Smearing His Name

After seeing the two off, Su Yuan glanced at his own stats.

[Literacy: 257/2000 (Perfected)]

[Grinding: 178/2000 (Perfected)]

[Painting: 114/2000 (Perfected)]

These were the three skills he would focus on grinding next.

Thinking back on the times he had acquired Traits, Su Yuan noticed a pattern.

He had obtained Split in Two by cleaving a piece of wood in half.

He had gained Skillful Ease by sawing through a Treasure Fish.

His earlier experiences made him suspect that Traits were tied to the final step of perfecting a skill.

Once these skills neared complete perfection, he could start experimenting.

Su Yuan took some silver and headed to the Xiangfu Chamber of Commerce again. At last, he could start taking medicine.

Inside, Old Liu was working an abacus. "Su, you're finally here! I sold that last batch to a gentleman as a lot—for a full twenty taels! From now on, we'll do it the usual way: we take orders, you supply the goods, and we split the proceeds fifty-fifty."

That was how they normally worked together: test the waters with an initial batch, then share the proceeds from later sales.

Su Yuan brought out another five sets of Building Blocks. "I've been entered in the Martial Registry. Training will cost me plenty from now on, so let's make it seventy-thirty. I get seven shares, you get three. As long as you want stock, I can supply it."

"Seventy-thirty? Su, what grade are your martial aptitude?" Old Liu's eyes widened.

"Low grade," Su Yuan said evenly.

"Low grade..." Old Liu fell into thought.

Su Yuan sighed inwardly. He was probably about to hear the usual lecture about martial aptitude.

"Fine." To his surprise, Old Liu nodded.

Huh?

Old Liu went on, "We were already getting the better end of that fifty-fifty split. Now that you're training, your expenses will only grow. Besides, there's good money in these Building Blocks."

"Then you have my thanks, Old Liu." Su Yuan cupped his hands. "I'd like to stock up on medicine for training. What would you recommend?"

"The most common is Blood Qi Powder, two taels a packet. Blood Qi Pills cost five taels each. Both come from Great Liang. You're taking the Martial Assessment in half a month, right? I'd recommend the powder. Dissolve a dose in water every day, and it'll replenish your Blood Qi," Old Liu said.

"Old Liu, do you know exactly what the Martial Assessment involves?" Su Yuan pressed.

Old Liu shook his head. "All I know is that if your martial aptitude really is low grade, taking it could be dangerous. You count as one of the Shan Family's people now, don't you? It wouldn't hurt to make yourself known to those above you."

Su Yuan nodded, then asked, "Do you have any Treasure Fish?"

"A few, but not many. Even the cheapest cost five taels apiece."

When Su Yuan left the Xiangfu Chamber of Commerce, his box held one Treasure Fish and two packets of Blood Qi Powder.

He had not dared buy more. For now, his excuse was merely that he was building up his health; drawing attention would be unwise.

Back home, he finally saw a familiar figure.

"Tie Niu! You're back! Where have you been all this time?" Su Yuan's face lit up.

Tie Niu broke into a grin when he saw him. "Brother Yuan, I met someone who gave me a chance! A young master tested me a few days ago and found I had high-grade martial aptitude. He sent me straight to a Martial Academy. He even promised I could bring you along to train."

"High-grade martial aptitude?" Su Yuan started, then beamed for him. "Tie Niu, you did it!"

High-grade martial aptitude made him a talent for martial training.

But worry quickly followed. "You joined the Chai Family Martial Academy? They didn't make you sign a contract, did they?"

Tie Niu's eyes flickered, but he quickly shook his head. "It's the Chai Family's, but I haven't signed anything yet."

"Yet?"

"The young master said that if I sign a contract, they'll train me for free. If I don't, I'll have to pay for it myself," Tie Niu explained.

"Then don't sign, no matter what. I'll pay for your training. I've been entered in the Martial Registry too, so we can both train now. It's just a shame we won't be at the same Martial Academy." Su Yuan handed him a packet of Blood Qi Powder.

"Brother Yuan..." Tie Niu did not want to keep burdening him.

"Think of it as a loan. You can pay me back someday. And tell me whenever you're short of money." Su Yuan smiled.

"All right." Tie Niu took the powder, his eyes reddening.

Su Yuan pulled him inside. "Tie Niu, come try this Treasure Fish."

As he ate, Tie Niu asked, "Brother Yuan, what grade is your martial aptitude?"

Su Yuan thought for a moment. "Middle grade."

Tie Niu breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good. With middle-grade martial aptitude, you won't have to take the ability test at the Martial Assessment in half a month. The young master told me it's going to be dangerous this time."

Su Yuan's interest sharpened. "Do you know the details?"

Tie Niu said, "I heard it's a free-for-all at the riding grounds. They'll drive everyone into the arena, then release fierce horses. Only those who survive under their hooves pass."

