That evening, after their duties, Hua Yuanming and Gu Hongxin happily accepted Huangfu Yuxuan’s invitation.
The wine was llow and the dishes fragrant, the table was full of abundance, and moreover, Huangfu Yuxuan personally urged them to drink?
Hua Yuanming and Gu Hongxin, although they had been Third Class Captains for less than two months, these two months were completely different from their experiences in Jianghu.
Precisely because of this, they felt awe towards Huangfu Yuxuan.
After all, the gap between a Third Class Captain and an Imperial Grandson was as vast as heaven and earth.
Therefore, Hua Yuanming and Gu Hongxin’s mindset had undergone a significant change.
All of this was within Huangfu Yuxuan’s expectations.
If a man harbors the desire to bring honor to his ancestors, ascend in rank, and amass wealth, he can be easily controlled within the palm of one’s hand.
In two months, they entered the military camp as junior officers, holding the eighth rank.
Then they beca Captains, holding the seventh rank.
Although it was only a promotion of one level, the desire for advancent and wealth was more than just one level.
Especially now, they are one Military Right Captain and one Military Strategy Captain, both Seventh Rank Captains. To be a Seventh Rank official is equivalent to a Seventh Rank County Magistrate.
They are n of Jianghu, not involved in the officialdom, not knowing the Court. Anyone who is an official belongs to a different world. Suddenly having an official position as significant as a County Magistrate, it is impossible to say there is no joy in their hearts.
They also understood clearly that without Huangfu Yuxuan’s introduction, they would not have had such an opportunity. Their forr admiration for Huangfu Yuxuan had now turned into gratitude.
Huangfu Yuxuan personally sent an invitation for them to co to the banquet, and they certainly wouldn’t refuse, intending to thank him properly. The two decided that they must not let the Second Young Master spend excessively, and they would pay the bill when the ti cos.
The al, hosts and guests enjoyed to the fullest!
When Hua Yuanming went to settle the bill, the shopkeeper told him that the Second Young Master never needed to settle accounts here.
Seeing the shopkeeper speak of Huangfu Yuxuan, with a light in his eyes like worshiping a deity, Hua Yuanming was touched again. Thinking that their imdiate entry into the camp as junior officers and their promotion to Third Class Captains in less than two months, such a rapid advancent, was all thanks to the Second Young Master’s connections and face.
The Second Young Master indeed treats people well, following him in the future surely promises a bright prospect.
To make a na in Jianghu and beco a dominant figure, isn’t it all about being respected and admired, and letting one’s family live more dignified lives?
It turns out being an official is also possible.
Moreover, although they are n of Jianghu, originally with the Governnt neither benefitting nor hindering each other; entering the official path as n of Jianghu may be laughed at, essentially because those people have lost their true hearts.
As long as they keep their true hearts, can’t they have the best of both worlds?
Furthermore, from now on, his son, his grandson, can change their fate of gaining fa and status in Jianghu.
They can pursue civil examinations, if not, then military ones.
To serve the Court, they wouldn’t need to expose themselves and shed blood for generations. They can live more stably, more dignified, and with more status.
On the way back, he shared his thoughts with Gu Hongxin.
Gu Hongxin was silent for a mont, then nodded in agreent, feeling deeply: "A man’s career, who doesn’t want to achieve success and fa? Only previously limited by birth and shallow vision, thinking gaining a na in Jianghu was the pursuit of life. Since joining the military, though only more than two months, it feels like I’ve been reborn, opening another door."
He turned his head, gazing earnestly: "Second Brother Hua, when we joined Haotian Village, it was because we were moved by the Village Chief’s righteousness. The brothers in the village are as close as kin, over the years I’ve co to treat them as my family, you all are my brothers. The Village Chief doesn’t want to enter military service because he doesn’t understand the inside story. We should advise him, as brothers should share prosperity and adversity. Moreover, our good fortune cos from his son-in-law!"
Hua Yuanming also nodded repeatedly and said, "You’re right. First, we need to change the big brother’s mindset, then bring the brothers from the village over. What we can do, they can too. If it’s difficult, they can start as small soldiers under us, and we’ll slowly promote them when opportunities arise! Sharing fortune and adversity is the true essence of brotherhood!"
They are now under the Capital Guard as Third Class Captains, a junior officer commands thirty n. A Third Class Captain commands a hundred n, a Second Class Captain commands five hundred n, a First Class Captain a thousand n, above a First Class Captain is the Vice Commander of the Imperial Guard. Under Commander Pei Yichang, there are two Vice Commanders.
The two blood boiled, filled with yearning and hope for the future.
The place where Huangfu Yuxuan hosted the banquet wasn’t far from their residence, taking a shortcut through two streets to reach it. For martial artists, this distance was not far.
Just enough to digest after the feast, and given these two months, each had their posts, so opportunities to et were scarce. Taking this road, it was perfect for exchanging experiences of these days and enhancing brotherly feelings.
As they talked, they crossed a street and entered an alley. Passing through this alley, a turn, walking for the ti it takes to burn an incense stick, they’d arrive.
Although the alleyways interconnected, at night there were basically no people around.
As they just passed an alley entrance, suddenly soone rushed out towards them. Hua Yuanming dodged to the side, and the person fell between Hua Yuanming and Gu Hongxin.
Just as Gu Hongxin wanted to ask sothing, the person quickly climbed up from the ground and continued sprinting ahead. As he rose, they both saw he was completely injured, bruised, limping. The fear and panic in his eyes suggested he feared for his life if caught.
Eager to escape, yet heavily injured and flustered, after running a re four or five steps, he fell again, showing despair and pain on his face, clearly sensing he couldn’t escape.
Then ca the sound of footsteps, seven or eight people rushed over, pounding and kicking the person. A young man and an old servant stood still, the young man’s face displaying a contemptuous, cold smile.
He seed around twenty-two or three, complexion yellowish, eyes muddled, yet clad in brocade clothes, adorned with valuable trinkets, evidently of noble birth.
Still, although he had the manner of a graceful, wealthy young master, his steps were unsteady, lacking the vigor of his age, either he was frail or hollowed out by indulgence.
The beaten man, though clutching his head, couldn’t withstand seven or eight simultaneously attacking, resembling a ball being kicked around, yet an indomitable gleam lit up his eyes as he struggled and cried out: "Clearly you insulted my sister, forced her to suicide, now claim I stole your belongings, you’ll reap retribution! Heaven won’t spare you!"
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