Chapter 42: Skill and Dao

In the early dawn, old Head Yao rose from his bed, his footsteps slow as he made his way into the courtyard. The water jar was already full, the courtyard swept clean, yet Chen Ji was nowhere to be seen. Old Head Yao lifted his gaze to the crow perched on the apricot tree; the bird, with a flick of its wing, pointed towards the outer gate. His eyes followed the corridor and peered out towards the medical hall, where he finally espied Chen Ji, wielding a long bamboo broom, diligently sweeping the flagstone path before the establishment.

Yesterday was the Double Ninth Festival, and Anxi Street was strewn with dogwood and refuse. Only the path before Taiping Medical Hall remained spotless. "What time did this boy wake?" he inquired, a hint of disbelief in his voice.

The crow let out a single "Caw."

"The third quarter of Yin hour? Truly, he's up earlier than the cock." Old Head Yao surveyed the surroundings. "With the work done so neatly, I can't even find a reason to scold him."

Another "Caw" from the crow.

Old Head Yao nodded. "He is indeed sensible... You need not praise him in such various ways, I have a measure in my heart."

He strolled to the gate, his eyes slanting towards Chen Ji. "Boy, your diligence makes me uneasy. This isn't work you should be doing today, why have you finished everything?"

Chen Ji leaned on the enormous bamboo broom, a smile playing on his lips. "Idle is idle. After all, this is our own home. Sweeping it clean feels refreshing."

Old Head Yao scrutinized Chen Ji with a puzzled look. "Yesterday you were still deferential towards me. How is it you've suddenly become so forward today?"

"There must always be some new change," Chen Ji replied.

Old Head Yao remained silent for a long moment. "Regarding that matter with She Dengke, what are your plans?"

Chen Ji continued sweeping as he answered, "I can't truly kill him, can I? Master, do you believe Senior Brother She is a bad person?"

"No."

"Precisely. Even you don't think he's a bad person," Chen Ji sighed. "Of course, I will remember this matter. But to truly kill him... I might not be able to bring myself to do it."

Old Head Yao's voice was calm. "You are neither a good person nor a bad person. Someone like you might not last long in this Jianghu. The inheritance of the Mountain Lord's lineage may very well be broken with you."

Just as he finished speaking, the sound of hooves echoed from the end of Anxi Street. Old Head Yao and Chen Ji turned their heads to see a carriage approaching rapidly. The carriage stopped before the medical hall, and the White Carp Princess, the little monk, and the World Son successively leaped out. The World Son's face still bore several lipstick marks, and his entire body reeked of wine.

The three of them, heads bowed, scurried towards the interior of Taiping Medical Hall. In their haste, they didn't forget to greet Old Head Yao. "Good morning, Imperial Physician Yao!"

"Good morning, Imperial Physician Yao!"

Halfway through her dash, the White Carp Princess unexpectedly turned back and thrust an oil-paper package into Chen Ji's hand. "Here! What I promised you! Go!"

The three figures, panicked and hurried, stumbled their way to the backyard. The World Son shouted, "Little monk, this time it's your turn to step on me... Eh, no need!"

The World Son looked at the wall beneath, where a wooden ladder had appeared at some unknown time. He muttered softly, "Paying the road toll wasn't in vain indeed. This boy is quite upright. It seems he's also a child of my Jianghu!"

The White Carp Princess glanced back at Chen Ji on the street, then turned and climbed the ladder, flipping over the wall into the Prince's Mansion. "Quick, quick, quick! Old Mister Wang's morning lesson is about to begin!"

Imperial Physician Yao stared blankly as the three of them scrambled into the Prince's Mansion. He turned to Chen Ji. "You put the ladder there?"

Chen Ji nodded. "I accepted their money and provided some convenience."

Imperial Physician Yao's face was devoid of expression. "With you in Taiping Medical Hall, it truly becomes less and less peaceful."

At this moment, a drunken bellow could be heard from the end of Anxi Street. "The Red Clothes Alley is full of ungrateful wretches! When they have money, they call me Master Dog, but when they don't, they call me Liang Dog! I was only three times late with the silver, and they kicked me out! Now I've brought the World Son with me, and they still won't bow and scrape?"

