Formidable Aunt

On the way back to the inner courtyard, the maid Xiao Cui couldn't help but ask, "Mistress, couldn't you have just spoken to Guard Zhou directly about this matter?"

Li Min chuckled softly, "Any matters concerning my relatives have always been decided by Master Cai. What did Liu bring over today?"

"There are two pressed ducks from the Zhou Family Cured Meat Workshop, and a bolt of..."

"Have the kitchen plate the ducks and send them over at noon." Li Min interrupted the list of gifts Xiao Cui was about to finish reporting.

Approaching noon.

Master Cai returned to the mansion, first visiting the First Mistress, and after the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, he arrived at Li Min's courtyard.

Li Min served Master Cai as he removed his outer robe and washed his hands, and the servants soon brought over exquisite dishes.

"Min'er, what made you think of eating pressed duck today?" Master Cai looked at the duck on the table and asked with some curiosity.

"Master, do you remember my aunt's daughter-in-law? She is the one who sent it over today, so I had the kitchen take it to be prepared right away."

After Li Min finished speaking, her expression suddenly turned cold. Master Cai watched the change in her demeanor and felt a bit curious; in the past, whenever Min'er spoke of Liu, she described her as a sensible person. Even if Min'er couldn't claim to be very close to her, it shouldn't have reached the point of giving her the cold shoulder.

"I've heard you mention her a few times, so I have some impression. Your aunt's family... that Liu? Is there something the matter?"

Hearing her husband's question, Li Min sighed inwardly. She had many relatives, but few were memorable enough for the Master to keep in mind. Liu had never met the Master, and the only reason he remembered her was because she visited the mansion every year.

Otherwise, if she were just trying to curry favor at the last minute, even if she wanted to help, she wouldn't have been able to bring it up.

"Just a small matter, Master, don't worry about it." Li Min said nonchalantly, then poured a cup of wine for Master Cai.

"Tell me about it." Master Cai took a sip of wine and asked with a chuckle.

Li Min put down the wine pot with a sense of helplessness and complained, "Liu comes to visit every year, leaves some gifts, and then departs. I saw that she was well-behaved, and since the gifts weren't worth much, I let her be. I didn't expect her to be so ambitious. Today, she brought her nephew along, actually wanting to have the mansion's guard teach him martial arts."

Master Cai paused while holding his wine cup, "I remember you saying that the men in your aunt's family had all passed away. Does the family still have the money to learn martial arts?"

"She claimed that since there are no men in the house, she wants my nephew to learn some fisticuffs from the guard so he won't be bullied." Li Min gave a disdainful snort, "Does she really think I'm a fool? If he just wanted to learn some basic moves, he could go anywhere. It's clear they want to learn real martial arts but don't want to spend the money, so they set their sights on our house. I've already fulfilled my duty as a relative by letting them have a meal; once they finish eating, I'll have Xiao Cui send them on their way."

Master Cai had only asked casually, but hearing Li Min's words, he became interested, "Min'er, could you be overthinking it?"

"Master, are you taking me for a fool too?" Li Min pouted, her slender fingers poking at the beard on Master Cai's chin, "My nephew is eighteen this year. If she's truly afraid of others bullying a widow and an orphan, she should find him a wife—a girl from a family with many brothers. Wouldn't that be more of a deterrent than him learning a few moves?"

"Min'er is indeed clever." Master Cai stroked his beard and laughed, "But it's not easy for a widow and an orphan. It's not a big deal anyway; if we can help, we should. Tell them to go find Guard Zhou and say it was my order."

"Master!" Li Min pouted, looking reluctant, "If you help with this today, once my other relatives find out, there's no telling how many will come begging at our door. I'll be annoyed to death. No."

"It's settled then. If you don't want to show your face, just have your maid take them to find Guard Zhou."

Master Cai made the final decision and reached out to pull Li Min into his arms. Li Min shook her shoulder in annoyance, but in the end, she didn't pull away and sat reluctantly in his lap.

"Don't be angry. Next time I go to the provincial capital, I'll bring you back something nice."

"That's more like it."

As she was held and comforted by Master Cai, the moment Li Min lowered her head, a trace of triumph flickered in her eyes.

In the afternoon.

"Mistress Lin, the Mistress has some matters to attend to and cannot come in person. Regarding the young master's desire to learn martial arts, she has specifically instructed me to take him to find Guard Zhou."

The maid Xiao Cui arrived. Since the back courtyard of the Cai Mansion was reserved for the guards and male servants, it was not appropriate for Liu to go there.

"Thank you for the trouble, Miss Cui'er. Yan'er, you go ahead."

Liu handed Lin Yan a money pouch, "When you see Guard Zhou, be sure to show proper respect."

Lin Yan nodded and followed Xiao Cui through several corridors until they reached a courtyard in the southwest corner.

Inside the courtyard, a burly man was sitting on a stone pedestal.

"Guard Zhou, the Mistress asked me to bring the young master, Lin, to see you."

"Come in."

Guard Zhou stood up and turned his gaze toward Lin Yan. There was not a hint of confusion on his face, clearly having been informed of the situation in advance.

"Can you read?"

"I studied with a teacher for a period of time."

"The martial arts I practice cannot be passed on without permission. Years ago, I acquired a set of foundation techniques called the Rock Stance, though it is only the most basic of methods. Are you willing to learn it?"

"This junior is willing."

Lin Yan agreed without hesitation. Even if it were the most basic of methods, to him, it was something he had previously only dared to dream of.

Guard Zhou tossed over a book he had prepared in advance, and Lin Yan caught it quickly.

"Although the Rock Stance is a basic technique, if you practice it for a few years to build your strength, dealing with three or five ordinary men will be a breeze. But without my permission, you are not to pass it on to anyone else."

