Chapter 43: Changing to the Martial Register

Wei Tu had passed the Dao examination? A second-class martial scholar? These simple words landed heavily in the ears of the Li family’s masters. Li Yaozu, First Madam Li Tongshi, and Li Xingye all instinctively held their breath. Unlike literary scholars, martial scholars could be appointed to local government positions, becoming military officers. Even if it was just a minor official position— It was still an official rank! That status alone created a vast divide between Wei Tu and the common folk like the Li family. Li Yaozu and Li Tongshi never expected that after Li Xingye had humiliated and pressured Wei Tu so much, he would still remain composed, not even mentioning his success in the martial examination. "How could he have passed this time?" Li Xingye was furious, his resentment deepening. The frustration he had vented earlier now swelled again, this time even stronger. He had spent over a decade studying diligently— Yet in the end, he had been surpassed by a former servant who had trained in martial arts for only a few years. How could he possibly accept this? "To gain success without arrogance, to face humiliation without losing composure…" "This man…" Li Yaozu shook his head. He had made up his mind—going forward, he would strictly instruct Li Xingye never to antagonize Wei Tu again. If they continued down this path, the goodwill they had left with Wei Tu would eventually run dry. And when that day came, the consequences for the Li family would be difficult to predict. … After leaving the Li family's inner courtyard, Wei Tu waited in the outer courtyard for Xinghua and Caixia. Once the two women finished packing their belongings, the three of them finally departed. "This time, I really have to thank you for standing up for me, Wei Tu. If not for you…" On the road, Caixia found a moment to express her gratitude. To stand against one's former master— Even for Wei Tu, it had not been an easy decision. Caixia understood this well. "We help each other. You once helped me too," Wei Tu smiled in response. Reputation was something he had to consider, but if he had stood by and watched Caixia be humiliated, he wouldn’t have been able to forgive himself. Besides— He had already defied County Magistrate He. Li Yaozu was hardly someone he needed to fear. Hearing his words, Caixia finally set her worries aside. Holding onto her bundle, she silently followed behind Wei Tu and Xinghua. The three of them arrived at a nearby inn and rented two lower rooms. That evening, Xinghua asked Caixia about her future plans. "You and Wei Tu were both forced into servitude because your families couldn't support you. But now that you’re free, you can go back home." During years of famine, parents sold their children to ensure their survival. But in peaceful times, some still sold their sons and daughters just for money. Xinghua had been one such case. She had been sold into the Li household not out of necessity, but because her family had sought financial gain. So after being sold, she had slowly distanced herself from her parents. "But things are different now," Xinghua continued. "Your father has a son, and your family is still poor. If you go back, not only will those three taels of silver be taken from you… you yourself might be sold again." Her words were blunt, but they were realistic. Unlike noble young ladies raised in grand estates, servant girls like them had learned to see money for what it was—survival. Had Wei Tu not proved himself, Xinghua would never have given him her savings so freely. "Xinghua, I plan to stay with you for now… Once Wei Tu officially takes his post, he’ll meet many respectable men. When the time comes, I want to marry and settle down." After a brief silence, Caixia gave her answer, having thought carefully about her situation. "You've been good to me, and I’m more than willing to have you by my side. It’ll be nice to have company," Xinghua nodded in agreement. An unmarried woman could not register a household independently. Even though Caixia had redeemed herself and regained her civilian status, she had no choice but to register under an existing household. What she meant was clear—she wanted to register under Wei Tu’s name and stay with them. … The next morning, Wei Tu took Xinghua and Caixia to the county office. He handed over their indenture contracts and official release letters to the clerks in the household registration department. "Well, this is a rare sight," one of the clerks muttered, clicking his tongue as he flipped through the documents. With a brush in hand, he pulled out the registry book and added both women's names beneath Wei Tu’s entry. He had been a clerk in the county office for many years, but this was the first time he had seen a former servant redeem themselves, and today, two servant girls were also obtaining their freedom—both tied to Wei Tu. It was indeed a rare sight. "Has the county office received the martial scholar credentials from the Dao examination yet?" After completing the registration for the two women, Wei Tu didn’t leave immediately. Instead, he cupped his hands toward the clerk and asked. "Martial scholar credentials?" Hearing this, the clerk was momentarily surprised. He looked at Wei Tu with a puzzled expression. "You passed the Dao examination this time?" He had been aware that Wei Tu had taken the county examination and had even won first place as a martial scholar. However, he was also one of the few people in the county office who knew that Wei Tu’s first-place ranking had been somewhat questionable. The Dao examination was far more difficult than the county-level examination. He had never expected Wei Tu to actually pass. "I did." Wei Tu nodded in response. "Brother Wei, that means we’ll be colleagues from now on!" The clerk, Jian Liang, immediately brightened and took the initiative to greet Wei Tu more warmly. His attitude had completely shifted—no longer indifferent. At the same time, he introduced himself. "My name is Jian Liang. My family has served as clerks for generations, and I work in the household registration office." "Brother Jian." Wei Tu cupped his hands in greeting. He didn’t need to introduce himself—Jian Liang likely knew more about his background than he did. "The martial scholar credentials arrived from the prefectural office two days ago." "I’ll go ahead and update your registration from civilian to martial status now," Jian Liang offered proactively. He understood what Wei Tu meant by asking about the credentials. The document was proof of his status as a martial scholar, usually kept on record by the county office. "Much appreciated, Brother Jian." Once his status was officially updated, Wei Tu expressed his thanks before taking Xinghua and Caixia out of the registration office. However— He had barely taken a few steps when he spotted Wei Fei walking toward him from the direction of the Commandment Stone. From the way he was headed, it seemed Wei Fei was also coming to the registration office to update his status. Since martial scholars had to switch from civilian to military registration before their official appointment, there was no reason to delay. "Second Brother." "Third Brother." The two greeted each other. "This is my wife, and my… younger sister," Wei Tu introduced Xinghua and Caixia. "Sister-in-law, Miss Caixia," Wei Fei greeted them politely. At first, he had mistaken them for Wei Tu’s servant girls. But upon realizing one of them was his wife, he was slightly taken aback. However, once the initial surprise wore off, Wei Fei secretly admired Wei Tu even more. Few men, after achieving success, would remain devoted to their first wife. Wei Tu was a rare kind of man. "I didn’t bring anything with me today, but I’ll prepare a proper gift for Sister-in-law and Miss Caixia another day," Wei Fei said with a smile. After exchanging a few more words, the two parted ways. Wei Tu led the two women out of the county office and headed toward a real estate broker to find a new residence. With the help of an agent, he quickly selected a small courtyard and purchased it for just over five taels of silver. "I borrowed money from you this time. Once my military officer's salary comes in, I’ll repay you," Wei Tu promised Caixia. Since he had little money left, more than half of the cost had been covered by Caixia. Caixia lowered her head slightly and responded with a soft "Mm," not rejecting the idea. After all, this money was nearly all she had. "The only thing I don’t know is when the county office will issue our appointments. Hopefully, County Magistrate He won’t try to suppress or obstruct me…" Wei Tu felt a quiet sense of urgency. … Time passed slowly. Wei Tu did not receive an official appointment from the county office— Instead, he received a letter from Fu Zhizhou. In the letter, Fu Zhizhou mentioned that shortly after leaving Qingfeng Prefecture, elders from the Martial Luck Pavilion had sought him out and invited him to join them— But he had firmly refused. At the end of the letter— Fu Zhizhou warned Wei Tu not to be tempted by their offers. No matter how attractive the benefits, he urged him not to join the Martial Luck Pavilion.