Martial training

It was dusk.

Zhang Pingping came to a muddy alley behind the courtyard and handed half a string of cash to a young man.

"Once it's done, I'll reward you further. If you fail, don't ever let me see you again," she said.

"Rest assured, miss. Fukang is addicted to drink. He'll definitely be drunk as mud tomorrow."

Tang Baihu gave his assurance.

"What if he doesn't come out tonight?"

Zhang Pingping asked.

"That's why I arranged to meet him beforehand. He'll be here shortly. As long as he gets out today, he can forget about going back tonight."

Tang Baihu grinned.

Zhang Pingping nodded, then hid nearby.

A quarter of an hour later.

Zhang Fukang came running out.

"Brother Kang, you finally made it."

Tang Baihu went up to greet him.

"What's so important that you had to see me today? Didn't I tell you? I'm meeting a master tomorrow. I need to prepare properly for martial training."

Zhang Fukang was full of confidence in his physique.

"That's exactly why the brothers miss you. With your physical condition, isn't getting picked as certain as a nail driven into a board? Once you start training at the martial hall, how long will we have to wait just to see you?"

Tang Baihu leaned close with a grin.

Zhang Fukang couldn't help feeling rather buoyant at those words. "You have a point, but Grandpa told me I couldn't drink anymore."

"No drinking. The brothers just want a few words with you."

Tang Baihu put an arm around Zhang Fukang and headed toward the mouth of the alley, eventually entering a small tavern with Zhang Fugui.

"Brother Kang!"

A group of brothers was already waiting inside the tavern.

After a round of flattery.

Zhang Fukang couldn't help pouring himself a drink.

Only after seeing this did Zhang Pingping leave with her mind at ease.

By the time she returned home, night had fallen. Zhang Pingping went to the cowshed and handed a bottle of sesame oil and a cricket jar to a laborer surnamed Xu.

"Rest assured, miss. I know what to do."

Xu Laiyi bent at the waist.

"Once the land at Stone Village has been cleared, I'll have my father put you in charge of the best fields. You might have to suffer a little tomorrow."

Zhang Pingping said.

"I understand."

Xu Laiyi nodded.

Then, under Zhang Pingping's gaze, he made his practiced way outside Zhang Fugui's room and opened the cricket jar, letting the cricket chirp.

Inside, Zhang Fugui was holding a horse stance.

He wanted to demonstrate it for the martial master tomorrow.

"Chirp, chirp..."

"Why is there a cricket chirping in the house?"

Zhang Fugui heard the chirping outside his door.

"That sounds like a green hemp-head."

Zhang Fugui knew cricket varieties like the palm of his hand.

A green hemp-head had the makings of a great general, with superb endurance.

"I can't let Grandpa hear a cricket in the house, or he'll think I'm keeping them again."

Zhang Fugui muttered to himself.

His heart itched unbearably. This was a fine specimen; he could catch it and hide it without anyone finding out.

He slipped out of his room.

He found the chirping growing more distant.

"It hops so fast. I like it."

Delighted, Zhang Fugui followed the sound all the way to the privy.

At last, he spotted an agile figure by the privy door. Holding his breath, Zhang Fugui approached slowly. Green hemp-heads were highly alert and not so easy to catch.

He edged closer, then lunged forward.

Only for his foot to slip.

Unable to stop himself, he fell straight into the privy.

Early the next morning.

Old Master Zhang's face was dark.

Zhang Fukang was a dog that couldn't stop eating shit. He had gotten drunk the night before and never returned; now, drunk as mud, he lay on the ground.

Zhang Fugui had vomited until his face was yellow and gaunt. He sat to one side, still dry-heaving, with his right leg fractured. Never mind martial training-even walking would be a problem.

"Master, I know I was wrong."

His face bruised and swollen, Xu Laiyi knelt on the ground and spoke weakly.

"Master Liu, what do you think...?"

Old Master Zhang looked at Liu Feng, the martial master who had arrived that morning.

"Martial training depends on temperament and natural aptitude. The young master's right leg is fractured, damaging his foundation. As for Young Master Fukang, his addiction to drink... I'm afraid..."

Liu Feng looked troubled.

Old Master Zhang helplessly closed his eyes. "Eldest, what do you think?"

Zhang Da said, "Father, Lingfeng has worked alongside me since he was little. These past years, he's been the one leading men to collect most of the tenants' rent. To be honest, I'm reluctant to let him go train, but as you know, he was clamoring to learn martial arts even before the Ma family's troubles."

How could Old Master Zhang fail to understand what Zhang Da meant?

"Master Liu, what do you think of Lingfeng?"

