"Summoned by the prefectural office?"
Hearing Dan Yan Gong's words, Wei Tu felt a moment of panic.
With his current status and strength, he no longer feared the Li family or the Huang family, but he was far from being able to stand against the government.
However, after the initial wave of anxiety, he quickly calmed himself.
If the prefectural office truly intended to arrest him, they wouldn't have sent officials with such courtesy, allowing Dan Yan Gong enough time to reach his courtyard and inform him. Instead, they would have deployed soldiers to surround the Dan residence and take him by force.
Moreover, while examination fraud was not uncommon in the Zheng Kingdom, it was rare for such cases to be officially investigated. Over the past decades, almost no cases had been openly exposed.
This meant that the prefectural office was unlikely to be here to apprehend him. They must have another reason for summoning him…
"What could it be?" Wei Tu furrowed his brows.
The only connection he had to the prefectural government was through the martial examinations—the prefectural examination and the Dao examination.
Other than that, he was just an ordinary commoner. There was no reason for the government to involve him in anything else.
"Yan Gong Ge, don't be too anxious. This shouldn't be anything serious."
Wei Tu firmly gripped Dan Yan Gong's trembling hands, trying to reassure him.
Many criminals exposed themselves not because of solid evidence, but because of their own panic.
A few moments later, Dan Yan Gong winced from the pain, his expression returning to normal. He nodded, signaling that he understood, and then urged Wei Tu to go to the main hall to meet the prefectural officials.
After all, he was a Scholar, someone who had seen the world. Now that he had calmed down, he could see through the situation more clearly.
…
A quarter of an hour later.
Wei Tu arrived at the rear hall of the prefectural office.
As soon as he saw a group of young martial candidates around his age standing in the hall, he felt a sense of relief. His tension eased immediately.
He began to wonder what Prefect He was up to, calling all of them—the newly appointed Martial Scholars—to the prefectural office on the night before the rankings were officially posted.
"Wei Tu, do you know why Prefect He summoned us here?"
After waiting for a while, Wei Tu felt someone nudge his elbow. He turned his head and saw that it was Wei Fei, a martial candidate from his county.
"I don't know," Wei Tu replied curtly.
Inside the government office, he followed three principles: listen more, observe more, and speak less.
Seeing Wei Tu's reluctance to talk, Wei Fei lost interest in further questioning. Instead, he followed Wei Tu's example, standing silently in a corner of the hall, waiting for the official in charge to arrive.
Before long, the noise in the hall gradually faded.
Wei Tu raised his gaze and looked toward the center of the hall, where Prefect He sat in the main seat, dressed in the robes of a civil official.
"I have summoned all of you here today because there is an important matter that requires discussion," Prefect He said after taking a sip of tea to moisten his throat.
At his signal, the attendants around him began moving, bringing stools and chairs into the hall for the young martial scholars.
Once everyone was seated, Prefect He continued.
"A few days ago, Governor Wang issued an order regarding the presence of a martial sect in Southern Mountain Dao known as the Martial Luck Pavilion."
"This sect actively recruits top-ranking Martial Scholars from each Dao examination, taking them in as disciples. Such actions… undermine the foundations of the imperial court and threaten the stability of the kingdom."
Prefect He spoke slowly, his tone deliberate.
Hearing this, Wei Tu's brow twitched slightly, though he remained outwardly expressionless.
He silently pondered why Prefect He was bringing up the Martial Luck Pavilion to them, the newly appointed Martial Scholars.
This was the first time he had ever heard of such a large-scale martial sect in the Zheng Kingdom.
Back in Qingmu County, he had encountered various martial schools and training halls, but none of them held significant influence. Most of their teachings consisted of flowery but impractical techniques.
At least during the county examination, he had not seen many martial candidates from these schools who had the ability to advance to the prefectural level.
Now, however, Prefect He was saying that the Martial Luck Pavilion specifically recruited Martial Scholars each year.
This meant that the top experts within the sect must possess formidable strength.
A Martial Scholar might seem like the lowest rank of the martial examination, but in reality, every Martial Scholar was a renowned martial figure within their county or township.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they were the best among a hundred candidates.
"Could it be… the Martial Luck Pavilion has martial artists at the Qi Perception Realm? Or even stronger Xiantian Realm masters?"
Wei Tu silently speculated.
After a brief pause, Prefect He continued, "I believe you all are intelligent enough to guess why I've summoned you here today."
"This matter has already been discussed with Governor Wang. If you are willing to infiltrate the Martial Luck Pavilion as spies, once we eliminate them, those who contribute will be rewarded handsomely. Even those without major accomplishments will be promoted by three ranks and granted one hundred mu of fertile land."
"Additionally, Governor Wang is willing to offer a manual for an internal cultivation technique as a reward for those who participate."
An official position!
An internal cultivation technique!
One hundred mu of fertile land!
These three tremendous rewards were laid bare before Wei Tu and the other martial scholars.
Hearing this, many of them felt their hearts waver.
Including Wei Tu.
However, he quickly realized the hidden dangers.
"For the government to offer such a generous reward, it means that infiltrating the Martial Luck Pavilion must be extremely dangerous—possibly even life-threatening."
Unlike the others, who came from wealthy families, Wei Tu had responsibilities. He needed to obtain an official position, earn money, and buy back Xinghua's freedom.
He couldn't afford unnecessary risks!
Moreover, while these rewards seemed enticing, to Wei Tu, they weren't worth the danger.
A government post and wealth…
Wei Tu was confident that he could secure these by passing the next provincial martial examination.
Once he became a Martial Examination Graduate, these benefits would naturally follow.
As for the internal cultivation technique…
While he was indeed tempted, infiltrating the Martial Luck Pavilion wasn't the only way to acquire one.
Since Governor Wang was offering an internal technique as a reward, it meant that such manuals could be obtained through official channels. If he held a government position, he might have another opportunity to gain access to one.
Furthermore, Wei Tu recalled that his grandmaster, the Golden Blade Warrior, had failed to extend his life upon breaking into the Xiantian Realm. Perhaps his master, Dan Wu Ju, already possessed an internal cultivation technique. If that were the case, there was no need for Wei Tu to take such a reckless risk.
Lastly, there was another factor.
One could never be too careful when dealing with others.
With so many people infiltrating the Martial Luck Pavilion, there was no guarantee that someone wouldn't leak information. If their cover were blown, they would be completely isolated, unable to call for help.
"Prefect He, may I ask if we are allowed to decline this mission?"
Soon, another martial scholar voiced the same concerns that Wei Tu had.
An official post, money, and an internal cultivation technique—these were things not everyone desperately needed.
Even those who did wouldn't necessarily be willing to risk their lives for them.
"Of course, you may refuse." Prefect He placed his teacup down and nodded, his expression remaining calm and unchanged.
While a Martial Scholar held a lower rank than him as a prefect, their status still distinguished them from commoners.
A Martial Scholar had the right to meet an official without bowing.
He couldn't simply force them into compliance.
Punishing a Martial Scholar required a valid legal reason, and any charges had to be submitted to the Ministry of Justice for final approval.
After he finished speaking, several of the martial scholars seemed hesitant, preparing to follow the first scholar's example and decline outright.
"If you agree to infiltrate the Martial Luck Pavilion, in addition to these rewards, I will personally grant you one hundred taels of gold and arrange for my legitimate daughter to marry into your family!"
Seeing the wavering expressions of the group, Prefect He finally lost his patience. He gritted his teeth and made a bold offer.
Governor Wang had put him under immense pressure—if he failed this mission, he might lose his position as prefect.
Marrying his daughter to a Martial Scholar was not necessarily a disgrace to his family.