"Can you help me get out of military service?" Geng Dabiao's expression changed again and again, finally settling on suspicion.
If Jiang Che had been a general with real authority in his hands, he would not have doubted that Jiang Che could do it. But Jiang Che was only an ordinary auxiliary soldier. Even if he had shown his mettle in the previous chaotic battle, he was still an auxiliary soldier.
If he had such ability, how could he himself have ended up in the Auxiliary Barracks?
What gave him such confidence?
"I can't be completely certain about this, but I'm seventy or eighty percent sure. Don't disbelieve me. I assume you've heard that Deputy Commander Liu Zhi specifically invited me into his tent for drinks, yes?
"I won't hide it from you. Commander Liu thinks highly of me and intends to transfer me to serve as one of his confidants. It should happen within the next few days. And your performance in yesterday's battle was fairly decent.
"Add to that my efforts to mediate for you, and the chances are very good."
Jiang Che very unceremoniously draped himself in a tiger's hide.
After all, no one would dare go question Liu Zhi in person. He might as well borrow his influence to bluff Geng Dabiao.
"What do you want me to do for you?"
After a moment of silence, Geng Dabiao was finally tempted. Though he still had doubts in his heart, this was his only chance.
Once he went to the borderlands, returning alive would be little more than a wild hope.
And he would never be able to avenge himself.
"I need two liang of ox sinew, ten jin of ox bones, twenty jin of ox blood, and thirty jin of beef."
"Do you take me for a fool? Getting those things would cost at least thirty taels of silver. You want me to pay such a price based on nothing but your vague promise? Absolutely impossible."
The moment Geng Dabiao heard those terms, he refused outright.
"I'm not finished talking. What are you in such a hurry for? I only need the connection. I have the silver."
"If it's only a connection, then it's not impossible." Geng Dabiao relaxed inwardly and nodded.
"So you have such a connection?"
"I do, but getting the goods into the military camp will be difficult. I can't manage that."
"I'll solve that part."
Jiang Che narrowed his eyes at him.
"Fine, then I'll go send word out first and ask about the prices."
With that, Geng Dabiao prepared to leave.
"Wait."
Jiang Che stopped him once again.
"Something else?"
Jiang Che smiled faintly. After stepping closer to Geng Dabiao, he lowered his voice and asked:
"Do you want to learn martial arts?"
"You... you have a connection?"
Geng Dabiao's eyes lit up. Before entering military service, he had wanted to learn martial arts, but because of the eldest young master of the Geng family, some martial arts schools in Tai'an Prefecture simply would not take him in.
He had only learned a few crude fists-and-kicks techniques, but he had always yearned for martial arts.
"Not only do I have a connection, I also have a secret manual."
Jiang Che nodded.
"What secret manual?"
Geng Dabiao asked excitedly.
"The military's Body Tempering Method, Savage Bull Strength!"
Yes, Jiang Che intended to pass on Savage Bull Strength.
Because it was the only valuable thing he possessed.
Moreover, Liu Zhi had never warned him not to spread it. Strictly speaking, it was not a violation of military discipline. Besides, as long as he could obtain the sacrificial offerings and master Savage Bull Strength, Liu Zhi likely would not grow angry over it.
Fortune was sought amid danger.
To fulfill the seven-day agreement, he had to gamble on it.
This was the method he had arrived at after turning it over and over in his mind last night.
"Teach me."
Geng Dabiao excitedly gripped Jiang Che's hand. Though Savage Bull Strength was only one of the military's basic cultivation methods, it was still something beyond his reach. If he had the chance, he naturally could not let it slip away.
Jiang Che unobtrusively pulled his hand free and smiled.
"You can learn it, but I spent quite a bit of silver obtaining this method. Brother Dabiao is an honest man, so you wouldn't let Jiang take a loss, would you?"
"How much do you want?"
Having calmed down, Geng Dabiao understood that there was no free lunch under heaven. He had to give something in return.
Jiang Che held up five fingers.
"Fifty taels? Have you gone mad from wanting money?" Geng Dabiao could not help raising his voice.
What did fifty taels of silver mean?
In these times, a poor family could not spend even two taels of silver in a year. Even soldiers drawing pay, taking the soldiers of Tai'an Prefecture as an example, ordinary troops only earned five hundred copper coins a month.
Even if they killed him, he could not scrape together that much silver.
Jiang Che had actually meant five taels of silver, but since Geng Dabiao had misunderstood, he simply went along with the mistake. After pondering for a moment, he said:
"You and I are rather compatible. How about this? Twenty taels of silver, and we'll call it the price of making a friend."
"I don't have that much silver."
"Fifteen taels."
"I... even if I borrowed money, I could only come up with seven taels altogether." Geng Dabiao stated his limit.
Jiang Che put on a troubled expression.
The atmosphere remained deadlocked for a moment. Geng Dabiao truly could not suppress his desire to learn martial arts any longer. Gritting his teeth, he said:
"Those things you want can't be gotten for less than thirty taels of silver. Give me another twenty taels, and I'll figure out a way to get them for you. Deal?"
"Deal!"
Jiang Che suppressed the emotions in his heart and nodded slightly with an indifferent expression.
Before seeking out Geng Dabiao, he had actually been prepared to use Savage Bull Strength as payment for Geng Dabiao's connection. But the man was too honest, agreeing on the strength of an empty promise alone.
So Jiang Che could only take the opportunity to knock a little silver out of him.
After lunch, Jiang Che squatted with Xu San'er and chatted idly, probing for information about the Auxiliary Barracks. The Savage Bull Strength in his hands was worth quite a bit, but selling it would not be easy.
Because most auxiliary soldiers were actually farmers who simply could not produce any silver. Nor could he sell the technique cheaply, because once he did, people would notice that he was secretly spreading a cultivation method.
Therefore, those who could produce silver were his targets.
As for abandoning the auxiliary soldiers to trade with troops from the regular battalions, that was even more absurd. This basic Body Tempering Method was not common as dirt in the streets, but anyone with even a little military merit could cultivate it.
Why would they take the risk of trading with an auxiliary soldier like him?
He had no desire to draw the likes of Gou Buyi again.
"Speaking of people in our Auxiliary Barracks with a bit of strength, there really aren't many. Just Geng Dabiao, Wu Changfeng, Li Erxian, and the like. The rest... most are honest poor folk."
Xu San'er tirelessly introduced the situation in the Auxiliary Barracks to Jiang Che. He not only wanted to do Jiang Che a favor, but also found Jiang Che's inquiries very pleasing.
"So what people say really is true. Brother Xu, your news is well-informed." Jiang Che did not stint on flattering him.
"Brother Che, forgive me for saying one more thing, but are you asking about them because something's going on?" Xu San'er not only loved spreading all sorts of gossip, he loved hearing such news even more. Unable to hold back, he asked.
Jiang Che lowered his gaze, just about to brush him off with an excuse. But when he lifted his head, he saw Gou Buyi watching him from afar. Seeing Jiang Che meet his gaze, Gou Buyi even bared his teeth in a smile.
At the same time, he covertly held a hand to his throat and made a few slicing motions.
Jiang Che remained unmoved. Gou Buyi gave a soft laugh, then turned and walked toward Liu Zhi's tent.