Since entering the inner courtyard, the treatment Shen Xiuhan received had been night and day.
Aside from receiving personal martial arts guidance from Mei Shuangfeng every few days and a bowl of Ebony Qi-Replenishing Decoction every seven days, his daily meals had also significantly improved.
At noon, the outer courtyard disciples were given two steamed white buns each, as was the custom.
But in the inner courtyard, it was a completely different story.
Steamed buns were provided in unlimited quantities.
Before Shen Xiuhan and Xu Chuan sat a large, coarse ceramic bowl. Inside was a thick, steaming white fish soup, its surface glistening with a layer of golden oil, with a whole, plump fish resting at the bottom.
Changyun County was crisscrossed by waterways and sat adjacent to the vast Cloudwater Lake, making it a place where people had lived off the water since ancient times.
According to Xu Chuan, river delicacies were a staple of every single meal for inner courtyard disciples.
The large fish in today's lunch was called a Yellow Pomfret, known for its tender, fatty, and delicious meat.
If sold at the West Market Fish Stalls, a catty of it would fetch six or seven copper coins.
The one in the bowl weighed at least two catties, making it worth twelve or thirteen copper coins—enough to buy a catty of pork belly at the East Market butcher shop.
The only downside was that the martial arts hall's cook was rather unrefined.
Such a perfectly good fish had been boiled into something incredibly bland.
After finishing his lunch, Shen Xiuhan, as usual, pulled out a cornmeal meat pie and handed it to Xiao Wen.
Xiao Wen took it, bowing his head to gnaw on it, his eyes reddening slightly.
These days of intense stance work, supplemented by the occasional meat pie from Shen Xiuhan, had finally brought some color back to Xiao Wen's face, and his muscles and bones were growing sturdier by the day.
According to Xu Chuan, Xiao Wen's progress in his stance work was surprisingly fast.
When he first entered the hall, Xu Chuan had examined his bones and felt that the boy's constitution was mediocre, predicting that he might not even sense his blood qi within six months.
Who would have thought that after practicing these past days, his stance work would become increasingly stable and solid?
His progress was unexpectedly rapid, even showing signs of catching up to disciples who had joined several months prior.
“Not bad, slow and steady wins the race,” Shen Xiuhan encouraged him. “Strive to break through to the Blood Tempering Rank as soon as possible and enter the inner courtyard. When that time comes, your older brother won't have to toil away in the mines anymore.”
“...I-I understand, Junior Brother!” Xiao Wen mumbled. His eyes flickered as if he had something difficult to say, but in the end, he kept his mouth shut and simply bowed deeply with clasped fists.
Shen Xiuhan patted the boy's shoulder, turned, and walked into the inner courtyard.
After taking a moment to regulate his breathing, he changed into his practice robes and began to spar with Xu Chuan, practicing the martial technique, Heavenly Mystic Eagle Force.
...
Inside the inner courtyard of the Tongbei Martial Arts Hall.
Wisps of green smoke curled from a brass beast-head censer, filling the warm room with the scent of sandalwood.
Ma Xianyang's face was as cold as water as he held a celadon teacup, his tone freezing. “Yu Zhe is indeed dead...”
“What about Tian Erhu?”
Opposite him, Feng Xiaobao sat in a dominant, sprawling posture, raising his thick brows at the news.
“I went to Yeci Ward to check. He's nowhere to be found. There were bloodstains in the courtyard and signs of a struggle on the ground...” Ma Xianyang paused, a sinister look swirling in the depths of his eyes. “I'm afraid he has met a grim end as well.”
“Could it really be... as the rumors in the streets say, the work of those military thugs from the Luanbo Gang? Did they deliberately kill them and dump the bodies at the Golden Dragon Gang's headquarters to provoke Gao Fu into a fight to the death?”
“Absolutely impossible.” Ma Xianyang shook his head immediately, his eyes flashing with sharp intelligence. “If Zheng Dadao was the one who did it, why is there only Yu Zhe's corpse, while Tian Erhu is nowhere to be found, dead or alive?”
“Then what do you mean...”
