The Martial Saint rose to power starting as a substitute bridegroom.

"Have you seen my brother? Is he doing well?"

As soon as he got home, Gu Qi'er, Gu Laoqi's biological son, came up to him and asked with expectant eyes.

Gu Qi'er is fifteen years old this year, and he can be considered a fine young man in the entire Gu Family Village.

Although he was thin, he had a strong frame, which he had developed from years of training in the river.

He is closest to his older brother.

Although not related by blood, they shared a meal from the same pot and a tattered quilt, making them practically brothers despite not being from the same father or mother.

As a member of a different family from the Gu family in Gu Village, Li Yuan was bullied from a young age.

Whenever this happened, Qiwa was always the first to rush forward, even if he got beaten up and his face was swollen, he would still protect his brother.

Gu Laoqi suddenly choked up.

He opened his mouth, but it felt like a rusty lump of iron was stuck in his throat.

"Qiwa..." He turned his face away, his voice hoarse, "Your brother... married into the family in place of his younger brother, Li Hao..."

Qiwa was taken aback.

"What?"

Old Gu recounted the whole story.

The story recounts how Li Yuan was tricked by the Li couple, the twenty taels of silver he was paid as "indenture," and the unapproachable prestige of the martial arts schools...

"That damn Li Canghai!" Qiwa slammed his fist on the stone platform.

He gritted his teeth, his eyes reddening. "I knew they had no good intentions! They made all sorts of promises when they took my brother back, like 'blood relatives' and 'making up for what they owed'—I spit on that!"

The boy's chest heaved violently, like a small animal that had been provoked.

Gu Laoqi continued, his voice growing softer, "Your brother has loved martial arts since he was a child, and he wanted to learn it..."

long silence.

"I do know a way," Qiwazi suddenly said, as if he had thought of something. "A fishmonger has come from the East Village. I heard he's the manager of the martial arts club and quite capable. Getting someone in shouldn't be difficult. Besides, the martial arts club's standards for recruiting disciples... are always a bit lower than those big martial arts schools."

He paused, then looked at his father: "If not, I'll go ask around. Maybe I can try my luck for my brother."

Gu Laoqi shook his head.

He had lived for over fifty years and was well aware of the principles of asking for favors.

There is no such thing as kindness without a reason in this world.

What do you, a poor fisherman, have to offer in exchange for other people's connections?

"Dad, look!"

Qiwa suddenly turned around and pulled a fish out from the depths of the fish basket.

The fish had a faint silver sheen, and in the twilight it seemed almost translucent, with a light gold edge around its fins.

It was a rare and precious fish, a treasure that nourishes the blood and qi.

"Silver-striped perch! It really is a treasure fish!" Old Gu gasped.

He had been fishing for thirty years and had only seen it a handful of times.

"How about we use this treasure fish to give my brother a chance to learn martial arts?" Qiwazi's eyes shone brightly, as if he could already see his brother wearing training clothes and throwing punches in the martial arts club.

......

In the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the two arrived at East Village.

"Master De!" Qiwazi bowed deeply, his waist bent low.

The boy was making this gesture for the first time, and his movements were a little stiff.

Guo De, who was half-reclining on the bamboo chair, slightly raised his eyelids and looked the two of them up and down.

He was in his forties, dressed modestly but respectably, showing no trace of a fisherman.

"I don't just take any fish," he said slowly and deliberately. "Only treasure fish will do."

"Uncle De, look." Qiwazi carefully lifted the silver-striped perch out of the fish basket.

Guo De's eyes lit up, but then returned to normal.

He reached out, pinched the fish by its gills, lifted it up, weighed it in his hand, and then brought it close to smell it.

This person is very shrewd.

"A bit small, and the quality is so-so." He curled his lip, tossed the fish back into the basket, and said, "Five taels of silver."

Qiwazi panicked, his face turning bright red: "Master De, this is a precious fish! Even at the market, it could sell for seven taels of silver!"

