Returning home, Liang Qu poured out all the silver he had saved so far—a total of nine taels and three qian—plus the one hundred and twenty-seven copper coins in his possession.
This was all he owned at present.
The scattered silver rolled across the hard plank bed, clinking with a sound that grew more and more enticing with every bounce.
Having been in this world for twenty-six days, nearly a month now, he finally had enough to learn martial arts—a corner of the world’s most mysterious realm was now within his reach.
It hadn’t been easy, truly not easy at all.
Liang Qu kept rolling the pieces of silver around, watching their inviting white luster; for a moment, he felt like the miser from stories.
Yet, spending money now was for the sake of earning more later and living a better life.
Taking a deep breath, Liang Qu set aside seven taels of the scattered silver pieces, placing them in a small purse Master Hu had given him, cautiously tucking it into his chest.
Righteous Prosperity City was indeed a large city; it wasn’t just scoundrels like Scabby-head Zhang loitering about—amongst the thousands of people, there were always some rotten scoundrels lurking around.
However, he was no longer that orphan who couldn’t make a living; people would think twice before trying anything.
The remaining two taels and three qian, along with the hundred and twenty-seven copper coins, were buried under the soil beneath the rice jar, to help pay the autumn tax.
Great Shun had already implemented the Equalized Tax Reform and Unified Tax Reform.
The tax was straightforward, just one item, but in essence, nothing had been reduced, just combined.
He had to prepare the money; otherwise, if he couldn’t pay, he’d be grabbed for corvée labor, a loss far outweighing the gain.
Once the tax was paid and he joined the Martial Hall, things would be much easier.
First, he’d buy a mattress because sleeping on this hard plank bed was really damn uncomfortable.
Then he’d save a few more taels to repay Uncle Chen, and life would be much better.
With excitement coursing through him, Liang Qu only managed to fall asleep in the latter half of the night.
Early the next morning, Liang Qu, with slight dark circles under his eyes, saw Li Libo, who also sported dark circles.
The two met eyes and burst into laughter.
“When did you go to sleep last night?”
“Around midnight, and you?”
“During the second watch.”
Liang Qu mocked, “No wonder your dark circles are worse than mine.”
Li Libo snorted, looked around, and whispered, “Did you bring the money?”
“Yeah.”
Liang Qu nodded.
He had come out early today, wanting to hand over the money to the Martial Hall as soon as possible to prevent any unforeseen circumstances from arising in someone's mind.
Once the money was paid, no rascals, no matter how bold, would dare to demand it from the Martial Masters.
As for Li Libo, today wasn’t originally his planned day to become a disciple, but seeing Liang Qu so eager, he had come early, too, so they could accompany each other, an arrangement his father agreed to.
Following the road, the two made their way to the city gate of Righteous Prosperity City, spending ten wen to take the cart to the nearby Peaceful Sun Town.
The uneven road was shrouded by dense trees.
Here in the bright day, Liang Qu mused that few would dare tread such a path under rainy skies or at night.
Yet he felt a bit of anticipation for the town ahead.
The memory of Liang Qu, just like Chen Qingjiang, to sell fish for a high price, had him following his father for ten or so miles carrying a fish basket to sell in Peaceful Sun Town.
It was a sight completely different from Righteous Prosperity City.
"Freshly roasted chestnuts, freshly roasted chestnuts just out of the oven, fragrant and soft, sweet and tasty."
"Lamb blood soup, fresh lamb blood soup."
"Osmanthus buns, hot osmanthus buns."
The cries filled the long street, which was also paved with bluestone slabs, but much wider than that in Righteous Prosperity City, with even the side paths laid with stone, rather than mud.
The long street was lined with rows of shops, their eaves touching, and each establishment set up colorful awnings outside to draw in customers.
"Sir, how about trying a couple? They're delicious."
"I'll take two."
Liang Qu tossed over the copper coins, took the two osmanthus buns, and tossed one to Li Libo.
"Hiss, hiss, hiss, hot, hot, hot."
