Jiang Yuan turned his head, his sharp, falcon-like eyes falling on Chen Lingxi in the corridor.
His gaze swept over the desolate floral arrangement in the young man's hands, paused briefly, and locked onto Chen Lingxi.
It was as if he wanted to pierce that thin winter coat and see the very bones beneath the boy's flesh.
Jiang Yuan's brows slowly furrowed. A flash of bewilderment passed through his eyes, quickly giving way to curiosity.
"Huh?"
Another soft, low sound of surprise spilled from his throat.
The two exclamations were not loud, but in the silent courtyard, they rang out with stark clarity.
Everyone blanked for a moment. Following Jiang Yuan's gaze, all they saw was the young official bondservant, standing meekly with downcast eyes, holding the floral arrangement.
Lin Longyue noticed Jiang Yuan's odd reaction. Her gaze shifted to Chen Lingxi, a trace of bafflement flickering in her eyes.
Sitting peacefully in the East Hall, County Princess Yunhe had been whispering to her maidservant. She paused, looking over in curiosity.He Duan was confused.
He knew very well how arrogant and exacting Jiang Yuan could be. Only moments ago, the man had found fault with nearly all the carefully cultivated disciples of the West Courtyard; it was exceedingly rare for him to show interest in ordinary people. Why would he wear such an expression for a mere official bondservant?
Feeling that almost tangible, piercing stare, Chen Lingxi's heart skipped a beat. He maintained his submissive posture, however, keeping his eyes downcast and his body perfectly still.
To everyone's surprise, Jiang Yuan ignored the others completely and strode right toward the corridor!
He came to a halt in front of Chen Lingxi, his tall figure casting an invisible, overbearing pressure over the boy.
"You," Jiang Yuan said, his voice deep and resonant. "Look up."
Obeying, Chen Lingxi slowly raised his head to meet Jiang Yuan's scrutinizing gaze.
Up close, Jiang Yuan examined him with intense care.
The youth's complexion was still somewhat pale, but no longer sickly. Instead, it carried a warm, jade-like luster.
His features were clean and handsome, though a lingering melancholy hung about his brows.
What caught Jiang Yuan's attention most, however, was how the youth stood. He seemed frail, yet his spine was naturally straight and his shoulders completely relaxed. His breathing was long and subtle, as if he had blended seamlessly into the winter wind. He showed none of the cowering, listless demeanor typical of indentured laborers.
"Who are you?" Jiang Yuan asked.
"In reply to Your Excellency, I am the official bondservant Chen Lingxi, a chore servant of the West Courtyard. I have come on the Miss's orders to present this floral arrangement."
His voice was steady, his answer flawless.
"Official bondservant Chen Lingxi..." Jiang Yuan muttered the name once, then suddenly reached out.
He was actually going to examine Chen Lingxi's bones!
Instantly, confusion washed over the crowd.
Low murmurs of disbelief rippled through the courtyard.
"Mister Jiang is going to examine an official bondservant's bones?"
"A slave who can't eat his fill or dress warmly—what kind of bone structure could he possibly have?"
He Duan could no longer hide the sheer astonishment on his face.
Zheng Qingya frowned slightly, looking at Chen Lingxi with added perplexity.
Jiang Yuan's expression turned incredibly focused as his large hand landed on Chen Lingxi.
His movements were slower and far more solemn than when he had examined anyone else.
His first finger landed near the Baihui acupoint at the crown of Chen Lingxi's head, pressing down lightly.
Chen Lingxi felt a warm, deeply penetrating surge of energy seep into his skull and travel instantly downward.
Following this, Jiang Yuan's fingers traced along Chen Lingxi's cervical, thoracic, and lumbar vertebrae, slowly pressing down, joint by joint.
It was as if his fingertips had sprouted eyes, able to see every subtle shape, density, and joint connection within the skeletal frame.
That strange surge of energy penetrated deeply alongside his touch, probing the vitality hidden within the marrow and mapping the flow of qi and blood through the boy's veins.
The courtyard was dead silent. Everyone held their breath, watching Jiang Yuan's iron hands moving steadily over Chen Lingxi.
From the spine to the shoulder blades, from the arm bones down to the knuckles, then to the waist, hips, leg bones, and ankles...
Jiang Yuan's expression grew heavier by the second, the astonishment in his eyes deepening.
He could feel that the skeletal foundation of the body beneath his hands wasn't truly top-tier. In some places, he could even detect faint scars of long-term strain and malnutrition.
