Martial Saint through Reading

Chapter 70: Chapter 70: He Didn’t Say Much, Just Said He’d Recommend Me

This time, not only did Su Zhe fail the challenge, but he would also never be able to challenge again. He had lost to the scholar he once called clever but self-defeating.

The Five Kui Oxen Painting before him was of such high artistry that it had fully reached the level of a professional painter, while his own skills... still had some distance to go.

In the end, who was really being clever?

Su Zhe bowed to Yuan Zhong and saluted: ”Uncle Yuan, I’m fine.”

Perhaps, just as Uncle Yuan said, the withdrawal of the Five Eyes Map challenge is a good thing. I should calm down and prepare for the county examination.

”As long as you’re fine,” Yuan Zhong nodded lightly, then turned his gaze to Su Qian. ”Su Qian, stop looking at the painting and take your brother home.”

”Ah? Oh.” Su Qian answered absentmindedly, her gaze unmoving, saying half-heartedly, ”Brother, it’s nothing, it’s just one painting. Let’s stop looking and go home.”

She said this, but her feet didn’t move. Out of the corner of her eye, she kept glancing, intentionally or not, toward the direction where Chu Ming, the scholar, had entered the inner courtyard.

Suddenly, her beautiful eyes flickered to Chu Yu beside her, remembering that the scholar had left a genuine work at Rain Paint Tower, one that was supposed to go to Chu Yu as a gift, but she had refused.

At this thought, Su Qian’s face revealed uncontrollable excitement, leaving those around unaware of the reason...

”...” Su Zhe saw this, his brows knitting slightly.

He and Su Qian had depended on each other for survival—it only took a glance for him to know what was on his little sister’s mind.

Su Zhe took a silent breath, pulled Su Qian close to him, then bowed slightly to Chu Yu: ”Young Master Chu, let’s forget about the painting lessons. After today, I must prepare for the county examination. Please forgive me.”

As he spoke, he didn’t wait for Chu Yu’s response and simply took Su Qian away, leaving the gallery in silence under the gaze of all.

A trace of malice flashed in Chu Yu’s eyes. In all his life, he had never been treated so capriciously!

His request for Su Zhe to teach painting was just a pretext; his true purpose was to befriend Su Zhe before he could attain fame through the exams.

But as they were now in the gallery, and the other was an Upper Academy Student of Baiyuan Academy, he dared not say much. He suppressed his feelings, keeping up a polite facade. ”It’s no bother. Naturally, Brother Su must make the county exam a priority.”

Chu Yu watched Su Zhe’s departing figure, his gaze shifting swiftly to the fierce fellow Ning Hao and the scholar Liang Yuan who were waiting nearby. Suddenly, an idea struck him.

If he couldn’t befriend Su Zhe for now, weren’t there still others he could?

Befriending a scholar... the painting... the fourth painting!

Chu Yu suddenly recalled something, his previously warm smile instantly freezing up.

The fourth painting was the genuine one, delivered by Su Zhe, but he hadn’t taken it!

Why didn’t I take it!

He cast a frosty look at Wu Tian, as if blaming Housekeeper Wu for not taking it.

Wu Tian was momentarily stunned, then realized what Chu Yu’s gaze meant.

After a pause, Chu Yu straightened his clothes and put on a genial smile again, slowly approaching Liang Yuan with a bow. ”Brother...”

Brother?

The second son of the Chu Family, addressing a scholar’s page as ”Brother”?

Everyone present couldn’t help but look over.

”Can I help you?” Liang Yuan pretended to be calm, though he already had an idea of what this was about.

Because after Chu Ming succeeded in the Five Eyes Map challenge and won the attention of the county magistrate and classics manager, even Liang Yuan, as his page, was being sought out for flattery.

Chu Yu only smiled and waved his hand. Housekeeper Wu stepped forward, unfolding the three imitation paintings bought earlier at Rain Paint Tower, one after the other.

”Oh?” Liang Yuan raised his eyebrows.

Chu Yu said with a smile, ”These three imitation paintings are exactly the same. Brother, your painting skills deserve my admiration.”

