At her father’s words,

Girl Hu, perched on the kang, her dark face sneering, said, “Wasn’t it you, old man, who insisted on planting this pawn in the ore route?”

“Now it’s come to this, you regretting it?”

Master Liu’s eyes narrowed slightly!

Girl Hu was right—Ma Liu was bold enough to collude with bandits; no turning back now!

Clearwind and Whitecloud Streets could only have one rickshaw yard!

A ruthless glint crossed his face, the weariness in his eyes gone, as he asked gravely, “Hu, what’s the embassy district saying?”

Girl Hu straightened. “They said if we can haul ten percent more ore daily, Ma Liu’s yard doesn’t matter!”

Master Liu’s spirits lifted. “And the police bureau?”

Girl Hu glanced at him. “Rest easy, it’s all arranged! Ma Liu’s a fool, thinking sending his daughter there would win favor. Just a concubine, nothing more.”

Master Liu’s heart finally settled.

Lighting his pipe, he took a drag, but in the curling smoke, the tobacco tasted flat.

That foolishly grinning giant surfaced in his mind.

Was it worth sacrificing Xiangzi to topple Ma Liu’s yard?

Reading her father’s thoughts, Girl Hu smirked. “Old man… you sure you can tame Xiangzi? He’s no dimwit like Liu Tang.”

Master Liu recalled the scene at the yard’s gate, his eyes chilling.

Didn’t every puller’s eyes follow Xiangzi alone?

Even his own prestige seemed to wane.

Master Liu sank back into his grand chair, closing his eyes.

Bianyi Tavern wasn’t a market but a restaurant,

Bianyi Roast Duck, outside Chongwen Gate in Mingshi Ward.

The large establishment, with two stories around a courtyard, had open seating below and private rooms above.

Tonight, Bianyi Tavern buzzed.

Unlike the usual long-robed patrons, the hall was packed with vest-clad pullers!

Fist-bumping games, shouts, and the sound of tearing into roast duck mixed together.

The thrill of surviving spilled out through rare delicacies.

Fourth Master said: Eat all the duck, drink all the lotus liquor!

After today’s ordeal, the divide between East Tower guards and second-class pullers faded, toasting each other warmly.

Amid lively chatter, talk naturally turned to the big man.

Some said Xiangzi’s blood energy could rival a ninth-rank martial artist, second only to Master Tang in the yard.

Others claimed, with just months of training, Xiangzi might soon match Tang.

These wild claims didn’t draw rebuttals from the East Tower guards, who even nodded faintly.

They’d seen Xiangzi’s prowess today.

Same fists, kicks, and stances—why did Xiangzi’s moves roar with power?

Talent, plain and simple.

No jealousy, maybe some envy, but most were happy, even proud—

See that? Master Xiang, our second-class leader, a top-notch hero!

Storming a bandit camp alone, in the tales, only half a step behind Silver Spear Zhao Zilong at Changban Slope!

When the giant in question appeared with Master Tang, the hall’s uproar nearly toppled the courtyard.

Xiangzi, smiling, stood half a step behind Liu Tang, clasping his fists to the pullers.

“Brothers, you all worked hard today!”

In a second-floor private room,

Xiangzi, Master Tang, and Uncle Jie sat at a table.

“Xiangzi, a toast!” Liu Tang raised his cup, offering it first.

Xiangzi didn’t hesitate, downing his drink.

With his growing blood energy, his liquor tolerance had soared.

Looking at that honest face, Liu Tang felt a pang of sentiment—

First meeting, Xiangzi was just a third-class puller.

Even two months ago, when Fourth Master favored him into East Tower, Liu Tang taught him diligently but held some disdain.

A puller past eighteen—what future in martial arts?

Yet this kid, step by steady step, broke the Blood Energy Barrier in months.

Such progress was staggering.

But what shocked Liu Tang more was Xiangzi’s blend of boldness and calm.

Today’s deeds would surely spread through Forty-Nine City’s yards.

Even Liu Tang never imagined he’d bask in Xiangzi’s glory.

Without Xiangzi’s feats, would Fourth Master have handed him the ore route’s plum job?

Liu Tang’s smile warmed, his heart sighing:

Pity… he started martial arts too late!

If Xiangzi were younger, Liu Tang would’ve risked Fourth Master’s wrath to recommend him to Baolin Martial Hall.

Uncle Jie, gnawing a duck leg, recounted the ore route’s events in detail.

Through another’s lens, Xiangzi realized how perilous today was.

Tiger demon, refugees, bandits—one late decision, and they’d all be dead.

Liu Tang sipped his wine, listening quietly.

But when he heard only the police bureau came, his brow arched. “Really, just the police?”

Uncle Jie sighed. “Yes, Marshal Zhang sent no one. And…”

“The police arrived an hour late!”

Liu Tang’s face hardened—Fourth Master didn’t tell me this!

He was a martial fanatic, not a fool.

The ore route was Forty-Nine City’s top priority.

Fourth Master said Ma Liu’s yard was behind it.

But could Ma Liu alone sway the police and Marshal’s mansion?

Something was wrong in the city.

Since the Great Shun Dynasty, only six yards could haul ore.

Back then, ore went to the imperial city; after its fall, to the embassy district.

Always, the ore was the city’s lifeblood.

Steam airships needed ore, embassy elites needed ore, even the gunpowder for warlords’ rifles came from ore husks.

Rumor said high-rank martial artists needed five-colored ore to break bottlenecks.

Yet today, Forty-Nine City ignored Harmony Rickshaw Yard’s attacked route.

Liu Tang set down his cup, voice grave. “Xiangzi… today’s not simple.”

A heavy air cloaked the small room.

Suddenly, Uncle Jie said, “Xiangzi… don’t forget Jin Fugui. He broke the Blood Energy Barrier somehow. If he’s out to harm you, watch your back!”

Xiangzi’s face grew solemn, nodding slightly.