Chu Ming slightly turned his body and looked towards the door.
Outside the courtyard, stood a man with sharp ears and a monkey-like face.
"Third Young Master." Qin Gui also noticed Chu Ming at this time.
He bowed slightly in greeting, expertly concealing the disdain deep in his eyes.
Chu Ming glanced blandly and continued reading the Travelogue.
Housekeeper Fang, Little Shan, and Qin Gui were all stunned for a moment.
Usually, when the monthly salary was delivered, wouldn't the young master eagerly take two taels to buy a Travelogue?
Today, he seemed not to care as much?
"Young Master, he's looking." Qin Gui tried to greet him, but received no response.
He smiled awkwardly, then turned to Housekeeper Fang and Little Shan: "Housekeeper Fang, The Madam asked me to pass a message that business has been bad lately, and from now on, the Third Young Master's monthly salary will be reduced from three taels to two taels."
"And about Little Shan's matter..."
"Get lost!"
"Alright."
Qin Gui turned away, bowing, while his eyes turned sinister for a moment.
"The Third Young Master can still stand, it seems use of medicine can't achieve Madam's demands…"
...
At dusk.
Chu Ming drank the meat porridge brought by Little Shan, which had some herbs in it, and gradually his face turned rosy.
His eyes were exceptionally bright, staring intently ahead.
[Slapping Wind Palm (Entry-level)]
[Progress: 1/100]
"Amazingly, I've really practiced a martial art skill…"
Having haphazardly trained for several two hours in the afternoon, the panel surprisingly showed a new prompt, and it was precisely the martial art skill he had been dreaming of these days.
"Palm Technique..."
Chu Ming pondered deeply, and the panel featured an explanation about the [Slapping Wind Palm], indeed a Palm Technique, but only one move, the wind blows as the palm strikes...
"Better than knowing nothing, finally grasping some martial art skill, isn't it…"
"Let's try it."
He slapped the air.
[Slapping Wind Palm: +1]
Progress increased.
[Slapping Wind Palm: +1]
[Slapping Wind Palm: +1]
...
[Slapping Wind Palm (Entry-level)]
[Progress: 20/100]
Practicing for half a day, it progressed to '20'.
Forcing through the feeling of fatigue, he practiced over twenty times, the weakened body gave a warning, and he could only stop temporarily.
...
The next day.
After eating meat-enhanced morning porridge, Chu Ming began practicing [Slapping Wind Palm] in the courtyard.
"What's the young master doing...?" Little Shan watched from afar, not daring to approach.
Yesterday she worriedly watched the young master hitting the air in the room, exhausted with sweat before resting for a moment, and then continuing, and now he started again today?
"Grandpa Fang, young master hasn't even read the Travelogue today, he's been clapping in the courtyard since early morning..."
Little Shan saw Housekeeper Fang coming and quickly whispered.
The young master's delicate body can't withstand such strain, and although she had carefully advised several times, the young master didn't listen.
Upon hearing those words, Housekeeper Fang's expression changed immediately: "Quickly have the young master stop."
"I've advised, but the young master won't listen..." Little Shan said aggrievedly.
"Won't listen?" Housekeeper Fang raised an eyebrow, "Can't you hold him back?"
"Don't you know how weak the young master's body is? At this rate, forget half a year, you might not even survive half a month!"
"Ah, I'll go right away!"
Little Shan's eyes reddened instantly upon hearing this.
Days ago, the young master had a severe illness, and the town's doctor diagnosed that the body was too weak, the foundation damaged, with at most half a year to live.
"Young Master, want to have a sip of water?"
"Okay, I'm indeed a bit thirsty."
Chu Ming stopped practicing, took a look at the panel.
[Slapping Wind Palm (Entry-level)]
[Progress: 65/100]
Not bad, '25' progress in the morning, much better than yesterday.
"Young Master, want to read a Travelogue?" Little Shan took the chance while he was drinking to persuade, trying to shift the young master's attention.
"Travelogue? Not reading it."
All the Travelogue are in his head, [Reading] doesn't really increase progress, no need to look at them again.
