Discussing Merits and Bestowing Rewards

The scent of river water was thick with the stench of blood and charcoal, assaulting the nostrils and leaving one dizzy and nauseated.

Chen Ye leaned against the ship's railing with his eyes closed, replaying the recent battle in his mind.

This fight was different from the one in the bamboo grove.

The ambush in the bamboo grove had been a surprise attack from the shadows, but this time, it was a head-on collision.

One water bandit fell, and the next was already climbing aboard; the pace was so relentless it gave them no chance to catch their breath.

This was the first time Chen Ye had experienced such a scene.

Through this battle, he discovered that no matter how many techniques one learned, only a few were truly used when it came to killing.

As long as one was fast and strong, the odds of winning were high.

The fires on the deck were gradually extinguished.

In the distance, someone was loudly announcing the bounty rewards.

Chen Ye sheathed his short blade at his waist, slowly stood up, and went to collect his reward.

In this encounter with the bandits, one guard and two reckless sailors had been lost, and the remaining men were mostly wounded.

Steward Zhou was not stingy, and the promised rewards were paid out in full.

"Guard Sun, two bandits killed. Including the agreed-upon bounty for the encounter and a two-tael bonus, a total of six taels."

The old escort's shoulder was wrapped in cloth, with blood faintly seeping through to form a red stain.

Aside from his initial contribution, he had made no kills during the chaotic boarding battle, only managing to drive a few men back.

The old escort silently accepted the reward, his face showing no emotion.

"Guard Wu, four taels of silver."

That Jianghu Guest surnamed Wu had only killed the man who tried to strike Chen Ye from behind; the reward was neither more nor less than expected, and he stepped aside after collecting it.

"Headman Wang, two taels of silver."

"Deckhand Zheng, two taels of silver."

"Guard Zhang, six taels of silver."

"..."

The names were called out one by one.

Those whose names were called beamed with joy as they stepped up to collect their silver.

The ship was filled with a cheerful atmosphere.

Soon, the roster reached Chen Ye.

"Guard Chen, ten taels of silver."

The surroundings went quiet for a moment, and those who had collected their rewards turned their gazes toward Chen Ye in unison.

Their eyes held seven parts surprise, two parts envy, and one part scrutiny.

Someone nudged the person next to them with an elbow, muttering something in a low voice.

This reward was the largest any of them had received this time.

An ordinary laborer earned about two taels of silver a month.

Ten taels was nearly half a year's income for a laborer, enough to cover the annual expenses of an average family of three.

Chen Ye looked young, yet he had been more decisive in killing than those of them who had spent years drifting through the Jianghu.

To them, it was truly inconceivable.

Chen Ye paid no mind to their gazes and stepped forward to collect his reward.

Feeling the weight of the ten taels of silver, his heart leaped with joy.

With this money, added to his daily wages from the journey, he could finally extend his lifespan a little.

He shoved the ten taels into his pocket and turned to slip into his cabin without a change in expression.

He closed the door, pondered for a moment, and summoned the Pawn System.

"Redeem!"

[Remaining Lifespan: 2 months, 14 days]

This reward had been collected in full view of everyone; if he used it all to redeem his life and emptied his pockets, it would inevitably invite suspicion if he couldn't produce money in an emergency later.

Thus, Chen Ye kept two taels for himself and used only the remaining eight to redeem his lifespan.

After the continuous efforts of these past days, his lifespan had returned from a mere day to about two months.

Although it was still not much, he could finally see hope.

A smile couldn't help but appear on Chen Ye's face.

At dusk, he went to the bow of the ship to eat as usual.

After the battle with the water bandits, Chen Ye clearly felt that the people on the boat were a few degrees more polite toward him.

As soon as he approached, someone would proactively shift half a body's width to the side.

Chen Ye was slightly surprised but did not decline; he sat down calmly and ate his meal in silence.

The boat was filled with travelers from all corners of the land, and knowing they would go their separate ways upon reaching the Capital City, no one had any intention of forming deep connections.

After eating, Chen Ye returned to the corner of the cabin, sank his waist, dropped his hips, and stood in a silent stance.

At this moment, the cabin door creaked open.

Escort Master Sun walked in.

He was carrying an empty wineskin, and the white cloth wrapped around his shoulder had just been replaced, still seeping with faint traces of blood; he had come to the cabin looking for wine.

Passing the corner of the cabin, Escort Master Sun slowed his pace but did not make a sound.

Beside him, Chen Ye remained as steady as a rock within the swaying cabin, his breathing rhythmic and his inhalation and exhalation orderly.

