Chapter Nineteen: The Hiring

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Peaceful Lane
Chen Mu climbed over the wall into the westernmost courtyard.
He changed into a set of black clothes and put on a mask.
Sitting at the square table, he slowly sipped a bowl of cold boiled water, calming his racing heart.
“Thank goodness, thank goodness…” He had almost killed someone tonight!
“It’s all because of this malicious world,” Chen Mu thought bitterly.
In his previous life, he was an introverted shut-in, yet now he dared to poison and kill?!
“I just want to live an honest life and practice martial arts steadily,” Chen Mu felt a bit wronged.
“I still have to keep a low profile. It’s always safe to play it steady.”
Just a second-level painting skill had attracted endless hostility.
If anyone discovered how quickly he had mastered the Form Training Technique, who knew what trouble might come?
“No one must find out about my martial arts practice,” Chen Mu grew even more cautious.
…
Half a month later
At the Chen residence in Peaceful Lane.
A serving of cold tossed greens, a portion of crystal pork knuckle, and a bowl of white wheat rice.
This was Chen Mu’s lunch.
He picked up a piece of the crystal pork knuckle and chewed slowly, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.
“What a pleasant surprise.”
Not long ago, Chen Mu discovered a new skill added to the gray wall—the art of cooking.
Shortly after making the list, he felt a noticeable change.
Before, when he ate meat, he boiled it in plain water.
It was edible, but the taste was merely salty.
Now, he truly understood what deliciousness meant.
With this skill, Chen Mu naturally wouldn’t skimp on himself.
He took out recipes he had heard about and seen in his previous life and began experimenting.
The crystal pork knuckle was one such trial.
“I’m in for a treat from now on.”
…
After the meal, he tidied up the dishes and sat at the square table drinking plum juice to aid digestion.
He had been a painter at the Masterpiece Studio for half a month now.
The most obvious change was that his brush fee had doubled, with at least twenty taels per portrait.
But the number of portraits he painted had decreased accordingly.
Before, he would paint three or four pieces in half a month; now he only completed two.
Yet client demand for his work had actually increased.
“An ancient version of scarcity marketing?”
The Masterpiece Studio was indeed capable; no wonder it dominated half the calligraphy and painting market in Qingshan County.
“Besides the mandatory county office labor, I earn between eighty and a hundred taels a month.”
This was enough to support his current expenses.
Full and content, Chen Mu changed into a gray-white long robe.
It was the standard attire for poor scholars of the time, making him blend in perfectly on the street.

