Volume One: Menial Worker in Changshui County Chapter Thirty-Nine: Thorough Preparations

Returning once again to the Thousand Mechanisms Pavilion, this time Lu Jiuzhang was thoroughly prepared.

Since the efficacy of the Nine Suns Herb had diminished greatly, he decided to switch to another spiritual herb with more potent energy to temper his body.

“Oh, Master Lu, you’re here!” Manager Chen greeted him with a broad smile as soon as he spotted Lu Jiuzhang.

“Let’s go to the backyard,” Lu Jiuzhang said, striding toward the rear of the shop.

Manager Chen immediately understood and hunched over, following behind him.

...

Demon Slaying Division.

After the day’s work, Chen Xuanfeng didn’t hurry to leave. Instead, he summoned Zhou Cheng.

“Tomorrow, we’ll head out to hunt demons. After we’re done, I need you to go to Anxi Prefecture to handle a private matter for me,” Lu Jiuzhang said. “I’ll cover for you at the Demon Slaying Division, and won’t disclose your true purpose to anyone.”

“All right!” Zhou Cheng nodded in agreement.

“Once you’ve finished, drop by the Demon Slaying Division in Anxi Prefecture and ask when Director Zhong will return,” Chen Xuanfeng continued. “Lastly…”

He paused and handed Zhou Cheng a slip of paper. “The rest is written here; it’s not convenient to say aloud.”

Zhou Cheng unfolded the paper and, after a long moment, asked, “Does this have something to do with Lu Jiuzhang? Should I inform him?”

“What would be the point?” Chen Xuanfeng retorted.

“Fine, I’ll take care of it tomorrow,” Zhou Cheng replied, nodding.

“Go quickly and come back quickly. You’ll have to pay your own travel expenses, but let me know how much you spend and I’ll reimburse you,” Chen Xuanfeng said.

Zhou Cheng was about to protest, but upon reflection—his monthly stipend was hardly anything. Chen Xuanfeng’s monthly income was more than Zhou Cheng made in a year. No need to be polite with him.

So Zhou Cheng simply nodded and departed.

Chen Xuanfeng remained, gazing up at the setting sun, lost in thought.

...

At the Thousand Mechanisms Pavilion, Manager Chen produced two spiritual herbs.

“Master Lu, these two herbs are far more potent than Nine Suns Herb. Using them will greatly enhance your body tempering,” Manager Chen explained, “but the price is somewhat steep.”

“Altogether, one hundred and ninety taels of silver,” Manager Chen said with a smile.

“Wrap them up for me,” Lu Jiuzhang replied, pulling out two banknotes of one hundred taels each and handing them over.

“Such generosity! Master Lu, you’re truly my favorite kind of customer,” Manager Chen exclaimed.

...

Manager Chen burst out laughing.

Other customers would haggle for ages, threatening to shop around at other stores.

But Lu Jiuzhang always stated his needs clearly and paid promptly.

“I have only one request: please don’t spread word of my martial cultivation,” Lu Jiuzhang cautioned.

“Rest assured, Master Lu. I wouldn’t dare,” Manager Chen replied cheerfully, taking the banknotes and returning ten taels in change.

“All right, I’ll leave you to your work, Manager Chen,” Lu Jiuzhang said, turning to go.

Manager Chen, still grinning, took the two hundred taels to the front desk and made an adjustment to the ledger.

March seventeenth, evening—sold two stalks of Seven Stars Herb, received one hundred sixty taels.

Such easy money—thirty taels commission in a single transaction.

Manager Chen smacked his lips. In just two days, he’d earned forty-five taels from Lu Jiuzhang alone.

Impressive…

He’d already saved up quite a sum—about nine thousand five hundred taels.

With Lu Jiuzhang’s forty-five taels, he was nearing nine thousand six hundred.

Once he reached ten thousand taels, he’d take his money to Anxi Prefecture, seek out the chief manager, and see if he could arrange a transfer.

Anxi Prefecture was a major administrative center; earning money was far easier there than in Changshui County.

If he managed to save up a hundred thousand taels, he might even vie for the top managerial position in Anxi Prefecture.

...

Returning home, Lu Jiuzhang found that his neighbor, Aunt Zhao, still kept her door tightly shut.

He paid it no mind and headed straight to his room.

Following yesterday’s method, he immersed the spiritual herbs in water, then climbed into the large wooden tub and sat cross-legged, beginning to absorb the spiritual energy.

This herb was called Seven Stars Herb, which only grew at night.

By day, its leaves curled inward.

Seven Stars Herb absorbed the power of the stars, making its medicinal properties far superior to Nine Suns Herb—and the pain it induced was also greater.

But Lu Jiuzhang endured it all!

After a while, he felt the spiritual energy around him grow much denser.

He was absorbing it faster and faster. By the first half of the night, he had drawn all the energy from the first stalk of Seven Stars Herb.

Then, he began absorbing the second.

By the end of the Hour of the Ox, he had nearly finished absorbing the energy from both herbs.

With some time left before dawn, drowsiness crept in.

Forcing himself to stay awake, Lu Jiuzhang sat cross-legged on the bed and began his cultivation.

Without the assistance of spiritual herbs, the effects of his practice diminished rapidly.

...

Over two nights, he had absorbed four stalks of spiritual herbs, and now his range for drawing in spiritual energy had expanded to nearly one hundred meters.

As for his strength, Lu Jiuzhang couldn’t estimate it yet.

When he had the chance, he’d test it at the training grounds of the Demon Slaying Division—to see just how powerful his blows had become.

...

So it went, until morning.

Lu Jiuzhang was still somewhat fatigued, but forced himself up and made his way to the Demon Slaying Division.

When he arrived, most of the personnel had already gathered.

This time, over fifty miscellaneous staff members were tallied, led by Zhou Cheng.

When Lin Yi arrived, a few more stragglers hurried in.

Once everyone was present, Zhou Cheng gave a grand wave and ordered all to prepare their gear and set out.

Lu Jiuzhang had little to ready—only a single saber at his side, which had once belonged to his elder brother, Lu Huaigu.

“Brother Lu!” Wang Yunshan came over.

He was also part of this operation.

But at the moment, Wang Yunshan sported dark circles under his eyes, clearly having stayed up all night.

“Here’s your two taels of silver,” Wang Yunshan said, handing over the coins.

“Brother Wang, did you strike it rich?” Lu Jiuzhang asked, puzzled.

Could it be that Wang Yunshan had spent the night at the gambling dens, gambling till dawn?

“Ah, I went to the Scarlet Lotus Courtyard last night,” Wang Yunshan waved dismissively, as if it were nothing.

“You went to the Scarlet Lotus Courtyard with no money? Or did you develop feelings for that girl last time, and she let you sleep with her for free?” Lu Jiuzhang teased.

“Brother Lu, do you take me for that sort?” Wang Yunshan shook his head. “Here’s what happened: last night, I called for two girls and invited them to gamble with me.”

“Luck was on my side. I won quite a bit from both.”

“In the end, they had no money left, so they settled their debts with their bodies. Heh heh heh…”

Wang Yunshan laughed.

Seriously? Is that even possible?

Lu Jiuzhang was stunned.

So, you went to the Scarlet Lotus Courtyard, gambled with the girls, won a bunch of money, and when they couldn’t pay, they let you sleep with them for free!