Early the next morning.
The sky was just beginning to brighten. Linhu Village was still wrapped in silence, broken by waves of barking dogs that rose and fell.
"That stupid dog from Old Wang's family—one of these days I'm going to stew it."
Lin Chen hadn't waited long at the village entrance before Gu Fei's figure appeared from within the village, cursing as he walked.
"That's because you threw the bone it had hidden into the water back then. You're lucky it didn't bite you."
Thinking about the trouble the original owner of this body and Gu Fei had caused around the village, Lin Chen was a bit speechless.
When the two of them had nothing to do, they would deliberately run into the village grass, dig out the bones the village's mongrel dogs had hidden in the sand, and then throw them into the stream right in front of the dogs.
"It's been more than half a year, and that stupid dog still holds a grudge."
Gu Fei curled his lips. Seeing no one else around, he lowered his voice and asked curiously, "I heard from my dad that your family split up last night?"
Lin Father had gone to find the village head the night before. The village head wrote the family division document, and they even had several respected elders in the village act as witnesses, to prevent disputes in the future.
The village wasn't big. News like this spread overnight.
"There wasn't enough money for two grandsons to learn martial arts, so the family had to split up. Everyone earns for themselves."
Lin Chen said it calmly, but Gu Fei exploded. "Your grandfather is that biased? You're all his grandsons!"
"Maybe in his eyes, Lin Ming is his good grandson."
With a self-mocking murmur, Lin Chen turned around to comfort Gu Fei instead. "This is fine too. Once the family is split, everyone lives their own life."
"No way. You can't let your uncle's family take advantage like this. All the money your family earned these past years was spent on Lin Ming."
Gu Fei shook his head. "Chen-zi, wait here for me a moment."
"What are you going to do?"
"I've got to spread the news about your grandfather's favoritism. I'll go tell Aunt Li. In less than a day, the whole village will know."
Hearing Gu Fei's words, the corner of Lin Chen's mouth twitched. Aunt Li was the village's famous loudmouth. Anything she knew meant the whole village would soon know.
After thinking about it, Lin Chen didn't stop him.
The family division document had already been written anyway. Letting Gu Fei help him vent a bit of resentment wasn't a bad thing.
Gu Fei ran back into the village. Only after a quarter of an hour did he return. By then, the other two youths who were also learning martial arts had arrived. With outsiders present, Gu Fei winked at Lin Chen and didn't mention the matter again.
The four of them walked quickly, arriving at the Martial Hall before the sky fully brightened.
Lin Chen and Gu Fei returned to the dormitory. After putting their things down, Gu Fei said to Lin Chen, "Chen-zi, when I went home just now, I asked my dad for some extra money. If you're short on money, come find me. I'll lend you some first."
"All right. If I'm short, I'll borrow from you."
Lin Chen was a bit surprised, but then he responded calmly.
No wonder Gu Fei had taken more than a quarter of an hour—he hadn't just gone to find Aunt Li, but had also gone home along the way.
"If you need anything, just say the word. We're brothers—no need for formalities."
After washing up in the dormitory, Lin Chen changed into the training clothes issued by the Martial Hall. After thinking for a moment, he said, "I'm going to find Instructor Yu."
"What are you looking for Instructor Yu for?"
"To see if I can ask for a work-study opportunity."
Lin Chen's answer made Gu Fei even more puzzled. What kind of thing was work-study?
Seeing Lin Chen leave without explaining, Gu Fei hurriedly called out, "I'll wait for you at the dining hall later. If you don't come, I'll bring you two steamed buns to the training ground."
The back courtyard.
Instructor Yu's residence.
Lin Chen took a deep breath and knocked on the door ring.
"Instructor Yu, disciple Lin Chen requests an audience."
After a long moment, a response came from inside. "Come in."
The door was ajar. Lin Chen pushed it open, stepped over the threshold, and saw Instructor Yu standing motionless in the courtyard, eyes gazing at the sky. He didn't dare disturb him.
A few breaths later, Yu Yongnian turned around, looked at Lin Chen, and said, "What is it?"
"Instructor, this disciple humbly asks the instructor to give this disciple an opportunity to learn martial arts."
Lin Chen bowed deeply and directly stated his purpose.
"This disciple originally thought Grandfather would support my learning martial arts…"
Lin Chen briefly explained how his grandfather refused to support him continuing martial arts training, and how the family had no choice but to split.
After hearing Lin Chen's account, Yu Yongnian's emotions barely fluctuated. He had seen students in the academy with even worse circumstances than Lin Chen's.
Like Qiu Yuan, who had been eliminated not long ago—wasn't that a regret as well?
"You want to borrow money from me?"
Yu Yongnian spoke. He would not lend money to students. Lin Chen was not the first to ask, and would not be the last.
It wasn't that he was cold-hearted. If one couldn't even sustain the cost of learning martial arts at the Martial Hall, then the martial path wouldn't go far anyway. Better to cut off the thought early, lest one sink deeper and end up failing in martial arts, draining the family's savings, and being buried in debt.
"This disciple would not dare."
Lin Chen shook his head. He had thought about borrowing money, but in the end gave up.
He and Instructor Yu were neither relatives nor close acquaintances. Why should the instructor lend him money?
Out of sympathy?
He was merely short on money for martial arts—not yet at a truly miserable level.
"This disciple sees that the dining hall is short-handed, and is willing to help work there in exchange for meals. This disciple wishes to seek a work-study opportunity."
Work-study?
Yu Yongnian's pupils contracted slightly as his gaze fixed on Lin Chen. "Do you know what working in the dining hall means?"
"This disciple understands."
"Do you truly understand?" Yu Yongnian said in a deep voice. "When the time comes, other students will dine in the hall, while you, also a student, will have to clean up their bowls and chopsticks, and endure their strange looks."
