Chapter 46: Injuries |
That day, Chen Qing practiced several rounds of boxing, sweat immediately rolling down his temples.
He casually wiped it away and walked to Sun Shun's side, his face showing just the right amount of concern, "Senior Brother Sun, Junior Brother Qin's injuries... have they improved at all?"
Sun Shun was wiping the weapon rack and paused at these words, letting out a heavy sigh, "He's awake, but the situation... alas, it's not optimistic."
He frowned deeply and lowered his voice, "That Gao Sheng clearly intended to kill. Junior Brother Qin is fortunate to have saved his life. His major tendons... are severed! Forget about full recovery, he can barely get out of bed and walk around now."
"So... so serious?"
Chen Qing's face instantly filled with pain and disbelief, "Didn't Master say he would spare no expense to cure Junior Brother Qin?"
Zhou Liang had indeed been deeply affected by Qin Lie's severe injuries, his self-blame and guilt evident, and he had sworn to exhaust everything to heal his beloved disciple.
Sun Shun's lips showed a trace of bitterness, "That's what he said, but reconnecting severed tendons cannot be cured by ordinary medicine. It requires precious medicine or spirit fish of at least twenty years' age. Such treasures... are worth more than a thousand gold pieces."
He shook his head, his tone as heavy as if weighed down by stones.
Sun Shun seemed to be comforting himself or speaking to Chen Qing, murmuring, "Perhaps Junior Brother Qin has heavenly protection, and someday..."
Impossible, unless precious medicine could grow from the ground!
Chen Qing secretly sneered. He knew he needed to pay close attention to Qin Lie's 'condition.'
"Senior Brother Chen! You passed! You passed the examination!"
A breathless, nearly broken shout rang out at the courtyard gate, instantly shattering the oppressive atmosphere inside.
All disciples stopped their movements, gazes shooting toward the messenger disciple who was supporting himself against the doorframe, gasping for breath.
The disciple's chest rose and fell violently, his face flushed with wild joy as he looked at Chen Qing, "Thirty-ninth place! Senior Brother Chen ranked thirty-ninth! The officials... officials have already sent someone to your home with the good news! Senior Brother Chen, you passed as a martial scholar!"
"Whoosh—!"
The entire Zhou's courtyard instantly boiled! Though everyone had anticipated this, when the dust settled, the impact of those three words "martial scholar" was still incomparable.
"Congratulations, Junior Brother Chen!"
"Felicitations, Senior Brother Chen!"
"What tremendous good news!"
Whether sincere or not, congratulations instantly surrounded Chen Qing like a tide.
From this moment, Chen Qing's status was completely different.
Sun Shun heavily patted Chen Qing's shoulder and laughed heartily, "Haha! Excellent! Junior Brother Chen, congratulations! From now on, you're a person with official recognition! You bring glory to your family!"
On the periphery of the crowd, Zheng Ziqiao's face instantly became extremely ugly, a massive surge of regret welling up in his heart, almost making him sick with remorse.
If he had known Chen Qing had such potential...
Qi Wenhan and several other older disciples who had failed the examination for years showed complex expressions, loss and envy intertwined, standing silently outside the commotion.
The title of martial scholar was already beyond their reach, like clouds in the sky.
Chen Qing smiled as he dealt with the flattery coming from all directions, but his mind remained clear as a mirror, alarm bells ringing.
His ranking was close to what he had expected. If he had given his all in the second round, his ranking might have been higher, but that would have brought even more turbulent storms and scrutiny.
Flowing water doesn't compete to be first, it competes to be endless.
This moment's low profile was for more distant surging ahead.
"Junior Brother Chen,"
Zhou Yu's gentle voice sounded at the right time, her face showing genuine joy, "Father asks you to come over."
"Yes, Senior Sister."
Chen Qing collected his thoughts and responded, walking steadily toward the back courtyard with Zhou Yu under everyone's eager or complex gazes.
...
At the same time, at the gates of Gaolin County office.
