This martial saint is too cautious.

On the way back to the backyard, the maid Xiao Cui couldn't help but say, "Madam, couldn't you just tell Head Guard Zhou about this?"

Li Min chuckled lightly: "Regarding matters concerning my family relatives, it has always been up to Master to make the decisions. What did Madam Liu bring today?"

"We have two preserved ducks from Zhou's Preserved Meat Shop, and a horse..."

"Have the kitchen prepare the braised duck and send it over at noon," Li Min interrupted Xiao Cui's subsequent list of gifts.

It was close to noon.

After returning to his residence, Master Cai first went to the First Madam's place, and after a short while, he went to Li Min's courtyard.

Li Min helped Master Cai undress and wash his hands, and the servants quickly brought out exquisite dishes.

"Why did Min'er suddenly decide to eat roast duck today?" Master Cai asked curiously, looking at the roast duck on the table.

"Sir, do you remember my aunt's daughter-in-law? She's the one who brought this over today. I immediately had the kitchen take it and prepare it."

After Li Min finished speaking, her expression suddenly turned cold. Master Cai was curious as he watched the change in Li Min's expression. In the past, according to Min'er, Liu Shi was a person with good manners. Even if Min'er was not very close to her, she would not have such a cold attitude.

"I've heard you mention her a few times, I vaguely remember her, your aunt's family... that Liu woman? Is there something going on?"

Hearing her husband's words, Li Min sighed inwardly. She had many relatives, but her husband only remembered a few. Liu Shi had never met her husband, and the reason he remembered her was because Liu Shi visited every year.

Otherwise, if you try to help at the last minute, even if you're willing to help, you won't be able to bring yourself to ask.

"It's nothing, sir, please don't worry about it." Li Min said casually, then poured Master Cai a glass of wine.

"Tell the master about it," Master Cai asked with a smile, taking a sip of wine.

Li Min put down the wine pot with some helplessness and complained, "Liu comes to visit every year, leaves a gift and leaves. I think she is decent, and the gift is not worth much, so I let her be. I didn't expect Liu to be so ambitious. Today she brought her nephew to visit, and actually wanted the guards in the mansion to teach her martial arts."

Master Cai paused, his hand still on his wine glass. "I remember you said that all the men in your aunt's family had passed away, yet they still had money to learn martial arts?"

"They said there are no men in the family, and they wanted my nephew to learn some martial arts from the guards so he wouldn't be bullied." Li Min scoffed, "Do they really think I'm stupid? If it's just about learning some martial arts, they can learn anywhere. They clearly want to learn real martial arts, but they're unwilling to spend the money. They're trying to take advantage of our family. I've already done my duty as a relative by letting them stay for a meal. After they finish eating, I'll have Xiao Cui send them away."

Master Cai had only asked casually, but upon hearing Li Min's words, he began to ponder: "Min'er, could it be that you're overthinking it?"

"Master, do you think I'm a fool too?" Li Min chided, poking Master Cai's chin and beard with her slender hand. "My nephew is eighteen this year. I'm really worried that others will bully a widow and her orphan. Why not find him a wife? Find a girl from a family with many brothers. Wouldn't that be more intimidating than him learning some martial arts?"

"Min'er is indeed clever." Master Cai stroked his beard and laughed. "However, orphans and widows have it tough. Anyway, it's not a big deal. If we can help, we will. Tell them to go find Guard Zhou and say that I, the master, have given the order."

"Master!" Li Min pouted, looking unwilling. "If you help with this today and my other relatives find out, I don't know how many people will come to ask for favors in the future. I'll be bothered to death. No way."

"That's settled then. If you don't want to get involved, have your maid take them to Guard Zhou."

Master Cai made the final decision, reaching out to press Li Min's shoulder and pulling her into his arms. Li Min angrily shook her shoulder, but in the end she didn't dodge and reluctantly sat in Master Cai's lap.

"Don't be angry. Next time I go to the capital, I'll bring you back some nice things."

"That's more like it."

As Master Cai embraced and comforted her, Li Min lowered her head with her back to him, a hint of smugness appearing in her eyes.

……

……

afternoon.

"Madam Lin, she has some matters to attend to and cannot come in person. Regarding the young master's martial arts training, she specifically instructed me to take him to Protector Zhou."

The maid Xiao Cui came, but since the backyard of the Cai residence was reserved for guards and male servants, it was not appropriate for Liu to go there.

"Thank you for your trouble, Miss Cui'er. Yan'er, you can go now."

Liu handed Lin Yan a money pouch: "When you see Protector Zhou, you must be polite."

Lin Yan nodded and followed Xiao Cui through several corridors to a courtyard in the southwest corner.

Inside the courtyard, a burly man sat on a stone slab.

"Head Guard Zhou, the Madam asked me to bring Young Master Lin here."

"Come in."

Zhou, the head of the guard, stood up and turned to look at Lin Yan. There was no doubt on his face, indicating that he already knew about the situation.

"Can you read?"

"I studied under the teacher for a period of time."

"I cannot pass on the martial arts I have learned without permission. In my early years, I acquired a stance training method called 'Rock Stance,' but it is the lowest level of training. Would you be willing to learn it?"

"I am willing."

Lin Yan agreed without hesitation, even the lowest-grade cultivation technique was something he could only dream of.

Zhou, the head nurse, tossed over a book that he had prepared beforehand, which Lin Yan quickly caught.

"Although the Rock Stake technique is a low-level skill, practicing it for several years will increase your strength, making it easy to deal with three or five ordinary people. However, it must not be passed on without my permission."

Nurse Zhou was very indifferent and had no intention of personally giving instructions.

