Chapter 70

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Chapter 70: The Test

     

“Silver?” The brothers asked in unison: “We have to pay silver to learn martial arts?”

     

Fourth Master Wen’s face darkened upon hearing this, and he slammed his brush on the table with a loud “bang”, angrily saying: “Who will teach you without payment? Judging from your appearance, are you trying to fool me?”

     

The Zhang brothers hurriedly apologized, and Zhang Xiaohu explained that the guards at Piaomiao Manor had directed them here. Only then did Fourth Master Wen’s anger slightly subside. He picked up a teacup from the table, took a sip, and then spoke: “It seems the gatekeepers made a mistake. It’s not your fault.”

     

Zhang Xiaohu asked in confusion: “Excuse me, Fourth Master Wen, what exactly was the mistake?”

     

Seeing Zhang Xiaohu’s respectful demeanor, Fourth Master Wen cleared his throat, adopting a knowledgeable and instructive tone, and said: “Since you came from afar, I’ll explain it to you briefly.”

     

“Apprenticing to learn martial arts typically involves a martial arts school where you pay tuition, and if you live at the school, you also pay for food and lodging. In Pingyang City, our Lotus Escort Agency is the largest, and we don’t have a separate martial arts school. Our escort agency also functions as a martial arts school, and we regularly recruit people to learn martial arts. However, you made a mistake going to Piaomiao Manor to learn martial arts. Martial arts schools accept students regardless of age, based on their foundational skills and comprehension. Generally, they accept most applicants. However, the best age to start martial arts training is at five or six years old. Beyond that, it becomes very difficult to achieve great success. Martial arts schools teach basic martial arts routines, while Piaomiao Manor recruits disciples for the Piaomiao Sect, usually only accepting children around five or six years old. Naturally, they wouldn’t accept you as disciples.”

     

Upon hearing this, the Zhang brothers’ faces changed drastically. They had hoped to stay temporarily at the Lotus Escort Agency but still aimed to join Piaomiao. Now, they realized they had thought too simply.

     

Zhang Xiaohua nervously asked: “Then, Fourth Master, why did the guards at the Manor direct us here?”

     

Fourth Master Wen smiled, stroked his beard, and said: “Besides recruiting students for martial arts training, the Lotus Escort Agency primarily conducts escort business. Recently, the agency has been short-staffed and needs to recruit some bodyguards and porters. I suppose that’s what they meant.”

     

Zhang Xiaohu quickly asked: “Do we need to pay silver for that?”

     

Fourth Master Wen replied: “Bodyguards and porters work for the agency, so there’s no need to pay silver. In fact, you’ll receive a monthly salary.”

     

Zhang Xiaohua asked: “Can we learn martial arts?”

     

Fourth Master Wen said: “Of course. Escorting requires martial arts skills for self-defense. How could you do it without learning martial arts?”

     

The eyes of Zhang Xiaohua and Zhang Xiaohu immediately lit up. The prospect of learning martial arts while earning silver was too good to be true.

     

However, Fourth Master Wen’s next words plunged the brothers into despair: “But, the porters and guards we’re recruiting must have some martial arts background. Have you trained in martial arts?”

     

Zhang Xiaohu muttered: “No, we haven’t.”

     

Fourth Master Wen’s face immediately darkened. “How could the guards at Piaomiao Manor be so careless? They should have sent you back home directly instead of sending you here without asking properly.”

     

Then, his eyes suddenly brightened, and he asked: “Where are you from?”

     

Zhang Xiaohu replied: “Lu Town.”

     

Fourth Master Wen mumbled: “Lu Town, Lu Town… I don’t recall any disciple being from Lu Town.”

     

He then asked: “Lu Town is quite far from here. How did you hear about the Piaomiao Sect?”

     

Zhang Xiaohu simply said that they knew Wen Wenhai and Lu Yueming but didn’t elaborate further.

     

Fourth Master Wen’s brow finally relaxed as he understood the guards’ intentions.

     

He softened his tone and said: “In that case, you should try for the porter position. Without a martial arts foundation, you can’t be a guard. If the porters are still needed, you might have a chance. Come, I’m free now, so I’ll take you to see Sixth Master Li.”

     

With that, he got up and led the two brothers outside, leaving them feeling both surprised and grateful.

     

Fourth Master Wen took the Zhang brothers to the fourth room next door, asking them to wait outside while he went in. Inside, a lean man in his thirties was smoking a dry tobacco pipe. Seeing Master Wen Si enter, he smiled and said: “How did Fourth Master Wen find time to come here?”

     

Fourth Master Wen, after looking around at the smoke-filled room, walked to the window, opened it, and waved away the smoke. “Sixth Master Li, can’t you smoke less? The room is full of smoke, who would want to come in here?”

     

Then he asked: “How’s the recruitment going these days? Are you fully staffed yet?”

     

Sixth Master Li tapped the ash from his pipe and said: “We’re almost there. We still need one or two more bodyguards, but we’re short on porters. It’s hard to find people willing to do it since the pay is low, and they have to work hard. Even those with a bit of skill prefer to be bodyguards or work for carriage services rather than working hard in the escort agency.”

     

Fourth Master Wen chuckled: “That’s perfect.”

     

He then called the Zhang brothers in and introduced them to Sixth Master Li: “This is Sixth Master Li, responsible for recruiting porters. Get to know each other.”

     

Zhang Xiaohu and Zhang Xiaohua quickly stepped forward to greet him.

