Buying Cotton for Bedding, Training in Martial Arts to Change Registration, Master Duan's "Acquaintance," Northern Garrison Envoys, Centurion Gu!

The next day, dawn broke.

A blazing sun rose slowly over the eastern horizon, casting out its light.

Accustomed to days of poverty, even without a master's household driving him on, Ji Xiu still rose early and practiced his saber forms.

Now, he sat on a wooden stool outside the fence, panting heavily, his entire body drenched in sweat. If he took off his clothes and wrung them out, he could squeeze out a small basinful of water.

Yet every drop of sweat he shed was worth it. None of his hard work had been in vain.

He took off his outer garment, bared his upper body, and casually tossed the clothes into a wooden basin.

Specks of sunlight spilled over his body.

At this moment, Ji Xiu was like an eagle about to fly from its nest and spread its wings into the heavens.

He spread his sturdy arms and merely lifted them slightly.

Bulging muscles rose beneath his skin.

Like the great sinews of a crouching dragon, they faintly pulsed!

His once rough and dull skin had shed its coarse outer layer after this period of nourishment and training. Against the scattered golden light, it even gleamed.

He was utterly unlike the gaunt, waxen figure he had once been, as though a gust of wind could knock him over.

Devoutly offering himself to the saber, cultivating without cease, Heavenly River Saber Technique progress advanced by 1

Heavenly River Saber Technique: (4013/10000)

"Whew."

"I've become much more proficient again."

As Ji Xiu silently improved his Heavenly River Saber Technique and sensed the various saber arts in his mind constantly advancing, drawing ever closer to the so-called realm of Great Mastery—

He felt his confidence deepen, and his faith in facing this world grow stronger.

He looked at the three taels of silver on the table.

It was what Manager Qiao Jin had offered yesterday at dusk, after Lu Yu personally escorted him over. Qiao Jin was the man whose arm Ji Xiu had nearly crippled with the force of his wooden saber.

Now that a night had passed—

Remembering the ghost-struck expression on Qiao Jin's face when he learned that Ji Xiu knew the young master of Fire Kiln Lu Estate, Ji Xiu could not help but smile.

"Since ancient times, people first respect fine robes, then respect the man."

"What one wears, what status one holds—these things always look different in the eyes of others."

"If your fists are not hard enough and your bones are too soft, if you look easy to bully and easy to manipulate, someone will come and stomp on you twice."

"There are too many such twists of human warmth and coldness in this world to count. I cannot manage them, nor do I care to."

He rubbed the silver pouch between his fingers.

"But no matter what."

"I must train my own fists until they are hard, until I become one of those people in fine robes in the eyes of others!"

"That is the proper path!"

Back at the Lin Residence—

Lu Yu's timely rescue had almost made him mistakenly believe that power and influence were stronger than fists.

But now, looking at the physique and saber arts that gave him such a profound sense of security—

Ji Xiu suddenly understood.

Where did power and influence come from?

It was nothing more than something taken with one's fists!

He absolutely could not put the cart before the horse!

While he was pondering this, Ji Wei obediently brought over breakfast, her bright eyes full of admiration.

"Brother, you must be tired from practicing the saber, right? Hurry and eat. I'll wash your clothes!"

Before Ji Xiu could say anything—

She ran off with the dirty clothes in the wooden basin to wash them.

Watching her tuck back her hair, sweat beading on her delicate nose as she squatted on the ground, fetching water and scrubbing clothes, still dressed in thin, ragged garments despite the bitter cold—

Ji Xiu clenched his money pouch and stood up.

"Little sister, stop washing."

The days when they had to grit their teeth and tighten their belts had passed.

Ji Xiu's tone had gradually become gentler as well.

He rubbed Ji Wei's head.

"Go on. The food is still hot. Eat first."

"When I return this evening, I'll give you a surprise."

With that, he changed into a clean cloth outfit, hugged Ji Wei, and headed outside while thinking to himself.

"It is already late autumn. The bedding at home, little sister's clothes, and rice, flour, and meat."

"All of it needs replenishing."

