Taking a master

The leader of the Vegetable Gang came from a farming family, but he had a talent for martial arts. His family scrimped and saved, and borrowed from their neighbors to send him to the Wu Family Martial Arts School. He eventually succeeded in cultivating Whole-Body Force and became a martial artist. With his help, two more martial artists emerged from his village, and they formed the Vegetable Gang around the village's farmers.

"Though they also buy low and sell high, monopolizing the nearby market, their margins aren't that large. They also shoulder some of the risk of losses from unsold stock, and regularly stand up for vegetable growers and offer them protection. They have quite a good reputation.

The Fishermen's Gang, on the other hand, has a much worse reputation. Its leaders also came from poor families, but they bully traders and dominate the market ruthlessly. Their fish brokerage squeezes the fishermen dry. Still, after the Northern and Southern Fishing Gangs merged, they had five Bright Force martial artists and more men capable of fighting. Overall, they're stronger than the Vegetable Gang...

Yi Feng rattled off the information he had gathered.

The fellow had learned to pick locks as a child, only entering a "respectable" trade later. He certainly knew his way around the streets.

While Lin Hao had been watching the commotion earlier, Yi Feng had somehow dug up the whole story, along with quite a bit of other information.

It might not all have been accurate, but finding out so much in such a short time was impressive. It took a way with words to make people want to share what they knew.

"I see. So the Vegetable Gang's leaders can all be considered nominal disciples of the Wu Family Martial Arts School. It makes sense that they'd receive its protection."

Lin Hao nodded in understanding.

"Yes. The Fishermen's Gang's leaders came from the other two martial arts schools, which aren't as influential as the Wu family's. Incense Master Liu may have taken their silver to intervene on their behalf.

The Grain Transport Gang is powerful, but the man in charge here is Helmsman Yin, Yin Saide. He's a martial arts genius with an enormous reputation, almost a legend. He came from poverty and won the Transport Commissioner's favor, becoming one of his many adopted sons. Rumor has it he became a Transforming Force master before thirty. He was born with immense strength and has the makings of a top examination laureate.

"But Helmsman Yin seems obsessed with martial arts and rarely handles everyday affairs. He leaves matters around here to four incense masters, and Incense Master Liu is one of them."

Yi Feng's endless chatter made Lin Hao give him a peculiar look.

Apart from picking locks, Yi Feng had no particular advantages over Zhou Feng and the others. But Lin Hao remembered how his lock-picking had helped them and had no intention of casting him aside once he had served his purpose. Worried about his frail build, he had kept him close and put him on his own team.

Now it seemed he really had underestimated the fellow. He himself could never have gathered so much information in so little time.

Although Yin Saide held no official post, his position as a helmsman in the Grain Transport Gang-especially at a sensitive location like the Lake-Blocking Dam-showed how highly he was valued.

Having the makings of a top laureate isn't just empty praise. Anyone under thirty can enter the Martial Examination, and the top laureate each time is usually only at transforming force. This helmsman is still in his prime, too. He has a promising future and might well make another breakthrough.

Lin Hao formed his own assessment.

"Dam Market may be small, but things here are certainly complicated. Judging by what you've said, Yin Saide would rank among the strongest fighters in an entire prefecture. He's young and accomplished, yet he's ended up stationed in a place like this. And Master Wu is no ordinary man, either.

"We'll go with the Wu Family Martial Arts School. Being apprentices there will offer protection in itself and save us plenty of trouble. We'll all enroll. No need to wait."

After getting more detailed information from Yi Feng, Lin Hao made his decision with a sweep of his hand.

Whether considering the Martial Arts School's public reputation or its own interests, there seemed little reason to worry about being slandered for now.

Even so, Lin Hao and the others waited until the crowd inside dispersed before openly making their way to the Martial Arts School in broad daylight.

Though all of them were travel-worn, the fabric of Lin Hao's pajamas, which resembled a scholar's robes, and Zhao Xiaowen's clothing immediately drew serious attention.

The Martial Arts Ground at the Martial Arts School was paved with bluestone, with weapon racks and stone training weights set out along both sides.

The earlier contest had only just ended. Several apprentices in fitted gray training clothes were gathered around their senior brother and senior sister, asking questions. When the group entered, their senior sister, Wu Xin, came over in person.

"What brings you here?"

Wu Xin wore fitted white training clothes. Though her chest was rather flat, she had a strikingly heroic air.

