In the small courtyard of An He Inn, several late-blooming osmanthus trees still held a lingering fragrance, drifting faintly through the cool air.
Chen Yuan was helping his grandfather, Chen Tie Mao, carefully fold the coarse-cloth shirts that had finished drying. The old man's movements were slow and earnest, smoothing every crease until it lay perfectly flat.
"Your master is a man of standing, and the martial arts school is an impressive place. We're family, but our clothes and appearance must still be neat and proper. We can't make you lose face." Chen Tie Mao spoke in a low voice as his gaze swept over the courtyard's laundry, old but washed clean and bright.
Warmth spread through Chen Yuan's heart. He was just about to answer when the crisp clatter of hooves and the sound of reins being pulled came from outside the courtyard gate.
A young disciple dressed in the blue-green martial uniform of Blackwater Martial Arts School nimbly dismounted, a plain cloth bundle held in his hands, and strode steadily into the courtyard.
"Senior Disciple Brother Chen!" When the disciple saw Chen Yuan, he immediately clasped his fists in greeting, his attitude respectful. "By Instructor Zhang's order, I've come to inform you of the detailed procedures for tomorrow's apprenticeship ceremony." As he spoke, he presented the bundle with both hands. "This is the standard martial uniform the school prepared for a Personal Disciple. Please wear it tomorrow."
"There is also a sample Apprenticeship Post. Instructor Zhang instructed me to ask you to copy it out personally, then have me bring it back to the school and place it before the Ancestor's Altar in the main hall for inspection."
Chen Yuan accepted it solemnly. The moment his fingertips touched the fabric of the uniform, he felt how exceptionally fine and tough it was. It was certainly no ordinary cotton or hemp; it seemed to have sea-silk woven into it, breathable and wear-resistant, with even a faint, almost imperceptible fluctuation of vital energy. It was clearly expensive to produce. At the collar, the two forceful characters "Blackwater" had been embroidered in black silk thread.
"Sorry for the trouble, Junior Disciple. Please thank Second Senior Disciple Brother for me." Chen Yuan thanked him.
"Senior Disciple Brother, you're too polite. It's my duty. Once you've finished writing the Apprenticeship Post, just call for me. I'll wait outside." The disciple bowed once more, then withdrew to the courtyard gate to wait.
The scene left Chen Tie Mao, as well as Lin Sanniang and Xiao Li, who had come out of the house at the sound and was hugging a box of candied fruit, staring in a daze.
The martial arts disciple's respectful attitude toward Chen Yuan, the repeated address of "Senior Disciple Brother Chen," and the obviously expensive martial uniform all made them truly feel that Chen Yuan's position in the school had changed completely.
Chen Yuan carried the clothes back into the room. Xiao Li immediately came over and curiously touched the smooth, cool fabric. "Big Brother, these clothes are so pretty!"
Lin Sanniang also stepped forward and felt the cloth, her eyes filled with both delight and emotion. "This fabric... must be worth quite a bit, right? The school really is... really is treating you exceptionally well."
Chen Tie Mao followed them in and sat beside the table. His face held a trace of barely perceptible nervousness, along with an indescribable joy. "Yuan'er, have you memorized all the rules for tomorrow?"
"I heard that the formal apprenticeship ceremony has a lot of etiquette. Which foot to step forward with, how many times to bow, how to place your hands—everything has its own rules. We can't get the steps wrong and let people laugh at us fishermen for not understanding proper manners." He looked at his grandson, then added, "Still, judging from that disciple's attitude just now, you really are highly valued at the school."
Chen Yuan stopped writing and raised his head, giving his family a reassuring smile. "Grandpa, put your heart at ease. Second Senior Disciple Brother has gone over the procedure with me carefully several times. It's nothing more than offering incense, presenting the post, serving tea, and bowing. I've memorized every step. There's no way I'll make a mistake."
