26. Miss

The eldest Miss of Ruyi Commerce Chamber is surnamed An, named Chenyu.

She has a penchant for cleanliness.

Thus, Song Cheng and Tong Jia were led by the household servants to bathe and change their clothes before they went to meet her.

The first time Song Cheng saw her, not only did he see "Strength: 8~8," "Favorability: 60," but he also saw coldness.

Cold is a feeling, how could it be seen?

Only because this was not a chill of bleakness, but a cold of stunning beauty.

It was a cold composed of dignity, etiquette, grace, and beautiful features, a tall stature, seated in the center, surrounded by the respectful aggregation of people.

But when she cast her gaze with a gentle expression, the frostiness melted like spring thawing an iceberg, or like dawn breaking after night, making one feel utterly comfortable and deeply longing to get close to her,

but merely to get close, never daring to harbor any disrespectful thoughts.

It was an affinity of a superior.

Combining what Song Cheng saw along the way from the house servants and guards, as well as snippets of conversation, he roughly knew... that this Miss had completed the procedure of "Palm Seal," and with her capabilities, she could fully take charge of the entire commerce chamber.

For everything here looked so well-organized, full of order.

"Where is Guan Xi?"

The Miss urgently asked.

Song Cheng performed a formal gesture and began explaining the situation clearly.

After speaking, he sighed and said, "Miss Guan Xi addressed me as Mister, yet I was not able to bring her with us, and I feel guilty for this."

The Miss said, "Mister, you need not blame yourself. If you feel guilty, how could I not feel guilt? I was truly unaware of the bandit affair."

She too sighed lightly, a flicker of anger in her almond-shaped eyes.

She had thought her brother a fool, but never that he was not only foolish but also daft.

Colluding with bandits?

Courting a tiger for its hide, and not afraid that the tiger, never satiated, would devour him too?

Yet, now that things had calmed, the elders had entrusted the "seal" to her, in exchange for her brother's doubly extravagant pleasures.

At such a time, even if she were to label her brother as "colluding with bandits," it would be suppressed, and she would be considered by the elders as "cold-hearted, petty, fabricating excuses to secure her position" and so on.

As various thoughts flashed through her mind, the Miss held her cheek, her beautiful eyes scrutinizing the young man below her, then suddenly she started asking more about everything.

She asked.

He answered.

In answering, the Miss dismissed the people by her side.

Because Song Cheng knew too much.

Back in the deep mountains, Guan Xi told him everything to persuade him, just so to make him believe "just follow her out, and surely, you can soar, perhaps not to riches and honor, but definitely much better than living in the mountains or village by countless times."

Most of the time, Song Cheng was "quoting Guan Xi's original words," a style that filled a person's tone of speaking and even if the information was consistent, it revealed deeper aspects like "closeness and distance."

As Song Cheng spoke, he saw the Miss's favorability rise from the initial 60 to 65, then to 70, and eventually to 75.

As the conversation neared its end, the Miss said, "Since Guan Xi addressed you as Mister, and you've indeed slain a bandit, perhaps you'd like to test your skill with the blade?"

Song Cheng understood that it had moved from an initial casual conversation to an interview and now a formal assessment.

He nodded and said, "Certainly."

Whether he could settle down safely in the county town with Madam Tong depended on this "assessment"; otherwise... he would only end up being randomly assigned as a refugee to some unknown militia district.

Meanwhile, the Miss sent her maid, who hurried down and soon came back in, saying, "Miss, he's here."

The Miss smiled and said, "Mr. Song, let's go to the courtyard."

Song Cheng followed her.

Outside the door, a burly man with a small mustache stood tall like a treasured blade.

"Ding Kui, stop at the lightest touch," the Miss instructed and then said to Song Cheng, "Mr. Song, our Ruyi Commerce Chamber has guards who solely practice martial arts without engaging in production. Ding Kui is one of the best among them, a Great Achiever in Power Realm. Would you like to spar with him?"

Song Cheng looked towards Ding Kui.

Data displayed:

[Strength: 10~15]

[Favorability: 40]

Why such low favorability?

Song Cheng was somewhat startled.

He's not a novel protagonist; why must he be targeted everywhere he went, as everyone called him out?

Regarding strength...

He glanced at himself again.

The Fine Blade was lost on the escape route; he now only had 35~35.

The opponent clearly relied on the advantage of a weapon; if he were to cut his neck, he'd still die.

The Miss said, "Mr. Song, if you're willing, pick any weapon from the rack."

Boldly, Song Cheng declared "Alright," then stepped forward, selected the only blade, swung it in his hand to form a blade flower, and his strength immediately changed to "37~74."

"Brother Ding, please."

Ding Kui snorted coldly.

A country bumpkin, and calling himself a Mister?

Go home and train for a few more years!!

But, because the Miss was present, he also bowed his fist, then charged forward with power, clashing with Song Cheng, the two exchanging moves in a flurry of crisscrossing over twenty or thirty rounds without a clear winner.

As they separated again after another clash of blades, the Miss gave a sign.

The maid said, "Stop!"

The two, about to pounce again, finally ceased their movements.

The young lady's eyes, which had initially held an expression of wanting to entrust a significant responsibility, faded slightly and shifted through various changes as she looked at Song Cheng, smiling, "Mr. Song truly possesses extraordinary strength."

