Choice

Choice

After leaving Tian Bao's grave, Li Yuan headed straight for Shanbao County. Today was the day Cai Ze had arranged to meet, and he needed to pay him a visit.

Once on the street, he spent fifteen coins on a five-jin jar of Rice Wine.

With grain prices rising, the price of liquor had naturally risen as well.

Rice already cost three or four times more than foxtail millet, and brewing one jin of liquor required one or two jin of rice, not to mention yeast. Fifteen coins truly was not expensive.

In the past, fifteen coins would have been quite a sum to Li Yuan.

But after selling the wild boar, he had quite a bit of money in his pocket again. He could naturally afford such a gift for a visit.

Following the familiar route to White Cloud Alley, he arrived at the second house after entering and knocked softly on the door.

Then he waited patiently outside.

A moment later, the door opened.

A young maid with rather good looks poked her head out and fixed her pretty eyes on the youth waiting at the entrance.

This time, her attitude had changed. Unlike last time, she spoke with a hint of familiarity. "It's Yuan Ge'er. Please come in."

Li Yuan smiled. "I won't trouble you. No need to make things inconvenient. Where is Brother Cai?"

The maid said, "Master went out and hasn't returned yet, but he knew Yuan Ge'er would be coming and specifically told me to take good care of you."

Li Yuan raised his hand and passed over the jar of Rice Wine. "This is for Brother Cai."

The maid accepted it and walked inside. After taking two steps without seeing Li Yuan follow, she swayed her hips and glanced back. "Come on."

Li Yuan smiled. "No need to trouble yourself. I'll wait at the door; it's quite fine.

When there's nothing to do back in the village, I'm always lying down. It's rare for me to stand around for a while, haha."

The maid said, "Then Master will blame me."

Li Yuan hesitated before saying politely, "Then I'll trouble you."

With that, he followed the maid into Cai Ze's home and sat in the reception room for a while. The maid served tea, then giggled. "My name is Huang Ya. If there's anything you need, just tell me, Yuan Ge'er.

There's no Main Wife in the household, so she cannot come out to receive guests."

"No Main Wife? This..." Li Yuan was stunned.

Cai Ze did not seem like the sort of man without a wife.

Had she died?

Huang Ya smiled. "Master only bought two maids and never married. I receive guests in the outer hall, while another older sister cooks and does laundry in the inner hall."

Li Yuan understood.

Cai Ze really knew how to enjoy himself.

Rather than marry a wife, he had bought two pretty maids.

The maids did the work, obeyed him completely, and fawned over him in hopes of rising in status. Whenever he had needs, he could also vent them freely on the maids.

Huang Ya added, "Quite a few Masters in the sect are like that. Sometimes, they even have their maids serve other people too. Heehee."

Li Yuan was speechless.

Damn, the circles of the rich really were chaotic.

Still, it made some sense. These martial artists preserved their desires and forgot their feelings.

With no women in their hearts, their blades would naturally become divine. Without wives, they would have no lingering attachments when traveling out for training. There seemed to be nothing wrong with such a choice.

It truly was strange, yet reasonable.

Seeing Li Yuan somewhat lost in thought, Huang Ya clearly realized that this village youth from Little Ink Village had not fully accepted such things. Covering her mouth, she giggled. "Once Yuan Ge'er comes to Silver Creek, perhaps you'll have to buy two maids as well."

Li Yuan asked, "Does everyone buy them? Where do all these people come from?"

Huang Ya said, "Very few people don't. There are many refugees outside, and some people capture them, lock them in cages, and sell them in the Black Market. If they are bought by a good household, then that's fine. But if they're unlucky..."

As she spoke, the young maid sighed, clearly recalling something unbearable.

Li Yuan asked curiously, "If one were to buy them, how much would they cost?"

Huang Ya said, "The cheap ones cost five or six taels, while better ones cost ten or twenty taels. Anything more expensive usually has some other status or special quality.

There are quite a few families that have fallen on hard times, quite a few lost young masters and young ladies, and even the wives and concubines of disgraced officials. There are even people sold because of grudges in the martial world.

If these people are caught or handled by brokers, they are brought here from hundreds or even thousands of li away. The proud ones are ground down until they lose their spirit, while those with martial skills have their cultivation crippled beforehand or are tamed, then sold in the Black Market all the same."

Li Yuan fell silent. Just then, footsteps sounded at the door. He hurriedly rose to his feet and saw a young man in a constable's uniform striding in from outside.

Smiling, he went forward to greet him and bowed. "Brother Cai!"

Cai Ze walked up to him, took a wooden plaque from his robes, and handed it over. The number "654" was carved on it.

"The number is paired with your identity and recorded in the sect. If someone steals your plaque and lives here, once discovered, the Blood Saber Sect will send someone to kill them immediately."

"Thank you, Brother Cai." Li Yuan accepted the wooden plaque and carefully put it away.