Old Master Zhang asked.

Liu Feng felt the banknote tucked inside his belt and pondered briefly. "Young Master Lingfeng is a little old, but if he's willing to endure hardship and work hard, with support from his family, success isn't out of the question."

"Grandpa, let me try!"

Zhang Lingfeng knelt.

"Sob, sob." Zhang Pingping wept. "Martial training means practicing through the coldest winter days and the hottest summer days. It's grueling and exhausting. How many times have I told you? Why won't you listen?"

"All right, let Lingfeng go!"

Old Master Zhang said helplessly.

"Thank you, Grandpa."

Zhang Lingfeng's face filled with excitement.

"Hmph!"

Zhang Pingping ran off in a huff.

"Master Liu, I'm entrusting Little Feng to you."

Old Master Zhang grasped Liu Feng's wrist.

"Rest assured, sir. I trained under Master Guo. From now on, Young Master Lingfeng and I will be fellow disciples."

Liu Feng said.

Old Master Zhang nodded.

Zhang Lingfeng secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It had finally worked out, thanks to his father's and elder sister's help.

Tomorrow, he would leave with Liu Feng to train at the martial hall.

He would become Guo Wei's disciple.

The martial hall was in the county town, twenty li from Zhang Family Gully. A round trip took half a day, and for some time to come, he would be staying near the martial hall.

Liu Feng was given a place to stay, and the Zhang Clan prepared a feast to entertain him.

That evening.

Zhang Da was checking the accounts.

Martial training required a great deal of money. Tomorrow, he would go along with Zhang Pingping, returning once matters there were settled.

"Father."

"Second Uncle and Third Uncle each sent ten taels of silver."

Zhang Pingping opened the red gift envelopes and recorded the amounts as she spoke.

The Lineage was supporting Zhang Lingfeng's martial training, with the main expenses coming from Old Master Zhang's account. The silver Zhang Erxi and Zhang Sanfu sent was encouragement from them as his uncles.

After all, if Zhang Lingfeng succeeded in martial arts, the entire Zhang Clan would have to rely on him.

As his uncles, neither could be halfhearted about it.

Brothers working as one had always been an ancestral precept of the Zhang Clan.

"When you succeed in martial arts, you mustn't neglect your two uncles."

Zhang Da told Zhang Lingfeng, who sat nearby.

"Don't worry, Father."

Zhang Lingfeng knew these twenty taels of silver would be a great help.

"Eldest Uncle, Grandpa wants to see you."

Suddenly, Zhang Fukang's voice came from the doorway. His right cheek was swollen. Zhang Sanfu had slapped him hard several times after he woke up, leaving even his speech somewhat slurred.

"Your grandfather may have other instructions."

Zhang Da said.

"Lingfeng is leaving to train tomorrow. You'll take over collecting the rent. Remember to give up drinking."

Zhang Da instructed him.

"I understand, Eldest Uncle."

Zhang Fukang nodded, holding his cheek.

After his wife passed away, Old Master Zhang had never remarried.

In his spacious room, he lit only a single oil lamp. Thrift and doing things himself had always been his way.

He had always been strict in disciplining his three sons.

Only as the family had grown considerably wealthier these past few years had he loosened his reins on his grandchildren; otherwise, Zhang Fukang and Zhang Fugui would never have made their mistakes.

"Father!"

"Come in."

Zhang Da called from the doorway, only pushing the door open and entering after hearing the reply.

"Father, you... wanted to see me?"

Zhang Da approached Old Master Zhang. In the dim lamplight, he saw the wax-yellow disciplinary ruler in the old man's hand and immediately sensed trouble.

"Lingfeng has always wanted to train in martial arts. Now that he's finally succeeded, why did Pingping cry?"

Old Master Zhang asked.

"Well..."

Zhang Da hemmed and hawed.

"You overacted."

Old Master Zhang reminded him.

"Father, I was wrong."

Zhang Da dropped straight to his knees.

"Smack, smack, smack!"

The ruler in Old Master Zhang's hand struck Zhang Da repeatedly. Zhang Da gritted his teeth without uttering a sound.

Whether he was tired of beating him or couldn't bear to continue, Old Master Zhang tossed the ruler onto the bed and said evenly, "That laborer surnamed Xu has some backbone. Train him properly. He may prove useful in the future."

"Yes!"

Zhang Da answered.

"You have to take Lingfeng into town tomorrow. Get some rest."

Old Master Zhang waved a hand.

"Hiss!"

At those words, Zhang Da could no longer hold back and sucked in a breath of cold air. Those blows had truly hurt.