Author's Note: I was unhappy with a few paragraphs which made my protagonist look like a penny-pincher. Altered them slightly.

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[Warning] This chapter contains minor sexual content near the end. 

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Chapter 10 – A Fair Offer

The following days Cheng´s mind was occupied with just one thing. Which of his talents should he cultivate? His potential in the spear and staff was decent, his skill in unarmed martial arts was basic, but could be easily cultivated. Music, dance or acting were options, but he had no idea how to turn any of those into a weapon.

Since he couldn’t reach a decision, he wanted to talk with his friends to distract his mind. Jia-long wasn’t an option. The administrator’s absence meant that his work had been piling up ever since he got caught in Green Tree City. His fat friend’s near future was in ledgers, scrolls and letters. Cheng did not want to trouble him with his own issues. So he left for Zhuang Guo.

Unlike Cheng the skinny tall man had not been sitting idle the last few days. Zhuang Guo had found himself a job in the most popular gambling house in the city. The owner’s choice of location, right next to Red Pearl Teahouse was well-picked.

The streets were mostly empty, during daytime people were either learning, working, training or sleeping. He did notice the occasional group of children, running wildly through the streets or playing games such as Honor, Catching the Dragon’s Tail and Forcing the City Gates.

It didn’t take Cheng long to reach the gambling house. Beside Cheng there were few people inside. There was one group of old men playing Mahjong, a minimal staff and a prostitute who most likely worked next door. The actor imagined the large empty establishment would look quite different at night.

“Yi Cheng, over here,” said someone, the voice coming from the direction of the working girl. As Cheng walked over, he noticed that it had been Zhuang Guo who called him over. His friend was currently kneeling in front of the girl. His dexterous fingers working hard to restore a minor tear in the simple yet elegant robes the courtesan was wearing.

“There, all done,” said Zhuang proudly, the fabric of the robes slowly sliding out of his hand. He quickly stood up, walking towards Cheng to greet him. “Do you recall White Plum?”

“How could I forget,” said Cheng, showing a genuine smile to both his friend and the girl.

“I’ll let the men talk,” said the courtesan, preparing to leave. As she was leaving, she suddenly stopped as if she had forgotten something. She quickly turned around, rushing towards Zhuang Guo, placing a quick peck on his lips. As the girl left through the front door, she left behind a blushing Zhuang Guo.

“You work quick,” said Cheng, stifling a laugh.

“Oh shut up,” said Zhuang, “I recall her saying, that six flowers were left unfertilized.”

“I am sorry, I couldn’t resist,” said Cheng, punching his tall skinny friend in the side with virtually no force behind it, laughing jovially.

“It’s alright. I am serious about her though. It just seems right,” said Zhuang, his face a bag of mixed emotions. A few seconds later his face returned to normal, he asked, “Got any plan to earn some real money yet?”

“None,” said Cheng matter-of-factly as his left hand moved to scratch himself in the neck.

At this time the door opened, letting beams of natural light enter the gambling house. Cheng and Zhuang both turned their heads to see who would enter. Their faces became sour when they saw it was Dong Wen.

The miserable old man approached them. “Qiang Mei isn’t here?” asked the Incense Master, his voice full of contempt, clearly not interested in an answer. “Those brats clearly told me she was searching for…” said Dong Wen to himself. Without saying anything else the old man left.

“What was that about?” asked Cheng.

“No clue, but the Mountain Master’s* daughter sure ain’t searching for me,” said Zhuang.

“Mountain Master’s daughter?” said Cheng, doubting what he had just heard, “That cheeky brat?”

“There is only one Qiang Mei in Dragon Spit,” Zhuang said, “And she is quite popular too.”

“But she is crazy,” said Cheng somewhat suprised, remembering his interactions with the girl.

”Blessed beauty, untouched maiden, beloved daughter of the Mountain Master and… a Martial Adept,” said Zhuang, summing up the girl's good points that everyone in Dragon Spit would have knowledge of.

“That girl, a Martial Adept? You are joking right?”

Zhuang shook his head and said, “Don’t repeat your mistakes brother.”

“What mistakes?” asked Cheng, slightly offended.

“Deflowering girls you shouldn’t,” answered Zhuang deadpan.

“…”

After twenty minutes of bickering, healthy discussion and small talk the two friends said their goodbyes. They had agreed that Cheng would look for opportunities when he went to sell the Quintessential Spear Arts. Until the actor discovered something lucrative, Zhuang Guo would remain in Dragon Spit.

Cheng’s next stop was a general store. It didn’t take him long to find one. He entered the store. The shopkeeper raised his head from behind the counter, “How can I help you?”

“Do you sell flutes?” asked Cheng.

“I got a bird bone gudi* and a bamboo dizi*,” said the shopkeeper, showing a smile. Musical instruments were items that rarely sold so he was keen on clearing them from his inventory.

“I would like to try them,” said Cheng.

“Certainly,” said the shopkeeper, handing Cheng a handsomely carved gudi and a rather crude dizi.

