She nodded, her tone flat. "Sorry for the trouble."
Li Fu repeatedly assured her it was no trouble at all, then jogged ahead, took out a key, and pushed open the courtyard gate.
"After you, my lord."
The courtyard wasn't large, but it was clean and tidy.
There were three rooms in the main house, one wing on each side, a well in the courtyard, and several clusters of emerald bamboo. It was quite elegant.
"Are you satisfied, my lord?"
Jiang Yuechu glanced around. This place was countless times better than the barracks. How could she possibly be dissatisfied?
"Mm."
She nodded, indicating that it was satisfactory.
Seeing this, Li Fu's smile grew broader. He went on and on about the courtyard's amenities, as well as where to shop in the city and which places served tasty food.
Jiang Yuechu was starting to grow impatient. She waved a hand and cut him off. "All right, you can go now."
Li Fu took the hint, immediately handed over the key, and bowed as he took his leave.
After he left, Jiang Yuechu walked into the courtyard and took a deep breath.
This was her home.
For the first time in this strange world, she had a place of her own to settle down.
Though she had come by this home through a rather roundabout, rather bloody path.
But so what?
She looked around.
"With a house this big, should I hire a few maids and servants to help keep it in order..."
No, no, no.
She shook her little head hard.
Jiang Yuechu, Jiang Yuechu, how could you let yourself sink so low?
You were only a lowly eighth-rank Team Leader, and you were already thinking of hiring people to wait on you?
Besides, even if you wanted to, you couldn't afford it.
She only earned ten taels a month. In the Great Tang Dynasty, ten taels of silver might be enough to keep an ordinary family of three clothed and fed for half a year.
If they were frugal, they could just about make it last a whole year.
But for Jiang Yuechu, that was only a drop in the ocean.
People said that the poor studied and the rich practiced martial arts.
In truth, studying cost money, and practicing martial arts cost even more.
For children from poor families, having enough to eat was already a luxury. How could they spare money for medicinal herbs to nourish their qi and blood, or hire a martial arts instructor?
Even the most basic moves took ten or eight years of hard practice to master.
Aristocratic Clan scions, on the other hand, had skilled mentors from childhood, feasted on delicacies and tonics, and tempered their bodies in medicinal baths. Their bones and sinews naturally far outstripped those of ordinary people.
The cost of all that was worth more than a thousand gold pieces.
The Hundred Demons Compendium was certainly heaven-defying, allowing her to cross in a short time what would take ordinary people decades of hard cultivation.
However, this golden finger wasn't omnipotent.
Even her everyday needs were costly. Now that she had reached the Bone Resonance Realm, her body's need for energy had reached a staggering level.
That meant that just eating would take up most of her pay from now on.
What?
You wanted to know how she'd managed before?
Naturally, she'd shamelessly mooched meals from Wei Qing.
But now she had at least been promoted to an eighth-rank Team Leader. How could she bring herself to keep going over there?
At that thought, she immediately abandoned the idea of spending her salary on luxuries.
Maids and servants, an elegant lifestyle—those were all no more than flowers reflected in a mirror, the moon's reflection in water.
She took a deep breath and cast aside those scattered thoughts.
For now, she decided to go out and buy what she needed.
After all, she'd be living alone from now on.
She'd have to prepare her own food and daily necessities.
East of Liangzhou City, outside the Demon-Pacifying Ward, lay the market district.
Jiang Yuechu first went to a cloth shop and had two everyday outfits tailored. Then she found a tailor and ordered two sets of fitted martial clothes.
After buying everything she needed for daily life, she found a rice shop and bought five shi of fine rice.
The Demon Suppression Bureau's Promotion Bonus didn't include the monthly supply of rice and meat, so she'd have to cover the cost of what she'd used these past few days herself.
The rice was taken care of. Next came the meat.
A martial artist's diet was very different from an ordinary person's.
Ordinary pork and mutton could barely fill the belly, and they did little to improve one's cultivation.
Wealthier martial artists usually bought the flesh of yaoshou.
