Late in the twelfth lunar month, the weather was exceptionally cold.
Inside the small cottage, large wooden tubs standing four and a half chi high were arranged side by side, separated by screens. Outside the latticed windows howled a biting, frigid wind; inside, billowing plumes of steam swirled through the air.
Liang Qu's nostrils were filled with the thick scent of herbs—that clean, lingering bitterness built up over years of curing and steeping.
The reddish-brown medicinal decoction surged gently around him as every pore opened in relaxation. Liang Qu rested his arms against the rim of the tub, his taut muscles swiftly unwinding.
This specialized soaking tub was far superior to the rice vat in his home. In the middle sat a raised ledge where one could sit, and the rim was even carved with a fine, grooved lattice to prevent slipping.
The hot water quickly banished the chill from the room, making it as warm as spring in an instant.
The swelling, bruises, and contusions from the earlier brawl stung with sharp pain upon first touching the hot water. But as the medicinal decoction seeped in, the discoloration faded rapidly, radiating a soothing heat that remarkably dulled the aches. The effect was immediate; even the wound on his head no longer hurt as much.
Medicine and martial arts were intertwined. The martial hall's specialized healing herbs were truly marvelous. Though made of ordinary ingredients far inferior to the aquatic lotus roots, their combination achieved such astonishing efficacy!
Resting the back of his neck against the tub's rim, Liang Qu felt so comfortable he only wanted to fall asleep, with no desire to get up at all.
"Ah Shui, how on earth did you pull that off?"
Chen Jiechang's voice came from behind the screen. After soaking for a while, he had finally caught his breath and thought of this pressing question for Liang Qu.
Prompted by Chen Jiechang, Li Libo piped up as well. "Yeah, exactly! You took on all seven of them by yourself! That was badass—how did you do it?"
"I'm just naturally gifted," Liang Qu replied without missing a beat. "I don't panic even when a blade is right in front of me. I just wait for the right moment and strike."
Acting like a badass felt great in the moment, but cleaning up the mess was pure hell.
Yet Liang Qu's face remained unblushing and his heart steady.
Behind the screen, Chen Jiechang had an epiphany. "Ah, so that's it."
Li Libo sighed deeply. "Senior Brother Hu only mentioned your good aptitude, but he definitely didn't foresee that your natural talent would be this remarkable too. Ah Shui—no, Brother Shui—I don't expect you to carry me along, but when you make it big in the future, just let me be a gatekeeper at the Liang Manor. As long as you feed me three square meals a day, I'll be happy."
...Wait, you two really bought that just like that?!
Liang Qu, who had been racking his brains in a frantic storm to weave a seamless excuse, froze in disbelief.
It was like throwing a full-force punch only for the opponent to sidestep effortlessly and tap him on the back of the head with a hammer, leaving his mind momentarily blank.
Yet Li Libo and Chen Jiechang genuinely seemed to believe it.
What else could it be if not innate talent?
Liang Qu truly possessed extraordinary physical aptitude—everyone had witnessed it with their own eyes. Hu Qi had said that in all his years of bone reading, he had never felt such standard ape arms, wasp waist, and mantis legs. So that had to be the reason.
Without the deluge of web novels and the information age of the modern era, how could their heads hold concepts like "hidden masters," "systems," or "golden fingers"?
Indeed, folks from back home really were simple and honest. And honesty was a wonderful thing.
Relieved, Liang Qu leaned back against the rim of the tub.
An hour later.
The reddish-brown decoction had grown increasingly dilute, turning a pale pinkish-red. According to Hu Qi, by this point the medicinal efficacy would have been fully absorbed.
Yet none of the three had any intention of leaving. Ordinary households never had such specialized soaking tubs, making do instead with large water vats—cheap and practical, but nowhere near as comfortable. With the freezing cold outside, none of them wanted to get out.
They called for hot water to be added twice more, soaking for nearly two hours in all before finally climbing out with pruney skin. Once out, they felt no chill whatsoever. Drying off and collapsing onto the beds, the sheer bliss was...
"Look at this! There's actual cotton in the quilts!"
The moment Li Libo lay down, he noticed something different. The bedding was so soft and warm; reaching out to feel it, he realized it was stuffed with real cotton.