Lin Chen said resolutely, "This disciple can endure it."
"Don't think it so simply. Once you're truly in it, your dignity in front of others will be gone."
Yu Yongnian understood what Lin Chen meant by "work-study," and precisely because he understood, he felt Lin Chen might not be able to bear it.
"This disciple has already experienced such things in the past few months."
Lin Chen said somewhat embarrassed, "Back then, in order to drink the dining hall's beef soup for free, I would wait until the other senior brothers finished buying meat before going to eat… I was also mocked…"
"This disciple wavered before, and even thought of giving up. But whenever I wavered, when I felt my strength increase, those mockeries and strange looks no longer mattered."
As he spoke, Yu Yongnian saw a look of contentment on Lin Chen's face.
That smile moved him.
To endure others' ridicule for the sake of learning martial arts, and even feel content—this level of temperament was something not just youths, but even he himself could not achieve.
Since that was the case, he would lend a helping hand.
"I will speak with the dining hall. You may go there to help with work in exchange for meals. If there is leftover beef, they can also save some for you."
"Thank you, Instructor Yu. This disciple is endlessly grateful."
Lin Chen said excitedly.
He truly was excited. When he came to ask for a work-study opportunity, he hadn't been confident it would succeed.
If Instructor Yu had refused, he would have thought of another way.
Having lived two lives, Lin Chen understood one principle.
When you are poor, you should exhaust every means to climb upward and fight for every opportunity.
Face, dignity…
These are the two least valuable things for those at the bottom.
"The martial path is long and obstructed. Without a firm martial heart, it is difficult to continue. Since you can endure others' criticism, I, as an instructor, am willing to help you."
"This disciple will diligently practice martial arts and will not fail the instructor's nurturing grace."
Yu Yongnian nodded slightly. "Go."
After Lin Chen left, a graceful woman walked out from the front hall of the courtyard.
"Junior Brother believes this youth can cultivate vital energy within a year, so you're helping him?"
"No."
Yu Yongnian shook his head and looked at her. "Senior Sister, you don't know the hardships of the common world. Most students at the town's Martial Hall aim to cultivate vital energy within two years. Very few even dare to think about doing it within one year."
Senior Sister Shu came from a great family. How could she understand that, for Martial Hall students, cultivating vital energy within two years was already very satisfying?
"Cultivating vital energy within two years won't lead to much achievement in martial arts either," Shu Suwan said thoughtfully.
"It's already enough."
Yu Yongnian smiled bitterly. Students from different family backgrounds pursued different goals.
Cultivating vital energy within two years, entering a martial school, stepping into the Aperture Opening Realm, and in the future possibly securing a minor post in the government—this would already be considered glory for the ancestors.
For village and town commoners, a single government constable was already a big figure.
"Last year I attended the wedding banquet of a former student. The guests filled the seats, but the most honored seat at the main table was empty. Even after the auspicious hour passed, the host still didn't begin the banquet. Does Senior Sister know why?"
"A distinguished guest hadn't arrived."
"Does Senior Sister know who that distinguished guest was?"
"Who?"
"A constable from the county yamen's arrest office. Not the chief patrol officer, not the head constable—just an ordinary constable."
Shu Suwan said quietly, "So Junior Brother stays on as an instructor at the town Martial Hall because you get to sit at the main seat at banquets?"
Yu Yongnian: …
"Staying at the town Martial Hall is more comfortable—fewer schemes and intrigues. Senior Sister, as the newly appointed Martial Affairs Office Inspector, could it be that you plan to abuse your authority and transfer me away?"
"I'd be willing to abuse my authority. Are you willing to go?" Shu Suwan replied.
Yu Yongnian fell silent. After a long while, he said, "I still prefer the atmosphere of the Martial Hall."
Shu Suwan's beautiful eyes fixed on Yu Yongnian. Being stared at made him extremely uncomfortable, and he couldn't help but shift his gaze elsewhere.
Seeing her junior brother's evasive look, a trace of resentment flashed in Shu Suwan's eyes, but it disappeared in an instant. When she raised her gaze again, she was smiling brightly.
"As the newly appointed Martial Affairs Office Inspector, this visit is to seek some advice from Junior Brother. Regarding the Martial Hall, do you have any suggestions?"
"Please wait a moment, Senior Sister."
At the mention of suggestions, Yu Yongnian's expression became serious. He turned and went into the inner room. Shortly after, he came out holding some papers.
Shu Suwan took them, looked at the first page, and read aloud:
"Learning martial arts is extremely costly. Students study bitterly for three years, often exhausting a decade of family savings, yet still achieving little. The martial path is cruel; rural commoners turn pale at the mention of martial arts, none daring to speak of learning it. To revitalize the Martial Hall, tuition should be waived and meals subsidized…"
After finishing, Shu Suwan frowned slightly. "What you wrote isn't right."
"What's not right? Please instruct me, Senior Sister."
Yu Yongnian was a bit unconvinced. This was something he had summarized over four years of serving as an instructor at the Martial Hall, based on the students' situations.
Seeing her junior brother's unconvinced expression, Shu Suwan smiled. "The idea is correct, but the wording can't be used like this."
"Then how should it be worded?"
"The Martial Hall policy was set by the Founding Emperor, benefiting all under Heaven. However, in town Martial Halls, there are occasionally talented students who, due to impoverished family circumstances, struggle to continue. If they could be encouraged and provided with silver, once they succeed in martial arts, it would inspire their families and their villages, surely leading all village youths to practice martial arts and serve the court."
"Oh right, the 'work-study' that your student mentioned is also a viable path."
After hearing this, Yu Yongnian's expression turned somewhat strange after a long moment. "No wonder Senior Sister is the Inspector."