Next.
Wei Hong exchanged a few more pleasantries, asking after where Wei Tu lived, what he ate and used day to day, and how he got along with the Li Family.
As for these matters,
Wei Tu had little to hide, but before answering, he still pondered for a moment and weighed his words.
For instance, he chose to conceal the matter of Li Yaozu once coveting Xinghua.
"Second Aunt still has some private savings. I can lend them to you for Xinghua's Redemption Silver, or Second Aunt can make the trip herself..."
"It wouldn't do to let Xinghua remain a maid at the Li Residence forever."
"As for lodging, Huang Residence has plenty of guest rooms. I'll make the decision and pick one for you young couple."
At this point, Wei Hong raised her brows and twisted her handkerchief. Her face abruptly took on a sharp, fiery air again. She snorted and rattled off:
"Li Yaozu is a shrewd one. Your Redemption Silver shouldn't have cost that much in the first place. He had the nerve to ask for eleven taels and five mace?"
"Even at eight taels and eight mace, he would still be making a profit off it. Yet he also wanted to use this to make you owe him a favor."
As a merchant's wife, Wei Hong had absorbed much from her years in the Huang Residence and was exceedingly sensitive to the market price of servants. At a glance, she saw through the "cunning" of Li Yaozu and his wife.
"Master Li and First Mistress Li were willing to let me redeem myself. They didn't make things difficult for me, and afterward, they even recommended me to Master Dan..."
"There's no need to fuss too much over such a small profit."
Wei Tu shook his head, unwilling to let Wei Hong continue probing into the matter.
Three years ago, he had estimated that his Redemption Silver would be around ten taels—perhaps a little more, perhaps a little less.
But he had no way to gauge exactly how much more or less, because it depended entirely on the Li Family's conscience.
It was unlike buying goods from a shop. When deciding his Redemption Silver, he had no right to haggle and could only let Li Yaozu and his wife name their price.
"Fine, Brother Wei, we won't speak of that anymore. As for Xinghua's redemption, what do you think..." Wei Hong asked with a smile.
"There is no need to trouble Second Aunt with this matter."
Wei Tu shook his head. "If your nephew had wished to borrow money to redeem Xinghua's contract, I would have asked Master Dan for it while I was at the Shan Family."
A Green Dappled Horse was worth a hundred taels, yet Martial Graduate Dan had been willing to lend it to him. The money needed to redeem Xinghua probably did not even amount to ten taels of silver... Wei Tu believed that as long as he asked, Martial Graduate Dan would certainly lend it to him.
Not only would Martial Graduate Dan lend him the money, even Dan Fang, who had "made an enemy" of him, would gladly do so upon learning of the matter.
Redeeming his wife for him...
That was a favor as great as the heavens!
"Second Aunt was rash." Hearing Wei Tu's words, Wei Hong's smile stiffened slightly, and all the fierceness drained from her.
—She could hear the distance in Wei Tu's words.
He would rather borrow from Martial Graduate Dan than from her. The meaning was plain: in Wei Tu's heart, this Second Aunt of his was far inferior to Martial Graduate Dan.
I spend all day hunting geese, only to have one peck my eyes blind in the end. Wei Hong sighed inwardly.
When the martial examination ended today, she had thought Wei Tu accepted their kinship without the slightest resistance because he wanted to climb the Huang Family's ladder to wealth and status...
Yet the moment she learned that Wei Tu's master was Martial Graduate Dan, that thought vanished from her heart without a trace.
Even if a Martial Graduate's resources fell short of the Huang Family's, the difference would not be great.
As for connections along the official road, the Huang Family could not compare at all.
As a Martial Examination Disciple, Wei Tu had no need—and no reason—to come running over and shamelessly curry favor with the Huang Family.
The reason Wei Tu was willing to acknowledge her as kin was likely still because she had not taken things too far back then.
