The First Sage of Military Strategists

Chapter 25 High-Ranking Officials
Many of the young men looked on with envy. They were all young men, and who wouldn't want to eat well and dress well? But being born into the right family is a skill.

Han Qing stood in the crowd, only glancing at the three of them before looking away.

He never envied others; he only wanted to live his own life well.

Just then, a loud and energetic shout came from not far away.

"Magistrate Qi has arrived!"

The young people fell silent, their eyes fixed on the entrance to the martial arts arena.

The man in the lead had a square face, thick eyebrows, and large eyes. He walked with a very straight back and a powerful stride, exuding an air of authority. Without a doubt, this was Magistrate Qi Chong.

Two people were a step behind. The one on the left had a protruding belly, a goatee, and a faint, kind smile on his face. He was Cao Yongliang, the county magistrate.

On the right is an elderly man in gray clothes, with sparse gray hair, drooping eyelids, and a drowsy appearance. He can barely lift his feet when he walks, like a candle flickering in the wind, giving the impression that he is about to die.

This is Inspector Huang Heng, the oldest official in the yamen, who is about to retire and is in poor health. Han Qing heard that he doesn't manage affairs much anymore.

The two most important people in charge of the yamen were Magistrate Qi and Cao Yongliang.

Above them were Yang Wu and Luo Sheng, and logically there should also be the head of the militia, but Han Qing didn't see him, so he must have something to do today.

Under the watchful eyes of many, these important figures took their seats one after another.

His posture reveals his character; Magistrate Qi is clearly a very strict person. Even when sitting in a chair, his posture remains very straight, like a javelin.

Cao Yongliang, standing next to him, was more relaxed, his back slightly hunched, while Huang Heng had already lowered his head and started to doze off.

Logically, he shouldn't have acted so recklessly on such an important occasion, but Magistrate Qi didn't say anything, and the others around him seemed to have gotten used to his behavior.

The boys sized up the important figures in the government office, whispering and gossiping among themselves.

Cao Yongliang glanced at Luo Sheng out of the corner of his eye and saw that Luo Sheng's face was so gloomy it looked like it was about to drip water. He narrowed his eyes and asked in a low voice, "Squad Leader Luo, you don't look too good. What's wrong? Who upset you again?"

Luo Sheng said in a deep voice, "Last night, someone broke into the Wan family and killed Wan Fuchun and two guards."

"Wan Fuchun is dead? That old man was always afraid of death, and he built such a high wall around his house. How did the thief get in?" A strange look flashed in Cao Yongliang's eyes.

"I don't know. There are two possibilities: either he sneaked in when the guards at the gate weren't looking, or he has excellent lightness skills and was able to scale the wall to get in," Luo Sheng replied.

"Tsk tsk, if it's the latter, this thief must be someone of considerable importance. Do you have any clues?" Cao Yongliang asked, squinting.

"Last night it rained heavily, and the thief was quick and efficient, so I didn't find any clues. I tried to investigate who Wan Fuchun had recently offended, but I came up empty-handed. This old man is dishonest and has offended too many people. There are dozens of people who have the motive to kill him, but none of them have the ability to kill him."

Moreover, I specifically examined Wan Fuchun's body. His chest bones were broken and tendons were fractured; he was almost killed by a single punch. The thief was suspected of possessing the Great Vajra Fist technique.

"But the Kaishan Martial Arts School recently suffered a tragedy; Zheng Kaishan and his eldest disciple both died. The other members of the school don't have such domineering boxing techniques. This thief's identity is shrouded in mystery. I've thought about it over and over, but I haven't found anyone who fits the bill." Luo Sheng continued, his mind also filled with confusion.

His gaze swept over the group of teenagers, lingering on Han Qing for a few moments before finally looking away.

He suspected that Han Qing might be the murderer because Wan Fuchun had a conflict with Old Han from Xinglintang the day before the incident, and Han Qing happened to be on leave and went home that day, so he had plenty of time and motive to kill.

But is it possible for a sixteen-year-old boy to possess superb lightness skills and the Great Vajra Fist? It's impossible!
So he quickly dismissed the idea, thinking the culprit was someone else. "Now that you mention it, this thief is definitely not a local of Baiyun County. Could he be a master of the Yin-Yang Sect?" Cao Yongliang pondered.

"It shouldn't be. The Yin-Yang Sect has no reason to kill Wan Fuchun." Luo Sheng shook his head. Upon hearing of Wan Fuchun's swift death, he immediately went to question the Yin-Yang Scholar, who vehemently denied any involvement.

"If you ask me, Wan Fuchun, that old dog, is dead, so why do you care so much?" Cao Yongliang changed the subject.

"Although this old dog harbored ulterior motives, he was ruthless and cunning, and his ability to make money was unmatched. Now that he's dead, I can't find a replacement to manage Wanchuntang's business anytime soon. So I must investigate this matter thoroughly. Which scoundrel dares to ruin my plans? I'll make him wish he were dead." Luo Sheng gritted his teeth, his gaze icy.

With Wan Fuchun dead, Wan Chuntang was left unattended, and he didn't know how much money he would lose. His heart was bleeding, how could he not hate it?
As they were talking, Magistrate Qi gestured to Yang Wu with his eyes, indicating that the assessment could begin.

Yang Wu waved his hand, and a burly man stepped out from behind him; it was none other than the instructor, Zhao Teng.

"Three months have passed since Headmaster Yang taught you martial arts. Today is the day for you to show your results. In a moment, take turns stepping forward and striking the large stone with your palms. The five people who perform the best will be promoted to junior clerks in the yamen."

Many of the teenagers nodded slightly. The assessment rules sounded a bit rough, but the effect was very obvious.

Moreover, the important figures present were all highly skilled in martial arts, and the young man only needed to throw two punches to clearly see their skill level.

Zhao Teng shouted again, "As long as you can become minor officials in the yamen, you can receive a salary of three to twelve taels of silver per year, with food and lodging provided, a bowl of nourishing soup every day, and you can also choose a knife skill. There are many benefits, so you all better perform well later and show off your skills to the fullest!"

If the boys perform well, he, as the instructor, will also feel proud, so that Yang Wu won't go down and say that he didn't teach seriously.

Many of the teenagers had their eyes burning with determination, their fists clenched silently. Most of them had waited three years, some even seven or eight, just for this one chance to become a full-fledged employee, so they were determined to fight for it with all their might.

"Those who have just begun to master the Nine Yang True Skill, step forward!"

As soon as Zhao Teng finished speaking, seventeen teenagers stepped forward.

He nodded slightly; the proportion was about the same as in previous years.

"Step forward and use the Nine Yang True Skill to punch the large rock!"

"Yes."

The dozen or so boys immediately dispersed, each standing in front of a large gray rock.

Each person takes turns throwing a punch, from left to right.

The first to make a move were the three teenagers who came from the county town. Each of them threw a punch, and their fists were covered with a layer of light gold. They directly shook the gray boulder so that the surface of the boulder cracked.

The many youths behind them were under great pressure. This was the kind of performance one could only achieve at the initial stage of the Nine Yang True Skill. If one had only entered the basics, one could not shake it in the slightest. If one had mastered it, one could only create a crack.

Han Qing was the ninth to make a move. His original plan was to reveal the Nine Yang True Skill at a minor level.

According to his understanding, apart from the three teenagers from the county town, the others were either beginners or experts in martial arts, and their minor achievements were enough to secure the last spot.

Unexpectedly, something went wrong: the seventh boy with yellowish skin also smashed through the surface layer of the gray boulder with a single punch.

I'm updating this in advance so I don't forget.



(End of this chapter)