Zhufu Yan, Who Couldn't Get Ahead

Zhufu Yan never complained about being born at the wrong time, but he was somewhat resentful of his family's poverty and the difficulty of rising from the bottom of society.

Someone as exceptional as him, a genius one in ten thousand, yet his most important thing wasn't cultivation, but filling his stomach.

While others were cultivating their spiritual practice, he was busy making a living.

While others consumed elixirs, he could only seek out herbs.

Others have various cultivation manuals, but he can only rely on incomplete fortuitous opportunity.

If he were to switch places with someone else, even into an ordinary wealthy family, Zhufu Yan felt that he would never have ended up like this in middle age.

He felt that if he had even half the wealth of Zhang Xuezhou Zhang Xuezhou, he would not be holed up in a place like Shanglin Garden practicing alchemy and medicine making; he would certainly be a talented official in the court.

But at this moment, Zhufu Yan has to rely on others, since Wei Qing he has pledged allegiance to, seems unreliable, and Wei Qing's recommendation has not played any role.

On the one hand, Zhufu Yan knew that he was getting old and lacked value.

On the other hand, Zhufu Yan can only boast about his youth and adolescence, when he was able to have a good starting point and not fall behind others thanks to his talent and hard work. As for the present, there is nothing to talk about.

Upon entering Shanglin Garden, Zhufu Yan discovered that there were countless young talents of his own cultivation level.

Even those on guard duty in this area possess cultivation levels of the True Spirit Realm or higher.

This contrast made Zhufu Yan feel quite terrible, as if he had no way out.

"Your cultivation level isn't weak either; finding a job as a retainer to make a living and maintain stability shouldn't be a problem!"

He asked Zhang Xuezhou for help, to which Zhang Xuezhou responded with some surprise.

"That won't do! Those retainers all have their own territories. They're all in groups, and those who aren't in their group will be ostracized!" Zhufu Yan exclaimed. "Over the years, I've traveled from Qi Region to Yan Lands, then to Zhao Lands, Zhongshan, and even to Yanmen Pass and Hangu Pass trying to enlist and earn military merit, but there's not a single place that will let me find a place to stand and rise in rank!"

"Then you're in a bit of a predicament!"

Zhang Xuezhou looked at Zhufu Yan and couldn't help but compare his appearance to that of a physiognomist.

Zhang Xuezhou wasn't surprised if a place ostracized Zhufu Yan, after all, Lei Bei had almost been killed by xenophobia while trying to make a living in Shouchun City.

However, if every place excludes Zhufu Yan, it may not be entirely a matter of local xenophobia.

It's truly hard for someone like Zhang Xuezhou, who lives a relatively comfortable life in every place, to understand this situation. Especially since Zhufu Yan is skilled in swordsmanship and his cultivation is not bad, yet his life is worse than Daoist Mu's. It's simply unbelievable.

Zhang Xuezhou was able to introduce Tian Fen Zhufu Yan, who was very courteous to scholars and welcomed all kinds of retainers to join him. He even arranged for a considerable number of his retainers to become officials in the court.

It is extremely rare for someone to become an official without having made any contributions or accumulated seniority. This only happened when a new emperor issued an edict seeking talented individuals at the beginning of his reign, a situation that was almost only possible for a new emperor upon ascending the throne.

It must be said that, given that he had a master like Tian Fen, Zhang Xuezhou felt that Tian Fen treated his retainers quite well.

If Zhufu Yan has difficulty integrating into the group, he won't do such a thankless task. Even if he only needs to say a word to Tian Fen, Zhang Xuezhou wouldn't want to clean up Zhufu Yan's mess later.

He couldn't help but give a perfunctory reply to Zhufu Yan.

"Young man, who is your father? Do you need a tutor? I, your Zhufu Yan, am not particularly talented, but could I be a worthy teacher?"

