stjorthotic Chapter 3 Clues
Chapter 3 Clues
Chen Ye followed behind Gao Qiaoniang, passing through two winding corridors and turning into a narrow alley he had never been before.
The walls on both sides of the courtyard have changed from gray bricks to blue bricks.
The top of the wall is covered with neatly arranged roof tiles.
Gradually, the noise from the outer and middle courtyards disappeared, replaced by a profound silence.
The alley has no forks; at the end is a courtyard house.
Gao Qiaoniang stepped forward, placed her hands on the heavy wooden door, and pushed it hard.
The door hinges made a dull creaking sound, as if they hadn't been pushed open in a long time.
Chen Ye followed her into the courtyard, taking in the scene out of the corner of his eye while keeping his head down.
The courtyard wall was very high, at least three feet higher than the outer courtyard.
It extends symmetrically on the east and west sides, with the doors and windows tightly closed.
The ground was paved with blue bricks and swept very clean, not like a place where people often come.
He also noticed that the courtyard had no side gate, only the one that led in.
"Zhang, the head of the guard, said that this will be where you practice martial arts from now on."
Gao Qiaoniang's clear voice came from ahead.
Chen Ye withdrew his gaze and nodded.
It's somewhat strange to arrange such a secluded place for a servant who has only practiced stance training for seven or eight days.
But he didn't ask any further questions.
Taking advantage of the pause in their conversation, Chen Ye took a closer look at the girl in front of him.
Today, Gao Qiaoniang was wearing a light green short coat, made of a better material than the steward's.
Chen Ye knew that she was the daughter of a maidservant of the Gao family patriarch, half slave and half mistress.
If the head of the family acknowledges her, she is a young lady; if the head of the family does not acknowledge her, she is a slave.
His identity is currently still undecided.
Chen Ye looked away and said politely, "Thank you for your trouble, Miss Qiao."
At this moment, the carved wooden door of the main house in the courtyard was pulled open from the inside.
A young man stepped out.
He was dressed in a plain linen robe with a brocade belt around his waist; he was slender but his gait was steady.
He exudes an innate air of refined elegance.
Even someone as formidable as Zhang Tieyi was half a step behind him, bowing low, as if deliberately holding back his breath.
"Young Master, this person has good potential and excellent comprehension; he should be able to learn quickly."
Is this the eldest son of the Gao family?
Chen Ye's nerves tightened even more.
No sooner had Zhang Tieyi chosen his men than the eldest son came to see him in person.
Is a servant who has only practiced stance training for seven or eight days really worth looking at by someone like him?
Gao Yunheng glanced at Chen Ye, as if checking the quality of an item.
"Good, train him well. Lord Xie from the Patrol and Inspection Division will be arriving in the capital in a month. There must be no mistakes."
"Your subordinate understands and will certainly not fail in your trust, young master!"
Zhang Tieyi turned to Chen Ye and said, "This is the eldest son of the family. I heard you are a promising martial arts talent, and he just happened to be passing by and thought I'd drop by. Why don't you go and pay your respects?"
Chen Ye lowered his eyes, pulled the corners of his mouth up twice, revealing a cautious, submissive, and slightly surprised expression.
"This humble man, Chen Ye, pays his respects to the eldest young master."
Gao Yunheng told him to get up.
Chen Ye had just steadied himself when the other party casually tossed it away.
A money bag landed on the blue bricks at his feet with a heavy thud.
"Take this and practice diligently. The Gao family never mistreats those who are hardworking."
Such a casual reward carries a hint of condescension and disrespect, but Gao Yunheng is completely oblivious to anything wrong with it.
The other party was originally a lowly servant who depended on the Gao family for his livelihood, and it was already a favor that he received his reward.
Chen Ye looked down at the bulging money bag.
The first thought that popped into his mind was that Gao Yunheng had come to see him today specifically with money.
However, this method of winning people's hearts is really crude; they didn't even bother to put much thought into the gesture of giving money.
Chen Ye bent down to pick up the money bag, which felt quite heavy.
A grateful smile spread across his face as he said, "Thank you for your generous reward, young master! I will certainly do my utmost!"
Gao Yunheng gave a few instructions on the remaining matters and then walked briskly out of the courtyard.
Watching the slender figure disappear, Zhang Tieyi straightened his back.
He turned to Chen Ye and said solemnly, "Young Master came to see you in person and even gave you a reward, which shows the Gao family's benevolence. From now on, you must practice your skills with utmost care in this courtyard! Master them as soon as possible so that you can serve Young Master."
Chen Ye gripped the money pouch in his hand, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "Guard Zhang, may I ask what the future holds if I succeed in my training?"
"Kid, you're lucky."
A faint smile appeared on Zhang Tieyi's face.
The smile seemed somewhat out of place on his fierce appearance.
"Lord Xie, the inspector of the prefecture, and our eldest son will soon be going to the capital, and they are short of capable men. If you can live up to expectations, you can go with them, and it's not impossible for you to become an official and bring honor to your ancestors in the future! Practice your skills diligently."
Chen Ye lowered his head, his face still showing the flattery he was receiving, but the wariness in his eyes was no longer being suppressed.
The patrol inspector general, upon entering the capital, made connections with the Xie family, a high-ranking family of the second rank.
There's no such thing as a free lunch.
He strung together recent events in his mind, generating a near-dangerous intuition.
Zhang Tieyi, oblivious to Chen Ye's absent-mindedness, gestured with his chin toward the silent Gao Qiaoniang and said, "Qiaoniang will be in charge of your daily life from now on. If you need anything, just ask her."
Chen Ye glanced at Gao Qiaoniang out of the corner of his eye.
He bowed slightly and replied, "Yes."
"Go back and pack your things. Let me know when you're ready, and then we'll start practicing."
After saying this, Zhang Tieyi said no more, turned around and strode back to the main room.
The courtyard fell silent.
Gao Qiaoniang stood there without leaving immediately.
She turned to look at Chen Ye, a slight smile playing on her lips, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.
"Qiao girl?" Chen Ye spoke first.
"...It's nothing." Gao Qiaoniang shook her head, let out a soft breath, and turned to walk towards the west wing.
She stopped at the door, turned back, and said, "I'll bring the food over later. There's a kitchen in the yard, so you won't have to go outside to get it anymore."
Chen Ye stood there, watching her figure disappear from sight.
He squeezed the bulging money pouch in his sleeve, then slowly examined the secluded courtyard house.
"They specifically separated me from the other three..."
Chen Ye stood alone in the courtyard for a while before walking towards his room in the east wing.
With a creak, he pushed open the wooden door of the side room.
The furnishings inside the room were extremely simple, consisting of a bed and a table.
Large square windows were embedded in the stone wall, and the afternoon sun shone through them, making the whole room exceptionally bright.
He walked to the window and looked out.
At the end of the alley, two guards were squatting on the ground, chatting and laughing.
They were too far away to hear what they were saying.
But they were positioned right at the entrance of the alley.
To get out of this alley, you have to pass between the two people.
Chen Ye stared at the two men for a moment, then opened the door and returned to the main gate of the courtyard.
The door was closed tightly.
He moved the latch and pulled it.
The door remained completely still.
The lock was fastened from the outside.
Just then, the sound of a door opening came from behind.
Zhang Tieyi stood at the door.
"What are you going to do?"