“I only sent the two of them to Xiaojing Bay yesterday to pressure that mud-legged Shen guy, and they both lost their lives that very night... How could there be such a coincidence in this world?!” Ma Xianyang gritted his teeth, each word dripping with icy venom.
Feng Xiaobao's eyes widened, and he suddenly sat up straight. “Are you saying... that mud-legged Shen guy did it?”
“No, that's impossible!”
“How many days has he been at the Mei Family Martial Arts Hall? To quietly get rid of Yu Zhe and Tian Erhu, one would have to be a martial artist who has opened their blood gate!”
“Of course it wouldn't be that kid!” Ma Xianyang's gaze darkened, his voice dropping low. “In my opinion... either that woman Jiang Qinghong did it, or that shrew Mei Shuangfeng personally intervened!”
“As for the reason...” Ma Xianyang sneered. “Nine times out of ten, that kid couldn't take our pressure and offered up the secret recipe for baiting Precious Fish as tribute.”
“With the Mei family gaining such a massive benefit, they would naturally stand up for him and clean up the loose ends of the Golden Dragon Gang along the way.”
Feng Xiaobao stroked the stubble on his chin, pondering for a long moment before slowly nodding. “If that's the case, it actually makes perfect sense...”
While the two were speculating, a flurry of hurried footsteps came from outside the door.
“Senior Brother!”
The voice of a managing disciple sounded from outside, carrying a hint of caution. “In a few days, it will be the scheduled day for the major merchant associations and prominent families to recruit guest guards. Just now, the managers of those families sent their servants to deliver name cards, saying they will also come to our martial arts hall to assess the outer courtyard brothers...”
“Come to our martial arts hall?” Ma Xianyang looked puzzled upon hearing this. “Over the past two months, our Tongbei Martial Arts Hall hasn't produced any promising talents who have opened their blood gate. Why would they bother making a trip here?”
“Uh... I also asked that very question out of curiosity.” The managing disciple outside swallowed, his voice growing even more hesitant. “The messenger boy said that since the managers are coming to the eastern district anyway, they might as well stop by every martial arts hall... He also said that if they were to miss out on another genius, they wouldn't be able to answer to their masters back at the manor...”
“What do you mean? Stop speaking in riddles!” Feng Xiaobao had a fiery temper and immediately barked in annoyance, “Which martial arts hall's genius did they miss? Make yourself clear!”
“It's... it's the Mei Family Martial Arts Hall...” The managing disciple shrank his neck in fear, his voice as quiet as a mosquito, yet every word was crystal clear to those inside the room. “They say an outer courtyard disciple surnamed Shen joined the Mei Family Martial Arts Hall, and in just over ten days, he broke through the Mingjin barrier. Hall Master Mei accepted him into the inner courtyard on the spot...”
“Surnamed Shen?!”
Whoosh!
These words were like a sudden clap of thunder!
Ma Xianyang and Feng Xiaobao's faces changed dramatically. They whipped their heads to look at each other, both seeing the surging shock in the depths of the other's eyes!
“Go and investigate right now!” Ma Xianyang leaped to his feet, his voice cracking. “I want his detailed information!”
“Yes!” The managing disciple took the order and scurried away.
A dead silence fell over the warm room.
Ma Xianyang stood frozen in place, murmuring in disbelief, “Surnamed Shen... entered the hall for just over ten days... and under the Mei Family Martial Arts Hall...”
Bang!
A deafening crash!
Feng Xiaobao's blood qi erupted as he slammed his palm onto the pearwood table!
The solid tabletop shattered instantly, wood splinters flying everywhere as it collapsed into a pile of debris.
Like an enraged, savage bear, he roared and stood up, his eyes wide. “No need to think about it! Who else could it be but that little beast?! Yu Zhe and Tian Erhu must have died by his hand!”
“Senior Brother! Watch your words!” Ma Xianyang's face paled, and he hurriedly grabbed Feng Xiaobao's sleeve.
Feng Xiaobao stiffened, as if remembering something. He immediately darted to the door, holding his breath to listen intently.
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