The Martial Arts World is Full of Experts Chapter 41

115

The turn of events obviously took Zhang Xiaoyuan by surprise.

So few people actually write things related to this Martial Arts World's Secrets Digest? Were they all relying on Cao Susu and Pei Junze to sustain it?

And yet, they still sold it for such a high price!

Deceptive traders! They're definitely deceptive traders!

Although that was the case, he still handed over the article he had written without saying a word, lowered his bamboo hat, and presented himself as a mature and low-key martial artist.

The innkeeper was ecstatic. He took the article from Zhang Xiaoyuan, carefully unfolded and read it several times, appearing very satisfied. Without waiting for Zhang Xiaoyuan to discuss the price, he had already stuffed a silver note into Zhang Xiaoyuan's hand.

"I see, my friend, you're quite a talent," the innkeeper said earnestly. "This is a deposit. I wonder if you can provide us with some fresh news in the future?"

Zhang Xiaoyuan lowered his head and realized... it seemed to be the silver note he had given him just now.

Zhang Xiaoyuan was somewhat speechless. He lowered his voice and muttered, "I am not a person of Baicang."

"It's not a big problem!" The innkeeper slammed the table, startling Zhang Xiaoyuan. "Such issues can be resolved with some effort!"

He circled around the counter, walked to the drowsy waiter, and forcefully slammed the table with more intensity. The waiter jumped up from the table in fright. The innkeeper, extremely anxious, hurriedly told the waiter, "Quickly go and fetch the messenger pigeon that Young Master Cao keeps!"

Hearing Cao Susu's name again, Zhang Xiaoyuan couldn't help but feel curious. He turned to look and saw the waiter also giving him an excited and admiring look, then swiftly ran into the back room.

The innkeeper finally turned back to Zhang Xiaoyuan and said, "Dear friend, to be honest, our store has several messenger pigeons. Take one with you. If there's any news, have the pigeon deliver it to us!"

Zhang Xiaoyuan: "......"

If there really was a pigeon capable of returning with a message, it wasn't a bad idea.

However, to write a complete martial arts world gossip, even with just a few sheets of paper, wouldn't it be too heavy for the messenger pigeon?

Zhang Xiaoyuan was very skeptical.

The innkeeper, seeing him silent, thought he might be considering refusal. Anxious, his thoughts started rapidly appearing above his head again.

「What to do? Why isn't he moved? Did I set the price too low!」

The innkeeper furrowed his brow, reluctantly took out a small stack of silver from his pocket, and placed it in front of Zhang Xiaoyuan. "I understand, the deposit earlier was a bit too little..."

Zhang Xiaoyuan: "......"

Is this even allowed?!

Zhang Xiaoyuan fixed his gaze on the innkeeper's head, remaining silent.

「What to do? Why is he still not interested! Was my offer really too low!」

The innkeeper gritted his teeth, pulled out two silver notes, and placed them on the table. "Dear friend! Our Young Master Cao is quite generous. If you can provide more information for us, we can negotiate the deposit!"

Zhang Xiaoyuan: "......"

Zhang Xiaoyuan was stunned.

With these three silver notes and that stack of silver, it was already over three hundred taels. The innkeeper's mention of Young Master Cao... seemed like he was truly wealthy.

Zhang Xiaoyuan cleared his throat but chose to remain silent.

The innkeeper fell silent.

「I'm running out of money, yet he still isn't moved.」

「It's been a long time since there's been any new manuscript. Young Master Cao can't write more...」

The innkeeper made up his mind, rummaged in his sleeve for a while, finally pulled out a crumpled silver note that seemed to have been kept for a long time, slapped it on the table, and said, "Dear friend! Consider this!"

Zhang Xiaoyuan looked at the innkeeper's head.

「Balance of income and expenses for transcribing martial arts world secrets: Zero.」

116

Zhang Xiaoyuan reluctantly spoke, "Well... alright."

The innkeeper breathed a sigh of relief.

He raised his thumb, wiped his eyes discreetly, appearing somewhat pained.

Zhang Xiaoyuan, attempting to be a deceptive trader for the first time, felt inexplicably guilty. He slowly shifted his gaze away, turning it toward the entrance to the back room where the waiter had left, avoiding the innkeeper's pitiful look.

He waited for quite a while until the waiter finally emerged carrying a large birdcage covered with a floral cloth.

He struggled a bit to carry it. As he stepped out, Zhang Xiaoyuan heard the cooing of a pigeon — to be precise, the sounds of many pigeons.

The scene was truly eerie.

Standing inside an inn, surrounded by the persistent cooing, Zhang Xiaoyuan noticed the waiter perplexedly whispering to the innkeeper. At a glance, he could read the waiter's words. He was asking the innkeeper, "Isn't this inappropriate?"

The innkeeper, nearly teary-eyed, replied, "What's inappropriate about it!"

The waiter said, "They've been raised for too long..."

Zhang Xiaoyuan understood in his heart.

Perhaps they had kept these pigeons for too long, forming attachments. Suddenly giving one of them to him, an unknown stranger, it wasn't surprising that they were reluctant to part with it.

