"You brat, you fought well."
Li Cunxiao was startled when he heard the deep, powerful voice by his ear.
Though he had heard the old hands at the escort agency say that the Chief Escort protected his own, he had not expected him to be so direct.
He had only just put on a show of reprimanding him, yet in the next breath he was praising his fists and kicks. Wasn't that a little—
Yet when Li Cunxiao raised his head, he unexpectedly discovered that everyone around him seemed not to have heard what Zhang Lishi had just said. They merely stood bent at the waist, looking at Zhang Lishi and the dark-faced man before him.
Could it be that I was the only one who heard that? Secret Sound Transmission?
At this moment, county magistrate Murong Bai had also hurried over. He stood together with the dark-faced man and Zhang Lishi, and the atmosphere immediately grew tense. Only then did Li Chengxiao have the chance to observe his own Chief Escort.
Zhang Lishi stood seven feet tall, with a swallow jaw and tiger whiskers. He was powerfully built, every inch of him radiating robust masculine vigor, like a tiger sprawled amid a mountain forest blanketed in goose-feather snow.
He wore a Five-Ridge Small Golden Crown. Golden threads embroidered clusters of fierce tigers upon his red round-collared robe, magnificent and resplendent, nobility pressing outward. At a glance, he looked less like an escort who dined on wind and drank dew than a general holding great power in his hands.
"County Governor, this scoundrel committed violence openly in the yamen, attacked government runners, and defied law and order. He must be thrown into prison and properly dealt with!"
The dark-faced man was Captain Xie Donglai. Having inspected his nephew's wounds, flames seemed to blaze in the depths of his eyes.
Chuqiu County was a small county, with no miraculous medicines capable of rejoining broken bones.
Fists relied on legs to move. With both legs broken, his nephew's martial path had been broken as well.
And that thing in his crotch had already been reduced to a lump of rotten mud!
A man's third leg had snapped, and the Zhao family's ancestral line had snapped with it.
Xie Donglai did not even know what face he would have, a hundred years from now, to meet his younger sister beneath the Nine Springs.
No matter how much of a beast this nephew was, he was still his sister's flesh and blood. How could he be crippled for nothing?
"Captain Xie, those words are too severe. Everyone here practices martial arts, and Zhao Xiaoyi and our escort are both young men, full of hot blood. How does this amount to defying law and order?"
"Young people are ignorant and made a mistake in the heat of the moment. It is understandable, is it not?"
A mistake in the heat of the moment, understandable?
It was not your own root that had been broken!
Zhao Xiaoyi had been forcing himself to hold on, waiting for his uncle to stand up for him. Yet Zhang Lishi's words sent his Blood Essence rushing wildly, and his crotch suddenly turned even redder.
He could endure no longer. His eyes rolled back, and he fainted dead away.
Xie Donglai's expression changed drastically. He hurriedly scooped up his nephew and wanted to leave with his men, but Zhang Lishi shifted sideways, faintly blocking the way. Raising a hand, he pointed and said:
"Li Cunxiao, tell us exactly what happened."
"Chief Escort, County Governor Murong, Captain Xie." Li Cunxiao bowed respectfully.
"Yesterday, Zhao Xiaoyi came to my Elder Brother Gao Cheng and said that Sister-in-law Gao had been arrested for allegedly being involved with the Mingzun Cult's demon followers. Yet he could not provide any specific charge. He merely opened his mouth like a lion and demanded that Elder Brother Gao pay fifty taels of silver to ransom her."
"Today, I brought Elder Brother Gao and paid him fifty taels. But he claimed it was short by five fen of silver and demanded another ten taels. When he failed to extort it, he flew into shame and anger, stripped naked, and insulted my late father."
At this point, Li Cunxiao's eyes reddened. His beard and hair bristled, tears glimmering in his tiger eyes.
"As a son, what can be endured, and what cannot be endured?"
"Had I not considered Captain Xie's standing, I would already have killed him on the spot to comfort my late father's spirit!"
Once those words were spoken, regardless of whether Li Cunxiao's tears were real or false, the yamen runners who had belatedly gathered around all fell silent. Some even nodded secretly. Only Xie Donglai's eyes spat fire.
You did not kill him, and that was supposedly you giving me face?!
At those words, a gleam flashed through Zhang Lishi's eyes as he called out:
"Oh? If that is so, why does the County Governor not follow the precedent of Xu Yuanqing?"
