After leaving his residence, Li Ting went to Yunhailou, the most prosperous restaurant in the capital, and booked a table, instructing the manager to deliver it to his residence at noon.
Then he went to the fabric shop and bought several bolts of fabric in the most fashionable patterns. Along the way, Li Ting noticed several little tails following him.
He didn't care, dragging his lame leg, and carrying the fabric, he went to the best tailor shop in the capital.
He then went to Tingquan Villa. Li Ting would visit the villa every month to guide the students preparing for the martial arts exam.
The martial arts examinations in Nanchen Kingdom are different from those in the martial arts world. Those who pass the Nanchen Kingdom martial arts examinations are destined to become serious military leaders.
There are currently ten people at Tingquan Manor preparing for the autumn exams. If they pass the test and become martial arts candidates, they will be assigned to various generals for training.
Therefore, the martial arts examination not only required combat skills, but also knowledge of military tactics and reconnaissance.
After an hour-long class, the students dispersed, and Li Ting also planned to visit some old friends. He then saw nine martial arts students turning back.
The nine students knelt down in unison, their voices booming: "Please accept our bow, General Li. We, the nine students, are willing to become your disciples and follow you closely."
Knowing that this was a time when they needed help, Li Ting did not refuse. "Get up! I am currently holding the position of Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince, so it is inappropriate for me to continue being your teacher. Therefore, our relationship can only be nominal, in name only. Do you agree to this?"
The nine men swayed their heads vigorously, bowing down again to express their gratitude to their teacher.
“Every day after class at Tingquan Manor, I will send someone to pick you up. You only need to wait in Master Luo's courtyard. The teaching location is the martial arts training ground at Li Mansion. This matter is known only to the nine of you, to me, and to Master Luo. Not even your families are to be told. Is it possible to do this?”
"We will obey your instructions, teacher," the nine replied in unison.
"The skills you learned from me must not be displayed at Tingquan Manor; they can only be used for the formal martial arts examination. Otherwise, the one of you who didn't stay might harbor malicious intentions."
All nine were intelligent people. Having studied at Tingquan Manor for six years, they knew each other's character very well. They knew that the person who didn't stay had immense power and influence, and that taking the martial arts path was just a formality.
After listening to his daughter's heartfelt words that day, Li Ting wrote a letter to Luo Nanchuan, inquiring about the current situation of the martial arts students in the manor.
Luo Nanchuan directly compiled the backgrounds, families, and abilities of the ten people in the manor and gave them to Li Ting.
Of the ten people, nine came from various prefectures and were not from the capital, so they lived at Tingquan Villa. All ten were very talented and each had their own strengths.
Of the nine people who wanted to become Li Ting's disciples, five came from poor families. The tuition fees they received at the manor were all earned through their excellent academic performance and the manor's financial support.
The three families had some assets, but they gradually became unable to support their expenses in the capital, nor could they become their pillars in the officialdom in the future.
One of the men's fathers was a former subordinate of Grandpa Li Ting, but he was seriously injured during an attack by the Great Liang and had to return home. This man came to Tingquan Manor at his father's request, and was instructed to become Li Ting's apprentice if he had the chance.
The one who was left behind was the eldest son of a concubine from the family of the Minister of Justice, who would go home every day after finishing his lessons.
Li Ting had previously sent a message to Luo Nanchuan, implying that someone could help these nine people stand out in the martial arts exam, and that they should seize the opportunity.
They're all old foxes, I must say.
Li Ting planned to first place the martial arts talents around the Crown Prince, binding them together to assist him.
All nine of them left the house with happy expressions, each going off to practice the skills they had learned that day.
Li Ting entered Luo Nanchuan's house, where Wei Xuanji was also present.
Wei Xuanji usually liked to stay at Tingquan Villa when he had nothing to do, partly to check on the country's reserve of talent, and partly because he was a close friend of Luo Nanchuan.
Wei Xuanji ranked third on the liberal arts list, occasionally surpassing Luo Nanchuan, but only once out of ten times.
The two were playing chess when they saw Li Ting finish his lesson and limp in, but he didn't stop playing.
Luo Nanchuan seemed pleased with himself: "What about those nine? What's their aptitude like?"
"It looks alright, but it still needs more experience. It will probably take three to five years before it's ready to be used." Li Ting didn't stand on ceremony and drank the tea in one gulp.
"Oh? What nine people?" Wei Xuanji asked curiously.
“Our General Li has secretly taken on nine students, preparing to train the next generation of guardians of the Southern Chen Kingdom!” Luo Nanchuan watched as he placed a piece on the chessboard. “Old Wei, why are you so distracted today? I won again.”
Li Ting noticed Wei Xuanji's expression. "Xuanji, you seem troubled!"
"To be honest, based on my recent observations of the night sky, it seems that the Southern Chen Kingdom is about to experience a period of turmoil."
Luo Nanchuan: "Old Wei, are you trying to scare us? Although Emperor Hui was not as good as the late emperor, he was still a capable emperor who maintained the status quo. The decisions he made since ascending the throne were quite commendable."
"Second Brother Luo, do you think that was Emperor Hui's decision? It was all Empress Zhao Yunwan's doing!"
"What do you mean?" Li Ting and Luo Nanchuan asked in unison.
"You two don't know, but Emperor Hui goes to the Imperial Observatory every month to have his fortune told. Every time, the divination results remind him to be careful about his bedmate. He shouldn't let her make decisions for him anymore. Who else could be the emperor's bedmate?"
"It is said that Emperor Hui believed in divination, so why did he ignore these divination results?"
"Emperor Hui believed in the divination, but it was a divination unrelated to Empress Zhao Yunwan. After I observed this pattern, I kept quiet and used the divination text to evade the question."
"The divination this month is even stranger. It indicates that Emperor Hui's life is nearing its end, and the one who will endanger his life is the Empress!"
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
