Heaven rewards diligence; he fought his way through chaos to become a saint.

Shen Zonghan looked at the account book and sighed:

"The old man provides all the tonics, so doesn't that mean he earns all the money he wants but spends all the money the Shen family has?"

"father!"

Shen Yixi came in carrying a tea tray and poured a bowl of tea for her father:

"You've seen the accounts; was this investment really worthwhile?"

Shen Zonghan took the teacup, gently skimmed off the foam, and looked at his daughter: "This little bit of money is nothing to the old man."

Shen Yixi paused for a moment upon hearing this: "Is Ye Ci participating in the county's grand competition tomorrow? Ever since he killed the Seven Fiends of Liushan, he hasn't dared to leave his house lately."

Shen Zonghan took a sip of tea and slowly raised his head: "What do you want to say?"

"Many masters of internal strength will take the stage at the county's martial arts competition. Often, the retainers and guards of various families will go up to try their skills. If they perform well, their employers can raise their prices. I want him to go up on stage and compete, so that the old man can see if he really has any skills."

"You want to see him make a fool of himself, don't you? I can tell you're thinking that."

Shen Zonghan paused, then raised his head slightly: "The old man wants you to marry him, which I neither object to nor support, but there is one thing I object to."

Shen Yixi's voice was cold: "What is it?"

"Have you fallen for that scholar surnamed Feng? I've heard he's been coming to see you often lately."

Shen Yixi suddenly looked up, meeting her father's fixed gaze. Her voice remained cold and clear:

"He is gentle and refined, and well-read. I do admire him, but we don't have much of a relationship. In fact, when it comes to appreciation, he is not as good as Mr. Wei Ting. We've been getting closer lately, but only for business purposes."

"Don't you want to get married?"

"I don't want to. The person who can win my heart must be someone I am willing to admire and hope to receive. Such a person... has not yet been born."

Shen Zonghan knew his daughter was proud and sighed, "A woman always has to get married. I don't like that scholar Feng. When you're with him, you must keep yourself pure."

He emphasized his accent when he spoke the last few words.

Meanwhile, at the Commandant's Office.

Qin Lie stood in the courtyard, watching the soldiers practicing martial arts on the drill ground, and gave orders to those behind him:

"Go and summon the Commandant."

"grown ups."

Before long, Commandant Chen Chuan rushed over, cupped his hands, and said, "What are your orders, sir?"

"Go and inform the Shen family that tomorrow is the county's martial arts competition, and arrange the most prestigious seats for them. Also, don't beat around the bush, just say what I mean: the Ye family's retainer must be present, or I will personally invite him."

"yes!"

Chen Chuan accepted the order and left. Since the fire in the west of the city, he had vaguely guessed the truth.

That person named Ye Ci actually managed to escape from the adults' hands.

Outsiders don't know what this means.

Chen Chuan could only say one thing: this person does have some real skills.

But this kid's repeated refusal to surrender will make Commander Qin lose face.

Not only did you lose face, but you also indirectly caused the captain to have to clean up your messes time and time again.

First, they had to eliminate the gangs, which took a huge amount of effort from both superiors and subordinates.

The killing of the Seven Fiends of Liushan kept Commandant Qin busy investigating the affairs of the Demonic Sect, and even the county's grand competition was postponed.

If we don't confess now, the Commandant might really get angry.

If Lord Qin were to pay you a visit, I'm afraid your humble offering would be too much of a favor.

Watching the old man, the Commandant Cheng, leave, Qin Lie took a deep breath:

"Damn it! You made me organize two martial arts competitions, and made me have people check any martial artist I saw carrying lime, and arrest and question any hunter carrying a bow... You even lied to your master. He told me that you hadn't practiced Ming Jin for long and that your strength was easily defeated, but what happened? You came back with An Jin."

"I've inadvertently become a retainer of the Shen family. Kid, the Shen family is just a business, and I, Qin, am unwilling to break the rules. But... it also depends on who sets the rules."

"Once I've confirmed your identity... do you really think that lime was just thrown away for nothing?"

Qin Lie clenched his fists, making a "crackling" sound.

*******

As the sun climbed over the eaves, the area around the arena in Songjiang County was bustling with activity.

Tall flagpoles stood densely all around the square, their banners fluttering in the wind, which carried a chilling atmosphere.

Today is the day of the county's martial arts competition.

Every martial arts competition is a grand event for the various martial arts schools and the hidden strength martial artists in the county.

The martial arts scene in the Great Qian Dynasty was thriving, and the county government funded the competition, offering more generous rewards than Qin Duwei personally received.

The rewards are only one aspect. Compared to the martial arts examination, which is aimed at selecting young talents, this annual competition gives everyone a chance.

Making a name for oneself can bring fame and attract the attention of local families or government officials, which can be considered a success in the local area. If one is noticed by a military commander, one might be recruited into the local military camp.

At the northernmost end of the arena is a high platform, which is the core of the entire arena.

In the very center, Qin Lie, dressed in a black military officer's uniform, sat upright in the grand chair, his face as cold and stern as iron. To his left and right were the county magistrate and the assistant military officer, while the registrar and other officers were arranged in a staggered manner, silently marking the hierarchy of their official ranks.

On either side of the steps, several minor officials stood with their heads bowed, paper and pens in hand, waiting for the military man to sign and go on stage.

Below the stage, a group of martial arts practitioners stood solemnly, forming a dark mass.

These people were all tall and straight, with broad shoulders and narrow waists. Their tight-fitting short clothes accentuated their bulging muscles, and their waist belts were tightly cinched.

In the queue, the younger ones had a sharp glint in their eyes, while the older ones had a calm demeanor but could not hide the deep desire within them.

Everyone's eyes were fixed on Commandant Qin on the high platform, and on the side corridors, where the person they really wanted to curry favor was sitting.

On the east and west sides of the high platform were special viewing seats set up for the five major families and wealthy merchants of Songjiang County. Ordinary people could not even touch the threshold of the drill ground and could only squeeze at the street corner in the distance, tiptoeing to look inside.

The members of the five major families each occupied a corner, dressed in luxurious clothes and surrounded by servants.

Those people were also scrutinizing and critical.

The martial artists present knew that practicing martial arts was an expense that ordinary families could not afford. They needed to consume enough meat and fine grains every day as a basic necessity, and that was just the daily routine. The more expensive part was the medicine and supplements, and without the support of wealthy families, it was really difficult to persist.

The three martial arts schools also had their own stands. Xiao Hua stood behind Master Yang, looking at a figure in the area of ​​the five major families, and clenched his fists tightly.

The figure was tall and handsome, dressed in a white brocade robe, which accentuated his noble bearing.

As the saying goes, clothes make the man and a saddle makes the horse. Ye Ci truly looked like a rich young master today, attracting the frequent glances of women from the other four major families.

Xiao Hua felt incredibly jealous, as if she had worked so hard only to end up being chosen by someone else.

The talk of rapid advancement back then was truly laughable.

Looking at Ye Ci, sitting next to Master Shen, behind him were the Shen family members, and at the very back was a girl of similar age to Ye Ci, wearing a smoky purple brocade dress, with light makeup, the skirt trailing on the ground, her skin as white as snow, and her appearance exquisitely beautiful.

Xiao Hua wanted to take a few more glances, but his eyes unexpectedly met Ye Ci's.

The eye contact lasted only a few breaths before Ye Ci looked away, past him, and gazed elsewhere.