The red silk hanging over the doorway, the Officials at their home to announce the good news—it was all proof. He hadn’t been wrong about the massive gamble that no one had believed in!

The excitement surged for a moment before Yang Shouzhuo took a deep breath, wiped his face roughly with his sleeve, and forced down the sob rising in his throat.

He straightened his slightly hunched back and walked toward Cheng Wen and his retinue, leading them into the courtyard. "Lord Cheng," he said with a smile, "please, come in and have a seat."

They had just sat down on the stone stools when Liu Cui Ling came over with coarse porcelain tea bowls, the tea leaves within unfurling and steaming gently.

Her hands were still trembling slightly as she gently placed a tea bowl in front of Cheng Wen. "My lord, please have some tea," she murmured, then stepped aside, her eyes rimmed with red.

「At the old locust tree by the village entrance.」

Yang Jing had just reached the village entrance when he saw a dense crowd gathered around his family’s courtyard. He had spotted the eye-catching swath of red silk over the gate from a great distance.

’The Officials who deliver the good news got here already?’

He raised an eyebrow and quickened his pace.

He had thought he was fast enough to get home before the Officials, but it seemed he was still a step behind.

"Yang Jing’s back!" a sharp-eyed villager spotted him and immediately shouted.

The shout caused all the villagers outside to turn their heads, and it also startled the group drinking tea inside the courtyard.

Yang Jing strode through the crowd to the gate, his short tunic still dusty from the journey.

He first looked toward his grandfather, Qin Family, and mother inside the courtyard, giving them a reassuring nod. His gaze then shifted to Cheng Wen before sweeping across the squad of soldiers.

The soldiers, whose expressions had been stern just moments before, straightened their backs in unison the instant their eyes met Yang Jing’s. Their faces became solemn, showing an undeniable trace of respect.

The tall soldier in the lead was the first to cup his fist, his voice deep as he said, "Greetings, Lord Yang!"

The rest followed suit, cupping their fists in a salute with perfect uniformity.

Although they were the County Magistrate’s Personal Soldiers and didn’t hold much respect for a Civil Servant like Cheng Wen, they admired true powerhouses of the Martial Dao from the bottom of their hearts.

Most of them had watched Yang Jing’s bout in the training yard a few days ago, which had filled these career soldiers, all martial artists themselves, with admiration.

In Yuhe County, a Huajin Powerhouse was as rare as a phoenix feather. A master like Yang Jing, who could defeat an expert at the Peak of Dark Energy, was already powerful enough to do as he pleased. Moreover, Yang Jing now held a semi-official position; even the County Magistrate couldn’t afford to ignore him. He was naturally more worthy of their polite treatment than a Civil Servant.

Cheng Wen took a step forward, cupped his fist, and smiled. "Lord Yang, this humble one is Cheng Wen, a Clerk from the County Government’s Clerk’s Office. I am here by order of the County Magistrate..."

Yang Jing returned the salute, his tone calm. "I’ve troubled you to make this trip, Lord Cheng. Thank you all for your hard work."

Seeing this, Yang Shouzhuo quickly gestured for them to sit. "Lord Cheng, and all of you, please have a seat and drink some tea. It’s freshly brewed and still hot."

However, the soldiers remained perfectly still, standing erect in the courtyard and staring straight ahead, showing no intention of sitting.

Yang Shouzhuo paused, a flicker of confusion on his face.

’A moment ago, Lord Cheng and the others had agreed to sit for a while. Why the change of heart?’

Seeing his confusion, Cheng Wen smiled and explained, "Elder Yang, you may not be aware. When Lord Yang was not here, it was fine for us to impose for a moment. But now that Lord Yang has returned, there are distinctions of rank to observe. How could we presume to sit with him? We’ll just stand and talk."

The villagers outside the courtyard saw this clearly, and they clicked their tongues in silent astonishment.

Just moments ago, those soldiers had been respectful to Lord Cheng, but not so formal. In front of Yang Jing, however, they didn’t even dare to sit. Such strict observance of protocol was enough to show how different Yang Jing’s status now was.

A few of the villagers who had previously mocked Yang Shouzhuo for selling his fields and ox to pay for Yang Jing’s martial arts training now drew their necks in, not daring to say another word.

In the courtyard, Cheng Wen turned to Yang Jing and continued, "Now that you’ve returned, Lord Yang, it’s best we clarify a few things in person. After we’ve spoken, we will return to the County Yamen to report to the County Magistrate. No need to trouble yourselves with tea."

Yang Jing nodded. "Please speak, Lord Cheng."

Cheng Wen cleared his throat, his tone growing more solemn. "Lord Yang, you’ve passed the training yard trial, which means you’re now qualified to participate in the prefectural examination. When you feel your strength is sufficient, you can travel to the Prefecture City to take part. If you pass the prefectural exam, you will receive a fixed stipend of silver coins and Elixirs from the government each month. You may even have the opportunity to obtain various martial arts texts. There are many other benefits as well, which you will come to learn about in due time."

Yang Jing’s heart stirred at his words.