Silver-striped perch are very rare and have a delicious flavor.

It is the favorite of wealthy gentlemen.

More importantly, it is a highly nourishing substance for martial artists, comparable to elixirs, and its price has remained consistently high.

Master Gu paid a high price for the silver-patterned perch, supposedly to nourish his third young master.

Gu Yunzhou, the third young master of the Gu family, is a renowned martial arts genius who holds a very high position among the younger generation of the Tianlong Martial Arts Academy.

"Alright, I'll give you seven taels then." Guo De waved his hand impatiently, as if dismissing a beggar, "I'll do it for the sake of my father-in-law, who's an old acquaintance of mine."

Qiwa took a deep breath.

"Master De, I've heard you're in charge of the martial arts club and have many connections. May I ask..." Old Gu quickly interjected, his voice so humble it was almost inaudible, "Do you think... you could use this fish to exchange for a chance for my child to learn martial arts?"

"Him? He wants to learn martial arts?"

Guo De looked Qiwazi up and down again, a shrewd glint in his eyes, like a broker estimating the price of livestock.

"No, no," Gu Laoqi quickly waved his hands, "It's my other son..."

"I knew it." Guo De sighed in relief, leaning back in his bamboo chair. "Master Lin has very high standards; he doesn't accept just anyone... He's so thin, and he's also getting on in years; it'll be hard for him to achieve anything..."

"...It's his older brother."

"puff--"

Guo De spat out a mouthful of tea. "That's even worse. No, no, I can't train like that."

Guo De doesn't understand matters of physical constitution; he can only estimate based on age.

"Please help me."

Gu Laoqi took out a cloth bag from his pocket, opened it layer by layer, and inside were some loose silver and copper coins.

This is all the family's savings, amounting to about an ounce or two.

Guo De looked at the pile of loose change and felt somewhat annoyed.

He waved his hand: "Alright, I'm too soft-hearted to ask for you guys."

He put the treasure fish into the wooden bucket next to him. "However, one treasure fish is definitely not enough. You need at least three!"

Gu Laoqi swayed.

"Uncle De, please have mercy!" Gu Laoqi's voice trembled. "You know how hard it is to find a treasure fish. Zhang the Baldhead from Nan Village uses chickens and ducks to bait the fish every day, and they can only catch one or two every half month... This one we have, Qiwazi soaked it in cold water for three hours..."

"Do you want to learn or not?" Guo De was getting impatient, his voice rising several decibels. "Do you think the martial arts club is a charity? You think you can get in just because of a precious fish? Dream on!"

silence.

a long time.

Guo De breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Gu Laoqi's pitiful appearance.

That hunched back, those cloudy eyes, those clothes patched upon patched.

He looks just like my old father.

That winter, my father, with his back bent, took him to the martial arts club to ask for a menial job, and stood in the snow for two whole hours.

"Forget it, forget it." He turned his face away, his voice muffled. "Go back and raise ten taels of silver, plus this fish, that should be enough, right?"

The treasure fish weighs seven taels, plus ten more taels, for a total of seventeen taels.

The martial arts club charges fifteen taels for tuition, so the remaining two taels can be considered as compensation for my hard work. That shouldn't be too much to ask, right?

Gu Laoqi, however, looked troubled.

Ten taels of silver.

That's not something an ordinary fisherman could easily come up with.

"You guys go and raise eight taels first," Guo De sighed, then said directly to Gu Laoqi, "The remaining two taels... consider it a loan from your master, it's a small favor, not a rip-off."

"Thank you, Master De!" Old Gu bowed repeatedly.

Ten in, thirteen out—that's a normal price.

The benefactor has already made such a great concession.

But even if it's only eight ounces...

Gu Laoqi was plunged into sorrow.

"Father, those three houses at home are worth about ten taels of silver!" Qiwazi's eyes lit up as he suddenly said.

Guo De was taken aback. "You kid, if the house is sold, where will you two live?"

