OBS Chapter 18 Rewarding Merit
Chapter 18 Rewarding Merit
The fishy smell of the river, mixed with the stench of blood and charcoal, assaulted the nostrils, making one feel dizzy and disoriented.
Chen Ye leaned against the ship's railing, closed his eyes, and replayed the battle in his mind.
This battle is different from the one in the bamboo forest.
The ambush in the bamboo forest was a surprise attack from the shadows, but this time it was a head-on confrontation.
One bandit fell, and the next one climbed up, the pace so fast that they didn't have a chance to catch their breath.
This was the first time Chen Ye had ever experienced such a scene.
Through this battle, he also discovered that no matter how many moves he learned, there were only a few moves when it came to actually killing someone.
The faster you are, the stronger you are, and the greater your chances of winning.
The fires on the deck were gradually extinguished.
In the distance, someone was loudly announcing the reward money.
Chen Ye sheathed the dagger at his waist, slowly stood up, and went to collect his reward.
In this encounter with bandits, the ship lost one guard and two reckless sailors, and most of the remaining crew members were also injured.
Manager Zhou was not stingy and promised everyone the full amount of reward money.
"Guard Sun killed two bandits. In addition to the agreed reward for encountering bandits, he will be given an extra two taels, for a total of six taels."
The old bodyguard had strips of cloth wrapped around his shoulder, with bloodstains seeping out and staining it red.
Aside from his initial success, he gained no advantage in the subsequent battles on board the ship, only managing to repel a few men.
The old bodyguard silently accepted the reward money, his face showing no emotion.
"Guard Wu, four taels of silver."
The martial arts expert surnamed Wu only killed the person who finished off Chen Ye from behind. He accepted the reward, which was neither too much nor too little, and then stepped aside.
"Wang Zhaotou, two taels of silver."
"Zheng Doushou, two taels of silver."
"Guard Zhang, six taels of silver."
"..."
They called out the names one by one.
Those whose names were called beamed with joy and rushed forward to collect their reward money.
The boat was filled with a cheerful atmosphere.
Soon, it was Chen Ye's turn on the roster.
"Guard Chen, ten taels of silver."
A moment of silence fell over the surroundings, and the people who were receiving the reward all turned their gazes toward Chen Ye.
His gaze held seven parts surprise, two parts envy, and one part scrutiny.
Someone nudged the person next to them with their elbow and muttered something under their breath.
This reward was almost the most they could receive this time.
An ordinary farmhand earns about two taels of silver a month.
Ten taels is almost half a year's earnings for a farmhand, enough for an average family of three to live on for a year.
Chen Ye may look young, but he is more decisive in killing than those who have been around in the underworld.
In their view, it was truly unbelievable.
Chen Ye ignored the stares of the people and stepped forward to collect his reward.
He was overjoyed to receive the heavy sum of ten taels of silver.
With this money, plus the daily pay he'd received along the way, he could finally extend his lifespan a little.
He shoved the ten taels of silver into his pocket, turned around without making a sound, and went into the cabin.
He closed the door, pondered for a moment, and then summoned the pawnshop system.
"redemption!"
[Remaining lifespan: 2 months and 14 days]
This reward money was received in full view of everyone. If it was all used to redeem one's life and the money was used up, it would inevitably arouse suspicion if one needed it urgently in the future.
So Chen Ye kept two taels of silver for himself and only used the remaining eight taels of silver to redeem his lifespan.
Through continuous efforts over this period, my life expectancy has increased from one day to about two months.
Although it's still not much, at least we can see some hope.
Chen Ye's face couldn't help but show a smile.
In the evening, he went to the bow of the boat to have dinner as usual.
After the battle with the river bandits, Chen Ye clearly felt that the people on the boat were more polite to him.
As soon as he approached, someone moved half a body's width to the side.
Chen Ye was slightly surprised but did not refuse. He sat down and ate his meal quietly.
The passengers on the ship were travelers from all over the country, and they knew that they would go their separate ways after arriving in the capital, so they had no intention of making friends.
After finishing his meal, Chen Ye returned to the corner of the cabin, lowered his waist and hips, and stood in a static stance.
At that moment, the hatch creaked open.
The old bodyguard walked in.
He was carrying an empty wine flask, and the white cloth wrapped around his shoulder had just been replaced and was still slightly damp with blood. He had come to the cabin looking for wine.
As he passed the corner of the cabin, the old bodyguard slowed his pace and remained silent.
