Free Web NovelChapter 29: Chapter 27: Wealth in the Mountains Brings Distant Kin
’The Military Examination lasts a total of four days.’
’Today is the first event, which only tests martial prowess... Once the assessment is over, I’ll go see him...’
Wei Hong thought to herself.
Just as Mrs. Li Tong had once thought, Wei Hong wouldn’t have given an ordinary male relative from her maiden family a second glance. But a male relative with the prospect of achieving fame and success in the Military Examination was a different matter entirely.
’As for what happened back then...’
’An apology should be enough.’
A glint flashed in Wei Hong’s eyes.
She had managed to stand out from Master Huang’s many concubines and become a favored consort who had borne him a son, relying not just on her beauty, but also on her schemes.
She was confident that after promising Wei Tu significant benefits, this nephew of hers would not only forget any past grievances but would also be grateful to her from the bottom of his heart and attach himself firmly to her.
Of course, Wei Hong had no regrets about her decision back then.
Abandoning the useless members of the Wei Family who only wanted to leech off her was a necessary strategy for her to live a better life in the Huang Mansion.
If she hadn’t, she would have ended up like those foolish concubines who were despised by their husband’s family for funneling benefits to their own maiden families, suffering a complete and utter downfall.
...
Wei Tu, who was currently participating in the next event of the martial prowess assessment, was completely unaware of her thoughts. He was stunned for a moment when he received a note passed to him by Wei Hong while he was waiting.
He never would have expected his second aunt, Wei Hong, to be sitting there in the section reserved for the gentry.
After reading the note, Wei Tu thought for a moment before rolling it up and tucking it inside his coarse cloth sash.
The note’s contents were simple. It asked him to wait in the square for a while after the assessment and not to leave, adding that it would be best if he could pay a visit to the Huang Mansion.
"Poverty knows no kin, while the rich have relatives in the remotest mountains."
This saying came to Wei Tu’s mind.
However, Wei Tu still felt a sense of gratitude toward Wei Hong. If not for her help back then, it would have been nearly impossible for him to obtain a complete Health Cultivation Technique with a Pile Skill three years ago.
Without the Turtle Breath Health Cultivation Technique, he would have had a hard time standing here today. Perhaps... it would have taken him much longer to break free from the Li Mansion, enter the Civil Registry, and become a Martial Artist.
「A short while later.」
The second event of the martial prowess assessment—the Sword Dance—began.
The gentry focused most of their attention on Wei Tu, the dark horse of the County Examination’s military division.
The blade is an extension of the fist and foot.
Generally speaking, a Martial Artist with good Blade Technique would not be poor at fist and footwork either.
And good fist and footwork meant one must have been taught by a good master, implying a martial lineage.
—This was the perfect opportunity for them to probe the background of this dark horse, Wei Tu.
Even the Military Examination examiner watched Wei Tu with anticipation, hoping that this Martial Artist, who could lift a "five hundred jin" Stone Lock, would shine brightly in this event.
In the Literary Examination, there were unwritten rules regarding "patron-examiners," "chief examiners," and "room-examiners," where examiners and candidates could form a master-disciple relationship.
The Military Examination was much the same.
If Wei Tu took first place, he, the examiner, would also stand to gain both fame and fortune.
However...
「The next moment.」
The examiner was slightly dumbfounded.
Although Wei Tu’s Sword Dance in the arena was fierce, his blade’s presence intimidating and full of vigor, it was clearly much more mediocre—or rather... a bit lacking—compared to the last few candidates.
’He probably doesn’t have a good martial lineage. What a waste of that physique and natural-born divine strength...’ the examiner thought, shaking his head inwardly.
After a moment of contemplation, the examiner announced, "C13, Wei Tu. Sword Dance: B+..."
Recalling Wei Tu’s previous excellent performance, the examiner acted on a slight personal bias, raising Wei Tu’s score from a "B" to a "B+".