Ding Kui's favorable impression plummeted once more, dropping to 35.

Song Cheng, seeing Ding Kui's ferocity, had wondered what he had done to offend this robust man, but now he suddenly understood and thus said, "Miss, calling me 'Mr. Song' is giving me too much credit. I am just a person who practiced a few peasant moves in Tang River Village, how can I compare with the heroes and talents of the Commerce Chamber?"

Upon these words, Ding Kui's favorable impression rapidly "shot up".

It directly jumped from "35" to "70".

It's truly intriguing how one moment you're sworn enemies and the next moment, friends just through the power of words. After all, the conflict over a double portion of peaches is just a matter of face.

Of course, if Song Cheng had openly revealed his strength, he could have easily overpowered Ding Kui to the point of leaving him without any spirit, but then... the likely outcome would be "after beating Ding Kui, an even stronger protector arrives."

On his journey, he likewise made countless enemies since he was not a member of the Commerce Chamber, but an outsider.

And, he would instantly be at the center of controversy. Whether the young lady trusted him was questionable. Even if she did trust and use him, the challenges he would need to tackle would be proportional to "his full power". What benefits could he truly obtain?

None at all.

Deep in the wild forests, his thought process was flawed, but the error was not in his intent to "silently grow stronger", rather in wanting to stay in wilderness spaces "lacking in Yang Qi, where Filling the Yin is challenging."

Along the way, he had also figured it out.

Being a master yet pretending to have no strength was a foolish act he could not commit.

Doesn't he deserve good food and drink? Shouldn't his life improve?

He, Song, wasn't asking for reckless bravery, but he did want to live better.

Thus, he set out a life strategy for himself: hide six or seven parts, show three or four parts.

He would use the hidden "six or seven parts of strength" to combat potential risks and the shown "three or four parts of strength" to gain standing.

Now, he was merely implementing his decision.

As many thoughts passed through...

Meanwhile, the young lady asked, "Then, how old are you this year?"

Song Cheng said, "Seventeen."

"Seventeen?"

The young lady showed a smile.

A seventeen-year-old from the countryside who is a Great Achiever in the Power Realm is indeed a rare and promising talent.

Which factions wouldn't love such a promising talent?

Cultivating and drawing him in was urgent; suppressing or targeting him was inconceivable.

So she said, "Seventeen, two years younger than me. Then, Song Cheng, where did you learn your blade technique from?"

Song Cheng candidly said, "There was a village family with a secret technique, they bestowed it on me, called the 'White Snake Blade'."

Beside him, Ding Kui clapped his hands in praise, "What a 'White Snake Blade', no wonder I felt Brother Song's blade technique was so agile during our confrontation, truly remarkable!"

Song Cheng continuously waved his hand, saying, "I can't compare to Brother Ding's practiced blade skills, I'm far from it. If we fought a few more rounds, I would certainly be defeated without a doubt."

Ding Kui's impression of him once again shot up, climbing from 70 to 80.

Most martial artists have a strong sense of pride; if you can spar with them and flatter them at the same time, they will like you. Otherwise, they might just pull out a knife and chop you up, and even proclaim it a death feud.

Therefore, Ding Kui laughed heartily and said, "Brother Song suits my temperament, let's go for a drink later."

As he said "drink", he winked and quirked an eyebrow.

Clearly, this "drink" was not just any ordinary drink, but one with fringe benefits.

Song Cheng smiled and said, "I'll need to report back to my wife at home first."

Ding Kui laughed boisterously, "Aren't women supposed to listen to us? Brother Song, are you afraid of your wife?"

After this remark, the air suddenly grew quiet.

Ding Kui suddenly realized that the young lady Madam was still up there.

An Chenyu said indifferently, "Ling, the guards work hard daily. Since Song is new here, it's only right for them to welcome him. Write down all expenses in the account books, consider it my treat."

The maid replied with a yes.

Ding Kui hastily said, "Thank you for the treat, Miss."

An Chenyu said, "Guard Ding, you may return now."

Ding Kui took his leave.

An Chenyu looked at Song Cheng and asked, "Song, would you like to settle down with the An family?"

Song Cheng smiled and said, "I'm afraid I might not meet the criteria."

An Chenyu said, "Then it's settled."

After speaking, she said, "Ling, go find the steward and have him run to the county government office today, to help Song Cheng and his wife settle down."

The maid called Ling replied with a yes and hurriedly left.

In the courtyard, only the young lady and Song Cheng were left.

An Chenyu smiled and asked, "Song, I want to nurture you, are you willing?"

Song Cheng was not one to refuse a drink nor suffer the punishment of drinking. Besides, he had no better option, so he immediately said, "I am willing."

An Chenyu breathed a sigh of relief, then her almond eyes suddenly sparkled, eyeing him, and she asked in a soft voice, "When you sparred with Ding Kui just now, did you hold back?"

Song Cheng said, "I did."

An Chenyu's eyes brightened, "By how much?"

Song Cheng said, "Twenty percent."

An Chenyu's face lit up with a smile, "Be my brother then. I have a good-for-nothing older brother; now I want to take a well-worthy younger brother."

Song Cheng understood this was a transaction.

There is no love without a reason in this world.

Although he had displayed perfectly calibrated strength and potential, and a good character from a simple and innocent background, further rites to close their relationship were necessary to secure special privileges.

He nodded decisively and called out, "Sister An."