Sword from the Immortal Mountain

Chapter 103: The Golden Elixir Road, Nonsense
After Chen Shizhen regained consciousness, he stood up and brushed off the dust on his body. His face was also blackened and had traces of burns, making it dirty and he needed to get some water to wash it off.

After finishing all this, he looked at Chen Jin and asked, "Are you the candidate named Chen that Lao Hu introduced?"

"Yes."

"What's your name?"

Chen Shizhen thought about it and clapped his hands: "Yes! Chen Jin, from Chenze Township, Genshui County."

"good."

Chen Jin nodded. It seemed that Mr. Hu was holding back and didn't tell others much about himself.

Chen Shizhen said, "Since you are here, you can stay here. Ah Jin, please greet him."

After saying that, he hurried to the collapsed area and directed Awu and others to rescue the things inside.

A Jin is his daughter Chen Jin.

The girl looked at Chen Jin curiously, her fair cheeks slightly reddened as she thought of something.

According to etiquette, she was not supposed to receive male guests at home. But Chen Jin knew her father's temperament and rarely paid attention to these mundane matters.

She is the only daughter and her mother is no longer around.

In this case, she is the only one who can come forward to avoid being rude to others.

Chen Shizhen's house was very large with many empty rooms. It didn't take long before Chen Jin and Ye Yanke were arranged to live in a separate courtyard.

There are also many kinds of bamboo in this yard, which makes it look quiet and peaceful.

"Mr. Chen, you guys stay here. My humble abode is simple, please don't despise it."

Chen Jin said politely.

Chen Jin smiled and said, "As an overseas guest, I dare not be picky. Besides, the place here is much better than those in the inn."

"Okay, wait until dinner is ready, and then I'll welcome you back."

After Chen Jin left, Ye Yanke couldn't help but say, "Scholar, why do I think this family is a bit strange?"

"What's weird?"

"I can't tell for the moment, but it doesn't look normal."

Chen Jin's eyes flickered: "A little bit indeed."

There were several guest rooms in the courtyard, one for Chen Jin, one for Ye Yanke, and as for Wangcai, he and his dog could stay there. There were not many other luggage and other things.

The spoils of war seized from the Chimei sect, as well as many gold and silver treasures, were sold and converted into large silver bills from Tongbao Bank when passing through towns on the road.

Plus the gifts given by Mr. Hu in the past.

Chen Jin has no shortage of money.

Of course, he spent a lot of money along the way.

All are necessary for practice.

Next, if you want to complete the third realm and break through to the second stage, you will need more.

Everyone needs money, no one can escape from this.

……

But Chen Jin went outside and ran back to the side yard again. He saw his father still busy in the house, tidying up the broken jars and pots. He was angry and sighed from time to time, like a man possessed by a demon.

The girl couldn't help but sigh, her expression gloomy.

An old servant came over and asked in a low voice: "Miss, we have guests at home, how should we prepare dinner?"

Chen Jin said, "Go to the market and kill a chicken and make some chicken soup. Also buy some good fish and meat."

The old housekeeper, Uncle Chen, stammered, "There's no money in the account."

"So fast?"

The girl was surprised.

Uncle Chen said with a bitter face: "The day before yesterday, the master went out with Taoist Song and bought a large cart of alchemy materials. They have almost spent all the money."

Chen Jin asked, "I remember that Uncle Hu left a sum of money for Mr. Chen's entertainment."

Uncle Chen spread his hands and said, "I waited and waited, but Master Chen didn't come. The master thought he wasn't coming, so he embezzled all the money."

Chen Jin stamped his feet and said, "Dad, how could you do this? If Uncle Hu and Master Chen knew about this, wouldn't it be a loss of trust and cause people to despise you?"

Uncle Chen whispered, "Miss, please try to persuade the master. If this continues, when will it end?"

Chen Jin frowned: "Daddy has been bewildered and possessed, how can I persuade him?"

At this point, she reached out and took off a silver hairpin from her head: "Uncle Chen, you should sell this hairpin and use the money to buy some chickens and ducks. Don't neglect Master Chen."

After taking the hairpin, the old butler left with a sigh.

Chen Jin looked around, but saw that the gates were sparse and the houses were empty. If this continued, she might not even be able to protect this ancestral house. At this time, someone came to the door. It was a girl with a melon-seed face: "Sister Jin, I heard from the servants that something happened in your family. What happened?"

Chen Jin smiled bitterly and said, "It was my father who was refining the elixir, and it exploded again. Fortunately, no one was hurt."

The girl with the oval face patted her high and straight part in an exaggerated manner: "I'm glad you're okay... By the way, I think I saw a guest coming to your house. The scholar was quite handsome. Who was he?"

