Not Yet Twenty, Potential of a Grandmaster

"Challenge Me?"

Xu Zhen's eyes narrowed slightly. Amid his astonishment, the urge to teach him a lesson arose.

"Second Uncle, that Xu Family Lad dared injure my son. Teach him a proper lesson!" Xu Mao fanned the flames from the side.

Yang Zhao was equally surprised. "Brother Xu, your eldest son is a little too arrogant.

"I've heard of Xu Zhen as well. Though his talent is ordinary, he has been a First-class Martial Artist for over a decade. His experience is seasoned and shrewd—not something someone who has only recently entered the First-class Martial Artist realm can compare to."

Xu Chuan was unconcerned and waved a hand. "It would do that lad good to suffer a little."

Yang Zhao said no more.

"Indeed, the young are formidable!"

"Fine, I won't bully you either. If you can take three moves from me, you win."

Xu Zhen did not wish to slink away in disgrace. If he could severely injure Xu Mingwei in a head-on contest, then face and reputation no longer mattered.

"Second Master Xu, please, make your move!"

Xu Mingwei laughed loudly, and with every breath came the faint sound of a dragon's roar and an elephant's trumpet.

He threw a punch, its force howling through the air.

Xu Zhen answered with a punch of his own.

Bang!

Step, step, step—

Xu Mingwei did not budge an inch, while Xu Zhen stumbled back several steps before finally stopping.

Xu Mao and the other younger members of the Xu Family were all dumbstruck, unable to hide their shock.

The rest were equally stunned. An uproar rose all around, whispers surging endlessly like a tide.

"How old is This Child? He actually sent a veteran First-class Martial Artist flying back with a single punch?!"

"Exactly. Even if Xu Zhen isn't at his peak, he's not someone a junior should be able to handle. Could it be that he's already a First-class Martial Artist?"

"Not yet Twenty Years Old, yet he has the Potential of a Grandmaster."

In the major county towns, it took Decades, or even a century, for a Grandmaster Martial Artist to emerge.

Xu Zhen was equally horrified inside.

That punch had erupted with both physical strength and inner force.

He had not held back in the slightest, yet he had still been forced back by one punch.

That alone was enough to show that the other party's strength was already above his own.

"Second Uncle, why did you hold back? Why be polite to someone like him!"

Xu Zhen shot him a cold sidelong glance. "This is all your doing."

He took a small Porcelain Bottle from his sleeve and flung it to Xu Mingwei. "Today, I have witnessed the Xu Family's skill. I won't disturb you any longer."

"You all, return to the martial arts hall with me."

Xu Zhen said nothing more and led everyone except Xu Mao back to the Black Wind Martial Arts Hall.

Xu Chuan smiled faintly and looked at Xu Mao. "Brother Xu, Could it be you have a gift to offer as well?"

"Xu Chuan, don't be so pleased with yourself. My Xu Family has the County Lieutenant backing us. Offend the Xu Family, and you won't have good days ahead!"

Xu Chuan stared in surprise, then turned to look at Yang Zhao.

Yang Zhao had already been displeased by Xu Mao's earlier insults. Now, seeing him still dare to invoke his name to throw his weight around, he could no longer endure it.

"Xu Mao, you say County Lieutenant Yang stands behind you. Then take a good look at who I am."

Xu Mao had never met Yang Zhao; only his Uncle had met him twice.

But he had always been arrogant. He cast Yang Zhao a disdainful glance and said flatly, "Aren't you just the inscription writer Xu Chuan hired?"

"I advise you to know which way the wind blows and leave early. Don't get tangled up with the Xu Family."

"Otherwise, you'll have bitter fruit to eat too!"

"Good, good, good!"

Yang Zhao laughed from sheer anger.

Just then, several Yamen Runners approached. They were patrolling West Market.

Seeing a crowd gathered here, they came over to investigate.

They had originally only intended to join the excitement and see whether there was any profit to be skimmed from the newly opened shop.

But upon seeing Yang Zhao, they immediately stepped forward, bowed, and cupped their hands. "Greetings, County Lieutenant."

The moment those words were spoken, everyone around them erupted in uproar.

"The County Lieutenant actually appeared at a tiny Fruit Shop—and even personally wrote an inscription for it. What background does this Xu Family have?"

"Greetings, County Lieutenant!"

They might not recognize the county lieutenant, but yamen runners came and went through the County Office every day—they would never mistake him.

The people around them immediately bowed one after another.

Bai Jing and the others were equally astonished. They had never expected that the person Xu Chuan had invited would be Qingjiang County's county lieutenant.

"Y-you're the county lieutenant?"

"Xu Mao, you insulted an official, used This Official's name to throw your weight around and bully others, committing all manner of evil. You men, seize him, take him back to the County Office, and throw him into the dungeon."

