Courtyard House: A System Connecting Two Worlds, Resources for the Nation

"My name is Zhou Feng. I have come to Mantuo Manor to find an old friend from my sect."

Looking at the pretty Abi in front of him, Zhou Feng cupped his hands in greeting, and the latter was immediately taken aback: "Are you sure there are any old friends from your sect at Mantuo Manor? They don't really welcome outsiders there. If you're mistaken, you might be in mortal danger if you go there."

Others may not know, but don't she and A'Zhu, these two maids from Yanziwu, understand Madam Wang's temperament?

If this young master Zhou in front of her makes a mistake and she takes him to Mantuo Manor where he loses his life, then she will be guilty of a grave sin.

"Please rest assured, young lady. Senior Sister Li Qingluo of Mantuo Manor is indeed an elder in my sect. Please come ashore for a chat. After we have a meal, I will trouble you to lead the way."

Abi, still on the boat, hesitated for a few seconds, then waved her hand, and the small boat slowly approached the shore.

The barbecue that the group was making smelled so good that she couldn't resist trying it.

Moreover, the other party mentioned Madam Wang's name, so the relationship must be genuine.

Like Zhong Ling, Abi had just joined the group of girls and started chatting with Qin Jingru.

The three chattered away beside her, and Qin Jingru happily pulled out all the snacks she had brought.

These snacks are her secret weapon for making friends in this world!

After enjoying a delicious barbecue, Zhou Feng and the others went to the dock, rented a large boat, and followed Abi towards Mantuo Villa.

People like Zhao Pan'er and Sun San Niang, who grew up in the water towns of Jiangnan, were better off, but Zhou Feng, Bai Ling, Lou Xiao'e, and Qin Jingru leaned against one side of the cabin, looking at the vast lake shore outside with great interest.

These northerners are still very curious about rivers and lakes.

"A picturesque shore of Taihu Lake, a tranquil view of Dongting Mountain!"

Looking at the waves outside, Zhou Feng casually recited a line of poetry, which made Zhong Ling, who was standing next to him, widen her eyes and tilt her head to look at him.

"Brother Zhou, you're amazing! You can even write poetry!"

Zhong Ling couldn't actually distinguish between good and bad poetry; she just instinctively wanted to praise Zhou Feng when she looked at him.

"How could I write poetry? I just saw the scenery of Taihu Lake and casually recited a few lines."

Zhou Feng chuckled, but Zhong Ling's eyes still held a hint of admiration: "You recited it so well even when you were just talking casually, you're really amazing."

Zhou Feng glanced at the girl who was looking at him with adoration, and chuckled as he ruffled her hair. "Whenever you get a bit of inspiration, I'll write you a poem, how about that?"

"Really?"

Zhong Ling's face was filled with excitement, her cheeks flushed, and she nodded excitedly.

Don't let her background as a woman from the martial arts world, not a lady from a prominent family or a talented scholar, fool you. What girl could resist someone writing poems for her?

Just like in later generations, even girls who don't study music will be moved when they hear a song written specifically for them by a man.

"Of course it's true, but writing poetry requires inspiration. Like when I see a lake outside, I can write verses about it. So guess what I'd need to look at if I wanted to write you a poem?"

Zhong Ling tilted her head and thought for a moment, then suddenly her cheeks turned bright red: "Is...is it to look at me?"

If someone else spoke to Zhong Ling like that, they would only be seen as a lecherous scoundrel, or even someone who would casually lay a finger on her.

But along the way, Zhong Ling's feelings for Zhou Feng have undergone a dramatic change, from fear to peace to gratitude to dependence.

So what sounded like flirting didn't offend her at all.

Mu Wanqing, who was standing to the side, immediately frowned. Looking at Zhou Feng and Zhong Ling who were getting closer and closer, she wanted to say something, but she sighed and put her hand down.

Zhao Pan'er, who was standing to the side, finally smiled with satisfaction.

If you want to stay by Zhou Feng's side, this kind of thing is essential.

If even the other sisters find it hard to accept, then Zhou Feng doesn't need to say anything; she will find a way to drive Mu Wanqing away.

The emperor's harem has no need for such a jealous person who poses a security risk.

"Ling'er is so clever!"

Zhou Feng tentatively changed how he addressed Zhong Ling, but she didn't resist at all. Instead, she blushed and moved closer to Zhou Feng, hoping that he could see her more clearly.

