Chapter 42 : Chapter 42

Chapter 42: Skill and Path

In the morning, Old Man Yao rose from his bed and slowly walked into the courtyard.

The water tank was already filled, the courtyard floor swept clean, but Chen Ji was nowhere to be seen.

Old Man Yao looked up at the crow on the apricot tree, and the crow pointed a wing toward the door.

His gaze passed through the corridor to the clinic’s exterior, where I was sweeping the stone path in front of the clinic with a long bamboo broom.

Yesterday was the Double Ninth Festival, and Anxi Street was littered with dogwood and debris, yet only Taiping Clinic’s entrance was spotless.

He asked curiously: “What hour did this kid get up?”

The crow cawed once.

“Third quarter of the Tiger Hour? Up earlier than roosters,” Old Man Yao glanced around: “He works so neatly, I can’t even find a reason to whip him.”

The crow cawed again.

Old Man Yao nodded: “He’s indeed sensible… No need to keep praising him; I know.”

He walked to the door, squinting at me: “You’re so diligent it makes me nervous. It’s not your turn to work today—why’d you do everything?”

I leaned on the oversized bamboo broom, smiling: “Idle hands are idle. It’s my home, after all—cleaning it up feels good.”

Old Man Yao eyed me suspiciously: “Yesterday you were all polite with me; today you’re cozying up?”

I replied: “Gotta make some changes.”

Old Man Yao was silent for a long time: “What’s your plan for She Dakang?”

I swept the ground, answering: “Can’t really kill him… Master, do you think Senior Brother She is a bad person?”

“He isn’t.”

“Right, you don’t think he’s bad either,” I sighed: “I’ll keep this in mind, but I don’t know if I could actually kill him.”

Old Man Yao said calmly: “You’re not a good person, nor a bad one. People like you don’t last long in the martial world. The Mountain Lord legacy might end with you.”

As he spoke, hoofbeats echoed from the end of Anxi Street.

Old Man Yao and I turned to see a carriage speeding toward us.

The carriage stopped at the clinic. Princess Baili, the Little Monk, and the Heir jumped out, the Heir’s face marked with lipstick prints, reeking of alcohol.

The three lowered their heads and rushed into Taiping Clinic, not forgetting to greet Old Man Yao: “Good morning, Physician Yao!”

“Good morning, Physician Yao!”

Halfway in, Princess Baili turned back, shoving an oilpaper package into my hands: “Here, as promised. Gotta go!”

The three stumbled into the back courtyard. The Heir shouted: “Little Monk, your turn to step on me to climb… Huh, no need!”

He noticed a wooden ladder already set against the wall.

He muttered softly: “The toll wasn’t for nothing. This kid’s decent—truly one of us rivers-and-lakes folk!”

Princess Baili glanced back at me on the street, then climbed the ladder into the prince’s mansion: “Hurry, hurry, Master Wang’s morning class is starting.”

Physician Yao stared as the three climbed into the mansion, then turned to me: “You set up the ladder?”

I nodded: “I took their money; I provide some convenience.”

Physician Yao’s face was expressionless: “With you around, Taiping Clinic is getting less and less peaceful.”

At that moment, drunken curses came from the end of Anxi Street: “Red Cloth Lane is full of ungrateful wolves. When I had money, they called me Lord Dog; broke, they call me Liang Dog. Just three times I didn’t pay, and they kicked me out! Now I bring the Heir, and they’re all bowing and scraping?”

Another voice, sullen, said: “Brother, your name is Liang Gou’er. They didn’t call you wrong.”

“The Heir’s too much. They rode back in a carriage and didn’t give us a lift. And no place to stay either.”

Liang Mao’er grumbled: “Brother, can’t you just work steadily for the Liu Family? They pay well.”

“No way… I have three no-helps: no help for drunkards, swindlers, or slackers; no help for eunuchs; and no help for those against eunuchs… Those old foxes are black-hearted, with even blacker hands. I can’t outplay them.”

I turned to see chubby Liang Mao’er carrying Liang Gou’er on his back.

“Master, do you know Liang Gou’er?” I asked curiously.

“I do,” Old Man Yao sneered: “Known in the martial world as the Autumn Wind Blade, that’s Liang Gou’er.”

“Autumn Wind Blade? Because he practices Autumn Wind Saber Technique?”

“No, because he loves mooching off others like the autumn wind.”

Me: Huh?

“Master, is Liang Gou’er an Enforcer?” I asked curiously: “Why’s he attached to the Liu Family?”

“Cultivation needs wealth, companions, methods, and land, just like you need ginseng for your practice. Martial artists need herbs to temper their bodies,” Old Man Yao said calmly: “Most cultivation paths are the same—burning money like water. Without backing, you can’t build momentum.”

“Liang Gou’er’s already so skilled—why not rob the Liu Family?” I asked.

Old Man Yao scoffed: “The world’s resources are held by officials, noble families, Daoists, Buddhists, and a few sects like Luo Tian Sect. No matter how skilled Liang Gou’er is, he can’t withstand a charge from three thousand elite cavalry. The Liu Family in Yuzhou supports over forty thousand elite troops, obeying only Grand Secretary Liu. How many heads does Liang Gou’er have to rob them?”

Liang Mao’er approached, carrying Liang Gou’er.

Drunk, Liang Gou’er opened his eyes, pointing at Taiping Clinic: “We’ll stay here! It’s close to the Heir; he’ll take me when he goes out to play!”

Liang Mao’er looked sheepishly at Old Man Yao: “Sorry, my brother’s talking nonsense.”

“I’m not talking nonsense!” Liang Gou’er, disheveled, jumped off Liang Mao’er’s back and swaggered toward the clinic.

Old Man Yao raised a hand: “Hold on.”

Liang Gou’er blinked, swaying as he sized up Old Man Yao, then exclaimed: “Physician Yao… an old friend! Even better, we’ll stay at Physician Yao’s!”

Old Man Yao stayed silent.

I tensed, having seen Liang Gou’er’s blade work—his cut through Lin Chaoqing’s hat was precise, not a fraction off.

I worried such an Enforcer might cause trouble if Master refused him, potentially harming Master.

But before I could figure out what to do, Old Man Yao glanced at me, then said slowly to Liang Gou’er: “Staying at the clinic isn’t impossible, but you must teach my apprentice saber skills. Teach well, and Taiping Clinic will not only house you but feed you too.”

I froze.

Was this my stingy Master?

Liang Gou’er teased with a grin: “Physician Yao, you run a clinic. Why’s your apprentice learning saber? Business bad lately, planning to make some injuries?”

Old Man Yao said unhurriedly: “Just teach. Don’t worry about the rest.”

Liang Gou’er suddenly grew serious: “Old man, I’m drunk, not stupid. The Liang Family’s saber path isn’t taught to outsiders.”

Physician Yao said calmly: “I’m asking you to teach saber skills, not your family’s saber path.”

Liang Gou’er thought it over, then laughed heartily: “Deal! Let’s go, Liang Mao’er, we’ve got a place to stay! Find some food first! Teaching saber skills? There’s no blade in this world Liang Gou’er can’t teach!”