Chapter 2: The Practice of Earning Money

How does Steward Li get a scholar to organize the books? ... ... Forget it, since Steward Li has asked you to come, just get to work

Ye Chen, holding the servant token, arrived at the academy's library and found Manager Wang

The morning exercise has concluded for today; we shall discuss it again tomorrow

This is your junior disciple Ye Chen, who has just reached the fourth level of the Body Refinement Stage. He will follow you in cultivation, and you will teach him the sword technique

This is truly a great gift for the impoverished students within the academy

Congratulations to Senior Brother Ye on advancing to the mid-stage of body refinement. I hope that in the future, Senior Brother will offer more guidance and support!

Of course, Ye Chen arrived at Beilu Academy at the age of five and spent ten years there, performing menial tasks for a full decade before establishing such a relationship with Steward Li. Otherwise, Steward Li would not have entrusted such an important task to Ye Chen.

The door opened

The chief steward laughed, saying that practicing daily costs too much, leaving him in dire financial straits, and he didn't know how many years it would take to marry a wife. Chief steward, what tasks do we have today

Ye Chen smiled and scratched his head

For nearly ten years, Ye Chen has been performing these miscellaneous tasks at the academy, and all the silver he earned was spent on purchasing herbs for cultivation to refine his physique. However, as his cultivation level gradually improved, the copper coins earned from ordinary daily tasks became insufficient.

That year, the young scholar sheathed his sword and walked over indifferently

Ye Chen excitedly took the token, nearly bursting into cheers in surprise

squeak

It contains a vast collection of literature, military, geography, and historical documents from the Wu Kingdom, as well as the most precious martial arts classics

The tone of the old man in the gray robe was unequivocal. After speaking, he left with his hands clasped behind his back, indifferent to whether the cold was agreeable or not

The students of Beilu Academy excel in both literary and martial disciplines

This is an exceedingly tedious task. Therefore, the academy has allocated a sum of silver to hire someone to organize these scrolls. I will give you one month to clear out these scrolls, with a daily remuneration of one tael of silver

Ye Chen was overjoyed

Ye Chen longed for it

This is the servant token; you should take the token to find Manager Wang of the Book Pavilion and obtain the key to the old library

The severe cold furrowed his brow, making him appear quite displeased

The old man in the gray robe paused slightly upon hearing this

Manager Wang was aware that there might be some hidden motives behind this. Hiring a teacher for work and hiring a student for work come at different prices, with the difference potentially reaching several times. It was likely that Manager Li was using this as a means to embezzle funds for personal gain, and Manager Wang did not want to directly obstruct Manager Li's source of income

... ...

The Beilu Academy has only one library building

This morning's training concluded, and the students of Beilu Academy dispersed from the martial arts training ground

Ye Chen responded with a smile and nodded

"Master Shi, what is it that you need from me?"

He has a strong desire to cultivate and become stronger, but this requires money to purchase herbs for refining his physique

Manager Li displayed a look of surprise, and then pondered before speaking

Why should a newcomer train with me? It is purely a burden and a waste of my time! There are over 200 junior brothers and sisters in the upper academy, why don't you find someone else to mentor him?

Manager Li finished his lunch, feeling full, and with his belly protruding, he held a thick booklet in his hand as he arrived at the steps in front of the house

Moreover, it is possible to work continuously for a month and receive a total of thirty taels of silver.

The students from the lower house, waiting in line to receive their menial tasks from Steward Li, widened their eyes one by one, nearly bursting with jealousy and wanting to shout out.

Yan Han looked up at the blazing sun at noon, his face cold, and left the training ground

Recently, this academy has acquired a batch of old books from various regions of the Wu Kingdom, amounting to nearly ten thousand volumes, piled up in the old book repository of the library.

In the morning, practice martial arts and refine combat skills. In the afternoon, study literature and learn to read and write.

He does not have much time to study literature; he spends his afternoons working to earn money for his own cultivation

Many of those who come here to take on menial tasks for money are impoverished commoners in the early stages of body refinement. As we meet more often, we become somewhat familiar with each other. However, everyone is focused on the menial tasks and has little interest in discussing other matters

"The Tiger Leap Blade Technique is classified as an advanced blade technique, yet it consists of only six moves. In comparison to the dozens or even hundreds of intricate techniques found in other blade and sword arts, this number is quite minimal. You should train under Yan Han from now on"

Ye Chen left the training ground.

Before long, dozens of impoverished youths arrived one after another at the servant quarters, ready to receive menial tasks.

