Cut Hair

"I'm back."

At dusk, Jiang Ping returned home with a candied hawthorn skewer in hand and pushed open the door.

Weariness covered his face, and sweat dripped from his sturdy, dark arms.

Clink, clink.

Yet the copper coins jingling in his pocket gave him peace of mind.

"If I hold on a little longer, I should have enough saved for the Martial Arts Hall tuition." Jiang Ping touched his pocket and muttered to himself.

The tuition at the various Martial Arts Halls in Yang City was Twelve Taels of Silver a year. He had worked for six years and saved a little over Eight Taels of Silver.

He was still short by nearly half, but he was getting better and better at his work and was in his prime. He could earn more than ten copper coins a day. In about another year, he would be able to enter a Martial Arts Hall and learn martial arts.

At the thought, Jiang Ping's heart filled with anticipation.

But then again, the house was unusually quiet today.

Normally, the moment she heard the door open, his six-year-old younger sister would already be bouncing out to greet him.

At this hour, his father should have been chopping firewood in the yard, while smoke had just begun rising from his mother's kitchen.

"Is no one home?"

Jiang Ping muttered softly as he passed through the screen door and entered the Inner Courtyard.

But he found the entire family seated neatly around the dinner table in the Main Hall across the yard. Even his useless younger brother, who was rarely home, had returned.

No wonder his younger sister had not come out to greet him. She was gnawing on a huge chicken drumstick, her mouth glistening with oil. How could she possibly care about the candied hawthorn skewer in his hand?

He saw the lavish spread on the table, including several meat dishes.

Jiang Ping found it strange.

The Jiang family had once been wealthy and had left behind such a Grand Courtyard, but the money had long since been squandered away by Grandfather's Generation.

Otherwise, why would he have started doing hard labor at sixteen for Martial Arts Hall tuition, working at it for six whole years?

The Jiang family normally lived frugally and ate meat only once every seven or eight days, yet today's meal was excessively lavish.

Could they have hired a matchmaker to arrange my marriage?

Jiang Ping wondered. He was the eldest son of the family, twenty-two years old. By this world's customs, he should have married long ago.

But he had kept putting it off for the sake of martial arts. His Parents, however, had grown anxious, and in recent months they had repeatedly hinted that they wanted to hire a matchmaker to find him a wife.

"Big Brother!"

His younger sister, who was chewing on the chicken drumstick, finally noticed Jiang Ping outside and called out happily.

He had thought she would be delighted by the candied hawthorn skewer, but the little fellow merely glanced at it before lowering her head to stuff herself with meat again.

The eldest brother felt chilled to the heart. He had specifically spent money on that huge candied hawthorn skewer. Was it not even worth a flying embrace?

Jiang Ping walked into the hall. Seeing that his Parents had not yet picked up their Chopsticks, he was about to ask what was going on when his father, Jiang Fu, spoke first.

"Go wash up and change your clothes before coming back to eat. We have something to tell you."

"Big Brother, it's tremendous good news."

At that moment, his lazy, good-for-nothing younger brother Jiang An began eating and said with a grin.

"What good news?"

Jiang Ping was somewhat curious. Could his Parents really be arranging his marriage?

Still wondering, he sat down at the dinner table and put a piece of meat into his mouth.

What a joke. With a whole table of meat dishes, why wash up first? Eat first.

"Big Brother, you know Chen Weimin, right?"

Jiang Ping glanced at his younger brother, slightly puzzled, then nodded.

Chen Weimin, the Martial Instructor of Yang City's Jidao Martial Academy, was an Eighth-Rank Martial Artist.

After transmigrating here, Jiang Ping's greatest wish had been to learn martial arts, so he had thoroughly researched every Martial Artist and instructor at Yang City's Martial Arts Halls. He knew them like the back of his hand, even knowing their preference for visiting brothels and seeking out fierce women.

So—

"What happened to him?" Jiang Ping asked.

Jiang An then launched into an animated explanation.

It turned out that this morning, his younger brother had happened to eat at the same bun shop as that Martial Instructor. The two had exchanged a few words. Chen Weimin then looked Jiang An over a few times, felt his bones briefly, and declared that Jiang An could practice martial arts.

"You're not trying to scam money again, are you?"

Jiang Ping caught the meaning behind his younger brother's words. The other wanted to learn martial arts.

But he did not quite believe him. Jiang An had a record: he had scammed money from their Parents to drink and visit prostitutes, and he had even stolen Jiang Ping's silver.