Although he said this, Chu Yu now bitterly regretted not taking the fourth painting. If he had, he would not only have obtained an authentic master’s work for almost nothing, but also found a good way to befriend the scholar.

Three imitation paintings exactly the same?

The onlookers were all surprised, turning their curious gazes.

Even Yuan Zhong, the gallery manager, turned to look at the three paintings.

”They really are identical!” someone exclaimed.

”He actually managed to copy three completely identical True Maps of Mountains and Rivers!”

”...”

The page did the imitations?!

Only now did everyone realize why the wealthy second son of the Chu Family would approach a scholar’s page.

If even the page was this skilled, no wonder that scholar could paint a successful Five Kui Oxen Painting in the Five Eyes Map challenge.

The voices of amazement were endless, and Liang Yuan’s complex emotions played across his face.

On the surface, people seemed to be praising his skill, but in truth, only one of the three was painted by him; the other two were...

His heart filled with shame—yet, seeing the shock on everyone’s faces, why did he also feel a secret delight?

Yuan Zhong looked over a few times, his eyes returning to calm.

Ordinary people couldn’t spot the difference between the three, but as the gallery manager, his discerning eye did catch a little disparity.

”My name is Chu Yu. May I ask, brother...” Chu Yu began, but was interrupted as someone walked out from deeper in the gallery.

”That scholar is coming out!” someone with sharp eyes whispered.

In an instant, every gaze locked onto Chu Ming, the scholar.

Chu Ming appeared calm, walking steadily to the side of Ning Hao and Liang Yuan, his eyes deliberately sweeping the crowd, including Chu Yu.

Everyone nodded and saluted him courteously; even Chu Yu paused, then hastily bowed: ”Young master, I am Chu Yu from the Chu Family.”

As he spoke, he subtly shifted aside, giving Chu Ming a clear view of the three paintings.

Though they were only imitations by a page, this at least gave a pretext to make connections.

Chu Ming had wanted to find an opportunity to investigate the Chu Family through Chu Yu; now that the latter was taking the initiative, he certainly wouldn’t pass it up.

But he wasn’t too obvious about it; he simply saluted back, then turned to the page-like Liang Yuan and fierce Ning Hao: ”Let’s go.”

Chu Yu was indeed an opportunity, but if treated too differently, it might have the opposite effect.

The three were just about to leave when Chu Yu hurried to catch up, beaming: ”Today, young master has succeeded in revealing the Five Eyes Map and hanging the Five Kui Oxen Painting in the gallery—a great occasion.”

”I have already ordered a banquet at Immortal Dream Tower. Might young master do me the honor of attending?”

Chu Ming stopped, looked at Chu Yu, and replied, feigning slight irritation, ”Young Master Chu, I still have matters to attend to.”

As soon as he finished, the fierce Ning Hao glared and blocked Chu Yu. Chu Yu, recognizing the hint, tactfully retreated.

The three of them exited the gallery, walking down the street, with the people inside watching from afar.

After turning two street corners, the three slowed down, and Ning Hao and Liang Yuan finally breathed easier.

At this distance, Chu Yu’s aura was still at the edge of the Sword Gourd Spirit’s sensing range.

Liang Yuan scanned around, making sure no one was watching them, then lowered his voice and said excitedly, ”Brother Chu, what did Lord Liuu say to you? Where’s the three hundred taels of silver?”

However, at this moment, Chu Ming’s brows knit slightly. Under the Sword Gourd Spirit’s sense, there were several tails behind them, split in two groups.

On one side were two people, their auras familiar—Shao Pengshu and Tan Hong, who had come from Liuu Town together.

As for the other, it was the guard who’d been following Chu Yu earlier.

He had expected Chu Yu to send someone to tail them, but that Shao Pengshu and Tan Hong followed as well...

”I’ve put away the silver,” Chu Ming replied. ”Lord Liuu didn’t say much—just said he’d recommend me.”

”Oh, that’s fine then... huh?” Liang Yuan’s expression changed abruptly. ”What did Lord Liuu say he’d do?!”

Ning Hao also whipped his head to Chu Ming: ”Brother Chu, you didn’t get that wrong?”