Chapter 210 - 154: Assuming Office (2)
The celebratory feasts that followed were nothing out of the ordinary.
Of course, once people learned that Fang Yue—the Fang Family’s new soon-to-be official who had passed the Prefecture Examination—was still unmarried, they all started getting ideas.
If they could form a marriage alliance with the Fang Family, it would be like a sparrow transforming into a phoenix.
Instantly, many people’s eyes burned with eagerness as they began to scheme.
From then on, the Fang Family’s doorstep had to be replaced several times—the stream of matchmakers was simply endless.
~~~~~~
「A little over a month later, during the Lunar New Year.」
Winter gave way to spring, and another year began.
The sky had cleared after a snowfall, and the plum blossom tree in the courtyard was already adorned with hints of pink.
In the training grounds of the rear courtyard, Fang Yue stood in a solid stance, holding a boxing posture as he flipped through the manual for the White Tiger Fist.
He carefully compared his form to the descriptions within.
’Marrow Transformation, Bone Forging, let the Qi and blood flourish.’
A moment later, Fang Yue set the manual down. His fists moved as his heart willed, his Qi, blood, and strength merging naturally and flowing with his every intention.
In the courtyard, Fang Yue threw punch after punch. Body and mind were one, strength and technique in harmony. His form resembled a ferocious tiger, each and every move majestic, fierce, and domineering.
The Qi and blood within him surged like a mighty river, vast and powerful, even emitting a series of booming sounds.
Fueled by the surging Qi and blood, Fang Yue’s techniques grew even more ferocious, even more imperious.
A series of sonic booms cracked through the air of the training grounds, echoing without end.
He practiced like this until noon.
’I’ve finally achieved Great Success in Marrow Transformation! I never thought it would be this fast. I really have to thank Widow Yu for giving me such a precious medicine.’
Fang Yue slowly concluded his practice, sensing the state of his Qi and blood, now that he had achieved Great Success in Marrow Transformation.
Unlike before, his strength had increased yet again, now approaching thirty thousand jin. His endurance, meanwhile, had advanced by leaps and bounds, more than doubling.
One could say his current fighting prowess was by no means inferior to that of an ordinary Qi Sensing Martial Master. In fact, those Martial Masters who had just begun to sense Qi were no match for him at all.
After all, even before this breakthrough, he had been able to face the Fifth Master of Tenglong Stronghold—a genuine Qi Sensing Martial Master—in a head-on battle and emerge victorious.
Now, he could easily crush the man in a direct confrontation without even needing a bow and arrow to wear down his stamina first.
Originally, it should have taken him another year or two to achieve Great Success in Marrow Transformation.
But now he had done it in just one month, all thanks to what Widow Yu had given him when she saw him off.
At first, he thought it was a simple gift. He hadn’t expected to find a five-hundred-year-old blood ginseng inside the package when he returned.
Blood ginseng nourishes Qi and blood and strengthens the body. It had made his own Qi and blood as vigorous as a raging beast, causing his strength to skyrocket.
Fang Yue even discovered that after consuming the Secret Medicine, his Talent Points had also increased significantly.
At this thought, he focused his gaze, and lines of text began to appear before his eyes.
[Cultivation Technique: White Tiger Fist (Marrow Transformation) (Great Success); Earth Element True Skill (Qi Sensing) (Entry); Qi Nourishing and Health Cultivation Skill (Mastered)]
[Aptitude: 3760 (One in a Thousand)]
[Talents: Advanced Boxing Mastery, Basic Qi Blood Derivation, Advanced Copper Skin and Iron Bones, Beginner’s Qi Sensitivity]
His Aptitude Points had originally dropped below three thousand after he formed the Qi Sensing Talent. But now, after consuming the blood ginseng, his Aptitude Points had received a huge boost of nearly nine hundred points—almost three years’ worth of accumulation.
It was only through this experience that Fang Yue learned that Aptitude Points could, in fact, be increased through external means.
And it was all because of that blood ginseng.
After discovering this, Fang Yue had searched all over Xiahe County Town, and even several neighboring county towns.
But he couldn’t find any such medicinal herbs for sale.
’Such treasures are simply too hard to come by!’
They never reached the open market. The moment one appeared, it would surely be monopolized by the great Noble Families.
A Spirit Grass that precious was likely priceless, yet Widow Yu had given it to him so quietly.
She hadn’t said a word about it, nor did she ask for anything in return.
At this thought, a wave of warmth spread through Fang Yue, and he sighed internally.
’I don’t know how I’ll ever repay this kindness.’