"Would people who can ride have an advantage?"

"Maybe."

Su Yuan lowered his gaze.

Should I perfect my [Riding] skill first?

But it was still a long way from perfection.

"I'll focus on martial training for the next half month and practice riding on the side," Su Yuan decided.

With [Slippery Escape] to help him, he should have an edge when it came to fleeing the melee.

Tie Niu had to leave again soon after his return. Su Yuan pressed fifteen taels of silver on him, then went back to training, making time to visit the riding grounds.

Five days passed in a flash. The two packets of Blood Qi Powder and the Treasure Fish were gone.

[Golden Horse-Head Technique: 151/500 (First Layer)]

[Riding: 356/1000 (Advanced)]

"The powder works about as well as the fish. But two packets cost four taels and last three days, while one fish costs five taels and lasts two. The powder's a better deal." Su Yuan decided to use Blood Qi Powder from then on.

Good news came from Old Liu too. That batch of Building Blocks had sold out quickly, earning Su Yuan twenty-four taels.

Su Yuan could not help marveling at how lavishly the Liang People spent on novel toys like these.

As far as he knew, many Liang People who came here had amassed fortunes. Even many second-class Liang People had accumulated wealth rivaling the nobility's.

He looked at the four children in his shop—three boys and a girl. Still clutching scraps of wood, they were rummaging through wooden bowls and ladles.

The oldest boy picked up a little wooden hairpin and held it beside the girl's hair. "Qingqing, this looks nice. Boss, how much?"

"Brother Lu, it looks expensive. I don't want it," Qingqing whispered. Mud still smeared her face.

Su Yuan waved a hand. "Stop worrying about prices. Take whatever you like."

He took out a set of Building Blocks and handed it over. "This is what children should be playing with."

"Thank you, boss!" The children hurriedly bowed their heads.

"Big brother, could you give me that statue? Or let me owe you for it?" After hesitating for quite a while, Qingqing pointed at the Yun Xu Statue.

Su Yuan gave her a suspicious look and shook his head. "Sorry, no."

"All right."

The children thanked him again, set down the scraps of wood, and left.

Su Yuan looked at the Yun Xu Statue, feeling uneasy.

What the Shan Family's young master had done to Yun Xu had inspired other Liang People to follow suit. They all delighted in recording scenes of Jing People being humiliated.

Such lurid paintings and statues had spread rapidly among Great Liang's nobles.

Nearly every woodcarving he had delivered to the Shan Family these past few days had been a Yun Xu Statue.

In fact, most of the Yun Xu Statues on the market had come from his hands.

His shop's reputation had also been worsening lately. Someone seemed to be smearing him behind his back.

After all, apart from the Building Blocks and Yun Xu Statues, he had hardly taken commissions from anyone else.

It was most likely someone from the Cloud-Striding Martial Hall. He would have to find a chance to go over and explain.

At Fengxing Teahouse, the patrons were talking over one another about recent events:

"Heard about that silly kid from the Su Family next door? Turns out he has high-grade martial aptitude, and the Chai Family Martial Academy took him in! Several Liang families want to win him over. Lucky bastard."

"So what if he has high-grade martial aptitude? He's still a Liang lackey." Someone spat the words so quietly they were barely audible.

Nearby, a stonemason picked grime from the sole of his foot and snorted. "I don't know that kid, but I know his brother, Su Yuan. Spineless, ungrateful wretch! Back when he was carving statues for the Shan Family, that girl had done him a kindness. To curry favor with the Liang People, he carved her in a way no decent person should see."

"That's right! Those statues of women baring their bodies are all the rage among Liang nobles now. He made most of them," someone else chimed in.

"Really? He made those outrageous sculptures? I'd never have guessed. He looks decent enough."

"Decent, my ass! That's how he wormed his way into the Shan Family's favor. He even sold himself cheap."

"Despicable! Climbing the ladder by degrading his own people. You'd all better keep your womenfolk close, lest he set eyes on them..."

"Keep your voice down. He's got a capable younger brother—a martial talent with high-grade aptitude. Who can touch him now? Good people die young, and scourges live a thousand years." Someone else took up the conversation, then began lamenting the Cloud-Striding Martial Hall.

Several more days passed. Only one day remained before the Martial Assessment.

Su Yuan checked his progress.

[Golden Horse-Head Technique: 322/500 (First Layer)]

[Riding: 1557/2000 (Perfected)]

His technique's progress had passed three hundred. Though Su Yuan had yet to become a Martial Warrior, the growth in his Blood Qi and strength was real.

He felt he could kill Wang Er with a single punch now.

He had also noticed that as his physique strengthened, the boosts from his Traits grew too.

In simple terms, each Trait granted a precious percentage-based increase that would shine even more later on.

He had ground Riding to the Perfected stage. It had not unlocked a Trait, but he had become highly skilled at handling horses.

"Next, I need to seek some help."