Dual Transmigration: American Prison, Surviving to a Fantasy Development Stage

I didn't waste my time at the charity, though; I did learn some skills.

He pulled an iron paddle from his spatial storage and leaped into the tunnel.

The tunnel was a slope, about two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters) long.

About half an hour later, they suddenly arrived at the tomb chamber.

He crouched down and crawled inside, then turned on his flashlight.

In the very center, a black lacquered coffin lay quietly on the coffin bed.

Lin Feng stepped forward and slapped the coffin lid away with a palm strike.

The black lotus appeared silently, and the corpse vanished instantly.

At the same time, a surge of information entered Lin Feng's mind: the Way of Calligraphy.

The principles of calligraphy and painting, the essence of brushstrokes and ink, and the composition and layout, flowed into his sea of ​​consciousness like a gentle stream.

Lin Feng closed his eyes and sensed for a moment, then opened them with a slight smile on his lips.

Now, he can be considered a master of calligraphy and painting, even if he is just copying other people's works.

Any calligraphy model can produce nine-tenths of its charm.

If you practice it several times, it becomes original; that's the skill of a master calligrapher.

He shone his flashlight into the coffin.

Besides the body, there were several items and several scrolls of calligraphy and paintings inside the coffin, tied with ribbons;

Several jade seals and a folding fan were among the items Zhang Chengwen carried with him.

Lin Feng accepted everything without hesitation, taking it all into his Black Lotus Space.

After doing all this, he took one last look at the empty coffin, then turned and crawled out of the tomb.

Finally, it leaped out of the ground and restored the grave mound to its original state.

Under the moonlight, the new grave stood silently, just as it had at dusk.

It was as if nothing had happened.

Lin Feng returned to the old pine tree and sat down cross-legged.

The information Black Lotus had provided was still swirling in his mind. He closed his eyes to organize it, and the more he organized, the more interesting it became.

Zhang Chengwen's calligraphy and paintings can sell for thousands of taels of gold each on the market.

Lin Feng believed that the price was not only due to Zhang Chengwen's skills, but also because of his status.

He bought the title of "Imperial Tutor" and the identity of "Literary Leader".

Just like those so-called calligraphy association chairmen in the urban world, when they were in office, a single piece of their calligraphy could sell for hundreds of thousands of yuan, and people would flock to their door to ask for it.

Once you step down and lose that position, the words are still the same, but nobody buys them anymore.

Even dogs wouldn't watch it.

Lin Feng opened his eyes, looked at the quiet new grave under the moonlight, and couldn't help but smile.

Zhang Chengwen probably never imagined that he would be remembered like this after his death.

However, if someone can inherit his mantle, Zhang Chengwen should be able to rest in peace.

He took out a scroll of calligraphy and painting from his storage space, unfolded it, and couldn't help but take out a flashlight to examine it closely.

The brushstrokes are vigorous and the ink is vivid; it is indeed a fine piece.

Lin Feng squinted at it for a while, then rolled up the calligraphy and painting and put it back into his spatial storage.

Suddenly, an idea popped into my head.

If I were to impersonate Zhang Chengwen and sell his calligraphy and paintings, I wonder if anyone would buy them.

Moreover, Zhang Chengwen's seal is in Lin Feng's possession.

But the source is hard to say.

He stood up, brushed the dirt off his clothes, and walked down the mountain.

The night was deep.

At the foot of the mountain, Liangzhou City was brightly lit, befitting its status as the provincial capital.

By the time I returned to the house, it was already late at night.

Lin Feng pushed open the gate, walked through the front yard, and just past the screen wall, he saw the dim yellow light shining from the main hall.

Through the paper window, a slender figure paced back and forth, Xueyao's shadow stretched long and short by the light.

Lin Feng paused, a slight warmth spreading through his heart.

He pushed open the door.

The door hinges creaked slightly. Xueyao turned around abruptly and saw it was him. She froze for a moment, then let out a long sigh of relief.

His tense shoulders relaxed, and a joyful smile spread across his face.

"Young master, you're back!"

She hurried over, but froze when she got there—Lin Feng's robe was covered in mud, especially the cuffs and knees, and his hair was also covered in grass clippings and dust.

"Young master, what's wrong?" she asked in confusion.

Lin Feng looked down at himself, casually patted his sleeves, and laughed, "It's nothing, the place we just went to was a bit dusty."

