Seeking a Weapon, Repaying His Brother and Sister-in-Law

"He must've been a wealthy customer in a private room who took a liking to your skills. That's why he tossed you ten taels of silver. I'm green with envy!"

Yang Ning smiled at him, genuinely in high spirits. The two chatted for a little while longer before Steward Liu left to attend to business.

Yang Ning left through the fighters' passage of the Martial Arena, carrying in his arms the first money he'd earned since beginning his martial arts training. He walked through the streets and alleys of East Street.

Even the wind blowing against him seemed light and breezy.

As Yang Ning watched porters hurrying past with goods on their backs, his thoughts couldn't help but drift back to the past.

When he was young, he'd joined the Porter Guild and worked himself ragged all day. He had to count his earnings out one copper at a time. After paying the Guild's fees, all that hard work amounted to little more than enough to fill his stomach.

Sometimes, if he didn't haul goods for even a single day, he had to rely on his brother and sister-in-law for everything. They had always treated him as their own, but Yang Ning still couldn't help feeling uncomfortable about it.

But now, feeling the weight in his arms, even after living two lives and steeling his heart, Yang Ning couldn't keep the smile from spreading across his face.

He'd trained hard in martial arts, and today he'd finally earned some money!

With light steps, Yang Ning soon returned from East Fourth Street to East Third Street.

Looking at the familiar, still fairly lively main street of East Third Street, he felt the tightness in his chest ease and let out a long breath.

The foul, bloody stench was gone, replaced by a little more life and warmth.

Gone, too, were the ragged, vacant-eyed, gaunt refugees huddled in the corners along East Fourth Street's filthy muddy roads.

But Yang Ning knew that in the hidden corners of East Third Street, in the secluded spots along the roads near his home, there were more and more refugees with nowhere else to go.

Yang Ning couldn't change any of it. All he could do was keep his own family from sinking into that deep mire.

Putting those thoughts aside, he looked up and saw that he'd reached his destination: a small grocery store tucked into a corner of the main street.

Wu's Grocery Store.

Yang Ning pushed open the door. The middle-aged man behind the counter looked up and greeted him with a smile.

"Ah Ning, you're here!"

"Yeah, Brother Wu. I came to buy a few things.

"How's everyone at home? How's Uncle Wu's health lately?"

"Heh, he's doing great. He eats and drinks well. We don't have to worry about him at all!"

"Being able to eat is a blessing. It's a good thing."

Yang Ning replied with a smile.

The owner of the grocery store before him was Wu Xian, the son of Old Wu, a veteran of the Porter Guild.

Thanks to the old ties between the Wu Family and Yang Ning's father from their days in the Guild, Old Wu had often looked after him there.

After the Yang brothers lost their parents and struggled to make ends meet, they often came to the shop to buy things on credit. Wu Xian always turned a blind eye.

From then on, the Yang Family bought all their odds and ends here. They understood the value of returning kindness for kindness.

"My old man still thinks about you all the time.

"He keeps saying, 'Ah Ning quit the Guild so many days ago, and I haven't seen much of him since.

"'I wonder how his new job's going. If it doesn't work out, he can always come back. The Guild's kept his place open...'"

Then Wu Xian changed the subject. Looking at Yang Ning's now upright figure, he said with a sigh,

"It's been so long since I saw you, I almost didn't recognize you.

"I'd say the old man was just being long-winded. Leaving the Guild was the best thing you could've done. Just look at how much this new job has changed you. It seems to have really set you on a better path."

Yang Ning smiled and shook his head.

"Don't say that, Brother Wu. Uncle Wu has always looked after me and kept me in his thoughts. I'll never forget it.

"As for my new job, I was lucky enough to find a place to train in martial arts thanks to my elder brother. It's nothing worth mentioning."

Wu Xian laughed heartily. "Martial arts? That's great!

"Training strengthens your body, and people won't bully you. So, what brings you here today? What do you want to buy?"

"I just got paid, so I thought I'd buy some cloth, shoes, hats, and other odds and ends. I'll also see if there's anything nice I can take home for my family."

Wu Xian looked Yang Ning up and down and nodded slightly.

"True enough. You've always been frugal with your family. But now you've finally made it through the hard times!

"You're a martial artist drawing a regular wage now.

"You should dress the part, too. Buy a few bolts of good cloth and have your sister-in-law make you some nice outfits. Why don't you pick out what you need?"

"You think I don't trust you, Brother Wu?"

With that, Yang Ning took out ten taels of silver and handed him a list.

"Get me some fashionable, good-quality cloth, along with the odds and ends on this list. Brother Wu, help me pick them out."

Wu Xian looked over the list in his hand and couldn't help praising him.

"Yang An and Liu Ying didn't raise you for nothing. These things are all for them, right? You really know how to spend your money once you get paid!"

"My elder brother and sister-in-law have treated me like their own son. What's there to begrudge?"

