Ruilin Lane!
The moment Lin Chen reached the mouth of the lane, he knew this had to be Poyang County's district for the wealthy and powerful.
The lane was paved with bluestone. Grand residences stood on either side, with carved beams and painted rafters, glittering in gold and jade green.
Following the plaques above the residences, he went deep into the lane before coming to a stop.
Shu Residence!
The residence of Inspector Shu.
Lin Chen did not know whether Instructor Yu was staying at Inspector Shu's residence. When the instructor had left, he had not told Lin Chen where he would be staying in the county town.
But even if the instructor was not living at Shu Residence, Inspector Shu surely knew where he was staying.
Lin Chen stepped forward and knocked.
A few breaths later, a maid opened the door.
"May I ask if this is the residence of Inspector Shu?"
"Yes. What business does Young Master have?"
"I'm Instructor Yu's disciple, Lin Chen. I've come to pay my respects to Inspector Shu. I'd be grateful if you could inform him."
"You're Young Master Lin?"
Upon hearing Lin Chen give his name, the maid did not go to report it. Instead, she opened the door directly, which surprised Lin Chen somewhat.
Had Inspector Shu mentioned his name to the servants?
Following the maid through the gates of Shu Residence, the first thing Lin Chen saw was a screen wall carved with auspicious patterns.
After circling the screen wall, he saw a spacious courtyard paved with patterned tiles. Covered corridors surrounded it on all sides, their railings beneath the eaves carved with exquisite detail. In the center of the courtyard, an ancient well lay in quiet repose, its old-fashioned rim bearing witness to the residence's long, weathered years.
The maid led Lin Chen into the main hall. After serving him fragrant tea, she apologized and withdrew.
Lin Chen swept his gaze across the main hall. Its furnishings were simple yet dignified. Several grand chairs were made of fine timber and featured exquisite carving. A few landscape paintings hung on the walls, their brushwork uninhibited and their artistic conception profound.
He could understand these decorations if they had appeared in the home of a scholarly family.
But Inspector Shu was a martial artist.
Did martial artists also harbor the sentiments of scholars?
After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the maid returned, but this time she was holding an envelope.
"Young Master Lin, my mistress and Mr. Yu left Poyang County a few days ago. Mr. Yu left a letter and asked me to give it to you."
Hearing this, Lin Chen was somewhat surprised. He accepted the letter but did not hurry to open it. Instead, he asked, "What should I call you, Sister?"
"Hu'er."
"Sister Hua'er, where did Instructor Yu go after leaving the county town? May I ask you to tell me?"
"Mr. Yu is going to take the martial examinations, so he left Poyang County. My mistress also resigned from her position as inspector and went with him."
"The martial examinations?"
Lin Chen was truly stunned. His own instructor was going to take the martial examinations at a time like this?
Then, with a turn of thought, he roughly guessed the reason.
Inspector Shu's family background was clearly extraordinary. The instructor was obviously not the sort of person willing to live off a woman. He was going to strive for success and earn an official title so that he could go to the Shu Family of Rao Prefecture and ask for Inspector Shu's hand in marriage?
Sure enough, love spurred people to fight harder.
The instructor had originally lain flat, but now he was going to struggle once more for love.
"Young Master Lin, before Mr. Yu left, he specifically instructed me that if you came to the residence, I should not only deliver this letter to you, but also tell you that if you needed a place to stay, you could stay here. There are many guest rooms in the residence."
"There's no need to trouble you. I'll return to the martial academy in a little while."
Lin Chen shook his head and declined. He had come to report the good news to Instructor Yu. Since the instructor was not here, he naturally would not stay at Shu Residence.
"Did the instructor say how long he would be gone this time?"
"I don't know that. Perhaps Mr. Yu mentioned it in the letter." Hua'er shook her head. She was only a maid and did not know much.
Hearing this, Lin Chen stopped hesitating and opened the envelope in his hand.
To my disciple, Lin Chen:
By the time you receive this letter, I will have already left Poyang County. I imagine Hua'er has already told you where I have gone. Your senior sister and I are of one heart and one mind, and we have pledged ourselves to one another with vows as enduring as mountains and seas.