But!
Those places, which by all rights should have been stiff, sluggish, and brittle, miraculously displayed a bizarre elasticity and vitality.
Especially the great dragon of the spine and the major bones of the limbs! Their inner resilience far exceeded their outward appearance.
The pathways for qi and blood were also vastly wider and smoother than those of an ordinary martial artist just entering the fold.
And that resilient vitality buried deep within the meridians—examined up close like this, the sensation was unmistakable!
This was absolutely extraordinary!
Time ticked by.
A fine sheen of sweat began to form on Jiang Yuan's forehead.
Of all the people he had examined today, this was the first time it had drained so much of his mental energy.
Finally, he pulled his hands back.
Silence.
Dead silence.
Everyone stared at Jiang Yuan, waiting for his verdict.
Jiang Yuan exhaled a long breath of stale air, which condensed into a perfectly straight white arrow in the freezing cold.
The look he gave Chen Lingxi now held genuine delight.
"Princess!" Jiang Yuan's voice was slightly hoarse, yet it rang out like a great bell, echoing across the courtyard. "This Chen Lingxi can be considered an excellent seedling of superb quality. He vastly outstrips anyone else in this courtyard!"
"His qi and blood are incredibly enduring and resilient, and his meridians are broad and clear. Even rarer, an unyielding toughness and vitality are hidden deep within his bones. Compared to Zheng Qingya, he is far more suited to cultivate my Mountain-Collapsing Force!"
His words were sonorous, striking the ground like iron.
The courtyard... grew even quieter.
He Duan, the drillmaster of the West Courtyard's Martial Arts Hall, took a deep breath.
He looked at Jiang Yuan, then at the silent, scrawny official bondservant, feeling it was utterly absurd.
This official bondservant was actually an unpolished martial arts gem with a top-tier bone structure?
But how could the judgment and bone-examining arts of a master at Silver Bone Consummation possibly be wrong?
Zheng Qingya stood rooted to the spot. The joy of being selected had yet to fade, but now, he was left stunned and dazed by this sudden turn of events.
"I can't practice the Mountain-Collapsing Force anymore?"
By now, Jiang Yuan had turned his head to look at Chen Lingxi once more.
"Are you willing to practice the martial dao under me?"
Chen Lingxi looked toward Lin Longyue.
Lin Longyue gave a wordless nod, her commanding presence radiating oppressive weight.
'I only wanted to see Jiang Yuan today,' Chen Lingxi thought. 'It would be best if I could make contact, and if not, I'd just look for another chance later. I never expected it to go this smoothly.'
'It seems that spiritual qi really did change my constitution. Have I actually become a martial arts genius?'
Suppressing the joy bubbling in his heart, Chen Lingxi bowed deeply.
"Chen Lingxi is willing!"
Jiang Yuan nodded in satisfaction, though a hint of regret touched his eyes.
'This youth surnamed Chen possesses extraordinary bones, yet he is a mere official bondservant.
'It is almost impossible for him to ever regain his freedom. Otherwise, I would have taken him as my disciple.'
At this thought, his gaze shifted involuntarily toward Lin Longyue in front of the East Hall.
With his exceptional eyesight, he could see that Lin Longyue's qi and blood were burning like a furnace. The meridians throughout her body had practically become roaring channels of vitality, weaving into a complete net of fire!
This was the sign of reaching Bronze-Red Realm Consummation, on the very verge of stepping into the Silver Bone Realm.
'The Lin family's precious young miss is not even eighteen, yet she is already about to enter the Silver Bone Realm. In the future, she will become a Golden Body figure at the very least.
'I was recruited by her to the Baosu Marquis Residence and given a handsome salary and lavish rewards. What harm is there in providing her with a death-sworn official bondservant cultivated in the Mountain-Collapsing Force?'
Such were the thoughts running through his mind.
Lin Longyue, however, turned her head slightly. "Since the matter is settled, Mister Jiang must be tired.
"Liu Que, escort Mister Jiang back to his courtyard and host him well."
Steward Liu Que of the West Courtyard stood before Lin Longyue without his Suanni Hand Warmer, respectfully voicing his compliance.
Jiang Yuan smiled and bowed to Lin Longyue, then said to Chen Lingxi, "I grant you a day of rest today. Come to my courtyard before the Mao hour tomorrow."
Liu Que led Jiang Yuan away.
