Chapter 26: Bandit Suppression |
The day He Yan left Zhou's courtyard, fallen leaves drifted silently.
Zhou's courtyard continued as usual, with new faces bringing hopes entering each month, while disciples who knew their path forward was cut off quietly departed.
The departure of one obvious strength disciple was like a withered leaf falling in autumn, stirring not the slightest ripple.
Those who could truly take root in Zhou's courtyard were always the core disciples who had reached hidden strength.
Since He Yan's departure, Chen Qing had been practicing even more diligently.
Every day he was the first to arrive at Zhou's courtyard and the last to leave.
He needed to complete his progress as quickly as possible and reach hidden strength as soon as possible.
"I heard it's because of He Yan's situation..."
"He barely managed to break through to obvious strength, what use is more desperate effort?"
Chen Qing paid no attention to the gazes of the courtyard disciples and continued practicing with his head down.
This day, after Zhou Liang made a round of inspection in the courtyard, he left in haste.
"Hah!"
Chen Qing practiced stance work once more, feeling his qi and blood abundant, his mind becoming clear and ethereal.
[Heaven Rewards Diligence, Success Guaranteed]
[Through-arm Stance Work: Minor Achievement (951/1000)]
He looked at his own palms and thought silently, "Now my qi and blood are abundant, having reached a peak. In just a few days, I'll be able to attempt my second breakthrough."
Each breakthrough would bring earth-shaking changes in strength.
When the sun set in the west, Zhou Liang returned to the martial courtyard dragging his weary body and immediately summoned Zhou Yu, Sun Shun and others inside for discussion.
Shortly after, Sun Shun hurriedly emerged and assembled all the obvious strength disciples in the courtyard.
"Senior brother Sun, has something happened?" a disciple couldn't help but ask.
Sun Shun surveyed everyone and said solemnly, "Water bandits have been rampant recently at White Wave Lake. Colonel Pang intends to leave the city for bandit suppression and is recruiting skilled fighters from within the county. Obvious strength martial artists will receive five taels of silver plus five portions of blood qi powder, hidden strength experts can earn twenty taels of silver and three blood qi pills."
"This bandit suppression will be led by the colonel personally, and the five major families have also recruited three transforming strength experts."
"Do any of you have thoughts on this?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire courtyard buzzed with excitement.
It should be known that ordinary obvious strength martial artists with nominal positions only earned two or three taels of silver monthly salary, let alone precious cultivation resources.
Moreover, this expedition would be personally led by the colonel, with three transforming strength experts sent by the five major families providing backup, making it virtually foolproof.
Immediately, quite a few disciples were moved to action.
After some discussion, disciples quickly began signing up.
"Senior brother Sun, I'll go too."
At this moment, Qin Lie spoke up.
His desire to go on the bandit suppression was naturally not for the silver, but for real combat experience.
Sun Shun was slightly startled, "Junior brother Qin, you really want to go?"
"Practicing martial arts was never just about bitter training, and fighting techniques aren't mastered just by hitting wooden posts."
Qin Lie declared loudly, "Practicing martial arts requires boldness!"
Zhou Yu's beautiful eyes looked toward Qin Lie with some surprise.
Following this, many disciples responded enthusiastically.
Sun Shun asked, "Junior brother Chen, what about you?"
Chen Qing cupped his hands in salute, "This junior brother's strength is meager, I won't join in this excitement."
Bandit suppression?!
Blades and swords had no eyes, who knew if some hidden expert might suddenly appear? It was safer to practice in the courtyard.
Sun Shun didn't insist and nodded, "Those disciples who want to go can register with me later."
At the old Chen family residence, Old Master Chen sat hunched on the steps, tobacco in his brass pipe flickering on and off, rising wisps of blue smoke in the twilight.
"Creak, !"
The courtyard gate was pushed open, and Chen Heng entered sweating profusely, the back of his practice clothes soaked through.
The old master quickly set down his pipe, his wrinkles filled with concern, "Practicing so late again? Quick, rest your feet."
"Grandpa, I'm not tired, this bit of hardship is nothing."
Chen Heng wiped the sweat from his head, then said, "I have something I want to discuss with you."
