Chapter 87 : Chapter 87
Chapter 87. Returning to the Manor
At dusk.
Xu Yuan had a simple table of food and wine set up in the courtyard. He called only Chen Sanli and Gao Yuan, then after a moment’s thought, had Qin Yang come as well.
The four of them sat around a square table, candlelight flickering softly.
Of the three, Gao Yuan had already broken through to the Third Meridian two days earlier. His aura was still a little unstable, but there was now a bit more calm sharpness between his brows.
Chen Sanli was still progressing slowly, and there was a faint look of anxiety on his face.
Qin Yang’s arm injury had fully healed, but his cultivation had stalled. Sitting at the end of the table, he looked rather restrained.
“I called you here today because there’s something I need to tell you.”
After draining the wine from his cup, Xu Yuan let his gaze sweep over the three of them.
“I’ll be transferred away from Changning Street soon. The new Street Guard will likely take office before long.”
The moment the words fell, the table went abruptly silent.
“Transferred away?”
Chen Sanli’s wine cup shook in his hand, and the liquor nearly spilled out. He looked up sharply. “Brother Xu, where are you being transferred to? When will you come back?”
Gao Yuan also frowned tightly, while Qin Yang unconsciously clenched the corner of his robe.
“I don’t know where yet, but I won’t be staying in the third-tier area,” Xu Yuan said calmly.
“As for when I’ll return... perhaps it won’t take too long. After all, the conflict between the two sides is only intensifying. Something unexpected could happen at any time.”
Looking at the different expressions on their faces, he continued in an even voice,
“After I leave, you all need to act more cautiously. A new official taking office will inevitably bring some changes, but it shouldn’t be anything too serious.”
Once Xu Yuan had said his piece, he changed the subject. He raised his cup and clinked it against theirs. As the wine went down their throats, each of them was left with his own thoughts.
...
The next day.
Xu Yuan returned to Shangyang Manor to register his promotion. Passing through Changshun Street, he ran into a traffic jam caused by merchant caravans and got down from his carriage to wait.
As he looked at the lively street scene before him, he was thinking over his next arrangements when he suddenly heard a burst of laughter and conversation up ahead. It sounded rather familiar.
He lifted his eyes and saw, at the street corner, Wang Huan standing side by side with Zhou Yu, the two chatting happily.
Wang Huan was dressed in a long blue robe, looking spirited and full of confidence. Whatever he had just said made Zhou Yu cover her mouth and laugh lightly.
“Captain Zhou, I see the sun’s getting stronger, and it’s about time for a meal. There’s a restaurant just ahead with excellent dishes, so why don’t we—”
Seeing that the timing seemed right, Wang Huan gave a light cough, preparing to extend the invitation.
Unexpectedly, at that very moment, Zhou Yu caught sight of Xu Yuan out of the corner of her eye not far away, and the smile on her face instantly froze.
Following her gaze, Wang Huan looked over as well, and his expression changed at once. The ease and arrogance he had shown moments before disappeared in an instant, replaced by an awkwardness and complexity he could not conceal.
They had already heard the news that Xu Yuan had broken through to the Fifth Meridian, but at that moment, they had no time to dwell on it further.
The two exchanged a glance, then hurried forward.
Wang Huan was the first to cup his hands. His tone carried a deliberate warmth and a hint of caution that was hard to detect.
“Street Guard Xu, congratulations on breaking through to the Fifth Meridian. Such wonderful news is truly... truly worthy of admiration!”
He racked his brains, wanting to say a few more flattering words, but because his thoughts were in such turmoil, he stumbled over them.
Zhou Yu stood half a step behind him, her head slightly lowered, her cheeks flushed. It was hard to tell whether it was from nervousness or some other emotion.
She raised her eyes and stole a quick glance at Xu Yuan, then lowered them again and said softly, “Congratulations, Street Guard Xu, on your cultivation advancing yet again.”
She herself was still stuck at the Third Meridian, and the competitive spirit she had once harbored—the desire to test herself against him—had completely vanished the moment she learned that Xu Yuan had broken through.
Xu Yuan’s gaze passed over the two of them calmly, and he nodded. “Captain Wang, Captain Zhou, no need for such formalities.”
Zhou Yu bit her lip, then suddenly gathered her courage and raised her head to look directly at Xu Yuan.
“Street Guard Xu, I... I’ve recently run into a bottleneck in my cultivation. I want to broaden my understanding through martial techniques. I heard you trained the Wandering Dragon Step to Minor Mastery, so I was wondering... should I also try cultivating that footwork?”
She asked with utmost seriousness. Hope shone in her eyes, along with a faint trace of probing, as if she also wanted to confirm something through this.
