Chapter 37: A First Trial Reveals the Edge

Upon hearing Tian Zi’s addition, the expression of the Lu family matriarch softened slightly. She gave Tian Zi a look, signaling him to continue. Although Tian Zi was advanced in age, his background in martial arts kept him in relatively robust health. Having received the cue, he rose directly and bowed to those present.

"This old servant has practiced martial arts for many years, though I have not achieved any great fame. My only noteworthy accomplishment has been guiding two generations of the Lu family onto the path of cultivation. Outside these walls, many have heard the name Tian Zi. They know that the three heroes of the Lu family were all introduced to the martial path by me. Even among the younger generation of the Lu family today, the performance has been excellent. The Second Young Master, Third Young Lady, and Fifth Young Lady all passed the entrance examination for the Martial Arts Academy on their first attempt. The Sixth Young Master will also be taking the exam next year. Outside, there are truly many who hold me in high regard, and I suppose I have gained some reputation."

Tian Zi paused for a moment here. His gaze swept across the room before settling back on the matriarch. His preceding words were merely a prelude; now, he was getting to the point.

"My request before leaving is not for wealth. I only ask that you, Matriarch, do not allow the Fourth Young Master to participate in the Martial Arts Academy examination. Considering the lifetime of service I have given to the Lu family, I implore you to agree."

Having reached this point, the old man even knelt. "If the Fourth Young Master participates in the academy's examination, he will surely fail. I have spent the better part of my life painstakingly building my reputation. If that reputation were lost because the Fourth Young Master performs poorly, it would bring great disgrace upon me."

Hearing this, the matriarch turned her head toward Lu Xiao, but Lu Xiao remained unresponsive, showing no intention of acknowledging the words.

"Old Tian, Lu Xiao has never been under your tutelage. Whether he passes the exam or not should not affect you," the matriarch said from her seat, offering an explanation.

Tian Zi shook his head repeatedly. "Matriarch, that is where you are mistaken. The members of the Lu family know I have never taught the Fourth Young Master—not a single bit from start to finish. But in the eyes of outsiders, the introductory training for all the young generation of the Lu family is credited to me. If the Fourth Young Master performs poorly in public, apart from his own embarrassment, I will certainly not be able to escape the stain on my name..."

Tian Zi’s face was filled with helplessness; he seemed genuinely concerned. "I ask the Matriarch to grant Old Tian’s request. If the Fourth Young Master goes on this trip, the entire Marquis's Mansion will lose face."

As his voice trailed off, the other old servants around him rose to support his plea. The matriarch turned to look at Lu Xiao again. If Lu Xiao were to give up on the examination, he would be willing to surrender his spiritual bone, an outcome she would be happy to see. However, Lu Xiao remained calm, his expression unchanged, showing no intention of entertaining Tian Zi’s words.

"Lu Xiao is rebellious by nature; I cannot persuade him either. Old Tian, if you are so confident, why don't you try to persuade him yourself and see if he listens to you?"

Hearing this, Tian Zi turned to face Lu Xiao, who was sitting behind him. "Fourth Young Master, I am leaving the mansion tomorrow. I ask that you grant me this small request."

As Tian Zi spoke, Lu Yun, his sister, chimed in from the side. She was aware of the wager between Lu Xiao and their grandmother, but she hoped Lu Xiao would simply surrender the spiritual bone and skip the examination, as performing poorly would truly shame the Lu family.

The eyes of everyone in the room were fixed on Lu Xiao, waiting for his answer. Lu Xiao stood up, offered a polite bow to his elders, and spoke.

"Old Tian has been in the mansion for many years, but he has never offered me any guidance. As a member of the younger generation of the Lu family, I have the right to choose my own path of cultivation and training. I ask Old Tian to mind his own conduct."

Lu Xiao’s words invoked the rules directly, accusing Tian Zi of overstepping his bounds. Strictly speaking, while Tian Zi was a servant of the mansion, he had no authority to dictate the choices of the young masters. The matriarch, seated high above, did not interject. Lu Xiao’s words made it inappropriate for her to speak on Tian Zi’s behalf. Her silence was the greatest support she could provide.

Tian Zi, however, remained unfazed by Lu Xiao’s response, still as self-righteous as before. "It is true that I have no standing, but I am thick-skinned, and I rely on the fact that I am leaving to say what others dare not. The Matriarch, out of familial affection, indulges you in many things. But Fourth Young Master, you must also think of the good of the mansion and understand its difficulties. To be honest, your talent for cultivation is quite a bit worse than even this old man’s... I gave you opportunities in the past, but you were unable to seize them."

The old man still appeared kind and benevolent, yet his words were entirely detrimental to Lu Xiao. Lu Xiao prepared to stand up and emphasize once more that he had no right to offer him advice, but Tian Zi continued before he could speak.

"When I was young, a senior once gave me a piece of advice, which I now pass on to you: accepting one's own mediocrity is a form of discipline. In all these years, I have never misjudged anyone. If the Fourth Young Master is not capable, then he is simply not capable."

Tian Zi’s gaze landed on Lu Xiao again. "Fourth Young Master, are you listening?"

Faced with this persistent questioning, Lu Xiao maintained his previous stance. "As a member of the younger generation of the Lu family, I have the right to choose my own path of cultivation. I ask Old Tian to mind his own conduct."

Hearing this, Tian Zi sighed. "With this attitude, it seems the reputation I have cultivated for years will be ruined by this..."

As he finished speaking, Lu Xiao remained as calm as ever. Hesitating, Tian Zi turned back to the matriarch. "Matriarch, I am leaving tomorrow. Before I go, I wish to contribute one last time. I am well-versed in martial arts and have no trouble guiding juniors through the basics. However, given my own aptitude, I would certainly never be able to enter the five great Martial Arts Academies of the Great Xia. The Fourth Young Master is no longer a child; he has reached the age of manhood. To attend the academy's examination, his strength must surely be several times greater than mine. Since he claims I have never offered him guidance, consider this my final gift to him. It is better to lose face within the walls of the mansion than to lose face in the outside world."

Having said this, Tian Zi walked out of his seat and stood in the open space of the Cuiqing Garden.

"Fourth Young Master, feel free to attack. I will not dodge or parry. I will endure three of your strikes. These three strikes will allow you to see your own talent and insight clearly. But let us be clear: if you cannot knock me down within three strikes, you must stop being so stubborn about the examination. If you lose face later, I ask that you explain to the people of Great Xia that your martial path was not guided by me."