Chapter 107

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Chapter 107: Issues

By the time Zhang Xiaohua leisurely finished enjoying his first lunch after returning to the villa, the surrounding people had long since left.

Zhang Xiaohua had already arrived late with He Tianshu, and when he saw He Tianshu hurriedly finishing his meal, he also intended to get up. However, He Tianshu stopped him, telling him to eat slowly and not to rush since there was nothing planned for him in the afternoon. So, Zhang Xiaohua obediently sat back down, sampling a bit of this and that, eating until he felt full, and only then did he leave the dining hall.

The afternoon sunlight was very gentle, especially after a full meal. Zhang Xiaohua walked leisurely under the sun, his steps light and cheerful. Such a beautiful afternoon was rare and should be thoroughly enjoyed.

Unfortunately, Zhang Xiaohua, who was squinting contentedly, was called out by a female voice: “Zhang Xiaohua? Have you just finished eating?”

He turned around, it was Qiu Tong who saw him in the small courtyard in the distance.

Zhang Xiaohua joyfully ran over and called out: “Big Sister Qiu Tong, what are you doing here?”

Qiu Tong smiled and said: “The Villa Owner is in a bad mood today, so I came to the dining hall to see if there’s any delicious food to eat and bring some back for her.”

Zhang Xiaohua asked with concern: “What’s wrong with Big Sister Villa Owner?”

Qiu Tong replied with a troubled expression: “The matters of the villa are beyond your understanding, don’t ask too much.”

“Oh.” Zhang Xiaohua obediently changed the topic, saying: “Big Sister Qiu Tong, I just returned to the villa this morning. It was Ma Jing and Liu Er who picked me up from the escort agency.”

Qiu Tong said with a smile: “I know, I was the one who sent them. I’ve been busy lately, and it just so happened that Tian Chongxi mentioned someone was going to Pingyang City to purchase some items today, so I asked them to bring you back.”

Zhang Xiaohua looked at Qiu Tong gratefully and said: “Big Sister Qiu Tong, thank you. You’re so kind to me, it feels just like my Big Sister Liu Qian.”

“Liu Qian?” Qiu Tong was taken aback and asked: “Who is that?”

Zhang Xiaohua grinned and replied: “Big Sister Liu Qian is now my sister-in-law. Before she married my eldest brother, I used to call her ‘Big Sister’.”

Qiu Tong smiled and said: “Xiaohua because you’re a hardworking and good child, everyone likes you very much, not just me.”

Zhang Xiaohua jumped with joy and said: “Yes, there is also Big Sister Villa Owner! I must thank her properly one day.”

Qiu Tong said: “Well, you’ll have the chance. For now, just keep it in your heart.”

Zhang Xiaohua nodded and said: “I understand, Big Sister Qiu Tong.”

Qiu Tong then asked: “Are you fully recovered from your injuries now?”

Zhang Xiaohua replied: “Yes, the doctor said as long as I don’t lift heavy things, there shouldn’t be any problems.”

Qiu Tong nodded and said: “Now that you’ve been assigned to Captain He, you must be aware of that, right? Has he arranged your living quarters?”

Zhang Xiaohua nodded and said: “Yes, as soon as I returned, Brother Xi took me to Captain He, who then arranged a room for me. I just had a meal with them and was about to head back.”

Qiu Tong said: “That’s good. Since you’re not fully recovered, don’t do any heavy work. For now, just follow Captain He and gain some experience. He has some difficult issues to solve, but it’s unlikely that you’ll need to do much.”

Zhang Xiaohua asked: “What kind of issues? Are they serious?”

Qiu Tong said, “You’ll find out when you get there. Alas, it’s also something that weighs on the Villa Owner’s mind. If you could help solve it, that would be a huge help to her, much better than simply thanking her. But look at me, getting ahead of myself. Xiaohua, you don’t need to worry about it. Big Sister was just talking. When someone is desperate, they try anything, but they haven’t found a solution yet, so what could a child like you do? Anyway, I won’t keep you. I need to hurry back. Take care of your health, okay? You’ve just recovered, and your body is still weak. Don’t get sick again, that would make things even worse.”

Zhang Xiaohua smiled and said: “Okay, Big Sister Qiu Tong, I’ll be careful. I’m heading off now.”

After saying their goodbyes, the two waved at each other and went their separate ways.

As he walked, Zhang Xiaohua thought to himself: “What kind of problem did Captain He and the Villa Owner encounter that it’s making the Villa Owner so upset she can’t even eat? But if they can’t do anything, I certainly won’t be able to either. I’ll go and take a look first.”

