Not Entering the Ancestral Hall

"Those bandits killed by the soldiers must have come from neighboring Baiyang County..."

"Baiyang County suffered a disaster this year."

The next day, after returning to his rural home, Wei Tu learned the origin of the swordsmen during a conversation with Wei Bao.

Although he had seen the soldiers kill the bandits last night, he dared not mention it or ask others about it, for fear of bringing trouble upon himself.

It was only after he got home that he dared to bring it up.

Six years ago, to keep his family alive, Wei Bao not only sold his eldest son but also a portion of the family's ancestral property.

In recent years, to support the family, he would go to the neighboring county with acquaintances from the village to work as a migrant farmhand.

Baiyang County is located northwest of Qingmu County and consists mostly of dry, sloped land. The wheat there ripens earlier than in Qingmu County.

As a migrant farmhand, Wei Bao knew about the disaster in Baiyang County earlier than anyone in Qingmu County.

"But this world... I suspect it's about to fall into chaos. The grain in the public granary for disaster relief in Baiyang County is seventy percent less than recorded in the books," Wei Bao said.

Hearing this.

Wei Tu nodded.

Although villagers were uneducated, their position at the bottom of society allowed them to understand societal changes better than wealthy families.

It was like when the sky darkens before rain, and ants move their nests.

After discussing yesterday's "abnormality," the father and son fell silent, unsure of what topic to discuss next.

Wei Bao noticed that Wei Tu also had a dried tobacco pipe hanging from his waist. He got up from his stool, walked to the windowsill, gathered a small packet of sun-dried tobacco leaves, and handed it over.

"Try some, I grew it myself," Wei Bao said.

A short while later.

The father and son took turns puffing.

Soon, layers of hazy mist, like a moon veil, filled the room.

"I'm sorry, son. This is some money I've saved over the years. Take it. It will be useful whether you want to start a business elsewhere or buy back your deed of indenture."

In the evening, Wei Tu was called out by Wei Bao. The widower didn't say much in the way of affectionate words. He stood in the shadow of the eaves, took out a half-worn cloth bag from his chest, and stuffed it into Wei Tu's hands.

After a moment of silence, Wei Tu took the cloth bag.

The moment he held it, he felt its considerable weight.

Even if it were just copper coins, this bag held at least five or six qian.

Besides the copper coins, Wei Tu also felt several hard lumps, the size of soybeans, with uneven surfaces.

He knew these were the silver fragments Wei Bao had accumulated over the years.

However.

What followed was Wei Bao's cold words that shattered the warmth Wei Tu had just begun to feel.

"You sold yourself. Unless you buy back your deed of indenture, a household slave, according to the rules, cannot enter the ancestral hall to pay respects to the ancestors..."

"Including your wife..."

Wei Bao said, word by word.

Yes, villagers didn't consider selling oneself to a wealthy family a shameful act.

But they wouldn't allow household slaves to worship ancestors or enter the ancestral hall.

Because the clan leader considered it a serious matter.

Sharing the same clan as household slaves would bring shame upon the clan leader's lineage.

"I understand."

Wei Tu felt as if his face were burning and scalding. He was grateful that he was currently hidden in the dark village hut, where no one could see the expression on his face.

He clenched the money bag, swallowed hard, and said, "I'll leave tomorrow. I won't let the villagers see me."

It was only then that he understood.

For a household slave, returning home with his wife was not a glorious homecoming, but a shameful matter that would bring disgrace to the clan.

No matter how open-minded one tried to be.

Being trampled underfoot was never a pleasant experience.

Wei Bao giving him money was not only out of a sense of guilt but also because he wanted him to not make a fuss about his return to the village.

Leaving Wei Family Village early would be better than enduring cold glances and humiliation.

"Okay," Wei Bao's lips moved slightly. After a pause of half a breath, he finally said, "Okay."

In the morning.

The mountain path was slippery with morning dew.

