Chapter 213: A Good Martial Arts Talent
Perhaps it was because he was a father himself, but when he thought about the hardships and suffering that Ming Ye had endured, he couldn’t help but think about his own wife and children back home. Without him there to protect them, were they able to eat their fill and stay warm?
“Eh? Where’s the young master?” While Zhang Hu was busy piling food into Ming Ye’s bowl, Tao Ming returned after inquiring about the black market. As soon as he entered the room and didn’t see Yu Luo, he quickly asked.
“Resting in her room. How’s the black market situation?”
“It opens early tomorrow morning. Usually, it operates in the evening, but since today coincides with the auction, many people who have stayed in Feng City for a day will want to make use of their time. So, on the day after an auction, Feng City shifts the black market to the morning and keeps it open for the entire day.”
“That’s good news. Then we can return tomorrow.” As soon as Zhang Hu finished speaking, he turned back to the table and was about to serve more food for Ming Ye. However, his hand froze midair, and his entire body stiffened.
Looking at the empty bowl that had been cleared in the time it took for him to say a single sentence, Zhang Hu was momentarily speechless.
“I’ll get you another bowl.”
“I’ll do it myself.” Just as Zhang Hu was about to stand, Ming Ye spoke directly. Without hesitation, he grabbed the ladle and scooped himself another full bowl of rice, continuing to eat ravenously.
“This kid can talk?” Tao Ming was shocked. He hurriedly sat down, picked up his chopsticks, and started adding more food to Ming Ye’s bowl. “Don’t rush, we’re not taking it away from you. Look at how thin you are… tsk tsk tsk, those people in Feng City are too cruel, treating a child like this.”
“I’m thirteen!” Tao Ming’s chopsticks paused, and so did Ming Ye’s. He was still rapidly shoveling rice into his mouth, clearly famished. But before swallowing, he abruptly lifted his head, looked straight at Tao Ming, and firmly clarified.
Though Ming Ye’s voice wasn’t loud, the weight in his words was undeniable, as if he was afraid of being treated like a child.
His statement left both Tao Ming and Zhang Hu stunned!
The two men exchanged looks of disbelief as they scrutinized Ming Ye again. Tao Ming muttered, “If you hadn’t said anything, I would’ve thought you were only eight or nine! You must have suffered a lot, or you should have grown taller by now.”
Hearing this, a hint of frustration crossed Ming Ye’s delicate face. His sister was already sixteen and had blossomed into a beautiful young woman, yet he, at thirteen, still looked like a little kid. He had to eat more and grow faster—only then could he protect his sister.
With that in mind, Ming Ye continued devouring his food at an even faster pace.
“Hey, hey, hey! Slow down! You’ll get a stomachache. Listen, if your stomach hurts, the medical clinics in Feng City are ridiculously expensive. Just a consultation costs at least a hundred taels of silver. That means our young master would have to spend more money on you again!” Seeing Ming Ye finish his third bowl and still reaching for more, Tao Ming panicked and reached out to stop him.
Hearing Tao Ming’s remark, Zhang Hu’s expression darkened. He shot Tao Ming a disapproving glare. “He’s obviously starving—let him eat.”
“I’m full.” Unexpectedly, just as Zhang Hu spoke, Ming Ye put down his bowl, stood up, and succinctly uttered those two words before heading toward the water bucket, preparing to carry it himself.
Zhang Hu and Tao Ming exchanged glances. Zhang Hu shot another glare at Tao Ming, clearly blaming him for scaring Ming Ye into stopping. Tao Ming, on the other hand, looked innocent—he genuinely believed he hadn’t said anything wrong!
Meanwhile, inside her room, Yu Luo was busy sorting through the valuable goods she had seized from the Prime Minister’s and Marquis’s residences. She carefully selected ten or so antique paintings and calligraphy scrolls from her system storage and wrapped them in coarse cloth, planning to check the market conditions at the black market tomorrow.
If possible, she intended to sell these items outright. However, she needed to go alone—having three people with her would be too conspicuous. If the Prime Minister’s household tracked their stolen goods to the black market, wouldn’t that be stirring the hornet’s nest?
But if she didn’t liquidate these assets, what was the point of painstakingly bringing them out of the Prime Minister’s residence in the first place?
“System, how are you doing? Can we still communicate properly?”
[What does the host need?]
“Are you functioning normally now?”
[The system is operational. I can continue assisting the host as usual, as long as I don’t have to activate any major functions.]
Hearing this, Yu Luo felt reassured.
“Check my current points balance.”
[You currently have 9,000 points. Would you like to convert them into growth value?]
Yu Luo was momentarily stunned, then abruptly sat up from her warm bed, overwhelmed with excitement.
“When did I accumulate so many points? I don’t remember earning them. And I don’t recall you assigning me any tasks lately either.”
[Host, ever since you arrived in the wasteland and started helping build infrastructure with your parents, the system has been awarding points for every beneficial action. I simply didn’t notify you. For example, today, when you bid on two people at the auction, the system awarded you 2,000 points. You also earned 3,000 points for guiding Xiao Yi in constructing irrigation channels. Along with your past contributions, your total has now reached 9,000.]
Yu Luo immediately understood. The system no longer assigned her forced missions, but instead rewarded her for good deeds and contributions to the people.
“System, besides medicine, what’s in the second and third levels of the store? Can you give me a preview? I want to prepare for the future. Once my city is built, I’ll need to utilize the store effectively. Supporting a private army will require substantial resources.”
[Host, the first level contains general medicine, including both Western and traditional Chinese medicine. The second level consists of rare medicinal ingredients, as well as various vegetable, fruit, and tree seeds. The third level includes goods commonly found in ancient general stores, along with textiles and more valuable medicinal herbs. The fourth level contains gourmet foods, premium ingredients, luxurious fabrics, and top-tier medicines. The fifth level connects to modern e-commerce markets. By this point, further unlocking will be unnecessary. However, the sixth level holds extremely rare herbs—including the ones used to make the detoxification pills auctioned today.]
“In that case, I absolutely need to unlock them. By the way, System, would you provide me with pharmaceutical recipes if needed?”
[Yes, the system can provide them upon request. Also, since Ming Ye is now under your care, you can transfer some of your growth value to him. Based on my scan, this child is a martial arts prodigy. He has been training since childhood, and despite having no internal energy at the moment, his potential is extraordinary. Once the system is fully restored, I can help you find a suitable charm technique manual for him.]
Yu Luo: …!