He had heard from Liu Maolin before that passing the training yard trial only granted one a semi-official status, not the rank of a true "official." But passing the prefectural examination would make him a Martial Dao official recognized by the Court, with a guaranteed supply of monthly Cultivation Resources.

This was an incredible temptation for him.

Resources were always the scarcest commodity in martial arts training. If he could receive a steady supply of Elixirs, his cultivation speed would certainly rise to another level.

"These two chests contain the armor and Waist Blade bestowed by the Court. Please keep them safe, Lord Yang."

Cheng Wen pointed to the two chests on the stone table, paused, and then added, "According to the laws of the Great Qi Kingdom, as you now hold an official position, Lord Yang, you are exempt from the land tax and miscellaneous duties on five hundred mu of land under your name. As for the government’s various forms of corvée labor, your family will never again be assigned them."

As soon as these words were spoken, Yang Shouzhuo, Qin Family, and Liu Cui Ling froze, their faces immediately erupting with irrepressible excitement.

For a family of farmers who had tilled the land for generations, the land tax, miscellaneous duties, and corvée labor were like three great mountains that crushed countless households every year.

From the few acres of land the Yang Family owned, there was little left over each year after paying the taxes in silver. The threat of corvée labor was enough to give them sleepless nights.

And now, two of those great mountains had vanished into thin air. The coarse cloth in Qin Family’s hands was wrinkled from her tight grip, while Liu Cui Ling’s eyes reddened again as she began to cry tears of joy.

Elder Yang took a deep breath, looking at his grandson. At that moment, he suddenly wanted to visit their ancestral graves, to burn paper offerings and tell his forefathers that the family would no longer have to pay those crushing miscellaneous duties, nor would they be forcibly conscripted for corvée labor anymore...

Outside the gate, the crowd of villagers exploded into a clamor, their voices buzzing with chatter.

"Good heavens! A five-hundred-mu tax exemption! And no more corvée labor!"

"This... this is just like passing the imperial exams in the plays! That’s it, first thing tomorrow, I’m making my boy start practicing martial arts."

"Pah! Your kid has to catch his breath three times just to walk two steps, and you want him to practice martial arts? Just let him focus on staying alive."

"What if... what if we put our land under Yang Jing’s name? Would we be exempt from taxes then?" a quick-witted village woman whispered to her husband beside her.

The eyes of several people nearby instantly lit up.

Her husband quickly nudged her with his elbow, signaling her to be quiet, but his own mind was already turning, making calculations.

Cheng Wen, as if he hadn’t heard the discussions outside, said politely to Yang Jing, "As for the paperwork for the tax and corvée exemptions, the Household Registry Office will send someone in a few days to coordinate. At that time, Lord Yang, you will only need to follow the regulations."

Yang Jing cupped his fist and said, "Thank you for your trouble, Lord Cheng. I appreciate everyone’s hard work."

Cheng Wen smiled. "It is my duty. Now that our business here is done, we should take our leave and report back to the County Magistrate."

Seeing this, Yang Shouzhuo quickly pulled a cloth pouch from his robes and pressed it into Yang Jing’s hand.

The pouch was heavy; it contained the ten taels of silver that Qin Family had just retrieved from inside.

He gave Yang Jing a meaningful look, signaling that this was a gratuity for the Officials—a necessary expense—and that Yang Jing should be the one to personally manage these relationships.

Men like Cheng Wen were too far removed from common folk like them; they had no way of making contact. Only if his grandson Yang Jing personally handled the matter could it be considered a genuine connection for the future.

Yang Jing understood. Knowing the custom for such announcements, he took out another ten taels of silver from his own robes, added it to the pouch for a total of twenty, and discreetly passed it to Cheng Wen. "Lord Cheng and your brothers have had a long journey," he said earnestly. "Please accept this small token of my gratitude. Use it to buy some wine and meat and have a good rest."

Cheng Wen glanced at the silver, then back at Yang Jing. He knew that with Yang Jing’s current status, he certainly wasn’t short on money, but the gesture was very thoughtful.

He accepted it with a smile, weighing it in his hand before cupping his fist. "Then, on behalf of my brothers, this humble one thanks you, Lord Yang. We will certainly enjoy a good drink when we get back."

With that, he turned and called to the soldiers, "Let’s go."

The soldiers also cupped their fists to thank Yang Jing before following Cheng Wen out.

When he reached the courtyard gate, Cheng Wen paused, looked at the Yang Family who had come to see them off, and cupped his fist again. "Lord Yang, Elder Yang, honored lady, please, go no further. Farewell."

"Safe travels, Lord Cheng," Yang Jing replied with a salute of his own.

The group exited the courtyard, mounted their horses, and the sound of hoofbeats gradually faded into the distance.

The red silk strips over the gate fluttered in the wind, making the entire Yang Family courtyard seem a little brighter.

....

PS:

To all my dear patrons, for the sake of this humble author who stays up all night writing until 11 PM (and occasionally sleeps during the day, my sleep schedule is a total mess, boo hoo), please, I’m begging for monthly tickets! A million thanks to all you brothers and sisters!