Before long, Zhang Xiaohua returned to his small room. His belongings were still in Ma Jing’s room, but since Ma Jing was likely off working, it didn’t seem appropriate to retrieve them now. It would be better to wait until the evening when they returned. Although Captain He had told him he didn’t need to work in the afternoon and could rest in his room, how could he just sit still? After all, he was only a teenager, with little patience for staying put. Besides, he had spent the past few months mostly confined to a bed, rarely even leaving Zhang Xiaohu’s small room. Now that he had the chance, how could he stay at home alone?

After closing the door, Zhang Xiaohua followed the familiar path, heading off to find He Tianshu and the others.

He wasn’t sure exactly where He Tianshu was working, but he had often heard Ma Jing nagging about it, so he had a general idea of the location. It wasn’t too far from where the other workers in blue uniforms and small hats were busy.

As he walked, Zhang Xiaohua saw many of these young servants busily watering plants and weeding. Quite a few of them noticed Zhang Xiaohua as well, with some whispering among themselves and even pointing at him. Thinking of Ma Jing, Zhang Xiaohua understood their jealousy but paid it no mind, simply continuing on his way.

He Tianshu and his group’s medicinal fields were separated from Tian Chongxi’s by some simple fences, meant to keep the blue-uniformed servants out. From a distance, the separation was obvious, and Zhang Xiaohua had only ever observed from afar without any intention of getting closer.

Now, as he strolled over, he felt no trace of nervousness.

After crossing the fence and looking around, Zhang Xiaohua noticed that there wasn’t much difference between one side and the other. Both were just plots of medicinal fields. However, the fields here were not very uniform, some already had medicinal herbs growing, while others were not, they were bare, looking as if they had just been reclaimed.

He Tianshu and the other four were busy with their work and only noticed Zhang Xiaohua when he approached.

He Tianshu smiled and said: “Zhang Xiaohua, why aren’t you resting in your room? You’ve already come running over?”

Zhang Xiaohua replied: “Captain He, I can’t just sit around doing nothing. I thought I’d come over and watch. Once I understand it, it’ll be easier for me to get the hang of things when I start working.”

He Tianshu said: “The medicinal fields here aren’t much different from the ones over there. It’s just that the herbs here are more important, and the planting of some of them requires more meticulous care. I heard from Tian Chongxi that you did well over there, and since you grew up working in the fields, it shouldn’t be a problem for you. In a bit, follow Nie Xiao’er closely and pay attention to the areas he tells you to. But…”

Zhang Xiaohua was taken aback and asked: “But what?”

He Tianshu continued: “But I hope your memory isn’t as terrible as it is when you practice martial arts, or else you’ll have Nie Xiao’er repeating himself a hundred and eighty times.”

Zhang Xiaohua blushed and said: “It won’t be like that, Captain He. My memory is actually pretty good, Young Master Li even praised me for it. It’s just that I’m not good at martial arts, haha.”

He Tianshu asked: “Which Young Master Li?”

Zhang Xiaohua explained: “Li Jinfeng, Young Master Li. He’s studying at the academy, and he was my first teacher, the one who taught me how to read.”

He Tianshu’s eyes lit up: “Is he the one who used <Shuowen Jiezi> to teach you? Haha, he sounds interesting. I’d like to meet him someday.”

Zhang Xiaohua said: “So Captain He also finds him interesting. Next time I see him, I’ll tell him to come visit you.”

He Tianshu waved his hand and said: “No need for him to come just to see me. If there’s a chance, we can all meet together.”

Zhang Xiaohua replied: “Alright, Young Master Li is very easygoing and won’t mind at all.”

Afterward, Nie Xiao’er took Zhang Xiaohua around, teaching him as they worked.

The medicinal fields here were indeed more complex than the others. Each herb had different watering times, varying amounts of water needed, and many other details and specific techniques that required careful memorization. Fortunately, Zhang Xiaohua’s mind worked better here than when he practiced martial arts, otherwise, He Tianshu would’ve had reason to worry.

There were not many medicinal fields under the care of the Medicinal Hall, otherwise, it wouldn’t just be He Tianshu and his three companions handling it. Even so, a small portion of these fields still hadn’t been planted with herbs. While Zhang Xiaohua was learning the details from Nie Xiao’er, he noticed that He Tianshu, along with another person, was watering those empty plots. He Tianshu crouched down, carefully examining the soil, occasionally picking some up to inspect it, all while frowning in deep thought.

