Free Web NovelChapter 497: Chapter 215: Well-Deserved Fame, A Glorious Homecoming
While passing through Jinshan, Tie Zhennan was detained for a few days by Nie Maocheng and his group. What was surprising, however, was that Nie Maocheng’s disciple, Huang Feihu, had not participated in this year’s Provincial Examination.
It seemed he was aiming to conquer the whole process at once, going directly for the Palace Examination.
Everyone has ambition, so no one thought there was anything wrong with Nie Maocheng’s approach. On the contrary, people admired someone who could succeed through such forbearance.
And so, the master and his two disciples were delayed in Fishing Town for a day.
Guo Wei and Tie Zhennan congratulated each other. Looking toward the future together, they had already cast aside their previous grievances. Guo Wei also learned from Tie Zhennan that Liu Quan and his family were now living in Qinghe County, helping out at Tie Zhennan’s Martial Arts Hall. After all, he was a Direct Disciple; if Tie Zhennan were to abandon him, his own reputation would be tarnished.
The two of them spoke of the events that had occurred during the South City Daoist Examination.
Tie Zhennan apologized for Liu Quan’s actions. Guo Wei, in turn, expressed his own apologies to Tie Zhennan, saying he shouldn’t have been so heavy-handed that day. To make amends, he even gave Tie Zhennan a bottle of Bone Healing Ointment.
This Bone Healing Ointment had been a gift from Yang Shaorong and was developed by military physicians. Guo Wei had taken several bottles, giving one to Lin Yuanfu, and now, as an easy gesture of goodwill, he gave another to Tie Zhennan.
"My unworthy disciple is hardly deserving..."
Tie Zhennan was immensely grateful and offered several polite remarks.
Chu Lingguang and Hei Hu sat to one side, watching Guo Wei and Tie Zhennan chat freely like old friends. Both of them realized that in this world, there are no absolute enemies or friends.
To survive and thrive, martial strength was only one aspect; understanding the ways of the world and managing relationships was just as essential.
The two of them were about to enter the world of officialdom. In the future, they would have to be even more careful in this regard and try to make as few enemies as possible.
「Two days after leaving Fishing Town, the master and his two disciples finally returned to Baiyang County.」
Lord Xu had already received word that Hei Hu and Chu Lingguang had passed the examination and that Guo Wei was about to be officially invested as a Grandmaster. Because of this, he had long since prepared a welcoming party. He personally led government constables, gathered the local townspeople, and escorted the trio back to the Martial Arts Hall with the sound of gongs and drums starting from the county seat.
Over at the Martial Arts Hall, the proprietors from Wine Street, villagers from nearby Zhang Family Gully and Liu Family Gully, and even all the neighbors, including the prominent Li Family from North City, had long since surrounded the building, forming a dense crowd.
When the sound of gongs and drums drifted over from a distance, firecrackers began to go off. A welcoming procession formed by the townspeople responded in kind to the distant music.
Mrs. Chu of the Zhang Family and Guo Fang stood at the entrance to the Martial Arts Hall, watching Chu Lingguang ride Little Red Horse, adorned with a large red flower, following behind Guo Wei. Her eyes, and Zhang Da’s, filled with tears of joy.
’We never dreamed this day would come.’
Not only had Chu Lingguang helped them get exempted from taxes, but he had also allowed them to live a prosperous life. In recent days, their home had been overflowing with gifts from others. The prominent families they once had to treat with utmost caution now bowed and scraped whenever they saw the couple. All the bad people had vanished in an instant. Their world had been turned upside down; everywhere they looked, they saw only good people.
THUMP! THUMP!
"HAHAHA!"
Bare-chested, Butcher Hu was outside the Martial Arts Hall, beating a drum for Chu Lingguang. Chun Ju held their second child in one arm and led their eldest by the hand. Seeing Chu Lingguang’s triumphant return, the couple was overjoyed for him. They had been so excited they hadn’t slept a wink the previous night.
Li Yishan had taken over the Li Family just last night. Now, accompanied by Master Li and his wife, he stood outside the Martial Arts Hall, watching Chu Lingguang’s return with a beaming smile.
The villagers from Liu Family Gully were performing a yangge dance around the Martial Arts Hall. A Martial Arts Scholar emerging from their village would bring good fortune to all of Liu Family Gully. All the villagers had hung up lanterns and decorations, waiting for Chu Lingguang to return home.
Mrs. Liu had steamed a basket of sweet potatoes early in the morning. Now, squeezed into the crowd, she was on her tiptoes, desperately shouting Chu Lingguang’s nickname, wanting to give the sweet potatoes to him.
