Making Overtures

"What the hell are you dreaming about?" Zhao Feng sneered.

"Your daughter and I called off our engagement long ago. We have nothing to do with each other anymore. What are you dreaming of? Get out!" He raised his woodchopping knife again.

Zhang the Widow and Wang Jinlian backed away in fright.

"Fine, Zhao Feng, is this how you treat me? I'm really angry now. Don't even think about marrying me!" Wang Jinlian cried.

"Get out!" Tian Cuihua drove the two of them out with a broom. When Zhang the Widow and her daughter had come knocking earlier, she had been somewhat worried. Only after seeing that Zhao Feng had absolutely no intention of reconciling did she finally relax.

She had no desire to become sisters-in-law with Wang Jinlian. That mother and daughter were both terrible people.

"Uncle, now that you've made something of yourself, your sister-in-law will find you a well-educated, sensible wife in the future—one a hundred times better than Wang Jinlian," Tian Cuihua said.

"Yes, yes. We need to start thinking seriously about Feng's lifelong affair," Zhao Youlin and Yang Shi said earnestly.

"One of these days, I'll find a matchmaker and look around the nearby villages for a good family," Tian Cuihua said.

"Don't!" Zhao Feng's head began to ache. He was only eighteen. Although that already made him an older youth in this world, he had no interest in such matters at all.

"Father, Mother, I still need to take the martial examination. Let's talk about it after I pass the martial scholar exam," he said, trying to brush them off.

"You really want to take the martial examination?" Zhao Youlin's eyes lit up. He had already been quite satisfied that his son had found a position as a guard.

"Of course. I said so before. Now I need to focus on martial training and can't be distracted."

"Then all right, we'll discuss it later." At the thought that his son could not be distracted from training, Zhao Youlin immediately nodded solemnly. Besides, if his son passed the martial scholar exam, there would naturally be plenty of people seeking a marriage alliance. There would surely be no shortage of well-educated, sensible girls.

News of Zhao Feng becoming a martial artist gradually spread through the township.

In Peaceful Town, within the home of the wealthy Li landlord.

"Zhao Feng from Zhao Youlin's family?" The wealthy Li landlord muttered to himself, feeling that the name sounded familiar.

"It's him!" He suddenly remembered. Back when Huang Biao had gone around threatening poor peasants into mortgaging their fields, Zhao Youlin's family had been on the list.

"A martial artist... Huang Biao..." The wealthy Li landlord suddenly felt a little panicked.

He hurriedly summoned his steward and sent him to the county seat to verify whether Zhao Feng truly was a Bright Force martial artist.

Though he was wealthy, he was ultimately still an ordinary man. Unless necessary, he did not want to offend a martial artist.

In Zhao Youlin's yard, Zhao Feng was practicing his stance. The muscles all over his body bulged high as his blood and qi circulated endlessly within him.

During the past two days at home, he had made a plum blossom stake in the yard and continued practicing his stances. After holding his stance for three quarters of an hour, he climbed down from the stakes and began practicing his fist techniques.

At that moment, Zhao Bao'er and Zhao Zihuai returned from playing outside. Unlike usual, the two little ones did not excitedly jump around nearby to watch their uncle practice boxing. Instead, they sat on the earthen steps, both looking troubled, their lips pouting.

After Zhao Feng finished a set of punches, he walked over and rubbed the children's heads. "What's wrong? Did something happen? Tell your Second Uncle."

"Did you quarrel with someone again?"

"Second Uncle, Iron Egg and the others said you're not a martial artist at all. They said you became a street thug in the county seat again, and that all the meat at home was stolen. I couldn't stand it, so I fought them!" Zhao Zihuai pursed his lips, on the verge of tears.

"Second Uncle isn't a thug! Second Uncle is a martial artist!" Zhao Bao'er said angrily.

"Who taught Iron Egg and the others to say that?" Zhao Feng asked. Children did not know any better; an adult must have taught them.

"Great-Aunt said it!" Zhao Zihuai said loudly. Zhao Bao'er tugged at his clothes.

"Great-Aunt did say it. When I talked back, she even twisted my ear."

Zhao Feng's face darkened. He knew his eldest aunt was narrow-minded and jealous. He had heard some of the gossip circulating in the village these past few days, and it was all that long-tongued woman spreading rumors everywhere.

