Taking Up His Post

"This Martial Master, calling us 'big sisters' has made us sound old."

The other maid was clearly much more outgoing. Hearing that, she first shot him a reproachful glance, then gracefully curtsied and said with a smile,

"My name is Li Hua, and this younger sister is Ye Qing'er."

Ye Qing'er secretly glanced at Xu Yuan and returned the bow properly as well.

Li Hua? Sounds like there were plenty of stories behind that name.

Xu Yuan grumbled inwardly, then clasped his fists and returned the salute.

"Brother Xu truly is young and accomplished. At barely sixteen, you have already become a two-meridian Martial Master."

Li Hua could not hide her surprise at the sight of him.

"I merely broke through by luck." Xu Yuan smiled faintly.

"If even you call it luck, how are those who failed to break through supposed to feel?"

A gleam flickered in Li Hua's eyes as she looked at him, and she continued with a smile,

"I was only recently rated as a second-class maid myself. I was assigned to Outer Courtyard D today, so for the next few months, I'll have to ask Brother Xu to look after us."

Neither of them practiced martial arts. Should they encounter some overbearing and unreasonable Martial Students, they would still need the resident Martial Master to step in for them.

"It's no trouble. I won't be far away. If anything happens, just come find me."

Xu Yuan nodded. It truly was no great inconvenience.

Though the two had no cultivation, becoming second-class maids at such a young age meant they surely had noble patrons supporting them in ordinary times. Befriending them could only bring benefits.

At around nine in the morning.

Xu Yuan first arrived at the rear courtyard. Looking at the frail, undersized Laborers before him, he could not help thinking of his former self.

Drawing a deep breath, Xu Yuan repeated the words Feng Xiao had once spoken to them.

"Our Shangyang Family possesses deep foundations..."

"...Otherwise, the Lineage's rules and iron discipline will be waiting for you!"

As he spoke the final sentence, Xu Yuan's blood and qi surged, and his voice boomed like a great bell, frightening the Laborers present until their little faces turned pale.

Then, following the usual procedure, he explained some of the mysteries of the human body before beginning to teach them Stone Platform Stance Practice.

After roughly the time it took to burn an incense stick, Xu Yuan strolled away, prompting dissatisfaction to appear on some of the Laborers' faces.

Naturally, he could not be bothered with them. His mindset was the same as Feng Xiao's had been back then.

Xu Yuan then went to the front courtyard. Judging that it was about time, he found several Martial Students still gathered around Ye Qing'er and Li Hua, trying to ingratiate themselves.

He immediately stood in the middle and shouted, "Assemble!"

"Look at the lot of you. What kind of disgraceful sight is this? Get over here and line up properly!"

Hearing this, the Martial Students hurried into the training ground and took their places.

Looking at Xu Yuan on the platform, who was not much older than they were, they felt reverence and envy, but even more than that, shock.

This man was actually so young!?

Xu Yuan looked at the Martial Students below, his expression equally complicated. Three months ago, he had not even held the same status as these people. He had been a Laborer serving others in the rear courtyard.

Yet now, he had become the Martial Master instructing these twenty-odd people. The change was enough to stir deep feelings.

He shook his head and said solemnly, "The ancients said: Man is the essence of Heaven and Earth..."

Just as when teaching the Laborers, Xu Yuan briefly introduced the background of the Martial Path. Then he demonstrated a martial artist's power, leaving a deep mark in a thick wooden board and drawing repeated exclamations of admiration from the Martial Students.

Next, Xu Yuan began demonstrating the stance practice. After finishing the entire set, he looked at the crowd and asked,

"Did anyone memorize it clearly? Raise your hand and come forward to demonstrate."

Yet the space below the platform fell silent.

The Martial Students stared at him eagerly, clearly having no intention of going up and making fools of themselves.

Xu Yuan shook his head and casually picked a sturdier one to come forward. After guiding him, he spoke again,

"Another person, come up."

If you can't find a book by its title, try searching for the author instead. It may simply have been renamed!

After his words fell, no one moved.

