Chapter 155
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Seeing Zhang Xiaohua’s sorrowful expression, Li Jinfeng immediately felt like a child who had made a mistake. He awkwardly rubbed his hands and said: “Well, Xiaohua, I didn’t know where your grandmother’s grave was, so I didn’t go to pay respects.”
After hearing this, Zhang Xiaohua managed a forced smile and replied: “It’s alright, Brother Li. I was just too anxious. Hearing news from home suddenly made me want to know more.”
He then added with a touch of sadness: “It’s been a year since Grandma passed away. It feels like just yesterday. Brother Li is a guest who came from far away and isn’t familiar with our family, so my parents wouldn’t have mentioned these things to you. If I really asked you to pay respects, it would have been disrespectful.”
Li Jinfeng scratched his head and said: “Yes, it seems that I didn’t notice anything related to mourning at home, so I didn’t think of it. If I had met you before the New Year, and you had mentioned it, I might have been able to help.”
He continued: “As for the land on the south slope, your eldest brother seems to know your concerns. He told me not to worry about it. He has taken good care of it. That land seems very fertile; it has already yielded crops and produced more than other fields.”
Zhang Xiaohua’s face showed a hint of joy as he said: “Really? That land was cleared by me bit by bit. To hear that it has such a good harvest is worth all my hard work.”
“Also, your family’s harvest last year was very good, enough for this year’s consumption. Your father even sold quite a bit in Lu Town before the New Year, making a decent profit.”
“Hehe,” Zhang Xiaohua was naturally pleased to hear that his family was doing well.
Li Jinfeng thought for a moment and then said: “As for your eldest brother’s child, I didn’t see any signs of it. From the looks of your sister-in-law, it seems she isn’t pregnant.”
“They’ve been married for a year, don’t they know how to work hard?” Zhang Xiaohua thought about holding his little nephew and felt a bit frustrated.
Li Jinfeng chuckled and gave Zhang Xiaohua a playful knock on the head. “Why are you so anxious? Your eldest brother and sister-in-law seem to have a good relationship. Adding a child to the family is just a matter of time.”
Zhang Xiaohua rubbed his sore head and said with a hint of grievance: “It’s related to the next generation of the Zhang family. Training in martial arts should start early. I can’t let my little nephew fall behind from the start. I need to plan ahead.”
“Forget it, you should focus on improving your own martial arts first.” Li Jinfeng said with a hint of exasperation. “When did it come to your turn in educating children? Besides, isn’t there still Mr. Liu in your family? He’s a learned scholar. Under his influence, the prospects for studying literature will probably be better than your half-baked martial skills. Speaking of which, Mr. Liu is indeed impressive. As the ancients said, ‘There are wise men who hide in the mountains’. I used to doubt that, but after talking to Mr. Liu, I realized it’s not an exaggeration. His knowledge is on par with the old scholars in our academy. I’m truly in awe.”
“Really? I didn’t know that.” Zhang Xiaohua said proudly. “My sister-in-law’s father is indeed remarkable. And my sister-in-law herself is very knowledgeable. I didn’t appreciate it much when I spent time with her before, but in that short period of time, my sister-in-law gave me a lot of advice, and I have kept many of her words in my mind. Now that I have read books and compared them to what she said, I have discovered that those words were truly insightful.”
Li Jinfeng looked wistful and said: “It’s true that a tiger father won’t have a dog daughter. It’s a pity I didn’t have much chance to speak with your sister-in-law and experience her wisdom. By the way, does your sister-in-law have any younger sisters?”
Zhang Xiaohua’s eyes twinkled mischievously as he replied: “She doesn’t have a biological younger sister, but she does have a cousin.”
“Really?” Li Jinfeng’s eyes brightened. “What’s her name? Is she betrothed?”
Zhang Xiaohua said: “Her name is Liu Yueyue, and she lives in Baligou. As for her betrothal, I’m not sure. You can inquire about it next time you go back. But I should warn you in advance.”
Li Jinfeng looked puzzled. “What do you want to say?”
Zhang Xiaohua grinned mysteriously and said: “Sister Yueyue isn’t as beautiful as Sister Qiu Tong. Also, Mr. Liu’s younger brother is a butcher who kills pigs and has a very fierce temperament.”