     

Sixth Master Li glanced at Zhang Xiaohu, then looked at Fourth Master Wen in surprise and asked: “What’s going on here? You want him to be a porter?”

     

Fourth Master Wen nodded. Sixth Master Li examined Zhang Xiaohu and asked: “From the looks of it, you haven’t practiced martial arts, have you?”

     

Zhang Xiaohu respectfully answered: “No, I haven’t.”

     

Sixth Master Li, puzzled, turned to Fourth Master Wen and said: “He hasn’t trained. What do you expect me to do? Being a porter is also dangerous. Did you explain this to him?”

     

Fourth Master Wen, smiling, said: “Being a porter is different from being a bodyguard. Martial arts skills aren’t strictly necessary. He’s just eager to learn martial arts, and besides…”

     

Then Fourth Master Wen whispered a few words into Sixth Master Li’s ear, to which Sixth Master Li nodded repeatedly. However, he still said: “Even if martial arts skills aren’t required, the person still needs to be physically fit and have some talent for martial arts. Otherwise, I can’t accept him. If something happens later, I can’t be responsible to the higher-ups.”

     

Fourth Master Wen chuckled and said: “He’s a farmer, so his body should be fine. Take him to the training ground for a test. If he passes, great. If not, explain the risks to him. Learning martial arts shouldn’t come at the cost of one’s life.”

     

He turned to Zhang Xiaohu and asked: “Don’t you agree?”

     

Zhang Xiaohu nodded vigorously.

     

Sixth Master Li sighed and said to Zhang Xiaohu: “Alright, come with me.”

     

He led Zhang Xiaohu to the training ground outside. By now, some people were already practicing there. Some were practicing hand-to-hand combat, others were sparring with weapons, and some were lifting stone locks to build strength. Sixth Master Li led Zhang Xiaohu to the stone locks. Those who were lifting them put them down and greeted Sixth Master Li, then stepped aside. Pointing to a stone lock, Sixth Master Li said to Zhang Xiaohu: “This one weighs 100 jin. Can you lift it?”

     

[TL_Note: 100 jin=50 kg]

     

Zhang Xiaohu shook his head, saying: “I don’t know. I’ve never lifted one before.”

     

Sixth Master Li said: “Then give it a try.”

     

Zhang Xiaohu nodded, stepped forward, grabbed the stone lock, and tried to lift it. After taking a deep breath, he mimicked the lifting technique he had just seen and managed to hoist the stone lock over his head with one hand before setting it down. He looked back at Sixth Master Li, who nodded and said: “Not bad. Try the one weighing 150 jin next.”

     

[TL_Note: approximately 75 kg ]

     

Zhang Xiaohu eyed the slightly larger stone lock nearby and managed to lift it as well, though sweat was now visible on his forehead. Sixth Master Li seemed somewhat satisfied, and the spectators’ attitudes shifted from disdain to respect. After all, for someone of Zhang Xiaohu’s age and build to lift 150 jin without prior training was impressive. Yet, Sixth Master Li wasn’t finished. He pointed to another stone lock and said: “This one is 200 jin. Try lifting it.”

     

[TL_Note:(approximately 100 kg)]

     

At this moment, the surrounding people were stunned. The 200-jin stone lock was not the heaviest in the training ground, but not everyone could lift it when they first arrived. Only a few visibly muscular men could manage to make a show of it from the start, while the rest could only lift it after practicing and building their strength. Now, Sixth Master Li asking Zhang Xiaohu to attempt it was either deliberately making things difficult for him or a test of Zhang Xiaohu’s potential.

     

Zhang Xiaohu, undaunted like a newborn calf, wasn’t afraid. He stepped forward and weighed the stone lock, feeling its significant heft. However, thinking of his future martial arts training, he took a deep breath, channeled his strength into one arm, and lifted the stone lock. Unfortunately, just as he was about to raise it above his head, his arm gave out, and the stone lock fell to the ground. Zhang Xiaohu’s face paled a bit, but the onlookers cheered and applauded. Even Sixth Master Li nodded and smiled, saying: “Not bad, very good.”

     

At this moment, Zhang Xiaohu realized that he had passed the strength test.

     

Then, Sixth Master Li asked Zhang Xiaohu: “You haven’t trained in martial arts at all, have you?”

     

Zhang Xiaohu nodded in confirmation.

     

The applause from the surrounding people had drawn the attention of other trainees. Sixth Master Li pointed to a young man about Zhang Xiaohu’s age and said: “Little Monkey, come here and demonstrate the Six Harmonies Fist.”

     

He then turned to Zhang Xiaohu and said: “Watch carefully. When he’s finished, I want you to repeat it.”

     

The Six Harmonies Fist was a simple introductory martial arts form. Under Little Monkey’s hands, it looked quite impressive, clearly a result of much practice. Zhang Xiaohu watched intently, focusing on each move. When Little Monkey finished, there was also applause nearby.

     

Sixth Master Li looked at Zhang Xiaohu, who closed his eyes, seemingly recalling the sequence. After a moment, Zhang Xiaohu slowly began to perform the moves from the beginning. Though he lacked the flair, his movements were precise and methodical. The more he performed, the more astonished Sixth Master Li and the crowd became. Zhang Xiaohu continued until he had completed about two-thirds of the form before stopping and scratching his head, saying sheepishly: “I forgot the rest.”

     

Sixth Master Li sternly asked: “Be honest, have you really never practiced martial arts before? Have you never trained in this martial art technique?”

     

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