Chapter 9

In the many courtyards of the armory, the central courtyard had relatively ordinary treatment, but the head cook, Fat Sun, was more well-off than the heads of other courtyards.

These days, anyone who could maintain a plump figure was certainly no ordinary person.

After three years of drought, the saying "cooks don't starve" wasn't just a saying.

With over a hundred people to feed, even a little skimming off the top could make one quite comfortable, let alone with Fat Sun backed by the second manager, Sun Ding?

When Fat Sun waved his large ladle and called Li Yuan into the kitchen, all the apprentices who did odd jobs looked at him with envy and jealousy.

However, when they saw him being run ragged, chopping vegetables and wielding the ladle all morning, they couldn't help but feel a bit schadenfreude.

"This job as a cook isn't easy either!"

In front of the large stove, Li Yuan was drenched in sweat, his teeth aching.

These three large pots were even bigger than the ones he had seen at village weddings and funerals in his previous life. Wielding the ladle was more like wielding a shovel.

After chopping enough radishes and cabbage for three large pots, he had to keep stirring them, and even though his physical strength had improved somewhat in recent days, his arms still ached.

"You have some perseverance."

Fat Sun leaned against the door frame: "Make sure to stir evenly. The left pot doesn't matter much, but the other two need to be more careful. If they burn, hmm..."

In the armory, only his courtyard didn't have any helpers, not because the armory didn't assign them, but because he didn't want to share his little bit of profit.

Apprentices, of course, were different.

After watching for a while, Fat Sun had already made up his mind. After a verbal warning, he picked up a knife and walked to the small stove, his skilled knife work catching Li Yuan's attention.

But with just a glance, Fat Sun had already pulled the curtain shut.

"Manager Cao's small stove..."

Although he didn't see anything, the smell coming from there made Li Yuan's stomach rumble, and he felt a bit envious.

That small stove was the foundation of Fat Sun's position, serving only the three managers and their families in the back courtyard. The best chicken, duck, fish, and meat were served every meal, and the aroma was overwhelming.

"Clearly, there are distinct classes here, and they don't hide it at all..."

Li Yuan, busy around the three large pots, sighed inwardly.

Not to mention the managers' small stoves, even the three large pots in front of him were not the same. The one on the left was almost just boiled water, the pot they would eat from, with almost no oil, but a lot of salt.

"Phew!"

Shaking his aching arms, Li Yuan took a deep breath, trying the sixth ape breathing technique while also using the force generation method of the White Ape Stance.

The curtain blocked him from view, and it also blocked Fat Sun.

"Pole techniques, hammer techniques, breathing techniques... besides the fighting techniques I haven't seen yet, these three must have some connection..."

Amidst the smoke and heat from the stove, Li Yuan's eyes were bright.

The weapons were changed every two days. On his first day in the kitchen, he naturally used the 'Bone-Cutting Knife,' but even without the 'Practice Hammer' or the advanced level of the Cloak Hammer technique, the knowledge he had gained remained.

While Fat Sun was away, Li Yuan took a break to think about how to master the sixth ape breathing technique.

In this state, similar to slacking off at work in his previous life, the three pots of food were quickly cooked and served, and Fat Sun, as usual, personally carried the food boxes to the back courtyard.

The task of serving the food naturally fell to Li Yuan.

"Brother Li, you actually got into the kitchen? That's a good job!"

"Hmph! With Fat Sun's miserly nature, he'd be a ghost if he could get any profit!"

"I want some meat, sigh..."

...

Mealtime was the busiest time in the central courtyard, with apprentices and helpers from various courtyards flocking in, making it very lively.

Li Yuan's hands were steady, not like the cafeteria ladies in his previous life.

If the water-boiled vegetables and cornbread didn't let people eat their fill, there would be trouble.

The kitchen helper's job wasn't easy. Just in the morning, it was more tiring than other apprentices, but after noon, Li Yuan had the most abundant meal since coming to this world.

Two cornbreads, one steamed bun, a large bowl of water-boiled vegetables with half a bowl of fatty meat, and even two eggs!

"The three essentials for growth, still missing milk!"

In the small courtyard, Li Yuan felt his mouth watering.

In the past month, besides the bits of meat he bought and the occasional eggs from his second brother, he had hardly had any nutritious food.

Now, seeing two pieces of fatty meat, his saliva production increased.

Seeing his reaction, Fat Sun nodded in satisfaction:

"Eat up."

Li Yuan rolled up his sleeves and wolfed down the food, the cornbread dipped in the meat broth tasting even sweeter.

Such a bowl of fatty meat, which he wouldn't have glanced at in his previous life, made Li Yuan feel quite satisfied.

"Thank you, Head Cook."

Feeling Fat Sun's gaze, Li Yuan wiped his mouth.

When the granary is full, people know propriety; when they have enough food and clothing, they know honor and shame. When one is so hungry that they are skin and bones, honor and integrity seem as light as clouds.

"Hmm."

Fat Sun walked with his hands behind his back, glancing at Li Yuan, who stood up, bowed his head, and knew that after eating the fruit, it was time for the rules.

"You're not a helper assigned by the armory, so your monthly pay will still be the same as before, and you'll have to do other tasks as well!"

Fat Sun was satisfied with Li Yuan's attitude. After a warning, his tone softened:

"I can't promise much, but the kitchen won't lack your share of oil. As long as you follow the rules and work hard, in two months, I can fatten you up!"