Guard Zhou's attitude was cold; he had no intention of personally guiding him.

Of the three mistresses in the mansion, this Third Mistress was merely a concubine, and she had brought along poor relatives. If not for the Master's word, such people wouldn't even be allowed to step foot in his courtyard.

Practicing martial arts was not something poor people should be delusional enough to pursue.

"Many thanks to Guard Zhou for bestowing this technique."

Lin Yan's attitude remained sincere. He was the one seeking a favor, and as long as the other party helped, there was no need to fuss over their demeanor.

"It's not a free gift. Ten taels of silver."

As soon as Guard Zhou spoke, a silence descended upon the courtyard for a long moment. Xiao Cui frowned slightly, but Lin Yan only paused for a heartbeat before taking the broken silver from the pouch his aunt had given him, counting out ten taels and handing them to Guard Zhou.

Ten taels of silver for a martial arts technique was not expensive.

The original owner had inquired about this when he wanted to learn martial arts.

The so-called martial arts manuals sold on the market cost at least twenty taels, and there was no guarantee they were even authentic.

Ten taels for a genuine martial arts manual was a bargain.

Guard Zhou weighed the silver in his hand before tucking it into his robes.

"These ten taels only buy you the chance to practice the Rock Stance. Without my permission, you are not to pass it on to anyone else."

"This junior will keep that in mind."

Lin Yan's attitude remained as respectful as before, showing no dissatisfaction despite the cost. Seeing that Guard Zhou had no intention of saying more, he took the initiative to ask, "Sir, regarding my practice of the Rock Stance, are there any particular requirements for my diet?"

Since it concerned his future in martial arts, it was better to be clear; as for his pride, that could be set aside for now.

"Diet?"

A trace of impatience flickered across Guard Zhou's face. "Of course there are requirements. You need to be full on polished rice every meal, consume plenty of fish and meat to nourish your blood and qi, and supplement that with medicinal baths and decoctions. The monthly cost starts at five or six taels and can go up to several dozen. Can you afford that kind of expense?"

Lin Yan: ...

"Don't aim too high. Just practice diligently for a few years, and having more strength than the average person will be enough. Don't tell me you actually think you'll make a name for yourself."

He thought back to his own background—he had come from a decent family, but he hadn't known how to save in the beginning, foolishly believing he could achieve a breakthrough quickly. He had ended up exhausting his family's wealth; otherwise, why would he be working as a guard for a merchant family for a monthly salary of sixty catties of meat and eight taels of silver?

Xiao Cui, seeing the atmosphere grow awkward, interjected, "Guard Zhou still needs to practice, so we won't disturb you any further."

Before leaving, Lin Yan bowed respectfully to Guard Zhou once more. "This junior takes his leave."

"To be looked down upon like that and still be so hypocritical at such a young age—he's probably seething with rage inside."

As they stepped out of the courtyard, Guard Zhou's mocking voice drifted from within.

Lin Yan: ...

"Yan'er, did it go smoothly?"

"Very smoothly. I've obtained the martial arts technique, though Guard Zhou said that such arts aren't easily imparted, so he charged a ten-tael instruction fee."

On the way out of the Cai Mansion, Lin Yan reported the good news while omitting the bad, glossing over Guard Zhou's attitude.

"That is only right. Since Guard Zhou is willing to teach you, we should be grateful; don't harbor any resentment just because you had to pay. Since you've chosen to walk the path of martial arts, you must practice hard and be able to endure hardship."

Liu continued her nagging, repeating the same old words, but Lin Yan listened attentively, not a hint of impatience on his face.

In the back courtyard of the Cai Mansion.

Xiao Cui recounted the events exactly as they had unfolded.

Li Min rubbed her temples and looked at Master Cai, who was sitting to the side with a gloomy expression. "Master, it was my nephew who lacked discretion and caused Guard Zhou to be displeased."

Master Cai's expression was grim. The reason he had sent his nephew to find Zhou Yong was not only to assert his authority as the head of the house but also to test Zhou Yong.

He had hired Zhou Yong two months ago, and he needed to know if the man was content serving as a guard in his mansion and if he truly respected him as his master.

If Zhou Yong showed no respect, he would certainly not keep him.

Many wealthy merchants had hired guards only to find they had nurtured a tiger that eventually devoured their family fortune.

Since he had personally given the order this time, even if Zhou Yong looked down on the boy, he should have at least kept up appearances.

Such undisguised contempt meant that Zhou Yong did not hold much respect for him as the master of the house.

"A martial artist from such a wild background isn't suitable to be a guard. I'll have to select someone from the martial arts schools instead."

Master Cai made his decision: at the end of the month, he would dismiss Zhou Yong and hire a martial artist trained in a school.

Martial artists from schools wouldn't dare betray their masters, as it would ruin the school's reputation and make it impossible for their fellow disciples to find work.

It was just that martial artists from schools demanded much higher pay than wild practitioners like Zhou Yong.

"As for your nephew, have Xiao Cui send twenty taels of silver over later."

Ten taels were to return the money Zhou Yong had taken, and the other ten were to preserve the dignity of the Cai Mansion.

PS: Three chapters released at once. After a three-month break, I am publishing again.

The reason for such a long gap this time was the impact of my child; without a buffer of chapters, it's too easy for my train of thought to be interrupted whenever the child gets sick. Thus, I decided to stockpile more chapters.

I had hoped to save three hundred chapters, but I only managed one hundred.

At the same time, I've learned my lesson: I won't focus too much on the data while writing, nor will I disrupt my own rhythm just for the sake of "satisfaction."

In short, a new book, a new beginning. I ask for everyone's support.