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Chapter374
"Come on, your brother is a personal soldier of Marshal Shao. Do you think he'd listen to you?"
"Hmph, I call the shots in my house!"
As Shao Qi ascended the stairs, he glanced below. Among those speaking loudly was someone he recognized, Situ Han's younger brother. He hadn't expected the younger sibling to be so foolish.
Once inside the private room, Shao Qi and Principal He sat down for tea. Soon after, Shao Qi's assistants brought in a brand-new tea set accompanied by premium tea leaves.
Principal He remarked, "Your style is quite reminiscent of a corrupt official. Your entourage is too considerate. Not only can they book venues and meals for you, but they can even anticipate your tea preferences. As far as I remember, you weren't fond of tea."
"While I may not have a taste for it, isn't green tea your favorite? I had it prepared especially for you."
He Yuan was taken aback by Shao Qi's thoughtfulness. He found Shao Qi enigmatic. On the surface, Shao Qi appeared flamboyant and domineering, but in private, he was amiable, resembling the boy-next-door, making their collaboration enjoyable.
But claiming Shao Qi had a mild temper would be an exaggeration. Many who crossed paths with him described him as cunning, ruthless, and unhesitating in taking lives.
"With such exquisite tea, I should do the brewing to prevent any waste."
Without any reservations, Shao Qi sat across, waiting for his tea, and inquired, "Principal, were the seized assets from the recent operation useful?"
"Absolutely. This is the first time we've confiscated such a large volume of foreign goods. There's much we can learn and adapt from it."
"A new world map has emerged. From the testimonies of the captured, we learned that they had established contact with our nation quite some time ago, and acquired many rare items, including secret martial arts manuscripts."
"Have we identified the culprit?"
"No evidence," Shao Qi shook his head. "Moreover, we aren't even sure if those manuscripts still exist; they can't even decipher the martial arts texts."
"It's only natural they can't. It's all in traditional characters; even we need time to decipher it."
Just as Shao Qi was about to reply, there was a knock on the door. Thinking it was someone delivering food, he called out, "Come in."
To his surprise, it was Gu Zhuo and Master Qingfeng. How did these two end up together?
Chapter 190: Collaboration
"I figured both of you would be here. There are no seats outside, and it's spacious here. How about joining tables?" Master Qingfeng, dressed in his Taoist robe with a whisk in hand, looked like a reclusive sage.
Shao Qi felt the need to show respect and nodded in agreement. He then sent someone to hasten the food order, realizing that tea wasn't going to suffice.
"I apologize for my earlier actions. I hope the Commander doesn't find me too ignorant," Gu Zhuo said in a refined manner. Handsome individuals often find forgiveness easily, but Shao Qi just sipped his tea without giving him a glance.
A flash of anger passed through Gu Zhuo's eyes, but he calmly inquired, "I've always wanted to spar with the Marshal. May I have the honor?"
Shao Qi responded coldly, "No."
"Is the Marshal afraid of losing face?"
"Provocation won't work on me. If you're looking for a fight, there are plenty of others. I don't have the time."
"You..." Gu Zhuo's face tightened, hands slamming on the table. Shao Qi thought he'd storm out, but to his surprise, Gu Zhuo took a few deep breaths and managed to smile, "I've heard the Marshal has settled an important personal matter during his trip. Congratulations."
The news of Shao Qi's engagement had already spread among the elite circles. Everyone knew he had chosen a partner, but not everyone knew her identity. Gu Zhuo, of course, did.
"Out of everything you've said today, that's the only decent thing. Thank you." Upon mentioning Zhou You, Shao Qi finally warmed up a bit.
Master Qingfeng stroked his beard, saying kindly, "Starting a family is a major milestone. Next time, throw a banquet so we all can meet her."
"Ha! Old monk, you're neither family nor close friend. How could you expect an invitation?" Hequan teased.
"What do you mean by 'neither family nor close friend'? Marshal Shao and I have been close friends for years." As the president of the Martial Arts Association and a military commander, the two were naturally familiar, maintaining a close bond beyond familial ties.
"Speaking of which, hasn't Zhou You been certified by the Martial Arts Association yet? Did you forget or were you just too busy?"
"Probably a bit of both. Besides, I don't see the need for her to."
"It seems the Marshal is quite protective of his wife. Afraid the Martial Arts Association might recruit her?" Master Qingfeng, always well-informed, already knew of Zhou You's advancements, "Shouldn't she join the association, perhaps as a director or branch president? It'd solidify your position even further."
Shao Qi replied confidently, "She won't be swayed, and currently, she's not interested in your association. She values her freedom."
"So, she's probably not interested in being a judge for this year's Martial Arts Championship," said Master Qingfeng. Upon hearing this, everyone turned to look at him. Previous championships hadn't been successful, with declining participation, especially among young talents. It had mostly turned into internal competitions among the major sects. Many thought it wouldn't be held this year.
"There's a championship this year? When is it?"
"The preliminary rounds will be held in various bases next month, selecting one out of every thousand based on the population of each base. The finalists will then compete in Dawn City the following month. This afternoon, I'll propose holding a martial arts competition every three years, divided into youth, young adult, and middle-aged categories. The top hundred in each category will not only receive material rewards but also the best job opportunities. What do you think?" The Daoist of the Gentle Breeze awaited the reaction of the other three.
Shao Qi discerned that the Daoist was seeking their opinions or perhaps their support. Holding a martial arts competition every three years sounded good, but it would entail significant expenses. Most importantly, the promised job opportunities weren't limited to a specific department.