Placing a Bet

The next day.

News of Lu Chen's advancement to martial artist spread through Scarlet Cloud County.

Whenever one of the county's five great martial halls produced a new martial artist, every major force soon learned of it.

Restaurants, merchant houses, escort agencies, medicine shops, and even the city's great households all kept their eyes on these young martial artists who had just begun to emerge.

In troubled times, martial artists were synonymous with power.

A young martial artist who had only just made his name had shallow roots and no one behind him. That was the best time to befriend him.

If they waited until he had achieved success in martial arts, the price of trying to win him over would inevitably rise with the tide.

Early that morning, Hidden Dragon Martial Hall was much livelier than usual.

The first to arrive was Han Qi, the manager of Fragrance Gathering Tower.

Han Qi still wore that neat, respectable silk robe, with a jade pendant hanging from his waist and a warm smile on his face. The moment he entered the martial hall, he greeted Chen Chong with practiced familiarity.

"Master Chen, we meet again."

Chen Chong was not surprised to see him. Smiling, he said, "Manager Han, your news travels quickly."

Han Qi cupped his hands with a smile. "Scarlet Cloud County has produced another young martial artist. Such joyous news naturally calls for congratulations."

"Please let him know that Han Qi of Fragrance Gathering Tower has come to pay a visit to little brother Lu Chen."

Before long, Chen Chong called Lu Chen out.

The instant Han Qi saw Lu Chen, the smile on his face deepened. He strode forward and cupped his hands. "Little Brother Lu, do you still remember me?"

Lu Chen nodded. "Manager Han, I remember."

The sight of Han Qi giving Shi Hao a gift in front of all those mountain village youths that day was still vivid in his mind.

Han Qi looked Lu Chen up and down, praise spilling readily from his mouth. "I could tell long ago that little brother Lu was no creature meant to remain in a pond."

Then Han Qi came straight to the point. "I will not beat around the bush today. Fragrance Gathering Tower would like to invite you to lend your name as a martial artist protector of the tower. You will not need to stand guard at Fragrance Gathering Tower on ordinary days. You only need to show your face at the tower on the first and fifteenth of every month. If drunken guests cause trouble, just help suppress the situation."

As he spoke, he took a red envelope from his sleeve and pushed it before Lu Chen.

"Three taels of silver a month, plus a table of food and wine. So Brother Lu can share a reunion meal with his family at the restaurant every month."

Three taels of silver, plus a table of food and wine.

It was a very thoughtful arrangement.

Lu Chen's heart stirred slightly.

But before he could answer, Wang Shouyi, the manager of Wang's Ginseng Shop, and Luo Kuan, deputy chief escort of Farview Escort Agency, arrived together.

Manager Wang was somewhat older than Han Qi. He was lean, with two short mustaches, and his clothes carried a faint scent of medicinal herbs. Behind him followed a family steward and several attendants.

Luo Kuan of Farview Escort Agency had come alone. He was broad and powerfully built, his skin dark, his temples slightly bulging, and a thick-backed saber hung at his waist. He wore neither fine clothes nor scented sachets or jade pendants—only the fierce air forged by years of traveling north and south.

Wang Shouyi glanced at Han Qi. Clearly aware that he had arrived a step too late, he did not waste many words on pleasantries and said directly, "Our Yam Herb Shop is willing to offer you a monthly salary of four taels."

Ignoring everyone else, Luo Kuan said directly, "Farview Escort Agency does not do empty talk. If you take a post with us, you will receive four taels of silver each month. You will not need to remain at the agency on ordinary days, but you must accompany one escort run every month. The distance will not be far, mostly to a few counties around Scarlet Cloud County."

"Once the job is completed, there will be additional reward money."

Both men offered more money than Han Qi.

Lu Chen fell silent and pondered inwardly.

A post at the Yam Herb Shop carried no risk and guaranteed four taels a month. Farview Escort Agency required escorting cargo, which came with risks, but it could also bring greater rewards and an additional sum in bonuses.

Just as he hesitated, the sound of hoofbeats came from outside the martial hall.

An elegantly decorated carriage stopped before the entrance. The curtain lifted, and a richly dressed young gentleman stepped down.

The newcomer was in his early twenties, waving a folding fan in his hand. There was a trace of the haughty pride common to scions of great families between his brows.

"Huang Jue of the East City Huang Family has come to visit Brother Lu Chen."

His voice was loud and carried an imposing force that seemed to overwhelm everyone present.

Lu Chen raised his head to look at him, while Chen Chong reminded him from the side, "He is the second young master of the East City Huang Family."

The East City Huang Family operated the largest medicine shop in the county and kept quite a few martial artists under its employ. More importantly, Shi Hao, the true disciple of Qin Wuhe, was the Huang Family's future son-in-law, though the marriage had not yet taken place.

The moment Huang Jue entered, Wang Shouyi's expression visibly darkened.

Wang's Ginseng Shop and the Huang Family medicine shop were rivals in the same trade.

Over the years, the Huang Family had relied on its power to squeeze Wang Firm's business more than once.

Huang Jue first cupped his hands toward Chen Chong, then turned to Lu Chen with a smile. "Brother Lu is a young hero. Among those of our generation, I fear there are not many who can train the Azure Dragon Through-the-Arms Fist to minor mastery."

"My Huang Family happens to need a young martial artist as a retainer. If Brother Lu is willing to lend us his name, you will receive five taels of silver every month, with additional gifts during holidays and festivals."

Then he slowly added, "If Brother Lu wishes to buy a home in the city in the future, my Huang Family can also lend a hand."

