Chapter 67

While Zhang Jie and Chen Wenyun were talking, Pan Jinlian was also chatting with Lady Wang.

"I never imagined Uncle Zhang was the top provincial graduate this year."

Lady Wang, having learned of Zhang Jie's status as the top provincial graduate from Pan Jinlian, was filled with emotion.

Although she had already learned from the yamen runner who came to report the good news that her husband Chen Wenyun had passed the provincial examination,

given the closeness between Zhang Jie and her husband, she had only guessed that Zhang Jie was a fellow provincial graduate.

Even if Zhang Jie had failed and remained a scholar, she was mentally prepared for it.

After all, having shared a bed for many years, she already knew Chen Wenyun's character,

knowing he was not the type of person to alienate friends who were still scholars after passing the provincial examination.

But in any case, she never expected Zhang Jie to be the new top provincial graduate.

Stories of imperial examination prodigies are widely circulated, but how many people have actually seen one?

"I'm afraid even Master Sushui and Wang Wengong were no better than this, right?"

Lady Wang marveled that Zhang Jie was simply terrifyingly good.

Master Sushui is Sima Guang, who was famous as a prodigy at age 7,

having read the "Zuo Zhuan" thoroughly and being able to recount it to his family.

He was known for his memory and comprehension, later becoming a famous historian,

and after his death, he was posthumously awarded the titles of Grand Preceptor and Duke of Wen, with the posthumous name "Wenzheng."

Wang Wengong is Wang Anshi, who was also called a prodigy in his youth,

possessing an eidetic memory and writing with flying speed, known for his literature and reform talents,

repeatedly posthumously awarded the titles of Grand Preceptor and Duke of Shu, with the posthumous name "Wen," known to the world as Wang Wengong.

Pan Jinlian, who had always read books with Zhang Jie by the light of a red sleeve, was naturally no stranger to these two great ministers of the Great Song, Wang Anshi

and Sima Guang.

Although she was very happy in her heart that Lady Wang compared Zhang Jie to Wang Anshi and Sima Guang,

she remembered Zhang Jie's teaching to be low-key and humble, so she said modestly:

"Sister Wang, you flatter him; what virtue or ability does my Young Master have to be mentioned in the same breath as Master Sushui and Wang Wengong?"

"Still too young."

Lady Wang, who saw through Pan Jinlian's thoughts at a glance, sighed.

It wasn't that she could read minds, but the slightly upturned corners of Pan Jinlian's mouth had already exposed her true inner thoughts.

"However, what's wrong with a young person being high-spirited?"

Lady Wang's memories flowed; when she first married Chen Wenyun,

she also wished for her husband to pass the provincial and metropolitan examinations,

so that she would be titled by the imperial court, bringing glory to her ancestors and leaving her name in history.

As she gradually became more comfortable, Pan Jinlian first carefully looked around,

then leaned into Lady Wang's ear and whispered:

"Sister Wang, I wonder if there are any secret recipes in Yuncheng County?"

"Secret recipes? What kind of secret recipes?"

Lady Wang was momentarily stunned.

Weren't they just talking about their husbands?

How did they suddenly get to medicine and drugs?

"It's, it's that kind of secret recipe to help with having children."

Pan Jinlian's pretty face turned red, but she still said what was on her mind.

"A secret recipe for having children?

Looking at Uncle Zhang, he doesn't seem like someone who needs a secret recipe for help!"

Lady Wang, thinking Pan Jinlian and Zhang Jie were having marital difficulties, asked in confusion.

Based on her many years of experience, Zhang Jie's spirit was restrained,

belonging to the type that looks thin in clothes but has muscle when undressed,

so in bed, he must definitely be a fierce warrior.

"Could it be that Uncle Zhang is a silver-plated pewter spearhead, good to look at but useless?"

Lady Wang guessed with a wild imagination.

Zhang Jie, the Crow Brother, flips the table: She is slandering me, she is slandering me!

"No, no, the Young Master is very fierce."

Pan Jinlian, her pretty face still red, whispered in defense.

Although it is always said that "there is no plowed-out field, only tired-out oxen,"

in the past, she only had the choice of begging for mercy repeatedly.

Zhang Jie: People in our Zhang family are capable and fierce!

Lady Wang, upon hearing this, couldn't help but feel strange: "This is truly strange.

Logically speaking, as long as the ox is fine, everything else should be fine."

Lady Wang recalled that after she and Chen Wenyun married, she was pregnant with Chen Yun within three months.

Surely the young Zhang Jie couldn't be worse than her old Chen, who was nearly thirty?

'Since the ox is fine, the problem must naturally be the field.'

Lady Wang had a guess in her heart.

However, she knew this kind of thing couldn't be said by her, so she reluctantly found a reason:

"Perhaps it's a matter of time.

