noveltune Chapter 1 Su Hui
Chapter 1 Su Hui
Shazhou, Yueya County.
In the depths of winter, yellow sand swirled, the wind carrying ice particles that made passersby hunch their necks.
Inside the Bajiquan martial arts hall, however, a completely different and intense scene unfolded. More than ten martial arts disciples were either honing their qi and blood or practicing routines.
Liu Sheng was shirtless at this moment.
One after another, the horse stance and palm strikes landed on the ironwood stakes with a series of crisp sounds.
[Bajiquan Proficiency +1]
[Bajiquan Proficiency +1]
[Bajiquan Proficiency +1]
Feeling himself growing stronger little by little, he slowly exhaled a puff of white breath: "Again!"
Then Liu Sheng heard a familiar voice: "Junior Brother Liu, it's the end of the month. Remember next month's tuition."
"Okay, thank you for reminding me, Senior Brother Lu."
He then stopped.
I wiped away the sweat and put on my clothes.
Then I examined the words, which were only visible to myself—
Name: Liu Sheng
Age: 16
[Technique: Bajiquan (233/1000 Beginner Level)]
"We need to work harder to speed things up. Our family isn't well-off to begin with, and we can't keep going like this and wasting money."
Liu Sheng sighed inwardly.
Or perhaps his innate wisdom awakened too late, resulting in the waste of too much time and money beforehand.
Martial arts school regulations.
Only those disciples who have mastered the basics of boxing within six months can be formally accepted as disciples.
Otherwise, you'll have to pack your bags and leave.
At this time, Liu Sheng was just an entry-level disciple, and he was wearing only ordinary black training clothes.
In the blink of an eye, five months have passed.
Liu Sheng really didn't want to go back and face his father's disappointed gaze in this life.
When Senior Brother Lu You saw his sudden silence and momentary blank expression, he felt that he might be having some kind of difficulty.
So he asked with concern:
"Junior Brother Liu, are you experiencing some financial difficulties at home lately?"
In the past, he would never have cared about a novice disciple to this extent.
From the first day Liu Sheng entered the martial arts school.
He was responsible for leading them.
Perhaps due to his privileged family background and young age, Liu Shenggang was able to stay away from his father for extended periods, and once he was out, he was preoccupied with playing.
He often went out to play with a group of rich kids who were good for nothing.
So much time has been wasted, but unexpectedly, Liu Sheng was still in the midst of their most recent daily sparring session.
He was knocked unconscious by a newcomer who joined the martial arts school later.
When I woke up, I felt like a completely different person.
Only after these past few days of hard work did Lu You change his attitude.
Seeing the concerned look in Senior Brother Lu's eyes.
Liu Sheng expressed his gratitude:
"My family is doing alright for now, but I feel bad about always using their money. I'm wondering if I can earn some tuition fees on my own."
"Junior brother, it's already very kind of you to have this intention!"
Upon hearing this, Senior Brother Lu compared his younger brother, who did nothing but eat and play, to his younger brother and felt greatly gratified.
Then look at Liu Shengshi.
I felt that this young man, whose face was still immature, had delicate features, a slightly upturned nose, and a pair of almond-shaped eyes that were already beginning to take shape. Yet, he did not appear effeminate. In fact, he was pleasing to the eye no matter how you looked at him.
So Lu You seized the opportunity to encourage him:
"Junior brother, keep up the good work! Once you've mastered Bajiquan and become a formal disciple, it will be much easier to find a job that pays!"
Bajiquan, a renowned martial art, features simple and unpretentious movements with powerful and crisp punches, and is widely practiced.
Generally, all external martial arts like Bajiquan have different levels of skill and experience.
It can be divided into beginner, minor success, major success, and perfection.
In the introductory stage, the main focus is on familiarizing oneself with some basic moves and mastering basic power generation techniques.
Once one reaches the minor mastery level, their strength is sufficient to fight two ordinary adult men.
Only the master of the academy will personally preside over the apprenticeship ceremony and determine the individual's physical attributes.
Those with good aptitude will receive special training, while those with average aptitude will still enjoy basic benefits as formal disciples.
Even without any special talent, one can still use their master's name to go to a small town and find a job as a guard, which will ensure a comfortable life.
In the past, Liu Sheng would have indeed taken a chance.
He felt that he was just getting by day by day, and that if he could slowly achieve some success, he wouldn't starve in his life.
But now he has awakened his wisdom and can understand his father's difficulties in earning money.
Now that he has been able to accumulate martial arts proficiency, he naturally has higher expectations for his future.
Needless to say, if they don't master the skills within another month, they'll be kicked out.
"I need to work harder and keep practicing at home tonight!" Liu Sheng encouraged himself silently.
