Physical enlightenment begins with Xingyi Quan

The morning at Su's Escort Agency was deathly silent.

Su Derong paused involuntarily as he pushed open the door of the security escort agency.

It was too quiet in the courtyard.

There was no noisy shouting of porters carrying goods, no crisp sound of horses' hooves striking the bluestone, and no shouting and breathing of bodyguards practicing their boxing at dawn.

Only a gentle breeze whistled through the room, swirling a few withered leaves across the blue brick floor before they quietly fell back down.

His heart sank, and he tightened his grip on the fan.

The door to the main hall was open, and there were many people inside.

Stepping over the threshold, inside the main hall, Zhou Yong, Wang Gui, Zhao Tieshan, and others were either sitting or standing, all with solemn expressions.

Upon seeing Su Derong enter, the group all stood up.

"Young Master."

Su Derong gestured for everyone to sit down, then walked to the rosewood armchair next to the main seat, but did not sit down immediately. His gaze swept over everyone in the hall, finally settling on Zhou Yong's face: "Zhou, how are your injuries?"

Zhou Yong forced a smile, but it looked worse than a grimace: "Flesh and blood wounds, we won't die. It's just... we lost five brothers."

Su Derong was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded: "I already know everything."

Zhou Yong's Adam's apple bobbed, and he said in a low voice, "This subordinate is incompetent, please punish me, Young Master."

Su Derong did not speak immediately.

He turned around and walked to the gilded plaque on the north wall of the main hall.

The four large characters "Integrity First" on the plaque are the foundation of the Su Family Escort Agency, and were personally inscribed by the grandfather, Old Master Su.

"Punishment?" Su Derong suddenly laughed, a self-deprecating laugh. "Punish you for what? Punish you for fighting to the death to protect the goods, fighting to the death without retreating? Or punish you for... failing to win against overwhelming odds and kill three of the enemy's hidden strength experts?"

He turned around, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the hall: "This escort mission was undertaken by my Su family. The route was determined by my uncle. You are all risking your lives for my Su family. If we're really going to assign blame, the first one who should be held accountable is me, the young master of the gang."

Zhou Yong opened his mouth as if to say something, but Su Derong stopped him by raising his hand.

Just then, hurried, staggering footsteps came from outside the hall.

Old Zhou, the accountant, rushed in carrying a thick ledger.

The old gentleman, who had worked as the accountant for the Su family for over twenty years, was now ashen-faced, his forehead covered in cold sweat, and his hands trembling violently as he held the account book.

"Young...Young Master..." Old Zhou's voice trembled.

Su Derong looked at him: "Mr. Zhou, what is it?"

Old Zhou spread the account book out on the long table, his fingers trembling as he pointed to several lines of numbers annotated in vermilion ink. His voice was filled with despair: "Since you led that heavy shipment north, it's been over two months. During that time, the escort agency has made nine shipments. Of those... five were robbed, three barely broke even, and only one made a slight profit. During this period, the agency has suffered a net loss... a net loss of four hundred taels of gold!"

"What?!" Wang Gui suddenly stood up, knocking over the bench behind him.

Zhao Tieshan gasped, his face turning ashen.

Zhou Yong stared intently at the shocking numbers in the ledger, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

Four hundred taels of gold.

Even at the peak of the Su Family Escort Agency's success, this was a full year's net profit.

In these difficult times, the escort agency business has already shrunk, and this loss is enough to wipe out most of the Su family's wealth.

Old Zhou continued, his voice growing softer and softer: "This doesn't even include the compensation for fallen brothers, the medical expenses for the wounded, the compensation for looted goods... If you include everything, I'm afraid it would be... I'm afraid it would be..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone in the hall understood.

Su Derong slowly walked to the long table and bent down to look at the account books.

He looked at it very carefully, turning the pages one by one, his gaze lingering on each line of numbers.

The hall was deathly silent, save for the rustling of the ledger pages and the heavy breathing of the people inside.

After a long while, Su Derong closed the ledger.

