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Kaohe Town Martial Arts Hall.
The sound of gongs and drums also stirred the students in the Martial Arts Hall. Many students looked at the procession passing in front of the hall with puzzled expressions.
"Whose family is having a celebration?"
"Are you blind? What family celebration would involve officials?"
"I know! It’s our village’s Brother Lin who won first place in the county competition. Today, the County Magistrate is sending calligraphy to Linhu Village. Our village is also setting up a banquet today. My cousin ca to tell about it just now."
A young man from Linhu Village shouted in the Martial Arts Hall, and for a mont, excited expressions appeared on the faces of the students there.
The na Lin Chen, this Senior Brother who graduated a year before them, is already well known. The competition three months ago is still vivid in their mories.
"Learn martial arts like Senior Brother Lin!"
Soone later shouted this slogan, but it truly represented the heartfelt wish of all the students.
To practice martial arts to the level of Senior Brother Lin is a life worthwhile.
The honor of receiving calligraphy from the County Magistrate and the presence of officials with gongs and drums is sothing only seen in past years when soone excelled in the Martial Arts Examination, a rare event that occurs once every ten years in Kaohe Town.
"Unexpectedly, after leaving the Martial Arts Hall, Lin Chen soared to great heights in such a short ti. Senior Brother Yu really had a good eye."
Instructor Liu and Instructor Chen in the Martial Arts Hall were also filled with emotions as they listened to the sound of the gongs and drums.
They thought that after Lin Chen won first place in the March competition, things would calm down for a while. Unexpectedly, just three months later, he once again caused a sensation in Poyang County.
"If Junior Brother Yu were still in the Martial Arts Hall, he would probably be invited to sit at the main table in Linhu Village."
"If Junior Brother Yu were still in the Martial Arts Hall, he would now be going to the Martial Arts School or taking a position in the Martial Affairs Office."
Instructor Liu answered with a sigh. Instructor Chen paused and then realized the logic behind it.
The model instructor of Poyang County couldn’t possibly remain in a small Martial Arts Hall.
"Instructor Liu, Instructor Chen, good news..."
Just as Instructor Liu and Instructor Chen were reflecting, the courtyard door was pushed open, and Steward Zhang ran in with an excited expression.
"What has made Steward Zhang so excited?"
"Lin... Lin Chen... Young Master Lin has co to the Martial Arts Hall."
Whoosh!
Instructor Liu and Instructor Chen imdiately stood up, "Where is Lin Chen?"
"Just at the back door of the Martial Arts Hall. Lin Chen said he didn’t want to disturb the students’ training, so he didn’t enter through the main entrance."
"Invite him in. Never mind, the two of us will go personally."
The two exchanged a glance. Lin Chen’s visit to the Martial Arts Hall was unexpected for them, as Lin Chen was only close to Instructor Yu in the hall, having a fairly ordinary relationship with the two of them.
"Disciple Lin Chen greets Instructor Liu and Instructor Chen."
At the back door of the Martial Arts Hall, Lin Chen saw Instructors Liu and Chen co out, and he smiled while performing a disciple’s salute: "Today, the disciple is hosting a banquet in the village. I wonder if the two instructors have ti to co to the village for a drink?"
"Haha, of course, there is ti," Instructor Liu stroked his beard.
"Not to ntion having ti, even if I had other things, I’d have to put them off; I’ve long wanted to have this drink," Instructor Chen was even more direct, expressing his thoughts directly.
In their heart, both were very satisfied with Lin Chen. The fact that Lin Chen rembered to invite them at this ti made them extrely gratified.
Inviting the two instructors was a spur-of-the-mont decision by Lin Chen.
Today, as the County Magistrate’s calligraphy was to be delivered to the village, he was certainly planning to go back. However, he did not return with the procession but rode back on his own.
To parade with the procession, even with thick skin, would be too much to bear.