After saying goodbye to his senior brother, Liu Sheng felt still a bit warm, so he wrapped himself in his training clothes and held a long coat in his hand.
I embarked on my journey home.
Bajiguan is located in the east of Yueya County.
Liu Sheng's home is located on the commercial street in the west of Yueya County.
At Liu Sheng's pace, it would only take him a quarter of an hour to get there.
Even before getting close, Liu Sheng could smell the rich aroma of the baked flatbread.
As far as the eye could see, vendors leading donkey carts and merchants from Central Asia with headscarves walked through the streets and alleys.
Among a row of wooden signs worn unevenly by wind and sand, Liu's Grocery Store's sign was not particularly eye-catching.
Seeing Liu Sheng return wearing a long coat, the neighbors and shopkeepers all greeted him warmly.
"Xiao Sheng is back?"
"Xiao Sheng, when will you be able to become a formal disciple?"
"These training clothes make him look so smart. I'll send my Ping'er to the martial arts school tomorrow too."
Liu Sheng responded to each of them with a smile.
The greetings from the crowd became even more enthusiastic.
After all, if it were the old Liu Sheng, his face would have turned red to the roots of his ears, and he wouldn't have been able to utter a single word.
Now at least he's starting to look like a little adult.
Only after Liu Sheng entered his family's general store did some doubts arise among those around him:
"Look, it's been five months, and I haven't heard of him making any progress. All that money has been spent on the martial arts school."
"Yes, taxes have already increased recently, and with the end of the month approaching, the Beggars' Guild will be coming to collect 'beggar donations' again. Manager Liu's small business can't possibly keep up with all that."
"You can't stand to see someone do well, can you? I think Xiao Sheng is pretty good. He went out to practice martial arts, and at least he's become much more cheerful!" Old Song from the silk shop couldn't stand it anymore.
Liu Sheng vaguely heard some of the discussions, but having lived two lives, he naturally didn't care about them.
What he cared about was his father, whose face was ashen at that moment.
At that moment, the father was tidying up the shop with his employees. When he saw Liu Sheng come in, he put the door panels back on one by one and prepared to close up shop.
Liu Zhutao, the father, glanced at Liu Sheng a few times, seemingly holding back many unpleasant words.
But in the end, he only said one sentence: "Let's go eat."
Liu Sheng was a little embarrassed, but he still spoke up: "Dad, about the martial arts school..."
Liu Zhutao: "Let's eat first, then we'll talk."
The father and son walked in silently, one after the other.
The two of them skillfully stepped over the high threshold and arrived at the backyard.
The shops have a front store and a back yard.
Liu Zhutao lived in the main house on the north side of the backyard, Liu Sheng lived in the west wing, and the servants slept in a small room partitioned off from the kitchen on the east side.
On the stone table in the courtyard.
Liu Zhutao and Liu Sheng sat facing each other.
Two dishes and two bowls of rice were placed in front of them.
The large platter of meat and vegetables was placed next to Liu Sheng.
Liu Sheng also noticed the difference between the two bowls of rice. Both were white rice mixed with other grains, but his father's bowl had significantly more mixed grains.
Liu Zhutao looked at Liu Sheng, who was silently eating, and after what seemed like a long time, he finally spoke.
"Sheng'er, I know you're resentful. I knew you didn't really want to learn martial arts when I sent you to the martial arts school."
Liu Zhutao stopped Liu Sheng, who was about to say something:
"Your father has traveled all over the country buying and selling goods over the years, so I've seen a lot. This world is about to descend into chaos. You're still young; if you don't learn martial arts, you'll have a very difficult time in the future..."
"I know, there's only one month left. It's okay, just try your best to study hard, consider it broadening your horizons. If you don't do well, come back and do your homework!"
In his previous life, Liu Sheng grew up in an orphanage and had no concept of family affection.
Only now in my life have I truly felt the selfless care of my father who raised me single-handedly.
After a thousand words, Liu Sheng finally uttered only one sentence: "Dad! I will definitely train hard!"
night.
All around was completely silent.
Only the sound of his father's abacus and Liu Sheng's shouts while practicing martial arts remained.
The next day.
The sky is bright.
Liu Sheng has been getting up very early these past few days.
Because he wanted to go to the martial arts school to practice martial arts as soon as possible.
But today, Liu Sheng was awakened by a commotion in the courtyard.
"Manager Liu, it's almost the end of the month, why haven't you paid your 10 taels of silver 'beggar's donation' yet?"
Then came the father's exclamation: "How come it's gone up again? It was only 7 taels last month!"
"If you don't want to hand it over, I don't want to accept it either. Do you think I'd be happy to be kicked out by the leader so early, just to make enemies?"
"Then, Master Lai, here's the arrangement: you can take the seven taels for now. I'll pay the remaining three taels at the end of next month!"