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He had purposely spent time observing how the general populace in Qingshan County dressed.
“I want to dress a little sharper too. But alas...”
If he dared flaunt wealth in fine clothes, robbers would come knocking that very night!
After tidying himself in the reflection of a water basin, Chen Mu prepared to go out.
Today, he was going to help the county clerks paint wanted posters.
Though he had joined the Masterpiece Studio, he had not stopped his voluntary labor.
Painting wanted posters for the county brought no pay but intangible benefits.
At least ordinary street toughs wouldn’t dare openly cause him trouble.
With higher income and no disturbances, Chen Mu had enjoyed a comfortable half month.
If there was one complaint, it was probably the two big men stationed at his door.
Chen Mu pushed open the door and saw two burly men standing like door gods outside his house.
They were bodyguards assigned by the Masterpiece Studio.
Chen Mu couldn’t refuse; it did improve his safety.
But having two men shadowing him all day made many things inconvenient.
Such as practicing the Form Training Technique or buying secret medicines.
“Good thing I stocked up on medicine in advance.”
Previously, he had quietly practiced and bought a large batch of herbs at once. Now, it was barely enough.
“There will inevitably come a day when it runs out.”
“I need to figure out a way to buy medicine without these two knowing,” Chen Mu thought.
…
Half a month later, Chen Mu was running madly across the courtyard, his speed rivaling a hundred-meter sprint. The sound of his footsteps was almost inaudible.
After fifteen minutes, he stopped, took a deep breath to steady his slightly labored breathing.
Writing skill: 1342/10000, second level;
Painting: 1079/10000, second level;
Throwing: 2598/10000, second level;
Red Hawk Form Training Technique: 7231/10000, first level;
Cooking: 1326/10000, first level;
A month had passed, and his proficiency in the Red Hawk Form Training Technique had increased by over two thousand.
Compared to the previous month, it was eight to nine hundred less.
“This is the downside of joining the Masterpiece Studio,” Chen Mu looked helplessly toward the door.
The two big men stood outside; every time he practiced, he had to be cautious.
He had even thought to refine the Red Hawk Form Training Technique to reduce the noise of his sprinting.
Now running silently was an unexpected bonus.
But he still dared not practice freely, which indeed slowed down his proficiency progress.
“The secret medicine is almost gone. The effects will be worse from now on.”
To avoid being discovered, Chen Mu didn’t mind slowing his proficiency gain.
But if he ran out of medicine, the effects would immediately halve, which he couldn’t accept.
“I must find a way to buy herbs.”
Suddenly, voices came from outside.
Chen Mu went to open the door.
“Young Master Chen, where should I put these?” a man in his forties with a dark face asked at the doorstep.
His clothes were patched, his hands rough and calloused—clearly a laborer accustomed to heavy work.
He turned his body slightly, revealing a large bamboo basket on his back filled with over ten pounds of fresh meat.
“Old Li, help me bring it inside,” Chen Mu smiled.
This man was a porter for the Xue family warehouse in the East Market.
After placing the meat down, Chen Mu handed Old Li ten copper coins.
“Thank you, Young Master,” Old Li accepted with a smile.
“Last time I heard your porters are graded?” Chen Mu asked.
“Yes, I’m a ‘straw shoes’ level; above me are ‘copper shoes’, then ‘iron shoes’, and even ‘gold boots’ and ‘silver boots.’ Young Master Chen is…” Old Li looked puzzled.
“I want to hire a silver boots porter. Tell your master to arrange someone to contact me tonight,” Chen Mu said quietly.
He had already inquired. The Xue family warehouse mainly handled escort services and cargo transportation.
The gold boots were the highest level, with top secrecy, even escorting county tax silver.
But gold boots operated as a team, deploying over ten men at once.
Silver boots were slightly lower but still secure and discreet, and could be hired individually or in groups.
Chen Mu planned to have the Xue family warehouse help him procure secret medicines for his Form Training Technique.
“All right! Don’t worry, sir!” Old Li was thrilled.
Once he informed his master, if the contract was signed, he would receive a handsome cut.
“Have someone come tonight. I don’t want too many people to know about this,” Chen Mu instructed.
“All right, you can count on me,” Old Li whispered hurriedly.
After seeing Old Li off, Chen Mu closed the door and prepared the fresh meat.
“Having the warehouse buy herbs for me might not be completely secret, but at least it’s not me showing up personally, so I can avoid direct attention,” Chen Mu glanced at the door.
He definitely didn’t want the Masterpiece Studio to know he practiced martial arts.
“Also, there’s Captain Lu.”
He was a local ruffian. If Chen Mu bought medicine himself, it might be noticed.
If Captain Lu found out, so would Teacher Sheng Hong.
The latter often used the Red Hawk Form Training Technique as bait to earn silver.
Chen Mu had only attended once to learn the basics; the others might feel resentful.
Resentment could mean trouble.
Chen Mu was willing to pay to avoid potential hassle.
“No one knows I practice martial arts; it’s perfect as a trump card,” Chen Mu thought happily.
“I can also shift my training to night time.”
At night, the two bodyguards would leave, and he could train freely.
“That way, no one will ever know I practice the Form Training Technique!” Chen Mu thought joyfully.
He washed the fresh pork belly thoroughly, cut it into cubes, then rubbed it with salt and spices to marinate.
Next, he cooked it to seventy percent doneness using the newly learned seasoning pack, then fried it in vegetable oil.
This process greatly extended the meat’s preservation and enhanced its flavor.
After finishing, dusk had fallen.
He handed two cubes to the two guards at the door and sent them off early amid their delighted thanks.
Chen Mu made a cold vegetable dish and cooked a bowl of white wheat rice, then sat at the square table eating the freshly cooked pork, waiting for the Xue family warehouse to send someone.

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