Zhang Xiaohua was very curious and asked Nie Xiao’er: “Brother Xiao’er, what do you think Captain He is doing? Why is he watering the empty ground and staring into space?”

Nie Xiao’er glared at Zhang Xiaohua and said: “Zhang Xiaohua, I’m warning you, don’t call me Brother Xiao’er anymore. It sounds like you’re calling a waiter! Your Brother Nie is at least a disciple of the Piaomiao Sect and has some standing in the Jianghu. How come I sound so lowly when you call me that? This is the last time, call me Brother Xiao Nie from now on!”

Zhang Xiaohua nodded and said: “Got it. Please tell me what Captain He is up to, Brother Xiao’er.”

Nie Xiao’er’s nose flared with anger, and he snorted, refusing to respond. Zhang Xiaohua quickly apologized, saying: “Alright, alright, Brother Xiao Nie, I was wrong, okay? Please, be the bigger person, and don’t get angry, okay?”

Seeing that Nie Xiao’er still wasn’t speaking, Zhang Xiaohua rolled his eyes and said: “If you stay mad, once I recover, I’ll ask Captain He to assign you to teach me martial arts!”

At this, Nie Xiao’er immediately surrendered and smiled: “Little Brother Xiaohua, there’s no need to bring that up. If you want to learn martial arts, just ask your Brother Nie. We don’t need to trouble Captain He with it. Look at him, he’s already worried enough about the villa’s affairs. Actually, speaking of this issue, it all started with the planting of herbs. You might have heard from Ma Jing that this medicinal field was specially cleared for the Medicinal Hall’s use. The herbs grown here aren’t ordinary ones, they’re rare herbs our Piaomiao Sect obtained from elsewhere, herbs that have long been lost in the world. That’s why Ma Jing and the others weren’t assigned to plant them, instead, we had to come all the way from the Piaomiao Sect to do it.”

Zhang Xiaohua nodded and said: “I know a little about that, but what does that have to do with the empty land?”

Nie Xiao’er smiled mysteriously and said: “Little Brother Xiaohua, open your wise eyes and think about it. If it were truly empty land, would Captain He have gone crazy and started watering it?”

Zhang Xiaohua was stunned: “So it’s not empty land?”

Nie Xiao’er replied matter-of-factly: “Of course not. That land has already been planted with seeds.”

Zhang Xiaohua was even more puzzled and asked: “Then why haven’t they sprouted? The other fields sprouted a long time ago, and some of the plants are already quite tall.”

Nie Xiao’er shrugged and said: “Exactly, why haven’t they sprouted? That’s what Captain He is worried about. If I knew the answer, I’d be the captain, or at least, I wouldn’t let Captain He worry so much.”

Suddenly, Zhang Xiaohua understood. He also realized what Qiu Tong meant with her words that morning. The seeds had been planted for more than half a year and still hadn’t sprouted. Without knowing the reason, there was no way to cultivate more herbs, and those lost herbs couldn’t reappear within the Piaomiao Sect. No wonder He Tianshu was so troubled, and why the villa’s mistress wasn’t eating.

Unfortunately, Zhang Xiaohua was just an ordinary boy who only knew how to farm crops and, more recently, grow some common medicinal herbs. He didn’t think he could solve this problem at all.

Looking at poor He Tianshu, Zhang Xiaohua refocused on his current learning, following Nie Xiao’er closely to familiarize himself with the work, aiming to quickly adapt to his new role.

The afternoon passed with Zhang Xiaohua diligently learning. In the evening, he retrieved his small bundle from Ma Jing’s room. Despite Ma Jing’s attempts to hold onto him and his pitiful, longing gaze, Zhang Xiaohua dashed back to his own room as fast as he could. He finally escaped Ma Jing’s “evil feet”, how could he stay a moment longer?

Thinking about how Liu Er could stay there without any discomfort, Zhang Xiaohua’s admiration for Liu Er surged like an unending river.

The evening was once again time for He Tianshu and the others to practice martial arts. Just like before, Zhang Xiaohua arrived at the training grounds. Before long, He Tianshu and his group appeared. He Tianshu said: “Zhang Xiaohua, you shouldn’t practice martial arts just yet. Try doing some horse stance training first, and see if your right arm can hold up.”

Zhang Xiaohua tried and said: “Captain He, my arm is fine, but my right hand is still wrapped in medicinal cloth, so I can’t make a fist.”

He Tianshu said: “Then don’t make a fist for now. Just focus on holding the horse stance. You haven’t done it in several months, right?”

