To welcome the group from the Imperial Capital, Jiang Zicheng and Yi Aimin put in considerable effort. Yi Aimin didn't favor extravagant spending, but Spirit Martial Town was often favored by the capital—being too stingy wouldn't make sense.
Jiang Zicheng didn't overthink it. Boss Qian was in town and would cover most hospitality costs. The Capital Interview Team might reimburse part, so Boss Qian wouldn't lose much.
The messenger earlier said over five hundred would come. Jiang Zicheng was startled—hearing that number. Past years brought only dozens of examiners, never over a hundred. Why five hundred now? Was the Imperial Capital short on funds? Who fed all these people?
The messenger explained the team would also suppress bandits near Tahang Mountains. The Emperor had been driven nearly mad by reports from there lately. So Grand General Yang Su was ordered to stop there en route. Arrival time remained unchanged; the team would be punctual.
Thus, all assessment venues and equipment in Spirit Martial Town were prepared as usual. Jiang Zicheng and Yi Aimin inspected key sites daily. Yamen guards began patrolling day and night without rest.
Spirit Martial Town's residents eagerly awaited the Capital Interview Team. With Jiang Huoer gone, their hearts felt calmer than usual. They constantly reminded their children to prepare well—to avoid shame and make it to the capital.
Yi Xiuran and Duan Mengqi still practiced martial arts by Spirit Stream daily. Without Jiang Huoer, they focused intensely on preparations—but it was far less fun.
"Tomorrow, those capital people arrive... and we'll leave too..." Duan Mengqi said with a trace of sadness. She glanced beside her. A boy used to tinker there with gunpowder and gun barrels. Now, only gunpowder residues and rust remained on the ground.
"I wonder if Huoer can make it back before we go. I hope we see him once more," Yi Xiuran said, lowering his sword. Nearly a week of training had been effective—his cultivation showed faint signs of breakthrough.
He turned to Duan Mengqi and found her lost in thought, staring at the ground residues.
Better not disturb her now...
Yi Xiuran raised his sword again, assuming a stance. Advancing his War God Imprint to First Tier Second Stage before entering Five Armies Camp would greatly benefit him there.
He recalled his father's words: in the Imperial Capital, strength ruled. Only the strong had a voice; the weak were trampled. Yi Aimin had lived there, witnessed it firsthand. He'd early on inoculated Yi Xiuran—to prevent his son from repeating his past hardships.
Jiang Zicheng jokingly compared Yi Aimin's experience to Han Xin's crotch humiliation. It was similar, but Yi Aimin wasn't arrogant enough to place himself beside General Han Xin. Besides, he was now just a lowly seventh-rank civil official.
Yi Xiuran would face the nation's elites in the capital. This world wasn't short of geniuses. To shine among them, he had to be more exceptional. The way? Greater effort—exchanging hard work for genius power.
Sword rose, sword fell; its edge gleamed brightly.
Jiang Mansion was chaotic daily—all because of Madam Jiang.
Six days had passed since the young master left. Madam Jiang hadn't been quiet a single day, muttering "Huoer, Huoer, Huoer" constantly. Jiang Huoer wasn't her biological son, but she'd raised him since childhood. He was filial and thoughtful, so she doted on him immensely—even telling Jiang Zicheng they needed no children; Jiang Huoer was enough.
If she just muttered, it wouldn't matter. Jiang Mansion servants had calloused ears. In any household, servants developed thick skin. Taking every master's word to heart would be exhausting.
This was an essential skill in their profession.
But Madam Jiang didn't just mutter—she often wailed and threw tantrums. Sometimes at midnight, her outbursts startled Jiang Zicheng beside her and resting servants into shivers.
Madam Jiang's wails were famous...
Known as the "Jiang Mansion Ghost Wail."
A story from Jiang Zicheng and Madam Jiang's youth must be told. Naturally, lovers' intimacy was involved. On their wedding night, just as Jiang Zicheng was about to consummate the marriage, that "Ghost Wail" erupted. He was so frightened he couldn't perform as a man for months. Later, a Jianghu Herbalist cured him with medicine.
This showed the "Ghost Wail's" destructive power.
So no one in Jiang Mansion rested well these days. Night-shift workers were fine—they stayed awake anyway. At worst, they got startled, then slept peacefully at home by day. But day-shift workers weren't so lucky.
Everyone prayed for the young master's swift return; otherwise, they truly couldn't endure it.
Jiang Zicheng suffered most. He heard the loudest screams and was most frightened. He'd started it all—if he hadn't agreed to Yi Aimin's plan to send Jiang Huoer away during the Capital Interview, none of this would've happened.
So daily, he went to the yamen to complain to Yi Aimin. Yi Aimin thought this easily solved. He cleared a guest room in his house—for Jiang Zicheng to sleep there every morning.
Truly, he was the Venerable Just Judge—always hitting the nail on the head. Jiang Zicheng lacked sleep most; letting him sleep fixed it. The yamen stayed quiet most of the year with no cases. No matter how Madam Jiang raged, she couldn't reach inside.
"You're still the best," Jiang Zicheng would say to Yi Aimin every night before lying down, with Yi by his side.
