Chapter 5: A Youth Must Set His Ambition High

The Lin family.

Lin Chen’s own small home.

Ten zhang from the ancestral house.

Lin’s father didn’t return home; he went straight to the village chief’s house to ask him to draft the family division documents.

“Chen’er, rest easy and go to the Martial Hall to train. I’ll find a way to solve the money problem.”

Lin’s mother walked into the inner room and soon came out with a cloth bag containing some silver fragments; when poured onto the table, they totaled over two taels.

“Mother, where did you get this money?” Lin Liang asked, curious.

“Foolish child, though all our family’s money is handed over to your grandfather, I had to secretly save a little. With your grandfather so biased, if our family ever needed money, relying on him would be a dream. Not just me—your second mother feels the same.”

Lin’s father and his two brothers earned everything and handed it all over, but their three wives were shrewd enough to hold back something.

Lin’s mother and the second mother both did the same—secretly stashing away a bit, for the household couldn’t possibly have zero cash.

“Chen’er, don’t blame me for not giving you money these past six months. Martial training is terribly expensive—you saw how much your eldest cousin spent. I was afraid too.”

“Mother, I understand.”

Seeing his mother’s guilty expression, Lin Chen quickly shook his head; he would never blame her, for he understood her thoughts.

Lin Ming had spent far too much on martial training; all the family’s savings over the years weren’t enough for him alone. Though his mother pitied him, she still had to consider the household’s situation—they couldn’t starve everyone just so he could train.

“I know Liang’er slips you money every time he goes to town, but how much can he save from secretly selling fish? Even so, you passed the test. That’s why I’ll support your training—you’ll surely outshine Lin Ming.”

“Two taels isn’t much—take it to the Martial Hall for now. Since we’ve divided the family, your father and brother’s fish money won’t be handed over anymore; you’ll get a tael a month.”

Lin’s mother had originally worried the cost of training was too high, but her son had passed the test with so little—she’d sell the pots and pans if needed to support him.

She would show her father and the eldest branch who the true prodigy of the Lin family really was.

“I’ll be frugal at the Martial Hall—I’ll make something of myself.”

Lin Chen solemnly promised; he knew his mother said this to ease his mind. With his grandfather’s bias, the family’s only fishing boat would never go to them—without the boat, they couldn’t fish on the lake, and setting traps was pure luck. A tael wasn’t easy to earn.

“Foolish child, how could I not believe in you?” Lin’s mother smiled at his serious expression. “You’re my son. If you want to train, I’ll give everything I have—even if it means making your elder brother suffer.”

“Mother, I support Chen’er training. There’s no suffering—better he spends the money than Lin Ming.”

Lin Liang grinned foolishly. Seeing his brother’s earnest smile, Lin Chen recalled the thick spit his brother had spat at the ancestral house. Given his brother’s gentle nature, such an act could only mean his resentment ran deep.

“You two brothers must help each other. Liang’er, you help him now; Chen’er, you must remember your brother’s kindness.”

“Mother, no need.”

Lin Liang quickly waved his hand, but Lin Chen laughed: “Yes, there is. When I rise in martial arts, I’ll find you a wife first.”

Lin’s mother chuckled: “If your brother wants a wife, it can only be Chen’s second daughter. I’ve seen how he looks at her.”

“Mother, no such thing,” Lin Liang’s face flushed.

“Not yet? I saw you giving her lotus seeds.”

“That… that was because her family’s lotus pond—I helped them pick the seeds, and she promised me a few bunches.”

“Really? I think Second Sister Chen is a good girl—she’d make a fine wife for you.” Lin Chen recalled Chen’s second daughter from memory—slightly plump.

A bit plump is good—wide hips mean fertility, and she’s sturdy.

After talking for a while, Lin’s father hurried back.

“What were you talking about? I saw your eldest’s face as red as a carp.”

Lin’s father was curious—he’d been furious at the ancestral house, yet now he was joking.

“Father, Mother and I were talking about finding a wife for elder brother.”

“Liang wants to marry?” Lin’s father blinked.

“Father, don’t listen to Chen’er—I haven’t even thought about marriage. I’m going to bed.”

Lin Liang hurriedly fled. Lin’s father looked at Lin Chen: “Chen’er, you’re going to the Martial Hall tomorrow—go to sleep early.”

“Yes.”

Lin Chen knew his parents had private matters to discuss; he rose and went into his and his brother’s room. The two brothers shared one room, each with a wooden plank bed.

Lying in bed, Lin Chen faintly heard his parents speaking, but couldn’t make out the words.

Even without hearing them, he could guess—they were discussing how to raise money for his training.

He wasn’t selfish—he wanted to train even though the family had no money.

This was his only chance.

If he’d been reborn years earlier, he might have found ways to earn money and improve their lives. But he’d been reborn exactly at fifteen—wait a year, and the chance would vanish.

Even if he later earned plenty, he could buy martial training—but without a martial hall background, he’d only become a bodyguard for wealthy households or join a gang in the county as a thug.

Having lived his past life, Lin Chen clearly knew which path was the true highway.

As for quick money, he’d considered it—but found no way.

A scholar is useless in all ways.

In his past life, he’d been a liberal arts student; his physics and chemistry grades were average—he had no technical skill to earn wealth.

He remembered reading in some reincarnation novels that manure pits and pigsties contained saltpeter, usable to make ice.

He’d found some saltpeter—but the ice he made was barely a speck. To be honest, even a chunk of ice he’d simply chipped from Poyanghu’s surface in winter, left to sit until spring, would be larger than what he’d produced.

With no technical way to earn wealth, he had to rely on his wits.

Using his past-life knowledge, he looked for business opportunities.

But after learning the laws of the Da Liang Empire, he realized this path was blocked too.

Da Liang’s laws strictly regulated the occupations commoners could pursue.

To trade, one needed an official merchant license—taxes varied by household registration. No license meant illegal business—a serious crime.

Blacksmith shops paid forging tax; fish stalls paid fish tax; those with fishing boats paid boat tax. Only farming was unrestricted—anyone could farm, regardless of trade.

Due to these restrictions and his age, he had no path but martial training.

Having reached this point, after today’s upheaval,

martial training was no longer just his own matter.

He must change not only his own fate, but his family’s.

That night, Lin Chen suffered rare insomnia.

And he wasn’t the only one—his brother was too.

Though Lin Liang lay still, he’d always snored when asleep—tonight, silence. Lin Chen knew his brother was pretending to sleep.

After today’s family upheaval, it was natural his brother couldn’t sleep.

After some time, Lin Chen heard his brother’s voice.

“Chen’er, asleep?”

“No.”

Lin Chen’s instant reply left Lin Liang silent for several breaths.

“Chen’er, train hard—make something of yourself, and show Grandfather and them what you’re made of!”

(End of Chapter)