Qi Yu had just returned to the residence when he wanted to take out the recipe for "Essence Replenishing Soup" and hand it to A Bi, so she could order the servants to prepare it.
As for martial arts training, he had yet to make even the first stroke of the character "eight." If he went straight to Madam Liu or Third Master Qi to ask for help, he would inevitably have to put on that childish act of "a little boy begging for candy," which was truly beneath his dignity.
He thought that once he actually achieved something in his training, his mother and father would naturally support him.
However, when he returned to his courtyard, he searched everywhere but could not find A Bi. Only after asking around did he learn that the First Madam had summoned her.
Recalling all the strange things that had happened the previous night, Qi Yu's heart tightened slightly, and he hurried toward Madam Liu's residence.
From far away, he could already hear Madam Liu's stern scolding drifting faintly from inside.
Granny Zhao, the gatekeeper at the entrance to Madam Liu's residence, also spotted him.
Granny Zhao tugged open her booming voice and laughed. "Young Master is here!"
After that shout, the scolding from inside the house abruptly vanished.
Qi Yu stepped into the courtyard and entered the room.
Everyone in the room wore smiles.
A Bi was smiling too, but hers was so forced it could barely stay on her face, and her eyes were faintly reddened.
"Mother, your son is back."
Qi Yu bowed respectfully, then deliberately feigned surprise. "A Bi, what are you doing here?"
A Bi lowered her head, twisting the corner of her clothes without daring to speak.
Madam Liu smiled. "I watched A Bi grow up, and I've long regarded her as half a daughter. Now I want to transfer her to my side to serve me. Yu'er...don't be reluctant to part with her."
Qi Yu said, "A Bi has been helping prepare my medicinal baths and hot compresses these days. If someone else took over, I'm afraid I wouldn't be used to it, and my martial arts training would be delayed. If Mother likes her, why not wait a while before bringing it up again?"
Madam Liu froze for a moment, then beckoned. "Yu'er, come closer."
Qi Yu took several steps forward.
Madam Liu carefully examined the youth before her. His brows and eyes now held a great deal more spirit; he no longer looked as muddled and lifeless as before. She thought secretly, Could he truly be training seriously? Recalling what he had just said, she nodded inwardly with even greater approval.
He had clearly come looking for A Bi, yet had asked why she was there.
He clearly did not want A Bi to leave, yet he knew that saying so outright would put her in an unfavorable position. So he had learned to use delay as a tactic. And then...he hoped to use martial arts training to prove himself, thereby gaining greater bargaining power once that tactic ran its course.
A trace of admiration flashed through Madam Liu's eyes. She smiled and said, "How about this, Yu'er? I hear you've been practicing the Spirit Serpent Posture?"
"Yes."
"I heard Green Bamboo say that if someone develops a sense of the posture within seven days, then even with below-average aptitude, they can barely be considered to have crossed the threshold of martial arts training."
"Yes."
"Then how about we make a wager, mother and son? We won't count yesterday or today. Starting tomorrow...if you can develop a sense of the posture within seven days, A Bi can remain in your courtyard. But if you fail to..."
She cast a meaningful glance at the awkward, uneasy girl. "A Bi is also of an age when she should be betrothed."
As she spoke, she slowly closed her eyes and lightly tapped her fingers against the table, waiting for her son to whine and wheedle as he always did.
If he truly did that, she could simply take advantage of the opportunity to transfer A Bi to her side. After a year or two, once her son had forgotten about her, she could make further arrangements.
"Mother, it's a deal," Qi Yu said.
Madam Liu opened her eyes in slight surprise. "Good. It's a deal."
With that, she smiled gently and glanced at the extremely awkward girl over there. "A Bi, return to the courtyard with Young Master."
"Young Master has truly grown up. Even the way he speaks has become so measured."
Qing Dai covered her lips and chuckled, her eyes full of delight. But in the next instant, her brows furrowed. "It's just that...A Bi has accompanied Young Master since childhood. That vixen is clever and shrewd. If Madam-to-be notices something later, wouldn't that ruin the marriage alliance?"
