Chen Yuan sat in the pavilion, reflecting on the battle that had just concluded.
A head-on confrontation ultimately came down to two aspects: power and technique. In terms of power, he might be able to go toe-to-toe with Xu Heng by relying on the strength of his Elephant Bone, but his technique was an absolute weakness. There was a vast chasm between Minor Achievement Manifest Force and Hidden Force; their lethality simply wasn’t on the same level. He realized he needed to comprehend Hidden Force as soon as possible.
The following afternoon.
Funiu Mountain was a scene of desolation, with the cries of lone wild geese echoing in the biting west wind. Only the meticulously tended herbs in the Medicinal Garden brimmed with vitality.
Chen Yuan was practicing his boxing by the fields. Despite the freezing season, he wore only a single layer of unlined clothing. His skin, slightly slick with sweat, radiated wisps of white steam. He still hadn’t decided whether to take on the role of Vice Steward, but he knew for certain that practicing martial arts was never a mistake.
The mountains were utterly devoid of birds and the paths empty of human tracks, which made the CRACK of footsteps on dry twigs exceptionally clear. The steady footsteps came to an abrupt halt a short distance away.
Chen Yuan didn’t stop his movements. Instead, he finished his entire boxing routine, withdrew his stance, and finally looked over at the newcomer.
Crisp applause rang out. "Brother Chen, what magnificent boxing. Truly, a hero emerges from the youth."
The visitor wasn’t particularly old either. He sported a small mustache and looked rather refined, though a shrewd gleam flickered in his eyes. However, judging by his thin, high-quality white training suit, his Body Refining skills were definitely not weak.
Chen Yuan cupped his hands slightly. "You flatter me. How should I address you?"
The man offered a gentle smile. "Li Changgui. Brother Chen, you can just call me Changgui."
Chen Yuan thought, "Someone from the Li Family?" Realizing something in an instant, he gave a faint smile. "Brother Changgui, did you come regarding the Vice Steward position?"
In this desolate wilderness, rarely did anyone visit besides the Medicinal Farmers who tended the fields and the Steward who came at the end of the month to inspect the harvest. He had just learned yesterday that someone was competing with him for the Vice Steward position, and today someone from the Li Family had come looking for him. It would be strange not to connect the two.
Li Changgui chuckled. "As expected of the man General Manager Li thinks so highly of—truly clever. Yes, I came to find you today to discuss the Vice Steward position."
"This way, please," Chen Yuan said, gesturing with his hand.
Although his place was no match for Li Song’s large courtyard compound, the storage shed was still a decent place to sit down. He usually used it to take shelter from the rain and snow.
"I wonder, does Brother Chen have a strong desire for this Vice Steward position?" Li Changgui asked probingly as he took a seat.
Chen Yuan gave him no room to pry. "Since General Manager Li thinks highly of me, I have to at least give it a try. Is Brother Li the other candidate, then? It seems we’ll have to compete."
Li Changgui fell silent for a moment before speaking. "Brother Chen is indeed perceptive. To be honest, I am that candidate. This Vice Steward position is very important to me. I originally thought it was a sure thing and that no one could contest it, but I never expected you to pop up."
He understood General Manager Li’s intention: the General Manager believed Chen Yuan’s abilities were roughly equal to his and wanted to choose the better of the two through a competition. However, he didn’t want to take that kind of risk.
Chen Yuan’s expression remained unchanged as he replied coolly, "So, Brother Changgui, are you saying I shouldn’t have popped up?" He felt this guy was up to no good.
"Of course not," Li Changgui said with a slight shake of his head before continuing. "This only proves that Brother Chen is capable. What I mean is that I’ve been waiting for this position for a long time. If you’re willing to step aside for me, I can pay a certain price and owe you a favor.
"Additionally, my brother is Li Changfu. He’s currently in charge of our Li Family’s Treasure House business. If there is anything you need, I can make inquiries on your behalf."
Chen Yuan understood perfectly now. So he wanted to use the power of money! He immediately put on a conflicted expression. "Brother Changgui, I understand your difficulties. However, General Manager Li has placed his trust in me. If I simply give up, it will inevitably disappoint the General Manager. How could I discard his patronage for mere profit?"
