"Three years, six months, and twelve days."
"One year and five months."
"One year and eight months."
"One year and four months."
In the courtyard, Lin Yan looked at the four fruits on the Martial Dao Tree. They had formed after Cao Peng and the other three died last night.
He didn't rush to swallow the four fruits. Instead, he rubbed a layer of Muscle Strengthening Paste over his body and began practicing his fists in the courtyard.
Half an hour later, the noisy voices of neighbors suddenly drifted in from outside the courtyard.
"Xiao Yan, keep practicing. I'll go take a look."
Aunt Liu had heard the commotion inside the house, too. She set down her work and headed for the courtyard gate.
"All right."
As Liu stepped outside, the noise at the gate gradually died down.
After the time it took to brew a cup of tea, Lin Yan saw his aunt return and asked, "Auntie, what happened outside?"
"Xu Ping was attacked in the street earlier when he went out. They say he was badly injured. They've just carried him back from the clinic."
As she spoke, worry showed on Liu's face. Yesterday, Xu Ping had been riding high, with all the neighbors fawning over him. Even the Clear Water Gang had shown him respect. But today, he was badly injured.
Those gangs were ruthless. Could it be that the Clear Water Gang had gone after him because he'd offended them yesterday?
There were only two martial artists in Yuliu Alley. Once the neighbors heard that Xu Ping had been injured, they'd thought to come to the Lin family and sound them out. That was why there had been such a commotion outside just now, but Liu had persuaded them all to leave.
"Xiao Yan, go back and stay at the martial arts hall."
Lin Yan was taken aback, but when he saw his aunt's worried expression, he understood what she was thinking.
She was afraid he would end up beaten and injured like Xu Ping.
"Yesterday, you and Xu Ping snubbed the Clear Water Gang, and then Xu Ping got hurt. The Clear Water Gang might have done it."
The Clear Water Gang was already gone.
Lin Yan added silently. The people who had injured Xu Ping definitely weren't from the Clear Water Gang, but they might have been from the Wang Family, who stood behind it.
The Wang Family suspected that he and Xu Ping had been responsible. Steward Li's visit earlier had been a test.
As for why the Wang Family had attacked Xu Ping but not him, he could guess at some of the reasons.
Martial arts schools differed in strength.
The school Xu Ping had joined was, in Senior Brother Li An's words, a no-name outfit. The Yang Family Martial Arts Hall, on the other hand, was one of the six great martial arts halls in Guangping County.
The Wang Family didn't dare make a move against him because they feared the Yang Family Martial Arts Hall behind him.
That was why Ge Hui had gone to such lengths to get Zheng Bo to set him up. He couldn't find a martial artist willing to deal with Lin Yan directly.
Of course, Ge Hui was also reluctant to spend money.
At that moment, Lin Yan was glad he'd listened to Escort Chen and joined the Yang Family Martial Arts Hall without worrying about the cost.
After a moment's thought, Lin Yan said, "Auntie, I'll go see Big Brother Xu."
When he arrived at the Xu family's home and sensed the atmosphere there, he furrowed his brow.
Yesterday, the Xu home had been full of celebration. Today, it was shrouded in gloom.
"Ahem... Lin Yan, you're here." Xu Ping lay in bed, his face deathly pale.
"Big Brother Xu, do you know who hurt you?"
"My attacker was masked. I couldn't make out his face, but he was definitely an expert in the first stage of Skin Polishing. At first, I suspected the Clear Water Gang, but a senior brother from my martial arts school just told me that Cao Peng of the Clear Water Gang was killed."
Xu Ping smiled bitterly. "Lin Yan, you're a disciple of a martial arts school, too. You know that disciples from humble backgrounds like us just practice at the school and don't go looking for trouble. I really can't think of who would have done this."
Lin Yan fell silent. Xu Ping had been caught in the crossfire because of him.
He'd killed those men, but Xu Ping had taken the blame.
Still, it was possible the Wang Family knew Xu Ping wasn't the killer and had simply taken out their anger on him.
After staying at the Xu home for a while, Lin Yan turned and walked out. Seeing Father Xu's sorrowful face, he thought for a moment, then pulled a five-tael silver ingot from his robes.
He'd gotten thirty taels from Cao Peng and the others. Xu Ping had suffered because of him, so giving him ten or twenty taels would have been nothing.
But in the end, he gave only five. It wasn't because he was stingy; he simply didn't know whether the Wang Family was still watching him. He and Xu Ping weren't particularly close, and given his family's means, five taels was already a generous amount. Giving more might arouse the Wang Family's suspicions.
"Uncle, just a small token."
"Th-thank you, Xiao... Thank you, Master Lin."
"Uncle, you're an elder. Just call me Xiao Yan."
Watching Father Xu accept the silver with excitement and trepidation, Lin Yan sighed inwardly. He said nothing more and strode out of the Xu home.
As he stepped through the gate, a chill entered Lin Yan's eyes. Xu Ping had been targeted by the Wang Family because of him. He had to avenge him.
"Dad, has Lin Yan left?"
Xu Ping lay in bed and asked as his father returned to the room.
"I just saw Lin Yan out. Before he left, he gave us five taels of silver. I'll go to the clinic and get you a few more doses of medicine in a bit."
"Five taels?"
