Chapter 41: Master and Disciple Encourage Each Other (Seeking Monthly Votes)

Ruilin Lane!

As soon as Lin Chen arrived at the entrance of the lane, he knew this must be the residential area for the wealthy and powerful in Poyang County.

The lane was paved with bluestone, and the mansions on both sides were towering, with carved beams and painted rafters, glittering with gold and jade.

Following the plaques on these mansions, Lin Chen stopped his footsteps deep in the lane.

Shu Prefecture!

The residence of Inspector Shu.

Lin Chen didn't know if Yu Yu Jiaoxi was at Inspector Shu's residence; when he left, the instructor hadn't told him his place of residence in the county town.

But even if the instructor wasn't living in the Shu Prefecture, Inspector Shu would certainly know where the instructor was staying.

He stepped forward and knocked on the door!

A few breaths later, a maid opened the door.

"May I ask if this is the residence of Inspector Shu?"

"Yes, Young Master, what is the matter?"

"Disciple Lin Chen has come to pay a visit to Inspector Shu. I hope you can help me announce it, sister."

"Are you Young Master Lin?"

Hearing Lin Chen report his name, the maid didn't go to announce him but opened the door directly, which surprised Lin Chen a little.

Had Inspector Shu mentioned his name to the servants?

Following the maid through the main gate of the Shu Prefecture, what caught Lin Chen's eyes was a screen wall carved with auspicious patterns.

Bypassing the screen wall, he saw a courtyard with a tea-tasting area, surrounded by corridors with carved railings, exquisite and detailed. In the center of the courtyard lay an ancient well, its rim simple and unadorned, witnessing the vicissitudes of the mansion.

The maid led Lin Chen into the main hall, brewed him some fragrant tea, apologized, and withdrew.

Lin Chen scanned the main hall; the furnishings were simple yet solemn. The Taishi chairs were all made of high-quality wood with exquisite carving. Several landscape paintings hung on the walls, with flowing brushwork and profound artistic conception.

He could understand these decorations if they appeared in a scholarly family.

But Inspector Shu was a martial artist.

Do martial artists also have literary sentiments?

After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the maid returned, but she was holding an envelope in her hand.

"Young Master Lin, my Young Lady and Mr. Yu left Poyang County a few days ago. Mr. Yu left a letter for me to pass on to you."

Hearing the maid's words, Lin Chen was a bit surprised. He took the letter but didn't rush to open it, instead asking: "How should I address you, sister?"

"Hua'er."

"Sister Hua'er, where did Yu Yu Jiaoxi go after leaving the county town? May I ask if you know?"

"Mr. Yu is going to participate in the Martial Examination and has left Poyang County. My Young Lady also resigned from her position as Inspector and went with Mr. Yu."

"Martial Examination?"

Lin Chen was truly shocked. His own instructor was going to participate in the Martial Examination at this time?

On second thought, he roughly guessed the reason.

Inspector Shu's family background was extraordinary. The instructor clearly wasn't someone willing to live off a woman; he was striving to achieve fame so he could go to the Shu family to propose marriage?

Sure enough, love drives people to strive.

The instructor, who had originally been lying flat, was now fighting for love once again.

"Young Master Lin, when Mr. Yu left, he specifically instructed that if you came to the residence, besides handing this letter to you, if you had any need, you could also stay at the residence, as there are many guest rooms."

"No need to trouble you. I will return to the Martial Hall in a while."

Lin Chen shook his head and refused. He had come to report the good news to Yu Yu Jiaoxi; since the instructor wasn't there, he naturally wouldn't stay at the Shu Prefecture.

"Did the instructor say how long it would take for him to return after leaving this time?"

"I don't know about that. Perhaps Mr. Yu mentioned it in the letter." Hua'er shook her head; she was just a maid and didn't know much.

Hearing Hua'er say this, Lin Chen didn't hesitate any longer and tore open the envelope in his hand.