The moment those words fell, Murong Bai knew that this matter could not be explained satisfactorily to Xie Donglai.
Since the Grand Ancestor Emperor had established the dynasty, hundreds of years had passed. The people's customs remained fierce, and the reverence for martial prowess had never faded. Bloodshed and brawls were common occurrences.
During the Yuanhe era of the old calendar, there had been a man named Xu Yuanqing. His father had been wrongfully executed by his superior. In the end, Xu Yuanqing personally slew his enemy and turned himself in, shocking both court and countryside. Dukes, ministers, and even the emperor had found it difficult to decide his fate.
A remonstrance official named Chen Boyu believed that murder was a crime punishable by death, but avenging one's father accorded with ritual and righteousness. Xu Yuanqing should therefore be executed, then commemorated with a monument.
Yet another official, Liu Zihou, refuted this view.
He believed that Xu Yuanqing's father had died unjustly in prison. Avenging his father was both in accordance with ritual and righteousness and in accordance with the law: "To fulfill filial mourning and die for righteousness is the path that those who understand reason and have heard the Way must follow."
In the end, Xu Yuanqing escaped the death penalty, and the common people clapped their hands in delight. What had happened to Li Cunxiao today carried the same wondrous melody played upon a different instrument.
Zhao Xiaoyi had extorted him first, then insulted his dead father. Whether by law or human sentiment, Li Cunxiao held the moral ground.
If they forcibly convicted Li Cunxiao and made the matter blow up, it would damage the yamen's prestige.
If Murong Bai had merely been a passing official serving a term, that would have been one thing; he would not care about a scrap of reputation. But he and his Lineage had put down roots and spread branches here for over twenty years. Moreover, troubled times were approaching, and Chuqiu County was his home base. He could not afford to lose all face.
Of course, more importantly, Zhao Xiaoyi had Xie Donglai behind him, while Li Cunxiao had Zhang Lishi behind him. When both sides had backers, reason could not settle the matter. Fists had to do the talking.
"It is not yet time to tear away all pretense with Zhang Lishi."
Murong Bai had made his decision, but he did not intend to show weakness.
"Chief Escort Zhang's words make sense. Li Cunxiao may merely have been dragged into this, but the Gao family couple and the Mingzun Cult—"
Li Cunxiao narrowed his eyes, knowing the man was trying to manipulate him. Beside him, the Gao family couple had been bewildered by the sight of so many great figures they normally never even saw. But since their own safety was at stake, they immediately came to their senses.
"County Governor, we have been wronged! My wife is an honest woman. She was merely greedy for a small bargain and was tricked into attending the Mingzun Cult's preaching. She truly—"
"Yes, the silver!" Sister-in-law Gao suddenly had a flash of inspiration and pointed at Zhao Xiaoyi in Xie Donglai's arms.
"I saw it just now. He hid the fifty taels of silver he extorted from our family in his crotch!"
At those words, Xie Donglai's face darkened further. When he truly pulled a pouch of bloodstained silver from the inner pocket of his nephew's trousers, Murong Bai wanted nothing more than to cover his face and leave. Zhang Lishi, however, stepped forward, snatched it away, and weighed it in his hand.
For a martial man like him, let alone pounds and taels, he could even control the change in weight of a single strand of hair. As he weighed the silver in the pouch, his expression turned strange, and he said:
"It really is short by five fen. Captain Xie, your nephew is... extraordinary."
Looking at his unconscious nephew, Xie Donglai would have seized the bastard and slapped him a hundred times if he had not feared killing him.
Decades of reputation had all been thrown away in a single day!
Seeing the subtle expressions on the surrounding yamen runners' faces, Murong Bai knew the matter could not be forced. He immediately made his ruling:
Li Cunxiao had acted out of righteous indignation, and his actions were understandable;
The Gao family couple had been deceived by demon followers and were truly innocent.
Zhao Xiaoyi had abused his influence to bully others. He was expelled from the yamen, and the fifty taels of silver were to be returned in full.
Naturally, to preserve Xie Donglai's dignity, no further punishment was imposed—nor was that unexpected.
After this swift stroke that cut through tangled hemp, Xie Donglai could no longer bear to remain in this place of sorrow. After several leaps, his figure vanished from the yamen. The speed of his movement technique startled Li Cunxiao, and he knew he could not yet uproot the grass and eliminate the roots. He could only record this uncle-nephew pair of beasts in his little notebook for now.
