Chapter 006: Seeking Refuge in the Jianghu

Wang the shopkeeper cast a disdainful glance at the butcher, snorted in contempt, and then left with his son, satisfied.

A Chou's expression also changed dramatically, filled with panic and confusion

Everyone in the inn knows that Wang Dazhanggui is himself an outer disciple of the Tianying Sect, having spent several decades of hard work to rise to the position of the innkeeper of the Tianying Inn, managing this immensely profitable establishment for the Tianying Sect

Su Chen was startled awake by the sound of the old fireman pushing open the door. He quickly crawled out from the warm pile of straw, rubbed his bleary eyes, and greeted the old fireman, "Uncle Li! You're up so early to start the fire and cook!"

Last night, the cold wind blew fiercely, and I do not know when a heavy snowfall occurred. The world has been transformed, with the eaves covered in a blanket of white, adorned in silver, exceptionally enchanting.

Ah Chou has also woken up. Hearing the old fireman cursing, he crawled out from his straw nest and huffed indignantly, "Old Li, don't look down on me. From today onwards, I will no longer work at the inn and will not put up with your nonsense. I am going to venture into the world and join the Tianying Sect. In the future, when I have mastered my skills and become a great hero of the martial world, not only will you, Old Li, have to respect me, but even the head manager will have to respectfully call me 'Master Chou'! Let's see if he still dares to hit me or pull my ears!"

Manager Wang did not notice A Chou, and unusually refrained from scolding any of the staff. He smiled at the cooks and workers in the courtyard, saying: "Everyone, today the Tianying Gate is recruiting apprentices. I, the manager, will take my son to participate in the recruitment of inner disciples. You all need to work diligently in the inn. If my son passes the assessment and enters the inner door, I will reward each of you with half a jin of rice flour and two taels of pork when I return, to celebrate!"

The atmosphere in the courtyard suddenly became exceedingly heavy

If it were a couple of days ago, he would have been content to nestle in the inn as a young attendant, never even considering venturing into the world of martial arts, as that realm felt too distant from his life as a young attendant

Alright, I grant you a day off! Dragons give birth to dragons, and phoenixes give birth to phoenixes. Zhang the butcher, you were born to be a pig killer; do not think too much, lest you become a laughingstock!

Several chefs were preparing ingredients and scolded the clumsy assistants harshly

However, after chatting with Su Chen all night, my heart has long been stirred, igniting an unquenchable and raging flame.

Wang Dazhanggui entered the backyard, accompanied by a young boy of about thirteen or fourteen years old, dressed in luxurious garments, with a protruding belly, exuding an air of authority as he strode confidently.

Having said that, he disregarded his chubby son who was crying loudly from being beaten, and hurried to curry favor with the manager, "Manager, my foolish child does not understand and speaks nonsense. By the way, today my child's mother wishes to return to her family in Zhouzhuang for a visit, and I would like to request a day off from the manager to take the child and his mother back to the countryside"

We are lifelong good brothers, so why are you being polite with me! In the future, when we become heroes of the rivers and lakes and earn a lot of money, spending one or two silver coins will be nothing; what do these dozen or so copper coins count for

The head shopkeeper is so magnanimous and benevolent, the young shopkeeper will surely pass the internal assessment of the Sky Eagle Gate this time

Either strive to make a name for oneself in the world, or pursue a prosperous and glorious future

He just said he wanted to take his son to Tianying Gate for the assessment, and unexpectedly, Zhang the butcher's son said he also wanted to go. What does this mean? Is he trying to embarrass him?

A Chou earns only three wen of copper coins in a day at the inn, and it takes at least a month to accumulate several dozen wen of copper coins; he cannot accept this money

There is no need to go through so much trouble. You still need to go to the Sky Eagle Gate; do not miss the appointed time, as it could lead to significant issues. I can go to the Medicine King Manor by myself. By the way, which direction is the Medicine King Gang headed?

On weekdays, Manager Wang is very harsh towards the staff, often resorting to beating or scolding them, and no one in the Tianying Inn dares to confront him

One will suffice, I will buy a few steamed buns on the way to fill my stomach! Ah Chou, we shall part ways here! No matter what, we must carve out a path for ourselves and become heroes of the martial world, we shall meet again in the future!

This Wang Dazhanggui is not an ordinary fierce person, as he cannot tolerate even a speck of dust in his eyes. He is afraid of implicating A Chou, so he hurriedly retreats to the woodshed to hide, lest his own actions lead to A Chou being scolded by the shopkeeper.

