Chapter 51: Father and Son Meet

The Su Estate was no longer what it used to be.

Back in the Sui Dynasty, many members of the Su family had served in the imperial court, enjoying a period of immense prominence and prosperity. However, the old had passed, and the new era was arriving. The Su family estate was a legacy left over from those former days and had not been destroyed. Although it lacked the bustling crowds of visitors that had filled its gates during the Sui Dynasty, a lean camel was still bigger than a horse, and the household still maintained a few dozen servants.

Some parts of the residence were showing signs of wear and tear, but Su Dan had not bothered to hire anyone to make repairs.

After finishing their chores for the day, a few servants gathered in an empty, dried-up pond within the estate to chat.

"There are so many broken pillars around here, yet the master won't even hire anyone to fix them up. And look at all those rooms piled high with miscellaneous junk. Sigh, even though the Su Estate is now tied to the Crown Prince's residence, things haven't improved at all. If anything, it's gotten even more desolate."

The servants did not know much, but judging from the way things had gone over the past few years, Su Wan'er had clearly become the Crown Princess. No matter how one looked at it, the Su family ought to be rising in power and prestige. Who could have imagined that the estate would remain in such a sorry state?

In truth, Li Chengqian did not currently wield much real power, nor did he have any money. The entire imperial palace was strapped for cash right now; Li Chengqian was hardly the only one.

"Hush, how can you say things like that? Fortunately, it's the Su family and the master is a kind man. If this were anywhere else, someone would have beaten your stinky mouth for talking nonsense," another servant warned.

Even if the Su family had declined from its former glory, it was still a family of official standing. They were merely servants; what right did they have to gossip?

"I know that. I wouldn't dare say such things anywhere else. It's just because the master doesn't micromanage the people below him, and nobody in our household is one to spread rumors."

The domestic affairs of the Su Estate were remarkably simple, lacking the heavy complications found in other grand mansions. Ever since the mother of Su Chen and Su Wan'er passed away, Su Dan had never taken another wife. Without a mistress to manage the inner household, everything relied entirely on the servants' own sense of duty. Of course, Old Fu, the estate's steward, also poured his absolute utmost effort into running the place.

They all knew a little bit of history: the Su family had been a great clan during the Sui Dynasty, even if times had changed. It was precisely because of this that Su Dan chose to keep a low profile.

At that moment, a sudden commotion outside announced that the young master had arrived back at the estate. The servants immediately stopped resting and hurriedly scrambled back to their tasks.

They were not particularly afraid of Su Chen. No matter how much of a rascal Su Chen had been in the past, he had never bullied the servants of the household. Still, now that the young master was here, it was best to look diligent; being caught idling about would not bode well.

***

Having received word from his father, Su Chen had made his way straight to the estate.

Upon reaching the entrance, he looked up and saw the plaque inscribed with the two characters: "Su Estate." However, the wood was visibly weathered and old. Compared to the gates of the Cheng household, the Niu household, or even Li Jing's residence, this place fell far short.

Only a single servant was waiting at the front gate for Su Chen.

"Once I get my hands on some more money, I'll definitely have this main gate renovated. How many years has it been since it was last repaired?"

Seeing the dilapidated state of his family home, Su Chen, who was now rolling in wealth, mentally prepared himself to commission a brand-new gate. In this era, using fine timber was quite expensive, and Su Chen decided that a pair of stone lions should also guard the entrance to give it a sufficiently imposing presence.

"You've arrived, Young Master! The master has been waiting for you inside for quite some time. You should go on in quickly," said Old Fu, the faithful steward of the Su Estate, who had been keeping watch outside.

It was largely thanks to Old Fu that the Su household had not descended into chaos. The steward had served the Su family across generations, bridging the gap from the Sui Dynasty all the way into the Tang.

"Uncle Fu, what kind of mood is my dad in today?"

Drawing upon his memories, Su Chen recalled how the original owner of the body would invariably ask about Su Dan's expression whenever he encountered Old Fu. After all, if his father looked displeased, Su Chen wouldn't dare show his face, terrified of receiving a tongue-lashing.

Uncle Fu was well aware of everything Su Chen had been up to over the past few days, having discussed the drastic changes in the young master with Su Dan numerous times. They had seen it all with their own eyes and chose to let Su Chen be. However, with Su Dan about to leave Chang'an City, he had summoned Su Chen back specifically for this reason.

"The master is in a fine mood. He knows all about what the young master has been doing outside these past few days, and he's very pleased. The young master has finally grown up," Uncle Fu said, looking at Su Chen with a gaze full of gratification.

Indeed, Su Chen's recent transformation had made them all look at him in a completely new light, as if he had matured overnight.

Without dwelling on it, Su Chen followed Uncle Fu into the central hall.

As he walked, he noticed that several parts of the estate were indeed showing their age, yet his old man had never bothered to hire anyone to fix them. This grand old Su Estate was keeping an altogether too low profile.

Stepping into the central hall, he found a middle-aged man already waiting for him.

"Father," Su Chen called out as he crossed the threshold.

After all, he still had to address this ready-made father of his.

Hearing the voice, Su Dan lifted his head, the heavy frown on his brow smoothing out. He looked at his son with undisguised pleasure.

"You're here. Sit down first."

Su Dan motioned for Su Chen to take the seat to his lower left.

Uncle Fu brought a cup of tea for Su Chen before quietly retreating from the room. After all, the father and son had private matters to discuss, and it would be inappropriate for a steward to linger.

Prompted by Su Wan'er's earlier warning, Su Chen knew that his father had received a new official appointment, though he had no idea where he was being reassigned. Judging by appearances, however, his old man's spirits were not particularly high.

Taking a sip of the tea to moisten his throat, Su Chen met the gaze of Su Dan, who was continuously studying him. It had only been a little over a month since they last met, yet the boy had truly matured and changed completely, bringing a sense of profound comfort to the older man.

"Father, why are you looking at me like that today?"

Though Su Chen inwardly understood the reason, he still asked the question.

This was the gentle, affectionate gaze of a father. Su Chen smiled faintly; as long as his son could amount to something, no hardship would matter.

"I am simply looking at how much you've grown, and my heart is filled with joy and relief," Su Dan said. "I've learned of everything you've accomplished recently. I never imagined that you had been secretly working hard all this time. We all misunderstood you before. Now, your sudden rise to prominence truly makes your father proud."

Su Dan was speaking from the bottom of his heart. He also knew that Su Chen's recent actions had been triggered by the threat from Changsun Chong, which had made the boy sense the impending danger. It was precisely this pressure that had driven Su Chen to constantly improve himself, display his capabilities, and win over various people. Only in times of crisis did true opportunities arise, revealing a different, extraordinary side to a person.

"Father, I had no other choice in these matters," Su Chen hurriedly explained. "Changsun Chong has already issued a threat against me, and half a month from now, he will arrive in Chang'an City. Your son simply did what was necessary for self-preservation, relying on a bit of skill just to secure a foothold."

Regardless of the motive, the competence Su Chen had recently displayed had forced many people to look at him with renewed respect.

Hearing this, Su Dan nodded. It seemed the changes in Su Chen were genuine; even his speech had grown humble.