He raised his head, his face no longer showing the shock and heaviness of before, but instead a calm.

"Mr. Zhou," he began, his voice clear and steady, "the compensation for fallen brothers will be paid at the highest level. If there are elderly or young children in the family, an additional two taels of silver will be provided each month for their care until the elderly pass away and the young children reach adulthood. The cost of medicine for the wounded will be fully covered by the escort agency. If any of the wounded are too disabled to continue escorting, they will be arranged to work at the escort agency in a leisurely position, with their monthly allowance remaining the same."

Old Zhou was stunned: "Young Master, this...this expense..."

Su Derong interrupted him, his tone leaving no room for argument: "Do as you say. If there isn't enough money, I'll find a way. But the compensation and medicine must be provided in full, without missing a single penny or delaying a moment."

He paused, then continued, "From today onwards, the escort agency will temporarily cease accepting long-distance, heavy escort missions. All manpower will be consolidated, and we will concentrate our efforts to guard that last short-distance branch line. That line has low profit margins, but it's short, has fewer obstacles, and is currently... our only way out."

Zhao Tieshan couldn't help but ask, "Young Master, the last main quest and two side quests... are you just going to give them up like that?"

Su Derong looked at him sharply: "So what if we don't allow it? Master Zhao, how many capable bodyguards do we have left? How many intact escorts? If we really insist on holding on and squander our last bit of resources, the reputation of Su's Escort Agency will truly collapse."

Zhao Tieshan opened his mouth, but ultimately slumped down and remained silent.

Su Derong walked back to the main seat.

This time, he did not hesitate. He lifted the corner of his robe and sat steadily in the rosewood armchair that symbolized power and responsibility.

With his back straight, hands resting flat on the armrests, his gaze swept over everyone in the hall.

"I know that I've spent these years hanging out at martial arts schools and listening to music in brothels, and haven't really been involved in the affairs of the escort agency." He spoke slowly, his expression serious. "My uncles and brothers have been supporting this family business for the Su family, and you've worked hard."

He stood up and bowed deeply to everyone in the hall.

"Thank you all for your hard work."

Zhou Yong, Wang Gui, Zhao Tieshan, and the others hurriedly stood up, their eyes instantly reddening. They clasped their hands and bowed in return, their voices choked with emotion: "Young Master!" "You mustn't!"

Su Derong straightened up and continued, "Now that my uncle is ill, it's my turn to shoulder this responsibility. The road ahead will be difficult, but I, Su Derong, am making this clear today: as long as I have food to eat, none of you brothers will go hungry. As long as I am here, the Su Family Escort Agency will never fall."

"Mr. Zhou, calculate the expenses for the compensation and medicine now, and give me the figures in an hour."

"Master Zhao, immediately inventory and inspect all weapons, armor, and vehicles in the warehouse, leaving nothing out."

"Zhou Yong and Wang Gui, you two compile a list of the brothers who can still fight, divide them into three shifts according to their injuries and martial arts skills, and clarify their responsibilities."

The instructions were issued clearly and without the slightest hesitation.

The people in the hall perked up, as if they had found their leader, and responded in unison, "Yes!"

He then accepted the order and left.

Only Su Derong remained in the main hall.

He slowly sat back in the armchair, tilted his head back, closed his eyes, and exhaled a long breath.

That face, which always carried a carefree smile, was now etched with exhaustion, and fine beads of sweat even appeared on its forehead.

A deficit of four hundred taels of gold...

Compensation for fallen brothers...

My uncle fell ill...

A precarious security escort agency...

He suddenly opened his eyes, took out the brocade pouch he never parted with from his bosom, and poured out all the silver notes and loose silver inside.

I counted them, and they amounted to just over a hundred taels.

A drop in the ocean.

Su Derong put the money back into his brocade pouch, stood up, and straightened his clothes.

He looked down and suddenly smiled.

His smile was tinged with bitterness.

"So this is what it feels like to be in charge... "

He muttered to himself, then turned and walked out of the main hall.