Zhang Xiaohua blushed and said: “Yeah, at first, I was bedridden all day and didn’t dare move. Later, when I felt better and could walk around, my bones hurt, so I only moved around indoors. As for the horse stance, I’ve long since forgotten about it.”

He Tianshu chuckled and said: “Of course, you’ve never really practiced your horse stance seriously, so it’s no surprise you don’t care much about it. Things that come easily are often not cherished, but that’s not entirely your fault. I bet you’ve long forgotten those few fist stances I taught you, haven’t you?”

Zhang Xiaohua quickly defended himself: “No way, Captain He! I still remember those moves. If you don’t believe me, I can show you right now.”

He then tried to get into a stance to demonstrate, but He Tianshu immediately stopped him, saying: “Don’t be so reckless. You can’t even make a fist right now, so how can you practice martial arts? Give it a few more days. But honestly, with the way you were practicing those moves, it might be better if you’ve forgotten them and start fresh.”

After saying this, He Tianshu laughed heartily and went off to practice his own martial arts.

Zhang Xiaohua had no choice but to settle down and hold the horse stance while watching the others practice.

As he observed Nie Xiao’er and the others practicing various fist stances, palm techniques, and swordplay, Zhang Xiaohua felt a deep sense of envy. He wondered when he would ever reach that level.

He Tianshu was practicing under a tree, his movements slow but deliberate. Zhang Xiaohua could clearly sense the power behind each of He Tianshu’s movements, there was a force that connected each technique, unlike his own practice, where power was only present in offensive moves. Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t help but wonder, was this the inner energy that Zhang Xiaohu mentioned?

Determined to learn something, Zhang Xiaohua focused intently on He Tianshu’s movements, hoping to gain some insight. Unfortunately, by the time He Tianshu finished his routine, all Zhang Xiaohua could perceive was the strength and fluidity in He Tianshu’s martial techniques. He couldn’t make out any details of the techniques, and even the moves themselves seemed vague.

Had the forgetful Zhang Xiaohua returned once more?

Or was the Feng Shui of Huanxi Villa not as favorable as that of the Lotus Escort Agency?

After finishing his practice, He Tianshu approached Zhang Xiaohua. Seeing how steadily Zhang Xiaohua held his horse stance, he remarked with satisfaction: “Zhang Xiaohua, your horse stance is really solid. Except for your right arm, you’ve kept it just as I taught you. Your ability to hold a horse stance is really impressive. If our Piaomiao Sect ever holds a horse stance competition, I’ll definitely recommend you. You’d surely take first place.”

Zhang Xiaohua was delighted and asked: “Really, Captain He? If there’s ever such a chance, make sure to call me! When might that be?”

He Tianshu chuckled and said: “Sure, no problem. When the Year of the Monkey and the Month of the Horse comes around, I’ll be sure to let you know. Alright, you can wrap it up now. Get some rest early. Tomorrow, you can stick with Nie Xiao’er again. After all, you don’t seem to want to stay alone in your room.”

Zhang Xiaohua jumped up and said: “Great! I got it.”

However, in his heart, Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t help but wonder, when exactly is “the year of the monkey and the month of the horse?

Following behind He Tianshu, Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t resist asking: “Captain He, when you were practicing your martial techniques earlier, were you using inner energy?”

He Tianshu stopped in his tracks, turned around, and asked: “How did you know?”

Zhang Xiaohua replied: “I noticed that when you practice, it’s different from how I do it. Your moves seem to contain some hidden power. My movements are purely just that, movements.”

He Tianshu remained silent for a moment and then said: “Your observation or intuition is quite sharp. Yes, that’s correct.”

Zhang Xiaohua tentatively asked: “Captain He, could you… could you teach me an internal energy cultivation method?”

He Tianshu smiled and said: “Internal energy cultivation method? Did you hear about that from the Lotus Escort Agency?”

Zhang Xiaohua said: “Yes, I heard about it from my Second Brother. He works as a porter and is now learning an internal energy technique at the martial arts hall.”

He Tianshu was taken aback and asked: “Your second brother is a porter, and yet he’s learning internal martial arts at the martial arts hall?”

Zhang Xiaohua nodded and said: “Yes, that’s right.”

He Tianshu said: “It seems your second brother is unlike you. He must be quite talented in martial arts. Generally, the martial arts hall only selects elite students to teach internal energy cultivation techniques.”

Zhang Xiaohua proudly said: “Yes, my second brother is a genius, which is why he’s able to learn internal energy techniques at the martial arts hall.”

Then, with anticipation, he asked: “Do you think I could learn it too?”