"Yes, County Lieutenant."

Xu Mao seemed not to have heard a thing. His soul had fled and his wits scattered as he collapsed onto the ground.

"Brother Daming."

Xu Chuan recognized one of the yamen runners and called out.

"Xu Chuan." Chen Daming answered as well.

Yang Zhao glanced at Chen Daming. "Brother Xu knows him?"

"We're from the same village. His father took especially good care of me when I was young. It's just that after we each established our own households and livelihoods, we had less contact. We haven't seen each other in years."

"I see." Yang Zhao looked at Chen Daming. "Take Xu Mao back first."

Chen Daming's heart had been pounding all along, a fine sweat beading on his brow. He feared Xu Chuan might say something bad about him in front of Yang Zhao.

Only now did he finally feel completely at ease.

"I never thought Xu Chuan was actually acquainted with the county lieutenant, and he hadn't let even a whisper of it slip all these years."

"What deep scheming."

However, they had not gone far.

When they ran into Steward Wang, who had come bearing congratulatory gifts on Third Master Xu's orders.

"Steward Wang, hurry and find my father! Have my uncle and the others save me!" Xu Mao looked as though he had spotted his savior.

Steward Wang was frightened out of his wits as well. He slipped over a few taels of silver and hurriedly asked what had happened.

Only then did he learn that Xu Mao had offended County Lieutenant Yang, and panic surged through his heart.

"We're carrying out orders to make an arrest, and we still have to return to the County Office. We'll be on our way first."

As Chen Daming spoke, he took Xu Mao and continued toward the County Office.

Xu Mao still shouted at the top of his lungs, "Steward Wang, it was all Xu Chuan's doing! Tell my father to avenge me!"

After running into such a matter, Steward Wang naturally had no time to deliver any gifts. He immediately returned to the Xu Family and reported the matter.

"Godfather, you're amazing! That Xu Mao is awful. Yesterday, when he came to my house, he even wanted to snatch Little White and our Green Jade Pears by force. You have to teach him a good lesson."

"Xue Ji will treat you to pears."

Xu Mingshu, the little reporting expert, started tattling again.

"Alright, alright. Godfather will definitely give him a proper scolding."

Yang Zhao did not stay long. After finishing the inscription, he too returned to the County Office.

He felt that he had been used.

But he had no proof.

After all, he had originally come out in plain clothes merely to witness the opening, write an inscription, and then leave.

Who would have thought so many things would happen?

The Xu Family Fruit Shop's opening had gone through several twists and turns, but it finally concluded successfully.

Even without the Green Jade Pears, word of mouth would soon spread throughout the county town's many Families that the Xu Family had close ties with the county lieutenant. Countless people would come flocking over.

After the normal opening proceedings were over, the Xu Family returned to their residence in West Market.

Only Zhou Ming and several hired attendants were left behind to look after the business.

Xu Chuan had considered that someone from the Xu Family might come to make trouble, but he had never expected Xu Mao to cooperate so perfectly, doing exactly as he had hoped and allowing him to achieve three goals with one arrow.

He had no particular grudge against the Xu Family, but Xu Mao had made things difficult for him at every turn for many years, which had made him detest the man.

So he dug a pit and let him jump into it.

If Xu Mao had not come, nothing would have happened.

But now he had offended Yang Zhao.

Even if he did not die, he would be skinned alive, and the Xu Family would suffer grievous losses as well.

West Market.

Xu Family residence, main hall.

Bai Jing looked at Xu Chuan and asked curiously, "Husband, I never thought you actually knew the county lieutenant and had even invited him here. Otherwise, it would have been hard to bring things to a close back then."

"We've met a few times and formed a bit of a friendship." Xu Chuan took a shallow sip and said blandly.

Xu Mingyuan wore the same gossiping expression. "Father, why have we never heard you mention this before? With such Connections, our Xu family could probably have reached into Qingjiang County long ago."

"When dealing with one another, one must also consider whether their statuses are equal.

Only after our Xu family had developed to this point did we gain the Foundation to associate with someone like the County Assistant.

"But you are forbidden from acting outside under his name. Otherwise, Xu Mao's fate today will be our Xu family's fate tomorrow."

"Yes, Father."

Xu Mingwei and the others all answered in unison.

With the County Assistant's personally inscribed signboard, fine rare fruits like Green Jade Pears, and other fruits and vegetables painstakingly selected by the Xu family and purchased from independent growers, their quality was guaranteed.

Thus.

People came and went from the Xu Family Fruit Shop every day in an unending stream, and there were no shortage of returning customers.

The Xu family's sons also gained great fame throughout the county town.

"Not yet Twenty Years Old, yet possessing the Potential of a Grandmaster"—these words spread from mouth to mouth.

In a single day, the Xu family became Qingjiang's New Rich.