"I still have to wait another two days for Senior Brother Lu's side of things. When I count it up, Qiao Jin's silver really came at the right time."

"Consider him sensible."

Thinking as he walked—

Ji Xiu spent half a quarter-hour crossing into the streets and found a cheap cotton shop nearby.

He first had them card seven jin and six liang of cotton, then asked the shopkeeper to stitch it into a quilt with needle and thread. At fifty copper coins per jin, including the quilt cover, it cost over half a tael of silver.

Then he had two padded jackets made. Between buying cloth and adding stuffing, together with the quilt, over one tael of silver vanished just like that.

"This even has some wadding mixed in with the cotton. If I used quality materials..."

"My little bit of silver would not be enough at all!"

"After this, I'd be drinking the northwest wind again."

After placing the order, Ji Xiu secretly clicked his tongue.

No wonder farmers went gray with worry whenever they heard the words "autumn and winter."

How many ordinary people could afford new clothes and thick bedding? Usually, they wore one garment for years. Even when it tore and rotted, they still hung it on their bodies, unwilling to replace it.

Not to mention firewood and charcoal.

If one did not make a living through the winter—

One could freeze to death or starve to death alive!

"I still need to earn money!"

"With this little, I can barely afford even basic provisions, much less support my martial training!"

Ji Xiu's throat bobbed.

He had thought that escaping Slave Status would mean freedom.

But now it seemed that without working as a stablehand and receiving fine rice and flour, his life had instead become even more impoverished.

"But it is only temporary."

"Senior Brother Lu said that retainers of Fire Kiln Lu Estate, so long as they pass the old estate master's inspection, receive at minimum ten taels of monthly pay, meat at every meal, and a private courtyard."

"If one earns his favor and receives his full cultivation, not only will one hold real authority in Fire Kiln and stand above the proprietors of countless shops, one can travel with carriages and horses and even obtain weapons forged at Fire Kiln!"

"Those are weapons!"

"Ordinary people cannot even touch them, much less buy them!"

Ji Xiu licked his lips, his eyes burning.

Would that not be far more useful than the wooden saber he wielded now!?

"But before that—"

"I need to change my registration."

Anning County Office.

Originally, relying on the title of martial artist, Ji Xiu had passed through without obstruction.

Yet—

He encountered trouble precisely in the Household Registry Office.

The registry clerk in charge of changing household registrations had been surprised when he heard Ji Xiu had become a martial artist and wished to tear up his slave contract. But he had seen plenty of such cases, so he said nothing and prepared to make the change.

However—

When he found the wooden plaque bearing Ji Xiu's registration and examined it closely, his eyes narrowed.

"Lin Residence, slave contract, Ji family boy..."

He murmured the name, then frowned after a while.

"I've heard of you."

Heard of me?

Ji Xiu was startled.

Then the registry clerk gave him a once-over, his eyes showing a trace of displeasure.

"You just became a martial artist, yet you whipped your superior. Your temperament is violent. The master of the Lin Residence wanted to take you in as an adopted son, but you refused and slammed the door behind you."

"Ji family boy..."

"You do not know what great fortune you have missed!"

"Just yesterday, the eldest young lady of the Lin Residence returned. She had been away for nine years and once entered the sect of a Qi Refining Expert."

"If you could have latched onto even a little kinship with someone like that, it would have benefited you for life."

"What a pity..."

He shook his head, leaned back in his chair, and held up five fingers.

"For an ordinary household, once you become a martial artist, your contract is simply dissolved. Nothing to it."

"But the Lin Residence..."

"The county office must send the money back to them."

"And then there are the handling fees for all the running around."

"Five taels."

"Pay up."

The eldest young lady had entered a sect, one belonging to a Qi Refining Expert?

Ji Xiu's pupils contracted involuntarily. He recalled the veiled woman he had seen yesterday, a sword at her waist, and his expression turned solemn.

Was it her?

But—

This news had spread so widely already, and it had blackened his name so thoroughly?

Hearing the registry clerk speak so bluntly, Ji Xiu's teeth ached.

Once a martial artist entered Sinew Tempering, even if he was a slave, he could change his household registration without any conditions.

