My lord, spare his life!

Fan You's favorability towards you has decreased by one.

Fan You's favorability towards you has decreased by one.

Fan You's favorability towards you has decreased by one.

Zhang Yang merely remarked that Yuan Xie's intelligence was slightly higher than Fan You's, and the system logs immediately flooded with three notifications indicating a decrease in Fan You's favorability, even turning his name above his head yellow: "Shu Yan, are you very concerned that you are inferior to Yuan Youzheng?"

If you really don't care, why are you reacting so strongly?

Fan You did not respond to Zhang Yang, but merely tilted his head slightly, giving her a deep, penetrating look. The moonlight was as white as frost, and Zhang Yang could clearly see in it that his jawline was taut, the muscles on his cheekbones were slightly protruding, and a hint of displeasure lurked deep in his eyes.

Zhang Yang: "..."

Oh, I knew I'd broken through.

"No, I didn't care."

Fan You uttered these words as if they were squeezed out from his back teeth.

Zhang Yang: "..."

Now I understand what it means to be stubborn even when you're dead.

Even though their face clearly shows they care, they still say things they don't mean.

Yuan Xie said that the lustful spirit within Fan You was more honest than Fan You himself, and Zhang Yang also felt that Fan You's heart was more honest than his mouth.

The system log shows that favorability increases and decreases repeatedly.

Zhang Yang didn't believe that Fan You hadn't intentionally controlled him.

The two men and the tiger remained silent the entire way.

As they were about to enter the city, Zhang Yang tore a page from his notebook and handed it to Fan You. Fan You assumed his lord was trying to subtly seek peace, but when he opened it, he found a string of numbers written in rather messy handwriting.

Fan You's eyes asked a question.

"When you have time, Uncle Yan can use numbers to convey secret messages."

"A secret code?"

"Shuyan is so smart, think for yourself."

If Zhang Yang were Fan You, able to precisely control her likes and dislikes towards someone, and that person happened to be aware of the real-time changes in her favorability ratings, she could use those numbers to send Morse code messages and hurl insults. What's the point of protesting by simply adding and subtracting favorability ratings?

Fan You: "..."

As dawn broke, Fan You had already arranged for men to fetch Yuan Xie.

The new residence was placed directly next to Fan You's, and only one street away from the future county government. Fan You also took Yuan Xie's preferences into consideration and specially selected honest and quiet servants to take care of his daily life.

"Parents, this Mr. Zhang is truly considerate."

Despite the tight schedule, the new home was not done perfunctorily.

Everything is thoughtful and considerate.

The master and servant settled down there. Yuan Xie preferred quiet and rarely went out, sometimes every three to five days. What truly reassured the burly man was that his appetite had improved considerably. He was willing to try anything, whether it was food prepared in the kitchen or bought from a restaurant.

Therefore, her complexion looks a bit better than before.

On this day, the fat, burly man delivered breakfast to Yuan Xie as usual.

Before he could pull the rope connecting to the room, the door opened first. At first glance, the burly man thought everything was normal. At second glance, he noticed something strange. At third glance, he couldn't help but rub his eyelids hard with the back of his hand, wondering if he was hallucinating.

"Home, parents?"

"What's wrong?"

The burly man stammered, "N-nothing."

No, this is a big problem!

Since he began serving Yuan Xie, he had seen Yuan Xie dressed in a color other than black very few times. As the number of celestial beings descending upon him increased, the master wished he could cover himself from head to toe and remain secluded from visitors for the rest of his life. Only when the master and servant were alone and the master was in a relatively peaceful mood would he be willing to reveal his face, which had been hidden from the light of day for a long time and was becoming increasingly haggard.

For a time, because his ears had been cut off, he refused to even wear a hair ornament, his hair disheveled, looking like a ghost. Even after his ears "grew" back, Yuan Xie habitually covered them. Today, with his hair neatly tied up and dressed like an ordinary scholar…

That's absolutely, absolutely, absolutely abnormal!

After a long while, the fat, burly man still couldn't suppress his curiosity.

"How can parents wash and clean their faces themselves?"

Having served Yuan Xie closely for many years, the burly man could tell at a glance where Yuan Xie had groomed himself and where he hadn't. For example, his once neglected, sword-like eyebrows had been meticulously groomed, with stray hairs removed from the arches, leaving two sharp, clean lines that made his jet-black eyes appear even more spirited. Even the stubble around his lips had been shaved off, sweeping away his previous listless and weak appearance.

"Weren't the parents planning to grow a beard?"

But to be fair, this makeover has definitely made me look younger, shedding the signs of age and adding a youthful charm, restoring the vitality that comes with age. If I take better care of myself for a while longer and gain some weight, my old friends will all sigh that I still look as radiant as ever.

Yuan Xie: "I'm not growing them anymore."

The burly man didn't ask any further questions.

The parents had tried to grow a beard several times before, but each time they failed to stick to it. This time, they also gave up halfway, which is perfectly reasonable.