Upon hearing this, Li Jinfeng’s expression changed, and he looked around as if to reassess. He said seriously: “Zhang Xiaohua, you’re misunderstanding me. I’m just interested in learning about your living environment. Whether Miss Liu Yueyue is pretty or not has nothing to do with me. Isn’t that right? And if your sister-in-law is so beautiful, it’s strange that her cousin wouldn’t even compare to Qiu Tong.”
Looking at Li Jinfeng, Zhang Xiaohua found it somewhat amusing and asked: “Big Brother Li, stop thinking about other things. Tell me more about what’s happening at home.”
Li Jinfeng continued: “By the way, I brought all the silver your second brother gave me to your parents. When they received the silver, they were so happy that tears fell. They kept saying, ‘The child has grown up, the child has grown up’. I told them that some of it was your monthly allowance, but I didn’t expect that mentioning it would only make them cry more.”
Zhang Xiaohua felt a pang of sadness.
“I noticed they missed you a lot, so I told them interesting stories about your practice in martial arts and your ability to read and write. That made them a bit more at ease. By the way, I didn’t mention your injury. I figured if I had, they would have rushed to Pingyang City overnight to bring you back. Haha, how’s your right hand now? Be careful not to let them notice any issues when you return.”
Zhang Xiaohua raised his right hand and flexed it with several movements, saying: “It’s mostly healed now. In some time, it should be fully recovered. I believe Dad and Mom won’t notice anything.”
Li Jinfeng nodded and added: “Mr. Liu was very pleased to hear about your enlightenment. They also asked, since you can now read and write, why haven’t you written a letter home? I had to say that I left in a hurry and didn’t get to see you.”
At this point, Li Jinfeng took out a letter from his pocket and, with a smile, handed it to Zhang Xiaohua, saying: “This is a letter from your sister-in-law.”
Zhang Xiaohua eagerly grabbed it and chided: “Big Brother Li, why are you only giving it to me now?”
Li Jinfeng chuckled and said: “Good things are always revealed at the right moment.”
Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t wait to open the unsealed letter. The pages were filled with elegant handwriting. As he read, the tone resembled that of his parents, which meant it was likely a collaborative effort from the family.
The letter contained various household and village matters, and more importantly, it was filled with the parents’ instructions and longing for the two of them. Zhang Xiaohua felt a warm sensation in his heart. The ancient saying, “A letter from home is worth a thousand pieces of gold” was truly accurate.
After carefully reading the letter and carefully placing it in his chest, Zhang Xiaohua was about to speak when Li Jinfeng said solemnly: “Also, Zhang Xiaohua, your parents asked me to convey a message to you and your second brother.”
Zhang Xiaohua was taken aback and asked: “What message? Wasn’t it mentioned in the letter?”
Li Jinfeng nodded and said: “Your parents asked me to tell you in person that if things don’t go well in the city or if you’re being bullied, come back to Guo Village. Your parents will always be waiting at home for you to return!”
Hearing such a simple message, Zhang Xiaohua’s vision immediately blurred. He nodded vigorously and said: “I understand, Big Brother Li. Thank you.”
Once Zhang Xiaohua’s emotions settled, he cheerfully said: “Let’s go, Big Brother Li. We should find my second brother. I’m sure he also wants to know about what’s going on at home.”
However, just as Zhang Xiaohua was about to run out of the small room, he stopped.
He had visited the Piaomiao Sect once before, but that was through a special passageway guided by Ou Yan from the inner courtyard of the Huanxi Villa. It was obvious that this was Ou Yan’s personal route, and he might not be able to use it.
But if he and Li Jinfeng went directly through the front gate of the Piaomiao Manor, would the guards let him in?
That was indeed a problem.
Suddenly, Zhang Xiaohua patted the back of his head and laughed. There was a Piaomiao Sect disciple right next to him—he could just ask.
Zhang Xiaohua moved to the door of He Tianshu’s room. The door was not fully closed, but ajar. Inside, He Tianshu was resting his chin on his hand, deep in thought.