"What a pity. I thought Qingshan County might produce another successful military candidate, but it seems he merely possesses astounding strength..." On the high platform, Magistrate Chen shook his head upon seeing this.
Although a Martial Artist with astounding strength was rare, it had no bearing on his official career, nor on Qingshan County.
He wasn’t worth the magistrate’s special attention.
At the same time, seeing Wei Tu’s score in the Sword Dance event, the assembled gentry finally breathed a collective sigh of relief.
Imprecise Blade Technique meant he had no great martial lineage. They no longer had to worry about Wei Tu outshining their own sons and nephews in the remaining events.
’B+?’
Hearing this score, Wei Tu wasn’t disappointed. On the contrary, he felt a bit pleased.
He had only been taught the Fist Manual for the Tiger Crane Double Form Fist by Shan Wuju in the middle of the tenth month last year, and he had started learning the corresponding Blade Technique even later.
He had only been learning it for about two months.
—To have his Blade Technique evaluated as "B+" in the Sword Dance assessment after just two months was already a testament to his extraordinary talent.
Wei Tu left the stage.
He waited for the next assessment.
「Before long.」
The third and final event of the martial prowess assessment, "Drawing the Hard Bow," began.
This event tested one’s strength and Martial Arts foundation.
With insufficient strength, one could not draw the hard bow.
With a weak Martial Arts foundation, one couldn’t focus their power. When drawing a hard bow, the body is like a bowstring; if any part is weak, it’s difficult to draw the bow to its fullest extent, even with ample strength.
Wei Tu’s Health Cultivation Technique had already reached the stage of Great Success, and there were no weak points in his entire body’s strength. When it was his turn to draw the hard bow, he drew a four-stone bow nine times with each arm, then finished with the most difficult move: the "behind-the-back draw."
In this assessment, Wei Tu smoothly achieved a score of "Class A."
As for an "A+" score... that required drawing a Five-Stone Hard Bow.
A Five-Stone Hard Bow required five hundred jin of strength to draw.
Wei Tu already found it strenuous to lift a five-hundred-jin stone, let alone draw a Five-Stone Hard Bow and perform various difficult maneuvers with it.
To draw a Five-Stone Hard Bow with ease, one would need at least six or seven hundred jin of strength.
The three martial prowess assessments came to an end.
The spectating commoners scattered like birds and beasts, and the officials on the platform departed one by one, led by Government Officials holding up Rank Tokens inscribed with "Silence" and "Make Way."
Soon, only the observing gentry remained in the square of the Chenghuang Temple.
Seeing this, the Martial Artists participating in the Military Examination also left in twos and threes to reunite with their families.
「A short time later.」
In the spot where the Martial Artists had previously stood, only the solitary figure of Wei Tu remained.
Fortunately, Wei Hong did not keep Wei Tu waiting long. She approached with a portly middle-aged man.
Behind the pair followed two or three family servants dressed in blue.
"Brother Wei..."
When she was about thirty paces from Wei Tu, Wei Hong suddenly quickened her step, a smile blooming on her face as she greeted him enthusiastically.
"Second Aunt."
Wei Tu, looking slightly reserved, bowed to Wei Hong in response.
—He had never been comfortable with such overly false pleasantries.
It had been the same with Li Yaozu.
And it was the same now with Wei Hong.
However, he was different now. He had the strength to establish himself in Qingshan County and no longer needed to force himself to fawn over others.
’I’ll just handle it as usual,’ he thought.
Gratitude and personal dealings were two different things; Wei Tu was very clear on this distinction.
Wei Hong didn’t seem to mind Wei Tu’s reaction. She gave him a look, gestured to the portly middle-aged man beside her, and said, "Brother Wei, this is your uncle. Go on and greet him... Later, you must come visit us at the Huang Mansion. Your uncle and I will celebrate for you. After all... in this County Town, I’m the only family you have left..."
She spoke quickly and clearly, her face taking on a look of pity as if she were sympathizing with the misfortunes Wei Tu had previously endured.
