Free Web NovelChapter 498: Chapter 216: The Sect’s Inheritance, a Heavy Burden and a Long Road
Success in the Martial Arts Examination brought a stream of joyous events.
Three days later, the rewards from the Court arrived one after another.
First was Chu Lingguang. Having placed second in the Qiling Prefecture’s Provincial Examination, he earned the opportunity to study at the Imperial City Academy until the Imperial Examination began. He was to depart in six days, escorted by Court officials.
Next was Hei Hu. The Court appointed him as the South City Garrison Commander, a junior officer in the Great Yuan army responsible for the security of the Canal and the river mouth. Though the post was minor, it was extremely lucrative.
This was thanks to Yang Shaorong, who had used his connections with the Wei Family to pull some strings for Hei Hu behind the scenes. He had originally wanted to bring Hei Hu under his own command, but after careful consideration, Hei Hu decided he didn’t want to be too far from home for the time being and ended up with the post of South City Garrison Commander.
Then came Wang Chao.
He was formerly the Chief Constable of the County Yamen. Now, having become a Martial Arts Scholar—though his ranking was lower than Hei Hu’s—he was also made a junior officer through Yang Shaorong’s arrangements. He received the title of "Captain," responsible for managing an infantry unit. He would train troops with Yang Shaorong in Qiling Prefecture. His days would be much harder than Hei Hu’s, but his future promotion prospects would be faster.
Finally, there was Guo Wei.
Six prodigies from a single school.
His six disciples had all, at minimum, become Martial Arts Scholars. Yang Shaorong had even gone straight to the Palace Examination and received a direct appointment from the Court. Chu Lingguang had placed second in the Provincial Examination and was set to study at the Imperial City Academy until the Imperial Examination.
With such achievements, if Guo Xiaotian hadn’t leaked the Day and Night Breathing Technique, Guo Wei would have been named a Grandmaster as soon as Yang Shaorong, Wu Feihong, and Li Murong became Martial Arts Scholars.
Now, with the success of Chu Lingguang, Hei Hu, and Wang Chao, Guo Wei’s appointment as a Grandmaster by the Court was a certainty.
However, before the title of Grandmaster was conferred, the Court would conduct a rigorous investigation to ensure the candidate’s qualifications were legitimate.
Therefore, on the day the rewards were announced, the investigation into Guo Wei also began. It was directly ordered by the Imperial City, with personnel from the Inspectorate given full authority.
According to the Court’s laws, anyone who could train three Martial Arts Scholars for the Court was eligible for the title of Martial Arts Grandmaster. However, the disciples had to be trained from scratch, have studied under the master’s close guidance, and have had a formal apprenticeship ceremony with a public witness present.
If a master took on a student who was already partly trained—for instance, accepting them only after they had already become a Martial Scholar—and the student then went on to become a Martial Arts Scholar, the master’s claim to the Grandmaster title would be considered dubious.
If someone was found to have conspired with others to fraudulently obtain the Grandmaster title, their cultivation would be crippled, and they would be exiled to the army with no chance of reprieve. Any collaborating Martial Arts Scholars would also be stripped of their titles and thrown in prison.
The Inspectorate worked with remarkable speed.
Through background checks, interviews, and tracking down various details, they ultimately tested Guo Wei’s strength personally. After verifying that Guo Wei was proficient in all the Martial Arts techniques used by Chu Lingguang and Hei Hu in the Martial Arts Examination, they finally, three days later, announced on behalf of the Court that Guo Wei was a genuine Martial Arts Grandmaster.
They then officially bestowed the prepared rewards.
The Imperial Censor in charge of Guo Wei’s investigation was named Yu Wanshao. This time, he was not only responsible for verifying Guo Wei’s qualifications but also for escorting Chu Lingguang to the Imperial City Academy to begin his studies.
After the investigation concluded, he cupped his fists to Guo Wei and said, "Congratulations, Master Guo, on being named a Martial Arts Grandmaster. The Court has various preferential policies for powerful Grandmasters like yourself. First, the Court will allocate funds to rebuild your Martial Arts Hall, with Lord Xu overseeing the entire project. All facilities, both inside and out, will be completely renovated, and the grounds will be twice as large as before."
"Second, starting immediately, Master Guo will receive a monthly stipend one rank higher than that of the local magistrate. Within Great Yuan Territory, you may travel wherever you wish without impediment. Should any issues arise, you can seek assistance at the County Yamen or even the Government Office. Even the Governor himself would not dare to slight you."
"Thank you, Lord Yu. You’ve worked hard these past few days."
Guo Wei didn’t care much for these rewards. The only thing he valued was the influence this new status afforded him—the chance to make the Court show leniency toward Guo Xiaotian.
So he said, "I have looked into the law. If the child of a Martial Arts Grandmaster commits a crime, as long as it is not an offense punishable by the execution of nine generations of kin, the Court can show leniency. My son is currently serving as an exiled soldier at Wolf Valley Pass. I wonder, can I go and bring him back now?"
"This... Master Guo, I have also heard about your son’s situation. According to the Court’s laws, it should be possible. However, your son’s case is somewhat special. I suggest you first write a petition and submit it to Governor Zhang, and let him handle it for you."
"You are right, Lord Yu. Thank you."
Guo Wei nodded. He knew that getting Guo Xiaotian out wouldn’t be as simple as marching to Wolf Valley Pass and demanding his release with his Martial Arts Grandmaster status. It would require some maneuvering to see if the Court was willing to let him go.
"Master Guo, your accomplishment of producing six prodigies from one school is a service for the ages. No matter the issue, the Court will consider it seriously. You shouldn’t worry yourself with wild thoughts. Trust that there will be a satisfactory outcome."
Yu Wanshao said reassuringly.
"Mm."
Guo Wei nodded again. He couldn’t rush something like this. Today was a happy day, the day he was named a Grandmaster, so he focused on hosting Yu Wanshao and his men with due diligence.
Meanwhile, Lord Xu began arranging personnel to rebuild Guo Wei’s Martial Arts Hall that very day.
On the day the Martial Arts Hall reopened, the masters of all the major martial arts halls in South City, and even most of the Martial Artists, would come to offer their congratulations. The top official of South City would also attend personally to hang the Grandmaster plaque, bestowed by the Court, above the entrance.
The Court placed great importance on the Martial Arts Examination. For those Martial Arts Grandmasters who could cultivate multiple Martial Arts Scholars and earn the title, it would not only bestow honor and status but also provide various forms of protection.
During holidays and festivals, the local magistrate was required to pay a personal visit on behalf of the Court to offer greetings. If the Grandmaster’s health failed and local physicians were helpless, they could even petition the Court to have an Imperial Physician sent for treatment.
