The sea breeze blew on Fan Xian's face, waking him from his reverie. Sitting in silence on the cliff's edge, he replayed all the stories since his rebirth in his mind. This wasn't just because he was thinking about his relationship with Uncle Wu Zhu, but also because the familiar clifftop stirred his emotions.

Years ago, it was on this very cliff that a young Fan Xian, still a boy, had made his three great wishes in front of Wu Zhu.

To have many, many children.

To write many, many books.

To live a very, very good life.

Uncle Wu Zhu summarized it as: Fan Xian needed many, many women, to hire many ghostwriters, many servants, and therefore needed a lot of money, which meant power. Hence, the two of them headed towards Kyoto.

…

…

Today, in Fan Xian's second life, many members of the opposite sex had passed through, though not many had remained. He didn't have any children yet, but he wasn't in a hurry. He hadn't hired any ghostwriters, but he was close to ending *Dream of the Red Chamber*. Copying poems in the palace, copying poems when meeting beauties, there was no doubt that he himself had grown into the biggest ghostwriter in this world.

As for money and power, Fan Xian had also obtained a great deal. But… a very, very good life?

He frowned and shook his head. People are always insatiable.

The recollection and summary didn't take him too long. Confirming that Uncle Wu Zhu wasn't on the cliff, he neatly rolled up his trouser legs and darted down the familiar stone path on the cliff like a bird.

The reason he returned to Danzhou, without rushing to see his grandmother, but instead coming to the cliff, was because Fan Xian had been constantly worried about Wu Zhu. Although he hadn't shown a trace of anxiety in front of others over the past half year – of course, not many people knew about Wu Zhu's existence – in the depths of his heart, he was very worried.

One day before leaving Kyoto, by the small pond in the Imperial Censorate that was frozen like a mirror, Chen Pingping had told him the news of Wu Zhu's injury.

In this world, the people who could injure Wu Zhu could be counted on one hand. In the unknown battle with Ku He last summer, Wu Zhu and Ku He each spent months recovering. This time… how long would Wu Zhu have to recover?

Fan Xian had already become accustomed to his blind uncle's unpredictable appearances, but associating it with Wu Zhu's strange injury this time, he couldn't help but worry, feeling that things weren't so simple. The lack of news for half a year made him a little annoyed, so as soon as he returned to Danzhou, he tried to find Wu Zhu's whereabouts.

But Uncle Wu Zhu wasn't there, and he didn't know how his injury was.

…

…

Taking advantage of the twilight, Fan Xian quietly walked into Danzhou City alone. This was where he had grown up, and he greedily inhaled the slightly salty, humid air, his mood becoming cheerful, not salty.

Passing through the city gate, passing the cloth shop, passing the distillery, the sky was a little gloomy, and no one noticed that this young man was the imperial envoy that the people of Danzhou were eagerly awaiting.

He walked all the way until he reached the outside of the general store. Fan Xian closed his eyes and listened, then turned into the side alley. Stepping on the moss that hadn't been imprinted with footprints for a long time, he felt around the dusty door for the iron key, opened the back door, and slipped inside.

Both the front and back rooms of the general store were covered in dust. The goods on the shelves had probably been stolen by thieves long ago. Only the chopping board in the back was still there, the fine knife marks on it seeming to still tell the story of a young boy slicing radish shreds.

Fan Xian smiled and picked up the kitchen knife next to the chopping board, brandishing it a couple of times. This kitchen knife had been "presented" to him by Uncle Wu Zhu. Uncle Wu Zhu never left marks on the chopping board when slicing radish shreds, and he himself had barely managed to do it later.

The taste of radish shreds with sorghum liquor was really good.

…

…

Without wasting too much time, by the time Fan Xian stood in front of his own Earl's residence, the sun hadn't completely set behind the mountains in the back. The warm light still shone brightly on the extremely lively inside and outside of the Earl's residence.

Today was a big day for the imperial envoy to return to his hometown to visit his family, so the servants in the Earl's residence were busy, excited, and proud. Everyone's faces were like the two large red lanterns hanging at the entrance of the residence, glowing with happiness and high spirits.

The officials up and down in Danzhou City had sought an audience without success and had already been politely dismissed. At this time, those passing through the residence gate were all servants and stewards of the residence.

Fan Xian stood at the entrance of the residence with a smile, looking at the familiar faces, not knowing what he was thinking. There were a few unfamiliar faces, probably those who had been recruited into the residence in the past few years.