Her eyelashes, as thick as palm leaves, kept fluttering, and her body trembled slightly, making it clear to everyone around her that Zhong Ling was feeling nervous.

After all, neither of them was married, and the girl was in the prime of her youth, beautiful and radiant. Her heart was pounding as she stared at a man so closely.

Such an expression was even more attractive to Zhou Feng.

The innocent and shy feeling of youth has an unparalleled attraction for all men.

Qin Jingru and Lou Xiao'e, who were standing to the side, clasped their hands together, their excitement barely concealed.

At this moment, the two women felt no jealousy at all; instead, they were more interested in watching the drama unfold, as if they were watching an idol drama up close!

Mu Wanqing pursed her lips and turned her face towards the window.

She really didn't want to see things like this; out of sight, out of mind.

Looking at Zhong Ling's adorable appearance, Zhou Feng slowly moved his head closer.

The two were already very close, and Zhou Feng leaned forward even further, their faces now less than two fingers apart!

In an instant, Zhong Ling's cheeks went from bright red to deep red, and the color even spread to her ears.

My mind went blank, and I even felt my lips going numb. My small hands, which were nervously clutching the hem of my clothes, were trembling.

What is Brother Zhou doing?

Why did he stand so close to me?

If he does something outrageous to me, should I retaliate?

Sister Pan'er and Sister San are right there, Brother Zhou shouldn't go too far... right?

Feeling Zhou Feng's breath constantly brushing against her cheek, Zhong Ling finally couldn't take it anymore. She blinked, her voice trembling slightly, "Brother Zhou...you..."

"Shh..."

Zhou Feng placed a finger directly on Zhong Ling's lips, a slight smile appearing on his lips: "I've got it."

As he spoke, he murmured to himself, "A poem dedicated to Zhong Ling..."

"In the Valley of Ten Thousand Calamities, time stretches long, and the laughter of a young girl in green is sweet. Her delicate face is as radiant as the sunset, and her wisdom as clear as autumn water. The red embroidery on her sleeves amazes all who see her, and her chivalrous spirit defies the wind and frost between her brows. Her innate beauty and talent are a gift from heaven, untouched by the madness of the martial world."

"This...this really was written for me! It includes the Valley of Ten Thousand Calamities, and my name!"

Zhong Ling's face immediately lit up with an excited smile.

Zhao Pan'er, standing to the side, curled her lips. In reality, the quality of this poem... was only good enough to fool that little girl Zhong Ling!

But what she didn't know was that the poem wasn't actually written by Zhou Feng.

As Zhou Feng muttered that sentence to himself, a certain app on his phone had already started generating poetry; he was simply repeating the poem that was playing through his Bluetooth earphones.

But Zhong Ling was clearly extremely excited at this moment; her small chest was heaving irregularly, showing that she was not at peace.

The young girl, who had never left Wanjie Valley, had never experienced this kind of flirting before.

My mind went completely blank; I was so nervous and didn't know what to do, as if my soul had left my body.

To be able to include her name in a poem, Brother Zhou must have put a lot of thought into it and truly cherished her!

She was incredibly lucky to meet someone like Brother Zhou so early in her career!

"Brother Zhou... Brother Zhou..."

Zhong Ling was at a loss for words; she simply stood in front of Zhou Feng, murmuring his name.

Zhou Feng didn't rush to do anything, but instead reached out and held her small hand, maintaining the current atmosphere.

If nothing unexpected happens, this girl will basically be won over.

Behind Zhong Ling, Zhao Pan'er glared at Zhou Feng with annoyance, while the latter raised an eyebrow at her.

The two had already discussed Zhong Ling's fate.

If Zhou Feng didn't want to bring her into his inner circle, why would he have taken Zhong Ling on his journey?

He had never hidden his affection for this little girl; it was just that Zhong Ling hadn't thought of it that way before.

"Ahem... Gentlemen, we're still on the lake, so don't move around too much, or the fishing boat will capsize!"

Seeing that the two remained silent, the others in the cabin felt awkward and didn't know what to say.

Zhao Pan'er coughed lightly twice, breaking the ambiguous atmosphere between them.

"Oh! Sister Pan'er!"

Zhong Ling then realized that she had so many sisters around her, and blushed furiously, burying her face in Qin Jingru's side.

In this situation, it's best to talk to your girlfriends.

Unfortunately, Qin Jingru and Lou Xiao'e had no intention of letting her off the hook either. The two of them sandwiched Zhong Ling in the middle and started teasing her in various ways.

