After the family split up, I achieved martial arts sainthood.

What an impressive display!

Gu Xin witnessed this scene and couldn't help but take a second look.

"Qingyuan County has four top gentry families: Hu, Qian, Sun, and Tao. Master Hu is one of them."

Yang Wei took a sip of tea and smiled faintly, "The Hu family is also a prominent clan in Qingyuan County, with countless assets and land, and their wealth and influence are beyond your imagination."

No wonder it's so grand!

Even the manager of such an extravagant restaurant as Tianxiazhen had to be arrogant at first and then obsequious.

Gu Xin suddenly realized, and couldn't help but feel envious.

I envied them in my past life.

Will I still have to envy you for the rest of my life?

"Oh, Mr. Qian? You've come too?"

Just as Gu Xin frowned, the waiter at the restaurant entrance shouted again.

"Shopkeeper, Master Qian is here too!"

Gu Xin turned his head and saw a plump, fair-skinned man with a friendly smile, resembling Maitreya Buddha, walk into the restaurant.

Without needing an introduction, Gu Xin knew that this was one of the four great gentry that Yang Wei had mentioned.

"Master Sun? Master Tao? You two gentlemen have arrived too?"

Before Master Qian could even go upstairs, another shout came from outside the restaurant.

This time, the shouts were filled with a hint of surprise.

What's going on?

The four top tycoons have all arrived?

Was this pre-arranged?

The shopkeeper was so busy he was jumping around and couldn't spare a moment to himself.

His face was stiff with smiles the whole way before he finally saw the wealthy gentlemen upstairs.

"Go and keep a close eye on them. Make sure the men are well taken care of and that nothing goes wrong!"

The shopkeeper, who had come downstairs, hurriedly beckoned a quick-witted waiter and solemnly gave him instructions and warnings.

"The four most powerful men have all gathered, and it seems they've even gone to the same private room? Was this pre-arranged?"

Zhou Tai lowered his voice and looked at Yang Wei beside him to ask.

Something is definitely going to happen!

And it's not a trivial matter.

Gu Xin witnessed this scene and secretly confirmed it in his heart.

"No rush, take your time!"

Yang Wei took a sip of tea, smiled casually, but offered no explanation.

"Pat! Pat! Pat..."

Just then, the sound of horses' hooves came from outside the restaurant.

"Oh my? Master Zhou? What brings you here?"

The sound of hooves stopped, and the waiters in the restaurant screamed, "Manager, Master Zhou is here!"

Master Zhou?

Gu Xin turned to look at Yang Wei. Wasn't it said that there were only four top-tier gentlemen?

Just then, a tall, imposing man, over fifty years old, walked in from outside the restaurant, surrounded by waiters.

"This is the head of the Zhou Family Martial Arts School, that martial arts graduate!"

Zhou Tai glanced at it and suddenly exclaimed in surprise.

I'd heard that this museum owner was impressive, but I didn't expect him to be this impressive.

Gu Xin subconsciously looked at Yang Wei, thinking that their levels were too far apart.

"Oh!"

Yang Wei smiled calmly, without any sense of shame.

"Brother Zhou, it's been a long time. You're still as dashing as ever."

"Brother Zhou, please come upstairs quickly!"

"Brother Zhou, come and have a chat..."

At this moment, the four wealthy gentlemen who had entered the private room came out of the upstairs corridor and stood in the corridor, warmly smiling and welcoming the arriving Master Zhou.

Hey!

Gu Xin raised an eyebrow, inwardly surprised.

The four powerful gentry were actually being so polite to a martial arts school owner.

Even their own imperial guard instructors don't receive this treatment...

Gu Xin then looked at Yang Wei; the difference between people was indeed vast.

Yang Wei took a sip of tea, his expression remaining unchanged, without any fluctuation.

"You saw it all, didn't you?"

Yang Wei put down his teacup and looked at Zhou Tai and Gu Xin to ask them questions.

"Um!"

Gu Xin and Zhou Tai exchanged a glance and nodded in unison.

"What did you see?"

Yang Wei asked with a smile, his expression warm and friendly.

"this……"

Zhou Tai scratched his head, gave a simple, honest smile, and looked somewhat ashamed.

Gu Xin frowned, then turned to look at Master Zhou, who was already hurrying upstairs with four wealthy gentlemen and about to enter the private room.