After finishing his lunch, Ye Chen hurriedly arrived at the logistics courtyard of the academy, waiting with his hands down on the stone steps outside Manager Li's room, preparing to receive his duties from Manager Li. Although Manager Li's title was not grand, he was in charge of the allocation of all logistics and miscellaneous tasks at Beilu Academy. For a financially struggling student like Ye Chen, he was undoubtedly a person of significant authority within the academy

The old man pointed at Ye Chen and introduced him with a smile

"No way, earning one or two silver coins a day? Such a good job, and it was snatched up by Senior Brother Ye Chen! If I had known, I should have come earlier to line up!" "Come on, he is a disciple of the upper academy, and only he has the qualifications to take on the task of organizing the library. We are all disciples of the lower academy and are not qualified to take it on at all!"

Manager Li took out a token and handed it to Ye Chen

This is the largest single amount he has received for a menial task, and it took the longest time.

Ye Chen hurriedly expressed his respect

Please provide more guidance, Senior Brother Yan!

... ...

Chief Steward, I have reached the fourth level of body refinement today and have entered the upper academy. I need more funds to purchase herbs for my cultivation. Which job is the most lucrative? You know best, please arrange one for me!

Ye Chen, you are always the most diligent one, almost never absent, and you are always at the front! Over the years, you have earned quite a bit of money, enough to marry a wife, right?

Have you reached the fourth level of body refinement? ... ... There is a new task at the academy that can earn quite a bit of silver. This task was originally intended for the academy's teachers, not for the students. However, you are now a student of the upper academy, and your status is similar to that of the teachers, so it is acceptable for you to take it on.

Within Beilu Academy, there are many miscellaneous tasks, and impoverished students are hired to perform them, providing financial support for their studies.

However, in the realm of martial arts, there is a tendency to prioritize martial prowess over literary knowledge. The sole purpose of literacy and studying literature is merely to understand the texts on martial arts. Unless one aspires to become a learned scholar in the future, generally, few would invest too much time and effort in literary pursuits. Therefore, students in the academy can choose to self-study in the library, attend classes in the lecture hall, or arrange their own reading schedules, which is relatively flexible

Do you want to learn the "Tiger Leap Sword Technique"

Thank you, Chief Steward, you may give your orders!

Manager Li saw Ye Chen once again at the front of the steps and couldn't help but smile

These old books were acquired from various small bookstores and impoverished families, consisting of aged collections that require sorting and categorization. Among them, there are quite a few that are damaged, including fragments and discarded volumes. Those that can be organized should be organized, and those that should be discarded should be discarded

The young students from the lower house greeted Ye Chen enthusiastically upon seeing him, and then lined up behind him in order. The students from the upper house were all senior brothers and sisters in front of the students from the lower house

In the academy, the typical menial tasks generally earn only a few dozen copper coins per day, at most not exceeding one hundred coins. Tasks such as organizing the old library, which could earn one or two taels of silver in a day, equivalent to a thousand copper coins for menial work, have never been seen.

Borrowing books from the library requires a fee per volume. The basic martial arts on the lower level are relatively inexpensive, while the advanced martial techniques on the upper level are exorbitantly priced. There are numerous guards inside and outside the library, with late-stage body refinement experts stationed to prevent theft

As the chief instructor, he was naturally well aware that in the past, many young students at the academy had attempted to practice the "Tiger Leap Sword Technique," but they all eventually gave up. Currently, only one person, Yan Han, was still persevering in his training. He initially intended to advise Ye Chen to switch to another martial art, but upon seeing Ye Chen's excited expression, he reconsidered and decided against persuading him, thinking it might be beneficial for the young man to experience some hardship.

Beneath the book pavilion, there is an old library. Inside, there are numerous disorganized and worn-out books, but ordinary people cannot enter. The key to the old library is held by the steward Wang, who manages the book pavilion.

In this academy, you are the only one studying the "Tiger Leap Blade Technique," and you are the most proficient at it; only you can guide him. If it were not for my practice of the Shadowless Leg, I would not need you to instruct him. In any case, the person is entrusted to you; you may handle it as you see fit

Manager Wang, the disciple has been ordered to come and organize the collection of books in the old library

Thank you, Chief Steward! I have completed the task on schedule within one month.

All junior brothers, with diligent practice and hard work, will eventually be able to reach the mid-stage of body refinement

The old man in the gray robe shouted at a young man practicing with a sword alone in the training ground, "Yan Han, come here for a moment"

In the biting cold, he did not dare to confront the chief instructor, casting a cold glance at Ye Chen.

Grand Steward

Brother Ye, here to collect your chores again!

Ye Chen rarely borrows books here, as he is reluctant to part with his copper coins

Manager Li nodded, casually flipping through the manual of miscellaneous tasks in his hand, and said, "There are quite a few miscellaneous tasks in the academy today; you can choose one! The options include the large kitchen, fetching water, chopping wood, tending the vegetable garden, guarding the gate, patrolling at night, sweeping the steps, clearing leaves from the rooftops inside and outside the academy, and removing weeds from the courtyard. Each task can earn you between ten to several dozen copper coins. Which one do you wish to do today?"

Ye Chen hurriedly clasped his hands together, his demeanor sincere