A Mortal’s Immortal Gourd
Chapter 37: Not Ready for Marriage

After finishing the exam, Ergouzi didn’t return to Shekou Mountain right away. Instead, he stayed in a run-down little inn in the county town.

The results wouldn’t be announced for several days, so he had to wait for the list of successful candidates.

He took the opportunity to wander around the county, enjoying the bustling city life.

He now indulged in meat buns he couldn’t often afford before, eating them every day—over a dozen each meal.

However, because of the exam, he now owed a debt of 200 taels of silver.

The money he had saved was already spent forging that sword, so he didn’t have much left.

Fortunately, he still had some Strength Pills in his gourd. He poured them out at the inn, filling a large burlap sack to sell to Sima Yi.

Sima Yi had helped him all throughout the exam process, and he figured he should show some appreciation.

The only valuable things he had left were the Strength Pills and a few herbs he grew on the mountain.

He pulled out a ginseng root over twenty years old from the gourd to gift to Sima Yi.

But upon closer inspection, he realized there was a problem.

The age of a ginseng root could be roughly estimated from its crown.

After being stored in the gourd, the ginseng’s spiritual energy had increased significantly, which might raise suspicions and cause trouble.

After thinking it over, he snapped off the crown, turning it into a “damaged” ginseng, making it impossible to determine its age.

He then wrapped it in a few dried lotus leaves, stuffed it into his chest, and carried the sack on his back as he headed for Huichun Hall.

“Hey! I finally found you!”

As Ergouzi walked into the pharmacy, chewing on a large meat bun, Sima Yi grabbed him by the sleeve.

“My uncle wants to see you!”

“Your uncle?”

Ergouzi paused—he didn’t have a great impression of the word “uncle.”

“The bearded guy you saw at the exam ground—the County Captain,” Sima Yi added.

“Oh, the County Captain! What does he want with me?”

Hearing it was the County Captain, such a high-ranking official, Ergouzi felt a bit nervous instinctively.

“I still owe the yamen 200 taels of silver. I’ll go pay it back today.”

“Relax, my uncle’s very kind. He just wants to talk with you, nothing more.”

Seeing Ergouzi all tense, Sima Yi smiled to reassure him.

“Alright then. Help me count these Strength Pills first.”

“And here, this ginseng is for you.”

Ergouzi dropped the sack to the floor and took out the lotus leaf-wrapped ginseng from his chest, handing it over.

“Nice, thanks!”

Sima Yi took a look and saw it was a damaged ginseng, so he didn’t think much of it and tucked it into a cabinet.

The two of them finished counting the pills and settled at 368 taels of silver. Then they headed out together.

Sima Yi led Ergouzi back into the county’s most luxurious restaurant—Hongyan Restaurant.

The same doorman in green robes was still bowing and grinning with a bright smile.

Last time, Sima Yi only dined on the third floor. This time, he brought Ergouzi straight up to the fourth.

There weren’t many rooms on the fourth floor, but each one was spacious and lavishly decorated.

When they entered one of the rooms, they saw Sima Gang sitting there idly drinking wine, with dozens of delicacies spread out on the table, looking extremely appetizing.

Two stunningly beautiful women were attending to him carefully.

Ergouzi had just downed a dozen meat buns, but seeing that table of food made him hungry again.

“Uncle, Zhang Ergou is here,” Sima Yi said, bowing at the doorway.

Ergouzi followed suit, glancing at the sumptuous feast and then at the two gorgeous women—then quickly lowered his head, face flushing red.

He had never seen such beautiful women in his life.

Their skin was softer and whiter than tofu, practically jiggling with every move. It looked like just a pinch would squeeze out water.

He couldn’t help but wonder how these city women grew up like this.

It felt like all the prettiest girls in the world had gathered at Hongyan Restaurant.

Still, despite their beauty, he figured such delicate women couldn’t possibly do chores like chopping wood or making fires.

Their waists and legs were too slender—probably not suited for farm work or bearing children.

Ergouzi instinctively compared them to the second daughter of Huang Laocai’s family.

“Mm.”

“You all leave,” Sima Gang grunted.

Sima Yi and the two women bowed and exited, closing the door behind them.

Now only Ergouzi and the County Captain remained. Sima Gang sat casually at the table while Ergouzi stood respectfully three chi away.

