At the Outer City yamen, an official notice and four lists had been posted on the wall.
Two yamen runners kept order, while the street was already packed with people, so tightly that not even water could pass through.
"I passed! I passed! Seventh on the Civil List! I've earned a title! Mother! Mother!" A scholar in plain clothes squeezed through the crowd, then suddenly cried out in uncontrollable excitement. Staggering, he ran home to share the good news.
Most people looked at him with envy.
The simple words "made the list" were enough to change the fate of an ordinary person—or even an entire family.
Soon, sighs of despair also rose from the crowd.
After all, only a tiny few had made the lists. Everyone else had failed.
Shen Pan stood among the crowd, his gaze settling on the four lists.
Two of them were decorated with gold borders, each bearing a large official seal at the bottom. They stood out the most.
Those were the Gold Lists. Each year, only the top ten in both the civil and martial examinations earned the right to have their names listed there.
In other words, each county produced only twenty people a year with these honors. The rest of the candidates were just there to make up the numbers.
The other two lists were written on ordinary paper, with smaller characters listing the names of the next ninety candidates.
These were known as the Scatter Lists, or the Silver Lists.
Those on the Silver Lists held no official honors, but their results were still respectable. Some had fallen short of making the list by only a hair. Having their names posted was both an encouragement and a useful credential for these candidates.
Even without official honors, they could use this to find a way forward and earn a living, then try again the following year.
Shen Pan skipped the Civil List and turned his gaze to the Martial List.
There were only ten names on the Gold List, and the characters were large enough to take in at a glance.
When he saw his own name among them, his clenched fists finally relaxed.
He was only eighteen, not yet of age. Even though he had been confident, he had still felt nervous when the results were revealed.
Shen Pan, third on the Martial List!
Second was Xu Hong, an Internal Breath expert in his thirties!
As for this year's top-ranked martial candidate...
"Brother Zhao, you really are first! First on the Martial List!"
Standing outside the crowd, Li Gou'er spotted the name at the very top of the Gold List at a glance.
He might not recognize his own name, but he certainly knew Zhao An's.
His loud voice immediately drew many people's attention.
First on the Gold List—here in this little county, that was an extraordinary achievement!
Zhao An was tall and broad-shouldered, standing out from the crowd like a crane among chickens.
Many people from the Outer City recognized him and hurried over to offer their congratulations, one after another.
The bad reputation Zhao An had once carried among his neighbors had largely faded by now.
After all, they had Zhao An to thank for no longer suffering the exploitation and oppression of that evil gang. They had enjoyed several peaceful days.
And Zhao An had stopped committing misdeeds as well, which was key to his improving reputation.
Zhao An clasped his hands and gave a few brief replies.
"Congratulations, Brother Zhao." Li Tianhuai forced a smile and cupped his hands in salute.
Seeing how dejected he looked, Zhao An glanced at the Civil List. The poor scholar's name was nowhere to be found.
"It's all right. You can take the exam again next year," Li Tianhuai said with a sigh and a shake of his head.
"Mm. Take it again next year." Zhao An patted his shoulder.
A few days later, the county yamen sent an official to deliver Zhao An's certificate of status to his courtyard.
Thus, Zhao An became a Martial Student officially recognized by the government!
With an official distinction, he could enter government service, avoid taxes and labor levies, and even remain standing when meeting the County Magistrate!
Of course, if he didn't want to settle for being a minor clerk or official, he could keep taking the prefectural exams and give his career a higher starting point.
For now, Zhao An had no plans to pursue further honors. Being a Martial Student with official backing was enough.
It would save him plenty of trouble in his day-to-day life.
For instance, Martial Students had the authority to punish villains and protect the innocent!
Even the Chief Constable and other yamen runners from the Outer City wouldn't dare provoke him without good reason.
That meant that in the Outer City, if he encountered an ordinary Red Name committing evil, he no longer needed to hesitate. He could simply cut them down.
"You two, start walking the streets and alleys every day. Whenever you see some bully throwing his weight around and oppressing the neighbors, make a note of it," Zhao An instructed Li Gou'er and Zhao Chunzi.
"Brother Zhao, what's that for?" Li Gou'er asked, confused.
"To exercise my rights as a Martial Student," Zhao An said calmly.
He planned to make a circuit of the city every so often and reap a fresh crop of Red Names. He wouldn't spare the gangs that roamed the streets, either.