The south was not bitterly cold, so ordinary families mostly used reed cattails, gathered willow catkins, or even rice straw as filling, sewn inside hemp duvet covers. Who could afford quilts made of cotton? At most, they might manage a padded cotton jacket.
Liang Qu was rather surprised as well. Compared to his own home, this place rivaled a five-star luxury hotel!
It certainly lived up to accommodations costing eight taels a month—pure luxury!
"Ah, this is the life."
The three blew out the candles and burrowed under their quilts. Strangely enough, though they had been dead tired before the bath, lying in bed now left them completely wide awake, their energy surging with every passing moment.
Especially when recalling how Lu Tingcai and his gang had been beaten senseless by Liang Qu, scrambling on the floor for their lost teeth, Li Libo huddled beneath his quilt and suddenly burst into laughter.
His laughter seemed contagious. Soon Chen Jiechang joined in, and finally Liang Qu. All three were chuckling.
Li Libo tossed back his quilt and exclaimed in wonder, "Things are different now. Really different! Ah Shui, you're a personal disciple from now on. In all my life, I've never met anyone more incredible than you."
"Yeah," Chen Jiechang agreed. "Master Yang is an even bigger figure than Squire Zhao, one of the very top men in Pingyang Town. I heard even juren scholars greet him with respect when they meet, and the county magistrate treats him with great deference."
Pillowing his hands behind his head, Liang Qu stared up at the roof beam. "I didn't expect Master Yang to take me as a disciple either. It feels like hauling in a fishing net only to discover a treasure fish inside."
"If this had happened a few days earlier when you went to pay the autumn tax, how would that corrupt dog have dared kick your grain? If he dared kick your grain, you could've just kicked him right back!"
"Hahaha, I wouldn't dare do that."
"What's there to be afraid of? He's the one who should be terrified! Calling him 'milord official,' and he really thinks of himself as some magistrate—he's nothing more than a lapdog for the gentry."
"Too true, too true."
For a time, the room took on the atmosphere of a boys' dorm late at night. Everyone was in high spirits, brimming with anticipation for the future.
Liang Qu had been accepted as a personal disciple, his future broad and bright. Li Libo and Chen Jiechang had also upgraded from the seven-tael tier to the twenty-tael tier, vastly improving their chances of a breakthrough.
Everyone had a bright future!
They chatted for another hour before sleepiness finally overcame them.
"Getting sleepy..."
"Me too. Enough talking, let's sleep."
"Night..."
Early the next morning.
In the mist-shrouded dawn, roosters crowed.
Liang Qu opened his eyes and got out of bed. He felt not the slightest bit drowsy—in fact, he was full of vitality.
With no electricity and no smartphones, people rose with the sun and rested at dusk. They had finished their soak around nine o'clock the previous night and fallen asleep by ten after chatting.
Li Libo and Chen Jiechang, on the other hand, lacked Liang Qu's hardy physique. Moreover, having suffered more severe injuries, and with the warm bedding so comfortable against the morning cold, they merely grunted twice at the roosters' crows and slipped right back into their dreams.
Liang Qu did not disturb them. Treading lightly, he dressed in the clean clothes Hu Qi had provided, washed up quickly, and prepared to head out. As he stepped into the courtyard, he caught sight of Xiang Changsong practicing his fist forms.
"You're up early, Junior Brother Liang."
"Aren't you up even earlier, Senior Brother Xiang?" Liang Qu replied helplessly. "I'd love to sleep in, but my body is too used to waking early."
"I've heard fishermen head out in their boats during the hour of the Ox or even the hour of the Rat. Is that true?"
"Yeah. There are more fish at night, and many people have to set out then just to catch enough to feed their families."
"Ah, life isn't easy for common folk," Xiang Changsong sighed. Pausing, he continued, "Enough of that. Master instructed me last night that as soon as you woke, I should bring you to the main residence to officially conduct the apprenticeship ceremony, establishing our master-disciple bond once and for all. Since you're already awake, Junior Brother Liang, come with me!"
Liang Qu's spirits soared.
"I'd be honored!"
Chapter 37