The Martial Students looked at one another. They all wanted to familiarize themselves with the stance practice first, then go up and leave a good impression on the Martial Master.

This batch of students is no good!

Xu Yuan shrugged and picked another person to come forward. This Martial Student looked broad and burly, but his memory was somewhat poor. The moment Xu Yuan taught him the next move, he forgot the previous one.

Listening to the whispers below, Xu Yuan had not even said anything when the Martial Student grew so anxious that his face turned red. His movements began to turn frantic, and in the end, one careless misstep sent him tumbling to the ground.

"Forget it, forget it." Xu Yuan waved his hand boredly and told him to step down. He no longer called anyone up for individual instruction, instead leading everyone in practicing the stance practice together.

After about the time it took to burn an incense stick, Xu Yuan stopped right on time and instructed everyone to practice on their own.

Then, ignoring the stunned gazes of everyone present, he strolled away.

As the saying went, a master could lead one through the door, but cultivation depended on the individual.

There were more than twenty people in the front courtyard. If Xu Yuan had to carefully teach them one by one, how much time would that waste?

With Stone Platform Stance Practice, breaking through to the first meridian was not actually that difficult. One either had talent or put in sweat; such things could not be taught.

After Xu Yuan left, a wave of discussion rose from the training ground.

"That's it? He just left? That Martial Master is so young, he seems a little unreliable."

"He left after completing the basic teaching task. By the way, how did that tall fellow who went up earlier learn?"

"I, Da Chun, am not a stingy person. How about this... give me ten copper coins, and I'll teach you."

"..."

Some Martial Students spoke with traces of complaint in their voices.

The Laborers were still fine with it. After all, they knew the chance to learn martial arts had been an extra opportunity, and they did not dare ask for more.

But the Martial Students believed they had paid tuition, so naturally they wanted more comprehensive and detailed instruction.

Yet they did not stop to think that the Shangyang Family charged only one tael of silver each month per term. What it wanted were Martial Artists with aptitude, not profit like a Martial Arts School.

It was not only the Martial Students who were discussing Xu Yuan. The two maids in the corner of the training ground were discussing him as well.

Watching Xu Yuan's receding back, Ye Qing'er said to Li Hua, "Sister Hua, that Martial Master Xu is rather handsome."

Li Hua looked her up and down and teased, "Oh? You little minx, have you taken a fancy to him?"

"How could that be? Sister Hua, you're talking nonsense again."

Ye Qing'er's face instantly flushed bright red. She explained, "I was just curious... curious how he became a two-meridian Martial Artist at such a young age."

"Give it up. As if I don't know you?"

Li Hua rolled her eyes at her and said, seemingly casually, "If you truly have such thoughts, it isn't impossible."

"The Martial Artists here have all signed contracts and belong to the Shangyang Family. Once they reach four meridians and are promoted to head servants, the Lineage will arrange for them to marry a maid, deepening their ties."

"With Brother Xu's aptitude, I imagine that day will not take long to come."

Ye Qing'er looked as if she did not want to hear it, but her ears had long since perked up. Hearing this, she said in surprise, "A four-meridian Martial Artist? Wouldn't someone like that be a notable figure wherever he went?"

"Of course."

Li Hua rattled off the details as if counting treasures. "At that realm, even in the outer districts, he could become a street warden. With more than a dozen people under him, that would be quite respectable."

As Ye Qing'er listened, her delicate eyes flickered, revealing a look of longing. "Can us maids ever reach that point?"

"Not likely. We aren't like Martial Artists, whose promotions depend purely on strength. For maids to advance, one must greatly suit a noble person's eye, and insight and skillful methods are both indispensable. In short, it depends greatly on luck."

Li Hua shook her head, a trace of wistfulness appearing on her face.

"Hello, I... I'd like to buy a serving of Meridian Nourishing Soup."

At this moment, a Martial Student walked over. Looking at the two women, he spoke shyly.

"That will be two mace of silver per serving."

A trace of distance flashed through Ye Qing'er's eyes, but she put on a practiced smile.

Yet that alone was enough to make the Martial Student's heart pound. He answered awkwardly, "Yes, big sister, yes."