Chapter 51: Chapter 38: Scheming and Infighting, Bringing Money to the Door

Sewing Peak bordered a water vein, and the heavy yin energy made it brutally cold in the winter—far more so than the other peaks.

Zhou Can pulled the Servant’s Black Robe he’d worn for many years tighter around him. He sat ramrod straight in a Grandmaster’s Chair on the second floor of the Laundry Room, his eyes sweeping across the floor, watching the Mortal Servants at work.

He had come before daybreak.

As usual, he was the first to enter the workshop.

Everyone on Sewing Peak knew that Zhou Zhiyi of the Laundry Room was the most diligent. He was more punctual than the Mortal Servants rushing to draw their work lots, showing up to supervise personally every day, rain or shine.

In truth, these tasks were handled by the Inspectors under him; there was no need for Zhou Can to trouble himself.

For the Servants of the four Outer Peaks, showing up seven or eight times a month was considered frequent.

But Zhou Can insisted on being hands-on. He’d even had someone move a Grandmaster’s Chair to the second floor specifically for this purpose.

As soon as he entered the workshop, he would sit in his high perch and do nothing but watch the Mortal Servants toiling away.

From morning till night, somehow, he never grew bored of it.

’Back when my father was a Tenant Farmer, the local lord was just like this. He’d walk slowly along the ridges of the fields, hands clasped behind his back, looking everything over while asking, “How is the harvest this year…”’

Zhou Can’s thoughts drifted.

’A few offhand remarks, a promise not to raise the rent, and people would be so grateful they’d kneel and kowtow.

’My ancestors must truly be smiling down on me, letting me live such a good life too.’

The workshop was bustling with activity. He stood up and went downstairs, pacing back and forth like a hungry crow on the prowl.

The work in the Laundry Room primarily involved washing and dyeing—using various methods to soak fabrics and imbue them with vibrant colors. Consequently, the majority of the workers were women.

Each had her sleeves rolled up. Some stirred massive dyeing vats, others pounded with pestles, and still others hung bolts of cloth to air-dry.

In the brutal cold, this work was agonizing. Most of them had hands covered in chilblains and shivered uncontrollably, yet they still had to work nimbly.

The Qianji Sect’s Hundred Shadows Magical Robe was a favorite among the Female Cultivators of the Joyful Union Sect to the south. It had many patrons, and its sales were widespread.

Sewing Peak reaped the benefits, enjoying a hefty surplus year after year. Their pockets were full, and life was far more comfortable here than on Red Flame Peak or Nourishing Soul Peak.

Zhou Can paced slowly, his neck habitually craned forward. He took short, mincing steps as he silently calculated.

’I’ve skimmed a fair bit off the top over the years, moving funds from one hand to the other. Another ten years of this, and I should have enough to retire down the mountain.’

He was in his early forties now, in the prime of his life. Even if he worked until he was fifty, his body would still be robust, and his vitality wouldn’t have decayed much.

According to the sect’s rules, a Servant in charge of a department could remain in their position on an Outer Peak until the age of seventy.

For instance, Yang Xun of the Quenching Room on Red Flame Peak was extremely senior.

But Zhou Can had thought it through. He wasn’t from some gentry family. No matter how long a worthless Mortal like him worked, after his time was up, he’d be buried in the dirt with nothing to show for it.

He’d rather make his plans early: return to his hometown, buy some property, start a family, and enjoy a peaceful retirement.

As he mulled this over, Zhou Can quietly sidled up behind a reasonably attractive female worker.

Pretending to inspect her work, he moved in close, pressing himself against her backside. His coarse hand would “casually” land on her shoulder or grab her by the wrist.

“Servant…”

The worker flinched in fright and quickly moved away.

“What are you scared of? I’m just teaching you how to do your job.”

A surge of satisfaction washed over Zhou Can as he looked at her terrified, silent expression.

Without changing his expression, he gave a slight thrust of his hips, then turned to find the next female worker.

This time, however, he ran into a floozy. The moment Zhou Can walked over, the woman plastered on a seductive smile and moved to greet him.

’Shameless hussy!’

He took half a step back, his brow furrowed in disgust. It was as if he’d been presented with a plate of greasy, fatty meat and had instantly lost his appetite. He turned and walked away, his face cold.

’Thinking you can escape your miserable life as one of the Cattle and Horses just by latching onto someone powerful… a fool’s dream! I am a dignified Servant in charge of an entire department; why would I ever deign to sample a common trollop like you!’

Zhou Can turned and went back to the second floor, settling into his Grandmaster’s Chair once more.

The bell on Guanlan Peak tolled, signaling the end of the workday.

The Mortal Servants filed out in a long stream, and the Laundry Room instantly became empty and quiet.

A man with triangular eyes in a dusty, gray Daoist Robe appeared, sidling up to Zhou Can and whispering:

“Servant, a few days ago, Miss Luo made a trip to Red Flame Peak.”

This man was the informant Zhou Can had put in place.

His task was to secretly keep an eye on Luo Qian’er.

“That toad?”

A faint smile touched the corners of Zhou Can’s mouth as he vaguely recalled the matter.

Luo Qian’er had mentioned to him several times that a Mortal Servant from Red Flame Peak was pestering her relentlessly, and it was getting on her nerves.

“That kid’s luck has turned around. I made some special inquiries. He was promoted to Inspector by Marshal Yang of the Quenching Room and often heads to the Inner Peak.”

The man with the triangular eyes said, bowing deeply.

“Yang Xun from the Quenching Room? The one whose son died? The kid got lucky!”

Zhou Can’s eyes were deep-set, his cheeks gaunt. His features had a somewhat sinister cast.

“What was that Mortal Servant’s name again? I’ve already forgotten.”

The man with the triangular eyes felt his courage fail under Zhou Can’s stare. He replied in a trembling voice:

“Jiang Yi.”

“Hmph!”

Zhou Can cracked his knuckles and asked,

“Have you ever seen him? What does he look like?”

The man with the triangular eyes thought back carefully.

“Back when that kid was a Mortal Servant, he came over to pester Miss Luo a few times. He was just a grimy, penniless-looking wretch, nothing special… A far cry from your brilliant and martial presence, Servant, so majestic and awe-inspiring!”

He tacked on the flattery at the end with what he thought was great cleverness.

“A penniless wretch? Then why did Qian’er brave a snowstorm in the middle of the night to go to his door? Are you implying that I can’t even compare to a penniless wretch?!”

Zhou Can’s gaze sharpened as he asked in a cold voice.

It was no secret that he had taken a liking to Luo Qian’er of the Laundry Room and was close with her.

It had taken him considerable effort to have Miss Luo transferred from Nourishing Soul Peak to Sewing Peak in the first place.

“I misspoke!”

The man with the triangular eyes immediately began slapping himself hard across the face, alternating hands.

Each slap was brutally heavy, delivered without mercy. After a dozen or so strikes, blood began to trickle from the corner of his mouth.

Seeing this, Zhou Can called for him to stop.

“That’s enough. You’re dismissed.”

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