Placing a bet

The next day.

News of Lu Chen becoming a martial artist spread through Scarlet Cloud County.

Whenever a new martial artist emerged from the county's five great martial halls, the various factions soon heard about it.

Restaurants, trading firms, escort agencies, herbal shops, and even wealthy households in town all kept their eyes on these young martial artists who had just begun to make a name for themselves.

In these troubled times, martial artists were synonymous with strength.

A young martial artist who had only just emerged had shallow roots and no one backing him. This was the best time to befriend him.

If they waited until he achieved success in martial arts, the price of winning him over would inevitably rise like a boat on a swelling tide.

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 same clean, respectable silk robe, with a jade pendant hanging at his waist and a warm smile on his face. As soon as 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. He smiled and said, "You certainly hear things quickly, Manager Han."

Han Qi cupped his hands and smiled. "Another young martial artist has emerged in Scarlet Cloud County. Naturally, I had to come celebrate such happy news."

"Sorry for the trouble, but please let him know that Han Qi of Fragrance Gathering Tower has come to pay young Brother Lu Chen a visit."

Before long, Chen Chong called Lu Chen out.

The moment Han Qi saw Lu Chen, his smile widened. He hurried forward and cupped his hands. "Young Brother Lu, do you still remember me?"

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

The sight of him presenting gifts to Shi Hao in front of all the village boys that day remained vivid in Lu Chen's mind.

Han Qi looked Lu Chen up and down, praise spilling from his lips. "I knew from the start that you were no mere fish confined to a pond, young Brother Lu."

Then Han Qi got straight to the point. "I won't beat around the bush. Fragrance Gathering Tower would like you to take a nominal position as our guardian martial artist. You won't need to stay at the restaurant every day, only show your face on the first and fifteenth of each month. If drunken guests cause trouble, just help keep things under control."

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

"Three taels of silver a month, plus an allowance for a table of food and wine. That way, Brother Lu can enjoy a family reunion meal at our restaurant every month."

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

It was a thoughtful arrangement.

Lu Chen felt a stir of interest.

But before he could answer, Wang Shouyi, manager of Wang Firm's Yam Herb Shop, arrived together with Luo Kuan, deputy escort chief of Farview Escort Agency.

Manager Wang was somewhat older than Han Qi, with a lean build and two short tufts of mustache. His clothes carried a faint scent of medicinal herbs. A steward from his lineage and several servants followed behind him.

Luo Kuan of Farview Escort Agency came alone. He was burly and dark-skinned, with slightly bulging temples and a thick-backed saber hanging at his waist. He wore neither fine clothes nor scented pouches or jade ornaments. He carried only the fierce air honed by years of traveling far and wide.

Wang Shouyi glanced at Han Qi. Clearly aware that he had arrived a step too late, he dispensed with most of the pleasantries and said directly, "Our Yam Herb Shop is willing to offer you a monthly salary of four taels."

Luo Kuan ignored the others and spoke bluntly. "Farview Escort Agency doesn't bother with empty flourishes. Take a nominal post with us, and you'll receive four taels a month. You won't need to stay at our headquarters, but you'll have to accompany one escort trip each month. The journeys aren't far, mostly to the counties around Scarlet Cloud County."

"There'll be an additional reward when the job is done."

Both offered more money than Han Qi.

Lu Chen fell silent, weighing his options.

A nominal post at the Yam Herb Shop carried no risk and provided a fixed income of four taels a month. Farview Escort Agency required escorting cargo, which came with risks, but also offered higher returns through an additional reward.

While he hesitated, hoofbeats sounded outside the martial hall.

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

The newcomer was in his early twenties, waving a folding fan, with the habitual arrogance of a great family's scion in his bearing.

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

His voice rang out, carrying an air that seemed to overwhelm everyone present.

Lu Chen looked up at him, while Chen Chong reminded him from the side, "He's the East City Huang Family's second young master."

The East City Huang Family ran the largest herbal shop in the county and retained quite a few martial artists. More importantly, Qin Wuhe's direct disciple, Shi Hao, was their future son-in-law.

As soon as Huang Jue entered, Wang Shouyi's expression visibly darkened.

Wang's Ginseng Shop and the Huang Family's herbal shop were competitors in the same trade.

Over the years, the Huang Family had repeatedly used its power to squeeze Wang Firm's business.

Huang Jue first cupped his hands toward Chen Chong, then looked at Lu Chen and smiled. "Brother Lu is a young hero. Among your peers, there can hardly be many who have brought the Azure Dragon Through-the-Arms Fist to minor mastery."

"Our Huang Family happens to need a young martial artist as a guest retainer. If you're willing to lend us your name, Brother Lu, we'll pay you five taels a month, with additional gifts on holidays."