Xueyao opened her mouth, wanting to ask where they had gone, but then felt she shouldn't ask.

She pursed her lips and then said, "Young master, I'll go and boil water for your bath."

She turned to leave, but Lin Feng called her back.

"Never mind." Lin Feng waved his hand. "Boiling water takes too long. Just bring a basin of cold water."

Xueyao paused, turned to look at him, her eyes filled with disapproval: "Young Master, how can this be? It's late at night and the dew is heavy; taking a bath with cold water will make you sick."

"I've practiced, it's fine."

Lin Feng sat down in the armchair, crossed his legs, and said, "Listen to me, go."

Xueyao wanted to persuade him further, but seeing Lin Feng's expression, she dared not say anything more.

A short while later, she came in carrying a large basin of cold water.

"Young master, you fall ill so easily."

Lin Feng had already stood up and started to unbuckle his belt.

"No need, it's fine as is, cold."

He took the basin and tested the water temperature—it was indeed cold, the kind of icy chill unique to well water.

He nodded in satisfaction and carried the basin into the washroom.

Xueyao stood outside the door, listening to the rushing water inside, her brows furrowed.

A moment later, the sound of water stopped.

Lin Feng pushed open the door and came out, his hair wet and hanging over his shoulders. He was only wearing an undergarment, but his face showed no signs of coldness; instead, he looked refreshed.

"See, are you alright?" He gestured with his chin towards Xueyao.

Xueyao looked at him and suddenly felt that her young master's temperament seemed different from before.

She couldn't quite put her finger on what was different.

-

The next day, the sun rises three poles.

Lin Feng leaned against the headboard and said to Xue Yao, who was doing her makeup, "Go and buy a few maids. This house is so big, you can't manage it all by yourself."

Xueyao glanced at him in the bronze mirror, smiled, and said, "Is Young Master feeling sorry for me?"

Lin Feng rolled his eyes: "Don't flatter yourself. I'm just worried about this house; no one's cleaning it."

Xueyao wasn't annoyed and replied with a smile, "Yes, yes, you're right, young master. I'll go right away."

She changed into clean clothes, then took a light veil to cover her face before going out.

The market in Liangzhou City was divided into east and west markets.

The East Market sells fine silks, brocades, pearls, and antiques, and is frequented by wealthy people dressed in brocade and fine clothes.

The West Market was different; it sold firewood, rice, oil, salt, mules, horses, and livestock, as well as a human market.

In a corner of the western part of the city, there is a spontaneously formed "human market".

Desperate and impoverished families would squat with their children against the wall, waiting for someone to come and buy their goods.

Some were bought to be maids or servants, some to be laborers, and some pretty girls were picked and chosen and eventually sent to brothels.

Wearing a veil, Xueyao walked slowly through the marketplace.

As she looked along, a wave of sadness washed over her.

Those squatting at the base of the wall were mostly thin and sallow-faced children.

The oldest was only twelve or thirteen years old, and the youngest was only seven or eight. They all stared blankly at the buyers coming and going.

Their parents either stood aside or knelt on the ground, hoping that someone would take notice of their child, give them food, and let them live.

Xueyao recalled many years ago.

Xueyao took a deep breath, suppressing the surging memories of the past.

She began to choose carefully.

Although the young master is not picky about food, he has discerning taste.

Ugly people are absolutely out of the question.

She wandered around the market, looking at dozens of girls, but still couldn't find one she liked.

Not one of them had regular facial features.

Some have bright, expressive eyes, but their facial features are rather unattractive.

Xueyao shook her head and gave up the idea of ​​buying a maid.

She went to another place and picked four rough-and-ready old women—all women in their forties or fifties, with honest faces and quick hands and feet, who were in charge of washing clothes, cooking, and cleaning the yard.

Leading four elderly women back, they had just left the market when they were suddenly blocked from their path.

"Miss, please have mercy and give me some food..."

Xueyao looked down and saw a woman kneeling on the ground, with a girl kneeling beside her. The woman was disheveled, her clothes were patched, and she was skin and bones.

The girl was about eleven or twelve years old, equally thin, with delicate features, but she had a pair of bright, clear eyes that were both black and white, and they were full of spirit.

Xueyao's heart softened.

She squatted down, took out a few pieces of silver from her sleeve, and put them into the woman's hand.

The woman was taken aback, then repeatedly kowtowed, saying, "Thank you, Miss! Thank you, Miss! You are so kind and compassionate, Miss, may you live a long and healthy life!"