Zhang Xiaohua walked to the door and knocked on the door frame, but did not attract He Tianshu’s attention. Unable to get a response, Zhang Xiaohua decided to enter directly.
It wasn’t until Zhang Xiaohua stood right in front of He Tianshu that he seemed to wake up. Zhang Xiaohua frowned and said: “Captain He, is this the awareness of a martial arts expert? Isn’t it said that when you reach a certain level in martial arts, you can see in all directions and hear everything around you? I’ve already walked right up to you, and only now do you notice?”
He Tianshu, still looking rather mentally exhausted, replied: “There is such a saying, that you can sense movements within a certain range around you. However, I’m far from reaching that level yet. Moreover, this footwork technique is quite perplexing. I’ve practiced it many times but haven’t seen any results.”
He then offered to hand over the Piaomiao Steps manual, but Zhang Xiaohua waved his hands repeatedly and said: “Captain He, you should handle such advanced research yourself. Once you’ve comprehended it, you can teach me.”
He Tianshu, puzzled, retracted the manual and asked: “So why did you run off?”
Zhang Xiaohua then explained his plan to visit the Piaomiao Sect to find his second brother. He Tianshu, upon hearing this, smiled and said: “That’s easy. You don’t need to worry about the inner courtyard’s small paths. Even the leader of the Ming Cui Hall, Hall Master Qin, probably hasn’t used them. I usually go back through the front gate. But I have a Piaomiao Sect token. You can go to the gatekeeper of Huanxi Villa to get another token. That should work for the side entrance to the Piaomiao Manor.”
“But I’m not alone, there’s also Big Brother Li Jinfeng with me, and he wants to go see my second brother too.”
“The Huanxi Villa’s token is generally for a single person, you can’t take others with it.”
“What should we do then?” Zhang Xiaohua was frustrated. Li Jinfeng had traveled a long way to deliver the silver that he and his brother had saved and brought the family letter to him. Wasn’t it a simple request to see Zhang Xiaohua’s second brother? Why was he unable to even fulfill this request?
He Tianshu asked: “Li Jinfeng? Is he the scholar who came with your second brother to see you last time?”
“Yes.” Zhang Xiaohua answered honestly.
“Well then, since I need a break anyway, why don’t I take you there? My token allows me to bring one person along.” He Tianshu said, stretching and standing up.
Zhang Xiaohua was overjoyed to hear this. He Tianshu went out and greeted Li Jinfeng, and then they all proceeded together to the Piaomiao Manor.
Once the three of them left the Huanxi Villa, they soon faced the broad avenue leading to the Piaomiao Manor. Looking at the wide road, Zhang Xiaohua felt a sense of nostalgia, but he still walked forward with determination.
Under the archway of the Piaomiao Manor, the atmosphere remained solemn. A few young men in martial attire stood upright there. The avenue was otherwise empty. The guards noticed them from afar, but their demeanor wasn’t as guarded as when Zhang Xiaohua and Zhang Xiaohu had first arrived. After all, He Tianshu, who was leading the way, was a familiar figure to them.
As they got closer, the guards, as usual, stopped them and, with a smile, asked: “Captain He, are you bringing someone back to the sect?”
He Tianshu cupped his hands and replied: “Brothers, this time I’m bringing a friend to visit a brother in the sect.”
The guard nodded and said: “That’s fine. Please show the token for registration. I’d also like to know which brother your friend wants to see, so I can be informed.”
He Tianshu smiled and said: “My friend is a scholar from Pingyang City and wants to visit Zhang Xiaohu. However, I’m not sure which hall Xiaohu belongs to.”
“Zhang Xiaohu? That name sounds familiar, like I’ve heard it somewhere before. But Captain He, it’s unusual that you don’t know which hall he belongs to. Is he a newly joined member?”
He Tianshu explained: “You’re right. Zhang Xiaohu has just joined the sect, so I indeed don’t know which hall he’s in.”
“Oh? He’s actually a notable figure in the martial world, and I didn’t know.” The guard said, somewhat embarrassed.
