Huang Residence's reception hall.
It looked far more lavish than the reception halls of Li Residence and Dan Residence.
The furnishings in the hall were all exquisitely made. Some porcelain ornaments bore the red stamps of official kilns, while the calligraphy and paintings on either wall were works by renowned figures of the day. In particular, the freehand landscape painting hanging in the center had been painted by the famed Grand Scholar Ouyang, renowned throughout court and country.
Wei Tu believed that this gesture should have made the shrewd Master Huang understand that he had no intention of clinging to the Huang Family's wealth and prestige.
"Brother Wei, are you interested in calligraphy and painting?" Master Huang smiled at this. He knew well that some martial artists from poor backgrounds were especially fond of putting on airs of elegance, even if they could not understand what they were looking at.
Wei Tu shook his head.
He knew that Master Huang must have formed a stubborn prejudice against him by now.
Just as when he had redeemed himself, Madam Li had needed to hear twice that he intended to take the Martial Examination before understanding what he meant.
Yet at the time, he had spoken very clearly, laying everything out in orderly detail.
Master Huang's expression darkened slightly. Setting down the tea cup in his hand, he said, "Brother Wei, do you wish to hire a famous teacher to study martial arts and military strategy, so you can make up for your shortcomings in future examinations...?"
Master Huang found himself admiring Wei Tu. He had been able to see at a glance the relative weight of fame and profit. A little wealth naturally could not compare to earning a Martial Graduate degree.
—With a Martial Graduate degree, the sky was vast enough for birds to fly wherever they pleased. A little wealth would naturally be within easy reach.
Still, Wei Tu's greed made Master Huang somewhat uncomfortable. It meant the Huang Family would have to give more to fill his belly.
The sun sank in the west.
Outside, a bleak north wind had begun to blow, grinding the dead bamboo branches and leaves in the courtyard until they creaked and squeaked.
The hazy yellow sunlight streamed through the louvered windows onto Wei Tu, illuminating the surprise on his face so clearly that even the maid standing guard outside the door could see it.
Wei Tu looked toward the plump man seated in the place of honor and said earnestly, "There is no need for uncle-in-law to trouble himself with this. Wei Tu has a master to instruct him, so there is no need for Huang Residence to hire another..."
—He truly did not understand why Master Huang had leaped from his earlier words to the thought of hiring a famous teacher for him.
It was very strange.
"A master? Probably not some famous teacher. Still, that makes sense. With your martial arts, you could not possibly have trained to this level without a master's instruction."
Master Huang was not at all surprised by Wei Tu's reaction. The gentry's consensus about Wei Tu was that he lacked instruction from a famous teacher, not that he lacked a master altogether.
Famous teacher and master differed by only one word.
Yet the difference between them was enormous.
Hearing this, Wei Tu solemnly rose and cupped his hands in a bow to Master Huang. "Uncle-in-law, Wei's master is naturally a famous teacher. I hope uncle-in-law will speak with care."
Had Master Huang merely belittled him, it would not have mattered much. It was not uncommon for relatives to get along poorly. But Martial Graduate Dan was his master. Insulting one's master was a grave matter.
At the least, it led to enmity.
At worst, it became a struggle that ended only with death.
In an instant.
The entire hall fell silent.
Cui Liu, the second wife's maid who had been keeping watch outside, immediately grew anxious. Wei Tu's words were a direct affront to Master Huang.
She knew that for Second Mistress Wei Hong to make Master Huang acknowledge Wei Tu as his nephew, she must have spent no small amount of effort.
In terms of status, Wei Tu was utterly incapable of comparing with the wealthy Master Huang. Master Huang's willingness to acknowledge Wei Tu as his nephew had been an opportunity Second Mistress had painstakingly begged for...
But now, Wei Tu's words had undoubtedly ruined all of Second Mistress Wei Hong's efforts and might even drag Second Mistress into the matter.
How could she not be worried? How could she not be anxious?
"Yes... I was discourteous." Master Huang narrowed his eyes, his expression becoming rather unpleasant, but he maintained his manners and did not lose his composure.
He raised his tea cup and took a light sip, then gave the maid beside him a look, signaling that she could see the guest out.
However—
Just as the maid was about to speak and use Master Huang's poor health as an excuse to send Wei Tu away, Wei Tu spoke again.
"Uncle-in-law, Wei's master is Martial Graduate Dan of Sanyuan Township. Master Dan should count as a famous teacher..."
Wei Tu said slowly.
The maid, who had been about to speak, immediately stopped. She stood properly to one side and lowered her head.
The status of Martial Graduate.
Naturally counted for little before officials, since there were too many ranks higher than Martial Graduate.
But Master Huang was not an official. He was merely an ordinary merchant. Though his wealth was considered respectable in the county seat, he was not yet a great tycoon who could exchange equal courtesies with officials.
