Gou Zai Xianwu Wenjing Search for Opportunities

That day.

Li Shi, with his pigeon-toed gait and high spirits, came to pay his respects to the Xu family, followed by Zhao Gou'er carrying some food, tonics, and silk fabrics.

Master Xu glanced at the silk, his lips curving into a smile, and warmly stepped forward to shake Li Shi's hand: "Tingzuo, you've gone to such lengths. Please, have a seat!"

"Third Uncle, please don't tease me. I've been studying with you since I was little. Please call me Da Shi; it sounds more familiar to me," Li Shi said without any restraint.

"You're a promising person, how can you still call me by my childhood nickname?" Master Xu smiled with satisfaction. "Has Manager Zhang's case been solved?"

"Everything has been investigated..."

Li Shi briefly recounted what had happened. Zhao Jingang was arrested at yesterday's banquet. He was a ruthless man who fought back desperately when things went wrong, and committed suicide after being injured.

Zhao Daniu didn't have the guts to commit suicide; he confessed on the spot, revealing in detail how they had colluded with Manager Zhang to embezzle money.

However, under Li Shi's interrogation, Zhao Daniu also confessed that Zhang Tingzhang and Zhao Jingang had frequent contact and a close relationship, and that they had been in frequent contact before and after committing the crime.

Li Shi immediately sent people to recover the stolen silver, then reported it directly to the Li residence, and then reported it to the Zhang residence with people from the Li residence.

When the Zhang family learned that the case was orchestrated by Manager Zhang in collusion with the Black Snake Gang, they sighed, took Zhao Daniu and the stolen silver away, and invited Zhang Tingzhang back to the Marquis's residence.

The truth of the case came to light. The Zhang family, unwilling to air their dirty laundry in public, requested the Li family and Li Shi not to make a fuss and to only say that it was Zhao Jingang of the Black Snake Gang who did it.

In an effort to appease all parties, the Zhang family also had to spend some money.

Master Xu looked shocked, but was overjoyed: Manager Zhang, this time I can say that I have given you an explanation. I hope that you will not hold a grudge against me in the afterlife.

After Li Shi finished speaking at length, Master Xu looked surprised, puzzled, and disdainful, and scolded, "Manager Zhang is such a person! You can know a person's face but not their heart!"

"Who says otherwise! I was wondering how a few petty thieves could kill a martial arts master. It turns out it was Manager Zhang's scheme. He deserves to die, his greed is insatiable..." Li Shi, as the victor, heavily criticized Manager Zhang.

"Has the Marquis's mansion dealt with Manager Zhang's descendants yet?" Master Xu knew that Manager Zhang had a family and children in the Marquis's mansion.

"No, not at all. The Marquis's mansion even gave Manager Zhang a proper burial. Third Uncle, what do you think the Marquis's mansion was thinking?" Li Shi asked, puzzled. Lin Yuan also looked at the teacher with curiosity.

Master Xu felt relieved; he had landed safely and the Marquis's mansion would no longer investigate. He happily explained to the two, "Only those within the family know the truth; outsiders are unaware. Punishing his descendants would inevitably alienate people. Manager Zhang is a long-time member of the household; there's some sentimentality involved, and some will remember the past. Noble families value their reputation above all else; they wouldn't risk losing face for a mere servant."

"I see. Uncle San sees things very clearly." Li Shi was very impressed.

Only Lin Yuan could see what Master Xu was thinking, but during the banquet he only served wine to the two of them and didn't say much, appearing to be a well-behaved disciple.

Master Xu, in high spirits after drinking the peach blossom wine, asked again, "Has everything been settled in the pavilion?"

"It's settled. I'm being promoted to assistant clerk, and two more members of the Li family's collateral branches are being promoted to thief-catchers. Chief Zhang has been transferred back to the county government. The new chief is just a change in name only; he's still a member of the Zhang family, an assistant clerk under the county government, and a newly appointed martial arts master..."

Master Xu listened quietly, and Lin Yuan also listened attentively, gaining a better understanding of the new pavilion chief's background and experience.

The two chatted for a long time. Li Shi looked at Lin Yuan, stood up, clasped his hands in a fist and said apologetically, "I have to apologize to Brother Lin this time! I originally planned to recruit Brother Lin into our pavilion as a clerk, but unfortunately the Zhang family snatched it away. The county even gave us a scribe, but unfortunately my cousin from the same clan took it."

Clerks were divided into three ranks: clerks, scribes, and penmen.

The term "pen clerk" was originally used to refer to someone who used a knife to carve bamboo slips for writing. Although brushes and paper are used today, the term "pen clerk" still exists.

"It's nothing, Tingzuo, don't worry about it." Lin Yuan didn't take the promise made by his drinking buddies to heart; he just hoped it would work out, but it wouldn't matter if it didn't.

Master Xu glanced at Lin Yuan, finding a rare opportunity to connect with this young man, and a sense of appreciation for his talent arose within him: "He's just a clerk; there will be opportunities in the future. Just focus on your studies here with me."

"Thank you very much, Master." Lin Yuan said respectfully, thinking to himself, "He's making me a free teaching assistant again."

However, being a teaching assistant isn't bad either. You're exempt from tuition and accommodation fees, and they even provide a meal occasionally. You also need to rely on Master Xu's influence in town to get things done.

Seeing the two men's conversation, with the teacher encouraging and the student respectful, Li Shi couldn't help but feel envious. He took out a money pouch from his pocket and stuffed it into Lin Yuan's hand, saying, "This case was solved thanks to Brother Lin's help. We recovered three hundred taels of silver from the pharmacy's treasury, and the Zhang family gave one hundred taels as a reward to Tingli. I didn't get much, so these five taels are for Brother Lin. I hope you won't think it's too little!"

Only three hundred taels were recovered?

