Cultivation System: Stronger with Age Chapter 1396 - 608: The Ma Family’s Overwhelming Power_2

For this Chief Shopkeeper Miao, being transferred from his current position at the tavern to become Lin Qiang’s steward at the Miao Mansion is a dream come true. Not to mention anything else, just the amount of silver taels he might handle in the future would be more than ten times greater! Right now, the tavern he is responsible for barely handles sixty or seventy taels of silver a month at full capacity, whereas the two young masters and two young ladies at the Miao Family Mansion spend as much as 800 taels of silver monthly—equivalent to the monthly turnover of more than ten taverns!

Most critically, the current chaotic times have led to repeated incidents of bandits breaking into homes to rob and kill in Qingyuan City. Among them, seven or eight establishments similar to the Miao family’s tavern have been broken into by bandits at night, who killed the shopkeepers, the staff, and the chefs completely clean! The reason for targeting taverns and jewelry stores is naturally because they usually have a lot of ready silver! But the Miao Mansion is different, occupying nearly a thousand acres, with over a hundred nursing home guards skilled in martial arts and weapons. Nearby, there is a specialized inspection office for protecting the Miao Mansion, staffed with a hundred people armed with muskets!

One can say that across Qingyuan City, aside from the County Magistrate and a few training grounds, and the mansions of several large landowners, the safest place is the Miao Family Mansion!

Therefore, when Miao Youren heard from his master that he would be reassigned to the Miao family mansion, he was overjoyed. If Lin Xuankong, Wan’er, and Miao Yun Lake weren’t in front, the Chief Shopkeeper might have laughed out loud.

The elegant woman, Wan’er, listening to her father’s arrangements, could not help but furrow her brows again, pondering something unknown.

...

Half an incense stick later,

Lin Xuankong, along with his steward Miao Youren, was escorted by the Miao family’s father and daughter in a sedan chair into the spacious Miao Mansion, through several complete corridors, to the outside of the Miao family’s main hall.

At this moment, the main hall was rather quiet, aside from several charming servants attending, there was only a woman, about thirty years old but with a somewhat charming appearance, sitting on the right Grandmaster’s Chair at the head of the hall. Seeing Miao Yun Lake and Wan’er bringing Lin Xuankong and Miao Youren back, this woman, seemingly Lady Miao of the mansion, suddenly stood up and came towards the hall door, saying while walking:

"The affairs at home are quite busy, needing to direct those servants to arrange accommodations for you, Qiang! So I did not go with Yun Lake and Wan’er to the tavern to welcome you. You must not blame me, your aunt!"

Miao Yun Lake directly sat on the left Grandmaster’s Chair at the head of the hall, then glanced at Lin Xuankong and Wan’er,

Wan’er, seeing her father glance over, immediately said to the charming woman in her thirties: "Aunt manages nearly a thousand servants in our mansion daily and is even more busy preparing the annex today! For these reasons, although Aunt did not personally go to fetch Brother Lin, he certainly won’t blame Aunt!"

Miao Yun Lake, sitting in the Grandmaster’s Chair on the left side, could not help but frown, clearly looking somewhat displeased, but said nothing.

Lin Xuankong, being very observant, understood the situation immediately. Even though Miao Yun Lake, the Director of Qingyuan City Inspection Bureau, held an extraordinary status, his position at home seemed low, with a ’fear of his wife’ appearance!

After a brief consideration, gathering some fragments of information from Lin Qiang’s past memories, Lin Xuankong suddenly understood.

The charming woman before him was Ma Nanfeng, the mistress of the Miao Family Mansion. Normally, in a setting similar to the Nanjing Government Period on Blue Star, men would be in charge, holding the full authority over the family. However, the Miao family was different. Even though Miao Yun Lake himself was the Director of the Inspection Bureau with a high position, in front of Ma Nanfeng, it was insignificant!

Ma Nanfeng came from the prestigious Ma Family in Jee Province. The Ma Family is undoubtedly overpowering in Jee Province, with individuals in central departments of military, political, and commercial spheres, and even the highest official in the previous term was a member of the Ma Family! Even in the Great Yan Kingdom, the Ma Family counts as one of the top four families in the nation!

If Ma Nanfeng were not from the Ma family’s main branch, where would Miao Yun Lake, a mere second lieutenant at the time, have had any chance of marrying a lady from the Ma family? Moreover, Ma Nanfeng married Miao Yun Lake only because she was captivated by his handsome appearance, and certainly not because the Miao family had any formidable influence!

Therefore, the apparent owner of the Miao Family Mansion might be this Director Miao Yun Lake of Qingyuan City Inspection Bureau, but the true holder of authority whom everyone in the Miao Family Mansion looks to is Ma Nanfeng!

After Wan’er finished speaking, she glanced at Lin Xuankong, her eyebrows furrowed once more. Lin Xuankong naturally understood the reason behind her display, feeling a bit pity for the sincere and cordial Director Miao beside him. A man as magnificent as him, burdened with military achievements, having narrowly escaped death to reach the position of a second lieutenant, was trapped and helpless, marrying this Ma Nanfeng!

Although because of this relationship, Miao Yun Lake was later promoted directly from a squad leader of the inspection bureau to its director, few in Qingyuan City are unaware that this rise was solely because of his wife. Of course, knowing the reason for Miao Yun Lake’s ascension does not mean people dare gossip recklessly, for this Ma Nanfeng is from the Ma Family, and who would dare to speak ill of the Ma Family in Jee Province unless they thought their life was too long?

Certainly, to Lin Xuankong, who had in his past achieved the position of a Celestial Immortal, and once commanded countless beings as the First of the Golden Dragon Immortal Realm, the Ma Family’s formidable power amounted to a tiny, insignificant ant... However, before gaining the ability to protect himself through the Blood Spirit Technique, Lin Xuankong currently feels he is just a little ant facing the mighty Ma Family!

Crucially, Lin Xuankong highly regards Director Miao Yun Lake’s character. Currently, so as not to embarrass him, Lin Xuankong secretly sighed to himself, and cupped his hands toward Ma Nanfeng, the Miao Family Mansion’s mistress sitting up high, "Lin Qiang pays respects to Lady Miao. Concerning what Lady Miao just mentioned, you are truly too courteous!"

Ma Nanfeng lazily nodded slightly, "Well, since the descendant of Yun Lake’s former acquaintance has come, of course, our Miao Family must entertain properly, otherwise others might say Yun Lake is ungrateful!"

She glanced at Lin Xuankong, "I heard Yun Lake mention the Lin Family twice before and have met your father a few times! According to Yun Lake, when your Lin Family was prosperous, it could be considered somewhat wealthy. But, alas, the current situation is chaotic, and the borders of the Great Yan Kingdom are constantly tumultuous, and small families that may soon perish still number countless. Since you managed to escape from the Ai Race’s encirclement, you can be said to have some fortune!"

At this point, she paused before speaking again, "Well, if you have no other matters, Lin Qiang, then follow the servants and proceed to the annex arranged for you!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Xuankong glanced at Director Miao Yun Lake, who secretly nodded at him, seeming almost afraid of being noticed by Ma Nanfeng!

Regarding this Director of the Inspection Bureau, who feared his wife, Lin Xuankong could only silently sigh.