Chapter 237
Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW
As the sun rises, they work; as the sun sets, they rest—this is the life of country folk.
Zhang Cai and Zhang Xiaolong were no exception. Over the past few days, Zhang Xiaohu and Zhang Xiaohua’s return home had disrupted the usual household labor. Now that everything had settled, it was time for life to return to its normal course.
After breakfast, Zhang Cai and Zhang Xiaolong picked up their hoes and other farming tools, preparing to head to the fields. Zhang Xiaohu and Zhang Xiaohua eagerly offered to help, but Zhang Cai chuckled and said: “There’s not much work left in the fields at this time. We’re just going to take a look and weed a little. With autumn nearly over, you two should rest at home. When it’s time for the harvest in a few days, you can help then.”
The two of them tried several times to grab the farming tools, but Zhang Cai and Zhang Xiaolong firmly stopped them. Seeing that they couldn’t win against their father and elder brother, they relented and watched them head toward the fields.
Sitting idly in the small courtyard, they watched their mother and sister-in-law busying themselves. Suddenly, they felt out of place, unsure of what to do. Both of them instinctively thought about training, but then—if they were just going to train, why did they come home at all? Wouldn’t it have been better to train at the Piaomiao Sect?
Just then, Zhang Xiaohua spoke up. “Second Brother, since there’s nothing to do at home, why don’t we take a trip to town? Lu Town is the closest town to us, but I’ve never really explored it properly.”
Zhang Xiaohu’s eyes lit up. “That’s a great idea! While we’re at it, we can visit Young Master Li’s family to let them know we’re safe. Maybe they have a message or something they need us to bring back.”
Zhang Xiaohua laughed. “Exactly! I was just about to say that.”
With that, the two got up and informed their mother. Since Li Jinfeng had visited Guo Village during the New Year, Guo Sufei had a good impression of him. Moreover, she had heard that he had been teaching her son how to read and write, which made her even more pleased. She took some silver from her pouch and told Zhang Xiaohua to buy a few gifts for them. Zhang Xiaohua accepted it with a smile, and the two of them saddled their horses and prepared to leave. Before they departed, Guo Sufei reminded them to return quickly and, if invited for a meal, to make sure they ate before coming back.
The two brothers agreed repeatedly.
Once they left the village, they mounted their horses and rode swiftly toward Lu Town.
In the time it took to eat a meal, Lu Town came into view in the distance. By now, the sun was high in the sky, and the day was growing warm. The official road was bustling with more and more travelers, prompting the brothers to slow their horses as they approached the town.
It had been two years since their last visit to Lu Town, yet little had changed. Even the square where opera performances were held during the New Year remained the same. However, the place was livelier than ever, with many peddlers and vendors setting up stalls and hawking their wares. From a corner of the square, the sound of gongs rang out—it seemed there was a street performance underway.
Hearing the sound of the gong, Zhang Xiaohua was reluctant to move. Since childhood, he had loved watching street performances, and now that such a spectacle was right in front of him, how could he not join in the excitement?
Before he could get close, however, a dense crowd had already gathered around the performance area, forming layer upon layer of spectators. Being short in stature, Zhang Xiaohua naturally couldn’t see anything, and since he was holding onto his horse, he couldn’t simply squeeze his way through. He looked around and noticed an ancient tree nearby, so large that even two people together wouldn’t be able to wrap their arms around it. After informing his second brother, he led his horse over, tied up the red chestnut-colored horse, glanced around, and when no one was paying attention, he executed a Qinggong technique and leaped lightly onto the treetop. Perched on a branch, his body rose and fell with the swaying of the tree but remained as steady as Mount Tai. Seeing this, Zhang Xiaohu sighed inwardly. “It’s only been a few days since the Martial Arts Competition, and back then, my little brother didn’t even know any Qinggong. Now he can already leap onto a treetop. I really need to catch up.”
Zhang Xiaohu also tied up his horse and climbed up the tree bit by bit. Country children learned to climb trees from a young age, so even without Qinggong, scaling a tree was an easy task. Just then, another burst of gongs rang out from the crowd, followed by a wave of cheers. Zhang Xiaohu and Zhang Xiaohua quickly looked over. Sure enough, in the center of the crowd, a small monkey with a bright red rear was performing exaggerated and comical movements, making the audience burst into laughter. It had been a long time since they had seen a monkey show, and the two brothers watched with great interest.
When the monkey finished its act, it unexpectedly grabbed the copper gong and walked around the crowd, collecting copper coins one by one. Each time a coin fell into the gong, the little monkey even cupped its hands in a bow, which made the onlookers laugh even harder.
After finishing its round, the monkey returned the gong to its owner and received a piece of food in return. It devoured the food ravenously, then squatted to the side, scratching its ears and cheeks absentmindedly.
The street performer picked up the gong and clanged it loudly once more, calling out: “Ladies and gentlemen, if you have money, support with some coins; if not, support with your presence. I am but a humble man with a family-inherited fist technique and a medicinal ointment for injuries. I dare not keep them to myself, so I shall now demonstrate for everyone. After my performance, I will show you my family’s ointment, which is effective for bruises and contusions.”
