Building a Martial Dao Celestial Family by Laying Low

Lingxi.

Late autumn, the tenth month.

The mulberry leaves had turned yellow, and the chill in the mornings and evenings foretold the coming of a harsh winter.

In the fields, farmers were bent over, picking mulberry leaves. A scene of familiar tranquility.

Suddenly, a hoarse, desperate shout tore through the silence like a clap of thunder.

"He passed! He passed! The Young Master passed!"

On the path at the village entrance, a figure came scrambling and stumbling forward in a mad dash.

It was a servant from Chen Li’s household, Chen Ping’an.

His topknot was a mess, and his face was flushed red. He just waved his arms, roaring with all his might.

"The Jieyuan! He’s the Jieyuan! Our Lingxi Village has produced a Jieyuan!"

This earth-shattering news was like a massive boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating a thousand ripples.

"Passed what?"

"Who passed? Jieyuan? What’s that?"

"It’s the Chen Family! Heavens, did the Chen Family’s Young Master become a Scholar?"

The farmers in the fields shot upright, not even caring that they’d snapped mulberry branches.

Women in the mulberry groves stopped their chatting, their mouths hanging open in astonishment.

The closed doors of every house were pushed open with a CREAK as the elderly and children alike poked their heads out.

After a moment of dead silence, the entire Lingxi Village erupted like a pot of boiling water.

Cries of shock, fervent discussion, and disbelieving questions all mingled together.

People poured out from all directions, converging on the Chen Family’s residence.

Just as the clamor reached its peak.

"CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!"

"Silence... Make way..."

Outside the village, the sound of gongs and drums filled the air.

A troop of government constables holding tiger-head signs that read "Silence" and "Make Way" marched in neat formation, clearing a path.

Following close behind was none other than County Magistrate Luo Pingyuan, along with a retinue of officials from the County Magistrate’s Office.

Among them, a junior official with a booming voice strained his neck and repeatedly bellowed in a formal, official tone.

"Good news! Good news!"

"Chen Shouheng of Mirror Mountain’s Lingxi Village has passed the Jiangzhou Provincial Martial Examination and achieved the rank of Jieyuan! A rising star shines bright, bringing glory to his homeland..."

"Congratulations, Master Chen! Felicitations, Master Chen!"

The official announcement from the Government Office was like pouring a ladle of water into a pan of boiling oil, causing the atmosphere to explode with a ROAR.

The crowd’s gasps, cheers, and envious sighs reached a crescendo, a wave of sound that nearly threatened to overwhelm Lingxi.

Chen Li, who was cultivating in his secret chamber, was interrupted by the sound of the gongs.

He spread his Divine Sense and listened carefully for a moment, quickly grasping the situation.

Even with his steady state of mind, he couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.

Shouheng passing the examination was within his expectations.

After all, with his eldest son’s Cultivation at the Spirit Realm Second Level Profound Acupoint, becoming a Martial Scholar wasn’t difficult.

But this... becoming the Jieyuan was truly unexpected.

He quickly composed his Heart Spirit, straightened his robes, and strode out of the study.

In the courtyard, the entire family had already gathered.

Mrs. Chen, supported by a maidservant, was weeping freely. Her lips trembled as she murmured over and over, "The ancestors are watching over us... The ancestors are watching over us! Shouheng has become a Scholar!"

Song Ying was also sobbing uncontrollably, tightly gripping Zhou Shuwei’s hand beside her as tears rolled down her cheeks like broken strands of pearls.

Zhou Shuwei’s own pretty face was flushed, her beautiful eyes shimmering with tears, her heart a mix of sweetness and anticipation.

Shouye held his son, his face showing sincere joy for his elder brother, but in the depths of his eyes, there was also a flicker of complex longing.

Shouyue, on the other hand, jumped right up and grabbed her sister-in-law Li Jinru’s hand, her face red with excitement. "Big Brother is the Jieyuan! He’s amazing!"

Even the concubine Liu Yun, standing to the side, hugged her two children, Shouyi and Shoucheng, tightly. Rare ripples of emotion disturbed the usual calm of her eyes.

Chen Li led his family out the mansion gates to greet the visitors.

The area in front of the gates was already a sea of people, filled with the clamor of gongs and drums.

County Magistrate Luo Pingyuan, dressed in his official robes, was surrounded by a crowd of local gentry.

