Martial Saint through Reading

This tea is extremely precious, rarely does our shopkeeper bring it out, and if it’s brought out, it must be to entertain a very important guest.

The person before her...

Qing’er secretly observed the youth clad in black.

He seems ordinary enough...

Hoong Ying saw Little Qing’s expression, glared at her, and then led Chu Ming inside.

Similarly, the first pass was through a calligraphy and painting corridor, with paintings hanging on both walls, and at the end of the corridor was a scholarly scented room.

Entering the room, scanning the surroundings, most of the paintings hanging inside were Master Hoong Ying’s works from the blacksmith shop in Xirong County.

At the innermost side, Chu Ming saw two paintings framed in gold, one was Mr. Tang Bai’s ”Sword Pointing to the Sky,” and the other was his imitation work.

”Sit.”

Hoong Ying lifted the red yarn, revealing the fiery red hair on her temples.

Unlike her casual spread in Xirong County, today Hoong Ying deliberately braided two tufts of fiery hair, giving her an exotic beauty.

”Only arrived today?” Hoong Ying asked with a smile.

”Yes, just arrived.” Chu Ming withdrew his gaze and focused on Hoong Ying.

Knock, knock...

At this moment, the door was knocked, Qing’er brought in the Red Flame Golden Lotus Tea.

Brewing the tea, pouring the tea, the movements were practiced.

”Qing’er, leave first, don’t come in unless I call for you.” Hoong Ying pushed the cup towards Chu Ming.

”Yes...” Qing’er’s eyes moved, she bowed and retreated.

Closing the door, pressing against the wall...

”Qing’er!” Hoong Ying looked at the large silhouette outside the door and rebuked softly.

”...” After the reprimand, the silhouette outside the door slowly departed.

Hoong Ying slightly bowed to Chu Ming: ”Qing’er was sold by her parents when she was very young, after adopting her, I’ve indulged her somewhat, leading to some stubbornness.”

”No problem.” Chu Ming took up the Red Flame Golden Lotus Tea and drank, ”Let’s talk business.”

”Alright.” Hoong Ying’s expression turned solemn, ”I won’t hide it from Brother Fang, I want you to defeat Tang Bai’s disciple in the Golden Hundred Knowledge Grand Competition because I have a vendetta with Tang Bai.”

”My mother was troubled by emotions, she died due to Tang Bai...”

Hoong Ying slowly recounted the many antecedents.

In summary, Tang Bai, a painter renowned throughout the Great Qin Dynasty, had left several romantic debts in his youth, and Hoong Ying’s mother was among them.

Due to family opposition, Tang Bai only had a fleeting encounter with Hoong Ying’s mother and never met again afterward.

But it was because of that encounter that Hoong Ying came to be.

Pregnant out of wedlock, the Red Flame Race naturally didn’t want to lose face, thus they imprisoned Hoong Ying’s mother in the clan territory, where she eventually died of sullen grievance.

After coming of age, Hoong Ying left the clan territory, seeking ways to oppose Tang Bai.

But the Tang Family is a lineage family from the founding of the Great Qin Dynasty, what waves can one person stir?

Hoong Ying could only conceal her hatred, adopting a hidden identity in Xirong County, which led to subsequent events.

Chu Ming listened silently, without speaking much.

The woman before him, clearly much older than him, appeared as a slighted young woman.

By the end, Hoong Ying’s eyes were moist.

Since her mother’s death, she hadn’t revealed her innermost thoughts to anyone for a long time.

She didn’t know why, ever since she saw a fleeting strange white glow from the black-clad youth before her, a fondness unintentionally arose in her heart.

Perhaps it couldn’t be called fondness, but a kind of reverence, mixed with an unfathomable trust she herself couldn’t comprehend.

”Thank you for listening to my ramblings,” she secretly wiped away the moisture, forcing a smile, ”let me tell you about this time’s participation in the Golden Hundred Knowledge Grand Competition’s painting part.”

”Alright.” Chu Ming nodded.

”The painting competition is divided into two parts, first is the grand selection, requiring a painting to be sent to the Imperial City for assessment to decide who advances to the next round.”

”Moreover, not just anyone can send their work to the Imperial City, it must be someone with status and reputation.”

Hoong Ying spoke and took out a flaming red plaque, ”This is the identity I arranged for you.”

Chu Ming took the plaque and examined it.

”Hoong Jun?”

The plaque inscribed with ’Hoong Jun’.

”Yes, a plaque from the Red Flame Race, or else your painting would not qualify for submission to the Imperial City.”

”Alright.” Chu Ming didn’t dwell on the identity, ”I’ll make a painting in a bit.”

Hoong Ying voiced some worry: ”There’s about half a month left until the competition, shouldn’t you prepare more?”

”No need.”

”...Alright.” Hoong Ying considered Chu Ming’s painting skills, once again finding trust within her.

She drank a few sips of tea and continued, ”The paintings submitted to the Imperial City undergo selection, generally leaving about a hundred, hence one hundred slots.”

”These hundred individuals may paint under the Golden List, engaging in the final competition, judged by multiple masters.”

”Additionally, there’s a possibility of gaining title on the Golden List.”

”But earning a title on the Golden List is extremely difficult, the most recent title was claimed over two hundred years ago, by a prince, one of the current Great Qin Dynasty’s two National Guardian Realm figures.”

Chu Ming’s eyes flashed, knowing that two hundred years ago a prince claimed the title, now one of Great Qin Dynasty’s two National Guardian Realm figures.

”Tang Bai has three disciples participating this time, namely Tang Zhe, Qi Chen, Pei Yi.”

”Pei Yi is from Grand Commandant Pei’s family, Tang Bai’s sole female disciple, presumed to be the only woman participating in the calligraphy and painting competition this year, her talent astonishing, just over twenty years old, with paintings imbued with five parts of Tang Bai’s style.”

”Rumor has it, her goal isn’t to compete for rank in the competition, but to vie for the insight opportunity from gaining title on the Golden List.”

The Grand Commandant is a first-grade official, akin to a Guard Captain responsible for the Emperor’s security during outings.

”The second one, Qi Chen, belongs to the Qi Family of the Ministry of Rites, the longest learning under Tang Bai, known for diligence, can also create works with five parts Tang Bai’s style.”