Perhaps because she practiced martial arts, even her walk conveyed an indefinable sense of strength and crisp decisiveness. One glance was enough to tell that she was trained.

From Yi Feng's inquiries, they knew that although Wu Xin was a woman, Master Wu's daughter had already mastered hidden force and joined the ranks of martial masters. She counted among the strongest fighters in all of Dam Market.

"Greetings, young Master Wu."

Lin Hao imitated the customary cupped-fist salute.

"We're originally from the Northwest. War drove us from our home, and we traveled downstream, hoping to seek refuge with relatives South of the Yangtze. But we discovered that disaster had already struck their household, and we couldn't find any news of them. Since life there is difficult and we have no property, we hoped to settle here..."

Using information from the radio broadcasts, the group had already agreed on their cover story.

They were refugees fleeing disaster, but with some family savings.

"With the Xiongnu-Qiang causing unrest in the Northwest and the Way of the Celestial Masters rising in rebellion, it is indeed a troubled region. My father always sighs when he speaks of it."

Wu Xin gave a soft sigh. She did not seem particularly suspicious-or rather, she had no reason to be.

Nobody was as important as they imagined themselves to be. Whatever someone said about their own circumstances could simply be taken at face value; there was no need to investigate. Offering a sympathetic response was merely polite.

"Settling in Dam Market is a good choice. Prices are low here, and there are plenty of opportunities. If you're looking for a livelihood, young sir, I could introduce you to an elementary school that needs a teaching assistant."

The Wu Family Martial Arts School truly lived up to its reputation. It was willing to offer help even to strangers who arrived unannounced.

But her words left Lin Hao inwardly speechless. Remembering the cloth signs along the road that he could not read, he wanted to pay someone to teach him the basics himself.

He hurriedly waved his hands.

"You've misunderstood, young Master Wu. We aren't wealthy, but we brought some savings when we fled, and they're enough for now. However, we were surrounded by beggars shortly after arriving here. Being strangers in an unfamiliar place, we feel we ought to learn to defend ourselves. That's why we'd like to enroll at the Martial Arts School."

Lin Hao's words made Wu Xin furrow her brow slightly, a flicker of disgust crossing her face.

It was not directed at Lin Hao's group, however, but at what those beggars had done. Their brazen behavior made it clear that this was no isolated incident.

Wu Xin even took a particular look at Zhao Xiaowen and Nie Yi.

Although both women had deliberately dirtied their faces a little, the smoothness of their skin was still apparent. Zhao Xiaowen's figure, in particular, could not be concealed even by her dress.

This made Wu Xin feel a little more sympathy. With a chest that big, even walking must be tiring.

Only then did she speak.

"Our Martial Arts School accepts apprentices, so naturally we welcome anyone who wishes to enroll. But I must make something clear beforehand. The best time to begin martial training is at fifteen or sixteen, once your body has finished developing. You're already several years late, so your future achievements may be limited. You may only learn a few methods of self-defense."

"That's enough, that's enough. Some methods of self-defense are all we need. May I ask what the fees are?"

The Martial Arts School was accepting ordinary apprentices, not personal disciples, so there were no elaborate ceremonies. They simply had to pay the tuition fees.

"Standard tuition is ten taels of silver a month, without room or board. You must also purchase any medicines you need yourself. Fifteen taels a month includes room and board, as well as Blood-Activating Ointment to reduce the risk of injury. Additional medicinal baths and medicines to strengthen your blood and vital energy must be purchased separately according to your needs."

The price was truly steep, a vivid demonstration of how tightly access to skills and knowledge was controlled in this era!

An adult man's earnings for an entire year, without spending anything on food or drink, would barely cover a month's tuition!

Fortunately, they had recovered thirty jin of silver from the apartment building, equivalent to over three hundred taels. For now, that would be enough.

At the very least, living at the Martial Arts School would be much safer.

"We'll take room and board. For all four of us, one month to start..."

Lin Hao's words surprised Wu Xin.

"All four of you are enrolling?"

Martial training was no small expense!

And success was far from guaranteed. Even wealthy households would not send their servants to learn martial arts. Sending their children was already enough.

There appeared to be a manservant and a maid among this group, yet they would be studying too? That was quite unusual.

With the Martial Arts School's fees set at this level, and teaching focused on quality rather than quantity, the number of apprentices generally remained at a dozen or so. Four enrolling at once was a sizable addition...