Martial Arts: Starting from a Seemingly Real System

Tian Jing was too lazy to argue with Lu Yanjun, so she directly questioned the innkeeper, "Manager Gou, we have already agreed that I will help clean the guest rooms in this inn for 100 coins a day, and I will be paid every ten days. Now it's the eleventh day, why haven't you paid me in full?"

"This..." Shopkeeper Gou behind the counter was a little speechless after being asked by Tian Jing. He hesitated and looked at Lu Yanjun. He saw that he had a faint smile on his face, but there seemed to be a playful look in his eyes. His mind changed quickly and he said to Tian Jing, "Miss Tian, ​​we always pay people monthly when we hire them to do things. I agreed to pay you every ten days because I felt sorry for you. But now you also know that my boss has opened inns and restaurants all over Longxing City. The capital investment is too large, and it may be difficult to get the money for a while. You should still be paid monthly like everyone else. We can't make an exception for you!" After saying that, Shopkeeper Gou stroked his goatee, saw Tian Jing's angry face, and smiled, "Of course, if you are really short of money, my young master is here, you might as well talk to him, maybe there will be a way!"

Seeing that Shopkeeper Gou was so sensible, Lu Yanjun put away his folding fan and patted it in his hands, saying happily: "Yes, yes, Xiao Tiantian, if you have any difficulties, let's go upstairs and talk. I am also a man who cherishes women and will definitely help you!"

"No need for that! Just tell us here in front of everyone whether you are planning to default on your debt or not." Tian Jing suppressed his anger and said in a deep voice.

"How is this possible? How could my great Lu family owe you a mere one or two taels of silver?" Lu Yanjun saw that the guests and businessmen who were dining and resting in the lobby were looking at them, and his face looked a little unhappy.

"In that case, please pay me my wages!" Tian Jing said.

"You said to pay the bill? Don't I, Lu, have any dignity?" Lu Yanjun was angry and sneered, "Have you a drink with me? If I'm happy, I might even give you a few more taels of silver, hehe!"

Seeing Lu Yanjun's behavior, Tian Jing frowned slightly, thought for a moment, then walked to the wine shop of the inn and got a pot of wine. She found a wine glass and filled it up. She raised the glass and said to Lu Yanjun, "I don't want what's not mine, but I hope that what is mine will be paid in full! If I have offended Young Master Lu before, I hope Young Master Lu will forgive me!" After that, she drank it all in one gulp.

"it is good!"

"Girl is refreshing!"

"Give money! Give money!"

"Why don't you pay them their wages quickly? Do you still have any shame?"

The diners in the lobby cheered and applauded.

"Cough, cough, cough!" Tian Jing covered her face with her sleeves, half-bent her body, and coughed violently. After a while, she stood up straight again, turned over the empty wine glass and said, "Your Lu family is open for business, and we have inns and restaurants all over the city. You must know the importance of reputation. I hope you can do what you say!" Her cheeks were flushed at this time, and her voice was soft and gentle, which was unique to the Wu dialect, but her eyes were clear and stubborn.

"You--" Lu Yanjun originally wanted to trick Tian Jing into going to the private room upstairs to have a drink and flirt or something, but he didn't expect Tian Jing to be so ungrateful. He was so angry that he threw his sleeves away, left a word "you don't know what's good for you" and went upstairs angrily.

Tian Jing turned around and calmly said to Shopkeeper Gou: "Since your young master has not explicitly objected, he has acquiesced. I guess he can't really break his promise in front of so many people. Shopkeeper, please settle the bill. The total amount for eleven days is 1,100 coins!"

Looking at the young master who was leaving with a wave of his sleeves, and seeing that all the diners were staring at him, Shopkeeper Gou had no choice but to take out a string of coins from under the counter, and then counted out a hundred loose copper coins and handed them to Tian Jing, saying coldly: "Don't come here anymore!"

Tian Jing smiled, bowed to all the diners, and slowly walked out of the inn.