Unfortunately, the crowd was a surging tide, and the air was filled with the clamor of gongs and drums. At that moment, everyone wanted to push forward and exchange a few words with the master and his disciples. If not for the government constables clearing a path and Lord Xu personally escorting them, the trio likely wouldn’t have even made it back to the Martial Arts Hall.
In the end, Guo Wei expressed his gratitude to the crowd on behalf of Chu Lingguang and Hei Hu. He allowed only a few familiar people inside the Martial Arts Hall. The villagers who had come to watch the excitement or offer congratulations, as well as some of the prominent families, were all kept at the gate.
But they had no complaints. Even while blocked outside the gate, they vied with one another to talk about how majestic Master Guo was and how outstanding his disciples were.
"For all of Master Guo’s disciples to pass the Martial Examination... throughout the entire Great Yuan Dynasty, very few masters can achieve such a feat. I am deeply impressed."
Lord Xu chatted with Guo Wei.
He was only a County Magistrate, and although he had also earned his post through examination, he consciously spoke as an inferior and showed great respect for Guo Wei.
"If not for Lord Xu’s capable governance, I would not have been able to devote myself wholeheartedly to teaching my disciples," Guo Wei said with a smile.
Both were veterans of the Jianghu, so a round of polite pleasantries was unavoidable.
Five banquet tables were set up inside the Martial Arts Hall.
Chu Lingguang sat at one table with Mrs. Chu of the Zhang Family’s household, Butcher Hu’s family, and Li Yishan and his wife. Hei Hu, meanwhile, sat with Master Hei, Zhang Linghua, Guo Fang, and a few others.
Guo Wei sat with Lord Xu, Master Li, and several other prominent figures.
The other two tables were for various townspeople and friends.
During the feast, everyone toasted and congratulated Chu Lingguang and Hei Hu one after another. After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, Chu Lingguang and Hei Hu saw their relatives and friends off. Only then did they join Guo Wei’s table for a round with Master Li, Lord Xu, and the other local dignitaries.
In one day, the two martial brothers had heard more praise than in their entire previous lives.
Even with Chu Lingguang’s remarkable Heart Guarding Skill, he was feeling light-headed from all the praise by the end. As for Hei Hu, who was naturally impulsive and restless, although his Mental Realm had improved under Chu Lingguang’s influence, the effects of the alcohol caused him to show his true colors.
Several times, he slung an arm around Lord Xu’s shoulder and declared with complete confidence, "Old Xu, from now on, Baiyang County is our territory! My senior brother, Yang Shaorong, is a Captain in Qiling Prefecture! If you need anything in the future, just say the word. Don’t hesitate to ask!"
Lord Xu looked awkward. In front of Guo Wei, he could only reply, "Thank you for your consideration, Master Hu!"
"Senior Brother, you’ve had too much to drink."
Chu Lingguang, afraid that Hei Hu would say something even more outrageous, hurriedly carried him back and handed him over to Master Hei for discipline. Guo Wei’s expression finally softened a bit.
「Late that night.」
Chu Lingguang returned to Liu Family Gully.
He saw the lamps lit and a fire burning in his home. His Second Aunt and her family had already moved over from Zhang Family Gully and were living in his newly built courtyard home.
Looking at the burning candlelight, Chu Lingguang realized, ’From now on, there will always be people at home waiting for me.’
At the same time, Chu Lingguang also knew that his life was just beginning. ’I must be as ambitious as Yan Zhen, go straight to the Palace Examination, and even enter Yuanchu Mountain to cultivate.’
’I still have so much to do.’
’I have to see Zhang Linghua and Hei Hu get married, see my two younger cousins make something of themselves, let Second Aunt and Zhang Da enjoy their later years in peace, and, even more importantly, help Guo Wei rescue Guo Xiaotian.’
’I also have to make a name for myself and walk the path to the pinnacle of Martial Arts.’
’Of course, the prerequisite for all of this is that I must become strong enough. The Martial Arts Examination is just one stage of my growth; my life can’t just be about examinations. Even becoming the Martial Champion Scholar is not my ultimate goal.’
(Thank you all for your support along the way!)
(Thank you to Carefree Divine Venerable for the consecutive days of donations, and thank you to my book-friend whose user ID ends in 40852 for the 500 Starting Point Coin donation.)
(Today’s Chapter might be controversial, but from the moment I wrote the outline for this book, I had planned for Yan Zhen to win the title of Jie Yuan and for Chu Lingguang to achieve a breakthrough with Yan Zhen’s help. I just don’t know if everyone will be satisfied with it.)
