Chapter 27: Wealth in the Deep Mountains Brings Distant Relatives (Please bookmark and follow)

"The martial examinations will last four days in total."

"Today is the first session, testing only martial prowess and bravery... Once the assessment is over, I shall go see him..."

Wei Hong thought to herself.

Just as Lady Li had initially thought, a common male from one's maiden family was naturally something Wei Hong would look down upon. However, a male from her maiden family who showed promise of achieving official status through the martial examinations was a vastly different matter.

"As for what happened back then..."

"An apology will suffice."

Wei Hong's eyes flickered slightly.

Her ability to stand out among Master Huang's many concubines and become a secondary wife with a son relied not only on her beauty but also on her cunning.

She was confident that after offering Wei Tu significant benefits, her nephew from the original family would not only sweep away his previous grievances but would also feel gratitude from the bottom of his heart, becoming firmly dependent on her.

Of course.

Regarding her decisions back then.

Wei Hong felt no regrets.

Discarding the useless members of the Wei family who sought to ride her coattails was a necessary strategy for her to live a better life in the Huang residence.

Had she not done so, she would have ended up like those foolish concubines—disdained by her husband's family for funneling benefits back to her maiden home, eventually ruined and disgraced.

...

Wei Hong's intentions were unknown to Wei Tu, who was currently participating in the next stage of the martial prowess assessment. While waiting, he had been momentarily stunned upon receiving the note handed to him by Wei Hong.

He had not expected to see his second aunt, Wei Hong, sitting among the ranks of the local gentry.

After reading the contents of the note, Wei Tu pondered for a moment, then rolled it up and tucked it inside his coarse cloth waistband.

The note was simple: it asked him to wait in the plaza after his assessment, not to leave, and ideally to go and sit for a while at the Huang residence.

"In a bustling market, the poor are ignored; in the deep mountains, the wealthy have distant kin."

The proverb came to Wei Tu's mind.

Nevertheless, Wei Tu still felt a sense of gratitude toward Wei Hong. Had it not been for her help back then, it would have been extremely difficult for him to obtain a complete manual for a health-cultivating technique three years ago.

Without the *Turtle Breath Health-Cultivating Technique*, he would not be standing here today. Perhaps... it would have taken much longer for him to break free from the Li residence, join the commoner registry, and become a martial instructor.

A short while later.

The second stage of the martial prowess assessment—the saber dance—began.

Most of the gentry's attention was focused on Wei Tu, the dark horse of the county-level martial examination.

The blade is an extension of the fist and foot.

Generally speaking, a martial instructor with excellent saber skills would not have poor striking techniques.

And to have good striking techniques, one must have had a good master and a proper lineage of instruction.

—This was a prime opportunity for them to probe the background of this dark horse, Wei Tu.

Even the martial examiner looked at Wei Tu with eyes full of expectation, hoping that this instructor, who could lift a five-hundred-jin stone lock, would shine brilliantly in this session.

In the civil examinations, there were unspoken rules regarding mentors, patrons, and teachers; examiners also held the status of masters to the candidates.

The martial examinations were similar.

If Wei Tu were to take the top spot, the examiner would also stand to gain fame and fortune.

However...

In the next moment.

The examiner was somewhat dumbfounded.

While Wei Tu's saber dance in the arena was sharp, intimidating, and vigorous, it was noticeably mediocre compared to the previous candidates—or rather, it was somewhat lacking.

"He likely lacks a proper lineage. What a waste of such physique; he has natural divine strength..." the examiner thought, shaking his head inwardly.

Then, after a moment of deliberation, the examiner announced, "C-13, Wei Tu, Saber Dance: Grade B-Upper..."

Recalling Wei Tu's previous excellent performance, the examiner allowed himself a bit of personal bias, raising Wei Tu's score from "B-Middle" to the "B-Upper" tier.

"A pity. I thought Qingshan County might produce another successful martial candidate, but it seems he only possesses extraordinary strength..." On the high platform, Magistrate Chen shook his head upon seeing this.

While martial instructors with extraordinary strength were rare, they had no impact on his official career or on Qingshan County itself.

They were not worth his extra attention.

At the same time.

Upon seeing the results of Wei Tu's saber dance, the seated gentry finally felt a sense of relief, letting out a collective sigh of ease.

Poor saber skills meant a lack of proper lineage; as for the other subjects, they no longer had to worry about Wei Tu overshadowing their own kinsmen.

"B-Upper?"

Hearing this result, Wei Tu was not disappointed; instead, he felt a surge of happiness.

He had only been taught the *Tiger and Crane Double Form* manual by the martial candidate Shan in mid-October of last year, and the corresponding saber techniques were learned even later.

He had roughly only been practicing them for two months.

—To have his saber skills rated as "B-Upper" in the assessment within just two months was a testament to his extraordinary talent.

Wei Tu exited the arena.

He waited for the next stage of the assessment.

Soon.

The third and final stage of the martial prowess assessment, "Drawing the Heavy Bow," commenced.

This stage tested physical strength and martial foundation.

If strength was insufficient, one could not draw the heavy bow.

If the martial foundation was weak, one could not coordinate their strength; when drawing the heavy bow, the body acts like the bowstring—if one part is weak, even with great strength, it is difficult to draw the bow to a full moon shape.

Wei Tu's health-cultivating technique had reached great perfection, leaving no weak points in his physical strength. When he drew the heavy bow, he performed nine draws with a four-stone bow using each arm, finally concluding with the most difficult "back-draw" technique.

In this assessment, Wei Tu smoothly achieved a "Grade A-Middle" result.

As for a "Grade A-Upper" result...

That required drawing a five-stone bow.

A five-stone bow required five hundred jin of strength.

Even lifting a five-hundred-jin stone lock was strenuous for Wei Tu, let alone drawing a five-stone heavy bow and performing various high-difficulty maneuvers.

To draw a five-stone heavy bow with ease, one would need at least six or seven hundred jin of strength.

With the three stages of the martial prowess assessment concluded.

The watching commoners dispersed like birds and beasts, and the officials on the platform also departed one by one, led by runners carrying "Silence" and "Clear the Way" placards.

Soon, only the visiting gentry remained in the plaza of the City God Temple.

Seeing this, the martial instructors participating in the examination also left in small groups to reunite with their families.

Shortly after.

In the area where the martial instructors had previously stood, Wei Tu was left standing alone.

Fortunately, Wei Hong did not make Wei Tu wait long; she approached accompanied by a plump, middle-aged man.

Two or three servants in blue followed behind them.

"Young Master Wei..."

When they were about thirty paces away, Wei Hong suddenly quickened her pace, a smile appearing on her face as she greeted Wei Tu warmly.

"Second Aunt."

Wei Tu, appearing somewhat reserved, bowed to Wei Hong in response.

—He had always been unaccustomed to such excessively hollow pleasantries.

He had been this way with Li Yaozu.

And he was this way now with Wei Hong.

However, he was no longer the person he used to be. Having the strength to establish himself in Qingshan County, he no longer needed to force himself into excessive sycophancy.

He would handle things as usual.

Gratitude and social conduct were two different matters; Wei Tu made a clear distinction between them.

Wei Hong did not mind Wei Tu's reaction. She gave him a meaningful look, pointed to the plump middle-aged man beside her, and said, "Young Master Wei, this is your uncle. Say hello... Later, go and sit at the Huang residence; your uncle and I will celebrate your success. After all... in this county, I am your only living relative..."

She spoke rapidly and clearly, her face adopting a look of pity as if she were sympathizing with the misfortunes Wei Tu had endured in the past.

(End of Chapter)