The Gao family couple had finally escaped with their lives. They thanked Chief Escort Zhang profusely, then urged Li Cunxiao to come to their home for a meal later. Only then did they support each other as they departed.
Naturally, Li Cunxiao followed Zhang Lishi's group back to the escort agency.
"Li Cunxiao, Li Nezha, Li Sanlang."
In the Inner Hall of the escort agency, Zhang Lishi sat high in the seat of honor. The Cui brothers, who had rushed over upon hearing the news, sat on either side like door gods. Even Zhang Yuelu stood to one side, holding Que'er in her arms.
Zhang Lishi rubbed his fingers over a celadon teacup, appearing thoughtful.
"To be honest, I think that lad is quite good. His skill at manipulating Blood Essence is mature, and his Tiger Form Fist has grasped its true flavor. He fought one against five in the yamen... Should we pass on the Internal Cultivation Method early?"
One against five?
The Cui brothers were both rather surprised. Cui Wei was surprised that Li Cunxiao had dared act in the yamen, while Cui Yao was surprised because Li Cunxiao had only made one escort run. He had not even seen him genuinely fight anyone before.
His first time fighting someone, and he could take on five alone?
He had talent.
But as for the Internal Cultivation Method...
Whether to teach it or not, was that not simply a word from the Chief Escort?
Cui Da seemed to understand something upon hearing this, while Cui Er remained somewhat confused. In the silence, Zhang Yuelu unexpectedly spoke from the side.
"Father, I believe we can pass the Internal Cultivation Method on to Li Cunxiao early."
"Oh?"
Zhang Lishi's expression immediately grew several degrees more serious. The brothers Cui Da and Cui Er on either side also looked ready to listen with washed ears.
Recalling what Que'er had just told her of the events, Zhang Yuelu slowly said:
"First, that rogue Zhao Xiaoyi acted without restraint and insulted Li Cunxiao's late father. Li Cunxiao acted in rage. That is filial piety."
"Though his livelihood is difficult, he can still raise his younger brother and teach him letters and etiquette. That is fraternal devotion."
"Second, Gao Cheng and Li Cunxiao met when both were lowly and insignificant. Within a month, the latter rose from clerk to escort. If an ordinary person underwent such a change, he would likely become so carried away that he forgot himself."
"Yet Li Cunxiao did not forget his old friends. He ran about for a friend's wife. That shows loyalty and righteousness."
"Third, Li Cunxiao was born humble. Without a famous teacher or precious medicines, he broke through two minor stages of the Blood Qi Realm in less than a month. His speed can compare with the children of great clans in the inner city. Today, he defeated five alone. That shows talent and courage."
"A man so filial and devoted, so loyal and righteous, so brave and strong, ought to be set forth amid these turbulent times as an example for the people of the escort agency—of course, county magistrate Murong will certainly suppress this scandal, so it cannot yet be widely announced."
Hearing this, Zhang Lishi felt immense comfort in his old heart.
His purpose in raising the matter had not merely been to find a reason to teach Li Cunxiao the Internal Cultivation Method early. He had also been testing his daughter, and Zhang Yuelu's answer had undoubtedly satisfied him greatly.
Filial piety, fraternal devotion, loyalty, righteousness, courage, and strength—she had struck every vital point. Yet she had not merely struck upon Li Cunxiao himself, but upon the qualities escort agency members needed in the current age.
Troubled times were coming.
Not only did the masters know it; even the dock laborers could glimpse it from the steadily dwindling work.
If the realm fell into chaos and heroes rose together, it could certainly be called an opportunity. Yet amid the cruel competition for survival, human nature and morality would inevitably plunge into the abyss.
Zhang Lishi was certainly an expert on equal footing with Murong Bai, and his martial strength ranked among the best in Chuqiu County. But what about his wife and daughters?
Murong Bai was the ruler of Chuqiu County and the clan head of his Lineage. Why did he also have to care about the yamen's reputation and dare not casually convict Li Cunxiao?
Perhaps there existed power in this world that could suppress everything, but it was certainly not in Song Prefecture, nor was it in Chuqiu County.
In a direct battle, Zhang Lishi might be able to fight a thousand alone. But could he also see through hidden arrows from behind as clearly as flames?