He used Soul Slaves in large numbers, and they were consumed quickly, so he naturally had to find ways to replenish them. Along the way, he would also keep an eye out for people who had Virtue to their name.
If he had a chance to obtain a Virtue Fruit, he wouldn't pass it up.
Now that he held an official distinction, he was something of a positive figure recognized by the government. Ordinary people would trust him more easily, which would also help him obtain Virtue Fruits.
At the Outer City yamen.
Zhao Ke was drinking alone in a side room, brooding. He paid no attention to the constables under him gambling with dice.
"What's got you so down in the dumps, Brother Zhao? I heard you've recently gotten involved with a young lady from the Yu Family in the Inner City. Is that true?" Lu Yixiu walked into the side room and tried to make conversation when he saw Zhao Ke.
"Don't put it like that. We're in love with each other, and our feelings are mutual." Zhao Ke was a little drunk. He snapped back in annoyance.
"If that's so, shouldn't you be basking in the glow of a happy romance? Why are you drinking alone?" Lu Yixiu asked.
"If you and that young lady from the Yu Family get together, you'll surely be able to take a post in the Inner City someday."
Zhao Ke shook his head and muttered, "It's not that easy. Master Yu clearly looks down on someone like me. He says the betrothal gifts have to be at least five hundred taels of silver. Where am I supposed to get that kind of money?"
Lu Yixiu understood. Then he said, "That's nothing to worry about. Don't you have a good younger brother?"
"I mean Zhao An. He's this year's first-ranked martial candidate! I heard even the Fan Family, the County Vice-Magistrate's family, sent him a gift. Five hundred taels is nothing—your younger brother could hand that over with a wave of his hand."
"Hmph! Don't bring up that ungrateful wretch!" Zhao Ke slapped the table and snorted.
Just the mention of Zhao An made his blood boil.
Forget asking him for five hundred taels of silver—when he'd tried to invite Zhao An to celebrate, he'd been turned away. To Zhao Ke, it was obvious that Zhao An wanted to sever ties with him.
He had completely forgotten who had once thrown Zhao An out of the house and left him to fend for himself.
"I'd thought you'd be living high on the hog with your own brother," Lu Yixiu said. Seeing Zhao Ke's furious expression, he couldn't hold back a laugh.
"Lu Yixiu, did you come here today just to laugh at me?" Zhao Ke glared at him and asked coldly.
"Of course not." Lu Yixiu quickly wiped the smile from his face.
"I actually came to show you a way to get that betrothal money. I guarantee you'll be able to marry the young lady from the Yu Family, just as you wish!"
Zhao Ke froze, apparently not expecting Lu Yixiu to say that. Then he frowned and asked, "You know a way to earn five hundred taels?"
Instinctively, he couldn't imagine how such a stroke of luck could possibly fall to him.
"If you don't believe me, come with me and see for yourself." Lu Yixiu drained the wine from the table and rose to his feet.
"Really?"
"Really!"
Zhao Ke studied Lu Yixiu for a long moment, then finally stood.
He truly had no other options.
There was no way he could scrape together five hundred taels on his own in such a short time. He could only choose to trust Lu Yixiu.
The two left the yamen one after the other and headed to a secluded spot in the Outer City.
The small courtyard there was dilapidated, with charred earth all around, a heap of untended dead leaves, and a dry well.
A man had lit a fire and sat beside it, motionless.
Several dead rats were roasting over the flames.
"You're saying this man can give me five hundred taels?" Zhao Ke found it absurd. Anger rose on his face as he assumed Lu Yixiu had played him for a fool.
The man before him had several scars on his face and was filthy and disheveled. He looked like a beggar.
How could someone like that have money?
"Look closely! Who is he?" Lu Yixiu said in a low voice.
Only then did Zhao Ke take a proper look.
Suddenly, his pupils contracted. His eyes widened, and he took two steps back.
"This man is the third-in-command of Black Wind Stronghold!"
"Wasn't he dead?!"
"That's right. It's Master Yang Yi," Lu Yixiu said with a crooked grin.
"On the day the new County Magistrate sent troops up the mountain, all three leaders faked their deaths. They're still alive."
"You're in league with Black Wind Stronghold?!" Zhao Ke finally understood. He stared at Lu Yixiu in disbelief.
"Don't look at me like that. Now that you've come here, you're in the same boat as me."
Before you continue