But this minor official before him—

Was clearly trying to fleece him and line his pockets!

The King of Hell was easy to meet; little demons were hard to deal with.

If Ji Xiu had the money, he would have paid it. But—

Just as Ji Xiu was caught in a dilemma—

A calm voice drifted over.

"Since the founding of Great Xuan, there have been rules and ancestral precepts."

"Any who enter the ranks of martial artists may break free of their shackles, enter the Martial Register, stand above commoners and those of lowly status, be exempt from the Spring and Autumn Double Tax, need not remain bound to their native prefecture or county, and may freely travel to other lands."

"Other places may be one thing."

"But here, you still dare to play tricks..."

"If there is a next time, I will punish you for your crime!"

The neither harsh nor gentle words fell.

Outside the Household Registry Office, a tall figure dressed in black everyday clothes stood at the threshold with his hands behind his back. He had apparently been passing by, and his presence was as imposing as a prison as he looked toward the registry clerk.

The man was startled out of his skin and sprang to his feet.

"M-My lord!"

"Yes!"

"I-I was wrong! I'll change this Ji family boy's registration right away!"

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Without a single complaint, utterly unlike his previous laziness, he swiftly altered the registry and household record.

In less than the time it took to burn an incense stick, he handed a brand-new wooden plaque to Ji Xiu.

The speed left Ji Xiu silent.

Jiangyin Prefecture, Anning County, Fire Kiln Street. Ji Xiu, entered the ranks of martial artists, registered in the Martial Register.

Henceforth, exempt from the Spring and Autumn Double Tax. Permitted to leave this county and qualified to travel to other prefectures and counties.

Holding this identity plaque that represented his escape from the shackles binding him—

Ji Xiu looked at the registry clerk, whose eyes were full of fawning fear as he glanced toward the black-clad man at the threshold.

Without sparing that bully of the weak a single look, Ji Xiu walked to the doorway and hesitated briefly.

"My lord, thank you for speaking up for justice."

"You..."

Before he could finish—

The man turned his head.

A pair of hawk-like eyes immediately pierced straight into his gaze.

"You are Duan Chenzhou's disciple?"

Ji Xiu froze. Then he recalled that Master Duan had once served at the county office as a constable chief for a time. Assuming this man was one of his former colleagues, he cupped his hands and answered.

"I cannot be considered Master Duan's disciple, but he did indeed teach me my saber."

"Sir, are you Master Duan's colleague at the yamen?"

Colleague.

A curve lifted at the corner of the black-clad man's mouth.

"My name is Gu Baichuan."

"You could say I'm an old acquaintance of Duan Chenzhou's."

"I looked into a few things about you, so I knew."

"Go on, then. Give your master my regards."

Gu Baichuan nodded, tacitly acknowledging it.

Though Ji Xiu still harbored doubts, seeing his manner, he found it difficult to linger. He merely gave his assent before turning and leaving.

Only the clerk remained behind, trembling so hard his calves shook.

He stared at the indifferent gaze and the Azure Hawk insignia that had inadvertently shown beneath the hem of the black robe.

After Ji Xiu had gone far away,

his knees gave out, and with a thud, he dropped to his knees.

"L-Lord Hundred-Household Officer!"

"I-I truly was wrong, I..."

The clerk could not even speak without trembling.

The Azure Hawk badge represented the Northern Garrison Envoys.

This agency held the duty of overseeing all under Heaven and patrolling the Outer Paths.

And the man before him was no mere mounted guard or banner officer.

It was no exaggeration to say,

if he wanted the clerk dead,

a single nod from him would settle it. No matter who came, none would dare say no!

Yet Gu Baichuan did not spare this petty clerk so much as a glance.

He merely watched Ji Xiu's receding back, raised a brow, and smiled without smiling.

"Duan. Chenzhou."

"He teaches others the blade too?"

"Looks like he truly has lost his fighting spirit."

"What a pity for his branch's Secret Martial Path. Perhaps its lineage will end here."

"But that kid..."

"is rather interesting."

"Perhaps I can try bringing him in?"