Chapter 10: Distant Relatives

Brother Hao was taken aback, rubbing his head, and called out in grievance

It is evident that the true owner of this carriage is indeed a young girl, and she is a young lady from one of the eight prominent noble families.

You

Boom

The woman in green also got into the carriage, sitting down next to Ye Fan, in close proximity, occasionally glancing at Ye Fan.

Do not call me Uncle An Cai, and do not try to deceive me with this nonsense!

As the top candidate in the martial arts department of the Ten Courtyards Joint Examination in Luyang Prefecture, he can certainly disregard Uncle An Cai and even bring them great misfortune

I believe it is Dean Mu who wants to see me, and I merely used her carriage. If Dean Mu is looking for me, would I dare to refuse? Does this have any relation to the flattery and sycophancy you mentioned, or to seeking connections with influential figures?

The middle-aged country gentleman waved his hand and said arrogantly, "Over the years, Uncle An Cai has taken good care of you, hasn't he? When your father and mother passed away four or five years ago, you were still young and had no money to bury them. The twenty taels of silver for the second coffin were lent to you by me, right? Three years ago, considering that you had finally been admitted to the Nancheng Martial Arts Academy, I lent you another ten taels of silver to support your studies. Uncle An Cai has been quite generous to you, hasn't he? Now that you have graduated from the Nancheng Martial Arts Academy, it is time to repay these debts. The promissory notes are all in place, and with both principal and interest, it amounts to at least a hundred taels of silver over these four or five years."

A maid in green stepped down from the carriage and looked eagerly towards the entrance of the old courtyard, interrupting the conversation between Ye Fan and Uncle An.

If others were to use it, it would be an overstepping of their status. In Luyang Prefecture, there are no other families that dare to use such a specification of carriage

Before setting off, she had already removed all obvious markings from the carriage as instructed by the young lady, wanting to see what kind of person this cold-born youth, who had taken the top spot for the first time in hundreds of years, was like

Indeed, it is Dean Mu who is to send a carriage to pick up Ye Fan, the cold-door genius of the martial arts department who has shocked the entire city, to attend tonight's banquet

There are a total of 2 large red banners

Today, after the martial arts examination at the government academy, he should be expelled from the Nancheng Martial Arts Academy, with no prospects ahead. How did such an unexpected turn of events occur, with a young lady from a wealthy family coming to pick him up? ... Looking at him, he doesn't seem like the type who could rely on his looks to make a living as a pretty boy

Outside the house stood a middle-aged man of substantial build, dressed in fine silk and satin, holding the hand of a chubby boy of about ten years old. He was gesturing and pointing at the old residence, which covered an area of one mu, as if he were the owner of the house.

Seeing Ye Fan board that luxurious carriage and leave, Uncle An Cai was filled with confusion

He did not pay much attention to his achievement of securing the top position in the martial arts department

Oh, how strange, there is no mention of Xiaofan's name up there either

The woman in green was horrified

Uncle An Cai immediately tensed his face and laughed mockingly

I am Ye Fan! Is the young lady looking for me?

Upon encountering this clearly well-to-do maid, Uncle An's expression changed, and his previously proud demeanor immediately subdued.

Hurry up!

Alright! Uncle An Cai, I will talk to you about that matter later.

Still? This is over a hundred taels of silver. You think you can repay it in just a few days? You must be dreaming! Have you considered how much a mere small martial artist like you can earn in a month from hard labor? Three or five coins of silver? After deducting your living expenses, there won't be much left. Are you planning to gather that hundred taels to repay it in thirty or forty years? By then, with interest compounding, it won't just be a hundred taels, but thousands of taels of silver. Your descendants won't be able to repay it either. What good is it to say all this?

Uncle An, filled with questions, pulled the bewildered Hao Ge towards the direction of Luyang Mansion, wanting to see how well Ye Fan had performed in the examination

Those unsuccessful martial arts students and their parents, one by one, hung their heads in despair and went to a nearby tavern to drown their sorrows in alcohol, drinking to the point of intoxication

Ye Fan finished speaking and gave a self-deprecating smile

"Alright, Xiaofan! With your pitiful appearance, where would you find the money to repay? Even if I sent you to be a robber, with those skinny arms and legs, you wouldn't be able to steal much silver. Looking at your dilapidated house, I estimate it to be worth just over twenty taels of silver. To be generous, I will allow you to use this house to settle your debt!"

