Thank You, Brother Ma Xianyang, for the Fine Iron Fishing Rod

Inner courtyard, kitchen.

After Feng Xiaobao announced him, he led Shen Xiuhan here and casually pointed at a wooden basin. "Put them here. By the way, how much are the fish in your basket worth?"

Shen Xiuhan cupped his hands and smiled. "Senior Brother Ma instructed me yesterday that they would all be settled at twenty-five cash per fish."

"Twenty-five cash... Then we'll go by Third Junior Brother's terms."

Shen Xiuhan lifted the fish basket's cover and reached in to pull out three four-striped catches.

Feng Xiaobao fixed his eyes on them. His genial brows suddenly twisted together, and his voice sank. "Why are they all four-striped goods?"

"Yesterday, I specifically asked the cook. He said that for these Silver-striped Fish, the more intricate the markings on their backs, the more delicious their flesh!"

"Could it be... you heard that I, Feng, am fond of fish, so you intended to pass off inferior goods as superior and swindle me out of my money?"

Shen Xiuhan's heart tightened. Feng Xiaobao changed his face as quickly as turning a page, nearly throwing him off balance.

But he reacted just as swiftly, raising the half-broken rod in his hand with a bitter smile. "Brother Feng, please judge fairly."

"I too wished to catch a few more superior Silver-striped Fish, but my luck was poor today."

"Not only did I only catch these three four-striped ones, but after waiting so long for a large fish, I failed to reel it in and instead had my bamboo rod snapped clean in two!"

"I feared the Silver-striped Fish would no longer be fresh if left too long, so I did not have time to make another rod and hurriedly delivered these three... If Brother Feng does not believe me, please look at this break. It is still fresh."

Feng Xiaobao's gaze was like a torch as he stared straight at the broken end, examining it for a long while.

Then, the gloom on his fleshy face was swept away. He threw back his head and laughed. "Hahaha, so that's how it is. You were thoughtful after all—I wronged you!"

After laughing, his eyes rolled as though he had recalled something, and he slapped his thigh. "I love eating fish. If I go a day without it, I miss it terribly. Just so happens..."

"My Third Junior Brother has recently become obsessed with fishing and bought several fine fishing rods. Wait here awhile—I'll pick one out for you to use!"

With that, he turned and left like a gust of wind.

Shen Xiuhan's mouth hung slightly open, and for a long time he could not recover his senses.

Ma Xianyang was obsessed with fishing and had even bought quite a few rods?

To break through the shackles of Blood Tempering, he was probably not only spreading a wide net outside to collect fish, but also hoping to personally catch a Treasure Fish!

As he pondered, the departing footsteps returned.

Feng Xiaobao strode through the door in a rush, holding an exquisite fishing rod made entirely of dark fine iron!

The rod's body was black and heavy, gleaming with a cold light. Twisted silk line was wound around it, and its tip was fitted with a complete set of bright steel hooks with barbs.

"Here, borrow this for now!"

"With a handy tool in hand, make sure you catch more good fish for the martial hall from now on!"

Shen Xiuhan took the rod. With a single weigh in his hand, he knew it was a rare fine piece.

Four small characters were engraved at the end of the rod: White Clan Fishing Workshop.

The White Family controlled most of the fish market business in West Market. At the same time, they made and sold all manner of fine fishing rods, nets, and boats.

This fishing rod came from the White Family and was quite expensive.

Yet Shen Xiuhan looked troubled and tried to decline it. "This... this belongs to Brother Ma. How could I dare..."

"It's nothing!" Feng Xiaobao waved a hand. "Junior Brother Ma has already set off for Changshui County. He will not return for ten days to half a month. Just use it. If anything happens, I'll take full responsibility!"

Longcloud County and Changshui County were both under the jurisdiction of South Township Prefecture. Both were built beside Cloudwater Lake, and the people of both counties largely made their living through fishing.

Ma Xianyang had gone to Changshui County...

Could he also be going after a "Treasure Fish"?

"Besides..." Feng Xiaobao suddenly lowered his voice and smiled. "Junior Brother Ma bought this rod over a month ago. He has gone to Cloudwater Lake three times and has not even caught a single fish scale. Every trip, he came back empty-handed. Leaving it sitting around would only be a waste..."

Well, well. So Ma Xianyang was one of those fishermen who always came home empty-handed too!

Shen Xiuhan gathered his thoughts and bowed with cupped hands. "In that case, I would be disrespectful to refuse. This little brother shall take his leave."

"Go on, go on..."

Watching Shen Xiuhan's figure disappear beyond the hanging-flower gate, Feng Xiaobao's smile gradually faded. He stood beneath the corridor with his hands behind his back and said lightly, "Come out."

