Martial Saint through Reading-Chapter 71: They’re All Called Chu Ming?

Recommendation—do you know what this means? It means this junior brother who’s only been in the Academy for a few days doesn’t have to complete the three years of study, doesn’t need to take the county exam, and can immediately become an official!

How is that nothing to talk about?!

Chu Ming smiled indifferently, "You both know my identity, don’t you? I’m just a disguised scholar—how would I dare to become any kind of official."

True enough...

Hearing this, the two of them felt vaguely at ease, but only just; after all, they knew that if Chu Ming was willing, even disguised as a scholar, he could still become an official.

Ning Hao was silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke, "Brother Chu, there’s something I think I need to tell you."

"What is it?"

"That Chu Yu from earlier—that’s the second son of the well-known merchant Chu Family in Baiyuan County," Ning Hao said.

Liang Yuan’s eyes flashed, a smile on his lips, "Brother Chu, since your surname is Chu, could you be that long-lost..."

"..." Ning Hao paused, then spoke solemnly, "From what I know, the Chu Family has an illegitimate son too, also named Chu Ming."

"Ah? Brother Chu—is he really from the Chu Family?!"

Ning Hao shook his head lightly, "Brother Chu’s talent is astonishing, his gifts extraordinary. But that illegitimate son, from childhood, was wild and unlearned, haunting brothels, obsessed with travelogues and storybooks, physically frail."

"He’s either already died of illness, or, for some reason, has been locked up by the Chu Family. After all, he’s merely an illegitimate son with no mother’s protection—anyway, there’s been no news of him for ages."

"Then they’re clearly different people. Brother Chu could unveil the Five Eyes Map and be recommended by Lord Liuu—how could that illegitimate son compare?"

"..." Chu Ming remained silent.

"Brother Chu, I’m saying this only to advise you—not to get too involved with the Chu Family. The Chu Family these days is not at peace."

"Thank you, Senior Brother Ning," Chu Ming said gratefully.

The Chu Family was indeed not at peace, but it was far from as simple as Ning Hao described.

He couldn’t sever ties with the Chu Family—because right now, he was that very illegitimate son of the Chu Family.

The Chu Family would never let him go—and he would not let the Chu Family go either.

Blood Evil Sect... Chu Family...

Chu Ming locked his gaze on the Chu Family guard lurking in the shadows, his expression natural as he said, "Senior brothers, it’s getting late; let’s hurry and find somewhere to change."

"There’s a mixed-shop street outside the painting workshop, with people coming and going," Ning Hao said. "Let’s pick a shop there, get a change of clothes, and slip into the crowd—no one will notice."

The three left the painting workshop, went to the mixed-shop street, and spent a little silver to rent a room at a small inn.

Ning Hao took out the needed items for disguise and three sets of porter’s clothing from his bundle.

Porters were the most common and least noticeable people walking the mixed streets.

In less time than it takes to drink a cup of tea, Chu Ming had already disguised himself; he took a bit more time to help Ning Hao and Liang Yuan do the same, turning them into porters as well.

The three of them watched their chance; when there was no one outside, they slipped out of the inn together.

...

The front entrance of the inn, facing the tavern across the street.

"Lord Shao, do you want me to go in after them?"

Shao Pengshu and Tan Hong sat facing each other by the window: their Flying Fish Suits long since changed to ordinary civilian attire.

"No need. Just a scholar—he won’t escape," Shao Pengshu glanced at the inn, lifted his cup of tea, and sipped slowly, "They’re not from Baiyuan County; most likely they’ve just found lodging here."

After a few sips, his gaze sharpened as he looked toward the street, at an unremarkable alley mouth outside.

"People from the Chu Family!" Tan Hong followed his gaze and instantly spotted someone hiding in the darkness of the alley mouth.

"Most likely sent by that Chu Yu to tail the scholar Liang Hao," Shao Pengshu put down his teacup, his voice icy, "Even someone Lord Liuu favors, the Chu Family dares to meddle with."

"My lord, shall I..."

