Chapter 252: 252
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Outside Deer Villa was a large phoenix tree forest [1] and a lake full of lotus flowers . The road, which could accommodate up to four carriages side by side, was directly connected to the public road outside . After passing through the beautiful phoenix tree forest, one would find themselves at Deer Villa . From afar, Deer Villa was surrounded by high and dark crimson walls . The tops of pine trees, bamboos, and locust trees could be seen peeking above the high walls at different places . Beyond the diverse forest were a rock garden and a pavilion which sat on the high artificial mountain .
As a royal estate, Deer Villa had a majestic grandeur .
The people of the Imperial Capital were probably aware that Deer Villa was just beyond the phoenix tree forest and that unauthorized people were not allowed inside . Therefore, no one would deliberately wander aimlessly along this road, lest they got into trouble . This caused the area outside of Deer Villa to appear even quieter .
"Liqiang, Deer Villa is just ahead of here . The manager here is Eunuch Liu from the palace . Lord Sun already informed a eunuch in the palace yesterday and settled all the necessary procedures . Just go in and report your name . Someone will bring you to Eunuch Liu . "
Yan Liqiang looked away from Deer Villa and nodded . "Alright, I will keep that in mind, Brother Liang! I can manage from here . "
"Well then, take care of yourself . Do not let this opportunity go to waste!" Liang Yijie looked at Yan Liqiang as he shared his heartfelt wishes . "I know that Liqiang isn't someone who will be content with loneliness . Otherwise, you wouldn't have chosen to come here with Lord Sun . However, there is a galaxy full of talents within the Imperial Capital . It is indeed not easy to stand out from the crowd . As long as you are truly capable and can endure loneliness, the opportunity to make a difference will definitely come to you . By then, you will naturally rise above others . Although Deer Villa is quiet, it is a royal property . You must do your best to seize any opportunity you may come across here, Liqiang . . . "
"Brother Liang, you mean to say…"
"Liqiang, you are so smart, how can you not get it?" Liang Yijie smiled . "Well, I'll stop here . We'll see each other again in a month! I hope by then you will have forged ahead in your cultivation…!" Having said that, Liang Yijie waved at Yan Liqiang and quickly turned his steed around . With a light squeeze to the abdomen of the steed beneath him, it broke into a run and carried him far, far away in just the blink of an eye .
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Yan Liqiang mulled over it for a moment while rubbing his chin as he watched Liang Yijie's fading silhouette . He then smiled and murmured to himself . "Could it be that Brother Liang is reminding me to seize the opportunity to cling onto an influential person while cultivating here? The most influential person here is Eunuch Liu . Could it be that he is also someone that is very impressive in the palace?"
If Shi Dafeng was here and heard that the manager of Deer Villa was a eunuch from the palace, he would probably hold some contempt in his heart . However, as a person who had lived two lives, Yan Liqiang had heard about those eight-thousand or nine-thousand-year-old tales from quite a number of classical fictions and historical plays [2] . Therefore, after knowing that the manager of Deer Villa was a eunuch, he didn't dare to have even the slightest amount of contempt in his heart .
Yan Liqiang only put his thoughts aside when he saw Liang Yijie was already far away . He called out to Goldie and unhurriedly rode toward Deer Villa on Snowstorm Cloud .
He wasn't sure why, but he was suddenly reminded of Wei Xiaobao from 'The Deer and the Cauldron' novel at this moment . In the novel, Mao Shiba mistakenly brought Wei Xiaobao from a brothel in Yangzhou to the capital . Wei Xiaobao then managed to find himself in the imperial palace where he didn't expect his life to change forever . Yan Liqiang wondered if he had Wei Xiaobao's luck .
When there was still a distance between him and the main entrance of Deer Villa, Yan Liqiang saw that the two rows of soldiers standing guard there were already looking at him . He got off his steed and strode over, pulling his rhinodrake steed along with him .
"Halt! Who goes there?"
One of the soldiers immediately shouted when he saw Yan Liqiang approaching .
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"I am Yan Liqiang . I am reporting myself today to Deer Villa . Please let me meet Eunuch Liu!" Yan Liqiang politely told the soldier who was standing guard at the main entrance of the Deer Villa .