In fact, he did not speculate that much

The woman in the green dress cast a glance at the middle-aged fat man, who was clearly dressed like a local nouveau riche, and ignored him, then turned her attention to Ye Fan

How strange! Previously, in the town, I heard a martial student studying at the Nancheng Martial Arts Academy say that during Xiaofan's three years at the academy, he was always at the bottom and was often bullied

His concern is that there are no good banquets, and whether tonight's night banquet will encounter any unforeseen incidents

Ye Fan's expression suddenly changed, and he instantly displayed a face full of flattery, smilingly ingratiating himself: "Uncle An Cai! What brings you here? If I had known you and Brother Hao were coming, I would have prepared some dishes and drinks to entertain you, Uncle An Cai! Your sudden visit has left me unprepared, and I feel quite embarrassed!"

However, he found that starting "Martial God Showdown" consumed even more mental energy than he had imagined

Just as his own son was reaching the age of around ten, he planned to send him to one of the top ten junior martial arts academies in Luyang City for his studies, he began to think of the old residence of Ye Fan again

Father! How come such a beautiful sister is here to see Xiao Fan?

In the entire Luyang Prefecture, only the daughter of the director of the Mufeng Mountain Institute, Mu Bing, meets this criterion

Their proud expressions are almost identical, clearly indicating that they are a father and son duo

Brother Hao's eyes were as wide as copper gongs, pointing at the large red envelope, he shouted sharply, "Father, quickly look, Fan Ge... his name is at the very top, he is the most formidable martial arts candidate from Luyang Prefecture!"

Ye Fan's mind momentarily flickered, and he couldn't help but sigh inwardly. The appearance of this maid in green was exceptional, quite dignified and beautiful. Just a mere maid possessed such qualities; indeed, the prominent families were truly extraordinary.

Uncle An turned to Ye Fan, his face beaming with a full smile

What truly excited Ye Fan was the "Martial God Tournament" feature in the book "Shang", which was astonishingly powerful beyond imagination

He, as a local landlord in this rural town, cannot afford to delay the important matters of others

The top ten martial arts academies in the entire Luyang Prefecture, even a fool knows that is impossible. Perhaps there is still a slight chance at the tail end of the top five hundred.

I heard a loud voice of a coarse man outside the door, shouting, "Xiao Fanzi! Xiao Fanzi! Are you there? Your Uncle Cai is here to see you!"

Ye Fan closed his eyes to rest his mind

The middle-aged man scoffed, "Coincidentally, my brother Hao has also reached the age to apply for the top ten junior martial arts academies. I am planning to settle a residence in this city so that he can focus on his martial arts studies. Anyway, once you graduate from the Southern Chen Martial Arts Academy, you will have to leave, so this old residence will be of no use to you."

At that moment, a low-key luxurious carriage drawn by eight magnificent white horses slowly came to a stop in the alleyway, in front of the old door of Ye Fan's residence.

Who is this young lady looking for

Uncle An Cai squeezed through the crowd, craning his neck, repeatedly glancing at the second list of names for the five hundred people several times

It is unclear how many hours have passed, as Ye Fan was in a state of drowsiness while sleeping.

He fell onto the bed, lying down contentedly to rest and recover his depleted spirit and physical strength

Is Young Master Ye there?

Ye Fan's face turned red, and for a moment, he was at a loss for words

Although night has fallen, the entrance of the mansion is still brightly lit, with crowds of people and a steady flow of vehicles on both sides of the street

It is indeed! Xiaofan, this house now belongs to my father. You, a poor and destitute person, should leave as soon as possible!

Upon entering the carriage, he immediately caught a faint scent of youthful femininity within the compartment

Uncle An Cai was just turning back from his surprise, raised his hand, and gave him a sharp knock on the head, scolding, "No respect for elders, you can’t just call him Xiao Fanzi, you should call him Fan Ge!"