Naturally, Xu Yuan had no idea what she was thinking. After a brief moment of consideration, he recalled that Zhou Yu’s talent was not poor, and her temperament was resolute. Back then, she had even been willing to put aside her pride and ask him for guidance on the Thunderclap Fist, which showed how earnest her heart toward martial pursuit was.
The Wandering Dragon Step was difficult, but with her foundation, it was not impossible for her to give it a try.
“The Wandering Dragon Step places great emphasis on nimbleness and unpredictability, so it may not completely suit your style,” Xu Yuan said honestly. “But drawing inferences from it will definitely be beneficial.”
“Your talent is decent. If you’re willing to put in the hard work, you should see results. Just remember—martial techniques should be mastered, not collected. Don’t bite off more than you can chew.”
Hearing this, Zhou Yu’s eyes lit up at once, and the blush on her cheeks deepened. It was hard to tell whether that was because she had received his approval, or for some other reason.
She nodded firmly, her voice trembling with suppressed excitement.
“I understand! Thank you for your guidance, Street Guard Xu!”
Watching from the side, Wang Huan felt a jumble of emotions.
Once upon a time, Zhou Yu, Xu Yuan, and he himself had all stood at the same starting line. He had even thought he held a slight advantage.
Yet in only a few short months, Xu Yuan had soared into the sky, leaving people like them far behind.
Seeing that the flow of merchant caravans had gradually begun moving again, Xu Yuan gave the two of them a slight nod and strode away.
Back where they stood, Wang Huan saw Zhou Yu staring at Xu Yuan’s retreating figure, her lips pressed together. He tentatively asked,
“Street Guard Zhou, then... about our lunch?”
At those words, Zhou Yu turned back to look at him and said in a serious tone,
“Wang Huan, don’t contact me in private anymore. I’m afraid Street Guard Xu might misunderstand.”
After saying that, she spoke no further and simply left on her own.
Wang Huan’s expression changed instantly, as though he had been struck by a crushing blow. His whole body trembled, and he looked utterly devastated.
Only after Zhou Yu’s figure had completely disappeared did he drop to his knees, throw his head back toward the sky, and shout in grief and indignation:
“No—!”
...
Shangyang Manor, Service Hall.
Zhao Qiusheng was bent over his desk processing documents. Hearing footsteps, he looked up. When he saw that it was Xu Yuan, a smile immediately appeared on his face.
“Xu Yuan, you’re here. Is something the matter over at Changning Street?”
“Manager Zhao, I’ve come back to register as a Five-Stripe Servant Chief,” Xu Yuan said softly.
“A Five-Stripe Servant Chief, oh, all right.” Zhao Qiusheng responded instinctively, but then immediately sensed that something was wrong. He shot to his feet and stared at Xu Yuan, his voice trembling.
“Register as a Five-Stripe Servant Chief?!”
Only then did he carefully size Xu Yuan up.
Xu Yuan looked completely ordinary on the surface.
But the deep, restrained, and unexposed fluctuations of qi and blood around him caused Zhao Qiusheng—a veteran Third Meridian martial artist—to feel his heart jolt violently!
Xu Yuan smiled and nodded. “I was fortunate enough to gain some insight, so I came especially to report it to Uncle Zhao and exchange my waist token.”
Zhao Qiusheng stood frozen on the spot, unable to speak for a long while.
The Fifth Meridian!
How much time had passed?
At a full count, since Xu Yuan had been promoted to a Fourth Meridian Servant Chief, it had only been two or three months at most, hadn’t it?
A speed like this—let alone among servants and managers—was unheard of. Even among the direct descendants of the Shangyang family, it would be enough to compare favorably.
Only after a long time did Zhao Qiusheng let out a deep breath. He looked at Xu Yuan with indescribably mixed emotions—shock, relief, and several traces of feeling that could hardly be put into words.
He personally led Xu Yuan into an inner room, took out a new five-stripe jade token and the corresponding attire, and handled the promotion procedures for him.
After the process was completed, Zhao Qiusheng hesitated for a moment before finally asking, “Xu Yuan, now that you’ve entered the Fifth Meridian, by the rules you can apply for a change in assignment. Do you have anything in mind?”
Xu Yuan had already given it thought, so he answered directly, “Uncle Zhao, do you know what positions are still vacant? The first-tier area and inside Shangyang Manor... I imagine those places are already full, right?”
Zhao Qiusheng gave a bitter smile and shook his head.
“That’s true. The first-tier area is rich in benefits and high in status. Whenever a vacancy appears, every branch and household keeps a close eye on it. An ordinary Fifth Meridian martial artist without a strong background would have little chance.”
He pulled out a register and checked it for a while before saying,
“At the moment, the suitable vacant posts for someone at the Fifth Meridian are mainly in two places. One is as Street Guard on certain important streets in the third-tier area. The other is as a watch guard at several medicinal fields outside the city.”