"We'll move to the boat and live there. If all else fails, we'll never come down again." Qiwazi's eyes were stubborn, like a hard and resilient stone.

Gu Laoqi trembled. "The old house can't be touched, Qiwazi, that's ancestral property..."

"My brother's martial arts training is more important!" Qiwazi said without the slightest hesitation. "Just as Master De said, it's hard to achieve anything after a certain age. You can earn money anytime, and you can buy a house anytime, but my brother only has this one chance."

"Son, that's for you to use when you get married," Gu Laoqi said hoarsely.

Qiwa lowered his head, and after a long while, he spoke softly, "Father, do you still remember the flood that breached the dikes?"

Gu Laoqi was taken aback.

"When I was eight years old, the dam on the Liangshui River collapsed, and I was swept into the water..." Qiwazi's eyes reddened, but her voice was calm as if she were talking about someone else's story. "My brother had already climbed up the tree, but when he saw me being swept away, he jumped down without thinking and grabbed my hand tightly..."

He looked up, his eyes glistening with tears, but he stubbornly refused to let them fall.

"Father, my life was given to me by my brother."

Gu Laoqi's eyes welled up with tears.

Both sides are my flesh and blood, making this decision is very difficult.

"Okay!" He gritted his teeth, nodded emphatically, and said, "We'll do it your way!"

"A few days ago, the martial arts club also took in a disciple," San Dezi suddenly said, turning his head. His voice was a little unnatural. "He's a peasant like you, and he's about eighteen or nineteen years old. Wow, that guy is amazing. He lifted a 500-pound stone lock with one hand in one go. Even Master Lin was shocked... I heard he's from Wudaokou."

Wudaokou?

I've never heard of Gu Laoqi.

That must be a very far place.

"Master De, I'll bring you the money tomorrow!" Old Gu said excitedly.

"Never mind, I'll go get it myself." San Dezi waved his hand. "Gu Family Village, right? It's on my way."

......

The spring breeze is gentle and the warm sunshine is intoxicating.

A robust, yellow-maned horse strolled leisurely along the road leading to Gujiazhuang.

"Yuan-ge'er, what if my adoptive father dislikes me?"

On horseback, Lan Jie'er nestled against Li Yuan and asked with some concern.

"Even an ugly daughter-in-law has to meet her in-laws eventually, and besides... oh dear!"

At some point, two rows of teeth marks appeared on the back of Li Yuan's hand.

On the other side, in the Gu family courtyard.

Guo De lazily reclined on the bamboo chair and said to Gu Laoqi, who was standing to one side:

"Have you raised all the money?"

"Master De, here is a ten-tael silver note."

Gu Laoqi humbly bowed and carefully handed a stack of silver notes to Guo De.

Those three old houses in the family were eventually pawned.

Master De did say that we could pay eight taels first.

But owing money to others still made Gu Laoqi uneasy.

We don't know much about Deye, and if we owe him a favor, he might look down on Yuange in the future, which could have a bad influence.

Society is just like this.

"Why are they all one tael each?" Master De frowned, his tone slightly dissatisfied.

"My dad's worried about counterfeit bills, so small change is more reliable," Qiwa quickly explained.

For poor people, the worst thing to do is to put all their eggs in one basket.

Guo De started counting casually.

The two watched nervously, not daring to breathe.

"Exactly ten taels!"

Upon hearing this, Gu Laoqi breathed a sigh of relief and exchanged a smile with Qiwazi.

"Wow, Lao Gu, you've raised the money so quickly. Did you sell the house?" Guo De laughed.

"It was used to mortgage the house deed."

"I didn't realize you had such a strong will, Lao Gu... But this house, once it's sold, it's sold. Can anyone still live here?" Guo De frowned as he looked around at the surroundings and said.

"Alright, have your son come to the Green Ox Martial Arts Society to see me tomorrow, and I'll take him to see Master Lin," Guo De said, standing up.

