From a slave to the Great Qian Martial Saint

"My elder brother passed the imperial examination and became a scholar!"

That night, only Chen Shi and Cui Nong remained in the new house. Holding the letter from his mother, Chen Shi was beaming with joy.

The letter stated that in this year's autumn examination, his elder brother Chen Yu ranked seventeenth and obtained the title of Xiucai (a scholar who passed the lowest level of the imperial examinations).

"You're just a scholar, which is equivalent to a ninth-rank military officer. You were one last year. What's there to brag about?"

Cui Nong sat to the side, letting out a soft snort, clearly unimpressed.

"You can't say that. How can I compare to my brother? He's a good student and will surely pass the imperial examinations and bring glory to our family."

"He was twenty-four when he finally passed the county-level imperial examination, and he only ranked seventeenth. He almost didn't get accepted. He still wants to pass the imperial examination with flying colors. It's a joke."

"It is ultimately a joyous occasion, and I should personally deliver this silver to my brother to offer my congratulations."

Chen Shi ignored Cui Nong, smiling and muttering to himself.

The letter stated that it was a joyous occasion for his elder brother to pass the imperial examination and become a scholar, and that he would hold a banquet to invite relatives and friends. He asked Chen Shi to send five taels of silver back home.

"You! They only asked you to send money, they didn't invite you, what are you going back for!"

Seeing that Chen Shi was still "stubborn to the end", Cui Nong was furious, but then felt sorry for him. She sighed and pulled Chen Shi to her side.

"I ask you, you've been sold into the Marquis's mansion for two years now, have your mother and brother ever written you a letter, or even sent you a piece of clothing, a bite to eat, or a few words of concern!"

"this……"

Chen Shi was taken aback, and the smile on his face disappeared.

Yes, for the past two years, his mother and brother have ignored him completely.

"Perhaps, perhaps it's because the journey is long and correspondence is inconvenient."

"Gegang County is only thirty or forty li away from Yongqiu City, a two-day walk. Is that considered far? If it's inconvenient to send letters, how come a letter requesting money can be delivered?"

Cui Nong sneered and continued.

"Let me ask you again, during your two years in the Marquis's mansion, if you were to save up your initial monthly wage as a stable boy, approximately how much silver could you have accumulated?"

"A riding slave is a fourth-class servant, earning two hundred coins a month. Over the past two years, that's about five taels of silver."

"What a coincidence! In your mother's letter, she asked you to send five taels of silver back home."

"What a coincidence."

Chen Shi said in a low voice, his brows already furrowed.

In the past two years, he has not only grown more robust, but also experienced various things and met all kinds of people, and his mind has been completely transformed.

I haven't seen my mother and brother in the past two years, so my impression of them is still from when Chen Shi was at home, when Chen Shi was still very innocent.

After Cui Nong's guidance, Chen Shi felt as if the clouds had parted and the sun was shining through. No longer prejudiced, and examining the past with current eyes, Chen Shi suddenly realized a problem.

Perhaps his mother and brother did not love him.

Realizing this, Chen Shi's face turned extremely gloomy.

"If they loved you, why would they have sold you into a life-or-death contract just for a few more taels of silver, leaving you no hope of redemption?"

Cui Nong's words were quite cruel, but she knew that if she didn't speak up, Chen Shi would likely suffer even greater harm.

He gently pulled Chen Shi's head into his arms and said softly.

"I understand how you feel. My parents sold me in the same way. But the more difficult it is, the more we need to cherish ourselves."

"……I see."

A moment later, Chen Shi got up from Cui Nong's embrace and said in a deep voice.

"I'll set off tomorrow morning and personally deliver these five taels of silver back."

"Some things need to be clarified, so that I can give myself an explanation."

Cui Nong nodded, then sighed softly.

Chen Shi wanted to confirm for himself whether his mother and brother truly loved him.

Then, Cui Nong continued.

