Martial Saint through Reading

Feng Yuan stood where he was, staring at Shen Yu, whose chin was slightly raised, face stern and cold. For a moment, he felt almost dazed.

Just now, was there really an old man acting like a scoundrel, collapsing and clutching his back at the slightest touch?

The old man, Shen Yu, Mr. Shen... Chu Ming!

As thoughts churned, Feng Yuan’s eyes, sharp as an eagle’s, turned to Chu Ming.

The first time they met, Chu Ming was still just a youth, quietly enduring because of his family’s situation, having just passed the Liuu Town Academy exam, needing his help to conceal the outcome—

And now, before much time had passed, barely more than a month, before Feng Yuan even had a chance to test the kid, Chu Ming had instead revealed his astonishing talent by overcoming the tougher challenge of the Five Eyes Map.

"Didn’t expect it, truly didn’t expect it," Feng Yuan straightened his robes, then burst out laughing: "I truly didn’t expect your talents to be even higher and more dazzling than I once thought!"

Every word dripped with his admiration for Chu Ming.

Shen Yu listened, his brow faintly furrowing.

Does he know something?

Chu Ming’s heart stirred slightly.

Praise for no reason—most likely only one explanation: this keeper of the classics knows his identity.

That works out; he spared himself a trip to the county yamen to meet the County Magistrate.

"Scholar Chu Ming." Feng Yuan’s next words cut straight through the pretense.

So he does know.

Shen Yu fixed his gaze on Feng Yuan, saying nothing.

To lay it bare was a good thing.

In his opinion, with Chu Ming’s exceptional talent, he shouldn’t waste any more time at the academy.

This was the very reason he produced the Mountain and Sea Great Wilderness Scripture·Mountain Scripture.

Chu Ming stood in place, arms at his sides, his face feigning an awkward expression as he stammered: "Lord Feng, I..."

"Enough," seeing this, Feng Yuan grinned even wider and waved his hand, "No need to explain, I understand everything."

Understand what?

"I know you’re cautious by nature, afraid I, in Baiyuan County, have officials close with the Chu Family. Regarding the matter at the gallery, your choice was not wrong."

"..."

Chu Ming remained silent.

He hadn’t revealed his identity at the gallery, in part because of this, but more so because of that sentence from Liu Sitong.

The ability to save millions of lives...

The greater the power, the greater the responsibility; the deeper the whirlpool one’s swept into; there was no way he could agree recklessly.

But now, things were different.

Shen Yu had let him access the Mountain and Sea Great Wilderness Scripture·Mountain Scripture ahead of time, allowing him to successfully deduce the Body Refining Technique, condensing his Qi and Blood Power to the eleventh thread—a great boost in strength.

The [Reading] skill also broke the limit in the process, gaining the special effect of ’Nothing Escapes the Eye.’

He knew it was time for him to begin touching different things.

"That’s enough," Feng Yuan waved his hand and glanced at Shen Yu, saying: "Mr. Shen, I’d ask you not to mention this boy’s matter to others."

Shen Yu turned his eyes sideways for a glance, his voice flat but biting: "You’re teaching me how to act?"

"..." A flash of embarrassment and anger flickered in Feng Yuan’s eyes.

True, his official post outranked Shen Yu, but Shen Yu’s background was far from simple—he didn’t dare offend him.

Not just him, in all of Baiyuan County, few dared not to defer to Shen Yu.

"Might as well tell you, I learned yesterday already: that scholar who cracked your so-called Five Eyes Map was none other than Chu Ming."

"Then why did Mr. Shen..." Feng Yuan’s mouth twitched, starting to ask but left the rest unsaid.

This was the Shen Yu he was familiar with—Mr. Shen, severe, proud... Hm?

Feng Yuan was having such thoughts when he saw a rare genial smile bloom on Shen Yu’s face, who turned to the side: "Well?"

"All done," Chu Ming replied softly, "Thank you, Mr. Shen."

What "well"?

What was "done"?

Right in front of me?

So Shen Yu was stalling for Chu Ming earlier?

And that smile?

Feng Yuan had never seen Shen Yu act this way.

"Call him Brother Shen," Shen Yu said with a smile.