"Good. For that filial heart of yours, I'll make sure everything's done right. I'll have one of the porters deliver it to your home in a bit."

With that, Wu Xian passed the list to a worker and told him to get everything ready for Yang Ning.

After handing over the list, Yang Ning seemed to have more to say. He continued looking around the shop as if searching for something.

Puzzled, Wu Xian asked, "Ah Ning, if there's anything you need, just tell me. My little shop may not be large, but it's got everything you could want."

Yang Ning stepped closer and spoke quietly.

"There is something I'd like to buy from you, Brother Wu.

"Do you happen to sell weapons for martial artists, like swords and sabers?

"I've looked all over East Third Street, but found nothing except ordinary weapons. Do you have anything that can respond to one's blood and qi, so it can be used against an opponent?"

Ever since he began practicing martial arts, Yang Ning had wanted to buy a weapon to keep at his side.

Although he practiced fist techniques, he knew how important a suitable weapon was. For now, he was focusing on a cultivation method to nurture his blood and qi and raise his cultivation. Later, he would also need to learn a saber or sword technique to give himself more ways to fight.

"Sabers and swords for martial artists?

"They're certainly rare in the Outer City. That'll be a little difficult."

Wu Xian rubbed his chin and spoke slowly.

"The government's control has grown more lax. They're not as strict about martial arts training as they used to be, but they still keep a close eye on weapons that can channel blood and qi. However..."

Yang Ning's eyes lit up. He'd felt a little disappointed when he heard that from someone with as many connections as Wu Xian, but he hadn't expected him to have more to say.

"However, if you're not looking for armor, just a saber or sword, I know a few people who can find you one.

"But the price..."

"How much would it cost?"

"At least a hundred taels of silver. There's no upper limit!"

"Money's no problem! Please help me find one, Brother He!"

Yang Ning answered without hesitation.

"No problem."

After settling the details and the timing, Yang Ning set off for home with light steps.

After turning through a few more streets, the row of low earthen houses where the Yang Family lived appeared before him.

At that moment, there was quite a commotion outside the door at the very end of the row, where a faded blue curtain hung.

Three or four porters had brought handcarts to his home. His bewildered brother and sister-in-law were talking with them, apparently still unaware of what was going on.

From a distance, his elder brother Yang An spotted him. He hurried over, waving and calling out,

"Ah Ning, these Porter Guild brothers say they're here to deliver the things you bought. Go tell them right away to turn around. They've come to the wrong house!"

At that, Yang Ning couldn't help laughing. He slung an arm around his elder brother's shoulders and walked back to the door with him, calling out,

"Brother, you've got it wrong! I really did buy all this stuff to send home! Brothers, please hurry up and carry it inside!"

The porters nearby were all familiar faces. They started teasing him one after another.

"Yang Dalang, you're the son of one of our Guild's old hands. You think we don't know every corner of East Third Street? How could we get the address wrong?"

"Exactly! This is clearly a gift from Yang Erlang, who's made good at last, for his brother and sister-in-law!"

"The Yang Family's finally on the rise. Yang Dalang's done a fine job running the household."

Their teasing left Yang An and his wife both startled and delighted, and Yang Ning burst out laughing.

"Everyone, lend a hand and carry these things inside. I'll give each of you fifty copper coins!"

"Sure thing! Yang Erlang, you're generous!"

The men got to their feet and began carrying baskets of goods off the handcarts and into the house.

His sister-in-law, Liu Ying, hurried inside to clear out the storeroom. Rice, firewood, oil, salt, vinegar, sugar, needles, thread, cloth, shoes, and furniture came in one item after another.

There was everything, and plenty of it.

After the porters took their tips and left, the other three members of the Yang Family stared at their now well-stocked storeroom, momentarily dazed.

Yang Ning gave his niece some fine candies, handed the fashionable cloth and sewing supplies to his sister-in-law, and gave his elder brother the brand-new tools he'd bought for gathering herbs.

Yang An felt as if he were dreaming. He murmured,

"What... What's all this about, Erlang?"

"Brother, I got paid today from a proper job. I saw we were short on a few things at home, so I bought them!"

"A proper job? You got paid?"

Yang An remembered the late-night conversation they'd had at home, when Yang Ning had eagerly told him about his plans.

At the time, he'd thought his younger brother was joking. He hadn't imagined Yang Ning would really pull it off.

"Good... Are better days finally coming?"

"They are, Brother."

His sister-in-law snapped out of her delight and slapped her forehead.

"I was so busy arguing with the porters just now that I forgot to buy vegetables.

"Today's a big day for Ah Ning. We have to celebrate properly. I'll head to the market first."

Yang Ning waved his hand, smiling from ear to ear.

"Perfect. You can take the day off today, too, Sister-in-law.

"Our whole family's going to Spring Transport Restaurant on the street for a proper feast.

"Xiao Hua, do you want to go eat at a big restaurant?"

"Yay, yay! Uncle, let's go there!"

"Come on, I'll carry you."