The next day.
Wei Fei came calling.
He brought his own "letter of appointment" and went to Wei Tu to air his grievances.
After reading Wei Fei's "letter of appointment," Wei Tu felt that Wei Fei had fared even worse than he had, having obtained only the post of "Battalion Instructor."
As Battalion Instructor, he had to drill the soldiers within the battalion once every three days. Not only was it troublesome and exhausting, but among the battalion's military officers, it was considered a rather low-ranking position.
"I'm just waiting for Fourth Brother to rise through the ranks, then give me a hand."
"I only hope he doesn't forget what he said when we swore brotherhood."
Wei Fei gave a self-mocking smile.
Compared with Wei Tu's open-mindedness, he had a harder time letting go of Prefect He's suppression.
After all, his family was not short of money.
With no prospects ahead of him, a Battalion Instructor's post clearly could not significantly elevate his status.
"Fourth Brother is a man of honor and loyalty. He should not forget us brothers."
Wei Tu comforted him.
He understood that Fu Zhizhou was the key to the alliance between the four brothers of the Righteous Society. If Fu Zhizhou broke his word, then as time flowed on, this alliance would become nothing more than a "joke" in the hearts of the three men.
"Let's wait and see for a year or two."
"Time reveals a man's heart."
Wei Fei swept away his dejection and smiled.
Compared with Fu Zhizhou, Wei Fei clearly trusted Wei Tu, his fellow county man, more.
Two days later.
Wei Tu and Wei Fei assumed their posts, serving as "Battalion Commander" and "Battalion Instructor" among the garrison troops of the County Yamen.
Everything went smoothly among the garrison troops. Neither man suffered exclusion from his colleagues or hostility from the soldiers under his command.
This was not because the military atmosphere was good, but because military preparedness had fallen into ruin. At every roll call, fewer than half the officers and soldiers showed up—sometimes not even a third.
"The realm is about to fall into chaos."
Seeing this, Wei Tu recalled what his father, Wei Bao, had told him about Baiyang County when he returned to Changming Township three years ago.
Seventy percent of the grain in the charity granaries had been embezzled by Baiyang County officials. Of the remaining thirty percent, much of it was old and moldy, not fresh grain from the previous year.
One could glimpse the whole leopard through a single spot.
If unrest broke out among the people of Qingshan County, Wei Tu did not believe these garrison troops could stop a rebel army from storming the city.
Unrest in Qingshan County.
Only one natural disaster was needed.
"This has nothing to do with me."
"The accumulated maladies of Zheng State's local administration are not something one man can change. If I rashly interfere, I may even hand Prefect He my own 'charge sheet'..."
Wei Tu shook his head and began to turn a blind eye to the "lax military preparedness" of Qingshan County's garrison troops.
He knew history well. He knew what kind of ends had befallen those officials in his previous life who had aspired to reform.
Five days after taking up his post among the garrison troops.
Wei Tu finally met the Wu Yun Tower elder whom Fu Zhizhou had mentioned in his letter more than ten days earlier.
"Are you Martial Master Wei?" In an alley, an old man in his sixties blocked Wei Tu's path and asked with a genial smile.
His beard and hair were snow-white, and his temples bulged slightly on either side. He looked aged, yet every movement he made was exceptionally vigorous and robust.
"And you are?" Though Wei Tu had some idea of the man's origins, he did not dare to be certain.
—If such an extraordinary person existed in the county town, he would never be an unknown nobody.
"Xue Du, Elder of Wu Yun Tower!" The old man smiled faintly without concealing anything, revealing his identity.
"My visit to Qingshan County Town is to invite Martial Master Wei to join Wu Yun Tower."
"If Martial Master Wei agrees, Wu Yun Tower is willing to devote all its strength to nurturing you..."
"This old man dares guarantee that if Martial Master Wei joins Wu Yun Tower, you will have hope of becoming an Innate Realm Martial Master before the age of fifty."
"An Innate Realm Martial Master lives two hundred years."
Xue Du stated Wu Yun Tower's terms word by word.
As soon as his words fell.
Wei Tu was immediately tempted.
Only then did he finally understand why Fu Zhizhou had repeatedly warned him not to agree to Wu Yun Tower for the sake of profit.
There was no other reason—the conditions Wu Yun Tower offered were simply too generous.
An Innate Realm Martial Master lived two hundred years.
