Chapter 90 : Chapter 90
Chapter 90: Transfer Order
Morning light filtered through the branches and leaves of the old tree in the courtyard, scattering mottled patches of light across the blue stone ground.
Xu Yuan was practicing the Thunderclap Fist in the courtyard.
His stance was as steady as a boulder, and every punch shot out like lightning. Each strike carried a faint peal of thunder, yet remained restrained to exactly the right degree.
The force was contained without being released, trembling only within three inches of his fist edge, as though it were shaking the surrounding air.
This was the manifestation of his increasingly refined and subtle control over fist force after breaking through to the Fifth Meridian.
When he finished the full set of fist techniques, he slowly drew back his stance, and the white vapor rising from his body gradually dispersed.”
These past few days of closed-door cultivation, cut off from the disturbances of the outside world, had deepened his understanding of the Fifth Meridian realm by another layer.
“But it’s still lacking a bit.”
Xu Yuan thought to himself, “If I can refine my fist force by another thirty percent and make the release and withdrawal even more natural, the power should rise to another level.”
Just as he was thinking, footsteps came from outside the courtyard.
A young servant bowed as he entered. “Sir, someone from the Fifth Young Master’s side has come to deliver a congratulatory gift.”
“Oh?”
Xu Yuan’s brow lifted slightly. Of Fifth Young Master Shangyang Jinhong, he had naturally heard before.
Although the man’s martial talent was mediocre, he was rather favored within the Shangyang family and was also known for his fondness for befriending heroes from all sides.
Still, Xu Yuan had not expected that this young master would take notice of him, a newly advanced Fifth Meridian martial artist.
“Let them in,” Xu Yuan said calmly.
Not long after, a familiar graceful figure stepped into the courtyard.
Xu Yuan looked up and froze slightly.
The newcomer wore a pale green silk dress, her hair styled with meticulous care and pinned with an exquisite pearl ornament. It was Ye Qing’er.
She held an embroidered box in her hands, her steps light and her expression calm, though the flash of complexity in her eyes did not escape Xu Yuan’s notice.
Their eyes met, and both of them paused.
Ye Qing’er lowered her gaze first, stepped forward half a pace, and bent her knees in greeting.
“Lord Xu, upon hearing of your promotion to the Fifth Meridian, Fifth Young Master specially ordered this concubine to come and offer congratulations.”
Her voice was steady, her tone respectful, as though the man before her were merely an ordinary superior.
A trace of indescribable feeling stirred in Xu Yuan’s heart, but his face remained unreadable. He only nodded calmly.
“My thanks for the trouble, Miss Ye. Please also convey my gratitude to Fifth Young Master for his kindness.”
He accepted the embroidered box without opening it and casually handed it to the servant behind him.
Ye Qing’er raised her eyes and looked at him once. Her lips moved slightly, as though she wanted to say something, but in the end she swallowed the words and only said softly,
“Now that the gift has been delivered, this concubine will not disturb Lord Xu’s quiet cultivation any longer.”
With that, she bent her knees in another bow and turned to leave.
Xu Yuan silently watched her retreating figure.
The silk dress shimmered softly in the light, and her steps were composed and graceful. Compared to the lively-eyed girl in his memories, she seemed like a completely different person.
“So life in the inner manor doesn’t seem easy either.”
He sighed inwardly, but there was not much disturbance in his heart.
Everyone chose their own road. Its gains, losses, warmth, and cold could only truly be known by the one walking it.
Just like his own martial path—one careless step, and what lay beneath his feet might be a bottomless abyss.
As he was thinking this over, another servant hurried in and bowed.
“Sir, Manager Zhao has sent word asking you to go to the Service Hall. He says there is important business to discuss.”
Xu Yuan drew back his thoughts and nodded.
“I understand.”
...
Inside the Service Hall.
Zhao Qiusheng was bent over a stack of documents, dealing with them intently, his brows slightly knit.
Xu Yuan stepped into the hall and, seeing this, did not speak.
