Engraved in the Bones

"Oh? You two know each other?" Han Gui became interested.

Thoughts raced through Su Yuan's mind. "Reporting to you, sir, this lowly one met Madam once before. When I first arrived in Ji City, Madam once gave me porridge to keep me alive. We had no contact after that."

As he spoke, he rummaged through the wooden box and drew out another wooden carving, bowing toward the woman. "Madam, the kindness of a bowl of porridge should be repaid with a gushing spring. When you and Young Master celebrate your joyous union, this lowly one will surely bring generous gifts to congratulate you. This Child-Bestowing Guanyin shall first offer my congratulations to you both."

The carving was barely an inch tall. Guanyin's features were gentle, a lotus cradling a child in her arms. The folds of her robes flowed smoothly, the craftsmanship was exquisite, and it carried an air of peace and auspiciousness.

Su Yuan always kept such small trinkets in his wooden box. He had carved them while practicing in his spare time, and blessings and lucky charms made up the largest share.

"You! You ungrateful wretch! Even if I die, I will never marry Shan Xiongqing, much less bear bastards for Liang People!" The woman's graceful body heaved violently. She was clearly furious beyond measure.

The iron chains and bead ornaments on her body clattered together.

Damn it, did I go too far? Su Yuan glanced at Han Gui from the corner of his eye.

Yet Han Gui clapped his hands and laughed. "I thought Madam was truly hard as iron. So you have a soft spot after all! As for calling him an ungrateful wretch? I don't see it that way. The wolf is the totem of our Great Liang—loyal, brave, bold, and sworn to serve unto death. This little brother is clearly a man who understands the times! I'll accept this Guanyin for Young Master first."

The woman trembled from head to toe with rage, but ultimately fell silent once more and refused to say another word.

Su Yuan sighed in relief at the sight. Thankfully, she no longer pressed him.

Faced with someone as unyielding as her, Su Yuan could only feel helpless. He merely wanted to survive.

Since she had already been imprisoned here, her ending had long been decided. Marriage and childbirth were only matters of time. Where was there any room for refusal?

Yet she had insulted the Liang People and rebelled against them so openly, and Han Gui's group tolerated it. Could it be that Young Master Shan was really love-struck beyond reason?

Having offended her today, would she remember this grudge in the future?

Su Yuan secretly regretted it. He had only wanted to take on a job. Who could have expected things to spiral in such an uncontrollable direction?

In the end, I'm still too weak. If I had the strength to kill my way through this place, why would I need to humble myself like this? I need to train in martial arts. I need time!

"Sir, this lowly one has an impertinent request. I have admired martial arts since childhood. I beg you to show me a path and recommend me for entry into the Martial Registry. If I achieve anything in the future, I will serve you like a dog or horse." Su Yuan spoke.

Han Gui looked him up and down, then weighed the silver ingot in his sleeve and smiled. "Easy enough. You're a sensible one, and I find you pleasing to the eye. Once today's matter is settled, I'll recommend you. What is your name?"

Su Yuan hurriedly bowed again, slipping two taels of silver into the other man's sleeve as he did so. "This lowly one is Su Yuan. Many thanks, sir, for your support."

This Han Gui really was the sort who took money and got things done.

Han Gui accepted the silver, patted Su Yuan on the shoulder, and turned to the other craftsmen. "Good, good, good! All of you should learn from Little Brother Su. A wise man submits to the times!"

The craftsmen looked at one another.

A painter gritted his teeth and pulled several scraps of silver from his sleeve, offering them up. "Sir, a small token of my respect..."

With one person taking the lead, the rest also began presenting money or small items. Han Gui refused no one and accepted every offering without exception, the smile on his face growing ever brighter.

He cleared his throat and raised his voice. "I won't deceive you either. As long as you do today's work well and satisfy Young Master, you'll be awarded third-class household status. From then on, you will no longer be Grey People!"

Light suddenly burst into everyone's eyes.

Su Yuan was not surprised. Through Old Liu's connections, he had learned of this long ago.

