Hidden Dragon (Two-in-One)

Chang Hetong entered Zhuang Jin's name into the registry and put it on record, then handed him a waist token and a set of gray robes. "From now on, Zhuang Jin, you are a One-Striped Servant of the Shen Family."

"Servant ranks rise from one, two, and three stripes, above which are Household Retainers in black robes. Unlike the maids, whose promotions involve all sorts of twists and turns—seniority, various assessments, or the favor of some important person—our servant promotions look at only one thing: your own Cultivation Realm. If you are in the One Meridian Realm, you are a One-Striped Servant. If you are in the Two Meridian Realm, you are a Two-Striped Servant. If you reach the Three Meridian Realm, you are a Three-Insignia Servant. Simple and straightforward."

"Of course, if you can break through to the Fourth Meridian, you'll become a Household Retainer wearing black robes. From then on, you'll be different. You'll have some standing even within the Shen Family, and outside, you'll be someone of note. Even that uncle of yours working at the yamen will have to fear you."

The Fourth Meridian? Zhuang Jin silently committed it to memory.

"I've wandered off topic. Back to servants: our pay is divided into two parts. One is the basic Monthly Stipend. A One-Striped Servant receives one tael of silver per month, a Two-Striped Servant receives three taels, and a Three-Insignia Servant receives five. The other part is the salary for assigned duties. But next month, you'll be studying the Martial Skill Black Fiend Palm, so your duties won't be assigned until the month after next." As Chang Hetong spoke, he handed over this month's stipend and had Zhuang Jin sign and seal it.

Looking at the waist token, the gray servant robes, and the stipend silver, Zhuang Jin still did not quite dare accept them. He confirmed, "This... shouldn't we wait for a background investigation and verification first?"

Chang Hetong burst into laughter. "Our Shen Family isn't so petty. We aren't afraid of anyone daring to play tricks. Even if there really is some problem, we can handle it. When that time comes, the one unlucky enough will be the person trying to be clever!"

Zhuang Jin heard an air of dominance and confidence in those words. He no longer hesitated and accepted the waist token, gray servant robes, and stipend silver. Yet when he weighed the silver in his hand, something felt off. Hadn't Chang Hetong said that a One-Striped Servant's basic Monthly Stipend was one tael? Why were there two taels here?

Seeing Zhuang Jin's expression, Chang Hetong remembered something and slapped his forehead. "Oh, your basic stipend is one tael. The other tael is a reward for what happened last night. Naturally, that is only a small reward from the Shen Family. My nephew Kai's family has another payment to offer you. When he saw the doctor last night, his father came by and, upon hearing that you had saved Kai, said he would come visit today to treat you to tea and a meal. They should be arriving soon."

"So that's how it is." Only then did Zhuang Jin accept it with ease. Holding the very real two taels of silver, he secretly sighed. Back when I was a beggar, even after I painstakingly worked out a set of begging methods, I would have had to scrimp and save for months to put away one tael of silver. But now, my basic Monthly Stipend alone is one tael.

He understood even more clearly how much his identity had changed. Having become a One-Striped Servant, he truly would no longer be the same as before.

Watching Zhuang Jin stare blankly at the two taels of silver, Chang Hetong smiled. "For an ordinary household, these two taels are indeed quite a lot. Even if they ate meat at every meal, it would last them three to five months. But for Martial Artists like us—especially people like you who have just entered the Qi Condensation Realm and are in the stage of advancing with fierce vigor—it amounts to nothing. One dose of Black Essence Powder costs five qian of silver, and only supplies a One Meridian Martial Artist's Martial Practice for three days. The medicine packs for practicing Black Fiend Palm cost one qian each and likewise last three days."

"Now that you've heard that, don't these two taels suddenly seem like nothing at all? You'd be stretched thin the moment you started spending them, wouldn't you? Hahaha, 'poor scholars, rich warriors' isn't a joke."

So expensive? Still, these are provisions for the Martial Way. That price is only to be expected. Zhuang Jin clicked his tongue at the figures. He had a premonition that this state of poverty and lacking money due to Martial Practice would continue for quite some time.

"As I said before, next month you'll study the Martial Skill Black Fiend Palm. The month after next, you'll officially be assigned duties... Now that you have received your servant waist token today, you can go to the Skill Transmission Department to collect the Quiet Cultivation Manual for the One to Three Meridian stages of the Black Fiend Art, as well as the Black Fiend Palm Martial Skill... To buy Black Essence Powder and medicine packs for practicing Black Fiend Palm, go to the Pill Department. It is right beside the General Affairs Department..." Chang Hetong gave him the usual instructions.

Zhuang Jin had heard Ping Yongfeng explain these things before, but he still lowered his head, cocked an ear, and listened attentively.

Once Chang Hetong finished, he saw that unlike the other Martial Artists who had come to register, Zhuang Jin did not seem surprised. He asked, "You already knew all this?"

"Master Ping told me about it on the way here. But Uncle Chang works in the General Affairs Department, and the same matter sounds different from a different angle. This junior has gained greatly from your words." Zhuang Jin answered sincerely.

