Martial Saint through Reading

"Let us wait and see. Chu Ming is our joint recommendation; if he is found guilty of treason, our official careers may very well come to an end."

The crime of treason dooms nine generations. Even though Chu Ming has severed ties with the Chu Family, he can still be used as leverage.

Fu Chang, too, has offended the Inspector General because of the matter concerning Wan Yuan; as long as Chu Ming is convicted of treason, they too may be investigated by the Imperial Examination Hall.

It could be said that whether or not Chu Ming is convicted will have a great impact on the three men’s official futures.

"Over at Chu Ming’s side..." Liu Sitong asked again.

Fu Chang looked toward Feng Yuan: "Lord Feng, Chu Ming was raised through your own efforts; it would be more appropriate for you to speak to him on this matter."

Raised through my efforts?

Wasn’t it you, Lord Fu, who earnestly appointed Chu Ming as Senior Ninth Grade Librarian?

Feng Yuan’s expression shifted: "At that time, it was Lord Liuu who put in effort to cover up for Chu Ming in the entrance examination."

"Then both of you should go and speak with him together."

"..."

...

West City, Chu Mansion.

"Librarian Chu, that’s about the situation." Feng Yuan wore a somber look as he explained everything to Chu Ming.

Chu Ming’s gaze was deep as he looked at Feng Yuan and Liu Sitong, a cold edge flickering between his brows.

He was unsure whether this so-called ’crime of treason’ originated from the Blood Evil Sect’s manipulation, or from the Wan Family, or perhaps because his displayed talent prompted some to seize the opportunity against him.

Reasonably, the probability of the Blood Evil Sect is low, because he did not reveal himself in this recent roundup; the Blood Evil should not have targeted him.

The Wan Family remains the most likely; whether it be the Chu Family’s downfall or Wan Yuan’s imprisonment, he was the direct catalyst.

It has been several days since he eliminated Wan Yuan and those three; with no word from them, the Wan Family, out of impatience, would naturally resort to reckless actions.

As for his revealed talent stirring jealousy in narrow-minded people, prompting them to strike, that possibility cannot be ruled out either.

"Many thanks to Lord Liuu and Lord Feng for the warning." Chu Ming cupped his hands in a formal salute to the two.

He understood well why the two, and the yet-unseen County Magistrate Fu Chang, were so anxious: recommending talents was a great merit.

But if the recommended person were to commit ’treason,’ their careers would be forever stained with an indelible black mark.

"Alas..." Feng Yuan looked at Chu Ming, his heart filled with regret.

A lad of sixteen, who had endured so much; after much effort, he had surprisingly attained the position of Senior Ninth-Grade Official, and had finally avenged his mother’s death.

Just when it appeared the hardships were over, and the future promising, who would have thought that, at the Chu Family’s end, they would still drag Chu Ming down with them?

"Librarian Chu, County Magistrate Fu has informed Instructor Shen of this matter; Mr. Shen’s background is remarkable..."

Liu Sitong suddenly lowered his voice, his expression grave as he said, "Mr. Shen has a bosom friend who is the County Magistrate of Xirong County. Back then... Lord Feng, you should have told him about Instructor Shen, yes?"

"I have." Feng Yuan affirmed.

"Back then, because Instructor Shen promoted simplified script, he insulted His Majesty—a capital offense. In the end, he was merely demoted in office; it was the County Magistrate who pleaded on his behalf."

The County Magistrate—a Fourth-Grade Official—the leading figure in Xirong County.

At this point, Liu Sitong’s voice dropped further, as though wary of eavesdroppers near the walls.

"Although the County Magistrate is only Senior Fourth Grade, he was once the Crown Prince’s Tutor, a Standard First Grade."

"To protect Instructor Shen, the County Magistrate was reduced from Grand Tutor to County Magistrate."

"Of course, not only the County Magistrate—the Crown Prince himself also pleaded for Instructor Shen, who once taught the Crown Prince characters and poetry."