Liu Sheng was lying in bed when he heard these words and immediately became alert.
He put on his training clothes, pushed open the door, and went out to check the situation.
What came into view was an elderly beggar dressed in the attire of a beggar gang, holding some loose silver coins in his hand.
He was followed by several little beggars, all of them filthy, looking around.
The old beggar had three small tattered cloth bags hanging from his waist, clearly indicating that he possessed martial arts skills and was a three-bag disciple of the Beggar Clan.
At this moment, he was holding a hard wooden stick and threatening his father, Liu Zhutao.
When the old beggar saw Liu Sheng, dressed in black training clothes, come out, he was first taken aback, then revealed a mocking smile.
The Beggars' Sect is the most well-informed.
At first, when they heard that Manager Liu had sent his child to a martial arts school, they were somewhat wary.
After all, these martial arts schools in the east of the city are all legitimate martial arts schools registered with the government, unlike the Beggars' Gang composed of vagrants.
Although the Beggars' Sect is just a black glove.
The majority of the silver they received was handed over to the government.
This is why, despite the heavy amount of donations from beggars, merchants dare not refuse outright.
But if something goes wrong because of this, and it ends up in the hands of the government, then don't blame the upright official for being unfair.
On the surface, it was still the Beggars' Sect that suffered the loss.
Especially the head of the Bajiguan Pavilion, who comes from Yueya County, has a fearsome reputation.
He's notoriously protective of his own!
I recently heard that Liu Sheng, this "old man" who had been learning martial arts for 5 months, was knocked unconscious by a newcomer who had only been at the martial arts school for 1 month.
Upon further inquiry, it was discovered that Liu Sheng was also an ignorant and incompetent person.
It was clear that he would never become a formal disciple.
If they are not formal disciples, they are not considered members of the martial arts school, so the Beggars' Sect is naturally not afraid of offending them.
So Lai San was relieved and came to our door early in the morning, playing with the loose silver in his hand.
He said with a forced smile:
"Your son is practicing martial arts, huh? That must cost a lot of money, right? If you ask me, you should stop him. He's not cut out for it. The money saved can be used for the 'beggar's donation'."
Hearing that his son was being looked down upon like this, Liu Zhutao, who had been smiling apologetically, immediately became furious.
"Third Master Lai, whether my son is successful or not is none of your concern. Please leave. I will find a way to pay the remaining 'beggar's donation'."
Seeing Liu Zhutao's anger, Lai San didn't care at all, as if the mud on his face was just a thickened skin.
"Manager Liu, we've known each other for so many years, I, Lai San, don't want to push things too far. How about I give you 10 days?"
"You know the Beggars' Sect's rules: 10 days, 3 taels of silver plus 2 taels of interest, for a total of 5 taels."
Five taels! I was just saying three taels!
Only 10 days have passed.
That adds up to a full 2 taels of "interest".
Judging from the other party's expression, it seemed that they had plenty of ways to make Liu Zhutao's life difficult for the next 10 days.
In the end, they had no choice but to obediently hand it over.
Liu Sheng clenched his fist.
Seeing that Liu Zhutao's face was ashen and he said nothing more, the beggars left.
Lai San walked ahead with his head held high, looking smug, without even looking where he was going.
When Lai San reached the threshold of the inner courtyard, he was tripped up by the high threshold of the shop, which symbolized the gathering of wealth and prosperity.
"Ouch, I'm so hungry...!"
Lai San fell face-first to the ground.
"Boss, are you alright, boss?"
"snort!"
Lai San, completely devoid of his earlier smugness, walked away angrily, supported by a group of beggars.
The father and son exchanged a glance, feeling both annoyed and amused.
The Beggars' Sect in this world is not like the chivalrous and righteous sects that Liu Sheng saw in the martial arts novels of his previous life.
On the contrary, they are involved in all sorts of dirty work, from petty theft and human trafficking.
Having worked at the martial arts school, Liu Sheng knew a thing or two.
Like that Lai San just now, a three-bag disciple of the Beggars' Sect, he was a minor leader who could manage a street, and his Dog-Beating Stick Technique was at least at a minor level of mastery.
Liu Sheng certainly wouldn't underestimate the opponent's strength just because of their comical performance.
As a long-standing martial art, the Dog-Beating Stick Technique is no weaker than Bajiquan.
Moreover, when one's martial arts level is low, weapons have a significant advantage over bare hands.
"With a little effort, I should at least break through to the minor level in Bajiquan! I can't always rely on my family to make the first move."
Liu Sheng was certainly not so naive as to think that his martial arts skills would allow him to solve all problems with his iron fists.
He was born twice.
He deeply understood the importance of interpersonal relationships and social skills.