Cai Ze said, "Don't rush back today. Eat here and stay the night. I'll have a maid accompany you around Silver Creek."

As soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere fell quiet.

Huang Ya's eyes brimmed with tenderness as she gazed at the youth's strong body. Clearly, this was not the first time she had been told to do such a thing.

Li Yuan was stunned for a moment, then immediately understood what Cai Ze meant by "accompany."

He had just been marveling at such matters, only for it to fall upon him in the blink of an eye.

"Thank you for your kindness, Brother Cai, but I have a wife at home. Last time I returned late, she gave me quite an earful, haha," Li Yuan said with a smile.

Cai Ze stared at him for a long while before suddenly sighing. "Brother, I didn't handle this matter well for you. I feel guilty, so I wanted to treat you to a meal."

"What happened, Brother Cai?"

"Silver Creek's Residence Permits are divided into gold, silver, and wood.

A gold plaque allows one to live in the core area of Silver Creek and enjoy many benefits.

Next is the silver plaque in my hand. Those who become Outer Sect Disciples of the Blood Saber Sect can obtain this type of Residence Permit.

As for wooden plaques, their holders must live in the shantytown.

I originally thought I could help you obtain a silver plaque, but it didn't work out."

Cai Ze spoke slowly before adding, "However, I did secure some benefits for you."

As he spoke, he handed Li Yuan another blood-colored plaque.

A ring of black patterns circled its edge, giving it an air of solemnity and savagery.

The number "654" was also carved in its center.

"With this plaque, you are an Outer Perimeter Disciple of the Blood Saber Sect.

As long as you are a member of the Blood Saber Sect, even an Outer Perimeter Disciple, your status in Silver Stream Village is far higher than that of ordinary people in the shantytown.

You should know that there are quite a few outsiders in Silver Stream Village. They are not even qualified to live in the shantytown and are grouped together in the filthy, chaotic Crow Alley."

Li Yuan accepted the two plaques and smiled. "Thank you, Brother Cai. I'm already very satisfied."

Cai Ze sighed. He had truly thought Li Yuan could directly become an Outer Sect Disciple.

As for why it had not worked out, he vaguely guessed the reason.

The Blood Saber Sect Master was in seclusion, while the Vice Sect Leader had strong regional prejudices. Li Yuan had been born in Little Ink Village, and the Vice Sect Leader simply did not think highly of him.

Ah, this was fate.

"By the way, Brother Cai, what do the numbers on the wooden plaque and the Blood Saber Sect plaque mean?"

"654 means your household is the 654th family permitted to live in the shantytown. You may bring your family and servants into the residence; all of that is allowed.

197 is your number among the Blood Saber Sect's Outer Perimeter Disciples, as well as your initial ranking.

The Blood Saber Sect has always encouraged disciples to fight and compete with one another to cultivate the strong.

However, such fights must be agreed upon and witnessed by others, not random killings.

Win on the arena stage, and you can obtain a higher number.

Killing fellow sect members in private is a great taboo of the Blood Saber Sect.

The higher one's ranking, the more attention one receives and the more resources one can obtain.

At present, the Outer Perimeter numbers go up to 200."

"After Outer Perimeter Disciples have entered the Blood Saber Sect for three years, they may take an assessment. Only the top twenty Outer Perimeter Disciples may participate, after which they compete against one another. The best are then selected for formal entry into the sect."

Cai Ze spoke at length.

Li Yuan nodded to show that he was listening carefully.

Cai Ze continued, "Outer Perimeter Disciples of the Blood Saber Sect need to do certain work, but they also enjoy the benefits that come with it.

I can put in a word for you on this matter and let you choose for yourself. Consider it compensation."

He paused before saying, "The constabulary, the Open Market, the Black Market, and the Martial Shop.

The Blood Saber Sect's operations are basically divided into these four categories.

At the constabulary, you wear a constable's uniform and collect taxes throughout the area in the name of the authorities, or handle certain disputes.

If you go there, you can roughly be like me and wear this official uniform.

If the authorities return in the future, they will recognize your identity as a constable, though don't expect promotion. The authorities will only promote their own people.

The Open Market mainly consists of taverns, pleasure houses, and gambling dens. You mainly keep watch over the venues, deal with or assist in dealing with troublemakers, and maintain order.

If you go there, leaving everything else aside, you should be allowed to enjoy the establishments, and there will be many discounts on all kinds of purchases and expenses.

The Black Market is similar to the above, but it has goods of every kind.

The advantage is that you can see all sorts of merchandise. If you are lucky, you might come across some treasure.

Once you get it into your hands, it is yours, and other sect members cannot snatch it away. That is also a sect rule.

The Martial Shop maintains security in the city. If you go there, you can lead several people. It looks impressive, but it is hard labor with little profit.

Brother Li, which one do you want to go to?"