Inner compound, dining hall.
After announcing their arrival, Feng Xiaobao led Shen Xiuhan here and casually pointed at a wooden basin.
"Just 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 to settle them at twenty-five wen per fish."
"Twenty-five wen... Then we'll go by Third Junior Brother's word."
Shen Xiuhan opened the fish basket and reached in to pull out three four-striped catches.
Feng Xiaobao took a closer look. His kindly brows suddenly knitted together, and his voice sank.
"Why are they all four-striped fish?"
"Yesterday, I specifically asked the cook. He said that the more intricate the stripes on a Silver-striped Fish's back, the fresher and more delicious its flesh!"
"Could it be... you heard that I, Feng, am fond of eating fish, and tried to pass off inferior goods as quality ones to swindle my money?"
Shen Xiuhan's heart tightened. Feng Xiaobao changed expressions as quickly as pages turning, nearly throwing him into disarray.
But he reacted just as quickly. He raised the broken half of the rod in his hand and put on a bitter smile.
"Brother Feng, you've misunderstood."
"I wanted to catch a few more top-grade Silver-striped Fish too, but fortune wasn't on my side today."
"Not only did I catch just these three four-striped fish, but after finally waiting for a big one, I failed to reel it in and instead had it snap my bamboo rod clean in two!"
"I was afraid the Silver-striped Fish would lose its freshness if left too long, so I didn't have time to make another rod and hurriedly brought these three over... If Brother Feng doesn't believe me, just look at the break. It's brand-new."
Feng Xiaobao's gaze was as sharp as a torch. He stared straight at the broken end and scrutinized it for quite some time.
Suddenly, the gloom vanished from his broad, fleshy face, and he threw back his head and laughed.
"Hahaha, so that's what happened! You did put thought into this. I wronged you!"
After laughing, his eyes shifted, as if he had remembered something. He slapped his thigh.
"I love eating fish. If I go a day without any, I can't stop thinking about it. As it happens..."
"My Third Junior Brother has recently become obsessed with fishing and bought several high-grade fishing rods. Wait here for a moment. 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 it took him a long while to recover.
Ma Xianyang was obsessed with fishing and had even bought so many fishing rods?
He was probably trying to break through the shackles of the Blood Tempering Realm. Not only had he spread his informants far and wide to gather fish, he even wanted to catch Treasure Fish himself!
As he pondered, footsteps approached and then returned.
Feng Xiaobao hurried through the door, now holding a fishing rod that was pitch-black from end to end, a fine weapon forged from refined iron!
The rod's body was dark and heavy, gleaming with a cold light. Silkworm-silk braided line was wrapped around it, and a complete set of fine-steel barbed hooks hung from the end.
"Here. Borrow it for now!"
"Now that you've got a handy tool, make sure you catch more good fish for the Martial Arts School from here on!"
Shen Xiuhan accepted the fishing rod. With a single weigh of it in his hand, he knew it was an exceptionally fine piece.
At the end of the rod, four small characters were engraved: White Clan Fishing Workshop.
The White Family controlled most of the fish-stall business in West Market. At the same time, they also made and sold all kinds of exquisite fishing rods, nets, and boats.
This fishing rod came from the White Family and was worth a considerable sum.
But Shen Xiuhan's expression turned troubled, and he declined, "This... this belongs to Brother Ma. How could I dare..."
"No matter!"
Feng Xiaobao waved his hand.
"Junior Brother Ma has already set off for Changshui County. He won't be back for ten days or half a month. Use it for now. If anything happens, I'll take full responsibility!"
Longcloud County and Changshui County both fell under Nanxiang Prefecture. Both had been built along Cloudwater Lake, and most of their people made a living from fishing.
Ma Xianyang had gone to Changshui County...
Could he have gone there for Treasure Fish as well?
"Besides..."
Feng Xiaobao suddenly lowered his voice and laughed.
"Junior Brother Ma bought this rod over a month ago. He went to Cloudwater Lake three times, yet couldn't catch so much as a fish scale. Every time, he came back empty-handed. Leaving it unused would just be wasting it..."
Good heavens, so Ma Xianyang was a fellow air-force fisherman too!
Shen Xiuhan withdrew his thoughts, clasped his hands, and bowed.
"In that case, I'd be rude to refuse. I'll take my leave, then."
"Go on, go on..."
Watching the figure vanish beyond the hanging-flower gate, Feng Xiaobao gradually reined in his smile. He stood beneath the corridor with his hands behind his back and said coolly:
"Come out."
As soon as he spoke, a figure slipped out from the side room. The man was thin and gaunt, with high cheekbones. He hurried forward, bowed, and clasped his fists.