As his words fell, a figure emerged from a side room. The man was lean, with high cheekbones. He hurried forward and bowed with cupped hands. "Second Senior Brother."

Had Shen Xiuhan still been here, he would have recognized him at once. This was one of the two Golden Dragon Gang spies who had watched him in the teahouse when he first entered the inner city.

Feng Xiaobao turned around, a trace of warmth appearing on his face. "A-Zhe, you have been out of the martial hall for so long. How have you been doing in the Golden Dragon Gang?"

The lean man called A-Zhe hurriedly smiled ingratiatingly. "It is all thanks to the support of my senior brothers that this junior brother has food to eat!"

"Hahaha..." Feng Xiaobao laughed heartily and pointed at him. "You brat, after leaving the martial hall for a few years, you have become quite a bit slicker."

After laughing, he drew in his expression and said gravely, "To business... How did the matter Xiuyang instructed you to handle go?"

A-Zhe hurriedly replied, "Reporting to Second Senior Brother, this junior brother followed that kid all the way and kept a close eye on him. I am certain he had no Treasure Fish on him. Tian Erhu has been guarding the inner city gate the entire time and has gained nothing either."

"Then it seems... he truly did not catch one."

Feng Xiaobao frowned slightly and paced two steps with his hands behind his back. After pondering for a moment, he said, "Mm. Then keep watching that little brat. Do not let up."

"Yes!"

Feng Xiaobao nodded, and suddenly an unfathomable smile curled at the corner of his lips. "I lent Xiuyang's fishing rod to him. Once Xiuyang returns from Changshui County, he will naturally go find him to take it back."

"You must understand, Xiuyang's things are not taken for free. When the time comes, if he cannot produce a Treasure Fish as rent... hahaha!"

Upon hearing this, A-Zhe revealed a knowing smile as well and bowed. "Second Senior Brother is wise."

Carrying the new rod, Shen Xiuhan walked out of the martial hall and glanced back at the high-hung plaque.

He had naturally sensed that Feng Xiaobao's gesture of lending him the rod seemed generous on the surface, but was actually forcing him to accept it!

Shen Xiuhan had no doubt that if he refused, the other man would definitely turn hostile on the spot!

"Through-the-Back Martial Hall..."

"Ma Xianyang, Feng Xiaobao..."

Shen Xiuhan pressed his lips together, clenched the fishing rod tightly, swept his eyes over the surroundings, then turned and merged into the crowds filling the streets and alleys.

He wandered through East Market, using the crowds and vendor stalls as cover. From time to time, he haggled over prices and even bought a jin of sorghum flour.

He circled around and around, repeatedly checking whether anyone was following him.

Once he confirmed that the man from before was no longer tailing him, Shen Xiuhan immediately changed direction and hurried toward the north of the city.

Mei Martial Hall.

Its scale rivaled that of Through-the-Back Martial Hall: another lavish residence with three courtyards in and three courtyards out.

Vermilion walls surrounded it, while blue tiles roofed it.

Two stone lions guarded the entrance, glaring with bared fangs and radiating an imposing air that warned strangers to keep away.

Before he even crossed the threshold, he heard waves of orderly shouts from inside, mixed with cries and the sounds of fists and feet tearing through the air.

Upon stepping through the gates, he found a broad training ground directly ahead.

Weapon racks stood all around, lined with sabers, spears, swords, halberds, axes, polearms, hooks, and forks.

Ironwood training posts and stone locks of varying sizes lay scattered in the corners.

On the flagstone-paved grounds, twenty to thirty disciples practiced in pairs.

Somewhat surprisingly, five or six of them were women.

They wore fitted martial attire with broad belts at their waists, their hair coiled high. Their cries carried a valiant grace, and their movements—advancing, retreating, leaping, and shifting—were agile and vigorous, utterly without the frailty of ordinary women.

"Set your stances firmly!"

"If you want to rise above the rest, you must endure suffering beyond suffering!"

"Those with loose waists and collapsed hips, go back and train for another hour!"

At the center of the training ground, a woman stood with her hands behind her back. She slowly walked among the disciples holding horse stances, occasionally barking sharp reprimands.

She wore a suit of black martial attire, its cuffs bound tight. Her dark hair was tied high and secured with a plain silver hairpin, exposing a smooth forehead and a pair of cold, blade-like eyes.

The moment Shen Xiuhan stopped, the woman's gaze swept toward him.

Her sharp eyes passed over Shen Xiuhan as she sized him up from head to toe for a moment, then stepped forward. "You look quite unfamiliar, sir. Have you come to our martial hall to take a master and learn martial arts?"