Free Web NovelChapter 35: Chapter 33: Top Scorer of the County Examination
Hearing this, Wei Tu was secretly exasperated.
When everyone else was paying bribes and you were the only one who wasn’t, it was inevitable that your ranking would drop.
To put it simply, that was just how the world worked.
"However, the next time you make a decision like this, I hope you will inform me first. Otherwise..." Wei Tu said in a low, heavy voice.
The Huang Family had helped him this time, but he didn’t believe Master Huang had done it purely for his sake.
Master Huang had used fraud to make him the Martial Champion of this year’s County Examination, a move that benefited the Huang Family in two ways.
First, it put him in their debt.
Second, now that he was the Martial Champion of the County Examination, the fraud would become a stain on his name—and leverage they could hold over him.
"Of course," Master Huang replied with a smile, though his heart tightened.
Only now did he realize that he had underestimated Wei Tu. ’Instead of being overjoyed at being named Martial Champion, he’s warning me.’
—And throughout it all, Wei Tu’s expression had remained perfectly calm, without the slightest hint of anger.
Just then, they arrived at the entrance of the Li Mansion.
Wei Tu lifted the carriage curtain and stepped down. He took the reins of the Cyan Horse from a Huang Family servant, walked over to the side door of the Li Mansion, and knocked a few times.
"Let’s go. Back to the mansion..."
Inside the carriage, Master Huang stared at Wei Tu’s back for a moment before letting the curtain fall and speaking to the driver.
However, not long after the carriage sped away, Master Huang let out a series of sneezes. Mistaking it for the heavy chill of the night air, he spread a soft blanket over his legs to ward off the cold.
...
「The next day.」
The Military Strategy portion of the Military Examination was held.
This time, the exam was not held in the Chenghuang Temple square but in the examination stalls typically used for the Literary Examination.
The questions were simple: three recitation questions on the Jixiao.
There was also a policy essay question regarding the "Battle of Yanran," fought between Zheng Country and Jing Country a hundred years prior.
Thanks to Master Huang’s bribe, Wei Tu had already obtained the questions before entering the examination hall, so he answered the three recitation questions with ease.
As for the final policy essay question, Wei Tu collected his thoughts and answered methodically, following the strategies taught by Shan Wuju.
He quickly finished his exam paper.
When it came time to hand in his paper, however, Wei Tu deliberately waited, turning it in as the fourth-to-last person.
...
「Two days later.」
The results of the County Military Examination were posted.
"Brother Wei, you’re the Martial Champion of the County Examination!"
In front of the County Yamen, a crowd was surging. Xinghua, who had taken the day off, had dragged Wei Tu there early in the morning to grab a good spot to see the list.
Because of this, the moment the yamen clerk posted the list, she was the first to see Wei Tu’s rank.
First place in the Military Examination—the Martial Champion!
"Once the Daoist Examination is over, and I’ve earned a title and an official post with some silver coins... I’ll come back to the Li Mansion to buy your freedom..."
Wei Tu waited for Xinghua’s elation to subside, then led her away from the yamen. On the way back to the Li Mansion, he made this promise to her.
Even though the results named him the champion, he felt no happiness in his heart, certainly nothing like Xinghua’s ecstatic joy.
After all... his title of Martial Champion had been secured for him by the Huang Family through dishonorable means.
’The Prefecture Examination...’
’The Daoist Examination...’
’The Huang Family won’t be able to interfere in those. The results I achieve then will be entirely my own, won fair and square...’
Wei Tu clenched his fists.
"Mhm." Xinghua’s cheeks were faintly red as she lowered her head and nodded, humming softly in agreement. She didn’t notice Wei Tu’s strange state.
...
After the results were posted, Wei Tu did not stay long in the Qingshan County Town. After thanking the Li Mansion for letting him stay, he mounted his Cyan Horse and rushed to the Prefecture City of Qingfeng Prefecture.
He would await the Prefecture Examination in the fourth month.
"Brother Yanguo."
As soon as he reached the Prefecture City, Wei Tu followed the address provided by Shan Yanggong and headed straight for his residence there.
"Brother Wei, it’s been a while," Shan Yanggong said with a sigh of emotion.
Two months ago, when he had left Sanyuan Town, Wei Tu was merely one of his father’s disciples, his name unknown.
But now, just two months later, Wei Tu was already the Martial Champion of Qingshan County.
With the strength he had revealed, earning the title of Martial Scholar in the Daoist Examination was a foregone conclusion.