"So you are Yan Liqiang?" A mustached military officer in his thirties who was standing guard at the entrance came forward and sized Yan Liqiang up .
"Yes, I am!"
"Fine then, follow me!"
"I brought a steed and a dog with me . Are they allowed to come in too?" Yan Liqiang inquired patiently .
"What kind of place do you take Deer Villa for? Do you think you can just bring anything in here?" The military officer shot a glare at Yan Liqiang and snorted . "Leave your steed here, there is a stable in the villa . The soldiers here will make the necessary arrangements . As for your dog, don't say that I did not warn you: if it dares to come anywhere near the main entrance of Deer Villa, don't blame me if it is dead!"
Upon hearing the military officer's words, Goldie, who had followed Yan Liqiang here, immediately bared its fangs before he could even speak . It was growling at the military officer who spoke, showing its hostility toward him . This surprised the military officer .
"Goldie, go play somewhere else for a while . I will call you again in a bit . . . " Yan Liqiang instructed Goldie . Goldie cast a glance at Yan Liqiang, then turned around and ran into the phoenix tree forest nearby .
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After Goldie ran off, Yan Liqiang followed the military officer into Deer Villa .
Yan Liqiang was stunned as soon as he entered Deer Villa . The majestic grandeur of this royal garden was simply incomparable to any other ordinary place . Every visual, object, brick, tile, plant, and tree in this place showed great creativity . The beauty of nature and culture were combined into one .
Yan Liqiang followed the officer while muttering in his heart . The Old Summer Palace probably looked almost like this if it wasn't destroyed .
After making several turns in Deer Villa, Yan Liqiang finally arrived outside a courtyard that was well-hidden among the shades of trees . There were two guards outside the courtyard . When they saw the military officer with Yan Liqiang, the military officer was immediately stopped .
"Please inform Eunuch Liu that the person he has been expecting has arrived!" The military officer cupped his fists to the two guards .
One of the guards took a good look at Yan Liqiang, then walked into the courtyard . Half a minute later, he came out and only wordlessly nodded to the military officer who had escorted Yan Liqiang here, and led Yan Liqiang into the courtyard .
There was a bridge and a flowing stream inside the courtyard . The birds were singing and the flowers were fragrant . Beneath a lush and old pear tree, a fair-skinned and beardless old eunuch with graying hair sat in a rocking chair . He was dressed in purple robes . His eyes were shut and he was leisurely basking in the morning sun . Two other younger eunuchs who were about the same age as Yan Liqiang served the old eunuch by his side . One of them was half crouching beside the recliner, focused on controlling the rocking of the chair with his hands as though he was a 'human motor' . The other eunuch was fanning a small exquisite stove nearby, boiling some water . When Yan Liqiang arrived, the water had just started bubbling on the stove .
The guard who brought Yan Liqiang inside bowed and reported, "Eunuch Liu, I have brought him here…"
"Alright, you may retreat…" When the old eunuch who was sitting in the recliner heard the voice, he slowly turned his head to the side and opened his eyes . He waved his hand and gestured for the guard to retreat .
"So, you are Yan Liqiang?" The old eunuch asked indifferently, leaning against his recliner .
"Greetings, Eunuch Liu!" Yan Liqiang bowed to the old eunuch respectfully . He couldn't help but stare at the old eunuch again . This was Yan Liqiang's first time meeting a eunuch in flesh over his two lifetimes . Apart from the absence of facial hair, the eunuch who was sitting on the recliner didn't really appear to be any different than most ordinary people . Although his voice was slightly high-pitched, it wasn't too piercing to the ears . On the contrary, it was quite melodious and pleasant to hear .
"Do you know how to brew tea?" Eunuch Liu suddenly asked Yan Liqiang an unexpected question .
"I can boil water and make tea, but I am no expert…" Yan Liqiang replied calmly .
"Little Chun, step aside . Let him make my tea!"
Upon hearing the old eunuch's order, the little eunuch who was tending to the small stove stood up and handed over the fan he was holding .
Yan Liqiang didn't say anything . He came over, crouched on the floor, and started fanning with the fan in his hand . . .