C15 Shaolin Disciple

Upon returning to Gao Xiong's stall, Lee Cha had already slipped into a newly purchased long shirt and trousers to disguise his unusual attire.

The Gao brothers had nearly sold out of their bamboo wares when Gao Xiong, taken aback by Lee's appearance, exclaimed, "Mr. Lee, how did your errand go?"

"It's taken care of," Lee Cha replied.

"Good," Gao Xiong responded. "Once we're done here, let's head over to the Rooftop House to treat ourselves, then pick up some rice and salt."

Lee Cha nodded in agreement.

Gao Shuai gave Lee Cha a cold, silent once-over.

Internally, Lee Cha seethed at the scrutiny. What's with the attitude, you pauper? You could weave bamboo baskets for years and probably not make as much as I do in one afternoon.

With their bamboo goods sold, the trio made their way to the Rooftop House.

Gao Xiong beelined for the most affordable eatery.

The place was bustling with poorly dressed commoners.

Lee Cha had scoped it out earlier and deemed the cheap fare inedible.

A bowl of pork noodles there was mostly chunks of greasy fat, with lean pieces no bigger than grains of rice, and the air was tinged with a fishy odor.

He deduced that the Northern Song Dynasty might not have mastered the art of castrating and breeding pigs for meat, yet the patrons seemed to savor every bite.

Eat that swill?

He was convinced that even the least appetizing meal at Nancheng University's cafeteria would be a step up, so Lee Cha confidently entered a more opulent establishment next door.

Dripping with sweat, Gao Xiong protested, "Young Mr. Lee, this isn't the place. We're supposed to go there."

The prices at this restaurant were astronomical, enough to devour a month's wages in one sitting.

Lee Cha grinned and said, "This meal's on me. Waiter, bring us a portion of your house specialty and a jug of your finest wine."

Time passed, but no one approached their table.

The waiter stood aloof in the distance, arms folded, his face etched with scorn.

Their simple attire marked them as country bumpkins – surely they couldn't afford a meal here?

But then, the waiter's expression froze as he noticed the man in the long gown tapping the table with a gleaming white object.

"Why? You think we can't pay? Where's the manager? This is no way to treat customers!" Lee Cha's expression darkened.

The manager quickly emerged from behind the counter, shooting the waiter a stern look, and greeted with an ingratiating smile, "Young Master, welcome to our establishment. What would you like to have?"

Lee Cha replied with a frosty tone, "Never mind. It's clear we're not welcome here."

The manager hastily offered a placating grin. "Please, Young Master, calm your anger. Our service has been lacking, but we'll make it up to you with some extra dishes shortly."

Lee Cha tossed the silver coins over, instructing, "Fine, but make it quick. Bring out your signature dish, plenty of rice, and wine. And if the food isn't up to par, don't expect us to be polite about it."

The manager caught the silver, tested it with his teeth, and bowed out with due respect.

Gao Xiong watched Lee Cha, dumbfounded. He couldn't believe that the same young man who was deeply touched by a simple bowl of porridge yesterday had transformed so drastically in just a few hours.

From his worn clothes and habits, it was clear Lee Cha came from humble beginnings. How had he suddenly become so lavish?

Gao Xiong's face turned pale when he learned that Lee Cha had earned twenty taels of silver that morning. Did he own the money shop or something?

Lee Cha had not mentioned the full hundred taels. He firmly believed in the principle that one should never test a person's character with money.

Both Gao Xiong and Lee Cha enjoyed their meal immensely—one from a life of poverty, the other from prolonged hunger.

Afterward, they headed to the rice market.

Gao Xiong rummaged through his pockets, pulling out a meager two hundred coins, hoping to buy a couple of bushels of rice to help restore his wife's health.

The Gao family's wife had to make do with just rice for nourishment.

Lee Cha gestured dismissively and purchased two large sacks of rice instead.

Gao Xiong asked anxiously, "Mr. Lee, why buy so much rice?"

Lee Cha simply smiled and said, "Because it makes me happy."

He didn't want to be in anyone's debt. The Gao family had sheltered him for a night, and he considered these provisions a way to settle the score. From that point on, they would be even.

"This..."

"I've already bought it, can't exactly return it now, can I? How about you give me a hand carrying it back, Gao Xiong?"

"No way."

"You really expect my injured guy to lug hundreds of pounds of rice?"

"Uh..."

Gao Xiong might have been a bit slow on the uptake, but he was no fool. He knew Lee Cha had made the purchase for his family.

But as Lee Cha pointed out, the deed was done. Returning the rice would mean taking a loss, and the thought of losing money on those two hundred catties of rice was enough to make him wince for months.

Unable to outmaneuver Lee Cha, Gao Xiong could only offer a sheepish grin and hoist the load onto his shoulder.

Lee Cha's eyes widened in disbelief at Gao Xiong's ease. Are you kidding me? Are you some kind of ox?

He had initially planned for each of the Gao brothers to carry a bag, never anticipating Gao Xiong's impressive strength.