Then he leisurely added, "If you wish to buy a house in town someday, Brother Lu, our Huang Family can lend a hand with that as well."

The mention of buying a house brought a slight change to Lu Chen's gaze.

He wanted to bring his parents into town so they would no longer suffer harassment from mountain bandits and local tyrants.

That offer tempted him.

Huang Jue clearly knew how to read people. He immediately noticed the change in Lu Chen's expression and continued, "What's more, our Huang Family can advance half the price of the house, allowing you to focus on your training. If you achieve success in martial arts in the future, I, Huang Jue, can make the decision to give you a house outright!"

Huang Jue's words carried considerable weight.

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

With a few words, he had offered to spare Lu Chen fifty taels.

At that moment, however, Wang Shouyi suddenly interjected, "Second Young Master Huang, how generous of you."

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

Wang Shouyi's smile never reached his eyes. "No coincidence. Our Wang Firm came first."

Huang Jue waved his folding fan. "In business, who comes first doesn't matter. What matters is who can afford the price and who shows greater sincerity."

He was supremely confident, certain that this offer would secure Lu Chen.

After all, Lu Chen had only just entered the blood-moving realm. His fighting strength was limited, and so was his value.

But Wang Shouyi scoffed. "Sincerity?"

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

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

Wang Shouyi sneered. "You make it sound so pleasant, advancing half the money. But Brother Lu still has to pay the other half himself."

"Before coming here, you must have learned that Brother Lu comes from a mountain village. Half the price would be at least fifty taels. How could he possibly produce that?"

"Hmph. When the time comes, your Huang Family will surely lure Brother Lu into signing a housing debt agreement, saying there's no rush and he can repay it slowly. In truth, interest will pile upon interest, debt upon debt! In the end, Brother Lu will have no choice but to risk his life for your Huang Family to repay what he owes."

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

Huang Jue immediately flew into a rage. "To hell with you, you old turtle Wang! Stop slandering our Huang Family with your nonsense!"

Wang Shouyi laughed instead. "Hahaha! Everyone knows that's how your Huang Family operates. Do you need me to slander you?"

Inside, however, Wang Shouyi's thoughts were racing.

The Huang Family had already snatched up Shi Hao, the newly emerged genius of Hidden Dragon Martial Hall.

Shi Hao possessed astonishing talent and was engaged to the Huang Family's young lady. 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 now as well, then both of the most promising young martial artists in this batch at Hidden Dragon Martial Hall would have ties to them.

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

He had to secure Lu Chen, no matter what. He could not let the Huang Family and Hidden Dragon Martial Hall become firmly bound together.

At that thought, Wang Shouyi steeled his resolve.

He turned toward Lu Chen, the expression on his face gradually settling into unprecedented solemnity.

"Brother Lu."

"I won't compete with the Huang Family in empty promises."

"If you're willing to take a nominal post at Wang's Ginseng Shop, our Wang Firm will give you six taels of silver each month, plus one dose of Blood-Qi Powder!"

"And from now on, we'll sell you the medicinal herbs you need for training at seventy percent of the regular price!"

Everyone's expression changed at those words. Clearly, none of them had expected Manager Wang to go so far, offering such a high price for a martial artist who had only just broken through.

Blood-Qi Powder was precisely the medicinal aid that martial artists in the blood-moving realm needed most for cultivation. Its market price alone was two taels. That brought the total to eight taels—enough to hire at least three early-stage martial artists for nominal posts!

"Manager Wang certainly knows how to make an offer!"

Huang Jue sneered, then mocked him. "But you don't have the final say in Wang Firm, do you? Such a high price for an early-stage blood-moving realm martial artist. Is your Wang Family really willing to pay it?"

Sure enough, behind Wang Shouyi, a Wang Family steward shot him a look, seemingly questioning his decision.

But Wang Shouyi slapped his hand down. "I, Wang Shouyi, stand by my word!"

"We can draw up a contract with Brother Lu right here!"

The steward behind him could no longer stand still. He stepped forward and tugged Wang Shouyi's arm. "You know the situation our Yam Herb Shop is in. Spending so much to retain an early-stage martial artist isn't a good choice."

Eight taels of silver to hire an early-stage blood-moving realm martial artist was far above the market rate.

Wang Shouyi held him back and stated his decision in private. "Mighty Far Hall has always looked down on our Yam Herb Shop. They've foisted so many youngsters on us who look impressive but are useless."

"Hidden Dragon Martial Hall has been gathering momentum lately. A while ago, they produced the genius Shi Hao. Lu Chen is the key to our bet on establishing ties with Hidden Dragon Martial Hall."

"At worst, we'll dismiss one of the people Mighty Far Hall foisted on us and redirect those resources to Lu Chen."