Wei He nodded. Even if Cheng Shaojiu had not said it, he had felt it himself.
As soon as the meat entered his stomach, cooked with spices, he immediately felt a faint warmth rising in his belly.
He quickly ate another dozen or so slices. Each was only as thick as a fingernail, yet he already felt full.
"How much does this meat cost per pound?" Wei He could not help asking.
Though he knew he definitely could not afford it, buying a little to taste now and then should not be a problem.
After all, when he had eaten Silver-Kiss Black Snake Meat before, he had needed at least three times as much as this meat before he felt full.
Yet now, he had only eaten a few dozen slices in total, amounting to no more than a child's fistful of meat.
And he already felt full?
"This meat... costs about four taels of gold per pound raw, at market prices." Cheng Shaojiu lowered his voice. "The main thing is, it has a price but no market. No one sells it. The moment wild game is caught, someone buys it up."
"Four taels of gold?" Wei He froze. Had they not used silver to set prices before? Then they had switched to grain and dried meat—why gold now?
"In the Inner City, everything is priced in gold leaves and gold notes. That is real hard currency. Unlike silver, which every household can secretly mint—who can tell how much actual silver is in it?" Cheng Shaojiu explained.
He paused. "A few days ago, I saw at a rice shop that one tael of gold could be exchanged for fifty catties of rice. Calculate for yourself how much this meat is worth."
"Fifty catties!" Wei He was slightly startled. Only then did he understand the true cost of this meal.
Fifty catties of rice could feed a household for a long time. For a middle-class family, it would at most be a month or two of food expenses. For the poor, if exchanged for coarse grain flour...
And this was four taels of gold.
Looking at the exquisite dishes on the table, Wei He's feelings grew complicated.
Without realizing it, he had reached the level where he could eat meals this expensive.
For a moment, the speed of his chopsticks increased considerably.
"Hey! Leave some for me!" Cheng Shaojiu immediately caught on.
Their chopsticks flew, and in a few strokes, they wiped out the entire plate of meat.
Of course, despite competing for it, Cheng Shaojiu still let Wei He eat most of it. After all, he had specifically invited him to dinner.
After eating and drinking their fill, someone brought over a stack of toothpicks.
The two each took one and sat there picking at their teeth.
"Little He, now that you've broken through to Second Stage Qi and Blood, we should raise your stipend today as well." Cheng Shaojiu had long since made arrangements for Wei He in his heart.
The current Yonghe Escort Agency could not really offer anything that would satisfy Wei He. At this level, money and food were no longer lacking. What was lacking were good things like Silver-Kiss Black Snake Meat, things that could rapidly build up qi and blood.
But such things were generally treasured secrets hoarded by major families and would never leak outside. So he had thought it through: he would hire Wei He for part of his time.
It would count as being affiliated with the escort agency, drawing an income, without affecting his ability to join elsewhere.
Once Cheng Shaojiu explained his idea, Wei He agreed.
"The monthly affiliation fee will be paid as usual. We'll only notify you when we need you to act; otherwise, you'll have no restrictions at all. It won't be more than twice a year," Cheng Shaojiu said with a smile.
"No problem." Wei He nodded.
"Actually, at your level, you can affiliate with several places. They're just borrowing your name. Those small gangs and minor sects love this arrangement. As long as they pay you some fees and list you as affiliated, when they urgently need help, they can borrow your name and have you sit in their hall. It's perfect for attracting newcomers," Cheng Shaojiu said with a laugh.
"That exists too?" Wei He immediately thought of the experts from his previous life who had earned an advanced certificate and then had their names hung everywhere.
One certificate could bring in tens of thousands a year. That was truly "one investment, ten thousand profits."
He had not expected that he, too, could enjoy such benefits now.
The two rested for a while, then drank a few more cups.
Cheng Shaojiu soon felt the call of nature and got up to relieve himself.
He had only just left the table.
Wei He was carefully listening to the Green-clothed Woman hired by the restaurant play the pipa.
"Wei, Junior Brother, what a coincidence. I didn't expect to run into you here."
Suddenly, a familiar figure walked up before him, blocking his view.
Wei He looked up and saw that it was Jiang Yan.
Jiang Yan held a folding fan in his hand. Dressed in flowing white robes, with a bookboy behind him, he carried himself with an extraordinary air and wore a smile.
It had to be said, he did look quite presentable. With his somewhat handsome features, tall and slender build, and powerful family background, it was easy enough for him to win the favor of women.
"So it's Senior Brother Jiang." Wei He rose and cupped his fists. This was basic courtesy when facing a senior brother.
"What? Drinking and dining here alone?" Jiang Yan glanced over the dining table and immediately understood that someone else was present.
"Never mind. I merely came over to greet you and say a few words before leaving. Since I happened to see you here, Junior Brother Wei, now that you've broken through, why keep staying with the Cheng Family? My Jiang Family has recently been in urgent need of talent.
If Junior Brother Wei agrees, I can offer ten catties a month of a qi-and-blood tonic comparable to Flower Branch Deer Meat.
In addition, one hundred Blood Replenishing Pills of the next lower grade, ten doses of Qi and Blood Powder, and fifty taels of gold."
The bookboy behind Jiang Yan's expression changed slightly. This offer had already exceeded the stipend an ordinary Second Stage Qi and Blood expert could receive. Those ten catties of great tonics comparable to flower-branch deer meat alone were rare treasures.