Chen Jin replied: "His name is 'Chen Jin'. He is from Chenze Township, Genshui County, and came to the prefecture to take the exam."

The oval-faced girl blinked her eyes and said, "So, he is your relative? He took the opportunity to come from the countryside to seek refuge with your family?"

Chen Jin waved his hands quickly: "Don't talk nonsense, he is not a relative, he was introduced by Uncle Hu, maybe Uncle Hu appreciates him."

The girl with an oval face said "Oh" and rolled her eyes: "Sister Jin, what do you think of him?"

Chen Jin was startled: "What?"

"This Master Chen Jin, I see that he is so young, but he has already been able to enter the prefecture to take part in the provincial examination. He must be very talented. If he can pass the examination, he will be a juren, with a promising future. He is a perfect match for you."

"Where did you say he went? He has the same last name."

The oval-faced girl curled her lips and said, "So what if we have the same surname? We are not cousins. Sister Jin, if you don't like any of them, please introduce them to me."

Chen Jin: “…”

She had known that her cousin Chen Ru was bold and dared to say anything, but she didn't expect that she would fall in love with Chen Jin after meeting him by chance.

He immediately joked, "Don't you always say that wooden doors match wooden doors, bamboo doors match bamboo doors, and you won't marry unless you are from a wealthy family?"

Chen Ru said proudly: "That's it."

"In that case, Mr. Chen probably doesn't meet your requirements."

"Not at the moment, but if he passes the exam, or even becomes a Jinshi, wouldn't that be appropriate? Let's get to know each other first and leave an impression, what's the big deal?"

Chen Ru smiled and said, "I dare say that if he can pass the imperial examination, there will definitely be a lot of people looking for him to be their son-in-law. By then, it will be too late."

Chen Jin knew about the "catching a son-in-law under the list", but in fact, those phenomena had nothing to do with the twelve branches of the Chen family.

Chen's daughters have no trouble finding a husband as they have many choices.

But as Chen Ru said, it is not easy to choose an ideal husband. As the saying goes, "parents' orders and matchmaker's words", many times, it is the choice of the elders and a marriage based on family background.

But why did I think of these things?

There's clearly no chance of that happening.

Chen Jin suddenly came to his senses and saw the mischievous look on his cousin's face. He immediately realized that he had been teased:
"Good for you Chen Ru!"

Immediately reach out and scratch the other person's armpit.

The two girls soon became involved in a quarrel, which alleviated the worries in their hearts.

……

At dusk, the lights were lit in the hall and preparations were made for a banquet to welcome Chen Jin.

Chen Shizhen's family fell into poverty, and apart from him and his daughter, the only people left in the mansion were the old housekeeper Chen Bo, the servant Awu, a cook, and a maid Xiao Cui.

Tonight's meal was prepared in a hurry, but fortunately, chicken, duck, fish, meat, etc. were all available and could be served.

Naturally, this occasion should be hosted by Chen Shizhen, and his daughter Chen Jin will not come to accompany him for dinner and drinks.

That would be inappropriate.

As for Ye Yanke, he could also sit at the table as Chen Jin's friend.

I waited and waited, but there was no notice of the meal starting.

It turned out that Chen Shizhen sent Awu to invite Taoist Master Song, but no one has come since then.

Chen Jin was furious when he heard the news, and he could no longer bear it, so he came over and scolded his father in person. He said that tonight's dinner was mainly to welcome Chen Jin, and it was not a bad idea to invite others to accompany him to liven up the atmosphere.

However, now the host is left out because the person who was supposed to accompany him has not arrived yet. How can this be tolerated?

Chen Shizhen was somewhat intimidated by his daughter, but knowing that he was in the wrong, he stopped waiting and had to start the meal.

After a few drinks, Chen Shizhen became talkative. He held Chen Jin's hand and started talking about his alchemy experience.

Chen Jin was worried that something might go wrong, so she hid in the back of the hall. As expected, she heard her father starting to get drunk and crazy, so she ran out quickly: "Father, you are drunk, your daughter will help you go downstairs to rest."

"I'm not drunk!"

Chen Shizhen said loudly, opening his mouth to chant: "Returning the elixir, returning the elixir, I will tell you in detail now. There are three thousand side doors and small techniques, except for this golden elixir, they are all secluded. I am walking on the golden elixir road, do you understand it?"

As he spoke, tears suddenly streamed down his face, like a child who had been wronged and was looking for someone to cry to.

After hearing this, Chen Jin slowly said, "Master Chen, you have been deceived."

"Where did this young boy come from? How dare he say that I am a liar?"

Suddenly there was a clear shout, and the servant Awu led a tall Taoist priest in.

(End of this chapter)