"Earlier, this official said that all worthy men were permitted to refuse. Now that Martial Master Fu wished to withdraw, this official naturally would not go back on his word..." After Prefect He's face darkened with anger for a moment, he suddenly smiled. Not only did he refrain from punishing Fu Zhizhou for insubordination, he instead said this.
The martial masters in the hall were stunned, and an uproar broke out.
They had not expected Prefect He to be so accommodating. Had they known earlier, they too would have stepped forward with Wei Tu and the others to refuse outright.
Aside from the few martial masters blinded by profit, the rest had agreed to go to Wu Yun Tower not of their own free will, but because they had been cowed by Prefect He's tyranny. They feared that refusing would offend the chief official of the prefecture before them.
"But—"
Suddenly, a voice rang out.
The martial masters fell silent and turned their gazes toward Prefect He's seat of honor.
At that moment, Prefect He, who had spoken, picked up the teacup on the table and rose to his feet.
Dressed as a scholar and looking every bit the refined man of letters, he appeared exceedingly frail standing among the martial masters, as though a gust of wind could blow him over.
Yet Prefect He showed not the slightest timidity. He swept his gaze over the martial masters, his eyes cold. The martial masters who met his gaze immediately felt a chill in their hearts, lowering their heads and bending their backs, not daring to look directly at him.
This was the authority of an official.
One word.
One movement.
Was enough to plunge the atmosphere in the hall into instant oppression and tension.
At this moment, everyone in the hall remained silent. It seemed they could all hear their own heavy breathing...
At last, Prefect He's gaze slid over the martial masters' topknots, passed over Fu Zhizhou's face, and came to rest on Wei Tu, Wei Fei, and Kou Liang.
All the pressure in the room.
At this moment.
Tilted onto Wei Tu and the other two.
The martial masters who had been holding their breath finally let out a breath, as though a great burden had been lifted.
"But... Fu Zhizhou is different from the three of you. His uncle is a battalion commander in Xiao Yi Prefecture's garrison army, a seventh-rank official..."
"Even if he gives up this chance to rise in office today, tomorrow he can still receive his uncle's patronage. But what about you three?"
Unexpectedly, Prefect He's words were gentle, like a kindly teacher instructing disobedient students.
He did not utter a single word of reproach toward Wei Tu and the other two. There was only the earnest tone of someone explaining reason.
However.
When these words fell into the martial masters' ears, they carried a bone-piercing chill.
His words confirmed their suspicions. Refusing this assignment might earn them Prefect He's suppression and targeting.
What Prefect He meant was—
Fu Zhizhou could refuse.
That was because he had a seventh-rank military official for an uncle to shield him. Even if he were suppressed, he would at most endure two or three years of drudgery before being promoted.
But what about Wei Tu and the other two?
After being suppressed, they might never rise to official rank in their entire lives, dying of old age at the bottom.
"This..."
Hearing this, Fu Zhizhou's throat bobbed. He wanted to urgently speak up and urge Wei Tu and the others not to be swayed by Prefect He's words.
But beneath Prefect He's pressing gaze, he had no choice but to swallow those words back down into his stomach and fall silent.
Besides.
What Prefect He said was also true. The reason he had dared to step forward first and refuse outright was inseparable from the fact that he had a seventh-rank military official for an uncle.
—Only those with backing had the right to be willful.
Martial men were martial men after all. A few words... and they had already softened. After waiting a while and seeing that Wei Tu and the other two had yet to reply, Prefect He sneered inwardly.
"I do not have the Fu Family behind me, nor do I have a seventh-rank military official uncle like Fu Zhizhou..."
"But Kou is slow-witted and clumsy. I fear I might ruin Prefect He's plans. I beg Prefect He for forgiveness."
At this moment, a voice abruptly sounded in the sitting room, utterly out of place. It came from Kou Liang, who stood beside Fu Zhizhou.
In an instant.
The atmosphere in the hall once again sank into deathly silence.
No one dared speak loudly.
They scarcely even dared—breathe loudly.
