"Get back to work!"
Ye Liuyun said no more. He had only spoken on a whim.
He waved a hand, signaling that Si Nan and Shi Sheng could leave.
As Shi Sheng walked beside him, he thought for a while before finally leaning close to Si Nan's ear and asking.
"What did you understand just now?"
"You'll know when you're my age."
"..."
Damn it, I'm probably older than you. Can I really grow younger the longer I live?
"Do you still want those three hundred taels?"
"!"
Debtors were the real masters, weren't they?
Half an hour later, the Golden Saber Sect's wealth was carried out box by box.
Judging from the amount, there really was quite a lot.
According to the Brocade Guard's rules, all of it was supposed to be turned over to the treasury. But hardly anyone actually followed the rules, and Ye Liuyun was no exception.
"Leave one box for the brothers to split. You two get one box each, and have someone send the rest to my residence."
He pointed at Si Nan and Shi Sheng as he spoke.
That was how Ye Liuyun did things.
He ate the meat himself, but he also let those beneath him drink some of the soup. Unlike some people, who did not merely take the soup—they carried off the whole pot.
"Yes, my lord!"
Everyone's faces lit up when they heard Ye Liuyun's words.
With so much money, even just a share of it would equal more than half a year of their pay.
"This..."
Only Shi Sheng hesitated somewhat.
After all, whenever Shi Sheng had encountered such matters before, the money he received had always been handed directly over to the treasury.
Before Ye Liuyun could say anything, Si Nan beside him spoke first.
"You don't seriously think all the money you turned in before was actually confiscated by the treasury, do you?"
"What?"
His tiger-like eyes widened. Shi Sheng had truly never paid attention to such things before.
"If you handed in ten thousand taels, in the end, probably not even ten taels actually reached the treasury. The people above had long since divided it among themselves."
Si Nan knew the ins and outs of such matters like the back of his hand.
Seeing Shi Sheng's look of disbelief, as though he wanted to seek those people out and argue reason with them, Si Nan said directly.
"Enough. Going there would be useless. Just take it honestly. If you don't, someone else will. It's only because our lord is generous. If it were another Hundred Household Officer, you probably wouldn't even get ten taels!"
Before Ye Liuyun.
It was not as though Si Nan had never served under other Brocade Guards. He had long known how miserly that bunch could be.
"..."
Seeing Shi Sheng remain silent.
Ye Liuyun said calmly.
"If you want to change things, then work hard and become stronger. Once you are powerful enough that no one in the entire Brocade Guard can resist you, then naturally, what you say will go. But before that, use this money to improve your strength properly."
Practicing martial arts required money.
Shi Sheng's talent was decent, but if he wanted to break through the Postnatal Realm, it would definitely not work without buying some precious medicinal herbs.
"I understand. Thank you, my lord!"
Shi Sheng was not stubbornly rigid. After Ye Liuyun put it that way, he understood.
That was right. If he did not take this money, someone else would. He might as well use it to buy things that could increase his cultivation and strength.
Just as Ye Liuyun had said, once he became strong enough that the entire Brocade Guard listened to him, he naturally would not have to worry about embezzlement anymore.
Seeing Shi Sheng accept it.
Si Nan grinned and took roughly three hundred taels' worth from Shi Sheng's box.
"Hehe, now we're even!"
"..."
Though Shi Sheng did not stop him, he still shot Si Nan an annoyed glare.
So stingy.
After the Golden Saber Sect matter was settled, Ye Liuyun directly told everyone to go home. There was no need to return to the Brocade Guard.
Having just received money.
Some who were on good terms had already planned to go out and spend it together.
Others planned to save properly to marry wives, or, like Shi Sheng, use the money to buy things for martial arts practice.
"Master!"
Inside the residence.
When Xing'er saw Ye Liuyun return, she was the first to greet him.
After taking Ye Liuyun's outer robe, Xing'er's expression changed.
"Master, are you hurt?"
Seeing the bloodstains on the robe, Xing'er's heart rose to her throat.
"I went out to investigate a case today. That isn't my blood—it belongs to the other side."
As he spoke, he casually moved his limbs, showing that he was fine.
"It's good that Master is all right."
Seeing that Ye Liuyun truly did not look injured, Xing'er finally relaxed.
"In that case, I'll have someone boil water so Master can wash off the smell of blood."
"Fine!"
Ye Liuyun thought about it and did not refuse.
However, looking at the obedient Xing'er beside him, Ye Liuyun was still somewhat curious.
"Has Madam not had anything for you to do lately? Why does it feel like you've been spending more and more time around me?"
As Sheng Lanzhi's personal maid.
Xing'er should have spent most of her time attending to Sheng Lanzhi. Why had she lately been constantly serving at his side instead?
Thinking he disliked her.
As she spoke, Xing'er's gaze toward Ye Liuyun carried a hint of tears on the verge of falling.
"I didn't mean that."
He waved his hand helplessly.
"I was only worried that if you stayed by my side too long, Madam would make trouble for you."
That was the truth.
Besides, Xing'er was so meticulous and considerate in her work that Ye Liuyun liked her far too much to possibly dislike her.
Seeing that Ye Liuyun was not tired of her, Xing'er finally felt at ease.
"Please rest assured, Master. Madam arranged this as well, telling me to serve by Master's side."
"That's good!"
Seeing that it had been Sheng Lanzhi's arrangement, Ye Liuyun naturally had no objections.
He nodded and took the lead back to the side courtyard.
After bathing, Ye Liuyun did not rush to practice martial arts or rest.
Instead, he sat in the study and read through the books in his hands.
Xing'er had originally wanted to ask how the money the Brocade Guard had sent back that afternoon should be arranged, but Ye Liuyun did not care much. He merely told Xing'er to handle it herself.
After all, Xing'er already arranged all his food, clothing, and daily expenses in the residence. If she ran out of money, she could simply ask him for more.
He waved a hand and had Xing'er leave.
When they searched the Golden Saber Sect this time, aside from the money, Si Nan had also found two martial arts manuals and secretly brought them to Ye Liuyun.
Martial arts manuals were even more important than money.
Some martial arts manuals were priceless treasures unavailable on the market. Even if you had money, others might not be willing to sell them to you.
Golden Gate Thirteen Sabers!
Just from the name, it was clear this should be the Golden Saber Sect's own saber technique.
Ye Liuyun flipped through it roughly and quickly understood its mysteries.
This saber technique was considered to be on the same level as the Pine Wood Saber Technique Ye Liuyun was currently learning.
The Pine Wood Saber Technique emphasized steady, grounded combat, while the Golden Gate Thirteen Sabers carried a heavier air of slaughter.
Learning more saber techniques of the same level would only give Ye Liuyun more methods in battle; it would not greatly improve his strength. So Ye Liuyun merely skimmed it once before setting it aside.
Even if he did not learn it, it would still be nice to keep as a collection.
"This Purple Quality Blade and Man as One talent has truly exceeded my expectations!"
In the past, he would probably have needed to practice several times before he could grasp the mysteries within a saber technique.
But now.
He could basically understand it after reading it once.
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