heard a word she said.
Qing Lian stamped her foot in frustration.
She had finally confessed her feelings, how could he not listen? Hmph, she wouldn't say it again.
Over the years, Qingyang Town remained safe.
No demons caused trouble.
Of course, this didn't mean there were no demons around Qingyang Town. It was just that the Thousand-Faced Demon had fallen in Qingyang Town, and the demons knew there was a terrifying human here.
Even the powerful Thousand-Faced Demon had been slain.
They didn't dare to cause trouble.
Even powerful demons who became overlords in the surrounding areas had heard of this incident. Occasionally, they would observe Qingyang Town from afar and could sense the lingering resentment of the Thousand-Faced Demon.
Others couldn't sense it.
But as demons, they could clearly feel it.
It was truly terrifying.
Twenty years passed in a blink of an eye.
During these years, Qingyang Town expanded outwards. Many refugees fled to Qingyang Town and settled there, never leaving.
From their initial status as outsiders, they gradually integrated into the community, proudly proclaiming to anyone, "We are the people of Qingyang Town."
For the first ten years, Huang Zheng continued to discuss the state of the world with Lin Fan.
If one had the power, one should strive to save the world.
But the ancients had a point. When a scholar was powerless and without influence, they were truly useless. Aside from daily chatter, they had no other contribution. Later, Huang Zheng became a teacher in Qingyang Town, living a comfortable life, forgetting his ambitions, and fully embracing his role as an educator.
He didn't think much about other matters.
As for the imperial court, he didn't even give it a thought.
The imperial court?
Could it be as fulfilling as teaching?
Just look at these past years. The people he had taught all addressed him respectfully as "Teacher."
It filled him with pride.
Over the years, Lin Fan's appearance hadn't changed. He still looked young. The townspeople all said their town leader was an immortal descended from the heavens, eternally youthful. In contrast, Qing Lian had undergone many changes.
From a young girl to a beautiful woman.
Gradually, to…
A woman of mature charm.
The only thing she hadn't experienced was marriage.
From a young, unripe melon to a now definitely ripe one, all this hadn't affected Qing Lian. The only change was that as she watched her young master remain young and handsome, a sense of reluctance grew in her heart.
But she quickly adjusted.
She would continue to serve her young master and take care of the Lin family.
For decades, Lin Fan's daily routine was fixed. Besides farming, he patrolled the town, looking for people in need of help. He was willing to help others, and seeing the sincere smiles on the townspeople's faces made him happy.
"Town Leader, Town Leader, please judge between us. Wang Er insists that my ox is his, but it's clearly mine." An old man grabbed Lin Fan.
Lin Fan held a high position in their hearts.
He had become a spiritual pillar.
His words often carried significant weight.
"Town Leader, this is clearly my ox. He insists it's his."
Wang Er was also an old man. Decades ago, he was a young man who greatly admired Lin Fan. Now, as an old man, he could only lament the passage of time.
Lin Fan smiled. "The town needs unity, not quarrels. It's yours on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, his on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, and Sundays are the ox's free time."
They hadn't known about these days of the week before, but later, they often heard the Town Leader mention them, so they understood what it meant.
"Hmph, the Town Leader has spoken. I'll listen to him. If it weren't for the Town Leader, I would have proven today that this ox is mine."
"Me too. Whatever the Town Leader says, I'll listen."
The two old men stopped arguing and amicably discussed the ox's ownership schedule.
Lin Fan smiled.
Friendly communication was the best way to resolve conflicts.
Qing Lian's eyes sparkled. "Young Master, you're so wonderful."
Lin Fan said, "It's alright. They are all good people."
Passing by the blacksmith shop, Wang the Blacksmith was gone. Now his son had taken over, carrying on the family trade. A good choice.
Mr. Huang Zheng was leading his students in reciting texts.
Groups of children were playing around town. Seeing Lin Fan, they respectfully called out,
"Town Leader Lin."
The children all liked Lin Fan and enjoyed gathering around him. Their eyes were full of admiration. They often heard their grandfathers tell stories of how the Town Leader had slain demons in the past.
