"Between us brothers, I'll give you an amount."
Cai Ze interlocked his fingers and showed ten, "Just ten taels of silver, and I'll get you the quota.
The main thing is the transfer of residency files, which needs to be registered with the Blood Saber Sect.
Once that's done, you can use your permit to buy a house in Silver Creek."
Li Yuan nodded and said, "Alright, I'll come find Brother Cai in a while, and I'll definitely bring the silver. I hope Brother Cai can help."
"No problem, no problem," Cai Ze laughed heartily.
In no time, Yun Niang brought another young woman in.
The woman gracefully moved to Cai Ze's side and smiled, "Little maid Wan'Er, greets the officer."
Cai Ze opened his thighs, and Wan'Er understood, directly sitting down.
Yun Niang also settled into Li Yuan's embrace.
Two men and two women, exchanging drinks.
As the drink flowed and emotions heated, Cai Ze relaxed.
"Brother, you know the Red Lotus bandits, right?
I'll put it plainly; even if they break into Shanbao County, they won't touch Silver Creek Square.
Because Silver Creek is the core area of the Blood Saber Sect.
They can target other workshops, but if they target Silver Creek Square, it's equivalent to opposing our sect's upper echelon.
They're not that stupid."
"Your Blood Saber Sect?"
"I'm both a government official and a disciple of the Blood Saber Sect, haha."
"Impressive, Brother Cai, what is Blood Saber Sect's upper level?"
"That's not something you need to know..." Cai Ze laughed, holding Wan'Er and drinking, "The dynasty is merely the largest social world influence, but this 'largest' was only at the founding.
Nowadays, if the experts from the Imperial City can't suppress the social world influence and natural disasters cause hardship for the people, another force will naturally rise against it.
But that has nothing to do with our Blood Saber Sect.
The County Magistrate and County Captain serve the Royal Family; it's their job to fight tooth and nail. The county residents must resist fiercely without protection; otherwise, when Red Lotus bandits enter the county, they burn, kill, and plunder without consequence?
Yet, we need not care.
The dynasty has its laws, and the social world has its rules.
The social world influence occupies its own realm, a nation within the nation.
The Red Lotus bandits attacking the dynasty is one thing, but invading the core territory of an influence means declaring war."
"Brother Cai, can ten taels of silver really secure a residency in Silver Creek?"
"It can!" Cai Ze glanced at Li Yuan, filled with meaning, "All sects and factions are seeking talent, and Brother Li, you're already so skilled at a young age, the Blood Saber Sect can still accept you for residency.
Others won't do.
Do you think...everyone calls me brother?"
...
After a while, Cai Ze took the prostitute into a small private room.
Yun Niang was like she had drunk too much, sprawled drunkenly over Li Yuan, waiting for the young man to undress her and join her.
Li Yuan thought for a moment and didn't act.
Drinking socially was fine.
But anything more was off the table.
He wasn't desperate, and his wife was prettier than her,
Besides, if he did, it might lower his wife's opinion and slow his points gain; why bother?
Li Yuan asked, "Yun Niang, can we hold on with forty-eight large coins today?"
"Young master, I've calculated for you; you can save three large coins." Yun Niang giggled in his arms, feeling the young man's robust physique up close; she was both excited and expectant.
Many men came from the street saloon, but high-quality young men were rare...
She hoped the young man would visit often.
Seeing Li Yuan unmoved, Yun Niang leaned closer, whispering into his ear, "Take me to bed, and once it's all good, I'll tell you those things you want to know."
Li Yuan hesitated.
This wasn't spending money for fun; it was Yun Niang exchanging information for pleasure.
Perhaps sensing his hesitation, Yun Niang suddenly asked, "Young master, you have a wife, right?"
"Yeah..."
"I just love men like you, young master. Which of the past men didn't have a wife?
Yet which of them didn't rush to embrace me onto the bed after drinking?
But you gave me a different feeling, young master." Yun Niang chuckled.
Li Yuan trusted her like she was a ghost.
Seeing he wasn't moving at all, Yun Niang found it amusing and said, "If the young master doesn't want to be close with a woman like me, it's okay. Just visit more times and call for my sign occasionally, alright?"
Li Yuan said, "I usually wouldn't come... Today I'm accompanying Brother Cai."
Yun Niang took a deep look at him, smiled, and said, "That might not be certain."
"Why?"
"Because next time, young master might come as a disciple of the Blood Saber Sect..."
...
...
In the evening, Cai Ze hooked Li Yuan's shoulder and walked out of Celestial Fragrance Building.
"Once you have the silver, come find me in Silver Creek Square. I live at Baiyun Alley, the second house on the left after entering..." Cai Ze instructed Li Yuan.
Then, the two parted ways.
...
As Li Yuan returned to the Little Ink Workshop, it was already dark, but the village workshop was unusually noisy.
A woman asked, "Brother Yuan... You just... Just got back?"
Li Yuan said, "Yeah, what's up?"
He saw many people looking at him with strange expressions.
The woman forced a smile and said, "Nothing much, just that Ma Liu died... His body was full of stab wounds... That Ma Liu deserved it!"
Li Yuan was taken aback and said loudly, "I just got back, I didn't kill him."
Others didn't say much, quickly dispersed, evidently already aware of the day's events in the county.
Brother Yuan had gained a layer of aura, making them both fearful and eager to flatter.
The title "Brother Yuan" reverted back to "Brother Yuan."
...
Li Yuan returned home, Yan Yu recounted the "Ma Liu died" incident again.
Li Yuan said helplessly, "I really didn't kill him, I was planning to find him tonight..."
"Then who killed him?" Yan Yu was puzzled.
But soon, her sharp little nose began to sniff.
A faint mix of rouge and alcohol smell lingered from her husband...
Before she could ask, Li Yuan smiled bitterly and said, "Sister Yan, I went to Celestial Fragrance Building to drink wine with women but didn't sleep with them.
This couldn't be helped... Since I can't go deep into the forest, I must find a way to move to Silver Creek.
Today I finally had the opportunity, met someone who might help me with things, so of course, I had to host him.
He wanted to go to Celestial Fragrance Building, I had no choice."
He confessed everything.
"He didn't sleep, huh?" Lady Yan looked at him with a faint smile.
Li Yuan said, "Just sat on the thigh..."
"Did it cost money?" Lady Yan suddenly asked.
Li Yuan said, "It did."
"Then why not sleep?" Lady Yan frowned, then said, "It's just my man taking advantage."
Li Yuan said, "She's not as pretty as you, far worse. I can't sleep with her."
Lady Yan said, "What if she were prettier than me?"
Li Yuan said, "Still not as gentle as you, can't sleep."
Lady Yan asked again, "What if she were prettier and gentler than me?"
Li Yuan said, "Yet she doesn't have your sincerity, still can't sleep."
Lady Yan wanted to question more.
Li Yuan countered with a question, "Is that possible?"
Lady Yan was moved, helped her husband undress, served him into the bath, and in the dimly moonlit small room, gently scrubbed his body, washing away the dust.
"Brother Yuan, do you think we can move to Silver Creek?"
"Yes."
Li Yuan responded softly.
He must move with Yan Yu.
There's no need for Cai Ze and Yun Niang to lie to him.
Once the Red Lotus bandits break into Shanbao County, there might only be three truly safe places.
These three places are the core workshops of the Wei Family, the Sun Family, and the core of the Blood Saber Sect — Silver Creek Square.