Recruitment

At the hour of the pig.

The moon shone bright, the stars sparse, and Clear River lay shrouded in darkness.

People in ancient times had little in the way of entertainment. At this hour, quite a few households had already extinguished their lamps and gone to sleep.

Only a handful of places still had their lights on.

The Education Office was one of them.

"In the hierarchy of ancient customs and culture, entertainment quarters ranked lowest—they were brothels, serving common folk, manual labor with low profits.

High-class brothels were much more refined. Only wealthy merchants and high-ranking dignitaries could enter them. Only at that level was there talk of selling one's art but not one's body.

But at the very top of the contempt chain, it had to be the Education Office."

Li Rui silently assessed it.

Old Li had really made something of himself—he could actually come to the Education Office now.

The Education Office had already cast off the crude vulgarity of ordinary high-class brothels. There was no shortage of refined guests here who would scatter a thousand gold pieces for the sake of a single melody.

Thirty taels. He had not even touched a girl's backside.

"Elegant. Truly elegant."

But Li Rui felt that he still preferred the vulgar sort.

At this moment.

A crisp zither melody, like jade beads falling to the ground, sounded beside his ears. Beyond the nearby screen, he could vaguely make out a lovely silhouette, but that was all.

He glanced at Wu Tu beside him.

Wu Tu kept shifting his backside, as though the soft couch had sprouted nails. Clearly, he too was having trouble sitting still.

When the piece ended.

Wu Tu finally raised his wine cup with a grin. "If Miss Chun Nuan's zither playing is called second-best in Clear River, no one would dare call theirs first. I'm just a crude man and don't know how to appreciate it. Vice Branch Master Zhang will surely understand the meaning within Miss Chun Nuan's music."

A lean middle-aged man of around forty smiled and waved a hand. "I only listen to the sound myself; I can hardly call myself an expert. Still, Miss Chun Nuan's Bodhisattva Barbarian tonight truly left its lingering notes circling the beams. Her zither skills have improved again."

This middle-aged man was Zhang Yang, one of the Heaven and Earth Alliance's four Vice Branch Masters.

Li Rui's heart stirred.

Wu Tu truly was an old hand in the jianghu. That flattery had landed perfectly.

The safest way to praise someone was to belittle oneself and thereby set the other person off.

Especially in the things they cared about.

Serving a superior required catering to his tastes.

Vice Branch Master Zhang had always been known for putting on airs of elegance. That was why Wu Tu had deliberately chosen the Education Office rather than an ordinary high-class brothel.

The Education Office was not merely a place for seeking flowers and asking willows.

The pure courtesans here had once all been daughters of prominent households. Strictly trained from childhood, they were proficient in zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting alike. Their refinement was beyond comparison with the goods in ordinary high-class brothels.

Of course, they were also truly expensive.

Zhang Yang took a satisfied sip of wine. "Old Brother Li, this season's Plum Wine tastes especially fine. You should have a few more cups."

He prided himself on being a connoisseur of food and was exceedingly particular about such things.

Li Rui's face was all smiles, but inwardly he grumbled.

"Vice Branch Master Zhang clearly came from a gang. Where did all these particularities come from?"

In this regard, Zhao Wei fit the temperament one should have from a grass-roots background perfectly.

The women in the room changed several rounds, the focus being on ample quantities and full satisfaction, welcoming all comers.

Zhang Yang waved his hand.

Wu Tu gestured to the woman behind the screen. She picked up her zither and slowly withdrew.

Before long, only the three of them remained in the room.

Li Rui straightened his back.

The main subject had finally begun.

Zhang Yang narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at Li Rui with a half-smile. "Hall Master Li, you have quite the methods. You dealt with Eagle Six without making a sound. It truly inspires admiration."

Li Rui shook his head. "Eagle Six died in the line of duty while carrying out a mission."

Zhang Yang gave a sly chuckle.

He wore the expression of someone who believed every word Li Rui said.

Li Rui also knew that explanations were useless. Two people from Heaven One Hall had died in succession, and both had been at odds with him. No matter how one looked at it, it seemed like his doing.

"Vice Branch Master Zhang, did you call for this old man today because you had business with me?"

Zhang Yang chuckled. "I know Old Brother Li's capabilities and wish to befriend you. That is why I asked Brother Wu to build a bridge between us."

On the surface, Li Rui was Zhao Wei's man.

But who one truly belonged to was not determined by those surface matters, but by private ties.

Zhang Yang was clearly trying to recruit Li Rui.

"Old Brother Li, the Branch Master previously thought you were advanced in years, which was why he arranged some leisurely duties for you. But I know your abilities. Heaven One Hall is wasting your talents. Why not come to my Civil and Martial Hall as Great Offering? Your status would be equal to that of a Hall Master. What do you say?"

Wu Tu's eyes immediately widened.

He had not expected Zhang Yang to pay such a huge price to recruit Li Rui.

The Civil and Martial Hall was no Heaven One Hall.

It held high status and great power, a first-rate destination that countless people had their eyes on.

Though Great Offering was a notch below Hall Master, it was far superior to Deputy Hall Master—and more than ten times greater than being the Heaven One Hall Master.

Li Rui was startled as well.

Zhang Yang was truly willing to spend heavily.

But then Zhang Yang changed the subject. "Old Brother Li, you also know that becoming Hall Master requires the Branch Master's approval. So long as you can place within the top eight in next month's assessment, I will obtain this Great Offering position for you no matter what."

Li Rui understood at once.

No wonder Zhang Yang had been so forthright just now. This was where he had been waiting.

None of them were fools. Naturally, no one would simply hand an exceedingly important post to an incompetent person.

Zhang Yang intended to use the upcoming assessment competition to test Li Rui's true strength.

The assessment was the best method.

Everyone ranked above number eight was a Hall Master of the six halls. If Li Rui could reach that level, he would most likely be able to become a Hall Master as well.

Zhang Yang was merely giving him a push, directly offering an extremely core position such as Great Offering of the Civil and Martial Hall.

Zhang Yang said, "I believe that, with Old Brother Li's strength, you will surely achieve an excellent ranking in the assessment."

He sincerely hoped Li Rui possessed genuine ability.

They truly lacked people now.

The Heaven and Earth Alliance's Alliance Master had broken through, and the situation within the alliance had changed drastically.

Every Vice Branch Master was in danger. Having reached the eighth rank, it was already impossible to improve one's strength in a short time. Even martial artists with decent talent needed more than a decade to endure past Copper Bone Pass.

Thus, the fastest method was to build up one's own strength.

The four Vice Branch Masters of Qinghe Branch were all doing the same without prior agreement.

Otherwise, how could they contend against those ruthless figures outside who watched like tigers eyeing their prey? When the time came, it would not only be the counties surrounding Clear River—people from Anning Prefecture might even come rushing over upon hearing the news.

Li Rui chuckled. "What can an old man like me do? Those are matters for the young."

Zhang Yang did not press him further.

Though he thought highly of Li Rui, an Entering Rank martial artist was not worth lowering his stance to persuade repeatedly.

Each person had his own ambitions.

It would be best if Li Rui joined him. If not, that was fine as well.

Just as Li Rui had said, he was already seventy. By ancient standards of lifespan, he did not have many years left to live. Thus, Zhang Yang was unwilling to spend too much thought or resources on Li Rui.

He only valued Li Rui's immediate combat strength, which was why he was willing to offer the position of Great Offering.

Once Li Rui exhausted his lifespan in a few years, he could simply replace him with one of his own confidants.

No matter how he calculated it, he would not lose out.

Zhang Yang's calculations were indeed shrewd.