Martial Imperial Exam

"We accept, we accept. This is a token of my master's regard, to congratulate your son on taking such a renowned master."

"This is a joyous occasion. Madam, you mustn't refuse."

Steward Liu beamed warmly as he instructed the servants to set down all the gifts.

"I have other matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave."

Without waiting for Chen Shi to refuse, he immediately departed with several servants.

"Steward Liu, Steward Liu, this—"

By the time Chen Shi came to her senses, Steward Liu and the others had already gone far away.

Looking at the various gifts piled by the courtyard gate, she was rather dazed.

What was going on?

Master Liu, the only landlord in Daliushu Village, usually held himself high above everyone else. Even the Village Chief had to be exceedingly polite when meeting him. Why would he send gifts to her family?

And so many at once—enough to equal several years of her wages.

"Mother, are all these for us?"

Fang Lan had been stunned just now. Only then did she react. From childhood until now, she had never seen so many fine things.

Especially that bolt of silk. This was not coarse hemp cloth, but silk worn only by landlord masters. It felt so smooth, and the color was so beautiful. It would surely look lovely made into clothes and worn on the body.

But the joy on her face swiftly turned into worry. Would accepting so many things from the Liu Family bring trouble?

"Mother, Master Liu and Steward Liu couldn't have sent these things to the wrong place, could they? We should hurry and return them."

Country folk were cautious and timid. In this world, they could not withstand even the slightest storm.

What status and standing did Master Liu's family have? Why would they send gifts to theirs?

No matter how she thought about it, it made no sense. They could only have delivered them wrongly.

"Lan'er, you're right. We can't accept these things."

Chen Shi was extremely reluctant in her heart. These gifts were worth a great deal, even more than the sky-high bride price the Zhou Family had mentioned before.

And they were all fine goods used only by landlord families. For an ordinary farming household to use such things would almost be a waste.

She was utterly unwilling to send them back.

"Wait. How about we wait until your father comes home before deciding?"

"Mother, who came just now? Why was it so noisy?"

At that moment, Fang Yue's voice sounded out. He had put away the two large slabs of tiger meat, cut the dried tiger meat into long strips, and hung them from the rafters.

The salted tiger meat also had to be cut apart and sprinkled with more salt so it could cure more thoroughly.

Of course, he had also cut off a piece and put it into the pot to boil.

Tiger meat was extremely tough. It would not be easy for his father, mother, elder brother, and elder sister to digest, so it had to be boiled until thoroughly tender.

By then, everything had been taken care of, and the meat was already simmering over medium heat, so there was no need to watch it constantly.

Unfortunately, there was only garlic—no scallions or ginger, and no cooking wine either—so he could not produce much flavor.

As for why Fang Yue, who had never cooked before, knew how to boil meat this way, he could simply attribute it to his master later.

Taking advantage of the time, Fang Yue walked into the courtyard and immediately spotted the gifts beside his mother.

Only then did he realize that the commotion earlier had clearly not been a visit from the neighbors.

"Mother, who sent these?"

Chen Shi was first startled, then came back to herself. When she saw Fang Yue, she slapped her thigh. "Zhi'er, right—Zhi'er is home."

"Steward Liu brought these just now. He said Master Liu had sent these gifts for you."

Master Liu had sent them for him?

A single bolt of silk cost five taels of silver, and there were all these foods and pastries as well. Fang Yue even saw ten taels of silver in one box.

Altogether, these things were probably worth no less than twenty taels.

Twenty taels of silver could buy two mu of excellent paddy fields, or four or five mu of poorer land.

Their family had not saved up that much money in more than a decade.

Why was Master Liu being so generous?

And his mother said these things had been sent for him?

What did that mean?

Fang Yue could not help but speculate. One did not accept a reward without merit. He had no dealings with the Liu Family. In fact, he had even taken the blame for Young Master Liu before and been whipped by the Village Elder.

If this was compensation, they would not have given him this much, nor would they have waited so long to compensate him.

"Oh, right. Steward Liu also asked whether you had become Fang Hu's disciple, and whether you had gone to Xiahe County Town with Fang Hu."

"Mother, they asked that too?" Fang Yue asked.

"Yes, Zhi'er, that was what they asked." Chen Shi also found it strange and could not understand why they would ask such things.

Could the gifts be because he had gone to Xiahe County Town with Fang Hu?

That could not be it, could it? What did that even count for?

"Zhi'er, what should we do with these things? Should we wait until your father returns, then send them back to the Liu Family?" Chen Shi hurriedly asked.

She did not know why. Perhaps it was because Fang Yue had gone to Xiahe County Town with Fang Hu, or perhaps it was Steward Liu's conduct, but whenever Chen Shi looked at Fang Yue now, she always felt that her Zhi'er had changed. There was something about him that made people trust him.

"I think I understand. Keep these things at home for now. I'll go find Uncle Fang Hu first, and we'll talk after I return."

Fang Yue had a feeling that the Liu Family had sent these gifts because of his trip to Xiahe County Town and his apprenticeship.

After all, during that trip to Xiahe County Town, he had learned that Uncle Fang Hu's identity was anything but ordinary. He was a disciple of the White Tiger Martial Arts School, a martial master who cultivated the martial path.

The City Guard, who killed people as casually as cutting grass, had treated them with great courtesy, and they had not needed to pay to enter the city.

All of it showed that Fang Hu was no ordinary man.

Not to mention that Master Liu had sent him gifts—he was surely doing so for Fang Hu's sake.

Therefore, he still needed to ask Fang Hu how these things should be handled.

"Quickly, move all these things inside, then shut the courtyard gate."

After Fang Yue left, Chen Shi seemed to come back to herself. She hurriedly had Fang Lan help her carry all the things from the courtyard into the house.

Then they shut the courtyard gate, looking as though they were afraid someone might see.

Fang Yue's home was not far from Fang Hu's, and Fang Yue walked quickly.

After leaving home, it took him only a few minutes to reach Fang Hu's house.

After explaining what had happened at home, Fang Yue sat upright and looked at his master, Fang Hu.

"The Liu Family's information travels quickly. Since they sent them to you, accept them. Consider it compensation for what happened at the Ancestral Hall before."

"Master, did the Liu Family send me these things because I became your disciple?" Fang Yue asked.

Fang Hu's answer made him even more certain.

This matter was definitely connected to Fang Hu, definitely connected to his apprenticeship.

"Yue'er, do you know that the Imperial Court's Imperial Examination is divided into the civil examination and the martial examination? Who do you think is more prestigious, a Civil Martial Candidate or an Imperial Martial Candidate? And who holds more power and status, civil officials or Military Officers?"

"This... your disciple does not know," Fang Yue answered honestly.

Based on the ideas in his mind, civil officials were surely more prestigious than Military Officers, and the civil examination was surely valued more highly than the martial examination.

But Fang Hu had deliberately asked this, and a thought suddenly arose in Fang Yue's heart.

Could it be that, in this world, Military Officers were more prestigious?