The underlying message was crystal clear: General Manager Li was like a brother to him, so the price had to go up!
Li Changgui caught his drift and immediately threw out an offer. "Ninety taels of silver, plus a favor from me. What do you say?"
This was equivalent to more than two months of wages. Chen Yuan was moved inwardly, silently cursing the filthy rich bastard for being so wealthy, but outwardly, he kept a straight face and looked troubled. "Since you’re showing such sincerity, Brother Changgui, I’ll speak from the heart as well. Add another fifty taels of silver, and I’ll withdraw from the Vice Steward competition entirely."
Since the opportunity presented itself, he had to fleece this guy for all he was worth.
Li Changgui furrowed his brows, his expression turning somewhat ugly. "Brother Chen, aren’t you being a bit too greedy? If we actually compete, I won’t necessarily lose to you. How about this: lower the price a bit, and we’ll consider it the cost of making a friend."
Chen Yuan pondered for a moment. If he bit down hard and refused to let go of the extra fifty taels, Li Changgui would probably still pay it, but it would definitely offend him. This guy bringing up his older brother was likely meant as a threat, too. Ah, it was better to play it safe and quit while he was ahead.
He relented. "Alright, let’s cut it in half. Give me an extra twenty-five taels of silver, making it a total of one hundred and fifteen taels of silver, and we’ll call it a friendship."
One hundred and fifteen taels of silver! Even hearing the number made Li Changgui wince in pain. This sum meant that even if he became Vice Steward, his first two-plus months of wages would go entirely to Chen Yuan. He’d be working for free!
Even with the commission dividends, he wouldn’t be able to make up for it right away. But from a long-term perspective, he would still come out on top. Spending a bit over a hundred taels of silver to securely buy a Vice Steward position was well worth it. However, he shouldn’t have had to spend this money in the first place, which made him furious.
Furious or not, he had to agree. Li Changgui squeezed out a smile. "Fine. You have quite the temperament, Brother Chen; I’ll recognize you as a friend from now on. I wonder, when will you go speak to General Manager Li about this?"
Chen Yuan was very straightforward, immediately replying, "If Brother Changgui sends the money over today, I’ll go speak to him first thing tomorrow morning." He would only do the deed once the money was delivered.
Li Changgui ground his teeth in hatred, knowing that Chen Yuan was guarding against him reneging on the deal after the fact, but there was nothing he could do. He compromised. "Very well. I trust Brother Chen’s character. I’ll send someone over with the money shortly."
Chen Yuan laughed. "Brother Changgui is straightforward indeed."
Now that the transaction was settled, the two could no longer keep up the pleasantries. After exchanging a few more words, Li Changgui took his leave.
The moment he turned around, his expression turned ice-cold. This Chen Yuan was a money-grubber, and his personality seemed extremely weak. The moment he’d used a slightly harsher tone, the guy had immediately conceded some of the profit. He found the idea of making a friend absolutely ridiculous. It seemed that once he became Vice Steward, he could use the authority of his position to knock Chen Yuan down a peg and force him to spit some of that silver back out.
Chen Yuan watched Li Changgui leave, blooming with inner joy. He had already been hesitating over whether or not to become a Vice Steward, plagued by all sorts of concerns. Li Changgui’s arrival had directly solved his dilemma.
To him, being a Vice Steward only had one real benefit: making more money to exchange for resources. So, if he could get one hundred and fifteen taels of silver for free, why the hell would he want to be a Vice Steward? That little bit of authority was utterly useless. It was just a waste of time. Focusing his energy on martial arts and improving his strength was the true path.
Once he comprehended Hidden Force and mastered the Iron Bone and Elephant Bone, every Steward and Vice Steward would have to kneel before him. Furthermore, being transferred to the Fourth Medicinal Garden still came with a monthly salary of thirty-five taels of silver, which wasn’t much less than a Vice Steward’s wage.
Chen Yuan could only say that he had made an absolute killing on this deal!