Rise from a Low-class Family to Martial Artist

Li Zhe had a confident smile on his face; he believed he hadn’t misjudged the attitudes of the Shu Family and the Jiang Family.

Just like when the Huo Family was destroyed, Huo Shu had no value beyond her beauty. Their Li Family never mentioned the marriage alliance with the Huo Family to outsiders. Naturally, the Jiang Family felt the same, not wanting to hear anyone mention the Lin Family again.

”Get up, I won’t be looking for you tonight.”

Li Zhe patted the woman’s plump body and saw her puzzled expression but didn’t explain. To deal with the Lin Family, the best candidate wasn’t their Li Family but Huo Shu.

The Li Family could stay behind the scenes, and even if something unexpected happened, Huo Shu could be pushed forward to take the blame.

Huo Shu was from the Huo Family. Seeking revenge for her family’s destruction, she secretly targeted the Lin Family, while their Li Family knew nothing about it; nobody could say anything.

So tonight, he would go to Huo Shu’s courtyard and pretend to accidentally let slip the news of Lin Chen’s death to her.

...

...

Poyang County.

”Alright, I will pack up, and tomorrow I’ll set off for the battlefield.”

He Ruyun had received orders from above to head to the northern battlefield. His face showed no sign of panic; he had even been looking forward to this for months, to cover up the sky.

Since the day the Liang and Han Kingdoms went to war, he hadn’t stopped thinking about going to the battlefield to kill the enemy.

Now, his wish was finally coming true.

During these months of war with the Han Kingdom, the Imperial Court had been dispatching martial artists from various paths to the battlefield, but he hadn’t been called in the first two rounds. Now, in the third round, it was finally his turn.

Martial Affairs Office.

Su Lingchuan had also received the transfer order, but he frowned.

It wasn’t that he was afraid to die on the battlefield. It was because he knew that He Ruyun had also received the transfer order.

Transferring both the County Magistrate and the Director of the Martial Affairs Office at the same time was unusual.

Could it be that the battlefield was at a disadvantage and urgently needed Grade-Entering Martial Artists?

Su Lingchuan had doubts. Normally, they would only transfer either the Director of the Martial Affairs Office or the County Magistrate, leaving someone who was familiar with the local situation to maintain order. Transferring both at the same time could mean an extreme shortage on the battlefield.

Thinking this far, a shadow cast over Su Lingchuan’s mind. If the battlefield lacked martial artists, it meant the situation was extremely unfavorable for the Liang.

”If the battlefield situation is unfavorable, it would be impossible for the Imperial Court not to send war reports.”

Ever since the war with the Han Kingdom began, the Imperial Court had been sending daily war reports to various places, even to him, a mere Director of the Martial Affairs Office. The report sent just yesterday indicated that the fight between the Liang and Han Kingdoms was in a deadlock.

Unless the Imperial Court was sending false reports.

But the two Prime Ministers and Lord Liang were not such people.

”What is the lord contemplating?”

A staff member nearby saw Su Lingchuan meditating over the transfer order and couldn’t help but ask.

”Nothing, perhaps I’m overthinking it.”

...

...

Linhu Village.

”Lord Jia, could you please persuade these young men from our village? Going to war means death... I know that our Liang Kingdom is at war with the Han Kingdom, and it concerns every Liang citizen, but these young men haven’t even opened their acupoints; going to war is like sending them to their deaths.”

Zhao Canghe complained to Jia Nanzhu by the lakeside at the village’s edge.

”Or let Lin Chen write a letter to the village. These youngsters in our village respect Lin Chen; his words are more effective than those of the elders at home.”

Jia Nanzhu, hearing this from Zhao Canghe, squinted his old eyes slightly. He had known for some time that Lin Chen had entered the array sealing the Li Fire several months ago and his life was uncertain. However, he hadn’t informed Lin Chen’s family.

The old village chief of Linhu Village, though not a martial artist, was quite shrewd. With the Liang at war with the Han Kingdom, and Lin Chen having no news for months, this old village chief might have made some guesses and had come to him for confirmation.

”Lin Chen is occupied and may not have the time.”

”No problem, just writing a letter and sending it back won’t take much time,” Zhao Canghe responded with a smile.

Jia Nanzhu gave Zhao Canghe a long look, and after a while, sighed deeply: ”Brother Zhao, Lin Chen has been missing for several months, his life or death is unknown.”

Facing Zhao Canghe, Jia Nanzhu finally didn’t withhold the truth.

”Wha... what?”

Zhao Canghe’s body trembled. Although he had a bad feeling, to hear it confirmed from Lord Jia’s own mouth was still hard to accept.

”Lord... Lord Jia, you must be joking with me.”

”Several months ago, Lin Chen entered a dangerous place, a place even First-Grade Martial Artists couldn’t tread, and now five months have passed without any news from Lin Chen.”

Jia Nanzhu understood Zhao Canghe’s feelings. When he first received the news, he too found it hard to accept.

He and Lin Chen were student and teacher, so upon receiving the news, he left Linhu Village for the Li Fire Path for the first time, even witnessing the overwhelming flames within the array.

”Lord Jia, I don’t understand the Li Fire; just tell me what are the chances of Lin Chen surviving?”

”One in ten.”

...

...

Leaving Jia Nanzhu’s lakeside residence, Zhao Canghe wiped his eyes with his sleeve, fearing others might see he had been crying earlier.

Why does it have to be... why one in ten?

He didn’t know how to face Lin Chen’s parents.

”Village Chief... Village Chief, please just let us enlist.”

A group of young men, led by Gu Fei, happened to walk over and saw Zhao Canghe, immediately running over to him.

In the past, Zhao Canghe would have scolded them a few times, but now he put on a stern face: ”Fine.”

”Village Chief, you agree?”

Gu Fei and the others almost couldn’t believe their eyes. The village chief, who never agreed, actually agreed this time.

”Go ahead, enlist. When the time comes and you die out there, I’ll redistribute your family’s fields to others in the village. Don’t expect the village to support your parents in old age. If you die, your body will come back wrapped in burlap, and don’t expect to be buried in the village. Find any plot of land outside the village to bury you.”

Gu Fei: ...

Other village youths: ...