Hearing this, some people began to leave. Seeing this, the performer quickly stopped them and said: “Alright, I’ll get right to it. Everyone, please watch!”
This piqued the curiosity of the crowd once more, and many chose to stay and watch.
The performer adjusted his attire, tightened his belt, and assumed a ready stance before beginning his martial display in the open space. From his perch in the tree, Zhang Xiaohua had initially been watching the monkey, but when he saw it finish eating and begin picking at its fur, he felt a bit disappointed and was about to leap down. However, upon hearing that the performer was demonstrating a family-inherited fist technique, he stopped himself and turned his gaze back to the performance area.
The street performer was a tall and muscular man. His punches were fierce and powerful, giving off an imposing aura. To the common spectators, the performance was thrilling, and cheers erupted from the crowd. However, to Zhang Xiaohua and Zhang Xiaohu, who had keen eyes for martial arts, the flaws in his technique were glaringly obvious. Even so, the style of this fist technique was entirely unfamiliar to them. It was understandable for Zhang Xiaohu, who had only ever practiced Six Harmonies Fist, to not recognize it. But Zhang Xiaohua had read many fist manuals, and yet he, too, had never encountered this style. It seemed that this truly was a rare, family-inherited technique, seldom seen in the martial world.
As the man was performing, a commotion suddenly broke out in the eastern part of the crowd. Standing high in the tree, Zhang Xiaohua had a clear vantage point, and with his sharp senses, he quickly noticed a short and fat man pushing through the crowd with several attendants in tow.
The moment Zhang Xiaohua saw the man’s face, he clenched his teeth so hard that a “creak” sound escaped. Zhang Xiaohu, who had been watching the performance with great interest, heard the noise and turned to see Zhang Xiaohua’s unusual expression. Concerned, he asked: “Xiaohua, what’s wrong? Are your teeth hurting?”
Zhang Xiaohua steadied his emotions and pointed at the short, stout man. “Second Brother, look over there. Do you recognize that squat dwarf?”
When Zhang Xiaohu got a good look, his eyes narrowed, and he let out a cold laugh. “I searched high and low for him, thinking of finding a chance to teach him a lesson. And now, he’s delivered himself right to our doorstep. The heavens truly have eyes.”
“But, this scoundrel has brought quite a few attendants. Look at that middle-aged man in black beside him—his steps are steady, and his gait exudes strength. He’s likely the bodyguard. We don’t know how skilled he is. We shouldn’t ‘try to steal a chicken and end up losing the rice’, only to get taught a lesson ourselves.”
“This bastard has always bullied men and harassed women. Since he’s here, there’s bound to be trouble. Let’s watch for now and decide what to do later.”
As they spoke, the street performer had finished his fist routine, his body drenched in sweat. He took off his upper garment, revealing his well-defined muscles, then picked up a bundle from the ground. Taking out several stacks of medicinal plasters, he placed them on the copper gong and began promoting them enthusiastically to the crowd.
The short, stout man had now reached the edge of the gathering. He raised his voice and called out: “Hey, you over there! Bring your plasters over and let this Young Master have a look. If they’re any good, I’ll buy them all.”
Thinking he had landed a big customer, the street performer quickly put on a flattering smile and approached. The stout man smirked. “Tell me, what effects do these plasters have?”
The street performer replied: “This is a secret family formula, made using precious medicinal herbs. It is specifically crafted to treat bruises, fractures, and other external injuries. It’s quite miraculous—Young Master, you’ll know its efficacy once you try it.”
The stout man smirked: “I do want to buy it, but I’m afraid of being scammed. The world today is in decline, each generation worse than the last. Just the other day, I bought a spotted dog, only to find out after giving it a bath that it was just a common mutt. Now tell me, who should I complain to?”
The performer forced a smile. “Young Master, you must be joking. I value my reputation above all else—I would never deceive anyone.”
The stout man said: “It’s best to test it on the spot. If it really works, I’ll buy all of it.”
The performer responded: “I wonder if there’s anyone here with an injury who can try it out.”
The stout man laughed. “How could an injured person push through this crowd? But I do have an idea—would you be willing to try it?”
The performer smiled. “Of course, I’d be happy to. But let’s be clear—if my plasters prove effective, Young Master must buy them all.”
The stout man scoffed: “Do I look like someone who goes back on his word?”
The performer quickly bowed his head. “I wouldn’t dare say so. I have fifty plasters here, each costing five qian of silver. Please count them.”
Saying this, he reached into his bundle to retrieve more plasters.
The stout man waved his hand dismissively. “No need for all that trouble. I believe you.”
Then, he pulled out a stack of silver notes from his robe. “I have thirty taels of silver notes here—more than enough to buy your plasters. If they work, I’ll purchase them all.”
The performer was overjoyed. “Then, may I ask how you wish to test them?”
But the stout man continued: “Don’t ask about the method just yet—I have another condition.”
“Please, do tell.” The performer said, puzzled.
The stout man shamelessly declared: “My condition is this—if your plasters don’t work, how will you compensate me?”
The performer was taken aback and forced a smile. “Young Master, please listen. If my plasters are ineffective, I wouldn’t dare take a single coin from you. Why would there be any need for compensation?”