Of course, Jiang An had received a thorough beating from him that time.

Jiang An's face reddened slightly at those words. He defended himself, "Big Brother, this time it's true. The bun shop owner and several customers can all testify."

"You even found shills?" Jiang Ping raised an eyebrow slightly.

"..." Jiang An retorted unhappily, "If you don't believe me, go ask Master Chen yourself. Heaven and earth can bear witness—this time, I truly plan to train properly, become a Martial Artist, and restore the Jiang family's glory."

"Remember to tell Father at the ancestral rites."

"..." Jiang An was speechless. Then he chuckled softly. "Once I've trained at Jidao Martial Academy for a while, you'll naturally see."

"Hm?" Jiang Ping froze.

He vaguely sensed that something was wrong and immediately asked, "You haven't already enrolled, have you?"

Jiang An looked pleased with himself and nodded. "Didn't expect that, did you? I'll start learning martial arts before you, Big Brother."

Jiang Ping's expression immediately stiffened.

What did enrollment mean? It meant Jiang An had already paid the tuition and officially become an apprentice of Jidao Martial Academy.

"Where did you get the money?" Jiang Ping blurted out. When he saw his younger brother instinctively look toward their Parents, realization dawned on him at once.

He finally understood why they had prepared such a huge feast today. They were celebrating his younger brother's admission to the Martial Arts Hall.

This was the tremendous good news Jiang An had spoken of.

"Father, you really believed Jiang An's nonsense and were willing to spend so much silver to send him to the Martial Arts Hall?"

Jiang Ping could not help questioning him.

"I have already verified it with Master Chen. An'er was not lying. If he truly achieves something, perhaps our lives will become easier."

Jiang Fu's words made Jiang Ping's body stiffen, and even the food in his mouth no longer tasted good.

It would have been a lie to say he was not jealous. This was something he had yearned for day and night for so long.

But—

He took a deep breath and asked his final question. "Where did you get that much silver?"

He knew the family's situation clearly.

The Jiang family had nothing but this Grand Courtyard; not a single valuable item remained. His Parents had raised their three Children through small businesses, and Jiang An, that spirited young man, had caused trouble and scammed their Parents for money several times. The family savings had long been wiped clean.

Wait!

Jiang Ping's face changed. He immediately rose and left the Main Hall, heading to his own room.

A moment later, he returned to the hall with reddened eyes, holding an empty cloth bag.

Inside it should have been the silver he had saved over six years.

"You took my money and used it to pay Jiang An's tuition?" Jiang Ping's voice trembled.

"We were still short, so we could only use yours for now. Once An'er succeeds in his training..." Before his mother Zhang Yun could finish, she was interrupted.

"That was my money!"

Jiang Ping could not hold back his furious roar.

The money he had painstakingly earned and saved over six years had become someone else's wedding dress overnight.

And this was not merely about money. It was about time—about his future life!

He had long since learned that the Golden Age for martial arts training was before thirty. Once one passed thirty, the body's vitality and blood gradually declined, and training in martial arts yielded half the result for twice the effort.

He was already twenty-two. Originally, he would have been able to learn martial arts in another year, leaving him seven golden years.

But now, years of effort had gone to waste. By the time he could touch the Martial Dao again, it would surely be delayed by many years. How much Best Training Time would he have left?

How could Jiang Ping not be furious?

The Da Li Dynasty was founded upon martial prowess, and the martial spirit flourished. Learning martial arts was the best way to change one's life.

Yet now, the Closest relatives before him had practically severed his future with their own hands!

"Isn't it just a few taels of silver? Do you have to be so stingy? Once I succeed in my training, I'll repay every tael double!"

Seeing his elder brother's attitude, Jiang An was somewhat displeased.

A Martial Artist had declared that he possessed the aptitude for martial arts. He would surely accomplish something in the future.

This should have been wonderful news that made the whole family happy and celebratory. How could anyone turn hostile over it?

At that, Jiang Ping laughed in extreme anger and said coldly,

"What does whether you succeed or not have to do with me? I want my money now, my—"

"Enough!"

At that moment, Jiang Fu slammed the table and said in a deep voice,

"What about your money? Can't it be used? You know the family's circumstances. Now that An'er has the aptitude for martial arts, can't you, as the elder brother, help him out a little? Once he succeeds in his training, he will naturally repay you."

"If Jiang An truly has the aptitude, I don't mind helping him out a little."

"But you used my money—silver I spent six hard years saving—without ever thinking to discuss it with me." Jiang Ping let out a bitter laugh.