"Second Senior Brother."
If Shen Xiuhan had still been there, he would have recognized him at a glance. This was one of the two Golden Dragon Gang informants who had monitored him at the teahouse when he first entered the inner city.
Feng Xiaobao turned around. A hint of warmth appeared on his face.
"A-Zhe, you've been away from the Martial Arts School for quite some time. How have things been going in the Golden Dragon Gang?"
Hearing himself addressed as A-Zhe, the thin man hurriedly smiled obsequiously.
"It's all thanks to the support of several senior brothers that Junior Brother has been able to scrape together a living!"
"Hahaha..."
Feng Xiaobao laughed heartily and pointed at him.
"You little rascal. After leaving the Martial Arts School for a few years, you've become quite the smooth operator."
After laughing, he sobered and spoke in a deep voice.
"Now, business... How are the matters Xianyang assigned you coming along?"
A-Zhe hurriedly replied:
"Reporting to Second Senior Brother, Junior Brother followed that brat all the way and kept him under close watch. I'm certain he doesn't have any Treasure Fish on him. Tian Erhu's men have been watching the inner-city gate the whole time, and they haven't gained anything either."
"Then it seems... he truly didn't catch one."
Feng Xiaobao furrowed his brows slightly and paced two steps with his hands behind his back. After mulling it over for a moment, he spoke.
"Hmm. Then keep watching that little bastard. Don't let your guard down."
"Yes!"
Feng Xiaobao nodded, and a meaningful smile suddenly curled at the corner of his mouth.
"I lent him Xianyang's fishing rod. Once Xianyang returns from Changshui County, he'll naturally go find him and take it back."
"You should know that Xianyang's things aren't taken for free. When the time comes, if he can't produce Treasure Fish as rent... hahaha!"
At those words, a knowing smile also appeared on A-Zhe's face. He bowed.
"Second Senior Brother is brilliant."
Carrying the new rod, Shen Xiuhan left the Martial Arts School and glanced back at the plaque hanging high above the entrance.
He had naturally sensed that Feng Xiaobao's act of lending him the rod looked 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 have turned hostile on the spot!
"Through-the-Back Martial Hall..."
"Ma Xianyang, Feng Xiaobao..."
Shen Xiuhan pursed his lips and gripped the fishing rod tightly. After scanning his surroundings, he turned and merged into the tide of people filling the streets and alleys.
He wandered through East Market, stopping and starting. Using the crowd and stalls as cover, he haggled from time to time and even bought a pound of sorghum flour.
He went around in circles, repeatedly confirming whether anyone was following him.
Once he was certain that the previous man was no longer tailing him, Shen Xiuhan immediately turned his feet and strode toward the north of the city.
Mei Martial Hall.
Its scale was comparable to that of the Through-the-Back Martial Arts School, and it was likewise a spacious mansion with three successive courtyards and three sets of halls.
Red walls enclosed it, while green tiles covered the roof.
Two stone lions guarded the entrance. Their eyes bulged and their fangs were bared, radiating an imposing air that warned strangers to keep their distance.
Before he even crossed the threshold, he heard neat chants rising from within, interspersed with shouts and the sound of fists and feet slicing through the air.
After stepping through the main gate, he found a broad martial arena directly ahead.
Weapons stood in ranks on racks all around: sabers, spears, swords, halberds, axes, battle-axes, hooks, and forks.
In the corners lay ironwood stake frames and stone locks of various sizes.
On the courtyard paved with bluestone, twenty or thirty disciples were sparring in pairs.
What surprised him slightly was that five or six of them were women.
They wore close-fitting martial outfits with wide belts around their waists, and their hair was tied high. Their shouts carried a spirited, valiant air; their movements were nimble as they advanced, retreated, leaped, and shifted, utterly lacking the delicate weakness of ordinary women.
"Keep your waists and stances firm!"
"If you want to rise above others, you have to endure the bitterest of hardships!"
"Those with slack waists and collapsed hips, go back and train for another hour!"
At the center of the martial arena stood a woman with her hands behind her back. She slowly walked among the disciples holding horse stances, berating them sharply from time to time.
She wore a black martial outfit with tight cuffs. Her dark hair was bound high and fastened with a plain silver hairpin, revealing a smooth forehead and a pair of eyes as cold and sharp as blades.
The instant Shen Xiuhan stopped, the woman's gaze swept over.
“You look unfamiliar, sir. Have you come to my Martial Arts School to study under a master?”
"You look unfamiliar. Have you come to my martial hall to take me as your master and study martial arts?"
Before you continue