Great Liang enforced a harsh system of ranks.

Originally, there were three classes: first-class nobles and Martial Warriors, second-class commoners, and third-class slaves.

After Great Liang marched south, the Jing People in the occupied territories fell into the fourth class, lower even than Liang slaves. They were collectively known as Grey People.

As lowly as dust, scattered by a single gust of wind.

The lower one's rank, the more restricted one's movements in the city and the heavier the taxes one had to bear. Those of lower rank also had to bow and yield the way upon meeting their betters.

And every step of rank advancement was fraught with difficulty.

For Su Yuan, the simplest shortcut was obtaining a Martial Registry. Once he became a Martial Warrior, he could rise directly to the second class.

But Jing Martial Warriors still ranked one level below Liang Martial Warriors.

Han Gui's tone suddenly turned cold. "Do you all understand? Then hurry up and get to work! Whoever dares slack off, or makes something that fails to catch Young Master's eye—"

He heavily slapped the hilt of the blade at his waist. Without finishing his sentence, he turned and walked out of the side hall.

Everyone's hearts tightened. They hurriedly buried themselves in their work, not daring to slacken in the slightest.

Su Yuan also prepared to return to his place, only to find that the people around him avoided him as though he were plague.

"Petty man. Disgusting!" someone muttered with a curse.

Another man kneading clay figurines chimed in. "Exactly. Spineless."

"You really think stuffing out a few filthy coins will make you a Martial Warrior? You're as skinny as a monkey..."

The others despised Su Yuan as a traitor, but they also resented that his taking the lead in offering tribute had forced them to pay as well.

They now turned all the resentment from that loss into contempt and isolation, hurling it at Su Yuan.

Su Yuan lowered his gaze slightly.

He knew he would succeed.

As long as he became a Martial Warrior and gained strength, a moment's forbearance and flattery would amount to nothing.

The side hall gradually fell quiet, leaving only the rasp of carving knives cutting through wood and the soft rustle of brushes touching paper.

[Carving: 1997/2000 (Complete)]

Su Yuan was making a full-round sculpture, which required him to carve around the woman's entire body, so he walked in front of her.

Perhaps out of guilt—after all, she truly had helped him before—Su Yuan softly said, "Sorry."

Then he planned to change direction and stop carving her face, leaving her this last shred of dignity.

"Peh!"

A mouthful of warm, wet saliva suddenly landed on the back of his hand.

Su Yuan flung his hand away as if shocked, a nameless fury surging up inside him. He looked up at her in stunned anger.

Yet her deep eyes were brimming with tears, and her red lips moved slightly, seeming to say: Help me.

Su Yuan thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. He wiped the filth from his hand in disgust and turned to leave.

The woman's lips moved again. The tears in her eyes rapidly vanished, leaving behind only icy coldness: If you don't help, you'll die.

Su Yuan did not understand Lip Reading, but he saw that final word—die—with perfect clarity.

His earlier worries abruptly resurfaced. He picked up a scrap of waste wood and carved words into it: What do you want to do?

"Su Yuan, help me retrieve something," the woman continued to mouth silently.

Su Yuan could only guess as best he could, then carve his guesses into the wood for her confirmation.

After piecing together the general meaning, the woman gently nodded.

Su Yuan's heart jumped as he recalled her lightning-fast change of expression. Could everything she did earlier have been an act?

At that moment, golden words flowed before his eyes.

[Lip Reading: 1/100 (Beginner)]

Su Yuan glanced around. The others were keeping far away from him, and the woman's black hair had fallen loose. Only from his side could her face be seen clearly.

"Sorry, I can't help. I have a family," Su Yuan carved.

"If you don't help me, I only need one sentence to make Shan Xiongqing kill you," the woman threatened.

After Lip Reading reached Beginner level, communication between the two became much smoother.

Su Yuan was displeased, but he carved: "Madam, please spare me. There is no great hatred between us."

"But we are both Jing People. There is a black box in the manor's woodshed. You are a carpenter, the most suitable person, with the best reason to retrieve it and take it out."

