Chapter 5: The Madam

"Not many people seriously wanting to learn martial arts this morning either."

Jiang Ye dismissed a sallow, emaciated refugee, leaned against the door panel, and sighed softly.

However, this bit of boredom was quickly diluted by another more tangible expectation.

Blood-Strengthening Soup.

At the thought of these three words, a faint throb seemed to come from the depths of Jiang Ye's silent dantian.

That was the body's instinctive craving for nourishing things.

Time passed quietly, and the sun rose higher.

A thick, mellow scent of medicinal herbs and long-boiled bone and meat drifted from the academy.

"The Blood-Strengthening Soup is out."

Smelling this faint medicinal fragrance, Jiang Ye's spirit lifted.

But he didn't rush over to get it, instead calculating the time in his heart.

About half an incense stick of time later, the medicinal fragrance seemed to reach its peak and then began to slowly fade.

"Time is about right."

Jiang Ye judged that those inner-courtyard disciples should have finished using it by now.

Only then did he slowly stand up and walk toward the small inner-courtyard kitchen.

The inner courtyard was much quieter than the outer courtyard, and the place was more spacious and exquisite.

More than a dozen inner-courtyard disciples were gathered in twos and threes on the field or under the corridor, some exchanging insights on practicing martial arts, others exercising their bones.

The most eye-catching in the field were naturally those few core members.

Liu Liu Yiyi, dressed in a black training suit, stood alone under an old plum tree on the east side of the martial arts arena, slowly finishing her movements.

Her posture was upright, her brows and eyes cold, and an invisible chill seemed to linger around her, isolating all noise and peeping, like an ice lotus blooming alone on the peak of a snowy mountain, aloof and eye-catching.

Su Yan and Zhang Xu, the two wealthy disciples, were much livelier around them.

Su Yan had changed into a goose-yellow tight-fitting suit today, which set off her skin like snow; she was laughing and talking with two female disciples beside her, her brows and eyes curved, looking radiant, causing several nearby male disciples to glance over from time to time.

Zhang Xu was in a luxurious silk martial arts uniform; he crossed his arms, his chin slightly raised, listening to the disciples who looked like followers, nodding faintly from time to time, his posture arrogant.

His hidden gaze swept toward Liu Liu Yiyi not far away from time to time.

There was another person standing in the open space in the center of the martial arts field, sturdy and honest-looking; he was one of the most senior disciples in the inner courtyard, Zhao Gang.

Generally speaking, inner-courtyard disciples who break through to Hidden Force can consider graduating and standing on their own, or going out to venture.

But Zhao Gang still remained in the academy, seeking the opportunity to break through to the Transformation of Force.

He was honest and kind, willing to guide those who came after; disciples with Bright Force who encountered cultivation difficulties would mostly go to him for advice, and he was the recognized "good old man" in the academy.

At this moment, he was patiently explaining a force-generating technique to a disciple who had just entered the inner courtyard.

"Eh? Old Jiang."

A slightly surprised, clear voice sounded; it was Su Yan.

Almost at the same time, Zhao Gang, who was guiding the disciple, also turned his head and saw Jiang Ye, a smile appearing on his honest face as he nodded and greeted: "Old Jiang, it's rare to see you enter the inner courtyard during the day."

Other disciples just glanced casually; seeing it was that old gatekeeper, they retracted their gaze indifferently.

Jiang Ye stopped and bowed slightly toward Su Yan and Zhao Gang, saying: "The Master asked me to come over to get a bowl of medicinal soup to nourish my body."

Su Yan realized, the corners of her lips curving into a bright arc: "So that's it, then Old Jiang, hurry up."

Zhao Gang also nodded gently: "Right, in this freezing weather, at your age, you should nourish your vitality well."

Both knew that Master Liu Liu Qingshi took good care of this old gatekeeper, so seeing Jiang Ye come, they just thought it was ordinary care and didn't think much of it.

After a simple greeting, Jiang Ye didn't stop and walked quickly into the small kitchen specifically for boiling medicine.

Pushing open the door, a stronger medicinal Qi mixed with water vapor rushed toward him.

A plump and graceful middle-aged woman in a black cotton skirt was facing the door, slightly bent over, holding a large cattail fan in her hand, fanning the fire at the stove mouth at a leisurely pace, controlling the heat.

The room was a bit stuffy, and beads of fragrant sweat seeped from the woman's forehead.

This woman was Liu Liu Qingshi's wife, Huang Huang Xiyu.

Hearing the sound of the door being pushed, the rhythm of the cattail fan fanning the fire in Huang Huang Xiyu's hand paused subtly, but she didn't turn back immediately.