Who knows, after taking the money and the pigeon, would he still bother to send them letters? They might as well cook the pigeon for a meal.

Zhang Xiaoyuan felt this wasn't a solution.

He needed to earn their trust.

Frowning in thought, Zhang Xiaoyuan saw the innkeeper lift a corner of the floral cloth covering the cage, sneak a peek inside, and instantly furrow his brows. After a while, he muttered, "Indeed... indeed, they've been kept for too long..."

Watching the cloth flutter into the air, then slowly descend, revealing a somewhat worn iron cage, the innkeeper wore an expression of sorrowful determination. Pointing to the cage, he said, "Dear friend, this are our pigeons. You... pick one and take it!"

Zhang Xiaoyuan looked at the iron cage.

The cage was filled with plump, round pigeons, tilting their heads to look at him. Each one seemed to weigh at least one and a half to two pounds, and even their heads had writing appearing on them.

「Coo.」

「Coo coo?」

「Coo coo coo!」

Zhang Xiaoyuan: "......"

Oh.

It turned out they had been raised for too long.

Was that what it meant?!

117

Zhang Xiaoyuan extended a finger, reaching through the gaps in the iron cage, and poked the chest of one chubby pigeon.

Fluffy and plump, it felt good in his hands and looked delicious. It seemed perfect for making roasted squab.

But can pigeons like these really deliver messages?!

He looked at the innkeeper, raising his doubts.

Zhang Xiaoyuan: "Isn't this one too fat?"

The innkeeper, feeling guilty, wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Don't... don't judge them by their size! It's just that they've been kept for too long, and they don't fly much..."

Zhang Xiaoyuan: "Can they really fly?"

The innkeeper nodded continuously. "Rest assured! These are excellent breeds from the capital, the ones the palace loves to play with. Although they look chubby now, they underwent strict training before. Sending a few letters won't be a problem!"

Zhang Xiaoyuan was highly skeptical.

The innkeeper coughed again and said, "Dear friend, if you don't believe it, we can try a test flight..."

Opening the door of the iron cage, he grabbed the fattest pigeon that seemed to weigh a good two pounds, resembling a chubby little chicken. He asked Zhang Xiaoyuan to accompany him to the backyard.

With effort, he tossed the chubby pigeon into the air, confidently saying to Zhang Xiaoyuan, "Dear friend, see for yourself!"

Innkeeper: "......"

Waiter: "......"

Zhang Xiaoyuan: "......"

......

Zhang Xiaoyuan spoke quietly, "The chickens in my kitchen at home can fly higher than that." 

Innkeeper: "......"

118

The innkeeper was unwilling to admit defeat.

Desperation consumed the innkeeper.

His new manuscript... the hard-to-come-by new manuscript on martial arts world secrets...

Clenching his teeth, he lifted his head again and looked at Zhang Xiaoyuan.

"Hero!" He used an address full of emotion, as if he wanted to rush over and hug Zhang Xiaoyuan's legs. "Believe me! They're just a bit fat, but they can truly deliver messages!"

Zhang Xiaoyuan: "......"

With pigeons this fat, he had serious doubts.

The innkeeper looked around and picked out the leanest pigeon, still weighing around one and a half pounds. He handed it to Zhang Xiaoyuan and said, "Take a look at these perfect muscles!"

The less fat pigeon: "Coo!"

It puffed up its chubby chest, so plump that the curve of its neck was entirely obscured.

Zhang Xiaoyuan: "......"

The innkeeper grabbed Zhang Xiaoyuan's hand, startling him to recoil. However, the innkeeper only pulled him to feel the wings of the pigeon.

Innkeeper: "Look at these solid and robust wings!"

The less fat pigeon: "Coo coo!"

Zhang Xiaoyuan: "......"

It was no different from buying live poultry wings on the street!

Innkeeper: "It's just a bit fat now, but it used to fly!"

Zhang Xiaoyuan looked at the innkeeper's earnest eyes and reluctantly nodded.

But what good would it do? Even if it could fly, that was in the past.

Innkeeper: "He just needs to lose a bit more weight, just a bit!"

The innkeeper raised his hand, using his thumb and forefinger to indicate a very small distance, suggesting that making the chubby pigeon lose weight was indeed an easy task.

Zhang Xiaoyuan had a foreboding feeling.

Frowning, he asked, "So, what's the catch?"

The innkeeper gritted his teeth, reaching into his belt, startling Zhang Xiaoyuan once again.

However, the innkeeper only fumbled in his belt for a while and managed to pull out two more silver notes.

"How about, dear hero, you take the pigeon back first, let it fly more often in its daily life, and in a few days, it will surely lose weight!" The innkeeper grasped Zhang Xiaoyuan's hand, stuffing the silver notes into it. "I know you've worked hard. This... this is your hard-earned reward!"

Zhang Xiaoyuan stared blankly at the innkeeper's head.

「Balance of income and expenses for transcribing martial arts world secrets: Deficit.」

「Out-of-pocket expenses: Two hundred taels.」

Zhang Xiaoyuan︰"……"