After the Lantern Festival.
In the Huang Residence.
Chu Ning reported to Director Huang that he had already broken through to the Martial Master Realm.
It wasn't that he didn't want to continue laying low, but now Xiazhen Town needed an arrest officer to take charge.
Even with Director Huang's backing, this would cause dissatisfaction among all the arrest officers in the patrol office.
It was not just for his own selfish interests but also to maintain the overall interests of the "arrest officer".
The reasoning was simple. I've trained hard to become an arrest officer and govern a town only as a martial master; now a constable can do it—then what's the point of all my hard work?
Just like the princelings in a previous life, princelings are fine, but there's a prerequisite: everyone needs to have a commonality, like matching educational qualifications; otherwise, it would arouse public outrage.
In the hearts of these arrest officers, it was the same: Director Huang's protection was not a problem, but you had to be a martial master, you had to be an arrest officer.
Otherwise, any director could randomly promote a constable, which would harm the interests of all arrest officers.
Unless Director Huang had absolute power, which clearly wasn't the case since there was still a certain County Magistrate He who was at odds with him and watching closely.
"Breaking through to Martial Master, not bad."
Huang Zhongtai seemed unsurprised. The Tongjin Elixir was worth a fortune; with Chu Ning taking the Tongjin Elixir and spending over a year to reach Martial Master, the speed was not considered fast.
"Now that you have reached the Martial Master Realm, you can become an arrest officer, but I want you to keep it hidden for another half year."
Chu Ning was startled—was there such a good thing?
"However you say, Uncle Huang, that's what I'll do."
Huang Zhongtai was pleased with Chu Ning's attitude and thought for a moment before explaining, "I won't hide it from you, I don't take that County Magistrate He of Daning County seriously. I come from the Huang Family of Qingzhou Prefecture, the Huang Family of one of the eight great names of the Liang Dynasty."
Qingzhou Prefecture, isn't that the neighboring state?
He had thought that the yearly return of Uncle Huang to the prefectural city was to Raozhou Prefecture, but it turned out to be Qingzhou Prefecture.
"Uncle Huang, you carry an extraordinary presence; at first glance, it's evident you come from a distinguished family."
"You smooth talker, you're good at sweet talk. How come I didn't realize you had this slick side before, or was I just blind?"
Huang Zhongtai kept a straight face, but Chu Ning was undaunted. When a superior says this, it means he truly considers you as one of his own; otherwise, if he were truly dissatisfied with you, he wouldn't even mention it.
"Although I am a member of the Huang Family, I'm not a legitimate son. However, the selection of the Family Head of the Huang Family is still determined by martial ability, and even the Family Head cannot have absolute power because there is still an Elders' Council above."
Chu Ning had a better understanding now—Uncle Huang wanted to become the Family Head of the Huang Family, but why was Uncle Huang telling him all this?
By all accounts, even if he was considered one of his own, as merely a martial master, there was no reason to tell him these things.
Even if he wanted to make it clear to Chu Ning that following Uncle Huang would lead to a bright future, revealing his status as a member of the Huang Family would have been enough.
"That County Magistrate He is the confidant of those in the family competing against me, but for now, I'm holding back from acting against him because of the person backing him."
This statement made Chu Ning's eyes narrow—there was quite a bit of information to process.
Uncle Huang was competing for the position of Family Head, and he was being suppressed and feared by his competitors.
But it also proved one thing: Uncle Huang had the capacity to compete for the Family Head position, otherwise the other competitors would have no reason to oppress him.
And from Uncle Huang's tone, Chu Ning sensed that Uncle Huang, too, might be hiding his true capabilities, much like himself.
Keeping his Martial Master strength hidden for another six months probably meant he was planning something.
After leaving the Huang Residence, Chu Ning went to the academy. He needed to discuss with his teacher; the information revealed by Uncle Huang was too significant.
"Chu Sir!"
Several students in the academy excitedly greeted Chu Ning. These students were young people from Xiazhen Town who, after passing the academy's tests, had their elders take them to visit him.
Chu Ning naturally encouraged them a few words, and then repeated the content of the letter he had originally written to Director Huang to the three of them.
"Train hard; I look forward to joining your family's celebrations again."
Chu Ning smiled and encouraged the three students from Xiazhen Town. It was a custom in Daning County to hold a banquet if a child passed the academy's exam, much like the celebrations in a previous life for getting into university.
Entering the academy, even for just three months, meant starting martial studies, which was definitely better than being an ordinary person.
The one with a bigger fist had a bigger voice in the village.
The range of activities for an ordinary person in their lifetime was just within a county, and what they struggled for in half a lifetime were the interests of a few acres of land in the village.
And if they could pass the three-month examination and continue to stay in the academy, the family would have to host another banquet, and this time it would be on an even grander scale.
Leaving the martial training ground, Chu Ning arrived at the courtyard where the teacher lived. Liu Junshan was making tea and poured him a cup as well.
"Is it that Uncle Huang of yours who asked you to temporarily hide your Martial Master strength?"
"Teacher, how did you guess?"
"You just left from here, and now you're back again, which means you have doubts. You also mentioned you were going to the Huang Residence, so the doubt must come from your Uncle Huang."
Chu Ning scratched his head: "Teacher, you really are a mastermind; nothing can be hidden from you."
After several years of interaction, Liu Junshan knew his disciple well. Not to say incredibly smart, but he was certainly astute. The reason why Chu Ning couldn't see Huang Zhongtai's purpose was that his vision had not yet reached that level.
"Your Uncle Huang is the son of the current Family Head of the Huang Family and a maid, which is why your Uncle Huang's position in the Huang Family isn't high, but his martial talent is very high."
"Higher than you, Teacher?"