After watching for a while, Escort Master Sun spoke up: "You've been practicing this stance for two years, haven't you?"

Chen Ye slowly withdrew his posture and exhaled a long, turbid breath.

He only knew that Escort Master Sun worked for an escort agency; he hadn't expected his eye for talent to be so sharp.

The Foundation Cultivation Technique was obtained from the Gao Family, and it involved too many complications to speak of openly.

"Just some amateur skills picked up from elsewhere, nothing worth mentioning." Chen Ye's tone was flat, clearly unwilling to discuss the matter further.

Escort Master Sun glanced at him but did not press the issue.

Having worked in the escort business for decades, he had seen plenty of young men with mysterious backgrounds.

But Chen Ye's display of youthful promise reminded him of someone.

Escort Master Sun turned the subject: "Which branch are you from? The Runan Chen Clan?"

Chen Ye shook his head: "My family is poor; the elders never mentioned it, and I don't know."

"The Runan Chen Clan has been in decline for three hundred years; these days, even the minor gentry struggle to maintain their status. However, it is said that the Chen clan still retains some fragmented martial arts. You must be from one of those branches to be practicing such a mere scrap of it."

Escort Master Sun's tone carried a hint of self-mockery: "Like our Sun Family, our ancestral martial arts have long since been broken and incomplete, and no younger generation has been able to continue them. It's a pity."

As he spoke, his expression suddenly turned somewhat desolate.

Chen Ye did not want to dwell on family history, so he asked instead: "I hear Escort Master Sun has lived in the Capital City for many years?"

"Mm."

"Are you quite familiar with the Capital City?"

"I wouldn't say familiar, but I know a thing or two." Escort Master Sun saw right through Chen Ye's attempt to gather information and asked: "What are you trying to find out?"

Chen Ye did not act coy and asked directly: "How much do you know about the Xie Family and the Cui Family?"

Escort Master Sun rummaged through his belongings, pulling a jug of wine from some unknown corner.

The old escort did not stand on ceremony; he sat on a wooden crate nearby with the wine, pried open the seal, and took a deep gulp.

"The Xie Family, a second-rank noble house, controls the water transport, and their students and former subordinates are scattered throughout the imperial court. They have a Xiantian ancestor backing them, and they like to leave no room for mercy in their dealings."

He unscrewed the wineskin, glanced at the wound on his shoulder, and began pouring the wine into it: "As for the Cui Family? They are the mortal enemies of the Xie Family; everyone in the Capital City knows it. The Xie Family controls the water routes, so the Cui Family can only guard a few land trade routes, and they've been heavily suppressed over the years."

He paused, a hint of a smile appearing at the corners of his mouth: "Fortunately, the women of the Cui Family are all extraordinary."

Then, he began to introduce them as if reciting a family treasure: "The eldest daughter, Cui Lingyi, is adept at managing the household and handles the accounts for the Cui Family's trading firms; the second daughter, Cui Yingtang, is obsessed with martial arts and is said to have reached the Dragon Elephant realm, making her one of the best fighters of the Cui generation."

At this, he clicked his tongue.

"Come to think of it, among the peers in the Capital City, there aren't many young talents who can beat her."

Dragon Elephant realm.

Chen Ye noted it silently.

If the Cui Family had such descendants and the Xie Family could still suppress them, it meant the Xie Family's foundation was even deeper than the Cui Family's.

He remained calm on the surface and continued to listen.

"Then there is the third daughter, Cui Xijun, who is the most beautiful, skilled in poetry and literature, and plays the zither well; she has quite a reputation among the noblewomen of the Capital."

Finally, his gaze shifted to Chen Ye, and he said half-jokingly: "The Cui Family is currently recruiting retainers. Their bloodline is thin, and they have few male heirs. Someone like you would likely be very welcome."

Chen Ye was speechless.

I would like to, but they might not be willing.

Escort Master Sun stood up, the movement tugging at the arrow wound on his shoulder, causing him to pause as he straightened.

He lowered his head to tighten the wineskin and hang it at his waist, then turned to look at Chen Ye once more as he reached the cabin door.

"Kid. The waters of the Capital City are deep; it's not an easy place to survive. I advise you to focus on your training and keep your mind off the noble families. Be careful you don't lose your life."

The cabin door closed softly behind him.

Chen Ye stood where he was, silent and wordless.

I don't want to provoke them, but they have already provoked me.

To return a favor without giving one in return is against etiquette!

He sank his waist and dropped his hips once more, setting his stance.