Chapter 110 - 109: Aftermath
Chapter 110: Chapter 109: Aftermath
"The above twenty-three individuals are hereby accepted as Martial Scholars! The grand competition will be held tomorrow. All Scholars are to attend on time."
The list was finally read.
When the voice died down, some celebrated, but most remained silent.
In previous years, forty to fifty candidates were typically accepted. This year, there were a mere twenty-three.
An air of disappointment settled over the training grounds.
In the viewing stands, however, a clamor had already erupted.
"Congratulations, Master Zhou!"
"Your hall has produced another Scholar! Truly a joyous occasion!"
Several of Zhou Zhen’s friends and acquaintances beside him offered their congratulations, their voices tinged with genuine envy.
Zhou Zhen’s face was beaming, flushed with an irrepressible joy. He returned their gestures again and again, saying, "Thank you, thank you! It was just a stroke of luck, nothing more!"
In a relatively secluded corner at the edge of the training grounds.
A woman in a veiled conical hat and a simple cloak stood quietly, watching the center of the field from a distance.
Though her face was obscured, her posture and bearing exuded an extraordinary air.
This was none other than the woman known as "Granny Zhou."
Her thoughtful gaze lingered on Chen Shouheng.
’This boy... he’s not simple.’
Granny Zhou’s delicate brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
She had seen his explosive display in the Martial Array quite clearly.
Her woman’s intuition told her this young man was no ordinary Qi Realm Martial Artist.
’He must still be hiding his strength.’
She mused internally. Though she couldn’t be sure, his potential and disposition were already worth her investment.
Granny Zhou tilted her head slightly and spoke in a low voice to the equally veiled, somewhat distracted young woman beside her. "Qingyi, prepare a generous gift—one that shows the sincerity of our Zhou Family. I want you to go to Juying Inn yourself and meet with this Young Master Chen."
Upon hearing this, an unwilling expression appeared on Zhou Qingyi’s pretty face beneath her veil. Her voice was tinged with displeasure. "Aunt! He already refused us last time, what’s the point in going again? Why bother setting ourselves up for a cold shoulder?"
Granny Zhou’s voice remained level. "That was then, this is now. He now holds the title of a Scholar. If he can be made to serve our Zhou Family, he will be a great asset."
"It’s just the title of a Scholar. Our Zhou Family has plenty of Scholars and Advanced Scholars—are we really so desperate that we need to court one insignificant Scholar?" Zhou Qingyi retorted, both vexed and embarrassed.
"Your father was dispatched to the Northern Desert fourteen years ago, and we’ve had no word since. Your eldest brother left eleven years ago to study under a Celestial Being and hasn’t sent back a single message. Your second uncle was exiled to Yazhou, and it’s unclear when he’ll ever be able to return.
As for the other branches of the family, they’re all circling our main house like vultures, eager to tear a piece of flesh from our bones and drink our blood. Qingyi, our Zhou Family is not what it once was."
Granny Zhou stared at the young woman, her gaze growing profound beneath her veil. She spoke slowly. "He was trained by Zhou Zhen, which is a rare advantage, and it gives him a connection to our family. If he passes the examination to become a Scholar, then you will prepare to marry him. It’s best to establish contact early..."
"What?!"
Startled, Zhou Qingyi snapped her head up. Her veil trembled, revealing a pair of beautiful eyes filled with shock and humiliated anger. "Aunt! What did you just say? You want me to marry him? If you want someone to marry him, you can do it yourself! I won’t!"
Granny Zhou, however, said no more. She simply stared at her, her expression placid.
The gaze was calm, yet it made Zhou Qingyi feel as if she had been plunged into an icy cavern. All her complaints and protests died in her throat.
She knew her aunt was not joking.
...
Outside the training grounds, his master, Zhou Zhen, was already waiting by the gate.
"Shouheng, congratulations!"
Unable to hide his delight, Zhou Zhen clapped Chen Shouheng firmly on the shoulder.
"It’s all thanks to your excellent instruction, Master."
Chen Shouheng was quite excited himself, but his response remained modest.
