Temporary Post

Chen Jianghe stepped onto the boat deck and pushed open the creaking cabin door.

Lin was squatting by the stove, blowing on the embers. Seeing her son return, she hurriedly stood up and wiped her hands. "Jianghe? Why are you back today?"

"Mother, pack your things. We're moving today." Chen Jianghe spoke decisively, a smile on his face. "Master has agreed to let you stay at the martial arts hall. The woodshed in the back is simple, but it can be tidied up to live in. It's better than this place."

Lin froze, her hands rubbing unconsciously against her apron. "Really... he really said that? Is it appropriate? A woman like me, moving into a martial arts hall—won't people gossip?"

Chen Jianghe took his mother's rough hands in his, his tone steady. "Since Master has given his word, it is the hall's business. You'll be helping with chores—washing, cooking, cleaning the courtyard—these are honest tasks. Who would gossip about that?"

He paused, then added, "The Sun Moon Cult is gathering at the outer city street corners to preach today. Loach Bay will be targeted sooner or later. Besides, the Black Tiger Gang will surely continue hunting down Li Gouzi's people. Mother, no matter how run-down the martial arts hall is, it still has a name to protect it."

Lin nodded, looking around the dilapidated cabin where they had lived for over a decade. "Alright, I'll listen to you."

Chen Jianghe supported his mother's arm. "Let's go, Mother. Uncle Liu said he'd be bringing some things over later; let's not make him miss us."

As the mother and son stepped onto the shore, a familiar figure turned the corner of the alley.

Uncle Liu was carrying a bamboo basket, walking with hurried steps. Seeing them emerge, he rushed over. "I was just on my way to find you!"

He shoved the basket into Lin's hands. "Take this for the road. There are a few steamed buns inside, and some pickled vegetables."

Lin took the basket, her voice choking up. "Uncle Liu, all these years, I've relied on your help..."

"What's there to say!" Uncle Liu waved his hand, looking at Chen Jianghe with a complex expression. "You're really leaving?"

Chen Jianghe nodded. "Master agreed to let my mother do some chores at the hall and stay in the woodshed for now."

Uncle Liu fell silent for a moment, then patted his shoulder heavily. "Perhaps you're right, Jianghe. It's getting less and less peaceful out here. Three more people died in the back street of the Shen Mansion yesterday—they say it was the Black Tiger Gang and the Iron Hand Gang fighting over territory... Sigh, this world."

He reached into his tunic, pulled out a small cloth bundle, and forced it into Chen Jianghe's hand. "Take it."

Chen Jianghe felt the weight and knew it was money. He immediately tried to refuse. "Uncle Liu, I can't take this! The money you gave last time is still..."

Uncle Liu glared at him. "If I tell you to take it, take it! Your mother is at the hall, and while they provide food and shelter, daily expenses still cost money. And your martial arts training is a bottomless pit! I'm old, with no children of my own; keeping this is useless. Just train hard. When you make something of yourself, buy me a jug of good wine—that'll be repayment enough."

Chen Jianghe felt a tightness in his throat. "Uncle Liu..."

"Alright, alright, get going!" Uncle Liu turned around and waved his hand. "Be careful on the road."

Chen Jianghe bowed deeply to that slightly hunched back.

"Mother, let's go."

Three months passed in the blink of an eye.

Lin rose before dawn every day to boil water, cook porridge, wash clothes, and sweep the courtyard.

She was diligent and quiet, and the disciples at the hall gradually grew accustomed to the taciturn woman. Occasionally, after finishing their training, they would call out, "Aunt Lin, is there any water?"

Chen Jianghe, meanwhile, had completely immersed himself in his training.

In these three months, his body had grown sturdy as if inflated. His shoulders and back had broadened, his arm muscles were knotted, and his once-gaunt face had developed sharp angles. The coarse cloth jacket now strained against his shoulders, already feeling tight.

[Fate: Heaven Rewards Diligence, Success is Guaranteed]

[Current Skill: Three-Body Stance (Minor Achievement)]

[Progress: 23%]

[Current Skill: Five Elements Fist (Entry)]

[Progress: 78%]

[Utility: None]

Although life had entered a brief period of stability, Chen Jianghe dared not slack off. A woodshed was, after all, a woodshed—cold in winter and hot in summer—not a place for long-term residence. His mother was growing older; she couldn't live there forever.