Listen to that. What a beautiful way of putting it! Heh, this boy!

Chang Hetong inwardly marveled. He took out three taels of silver and spoke again. "Lastly, there is a private matter. Master Guo Jun of the Internal Affairs Department in the Law Enforcement Division asked me this morning to mediate. He wanted to apologize for bringing someone named Hou Yong here to offend you that day. He also said that Hou Yong had sent three taels of silver as compensation, along with word that Tan San and Little Ears, who had previous conflicts with you, met with accidents and died."

That Master Guo really is well-informed, and his actions are incredibly swift!

Zhuang Jin looked at the three taels of silver and calculated inwardly. Hou Yong collected four months of Beggars' Tribute Money from me, two hundred and forty wen in total. Three taels of silver—this is a tenfold repayment. And Tan San and Little Ears? If Hou Yong had not mentioned them, I would have nearly forgotten those two. They died in accidents? What truly "accidental" accidents. Such painstaking compensation makes it clear that the tables have turned. It is Hou Yong who fears me now.

As for why the compensation had been so sincere, yet neither Hou Yong nor Guo Jun had appeared in person?

That likely did not mean they lacked sincerity or had acted negligently. On the contrary, it showed meticulous thoughtfulness.

—That day, Zhuang Jin had fiercely denied ever being a beggar, clearly unwilling to have any entanglement with that past. Hou Yong and Guo Jun had probably grasped this point, which was why they had not come in person. Even their compensation and apology were framed around the offense of coming to confront him that day. Of course, perhaps they also did not wish to meet him directly and risk escalating the conflict.

Who would have thought that Hou Yong, whom I remembered as knowing only how to be ruthless and fight bravely, had such an understanding of worldly affairs? Zhuang Jin inwardly sighed, but then he understood. It was not that Hou Yong had failed to understand human relations before. Rather, the former him had simply not been worth anyone using such considerations on.

The gift is good, and the apology is sincere. But am I supposed to let this matter pass?

Zhuang Jin recalled how, as a beggar, Hou Yong had bled him dry every month. Especially in the bitterest early days, he had gone hungry and still had to hand over his monthly Tribute Money. He remembered how Hou Yong had come for him that day and pushed him into the most perilous circumstances. Had he not responded calmly, had that Miss Yun not stepped in, the matter might have blown up and his Martial Way path could even have been severed. If that had happened, all the painstaking efforts he had poured in for so long would have gone down the drain... He could not swallow this anger!

As a Martial Artist, if one's breath was not smooth, the heart would not be at peace. And if the heart was not at peace, how could one advance?

"I am only passing on a message. You need not consider me when making your decision." Overseer Chang made his stance clear. He would not involve himself; he was merely a middleman passing along words. He did not even offer his own recommendation, for fear of influencing Zhuang Jin. It was also, incidentally, a test to see Zhuang Jin's disposition.

In truth, this was not merely a test for Zhuang Jin. To some extent, it was also a probe of Chang Hetong himself.

Hou Yong and Guo Jun had asked Chang Hetong to mediate. If he had been like some greedy, ugly-feeding people in the Shen Family Outer Courtyard, he could have plucked the two taels like a wild goose shedding feathers—or even taken all of it outright—then used his status to force Zhuang Jin to lower his head and accept reconciliation. The conflict would have been shifted elsewhere... But he was no such short-sighted man, blinded by profit.

Zhuang Jin thought to himself, Right now, I have two choices: refuse reconciliation or accept it. Yet from them extend three possibilities.

First, I refuse reconciliation and insist on pursuing the matter. Guo Jun refuses to yield, and we tear our faces apart openly. A long-established Two-Striped Servant of the Shen Family Outer Courtyard would still be no small trouble for me as I am now.

Second, I refuse reconciliation and insist on pursuing the matter, but Guo Jun yields and hands over Hou Yong. This is the most ideal outcome. I could take revenge at once, but it would leave future trouble. If I acted thus, Guo Jun would surely be displeased. Perhaps he would not do anything afterward, but should I ever become weak and he encounter an opportunity, he might step on me as well, throwing stones at a man who had fallen into a well.

Third, I accept reconciliation and temporarily soothe Hou Yong and Guo Jun.

As Zhuang Jin considered it, if he refused reconciliation, the initiative would fall into Guo Jun's hands. Yet no matter which of those two possibilities followed, the consequences were not something he wished to bear right now. With that thought, he immediately made his decision. Accepting the silver, he said, "Thank you, Uncle Chang. Please tell Master Guo that I agree to reconcile."

Everyone knew that accepting money and agreeing to reconcile did not mean he could not reopen old accounts afterward. Much less did it mean he would not kill Hou Yong in the future.

However, Hou Yong and Guo Jun's rapid response showed that Hou Yong was at his most vigilant right now. It was not a good time to act.

