However—
Before Wei Tu could even think about taking the martial examination, he first had to remove his name from the household servant registry in Qingmu County.
But buying back his freedom was no easy feat.
First, he needed enough silver to purchase his indenture contract from his master.
Second, after obtaining the contract, he would need to present it—along with a written release letter from his master—to the county yamen to formally process his removal from the servant registry.
For the county office, gaining another taxable citizen was always a good thing.
The real challenge lay in convincing Li Manor to let him go.
"After all these years of eating and working at Li Manor, and learning how to care for horses, I'd estimate that redeeming my indenture contract would cost at least ten taels of silver or more…"
Thinking about this, Wei Tu's expression darkened.
He had climbed up from being a tenant farmer's son to becoming the stable master at Li Manor.
With that promotion, he had gained many benefits—a steady salary, meat in his meals, and status among the household servants.
Even his marriage had been arranged by First Madam Li Tongshi.
If he didn't redeem his freedom, none of this was a problem.
But once he tried to buy his way out—
Everything he had earned and enjoyed over the years would come back to haunt him.
The value of his indenture contract had soared because of his stable master position.
And beyond that—
Skilled workers were like gold.
When the government drafted peasants for forced labor, Li Manor could send him as a substitute to avoid paying exemption fees.
With so much value attached to him, even if he managed to save up ten taels, Li Manor would never let him go easily.
And besides—
Master Li Yaozu was a penny-pinching miser.
A stingy, ruthless man.
A man who ordered his servants to light only one wick in the oil lamps at night, for fear of wasting lamp oil.
"Back when my father sold me, he only got five qian of silver and two dou of wheat in return…"
Wei Tu sighed internally.
In just six years, his "price" had multiplied twentyfold.
It was almost unbelievable.
Then again—
In times of famine, a life was worth nothing.
The fact that he had been able to sell himself and survive was, in a way, a stroke of fortune.
"How much money do we have left?"
That night, as Xinghua returned to their room, Wei Tu asked her about her private savings.
Even though they were husband and wife, according to custom, a wife's personal savings before marriage were considered her dowry, and her husband had no right to touch it without her permission.
"Why are you asking that?"
Xinghua's expression turned guarded.
Her savings—the money she had painstakingly earned during her years of work at Li Manor—were her lifeline.
Even though Wei Tu was her husband, unless he had a very good reason, she wouldn't part with a single coin.
"I… plan to buy my freedom and take the martial examination. But I don't have enough silver yet."
Wei Tu didn't hesitate to tell her the truth.
Now that they were married, they were closer than anyone else—they had no one but each other to rely on.
Using Xinghua's savings made him a little uncomfortable, but—
His freedom and future were far more important.
This was no time for pride.
Whatever he owed her today—
He would repay her a hundredfold, a thousandfold in the future.
Because a husband and wife should face hardship together and share prosperity together.
"Buy your freedom? Wei Ge'er, are you out of your mind?!"
Xinghua sprang up in shock, her face filled with fear.
She lowered her voice, scolding him anxiously—
"If you leave Li Manor, where else can you find such good work?"
"Let's just wait until autumn—I'll try to talk to First Madam again."
"Maybe this year she'll finally let you rent farmland…"
"Once we get a field, things will get better. We can move out of this tiny house."
As she spoke, her voice cracked.
Her eyes filled with tears, and she pulled out a handkerchief, gently dabbing them away.
Xinghua had always believed she had married a steady, reliable man, someone who would settle down and build a future with her.
But now, she realized—
Deep down, Wei Tu was never content with his station.
The martial examination?
That was not something a household servant could even dream of taking.
A martial scholar was someone whom ordinary folk had to bow to and respectfully call "Sir Martial Scholar."
"Look."
Wei Tu didn't comfort her with words.
Instead, he stepped outside the house, grabbed the two-hundred-jin stone lock from the courtyard, and brought it inside.