“You’re Zhang Ergou?”

Sima Gang didn’t offer him a seat, sipping his emerald-green wine.

“Yes, sir. Commoner Zhang Ergou,” Ergouzi replied, cupping his hands and bowing.

He didn’t dare be casual in front of such a high official.

“Mm, your cultivation is decent, but your technique is a mess.”

Sima Gang recalled Ergouzi’s sword display.

You could say he had martial arts, but his swordsmanship was laughable—like monkey tricks, completely untrained.

All flashy, meaningless moves—what use was jumping high or spinning flashy sword flowers in actual combat?

But if you said he had no martial arts at all, he jumped higher and farther than anyone, had more strength than an ox, and smashed the arena’s stone tiles.

One sword strike even sent the examiner flying.

Watching Ergouzi’s performance was bewildering no matter how you looked at it.

More importantly, when Sima Gang used Qi-vision, he saw that this young man already had third-level Qi Training.

Even among the Sima family’s peers, none could match that.

“Who is your master?”

“Apologies, sir. My master instructed me not to reveal his identity. I beg your pardon!”

Ergouzi was honest to a fault. Since his master told him to keep it secret, he’d never reveal it—no matter what.

“Well, if it’s inconvenient, I won’t press further today. But you should know—teaching immortal techniques without authorization is a serious crime.”

Ergouzi’s heart skipped a beat. As expected, nothing good ever came from dealing with officials.

One small slip and they’d grab onto it and charge you with a crime.

He still didn’t quite understand—his master taught him cultivation, both willing participants, and they never harmed anyone. How could that be a crime?

“With your talent, if you keep training diligently, you might even pass the Martial Juren exam one day.”

Hearing that, Ergouzi’s face lit up.

Seemed like the County Captain didn’t plan to pursue charges over the unauthorized teachings.

He even praised Ergouzi’s potential to advance further, which implied he’d passed the Martial Xiucai exam.

Becoming a Juren meant no more taxes and being on the same level as the County Magistrate—who wouldn’t want that?

“I can recommend you to Zhengwu Hall as an instructor, and you can continue your training there. What do you think?”

“Zhengwu Hall?”

Ergouzi knew that place well—his cousin Zhang Youliang trained there, and the tuition was pretty steep.

More importantly, just like the exams, you couldn’t get in without someone to vouch for you, even if you had the money.

“I’d be honored, sir. Thank you very much!”

Such an opportunity was rare. Ergouzi quickly expressed his gratitude.

His master was gone for now and wouldn’t return soon—he needed someone to guide him.

“Alright, you may go.”

Sima Gang waved him off, signaling he was done.

Ergouzi took one last glance at the feast on the table, then bowed and left.

He walked out of Hongyan Restaurant in good spirits.

Though the County Captain didn’t invite him to eat, at least he had secured his spot as Martial Xiucai.

That meant exemption from tax on a hundred mu of farmland and no more forced labor.

He could finally hold his head high in front of yamen officers instead of getting pushed around.

Plus, he now had a chance to study at Zhengwu Hall.

He then went to the yamen and paid off the 200-tael fine from the exam.

It stung—200 taels could buy a lot of pigs.

The next day, Sima Yi came rushing through the streets to find Ergouzi.

“Do you have any more of that ginseng you gave me yesterday? I’ll pay top dollar!”

“Nope. That one was a lucky find,” Ergouzi replied, shaking his head.

He could already earn money selling Strength Pills and wasn’t in a rush to sell ginseng.

The ones on Shekou Mountain were mostly just over twenty years old.

The older the herb, the more valuable. He planned to let them grow longer before harvesting.

Sima Yi looked a bit disappointed, but then asked,

“Brother Zhang, are you married?”

“Nope. I’m single. Why do you ask?”

Ergouzi looked confused. Why ask something like that out of nowhere?

“Well, I have a younger cousin around your age. I was thinking maybe I could set you two up.”

“Oh…”

Ergouzi responded and gave Sima Yi a closer look, wondering if he was actually a woman in disguise.

He remembered a story he’d heard long ago about a girl dressing as a man, befriending the hero, then offering her “sister” in marriage.

But when Ergouzi saw Sima Yi’s Adam’s apple, he felt a bit let down.

“I’m still young. Not ready to settle down.”