Lin Yuan knew that the final amount of the false accounts was more than 4,500 taels. From the memories of Manager Zhang in the mirror, he knew that there was still a shortfall of nearly 1,000 taels of silver in the accounts, which meant that the pharmacy actually had more than 3,500 taels of silver.

Manager Qian said that all the treasury silver in the pharmacy had been stolen, but only three hundred taels of the stolen silver were recovered. Where did the remaining three thousand taels go?

Even if Zhao Jingang were incredibly extravagant, it would be impossible for him to spend over three thousand taels of silver in just a few days without leaving a trace.

Or did he secretly move it beforehand?

Or did his younger brother move away behind his back?

Or was Manager Qian lying, and did he pocket the remaining silver from the pharmacy?

Or was it that Officer Li was embezzling the property himself?

Or perhaps Manager Zhang moved it beforehand?

If you're going to pocket it all, then why are you only giving me five taels?

Lin Yuan couldn't help but laugh. The case was solved, and the people were arrested, but the money didn't add up.

They're all so shameless!

It seems I'll have to investigate these kinds of cases myself from now on, and I'm determined to uncover the truth and count the money.

Five taels it is, that should be enough to rent Yingniang's house. Let's solve this immediate problem first.

"How can this be allowed?"

Lin Yuan was polite in words, but he didn't use any force, letting Li Shi stuff the money into his pocket. Then he said with a helpless expression, "Since Tingzuo is so kind, then thank you. If you ever need anything in the future, just let me know."

"Haha, with Brother Lin's help, I'm like a tiger with wings..." Li Shi laughed, holding Lin Yuan in his arms.

When Master Xu saw how skillfully Li Shi used idioms, he would have reprimanded him back then, but instead he smiled knowingly and made no comment.

At noon, Master Xu invited Li Shi to have lunch in the West Flower Hall, with Lin Yuan accompanying him.

In the midst of their drinking and revelry, Lin Yuan inquired about the Li Family Martial Arts Academy.

The Li Family Martial Arts School is divided into inner and outer halls. The inner hall is only for direct descendants to practice martial arts, and it teaches the family's unique skills. There are top-level martial arts instructors who personally teach them, and they are also provided with top-quality medicinal food.

The outer hall only teaches basic martial arts, and the martial arts instructors are only newly appointed martial arts masters. The apprentices not only do not receive meat, but also medicinal food. Therefore, the management is not so strict. It is easy to enter and easy to leave. Not only can the children of the collateral branches of the Li family enter, but also the children of in-laws and even the children of household servants can enter.

Thanks to Lin Yuan's reminder, Li Shi recovered more than a thousand taels of stolen silver from Zhao Jingang and Zhao Daniu. He and the two martial arts instructors of the Li family split most of it, and only gave the Hou family three hundred taels as an account.

It can be said that he made a fortune this time, so he not only gave Master Xu a generous gift, but also gave Lin Yuan five taels of silver.

Therefore, Li Shi felt somewhat compensatory for failing to fulfill his obligation to Lin Yuan as a clerk, since it was a favor he could easily do without costing himself any money.

"I'm planning to send Gou'er there for a few years of training. Once he's mastered the body tempering, I'll recruit him into the pavilion as a thief catcher. If Brother Lin is interested in learning martial arts, I can introduce you to him. If you can also master it, I'll recruit you into the pavilion as a thief catcher as well. Even if you don't succeed, it doesn't matter. As long as you graduate from the Li Clan Martial Arts Hall, you'll be considered one of our Li Clan members. It will be much easier for me to recruit you into the pavilion as a clerk in the future!"

The Li family prioritized hiring their own people, which is why Lin Yuan failed to obtain the position of clerk at the Carp Pavilion.

Master Xu was able to enter the Lishui Pavilion as a clerk precisely because he became one of Li's own people.

Li Shi is sending Zhao Gou'er into the Li Clan Martial Arts School for the same reason: to get him some experience first, and then he'll be considered one of their own when he comes out.

To be recommended by a prestigious family, one must first become one of their own.

Lin Yuan was somewhat tempted. Even if he couldn't afford the medicinal cuisine, it would be good to get to know him first. After all, he still had the ability to calculate scriptures. If he could combine literary and martial skills, he could be both a clerk and a thief catcher, capable of both offense and defense.

He then looked at Master Xu, who put down his chopsticks and pondered for a moment: "The path of martial arts is not easy. It depends not only on talent and aptitude, but also on temperament and perseverance. Most importantly, it requires a diet rich in meat and medicinal food, which is no small sum. Back then, I sent Xu Shan to the Li Family Martial Arts School to learn martial arts, and the cost of medicinal food alone was over a hundred taels a year, not counting other expenses. Unfortunately, his talent was lacking, and he only reached the late stage of Body Tempering, never managing to cross the threshold of becoming a Grade Martial Master. In the end, learning martial arts is not as practical as studying."

In comparison, studying for a year costs five taels of silver, while martial arts training costs over a hundred taels—the cost is indeed much higher.

"Third Uncle is right, this medicinal cuisine is really expensive! I was only able to afford it because I had a talent for martial arts, and that's why the Li family sponsored me with medicinal cuisine for two years." Li Shi sighed, then turned to Lin Yuan and said, "But don't even think about this sponsorship. The Li family only sponsors outstanding members of their own clan."

Lin Yuan didn't mind, and said with a self-deprecating smile, "My mentor and Tingzuo are just doing this for my own good. Actually, I don't expect to achieve anything great in my training. I just want to improve my health and grow stronger."

"Since Tingzuo has recommended you, then you may go." Master Xu nodded.

Li Shi nodded: "Then Brother Lin can say that he is my distant cousin. Although the manor doesn't check very strictly, you should still be careful."

"Thank you, Tingzuo!"