The Master Has Changed His Ways (Seeking Collections, Seeking Follow-ups)

"I must be overthinking things."

Li Yaozu rubbed his temples and sat down on a stool by the dining table.

He believed he was just scaring himself.

From the day Wei Tu was sold to the Li Family until now, the Li Family had done nothing to wrong Wei Tu, and it was impossible for Wei Tu to take such a risk for such a small matter.

—The matter of forcing Xinghua into submission hadn't happened yet; he had only mentioned to Wei Tu on the way to the prefectural city that he would be Li Xingye's attendant.

No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't connect it to that.

"It's probably just a coincidence."

Li Yaozu repeated the word "probably" in his mind, trying to comfort himself.

But his heart couldn't settle. He remembered Wei Tu's straight back and direct gaze when he left. Such a look shouldn't belong to a servant, nor was it the demeanor of someone who felt gratitude.

"I'm going out for a bit." Li Yaozu decided to take a walk to clear his head.

After greeting Madam Li, he lifted the lower half of his long robe and strode out of the hall.

Following the corridor, passing through the courtyard and moon gate, Li Yaozu arrived at the outer quarters. He stopped under the eaves and glanced at the stable.

The half-grown black horse snorted, eating the hay in the manger, which was only about an inch thick.

Near the bluestone by the wall, chopped dry hay was piled up, enough for about ten days.

Li Yaozu approached the stable and stood on tiptoe to check the cleanliness inside. Seeing that it was tidy and free of the horse's droppings and urine from the previous night, his suspended heart finally relaxed, and a hint of admiration appeared in his eyes.

"I was overthinking it. Brother Wei is a good young man," Li Yaozu mused.

Returning to the inner quarters, he passed the kitchen and smelled the aroma of meat and vegetables wafting from the open window. It felt as if another burden had been lifted from him, and he walked more lightly, supporting his right hand.

"Bring me paper and brush," Li Yaozu said, returning to the stool he had been sitting on, and instructed the maid beside Madam Li.

"Master, are you going to write something?" Madam Li asked curiously. Li Yaozu wasn't the type of scholar who would suddenly decide to write poetry, especially not during mealtime.

"I have an old friend in Sanyuan Township. He's a martial arts examination graduate. Since Brother Wei is going to take the Martial Arts Examination, let's see this through and help him."

Li Yaozu explained.

"Master, have you gone mad? Are you confused?" Madam Li was astonished. Earlier, when they were discussing the Redemption Silver in the inner hall, it was she who had pleaded for a favor, managing to reduce Wei Tu's Redemption Silver by a few taels.

—If the Redemption Silver was priced too high, the wealthy ladies would gossip at gatherings, saying the Li Family was petty and greedy.

At this moment, Chun Lan had already brought the paper, ink, and brush from the inner hall and began grinding ink for Li Yaozu.

"Confused?" Li Yaozu's hand paused as he picked up the brush. His expression turned slightly displeased, and he frowned, muttering, "Women have short-sightedness."

Then, Li Yaozu ignored Madam Li and began writing on the letter paper, following the blue vertical lines.

After finishing, he took out his personal seal and stamped the letter with a red imprint.

"If what I suspect is true, this letter will forge a good connection. If it's false, and his intentions are deep, it will also help avert a disaster."

Li Yaozu examined the letter, stroked his goatee, and his eyes gleamed with shrewdness.

The favor of patronage was as heavy as Mount Tai. If Wei Tu were to repay kindness with enmity, he wouldn't even have the chance to become a swordsman.

Swordsmen valued loyalty above all else.

"Go, deliver this to Brother Wei," Li Yaozu said, placing the letter into an envelope and handing it to the maid beside him.

Soon, Wei Tu, who was packing his belongings in the main hall, received another letter written by Master Li Yaozu.

The envelope was the same as the one that had contained his deed of indenture and certificate of introduction. It wasn't sealed, so Wei Tu could easily see the contents inside.

"Dan Ji, Scholar Dan, from Sanyuan Township? He wants me to go there as a long-term laborer and learn some martial arts from Scholar Dan to prepare for next year's Martial Arts Examination?"

After reading the letter, Wei Tu's reaction was similar to Madam Li's; he felt like the sun had risen in the west.

Had Li Yaozu changed his ways?

This letter, though seemingly just a letter, involved asking a Martial Arts Master for a favor, a significant amount of social capital.

Favors required reciprocity.

There was no such thing as only taking and never giving back.

"Sanyuan Township isn't far from the county town, only about a day's journey."

"I've already redeemed myself, and Li Yaozu wouldn't deliberately try to trick me in this matter. This is most likely true."

Wei Tu hesitated for a moment before finally making up his mind. He decided to follow the letter's instructions and become a long-term laborer at Dan Ji's home in Sanyuan Township, and also seek advice from this martial arts senior on examination strategies.

It was only midsummer, and the Martial Arts Examination in February next year was still more than half a year away.

He had deviated from his original plan and redeemed himself early. The remaining half-year meant he might not earn a single coin and would be living off his savings.

In the county town, during the off-season for farming, there was no shortage of men from the countryside looking for work.

Even if they didn't ask for wages and only requested room and board from their employers, such jobs were hard to find.

Otherwise, Xinghua wouldn't have reacted so strongly when she heard Wei Tu wanted to redeem himself.

Compared to redemption, the real difficulty for a freed servant was often the lack of future prospects.

"Thank you, Bodhisattva, for your protection. Thank you, Bodhisattva..."

That evening, after seeing Li Yaozu's personal letter, Xinghua's face broke into a smile. She knelt in the corner, bowed three times towards the City God Temple in the county town, and paid homage.

For the first half of the day, she had been on edge, worried that Wei Tu would be beaten and thrown out of the Li Residence by an enraged Li Yaozu.

Or that Wei Tu would rebel against the Li Family, causing the yamen constables to search the entire city all night for the runaway slave.

However.

The Bodhisattva had protected them.

After today, not only had her man Wei Tu successfully redeemed his deed of indenture as hoped, but he had also received a "letter of recommendation" from Master Li Yaozu. How could she not be happy?

"I'll pack your clothes and food for you right away, Brother Wei. After you finish your business at the county yamen tomorrow, set off for Sanyuan Township early..." After thanking all the gods and Buddhas, Xinghua, not daring to rest, began packing travel clothes and provisions for Wei Tu.

"In another half a month, it will be the wheat harvest. Without me in the county town..." Wei Tu sighed.

If he went to Scholar Dan's house to work as a long-term laborer, he would certainly be busy during the wheat harvest and wouldn't have time to return to the county town to cut wheat and gather grain.

And Xinghua, as a woman, had to manage the Li Residence's meals during the day. Even if she had free time at night, traveling outside the city would be too dangerous.

"How can you not understand the priorities here? Even if the grain from those three mu of land goes to waste in the fields, it's not as important as your future," Xinghua said, her face tightening in displeasure, much like a nagging housewife in an argument.

"Even if I can't cut the wheat myself, I can hire other tenant farmers to do it. It will just cost a little more money."

Xinghua added.

This statement completely dispelled Wei Tu's worries. He nodded, agreeing to the decision to depart for Sanyuan Township tomorrow.