Chen Jianghe calculated that he needed to rent a small room near the hall. No matter how small, it would be a real home.

Furthermore, martial arts training was a bottomless pit. Since reaching minor achievement in his stance, his demand for blood and energy had grown even greater than before.

The ten pounds of meat provided by the hall each month, plus the portion he "traded" for with Third Senior Brother, was barely enough to sustain his cultivation. If he wanted to go further and break through the barrier of Ming Jin, he needed additional income.

That afternoon, after finishing a set of the Five Elements Fist, Chen Jianghe wiped his sweat and walked to the veranda.

He Shouzhuo was squatting by a stone lock, polishing a pair of wrist guards with coarse sandpaper. Seeing Chen Jianghe approach, he looked up. "Your stance has improved again?"

Chen Jianghe sat down beside him and gave a bitter smile. "What use is improvement when my pockets are still empty?"

He Shouzhuo paused his movements and glanced at him. "Short on money?"

After a moment of silence, Chen Jianghe spoke. "Senior Brother, I... I'd like to ask for some advice."

"Speak."

"In the hall, for disciples like us, besides training, are there other ways to make a living?" Chen Jianghe weighed his words. "My mother living in the woodshed isn't a long-term solution. I want to save some money to rent a small room nearby."

He Shouzhuo nodded, walked to the veranda, and sat down, patting the stone steps beside him. Chen Jianghe understood and sat down next to him.

"For those of us from poor backgrounds, if we want to earn money through martial arts, there are only a few paths." He Shouzhuo paused. "The most common is 'holding a post'."

"Holding a post?"

"Hmm." He Shouzhuo explained, "It means being nominally attached to an escort agency, shop, or wealthy household. You don't have to report for duty every day, only stepping in when needed. You receive a fixed monthly stipend; it isn't much, but it's a stable income."

Chen Jianghe felt a stir in his heart: "Senior Brother, this nominal position... are there any particular requirements?"

"There are plenty of requirements." He Shouzhuo sighed, "First, you must have the strength. At the very least, you need to be at the Mingjin stage; otherwise, no one is willing to support you for nothing. Second, you need a recommendation. In this world, where do you find opportunities without a reason?"

He paused, then continued: "Major powers like the Yuanwei Escort Agency or He Family Weaponry are extremely strict with their recruitment. They don't just demand cultivation levels; they look at talent, age, and background. Take Senior Brother Zhao Mingyuan, for example."

"Senior Brother, I have never met him."

A complex look flashed in He Shouzhuo's eyes: "His talent was extraordinary. He broke through to the Mingjin stage within a year of joining the martial arts hall and was scouted by the Zhao Family in the inner city. They recruited him immediately, promising a monthly salary of twenty taels of silver even back when he was just at the Mingjin stage, along with all sorts of medicinal baths and supplements—he was incredibly successful. He is now a head instructor for the Zhao Family, but for the rest of us..."

He shook his head, leaving the sentence unfinished.

Chen Jianghe was silent for a moment, then asked: "Then if one hasn't reached the Mingjin stage, are there no paths available?"

"There are." He Shouzhuo glanced at him, "Wharf warehouses and street shops often hire martial artists for nominal positions to guard their premises. It's just that the monthly pay is low, while the risks are significant. If you run into gang conflicts or troublemaking thugs, you have to be the one to step up."

He patted Chen Jianghe on the shoulder: "Jianghe, I know you're anxious. But in martial arts cultivation, the greatest taboo is distraction. You are currently at a critical juncture for breaking through to the Mingjin stage. If you run around for money now and delay your training, the loss will outweigh the gain."

Chen Jianghe nodded: "Senior Brother's advice is well-taken."

He Shouzhuo sighed: "Jianghe, let me tell you the truth. For those of us from poor families, it is difficult to change our fate through martial arts. How many people have come and gone from this hall over the years? You can count those who finally made a name for themselves on one hand."

He paused, then added: "Even for me, I've been at the hall for nearly three years, and I've only just reached the Mingjin stage. The meager stipend from my nominal position is barely enough for my own food and expenses; it's hard to even send anything home."

Having said this, he picked up a stone lock, walked to the other side of the courtyard, and continued his training in silence.

Chen Jianghe watched He Shouzhuo's figure, lost in thought.

This senior brother was usually quiet and reserved, yet he was the most diligent in his training. Three years of bitter cultivation only to reach the Mingjin stage—the hardships involved were easy to imagine.