The girl also kowtowed, but secretly raised her eyes to glance at Xueyao.

Xueyao's heart skipped a beat.

She carefully examined the girl—although she was pale and thin, her features were quite good, and with a little dressing up, she would be a beauty.

Looking at the woman again, although she looked haggard, she was still quite well-off.

"Are you mother and daughter?"

"Yes, yes, yes." The woman nodded hurriedly. "My surname is Zhou. My husband died of illness last year, and we really can't make ends meet. So I had to come out with my daughter... to beg for food..."

Xueyao pondered for a moment.

"I need help with chores at home," she said. "If you're willing, you can come with me. You'll have food to eat, a place to stay, and you can do some cleaning and chores."

You won't be shortchanged on your monthly allowance.

The woman was stunned, then her eyes reddened, and she pulled the girl to kowtow again.

"Yes! Yes! Miss's willingness to take us in is an immense favor!"

Xueyao reached out and helped them up.

"Get up, stop kneeling. Come with me."

She led the mother and daughter, along with two old women, toward the house in the east of the city.

The sun was shining brightly, and it felt warm and cozy on my skin.

Xueyao suddenly thought, "Young Master will be satisfied when he sees this mother and daughter."

..........

The mother and daughter knelt on the ground, their bodies trembling slightly, their eyes filled with fear and a hint of cautious anticipation.

The woman pulled the girl closer to her, as if she had finally found someone to rely on. She was tense, but couldn't help but steal glances at Xueyao.

Xueyao sighed inwardly as she looked at them.

She nodded, her voice softening slightly: "Get up, don't kneel."

"Follow me, and you'll have a stable meal from now on."

"Thank you, Miss! Thank you, Miss!" The woman kowtowed repeatedly, and the girl followed suit, her forehead hitting the bluestone slab with a loud thud.

Xueyao reached out to help them up, then turned to look at the other four people behind her—the four old women she had picked out at the slave market, all in their forties or fifties, with honest faces and quick hands and feet.

The group of six followed Xueyao back to the house.

-

Once inside the courtyard, Xueyao had them stand in a row under the eaves.

She stood on the steps, her gaze slowly sweeping across the faces of the six people, exuding an air of authority without anger.

"From today onwards, you are servants in this mansion."

She paused, her tone not harsh, but it carried an undeniable air of authority.

"In this mansion, the young master is the most powerful."

You must remember this clearly—the young master's words are law.

You are to go east, not west;

You are told to stand, not sit.

If you serve the young master well, life will be easy. But if you upset him—”

Her gaze sharpened.

"Then don't blame me for being ruthless."

The six men fell silent, bowing in unison: "Yes, Miss."

Xueyao nodded in satisfaction.

"The wages are five qian of silver per person per month."

It's twice as high as elsewhere, but the work is also lighter.

But let me make this clear from the start—the work is easy, but the rules are strict.

Anyone who tries to cheat or steal, or who is dishonest, will not be tolerated in this household.

Five qian of silver!

The eyes of several elderly women lit up.

This price is twice as high as the market price.

"Yes, Miss! We'll definitely do our best!"

Xueyao waved her hand: "Alright, go take a bath and change your clothes first."

"You're all covered in dust and grime; I can't possibly see you, young master."

She summoned a rough-looking old woman and led the six people to the bathhouse in the backyard.

-

About half an hour later, the six people finished bathing, changed into clean coarse cloth clothes, and were led to the front of the main hall.

Xueyao stood under the eaves, carefully observing them.

The elderly women, having washed away the dust of their journey, looked much more refreshed and appeared honest and law-abiding. She nodded, her gaze settling on the last pair of mother and daughter.

The woman was in her early thirties. She had washed her face and had very delicate features.

Her features exude a gentle and graceful charm; she must have been a beauty in her youth.

She was just too thin, with slightly protruding cheekbones and a somewhat yellowish complexion.

If properly cared for and plumped up, it should be quite beautiful.

The girl next to her was about twelve or thirteen years old, and she was very pretty.

Her almond-shaped eyes were clear and bright, with long, curled eyelashes. She blinked at people like a timid little deer.

Although she's thin, she has a good foundation and will definitely be a beauty when she grows up.

Xueyao nodded inwardly.

This time I finally found one that I liked.

With your discerning eye, young master, this mother and daughter should be pleasing to the eye, right?

She looked away and softened her tone: "Alright, you all wait here."