County Captain Feng Zhan, Deputy Magistrate Li Dingbang, and nearly all the other officials from the County Magistrate’s Office were present.

Behind them, government constables carried congratulatory plaques inscribed with "Wen Kui" and "Martial Tripod," making for a very grand scene.

"County Magistrate, County Captain Feng, Deputy Magistrate Li, and all you honored officials, you grace my humble home with your presence. I have failed to welcome you from afar. Please forgive my offense."

Chen Li cupped his hands in a salute, his tone composed.

"Landlord Chen, what offense is there to speak of? We have come today specifically to offer our congratulations!"

Luo Pingyuan was all smiles. He took a step forward and announced loudly, "Congratulations, Landlord Chen! Your son, Shouheng, is a man of extraordinary talent and superior Martial Arts. In the Jiangzhou Provincial Examination, he bested all the geniuses of the province to seize the title of Jieyuan. This is an unprecedented honor for our Jingshan County! On behalf of the County Magistrate’s Office, I have come to offer my formal congratulations."

As soon as he said this, the onlooking neighbors and Chen Mansion servants erupted into thunderous cheers and discussion.

"The Jieyuan! He actually became the top-ranking Jieyuan!"

"Young Master Shouheng has really brought honor to our Lingxi."

"Our Lingxi has never even produced a Scholar, let alone a Jieyuan."

Chen Li cupped his hands again. "County Magistrate, you praise him too highly. The boy was merely lucky, and it is all thanks to the Court’s grace."

With that, he quickly ushered the officials into the mansion and gave orders to immediately prepare a banquet to entertain the guests.

The entire Chen Mansion was decorated with lanterns and colored banners, overflowing with celebratory cheer.

The servants bustled about, their faces beaming with vicarious pride.

The banquet was held in the front hall. Wine cups were raised and toasts were exchanged in a lively atmosphere.

Liu Wende stood up with his wine cup and said with a smile, "Nephew, Shouheng achieving the rank of Jieyuan is something our county hasn’t seen in a hundred years. In my opinion, why not erect a memorial archway at the village entrance for our worthy nephew Shouheng to commemorate his talent? What do you think?"

As soon as he said this, many of the gentry and officials voiced their agreement.

County Magistrate Luo Pingyuan also nodded. "According to the Court’s customs, only an Advanced Scholar can have an archway erected. However, a Jieyuan is certainly enough to bring glory to the village. The County Magistrate’s Office can take the lead on this matter."

’Erecting an archway is too ostentatious. It wouldn’t be a wise move.’

Chen Li immediately declined politely. "County Magistrate, and all my dear neighbors, I appreciate your kind intentions. However, Shouheng is still young and was only lucky to pass. How could he dare to overstep his status by having an archway built? It would be better to wait. If he is fortunate enough to pass the higher examinations and become an Advanced Scholar in the future, it will not be too late to erect an archway then to thank our hometown."

Seeing Chen Li’s firm attitude, the crowd didn’t insist.

After the banquet, Luo Pingyuan did not leave immediately. Instead, he lowered his voice and said, "Landlord Chen, may I have a word with you in private?"

Chen Li understood. "County Magistrate, please follow me to the study."

Once the door was closed, Luo Pingyuan, who had just been maintaining the dignified air of a County Magistrate, instantly adopted a much more humble posture. With a hint of barely concealed urgency on his face, he said in a low voice, "Senior, regarding the matter this junior requested of you before... I wonder how your considerations are coming along?"

Chen Li’s gaze sharpened slightly.

He naturally knew what Luo Pingyuan was talking about.

When Liu Zongying, Liu Ruoyi, and the others were summoned to the County Magistrate’s Office for questioning, Luo Pingyuan had used the pretense of giving him an ’Earth Gift’ to pass him a box containing a secret letter.

The letter stated that he had already seized control of most of the Jiang Family’s power.

However, the Jiang Family’s Second Master, Jiang Hongxin, was immensely powerful and an Elder of the Hidden Sword Sect. He remained a dagger to Luo Pingyuan’s heart.

Luo Pingyuan had pleaded with Chen Li to take action, find an opportunity to eliminate Jiang Hongxin, and remove the threat for good.

Chen Li studied Luo Pingyuan, sensing that his aura was solid. He had actually stabilized his Cultivation at the Spirit Realm Second Level Profound Acupoint.

