Chapter 520: Brothers?

"Luo Taiqing, what are you saying? We are relatives?"

Zhang Chengyong gave Luo Taiqing a strange look and said strangely, "Luo Taiqing, I appreciate your kindness, but this horse is too expensive; I'm afraid I can't afford to keep it, so please take it back."

Initially, his master had him first meet Luo Taiqing, and certainly not to have him go visit Luo Taiqing at his residence.

His master, however, was qualified to visit Luo Taiqing, but he was not. His master gave him a portrait of Luo Taiqing, said to be painted by a master artist, and it closely resembled Luo Taiqing himself.

That was his first encounter with Luo Taiqing; later, after living in the county town for many years, he was fortunate to have seen Luo Taiqing a few times.

I've never heard that Luo Taiqing and he are relatives; if his family really had such a relation, why would they be stuck in a poor, remote mountain valley like Zhang Family Village?

Even more puzzling, why would Luo Taiqing inexplicably give him a fine horse, causing him to inadvertently say something with a loophole?

Besides, don't even mention it.

This horse is truly not just ordinarily good; it's not like the fine horses his senior brothers once bought at great expense, rode to the martial hall to show off in front of them—those were inferior. One can only say the Luo family lives up to its reputation as a prominent wealthy clan in Qingyang County; even the horses of their warriors are top-notch.

A myriad of thoughts flashed through Zhang Chengyong's mind, then a spark of inspiration came and went, and he exclaimed in surprise:

"Could it be that Luo Taiqing has taken a fancy to that white lion, intending to use this fine horse as an excuse to exchange for—or even buy—the white lion from the young aunt's family?"

If that's the case, he cannot accept this horse under any circumstances.

He also needs to persuade Luo Taiqing that the white lion's willingness to ally with the Wang family is because of his nephew Wang Ping'an; divine beasts choose their masters, and cannot be measured by money.

If Luo Taiqing won't listen, he'll once again bring out Lü Tu, the Thousand Commander of the Fengyin County Demon Suppression Office.

He doesn't believe that Luo Taiqing or his subordinates would act as arrogantly as Yuan Ziming and his men, striking him down before he even finishes speaking.

"Junior brother, you might not know—Luo Taiqing is the father-in-law of your nephew. What else could we be if not relatives?"

Luo Taiqing was about to speak, explaining why he was related to the Wang family and thus connected to him, but before he could utter a word, the warrior who had led the horse over to present it to Zhang Chengyong suddenly spoke up, explaining:

"This horse is simply a token of Luo Taiqing's goodwill, with no other motive—just a senior's gift. Please accept it!"

"Junior brother?"

Zhang Chengyong first stared, then reacted, carefully examining the warrior before him; after a few glances, he realized he looked increasingly familiar, and a familiar face surfaced in his mind, and he exclaimed in astonishment:

"Senior Brother Xiang, how can it be you!"

The man before him, he recognized, was named Xiang Cheng Hua, who had also studied martial arts at the county martial hall.

He is older than Zhang Chengyong, entered the county martial hall years earlier, graduated early, and supposedly learned all the hall master's skills; they hadn't interacted much, but they had met a few times.

Just that.

He heard that after Xiang Cheng Hua graduated, the hall master recommended him to study at the prefectural city academy, but he never expected that he would end up coming here to serve as a guard for Luo Taiqing.

For a moment, Zhang Chengyong's expression turned strange; he really wanted to ask Xiang Cheng Hua what was going on—why he wasn't studying at the prefectural city academy but had instead returned to serve as Luo Taiqing's guard.

Although. For disciples like them who come from martial halls, the best career path is to serve as guards for wealthy families.

The benefits are top-notch; perhaps they can't compare to the wagon guards of an escort bureau, but at least they don't have to work under sun and rain, and there's little risk to life.

This is the work these martial hall disciples most want to do, but unfortunately, guard positions for wealthy families are limited, with many requirements—out of a hundred people, maybe not even one can meet them.

It's a good thing that Xiang Cheng Hua can serve as Luo Taiqing's guard, but in Zhang Chengyong's view, it's still not as good as pursuing further studies at the academy.

"Junior brother, you might not know—our family has served the Luo elders for generations; whether I was studying martial arts at the hall or now studying at the prefectural city academy, it's all funded and supported by the Luo elders!"

Xiang Cheng Hua seemed to notice the doubt on Zhang Chengyong's face and explained:

"Now that the academy is on break, I have nothing to do, so I've come to serve as a guard for the Luo elder, protecting his safety; when the academy resumes, I'll return to continue my studies!"

His is also Zhang Chengyong's academy.

It is a martial cultivation academy opened in the prefectural city; besides recruiting students on its own in the city, the rest rely on recommendations from martial halls in the surrounding counties of Fengyin County, one after another; after passing the examination, one can become a student of the academy—though the test is fairly easy, graduation is quite difficult.

One must satisfy one condition after another!

However.

If a diploma weren't required, it wouldn't matter.

Every year.

This novel you to

The academy always has two vacations, said to balance work and rest, letting the students relax; in fact, it's just so the academy's students can earn money—since martial arts training is extremely costly, aside from those whose families have mines, most students' families struggle to support the huge consumption of cultivation resources.

Thus, at the end of each vacation, there are always students who don't return, for various reasons, but most of them lose their lives while on missions.

Zhang Chengyong looked at Xiang Cheng Hua with envy, never expecting that he and the Luo family would actually have this connection—no wonder, despite his youth, he could serve as a guard for the Luo family.

"Cheng Hua, do you know this junior brother?"

Luo Taiqing walked over briskly and said unexpectedly:

The Xiang family generations have all worked for the Luo family; they share honor and disgrace with the Luos, and can be said to be one of the Luo family's foundations. Xiang Cheng Hua is one of the juniors he looks highly upon, so he naturally has no need to put on an airs of an elder in front of Xiang Cheng Hua.

Xiang Cheng Hua replied, "Elder, this is my junior brother; he is still studying martial arts at the Benglei Martial Hall, and is currently one of the hall master's most favored disciples—he will likely be recommended soon to study at the county academy."

Xiang Chenghua replied: "Sir, this is my junior disciple, who is still practicing martial arts at the Benglei Martial Arts Hall; he is one of the disciples the hall master currently looks upon most favorably, and it won't be long before the hall master recommends him to study at a school in the county town!"

Luo Taiqing's eyes lit up at once, and he exclaimed, "Junior brother, I never expected we'd have this connection; setting aside my ties with the Wang family, just speaking of your relationship with Cheng Hua, I ought to give you a mount!"

Luo Taiqing's eyes lit up instantly, and he exclaimed: "Young brother, I never expected we still have this connection; not mentioning my affairs with the Wang Family, just speaking of your relationship with Chenghua, I ought to give you a mount!"

(End of chapter)