I'll go and invite the young master.

After saying that, he turned and walked towards the study.

-

Behind him, six people stood still, not daring to breathe.

The old women exchanged glances, wondering who this young man was.

That young lady was as beautiful as an angel; her clothes, demeanor, and bearing clearly indicated she was no ordinary person.

But judging from the implication of her words, she was just a maid?

What must that young master's identity be?

These days, beauty is the scarcest resource.

In ordinary families, if they marry a beautiful wife, they have to keep her hidden away, for fear of being targeted by others.

Only wealthy and powerful families could afford to keep such beautiful maids.

What kind of powerful and wealthy person could afford to keep such a beautiful maid?

As they thought about it, they became increasingly uneasy, yet also increasingly expectant.

-

In the study, Lin Feng was bent over his desk, painting.

Xueyao pushed open the door and walked quietly behind him, looking at the table.

Upon seeing this, she was completely stunned.

The painting on the rice paper depicts a woman.

The woman stood sideways under the flowering tree, her head slightly turned, her skirt fluttering.

Her face and eyes were clearly her own.

The brushstrokes are delicate, the lines are smooth, and the expression and demeanor are even more vivid than when she sees herself in the mirror.

The painting wasn't finished yet, and Lin Feng was adding inscriptions on the side.

His brushstrokes were extremely steady, each stroke flowing smoothly like clouds and water.

Xueyao stared at those words and her breath caught in her throat for a moment.

"There is a beautiful woman in the north, peerless and independent."

One glance could topple a city; a second glance could topple a nation.

"How can one not know the power of beauty to topple cities and kingdoms? Such a beauty is hard to find again."

At first glance, Xueyao thought Lin Feng was drawing someone else.

She stared blankly at the painting, at the words, at Lin Feng's focused profile, as if frozen in place, unable to move.

She has seen countless people write.

Those self-proclaimed romantic talents, those pretentious wealthy merchants, and those so-called literati who are actually utterly ignorant and pretentious.

But no one can write such words or such poems.

Moreover, this calligraphy and painting are truly the work of a master.

The brushstrokes are vigorous yet graceful, and the ink is rich yet not stagnant.

Each word seems alive, exuding an indescribable charm.

This poem is clearly about an extraordinary and beautiful woman.

At this moment, Xueyao felt a little inferior.

A pang of sadness welled up inside me. Who was the young master thinking of?

But upon closer inspection, it turned out to be herself.

My mind went blank, as if something had gone wrong.

Unexpectedly, Lin Feng actually painted her and even wrote a poem about it.

Although she was a courtesan, she was also skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.

I'm starting to doubt myself. Am I really that beautiful?

You deserve such praise from the young master.

What shocked her even more were those two lines of poetry.

There are beautiful people in the north, peerless and independent.

She was a courtesan from a brothel, bought and given away, always treated as an object.

But in the young master's writing, in her heart, she became a "peerless and independent" beauty?

Xueyao's eyes suddenly stung.

She opened her mouth, as if to say something, but her throat felt blocked, and she couldn't utter a single word.

Lin Feng finished writing the last stroke, put down his brush, and turned his head.

Seeing her like this, he was slightly taken aback, then smiled.

"What's wrong? Are you stunned by the young master's calligraphy and painting? You'll get used to it."

Lin Feng was somewhat smug, thinking that Xue Yao was shocked by the brilliance of the calligraphy and painting.

Little did they know it was because of this poem.

Xueyao remained silent, simply staring at him with reddened eyes and trembling eyelashes.

Lin Feng: "Is the drawing bad? Or is the handwriting bad?"

Xueyao shook her head.

She took a deep breath and tried to steady her voice, but it still trembled slightly.

"Young master..."

She paused, lowered her eyes, and said softly, "This poem... is it about me?"

Lin Feng nodded: "Hmm, how is it?"

Xueyao did not answer.

She just stood there, gazing at the painting and those words for a long, long time.

Outside the window, the sun is shining brightly.

Her shadow fell to the ground, very close to Lin Feng's shadow.

"Young master, you are very talented. Your calligraphy and painting are of the standard of a master. And your poem sounds like a peerless beauty."

"But Xueyao really doesn't deserve this poem." As she spoke, Xueyao lowered her head in self-consciousness.

Lin Feng didn't think that much about it; he just felt that the poem had few words.

He put down his pen, turned around, and said, "Don't underestimate yourself."