There are three ladies in the mansion, but these three ladies are just concubines, and the ones who came are poor relatives. If the master hadn't spoken, such people wouldn't have been allowed into his courtyard.

Practicing martial arts is not something a poor person should even dream of.

"Thank you for your merit, Master Zhou."

Lin Yan remained sincere, as he was the one asking for a favor, and as long as the other party helped, their attitude was irrelevant.

"It's not a free gift; it's ten taels of silver."

After Zhou Huyuan said this, there was a long silence in the courtyard. Xiao Cui frowned slightly, while Lin Yan only remained silent for a moment before taking out some loose silver from the money bag given to him by his aunt, making up ten taels, and handing it to Zhou Huyuan.

Ten taels of silver for a martial arts technique isn't expensive.

The original owner of this body had inquired about learning martial arts beforehand.

There are so-called martial arts manuals for sale on the market, with prices starting at twenty taels, and their authenticity cannot be determined.

Ten taels of silver for a genuine martial arts manual is a good deal.

Zhou, the head of the guard, weighed the silver in his hand and put it into his pocket.

"These ten taels are only in exchange for your opportunity to practice the Rock Stance. You must not reveal this to anyone without my permission."

"I've got it."

Lin Yan's attitude remained as respectful as before, showing no dissatisfaction despite having spent money. Seeing that the guard Zhou did not intend to say anything more, he took the initiative to speak: "Sir, are there any dietary restrictions for me when practicing the Rock-Stabilizing Stance?"

Since it concerns my future in martial arts, it's always good to get to the bottom of things. As for saving face, I don't need to worry about that for now.

"diet?"

Nurse Zhou's face showed a hint of impatience: "Of course there are rules. Every meal is filled with fine rice, and there's plenty of meat and fish to replenish our qi and blood. We also supplement it with medicinal baths and soups. The monthly expenses range from five or six taels to several tens of taels. Can you afford that?"

Lin Yan: ...

"Don't be too ambitious. Just practice for a few more years and you'll be stronger than the average person. That's enough. You don't really want to make a name for yourself."

His family was well-off, but he didn't know how to save money in the early stages. He thought he could make a breakthrough quickly and ended up spending all his family's wealth. Otherwise, how could he have become a guard in this merchant's house, earning only sixty catties of meat and eight taels of silver a month?

Seeing the awkward atmosphere, Xiao Cui interjected, "Guard Zhou still needs to practice martial arts, so we won't disturb him."

Before leaving, Lin Yan respectfully bowed to Protector Zhou and said, "This junior takes his leave."

"Being looked down upon by me, I'm afraid you're furious inside. You're so hypocritical at such a young age."

As I stepped out of the courtyard gate, I could hear the sarcastic voice of Guard Zhou drifting out from inside.

Lin Yan: ...

……

"Yan'er, did it go smoothly?"

"It went very smoothly. I have already obtained the martial arts technique. However, that Guard Zhou said that the technique should not be passed on lightly and charged ten taels of silver as a fee for the transfer."

On the way out of the Cai residence, Lin Yan reported only good news and ignored the bad news, overlooking the attitude of the guard Zhou.

"It's only right. We should be grateful that Head Guard Zhou is willing to pass on his skills to you. We shouldn't feel resentful just because we paid money. Since you've chosen to practice martial arts, you must practice hard and be able to endure hardship."

Liu kept rambling on and on, saying the same things, but Lin Yan listened attentively, showing no sign of impatience.

……

The backyard of the Cai residence.

Xiao Cui recounted the whole story in detail.

Li Min rubbed her temples and looked at Master Cai, whose face was gloomy, and said, "Master, it's my nephew who's been too tactless and has angered Guard Zhou."

Master Cai's face was very ugly. The reason he sent his cousin Min'er to find Zhou Yong was not only to show the authority of the head of the family, but also to test Zhou Yong's intentions.

Zhou Yong was someone he had invited two months ago. He wanted to know if Zhou Yong was willing to serve as a guard in the mansion and respect him, the head of the family.

If Zhou Yong had no respect for him, he would never have kept him around.

Many wealthy merchants hired bodyguards, only to find themselves raising a dangerous beast that ultimately led to their wealth being embezzled by the bodyguards.

This time, since he had spoken personally, Zhou Yong had to save face no matter how much he looked down on the other party.

The undisguised contempt also showed that Zhou Yong did not have much respect for himself, the head of the family.

"Martial artists who come from untrained backgrounds are not suitable to be guards; we should select them from among the disciples of the martial arts school."

Master Cai made a decision: at the end of the month, he would dismiss Zhou Yong and hire martial arts practitioners from the martial arts school.

Martial artists from martial arts schools dare not betray their masters, otherwise they will ruin the reputation of the school and make it difficult for all the disciples to make a living.

However, martial artists from martial arts schools charge significantly more than untrained practitioners like Zhou Yong.

"As for your nephew, I'll have Xiao Cui send him twenty taels of silver later."

Ten taels were to be returned to Zhou Yong, and the remaining ten taels were to save face for the Cai family.

……

PS: Three chapters released in a row. After a three-month break, I'm releasing the book again.

The reason for this long gap is because of my child. If I don't have a draft saved up, it's too easy to interrupt my brainstorming when my child gets a headache, fever, or other illness. Therefore, I decided to save up more drafts.

I aimed to have 300 chapters saved up, but I only managed 100.

At the same time, we should learn from our mistakes and avoid focusing too much on data when writing, which could disrupt our rhythm in the pursuit of pleasure.

In short, this is a new book and a new beginning, and I ask for everyone's support.