Yaoshou weren't demons or monsters, but rare and exotic beasts that carried a trace of demon blood.
The Demon Suppression Bureau's Crimson-Eyed Stallions were one such example.
To martial artists, yaoshou flesh was a highly nourishing delicacy.
Jiang Yuechu figured that now she had reached the Bone Resonance Realm, ordinary meat would hardly meet her needs.
Since she was already out shopping, she might as well go take a look at this so-called yaoshou flesh.
After asking around, she headed for the biggest butcher shop in the city.
"What? You want fifty taels for this little bit of meat? Why don't you just rob me?!"
The butcher was a burly, thick-waisted man, yet Jiang Yuechu's shouting made him shrink his neck and look aggrieved.
He glanced at Jiang Yuechu's Demon Suppression Bureau uniform. In the end, he didn't dare say much and only explained in a low voice, "My lord... yaoshou meat has been this expensive for years. Ordinary hunters wouldn't dare touch it. Only some people from the martial world specifically hunt yaoshou..."
Jiang Yuechu took a deep breath, forcibly tamping down her anger.
Fifty taels of silver for such a tiny piece of meat?
Even robbery wasn't this quick!
She only earned ten taels a month. One piece of meat would cost five months' wages. Who could stomach that?
She grumbled inwardly, but kept her expression calm.
Yaoshou meat was good, but she was short on cash right now. She'd have to settle for the next best thing.
It was frustrating, but what else could she do if she couldn't afford it?
It wasn't as if she could actually go rob someone.
That was banditry. Jiang Yuechu was at least an eighth-rank Team Leader with an official post.
"Forget it. Cut me five jin of beef shank, and give me two fat chickens."
She pointed to the ordinary meat on the chopping block, her voice tinged with reluctance.
The butcher breathed a sigh of relief and set to work, quickly cutting and wrapping the meat.
Jiang Yuechu pulled out her purse and was about to pay when a steady voice sounded beside her.
"Wrap up that meat. I'll pay for her."
Jiang Yuechu froze and turned to look.
Dark robes, a tall, straight figure, deep-set brows and eyes, and a steadiness like a mountain.
Who else could it be but Wei He?
Her heart gave a thump.
The most awkward thing in the world was going out shopping and bumping into your boss.
"L-Lord Wei! What are you doing here?"
"I happened to be passing by."
Jiang Yuechu hurriedly waved her hands. "No, no, I couldn't let you pay for me..."
Wei He shook his head. His gaze fell on the few jin of ordinary meat in her hands. "That little bit of money is a drop in the ocean to me. You've entered the Bone Resonance Realm, and this is when you need to nourish your qi and blood. Ordinary meat is nowhere near enough for you. Don't skimp on these worldly things and hinder your cultivation."
"..."
Jiang Yuechu was a little surprised.
She had never told anyone that she'd entered the Bone Resonance Realm.
Even Xu Changfeng hadn't said anything about it at the time.
Wait...
Perhaps Xu Changfeng already knew and had simply been too lazy to mention it.
"Thank you, my lord."
She clasped her fists in gratitude, her voice a little more sincere.
What else could she say?
She couldn't very well argue with her immediate superior in front of the butcher, could she?
Wouldn't that make her seem petty and embarrass her boss?
She sighed inwardly, but a trace of warmth stirred in her heart.
Wei He only gave a faint "Mm" and said no more. He casually pulled out some silver and paid.
The butcher took the money and thanked him repeatedly, then quickly packed the meat Jiang Yuechu had asked for.
Only after Wei He saw her accept it did a hint of satisfaction appear on his face.
He didn't stay long. After a few words, he hurried off again.
It really seemed as though he had just happened to be passing by.
Watching Wei He's back disappear around the corner, Jiang Yuechu stood holding the meat, her heart a tangle of feelings.
What exactly did he want from her, treating her so well...?
Never mind.
A drop of kindness should be repaid with a gushing spring.
Whatever his reasons, she would remember this kindness.
Before you continue