"But don't wear the long robe; go back in your short tunic!"

"……good."

Looking at the blue robe he was wearing, Chen Shi nodded.

The poor don't visit relatives, and the rich don't return to their hometowns. Sometimes, you can see a person's true character just by looking at their clothes.

"Come back with me."

Immediately afterwards, Chen Shi smiled and said something.

"I?"

Cui Nong opened her mouth, then panicked.

"What would it mean if I went back with you?"

"So that when the time comes, there will be someone to comfort me."

"...Okay, I'll go back with you."

Seeing the deep sadness in Chen Shi's eyes, Cui Nong felt a pang of heartache and nodded.

The next morning, after breakfast, the two went out. Chen Shi ordered someone to find a donkey, and Cui Nong sat on it while Chen Shi led the donkey, wearing his old, worn-out short tunic.

The two looked like an ordinary couple of humble origins. However, Cui Nong was too beautiful. Even without makeup and deliberately dressed in coarse clothes, she still attracted the attention of passersby.

After leaving the city gate, the official road leads west. Gegang County is a county under the jurisdiction of Yongqiu Prefecture, less than forty li away from Yongqiu City.

Donkeys are slow to begin with, and Chen Shi specifically found a skinny donkey that could only travel about twenty miles a day.

Having planned my itinerary in my mind, I found a guesthouse to stay in before dark.

"When we get to your house and meet your mother, how will you introduce me?"

The two sat side by side on the edge of the bed, soaking their feet in a basin, when Cui Nong suddenly asked a question.

"Just say you're my betrothed."

Chen Shi smiled; he had already thought this through.

If they weren't related, how could she possibly go back to his hometown with him? But if she directly said that he was already married, it would be somewhat inappropriate.

"If your mother asks how we met and how we got engaged, what will you say?"

"Just say that you are also a maid in the Marquis's mansion, and that your master arranged your marriage."

"That's appropriate."

Cui Nong nodded, which saved her a lot of explanation.

He couldn't help but chuckle and gently poked Chen Shi's forehead with his index finger.

"His other skills haven't improved, but he's gotten better and better at making up lies."

"Don't you know my abilities? It's getting late, and we have to travel tomorrow. Go to sleep."

Chen Shi smiled, flicked his sleeve, and blew out the lamp on the table.

Nothing more was said that night...

After daybreak, the two ate something simple at the inn and continued their journey.

Chen Shi hurried along with his donkey, covering the remaining dozen or so miles, and arrived at Gegang County before nightfall.

During the Qianlong reign, a three-tiered system of circuits, prefectures, and counties was implemented. Yongqiu Prefecture had seven counties under its jurisdiction, and Gegang County was one of them.

There is a loess hill stretching for more than ten miles to the north of the county. In ancient times, wild kudzu grew there, hence the name.

"It's quite bustling."

Walking on the streets of Gegang County, Cui Nong looked at the taverns and shops on both sides and couldn't help but smile and say something.

"This is the main street, the liveliest place in the county. Other places are not as lively and cannot compare with Yongqiu City."

Chen Shi smiled, looking around at everything with a sense of warmth and familiarity.

It seems like nothing has changed in more than a decade; you can still see the places where he played as a child.

After crossing the main street and turning south, passing through several alleys and hutongs, you finally arrive at the front of a dilapidated courtyard.

Chen Shi's family didn't originally live here, but they moved here after his father gambled away all their family fortune.

Not long after, Chen Shi was sold into the Jing'an Marquis's mansion, a place he was not actually familiar with.

On the door, where the paint was peeling, a newly pasted large red paper was displayed.

Chen Shi let out a soft sigh and reached out to knock on the door.

Who is it?

A moment later, a woman's voice rang out in the courtyard, followed by the rattling of the door bolt, the opening of the gate, and an old woman poking her head out.

When he saw Chen Shi standing outside the door, he was taken aback.

"Why are you back!"