"No need to be so modest! You’ve brought great honor to our Tiger Subduing Martial Arts Hall today!" Zhou Zhen laughed. "With your current strength, you have a real chance at the Provincial Examination. Prepare yourself well!"
He then turned to Qian Laibao and Shi Zhongjian, his tone becoming encouraging. "Laibao, Zhongjian, don’t be discouraged. The array was exceptionally difficult this year; the failure wasn’t your fault. Go home, train diligently, and you’ll surely succeed next year!"
Shi Zhongjian forced a smile and nodded, but the disappointment in his eyes was impossible to conceal.
Qian Laibao, for his part, was on the verge of saying he had no intention of returning next year to suffer again, but he thought better of it and held his tongue.
The four returned to the inn.
「Juying Inn.」
The main hall of the inn was as bustling as ever, with many patrons discussing the day’s events at the County Examination.
Back in their rooms, Zhou Zhen gave his instructions. "Shouheng, no matter who comes looking for you tonight, see no one. And don’t eat anything sent by others. Focus on regulating your qi and preparing for tomorrow. Laibao, Zhongjian, you two will stand guard and turn away any visitors."
Qian Laibao and Shi Zhongjian nodded their assent.
Chen Shouheng returned to his room.
...
「The next morning.」
The Liyang County training grounds were once again packed, the atmosphere even more feverish and uproarious than the past two days.
The spectator stands had long been filled to capacity, and even the open ground along the edges of the field was packed with townspeople who had come to watch. The air was thick with a deafening roar.
On the Commander’s Platform, the County Captain took his place.
His gaze, sharp as lightning, swept over the twenty-three candidates below the platform. His voice boomed like a great bell.
"Silence!"
The waves of noise gradually subsided.
"Today, in the grand tournament, we will determine the final rankings for the Liyang County Examination!"
The Captain’s voice reverberated across the field. He paused, then announced, "To incentivize you brilliant talents, the Lord Governor has decreed a special reward!"
"For this year’s competition, the top three finishers, in addition to the usual prizes, will have their families exempted from three years of the Land Tax and corvée labor!"
A hush fell over the crowd at his words, followed by a massive uproar.
An exemption from three years of taxes and labor!
For any family, this was an unimaginably great boon.
The audience in the stands broke into a flurry of discussion, their voices full of envy.
And that wasn’t all.
The County Captain’s voice rose even higher. "This year’s champion, in addition to all the rewards previously mentioned, will be granted entry into the Governor’s Mansion armory and may choose any single item as their prize!"
The entire training grounds erupted.
The Governor’s Mansion armory!
Never in past years had there been such a magnificent reward!
Below the platform, the breathing of the twenty-three candidates grew heavy, and a burning desire for battle ignited in their eyes.
Even the candidates who had been calm, who had no intention of fighting for a high rank, now clenched their fists, their gazes turning sharp.
Standing in the line, Chen Shouheng’s face also lit up with excitement and anticipation.
’Three years of exemption from the Land Tax and corvée labor... my family’s income would increase by over thirty percent.’
’Plus, the chance to choose any treasure I want... It’s an incredibly tempting offer.’
"Now, begin drawing lots!"
The County Captain waved his hand.
A government constable stepped forward holding a container of lots, and the candidates went up one by one to draw.
Chen Shouheng stepped forward and calmly drew a lot.
"A-3."
His opponent would be the other candidate who drew "A-3."
When it was Liu Ruoyi’s turn, her slender fingers pulled a lot from the container. She glanced at it, her eyes widening in surprise for a moment before a smile spread across her face.
She had drawn the only bye, automatically advancing to the next round.
Her good fortune allowed her to avoid the bloody first round of combat.
The grand tournament officially began.
Chen Shouheng’s first-round opponent was a young Swordsman named Li Dingzhu, who possessed a Qi Realm Perfection Cultivation.
He leaped onto the platform and gave Chen Shouheng a formal salute with his sword, his eyes brimming with the will to fight.
"Please!"
"Please!"
Chen Shouheng returned the salute and assumed the opening stance of the Tiger Subduing Fist.