Leaving aside whether I might run into Guo Jun if I went to his door just after breaking through while they were at their most alert, even if I could kill Hou Yong... If Hou Yong and Guo Jun were apart, killing Hou Yong would still make Guo Jun feel the sorrow of a rabbit dying before a fox, or begin a chain of suspicions that I would someday move against him too. That would be much the same as the first possibility—refusing reconciliation and tearing our faces apart openly. Guo Jun is, after all, a long-established servant. He surely has some connections and relationships in the Outer Courtyard. He would be no small trouble for me, having only just broken through.

Better to accept the money, reconcile on the surface, and temporarily soothe them. I can act after some time has passed.

Zhuang Jin silently calculated. If my Golden Finger truly has no bottlenecks, and I need only complete the accumulation inherent to each realm without worrying about bottlenecks, then next month, after learning a Martial Skill, I might break through to the Second Meridian by the end of the month, just like Guo Jun. I might even master a Martial Skill. Two months after that, I might already reach the Third Meridian. At that time, even if I kill Hou Yong and expose myself before Guo Jun, the backlash of a Two-Meridian Martial Artist would be nothing more than a breeze brushing my face.

With that thought, he suddenly saw the light. When strength is lacking, temporary forbearance is not shame. A true man can bend and stretch. Settling grudges with swift satisfaction is not mindlessly charging headfirst or rashly seeking death. It means not losing the spirit within one's heart, not abandoning one's purpose because of temporary hardship, not becoming intoxicated by an enemy's submission and compromise, and not falling into despair before an enemy's strength.

As for deceiving Hou Yong and Guo Jun, and breaking his word? Nonsense. How could deceiving enemies count as deception? Just as stealing books could not be considered stealing, it was merely a little wind and frost upon the road of growth.

—If Hou Yong knew what Zhuang Jin was thinking, he would likely curse him bloody for having no shame whatsoever. Taking his apology money while deceiving this honest man into reconciling, then secretly planning to use that money to buy provisions, fulfill his potential, turn it into strength, and finally use that strength to kill him and suppress any backlash—what kind of shameless conduct was that? To Hou Yong, it was simply aiding the enemy and appeasing them, handing over the rope that would hang himself. His expression in the future would surely be spectacular.

"Mm, I will convey it to Master Guo." Hearing Zhuang Jin's answer, Chang Hetong nodded approvingly. He could tell that Zhuang Jin had not necessarily let it go, but at the very moment he had become a Formal Martial Artist and was brimming with high spirits, he could still clearly assess the situation and exercise restraint. Such clarity was exceedingly rare.

He was fifty-nine this year, nearly sixty. Having lived to this age, he had seen quite a few geniuses in more than half a lifetime. Yet many had failed to mature simply because they were too arrogant and did not understand that what was overly rigid would easily break.

One person in particular had left a deep impression on Chang Hetong. That man had become a Formal Martial Artist in twelve days, his talent plain for all to see. Yet while still in the One Meridian Realm, he made an enemy. Once he gained the upper hand, he refused to spare the other party and pressed forward step by step. Naturally, they feared that he would grow strong enough to take revenge, so they arranged a conflict that severed his Hand Shaoyin Meridian. Even if a severed meridian was reconnected, it would be difficult for it to recover as before. When cultivating to that meridian, one would be extremely prone to being blocked by bottlenecks, with no further progress possible.

What came afterward?

There was no afterward. A genius who died before flourishing was worth nothing; no one stood up for him. Trapped in the Two Meridian Realm, the man died in gloom in his thirties.

Returning to the matter at hand, out of appreciation, Chang Hetong gave Zhuang Jin additional pointers about the Shen Family Outer Courtyard. As he did so, he discovered that Zhuang Jin was extraordinarily intelligent. Many key points that Chang Hetong could not conveniently explain too plainly were understood at the slightest hint. This further stirred Chang Hetong's fondness for teaching, and he spoke even more.

Only when a knock sounded at the door and Bi Kai and Bi Father—who had arranged this visit last night—arrived did he realize that, without noticing it, he had spoken with Zhuang Jin for almost half an hour.

Chang Hetong reluctantly stopped speaking. Only then did he fully understand why the unapproachable Ping Yongfeng thought so highly of Zhuang Jin. This boy is said to be sixteen, yet his mind is far more mature than his age. Not the petty cleverness of a child, but a true understanding of propriety, advance, and retreat. The younger generation is fearsome indeed!

Today, Bi Kai looked as though he had suffered no great harm. Bi Father and Bi Kai had come mainly to thank Zhuang Jin by treating him to a meal. Naturally, they did not neglect to invite Chang Hetong as well, but Chang Hetong politely declined, saying that duties prevented him from leaving.

As Chang Hetong watched Zhuang Jin leave together with the Bi father and son, four words suddenly surfaced in his mind: Hidden Dragon in the Abyss.

Zhuang Jin! He silently remembered the name and decided that if an opportunity arose in the future, he would deepen this favorable connection. Perhaps this good connection will bring immense rewards one day, becoming an opportunity for the younger generations of my family to change their fate.