Su Yuan lowered his head in thought, as if weighing the matter.

Seeing there was hope, the woman immediately raised the stakes. Her lips formed enticing words: "A Great Liang Martial Registry is hard to obtain, and what they teach you is inferior stuff anyway. A martial arts manual is hidden in the woodshed. Once it is done, Cloud-Striding Martial Hall will accept you as well and teach you true martial arts."

Threats and temptation intertwined.

The fingers gripping Su Yuan's carving knife tightened almost imperceptibly.

He truly was tempted.

"Really?"

"What benefit would there be in lying to you now?"

"How?"

"First, like this... then like that... Fine, decide for yourself."

"Aren't you afraid I'll report you the moment I turn around?" Su Yuan made one final probe.

"Compared to Liang People, I am more worthy of trust. Su Yuan, you are a good person. I have seen you giving aid to Jing People outside your shop. Your heart is not bad. I was wrong to curse you earlier."

She gave me a good-person card? Looks like she really has nowhere left to turn. Su Yuan still felt stifled inside.

If she had not suddenly dragged him into this, how would there have been all this trouble afterward?

Forget it. Perhaps this is karma. The kindness of that bowl of porridge really must be repaid with a gushing spring.

Once he had been drawn into this matter, there was no longer any way back.

Liang People could not be trusted, and this woman's words might not all be true either. He had seen that performance just now clear as day.

Since he had decided, he would walk this dark road to the end.

If there truly was something in the woodshed, he would make sure it was in his hands first.

Having thought it through, Su Yuan looked at that lovely face with a complicated expression and, as if possessed, asked, "What about you?"

"Would Liang People truly spare me? Still, thank you. At least you have let a thread of hope burn within me again. Remember to carve my face beautifully." The woman smiled softly. The smile was so beautiful it made one's heart ache, yet her face revealed a resolve and relief that brooked no doubt.

Su Yuan fell silent for a moment. "What is your name?"

"Yun Xu."

"Yun Xu, I will remember you." Su Yuan silently repeated it in his heart. The carving knife in his hand fell, completing the final stroke.

His hands could not stop. After receiving her silent consent, he ultimately carved her face after all.

[Carving: 2000/2000 (Complete)]

[Obtained Trait: Engraved in the Bones]

[Engraved in the Bones: Deep in the marrow, forever etched in the heart]

[You can perceive the framework of all things, seize their most essential traits, commit them to memory, and find them difficult to erase; distinguish them at a glance. Your skillful hands gain spiritual understanding, your fingers become vastly more nimble, and everything you carve is cut to the bone with every stroke, possessing both form and spirit.]

Engraved in the Bones?

Although she was beautiful, it had not reached that extent. Still, the lesson from this time truly had been engraved in the bones.

One wrong step led to wrong steps all the way down. He would have to be more cautious in the future.

Su Yuan's vision abruptly became clear. When he looked at Yun Xu again, his breathing could not help growing heavier.

With the Trait's enhancement, the contours of the figure before him suddenly became incomparably distinct. The characteristics of every part of her skeletal frame revealed themselves in a strange manner.

This skeletal frame is so well-proportioned—it is practically a work of art! I should have carved it this way earlier. Su Yuan spun the carving knife in his hand with some regret.

Other than that final trace of defiance and relief he had captured, everything else was flawed.

He could not help looking Yun Xu over again.

Yun Xu felt somewhat uncomfortable beneath his suddenly burning gaze.

Had that smile just now really been so devastating?

"Little brother, stop looking. You can't have this big sister. I already have someone I love." Knowing he would surely attempt it, Yun Xu felt a weight lift from her heart and teased him.

Su Yuan's expression turned strange. Who wants to have you? Women's thoughts are truly strange.

But when he caught sight of Han Gui's figure from the corner of his eye, Su Yuan's carving knife flashed. He swiftly erased the words on the wood, then ground away that trace of unyielding spirit from the wooden sculpture.