Madam Liu naturally knew that A Bi and her son had feelings for each other. Her son was a wastrel, so maintaining his position would require a good marriage alliance. This was not only for her son, but for herself as well.
The Qi Family had three branches, and her Third Master's residence was merely one of them. It could fall into decline in the blink of an eye. If they wanted lasting stability, a marriage alliance was indispensable.
The betrothal arranged with the Spirit Serpent Martial Hall was actually not bad either. It was just that she felt the chances were slim.
Therefore, before the marriage alliance began, she had to eliminate as many unfavorable factors affecting it as possible.
A Bi was both his childhood sweetheart and the maid who had become her son's first woman. Naturally, she had to drive her away, lest that wanton girl cause trouble.
"Yu'er has grown up. I can't suppress him and leave him disheartened."
"Letting Young Master try is fine, but...can he really succeed?"
Qing Dai raised a hand to support her chin, looking adorably pensive and curious.
Madam Liu said, "A mother would naturally have confidence in her son. So...I don't think Yu'er can do it.
"But it's a promise he made himself. If he loses, then even if he cries and kneels, I'll still marry A Bi off.
"It can also be considered...a lesson from me, his mother."
Qi Yu returned to the courtyard with A Bi.
The two of them had lived together in this courtyard for ten years.
There were countless memories.
Qi Yu had transmigrated here, but rather than transmigration, it felt more like he had awakened memories of his previous life.
"A Bi, if you want to marry, I'll ask Mother to find you a good family."
The girl suddenly knelt and said, "A Bi...doesn't want a title or anything else. A Bi only wants to stay by Young Master's side and serve Young Master and Young Madam. A Bi definitely won't make Young Master or Young Madam unhappy."
"Get up."
Qi Yu fell silent for a moment, then took out the recipe for "Essence Replenishing Soup" and handed it over. "Boil one pot of Essence Replenishing Soup every day..."
Since he had already mastered the essentials of the Serpent Stance Cultivation Method, all that remained was perseverance—to enter the gateway...
The next day, Qi Yu did not return to the Spirit Serpent Martial Hall. He simply trained bitterly in the courtyard.
A Bi quietly stood by his side, her gaze gentle.
Every so often, the corners of her lips would lift slightly, as though she had made some sort of decision...
If Young Master failed, she absolutely would not let him feel guilty or sad.
She would smile and say, "Actually...A Bi wants to get married."
Qi Yu simply did not want someone close to him to be transferred away for some inexplicable reason. Beyond that, he had no other thoughts.
Boredom, hardship, distracting thoughts...
He persisted.
After training, he drank "Essence Replenishing Soup," and A Bi applied hot compresses for him.
On the second day, A Bi somehow heard about "stretching." While applying the hot compresses, she actually worked hard to knead and press his muscles.
The little maid pressed with all her strength, completely ignoring the pain in her fingers.
As time passed, the fourth day arrived.
On the fourth day, Qi Yu's panel finally changed.
[Skill Point: 1] [Technique: Serpent Stance Cultivation Method (1/2)]
Once the panel appeared, everything was clear at a glance.
The "(1/2)" after the Serpent Stance Cultivation Method indicated that it belonged to the easiest group of techniques to cultivate. At that moment, a faint "+" also appeared after the "Serpent Stance Cultivation Method (1/2)."
But...
Four days...
Adding the two days before that...
It had taken him a full six days just to cross half the progress of the Serpent Stance Cultivation Method.
Strictly speaking, his aptitude was even worse than below average.
But that was normal as well. An eighteen-year-old youth's bones had more or less finished taking shape. Even if his aptitude had been decent when he was young, after all these years of indulging in wine, women, song, and dance, it had long since been worn away.
That was also why Madam Liu had dared to make the wager with him.
Without hesitation or choice, Qi Yu focused his mind and tapped the "+" after "Serpent Stance Cultivation Method (1/2)."
In the next instant, a sense of fulfillment naturally welled up within him—born from diligent cultivation, sweat freely shed, and the resulting improvement.
The Spirit Serpent Posture, its cultivation method—complete!
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