Novel Full Chapter 62: Staying in the Woodshed Again
Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Staying in the Woodshed Again
"Zhi’Er, take these eggs to eat on the road."
"And take this jerky too. Don’t go hungry."
"Keep this silver safe. I sewed five taels of silver into the lining of your inner clothes."
Early in the morning, at the doorway of Fang Yue’s home.
Ms. Chen fussed over Fang Yue, packing his travel bag. She put in two new sets of clothes, with the rest of the space filled with silver coins and all sorts of food.
The previous evening at dinner, Fang Yue had announced his plan to travel to Xiahe County Town.
He also mentioned he would be staying in Xiahe County Town for an extended period, wanting to observe this year’s Military Examination and broaden his horizons.
Upon hearing this, Ms. Chen and Father Fang stayed up the entire night.
They bustled about the house, getting everything ready for Fang Yue.
She pulled out all the stops in the kitchen, preparing a veritable feast of food and drink for him.
She was terrified Fang Yue wouldn’t eat well, and what would happen if he lost weight?
"Zhi’Er, why don’t we wait until next year for the exam?"
Ms. Chen said suddenly, just as Fang Yue was about to leave.
At this, it wasn’t just Fang Yue who was stunned.
Even Father Fang, his brother Fang Cheng, and his sister Fang Lan, who were standing nearby, looked at Ms. Chen in disbelief.
Ms. Chen doted on Fang Yue beyond words and had always placed great hopes in him.
Whenever she chatted with the villagers, didn’t she always say her son Fang Yue was Mars descended from the heavens, that he would surely become a Martial Scholar, distinguish himself, and bring honor to his ancestors?
But now that the time had actually come, why was Ms. Chen the first one getting cold feet?
"Zhi’Er, I’ve heard that fists have no eyes. It’s inevitable you’ll get hurt when competing. You’ve only just become a Martial Scholar and have only trained in martial arts for two years. How can you compare to those who’ve been training for over a decade?"
"Why not wait until next year? No, no, the year after that. With two more years of training, you’ll definitely be able to wipe the floor with all of them."
So, that was it. Ms. Chen was afraid Fang Yue would get hurt in the examination.
After all, fists have no eyes. What would they do if he got hurt?
Still, Ms. Chen believed that with another two years of training, her Zhi’Er would definitely be able to secure the title of Martial Scholar.
This was her confidence and caution as a mother.
Finally, with tears welling in her eyes, Ms. Chen grasped Fang Yue’s hand.
"You’ll be gone for so many days this time... What if you can’t get used to the food? What if you lose weight?"
Hearing this, Father Fang chimed in, "A man shouldn’t be too heavy. If you’re fat, you can’t work."
In the countryside, aside from the rich landlords who did no labor, you’d never see an overweight commoner. So a local saying gradually spread: a man can’t be fat, or he can’t work the fields.
This was a reference to the landlords, who did no work at all.
But Father Fang certainly never expected that his attempt at consolation would be like prodding a tiger.
Ms. Chen immediately bristled like an enraged tigress and shot Father Fang a venomous glare.
"What did you say? How dare you suggest my Zhi’Er shouldn’t eat and drink well! You can just stop eating for the next few days. This family’s fortune was earned by Zhi’Er. Let’s just see how you like starving yourself thin."
"But... but... isn’t it only right and proper for a father to live off his son?"
Father Fang stammered for a good while, muttering under his breath. At this point, of course, he didn’t even dare to look at Ms. Chen.
He was terrified of provoking her further and getting an earful.
"Mother, I’ll only be gone for two months. I promise I’ll be back before my brother’s wedding."
As expected, Fang Yue’s words drew Ms. Chen’s attention.
At the mention of Fang Cheng’s wedding, the atmosphere in the family lightened considerably.
The family’s fortunes had improved significantly in the past two years. Fang Yue had become a Martial Scholar, and the family now had more than a dozen tenants.
Each year, between the yield from their own dozen-odd acres of land and the rent from their tenants, they were doing well, especially since they were exempt from paying taxes to the Government Office.
The family had slowly saved up some silver coins, and were now raising two pigs, six chickens, and five rabbits.
They had built a new house, and their two storehouses were piled high with grain.
The eldest son’s wedding was practically settled, just waiting for the appointed day. Life was getting better.
As for arranging marriages for Fang Lan and Fang Yue, that was even less of a concern. Right now, countless matchmakers were vying to call upon them.
Life was peaceful and happy; all was well.
~~~~~~
"Zhi’Er, be careful on the road. Remember to write to us when you get to the county town."
In the end, though Ms. Chen was still reluctant to see him go, she could only watch as Fang Yue departed.
He left under the light of the setting sun, making good time.
On the afternoon of the second day after leaving home, Fang Yue arrived in Xiahe County Town.
Although the Military Examination was happening soon, in reality, not many people participated in the Military Examination each year—far fewer than the number who took the assessment for Martial Scholar.
The strict registration requirement of having reached the Bone Forging realm before the age of thirty was enough to bar the vast majority of Martial Artists.
Furthermore, the number of Martial Artists who could actually cultivate to the Bone Forging realm was small to begin with.
Based on previous years, the number of participants was typically only around sixty or seventy people.
Of those sixty or seventy participants, only ten would be selected.
The success rate couldn’t be called low, but it wasn’t high either.
Therefore, even though the rank of Martial Scholar awarded in this examination was of a higher status and attracted more attention from the major powers in Xiahe County Town, the lodging situation in the city was actually less crowded than it had been during the previous Martial Scholar assessment.
This time, Fang Yue headed for the same inn he had stayed at previously.
"Well now, welcome, sir, welcome! Are you looking for a room or just a bite to eat? We have just one superior room left, and you’re in luck! It’s our Shopkeeper’s dear old mother’s birthday today, so for the price of a standard room, you can have the superior one!"
The inn’s assistant greeted Fang Yue with enthusiasm. Although Fang Yue’s clothes were plain, the sharp-eyed assistant noticed they were free of patches. Moreover, the young man was tall and had a healthy complexion.
’This must mean his family is fairly well-off,’ he thought. ’Someone like him definitely wouldn’t stay in the crowded common room.’
’But he doesn’t look wealthy, either.’
’The fabric of his clothes is just ordinary, after all.’
’This type usually stays in the lower-class rooms.’
’So, by offering a superior room for the price of a standard one, I’ll most likely be able to upsell him.’
As for the lie, well, the inn still had seven or eight superior rooms available.
Fang Yue asked about the price. A superior room was currently about five taels of silver for a month.
This price wasn’t high, only about half of what it was when he had come last time.
’It seems business at the inn has been slow lately,’ Fang Yue thought.
"Hmm, not bad. The price isn’t too steep. In that case, I’ll take a room..." Fang Yue said.
"Excellent! Right this way, sir." The assistant’s face blossomed into a smile. He would get a ten-mace commission for renting out a superior room.
However, before he had even taken two steps,
Fang Yue continued, "Just give me a woodshed. I’ll be staying for two months. How does two taels of silver sound?"
"What? A woodshed? You want to stay in a woodshed?"
The assistant froze for a moment, his voice then filled with utter astonishment.
However, he didn’t have the air of someone who fawns on the rich and disdains the poor.
He just wondered, ’Did I completely misjudge him?’
"Heh," Fang Yue said. "Last time I stayed in your inn’s woodshed, I got lucky and became a Martial Scholar. If I stay here again, maybe I’ll succeed in becoming a Martial Scholar this time around!"
The assistant was instantly stunned. He never would have guessed that the young man before him was actually a Martial Scholar!