Not Yet Twenty, with the Makings of a Grandmaster

"Challenge me?"

Xu Zhen's eyes narrowed. Astonishment gave way to an urge to teach the young man a lesson.

"Second Uncle, that Xu brat dared hurt my son! Teach him a proper lesson!" Xu Mao fanned the flames from the sidelines.

Yang Zhao was surprised too. "Brother Xu, your eldest son is being rather overconfident.

"I've heard of Xu Zhen. His talent may be ordinary, but he's been a First-Class Martial Artist for over ten years. He's a seasoned fighter, not someone who's only just entered the First-Class Warrior Realm can match."

Xu Chuan waved a hand, unconcerned. "It won't hurt the boy to suffer a little."

Yang Zhao said no more.

"The young truly are formidable!"

"Fine. I won't bully you. Take three moves from me, and you win."

Xu Zhen had no wish to slink away in disgrace. If he could badly injure Xu Mingwei in a head-on contest, saving face would no longer matter.

"Second Master Xu, make your move!"

Xu Mingwei laughed. As he breathed, the sound of a dragon's roar and an elephant's cry seemed to rise from within him.

He drove out a punch, its force whistling through the air.

Xu Zhen answered with a punch of his own.

Bam!

Tap, tap, tap!

Xu Mingwei did not budge. Xu Zhen stumbled back several steps before he could stop.

Xu Mao and the other young members of the Xu Lineage stared, their shock plain to see.

Everyone else was equally stunned. An uproar broke out, whispers surging like an endless tide.

"How old is that boy? He sent a veteran First-Class Martial Artist flying back with one punch?!"

"Exactly! Even if Xu Zhen isn't at his peak, a junior shouldn't be able to handle him. Could the boy already be a First-Class Martial Artist?"

"Not yet twenty, and he has the makings of a Grandmaster."

Across the county towns, decades—even a century—might pass before a single Grandmaster emerged.

Xu Zhen was just as shaken.

That punch had unleashed both raw strength and Inner Force.

He had held nothing back, yet one blow had still driven him backward.

The young man was clearly stronger than he was.

"Second Uncle, why are you holding back? Why go easy on someone like him?"

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

He took a Small Porcelain Bottle from his sleeve and tossed it to Xu Mingwei. "I've seen what the Xu Household is capable of today. I won't disturb you any longer."

"All of you, come back to the martial hall with me."

Without another word, Xu Zhen led everyone but Xu Mao back to the Black Wind Martial Hall.

Xu Chuan smiled faintly and looked at Xu Mao. "Brother Xu, have you brought a gift as well?"

"Don't get smug, Xu Chuan! County Magistrate's Deputy Yang stands behind the Xu Lineage. Now that you've offended us, your good days are over!"

Xu Chuan blinked and turned to Yang Zhao.

Yang Zhao was already displeased that Xu Mao had insulted him earlier. Seeing the man invoke his name to throw his weight around, he could no longer hold back.

"Xu Mao, you say County Magistrate's Deputy Yang stands behind you. Then take a good look at me. Who am I?"

Xu Mao had never met Yang Zhao. Even his eldest uncle had only met him twice.

Arrogant as ever, he cast Yang Zhao a disdainful glance. "Aren't you the fellow Xu Chuan invited to write a sign?"

"I suggest you learn which way the wind blows and leave now. Don't get mixed up with the Xu Household."

"Otherwise, you'll suffer for it too!"

"Good. Very good!"

Yang Zhao laughed in fury.

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

Seeing the crowd gathered there, they had come to investigate.

They had only meant to watch the commotion and see whether there was anything to be squeezed from the new shop.

But the moment they saw Yang Zhao, they stepped forward, bowed, and cupped their hands. "Greetings, County Magistrate's Deputy."

An uproar swept through the crowd.

"The County Magistrate's Deputy came to a little Fruit Shop and even wrote its sign himself? What sort of background does the Xu Household have?"

"Greetings, County Magistrate's Deputy!"

The onlookers might not have recognized him, but Yamen Runners came and went through the County Yamen. They could not have mistaken him.

One after another, the people around them bowed.

Bai Jing and the others were surprised too. They had never expected Xu Chuan's guest to be Qingjiang County's County Magistrate's Deputy.

"You... you're the County Magistrate's Deputy?"

"Xu Mao, you insulted a government official and used my name to bully others and commit misdeeds. Seize him. Take him to the County Yamen and lock him in the County Jail."

"Yes, County Magistrate's Deputy."