Furthermore, his foundation was solid, not like someone who had just broken through. He had clearly reaped enormous benefits from the Jiang Family.

After a moment of silence, he didn’t answer, but posed a question instead. "Have you thoroughly investigated Jiang Hongxin’s background? Are you certain he is only a Divine Hall Grandmaster?"

Luo Pingyuan quickly replied, "Absolutely certain! This junior spent a great deal of money to purchase information from Tingfeng Pavilion. There have been no rumors of Jiang Hongxin making a breakthrough in recent years; he should still be at the Divine Hall Grandmaster Realm. If this beast is not eliminated, this junior can neither eat nor sleep in peace, and the process of consolidating the Jiang Family will face immense resistance. I implore you to help me, Senior."

’If he really is just a Divine Hall Grandmaster, then there isn’t much danger. Still, a proper plan is necessary.’

Chen Li pondered for a moment before slowly nodding. "Alright."

Luo Pingyuan was overjoyed. He bowed deeply and said, "Thank you, Senior. The twelfth month is the death anniversary of Jiang Hongxin’s late father. He will definitely return to Songjiang to pay his respects. That will be the perfect opportunity to strike."

"Fine."

Chen Li agreed dispassionately.

Luo Pingyuan’s excitement was palpable. "Rest assured, Senior. Once this is done, as this junior promised before, all of the Jiang Family’s land and textile workshops in Jingshan County will be delivered into your hands. I won’t go back on my word."

But Chen Li just gave a faint, cold smile. "Lord County Magistrate, empty words are no proof. If you want me to undertake such a risk, I’m afraid a mere verbal promise from you isn’t quite convincing enough, is it?"

Luo Pingyuan’s expression stiffened, and he looked troubled. "Senior, please understand. Although this junior has gained initial control over the Jiang Family, there are still voices of dissent within the clan. Many of the old guard still hold out hope for Jiang Hongxin, so this junior cannot yet make decisions unilaterally. Suddenly ceding a large number of assets would likely incite internal strife. Right now... it’s truly impossible to do."

"In that case," Chen Li didn’t beat around the bush and stated his price directly, "bring me thirty thousand bolts of high-grade silk as a deposit."

"Thirty thousand bolts?"

Luo Pingyuan was stunned, then gave a bitter smile. "Senior, although the Jiang Family has a Textile Workshop, its scale is limited. We’ve just fulfilled this year’s official tribute, so there isn’t much left in the warehouse. Moreover, the spring silkworms haven’t spun their cocoons yet, so there is no new silk. This junior... I really can’t gather that much."

Chen Li stared at him. "How much can you get?"

Luo Pingyuan calculated silently for a moment, then gritted his teeth. "At most... fifteen thousand bolts. That’s the absolute limit."

Chen Li watched him for a moment before finally nodding. "Fifteen thousand bolts, then."

"Good, it’s a deal!"

Luo Pingyuan looked as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He quickly bowed. "This junior will arrange it as soon as possible and have the full amount of silk delivered to your mansion."

Chen Li gave a slight nod and said no more.

...

After the officials from the County Magistrate’s Office left, the excitement at the Chen residence didn’t die down. Instead, it reached a fever pitch and continued for more than ten days.

A constant stream of carriages and horses arrived at their gates.

All the prominent figures from the surrounding area heard the news and rushed over to offer their congratulations.

The Chen Family’s banquets ran from morning till night, and the sounds of celebration were endless.

Amid the clamor, however, there were also many troubles and trivial matters.

The most prominent issue was that many clan members, and even Chen Li’s own father-in-law, came to visit. Their words were earnest, but their goal was singular.

They hoped to register their own landholdings under the Chen Family’s name.

The reason was simple: according to the Court’s laws, after Chen Shouheng became a Scholar, he was entitled to a tax exemption on five thousand mu of land and could exempt three generations of his family from corvée labor.

These were tangible, real benefits.

Many people had their eyes on this prize.

However, the Chen Family now had exactly five thousand, one hundred and thirty mu of land registered under its name.

This was just enough to meet the quota for the Land Tax exemption.

If they accepted land from others, not only would their own fields no longer be tax-exempt, but it would also attract inspections from the Government Office, leading to unnecessary trouble.

Chen Li’s attitude was firm. He politely refused them all.

No matter how his relatives tried to coax or pressure him, he didn’t yield in the slightest.

After a few days, most people saw his resolute stance and had no choice but to give up resentfully.