The old master took a puff of smoke and knocked the ash on the steps, "What is it? Speak."
Chen Heng glanced at the old master and began, "Now that my qi and blood accumulation is nearly complete, I need to attempt breakthrough to hidden strength. My senior brothers all say that breakthrough requires blood qi pills for supplementation..."
The old master instinctively asked, "How much silver do these blood qi pills cost?"
He remembered that blood qi powder cost one tael of silver per packet, so blood qi pills must be even more expensive?
Chen Heng hesitated inwardly for a moment but still steeled himself, "Five taels of silver per pill."
"What!?"
The old master's hand shook, nearly dropping his pipe.
Five taels of silver! That was enough for their Chen family of four to eat for half a year!
"Grandpa, don't worry."
Seeing the old master's reaction, Chen Heng quickly said, "I can buy them through connections for three taels of silver each. Six taels can buy two pills that will last two months."
The old master's brow knitted into knots.
Three taels of silver was also no small sum!
These years of scrimping and saving, everything that could be pawned had been pawned, everyone they could borrow from had been tapped, and they still owed unpaid favors to neighbors.
Second Aunt hurried out from the kitchen, "Father, Xiao Heng is at a crucial juncture, this money cannot be saved!"
"But our family..."
The old master sighed heavily, "Really can't come up with this money."
Chen Heng said quietly beside him, "Grandpa, all the senior brothers at the martial hall use this... if I don't have it..."
Halfway through his words, he let out a heavy sigh.
This sigh weighed on the old master's heart like a stone.
Old Master Chen took a heavy drag of his smoke, his cloudy eyes carrying a trace of fatigue.
How could he not want his grandson to succeed?
"Xiao Heng." The old master took a deep breath and sighed, "This is all the foundation our family has. How about waiting a bit longer? Or borrowing from your senior brothers at the martial hall? Didn't you say they..."
"Grandpa!"
Chen Heng became anxious, his voice involuntarily rising, "The senior brothers all need to practice and supplement themselves too, how could they have spare money to lend me? Besides, at such a crucial moment, wait? Can we afford to wait?"
He became more agitated as he spoke, as if his future was truly being strangled by these "few taels of silver."
Seeing this, Second Aunt immediately stood up, walked to the old master's side, and lowered her voice, "Father, Xiao Heng is promising, we can't hold him back."
She rolled her eyes and moved closer, "How about... eldest sister's family? And... the eldest's family?"
Old Master Chen's hand holding the pipe suddenly shook, ash falling down.
He suddenly looked up, his cloudy eyes full of shock and resistance, "Ask them? You... how can you have me open my mouth about this?!"
"Why can't you open your mouth about this?"
Second Aunt's tone carried a kind of natural urgency, "Xiao Heng contributed greatly to the Black Water Gang incident... Besides, our Xiao Heng is going to take the martial scholar examination. With future official rank, won't they benefit too? Helping now is sending charcoal in snowy weather! As for the eldest's family..."
Second Aunt paused, "They should have some savings, right? They're a widow and orphan, but isn't their saved money also for Ah Qing? But Ah Qing's qualifications... how can they compare to our Xiao Heng's prospects? Lending money to Xiao Heng, using it on Xiao Heng, that's using it where it counts! Better than wasting it on Ah Qing!"
Old Master Chen hesitated, "They're a widow and orphan, life is already difficult for them."
"Grandpa!"
Chen Heng couldn't help but interject, with a crying tone, "Can you bear to watch me waste all my previous efforts? If I fail to break through, our Chen family will truly have no hope! Think about it, once I pass the martial scholar exam and get tax exemptions, won't family life become easier? Then we can repay them, even double the amount!"
Double repayment!?
Old Master Chen smiled bitterly, his wrinkled face twisting in pain.
Finally, the old master seemed drained of his last bit of strength, slumping back against his chair dejectedly, "Fine, you two go to eldest daughter's house and speak politely..."
"As for the eldest's family... I'll go personally..."
Second Aunt's face immediately lit up with smiles, "Ah! Father, don't worry, I know proper limits! Xiao Heng, quickly get ready, we'll go to your eldest aunt's house right away!"
She pushed Chen Heng, her eyes flashing with determination to succeed.
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