Jiang Ye softened his steps, walked to the side of the stove, bowed slightly toward the woman's back, and said respectfully: "Madam."

Only then did Huang Huang Xiyu seem to just notice someone had entered; she slowly straightened up and turned her head.

She was in her early forties, with a beautiful face and fair skin, but the fine lines at the corners of her eyes and her slightly tight lips exuded a shrewdness and strictness from years of managing and calculating.

Her gaze landed on Jiang Ye, she looked him up and down, and a faint smile that seemed a bit puzzled appeared on her face:

"Old Jiang, why are you here?"

Her voice was soft, but it didn't carry much temperature.

Hearing this, Jiang Ye sighed inwardly.

He knew clearly that since Liu Liu Qingshi had spoken to let him come to get the Blood-Strengthening Soup yesterday, there was no way he would have forgotten to tell Huang Huang Xiyu.

Her current attitude was nothing more than feeling the pain of this "extra" expenditure.

This Madam...

To put it nicely, she was diligent and frugal, managing the academy in an orderly manner.

To put it bluntly, she was too stingy, attaching great importance to every expenditure, especially those she deemed "not worth it" for people or things.

In Huang Huang Xiyu's view, Jiang Ye was just an old man on the verge of death with no contribution to the academy; using a bowl of precious Blood-Strengthening Soup on him was no different from splashing it on the ground.

Although the other party didn't want to give it, Jiang Ye understood that to continue practicing fist techniques and break through to Bright Force, this Blood-Strengthening Soup had to be drunk.

He was about to speak, pondering how to deal with this shrewd Madam.

"Madam, yesterday the Master..."

The words had just started when they were interrupted by a steady sound of footsteps.

"Sigh, I knew you had this personality."

Liu Liu Qingshi walked in, looked at Huang Huang Xiyu with some helplessness, and said: "I promised this Blood-Strengthening Soup to Old Jiang; you 'forgot' again, right?"

"Hmph."

Seeing Liu Liu Qingshi enter, Huang Huang Xiyu hummed lightly and, unwillingly, handed a bowl of Blood-Strengthening Soup to Jiang Ye.

"Master..."

Jiang Ye took the soup bowl and looked at Liu Liu Qingshi with some gratitude.

"Old Jiang, drink it while it's hot."

Liu Liu Qingshi waved his hand slightly, signaling him not to say more.

"Thank you, Master, thank you, Madam."

After thanking the two, Jiang Ye drank the bowl of Blood-Strengthening Soup into his stomach without haste.

The warm liquid, carrying a hint of bitterness and fishy smell, slid down his throat, and a clear warm current spread in his chest and abdomen.

The deficit from practicing martial arts too much last night was gradually made up by this warm current.

"Now I can continue practicing fist techniques."

A moment later, a flash of brilliance passed through Jiang Ye's eyes.

The effect of this Blood-Strengthening Soup was even better than he had imagined.

"Not bad, Old Jiang, I was afraid you were too weak to be nourished, so I specifically came to take a look."

Liu Liu Qingshi had been observing Jiang Ye's reaction; seeing his complexion as usual and his breath steady, with no signs of being too weak to be nourished, he nodded slightly and continued:

"From now on, one bowl a day; just come to get it on time. If Huang Xiyu doesn't give it to you, just come directly to me."

"Thank you for your concern, Master."

Jiang Ye felt a warmth in his heart.

This protection from Liu Liu Qingshi was especially precious in a world where human hearts were cold.

When he caught a glimpse of Huang Huang Xiyu's increasingly unhappy expression, he tactfully thanked the two again and quickly retreated from the small kitchen.

"Hmph, you've raised him for decades, and you still give him this precious medicinal soup; you're certainly generous."

Seeing Jiang Ye leave, Huang Huang Xiyu didn't pretend anymore, snorted coldly, and looked at her husband with full displeasure.

"Having an old person in the house is like having a treasure."

Liu Liu Qingshi walked to his wife's side and said softly:

"Huang Xiyu, don't forget, if it weren't for Old Jiang's life-saving grace back then, I, Liu Liu Qingshi, would have long since become a pile of withered bones; where would I have the fate to meet you, open this academy, and have the current scenery?"

"Compared to this kindness, what is this bit of medicinal soup?"

Hearing her husband's gentle persuasion, Huang Huang Xiyu still had a bit of reproach on her face, but her anger clearly subsided quite a bit, and she curled her lips:

"Hmph, you've taken all the credit for being a good person."

"While the medicinal power is still being absorbed, practice for a while."

Jiang Ye, who had returned to the gate, felt the warm current in his body and immediately set up a "tiger form" stance. ===== CHAPTER 6 =====