Brian Clark originally just thought that Sixth King was a slick and worldly person, and figured it would be more reliable to ask him for information than to have Ryan Clark go out and inquire everywhere. He didn’t expect that as soon as Sixth King opened his mouth, he would speak at length, rattling off details as if he knew them by heart, which made Brian Clark see him in a new light. Seeing that Sixth King was talking himself hoarse, Brian Clark instructed Ryan Clark to bring him some tea. When Sixth King took the tea and gulped it down happily, Brian Clark finally said with a half-smile, “I used to think you were the quiet type, but I didn’t expect you to know everything about the yamen’s affairs. Isn’t it a waste of your talent to just have you watch the gate for me?”

　　Sixth King, who was drinking water, immediately choked, shoved the teacup into Ryan Clark’s hands, and after coughing for quite a while, hurriedly stood up and bowed repeatedly, saying, “Young master, please forgive me, please forgive me. I only heard these things from others, I didn’t mean to show off…”

　　“Look how scared you are, I was only joking!” Seeing how flustered Sixth King was, Brian Clark squinted his eyes and let the matter pass, then smiled and said, “So, you’re not going to tell me what Sixth Uncle likes?”

　　At this moment, Sixth King didn’t dare to speak as freely as before. He stood there thinking for a long while before forcing a smile and saying, “At most, I only catch a distant glimpse of Sixth Master now and then. How could I possibly know what he likes…”

　　Brian Clark didn’t give Sixth King any chance to dodge the question, cutting him off at once: “Since you were the one who reminded me about Sixth Uncle’s promotion, I’ll leave this matter for you to look into. Whether it’s official news or rumors, you’re to find out everything in detail. The more thorough and detailed, the better. As long as you get it done, I won’t treat you poorly.”

　　“This…”

　　Seeing the look on Brian Clark’s face that brooked no refusal, Sixth King was stunned for a moment before he finally snapped out of it and quickly agreed. When Ryan Clark led him out, as soon as he stepped out of the main room, he turned around and grabbed Ryan Clark’s sleeve, asking, “What’s going on with the young master? He seems like a different person, suddenly so interested in all this?”

　　“You’re asking me? Who am I supposed to ask! The young master originally wanted me to handle this, but now you got the easy job!”

　　Sixth King wanted to ask more, but Ryan Clark, annoyed, shook off his hand and went back inside, the swinging door curtain nearly hitting Sixth King on the nose. He took a step back, looked up at the neat main room, and after a long while finally turned to leave. When he reached the courtyard gate, he couldn’t help but start laughing.

　　“What did the young master just say? Won’t treat me poorly… Tsk, no wonder that kid Ryan Clark was so upset—it was all for those words! Hey, you think you’re the only one who can curry favor with the young master? Compete with me, you little brat, you’re still too green!”

　　Chapter Six: Even Waste Paper Is a Pity, Bad News Isn’t Worth Bothering With

　　After more than ten days of recuperation, the wounds on Brian Clark’s body had gradually scabbed over, but since he’d been badly hurt before, and the rescue had been a big ordeal, he was still quite weak. So, he set a strict daily routine for himself. For several days in a row, he would get up early each morning to practice a set of tai chi, then jog dozens of laps around the courtyard, and once he was drenched in sweat, he would immediately bathe and change clothes.

　　At other times, he acted as if he didn’t know about the bad news, either chatting with Grant Clark or having Ryan Clark accompany him on walks outside. Although he only passed by the doors without entering, at least he got to recognize the homes of those relatives and clan members. He even took a distant look at the clan school he had once attended.

　　His sudden change in lifestyle didn’t bother Ryan Clark, but Mrs. King, who was in charge of laundry, boiling water, cooking, and other chores, found it hard to keep up and often grumbled behind his back. One day, after collecting a pile of sweat-soaked, smelly clothes, she couldn’t hold back any longer and went straight to Brian Clark to complain.

　　“Young master, it’s not that I’m lazy, but it’s not even summer yet and these clothes are being washed every day. Not only are they fading, but I’m afraid they won’t last much longer. And this year’s weather is strange—normally it would have rained a lot by now, but since spring began, we’ve barely seen a drop. Our family may have dug a deep well early on, but we can’t keep wasting water like this. Besides, the price of firewood and charcoal for boiling water has gone up by more than ten percent compared to before…”

　　Because he’d overheard Sixth King and his wife whispering before, Brian Clark had some understanding of Mrs. King’s temperament. At first, his face darkened, but as he listened, his expression gradually became a bit more nuanced. When Mrs. King finally finished her long-winded complaints, he didn’t reply, but thoughtfully instructed Ryan Clark to give her a hundred coins. Instantly, Mrs. King, who had just been full of bitter complaints, broke into a smile, tucked the money into her clothes, and left with the dirty laundry, thanking him profusely.

　　As soon as Brian Clark turned to enter the east room, Ryan Clark hurried in after him. “Young master, you’re being too generous. A hundred coins could buy a lot of eggs, or four or five dou of top-quality white rice, and you just gave it to her. Besides, winter is almost over—how could the price of firewood and charcoal still be going up…”

　　“I know what you want to say, but would you like to listen to her nag every day? Besides, giving her a hundred coins isn’t just to shut her up—she actually has a point.” Brian Clark smiled slightly. Seeing Ryan Clark purse his lips as if he wanted to say more, he coughed lightly and changed the subject: “I only have a few sets of clothes for the whole year. If they get ruined from washing, making new ones will be a big expense. By the way, how much is Songjiang cotton cloth selling for these days?”

　　“Why is the young master asking about that?”

　　“Just answer me.”