As the saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder—in my eyes, you are Xi Shi.

Xueyao was completely stunned.

She opened her mouth, as if to say something, but found her mind completely blank.

But Lin Feng's words were like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples to spread outwards in circles, impossible to stop.

She felt a sweet warmth in her heart.

"Young master..." she murmured, her voice incredibly soft, "You've been so good to me. I... I really don't know how to repay you."

She never imagined that Lin Feng could speak such sweet words.

She was completely devoted to Lin Feng and utterly enamored with him.

Lin Feng waved his hand casually, "Just be a good boy and listen to me."

"I'll listen to you! I'll definitely listen to you!" Xueyao nodded hurriedly, her eyes welling up with tears. "Whatever you ask me to do, I'll do."

Tell me to go east, I will never go west…

As she spoke, she suddenly remembered something, glanced somewhat shyly at the painting on the table, then at Lin Feng, and cautiously asked, "Young master, could you please give me this painting?"

"Of course," Lin Feng chuckled. "It was originally painted for you, who else would I give it to if not you?"

Xueyao's eyes lit up immediately.

"Thank you, young master! Thank you so much, young master!" She was so excited that she was almost incoherent. She held the painting and looked at it over and over again, as if she could never get enough of it.

Suddenly, she remembered something and pointed to the blank space in the painting.

"Young master, this hasn't been signed yet." She looked up, her eyes filled with anticipation. "Could you please affix your seal?"

"No problem." Lin Feng nodded. "Please wait a moment."

He turned and walked to the side, but instead of taking the seal from the drawer, he reached directly into his robes—actually, he took out a palm-sized piece of white jade from his spatial storage.

Xueyao looked at him with some curiosity.

Lin Feng then took out a small knife from his spatial storage.

He held the knife, gestured on the white jade, and began to carve.

Just a few strokes of the pen.

As the blade passed, jade fragments fell in a flurry.

In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, a seal has been formed.

Lin Feng then used the tip of his knife to carve a few more words on the bottom: "Lin Feng's Seal".

The carving skills were learned from the corpses of those fighting over the White Jade Token in Huayang Prefecture.

After finishing carving, he took out a lipstick from his storage space.

He twisted off the lipstick, smeared it a few times on the bottom of the stamp, and then pressed it onto the painting.

A bright red mark was left on the painting.

Xueyao leaned closer to take a look and found the mark to be brightly colored.

Lin Feng screwed the lipstick cap back on and handed it to her casually.

"Oh, right, this is for you too."

Xueyao took it and examined it from all angles. She had never seen this before; it was a thin tube with a smooth outer shell, exuding a sense of refinement.

"Young master, what is this?"

"Lipstick," Lin Feng explained, "It's similar to the lip balm you guys use, but it's more effective."

When applied to the lips, the color is vibrant and doesn't easily fade.

Xueyao's eyes lit up again.

She unscrewed the lid and saw the vibrant red color. She took a sniff and noticed a faint fragrance. She was eager to try it right away, but then felt it wasn't appropriate to do so in front of the young master.

"It feels so much more convenient." She held the lipstick with obvious delight, overjoyed.

Lin Feng waved his hand: "Alright, put it away. We can try it later."

Xueyao nodded and carefully tucked the lipstick into her sleeve.

She suddenly remembered the important matter.

"By the way, young master," she looked up, "I went to the labor market this morning and picked out six maids."

Four old women did the heavy work, and there was also a mother and daughter—I thought the girl was clever and wanted to keep her as the young master's personal maid.

"Would you like to go and take a look, young master?"

Lin Feng raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? Is that so?" He stood up. "Now that you mention it, I'm quite interested. Let's go take a look."

The two left the study one after the other.

Xueyao, following beside Lin Feng, suddenly remembered something and asked curiously, "Young Master, who is this Xi Shi you mentioned earlier?"

She remembered what Lin Feng said: "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

She really wanted to know who this Xi Shi was.

"Xi Shi..." Lin Feng said as he walked, "was an absolutely beautiful woman."

He sacrificed himself for the country.

Her story is long; I'll tell it to you sometime.

"Sacrificing oneself for the country..." Xueyao murmured repeatedly, suddenly feeling a pang of emotion.

Although she only heard the young master say that, she felt that the woman named Xi Shi must be very remarkable.

The young master compared himself to her, and in his heart, he found himself to be so wonderful.

Thinking of this, she felt even sweeter inside.