Joining Wu Yun Tower meant he might gain another lifetime of longevity.
Who could resist such a condition?
Especially Wei Tu.
The longer his lifespan, the greater the effect his "Late Bloomer" fate would have.
After becoming an Innate Realm Martial Master, perhaps he would have hope of pursuing the Immortal Way that might exist in this world.
"Wei is already an appointed official of the imperial court. Since I have entered government service, this Wu Yun Tower... I must ask to decline..."
After pausing for several breaths, Wei Tu finally suppressed the desire in his heart. He took a deep breath and spoke.
"This is the Innate Realm Martial Master we are talking about?" Xue Du frowned and pressed him several more times.
—After only three years of martial practice, Wei Tu had achieved what he had today. He did not wish to let such a fine martial talent slip away.
"Many thanks for Elder Xue's regard, but Wei is not particularly devoted to the Martial Way. The Martial Way is merely a tool for Wei to pursue fame and profit."
Wei Tu shook his head and continued to refuse.
Hearing this.
Xue Du could only give up. He sighed, casually flicked a token toward Wei Tu, and said, "If Martial Master Wei changes his mind, take this token to Copper Pot Mountain. There, my sect has an emissary to receive you."
Once he finished speaking, Xue Du flicked his wide robe, stepped against the alley wall, and soared onto a rooftop two zhang high like a cloud crane. After only a few steps, he vanished without a trace.
"Lightness Skill?" Wei Tu raised his brows slightly at the sight, immediately forming some guesses about Xue Du's strength.
Although External Martial Masters were often stronger than Internal Martial Masters in raw strength, in certain aspects, External Martial Masters were far inferior to Internal Martial Masters.
For example, the Lightness Skill Xue Du had just displayed.
Wei Tu could borrow force to leap onto a rooftop two zhang high, but his movements could never be as graceful and effortless as Xue Du's.
Moreover, from what Wei Tu had observed, Xue Du was not only an Internal Martial Master, but had also practiced a certain amount of External Stance Training...
"Still, there must be falsehood in what he said. He himself is already so old, yet he has not entered the Innate Realm... How could those disciples who join later so easily reach the realm of an Innate Realm Martial Master?"
"Besides, the government has already set its sights on Wu Yun Tower. The Wu Yun Tower of today is no good place..."
Wei Tu shook his head and buried the matter of Wu Yun Tower in his heart.
However, before leaving, Wei Tu gave it some thought and secretly hid the token Xue Du had thrown him beneath a large Chinese toon tree in the alley.
The next day.
Wei Fei told Wei Tu that Xue Du of Wu Yun Tower had also sought him out once, but he had flatly refused.
Wei Fei's reason for refusing Wu Yun Tower was the same as Wei Tu's. Apart from the agreement they had made at the Prefectural Yamen... there was another reason: both of them could see that Wu Yun Tower was a sinking ship.
To board it now.
Was no different from seeking death.
No matter how great a Martial Way sect Wu Yun Tower was, it could not compare to the Zheng State court. This was the consensus of the two men, and indeed of all martial masters.
Otherwise, why would Wu Yun Tower recruit Martial Scholars like them? Would it not be better to establish its own separate "court" and cultivate its own disciples?
Its recruitment of Martial Scholars was precisely proof that it was inferior to the Zheng State court and could only resort to this inferior expedient.
After refusing Wu Yun Tower's invitation.
Wei Tu's life once again sank into the calm of day after day.
Until—
This year's Provincial Examination for martial candidates ended, and the provincial examination rankings were delivered to the Qingshan County Yamen.
"Fu Zhizhou actually passed this year's provincial examination, ranking ninth..."
After Wei Tu and Wei Fei finished reading the rankings, alongside their delight came added worry.
Originally.
Fu Zhizhou's background had already been better than that of the other three men with whom he had sworn brotherhood.
Now that Fu Zhizhou had passed the Provincial Examination and become a Martial Graduate, his status had leapt far ahead of theirs. He would be granted the rank of an eighth-grade military officer...
Whether he could still remember their former oath, and be willing to honor it, was hard to predict.
Thanks to several people: De Meng Wei Yu for the 100 Qidian Coins, Reader 20201010231814657 for the 100 Qidian Coins, All Xia's Female Zhen for the 10,000 Qidian Coins, Yu Shang for the 500 Qidian Coins, and Rising Power for the 100 Qidian Coins.
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