Looking at the weak yet strong back of the person wearing coarse linen clothes, Qiao Rui's heart moved slightly, and he stood up silently and followed.

Tian Jing walked through the streets and alleys all the way to the south of the city. She bought two prescriptions at the pharmacy and a palm-sized piece of meat from Zheng the butcher. She looked up and saw that it was getting late and the lights of thousands of houses were dim on the street. She touched the copper coins in her pocket and looked at the fat and lean pork in her hand. Thinking about her family's voracious eating in a while, she couldn't help but smile and quickened her pace to hurry home.

The south of the city is mostly where chickens and dogs are slaughtered and where peddlers live. People from the suburbs also go here to pick vegetables and transport fertilizer, so the whole southern area looks a bit dirty and dilapidated. Qiao Rui followed Bai Jing silently, and when he saw her walk into a dilapidated little house, he became slightly suspicious. In his impression, Tian Jing's family conditions have always been good, so why does it seem to be so difficult now?

Qiao Rui hesitated for a while, thinking that it would be better not to disturb other people's lives directly. Just as he was about to turn around and go back, he suddenly heard a man's voice scolding from inside. Qiao Rui paused and thought that if there was something wrong, he would take a look and try to help if he could. After all, they lived in the same room for so long, and Tian Jing was a good person, so they had a good relationship in private. Thinking of this, Qiao Rui immediately jumped onto the roof, gently lifted a piece of gray tile, and looked down.

The room was not big, and could be vaguely seen under the dim light. It was a small room with an open door, and outside was a hall connected to the kitchen, with no partition in the middle. There were some simple and old furniture, tables and chairs, which were very simple.

Tian Jing was busy in front of the stove. A man with a cane was yelling and cursing behind her. Upon closer inspection, it was Tian Jing's man Bi Yuntao.

"How come this guy has a broken leg?" Qiao Rui was secretly surprised when he saw Bi Yuntao leaning on a cane. "Wasn't he doing well when we met him during the great changes in the world? He seemed to be full of energy and had good martial arts skills. Why is he like this now?"

Qiao Rui continued to watch with doubts, but it turned out that Bi Yuntao was dissatisfied with Tian Jing for coming back late and smelling of alcohol. He was suspicious and kept asking Tian Jing if she had a man outside. Then he said like a madman that Tian Jing wanted to leave him because she saw that he was useless. The viciousness of his words and the perverted mind were simply unbelievable.

Tian Jing ignored Bi Yuntao's unreasonable behavior. She seemed to be used to it. She was busy in front of the stove and soon the meal was ready. She put a bowl of meat soup on the table, came over to help Bi Yuntao, and said softly: "I work at the Lotus Inn. You have also visited it. Don't think too much. Go and drink the soup obediently. I will help you boil medicine later!"

Bi Yuntao didn't appreciate it. He shook off Tian Jing's hand and kept asking, "Why do you smell like alcohol? Aren't you cleaning the room? Do you have to drink with me while cleaning the room? Did you clean someone else's bed?"

"Today is the day to get paid, and the young master happened to be here, so I offered him a glass of wine. Since you don't like it, I'll find another job tomorrow!" Tian Jing's gentle voice was a little tired. She took the bowl and chopsticks and added a bowl of rice for herself. She sat alone at the other end of the table, eating slowly with vegetables and salted radishes.

"Oh, so it's the young master who has arrived. Did you seduce him by toasting him because he's young and rich? I knew you were tired of staying in this family. Are you looking for a way out for yourself, and waiting for the right time to climb up the social ladder?" Bi Yuntao was immersed in his own speculations. He became more and more excited and angry.

Tian Jing knew that she couldn't explain it to him, so she didn't bother with him and just ate her meal. But in Bi Yuntao's eyes, he thought Tian Jing was guilty, and he became even more furious and shouted, "I got it right, you have nothing to say, right?" In anger, he held the table with one hand and picked up the cane with the other and swung it out.