He paused, then looked at his family's expectant yet slightly uneasy expressions. As he ground the ink, he said, "Father, Mother, Grandpa, Grandma, you don't need to be so nervous either. The senior disciples and senior disciple sisters at the school are all very amiable. Although my master is stern, he takes excellent care of his disciples."
"It's just like this An He Inn. Look—the surroundings are quiet, and the owner is courteous. All of this was arranged in advance by my master and Second Senior Disciple Brother."
He spread out the red paper, composed himself, and began copying the text stroke by stroke according to the sample on the paper.
The brush touched the paper, leaving behind neat, steady characters whose force seemed to pierce through the page. He could not claim to be a calligraphy master, but his writing possessed its own upright, resolute air, having improved beyond recognition from the spring couplets he had written at home the previous year.
Second Uncle Chen Dajiang leaned closer. Looking at the dignified characters flowing from Chen Yuan's brush, he could not help nodding and sighing. "Fine writing. After entering the martial arts school, you're not only better at martial arts—your handwriting has become respectable too."
Before long, the Apprenticeship Post was finished, and the ink had dried.
Chen Yuan carefully folded it, then walked outside and handed it to the waiting disciple.
The disciple accepted it with both hands and bowed respectfully once more. "Senior Disciple Brother Chen, rest assured. The post will certainly be placed properly before the Ancestor's Altar. Tomorrow morning, someone will also come to escort you and your family to the school."
"Sorry for the trouble, Junior Disciple." Chen Yuan returned the salute with clasped fists.
Watching the disciple ride away, Chen Yuan returned to the courtyard and glanced at the sky. It was still early, and a thought stirred in his heart.
"Grandpa, Father, Mother, Grandma, Second Uncle, Second Aunt." Chen Yuan smiled at his whole family. "It's still early before dinner. Since we're idle anyway, why don't I take you around nearby? This county town may not be as prosperous as the provincial capital, but there are plenty of interesting things to see. We can also get familiar with the roads, so we won't be lost on the way to the school tomorrow."
Xiao Li was the first to jump up in response. "Yes, yes! Big Brother, I want to go exploring! Do they sell sugar figurines?" Chen He did not say anything, but his eyes shone brightly with anticipation.
Lin Sanniang hesitated. "This... is it really appropriate? Won't it delay you? And there are so many of us, unfamiliar with the place..."
"Don't worry, Mother," Chen Yuan reassured her. "We'll just walk around nearby. It isn't far, and I'm fairly familiar with this area. Besides, we're dressed like ordinary people, just a common family out for a stroll. It won't cause any trouble." He could see that his mother and grandmother were somewhat tempted as well, but were merely afraid of causing him trouble.
Chen Tie Mao tapped the bowl of his tobacco pipe and stood up. "Yuan'er is right. It'll do us good to get out for a walk. Staying cooped up in the courtyard is stifling anyway. We might as well see what this county town is really like."
Second Uncle Chen Dajiang also smiled. "That's right, Big Brother and Sister-in-law. It's rare for us to come all this way. Let Yuan'er broaden our horizons."
Once everyone had spoken, Lin Sanniang and Grandma Zhang Shi smiled and nodded in agreement. Second Aunt carefully straightened Xiao Li and Chen He's collars.
After locking the courtyard gate, the family headed out in a great, bustling group along the alley paved with bluestone slabs. Chen Yuan walked at the very front, taking on the role of a temporary guide as he went.
"The An He Inn where we're staying is in the eastern part of town, not far from the martial arts school. Most of the people living around here are small merchants and scholars, so it's fairly quiet."
Chen Yuan explained, "See the place over there with the banner bearing the character 'tea'? That's an old teahouse. I hear the storyteller there is quite good. That's a bookstore, and every now and then you can even find a few old boxing manuals..."
Once they left the narrow alley, they reached a somewhat wider street. The afternoon sunlight was pleasant, and there were not too many pedestrians, but shops stood in rows on both sides. Hawkers' cries and the sounds of haggling rose without end. Compared with the tranquility of Iron Clothes Village, it was an entirely different kind of bustling scene.