Zhang Xuezhou's attitude was very clear. Zhufu Yan was also incapable of alchemy and medicine making. In fact, he hated cultivators with powerful backgrounds and access to elixirs the most. After thinking it over, Zhufu Yan quickly turned to chatting with Huo Qubing about everyday matters.

"I possess a complete set of these three-aperture techniques. For every eighteen apertures that have passed through the Realm Entry, three apertures can be combined to form a technique," Zhufu Yan said. "Besides the three-aperture techniques, I also have four-aperture, five-aperture, and six-aperture techniques, each extremely useful in combat!"

"Really?" Huo Qubing exclaimed in surprise.

"I'd be a dog if I lied!" Zhufu Yan swore.

"Then... Master Dongfang, could you perhaps have him come over and demonstrate?"

Huo Qubing was about to call Zhufu Yan over when he remembered that he was living under someone else's roof, so he quickly asked Zhang Xuezhou for his opinion.

"I have no problem with that, as long as he doesn't interfere with your godfather's affairs," Zhang Xuezhou nodded.

"I'll just look at it once, it definitely won't take long!"

Huo Qubing lowered his voice to assure him, which surprised Zhang Xuezhou. Then he suddenly remembered Huo Qubing's ability to replay recordings.

Huo Qubing could only learn the form of Huo Qubing's techniques, but he could definitely analyze some simple techniques, since the number of acupoints was low and the combinations were limited.

Once Zhufu Yan demonstrated the technique, Huo Zhufu Yan would immediately memorize it.

"Please, both of you, make an exception and let the Zhufu Yan come over!"

Zhang Xuezhou called out, and the Imperial Guards on duty between the two side halls stepped aside to let them pass, indicating that passage was permitted.

"Oh dear, Brother Dongfang, all my pleading is less effective than a single word from you! You don't know these heavily armored iron lumps; their brains are completely incompetent, full of shit, and they won't give you any leeway!"

Zhufu Yan jogged closer and couldn't help but scold the two dutiful Imperial Guards a couple more times.

Zhang Xuezhou was speechless at his behavior, and could only feel that there was a reason why this guy was struggling.

Leaving aside other places, at least in these two side hall areas, Zhufu Yan was probably not welcomed by the Imperial Guards.

Don't underestimate these two patrolling Imperial Guards; they are indeed a group. If they utter any outrageous remarks, others will inevitably find out and thus become unwilling to give Zhufu Yan a good look.

"This was Huo Qubing's help to you, it has nothing to do with me," Zhang Xuezhou waved his hand and said.

"Huo Qubing? His surname is Huo?"

Zhang Xuezhou gave his name, which made Zhufu Yan think for a moment, and he was soon disappointed.

I assumed Huo Qubing was some kind of nobleman who would be placed in the Shanglin Garden, but Zhufu Yan had never heard of any high-ranking official in the court with the surname Huo.

If the other party's parents are just minor officials in Chang'an City, there is little difference between having such a powerful backer and not having one.

He also glanced at Huo Qubing's round belly and felt that the other man's health was worrying, but Huo Qubing had entered the country at a young age, and this kind of resource indoctrination was not something an ordinary person could do.

"Why is his belly so big?" Zhufu Yan asked in a low voice.

"It's from taking pills!"

Zhang Xuezhou waved his hand, and Zhufu Yan immediately indicated that he understood.

Regardless of who Huo Qubing's parents were, they were likely quite wealthy.

If he could teach children from wealthy families for a period of time, Zhufu Yan felt he could make a decent living.

"Come, come, let me teach you the Eighteen Strikes of Sticky Clothes. Although it's just a rudimentary introductory close combat martial art that I came up with, it's very practical!"

As a self-nominated teacher, Zhufu Yan felt he needed to put on a show, at least to appear capable in the children's eyes.

This prompted him to quickly put on a show of physical labor, demonstrating to Huo Qubing the low-level martial arts skills he had honed through years of hard work and experience.