On the way back, he thought that if Instructor Yu were here and knew he won first place in the county competition, he would undoubtedly feel gratified. Thinking of Instructor Yu, he rembered Instructors Liu and Chen from the Martial Arts Hall.
Inviting the two instructors to the banquet rely added two more pairs of chopsticks, and while they didn’t offer much martial arts help, they had not opposed Instructor Yu giving him work-study opportunities.
"If Steward Zhang is free..."
Lin Chen looked at Steward Zhang. Adding two pairs of chopsticks was more, adding three was also more.
In the future, there would be many youths from Linhu Village entering the Martial Arts Hall. Steward Zhang was responsible for the various tasks at the hall; building a good relationship would an he might take care of the youths from Linhu Village.
Not to ntion, ensuring that the kitchen staff didn’t skimp on the dishes would be a nice benefit.
Steward Zhang was sowhat tempted, but after thinking about it, he declined. The two instructors had left; he must stay at the Martial Arts Hall.
The future is long!
"I cannot leave; just let Instructor Liu and Instructor Yu go."
Lin Chen didn’t insist, and the three of them, together with Instructors Liu and Chen, rode towards Linhu Village.
Before entering the village, they saw a few children at the village entrance running frantically towards the village upon seeing him.
Pretty soon, the sound of firecrackers went off.
Instructors Liu and Chen exchanged knowing smiles and fell back, allowing Lin Chen to enter the village first.
Returning with glory!
Lin Chen deserved this kind of firecracker welco, and they wouldn’t steal the spotlight now.
Lin Chen dismounted and strode into the village.
The villagers on both sides gathered around Lin Chen, and seeing the path blocked with red ribbons on the ground, Lin Chen couldn’t help but twitch his lips.
Seeing this setup, he understood.
Ancestral worship!
The village chief had arranged for his first task upon returning to be entering the ancestral hall for worship.
The red ribbons estimated to be laid straight to the entrance of the ancestral hall.
The village chief indeed had a hard ti collecting so many red ribbons from the village, and when a curious child tried to sneak under them, vigilant elders imdiately caught them.
"Mom, I want to walk inside like Brother Lin Chen."
"Walk, what walk? Lin Chen is first in the county competition, and even the County Magistrate personally gifted calligraphy."
"What does ’first in the county competition’ an?"
"Being first in the county competition ans being the best in the county."
"If I beco first in martial arts in the future, can I be as impressive as Brother Lin Chen and walk inside like that too?"
"If you have that ability, forget about just walking inside; you could ride on your father’s shoulders and have him carry you through."
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At the entrance of the ancestral hall, Lin Chen saw his parents, his elder brother, and also his Elder Sister Erya next to his big brother.
With a slight nod, he greeted them and then cast his gaze towards the village chief.
"Open the ancestral hall, begin the ancestral worship!"
Zhao Canghe shouted with a resonant voice, even in his old age.
"May I trouble everyone, dear elders and fellow disciples, to wait a mont."
Lin Chen clasped his hands and apologized to Chief You, Zhao Jingchuan, Senior Sister Fu, and Junior Brother Fu seated at the banquet table on one side of the ancestral hall, then strode into the hall.
"Descendant of the Lin Family from Linhu Village, Lin Chen, enters the hall to worship the ancestors."
Inside the ancestral hall, beneath the ancestor’s spirit tablets of Linhu Village, hung a plaque with four large characters: "Martial Path Diligence Rewarded."
The plaque was bordered in gold and had a black background, exuding a grand and majestic aura.
On each side of the large characters, there was a line of smaller characters: "Humble Hut Aspiring for the Heights, Iron Backbone Bearing the Heavenly Light."
Lin Chen lit incense, bowed three tis, and perford the ancestral rites.
Today, the excitent in Linhu Village even startled the fish in Poyang Lake.
PS: Seven thousand words in this Chapter, originally intended to write five thousand, but ended up with seven thousand. With 12,000 updated, asking for a monthly ticket is not too much, is it?
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