Shao Pengshu shook his head at those words, "No. Instructor Lin discovered that the Blood Evil Sect may be linked to the Chu Family. You and I are in sensitive positions—we can’t afford to startle them. Just keep an eye on the scholar."

"Yes, sir."

The time it takes to drink a cup of tea later, Tan Hong asked again, "My lord, are we just going to keep watching like this?"

"It’s only one day. No rush. After today, whether he agrees or not, we’ll bring the scholar before Lord Liuu."

Liu Sitong had given Chu Ming three days to consider, but clearly, that was just for show; Shao Pengshu had no intention of actually waiting three days.

Maybe it wasn’t even Shao Pengshu’s own plan, but came from Liu Sitong instead.

Tan Hong paused, suddenly thinking of something, and spoke hurriedly, "My lord, what if that scholar is actually in disguise? After all, people go to the painting workshop, many will put on a disguise."

"Hm?" Shao Pengshu’s eyes flashed. "Not impossible!"

He hadn’t considered this at first; to him, anyone who could solve the Five Eyes Map, and attract both the County Magistrate and the Classics master, why would they have to dress up in disguise?

But with Tan Hong’s reminder, he was suddenly struck by the possibility of an error in his thinking.

Why can’t a genius go in disguise?

"Then..."

"Come, let’s take a look." A wave of foreboding rose fiercely within Shao Pengshu’s heart.

A moment later, back at the inn.

"Where are they?" Tan Hong grabbed a servant boy by the collar and barked fiercely.

"They were... they were just here, in this room..." The boy stammered, trembling. "How are they gone..."

...

East Street.

The three of them, all dressed as porters, walked along the flagstone main street.

This time, the shopkeepers peddling on the streets didn’t shout at them anymore.

"Senior Brother Ning, Senior Brother Liang, you two go on ahead; there’s something I must do, I’ll return to the Academy later," Chu Ming said after they’d left the bustling district and confirmed no one was trailing them.

"Brother Chu..." Ning Hao frowned. "You’re not thinking of..."

"Don’t tell me you want to keep the spoils all for yourself, like Senior Brother Ning did," Liang Yuan joked, his gaze drifting to Chu Ming’s chest where the silver notes and silver were kept.

"Senior brothers, just some minor business. When we return to the Academy, I’ll treat you both to a feast."

Ning Hao hesitated, but a smile instantly appeared on Liang Yuan’s face, "Then Brother Chu, hurry back."

As he spoke, he dragged Ning Hao away.

"Junior Brother Liang, Brother Chu has only been in Baiyuan County a few days. He doesn’t know anyone. How can we just leave him!" worry tinged Ning Hao’s expression.

Liang Yuan only blinked, lips curling with a sly grin, "Senior Brother Ning, didn’t you notice? The girl at the Rain Paint Tower, sister of our Upper Academy’s Senior Brother Su Zhe, seemed quite interested in Brother Chu."

"And? Brother Chu didn’t..."

"How do you know he didn’t?" 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

"You mean Brother Chu went to..."

"..."

...

After parting with Ning Hao and Liang Yuan, Chu Ming doubled back to the inn where they had changed earlier.

With the Sword Gourd Spirit’s spiritual sense, he detected that the County Magistrate’s agents who’d been tailing him—Shao Pengshu and Tan Hong—had already left, but the Chu Family’s guard remained.

"Makes things easier."

Dressed as a porter, Chu Ming walked slowly along the street, slipped into an empty alley, then used his powerful perception and insight to vanish into the dark.

Using the environment, his footsteps were swift; in a blink, he crept up behind the guard, who didn’t notice a thing.

Thunk.

Chu Ming deliberately made a faint sound.

"Who’s there?" The guard jumped. Before he could even turn, a gleam of cold flashed in the dim air and the guard fell wordlessly to the ground.

Chu Ming memorized the guard’s voice, stripped off his clothes, and dragged the corpse into an abandoned house deep in the alley.

For safety’s sake, he destroyed the corpse, then dressed it in ragged clothes found in the ruined house.

Now, the corpse just looked like some beggar who’d died here for reasons unknown.

After handling the body, he donned the guard’s clothing and used his Disguise Technique to make himself look exactly like the guard.