After a short while of pleasantries, Shan Yanggong led Wei Tu into the inner residence to greet Mrs. Min of the Shan Family and also introduced his wife to Wei Tu.
"My wife is of delicate health and has long been at odds with my younger sister. To avoid any unpleasantness, I wrote to Father during the New Year and had her stay home to manage household affairs..."
Shan Yanggong explained.
Hearing this, Wei Tu nodded. Shan Fang’s personality was indeed unlikable. By recruiting a live-in husband, she had gained the right to compete with Shan Yanggong for the family inheritance. Over time, it was only natural that the relationship between the two sisters-in-law would not be amicable.
After introducing his family, Shan Yanggong led Wei Tu to a separate courtyard on the estate and assigned a maidservant and a servant to attend to his needs during his stay.
「That evening.」
Shan Yanggong held a welcoming banquet for Wei Tu.
After several rounds of drinks and dishes, Shan Yanggong asked curiously, "I’ve been meaning to ask... Brother Wei, you won the title of Martial Champion of Qingshan County, so why do you seem... a little unhappy?"
He looked surprised.
When he said Wei Tu seemed "a little unhappy," he didn’t mean that Wei Tu was displeased, but rather that he wasn’t showing the joy and pride expected of someone who had just become the Martial Champion.
Shan Yanggong mused that even if Wei Tu was mature beyond his years, this reaction was still too subdued.
Hearing this, Wei Tu considered for a moment before explaining to Shan Yanggong the methods the Huang Mansion had used.
Shan Wuju was his master, and Shan Yanggong was Shan Wuju’s biological son. He and Shan Yanggong were bound together—they would share in both glory and disgrace.
To put it bluntly, if the Zheng Country Court were to investigate this case of fraud, Shan Wuju and Shan Yanggong would inevitably be implicated. In a light case, they would be stripped of their titles. In a severe case, they would face imprisonment, and their entire clan would be reduced to official slaves.
Therefore, Wei Tu was not at all worried that Shan Yanggong would leak the matter.
"That Master Huang... just as you’d expect from a merchant. He’s far too treacherous," Shan Yanggong said with a sigh after listening.
An open attack is easy to dodge, but a hidden arrow is difficult to guard against.
Wei Tu and Master Huang had acknowledged a familial relationship, so the actions of this kinsman would naturally implicate Wei Tu personally—especially since Master Huang’s method was to cheat on Wei Tu’s behalf.
"But you don’t need to worry too much, Brother Wei. As long as you perform brilliantly in the Daoist Examination’s martial competition, others will just dismiss talk of this fraud as baseless rumors..."
Shan Yanggong consoled him.
The Daoist Examination’s Competition was more than ten times fiercer than the County Examination. At that point, rankings depended entirely on one’s own Martial Arts strength.
"I know," Wei Tu said, nodding emphatically.
He also wanted to redeem himself in the martial competition of the Daoist Examination.
...
Time flew, and in the blink of an eye, the sixth month arrived, and with it, the start of the Daoist Examination.
In those four months, Wei Tu leveraged his status as a Martial Champion to easily pass the Prefecture Examination, achieving a respectable sixth place.
’Unfortunately, my Health Cultivation Technique has yet to reach perfection, so I still can’t enter the Qi Sensing Realm.’
’Otherwise, in the Prefecture Examination competition, I could have at least won the title of Martial Champion.’
At the Shan Mansion in the Prefecture City, Wei Tu wiped away his sweat after practicing the Health Cultivation Technique a dozen times. His consciousness then sank into his mind, and he glanced at his "Late Bloomer" Destiny Chart.
[Turtle Breath Qi Cultivation Technique (91/100): Nine practices a day, five years to completion.]
[Tiger Crane Double Form Fist (33/100): Seven practices a day, three years to completion.]
’Fortunately, my Tiger Crane Double Form Fist broke through to Minor Success, and my Blade Technique has also improved, covering my last remaining weakness.’
Wei Tu thought.
The County Examination was in the second month, the Prefecture Examination in the fourth.
This gave him two months to improve his Blade Technique.
Thus, through his unceasing efforts before the start of the Prefecture Examination, his Tiger Crane Double Form Fist finally broke through to the Minor Success Realm.
With the breakthrough in his Pile Skill, his Blade Technique also advanced.
Benefiting from this, he achieved Grade A results in both the "Sword Dance" and "Competition" portions of the Prefecture Examination.
