The Princess's Shock

In winter, some noble families said:

"Chu Qing is attempting Blood Refining. He is probably about to truly temper his muscles!"

After more than ten days, the spies returned with bored expressions, reporting that Chu Qing was in secluded cultivation at the Martial Academy.

The noble families said:

"Chu Qing must be improving himself like mad. He is definitely going to temper his muscles!"

"Unfortunately, the assessment mission for Muscle Tempering is as difficult as ascending to Heaven!"

"He simply cannot do it!"

Early spring:

The noble families discovered that Chu Qing was still in secluded cultivation.

"He does not have the Muscle Tempering Secret Transmission. Why is he still in seclusion?"

"That is it. He must be refining blood."

"When he previously applied for the Muscle Tempering Secret Transmission, he was deceiving us!"

February:

The spring breeze was like scissors, cutting willow branches one after another and setting them swaying in the wind.

Young scholars stepped upon the spring breeze and went on spring outings early in the day.

In previous years:

Their outings took them down muddy roads.

Yet this year, they were astonished to discover:

The roads were not muddy at all.

Though there were no bluestone roads, the roads had been repaired with crushed stone.

These gravel roads were broad enough for four carriages to travel abreast.

Large numbers of weeping willows had also been planted along both sides of the roads.

Many ragged men were still repairing the roads.

Some were repairing the farmland beside them.

The scholars composed poems and matched couplets, praising the sight without end.

Traveling martial artists and merchants from other places were likewise dumbstruck when they saw this.

"Why has Stone Province begun building roads?"

They could not understand it.

But they discovered:

There were very few beggars and drifters