For a moment, the entire cabin was filled with their laughter and chatter, which made Duan Yu, who was squeezed into the same boat as Tie Jianguo, Bai Lang and others, unconsciously reveal a hint of envy in his eyes.

With so many sisters and cousins, who would want to squeeze in with these three big, burly men?

Duan Yu looked up at Lin Yin, whose face was also somewhat delicate, and was about to say something when he was stopped by a cold glare from her.

Lin Yin's murderous aura, brought from the battlefield, was completely different from the fierce and ruthless chivalrous heroes of the martial arts world, giving Duan Yu an instinctive sense of fear.

"Who goes there? How dare you trespass on Mantuo Manor!"

They could see the outline of Mantuo Villa from afar, but as soon as they docked their boat and went ashore, two old women and several guards blocked their way.

"Greetings, everyone. I am Zhou Feng from the Xiaoyao Sect. I have come to find Senior Sister Qingluo. Please announce my arrival."

The two old women exchanged a glance and made a gesture behind them, signaling for a guard to enter the village and report.

But the moment Zhao Pan'er stepped out of the cabin, the two old women's eyes widened in shock: "Miss! Those damned thieves, how dare they kidnap our young lady!"

Before Zhou Feng could explain, the two men had already closed in with their swords.

The guards behind them also drew their swords and charged towards Zhou Feng and the others.

"Fire as a warning, but don't kill them."

Zhou Feng used his Lingbo Weibu (a martial arts technique) to dart and weave between the two old women. Meanwhile, Tie Jianguo and Bai Lang behind him began firing at the guards.

If you want to avoid losing your life, you can't use a sniper rifle at this close range, otherwise the hits will be scattered in different places.

In an instant, the crisp sound of submachine guns rang out from the shore. The bullets fired by three submachine guns formed a barrage, enveloping the servants.

Those with good skills could barely use their weapons to block a few bullets, but most people fell to the ground bleeding from their limbs.

"stop!"

Just as Zhou Feng was getting impatient and preparing to drain the two old ladies dry, a delicate shout came.

Upon hearing this voice, the two old women immediately turned away from the battle, brandishing their longswords and glaring angrily at Zhou Feng.

In the direction of Mantuo Villa, a woman dressed in gorgeous clothes and exuding elegance walked slowly out of the gate. Apart from being a little more mature than Zhao Pan'er, she looked no different.

"Madam, these thieves have kidnapped Miss!"

While the two old women were still complaining, Li Qingluo, standing opposite them, had already narrowed her eyes.

She had a good eye; although Zhao Pan'er, who was standing behind Zhou Feng, looked very much like Wang Yuyan, she was definitely not her daughter, and their ages didn't match!

"Send them to the garden."

Li Qingluo ignored the two old women and instead waved her hand. Then, someone came out from behind her and lifted up the guards who had fallen to the ground and were unable to move.

Upon hearing this, the people's eyes widened. They wanted to say something, but the person carrying them grabbed their chins and forcefully dislocated them, rendering them unable to make a sound.

"Who are you people?"

Li Xingluo's eyes were fixed on Zhou Feng, who was in the lead, but her peripheral vision kept glancing at Zhao Pan'er.

His appearance and age made her suspicious.

If it were her daughter, how could she not know?

But if she's not her daughter, then who would think she looks like her mother...?

This is even more outrageous. Judging from Zhao Pan'er's apparent age, how old was her mother back then? How could she possibly get pregnant and give birth again?

While Li Qingluo was sizing them up, Zhou Feng was also sizing them up.

It has to be said that when these two stunningly beautiful and similar-looking people stand together, they are quite a sight to behold.

One is a younger version of the celestial beauty, and the other is a slightly more mature version.

Although she had been married to Zhou Feng for some time, she still looked like a young girl.

The other is in their 30s, a mature age.

"Zhou Feng of the Free and Unfettered Sect greets Senior Sister."

"The Carefree Sect?"

Li Qingluo raised an eyebrow, a sudden sense of panic washing over her.

Others may not know, but as Li Qiushui's daughter, how could she not know about those past grievances and grudges?

Even now, she still calls Ding Chunqiu "father" when she sees him.

If someone claims to be a disciple of the Xiaoyao Sect in the martial arts world, they must be from the lineage of Wuyazi or Tianshan Tonglao.

Regardless of which branch of the family they belong to, their attitude towards her mother will always be one of wanting to get rid of her as soon as possible!