A Chou immediately patted his frail chest and said with unwavering determination: "Chen Ge'er, no need to say more! I have already made up my mind to seek refuge in the Tianying Sect and become a great hero of the martial world. Anyone who advises me against it will be met with my wrath."

A Chou took out dozens of copper coins, intending to hand them to Su Chen

In recent years, although the young shopkeeper has repeatedly failed to pass the assessments of the inner disciples of the Sky Eagle Gate, he has not given up until now

Su Chen had a slender build, dressed in a thin short hemp garment, and wore a pair of tattered straw sandals that exposed his toes. As the cold morning wind blew, he immediately felt a shiver run through his entire body.

Yearning to one day become a person of prominence and to strive for great wealth, this impulse could no longer be suppressed; how could he possibly continue to remain in this hopeless inn

Three or four adult male laborers exerted great effort to bind the fat pig to the wooden frame and kill it

A Chou recalled the fierce and intimidating demeanor of the shopkeeper, and immediately felt somewhat dispirited, no longer daring to boast.

Zhang Tufu's chubby son, Zhang Tieniu, looked up expectantly at Zhang Tufu and suddenly blurted out a rather unappealing remark: "Father, I also want to go to Tianying Gate to be an apprentice..."

Su Chen was not discouraged by Old Li's words. Seeing that it was getting bright, he thought about going to the Medicine King's Guild early, so he quickly pushed open the wooden door and left the woodshed

Once Wang the manager had walked far away, the cooks and assistants in the entire backyard let out a sigh of relief. They did not dare to discuss what had just happened and each returned to their busy tasks. The sounds of pigs being slaughtered and sheep being butchered filled the courtyard, and soon it returned to its usual chaotic state.

"Keep it for yourself, the expenses in the city are high"

As dawn began to break, the backyard of the Tianying Inn started to bustle with activity. The sound of Zhang the butcher sharpening his knives echoed in the courtyard, accompanied by the chaotic clamor of pigs, sheep, chickens, and ducks. Meanwhile, the errand boys were assisting several head chefs in the yard.

Su Chen's lips were pale

......

Su Chen was startled by the horrific sound of pigs being slaughtered, too afraid to look, feeling a chill in his heart, and his brows twitched even more violently.

In the large courtyard, butcher Zhang and his chubby son Zhang Tieniu, along with several adult helpers, were herding a plump pig that was running around wildly, tying it up and hanging it upside down on a wooden frame

Either die on the street with no one to collect the body, dying silently and unnoticed, more desolate than this fat pig

After Manager Wang finished instructing the various employees in the back courtyard, he clasped his hands behind his back and left the inn's backyard with his beloved son to report to the Tianying Gate in the city

A Chou is anxious

Su Chen and A Chou saw Wang Dazhanggui walking away, and hurriedly slipped out of the back door, quickly making their way to the bustling and prosperous streets of the county town.

Two young men bid farewell on the bustling streets of Gusu County, harboring dreams of becoming heroes of the martial world, as they hurriedly rush towards their respective futures in the biting, howling cold wind

Wang the shopkeeper, with keen hearing, immediately darkened his expression and paused in his steps upon hearing these words

Hmph

"Chen Ge'er, let me take you to Yaowang Mountain Villa outside the city first"

Su Chen was taken aback

Thank you very much for the generous gift, esteemed shopkeeper

Butcher Zhang's expression changed suddenly, and he hurriedly slapped his fat son, Zhang Tieniu, sending him flying and landing in a disoriented state. He angrily scolded, "You fool, can't you take a look at yourself in the mirror? Is Tianying Gate a place you can go to? That is a fortune that requires eighteen generations of ancestors to have even a chance at!"

Butcher Zhang did not dare to be negligent; with a swift motion, the knife fell, striking precisely at the fat pig's throat. The fat pig struggled with soft grunts, and with a "puchi," bright red blood splattered, appearing particularly striking against the snow.