"Having broken through to the minor completion stage, I can become a formal disciple of the martial arts school. With the school master's name on my side, even the Beggars' Sect wouldn't dare come knocking to collect my money!"
Becoming a formal disciple means becoming one of the martial arts school's own people.
What does "one of us" mean?
If you encounter a problem, talk to your boss first!
Liu Sheng saw through it at a glance; it was the most suitable shortcut for him, but before taking the shortcut, he had to put in some hard work first.
So he silently glanced at his martial arts progress again.
【Bajiquan (239/1000 Beginner Level)】
I practiced a little more last night, but didn't improve much. I need to hurry to the martial arts gym.
Seeing his son's silence, Liu Zhutao took out two taels of silver from his pocket, one large and one small.
"Sheng'er, here, this is next month's tuition, 10 taels. This is your allowance, 1 tael. Buy meat when you get hungry during practice. You must be willing to eat a lot of meat when practicing martial arts!"
Liu Sheng's eyes reddened as he listened to his father's words.
It wasn't that my father couldn't afford it; he just kept all the money for himself, using it for tuition and meat.
Looking at the heavy silver ingots in his hand, 10 taels were complete silver ingots, and 1 tael was all broken silver pieces. It was clear that he had saved up the money by being frugal.
Liu Sheng knew that the tuition fees for the martial arts school had all been paid with his father's savings accumulated over many years.
Over the past few months, in order to cope with the increased taxes and fees imposed by the imperial court due to the war, as well as the additional "beggar donations" made by the Beggars' Guild, their savings have been almost exhausted.
With a heavy heart, Liu Sheng set off for the martial arts school once again.
When we arrived at the county center.
Liu Sheng suddenly noticed a commotion ahead.
He instinctively clutched the silver in his arms tighter, hid in a corner, and observed the situation.
Then Liu Sheng saw two groups of people fighting in the bustling city center of the county.
On one side were the Beggars' Sect disciples, dressed in rags and wielding short sticks.
On the other side were the newly formed [Mingsha Gang] members, dressed in uniform brown short-sleeved shirts and carrying hard wooden sticks that reached their eyebrows. Although they were outnumbered, they were fierce and had a slight advantage.
According to the laws of the Great Fan Dynasty, humans were not allowed to possess weapons such as swords.
Therefore, both sides can only use sticks, and the side with the longer stick naturally has the advantage.
I heard that this Mingsha Gang came from the outer city of Shazhou. As soon as they arrived, they started openly and secretly fighting with the local Beggar Gang for territory.
"My father is really insightful. He told me last night that the world was going to be in chaos, and this morning it's already this chaotic."
Driven by a desire to watch the excitement and not mind the drama, Liu Sheng secretly mocked himself.
He was especially pleased to see the Beggars' Sect get beaten up at this time.
Then he saw that in the chaos, many stalls were overturned, and the vendors, reluctant to part with their goods, tried to take some with them, but were also accidentally injured, running around crying and wailing.
Especially since Old Man Kang, whom we knew, was among them.
Old Kang usually sells high-quality, inexpensive roasted meat.
Liu Sheng often sneaked over to buy meat from him and listen to his friends recount interesting stories about the Great Fan Dynasty's northward and southward journeys.
At this moment, Old Man Kang couldn't bear to part with his roasted meat.
Unfortunately, he was old and couldn't walk fast, so he took several blows and was about to be knocked down.
Liu Sheng couldn't bear to look at it.
Although he wanted to do something.
But in this chaotic battle, there really wasn't much he, a beginner in Bajiquan, could do.
He is currently in the county center, while the government offices are located south of the county seat, so there is no time to report to the authorities.
While he was struggling with this decision, Liu Sheng suddenly had a flash of inspiration.
The longer the time it takes for innate wisdom to awaken.
He just felt that way.
These sudden flashes of inspiration have been happening more and more frequently lately.
He carefully observed the surrounding area.
Being far away is safe; there's no one else around.
So he took a deep breath, focused his energy in his dantian, and then, with a mighty roar, shouted towards the direction of the chaotic battle:
"Run! The yamen runners are here to arrest people!!!"
It should be said that the world is not yet in such a state of chaos, and the prestige of the government still holds some value.
The members of the Beggars' Sect and the Mingsha Sect, who were originally engaged in a chaotic battle, heard the shout and ran while loudly reminding their companions to run together.
In no time, they were all gone.
The small vendors could only endure the pain and return to pack up their goods.
Seeing that the problem was solved, Liu Sheng was secretly pleased and was about to go and check on Old Man Kang.
As a result, they saw the other party carrying a load on a shoulder pole, walking briskly and running a long distance.
He thought to himself that he still had silver on him, and the area was not safe, so he was afraid of causing any unexpected trouble.
He had no choice but to tuck the silver in his pocket tighter and continue on his way to the martial arts school.