Chu Ming shook his slightly sore arm, unable to keep practicing for now, any further and it'll cost his well-being.
"Young Master, shall Little Shan accompany you to the brothel to listen to music?"
"Is there any music at the brothel in the morning?"
And, why use the word 'accompany'?
Chu Ming looked at Little Shan whose eyes were slightly red, as though understanding something.
"Housekeeper Fang, I heard from my mother that in your youth you had such great fist techniques that no one in the Chu Mansion dared to stand against you?"
"The Madam overpraised," Housekeeper Fang bowed towards the Void, "Things from decades ago, not worth mentioning."
"Would you care to demonstrate a few moves?" Chu Ming continued.
Housekeeper Fang shook his head lightly and said, "I'm old, not as useful anymore, the young master should not trouble an old servant."
"Yes, young master, Grandpa Fang... Housekeeper Fang is old, his legs and feet not agile..."
Who said anything about not agile?!
Housekeeper Fang's mouth twitched, yet his expression remained unchanged, though inwardly he grew more puzzled.
The young master had no interest in martial arts since childhood, and actually had little communication with him. If it weren't for repaying the madam's life-saving grace, agreeing to protect this young master to the end...he would have long since left this troublesome place.
But ever since the young master awoke from the illness, each day he would try various ways to inquire about things related to martial artists, truly strange.
Could the young master wish to practice martial arts?
It shouldn't be, for over ten years, never having seen the young master show any inclination towards martial practice.
Moreover, given the young master's current body, even more exercise could lead to jeopardizing vitality.
"Alright then." Chu Ming waved his hand.
In those days he had tried all sorts of explicit hints and indirect inquiries, but this old housekeeper simply refused to say a bit about martial arts, otherwise, he wouldn't have to blindly practice himself...
This world indeed has 'extraordinary power', with ordinary martial artists comparable to the top athletes of his previous life, more formidable martial artists could shatter stone monuments with bare hands, even super strong ones capable of moving mountains and overturning seas.
It's not only mentioned in Travelogues, but the founding emperor of the Great Qin Dynasty was such a mighty figure.
"Oh right, could you help sell the Travelogues in my room, and exchange them for some books of poetry?" Chu Ming suddenly turned around at the door and said.
Although this month's salary had already arrived, those few taels of silver needed to enhance his meals, if he spent them on books, wouldn't it be the same as the original host?
"Ah?" Little Shan was directly stunned, "Y-young master, you want to sell the Travelogues?"
"Yes, is it hard to sell?"
"No, it's just… young master, didn't you make a mistake? Those Travelogues are not yours…"
"As long as they can be sold," Chu Ming said, "Let's do it today, it's quite urgent."
When he entered the room, Housekeeper Fang and Little Shan exchanged glances.
"Grandpa Fang, did I hear wrong, not only did the young master not take the monthly salary to buy Travelogues and storybooks, but wants to sell his favorite Travelogues to exchange for poetry books that put one to sleep at a glance?"
"How could you speak about the young master like that."
"And, who did you say has sluggish legs?"
Housekeeper Fang tapped Little Shan's nose, though internally he remained uneasy.
The young master just recovered from a severe illness, a few days ago he was probing about martial artists, and today practicing 'palm technique'...let's call it a palm technique.
That palm technique, in his eyes, was like children playing.
Not wanting the salary, not reading Travelogues, and now even wanting to sell them to get poetry books?!
The more Housekeeper Fang thought, the more puzzled he became.
Is this the Third Young Master he watched grow up, who only covets enjoyment?
"Little Shan, even Grandpa Fang feels the young master has changed."
"Right!"
"It must be the lady's spirit watching over from above, the young master has finally come to his senses!" Little Shan said.
The lady's spirit from above?
Housekeeper Fang's wrinkles folded.
'Should I teach the young master martial arts?'
This thought flashed briefly, then he shook his head silently.
The young master's foundation is damaged, practicing martial arts would only accelerate vitality depletion, equivalent to poisoning the young master, he couldn't do it.
...