(╯‵ ′)╯︵┻━┻

This is completely unreasonable!

The parents actually took the initiative to ask to go out.

The burly man instinctively handed him his travel gear.

That large black robe that he almost never took off.

Yuan Xie: "No need."

The burly, overweight man: "???"

He suspected that the parent's body had been completely possessed by the person in the ear, otherwise why would everything be so strange? What was even more bizarre was that the parent bought some new clothes and tailored some new outfits before going out.

The burly man wasn't the only one with a question mark above his head; Fan You, who had received Yuan Xie's schedule for the day, also had the same answer after repeatedly asking for confirmation. He too had the same thought as the burly man: had Yuan Xie been possessed?

"This is abnormal, extremely abnormal."

If it were Yuan Xie at fifteen or sixteen, Fan You wouldn't be surprised. But Yuan Xie is twenty-six now, only two years younger than him!

Zhang Yang's eyes were half-open, and he yawned repeatedly, unable to muster any energy: "I'm going to work now, so there's nothing wrong with taking care of myself and looking presentable."

Who reports for work looking disheveled?

Uncle Yan has too many ideas.

Fan You: "..."

How should he explain this abnormality to Zhang Yang?

When explanations fail, the excuse of "the descent of evil stars" is used. After all, human behavior still has some logic to follow, but ghosts are completely illogical. Those at the seventh level of "the descent of evil stars" are much closer to ghosts than to humans.

Yuan Xie was not in good physical condition and had to stop after visiting a few places.

After Zhang Yang abolished the monopoly on commerce, Weiyin County became increasingly lively. Many resourceful commoners set up small stalls and started small businesses in the areas designated by the county government, selling food or daily necessities. The most popular stalls were the snack stalls.

Secondly, there are some tea stalls.

There was a carpentry workshop nearby that specialized in processing timber. It employed over a hundred local laborers, with many more coming and going. They did manual labor, and their daily wages were quite substantial. They were willing to improve their own living conditions and support the small vendors' businesses. Gradually, the workshop became a popular spot.

It looks like a scene from everyday life.

The woodworking workshops are all open-air operations, and everyone is busy working.

Yuan Xie immediately recognized that these finished parts were neither needed for the county government's construction nor for city defense; they looked more like waterwheels. Upon inquiry, he learned that these were indeed waterwheels ordered by the county government. They were assembled in the carpentry workshop and then transported to their destination for final assembly.

The burly man said, "This waterwheel isn't cheap."

This indirectly proves that the governor of Tianyue County was very wealthy.

It is unknown how much of this was contributed by the Eastern Bandits.

The craftsman wiped away a handful of sweat.

"Where are we going?"

The prefectural government doesn't want just a waterwheel.

The burly man couldn't resist touching the parts. Even though he was only a novice, he could tell that the wood was very solid and the workmanship was exquisite, showing that it had been made with care. He couldn't help but praise, "Not bad, not bad, this waterwheel is good."

"How could it not be good? We must live up to the Lord's expectations."

The burly man chuckled, neither confirming nor denying. He was no stranger to dealing with these craftsmen and knew all too well the lucrative business involved. Without proper supervision, these craftsmen, relying solely on their conscience, could blatantly cut corners in places you couldn't see.

As he predicted, things turned out just as he expected.

The prefectural government attached great importance to these waterwheels, making it clear that price was not an issue, but quality had to be excellent, able to withstand wind, sun, and rain, and not break down frequently. Each waterwheel had to be personally inspected by County Magistrate Du upon construction and delivery. If any of these waterwheels caused problems after being put into use, the prefectural government would directly hold the craftsmen accountable according to their names.

Yuan Xie said, "Go and check on the waterwheel."

Du Fang also had his own selfish motives.

The first batch of waterwheels was allocated to villages near the military camp.

When Yuan Xie arrived, he could see the craftsmen busy building the waterwheel from afar. Men, women, and children from the village had gathered nearby to watch and talk about it with great interest. Sometimes they marveled at how big the machine was, and sometimes they showed off their knowledge, explaining to the villagers how the waterwheel worked, how it could draw precious water from the river and deliver it to the irrigation canal without manpower, thus saving effort in irrigating the farmland.

As the explanation unfolded, the atmosphere among the crowd became even more lively.

Yuan Xie couldn't hear their voices, but he could accurately capture their vibrant life force from the changes in their facial features, and the burly man, whose voice and image were synchronized, gave him an even more direct feeling. The village where the master and servant had previously stayed had new houses built free of charge by Zhang Yang for the common people, providing them with shelter from natural disasters and harsh winters. This village also had waterwheels commissioned by Zhang Yang, which would, to some extent, guarantee the harvest for the following year.

These two items are things you can't see anywhere else.

Even if it's visible, it's still "taken from the people." How many times the government pockets the money is unknown to outsiders. The relaxed smiles of the villagers show that the increase in these things hasn't added any extra burden to them.

A smile is only genuine when something is free and self-serving.

