Published: August 25, 2025
Chapter 279: The Wealthy Qin Estate
Within Yue Capital City, the West District starkly contrasted with the Southern District.
Unlike the uniform grand mansions of the South, the West District was filled with uneven, single-story houses, inhabited by poor families engaged in the lowest-tier jobs—servants, small-time vendors, and the like. Of course, there were also some idlers and scoundrels who did no work at all, as well as destitute families who had moved there from other districts.
Directly opposite the West District was the East District, where wealthy merchants and prominent families resided.
Although these families, lacking official positions, could not live within the Southern District, their mansions were built more lavishly and splendidly than one another. They spared no expense to ensure their estates stood out in the neighborhood, aiming to outshine other wealthy households.
Among them, a few well-known family estates were so grand that nearby residents could not even dare to entertain feelings of rivalry. These estates not only covered vast areas and radiated an aura of wealth far surpassing others, but their occupants were also immensely rich merchants with fortunes beyond measure.
In one corner of the East District stood the super mansion—the Qin Estate—home to such a prestigious family.
It spanned dozens of acres, leaving anyone familiar with the capital’s land prices speechless for a long time.
The Qin Family was not only wealthy enough to rival a nation, monopolizing a quarter of Yue Country’s copper mining trade, but their patriarch was rumored to be extraordinarily powerful, with high-ranking officials at court who specifically spoke up on their behalf.
Being a servant in such an influential household naturally gave them great confidence. Qin Gui, the gatekeeper of the Qin Estate, was no exception.
Anyone who came to the Qin Estate seeking an audience with the head of the family, regardless of their status or official position, treated Qin Gui—the humble servant—with utmost politeness, not daring to offend him in the slightest.
Over time, Qin Gui almost began to feel like a big shot himself.
Therefore, whenever someone brought a letter of introduction requesting to see a member of the Qin family, some form of tribute was naturally expected. Otherwise, Qin Gui wouldn’t show them a kind face—he might even delay passing on the message for three or four days.
Of course, when genuinely important people came by, Qin Gui behaved properly, fully embodying the loyal servant who worked diligently without complaint.
He was especially attentive and eager when dealing with the young masters and young ladies who frequently came and went.
As a result, Qin Gui earned the satisfaction of many masters. Rumor even had it that he would soon be promoted to oversee foreign affairs, managing business in some outlying branch. Knowing this, Qin Gui was overjoyed and felt light on his feet these past few days.
Now, Qin Gui had dragged a bench to the shady spot by the front gate and was lying down to escape the summer heat. The family head had left early this morning to handle business, and several of the young masters and young ladies had gone to the nearby Chongshan Temple to play with other young gentlemen. Apart from a few ladies in the residence, only a widowed cousin young lady remained inside.
This gave Qin Gui a chance to relax and steal a little leisure.
Just as the cool breeze was making Qin Gui feel drowsy, a timid young male voice suddenly came from in front of him.
“Excuse me, is this the Qin Estate?”
His sleepiness instantly vanished. Feeling annoyed, he cursed loudly without even opening his eyes:
“What are you yelling for? Are you mourning someone? Didn’t you see that your esteemed master just laid down?”
After saying this, Qin Gui reluctantly opened his eyes, looking angrily at the speaker.
Judging from the timid tone, Qin Gui assumed the newcomer was a minor character and felt emboldened to treat him harshly.
The young man standing before him, now fully visible, was a roughly twenty-four or twenty-five-year-old wearing coarse cloth. His ordinary, unremarkable appearance exuded a strong rustic vibe, clearly a country bumpkin who had just arrived in the city!