"I can only repay this debt of gratitude in the future," Fang Yue muttered to himself.
There was now less than a month until Fang Yue had to leave for the neighboring Wenxi County to assume his official post.
Therefore, during this period, Fang Yue cherished the time he had left with his parents and family.
~~~~~~
As it happened, Liu Zheng was handling official business one day when an unexpected guest paid him a visit.
"Wei He, are you telling the truth? Fang Yue just got dog-shit lucky, stumbled upon a kill, and completed the mission that way? Is that how he got fifth place in the Prefecture Examination?" Liu Zheng asked, finding it hard to believe.
He couldn’t wrap his head around it. How could a Martial Artist who had trained for just a few years, at best, pass the Prefecture Examination? Not only that, but achieve such a high rank, outperforming all the genius Martial Artists of Shanyang Prefecture!
It was simply unbelievable!
"It’s the absolute truth. The information came from the Government Office; it’s been confirmed beyond any doubt," Wei He said with a nod and a slight smile.
’So that’s how it is.’
Hearing this, Liu Zheng felt a surge of delight. If that was the case, he wouldn’t have to worry so much about the consequences of dealing with Fang Yue.
However, being a crafty old fox, he had already guessed that since Wei He had come to tell him all this, he must also want to deal with Fang Yue.
But he had no intention of being Wei He’s hired muscle, so he decided to play dumb. "Oh, I see," he said. "Worthy Nephew, why haven’t you left? Is there something else?"
Seeing Liu Zheng act this way, Wei He couldn’t help but curse inwardly, ’Old fox.’
Still, getting rid of Fang Yue required Liu Zheng’s cooperation.
Seeing the man feign ignorance, Wei He had no choice but to lay his cards on the table. He cupped his hands and said:
"Your Excellency, there’s no need for this. That Fang Yue is disrespectful to you. He doesn’t know his place and is, at the end of the day, just a mud-legged peasant. For such a person to usurp an official position is a disaster, not a blessing, for our Great Wei!"
"Oh? But he is an official in Wenxi County. I have no jurisdiction over him," Liu Zheng continued to feign ignorance.
True, Fang Yue’s claim to his post, obtained through the Prefecture Examination, wasn’t exactly ironclad.
But he was still an official of the imperial court, a legitimate appointee. Dealing with him wouldn’t be simple.
One had to be cautious; many methods were now off the table.
"Your Excellency only needs to initiate a joint Training drill between our two counties after he assumes his post. When the time comes, someone will take care of him," Wei He said.
"A Training drill?" Liu Zheng frowned.
Such an event was normal enough. The performance of the reserve Guard Army always needed to be evaluated.
Sometimes they were sent to exterminate bandits, and other times they held drills with soldiers from neighboring counties. There was ample precedent.
If he were to propose it, it would be seen as routine. It wouldn’t violate any regulations, and he wouldn’t have to fear an investigation.
"Hehe, precisely. If this succeeds, I will be sure to reward you generously." Wei He smiled faintly and immediately produced a thick stack of silver banknotes, handing them over.
The latter accepted the silver banknotes without batting an eye.
And so, a business deal—a conspiracy—was settled just like that.
~~~~~~
Time flew, and in the blink of an eye, another month was about to pass.
"Zhi’Er, you have to take good care of yourself when you get there. When you have time, write home often. I’ll have Tie Dan read your letters to me."
Ms. Chen rambled on with instructions for Fang Yue as she packed his bags.
In their family, Tie Dan was growing up and had started attending a private school.
When it came to reading, it had to be Tie Dan. He was much better at it than his father, Fang Cheng.
Thus, the task of reading the letters naturally fell to Little Tie Dan, who was only a few years old.
"And another thing, when you get there, be sure to do your work diligently and honestly. Dress warmly when it gets cold..." Ms. Chen continued to ramble on.
She covered every possible detail, from when to eat to how to handle things, leaving no stone unturned.
"I know, Mother," Fang Yue replied with a smile.
This wasn’t the first time Ms. Chen had said these things to him. She repeated them every time he had to travel far from home.
But he never grew impatient. This was his mother’s love for him, after all—a genuine, heartfelt concern. How could he possibly be annoyed by it?
Soon, Fang Yue boarded the carriage and set off.
"You block of wood! You just stood there like a log and didn’t say a single word! Zhi’Er is leaving for a long journey, and who knows when he’ll be back!" Ms. Chen said, her heart aching as she watched the carriage disappear into the distance.
Then she turned and saw Father Fang with a "silly grin" on his face and immediately gave his shoulder a sharp pinch.