"Clang clang clang!"
Gongs cleared the way as several bailiffs in bright red official robes, solemn-faced and holding scrolls, filed out from the office gates.
"Results posted! Martial examination results are posted!"
A loud shout was like cold water thrown into boiling oil, instantly exploding the street in front of the office.
"Look quickly! Results are posted!"
"Make way! Let me see!"
"Don't push! Stop pushing! You're stepping on my foot!"
...
In the chaotic crowd, Xiao Hai from the firewood market who made his living selling firewood was carrying empty shoulder poles, preparing to go home when he was swept up by the surging crowd and involuntarily pushed to the front of the announcement.
His father was a fallen private tutor who had suffered a stroke, causing the family's decline. Xiao Hai was honest by nature, often bullied, and not very bright, but he could at least recognize a few hundred characters and occasionally made ends meet by writing letters for others.
He stood on tiptoes, squinting, struggling to search through the densely packed names for familiar faces.
Suddenly, his gaze fixed on a name on the list, staring intently, then blinking hard to confirm the place of origin below that name.
Mute Bay!
A tremendous, indescribable wild joy suddenly rushed to his crown!
"Passed... passed! Old Master Chen's grandson... passed with high honors!!"
Xiao Hai suddenly roared, not caring about his firewood poles anymore. He threw them on the ground and like a crazed young bull, pushed through the crowd, using all his strength to run madly toward the firewood market.
He wanted to be the first to tell Old Master Chen this tremendous good news.
After running for who knows how long, his legs felt like lead and his lungs burned, he finally charged into the entrance of the firewood market street.
Aunt Lin, who was sewing shoe soles at the clothing shop entrance, was startled by his disheveled, frantic appearance and called out, "Xiao Hai! Is your rear on fire? Why are you running so fast?"
Xiao Hai supported himself on his knees, gasping heavily, his chest heaving violently. After a long while, he barely managed to squeeze out two words, "Passed... passed!"
Aunt Lin's heart tightened as she quickly stood up, "What? Your father had another stroke?"
"No... no!"
Xiao Hai waved his hands repeatedly. Finally catching his breath, his face burst into a smile so excited it was distorted, his voice hoarse but unusually loud, "It's Old Master Chen's grandson! Results are posted! He... he passed as a martial scholar! He passed with high honors!"
"What?!"
Aunt Lin's shoe sole dropped to the ground with a "plop," her eyes wide as saucers as she shrieked, "Really... really? Old Master Chen's family produced a martial scholar?!"
She instinctively assumed it was Chen Heng, the little grandson that Old Master Chen often spoke of as practicing martial arts diligently and most likely to bring glory to the family.
Old He from the coffin shop reacted fastest. He stepped out of his shop with a loud voice that covered the street's noise, "Quick! Don't just stand there! Hurry to Old Chen's house with congratulations! Old Master Chen, quickly prepare to receive the good news! Congratulatory money! And cooks, quickly get cooks! This celebration banquet absolutely cannot be delayed. This is tremendous honor for our entire firewood market!"
"Boom!"
Old He's words were like lighting a powder keg, instantly making the entire firewood market boil!
"Quick! Go to Old Chen's house!"
"Incredible! Old Chen's family produced a scholar!"
"Heaven has opened its eyes! How many years has it been since our firewood market produced a martial scholar!"
"Chen Heng is successful! He brings honor to us neighbors!"
"Chen Heng passed with high honors!"
...
The good news spread like wildfire, one to ten, ten to a hundred, quickly sweeping through the entire firewood market.
For this poor residential area that was regularly exploited by gangs, producing a martial scholar was like heaven sending down auspicious signs.
This meant the neighbors could stand a bit straighter in the future. The martial scholar from Changsheng Street was a living example, even the gangs collecting protection money had to be polite and respectful.
The excited crowd formed a torrent, mighty and vast, carrying irrepressible excitement and anticipation as they surged toward Old Chen's house.
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