She nodded, her tone flat: "Thank you for your trouble."
Li Fu repeatedly said he wouldn't dare, then scurried to the front, took out the key, and pushed open the courtyard gate.
"Lord, please."
The courtyard was not large, but it was clean and tidy.
There were three main rooms, one wing room on the east and west respectively, a well in the courtyard, and a few clumps of green bamboo, making it very elegant.
"Is Lord satisfied?"
Jiang Yuechu glanced around. This environment was countless times better than the barracks. How could she be dissatisfied?
"Mm."
She nodded, indicating she was quite satisfied.
Seeing this, Li Fu's smile grew wider, and he babbled on, introducing the various facilities in the courtyard, and even where in the city it was convenient to shop and where the food was delicious.
Jiang Yuechu grew a little impatient, waved her hand, and interrupted him: "Alright, you can go now."
Li Fu was perceptive, immediately handed over the keys, bowed, and excused himself.
After he left, Jiang Yuechu walked into the courtyard and took a deep breath.
This was her home.
In this other world, for the first time, she had a place of her own to settle down.
Although this place of refuge came with some twists and turns, and some bloodshed.
But what of it?
She looked around.
"Such a big house, should I hire some maids and servants to help manage it..."
No, no, no.
She shook her small head violently.
Jiang Yuechu, oh Jiang Yuechu, how can you be so decadent?
You're just an eighth-rank squad leader, and you're already thinking about finding people to serve you?
Moreover, even if she had the intention, she didn't have the means.
She only earned ten taels a month. In the Great Tang Dynasty, ten taels of silver might be enough for an ordinary family of three to live comfortably for half a year.
If they were frugal, they could barely get by for a year.
But for Jiang Yuechu, this was merely a drop in the bucket.
They say scholars are poor, but Martial Artists are rich.
But in reality, studying costs money, and practicing martial arts costs even more.
For children from poor families, being able to eat and clothe themselves is already a luxury. Where would they have extra money to buy medicinal herbs to nourish their Qi and Blood, or to hire a Martial Master to teach them?
Even the most rudimentary techniques would be difficult to master without ten or eight years of hard practice.
Meanwhile, children of aristocratic families had excellent teachers from a young age, supplemented by delicacies and medicinal baths for Body Tempering, so their bones and muscles were naturally far superior to ordinary people.
The consumption involved in this was more than a thousand gold!
The hundred demons compendium was indeed Heaven-Defying, allowing her to surpass decades of ordinary people's arduous cultivation in a short time.
However, this Golden Finger was not omnipotent.
Just for daily consumption, she was already in the Minggu Realm, and her body's demand for energy had reached an astonishing level.
This meant that in the future, just eating would consume most of her salary.
What?
You ask how she solved it before?
Naturally, she shamelessly went to Wei Qing's place for free meals.
But now that she had at least been promoted to an eighth-rank squad leader, how could she still have the nerve to go?
Thinking of this, she immediately dismissed the idea of enjoying her salary.
Maids, servants, elegant living—all were but a mirage.
She took a deep breath, casting aside those distracting thoughts.
She immediately decided to go out and shop.
After all, she would be living alone from now on.
All her food and supplies had to be prepared by herself... East of Region City, outside the Jingyao Workshop, was the market.
Jiang Yuechu first went to a cloth shop, had two sets of casual clothes tailored, and then ordered two sets of tight-fitting martial attire from a tailor.
After buying all the necessities for living, she found a rice shop and weighed out five shi of polished rice.
The promotion money from the Demon Suppression Division did not include monthly rice and meat, so she had to cover these expenses herself for now.
The rice was bought, next was the meat.
The diet of a Martial Artist was vastly different from that of ordinary people.
Ordinary pork and mutton were not only difficult to satisfy hunger, but also provided little help in advancing cultivation.
Wealthy Martial Artists often specifically purchased the flesh and blood of Yao Beasts.
Yao Beasts were not demons; they were rare and exotic beasts possessing a trace of demonic Bloodline.