"Brother Wei, the kitchen has already prepared the dishes. Come with Second Aunt. This celebration feast was specially made for you." Wei Hong hid her embarrassment well and used the imminent start of the feast as an excuse to end the subject.
—Even if her nephew from her maiden family was not close to her, as long as he acknowledged their kinship and had attained status, her own standing in the Huang Family would rise with the tide.
After the celebration feast,
Wei Tu did not remain long at the Huang Residence. Claiming that he needed to prepare for the examinations, he bade Master Huang farewell.
Hearing this, Master Huang could not find a suitable reason to keep Wei Tu, so he had the steward arrange a carriage to take Wei Tu back to the Li Residence.
At this,
Wei Tu thought for a moment, then did not refuse.
—Li Yaozu was miserly by nature and saw letting him stay the night as a favor as vast as heaven. Having the Huang Family's carriage see him off would also dispel Li Yaozu's delusions.
When a wealthy household took in a poor man for the night, it was a kindness.
But when it housed someone of equal standing, it was merely social etiquette, not a kindness.
"Martial Master Wei, please wait."
Outside the Huang Residence, just as Wei Tu climbed into the carriage and was about to leave, a rough voice suddenly rang out beyond the curtain.
The voice carried the full, resonant breath of a fellow martial artist.
"Martial Master Ruan?" Wei Tu lifted the carriage curtain and glanced outside, quickly recognizing the speaker.
Though he had met Martial Master Ruan only once, the Health Cultivation Technique Martial Master Ruan had given him was too important. Even after three years, Wei Tu still remembered his appearance.
"Back then, Ruan was greatly disdainful toward Martial Master Wei when you sought instruction..."
"Ruan has often blamed himself afterward."
"It was I... who failed to recognize Mount Tai before me. I hope Martial Master Wei will not hold a great man's grudge against a petty one..."
Martial Master Ruan's face flushed red. After fidgeting for a moment, he cupped his fists and bowed deeply to Wei Tu, loudly offering his apology.
Martial artists delighted in bravery and violence.
Considering the humiliation he had inflicted upon Wei Tu three years ago, he could hardly imagine... if Wei Tu encountered him during the third round's Sparring Match, how heavily Wei Tu would strike him.
By then, not only would his reputation be utterly ruined, he might even be beaten grievously by Wei Tu and left paralyzed for life.
At the thought,
Martial Master Ruan trembled with fear.
Thus, for the sake of his reputation and his life, he stopped the carriage now and swallowed his pride to apologize to Wei Tu.
On the other side,
Seeing Martial Master Ruan perform such a grand gesture, Wei Tu was first stunned. Only after recovering did he say, "Wei does not care about this matter. Martial Master Ruan, please rise. There is no need for such ceremony..."
Back then,
Wei Tu had not truly taken Martial Master Ruan's humiliation to heart, because he and Martial Master Ruan had merely been strangers who did not know one another.
What he had truly kept in his heart were the words of his cousin Huang Yuanshan, who had looked down on him as an older cousin.
Being despised did not feel good.
But forgiveness was one thing.
Wei Tu was not so magnanimous as to climb down from the carriage, personally help Martial Master Ruan up from his kneeling bow, and then offer words of comfort.
He was neither a sage nor a gentleman, nor did he harbor ambitions to seize the realm. There was no need for him to humble himself to win over worthy men.
After speaking, Wei Tu lowered the curtain and signaled the driver to continue on without lingering.
"The things I cared about back then."
"By today... I no longer minded them so much..."
After the carriage traveled some distance, Wei Tu lifted the curtain.
The night was cool as water.
The chill was slightly heavy.
Wei Tu spread the five fingers of his right hand and touched the biting spring breeze rushing past outside the carriage, then raised that hand to stroke his cheek.
His cheek felt slightly cold.
It no longer carried that burning, scalding sensation from three years ago.
Thanks to 0 Lost Pearl in the Vast Sea 0 for the reward of 500 Qidian coins.
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