The words "buy a home" made Lu Chen's eyes shift slightly.

He wanted to bring his parents into the city, so they would no longer suffer harassment from mountain bandits and local bullies.

This condition tempted him somewhat.

Huang Jue was clearly skilled at reading people. He immediately noticed the change in Lu Chen's expression and continued, "Furthermore, my Huang Family can advance half the money for the house, allowing Brother Lu to focus more fully on martial arts. If Brother Lu achieves success in martial arts someday, I, Huang Jue, can make the decision to give you a whole house outright!"

Huang Jue's offer carried considerable weight.

A house in the county town cost at least a hundred taels.

With a single word, he was offering to waive fifty taels for Lu Chen.

At that moment, Wang Shouyi suddenly cut in. "Second Young Master Huang, what a grand gesture."

Huang Jue looked at him and smiled. "Manager Wang is here as well? What a coincidence."

Wang Shouyi's smile did not reach his eyes. "Not a coincidence. Wang Firm arrived first."

Huang Jue waved his folding fan. "In business, who came first does not matter. What matters is who can offer the right price and who has greater sincerity."

He was brimming with confidence, convinced that this offer would certainly win Lu Chen over.

After all, the latter had only just entered the Blood-Moving Realm. His strength was limited, and so was his value.

Yet Wang Shouyi gave a derisive snort. "Sincerity?"

"If your Huang Family truly has sincerity, why not simply give Brother Lu a house outright?"

Huang Jue's gaze turned cold. "What do you mean by that, Manager Wang?"

Wang Shouyi sneered. "It sounds nice—advancing half the money. But the other half still has to come out of Brother Lu's own pocket."

"Before coming here, I am sure you made inquiries as well. Brother Lu comes from a mountain village. Half the cost would be at least fifty taels. How could he possibly afford that?"

"Hmph. When the time comes, I imagine your Huang Family will surely trick Brother Lu into signing a housing debt contract, saying he can repay it slowly and there is no rush, while in truth the interest will roll upon interest and debt upon debt! In the end, to repay the Huang Family's debt, Brother Lu will have no choice but to sell his life working for your Huang Family."

"Your Huang Family has no good intentions at all. You want little brother Lu to be your Huang Family's slave for the rest of his life!"

Huang Jue flew into a rage. "Get lost, you old Wang turtle! Do not spout nonsense and slander my Huang Family."

Instead, Wang Shouyi burst into laughter. "Ha ha! The Huang Family's way of doing things is known to everyone. Do you still need this old man to slander you?"

Yet inwardly, Wang Shouyi's thoughts were racing.

Previously, the Huang Family had already snatched away Shi Hao, the genius who had just emerged from Hidden Dragon Martial Hall.

Shi Hao's talent was astonishing, and he was engaged to a young lady of the Huang Family. In the future, he would inevitably become a link between the Huang Family and Hidden Dragon Martial Hall.

If the Huang Family signed Lu Chen as well, then the two young martial artists most worthy of attention from Hidden Dragon Martial Hall's current generation would both be connected to the Huang Family.

Once the Huang Family grew stronger, their Yam Herb Shop would naturally face even harsher suppression.

No matter what, they had to win over this Lu Chen. They could not allow the Huang Family and Hidden Dragon Martial Hall to become completely bound together.

With that thought, Wang Shouyi steeled himself.

He turned toward Lu Chen. The expression on his face gradually faded, replaced by unprecedented solemnity.

"Brother Lu."

"This old man will not compete with the Huang Family in empty promises."

"If you are willing to take a post at my Wang Firm Yam Herb Shop, Wang Firm will give you six taels of silver every month, plus one dose of Blood-Qi Powder!"

"Furthermore, any medicinal herbs you need for martial arts training in the future will be sold to you by Wang Firm at seventy percent of the price!"

At those words, everyone's expressions changed. Clearly, none of them had expected Manager Wang to be so willing to stake everything, offering such a high price for a martial artist who had only just broken through.

Blood-Qi Powder was the finest cultivation medicine most needed by Blood-Moving Realm martial artists, and its market price alone was two taels. Added together, it came to eight taels. At that price, they could hire at least three martial artists at the initial stage to take posts!

"Manager Wang certainly knows how to talk big!"

Huang Jue sneered, then mocked, "But Wang Firm is not yours alone to command. Offering such a high price to a martial artist at the initial Blood-Moving Realm—does the Wang Family truly have the heart to part with it?"

Sure enough, behind Wang Shouyi, a Wang Family steward shot him a look that seemed to question his decision.

But Wang Shouyi slapped his palm down. "What I, Wang Shouyi, say, I will do!"

"We can sign a contract with Brother Lu on the spot!"

But the steward behind him could not stand it any longer. He stepped forward and tugged Wang Shouyi's arm. "You know the situation of our Yam Herb Shop. Spending so much to support an initial-stage martial artist is not a good choice."

Eight taels of silver to hire a martial artist at the initial Blood-Moving Realm was indeed far beyond market price.

But Wang Shouyi pressed the other man down and made his decision in private. "Mighty Far Hall has always looked down on our Yam Herb Shop, stuffing us with so many youngsters who look impressive but are useless in practice."

"Hidden Dragon Martial Hall has been gaining momentum lately. It produced a genius named Shi Hao some time ago, and this Lu Chen is the key to our wager on establishing ties with Hidden Dragon Martial Hall."

"At worst, we will kick out one of the people Mighty Far Hall forced on us and shift the resources to Lu Chen."