"Are you two... Mr. Yuan?"

A rough male voice entered the ears of the burly man.

He looked in the direction of the sound and saw a tall, strong soldier walking towards them.

"County Magistrate Du?"

Yuan Xie also sensed the approaching yin energy.

I recognized him at a glance.

Du Fang paused for a moment, but his expression showed no surprise.

Two days ago, when he went to the prefectural government to collect the funds, he heard that Fan You's friend had arrived and was now living in the county. The prefect was interested in recruiting him.

Fan You's friends were probably no ordinary people either.

That day, his guess was confirmed. Du Fang took a route he didn't usually take, and while passing a certain place, he felt the emotions of the demon within him become abnormal. Upon inquiring, he learned that Fan You's friend lived there, and the demon's abnormality was caused by this person. But what was the reason? Du Fang couldn't get the demon to talk, but he could communicate with the other demons.

Upon hearing the news of the Sevenfold Descending of the Stars, Du Fang felt his scalp tingle.

"Is this even human?"

The wife hesitated: "Shouldn't it... count?"

Du Fang: "..."

Unexpectedly, he met Yuan Xie in person the very next day.

Aside from looking somewhat haggard, his expression was relatively peaceful, much better than the inhuman, ghostly figure Du Fang had imagined. If it weren't for the fact that the ghost within him was indeed affecting him, Du Fang wouldn't have believed that the young man before him was Yuan Xie. Their conversation only deepened his suspicions.

Isn't it said that the descent of the stars has a great influence on temperament?

The higher the degree, the further away from humanity?

The Yuan Xie in front of me looks perfectly normal.

He was well-mannered and spoke with refined manners.

Although he appeared to be a typical scholar, he held waterwheels in high regard and showed no disdain for them. Compared to those scholars who spent their days spouting grand pronouncements about educating the people and saving the world, yet would evade the topic of composting, he was a breath of fresh air.

"Does Youzheng also know carpentry?"

"Having nothing to do, I've read some miscellaneous books and have gained some knowledge."

Du Fang, wanting to test the waters but encountering some genuinely difficult problems, subtly inquired whether Yuan Xie could offer assistance. In truth, this favor was related to Zhang Yang, who, as the client, only focused on setting conditions without considering the contractor's technical capabilities. Changing a spinning wheel from hand-cranked to foot-operated wasn't too difficult, but increasing the number of spindles to twenty or thirty, or even more, and utilizing water resources to improve efficiency…

Sigh, this is a bit of a headache.

The artisans who collaborated were indeed skilled in their craft and had a natural talent for it, so they should have been leaders in the industry. However, the artisans had experience, but their systematic theoretical books were collected by wealthy families, and very few copies were available to the general public.

Perhaps Yuan Xie can be of help.

Du Fang had only made the request tentatively, not holding out much hope, but to his surprise, Yuan Xie agreed very readily.

Du Fang was somewhat taken aback.

Even with the seven stars descending in fierceness, would someone be so warm-hearted and easy to talk to?

The burly man also looked like he was questioning the meaning of life.

When did his parents become so kind-hearted?

Fan You was so worried that he felt unwell all over.

"What is Yuan Youzheng up to?"

Zhang Yang yawned, listlessly resting his chin on his hand: "Yuan Youzheng, Yuan Youzheng, Yuan Youzheng, do you want to count how many times you called him Yuan Youzheng today? One hundred and thirty-three times..."

"How does my lord know how many times I called out?"

Make good use of search.

The system log search function is a good thing.

Enter keywords and you can jump to the target location in a second.

Fan You: "..."

"If you're really that uncomfortable, then just kill him."

Zhang Yang couldn't understand the behavior logic of Fan You, the NPC. He was the one who came to find Yuan Xie. Although he forgot about finding Yuan Xie several times along the way, Fan You broke down in his guard several times because of Yuan Xie when he actually met him.

Isn't this just asking for trouble?

Once it's done, it's over and done with, and things will finally stop.

Fan You: "..."

Fearing that Fan You would agree immediately, Zhang Yang added, "Don't kill him now. Let's wait until he finishes modifying the spinning wheel and makes the most of it."

Fan You: "..."

Yuan Xie took over the task of improving the spinning wheel.

After closing the shop for two days, he went to a nearby woodworking shop on the third day.

They even had the leisure to pick out a good piece of wood.

The size of the piece of wood made the burly man's eyelids twitch.

That night, he went to the kitchen to get the nourishing soup simmering on the stove. Just as he turned a corner, he nearly bumped into a huge, shadowy nose. The next moment, the shadow opened a pair of eerie green eyes, vaguely coalescing into a giant wolf taller than a man.

The fat, burly man's hair stood on end instantly, until his gaze passed over the black wolf and he vaguely saw two figures standing under the eaves.

??|??w?`)

Um, how about we make a deal? How about Mushroom updates 6,000 words a day, and if she updates for five days, I'll make up for it with a 10,000-word update? _(:3」∠)_