"Young man, don't stand at the entrance of the residence." A steward frowned as he looked at this young man in white, but his tone wasn't very fierce. Under the management of the old matriarch, the Earl's residence had always been strict in its conduct and rarely bullied the good and oppressed the kind.

Fan Xian smiled wryly and opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, he heard a scream from a figure passing through the residence.

"Ah!…"

The person who screamed was a little maid. Her face was flushed, and her eyes were shining as she stared at Fan Xian outside the door. She ran out with small steps, almost tripping over the high threshold, scaring Fan Xian into quickly supporting her.

The little maid let go of Fan Xian's hand as if she had been electrocuted, twisting her hands together, looking at Fan Xian but unable to speak from excitement. The steward outside the door was curious, and a few old men finally saw Fan Xian's appearance clearly in the dim twilight. They also let out a cry of "Ah!"

The little maid finally came to her senses, her face flushed, and she shouted into the courtyard, "Young Master is back!"

"What?"

"Young Master is back! Quickly inform the Old Matriarch!"

"Young Master!"

As the news spread, the Earl's residence, which was already filled with a joyful atmosphere, instantly erupted. A burst of footsteps moved towards this side, and it was unknown how many people were coming to welcome Fan Xian home.

At this time, Fan Xian, led by the little maid and accompanied by the solicitous stewards in the gate, walked into the residence. Fan Xian looked at the apprehensive men behind him and scolded with a smile, "Don't I know the way? Go back."

The few men responded with a "yes" and retreated a little unwillingly.

Fan Xian looked at the little maid beside him, feeling that she looked familiar, but he couldn't match her to a name. He couldn't help but ask with a smile, "What's your name? Are Xiao Qing and Xiao Ya doing well?"

The little maid immediately became sad, thinking that the Young Master had only been gone for less than two years, how could he have forgotten her name? She had heard from her older sisters that the Young Master had been a good master who cherished his maids since he was a child, and was always gentle and courteous. She couldn't help but glance at Fan Xian with resentment and said, "Young Master, Sister Xiao Qing has already gotten married, Sister Xiao Ya is still in the residence… This servant, this servant is Xiao Hong."

"Xiao Hong?" Fan Xian had already been unsettled by the little girl's resentful gaze. When he heard her name clearly at this time, he was even more frightened and almost fell. He stared at the little girl's delicate face, still unable to believe it, and couldn't help but sigh, "You've grown so much in just two years?"

As the saying goes, a girl changes eighteen times as she grows up. When Fan Xian left Danzhou, Xiao Hong was only a twelve-year-old tea-serving maid, but now she had grown into a young woman, her figure already showing and her features open. No wonder Fan Xian didn't recognize her at first.

Before the master and servant could exchange feelings, they heard a commotion coming from the west side, chattering like countless birds rushing over.

Fan Xian had sharp eyes and saw that his Tiger Guards and Hong Changqing and others were actually falling behind, from which it could be seen how eager the women in the front were.

A gust of fragrant wind rushed over, and the maids in the Earl's residence stopped not far in front of Fan Xian, looking at Fan Xian with joy, and then bowed gracefully, "Greetings to the Young Master!"

The maids' faces were mostly filled with joy and excitement, with occasional traces of sadness from being separated for two years.

At this time, the stewards and servants of the Earl's residence also rushed over from behind and knelt down to pay their respects to Fan Xian.

In an instant, the garden was densely packed with more than twenty people kneeling. The maid Xiao Hong stood beside Fan Xian, not knowing what to do. She finally came to her senses and knelt down as well.

Unexpectedly, Fan Xian pulled her arm and scolded with a smile to the maids who had grown up with him since childhood, "All of you, get up! We didn't do this kind of thing at home. How come after being gone for two years… you all dare to disobey my orders?"

The maids giggled and stood up, surrounding Fan Xian. Some were concerned and asked about his health, some brought tea and water, some used fans to fan him, and of course, there were also those who took the opportunity to tidy up his clothes to satisfy the emptiness of not being close to the most handsome man in the world for two years. Each had their own way, no less.

In this way, Fan Xian entered the back garden surrounded by the maids.

Fan Xian looked at the Tiger Guards and Hong Changqing, who were standing on the side of the road with strange expressions, and glared at them, thinking that he had grown up in a pile of women since he was a child, and he was most comfortable with this kind of life. What were you big men looking at?

As soon as he entered the back garden, he heard a sentence.

"What kind of behavior is this?"

