"But, compared to the silver coins earned from the Archery Practice Ground, it’s still a little lacking!"
He’d had his eye on that Archery Practice Ground for a while now, but unlike others, he knew there had to be so reason Zhao Hu and the others managed to pull it off; if he seized it too early, he was afraid the place would end up another useless burden.
So, he let it develop naturally, planning to pick the fruit when it was ripe—it wouldn’t wither away so easily then.
"What do you think, Master Zhao?" he asked, turning to the man sitting beside him.
The other, hair and brows graying, still had sharp, piercing eyes like an eagle’s.
"That kind of archery has probably reached the realm of Great Success, but the force is lacking! Who is this person, where does he co from, any master behind him?"
"Just so country kid! Hasn’t studied Martial Arts, naturally doesn’t have much strength in his hands!"
"Then we don’t need to worry too much about this. If it’s only archery, it’s not so hard to deal with. But Liang, you’d better keep your guard up; if they co after you, it could be a hassle."
The two of them continued discussing.
Especially the graying man—he was skilled in archery himself, not quite at Great Success, but close.
This ti, he’d appeared here only because the Three Red Gang Leader had paid a hefty price to bring him in.
"Sigh~ It’s a sha those Martial Artists guard their secrets so jealously, otherwise, people like us wouldn’t have it so tough!"
"Yeah, I get it. If everyone was as powerful as a dragon, would those lords and strongn so easily push us commoners around? In the end, it all cos down to human nature!"
"Well, once we take control of the Archery Practice Ground, you and I should have built up enough resources!"
The two exchanged a smile.
Unexpectedly, soone else ca to report.
This ti, both of them imdiately lost the calm they’d shown before.
"Are you sure about that?"
Looking at the inn’s servant before them, both the Three Red Gang Leader and the Archery Master showed a change in expression.
"Absolutely sure! I was out front, I heard that young master debating essays with a few scholars. At first it was back and forth, but in no ti, the young master took the upper hand and wound up completely crushing those scholars’ arrogance!"
"Later, the young master left and asked to send a few dishes to those scholars. When I walked in, they all looked totally dazed!"
The servant recalled.
"Probably because that Lu kid is so young, it threw those scholars off their ga!" Master Zhao said.
"Even so, he must have given so brilliant argunt!" the Gang Leader said.
"Did those scholars say anything else afterward?"
"They said: ’This Year’s Child Scholar, Chang’sheng will surely have a place!’"
The servant replied without hesitation.
And the two above, both were shaken to the core, faces blank.
After the servant left, Master Zhao sighed softly, "What’s your plan for this?"
The Three Red Gang Leader let out a bitter laugh, "Guys like Ma Xuncai, I know them well. If they’re talking like that, they really an it. Looks like that young master might truly win the Child Scholar seat this year!"
"But, this opportunity has been so hard to co by—if we let it slip, we may never get another one!"
Master Zhao stood up from his chair, "It’s risky! A Child Scholar might not have much real power, but he gets an official salary, he’s on the governnt registry. Even if he stood right in front of us, we couldn’t touch him easily!"
"I know, but as long as he hasn’t beco a Child Scholar, the title isn’t his yet. You can’t win it with just one good essay!"
"So, what do you plan to do?"
The Gang Leader’s eyes narrowed slightly. "Wait."
······
Archery Practice Ground.
In the wide courtyard, only Wang Heihou, Niu Dazhuang, and a few from Zhang Village were left.
After leaving the Traveler’s Inn, the group had dismissed a lot of would-be archery students, especially those long-term regulars—they were top priority.
They kept busy till afternoon, waited several more hours, but no new word ca. Wang Heihou was getting agitated inside.
"This is just so damn suffocating! These gangs, do they even know what fair ans?"
"Heihou, co on, you’re not a kid just out of the village anymore. Back in the village you could’ve already married and beco a real man. Don’t be so naïve, all right?"
If anyone could say that, it’d be Zhang Village—other than Zhao Hu, nobody else would even dare.
This past year, he’d firmly secured his post as top Archery Master—if it weren’t for that little master Lu Chang’sheng, he’d be flaunting himself a bit more.
"This isn’t even the worst of it! If this was over by the South Gate, you’d probably be on the run by now!"
"Are the gangs by the South Gate really that ruthless?"
"Damn right! But you know, compared to the Three Red Gang here by the West Gate, it’s actually easier to get by over at South Gate!"
"What do you an?"
Wang Heihou and Niu Dazhuang both glanced over.
Zhang Village chuckled, "Sotis, people are ruthless because they’re dumb. If you want to make it, you have to act tough. The smart ones—they let you win never, not even once! So—"
He rolled off the high-backed chair, casually grabbed a bag off the floor.
"Let’s find another way! Look at Young Lu, he already knew to get out first. But you two—so clueless you’d help count money for the people selling you down the river!"
"Old man, that’s too much!"
Wang Heihou jumped up, glaring at Zhang Village in anger.
"Hey, hey—let’s talk this out. I’m just trying to look out for you! Let it go! You’re no match for them! A couple of brats and one gutter kid—how are you gonna fight back?" Zhang Village edged backwards a couple steps.
He was getting old, legs not so nimble, and the last thing he wanted was to brawl with these two teenage muscleheads.
"You don’t get it!" But Wang Heihou’s gaze had grown calm.
"You have no idea what we’ve been through. Just like you can’t imagine how a few kids in a place that chews you up and spits out bones managed to crawl their way up, step by step! I trust Chang’sheng—he wouldn’t ditch us and run on his own!"
Niu Dazhuang silently picked up the short stool from the floor, his grip so tight his knuckles whitened.
"Well said!"
Just then, a voice sounded from behind.
Wang Heihou and Niu Dazhuang turned, delighted—and there stood a familiar figure by the door, smiling at them.
"Mr. Zhao!"
"Mr. Zhao!"
"Ha!" Zhao Hu laughed heartily, walked into the courtyard, clapped both guys on their shoulders, and calmly looked at Zhang Village.
"Old man, is our friendship really that aningless to you?"
"You—you ca back? How is that possible?" Zhang Village swallowed, totally incredulous.
Zhao Hu frowned slightly.
He was curious himself.
In the morning, the Three Red Gang treated him awfully, but later their attitude changed a lot. Before he left, the Gang Leader even took him to the Traveler’s Inn for a al.
"It was Chang’sheng! He said once he left, you’d be fine."
Wang Heihou suddenly spoke up.
"Left? Where’s Chang’sheng gone?"
"To the Prefecture City, for the examinations!"
······
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