"Thank you, Head Cook!"

Li Yuan showed gratitude, feeling more determined.

This was enough.

...

...

Phew~

As autumn turned to winter, a night of north wind left the county of Gaoliu covered in white.

Winter was bleak, but the Firewood and Fish Market was the busiest time of the year.

Under the rough cloth tents, charcoal sellers from the Firewood and Fish Market and nearby towns were loudly hawking their goods.

People from various districts of the city gathered, coming and going.

Firewood and charcoal, the first necessity for every household, were indispensable, especially in winter. Without enough firewood and charcoal, it was hard to survive.

In previous years, households would prepare firewood and charcoal well before winter, but this year's heavy snow came too early, making the market even busier than usual.

Even people from the inner city came to buy.

With more people, more vendors naturally appeared, and many fishermen also brought their last catch of the year to sell.

"Brother Li, I'll deliver it to the armory early tomorrow morning!"

"Brother Li, take care!"

"Brother Li, I have a dozen of the freshest 'Bamboo Flower Fish.' Do you want them?"

...

In the eastern market of the Firewood and Fish Market, a group of vendors surrounded a young man in thick hemp clothing.

The young man, about fifteen or sixteen years old, wasn't particularly robust, but his physique was not bad compared to his peers. His skin was a bit dark, but his eyes were very bright, giving him a sharp and capable look.

This was, of course, Li Yuan.

"Thank you all. That's all for today's purchases."

Li Yuan bought a batch of fish and charcoal and left with the vendors' enthusiasm.

After accidentally revealing his mathematical skills, Fat Sun had taken him on for the central courtyard's purchasing tasks, and this time, he even let him come alone.

"The Firewood and Fish Guild and the Fishermen's Guild have complete and large quantities of goods, but their prices are high. Buying from the market can save ten to twenty percent. Unfortunately, this is Fat Sun's territory, and reaching out would mean getting cut off."

Putting the silver coins he got back into his pocket, Li Yuan was very careful. In winter, the Firewood and Fish Market was full of all sorts of people, and theft was common.

Feeling the small hammer the size of a fist at his waist, Li Yuan felt more at ease.

"Standing in the stance and lifting the hammer, I can now maintain the sixth ape breathing technique throughout. I should be able to enter the beginner level in a few days."

His bone structure was average, but with the advanced level of the Cloak Hammer technique, his progress in martial arts seemed almost on par with those of superior bone structure. In just over a month, he had barely reached the beginner level.

Under the thick hemp clothing, his muscles and bones were already quite strong.

"Brother Li is here again?"

A vendor at the street corner greeted Li Yuan:

"We have some new goods. Do you need anything for Master Sun?"

The Firewood and Fish Market was both large and small. There were only so many people who did the purchasing, and although Li Yuan didn't come often, the stall owners all recognized him.

"Master Sun asked me to buy ingredients and charcoal. What do you have here?"

Li Yuan glanced at the stall. The owner sold a variety of items, including spices, cured fish, and other miscellaneous items.

"Oh? Even shoes?"

Li Yuan's expression changed slightly. It was a black leather boot with two obvious holes on the top.

Seeing the shoe, the stall owner looked unhappy: "Sigh, this old shoe was picked up by the leper from the back street. He insisted on selling it to me, and it's just one shoe. What a mess!"

"The material is good, but the holes are too big."

Li Yuan casually flipped the shoe, and a white light appeared in his eyes.

【Black Leather Six-Part Boot (Rank 1)】

【A boot made from six different types of leather, barely considered a fine item due to the inclusion of 'Black Line Spirit Snake' leather...】

【Requirement: All four limbs intact】

【Effect: Swift Steps (Right)】

A Rank 1 shoe!

Li Yuan's heart skipped a beat.

In the past twenty days since joining the kitchen, he had come out seven or eight times, almost covering the Rongsheng District and the Firewood and Fish Market. He had found a large number of non-ranked weapons, but this was the first time he had seen a ranked one.

"Sigh."

The stall owner looked unhappy:

"The shoe is good, but it's just one, and it's so damaged. That leper insisted on selling it to me for one tael of silver. If you want it, one tael of silver will do..."

Trust you, my foot!

Li Yuan tossed the shoe back onto the stall.

In this era, with low productivity, everyday items were very valuable, but a damaged shoe for one tael of silver was clearly impossible.

"One tael of silver, that's for others. If Brother Li wants it, forty copper coins will do."

The stall owner looked pained.

"If you say so, you might as well keep it."

Li Yuan was a bit tempted but still haggled:

"Look, Master Sun asked me to buy some spices. I was going to check in the Rongsheng District, but I think your spices are good enough..."

"Brother Li has a good eye. These are all top-quality spices!"

The stall owner looked delighted and, with a pained expression, gave the damaged shoe as a bonus.

Buzz!

In the dark space where the Armament Register was located, the small gray stone platform held the Bone-Cutting Knife and other non-ranked weapons, and the damaged shoe also landed there.

"The first Rank 1 item!"

Looking up at the Armament Register with only one star lit, Li Yuan felt a headache.

A thousand pounds of iron, a hundred taels of silver, and one tael of gold were required to advance to the second rank of the Armament Register. He couldn't even imagine it right now.

So poor!