However.
Before anyone could react.
Half a breath later, Wei Tu, who stood alongside Fu Zhizhou and Kou Liang, also spoke.
Compared to Kou Liang, Wei Tu was far more courteous. He cupped his hands to Prefect He and said, "Wei is of humble status. Before taking part in the martial examination, Wei was no more than a stableman, despised by others. Now... even if Wei remains a low-ranking military official, surely... it will still be far better than Wei's former life..."
—They had known each other for less than half a day. He had not yet developed brotherly feelings for Fu Zhizhou and the others, but he knew he had to do everything in his power to avoid this "calamity"... even if that meant being targeted by Prefect He.
If he suffered again...
Could it possibly be worse than the day he redeemed himself?
Very soon.
After Wei Tu finished speaking.
Wei Fei also gritted his teeth and spoke. Unlike Wei Tu and the others, however, he only said, "Me too."
Yet that one sentence had already made his stance clear. The number of words did not matter.
After hearing the three men's words.
Prefect He understood what Wei Tu and the other three meant. He did not press them further. After silently committing their names to memory, he shifted his gaze to the other martial masters and said, "What you are concerned about... is merely whether this mission will remain secret, is it not?"
"Those invited here by this official are all martial masters of clean backgrounds and promising futures... I trust none among you would casually leak the secret of this place. As for the maids and servants in this room, they are all my confidants and will not wag their tongues..."
As his words fell.
The martial masters who had wanted to follow Wei Tu and the others in defying Prefect He immediately began to waver. Their feet halted, and they did not dare take the "second step."
Prefect He's words did make some sense. The martial masters present were no ordinary people; how could they casually divulge secrets?
And the maids and servants, as trusted attendants who had long remained by Prefect He's side, were even more reliable at keeping secrets than the other martial masters.
Wei Tu and the others knew nothing of these martial masters' private thoughts. After exchanging glances, they cupped their hands and bade Prefect He farewell.
Under the gazes of the martial masters.
The four of them walked out of the sitting room together and left Qing Feng Prefecture's Prefectural Yamen.
"That was a close call..."
"I nearly let that Prefect He talk me into it and became too afraid to mention refusing again..."
Outside the Prefectural Yamen, Kou Liang patted his chest. After taking several deep breaths, he smiled.
"Brother Kou, thank you." Fu Zhizhou patted Kou Liang on the shoulder, his face full of gratitude.
Had Kou Liang backed down just now and failed to speak those words in time, he, Fu Zhizhou, would have been utterly disgraced.
"And Brother Wei, Brother Wei Fei!"
"Great kindness needs no thanks."
Then Fu Zhizhou turned around to look at Wei Tu and Wei Fei behind him. He laughed a few times, and his rough, broad hands tightly clasped theirs.
He and Kou Liang at least shared the bond of being fellow townsmen.
But Wei Tu and Wei Fei had only met him once.
This time, Wei Tu and Wei Fei had been willing to take a risk alongside him, this "young master"—though a considerable part of the reason had been for themselves, it was still a kindness toward him.
"Back in the Prefectural Yamen, we said that once we got out, we would become brothers. When any one of us faces trouble, we will help one another!"
"If Prefect He suppresses us brothers, he can at most suppress us for a year. Once this dragon crossing the river leaves, I'll use my connections and pull you all up no matter what."
Fu Zhizhou patted his chest and spoke boldly.
"Let's go drink at Xuan He Tower first."
"At dawn, the results of the provincial examination will be posted. Then we'll see what tricks Prefect He can play..."
Kou Liang smiled and said.
Having shared this hardship, the four of them had gained a measure of trust in one another, despite having only just met—far more than they had with many old acquaintances.
"The provincial examination is Shannan Dao's grand selection of talent. What influence can a mere prefect wield? This is the martial examination, not the civil examination. Who is stronger and who is weaker can be seen at a glance."
Hearing Kou Liang's words, Fu Zhizhou immediately laughed a few times, openly dismissive of Prefect He's influence.
Before you continue