"Shen..." Chu Ming glanced helplessly at Feng Yuan, "...Brother."

Brother Shen?!

Feng Yuan’s eyes instantly focused.

What kind of deal had these two—one old, one young—struck?!

With decades between their ages, they’re on "brother" terms already!

Shen Yu nodded in satisfaction, turned around, and his kindly smile vanished in an instant as he stared coldly at Feng Yuan: "Lord Feng, matters between me and Chu Ming—do not, ever, spread them!"

The voice was icy, piercingly cold, and oddly familiar.

"Mr. Shen..." Feng Yuan just started to speak.

"What, can’t I teach you how to act?"

Feng Yuan’s mouth fell slightly open; the breeze whisked by his ear, feeling inexplicably harsh.

"That’s enough," Shen Yu seemed to have achieved his purpose and said coldly, "Go on, do what you’re supposed to."

Then, turning, he smiled at Chu Ming and said, "Come by again when you have time."

The gap in attitude was so huge that Feng Yuan was utterly baffled.

Chu Ming nodded, then walked toward Feng Yuan: "Lord Feng?"

Feng Yuan snapped back to himself, cupped his hands to Shen Yu, and led Chu Ming out of Wenlan Hall.

Once they had walked a fair distance, Feng Yuan finally couldn’t help but ask: "Did Shen Yu let you call him brother because you praised his promotion of the simplified script as a first among men in that Political Book class?"

Chu Ming replied calmly, "More or less."

That phrase ’first among men’ was the pretext, but what truly changed Shen Yu was their conversation last night.

But there was no need to tell Feng Yuan about any of that.

"More or less?" Feng Yuan frowned, his voice stern: "Chu Ming, your talent is outstanding, your future limitless, but you absolutely should not get too close to Shen Yu."

"Do you know why Shen Yu, with all his talent, has reached his sixties but is still just a Junior Eighth-Grade Instructor in Baiyuan County?"

"Because of promoting the simplified script?" Chu Ming said. That was the answer Shen Yu had given, but he still felt there was some truth left unspoken.

Feng Yuan shook his head, voice even more solemn: "Yes, and no. The simplified script was part of it, but for the Great Qin Dynasty, an extra scholarly system does little in itself."

"The key is, in order to push the simplified script, Shen Yu openly clashed with the Xirong County Magistrate, and..."

At this, he halted suddenly, fixing Chu Ming with a look, dropping his voice to a near-whisper: "...And covertly mocked..."

He didn’t continue, simply clasped his fists and bowed to the heavens.

Who could stand at the top under the heavens of the Great Qin Dynasty?

Chu Ming’s mouth fell open in "shock."

It wasn’t entirely an act—he really was quite shocked.

The system here, just like ancient dynasties of his previous life, paid extreme attention to complex ritual and etiquette.

To offend superiors openly, or even covertly mock the Emperor...

That really did fit Brother Shen’s character...

But still, he didn’t quite get it.

Insulting a superior wouldn’t warrant execution, but to satirize the Emperor—maybe not nine generations destroyed, but a beheading at least seemed unavoidable.

Yet, not only was Brother Shen never executed, he was allowed to remain an Eighth-Grade Official?

From being demoted from Xirong County to Baiyuan County, such a crime should merit even worse punishment.

He could only guess it was due to Shen Yu’s contribution to the Ancient Shell Script, or perhaps that the Mountain and Sea Great Wilderness Scripture·Mountain Scripture would be needed someday, so they kept him alive.

"I bet you’re wondering why Mr. Shen hasn’t been punished?" Feng Yuan went on, envy flickering in his eyes. "Mr. Shen’s background is not simple—the Emperor recalls old ties..."

"Enough of that, it’s useless telling you. Better hurry to the county yamen—Lord Liuu is probably growing impatient."

Even with so few words, Chu Ming still managed to glean some useful information.

Simply put, Shen Yu has someone behind him—someone extremely close to the Emperor.

Wenlan Hall was located to the west of the Middle Courtyard in the academy; the two picked up their pace and hurried along.

"Is that Lord Feng?" Some junior examinee in the Hall Garden was peering into the distance. "The one beside him... is that Chu Ming?"