The Red-Eyed Colt of the Demon Suppression Division was one such example.
For Martial Artists, the flesh and blood of Yao Beasts were highly nourishing.
Jiang Yuechu mused that since she was now in the Minggu Realm, ordinary flesh and blood would probably not be able to satisfy her needs.
Since she was shopping, she might as well go and see the so-called Yao Beast flesh and blood.
After asking around, she headed towards the largest butcher shop in the city... "What? You're selling this much meat for fifty taels?! Why don't you just rob me!!!"
The butcher shop owner was a burly man, but at this moment, he shrunk his neck from Jiang Yuechu's roar, a look of grievance on his Face.
He looked at Jiang Yuechu's Demon Suppression Division uniform and, in the end, dared not say more, only explaining in a low voice: "Lord... this Yao Beast meat has always been this price these past few years. Ordinary hunters wouldn't dare to touch it; only some Jianghu people specifically hunt Yao Beasts..."
Jiang Yuechu took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the anger in her heart.
Damn it!
Fifty taels of silver for such a small piece of meat?
Even robbery isn't this fast!
Her monthly salary was ten taels. Buying one piece of meat would cost her five months' worth of salary. Who could stand that?
She grumbled inwardly, but her expression remained calm.
Although this Yao Beast meat was good, she was currently short on money, so she could only settle for something less for now.
Annoyed as she was, what could she do if she couldn't afford it?
She couldn't really go and rob them, could she?
That would be banditry, and Jiang Yuechu was, after all, an eighth-rank squad leader with an official position.
"Fine, cut me five jin of beef shank, and two fat chickens."
She pointed to the ordinary domestic animal meat on the chopping block, her tone carrying a hint of reluctance.
The butcher shop owner breathed a sigh of relief and quickly cut and bundled the meat.
Jiang Yuechu took out her money pouch from her bosom, just about to pay, when a steady voice suddenly sounded beside her.
"Wrap this meat up; I'll pay for her."
Jiang Yuechu was startled and turned to look at the person.
Dark-colored casual clothes, a tall and straight figure, deep-set eyes, as steady as a mountain.
Who else could it be but Wei He?
Her heart skipped a beat.
The most awkward thing in the world was running into your boss while out shopping.
"Lord... Lord Wei! What are you doing here?"
"Just happened to be passing by."
Jiang Yuechu quickly waved her hand, "No, no, how can I let you pay, Lord..."
Wei He shook his head, his gaze falling on the few jin of ordinary meat in her hand. "This amount of money is merely a drop in the ocean for me. You have now entered Bone Resonance, and it is precisely the time when you need to replenish your Qi and Blood. These ordinary meats are but a drop in the bucket for you. Do not be frugal with these external things and delay your cultivation."
...
Jiang Yuechu was somewhat surprised.
She had never mentioned to anyone that she had entered Bone Resonance.
Even Xu Changfeng hadn't said anything at the time.
Wait... perhaps he already knew, but just couldn't be bothered to mention it.
"Thank you, Lord."
She cupped her fists in thanks, her tone a little more sincere.
What else could she say?
She couldn't possibly argue with her direct superior in front of the butcher shop owner, could she?
Wouldn't that make her seem petty and also offend her boss?
She sighed inwardly, but a hint of warmth involuntarily rose in her heart.
Wei He merely gave a faint "Mm," said no more, and casually took out silver from his bosom to pay.
The owner took the silver, repeatedly expressed his thanks, and quickly packed up the meat Jiang Yuechu wanted.
Wei He only showed a hint of satisfaction on his Face when he saw her accept it.
He didn't stay long, gave a few instructions, and then hurriedly left.
As if he really just happened to be passing by.
Watching Wei He's back disappear around the street corner, Jiang Yuechu held the meat in her hands, her heart filled with mixed emotions.
What could he possibly want by taking such care of her... Never mind.
A drop of kindness should be repaid with a gushing spring.
Regardless of his intentions, she would remember this kindness.