A colossal demon, thousands of feet tall, could swallow their entire Qingyang Town in one gulp.
But their Town Leader Lin killed the demon with a single punch.
The children had long since regarded Lin Fan as a superhero.
Fifty years later!
On the street.
Lin Fan pushed a wooden wheelchair. An elderly woman sat in the wheelchair, a blanket covering her knees.
"Young Master, Qingyang Town has remained safe all these years thanks to you. If it weren't for you, there would be no Qingyang Town today," Qing Lian said.
She wanted to speak louder, but her voice was weak. Her body was failing, and it took all her strength to speak.
Lin Fan smiled. "This is the result of everyone's efforts. Qing Lian, it's a bit windy outside. Let's go back."
Back at the house.
Lin Fan carried Qing Lian to her bed and then went to the kitchen to cook. Previously, Qing Lian had always prepared all three meals. Even when her health declined, she still wanted to continue cooking for her young master, but Lin Fan stopped her. From now on, he would take care of Qing Lian.
Soon, Lin Fan brought a bowl of fragrant shredded pork porridge to the bedside. He softly said, "Qing Lian, it's time to eat."
Qing Lian opened her eyes. Lin Fan gently helped her sit up, propping her back against a soft pillow. She opened her mouth, letting her young master feed her the porridge.
Being fed by her young master.
Even after so many years.
Every time, Qing Lian felt incredibly happy.
Soon, the bowl of porridge was finished.
Lin Fan told Qing Lian to rest well, but she held onto his hand. "Young Master, stay and talk with me. I feel like I'm about to go. I won't be able to chat with you anymore."
"Alright," Lin Fan smiled.
He could sense that Qing Lian's body had reached its limit.
Qing Lian grasped Lin Fan's hand, recalling how she had clung to his arm and acted coquettishly decades ago. Thinking about it brought a happy smile to her face.
Lin Fan stroked Qing Lian's head, gently asking, "What happy memories are you thinking about?"
Qing Lian smiled but didn't answer. This was just like how she used to ask her young master, "Young Master, who do you like? I'll have the matchmaker speak to them."
But every time, the answer she received was this same enigmatic smile.
"Young Master, can I ask you a question?" Qing Lian asked.
Lin Fan said, "Ask away. If I know the answer, I'll tell you."
Qing Lian wanted to ask… Young Master, do you really like me? Is that why you never let me call for the matchmaker? But she didn't ask this question. She always remembered that she was taken in by Master and would always be the young master's maid and the Lin family's housekeeper.
She had never done anything to betray the Lin family in her life.
She had never let her young master suffer.
And now, she only wanted one answer from him.
"Young Master, have I been loyal?"
Lin Fan was surprised, then smiled, stroking Qing Lian's head. "Loyal."
Qing Lian smiled happily. "To receive your praise, my life has been worthwhile. I feel I've been loyal too. Although I made small mistakes sometimes, I never made any big ones."
"Yes, you're the best," Lin Fan said.
Just like coaxing a child.
Just like when she was a young girl, he would often gently tap her head.
Gradually, Qing Lian grew tired.
Lin Fan helped her lie down and sat beside her, watching her sleep. It was just like how Qing Lian used to sit by his bedside with a fan, gently fanning him as he slept.
Every time he told her to go rest, she would say she wasn't tired at all and that he should sleep quickly, or she would stay up very late.
Several days later.
Qing Lian passed away.
She died peacefully in her sleep, a smile on her face.
Everyone in Qingyang Town came to her funeral. They all knew Qing Lian had lived a happy life, always by the Town Leader's side. Some of the older women knew that Sister Qing Lian was fortunate to have passed before the young master, but they also knew that Sister Qing Lian was reluctant to leave. Now that she was gone, who would take care of her young master?
Could anyone else… be as meticulous as she was?
That day, Lin Fan stood before her tombstone for a long time, unable to move, his eyes red-rimmed. He had bid farewell to the person he knew best.
"Cherish every day."
"Qing Lian, until we meet again."
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