Surprise showed on Xu Ping's face. He'd expected Lin Yan to give them some money, but he hadn't thought it would be this much.
He knew the Lin family's circumstances. Honestly, it was already beyond his expectations that Lin Yan had managed to afford enough to reach the first stage of Skin Polishing.
Five taels—this was probably most of the silver Lin Yan had.
"People really are laughable."
A mocking look crossed Xu Ping's face. He'd been beaten and injured, and even if the Clear Water Gang had nothing to do with it, he'd stood up for the neighbors yesterday so they wouldn't have to pay the Clear Water Gang's protection money.
Yet today, when his father had asked the neighbors for a loan to pay for his treatment and medicine, they'd all pleaded poverty. Some had even made sarcastic remarks. Raising money to treat him—how was that any different from paying protection money to the Clear Water Gang?
"Dad, give the sinecure you arranged for me to Lin Yan."
Father Xu froze. "Ping..."
"Dad, my life is already ruined. Give Lin Yan the opportunity. It'll let our family form a bond of goodwill with him."
Xu Ping's resolve was firm. Lin Yan had given them five taels at a time like this, which proved he wasn't a coldhearted person. Helping him when he was in need was the best choice.
After visiting Xu Ping, Lin Yan returned home and continued practicing his fists. He had no idea what Xu Ping and his father had discussed after he left.
Night fell.
Lin Mo came racing into the courtyard from where he'd been playing by the gate and called out, "Mom, Big Brother, Uncle Xu is here!"
A moment later, Xu Hai appeared at the entrance and immediately called to Lin Yan, who stood in the courtyard. "Xiao Yan, am I interrupting your training?"
"Not at all. Uncle Xu, please come in."
Lin Yan ushered Xu Hai inside. Liu was about to go make tea, but Xu Hai quickly waved his hands. "Sister-in-law, no need to trouble yourself. I just have something to discuss with Xiao Yan, then I'll head back. There's... there's still things to take care of at home."
His voice sank as he spoke.
"Uncle, Big Brother Ping is blessed. He'll definitely recover from his injuries," Lin Yan said, trying to comfort him.
"Even if he recovers, his martial path is ruined."
Xu Hai let out a long sigh. Then, noticing the somber atmosphere in the courtyard, he came to his senses. He hadn't come here to pour out his grief.
"Xiao Yan, I had Ping take up martial arts because when I was young, I worked odd jobs for a wealthy family. One day, the young master's son was playing around and accidentally fell into the water. I happened to be working nearby and pulled him out. Even without me, the household servants and guards who came running would have saved the young master's son. But the master remembered what I'd done and rewarded me with a good sum of silver. That reward was what let our family afford martial arts training for Ping. The master also promised that once Ping had made something of himself in martial arts, he could take a sinecure at their residence."
As Xu Hai told his story, Lin Yan learned about the relationship between him and the wealthy family he worked for.
It wasn't exactly a life-saving favor, but to a wealthy household, sparing their child even a single breath of suffering in the water was worth a reward.
Back then, the master had offered Xu Hai an easy job at the residence, but Xu Hai had refused.
Xu Ping had been only ten at the time. But working for the wealthy family had opened Xu Hai's eyes to the wider world, and he'd wanted his son to learn martial arts.
In the end, the master had given Xu Hai fifty taels of silver, along with a promise of a sinecure.
"Now Ping clearly can't take that sinecure. After discussing it with him, I decided to give that opportunity to you, Xiao Yan."
"Uncle Xu, which family in the county does that master belong to?"
Lin Yan asked curiously. Anyone with the means to give fifty taels outright and promise a sinecure must have been powerful. The family Xu Hai worked for probably had considerable standing, too.
"The Tang Family in the east of the city."
"The Tang Family that deals in medicinal herbs?"
Lin Yan's voice rose a little. He couldn't help it—the Tang Family was famous throughout the county.
While at the martial arts hall, Lin Yan had learned plenty about the county's various powers from Senior Brother Li An. His senior brother had called the Tang Family the best place to take a sinecure.
In Senior Brother Li An's words, the powerful families in the county—the Zhou Family, the Wang Family, the Sun Family, and the rest—had no real foundation. The Tang Family was the strongest of them all.
The Tang Family had practically monopolized the medicinal herb trade throughout Guangping County. A sinecure with them paid well, and martial artists could also buy the medicinal herbs they needed at low prices.
Any martial artist who could take a sinecure with the Tang Family would choose them over any other family.
Unfortunately, the Tang Family's sinecure positions for martial artists were already full. Only a handful of martial artists could take positions with the Tang Family each year.
Lin Yan hadn't expected that his guilty conscience, which had led him to give Xu Ping five taels, would earn him such a good sinecure.
"Uncle Xu, since you have ties to the Tang Family, why not ask them to find a way to help Big Brother Ping?"
A bitter smile appeared on Xu Hai's face. "Xiao Yan, I won't hide it from you. Back then, I asked for too much. The master was generous enough to agree and make that promise, but it also meant he considered the debt between us repaid."
Xu Hai still regretted what he'd done back then. When the master had told him to name his price, he'd gotten carried away and asked for Ping to be taught martial arts. He'd forgotten that he wasn't really the young master's savior—he'd only acted a few breaths before the household guards arrived.