It is getting late; in a little while, the chief steward will be arriving

Su Chen could not decline any longer and ultimately accepted a copper coin from A Chou

Su Chen hurriedly pushed away, unwilling to accept, feeling touched in his heart

All the chefs and the kitchen assistants fell silent, as if struck by fear

Therefore, for his precious son, he has always held high hopes and has nurtured him with great care, wishing for his son to pass the inner gate assessment of the Skyhawk Sect and become a top figure in the martial arts world

Su Chen glanced at A Chou, his eyes questioning whether he regretted it and if he wanted to stay at the inn

The eaves outside the house and the ground in the backyard of the Tianying Inn are covered with a thin layer of pristine white snow

However, the greatest regret in Wang Dazhanggui's life is that he was unable to become an inner disciple of the Tianying Sect in his early years. Otherwise, his future would likely have been even brighter, and he would have long been able to command the winds and rains in the martial world, rather than being stuck in this inn as the manager, serving those martial heroes with good food and drink.

Alright. The road to the Medicine King Gang is easy to recognize. After exiting the southern gate of the city, walk along the official road for about 5 li, and you will see a very prominent Phoenix Mountain. After being occupied by the Medicine King Gang, this mountain is also known as Medicine King Mountain. The Medicine King Gang has built a very grand villa on the mountain, which serves as the headquarters of the Medicine King Gang, very imposing and noticeable, visible after walking a few li. By the way, Chen Ge, you have no money on you either. I still have a few dozen copper coins here; take them, they might come in handy.

Su Chen nodded vigorously, just about to leave the backyard with A Chou. Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of the figure of Manager Wang outside the backyard gate.

An old fireman, rubbing his frostbitten hands, pushed open the door to the wood shed, moved a few bundles of firewood and straw to the kitchen to start a fire for cooking. Upon seeing Su Chen also sleeping in the wood shed, he couldn't help but be surprised, "Oh, why is Chen here today? Did you come to play with A Chou and not return to Zhouzhuang? In this cold weather, you can't sleep soundly in the wood shed!"

Good! We shall meet again in the martial world in the future, drinking heartily from large bowls and feasting on generous portions of meat

He often accompanies the fishermen from Zhouzhuang to sell fish at the Tianying Inn, so most of the inn's staff are familiar with him

The fireman, Old Li, smiled politely, then turned his head and saw A Chou still sleeping in the woodshed. He could not help but darken his face and scolded, "A Chou, you lazy bum, why aren't you up to work yet! When the manager arrives and sees you still haven't gotten up to work, he will surely pull your ears off!"

A Chou waved his hand fiercely, tears welling up in his eyes

Unfortunately, the snow-covered ground in the backyard has long been trampled into a messy mire by Zhang the butcher, the cook, the servants, and the pigs, sheep, chickens, and ducks in the yard

The fat pig seems to be aware of its impending fate of being slaughtered, struggling desperately with its four hooves and letting out a piercing cry.

Su Chen hurriedly woke up A Chou, who was sleeping soundly beside him

A Chou followed out, sneezing in the cold wind, shrinking his hands and feet from the chill

The old fireman shook his head in amusement, completely disbelieving Ah Chou's words, considering that Ah Chou had merely been captivated by the tales of the street storytellers and had lost his senses. He took the firewood outside and went to the kitchen in the backyard to start a fire and prepare a meal

Although he was determined to leave, the authority of the head steward still loomed large, and he did not dare to offend the head steward's bad temper. A Chou hurriedly rushed towards a clucking hen in the yard, pretending to help the cook catch and slaughter the chicken, to show that he was not being lazy

Oh dear, you haven't even killed a single chicken, yet you want to venture into the world like others. How many heads do you have that could be chopped off? If you have the guts, say this in front of the big boss and see if he doesn't slap you to death. Butcher Zhang is busy slaughtering pigs; why don't you go and try to help him with that? If you dare to kill a pig, you won't have to wait long, I'll just call you 'Ugly Master' right now!

Old Li is not wrong; he and A Chou have never even killed a chicken. When it comes to wielding a knife to slaughter a pig, their hands and feet tremble with weakness, let alone venturing into the martial world

Su Chen intends to go to the Medicine King Gang located outside the city, while A Chou aims to head to the Sky Eagle Gate situated within the city, indicating that the two are not on the same path

Wandering in the martial world, killing a person is undoubtedly many times more difficult than killing this foolish pig

However, he is already homeless and has no way out. He is afflicted with a strange illness and needs ginseng medicine to prolong his life, so he can only move forward to seek help from the Medicine King, as this is his best option.

In the busy backyard, butcher Zhang, several chefs, and numerous assistants quickly stopped their work, all displaying excited expressions as they loudly congratulated.