Moreover, unlike Civil Graduates, who had to wait for placement by the Ministry of Personnel before they could become officials, Martial Graduates could be directly appointed as military officers and take up local posts the moment they earned the title.
Master Huang had to be polite even to a Civil Graduate, much less a Martial Graduate.
"So... Brother Wei's master is Martial Graduate Dan. It was... uncle-in-law who guessed wrongly. I nearly let good intentions do bad work..." Master Huang's expression changed again, and he piled a smile onto his face.
He raised his tea cup once more, took a sip of Cloud Mist Tea worth three taels of silver per tael, and moistened his throat, concealing his embarrassment and pounding fear.
A Martial Examination Disciple was naturally nothing remarkable. He was not the Martial Graduate's biological son and could not inherit the Martial Graduate's wealth or reputation.
But... a Martial Examination Disciple who could lift a five-hundred-catty stone lock was another matter entirely.
That was a potential Martial Arts Master!
A Martial Arts Master under thirty, even younger than most!
Since ancient times.
The common people did not fight officials.
Master Huang knew the consequences of offending a future local military officer. Even if Wei Tu's jurisdiction would not encompass him, officials protected one another, and authority could be "borrowed" from each other.
When that time came, even if Wei Tu could not destroy the Huang Family, gravely damaging its vitality would be as easy as turning over one's hand.
As for whether he had truly become Martial Graduate Dan's disciple...
Master Huang did not believe Wei Tu would dare to lie or joke about such a matter.
Besides.
If that had not been the case.
Wei Tu would not have so readily rejected his proposal to hire him a famous teacher.
"Uncle-in-law is too courteous." Wei Tu sat down again and also drank a sip of Cloud Mist Tea.
After arriving in the county seat, the composure he displayed before the Li Family and Huang Family came not only from confidence in his own strength, but also from confidence in his background.
That background was enough to allow him to speak as an equal with the main branch of Li Residence, Master Huang, and people like them.
"Brother Wei, do you have confidence that you can earn a title in this year's Martial Examination?" Master Huang's expression returned to normal as he asked with a genial smile.
"It is hard to say..."
"With a top score in stone lock lifting during the County Examination, even if I perform somewhat poorly in the other events, I can still be recommended for the prefectural examination..."
"But competition in the prefectural examination is fierce. Your nephew cannot be certain that he will obtain the status of an examinee from it."
Wei Tu shook his head as he spoke.
As he spoke, he also carefully changed how he referred to himself, switching from "Wei" to "your nephew" to show closeness.
Inside the hall.
The two chatted freely, their words light and cheerful.
Not long afterward.
Wei Hong led a half-grown boy in blue into the room at a brisk pace. Arriving at Wei Tu's side, she scolded the boy and said, "Yuan Shan, hurry and greet your cousin..."
Half an hour earlier, she had learned from Cui Liu that Wei Tu had become Martial Graduate Dan's disciple. She had not dared to delay for even a moment, rushing to the inner residence to wake the sleeping Huang Yuanshan and have him meet his maternal cousin, who now possessed such bright prospects.
"Cousin."
Huang Yuanshan called out, looking slightly unwilling.
"You child." Wei Hong twisted Huang Yuanshan's ear, somewhat angry at his failure to live up to expectations.
"Second Aunt, Yuan Shan is still young and does not understand." Wei Tu smiled.
Only then did he notice that Wei Hong had changed her makeup. It was somewhat different from how she had looked earlier at the City God Temple.
Wei Tu did not know that Wei Hong had deliberately put on Golden Swallow Rouge makeup to curry favor with him. He merely assumed that wealthy households had many rules of etiquette and that one had to change into fresh makeup before meeting guests.
So he took one glance before moving his gaze away.
Thanks to hu Fei for the reward of 100 Qidian coins, and to Power of Rising for the reward of 100 Qidian coins.
Everyone, please do not stockpile chapters. Competition on Qidian is too intense right now. If the follow-up reading numbers are poor, some recommendations will be out of reach.
Also, a book recommendation: Title:
I Establish the Underworld in Gods and Ghosts Chaotic World
Synopsis:
This world had demons, ghosts, immortals, and Asuras, but it alone lacked order.
In chaotic times, people were like ants, and lives were as cheap as grass!
Only a few days after transmigrating, Chen Qingyun encountered a life-and-death crisis and nearly died at the hands of a fierce ghost.
Fortunately, he arrived carrying the Underworld with him. He could transform into an underworld constable and capture Lost Souls and evil spirits.
He could also absorb the power of incense and faith, establish the Underworld in this foreign world, and obtain supreme authority!
From that day onward, a new order began to emerge.
Many years later, the Underworld was complete.
With one stroke in the Book of Life and Death, humans, demons, ghosts, and gods all entered the underworld!
"Which of the myriad living beings is not under my control? If I decree someone dead at the third watch, they will not live to see dawn."
Chen Qingyun, having become the Great Emperor of the Underworld, looked down upon the Three Realms and spoke thus.
Before you continue