https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-149-Wei-Zian-s-Request-to-Go-Out/12619124/
Chapter 150: The Bookstore
"Lord Wei, I shall take my leave." Ma Gu bowed politely to Wei Xinghe and began walking towards the main gates of the Wei Residence.
Behind him, Wei's head steward led a group of servants, carrying numerous gifts prepared by the Wei family as tokens of gratitude.
Ma Gu had initially refused these gifts, but the Wei family insisted, leaving him with no choice but to accept.
As the gates of the Wei Residence opened, they immediately caught the attention of spies from various factions lurking outside.
"Someone's coming out! It's someone from the Wei family!"
"Who is that? His cultivation doesn't seem particularly strong, yet he's being escorted by the head steward himself?"
"It's the man who stood beside that mysterious Innate Stage expert yesterday!"
"I know him! He's Ma Gu from the Ma family!"
"Why is Ma Gu leaving the Wei Residence, and with the head steward accompanying him no less?"
"Where are the Innate Stage expert and the mysterious young man that the Wei family mentioned? Why is it only him?"
"Look at all those things they're carrying! The head steward has brought out so many servants—where are they headed?"
"They're heading south towards the city, isn't that where the Ma family is located?"
...
The sight of Ma Gu being escorted by the head steward as he left the Wei Residence surprised all the spies.
Those who recognized Ma Gu's identity were even more astonished.
These spies had not witnessed the battle at the city gates yesterday. Only the strongest from each faction dared to approach and observe the fight.
Thus, the majority of the spies were unaware that Ma Gu had also been present.
Now, seeing Ma Gu leaving the Wei Residence so openly, accompanied by the head steward and followed by a line of servants carrying loads of gifts, they were all astounded.
Noticing that Ma Gu and his entourage were heading south, the spies quickly followed, eager to uncover more information.
They also relayed this intriguing development back to their respective factions.
As undercurrents of tension stirred among the various factions, Lu Qing, along with Xiao Yan and Xiao Li, arrived at the most bustling area of the county town.
Before them stretched a wide and clean street lined with shops and stalls on both sides.
In the bustling alleys, vendors hawked their wares loudly, creating a lively atmosphere.
The street was filled with a dazzling array of goods, and the aroma of various foods filled the air, presenting a vibrant scene.
"Wow!"
Xiao Yan couldn't help but gape at the sights before her.
This was something she had never even dreamed of, and the little girl was completely overwhelmed.
Xiao Li, perched on Lu Qing's shoulder, had her eyes wide open in amazement as well.
Having gained consciousness only recently, she had never before witnessed such a bustling scene.
Only Lu Qing remained calm, though a hint of surprise flickered in his eyes.
He had not expected such a vibrant commercial street in just a county town.
He wondered what grander sights awaited in larger places, such as the provincial capital or even the royal capital.
"Alright, stop gawking. Let's go in," Lu Qing said with a smile, seeing the awe-struck expressions on Xiao Yan and Xiao Li's faces.
He gently patted the two little ones' heads and stepped into the bustling street.
Lu Qing did not ask Xiao Li to turn invisible.
With his current strength, he had little to fear from anyone except Innate Stage experts.
There was no longer a need to keep Xiao Li hidden as he had in the past.
Today, he wanted her and Xiao Yan to experience the vibrant atmosphere of human civilization.
As they ventured into the commercial street, Lu Qing first bought some snacks for the two girls.
Xiao Yan received a stick of candied hawthorn berries, while Xiao Li got a bag of fried fish crackers.
The two girls happily munched on their treats as they walked.
After strolling around and satisfying the girls' curiosity, Lu Qing eventually stopped in front of a bookstore.
This was one of the main reasons he had ventured out this time.
He still knew too little about this world.
As his strength continued to grow, the circles he would come into contact with would undoubtedly become more and more elite.
If he didn't prepare in advance, he might find himself at a disadvantage one day.
And books were one of the best ways to learn about a world.
He just didn't know if this bookstore had the information he sought.
"Brother, are you going to buy some books?" Xiao Yan asked, seeing that Lu Qing had stopped in front of the bookstore.
"Yeah, didn't I tell you before that there are many interesting storybooks in the city? You can pick out a few that you like later," Lu Qing replied with a smile.
"Really?" Xiao Yan's eyes lit up with excitement.
She could already recognize many characters and could barely read some simple articles.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Li, perched on Lu Qing's shoulder, also widened her eyes in amazement and tugged at Lu Qing's collar with her little paw.
Lu Qing turned his head, saw the anticipation in her eyes, and immediately said, "Xiao Li, you can pick some too! Pick whatever you like!"
He had almost forgotten that the motivation for this little creature to learn characters in the first place was so that she could read stories herself.
With this promise, Xiao Li's eyes narrowed in contentment, and she looked thoroughly pleased.
"Brother, there are so many books here!" Xiao Yan exclaimed as they entered the bookstore.
"Young master, young miss, are you here to buy books?" The bookstore owner had already noticed Lu Qing and the girls and quickly scurried over, bowing and scraping.
He had no choice. At the moment, Lu Qing and Xiao Yan were dressed in fine clothes specially prepared by Madam Wei. The materials and craftsmanship clearly indicated that they were from a wealthy family.
Moreover, Lu Qing and Xiao Yan were exceptionally charming, and the little beast Xiao Li was uniquely captivating.
Even if he didn't recognize them as young masters and young misses of a prestigious family, the bookstore owner still wouldn't dare to be negligent in the slightest.
"Do you have any storybooks here?" Lu Qing asked.
"Yes, yes, of course!" The bookstore owner quickly led Lu Qing to a section of the store, pointing as he spoke, "These are all storybooks, young master. What kind are you looking for?"
"Something simple and easy to understand, with a straightforward story and some educational value. I'm buying them for my little sister here to practice her reading," Lu Qing explained.
The bookstore owner scratched his head, slightly stumped by Lu Qing's request.
However, as someone capable of running such a large bookstore, he soon recovered and pulled out a thick stack of books.
"These storybooks should meet the young master's requirements."
Lu Qing picked up two of the books and flipped through them. He found that they were collections of short stories with simple sentences and interesting plots, likely written by some scholar in their free time.
"Not bad." Lu Qing nodded in satisfaction. "Xiao Yan, Xiao Li, go ahead and choose the ones you like, and we'll keep them."
The two little ones had been eager to begin with, and at Lu Qing's words, they eagerly started browsing through the storybooks, carefully selecting the ones they wanted.
The bookstore owner watched this scene, his eyes nearly popping out of his head.
While Xiao Yan's behavior wasn't unusual for a young miss from a wealthy family, a little beast flipping through books like a human was something he had never seen or heard of before.
Lu Qing paid no mind to the owner's reaction and, seeing that the two girls were engrossed in their task and would be occupied for a while, he walked to the other side of the store to search for the books he wanted.
This time, he activated his ability and slowly browsed through the bookshelves.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