He has not yet figured out how to earn that one hundred taels of silver

Xiao Fanzi! Since there is a young lady who wishes to invite you, you may go ahead and attend to her first. Uncle An Cai's matters are not urgent! The matters on my side are all minor issues; I will have Uncle come to find you later

Upon hearing that familiar voice, Ye Fan immediately felt a shiver run through him

Uncle An Cai suddenly woke up

The woman in green scrutinized Ye Fan, revealing a hint of disdain, and could not help but say, "Hmph, it seems that this year's joint examination of the Ten Institutes of Luyang Prefecture, the top of the Martial Arts Department, the so-called genius from a humble background, is nothing more than this. Just a sycophant, a person who seeks to curry favor and attach themselves to the powerful."

One of the images displays the top ten rankings, with prominent large characters above.

Ye Fan merely glanced at the carriage and deduced the owner's intentions; this level of insight is truly astonishing

At the entrance of the government office, the list of 500 admissions to the martial arts department is posted

So many!

Fan Ge

He Ye An Cai is merely a local landlord from a small town near Lu Yang City. The wealthy families in the city, even the stewards and maids of these prominent households, have always looked down upon such local gentry.

Ye Fan returned to his old residence in the southern part of the city, bearing the immense honor of having secured the top position in the martial arts department of the Ten Academy Joint Examination, along with a body full of aches and mental fatigue

However, Miss Mu was very curious about the top student of the martial arts department who came from a humble background, so she took the initiative to propose to the dean that she send her maid to pick up Ye Fan

As the two were conversing, during the early hours of the night, more and more lights began to appear within the city

Seeing the boy before her so ordinary, she revealed a look of doubt in her eyes

This carriage is understated yet luxurious, lacking any obvious features both inside and out. However, among the entire Luyang Prefecture, only the eight prominent noble families would dare to use a carriage of this specification

Hundreds of taels of silver indeed pose a tremendous pressure on him at present, and it cannot be resolved in just a few days

Uncle An Cai was as if struck by lightning, frozen in place, disoriented and in disbelief

Uncle An Cai, upon hearing the green-clad maid inquire about a certain Young Master Ye, could not help but show a look of confusion. He pointed to Ye Fan and said, "There is no Young Master Ye here, only my little nephew, Xiao Fan."

He could not afford to sleep any longer, quickly turned over and got up, and ran outside the house

As for that large red notice, he did not go to see it at all

Ye Fan, the top of the martial arts department! When did our Ye family's ancestral grave start smoking? Little Fan actually took first place in the martial arts department among the top ten martial arts academies in Luyang Prefecture!

He is no longer that impoverished young man

He cannot ignore this favor

Ye Fan was momentarily taken aback, then nodded

Unfortunately, Ye Fan has always been at the bottom of the South Chen Martial Academy, and after graduation, there is little prospect for him. With no hope of entering a higher academy, this has left him quite disappointed as he had been preparing for a long-term investment.

Otherwise, it is impossible to initiate martial arts techniques above the beginner level and engage in the Martial God competition

Uncle An Cai scratched his head, and despite searching thoroughly, he could not find Ye Fan's name.

The master of such a household actually dispatched a carriage of such high specifications specifically to invite Ye Fan, which is simply an unparalleled honor.

Years ago, Ye Fan's parents passed away, and Ye An Cai lent some money to Ye Fan, establishing a written agreement, intending to seize Ye Fan's old residence if he failed to repay the debt

Ye Fan cast a faint glance at her and said

The understated luxury carriage drawn by eight white steeds is recognizable even to the most unsophisticated country bumpkin; this is a carriage of the specifications that only the eight prominent families of Luyang City are entitled to ride. Moreover, only individuals of the status of young ladies or young masters and above are qualified to use such a high-class carriage

Those martial artists and their parents and relatives who found their names on the list were all overjoyed, gathering in groups to go to nearby restaurants to host banquets, celebrating extravagantly, and reveling throughout the night

He hurriedly pulled Hao Ge towards the Ye family's old residence, contemplating what he could do to mend the relationship that had nearly soured before.

Ye Fan is currently not in the mood to think about anything else

However, recalling some legends about this top martial arts youth from the government and court, this person indeed appears unremarkable and quite ordinary

A coachman is driving a horse-drawn carriage towards the bustling streets of the city

Thousands of candidates and parents, along with those who are just joining in the excitement

... ...