It's been too short; why not wait a while longer and see?"

you may not be able to kill all of us from the Six Great Sects."

It can only be said that Wu Dang actually fits the historical cycle of a power or even a dynasty:

The first generation has talent, luck, and ideals, founding the power through arduous struggle.

The second generation, influenced by the first, understands the hardships of starting

and maintaining a business, handles various matters quite fairly,

and the power moves toward its peak through the efforts of the first and second generations.

But by the third generation, born with silver spoons in their mouths,

they take their existing status and resources for granted,

no longer cherish them as much, and begin to enjoy themselves and issue orders as they please.

Without a heaven-sent powerhouse, such a power must inevitably decline.

"Little friend, what is the purpose of your visit to see this old man?"

The Golden-Haired Lion King, unaware of the thousand thoughts turning in Zhang Jie's mind, asked directly.

"This junior has come specifically for the Dragon-Slaying Saber.

The Lion King has always been elegant and cultured; surely you will not let me return empty-handed."

Zhang Jie smiled, using the style of speech of Chu Liuxiang, who was praised by the Wu Lin as the "Grand Marshal of Bandits,

the refined gentleman among rogues," and honored as the "Bandit Marshal" and "Fragrant Marshal."

"You brat, you are daydreaming!"

The Golden-Haired Lion King, not understanding the meaning of Zhang Jie's sentence structure, refused flatly.

"Godfather, Senior Brother did not come for the Dragon-Slaying Saber itself,

but for what is hidden inside it. It is rumored that the Great Hero Guo Jing and his wife..."

Zhang Wuji hurriedly explained to Xie Xun.

Since he could bring Zhang Jie to Ice Fire Island, he naturally had asked Zhang Jie for his views on the Dragon-Slaying Saber.

And Zhang Jie, who always treated people with sincerity, told Zhang Wuji that Guo Jing and Huang Rong had melted down the Heavy Mystic Iron Sword that Yang Guo obtained from Dugu Qiubai's tomb,

and placed the "Nine Yin Manual," the "Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms," and other divine arts,

along with the military treatise left by Yue Fei, the "Wu Mu Legacy," into the recast Heaven-Dependent Sword,

and the intermediate layer of the Dragon-Slaying Saber.

"What Wu Mu Legacy? What intermediate layer?

I think this is all a lie made up by this brat to deceive you!

Wuji, my child, you are still too naive."

The Golden-Haired Lion King clearly did not believe this rhetoric.

His reasoning was not without merit: he had possessed the Dragon-Slaying Saber for more than ten years,

and he knew every inch and every pattern of the saber like the back of his hand,

yet he had never found any intermediate layer.

"Senior Brother."

Zhang Wuji, knowing he could not convince his godfather, looked to Zhang Jie for help.

As far as he knew, Zhang Jie's speaking skills were extremely superb:

The people of the Zhu-Wu Manor were all easily brought under Zhang Jie's command.

Even the travel expenses for this trip to Ice Fire Island were taken from the Zhu-Wu Manor.

And on the ship they took, the captain and the others had been working diligently these days without a single complaint.

All of this was clearly due to Zhang Jie's powerful personal charisma and speaking skills.

Zhang Jie: I am skilled at convincing people with reason~

"I..."

"Junior, leave Ice Fire Island immediately, I do not want to see you again!

Do not harbor any improper thoughts about the Dragon-Slaying Saber!"

Before Zhang Jie could speak, the Golden-Haired Lion King had impatiently issued an order to leave.

Zhang Jie's expression could not help but turn cold upon hearing this.

Could it be that his gentleness just now made Xie Xun think he, Zhang Jie, was a soft and easily bullied person?

The routed soldiers, Yuan troops,

bandits, and the Zhu and Wu families of the Zhu-Wu Manor who died at his hands would have something to say about that!

Zhang Jie walked slowly toward Xie Xun.

"Senior Brother!"

Seeing Zhang Jie's actions, Zhang Wuji became anxious.

This Senior Brother of his was no saint; at the very least, Zhu Changling had died a miserable death.

And based on the strength Zhang Jie had shown during this period,

his godfather was by no means Zhang Jie's match.

"Rest assured, I will not harm your godfather."

Zhang Jie gave Zhang Wuji a reassuring look.

"Junior, you are arrogant!"

Seeing Zhang Jie look down on him so much, the Golden-Haired Lion King's anger burned even hotter.

Think of him, the Golden-Haired Lion King, who was once a generation of experts who roamed the world.

Even if Zhang Jie's methods were beyond his understanding, he had confidence in himself.

Whether he could win or not, he would only know after fighting!

He raised the saber and delivered a "Splitting Mount Hua" strike toward Zhang Jie.

However, considering that Zhang Jie was his Wuji child's senior brother, he did not use his full strength.