Liu Junshan's mouth twitched as he looked at Chu Ning's curious gaze, "Just slightly weaker than your teacher."
Through his teacher's recounting, Chu Ning learned of Uncle Huang's experiences.
Though a member of the Huang Family, his status was even lower than some of the family's private slaves because he was born of a maid and suppressed by the Huang Family matriarch.
For this reason, Uncle Huang did not choose to stay in Qingzhou Prefecture, where the Huang Family was in control, but instead came to Raozhou Prefecture under Daning County. He entered the prefectural school there, and it so happened that his teacher was also enrolled in the school at that time, so the two were classmates.
In the school, Uncle Huang broke through the Martial Master Realm in just three years but didn't choose to continue studying in the school. Instead, he became an arrest officer in Daning County, and step by step worked his way up to the position of Director.
Putting himself in Uncle Huang's shoes, Chu Ning was certain that Uncle Huang must have been concealing his abilities, and becoming an arrest officer was a deliberate choice.
"It was in the second year that your Uncle Huang served as an arrest officer when the legitimate eldest son of the Huang Family met with an accident and died. The remaining two legitimate sons had average martial talent and could not possibly succeed the position of Family Head..."
As Liu Junshan spoke these words, he looked meaningfully at Chu Ning.
"The Huang Family's clan rules state that the strongest shall occupy the position of Family Head. The current Family Head knew that with those two sons, he couldn't suppress the other branches' descendants. Only your Uncle Huang had that potential, but the Huang Family's matriarch was presumably unwilling, as it is said that Uncle Huang's mother passed away from childbirth complications soon after his birth."
Chu Ning's eyes narrowed. His teacher's meaning was that Uncle Huang's mother's death was likely related to the Huang Family matriarch.
If he put himself in the shoes of the Huang Family matriarch, he too would prefer a member from a collateral branch to become the Family Head rather than Uncle Huang because, at most, a member from a collateral branch would replace their position. If Uncle Huang took power, he might seek retaliation.
Did Uncle Huang harbor a heart for revenge?
Chu Ning didn't need to guess to know there was; anyone would seek revenge in his place.
Not to mention the enmity of a slain mother, which Uncle Huang might have no evidence for. A proud descendant of the Huang Family not staying in Qingzhou Prefecture but instead fleeing to Raozhou Prefecture was evidently perceiving persecution.
"The struggle for the future head of the Huang Family has reached a critical point, and the outcome will soon emerge."
Liu Junshan's pointed words made Chu Ning understand that Uncle Huang's instructions to hide his Martial Master's strength for six months were probably related to this competition for the position of the Huang Family head.
Chu Ning frowned. Getting involved in such a major family's succession struggle was not a good thing.
"Are you having any regrets now about acknowledging such an Uncle Huang?"
"Regret is not the word. If it weren't for the favor from Uncle Huang, I wouldn't be here today. At the very least, I would have lost a few years. Uncle Huang has shown me kindness; that is an unchangeable fact."
Chu Ning answered truthfully. With the Longevity Fruit, he was sure to rise eventually, but his initial years would have been somewhat trying without it.
If he were unlucky, he might even have fallen into a desperate situation.
The release of energy from the Longevity Fruit was clearly tied to his physical condition; the worse his body was, the slower the progression of power.
Without entering the school, how would he eat well?
And without eating well, how could his strength increase?
Relying on his knowledge and insights from his previous life, even if he went into business, without support, what he earned might not even be enough to pay the Tax Silver and protection fees.
Before entering the school, he had borrowed ten silver taels from neighbors. If he couldn't get into the school, he would have struggled to borrow even one tael.
Let alone later, in school, when Uncle Huang sent medicine that allowed him to stay for a full six months, becoming a constable, and arranged his position in Xiazhen Town.
Xiazhen Town might not have much to offer, but it was still a town. Without Uncle Huang's care, why would it fall into the lap of a new constable?
All of these were acts of kindness.
"If your Uncle Huang asked you to kill someone for him, what would you do?" Liu Junshan asked.
"If I can kill them, then I'll kill," Chu Ning answered promptly.
"You don't care if the person you have to kill is innocent?"
"Uncle Huang is fighting for the position of Huang Family Head, and those he needs to kill are obstacles in his way. Once involved in this circle, there are no innocents."
Chu Ning was no saint; if he had been, he would not have been able to take his company public in his previous life.
"Teacher, you're not probing me on behalf of Uncle Huang, are you?" Chu Ning joked.
"He can't command me, and he doesn't need to probe you. Although I don't know the details of your Uncle Huang's plans, you're not part of his current schemes, and he won't ask you to kill anyone."
Chu Ning nodded, agreeing with his teacher's words.
His breakthrough to the Martial Master Realm had been sudden. Uncle Huang's preparations for the family head competition were surely well-planned in advance. His becoming a Martial Master wouldn't cause Uncle Huang to change his plans.
If Uncle Huang had to change his plans because he had become a Martial Master, then there was no need to compete for the position of Family Head at all.
"How much money do you have on you now?"
"Do you need money, Teacher?" Chu Ning was startled, then quickly reviewed how much silver he had, saying, "I have five hundred taels on me, but if I gather it, I can come up with a thousand."
Over the years, the protection fees Chu Ning collected, along with the money scavenged from gang members, amounted to more than a thousand taels, but much of it was spent on purchasing medicinal herbs in recipes.
Despite his fast progress, his spending was like running water.
Although he had only five hundred taels left, Chu Ning believed borrowing another five hundred wouldn't be difficult.
Not to mention, Jin Le, Zhang Song, and He Jin were from well-off families. He was sure these three would lend him the money if he just asked.
Liu Junshan was somewhat surprised; his disciple was quite capable of making money.
"Prepare a thousand taels and come to the school in three days' time."