The maids who were supporting Fan Xian giggled and let go of his hands. Fan Xian, who was indulging in the long-lost ease and joy, shuddered and put on the most sincere smile on his face, looking towards the steps.

He saw an old lady with a noble air looking at him coldly, while Wan'er was supporting the old lady's left hand with a face full of smiles. His Royal Highness the Third Prince was carefully holding the old lady's right hand, and Si Si was holding a large cattail leaf fan, hiding behind the old lady, looking at Fan Xian with a smile that wasn't a smile, as if to tell him… you're finished today.

The old lady who could have this kind of status could only be the wet nurse of His Majesty the Emperor of Qing, who had brought up an emperor, a prince, and a minister, and taught a Supervisor of the Imperial Censorate, the old matriarch of Danzhou, Grandmother Fan.

Fan Xian looked at the old lady's kind but calm face, and his heart was extremely excited. He let out a strange cry and pounced over.

Unexpectedly, while he was still on the way, the old lady had already shouted coldly, "Stop!"

Fan Xian was stunned and stood foolishly on the ground, looking at his grandmother, not knowing what mistake he had made.

The old lady slowly looked over the grandson who had been gone for two years, her gaze gradually moving down from Fan Xian's face, confirming that the little guy had all his limbs intact and wasn't disfigured, and then nodded with satisfaction, but when her eyes fell on Fan Xian's legs, her gaze still became stern.

"Go wash your feet. You're such a big person, and you don't pay any attention to hygiene." The old lady scolded sternly.

Fan Xian lowered his head and looked at his muddy feet, only then realizing that he had thrown away his shoes when climbing the mountain. He couldn't help but raise his head, looking pitifully and saying, "Grandmother…"

"Wash them first."

As soon as she finished speaking, the maids had already laughed out loud, some bringing chairs for Fan Xian, some fetching hot water, serving Fan Xian to wash his feet. Another big maid went into the house to fetch the shoes Fan Xian had worn a few years ago, tilted her head and giggled, saying, "Young Master, I don't know if your feet have grown."

Fan Xian endured the crowd's tidying up with a bitter face, looking at Wan'er beside his grandmother revealing an expression that couldn't help but laugh, he couldn't help but glare. Wan'er stuck out her tongue and smiled cutely. Wan'er was also curious in her heart, her husband was a fearless person, but as soon as he returned to Danzhou and faced this old lady, he became so afraid?

After washing his feet and putting on his shoes, Fan Xian crept up the steps with a sly look.

As soon as the old lady saw the boy's expression, she knew that he didn't have good intentions. Suddenly, she thought of the crazy behavior this boy had done on the day he left Danzhou, and couldn't help but be startled, scolding with a stern face, "… What is this monkey going to do again?"

Monkey? Lin Wan'er and the Third Prince couldn't help but laugh again from the side.

The back garden was forbidden for ordinary men, so the stewards, servants, Tiger Guards, and Hong Changqing were all watching the fun outside. Others would only think of Fan Xian climbing on the rockery roof of the Earl's residence many years ago when they heard these words, but Hong Changqing thought of the Supervisor jumping up and down on the white-sailed ship, couldn't help but nodded, thinking that the old lady's description was accurate.

Fan Xian approached the steps with a cheeky smile, hearing that his grandmother was somewhat stern, pressing closer step by step.

The old lady panicked, pointing at Fan Xian and saying, "Just stand there, just stand there, don't come any closer."

As soon as she finished speaking, Fan Xian had already jumped over. The skills of a Ninth-Rank expert were indeed not just for show. He hugged the old lady and kissed her hard on the face, with a loud "啵" sound, actually kissing out a sound.

The garden inside and outside was filled with joyful laughter.

"Grandmother, I missed you so much." Fan Xian said sincerely, thinking that he had found that the wrinkles on his grandmother's face were deeper than two years ago, and she was also getting thinner, and for some reason, a faint sadness welled up in his heart.

He helped his grandmother into the house, let her sit down in a chair, then knelt on the ground and formally greeted her again, kowtowing three times earnestly.

"I heard that you have another lady in Suzhou?"

After the grandmother and grandson spoke intimately for a while, the old lady suddenly changed the topic, catching Fan Xian off guard.

Fan Xian looked up in surprise, seeing that Wan'er looked puzzled, thinking that she didn't understand why the old lady suddenly brought that up. As for Si Si, she looked even more innocent, indicating that she had definitely not said anything to the old lady.