Xu Mao seemed not to hear. As though all three of his souls and seven of his spirits had fled, he collapsed to the ground.

"Brother Daming."

Xu Chuan recognized one of the Yamen Runners and called out to him.

"Xu Chuan," Chen Daming replied.

Yang Zhao glanced at Chen Daming. "You know him, Brother Xu?"

"We're from the same village. His father took special care of me when I was little. But we each started our own families, and we haven't kept in touch much. It's been years since we last met."

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

Chen Daming's heart had been pounding, a thin sweat breaking out on his forehead. He had feared Xu Chuan might say something bad about him to Yang Zhao.

Only now did he finally relax.

Who would've thought Xu Chuan knew the County Magistrate's Deputy so well? Not a whisper of it got out all these years.

He hides his cards far too well.

They had not gone far, however,

when they ran into Steward Wang, who had come to deliver a congratulatory gift on Third Master Xu's orders.

"Steward Wang! Find my father and my eldest uncle! Tell them to save me!" Xu Mao looked as though he had seen his savior.

Steward Wang nearly jumped out of his skin. He slipped them a few taels of silver and hurriedly asked what had happened.

When he learned Xu Mao had offended County Magistrate's Deputy Yang, panic gripped him too.

"We're only carrying out orders. We still have to return to the County Yamen, so we'll be on our way."

With that, Chen Daming led Xu Mao onward toward the County Yamen.

Xu Mao kept shouting, "Steward Wang, Xu Chuan did this to me! Tell my father to avenge me!"

After that, Steward Wang could hardly concern himself with delivering a gift. He returned to the Xu Lineage at once and reported what had happened.

"Godfather, you're amazing! Xu Mao is a bad man. He came to our house yesterday and tried to take my Little White and our Jade Pears by force. You have to teach him a proper lesson."

"Xueji will share a pear with you."

Xu Mingshu, the little expert at reporting misdeeds, had tattled again.

"All right, all right. Your godfather will give him a proper scolding for you."

Yang Zhao did not linger. Once he had finished the inscription, he returned to the County Yamen.

He felt as though he had been used.

But he had no proof.

After all, he had come in ordinary clothes to witness the opening, write an inscription, and head back.

Who could have expected so much to happen?

After several twists and turns, the Xu Household's Fruit Shop had finally opened successfully.

Even without the Jade Pears, word of mouth would soon tell Qingjiang County's many Aristocratic Clans that the Xu Household had close ties to the County Magistrate's Deputy. Visitors would arrive in droves.

Once business was running normally, the Xu Household returned to their residence in the West Market.

Only Zhou Ming and the few hired attendants stayed behind to mind the shop.

Xu Chuan had expected someone from the Xu Lineage might come to cause trouble. He had not expected Xu Mao to play along so perfectly, doing exactly what Xu Chuan hoped and letting him bring down three birds with one arrow.

He had no real grudge against the Xu Lineage, but Xu Mao had made things difficult for him at every turn for years. Xu Chuan loathed him.

So he had dug a pit and let Xu Mao jump in.

If Xu Mao had stayed away, nothing would have happened.

But now he had offended Yang Zhao.

Even if he survived, he would lose a layer of skin, and the Xu Lineage would be badly weakened.

West Market.

The Xu Household residence, main hall.

Bai Jing looked at Xu Chuan and asked curiously, "Husband, I never knew you were acquainted with the County Magistrate's Deputy, let alone that you could invite him here. Without him, that scene would have been difficult to settle."

"We've met a few times and struck up a bit of a friendship." Xu Chuan took a small sip and spoke calmly.

Xu Mingyuan looked just as eager for details. "Father, why didn't you ever mention it? With a connection like that, the Xu Household could have expanded into Qingjiang County long ago."

"Connections only work when both sides stand on equal footing.

"Only now that the Xu Household has grown this far do we have the standing to associate with someone like the County Magistrate's Deputy."

"But none of you are to use his name to get your way. Otherwise, Xu Mao's fate today will be the Xu Household's fate tomorrow."

"Yes, Father."

Xu Mingwei and the others all answered.

The shop had an inscription written by the County Magistrate's Deputy himself and excellent delicacies like the Jade Pears. The other fruits and vegetables had also been carefully selected by the Xu Household and purchased from independent growers, so their quality was assured.

As a result,

customers streamed in and out of the Fruit Shop every day, and many returned.

The Xu Household's sons also gained considerable renown throughout the county town.

"Not yet twenty, with the makings of a Grandmaster" spread from mouth to mouth.

In a single day, the Xu Household had joined the Qingjiang New Aristocracy.