The chubby boy Hao Ge, only ten years old, wore a small straw hat and had a blade of dogtail grass in his mouth. He rolled his eyes and stuck out his tongue at Ye Fan.

The interior decoration of the car is pure white and simple, with a faint fragrance reminiscent of a young girl. The owner is a young girl who prefers plain colors over vibrant ones. She is likely a calm and composed individual.

Ye Fan was so exhausted that he didn't even want to move a single little finger, eagerly anticipating the moment when his cultivation would greatly increase, allowing him to demonstrate the appearance of performing basic martial skills

He is a local landlord from the nearby town, also surnamed Ye, and is a distant relative of Ye Fan. He has always wanted to purchase a residence in Luyang City

Indeed, it is Young Master Ye. My young lady requests your presence! Please get into the carriage

After all, demonstrating the extraordinary foundational martial skills, although consisting of merely three moves, requires a high degree of mental focus and muscular concentration, almost mobilizing every inch of muscle within him to unleash the power contained therein, thus manifesting such a realm of divine technique

Another one, from the eleventh to the five hundredth place, the font should be much smaller

How do you know

Even if Uncle An Cai had no good intentions, for him who was at his wit's end at that time, this sum of emergency money was still a kindness

Ye Fan felt somewhat relieved, glanced at the carriage, contemplated for a moment, and then followed the woman in green into the luxurious carriage

At this time, the only luxurious carriage of this specification that could come to pick him up, apart from the one sent by Dean Mu, could not possibly be from anyone else

However, she is not acquainted with me, and she would certainly not seek me out without reason. Moreover, it is inappropriate for men and women to have close contact; even if she wanted to meet me, to avoid any suspicion, she would not use this carriage to pick me up

Ye Fan's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, smiling broadly as he said, "Uncle An Cai, please grant me a little more time; I will do my best to gather the money and return it to you in a few days"

However, the consumption is too high

He initially supported Ye Fan with ten taels of silver for his studies because he hoped that Ye Fan would achieve some success

Upon thinking of this, Ye Fan could not help but soften again, smilingly saying, "Uncle An Cai, could you please extend the deadline a little longer? This house is an ancestral property passed down in my family and cannot be sold! I will repay the money I borrowed from you in a few days."

However, when I think about how my parents' funeral expenses were all borrowed from Uncle An Cai, and that my first year's tuition at the Nancheng Martial Arts Academy was also borrowed from Uncle An Cai.

The woman in the green dress smiled charmingly

She did not dare to say another word

This young gentleman, are you Ye Fan

Moreover, the physical exertion is by no means less than the mental exhaustion

Today, the most significant event in Luyang Prefecture is undoubtedly the martial arts examination of the prefectural academy

Uncle An Cai was taken aback and immediately turned his head nervously to look at another large red notice board

Young Master Ye, do you not inquire which young lady has invited you? Is it the case that you would board any carriage belonging to a wealthy young lady?

Only Shang said to him, according to the custom of Luyang Prefecture, there would be a celebratory banquet in the evening after the assessment on that day, inviting the top ten martial students from the martial arts department

Unexpectedly, Ye Fan actually erupted, soaring to great heights in the Joint Examination of the Ten Academies

Later, Ye Fan was admitted to the Nancheng Martial Arts Academy, and it is possible that he would become successful one day. He immediately changed his mind and borrowed a bit more money to support Ye Fan's studies, preparing for a long-term investment

The name Ye Fan prominently ranks first on the large red list.

Ye Fan glanced at Uncle An Cai; the property dispute between him and Uncle An Cai had yet to be resolved

Incredible! This is merely the introductory level of the "Basic Three Techniques" martial arts, having only demonstrated a punch, a kick, and a step, leaving all the martial students and examiners astonished and speechless.

Little Fatty Hao Ge, surprised, gaped with his mouth wide open, and the dogtail grass he was holding in the corner of his mouth almost fell out

I must strive to enhance my own cultivation

A surge of anger suddenly welled up in Ye Fan's heart

If I were to unleash my basic martial arts skills, wouldn't that be even more terrifying