Gu Laoqi felt a weight lifted from his heart. "Thank you for your trouble, Master De."

Guo De stuffed the silver notes into his pocket. "Alright, I'm leaving."

"Master De has come all this way, would you like to have a bowl of tea before you leave?" Qiwa brought out a large teapot and several teacups.

It wouldn't hurt to get on good terms with Li Yuange before he joins the Green Ox Martial Arts Society.

Guo De turned his head and glanced at the old teapot and several chipped celadon bowls on the stone table. He narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "No, there are still important matters at the martial arts club."

hiss--

Unexpectedly, just as he pushed open the door, a fine horse stopped right in front of him and neighed.

Its fur is a glossy brown, like satin, with a white spot on its forehead shaped like a full moon.

If it wasn't our master's horse, then who else could it be?

The saddle and harness on his body were all fitted by his own hands.

The horse was extremely excited to see a familiar face, and its hooves suddenly flipped over.

Guo De skillfully grabbed the reins; this action was a long-term professional habit, a muscle memory etched into his bones.

"You...what are you doing here?" His lips twitched, and his voice trembled so much it was almost inhuman.

I've seen the people on horseback before; I know them very well.

It was Li Yuan, the one who lifted a 500-pound stone lock with one hand, a feat that even shocked Master Lin.

"Yuanzi, you're back?" Gu Laoqi became excited. "Perfect timing! Come and greet Master De. Master De, this is my eldest son..."

Guo De's legs went weak, and he almost collapsed to the ground.

Li Yuan...is your son?

Gu Laoqi, are you trying to make fun of me?

The disciple highly regarded by Master Lin, a true master of Ming Jin martial arts, what kind of status did he have?

Do I, a lowly servant, really need to introduce you to the basics?

Guo De cursed inwardly. As a worker in the wealthy Lin family, being able to speak with the master was already quite remarkable in the eyes of ordinary people. He could even sit in the main seat at banquets for weddings and funerals.

But in front of Master Lin's disciples, true martial artists, they're nothing!

"Master De?" Li Yuan frowned slightly.

Guo De's right eyelid twitched wildly. He forced an awkward smile and immediately said in a humble voice:

"No, what Master De... This is like the flood washing away the Dragon King's temple, don't they recognize their own family? No wonder the magpies were chirping around me nonstop as soon as I went out today, turns out I'm here to pay my respects to Master Li!"

To show his apology, Guo De slapped his right cheek in a very serious manner.

"San Dezi is blind and doesn't recognize a great man. He didn't know that Master Gu was a relative of Master Li. He's guilty."

San Dezi?

Master Gu...?

Gu Laoqi was even more puzzled; what exactly was going on?

Could it be that Guo De didn't think much of Li Yuan and was deliberately saying the opposite of what he meant?

"Uncle De, you've already taken the money, so you can't go back on your word..." His voice was soft, tinged with humility and a hint of probing.

San Dezi immediately took out the stack of silver notes, and deliberately slipped a few extra into Gu Laoqi's hand.

"Master Gu, please forgive San Dezi's failing eyesight. You may not know this, but your son is already Master Lin's disciple, and a highly regarded Ming Jin martial arts master at that."

Gu Laoqi staggered back two steps. "San Dezi, you're not lying to me, are you?"

He was so excited that he couldn't help but widen his eyes and seek confirmation once more.

"Master Gu, this is absolutely true!"

Gu Laoqi's eyes were slightly red. Excitement, pride, relief, joy... all rushed up at once. He turned his back to avoid losing his composure in front of everyone.

"Master Gu, which pawnshop did you mortgage the house deed to? I'll go there right away and redeem it for you," Guo De said, clasping his hands in a fist and bowing.

"Master Li, I have a favor to ask of you. Could you please ask Second Madam for a few days' leave so that San Dezi can renovate Master Gu's house inside and out? The feng shui here is excellent, it's very auspicious..."

......