After a moment's thought, Gu Xin replied, "I can see the vast differences between people. There are distinctions of different classes, of noble and lowly, of high and low status."

"Anything else?"

Yang Wei nodded slightly, his smile unchanged.

besides?

Gu Xin hesitated for a moment, then became serious and looked at Yang Wei, asking for guidance, "Please instruct me, Master!"

Hey……

Yang Wei sighed, took another sip of tea, and then pointed to the private room upstairs, saying, "That's your goal in learning martial arts, your chance to change your destiny."

what?

Gu Xin was surprised and did not fully understand.

"If you also want to become superior people and change your destiny through martial arts, the martial arts examination is your best way out."

Yang Wei's smile faded, and his expression became indifferent: "Why is Zhou Feng treated so well by the four powerful families? Why do they treat him with such respect? It's because he is a martial arts scholar."

"If this is the case for a mere student who has only completed the preliminary examinations, what about a student who has only completed the county-level examinations? Or a student who has only completed the provincial-level examinations? Or a student who has only completed the metropolitan-level examinations, or even the top scholar?"

hiss!

Gu Xin took a breath and then suddenly realized.

Is this why his master brought him here?

Is this what Master taught him to broaden his horizons?

"Once you pass the martial arts examination, you will not only gain fame and honor, but also the privilege of not having to bow to officials and being exempt from corvée labor and taxes."

"If you wish, you can also take up a military post in the imperial court and become a local official."

Yang Wei's words made Gu Xin and Zhou Tai's eyes light up.

Zhou Tai's eyes suddenly burned with fervor, and the blood in his body surged uncontrollably.

Even Gu Xin couldn't help but feel a longing and yearning in his heart.

He turned his head and glanced again at the private room upstairs.

Can they also reach that level of status?

"While the martial arts examination has many advantages, it is also quite difficult."

Seeing that his disciple's emotions had been stirred up, Yang Wei poured cold water on him again: "Firstly, there are too many people who want to change their fate, so the competition will inevitably be fierce."

"Secondly..."

Yang Wei didn't finish speaking; he simply picked up his teacup and glanced at the private room upstairs.

"Secondly, what?"

Gu Xin was puzzled and looked at Yang Wei to ask further.

Yang Wei smiled faintly, looked at Gu Xin, and asked in return, "What do you think the four powerful gentry and Zhou Feng are doing here?"

Could it be...?

Gu Xin frowned, a vague guess forming in his mind.

"Heh, Qingyuan County is only so big. How could it accommodate more people?"

Yang Wei downed the tea in one gulp, his smile appearing somewhat sinister.

"Could they possibly dare to cheat on the imperial examinations?"

Gu Xin was somewhat indignant. Were all the wealthy and powerful people so ruthless and controlling?

"What does it matter?"

Yang Wei scoffed: "It's not just Qingyuan County that's like this."

"Does that mean we ordinary people have absolutely no hope?"

Gu Xin's heart sank. The prospect that he had finally seen a glimmer of hope seemed to have darkened again.

"Yes, I have!"

Yang Wei smiled jokingly: "Your fists are hard enough, hard enough to break through the net they've woven."

really!

Everything depends on being tough!

Only when you stand firm will others soften and surrender.

If you can't get an erection, why should others treat you differently?

Gu Xinyun took a deep breath and didn't say anything more.

But the determination in my heart only grew stronger.

"The martial arts examination for this year will begin in a month. Qingyuan County will not be peaceful during this month."

Yang Wei sighed.

One month?

Gu Xin couldn't help but ask, "Master, what are the requirements for participating in the martial arts imperial examination?"

"Simple, anyone under twenty years old can enter the realm of martial arts."

That should be enough time...

Gu Xin pondered for a moment, and with the strength of his cheat system, he should be able to meet the conditions in time.

Entering the martial arts realm only means being qualified to participate in the martial arts examination; it does not guarantee that you will be accepted into the martial arts examination.

So time is still quite tight, we need to work harder.

At this point, the waiters brought out all the dishes one after another.

Yang Wei glanced at Gu Xin and smiled faintly: "Let's eat! Then we'll go home!"

How can anyone eat like this?

Zhou Tai looked dejected, finding the food utterly tasteless.

Gu Xin didn't stand on ceremony and started eating heartily.

They devoured their food like gluttons, as if they wanted to swallow everything in the world.