"Discuss what?" Jiang Fu rebuked him. "I gave birth to you, fed you, clothed you, and raised you. I use a little of your silver, and you have such a huge objection? You truly are an Ungrateful Wolf."

"But you didn't get my consent when you gave birth to me, either."

"..." Jiang Fu.

"I've wanted to learn martial arts for six years. I've worked hard for six years. You saw it all, yet you never thought of taking out silver to support me. But one word from an outsider, and you emptied the family coffers."

"How can those be the same?"

Father Jiang retorted again. "Even if you learned martial arts, you might not succeed. It would only waste silver. An'er is different."

Jiang Ping's expression froze. His heart turned cold as he looked at his always honest and simple father, as though he were seeing him for the first time.

He had nothing left to say.

What else could he say? When they used his hard-earned money, they had never considered his feelings. Not only did they feel no guilt, they now turned around and blamed him instead.

"Enough, stop arguing. Sit down and eat first. Once An'er succeeds in his training, he'll definitely return the silver to you. Mother promises you." Zhang Yun stood and tried to help her eldest son back to his seat.

Jiang Ping looked at the aged woman.

He suddenly remembered that over the past few years, whenever he had any major expense outside, once this pair of Parents found out, he would endure days or even half a month of nagging and scolding, accused of wasting money.

Yet this fair, tender, useless younger brother of his stole money and caused trouble, only to be questioned a few times. Even when he repeatedly refused to mend his ways, they were still willing to lend him money to settle his messes.

Sure enough, they had never truly kept the bowl of water level.

Jiang Ping had once focused only on earning money and learning martial arts, never caring about such trivial matters. But now, he saw through everything completely.

He gave a self-mocking laugh, then turned and left, as though he had made some kind of decision.

"You're not eating? You work so hard every day. If you don't eat, you'll ruin your health from hunger." Zhang Yun spoke toward his retreating back, her eyes full of heartache.

Jiang Ping did not react. Jiang Fu merely snorted coldly. "If he doesn't want to eat, then forget it. He won't starve to death."

"I mean what I say! Once I succeed in martial arts and earn big money, I'll repay you double—fourfold!" Jiang An shouted at his elder brother's back, his tone carrying a trace of defiance.

After a while.

Jiang Ping returned to the Main Hall, now carrying a bundle in his hands.

"What, are you trying to imitate people and run away from home?" Seeing this, Jiang Fu could not help sneering.

Jiang Ping did not answer. Looking at the four people eating, he took a small knife from his robe, lifted his long hair, cut off a lock, and tossed it onto the ground. He said coldly,

"When I went out to earn money at sixteen, I often helped cover the household expenses. Together with those Eight Taels of Silver, consider my debt for raising me repaid."

"From now on, you walk your broad sunlit road, and I'll cross my single-plank bridge. We have nothing to do with each other anymore!"

One's body and hair were received from one's Parents. Jiang Ping cut his hair to show his resolve, proving just how deeply disappointed he was.

With that, he turned to leave once more, but this time a pair of small hands stopped him.

"Big Brother, I don't want you to go!"

His younger sister Jiang Xiaoxi clung to Jiang Ping's leg, tears welling in her eyes.

Though she was young, she was sensible enough to understand what her elder brother meant. Naturally, she could not bear to let him go.

Normally, Big Brother was the one who spoiled her most.

But Jiang Ping was in the heat of anger now. No one could stop him.

With one hand, he lifted his younger sister aside. Then he gave his Parents and his useless younger brother one last look and sneered.

"I admire the Martial Dao most, and I know quite a bit about it, yet I have never heard of any Martial Artist being able to determine through Bone Reading whether someone has the aptitude to practice martial arts. Even if such a method exists, it would not be in Yang City."

"Mm. I wish you success!"

With that, Jiang Ping walked out of the courtyard.

"Come back, my child. Mother still has silver. Mother will give it all to you. Don't go." Zhang Yun stood again, unable to stop herself from calling after this most sensible child. Regret stirred in her heart.

But Jiang Ping showed no reaction. Jiang An, on the other hand, grew anxious and said in a low voice,

"Mother, that's the silver set aside for me to Get Married. Didn't we agree on this already?"

"We have already settled it with the In-laws. That silver cannot be touched."

Jiang Fu spoke as well, making Jiang An breathe a sigh of relief.

By then, Jiang Ping had already vanished.

Zhang Yun stiffened, let out a mournful sigh, and sat back down in her chair. Only the little girl's sobbing gradually grew louder.