At this moment, a young guard, who couldn’t stand it any longer, quietly approached and whispered to He Tianshu: “Captain, you might not be aware since you’ve been away for a while, but Zhang Xiaohu is a controversial figure in the sect. He’s the one we talked about yesterday—nearly twenty years old, with mediocre skills, not relying on his own abilities but rather on his connections with Ou Yan from the Huanxi Villa. That’s how he joined our sect.”
“Oh!” The guard was enlightened, nodded slightly, and then looked at He Tianshu with disdain. He said: “Captain He, your friend seems impressive. You should learn from him. To be honest, considering how you’ve been struggling in the Medicine Hall and even got sent to the Huanxi Villa, it seems you haven’t managed to build connections with the Villa Owner. Meanwhile, others have taken the lead and gained advantages.”
He Tianshu was stunned, and confusedly asked: “Brothers, what do you mean? We’re familiar faces. Could you explain clearly?”
The guard smiled and deflected, saying: “Captain He, since we’ve already said this, why go into so much detail? It would be quite dull if we spelled everything out.”
He Tianshu was clearly displeased. He pulled the guard aside and said: “Brothers, you just told me to learn from others, right? If you don’t explain clearly, how can I learn?”
Seeing that he couldn’t avoid it, the guard leaned closer and whispered in He Tianshu’s ear: “Captain He, you might not be aware of these things since you’ve been stationed at the Huanxi Villa. I’ve just returned from outside, and I overheard some of the disciples complaining. They said that recently a lucky guy joined our sect thanks to Ou Yan’s influence. He didn’t pass the tests but was personally appointed by the Sect Master and became a disciple of Senior Brother Wen Wenhai. Think about it, Captain He—Senior Brother Wen Wenhai is the Sect Master’s direct disciple. He hasn’t taken in any disciples yet, and many are vying for that position. And this Zhang Xiaohu, being so old and with mediocre skills, got such a big advantage just because of his connection with Villa Owner Ou. The other disciples can’t accept it.”
“Ah!?” He Tianshu exclaimed in surprise. He turned to Zhang Xiaohua, who looked very angry, and said: “Brothers, how can there be such rumors? I know about Zhang Xiaohu joining our Piaomiao Sect, but it doesn’t seem to be as you’ve said.”
“Oh? It’s not like that?” The guard seemed puzzled and asked: “You actually know the details? What’s really going on? But even if you know the truth, it’s useless now. All kinds of rumors have spread throughout the Piaomiao Sect. I don’t know which version is true or false. Maybe what you heard is also false.”
“I’m telling you, it’s absolutely true. I was there at the time.” He Tianshu said solemnly.
“Come on, brother, you’re clearly lying.” The guard said dismissively, waving his hand. “Zhang Xiaohu’s entry into the Piaomiao Sect was personally decided by the Sect Master in the council hall. What right do you have to enter the council hall?”
He Tianshu was at a loss for words. The guard’s comments were quite valid. If it weren’t for his association with Zhang Xiaohua as a prospective master, how would he have the right to enter the council hall? Such matters were difficult to explain to others.
He Tianshu could only pat the guard on the shoulder and say: “Brother, as the saying goes, ‘A lie repeated a thousand times becomes the truth’ and ‘Three people can make a tiger out of nothing’. Some things are not as simple as you imagine, and I can’t explain the specifics to you. Since you spoke to me sincerely earlier, I advise you to avoid discussing matters involving the Sect Master.”
The guard nodded thoughtfully. He Tianshu then led Zhang Xiaohua and Li Jinfeng, who had completed their registration, through the archway and toward the manor’s entrance.
Just after passing through the archway, Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t hold back and said to He Tianshu: “Captain He, how can they spread such nonsense? My second brother’s entry into the Piaomiao Sect was personally approved by Sect Master Ou. How can they just make up such stories?”
He Tianshu gave a wry smile and said: “Zhang Xiaohua, where there are people, there is the Jianghu, and there are conflicts. Think about it, the position of the Sect Master Ou’s direct disciple is a coveted position for any Piaomiao Sect disciple. Zhang Xiaohu wasn’t a disciple raised from a young age within the sect. His sudden rise naturally provokes envy. If your second brother can’t handle this kind of setback, I believe the Sect Master would also look down on him.”
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