Right in front of Xinghua, he began demonstrating his strength, lifting and swinging the heavy stone lock effortlessly.
Reality was the best proof.
He had the qualifications to take the martial examination!
"This isn't fake, is it?"
Xinghua wiped her tears away with her handkerchief and walked over to Wei Tu.
She reached out and attempted to lift the stone lock herself.
Moments later—
A look of shock and disbelief spread across her face.
Her eyes sparkled, reflecting the glow of the oil lamp, even brighter than the flame itself.
The sheer weight of the two-hundred-jin stone lock made it impossible for her to even budge it.
Yet her husband was able to lift and maneuver it with ease.
Xinghua was no weak woman—she had carried sacks of rice, chopped firewood, and done hard labor before.
But now—
She truly understood how strong Wei Tu had become.
Xinghua stepped closer.
Reaching out, she pressed her palm against his chest.
Through the thin summer tunic, she could feel the solid muscle—a hard, chiseled torso, broad shoulders, and arms as thick as wooden beams.
"Wei Ge'er… you really plan to take the martial examination?"
She was finally starting to believe him.
Before, she had only hoped for their children to have a brighter future through education.
But now—
She found herself daring to hope that her own husband could rise above their current station in this very lifetime.
"As long as I train my archery skills, I should have no trouble passing the martial exam and earning the title of Martial Scholar."
Though Wei Tu wasn't completely certain, he still reassured her with confidence.
There was still more than a year before the next martial examination in Qingfeng Prefecture.
By then—
His physical strength would only continue to improve.
Moreover—
Once he was free of his servant status, he could move more freely.
Even if his modern knowledge couldn't make him rich, he could still earn a small fortune through various means.
And now that he possessed real strength, he no longer had to fear petty thieves or greedy opportunists.
"I have… three taels and seven qian."
After a moment of hesitation, Xinghua went to the redwood chest in the corner of the room, pulled out her personal savings, and laid it out on the bed.
She counted it carefully.
"This is all I've saved from my years of wages, along with the occasional rewards from the household."
Xinghua had entered Li Manor two years earlier than Wei Tu.
As a maidservant, she had more opportunities to receive rewards from the household.
And later—
When she became the kitchen maid, she had also been able to skim a little off the top.
Not much, of course—
She didn't dare take anything significant.
She only took small amounts when bargaining for groceries at the market.
It was common knowledge that servants pocketed a little extra here and there.
As long as it wasn't excessive, the master would turn a blind eye.
If First Madam Li Tongshi hadn't allowed it, Xinghua wouldn't have lasted so long as the kitchen maid.
"I have a little over one tael, plus the silver my father gave me. Altogether, that's about three taels."
Wei Tu did a quick calculation and said—
"That means we're still short by three taels and three qian."
"Three taels and three qian…"
"If we convince First Madam to let us rent three or four acres of land this year, after paying rent, we could earn around five or six qian."
"I can borrow a little from Chunlan and Caixia, and with our future wages, we might not be too far off."
"If we still can't make up the difference…"
Xinghua bit her lip, hesitation flashing in her eyes.
She was considering a more daring option—
Using her kitchen position to steal a larger sum.
"Absolutely not."
Wei Tu immediately saw through her intentions and shut it down.
Taking a little from price negotiations was within the unwritten rules.
Even First Madam Li Tongshi knew and allowed it as long as it wasn't excessive.
But if Xinghua went further—
If she tampered with measurements or deliberately shortchanged the household—
Then First Madam would not be so forgiving.
If she got caught—
At best, she'd be beaten to death.
At worst, the county yamen would intervene, impose a heavy fine, and Li Manor would move on without care.
"If you make it, then even if I have to sell myself to a brothel, I'll do it—"
Seeing Wei Tu's concern, Xinghua was deeply moved.
She clenched her fists and swore to support him, no matter what.
"Spit that out!"
Wei Tu's expression darkened.
"Don't ever say something like that again."
"Do you think so little of your husband?"