Becoming a martial arts saint starting with Black Tiger Fist

Two days later, the results of the martial arts exam were released.

Before dawn, the bluestone square in front of the county government office was already packed with a dense crowd.

Candidates for the martial arts exam and their families had been waiting there for a long time, and many more people gathered around to watch the excitement, creating a lively atmosphere.

Wearing a brand-new gray cloth coat and carrying his old pipe, Chen Shouye, supported by his second son Chen Lin, arrived early at the government notice board to wait.

Aunt Wang squeezed to the side, clutching a brand-new red silk ribbon in her hand, her face beaming with smiles. Whenever she encountered an acquaintance, she would huddle up and chat for ages, praising her son to the skies, and always ending with, "My Ming'er will definitely pass the imperial examination this time!"

Chen Ming stood behind his family, his back ramrod straight, though his eyes kept darting around and his temples were slightly sweaty.

He knew perfectly well how well he had performed in martial arts exams.

On the night after the exam, he wanted to tell his family that he had failed, but when he got home and saw the table full of food celebrating his success, he didn't dare to say anything.

This morning, my parents and grandfather dragged me here to wait for the results to be released.

"What if I get it..." He still held onto a sliver of hope, expecting the examiner to make a mistake or some other special circumstance to make his name appear on the list.

Chen Shouye squinted at the still blank wall, a glint in his cloudy eyes. "Once the list is posted and Ming'er's name is on it, our Chen family will have brought glory to our family!"

"Of course!" a familiar fisherman quickly chimed in, "Ah Ming has been clever since he was little, he'll definitely catch it!"

"If you get the title of Martial Arts Scholar, you won't even have to kneel before the county magistrate!" another neighbor exclaimed in admiration.

Hearing these words, Chen Ming's face burned with embarrassment. He could only force a smile and nod, but his heart was pounding like a rabbit's.

He subconsciously glanced around; his elder brother, Chen Yuan, had not shown up today.

Based on his performance that day, he was almost certain to win.

Thinking of this, Chen Ming became increasingly uneasy, and he didn't even dare to mention Chen Yuan's name in front of the others.

"Didn't A Yuan also participate in the martial arts exam? Why didn't he come?" Chen Ming didn't dare to mention it, but Chen Lin suddenly spoke up.

"That kid probably knows he has no chance and doesn't dare to embarrass himself," Wang said, pursing her lips.

Chen Shouye snorted but didn't reply. He just puffed on his pipe, still angry at Chen Yuan for wasting money.

If Chen Ming fails, it must be because the medicinal supplements weren't sufficient, causing his martial arts training to lag behind others.

At 3:45 AM, several yamen runners escorted a civil official out.

The crowd immediately stirred and surged forward.

"Silence! Silence!" the yamen runners shouted to maintain order.

The clerk unfurled the yellow notice, and two bailiffs stepped forward and carefully pasted the notice on the wall.

"The notice has been posted! The notice has been posted!"

The crowd erupted in a frenzy, pushing and shoving forward.

With his old arms and legs frail, even with his son protecting him, Chen Shouye could hardly squeeze to the front. He could only wait patiently at the back until the crowd dispersed a little before he could see what was happening.

Not long after, a familiar voice suddenly came from the front, filled with excitement: "Grandpa Chen, Grandpa Chen! Congratulations! Your grandson passed the exam, he got into high school!"

The one who shouted was Sun Dalang, who lived across from the Chen family. He was short, but he squeezed through the crowd to see the notice. However, the crowd was too dense, and he could only hear the voice but not see the person. He guessed that the person was still looking at the notice at the front.

Wang, with her sharpest ears, immediately recognized Sun Erlang's voice. Her initial anxiety was instantly replaced by overwhelming joy. Without thinking, she shouted back, "Oh, thank you so much, Brother Sun, for the good news! Congratulations to you too!"

Chen Shouye and Chen Lin had vaguely heard Sun Erlang's shout earlier and were still a little uneasy. Now that Wang Shi had confirmed it, they were immediately relieved and their faces showed a relieved smile.

Chen Shouye straightened his back even more, cupped his hands in greeting to several familiar neighbors, and beamed with joy.

"My son got into the martial arts program in high school! It's like his ancestors' graves are emitting auspicious smoke!"

Chen Lin rubbed his hands excitedly, then scanned his surroundings but didn't see Chen Ming. "Where's Ming'er? Where did that kid hide?"

The group looked around but couldn't find Chen Ming.

It was the sharp-eyed Wang who spotted her son muttering to himself under an old locust tree on the street corner, on the edge of the crowd.

"There he is! This child must be too nervous to hide!" Wang said with a smile, pulling Chen Shouye and Chen Lin towards that direction.

As they approached, Wang grabbed Chen Ming's arm and exclaimed, "My good son, you've won! Don't hide here anymore, come home with me and let's celebrate!"

Chen Ming was pulled back by his mother, his body stiffened, and he suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with disbelief, "I...I got it? It really was me?"

"How could it be false! Sun Erlang saw it with his own eyes, and he reported the good news to us from a great distance. Your grandfather and your father both heard it!"

Wang took out a handkerchief and, with a mixture of tenderness and pride, wiped her son's face. "Look how excited my son is! Let's go home! I'll cook your favorite dishes and get you some good wine. We're going to celebrate properly today!"

Chen Shouye, unusually amiable, patted Chen Ming on the shoulder: "My dear grandson, you've brought honor to our Chen family's ancestor!"

The heavy weight that had been pressing on Chen Ming's heart for so long finally lifted, followed by boundless joy.

Could it be that the examiner made a mistake? Or was it divine intervention?

He dared not think too deeply, only feeling lightheaded and dizzy from the overwhelming sense of happiness. He let his parents and grandfather lead him home in a daze.

On their way, they passed through a market. Wang spent several dozen copper coins to buy the best pork belly, a fat chicken, and fresh fish. Chen Lin also bought two full jars of fine wine, and Chen Shouye even made an exception and bought some delicate pastries that he usually couldn't bear to part with.

The family carried large and small bags, their faces beaming with barely suppressed joy, as if they could already see Chen Ming's bright future and the envious glances of their neighbors.

Just as they reached the alleyway not far from their home, they encountered Sun Erlang, who happened to be returning home.

Seeing the Chen family's triumphant return, laden with their spoils, he was taken aback at first, then laughed and said, "Oh, old man, are you going to have a big celebration? Congratulations!"

At this moment, Wang found everyone agreeable and warmly invited, "Brother Sun, be sure to come over for a couple of drinks after dinner is ready! My Ming'er passed the martial arts exam, we have to celebrate!"

Sun Erlang readily agreed: "I'll definitely come, I'll definitely come! I can't miss sharing in this great joy!"

He chuckled and glanced around the Chen family again, his gaze lingering on Chen Ming's still-excited face. With a hint of doubt, he casually asked, "By the way, where's A-Yuan? I haven't seen him at all. Is he celebrating at the Martial Academy?"