Who knew how much time such items could save in accumulating qi and blood? If word got out, who knew how many martial artists would willingly come running to join them?
Even the Flower Branch Deer Meat at Zuihua Tower was not available every day. It was only put out once a month, with limited portions for each person.
That alone had already made it Zuihua Tower's signature attraction.
"Besides, Junior Brother Wei is, after all, my fellow disciple and junior brother. Naturally, one must take extra care of one's own junior brother." Jiang Yan snapped open his folding fan, covering his chin as he smiled.
"I'll add a little more for you, Junior Brother. Senior Brother Cheng cannot offer a price like this. As long as you are willing to join, I'll waive the residence fee in the Inner City for you. You and your sister will no longer have to worry about safety or trouble. In the Inner City, people from the Seven Families Alliance and the authorities patrol at all times. There will absolutely be no oversights or danger.
"Of course, in that case, you can no longer affiliate with other families outside. But you need not worry about that. Given your status, Junior Brother, after joining my Jiang Family, you can fully take charge of some small gangs in the Outer City and naturally take a share of their spoils.
"When the time comes, with a dozen or so men under your hand and the Seven Families Alliance's mark hanging overhead, no one in the Outer City will dare provoke you. Wouldn't that be delightful?"
Of all that heap of benefits, the right to live there was the most crucial!
Only the Seven Families Alliance had the authority to allow outsiders to enter and reside there long-term.
Living permanently in the Inner City was a special privilege that even Cheng Shaojiu did not possess.
For Jiang Yan, this was a quota he could obtain casually. Though the number was limited, to him it might not even be worth a hundred taels of gold.
But to Cheng Shaojiu and the others, this quota was the truly most precious thing.
Because money could not buy it.
This was also one of the core sources of attraction that had allowed the Seven Families Alliance to prosper for so long.
Wei He had not been particularly tempted by the earlier conditions, but this final one truly moved him.
If he could live in the Inner City, he would no longer have to constantly worry about Second Sister's safety.
Last time, he had beaten several people from the Incense Gathering Cult to death, and ever since, he had worried that they would retaliate.
Though there had been no movement afterward, who knew whether they were secretly gathering strength and plotting something?
Now, if he could move into the Inner City...
Wei He lowered his head and fell silent for a moment.
What he did not see was that Cheng Shaojiu had already returned and happened to hear the conditions Jiang Yan offered.
Cheng Shaojiu understood as well. Jiang Yan had come here to poach someone.
From Jiang Yan's words, it was clear that he had been nearby from the beginning, listening to everything Cheng Shaojiu had said to Wei He.
Then he had deliberately seized the gap to make his offer.
Cheng Shaojiu fell silent, standing at the corner some distance away without showing himself immediately.
Only, his freshly washed hands clenched slightly of their own accord, growing hot.
Wei He remained silent, then looked up at Jiang Yan.
He drew a breath and slowly opened his mouth.
"Don't rush, Junior Brother." Jiang Yan smiled faintly and folded up his fan. "Think it over carefully. If you agree, come find me alone later. I'll return to my table first; there are several friends over there with me."
As though he did not care at all, he turned and left.
Jiang Yan understood very well that people were prone to impulsiveness. Martial artists like them, with their qi and blood surging, were even more prone to it.
Thus, decisions made in the short term under impulse were easily influenced by emotion.
Wei He currently had a good relationship with Cheng Shaojiu, so he could easily be influenced by the Cheng Family.
But once a person calmed down and weighed gains, losses, and interests, they would naturally make the most rational choice.
Feelings were ultimately just a momentary impulse. Over the long course of time, interests were what mattered most.
At the corner, Jiang Yan happened to see Cheng Shaojiu standing there without moving.
He smiled faintly and nodded to him in greeting. Without saying a word, he walked straight past.
Cheng Shaojiu forced out a smile and nodded in return.
Jiang Yan did not care at all about Cheng Shaojiu's attitude. The Cheng Family might have a good relationship with Wei He, but so what? When ordinary people gave up benefits for feelings, it only meant they had not been offered enough.
The Cheng Family gave him face and called him Senior Brother. If they did not, he came from the Seven Families Alliance—would he care about a mere Yonghe Escort Agency?
Jiang Yan smiled faintly and headed toward the private room with his bookboy.
Cheng Shaojiu paused, then stood where he was for a while longer. Only after composing his emotions did he return toward the wine table.
Back at the table, he saw Wei He standing to one side with a complicated expression.
"Junior Brother..." Cheng Shaojiu's lips moved. He wanted to say something, but did not know what he could say.
What could he use to compare with the Jiang Family? They were simply on two different levels.
"Brother Cheng." Wei He was silent for a moment before speaking softly. "Sorry."
"It's all right. Water flows downward; people climb upward." Cheng Shaojiu smiled, trying his best to look natural.
"No." Wei He looked apologetic. "You were gone for so long, so I ordered another four plates of Flower Branch Deer Meat and ate it all."
The expression on Cheng Shaojiu's face instantly froze.
Four plates? Four plates of deer meat!? Are you a pig!?
He looked at Wei He, standing there as though he had been struck by a body-freezing spell. For a moment, he could not say a word. His entire quota for this month had been eaten.
"Oh, right. Senior Brother Jiang came over just now and wanted to recruit me." Wei He said calmly, "But after thinking it over, I still plan to stay in the Outer City. Mainly because Senior Brother Jiang has bad breath. Whenever I spoke to him, I felt uncomfortable all over, like I was suffering terribly."
Before you continue