Xiao Li's eyes were almost too busy to keep up. One moment she was pointing at a stall selling multicolored pinwheels; the next, she was captivated by an old man blowing sugar figurines, her excited little face flushed red.
Although Chen He tried hard to appear more composed, his gaze continued sweeping over the stalls selling wooden swords, wooden knives, slingshots, and clay figurines, brimming with curiosity.
Chen Dahai and Lin Sanniang also curiously examined the cloth shops and general stores on either side, quietly discussing the prices. Second Uncle Chen Dajiang was, after all, the bookkeeper of the town's fish market, so he was more sensitive to the prices at the grain shops and oil-and-salt stores, occasionally exchanging a few quiet words with Second Aunt.
From time to time, disciples wearing gray or blue-green martial uniforms passed by. Whenever they saw Chen Yuan, they slowed their steps and courteously greeted him with clasped fists. "Senior Disciple Brother Chen."
Once, a blue-clad disciple who looked several years older than Chen Yuan approached them. Upon seeing Chen Yuan, he not only stopped of his own accord but also smiled and exchanged pleasantries. "Senior Disciple Brother Chen, are you out strolling with your family?"
"That's right, Junior Disciple Li. My family has just arrived in the county town, so I'm showing them around and helping them get familiar with the surroundings." Chen Yuan smiled back naturally.
"Of course, of course. Do you need any recommendations? The Zhang's Pastries at the street corner ahead are excellent. The elderly and children should both like them."
"Thank you, Junior Disciple Li. We'll go try them in a little while."
Only after Junior Disciple Li had gone did Second Aunt exclaim in a low voice, "Yuan'er, that person just now... was he also from the martial arts school? He looked older than you. Why did he call you Senior Disciple Brother too?" Lin Sanniang and Chen Dajiang also cast over curious looks.
Chen Yuan explained, "Second Aunt, the martial arts school ranks people by seniority. It doesn't just look at age—it places greater importance on when someone entered the school and their cultivation realm. I took my master as my teacher and became a Personal Disciple, so in terms of seniority, I'm above most Inner Court and Outer Court disciples. That's why they call me Senior Disciple Brother."
He saw realization and even greater pride appear on his family's faces. Chen He was looking at his older cousin with open admiration.
He pointed toward a majestic complex in the distance, its gates guarded by disciples. "Look over there. That walled compound with the imposing buildings is our Blackwater Martial Arts School. Tomorrow, we'll enter through the main gate."
Following his finger, the family looked toward the grand gate tower and towering walls. Imagining that they would enter the place tomorrow to attend the solemn ceremony, they could not help drawing a deep breath, their eyes filled with anticipation and awe.
Just as promised, Chen Yuan took his family to Zhang's Pastries and bought each person a soft, fragrant osmanthus rice cake.
Xiao Li ate until her mouth was full of sweetness. Chen He carefully held his cake as he ate, while Grandma Zhang Shi and Second Aunt repeatedly nodded and praised how delicious it was.
After strolling for roughly half an hour, with the sun already slanting westward, Chen Yuan led his still-reluctant-to-leave family back.
When they passed a restaurant that looked quite good, he made a point of memorizing its location. If there was a chance after tomorrow's ceremony, he planned to bring his family there to sample the county town's dishes.
By the time they returned to An He Inn, dusk had quietly dyed the eaves. Relaxed smiles adorned everyone's faces. Their stroll had dispelled the unfamiliarity of their first arrival, while the martial arts disciples' respect for Chen Yuan had put their minds at ease.
Second Uncle Chen Dajiang gazed at his nephew's tall, straight back and could not help sighing. "With Yuan'er becoming so accomplished, our Chen Family must truly have accumulated virtue in generations past."
The courtyard gradually fell quiet, and a new moon rose beneath the eaves.
Though no one spoke anymore, expectant light still danced in their eyes.
Tomorrow's ceremony would be the starting point of the fisherman's son formally setting foot on the martial path, and the beginning of a turning point in the destiny of this seaside family.
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