The Wang family

Having successfully cultivated Ming Jin and become Guo Wei's disciple, Zhang Lingfeng could save a great deal on expenses in the future. He told Zhang Pingping the news at once.

Zhang Pingping was beside herself with excitement.

As it happened, Xu Laiyi had brought silver from home, so Zhang Pingping made a point of writing a letter for Xu Laiyi to take back to Zhang Da.

That evening.

Liu Feng took Zhang Lingfeng and two other fellow disciples to a restaurant to celebrate Zhang Lingfeng's attainment of Ming Jin, taking the opportunity to explain some basic matters that martial artists should know.

After cultivating Ming Jin and becoming Guo Wei's disciple, one could receive sponsorship, guard homes and estates, escort grain and provisions, oversee gambling houses, join gangs, and so on.

Each task came with a certain payment.

However, since he had only just cultivated Ming Jin and his foundation was not yet stable, he would not need to carry out tasks for his sponsors during this early period. He would work for his employers once his foundation was solid and his fist techniques grew more proficient.

These were troubled times.

Liu Feng said that many wealthy families feared being robbed by bandits. Whenever rumors stirred, they would invite martial masters to stay at their homes and deter petty villains. This was the quickest and easiest money to earn.

Especially after the Ma family had been wiped out, the small landowners outside the city were all on edge. Sometimes, a single trip could earn several taels of silver.

Zhang Lingfeng silently committed this to memory. Wasn't their Zhang Clan precisely one of those small landowning families outside the city?

It seemed his family must have suffered quite a bit of extortion lately.

But things were different now. He had cultivated Ming Jin and become Guo Wei's disciple, which could offer his family some measure of protection.

Zhang Family Gully.

Inside the Zhang Clan compound.

Zhang Da handed the letter Xu Laiyi had brought back to Old Master Zhang for him to read.

"Wonderful, wonderful! Lingfeng has made something of himself. Our Zhang Clan is going to produce a dragon!"

Old Master Zhang was so excited that his words tumbled out incoherently.

With Zhang Lingfeng having cultivated Ming Jin, the Zhang Clan would have a stronger voice among the landowners outside the city, giving them greater confidence whether competing for farmland or seizing water sources.

"Who would have thought Lingfeng had such talent?"

Zhang Erxi sighed in admiration.

"When my cousin comes back, I want to learn a few moves from him."

Zhang Fukang said.

"Thank goodness Lingfeng was the one who went to practice martial arts. Otherwise... our ancestors truly blessed us!"

Zhang Sanfu pressed his palms together and murmured toward the starry sky outside the window.

"Eldest."

Old Master Zhang called.

"Yes?"

Zhang Da's face was also full of joy.

"Go into the city yourself tomorrow and bring Lingfeng some more things. Prepare a generous gift for Master Guo as well. Liu Feng said Master Guo has many formidable disciples. Even if Lingfeng has become his disciple, he'll have trouble standing out unless we grease the wheels. It's time our Zhang Clan spared no expense."

Old Master Zhang said.

In her letter, Zhang Pingping had said they could save a great deal on Zhang Lingfeng's martial training from now on. He found that laughable, knowing full well that this was when the real spending began.

"Will do."

Zhang Da also knew that without risking a child, one could not snare a wolf.

"Father, if there isn't enough money, I still have some on hand."

Zhang Erxi said.

"I have some too."

Zhang Sanfu added.

"Keep those few coins of yours and train the people under you properly. Oh, how is that Chen Sanshi doing now?"

Old Master Zhang said.

"I think he's still somewhat unwilling to give up. Whenever he has spare time, he hides off to the side to practice martial arts."

Zhang Sanfu said.

"Take him into the city tomorrow and tell him that Lingfeng has cultivated Ming Jin and become Master Guo's disciple."

Old Master Zhang told Zhang Da.

"All right. That will let him see his sister and give him another warning, so he'll stay and work with his heart set on it."

Zhang Da said.

"How are things with Wang Biao?"

Old Master Zhang asked.

"He still hasn't been released. Old Master Wang is trying to grease the right palms and pull strings to get Wang Biao out."