"I tell you this, Librarian Chu, so you may be at ease. Mr. Shen has already hurried to Xirong County. This crime of treason is baseless; with Mr. Shen exerting effort, it should not be confirmed."

"Indeed, Lord Liuu is quite right. Librarian Chu, with Instructor Shen on the move, he will most certainly settle the matter."

Chu Ming again bowed: "My thanks to you both."

Silence briefly filled the room.

Place my very life in Shen Yu’s hands?

Chu Ming remained impassive.

He believed Shen Yu would certainly try his utmost to help, but he would not put all his hopes on an aged elder like Shen Yu.

The other’s background is formidable, but that does not mean his own background is so; the County Magistrate is Shen Yu’s close friend, not his.

Whether Shen Yu can persuade the County Magistrate to act is one thing; whether the County Magistrate can clear him of treason is another.

The County Magistrate is indeed the leading figure in Xirong County, but that does not mean he alone decides everything.

His fate is in his own hands.

"If you would, please wait a moment, my lords."

Chu Ming turned and sat down at his desk, beginning to transcribe something.

"Librarian Chu..." Feng Yuan started to inquire, but was stopped by Liu Sitong.

Their eyes fell to the desk; as the brush swept across the white paper, lines of characters rapidly appeared.

"This is..." Suspicion and surprise flashed in their eyes.

Soon after, Chu Ming laid down his brush and, cupping his hands to Liu Sitong and Feng Yuan, said: "My lords, last night while deciphering the Mountain Scripture, I had an insight."

There were two sheets on the desk; Liu Sitong and Feng Yuan each picked one up to examine.

"The fourth and fifth pages of the Mountain Scripture?!" As he read, astonishment deepened in Feng Yuan’s eyes. "Chu Ming...Librarian Chu, did you decipher two whole pages last night?!"

Chu Ming nodded.

"You..." Feng Yuan was rooted in disbelief.

Back when he himself deciphered these two pages, it took several months, and Chu Ming had done it in a single night!

Yet that was not all—the astonishment on Liu Sitong’s face beside him was by no means less, and even seemed to deepen.

"Lord Liuu..." Feng Yuan looked to the sheet in Liu Sitong’s hands in surprise.

"Seven new Ancient Shell Script radicals, thirty types of combined structures!" Liu Sitong stared intently at Chu Ming, his breath quickening. "Did you also comprehend all this last night, Librarian Chu?!"

To decipher pages four and five of the Mountain Scripture, and deduce new Ancient Shell Script minor radicals and structures—those are two very different matters!

These two pages had long been deciphered by them; that Chu Ming could do it in a night was at best astonishing for his associative power.

But deducing new minor radicals and combinations further perfects the system of Ancient Shell Script.

With these combinations, they could begin to decipher those parts of the Mountain Scripture later that remain unreadable!

Liu Sitong and Feng Yuan, after inspecting only a moment, were certain of the reliability of these radicals and combinations.

For they had already, by using these combinations, deduced the meaning of several previously undeciphered characters in the Mountain Scripture!

Chu Ming shook his head. "Not just last night—these were summarized over the past few days’ study of the Mountain Scripture."

Is there really much difference between a single night and a few days?

Liu Sitong and Feng Yuan looked at Chu Ming and then at the papers in their hands, feeling a sense of unreality.

The current system—or ’dictionary’—of Ancient Shell Script was compiled over many years, by several great scholars working together.

And Chu Ming, alone, in just three or four days, had deduced new radicals and structures.

The more they thought, the more they felt awe and fear at Chu Ming’s talent in Ancient Shell Script.

"My lords, in fact, there are still three more radicals and ten number of combination patterns I am still working on..." Chu Ming added.

Liu Sitong met Chu Ming’s clear, bright eyes, his expression grave: "Librarian Chu, I shall go inform County Magistrate Fu at once—Librarian Chu serves our Great Qin Dynasty with all his heart and has naught to do with the Chu Family!"