The more chaotic the times, the more important people's hearts and cohesion became within a faction. Li Cunxiao happened to be precisely such an example—the classic case of a poor boy meeting a benefactor's favor and soaring into prosperity.
Moreover, Zhang Yuelu's three points were things Zhang Lishi had basically witnessed with his own eyes. He knew her words were true.
Added to that, Li Cunxiao had a younger brother in the residence. So long as they made an effort to win him over, he would surely be loyal to the Zhang Family in the future.
As for the Internal Cultivation Method, at most it would allow him to cultivate to Blood Qi Perfection. Without entering flesh and sinew, one remained mortal. Giving it to him was no great matter.
Having thought this through, Zhang Lishi gave an order, and someone summoned Li Cunxiao from outside.
"When I took you in a month ago, I never expected you to accomplish something this big."
Hearing this and feeling everyone's gazes upon him, Li Cunxiao did not know whether it was rebuke or jest. Still, he clasped his hands calmly and neither arrogantly nor humbly said:
"Compared with the Chief Escort and the two Great Escorts, who blazed a trail through brambles and built the Flying Tiger Escort Agency, dealing with a local thug is no great matter."
Zhang Lishi and the Cui brothers all laughed.
"Good lad. I thought you had a fierce and explosive temperament. I did not expect you to have a few traces of smoothness as well."
"But that is good. What is too hard breaks easily. Sometimes, one needs a little more smoothness to avoid drilling into an ox horn."
Zhang Lishi assessed the young man before him, studying him carefully for the first time.
It had to be said, Que'er thought him ugly, but that valiant appearance suited Zhang Lishi's taste very well. He did not waste words.
"Li Cunxiao, since entering the escort agency, you have worked diligently. In martial cultivation, you broke through two stages in less than a month. After discussing it with the two Great Escorts, I have decided to grant you the Internal Cultivation Method early."
"After receiving the method, you must guard against arrogance and impatience, advance bravely and diligently, and remain loyal in fulfilling your duties. Do you understand?"
He was getting the Internal Cultivation Method just like that?!
Li Cunxiao knew that today's events had left Zhang Lishi with a favorable impression of him, but he had not expected him to give him the Internal Cultivation Method outright. Joy rose to his brows. He made no effort to hide it and clasped his hands in salute.
"Many thanks, Chief Escort! Many thanks, two Great Escorts!"
Zhang Lishi shook his head and raised a hand to point at his daughter.
"I do appreciate talent. But if not for my Third Lady saying that you possess filial piety, fraternal devotion, loyalty, and righteousness, you would not have seen this Internal Cultivation Method today, at the very least."
Zhang Yuelu?
Li Cunxiao did not hesitate. He walked before Zhang Yuelu and likewise clasped his hands in thanks.
"Thank you, Third Lady, for your appreciation. I must also thank Madam and all the ladies of the residence for caring for my younger brother."
There was gratitude in his words, but not the slightest thought that a beauty's favor must mean she has feelings for me.
Zhang Yuelu was equally satisfied by his measured advance and retreat.
She was, after all, an unmarried daughter. Though the dynasty's customs were open, and women showing their faces in public had long become commonplace—
If Li Cunxiao were overly enthusiastic toward her and said foolish things that spread abroad, it would still harm her reputation.
"There is no need for thanks. The escort agency acts by clearly rewarding and punishing. Beyond judging merits and faults in Escort Missions, it must also distinguish right and wrong in human affairs."
"Li Sanlang, keep striving in the future. Do not disappoint today."
After hearing those words, Li Cunxiao's evaluation of Zhang Yuelu rose another level.
Beyond judging merits and faults in Escort Missions, it must also distinguish right and wrong in human affairs. That meant that even the yamen could not judge the escort agency's merits and faults. Its rewards, punishments, praise, and condemnation were all decided by the escort agency itself!
Those words were both encouragement and a reminder.
You, Li Cunxiao, are one of our escort agency's people. Do not forget the good the escort agency has shown you!
She truly was an impressive woman.
Zhang Lishi felt the same, but beneath his joy lay no small measure of regret.
If Yuelu had been a son, why would he need to worry over the Zhang Family's future?
What a pity—
Zhang Lishi gathered his emotions. Watching Li Cunxiao, who was about to withdraw with the Cui brothers, he suddenly spoke.
"Regarding Zhao Xiaoyi, there is something you need to know."
Before you continue