Zhang Da said.

"With a fool like that in Old Wang's family, there's no way they can hold on to such a large estate."

Old Master Zhang sighed.

Wang Biao was the son of the landowning Wang family and ran a business in the city. Somehow, he had offended the officials and was now imprisoned in a dungeon.

Lately, Old Master Wang had been seeking connections and raising silver, hoping to get Wang Biao out of prison.

He had also approached the Zhang Clan.

But Old Master Zhang had refused him on the grounds that he needed to support Zhang Lingfeng's martial training.

The Zhang and Wang families had once arranged a marriage between Zhang Lingfeng and Wang Fang. Both had now reached marriageable age. Had Zhang Lingfeng not gone to practice martial arts, and had this trouble not befallen the Wang family, the two might already have married.

Now Zhang Lingfeng had cultivated Ming Jin.

And this trouble had befallen the Wang family.

Old Master Zhang had a different view. "Since Lingfeng has entered the realm, this marriage with the Wang family can only be called off. I'll go to the Wang family tomorrow to break off the engagement. Remember to tell Lingfeng."

"All right."

Zhang Da considered it only natural.

The Wang family was about to collapse, while Zhang Lingfeng had already entered the realm. How could the Zhang and Wang families continue with a marriage alliance?

"Father, what about the Wang family's thousand-plus mu of paddy fields?"

Zhang Erxi asked.

"That piece of meat is too big for us to swallow. But with Lingfeng having entered the realm, we should be able to help smooth the way through our connections. Our Zhang Clan has its eye on those paddy fields below Little Moon Mountain."

Old Master Zhang said with a smile.

"I'll go with you tomorrow, Father."

Zhang Erxi said excitedly.

Perhaps this matter would allow the Zhang Clan's farmland to exceed a thousand mu.

The next day.

Chen Sanshi drove an ox cart, carrying Zhang Da to the county town.

"Little sister."

In the rented courtyard, Chen Sanshi finally saw his sister. He also saw Zhang Lingfeng, who had changed into the uniform of a Guo Wei Martial Arts School disciple, as well as Sun Yan and Hei Hu, who were guarding the property.

"You rarely get to come into town, so spend some time talking to your sister. My father and I are going to see my master."

Zhang Lingfeng said.

"All right. Take care, Master."

Chen Sanshi watched Zhang Lingfeng and his father leave.

"Wang Biao offended someone powerful and got thrown into prison. The Wang family is going to collapse. Your grandfather has already broken off your engagement."

Both father and son were carrying gifts as Zhang Da spoke casually.

Zhang Lingfeng stopped walking.

"Are you reluctant to give up this marriage?"

Zhang Da asked.

"Sister said Wang Biao has a courtyard residence in the county town that's much better than the one I'm renting."

Carrying the gifts, Zhang Lingfeng walked toward the martial arts school.

"Then you'll have to put in some effort and get Wang Biao out of prison."

Zhang Da said with a smile.

"Master, when my father learned that I had become your disciple, he hurried over from the countryside overnight."

"Master Guo, it's three lifetimes' worth of good fortune for our Zhang Clan that Lingfeng could become your disciple. On behalf of Lingfeng and everyone in the Zhang Clan, thank you."

"Haha, Brother Zhang, you're too kind. Lingfeng has superior aptitude and studies diligently and trains hard. It's my good fortune to have him as a disciple too."

Guo Wei warmly received Zhang Da and his son.

Every disciple who joined him would prepare an apprenticeship gift, and he would prepare gifts for his disciples as well. Many disciples brought gifts more valuable than those from the Zhang Clan.

But the Zhang Clan was a small household, yet its gifts were no less generous than those of some large families in the city. Their thoughtfulness deeply moved Guo Wei.

Father and son were invited to stay for a meal.

Guo Wei even returned the fifty taels of tuition Zhang Lingfeng had previously paid to Zhang Da.

Of course, besides medicinal ingredients that prolonged life, the generous gifts Zhang Da had prepared this time also included many expensive everyday goods, such as fine silks and satins.

Their value far exceeded the fee Zhang Lingfeng had previously paid in a lump sum.