Zhao Qiusheng looked up. The moment he saw Xu Yuan, a smile bloomed across his face, and he quickly set down the brush in his hand.
“Oh! Xu Yuan, you’re here. Why didn’t you say anything?”
“I saw Uncle Zhao was deeply focused on his work,” Xu Yuan said with a smile.
“What nonsense is that? No matter how focused I am, I can’t have you standing around waiting.”
Zhao Qiusheng shook his head with a laugh, rose, and walked around the desk to personally pour Xu Yuan a cup of tea. “Sit, sit.”
After they sat down and exchanged a few pleasantries, Zhao Qiusheng suddenly lowered his voice and said, “Xu Yuan, there’s something I need to tell you. Liu Yue was transferred to the fourth-tier district yesterday.”
Xu Yuan’s heart stirred, and he looked up at Zhao Qiusheng.
“Didn’t he have some friction with you before?”
Zhao Qiusheng lifted his teacup and took a sip before continuing, “A few days ago, I mentioned it to those above. I just didn’t expect that the very next day after I spoke, the transfer order would come down.”
He smiled, his tone meaningful. “That speed was quite fast.”
Xu Yuan immediately understood.
No wonder a slick operator like Liu Yue had not come these past few days to congratulate him. So he had been transferred away.
And the reason was obvious as well. This move by the Shangyang family was clearly meant as a gesture of goodwill toward him.
After all, between a Fifth Meridian martial artist with tremendous potential and a Third Meridian steward whose reserves had already been exhausted, which one mattered more was obvious at a glance.
So this is power. Even the fate of a Third Meridian steward can be decided with a single sentence.
Xu Yuan thought this to himself, then cupped his hands solemnly. “Thank you for the trouble, Uncle Zhao.”
Zhao Qiusheng truly knew how to handle matters. Not only had he remembered the old grievance, he also knew how to sell a favor properly.
Xu Yuan accepted that goodwill.
Zhao Qiusheng waved a hand and said with a smile, “Just a small effort. Seeing you make it this far puts some shine on this old man’s face as well!”
Then his expression turned serious.
“Now for the real matter. Your transfer order has come down. Ding Field Guard Commandant. You may leave tomorrow to take up your post at the medicinal field outside the city.”
Xu Yuan nodded. “Understood.”
But Zhao Qiusheng let his smile fade and said sternly, “There’s one more thing—your marriage.”
“By the original rules, you were supposed to choose a maid of suitable age and marry within three months... but now, seeing your exceptional talent, the higher-ups are preparing to select a suitable young woman from one of the collateral branches for a marriage alliance with you.”
He watched Xu Yuan’s expression and continued slowly, “Most likely next month, arrangements will be made for the two of you to meet.”
Xu Yuan inwardly said, As expected.
The stronger one’s strength and the higher one’s value, the more naturally the quality of the marriage match used to bind one down would rise with it.
He had long expected this, so he could not really be said to resist it.
In this world, personal marriage was never something one could entirely decide for oneself.
As long as the other party’s character was decent and they could get along, that would be enough.
And if she turned out not to be a normal person...
He did not have heart disease in this life. He had plenty of “reason” he could use.
“I understand,” Xu Yuan said calmly.
Seeing that his expression remained unchanged, Zhao Qiusheng felt somewhat relieved. Then a trace of hesitation appeared on his face.
Rubbing his hands together, he spoke with some embarrassment.
“Xu Yuan, there’s one more thing... I wonder if you could do this old man a favor?”
“Please, Uncle Zhao.”
“It’s like this.” Zhao Qiusheng lowered his voice.
“The manor has recently opened access to a new pill called the Tongyuan Pill. It’s an inferior substitute for the Meridian-Opening Pill, and it can help martial artists break through bottlenecks and improve their chances.”
“It’s just that this pill can only be exchanged with battle merit. One pill costs thirty battle merit points.”
He smiled bitterly. “This old man has long served as a manor steward, but I have no way of obtaining battle merit. So I was wondering... could I ask you to help exchange three of them? I’m willing to pay in silver in return. I definitely won’t let you take a loss.”