Chen Ye, standing to the side, remained perfectly still in the swaying cabin, his breathing rhythmic and orderly.
After watching for a while, the old镖师 (bodyguard/escort) spoke up: "You've been practicing this stance for about two years, haven't you?"
Chen Ye slowly withdrew his stance and exhaled a long breath.
He only knew that the old镖师 (bodyguard/escort) worked in the镖局 (escort agency), but he didn't expect him to have such a sharp eye.
Peiyuan Gong was obtained from the Gao family, and there are many complicated details involved, which are not convenient to discuss openly.
"The rudimentary skills I learned from other places are nothing to brag about," Chen Ye said calmly, clearly unwilling to discuss the matter further.
The old bodyguard glanced at him but didn't ask any further questions.
Having worked in the security escort agency for decades, I've seen all sorts of young people of dubious origin.
But Chen Ye's promising young appearance reminded him of someone.
The old镖师 (bodyguard/escort) then asked, "Which family are you from? The Chen family of Runan?"
Chen Ye shook his head and said, "My family is poor, and my elders have never mentioned it. I don't know either."
"The Chen family of Runan has declined for three hundred years, and now even the poorest families are struggling to survive. However, I've heard that some fragments of martial arts still remain in the Chen family. You must be from one of those branches to be able to learn such a small part of it."
The old bodyguard's tone carried a hint of self-deprecation: "Like our Sun family, our family's martial arts have long been incomplete, and there's no one to carry them on. What a pity."
As he spoke, his expression suddenly became somewhat desolate.
Chen Ye didn't want to discuss family matters further, so he asked instead, "I heard that Master Sun has been living in the capital for many years?"
"Um."
"Are you familiar with the capital?"
"I wouldn't say I'm familiar with him, but I know a little." The old bodyguard saw through Chen Ye's eagerness to gather information and asked, "What do you want to know?"
Chen Ye didn't mince words and asked, "What do you know about the Xie and Cui families?"
The old bodyguard rummaged through boxes and cabinets, and somehow found a pot of wine hidden in some corner.
The old镖客 (bodyguard/courier) didn't stand on ceremony. He sat down on the wooden box next to him, opened the seal, and took a big gulp.
"The Xie family is a high-ranking family of the second rank, controlling the Grand Canal, and their disciples and former officials are all over the court. They have an innate ancestor in charge, and they like to leave no room for maneuver in their actions."
He unscrewed the wine flask, glanced at the injury on his shoulder, and began pouring wine down his throat: "As for the Cui family? They are mortal enemies with the Xie family, everyone in the capital knows that. The Xie family controls the Grand Canal, while the Cui family can only guard a few land trade routes, and they've been suppressed quite a bit over the years."
He paused, a slight smile appearing at the corner of his mouth: "Fortunately, every woman in the Cui family is extraordinary."
Then, he introduced them as if they were his own treasures: "The eldest daughter, Cui Lingyi, is good at managing the household and is in charge of the accounts of the Cui family business; the second daughter, Cui Yingtang, is obsessed with martial arts and is said to have reached the Dragon Elephant Realm. She is one of the most capable fighters of the Cui family in this generation."
At this point, he clicked his tongue.
"Speaking of which, among her peers in the capital, there are few young talents who can beat her."
Dragon and Elephant Realm.
Chen Ye silently made a note of it.
The fact that the Xie family can still suppress the Cui family despite having such a descendant shows that the Xie family's foundation is no less profound than that of the Cui family.
He remained expressionless and continued listening.
"There is also the third young lady, Cui Xijun, who is the most beautiful and skilled in poetry and literature, as well as playing the zither well. She is quite famous among the women of prominent families in the capital."
Finally, his gaze swept over Chen Ye, and he said half-jokingly, "The Cui family has been recruiting retainers recently. Their bloodline is weak, and they have few male heirs. Someone like you would be very welcome to them."
Chen Ye was speechless.
I'd like to, but they might not be willing.
The old bodyguard stood up, the movement aggravating the arrow wound on his shoulder, and he paused for a moment as he straightened up.
He bent down, tightened the wine flask, and hung it on his waist. As he walked to the cabin door, he suddenly turned back and glanced at Chen Ye.
"Kid, the capital is a dangerous place, not an easy place to get by. I advise you to focus on your training and not get your hopes up about powerful families, or you'll lose your life."
The hatch closed gently behind me.
Chen Ye stood there, silent.
"I didn't want to provoke them, but they've already provoked me."
"It is impolite not to reciprocate!"
He lowered his waist and hips again, assuming the stance.