It took rely a quarter of an hour for Fu Residence to reach Taishan Hall.
The martial arts school occupied a row of five street-facing rooms, and the disciples at the entrance promptly led Fu Zhen to a small garden at the back of the hall.
Before she could step over the threshold, a full-bodied voice ca from inside: "...stop dawdling around, can't you be a bit quicker!"
Hearing this voice, a smile already appeared on Fu Zhen's face. She stepped inside and called out loudly, "Good day, Old Sect Leader!"
Then, the voice behind the pogranate tree paused, and an elderly man in plain garnts erged from behind the tree, bending his body to peer out from under the branches.
Upon recognizing Fu Zhen, his murky eyes showed a slight surprise. He quickly moved to this side of the pogranate tree, scrutinizing her from head to toe with a face full of curiosity, "Is it you, this young girl, looking for an old man like ?"
Fu Zhen gestured to Bixi and Shun Er to step back, then respectfully cupped her hands and bowed: "Junior Fu Zhen, introduced through Miss Liang, I have co to pay my respects to the Old Sect Leader."
"Hey! You young girl, speaking nonsense! That little girl from the Liang family left six years ago, how could she introduce you? Where did you exactly hear about my connection with her?"
Fu Zhen said, "Old Sect Leader, allow the junior to explain. Miss Liang had a brief encounter with my mother and owes her a small favor, so she left word back then, saying she had a friendship with the Old Sect Leader, and if I ever needed help, you would certainly assist for the Liang family's sake."
"Is that so?" Li Yi looked at her skeptically.
"I dare not deceive you, Old Sect Leader. Miss Liang also told us that at a court banquet ten years ago, you let her have a chicken leg, saying the reason you gave it to her was because—"
"Enough, enough, enough!" At these words, Li Yi hurriedly stopped her, muttering, "That girl, why did she spill everything about ? Does an old man like still need to save face or not?"
He once again scrutinized Fu Zhen, "And you, young girl, looking as fragile as a bean sprout, yet so articulate! Don't just stand there, co in and sit down!"
Fu Zhen gave a knowing smile, "Old Sect Leader, after you please."
This old man was a bit of an old mischievous fellow. Once at a banquet, he was not pleased with another Hero and secretly conspired with others to get him drunk. Liang Ning caught them, and in order to bribe her, the old man gave her the chicken leg and later brought several baskets of crabs to keep her quiet.
This was sothing rarely known to outsiders, although insignificant, it was enough to prove the Fu mother and daughter were not strangers to Liang Ning.
Both host and guest sat down in the flower hall, and Li Yi let out a long sigh: "That girl was truly unexpected. Although a bit mischievous, what a well-natured child she was!"
Fu Zhen said, "Indeed, it was just a brief encounter years ago, yet it resulted in this fortuitous eting between the junior and the Old Sect Leader."
Li Yi waved his hand, savoring the tea, "What have you co for, tell ."
Fu Zhen nodded, "Junior wishes to request the Old Sect Leader for two accomplished disciples for so use."
Li Yi held the teacup and glanced at her: "Our martial arts school has always had soone specific to manage such matters. If it is rely asking for people, you don't need to co to this old man."
"It's because this matter involves so personal issues within my family that I am compelled to seek the Old Sect Leader's assistance."
Knowing full well the character of the old man, Fu Zhen didn't hold back at this point: "You must have heard of the Fu family. Though illustrious in na, to be frank, my father's conduct in family matters is quite lacking in grace.
"After the passing of my maternal grandfather, my mother, and I, along with my brother and sister, have lived difficult days. Now, within Fu Family's inner residence—though it is inappropriate for to say—as for my own life, it is not entirely secure."
Hearing this, Li Yi looked at her inquisitively, "Is this why you showed such bravado on the back mountain of Baihe Temple yesterday?"
Being a local power in the capital city, his ears and eyes were naturally sharp.
Fu Zhen was a bit surprised, "You know about this too, Old Sect Leader?"
"How could I not know?" Li Yi had a touch of mystery, "Many people are aware now, I guess your father is going to face so trouble next."
Fu Zhen laughed a bit, "These matters are for my father to handle, and I dare not interfere. Although the details of yesterday's incident are not fit to share, it indeed is as you suspected, sothing happened on the mountain that made act so boldly.
"Being forced to such a dead end, I had no choice but to use Miss Liang's favor, and boldly co to the Old Sect Leader for help."
Li Yi tapped his fingers on the armrest, pondering.
Fu Zhen didn't rush him, calmly sipping her tea.
For people in the martial world, the word "righteousness" was crucial, and just with the old connection of a chicken leg shared between Liang Ning and the old man, it was more than enough to ask him for two people.
But since this favor had now shifted to Fu Zhen, he couldn't help but be a bit more courteous.
"Who do you want?" Li Yi's fingers halted, and he asked.
Fu Zhen also put down her tea: "Earlier this morning, my father has already hired two disciples from your esteed school, and I wish to request the Old Sect Leader to grant two direct disciples of yours."
Li Yi leaned back: "You silly girl! My direct disciples can establish their own martial arts schools, even the young ones are already teaching disciples in my school, how can they be given to you?"
Fu Zhen laughed, covering her mouth with her sleeve: "Your wisdom is unparalleled, Old Sect Leader; I originally intended to ask you to give two grand-disciples. However, by doing so, they might end up in disputes with my father's guards due to , ruining the camaraderie among their fellow disciples, wouldn't that all be my fault?"
Li Yi's eyes widened: "So you plan to use seniority to suppress your father?"
Fu Zhen said, "Your direct disciples, being the master uncles of those two, in your school inherit the most strict hierarchy, so stringent that nothing can be ssed up. Therefore, if there were any conflicts, how could anyone say it's wrong for the master uncles to discipline their master nephews? Don't you think so?"
"Hey! You clever girl! You're cunning just like that Liang family girl! I underestimated you!"
Li Yi slapped the armrest, his voice booming in the flower hall.
Fu Zhen chuckled and moved to sit down below him, adding, "Rest assured, regarding the stipend for your direct disciples, I shall not shortchange, each person twenty taels of silver per month, what do you think?"
Li Yi stroked his beard: "The granddaughter of the Imperial rchant, truly generous, but for you to go to such great lengths, is there perhaps another plot?"
"Old Sect Leader, you needn't worry." Fu Zhen returned to her tea, "I had to resort to using soone as significant as Miss Liang's connection to seek your presence, naturally, I would spend generously. Without a stipend of twenty taels of silver, how could it match the standing of your esteed disciples?"
Li Yi raised an eyebrow, evidently pleased.
Fu Zhen gave a slight smile, placing the silver notes and hiring docunts on the table before continuing, "Of course, should you find my sincerity acceptable, there's another urgent matter I need to handle, and if you can assign two reliable people to heed my directives for a few days, I would be most grateful."
The silver notes and docunts lay clearly on the table.
Li Yi raised his eyebrow slightly, asking, "What kind of urgent matter is it?"
Fu Zhen leaned closer, lowering her voice to explain a few things to him.
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