Li Libo switched the buns from hand to hand; he took a bite after they slightly cooled and was met with a mouthful of fragrance.
Liang Qu had tasted osmanthus cake before but never an osmanthus bun.
Biting into it wasn't as satisfying as he'd imagined; the taste differed greatly from modern industrial products.
The prosperity of Peaceful Sun Town exceeded his expectations; the bustling crowd was comparable to that depicted in the Qingming Shanghe Tu of Bianjing.
It seemed this world’s productivity was far more advanced than expected.
What was the capital of Great Shun like, then?
As he pondered, following Li Libo without realizing it, they arrived at the Yang Clan Martial Hall, the place he had been yearning for.
There wasn’t any ornate carving or decorative architecture, but the place was large, situated at the edge of the town, backed by the Cedarwood Forest, with a stone wall courtyard in which people frequently came and went, possibly a lodging area worth ten taels.
At the entrance of the Martial Hall stood a long table, where a young man sat.
Seeing visitors approach, he rose to block their path, clasping his hands, "I am Xiang Changsong. You two are unfamiliar faces. May I ask what brings you here? Are you here to learn martial arts or to visit a friend?"
Li Libo, being older, stepped forward and mimicked the gesture, "Hello, we’re here to learn martial arts."
"Are you aware of the costs of learning martial arts?"
"We know some; it’s seven taels, right?"
"Correct, seven taels without board, ten taels with board, twenty taels with board and medicinal baths, with meals separately counted, fifty taels for board, lodging, and medicinal baths altogether, with the term only lasting three months. Of course, the teaching remains the same. How much you learn depends entirely on yourself."
"After three months, if unable to break through the Skin Barrier among the Four Barriers of skin, flesh, bone, and blood, if you wish to remain, you will have to pay the tuition again."
Liang Qu clicked his tongue; fifty taels for a high-grade medicinal bath would require catching ten horned pomfrets, an impossible feat for ordinary folk who might never save that much in a lifetime.
As for the term limit, it was understandable.
Without talent, they couldn't expect to linger indefinitely.
It seemed the Yang Clan Martial Hall was well equipped, with a professional guide at the entrance, amicable in demeanor, exhibiting no aversion to the fishy smell clinging to the visitors.
Quite unlike the novels, where were the face-slapping and pretense?
Li Libo nodded repeatedly, "We know, we’re opting for the seven taels."
Xiang Changsong demonstrated no disdain, nodding towards the long table where he had previously been seated.
"In that case, please come over to register your details—name, age, and origin—and make the payment."
The two headed over to provide the information, and Xiang Changsong wrote it down for them to verify afterward.
The written language of this world was also pictographic and surprisingly similar to the script of Liang Qu's former world.
Initially surprising him, as time passed, he became accustomed, feigning illiteracy to match Li Libo, only nodding along.
Once confirmed, Xiang Changsong led them through the hall, past the corridors, to the payment station, handing over the papers containing their details.
After the silver was weighed and confirmed, Xiang Changsong received two wooden plaques, which he gave to Liang Qu and Li Libo.
The entire process of becoming disciples was smooth; the Martial Hall had undoubtedly admitted countless apprentices.
As Liang Qu took the plaque and examined it, he found it quite simple, inscribed with his name and the date of entry.
It would become obsolete once three months passed.
The Yang Clan Martial Hall didn’t have too many apprentices—a reliance on facial recognition made anti-counterfeit measures unnecessary.
"Congratulations to both of you. From today, you are disciples of the Yang Clan Martial Hall. You may call me Senior Brother Xiang."
"Senior Brother Xiang!" *2
Xiang Changsong smiled, "I’ll show you around, familiarize you with the surroundings, and briefly explain some martial knowledge to help you understand the path you're embarking on."
"Thank you, Senior Brother Xiang."
Liang Qu's spirit lifted; the moment he had been eagerly waiting for was finally here.
A month in this world and he had anticipated this part the most.
(End of chapter)