Chapter 27: Wealth in the remote mountains brings distant relatives

"The martial examination lasts four days."

"Today is just the first round, testing Strength and Skill… Once it ends, I’ll go see him."

Wei Hong thought to herself.

Just as Li Tongshi had predicted, an ordinary maternal relative held little value in her eyes. However, a martial scholar with a promising future—that was an entirely different matter.

"As for the past…"

"An apology should be enough."

A glimmer of calculation flickered through Wei Hong’s gaze.

She hadn’t climbed from Master Huang’s numerous concubines to become a favored wife and the mother of his son through beauty alone—her methods had played an equally crucial role.

She was confident that by offering him enough benefits, Wei Tu wouldn’t just forgive and forget—he would wholeheartedly embrace her support and become dependent on her.

Of course, she had no regrets about her past decisions.

Cutting off the dead weight of the Wei family and refusing to let them leech off her status had been a necessary strategy to secure her position within the Huang household.

If she had acted otherwise, she would have ended up like those foolish concubines, constantly funneling money and resources back to their useless maternal families, only to fall out of favor and be discarded.

Wei Tu had no idea what Wei Hong was planning.

During a pause between assessments, a folded letter was discreetly handed to him.

For a moment, he was taken aback.

He hadn’t expected to see his second aunt, Wei Hong, sitting among the wealthy scholars in the spectator stands.

Reading the letter’s contents, he paused for a moment, then rolled it up and tucked it into his belt lining.

The message was simple:

After the test, wait in the square.

Better yet, visit the Huang residence.

"When you’re poor, even in the bustling streets, no one asks about you. But when you’re rich, even distant relatives will seek you out in the mountains."

Wei Tu couldn't help but recall the old saying.

However, despite Wei Hong's cold treatment in the past, he still felt some gratitude toward her.

Had it not been for Wei Hong, he never would have obtained a complete copy of Turtle Breath Energy Cultivation three years ago.

Without that technique, he wouldn’t be standing here today.

Without it, he might still be a stablehand in the Li household, struggling to earn his freedom.

The next phase of the Strength Test—Blade Techniques—began.

All eyes were now on Wei Tu.

The wealthy scholars and merchants had all shifted their focus to him, eager to see what this unexpected dark horse would do next.

A skilled swordsman was likely to be proficient in unarmed combat as well.

And a martial artist with strong fundamentals was guaranteed to have a notable master.

For the influential families, this was a prime opportunity to investigate Wei Tu’s origins.

Even the examination officials showed heightened interest.

In literary examinations, scholars often had mentors or examiners guiding their studies. These relationships had unspoken traditions, and official scholars often owed allegiance to their mentors.

The martial examination system followed a similar structure.

If Wei Tu secured first place, the officials in charge of the examination would benefit politically and financially by associating themselves with him.

However—

Within seconds of watching Wei Tu’s blade performance, the examiners' expressions shifted slightly.

Wei Tu’s movements were sharp, aggressive, and powerful, and his blade cuts carried immense force—but compared to the earlier contestants, something was lacking.

Or rather, his technique seemed a little crude.

"Looks like he didn’t have a proper master… what a waste," one of the officials mused.

"A body like that… he's naturally gifted with superhuman strength…"

With a subtle shake of his head, he contemplated for a moment before making his judgment.

“Bing Thirteen, Wei Tu—Blade Techniques, Upper Second Grade.”

Due to Wei Tu’s outstanding performance in the previous round, the official decided to bump his score up slightly, giving him a higher rating than he might have otherwise received.

"What a pity. I thought Qingmu County might produce another martial scholar, but in the end, he’s just someone with brute strength…"

On the high platform, County Magistrate Chen shook his head as he observed the results.

A martial artist with exceptional strength was indeed rare, but in terms of his political career or the county’s reputation, such a person was of no real significance.

Not worth special attention.

At the same time, upon seeing Wei Tu’s performance in the blade techniques segment, the scholars and wealthy merchants in the audience finally sighed in relief.

His blade skills were mediocre, which meant he lacked a distinguished teacher.

With this weakness, they no longer feared that he might outshine their sons and nephews in the later tests.

"Upper Second Grade?"

Hearing this result, Wei Tu didn’t feel disappointed—instead, he was quite satisfied.

He had only been learning Tiger and Crane Twin Form Fist since mid-October of the previous year, and had spent even less time on its corresponding blade techniques—just about two months.

—To achieve an Upper Second Grade rating in just two months of training?

That was remarkable progress.

Wei Tu left the testing area, waiting for the next round of assessments.

Not long after, the final test of the Strength and Skill category—the Draw Strength Test—began.

This test measured both raw strength and martial foundation.

Without sufficient physical power, a contestant couldn’t even pull a heavy bow.

Without solid fundamentals, their strength wouldn’t be concentrated, and even if they were strong enough, they would struggle to fully draw the bow.

Wei Tu’s Turtle Breath Energy Cultivation had reached perfection, meaning his entire body was evenly developed, with no weak points.

When it was his turn, he effortlessly pulled a four-stone bow (400 jin of draw weight) with both left and right arms, each for nine repetitions.

For the final display, he executed the hardest technique of all—pulling the bow with his back muscles.

In the end, his score for this test was Middle First Grade.

To achieve Upper First Grade, he would have needed to draw a five-stone bow (500 jin).

That was far beyond his limits.

Even though he had managed to lift a 500-jin stone lock, it had been a struggle—let alone drawing a 500-jin bow and performing complex movements.

To handle a five-stone bow with ease, a martial artist needed a base strength of at least 600 to 700 jin.

With all three Strength and Skill tests completed, the crowd dispersed like scattered birds.

Officials left the stage, escorted by yamen guards carrying wooden signs reading ‘Silence’ and ‘Make Way’.

Soon, the Chenghuang Temple Square was mostly empty, save for the remaining wealthy scholars and merchants who lingered to chat.

Most of the martial candidates left in groups, reuniting with their families and supporters.

Before long, only Wei Tu remained standing alone.

However, Wei Hong didn’t make him wait too long.

She arrived with a plump middle-aged man, accompanied by two or three servants in blue uniforms.

"Wei Ge’er…"

About thirty paces away, Wei Hong suddenly quickened her steps, her face lighting up with a warm smile.

She greeted him enthusiastically.

"Second Aunt."

Wei Tu bowed politely, his expression reserved.

—He had never been comfortable with such exaggerated politeness.

Whether it was Li Yaozu, or now Wei Hong—he felt the same way.

But he wasn’t the same person he had been in the past.

He now had the strength to stand on his own, with no need to flatter or seek favor.

He would simply act as normal.

Gratitude and personal dealings were two separate matters, and Wei Tu understood that clearly.

Seeing his lukewarm response, Wei Hong wasn’t offended.

Instead, she gestured toward the middle-aged man beside her and said with a smile:

"Wei Ge’er, this is your Uncle Huang—call him properly…"

"Later, you should come visit the Huang residence."

"Your uncle and I will host a banquet to celebrate your success."

"After all… in this entire county, I’m the only family you have left…"

She spoke quickly, her tone crisp.

As she spoke, a hint of sympathy flashed across her face, as though she felt sorry for Wei Tu’s unfortunate past.