From a slave to the Great Qian Martial Saint

"Congratulations, elder brother, on your advancement to the seventh-rank martial artist!"

"Congratulations, elder brother, on your appointment as a military officer!"

May you achieve great success and rise to higher positions!

"The roc rises with the wind, soaring ninety thousand miles high!"

……

Wanxing Restaurant booked out the entire second floor.

Members of the three major gangs, including Du Yueming, the four major pharmaceutical merchants, including Zhao Dacheng, as well as officials such as Wu Gang, and some stewards and retainers from the Marquis's mansion, all came to congratulate Chen Shi.

"Thank you all. I wouldn't be where I am today without your help. I'd like to express my gratitude with this small toast."

Chen Shi raised his cup, gestured to those around him, and drank it all in one gulp.

Then came a chorus of cheers.

After putting down his wine glass and sitting down again, Chen Shi looked at Du Yueming and the others opposite him, and shook his head with a smile.

"Too ostentatious."

In fact, Chen Shi originally did not intend to celebrate in a big way. He would have just closed the door and celebrated with Cui Nong.

It was Du Yueming and his group who, upon learning that Chen Shi had been rated as a seventh-rank martial artist, insisted on making a big fuss for him.

Chen Shi couldn't persuade them otherwise, so he had no choice but to let them go.

"Brother, what are you saying? This is a momentous occasion for you, how can it pass by quietly?"

Du Yueming looked quite serious, then smiled and said.

"Besides, what's this? We've prepared a surprise for our eldest brother."

"What surprise?"

"Hehe, let's talk after we finish our drinks."

"Making a mystery out of nothing."

Chen Shi smiled and didn't press the matter further, only casually asking a question during the conversation.

"How is your cultivation progressing? Will you be able to be promoted to the seventh rank next year?"

With Chen Shi's support, the Flying Eagle Gang, the Wolf Poison Gang, and the Fierce Tiger Gang completely dominated Yongqiu City. With no external threats, as Chen Shi said, they should take this opportunity to improve themselves.

The most important thing is their strength as gang leaders.

Under Chen Shi's instruction, the three of them relearned the superior blood-nourishing martial arts and trained their basic strength to eight hundred jin!

Although the three of them were only at the lower grade in terms of explosive martial arts, they had been at the eighth grade for many years and were already very skilled in it. Therefore, they did not spend much effort to advance to the point where their explosive energy reached two feet.

In this way, one can cultivate the Condensation Martial Arts and strive to become a seventh-rank martial artist.

While Condensed Form martial arts are rare, some low-grade Condensed Form martial arts are still available for sale in shops that sell martial arts. Although they are quite valuable, Du Yueming and his companions can afford them given their current wealth.

Each person purchased a low-grade Condensation Martial Art, and they have been practicing it for some time now.

"Us? We'll try our best."

The three exchanged a glance and gave each other a few awkward replies.

Unlike Chen Shi, they were already middle-aged, and their ambition had been worn down considerably. Although they also wanted to make further progress in their cultivation, they simply couldn't muster much enthusiasm.

In contrast, they are more willing to focus on making money.

Therefore, although he was practicing the Condensation Form martial arts, his progress was slow.

"You still need to hurry."

Chen Shi shook his head slightly and gave a serious word of advice.

Since Du Yueming and the other two call him "elder brother," he should naturally play a supervisory role.

Furthermore, the improvement in the strength of Du Yueming and the others is also helpful to Chen Shi.

"Yes, yes, we will definitely work hard and strive to break through to the seventh rank tomorrow as well."

"Yes, yes, you can't go wrong by listening to your older brother."

"Come on, let's drink, let's drink first."

The three laughed and quickly raised their glasses again.

Chen Shi smiled and said nothing more.

They drank and toasted each other from morning until evening, when most people were practically slumped under the table before the party finally ended.

"Big brother, come with us to a place."

The brothers in the gang were ordered to escort the guests back to their respective homes. Du Yueming and his men called over a carriage, lifted the curtain, and looked at Chen Shi with smiles on their faces.

What's with the mystery?

Chen Shi didn't think much of it and got into the car.

After traveling for half an hour, the carriage arrived at the gate of a mansion in Jinwu Lane.

Chen Shi got off the carriage and saw two more carriages parked outside. Chunxing and several other women, along with Cui Nong, had already arrived.

As women, they felt it inappropriate to mingle with the men, so they set up two separate tables at Du Yueming's residence.

"Brother, sister-in-law, please."

Du Yueming and the others pushed open the courtyard gate and smiled as they gestured for them to enter.

Chen Shi and Cui Nong exchanged a glance, increasingly puzzled as to what exactly was going on.

"Go inside and you'll see," the two said, stepping into the courtyard.

"Greetings, sir."

"Greetings, Madam."

Seven or eight maids and servants stood in the courtyard. When they saw Chen Shi and his group enter, they immediately bowed and greeted them in unison.

"This is……"

Chen Shi was taken aback and looked at Du Yueming and the others in surprise.

"This is just a small token from my underlings."

Du Yueming smiled and led the way while speaking.

"Brother, times have changed. How can you still live under someone else's roof? You deserve to have your own place."

"My own place?"

"This courtyard has two entrances and two exits, with a total of eighteen rooms, and is staffed with eight maids and servants."

After passing through the hanging flower gate, Du Yueming and the other two stopped and bowed to Chen Shi with smiles.

"This is a small token of our appreciation for our elder brother and sister-in-law's residence."

"This won't do!"

It was actually a gift for him!

Although Chen Shi had already vaguely sensed something after entering the room, he was still taken aback at this moment.

After all, this is a mansion.

"How can this not be acceptable! It's only a thousand or so taels of silver in total. If you refuse even this, then you don't consider us brothers!"

Zhang Xiaotian snorted coldly, looking quite serious.

"Brother! Please accept it!"

With a smile on her face, Du Yueming directly handed Chen Shi the house deed and the indentures of the old woman and maid.

"Well... I'd be very polite to accept that."

Chen Shi hesitated slightly, then smiled and accepted it.

As Du Yueming said, the house and servants together cost only about a thousand taels of silver. With their current income, that's really nothing.

If Chen Shi didn't accept it, it would make them uneasy.

After all, they owe their success to Chen Shi. Moreover, if they want their business to last, they will still need Chen Shi's help in the future.

The courtyard where Cui Nong lives now was actually bought by Gu Chengze, and the deed is still in his possession. Just as Du Yueming said, how could she continue to live under someone else's roof?

Furthermore, Chen Shi was no longer a slave, but an "official," and was therefore entitled to keep servants.

Just like Jia Shun before, who was also a seventh-rank military officer and a retainer of a marquis's mansion, he also acquired a lot of property and kept servants.

"Thank you for your trouble."

After handing the house deed and indenture to Cui Nong, Chen Shi spoke again, then gestured for everyone to go to the living room.

"Let's go have some tea."

"good!"

Everyone nodded, and they were all happy.

Cui Nong, accompanied by his female relatives, prepared to go to the inner courtyard for tea and some fruit and snacks.

Just then, a servant from the Marquis of Jing'an's residence rushed in.

"Manager Chen."

Upon arriving, he took a few deep breaths, pulled a letter from his pocket, and handed it to Chen Shi.

"There is a letter from your hometown."

"A letter from my hometown..."

He reached out and took the letter. On the envelope were written the words "To my son Chen Shi." It was a letter from his mother.

Chen Shi was taken aback. Why did his mother suddenly send a letter? Could it be that the good news of his appointment as a military officer had already been sent home?