Another voice mumbled, "Brother, your original name is Liang Dog Er. They weren't wrong to call you that."

"And the World Son too! They took the carriage back but didn't even think to bring us along. They didn't even arrange a place for me to stay."

Liang Cat Er stifled his frustration. "Brother, wasn't it good enough to just work steadily for the Liu family? They were already giving you a lot."

"That's not... I am a person of three 'not help's: I don't help those who drink, steal, or cheat; I don't help the eunuch faction; and I don't help those who oppose the eunuch faction... That group of old boys has dark hearts and even darker hands. I cannot possibly prevail against them."

Chen Ji turned his head and saw the胖 (pàng - fat) Liang Cat Er carrying Liang Dog Er.

"Master, do you know Liang Dog Er?" Chen Ji asked out of curiosity.

"I do," Old Head Yao snorted with laughter. "The Jianghu folk call him the Autumn Wind Blade Guest. That's Liang Dog Er."

"Autumn Wind Blade Guest? Is it because he practices the Autumn Wind Blade technique?"

"No, it's because he likes to mooch off others everywhere he goes."

Chen Ji: Ah?

"Master, is Liang Dog Er a yamen runner?" Chen Ji asked curiously. "Why does he rely on the Liu family?"

"Cultivation emphasizes wealth, companionship, and a suitable environment. Just as your cultivation requires ginseng, a martial artist's cultivation also needs medicine to temper the body," Old Head Yao said calmly. "Most cultivation paths under heaven are the same; they burn money like flowing water. Without reliance, self-cultivation cannot form a force. No matter how fierce Liang Dog Er is, he cannot withstand a charge from three thousand elite cavalry. The Liu family in Yuzhou encampment raises over forty thousand elites who only obey the command of Elder Liu Cabinet... How many heads does Liang Dog Er have to dare to rob the Liu family?"

Liang Cat Er had already carried Liang Dog Er closer. Liang Dog Er, his eyes hazy with drunkenness, pointed at Taiping Medical Hall and said, "We'll just live here! It's close to the World Son, and he'll definitely take me with him when he goes out to play!"

Liang Cat Er looked timidly at Old Head Yao. "Sorry, my brother is talking nonsense."

"I'm not talking nonsense!" The dishevelled Liang Dog Er jumped down from Liang Cat Er's back and boldly attempted to barge into the medical hall.

Old Head Yao raised a hand to stop him. "Wait."

Liang Dog Er opened his eyes, swaying as he sized up Old Head Yao. After a long moment, he said in surprise, "Imperial Physician Yao... an old acquaintance, even better! We'll live at Imperial Physician Yao's place!"

Old Head Yao remained silent.

Chen Ji was somewhat nervous. He had seen Liang Dog Er draw his blade; that single blade was marvelously precise, cutting open Lin Chaoqing's hat, not an inch more, not an inch less. He was a little worried that such a yamen runner might cause trouble after being refused by his master. If he hurt his master, that would be unfortunate.

However, before he could figure out what to do, he saw Old Head Yao glance at Chen Ji, then slowly say to Liang Dog Er, "It's not impossible to live in the medical hall, but you must teach my disciple how to practice the blade. Teach him well, and Taiping Medical Hall will not only let you live here but also provide for your meals."

Chen Ji was stunned. Was this still his stingy master?

Liang Dog Er smiled playfully. "Imperial Physician Yao, you run a medical hall. What does your disciple need to learn the blade for? Could it be that business has been bad recently and you want to manufacture some injuries?"

Old Head Yao said unhurriedly, "You only need to teach. You don't need to worry about anything else."

Liang Dog Er suddenly became serious. "Old man, I'm just drunk, not foolish. My Liang family's blade way is not to be passed outside."

Imperial Physician Yao said calmly, "What I want you to teach is blade skill, not your family's blade way."

Liang Dog Er seemed thoughtful, then laughed heartily. "Deal! Let's go, Liang Cat Er! We have a place to live! Let's go in and find some food first! It's just teaching some blade methods, what's the big deal? There's no blade in this world that I, Liang Dog Er, cannot teach well!"