The young actor played on both flutes, testing the pitch, tone color and the dynamic range of the instruments. Once he concluded his tests he asked, “How much for the dizi?”

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

The shopkeeper was somewhat disappointed, the gudi was twice as valuable as the dizi, but he offered a fair price to Yi Cheng nonetheless, “Twenty-six coppers.”

Cheng knew the shopkeeper’s offer was a fair one, but Zhuang Guo had only been able to borrow him fifty-one coppers. He wasn’t willing to spend more than half of his fortune in one go. “Can’t you drop the price a little? To say…” said Cheng, pausing, “thirteen coppers.”

“Half?” said the shopkeeper in disbelief. He wondered where this youth gathered the courage to ask for such an outrageous discount. “Twenty-five coppers,” said the somewhat irritated vendor.

“How about fifteen?” said Cheng, shamelessly.

The seller was shocked. Normally he would put his products away and refuse to do business with such audacious customers, but music instruments rarely sold. And he had been so foolish to buy several of them in the past. If he could get rid of even one, it was a golden opportunity in his eyes.

Cheng put his acting experience to use and convinced the shopkeeper to give him a minor discount, allowing both parties to leave somewhat satisfied from the deal. The thirty-one coppers left in Cheng's pocket were not enough to satisfy his epicurean tastes, the lavish meal he had been hoping on, would have to be postponed. 

After acquiring his instrument, he returned to his house. He opened the door and immediately noticed that something was amiss. Lying on top of his bed, facing away from him, was Qiang Mei. He was surprised that she didn’t even turn her head around as he entered. “Why are you here?” said Cheng, undecorated.  

Qiang Mei finally turned her head around, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “I wondered why you didn’t show up to any of the trainings anymore,” said Mei, abruptly turning her head back around. She flipped the page of the book in front of her, her gaze once again fixed in front of her.

Cheng couldn’t see what was laid down in front of Qiang Mei, but he had clearly heard the flipping of a page. He moved closer to his bed, noticing a thick manual in front of the girl.

“Is that my…” said Cheng, quickly lifting the pillow which was used to hide the Quintessential Spear Arts, discovering it was no longer there. As he properly inspected the tome in front of Qiang Mei, he confirmed his suspicion. “It is,” he said, somewhat dissatisfied. 

“I was only reading it,” said Qiang Mei in her own defense.

Cheng snatched the manual from the bed, closing it. He shot a  glare towards the youthful maiden. “The value of manuals such as these drop sharply in value if everyone was at liberty to read them,” said Cheng indignantly. 

“Stingy!” said Mei jokingly,  knowing that he was right.

“I am going to put it up for auction,” said Cheng, his clutch on the tome tight as ever.

“In Dragon Spit?” asked Mei, dumbfounded. She rose up, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“Of course not,” said Cheng.

“I could make some introductions,” said Mei casually.

“And what would that cost me?” said Cheng pragmatically as his brow furrowed.

“Not much. Just let me finish reading it,” said Mei hopefully, biting gently on her lower lip.

“That is asking too much,” said Cheng without reserve. The actor was known to be generous during his time in the Golden Melody Troupe, but the manual was his only valuable possession. Without it, paying for his freedom would be a pipedream. He couldn't be open-handed under these circumstances. 

Mei quickly removed her tunic, showing off a considerable amount of smooth pinkish skin. Her breast bindings followed, revealing a modest pair of perky breasts. She loosened her ponytail and shook her head, making her hair fall down around her naked shoulders. She said, “I could sweeten the deal a bit.”

There were many good reasons why Cheng shouldn’t accept this offer, but none of those mattered to Cheng’s jade stalk, which quickly grew erect. With Mei’s hand rubbing against it, resistance became pointless.

Clothes were quickly shed, foreplay was ignored and the couple immediately engaged in The Turning Dragon. The actor quickly concluded that she was not a virgin, he didn't mind at all, but he was curious who would dare to lay his hands on the daughter of the Mountain Master. Beside him, who would be that rash? 

When Cheng tried to flip Mei onto her belly to practice The Tiger’s Tread, she resisted, desiring to remain face-to-face. Cheng moved on towards The Monkey’s Attack instead. As he raised her legs, he noticed a combination of fresh and old bruises on her lower back. He wondered who would be able to bruise a Martial Adept, but didn't think further on it.

Several positions later Mei came, Cheng joined her immediately. While pleasure surged through his body, two sentences echoed in Cheng’s mind, “Path and purpose, here united.” Followed immediately by, “Sour, sweet, bitter, pungent, all must be tasted.”

Cheng barely noticed anything when the first sentence echoed through his brain, but a strong bittersweet feeling surged through his being as the second sentence did. As suddenly as the feeling appeared it disappeared. The actor could once again focus wholly on the lovely girl beneath him.

When their sexual activities ceased, both of them were lying on their back, utterly spent. “When do we leave?” asked Cheng.

“Tonight.”

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* Mountain Master – Leader of a Triad.

* Gudi – Chinese bone flute.

* Dizi – Chinese transverse flute.