Lee Cha went on to purchase salt, half a goat, several pounds of lean pork, beef, and a few hens.

It wasn't until Gao Xiong firmly refused to carry any more that he finally stopped.

Shopping was indeed a thrill, especially when you didn't have to carry your purchases.

No wonder it's said that women can shop all day long.

If I had someone to carry my bags, I could...

Lee Cha hadn't expected the somewhat gaunt Gao Shuai to be able to shoulder such a load.

He gained a newfound respect for the young man; turns out he wasn't entirely useless.

Lee Cha intended to spend the night in Linying City and look for more opportunities to strike it rich the next day.

With ninety taels of silver in his pocket, he had enough to get started on something.

Once he got settled, he planned to head over near the Gao family's place and retrieve the tiger skin.

As the city streets began to empty, Lee Cha was just about to share his plans with Gao Xiong when a burst of furious swearing erupted in the distance.

"Damn it! Guys, that's the punk who screwed up our big score. If it hadn't been for him, we'd have the Young Master's thousand taels of silver by now."

"Zhao's got his legs broken and is now rotting in the county jail, all thanks to that guy."

Several burly men stood about twenty to thirty meters away, one of whom pointed at Lee Cha and quickly approached him.

Lee Cha's expression shifted as the man who had spoken drew a knife.

It was the robe vendor from earlier that afternoon.

Run!

Lee Cha spun on his heel and bolted.

To cut off someone's livelihood was akin to slaying their parents.

Yet before he'd made it far, Gao Xiong at his side dropped his sack of rice and lunged forward.

"Watch out, they're armed!" Lee Cha cried out in alarm.

Unexpectedly, Gao Xiong let out a bellow and, with a flurry of punches, palms, and elbows, the threatening men were soon on the ground, groaning in pain.

Lee Cha stood there, agape. "Are you a martial artist?"

All the while, Gao Shuai had been standing there, unbothered, carrying something on his shoulder, seemingly indifferent to the chaos.

Gao Xiong dusted off his hands and reassured, "Lee, don't worry. These thugs are just Linying City lowlifes, idling around and conning people. They prey on the weak and cower before the strong. The tougher you act, the more they'll back off."

Lee Cha thought to himself that the trick was actually being able to act tough.

"Scram!" Gao Xiong bellowed.

The men beat a hasty retreat, hurling threats over their shoulders as they fled.

Lee Cha's concern deepened. The world was not as tranquil as he had hoped.

Scanning his surroundings, he noticed someone skulking away in the distance.

Was that their tail? The rumors of swindlers working in packs were indeed true.

Staying in the city seemed unwise; he risked not just his wealth but his very safety.

As they left the city gates, Gao Shuai, stone-faced, suddenly confronted Lee Cha, "Were you trying to run just now?"

Run your mouth, you fool. Can't you talk sense?

Lee Cha retorted, "Of course not! I was just looking for something to use as a weapon, like a stick or a rock."

Gao Shuai stated firmly, "You were just looking to escape."

Lee Cha finally realized this guy was off his rocker.

Gao Xiong chuckled, "Brother Lee survived Wolf Tiger Ridge. Surely a few thugs wouldn't scare him?"

Hearing this, Lee Cha's grin reappeared. Trust Gao Xiong to be the straightforward, honest type who knew how to talk and how to be.

I mean, I've wrestled with a tiger and lived to tell the tale. Scared of some petty thugs? Not a chance.

Gao Xiong added, "There's no shame in running, though. 'Better to live to fight another day,' as they say. If you're outnumbered, it's wiser not to charge in headfirst."

Lee Cha's smile stiffened.

You think I'm planning to run? Impossible. I've faced down a tiger.

He cleared his throat, chuckling awkwardly to shift the conversation.

"Speaking of which, what's the martial art you practice, Brother Gao? It's quite impressive."

Gao Xiong replied, "I was once a lay disciple at the Shaolin Temple. Frankly, I didn't master any deep martial arts during my years there, just the basics of the Tiger Subduing Palm and the Six Directions Stick Technique."

"The Tiger Subduing Palm? A technique that can tame a tiger?" Lee Cha's eyes sparkled.

Gao Xiong gave an awkward laugh. "You're kidding, right, Lee? The Tiger Subduing Palm is just a name. Though, I suppose if one were to perfect it, subduing a tiger wouldn't be out of the question..."

He paused, recalling that Lee Cha had indeed faced a tiger. He knew firsthand how formidable a tiger could be.

And here he was, someone who wouldn't even dare to mess with wolves, let alone tigers. His voice trailed off.

Lee Cha expressed his disappointment, "I see."

Sensing the skepticism, Gao Xiong hurriedly assured, "Don't be so quick to dismiss it, Lee Cha. Our Shaolin Kung Fu can be incredibly powerful at advanced stages."

"Take Qiao Feng, the leader of the Beggar Sect. He was once a Shaolin disciple, and now he's likely reached the Innate Stage. He could take on a tiger without breaking a sweat..."