Wei Tu and Xinghua walked side-by-side at a slow pace.

Xinghua stumbled, falling against the mountainside and rubbing her ankle.

"Brother Wei, does your father dislike me? I called him 'father,' but he didn't even grunt."

Tears welled up in Xinghua's eyes.

"And, the ancestral hall..."

She was clearly still upset about not being able to pay respects at the Wei family's ancestral hall.

Wei Tu didn't answer. He gently stroked Xinghua's head, pulled her into his embrace, and let her tears soak his clothes.

"That day will come,"

Wei Tu vowed silently.

It was one thing that he had forgone the traditional three proposals and six rites for their wedding, keeping things simple.

But to return to his hometown and not even allow Xinghua into the ancestral hall, forcing them to leave Wei Family Village at dawn in shame...

He couldn't help but feel the sting of it.

Back at the Li Residence.

Wei Tu resumed his quiet life.

Madam Li never mentioned renting land to farm again, as if she had forgotten about it entirely.

Wei Tu suspected this was the Li Residence's way of playing hardball, a mix of carrot and stick to manage their subordinates.

He continued to comfort Xinghua, urging her to wait patiently.

Half a year passed.

As spring planting approached, seeing that Madam Li still hadn't brought it up, Xinghua resigned herself to letting Wei Tu work as a tenant farmer for the year to earn money.

[Turtle Breath Qi Cultivation Technique (34/100): Nine practices a day, completed in five years.]

It had been about a year since he obtained the [Turtle Breath Qi Cultivation Technique].

One day, as Wei Tu was diligently practicing the Health Cultivation Technique, during his thirteenth repetition, he suddenly heard a soft sound like waves crashing against the shore within his body. As his stance shifted, his footwork seemed to gain a unique, inexplicable charm.

A few moments later, a warmer, more powerful current surged from within him, flowing through his limbs and strengthening his physique.

"Could it be that the Health Cultivation Technique has reached minor success?"

Wei Tu glanced at the progress of the Health Cultivation Technique etched onto his Destiny.

As far as he knew, martial arts were generally divided into four stages: beginner, minor success, great success, and perfection.

His current progress in the Health Cultivation Technique was already at one-third. Combined with the physical changes he felt, he deduced that he must have reached the minor success stage of the Health Cultivation Technique.

"Let's try the 200-jin stone lock."

After the internal warmth subsided and he had regulated his breathing for a while, Wei Tu turned his attention to the stone locks in the corner of the courtyard.

Stone locks were not expensive. After deciding to pursue martial arts, he had spent a small sum to buy this set of strength-training stone locks from a local farmer.

Walking over to the stone locks, Wei Tu placed one hand on the 200-jin lock and lifted it with effort. The lock easily rose to his chest, level with his shoulders.

"Success!"

Wei Tu's face lit up with joy.

While an adult could lift a 200-jin stone lock with some effort, there was a vast difference between lifting it and lifting it with one arm.

Being able to lift a 200-jin stone lock with one arm meant he was qualified to participate in the Martial Arts Examination.

However, merely meeting the strength requirement was not enough to gain official recognition through the Martial Arts Examination.

Besides lifting stones, the Martial Arts Examination also included tests for saber techniques, drawing a strong bow, mounted archery, and strategy.

"While practicing archery, I need to save money and find a way to first get rid of my slave status..."

"As a slave, I can't participate in the Martial Arts Examination."

Wei Tu put down the stone lock and began to consider his next steps in life.

Currently, given his circumstances, the fastest and best way to transcend his social class was to participate in the Martial Arts Examination held once every three years in the Zheng State.

Although the prestige of the Martial Arts Examination was not as high as that of the civil examination, for commoners, it represented a significant leap in social standing.

Thank you to "Funeral Cancelled" for the 2,000 Qidian coins reward.

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If you have monthly tickets, please cast them for this book as well. Arigato, thank you, dear readers.