【To my disciple Lin Chen:】

【By the time you receive this letter, I have already left Poyang County. I assume Hua'er has informed you of my destination. My Jiang Jiang Shijie and I are of one mind and have made a solemn vow.】

【However, my Jiang Jiang Shijie comes from the Shu family of the Rao Prefecture, a prestigious family. Although she does not mind my humble background, I cannot let her suffer the gossip of others. That is why I decided to participate in the Martial Examination. If I can win the title of Juren, I will go to the Shu Prefecture to propose marriage...】

Seeing this, Lin Chen's eyes narrowed slightly. He hadn't expected the instructor to tell him, a junior, about these things in the letter.

【The difficulty of the Martial Examination is harder than ascending to heaven. Those who have passed the Martial Examination in the past were all children of prestigious families or geniuses carefully cultivated by ranked experts. For someone of my status and strength to attempt to pass the Martial Examination—if it were spread, it would only invite ridicule and be called a fool's dream.】

【However, I have made this determination. Firstly, it is not to let down my Jiang Jiang Shijie, and secondly, it is influenced by you. A village youth with a pure heart, despite having no money, still climbs to the top. If you can do this, why can't I?】

Lin Chen somewhat understood why the instructor wrote the reason for participating in the Martial Examination in the letter.

The instructor wrote about why he wanted to participate in the Martial Examination, but every word was encouraging him.

The competition the instructor faced in the Martial Examination was the same as what he faced in the Martial Hall. If the instructor could ignore the gossip and the talk of a fool's dream, then he, as a disciple, should be even more persistent in his practice in the Martial Hall.

Master and disciple encourage each other!

【The way of martial arts is not a matter of one morning or one evening; it requires perseverance to reach the end. Do not be happy or sad because of temporary gains or losses; do not be complacent or give up because of the success or failure of one thing. There is no end to martial arts. If the heart faces the light, the path ahead will be clear, and wisdom will arise.】

……

【Finally, borrowing your words to encourage each other: The fragrance of plum blossoms comes from the bitter cold; the sharpness of a precious sword comes from the whetstone.】

【Although I have left, my heart is still with you. May your future be bright and your path clear.】

……

……

The content of the letter ended here, but there was something else in the envelope: a thin twenty-tael silver note.

Lin Chen's eyes were slightly red. He folded the letter carefully, put it back in the envelope, and hid it in the inner lining of his chest.

Yu Yu Jiaoxi could be said to be his first good teacher on the Martial Way. Even after leaving the county town, he was still thinking of him.

"I wish the instructor success in the Martial Examination, to be on the golden list, and to pluck the osmanthus in the toad palace."

After whispering this in his heart, Lin Chen restrained his emotions and cupped his fists toward Hua'er: "Sister Hua'er, since Inspector Shu and the instructor are not here, I will take my leave."

Leaving the Shu Prefecture, Lin Chen didn't rush back to the Martial Hall but went to an incense and candle shop to buy a mask painted with colorful lacquer and carved in a rough style.

This kind of ghost mask was generally used in rituals and sacrifices, looking fierce. Lin Chen tried wearing it, and the size matched his face very well.

Holding the mask, Lin Chen headed toward the Martial Garden. Stepping onto the lush path, he put the mask on his face.

After arriving at the entrance of the Martial Garden, Lin Chen found that there were quite a few people entering the Martial Garden wearing masks. When he reached the arena square, a glance showed that more than half were wearing masks, and there were several who had the same mask as him.

It really was...

Lin Chen felt a bit speechless. He had found it strange why the incense shop had more masks than incense; it turned out they were all prepared for people like him.

Thanks to the book friend "Dry Fried Beef Ho Fun" for the tip. Responding to a few book friends who said the pacing is slow: Jiudeng is learning from the lessons of the last book; the last book went off track. This book isn't the traditional "cool" novel where you just charge through everything. This book has local customs and camaraderie. I hope that a hundred years from now, when Lin Chen looks back on his youth, it won't just be a lonely figure practicing martial arts, but that there will be a few people along the way he can remember. Finally, asking for monthly votes; it's the last day. How about a sprint to two thousand votes? It's an extra hundred yuan as a base guarantee.

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(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 42 =====