Of course, the original Zhao Feng had always been an idle loafer, so this matched everyone's impression of him.

Zhao Feng did not care about such gossip, but he understood that family—especially children—were different. Things adults considered trivial could feel like the sky was falling to a child.

Zhao Feng planned to go out and show them what he could do. Not for any other reason, but so his niece and nephew could hold their heads high among the other children.

But just then, a burst of commotion came from outside the main gate. It sounded as though many people were approaching, mixed with the sound of a horse-drawn carriage.

"May I ask if this is Martial Artist Zhao's residence? Liu Sheng, steward of the Li Residence, has come to pay a visit." Shortly afterward, a respectful voice came from the gate, accompanied by the neighing of horses.

Hearing the commotion, Zhao Youlin, Yang Shi, and Tian Cuihua all came out of the main room. "The Li Residence? The wealthy Li landlord's family in town?" They could not help feeling deeply uneasy.

Not long ago, the wealthy Li landlord had used Huang Biao and others to threaten them into mortgaging their fields. Later, Huang Biao died, and the matter was never mentioned again. The Zhao family had thought it was over, so why had they come knocking now?

Without realizing it, Zhao Youlin and the other two all looked toward Zhao Feng in the yard. He had already become the pillar of the family.

"Father, open the gate." Zhao Feng narrowed his eyes. He had not gone looking for the wealthy Li landlord, yet they had come to his door. He wanted to see what they were after.

Feeling uneasy, Zhao Youlin opened the courtyard gate. Before him stood an elderly man in a brand-new long robe, with two servants behind him leading a horse-drawn carriage loaded with goods.

"You must be Master Zhao and Madam Zhao. Liu Sheng, steward of the Li Residence, greets you."

The old man smiled broadly and cupped his hands to Zhao Youlin and Yang Shi. Then, when he saw Zhao Feng in the yard, his smile became even brighter, and he once again cupped his hands in a respectful salute.

"So Martial Artist Zhao is here. Martial Artist Zhao successfully broke through the barrier while studying martial arts in the county seat, and our Greenhouse Township has gained a Bright Force martial artist. What a joyous occasion! Upon hearing that Martial Artist Zhao had returned home to visit family, my master specifically instructed me to prepare some modest gifts and come offer congratulations."

Liu Sheng gestured, and the servants behind him carried the gifts from the carriage into the yard. There were five bolts of cloth, two large sacks of rice weighing over a hundred jin, two baskets of mutton, two baskets of mountain goods, two large grass carp, and a small barrel of spirits. They were all piled up in the yard.

"These modest gifts are but a token of our regard. Please accept them, Master Zhao and Martial Artist Zhao."

Liu Sheng's words made the villagers gathered around to watch stare wide-eyed. Their eyes reddened as they looked at the gifts, and they began chattering among themselves.

"Even the wealthy Li landlord from town came to offer congratulations. It seems Zhao Youlin's youngest son really did become a martial artist."

"He sent so many things. That's incredible."

"The wealthy Li landlord has money to burn. What do these things amount to?"

"Zhao Youlin's family has really done well."

After a moment of silence, Zhao Feng nodded indifferently.

"Your master is thoughtful. I'll accept the gifts."

Only he knew why the wealthy Li landlord had suddenly come bearing gifts. If a Bright Force martial artist wanted to cause trouble for him, then no matter how many guards an ordinary man hired, he could not stay on guard day and night.

Still, he was only letting the wealthy Li landlord off for the time being. To be honest, these gifts were enough to leave farming families astonished and envious, but Zhao Feng, who had seen more of the world, knew that to the wealthy Li landlord, they were merely a drop in the bucket—things the rich in the city would not even bother looking at. It seemed the deterrent power of a Bright Force martial artist was still not enough.

Liu Sheng beamed and repeatedly cupped his hands, saying a few flattering words before finally leaving with the servants.

Tian Cuihua was full of pride as she spiritedly carried the goods into the yard. Zhao Bao'er and Zhao Zihuai bounced about excitedly while grabbing mountain goods to eat, pulling faces at their little friends in the crowd.

Zhao Youlin, meanwhile, could not take his eyes off the barrel of spirits.

The villagers' attitudes changed once more. Their earlier doubts turned into envy. Zhao Feng saw his eldest aunt hiding among the crowd, staring longingly with her two cloudy eyes red.