Lin Longyue was clearly in a good mood; the look she cast toward Chen Lingxi now held a trace of pleasant surprise.
County Princess Yunhe, however, seemed far more interested in the vase of flowers Chen Lingxi had brought. Examining it closely, she said with a lazy drawl, "Longyue, it seems your luck is quite good. Who knows how many official bondservants there are in the Ministry of Justice's Bureau of Official Slaves.
"The vast majority of them are useless trash, yet you managed to acquire a talent like this.
"Not only can he arrange flowers, but he actually has some aptitude for martial arts."
Lin Longyue smiled at County Princess Yunhe. "Chen Lingxi, come with me."
She entered the East Hall and took the high seat of honor. Once Chen Lingxi walked in, he bowed to her.
"You have good luck." Holding a porcelain teacup, Lin Longyue lifted the lid and gently blew at the jasmine flowers floating on the tea. "This Jiang Yuan is a martial arts powerhouse at Silver Bone Consummation.
"All two hundred or so bones in his body have turned silvery-white, and his silver marrow surges with qi and blood. His combat strength is unimaginably formidable.
"Particularly the Mountain-Collapsing Force he cultivates. When unleashed, it strikes with the force of a collapsing mountain. It is a true, lethal killer move.
"If you can inherit even a fraction of his true teachings, you will be of use to me."
Chen Lingxi kept his head bowed as he listened.
Lin Longyue took a sip of her tea and gently flicked her sleeve. "I have already sent someone to transfer your registry from the Bureau of Official Slaves to my Baosu Marquis Residence.
"From now on, you no longer need to report to the Bureau every single month. Going once every two months will suffice.
"If you render meritorious service in the future, I will show mercy and pardon your status as an official bondservant. What harm would there be in letting you become a vassal household, or even a miscellaneous household?
"When that time comes, you would only need to wait for a grand imperial amnesty to return to the status of a free commoner. Then your Chen family name would no longer have to remain enslaved for generations!"
Hearing Lin Longyue's promises, Chen Lingxi sneered inwardly.
The capital and Jingji Province were the most heavily controlled territories of the imperial court. As an official bondservant, it was nearly impossible to find a chance to escape within the Jingji Circuit.
If he actually made something of his martial arts and became useful to the Baosu Marquis Residence, he would likely only be trapped tighter in this cage. He would become nothing more than a death-sworn pawn for the Marquis Residence, kept specifically to handle their dirty work.
Why would these people standing high above ever show mercy and set him free?
He sneered in his heart, yet his face displayed a look of pleasant surprise. He even took a step forward and bowed deeply to Lin Longyue.
"I am willing to offer my life in service to the Miss."
Lin Longyue gave a slight nod, the light in her eyes returning to its usual icy detachment.
"Cultivate well under Mister Jiang. Show me if you truly are the excellent seedling of superb quality he claims you are.
"From now on, your monthly allowance will be ten liang of silver. Furthermore, your daily meals will be provided by the Martial Arts Hall, and you are permitted to enjoy a medicinal bath once a month.
"You may step down."
These were tangible, concrete benefits. Feeling a bit of genuine joy now, Chen Lingxi bowed and withdrew.
County Princess Yunhe walked out from behind the folding screen, smiling. "Ever since that eternal thick fog dissipated from the mountain west of Yuanjiang Prefecture, more and more martial arts experts have been emerging in the prefecture.
"Your wagered duel with the prefect's daughter is drawing closer. With just a single Jiang Yuan on your side, I'm afraid you won't be able to defeat her.
"Do you want me to lend you a few experts?"
The hateful, domineering face of Chu Linzi, the prefect's daughter, flashed through Lin Longyue's mind, bringing an involuntary look of disgust to her eyes.
If she borrowed people, even if she won, she would likely just be mocked by Chu Linzi anyway.
Lin Longyue shook her head. Soon after, as if recalling something, she asked, "Princess, has that locust branch arrangement been delivered to the Mirror Palace?"
"It's not that easy," County Princess Yunhe replied. "Who knows how many prominent figures send floral arrangements to Imperial Consort Chun's Mirror Palace.
"Imperial Consort Chun accepts all the arrangements sent to her, but she only admires four or five a day. We still have quite a bit of waiting to do in line."
Feeling a bit worried, Lin Longyue furrowed her brows.
County Princess Yunhe knew what Lin Longyue was concerned about. "Don't worry. I've already informed the Bureau of Palace Gardens. They'll take good care of it so that the arrangement won't die on us."