Diligence System: From Servant to Martial King

Qingyao said, "Yes!" She led Li Xian out of the hall, faintly hearing the conversation.

Wei Chu asked, "How does Aunt intend to handle it?" Princess An Yang casually said, "Since you don’t like him, let him continue undercover in Jade City. He boldly claimed that in three years, he could qualify as the Silver-faced Young Lord. Very well, I’ll see whether he truly has the skill. If not, according to the words of that day, he’ll be punished by slicing."

Wei Chu said, "If Aunt exhaustively assists him, even a pig will progress rapidly."

Princess An Yang said, "This boy’s background is unclear; I will not assist him. My dear nephew, if I were to help, it would be the sons of the Wei family. Let’s not talk about this person anymore. We haven’t seen each other for a long time, let’s go have tea with Aunt."

...

...

Exiting the hall, Qingyao walked with lightness, her green skirt swaying as she led ahead, leaving a trail of fragrance. Li Xian followed closely behind.

Qingyao suddenly sighed, "What a pity."

Li Xian asked, "Sister Qing, why do you sigh? What is it you pity?" Qingyao turned her head to examine him and said, "This slightest difference means a world apart. You do not know that just now your fate rose and fell suddenly. What a pity..."

Li Xian said, "Pity that now, I have fallen considerably?" Qingyao walked slowly, nodding, "You are indeed smart."

After walking a few yards past the main hall, they arrived at a verdant bamboo forest with a narrow stone path on the ground. The night air was cool and soothing, the fragrance of plants lingering at the tip of their noses. Li Xian had recently experienced life and death not under his own control, secretly bearing a grudge but not displaying it outwardly.

Li Xian casually plucked a bamboo leaf, playing with it, and said, "Sister Qing, what do you mean by ’rise’?" Qingyao said, "What’s the use of mentioning it, the opportunity is lost. Even if you know, apart from adding to your regrets, what else can it do?"

Li Xian laughed, "Sister Qing, you underestimate me. Just say it all, as if I will sit down and weep bitterly."

Qingyao’s thoughts were meticulous, and the Princess An Yang sometimes considered Qingyao’s opinions when selecting talents. She recalled the scene in the hall, knowing that Li Xian was indeed extraordinary with a bearing difficult to fake. She said, "Since you wish to hear it, there’s no harm in saying it. Just now the Commandery Princess was curious about you when she saw your appearance."

"I dare not speculate on the Commandery Princess’s matters, but if your luck were slightly better at that moment and you endeavored a bit, winning the Commandery Princess’s favor, you’d surely have earned a small post by her side. Joining the Commandery Princess’s residence, your future prospects would then depend on your skills and abilities, but the future... would indeed be substantial."

Li Xian thought, "If I secured a small post, perhaps there would be more chances to escape. It wouldn’t be a big deal. Even if I went undercover in Jade City, would I truly follow her orders obediently and stay in hiding on her behalf? I’m not that foolish, and I will look for a chance to escape when the time comes." He said indifferently, "What a pity indeed."

Qingyao said, "Not to mention luxurious meals, but being respected and living cleanly is indeed a relief. You have some abilities, by further striving, you may inevitably find a place to settle in this troubled time."

Seeing Li Xian’s calm expression, seemingly unconcerned, Qingyao said, "You truly remain composed."

Li Xian said, "The matter has passed, what can I do? Sister Qing, what exactly does this ’fall’ refer to?"

Qingyao said, "Naturally, it means you continue to infiltrate Jade City. Not only is it extremely dangerous, but the chances of standing out are very slim!"

Li Xian asked, "Please explain a bit, Sister Qing." Qingyao said, "Like the undercover agents from a few days ago. They infiltrate Jade City through various channels. However, most are ’miscellaneous folk’ with no identity and no background. Such miscellaneous people have extremely low status, surviving on begging, with their clothes hardly covering the body. Among thousands of miscellaneous people, only one or two may earn the status of ’common folk’ or ’Yu People.’"

Li Xian thought, "Though the status is low, it’s about infiltrating Jade City first, then slowly seeking advancement." Qingyao said, "But you are different..."

Li Xian said, "In what way am I different?"

Qingyao said, "Your Martial Arts skills are not bad; you should have just entered the Second Realm. People like you, mixed among the miscellaneous folk, would soon be detected. Therefore... you will enter Jade City as a Debt Slave."

Li Xian furrowed his brow slightly, listening calmly. Qingyao said, "A Debt Slave is someone who owes a debt to Jade City and hasn’t returned it in a long time. A debt to Jade City is not erased by the debtor’s death. The son repays for the father, the father repays for the father, the mother repays for the mother."

"The identity is arranged for you, Qingning’s Li Xian, repaying a debt for your brother, owed to Jade City fourteen thousand taels of silver, outstanding for four years."

Li Xian’s brow furrowed tightly, "Wait... even if in debt, why owe so much?" Qingyao said, "This debt certificate is genuine; no one can forge Jade City’s debt certificates. You previously said, in three years qualify as the Silver-faced Young Lord, exchanged for a life. However, the Commandery Princess... is not easy to deceive, so she bestowed this debt certificate. Fourteen thousand taels of silver is no small amount..."

Qingyao said, "Now you should understand why I mentioned fate rising and falling together. And as a Debt Slave, fate is even less in your own hands. You... take care of yourself!"

The two walked through the bamboo forest, past a peach blossom grove. This was a manor within the Dragon Court Prefecture, Lanjian State. The Commandery Princess An Yang only stayed temporarily, but the manor was managed and cleaned all year round, with the gardens and scenery well-maintained.

Li Xian said, "Very well, since this is fate, I must accept it."

After walking a bit further, they arrived at a Document Storage. Qingyao sent a portrait and information of Li Xian into a wooden box. Then she handed over a debt note, describing: Which year, month, and time, owed fourteen thousand taels of silver to Jade City due to gambling and betting on jade.

Then she handed over a brocade bag, containing a jade bottle, saying, "This bottle contains Elixir, enough to prevent toxicity for half a year. After half a year... if you have not perished. For the Detoxification Pill, you will need to inquire at the ’Miaocao Hall.’ The Miaocao Hall will have Detoxification Pills hidden in various locations and distributed through different methods. But... first survive six months then talk about anything else."

Qingyao said with sympathy, "It’s indeed the time and fortune; no one can predict." She suddenly thought of Wei Chu, who was also undercover. Although that young lord started as a Mud-faced Young Lord, financial resources and connections would surely prop him up. Li Xian, however, has to start from the bottom."