However, your senior sister comes from the Shu Family of Rao Prefecture, a renowned and illustrious clan. Though your senior sister does not look down on my humble origins, I cannot let her suffer the gossip of others. Thus, I have decided to take the martial examinations. If I can attain the rank of Ranked Expert, I will go to Shu Residence to ask for her hand in marriage...
At this point, Lin Chen's eyes narrowed slightly. He had not expected the instructor to tell his junior disciple all these matters in the letter.
The difficulty of the martial examinations was greater than climbing to the heavens. In the past, those who had achieved high ranks in the martial examinations had all been sons of renowned clans, or Heaven's Talents carefully nurtured by Ranked Experts. With my background and strength, hoping to place among the Ranked Experts is nothing but a fool's dream. If word gets out, I will only invite everyone's ridicule.
Yet I have made up my mind. First, I do not want to fail your senior sister. Second, I was influenced by you. A village youth with an innocent heart, though without money, still strives to climb to the top. If you can do this, why can't I?
Lin Chen somewhat understood why the instructor had written so clearly about taking the martial examinations.
The instructor had spent the entire letter explaining why he was going to take the martial examinations, but every word was encouraging him.
The competition the instructor would face in the martial examinations was the same as what Lin Chen faced in the martial academy. If the instructor could disregard others' gossip and their claims that he was chasing a fool's dream, then as his disciple, Lin Chen should persevere all the more in his cultivation at the martial academy.
Master and disciple, let us encourage one another!
The path of martial training was not achieved in a single day or night. One had to persevere unwaveringly to reach the end. Do not rejoice or grieve over temporary gains and losses; do not become complacent or abandon yourself over the success or failure of one matter. There was no limit to martial training. If your heart faced the light, the road ahead would naturally become clear, and wisdom would naturally arise.
Finally, borrowing your own words, let us encourage one another: The plum blossom's fragrance comes from the bitter cold, and the treasured sword's edge is honed through grinding.
Though I have left, my heart remains tied to you. May your future be as splendid as brocade, with a clear breeze and bright moon.
The letter ended there, but there was something else inside the envelope: a thin Silver Note worth twenty taels.
Lin Chen's eyes reddened slightly. He carefully folded the letter, placed it back inside the envelope, and tucked it into the inner lining over his chest.
Instructor Yu could be said to be his first true mentor in the martial path. Even after leaving the county town, he still kept Lin Chen in mind.
"I wish the instructor success in the martial examinations, that his name may appear on the honors list and that he may pluck the laurel from the moon palace."
After murmuring this in his heart, Lin Chen composed himself and cupped his fists toward Hua'er. "Sister Hua'er, since Inspector Shu and the instructor are both away, I'll take my leave."
After leaving Shu Residence, Lin Chen did not hurry back to the martial academy. Instead, he went to a joss-stick shop and bought a mask coated in multicolored lacquer and carved in a rough, crude style.
Masks of ghosts and deities like this were generally used in religious rites and sacrifices. It looked hideous enough to make one's hair stand on end. Lin Chen tried it on, and its size fit his face perfectly.
With the mask in hand, Lin Chen headed to the martial garden. When he stepped onto the path shaded by lush trees, he put the mask on his face.
When he reached the entrance to the martial garden, Lin Chen discovered that quite a few people entering were wearing masks. By the time he reached the arena plaza and swept his gaze across it, more than half the people were wearing masks, and several even had the same mask as him.
Seriously...
Lin Chen felt too helpless to complain. He had wondered why the joss-stick shop displayed more masks than joss sticks. It turned out they were all prepared for people like him.
Thanks to book friend Gan Chao Niu He for the reward. Let me respond to something: a few book friends have said the pace is slow. Jiudeng has learned from the mistakes of my previous book. That book went astray; this one is not the sort of traditional wish-fulfillment novel where the protagonist charges and fights all the way through. This book has local customs and the friendship of classmates. The Lin Chen I hope to write is someone who, a hundred years later, can look back on his youth and remember more than just a solitary figure practicing martial arts. I hope he can have a few people along the road whom he can recall. Finally, I'm asking for monthly votes—the last day is here. How about we sprint for two thousand votes? That would mean another hundred yuan in guaranteed earnings.
Before you continue