It took two hours for Ye Cheng to reach Liyu town.
It was still early in the morning and not many stalls had been set up yet. Some parts of the market street were still being swept.
The meat shop at the corner has a board sign that reads: *Fresh Cuts* A string of meat ribs were hanging from the beam. This is Ye Cheng's destination, at Boss Yao meat shop.
"Good morning, Boss Yao." Ye Cheng greeted when he arrived.
"Ah, Little Ye!" A round-shouldered man in an apron called out with a smile: "You come so early today, another good morning for hunting, eh?"
"One whole rabbit, the other has been cut and the insides were taken out." Ye Cheng put the rabbit meat on the counter.
Boss Yao wiped his hands on his apron, then looked at the stain and wiped his hands on his shirt. He took the rabbit and weighed it on the scale: "Good catch. I can tell that the one you cut was very big in size. It's rare to find rabbits above average size these days."
"What price are you offering today, Boss Yao?" Ye Cheng asked.
Boss Yao chuckled and continued to inspect the rabbits: "The size of the whole rabbit is just right and they're still fresh. I'll give you two silver coins and eighty copper coins. What do you think?"
Ye Cheng thought for a moment, then nodded. "Good."
As Boss Yao weighed the rest of the meat, he glanced up: "Are you still working at that refining guild, as old Lu assistant?"
"Yes."
"Hah, that stingy bastard. Don't let him work you to the bone. Everyone knows how stingy he is, you won't get anything good working with him."
Ye Cheng's lips curved into a bitter smile: "I'm aware, thanks for your concern."
Boss Yao chuckled again, he counted out eighty coppers and two silver coins: "Here, and take these bones for free. Tell your wife to make you a hot soup."
Ye Cheng hesitated a moment: "He isn't—" He paused and reconsidered his words: "Can I pick them up in the evening? As you can tell, I'm currently heading to the guild."
Boss Yao agreed and packaged the bones before setting them aside. Ye Cheng thanked him, and tucked the money into his inner pocket and left.
🪷🪷🪷
The refining guild was on the east side of town. It was a tall building made of stones. The faint metallic tang of ore and spirit fire filled the air long before he reached the door.
The sounds of metal echoed through the hall. Apprentices moved busily between furnaces, carrying tools, buckets of water, and bundles of ores. Some turned to glance at Ye Cheng as he walked in, and snickered.
"Well, if it isn't the master of assembly himself." One said loudly, smirking.
"Still can't refine a full weapon, yet he's a young master of a prestigious family?" Another added: "How long's it been? Two years?"
"What are you talking about, brother? He's just a bastard that was kicked out a few days ago."
A few of the apprentices laughed as they mocked him. Ye Cheng didn't look at them. He walked past with a calm expression, as though their words were carried away by the forge smoke.
Most of those workers have average talent, otherwise, they wouldn't have come to such a small town to work. They have been looked down on by others. But seeing Ye Cheng who's from a noble family and yet has even worse talent, it makes them feel better. So they develop a habit of picking on him to make themselves feel better.
"Hey, maybe he's just waiting for a miracle," someone else muttered. "Or a manual from Master Lu."
They laughed louder. After all, there's no way master Lu is going to give out his refining manual out easily to a nobody like Ye Cheng.
Ye Cheng continued toward the main hall. He changed his shoes for the thick-soled pair kept under his bench, tied a leather strap at his wrist, and went to his station to start work.
At the far end stood Master Lu. A man in his late forties with sharp eyes, slicked-back hair, and a permanent air of superiority. His robes were spotless, in contrast to the soot-stained apprentices around him.
"You're late" Mr. Lu said, holding a coin between his fingers: "The sun is already up yet you're just arriving. Where are the fittings for the three sabers? Did you polish the guard? Did you drill the tang hole like I instructed?" He sneered and continued: "No, I can see from your face that you didn't."
"I polished them last night." Ye Cheng said calmly: "I didn't have time to drill the tang holes. I will do it right now."
"You will?" Mr. Lu's mouth curved. He liked the taste of superiority, unfortunately Ye Cheng was like a blank sheet: " If you spoil a single piece of iron, I will deduct it from your pay."
"Yes, Mr. Lu."
Mr. Lu thought for a moment then added: "When you finish those, fetch coal for Forge Three. First, run to the front and collect the commission tickets, then go to the warehouse and carry two buckets of fine sand. Also, see that the bellows leather is not cracked. I'm counting on you."
Ye Cheng completed his assigned tasks without complaint. Despite being given more difficult work than others, he remained focused on his goal, refusing to be affected by those petty things.
"Tch." Mr. Lu waved dismissively: "If you spent half the effort on cultivation that you do chasing hopeless practice, you'd at least be half-decent at something."
Ye Cheng suddenly turned around and looked at him coldly, sending a shiver down his spine. The air grew thick with unspoken tension, and fear began to spread through his chest. He instinctively took a step back.
By the time Mr. Lu realized his cowardly behavior, he became furious from embarrassment. The other co-workers secretly laughed at him, their whispers and knowing glances only add fuel to his humiliation.
When the lunch whistle blew, all the workers went for lunch break. Those with more work to do stay at their stations and continue working.
Mr. Lu was currently sitting at the table, eating three meat buns, with spicy chicken wings. He sighed about how expensive life was and how ungrateful apprentices were for any chance he got.
"Ye Cheng." A tall apprentice called through a mouth full of rice: "Why are you not having lunch with us?"
"I still have work to do, you guys should eat first." Ye Cheng replied without looking up.
"Why are you bothering yourself with Ye Cheng? He's a married man now, I bet his wife is making his lunch at home."
The apprentices laughed. Although Ye Cheng hasn't finished his current task yet, the lazy Mr. Lu still gives him more tasks.
"When you finished," Mr. Lu ordered: "Go and polish the fittings for the Red Willow spear. That commission has a high pay, we have to do the job well."
Ye Cheng replied and resumed his work. Though he appeared to be suffering now, this experience had granted him extensive knowledge of craftsmanship and refinement. Once he gets his hand on a refining manual, he will no longer need to maintain such a low profile.